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May 17- The Second Saudi Marine Forum is all set to begin in Jeddah from May 30 and will examine a number of issues such as shipping, port development, investment and tourism. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah, will launch the forum that has been organised by the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI). Among those attending the forum include Minister of Transport and head of the Saudi Ports…
May 16 - State-run airline Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC), will be offering internet booking next month for its holiday packages for the summer, said Head of the Holidays Department, KAC, Khalaf Al-Manea. Booking for package tours will be open to travel agencies in June while for customers it will be opened in August. Packages include tickets and hotel accommodation and it is hoped, said Al-Manea that 60 per…
May 16 - UAE citizens have been advised to avoid travelling to Thailand till the volatile situation in Bangkok improves, said Sultan Al-Ali, head of media relations at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Based on constant monitoring of the situation in Bangkok, the Ministry renews the call for UAE nationals not to travel to Thailand until the situation improves there," said Al-Ali. He also said that his…
May 16 - The Oman Travel Mart (OTM) is all set to kick off from May 17 at the Oman International Exhibition. More than 20 companies from the travel and tourism sector have confirmed participation at the fair. "As inbound tourism has grown exponentially in the country over the years, OTM has proven to be a significant platform that brings in the travel and tourism operators in the country to present their vast…
May 15 - Qatar submitted its World Cup bid file at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich yesterday which was done by Qatar 2022 Bid Committee Chairman Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani to FIFA President Sepp Blatter. The bid book outlines details of the event and the way it will take place in the Middle East. No Arab country has ever bid for the World Cup before. The file contains details of 12…
May 14 - The row between Saudi and Egyptian aviation authorities over airlines from both countries landing at their airports is because of the open-sky policy, said the Saudi Authority for Civil Aviation GACA spokesman Khaled Al-Khaibari. He spoke to reporters on Thursday in response to an article about the dispute between GACA and the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA). The article in question…
May 14 - French tourist authorities are looking to attract more high-end travelers from the GCC by starting a new drive which will feature information about the country’s various tourist spots. As many as 725,000 tourists from the Middle East went to France last year so officials of the French tourism authority hope to maintain this number this year also. "We are not expecting an immediate surge in tourist…
May 13 - Makkah’s Governor Prince Khaled Al-Faisal laid the foundation stone for the development of landmarks and various sites in Taif on Tuesday. The ceremony was attended by Prince Sultan bin Salman, Chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA). Prince Sultan’s intiative to change and improve the colour of the buildings in Shafa was also launched at the ceremony. "This is the first…
May 13- Domestic tourism has an important role to play as far as the creation of jobs are concerned in Saudi Arabia, said Prince Sultan Bin Salman, President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) on Tuesday. Prince Salman was addressing the participants of the First Forum of Human Development held under the auspices of Prince Sultan College for Tourism and Management at Abha Palace Hotel in…
May 13 - Brazil President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva's visit to Qatar is likely to improve tourism and trade relations between both countries that will be reinforced by the launch of Qatar Airways’ Sao Paulo route. A main feature of the visit will be a presentation that will introduce Brazil and its tourist spots to Qatari officials. The presentation will be given on May 15 by Jeanine Pires, President of the…
May 11 - According to the figures released by the Dubai-based research company, Market Vision, tourists from the UAE spend around Dh24.2 billion ($6.6 billion) per year on overseas holiday trips. This includes $4 billion on leisure tripes while $2.6 billion on trips to visit family and friends. In fact, the top 10 holiday destinations of choice for UAE travelers include India, Thailand, Oman, UK and France. In…
May 11 - The number of tourists from the UAE to Kenya increased to 13,000 in the overall 6.4 per cent increase to the region last year. "This may seem like a small number, but is very positive. We still performed, despite political crises we had, very well with the Middle Eastern market," said Cecily Mbarire, Kenya's Assistant Minister of Tourism, at the Arabian Travel Market last week. Kenya has remained a…
May 11 - According to a new rule implemented by the municipality in Sharjah, parks there will remain closed in the morning and open from 4 to 10pm, according to a new rule by the municipality. The ruling applies to weekends, Friday and Saturday, as well. The decision was made after a number of complaints came from women who said they were not comfortable with the park employees staring at them. "The…
May 11 - Eyewear sales in Dubai are on the rise owing to the number of tourists in the city. In fact, figures suggest that tourists contribute to as much as 60 per cent of the sales, said Andrea Guerra, Director and CEO of Luxottica, a global designer, manufacturer and distributor of fashion, luxury and sports eyewear. "People come to Dubai happy to spend money. They enjoy the shopping experience here, which is…
May 11- Omani and French experts will come together in Oman from May 15-17 to discuss sustainable development issues and green architecture along with eco-tourism in a workshop titled 'Green architecture and eco-tourism'. The workshop will be held under the patronage of the Ministry of Heritage and Culture and the French Embassy along with the collaboration of the Oman Society of Engineers. Speaking at the press…
May 11- Kuwaiti tourists to Malaysia have been increasing every year, said Malaysian tourism minister Dr Ng Yen Yen, who is visiting Kuwait at the moment. "Despite the economic crisis, the number of Kuwaiti tourists increased from 17,000 in 2007 to 18,853 in 2008 and 20,170 in 2009. We hope to see 25,000 Kuwaiti tourists this year," said Dr Yen at a press conference held on Sunday at Kuwait’s Sheraton…
May 10 -The French Latitude Sud Company, general agent in France of cruise lines Royal Caribbean International, has signed an agreement with Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises (RCCL Group) and D'Alessandro Travel agency. As per the agreement, D’ Alessandro will be allowed to introduce the cruise’s travel packages to the Tunisian market. Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman and Managing Director of…
May 9 - A new report by Alpen Capital, entitled GCC Retail Industry Report 2010, said the inflow of tourists and increasing number of passengers in transit will help fuel retail growth in the GCC retail industry. Other factors expected to boost growth in the retail industry are an increase in population, urbanization, and middle class (with increasingly higher per capital income). Gross leasable area (GLA) in the…
