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Flydubai secured a $320 million agreement with GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) to finance to finance four Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Under the terms of the sale and leaseback agreement two aircraft will be delivered in July, one in October, and one in December. Newly named President and CEO of GECAS said “This is a major achievement, the product of excellent work between our two teams – we wish flydubai every…
Historic treasures have been unearthed by municipal employees in Jeddah’s historic center, which has hundreds of homes dating back to the 14th century. The items include cannonballs, an old dagger, and a cache of artifacts. The municipal employees are attempting to preserve old buildings in the historic center. The recovered items will be delivered to the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities to date…
Thailand has extended a tourist visa fee waiver through 4 March 2010. Middle East and UAE tourists may travel to Thailand without paying the visa fee during this time. Thai Consul General said the Thai government is temporarily waiving the tourist visa fee because of an increase in the number of applications for tourist visas. Pasan Teparak said applications for a tourist visa from the Middle East…
Two hotel projects planned to be built at Dubai Festival City have been shelved due to the global economic crisis. The two cancelled hotel projects are the Four Seasons Hotel and the W Dubai Festival City. The Four Seasons Hotel was to be located next to the Al Baida Golf Club and scheduled to open by 2011. The W Dubai Festival City was scheduled for completion by 2013. The two hotels would have been part…
Air Arabia today announced a special summer promotion that will bring families and friends together in the UAE. Air Arabia is the first and biggest low-cost carrier in the Middle East and North Africa. Air Arabia is offering round trip tickets for only AED975 and a one month UAE tourist visa. The destinations eligible for the offer include Sharjah, UAE and any of the other 46 destinations served by the…
Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) launched an H1N1 public awareness campaign for UAE residents and tourists. SCTDA is collaborating with the UAE to launch the initative, which was prompted by the World Health Organization’s recent declaration of the worldwide pandemic alert level change to Phase 6. This level indicates a pandemic is under way. The swine flu presents a real threat to…
ANC Holdings partnered with Amusement Whitewater (AWW) for $10 billion of new projects over the next five years. The deal will give ANC Holdings a significant share of the entertainment market in the GCC. ANC Holdings Chairman said they want to take AWW “anywhere in the GCC where we can build and create parks.” AWW and its partners ANC Holdings and Flag Holdings – based in Abu Dhabi, will develop new theme…
The Oman News Agency reported on Tuesday that UAE and Oman officials met to discuss ways to facilitate cross border travel between the two countries. Both sides considered a number of initiatives aimed at easing border crossings for tourists and expatriate residents. Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior were among those leading the…
An industry expert says the number of Middle East business jet flights fell 20% during the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year. Chairman and founder of private jet operator VistaJet says this shows that even in the Middle East, companies are affected by economic crunch. Thomas Flohr explained “In the first quarter the world was still in shock and wondering where the financial…
Director of Bahrain International Airport, Mohammed Tamer Al Kaabi said the number of passengers departing from Bahrain International Airport this summer has dropped between 20% and 25% compared to the same period last year. The fall in passenger departures is attributed to the impact of the global financial crisis and the swine flu. Al Kaabi said the number of people flying into the US, Canada, and Europe…
Dubai has decided to bid for the 2020 Olympic Games and World Expo, boosting the moral of Dubai’s travel and tourism sector during this economic downturn. The Dubai 2020 initiative was launched by His Highness Shiekh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, on Sunday. Shiekh Al Maktoum is Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The 2020 program will focus on numerous sectors within Dubai and…
All seven international airports in the UAE have passed tests to for the Aerodrome license. The licenses will be issued by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and are in accordance with domestic and global norms. Airports in Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah are the last two airports to pass the tests. The other five airports – Abu Dhabi International Airport, Al Ain International Airport, Al Bateen…
Passengers transiting form countries hit by the H1N1 virus are tested and treated locally in Dubai. During the transit period in Dubai, passengers are quickly tested on the aircraft before disembarking. Head of Infectious Disease Unit in Rashid Hospital explained “A special ambulance takes doctors to the aircraft to test passengers where a rapid test is carried out.” Dr. Abudulla Ustadi said patients testing…
Dubai Sports City, the world’s only purpose build sports city, will play a pivotal role in Dubai’s bid to host the 2020 Olympics. One of the partners and founders of Sports City, regarded as the brains behind the creation of the world class sports facility, indicated it will be completed by 2011. Abdul Rahman Bukhatir said they have already delivered the cricket stadium and the hockey stadium is almost…
Oman believes that growing fears of swine flue will cause a record number of Gulf tourists to visit the resort town of Salalah this year, as they seek safer holiday destinations. Last year Salalah, which overlooks the Indian Ocean, attracted the highest number of UAE vacationers and official believe this year another record will be achieved. Ministry of Tourism undersecretary said they expect a higher…
Machine Readable Passports (MRP) in Pakistan have a technical fault and this is causing a backlog in the UAE and causing many to cancel or postpone their holiday plans. The passport booklets are laminated in Islamabad then delivered worldwide. The Pakistani community says their delay is hampering their holiday plans. Currently delivery of the passport takes about a month but the normal delivery time is about…
Etihad Airways first flight from Abu Dhabi to Chicago will depart on 2 September. Chicago is the third largest city in the United States. There will initially be three flights a week but starting on 1 October, flights will be daily. The new route is aimed at boosting Etihad’s North American presence. The new flight service will operate on an Airbus A340-500 wide body aircraft with a capacity for 240…
Sharjah National Travel and Tourist Agency (SNTTA) yesterday announced a three year growth strategy for the Abu Dhabi market. SNTTA said there is a projected increase in demand for outbound tourism in the UAE, and they are ready to capitalize on that in niche markets like medical tourism, golf tourism, cruises, and other leisure packages. SNTTA has 18 travel and tour outlets in Dubai, Sharjah, and Northern…
