Careem, Abu Dhabi tourism team up to create ‘curated routes’ in UAE capital
The partnership will also see Careem and DCT Abu Dhabi work together to gather data and insights on transport and tourism in the emirate Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi undersecretary Saif Saeed Ghobash and Careem GCC managing director Bassel Al Nahlaoui. Ride hailing company Careem has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Department of Culture and Tourism –...
Over 2.2 million Umrah visas issued so far
RIYADH — The Ministry of Haj and Umrah, publishing its weekly data, said the number of Umrah visas to prospective pilgrims reached 2,217,728 until Dec. 20 (Rabi Al-Thani 13) since the start of the season. It said 1,745,072 pilgrims already arrived in the Kingdom. It added that 1,349,139 of these pilgrims left the country after completing the rituals of the minor pilgrimage while the remaining...
80% of MENA hotel bookings made using mobile phones
Report about hotel bookings using mobile phone: findings in a third-party research report commissioned by Dubai’s Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) as part of its on-going commitment to facilitate and promote disruptive technology, as set out by the government’s 10x Initiative, reveal that 80% of hotel searches in the Middle East and North Africa are made using...
TripAdvisor Making Travel Planning Changes, Teams with TravelPulse
Trip planning with Tripadvisor application. (photo via pressureUA /iStock Editorial / Getty Images Plus) It’s been a busy November for TripAdvisor, as the travel website launched an updated version of its platform and added TravelPulse as a verified brand. As part of the transformation of TripAdvisor’s website and mobile app announced earlier this year, users will not only be able to hear...
UAE passport ranked world’s most powerful
A United Arab Emirates passport can travel to 167 countries without the need for pre-visa requirements Last year, the UAE passport was ranked No. 24 JEDDAH: Holders of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) passport can travel to 167 countries without the need for pre-visa requirements, dislodging Germany’s as the most powerful passport worldwide, an online ranking site said on Saturday. A UAE...
The beautiful places people will be going on holiday in 2019
Winter is officially here. The days are shorter, temperature is colder and summer feels both a long time ago and a long way away, which leaves us thinking about one thing: where to go on holiday? Over the past 12 months, places like southern Italy and Bali have infiltrated our Instagram feeds, whereas the year before, Vietnam, Mykonos and Lisbon definitely had a moment. To ensure you can stay...
8 Underrated Destinations in Morocco (To Get Off the Beaten Path)
In recent years, Morocco has become a tourist haven for western travelers. When people visit this North African nation, they generally want to see the most popular attractions such as Casablanca, Marrakech, the Hassan II Mosque, and Fez. But Morocco also has a hidden side, one with amazing sights that are perhaps not so much on the mainstream tourism radar. No doubt, if you’re the adventurous...
IATA airlines unilaterally decide to undermine airline/agent mediation programme says ECTAA
IATA held its 41st Passenger Agency Conference in Geneva on 30/31 October 2018. The latter is the body of airlines deciding on the rules of the Passenger Agency Programme under which IATA accredited agents are allowed to sell air tickets and report and settle their sales to airlines. Despite strong opposition from the agent community, the Conference unilaterally adopted two major changes to...
Umrah visa issue nears 1m mark
The Vision 2030 reform plan aims to attract more than 30 million Umrah pilgrims JEDDAH: The number of Umrah visas issued this year has reached 998,670, of which 695,740 pilgrims have arrived in the Kingdom, according to data provided by the Hajj and Umrah Ministry. There are 294,767 pilgrims still in the Kingdom, with 198,786 in Makkah and 95,981 in Madinah. Most pilgrims — 650,702 — came to...
