In-the-Issue

The archeological jewel of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Al-Ula will play host to a special season of events and festivities over the next few weeks. Winter at Tantora festival will be the first-of-its-kind to be held in this UNESCO World Heritage site. TT Bureau Al-Ula, which lies in the …

Having joined the family-owned travel business 11 years ago, Sapna Aidasani, Manager—PR & Marketing, Pluto Travels, has elevated her company to a next generation of personalisation. Over the past years, she has carved a niche for herself as well as the company that places it on an entirely different pedestal …

Reaffirming Dubai’s position as the cruise hub of the region, Dubai Tourism alongside its public and private sector partners, welcomed ‘Horizon’ into Dubai, marking the debut of Pullmantur in the region. TT Bureau At 208 meters long and weighing 46,811 gross tonnes, ‘Horizon’ is the first Spanish cruise line to …

His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), shares some of the new markets in focus for 2019 whilst promoting the many interesting travel hotspots. Shehara Rizly Could you share some of the international events where Sharjah will participate in during this year? This …

Al Noor Island, one of Sharjah’s prominent destinations is rolling out new and revamped education packages, which combines nature, art, and entertainment by introducing five unique experiences. Visitors will be able to learn about butterflies, plants, trees, birds, photography and even practise yoga and learn more about sky objects. In …

Set to be held at Marriott Riyadh Diplomatic Quarter from January 22-23, 2019, the second edition of Saudi Arabia Hotel Investment Conference (SHIC) will provide a forum for more than 300 hotel investors, owners, developers and operators to discuss the growth of the hospitality industry in the Kingdom. TT Bureau …

The year-long retail calendar enables a growth of the AED 128.45bn sector projected to grow further at 5.6 per cent to reach AED 160.7bn by 2021. Read on for an overview by industry insiders… TT Bureau His Excellency Sami Al Qamzi, Director General, Department of Economic Development (DED) “The retail …

One of the first announcements for 2019 by Cathay Pacific is the expansion of its network to Japan with the introduction of the new route to Ishikawa from April 2019. The new twice weekly service will enable the UAE travellers to access the destination easily via Hong Kong. TT Bureau …

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director—ME, ATM & IBTM Arabia, talks about how Turkey’s figures for the third quarter of 2017 show it’s well on track to achieving its goal of becoming a major global tourism market by 2023. Turkey’s tourism industry is recovering, with a strong focus on the MiCE sector …

Anna Suominen, Sales Group Manager, Messukeskus Helsinki, sheds light on Matka Nordic Travel Fair set to be held from Jan 16-20, 2019, at Messukeskus Helsinki, Finland. TT Bureau What will Matka Nordic travel fair offer this time? At MATKA, the initial two days are only for travel industry professionals comprising …