Category: Gulf

Ranked as one of the world’s safest travel destinations, Oman enables families to leave the familiarities of home behind and journey together through a fascinating culture and landscapes, unlike anything they’ve experienced before. TREASURED EXPERIENCES
 Children’s eyes and minds will be opened to an altogether different world as they walk through Oman’s many souks, swapping smiles with the locals and perusing market stalls bearing ancient spices, fragrances, silver treasures and exotic garments. Their minds will swim with images of Disney’s Aladdin as they come face to face with the ‘true Arabia’ – a land with a culture seemingly untouched by ... Read more

The government of Oman has announced that those who take two doses of the nationally approved vaccine will be admitted to Oman from September 1. The decision comes as a relief to expatriates who are finding it difficult to return to Oman. Oman imposed an entry ban on Indians in the last week of April. The 10-days ban was extended in the wake of rising covid rates in India. In addition to the UAE, Oman had also lifted the entry ban from tomorrow is largely resolving the expatriate crisis. Kuwait already lifts one-and-a-half-year direct entry ban. Also, The return of ... Read more

The Supreme Committee announced further restrictions in the wake of the Covid expansion. During the month of Ramadan, night travel and trade bans were imposed. Access to Oman was restricted to nationals and resident visa holders. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Supreme Committee chaired by the Home Minister. During the month of Ramadan, the ban lasts from eight at night to four in the morning. Currently, travel and trade bans are from 8 pm to 5 am. This will continue until April 8. The trade ban will remain in place until Ramadan one. Travel permits are ... Read more

The municipality has said it will intensify inspections at food establishments in connection with Ramadan. Health standards must be strictly adhered to in the preparation, storage, and distribution of food. Sultan Ali al-Tahir, head of the food monitoring department, said the inspections would be carried out in warehouses and hypermarkets as well. There will also be regular inspections at fruit and vegetable markets and fish and meat centers. The quality of food items distributed in mosques and Ramadan tents will also be checked. Chemical contaminants and microorganisms in food can cause deadly health problems. Improper handling also seriously affects health. ... Read more

Fans of inspiring food adventures are set to be immersed in an unforgettable culinary journey as Dubai Food Festival, which will be held from 25 March till 17 April, confirms the line-up for its popular Foodie Experiences series. Dubai Food Festival 2021, the 24-day citywide culinary celebration – is hosting its third edition of Foodie Experiences, featuring Masterclasses, Chef’s Tables and Experiential Dining adventures that redefine what it means to eat out. The Foodie Experiences calendar has more than 18 unique opportunities within three main categories: Masterclass, Chef’s Table and Experiential Dining. Some of the events are one night only, ... Read more

The UAE cabinet has approved a new self-sponsored Remote Work Visa that will enable employees from all over the world to live and work remotely from the UAE, even if their companies are based in another country. The one-year visa allows foreigners to enter the UAE and work in line with terms and conditions issued with the visa. The new scheme aims to support the public and private sector, and also enables employees to expand their digital skills and adapt to the emerging gig economy. The decision was reached on Sunday during a cabinet meeting chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin ... Read more

Travellers from 20 countries, including the UAE, Egypt, Lebanon, India, Pakistan and the UK and USA, have been barred from entering Saudi Arabia as the kingdom steps up precautions against new variants of coronavirus. The Ministry of Interior announced that the temporary suspension, which comes to forces at 9pm tonight, February 3, said the ban also extended to those who had passed through any of the 20 listed in the previous 14 days. “The decision will include those travellers coming from other countries if they passed through any of the 20 banned countries 14 days preceding the request to enter ... Read more

‘The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai (GDRFA–Dubai) and the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) have signed a strategic partnership agreement to enhance cooperation and promote online services and platforms designed to facilitate processes for the issuance of residency permits for various investor programmes and special visas. These include the Distinguished Guests and the Virtual Working programmes, ‘Golden Visas’ for investors and retirement visa for retirees. The agreement will enhance cooperation and communication between the two entities and pave the way for the exchange of expertise, experiences, studies, creative and innovative ideas and field ... Read more

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has unveiled a comprehensive list of vibrant events and activities featured in the Dubai Calendar for the first quarter of 2021.The events, ranging from comedy nights, live entertainment shows, concerts, family activities, sports tournaments and more, will be held between January and March and are set to appeal to visitors and residents of all ages and backgrounds. The scheduled events are set to further boost Dubai’s position on the global cultural map and reinforce its status as a must-visit destination. Dubai Opera Among the shows taking place at the Dubai Opera this ... Read more

Residents and visitors enjoying the latest edition of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) will have even more chances to win great life-changing prizes with a host of super giveaways. The 26th edition of the longest-running retail celebration, organised by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), features amazing raffles with incredible rewards worth millions of dirhams up for grabs throughout DSF, which ends on 30 January 2021. Among the mega prizes to be won is an AED6 million W Motors Fenyr SuperSport, 45 INFINITI QX60 vehicles, 45 brand-new Nissan vehicles, AED1 million in cash prizes and 25kg of gold. WIN ... Read more

Saudi Arabia’s northwestern AlUla Governorate which hosted the 41st summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council on Tuesday, including top leaders from the GCC’s six member-nations: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. AlUla is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world, and it tells the story of human civilization. It was a meeting point for the civilizations of the Nile and Mesopotamian valleys and the eastern coast of the Mediterranean on the one hand, and the civilizations of the Arabian Peninsula, Northeast Africa, and East Asia on the other. AlUla is home to ... Read more

Saudi Arabia on Sunday announced the reopening of borders and the resumption of international flights after a two-week suspension aimed to stem the spread of a new Covid-19 strain. The government ordered the lifting of “precautionary measures related to the spread of a new variant of coronavirus”, the Ministry of the Interior said, according to the official Saudi Press Agency. Riyadh suspended international flights and access through land crossings and ports on December 21. Other Gulf countries, Oman and Kuwait, who had taken similar measures, have also lifted them in recent days. But travelers returning from Britain, South Africa, or ... Read more

Emirates SkyCargo has notched yet another milestone by flying in COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech to the UAE for the first time for the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). The vaccines were transported from Brussels on Emirates flight EK 182 on 22 December 2020, arriving at Dubai International Airport (DXB) at 22.15 local time. HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Group said: “Emirates is proud to be transporting the first batch of Pfizer vaccines for COVID-19 into the UAE for the Dubai Health Authority. Our healthcare ecosystem has played an absolutely critical role in every ... Read more

Morocco has one of the most diverse landscapes on earth. While most attention is drawn by the Sahara desert and four mountain ranges, the country also has wetlands, tidal lagoons, deep forests, cultivated farmland and coastal and marine habitats. There are eleven National Parks in Morocco, covering over 7,700 square kilometres between them. These important areas are vital for conservation, hosting numerous species of flora and fauna that are either at risk or endangered. They are also spectacular places to visit for nature lovers, places of beauty and peace where visitors can enjoy the diversity of wildlife that Morocco offers. ... Read more

Emirates is re-opening its lounges around the world beginning with the Emirates lounge at Cairo International Airport. In the coming weeks, Emirates’ customers can look forward to once again enjoying Emirates lounge services in other destinations including New York’s JFK International and Manchester Airport. The airline has redesigned its lounge offering and introduced additional health and safety measures. The new protocols will be rolled out in each lounge. The buffet offering will be changed to an a la carte service with contactless menus activated by QR code. Throughout the day, lounge staff will sanitize each seat and table after customers ... Read more