Tag: Dubai Tourism

Indians travelling home from UAE no longer need to register with the local consulate, the Consulate General of India in Dubai said in a statement. The registration was required for those traveling on the repatriation flights introduced from May under the Vande Bharat Mission. But “since a number of flights are operational by both UAE and Indian carriers along with flights operated by Air India/Air India Express from Dubai/Sharjah, tickets for which are available online, the process of registration at the website of the Indian Consulate, has been abolished with immediate effect,” the statement said. UAE was among the first ... Read more

Dubai’s extremely popular desert safari has been ranked as the world’s top tourism experience along with leading travel company OceanAir’s camel riding and desert BBQ in Tripadvisor’s 2020 Travellers’ Choice Awards. The awards recognise the world’s top experiences featuring tours and activities as decided by Tripadvisor and Viator travellers. Winners are determined using a system based on the millions of reviews and ratings of travellers around the world over a 12-month period. Dubai is popular with international travellers for desert safari featuring the adventures in dunes, riding camels, handling falcons, traditional Bedouin hospitality and barbeque buffet dinner under a night ... Read more

Dubai is likely to benefit the most in aviation from the United Arab Emirates’ historic deal to normalize relations with Israel, Bloomberg has reported, gaining a new stream of travellers that can help the Gulf travel hub bounce back from the coronavirus crisis that has decimated air traffic. The agreement between the two countries sets aside decades of enmity, opening ties through air travel, tourism, investment, security and telecommunications. Delegations from the two countries are set to meet soon to work out the details. The opening will give the UAE’s biggest carriers – Emirates and Etihad — an opportunity to feed Israeli passengers through ... Read more

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has extended the deadline for implementation of their sustainability requirements. Titled the “19 Sustainability Requirements and Carbon Calculator”, the requirements look at how a hotel performs across a number of metrics, while the Carbon Calculator looks at a hotel’s carbon footprint in a month. The department announced that the deadline for these practices has been moved forward by 12 months. In a statement, DTCM said the decision will not only help hotels finalise their compliance, but also give them time to focus on recovery amid the pandemic. The 19 Sustainability Requirements include ... Read more

Indian nationals with any type of valid UAE visas can now travel to the country, India’s Ambassador to the UAE has said. Taking to Twitter, Ambassador Pavan Kapoor referred to an Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) notification, “as per which both Indian and UAE airlines” can carry Indian nationals holding any type of visa from India to the UAE, Khaleej Times has reported. Previously, only residency visa holders were allowed to travel to UAE on flights operated under  India’s repatriation mission called Vande Bharat. This development means UAE residents of Indian nationality who were stranded in India can now ... Read more

Dubai’s tourism and hospitality sectors are seeing a “rapid rebound” after the July 7 reopening, in a positive turn of events which has surprised the travel industry. Bookings by Emirates Airline and flydubai are also on the upswing, with the former now confirming 70 destinations, while flydubai will cover 66 destinations over summer, says a Gulf News report. “Since then (July 7), we have been greatly encouraged by the market’s response in the second phase of our recovery strategy, which was activated along with the gradual resumption of economic sectors, as well as the staggered and tentative restart of travel ... Read more

Dubai’s medical tourism sector is bouncing back from the effects of Covid-19, with a recent resurgence in numbers of visitors seeking medical treatment as restrictions on travel are gradually lifted. With more countries than ever out of reach to medical tourists in neighbouring nations, many are looking to Dubai for the level of treatment they require, The National has reported. “Dubai is quite an attractive prospect given its ease of access for those from neighbouring countries,” said Christian Schumacher, chief executive of King’s College Hospital London, Dubai. “We are seeing an upturn in the number of visitors from countries with ... Read more

Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has announced that a travel corridor arrangement has been set up with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to facilitate essential business trips, which included official and diplomatic visits. The minister said Indonesia proposed the agreement after consulting with related government bodies, as well as their counterparts in the UAE, Jakarta Post reports. “Indonesia and the UAE signed an agreement on an essential business travel corridor. The agreement is effective immediately,” Retno said. The travel corridor agreement, she added, was strictly for essential business travel such as businesspeople and diplomats, but not for tourists. The agreement ... Read more

Flight bookings from India to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah will resume from today, Air India has announced. The airline has opened bookings for India-UAE flights on the departure leg of the repatriation flights under the Vande Bharat Mission. The bookings will be open till August 15. Bookings are however open for residence visa holders with ICA or GDRFA approval and a valid Covid-19 PCR test report in the printed form, from a government-approved laboratory. The airline has notified passengers not to travel with expired ICA or GDRFA approvals. Only resident permit passengers with stamped passport copy can book tickets ... Read more

Dubai-based carrier Emirates is gearing up for a busy travel period this weekend, for the Eid holiday. Customers are reminded to check the latest travel requirements, and to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their flight departure to avoid any delays. Peak travel is expected to start this evening, with Thursday, July 30, marking the busiest time for departures in Terminal 3. Passengers are encouraged to build in extra time to avoid any delays with expected traffic congestion. Passengers physically checking in at the airport are requested to check in no later than 3 hours prior to departure, ... Read more

The UAE has introduced mandatory testing for all airline passengers travelling to the country. Travellers must undergo tests in their country of origin and present a negative test report at check-in desks before flying to the Emirates. The new system will be in place from August 1, says a report by The National. The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) said the rules applied to “all Emiratis, residents, and tourists, arriving via the country’s airports, irrespective of the countries they are coming from”, according to state news agency Wam. The rules also apply to all transit passengers passing ... Read more

Dubai has launched a new compliance programme to certify and recognise hotels and retail establishments, F&B outlets and attractions that have implemented public health protocols for the prevention and management of COVID-19, Gulf News has reported. The initiative is part of efforts to showcase Dubai as one of the world’s safest destinations as it continues to receive tourists following the city’s reopening to international visitors on July 7. A verification and validation process has been established in collaboration with the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), Department of Economic Development (Dubai Economy) and Dubai Municipality for issuing the ... Read more

For the next seven weeks, Dubai’s residents and visitors can shop, relax, eat and repeat with amazing deals and offers on luxury hotel stays, beachfront adventures and family-fun getaways. Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS), which runs until August 29, is part of Dubai’s annual retail calendar that features major retail-based celebrations, mega sales and exclusive retail experiences and attractions aimed at further enhancing the retail sector. This summer season, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) highlights a great selection of unmissable hotel offers that will transform your summer into an unforgettable vacation in the city. The following are the details put ... Read more

Dubai began welcoming back international travellers from Tuesday with safety measures such as temperature checks, mandatory masks, and COVID-19 testing in place. That Dubai is a tourist destination at all is largely thanks to its ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. In 2019 alone, Dubai welcomed 16.7 million international guests, up from 15.9 million the year before, according to the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing. The top seven tourist-sending nations were India, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Oman, China, Russia, and the United States, says an Associated Press report. Those travellers also fuel Dubai’s vast restaurant, bar, ... Read more

Dubai Tourism hosted a virtual forum for stakeholders and partners to share its industry outlook ahead of the city’s reopening to international tourists on July 7. The forum discussed plans for reopening the city to foreign tourists, the local and global impact of the pandemic, future industry trends, global marketing initiatives, business events in Dubai, domestic tourism and Dubai’s summer events that form part of its annual retail calendar. The online forum is part of Dubai Tourism’s efforts to further enhance collaboration with stakeholders through regular top-level industry engagements, which are crucial to accelerate the revival process, highlight the city’s ... Read more