Dubai: Tourism companies in the UAE are gearing up to welcome back Chinese tour groups who were absent for three years since the pandemic struck. Travel companies are saying that the expected surge in visitor numbers, which reached nearly a million in Dubai in 2019, will begin in March this year. And after a brief slowdown during the summer months, the number of travellers from Asia’s leading economy is expected to spike exponentially after September 2023.

Beijing eased restrictions at borders, that have been all but shut since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, on January 8.

Immediately after, a handful of business and leisure travellers, including those who wanted to meet their families, have booked tickets to the UAE, said Vishwajith Das of Oriental Hope Tourism and Travel. “We are yet to see a huge surge in bookings from China from large tour groups. We are confident activity will pick up in March this year,” said Das.

“Pre-pandemic, there is usually a flurry of tourist activity from China during the Chinese New Year. Celebrated from January 21 to 27, large tourist groups usually come to the UAE during this time,” stated Das. The initial uncertainty, exorbitant airfares and lack of affordable direct flights which connect both countries are reasons for the slow start to tourist activity. “There are limited forward bookings for China-UAE flights as well. But return economy airfares are priced at Dh6,000 and above. Travellers are waiting for fares to come down,” said another travel agent.

High fares deter travellers

A direct Air China flight departing from Beijing on January 19 and returning on January 27 costs Dh6,095. An Etihad Airways direct flight from Beijing to Abu Dhabi is priced at Dh4,165 for the same dates. Connecting flights are relatively cheaper. Egypt Air operates a flight from Guangzhou to Sharjah with a layover in Cairo. Airfares on this route are at Dh3,782. However, this flight has a wait time of 14 hours and 45 minutes in Egypt.

Airfares taper down from Dh4,165 and Dh6,095 to Dh2,844 to Dh3,681 in the first week of March (for a flight from Shanghai to Dubai). However, very few carriers are yet to provide a direct service.

Flag carriers Emirates and Etihad have announced plans to increase their operations between UAE and China in the coming months. That should ease connectivity and boost demand.

Large groups to buoy tour business

Dubai welcomed almost 17 million visitors in 2019, with Chinese visitors making up 990,000 of that number ― an increase of nearly 15 per cent over the previous year. However, the past three years have been tough for companies operating in the Chinese market. “In 2019, we had two large groups of Chinese travellers coming into the UAE almost every day during the peak season, which is from September to March,” said Das. The group size of Chinese tourists ranges from 10 to 30 travellers. They stay for four to eight days, he said.

Das’s company has been operating in the UAE-China tourism market since 2015. “Business has been slow since 2020. We are eagerly anticipating the arrival of Chinese tourists,” he said.

A mix of business and leisure tourists is expected from China. “The business travellers market is pretty big as many Chinese investors and business persons want to expand their business into the UAE. This category brings in a steady stream of visitors,” another Abu Dhabi-based travel expert said.

“In the leisure sector, large Chinese tour groups who will arrive in March and after September will act as a saving grace for struggling travel companies,” added the source.

Rashid Abbas, Managing Director of Arooha Travels, said, “Chinese travellers have visa on arrival for 30 days, and that makes UAE a desirable destination for them. The leisure travel industry will pick up in demand. However, I predict it will take some time.”

There needs to be more demand for travel towards China from the UAE. “We do not see any leisure bookings for now. There are very few future bookings as well. We suspect traveller confidence should pick up in the coming months,” a travel agent told Gulf News.

Grand celebrations in UAE

The Chinese community in the UAE is gearing up to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Several entertainment activities have been planned for the festival in anticipation of visitors, including a concert with participation from 500 overseas Chinese performers at the Dubai Opera on January 8.

The Chinese Consul-General to the UAE, Li Xuhang, revealed that Expo City Dubai would host the “Happy Chinese New Year” Grand Parade on January 14, coinciding with the Chinese New Year on January 22.

Source: Gulf News

Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has announced the launch of the annual Dubai Tourism Summit, a first-of-its-kind travel forum in the region, which will lay the foundation for a home-grown world-class thought leadership programme to boost the city’s resurgent tourism industry and support regional and global tourism.

The DET announced the forum today at its bi-annual ‘City Briefing’ event held during the Skift Global Forum East, the first-ever MENA extension of the Skift Global Forum. The Dubai Tourism Summit will provide a networking platform for industry stakeholders to share their vision, ideas, strategies and best practices, as well as insights on leveraging the latest innovations and trends to create a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable future for global tourism.

The DET also shared the latest tourism report for the first ten months of 2022. Data showed that Dubai welcomed 11.4 million international overnight visitors between January and October, an impressive year-on-year increase of 134 percent, taking the city further on its journey to becoming the world’s most visited destination.

The DET’s ‘City Briefing’ was presided over by Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director-General of DET, and attended by more than 1,000 executives from across the tourism ecosystem, including aviation, travel, hospitality and retail sectors. The meeting provided an update and outlook on the industry. It explored ways to continue accelerating the momentum to reinforce Dubai’s position as a global hub for business, investment, talent and tourism.

Helal Al Marri said, “We are grateful to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, for his visionary leadership, inspiration and guidance that has led to several milestones in 2022. Dubai has always been an international icon of innovation and excellence. The Dubai Tourism Summit will see us working even more closely with our domestic and global stakeholders and partners as we focus on pushing the boundaries further to highlight Dubai’s position as the top international destination and the best city in the world to live in, work and invest. With the Dubai Tourism Summit, we will elevate our blueprint for sustainable growth, contributing towards our industry’s continued success and supporting the recovery of regional and global tourism.”

Al Marri added, “Our performance in the first ten months of 2022 indicates that we are on target to achieving our tourism goals, which dovetail with the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031 announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to attract AED100 billion as additional tourism investments and 40 million hotel guests by 2031. It is also a testament to our city’s resilience, robust and diversified market strategy, solid collaboration model between the government and private sectors, and the strength of the city’s diverse destination proposition. We are well-placed to end this year on a resounding note and perform even better in 2023 and beyond, steadfastly supported by our aviation, travel and hospitality partners, who continue to champion Dubai’s position as the first-choice destination for global travellers.”

Key markets continue to deliver on tourism volumes
The 11.4 million international overnight visitors who arrived in Dubai between January and October 2022 represented a quantum leap over the 4.88 million visitors that the city welcomed for the same period in 2021. The numbers are close to the pre-pandemic record of 13.50 million international visitors in the first ten months of 2019. Dubai’s international tourism arrivals significantly outperformed other major global destinations, giving Dubai a head start on post-pandemic recovery.

Hospitality sector shines across many metrics
Participants were also briefed on the hospitality sector’s outstanding success, as it played a significant part in Dubai’s impressive rebound. Dubai’s growing popularity among global travellers is evident in the fact that there were 54 million online searches for Dubai per month during Q3 2022, which was close to pre-pandemic levels, with bookings in the last few months surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

Dubai shares limelight with other global cities with 71 percent occupancy
Average hotel occupancy in Dubai between January-October 2022 stood at 71 percent, one of the highest hotel occupancies in the world. This compares to 64 percent in the corresponding period of last year and just short of the 74 percent during the pre-pandemic period of 2019. Dubai’s occupancy continues to closely trail the top benchmark cities: Istanbul (75 percent), New York (74 percent), Paris (73 percent), London (73 percent) and Los Angeles (72 percent).

Hotels register strong growth; supply up by 18 percent over pre-pandemic levels
Dubai’s hotel inventory in October 2022 comprised 144,737 rooms at 790 hotel establishments compared with 122,185 rooms available at the end of October 2019 across 724 establishments. The total number of hotels in the first ten months of 2022 saw an 8 percent growth over the same period in 2021, highlighting strong investor confidence in Dubai’s tourism sector.

The hotel sector outperformed pre-pandemic levels across all other key measurements: Occupied Room Nights, Average Daily Rate (ADR) and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR). Despite the significant 18 percent increase in supply compared with pre-pandemic levels, Dubai hotels achieved strong growth across ADR and REVPAR over 2019 levels. Dubai hotel establishments delivered a combined 30.40 million occupied room nights during the first ten months of the year, a 23 percent YTD growth and a 17 percent increase over the corresponding pre-pandemic period of 2019, which yielded 26.01 million occupied room nights.

The ADR of AED506 in the first ten months of 2022 surpassed the ADRs for the first ten months of 2021 (AED384) and 2019 (AED400), with a 32 percent increase in ADR in YTD October 2022 vs YTD October 2021 and a 27 percent increase vs YTD October 2019. The stellar performance of the hotel sector is also demonstrated in RevPAR growth: a 48 percent increase in RevPAR in YTD October 2022 vs YTD October 2021 (AED362 vs AED245) and 23 percent vs pre-pandemic YTD October 2019.

Source: Emirates News Agency

Dubai has topped the list of cities with the highest spending by international visitors this year, pulling ahead of Doha and London in the top three places, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) said.

The Gulf tourism and finance hub has raked in $29.4 billion in international visitor spending so far this year, overtaking Doha where tourists spent $16.8 billion and London with $16.1 billion, WTTC said in its latest Cities Economic Impact report.

The cities that have recovered best, compared to pre-pandemic levels of 2019 in terms of international visitor spending, are Doha with a 21 per cent rise in tourist spend, Orlando, Florida, with a 19 per cent increase and Antalya in Turkey with 15 per cent.

“It was in 2022 that cities began their true recovery, as travel restrictions were lifted and demand for international travel returned,” said Julia Simpson, president and chief executive of the WTTC.

“As tourism recovers, overcrowding in some destinations is a risk. It is, therefore, important for cities to have the right policies in place to address it. Such policies ought to be enacted in advance before the problem comes to fruition.”

The report, which was released at the WTTC global summit in Riyadh this week, analysed 82 international city destinations and found that their tourism sectors’ recovery was well under way after the Covid-19 pandemic that paralysed travel for nearly three years.

According to the report, 10 of the 82 cities analysed are projected to exceed pre-pandemic levels in terms of direct travel and tourism gross domestic product contribution to their economies this year.

Doha is forecast for the largest increase from 2019, in terms of travel and tourism sector’s contribution to the city’s GDP, with an expected increase of 21 per cent.

In Europe, Warsaw is expected to record a significant 14 per cent increase, while in the US, Orlando is projected to post a 10 per cent increase over the same period.

The cities forecast to record the largest direct travel and tourism contribution to GDP this year are Paris with $36 billion, Beijing with $33 billion and Orlando with $31 billion, the report showed.

The travel and tourism sector will directly generate up to 8 per cent of all jobs by 2032 in the cities analysed, up from 6.6 per cent in 2019 and a low of 5.1 per cent in 2020, underscoring the importance of city tourism in driving economic growth, the WTTC said.

This year, direct jobs in travel and tourism are expected to return to 2019 levels in 11 cities including Rio de Janeiro with 18 per cent growth, followed by Johannesburg and Chicago with 13 per cent growth each.

The travel and tourism industry will generate 126 million jobs globally over the next decade, becoming a critical driver of economic growth with its contribution to GDP growing faster than other sectors, according to the WTTC.

From this year to next, the strongest annual average growth in direct travel and tourism GDP is expected to be concentrated in the Asia-Pacific with Hong Kong, Bangkok and Jakarta being the top performers, the report suggested.

The Saudi Arabian cities of Riyadh and Jeddah are also expected to register strong growth, according to the report.

“For millions of tourists around the world, major cities remain iconic global destinations. There’s still a strong appetite to experience the history, culture and energy that cities offer travellers,” Ms Simpson said.

“This year cities are recovering around the world, and we forecast that cities will continue to grow and thrive over the next decade.”

Source: The National

Emirate hosts 10.12 million overnight visitors from January to September, compared to 12.08 million in same period of 2019

Dubai has reached 85 per cent of the pre-pandemic number of international tourists to the emirate in the first nine months of this year as the emirate continues to rebound from the Covid-19 global crisis.

The city hosted 10.12 million overnight visitors from January to September, compared to 12.08 million in the same period of 2019 prior to the pandemic, according to the latest available government data.

“The ability of Dubai to bounce back and recover very quickly enabled us not to miss a beat, so whether you’re looking at tourism, trade or a financial hub, all three of them really flourished through Covid and out the other side,” Helal Al Marri, director general of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, said at DP World’s Global Freight Summit on Monday.

“One of the things we’ve learnt is having an environment that is digitally enabled … and has very strong data-driven decision-making — this is what’s needed in ever-turbulent times.”

Last week, the UAE announced a national tourism strategy aimed at attracting 40 million hotel guests, raising Dh100 billion ($27.23bn) in additional tourism investment and increasing the sector’s contribution to the country’s gross domestic product to Dh450bn by 2031.

Emirates, the world’s largest long-haul airline, reported a record profit in the first half of the current financial year on strong travel demand during the peak summer season as international borders reopened and coronavirus restrictions eased.

The airline swung to a Dh4bn profit in the April to September period, from a loss of Dh5.8bn in the same period last year, citing its ability to increase capacity in response to the surge in travel demand.

Maritime connectivity

In terms of global maritime connectivity, the industry has the “urgent task” to rebuild supply chains so global trade can better cope with future shocks, Sultan bin Sulayem, chairman and chief executive of DP World, said in a keynote speech at the summit.

The pandemic, geopolitical tension and global climate crisis have exposed the fragility of many parts of the supply chain infrastructure and the industry must work together to share information and data, he said.

Sharing information “enables us to track every step of cargo movement. With this kind of visibility, we are more agile and avoid costly delays and work together to ensure stable trading connections”, he said.

However, large swathes of world trade are bogged down by “legacy technologies” or there are too many digital platforms that do not work with one another.

“Wherever that happens, there is a bottleneck, a point of failure that weakens supply chains,” Mr bin Sulayem said.

“Instead of seamless trade, there is digital friction.”

More than half of freight-forwarders see inflation and geopolitical tensions as the main concerns for the global supply chain over the next five years, according to a DP World study released on Monday.

Some 63 per cent of the respondents said inflation is a main concern, while 56 per cent cited geopolitical tensions.

Two thirds of freight forwarders believe it is “impossible to say” when economic disruptions will subside.

However, three quarters of the respondents said they expected technology to be a significant factor in easing current supply chain woes. More than half said digitalisation would be the single biggest driver of reducing bottlenecks. Three in four said technology would lead to cost savings and better delivery to new and existing customers.

Concerns about international trade align with the latest forecasts from the World Trade Organisation for cross-border commerce to grow only 1 per cent next year, after a projected 3.5 per cent increase this year.

DP World reported a 2.1 per cent increase in gross container volumes in the third quarter of 2022 as global trade flows remain “resilient” but warned the near-term outlook was clouded by uncertainty.

“Looking ahead, the near-term outlook remains uncertain given the geopolitical environment, inflationary pressures and currency fluctuations but we remain positive on the medium to long term outlook for global trade,” Mr bin Sulayem said last month.

Source: The National

Dubai tourism looks set to boom amid plans to attract 40 million new hotel guests by as early as 2031.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, has announced the new national strategy.

He said: “We are among the top 10 tourist destinations in the world and our goal is to accelerate our competitiveness by attracting Dhs100billion in additional tourism investments to this vital sector and receiving 40 million hotel guests in 2031.”

HH Sheikh Mohammed stressed the importance of tourism to the UAE economy – and hopes the new plan will see the sector’s contribution to GDP rise to Dhs450billion overall.

If that is to be achieved, tourism’s contribution must increase by Dhs27billion annually.

According to the plan, 25 initiatives and policies will be introduced to support tourism.

Investment will also be encouraged in the travel, aviation and hospitality sectors with the hope of attracting international companies.

HH Sheikh Mohammed continued: “Tourism is an important part of diversifying our national economy and an important tributary to consolidating our global competitiveness.

“Our airports received 22 million passengers in the first quarter of this year alone.

“Our goal is that the tourism sector’s contribution will be Dh450bn of our GDP in 2031.”

The UAE has enjoyed a surge in tourism numbers this year, with revenue exceeding Dhs19billion during the first half of 2022.

The total number of hotel guest numbers reached 12 million – a 42 percent increase.

In a Cabinet meeting last week, HH Sheikh Mohammed said: “Our indicators today are stronger than our indicators before the pandemic, and our economic growth is faster than before the pandemic, and our tourism, commercial and development sectors are larger than before the pandemic.”

This was particularly clear in Dubai, where a 182 percent year-on-year increase in international visitors was reported.

And this looks likely to increase dramatically over the coming weeks, too.

Hotels in Dubai and Abu Dhabi expect occupancy levels to rise by 80 to 100 percent, with demand surging due to the proximity to tournament hosts Qatar.

Source: Time Out Dubai

Expo City Dubai on Monday announced a jam-packed calendar of events – including forums, exhibitions, and performances – as it kicks off its one-year countdown to COP28.

Home to the Expo 2020 mega-event for six months last year, the site will hold a sustainability-themed event calendar, culminating activations that will be held over the coming 12 months before the climate conference next year.

COP28 is set to take place from November 6 to 17 next year at the Expo City Dubai site. Like previous editions, the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will address global warming and climate change issues.

The state-of-the-art ‘green’ destination Expo City Dubai shares COP28’s objectives of achieving greater sustainability and enabling action to push for a more climate-secure future.

“Tackling climate change remains at the top of the global agenda, a priority for the UAE, and a conversation we are actively engaged in as a city and educational hub. It is clear that every individual must bear the responsibility to learn more about the challenges we face and how we can each play a role to help address them,” said Expo City Dubai’s chief of education and culture, Marjan Faraidooni, adding that the sustainable-centric site was “proud” to host COP28.

The Next Gen World Majlis

The Next Gen World Majlis, an Expo School Program platform for youth to discuss issues that impact all our futures, will make its post-Expo 2020 comeback on 21 November.

A group of students aged between nine and 12 years old, selected from schools across the UAE, will explore the climate crisis, probing who, if anyone, can be held responsible; what should be asked of world leaders; the current role and potential of schools in tackling the crisis; and the risks of inaction.

The event is in line with World Children’s Day, commemorated annually on November 20 to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and the improvement of children’s welfare.

Youth also takes center stage in the return of Expo Young Stars on November 24 and 25 at Al Wasl Plaza, where students will express their thoughts and present an interpretation of climate issues through sustainability-themed performances.

Exciting performances and events

Part of the Expo School Program, the Expo Young Stars performances are open to the public, and attendance is free of charge.

The events will then be followed by the ‘Reflections on Climate Change’ exhibition which will invite visitors to learn about the history of previous COP summits and the goals that were set out, global crises, and initiatives in place to maintain a more sustainable, climate-secure future. Dates for the exhibition will be announced at a later stage.

Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion continues to welcome visitors as it brings Expo City Dubai’s commitment to sustainability to life, taking them on a journey under the ocean or through the forest, and empowering individuals of all nationalities, ages and interests to make more sustainable choices in their own lives.

An example of sustainability in action, Expo City Dubai retains 80 percent of the Expo 2020 site’s built infrastructure, including 123 LEED-certified buildings and eight infrastructure projects rated ‘Excellent’ under CEEQUAL.

“Designed as a blueprint for green urban planning, Expo City Dubai is spearheaded by the same team that delivered one of the most sustainable World Expos in history and rallied all segments of society around topics that matter to humanity,” Faraidooni added.

“Leveraging our signature creative storytelling and expertise as a convener, our diverse programming will engage everyone, regardless of age, background or awareness, in wider efforts to mitigate climate change, building momentum to COP28 and beyond as Expo City continues its journey to net zero.”

Source: AlArabiya News

235 surveillance cameras, 112 dynamic message signs help beat congestion on highways

Dubai’s ‘Intelligent Traffic System’ (ITS) has helped cut travel time on key highways and roads by about 20 per cent. The project has improved incident monitoring by 63 per cent and helped reduce emergency response time by 30 per cent.

According to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), these were made possible thanks to dynamic overhead message signs on roads and linking the authority’s Enterprise Command and Control Centre with the Dubai Police’s Command and Control Centre.

Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, said the initial phase of the ITS project expanded coverage of Dubai’s main road network from 11 to 60 per cent. The RTA is now gearing up for the second phase of the project over the next few months, which will cover all the main roads of the emirate. The total length of roads covered by the ITS in Dubai will jump from 480km to 710km.

The initial phase saw upgrading and installing 112 dynamic message signs that relay real-time information to motorists about road conditions such as congestions and incidents. They also transmit messages, guidance, and key tips about traffic safety and event management to enhance the efficiency of traffic management. The signs are located in selected locations along Dubai roads as well as sites leading to mega events. For instance, 623 messages were displayed on signs around Expo 2020 Dubai.

The first phase also involved the installation of traffic monitoring and data capturing systems, including the installation of 116 traffic cameras. This brings the total number of surveillance cameras to 235. Hundred incidents detection and vehicle counting devices were installed, which raises the total number to 235. About 115 transit time and speed computing devices were installed, along with 17 Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS).

“Expanding the ITS coverage is a key element in supporting the government’s drive to transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world, which involves the use of smart technologies and software to ease mobility,” said Al Tayer.

The Dubai ITS Centre is one of the largest and most sophisticated traffic control centres worldwide. It manages traffic movement in the emirate using the latest applications of artificial intelligence, big data, Internet of Things, and communication systems. “It has a whole host of traffic-monitoring devices, information-capturing gadgets, and other smart services. Through ITS, the centre manages current and future road networks all over Dubai,” added Al Tayer.

The centre’s advanced iTraffic system, which is linked with field devices, works under an integrated technology platform to collect and analyse big data. It also supports instant decisions to manage traffic movement, incidents, and mega events.

Works completed also included the construction of a 660-km long fibre-optic network for communication between on-site devices and central systems. The total length of the optical fibre network is now 820km.

The project also included upgrading the software of the advanced central traffic system that supports decision-making and provides an automatic response line. The central system integrates with field devices, analyses the data received, and activates appropriate plans.

Source: Khaleej Times

Dubai has retained its number one spot in the Middle East and North Africa and improved its position globally in a key index that reflects the self-reinforcing strength of the world’s leading global cities in 2022.

Dubai, which improved its global ranking to 22 from 23 in the Global Cities Index (GCI), has demonstrated growth in business activity, human capital and political engagement through 2022 while Abu Dhabi jumped a spot up on the global rankings owing to increased business activity and political engagement, according to the Index compiled by a global consulting firm Kearney.

The GCI’s rankings of the top cities in 2022 reflect the self-reinforcing strength of the world’s leading global cities. The top four cities on the list — New York, London, Paris, and Tokyo — are unchanged from 2021.

Dubai tops the region in Cultural Experience, which is one of the most fluid and difficult-to-quantify categories within the GCI. While Riyadh has recorded a 46-point increase in rankings, the highest jump in the category globally, the FIFA World Cup host city, Doha, noted a 17-point jump in the category, and held a firm lead in the Mena region in sporting events.

Current conditions

Kearney’s report looks at the current conditions of cities and the investments they are making in their futures in GCI and Global Cities Outlook (GCO). While the GCI is a picture of the present, the GCO is a forecast of the future.

The GCI assesses how globally engaged cities are across five dimensions: business activity, human capital, information exchange, cultural experience, and political engagement. The GCO, on the other hand, examines how cities are creating the conditions for future status as major global players.

In terms of GCO, Abu Dhabi held its ranking in the top 10, landing at number nine globally. The outlook for Dubai also improved five places to land at number 11 overall, creeping closer to breaking into the top 10. The outlook for Doha has been overwhelmingly positive. The report suggests a 23-point jump bolstered by strong governance in the country, the highest jump in the category in the region.

Around the world, higher-than-expected inflation, the ongoing economic and political impact of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the escalating effects of climate change, have resulted in intensifying pressures on the world’s largest urban centres.

The global management consultants noted that adaptation and proactive change are required to ensure cities remain capable of offering unique value to the companies and communities that call them home.

“Cities around the world have shown declining scores on the Index over the last six years—an indication of de-globalization that predates the pandemic. This year, while indicators of business activity and human capital have softened across the globe, the Mena region has displayed promise. In the Middle East, governments have been proactively setting targets for socio-economic development for years now, and it is this prudent, systemic strategy that has shaped their positive futures,” said Abdo Al Habr, Kearney partner, Public Sector in the Middle East.

Positive moves

According to the report, the Middle East as a region, after many close years vying with China, has overtaken the country in the Cultural Experience dimension of the GCI, now converging with Asia Pacific. “This can be attributed to the region’s continued efforts. Even through the pandemic, the region hosted some iconic global events which have resulted in increased local and international tourism.

The UAE was home to Expo 2020, which brought together 24 million visitors while Qatar is hosting the World Cup later this year. Saudi Arabia has also noted a rapid expansion of tourism since the launch of Saudi Arabia’s National Culture Strategy in 2019,” said the report.

Rudolph Lohmeyer, Kearney Partner, National Transformations Institute, said that in the coming year, city leaders will have to prioritize their efforts and investments even more ruthlessly than in the past as they navigate what is likely to be an exceptionally challenging economic storm.

“Leaders will need to drive policy innovation to protect their most economically vulnerable residents and attract highest priority employers while ensuring fiscal sustainability. The tools to do so are out there, but they must be championed from the top.”

Source: Khaleej Times

Kenya is keen to cement its position as a world travel destination as the World Travel Awards move to the global stage in Muscat, Oman, next month. This is after sweeping up to 25 awards in the just concluded Africa and Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony in Nairobi, on October 15, held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).

The hosts–KICC was among the biggest winners having been voted Africa’s leading meetings and conference venue for the fourth year running.

Nairobi also retained its position as Africa’s leading business travel destination.

According to KICC chief executive Nana Gecaga, WTA coming to Kenya for the second time was a show of confidence in the destination, and that the hospitality and travel industry is back.

“We have been able to bring back the glory, positioning KICC as a leading meetings and conference venue,” Gecaga who has been at the help of KICC for the last seven years, said.

KICC has been closely working with the hotel industry to host major conferences, with both the service and meetings businesses reaping big from top dollar spending by visitors.

It is estimated that every international delegate spends at least Sh376,000 per conference trip of about three to six days, reflecting the huge potential MICE holds for the economy.

“Apart from MICE, beach and Safari, Kenya also has huge potential in medical, sports, education tourism among other offerings,” Gecaga said.

KICC will be seeking to be voted the World’s Leading Meetings and Conference Centre in the November 11 grand gala.

Nairobi has been listed among nominees for the World’s Leading Business Travel Destination and Leading City Destinations categories, as the country features in at least 30 categories featuring airport facilities, airlines, conservancies, hotels and safari companies.

Top on the list among local companies is Twiga Tours, one of the oldest companies in the tours and travel business in Kenya.

Founded in 1980, the firm prides itself on offering highly personalised African Safari experiences in Kenya and the East Africa region.

During last week’s Nairobi gala, it won Africa’s Responsible Tourism Award and Kenya’s Leading Luxury Safari Company, setting it for the global stage.

“To have been nominated for the World’s Responsible Tourism Company and the World’s Leading Safari Company is in itself a huge recognition of our ethical service and warm Kenyan hospitality,” the company’s CEO Minaz Manji told the Star.

“We always strive to create and set high standards in the hospitality sector and this will always be our focus. Africa and particularly Kenya can be mighty proud of our nominations irrespective of the final results,” he added.

Also going to the global stage after Nairobi wins is the Kenya Tourism Board which will be seeking the World’s Leading Tourist Board.

Pollman’s has been nominated for the World’s Leading Tour Operator 2022, after being named Kenya’s Leading Destination Management Company 2022.

Pollman’s Group Operations Director and seasoned hotelier Mohammed Hersi said: “Kenya’s tourism and travel is looking good. The future looks bright.”

Baobab Beach Resort which runs three luxurious properties – The Baobab, The Maridadi, and Kole Kole retained its position as Kenya’s Leading Family Resort 2022 and has been nominated for the World’s Leading Family Resort award.

Other nominees are Port of Mombasa (World’s Leading Cruise Port), Kenya Airports Authority (World’s Leading Airport Operator), Four Point by Sheraton-Nairobi Airport (leading airport hotel), while Leopard Beach Resort’s Residences has been nominated for the World’s Leading Hotel Residences.

Swahili Beach Reasort has been nominated for the World’s Leading Beach Resort, Manda Bay in Lamu (leading private island resort), Angama Mara (world leading safari lodge), Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club (world leading hotel) among other nominees.

Kenya as a country has been nominated as the World’s Leading Destination and World Leading Safari Destination, battling it out with Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

During the Nairobi gala last week, WTA founder and president Graham Cooke termed Kenya as a gem with unique travel and tourism products and features.

“You have an amazing country. Kenya is uniquely positioned…it is a hub and in the world’s tourism map,” Cooke said.

With the destination angling for post-Covid-19 recovery, Kenya is keen to bounce back with international arrivals this year expected to reach 1.4 million.

This is up from 870, 467 recorded in full year 2021, which was a growth from 567. 848 arrivals in 2020, a year that the industry took a beating from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Total arrivals for the eight months to August were 924,812, up from 483, 246 same period last year.

The United States remained the leading international market source.

Uganda had the second most arrivals, mainly visiting for business, followed by the UK, Tanzania, India, Germany, Rwanda, Somalia, Ethiopia and France closing the top ten list.

Source: The Star

The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)’s first official Gastronomy Report has published figures that say just two percent of the city’s restaurants should be classed as fine-dining establishments.

It means of the 13,000 F&B outlets in the emirate, 260 are considered fine-dining venues.

The figures come from researchers JLL, which says there are 340 fine-dining restaurants in the entire country.

In it, it confirmed the emirate is home to 13,000 restaurants and cafes.

It also cited data from JLL, which said that 80 percent of the 340 fine-dining restaurants in the UAE are in the UAE. This means there are 272 fine-dining restaurants in Dubai.

There’s no description or qualification for what JLL or the Gastronomy report classes as a fine-dining outlet, but it does say that this proportion is largely due to demand for fine dining options from international visitors to the city that also drive demand for casual dining and social and drinking options, underlining the expansive range and richness of brands offering such experiences across Dubai.

The inaugural Gault & Millau UAE guide, which focuses on fine-dining outlets, features 130 restaurants.

The study, which surveyed 16,000-plus respondents worldwide, concluded that Dubai ranked ahead of leading tourism peers Singapore and Istanbul for the variety of restaurants on offer, highlighting how the city’s F&B offering has dramatically evolved in recent years to cater for the diverse palates of its international visitors and foreign residents that hail from more than 200 countries.

The gastronomy guide includes Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Jumeirah, DIFC, Karama, Dubai Motor City and Dubai Studio City.

Source: Travel and Tour World