Tag Archives: tourism

A haven for humans craving furry feline company, a cat cafe in Dubai also doubles as an adoption centre for some of the United Arab Emirates’ many strays. The Ailuromania Cat Cafe, which was the Middle East’s first cat cafe when it opened in 2015, hopes the relaxing properties of …

Sharjah Investment and Development Authority, Shurooq, announced the addition of Moon Retreat to their eco-luxury tourism destinations, state news agency SPA reported. The retreat will open to guests during the first quarter of 2021 in the archaeological area of Mleiha. Moon Retreat will offer visitors stargazing activities as there is …

The Ferghana Valley (also transliterated as Fergana or Farghana) is historically the main Silk Road route between Kashgar and Samarkand. It is a relatively fertile, populous and prosperous area though much of the surrounding country is mountains, steppe or desert. Two rivers, the Naryn and the Kara Darya, flow into …

Sacred Bukhara is one of the tourist gems of Uzbekistan. The historic city centre is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The age of the city exceeds 2500 years. Let us say one thing. You will lose out so, so much, if you do not visit Bukhara. Popular landmarks …

(ADVERTORIAL) A soothing view is the perfect romantic escape for any newly married couple. The cozy swim-up suites located in Baron Palace Sahl Hasheesh is uniquely designed to fit couples and especially honeymooners who are not seeking lavish digs. It’s newlyweds’ best choice for spending their honeymoon where they dwell …

The Kingdom is to establish a new marine center to preserve underwater cultural heritage in the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf. The center is a natural development from Saudi Arabia’s awareness of its responsibility to protect all forms of heritage, Culture Minister Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan told a …

Uzbekistan, long unknown to most Westerners, is already shaping the travel scene for 2020. This culturally rich and historically compelling country, along with the rest of central Asia, has been named the No. 1 travel region for the new year by travel website Lonely Planet due to its easy access …

Tourism in Uzbekistan has always drawn people from far and wide. For anyone who knows about the country, this is easy to understand – bright colours, intricate patterns, rich flavours, and friendly people await every visitor. Traces remain of great empires that have long since been blown away by the …

Netflix has struck a five-year exclusive partnership with Saudi Arabian animation studio Myrkott to produce Saudi-focused shows and films along with a similar period first-look option on the company’s upcoming projects. The link-up will entail production of new and exclusive seasons of the “Masameer” cartoon series and related upcoming movies, …

Egypt is building two highways across the pyramids plateau outside Cairo, reviving and expanding a project that was suspended in the 1990s after an international outcry. The Great Pyramids, Egypt’s top tourist destination, are the sole survivor of the seven wonders of the ancient world and the plateau is a …

By Sher Karimov   Uzbekistan will implement a national strategy to improve the independence of the country statistics system. The document signed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev prioritizes the measures to implement the strategy between 2020 and 2025, which was developed jointly with the World Bank. The country’s statistical bodies will …

The Israeli cabinet limited on Sunday the involvement of the Shin Bet security service in the cellphone-tracking of people infected by the coronavirus, saying the measure would be a last resort where epidemiological investigation proves insufficient. Circumventing parliament in March, as the coronavirus spread, the cabinet approved emergency regulations that …

As the world faces a spiraling daily commercial downturn that is faster and deeper than any since World War 2, the singular entity of Bali – Earth’s most photographed island – has felt it more than anywhere. By Joshuahn Jackstonburg Due to the almost total reliance on business via foreign …

The new coronavirus may be deepening dictatorship in parts of the Middle East already tightly controlled by authoritarian regimes. However, there is a subtle change at work as well—not in the degree of authoritarianism but in its nature. By Nathan J. Brown and Yasmine Farouk Close attention to the ways …

The number of people facing acute food insecurity could nearly double this year to 265 million due to the economic fallout of COVID-19, the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday. The coronavirus crisis will push more than a quarter of a billion people to the brink of …

The coronavirus crisis, which has already battered oil prices, threatens to further undercut Gulf economies battling a downturn and struggling to wean themselves from a decades-old energy addiction. The six Gulf states — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates — count China as their main trading …

After Shavkat Mirziyoyev came to the post of the President the number of beautiful and landscaped areas in Uzbekistan are increasing as a result of measures aimed at radically renewing the image of cities and villages, improving social conditions. I personally witnessed these creativities during my trip to this country …

Samarkand is a cultural treasury of the peoples of the East, with medieval architectural monuments unique in beauty and architectural forms, extant up to date. Modern Samarkand differs much from its medieval image: the city has changed but the domes, towers, and magnificent building arches decorated with mosaic patterns are …

Delegation of Ajlan & Bros Holding Group (Saudi Arabia) led by Сhairman Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Ajlan arrives in Tashkent. According to the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Saudi Arabia, which organized the visit, Ajlan & Bros is one of the leading companies in production of classic Arab men’s clothing, …

The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, ICA, has launched ‘SIM 24’ initiative offering free SIM cards to all tourists upon their arrival in the UAE. These SIM cards include free minutes and data, and will enable visitors to communicate with their families after arriving in the UAE, the ICA said …

Essa Abdulla Al Nuaimi, UAE Ambassador to Georgia, has taken part in a meeting to learn about the Georgian Government’s assessment and plans regarding the current challenges in the tourism sector. During the meeting, held at the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Al Nuaimi spoke about the growing tourist ties …

H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, today issued a resolution regarding the appointment of Raki Phillips as CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority,RAKTDA, to lead the authority’s plans in the promotion and development of the emirate’s tourism infrastructure …

I am an ordinary young man, my great hobby is travelling. I am at the age of 35 and I have visited more than 50 countries all over the world so far. Recently I have visited Uzbekistan – the pearl of the East. Here I would like to share my …

The UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs has reiterated the country’s commitment to ensuring regional stability. “The UAE is a committed partner in the development and stabilisation of the Arab World,” Dr. Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, told audiences in a keynote address at the GLOBSEC 2019 Bratislava Forum in …

Exports generated by international tourism reached US$1.7 trillion in 2018, a 4 percent increase in real terms over the previous year, a new report from the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) shows. For the seventh year in a row, tourism exports grew faster than merchandise exports (+3 percent), reflecting solid demand …

Heather Nauert, the State Department spokeswoman who doubles as one of the US’s highest-ranking diplomats, came under fire after posting a photo of herself on Wednesday smiling outside a Saudi Arabian government complex during a visit to Riyadh to discuss the alleged torture and killing of a US resident and …

Dubai has approved an ambitious tourism strategy to attract 21 to 23 million tourists by 2022 and 25 million visitors by 2025. This is a part of a strategy to strengthen Dubai’s position as a favoured destination and the most visited city in the world. The strategy was approved during …

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced on Wednesday plans to turn a section of its northwestern coast into a magnet for international tourists, part of a broader push to diversify the economy away from oil. “The new destination is a natural extension of the Mediterranean Sea, and dubbed the …

Theme park operator Dubai Parks and Resorts said Sunday it has signed a strategic partnership with leading Chinese payment service UnionPay to introduce the facility for Chinese travellers visiting the UAE. With six billion subscribers globally, UnionPay claims to have the largest cardholder base in the world. According to the …

Retailers and the tourism industry have reacted positively to the announcement that visitors to the UAE will soon be able to claim back any value added tax (VAT) they are charged. On Wednesday, the UAE cabinet agreed to put in place a system that will allow tourists to receive refunds …

An Egyptian court sentenced a Lebanese tourist to eight years in prison on Saturday after she posted a video tirade on her Facebook page that Egyptian authorities claimed had insulted the country and its leader. The news website Ahram reported that Mona el-Mazbouh was initially handed an 11-year sentence and …

The UAE’s non-oil private sector output and new orders in June rose at their fastest pace this year, indicating a strong improvement in the overall health of the economy, according to the Emirates NBD Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI). The PMI for June rose to a 2018 high of 57.1, up …

Come August 1 and lasting for three months thereafter, a general amnesty will come into effect for foreigners and non-residents who have violated the UAE’s residency laws. While full details of the amnesty — dubbed ‘Protect Yourself via Rectifying Your Status’ — have yet to be clarified, Brigadier Saeed Rakan …

by Ibaa Younis*   Damascus is the capital of Syria and one of the most ancient and continuously inhabited cities in the world. The city is clearly divided into two parts; old and new. In this sense, it combines the present time features and the deep-rootedness of the past. The charm …

The UAE will grant a three-month general amnesty to foreign violators of the country’s residency laws starting from August 1, a senior official said on Thursday. Brigadier Saeed Rakan Al Rashedi, Acting Director General of Foreigners Affairs and Ports Department at the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, told Gulf …

A new policy promising free limited visas to transit passengers could potentially allow visitors to stay in the UAE for nearly a week, and it’s not just good for the tourism sector but for the local economy as a whole. The UAE cabinet approved last week a decision to exempt …

Jumeirah will eventually add one more hotel brand to its stable, chief executive Jose Silva declared in an interview with Gulf News, speaking to the press for the first time since taking over the top position in January. As the company enters its next phase of expansion, targeting global markets whilst …

The tourism industry is expected to receive a boost from the latest in a long line of government measures intended to bolster the economy, experts and industry officials say. On Wednesday evening, the UAE Cabinet approved a decision to exempt transit passengers from all entry fees for the first 48 …

The Executive Committee of Abu Dhabi Executive Council has approved the reduction of tourism fees from 6 per cent to 3.5 per cent and municipality fees from 4 per cent to 2 per cent. The committee also endorsed the reduction of municipality fees for hotel rooms from Dh15 to Dh10 …

Tourism in Abu Dhabi and Dubai grew by 3.6 per cent during the first three months of 2018, compared to the same period from last year. Hotel occupancy increased by 1.2 per cent and room occupancy rose by 5.7 per cent, according to recent statistics issued by the tourism departments …

Construction of the world’s next tallest tower in Dubai has reached a new milestone and is running ahead of schedule. The 450 skilled workers commissioned for the $1 billion (Dh3.6 billion) project have just completed the concrete placement for the pile cap of the super-tall masterpiece, it was announced on …

Dubai’s tourism authority is set this week to launch a major charm offensive in China, courting some of the largest companies in the world in a bid to lure more Chinese visitors to the city. On Sunday, Issam Kazim, the chief executive of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing …

Dubai welcomed a record 4.7 million foreign tourists in the first quarter this calendar signalling strong growth momentum for the economy, the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) said in a statement on Friday. “Welcoming 4.7 million international overnight tourists from January-March 2018, the emirate posted a stable …

There is no move to legalise gambling in Dubai, despite the imminent arrival of three of the world’s most famous hotel casino brands, according to the emirate’s most senior tourism official. The MGM Grand, the Bellagio, and as of last week Caesars Palace, are all heading for Dubai, with the …