NEW YORK: The empty middle seat on airplanes, one of the few advantages of pandemics, is about to disappear. Delta Air Lines, the last remaining US airline to keep middle seats unbooked, has lifted that prohibition as of May 1, the company announced Wednesday. It is another sign of a rebound in demand for air travel and greater willingness of people to resume pre-pandemic activities. “As vaccinations become more widespread, consumer demand and behaviors show us that confidence in travel is on the rise and customers are ready to reclaim their lives,” said Delta’s statement Wednesday. Airlines have insisted that…
Author: holidayweekly
MARYLAND: Marriott International has launched the Marriott Bonvoy ‘The BEST Shinhan Card’, offered exclusively by Visa, enabling cardholders to accelerate the number of Marriott Bonvoy points they earn, which can be redeemed for free nights at the brand’s hotels around the world. Touted as “the first hotel industry credit card in South Korea”, cardholders can earn Marriott Bonvoy points and enjoy member benefits that come with elite status. For an annual fee of 267,000 won (US$236), with Marriott Bonvoy ‘The BEST Shinhan Card’, cardholders enjoy rich earn ratios and become a Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite member upon sign-up. Platinum Elite…
MONTREAL: Willie Walsh has officially taken on the role of Director-General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). He succeeds Alexandre de Juniac. The former Chief Executive of International Airlines Group (IAG) said: “I am passionate about our industry and about the critical work that IATA does on behalf of its members, never more so than during the Covid-19 crisis. “IATA has been at the forefront of efforts to restart global connectivity, including developing the IATA Travel Pass. “Less visible but of equal importance, airlines continue to rely on IATA’s financial settlement systems, Timatic, and other vital services to support…
MUSCAT: Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, has extended its complimentary Covid-19 coverage until December 31, 2021. The complimentary coverage is for expenses incurred by medical treatment or quarantine related to the pandemic and is applicable to those tickets issued for travel after October 1, 2020, until December 31, 2021. It will also cover Oman ex-pat residents who are required to present medical coverage for their destination and return to Oman if travel is completed within 31 days. As per the directive issued by Oman’s Supreme Committee for Covid-19 safety, Omani and GCC nationals have been…
LONDON: Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector is the fastest-growing among the 50 most populated countries in the world, reporting 73,057 rooms across the three phases of the hotel pipeline, and projecting a 67.1 percent increase in room supply over the next three years, according to STR’s AM: PM platform. Of the total rooms in the pipeline as of March 11, 16,965 were scheduled to come online over the duration of 2021. The 67.1 percent increase assumes completion of all projects in construction, final planning, and planning. “Saudi Arabia’s growth aspirations, along with the strength of other Middle East hospitality markets such…
BELARUS: Ambassador of Pakistan to Belarus Mr. Sajjad Haider Khan held a meeting with H.E. Mr. Anatoly Markevich, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Belarus. The meeting was also attended by Ms. Viktoria Ratobylskaya, Head of the International Cooperation and Information Management Department of the Ministry. Underscoring the diversity of culture, ethnicity, and religion of Pakistan, which has been a melting pot of civilizations for thousands of years, Ambassador Sajjad highlighted the significance of promoting people-to-people contact for the creation of greater awareness in the general public. The Minister welcomed the initiative, highlighted the importance of cultural collaboration, and…
ABU DHABI: The UAE is continuing to update and enlarge the scope of available residence and tourist visas, by introducing a range of new and innovative types of visas, according to the needs of various segments of the community. These updates are also in line with the progress achieved by the UAE in the area of global competitiveness and are expected to attract more investors, entrepreneurs, talents, and scientists, as well as boost the country’s status as an international tourism destination, reported state news agency WAM. Since the start of 2021, the UAE introduced three new updates to residence and…
ISLAMABAD: To recreate the charm of travelling to a contemporary city with a royal past, the new Hotel One will be opening its doors soon to travellers in Bahawalpur, the City of Nawabs. In this connection, a ground-breaking ceremony was attended by Mr Haseeb Gardezi, Chief Operating Officer – Hashoo Group Hospitality Division, Mr Waqar Qureshi, Director Development – Hotel One, and Mr Makhdoom Murtala Muhammad, the franchisee of Hotel One in Bahawalpur. Hashoo Group is the leading and largest chain of hotels in Pakistan that own and operates the five-star Pearl-Continental, Marriott and the select-service Hotel One brands in Pakistan.…
PESHAWAR: A top official said on Monday, March 29, that more cultural festivals and traditional games would be organized in Dera Ismail Khan to attract domestic and foreign tourists to the area and boost tourism in the province. Speaking at the awards distribution ceremony of the first Derajat off-road jeep and motorcycle challenge race, Secretary Sports, Tourism, Archaeology, Culture, Museums, and Youth Affairs Department Abid Majeed said that the second leg of Derajat Festival was postponed owing to the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic. He said that the cultural festival would now be held in the upcoming September. “The government…
ISLAMABAD: Serena Hotels held a colorful Nowruz celebration event in collaboration with the diplomatic missions of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the banner of its Cultural Diplomacy Initiative. Nowruz – which means ‘new day – is an ancient celebration of spring dating back to around 3000 years; today is celebrated by around 300 million people belonging to different faiths and ethnicities across the world. In 2010 the United Nations adopted a resolution to officially recognize the International Day of Nowruz. The event included beautiful cultural performances as well as…