NEW YORK: President Biden’s American Rescue Plan lays out much-needed relief that can’t come soon enough. The travel industry lost millions of jobs last year, accounting for nearly 40% of all jobs lost. U.S. Travel is grateful to Congress and the administration for their focus on combating the virus and providing relief to America’s hardest-hit industries. U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement in support of the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package known as the American Rescue Plan: “President Biden’s plan lays out much-needed relief that can’t come soon enough, and we’re encouraged by the…
Author: holidayweekly
DOHA: Qatar Airways has been acknowledged for its performance during the global pandemic as the best airline in the world by eDreams, one of Europe’s largest online travel agents. The award drew on feedback from over 61,000 customers across 667 airlines awarding marks for service quality not only onboard but throughout each customer touchpoint, including flight refunds, reliability, ticket flexibility, value for money, overall experience, and safety. Qatar Airways topped the rating with a score of 4.4 / 5, reflecting the range of measures it introduced to support customers and trade partners during the pandemic, including the most flexible booking…
MADRID: The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Moroccan officials recently met to advance the organization of the 24th UNWTO General Assembly in October 2021, the first global high-level UN event to be held since the beginning of the pandemic. Led by the Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili, a delegation from UNWTO has concluded an official visit to Morocco to discuss the program, calendar, and facilities to be prepared for this statutory meeting that will focus on Education and Youth, Rural Development, and Digital Innovation. The Minister of Tourism of Morocco, Nadia Fettah Alaoui, and her team accompanied the delegation during this three-day…
KARACHI: Last week Governor Sindh Imran Ismail inaugurated the ‘ArtRegent’, an art gallery at Regent Plaza Hotel & Convention Centre. The new gallery is opened with the joint collaboration of ArtKaam Gallery and Regent Plaza Hotel & Convention Centre for the Art Lovers of Karachi. A large cross section of the city’s elite, including industrialists, a very representative gathering of Karachi’s responsible citizens, businessmen, Artists, Media Personnel and professionals had responded to the invitation of Mr. Zubair Baweja and made the event a very impressive evening. Being the Chief guest while addressing the event, Governor Sindh Imran Ismail said that…
RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has sought permission from Uzbekistan to operate its flights from Lahore to Tashkent and announced an increase in the number of international flights. PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez said that PIA Chief Executive Officer Air Marshal Arshad Malik had intensified efforts to launch Tashkent flights and talks had been held between the PIA CEO and Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Pakistan His Excellency Aibak Arif Usmanov and Ambassador of Pakistan to Uzbekistan Syed Ali Asad Gilani. During the meeting, the PIA sought permission to start Lahore-Tashkent flights as the national flag carrier planned to start the…
GENEVA: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released new analysis showing that the airline industry is expected to remain cash negative throughout 2021. Previous analysis, released in November, indicated that airlines would turn cash positive in the fourth quarter of 2021. At the industry level, airlines are now not expected to be cash positive until 2022. Estimates for cash burn in 2021 have ballooned to the $75 billion to $95 billion range from a previously anticipated $48 billion. IATA said it is already clear that the first half of 2021 will be worse than earlier anticipated. This is because…
ISLAMABAD: In continuance of its mission to fighting the war on drugs in Pakistan, the Karim Khan Afridi Welfare Foundation has launched recently the European Union best practice drug prevention education initiative “Unplugged – adapted in Pakistan as Hum Saath Hain”, at Mashal community school, Bari Imam, Islamabad. KKAWF is the first civil society outfit to bring this prevention awareness programme to local schools in Islamabad. Delivered by KKAWF Board member and education advisor Ms. Lubna Hayauddin a UN certified life-skills trainer, the programme will have participation of 100 students and run for 12 weeks with one session each week.…
PESHAWAR: Secretary Tourism Department Abid Majid on Friday said that pragmatic steps were being taken to facilitate tourists during their visit to the scenic spots of the province. “Gabin Jabba and Malam Jabba are the most attractive tourist destinations in Swat valley that is why domestic and foreign tourists are now even coming in chilling winter to enjoy the beauty of mini-Switzerland in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he told a function held in connection with inauguration of the three-day Sports and Cultural Festival in Gabin Jabba. Officials of the Swat district administration, including Deputy Commissioner Junaid Khan, and Tourism Department were also…
MUSCAT: Oman’s Supreme Committee has decided to suspend incoming flights from ten countries, including Sudan, Lebanon, South Africa, Brazil, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Ethiopia, to safeguard efforts made in fighting Covid. The move includes arrivals from any other country if the travellers happened to have visited the above-mentioned ten countries within 14 days before applying to enter the Sultanate, reported Oman News Agency (ONA). The ban takes effect from 12 am of next Thursday and continues for a period of 15 days. An exemption is granted to Omani citizens, diplomats and health workers and their families who…
ISLAMABAD: Soon to open in the scenic valley of Nasirabad, Hunza, PC LEGACY Hunza will be the second hotel by Hashoo Group in their recently introduced brand of hotels by the name of PC LEGACY, following PC LEGACY Naran. The brand “PC LEGACY” is a new chain of four-star hotels by Hashoo Group, who already own and operate Pearl-Continental, Marriott, and Hotel One across Pakistan. PC LEGACY will bridge the gap for travellers between the five-star and the select service hotels. In this connection, an agreement was signed between Pakistan Services Limited and Linked International Pvt Ltd. at Islamabad Marriott…