MADRID: The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) of the United Nations has signed an agreement with Destination Capital (DC), a Thailand-based private equity real estate investment company to support the rejuvenation of the hotel industry. The arrangement supports the relationship DC has with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to promote investment in green and sustainable tourism accommodation and to stimulate re-employment, particularly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The collaboration between UNWTO and Destination Capital is based on DC’s adoption of best practices aimed at reducing carbon emissions and operating hotels in a manner consistent with IFC’s environmental and social…
Author: holidayweekly
GILGIT: Booming Tourism comes back in scenic Gilgit Baltistan (GB) where so far up to 1 million local and foreign tourists thronged during the ongoing summer season to enjoy its mesmerizing weather and eye-catching mountainous terrain. Bordering Afghanistan and China, Gilgit-Baltistan is Pakistan’s favorite tourist destination and was listed by Forbes among the 10 “coolest places” to visit in 2018. The region’s economy is largely dependent on tourism and was severely hit last year as outbreaks of COVID-19 and travel curbs deterred tourists from flocking to the region’s glacial lakes, valleys and 8,000-meter-plus peaks. Gilgit-Baltistan’s Minister for Tourism, Sports, Culture,…
MANAMA: Bahrain’s national carrier Gulf Air has started its services to the French capital from Monday, August 2. This is in line with the latest decision by the French authorities to add the Kingdom of Bahrain to their Green List. Being on the green list will mean that citizens and residents of Bahrain will be accepted to travel to France without the need to quarantine. Passengers aged 12 and above must present a proof of a complete vaccination which is authorized by the European Medicines Agency or a negative PCR test that is conducted within 72 hours before the flight…
MINSK: The 5th round of Pakistan – Belarus Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC) was held at Minsk. The Pakistan side was led by Dr. Muhammad Tariq, Additional Secretary (Europe) while Mr. Nikolai Boresivich, Deputy Foreign Minister led the Belarus side. Ambassador of Pakistan, Sajjad Haider Khan and Ambassador of Belarus in Islamabad also attended the meeting. Talks between the two sides were focused on the whole range of bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest. The Additional Secretary thanked the Belarus side for receiving him despite the COVID-19 pandemic. They expressed satisfaction at the steadily growing…
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia announced Friday, July 30, that it would reopen its borders to fully vaccinated foreign tourists after a 17-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, the state news agency said. However, Riyadh did not announce any lifting of restrictions on Umrah, a pilgrimage that can be undertaken at any time, which usually attracts millions of devoted Muslims from across the globe each year. “The Ministry of Tourism announced that the Kingdom will open its doors to foreign tourists, and lift the suspension of entry for tourist visa holders, starting from August 1,” the Saudi Press Agency reported. It…
DOHA: Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker wants to see more airlines brought into the Oneworld family, along with a drive to increase Oneworld’s profile and branding, as part of an “aggressive” push for the alliance. The always-outspoken Al Baker is currently Chairman of Oneworld’s Governing Board, having been appointed in May 2021 to succeed Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce, who had served in the role since September 2018. “Under my leadership, we don’t accept anything other than being number one,” Al Baker told the FlightPlan III webinar hosted by Inmarsat Aviation and aviation trade group APEX. He said his…
KARACHI: Gerry’s dnata, Pakistan’s largest ground services provider, has won a prestigious award for achieving the highest safety standards. The company has been recognised for its industry-leading health & safety risk assessment and control procedures at the 7th International Environment, Health & Safety Awards. Syed Haris Raza, vice president of Gerry’s dnata, said: “Safety is a fundamental, uncompromising tenet of our business, and one of our six corporate values. We’ve integrated safety in all aspects of our operations and engage our people at all levels of the organisation in continuous improvement. “This award is a testament to our team’s hard…
LONDON: WTM London has announced that China Travel Online is the show’s newest buyer partner and media partner in China. China Travel Online is a leading China outbound travel portal that connects destinations, attractions, hotels and other travel suppliers around the world to Chinese operators and professionals. It is also one-stop-shop for resources, e-commerce, news and networking for Chinese travel and tourism companies and professionals. The new partnership means that China Travel Online will invite up to 50 Chinese buyers to network and do business with suppliers and destinations across the globe during WTM Virtual on November 8 to 9.…
MONTREAL: ACI’s annual Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Awards recognize and reward the best airports in the world across an array of categories. All of the award winners have something in common, no matter the size or location of airport, volume of passengers, or number of employees, their exceptional commitment to continuously improving the passenger experience. The remarkable 2020 Award winners rose to new and unique challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a dramatic impact on global passenger traffic as well as changing customer perceptions and expectations. They also sought to improve their core operations over the past year.…
MUSCAT: Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, operated two regularly scheduled passenger flights with fully vaccinated crews to two separate domestic destinations in the Sultanate on 12 July 2021. Oman Air Flight 931, a Boeing 737-800, departed Muscat at 07:30 on 12 July for Khasab, a popular port city on northern Oman’s breathtaking Musandam Peninsula. The flight was piloted by Captain Suhib Mohamed Al Barwani and First Officer Waleed Al Jadeedi, comprising a cabin crew of 4. Oman Air Flight 907, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, departed Muscat at 14:55 the same day for Salalah in Oman’s…