RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has restricted the annual Hajj pilgrimage to its own citizens and residents for the second year running in response to the coronavirus pandemic, while limiting the number of pilgrims is 60,000, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) has reported. Only people aged between 18 and 65 who have been vaccinated or immunised from the virus, and are free of chronic diseases, will be able to take part, said the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah that manages the Muslim pilgrimage to Makkah, said in a statement carried by SPA. “The Ministry affirms that the government of the Kingdom of Saudi…
Author: holidayweekly
The COVID-19 had a devastating impact on the global cruise industry, with cruise lines practically disappearing after the pandemic hit and all operators witnessing double-digit sales drop. However, it seems that 2021 might bring a new hit to the sector, which is already on its knees. According to data presented by StockApps.com, the entire cruise industry is expected to generate $6.6bn in revenue in 2021, almost five times less than in 2019. Confidence in the Cruise Lines Plummeted Amid Pandemic, the Number of Users Down by 76% in Two Years When the COVID-19 hit, cruise ships immediately suffered high infection…
PESHAWAR: The special training workshops on implementing the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and safety measures against the coronavirus and raising awareness about the viral disease among the stakeholders and revival of tourism in the province are going on at various districts of the province simultaneously. The Directorate of Tourist Services (DTS) – a wing of the Tourism Department – and the World Bank funded Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism (KITE) project, have jointly arranged the training workshops. The training workshops are currently continuing at Peshawar, Naran, Kalam, Swat, Chitral and Bahrain. The crash course for the hotels’ staff members and officials…
TOULOUSE: World2fly, the new long-haul airline recently founded by the Spanish hotel company Iberostar, has taken delivery of the first of two A350-900s on lease from Air Lease Corporation, an American aircraft leasing company, becoming the latest operator of the world’s most efficient large widebody aircraft. World2fly’s A350-900s feature a modern and highly-comfortable single-class cabin layout with 432 seats. Passengers will enjoy more personal space, wide seats and absolute well-being on board and appreciate the latest-generation in-flight entertainment and connectivity. The A350 Airspace cabin is the quietest of any twin-aisle aircraft and offers passengers and crew the best flying experience.…
NEW YORK: United Airlines has announced a commercial agreement with Boom Supersonic to add supersonic aircraft to their global fleet. The carrier announced that they are buying 15 planes from Boom Supersonic, with the option to purchase 35 more. Boom’s first commercial supersonic jet, the Overture, has not been built or certified yet. It is targeting the start of passenger service in 2029, with a plane that could fly at Mach 1.7 and cut some flight times in half. This means that a flight from New York to London, typically lasting seven hours, would only take around 3½ hours. Once…
DUBAI: Emirates will resume flights from Dubai to Nice from July 2 and Lyon from July 9, initially offering four flights a week to each city. The move is in line with France has eased its entry requirements for visitors from June 9. The lifting of entry restrictions will enable travellers based in the UAE to visit France without the need for quarantine. From June 9, Emirates customers in the UAE are eligible for quarantine-free entry into France if they have completed the two week period after taking both doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech or AstraZeneca vaccine. In addition, fully vaccinated…
MUSCAT: Oman Air has launched a seasonal service between Muscat and Tbilisi, Georgia. The carrier will offer two weekly direct flights, on Wednesdays and Sundays, operated with Boeing 737 aircraft. Flights will operate from June 16th until mid-September, subject to government approvals. The Wednesday flight from Muscat will depart at 20:15 and arrive in Tbilisi at 00:15.The flight from Tbilisi will depart Thursday at 01:15 and arrive in Muscat at 05:00. Oman Air will maintain its comprehensive safety program throughout all elements of the travel journey to ensure that guests fly confidently. Masks are required when guests are on board…
VENICE: The first cruise ship since the pandemic began has made its way through the heart of Venice, escorted by triumphant water-spouting tugboats and elated port workers. However, hundreds of people staged protests on land and in a small armada of wooden boats waving “no big boats” flags as the cruise ship travelled down the Giudecca Canal. The battle for Venice’s future was stark as the MSC Orchestra set sail with some 1,000 passengers. The voyage heralded the return of cruise ships to the historic city of canals after more than 18 months, but the vessel reignited an anti-cruise movement…
MADRID: UNWTO is inviting public and private stakeholders from around the world to take part in a Global Survey of Climate Action in Tourism and help identify frontrunning initiatives and opportunities to accelerate climate action in tourism. Launched on World Environment Day, the survey aims to support the ongoing efforts of the sector to reduce its environmental impacts and carbon emissions, as well as to strengthen its capacity to adapt to a changing climate. In May, the Tourism Ministers of the G20 nations stressed the need to rethink tourism and shape a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive sector. They also…
BANGKOK: The recently-concluded Hybrid PATA Adventure Travel Conference and Mart (ATCM) 2021, which focused on regenerating the adventure industry, took place through online formats and on-ground activities in Clark, Philippines. The two-day niche event, attracted 582 delegates from 53 destinations, with international delegates making up 56 per cent of the total in attendance. With both travel mart and conference elements, the B2B trade mart welcomed 67 seller organisations from 13 destinations and 65 buyer organisations from 28 source markets. The event, which was organised by the PATA, in partnership with the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT), brought together international experts…