General

Why Coronavirus Cannot Kill Aviation

Not long ago, the biggest concern facing commercial aviation was whether Airbus and Boeing could produce enough aircraft to keep up with demand. Industry leaders fretted about how quickly they could ramp up production and whether the supply chain could keep pace. Some airlines were equally bullish, with American Airlines CEO Doug Parker proclaiming: “I don’t think we’re ever going to lose money again.”

After a run of unparalleled and seemingly unstoppable prosperity, aviation and aerospace have flown into a perfect storm. The temporary shutdown of Boeing’s 737 MAX production line has waylaid aerospace suppliers. But that pales in comparison to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which first crippled a crucial growth engine, China, and is now decimating air transport markets around the world.

Each day brings a new round of fleet groundings, layoffs and order deferrals or cancellations, which in the coming months will rip through the manufacturing industry like a tornado. A new forecast from Europe projects Airbus will be forced to cut planned production nearly in half in 2021 and may not fully recover before 2027. Boeing is calling on the U.S. government to provide at least $60 billion in aid to aerospace manufacturers, U.S. airlines want another $58 billion, airports $10 billion and the maintenance, repair and overhaul industry $11 billion. It would not be hyperbole to call this the greatest crisis civil aviation has faced since the dawn of the commercial jet age more than six decades ago.

But amid such panic, we need to take a deep breath and remember that this industry has survived many big challenges: oil price spikes; the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome; and the 2008-09 global financial meltdown. Each time commercial aviation has recovered and grown stronger, resuming its long-held trend of outpacing global economic growth.

In one way, the disruption to our lives and businesses caused by the travel restrictions imposed to control the spread of COVID-19 illustrates the degree to which the world has come to rely on air transportation, from enabling commerce to connecting families. This is a crisis on an unprecedented scale for aviation, and there are airlines and businesses that certainly will not survive. But the extent of the disruption gives hope that demand for air transportation will return unabated once the restrictions are lifted.

It is vital for governments, lawmakers and industry leaders to recognize that aviation will need help getting through such destructive upheaval. But in some cases, the optics will invite legitimate criticism. For example, Boeing has returned nearly $50 billion to its shareholders over the past five years while investing far less. Now it wants taxpayers to cough up tens of billions for a bailout? U.S. airlines are no better: They have sent 96% of free cash flow to shareholders over the last five years. And what about those airlines in Europe that should have been allowed to die long ago? Will they use this crisis as leverage for yet another government rescue?

Clearly, there are lessons to be learned from the crisis, and a return to business as usual will not suffice. But in the near term, this is not about partisan politics or competitive advantage. It is about helping a vital industry survive this calamity. Commercial aviation is a connective tissue that underpins global commerce, drives prosperity and supports many millions of jobs. Allowing it to wither is not a realistic option. The coming days will be dark, but rest assured the industry will recover and once again prosper.

Emirates Suspends 70 Per Cent Of Routes

Emirates has announced it is suspending flights to more destinations in light of ongoing COVID-19 outbreak and restrictions on air travel.

The total number of destinations affected now stands at 111, which means Emirates has temporarily suspended more than 70% of its routes. 

The latest destinations added to the list include cities in the UK, the USA, Australia and all cities in New Zealand. 

Some of these routes are suspended until June end, meaning many expatriate residents will need to look for alternatives to fly back home if they need to travel before 30 June.

Services to Auckland, Christchurch, Chicago, Brisbane, Stockholm, Vienna, Manila, Colombo, Glasgow, Newcastle, and London Stansted are also suspended until the end of June.

UAE to suspend all visa on arrival from March 19

Dubai: The UAE will temporarily suspend issuing all visas on arrival from March 19, Gulf News learnt.

The UAE Embassy in London said on Twitter on Wednesday that from March 19, there will be no visas on arrival for travelers from UK until further notice.

Meanwhile, UK government announced a foreign travel advice for their citizens that UAE will temporarily suspend all visas on arrival with the exception of Diplomatic passport holders.

UAE Citizens and Residents are not impacted by this decision. Those who enter the country may be tested on arrival and/or be required to self-isolate, according to statement at the government website.

An official of the Australian Embassy also tweeted that the UAE will suspend issuing all visas on arrival, including for Australians. “Australians living in the UAE with existing resident visas are not affected,” the tweet said.

Earlier this week, Dubai Airports said that passengers from some countries can still get visas on arrival at Dubai International.

Effective March 17, UAE authorities have temporarily suspended the issuance of all entry visas.

This does not apply to those passengers holding diplomatic passports

UAE cancels all pre-approved visas including workpermits

Dubai: Amid Coronavirus UAE Government has cancelled all types of new visas issued prior to March 17, visitors workers entering UAE on the visis issued prior to March 17 2020 will not be allowed to enter the country.

According to a March 18 notification issued by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs, which has been communicated to airlines by Dubai Airports’ Airport Operations Control Centre, “Pre-issued UAE visas (all types) are cancelled and they [passengers with these visas] cannot apply for new visas until further notice”.

“This is effective from March 17, 2020. All passengers holding this visa type should not be allowed to board flights as they will not be allowed to enter the country,” states the notification, a copy of which is available with Gulf News.
Quarantine for returning residents

The notification further states that residents travelling back to the UAE need to be notified that they will be quarantined for a duration of two weeks once they arrive.

“Therefore, kindly notify them to ensure that all passengers understand the rules and regulations,” the notification said.

“Travel agencies and ticket sales centres need to be notified to ensure that they notify customers prior to their travel bookings.”

The airlines have also been asked to ensure documentation, operations and tasks to all strategic partners in minutes of meetings and ensure they proceed with the rules and regulations to fulfil the objectives defined.

Airline officials said they are now implementing the new directives.

However, travel agents said visa suspension rules have not impacted those renewing, extending or amending the status of visas while being inside the country.

Sources told Gulf News that the UAE government had briefed diplomatic missions in the country about the move in an online briefing held on Tuesday. They were also assured that refunding would be issued to the applicants whose visas have been auto-cancelled. However, Gulf News could not get an immediate comment on this from the federal and local authorities concerned.
Passengers caught unawares

Meanwhile, sources told Gulf News that several passengers with various types of new visas, who have landed in the UAE since Tuesday, were initially barred from entering the country.

While some were sent back to their countries, others gained entry after several hours, sources said.

A travel industry source said several passengers, who were barred entry at Dubai International Airport on Tuesday afternoon, were allowed to leave the airport later at night.

“Officials decided to approve their entry around 10.30pm. I think that decision was taken considering the fact that they are already here. But I don’t think anyone else would be allowed to fly in like that now onwards as airlines have been strictly told not board new visa holders on UAE flights,” he said.

Similarly, a group of Indians with visit/tourist visas, that landed in Abu Dhabi from Kochi in Kerala, on Wednesday morning was initially asked to fly back home.

“A few of them returned after rescheduling their flight. However, around 20 people who were issued boarding passes to fly back were finally allowed entry. They were brought back from the boarding gate,” said an Indian resident in Dubai, whose neighbour and son were among the group of visitors.

Videos from Kerala in India showed airline officials explaining to new visa holders flying to the UAE that they would not be allowed to fly.

Several people shared screen shots showing the status of approved visas as “cancelled before entry”.

Dubai resident M. Ghani said his colleague’s mother, who is supposed to fly in on March 30, is now unable to come even though her visa was issued before the suspension of new visas on March 17.

“She is staying all alone. All her four children are here. That is why they wanted to bring her here during this crisis. They had taken the visa through a travel agent. But now the immigration system shows it is auto-cancelled.”

He said the family wants to know if the cancellation of approved visas would be revoked anytime soon and if not, whether people like them would be refunded.

“We hope that it is a temporary measure and people whose visas are automatically cancelled before their arrival would still be able to come after this crisis,” he said.

Dubai to benefit from 1 million hotel room nights amid major business event wins

DUBAI, 5th February, 2020 — Dubai Business Events, DBE, recorded a total of 301 successful bids for meetings, conferences and incentives in 2019, set to attract an expected 150,095 delegates to Dubai over the coming years.

This will deliver approximately 620,000 room nights for the city, and, added to wins from previous years, the total expected hotel room night pipeline stood at 1,031,060 at the start of 2020.

The city’s convention bureau also witnessed the steady growth of its Al Safeer Congress Ambassadors Programme, with 342 active ambassadors in 2019, up from 316 ambassadors in 2018.

DBE submitted a total of 595 bids in 2019, marking an increase of close to 7 percent in comparison to 2018, making it the bureau’s most active year in terms of bid submissions.

Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said, “With Expo 2020 Dubai approaching, this is set to be a landmark year for the city, providing an unrivalled opportunity to further demonstrate the city’s ability to host successful and impactful events of all sizes. We aim to build on the momentum we have already gathered and continue to partner with stakeholders and business events professionals globally to pursue opportunities to bid for and secure key events for the city.’’ DBE’s notable wins in 2019 included the Million Dollar Round Table Global Conference set to take place in 2020 with a total of 10,000 delegates expected, the 45th World Hospital Congress taking place in 2021 with 1,100 delegates, and the Geospatial Week being hosted in 2021 which is set to attract 1,500 delegates. Additionally, the city’s official convention bureau secured the Asian Congress of Emergency Medicine set to take place in 2025, welcoming 1,300 delegates, as well as the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property World Congress in 2025, that will bring 1,300 delegates to Dubai.

Major incentive travel programmes secured in 2019 included the Amway Europe Annual Incentive with 3,200 delegates expected, the Sun Hope International Annual Incentive with 2,000 delegates in attendance, and the SAS EMEA Sales Kick-Off, which is set to welcome 1,300 delegates, all taking place this year.

DBE also won the Amway China Leadership Seminar, which saw 8,000 delegates gather in Dubai last month and the Enersys Phoenix XL Annual Incentive that is set to welcome 1,000 delegates in 2021.

Steen Jakobsen, Assistant Vice President of DBE, said, “We are looking forward to hosting several in-depth study missions and sales missions throughout 2020, providing DBE and our stakeholders the opportunity to engage with meeting planners in both their home markets and here in Dubai. Our network of global offices will continue to maintain year-round contact with planners around the world and we will also showcase the city’s offerings at major trade shows including IMEX, The Meetings Show, IMEX America and IBTM World.”

Dubai Airport busiest for international traffic for 6th year running

DUBAI, 5th February, 2020 — Dubai International, DXB, has retained its position as the world’s number one hub for international passengers for the sixth consecutive year with annual traffic for 2019 reaching 86.4 million – 6 million more than the nearest rival London Heathrow.

The year 2019 was also exceptional for DXB in terms of customer service with shorter wait times, record-breaking baggage performance and new retail and food and beverage offerings.

DXB welcomed a total of 86,396,757 for the full year of 2019 (-3.1 percent) as numbers were affected by a series of challenges throughout the year, including the 45-day closure of the airport’s southern runway to enable its refurbishment, global market conditions, as well as the worldwide grounding of Boeing 737 Max aircraft.

During the fourth quarter of 2019, DXB welcomed 21.9 million customers (1.3 percent), taking the average monthly passenger numbers at the hub to 7.2 million for the year. The airport also breached the 8-million customer mark twice during the year (July and August).

Expressing satisfaction with DXB’s performance in 2019, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports said, “While customer numbers in 2019 were lower than the preceding year, the impact of the 45-day closure of the runway, the bankruptcy of Jet Airways, as well as the grounding of the Boeing’s 737 Max accounted for an estimated 3.2 million passengers over the course of the year, and indicate underlying growth at DXB.”

India retained its position as the top destination country for DXB by passenger numbers, with traffic for 2019 reaching 11.9 million, followed by Saudi Arabia with 6.3 million customers, and the United Kingdom finishing a close third with 6.2 million customers. Other destination countries of note include China (3.6 million customers) and the U.S. (3.2 million). The top three cities were London (3.6 million customers), Mumbai (2.3 million customers) and Riyadh with 2.2 million customers.

DXB handled 97,379 movements during the fourth quarter (-4.5 percent) bringing the annual flight movements to 373,261 (-8.6 percent), while the average number of customers per flight increased to 239, up 5.8% annually.

Wait times were reduced by 15 percent in 2019, thanks to DXB’s advanced operations centre which uses real time information from more than 50 systems across the facility to enhance efficiency and service, as well as the new smart gates that help speed customers through passport control.

73.1 million bags passed through the airport’s 175 km long baggage system during 2019 with a record delivery success rate of 99.96 percent.

DXB handled 659,167 tonnes of cargo in the fourth quarter (-7 percent) with the annual airfreight volume reaching 2,514,918 tonnes (-4.8 percent) during 2019.

Dubai’s Burj Al Arab crowned best hotel in world for second year in row

DUBAI, 28th January, 2020 — Burj Al Arab has been recognised as the ‘Best Hotel in the World’ as well as the ‘Best Hotel in the Middle East’ at the prestigious ‘Ultimate Luxury Travel Related Awards’, ULTRAs, for the second year in a row.

Jumeirah Group, a global hotel company and a member of Dubai Holding, has announced that its iconic flagship hotel won the accolade in a press statement today.

The awards were received on January 27th, at the annual gala dinner for the ULTRAs, which took place at Emerald Palace Kempinski Hotel, Dubai and brought together leaders in the travel and luxury industry both regionally and internally.

Commenting on the achievement, Jose Silva, the CEO of Jumeirah Group, said, “It is incredible to see the international reputation that Burj Al Arab has gained over the years, making it one of the most recognized and Instagrammed hotels in the world.

“Burj Al Arab is a testament to Dubai’s ability to innovate, surpass expectations and push boundaries. We are honoured to be a part of the Burj Al Arab’s story, and to have witnessed the hotel’s continued ability to encompass unmatched design, unparalleled service and facilities and globally recognized gastronomic experiences for our guests.”

The concept for the award-winning property came to fruition when His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, commissioned a building that would help to ‘inspire the nation’ and put Dubai on the world map. The iconic sail-shaped hotel pays homage to the Emirate’s culture laden past and as well as a nod to its vibrant future with its innovative design.

The Ultimate Luxury Travel Related Awards are determined through a combined participation from the readers in the UK and Middle East editions of Ultratravel; users of The Telegraph Travel, and Black Card holders of the DISCOVERY loyalty programme operated by the Global Hotel Alliance.

Abu Dhabi Airports welcome ‘climate-friendly’ Etihad Boeing 787 Greenliner

ABU DHABI, 29th January, 2020 — Abu Dhabi Airports has welcomed the arrival of Etihad Airways’ Greenliner at Abu Dhabi International Airport, AUH, where it touched down following its journey from Boeing’s manufacturing and delivery center located in Charleston, South Carolina.

The first-of-its-kind ‘Etihad Greenliner’ is the result of an ‘eco partnership’ announced last year between Etihad Airways and Boeing to develop a specially-themed Boeing 787 Dreamliner to test products, procedures and initiatives designed to reduce aircraft carbon emissions.

Based out of Abu Dhabi International Airport, one of the first airports in the region to earn the accreditation level of ‘Reduction’ as a part of the ACI Airport Carbon Accreditation programme, the Greenliner will operate scheduled services across Etihad’s network.

Bryan Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, said, “Sustainability is a key enabler of our vision of becoming the world’s leading airports group. Through upgrading our airfield lighting system with energy-efficient bulbs to our numerous accreditations, this is testament to our commitment to protecting the UAE’s natural heritage and mitigating the impacts of climate change. As such, we are delighted to welcome Etihad’s Greenliner to Abu Dhabi International Airport and look forward to continuing to enhance the sustainability of our operations in partnership with Etihad Airways.”

Tony Douglas, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Aviation Group, said, “The Etihad Greenliner is the result our commitment to advancing sustainable practices in aviation, and we are pleased to be working in partnership with Boeing and Abu Dhabi Airports to discover new ways of incrementally lowering fuel consumption and carbon emissions.”

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is recognized as being 20-25% more efficient than similar-sized aircraft, however, Etihad’s Greenliner will enable equipment suppliers, airspace regulators and other interested partners to test efficiency measures and sustainable technologies that have the potential to further reduce the plane’s fuel consumption and carbon dioxide output.

The arrival of the Greenliner to AUH comes at a time when Abu Dhabi Airports continues to be recognized for its sustainability practices. In 2011, AUH was the first airport in the Middle East and North Africa region to be ACI Airport Carbon Accredited in the ‘mapping’ level, and the achievement of an accreditation level of ‘reduction’ in 2018 recognizes Abu Dhabi Airports’ continued commitment to helping fight climate change through the management of its carbon emissions.

In addition, AUH was recognized by ACI Asia-Pacific as a part of its Green Airports Recognition 2018 programme. The programme recognizes airports’ outstanding achievements in their environmental projects, and AUH earned Gold recognition for the extensive sustainability and environmental protection efforts undertaken during the ongoing construction of the Midfield Terminal.

Abu Dhabi Airports has also received numerous other certifications and accreditation from prominent international and local organizations in recognition of its practices that promote environmental awareness and sustainability. These include ISO 14001 Environment Management System certification and ISO 9001 Quality Management System certification.

The airports company recently upgraded the Airfield Lighting System of the Southern Runway at Abu Dhabi International Airport to a CAT-IIIB system, joining a select group of international airports to have implemented the energy-efficient advanced technology that supports low visibility operations.

Global Village measures up to top entertainment destinations in the world

DUBAI, 22nd January 2020 – Latest global data reveals that Global Village, the leading multi-cultural festival park and the region’s first family destination for culture, shopping and entertainment, measures up to the world’s top entertainment destinations for average daily visitation.

According to figures released in the Global Attractions Attendance Report – 2018 by Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and AECOM, average daily footfall rates for the top four attractions in the world are 57,000 for Disney’s Magic Kingdom Orlando, 51,000 for Disneyland Anaheim, 49,000 for Tokyo Disneyland and 40,000 for Tokyo DisneySea.

With an average footfall of over 42,000 guests per day, Global Village has joined the ranks of the top players in the world.

The significant accomplishment reflects Global Village’s constant efforts to offer best-in-class family entertainment and guest experience in alignment with the strategic directives of the UAE’s leadership and the Dubai Tourism Strategy. This also highlights Global Village’s appeal as a world-class attraction that is putting the country on the map as a leading tourism destination, both regionally and globally.

Bader Anwahi, Chief Executive Officer, Global Village, said: “Dubai’s prestige and proud legacy as a go-to destination for extraordinary experiences is ever-expanding, which is why Global Village is proud to be a major component of the emirate’s transformation into a globally renowned tourism icon. Our contribution and commitment to the Dubai Tourism Strategy and the economic vision is evident in the sheer volume of guests that have experienced the unforgettable world we present at Global Village. As we celebrate welcoming over 90 million guests since the inception of Global Village in 1997, this motivates us to continually enhance and transform our facilities, operations, and activities to attract millions more.

“We are able to offer a rich festival park atmosphere that delivers a truly unique experience to our guests from around the globe. In addition, every element of the Global Village we see today is driven towards maximising guest happiness. The dedication to delivering quality experiences and WOW factor led to 3.5 million happy guests recording a 9.1/10 score on our Guests Happiness Index so far in Season 24. This illustrates the wealth of enthusiasm for the memorable experience we provide, and this tells us that the current season has all the hallmarks of becoming another record-breaking year in continuation of the proud heritage that Global Village has shaped since first opening its doors to the world over two decades ago.”

Celebrating numerous benchmarks In addition to raising the bar for footfall and guest experiences with new activities and features, Global Village has crossed the milestone of 90 million guests since first opening its doors in 1997.

Surging in leaps and bounds since Season 1 began on the shores of Dubai Creek in 1997, Global Village continues to surpass seasonal attendance records and create immense breakthroughs that are redefining and enriching guest experiences. In just the first two months of Season 24, Global Village rolled out the welcome mat, and a world of magical and memorable experiences, for over 3.5 million guests. Furthermore, on the 48th UAE National Day, Global Village attracted a record-breaking 140,000 guests in one day.

Additionally, Global Village drew nearly one quarter (24%) of all tourists who visited Dubai in H1 2019 according to the latest data from Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). This reiterates the position of Global Village as the UAE’s most preferred entertainment destination for a memorable and fun-filled family day out.

An ever-evolving legacy of success Season 1 of Global Village, which ran from 27 March to 26 April 1997 planted the seeds for future success, operating for 31 days on a 50,000 square-meter site at Dubai Creek side. Fast forward 24 years of growth to the current 1.6 million square-meter operation which has evolved to be able to accommodate the needs of millions of guests. The extensive year on year development of the Global Village infrastructure includes the creation of 23,000+ parking spaces, state of the art crowd management technology, data-driven operations systems, enhanced ticketing platforms, world-class facilities and countless other guest-centric improvements, fuelled by learning of best practices over 24 years.

Thanks to the efforts of 10,000+ partners and vendors, who represent over 100 nationalities, Global Village has evolved into a hotbed for exceptional cultural and entertainment experiences that are raising the bar for regional and global guest experiences.

“As we look back through the years that have led up to our biggest milestones to date, each enhancement from planning to implementation is testament to the skill and passion of every individual that has contributed to the festival park experience at Global Village. In this time, an entire generation has grown up enjoying Global Village, and today visit us with their own children. Authenticity and guest happiness is at the centre of everything we do, and we are committed to strengthening the Global Village legacy in the decades ahead for future generations to be proud of,” Anwahi added.

As the nation enters a new decade and embraces the theme for 2020: towards the next 50, Global Village is also looking forward to new beginnings.

“We are proud of our achievements, but if you think we will stop there, I can tell you, we haven’t even started yet. Season 25, our silver jubilee, is the perfect time for a fresh start and we will once again be raising the bar to ensure that we continue to deserve our place amongst the world’s leading entertainment destinations. We look forward to welcoming millions more residents and tourists, families and friends to experience this home-grown phenomenon that has captivated the hearts of over 90 million guests to date across more than two inspirational decades of operation. In the words of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai: We are united by team, united by spirit, united towards a promising future,” Anwahi further said.

UAE invests AED1 trillion in airport infrastructure: GCAA Director-General

DUBAI, 8th January, 2020 — The UAE has so far invested AED1 trillion (US$270 billion) in airport infrastructure development projects highlighted the General Civil Aviation Authority’s Director-General.

In a statement released by the UAE aviation authority, Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi said such investments span development projects across the country and a fleet of 884 commercial aircraft.

The aviation sector is experiencing significant and rapid growth in air transport and airport construction and expansion, leading to the growth of regional and global economies, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East, the world’s fastest growing market, although Europe still maintains strong growth prospects until 2040.

According to forecast reports issued by the International Air Transport Association, IATA, passenger numbers will rise to 4.72 billion in 2020, up four percent from the 4.54 billion passengers recorded in 2019.

“I believe there is a need to inject more money in order to keep pace with massive and successive developments in the sector,” Al Suwaidi noted.

The GCAA Director-General’s remarks come ahead of the upcoming Global Investment in Aviation Summit, GIAS 2020, set to take place on 27th and 29th January. The summit, taking place in Dubai, will spotlight airport development projects and infrastructure investments as part of its two-day agenda.

Op-Ed: New visa to transform tourism sector in UAE

ABU DHABI, 8th January, 2020 — The International Media followed with great interest the Resolution of the UAE Cabinet that approved the multi-entry tourist visa for the UAE for a period of five years for all nationalities, which will have a significant impact regionally and globally in this important time.

The Resolution delivers many promising messages to the UAE community and the whole world, the first and most effective one is the stability and sustainability of the national economy and its ability to address the fluctuations and changes that affected the region over the past decades.

Last October, the UAE ranked first regionally and 33rd globally in tourism and travel in 2019, according to 52 competitive indicators, the most notable of which is the stability of the country’s economy.

The United Arab Emirates has achieved this accomplishment as tourism in the country is an institutional work that has a solid base in the formation of the UAE society which is based on hospitality and tolerance which are deeply rooted inside Emiratis.

What attracts the attention of researchers in the global tourism sector is that the UAE has excelled in the innovation accelerators such as information and communication technologies, labour market efficiency, business dynamism and innovation potential.

The country received about 21 million tourists in 2019, including 15 million during the first half of the year. The contribution of the Tourism sector in the country’s Gross Domestic Product exceeded AED161 billion, which is a huge achievement in “UAE Vision 2021” and in the forecasts for 2027 targeting AED234 billion.

In consideration of the development sustainability, sectoral contributions figures are taken with the GDP, accompanied by employment figures, and the innovative potential to engage the public and private sectors.

In the employment field, the tourism and travel sector provides about 325,000 job opportunities distributed in a wide range of tourism products, starting with hotels that includes about 125,000 rooms.

The competitiveness of the Emirati tourism sector is enhanced by innovation that added, in the past few years, new patterns such as environmental and agricultural tourism, which comprises of 151 sites.

These new patterns are based on distinguished infrastructure during the past decades and is still in shopping and entertainment areas, as well as the industry of hosting international and regional conferences and events that will be highly represented in the Expo 2020 Dubai.

In addition to the country’s accumulative achievements that ranked the country first regionally, the Resolution of the five years multiple entry tourist visa for all nationalities, not only enhances the absolute precedence of the country as a tourist hub, but also delivers a message of confidence in the UAE economy in the light of a turbulent region which is full of crisis that undermine the ability to plan and to achieve sustainable development.

It was no coincidence that the Resolution of five years multiple entry tourist visa came at the first meeting of the Cabinet in the new year.

In 2020 the UAE had a commitment to designing its future for the second half of its centenary, based on the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, to be a Union which is based on a humanitarian message, economic stability and tolerance as well as an open tourism sector protected by security and innovation.

Dubai to host Middle East’s new transport and logistics exhibition in Dubai South

DUBAI, 6th January, 2020 — Reed Exhibitions will organised SiTL Middle East, a brand-new trade show focused on showcasing the latest developments in the transport and logistics sector, at Dubai South from 16th to 18th November, 2020, to allow government and industry stakeholders from across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia to access leading technologies that increase efficiency and reduce costs in logistics operations.

The debut edition of SiTL Middle East is set to welcome over 120 exhibitors and more than 2,000 visitors, including regional distribution managers and logistics professionals keen to take advantage of the latest trends in innovation and solutions that could boost business efficiency and profitability.

In addition, the event will be an important venue for key officials from various countries to hold bilateral discussions, while the UAE Government and other leading commercial entities will highlight the country’s major efforts in building a global hub supported by world-class facilities and services.

Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai South, said, “Through SITL ME, we will be gaining new insights and opportunities to grow in terms of technology and innovation, which are essential in the drive towards efficiency and sustainability in business operations and management. We are confident the event will bring about these key focus areas which are highly important for both the government and private sectors.”

Nadia Abdul Aziz, President of Dubai-based National Association of Freight and Logistics, said, “The UAE’s logistics sector has been an early adopter of modern technologies which positioned the Arab world’s second-biggest economy as a world-class business hub. Dubai has taken a proactive role in planning its development in terms of logistics facilities, zones and investments. We have the best connectivity in the region to reach out to more than three billion people via our air and sea/rail connectivity.”

SiTL Middle East will feature seven major segments, including intra-logistics, robotics and automation; packaging and pallet; technologies, IoT and information systems; new energy and transport equipment; real estate and logistics infrastructures, and safety and cybersecurity.

It will also hold a conference supported by key partners from Reed’s global networks during its logistics events, including a Demo Zone, where one can experience world-class equipment and solutions, including customised tours.

Daniyal Qureshi, Group Exhibition Director, Reed Exhibitions, said, “SiTL ME is poised to bring a valuable portfolio of activities to the well-established SiTL Europe which leverages the global recognition of the SiTL brand and shares their best practices in the Middle East. Across its current portfolio of leading market events in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Reed Exhibitions brings nearly 4,500 exhibitors and over 109,000 visitors from 170 countries to the UAE and SiTL ME will be a new major event that would boost the country’s global position as a strategic venue for major events.”

UAE’s Etihad and Emirates listed among the world’s safest airlines for 2020

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50 additional jobs eyed for UAE Nationals at Etihad Rail in 2020

ABU DHABI, 31st December, 2019 — Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE’s national railway, has launched a new training and employment programme, as part of the company’s continuous commitment to support Emiratisation.

Etihad Rail is a positive contributor to the UAE government’s initiative to employ its citizens in a meaningful and efficient manner in both the public and private sector, by continuing to create jobs and provide the necessary training, development programmes and vocational guidance as a way of encouraging employment among citizens, boosting their opportunities in the job market, and empowering them to make a significant contribution to the UAE economy.

As one of the steps involved in Etihad Rail’s Emiratisation programme, the contractors and joint venture partners working on the Design and Build elements of Stage Two of the Pan-Emirates railway network will train and hire fifty suitably qualified UAE nationals in various disciplines and fields in the industry.

Speaking on the project, Saeed Al Ahbabi, Chief Corporate Support Officer at Etihad Rail, said, “We are very proud to be opening up 50 additional job opportunities to Emirati employees through our local partners, in line with the directives of our Chairman, H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Executive Council Member and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court. As of today, approximately 80 percent of our higher management structure is Emirati. Now that Stage Two of the national project is under way, we shall be recruiting from across all seven Emirates and the training, followed by suitable employment, will equip each one of them technically and professionally to facilitate their growth, enable them to become leading proponents of the transport and infrastructure industry.”

Al Ahbabi added, “The main goal of the programme is to provide UAE national engineers with the necessary experience to implement strategic projects. It complements Etihad Rail’s existing employment, training and development strategies to recruit and develop UAE Nationals, ensuring that they become the leaders of tomorrow. Further opportunities and initiatives in support of Emiratisation will be introduced in the future as the national railway project progresses.”

For this latest initiative, Etihad Rail will be recruiting male and female university graduates with majors in engineering for three-year training programme that will equip them with global certification on completion.

Etihad Rail’s contractors will be required to submit a detailed training scheme proposal within 30 days of receiving their notice to proceed, and employment of the trainees must commence within three months.

The Emirati trainees will be constantly assessed according to their Personal Development Plans which will be formalised within 60 days of placement. The plan will support various aspects of trainee development, including design, project management, quality assurance, quality control, construction, stakeholder management, contract management and HSE skills

Dubai marks arrival of six international cruise liners in one day

DUBAI, 31st December, 2019 — Strengthening Dubai’s position as the leading “cruise hub of the region”, the emirate welcomed six international cruise liners on 29th December 2019, via the Mina Rashid cruise terminal.

The terminal dealt with over 60,000 cruise passengers, as they handled all the processes for the smooth arrival of TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 5, Pullmantur Cruises’ Horizon, MSC Cruises’ MSC Lirica, Jalesh Cruises’ Karnika, as well as the maiden calls from Costa Cruises’ Costa Diadema and Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas.

Mohammed Abdul Aziz Al Mannaei, CEO P&O Marinas and Executive Director of Mina Rashid, said, “The flawless handling of more than 60,000 cruise visitors on a single day testifies to the operational efficiencies we have put in place. Welcoming six cruise ships simultaneously also reflects the immense trust that cruise operators place in our capabilities. At Mina Rashid, we constantly invest in enhancing the services and support systems for today’s fleet of ultra-modern cruise vessels. We aim to help build on the increasing popularity of luxury cruise tourism and strengthen Dubai’s position as the ‘cruise hub of the region’. This is what Mina Rashid is being continuously developed for.”

Hamad bin Mejren, Senior Vice President, Dubai Tourism, said, “As testament to the emirate’s position as the leading hub for cruising in the region, this milestone is a sound reflection of how far Dubai has come on its journey to becoming the preferred destination of choice for international cruise travellers and cruise operators alike. As we increase momentum and continue our efforts to raise the bar even higher for the city’s cruising industry, the support and collaboration we receive from our stakeholders will be paramount to our sustained success and will allow us to ensure that we can provide enriching, world-class services to cruise visitors from across the globe.”

The 2019-2020 cruise season will also see increased efforts to promote cruise tourism in the region by the Dubai Cruise Committee, comprising leading industry partners, Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, DP World UAE Region, operator of the Mina Rashid Cruise Terminal, Emirates Airlines, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai, and Dubai Customs.