www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
Høstens storsatsning på Dubai og De forente arabiske emirater (UAE) førte til en nesten firedoblet volumøkning for Apollo sammenliknet med fjoråret, skriver travelnews.no
For Apollo har målet med satsningen vært å gjøre Dubai mer tilgjengelig for skandinaviske reisende og løfte det frem som et konkurransedyktig alternativ til tradisjonelle vinterdestinasjoner. Gjennom et tett samarbeid med flyselskapet Emirates har de kunnet tilby et nytt prisbilde på reiser til Dubai ? og etter lanseringen tidlig i høst har det vist seg at oppskriften var en suksess.
Foruten om salgsmessige fremganger ? syvdoblet sammenliknet med året før ? har satsningen også resultert i en helt ny kundegruppe for reisearrangøren. Hele 57 prosent av de norske Dubai-passasjerene var førstegangsreisende med Apollo.
Satsningen er i tråd med Apollos strategi om å samarbeide tettere med rutefly for å redusere risiko og øke fleksibiliteten, samtidig som man løfter frem et nytt syn på pakkereiser som et fleksibelt og moderne kvalitetsprodukt, både når det gjelder fly og hotell. Blant annet reiser Apollos charterkunder fra København med Emirates superjumbo A380.
? Vi er svært fornøyd med den sterke starten på høsten og fortsetter vårt fokus på Dubai som et attraktivt og rimelig alternativ for nordiske reisende. Det er spesielt gledelig at vi tiltrekker oss helt nye kunder med vår investering i Dubai, sier Leif Vase Larsen, Nordisk sjef i Apollo, til travelnews.no
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
Det pågikk fredag ettermiddag fortsatt etterslukking etter brannen i skyskraperen The Address Downtown Burj Dubai, i Dubai i De forente arabiske emirater nyttårsaften.
Fortsatt veltet det svart røyk ut av luksushotellet Address Downtown. En person døde av hjerteinfarkt mens 15 personer fikk lettere skader under evakueringen, skriver nrk.no
Den 302 meter høye, 63-etasjers skyskraperen inneholder 626 hotellrom og 196 leiligheter. Bygget stod ferdig i 2008.
Hotellet ligger i Burj Dubai Development Area.
Storbrannen i luksushotellet til tross – det verdensberømte og spektakulære fyrverkeriet i Dubai gikk av stabelen ved midnatt som planlagt.
Dubai er ett av syv emirater i De forente arabiske emirater.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
Dubai, et av de syv emiratene i De forente arabiske emirater, er for tredje år på rad kåret til verdens beste reisemål, etter at reiselivsnæringen feiret seg selv under finalen i World Travel Awards (WTA), eller «reiselivets Oscar» som den også har blitt kalt, skriver Dagbladet.no
Årets seremoni ble holdt 12.desember på Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort i El Jadida i Marokko. Det er 22.gang arrangementet og kåringen går av stabelen.
St.Petersburg i Russland ble i høst kåret til Europas beste reisemål i den europeiske delfinalen, men ble slått av Dubai da den gjeveste prisen ble delt ut.
Andre reisemål som kjempet om tittelen var blant annet Sydney, Jamaica, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Seychellene. og Quito, hovedsteden i Ecuador.
I finalen i World Travel Awards er det kåret vinnere i en rekke «verdens beste»-kategorier.
Norwegian ble kåret til beste lavprisselskap i Europa tidligere i år, men tapte for AirAsia i verdensfinalen.
Changi International Airport i Singapore ble kåret til verdens beste flyplass.
Beste reisemål:
Verdens beste reisemål: Dubai, De forente arabiske emirater Verdens beste reisemål for storbyferie: Hong Kong Verdens beste turistattraksjon: The Strip, Las Vegas Verdens beste cruisedestinasjon: Jamaica Verdens beste stranddestinasjon: Maldivene Verdens beste øyreisemål: Madeira
Hoteller:
Verdens beste hotell: La Mamounia, Marrakech, Morokko Verdens beste luksushotell: Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi, De forente arabiske emirater
Fly
Verdens beste flyplass: Changi Airport, Singapore Verdens beste flyselskap: Etihad Airways Verdens beste lavprisselskap: AirAsia Verdens beste første klasse på fly: Etihad Airways Verdens beste businessklasse på fly: Hainan Airlines Verdens beste økonomiklasse på fly: Oman Air
Bil
Verdens beste leiebilselskap: Hertz Verdens beste leiebilselskap – business: Sixt
Båt
Verdens beste cruiseskipsselskap: Royal Caribbean International Verdens beste ferjeselskap: DFDS Seaways Verdens beste elvecruiseoperatør: American Cruise Lines
Turoperatører
Verdens beste turoperatør: TUI Group Verdens beste reisebyrå: Regency Travel and Tours, Qatar Verdens beste reisebyrå på nett: Expedia
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
Emirates, the world’s largest international airline today, has announced three new weekly flights between Dubai and Cairo, commencing on 1st January 2016, reports ameinfo.com
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
Dubai Health City
Plans have been revealed for a mixed-use development comprising apartments, luxury hotels, retail and leisure facilities as part of Dubai Healthcare City’s Phase 2 expansion project, arabianbusiness.com reported.
Dubai Healthcare City Authority announced the joint venture with Nshama, a private developer, to establish the Al Fursan project at Al Jadaf Dubai, parallel to Al Garhoud Bridge.
The agreement will deliver an integrated community, comprising premium apartments, serviced residences, 4- and 5-star hotels, and retail and leisure facilities, spread over approximately 2.9 million square feet, a statement said.
It added that the agreement will create a dynamic living, working and recreation environment for the Dubai Healthcare City community, residents and medical tourists in Phase 2.
The project announcement comes as Dubai is seeking to position itself within the top 15 destinations in the world for medical tourism and the first in the region.
According to the Medical Tourism Destination Index (MTDI) which was published by the Medical Tourism Association in 2014, Dubai ranked 17th.
The Phase 2 of Dubai Healthcare City, spread over land area of 22 million square feet, was launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai in March.
Dr Raja Al Gurg, vice-chairperson and executive director of Dubai Healthcare City Authority, said: “Our partnership is a milestone to support the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed in establishing the emirate as a global medical tourism hub, and developing Dubai’s key sectors of health, retail and hospitality.”
“Nshama’s developmental model dovetails with our planning requirements for Phase 2. The project will cater to the growing demand for living choices from healthcare specialists who relocate to the emirate and from Medical tourists.”
Fred Durie, CEO, Nshama, added: “The JV is a key addition to our development portfolio. The project will be an interconnected community with walkways linking different components, offering a refreshing creek-side ambience.”
Nshama will focus solely on the development aspects such as the master plan and design, and work closely with Dubai Healthcare City to ensure optimum land use to integrate the network of high-quality, mixed-use healthcare and wellness offerings with a residential community aspect.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
Courtyard World Trade Center press release:
From Traditional Feasts to Dance-Worthy Beats, the Courtyard World Trade Center, Abu Dhabi, federal capital of the United Arab Emirates, celebrates the Season in Style.
If ever there were a time to indulge, it would be during the holidays. And if ever there were a place to do it, it would be at the Courtyard World Trade Center, Abu Dhabi.
This contemporary hotel has planned an exciting range of events — from Grand Buffets to Recovery Brunches — and it is inviting everyone to enjoy the party.
Christmas Eve – December 24
With three of the finest hotel restaurants in Abu Dhabi, the Courtyard is the place to dine this Christmas Eve. Choose from a buffet at The Bistro or a Three-course meal at Fifth Street Cafe, and you’ll enjoy a repast fit for St. Nick.
The Bistro’s buffet features options like succulent turkey and all the trimmings, as well as a well-stocked seafood bar. Fifth Street Cafe, meanwhile, will serve a choice of appetizers, oven-roasted turkey roulade or filet mignon and traditional Christmas pudding.
Christmas Day – December 25 Guests can look forward to equally spectacular feasts on Christmas Day, too. The Bistro will serve a brunch featuring golden turkeys with cranberry sauce, U.S. prime rib, Yorkshire pudding and roasted potatoes, as well as international dishes like wok-fried duck and chicken moulikya. After dining, guests can toast the holiday with a festive tipple at Up and Below, the rooftop bar and star attraction among Abu Dhabi hotels near the World Trade Center.
Fifth Street Cafe will also mark the holiday with a three-course meal, which begins with caramelized scallops, continues with oven-roasted turkey roulade and Brussels sprouts and ends with Christmas pudding drizzled With vanilla sauce.
New Year’s Eve – December 31
Bid 2015 a fond and fabulous farewell at one of these two restaurants in Abu Dhabi. The Bistro will host a Grand Buffet with an abundance of dishes ranging from seafood (think Fine de Claire oysters) to Harissa marinated chicken, roasted rib eye, leg of lamb and more. And, of course, end the year on a sweet note with a taste of the chocolate pudding, lemon meringue pie, tiramisu or chocolate fountain.
Fifth Street Cafe will serve a three-course meal paired with a glass of wine on New Year’s Eve with options like blue crab cake with a citrus confit, followed by braised short ribs or pan-seared salmon. A tasting platter of desserts provides the perfect final course.
And since no New Year is complete without a good party, Up and Below will serve cocktails and the city’s hottest beats alongside the best views in Abu Dhabi.
New Year’s Day January 1
Start the New Year right with a Recovery Brunch at The Bistro. Sushi, fresh seafood and international cuisine like Malabar lamb curry will all be on offer, as well a selection of desserts. (Hello, chocolate-and-chestnut tart.) Afterward, enjoy an “After Brunch” drink on the house at Up and Below.
Traditionalists who want to put a twist on things by staying in but serving a professionally prepared meal can have the best of both worlds with the hotel’s Turkey Takeaways. Available November 24 to January 7, this offer includes a 6-kilogram turkey (serves five to six people) or 8-kilogram turkey (serves eight to nine people) with all the trimmings like sage-and-chestnut stuffing, herb-roasted potatoes, honey-roasted root vegetables, Brussels sprouts, sweet potato gratin and cranberry sauce.
Those who’d like to get a head start on the holiday fun, meanwhile, can book the Festive Holiday Package. Available between December 1 and 31, 2015, the offer includes 20% discounts on dining at the hotel, two gift certificates of AED 100 each to House of Fraser and The World Trade Center Mall and two tickets to Novo Cinemas.
About the Courtyard World Trade Center, Abu Dhabi
Situated in the heart of it all, the Courtyard World Trade Center, Abu Dhabi offers an exciting and modern perspective on this capital city. The brand-new property is connected to the World Trade Center Mall and Souk for unparalleled access to business and shopping, while the 195 contemporary guest rooms offer free Wi-Fi, luxury bedding and elegant marble bathrooms. Other amenities, like the state-of-the-art health club, rooftop pool and three restaurants, distinguish the property from other hotels near the Abu Dhabi Mall. And three well-appointed meeting rooms afford 1,604 sq. ft. of stylish and tech-friendly event Space.
Source: Courtyard World Trade Center press release / Marketwired.com
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, With a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
The consulate general of St Kitts and Nevis marked its re-opening in the Middle East on Saturday night with a private invitation-only event in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), caribbeannewsnow.com reported.
Chairing the ceremony, Elsa Wilkin-Armbrister, the recently appointed acting consul general, officially announced the re-opening of the consulate to service the needs of St Kitts and Nevis citizens throughout the Middle East.
Wilkin-Armbrister, a native of Nevis, brings with her a wealth of international business and academic experience. With a BA in Psychology, an MSc in International Marketing and midway through a PhD in Marketing, Wilkin-Armbrister has represented the Federation for over 20 years in the areas of politics, tourism, public diplomacy and education. Well versed in international affairs having worked in USA, UK, Netherlands, Peru, Monaco, Romania, Tanzania and Zambia, Wilkin-Armbrister has lectured at various top universities in both the UK and Netherlands.
Also present at the re-opening was Mark Brantley, St.Kitts and Nevis Minister of Foreign affairs. Mr.Brantley addressed the audience on the importance of evolving reciprocal business relationships between St Kitts and Nevis citizens and governments in the Middle East. He urged citizens to consider investment opportunities in their country of naturalization with opportunities in tourism, healthcare, education and infrastructure mentioned.
The event was co-sponsored by Savory & Partners, a British owned and managed citizenship and residency by investment immigration company headquartered in Dubai. Members of the Savory & Partners Dubai office brought with them clients and citizens.
Managing partner, Jeremy Savory, commented: “The return of a consular presence in the Middle East for the St Kitts and Nevis government can only be positive news for our clients and all Kittitians in the Middle East. With other similar CBI and RBI programs launching in recent years, the St Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment program remains the oldest of its kind in the world today. Today’s news will significantly strengthen the desirability of the program for applicants and naturalized citizens alike.”
The St Kitts and Nevis consulate will serve naturalized and non-naturalized citizens in the Middle East for all renewals and re-issuances of passports, visa applications and other consular services.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, With a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
Australia announced at the weekend a deal with the UAE that will significantly boost flight numbers between the two nations, a move that is expected to increase tourism and possibly reduce ticket prices, thenational.ae reported.
The bilateral agreement allows Emirates in Dubai and Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi to operate an extra 14 flights a week to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, bringing the total number of services to 161.
Australian airlines receive an extra 14 flight slots in return to the UAE, bringing the total to 56.
“The Australian government is committed to supporting the entry of Australian airlines into foreign markets and ensuring we have the aviation capacity necessary to meet future demand” said Australia’s acting prime minister Warren Truss.
Australia’s flagship carrier Qantas Airways, which has a commercial partnership with Emirates, switched its hub for European flights to Dubai from Singapore in 2013, after ditching the IAG-owned British Airways as an alliance partner in favour of Emirates Airline.
Virgin Australia, which launched flights to Abu Dhabi in 2011, last month received a draft ruling from regulators in favour of it renewing its alliance with Etihad.
Virgin needs that tie-up, under which Etihad owns a 24 per cent stake in Virgin and holds a seat on the board, to better compete against the Qantas-Emirates alliance.
The shifting skies are reflected in passenger data. Emirates now carries more than 25 per cent of the traffic between Australia and Europe, followed by Qantas with about 15 per cent and Singapore Airlines with just under 15 per cent.
Qatar Airways is also muscling in on the Australia to Europe routes.
The increased gateway capacity announced at the weekend supplements existing open access arrangements in place for regional Australia.
UAE airlines already have the right to offer unlimited services to other Australian destinations, including Darwin, Cairns, Adelaide and the Gold Coast.
Also at the weekend, Emirates, the world’s biggest long-haul airline, said it has identified Mexico City and Berlin as the most attractive new destinations that would become available with longer-range jets and expanded air-service treaties.
Flights from Dubai to the Mexican capital would be possible with Boeing’s new 777X plane, for which Emirates is due to be the first customer in 2020, while a Berlin service would require Germany to ease its opposition to more flights from Arabian Gulf carriers.
Emirates already serves almost 150 destinations in about 80 countries using the industry’s biggest wide-body fleet, so that most of the world’s major population centres are already part of the network.
It will begin operations to Panama in February with what will be the longest flight at any carrier and could add Dubai-Atlanta as Delta Air Lines quits the route in February.
“Our route planners are now closely studying the opportunity for Emirates to fill in the gap when Delta exits,” an Emirates spokeswoman said in an e-mail.
Delta said last month it was canceling the Dubai route amid overcapacity from Gulf rivals.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
I Dubais nye Legoland, i regi av Dubai Parks & Resorts, kombineres tradisjonelle Lego-temaer med zombier og smurfer, skriver VG.
Emiratet, som er ett av sju i De forente arabiske emirater (med Abu Dhabi som føderal hovedstad), er kjent for sine overdådige bygninger og turistinvesteringer, og det nye Legoland’et som skal åpne høsten 2016, blir ikke noe unntak.
Parken til tre og en halv milliard norske kroner, som 11 000 mann jobber med å få ferdig i tide, skal blant annet inneholde et “zombieland” der du må flykte fra truende zombier og en fritt-fall-opplevelse fra et 56 meter høyt tårn, ifølge svenske Alt om Resor.
Berg-og-dalbanen “Dragen” skal suse tvers gjennom et legoslott i 60 km/t, og det skal byggest et 4D-univers basert på amerikanske vampyr-filmer!
For å tekkes besøkende fra Asia skal det også bygges et mini-Bollywood der opplevelsene spinnes rundt indiske film-temaer.
Og som i legoland flest blir det både vannrutsjebaner, karuseller, togbaner, shoppingområdet Riverland, og selvsagt rikelig med mat- og drikkestasjoner, samt et hotellkompleks.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
Etihad Airways, the United Arab Emirates national carrier, based in the federal capital Abu Dhabi, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, and also with Miral Asset Management (Miral), which oversees the development and management of a range of hospitality, sports, entertainment, retail and leisure destinations on Yas Island, gulfnews.com reported.
The two MOUs aim to cement stronger ties between the three parties, and promote the global appeal of Abu Dhabi as a year-round tourist, business and cultural destination.
The signing ceremony, which took place today at the Ferrari World theme park on Yas Island, was attended by senior management and board members from Etihad Airways, TCA Abu Dhabi and Miral.
The exclusive partnership aims to see the three parties drive the Growth of inbound destination and stopover tourism to Abu Dhabi by joining forces on various strategic activities, including co-branded marketing and communication, market intelligence and data exchange, cruise industry support, loyalty and affinity programmes, and business and leisure events within the emirate and around the world.
