News

UK tourists to generate an estimated USD 6.3 billion in travel to GCC.

According to a report revealed before the Arabian Travel Market the number of tourists from UK to the GCC will increase 22 % between the period 2018 to 2024. This will be due to the new and direct flight routes, competitive airfares and growth in the number of leisure travellers. An estimated USD 6.3 billion in travel and tourism revenue is expected to be generated in travel and tourism revenue by 2024.The total tourism spend in the GCC, reached USD 70.2bn last year, with the UK travellers average spend during trips to the region. This was 27% higher than the average spend of any other visitor. Danielle Curtis, exhibition director for ME at the Arabian Travel Market stated that historically, the UK and the GCC have enjoyed excellent travel and tourism links and this trend is set to continue over the next four years despite the economic uncertainty surrounding Brexit and the bleak pound to dollar exchange rate, in which sterling has declined 18.9% since 19 June 2015. UAE is expected to continue to be the preferred GCC destination for British tourists, welcoming a projected 2.23 million visitors by 2023. Saudi Arabia will follow with 251,000 visitors, Oman is expected to receive 165,000, Bahrain 159,000 and Kuwait 5,000.

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Cruise from only £599 per person and enjoy ‘FREE Drinks & Tips’ in Fred. Olsen’s new

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is offering guests ‘FREE Drinks & Tips’ on over 120 cruises from April to December 2020 – on all new bookings made up to 4th February 2020 inclusive – with prices as low as £599 per person. Olsen is giving guests the chance to take advantage of its all-inclusive drinks upgrade aboard its entire ocean fleet – Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch. and can enjoy selected house wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks all day and evening, without the added hassle of settling a bar bill, plus all gratuities will be paid by Fred. Olsen. Fred. Olsen is also offering ‘FREE Tips & Dining Drinks’* on a number of Brabant European river cruises in 2020, along the Rhine, Main, Danube and Moselle, giving guests the same selection of all-inclusive drinks available on its ocean sailings, when served with lunch and dinner, with the added extra of all gratuities being paid by Fred. Olsen. Fred. Olsen’s ‘Cruise Sale’ is also offering a number of dedicated solo deals, with no single supplement on selected rooms and cruises in 2020.

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Taj Mahal’s vantage point increases ticket price for visitors.

According to recent reports, tourists who want a magnificent view of the Taj Mahal from its vantage point will have to pay more. The facility was inaugurated recently; however, the ticket price for entering the Taj Mahal remains unchanged. According to the Agra Development Authority, the price for Indians to use the viewpoint will now be INR 50 per person, while for foreign travellers it will be priced at INR 200 person.Entry is free for children below the age of 12. Timings for the vantage point is from 12 PM to 7 PM. The price changed during full moon nights, as under the moonlight, Indians would have to pay INR 200 per person, and foreigners will have to pay INR 500 per person. On such days, the vantage point is open from 12 PM to 12 midnight. The Taj Mahal will not be open during the full moon for five days, and you can avail this incredible new facility of the vantage point to view the structure. However, the monument will remain closed if any of those five days fall on a Friday.

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30 airports to become operational in the Northeast to boost tourism.

Bids are being invited under the UDAN scheme to build around 30 airports operational to boost tourism activities in Northeast India. Latest reports state that the Centre, under the fourth round of regional air connectivity UDAN scheme, is inviting bids from companies to provide air services to six underserved and 24 unserved airports. It is expected that this move will not only promote tourism in this region but will also help transform the economic situation around. The Ministry, under UDAN 4 scheme, is providing additional Viability Gap Funding (VGF) of around 25 per cent extra to airlines. In fact, the Centre will bear around 90 per cent of VGF and the remaining 10 per cent will be borne by state governments. Recently, the Centre invited bids for UDAN scheme with a focus on priority areas like the northeastern states, the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, and islands. Referring to this development, the MoCA stated that it is aiming to operationalise around 1000 routes and more than 100 airports in the next five years, which can be achieved by focusing on operationalising routes in priority areas.

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Statue of Unity surpasses Statue of Liberty’s footfall of daily visitors.

The Statue of Unity has once again set another record in just over a year of its unveiling. Latest reports state that the spot, by attracting an average of 15000 visitors a day, has surpassed the footfall of visitors visiting the 133-year-old Statue of Liberty in the United States of America. The Statue of Unity is the world’s tallest statue that stands at a height of 180 m, and is located near the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River in Kevadiya town in Gujarat. Referring to the footfall of visitors, Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd. credited this to the monument’s additional new tourist attractions too, such as dino trail, butterfly garden, cactus garden, children’s park, jungle safari, glow garden, food court, Wi-Fi access, along with several budget accommodation options. The Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd. further stated that this year has seen a rise of 74 per cent over the daily average of the first year i.e., 1 November 2018 to 31 October 2019, which has been recorded to be 15036 in the first month of this second year. The number further increases to 22430 on weekends, whereas the Statue of Liberty in the US attracts around 10000 visitors a day.

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Abu Dhabi selected as world’s leading sports tourism destination.

Abu Dhabi has been selected as the world’s leading Sports tourism Destination at the 26th edition of the World Travel Awards (WTA) being held in Muscat. This is the seventh time in a row that Abu Dhabi has been selected for this coveted award after hosting some of the world’s top sporting events, such as the FIFA Club World Cup 2017 and 2018, the first edition of the UAE Tour, the AFC Asian Cup 2019, the Special Olympics World Games 2019, the UFC 242 showdown and the Brazil vs South Korea international friendly match. The award is the latest in several prestigious accolades gained by Abu Dhabi this year, including being selected as the West Asia’s Leading Business Tourism Destination at the West Asia edition of WTA and Best City Break at the UK’s Selling Travel Agents’ Choice Awards. Sports tourism has been labelled by the United Nations World Travel Organisation, UNWTO, as one of the fastest growing sectors of tourism worldwide. Abu Dhabi has been making strides within sports tourism by developing sports facilities and events across the capital. The emirate has also recently won the rights to host the FINA Short Course World Championship in 2020. The UAE capital also continues to play host to annual acclaimed sports events including the Formula 1 Etihad Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon, the Mubadala World Tennis Championship, the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship and the ITU World Triathlon Abu Dhabi.

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