Etisalat-Sharjah Water Festival 2009 opened!

The Festival, which opened its gates to visitors at 16:00, was officially opened by H.E. Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qassimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), which is responsible for organizing the annual event. Also in attendance were H. E. Abdullah Al Owais, Director of Sharjah's Cultural Department, Col. Hamid Mohammed Al-Hudaidi, Sharjah's Chief of Police, and H.E. Abdul Wahab Al Romi Director of Sharjah's Civil Aviation, as well as a number of other dignitaries and VIPs.

The Etisalat-Sharjah Water Festival will run until 12 December from 16:00 to 22:00 Saturday to Wednesday, and 16:00 to 24:00 on Thursdays and Fridays.

Read also previous article about the festival below

Qatar Tourism Authority participates at EIBTM in Barcelona

Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) participated in the annual Global Meetings and Incentive Exhibition (EIBTM) in Barcelona, Spain from 1.-3.December to promote Qatar tourism and hospitality industry and Qatar itself as a great unique business destination. As one of the premier MICE Industry ( Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions..one of the fastest growing segments within the tourism industry)events, QTA has exhibited at EIBTM for a number of years.

More than 90% of visitors to Qatar come on business or attend one of the conferences or exhibitions in the country.

Qatar Tourism Authority will be accompanied by an important delegation representing the examples of high-quality standards Qatar has achieved to become an upscale MICE destination, including the Qatar National Convention Center, the Museum of Islamic Art and representatives from several luxury hotels and the top tour operators in Qatar.

EIBTM ...where the world meets

The Arab Health 2010

Every day throughout the world thousands of hospital patients are victims of identification breakdowns and errors of various degrees. This can result in major problems with transfusion, drug administering, specimen collection and point of care testing.
Brenmoor company, UK producer of hospital bracelets is launching a new type of wristbands that are easy to print, extremely comfortable for the patient and are resistant to soaps, alcohol, water and other commonly used chemicals used in hospitals and is ready to introduce them across the Middle East.

"Between February 2006 and January 2007, the National Patient Safety Agency Advice in the UK received over 24,000 reports of patients being wrongly identified and mismatched with their care. This can be distressing for patients and for staff and can result in serious, lasting harm, such as chronic pain, undiagnosed cancers, blindness and even death."Paul Brennan, Director of Brenmoor Limited

The Brenmoor company will participate at the Arab Health to propagate its products.

Arab Health is the largest medical technologies trade fair in the world and will be taking place between 25-28 January 2010.

Read more about the manufacturer

For You, Our Dear Travelers

How to Order a Beer in Fifty Languages

To not get lost!

*Jedno pivo, prosím!*

AIRPORT NAVIGATOR

Long while at the airport?

Waiting for your flight long time? Do not know what to do?? Be ready for such situation..

Airport navigator is here to help you find some entertainment!

Click!Clack!:)

Completion of the Burj Dubai

By the 2 december the highest building in the world Burj Dubai should be completed!

See the video by Phil Blizzard, reporter for the AMEinfo web, Middle East business resource.
Video

INTERCONTINENTAL RESIDENCE SUITES

Luxury apartments in Dubai..for longer stay

Check the video and see what the InterContinental Residence Suites offers, the stylish, comfortable accommodation..

Where for massage??

One of the largest massage and wellness centre in United Arab Emirates is opening already the ninth massage centre in just two years in Dubai, the Dreamworks arranged a cooperation with Gold Swiss-Belhotel and opened the Dreamworks Spa and massage Centre on the 5th floor of the hotel.
The massage centre specializes in traditional Balinese massage and foot reflexology.
There was opened 3 treatment rooms, with separate ladies and gents facilities, including stream, sauna and lockers. More than 40staff is employed there. You can enjoy all the pleasures of various massages of high quality, including the four hand massage

Price list of Dreamworks massages

Enjoy little bit of massage secrets in Prague...

World Green Tourism Congress

Abu Dhabi, the capital of United Arab Emirates will host the first-of-its-kind international World green Tourism Congress in 2010. It has been chosen for its easy access from Europe and Asia as well and because of its excellent business tourism infrastructure.
Organised by Streamline Marketing Group (UAE) and Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority the congress should be held from 6 to 8 December 2010.

„The congress should reflect the main values of the Abu Dhabi Government´s 2030 plan, which clearly identifies tourism as a key economic diversification driver and environmental sustainability as an underlying fundamental of all we do,“ said Dayne Lim, Product Development Director of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority.
The conference is concentrated on discussing the environmental challenges in tourism, highlighting the green tourism aims and influencing the integration of environment friendly tourism industry. The congress is also expected to reinforce Abu Dhabi´s reputation as a determined supporter of environmental protection.

Read more

http://www.worldgreentourism.com/

Yemeni rebels suppressed

Saudi soldiers gained back control over the mountainous region Jabal Dokhan that was occupied by probably Houthi rebels from Yemen who are intermittently in conflict with Yemeni forces for 5 years.
Soldiers were able to suppress the rebels within Saudi borders. The clashes killed 3 members of the Saudi security forces and wounded 15.

The relationship between Saudi Arabia and Yemen is said to be not affected.


Source

Property Exhibition in Kuwait

An amazing Real Estate Exhibition will take place in Kuwait from 9 to 13 December. The exhibition will be organized by Durrat Al Bahrain, the largest planned luxury tourist resort development.

The exhibition is expected to attract investors and estate professionals from the region, more than 45 companies should participate in the exhibition introducing more then 100 real estate projects from 17 countries.

Organizers of the exhibition want also show how Durrat Al Bahrain is an ideal lifestyle destination where over 1000 luxury villas, gardens, beaches are ready to provide you all the comfort and peace needed.

Expansion and renovation!

Mövenpick Hotel and Apartments Bur Dubai in United Emirates has strongly enhanced its facilities and launched also new hotel apartments building. Visitors can also enjoy pleasant time, relaxation and also privacy of renovated and redecorated 255 hotel rooms that will be available for hotel guests very soon. The hotel has also improved food and beverages service, guests can expect delicious meal, excellent quality. Introducing an Executive Lounge with complimentary breakfasts and evening drinks for executive guests. New restaurant Chutneys is also launched, offering North-Indian cuisine.

The Rose Rayhaan by Rotana

Rotana is opening the tallest hotel in the world in Dubai.

Check the video..

Sharjah Water Festival

One of the major annual events in United Arab Emirates is coming!
Traditional and very popular water festival takes place on Sharjah´s Khalid Lagoon and in the Al Majaz Park, Sharjah, from 2nd to 12th December. The festival has became very popular in Emirates, it is seen as great sport and family-oriented tourism event organised by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority. Providing a variety of entertainment, educational activities, sport competitions the water festival became one of the most highly anticipated event in Emirates and a huge attraction for visitors.. The Water Festival focuses also on the emirate´s history, culture and heritage and will culminate in the Sharjah´s Grand Prix 09, the final F1 Powerboat Championship.

The main sponsors of the Sharjah water festival are Etisalat, telecommunications services provider and Dana Gas, private natural gas company.

The SWF

Middle East and Medical Tourism

During the economic crisis the medical tourism has grown compared to other tourism sectors.
The growth of medical tourism is significant opportunity for Middle East. Current situation of Middle East is now changed. While in last years medical tourists from the Middle East were attracted by medical providers outside of the region nowadays the ME is more and more attracting people from Europe and USA where the cost of health care have risen.

The ME should now focus on establishing legal protections and guidelines, which are still lacking, to avoid problems connected with increase of arriving medical tourists to the ME.

To capture more from the international market, the ME will also need to focus on the critical factors in tourism industry as a quality of offered care, destination and its safety and quality of facilities and leisure or cultural attraction of the destination.

Reuters
Read more!

Touristic countries statistics

Lebanese local newspaper the Daily Star is bringing information that Lebanon is at first place among the countries with increase in tourism.

According to research by UNWTO Lebanon saw a 46,3 % increase in the first month of this year (2009) compared to the first months in last year. It is the highest growth rate among 165 examined countries.

As a second that witness increase in tourism in ranked Kenya with 43% growth in the number of tourists, third South Korea with 15 %.

Until August 2009 more than 1,28 million tourists came to Lebanon, in the whole year the number is expected to exceed 2 million.

Source

International Halal Show 2009

International halal show takes place in Jordan, on 28 October 2009!
If you are interested in halal food this show will present global producers of halal food, mainly the seafood and fish producers. It is great opportunity to visit workshops, conferences, see the technology and current halal industry trends for preparing halal!
Also the showcase of a wide variety of food, ingredients is provided!

What HALAL means ??

Qatar Airways - Fuel From Natural Gas

Special blend of synthetic Gas to Liquids (GTL) kerosene and oil-based kerosene fuel was developed by Shell and now should be used as a more nature-friendly fuel for airplanes under the name GTL Jet Fuel.
Qatar Airways as a first airline used this fuel technology completed the world´s first commercial passenger flight!
The journey from London Gatwick to Doha was operated with an Airbus A340-600 and took over 6 hours.
The Qatar Airwais is very proud to use this new fuel technology - it is very ecological. during the process of burning there is lower percentage of sulphur dioxide and emissions.

See the Qatar Airways webpage!

Lebanese President visited UNWTO

Tourism - Instrument of Peace and International Understanding

Tourism is considered as a fundamental factor for a mixing of cultures, international understanding and tolerance, exchange of ideas and also is the way how to keep the peace among peoples. Thanks to the communication, exchange of interests, capacities, expertise, tourism has significant effect on the economy, culture and political behaviour of the state.
20 October 2009 President of Lebanese Republic, H.E. Michel Suleiman, as the first head of government, visited the UNWTO headquaters in Madrid to discuss cooperation between Lebanon and UNWTO. Lebanon is ready to support the activities and programmes of UNWTO in the field of combating poverty through the tourism and the application of the Global Code of Ethics.
Lebanon is a founding member of the UNWTO. Since 1975 Lebanon has occupied several key positions in the Organization and now presides the Commission for the Middle East.

Read more...

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), based in Madrid, Spain, is a United Nations agency dealing with questions relating to tourism. It compiles the World Tourism rankings.[1] The World Tourism Organization is a significant global body, concerned with the collection and collation of statistical information on international tourism. This organization represents public sector tourism bodies, from most countries in the world and the publication of its data makes possible comparisons of the flow and growth of tourism on a global scale. The official languages of UNWTO are Arabic, English, French, Russian and ‎Spanish. ‎

Wikipedia