Eliana Willis

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has unveiled the latest developments taking place in the Emirate of Sharjah’s tourism projects and future plans at a press conference it held on day two of Arab Travel Market (ATM) 2022, taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 9 to 12.
Held at the Sharjah Pavilion at ATM 2022, the press conference brought together His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA; Her Excellency Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, Chairperson of the Environment and Protected Areas Authority in Sharjah (EPAA); H.E. Ali Salem Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah International Airport Authority, and Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), along with officials from various government entities and representatives of local and international media outlets.
Speaking at the conference, H.E. Al Midfa said: “In line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to advance the emirate’s position as a prominent family tourism destination on the global tourism map, the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority works closely and continuously with its strategic partners in the government and private sectors to implement projects and initiatives that allow the emirate to offer innovative, one-of-a-kind and diverse tourism experiences to visitors from around the world.”
“Our leadership’s constant support paved the way for Sharjah to make immense progress in recent years in terms of major tourism projects across cities and villages in the emirate, including major infrastructure projects to connect the Heart of Sharjah to the Central and Eastern regions,” H.E. Al Midfa continued. “The emirate’s strategic location is an added value for its tourism sector, playing a key role in the development of the tourism industry and its diversity, and offering an array of experiences to meet all interests and cater to every age group. The emirate boasts world-class tourism capacities, offering an annual agenda full of events, exhibitions, and major festivals – all of which work together to meet the aspirations of visitors from all categories.”
The SCTDA Chairman explained that Sharjah has significantly developed its hotel sector to include more than 100 facilities with over 10,000 rooms and apartments. “These include beach hotels, city-centre hotels, and other facilities with more of an authentic Emirati feel, in addition to hotels in the Central Region in Mleiha and Al Badayer, which offer unique accommodation experiences, away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, where guests can immerse themselves in natural landscapes from mountains to sand dunes,” he said. ADVERTISEMENT“Over the course of the past few years, the emirate made tremendous efforts towards developing the eco-tourism sector to offer exceptional experiences to all visitors. The various destinations offer a range of experiences for adventure lovers, as well as those looking to go camping, visit parks, and do water, desert, or mountain activities, in addition to experiences catering to lovers of heritage, arts, history, and archaeology,” H.E. noted. “The Emirate of Sharjah supports development plans that are designed to ensure the sustainability of its key sectors, including tourism – one of the pillars of the national economy.”
The total number of guests in hotel establishments in the Emirate of Sharjah during the first quarter of 2022 exceeded 350,000, marking a growth rate of 26% compared to the same period last year. The UAE ranked as the first source market for hotel establishment guests in Q1 2022, followed by India, Russia, and Oman, respectively, underlining Sharjah’s appeal to both tourists and visitors from around the UAE.
For her part, EPAA Chairperson H.E. Hana Saif Al Suwaidi shed light on the Sharjah Safari project – the largest safari outside the African continent, which includes 12 different environments representing Africa’s terrain and the animals and birds that live there. “Sharjah Safari places the Emirate of Sharjah and the UAE at the forefront of attractive destinations for nature and wildlife tourists, and contributes to promoting various other sectors, from aviation to hospitality,” H.E. said.
“During its participation at ATM, the EPAA will meet with representatives of tourism and hotel companies to organise visits to Sharjah Safari, in addition to discussing ways to cooperate with the authorities concerned with eco-tourism to set up joint events and programmes that serve the emirate’s vision for both tourism and the environment,” H.E. Al Suwaidi asserted.
Meanwhile, H.E. Ali Salim Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Airport Authority, said: “Our participation in the Arabian Travel Market 2022 reiterates Sharjah Airport’s commitment to strengthening communication with its international counterparts from the aviation sector. We are also utilising this opportunity to seek potential partnerships that would result in mutual growth, and further enhance the distinguished position that Sharjah Airport currently enjoys as one of the most prominent airports in the region.”
“The exhibition will serve as a platform for us to showcase the services and facilities we provide to our partners in the tourism and travel sectors,” H.E. Al Midfa added. “We also look forward to highlighting the services and smart solution features that we have recently launched, in addition to demonstrating the quality of our safety standards and operational efficiency, which has been enhanced to provide customers and travellers with a more comfortable experience. We take this opportunity to reaffirm our dedication to enhancing Sharjah’s image and maintaining the emirate’s lead as a distinguished financial and cultural hub for tourism investment in the Middle East.”
Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, Acting CEO of Shurooq, lauded the unparalleled efforts of SCTDA and its collaboration with other public entities to continue developing Sharjah’s tourism sector and create new opportunities to elevate its position as a leading hub for experiential travel. He also asserted that SCTDA’s objectives are perfectly aligned with Shurooq’s belief that this complementarity of roles established by different entities entrusted with Sharjah’s sustainable development is a key accelerator of development.
Announcing Shurooq’s two new luxury hospitality projects, namely, Najd Al Meqsar Retreat and The Serai Wing, Bait Khalid bin Ibrahim, Al Qaseer added: “These projects offer residents and travellers more choices in the ways they wish to explore Sharjah and complement the other eco- and heritage-inspired hospitality projects developed by Shurooq in the emirate. Through these new undertakings, we reiterate our commitment to enhancing Sharjah’s tourist landscape, encouraging diversified investments through local and global partnerships, and developing projects all across Sharjah as part of an inclusive, community-focused development plan, in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.”
The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority is heading the Sharjah Pavilion at Arabian Travel Market 2022, bringing together 24 entities from the emirate: seven government departments and 17 private entities from tourism, travel, and hospitality sectors. The Authority aims to shed light on its achievements in driving growth and development in the tourism sector in the Emirate of Sharjah in the post-pandemic period, raising awareness of the tourism services and products it provides, in collaboration with its strategic partners, to build a sustainable tourism sector.

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The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has announced a revival plan that highlights Hong Kong’s vibrant developments and new experiences, aiming to generate a positive ambience and make the city a top-of-mind destination for worldwide travelers when travel resumes.
“The fifth wave of the pandemic is subsiding. Hong Kong’s daily life and economic activities are now gradually returning to normal, allowing us to stage large-scale events and prepare to welcome back visitors”
With the theme “Together Towards New Horizons”, Tourism Update 2022 attracted 3,200 trade representatives from travel agencies, attractions, hotels, airlines, retailers, restaurants, and meeting and exhibition organisers from Hong Kong, Mainland China, and overseas markets. The HKTB shared insights into the latest tourism trends and its work plan for the coming year.
In his opening remarks, HKTB Chairman Dr. Y K Pang highlighted Hong Kong’s return to normality. “The fifth wave of the pandemic is subsiding. Hong Kong’s daily life and economic activities are now gradually returning to normal, allowing us to stage large-scale events and prepare to welcome back visitors,” said Dr. Pang.
“Throughout the pandemic, Hong Kong never stopped building and upgrading its tourism infrastructure. We will see the grand opening of the Hong Kong Palace Museum this summer, while the third runway at Hong Kong International Airport is expected to go into service within the next couple of years. With these new infrastructure elements and the support of the Central and Hong Kong SAR Governments, Hong Kong’s competitive edge has held firm and we can head towards new horizons with confidence.”ADVERTISEMENTIn his presentation of the work plan for the coming year, HKTB Executive Director Dane Cheng described how the HKTB will focus first on generating a positive ambience in the city, stimulating consumption, and maintaining Hong Kong’s profile globally by launching “Hong Kong Summer Treats”. The campaign will provide a wide range of discounts and promotional offerings, and will begin with “Arts in Hong Kong” – a campaign that supports international art and cultural events, such as Art Basel, which will return in a physical format.
When social distancing measures are further relaxed, the HKTB will arrange more world-class events in phases, including the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival and Hong Kong WinterFest, and give its support to other high-profile events such as the Hong Kong Sevens.
Mr. Cheng stressed the importance of ensuring a recovery at home in the run-up to the return of worldwide visitors. “These promotions will generate a positive ambience in Hong Kong and demonstrate how we have returned to normal. The HKTB will then launch extensive promotions, including the tactical ‘Open House Hong Kong’ campaign, to welcome back visitors when the time is right. To better respond to market needs, we will also strive to enhance the visitor journey into a seamless experience through a comprehensive digital transformation,” said Mr. Cheng.
“The HKTB has conducted extensive research in 16 markets and found Hong Kong is still well-loved by travelers worldwide. They have specifically identified some major driving factors to visit Hong Kong, including cleanliness, local culture, in-depth experiences, unique cuisine, high accessibility, and ease of communications. These factors are not only core strengths of Hong Kong but also match the trends and tastes of the post-COVID travel era.”
Mr. Cheng added, “With our solid tourism foundations, our status as an East-meets-West center for international cultural exchange, our position at the heart of the dynamic Greater Bay Area, and our wealth of new tourism assets and infrastructure, Hong Kong’s tourism future is full of potential.”
Guest speakers from major organisations also outlined new developments to further enhance Hong Kong’s world-class tourism infrastructure.
The West Kowloon Cultural District is one of Hong Kong’s major arts and cultural projects. Its contemporary art museum M+ opened last year and the Hong Kong Palace Museum will welcome its first visitors this summer. Speaking at the event, Chief Executive Officer of the West Kowloon Cultural District Mrs. Betty Fung said, “As a unique cultural hub with unrivaled connectivity in Hong Kong and Asia, WKCD presents the best of the eastern and western culture to visitors, from Chinese arts and antiquities to contemporary visual culture, and offers visitors a holistic experience blending arts and culture with retail, dining and entertainment.”
Hong Kong International Airport plays a pivotal role in maintaining the city’s status as a leading international aviation hub. Airport Authority Hong Kong Executive Director (Airport Operations) Mrs. Vivian Cheung said, “In addition to maintaining our aviation hub status, our strategy is to transform Hong Kong International Airport from a city airport into an Airport City, developing ourselves into a destination in itself for visitors. The Airport City aims to attract global visitors through its wide range of offerings in retail, dining, entertainment and leisure, while providing a business platform through its convention and exhibition facilities. In parallel, we are further enhancing the airport’s sea and land connectivity with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, with a view to facilitating a seamless journey for the 70 million people in the region to visit the Airport City.”
The integration of culture, sports, and tourism is a key development direction. General Director (Commercial) of Kai Tak Sports Park Mr. James Irvine said, “As one of the most significant sports infrastructures in Hong Kong, Kai Tak Sports Park will add vibrancy to the city’s dynamic tourism landscape with its world-class sports, leisure and entertainment experiences. A first-of-its-kind destination set in the heart of the city will bring the global community to Hong Kong.”
Hong Kong is nominated as the World’s Leading City Break Destination 2021 by World Travel Awards.

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Seera Group, the leading provider of diverse travel services, has today reported substantial growth across all travel verticals for the first quarter 2022 compared to the previous year. The Group’s gross booking value (GBV) increased by 87% for Q1 2022 to SAR 1.6 billion compared to SAR 873 million in Q1 2021, illustrating a dramatic rebound in travel demand following the easing of COVID restrictions.
Seera Group has achieved higher revenues, growing from SAR 186 million in Q1 2021 to SAR 493 million in revenue for Q1 2022, an increase of 165%. The success of the Group has been attributed to its investment in state-of-the-art technology platforms and focus on streamlining business operations to improve efficiency, leading to gross profit increasing by 169% to SAR 158 million in Q1 2022, up from SAR 59 million in Q1 2021.
Almosafer, Seera’s travel business, has achieved 52% growth in GBV, from SAR 647 million in Q1 2021 to SAR 984 million in Q1 2022. The growth has predominantly been driven by consumer demand which has already returned to Q1 2019 levels. Almosafer’s consumer travel segment reported an increase in GBV of 122%, from SAR 261 million in Q1 2021 to SAR 580 million in Q1 2022, as both domestic and international travel demand is strong, with 720,000 flight segments and 325,000 room nights sold in Q1 2022, an increase of 106% and 192% respectively in comparison to Q1 2021.
The removal of many travel restrictions across the world has unleashed pent-up demand from travellers while interest in domestic tourism remains high, with Saudi Arabia’s many entertainment events drawing travellers across the Kingdom.
Revenue for Almosafer grew by 370% from 12 million SAR in Q1 2021 to 57 million SAR in Q1 2022. The increase in revenue has been driven by the strength of the consumer brand and increased pricing power. Almosafer’s revolutionary omni-channel approach, 24/7 travel advisory across platforms and pioneering digital capabilities providing seamless booking services to consumers resulted in 32 million sessions on the platform in Q1 2022, an increase of 404% from Q1 2021. ADVERTISEMENTp >Lumi, Seera’s car rental and leasing brand, has continued its strong trajectory of growth as revenue has increased by 44% from SAR 112 million in Q1 2021 to SAR 161 million in Q1 2022. Backed by large-scale leasing agreements with major government and corporate entities, Lumi continues to distinguish itself from competitors with its large fleet of well-maintained cars at competitive prices. In the past year, Lumi has expanded its fleet by 40% with currently over 17,000 vehicles.
Lumi’s growth has also been propelled by the Kingdom’s vast leisure tourism and growing entertainment sector with events providing incentives for people to travel. The company’s focus on digital innovation is also a strong contributing factor to its success. Its mobile application, which cuts down pick-up time from 15 minutes to less than five minutes, and user-friendly online portal enhances customer experiences by reducing the time for booking and managing cars and improving convenience. In Q1 2022, revenue generated through Lumi’s online platforms grew 44% month on month.
Discover Saudi, Seera’s integrated destination management company (DMC), has increased its GBV by 135% to SAR 44 million in Q1 2022, up from SAR 19 million in Q1 2021. Discover Saudi, which aims to become the primary DMC for inbound tourism and support the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to bring 100 million visitors annually by 2030, has hosted 2500 inbound travellers to the Kingdom in Q1 2022. Building on its trusted reputation as the Kingdom’s leading DMC, Discover Saudi was entrusted to deliver travel transport and accommodation services for some of the Kingdom’s largest events including Saudi Cup, Dakar Rally and Extreme E.
Majed Alnefaie, CEO at Seera Group, said: “2022 has kicked off with an incredibly positive start to the year. As the Kingdom’s national champion for the travel and tourism sector, we will continue to drive forward Vision 2030’s tourism agenda as an investor and enabler in innovative and aspirational businesses. Travel is back and 2022 is going to be a very positive year for Seera Group and the travel industry as a whole.”
more information at www.seera.sa/en/

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