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      easyJet customers raise over £300,000 to support UNICEF’s Türkiye and Syria earthquake appeal

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      easyJet customers have raised over £300,000 in three weeks to support UNICEF’s emergency appeal. Their donations have helped raise vital funds for the children and their families affected by the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria.
      The emergency onboard collection by easyJet’s cabin crew has now been extended into March, providing millions more customers flying with easyJet across 36 countries in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, the opportunity to donate in any currency.
      Donations will go directly towards supporting UNICEF’s round-the-clock emergency response in the region. In Syria, UNICEF is mobilising supplies and services to support the urgent needs of children and families. In Türkiye, UNICEF has mobilised critical emergency supplies and ensured evacuation to safe spaces for children in affected areas.
      Michael Brown, Director of Cabin Services, commented:
      “I would like to thank all of our customers who have already donated, for their kindness and generosity in raising over £300,000, which will help UNICEF and their volunteers to continue providing a vital lifeline in the region for the children and families who have been affected by the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. ADVERTISEMENT“This is, of course, all made possible by our fantastic crew, who day-in and day-out go the extra mile to raise money for UNICEF.  As the relief effort continues, we are pleased to have been able to extend the collections onboard into March so more customers can have the opportunity to donate.”
      Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive, UNICEF UK:
      “Through our partnership, UNICEF and easyJet remain committed to ensuring that the families affected by the recent earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria receive urgent support. By supporting UNICEF’s appeal, easyJet is helping to provide access to emergency supplies.”
      “Children face extra risks to their health without supplies of food and clean water and donations from easyJet and its generous customers will continue to support UNICEF’s work around the clock to protect the health and welfare of children and their families.”
      Over the last 10 years easyJet customers have raised more than £16m for UNICEF through on board collections, including more than £800,000 last year for children and their families impacted by the war in Ukraine, helping to protect millions of children around the world from disease and keep them safe during emergencies.

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      Manchester City players and Etihad Airways make dreams come true for young female players

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      ROCCO FORTE HOTELS INTRODUCES REWARD EXPERIENCES More

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      Manchester City players and Etihad Airways make dreams come true for young female players

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      Ahead of International Women’s Day, Etihad uses the strength of its partnership with MCFC to champion inclusivityThe sky is the limit for four aspiring female footballers from the United Arab Emirates after an invitation from Manchester City Women turned into the trip of a lifetime thanks to Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national carrier.
      For girls, Madiyah, 12, Meriel and Sura, both 11, and Zarah, 9, who all attend the City Football Schools in the UAE, mid-week coaching in Abu Dhabi typically ends with a tactical de-brief.
      But in a new heart-warming video released to celebrate International Women’s Day, the girls were thrilled to receive a personal message from England Lionesses, Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp, and Australia’s Hayley Raso, in which they were invited to join them as Manchester City matchday mascots for the Women’s Super League fixture against Arsenal at the Academy Stadium on the Etihad Campus in Manchester.
      Unknown to the girls, Etihad Airways had booked the players, their parents and coaches onto an eight-hour flight that evening from Abu Dhabi International Airport to Manchester.
      As part of the experience, the young female players enjoyed behind-the-scenes access to Manchester City Women’s final training session before the match and were lucky enough to have photos and signatures with some of their role models from the club.ADVERTISEMENTGeorgia Bainbridge, City Football Schools Coach, said, “When we were told about the surprise and asked to put forward four girls, Madiyah, Meriel, Sura and Zarah immediately sprung to mind. They have demonstrated fantastic skills and potential, but their attitude to training is outstanding and something all the coaches at City Football Schools in the UAE really admire.
      “We want to continue to inspire our female players and promote women’s football as much as we can in the UAE which has been helped massively following the Women’s Euros and Chloe Kelly’s winning goal. She’s a player the girls admire and hope one day to emulate so having the chance to watch her and the rest of the team train before meeting them was incredible.”
      Before leading out the team as match day mascots in front of a sell-out crowd, the girls also toured the Etihad Stadium along with the home dressing room, where screams could be heard around Manchester as their personalised matchday shirts took pride of place.
      Amina Taher, Vice President Brand, Marketing and Sponsorships from Etihad Airways, said: “The UAE places a strong emphasis on elevating the role of women in society and as the national airline we are fully engaged with this mission. We’re proud to work with our long-standing partners City Football Group to champion the inclusion and empowerment of young women ahead of this year’s International Women’s Day.
      “It was an honour to fly Madiyah, Meriel, Sura and Zarah to Manchester to visit the Etihad Stadium and meet their Manchester City heroes.”

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      SAUDI ARABIA – A LUXURY DESTINATION

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      easyJet customers raise over £300,000 to support UNICEF’s Türkiye and Syria earthquake appeal More

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      SAUDI ARABIA – A LUXURY DESTINATION

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      The Gulf state is exhibiting at ITB Berlin for the first time. Saudi Arabia wants to lure more tourists to the country with new hotels, restaurants and attractions at historical sites such as Diriyah and Alula. Increasing hotel capacity and flight routes and easing visa requirements are part of a strategy for the future entitled Vision 2030 which envisions an economic transition towards greater diversity and sustainability. The Gulf state is represented at ITB Berlin for the first time and over the coming days will provide information on new tourism projects on its stand in Hall 3.2.
      Saudi Arabia attracts almost two million pilgrims annually with Mecca and Medina, holy sites in Islam. Beyond that however, the country wanted to profit more from tourism, said Hazim Al Hazmi of the Saudi Tourism Authority speaking at the press conference of ITB Berlin at the Palais am Funkturm. The country is currently investing heavily in tourism as part of Vision 2030. As a strategy for the future it wants to reduce oil dependence by strengthening other sectors.
      At its press conference on Media Monday at ITB Berlin, Saudi Arabia presented some of its tourist highlights. In the desert city of Diriyah, marketed under the slogan ’The City of Earth’, the district of Al Bujairi with its winding streets awaits visitors who take a short half-hour drive from King Khalid International Airport or travel 15 minutes from Riyadh’s city centre. The history of the former Saudi capital is documented in museums. According to Abdulrahman Aljefri of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority, there are plans to significantly expand bed capacity around this historical site and build 38 hotels. Expanding the Bujairi Terrace resort to include 21 luxury and mega-luxury restaurants is seen as a gigantic project.
      Fascinating rock formations await visitors to Alula. According to Julia Stubenböck of the Royal Commission for Alula Germany, there are plans to increase bed capacity here too to 5,000 rooms in 2030. Visitors can look forward to numerous adventure activities or relaxing – from volcanic tours to wellness applications at Saudi Arabia’s first Banyan Tree Resort.
      According to Abdullah Al-Zahrani of Red Sea Global, beach holidays in Saudi Arabia are an option too. Currently hotels, apartments and leisure facilities enabling sustainable tourism are being built on the Gulf state’s west coast, where travellers can dive down with colourful marine life in the Red Sea and enjoy sports and leisure activities.ADVERTISEMENT

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      The United Nations Establishes Global Tourism Resilience Day

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      The United Nations Establishes Global Tourism Resilience Day

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      The United Nations has voted to create a Global Tourism Resilience Day, which will be marked each year on February 17.The day will be used to promote a sustainable and resilient travel industry, with a focus on the potential for the sector to drive economic growth, social development and financial inclusion, in addition to environmental benefits.
      The UN voted on Monday, February 6 to adopt resolution 70.1 drafted by the Global Travel and Tourism Resilience Council in collaboration with the Global Tourism Resilience & Crisis Management Centre.
      It was backed by countries including the Bahamas, Belize, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Georgia, Greece, Guyana, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Malta, Namibia, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain and Zambia.
      More than 30 private sector associations including the USTA, IATA, the WTTC, Travalyst, the Business Travel Association, LATA, PATA, ETOA, ITB Berlin, Travel Foundation, Travel Declares a Climate Emergency, the GBTA, USAID Developing Sustainable Travel in Bosnia Herzegovina and the Association of Touring & Adventure Suppliers also endorsed the proposal.
      Jamaican tourism minister Edmund Bartlett (pictured), who made the case to the UN and is also co-chair of the Resilience Council and the GTRCMC, said: “The day will remind countries and businesses in travel and tourism to focus on how you respond to crises, how you recover quickly, and how you will grow. That is what resilience is all about.”ADVERTISEMENTResilience Council spokesperson Laurie Myers added: “Every year leading up to February 17 we will run events and campaigns to remind both the public and private sectors to focus on preparedness, sustainability, recovery and resilience with the outstanding examples being honoured establishing best practice and in the process saving lives.”
      Minister Bartlett will hold a Talk and Toast event at ITB to share the enormous importance of this day going forward and hand out certificates of appreciation and acknowledgment to invited organizations present at ITB. March 9 at 5:20pm in Hall 3 1.b.

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      NEW CHALLENGES FOR LGBTQ+ TOURISM

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      SAUDI ARABIA – A LUXURY DESTINATION More

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      NEW CHALLENGES FOR LGBTQ+ TOURISM

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      New crises and the uncertainty they create are encouraging populism, and “then we minorities are the first to be attacked.“ That was the sad fact that stood out in Tuesday’s keynote speech by Peter Jordan on ’LGBTQ+ Tourism and Resilience’.Jordan, founder of the consultancy Gen C Traveller, was confident the community could master this challenge: “It has been through a lot these last few years.“
      Rika Jean-François, CSR commissioner for ITB Berlin, opened the panel discussion noting that the pandemic in particular had further increased the threat for minorities and that it helped hate and conservatism thrive again. Jordan was insistent that even in times of increasing demand for sustainability travel had to remain a basic need because it was indispensable among other things for educating oneself and one’s personal orientation. The LGBTQ+ community had to “establish its own resilience“ while also identifying with measures to fight climate change, since this impacted everybody regardless of sexual orientation. It was possible this increasingly urgent situation held the key to successful inclusion.
      Barbara Poma of the onePulse Foundation from Orlando, who has dedicated herself to the fight against hatred, invited everybody to travel to Florida to help the local inclusion efforts which are under threat from many sides. Benedikt Brandmeier, director of Tourism, Events and Hospitality, explained the efforts the Bavarian capital is taking in order to treat tourists not simply as cash-dispensing hobby photographers, but to make them feel part of everyday local activities, thus giving them a taste of the city’s way of life. He admitted this was sometimes difficult to reconcile with the LGBTQ+ community’s desire for safe spaces, however such efforts had proved successful at specific carnival events.
      Rachel Ferguson of Visit Philadelphia made similar comments. Many visitors belonged to more than one marginalised minority, as a person of colour or in the role of a mother for example. The solution, with inclusion as its goal, had to be to afford all groups respect so they could realise their potential with dignity as free persons. Alex Belopolsky of the Munich Proud at Work Foundation appealed not to simply accept decisions contradicting LGBTQ+ values, such as that of UNWTO to make the Uzbek city of Samarkand the World Tourism Capital, because homosexuality was punishable with a jail sentence in Uzbekistan.
      Thomas Bömkes, the LGBTQ+ tourism adviser to ITB Berlin, announced Karl Krause and Daan Coljin as winners of the Pioneer Award for innovative achievements for the community. They had travelled around the world as a male couple with their travel blog, had recently published a book and had contributed decisively to spreading a positive LGBTQ+ aura.ADVERTISEMENT

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      NEW DESTINATIONS AND MORE FLIGHTS

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      The United Nations Establishes Global Tourism Resilience Day More

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      Abu Dhabi unveils new summer offering at ITB Berlin

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      Experience Abu Dhabi will be revealing its new summer offer at ITB Berlin this week, showcasing to the world that one summer is not enough to visit the destination and its abundance of activities that can be enjoyed.
      A summer in Abu Dhabi is like no other.
      Whether looking for experiences that inspire, excite or restore, there is something for everyone to enjoy, at their own pace.
      Travellers can get inspired by the rich culture and heritage scene across 23 locations including the iconic Louvre Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Hosn and the presidential palace of Qasr Al Watan.
      Alternatively, those looking for adventure, can reach new heights at one of 14 theme parks including Yas Waterworld, Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi and Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. ADVERTISEMENTCouples can also escape to a private and secluded desert island retreat of Nurai Island, just 15 minutes away by boat, or enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime meal at one of the recently awarded Michelin star restaurants.
      An exciting calendar of events will make this an unforgettable summer, including the return of Monster Jam – offering motorsport fans an adrenaline-charged weekend in May, unrivalled family fun at Paw Patrol Live, as well as an exhilarating concert by rock legends, Guns N’ Roses in June, and Yas Gaming Festival in July.
      A variety of promotions and offers will also be available across the city so travellers can make new memories and enjoy endless summer fun.
      The unveiling of the summer offer marks the first step to launch the best of summer in Abu Dhabi this year.
      New offers will be rolled out this month, with unbeatable promotions to offer amazing value when booking stays to Abu Dhabi this summer.
      Travellers will be able to make the most of their summer holiday to Abu Dhabi with an exclusive, limited time deal of ‘stay more, pay less’ for trips booked between four to seven nights. Valid from May 1st to September 30th, and available to book from tomorrow, travellers can opt for a getaway that’s nestled in the city, select a gorgeous resort surrounded by turquoise waters, or book a family escape for the kids to enjoy at amazing value.
      At the stand, attendees will be able to immerse themselves in Abu Dhabi’s intangible heritage and culture.
      Here guests can learn about Emirati craftsmanship and the art of henna in the cultural zone or have their favourite art piece from Louvre Abu Dhabi printed in the Saadiyat Island zone.
      “One summer isn’t enough to discover the countless memorable and enriching experiences that can be enjoyed in Abu Dhabi.
      “Whether you’re looking for a thrilling summer adventure, to be moved by culture or for some family fun, Abu Dhabi has it all,” said Abdulla Yousuf, director of international operations, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.
      “We look forward to meeting with esteemed industry professionals at ITB to share the variety of activities that are on offer in Abu Dhabi this summer and beyond.” 
      There will be a daily competition held at the stand where special prizes can be won. Head to stand 200 during the show to find out more.
      More Information
      The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of the culture and tourism sectors, fuels economic progress and helps achieve Abu Dhabi’s wider global ambitions.
      Find out more on the official website or head over to Hall 2.2/200 at ITB Berlin 2023.

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      Casa de Campo launches Thirdhome partnership

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      DAY 1 at ITB: Breaking Travel News ITB Berlin 2023 Special Edition More

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      NEW RESEARCH SHOWS TOURISM RECOVERY THREATENED

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      Initiative announced to address the workforce deficit in the travel and tourism industry. Jamaican Minister Bartlett to discuss global workforce issues in tourism at ITB, Berlin
      A newly formed Tourism Employment Expansion Mandate (TEEM) project, which is a cross sector collaborative effort to understand the workforce deficit in the travel industry, has released new global research that indicates the situation is more critical than ever.
      The project put in place by the Global Travel and Tourism Resilience Council (RC) under the leadership of Minister Edmund Bartlett of Jamaica to monitor emerging trends and promote resilience, has shared their preliminary research with some alarming findings. While the tourism sector has fueled the global economy of up to 10.6%, it is a vulnerable sector that has felt the impact of the global pandemic with a loss of more than 62 million workers according to the World Economic Forum.
      Working on behalf of TEEM to ensure a broad cross section are organizations such as EEA, GTTP, Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, A World for Travel, Medov Logistics, JMG, EMG, FINN Partners, LATA, USAID Developing Sustainable Tourism in Bosnia Herzegovina and others. The research was conducted globally across travel and tourism industry. The key findings include:
      Alarming deficit figures – 68 percent of respondents said they are currently understaffed. Whilst the deficit of the workforce has been widely discussed – there’s been no data to understand how widely the issue is being felt across the industry. The resource shortage remains critical in food preparation, technology, AI, sales and reservations.ADVERTISEMENTDeficit due to the industry’s image – 88 percent of the global travel and tourism industry recognize the deficit in the workforce and attribute that to a reputational challenge, leading to a lack of talent in the industry. The same amount would welcome and support an initiative to understand talent sentiment.
      Younger demographic harder to attract – 62 percent said the 25–45-year-olds are the most difficult talent to attract to travel and tourism. Talent is choosing to pursue jobs in technology and pharmaceuticals rather than the travel industry.
      No action to address the issue – 80 percent of respondents said they leave jobs open longer than in previous years and 82 percent leave jobs open rather than pushing through other means. This indicates that the travel and tourism industry is taking a wait and see approach rather than taking action to address the issue.
      The research was initially presented at the Global Tourism Resilience Conference in Kingston, Jamaica in celebration of February 17th being declared Global Tourism Resilience Day by the United Nations. A day which is focused on driving global resilience within the travel industry. This is the first phase of the planned research being driven by Arvensis Search for TEEM. The next step will look at understanding the talent sentiment and identifying reasons for attrition and migration to other industries.
      TEEM was represented on two panels to discuss the human capital crisis identified by the research, and steps that can be taken to address it. Both Anne Lotter, Executive Director of GTTP and Christian Delom, Secretary General of the A World for Travel stressed that engaging the future talent pipeline with an interactive and exciting curricula and retaining staff by adapting the business model to align with students’ expectations were some of the suggestions made by the panel. The panel, agreed that education is key, offering a professional training programme which balances skills and training to ensure future employees do not transfer out of the sector. Ibrahim Osta, USAID Developing Sustainable Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chief of Party also presented models of best practice in human capital development for the tourism sector from various countries including Jordan, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He presented a four-pronged approach for the Industry that includes expanding the demand for tourism jobs through employer brand awareness campaigns, upgrading vocational training for youth, improving higher education institutions’ curricula and implementing industry-based training to upskill existing workers, all elements of the TEEM plans going forward.
      Minister Bartlett, the Resilience Council’s CoChair said: “Resilience is not a destination…it’s a journey. We all must be on this journey together in collaboration with each other to ensure that economic parameters and the social conditions are improved, while climate and the environment are addressed. Resilience means we prepare for crises rather than react to them. Let us not have gone through this pandemic without having learned the lessons. Across the world there are examples that we can replicate while we improve our own responses, we lift those who have not the capacity. We build capacity and we share best practices, new technologies and social philosophies that ensure local supply chains are maximized as workers are embraced and thrive within the sector.”
      The Minister will further discuss the work of Project TEEM and resilience of the industry on 8 March 2023 at ITB, Berlin. Minister Bartlett will be joining the ‘New Narratives for Work’ panel session moderated by established tourism author Harald Pechlaner for Destination Resilience, Routeledge, 2018. The Future Work Track session will be on the Blue Stage, Hall 7-1b from 10:30-12:00. For more information on Project TEEM or to be involved, write to [email protected]

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      Emirates focuses on 2023 theme of embracing equity this International Women’s Day

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      Emirates focuses on 2023 theme of embracing equity this International Women’s Day

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      With a clear mission to forge inclusive work cultures where women’s careers thrive and their achievements are celebrated, the Emirates Group is focusing on the 2023 International Women’s Day theme of #EmbraceEquity through discussions on gender equity, record levels of female promotions and providing company-wide access to ‘Unconscious Bias’ training.Women at Emirates Group
      More than 23,000 women are employed by the Emirates Group, representing 41% of the total workforce employed at Emirates worldwide and dnata in the UAE. This sizeable number has been on an upward trajectory in 2023 and active recruitment continues. Currently almost 40% of middle and senior management positions across non-operational grades are held by women at Emirates Group.
      Emirates recently demonstrated its commitment to gender balance by officially signing the UAE Gender Balance Council’s pledge, supporting the UAE government’s efforts to increase female representation at middle to senior management positions by 2025. The pledge supports the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal to achieve gender equality, empowering all women and girls. As part of the pledge, Emirates agreed to support the UAE Gender Balance Council’s work by sharing data and best practices, as well as maintaining an ongoing internal review of company policies, practices, and procedures.
      Pay Equity
      As the world’s largest international airline and one of world’s largest air services provider, Emirates and dnata are renowned as one of the best companies to work for in the UAE. Emirates Group pay and benefits structures are free from gender bias, with remuneration offered based on skills and experience, regardless of gender or nationality.ADVERTISEMENTRecord Promotions for Women
      Celebrating thriving careers, women at Emirates Group account for 56% of total promotions in the last 12 months, the highest figure to date. Emirates Group has many women in leadership roles who have received multiple promotions and worked with the company for more than a decade.
      Access to World-Class Training
      Emirates Group employees have access to a vast range of educational courses and learning opportunities, as well as in-person training on a range of topics. This International Women’s Day, all employees are being directed to the ‘Unconscious Bias’ learning path on the newly launched Emirates ‘Future Skills’ portal. The bespoke learning journey designed by Emirates, is available to all colleagues and has 6 modules including Break the Bias, Valuing Intersectionality, Women’s Voices, Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Allyship and Culture of Belonging. The Human Resources department is leading the way with over 500 HR employees starting the learning journey, and over 70% completion rate so far. Women also have access to a suite of Executive Leadership programmes and the opportunity to complete international educational qualifications, financially supported by the company.
      Celebrating Achievements
      In addition to promotions, employees can be rewarded with Najm awards – a programme recognising outstanding contributions across the Emirates Group. The aim of Najm is to enhance a sense of belonging and appreciation, enabling employees to feel energised, inspired and empowered to achieve meaningful goals. Najm awards give Emirates Group employees options to redeem cash prizes, travel vouchers, gift cards and more. The Najm award is also recorded in the employee’s official employment record as a career highlight. In the last 12 months, 35% of Najm awards were awarded to women.
      Looking to the Future
      The Emirates Group recognises that the International Women’s Day theme of #EmbraceEquity is an opportunity to unify direction and galvanize activity, by creating a meaningful framework to amplify action. In signing the UAE Gender Balance Council’s pledge, Emirates Group has committed to introducing more compliance measures to prevent bias in the hiring processes, identifying, developing, and working on the succession of female leaders in the organisation and reviewing policies to prioritise gender equality in practices and procedures.
      About International Women’s Day
      International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. IWD has occurred for well over a century, with the first IWD gathering in 1911 involving over a million people. Today, IWD belongs to all groups collectively, everywhere.
      #IWD2023 #EmbraceEquity

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      Ao Dai Festival 2023 – vibrant Ho Chi Minh City welcomes international tourists

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      NEW RESEARCH SHOWS TOURISM RECOVERY THREATENED More