Events, Tourism, Organisations & Operators,

More than 200 delegates from around the world came together in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE to build a stronger and more resilient tourism economy for the future.The PATA Annual Summit 2022 (PAS 2022), under the theme ‘Reconnecting the World Sustainably’, opened in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE on Tuesday, October 25 with 237 delegates from 128 organisations and 36 destinations attending the three-day event.
Generously hosted by the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) and organised by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the event featured 16 main stage sessions, four breakout workshops, various destination tours, two mobile photography workshops, and a sustainability leadership forum that united 21 senior government and travel industry leaders from the public and private sector in Asia and beyond for dialogues on unique approaches towards overcoming challenges and unlocking new opportunities as the world works towards rebuilding a stronger tourism future.
“By bringing together such a diverse group of thought leaders, senior representatives from the public sector and other non-governmental organisations, we addressed the challenges and solutions to our complex and stage-wise recovery,” said PATA CEO Liz Ortiguera. “Travel and tourism will continue to be a critical contributor to the economic well-being of the Asia Pacific region and PATA remains committed to facilitating discussions and catalysing actions.”On Tuesday, October 25, the PATA Board, PATA Chapter Congress and related internal meetings took place, while other delegates at the opportunity to choose from three different a half-day destination tours, as well a mobile photography workshop by award-winning Nikon Professional Photographer and a frequent Apple collaborator and iPhone content creator Scott Woodward. The day ended with a welcome reception at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
The following day began with PATA’s inaugural Travel Sustainability Leadership Forum, a closed door, invitation only session that brought together travel leaders focused on holistic sustainable tourism development. The half-day forum established a travel leaders community that will ongoingly do best practice exchange, dialogue, and collaboration, with participants bringing to the roundtable dialogue their unique approaches towards overcoming challenges and unlocking new opportunities as the world rebuilds a stronger tourism future. At the same time as the forum, a range of concurrent breakout sessions on the topics of destination resilience, destination marketing and the immediate needs for MSME recovery took place.
The official opening ceremony was followed by keynote speeches, a fireside chat with Raki Phillips, Chief Executive Officer, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) and a series of panel discussions, including the “Ministerial/Government Session – Reinspiring, Reimagining and Rebuilding: Strategies for Sustainable Travel Recovery”, which included Raki Phillips; Dr. Abdulla Mausoom, Minister, Ministry of Tourism Maldives; Florian Sengstschmid, Chief Executive Officer, Azerbaijan Tourism Board; Liz Ortiguera, CEO, PATA; Shri Arvind Singh, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, India; Mitsuaki Hoshino, Vice Commissioner, Japan Tourism Agency, and Sandiaga Uno, Minister, Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Republic of Indonesia (virtual), moderated by Anita Mendiratta, Founder & President, Anita Mendiratta and Associates. The day concluded with a dinner reception and the PATA Awards Presentation at the Sonara Al Wadi Camp, The Ritz-Carlton Al Wadi Desert.ADVERTISEMENT
The final day of the PATA Annual Summit opened with a virtual keynote presentation on “Empowering A Sustainable Future through Public Private Partnerships” from Pansy Ho, Group Executive Chairman and Managing Director, Shun Tak Holdings Limited. This was followed by a panel discussion on developing responsible destinations which included Steven Schipani, Principal Tourism Industry Specialist, Southeast Asia Department, Asian Development Bank (ADB); Damià Serrano Miracle, Experience Marketing & Research Director, Catalan Tourist Board; Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor, CEO, Sarawak Tourism Board; Dhananjay Regmi, CEO, Nepal Tourism Board, and Sione Moala-Mafi, Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Tourism – Tonga, moderated by Archana Shukla, India Business Correspondent, BBC News. Other topics discussed on the final day included future leaders and the investment in human capital, supporting women in MSMEs, a keynote on global hotel industry trends by Chip Rogers, President & CEO, American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and an aviation session on the route to recovery.That afternoon, under the patronage and in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, the main stage conference kicked off.

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Ring in the season and celebrate the holidays in full swing with the return of Winterfest at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Winter Spectacular at Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi, running until January 8, 2023.The highly anticipated events of the year will be delighting guests and visitors at Yas Island Abu Dhabi’s world-class attractions, entertaining park-goers with the biggest festive celebrations and dazzling shows, spreading the holiday cheer with new character meets and greets and festive performances that are bound to amaze.
With a myriad of unforgettable experiences in store, guests can welcome the season of the year with ever-spectacular shows and holiday displays unlike any other. This year, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will be gearing up to celebrate the season with the park’s signature festive tree, captivating overlays, sparkling snow globes, fairy lights and festive wreaths at every corner. Starting from the Welcome Plaza, park-goers will get the chance to collect picture-perfect moments as they get immersed in The Story of Winterfest. Few steps away, at La Piazza stage, guests can enjoy a captivating work of art as skilled sculptors carve unique ice masterpieces and display the full art collection once completed in spirit of the festive season.
Over at the Italian street, guests can enjoy a live performance of Italian band and the festive Poi performers lighting up the season with an unrivalled festive show. In addition, an exhilarating ice-skating spectacular will be taking place at the Red Theatre starting from December 1st, reciting the story of an Italian festive tale featuring skilled skaters, acrobats and aerialists. What’s more, guests can head to Enzo’s House on the Italian street to watch a fascinating light and projection artistry during the Tree Lighting Ceremony, including state-of-the-art lighting shows, projections, streamers and snow.
This season, fan-favorite festive characters the Snow Globe Lady and Gingerbread Lady will be making a return alongside Befana, a new character who will be making her first appearance at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. Known for her generous acts in the Italian folklore, Befana will be treating holidaymakers with gifts and cheer upon their visit to the world’s leading theme park.
Only minutes away, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, the world’s largest indoor theme park, will be welcoming guests who will get to witness Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and an international cast of 50 singers, dancers, acrobats, and specialty artists as they perform an unforgettable festive spectacle in the all-new show – The NutQuacker! The largest theatrical production ever brought to Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi featuring the fan-favorite duo alongside Lola Bunny, Tweety, Sylvester, Taz and Tom and Jerry who will be adding their own touch to the classic Nutcracker ballet with their high-spirited performances and warm presence. The state-of-the-art show will also feature projection mapping, special effects, and the most festive popular music during the most wonderful time of the year, including an all-new original song “Let it Shine”, created exclusively for the show.ADVERTISEMENT
Inside Cartoon Junction where all things whimsical await guests, Scooby-Doo & The Mystery INC. Gang will be dressed in their festive winter attire, ready to solve mysteries this Winter Spectacular. The dance party of the season, Daffy Holiday Dance Party, will be led by Daffy Duck, featuring festive dance moves for the young and the young at heart. Adding to the fun, guests can visit the Big Belly Burger at Metropolis to enjoy Pop, Rock n Roll music and smooth dance moves in the festive edition of the diner pop show “Big Belly Bop”. In the prehistoric land of Bedrock, The Flintstones will be waiting to meet and greet guests and show them how to celebrate the winter season in true Stone Age fashion. Over at Gotham City, guests can find the Park’s recently added DC Super-Villains Poison Ivy and Two-Face and snap fabulous photos with The Joker and Harley Quinn in their new seasonal festive outfits.
With tons of entertainment this season, holidaymakers can look forward to spending a wonderful time with their loved ones at these award-winning attractions and complement their stay at Yas Island’s top-notch hotels and venues, including The WB™ Abu Dhabi, the World’s first Warner Bros. themed hotel where guests can get immersed in all things Warner Bros. to enjoy an unforgettable themed experience on Yas Island.
Located on Yas Island, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is home to the world’s fastest rollercoaster and Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi is the world’s largest indoor theme park. They are just minutes away from Yas Waterworld, the world’s first and only Emirati-themed waterpark and CLYMB™ Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s ultimate adventure hub.

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MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE, presented in collaboration with Scotiabank, is thrilled to announce that the 24th edition of the festival will be held from February 16 to March 5, 2023, under the theme Discover the best of Montreal in winter!Once again this year, festival-goers will be able to skate on the magnificent Ice Skating Loop high above Place des Festivals, bask in the glow light installations, ride the Grande roue and take advantage of tons of free activities during spring break. It will also mark the 20th anniversary of Nuit blanche, with multiple shows happening in venues throughout the Quartier des spectacles. In short, we’ll be pulling out all the stops to help you rediscover our beautiful and dynamic downtown!
The Gastronomy programming, presented by Scotia Wealth Management returns to share its legendary hospitality once again. Some 40 Montréal restaurants and venues will be welcoming international and local chefs and producers, while downtown will be buzzing with gourmet activities. The theme of this joyou“This edition of MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE promises to strengthen the four pillars of its mission: to celebrate gastronomy, present new shows and unite crowds with such inclusive and participative winter activities as ice skating. We have everything it takes to prove that Montréal offers a warm welcome, even in the heart of winter.”
– Jacques Primeau, Festival General Manager
ON THE MENU THIS YEAR:Air France Finest TablesInvite a chef, a wine grower or a producer from here or abroad, pair them with one of the city’s restaurants and let this special mix work its magic in kitchens and venues city-wide: that’s the hugely successful recipe behind the Air France Finest Tables, which is back better than ever this year. In 2023, Montréal welcomes France, Canada, Italia, Belgium, Switzerland and Scandinavia: more than 30 chefs, including a dozen chefs from northern Europe, will be here to dazzle us with their creativity.  Among them are Benoit Neusy (Michelin star chef,  restaurant l’Impératif au Domaine d’Arondeau, France) at La Chronique, Romain Meder (Michelin star chef, Domaine de Primard, Guainville, France) at Mastard, Ina Niiniketo (Sikke’s, Helskinki) at Ratafia, and Lionel Lévy (Michelin star chef, InterContinental Marseille) at Osco! Wine growers, such as Julien Labet, who will be welcomed by Menu Extra, and Laurent Cazottes at Chez Victoire, will also be joining in the festivities. In addition to traditional tasting menus, the Air France Finest Tables will feature other palate-popping experiences, such as exclusive lunches, brunches,  5 à 7 (happy hours), not to mention delicious confections in partnership with Cacao Barry and Esprits libres, a rare treat for those with a sweet tooth out there.
s and welcoming 24th edition says it all: Montréal is inviting you over!ADVERTISEMENT

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