Tourism, Organisations & Operators,

Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET) CEO Issam Kazim has told the emirate’s hospitality leaders he wants to convert holiday-makers into residents.
Speaking at DET’s latest City Briefing, held at Dubai World Trade Centre on Thursday June 15, Kazim said: “Today we have two new KPIs. We want to make sure Dubai continues to be one of the best cities to work in, and more importantly, one of the best cities in the world to live in.”Around a quarter of all Dubai tourists return within a year. Kazim said convincing those people to make Dubai a permanent home is key.He added: “Once you bring them in, you’d hope they spend more money next time and stay for longer. Eventually, they would consider living in Dubai, and we have all the visas to facilitate that. We’d like them to work here, live here and retire here.
“It’s all about closing the loop.”
Dubai has a high proportion of tourists visiting friends and family, Kazim explained. “The more we grow the community here locally,” he added. “It both retains spend, and it brings in even more first-time visitors. That needs to continue.”
The latest data from Dubai’s tourism performance (which goes up to April 2023) shows that the average length of stay in the city is four nights. Increased from 2019. In total, 6.02 international visitors came to Dubai from January to April 2023, closing the gap on 2019’s 6.26 million during the same period.ADVERTISEMENTDubai’s population is around 3.5 million, 85 percent of which are expats.The Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) plans to add billions of dirhams to the economy across more than 100 projects in the next 10 years. It was announced at the start of the year by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
By 2033, Sheikh Mohammed would like to see Dubai one of the top four global financial centres, doubling the city’s economy.
The plan includes a programme to support 30 private companies to achieve unicorn status ― worth more than US$1 billion (about AED3.67 billion). Other business incubators will support the growth of private companies, with 400 of the most promising identified.
Dubai was voted Middle East’s Leading City Destination 2022 at last year’s World Travel Awards.
Source: Hotelier Middle East

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A new project from Modon Properties has been announced, located on Abu Dhabi’s Hudayriyat Island, and featuring what they’re calling the world’s “largest man-made wave pool.”
“Set to open by the end of 2023, Surf Abu Dhabi will be the biggest and most advanced artificial wave facility in the world. Designed in partnership with Kelly Slater Wave Co., the landmark destination will offer a high-performance surfing experience, featuring the world’s longest ride, biggest barrel, and largest man-made wave pool. Underscoring Abu Dhabi’s sporting and leisure credentials, the exclusive surfing complex seeks to attract everyone from beginners to pro-surfers. Surf Abu Dhabi will provide an ideal location to host major international events and will play a major role in developing the surfing community locally, regionally, and globally.”
Specifics on just how big the pool will be, and the size of the waves it will be able to produce, are still scarce. However, per a report from TimeOut, the pool will span 51 million square meters. The Surf Ranch in Lemoore, CA is reportedly 2,300 feet long – that’s only 700 meters.
So, it’s bigger. Much bigger. You do the maths.

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Public, private and academic sectors uniteIn line with Sustainable Development Goal 17 on partnerships for development, the ESG Framework for Tourism Businesses project brings together leading businesses and top scholars with the multilateral system to co-design a measurement tool that is meaningful and feasible for improved monitoring how tourism businesses impact, and depend on, people, planet and prosperity. UNWTO and Oxford University will carry out a comprehensive mapping of current work, interview pioneering businesses in the accommodation and reservation services industries, and further research and development.
Based on this work, UNWTO plans to issue a first beta version of the ESG Tourism Framework for accommodation and reservation services, with a view to extending it into additional tourism industries over 2024 and launch the finalized, agreed version for global uptake.
UNWTO Executive Director, Zoritsa Urosevic, said “By drawing on the power of international consensus – based on the forthcoming UN Statistical Framework for Measuring Sustainable Tourism (MST) – the ESG Framework for Tourism Businesses will provide a comparable and relevant set of indicators for tourism industries. It will empower private and public sectors with more robust data to shape innovative policies, transform business models and promote better tourism governance”.
“The ESG Framework brings together the University of Oxford’s world class academic research with the international consensus-building ability and expertise of the UNWTO.  Ensuring that this strategic approach is matched with real-world testing and consultation with industry experts, such as easyJet holidays, this project is uniquely placed to bring about meaningful impact in the sustainable tourism sector,” said Professor Alexander Betts, University of Oxford’s Local and Global Engagement Officer
Matt Callaghan, easyJet holidays’ Director of Customer & Operations, said: “We have big ambitions when it comes to making sustainable holidays mainstream and we’re committed to playing our part in supporting better tourism governance. So, as the SDG Impact Lab’s founding partner we’re delighted to be supporting the Lab’s work with the UNWTO, to develop a first of its kind environmental, social and governance framework for sustainable tourism.ADVERTISEMENTActionable data for real impactIn tourism, as in other sectors, the challenge often lies not in a lack of data, but rather in the absence of common and harmonized approaches to organizing data, especially given the complexity of numerous existing initiatives. This hinders the ability to benchmark performance across businesses and to communicate progress of the sector with policy makers. It can even undermine stakeholder confidence.
By applying internationally recognized statistical approaches, this project aims to establish a fundamental level of consensus and alignment in business disclosures, enabling more consistent reporting that is comparable:
Between businesses within the tourism sector,Between tourism businesses and those in other economic sectors, andBetween business level-data and public-level (national and subnational) data.Moreover, the ESG Framework will demonstrate the potential of supplementing business–level data with national and global tourism statistics, for more holistic and cost-effective ESG disclosures that make the most of available information.
Developed under the umbrella of the UNWTO Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (SF-MST), applicable to countries and destinations worldwide to guide the production of reliable and comparable data of tourism’s economic, social and environmental aspects, the ESG Framework for Tourism businesses will bring the benefits of consensus and harmonization also to the private sector.

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Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority – Miami Beach is home to world-famous beaches and waters, serving as a destination that provides inspiration, motivation, relaxation and experiences that allow visitors to immerse themselves in the power of the area’s waters. From organized beach clean ups that give back and mindful yoga practices along the shoreline to activities including paddle boarding, kite surfing, jet skiing and fishing, the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority is working with local businesses to showcase the many ways summers visitors can Connect With the Waters this season. Those looking for water-centric vacation inspiration can follow @experiencemiambeach on Instagram to meet Miami Beach-based leaders and companies including Clean Miami Beach, Warrior Flow Yoga, Boucher Brothers, BouYah Watersports and more through the new campaign.
“The Connect With the Waters campaign spotlights the crown jewel of Miami Beach, our stunning waters, and takes a deeper dive into the teams dedicated to providing memorable experiences while working to preserve the natural surroundings for our community and visitors to enjoy,” says Christopher Rollins, Chair of the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority (MBVCA). “We know travelers are looking for unique ways to Connect With the Waters of Miami Beach and we’re proud to feature a selection of options that allow for active or passive experiences to immerse in the beauty, calm and thrill of our waters.”
Connect With the Waters uncovers the varying ways those visiting for business or pleasure can experience the power of Miami Beach’s waters. The campaign features a variety of businesses with the content now live @experiencemiamibeach on Instagram featuring Clean Miami Beach, a non-profit dedicated to bringing awareness to the harm of single-use plastics and opportunities to make a hands-on impact while on Miami Beach, and Miami Beach-based Warrior Flow Yoga, a welcoming and inclusive practice that brings people together for yoga and fitness with Miami Beach as the backdrop. Rooted in reflection and empowerment, they provide mindful practices including personal, group and signature full moon flows. Upcoming videos will cater to thrill seekers who can Connect With the Waters through active options like jet skiing, parasailing, paddle boarding and kayaking with BouYah Watersports and those who prefer to relax and take in the sights and sounds of the water on from the comfort of a beach chaise will find solace with five-star, oceanfront service courtesy of Boucher Brothers.
“Miami Beach is home to small and family-run businesses that deliver memorable activities. We know seeing is believing and our new social campaign invites future travelers to learn more about the best ways to Connect With the Waters through dynamic content,” adds Grisette Marcos, Executive Director of the MBVCA. “As our social following continues to rapidly grow, we are focused on bringing fresh information and experiences to the forefront of our communication efforts through social platforms and enhancing our itineraries found in the new EXP Miami Beach Tours app that is now available for download.”
To view the current Connect With the Waters campaign videos, visit www.instagram.com/experiencemiamibeach and view the MB Waters highlights section on the main profile page. Download the new EXP Miami Beach Tours APP now available on Apple and Google.ADVERTISEMENT

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Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Minister, HE Ahmed Al-Khateeb revealed that the Kingdom is investing US$800 billion in the sector over the next ten years.
Speaking at the 10th edition of the Arab-China Businessmen Conference on Sunday, Al-Khateeb said that travel and tourism counts for 4.5 percent of Saudi Arabia’s GDP, marking an increase from three percent in 2019.
Saudi Arabia spends US$110 billion to become world leader in luxury hotelsKingdom of Saudi Arabia is currently developing or planning more than US$1 trillion worth of real estate and infrastructure projects, which includes 315,000 hotel rooms. US$110 billion of that figure is solely for hotels, most of which are luxury properties.
These ambitious initiatives align with the country’s Vision 2030 strategy. Over the next four to five years, the number of hotel rooms is projected to nearly double to approximately 200,000. By 2028, at least 50 percent of the proposed supply is expected to be operational, as some existing properties make way for newer, more competitive, and appealing hotels and resorts.
Leading real estate consultancy Knight Frank, asserts that KSA is poised to showcase its vision of an ultra-modern future to a global audience. The country’s real estate landscape will undergo a transformative shift, redefining tourism, living, and lifestyle. A diverse array of giga and mega projects will play a significant role in achieving this goal.ADVERTISEMENTKnight Frank’s research on KSA hotels, excluding the giga projects, reveals that there are currently 129,000 hotel and serviced apartment rooms in the country. By 2030, this figure is expected to increase by more than 60 percent to reach 212,000 rooms in various sectors, including 5-star, 4-star, 3-star, and below, as well as serviced apartments.
The development cost for 4-star properties alone amounts to almost half of the total investment of $21.3 billion. Furthermore, the Kingdom’s giga projects contribute to nearly 73 percent of the hotel supply pipeline, resulting in a 62 percent surge in the number of 4- and 5-star hotel rooms by the end of the decade.
Saudi Tourism Authority says “tourism is the new oil” as 100 million visitor target is raisedSaudi Arabia will increase the 100 million visitor target it set as part of the Saudi Vision 2030 programme.
The number was first set in 2016 when the Vision was first announced, however, in 2022, the Kingdom welcomed 77 million domestic travellers and 16.5 million international, adding up to 93.5 million.
Dubai, the region’s longstanding tourism leader, has 14.5 million international visitors in 2022.
As the 100 million mark was almost reached eight years ahead of schedule, Saudi Tourism Authority’s (STA) CEO Fahd Hamidaddin said the goal post will move.
Source: Hotelier Middle East

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Wego, the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), collaborates with German National Tourist Office for an exciting summer campaign focusing on the three pillars: sustainability, nature, and culture.Over 1 million searches were recorded this year on Wego’s platform to Germany. Through this partnership, we aim to drive more travelers and increase the numbers of searches and bookings to the country.
Wego and German National Tourist Office will leverage their complementary resources, marketing channels, and customer bases to create an impactful campaign which will run across all marketing channels and social media. By joining forces, the two parties seek to enhance brand visibility and expand market reach.
Mamoun Hmedan, Chief Commercial officer and Managing Director, MENA and India, Wego said: “We are proud to sign another exciting partnership with German National Tourist Office, a true pioneer in sustainable travel and cultural exploration. Through this collaboration, we aim to showcase the vibrant landscapes, rich heritage, and unparalleled experiences that Germany has to offer inspiring travelers to embark on unforgettable journeys. This partnership is in line with our collective mission to create memorable experiences and foster sustainable travel.”
Germany promotes sustainable tourism practices. From eco-lodges and green hotels to eco-tours and responsible travel initiatives, sustainable tourism options are readily available. This approach ensures that all types of travelers can experience Germany’s rich cultural heritage and nature while supporting local communities and protecting the environment.
The diverse culture provides the travelers with the chance to indulge with distinct traditions, festivals, and cuisine that vary across its vibrant cities and picturesque landscape. In addition, Germany boasts an impressive collection of 51 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, showcasing its rich history, architectural marvels, and stunning natural landscapes.ADVERTISEMENTNature plays a significant role in German culture, as evident in the country’s numerous outdoor activities and appreciation for green spaces. Travelers get to enjoy hiking, cycling, and nature exploration. This love for nature is reflected in the careful preservation of forests, parks, and gardens throughout the country.
Yamina Sofo, Director at the German National Tourist Office (GNTO GCC), said:
“For the fourth consecutive year, Wego and the German National Tourist Office continue their successful partnership to promote Germany as an essential destination. With visitors making more than a million searches for Germany on Wego’s platform, we are thrilled to highlight the country’s sustainable tourism, mesmerising nature, and cultural treasures. Our goal is to inspire travellers to discover Germany’s lively cities, embrace its unique traditions, and immerse themselves in breathtaking landscapes. This partnership underscores the German National Tourist Office’s dedication to creating unforgettable experiences and advancing sustainable travel.”
As part of this campaign, Wego will be also promoting Bicester Collection which offers unrivalled blend of designers in every village from heritage fashion houses and exciting new designers to international homeware brands.

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Today, Tourism Cares, a leading non-profit dedicated to advancing sustainable tourism, celebrates 20 years of uniting the travel industry to create positive social and environmental impact in communities around the globe. In 2003, the organization hosted a volunteer clean-up event on New York City’s Ellis Island, which ultimately set the foundation for what Tourism Cares is today – a mission-driven global non- profit focused on empowering travel and tourism companies in their sustainability journeys by providing resources, education and programming.
As part of Tourism Cares’ 20-year milestone, the organization is excited to announce the unveiling of its new Tourism Cares Meaningful Travel Map, marking a significant step in transforming the industry into a collective entity focused on using travel as a force for good. The newly relaunched Meaningful Travel Map is a B2B tool that helps the travel trade and sustainably minded visitors easily source authentic, community-led experiences, products, services, accommodations and tours that can be added to itineraries, creating a competitive advantage to the growing consumer demand for responsible travel and providing direct impact on the people and places of travel. The platform is hosted by Tourism Cares’ partner Wander, which empowers destinations with technology to deliver exceptional map experiences.
“At Tourism Cares, we consider ourselves a pioneer in the meaningful travel movement – driving the industry to conduct business in a way that directly benefits host communities,

protects cultural and environmental assets, and engages guests in a deeper, more responsible way,” shared Greg Takehara, CEO, Tourism Cares. “Through our innovative programs, such as our Meaningful Travel Summits and the development of our Meaningful Travel Map, we have been able to generate significant impact for local communities and social enterprises around the world. We are excited for this next phase of programming with our expanded map and its ability to diversify the travel supply chain to incorporate more impactful, locally led tourism experiences that will benefit destinations and the people that call those places home.”As part of Tourism Cares’ strategic vision to protect the long-term survival of the travel industry, the organization has reconfigured its Meaningful Travel Map program to provide a single, one-stop global source of vetted impact partners. This interactive, user-friendly online platform provides industry professionals with a turn-key resource for discovering and contracting with impact-driven businesses, organizations and social enterprises, and contains enhanced features, such as category filtration, curated sustainability information, group booking offerings and embed capabilities.
“We developed this tool as a way to easily provide operators, advisors and other trade professionals with a one-stop global resource for sustainable product development while widening the impact of tourism to include businesses and non-profits that are not often marketed or packaged to the travel trade,” said John Sutherland, director of community impact at Tourism Cares. “While there are several consumer-oriented resources for sustainable travel experiences already out in market, this is the first B2B platform of its kind that not only includes vetted products, but also serves as a destination development tool that can help scale social enterprises and other community-led organizations to benefit from tourism dollars.”
“Our travelers today are looking for inspirational experiences that provide a positive impact in the communities they visit,” explained Allison Villasenor, managing director, travel product, partnerships and innovation at AAA Northeast. “Through the Tourism Cares Meaningful Travel Map, we now have a single source to find vetted sustainable businesses for our clients. We are thrilled to have this tool and know that we can deliver authentic products for travelers.”
Currently, the Tourism Cares Meaningful Travel Map contains more than 150 vetted sustainable experiences placed throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Colombia and Jordan. Tourism Cares partner destinations that have committed to participate include, Destination Greater Victoria, Explore Asheville, Jordan Tourism Board, NYC Tourism + Conventions, Panama Tourism Authority, ProColombia, Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Willamette Valley Visitors Association. The map is free to use for any industry professional and can be easily accessed via the Tourism Cares website at tourismcares.org/meaningful-map. Destinations that participate in the Meaningful Travel Map will also benefit from Tourism Cares’ membership program, which provides one-on-one consulting opportunities, professional development resources, access to educational programs and networking opportunities with more than 160 like-minded businesses in the travel trade.

Malia Asfour, Chair of the Tourism Cares Board and Director of the Jordan Tourism Board, North America, expressed her enthusiasm for the re-launch, stating, “The Tourism Cares Meaningful Travel Map represents a pivotal tool in our efforts to create a more sustainable travel industry. We have already seen significant success in countries like Jordan and Colombia and look forward to creating more impact in other destinations around the globe. We invite everyone to explore the renewed Meaningful Travel Map and join us on this transformative journey.”
Since its inception in 2003, Tourism Cares has been at the forefront of fostering sustainable tourism practices and empowering communities worldwide. As the organization looks ahead into the next two decades, it is imperative that the travel industry works together to protect its most critical assets – the people and places that we depend on.
For more information on the Tourism Cares Meaningful Travel Map, including how to participate as a destination, visit: tourismcares.org/meaningful-map.

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Yesterday SeaWorld Orlando opened its first and all new Coral Rescue Center to park guests following a VIP ribbon cutting ceremony with esteemed members from Florida’s conservation and rescue communities and local, state, and national lawmakers. It is one of the largest public-facing facilities dedicated to coral conservation in the country. The state-of-the-art rescue facility provides the public with a unique opportunity to observe and interact with coral biologists as they carry out daily husbandry for “at risk” Florida corals. The center provides an important way to view living corals up close, learn more about conservation, and understand the steps everyone can take to make a difference in ocean health. Park guests to the new center marveled today at the hundreds of living coral colonies and 15 different species – many of which are listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The center is part of SeaWorld’s ongoing commitment to coral conservation as the private and public sector come together to help save the Florida coral reef. The Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida is the partner of the coral rescue center initiative.
The center’s corals were selected and transferred from the Florida Coral Rescue Center (FCRC) to the SeaWorld Coral Rescue Center for world-class care with the goal of being returned to the Florida reef as part of state and national restoration efforts. The reef is suffering from the devastating effects of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) – a highly lethal disease with a mortality rate of up to 100 percent.
“The new SeaWorld Coral Rescue Center represents another significant commitment to protect and conserve coral reefs and the Center enables the public to get a close up look at our work as we provide exceptional care in a safe haven for vulnerable corals as the conservation community works together to restore our vital coral reef system,” said Jim Kinsler, Zoological Curator at SeaWorld Orlando and Manager of the Florida Coral Rescue Center in Orlando. “By raising awareness about the importance of corals and their role in the environment, we hope to ignite a passion for conservation in our visitors, empowering them to become ambassadors for the protection and preservation of Florida’s corals.”
SeaWorld Coral Rescue Center Serves as a Vital Hub for Coral Preservation and Education
Building on the success of the FCRC, the Coral Rescue Center at SeaWorld Orlando serves as an additional holding facility for these vulnerable corals. The Center is a 3,750 gallon fully functional, guest-facing coral facility housing 350 coral colonies and 15 species of at-risk coral, several of which are listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Moreover, it will act as a crucial platform to educate and engage guests about the significance of coral reefs to sustaining healthy oceans.ADVERTISEMENTExperienced coral biologists at the Center provide the rescued corals with expert care. This involves meticulous attention to water chemistry, flow, filtration, and lighting to ensure the corals thrive. The Center also aims to preserve a natural environment by introducing reef cleaners such as fish, snails, crabs, and sea urchins. These helpful creatures play a crucial role in cleaning algae from the corals and their surroundings, allowing for continued coral growth. To supplement their nutrient requirements, the SeaWorld biologists provide the corals with supplemental nutrients that they process for energy. Through these comprehensive care practices, the SeaWorld Coral Rescue Center contributes to the long-term conservation of corals.
SeaWorld has a longstanding relationship with the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida. The SeaWorld Coral Rescue Center is an extension of the partnership on the FCRC, providing funds towards the coral housing units that allow SeaWorld to house and care for the rescued corals. “Corals are the rainforests of the ocean,” said Andrew Walker, Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida President & CEO. “In addition to providing a home for a quarter of all marine life, corals buffer our coastline from damaging storms and fuel our state’s economy. We’re grateful to SeaWorld for providing a space for these rescued corals to thrive and for the public to learn more about our partnership to restore Florida’s Coral Reef.”
Bringing Together the Public and Private Sector to Save the Reef
Critical to the recovery of the coral reef system is the partnership between the private conservation community and public sector lawmakers. Legislation aimed at safeguarding coral reefs along Florida’s coast, such as the Florida Coral Reef Protection Act and the Coral Reef Conservation Program, are instrumental in enacting protective measures and providing critical funding for restoration projects.
“The Florida coral reef is in trouble which poses both an ecological and economic threat to the state of Florida and the country. It’s the largest coral reef ecosystem in the continental United States and vital to maintaining healthy oceans. It also supports over 71,000 jobs and generates over $6.3 billion in tourism revenue every year,” said Congressman Soto. “I am proud to have worked across the aisle to pass the Restoring Resilient Reefs Act. Alongside our legislative efforts, partnering with world-class conservation and animal care organizations like SeaWorld will allow us to make a real difference in preserving our reefs for future generations.”
SeaWorld’s commitment to the Florida Reef Tract Rescue Program began in 2019 with the establishment of the FCRC. Selected due to its decades of extensive knowledge and expertise in coral, SeaWorld is one of 22 AZA-partners that has been chosen to facilitate and safekeep coral. In addition to maintaining rescued, healthy coral at the new SeaWorld Coral Rescue Center, SeaWorld is involved at the FCRC – the largest coral nursery in the country – providing world-class care for at-risk corals with the eventual goal of repopulating Florida’s Coral Reef.
For more information, park hours and to purchase tickets, visit SeaWorldOrlando.com. Follow SeaWorld Orlando on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest news from SeaWorld.

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