Tourism, Organisations & Operators,

Yas Island, Abu Dhabi’s premier leisure and entertainment hub, is kicking off 2023 with a remarkable early bird offer for its Stay and Play packages, delivering a truly superb holiday experience.
Yas Island and its world-class theme parks, experiences and attractions were recognised with seven awards in the globally renowned World Travel Awards in 2022. In addition to scooping the accolade of ‘World’s Leading Theme Park Destination 2022’, Yas Island received the flagship ‘Middle East’s Leading Tourism Development’ award for the fourth consecutive year, testament to the global reputation Yas Island as the leisure and entertainment hub. Ferrari World Abu Dhabi was yet again named the ‘World’s Leading Theme Park 2022’ and ‘Middle East’s Leading Theme Park 2022’, while the Emirati-themed waterpark Yas Waterworld, was recognised as ‘Middle East’s Leading Water Park 2022’ and Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi, was named as ‘Middle East’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2022’.  Across the awards, the record-breaking adventure hub CLYMB™ Abu Dhabi, boasting the world’s largest indoor flight chamber and the region’s tallest indoor climbing wall, was awarded the accolade of ‘Middle East’s Leading Adventure Tourist Attraction 2022’.

Holidaymakers can book the package between 9 – 30 January 2023 for stays until 31 March 2023* and enjoy access to up to three award-winning theme parks, complimentary room upgrades as well as lucrative dining and spa discounts.Available to book via www.yasisland.com, guests can choose from the Island’s leading hotels at Yas Plaza – Crowne Plaza Yas Island Abu Dhabi, Yas Island Rotana, Centro Yas Island by Rotana, Radisson Blu Hotel Abu Dhabi Yas Island and Park Inn by Radisson Hotel Abu Dhabi Yas Island. Guests who book a minimum stay of two nights will receive two days of unlimited theme park access to any of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld and Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi starting at AED 707 per adult per night for two adults on sharing basis.
ADVERTISEMENTIn addition, guests will receive a complimentary room upgrade to the next room category, a 15% dining discount on all restaurants across Yas Plaza Hotels and 15% spa discounts on selected treatments.Home to magical adventures and awe-inspiring entertainment, as well as incredible theme parks and attractions, outstanding motorsports, an award-winning golf venue and world-class hospitality services, Yas Island is a destination like nowhere else.For more information about Yas Island or to book a stay, visit www.yasisland.com

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The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced that 2022 recorded a provisional full-year visitor arrivals of 600,000. Since the Government gradually lifted various pandemic-related inbound control measures, visitor arrivals have picked up gradually in the past few months, with most visitors coming from the Mainland and Southeast Asian markets.
In addition to overnight stopover and family reunion, business travellers also start to increase in number. HKTB expected that Hong Kong’s tourism will be revived progressively, and has gradually stepped up promotions in advance in selected visitor source markets to broadcast the positive message that Hong Kong is welcoming back visitors. HKTB will also launch a large-scale global promotion in phase (see appendix) to drive the swift revival of the tourism industry jointly with the travel trade.

HKTB to Launch Large-scale Global Promotions Next Month in Phases with Three Strategies to Welcome Visitors
• Hong Kong’s doors of tourism has been opened. Recent figures reveal that daily visitor arrivals to Hong Kong has increased from between 2,400 and 4,500 per day during the Amber Code period to over 10,000 per day after the lifting of Amber Code.• The major sources of visitors are, in order, the Mainland, the Philippines, Taiwan, the United States and Thailand.• In terms of purpose of visit, apart from overnight stopovers, family visits, business trips or essential travels, there was also a slight increase in leisure arrivals since the lifting of all COVID-19 inbound control measures at the end of December.ADVERTISEMENTTourism expected to take time to recover• HKTB expects that Hong Kong’s tourism will gradually recover , subject to the following factors:1. Airline capacity has not yet been fully restored2. Shortage of manpower in the tourism and related sectors3. Uncertain economic outlook and concerns arising from current exchange rates4. Some markets still impose inbound control measures on visitors arriving from the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, which travellers may find inconvenient when returning home
• In light of the latest situation, it is expected that visitors mainly come from certain markets, including the Mainland and Southeast Asia.• Therefore, HKTB will timely step up its promotion efforts in phases according to the actual situation of individual markets to ensure that the resources are well spent and maximise the effectiveness of promotional initiatives.Continuous Promotions of Hong Kong’s Appeal
• The HKTB has stepped up publicity in some markets in advance to spread the message that all sectors in Hong Kong are welcoming back visitors.1. HKTB has invited travel trade, media, KOLs and Hong Kong Super Fans from around the world to enjoy the Hong Kong experience first-hand (Seeing is Believing).2. HKTB has organised a number of mega familiarisation trip for overseas travel trade since mid-December, hosting about 100 travel trade representatives from Southeast Asia, South Korea and other markets with more than 250 business appointments lined up with the local travel trade.3. HKTB has lined up about 1,300 travel trade appointments, connecting 840 local travel trade members with buyers and trade representatives from 140 regions/ markets.4. HKTB has invited K-pop sensation Jeong Ji-hoon (Rain) and arranged attraction visits for internationally renowned DJ Alan Walker to explore Hong Kong.5. HKTB has been promoting Hong Kong’s arts and culture, sports, culinary and festive events and experience continuously to attract global media reports and strengthen positive exposure. Large-scale global promotions to launch next month• HKTB will launch large-scale global promotions next month with three strategies to drive tourismrevival:

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Singapore’s international visitor arrivals reached 6.3 million in 2022 (~33 per cent of 2019 IVA), exceeding STB’s forecast of between 4 and 6 million visitors. Tourism receipts (TR) are estimated to reach $13.8 to $14.3 billion[1] (~50 per cent to 52 per cent of 2019 TR). Barring unexpected circumstances, tourism activity is now expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels by 2024.Mr Keith Tan, Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board (STB), said: “Our 2022 tourism performance underscores Singapore’s appeal as a leading business and leisure destination for post-pandemic travellers. To sustain our growth in 2023 and beyond, we will expand our partnerships, build up a rich year-round calendar of events, ramp up investment in new and refreshed products and experiences, and continue to support industry efforts to build the capabilities they need to meet consumer demands.”
2022 Tourism Performance
Visitor arrivals were driven by strong demand from Singapore’s key source markets, led by Indonesia (1.1 million), India (686,000) and Malaysia (591,000).
TR reached $8.96 billion between January to September 2022. The top TR generating markets were Indonesia, India and Australia, which contributed $1.1 billion, $704 million, and $633 million respectively in TR (excluding Sightseeing, Entertainment and Gaming)[2].
Visitors are also spending more time in Singapore compared to before the pandemic. For the last three quarters of the year (April-December 2022) when Singapore no longer required quarantine for fully-vaccinated travellers, the average length of stay was approximately 4.81 days[3]. This is a significant increase compared to 3.36 days for the same period in 2019.ADVERTISEMENT
Key Industry Performance
MICE and Leisure Events
The resumption of MICE[4] events picked up pace in 2022, following the easing of border restrictions and safe management measures.
Marquee international events returned to Singapore, including Food and Hotel Asia – Food & Beverage and Food and Hotel Asia – HoReCa, which took place as two dedicated trade shows for the first time, ITB Asia, and Singapore Fintech Festival, which attracted a record turnout from over 115 countries. STB also secured new events like FIND: Design Fair Asia as well as Global Health Security Conference 2022 and the 14th World Stroke Congress, which reinforced Singapore’s leadership in key industry clusters.
Singapore’s calendar of leisure and sporting events also recovered strongly. The Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2022 – held after a two-year hiatus – drew a record attendance of 302,000; the Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium also made its Southeast Asian debut. Regular crowd-pleasers such as the Singapore Food Festival, Christmas Wonderland, Christmas on A Great Street at Orchard Road, the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown and ZoukOut Singapore were all organised successfully and drew visitors from around the world.

Hotels Industry Performance
Singapore’s hotel industry also posted an encouraging year due to stronger demand for leisure and business travel. From April to December 2022[5], the Average Occupancy Rate (AOR) was 79.1 per cent, compared to 87.3 per cent recorded in the same period in 2019. Average room rates during this period increased by 17 per cent to $260, while Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) increased by 6.2 per cent to $206.
Singapore welcomed a total of 465 new keys in 2022 with the opening of new hotels like the Citadines Connect City and Garden Pod @ Gardens By The Bay Centre. New brands like Hotel Telegraph (formerly known as SO Singapore), Pullman Singapore Orchard (formerly known as Grand Park Orchard), voco Orchard Singapore (formerly known as Hilton Singapore at 581 Orchard Road) and Vibe Hotel Singapore Orchard (formerly known as Elizabeth Hotel) were also introduced. These investments underscored the private sector’s confidence in Singapore’s tourism prospects.
Cruise Industry Performance
Singapore’s position as a regional cruise hub strengthened in 2022 with more than 230 ship calls. Passenger throughput was 1.2 million, which is about two-thirds of pre-pandemic levels in 2019. The return of cruising was supported by the year-round deployment of Resorts World Cruises’ Genting Dream and Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum/Spectrum of the Seas. Following the resumption of sailings with ports of call in July, two new cruise lines made Singapore their seasonal homeport[6]:
·    STB’s new three-year partnership with Silversea Cruises will see its ships homeport seasonally in Singapore till the 2024/2025 season, with Silver Muse kicking off the first sailing from Singapore in December 2022.
·    TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 5 also returned to Southeast Asia in December 2022, starting their three-year seasonal homeport from Singapore and taking passengers to ports in Southeast Asia.
Singapore also welcomed the return of transit and turnaround sailings[7] from Cunard, Seabourn Cruises, Viking Cruises, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises in 2022.

2022 Highlights
Branded Collaborations and Strategic Partnerships
To keep Singapore top-of-mind and rebuild demand, STB scaled up its SingapoReimagine campaign across 17 markets. It also increased Singapore’s appeal to consumers through innovative partnerships.
For example, STB collaborated with media and entertainment companies such as Warner Bros. Discovery and Studio Dragon, as well as celebrities Billie Eilish, Charlie Puth and Jackson Wang to inspire travel to Singapore through authentic and creative storytelling. STB also forged strategic partnerships with industry leaders such as Singapore Airlines, Scoot, CapitaLand, Expedia, Klook and Visa to promote Singapore, exchange insights and enhance the visitor experience.
Enhanced Destination Attractiveness
Singapore welcomed new and enhanced experiences, including the Children’s Museum Singapore; Avatar: The Experience at Gardens by the Bay; Sentosa’s Night Luge, Scentopia, Wings of Time and Central Beach Bazaar; a new gallery at ArtScience Museum’s Future World: “Exploring New Frontiers”; A Minion’s Perspective Experience at Resorts World Sentosa; Mr Bucket Chocolaterie at Dempsey; and the Singapore Night Safari’s new amphitheatre and refreshed Creatures of the Night show. The Changi Bay Park Connector and the Rifle Range Nature Park were also opened, strengthening Singapore’s attractiveness as a City in Nature.
Singapore’s tour operators continued to introduce new and innovative tours, including the Seadog Kayak Sailing Tour by Kayak Fishing Fever, Letters From Blakang Mati by Woopa Travel as well as Hawker Fare: Little India Street Food Tour.
Becoming an Urban Wellness Haven and a Top Sustainable Destination
To meet increasing demand for holistic wellness offerings, STB organised the inaugural Wellness Festival Singapore (WFS) in June 2022, which featured over 130 wellness activities and experiences over 10 days. STB also inked a partnership with global wellness platform ClassPass, onboarding more than 90 new wellness businesses across 167 locations.
To make wellness a key component of Singapore’s tourism offerings, STB launched an Expression-of-Interest (EOI) in November to develop a wellness attraction on the southern coast of Singapore.​
STB also made strides to help the tourism sector become more sustainable. A destination sustainability strategy for the tourism sector was developed in 2022 in line with the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and our ambition to become a sustainable urban destination. Industry-specific roadmaps were developed for hotels[8] and the MICE ecosystem[9], while the Tourism Sustainability Programme[10] was launched to support tourism businesses in all stages of their sustainability journey.
2023 Outlook
STB expects the tourism sector to continue its growth momentum this year, on the back of increasing flight connectivity and capacity, and China’s gradual reopening. International visitor arrivals are expected to reach around 12 to 14 million visitors, bringing in approximately $18 to 21 billion in tourism receipts – around two-thirds to three-quarters of the levels in 2019.
In the meantime, STB will continue efforts to increase Singapore’s destination attractiveness. STB will support the development of new and refreshed offerings in 2023, such as Bird Paradise @ Mandai Wildlife Reserve, and new experiences in Orchard Road such as the Trifecta integrated sports facility.
To support tourism recovery, STB will front load $110 million of the $500 million set aside for Singapore’s tourism recovery to ramp up business and leisure events over these two years.
STB will continue to attract more high-quality MICE events, such as the Herbalife APAC Extravaganza 2023 and the 25th World Congress of Dermatology 2023. On the leisure events front, 2023 has already kicked off strongly with Art SG, Southeast Asia’s largest ever art fair as part of the Singapore Art Week, and Sail GP, which made its Asian debut last week. New events like the Olympic Esports Week and Professional Triathletes Organisation Asian Open will also take place in Singapore for the first time.
To increase Singapore’s mindshare, STB will ramp up the SingapoReimagine campaign in all our key markets through creative activations, content and partnerships. This will be augmented by the SingapoReimagine Marketing Programme (SMP)[11] to help local tourism and lifestyle businesses promote Singapore while also raising their marketing capabilities.
To support the pace of recovery, STB will continue to help the tourism sector ramp up hiring. As of September 2022, the total tourism workforce is around 65,000 – about 78 per cent of 2019 levels. STB will continue to support manpower needs through the Tourism Careers Hub, which has placed more than 500 workers in the tourism sector since its launch in 2022 by providing career coaching, skills upgrading and job matching. STB will also continue to support digital transformation for the industry through Tcube[12], which has already helped more than 1,000 local tourism companies through its various programmes.

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2022 was the year that saw the much anticipated return of inbound travel to Vietnam, as the country welcomed over 3.6 million tourists. Building on the success of last year, 2023 is projected to be an exciting year, as Vietnam is expecting to see this number boost to approximately 8 million inbound tourists.With an incredible year-round climate, an abundance of vibrant cities, and stunning coastline, it’s no surprise that the number of tourists choosing to visit Vietnam is growing year upon year. In 2022, the United Kingdom was Vietnam’s top European market, with a total of 93,794 British visitors.

Kien Tran Trong, Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board, stated, “last year’s strong visitor numbers speak for themselves, and are a testament to the quality of product that Vietnam has to offer tourists. After a quieter couple of years due to the pandemic, it’s been a pleasure to welcome back such a large number of tourists to the country, so that we can continue to show our visitors all Vietnam has to offer. From a vibrant culinary scene and rich culture to countless stunning beaches and bustling cities, there really is something for everyone in Vietnam. In 2023, we look forward to continuing to welcome international travellers to our destination, as we continue to focus on improving our tourism offering throughout the year.”

As part of Vietnam’s endeavour to make the destination increasingly accessible and attractive to tourists in the year ahead, leaders within the travel and tourism industry have been focusing on improving competitiveness within the tourism products that are on offer. This is being reflected in a number of exciting, new hotels that are set to open in 2023 including: Nobu Hotel Danang, Avani Cam Ranh and Mandarin Oriental Saigon, just to name a few. Additionally, there have been developments of multiple new domestic and international flight routes, to make getting to, and around Vietnam, easier than ever before.ADVERTISEMENT
Vietnamese airlines and destinations were named among the winners at the award ceremony of the World Travel Awards 2022 – Region: Asia & Oceania, which took place in Ho Chi Minh City on September 7 evening.
The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines won the titles of Asia’s Leading Airline – Economy Class and Asia’s Leading Airline Brand; while Vietravel Airlines was accredited as Asia’s Leading New Airline.
Meanwhile, the Ville De Mont Mountain Resort in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai’s Sa Pa town and Premier Village Ha Long Bay Resort in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh were called onto the stage as Asia’s Leading Lifestyle Resort and Asia’s Leading Family Villa Resort 2022, respectively.
Last year, Vietnam received a series of nominations for different categories at the WTA 2022. The country was nominated for awards in the Asian region for Leading Destination, Leading Sustainable Tourism Destination, Leading Heritage Destination, Leading Cultural Destination, Leading Nature Destination, Leading Youth Travel Destination and Leading Beach Destination.
The capital city of Hanoi was shortlisted as Asia’s Leading City Break Destination and Asia’s Leading Cultural City Destination.

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Jamaica is the number destination in the Caribbean for British travellers

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Jamaica is now the number one destination in the Caribbean for UK travellers. Known for its warm hospitality, bold personality and larger than life spirit, the vibrant Caribbean island continues to welcome a record number of UK visitors with 2022 visitor arrivals surpassing previous records, catapulting the island to the top spot in the Caribbean for British holiday makers. 
Jamaica’s bullish tourism recovery plan, which has led to historic levels of visitor arrivals from the UK market, has highlighted the island’s unique culture, cuisine, music, breath-taking nature, and wellness offerings in an environmentally sustainable way. 
With still more room for growth and to meet expected demand, which continues to rise, Jamaica is welcoming more exciting hotels brands to the island growing its room stock offering another 8,500 rooms by 2025. New hotel openings will include Hard Rock Hotel, RIU, Dreams, Secrets, Planet Hollywood, Viva Wyndham, UNICO and Princess.
“We are working on our most ambitious tourism development and expansion plan in Jamaica’s history to meet the continued demand and interest in our beautiful island.” Hon. Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett.
The Jamaica Tourist Board won the title of Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board 2022 at last years World Travel Awards.ADVERTISEMENTThe island is easily accessible from the UK with daily direct flights on Virgin Atlantic Airways from London Heathrow launched in December 2022, British Airways from London Gatwick and TUI from Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester.
“We are very happy that Jamaica it the top Caribbean destination of choice for travellers from the UK and would like to thank all our industry partners for their continuous support and faith in our beautiful island.  As we look ahead, our team has an exciting line-up of plans for 2023 and are confident that we can continue to grow our destination favourability among UK travellers in 2023,  Our campaign this year is “Come Back to Jamaica”, come back to relax, come back to adventure, come back to romance,  and the Brits certainly continue to do so.”  Elizabeth Fox, Regional Director, UK & Northern Europe

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With winter spreading its charm across Dubai, the city has come alive with public outdoor events that invite people to soak up the season’s vibe with unique entertainment, food, shopping and cultural experiences.Ranging from festive markets to art shows, the outdoor events are some of the unique attractions featured in the #DubaiDestinations winter campaign.
Implemented by Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO), the latest #DubaiDestinations campaign highlights activities and experiences that people can enjoy in the winter. Shaima Al Suwaidi, Director of Brand Dubai, said: “From vibrant markets to enthralling art displays, the latest #DubaiDestinations campaign highlights a range of outdoor events that capture both the spirit of the season and the emirate’s unique character as a winter destination. Through the campaign, we seek to raise the profile of the unique events across Dubai that offer unforgettable experiences for residents and visitors. Weaving together compelling content from diverse stakeholders and creatives, the campaign highlights the places, activities and attractions that make Dubai a top pick among global destinations in the winter.”

Winter markets
Dubai’s sparkling winter markets are some of the most engaging places to visit in the emirate in the cooler months.  The Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) market on the waterfront promenade of Al Seef corniche is packed with activities, workshops, and entertainment that the entire family can enjoy. Running until 29 January at the charming heritage district, the market offers an extensive entertainment programme. Under the theme of ‘Learning by Doing’, the market celebrates the spirit of passing knowledge from generation to generation. Interactive art installations in four zones inspired by the natural elements Water, Air, Earth and Fire bring to life the rich culture and history of the UAE.ADVERTISEMENT
The Etisalat Market Out of the Box (OTB) to be organised at the Dubai Design District from 19-29 January offers eclectic shopping and cuisine, live entertainment, and activities for the entire family including a skating rink and a padel court. The theme of DSF’s premier alternative shopping destination this season is focused on Korean and Japanese pop culture. Visitors will be able to support Emirati and UAE-based entrepreneurs and discover unique fashion and flavours from dozens of homegrown brands at the event.

Platforms for local products
One of Dubai’s most-loved markets in the winter is the Ripe Market that runs weekly across several scenic locations. With a flagship location at the Dubai Police Academy Park, the Market offers fresh food, diverse crafts and family-friendly entertainment. In addition, indoor pop-ups that retain the charm of the original event are organised at malls. The Market provides a platform for homegrown merchants and local farmers to sell products ranging from arts, crafts and fashion to fruits and vegetables.

Another popular family attraction in the winter is the The Farmers’ Souq launched by the Dubai Municipality. Running until 11 March at the Palm Parks, the initiative is a free agricultural, social and investment platform that seeks to gather Emirati farmers under one roof to sell local produce directly to consumers. The Farmers’ Souq this season features over 50 kiosks displaying high-quality local Emirati farm produce including fruits, vegetables, dairy products, organic products, honey, dates, and herbal products.

Other unique markets that people can visit this season include the My Second Life (M2L) Market. Organised at the DIFC Gate Avenue, the M2L Market offers visitors an opportunity to disconnect from their everyday life and try out new experiences and flavours. Connecting creativity and culture, the market, which runs until 19 March offers immersive experiences and engaging interactions for entrepreneurs, trendsetters, families, and creators.

Yet another unique destination that is on the must-visit list this season is High at the Towers, a peaceful garden area that is home to food trucks and cozy little spots to enjoy comforting street food. Located in the heart of the DIFC district, adjacent to Emirates Towers, High at the Towers is one of Dubai’s best kept secrets.

A walk down memory lane
This winter, Dubai is hosting unique events that take people back in time to savour the magic of bygone eras. The Grand Picnic, a classic car event taking place at Safa Park on 30 January invites residents to display their vintage and sports cars and bikes enjoy a picnic surrounded by cool cars.

Earlier this month, a unique pop-up event called Dubai 80s organised as part of the DSF at the Last Exit Al Khawaneej transported visitors into a visual representation of Dubai in the 80s and early 90s. Dubai 80s aimed to capture the moment in time when the emirate was on the cusp of pivotal change with vintage photo galleries showing pictures of Dubai before its transformation into a global metropolis, photo booths, shows, anime and live performances, old-school gaming arcades, and classic cars, all offering a blast from the past.

Art, music and culture
One of the world’s biggest emerging cultural hubs, Dubai is hosting unique public art events this season. On top of the winter event list is the Quoz Arts Fest, which celebrates great art, music and food with a programme of more than 200 activations. Held under the theme ‘Shift Away’, the 10th edition of the event held from 28-29 January features various installations, immersive activities, and performances by iconic musicians like Saint Levant and Bu Kulthoum.

Providing another memorable art experience for the public this season is Dubai Lights: The Spark Within. Returning for a second season this winter, this event offers with 10 interactive installations by international artists at City Walk. Previously exhibited at the prestigious Amsterdam Light Festival, these landmark exhibits will be seen for the first time ever in Dubai at the event running till 29 January.

In another public art event Dubai Lights: Sea Wonder, visitors to Nakheel Destinations in Palm Jumeirah —The Pointe, Nakheel Mall and Palm West Beach – can explore a magical underwater world featuring immersive activities and aquatic-themed decorations. As part of the show that runs until 29 January, visitors can journey through illustrations and animations of underwater life including life size dolphins, jellyfish, pink coral ornaments, starfish and seashells. Sustainability is at the core of the installations, with every element using recycled, repurposed, or reusable materials.

Running until February 2023, the latest #DubaiDestinations campaign encourages residents and visitors to discover Dubai’s diverse leisure, dining, adventure and family-friendly activities. The campaign is being rolled out over digital, broadcast, print and outdoor media to ensure it reaches large sections of local and international audiences. More content, videos and guides related to the campaign can be found on www.dubaidestinations.ae.

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Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) announces its highest ever annual visitor numbers, with the Emirate welcoming over 1.13M overnight arrivals in 2022, a total increase of 15.6% vs 2021. The results exceed pre-pandemic levels indicating recovery and resilience in a volatile year.
Despite geopolitical and economic challenges, Ras Al Khaimah has become one of the fastest destinations to bounceback. In addition to its record visitor numbers, key 2022 achievements include:
Launched Balanced Tourism – its roadmap to becoming the regional leader in sustainable tourism by 2025Announced the largest foreign direct tourism investment project in partnership with Wynn Resorts, Marjan and RAK Hospitality HoldingIntercontinental Hotels Group (IHG), Mövenpick and Radisson brands entered the destination for the first time, marking a 17% annual growth in hotel supply to over 8,000 keys5,867 keys scheduled to be added over the next few years, a 70% increase on current inventory – among the highest growth rates in the UAE40% increase in international visitors driven by 90+ roadshows, trade fairs, workshops and media events across 24 marketsRecognition in Time magazine as one of the World’s Greatest Places of 2022 and CNN Travel’s best destinations to visit in 2023Opened new attractions, including Jais Sledder, which has seen more than 100,000 visitors since its February opening, and the longest developed hiking trails in the EmirateAchieved a visitor satisfaction score (NPS) of over 80% – far above the industry average of 51Hosted over 50 events including the prestigious Global Citizen Forum, 15th edition of the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, Arab Aviation Summit, DP World Tour and secured the 2023 Minifootball (WMF) World Cup for the first time in the UAETwo Guinness World Record titles at the New Year’s Eve fireworks and drone displayAuthority named one of the Top 10 Great Places to Work in the Middle East 2022Commenting on the Emirate’s strong tourism performance in 2022, Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said: “It has been quite a year. From January’s announcement of the multibillion-dollar integrated Wynn resort – a project that will usher in a new era of economic development through tourism – to securing two Guinness World Record titles for our New Year’s Eve fireworks and drone display, we have shown just how dynamic we are as a destination. Our success has been led by our agility and responsiveness – and the fact we think like a community, shaping our experiences to appeal to visitors and residents. With a determined focus on diversification, accessibility and sustainability, we are on track for even bigger things in 2023.”
Strong December performance
The impressive full-year figures follow a strong December performance in which the Emirate welcomed its highest ever footfall in one month, with over 128,000 visitor arrivals, representing a 23% increase vs. December 2021. This was bolstered by the Emirate’s record-breaking New Year’s Eve fireworks and drones display, which saw Ras Al Khaimah set two GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ titles for of the ‘largest number of operated multi-rotors/drones with a simultaneous fireworks display’ and the ‘largest aerial sentence formed by multirotors/drones. The festivities drew over 30,000 visitors with public events and hotels across the Emirate fully booked, making it the most visited show to date.ADVERTISEMENTSustainable agenda for 2023 and beyond
Under its bold new approach to sustainability – Balanced Tourism, the Emirate will become the regional leader in sustainable tourism by 2025, placing all aspects of sustainability at the centre of its investment, from environment and culture to conservation and liveability.
As part of this, the tourism authority aims to award more than 20 businesses with tourism certifications in the first year with the ultimate goal of obtaining the internationally recognised “Sustainable Tourism Destination” certificate for Ras Al Khaimah in 2023.
Promoting employee well-being, the tourism authority was named one of the Top 10 Great Places to Work in the Middle East 2022 – the highest placed government entity – as well as one of the Best Workplaces for Women and a Great Place to Work in 2021, the first and only organization in Ras Al Khaimah to be awarded this certification. The Authority has also introduced RAKFAM, a series of initiatives aimed at enriching connectivity, community life and facilities for tourism sector employees in the Emirate.
Driving international tourism
2022 also saw a 40% increase in international visitors, with key source markets including Kazakhstan, Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany and Czech Republic. This was driven by a series of partnerships with airlines and leading tour operators to target emerging and growing source markets, supported by 90+ events and roadshows in 24 markets worldwide. In a further boost for the Emirate’s accessibility, Ras Al Khaimah also received three luxury cruises in 2022, welcoming over 2,500 passengers and crew. With a focus on developing its burgeoning cruise sector, the Emirate aims to attract 50 cruise ship calls each season, and over 10,000 passengers within the next few years.
Boosting the tourism and hospitality offering
New hotels and resorts opened in 2022, increasing the Emirate’s inventory by 17% to reach over 8,000 keys. The Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG), Mövenpick and Radisson brands entered the destination for the first time with the opening of the InterContinental Mina Al Arab, Mövenpick Resort Al Marjan Island and the Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah Marjan Island.
With 19 upcoming properties, including global brands like Marriott, Millennium, Anantara and Sofitel, and 5,867 keys in the pipeline over the next few years, a 70% increase versus current inventory and one of the highest development rates in the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism vision continues to gain momentum.  A major addition will be the multibillion-dollar integrated resort development with Wynn Resorts in 2026, announced early last year. The multipurpose integrated resort marks the largest-of-its-kind foreign direct investment in Ras Al Khaimah and will include 1,000+ rooms, shopping, meeting and convention facilities, spa, more than 10 restaurants and lounges, extensive entertainment choices, and gaming area.
Another key feat for last year was Ras Al Khaimah’s inclusion in Time magazine’s World’s Greatest Places of 2022 – a highly coveted list of 50 must-visit global destinations – in recognition of its adventure offerings and stunning, unique topography and geodiversity. To further bolster the Emirate’s nature positioning and attract both international and domestic visitors, the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority also announced the opening of key new sustainable attractions, including the Jais Sledder, the region’s longest toboggan ride, which has welcomed over 100,000 visitors since opening in February.

Growing Ras Al Khaimah’s position as a world-class events hub
The Emirate’s position as a leading sporting destination went from strength to strength, with over 50 events hosted. Highlights included the 15th RAK Half Marathon, 23rd Annual Gumball 3000 rally, the first-ever Middle East route for the world-renowned supercar rally, the UAE Tour cycling and the DP World Tour golf championship. Ras Al Khaimah also won the competitive bid to host the 2023 Minifootball World Cup, beating Budapest and Manila to add the mega international football competition to its growing roster.
Additionally, the Emirate hosted numerous events and conferences, including the Arab Aviation Summit for the second consecutive year and the first Pacific Asia Travel Association Annual Summit in the Middle East. It also secured a three-year partnership with the Global Citizen Forum to host its prestigious annual summit.
To find out more about the wealth of experiences in Ras Al Khaimah, please visit visitrasalkhaimah.com or visitjebeljais.com

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Charger untraceable. A socket behind locks. Or no luck after 10 attempts. For the growing population of electric drivers this kind of charge anxiety is the major disadvantage of EV ownership. New booking site SleeperCharger ensures this will be a thing of the past.Via SleeperCharger.com travellers can choose out of 60.000 hotels with Guaranteed a charger within 250 metres.
What’s new? Isn’t this already available at regular booking sites?
At regular booking sites you can tick the box “charging at accommodation”. However, this information is based solely on what the proprietor says. Research by SleeperCharger shows that the chargers are simply not available at 40% of hotels that say they have an EV charger.
SleeperCharger has partnered with Expedia Group to offer 10,000 business hotels, holiday resorts and boutique accommodations with Guaranteed charging facilities onsite. Leveraging Expedia Group’s new Rapid 3 API, SleeperCharger.com lists reviews, scores and other facilities as well as leveraging Expedia Group’s dynamic prices for instant search and book functionalities.
SleeperCharger.com also links 50.000 hotels with public charging stations within 250 metres. The company is now the only and largest provider of hotels with guaranteed chargers available within a 5 minute walk. After a long drive and an almost empty battery, this offers peace of mind and a carefree trip.ADVERTISEMENTDriven entrepreneurs with a track record in sustainable travel and mobility
Behind SleeperCharger are two driven entrepreneurs, Andrew Morten and Victor van Tol.  Andrew Morten previously founded the travel companies TravelEssence, Little America- Downunder and America travel specialists. Victor van Tol is the founder of SnappCar, one of the largest European car-sharing platforms.
Personal frustration provided the spark to start the company
Andrew booked a place in Vosage National Park in France which said to offer a charging station. It was a standard 240-volt plug that blackout half the property.While skiing with his son in Winterberg, Germany Victor nearly ran out of battery and had problems with charging stations that were not there or were not functioning.Sustainability is at the heart of the company. That is why it automatically offers CO2 overcompensation in the price for every hotel booked. The compensation is done through certified Gold Standard compensation projects.

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