Tourism, Organisations & Operators,

Emilie Dumont, Managing Director of Digitrips
Digitrips has revealed flight cancellations and schedule changes occurred much closer to departure in 2022 than in previous years, highlighting the severe impact of staff shortages and strikes on airlines and airports worldwide.
The multi-product travel provider, which owns French B2B OTA MisterFly, found that passengers received an average of 39 days’ notice of changes or cancellations in 2022, compared to 54 days in 2019.
Emilie Dumont, Managing Director of Digitrips, said: “Our figures from MisterFly revealed that the proportion of our travellers who experienced flight cancellations or changes prior to their departure date remained significantly higher in 2022 than pre-Covid – with 40% of our travellers affected, compared to just 25% in 2019.
“But most importantly, changes and cancellations happened at much shorter notice than before the pandemic. In 2019, passengers were notified on average 54 days prior to departure that their flights had been changed or cancelled. In 2022, that average was just 39 days.
“This year is likely to be even busier and, with staff shortages and strikes continuing to cause disruption worldwide, we expect the cancellations window to shrink even further. Therefore, the travel industry must act swiftly to adopt technology that can help minimise the impact of these disruptions on travellers. This could include implementing automated rebooking and refund tools, or even AI-powered customer service systems.”ADVERTISEMENT

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CTO Chairman Kenneth Bryan (left) and Acting CTO Secretary General Neil Walters are pictured at today’s press conference in Barbados.
Despite global pressures such as high inflation, the war in Ukraine, the ensuing energy crisis, and an impending economic recession, the outlook for Caribbean travel and tourism is favorable, according to the Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)
Delivering the region’s 2022 “Tourism Performance and Outlook Report” in Bridgetown today, Neil Walters, Acting Secretary General of the CTO, confirmed that the Caribbean had one of the quickest recovery rates globally in 2022, with 28.3 million registered tourist visits in 2022. This represents 88.6 percent of the visitors who arrived in 2019, which served as the baseline year for typical tourism activity before the pandemic.
He reported that international travel is expected to contribute to the region’s substantial gains already registered thanks to the robust United States market, which continues to drive the region’s recovery.
There was an estimated 28.1 percent increase in visitors coming from the U.S. market in 2022. At the end of the year, 14.6 million American tourists visited the region, 3.2 million more than the 11.4 million in 2021.
Arrivals from the European market increased by 81 percent in 2022 when compared to 2021. The 5.2 million tourists from this market were almost double the 2.8 million in 2021. This represented 18.3 percent of all arrivals in 2022,ADVERTISEMENTDue to travel restrictions in early 2022, the Canadian market has recovered more slowly at 60 percent, while the lack of availability of intra-regional airlift has negatively impacted regional connectivity.
“Nearly 90 percent of the region’s travel demand for 2019 has already been recovered,” reported Walters, with destinations such as Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, Turks and Caicos, and the U.S. Virgin Islands already surpassing their pre-pandemic levels.
Caribbean destinations can expect this recovery to continue into 2023, albeit at a slower rate, Walters explained, predicting that growth will be uneven among the destinations, with additional countries and territories exceeding their 2019 levels.
According to STR, the average daily rate at hotels increased by 21.7 percent to US$290.60 in 2022. The revenue per available room surged by 66.4 percent to $176.46, and the number of available rooms (up 4.4 percent) as well as room income (up 73.6 percent) increased. After two challenging years for the aviation industry, global air passenger traffic recovered significantly in 2022.
It is estimated that visitors to the Caribbean region spent between $36.5 and $37.5 billion in 2022, an increase of 70 to 75 percent compared to 2021.
It is expected that overall arrivals to the region will increase by between 10 and 15 percent when compared to 2022, with 31.2 to 32.6 million tourists visiting the region this year. The cruise industry is also anticipated to continue recovering and expanding to meet increasing demand, with 32 to 33 million cruise passenger visits expected – a five to 10 percent increase over the pre-COVID baseline figure.
Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Council of Ministers and Commissioners of Tourism, Kenneth Bryan, who also serves as the Cayman Islands’ Minister of Tourism and Transport, summarized that in the face of the devastating blows delivered by the pandemic, “as a region, we have responded with hope, strength and the determination to prevail.”
Minister Bryan reiterated that great strides have been made in Caribbean tourism, a clear indication that the sector is bouncing back, and hopes are high that the robust pace of recovery will continue into 2023 and beyond. “So although we have not yet surpassed 2019’s numbers across the board in every jurisdiction, the needle is certainly moving in the right direction,” he commented.
The chairman envisioned 2023 as a period of growth and development for the CTO, and he and his team were laser-focused on growing the membership, including countries, territories as well as allied partners. “It is also my intention to strengthen the relationships with other organizations, such as the United Nations World Travel Organization, the World Travel and Tourism Council, and even the Central American Tourism Promotion Agency (CATA), to foster greater collaboration,” said Minister Bryan. Consideration is being given to the restructuring of the organization and reforming its strategic vision and direction for the next five years, which includes the appointment of a new Secretary-General, he confirmed.Minister Bryan announced the return of CTO’s Caribbean Week in New York, to be held in “The Big Apple,” from June 5 to 8 this year, and disclosed that his team was committed to addressing the nagging issue of air connectivity, a complex one that has been exacerbated by the reevaluation of airline business structures and the global pilot shortage. “It would be illogical for me to promise a solution to this issue during my tenure as chairman. But what I can and will commit to is getting the players around the table to forensically examine what we need to do as a unified region to improve this scenario and start the ball rolling towards the solution.”

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ABTA – The Travel Association has launched a new video campaign which highlights travel as a great industry to work in.
The two-minute video is the latest phase of ABTA’s ‘#BePartofTravel campaign’, which aims to support members to attract and retain talent in the industry. It has been launched to coincide with National Careers Week which runs 6 – 11 March.The video features testimonials from ABTA member travel agents and tour operators explaining why they work in the industry, and the various reasons it should be considered as a career path by graduates and career changers. The opportunities to travel, culture and career development are among the top reasons people highlight as why to join the sector. The video can be viewed here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNKTaFoULaQ
The video will be advertised on LinkedIn and shared on ABTA’s social channels during National Careers Week and will continue to be promoted in the coming months ahead. There is also a series of shorter videos, each featuring a travel industry professional.
ABTA is encouraging its members and ABTA Education Partners to get involved with the campaign by sharing the new video across their own channels, as well as ABTA’s existing social media assets on career opportunities. They are available from the marketing toolkit.
Vicki Wolf, ABTA Head of Education and Career Development said: ADVERTISEMENT“This is an exciting time to join this fun, dynamic and versatile travel industry. Young people who are looking for career ideas and those who have worked in with transferable skills should consider a career in travel.
“These are exactly the messages we’re trying to get across with the new video and ‘#BePartofTravel’ campaign as a whole. The campaign has received positive feedback from ABTA members, who have been facing recruitment challenges as the industry continues to recover from the pandemic.”
Giles Hawke, CEO of Cosmos Tours, reflects on his extensive career in the video:
“I’ve been in it for 30 years now and I’ve enjoyed every moment of it, even in the tough moments. We’ve had to deal with some really big things, and you learn a huge amount about yourself. You learn about what you’re capable of.  “You get to travel to go to some amazing places around the world and have experiences you would struggle to do as a consumer on a holiday. So, travel is the industry to work in”.
ABTA member travel professionals featured in the Be Part of Travel campaign:
•  Chris Wright, Managing Director, Sunvil•  Vicky Yates-McCowan, Travel Consultant, Luxury Holidays and Honeymoons •  James Thornton, CEO, Intrepid Travel•  Annika Nickson, Travel Consultant, Not Just Travel•  Barbara Kolosinska, Managing Director, C&M Travel Recruitment •  Giles Hawke, CEO, Cosmos Tours •  Gemma Standish, Travel Consultant, Not Just Travel•  Brian Young, Managing Director EMEA, G Adventures •  Susie Taylor, Travel Consultant, Club Voyages

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Flight services at Frankfurt Airport are being stepped up significantly from the first week in June. They will focus on connections between cities in Europe, but flights to popular vacation destinations will also increase.For instance, various airlines plan to resume multiple weekly connections to Majorca (6). Further long-haul destinations are also being added to the timetables. The included table shows the flights currently scheduled at Frankfurt Airport.
Daily capacity is now up to around 26,000.This is around 10 percent of the previous year’s figure. The airport operator expects a gradual build-up of flight services in the weeks ahead. However, as overall volumes remain well below last year’s levels due to the coronavirus pandemic, Terminal 1 will remain the focal point of all passenger handling activities for the time being.
Airlines reserve the right to change flight services at short notice. Passengers should always check the latest information from their airline before traveling. They are also advised to look up the current travel advice of the German Federal Foreign Office.
In addition, the flight schedule at www.frankfurtairport.com contains details of the status of scheduled take-offs and landings. Frankfurt Airport has been ready to step up flight operations since mid-May. Airport operator Fraport has implemented extensive anti-infection measures in the areas currently in use in Terminal 1, in line with all health authority regulations.

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The latest forecasts from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) predict strong annual increases in inbound visitor numbers for Asia Pacific under each of the mild, medium, and severe scenarios in 2023, with growth rates ranging from 71% under the latter scenario conditions to as much as 104% under the mild scenario.Following the earlier release of the Executive Summary, the Full Report released today gives a deeper quantitative overview of the international visitor landscape into and across the Asia Pacific region at the regional, sub-regional and destination levels out to 2025. This is done at both the annual and, where data permit, quarterly levels over the same period, and by scenario. In addition, the growth in key source markets between 2023 and 2025 is forecast for Asia Pacific as a whole, and for each of the regions/sub-regions as covered in the report.
The annual increase in the absolute number of international visitor arrivals (IVAs) in 2023 is predicted to range from 158.7 million to 437.5 million under the severe and mild scenarios respectively, lifting the total volume of visitor arrivals to between 382.9 million and 712.7 million, under those same scenarios.
Substantial annual increases in IVA numbers are also forecast for 2024 and 2025, under all three scenarios, although the volume of these gains will slowly reduce over the years as the absolute volume base of foreign arrivals increases.
The impact of these increases is such that under the mild scenario, a return to better than the benchmark number of IVAs in 2019 is predicted to occur in 2023, while under the medium scenario that position is projected for 2024. Under the severe scenario, however, even by 2025, the volume of international visitors into and across Asia Pacific is forecast to still fall short of the 2019 benchmark by around 12%.
The mix of source regions is forecast to remain dominated by flows from Asia Pacific markets into Asia Pacific destinations, with 2025 expected to return to roughly similar proportions as that of 2019, under all three scenarios.ADVERTISEMENTThese intra-regional proportionate flows differ for each Asia Pacific destination region, however, especially for the Americas and Asia, both of which rely heavily on intra-regional visitors. The Americas, as a source region for example, accounted for 55.4% of visitor numbers for the Americas in 2019, and this is predicted to gradually increase to between 56% and 57% in 2025, depending on the scenario that plays out at that time. The Asia-to-Asia flows accounted for 80.4% of total IVAs for that region in 2019, and this is forecast to reach between 80% and 82% by the end of 2025.
The Pacific as a destination region within Asia Pacific is somewhat different, however, since its source regions in 2019 were dominated by Asia which had a slim margin over the Americas. Those positions are forecast to change over the years to 2025, at which time both source regions under the mild scenario are predicted to generate roughly equal proportionate shares of IVAs into the Pacific. Under the medium and severe scenarios, however, the Americas is projected to have a slight relative share dominance in delivering IVAs into the Pacific by the end of 2025.
As IVA growth builds between 2023 and 2025, it is worth noting that the source markets of Asia collectively generate the bulk of the additional annual increases in absolute numbers of arrivals across Asia Pacific each year. Under the mild scenario, for example, the annual increase in IVAs from Asia in 2023 are forecast to number 330.7 million and account for three-quarters of the net increase in total IVAs between 2022 and 2023.
Across the years and under all scenarios, the visitor footprint of the Asian source markets, at the aggregate Asia Pacific level, is predicted to remain very strong, although with significant differences at the destination regions and sub-regions. The Americas, for example, already with a strong intra-regional visitor flow, is not surprisingly forecast to receive more than half of its annual increase in IVAs in both 2023 and 2025, under the mild scenario, from source markets within that same region. That proportion is predicted to reach as much as 68% under the medium scenario in 2024 and 78% under the severe scenario in that same year, and although the proportions may reduce a little by 2025, they are still predicted to favour the Americas very much as the main generator of annual IVA growth in absolute numbers into that same region.
As noted by PATA Chair Peter Semone, “these current forecasts are easily the most positive since 2019 and while inbound numbers are predicted to strongly increase each year to 2025, they will not do so evenly across the Asia Pacific destinations nor at the same rates. In addition, growth will not necessarily be by passive osmosis; work needs to be done for destinations to remain competitive and to deliver experiences to these visitors that consistently rate above and beyond their expectations. A blatant profit-grab at this time will resonate badly with visitors now and will work against destinations and operators in the future.”
“Now more than ever before, destinations need to work with host communities, operators, and visitors to deliver results and experiences that bring the best of the travel and tourism sector to the fore, across all involved parties and in a responsible, equitable, meaningful, and thereby sustainable manner. Such an approach will also create a certain resilience to future shocks as and when they appear, and rest assured that they will!,” added Mr. Semone.
What you will learn from this report:
Forecast international visitor numbers for Asia Pacific between 2023 and 2025 by destination region, sub-region, and destination, highlighting changing demand preferences in the post-COVID era; andForecasts and recovery patterns for 39 individual destinations facilitating the development of appropriate strategies over the next three years.The PATA Asia Pacific Visitor Forecasts Full Report 2023-2025 is now available at www.PATA.org/research-q1v63g6n2dw/p/asia-pacific-visitor-forecasts-2023-2025-x8tpc.
PATA International members have exclusive access to the Forecast webinar recording, “How Would the Opening of China Impact on Demand for Tourism in the Asia Pacific Region” and related PowerPoint presentations, which was held on Thursday, January 26, 2023. The webinar included expert speakers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), Euromonitor International, and OAG. The speakers provided an overview of the forecasts for international arrivals to Asia Pacific between 2023 and 2025 from their unique positions of forecasting arrivals, monitoring changing consumer sentiment, and aviation capacity.

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Dubai provides a stage for some of the world’s most intense global sporting contests, raising its status as an international destination for the sector
Saeed Hareb: “Dubai’s status as a major sporting destination has been primarily driven by the vision of our leadership, which deeply understands the role sports plays in the growth of a global metropolis.”
“Over the next decade, sports will make important contributions to realising the goal of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to make Dubai one of the world’s top three cities.”
Dubai Sports Council’s 10-year strategy seeks to raise the sports sector’s contribution to Dubai’s GDP from 2% to 4% annually by 2033
International sports events, world-class hospitality and exceptional infrastructure place Dubai at the epicentre of global sports tourismADVERTISEMENTDubai Duty Free Tennis Championships running till 4 Mar features a stellar line-up that includes World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and World No. 2 Rafael Nadal
The nine-week Dubai World Cup Carnival sees spirited international contests at the Meydan RacecourseDubai is hosting the fourth edition of Gov Games from 2-5 March 2023; 27 major cities worldwide are competiting in a new category called ‘Battle of the Cities’
$8 million Dubai Desert Classic held from 26-29 January raises Dubai’s profile as world’s golfing capital
Dubai brings together global cricket stars for another month-long multi-stage tournament, the DP World International League T20, the world’s second-most lucrative T20 league
Global sporting A-listers visit Dubai to savour its unique luxury hospitality and lifestyle
The air is crisp, the fans are bubbling with excitement and the newly resurfaced acrylic courts at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium are glowing vibrantly in the gentle afternoon sun. The world’s biggest tennis stars have converged on Dubai to pit their skills against each other in one of the most popular tournaments of the ATP World Tour and the WTA Tour.

Running until 4 March, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2023 features a stellar line-up that includes World No. 1 and 21-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic, World No. 2 Rafael Nadal, Dubai 2021 champion Aslan Karatsev, 2021 semifinalists Andrey Rublev and Denis Shapovalov, former champion Roberto Bautista Agut and Arab star Ons Jabeur. Last Saturday, the Czech Republic’s Barbora Krejcikova, won the women’s singles title with a stunning 6-4, 6-2 upset of World No.1 Iga Swiatek.
One of the most eagerly anticipated events on the UAE sporting calendar, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2023 represents the best of the city’s offerings as a global sporting destination. With pleasant temperatures, world class infrastructure, thrilling settings for fans, and unmatched hospitality and tourism experiences, Dubai is one of the best places to enjoy global sporting action, especially in the cooler months of the year.
Few cities in the globe can rival Dubai in terms of the sheer number of world-class events in various disciplines. Dubai is a preferred venue among international sporting bodies for hosting global tournaments because of its exceptionally successful record of hosting multi-stage competitions. The city offers a smorgasbord of sporting action in diverse disciplines including golf, tennis, cricket, motorsports, basketball, horse racing, rugby, polo, distance racing and more.
His Excellency Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council said: “Dubai’s status as a major sporting destination has been primarily driven by the vision of our leadership, which deeply understands the role sports plays in the growth of a global metropolis. Over the next decade, sports will make important contributions to realising the goal of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to make Dubai one of the world’s top three cities. Dubai’s diverse and packed line-up brings both global stars and fans from around the world to the city, not only enriching the emirate’s sporting landscape but also serving as springboards for boosting travel and tourism and providing spin-offs for various other sectors.”
In February, His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, launched a 10-year strategy to develop Dubai’s sports sector and raise its contribution to the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. The strategy seeks to double the contribution of the sports sector to Dubai’s GDP from 2% to 4% annually. Dubai also aims to organise 3,000 local, regional and international events and host 1,000 international training camps over the next 10 years. The number of sports events held annually in Dubai will be increased to 500 and progressively to 1,000. The Strategy also aims to increase the percentage of sporting events hosted in partnership with the private sector to 90%.
Sports tourism on the riseThe last few years have seen the sports sector emerging as a key growth driver for the city’s tourism industry and Dubai’s development as a multi-faceted global destination. The sports sector’s contribution to Dubai’s economy exceeded AED9 billion in 2021 alone. The sector also generated 105,000 job opportunities, accounting for 3.8% of the total employment in Dubai. In the year 2022, international sports events held in Dubai brought together more than 31,000 sportspersons and 713,000 fans from all over the world.
For the global sports fan, a visit to the emirate to attend international events is an opportunity to combine front-row experiences of world-class tournaments with the chance to enjoy Dubai’s luxury hospitality and tourism attractions, varied retail offerings and eclectic gastronomy and culture.
Leading golfing destinationLast month, Dubai was the cynosure of the global golfing fraternity, with some of the world’s biggest stars in the game contesting in the Dubai Desert Classic held from 26-29 January. Featuring a prizemoney of $8 million, the Dubai Desert Classic is regarded as a leading European Tour event. Around 65,000 spectators watched the prestigious tournament, 18,000 of whom were international golf fans.
UK’s golfing legend Rory McIlroy won his third Dubai Desert Classic title this year, cementing his status as a legend of the game. His nail-biting contest with Patrick Reed made the event one of the most followed marquee tournaments in the elite global golfing circuit. Other stars who took part in the competition included Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, Ryan Fox, Tyrrell Hatton and Patrick Reed.

Over the last three decades, Dubai has grown in reputation as one of the world’s most sought-after golfing destinations. As the host of major global tournaments, the city offers one of the best venues for ardent fans of the game to enjoy world-class contests. Especially when the extreme winter weather makes golfing impossible in other parts of the world, Dubai’s immaculately designed greens and fairways set against the city’s stunning skyline give fans a picture-perfect ambience to enjoy the game. Challenging courses designed by golfing greats like Sir Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie and Ernie Els are among the many venues that give fans exceptional golfing experiences.
Equestrian extravaganzasDubai reminded the world why it is the globe’s biggest horse racing destination when the 2023 Dubai World Cup Carnival galloped to a spirited start at the Meydan Racecourse with an action-packed programme. The nine-week Carnival that began on 6 January features 21 group races for Thoroughbreds and Purebred Arabians, as well as 20 handicaps – 10 dirt and 10 turf – complementing the Pattern races. The Carnival reaches its crescendo with the Super Saturday on 4 March, the official dress rehearsal for the $30.5 million Dubai World Cup meeting, the world’s richest horse race, scheduled to be held on 25 March.

The highest-ranked racehorses and jockeys from around the world are participating in the 2023 Carnival. Passionate fans of the sport from all four corners of the globe are visiting Dubai during its 2022-23 horse racing season to get up close and personal with some of the equestrian world’s biggest stars, apart from enjoying fine dining, luxury hospitality and exciting tourism activities in the city. 
Multi-stage cricket league tournamentCashing in on the popularity of cricket in the UAE, Dubai played host to another multi-stage tournament this winter, the DP World International League T20 (ILT20). The six-team tournament held from 13 January to 12 February featured 34 matches, with each team playing the others twice before four playoff matches. Rated as the world’s second-most lucrative T20 league, ILT20 featured a strong roster of international cricketers including Sunil Narine, Joe Root, Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Trent Boult, Alex Hales, Sam Billings, Tom Curran and Moeen Ali. With tickets starting from as low as AED10, cricket fans from across all sections of society were able to enjoy the games of the tournament, whose final was held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. 

The presence of a vast expatriate population that is passionate about cricket makes any global cricket tournament a special experience in Dubai. With their enthusiasm for the game, fans in Dubai create a special atmosphere at cricket events. With the global stars in the tournament having a massive following, the DP World International League T20 attracted cricket lovers from across the GCC and the subcontinent. 
This year, Dubai also hosted the 22nd Dubai Marathon, the region’s oldest long-distance running race and one of the world’s fastest-distance races. Held on 12 February, the event brought together athletes from around the world to participate in the main marathon and associated races including the 10 km road race and 4 km Fun Run. Returning after a break of three years, the Dubai Marathon, organised by the Dubai Sports Council was held at a new venue, the Expo City Dubai, which provided a picturesque setting with its stunning architectural marvels and beautiful open areas. Ethiopian Abdisa Tola won the professional men’s race on his marathon debut while his compatriot Dera Dida Yami won the professional women’s race.
Motorsports eventsDubai also hosted the Hankook Dubai 24 Hours Fast Car Challenge this winter with the participation of more than 100 vehicles, top of which were Ferrari, Mercedes, Audi, Porsche, BMW, Ford and Renault. Held from 13 – 15 January, the 24-hour endurance race that has become a fixture of the Dubai Autodrome’s adrenaline-fuelled calendar featured over 80 entries in three categories including GT3, GTX and TCR. Valentino Rossi, a seven-time MotoGP winner, took part in the event in his debut for the BMW M Team WRT.

Dubai Autodrome also hosted two other automobile races this winter including Dubai Kartdrome Oblate on 21 and 22 January and the Ferrari Asian Car Challenge from 27 – 29 January. Other major tournaments hosted by Dubai this winter included the Polo Silver Cup from 21 January to 4 February, featuring the world’s strongest polo teams and the 32nd Dubai International Basketball Championship from 27 January to 5 February.
Community eventsIn addition to local and global sporting championships, Dubai organised a vast number of community running races this winter including the Ultimate Run on 20 January, Dubai Creek Half Marathon Championship and Palm West Run on 22 January, the Dubai Festival City Night Run on 23 January, the EXPO City Run on 24 January, the Business Bay Run on 25 January and the Dubai Harbor Run on 29 January. Hatta hosted the Wadi Bih Run on 29 January, a race that took participants on a route set against the backdrop of spectacular mountain scenery.
Dubai is currently hosting the 2023 edition of Gov Games, the high-energy team-building contest that is seeing major cities worldwide competing in physical and mental challenges designed to reinforce team spirit and collaboration. Featuring a total prizemoney of AED3.6 million, this year’s Gov Games has introduced a new category called ‘Battle of the Cities’ as part of a move to expand the event globally. The 2023 competition, which started today and runs till 5 March, features 82 all-male teams and 27 all- female teams in the ‘Government Entities’ category, 28 teams in the ‘Communities’ category and 27 international teams in the ‘Battle of the Cities’ category.
World-leading sports infrastructureDubai’s sports facilities represent a key factor driving Dubai’s profile on the global sporting calendar. The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium has been voted for three years as the world’s ‘Best Venue’ by players on the ATP World Tour.  One of global cricket’s iconic stadiums, the Dubai International Cricket Stadium has played host to many cricketing mega events including the T20 World Cup, the Asia Cup and the IPL. Further, Dubai’s comprehensive hospitality, logistics and health infrastructure and its ability to create the safe environment necessary for the organisation of large tournaments make it an ideal venue for international sporting events.
Dubai’s prime location and superior facilities have also made it a preferred training base for international athletes and sporting stars. Dubai is home to state-of-the-art coaching academies across disciplines, which are grooming the international stars of the future. The city is home to over 400 academies that offer expert coaching in all kinds of sports, and more than 100 public and private sports clubs.
Dubai’s pleasant climate and award-winning facilities saw the city hosting training camps and friendly matches in 2022 for more than 120 international teams in different sports across swimming, synchronized swimming, modern pentathlon, cycling, tennis, football, badminton, cricket, rugby and golf.
Magnet for sporting A-listersAs one of the world’s best places to live, visit and work, Dubai has become a magnet for international sports stars. Global sporting A-listers who visited Dubai this winter to savour its unique luxury hospitality and lifestyle attractions included Lionel Messi and the Argentina football squad, Brazilian football star Ronaldinho, England football players Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw, and Mason Mount, Egyptian football star Mo Salah, Liverpool football team members Darwin Ribeiro and Roberto Firmino, and Indian cricket star Virat Kohli.

Dubai’s popularity as a vacation spot for global sporting stars, underlines its emergence as one of the world’s biggest sports tourism hubs. A diverse calendar of international sports events, world-class luxury hospitality, hotels catering to diverse needs, global connectivity, and exceptional urban infrastructure and facilities, have placed Dubai at the epicentre of global sports tourism.
Driven by the leadership’s unrelenting commitment to excellence, the city’s strategic location, robust infrastructure, and exceptional services across all sectors, Dubai is set to grow in stature as one of the world’s most popular sporting destinations.

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Surf’s up! Just in time for the Spring season, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park is set to reopen March 19 (Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park will be closed for refurbishment). Guests can look forward to swells of totally tropical fun, including the return of the vibrant, late-night party, H2O Glow After Hours, at the paradise-themed water park at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
H2O Glow After Hours lights up starting May 20 on select nights through September 2. The glowing guest-favorite party allows guests to enjoy their favorite attractions under the stars for three hours (8-11 p.m.) after the water park closes to daytime guests, giving everyone easier access to their favorite Typhoon Lagoon thrills. Tickets go on sale March 3 for the limited-capacity event on the Walt Disney World Resort website.
Other “glow”rious event details include: 
Glow lighting effects and décor High-energy DJ dance partiesSurprise character appearancesExclusive adult-only areaComplimentary ice cream treats, popcorn and selected beverages Exclusive glow-themed food and beverage Food and beverage items remain one of the main attractions at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and this year there will be several new items. A few gnarly new additions will be fruity new DOLE Whip flavors like watermelon, mango, pineapple, strawberry and raspberry available at Snack Shack; a Pineapple Upside Down Cone at Happy Landings; and a Barbeque Chicken and Grilled Pineapple Flatbread at Leaning Palms.
ADVERTISEMENTPlenty of traditional favorites will be available, too, such as the Moana and Hei Hei Ice Cream Cone and the iconic Sand Pail Sundae as well as savory snacks like Hand Battered Fish Tacos and Fish and Chips.
Adults can pair their delightful bites with tropical beverage items. Among the new drink offerings are the Kungaloosh Kooler, the Crush ‘N’ Gushed Red and White Sangrias and the Mayday Mojito Flight.
Guests can also look forward to the return of one of the water park’s signature attractions: The Typhoon Lagoon Surf Pool. The largest outdoor wave pool in North America, the attraction uses state-of-the-art technology to create controlled waves up to six-feet high. Guests have two surfing options – “open surf’’ for small groups that involve 10 waves or “private surf’’ for groups of up to 25 people. 
Other popular attractions that offer everything from exhilarating slides to “water-ful’’ play spaces include:

Miss Adventure Falls, the fast-paced family raft attraction created, as the story goes, when Captain Mary Oceaneer, sea-faring treasure hunter, got her haul caught in a rogue typhoon, which scattered her treasure across this tropical paradise years ago.  Crush ‘N’ Gusher, a thrilling “water coaster” that features three 400-foot-long tube slides named for the various fruits they once transported. Castaway Creek, a scenic lazy river that encircles the entire water park, offering gentle passage past shady grottoes, gushing waterfalls, overhead rope bridges and lush rainforest landscapes. Humunga Kowabunga, offering a choice of three adrenaline-filled body slides set against the steep inclines of Mount Mayday. Known for its immersive storytelling, unique water attractions and a variety of family fun offerings, the water park was themed after the fabled tale of a rogue storm and its ensuing tidal wave that wreaked havoc on what once was a pristine waterside paradise. Full of topsy-turvy architecture, storm-strewn nautical gear and a stranded ship impaled upon the summit of Mount Mayday, each intentional detail brings the maritime legend to life. 

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The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) earlier this week announced the resignation of Liz Ortiguera as its Chief Executive Officer.Upon her notification, PATA Vice Chair Benjamin Liao said, “Liz served PATA with distinction as the first Asian female CEO in the organization’s 72-year history. On behalf of PATA, I would like to thank her for her leadership of the Association during a difficult period for the industry.”
“We recognize her many accomplishments as PATA CEO including new agreements with the Singapore Tourism Board, the Saudi Tourism Authority and Trip.com as well as the expanded partnerships with Visa, MasterCard, and Airbnb. New projects included PATA’s first Annual Summit in the Middle East, the PATA-Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) APAC Travel Summit, PATA-World Bank Government Recovery Insights Forum Series, the Tourism Destination Resilience Program launch and the ongoing Weekly Asia-Pacific Destination Recovery Dashboard.”
Commenting on her tenure at PATA, Ms. Ortiguera said, “It was a true honor to have served as PATA’s CEO. I am confident that PATA, with its diverse member base of industry leaders, can continue to support and lead our industry’s recovery and growth. PATA is even more critical as a business community today to support new partnerships, innovation, and the adoption of sustainable business practices.”
“I am handing back the reins with thanks to PATA Members for the opportunity to lead at this critical time of global industry recovery. I had the opportunity to work with some deeply committed, hard-working and talented individuals within the PATA team as well as our valued members and partners. They embody the heart and the spirit of what PATA could be in everything they do,” Ms. Ortiguera added.In response to Ms. Ortiguera’s departure, PATA Chair Peter Semone stated that, “the Executive Board has established five Expert Task Forces or ETFs to review critical elements of PATA’s development strategy, including Brand and Voice, Events, Membership Engagement, Organizational Design and Digital Readiness. The recommendations of these ETFs will help define PATA’s new direction strategically and operationally.”

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