UAE: Tourism Growing Very Fast And Steadily, Dubai Alone Is Worth $29.6 Billion (AED109 Billion)

The UAE’s efforts to diversify its economy are bearing fruit, as new data has revealed that the country’s tourism sector is experiencing a boom in revenue and visitors.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai are in the forefront of the resounding success.

Tourism sector gives oil a run because of its money. The UAE has been taking active steps through the years to solidify the tourism sector as a venerable area of the country’s economy, in addition to a major feature to tourists and investors alike.

According to the planet Tourism Organization (WTO), the UAE happens to be among the ten fastest growing holiday destinations in the global world, which was attained by the country’s Emirates, abu Dhabi especially, through developing their infrastructure and supporting the hotel sector, along with holding exhibitions, festivals along with other events.

With new data revealed by Dubai’s Department of Commerce and Tourism Marketing, Dubai Tourism, the real numbers appear to support this.

At the ultimate end of 2017, the sector in Dubai was worth $29.6 billion (AED109 billion) per year in accordance with their findings.

The true amount of visitors through the first quarter of 2018, who found its way to the country’s airports, reached around 32.8 million.

Dubai welcomed an archive 8.10 million international overnight tourists through the first half a year of 2018, year representing a frequent increase on the same period last.

In fact, DXB’june that 1 s operator revealed in late. 1 million passengers were likely to visit in 3 days just, between July 5th and July 8th.

The initial half a year of 2018 have both sustained and generated a reliable performance, supporting strong growth across our global feeder markets.

Attracting 8.10 million visitors through the first 1/2 of 2018 stands us in good stead once we accelerate momentum towards our visionary aspiration to become the most-visited city on the planet, Helal Saeed Almarri, Director-General of Dubai Tourism, commented.

According to the most recent Q2 data published by the Expedia Group, a ongoing company that runs travel fare aggregator sites, the true amount of travelers visiting the center East from Europe is increasing.

The set of the most notable ten markets in to the UK be included by the UAE, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, and Switzerland – a complete of six Europe.

Recent research released prior to the Arabian Travel Market revealed that arrivals from Europe to the GCC are set to cultivate for the time of 2018 – 2020 by around 17%, Expedia explains.

The most these travelers are anticipated to reach in the UAE.

India, Saudi Arabia, and the united kingdom, for the reason that order, earned the greatest amount of visitors into Dubai in H1.

Spread across a complete of 700 establishments, Dubai’s accommodation inventory stood at 111,of June 2018 317 by the end, up 7% set alongside the same time this past year.

With a rise popular for mid-market hotels operating in Dubai, the real amount of four-star properties has increased from 114 to 138, representing 25% of the rooms’ inventory, highlighting the high level of big spenders passing through the national country.

According to WAM, occupied room nights were up year-on-year with a complete of 14 also.97 million in comparison to 14.53 million through the same period in 2017, outlining the ongoing popularity and diversity of Dubai’s hospitality sector.

On another hand, the most recent statistics from the Abu Dhabi Department of Tourism and Culture concur that 162 hotels, hotel resorts and apartments in the emirate received 339,592 guests through the first 1/2 of 2018.

That is a rise of around 19,from June 2017 000 guests, while hotel establishments in the emirate received 2,413,year 230 guests through the first half a year of the existing, a rise of 5% on the same period in 2017.

The increased popularity of a comparatively more budget option for accommodation such as for example Airbnb in addition has contributed to a rise in tourism.

30% of individuals say they wouldn’t normally have traveled if it had been not for Airbnb, Hadi Moussa, the company’s general manager for the MENA region.

Moussa also said that Airbnb has its eyes set on growth within the spot, such as for example plans to capitalize on the 25+ million visitors likely to go to the UAE for the Expo 2020.


Tourism Observer

UAE: Visitors To Abu Dhabi Hotels Increase Very Steadily

The number of hotel guests staying in the emirate’s 163 hotels and hotel apartments in March reached 464,960, representing an increase of 12.3 per cent compared to the same month last year.

This is according to figures released by the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).

The total number of hotel guests in the first three months of the year was 1,289,537, with key international markets registering impressive percentage gains.

During the month, the numbers of visitors from leading international source market China increased by 15.4 per cent to number 40,800.

Indian guest numbers rose 32 per cent to number 35,200 while UK figures increased 24 per cent to reach 28,000.

Other key markets, notably the United States and Germany, also registered double-digit increases, with the US up 29 per cent to 19,300 and Germany rising 36 per cent to 18,800 guests.

These figures follow a record-breaking 2017 when just shy of five million visitors stayed in Abu Dhabi city, Al Ain Region and Al Dhafra’s range of accommodation.

UAE-based guests also increased in March to 134,631, a rise from March 2017’s total of 130,125.

All three regions registered hotel guest rises with Al Dhafra leading the way with a 22.7 per cent rise, followed by Abu Dhabi city with a 12.8 per cent rise and Al Ain with a 5.3 per cent rise.

The first quarter of this year has seen China maintain its position as leading international hotel guest supplier, with more than 127,000 Chinese staying in the emirate, an increase of 31 per cent compared to the same period in 2017.

Indian visitor numbers have surged past 100,000 and showed a 30 per cent increase while the UK registered a 25 per cent increase.

The US registered a 24 per cent increase while Germany was up 27 per cent.

Saif Saeed Gobash, undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, said, Our progress in attracting more people to explore the emirate as a visitor destination is a testament to our continuous investment into Abu Dhabi’s diverse range of attractions and year-round programme of events.

Our targeted marketing investment in key source markets is being rewarded with impressive double-digit growth as our global awareness grows and we develop into a must visit destination built on unique experiences and rich cultural heritage.

We have an ambitious target of attracting 8.5 million guests a year by 2021, which will provide a significant boost to the economy and support our drive for economic diversification.


Tourism Observer

GULF CRISIS: Both The Coalition Against Qatar And Qatar At Stalemate,Gulf Diplomats In US For Talks

Top Gulf diplomats were in Washington Tuesday as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sought to help resolve the stubborn Qatar crisis, amid concerns that Saudi Arabia's unyielding stance could foil the effort.

With a one-week Saudi deadline looming for Qatar to meet its demands, Tillerson had talks with Qatar Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

He quickly followed that with a meeting with Kuwait Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Sabah, whose country has taken on the official role of mediator.

And he was planning to meet in a working dinner late Tuesday with the Kuwaitis and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who has offered to help resolve the row.

But Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, also in Washington, was unbudging over the three-week-old squabble, which has left Qatar, a US ally, isolated under a trade and diplomatic embargo set by its Gulf Arab neighbors.

Our demands on Qatar are non-negotiable. It's now up to Qatar to end its support for extremism and terrorism, Jubeir said via Twitter.

With the support of the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, the Saudis announced on June 5 they were suspending all ties with Qatar, accusing it of support for extremist groups,a claim Doha denies.

They closed their airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirate's only land border, a vital route for its food imports.

Last week Riyadh laid down a list of 13 demands for Qatar, included the closure of Al-Jazeera, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutdown of a Turkish military base in the emirate.

The United Arab Emirates warned that Qatar should take the demands seriously or face "divorce" from its Gulf neighbors.

The dispute between two groups of allies, Turkey and Iraq have backed Qatar has laid down a hefty challenge for Tillerson, a seasoned oil executive but new to statecraft.

While initially stepping back from what it viewed as a regional spat that would sort itself out, Washington has accepted that it will have to take an active role in resolving what has the makings of a foreign policy disaster for the young government of President Donald Trump.

Washington has close economic and security ties with both sides of the quarrel.

Qatar is home to the largest US base in the region, Al-Udeid. Bahrain is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet. And the US and Saudi militaries work closely together as well.

Kuwait is the official arbitrator for seeking a settlement, and after meeting al-Sabah, Tillerson pledged his support for its lead in talks.

During their meeting they reaffirmed the need for all parties to exercise restraint to allow for productive diplomatic discussions, according to spokeswoman Heather Nauert.

But the US will be central to finding compromises that would do little damage but allow each side to claim a win, said Hussein Ibish, a scholar on Gulf affairs at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.

It's an all-out struggle of wills, he said.

The way out for both sides is a kind of an American mediation which is face-saving for everybody.

The United States has cautioned that some of the demands would be difficult for Qatar to accept, asking the Saudis for a clear list of grievances that are reasonable and actionable.

Nauert said that talks would continue through the week, but added the Saudi demands remained challenging for Qatar.

Some of them will be difficult for Qatar to incorporate and to try to adhere to, she said.

We continue to call on those countries to work together and work this out.

QATAR: Gulf Crisis Affecting Qatar Tourism

The boycott imposed on Qatar by the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt is squeezing the country’s tourism sector and Doha’s hotels, which would normally be full in the Eid Al Fitr holiday, have seen steep falls in their occupancy rates.

Average occupancy was around 57 per cent at the start of the Eid festival on Sunday.

We’re usually packed with Saudis and Bahrainis but not this year, a staff member at a five-star hotel said.

The aviation analyst Will Horton estimated Hamad International Airport, one of the Middle East’s busiest, would handle 76 per cent as many flights in early July compared with the same period last year, a loss of about 27,000 passengers a day.

Visitors from the rest of the GCC usually account for almost half of all visitors to Qatar and the decision to cut diplomatic and transport ties on June 5 hit traffic hard.

Doha in early July, assuming the restrictions remain, will have less capacity than a year ago - a confronting figure for a region where every month sets year-on-year records, said Mr Horton, senior analyst at Australia’s CAPA Center for Aviation.

Hundreds of weekly flights to and from Qatar have already been cancelled because of the dispute. Hamad airport will lose fees paid by airlines and passengers, as well as terminal revenue from duty free shops and restaurants.

Air links suspended by the four Arab states represented around 25 per cent of flights by state-owned Qatar Airways, one of the region’s big three carriers.

Elsewhere in the tourist sector, hotels, restaurants and other facilities have had to find new sources of services and goods, in some cases, at higher cost, due to the boycott, said Rashid Aboobacker, a senior director at TRI Consulting in Dubai.

A substantial drop in visitor arrivals is likely to force hotel and real estate developers to re-evaluate their strategies and priorities, potentially causing delays to some of the ongoing tourism projects, he said.

Developing business and leisure tourism is part of Qatar’s drive to develop its economy away from reliance on oil and gas revenue.

Doha aims to raise the tourism sector’s contribution to GDP to 5.2 pe rcent by 2030 from around 4.1 per cent now, while raising the number of people employed by nearly 70 per cent to 127,900.

SPAIN: Emirates To Fly Only A380 To Spain

Emirates today announced that all of its flights to Spain will be operated by the iconic A380.

In addition to the existing double daily A380 service to Barcelona, the airline will operate a double daily A380 service to Madrid, significantly boosting seat capacity from Dubai to Spain.

This change enables more A380 to A380 connections to and from key business and leisure destinations such as Australia, China, South Korea and South East Asia with just one stop in Dubai.

Commencing 1st September 2017, Emirates flights EK143/144 will be operated by an Airbus A380 aircraft in a 3-class configuration with 14 Private Suites in First Class, 76 flat-bed seats in Business Class and 399 comfortable seats in Economy Class.

Passengers in all classes will enjoy access to Wi-Fi and over 2,500 channels of films, TV shows, music and games, with an impressive selection in Spanish, through ice Digital Widescreen, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system.

They will also experience the famed hospitality of the airline’s multi-cultural cabin crew, with Spanish speakers on all flights to and from Spain, as well as fine wines and regionally inspired cuisine prepared using the finest ingredients.

What’s more, First and Business Class passengers can travel to and from the airport in style with Emirates complimentary Chauffeur-drive service as well as enjoy Emirates exclusive lounges at select airports around the world.

Once on board, passengers in premium class seating receive a luxurious amenity kit featuring Italian-made Bulgari products and can enjoy the Emirates Onboard Lounge; First Class passengers can also take advantage of the Emirates Shower Spa to freshen up.

Emirates’ flight EK143 departs from Dubai International Airport at 14:30hrs and arrives in Madrid at 20:20hrs. The outbound flight EK144 departs from Madrid at 22:05hrs and arrives in Dubai at 07:15hrs the following day.

The airline currently operates two daily services between Dubai and Madrid, as well as a double daily A380 service between Barcelona and Dubai.

From the airport, Emirates also enables seamless rail connections from Barcelona and Madrid to 25 cities across Spain through its partnership with Renfe rail.

The links between Madrid and Emirates extend far beyond the airline’s double daily service. Emirates has been a proud sponsor of Real Madrid since 2011.

Through its SkyCargo division, Emirates also facilitates the import and export of key products, connecting Spanish companies to the world.

In 2016, Emirates transported over 70,000 tonnes of cargo from Spain including: apparel, food products like fish and olive oil, pharmaceuticals and shoes; bound for the UAE, Africa, Hong Kong, USA, Australia and Mexico.

In addition to its four daily passenger flights, Emirates also operates dedicated cargo flights with its freighter aircraft to both Barcelona and Zaragoza.

Earlier this month, Emirates was recognised as the ‘Best Airline in the World’ at the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards for airlines.

The award was based on thousands of reviews Emirates received from the TripAdvisor community over the past twelve months. Emirates was the most positively reviewed airline in the industry over that period of time.

Russia Changes Visa Rules,United Raises Compensation Limit To $10,000

Russia is going to make it simpler for the citizens of 18 countries to enter the port city of Vladivostok with an aim to attract gamblers to new casinos and also investors to the resourceful and yet untapped region of the Far East.

Japan, China and Iran are among the nations that would be eligible for a four-day, online application process for ‘visas on arrival’.

However, Vladivostok is the only point of entry so far that has been approved, since travel is restricted to eight days and only within the Primorsky Krai region.

Out of the nations on the list, only two nations of Japan and China can be realistically expected to make a noticeable impact on the tourist arrivals in the Far East region of Russia as per Irina Tyurina, a spokeswoman for the Russian Tourism Industry Union.

She said that the e-visa would make travelling more convenient for business people especially those who visit Russia by themselves.

Tourists from countries like China increased to 15% last year to 1.29 million, surpassing the arrivals from other 17 nations, according to data published by the federal government of Russia.

Out of the 16 countries on the list, eight nations like Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Algeria, Brunei, Bahrain and UAE are not included in the leading 80 sources for visitors, as per the data of the Russian Border Service.

However, an easier visa regime might witness a larger number of tourists arriving from Persian Gulf, as per the deputy deacon of the international tourism faculty at the Russian State Financial University, Yuri Schegolkov.

This brand new arrangement is expected to commence in September, just in time for the third Eastern Economic Forum on the 6th and 7th of that month in Russky Island, Vladivostok.

Meanwhile, United Airlines says it will raise the limit — to $10,000 — on payments to customers who give up seats on oversold flights and will increase training for employees as it deals with fallout from the video of a passenger being violently dragged from his seat.

It is also vowing to reduce, but not eliminate, overbooking-the selling of more tickets than there are seats on the plane.

United isn’t saying whether ticket sales have dropped since the removal of a 69-year-old passenger by three airport security officers, but the airline’s CEO admits it could be damaging.

To head off customer defections, United had already announced that it will no longer call police to remove passengers from overbooked flights, and will require airline crews traveling for work to check in sooner. On Thursday, it added several other new policies including:

Raising the limit on compensation to $10,000 for customers who give up their seats. That is a maximum — it’s unclear how many, if any, passengers would see that much. The current limit is $1,350. Delta Air Lines earlier this month raised its limit to $9,950.

Sending displaced passengers or crew members to nearby airports, putting them on other airlines or arranging for car transportation to get them to their destinations.

United said it will reduce but not end the overbooking of flights. Munoz said if airlines can’t overbook flights there will be more empty seats and fares will rise. Delta CEO Ed Bastian called overselling flights “a valid business process.”

Politicians in Washington and elsewhere have called for a ban on overselling flights. Some critics have said airlines should leave a few seats empty if they think they will be needed by crew members.

UAE: Are UAE Tourists Exempted From Traffic Fines?

A card with a Dubai Police logo has gone viral on social media, saying that tourists and visitors who flout traffic rules could be let off.

The General Department of Traffic of the Dubai Police denied rumours that the visitors and tourists in the UAE are exempted from minor traffic fines. The denial came in the wake of a card going viral on social media that the Dubai Police will pardon visitors who caught by radars.

The card, which was circulated in social media, read as follows: "Dear driver, as you are a guest in the UAE and came on visit visa to Dubai, you are welcomed and we wish you a good stay. We are sorry to inform you that you are caught by radars as you did not abide by traffic law. Despite that, we will not issue you a traffic fine. We do not want to issue a fine to you, but our goal is your safety."

Major-General Mohamed Saif Al Zafeen, Head of the Traffic Prosecution Council and Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Dubai Police for Operations Affairs, said that the Dubai Police did not circulate the card that had a Dubai Police logo on it.

"A few years ago, the Dubai Traffic Department had exempted tourists who commit minor traffic violations from paying fines to make them happy. However, the Dubai Police have not taken any such decision recently and it is just a rumour. If there is any such decision, that will be announced by the Dubai Police through its official channels."

Maj.-Gen. Al Zafeen urged the public to confirm the news before circulating that to avoid legal action.

Citizens of UAE and India are eligible to visit Russia's Far East without visas, Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced on Monday.

Medvedev said tourists and businessmen from 18 nations can visit the Russian Far East without visas.

The list of 18 countries comprises UAE, India, Algeria, Bahrain, Brunei, Iran, Qatar, China, North Korea, Kuwait, Morocco, Mexico, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Tunisia, Turkey and Japan.

"I have recently approved the list of countries, whose nationals can take advantage of the preferential regime. Businessmen and tourists will not need to undergo the traditional procedure of Russian visas receipt," the Prime Minister said. It will be enough for foreigners "to enter their data on a special website in the Internet," Medvedev said.

"We are proactively forming the modern infrastructure and creating special regimes in the Far East; the law on visits to the Vladivostok free port was approved in March," Medvedev said.

Cancellation of visa procedures for tourists and businessmen "will promote growth of investment and tourist attractiveness of the Far East," the prime minister said. The region will earn more money from tourist traffic growth, he added.

Eighteen countries from various regions selected by the reciprocity principle were included into the list, Medvedev said. "This is not because these states are situated at a closer or longer distance - we are appropriately introducing bilateral agreements on visa-free travel for those ready to use such an approach for us," he was quoted as saying by TASS.

QATAR: Cheesecake Factory Opens

M.H. Alshaya Co. opened Qatar’s first The Cheesecake Factory last month, representing the US brand’s eleventh restaurant in the Middle East.

The outlet is located in the newly opened Mall of Qatar, Qatar’s largest shopping centre.

The Doha-based branch is one of about 100 F&B outlets in the QAR5.4bn (US$1.48bn) mall — which opened more than a year after it was initially scheduled to be completed — spread out over a large food court.

The upscale casual dining chain, which is known for its extensive menu of more than 250 options, has focused on international expansion in recent years.

In 2012 the New York-listed restaurant chain signed a deal with Kuwait-based retailer Alshaya to franchise its outlets across the Gulf in its first overseas expansion. The deal allowed for more than 20 restaurants to be built in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait.

The Alshaya group opened the world's largest branch of The Cheesecake Factory at Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates in 2013.

TURKEY: Targeting Visitors From Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar and Bahrain

Turkey is targeting visitors from Oman during Eid Al Adha in a bid to bolster tourism numbers following the country's recent failed coup attempt.

Salih Ozer, an official from The Turkish Cultural and Tourism Office in Dubai, told Times of Oman: "The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism is looking to visitors from Oman and other Gulf countries to offset the recent slump in the nation's tourist numbers."

Tourism is vital to Turkey's GDP and political instability, and terrorism, has taken a toll on the sector.

Data from the Tourism Ministry showed Turkish tourist arrivals fell 40.86% year-on-year in June this year, with 2.44 million people arriving during the month. The data reveals the biggest drop on record, which goes back to 1994.

"In the past, visitors from Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain have represented the highest volume of visitors to the nation.

"We hope that the upcoming Eid Al Adha holidays will help boost tourist revenue, especially since the safety and comfort of tourists is being handled with the utmost care," Ozer added.

Drop In Pound To Better Tourism

Britain's recent exit from the European Union after more than four decades of membership, has been a topic of much discussion and debate. Despite the clouding uncertainties, the Brexit vote has not been without consequence for the travel industry, whether the short- or long-term.

'One thing is for sure: the drop in the value of the pound in the short-term will come as welcome news to those looking to visit the UK any time soon and to those that travel to the UK frequently, since the UK – London in particular – has suddenly become a little more affordable, to an extent,' says James Massoud from UK-based Wellington Travel and Tours, which is a luxury travel service provider with a focus on GCC countries.

'Whatever ripple effect Brexit will cause in the European Union, the Mena region and the GCC countries are now in a prime position to capitalise on the UK’s separation and further strengthen its relationship with Britain.' In the long-term, as the UK now looks ahead to a future of independence it will try to strengthen its trade relations with countries, particularly in the Middle East and Africa (Mena) region, Massoud suggests.

'About $18 billion of UK exports went to Mena in 2014. In turn, the UK will be reliant on tourism to help strengthen the economy, especially from the Middle East. Overseas visits to London have almost doubled in the last decade with almost 17 million people visiting the capital every year. Tourist spending has risen, too, by nearly 14 per cent, with visitors from the Middle East – in particular, the UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia – spending the most.' TTN has reported in the past that the average GCC visitor spends £4,000 ($5,255) per visit to London.

'Britain is still a part of the European Union for the next two years, even if negotiations begin right away as expected. In his resignation speech, Prime Minister David Cameron stated that there would be no initial change to the way people travel.

'Going forward it might mean tighter border checks and potentially higher airfares. However, at such an early stage there is no way of knowing for sure. If these do happen as a result, they won’t come into effect for another couple of years once the UK has officially left the European Union,' says he.

RUSSIA: Visit Russia Tourism Office Opens In Hanoi

The Russian government opened a Visit Russia office in the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi on April 14. The office aims to promote tourism in Russia from ASEAN and East Asian countries.

The office will work with travel agencies from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and South Korea.

“The main missions of the office are to create a positive image of Russia as a country favorable for tourism and recreation, increasing confidence in the Russian tourism industry, and promoting all regions and all types of tourism in Russia from Asia,” Alexander Basov, the head of the Hanoi office told RBTH.

According to the latest Russian government statistics, tourism from Asian countries to Russia grew significantly in 2015. Last year, arrivals from Thailand grew by 76 percent, while the number of tourists visiting Russia from Vietnam grew by 57 percent. In 2015, the number of South Korean tourists visiting Russia grew by 41 percent.

Visit Russia also has offices in China, Germany, Finland, Italy, Iran, Kuwait and the UAE.

In 2015, the organization held 11 familiarization trips for tour operators and members of the media. It also conducted nine road shows. Over 500 foreign tour operators approached Visit Russia for information on tourism in Russia last year.

JORDAN: Regional Instability Impacts Medical Tourism To Jordan

Regional instability impacts medical tourism to Jordan.

Jordan's medical tourism sector impacted by ongoing regional instability and increase in national operating expenses. Threats to the sustainability of Jordan's medical tourism status over the long-term.

According to BMI Research, Jordan's medical tourism sector will be detrimentally impacted by ongoing regional instability and an increase in national operating expenses.

Jordan's healthcare system is relatively advanced and offers affordable services for medical tourists, so the country often claims to be a leading medical tourism destination in the Middle East. Downside risks - including conflicts in neighbouring countries and the ongoing influx of refugees - threaten the sustainability of Jordan's medical tourism status over the long-term.

BMR Research expects Jordan's sustainability as a medical tourism hub to come under immense threat as it faces a range of challenges on a national-scale. The key problem is the ongoing political instability in neighbouring countries. Spillover effects from conflicts in Syria will create uncertainty in operating conditions and negatively affect Jordan's investment attractiveness. Regional insecurity is already taking a toll on the general tourism industry in Jordan this situation will worsen in 2016, with fewer tourists. The most recent data available shows that tourism receipts in Jordan fell by 15.7% in the first half of 2015 and regional incidents since then means numbers for late 2015 and 2016 will see further falls.

Jordan is still one of the most stable countries in the Middle East region. However, the country has not been immune to unrest, and over the longer term, the absence of major progress in addressing corruption will continue to represent major challenges for the government and this will negatively impact the attractiveness of the healthcare sector. Corruption is among the greatest obstacles Jordan will face in the coming decade. Almost two-thirds of Jordanians perceive the public and private sectors as corrupt, which will deter the country's reputation as a medical destination.

The government aims to attract 300,000 medical tourists in 2018, with potential revenues of JOD1.06bn (USD1.5bn). However, this figure is optimistic in BMI's view, particularly given the emergence of Dubai as the preferred regional medical tourism centre.

The influx of refugees from Iraq and Syria has already put an enormous strain on Jordan's healthcare system. BMR expects this continuing trend to negatively impact the government's financing abilities for medical services. The role of the private sector in attracting medical tourists will become even more significant over the long-term. The hike in electricity tariffs will cause operating expenses to increase in Jordan. The recent income tax law is also expected to have a negative impact as the tax imposed on hospitals has increased from 14% to 20%.

Although Jordan does get patients from the Middle East and North Africa claims on international patient numbers are broad guesses and do not split medical tourists from refugees or victims of conflict in Gaza, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and African countries such as Chad. The Private Hospitals Association regularly claims figures of 250,000 but after a decade of use this figure-with no known base - has outworn its welcome. Exactly how many medical tourists Jordan gets is unknown.

UAE: Etihad Signs Codeshare With Pakistan International Airlines

Etihad Airways and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) have signed a codeshare agreement between the UAE, Pakistan and beyond.

Etihad will place its EY code on PIA flights between Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Abu Dhabi.

PIA’s PK code will be placed on Etihad flights between Abu Dhabi and Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore and the code will also be added to Etihad’s flights from Abu Dhabi to many of its global destinations.

“There is a long and proud history of travel between Abu Dhabi and cities across Pakistan, and this new codeshare agreement – between the national airlines of the UAE and Pakistan – will make that experience, as well as travel onwards to Africa, Europe, and the United States, that much easier,” said Kevin Knight, Etihad Airways chief strategy and planning officer.

TANZANIA: Etihad To Commence Flights To Tanzania

When on the 01st of December Etihad makes its maiden flight from Abu Dhabi to Dar es Salaam, closing a destination gap their closest competitors in the Gulf already serve multiple times a day, will travelers from Tanzania be in for not just a new kid on the aviation block but also news that the national airline of Abu Dhabi and the UAE is now flying their Airbus A380 to New York.

This aircraft type is now daily on the route to the big apple, offering the splendor of a First Class apartment in the sky, at the cool cost of 32.000 US Dollars one way between Abu Dhabi and JFK.

Few East Africans will be able to afford spending this sort of money on an airticket but the airlines’ highly acclaimed business class offers travel at much more competitive prices similar to what Etihad’s competitors charge.

The airline, after Nairobi, which it serves in code share with Kenya Airways, also comes to Entebbe, albeit not daily as initially thought and will from next Wednesday commence services to Tanzania’s commercial capital.

UAE: Sharjah Operators Scoop Aviation Awards

Sharjah-headquartered regional budget carrier Air Arabia and business aviation services operator, Gama Aviation Sharjah, were honoured at the recent Aviation Business Awards (ABA). Organised by magazine publisher ITP Ltd, the annual Aviation Business Awards celebrate the achievements of the Middle East aerospace industry over the past 12 months.

Air Arabia was named both ‘Low Cost Airline of the Year’ and ‘Airline of the Year (Middle East)’ for 2015 at the annual ABA ceremony, while Gama Aviation’s operation at Sharjah International Airport was named 2015 ‘Fixed Base Operator of the Year’.

Commencing operations in Sharjah in 2003, Air Arabia is the largest low-cost carrier operator in the Middle East and North Africa and the only listed airline in the United Arab Emirates. It is the recipient of numerous aviation industry awards including this year’s ‘Best Low-cost Airline in the Middle East’ award, which it has received twice in three years at the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards. The airline was also named ‘Best Low-Cost Carrier’ at World Tourism Forum Awards in Istanbul this year.

Air Arabia has played a key role growing air traffic via Sharjah International Airport. The airline carried over 6.8 million passengers in 2014, 12 per cent more than 2013. The airline now operates from five international hubs, Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah in the UAE, Casablanca in Morocco, Cairo in Egypt and Amman, Jordan. Air Arabia also recently introduced first regional low-cost carrier loyalty programme.

Gama Aviation has been handling all business aviation services at Sharjah International Airport since early 2012, in partnership with Sharjah’s Department of Civil Aviation, and opened its own private aviation terminal in 2014. The full service private aviation hub serves Sharjah, Dubai and the Northern Emirates, offering business jet owners short and long term parking, plus dedicated ramp handling and fuel. Gama Aviation’s future plans for its Sharjah hub include the construction of a new mixed-use hangar for maintenance and additional aircraft storage.

Gama’s Sharjah FBO was recognised by the Aviation Business Awards for providing customers with outstanding service and facilities over the past 12 months. The award was judged according to a variety of criteria including innovation, design, customer satisfaction and investment in operations.

Sharjah International Airport handled 9.5 million passengers last year and, more recently, saw a 10 percent increase in the number of passengers handled during July, August and September this year, compared with the same period in 2014.

UNITED KINGDOM: Middle East Private Jets Worth $646.9M Up For Sale

According to Global Jet Capital, Saudi Arabia has the largest fleet of private jets in the Middle East, with 144 planes.

Three of 17 private jets owned by Lebanese businessmen are up for sale, London-based company Global Jet Capital has said.

Global Jet Capital, a provider of financing solutions for large-cabin, long-range private jets, reveals there are around 62 aircraft of this size for sale in the Middle East, with a combined value of around $646.9 million.

The report did not disclose the names of the Lebanese who own the private jets or those whose aircraft are up for sale.

“Some 19 of these [62] aircraft are registered in Saudi Arabia, and 18 are in the United Arab Emirates. The remainder is spread out across the Middle East,” Global Jet revealed in a statement.

The findings show that in total, there are around 559 mid- to large-sized private jets in the region, meaning that around 11 percent of the fleet is currently for sale.

It added that the aviation finance specialist, which recently agreed to purchase the aircraft lease and loan portfolio of GE Capital Corporate Aircraft in the Americas representing approximately $2.5 billion of net assets, has around $1 billion to lend to clients to purchase relevant business aircraft in the Middle East and elsewhere around the world.

“The aircraft Global Jet Capital funds typically cost between $25 million and $75 million each, and it says up to 80 percent of the funding used to purchase these is sourced through external financing,” the statement said.

Shawn Vick, executive director of Global Jet Capital said: “Over the long term we expect to see growth in the sale of mid- to large-sized business jets in the region, and we are well positioned to meet the finance demand to help facilitate this.”

“Many potential clients will be looking to upgrade to a more modern aircraft, but as the region’s wealth increases, we expect to see more first-time buyers,” he added.

According to the table provided by Global Jet Capital, Saudi Arabia has the largest fleet of private jets in the Middle East with 144, followed by Turkey’s 108, UAE’s 97, Kuwait’s 27, Iran’s 26, Qatar’s 24, Jordan’s 21, Lebanon’s 17, Oman’s 15 and Bahrain’s 12.

KAZAKHSTAN: Air Astana To Fly To Dubai In October

Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s flag-carrier, has confirmed it will re-launch services between Astana and Dubai on October 25th.

The non-stop flight will be operated four times a week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays using an Airbus A320.

The service from Dubai to Astana offers greater convenience to Dubai based passengers as well as those located in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Additionally, timely connections will be offered to international transit passengers travelling from Urumqi (China), Omsk (Russia) and Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan).

“Air Astana is fully committed to expanding the route network from Astana, with the re-launch to Dubai following the recent introduction of new services from the capital to Paris, Seoul and Tbilisi,” said Peter Foster, president, Air Astana.

“With Kazakhstan and UAE enjoying strengthening links in business, finance, tourism and culture, I’m confident that the new service will be extremely popular with passengers travelling between Astana and Dubai.”

The minimum cost of a round trip economy class ticket from Astana to Dubai, including all fees, is US$ 468 and a business class ticket is US$ 2,107 during low season and US$ 2,667 during high season.

Tickets can be booked at the Air Astana website www.airastana.com, where UAE visas can also be issued.

Air Astana commenced regular flight operations on May 15th 2002 and currently operates a network of over 60 international and domestic routes from hubs in Almaty and Astana.

Air Astana operates a fleet of 30 aircraft including three Boeing 767-300ER, five Boeing 757-200, thirteen Airbus A320 family aircraft and nine Embraer E-190.

Both accolades were repeated in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Air Astana is a joint venture between Kazakhstan’s national wealth fund, Samruk Kazyna, and BAE Systems, with respective shares of 51 per cent and 49 per cent.