July has begun with a flurry of travel news in the region.
Emirates has announced the first three cities that its retrofitted B777 jets will fly to later this year. Egypt is the most popular summer destination for UAE travellers, according to Skyscanner. And more details have been unveiled about Oman's newest luxury hotel – the $500 million Trump International resort in Muscat.
Here's a round-up of recent travel and tourism news – in case you missed it.
$500 million luxury Trump resort coming in 2028
Trump International has revealed details about its new luxury resort in Oman, announcing that it is scheduled to open in December 2028.
The $500 million hotel will be perched 100 metres above the Gulf of Oman and boast villas with clifftop views, private infinity pools and an 18-hole championship golf course.
Part of Aida, a new affluent community in the sultanate, the hotel will have 140 rooms, suites and villas. Premium suites will overhang the clifftop and feature floor-to-ceiling windows and walls with ocean views.
Trump International says the hotel will have multiple restaurants, a private beach, children's play area and a wellness centre. It will also include Cliff Hanging Night Club, which is being designed for members only.
Eric Trump, executive vice president of The Trump Organization, said: “In collaboration with Dar Global, we are thrilled to launch Trump International Oman, heralding a new era of sophistication, impeccable service and exclusivity synonymous with the Trump standard of excellence.”
Located less than half an hour from Muscat International Airport, the development by Saudi property developer Dar Global also includes furnished villas and serviced apartments, including Trump Signature Villas that come with “elite membership” of the golf club and a Trump-branded golf cart.
Emirates unveils first routes for refurbished jets
Geneva will be the first destination served by Emirates' refurbished B777s.
The airline has announced that the Swiss city will begin receiving the facelifted jets from August 11. Tokyo and Brussels will be the next cities to welcome the new Emirates jets, with flights to Japan set to start on September 1 and the Belgium route opening on September 11.
Having undergone nose-to-tail transformations, the upgraded Boeing 777s will introduce the airline's new business class seats. Emirates has revealed that they will be set in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration and that they are designed to give travellers more privacy and comfort. Each chair is lie-flat with wider seats and aisle access for every passenger. There are also personal mini bars, storage facilities and a touch screen seat controller, as well as a 23-inch HD screen, one of the largest in the air.
Jets will also have first class, premium economy and economy cabins. The Dubai airline is refurbishing 81 Boeing 777 as part of its retrofit programme, the largest of its kind in the aviation industry and an operation that is costing upwards of $3 billion.
Emirates has already refurbished many of its double-decker A380 aircraft to add premium economy cabins. The superjumbo flights are operating to several destinations in the US, Australia and Japan, as well as to Singapore, Mumbai, Bangalore, Sao Paulo, London and Dubai.
Emirates posted bumper profits for 2023-2024 in June, and this week announced that it is overhauling staff benefits. Women will now be entitled to 90 days of paid maternity leave, up from 60, and staff have been given a 4 per cent rise on basic salary starting July 1. This comes after the airline gave its employees a bonus equivalent to 20 weeks' salary after record financial results.
The airline is on an upwards trajectory with its new A350 fleet also joining the roster in November and introducing flights to Edinburgh. Passengers travelling on the new Airbus aircraft will also be able to experience the airline's premium economy cabins and business class seats. Emirates plans to add premium economy cabins on flights to 36 cities by February.
Egypt, the UK and Thailand popular for UAE travellers
Travellers in the UAE are flocking to Egypt this summer, according to the latest data from online travel agency Skyscanner.
Topping a list of trending destinations, Egypt is favoured for its rich history and vibrant culture. Travellers are also heading to the UK, the second most popular destination this summer, according to Skyscanner.
Skyscanner data shows that those seeking more tropical vibes are favouring trips to Thailand, with the Asian destination ranking as the third most popular for summer travel this year. That's followed by Turkey, where travellers can explore a fusion of east meets west culture.
Flydubai adds flights to Iran's sunshine coast
Flydubai has announced that it will start flying to Iran's Kish Island and the city of Kerman from September 7.
The Dubai airline will operate four weekly flights to Kish Island, off the southern coast of Iran. Departing from Terminal 2 in Dubai at 7.15am on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday and Saturdays, flights will take just over one hour. The Iranian island is known for its beach resorts and watersports and is popular with scubadivers and those looking for a laid-back getaway.
Services to Kerman, in Iran's south-east, will start on September 9 and operate on Mondays and Thursdays, leaving Dubai just before 1pm and landing in the Iranian city an hour later. Famed for its location as a crossroads, the city is known for its cultural heritage and natural beauty.
“We have continued to look for opportunities to open up underserved markets and so we are pleased to offer our customers more convenient options for travel to Iran,” said Hamad Obaidalla, chief commercial officer at flydubai.
On Monday, flydubai began new daily services to Islamabad and Lahore in Pakistan, meaning the airline now serves more than 125 destinations around the world. New upcoming destinations include Basel, Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius.
Astroworld
Travis Scott
Grand Hustle/Epic/Cactus Jack
SPEC SHEET
Display: 6.8" edge quad-HD dynamic Amoled 2X, Infinity-O, 3088 x 1440, 500ppi, HDR10 , 120Hz
Processor: 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/Exynos 2200, 8-core
Memory: 8/12GB RAM
Storage: 128/256/512GB/1TB
Platform: Android 12
Main camera: quad 12MP ultra-wide f/2.2, 108MP wide f/1.8, 10MP telephoto f/4.9, 10MP telephoto 2.4; Space Zoom up to 100x, auto HDR, expert RAW
Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, full-HD@60fps, HD@30fps, super slo-mo@960fps
Front camera: 40MP f/2.2
Battery: 5000mAh, fast wireless charging 2.0 Wireless PowerShare
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC
I/O: USB-C
SIM: single nano, or nano and SIM, nano and nano, eSIM/nano and nano
Colours: burgundy, green, phantom black, phantom white, graphite, sky blue, red
Price: Dh4,699 for 128GB, Dh5,099 for 256GB, Dh5,499 for 512GB; 1TB unavailable in the UAE
'The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting up a Generation for Failure'
Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, Penguin Randomhouse
Company profile
Name: Tharb
Started: December 2016
Founder: Eisa Alsubousi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Luxury leather goods
Initial investment: Dh150,000 from personal savings
Need to know
When: October 17 until November 10
Cost: Entry is free but some events require prior registration
Where: Various locations including National Theatre (Abu Dhabi), Abu Dhabi Cultural Center, Zayed University Promenade, Beach Rotana (Abu Dhabi), Vox Cinemas at Yas Mall, Sharjah Youth Center
What: The Korea Festival will feature art exhibitions, a B-boy dance show, a mini K-pop concert, traditional dance and music performances, food tastings, a beauty seminar, and more.
For more information: www.koreafestivaluae.com
Zimbabwe v UAE, ODI series
All matches at the Harare Sports Club:
1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10
2nd ODI, Friday, April 12
3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14
4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
If you go
The Flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Johannesburg from Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively. Economy return tickets cost from Dh2,650, including taxes.
The trip
Worldwide Motorhoming Holidays (worldwidemotorhomingholidays.co.uk) operates fly-drive motorhome holidays in eight destinations, including South Africa. Its 14-day Kruger and the Battlefields itinerary starts from Dh17,500, including campgrounds, excursions, unit hire and flights. Bobo Campers has a range of RVs for hire, including the 4-berth Discoverer 4 from Dh600 per day.
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Results
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStage%203%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Einer%20Rubio%20(COL)%20Movistar%20Team%20-%204h51%E2%80%9924%E2%80%9D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Remco%20Evenepoel%20(BEL)%20Soudal%20Quick-Step%20-%2014%22%3Cbr%3E3.%20Adam%20Yates%20(GBR)%20UAE%20Team%20Emirates%20-%2015%22%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EGeneral%20classifications%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Remco%20Evenepoel%20(BEL)%20Soudal%20Quick-Step%3Cbr%3E2.%20Lucas%20Plapp%20(AUS)%20Ineos%20Grenaders)%20-%207%22%3Cbr%3E3.%20Pello%20Bilbao%20(ESP)%20Bahrain%20Victorious%20-%2011%22%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
The specs: 2018 Range Rover Velar R-Dynamic HSE
Price, base / as tested: Dh263,235 / Dh420,000
Engine: 3.0-litre supercharged V6
Power 375hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque: 450Nm @ 3,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.4L / 100kms
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Kandahar%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ric%20Roman%20Waugh%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EGerard%20Butler%2C%20Navid%20Negahban%2C%20Ali%20Fazal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
