From now until September 16, 2024, travelers flying to and from Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai will be treated to an array of authentic Onam dishes in all cabin classes. Emirates will feature these special menus on its 14 weekly flights to Kochi and 7 weekly flights to Thiruvananthapuram, providing a comforting taste of home for those celebrating the festival away from their native land.

The carefully curated Onam menu aims to bring the rich flavors of Kerala onboard, allowing passengers to savor the essence of the festival while traveling. In addition to the culinary delights, passengers can enjoy a selection of entertaining Malayalam films, making their journey an enjoyable and culturally enriching experience.

For more information, please refer to the attached press release. Should you have any questions or need further details, feel free to reach out via email.

Emirates continues to enhance the travel experience with unique cultural offerings, and this celebration of Onam is just one of the many ways the airline strives to connect with its passengers and their traditions.

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The sale features both one-way and return fares, valid for travel from 1 September 2024 to 31 March 2025. It includes a variety of stunning cities across Europe, the Far East, and the Indian Subcontinent, giving passengers a chance to experience Oman Air’s award-winning service and renowned Omani hospitality. However, please note that the promotion excludes domestic flights, interline flights, and codeshare partners.

Bookings can be made through Oman Air’s website, mobile app, call center, sales offices, or through appointed travel agents.

About Oman Air

Founded in 1993, Oman Air (WY) has evolved from serving domestic routes to becoming a prominent international carrier. It connects global travelers to Oman’s natural beauty, rich heritage, and warm culture. The airline, known for its luxurious Boeing 737 and 787 Dreamliner aircraft, has significantly contributed to transforming Muscat into a leading Middle Eastern travel destination. Oman Air is celebrated for its exceptional service both in the air and on the ground, offering a distinct Omani touch to every journey.

Corporate Communications & Media
Oman Air

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Qatar is expecting a steady influx of visitors this year, with the number projected to reach 5 million. According to the regional Arabic newspaper Al Raya, Qatar welcomed 2.6 million visitors in the first half of the year, marking a 23 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Hamad International Airport has seen unprecedented traffic, with July being the busiest month in its history. The airport managed 30.63 million passengers in the first seven months of the year, with 4.7 million passing through in July alone—a 10 percent increase from July 2023.

The record visitor numbers are partly attributed to the successful AFC Asian Cup earlier this year. Saudi Arabia was the leading source of visitors, accounting for 29 percent of the total, followed by India with 8 percent. Visitors from GCC countries made up 43 percent of the total, reflecting a 151 percent increase compared to the pre-COVID pandemic period.

Last year saw the highest visitor numbers in five years, with 4 million people arriving in Qatar by 2023. Qatar Tourism’s “Your Summer Starts Here” campaign, launched at the beginning of the summer, played a significant role in boosting visitor numbers and attracting tourists to the region.

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The visa-free access will be available to travelers from various countries, such as the UK, the US, China, and Germany, simplifying the travel process by eliminating the need for a visa. Currently, about 20 percent of Sri Lanka’s foreign tourists are from India.

Additionally, Sri Lanka had previously waived visa fees for tourists from India and six other countries beginning in October 2023. This fee waiver has now been extended until May 31, 2024.

The Sri Lankan government hopes that this new visa-free policy will enhance tourism and attract a greater number of visitors to the country.

This version maintains the original details while providing a clear and engaging summary.

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Reaffirming Kerala’s pre-eminent position as a highly preferred destination for global and domestic tourists, backwater hub Kumarakom has topped in an all-India survey of revenue gained by hotels and resorts in popular leisure destinations, posting the highest revenue per available room (RevPar) in financial year 2022-23, according to a press release.

The survey, ‘Indian Hospitality Trends and Opportunities’, conducted by hospitality consulting firm Hotelivate, also reveals that the famed beach destination Kovalam has earned the third place in a list of top 15 destinations.

RevPar, an industry metric used by hotels to price their rooms, refers to revenue generated per available room whether occupied or not.

According to the 26th edition of the survey, properties in Kumarakom had a RevPar of Rs.11,758 in FY 23 compared to Rishikesh in Uttarakhand (Rs.10,506) and Kovalam (Rs.9,087), which come in second and third positions. Metros like Mumbai (Rs.7,226) and Delhi (Rs.6,016) stand sixth and 11th positions respectively as per the survey.

This is the second year in a row hotels in leisure destinations posted the highest RevPar, it says. The report, which analyses the industry performance by star category, administrative zones and 20 major hotel markets, has a participation base of 1,540 hotels representing a total inventory of 1,65,172 rooms.

“This survey clearly shows that tourism in Kerala has been on a steady surge, completely overcoming from the downturn triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic,” said State Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas.

Set in the backdrop of Vembanad Lake, Kumarakom village is a popular tourist destination dotted with canals and backwaters. Its panoramic rural settings, heritage and lifestyle have a seminal role in the Kerala model of globally-acclaimed Responsible Tourism (RT).

Earlier this year, Kumarakom hosted a meeting of the G20 sherpas. The achievement comes despite the floods in 2018 and Covid-19 posed hindrance to the state’s tourism activities.

Apart from Kumarakom and Kovalam, the top 15 on list include Srinagar (4th position), Udaipur (5), Goa (7), Mussoorie (8), Ranthambore (9), Mahabaleshwar (10), Shimla (12), Varanasi (13), Ooty (14), and Lonavala (15).

Hotels in metro cities have higher year-round occupancy compared to leisure destinations. They also have a large corporate customer base, which have contracted rates that pull down the RevPar compared to leisure destinations.

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KOCHI:

Emirates has a surprise for traveller flying to Kerala, India to celebrate Onam, the celebration of the Kerala harvest season. It has laid out a myriad of delicious treats onboard and an array of entertaining Malayalam movies. From August 20  to 31, 2023, authentic Onam dishes will be served across all cabin classes, on flights to and from Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai.

Onboard the 14 times weekly Emirates flight to Kochi, and the 7 times weekly Emirates flight to Thiruvananthapuram, curated menus with the distinctive flavours of Onam will be offered, giving travellers a taste of home. Passengers will enjoy traditional appetisers of sharkara upperi – banana roasted in sweet jaggery, kaya varuthathu – crisp banana chips and kondattam mulaku – fried sundried chillies steeped in yoghurt. Passengers will also have a selection of tasty dips essential for Onam, including kaalan made of coconut, fresh yoghurt and yam, cucumber pachadi – a garnished salad, and puli inji – a sweet and tangy ginger-based chutney. First and Business Class passengers will also be served Kerala-style pappadam and piquant mango pickle.

A delectable choice of main courses will follow including alleppey kozhi curry – spiced chicken in coconut sauce, served with avial, chemba rice and cabbage carrot thoran, or vegetarian sadhya – sambar and kootu, paired with matta rice and carrot pea thoran, spiced chicken sukha – pan-fried chicken with coconut and spices, steamed rice, carrot pea thoran and vegetable kootu, or mutton sukha with chemba rice, erissery and bean thoran. First Class customers can also choose the tasty option of mutton pepper fry.

Desserts will include Onam favourites like palada pradhaman- creamy rice pudding served with roasted pistachios, raisins, and cashew nuts, or parippu payasam – the popular sweet lentil pudding topped with roasted coconut flakes. Staying true to the festive season, all meals will be served on banana leaf dish liners to offer an authentic feel to the sadhya for Keralites.

To make the journey even more memorable, those celebrating Onam can enjoy more than 6,500 channels of entertainment on Emirates award-winning ice, more than 45 Academy Award winning films, over 2,000 movies, 650 TV shows, and 4,000 hours of music, podcasts, and audiobooks across 40 languages. 18 Malayalam movies including award-winning titles like Ela Veezha Poonchira, Hridayam and blockbusters Bro Daddy and 12th Man are currently available on ice.

Emirates celebrates a wide range of global cultures inflight and is passionate about delighting customers with regionally inspired cuisine and special seasonal menus. From Onam to Diwali, Eid, Chinese New Year, Christmas, and Oktoberfest to Easter – many festivals are celebrated, creating thoughtful experiences for all global travellers.

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DUBAI:

Celebrating World Chocolate Day on 7 July, Emirates is sharing that more than 40 million pieces of gourmet chocolate are served onboard each year, to passengers in all classes. Sweetening the travel experience with the world’s most beloved confectionary, Emirates selects and serves a delectable selection of artisan chocolate as part of the signature meal service in all classes, to 140 destinations around the world, according to a press release.

Throughout the last 12 months, 35 million chocolate treats have been served in Economy Class, more than 160,000 chocolates in Premium Economy Class since its launch in June 2022, with an additional 4 million chocolate pairs offered in Business and First Class. Emirates also introduced large gourmet chocolate boxes to First Class in December 2022, offering premium passengers the chance to indulge in a sample onboard and even takeaway some of their favourite flavours, with chocolate fans relishing more than 36,000 boxes in the last six months.

Emirates collaborates closely with connoisseur chocolatiers from around the globe, including Bateel, Coco Jalila and Forrey & Galland from the UAE, Godiva from Belgium, Valrhona from France, Butlers from Ireland, Canonica and Neuhaus from Switzerland, Pacari from Ecuador and Hotel Chocolat from the UK. The chocolate brands are selected for a multitude of reasons including content – for example dark, milk or white chocolate, bonbons, pralines or truffles, with fillings of creamy ganache or tangy fruit, the all-important taste and texture component, alongside brand recognition, current trends, its ‘instagrammability’ and whether its sustainably sourced. Each handpicked chocolate brand is on board for a minimum of 3 months before a new selection is introduced to delight frequent flyers.

Across all classes, customers craving a chocolate fix can enjoy chocolate desserts and hot chocolate from the menu. The most popular chocolate desserts onboard Emirates historically are the decadent Molten Chocolate Cake in First Class and the silky-smooth Milk Chocolate Mousse for children. On longer routes, chocolate candy bars are served in a snack tray and chocolate lollipops are offered to children during festive celebrations. At Emirates’ A380 Onboard lounge, customers can also help themselves to vegan and non-vegan sweet treats of M&Ms, chocolate cake and chocolate mini treats.

In Emirates Lounges, chocolate is a staple feature, with customers enjoying homemade Emirates chocolate ice-cream from the old-fashioned ice cream cart, signature creamy hot chocolate from Costa Coffee, and a myriad of creative chocolate desserts from Emirates Master Chefs, including white chocolate raspberry delight with white chocolate mousse and luscious raspberry jelly, decadent chocolate truffles, a fruity white chocolate passionfruit cheesecake and indulgent dark chocolate salted caramel tarts amongst many others.

A special chocolate-focused dessert is a new feature in Emirates First Class Lounges in Dubai, using Valrhona Grand Cru Blends from around the globe to make exquisite desserts like chocolate and pecan gateaux, 85% Abinao chocolate cremeux, pecan praline, Sacher sponge and spiced milk ice cream, as well as Dulcey Chocolate – a blond and biscuity flavoured chocolate. In July, the special First-Class lounge dessert will be a rich chocolate extravaganza of 64% Manjari dark chocolate entremets, cocoa crumble, dark chocolate sponge, vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.

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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:

Undeterred by the pandemic-induced impediments, Kerala Tourism has completed around 18 Muziris Heritage Projects within the deadline set for them, according to Minister for Tourism and Public Works PA Mohamed Riyas. These projects, stretching across Thrissur, Ernakulam and Alappuzha districts, will be inaugurated in July and August, the Minister said after a review meeting of Muziris Heritage Projects here.

The works have been completed very fast due to the consistent intervention of the government and the support of people’s representatives of the respective districts. These Muziris Projects are expected to attract more tourists to the state, Mr. Riyas said.

The Minister also said that more infrastructure projects will be taken up in Kovalam by using the fund from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). He added that necessary measures will be taken to ensure wellbeing of life guards and improve infrastructure at Poovar and Varkala after holding discussions with the officials concerned.

The Muziris Heritage Project is one of the biggest conservation projects in India, which aims to conserve more than 3000 years of rich culture and heritage. Muziris was an active port on the west coast of southern India in the 1st century BC.  The project includes museums, religious sites, beaches and historical sites. The projects that will be inaugurated in separate functions in July and August include Cheraman Juma Masjid in Kodungallur, Pattanam Information Centre, Kodungallur Temple Museum and Oottupura, Thiruvanchikulam Canal Office, Keezhthali Siva Temple, Mathilakathu PA Syed Mohammed Cultural Centre, Pathinettarayalam Kovilakam, boat jettys at Azheekkode and Munakkal, Kottayil Kovilakam at North Paravur, Holy Cross Church, Paliam Oottupura and Kokkarani, and Pattanam Tourist Interpretation Centre.

The region that forms a part of the heritage project lies between North Paravur in Ernakulam district and Kodungallur in Thrissur district.

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Oman Air has been designated ‘Best Airline Staff in the Middle East’ at the Skytrax 2023 World Airline Awards. Aboudy Nasser, Chief Commercial Officer, received the award on behalf of the company during the Paris Air Show, with members of the airline’s team in France also in attendance. Oman Air also scored highly in a string of global rankings, including 8th for World’s Best First Class Airline Seats, 12th for World’s Best First Class Airlines, 14th for World’s Best Airline Cabin Crew, 18th for World’s Best Inflight Entertainment, and 27th in the World’s Top 100 Airlines list, climbing 10 places from last year. The World Airline Awards, which are in their 24th year, are voted for by travellers from all over the world based on their experiences both on board and at the airport, according to a press release.

Eng. Abdulaziz Al Raisi, Chief Executive Officer of Oman Air, said, “Our people are the heart and soul of our airline. We are driven by a passion that embodies exceptional professionalism and going above and beyond to create extraordinary and unforgettable moments for every guest. Receiving this prestigious award for the sixth time amongst our other global rankings is a source of immense pride and a testament to our unwavering commitment to set new benchmarks for guest experience, year after year.”

Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax, added, “It is a superb achievement for Oman Air to win this award for having the Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East for the sixth time. The unique hospitality provided the multi-national cabin crew and ground services team is clearly very popular with customers of Oman Air.”

Launched in 1999 by Skytrax, the World Airline Awards are widely regarded as ‘the Oscars of the aviation industry’, remaining totally independent and impartial. Over 100 customer nationalities participated in the 2022-2023 survey, with travellers across the globe taking part each year in the world’s largest airline passenger satisfaction survey to decide the winners.

Distinguishing itself for its personalised service, authentic Omani hospitality, and meticulous attention to all elements of the guest journey, Oman Air continues to position itself among the world’s major carriers. Having won the ‘Best Airline Staff in the Middle East’ Award in 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2021, the airline also recently earned the 2023 Five-Star Major Airline rating by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX), as well as World’s Leading Airline: Business Class, World’s Leading Airline: Customer Experience, and World’s Leading Airline Lounge at the World Travel Awards 2022.

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Saudi Arabia is preparing to welcome foreign Haj pilgrims at six airports across the Kingdom — Jeddah, Medina, Riyadh, Dammam, Taif, and Yanbu, according to reports. National flag carrier Saudia will transport pilgrims from over 100 scheduled and 14 seasonal destinations globally.

Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina is set to receive the first flights on May 21, the Gulf News reported. Saudia plans to utilise 176 aircraft and allocate 1.2 million seats to provide a seamless travel experience for pilgrims.

The airline employs 8,000 cabin crew members fluent in 42 languages and offers educational e-books on performing Hajj and Umrah in 14 languages. In-flight Islamic content has been updated to include 134 hours of religious programmes and 590 hours of Qur’an recitations, along with other Islamic programmes in multiple languages.

To raise awareness among pilgrims, Saudia Group will share messages in their languages through Hajj missions, organisations in Mecca and Medina, and at Hajj residences. These messages will cover journey details, baggage limits and requirements to facilitate a smooth pilgrimage, the report said.

Saudia Group aims to achieve operational efficiency while adhering to safety standards, offering services like zamzam water bottle dispatch and additional flights to Medina.

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Air India has announced a non-stop flight between Delhi and Amsterdam. The route is currently only served by KLM, but all that will change once Air India launches its service next month, giving more options to passengers on this sector, according to an aviation website.

Air India continues to expand its international network and has now announced another non-stop service to Europe. The airline will launch flights between Delhi and Amsterdam on June 11th, making it the 8th continental European city served by Air India, Simple Flying reported.

The service to Amsterdam will also take Air India’s frequency of non-stop flights between India and Europe to 77 per week, offering passengers greater flexibility and convenience. The airline will deploy its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, which can accommodate 256 passengers across two classes – 238 in economy and 18 in business class.

Air India has enhanced connectivity between Delhi and Europe in the last few months. In fact, Amsterdam is the fourth European destination that the airline has connected from Delhi in the last four months. Air India’s Chief Executive Officer, Campbell Wilson, said, according to Simple Flying.

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MUMBAI: 

Indian aviation industry has hit a turbulent time. The recent bankruptcy of Go First left many of its employees hanging. And they feel Air India may be the only hope.

The Tata group, which bought back Air India from the government last year, is offering a new flight plan that includes hiring over 4,200 cabin crew and 900 pilots this year.

The buzz around this opportunity is so intense that Go First pilots and cabin crew were on Thursday seen lining up outside a Tata group hotel near Delhi for walk-in interviews with Air India. Air India has already received over 700 applications in response to a recent job advertisement for pilots, with more expected in the future. Sister company Vistara also held interviews for cabin crew and pilots in Delhi and Mumbai.

The pandemic has hit the Indian aviation industry hard, with airlines struggling to stay afloat as passenger numbers plummeted. However, with the easing of lockdown measures and the country’s massive population, demand for air travel is expected to soar. It’s like a phoenix rising from the ashes, with airlines scrambling to position themselves for the post-pandemic era.

Go First Airline CEO is determined to bring the company back to life, but many employees are being swayed by the siren song of the Tata group’s job opportunities. After all, who wouldn’t want to trade choppy skies for a secure and steady flight?

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Kochi:: Kerala plans to invigorate tourism in Malabar by renewing its focus on the travel map of the region, said Shri V.R. Krishna Teja, Director Kerala Tourism.

The department is developing tourism destinations upstate and making full use of them, said  V.R. Krishna Teja during a visit to Kochi  to oversee the preparations for next month’s Kerala Travel Mart (KTM)

Alongside its emphasis on Malabar, Kerala Tourism is giving worldwide publicity to its renewed post-pandemic activities such as Caravan Tourism, Champions Boat League and Responsible Tourism, Shri Teja said, pointing out. These have been accorded priority at the four-day KTM 2022 that is to be inaugurated on May 5.

Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan will declare the KTM open at Grand Hyatt in Bolgatty, while the venues for the subsequent proceedings will be Sagara and Samudrika convention centres at Willingdon Island, Kochi.

“Unlike the previous edition, KTM 2022 has more specialised segments. We have sellers who are into core tourism activities such caravan, houseboats, ayurveda, adventure, plantation and backwater resorts besides wedding destination and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions)” Shri Teja said, underscoring that the event has buyers from 69 countries and 25 states of the country.

Ernakulam District Collector Jafar Malik  who was present during the visit told that  the participation of delegates from nearly six dozen nations at the upcoming KTM will raise Kochi’s reputation as a travel destination the world over. “We will be able to present our tourism products to an international audience,”. The district administration is extending full-fledged support and cooperation to the KTM.

Caravan tourism and, products like digital marketing that have gained new vitality after Covid-19 will be highlighted  during the event.

KTM Society President Shri Baby Mathew was present during the occasion.

To boost Malabar tourism, KTM Society will be taking the event’s buyers from Kochi to upstate Kannur on chartered flights.

The 2000-constituted KTM Society, which is the country’s biggest organization in the travel and tourism segment, has been working towards reviving the industry since the spread of the novel coronavirus in the state two years ago.

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Sources with Air India Express said the airline had sent emails on Saturday night informing travellers about the rescheduling of flights to Doha (IX 373) and Sharjah (IX 351)

MALAPPURAM: Two Air India Express flights took off several hours prior to their scheduled departure time, leaving around 80 gulf-bound passengers stranded at the Kozhikode airport on Sunday.

However, passengers complained that many did not receive the email that was sent after 10pm. A passenger  received a message on her phone at 11 am on Sunday, informing that the flight’s departure time was rescheduled to 7:30 am..

The Doha flight departed 5 hours and 25 minutes and the Sharjah flight 3 hours and 35 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. The IX 373 flight was scheduled to take off from Kozhikode at 12.05pm. However, it left for Doha at 6.40am.

The flight to Sharjah was scheduled to depart from Kozhikode at 11.05am, but it took off at 7.30am. The passengers had heated arguments with the airline staff to reschedule their journey without additional cost.

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MUMBAI: Emirates made the bold decision to install TV screens in all seats across all cabin classes throughout its fleet, a revolutionary move that shaped traveller expectations and the inflight entertainment industry in the decades to come.

Take a trip down the memory lane and watch Emirates’ ad when the airline introduced personal inseat video systems in all seats back in 1992.

Emirates has not looked back since, constantly introducing new innovations that drove advancements in entertainment and connectivity at 40,000 feet. Large, ultra-high definition 4k screens, with faster and improved Wi-Fi connectivity, are among the exciting developments Emirates has planned for its new generation IFE systems that will be delivered with its future fleet on order, as the airline continues to improve its inflight offering. Not only that, Emirates is constantly updating its extensive library of content on ice, with over 100 movies and 200 episodes of TV being added each month.

Patrick Brannelly, Emirates’ Senior Vice President Retail, IFE & Connectivity said: “When Emirates introduced personal screens on every seat back in 1992, it was considered a massive industry innovation. Other airlines questioned the sense of this huge investment, estimated at about $15,000 per seat at that time.

“But we quickly realised that our customers loved being entertained throughout the flight. It made their journeys feel shorter and fostered customer satisfaction and loyalty. Within a year, we were working to expand the content choice to 20 channels on Emirates’ Boeing 777s which were to join our fleet in 1996.

“We’ve never stopped improving our product. Emirates is constantly adding the best content from over 40 world regions to ice, our IFE system, and making sure that amazing content is experienced on the largest personal screens in the industry and through quality headphones and audio systems.

Emirates has led in the inflight connectivity space too, from the introduction of satellite phones in 1993 to becoming the first to install systems that enabled mobile phones to be used on aircraft. Today, every Emirates aircraft has connectivity – and we have already placed orders for the next generation of connectivity.”

Emirates’ award-winning ice inflight entertainment system, originally launched in 2003 with 500 channels, today offers every passenger over 5,000 channels of on-demand movies, music, TV shows, box sets and documentaries, in over 40 languages. The total accumulated hours of entertainment include over 3,900 hours of movies and TV, and over 3,300 hours of music and podcasts. An Emirates passenger would have to fly over 500 times from Dubai to Sydney in order to consume the entire library.

The success of Emirates’ IFE investments and strategy is demonstrated by the loyalty and positive feedback from its customers across all cabin classes, as well as through the numerous industry awards including ‘Best Inflight Entertainment’ at the 2022 APEX Passenger Choice Awards®, and ‘Skytrax World’s Best Inflight Entertainment’ every year since 2005.

In addition to entertainment, Emirates ice offers a range of other practical features, such as: the ability to check the status of your flight while en route; a real-time view of the sky during take-off and landing.

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The airline was joined by tens of thousands of organizations and millions of people around the world in marking Earth Hour by switching off lights for one hour to highlight the importance of tackling climate change.

Oman Air’s Headquarters in Muscat took the lead on behalf of the airline, and was joined by its offices in Europe, the Middle East, South and South East Asia and Africa. Many of the airline’s partners also participated in the initiative.

Eng. Abdulaziz Al Raisi, Oman Air’s Chief Executive Officer stated: “Oman Air was once again proud to take part in Earth Hour this weekend, when we switched off the lights in all but our most essential services in order to raise awareness about the importance of protecting our planet. This is the 12th consecutive year that Oman Air has joined millions of people on every continent in drawing attention to the role that each of us can play in minimising our environmental impact. I would like to thank all of our staff, throughout our network, not only for participating in Earth Hour, but also for playing an active part in moving Oman Air’s environmental programme forward.”

Earth Hour was launched in 2007 by international campaigning organisation WWF. Since then, the initiative has captured the imagination of people around the world and, last year, 192 countries and territories came together on to lend their support for the planet.

Oman Air’s participation in this year’s Earth Hour continues the airline’s efforts to reduce its environmental impact. Ongoing initiatives include energy reduction and waste reduction strategies, increasing the local sourcing of supplies, operating smaller aircraft on short haul routes and replacing older aircraft with new, more fuel-efficient models. This includes the nine Boeing B787 Dreamliners in service currently, which are 20 per cent more fuel efficient, deliver 20 per cent fewer emissions, and offer a 60 per cent smaller noise footprint than equivalent aircraft.

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Aligned closely with Oman’s Vision 2040 Strategy, which aims to develop a diversified and sustainable economy through opportunities that strengthen the country’s global competitiveness, Oman Air Holidays is redoubling efforts to broaden its integrated offering of flights, hotels, excursions and travel experiences which caters to growing local and international demand.

Also unveiled were Oman Air Holidays’ refocused vision and mission statements, which champion ambitions to become one of the top tourism operators in the Middle East by leveraging Oman Air’s flight frequencies into the Sultanate from international source markets, and position Oman as a uniquely different holiday experience to travel trade globally.

“The timing is right for Oman Air Holidays to foster closer ties with local and international travel trade,” said Mundher Al Shaikhani​, Senior Manager Oman Air Holidays. “As vaccine roll-out ramps up, we’re seeing renewed interest for package holidays and custom stays from locals inquiring about quick getaway options, as well as international guests in the early stages of planning their next overseas holiday. Our refreshed brand, vision and mission statement, and booking platform encapsulate our strategy to develop and offer exclusive ‘Fly & Stay’ packages here in Oman and everywhere Oman Air flies, with promotions and offers tailored to each traveller.”

Oman Air Holidays proudly displays the Safe Travels Stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). In June this year, it partnered with WebBeds to enhance its digital booking experience to provide greater choice, flexibility and convenience for guests in search of innovative custom holiday packages in Oman and international markets. Oman Air received the Skytrax 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating and the Skytrax 5-Star COVID-19 Lounge Safety Rating at Muscat International Airport.

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“Emirates is deeply connected and committed to India. The Emirates India Humanitarian Airbridge was our contribution to assist the Indian community fight the second wave of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. We are heartened that India is overcoming the virus and we are honoured to have supported the efforts of partners by donating much needed air cargo capacity for moving essential goods quickly and reliably into nine Indian cities,” said Nabil Sultan, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Cargo.

“The Emirates India humanitarian airbridge confirms the important role that is being played by the private sector worldwide, for providing assistance to millions of people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This airbridge done with Emirates, confirms the strong partnership and commitment of the two Dubai entities in facilitating the humanitarian action of the international organizations and United Nations agencies operating within IHC. Together we fulfill the mandate of the IHC and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai’s vision to support humanitarian needs all around the world. IHC has embraced the Sustainable Development Goal “Partnership” and is very proud to have partnered with Emirates SkyCargo and the International humanitarian community for the extraordinary efforts done for responding to the requirements due to the pandemic in addition to other emergencies,” said Giuseppe Saba, CEO of the IHC.

“Tackling the COVID-19 pandemic is a race against time. It is also a complex logistics operation that works around to clock to provide frontline health workers with the equipment they need and ensure equitable access to vaccines for all. From our warehousing hub in the United Arab Emirates, UNICEF can rapidly deploy supplies across continents. That capability couldn’t be possible without our partners’ support. Thanks to Emirates SkyCargo’s solutions, and as demonstrated with the India airbridge, we are able to quickly and efficiently deliver life-saving supplies,” said Eltayeb Adam, UNICEF Representative to the Gulf Area.

Emirates set up the India Humanitarian Airbridge in early May 2021 to boost the transportation of urgent medical and relief items to India by offering cargo capacity free of charge on its flights from Dubai to India. The first shipment under the Airbridge initiative flew from Dubai to Delhi on 13 May and comprised 12 tonnes of multi-purpose tent equipment for field hospitals sent by the World Health Organisation through the IHC.

Emirates SkyCargo and the IHC have joined hands in the past to deliver relief materials around the world to communities impacted by humanitarian crises. Most recently, the IHC helped channel relief efforts for the India Humanitarian Airbridge, drawing upon their extensive expertise in working with humanitarian agencies and relief logistics.

Through its cargo flights to more than 135 destinations across six continents, Emirates SkyCargo continues to play an important role globally in the transportation of pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, PPE, food and other essential goods as well as maintaining continuity of supply chains for international trade.

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Authorities will hold urgent meetings with the heads of various department and district administrations to achieve the aim, the Minister said here after reviewing a set of ongoing tourism projects.

The announcements come a week after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced a 100-day action plan to help the state tide over the economic slowdown triggered by the second wave of the pandemic.

Mr. Riyas said discussions will be held soon with people’s representatives and district administrations regarding the tourism development activities to be implemented in Wayanad district, Kozhikode city and Fort Kochi.

“The government would initiate ways to increase the arrival of tourists by appointing Keralites residing in Arab countries, Europe and the US as brand ambassadors of state’s tourism,” he said.

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‘In-Car Dining’ will help customers remain in their parked vehicles, to where orders placed at KTDC’s Aahaar Restaurants will reach, according to Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas.

The scheme is being implemented considering public safety hazards even as a slide in the second wave of the pandemic is expected to help the tourism industry pick up, the Minister said.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner besides snacks, will be served under ‘In-Car Dining’, adhering to Covid-19 protocols. To begin with, select KTDC restaurants will carry out the scheme, he added.

“In the process, ‘In-Car Dining’ seeks to provide our customers with a new experience,” Mr. Riyas said here on Friday evening after reviewing a set of ongoing tourism projects and the activities of KTDC. “We plan to reach out to the people with safe and tasty food.”

“KTDC hotel chains will be renovated under the project ‘Mission Facelift’ after classifying them on a priority basis,” he revealed, announcing major projects under the tourism corporation. “Moreover, floating restaurants will be set up in select destinations across the state on the lines of the one at Veli in Thiruvananthapuram, the first of which will come up in Kadalundi,” the Minister said.

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The airline will resume services to seven cities in July including: Venice on 1 July; Phuket, Nice, Orlando and Mexico City on 2 July; Lyon on 9 July and Malta on 14 July. Emirates will also launch flights to Florida’s second largest city and one of the world’s most popular holiday spots, Miami, starting 22 July.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates Chairman and Chief Executive said: “Emirates is committed to keeping Dubai, businesses and communities around the world connected and we are working hard to rebuild our network and secure access to more destinations in partnership with various authorities and stakeholders. We are encouraged by the latest developments as many countries have begun to turn the page and reopen for international visitors, and we are seeing strong signs of pent-up demand wherever restrictions have eased. Emirates is nimbly matching up flight services and identifying opportunities to grow our footprint, and provide customers more opportunities to safely get where they want to go this summer, offering best-in-class service, greater convenience and more choice.”

More flights to top destinations

Across its network, the airline will boost capacity and expand its schedules by layering on frequencies for the summer, connecting more customers with popular destinations and adding more choice and convenience as they plan their long-awaited holidays.

Emirates will be adding frequencies to 12 cities across Europe, Africa and North America as more destinations re-open for international visitors, and offer quarantine free travel. Emirates destinations with enhanced schedules for July and August include: German cities Munich, Dusseldorf and Hamburg; Zurich; Vienna; Prague; Madrid; Stockholm; Brussels; Lisbon; Chicago and Tunis. In Europe, the airline currently flies to more than 30 cities in 20 countries including popular holiday destinations Greece, Spain, Italy, France and Malta, which offer quarantine free arrivals.

In the United States, with rapid vaccine rollouts and the reopening of air travel at a rate outpacing the world, Emirates will continue to build its presence. With the addition of Miami to its network in July, Emirates will operate over 70 weekly flights to the US, offering over 26,000 seats across 12 gateways including Boston, Chicago, New York (JFK and Newark), Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC and Orlando. The airline is also ramping up its trans-Atlantic operations Milan-New York and Athens-Newark to meet large passenger volumes and high demand across its premium cabins.

An expanded A380 summer network

Emirates will also boost its A380 network this summer, bringing its flagship experience to 15 cities on 129 weekly services. During the summer, the airline plans to activate over 30 of its A380s to augment its 151 strong fleet of Boeing 777s. The Emirates A380 experience continues to be sought after by customers, with many going out of their way to book their travel on an Emirates A380 for its signature products, spaciousness, quietness and unmatched levels of comfort.

Emirates will be deploying the A380 to the following cities during the summer period: Cairo, Jeddah, Amman, Guangzhou, London Heathrow, Manchester, Frankfurt, Vienna, Paris, Munich, Moscow, New York JFK, Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Toronto. Stepping up of deployment of the A380 demonstrates the importance of the aircraft to Emirates’ recovery and growth strategy. The A380 ensures the efficient use of capacity on high demand routes, and enables Emirates to deliver its sought-after A380 experience to more customers, helping the airline to maintain its leadership position in key cities across its network.

Emirates customers can rest assured this summer while travelling that their health and safety continued to be a top priority with the latest health and safety measures in place. When flying out of Dubai, customers can take advantage of contactless technology at nearly every step of their journey for an added layer of safety. The airline will also be boosting its digital verification capabilities, providing its customers even more opportunities to utilise the IATA Travel Pass this summer, and customers flying out of Dubai can also enjoy a paperless experience when verifying their Covid-19 related medical records as part of the airline’s tie-up with the Dubai Health Authority.

Emirates leads the industry with customer centric solutions that make travel planning stress free with even more generous and flexible booking policies, an extension of its multi-risk insurance cover, and helping loyal customers retain their miles and tier status.

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