ITB Berlin News 2019 - Review Edition

More documents

Recommendations

Info

44 REGION MIDDLE EAST Sharjah promotes “family friendliness” Sharjah Discovery Centre © Visit Sharjah Nestled between two coasts, Sharjah shares its heritage through its 20 museums and galleries, local architecture and culture-packed leisure activities that are perfect for families. Sharjah is home to a wealth of noteworthy sites, museums, beaches and fun indoor and outdoor activities. Following are just a few… AL MONTAZAH WATERPARK Newly renovated Al Montazah Amusement and Water Park is Sharjah’s newest family entertainment destination. The 126,000-square-metre amusement park offers thrilling water rides, a leisure park and green space in the heart of the city. Al Montazah has rides and recreation options that tourists and residents of all ages are sure to enjoy. The park’s offerings are rounded off by attractions such as a souk, cafés, restaurants, sports facilities and live performance venues. DISCOVERY CENTRE Sharjah Discovery Centre is an entertainment centre designed for children aged 3 to 12 years, providing them with the opportunity to learn, discover, understand the role of science and technology in their daily life and explore the world around them in a fun-filled and relaxing atmosphere. All the activities are based on real-life activities in the most fun way. SHARJAH CENTRE FOR ASTRONOMY & SPACE SCIENCES This cleverly designed attraction is an enticing place to take children, with informative and entertaining displays. The centre aims at developing and promoting education about astronomy and space sciences in the Arab World in general and the UAE in particular in order to be a destination for science, research, heritage, education and tourism for students and university students, researchers and families of all ages. SHARJAH AQUARIUM As an ancient port, Sharjah’s history is interweaved with the sea and there is no better place to learn about the emirate’s sea-faring traditions and local marine life than Sharjah Aquarium. More than 150 species, including the beautiful clownfish, delicate seahorses, moray eels, sea rays and reef sharks can be seen in the cleverly designed large fish tanks which wind through the building, displaying sea creatures in their natural habitats of rocky shores, coral reefs, lagoons and mangroves Ras Al Khaimah unveils luxury camp plan for UAE mountains Ras Al Khaimah mountain resort Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) used ITB Berlin 2019 to unveil an agreement with Mantis to operate a “Luxury Camp” project on Jebel Jais, the highest mountain in the UAE. The announcement was made by Haitham Mattar, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority and John Hanna Mih, MD of Mantis UK during a ceremony at the world’s largest tourism fair. The luxury mountain camp will be located at the height of approximately 600 to 700 metres above sea-level, offering visitors spectacular mountain views of the Hajar mountains, and a yearround retreat with temperatures around 10 degrees cooler than the rest of UAE. Expected to be completed in 2020, the tented camp will comprise a total of 47 luxury units - 34 deluxe tents, 11 one-bedroom tented suites with a private pool, and 2 two-bedroom tented suites with a private pool - complemented by facilities such as a health club, heated pool, spa & wellness centre, kids’ play area, fire pit, and a restaurant. The unique, eco-tourism project complements the array of adventure tourism attractions on offer in the Emirate and will feature the latest technology to minimise energy use and conserve water. Haitham Mattar said: “ITB Berlin is a significant platform to interact with the global travel market, and to promote Ras Al Khaimah’s breadth of outdoor offerings that range from pristine beaches and stunning desert landscape to the spectacular mountain range of Jebel Jais, the UAE’s highest peak. With the right investment and the use of best practice to develop sustainable tourism, we envision a globally recognised destination attracting close to 1.5 million visitors by 2021, and 3 million visitors by 2025”. Mih added: “We are grateful to the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority for their trust in us in contributing to the Emirate’s ever-expanding tourism industry. With a growing number of visitors to Ras Al Khaimah, the luxury camp is a valuable addition to the experiences that the Emirate offers” ITB BERLIN NEWS • Friday 15 th March 2019 www.itb-berlin-news.com
AFRICA REGION 45 South Africa heralds 25 th anniversary of democracy International arrivals have quadrupled since 1993 Hon Hamat N K Bah (second right) with colleagues Gambian Minister prioritises quality in bid to woo tourists It’s only two years since the beautiful West African country of The Gambia turned its back on two decades of dictatorship. But already the country’s Minister of Tourism and Culture, Hon Hamat N K Bah, has drawn up a national plan designed to remind the world of The Gambia’s varied appeal. Minster Bah, a tourism industry veteran, says the small nation has many things in its favour: “It has one of the mildest climates in the world and some of the friendliest people,” he told ITB Berlin News. “We have some of the best beaches you can find along the Atlantic coast as well as beautiful seafood. The Gambia River with its mangroves is a popular destination and we have amazing flora and fauna, including around 350 species of birds.” According to the Minister, the biggest challenge facing the country is competition from other destinations. “In response, we are promoting ourselves as strongly as possible and also placing an emphasis of improving standards. Quality is a top priority for the government, because service is how we will distinguish ourselves.” Notwithstanding its issues with governance, The Gambia remains a popular destination with tourist from around the world, Minister Bah said: “We are especially popular with Europeans – notably the UK, Spain, Netherlands and Belgium. We are also seeing growth from markets like Poland, the Czech Republic, Russia and Scandinavia but would welcome more support from German tour operators. The Gambia has always had a good number of German visitors, but we would like operators to help us explain that it is business as usual.” The Minister said that The Gambia is targeting 500,000 international arrivals, and sees the Americas as another potential growth market. “We are only a six-hour flight from the Americas. We are the home of the Kunta Kinte Roots story, and this will be the focus of a range of tourism activities in 2019/2020. We are also putting a stronger emphasis on eco-tourism” Derek Hanekom is Tourism Minister of South Africa. We started by asking him how South Africa’s tourism offering has evolved in the 25 years since democracy was installed. This year, South Africa celebrates 25 years of democracy, a milestone for our country and the foundation of a booming tourism industry. In 1993, 3.4 million tourists travelled to South Africa, contributing 4.6% to the national economy. The number of international arrivals has quadrupled since then and now stands at 10.6 million. How important is tourism for the state economy and what is the government doing in terms of investment to grow tourism? If the entire value chain is taken into account, the total contribution of the travel industry amounts to €800m, or 8.9% of the gross domestic product. In 2017, tourism directly and indirectly supported around 1.5 million jobs, 9.5% of total employment. By 2028, the number is expected to grow to 2.1 million jobs. Safety and security are always major concerns. How are you addressing these issues? Derek Hanekom Tourism Minister of South Africa The government is continuously working to make South Africa even safer, for example, with the use of 1,450 Working for Tourism safety monitors. At the same time, I would like to stress that places that tourists typically visit are safe in every respect. In terms of crimes against tourists, South Africa is comparable to most destinations around the world. What was new this year at your stand at ITB Berlin? When we talk about tourism in South Africa, one thing must always be clear: growing numbers of tourists must benefit everyone involved, especially the micro and medium-sized enterprises (SMMEs), which do not have the budget to market themselves extensively. This is why again this year 10 small companies from different regions of South Africa presented themselves at our South African Tourism booth ITB BERLIN NEWS • Friday 15 th March 2019
Page 1: FRIDAY 15 TH MARCH 2019 REVIEW EDIT
Page 7 and 8: BROUGHT TO YOU BY NEWS 7 Dr Christi
Page 9 and 10: NEWS 9 ADVERTORIAL Official “Hand
Page 11 and 12: BROUGHT TO YOU BY NEWS 11 Delicious
Page 13 and 14: BROUGHT TO YOU BY NEWS 13 Launching
Page 15 and 16: BROUGHT TO YOU BY NEWS 15 MESSE BER
Page 17 and 18: BROUGHT TO YOU BY NEWS 17 BLOGGERS
Page 19: 19 BROUGHT TO YOU BY Arie Linsker C
Page 22 and 23: 22 BROUGHT TO YOU BY Agio Aminah Di
Page 24 and 25: 24 Wellness tourism enjoying growth
Page 27 and 28: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 27 Ahmed Bin Na
Page 29 and 30: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 29 New tourism
Page 31 and 32: STAND OUT STANDS AROUND THE WORLD 3
Page 33 and 34: STAND OUT STANDS AROUND THE WORLD 3
Page 35 and 36: ASIAA TOUR OF PLANET EARTH 35 SELAN
Page 37 and 38: ASIA A TOUR OF PLANET EARTH 37 TOUR
Page 39 and 40: OCEANIA A TOUR OF PLANET EARTH 39 N
Page 41 and 42: EUROPE A TOUR OF PLANET EARTH 41 Fr
Page 43: AMERICAS & CARIBBEAN REGION 43 Enri

ITB Berlin News 2019 - Review Edition

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?