Travel in Uae

The United Arab Emirates boasts an abundance of luxury accommodations where opulence and grandeur take center stage, offering guests an unparalleled level of hospitality. But for a select few like me who want something different, a trip to Ras Al Khaimah Emirati, an hour’s drive north from Dubai, comes highly recommended. Here the majestic Hajar Mountains (yes, UAE has mountains) rise almost 1973 meters, and lush mangroves hug the coastline. The new Anantara Mina Al Arab is the first of its kind that brings traditional Maldives-style over-water accommodations to the Middle East. The resort is set on a private peninsula that overlooks protected mangroves and the open Arabian ocean.

According to research by Oxford Economics, outbound travel from China is estimated to almost double this year, compared with 2023 and will only be 22% below its peak pre-pandemic numbers of 155 million tourists in 2019, who spent over $250 billion overseas.

Nurai Island was the gem of Abu Dhabi hospitality, a favorite among the rich and a featured location on the Real Housewives of Dubai. Now it says it is shutting down temporarily – though it’s unclear when it will reopen.

Mobility is the theme for this week’s travel startup funding roundup.

Dubai Tourism CEO Issam Kazim joked that Dubai is an Indian city.

With measles making a global comeback - cases increased 79 percent in 2023 - the CDC is issuing new guidelines for those planning to travel abroad.“Many international destinations are reporting increased numbers of cases of measles,” says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, adding: “The majority of measles cases imported into the United States occur in unvaccinated U.S. residents who become infected during international travel.”In particular, the CDC website says Americans who intend to visit other countries should consult with a doctor six weeks prior if there’s any question about whether they’ve had the measles vaccine. Travelers are at risk of contracting measles if they've not been fully vaccinated two weeks ahead of traveling abroad, says the agency's travel advisory.“All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, including an early dose for infants 6–11 months, according to CDC’s measles vaccination recommendations for international travel.In another notable update, Russia and Malaysia have been added to the CDC’s map of 46 countries that are experiencing a significant uptick in measles cases. Some of the additional countries where health officials have reported large measles outbreaks include Afghanistan, Armenia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Qatar, Saudia Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. To view the full list of countries experiencing a significant measles outbreak, visit the CDC website.And if you do travel abroad and develop any of the following symptoms, the CDC recommends seeking medical care:

Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, March 19. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Ever heard of “fifth freedom flights” and “the freedoms of the air”? The latter may sound more like poetic prose than legal jargon, but this phrase—unbeknownst to most casual fliers—actually denotes the five official rights that make international air travel possible.

While a Dubai holiday might conjure images of sleek skyscrapers, high-end shopping in swanky malls and gold-leaf-topped dishes, your trip to the United Arab Emirates could also be an opportunity to prioritize your wellness with specialized treatments.

Two of Dubai’s most prominent real estate developers are being merged and rolled into the personal portfolio of the emirate’s ruler.

Guido De Wilde is out of retirement. De Wilde is one of the great city builders of Dubai, serving as the regional chief operating officer for Marriott International during the formative years of the modern emirate. De Wilde retired in June 2021, partly due to a cancer diagnosis.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Wednesday, March 13. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Amadeus envisions a future where its facial-recognition technology could be used throughout a passenger’s journey at the airport: check-in, bag drop and tracking, boarding, border control, and more.

The annual passenger capacity at Indian airports is set to increase by 60 million. This comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated new terminal buildings at 12 airports across the country.

During the unveiling of the Aman Dubai this week, chairman and CEO Vlad Doronin said it will “probably” be the most expensive hotel in the UAE.

It’s no secret that visitors to the United Arab Emirates associate the country more with sizzling Dubai than stately Abu Dhabi. Yet the UAE’s capital has never been one to chase pizzazz.

Digital nomadism has shot up in popularity recently. While many destinations have simple citizenship requirements in place, the country a person hails from can still significantly impact their travel opportunities.

Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Oman have signed a pact to promote cruises across all four destinations. The Cruise Arabia Alliance was forged at this week’s ITB Berlin travel trade show and is the latest development in trying to promote multi-country holidays in the Gulf.

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) and Oman Ministry of Heritage and Tourism in collaboration with OMRAN Group have launched the See Double campaign – their first joint promotion that aims to entice visitors to explore the nature emirate of Ras Al Khaimah and neighbouring Musandam, the governate of Oman, in one experience-packed trip this summer.

Etihad Airways is profitable again and a turnaround program is progressing well. Could an IPO be next? 

Ramadan Kareem fellow travelers!