Meet the UAE's First Gaming Authority

A Thai princess and her entourage sweep through the glass-atrium foyer of Time Kaan, past tall cabinets stuffed to the ceiling with antique tomes and recipe books, to take a seat for dinner. Dutiful waiters are lined up against the wall waiting to be called forward, and the mingled fragrance of cinnamon, pepper and coconut drifts from the kitchen. A flash-happy photographer buzzes around the dining room, capturing the royal arrival, while, behind him, a large clock with golden hands counts down the minutes to the first course.

From 29th September to 15th October, England’s Seafood FEAST is returning to the English Riviera, in South Devon, for a two week celebration of world-renowned locally caught and landed seafood. A feast for all the senses, over 40 eateries have joined forces to put on an incredible array of experiences and special menus for visitors to enjoy. It’s an opportunity to dine like a local, taste some of the best seafood in the world right where it’s landed, learn about sustainable fishing practices and meet the people who make the festival what it is.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, September 21. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Wednesday, September 20. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

The small island of Ikaria, with its 164km (102 miles) of undulating coastline, sits serenely in the midst of the Northern Aegean islands, just a hop from the much larger Samos.

The United Arab Emirates has established the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority, known as the GCGRA, a federal-level entity to regulate and establish “strict guidelines” for the country’s commercial gaming industry. The GCGRA sets the scene for future casinos where Ras Al Khaimah already has the confirmed Wynn resort; a potential “Arabian Strip;” and gaming in other emirates, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Anyone who knows me and my dining out habits knows that once I discover a restaurant I love, I’m hooked and go again and again- that could mean twice a week or more sometimes or weekly straight for a year when I’m in town.

Benjamin Parent has worked at Tesla, on ships, and as a part-time tennis coach.

You could say that Nia Vardalos—the actor, writer, executive producer, and director who introduced the masses to Greek and Greek-American culture via her My Big Fat Greek Wedding films—is most at home in the country of Greece itself. In fact, when she appeared on Zoom for her chat with Condé Nast Traveler, she called in from the rocky island of Hydra. “I realize that my bikini is literally drying on the windowsill,” she laughed about the view of her background. 

“It’s something that’s always been within me,” smiles Evalyn Sintoya Mayetu, gazing at a herd of buffalo resting in the midday heat of the Kenyan plains. “Wildlife and me, we have a connection. I feel like I belong among these incredible animals. I don’t know how to explain it. They inspire me, they excite me.”

You teach ancestral skills, from basketry to stone tool construction and more. What sparked your interest?

The discussions focused on plans to spur the investment climate in the various tourist destinations across Egypt.