UPFRONT

VFS Global launches PCR and antibody testing in UAE

VFS GLOBAL

has launched a COVID-19 PCR and antibody testing service in the UAE to ensure anyone travelling overseas can meet the health requirements of the destinations they are visiting.

With some countries already making a negative COVID-19 test result a mandatory requirement on arrival, the visa outsourcing and technology services specialist is offering a pre-departure testing service in partnership with UAE Ministry of Health-approved and -certified testing laboratories.

Anyone in the UAE can access the service, which can be booked online or via a dedicated call centre, with tests conducted by trained medical professionals and results sent from the laboratory to the registered email address of the individual within 24 hours, ensuring confidentiality.

Customers can have their test sample collected at the partnered certified laboratory in Ajman, Dubai or Sharjah, or at a location of choice within the UAE using the ‘At Your Doorstep’ service.

An exclusive fast-track service and a dedicated help desk is provided for VFS Global customers to reduce the waiting time.

The COVID-19 Diagnostic PCR and antibody testing service is not limited to travellers. It can be accessed by anyone presenting COVID-19 symptoms or by those who are asymptomatic but would like to get tested.

VFS Global is now looking to roll out the service in countries including Saudi Arabia, China, Egypt and India.

LIVE EVENTS MAKE DUBAI COMEBACK

THE GOVERNMENT OF DUBAI has released a directive allowing live indoor and outdoor meetings and events to resume in the city.

Concerts, conferences, exhibitions, seminars, training sessions, banquets, product launches, weddings and more are now permitted to take place, but venues must implement strict health and safety measures, including sanitisation, thermal screening and capacity limits.

At seated events participants must adhere to a minimum of two metres social distancing, with two seats to be kept vacant between each group or between solo guests, including in VIP areas. Standing events have the same guidelines, but there must be markings on the floor to show individual and group spaces.

Online ticket purchases are strongly advised but if event-goers need to visit the box office, floor markers must be in place to ensure social distancing in the queue

Venues must also organise a staggered entry for ticket holders while post-event, guests should exit row-by-row via marked walkways.

Guests and staff are required to wear masks at all times and performers are permitted to

remove their mask provided they remain at least four metres away from the audience. Physical interaction between performers and participants is strictly prohibited.

In addition, all venues must be sanitised every 30 minutes for events of more than 25 people and every hour for events of under 25 people, as well as at the end of each day and at the end of the event.

Pre-packaged food with disposable cutlery is allowed, while buffets must adhere to social distancing measures, including in queues, and self-service is not permitted. See page 18 for a MICE industry update.

SHARJAH POISED FOR TOURISM PROJECT BOOM

SHARJAH INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (SHUROOQ) is set to unveil four significant tourism and hospitality projects, its Executive Chairman, His Excellency Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, has revealed. The large-scale developments will include a 66-key hotel on Khorfakkan Beach featuring Sharjah’s first waterpark; a hotel and retail precinct next to Kalba Waterfront; a 60-room retreat in the new Seih Al Bardi Kabeer safari park, Al Dhaid, home to more than 50,000 African animal species; and The Moon Retreat in Mleiha, a boutique property with a focus on archaeology and eco-tourism.

EMIRATES FIRST AIRLINE WORLDWIDE TO COVER PASSENGER COVID-19 EXPENSES

EMIRATES HAS BECOME the first airline to cover its passengers’ COVID-19 costs. The airline will pay medical expenses of up to EUR 150,000 (US$173,000) and quarantine costs of EUR 100 ($114) per day for 14 days should guests be diagnosed with COVID-19 during their travels, while they are away from home.

“Emirates has worked hard to put in place measures at every step of the customer journey to mitigate risk of infection. We are now taking it to the next level by being the first in the industry to offer our customers free global cover for COVID-19 medical expenses and quarantine costs should they incur these costs during their travel. It is an investment on our part, but we are Air Arabia Abu Dhabi adds Kabul and Dhaka

AIR ARABIA ABU DHABI

has launched two new destinations – Kabul in Afghanistan and Dhaka in Bangladesh.

Direct flights from Abu Dhabi International Airport to both cities will operate until October 30.

It follows the launch of the airline’s inaugural service to Alexandria in Egypt on July 14 followed the next day ( July 15) with a direct service to the Nile city of Sohag.

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi was formed following an agreement between UAE airlines Etihad Airways and Air Arabia to establish the capital’s first low-cost carrier. putting our customers first,” said HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates Group Chairman and Chief Executive.

The cover, offered to all Emirates passengers free of charge, regardless of class of travel or destination, is valid until October 31, (with the first flight to be completed on or before this date). It is valid for 31 days from the moment they fly the first sector of their journey. This means Emirates customers can continue to benefit from the added assurance of this cover, even if they travel onwards to another city after arriving at their Emirates destination.

Customers do not need to register or

complete any documentation before they travel.

Etihad offers premium guests snood-style mask

ETIHAD AIRWAYS has introduced protective wear for its First and Business guests as part of its new health and hygiene programme, Etihad Wellness. Premium passengers now receive a reusable snood-style facemask for use throughout their journey and beyond. The snood has been treated with MicrobeBARRIER™ fabric treatment, a broad spectrum antimicrobial treatment, laboratory tested and proven to reduce the presence of germs in fabrics. With this long-lasting protective layer, the snoods are washable and reusable, making them environmentally friendly.

Waldorf Astoria Dubai offers guests in-room COVID-19 testing

WALDORF ASTORIA DUBAI INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL

CENTRE (DIFC) has teamed up with the city’s Burjeel Hospital to offer guests in-room COVID-19 testing. In a move that signals what luxury travellers now value most from their hotel stay – good health – guests can request a test from their ‘Personal Concierge’.

Trained medical professionals from Burjeel Hospital conduct the test (priced AED 250) in the guest’s hotel room at a pre-arranged time, with results available in less than 24 hours.

As easy to order as in-room dining, the service is ideal for guests preparing to travel overseas or for those seeking peace of mind over virus health concerns.

Waldorf Astoria DIFC has also implemented Hilton’s CleanStay programme, with a roster of health and safety measures including room seals to reassure guests that no one has accessed their room since it was cleaned and sanitised.

Developed in collaboration with RB, maker of disinfectant brands Lysol and Dettol, the CleanStay programme also includes extra disinfection of high-touch areas in guest rooms; enhanced cleaning of public areas and other facilities, from meeting rooms to fitness centres; and contactless check-in and check-out with Digital Key available at more than 4,700 properties globally.

NEW ‘DUBAI ASSURED’ PROGRAMME ROLLED OUT ACROSS TOURISM SECTOR

DUBAI HAS LAUNCHED a compliance programme to certify and recognise hotels and retail establishments, F&B outlets and attractions that have implemented all public health protocols for the prevention and management of COVID-19. The initiative is part of efforts to showcase Dubai as “one of the world’s safest destinations” as it continues to receive tourists following the city’s reopening to international visitors in July.

The verification and validation process has been established in collaboration with the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), Department of Economic Development (Dubai Economy) and Dubai Municipality, with the ‘DUBAI ASSURED’ stamp issued to tourism-related organisations that have complied with health and safety guidelines issued in accordance with the preventive protocols outlined by Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management. The stamp is valid for 15 days and can be renewed every two weeks upon further inspection. More than 1,000 establishments have already received the ‘DUBAI ASSURED’ stamp.

“With health and safety foremost on the minds of travellers when selecting their destination, the ‘DUBAI ASSURED’ seal is a simple yet critical mechanism to ensure tourists enjoy a smooth and safe experience at every stage of their journey, from arrival at our airports to their departure from Dubai,” said His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism.

“The Safe Travels stamp Dubai received recently from the World Travel & Tourism Council further validates the city’s efforts to implement stringent hygiene and safety protocols and align itself with international health and safety standards and best practices.”

UAE TRAVEL UPDATE

Passengers travelling to the UAE can now take their pre-fight COVID-19 test at any reputable overseas clinic. Federal crisis authority Ncema has said any facility approved by the government of the country of departure can conduct the tests. All residents, tourists and citizens must be tested within 96 hours of travelling to the UAE and present their negative report to airline check-in desk staff. Previously, travellers were required to take a test at UAErecognised clinics affiliated with Gulf testing lab Pure Health.

ABU DHABI MANDATES TOURISM STAFF COVID TESTS

REGULAR COVID-19 TESTING for all tourism and hospitality sector staff in Abu Dhabi has been made mandatory by the government.

It’s part of the emirate’s Go Safe Certification Programme, spearheaded by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), which aims to elevate and standardise hygiene and cleanliness levels across the UAE capital’s hotels, tourism attractions and retail establishments

“The regular testing of staff provides another layer of safety for the community, helping to uplift the confidence of consumers and further activate the tourism sector in the capital,” said HE Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of Tourism and Marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi.

As Business Traveller went to press, Abu Dhabi was well on track to achieving total Go Safe certification by the end of August, with 146 venues already achieving this status by the end of July. All Go Safe-certified establishments are assessed against 313 checkpoints.

SHARJAH LAUNCHES TOURISM SAFETY STAMP

SHARJAH HAS LAUNCHED the ‘Sharjah Safe for Tourism’ stamp, a mark of assurance given to all establishments that adhere to the public health protocols and guidelines aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19.

The stamp, overseen by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), follows the measures set out by the World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) ‘Safe Travels’ stamp, the world’s first global safety and hygiene stamp for travel and tourism. SCTDA, in collaboration with Sharjah Health Authority (SHA), has started inspecting establishments emirate-wide to ensure compliance.

If follows Sharjah’s gradual easing of restrictions to reopen public and private facilities in the tourism sector such as hotels, restaurants, shops, malls and leisure and recreation destinations including beaches, swimming pools and golf courses, among others.

RADISSON TO OPEN SECOND FUJAIRAH PROPERTY IN 2021

RADISSON HOTEL GROUP will open its second property in Fujairah next year, growing its portfolio of hotels in operation and development in the UAE to 24. Due to launch in 2021, the 193-room Radisson Hotel Fujairah will be located in the city centre, just 10 minutes from Fujairah International Airport and one hour from Dubai International.

Ideal for local and international business guests the property will offer fully equipped state-of-theart meeting and events facilities.

An all-day dining venue, speciality restaurant, a bar and an executive lounge will also be part of the offering, plus leisure amenities including an outdoor swimming pool and fitness studio.

It is one of 15 new hotel signings the group confirmed for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) last week. The upcoming projects span six properties in Africa, two in Russia and two in Italy, a third Radisson RED in Austria, a Radisson Blu on the Greek island of Santorini and additional properties in the Ukraine and France.

In other Radisson news, the group has announced that all of its UAE properties have received the Disinfection Monitored and Cleaning Checked mark by inspection and certification company, SGS.

Room revamp at Four Seasons Amman

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL AMMAN has unveiled its newly refurbished guest rooms. Inspired by the local landscape and Jordan’s intersection of Arabic, Islamic, and Western cultures, the renovated rooms and suites showcase local colours, textures and hand-picked materials that reflect the character and heritage of the destination. Attention has been paid to artwork, which draws heavily from local history and artisanal craftwork, while all accommodation has been modernised to offer the advanced in-room technology that today’s discerning guests expect.

WORLD’S TALLEST TOWER TAKES SHAPE IN DUBAI MARINA

DUBAI-HEADQUARTERED DEVELOPER, The First Group, is making rapid progress in the development of the world’s tallest hotel, Ciel, which is set to open in Dubai Marina in 2023.

The foundations for the future icon, which is being developed in partnership with China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), are near completion, with more than 11,800 cubic metres of concrete and in excess of 3,000 tonnes of steel being used in the process, highlighting the sheer scale of the project.

Designed by award-winning architectural firm NORR, the 365-metre tall skyscraper will house 1,042 guestrooms, including 150 suites, premium guest amenities and facilities such as the Ciel Observatory & Lounge on the 81st floor and a signature rooftop Sky Terrace featuring a stunning infinity pool, bar and observation deck affording sweeping panoramic views of Dubai’s world-famous skyline, the Palm Jumeirah and Arabian Gulf.

A signature specialty restaurant will spearhead the hotel’s F&B options, which will also include an all-day dining venue, Sunset Lounge (75th floor) and Horizon Bar (77th floor). A luxury spa and health club will be located on the building’s 55th floor, offering a remarkable location for guests to unwind, relax or workout while admiring the incredible ocean-front views.

In a city known for its architectural feats, Ciel will be a unique addition to the Dubai skyline.

The property has already earned prestigious industry accolades including 2019 International Property Awards (IPAs) for Best International Hotel Architecture, Best Hotel Architecture Arabia and Best Residential High-rise Architecture Arabia.

emirateswoman.com