JEDDAH, 11 September 2004 - Emirates Airline's economy class passengers traveling from Saudi Arabia to more than 30 destinations across its network can enjoy a stopover in Dubai. Passengers travelling to selected cities in the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle East, Europe, Australia and the Far East are entitled to two nights' complimentary stay in a three- or-four-star hotel in Dubai, depending on their destination. Ticket prizes for these offers start from SR1,050 from Dammam and Riyadh, and SR1,300 from Jeddah. The offer, valid till Oct. 31, includes a 96-hour visa or Dubai, bed and breakfast with 24-hour check-in and check-out facility at selected hotels, meet and assist service at Dubai International Airport, chauffeur-driven transfers between the airport and hotel and an exclusive privilege discount card form Arabian Adventures, entitling passengers to significant discounts in a variety of retail outlets in Dubai. It also includes all taxes and service charges related to the hotel stay. "Our special offers underline our grasp of traveller needs, especially those of our Saudi passengers who are fascinated by Dubai's range of leisure, shopping and business activities," Mohammed Salem Humaid, Emirates' regional manager for Saudi Arabia, said. The airline's ongoing online promotion has already seen five winners of short breaks to Dubai. Those who book online before Sept. 30 will still qualify to win the remaining two short breaks, one each to Dubai and London, plus two grand prizes. Both grand prizewinners will receive four business class return tickets each - for two adults and two children, to Brisbane and Kuala Lumpur respectively and a five nights' hotel stay.
Japanese Food Promotion at InterContinental
RIYADH, 11 September 2004 - InterContinental Riyadh here has launched a traditional Japanese Sushi and Sashimi food promotion, which offers the chance to taste the rare Far eastern cuisine. Chef Rachidis is presenting the promotion at the poolside Verandah restaurant of the hotel till Sept. 30. Sushi is a Japanese dish that includes high-quality raw fish wrapped up in seaweed with rice that is flavoured with vinegar, salt and sugar. The seaweed is a good source of iodine and the rice is rich in complex carbohydrates, Director of Sales & Marketing Aadane Ajdi and senior Sales Manager John K. Yohannan told reporters during a demonstration of the Japanese promotion. On an average, a four ounce serving of Sushi contains about 225 calories, 5 gm of protein and less than a gram of fat. "In fact, what has become a Japanese culinary art with delicious flavor and colourful form had its evolution in the 7th century when South Asians introduced the technique of pickling," Ajdi said. The hotel, voted 'best business hotel in Riyadh 2004' by readers of Business Traveller Middle East magazine, features the promotion in a casual setting Aside from regular food promotions and food festivals, the hotel has added more facilities for its guests. It offers a total of 70 new rooms, a new executive wing with high-speed Internet, daily seasonal fruit presentation and all-day complimentary in-room Internet connection. (M. Ghazanfar Ali Khan)
Adventure Tourism Plans for Expansion
JEDDAH, 11 September 2004 - Adventure Tourism, claimed to be the first inbound tour operator in the Kingdom, based in Jeddah and owned by Thamer Khiary, has drawn up a plan to expand its operations. Established in October 2003, the organization offers a wide range of adventure trips under the guidance of a team of experts for the corporate sector, educational institutions and local residents. "We're affiliated with a number of prestigious organizations and companies, including Jeddah Hilton, Blue Reef Divers, Jeddah 4x4 Club and Toyota," Sami Khiary said on behalf of the Thamer M.A. Khiary Est. It is equipped with Land Cruisers and quad bikes. In addition, it has an outdoor shop that offers enthusiasts a myriad of outdoor products, from camping gears to specialty equipment. "We've so far organized 26 trips, from readymade to tailor-made activities," Khiary said, adding that recently it handled a rally for Abdullah Bakhashab held in Bahra during the summer festival. "Our experts also handled a teambuilding activity for Unilever in which logistics of the whole event, from safety measures to team building, were provided," he said.
Gulf Traveller to Start Birmingham Flights
ABU DHABI, 11 September 2004 - Gulf Air, the national carrier of Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Oman, has announced the expansion of its international network with the introduction of non-stop flights from Abu Dhabi International Airport to Birmingham International Airport, commencing early 2005. Gulf Traveller, the airline's all-economy full service subdivision, which operates extensively throughout the Gulf, the Indian Subcontinent and Far East Asia, will operate the new route. Since its establishment in June 2003, the division has contributed significantly to Gulf Air's strengthened financial position and strong performance. The addition of the direct flights to Birmingham will further bolster Gulf Traveller's position, which in the first six months of this year registered pleasing growth with an average seat factor of 75 per cent. Flights start on April 1 and will be operated with a Boeing 767-300ER. The Abu Dhabi to Birmingham service will commence with four services per week (Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) until June 20 when frequencies will be increased to a daily operation.
SriLankan Air Taxi Service Expands
COLOMBO, 11 September 2004 - SriLankan Air Taxi has launched flights to Ampara and Weerawila, increasing the number of domestic destinations it serves to 10. The air taxi, launched last December, already flies to Kandy, Bentota, Galle, Trincomalee, Sigiriya-Polonnaruwa, Hingurakgoda and Anuradhapura. The amphibious eight-seater Cessna Caravan aircraft lands on waterdromes in Kandy (Lake Victoria), Koggala (Koggala Lake) and Bentota (Bentota Lagoon), and uses existing airfields at the other destinations. Passengers to and from Colombo can choose either of the capital city's two airports - at Katunayake and Ratmalana. The air taxi service plans to expand its fleet with two more amphibious aircraft shortly in order to cater to tourist demand during the upcoming winter. Flights are scheduled according to passenger requirements and can be chartered between any of these 10 destinations. One of the most popular routes is between Galle and Kandy. The airline intends to begin scheduled flights to the southern beach areas in winter to provide convenient connections to passengers on international flights. Another product to be offered will be scenic tours that will cover the hill country, cultural triangle and the beach areas of the island state. SriLankan Airlines, which has been expanding rapidly over the last two years, now flies to 42 destinations in 23 countries across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. The latest destination to be launched was Calicut, its 10th destination in India, while the airline has announced plans to launch services to China in November and several more cities in India.