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Red Sea tourism project awards contracts to build hotel and villa infrastructure

Red Sea Development Company, the developer of the mammoth tourism project on Saudi Arabia’s west coast, said it awarded contracts to complete structural work for a luxury hotel and villas. Saudi Arabian contractor Al Bawani will conduct civil and structural works across 40 hotel villas on the Southern Dunes site while Swiss timber specialist Blumer Lehmann will carry out planning, construction and fabrication works for a hotel on Ummahat Al Shaykh Island, the developer said in a statement on Wednesday. The company did not disclose the value of these contracts. The contract awards "signify the start of a new phase" for the mega tourism project as it advances into hotel development, John Pagano, chief executive of the Red Sea Development Company, said. “The Red Sea Development Company has made significant progress in terms of the design and construction of key infrastructure to enable the development of hotel assets,” he added. The project is a key tenet of Saudi Arabia's tourism strategy, which aims to increase the contribution of tourism to more than 10 per cent of the kingdom’s GDP by 2030, up from 3 per cent in 2020. The Red Sea Development Company’s masterplan covers a 28,000 square kilometre site containing 90 islands. Set to welcome its first visitors in 2022, the project is expected to be completed by 2030. It will house 50 hotels containing 8,000 rooms, a luxury marina, entertainment and leisure facilities. The company, which is owned by the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund, is developing 16 hotels with 3,000 rooms across five islands and two inland sites as part of the first phase that will be delivered by 2023. This phase will cost an estimated 28 billion Saudi riyals to 29bn riyals ($7.46bn-$7.73bn) to develop. Al Bawani's work will help the developer to link villas, restaurants and central buildings within its resort, the company said. Blumer Lehmann will design and manufacture all engineered timber material for a hotel, overwater and beach villas, spa and fitness building, restaurants and an arrival building. The company said last year it had awarded contracts worth 7.5bn riyals to date. Last month, the Red Sea Development Company chose Dublin-based DAA International to operate the project's international airport. It awarded the airport design contract to UK-based architecture firm Foster + Partners in October 2019. The project is being built under a “regenerative tourism” model, which aims not only to protect local habitats, but also create conditions for local environments to thrive. Only 22 of the site's 90 islands will be built on and visitor numbers to the area will be capped at one million a year.

Create: Feb 4, 2021 Edit: Feb 4, 2021 International News

Tourism projects worth $334m inaugurated nationwide

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday inaugurated tens of tourism-related projects via a video conference on the occasion of Ten-Day Dawn (Jan. 31- Feb. 10, marking the victory anniversary of the Islamic Revolution). A total investment value of 14 trillion rials (about $334 million at the official exchange rate of 42,000 rials per dollar) is channeled through the projects countrywide, Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan announced on Monday. Tourism-related projects worth 220 trillion rials ($5.2 billion) had previously come on stream since President Rouhani inaugurated his second four-year term in 2017. With these new projects being taken into account, the total investments in this sector are added up to 234 trillion rials ($5.5 billion), which is a new record, the tourism minister explained. The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts has played an important role in the country’s currency earnings, as in 2019, the tourism sector’s share of the country’s GDP was $11.8 billion, which is a very significant number, Mounesan said. Referring to passenger flows, he stated some 8.8 million foreign nationals visited the Islamic Republic during the first ten months of the past Iranian year 1398(March 20, 2019-March 19, 2020) before the coronavirus outbreak puts almost everything on a halt. Despite the coronavirus pandemic and the damages it has caused to the country’s tourism, this sector is still running and several projects are underway, the official added. Back in August, the minister announced that Iran’s travel sector has suffered a loss of 12 trillion rials (some $2.85 billion) since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, however, he mentioned that all the tourism businesses across the country will have the capacity to fully resume their activities both in domestic and foreign markets. “Many tourism projects have been completed, or are being implemented, showing that a very good capacity has been created in the field of tourism in the country and [this trend] should not be stopped,” he explained. Mounesan went on to say that 2,451 tourism-related projects worth 1,370 trillion rials (around $32 billion) are being implemented across the country that signals a prosperous future for Iran’s tourism sector. The tourism minister also said the coronavirus pandemic should not bring traveling to a complete standstill. “Corona is a fact, but can the virus stop tourism? Certainly not. For us, the coronavirus is a new experience in dealing with crises that teaches tourism experts around the world how to deal with such a disaster, and thankfully governments are turning this into an opportunity for better planning.” Some experts believe that the coronavirus pandemic may turn tours and travels into luxury items as observing health protocols will raise the cost of travel in the country. Mohammad Ali Vaqefi, the vice president of the Iranian Tour Operators Association, warned earlier in June that with the continuation of the coronavirus outbreak, tourists may prefer individual travel rather than tours, adding that they may also choose to go on a trip by their vehicles and stay in tents or nature instead of hotels. In the global scene, part of the new travel puzzle is the jet-set mindset focusing on tough hygiene care and social distancing as cardinal guidelines for slowing the spread of the virus. So the average expenditure will be raised for a typical traveler particularly inbound passengers so lesser ones can afford to buy privacy and space and safer travel amenities. Iran expects to reap a bonanza from its numerous tourist spots such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 24 being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, it aims to increase the number of tourist arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2025. The latest available data show eight million tourists visited the Islamic Republic during the first ten months of the past Iranian calendar year (started March 21, 2019).

Create: Feb 4, 2021 Edit: Feb 4, 2021 Regional News

Tourism projects worth $71.4m to be inaugurated in Bushehr

A total of eight tourism-related projects, worth three trillion rials (about $71.4 million at the official exchange rate of 42,000 rials per dollar) are scheduled to come on stream in southwestern Bushehr province. President Hassan Rouhani, and Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan are scheduled to inaugurate the projects via a video conference by the end of this week, the provincial tourism chief has announced. The projects will help create 275 job opportunities for the locals directly. Moreover, they will be adding 400 rooms and 1088 beds to the hospitality sector of the province, Mohammad-Hossein Arastuzadeh said on Sunday. Last April, the official announced that the tourism sector of the province is ready to jumpstart after the coronavirus crisis ends. He also stressed that the province needs innovative plans and programs to attract more tourists and travelers to its tourist attractions and historical sites. With over 6,000 years of history and significant monuments from the Elamite, Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sassanid eras, Bushehr Province is one of Iran’s most important historical centers. Besides its cultural heritage, beautiful beaches and lush palm groves make it an attractive destination for world travelers. The historical and architectural monuments of Bushehr include Islamic buildings like mosques and praying centers, mansions, old towers, castles, as well as gardens. When it comes to cultural attractions, there are many historical mounds in Bushehr including Tall-e Khandaq with Sassanid architectural style, Tall-e Marv located near an Achaemenid Palace, and Qajar era Malek al-Tojar Mansion. Qajar era Kazeruni Mansion, which has been inscribed on the World Heritage List, is another attraction that world travelers love to see among various ancient

Create: Feb 3, 2021 Edit: Feb 3, 2021 Regional News

Perspective on tourism advertising needs improving, and a lot of money, Iranian minister says

The strategy of tourism advertising needs to be improved in Iran, tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan said on Saturday, adding that the country should spend more amount of money on it like what it does in other sectors such as the industry and agriculture. With the current budget allocated to this sector, not much can be done, especially in the international arena, ISNA quoted Mounesan as saying. While other countries such as Turkey have achieved good results with advertising without any restrictions on tourism, those Iranian officials and people who have resources consider advertising a waste of money, rather than an investment, he added. This view needs to be corrected as the budget allocated by the government to this sector is very limited, and tourism advertising is not the government’s priority yet, he explained. Referring to the measures taken by the tourism ministry such as producing and preparing various contents and brochures in this regard, he noted that the ministry tries to make significant use of cyberspace to introduce the country to the world. To pursue the ministry’s goals, other platforms such as YouTube have taken into account as well, he added. He also noted that familiarization tours between Iran and China, besides the advertisements on cyberspace, have been effective on the number of inbound tourists to the country. Before the coronavirus pandemic puts everything on a halt, similar actions taken by the tourism ministry in Oman led to a 350 percent increase in the number of Omani tourists visiting Iran, Mounesan said. Advertising is one of the most important factors that help the tourism industry to generate tourists from both the local and international marketplace. The tourism sector is responsible for promoting the natural resources, culture, and heritage that help every visitor in experiencing the destination. Tourism advertising helps the visitor to get familiar with the place even before visiting it personally. Iran expects to reap a bonanza from its numerous tourist spots such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 24 being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, it aims to increase the number of tourist arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2025. So it will undeniably try its best to achieve a relatively ambitious goal but when that happens the travel industry is likely to look more altered.

Create: Feb 2, 2021 Edit: Feb 2, 2021 Regional News

Hyatt Announces Plans for the Addition of Three Story Hotels in Sweden

Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced today that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into franchise agreements with Story Hotels Holding AB to bring three hotels in Sweden under the JDV Hotel brand, helping to grow Hyatt's independent collection brand in Europe. The three boutique hotels – Story Hotel Riddargatan and Story Hotel Signalfabriken in Stockholm, as well as Story Hotel Studio Malmö, Sweden – will all retain their individual hotel names and unique identities. The three Story Hotels will be available for reservation through Hyatt's booking channels and for World of Hyatt members to earn and redeem points for stays starting April 1, 2021. Hyatt's independent collection portfolio is a collection of brands that not only embrace the locations in which each hotel resides, but serve as a gateway to some of the most sought-after destinations worldwide. Each property brings a sense of place to the guest experience in new and unforgettable ways. "We are very excited to bring these three Story Hotels in Europe under Hyatt's JDV Hotel brand portfolio and at the same time grow the Hyatt hotel footprint in Sweden," said Felicity Black-Roberts, vice president development for Europe at Hyatt. "We are focused on thoughtful growth in locations that meet our guests and members needs, and the upcoming addition of three Story Hotels help us fuel this growth in markets like Scandinavia, as we collaborate with owners who want to maintain each property's unique identity. With their strong design focus and neighborhood feel, Story Hotels will be the perfect representation of Hyatt's independent collection in Europe." Story Hotel Riddargatan, Story Hotel Signalfabriken and Story Hotel Studio Malmö are ideally located at the heart of their destinations and each will celebrate the unique neighborhoods in which the properties reside. With modern, Scandinavian design that reflects the edgy nature of both cities, the hotels will offer amenities for both business and leisure travelers. "It was clear at an early stage that Hyatt and Story Hotels had a very similar vision of how modern upscale living should look and feel," said Staffan Åkerlind, CEO Story Hotels. "We are thrilled to introduce the JDV Hotel brand to Europe and Scandinavia and, we are proud to be working with such an experienced, international hospitality company like Hyatt. We look forward to leveraging their experience to offer excellent service to our guests and benefit from their global scale and distribution platform." All three hotels will feature individually designed boutique guestrooms, vibrant public spaces and food and beverage offerings popular with both visitors and locals alike. Boutique in size as a reflection of their urban locations, each hotel will offer complimentary access to local gyms during their stay. Story Hotel Riddargatan, Stockholm An 83-room property widely believed to be one of Stockholm's original boutique hotels, the Story Hotel Riddargatan will have an industrial design to represent the building's former life as an apartment complex, barber shop and garage. The property is centrally located in the Östermalm area with easy access to vibrant neighborhood restaurants, cafés and bars as well as the high-end shopping district. The hotel will also feature a restaurant, Ling Long, specializing in Southeast Asian cuisine, and one indoor and one outdoor bar. Story Hotel Signalfabriken, Stockholm Story Hotel Signalfabriken will feature 83 individually designed guestrooms and a vibrant bar and restaurant, which will host regular DJ performances. Formerly a fire station and town hall, this listed property in Sundbyberg's Torg neighborhood will attract business travelers with meetings in the surrounding areas of Solna, Bromma and Kista. Leisure guests will enjoy the small town feel and abundance of restaurants nearby with quick access to Stockholm's city center in less than ten minutes via the nearby tram, bus and subway lines. Story Hotel Studio Malmö Story Hotel Studio Malmö will feature 95 unique guestrooms, all creative and playful in their design to reflect the young and vibrant population of the city. Situated on the top floors of a high-rise building, the hotel offers spectacular views overlooking the city and water. The hotel is part of the mixed-use STUDIO building, which also houses conference and meeting facilities, corporate offices, retail outlets, several restaurants and a café. With its unique waterside location at Universitetsholmen, and close proximity to Malmö's central station, guests can easily explore the city, and nearby Copenhagen via a 35-minute train ride. The hotel's restaurant and cocktail bar, Kasai in the Sky, will deliver food and drink on Malmö's highest outdoor terrace with views of the ocean and city skyline. Story Hotel Riddargatan, Story Hotel Signalfabriken and Story Hotel Studio Malmö are expected to increase the number of Hyatt hotels in Sweden to four, following the 2020 opening of Stockholm's Hotell Reisen, which is part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand. Fueled by guests' growing desire for unique, differentiated experiences that foster genuine connections with people and cultures, Hyatt recently announced its intention to grow by more than 30 percent in Europe, with a significant focus on developing the footprint of its lifestyle brands.

Create: Jan 29, 2021 Edit: Jan 29, 2021 International News

Five tourism projects to come on stream in Bushehr

A total of five tourism-related projects are scheduled to be inaugurated in southwestern Bushehr province, the deputy provincial tourism chief has said. Two hotels, a tourist complex, an eco-lodge unit, and a traditional restaurant will come on stream by the end of the current Iranian month of Bahman (February 18), Sakineh Salari said on Monday. A budget of 2.1 trillion rials ($50.5 million at the official exchange rate of 42,000 rials per dollar) has been allocated to the projects, which will generate over 127 job opportunities for the locals, she noted.She also noted that as the province enjoys several natural and historical attractions, establishing such centers and providing needed services will attract more domestic and foreign tourists to the region. Last April, the provincial tourism chief Mohammad-Hossein Arastuzadeh announced that the tourism sector of the province is ready to jumpstart after the coronavirus crisis ends. He also stressed that the province needs innovative plans and programs to attract more tourists and travelers to its tourist attractions and historical sites.With over 6,000 years of history and significant monuments from the Elamite, Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sassanid eras, Bushehr Province is one of Iran’s most important historical centers.Besides its cultural heritage, beautiful beaches and lush palm groves make it an attractive destination for world travelers.The historical and architectural monuments of Bushehr include Islamic buildings like mosques and praying centers, mansions, old towers, castles, as well as gardens.When it comes to cultural attractions, there are many historical mounds in Bushehr including Tall-e Khandaq with Sassanid architectural style, Tall-e Marv located near an Achaemenid Palace, and Qajar era Malek al-Tojar Mansion. Qajar era Kazeruni Mansion, which has been inscribed on the World Heritage List, is another attraction that world travelers love to see among various ancient sites.

Create: Jan 27, 2021 Edit: Jan 27, 2021 Regional News

Coronavirus causes $3.3b damage to Iran’s tourism so far, minister says

Iran’s tourism industry has suffered a loss of over 140 trillion rials (about $3.33 billion at the official exchange rate of 42,000 rials per dollar) since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Minister has said. Although the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 has brought the whole world to a standstill, the tourism industry has been the worst affected of all economic sectors, IRNA quoted Ali-Asghar Mounesan as saying on Sunday. However, efforts are being made by the government to help the tourism sector flourish again with continuous support and injecting supportive packages, he added. The government has allocated a total of 500 trillion rials (about $12 billion) to the corona-affected sectors, of which 200 trillion rials ($4.7 billion) will be given to the health ministry and the rest will be spent on other sectors, he explained. Earlier this week, the minister announced that the national budget bill for the next calendar year (starting on March 20) has proposed 70 trillion rials (about $1.7 billion) to support tourism businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. If the budget receives parliament’s approval, it will be spent on different sectors of the tourism industry, which has taken a major hit from the coronavirus outbreak over the previous months, he noted. Despite the toughest economic pressures and sanctions, the government has provided good support to all sectors of tourism, the minister said.However, there is hope that the beginning of mass vaccination against the coronavirus will provide better conditions for tourism and businesses related to this sector, he explained.Government’s care and support packagesIn late October, deputy minister Vali Teymouri announced that a new support package to pay loans to businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic has been approved.Depending on the type and activity of the businesses, they could benefit from at least 160 million rials ($3,800) to nine billion rials ($214,000) of bank loans with a 12-percent interest rate, he said.The loans will be allocated to tourist guides, travel agencies, tourism transport companies, tourism educational institutions, eco-lodges and traditional accommodations, hotels, apartment hotels, motels, and guesthouses as well as traditional accommodation centers, tourism complexes, and recreational centers, the official explained.In September, Teymouri pointed to the 1.3 million tourism workers in the country, who are facing several issues due to the coronavirus crisis and said “This number, in addition to their households, includes a significant population that makes a living through tourism, who are needed to be considered in ministry’s decisions.”Back in August, Teymouri announced that the tourism ministry has approved a total budget of 4,920 billion rials (over $117 million) to support corona-affected tourism businesses, covering as much as 36,000 people working in the tourism sector.Tourism industry in critical situationIn October, Mounesan warned that Iran’s cultural heritage and tourism will be in a critical situation if the crises caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus continue.In August, the minister said that Iran’s tourism has suffered a loss of 12 trillion rials (some $2.85 billion) since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.He also noted that the coronavirus pandemic should not bring traveling to a complete standstill. “Corona is a fact, but can the virus stop tourism? Certainly not. For us, the coronavirus is a new experience in dealing with crises that teaches tourism experts around the world how to deal with such a disaster, and thankfully governments are turning this into an opportunity for better planning.”Last April, the government announced it will support those who are grappling with fiscal problems by offering loans with a 12-percent interest rate. The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts also suggested a rescue package for tourism businesses. The government has also allocated a 750-trillion-rial (about $18 billion) package to help low-income households and small- and medium-sized enterprises suffered from coronavirus concerns.Coronavirus may turn tourism into luxury itemIn June, the United Nations World Tourism Organization praised efforts made by Iran’s tourism ministry to manage the travel industry during the coronavirus pandemic. UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said in a letter to Mounesan that the country's measures have truly earned plaudits to mitigate the impact on tourism. “A series of measures that the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Iran has taken, in accordance with the guidelines and recommendations of UNWTO, has truly earned plaudits as an effective practice to mitigate the impact on tourism,” the letter reads.Some experts believe that the coronavirus pandemic may turn tours and travels into luxury items as observing health protocols will raise the cost of travel in the country. Mohammad Ali Vaqefi, the vice president of the Iranian Tour Operators Association, warned that with the continuation of the coronavirus outbreak, tourists may prefer individual travel rather than tours, adding that they may also choose to go on a trip by their vehicles and stay in tents or in nature instead of hotels.In the global scene, part of the new travel puzzle is the jet-set mindset focusing on tough hygiene care and social distancing as cardinal guidelines for slowing the spread of the virus. So the average expenditure will be raised for a typical traveler particularly inbound passengers so lesser ones can afford to buy privacy and space and safer travel amenities.Iran expects to reap a bonanza from its numerous tourist spots such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 24 being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, it aims to increase the number of tourist arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2025. The latest available data show eight million tourists visited the Islamic Republic during the first ten months of the past Iranian calendar year (started March 21, 2019).

Create: Jan 27, 2021 Edit: Jan 27, 2021 Regional News

Renovation and reorganization plan of "Dariush" hotel in Persepolis with the management and operation of the army

Dariush Hotel has welcomed tourists in the past decades as a tourist complex with a significant capacity. With the renovation of this hotel, which has 180 rooms and suites, about 700 beds will be added to the accommodation capacity of Fars province.

Create: Nov 23, 2020 Edit: Nov 23, 2020 Regional News

The National Development Fund has no restrictions on providing facilities to investment projects

"Vali Teymouri", the country's Deputy Minister of Tourism, at the inauguration ceremony and operation of tourism projects in Yazd province; People's livelihood in the field of tourism is significant, and fortunately, recovery and social spirit are in the form of travel among people With the compilation of large and upstream documents, tourism has moved out of the emotional atmosphere and parallelism of the past and has become a program-oriented industry.

Create: Sep 27, 2020 Edit: Sep 27, 2020 Regional News

The $ 100 million loss of two Trump hotels due to his professionalism and statements

This amount of losses due to the departure of guests and sponsors from these hotels occurred after the remarks of "Donald Trump". Employees of the Trump trading company have said that his controversial remarks during the 2016 presidential campaign played a significant role in the losses.

Create: Sep 22, 2020 Edit: Sep 22, 2020 International News

Tourism week programs should be virtual, semi-virtual and outdoor

"Vali Teymouri", the country's Deputy Minister of Tourism, spoke in a video conference with the provincial tourism deputies; Tourism and rural development is a slogan that has been registered for this year, and the amount of work done in the field of rural tourism is significant in the Deputy Minister of Tourism. According to this year's slogan, we will seek more importance in the field of tourism development in villages and low-income areas. Celebrating tourism activists over the past year will be another executive action on this day.

Create: Sep 13, 2020 Edit: Sep 13, 2020 Regional News

The government's determination to remove barriers to Alborz tourism is serious

"Fereydoun Mohammadi" General Manager of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Alborz Province; We hope that the government will make it possible for the tourism sector to be revived by providing the necessary incentives. Although so far we have seen significant assistance from the government in the form of facilities, deferral of loans, etc., but this assistance needs to continue.

Create: Sep 9, 2020 Edit: Sep 9, 2020 Regional News