Parks and Resorts said: “I’m immensely proud that today we start to welcome guests to Experience Amazing at this incredible new destination. Riverland™ Dubai and LEGOLAND® Dubai will be unveiled for the very first time and offer unique experiences and entertainments that I genuinely believe will set the bar in this region. Nothing of this magnitude has ever been done before and after three years of hard work it is a great honour to start to show our guests what we have achieved. As the largest entertainment destination in the region, Dubai Parks and Resorts will support the UAE’s tourism vision and grow the family leisure industry in the region.”

Etihad Airways and Lufthansa German Airlines agree on codeshare flights. Lufthansa to lease 38 aircraft from airberlin for its point-to-point carrier Eurowings and its network carrier Austrian Airlines. Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates and Lufthansa German Airlines, part of Europe’s largest airline group, today announced the conclusion of a codeshare agreement. The arrangement is set to start in January 2017, subject to government approval.

Set jewel-like between two giants, Bhutan is an age-old culture where the population remains untainted by the outside world; a world with which they had no interaction until the 1950s and from where their first real international visitors arrived by invitation in 1974. This amazing Kingdom coined the phrase upon which the success of the country is measured – Gross National Happiness..Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas has designed a project that is actually five individual satellite resorts in five separate locations, but all under the umbrella of one all-encompassing name: Six Senses Bhutan. It is five unique experiences crafted into one enchanted journey through the Kingdom. With a total of just 82 guest suites and villas distributed between five intimate lodges, guests will visit the heritage and hospitality of Thimphu, Punakha, Bumthang, Gangtey and Paro in the colorful Kingdom known as the Happiest Place on Earth.

dusitD2 Sunset Road and dusitD2 Kuta Beach, Bali to open in 2018
Global hospitality company Dusit International has signed a management agreement with Indonesian property developer PT. Merpati Abadi Sejahtera and PT. Ayana Realty to bring the chic and modern dusitD2 brand to Indonesia for the first time.Slated for completion in 2018 in Kuta, a surfer’s paradise and bustling entertainment district on the famed island of Bali, two new properties will open carrying the dusitD2 name: dusitD2 Sunset Road and dusitD2 Kuta Beach, Bali. Both hotels will cater to the needs of today’s tech-savvy travellers who are seeking modern convenience in environments that are vibrant, stylish and fun. Both properties will feature comfortable furnishings and elegant décor, all artfully arranged to inspire guests.

Only few weeks ahead of the official launch of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017, set to take place on the 18 of January 2017 in Madrid, Spain, representatives from various tourism industries and beyond have joined UNWTO to support the celebrations of this important event. The United Nations 70th General Assembly has designated 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. In the context of the universal 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the International Year aims to support a change in policies, business practices and consumer behavior towards a more sustainable tourism sector that contributes to the SDGs.

THE ICONIC ATLANTIS RESORT TO OPEN IN KO OLINA ON O’AHU, HAWAII.KERZNER ENTERS INTO AGREEMENT WITH CHINA OCEANWIDE. World Renowned Destination Resort to Be the First Atlantis in the United States. China Oceanwide (together with its subsidiary, “Oceanwide Resort Paradise HI LLC”) entered into a management agreement today with subsidiaries of Kerzner International Holdings Limited (“Kerzner”), a leading international developer and operator of destination resorts and ultra-luxury hotels, for a new, Atlantis resort in Ko Olina, a 642 acre development on the white sand beaches of the island of O’ahu in Hawaii. This new generation of distinctive luxury will offer a sophisticated lifestyle experience for resort guests,residents and visitors, with infinite ocean views, accented with lush green spaces and endless water experiences, encapsulated in Hawaii-inspired iconic architecture and themed programming. This will be the first Atlantis resort in the United States, along with the brand’s flagship in Dubai, Atlantis, The Palm and the new icon in China, Atlantis, Sanya Hainan which will open in 2017, as well as The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences in Dubai.