In brief

Al Tayyar acquires 70pc stake

AL-TAYYAR Travel Group Holding Company has acquired 70 per cent of Egypt’s Al Hanouf Tourism and Services Company and subsidiary companies in a deal worth SR40.95 million ($10.9 million) in March, the company announced on Saudi stock market.

The agreement was signed between Al Tayyar Holidays, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Al Tayyar Travel Group and the owners of Al Hanouf Tourism and Services in the presence of a financial advisor Rubaiaan Shaath and Chartered Accountants. The deal was reportedly funded from the company’s own resources.

A distinguished tourism company in Egypt, Al Hanouf Tourism and Services Company was established 26 years ago and has been providing tourism services to more than 4,500 Hajis and Umrah performers annually ever since. The company also provides services to tourists coming from the GCC countries, the announcement said.

Queen Elizabeth makes UAE call

THE Queen Elizabeth, the newest ocean liner of luxury cruise line Cunard, was to set to make her maiden Abu Dhabi call at the UAE capital’s Zayed Port cruise terminal last month.

The Dh2 billion ($560 million) Queen Elizabeth, the latest Cunard liner to carry the name of the current British monarch, was to spend a day in Zayed Port as part of her 2014 world cruise, and return next April joining the line’s flagship Queen Mary 2 as one of two scheduled ports-of-call for Cunard’s 2015 world cruise programmes celebrating the company’s 175th anniversary.

Welcoming the liner’s arrival, Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO, Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC), says: “We are delighted to welcome the Queen Elizabeth to the UAE capital as part of its 2014 World Voyage. Cunard’s return and future commitment to Zayed Port is an indication of the growing confidence the world’s leading lines have in Abu Dhabi, and an endorsement of the quality improvements being implemented through our port investment strategy.”

Australia welcomes Muslim tourists

AUSTRALIA’S very first Islamic art museum, the Islamic Museum of Australia, has been officially opened in Melbourne, the capital of the State of Victoria. The State Government of Victoria has supported the project through the provision of a A$500,000 ($467,925) grant through the Cultural Precincts and Community Infrastructure Fund.

The Islamic Museum of Australia encompasses five permanent gallery spaces: Islamic Faith, Islamic Art, Islamic Contribution to Civilisation, Islamic Architecture, and Australian Muslim History. In addition to these galleries, there is an exhibition centre hosting national and international exhibitions, educational resources  and a café.

Diamond trade with Sakha Republic

A DELEGATION led by President Egor Borisov from Sakha Republic (Yakutia) in the Russian Federation was here in the UAE for a series of high level meetings in conjunction with their participation in the annual investment meeting (AIM) held at the Dubai World Trade Centre earlier last month. 

Yakutia is one the largest producers of diamond, with 27 per cent of the world’s diamonds being mined there.  During their visit, the delegation is looking to gain knowledge from Dubai, which has become a popular outbound destination for tourists from the country.

Yakutia is the North-eastern part of Asia and renowned for its great territory and resources. At over 3,000,000 sq km, it is equal to about 20 per cent of Russia’s total land space, covers three times zones and is five times as large as France. Yakutia’s wealth of natural resources is estimated to be worth $3 trillion. There are no direct flights to Yakutia, however, there is hope to be able to offer charter flights in the near future.