Dubai Ranks Second Globally as Food Tourism Destination, New Report Reveals

Travel

Dubai has established itself as a leading destination for food tourism and one of the world’s fastest-growing gastronomy capitals in 2024, according to the third annual Dubai Gastronomy Industry Report issued by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.

The report documents key developments in the emirate’s food and restaurant sector, including the issuance of 1,200 new restaurant licences across various categories and cuisines, reflecting the city’s multicultural identity.

A survey conducted among food enthusiasts in the city during September and October 2024 revealed customer satisfaction reached 62 per cent, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) said in a statement.

Dubai issues 1,200 new restaurant licences as culinary sector booms

The report, which included responses from more than 1,100 participants across various demographic groups, showed high satisfaction levels based on key factors residents consider when selecting dining venues.

These factors included variety (70 per cent satisfaction, up 3 per cent from the previous edition), innovation (61 per cent, up 2 per cent), cultural heritage (58 per cent, up 1 per cent), and world-class chefs (64 per cent, up 2 per cent).

“Dubai’s food and restaurant sector is a key pillar of the emirate’s tourism strategy and ambitious vision, and its continued growth reflects the wise leadership’s vision to achieve the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to make the emirate the best city in the world to live, work and visit,” Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment at the Department of Economy and Tourism said.

“The 2024 Gastronomy Industry Report reaffirms Dubai’s leading position as a global centre for gastronomy and culinary arts and highlights the diversity of its food offerings and unique restaurant concepts inspired by around 200 nationalities residing in Dubai,” he added.

The Dubai International Brand Tracker positioned the emirate second globally after Paris as a leading capital for food, restaurants, and culinary arts in the first half of 2024, surpassing London, New York, and Tokyo.

The city ranked first for variety of dining experiences offered, ahead of Paris and Singapore.

Social media continues to influence dining choices, with 70 per cent of restaurant-goers in the UAE seeking recommendations from these platforms before selecting a restaurant.

Hygiene tops list of priorities for Dubai restaurant-goers, survey finds

Hygiene emerged as the most important factor for the emirate residents when choosing where to dine, with 50 per cent of respondents citing it as their top consideration.

This was followed by cuisine type (49 per cent), general ambiance (43 per cent), service quality (42 per cent), and value for money (38 per cent).

Online reviews have become increasingly influential in restaurant selection, affecting both everyday meal choices (27 per cent) and special occasions (34 per cent).

Google data recorded 741,500 online searches related to the city’s food and beverage offerings during the first seven months of 2024, representing a 23.5 per cent increase compared to 600,500 searches during the same period in 2023.

Also read: Flydubai to Retrofit 21 737 Max Aircraft With Larger Boeing Space Bins

Zambia, Ghana hold bilateral talks to boost tourism and investment

Travel

ZAMBIA and Ghana have held bilateral talks focused on promoting visa waivers and simplified travel procedures to facilitate greater movement of tourists and investors between the two nations. The discussions took place on Thursday on the sidelines of the second UN Tourism Summit, hosted at the Radisson Blu Mosi-oa-Tunya Resort in Livingstone. According to a statement issued by Ministry of Tourism Principal Public Relations Officer Nelly Banda, the meeting, led by Zambia’s Minister of Tourism Rodney Sikumba and Ghanaian counterpart Abla Dzifa Gomashie, provided a platform to strengthen cooperation in tourism promotion, cultural exchange, and sectoral development. Banda said the talks were anchored on mutual interests aimed at boosting tourism flows, with particular emphasis on fostering partnerships between public and… This premium content is for paid ePaper subscribers.Subscribe

Highlands golf courses band together on tourist bookings

Travel

“We are opening our tee sheets at the same time to allow people to plan ahead and book their Highland holiday, wherever they are coming from,” said Neil Hampton, general manager at Royal Dornoch. “With tee times secured, they can turn to getting travel plans and accommodation organised.

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“The Highlands are now regarded as an attractive stay and play destination in their own right, with a variety of lovely courses in the area to add to the bucket list experiences.” 

Mr Hampton said about two-thirds of the approximately 13,000 visitor rounds available at Royal Dornoch are reserved by independent golfers, with the rest in demand from tour operators.

“We are fortunate to enjoy a high profile in the USA and 50% of our business is North American, which is important to the local economy,” he added. “But 30% of visitors are UK-based, and we are delighted that so many want to make the trip north and see what Royal Dornoch is all about.” 

The announcement comes as work nears completion on Royal Dornoch’s new £13.9 million clubhouse.

“These are exciting times for the club,” Mr Hampton added. “The clubhouse will have a soft opening this winter and be ready to welcome everyone next year.  

“It will be marvellous to offer golfers an off the course facility to equal the golfing experience guaranteed at Royal Dornoch.”

In October of last year the club announced that it had spent a six-figure sum on 50 acres of linksland for further development of its Struie Course to meet growing visitor demand.

Five Spanish tourists die in New York sightseeing helicopter crash

Travel

M. Pérez

Madrid

Friday, 11 April 2025, 07:40

Six people, five of them Spanish nationals from the same family, died early Thursday afternoon in the United States of America (well into the night in Spain) when the helicopter in which they were travelling plunged into the Hudson River in New York. The five Spanish victims were a married couple and their three children, aged between seven and eleven, who were spending a few days of leisure in the city. Rescue teams located the last body – that of the pilot – trapped in the wreckage of the aircraft, half-submerged in the river.
The Mayor of New York, Eric Adams, confirmed the death of the two adults and three Spanish children, as well as the pilot of the aircraft, who was only 21 years old. Two of the tourists were evacuated to a nearby hospital, but died shortly afterwards due to the extreme seriousness of their injuries, while the other four occupants were killed almost instantly on impact with the water, according to the commissioner of the New York Police Department, Jessica Tisch.

Adams, who expressed condolences to the families of the victims, said an official investigation into the crash has been launched by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), although he declined to give details. “Six innocent souls have lost their lives and we pray for them and their families,” said New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

Escobar, centre, with his wife and three children, moments before the fateful flight.

New York Helicopter Tours LLC

They were executive Agustín Escobar, who was CEO of Siemens in Spain for two years and currently served as the company’s director of rail mobility; his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, a director at the same company and granddaughter and great-granddaughter of presidents of FC Barcelona; and their three children, ages 4, 5, and 11. Their identities were revealed by various local media outlets, including The New York Times, citing a senior New York law enforcement official.

According to the New York Post, which published several photographs of the family before boarding the helicopter, provided by the company operating the aircraft, New York Helicopter Tours, the five arrived in New York that morning. The company offers sightseeing tours of Manhattan to admire the city’s skyline, with prices starting at $2,750 for a 30-minute ride.

Aerial tour of Manhattan

The aircraft, a Bell 26 model – which has two blades on the main rotor – relatively common on such trips, had taken off just twelve minutes earlier and was taking an aerial tour of New York on a grey and unpleasant day with clouds, rain and gusts of wind, although it did not appear that the weather could be a determining factor for the accident. Various sources claimed that this was the sixth trip the aircraft had made during the day to show different groups of tourists an aerial view of the ‘Big Apple’.

It was the aircraft’s sixth trip on a grey and unpleasant day with clouds, rain and gusts of wind, although the weather did not seem to be a determining factor.

Shortly before plunging into the river, the aircraft circled the Statue of Liberty before heading up the Hudson River towards the George Washington Bridge, according to CNN. It was while flying over Manhattan at around 3.10pm (local time) that the disaster occurred, on a part of the river near New Jersey (New York’s neighbouring city). A little more than five minutes later, emergency services began to receive the first calls from witnesses, alerting them that there had been an accident and a helicopter had fallen into the water.
Dani Horbiack, who lives nearby, said she saw the aircraft “falling from the sky” from her flat. “I heard five or six loud noises that sounded almost like gunshots in the sky and I saw pieces fall. Then I saw it go into the river,” the woman told reporters. Michael Roth, the head of the tour company that operates these flights, admitted to the media that “I have never seen anything like this in the 30 years I have been in the helicopter business”.

“It sounded like an explosion”

Another member of the public also saw the helicopter lose part of a rotor and, according to him, “break in two”, although footage of part of what happened does not make this clear: “It sounded like a sonic boom,” he said. A third witness said he saw the helicopter crash at “a 45-degree angle” into the water.

At least 32 people have died in helicopter crashes in New York since 1977, according to local press reports. The most recent one happened in 2019

Several coastguard patrol boats and rescue boats were deployed in the search area, near a jetty on the New Jersey shore. The aircraft, which was seen in images of the incident – recorded on cameras in nearby buildings – to have lost part of its blades, was left floating half-submerged on its right side.
At least 32 people have died in helicopter crashes in New York since 1977, according to local press reports. The most recent was in 2019, when an executive helicopter crashed into the roof of a Manhattan skyscraper in restricted airspace, killing the pilot. A year earlier, in 2018, five people died in another tourist helicopter crash in the nearby East River, on the opposite side of Manhattan.

Spain’s PM Pedro Sánchez: “An unimaginable tragedy”.

The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, expressed his condolences on Thursday night for those who died in the helicopter crash in New York, five of them members of the same Spanish family who were spending a few days’ holiday in the city.

Lahore nominated as ECO Tourism Capital for 2027

Travel

ECO officials attend a meeting in Mashad, Iran in this image released on December 2, 2024. — Facebook@Economic-Cooperation-Organisation LAHORE:Pakistan and the Punjab province have gotten a significant global honour as Lahore was nominated as Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) Tourism Capital for the year 2027. A 25-member delegation of the 10-nation Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) will…

Your favourite bars, beaches, swimming spots and more: readers’ top 10 travel tips on Portugal

Travel

Beach retreat in northern PortugalChus, who owns the local bar where I used to live in Galicia, shuts every September and decamps to Portugal. This entails a journey of 10 miles to the seaside town of Moledo. On his recommendation we caught the ferry across the wide estuary and reached Moledo within 20 minutes. The town beach is sheltered by a fortress island and Monte de Santa Trega. It’s popular with Spaniards who can’t resist the lower prices on this side. Moledo has a long season because it’s a haven for kitesurfers. Think Donegal with warm weather. Chus recommended Hotel Porta do Sol (doubles from about €110). As with most things, he was right. Well-appointed and unpretentious. A bit like my old local.TomCrystal clear waters in AlentejoView image in fullscreenFollow a bumpy lane down from Aljezur to Praia da Amoreira in the Vicentine Coast natural park and you’ll discover a fantastic swimming spot, where a crystal clear river hits the roaring waves of the Atlantic, creating a natural water slide every few minutes as the tide ebbs and flows. Plenty of shallows for kids to play safely in too and nearby Aljezur is filled with super-hip vegan lunch spots set by the river in the old town.Ellen RobertsA monastery for sore feet on the Camino de SantiagoView image in fullscreenA converted 18th-century monastery, Albergue Casa do Sardão (from £15 for a dorm bed or £45 for a private room) offers rest mainly to walkers on the coastal Camino de Santiago, which passes its front door. Its swimming pool, local vinho verde and panoramic coastal sunsets from the spacious communal courtyard will help revive weary walkers. It’s in the village of Carreço (a five-minute walk away from the railway station with its regular trains to and from Porto), the next day’s walk reaches the Spanish border and the ferry – from Caminha (Matriz) e Vilarelho to A Guarda – across the mouth of the River Minho to coastal Galicia. StephenFood truck with a view in the AlgarveView image in fullscreenTen minutes’ drive from the pretty little Algarve mountain town of Monchique is the easily missed but search-worthy Alecrim food truck, perched on the summit of 902-metre Mount Fóia with its 360-degree views. Grab a cold beer and a pão recheado – homemade bread stuffed with melted cheese, garlic, tomato and onion – and find a deckchair to soak in the stunning views extending down to the coastal towns and beaches miles below. AlexAn archaeological treasure trove in LisbonView image in fullscreenBehind an anonymous door in a quiet street of the Baixa area of central Lisbon is an archaeological treasure trove that’s free to visit. Núcleo Arqueológico da Rua dos Correeiros reveals the previous occupants of the city over a period of 2,500 years from Roman through the medieval and Pombal (18th-century) eras. The building is owned by Millennium bcp bank and the artefacts were discovered by accident during renovations in the 1990s. The presentation of the history is outstanding, enhanced by sympathetic use of technology. Tours are offered twice a day, six days a week.Andy BridgesA capital barView image in fullscreenHands down, our favourite place in Lisbon was the Lisboa Bar. It’s not really hidden, except that nothing about it really stands out as you walk past it behind the Rossio station, other than some neon lights. Inside (or upstairs on the rooftop terrace) you find well-made, reasonably priced cocktails and beer and the most friendly, chilled vibe in the city. By the end of the night, we were friends with fado singers, migrant workers and students. We didn’t even have to try.Jonathanskip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotionA medieval masterpiece in TomarView image in fullscreenConvento do Cristo (entry is €15) in Tomar, 80 miles north-east of Lisbon, is a fabulous complex of buildings associated with the medieval Knights Templar. Famous for its round chapel, so the knights could attend services on horseback, our highlight was the refectory. With massive marble tables, barrel-vaulted stone ceiling, tiled floor and stone walls it has the most amazing echoes. After exploring, we found ourselves returning to it again and again so we could sing together. With the delay and reverb we sounded like a choir. Fantastic!Derek GaleVinho verde and green walks in Alto MinhoView image in fullscreenLast August I discovered Alto Minho, Portugal’s greenest region hidden away in the north-west corner of the country. A cool cocktail of pleasant temperatures, plentiful rainfall and thermal springs keep it verdant all year round and on a hot summer’s day it’s easy to find a shady walking path through the forests or in the hills. I stopped at village tavernas to sample a glass or bottle of vinho verde – the famous wine of the region – finding that the locals were all to happy to chat; they don’t see many tourists in this area. The wine is slightly effervescent, with a hint of fruits, and to enjoy a glass on a summer’s day surrounded by woods and waterfalls is to feel in harmony with nature – an authentic Portuguese pleasure full of Lusitanian languor. Alto Minho’s main town is Viana do Castelo, in a pleasantly sleepy town with a medieval centre full of ancient mansions, winding streets, crumbling churches and somnolent squares. A perfect Portuguese watering hole and feeding station for a few days after exploring Alto Minho on foot.JoeWild swimming in Peneda-Gerês national parkView image in fullscreenTucked away in the stunning Peneda–Gerês national park, Poco Azul Gerês offers a serene wild swimming spot surrounded by majestic mountains. After a scenic hike up in the hills, it’s the perfect place to unwind, dip into the refreshing waters, and enjoy a packed lunch beside the shimmering blue pool.TessaWinning tip: campsite near a stunning hilltop villageView image in fullscreenWe stayed at Camping Asseiceira in the Parque Natural da Serra de São Mamede in the centre of Portugal in spring time. It was so serene with easy and beautiful walks, and bike rides from the site with views of hilltop castles, gorgeous rivers and remarkably biodiverse meadows. The sheer number of flowers in the verges of the quiet roads was astounding. It was incredibly peaceful and felt very safe with our small children. The owner of the site was helpful in suggesting walks and trips. The tiny but stunning hilltop village of Marvão was a short drive away. EsmeView image in fullscreen

Your favourite bars, beaches, swimming spots and more: readers’ top 10 travel tips on Portugal

Travel

Beach retreat in northern PortugalChus, who owns the local bar where I used to live in Galicia, shuts every September and decamps to Portugal. This entails a journey of 10 miles to the seaside town of Moledo. On his recommendation we caught the ferry across the wide estuary and reached Moledo within 20 minutes. The town beach is sheltered by a fortress island and Monte de Santa Trega. It’s popular with Spaniards who can’t resist the lower prices on this side. Moledo has a long season because it’s a haven for kitesurfers. Think Donegal with warm weather. Chus recommended Hotel Porta do Sol (doubles from about €110). As with most things, he was right. Well-appointed and unpretentious. A bit like my old local.TomCrystal clear waters in AlentejoView image in fullscreenFollow a bumpy lane down from Aljezur to Praia da Amoreira in the Vicentine Coast natural park and you’ll discover a fantastic swimming spot, where a crystal clear river hits the roaring waves of the Atlantic, creating a natural water slide every few minutes as the tide ebbs and flows. Plenty of shallows for kids to play safely in too and nearby Aljezur is filled with super-hip vegan lunch spots set by the river in the old town.Ellen RobertsA monastery for sore feet on the Camino de SantiagoView image in fullscreenA converted 18th-century monastery, Albergue Casa do Sardão (from £15 for a dorm bed or £45 for a private room) offers rest mainly to walkers on the coastal Camino de Santiago, which passes its front door. Its swimming pool, local vinho verde and panoramic coastal sunsets from the spacious communal courtyard will help revive weary walkers. It’s in the village of Carreço (a five-minute walk away from the railway station with its regular trains to and from Porto), the next day’s walk reaches the Spanish border and the ferry – from Caminha (Matriz) e Vilarelho to A Guarda – across the mouth of the River Minho to coastal Galicia. StephenFood truck with a view in the AlgarveView image in fullscreenTen minutes’ drive from the pretty little Algarve mountain town of Monchique is the easily missed but search-worthy Alecrim food truck, perched on the summit of 902-metre Mount Fóia with its 360-degree views. Grab a cold beer and a pão recheado – homemade bread stuffed with melted cheese, garlic, tomato and onion – and find a deckchair to soak in the stunning views extending down to the coastal towns and beaches miles below. AlexAn archaeological treasure trove in LisbonView image in fullscreenBehind an anonymous door in a quiet street of the Baixa area of central Lisbon is an archaeological treasure trove that’s free to visit. Núcleo Arqueológico da Rua dos Correeiros reveals the previous occupants of the city over a period of 2,500 years from Roman through the medieval and Pombal (18th-century) eras. The building is owned by Millennium bcp bank and the artefacts were discovered by accident during renovations in the 1990s. The presentation of the history is outstanding, enhanced by sympathetic use of technology. Tours are offered twice a day, six days a week.Andy BridgesA capital barView image in fullscreenHands down, our favourite place in Lisbon was the Lisboa Bar. It’s not really hidden, except that nothing about it really stands out as you walk past it behind the Rossio station, other than some neon lights. Inside (or upstairs on the rooftop terrace) you find well-made, reasonably priced cocktails and beer and the most friendly, chilled vibe in the city. By the end of the night, we were friends with fado singers, migrant workers and students. We didn’t even have to try.Jonathanskip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotionA medieval masterpiece in TomarView image in fullscreenConvento do Cristo (entry is €15) in Tomar, 80 miles north-east of Lisbon, is a fabulous complex of buildings associated with the medieval Knights Templar. Famous for its round chapel, so the knights could attend services on horseback, our highlight was the refectory. With massive marble tables, barrel-vaulted stone ceiling, tiled floor and stone walls it has the most amazing echoes. After exploring, we found ourselves returning to it again and again so we could sing together. With the delay and reverb we sounded like a choir. Fantastic!Derek GaleVinho verde and green walks in Alto MinhoView image in fullscreenLast August I discovered Alto Minho, Portugal’s greenest region hidden away in the north-west corner of the country. A cool cocktail of pleasant temperatures, plentiful rainfall and thermal springs keep it verdant all year round and on a hot summer’s day it’s easy to find a shady walking path through the forests or in the hills. I stopped at village tavernas to sample a glass or bottle of vinho verde – the famous wine of the region – finding that the locals were all to happy to chat; they don’t see many tourists in this area. The wine is slightly effervescent, with a hint of fruits, and to enjoy a glass on a summer’s day surrounded by woods and waterfalls is to feel in harmony with nature – an authentic Portuguese pleasure full of Lusitanian languor. Alto Minho’s main town is Viana do Castelo, in a pleasantly sleepy town with a medieval centre full of ancient mansions, winding streets, crumbling churches and somnolent squares. A perfect Portuguese watering hole and feeding station for a few days after exploring Alto Minho on foot.JoeWild swimming in Peneda-Gerês national parkView image in fullscreenTucked away in the stunning Peneda–Gerês national park, Poco Azul Gerês offers a serene wild swimming spot surrounded by majestic mountains. After a scenic hike up in the hills, it’s the perfect place to unwind, dip into the refreshing waters, and enjoy a packed lunch beside the shimmering blue pool.TessaWinning tip: campsite near a stunning hilltop villageView image in fullscreenWe stayed at Camping Asseiceira in the Parque Natural da Serra de São Mamede in the centre of Portugal in spring time. It was so serene with easy and beautiful walks, and bike rides from the site with views of hilltop castles, gorgeous rivers and remarkably biodiverse meadows. The sheer number of flowers in the verges of the quiet roads was astounding. It was incredibly peaceful and felt very safe with our small children. The owner of the site was helpful in suggesting walks and trips. The tiny but stunning hilltop village of Marvão was a short drive away. EsmeView image in fullscreen