ArabWeeks

As Summer approaches, Qatar is not standing still. Luxury hotels are actively participating in the forthcoming Qatar Tourism Authority’s Qatar Summer Festival and the destination is ready to welcome visitors during the Festival month 1 – 31 August 2015 with a variety of exciting activities throughout the city.

Rashed AlQurese, Chief Marketing & Promotions Offices assures visitors that “The 2015 Festival will build on the success of the previous year in terms of size and the variety and scope of the family entertainment and fun activities on offer in Doha and nationwide,” he added.

Underlining the family-oriented theme of the Festival will be Entertainment City, a feast of fun and innovative activities for the kids at the Doha Exhibition Centre. It will cover everything from skate boarding and rock climbing to bouncy castles, games, crafts, face painting and stage shows for the little ones.

The month will further feature a full programme of shows and performances to suit every age and taste. From openair public displays, theatre and classical concerts to comedy, film and popular music from east and west, the Qatar Summer Festival will literally have something for everyone. Details of individual shows will be publicized in the lead up to the Festival opening date.

A visitor-centric approach is being adopted by Qatar’s hospitality with 26 Hotels Offerings which include exciting incentives unrivalled in the region and a wide variety of value-added options. The hotels participating include a offerings from 5* establishments to the popular Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels:

Ritz Carlton Doha,  Sharq Village & Spa, Marriott Doha, Sheraton Doha Hotel & Convention Centre,  Al Mirqab Boutique Hotel ,  Al Jasra Boutique Hotel ,  Al Bidda Boutique Hotel , Al Liwan Suits Hotel  , City Inn Al Seef , Crown Plaza Doha, Concord Hotel Doha , Zubarah Hotel Doha , Governor West Bay Suites & Residences, Grand Regal Hotel , Holiday Inn Villas , Marsa Malaz Kempinski – The Pearl ,Mercure Grand Hotel , Plaza Inn Hotel  ,The Torch Doha ,W Hotel & Residence, Retaj Al Rayyan ,Retaj Royale , Wyndham Grand Regency , Best Western Plus Doha , La Cigale , Warwick Doha Hotel.

The retail sectors will be actively engaged in ensuring the success of the month-long festivities. These can be paired with highly competitive air fares on Qatar Airways’ regional routes to ensure Doha ranks as the preferred summer destination for family travellers from throughout the Gulf area.

“We are organizing activations around the GCC, including in-mall promotions in shopping malls in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain which will expose all the amazing hospitality offers and further offer an opportunity to visit Qatar during to the Qatar Summer Festival,” said Mr AlQurese. “Together with extensive media publicity, we are confident this activity will contribute to a large inflow of visitors.”

Makarim Riyadh Hotel invited all guests and visitors to enjoy the unforgettable Ramadan experience at the Makarem Riyadh, offering genuine Arabian hospitality within a Moroccan theme.

The Hotel offered a wide variety of Iftar Buffets from the traditional Arabic and international cuisines, prepared by professional chefs, who presented delightful new dishes from all around the world.

The Hotel guests also will have the opportunity to participate in draws and win travel tickets, jewelry, and other valuable prizes. The Iftar, which is held at Al Diwan Restaurant, is welcoming all guests to enjoy the services, facilities and gatherings around the pool and play rooms for kids.

Keeping pace with change in Iftar habits and ethics in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the past few years, Makarem Annakheel Village, Red Sea palm – Jeddah, opens its doors for guests to experience “My Journey”, a unique eastern atmosphere in exceptional Ramadan settings for the perfect Iftar and Suhoor throughout the holy month of Ramadan.

“My journey” invites all its guests to experience the distinctive Iftar accompanied by traditional lanterns and decorations inspired from the authentic designs of Ramadan. The Iftar includes a rich variety of international cuisine and a wide selection of famous and popular Oriental food.

Makarem Annakheel Village Director, Mahmoud Ahmed Abu Sheikh, pointed: “This year we completed the renovation and development of Makarem Annakheel Village, and for this occasion we are offering gifts and special offers in a raffle that is taking place on daily basis”.

Ahead for Eid Al-Fitr at Makarem Annakheel Village, many restaurants are preparing to celebrate with guests this occasion with a wide variety of food, sweets and drinks.

Guests can enjoy the privilege to choose from breathtaking sea view terrace, outdoor cafes, wide green spaces, gym, latest equipment, health club and children playground.

Finally, for guests who are looking for privacy and spiritual escape from life chaos, they can book their stay at the Pergola restaurant for an ultimate relaxation experience away from the daily routine. This restaurant is also the best place for family gatherings during Eid Al-Fitr.

Souq.com, the leading e-commerce site in the Middle East, has formed its first partnership with global payments technology company, Visa, to capitalize on increased consumer presence online throughout Ramadan and boost the trend towards online payments by 30-40 percent

Data collected in 2014 indicates consumers spend more time online and on social media sites throughout Ramadan with peaks times spanning from midnight to 5AM and 8PM to 11PM. Souq.com has developed a promotion during this Ramadan, offering customers a 10% discount up to 100 Dirhams on all their purchases exclusively when using a Visa card on the site or the mobile app.

Ronaldo Mouchawar, CEO and Co-Founder of Souq.com, comments: “We are delighted to partner with Visa to encourage people to pay for products online, and thereby improve the perception of doing so. Although we are seeing a shift toward credit card use in this region, Cash-on-delivery still accounts for more than 70% of purchases. Together with our partners, we are looking to alleviate barriers that prevent customers from using their credit card online, as well as continuing to offer services that ensure customer expectations are not only met, but exceeded.”

The partnership is in line with Visa’s “Pay with Confidence” campaign, which aims to create consumer confidence in e-commerce across key segments such as fashion and electronics.

Karim Beg, Head of Marketing at Visa MENA, said: “Souq.com shares Visa’s vision to drive e-commerce forward by providing an enhanced online shopping experience. Our goal at Visa is to empower our cardholders with safe and convenient payment methods through our cutting-edge electronic payments technology, ultimately changing long-term shopping behavior when it comes to online purchases, and we believe this partnership will yield great results.”

Souq.com is seeing continued growth in online shopping. Currently, one in two consumers in the UAE has shopped on Souq.com, with an item sold every 1.5 seconds. As more consumers are turning to the largest online shopping destination in the Arab world, expectations are also increasing. Souq.com ensures customers are provided with secure payment options, free delivery, as well as a one-year warrantee on all electrical goods.

To redeem the discount, shoppers must use the code VISA10 when making a purchase with their Visa card on Souq.com or through the Souq mobile app. The offer is available until 30 June in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Egypt.

RAFAL Real Estate Development Company, the premier residential community innovator, announced the completion of the first phase of the RAFAL Living, the new lifestyle branded residential destination in Riyadh.

The 60 floor high rise hotel managed community incorporates 300 luxurious apartments, 9 office floors and a wide choice of coffee shops and fine dining restaurants, with fully integrated services and modern designs in the city of Riyadh.

The development and construction of the project is going according to the plan, as the 7250 cubic meters of concrete works was completed during 30 continuous hours, using 800 tons of steel to reinforce the base, which is an essential part of the building process.

 Mr. Majed Al Hogail, Managing Director, RAFAL Real Estate Development Company said: « This important phase of RAFAL Living has been completed, thanks to ALLAH and the efforts of the supervision and monitoring teams, who are keen on the implementation of the project according to the highest quality standards and within schedule. RAFAL Living, our third vertical community, joins the RAFAL family, offering a unique way of living, combining comfort, intimacy and luxury » Mr. Majed Al Hogail added: « The project, which is strategically located on King Fahd Road is part of our aspirations to enrich the residential environment in Riyadh ».

RAFAl Living is scheduled to be fully completed by early 2018 where RAFAL will exclusively introduce to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia the first-ever lavish residential “sky villa” concept with breathtaking views

JACO the exclusive distributor for Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars in Saudi Arabia Launched two of the new Mercedes-Benz cars, the CLA and the GLA in Automall Showroom – Jeddah Saudi Arabia –  During an outstanding ceremony hosted by JACO. The event gave a chance to the press and car enthusiasts, to experience the unique new designs of The New CLA and GLA. The invitees listened to a speech about the advantages of the two models, while retaining its distinctive features as a prestigious trademark in the world of luxury cars.
The CLA and GLA were introduced according to Mercedes-Benz development strategy to meet the expectations and confidence of the audience.

In line with its fabulous sporty features, the CLA has a turbo engine, with high torque at a rate up to 155 kW (211 hp), and a sporty suspension system, in addition to the all-wheel drive system 4MATIC. The technical features include new world record in the aerodynamics of the car series (the value of air resistance coefficient: 0.22), and several systems to help driving including ‘collision avoidance system’

As for the GLA, it has been developed with careful attention to detail. It is equipped with a highly flexible Interior Cabin, that reflects its youth characteristics, making it the trendiest Cross Over in its.

The CLA was presented to the press and the audience within the event, Safi Kobeissi, JACO General Manager said: “The CLA is a style rebel and despite its pioneer modern features; it maintains the authenticity of Mercedes-Benz through the establishment of new standards in dynamics, efficiency and technology. We are confident that the unique design and exceptional performance give it extraordinary position even for those who did not expect to drive a Mercedes-Benz. The GLA on the other hand delivers all-round dexterity:  whether for business, family or leisure, through urban streets or off-road, this is a cross over that is emotionally and aesthetically appealing. Its off-road capabilities, and its design credentials and its on-road performance promises to be the perfect modern-day motoring companion”.