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Sharjah Ruler Opens Historic Dh 6-Billion Khorfakkan Highway

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HH Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, accompanied by HH Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, and HH Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated on Saturday the new Khorfakkan highway. Extending 89 kilometers and with an estimated cost of Dh 6 billion, the new highway is the latest addition to the world-class roads network of Sharjah and the UAE, linking the arterial Emirates Road (E611) in Sharjah with Wadi Shi Square in Khorfakkan.
HH the Ruler of Sharjah and HH the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah inspected the intersections, tunnels and underground crossings of the new highway that passes through deserts, plains and mountains. The highway includes 14 intersections, and 7 underground crossings along with five pairs of tunnels dug through high mountains. These include Al Sidra Tunnel (2700 metres), which is the longest covered mountain tunnel in the Middle East.

Their Highnesses also inspected Al Rafisah Dam, one of the most important family tourism destinations in Khorfakkan. Spanning a total area of 10,684 square metres, it includes a mosque, outdoor seating area for 300 people, car parking for 45 vehicle, a walkway, and three playing areas spanning 410 sqm.

Foundation Stone
HH Ruler of Sharjah laid the foundation stone for the branch of Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport in Khorfakkan on this occasion. The Academy will grant students a bachelor’s degree in applied, theoretical and maritime sciences. He also inaugurated the Khorfakkan Lakes and Fountains Project at the entrance of Khorfakkan. It features 4 lagoons and a number of fountains. It is surrounded by cedar trees in all directions, transforming the place into a massive park.
He also unveiled the Resistance Monument, which bears a historical and symbolic significance for the city’s authentic heritage, and is a testament to the steadfastness of the Khorfakkan people in the face of the Portuguese invasion in the early 15th century.
The leaders also went up to the top of the mountain, where the unique Al Rabi Tower sits, which is distinguished by its unique architecture, to unveil the memorial plaque of the tower that introduces the tower and the history of its construction. He also inaugurated “Al Adwani Tower” located on a hilltop near the Khorfakkan Port besides unveiling a memorial plaque for the excavations of the ancient Khorfakkan wall.
“Khorfakkan 1507”
Later, the leaders attended the premiere of the film “Khorfakkan 1507” which is inspired by the book, “Khorfakkan’s resistance against the Portuguese invasion of September 1507” authored by HH Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed al Qasimi. The film has been produced by the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority in cooperation with Get Go Films Ltd.
More than 300 people, including Emirati and Arab artists and producers, took part in the making of the historical film. The film was shot on the shores of Khorfakkan and the ancient city. Through the film, HH Ruler of Sharjah aims to promote the idea of Khorfakkan’s resistance at that important era of the country’s history, and to introduce current generations to the hardship suffered by Khorfakkan and its rebels due to the Portuguese unlawful invasion and occupation.

Key Projects
On this occasion, HH Sharjah Ruler also announced that many more projects will continue to be developed in Khorfakkan to increase the beauty of the city, and provide it with all educational, sports and leisure facilities.

He also promised to develop Shis area along the lines of Al Rafisah besides establishing Khorfakkan Sports City. The projects at the entrance of Khorfakkan will also continue with a new Clock Tower being built along with the Cultural Palace which will include theatres, libraries and halls for all cultural activities, he added. HH Ruler of Sharjah also promised a new corniche project that will extend from Zubarah beach to Luluah areas, and will be named Al Sabihiyah Beach. Also he announced that the Khorfakkan branch of Sharjah University would be developed into the Khorfakkan University within 2 years.

Travel News | eTurboNews

St. Kitts shines in US Roadshow 2019

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A signature activity in US, the St. Kitts Tourism Authority conducted its 2nd annual Destination St. Kitts & Nevis US Roadshow 2019 from Monday, March 25 to Friday, March 29. The week-long series of 6 events were held in New York, New Jersey, Atlanta, Houston, Farmer’s Branch (Texas) and Dallas in order to grow visitor arrivals from these gateway markets and supporting flow markets. These events were designed to educate travel agents, tour operators, MICE buyers, wedding and honeymoon planners, media and experiential lifestyle consumers about everything the destination has to offer both business and leisure travelers.

“This year’s US Roadshow was a resounding success with record numbers of attendees for each event,” said the Hon. Lindsay F.P. Grant, Minister of Tourism for St. Kitts & Nevis. “Having attracted the sheer number of travel agents, MICE buyers, media and more who sell or publicize business and/or leisure travel demonstrates that there is growing interest and demand in these gateway markets for the tourism product that St. Kitts & Nevis has to offer.”

The first event was a brunch held at The Castle Hotel & Spa in Tarrytown, New York, an affluent suburb north of New York City on Monday, March 25. The second event was a dinner held at the Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange, New Jersey, an upscale neighborhood in the northern part of the state, also on March 25. On Tuesday, March 26, the third event was a dinner held at the Westin Buckhead, located in an affluent suburb just north of Atlanta. The fourth event was a luncheon held on Wednesday, March 27, at the Hess Club in Houston. A cocktail reception held on Thursday, March 27 at the Brookhaven Country Club in Farmer’s Branch, an affluent suburb of Dallas, Texas, was the fifth event in the Roadshow, while the sixth and final event was a luncheon held at III Forks Restaurant in Dallas.

All events supported St. Kitts’ non-stop flights and attracted a total of 300 attendees combined, all of whom were travel agents, MICE buyers, tour operators, wedding and honeymoon planners, media or experiential lifestyle consumers. Attendees were top travel professionals representing some of the most respected organizations in the business, including Maritz Travel, Cox Enterprises, Pro Travel International, Meetings Plus, Valerie Wilson Travel, Houston Style Magazine, Frosch, Questex LLC, Travel Impressions, and Westchester magazine.

“Developing lasting relationships with top travel professionals in our key gateway markets is a key component of our overall marketing strategy for the destination and our Roadshow provides us with the opportunity to connect with these individuals face-to-face,” added Racquel Brown, CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority. “In order to continue growing arrivals, we need to maintain and expand our base of sellers to help fill our non-stop flights as we continue to build out new and increased airlift from the US.”

In addition to being treated to a meal and lively conversation with representatives from St. Kitts, the individuals played games, listened to presentations and won a variety of prizes from hotel stays to bottles of St. Kitts’ own Brinley Gold Shipwreck rum that were provided by participating local island tourism stakeholders. In addition, attending travel agents were offered a special $150 incentive for booking clients’ air only on the non-stop flights to St. Kitts or air in combination with a hotel reservation at participating destination hotels, all offering special Summer Sunsation rates, between now and May 17, 2019 for clients’ travel through August 17, 2019 when they log their productivity on St. Kitts’ website or via the Destination Specialist program with Travel Agent University. As a result, many attendees are now adding St. Kitts & Nevis as a featured destination they will sell to their clients.

The delegation from St. Kitts inclded: the Hon. Lindsay F. P. Grant, Minister of Tourism for St. Kitts & Nevis; Racquel Brown, CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority; Ambassador Jonel Powell, Chairman of the Artist Selection Committee for the St. Kitts Music Festival; Annie Sinzinger, US Marketing Manager for the St. Kitts Tourism Authority; Denise Zimber, Christina Mucha and Shayna White, Marketing Consultants for the St. Kitts Tourism Authority; Tom Jaronski, Golf Consultant for the St. Kitts Tourism Authority; and Candice Kimmel, CEO and Founder of Adams Unlimited, PR & Marketing Agency in North America for the St. Kitts Tourism Authority.

A number of tourism stakeholders from St. Kitts & Nevis were also part of the delegation, including: Troy Hendrickson, Carib Journey Masters; Tawanna Wigley, Sales Representative, Ocean Terrace Inn; Richard Berridge, General Manager, Kayanjet; Jaana Kuntonen, Sunlinc; Christine Marshall, Sales Manager, Park Hyatt St. Kitts; Sylvia Martinez, Director of Sales and Marketing, St. Kitts Marriott; Tim Thuell, Nisbet Plantation; Cyndi Miller-Aird, President, Miller + Aird Destination Marketing for Belle Mont Farm; Jamar Wilkins, Travel Industry Sales Manager, Four Seasons Resort Nevis; and Darren Thompson, General Manager, Royal St. Kitts.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Peru working to welcome more tourists to Machu Picchu

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The Executive Branch of the Government of Peru is working on a land management proposal for Machu Picchu said Prime Minister Salvador del Solar in order to increase the number of tourists to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in the Cusco region while also improving the experience and enhancing the impact of tourism in Cusco.

Machu Picchu is an Incan city surrounded by temples, terraces, and water channels and was built on a mountaintop. It was built with huge blocks of stone joined to each other without any mortar. Today it has been designated cultural heritage of humanity in recognition of its political, religious, and administrative importance during the age of the Incas.

Del Solar announced the government will enhance the value of other tourist attractions like Choquequirao (Cusco region), Kuelap (Amazonas region), and other archaeological sites in northern Peru.

In addition, he continued, efforts are being made to implement tax-free, an initiative to promote tourism consumption and further stimulate the local economy.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Anguilla’s beloved Moonsplash Music Festival returns this March

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Anguilla’s iconic Moonsplash Music Festival will once again take place under a full moon at the legendary Dune Preserve on Rendezvous Bay, from March 21 – 24, 2019.

Music lovers and Anguilla fans were devastated last year, when for the first time in its 27 year history, Moonsplash producer and creator Bankie Banx suspended the event, as repairs to the venue were still underway. Some of the biggest names in reggae music have graced the Moonsplash stage — Steel Pulse, Jah Cure, Gregory Isaacs, Sugar Minott, Marcia Griffiths, Bunny Wailer, Inner Circle – just to name a few. So have popular music artists like Jimmy Buffet and John Mayer, and award winning rappers Nas and Q-Tip. It is a magical experience, on an extraordinary island.

This year’s Moonsplash returns to its roots as the Coolest Beach Party in the Caribbean. Timed to coincide with the first full moon of the month, the magical evenings unfold at the rustic Dune Preserve, Bankie’s legendary retreat, that doubles as laid back beach bar by day and pulsating dance party each evening. The newly renovated beach bar now accommodates 500 persons on decks and another 500 under a temporary beach extension.

Highlights of this year’s Festival are two, not to be missed celebrations — Sheriff Bob’s 80th Birthday Bash and Third World and Friends 40th Anniversary celebration.  Robert Saidenberg, The Sheriff of Goodtimes (aka Sheriff Bob) met Bankie Banx in the late 80s at a recording studio in New York City. Bankie invited Sheriff down to Anguilla and that summer they started planning the first Moonsplash.  This is a very special year for The Sheriff of Goodtimes as he’ll be celebrating his 80th Birthday at Moonsplash 2019. He was also the subject of the 2018 award-winning short documentary film, The Sheriff of Goodtimes, which won Best Short Documentary at the Big Apple Film Festival.

Third World, the ‘Reggae Ambassadors’, is one of the longest lived Reggae bands of all time, and the world’s greatest reggae fusion band, mixing in elements of R&B, funk, pop, rock, dancehall and rap. With 10 Grammy nominations and catalogue of charted hits spanning four decades, Third World will be releasing a new studio album in Spring 2019, produced by 4-time Grammy winner, Damian “Jr Gong” Marley, the youngest son of the legendary Bob Marley, under the Ghetto Youth International imprint. The lead single “Loving You Is Easy” was released late 2018.

Moonsplash kicks off at 6:30PM on Friday, March 22nd with Funky Horns SXM on the Beach Stage, along with other supporting acts.  Headliners on the Main Stage later that evening are Anguilla’s own Omari Banks and the legendary Mighty Diamonds, with additional supporting acts to be announced. Omari’s international musical career has taken him on tour to North America, Europe and Asia, and his recently released single “Me and You” was produced by multi-platinum, multi-Grammy nominee Jason “J Vibes” Farmer. Tabby, Bunny and Judge have produced over forty albums in their long and storied career.

On Saturday, March 23rd, starting from 6:30PM on the Beach Stage, festival fans will be treated to the Sheriff’s 80th Birthday Bash featuring Orange Grove, the popular Sint Maarten band whose infectious sound echoes traces of rock, hip-hop and reggae, and Sheriff and the Deputy, featuring Kat Minogue and Captain Bob.

Sheriff and The Deputy play traditional Folk, Rock, and Country music – the band enjoyed 9 months of performances at Opry City Stage, the NYC branch of the world-famous Grand Ole Opry.

The Third World and Friends 40th Anniversary Celebration takes the Main Stage later that evening, along with the Festival’s own impresario, the incomparable Bankie Banx, and the versatile True intentions, a reggae band that originated in Anguilla with roots in Dominica, who has rocked the local and regional music scene. A surprise guest will complete Saturday’s fantastic line up.

On Sunday, March 24th, the Moonsplash Beach party commences at 11:30AM with spontaneous appearances by the Bankie Banx Moonsplash cast. A host of fun activities are planned for the day.

Cool vibes, great beaches, thrilling performances, amazing music — what more could you wish for? A Beyond Extraordinary experience awaits you when you join us at Moonsplash in Anguilla next month.

For information on Anguilla, please visit the official website of the Anguilla Tourist Board: www.IvisitAnguilla.com; follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/AnguillaOfficial; Instagram: @Anguilla_Tourism; Twitter: @Anguilla_Trsm, Hashtag: #MyAnguilla.