Dubai Tourism facilitates production of new Virgin Atlantic Airways film guide to Dubai

- Now live on all Virgin Atlantic-operated flights via on-demand system, as well as online and in airline’s airport lounges

- Film joins a host of others recently produced by or in cooperation with Dubai Tourism

Dubai, UAE; 25 May 2015: A new film about Dubai is now live on all Virgin Atlantic-operated flights across the world, informing and entertaining viewers and potential visitors about the countless attractions and experiences available in the emirate. The 20-minute film is part of the carrier’s ‘Virgin Atlantic guide to…’ series of destination guides, and was produced with the assistance of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), to showcase the Emirate’s tourism offering.

The guide showcases a wide range of experiences and highlights the Emirate’s tourism attractions in Dubai’s different neighbourhoods, art and culture, shopping, dining and entertainment, the majestic Arabian Desert and a number of hotels and resorts are featured. The guide also provides information on Arabic and Emirati cultures and traditions and tips on how to get around the city. The film is showing on Virgin Atlantic’s on-demand entertainment system on board all of the carrier’s flights worldwide. It is being screened periodically in the airline’s airport lounges and is also available online on the Virgin Atlantic website and YouTube.

Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said: “This project is an example of Dubai Tourism’s efforts to work in partnership with Dubai and international stakeholders to market and promote the city to an ever-wider audience, resulting in Dubai welcoming more new and repeat visitors and encouraging them to stay longer in the city. It is initiatives such as these that will allow us to ultimately realise our Tourism Vision for 2020, whose headline goal is to welcome 20 million visitors per year by 2020.”

Further film projects

Other recent film projects facilitated by Dubai Tourism in collaboration with Dubai Film and TV Commission (DFTC) include Star TV’s MasterChef India, of which two episodes were filmed in Dubai in March 2015 covering 12 locations for the ‘Dubai Week Challenge’, as well as the premiere of Brazilian primetime soap opera Babilonia, which was filmed in Dubai in November 2014 and aired in March 2015. Babilonia boasts an audience reach of approximately 40 million viewers.

The ‘In A Dubai Minute’ digital series, meanwhile, lets viewers keep up to date with all the latest events in Dubai. The first five episodes, available on YouTube, feature critically-acclaimed comedian Wonho Chung, widely considered the “first Korean Arabic speaking stand-up comedian in the Middle East”.

Another video series is designed to highlight different Dubai itineraries, ranging from a 24-hour stopover to a five-day family beach holiday. These are rolling out with Dubai Tourism’s travel partners around the world, and are linked to itineraries downloadable from visitdubai.com.

Finally, Dubai Shopping Festival’s ‘Who Wore What Wednesdays’ is a fashion series highlighting personalities of Dubai’s fashion industry, as well as some of the big-name fashion icons who have visited the city, including Rosemin Manji, Nichole Richie, Olaa Farahat, Ayah Tabari and Fatma Al Mulla.

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About Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism)

With the ultimate vision of positioning Dubai as the world’s leading tourism destination and commercial hub, Dubai Tourism’s mission is to increase the awareness of Dubai to global audiences and to attract tourists and inward investment into the emirate.

Dubai Tourism is the principal authority for the planning, supervision, development and marketing of Dubai’s tourism sector; markets and promotes the Emirate’s commerce sector; and is responsible for the licencing and classification of all tourism services, including hotels, tour operators and travel agents. Brands and departments within the Dubai Tourism portfolio include Dubai Convention and Events Bureau, Dubai Calendar, and Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (formerly known as Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment). In addition to its headquarters in Dubai, Dubai Tourism operates 20 offices worldwide.