Ambulances for marine wildlife rescue
In collaboration with the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), the Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Centre Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, proudly unveils a groundbreaking initiative with the introduction of the region’s first marine wildlife rescue ambulances. This milestone initiative is dedicated to swift response and rescue operations for marine wildlife, supervised by EAD, across the UAE
Rob Yordi, General Curator of SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, said: “We are thrilled to announce the launch of our dedicated marine animal rescue ambulances and helpline, representing a significant leap forward in our commitment to marine life conservation. This initiative is a crucial stride towards safeguarding our region’s precious marine life and preserving the delicate balance of our ecosystem. These resources will ensure timely and specialized assistance for distressed animals, reinforcing our dedication to their wellbeing.”
The First Group & AAT support deaf tourists
Amsaan Accessible Tours (AAT), the first company in the MENA region specialising in creating unique tourism experiences for deaf people, has joined forces with The First Group, one of the region’s fastest-growing end-to-end hospitality solution providers. Together, they aim to improve the accessibility of services within The First Group’s international hotel chain for deaf tourists visiting the region.
The First Group, with its portfolio that includes The First Collection Business Bay, The First Collection at Jumeirah Village Circle, Wyndham Dubai Marina, and TRYP by Wyndham Dubai, will leverage AAT’s cutting-edge accessibility solutions with all its existing hospitality brands in Dubai.
Addressing core issues faced by the deaf community, such as communication barriers and accessibility in bookings and online reservations, the First Group will integrate AAT’s innovative solutions, including an accessible booking platform and a comprehensive sign-language support.
Dubai Airports focuses on hidden disabilities
Dubai Airports, operator of the world’s busiest international hub, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai Autism Centre (DAC) to further elevate the travel experience at DXB by making it more accessible and inclusive for People of Determination (POD) with hidden disabilities.
The MoU aligns with Dubai Airports’ commitment to support UAE Vision 2021 and Dubai Plan 2021 for the Emirate to be the world’s leading disability-friendly city. Building on the success of the ‘We all meet the world differently’ programme launched last year, Dubai Airports continues its efforts to make travelling easier for passengers with hidden disabilities at both Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC).
The MoU was signed by Essa Al Shamsi and Mohammed Al-Emadi at DXB’s Al Majlis VIP facility in the presence of senior representatives from both organisations.
Travelport delivers better emission estimates
Travelport, a global technology company that powers travel bookings for hundreds of thousands of suppliers worldwide, announced the launch of more transparent, enhanced carbon dioxide (CO2) emission estimates for flights on Travelport+ calculated using the publicly accessible Travel Impact Model (TIM), which has been developed by Google in partnership with the Travalyst coalition. This new feature is the first of Travelport’s wider product offering that is focused on helping agents, travel managers and travellers easily make more eco-conscious choices when planning and booking their trips.
“Agents, corporate and leisure travellers want to feel more confident in making better travel decisions that put environmental impact as a top priority,” said Tom Kershaw, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Travelport. “Agents and travellers are seeing different carbon emissions scores and rankings for the exact same flight options when searching them in different channels.
As an industry, adopting a free, publicly accessible data framework will allow us all to be more transparent and consistent in the way travel options are displayed and scored based on factors like carbon emissions, environmental certifications, or waste initiatives.”