As the taxi sped down the Sheikh Zayed Road towards its destination, my excitement was building up, with every kilometre that we put between ourselves and my hotel at Downtown Dubai. I kept looking out of the windows on either side, not knowing where or when it would emerge and on which side of the road.
About 50 km and 30 minutes later, I finally saw it. First on my left and then as we approached closer, on my right. Barely had the taxi come to a halt, that I rapidly paid and ran out. But the sight that greeted me left me bewildered. I had reached Dubai Parks and Resorts, a gigantesque collection of five theme parks, that has emerged as one of the favourite getaways for families, both residents and tourists.
With five massive parks staring at me, I began to look where my entrance ticket was waiting for me. And I slowed down only when I located the VIP Welcome Centre where my entrance ticket had been kept, as promised.
Now, to get to the beginning. I was in Dubai where I had been invited to attend the Arabian Travel Market and I had a day free before the show got under way. I decided to skip my favourite pastime, shopping, and look for excitement of the other kind, especially as I had received an invitation to visit the theme park operator that is billed to be the largest in the region.
With options like Motiongate Dubai, Legoland and Legoland Waterpark, one is spoilt for choice here. So I asked for the one which had the highest adrenaline-pumping experiences and immediately jumped at it when I was pointed towards Motiongate.
With 29 rides, including some world record setting ones, 40 indoor attractions and countless shows revolving around some of the biggest labels of Hollywood, Motiongate is a themepark for all, especially those who love their cinema and those who are always on the lookout for some daredevil adventure that only the strong of the heart can bear.
Bu hikaye India Outbound dergisinin July - August 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye India Outbound dergisinin July - August 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
World's Top Luxury Trains
Replete with personal valets, grand suites and opulent amenities, luxury train travel is becoming one of the most sought-after ways to see the world with the rising popularity of slow travel.
India Among Focus Markets for Preferred Hotels & Resorts
Preferred Hotels & Resorts offers not only a platform to the 650 luxury hotels in 85 countries that are its members, but it also helps them move towards critical areas such as sustainability. Lindsey Ueberroth, CEO, Preferred Hotels & Resorts, who was in India recently tells India Outbound that the Beyond Green label of Preferred Hotels & Resorts has extremely stringent membership criteria which are regularly monitored and enforced. She adds that India is one of the most important outbound travel markets for members of Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
Malta to host first art biennale in 2024
The Mediterranean island nation of Malta will organise its first art biennale in first half of 2024. Conceived as a Mediterranean biennale, its inaugural edition comes with theme of 'insular thinking' that has drawn over 2,500 proposals by artists from 75 countries. The biennale will start from March 11 and continue through the month of May. Artistic Director Sofia Baldi Pighi tells India Outbound about the preparations for the biennale.
Heidelberg: Lessons in History & Heritage
There are many student towns in the world but few can rival the small German city of Heidelberg's unique connection with education and youth. While hostels and libraries are commonplace, Heidelberg is perhaps the only centre of learning in the world to have had a prison for students!
48 hours in Kutaisi
A compact town split by the Rioni River, Kutaisi, the capital of the Imereti region of Georgia, is a window into the country's history, culture, art and architecture and way of life.
We aspire to be the gateway for Indian travellers to US
As most Indian travellers to the United States head to Calfornia and more specifically the Silicon Valley, San Francisco International Airport aspires to be the key gateway for Indians, Kevin Bumen, Chief Financial & Commercial Officer at SFO tells India Outbound. Bumen adds that the number of Indian arrivals at SFO has already risen 80 pc over 2019 peak.
INDIAN TRAVEL TRADE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT DESTINATION JAMAICA
With a clear focus on the potential that the Indian outbound travel market holds, Jamaica Tourist Board invited Indian travel trade and media to participate for the first time in JAPEX, the key tourism fair in the country. The bet on the Indian market seems to have paid off for Jamaica as almost every travel agent from India said that the destination held immense promise for Indian visitors and that the destination would be integrated in their itineraries shortly.
Indian travellers biggest consumers of adventure in South Africa
With an 82 pc increase in arrivals from India so far in 2023 and a rapidly growing MICE industry, South African Tourism is set to reach the 2019 arrivals this year, Neliswa Nkani, Hub Head Middle East, India & South East Asia of South African Tourism, tells India Outbound.
Full recovery in leisure traffic, business yet to catch up
Finnish flag carrier FinnAir was amongst the worst hit by the Russia-Ukraine War. However, the airline's leisure traffic from India has recovered fully to the pre-pandemic levels and recovery in business travel is progressive, Romu Sakari, General Manager, Finnair tells India Outbound.
Segovia: Spain's Fairytale Town
One of the many tourism gems that Spain boasts of, Segovia is perhaps the dreamiest, with its amazing history that is reflected in extremely well-preserved monuments, ranging from a Roman Aqueduct to a 12th century Castle and a flamboyant 16th century Gothic Cathedral.Varsha Singh