Luxury Arabia

Breitling and IRONMAN have signed a long-term partnership and teamed up to co-design the Endurance Pro IRONMAN watches, a special series of Breitling’s ultimate athleisure watch. The result is a set of perfectly lightweight and lighthearted luxury sports watches combining high precision, innovative technology, and vibrant, colorful design. The launch features two exciting new watches: a red version available globally at all Breitling boutiques and retailers and online for sports and timekeeping enthusiasts, and a black and gold piece exclusively available for IRONMAN race finishers. Additional models reserved for the IRONMAN community are planned for the coming months. 

In 2019, Breitling and IRONMAN had already launched the highly successful Breitling Superocean IRONMAN Limited Edition. This new partnership kicks off a long-term collaboration with Breitling becoming the new Official Luxury Watch of IRONMAN. To celebrate the partnership and offer a first look at the watches, a special event was held at the Breitling Boutique in Beverly Hills. In attendance as special guests were IRONMAN Hall of Famer and 1997 IRONMAN World Champion, Heather Fuhr; IRONMAN Ambassador and the first person with Down syndrome to finish an IRONMAN, Chris Nikic; IRONMAN Hall of Famer and the Voice of IRONMAN, Mike Reilly; and professional IRONMAN triathlete Ben Hoffman, who was also on hand to celebrate the new watches as well as his recent partnership with Breitling as a local ambassador in the US. Since turning professional in 2007, Hoffman has won numerous IRONMAN, IRONMAN 70.3 and National Championship victories.

All three members of Breitling’s Triathlon Squad have distinguished themselves in IRONMAN triathlon events around the world. German triathlete Jan Frodeno is not only a 2008 Olympic gold medalist, but also a three-time IRONMAN World Champion and a two-time IRONMAN 70.3® World Champion. In 2019, Frodeno recorded a best overall course time at the IRONMAN World Championship®, winning in 7:51:13. Daniela Ryf, a native of Breitling’s home country of Switzerland, is a five-time IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion and four-time IRONMAN World Champion. The third squad member is Chris “Macca” McCormack from Australia, who has claimed two IRONMAN World Championship titles – in 2007 and again in 2010. He also won the 2012 ITU Long Distance World Championships.

All three represent the best in IRONMAN triathlon racing, which brings together three disciplines into the world’s most challenging single-day races, consisting of 2.4 miles (3.8 km) of swimming, 112 miles (180 km) of cycling, and 26.2 miles (42.2 km) of running.

The new Endurance Pro IRONMAN collection serves athletes as well as luxury clients looking for the ultimate athleisure timepiece. Its 44 mm watch case is made out of Breitlight, which is 3.3 times lighter than titanium and 5.8 times lighter than steel, but significantly harder. This exclusive high-tech material boasts exceptional resistance to scratches, traction, and corrosion. It also stands out for its anti-magnetic and anti-allergic properties, as well as its thermal stability, which gives it a warmer feel than metal. It’s powered by the Breitling Caliber 82, a COSC-certified thermo compensated SuperQuartz movement that is ten times more precise than regular quartz and offers a battery life of approximately three to four years.

The bidirectional rotating bezel has engraved compass points, and the tactile molded crown provides excellent grip and maneuverability. The hour and minute hands are coated with Super-LumiNova®, making them legible even in limited lighting conditions. Along with a small-second sub dial, there are 1/10th second and 30-minute chronograph counters that have also been designed for easy reading. The watch is water-resistant to 10 bar/100 meters/330 feet.

At present there are two versions available: Endurance Pro IRONMAN and Endurance Pro IRONMAN Finisher. The former comes with a red dial featuring a black inner bezel with a pulsometer scale. The watch is presented on a red rubber strap with a Breitlight double tang-type buckle. It features a unique IRONMAN inscription instead of the Breitling inscription. The latter – black accented with gold – is targeted at athletes who’ve completed an IRONMAN event. This version will be available exclusively through IRONMAN channels, and its case back features a special IRONMAN Finisher Series engraving.

Flydubai, the Dubai-based airline, has announced the start of daily flights to Warsaw (WAW) from 30th September, 2021. Warsaw will become flydubai’s second destination in Poland after Krakow (KRK), which currently operates with a twice weekly service.

Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO at flydubai, said, "We have been flying to Krakow in Poland since 2018 and by adding Warsaw to our network we are providing our passengers with more options for travel to and from Poland. We look forward to creating travel and trade flows with our daily service."

With international travel restrictions gradually easing, flydubai has grown its network to over 90 destinations including several seasonal summer routes, such as Batumi in Georgia, Bodrum and Trabzon in Turkey, Mykonos and Santorini in Greece, Naples in Italy, Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt and Tivat in Montenegro.

Flydubai’s network offers passengers the chance to explore a range of cities rich in culture, heritage and activities such as Baku, Bucharest, Budapest, Istanbul, Ljubljana, Tbilisi, Tirana and Yerevan. flydubai also offers flights to some of the best beaches and tropical hotspots in the world including the Maldives and Zanzibar.

Emirates will codeshare on flights to Warsaw, offering travelers more seamless connections through Dubai’s international aviation hub to 168 destinations between both the Emirates and flydubai networks, including Australia, China, Indian Ocean, Japan, South Asia, and the US.

The airline's passenger experience has been redesigned to enable travel in a safe environment that minimizes crew and passenger contact and offers passengers confidence to travel at every step of their journey. Passengers who book a flight through flydubai.com will receive complimentary global cover for COVID-19 related costs.

Passengers are required to make sure that they are up to date with the regulations from the IATA Travel Centre and the IATA destination tracker for their whole journey, and follow the guidance issued by the authorities and the airline. Passengers can also visit the COVID-19 information hub on their website for more information.

United Kingdom residents will be able to experience the magic of Disney Cruise Line close to home with brand-new Disney Magic at Sea "staycation" sailings from U.K. ports this summer for a limited time. Featuring enchanted entertainment and with multiple layers of health and safety measures, the Disney Magic cruise ship plans to sail mostly 2- and 3-night voyages, as well as limited 4-night sailings round-trip from London Tilbury, Newcastle, Liverpool and Southampton.

Disney Magic at Sea staycation sailings are expected to go on sale in April 2021 for sailings this summer, pending the issuance of U.K. government guidelines and authorizations. For more information, visit their website.

The LEGO Group unveiled the latest enviable addition to its garage, a life-size replica of the Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 made from over 400,000 LEGO Technic elements. This show stopping collaboration with Automobili Lamborghini demonstrates once again that with Technic, you can build whatever you can imagine for real.

Following the launch of the 1:8 scale LEGO Technic Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 last year, this life-size model replicates the visionary design of the limited-edition Italian super sports car on a much grander scale. Over 154 different types of LEGO elements have been used to ensure the model embodies the futuristic elegance and unmistakeable silhouette of the Lamborghini Sian, down to the most minute details.

Lena Dixen, Senior Vice President of Product and Marketing at the LEGO Group said: “Our designers love a challenge, so you can imagine their delight when we tasked them to think slightly larger than normal with this model. They jumped at the chance of teaming up with our amazing designers and engineers from our model production workshop at the Kladno factory in the Czech Republic who build these impressive life-size models, and really pushing the boundaries of what can be done with LEGO Technic. The creativity that the system allows meant it was possible to really do justice to the exceptional design of the Lamborghini Sian FKP 37.”

Marking the second collaboration between the two companies’ talented designers, engineers and technicians, the model mirrors the dimensions of the Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 to the millimeter. The proportion-perfect frame is covered with an intricate fabric of bespoke hexagonal LEGO Technic elements which interconnect to form an energy-charged shell. The design plays homage to the six-sided shape that plays an integral role in Automobili Lamborghini’s design language, echoing the iconic hexagonal taillights and exhaust shape on the Italian super sports car.

Externally the Lamborghini Sian’s design has been replicated in meticulous detail. The word Sían means “flash” or “lightning” in the Bolognese dialect so to mark this, the electrical experts from the LEGO Group ensured that the lights and sleek lightning bolt that flashes along the body reflect how the real model’s epsilon headlights and hexagonal taillights power up and down. 

Inside the cockpit the detail continues, with a brick-built steering wheel emblazoned with the famous Lamborghini emblem and Italian flag, LEGO-built dashboard controls and racing seats. This model is the first large-scale model from the LEGO Group to have a paintbrush-effect UV color coating applied to ensure the model lasts a lifetime. The color, which is a perfect match to the 1:8 scale LEGO Technic model, was applied by Automobili Lamborghini’s official paint shop to ensure a finish worthy of the super sports car.The result: a flawless model that could be mistaken for the real super sports car, proudly created by a team of 15 people during 8,660 hours of development and painstaking construction.

Following the breath-taking launch of the 1:8 scale model, the life-size LEGO Technic Lamborghini Sian FKP37 has been given its own show-stopping moment deserving of the super sports car. In a new first-of-its-kind virtual unveiling from the LEGO Group, the full-scale model has been rebuilt in a virtual LEGO workshop to give supercar fans and LEGO lovers the chance to get up close and personal with the immense model, while ensuring the safety of fans around the world. 

The resulting experience is packed with suspense and emotion, making viewers’ dreams come true by giving them the chance to get behind the wheel of the 1:8 scale model before they are ‘transformed’ along with the model into the full-scale replica revealed today.  The experience lets viewers explore this feat of design excellence in their own time; they can sit in the driver’s seat and hear from the talented Automobili Lamborghini and LEGO Group designers who made this model a reality. 

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, will launch seasonal flights to Greece’s most popular islands, Mykonos and Santorini, and the famous southern Spanish city of Malaga in Andalusia. Mykonos will operate between 8 July and 11 September 2021 and Santorini between 9 July and 12 September 2021. Both destinations will benefit from a twice weekly direct service on an Airbus A320.

With a safe travel corridor established between the UAE and Greece, fully vaccinated individuals now have more opportunities to enjoy quarantine free travel. Travelers can enjoy Mykonos’ Mediterranean cuisine or admire Santorini’s unique architecture. Just over four hours from Abu Dhabi, Etihad’s new flights to the Greek islands complement the airline’s existing service to Athens.

As Spain prepares to reopen to international vaccinated travelers from 7 June 2021, Etihad will launch new flights to Malaga, twice a week, between 9 July and 15 September 2021. Flights to Malaga will operate using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, offering Economy Space and Neighbor-free seating options. The new service will provide greater choice and convenience for leisure travelers between the UAE and Spain, with Etihad now serving three destinations between the two countries – Barcelona, Madrid and Malaga.

For Etihad Guest Members wanting to redeem their well-earned miles, Mykonos, Santorini and Malaga are ideal destinations. Members have access to best value seats with their miles, plus countless hotel and car partners to suit their travel needs.

As border restrictions ease and safe travel corridors are implemented, Etihad continues to broaden its network by adding services and frequencies across key markets. Today’s announcement on the Greek Islands and Malaga follows the recent resumption of services to Athens, Casablanca, Nairobi, Phuket, Rabat and Seychelles.

To simplify the travel experience and provide additional peace of mind, Etihad recently launched Verified to Fly, allowing guests to validate their COVID-19 travel documents before arriving at the airport. Travelers who use Verified to Fly can enjoy fast track check-in at the airport by going to the dedicated Verified to Fly desk for a quicker and smoother experience. To use the Verified to Fly service, guests can sign-up by visiting Manage my Booking and will receive further information on how to submit their documents.

For more convenient travel options, guests can also check in for their Etihad flight from the comfort of their own home by visiting the website up to seven hours before their flight. This means passengers can check in their bags, choose their seat and collect their boarding pass and luggage tags from their home in Abu Dhabi. Once at Abu Dhabi International Airport, all non-transit passengers who have used the home check-in service can skip the queues bag-free, making the airport journey seamless. Luggage will need to be collected at the destination baggage belt.

Flying to, from, and via Abu Dhabi is supported by the airline’s fully redesigned sanitization and safety program, Etihad Wellness, which ensures the highest standards of hygiene are maintained at every stage of the customer journey.  Those wishing to book are advised to visit the website and the app to view their options, and to remain informed on the appropriate entry regulations at their end destination. Flights are also available for booking through the mobile app, by calling the Etihad Airways Contact Centre on +971 600 555 666 (UAE) or through a local or online travel agency.

BMW Welt and the BMW Museum open doors to the public again for the first time this year on May 25. Visitors to the BMW Museum will be admitted free of charge on opening day. During the first week of opening, visitors should look out for special promotions in BMW Welt, the BMW Museum shop and participating cafés. Of course, the health of our visitors and employees continues to be the main priority. For this reason, reopening will take place in compliance with all official regulations and measures.

For the time being, BMW Welt will be open daily from 8 am to 8 pm. All the exhibition areas will be open for visitors, and customers can pick up their new vehicles as usual in BMW Welt. In addition, a limited number of visitors can get personal advice on new vehicles in the BMW Welt showrooms, or pop into the BMW Welt Lifestyle & Accessory Shop to purchase from a wide range of high-quality, BMW and MINI branded products.

Catering facilities, including Biker’s Lodge, Restaurant Bavarie and the outdoor terrace, are also available to visitors from May 25. By way of a culinary highlight to kick things off, Restaurant Bavarie is offering business lunches from midday to 3 pm, Monday to Friday, with a new menu each day. Each Friday evening from June 4 to July 30 it will also be providing an exquisite Hawaiian BBQ on the large terrace overlooking the Olympic Park. Guests can enjoy the genuine taste of Hawaii – everything from fresh seafood and grilled Huli Huli chicken to fruit-packed desserts and exotic cocktails.  

To celebrate the reopening, the BMW Museum offered free entry to all visitors today. The M1 bistro will also be open again. Visitors can look forward to two new exhibits with special stories to tell. The BMW 2800 GTS Coupé Frua (1969) bears the unmistakable signature of the renowned Italian designer Pietro Frua – a design icon that BMW has lovingly restored to its full glory. Also on show is the BMW 2200ti Garmisch (1970/2019) – a futuristic concept car by Marcello Gandini, head of the Bertone design studio, which was unveiled more than 50 years ago and which was rebuilt in 2019 after going missing without trace.

With spring comes fresh hope, and with it, more so than ever this year, light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. The new Divers Sixty-Five Cotton Candy has a simple ambition – to bring a smile. It picks up the all-bronze case, bezel, crown and bracelet combination engineered by Oris for the Hölstein Edition 2020, and adds a peppy palette of dial colors in either sky blue, wild green or lipstick pink. 

The watch is water resistant to 100 meters and has hands for hours, minutes and seconds, a date window, instantaneous date, date corrector, fine-timing device and stop-second. The watch is automatic winding with a 38 hours power reserve. In addition to the metal bracelet, the watch also has an optional brown leather strap with bronze buckle. The watch with leather strap retails for CHF 2,200 and the one with metal bracelet retails for CHF 2,500. 

H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Group and Chairman of flydubai, said, "The Emirates and flydubai partnership continues to grow steadily to offer travelers even better connectivity to Dubai, and through Dubai to an extensive global network." We are seeing strong customer take-up and are excited to take the partnership to the next level by expanding services to new destinations. The close collaboration between Emirates and flydubai also benefits Dubai as a business, leisure, and aviation hub with enhanced connectivity and travel flows from the combined network of both carriers as it continues to safely welcome visitors from around the world. We're confident that both airlines will rebuild their networks even better, as they chart the path to recovery," he added.

Emirates customers can travel on codeshare flights to over 56 unique flydubai destinations, while flydubai customers can choose from over 82 Emirates destinations. Customers can also take advantage of an enhanced schedule spread across 30 destinations served by both airlines. Flydubai recently announced the resumption of flights into 12 destinations in Russia, five cities in Iran, as well as flights to seasonal destinations in Georgia, Turkey and Montenegro, with more destinations expected to be announced in the coming months as countries open their borders for business and tourism.

Seven-time Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton was awarded the Laureus Athlete Advocate of the Year Award at the 22nd edition of the Laureus World Sports Awards. Hamilton received the honor during Thursday night’s virtual awards ceremony, which was presented from the Spanish city of Seville. This year’s ceremony was hosted by Paz Vega, one of Spain’s great international actresses and a native of host city Seville. Vega, who has starred in countless European and Hollywood movies.

During the evening, seven-time Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton was presented with the Laureus Athlete Advocate of the Year Award. This award celebrates the work of athletes who have harnessed their power and influence as elite sportsmen and women to bring change to the world around them and who have inspired a new generation to tackle inequality and injustice. Hamilton clinched a record-equalling seventh Drivers’ Championship late last year, driving for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. Hamilton's remarkable achievements on the track have been matched by his increasingly powerful stance on racial justice and social and environmental issues.

As well as honoring brilliant sporting performances, the annual awards ceremony also shines a spotlight on the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which currently supports more than 250 projects in over 40 countries. This year’s ceremony highlighted inspirational stories about those who have worked tirelessly to combat the effects of the pandemic over the course of the last year and highlighted the recent advocacy work of sportsmen and women, who have used their influence and power to transform lives beyond sport.

In 2019, approximately 300,000 young people around the world benefitted from more than 200 projects supported by Laureus Sport for Good in over 40 countries; programs that use sport to promote social change and put an end to violence, discrimination and disadvantage. Every program Laureus supports addresses at least one of the following six social issues, which align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Health, Education, Women and Girls, Employability, Inclusive Society and Peaceful Society.

The UAE tourism sector has continued to recover during Q1, 2021, with the average hotel occupancy rates across the country nearing 63 percent, according to initial data released by the local tourist authorities. Average length of stay in hotels during Q1 increased 27.6 percent to 4.3 nights as compared to the same period last year, with March recording a growth of 34 percent in the number of hotel guests comparatively with March 2020.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, the newest national airline of the United Arab Emirates, announced three new routes connecting Abu Dhabi to Belgrade, Sohag and Luxor. The new destinations offer something for everyone – from beautiful landmarks and delicious cuisine to magnificent ancient ruins and rich history for those who have the appetite for dynamic experiences, exploring new places and culture.

Kees Van Schaick, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, said: "These new developments highlight our long-term commitment to providing low fares and high quality onboard experiences to our customers. The new connection between the capital of the United Arab Emirates and these three new cities within Europe and the Middle East will continue to stimulate air traffic demand and support the growth of Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector and economic agenda. We look forward to welcoming passengers on board our new, green and ultra-efficient fleet."