Innovative flight compensation company, Colibra, is now live for users in the United Arab Emirates to use. For the first time the ‘Fly Now, Pay if Okay’ service allows passengers with a valid UAE residency to book flights that they only pay for if their flight arrives on time. They now have the privilege to be the first in the world to use the pilot version of the product and test this disruptive travel technology. The Colibra app guarantees UAE residents that if the flight is cancelled or delayed for more than three hours, passengers do not have to pay for their plane tickets at all. This service is entirely free for users of the app, allowing them to book tickets within 30 days before departure (and arrival) and then pay the regular ticket fare if their flight arrives on time or within three hours of its scheduled departure. The Colibra app is now available to download on the Apple Store for IOS users, as well as on the Google Play Store for Android users. How the app works: The passenger chooses a flight – it must depart and arrive within 30 days from booking date Adds his/her personal data – Colibra doesn’t charge at the time of booking Colibra charges the passenger upon arrival if everything goes smoothly and the service is delivered (ticket’s price is at no extra cost). In all other cases, the user travels for FREE.

Egypt is set to increase hotel and entertainment venue occupancy rates by almost a quarter as the country continues with the phased reopening of its vital tourism sector. Hotels, restaurants, cafes, cinemas, and theatres can raise capacity from 50% to 70% occupancy, Egypt’s cabinet confirmed on Monday in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister, Mostafa Madbouly. In the meeting, Egypt’s health minister, Dr Hala Zayed, reviewed the coronavirus situation in the country, including infection rates, and the various precautionary measures designed to curb the spread of the virus. Egypt lifted its initial ban on inbound tourist traffic 12 months ago and has been reopening its tourism market in phases so that it can assess health and safety precautions designed to stem the spread of COVID-19. In one year, Egypt has managed to recover visitor numbers. Since July 2020, some 4 million people have visited Egypt, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The ministry says it expects visitor numbers to return to pre-pandemic levels by Fall 2022. Dr. Khaled El-Enany, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt, said that Egypt’s tourism reopening strategy “is on track” and that the country was able to increase occupancy rates because it closely followed a plan that focused on a cautious reopening. Strict Hygiene safety measures, vaccinating all hospitality staff in several governates and by closely monitoring our hotels and venues, we have been able to reopen safely. Following Egypt’s efforts to introduce precautionary measures, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) granted the country its Safe Travel Stamp, sealing its status as a safe destination.  Inbound travelers are required to undertake a PCR test and the country is also checking all vaccination …

Middle East’s First and unique Virtual Travel Show, the Gulf Travel Show 3.0 announces a special day dedicated to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The idea is to have buyers only from Saudi Arabia on the day.  SanJeet, Convener, Gulf Travel Show shared, “the success of the first two editions in November 2020 and March 2021, led to its third edition of the region’s first-ever virtual event, the coveted Gulf Travel Show 3.0 to be held in September this year. We are making this edition unique from the earlier editions hence we are launching for the first time a special day dedicated to buyers from the kingdom of Saudi Arabia to meet with exhibitors from across the globe. Saudi Arabia is a very popular and upcoming destination with a strong outbound travel arm and we want to provide an opportunity to our exhibitors to make the most of this. We took this decision based on the feedback we received from the last two editions.” The third edition will continue to keep the momentum of the industry on a proactive level with the specialized panel discussions that feature experts from across the globe and the region sharing their insights on the way forward. 

The First Group introduced a unique and innovative lifestyle brand, The First Collection, which encompasses the firm’s portfolio of hotels, restaurants and leisure venues. The launch of the brand marks a major step in the firm’s evolution that has long been recognised as one of the UAE’s leading property developers, thanks to its existing portfolio of 11 award-winning properties, which includes Wyndham Dubai Marina, Millennium Place Marina and TRYP by Wyndham Dubai. Additionally, The First Group has a pipeline of seven upscale and upper-midscale hotels in development in Dubai, with many of these exciting new projects launching under The First Collection banner, along with a selection of The First Group’s existing properties that will be rebranded in the coming months. “The First Collection brings our assets together under one sophisticated brand, providing a platform for the development of exciting lifestyle experiences that leverage our core strengths while providing investors new opportunities to further capitalise on our long-term growth plans,” commented Rob Burns, Chief Executive Officer of The First Group. “The First Collection will enable us to accelerate our expansion plans in new and existing markets, while ensuring strong brand recognition across our entire portfolio,” continues Burns. Over the past several years, The First Group has diversified its operations, branching into key vertical markets, including property asset management and Food & Beverage (F&B) – with the latter earning the brand a formidable reputation as one of Dubai’s most ambitious and innovative hospitality operators. This is thanks in part to the launch of MasterChef, the TV Experience – the world’s first restaurant based on the global reality TV phenomenon, located at Millennium Place Marina. In recent months, the F&B team have rolled …

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts becomes the Official Partner Hotel of ITB China 2021, which is set to take place as a physical event in Shanghai from 24 – 26 Nov 2021, with a virtual extension from 8 Nov to 31 Dec 2021. With over 8,900 hotels and 21 established brands across nearly 95 countries, the world’s largest hotel franchising company becomes the official partner hotel of ITB China for the third year in a row. The corresponding agreement was formally signed on 29 June, by Jane Yang, Senior Director, Commercial, Asia Pacific, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Mr. David Axiotis, General Manager of Messe Berlin (Shanghai), the organizer of ITB China. The hotel industry giant will have a strong presence on both the physical and digital show floor of ITB China, introducing its brand-new products and innovative services to the industry in one place. Mr. David Axiotis, General Manager of ITB China, said: “We are very delighted to continue our strategic partnership with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. The dynamics and synergies that come from our show has helped forge many mutually beneficial industry partnerships. We believe that the new hybrid format of ITB China 2021 will be the perfect platform for our partners to develop their business and organize marketing campaigns.” Joon Aun Ooi, President of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Asia-Pacific, said: “As the largest B2B show for the travel trade in China, ITB China is an excellent platform for hoteliers to form meaningful connections with travel agencies, convention organizers and corporate clients. We are honoured to be the Official Partner Hotel of ITB China for the third time – a strong testament of our long-standing partnership as well as …

Sabre Corporation recognized the needs of clients during this challenging time and the necessity to innovate quickly, reported by a survey by McKinsey. The Company took rapid action to employ technology and resources to transform to digital-only onboarding (integrating and acquainting customers with the Sabre platform), ensuring that the delivery was quick, simple and efficient for customers, from airlines to agencies. Typically, implementation processes involve working hand and hand with the customer on the data migration, holding a comprehensive series of face-to-face meetings and training sessions, and thereby quickly establishing a good communication and trust between all parties, something that is critical for the change management. Having to change to a virtual-only implementation process almost overnight involved rapid transformation, innovation and adaptability. “When Sabre was thrust into the remote work environment, we did not let our inability to physically work side-by-side with our customers get in the way of delivering on our commitments,” said Cem Tanyel, Chief Services Officer at Sabre Travel Solutions. “The way in which our teams at Sabre and our customers have collaborated to pioneer complex migrations virtually is truly impressive. Through adaptability, agility and innovation, we have been able to deliver successful implementations under new and challenging circumstances. We have gained valuable insights that have and will continue to change the way in which we operate in the years to come.” On the airline front, since the beginning of the pandemic, multiple airlines, including ASKY, which is the first Sabre-hosted carrier in the west and central African market, Croatia Airlines, Gulf Air, and Vietnam Airlines, successfully migrated to Sabre Revenue Optimizer, Sabre’s leading revenue optimization solution, via remote delivery. Croatia Airlines migrated in August 2020. Implementation …

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has announced its latest route to Baku, Azerbaijan starting on 14th of August 2021. The launch of the new route will see the airline now fly to 29 destinations. Azerbaijan is currently on Abu Dhabi’s green country list meaning that travellers will not be required to quarantine upon arrival or when returning back to the UAE’s capital. The flight to Baku will operate twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Tickets are on sale on wizzair.com and the airline’s mobile app (also available in Arabic), with fares starting as low as AED 179*. The new route to the capital city of Azerbaijan opens up yet another opportunity for travellers to explore amazing destinations from Abu Dhabi or reconnect with friends and family. Baku is positioned on the coast of the beautiful Caspian Sea and is the most southern point of Azerbaijan. Located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East, the city’s heritage, leisure and architecture is the perfect blend of multiple cultures making it a true sight to be seen, experience and enjoy. Kees Van Schaick, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi said, “We are once again adding a new and exciting destination to our route network. Baku is a city like no other with a unique fusion of cultures offering a wide variety for everyone, from hospitality, history to F&B. As restrictions across the world start to ease, we continue to provide more travel options for those with a desire to travel – we look forward to seeing you on board soon!” Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has the youngest fleet composed of four brand new state-of-the-art Airbus A321neo aircraft, offering the …

Egypt has added 28 new countries to its list of nationalities able to obtain a tourism visa electronically as part of the country’s efforts to drive more visitors to the country. The country now permits 74 nationalities to obtain tourism e-visas. Ghada Shalaby, Vice Minister for Tourism and Antiquities for Tourism Affairs, said that the latest update will contribute to encouraging many tourists of different nationalities to visit Egypt. She explains that the online e-visa portal supports 8 languages. The portal also answers many tourist inquiries and features secure electronic payment. An Egyptian tourist e-visa costs US$25 for one entry or US$60 for multiple entries. The visa is issued in a maximum of 7 days. The Vice Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for Tourism Affairs said that the new additions to the list are expected to have a positive impact on increasing tourist numbers in Egypt.

Emirates Holidays customers visiting Dubai who want to jump straight into their long-awaited stay, and Dubai residents seeking to expedite their return journey for stress-free travel can now upgrade their airport experience and have their arrivals and departures taken care of with newly introduced packages. With one more thing taken off their plate, Emirates Holidays customers can enjoy a fast-tracked and safe airport experience that offers little queuing and more privacy and peace of mind as they are supported through every step of their holiday break. With Airport Ease, Emirates Holidays customers can take advantage of an introductory package offer that ensures they are well-looked after starting from AED 499* for a complete arrivals experience. The package, valid for two people and up to four bags, includes an effortless end-to-end experience with Meet & Greet prior to reaching immigration, fast-track and a personalised escort through the arrivals hall, and Emirates’ signature Chauffer Drive service in a BMW 5 Series for onwards transport to their hotel or home. Emirates Holidays will also do the legwork on baggage handling and collection, in addition to a convenient baggage delivery option to any address in Dubai. With Airport Ease +, convenience and efficiency are taken to the next level for the whole arrivals and departures experience, starting from AED 1,199**. The tailor made airport experience, valid for two people and up to four bags, includes dedicated Meet & Greet at the customer’s arrival gate, one-to-one escort and dedicated fast-track at immigration and security, Emirates’ BMW Series 5 Chauffeur Drive service to and from the airport and baggage collection and convenient delivery (upon request) to the customer’s address in Dubai. Upon departure with Airport Ease …

In line with Egypt’s Vision 2030, Dolphin Speed Boats announced its support for the waterfront tourism sector in Egypt, which is one of the most important sustainable sectors for the growth and prosperity of the Egyptian economy throughout the year, especially with the Egyptian coasts having beaches suitable for swimming and sailing throughout the year. The company emphasized that supporting this sector starts from building a national industry that provides high-quality products with appropriate economic feasibility, in line with the general trend adopted by the leadership in Egypt to develop the domestic tourism sector and provide digital applications dedicated to serving this sector. Thus, also providing the products needed by workers in this field to attract more foreign tourists to visit the cities and landmarks on the coastal strip with its unique natural characteristics, whether on the Red Sea coast or on the northern coast, which makes the Arab Republic of Egypt a distinct destination for marine tourism. Dolphin Speed Boats has become the first provider of an integrated safe and enjoyable boating experience. The company has introduced three models this season; Flash for those looking for durability and quality within a budget; Arrow, a speed boat that is the most powerful in the range for water sports adventurers; and Legend, which is designed for family trips and fishing enthusiasts. In response to the growing e-commerce market in Egypt, Dolphin Speed Boats has launched the first integrated online store for premium boating equipment and accessories. Commenting on Dolphin Speed Boats’ support for the Egyptian economy and marine tourism, Eng. Hussein El Bagouri, Owner of Dolphin Speed Boats said: “Marine tourism in Egypt is an untapped treasure. This sector provides numerous …