It was announced at the global press conference tickets for a once in a lifetime experience will go on sale worldwide from 18 July 2021, opening up a spectacular world of innovation and entertainment for every visitor across 182 visually striking and emotionally inspiring days from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. With three months to go, Expo 2020 has announced three ticket tiers to ensure every visitor will be able to enjoy the spectacular event, regardless of the duration of their visit to Dubai. One-day tickets are priced at AED 95 (USD 26); multi-day tickets, offering unrestricted entry for 30 consecutive days, are priced at AED 195 (USD 53), and season passes, with unlimited entry for the entire six months of Expo 2020, are priced at AED 495 (USD 135). Expo 2020 tickets include access to all pavilions, events and live performances, providing limitless opportunities to enjoy Expo’s dynamic, diverse and ever-changing entertainment programme, with up to 60 live events each day, from world-class music, dance and art to insightful talks and colourful national day celebrations. Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai, said, “The scale and diversity of what Expo 2020 Dubai has to offer is remarkable, and a testament to the commitment, tenacity and collaborative spirit of each and every individual who has made this happen. “Excitement is building, and we are ready to welcome everyone to an unmissable six-month celebration, the likes of which the world has yet to experience. No two days at Expo will be the same, and with so much on offer, every guest will be inspired to visit as …

An end to the COVID-19 pandemic seems far beyond the horizon, but the tourism industry of the Philippines is dedicated to ensuring a phased reopening of the islands to offer utmost safety and hygiene to potential international travellers. Department of Tourism (DOT) Philippines has developed the GREEN Corridor Initiative (GCI), its flagship domestic programme to spur tourism recovery and response. The development of green corridors plays an important role in maintaining regional biodiversity, improving environmental quality, offering economic resilience opportunities, protecting heritage and culture, and supporting the jumpstart of the economy to restart tourism activities in the new normal. “The creation of travel corridors has been a key component in the resumption of tourism in some of the country’s destinations,” says Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat. The programme has been implemented in several of the archipelago’s islands. While the Philippines is presently opening the country for tourism only to its domestic populace, this staggered approach to re-opening is only a surety of the country’s objective to keep tourism safe and allow travellers to be confident of safety & hygiene when touring the country. Puyat adds that while the operational guidelines for the GCI are still being ironed out, the identified tourism products will be based on their readiness and quality, guided by the development standards espoused in the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2016–2022 and the Tourism Rapid Assessment (TRA).  A bottom-up or participatory approach will also be used in identifying the areas of development in the project. “The technology will be able to assess the carrying capacity of identified tourism sites and attractions. In effect, tourists will easily be informed about tourist flows using this digital platform, which will alert …

Radisson Hotel Group continues to put its employees, guests and owners at the heart of its initiatives and is committed to offering the highest standards of safety, to both their team members and guest. The group’s unending efforts to implement all health precautions and measures to limit the spread of Covid-19, and provide a safe experience, has been one of their highest priorities since launching the Radisson Hotel Group Safety Protocol in May 2020. As more COVID-19 vaccine doses become available in the weeks and months ahead, Radisson Hotels across the Oman have been supporting the countries efforts to further protect the health and safety of their team members, community and guests. In collaboration with Ministry of Health, Radisson Hotels has been able to organize and host their first vaccination drive, allowing their team members to easily get access and be inoculated. More than 414 of the team members have already received their vaccination during the first drive which was held at the Park Inn by Radisson Hotel & Residence Duqm. The initiative falls in line with Radisson Hotel Group’s vision and mission of responsible tourism, as the group aims to complete their vaccination drive for all five hotels within the coming weeks. With the support of their team members Radisson Hotel Group aims to continue to preserve a safe and secure environment for both their guests and team members. “The safety of our team members, guests and community is on the forefront of all our efforts, as we believe that hand in hand we can overcome these difficult times. In order to add a layer of safety, this is an important step for us to protect our team members …

Bedsonline has launched the latest, upgraded version of The Compass, its award-winning market intelligence platform. The Compass harnesses Bedsonline’s real-time data to provide clients with the latest trends and up-to-date insights to help them promote the right destinations at the right time to their customers. Through its powerful search engine, travel advisors can identify market-specific booking patterns and use the filters to set their preferences when they select a destination. Once the selection is made, travel advisors can create their own personalized and branded marketing materials directly from the tool and easily share it with their customers. This latest upgrade, which is available in all Bedsonline markets, comes with a refreshed design and new functionality including: Automatic translation with information related to each destination now displayed in the client’s default language; More data including information on hotels and destinations not currently booked; The inclusion of destination and hotels proof points meaning that from now on, travel agents will be able to see – in real time – data related to the destination and hotels based on what they buy and how much they buy so that the information is fully tailored to each and every Bedsonline client. Since its launch in August last year, The Compass has managed over 80,000 visits for Bedsonline clients. Paul Anthony, Digital Commercialisation Director at Hotelbeds, the parent company of Bedsonline, said, “Now that the industry is slowly recovering, it is more essential than ever to provide our clients with the best tools available to help them harness all the pent up demand that is out there. This is why we are delighted to unveil this new version of The Compass, with its added functionality …

Qatar Airways announced that it has signed a codeshare agreement with the newest member of oneworld, Alaska Airlines, further strengthening its position as the ideal choice for international passengers travelling to and from the United States. Qatar Airways will be Alaska Airlines only Middle East partner, providing seamless connectivity between the U.S. carrier’s hubs and the Gulf carrier’s global network of more than 140 destinations via the Best Airport in the Middle East, Hamad International Airport in Doha. Starting 1 July 2021, the agreement will enable Qatar Airways passengers to book travel and easily connect to more than 150 of Alaska’s routes including Portland, Las Vegas, San Diego, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, San Jose, Anchorage and Vancouver. The second phase of the agreement will allow Alaska Airlines passengers to book travel on all of Qatar Airways’ flights between the U.S. and Qatar and beyond to their favourite destinations in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Group Chief Executive, Qatar Airways said “This is an important step in advancing our commercial cooperation with Alaska Airlines as we welcome the newest member of the oneworld alliance to Qatar Airways’ list of strategic partners. This agreement, combined with our existing partnerships, will help consolidate our presence in the region and provide Qatar Airways passengers travelling to and from our 12 U.S. gateways with access to the most comprehensive network of seamless connections across the United States. “As we expand services to Alaska’s key hubs of Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles, we look forward to implementing the next phase of this strategic partnership and welcoming on board Alaska Airlines passengers as we connect them to …

Air Arabia has announced the resumption of direct flights between Sharjah and Baku starting July 11th, 2021. Baku, in its essence, resembles a harmonious blend of Europe and Asia, and acts as the financial hub of Azerbaijan. The city is a true example of past-meets-future, offering it all from skyscrapers and modern boutiques, to important historical sites.  Customers can now book their direct flights between Sharjah and Baku by visiting Air Arabia’s website, by calling the call centre or through travel agencies. Ensuring the highest standards of safety at every step of the journey by following all health and safety protocols, Air Arabia has also added to the convenience and confidence of passengers by introducing free COVID-19 insurance coverage. The insurance is automatically included as part of the booking and no additional documents are required from passengers.

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi has announced the introduction of a new service to Trabzon in Turkey with direct flights from Abu Dhabi starting on July 13, 2021. The new service offers greater connectivity and value-for-money options making it easier and more convenient for customers to travel between the two countries. Resting on the bank of the Black sea, Trabzon is a city filled with historical significance. Featuring a unique coastal backdrop, this picturesque city is known for its mystical architecture and bazaars.  The new service represents the 14th route for Air Arabia Abu Dhabi since the launch of the carrier’s service from Abu Dhabi International Airport on July 14, 2020.  Customers can now book their direct flights between Abu Dhabi and Trabzon by visiting Air Arabia’s website, by calling the call centre or through travel agencies.  Ensuring the highest standards of safety at every step of the journey by following all health and safety protocols, Air Arabia has also added to the convenience and confidence of passengers by introducing free COVID-19 insurance coverage. The insurance is automatically included as part of the booking and no additional documents are required from passengers.

As part of its network expansion plans, Air Arabia has announced the introduction of a new service to Phuket, Thailand, with direct flights from Sharjah International Airport starting on July 2, 2021. Air Arabia is the first low-cost carrier in the region to launch a direct route to Phuket. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has confirmed that travelers who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 from low-risk countries will be allowed to fly direct to the popular holiday destination without having to quarantine from July 1. Visitors will only need to stay in the area they landed for seven days before they can visit other destinations in the country. Air Arabia is offering its customers a competitive fare to Phuket, starting from AED 1799 return per value fare booking. Located in the south of Thailand, Phuket is the largest and one of the most fun of all islands. Phuket has it all: diverse entertainment options, top-class shopping venues and some of the most gorgeous beaches. Customers can now book their direct flights between Sharjah and Phuket by visiting Air Arabia’s website, by calling the call centre or through travel agencies. Ensuring the highest standards of safety at every step of the journey by following all health and safety protocols, Air Arabia has also added to the convenience and confidence of passengers by introducing free COVID-19 insurance coverage. The insurance is automatically included as part of the booking and no additional documents are required from passengers.

SCAT Airlines and Sabre Corporation, the leading software and technology company that powers the global travel industry, today announced a new strategic partnership, building on Sabre’s other achievements in the central Asian region. Under the new agreement, SCAT Airlines will migrate to Sabre’s passenger reservations system, SabreSonic.  It will also leverage Sabre’s industry-first Commercial Platform to help maximize revenue and create a differentiated brand experience for travelers. By delivering real-time, customer-centric offers to the airline’s customers, Sabre’s technology will help SCAT achieve its ambitious plans to lead the recovery and future growth of travel in Kazakhstan. “As we navigate the new travel environment, it’s very important for us to be agile and able to deliver personalized offers to our customers at the right time and through the right channels”, said Vladimir Denisov, president, SCAT Airlines.  “Our new agreement with Sabre is an essential pillar in our strategy, providing us with modern reservations technology, intelligent revenue management and scalable platform capabilities, which will help enable us to unlock new opportunities, provide best-in-class customer experience and maximize profitability.” “Given the current environment and pressure on the travel industry, it is more important than ever for airlines to use robust and intelligent technologies to forecast, analyze and optimize operations and revenue streams”, said Dino Gelmetti, Vice President EMEA, Sabre Travel Solutions.  “Sabre plans to enhance its presence in Kazakhstan and provide SCAT Airlines with the capabilities to achieve profitable growth and to pioneer the future of travel.  Today’s announcement demonstrates SCAT’s forward-looking approach and Sabre’s deep commitment to supporting the global aviation industry”.

Emirates will be ramping up operations to Jordan during the summer with the introduction of double daily A380 services during the months of July and August. The airline will operate a second daily A380 service to Amman, from 15-20 July 2021 ahead of the Eid Al Adha period. Emirates will also operate double daily A380 services from 10-31 August. The move to boost capacity by introducing a second A380 service between Dubai and Amman during these periods was driven by high forecasted passenger demand. The double daily A380 services to Amman also demonstrate the airline’s commitment to adapting its operations to better serve customers. Emirates will also increase flights between Dubai and Amman from 12 to 14 weekly, from 1 July. Mohammad Lootah, Emirates’ Area Manager for Jordan said, “The introduction of a second A380 service to Amman during the Eid Al Adha period and in August means more of our customers will have the opportunity to experience our industry-leading products onboard, and will also enhance choice and travel preferences as they plan their journeys to and from Dubai, and beyond to popular destinations for Jordanian travellers. Jordan is an important destination for Emirates, and we will continue to look at ways to grow our operations in the market to serve our customers better.” From 15-20 July 2021, and from 10-31 August 2021, Emirates flights EK 905 and 906 will be operated with an Airbus A380 in a three class configuration, featuring 14 luxurious First Class suites, 76 lie flat Business Class seats and 420 generously pitched Economy Class seats. Passengers in all classes will enjoy over 4,500 channels of films, TV shows, music and games, with an impressive selection …