The Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) 2023 is set to take place at Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island from 25-27 September 2023, bringing together the investment communities of the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC), the Global Restaurant Investment Forum (GRIF) and the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF). This is the first time the region’s leading hospitality investment forum will take place in Abu Dhabi. Organised by The Bench, FHS brings together the Middle East and Africa’s industry leaders for discussions, deals and insight on the continued growth of the region’s hospitality and tourism sectors. “We are thrilled to take FHS to the UAE’s capital in 2023 with the support of our host sponsors, the Abu Dhabi Convention and Exhibition Bureau and Miral, for what promises to be another record-breaking event for our industry. FHS in Dubai welcomed 1,072 attendees, 200 speakers, 63 sponsors and partners and over 70 members of the press last month and we can’t wait to see what next year brings,” said Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of The Bench. Mubarak al Shamsi, Director of Abu Dhabi Convention and Exhibition Bureau (ADCEB), said: “The Abu Dhabi debut of the Future Hospitality Summit, the region’s flagship hospitality investment platform, marks a significant milestone in our fast-growing business events calendar. Since the beginning of 2022, we have successfully brought over multiple new business events to Abu Dhabi. This is a direct result of our Joint Business Event Fund with Miral, a partner who continues to play a crucial role in elevating Abu Dhabi’s attractiveness as a destination of choice for highly productive meetings and conferences. We look forward to welcoming the delegates to Abu Dhabi next year and we invite all to …

Sabre Corporation and Oman Air announced at the World Passenger Symposium (WPS), a renewed long-term agreement to help the airline reach its strategic goals. The agreement includes a multi-year renewal of Oman Air’s SabreSonic Passenger Service System (PSS) and a further multi-year extension of its global distribution system agreement.  This will ensure Oman Air continues to utilize Sabre’s technology, retailing capabilities and global scope to push forward its digital transformation. By renewing its exclusive PSS agreement and investing in Sabre’s Digital Connect APIs, Oman Air aims to advance its digital retailing strategy, drive revenue growth and increase self-service capabilities. Digital Connect will also help Oman Air accelerate its digital transformation and bring products to the marketplace quickly, providing scalability and flexibility across its digital touchpoints, such as its website and mobile app. “A new approach of retailing is required for all players in the travel ecosystem to succeed in a highly competitive landscape,” said Roshan Mendis, Chief Commercial Officer, Sabe Travel Solutions.  “This intelligent retailing approach allows Oman Air to differentiate its brands and personalize its offerings through all channels.  It also enables agencies to efficiently shop and compare increasingly sophisticated offers, which will also bring greater choice and transparency to Oman Air’s travelers.  As Sabre focuses on delivering more intelligent retailing solutions to meet changing traveler expectations, I’m proud that we are able to help Oman Air realize its transformation vision.” The renewed distribution agreement enables Oman Air to continue to reach Sabre’s valuable network of global buyers, while ensuring that Sabre-connected travel buyers have access to the airline’s comprehensive fares and content – including ancillaries. “We are pleased to announce the renewal of our PSS as well as …

Premier Inn Al Jaddaf lights up in purple to mark Purple Tuesday, taking place in the UAE for the first time on 1 November 2022. As the UAE hospitality partner for Purple Tuesday – a global event which recognises the importance of guests with disabilities, including hidden conditions – Premier Inn MENA will give people of determination an even better experience at its hotels in the UAE and Qatar. Kathy Sorenson, Director of Human Resources, Premier Inn MENA, said: “Challenges such as autism, diabetes, poor sight or hearing and even sleep disorders can bring barriers to daily lives. We want to change that by providing more support, empathy and understanding, starting by training all team members in the Hidden Disability Sunflower Scheme during 2022 and 2023, and continuing our Purple journey way beyond.” An estimated 17 per cent of the world’s population have a disability of some kind. For Premier Inn MENA, that’s potentially 204,000 of the 1.2 million overnight guests welcomed each year.

Arabian Park Dubai, an Edge by Rotana Hotel is delighted to announce the reopening of the hotel in the prestigious Al Jaddaf district, a premier business and lifestyle community perfectly melding the old and new Dubai. A dynamic destination for young travellers, sports groups, families and business guests, the striking property features 328 bright and sophisticated rooms that showcase the latest in-room technology and comfort. Guests who stay will be mesmerized by the stunning pool and city views and can also take advantage of the hotel’s gym, Top Spin tennis academy and paddle court. As Dubai faces a busy and bustling quarter, Arabian Park Dubai is geared up to be the next buzzing destination in the city. With an upcoming line-up of major events including the World Cup games and festive season, the hotel is all set to host guests for an exhilarating experience during the last stretch of the year. Arabian Park Dubai is home to four ecstatic dining concepts including the exquisite Gardenia, an all-day dining destination ideal for breakfast, lunch and dinner; Cheers Pub, a vibrant pub that offers a wide selection of bar bites, mocktails and cocktails to choose from; Deli-cious serving up the fresh selection of culinary delicacies with a 24-hour takeaway service; and The Blue Lounge Bar, the perfect escape for exceptional poolside dining experience serving delicious artful drinks and delectable bites by the pool. Creating a destination within a destination, Arabian Park Dubai is situated in a complex comprising of Al Jaddaf Rotana Suite Hotel and Park Apartments Dubai, making it the ideal haven for families, singles, couples and sports groups who are looking for short-term and long-term stays and the preferred choice …

Air India Express will be the only airline operating direct services between UAE and Vijayawada starting 31st Oct 22. Effective 31st Oct 22 Sharjah to Vijayawada will be operational twice a week on Monday and Saturday at 11:00hrs. Effective 01st Nov 22 Dubai to Kannur will also be operational four days a week on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday at 18:40hrs Air India Express offers introductory fare of AED399 to Vijayawada and AED300 to Kannur with additional 5kgs Baggage Allowance. Flight Schedule will be as under: Flt No. Frequency Departure Airport Departure Time Arrival Airport Arrival Time IX976 Monday …. Saturday Sharjah 11:00 Vijayawada 16:25 IX975 Monday…..Saturday Vijayawada 18:35 Sharjah 21:30 IX748 Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday/Sunday Dubai 18:40 Kannur 23:50 Ix747 Monday/Wednesday/Friday/Sunday Kannur 0:50 Dubai 03:15 Air India express encourages all the expatriates to take advantage of the new flights and fly direct to their home. Air India Express would like to sincerely thank the Civil Aviation Authorities of Dubai and Sharjah for their support for these operations.

Plaza Premium Group, a pioneer, industry leader, and the world’s largest provider of airport hospitality services and facilities delivers the remote worker’s dream with the launch of its new ‘Their Patio’ arrivals lounge at Terminal 3, Dubai International (DXB). The lounge invites travelers to re-think how we use our airport dwell time by honing in on the ‘Work from Airport’ concept. The new space is designed to give both business and leisure travelers the option of stepping outside the bustle of the airport and enjoy a peaceful moment al fresco, all while receiving the services they need for comfort, convenience and efficiency in a single location. Centrally located next to the Duty-Free, Their Patio’ is a unique combination of two concepts: ‘Work from anywhere’, and ‘co-working space’. The first-of-its-kind space in the region, it is open to all travelers offering a collaborative work place you can comfortably work at the airport and bringing together a global business community in the airport space. The 523sqm venue features a concierge service, meeting rooms, co-working space, phone booths, a wide range of healthy F&B offerings, a print room, a conference room, and business Consultancy services for all PRO services, Visa inquiries, Accountancy, VAT along with several other facilities for guests. The lounge also has a pop-up area for small exhibitions and retail brands with focus on art, luxury, and entertainment collaborations to make for an interactive experience. Plaza Premium Group’s CEO, Song Hoi-See, commented:” The Plaza Premium Group brand stands for innovation in travel. The long-term vision is to make travel better, today, tomorrow, and beyond. We are committed to changing the way one travels by bringing comfort and convenience; re-thinking how we …

The 2022 edition of the Routes World forum, which was held recently, saw major interest from global airlines and aviation players in establishing new air routes and strengthening existing air travel partnerships with Saudi Arabia. The Saudi delegation included an inaugural participation by the Air Connectivity Program (ACP), which participated in over 80 meetings with airlines, airports, tourism boards, and technology partners to explore new air routes and strengthen air and tourism partnerships with the Kingdom. Strong interest from global stakeholders points to the increased attractiveness of the Saudi aviation and tourism industries, which have seen rapid growth in recent years as the Kingdom opens its doors to the world. ACP engaged in conversations with the global route development community, a grouping that establishes airline connectivity. Delegates from ACP also took part in IATA’s Airport Forum, where they contributed to discussions on how to transform regulatory entities into data-driven organizations. Other stakeholders also represented at the Saudi stand include the Saudi Tourism Authority, the General Authority of Civil Aviation, Matarat Holding, the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, the Red Sea International Airport, and Cluster2. The growth potential of tourism and aviation is immense in Saudi Arabia. To unlock this potential, the National Tourism Strategy and Saudi Aviation Strategy were established with set goals including extending the Kingdom’s air connectivity to over 250 destinations and expanding airport capacity to 330 million yearly passengers by 2030. As part of these efforts, in 2022 alone, ACP has worked alongside Saudia Airlines, flynas, Wizz Air, and other ecosystem stakeholders to launch 22 new air routes to and from the Kingdom.

Emirates will be showcasing its Airbus A319 aircraft this year at Abu Dhabi Air Expo 2022. Emirates Executive, the airline’s luxury private jet will be on display on 1 November to visitors who want a glimpse into the spectacular world of private luxury flying on Emirates. Emirates Executive was introduced in 2013, complete with luxury interiors, including an even larger version of the airline’s sumptuous private suites and a generous multi-functional lounge area on-board, enabling a travel journey versatile enough to provide bespoke experiences to both private customers, families and large groups. Clients can personalise their experience and tailor the journey to their specific preferences. The aircraft’s configuration is designed with a high level of comfort in mind, and can carry up to 19 passengers. Alongside a spacious living and dining area, the ten private suites give travellers ample personal space and privacy to relax and unwind with fully flat-bed seats, ambient lighting, a mini-bar and 32 inch screen in each suite. Customers can also rejuvenate in one of the largest Shower Spas in the air, or separate powder room, all finished in classic walnut and marble and fully kitted-out with fine linens, and a range of select luxury bath and spa products. Dining experiences are fully curated and customised, and customers can choose from intimate private dining on demand, or banquet-style buffets, all rounded off with a show-stopping wine and beverage list. Gourmet meals are prepared with the finest, freshest, locally sourced ingredients and served by a dedicated team of highly trained and experienced inflight crew. The aircraft’s expansive lounge area can also be adapted to customer preferences, like being set as a personal office for conferences and meetings …

Qatar Airways announced the deepening of its relationship with JetBlue through the expansion of the airlines’ codeshare agreement. This expansion allows JetBlue passengers to enjoy unrivalled travel options between the United States and 11 new destinations, in 8 different countries across Africa and Asia via Doha’s Hamad International Airport. Incredible cities to be discovered include Accra, Addis-Ababa, Alexandria, Bangkok, Cairo, Denpasar, Harare, Jakarta, Khartoum, Phuket, and Windhoek. These 11 new markets will be added to the 13 existing codeshare destinations already available to JetBlue customers within the Qatar Airways’ network in Africa, Asia and Middle-East. This builds on the airlines’ partnership that first began in 2011. Qatar Airways passengers already benefit from access to over 50 destinations across JetBlue’s network, including being able to book travel on JetBlue’s extensive routes between the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America regions. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “Qatar Airways is excited to bring our codeshare partnership with JetBlue to our extensive global network, offering passengers seamless connectivity to over 150 destinations worldwide including premier destinations across Africa and Asia. For more than a decade, JetBlue has been an outstanding partner, and as we continue to deepen our ties we are committed to offering travellers effortless connections and unparalleled service. Both Qatar Airways and JetBlue have a strong commitment to excellence, and we look forward to further building our partnership.” “Together with Qatar Airways, we’re connecting more customers to more outstanding destinations around the world, all while providing them with industry-leading experiences onboard both our airlines,” said Robin Hayes, chief executive officer, JetBlue. “Qatar Airways is already one of our top partners for connecting customers across …

With just over a month to go until the UAE National Day holiday, with public holiday on 2 December, it’s clear that travellers are making the most of the opportunity for a long weekend break away and the chance to reconnect with family and friends.  Bookings for travel between 2 and 4 December from the UAE soared by 122% in September compared to the previous month.* Searches for travel during the UAE National Day holiday period have been increasing steadily on Skyscanner since August and have surged by 121% in the last week as travellers are really starting to plan their UAE National Day getaways.** What destinations are UAE travellers booking for the UAE National Day holiday?*** Top trending redirect (booking) country destinations for UAE travellers for UAE National Day: India Philippines Qatar Pakistan Egypt   Top trending redirect (booking) city destinations for UAE travellers for UAE National Day: Doha Manila New Delhi Mumbai Kochi   What destinations are UAE travellers searching for the UAE National Day holiday?**** Top trending search country destinations for UAE travellers for UAE National Day: UK Philippines India United States Thailand   Top trending search city destinations for UAE travellers for UAE National Day: Manila London Singapore Bangkok Dublin   Skyscanner’s Travel Expert, Ayoub El Mamoun, comments:  “As the UAE National Day holiday approaches, it’s clear that travellers are keen to make the most of their annual leave with a long weekend break away.  In fact, we’ve seen bookings increase for the UAE National Day holiday period by 122% in September with destinations including India, Qatar and the Philippines the most popular for UAE travellers looking to connect with friends and family, get away for …