The Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) will return to Saudi Arabia in a new format on 24-25 May 2022 in Riyadh Saudi Arabia. Under the theme Reimagined Horizons, co-organisors The Bench and MEED, along with Saudi-based organiser SEMARK, have designed the programme around the key themes of the future of hotel development, destination impact, aviation, sustainability, restaurant investment and human capital. “We’re thrilled to bring three investment communities under one roof at FHS Saudi Arabia this year; Saudi Hospitality Investment Conference (SHIC), Global Restaurant Investment Forum (GRIF) and AVIADEV, which are all represented in our action-packed programme in Riyadh later this month,” said Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of The Bench. “Our focus will be on the future of our industry and delegates will have over 40 opportunities to deliberate, learn and network over two exciting days. With a range of different formats from main stage presentations, workshops and panel discussions to interviews, break-out sessions and networking opportunities, we look forward to facilitating ground-breaking conversations on what’s next for the hospitality industry,” he added. Hosted by Dur Hospitality, FHS Saudi Arabia will kick off with a Moroccan-themed opening reception showcasing the group’s unique hospitality concepts. Ahead of the event, Dur’s CEO Mr. Sultan bin Badr Al Otaibi stated: “It’s a great pleasure to host such a grand event debuting the new era of hospitality and redefining the future of this vibrant industry while creating numerous opportunities to drive collaboration and joint leadership action from across the global hospitality sector.” The GRIF community will be the first to take the stage at FHS with a series of sessions dedicated to the Kingdom’s F&B investment scene, including a focus on dining trends, new brands and …

Nirvana Holding the leading UAE travel and tourism management company, announced its participation in ATM – Arabian Travel Market 2022 that will take place on May 9th – 12th. The announcement came as part of Nirvana Holding’s plan and vision to increase its operations from UAE to the world. According to Mr. Omar Al Ali, CEO of Nirvana Tours & Logistics, Nirvana Holding Spokesperson,“Each year Nirvana Holding takes part in the ATM, being a global prestigious event. The ATM 2022 will witness a huge response from the travel and tourism industry after the long pandemic. Nirvana Holding is one of the key players in the industry worldwide, this is a vital reason to always be available in the ATM, and to keep track of the changes happening in the industry.” Nirvana Holding supports the development in the travel and tourism industry and provides all related services from travel and tourism until Events and project management, nationally and internationally. The company was evolved to a world-wide travel and tourism management company since its inception. The company has followed an expansion plan and enhanced its operations in UAE, K.S.A, Egypt, India, Jordan and Palestine, the Middle Eastern countries and North Africa.

Emirates landed in Bali for the first time since the suspension of flights in 2020 due to the pandemic. Emirates flight EK398 landed in Denpasar International Airport (DPS) at 22:20 hrs on 1 May, and was welcomed by a spectacular water cannon salute to inaugurate the airline’s return. The operating cabin crew of the flight and the passengers were welcomed at the airport with the traditional joged bumbung dance performance, which reflected Bali’s unique culture and rich heritage, followed by a cake cutting ceremony in attendance of representatives from DPS Airport. The resumption of Emirates’ services to Bali, comes with the easing of international travel restrictions, and ramping up of global operations. Emirates flight EK398 departs Dubai at 09:10 hrs, landing in Bali at 21:29 hrs. The return flight EK399 departs Bali at 00:05 hrs, arriving Dubai at 05:00 hrs. The airline is currently operating five-weekly services, and will scale up its operations to the island with a daily service starting from 1 July 2022. Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, the Emirates App, Emirates sales offices, via travel agents as well as online travel agents. Emirates continues to invest in the comfort and safety of its customers both on air and on ground. The airline has implemented a comprehensive set of measures throughout all to provide its passengers with the highest safety standards at every step of the journey. Customers travelling from Dubai can also take advantage of the contactless biometric path at Dubai International for a quicker journey at the airport with minimum to no human interaction.

It has been announced by UNWTO and Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Jordan (MoTA) that they are organizing two in-person workshops that will take place in Amman and Petra addressing the challenges and opportunities for women in tourism scheduled to take place in Amman (9 May 2022) and Petra (11 May 2022). According to the UNWTO, the workshops will be focused on the empowerment of women working in tourism in Jordan, addressing a total of approximately 150 women in both locations with the same agenda, speakers and key topics. During the pandemic, women working in tourism were more affected than men although women account for more roles and contribution in the sector.

Turkish Airlines and GOL Linhas Aéreas announced a Codeshare and Frequent Flyer Partnership Agreement. Through the codeshare partnership, passengers will be able to purchase tickets to destinations in Brazil from flights departing from Istanbul and many other airports in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Far East. Linking of two carriers’ frequent flyer programs (FFP), will enable members of the Miles&Smiles and Smiles loyalty schemes to earn and redeem miles when flying on either carrier. Brazil has become one of the most emerging destinations especially for the travelers from the Middle East and this partnership will see more traffic between the destinations. The codeshare agreement provides that Turkish Airlines passengers from Middle East. Africa, Asia and Far East can acquire connections with the entire network operated by GOL in the Brazilian territory and to Asuncion, Santiago, Montevideo, Lima destinations in the region. Currently, Turkish Airlines operates 7 daily flights to GRU Airport, São Paulo’s international airport in Guarulhos (GRU). With the codeshare agreement, passengers of Turkish Airlines will be able to purchase directly through the airline’s sales channels, tickets for flights operated by GOL in Brazil. Besides this codeshare, Turkish Airlines and GOL have reached consensus on launching FFP cooperation as well. TK’s Miles&Smiles and GOL’s SMILES members will gain access to accrual and redemption benefits on both airlines. FFP partnership will initially start with redemption soon, and accrual benefits will be provided afterward. Commenting on the agreement Bilal Ekşi, Turkish Airlines CEO said; “As Turkish Airlines, we are pleased to launch codeshare and FFP cooperation with GOL in Sao Paulo that will allow passengers unique travel alternatives via İstanbul to Brazilian domestic routes. They will enjoy FFP benefits with …

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) announced the opening of RAK Airventure, a brand-new tethered hot air ballooning experience, available exclusively at Manar Mall, the Emirate’s most popular shopping and leisure centre. Opening to the public on Saturday 30th April just in time for the Eid Al Fitr holidays, the family-friendly experience offers breath-taking aerial views of Ras Al Khaimah’s diverse natural and urban scenery. Offering all the thrills of a traditional hot air balloon ride in a safe and fun environment suitable for all ages, flights last approximately 10 minutes to giving time to soak in the stunning views from above like never before. Seek out the majestic Hajar Mountains, rolling terracotta dunes, lush mangroves and the city’s busy markets, palaces and mosques – as you fly almost 30 meters above the ground. Commenting on the launch of RAK Airventure, Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said: “We are delighted to unveil Ras Al Khaimah’s latest attraction, another unique way for visitors to explore our diverse Emirate and soak up its beautiful sights. With nature, adventure and outdoor experiences at the very core of our destination strategy, RAK Airventure is a perfect addition to our portfolio, providing stunning 360-degree views of our unique landscapes.” The launch of RAK Airventure follows the Authority’s announcement in May 2021 of over 20 new sustainable tourism initiatives across the Emirate marking an investment of half a billion dirhams in partnership with RAK Hospitality Holding and RAK Chamber of Commerce and Industry. These projects center on the Emirate’s new destination strategy that focuses on nature, leisure, adventure, accessibility and authenticity. Operated by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the …

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi launched an exciting new route from Abu Dhabi to Salalah, Oman’s exotic tropical paradise. The new destination, in the southernmost region of Oman, provides affordable, hassle-free travel for tourists and residents in both the UAE and Oman with year-round travel opportunities to the sub-tropical paradise. Tickets are already on sale on wizzair.com and the airline’s mobile app with fares starting as low as AED 39*. Salalah, most attractive during the wet and green Summer season between June and September, boasts outstanding natural beauty with rich wildlife unique to the region. Sitting on a long sandy beach, Salalah is close to both mountains and the desert, offering adventurous travellers ample opportunities for exploration. With a long history as a centre of frankincense, Salalah is a thriving historical centre with outstanding attractions that will ensure a wonderful travelling experience. Blessed with the famous warm Omani hospitality, Salalah offers unrivalled landscapes unlike elsewhere in the region with the sub-tropical magic of exotic fruit plantations and coconut palms. Michael Berlouis, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, said: “Salalah is a unique travel destination with the best summer weather in the region and abundant wildlife. Travellers to Salalah will experience unmissable nature with a plethora of options for exploration along both the coastline and in the mountains. We are delighted at the variety of destinations in our expanding network with incredible historical and cultural experiences awaiting adventurous travellers in Salalah. We look forward to sharing our love of travel and seeing you on board our aircraft for more convenient, affordable travel soon.” Strategically located in the UAE, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi also provides ultra-low fare, hassle-free and efficient travel options …

Hospitality Management Holding (HMH) shares its key takeaways as we look back at the resounding success of Expo 2020, rising above the challenges of a global pandemic to bring the world together in celebration of humanity and our planet. Dubai reached the incredible milestone of 20 million visits by Expo 2020 on 19th March, with 192 Country Pavilions opening their doors over the last six months.  A total of 1938 government leaders, including presidents, prime ministers, heads of state and key officials, have honoured the Expo site, to open their country’s pavilions, speak at official events or celebrate their nation’s Expo National Day. ‘UAE Hospitality Industry was stimulated by Expo 2020 just when we needed it most, and we are confident that this momentum is set to continue, with strong occupancy and revenue rates throughout our hotels,’ commented Haytham Abdelaziz, Director of Operations at HMH. Expo 2020 Dubai has championed three sub-themes to demonstrate how the UAE is “connecting minds, creating the future” – sustainability, mobility, and opportunity. The focus has been on partnering to drive growth, increasing physical and virtual connectivity to share services and goods, and using resources without impacting our habitat and planet. ‘The world got a chance to experience the best that UAE Hospitality has to offer through Expo 2020, raising our profile as an exciting, accessible, and socially responsible travel destination,’ continued Abdelaziz. ‘It has also provided the opportunity to build trade agreements with countries and companies from around the world, creating and strengthening inbound tourism and MICE partnerships.  Dubai welcomed 979.7K overnight visitors in the month of January 2022 alone, with the highest number of international guests from Saudi Arabia at 105K. According to …

flydubai announced that it is expecting a record number of passengers to travel during the Eid al-Fitr break. The carrier has seen an increase in demand for flights to its popular destinations which includes Baku, Colombo, Istanbul and Maldives as well as some of its more recently launched destinations such as Ljubljana, Salzburg and Tirana. Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “We are pleased to continue our growth in 2022 capitalising on the tremendous results we reported last year after a very challenging two years. We are well placed to accommodate the surge in demand as more people get ready to travel again over the busy Eid break and the summer months.” The carrier has increased capacity on some of its popular routes for the upcoming break like Baku, Tbilisi, Maldives and Sarajevo to accommodate the increase in demand over the busy Eid travel period. More than 2,200 flights are scheduled to operate between 30 April and 08 May, a significant increase from the carrier’s regular scheduled operations. The anticipated seat factor on flights to routes such as Almaty, Budapest, Colombo, Kathmandu, Naples and Yerevan is between 80+% and full capacity over the next two weekends. The carrier has seen an increase in bookings for special Holidays by flydubai packages over the period, with passengers choosing bundled hotel stays and excursions to suit their preferences whether travelling in Business or Economy. Passengers travelling during this time are advised to check in online, arrive at the airport three hours before the departure time of their flight and have all the relevant documents for travel. Passengers are required to make sure that they are up to date with the …

flydubai announced the launch of flights to Izmir in Turkey starting from 26 June with a three-times weekly service. Flights to Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB) will operate from Terminal 2 at Dubai International (DXB) on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. With the start of flights to Izmir, flydubai’s network in Turkey will grow to four points including Ankara (ESB), Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) and Istanbul Airport (IST). flydubai will also operate summer seasonal routes to Bodrum (BJV) and Trabzon (TZX) frpm 23 June to offer passengers more options to travel this summer. Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “we are pleased to see our network in Turkey further grow with the start of flights to Izmir. During the busy summer period, we will operate 24 flights a week to Turkey, providing passengers with more opportunities to experience different cities in the country whether they are travelling for a city break or beach holiday. The new direct flights will help stimulate trade links between Dubai and one of the busiest cities in Turkey.” Izmir is the third largest city in Turkey located on the Aegean coast. It is known for its archaeological sites, rich heritage and its pleasant coastal climate. Its central location provides access to the most mesmerising coastal villages and beautiful beaches, ideal for a day trip to unwind and get away from the city’s urban atmosphere. ​ Commenting on the launch of flights, Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai, said: “we are committed to making travel more accessible and providing more choice for our passengers. We are confident that Izmir will be a popular choice for passengers from the …