Dubai-based independent hotel management company, Aleph Hospitality, has signed a management contract with Congo-based Sokerico Group to operate Kertel Suites in Kinshasa. The boutique property, which is currently under development, is set to open in Q1 2023, and on opening the hotel will set a new benchmark for the hospitality sector in Kinshasa with its all-suites accommodations and state of the art food and beverage offerings. Aleph Hospitality’s portfolio now covers 12 properties across eight countries on the African continent. Located in the capital Kinshasa, in the heart of Gombe, a flourishing business centre and embassies area, Kertel Suites offers brand-new, contemporary accommodation. The hotel is conveniently located a 20-minute drive from the N’Dolo Airport. Popular tourist destinations in the vicinity include Picasso Beach, Central Station Square and the Jardin Zoologique. The premium hotel is positioned as approachable luxury with an elegant, classic design for a corporate lifestyle. Leisure facilities include an upscale rooftop resto-bar and a French bakery-bistro, a roof swimming pool, fully equipped gym and spa as well as three banquet halls. Bani Haddad, Founder and Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality said: “We are thrilled to have been entrusted with the management of Kertel Suites in Kinshasa and we are excited to be operating our first property in Africa’s largest city. It’s an interesting time to secure a presence in the heart of Africa, as The Democratic Republic of the Congo is currently investing in the hospitality sector, restoring historical sites and strengthening sustainability within their ecosystem. The development is quite unique in its location, and we look forward to bringing next-level hospitality experiences to the heart of Gombe.” Ritesh Hemnani and Kenny Rawtani, owners of Sokerico Group …

With the world’s most anticipated football event taking place in Doha this year, Capital Travel, a Travel Management Company and subsidiary of Tourism 365 as part of the ADNEC Group, have revealed exciting travel offers in partnership with Etihad Airways for fans visiting Qatar. Available in limited quantities, football fans can purchase economy class return flight tickets as well as purchase packages, which include flights and accommodation. Flight tickets are available at a fixed rate of AED 2,830 per person for economy class return flight tickets with Etihad Airways while a package which includes return flight tickets and hotel accommodation for a one-night stay during the world’s most popular sporting spectacle starts at AED 8,300 per person. Terms and conditions apply.

Gulf Air in co-ordination with Ras Al Khaimah International Airport (RAK International Airport), will commence schedule services to Ras Al Khaimah on 3rd October 2022. The service will commence with a view to establish a year-round scheduled operation between the two airports connecting the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah beyond Bahrain to regional and international destinations on Gulf Air’s global network. The signing ceremony took place at Gulf Air Headquarters in Bahrain, represented by Chairman to the Board of Directors of Gulf Air H.E. Mr Zayed R. Alzayani, Ras Al Khaimah International Airport’s Chairman H.E. Eng. Sheikh Salem Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Gulf Air Acting Chief Executive Officer Captain Waleed AlAlawi, RAK Airport’s CEO Mr. Atanasios Titonis, and RAK’s CEO of Tourism Development Authority Mr. Raki Phillips; including Executive Management members from both companies. Commenting on the signing H.E. Mr Zayed R. Alzayani said, “As the region’s leading boutique carrier with a global footprint, we look forward to adding Ras Al Khaimah to our network of seaside destinations and increasing our UAE points to three (3) with Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Today we signed on the commencement of services to proceed with operations to Ras Al Khaimah, and I am confident our passengers will be impressed with all the facilities and services Ras Al Khaimah International Airport has to offer”. As for Captain Waleed AlAlawi, he commented, “We are delighted to add Ras Al Khaimah as third destination on our growing UAE network, and we would like to recognise and thank the proactive cooperation with Ras Al Khaimah International Airport as we provide our passengers with a new destination known for its quality tourism appeal and attracts tourists from the …

Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) in cooperation with several government and private agencies and institutions in the emirate  has launched a regulatory framework – the Sharjah Tourism’s ‘Holiday Homes Project’ – which aims to offer an official framework of facilitation and control to Sharjah residents who wish to rent out places they own as holiday homes to tourists and visitors. According to the terms and standards approved by SCTDA as stipulated by the Holiday Homes Project, the residential units can be rented out on a rotational basis, regularly.  The project is successfully developing an official facilitation framework in line with international best practices for the operation of holiday homes, and to register them under a unified umbrella and database. The project will also empower prospective users with a new source of income recognised by the Government of Sharjah, offering them official guidance on operating requirements, classification criteria, violations and other mechanisms. His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, said: “With Sharjah Tourism’s Holiday Homes project, the emirate’s aspirations to continue advancing this sector has crossed a meaningful milestone, as the initiative not only introduces an innovative new service to the tourism landscape but also puts Sharjah’s home owners at the forefront of benefiting from a drive that is poised to drive more visitors from around the world to the emirate. Through the Sharjah Tourism’s Holiday Homes Project, we seek to maximise visitor experience by ensuring high-quality classification standards and offering additional staycation options across the emirate of Sharjah. It will further strengthen cooperation between the Authority and the providers of holiday homes by developing a system of legislation and regulations. This will contribute to diversifying the …

 Emirates is activating a new codeshare partnership today with AEGEAN, allowing its customers to benefit from increased connectivity to eight domestic Greek points via Athens, using a single ticket. Emirates will place its code on AEGEAN operated flights, providing customers with a convenient and seamless booking experience as well as one consistent baggage policy, to popular destinations: Kerkyra, Chania, Irakleion, Mikonos, Thira, Rhodes, Thessaloniki and Alexandropoulos. Under the codeshare agreement, AEGEAN will also place its code on Emirates-operated flights between Dubai and Athens for their customers to benefit from smooth connections to Dubai and onward. Travel itineraries can now be booked on emirates.com and aegeanair.com, with travel agents as well as online travel agents (OTAs), for travel immediately. Starting October 2022, Emirates and AEGEAN will further increase their joint codeshare network to include eight more European regional routes via Athens, including Bucharest, Belgrade and Naples, among others, as well as westwards on Emirates’ flights to New York Newark from Athens, and New York JFK from Milan. Emirates currently serves Athens with 12 weekly flights operated by a Boeing 777. These additional codeshare routes will be subject to receiving the necessary regulatory approvals. Through its codeshare agreements with more than 26 carriers, two rail partners as well as 110 interline partners worldwide, Emirates offers its customers truly global connectivity across 6 continents.  

To meet exceptional Khareef season demand for Salalah in Oman’s southern Dhofar Governorate, Oman Air has gradually increased daily flight frequencies on its Muscat-Salalah-Muscat sector to reach up to 30 flights a day on Thursday and Saturday and up to 22 flights a day on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. The additional flights on the sector reflect Salalah’s reputation as a top tourist destination during Khareef (monsoon) season. The airline will increase flights based on the schedule below: Flights a day Dates   20 Flights Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday Effective 14 August 2022 28 Flights Thursday, Saturday 22 Flights Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday Effective 21 August 2022 30 Flights Thursday, Saturday  

Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA), concluded its participation in the fourth edition of the Tourist Hospitality Initiative held in southwest region of Aseer. SAUDIA celebrated guests on flight SV1644, inbound from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, with a welcoming event and giveaways. Held under the theme of “1,000 Welcomes,” a phrase traditionally used as a greeting for visitors in the Saudi region of Aseer, and with direct support from the Governer of the region, the initiative is aimed at continuing to welcome a diverse range of visitors to the region. In recognition of the tourism campaign, the SAUDIA sales offices and the arrivals terminal at Abha International Airport were decorated with the initiative’s vibrant designs, highlighting SAUDIA’s role in connecting the capital of Aseer with the rest of the Kingdom. In addition to its scenic nature and charming ambiance, Abha contains a variety of ways to keep tourists interested. SAUDIA’s participation in the initiative is a continuation of the national carrier’s involvement last year and comes as part of its efforts to promote domestic tourism. The flag-carrying airline’s operations out of Abha are continuously being enhanced and scaled, with more seating capacity being made available as required by seasonal demand.

Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) announced that it will be commencing services to Seoul, South Korea from 16 August 2022. SAUDIA will operate its state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner, configured in two classes with 24 flat bed seats in Business Class and 274 seats in Guest Class, featuring inflight television screens at every seat with up to 5,000 entertainment hours. Engr. Ahmed Alwassiah, the Acting Chief Executive Officer, SAUDIA said: “We look forward to welcoming guests onboard our flights to and from Seoul this summer. SAUDIA’s debut into South Korea will mean more choices for travellers from both countries and beyond to our far-reaching network, alongside our signature hospitality and award-winning onboard experience.” He added: “SAUDIA is committed to creating new opportunities for business and tourism and strengthening the bilateral ties between Saudi Arabia and South Korea. This direct route will have a positive impact not only on the tourism sector, but also the business, logistics, investment, and manufacturing sector as it aims to serve multiple segments of guests. The flight will takeoff from Jeddah on 16 August as SV898, leaving at 01:00hrs with a quick stop at Riyadh and arriving at Incheon International Airport at 19:50hrs local time. The return flight SV899 will depart Seoul Incheon at 21:40hrs, arriving in Riyadh at 02:10hrs and Jeddah at 04:45hrs on the next day. Flight schedules have been timed to provide convenient access to the Kingdom, and optimum connection opportunities to Middle East, Africa and European destination. SAUDIA Holidays, the tour operating arm of the airline will also provide travelers with personalized holidays to Seoul and across the SAUDIA network, with travel consultants that handpick hotels and experiences to suit the needs of customers. …

It was announced by Yamina Sofo, Director Sales and Marketing German National Tourist Office GCC Countries that Germany will partner at the fifth Gulf Travel Show under the theme sustainable tourism as silver partners. Gulf Travel Show (GTS) 5.0 to be held on 28th and 29th September 2022 will focus on the need of the time, sustainable tourism. Over the years, sustainability in travel, tourism and hospitality had been in the shadows working its way slowly but steadily. However, when UNWTO announced its commitment for the year on sustainability, all attention and initiatives will be to ensure that this becomes a focus across the globe. Yamina Sofo, director of sales and marketing at the German National Tourist Office (GNTO), the regional office of GNTB: “As Silver Partners at the 5th edition of the Gulf Travel Show, we are looking forward to  connecting with a diverse number of potential partners from across the GCC, one of our primary source markets. We are pleased that this year’s theme is sustainability as this aligns with our overall vision which is to continually develop our eco-friendly and barrier-free travel. Recent initiatives we’ve launched on our official website include our CO2 calculator, interactive map which identifies eco-friendly accommodation, as well as a raft of sustainable travel tips.” Gulf Travel Show (GTS) is the only event which was built in with a purpose. When it first started out just after the pandemic whilst most borders were still closed, it gave the travel, tourism and hospitality fraternity an opportunity to ensure that confidence is restored in the minds of the people passionate about the industry. It was also a tool which connected online GCC buyers with exhibitors from across …

Priding itself on a brand promise of ‘Fly Better’, Emirates is investing over US$ 2 billion to enhance its inflight customer experience, including a massive programme to retrofit over 120 aircraft with the latest interiors, plus an array of other service improvements across all cabins starting in 2022. Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “While others respond to industry pressures with cost cuts, Emirates is flying against the grain and investing to deliver ever better experiences to our customers. Through the pandemic we’ve continued to launch new services and initiatives to ensure our customers travel with the assurance and ease, including digital initiatives to improve customer experiences on the ground. Now we’re rolling out a series of intensive programmes to take Emirates’ signature inflight experiences to the next level.” Some of Emirates’ latest initiatives include: elevated meal choices, a brand new vegan menu, a ‘cinema in the sky’ experience, cabin interior upgrades, sustainable choices and a generous approach to the little touches that make travel memorable. Starting from August, Emirates’ passengers can look forward to: New Inspirations, New Menus:  An award-winning team of chefs, a world-class catering team and a wide variety of suppliers have been assembled to design and deliver the best fine dining experience in the sky. New menus will be served on select Emirates routes in First Class, featuring dishes such as pan-fried salmon trout with moqueca sauce and creole rice, roasted duck breast with orange thyme jus, steamed broccolini and fondant potatoes. New menus will also be introduced to Business and Economy on the 1st of September. Purposefully Vegan Choices: Emirates’ new vegan menu is carefully curated to cater to the growing numbers of customers …