Wizz Air Abu Dhabi will add two new Jordanian destinations to its ever-growing list of routes. Flying to the extraordinary cities of Amman and Aqaba, the new routes will strengthen travel links within the region by bringing in a bold new frontier for ultra-low fare travel. The flight to Amman will operate two times a week on Tuesday and Saturday. Flights to Aqaba will operate two times a week on Sunday and Thursday. Tickets are on sale on wizzair.com and the airline’s mobile app (also available in Arabic), with fares starting as low as AED 70*. Home to ancient treasures and monuments, lush green landscapes and staggering mountains, the beautiful country of Jordan is a great place for visitors looking to discover the region and experience a new adventure. Jordan has something for everyone from floating in the beautiful and world famous Dead Sea to experiencing the awe-inspiring rose-red sandstone rock facades and temples of Petra, one of the 7 New Wonders of the World. Michael Berlouis, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi said: “We are all very excited to be adding Jordan to our network and look forward to offering our customers the opportunity to experience such an incredible and culturally rich destination. Jordan really has it all, from hiking, sightseeing to relaxing on the beach. The wonders at Petra are incredible and something everyone should experience. The whole Wizz Air Abu Dhabi team are pleased to offer these travel and adventure opportunities to UAE residents at great prices and making them more accessible to everyone. We will continue to add to our flight schedule as travel restrictions begin to ease across the world – we’re looking forward …

Sunset Hospitality Group (SHG), renowned for curating contemporary hospitality experiences around the world, and Dex Squared Hospitality, a hospitality management company, has signed a joint venture to bring SHG’s portfolio of brands to Egypt. The announcement coincides with the Group’s strategic expansion plans for 2022. It will see SHG’s hospitality and lifestyle concepts entering Egypt, the Arab world’s third-largest economy, and set to become a destination of choice for lifestyle experiences. Antonio Gonzalez, CEO, Sunset Hospitality Group, explains: “As we enter a promising 2022, we are glad to announce our joint venture with Dex Squared Hospitality to enter Egypt. Egypt offers a rich business environment. Being close to many European markets and a gateway to Africa, the country attracts tourists and investors alike. With its magnificent climate, sandy beaches, popular attractions like its historical monuments, and vibrant social life, our hospitality concepts will add value to the many experiences this country has to offer.” The partnership will see Sunset Dex Egypt use its knowledge and experience of the Egyptian market to operate healthy business investments that meet the specific objectives of Sunset Hospitality Group. This means Egypt will be home to brands like Azure Beach, Ammos, Black Tap, and Isola Ristorante Italiano, to name a few. Dex Squared is a hospitality management firm led by a highly experienced team with decades of engagement in developing hotel and restaurant brands and managing the portfolio of international hotel chains in MEA. Dex Squared Hospitality uses its diversified expertise to provide bespoke and relevant solutions ranging from franchised third party operated and stand-alone hotels, asset managed hotels and the development of innovative hotel and restaurant-related software. Kevork Deldelian, CEO & Founder, Dex Squared …

Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) to address delegates on ATM Global Stage, as growth in business travel spending estimated to have outstripped leisure travel in 2021 – WTTC report findings bode well for ME business travel & tourism Business travel expenditure in the Middle East is forecast to rise by 32% this year, following a predicted 49% increase during 2021, according to a report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) published in November 2021. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME – Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 9-12 May 2022, said, “This positive data will provide a welcome boost for business travel and tourism professionals throughout the Middle East region, as economies around the world begin to relax travel restrictions, despite the disruption caused by the outbreak of the Omicron variant. “During 2021, the increase in business spending for the full year is expected to have actually outpaced spending on leisure travel by 13%, 10% and 1% in the Middle East, Europe and Africa respectively. “Aviation experts speaking at ATM 2021, had expected business travel to lag behind leisure travel, but this estimated increase of 32%, comes on top of a predicted rise during 2021 of 49% which although 2020 was a challenging year, the business travel segment is now clearly accelerating towards pre pandemic levels,” added Curtis. In terms of business travel spending in 2021, the report ranks the Middle East region first with an increase of 49%, followed by Europe and Africa (36%), Asia Pacific (32%) and the Americas (14%). According to the report, the Asia Pacific region will lead the world in 2022 with growth in spending …

Sabre Corporation and Fahad Express Travel & Tourism L.L.C, one of the leading travel companies in the Sultanate of Oman, have announced a new multiyear preferred GDS agreement to help elevate the traveller experience in Oman. Fahad Express Travel & Tourism has been working with Sabre for more than a decade, delivering on its vision “to offer the best and most satisfying services to holiday seekers and our corporate travellers”. Under the new agreement, Fahad Express will be exclusively using Sabre Red 360 to deliver highly personalised offers for its customers, by deploying intelligent and consultative services and features. Furthermore, it will continue to benefit from Sabre’s automated exchanges and refunds to drive operational efficiency and excellence. “We are excited to extend our longstanding relationship with Fahad Express as its preferred GDS partner,” said John Matthew, Oman Country Manager, Sabre Travel Network Middle East. “Online travel is playing a significant role in the industry’s recovery, and we will provide the technology and tools to allow Fahad Express leverage this growth and excel in both online and offline travel.”   Fahad Express Travel and Tourism will use Sabre’s marketplace of more than 400 airlines, 750,000 hotel properties, and hundreds of tour operators, rail, car and cruise providers, to sell customized travel packages from suppliers around the world. “We have been successful in building a brand that delivers the perfect balance of quality, reliability and service in the offline space,” said Ms. Juliet Irwin, General Manager, Fahad Express of Travel & Tourism. “Our partnership with Sabre will see us work together to empower the travel industry in Oman and transfer our expertise to excel in the online space. We will leverage Sabre’s …

Since opening its doors to visitors from around the globe on October 1st 2021, the Qatar Pavilion has received over 800,000 visitors. Located within the Sustainability District, the Qatar Pavilion houses two main galleries of exhibition spaces that provide visitors with the opportunity to explore Qatar’s past, present, and future through visual arts, sound effects, and music. Reflecting the beauty and culture of the nation, the Qatar Pavilion uses architectural spaces to communicate the story of Qatar – blending heritage and culture with advanced modern technologies. Offering a deeply immersive audio-visual experience, the pavilion features a wrap-around projection screen and six illusion mirror totems displaying six key themes that represent Qatar’s story. Visitors are also invited to enjoy six illusion showcases that bring objects inside the pavilion to life. Situated between Gallery 1 and Gallery 2, the pavilion’s key exhibit is inspired by the overarching theme of “Bringing the World Together” and was built to commemorate Qatar stadiums as the upcoming venues for the FIFA World Cup 2022™. Mr. Nasser bin Mohammed Almuhannadi, General Commissioner, Qatar Pavilion, said: “We are proud to have welcomed over 800,000 visitors to the Qatar Pavilion since the opening of Expo 2020 Dubai. Inaugurated under the slogan, ‘Qatar: The Future is Now,’ the pavilion tells the story of Qatar’s rich heritage, underlined by our pioneering hope and vision of its future. Represented architecturally by elements at the core of the national emblem of Qatar, the pavilion invites visitors on a journey that moves from peacefulness to heightened emotion, from the personal to the global, and from the conceptual to the concrete. We are pleased to host people from all corners of the globe at the …

Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a franchise agreement with Thera Island Suites S.A., owners of Magma Resort Santorini, managed by Athens-based SWOT Hospitality. Expected to open in 2022 in time for the summer season, the hotel will join The Unbound Collection by Hyatt as the first Hyatt-affiliated resort in the Greek islands, featuring 59 guestrooms, including 24 suites. The signing underscores Hyatt’s strategy to grow its brand footprint in the leisure and independent collection segments across key European leisure destinations. Magma Resort Santorini will resemble a re-imagined traditional Cycladic dwelling by incorporating a sustainable yet modern exterior design that seamlessly integrates the lava-made and stone elements with the overall island’s ambience. All 59 guestrooms and suites, 46 of which will feature private pools and hot tubs, will enjoy unobstructed views of the Aegean Sea and Anafi Island. True to The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand’s ethos, Magma Resort Santorini will offer one-of-a-kind, modern and personalized luxury guest experiences. Nestled among traditional old vineyards, the resort will be located on the lava-made slopes of Vourvoulos, in close proximity to picturesque lava sand beaches on the northeast part of the island and popular cosmopolitan destinations such as Fira and Oia, known for its Instagram-worthy sunsets. The resort’s culinary experience, Magma by Spondi, will be curated by a two-starred Michelin chef and honor local agriculture and seasonal ingredients in a contemporary and inventive interpretation. The restaurant’s menu will feature signature dishes and other fine dining options paired with renowned wines from the rich viticulture for which the island is known. “We are thrilled to work with SWOT Hospitality and are excited to announce The Unbound Collection by …

Raising its bar for the triumph more and more by interconnecting its wide wide flight network that sweeps the continents with the unrivaled geographical advantage of Turkey, Turkish Cargo now incorporates all of its air cargo transportation operations in SMARTIST, the Mega Cargo Facility. Having moved the cargo operations, it carries out by means of the passenger flights, to the Istanbul Airport following its opening in April 2019, Turkish Cargo remained to continue its freighter operations at the Ataturk Airport. Since its infrastructure has been made available entirely, the air cargo brand moved also its freighter operations to its Mega Cargo Facility at the Istanbul Airport by means of a relocation operation that took 72 hours. Having said goodbye to the Ataturk Airport by such a massive relocation, Turkish Cargo will from now on carry out all of its operational processes as based in SMARTIST, the new hub for the air cargo logistics. Turhan Ozen: “With SMARTIST, our new home, we are ready for the future more than we have been ever before.” Regarding the start of the full-capacity operation of SMARTIST, Turhan Ozen, Chief Cargo Officer of Turkish Airlines, remarked as follows; “During the last 3 years, we carried out a highly substantial operation in both of our hubs. While we made use of our freighters at the Ataturk Airport, we benefited from our passenger aircraft and the paxfre* capacity at the Istanbul Airport. We performed approximately 30 thousand flights, 23 thousand of which were performed by making use of our freighters and 6 thousand of which were by paxfre, and we transported more than 4 million air cargo shipments, 2.5 million tons of which were transported from/to the …

Oman Air has moved to the new Terminal 1 at King Abdulaziz International Airport, signaling the airline’s ongoing commitment to scheduled passenger service linking Muscat and Jeddah. The transition was marked by an official ceremony attended by His Excellency the Consul General of Oman Mr. Mubarak AlHanai along with a number of Omani and Saudi officials on 29 January 2022, and coincided with the arrival of Oman Air flight WY1675 which was welcomed with a traditional water salute. Passengers disembarking the flight were presented flowers while the flight’s crew had their photo taken with His Excellency during an Oman Air-themed cake cutting. Hamad Al Harthi, Oman Air Senior Manager of Sales (GCC, Middle East & Africa), said, “We’re delighted that our flights will now arrive and depart from the new Terminal 1 in Jeddah, which offers passengers a seamless travel experience in a truly state-of-the-art facility. Oman Air has a long-standing presence in Jeddah and this transition reflects our renewing of that presence as we look forward to growing our flight frequencies in the years ahead.” Originally launched in December 1998, direct wide body flights between Muscat and Jeddah have proved popular with passengers. Prior to the pandemic, Oman Air operated four daily flights between the two cities, a schedule that has since been scaled back to five weekly flights following decreased demand for travel resulting from COVID-19 restrictions in place around the world.

Capital Travel, part of Tourism365, owned by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) has been appointed as a promoter and distributor for Riyadh Season within the UAE, by the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA). Running until March 31 2022, Riyadh Season has welcomed more than 4 million monthly visitors since its opening in October 2020, providing visitors with the unmissable opportunity to enjoy a plethora of musical performances, concerts, cultural events and sporting activities as well as explore Saudi Arabia’s extraordinary capital. As part of its efforts to deliver exceptional and seamless experiences, Capital Travel has curated two exclusive packages for UAE citizens and residents. Starting from AED 3,150*, guests can stay at the 4 star Centro Olaya Hotel for four days and three nights with a double room, breakfast, return economy class air tickets, airport transfers and Riyadh Season tickets.  Starting from AED 3,600*, guests can stay at the 5 star Sheraton Riyadh Hotel for four days and three nights with a double room, breakfast, return economy class air tickets, airport transfers and Riyadh Season tickets. Riyadh Season offers visitors a diversity of entertainment experiences, for all ages and interests with 14 activity zones, 70 concerts, 350 theatrical shows, 18 Arabic theater shows, 100 interactive experiences, 6 international theatres, 200 international restaurant, 1 freestyle wrestling show, and 10 international expos taking place for the duration of the event. Roula Jouny, Executive Director for Tourism365 commented: “We are thrilled to have been appointed by the Saudi Tourism Authority as a UAE distributor for Riyadh Season, which showcases the very best of music, art, culture and sport, alongside a diverse mix of culinary and casual dining experiences.  This strategic appointment further cements …

Leading independent hotel management company, Aleph Hospitality, has entered the Ugandan market with the signing of a management contract to operate two boutique hotels; Masheda Palms in Buyala and A’lure Hotel & Suites in Kampala. Aleph Hospitality’s portfolio now stretches across six countries on the African continent. Bani Haddad, Founder & Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality said: “I am personally very excited to start operations in Uganda. This is a country that leaves an everlasting impression on visitors, a country with breath-taking scenery, exotic wildlife, kind-hearted people and cultural diversity. By welcoming Masheda Palms and A’lure Hotel & Suites to the Aleph family, we promise to share our regional knowledge and international best practices to help them reach their full potential and, at the same time, support the rebuilding of the tourism sector in Uganda.” The timing coincides with the Uganda Tourism Board’s launch of their new marketing strategy “Explore Uganda, The Pearl of Africa”. As Uganda is opening up again to international visitors, the country is focusing on rebuilding the tourism sector after the impact of the pandemic. Speaking at the launch, the country’s president, H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni urged the world to explore Uganda and the uniqueness of her terrain. Uganda is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites and her diverse landscape include the immense Lake Victoria, birthplace of the river Nile, the Murchison Falls, the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains, and the remote Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, sanctuary to the world’s last mountain gorillas. Located in a leafy residential area in the capital, Kampala, in proximity to the Rubaga Cathedral and the Uganda museum, A’lure Hotel & Suites opened its doors in November 2020. The boutique hotel features all …