Boracay Island and Palawan Island are two of the Philippines’ many beautiful beaches. In 2020, Conde Nast Traveler ranked Palawan Island as one of the 30 Best Beaches in the World. Meanwhile, Boracay has been named Best Island in the World by the international tourist magazine, Travel + Leisure in 2012, as well as Best Island in the World by Conde Nast Traveler in 2014, Top 10 destinations to watch in 2016, and World’s Best Island Beaches in the 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards. The seven beaches include Bantayan Island, Cebu; Kalanggaman Island, Leyte; Secret Beach, El Nido, Palawan; Sugar Beach, Sipalay, Negros Occidental; Mantigue Island, Camiguin Province; Guyam, Daku, and Naked Island, Surigao del Norte; and Calaguas Island, Camarines Norte. New sites, such as these remote beaches that give the perfect escape from the sensation of confinement with wide open spaces and welcoming smiles from the locals, are included in the list of undiscovered gems. More fun awaits guests for their next beach getaway to these pristine and tranquil little pieces of paradise, with over 7,000 islands in a gorgeous archipelago. The Tourism Department, which has been awarded a SafeTravels Stamp by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) for adopting ‘health and hygiene global standardised protocols’, conducts thorough inspections and assessments to ensure that only those who have been accredited are allowed to open and receive guests. The Department is improving its health and hygiene protocols to guarantee that travel to these beaches is safe, with tourist workers receiving ongoing training and tourism establishments implementing standardised protections in their premises to protect their guests and employees. The Philippine government’s Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases …

Oman Air will resume flights between Muscat and London (Heathrow) starting 22 September, 2021. The flights will operate three times weekly on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, departing Muscat at 14:25 local time and arriving in London at 19:10 local time. Flights from London will depart at 20:50 local time and arrive in Muscat at 07:15 local time on Monday, Thursday and Saturday. All flights are scheduled to operate with Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Oman Air will maintain its comprehensive safety program throughout all elements of the travel journey to ensure that guests fly confidently. Masks are required when guests are on board the aircraft and in Oman’s airports. Distancing is maintained while guests board and exit the aircraft, which are carefully cleaned after each flight and at the end of every day. Cabin crew all wear a full set of personal protective equipment, meal service has been modified to further ensure safety, and a number of other measures have been implemented to ensure that the airline’s guests and crew are safe at all times. Guests who are planning to travel to Muscat should visit the Civil Aviation Authority website, caa.gov.om, to ensure they are prepared to comply with requirements to enter the Sultanate. Guests travelling to the UK should ensure they are aware of official requirements to enter or transit through the country. Guests departing from Oman should also ensure that they are aware of all pre-departure requirements and requirements during their flights, which are provided at omanair.com.

Farnek Hotel Management has developed a ground-breaking hospitality app that digitalises a hotel guest’s journey from the initial reservation through to check out. The app which was developed in-house by Farnek’s award-winning technology and innovation division, interfaces with the hotel’s property management system (PMS) affording guests a whole suite of services from uploading travel documents, such as vaccination certificates, ordering a car on arrival, room service and laundry. The hotel app can also send automated electronic updates and alerts to the guest, as well as e-registration documents, e-invoices and e-receipts, all in one convenient space. Walter Knight, Director of Hospitality at Farnek said, “Flexi-Guest achieves three main hotel objectives. First of all, it offers the guest an enhanced experience, providing a seamless pre-arrival and check-in procedure. “Secondly, during the stay, guests can order room service in advance, have laundry picked up or delivered, request early or late check outs, invoices or order a car to go to the airport. Because the app manages secure online payments, the guest doesn’t even need to physically visit the reception. “Finally, the hotel benefits too. If the experience is good, the guest is more likely to return and also recommend the hotel to friends and colleagues. The hotel operates more efficiently, saving staff time and expense and has the added advantage of driving revenue through F&B and e-concierge services,” added Knight. Farnek has just completed a successful trial of the app, having secured a contract for the Expo Village, situated on the Expo 2020 site. Farnek is currently responsible for managing the reservation services, concierge, front office services and housekeeping, for the 2,273 apartments. “Feedback from the initial guest reviews, has been very positive,” …

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is further expanding its international footprint with the opening of the newly built 131-room Days Hotel by Wyndham Dubai Deira, its first property in the UAE under the renowned economy brand. Ideally located close to Dubai’s popular landmarks with a direct access to the Dubai Metro, the launch of the Days Hotel by Wyndham Dubai Deira joins the recent openings of the Super 8 by Wyndham Dubai Deira and Wyndham Dubai Deira as part of the Deira Enrichment Project and as a continuation of Wyndham’s rapid growth across the region. Days Inn by Wyndham is one of the largest and most recognised economy hotel brands in the world, with a global portfolio of 1,600 properties. The launch of Days Hotel by Wyndham Dubai Deira follows the brand’s debut in Turkey in June 2021 and marks the eighth hotel brand Wyndham has launched in the UAE, following the recent debut of the La Quinta by Wyndham brand in Bur Dubai. Michel Augier, Regional Director, Middle East and Africa, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, said: “Dubai is one of the most sought out destinations for travellers from all corners of the globe, looking for a variety of accommodation options, making it the ideal location to launch our Days Inn by Wyndham brand. The launch of the Days Hotel by Wyndham Dubai Deira perfectly complements the recently opened Wyndham Dubai Deira and the Super 8 by Wyndham Dubai Deira, which are already situated within the spectacular Deira Enrichment Project and our portfolio of over 60 hotels in the Middle East and Africa. We look forward to continuing to expand our brands and offerings in destinations we know our travellers want to be, …

Accor is growing its portfolio in Saudi Arabia partnering with Taiba Investments and opening the first Novotel Brand in the Holy city of Madinah. Once open the property will include 394 keys, 3 Food & Beverage outlets as well meeting rooms and retail space. Since the launch of the vision 2030 for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2016, Accor has continuously been involved in the development of the hospitality landscape including, but not limited to, the introduction of unique development projects across the Kingdom, now adding a greenfield project with the first Novotel in Madinah. The group is partnering with Taiba Investments, considered to be one of the largest real estate companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which provides various services such as real estate property investment, development and management. ‘We are delighted to be partnering with Accor to develop our new hotel in the Holy City of Madinah, says Eng. Saleh Habdan Al-Habdan, Chief Executive Officer from Taiba Investments Real Estate Company”. We are confident that this new property will benefit greatly the hospitality landscape of the city and Kingdom overall, offering travelers a new and convenient accommodation option”. Novotel Madinah will be in close proximity to the Holy Mosque, and directly on King Faisal Road at its intersection with Amr Bin Al Aas Street, offering guests easy access to every main road of the city. Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport is only 23 minutes away from the hotel while Madinah Train Station is located at 13 minutes from the property. “This is a great opportunity to introduce the first Novotel property to the Holy City and increase further Novotel’s footprint in the Kingdom” says Mark Willis, …

Inmarsat announced the launch of its innovative new OneFi customer experience platform (CXP) for airlines. The first-of-its-kind solution will serve as a catalyst to monetise inflight connectivity by bringing a host of onboard services together within a single portal interface, which passengers can easily access using their own personal devices. OneFi delivers a rich airline-branded digital platform to enhance the passenger experience onboard flights. It allows passengers to order food and beverages, purchase seat upgrades, receive the latest flight and destination information, and sign-up to the airline’s frequent flyer programmes, all in real-time from the comfort of their seat. In addition, passengers can browse the internet, stream videos and audio, shop online and enjoy other ecommerce offerings, using high-speed inflight broadband that airlines could choose to offer free-of-charge, funded through OneFi’s sponsorship and advertising features. The launch of OneFi comes at a critical time for airlines, with the global pandemic having accelerated passenger demand for digital inflight experiences. Philip Balaam, President of Inmarsat Aviation, said: “For many years, Inmarsat has advocated the vast commercial opportunities of inflight connectivity. However, until now, airlines have struggled to realise the full potential of the business model. OneFi is a step change for those looking to monetise their Wi-Fi services and ensure they keep pace with evolving passenger needs. It will empower a digital transformation in the cabin, which is especially important at this critical time for the aviation industry. “OneFi allows airlines to improve their brand experience and secure passenger loyalty, with the flexibility to incorporate their own services and use existing and new partners, such as content providers, advertisers and retailers. We are in advanced discussions with leading airlines about adopting this innovative …

dnata Travel is revealing the results of a survey conducted with thousands of UAE travellers in July and August 2021, during the busiest time for travel from the UAE the brand has seen since the onset of the global pandemic. Revealing insights to UAE residents’ travel plans for 2021 and 2022 so far, 86% of the respondents expressed the desire to travel internationally in this time. Of these respondents, 56% indicated a plan to travel to Europe for their next holiday, with more than a half planning to stay for a duration of one to two weeks. This represents a significant increase in room nights compared to previous years, with dnata Travel reporting a past average of three to four night stays in European destinations for UAE travellers. Emily Jenkins, Head of Leisure UAE at dnata Travel, commented: “We conducted the latest dnata Travel survey in July/August 2021, as international travel witnessed significant growth with many countries opening up to vaccinated travellers ahead of the summer, including destinations across Europe, North America, parts of the Indian Ocean, and Asia. “Since the start of the pandemic, we have witnessed a pent-up demand for travel, particularly in the wake of the UAE’s impressive vaccination drive. Much of Europe has eased restrictions for vaccinated travellers offering a wealth of options, with something for every type of traveller, from beach retreats to island escapes and city breaks.” From the dnata Travel survey findings, the top five most sought-after destinations in Europe for 2021/2022 holidays with UAE residents include: Switzerland, UK, Italy, Greece, and Georgia, respectively. Outside of Europe, survey respondents expressed interest in planning travel to Asia, with Thailand making up the vast majority, …

Sabre Corporation announced a renewed technology agreement with Etihad. Under the new agreement, Etihad will continue leveraging a suite of Sabre’s industry-leading IT solutions to aid recovery, help drive post-pandemic growth and enhance the passenger experience. “As we focus on our recovery, it is imperative that we have the right technology in place” said Frank Meyer, Chief Digital Officer, Etihad Aviation Group.  “Our strong relationship with Sabre and this renewed agreement means that we can continue to optimize our day-to-day operations.” Etihad and Sabre have a successful and long-standing relationship, with the carrier already having seen tangible benefits from a suite of Sabre’s network planning and scheduling, pricing and revenue management and cargo technology.  Under the new multi-year agreement, the following products will be among an important suite of technology for Etihad as it focuses on optimizing its operations to fuel its recovery: Fares Optimizer – Uses near real-time responses to provide dynamic price recommendations for Etihad’s fares. The solution will be crucial in helping Etihad improve its revenue. Network Planning and Optimization – this industry-leading planning and scheduling suite is able to scale to the largest airlines in the world. Powering more than 60% of the world’s top airlines, Sabre’s Schedule Manager will continue to help Etihad build and deliver robust, accurate and operationally feasible schedules across its network. Inflight – In previous years of using Sabre’s Inflight solutions, Etihad has been able to achieve significant savings, while continuing to provide a world-class and award-winning guest experience onboard. “Our renewed technology agreement with Etihad is testament to the airline’s confidence in Sabre to deliver the advanced solutions needed to help secure its recovery, and help it to power future growth,” said …

Accor is adding a new flagship property to its portfolio in Africa with Fairmont Djibouti. Set to open in 2024, the hotel will feature 155 rooms and 10 serviced apartments, with five food and beverage outlets combined with 1,398 sqm of meetings & events facilities. Located in Djibouti City, the capital of Djibouti and one of the country’s most affluent areas, the hotel will be strategically located by the beach in Plateau Du Serpent offering its visitors convenient proximity to the port of Djibouti. In addition, the property’s enviable seafront location will provide guests with unparalleled views, positioning Fairmont Djibouti as the “preeminent hotel” in the Djibouti market. “Accor has always been a key player in the tourism industry across Africa,” says Mark Willis, CEO of Accor India, Middle East, Africa and Turkey, “and Djibouti is no exception. We are confident that this project will greatly benefit the hospitality landscape of Djibouti with the introduction of one of Accor’s flagship luxury brands, Fairmont, while supporting government efforts for its “Djibouti vision 2035”. Accor is partnering with Carnegie Hill Hospitality, a company founded in 2018 which has positioned itself as a major player in the real estate sector in Djibouti, headed by Mrs Haibado Ismail, and showcases the strong ambition to be a leader in the tourism sector through “greenfield” developments and strategic partnerships in all segments of the hotel and real estate sectors. When speaking about the new Fairmount project, Mrs Habaido Ismail states: “It’s not about building one more hotel. The partnership with Fairmont and Accor underlines our desire to create a unique place, emblematic of Djibouti. At the heart of our approach, there is a desire for authenticity. It is …

Technology, sustainability, education & training, as well as equity in health, education, and economic opportunity to top the agenda. Popular hybrid format to continue – live and in-person event to take place 8-11 May 2022 – virtual edition will be on 17 and 18 May 2022. RX Global, organiser of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), has announced that the 2022 edition of its annual showcase, will focus on the future of international travel and tourism and the likely challenges and the benefits, for a resilient industry that is still coming to terms with the new normal. “COVID-19 has dominated our lives since March 2020 and continues to do so in many parts of the world. However, although international travel & tourism has learnt from past experiences and adapted in some cases almost seamlessly, we now have an ideal opportunity to look ahead to the future of our industry. “Dwelling too much on the pre-covid past, would not necessarily be productive, especially because so many industry parameters and social attitudes have since been completely reset,” said Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market. “Undoubtedly innovation through IoT, AI, AR, VR and improved connectivity overall, will change the face of our industry dramatically, however, there are other challenges, that we should address together and share industry best practice. “These issues include climate change and broader social challenges, as well as stakeholder attitudes towards equity in health, education and economic opportunity, particularly in the communities that we operate in,” added Curtis. Now in its 29th year and working in collaboration with the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), the event, will take place live and …