Travellers in the UAE are favouring the same holiday destinations year after year for home comforts and familiarity, with the pandemic leading most to being less adventurous than usual according to new research from Marriott Bonvoy, the travel loyalty programme that encompasses hotels, resorts, home rentals and experiences across 30 brands in 138 countries. UAE travellers seek the familiar post-lockdown The figures show that just a quarter (27%) of those going abroad plan to visit somewhere new for their post-lockdown holiday. The Maldives and Turkey are jointly the number one destinations for those from the UAE for their next getaway. Nineteen per cent of those planning a holiday abroad intend to visit The Maldives, and the figure is the same for Turkey. However, seven in ten of those going to Turkey (73%) say they have gone on holiday there previously and 48% have been multiple times. Meanwhile, 68% of those going to the Maldives have been there before. Egypt is the third most popular destination for post-pandemic breaks amongst those from the UAE travelling abroad (17%), followed by the UK (13%) and Italy (13%). In total, 88% say they will be going on holiday in the next 12 months. Seven per cent plan not to, whilst 6% remain unsure. It appears that lockdown has had an impact on where those from the UAE are choosing to go for their post-lockdown holidays. Over half (51%) say the pandemic has led to them being less confident in visiting new places. Amongst those who do not plan to go away 52% say that this is specifically due to a lack of confidence in travel post-Covid. The aim of the research is to look into how …

In a few hours it is time to once again experience Germany, the most popular shopping destination for the GCC travellers when they host a webinar on Breuninger, one of Germany’s most prestigious department stores today 11am UAE time. With the recent announcement that the limitations on GCC travellers have been relaxed, it is once again time to discover some of the destination’s new and renovated experiences. The German National Tourist Office will host a special webinar to highlight the various offerings, with a particular emphasis on Germany as a shopping destination. “I’m looking forward to refreshing our industry partners on destination Germany and informing them of the latest travel guidelines to Germany while also highlighting one of the most prestigious department stores Breuninger,” said Yamina Sofo, Director Sales and Marketing, German National Tourist Office, Gulf Countries. We’d like to invite you to pre-register for the event and come prepared with all of your questions.” For a moment, everything was put on hold due to the pandemic, but now it’s time to revisit and rediscover the many shopping spots throughout Germany. Travellers and shoppers can find anything they want, from discounts to fine couture, from second hand knickknacks to futuristic treasures, from worldwide to traditionally German brands, always prompt, easy to find, and, at an unbelievable low cost. The unique selling characteristics of one such retail destination, Breuninger, will be highlighted in this webinar. It will be a chance for the travel industry to rediscover the destination after the Covid era. “For 140 years, the fashion and lifestyle company Breuninger has been setting high standards in the areas of fashion, beauty, and lifestyle, “ said Lena Schulz, Manager Tourism Marketing-Breuninger …

Mohamed Khater, Regional General Manager and Managing Partner, Flash Horizon has dedicated his career to the tourism industry. Having worked for more than seven years for the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, he has become one of the greatest advocates for tourism development in the Middle East. Mohamed’s unrivalled passion for tourism has led to him becoming an expert in his field and is well-known throughout the industry for his professionalism and cordial demeanor. During the years spent working with government administrations and international organizations to promote tourism to the Middle East, Mohamed has honed his skills in destination promotion & marketing, negotiation, budgeting and leisure sales. He is part of the team that opened and promoted the longest zipline in the world.

Kathryn Wallington, Travelport’s Head of Middle East and Africa has been chosen as a gamechanger in the industry for her foresight and passion towards developing the sector. She has been identifying new growth opportunities and building the brand profile across eight countries. Together with her team, she is responsible for delivering best-in-class technology that meets the evolving needs of customers in the region. Kathryn increased the brand’s market share, while also growing customer satisfaction and implementing a successful tele-account management model to manage over 600 smaller accounts.

One of the top awardees at the Arabian Travel Awards is a tourism icon, who has grown the industry with his vision and hard work. Gerald Lawless has been chosen as the first tourism ambassador in the region by the Arabian Travel Awards. His dedication to the sector has been unparalleled. He is also the former Chairman, World Travel and Tourism Council and now ambassador for WTTC, the Non-executive Director Dubai Expo2020 Advisory Board, Non-executive Director, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority advisory board, Non-executive Director Temes Hotels and Resorts, Greece, Non-executive Director, Adnec, Abu Dhabi, Former President and CEO Jumeirah Group and Director, International Tourism Investment Corporation.

Nasir Jamal Khan has achieved an elite level of expertise in the travel business, perfecting his knowledge for more than 35 years, and playing an influential role in promoting the tourism landscapes, across the GCC. Khan joined Al Naboodah Travel in 2004, successfully repositioning the company’s growth strategy, securing new strategic airline partnerships, diversifying its product offering and championing the company’s service outlet expansion across the UAE and the KSA.

A night of glitter and glamour, as the fourth edition of the Arabian Travel Awards recognized the travel and hospitality industry stars. This year’s awards were extremely special as it was a salutation for all those overcoming the unprecedented challenges during the pandemic. His Excellency, Mohammad Tarid bin Sufian, Ambassador of Malaysia to the UAE, Her Excellency Hjayceelyn M. Quintana, Ambassador, The Republic of the Philippines, UAE and Dr. Aman Puri, Consul General of India in Dubai graced the occasion with their presence.

The travel, tourism and hospitality leaders in the Middle East will witness a star studded & glamorous evening as the Arabian Travel Awards return with their fourth edition. Recognizing industry heroes and unsung warriors, the pandemic challenged all leadership and changed the landscape of the sector. Achieving success and striving against all odds is something to celebrate and further motivate brands and the players behind it. Resilience has been a key factor in the Middle East, which over the years, has shown great strength and agility to adapt and refocus on situations when the going gets tough.

Emirates has concluded the 2021 edition of the Dubai Airshow on a positive note, culminating a week of investment announcements, new partnerships forged, and the strengthening of established connections as key aviation players from around the world came together in Dubai to mark a turning point in the industry’s recovery. This year, Emirates’ presence at the show included participation in the opening flypast; aircraft static displays; an exhibition stand showcasing its latest cabin products, Emirates Flight Training Academy and the Emirates Aviation University; and offering its renowned hospitality for partners and invited guests in the Emirates Chalet. Emirates was honoured to welcome His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum; His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to its Emirates A380 static display. Emirates’ latest four-class configured A380 remained a popular draw, featuring the airline’s recently introduced Premium Economy Class cabin, and decorated with the ‘United Arab Emirates 50’ livery, celebrating the Golden jubilee of the UAE. The Cirrus SR 22 and Embraer Phenom 100 jets utilized for training flights by the Emirates Flight Training Academy were also on display to visitors. At the Dubai Airshow, the airline announced a significant investment to retrofit 105 of its Boeing 777 and A380 aircraft with its Premium Economy product, in addition to other cabin enhancements. The entire 18-month retrofit programme, starting in 2022, will take place in Dubai and reinforces the UAE’s status as a centre of aviation excellence. Emirates also signed an agreement with Panasonic to deliver a suite of in-flight …

Gulf Air and EGYPTAIR, signed a letter of intent for studying cooperation expansion between the two airlines and the initiatives for cooperation in air freight, maintenance, training and frequent flyer programmes. This cooperation is intended for the enhancement of networks of the two national carriers and the services provided to their customers. In this regard, Gulf Air’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Captain Waleed AlAlawi commented: “As the region’s leading boutique carrier with a global footprint, Gulf Air is proud to further enhance commercial opportunities with our partner, EGYPTAIR. Signing this letter of intent demonstrates our continued focus to provide our passengers with new destinations, grow our cargo capabilities and importantly enhance customer experience. Likewise, this agreement represents the strong existing commercial cooperation that Gulf Air enjoys with EGYPTAIR, that we will look to build on.” EgyptAir Holding Chairman & CEO, Captain Amr Abul El Enein stated “We are glad of this cooperation, as EGYPTAIR and Gulf Air are two of the deep-rooted national airlines in the region backed with great experiences, technical and professional capabilities that qualify them to cater for the needs of our travellers. This cooperation comes at a time of remarkable developments in the aviation industry that requires the partners to cope with the new and developing requirements of the industry and to enhance the relations for better services to the customers.” Last year in December, Gulf Air and EGYPTAIR announced the expansion of their codeshare partnership, bringing more travel opportunities for their customers.