Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) and AL Tayer Holidays announced a partnership that will allow Al Tayer to market NCL’s cruises across the Group’s multiple businesses and distribution channels. The agreement marks the beginning of a long-term partnership to grow NCL’s market share in the Middle East while enriching Al Tayer’s travel portfolio with the line’s renowned cruises that sail to more than 300 destinations worldwide, including Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island in the Bahamas and its resort destination Harvest Caye in Belize. Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel with a 54-year history of breaking boundaries, and AL Tayer Holidays, a subsidiary of AL Tayer Group, a leader in luxury retail in the Middle East, today announced a partnership that will allow Al Tayer to market NCL’s cruises across the Group’s multiple businesses and distribution channels. Commenting on the agreement, NCL’s Regional Vice President Business Development Middle East & Africa, Nick Wilkinson, said: “We are delighted to partner with a dynamic and distinguished group such as Al Tayer, who share our vision of innovation and putting customer experience first. We are seeing great demand for our cruises from the U.A.E and GCC markets and are striving to further strengthen our position in this high-potential region through strategic partnerships.” Manu Mehrotra, General Manager, Al Tayer Travel commented: “It is an exciting opportunity for us to be partnering with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), an innovator in the cruise industry. NCL has in a short span of time become popular in this part of the world and as is ideally poised to showcase its unique product as the cruise market keeps expanding in our region. The Company’s growth plans …

Almost 70% of global consumers plan to travel domestically within the next six months, yet less than 10% have booked their trips according to a new survey from consulting firm Oliver Wyman. “The summer travel surge is just the beginning of a recovery that seemed almost impossible a little more than a year ago,” said Michael Wette, Head of IMEA Transportation & Services, Oliver Wyman. “We expect to see a continued desire for leisure travel through the end of the year and travel providers should anticipate a sustained leisure recovery with strong bookings continuing at least through the end of the year.” “The travel industry continues to be a part of the diversification strategy for governments in the Middle East region and in the UAE in particular. There will be an even greater level of leisure and business travel due to major events and exhibitions like Dubai Expo 2020, the Dubai Airshow and ADIPEC being hosted.” The survey findings revealed the following: Leisure travel 76% of respondents expect to travel the same or more post-COVID for leisure Traffic out of US airports will match and may even exceed the rate of pre-pandemic travel sometime in early 2022. International leisure travel continues to be the most impacted by the pandemic, as most travelers opt to stay closer to home. The Chinese (81%), United States (67%) and Australian (62%) travelers will prefer to travel domestically when restrictions are lifted. Whereas Canadians (54%) and most Europeans will favour international trips, mostly short hall. Business travel Business travelers are optimistic about the return of corporate trips. Globally, about 75% of business travelers expect to travel the same as or more than they did pre-pandemic. …

Emirates has signed a codeshare agreement with Azul Linhas Aereas Brasileiras S.A (Azul) which will allow customers to seamlessly connect to and from eight cities in Brazil to Emirates’ global network via Sao Paulo. The codeshare agreement has been approved by the Brazilian Federal Aviation Agency (Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil). Under the codeshare, customers will be able to connect to and from Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont (SDU), Belem (BEL) Belo Horizonte (CNF), Cuiaba (CGB), Curtiba (CWB), Juazeiro Do Norte (JDO), Porto Alegre (POA) and Recife (REC) airports on flights operated by Azul to Emirates flights from Sao Paulo (GRU) to Dubai and beyond with a single ticket. Tickets be purchased online on Emirates’ website or through Emirates’ local sales offices and travel agents from 18 August 2021 for travel starting from 25 August 2021. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer said: “Emirates is delighted to be entering into a codeshare partnership with Azul to offer our customers an enhanced, smooth and convenient connectivity between eight cities in Brazil to/ from Dubai and our global network through Sao Paulo. Brazil is an important market for Emirates and our cooperation with Azul underscores Emirates’ commitment to strengthen our reach in the region and open up more options for our customers. With one ticket, our customers can access a seamless experience through check-in, bag check and boarding on every leg of their journey. We look forward to working with Azul and strengthening our partnership in the days to come.” “We are very happy to announce this partnership with Emirates, which will provide seamless benefits to our customers. As the largest airline in Brazil in terms of destinations, this codeshare allows our …

H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, said the UAE is a “global host and an efficient platform for the entire media sector because of its integrated digital infrastructure.” It also has a supportive legal and legislative environment, as well as attractive living standards for all nationalities and international companies in the media and cultural industries, as directed by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, he added. Sheikh Mansour stated this while announcing the launch of the first edition of the Global Media Congress, to be held in Abu Dhabi from 15th to 17th November, 2022, which will be organised by the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) in a strategic partnership with the Emirates News Agency (WAM). He said the Congress will be “an exceptional platform” for the media sector. The event will include a media an exhibition and conference, which will enable various media organisations to discuss partnership and cooperation agreements aimed at developing their messages that will serve humanity and support communities through providing useful and credible content. The event will be attended by a range of media leaders and global influencers, in addition to academics and youth. The Congress will also discuss several key topics, most notably digital communication, artificial intelligence, advanced technologies and innovation in the media sector. It will host specialist sessions covering journalism, radio, television, internet, social media and international influencers. The event …

Marriott International, Inc. announced plans to expand its portfolio in Turkey with the expected opening of 10 properties by the end of 2022. With the anticipated openings, the company’s portfolio in Turkey is expected to encompass 43 properties with over 7,000 rooms across eight markets by the end of 2022. Reinforcing its long-term focus on the market, the company also announced two recent deal signings under the Four Points by Sheraton brand. “Marriott International has a strong history of successful operations in the Turkish market,” said Begüm Kaya, Director of Development, Turkey at Marriott International. “With our captivating portfolio of brands, world-class distribution platform and all-encompassing travel program, Marriott Bonvoy, we appreciate the confidence our owners and franchisees have with us in this exciting market.” Marriott International continues to see growth in its select portfolio across brands such as Four Points by Sheraton and Residence Inn by Marriott. Four Points by Sheraton builds upon its momentum in the Turkish market with the Four Points by Sheraton Istanbul Kagithane expected to open this year and the Four Points by Sheraton Elazig projected to open in 2022. To meet the demand for longer-stay accommodations in the country, the company is expected to debut its extended stay brand, Residence Inn by Marriott, with the anticipated opening of Residence Inn by Marriott Istanbul Atasehir later this year. The brand is ideal for guests seeking the comforts of home with modern, flexible suites with full kitchens and separate living and sleeping areas, providing the perfect solution for travelers mixing business and leisure travel. The company’s renowned premium brands also remain a strong driver of growth in the Turkish market. Following the recent opening of Orientbank …

British Airways’ passenger flights between Dubai and London since January 2021 have now resumed to a daily operation. The flight will depart from Dubai at 12:15 (LT) and will arrive in London at 16:55 (LT).  These direct return flights from Dubai to the UK will enable many people to reunite with their loved ones who have been kept apart due to Covid-19. Sohail Ali, British Airways’ Senior Vice President, Middle East and Africa, Airport Operations said: “We can’t wait to welcome our customers on board our flights and are delighted to be able to reunite families and friends with their loved ones after such a long time apart. “The safety of our customers and colleagues has always been at the heart of everything we do. We have also introduced a range of measures to provide stress and hassle-free travel.” Customers booking with British Airways can do so with absolute confidence, thanks to the airline’s flexible booking policy. They are able to exchange their booking for a voucher or move their dates without incurring a change fee. British Airways’ existing online Covid hub includes information on flexible bookings, testing, how to use a voucher and what the British Airways flying experience looks like for those that haven’t travelled for some time. British Airways has also introduced a number of measures at the airport and on board to look after the safety and wellbeing of its customers and colleagues. These include social distancing measures, the wearing of face masks (which remain in place) and hand sanitiser stations. Prior to travel customers will also receive details of how they can prepare for their journey, including information on discounted testing providers. To help customers …

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has issued the updated list of “Green List” countries. All travellers arriving from these destinations will be exempt from mandatory quarantine measures after landing in Abu Dhabi. Travellers will be required to present a negative PCR Covid-19 test valid for maximum 72 hours before departure and undergo a PCR test upon arrival at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Vaccinated passengers from the updated Green List will take another PCR test on day 6 (day of arrival counts as day 1). Unvaccinated travellers arriving from these Green List countries will also take a PCR test on days 6 and 9. Countries, regions, and territories included within the “Green List” will be regularly updated based on international developments. Inclusion in the list is subject to strict criteria of health and safety to ensure the well-being of the UAE community. The list also only applies to countries that travellers are arriving from, rather than citizenship. Please note below the updated “Green List” as of 18 August 2021 at 2:00 pm: Albania Australia Bahrain Belgium Brunei Bulgaria Canada China Czech Republic Germany Hong Kong (SAR) Hungary Ireland Malta Mauritius Moldova New Zealand Poland Romania Saudi Arabia Serbia Seychelles Singapore South Korea Sweden Switzerland Taiwan, Province of China Ukraine

In order to offer both leisure and business travelers to Dubai a new experience two additional buildings will be added in downtown area overlooking Burj Khalifa by hospitality group Sonder. The two and three bedroomed apartments will be especially designed for the families that will spend bleisure stays and long stay business travellers. “We’re pleased to continue to partner with Sonder, whose innovative and guest-centric approach to hospitality addresses the preferences of the modern, urban, family and business travelers that frequents Dubai,” said Soby Joseph, executive director of Al Fattan Properties LLC. “Sonder is a well-capitalized operator that provides peace of mind and fixed income for real estate assets. They continue to be one of our preferred partners for developments in Dubai.” “We remain bullish on expansion in Dubai as it is one of the most visited cities in the world, renowned for its beautiful design and architecture and is a global real estate hub. These are all attributes that fit perfectly with the Sonder brand and mission and we plan to continue developing Sonder’s footprint in the region,” said Martin Picard, Global Head of Real Estate for Sonder. “We’ve seen very strong performance from our inaugural Dubai property, JBR Suites. We are extremely pleased to be partnering again with Al Fattan to take on operations of what will be Sonder’s fourth largest signing in terms of units. Sonder Holdings Inc. (“Sonder”), a leading next-generation hospitality company that is redefining the guest experience through technology and design, will add two additional buildings to its growing portfolio in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Through an agreement with Al Fattan Properties LLC, Sonder will manage and operate two of the three Al Fattan …

Emirates and Airlink have announced the expansion of their existing partnership into a unilateral codeshare agreement, giving travellers to and from South Africa convenient access to more than 40 domestic and regional destinations across 12 African countries. The extended codeshare provides connectivity to Emirates customers not offered by any other carrier in Africa, and augments the long-standing partnership that Emirates has with South African Airways. The move comes as Emirates resumes its flights to South Africa and ramps up its operations to provide customers with enhanced connectivity via its gateways Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. The connectivity provided by the new codeshare between Emirates and Airlink will offer competitive fares, combined ticketing, and seamless baggage transfers when connecting between both airlines. Customers travelling to South Africa can now transfer from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban to domestic points like Bloemfontein, George, Upington, Nelspruit, Hoedspruit, Kimberley, Skukuza, Pietermaritzburg, Richards Bay, Sishen, Mthatha and Port Elizabeth, as well as points across Southern Africa like Gaborone, Kasane, Vilanculos, Lubumbashi, Dar es Salaam, Entebbe, Maseru, Antananarivo, Pemba, Tete, Maun, Victoria Falls, Walvis Bay, Maputo, Windhoek, Harare, Lusaka, Ndola, Bulawayo and Livingstone amongst many other cities. Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline said: “The expansion of the Emirates – Airlink partnership marks an important step forward in our relationship. Our new codeshare agreement enhances our service offering and flexibility for customers traveling beyond our gateways in South and Southern Africa and provides them unparalleled options for leisure destinations. We are committed to growing our operations in South Africa, and with the strong connection opportunities being provided collectively with Airlink we hope to help jumpstart the recovery of the local travel and tourism industry.” He …

Hyatt announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management agreement with an affiliate of Millat Properties for Hyatt House Johannesburg Sandton. The planned opening of the property will mark the introduction of Hyatt’s select service and extended stay brand, Hyatt House, to the continent and the third Hyatt-branded hotel in South Africa. The Hyatt House brand offers a flexible, elevated approach to extended stay and helps guests enjoy the comforts of home when they are away from theirs. Built on guest insights, Hyatt House hotels drive satisfaction and loyalty by allowing guests to maintain familiar routines, with spacious suites and studios featuring full kitchens, comfortable living rooms, large bedrooms and stylish bathrooms. Slated to open in October 2021, the hotel will be situated in the well-established Sandton area, where business and leisure tourism blends together in Africa’s economical hub. Hyatt House Johannesburg Sandton will boast 43 studio guestrooms and 19 apartment-style suites, all with fully equipped kitchens and separate living areas reminding guests of the conveniences of home. Additional amenities will include a unique concept for an alternative dining experience in the Treehouse, H Market offering grab-and-go snacks and drinks, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and an outdoor swimming pool in which guests can unwind and enjoy themselves. “We’re delighted to announce plans to introduce the Hyatt House brand to Africa, which will be Hyatt’s second hotel in collaboration with an affiliate of Millat Properties,” said Ludwig Bouldoukian, regional vice president of development for the Middle East and Africa, Hyatt. “We are proud to hold such strong relationships with exceptional owners who share our ambition and values. They are essential to powering Hyatt’s brand growth.” “We are very pleased …