Qatar Airways announced a new global partnership with Art Basel. This long-term alliance reinforces Qatar Airway’s role as a global connector of people, places, and culture. As Art Basel’s Premium Partner, Qatar Airways will support all of the fair’s prestigious annual exhibitions – in Basel, Paris, Hong Kong, Miami, as well as its newly launched edition in Qatar. This partnership goes beyond sponsorship and aims to deepen the airline’s connection with a culture- and art-forward global demographic through one of the world’s most respected names in the art world. The collaboration also marks the exciting introduction of Art Basel into the Middle East, with a new edition launching February 2026 in Doha. This will be the fair’s first presence in the region and highlights Qatar’s growing stature as a regional arts and cultural hub as the nation continues to evolve as a destination that inspires and connects the world through its National Vision 2030 roadmap. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said: “Our long-term collaboration with Art Basel goes beyond being just a partnership – it is a strategic alignment between two globally respected brands and a statement on Qatar’s contributions to cultural development and exchange around the globe. Art Basel represents the highest calibre of international artistry and sophistication, and its audience of artists, collectors, and cultural influencers reflects the premium customer base that we serve every day. We are proud to support a platform that shares our values and aspirations on a global scale and in connecting the region with art and ideas from all over the world.” Art Basel Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Noah Horowitz, said: “We are honoured to partner with Qatar Airways, …

Turkish Airlines and TAP Air Portugal announced that they are expanding their existing codeshare partnership. As part of the recently expanded agreement announced during the IATA Annual General Meeting held in New Delhi, both carriers will now provide their guests with a broader range of seamless travel options beyond their current global networks. Brazil, Morocco, Qatar, and Mauritius are new and exciting destinations entering the scope of cooperation. Additionally, Dalaman and Bodrum, Türkiye’s prominent summer destinations, have also been added to the agreement, further augmenting travel options between Türkiye and Portugal, enhancing access to sought-after leisure destinations. Commenting on the agreement, Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Ekşi stated: “We are pleased to further strengthen our long-standing partnership with TAP Air Portugal. Enhanced scope of the new arrangement offers greater flexibility and a wider range of travel options, while contributing to the development of commercial and tourism relations between our countries. We look forward to continuing this valuable collaboration in the years ahead.” TAP Air Portugal CEO Luís Rodrigues also commented: “Because of our network structure we need to find intelligent ways to connect us to the east. Cooperating with great partners is our way forward to do that. This will provide our global passengers and our Portuguese community with increased options to visit new and exciting places using our Turkish Airlines partner.” This enriched cooperation not only enhances the network presence of both carriers but also fosters increased tourism and business traffic between Türkiye and Portugal, as well as to key destinations across South America, Africa and the Middle East.

Dubai Safari Park officially concluded its sixth and most successful season with the park’s highest ever visitation with 16% year-on-year growth. The park, which is now closed for its annual summer break, announced a series of milestones achieved over the past eight months, spanning immersive educational experiences, high-impact conservation efforts and record-breaking attendance, captivating hundreds of thousands of visitors and marking its most successful season yet. From sold-out weekends to record turnouts during national and regional holidays, Dubai Safari Park saw continuous demand for its experiences, with over 52,700 safari tours conducted. Hundreds of thousands of nature lovers, conservation advocates, residents, and tourists of all ages chose to spend their leisure, and many of their most memorable moments, immersed in wildlife. The Eid Al Etihad break alone attracted over 43,000 visitors in just a four-day weekend, setting a new park record. Seasonal activations, including a mix of newly introduced experiences and returning visitor favourites such as Wild Fiesta, Wild in the Night, and Iftar in the Wild, also saw strong engagement. The region’s only Night Safari, launched in Season 6, attracted 17,000 visitors in one month only, with guests eager to experience the magic of nocturnal wildlife. The newly introduced live presentation, ‘Echoes of the Wild’ was a standout success, drawing over 80,000 attendees and adding to the park’s immersive offerings. Additionally, the deepening bond between the community and nature was powerfully reflected in the Baby Rhino Naming Campaign, one of the park’s most engaging initiatives to date, offering a true glimpse into the spirit of the season. More than 13,000 people took part in naming ‘Onyx’, the park’s newest rhino calf and a powerful symbol of hope for a …

According to RateHawk, the top 10 outbound destinations for the entire summer include Turkey, Italy, France, Thailand, Spain, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Austria, Greece, and the United States. The average transaction value for accommodation bookings is $1551, with an average stay of five nights. Although Indonesia didn’t enter the top 10 most-booked outbound destinations, it has become one of the fastest-growing travel choices, showing a remarkable two-fold increase in bookings year-over-year, according to RateHawk. Traditionally, over half (53%) of these bookings are located in Bali, particularly in popular areas such as Ubud, Kuta, and Munduk. The visa-free policy and strong air connections with the GCC region, including a newly launched Saudia flight from Jeddah to Bali, continue to boost tourism to this tropical island. European destinations, with top choices in cultural capitals such as London, Paris, Milan, Munich, and Barcelona, remain a traditional favorite among GCC travelers seeking to escape the summer heat. The steady growth of tourism to Europe continues, driven by improved connectivity through the launch of new direct routes to popular destinations, including Saudia’s flight to Venice and Flydubai’s flights to various Greek resorts, such as Corfu, Santorini, and Mykonos. Thailand, another favourite Asian destination among GCC travelers, continues to show steady growth of 48% from last year, especially in areas like Bangkok and Phuket. Travelers heading to Asia typically choose longer stays, often up to one week in just one hotel. Serkan Ozbay, Regional Director in the Middle East region, commented: “Summer season in the GCC region traditionally has two spikes in travel demand. The first peak aligns with the Eid Al-Adha holidays, which this year fall between 5 June and 9 June, with Dubai as …

Etihad Airways has released its latest traffic statistics for May 2025, highlighting continued expansion and customer demand. The airline carried 1.7 million passengers in May, representing a 19% increase compared to the same month last year. This continued growth reflects the airline’s strategic expansion and strong market positioning. Passenger load factor climbed to 87%, up from 84% in May 2024, reinforcing Etihad’s ability to optimise capacity while maintaining high demand. Etihad’s operating fleet now stands at 100 aircraft, supporting its growing network and service enhancements. In the first five months of 2025, 8.4 million travellers have flown with Etihad, a 17% rise from the same period in 2024, with the airline maintaining an impressive 87% average passenger load factor. Antonoaldo Neves, Etihad Airways CEO, said: “We saw a pleasing continued growth in our momentum, with May’s passenger numbers growing by 19% year-on-year, underlining our position as the fastest-growing Middle East airline. Our year-to-date results show more than 8 million customers have flown with us in 2025, and our rolling 12-month figure now stands at almost 20 million, a testament to the trust placed in Etihad’s service. “We reached an exciting milestone in May as our fleet number reached the 100 mark. As we continue expanding our route network and growing our fleet in the coming months, our focus remains on delivering a seamless and exceptional customer experience.”

Emirates and Bahamasair have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish an interline partnership benefitting customers travelling to The Bahamas. The partnership enables Emirates to expand its reach in the Caribbean, allowing customers to utilise the services of The Bahamas’ national flag carrier from Florida to one of three destinations on the island country. Under the unilateral agreement, customers traveling on Emirates to Miami or Orlando will be able to connect to Bahamasair flights to Nassau, Freeport or San Salvador, with the added convenience of booking itineraries with both airlines on a single ticket. Additionally, Emirates’ customers will enjoy generous baggage allowance when flying on Bahamasair to the three destinations. Commenting on the new interline partnership, Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer said: “We are pleased to establish an interline partnership with Bahamasair to expand our reach to new and exciting destinations and offer travel options for our customers planning journeys to the Caribbean nation. The interline partnership offers customers the convenience of connecting in Florida for travel onwards to points across the islands of The Bahamas, while enjoying competitive fare pricing, the convenience of booking the entire journey on a single ticket and a generous baggage policy.” “This partnership also supports our agreement with The Bahamas’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote the Caribbean destination across our network.” As part of the MoU, both carriers will also explore opportunities to enhance their cargo interline cooperation and potential partnerships under their frequent flyer programmes. Bahamasair Managing Director, Tracy Cooper said: “This partnership significantly elevates Bahamasair’s global profile and opens access to invaluable expertise and new markets. By aligning with one of the world’s most respected airlines, we strengthen our capabilities and …

Samsonite, the world’s leading luggage brand, commemorated its 115th anniversary by hosting an exclusive celebration at the iconic Armani Hotel in Downtown Dubai. The event marked a significant milestone in the brand’s illustrious history and featured the official launch of the New Streamlite, a truly noteworthy collection that not only takes the company back to its roots, but also represents its firm commitment to leading the way in the future of travel. The celebration transformed the Armani Hotel venue into an immersive journey through Samsonite’s rich legacy, showcasing the evolution from rugged, timeless classics to today’s luxurious, tech-savvy luggage solutions. Guests experienced an elegant and visually captivating environment, enhanced by carefully curated vintage props, themed installations, and ambient entertainment that echoed the event’s theme: ‘Vintage to Modern – From Timeless Classics to Modern Journeys.’ The premium event was attended by an exclusive gathering of prominent social influencers, industry leaders, retail partners, government officials and media representatives, including senior executives from both Samsonite and Grand Stores. The evening also highlighted the successful and enduring partnership between Samsonite and Grand Stores, the official sole distributor of Samsonite products in the UAE for the past 44 years. Samsonite’s 115th anniversary celebration marks a bold new chapter for a legendary luggage line that has endured the test of time, captivating travelers with its timeless design and exceptional craftsmanship. The New Streamlite is a modern reimagining of one of Samsonite’s most iconic creations—the original Streamlite case from the 1940s! Introduced as a signature model, the original Streamlite quickly rose to prominence, becoming a cornerstone of Samsonite’s legacy. It was celebrated for its pioneering use of lithographed paper, which delivered exceptional printing quality and durability, along …

Tourism Seychelles Middle East Office successfully held a targeted Travel Trade Networking Event recently in Bahrain. The event brought together 25 key attendees, including travel trade professionals. This event in Bahrain marks the beginning of a series of travel trade engagements organised by Tourism Seychelles across the Gulf region. Similar events are scheduled to take place in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Oman in the coming months as part of a wider strategy to maintain strong market presence and build meaningful partnerships with travel trade stakeholders throughout the GCC. The evening provided a valuable platform for open discussions on market developments, evolving travel trends, and upcoming opportunities to promote Seychelles as an attractive and accessible destination for Bahraini travellers. Led by Ahmed Fathallah, Tourism Seychelles’ representative in the Middle East, the event aimed to strengthen collaboration with the local travel trade through direct engagement and relationship building. “Staying connected with our partners on the ground is crucial,” said Ahmed. “By exchanging ideas and insights in a relaxed setting, we can align our efforts and develop tailored strategies that meet the expectations of the market while increasing destination awareness. This was also an ideal opportunity to engage with our partners as the second Eid holiday and summer travel period are fast approaching.” Tourism Seychelles looks forward to building on the momentum generated by the Bahrain event through continued outreach and collaborative initiatives with key industry stakeholders in the region.  

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Pegasus Airlines launched a reward programme partnership where Wyndham Rewards members can now convert their points into Pegasus BolPoints. Once converted, points can be exchanged for Pegasus flights, seat selection, extra baggage, or even transferred to other BolBol members. Point transfer options start as low as 6,000 Wyndham Rewards points for 1,200 Pegasus BolPoints, with no limit on the number of transfers. “At Wyndham, our mission is to make hotel travel possible for all. Travel isn’t just about where you stay, it’s about how you get there, too. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Pegasus Airlines to bring even more value to Wyndham Rewards members. Whether you’re flying across Türkiye, Europe or the Middle East, Wyndham Rewards members now have access to benefits including discounted flights, upgraded seating, extra baggage and in-flight meals across 151 travel routes, making every part of the journey rewarding.” Dimitris Manikis, President, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts EMEA “We are making travel even more rewarding for our passengers. Our first loyalty partnership with a hotel group and first points conversion programme is with Wyndham, the largest international hotel brand in Türkiye. With this collaboration, we’re giving our passengers more ways to benefit from their journeys, by connecting them with trusted places to stay and making the most of their travel experience beyond the flight.” Güliz Öztürk, CEO, Pegasus Airlines. To celebrate the launch, members of Wyndham Rewards and BolBol will soon have the chance to earn triple Wyndham Rewards points from eligible stays at Wyndham hotels across EMEA from July to September 2025. This exclusive offer enables members to earn more, travel further and get rewarded. To take advantage Wyndham Rewards members …

Etihad has further increased its flight frequencies to Karachi, Pakistan, with tickets now on sale. This expansion is part of the airline’s ongoing commitment to provide guests with more travel options and enhanced connectivity. From 01 October, 2025, Etihad will start flying four times a day on the Abu Dhabi – Karachi route, providing a total of 28 weekly nonstop services to Pakistan’s economic hub. The enhanced flight frequencies and optimized departure and arrival times are carefully designed to provide guests with maximum convenience and seamless connectivity across Etihad’s expanding global network, including the UAE, the Middle East and Africa, Europe, and North America. This expansion increases the total number of weekly flights to Pakistan to 60, reinforcing Etihad’s commitment to the region. It follows closely on the announcement of new flights to Peshawar, set to commence on 29 September, further strengthening air links between Pakistan and Abu Dhabi.