Dubai Safari Park announced a 67% increase in travel trade sales during its ongoing sixth season. Themed ‘Conservation for the Planet’, the current season, which launched in October 2024, has marked Dubai Safari Park’s most successful to date, achieving record visitor numbers and advancing its efforts to raise awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation, supported by growing demand for recreational and educational experiences in nature. During Arabian Travel Market 2025, Dubai Safari Park unveiled its enhanced strategy to embed wildlife conservation across every aspect of the visitor experience. For the first time, the Park announced that a portion of all admission revenues will be allocated directly to wildlife rescue, care, and research initiatives, ensuring that every guest visit contributes to protecting the animals and ecosystems at the heart of its mission. Reinforcing its purpose-driven positioning, Dubai Safari Park also hosted a series of conservation-focused activations at ATM 2025, including interactive talks and knowledge-sharing sessions highlighting regional conservation efforts. During the event, Mohammed Ahli, Acting Director of Parks and Recreational Facilities Department at Dubai Municipality, said: “Arabian Travel Market represents a pivotal moment for Dubai Safari Park. As we join global leaders in the travel and tourism industry, we are proud to celebrate the momentum and growth of our current season while unveiling our ongoing strategy focused on wildlife protection. As the UAE continues to set new benchmarks for the future of tourism, Dubai Safari Park remains committed to delivering purpose and experience in equal measure. Looking ahead to our seventh season, visitors can look forward to expanded offerings designed to create unforgettable moments, while further advancing our mission of conservation and sustainable tourism.” Responding to growing demand for ethical …

Etihad Airways and China Eastern Airlines have officially launched their landmark Joint Venture (JV). The Etihad Airways – China Eastern Airlines JV, initially announced in June 2024, now becomes operational, offering seamless connectivity and a stronger combined network. This JV signifies the long-standing ties between the UAE and China by offering expanded travel options and seamless travel experiences for passengers travelling between major Chinese cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Xi’an, and Kunming, and key cities in the UAE and across the Middle East and Africa regions. The launch follows the successful arrival of China Eastern’s inaugural MU237 flight from Shanghai to Abu Dhabi last week, which was celebrated with a welcome ceremony at Zayed International Airport. The service starts with four weekly frequencies and will increase to a daily frequency starting 12 September 2025, further boosting connectivity between the UAE and China. Building upon the launch of the Joint Venture, the two airlines have also signed a new agreement between their respective loyalty programmes at the Arabian Travel Market on 29 April. Starting 1 June 2025, members of Etihad Guest and Eastern Miles programmes can earn and redeem miles across both airlines’ global networks — unlocking greater value and seamless travel experiences for loyalty members. Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer of Etihad Airways, said: “The official launch of our Joint Venture with China Eastern is a major leap forward—not just for our two airlines, but for the future of both the UAE and China. By combining our networks and aligning our loyalty programmes, we’re not only expanding choice and connectivity for our guests, but also setting the foundation for a new era of cooperation, innovation, and shared success …

Earth Riyadh is slated to open in Q3 2026 featuring 86 signature rooms, lofts and suites tailored for the corporate road warriors and leisure travellers seeking to immerse themselves in high energy locally connected experiences. The design, fresh and unapologetically youthful, is the “third place” locals , visitors and the creatives of this vibrant city can enjoy with authentic community engaging spaces, events and activations are a focus of the brand all year round.. More than a hotel, Earth Riyadh is an experience – one that fuses the pulse of Saudi culture with laid-back vibes, bold locally inspired designs, and purposeful hospitality. Located in the Al Maathar district, close key attractions and the Diplomatic Quarter. From a vibrant Eatery bar and lounge to a boutique wellbeing space , a music room, co-working zone, and rooftop lounge, this is where style and substance intersect. Following closely behind is Earth Hotel and Living Jeddah Waterfront, launching in Q3 2027. Positioned on a prime waterfront plot set to create Jeddah’s first integrated urban community by the sea. The property will offer a unique hybrid hospitality and entertainment experience with a place to stay, live, dine and entertain. Its design shall be inspired by the hertiage architecture of the region with a modern take- housing 110 hotel rooms and 179 fully serviced “Earth living” apartments. Earth Jeddah is designed to bring together travelers and locals in spaces that inspire connection and wellbeing. Earth Jeddah will feature co-working zones, event and social spaces , a retail component accessible from the waterfront corniche. Guests can recharge in an expansive wellbeing and longjevity hub offering cryotherapy, float therapy, and high-performance training zones to name a few. It’s bold, …

ExploreTECH and Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) announced that they have signed an agreement to make ExploreTECH’s White Label Solution available to its 45 brands around the world to help streamline and simplify hospitality tech search. ExploreTECH’s new White Label Solution offers hotel groups and global hospitality brands a customised digital marketplace that empowers them to harness the full power of its robust B2B SaaS platform — customised under their own brand. This turnkey and first of its kind solution integrates a brand’s operating tech alongside approved and preferred suppliers, delivering a personalised tech discovery and procurement experience. Mona Faraj, CEO of ExploreTECH commented: “Over the past 12 months we have built what arguably solves the biggest pain point for hotel brands and groups in hospitality technology procurement, which is to digitally manage their bespoke hotel tech stacks based on their brand standards, in one place. Our White Label Solution gives hotel teams access to the latest brand-approved tech solutions while enabling corporate IT departments to track the uptake of technologies at property level in real time. In addition, brand-approved vendors can distribute their news and product updates easily across a group’s full hotel portfolio, keeping all stakeholders up to date on the latest features and technologies available.” By adopting this solution, hotel brands can offer their hotel portfolio, franchisees, and partners a streamlined path to explore, evaluate, and procure technology — all without the complexity, cost, or resource investment required to build and maintain their own platform or marketplace. “Partnering with ExploreTECH and being selected as a launch brand for their new platform is a significant step for Global Hotel Alliance,” said Folker Heim, COO of Global Hotel Alliance. “We …

Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Radisson Hotel Group, marking a new chapter in their mutual commitment to driving tourism and enhancing the Kingdom’s global visibility as a leading destination. The MoU outlines a strategic framework for collaboration, with both parties set to explore opportunities that align with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s ambition to welcome 150 million visitors annually by the end of the decade. As part of this partnership, Saudi Tourism Authority and Radisson Hotel Group will evaluate a range of potential initiatives. These include amplifying the visibility of the ‘Visit Saudi’ brand across Radisson’s global marketing platforms and developing co-branded campaigns that spotlight Saudi Arabia’s diverse attractions. Basel Talal, Managing Director, KSA, Kuwait & Levant Radisson Hotel Group, commented: “Saudi Arabia is one of the most dynamic travel destinations globally, and we are proud to support its tourism ambitions through this MoU with the Saudi Tourism Authority. This agreement sets the foundation for impactful collaborations that will enhance the Kingdom’s visibility, attract new travelers, and offer unforgettable experiences to guests across our growing portfolio of hotels in Saudi Arabia.” With nearly 50 hotels operating and under development across the Kingdom, Radisson Hotel Group is a major hospitality partner supporting Saudi Arabia’s tourism transformation and Vision 2030 objectives. Recent openings in the Kingdom include the launch of Radisson Hotel Group’s first hotel in Madinah, Radisson Hotel Madinh and Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Center Riyadh Minhal, further strengthening its presence across the holy cities. Upcoming openings include Radisson Blu Hotel Riyadh Al Sahafa, Radisson Hotel Jeddah Tahlia Street, Radisson Collection Residence Riyadh, and Radisson Hotel Makkah Thakher City.

Mercure announces the opening of Mercure Khamis Mushait in the Aseer region, under the management of Amsa Hospitality. Located 15 kilometers away from Abha International Airport, the hotel is the first internationally branded hotel in Khamis Mushait offering 93 modern and comfortable rooms. Infused with Mercure’s signature warmth and deep connection to place, the hotel blends authentic Saudi hospitality with the rich cultural offerings of the Aseer region. Designed for business and leisure travelers, Mercure Khamis Mushait features an all-day dining restaurant, a coffee shop, a modern gym, an indoor swimming pool, and a fully equipped meeting room. Guests can also enjoy the convenience of 24/7 in-room dining and laundry services. The hotel’s design incorporates locally-inspired elements, with thoughtfully curated interiors across its rooms and public spaces that pay tribute to the region’s cultural richness. Since its founding in 1973, Mercure has been dedicated to unveiling the treasures surrounding each address, creating a truly local experience for guests. Through its “Discover Local” programme, Mercure ensures that guests are instantly immersed in a locally inspired atmosphere. The brand has recently achieved a historic milestone by surpassing 1,000 hotels worldwide. Hameed Ali, General Manager, said: “We take immense pride in bringing Mercure’s renowned hospitality to the Aseer region. Our dedicated team is committed to providing guests with a unique blend of local character and exceptional service, whether visiting for business or leisure.” Aamir Riaz, Chief Operating Officer of Amsa Hospitality, said: “We at Amsa Hospitality are beyond delighted to start welcoming guests to Mercure Khamis Mushait. We thank the Accor team for their excellent collaboration and look forward to continuing our work together to make sure our guests experience the warmth of …

Riyadh Air and Verteil Technologies announced a strategic partnership that will see Verteil become the launch NDC (New Distribution Capability) aggregator, marking a major milestone in Riyadh Air’s offer and order-based digital distribution journey. Through this collaboration, travel sellers across the globe will gain seamless access to Riyadh Air’s NDC content via Verteil’s industry-leading platform, Verteil Direct Connect (VDC), reinforcing a shared commitment to innovation and excellence in airline retailing. With this partnership, Riyadh Air NDC content will be accessible to travel sellers globally as it rolls out a modern and efficient distribution strategy that prioritises transparency, personalisation, and direct connectivity. Verteil’s proven expertise in deploying scalable NDC solutions for leading airlines ensures that travel sellers can access a full suite of content and functionalities, including real-time availability, rich fare options, ancillary services, and instant ticketing across multiple points of sale. Vincent Coste, Chief Commercial Officer, Riyadh Air, said: “Riyadh Air aims to set a new global standard for airline connectivity and innovation. Partnering with Verteil at this early stage allows us to ensure a strong foundation for modern distribution technology that is both future-ready and aligned with our digital-first strategy.” Jerrin Jos, Founder and CEO of Verteil Technologies, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Riyadh Air as their launch NDC aggregator. This partnership reinforces our shared commitment to modernising airline distribution, facilitating true retailing and enabling global travel sellers with direct access to richer content and better customer experiences.” Verteil’s robust integration and flexible deployment capabilities make it easier for travel sellers – whether OTAs, TMCs, or Consolidators – to adopt NDC without heavy technical or operational burdens. As Riyadh Air prepares to launch its inaugural flights, this …

VFS Global has completed the acquisition of a majority stake in CiX Citizen Experience. This strategic acquisition marks a pivotal step in VFS Global’s expansion journey—particularly across Latin America (LATAM)—as it continues to broaden its capabilities and deepen its impact in the public service delivery space. With nearly two decades of pioneering innovation in citizen services, CiX has established a strong presence in Brazil. This success will be further scaled across LATAM and other global markets, leveraging VFS Global’s international reach and operational excellence. This acquisition is centred on driving transformation through advanced digital technologies, including AI and data-driven platforms. By uniting CiX’s cutting-edge digital capabilities with VFS Global’s extensive global infrastructure and expertise in managing complex service ecosystems, we are positioned to deliver next-generation, integrated solutions to public and private sector clients around the world. For both companies’ client governments and partners, this will lead to enhanced, tailored solutions that improve citizen engagement, access, and satisfaction. Sergio Rodrigues, CEO of CiX Citizen Services, said, “Partnering with VFS Global will supercharge our growth. With access to their capital, technology, talent, and global reach, we can rapidly expand across Latin America, and beyond. This collaboration is about scaling CiX Citizen Experience, delivering even more intuitive, efficient, and accessible government services. Our goal is to simplify citizens’ lives with a combination of physical and digital solutions that also bring agility, and savings for governments worldwide.” Zubin Karkaria, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global, added, “We are very pleased to have concluded this strategically important acquisition which will be value accretive for both companies – for CiX Citizen Experience and for VFS Global. VFS Global operates in 158 countries, serves 69 client governments and …

Qatar’s tourism sector kicked off 2025 with strong momentum, welcoming more than 1.5 million international visitors from January to March, driven by an integrated tourism strategy that combines major events, strategic partnerships and diverse tourism experiences that meet the aspirations of different visitors. Visitors from the GCC (36 per cent), followed by visitors from Europe (28 per cent) and Asia and Oceania (20 per cent) led the way, reflecting Qatar’s growing position as an attractive tourist destination in regional and international markets. Visitor arrivals were distributed by air (51%), land (34%) and cruises (15%), highlighting the effectiveness of Qatar’s diverse reach strategy. Eid Al Fitr 2025 recorded the highest tourist arrivals during the festive period in the past three years, with 213,500 visitors arriving over an eight-day period, an increase of 26% compared to 2024, and visitors from the GCC constituting 49% of the total visitors, recording an annual increase of 18%, while hotel occupancy reached 77%, recording an annual growth of 10%. This growth was accompanied by strong performance across the hospitality sectors, with average hotel occupancy reaching 71% and 2.6 million hotel nights sold, reflecting a significant increase in demand driven by key events such as the Qatar Web Summit, Doha Jewellery & Watches and Qatar International Food Festival. H.E. Saad bin Ali Al Kharji, President of Qatar Tourism and Chairman of Visit Qatar, said: “The achievements of the first quarter of 2025 reflect the strength of our long-term strategic approach to developing the tourism sector. By deepening collaboration locally, regionally and internationally, we continue to diversify target markets, enhance visitor experiences, and cement Qatar’s position as a vibrant year-round tourism destination. We are delighted to welcome 1.5 …

San Jeet – Director DDP Group moderated an insightful session titled ‘Big ticket events :global impact and learnings’ at the 32nd edition of the Arabian Travel Market 2025. The panel included HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa – Chairman – SCTDA, Sebastien Doussin – SVP – Global Travel Services and Destination Management – dnata, Noor Ahmed Hamid – CEO – PATA and Dev Karvat – Founder and CEO – Asego Global Assistance Pvt Ltd. Opening the session, San Jeet shared that the industry has seen a rise in terms of job creation, revenue and contribution to the economy of each destination. The speakers shared that staying constantly updated and aware of ones’ surroundings helps one identify what’s truly relevant and which tools are best suited to achieve ones’ goals when it comes to big ticket events. It’s essential to keep up with current events and developments, as they directly influence everyone’s choices and direction. In terms of today’s technologies, for instance—there are numerous new tools that resonate more with people. Even if we were successful using older systems, those methods may no longer be effective. We must recognize and accept that as the world is evolving rapidly, and we need to adapt by embracing and leveraging these technologies.