dnata Travel reported a 35% increase in bookings for international travel across July and August 2024, compared to the same timings last year. As one of the busiest weekends forecasted for travel fast approaches, the travel agency is supporting thousands of travellers with pre-booked itineraries and last-minute requests across its multiple channels, including 14 retail outlets across the country. For July and August, dnata Travel’s most popular destinations for international travel from the UAE are Thailand, Maldives, Mauritius, Turkey, and the UK, respectively. Compared to trends released earlier this summer, Mauritius has emerged to enter the ‘top three’ most-booked holiday destinations. Across summer 2024, the island country is one of the fastest-growing holiday locations for dnata’s travellers, alongside Germany and Malaysia. International trips are on the agenda for this popular time for summer travel, dominating a 90% majority of overall bookings this year, compared to 10% for UAE staycations. In comparison, the split was reported by dnata Travel experts as 65% international and 35% staycations over the Eid al-Adha break for 2024, with demand for outbound travel witnessing a significant increase. Meerah Ketait, Head of Retail and Leisure UAE at dnata Travel, commented: “International travel is in high demand this summer, with destinations including Mauritius, Malaysia, and Germany witnessing some of the strongest growth we’ve seen this year. Mauritius and Malaysia offer the chance to stay on world-class beaches and in exceptional resorts at affordable prices. Kuala Lumpur is also a popular destination in Asia for a city break for its impressive skyline, and opportunities for shopping and dining. Meanwhile, Germany’s vibrant cities are popular this month, as travellers seek to soak up the action of the UEFA European Football …

Qatar launched its latest tourism project spanning 8 million square metres, featuring a 7km waterfront that stretches over Qatar’s eastern coastline. The project opens diverse investment avenues for the private sector, with over 16 plots available for development. These include luxury resorts spread across four distinct areas, a theme park, a world-class 18-hole golf course, residential villas, a yacht club and a marina, as well as restaurants and shops. In addition, the project will rely on sustainable construction and operation, incorporating cutting-edge smart systems and innovative technologies while prioritising the use of locally recycled materials. By boosting non-oil sector contributions to Qatar’s economy, empowering the private sector and attracting foreign direct investment, the Simaisma Project marks a significant milestone towards achieving the Third National Development Strategy 2024-2030. HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, launched the Simaisma Project, an initiative led by the Ministry of Municipality and developed by Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company. Set to become a new cultural landmark, the project will span over 8 million square metres, featuring a 7 km waterfront that stretches over Qatar’s eastern coastline. Speaking at the event, HE Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Attiyah, Minister of Municipality, emphasised the importance of public and private sector partnerships in achieving Qatar’s development. He explained: “We are steadily advancing towards realising Qatar’s national vision 2030, building a more prosperous and stable future for coming generations across the economic, social and environmental domains. We are thrilled to contribute to the growth of the tourism and entertainment sector by spearheading innovative projects that meet the rising demand in this crucial industry.” Eng Ali bin Mohammed Al …

Al Rostamani Travels announced a partnership with BluSmart, UAE’s first 100% electric full-stack premium limousine service to launch eco-friendly travel solutions in the region. Driven by Al Rostamani Group’s values of Commitment, Care, and Vision, this unique collaboration sets a new standard for sustainable travel. BluSmart’s chauffeur driven luxury service with Audi e-tron fleet delivers a premium experience while significantly reducing CO2 emissions, contributing to a cleaner environment. This partnership will offer sustainable travel services, including airport transfers, city tours, and intracity travel, supporting the UAE’s Green Mobility Strategy 2030 to decrease fossil fuel reliance and enhance energy security. BluSmart’s premium fleet service will help Al Rostamani Travels achieve its environmental goals, showcasing its commitment and dedication to sustainability and reducing carbon emissions in the travel industry. Bimal Jain, General Manager of Al Rostamani Travels, commented, “Being the first travel company in the UAE and the region to partner with BluSmart is a significant step towards our goal of providing sustainable travel solutions. We are excited to offer our clients an eco-friendly alternative that aligns with our commitment to environmental stewardship.” “As the benefits of electric vehicles become more widely recognized, this partnership sets a new benchmark for sustainable travel combined with premium services in the region” he added. Sreejith Hrishikesh, VP – Business and Country Head – UAE, BluSmart added, “This partnership with Al Rostamani Travels is the first of many such travel collaborations in the region. We provide our riders convenient, reliable, and environmentally conscious transportation options, while also contributing to the UAE’s vision of building smart, sustainable cities.” Al Rostamani Travels and BluSmart are leading the charge in promoting green mobility, supporting the UAE’s vision. For more …

Geof Travel has been named the overall winner among Dubai and Northern Emirates travel agencies of the recently-concluded Philippine Airlines and Sabre Emquest’s Top Seller Campaign. Geof Travel will receive a trip for two to Palawan, Philippines, which includes two round-trip tickets and two nights of hotel accommodation.The contest ran from March 20 to May 31, 2024. “EmQuest was delighted to award Geof Travel with a voucher for a 2 night stay in Palawan. Geoffrey Salatan, CEO of Geof Travel, is a loyal EmQuest customer and Sabre user. We couldn’t be happier that the winner of Season 2 – EmQuest/Sabre & Philippines Airlines Top Seller Campaign – was won by such a good partner. Congratulations!”, Andrew Dowling, Emquest General Manager said. “Philippine Airlines is pleased to award Geof Travel with the top recognition in this year’s sales campaign. Geof has been a consistent Philippine Airlines supporter and this is yet another testament of the agency’s trust and confidence in booking their passengers to Philippine Airlines, the Heart of the Filipino”, Josh Vasquez, PAL Regional Head-EMEA quoted.

flydubai announced the launch of direct flights to two new destinations in Iran. This includes the start of a four-times weekly service to Kish Island from 07 September and a twice-weekly service to Kerman from 09 September. Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer at flydubai, said: “we have continued to look for opportunities to open up underserved markets and so we are pleased to offer our customers more convenient options for travel to Iran. flydubai is dedicated to creating free flows of trade and tourism and with Kerman and Kish Island as our newest destinations, we look forward to providing our passengers more opportunities to explore our extensive network.” ​ The carrier recently announced the start of its daily services to Islamabad and Lahore in Pakistan commencing from 01 July. Later this year, flydubai is also set to welcome Basel in Switzerland from 02 August, Riga in Latvia from 11 October in addition to Tallinn in Estonia and Vilnius in Lithuania from 12 October. Commenting on the launch of flights, Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai, said: “with the addition of these two routes, flydubai will provide customers with convenient and accessible travel services between both countries, making it easier for customers to connect to Dubai and beyond on our network. Passengers who choose to travel with flydubai can enjoy a personalised experience in Business Class or added comfort in Economy Class on our young fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft.” flydubai’s Business Class service features lie-flat or reclining seats, international menus as well as hours of immersive inflight entertainment while the carrier’s Economy Class features optimised seats for passengers to sit back and relax. flydubai operates flights …

VFS Global in partnership with AMH, has launched Medical Examination Doorstep services, which enable expats with UAE residence visa in Dubai to renew their residency visas without visiting a designated medical centre. The Medical Examination Doorstep service will be available as a premium offering through VFS Global. This service caters specifically to Category A visa holders seeking to renew their residency visas. It is an optional add-on to the standard medical examination services provided at the centres. Customers can book their medical examination appointments directly from their homes or offices through an online or offline process. They can visit the VFS Global website and navigate to the dedicated “Medical Examination At Your Doorstep” link. After completing a simple online form and uploading any required documents, they will receive an email confirmation with a payment link. Upon payment completion, the VFS Global team will handle the application processing and coordinate a smooth service delivery at the customer’s chosen location, be it their residence or office. Atul Marwah, Chief Operating Officer for Medical Services and Special Projects at VFS Global, said, “We are delighted to extend our partnership with AMH to introduce the Medical Examination Doorstep service. This initiative aligns perfectly with VFS Global’s commitment to providing exceptional customer experiences and reflects the EHS’ vision for a more accessible and convenient healthcare system. We believe this service will be a valuable addition for expat residents in Dubai and other emirates seeking to renew their visas.” In her return, Buthaina A. Khoory – CEO at AMH, said: “We are excited to build on our existing partnership with VFS Global on this innovative Medical Examination Doorstep service. This extension of our collaboration streamlines the medical …

SalamAir announced its network-wide social media engagement campaign to celebrate the enchanting Khareef season in Salalah, Oman. This campaign aims to gather travelers from around the world in a collective celebration and promotion of Salalah as a must-visit destination during the summer months, renowned for its refreshing cooler weather and stunning natural beauty. We invite all our passengers to capture and share their favorite moments from Salalah during Khareef for a chance to win a free return ticket to any of our destinations! “We are thrilled to reveal this interesting social media campaign, designed to harness the power of our vibrant community of travelers and showcase the enchanting Khareef season in Salalah. By encouraging our passengers to share their personal experiences, we highlight Salalah’s unique beauty and create a deeper connection with our audience and community. This strategic initiative aims to magnify Salalah’s appeal as a premier summer destination, leveraging user-generated content to inspire and attract more visitors to experience its refreshing cooler weather and captivating landscapes.” said Sherif Hosny, Director of Marketing and Digital Sales at SalamAir. This campaign is more than just a contest; it’s an opportunity to join a community of travelers who appreciate the unique charm of Salalah during Khareef. Salalah transforms into a verdant city with cooler temperatures, offering a refreshing escape from the summer heat. By sharing your experiences, you stand a chance to win exciting prizes and contribute to showcasing Salalah as a premier summer destination. Your photos and stories will inspire others to discover the hidden gems of this beautiful city, and promoting it as a must-visit location will aid local businesses, events, and communities to prosper. Now, SalamAir connects Salalah with …

According to the latest data shared by IATA, Middle Eastern airlines saw a 9.7% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 9.0% year-on-year and the load factor increased 0.5ppt to 80.7% compared to May 2023. Asian routes to the Middle East are particularly strong, now standing some 32% higher than in 2019. Another notable development is the Europe-Middle East route, which saw an April-May RPK increase for two years in a row, reversing the previous historic pattern of a decline between these months. In the coming months, it will become clearer to what extent these trends could be related to the Russia-Ukraine war.   Air passenger market in detail – May 2024     May 2024 (% year-on-year) World share1 RPK ASK PLF (%-pt) PLF (level) Total Market 100% 10.7% 8.5% 1.7% 83.4% Africa 2.1% 13.4% 8.5% 3.2% 72.9% Asia Pacific 31.7% 14.9% 9.2% 4.0% 81.8% Europe 27.1% 10.3% 9.7% 0.4% 85.2% Latin America 5.5% 7.9% 5.3% 2.0% 83.4% Middle East 9.4% 10.2% 8.9% 0.9% 80.8% North America 24.2% 6.5% 6.5% 0.0% 85.8%   1% of industry RPKs in 2023  

Amadeus and Vistara Airlines successfully collaborated on a joint promotion to support the travel industry during the typically slow period last Ramadan which boosted travel bookings, saw an overwhelming positive response from travel partners and resulted in healthy flight loads and increased incremental segments. As part of the highest seller incentive, six top-performing travel partners were rewarded with attractive prizes including Apple Watches, Lenovo Tablets, Vistara Premium Economy and Economy tickets, and shopping vouchers. The incentive was designed to motivate and appreciate the hard work of the travel agencies during this period. Both Vistara and Amadeus expressed their deep gratitude to their travel partners for their unwavering support. This gesture was met with enthusiasm and appreciation from the travel partners, who reaffirmed their commitment to a long-term partnership with both companies. The collaboration with travel partners has not only bolstered travel bookings has also strengthened relationships with key industry players. The positive feedback from travel partners underscores the success of the promotion. Among the top-performing travel agencies were Akbar Travels Middle East, Alhashar Travels, Bahwan Tourism LLC, Khimji’s House of Travel, Satguru Travel and Tourism Services and Zahara Travel & Service Bureau LLC. These agencies demonstrated exceptional sales performance, contributing significantly to the promotion’s success.

Dubai is among the highest demand cities globally joining London, Paris, New York and Barcelona, according to the latest insights shared by MarketHub Europe, by HBX Group. Among the travel trends from Middle East: the relevance of last-minute bookings. Markets such as the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and France continue to be key outbound markets for tourism to the region. Last-minute bookings are crucial in this market, where they account for more than 40% of the total. The average stay is around 3 nights, and Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Mecca are among the most popular destinations. Among the top ten favourites, Doha shows up as one of the fastest growing options. Türkiye. Regaining its position as an issuing country. Antalya and Istanbul are the most popular destinations in Türkiye. According to data from HBX Group, in addition to domestic tourism, the main source market for Türkiye is the Middle East and, from Europe, Germany is particularly strong. Bookings made by travellers from Türkiye have grown by more than 50% compared to 2019 and already exceed the bookings recorded last year. Among the most popular choices are domestic destinations, followed by the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and France in Europe, as well as the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East. Carlos Muñoz, Chief Commercial Officer of HBX Group, highlighted the increasingly important role of Gen Z and their consumer habits in defining travel trends: “With a clear focus on last-minute bookings and a preference for package tours, Generation Z is already reshaping the way the industry operates. In addition, their high awareness of sustainability clearly shapes their travel choices.” HBX Group has registered a 25% increase in searches on its platforms, now totalling …