Category Archives: Agents

Discover Europe travel summit this year was organised by tourism boards of  Austria, Germany, Ireland and Switzerland. Over 95 partners were present from all 4 destinations and key travel agents from the GCC attended the summit over the last two days. It was the first time after the pandemic that all GCC countries got the opportunity to be present physically to meet and network with partners from Europe. The two day event kicked off with new campaign presentations by each tourism board director, followed by B2B meetings between the trade partners. Travel trade partners from Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia attended the event with of course the host country participants from across the UAE as well. Robert Groeblacher Director Austria tourism shared that it was very refreshing to meet everyone in person this year as last year most GCC countries were still closed hence participation was limited but this year saw a rise in the number of entrants. He further reiterated that the past year Austria had a good number of visitors from the GCC as they opened fairly early in the region for travellers to visit the destination. Yamina Sofo Director Marketing German National Tourist Office for GCC countries in her presentation provided a sneak preview of one of the main campaigns to be launched this year which is based on nature. Embrace nature as the campaign started showed places and experiences that must be tried and should include in the bucket list. Sofo also shared that Germany had also achieved a high number of visitors from the region, hence they have more campaigns for the market this year. Aisling McDermott Manager tourism Ireland for Middle …

Tourism professionals from around the world will return to Dubai today when Arabian Travel Market, the leading event for the travel industry in the Middle East, returns to the Dubai World Trade Centre today in a few hours. The event will welcome more than 20,000 visitors and over 1,500 exhibiting companies during the four-day tourism showcase, which concludes on Thursday, 12 May. 112 countries will be featured on the show floor ranging from Japan to Jamaica and South Africa to Italy. Industry professionals will have the opportunity to meet and discuss the latest trends from a cross-section of travel, including technology, transport, sustainability, events and business. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME – Arabian Travel Market, said: “Arabian Travel Market 2022 will reiterate the importance of the travel industry as we continue to address the challenges of COVID-19 while also outlining how we drive the industry forward. “The tourism industry has rebounded incredibly well. As a result, we have seen a clear uptick in participation, with floor space increasing by over 85% compared to the previous year and Middle East exhibitor space eclipsing 2019 levels. We now have the perfect opportunity to hear from industry professionals on the latest trends helping the industry recover and flourish in many instances.” In line with this year’s theme of ‘The future of international travel and tourism’, ATM 2022 will unveil new technology that will eliminate the need for business cards and allow exhibitors and visitors to share details, brochures and marketing material via innovative scanners and badges. Further underscoring the technology focus is the revamped and rebranded ATM Travel Tech event, previously called Travel Forward. A host of exciting sessions will take place, including …

Nirvana Holding the leading UAE travel and tourism management company, announced its participation in ATM – Arabian Travel Market 2022 that will take place on May 9th – 12th. The announcement came as part of Nirvana Holding’s plan and vision to increase its operations from UAE to the world. According to Mr. Omar Al Ali, CEO of Nirvana Tours & Logistics, Nirvana Holding Spokesperson,“Each year Nirvana Holding takes part in the ATM, being a global prestigious event. The ATM 2022 will witness a huge response from the travel and tourism industry after the long pandemic. Nirvana Holding is one of the key players in the industry worldwide, this is a vital reason to always be available in the ATM, and to keep track of the changes happening in the industry.” Nirvana Holding supports the development in the travel and tourism industry and provides all related services from travel and tourism until Events and project management, nationally and internationally. The company was evolved to a world-wide travel and tourism management company since its inception. The company has followed an expansion plan and enhanced its operations in UAE, K.S.A, Egypt, India, Jordan and Palestine, the Middle Eastern countries and North Africa.

dnata Travel has opened a new travel store in Dubai Hills Mall, providing the growing community with easy access to its range of services and expert team for travel bookings, advice, and inspiration. Located at newly-opened Dubai Hills Mall, the modern travel outlet is now welcoming customers to meet its multi-lingual team of travel experts at their local one-stop travel shop. Here, shoppers can book all they need for travel, including staycations or more complex itineraries, including flights, hotels, holiday packages, insurance, tours, attractions, transfers, express PCR testing, and more. The UAE-based travel brand is revealing a focus on expanding its retail footprint in the wake of increased demand from travellers for face-to-face bookings. The dnata Travel Dubai Hills Mall outlet is the first to open in a pipeline of new travel stores gearing up to serve a comprehensive range of travel solutions to a range of emerging and established UAE communities. Emily Jenkins, General Manager, dnata Travel Leisure, commented: “Demand for travel is at an all-time high, as restrictions ease across the globe. In tandem, with UAE travellers we are witnessing an increased demand for bookings within our travel stores, as travellers seek to ease their experience with the support of our experts. At dnata Travel outlets across the UAE, we can book all aspects of a customer’s journey in one, convenient place. We look forward to welcoming travellers to our new Dubai Hills Mall travel store, to tailor-make their next journey.” To celebrate the spirit of Ramadan and the opening of its new travel outlet, the first for the prospering Dubai Hills Estate community, dnata Travel is offering its customers the chance to secure a limited-time, complimentary staycation. …

marhaba and Plaza Premium Group (PPG) have entered into a joint venture agreement to expand their international offering. The partnership brings together two leading brands to combine knowledge and resources, and bring airport hospitality to the next level through excellent and innovative airport concierge and lounge services as travel demand increases globally. The first project under the agreement will see the development of the new marhaba Plaza Premium Lounge at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan. With the lounge development already in progress, the new marhaba Plaza Premium Lounge at Queen Alia International Airport is expected to open in July 2022. The lounge will have a capacity of 140 guests and is inspired by the beautiful landscape of Amman, with subtle inclusion of the local culture and heritage in its design. Steve Allen, CEO of dnata Group, said: “We are thrilled to join forces with PPG to bring our globally renowned airport hospitality services to more travellers across the world. Our joint commitment to quality and service excellence will ensure first-rate customer experience for travellers throughout their journey. We look forward to opening the first, best-in-class marhaba Plaza Premium lounge in Amman and further enhancing our joint offering in the coming years.” Mr. Bora Isbulan, Deputy CEO of Plaza Premium Group said, “This is truly an exciting opportunity for PPG. Our global agreement with marhaba is a testament to our shared commitment to providing the best-in-class airport hospitality for travellers to enjoy. We expect to yield more opportunities in the future through this collaboration. Meanwhile, we are also excited to announce our first venture through the PPG and marhaba’s global agreement, the launch of the new marhaba Plaza Premium …

Vibe  announced its partnership with ground transport experts CMAC Group, enabling its clients on demand or planned access to taxis, executive cars, minibuses and coaches. Accessed through its online booking tool, Vibe’s clients – including TMCs and leisure intermediaries – can now provide timely transportation options, allowing the end user to search, book and report on all of their transfer needs, as necessary. Supplemented by a unique 24-hour support hotline, this latest service enables Vibe’s clients to enhance the end-to-end travel experience, add value to their customer proposition and unlock new revenue opportunities. Matthew Chapman, Chief Technical Officer (CTO) and Co-founder of Vibe comments: “At a time when many travellers are still concerned about using public transport and travel intermediaries are looking to find new products to cross-sell to increase revenues, selling ground transportation as part of travel packages is proving more popular than ever. But finding a reliable provider who can manage everything end-to-end, around the globe, is not easy. CMAC goes above and beyond many suppliers, offering a manned support line alongside access to transport solutions which made them the partner of choice for us.” Peter Slater, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CMAC Group adds: “Combining the individual strengths of Vibe and CMAC will undoubtedly provide significant benefits to clients and their customers. Vibe’s strong platform and CMAC’s unrivalled supply chain makes this a one-stop shop for all ground transportation needs, improving efficiency and ensuring that users have access to a reliable managed transport experience whenever they need it.”

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has become one of the first UAE government entities to create its own Non-Fungible Token (NFT). During a series of innovative workshops, more than 220 employees collaborated to create the unique NFT digital art, which aimed to reflect DCT Abu Dhabi’s corporate values of being welcoming, pioneering, agile, and collaborative. Jasim Al Hebsi, Acting Director of the People and Performance Department at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “In creating our NFT collage, we have proven that the spirit of innovation is thriving within our organisation. At DCT Abu Dhabi, our vision is to cultivate knowledge and understanding for our cultural heritage, while also initiating creativity to embrace the future of technology. So, as well as highlighting our corporate values and encouraging teamwork, this project has enabled us to gain a firm understanding of how art and culture are evolving in the digital age.” NFTs are digital assets that represent real-world objects, such as artwork, music, video game, or film clip. The created arts can be purchased or sold online using cryptocurrencies only, and are often encoded and stored on the same cryptocurrency blockchain software. The two-day workshop event consisted of eight sessions where 20 teams worked on creating their designs using a photo library containing more than 1,000 images. The unique designs were fused to create a collage which was later transferred into DCT Abu Dhabi’s exclusive NFT. Since DCT Abu Dhabi’s NFT workshop, other UAE government entities have shown interest in recreating the sessions to make their own unique digital assets. NFTs were first invented in 2014, but they have recently gained recognition as an increasingly popular means …

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) has marked the 50th anniversary of the airline’s first passenger flight to Dubai, which arrived on 5th April 1972. The anniversary flight was greeted on arrival at Dubai International Airport by airport representatives and KLM staff, who joined a ceremony to mark the milestone. KLM started services to Dubai on 5th April 1972 with a once-a-week connection via Athens and Dhahran, operating an extended Douglas DC-8 jet aircraft. The flight returned from Dubai on April 6th. At that time, Dubai International airport handled around 500,000 passengers per year (1970 figures) and Schiphol Airport more than 5 million. In 2021, Schiphol welcomed 25.5 million passengers (in 2019 pre-Covid the total was almost 72 million); Dubai International welcomed 29.1 million people in 2021, and 86.4 million in 2019 (pre-Covid). Speaking about the 50th anniversary of KLM’s first flight to Dubai, Simon Scholte, General Manager Middle East, Air France KLM said: “This is a very special occasion marking the amazing milestone of KLM’s first passenger service to Dubai. We have the additional honour of celebrating this anniversary during the UAE’s ‘Year of the 50th’ and at the conclusion of this extraordinary global event, Expo 2020 Dubai. It’s a time to pause briefly and reflect on Dubai’s remarkable progress over the last 50 years and to express our gratitude to Dubai government and the airport authorities for their tremendous support. It’s also a time to look ahead at the strong and growing relationship between Dubai and KLM, and our shared commitment to innovation and sustainability.” Air France KLM offers flights from various cities in the Middle East to the airline’s two hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol, connecting …

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) concluded its first-ever Visit Abu Dhabi Roadshow event in Tel Aviv, Israel, with the successful two-day event hosted in partnership with Etihad Airways and Experience Hub. The roadshow saw key stakeholders join DCT Abu Dhabi representatives to showcase the UAE capital as the leading tourism destination for families and couples in the Middle East region. Paving the way for long-term partnerships in the sector, members of DCT Abu Dhabi met with tour operators and key stakeholders to promote and discuss the unique and diverse experiences the destination offers Israeli travellers. Nabeel Al Zarouni, Travel Trade & Market Development Regional Section Head – Domestic & Middle East Region at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “Over the last 50 years of the UAE’s growth, Abu Dhabi has played an integral role in shaping the tourism offering of the region and we’re delighted to have been able to showcase this, and upcoming announcements, to our valued travel trade partners in Israel. Abu Dhabi is a destination that offers the world in one place – culture, entertainment, relaxation and amazing natural landscapes from deserts to beaches. There is something for everyone to enjoy at your own pace, whether it’s the tranquillity of Al Ain to the thrills of Yas Island. We look forward to welcoming more Israeli travellers this year, particularly with the exciting calendar of events we have in 2022 and beyond.” The official visit started on 23 March when the roadshow welcomed industry leaders, Israeli senior management, diplomats, and Abu Dhabi tourism stakeholders at an exclusive networking dinner held at the Hilton Tel Aviv hotel. This was followed by a DCT …

Gulf Air participated in the Formula 1 stc Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from 25-27 March. The national carrier hosted its VIP guests, partners and travel agents at its Paddock Club at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. Gulf Air Acting CEO, Captain Waleed Al-Alawi, praised the organization and the quality of performance that he witnessed in the race, adding, “We were pleased to welcome our customers in the Saudi market, which is of special importance to Gulf Air. As the official sponsor of the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, which was the inaugural race of the Formula 1 season in 2022, we are pleased with the success of the stc Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, especially in view of our strong relationship with the Saudi market and our partners in it, and the long historical relations linking the Kingdom of Bahrain with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Congratulations to Saudi Arabia for another successful race, and we wish Formula 1 more success in the future.” At the 2022 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Bahrain, and for the second Formula 1 race in a row, Gulf Air performed a low-emission flypast over the Bahrain International Circuit. Gulf Air is the official sponsor of the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix since its historic launch in Bahrain in April 2004 as the first ever Formula 1 race in the Middle East; and has been contributing to the success of this sporting and social event and ensuring its excellence at all levels.