Category Archives: Agents

ITVAR GSA Travel LLC clenched the title as ‘Fastest growing GSA’ at the 8th edition of the Arabian Travel Awards 2025. “We are honored to receive the Arabian Travel Award for the third consecutive year—an achievement that reflects our continued commitment to excellence and the collective efforts of our dedicated team. This recognition is a proud milestone for ITVAR’s Non-Air Division, and we proudly share this award with every team member who contributes to our success. Looking ahead to 2026, ITVAR plans to expand its destination representation portfolio, strengthen its presence across the GCC, East Africa, and Southern Africa, and launch more data-driven B2B campaigns, hybrid roadshows, and strategic partnerships. Our focus remains on sustainable growth, innovation, and delivering measurable value to our partners.” Pier Angeli Astano, Head of Representations – Non Air

Tawfeeq Holidays win ‘Best Destination Management Company Qatar’ at the 8th edition of the Arabian Travel Awards 2025. “Tawfeeq Holidays is proud to receive the Best Destination Management Company award for Qatar. This recognition highlights our commitment to delivering exceptional travel experiences, seamless operations and personalized service. As a leading brand in the tourism sector, this award reinforces our vision to showcase Qatar as a world class destination. The achievement reflects the passion and dedication of our team, whose consistent efforts continue to create memorable journeys for our guests.”  Rehan Ali, CEO, Tawfeeq holidays.

Amadeus Gulf marked Pink October with a series of community-focused bowling events held in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai, bringing together women travel professionals from leading agencies across the UAE. The initiative, themed “Empowering the Women Network,” aimed to promote breast cancer awareness, encourage early detection, and strengthen professional bonds within the travel community. The Abu Dhabi event took place at Khalifa International Bowling Centre, followed by the Dubai edition at Dubai Bowling Centre. Both evenings opened with an impactful awareness session on breast cancer led by a healthcare professional, highlighting preventive measures and the importance of regular checkups. This was followed by a lively bowling competition and a networking dinner, creating an atmosphere of camaraderie, connection, and empowerment. In Abu Dhabi, the top performers of the night were from Nirvana Travel & Tourism, Omeir Travel Agency LLC, and ADNH Sunshine Travel & Tours, securing the first, second, and third places respectively. The Dubai event also showcased strong performances, with participants from Akbar Travels securing the first and second places, while Tabeer Tourism claimed the third place. Ernesto Sanchez Beaumont, Managing Director of Amadeus Gulf, emphasized the importance of such initiatives during Pink October, noting that the event reflects Amadeus’ enduring commitment to fostering a supportive environment for women in the travel sector. He highlighted that creating opportunities for women to connect, exchange ideas, and uplift one another is essential to driving progress and strengthening the industry as a whole. The events concluded with a strong sense of unity and purpose among all participants, reinforcing Amadeus Gulf’s dedication to Corporate Social Responsibility and its mission to advance health awareness, wellness, and empowerment within the travel community.

The Meet Global MICE Congress (MGMC), the largest international event in the business tourism sector concluded in Moscow. It is held for the third time in 2025 this year, the event welcomed guests from 35 BRICS nations and countries of the Global South to share expertise and build new partnerships in the field of MICE tourism. The congress is attended by over 2,500 participants and features over 130 exhibitors showcasing cutting-edge solutions and services in the MICE industry. In addition, the event features 200 Hosted Buyers, providing a unique opportunity for direct engagement with key decision-makers. The first day of the forum, 17 December began with the plenary session “Unity Through Open Diversity: New Opportunities for the MICE Industry”; the central theme of MGMC 2025. The session also highlighted Moscow’s progress in developing MICE infrastructure. The city welcomes business travellers every year: in 2024, one in five visitors from Russia’s regions and one in eight international visitors came for business purposes, while the overall number of business trips increased by 1.4 million. Guests can choose from 2,200 hotels, plan cultural itineraries in just a few clicks via the RUSSPASS digital service, and enjoy gastronomic experiences, supported by nearly 23,000 venues. Most importantly, Moscow offers modern, unconventional locations for events. Options for business events include Skolkovo Technopark, the Lomonosov Cluster, Zaryadye Park, the Ostankino TV Tower, the State Historical Museum, and the Khudozhestvenny Cinema. Speakers and participants in these and other panel discussions and case-study sessions included representatives of the tourism boards of Jordan and Nepal, the Ministry of Tourism and Environment of the Republic of Maldives, the Tourism Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as companies from Argentina, India, …

Over 400 participants from across the industry, including representatives of hotels, attractions, DMCs, developers and airlines participated at the third annual city tourism briefing in Al Ain by the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi). They convened to evaluate the robust growth across Abu Dhabi’s tourism and hospitality sector, foster strategic collaborations, and accelerate progress towards the ambitious goals of the emirate’s Tourism Strategy 2030. H E Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director General for Tourism of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “In collaboration with our industry partners, we have continued to drive success across every segment: culture, leisure, business, and live entertainment. The City Tourism Briefing provides a vital platform for us to celebrate these milestones with the entire ecosystem, and to align on goals and strengthen the collaboration that will further steer momentum toward the ambitions of Tourism Strategy 2030 and ensure that Abu Dhabi remains a world-leading destination shaped by innovation and excellence.” During the briefing, DCT Abu Dhabi officials provided updates on the sector’s performance this year, revealed plans for 2026, and led presentations on the role of marketing campaigns and cultural heritage in promoting the sector locally and internationally. A significant portion of the briefing focused on enhancing connectivity and infrastructure, highlighting the critical role of robust transport networks in supporting the emirate’s tourism objectives. A panel discussion featured transport leaders Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways; Adel Ali, Group CEO of Air Arabia; Nathalie Jongma, Vice President Aviation Development at Abu Dhabi Airports Company; and Azza Al Suwaidi, Deputy CEO of Mobility at Etihad Rail. Etihad Airways revealed that in 2026 it will significantly expand its destination network. Celebrating similar success, Abu …

Philippine Airlines announced the top performers of its recently concluded joint travel trade campaign with Emquest Sabre, recognizing Geoffrey Salatan of Geof Travel and Rocell Duenas of Tabeer Tourism for securing the first and second top seller positions, respectively. The campaign ran from 01 September to 15 November 2026, with both agencies standing out for their strong sales performance, market engagement, and consistent support of Philippine Airlines through the Sabre platform. Reflecting on the success of the campaign and the commitment of PAL’s travel partners, Josh Vasquez Regional Head – EMEA for Philippine Airlines, International Passenger Sales shared “Philippine Airlines is pleased to congratulate Geof Travel and Tabeer Tours for emerging as the top-performing agencies in our recently concluded trade campaign in partnership with Emquest Sabre. Their outstanding results reflect the strength of our collaboration and the growing support of our valued travel partners. This successful campaign reinforces our shared commitment to delivering exceptional travel experiences and driving continued growth for Philippine Airlines across the EMEA region.” Andrew Dowling, GM EmQuest, commented: “On behalf of EmQuest, I would like to congratulate the winners of our Season 3 promotion. Geof Salatan of Geof Travel accepted the award for the highest volume of Philippine Airlines bookings, and Rocell Duenas of Tabeer Tourism accepted the award for the second-highest bookings. Both travel agency partners benefit from using the Sabre Mosaic Marketplace, the only true multi-source solution featuring the latest AI capabilities that brings together traditional Air, NDC, LCC and lodging content to enable our customers to drive more revenue through cross-selling and upselling”.

Over 60 speakers from Russia, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, India, China, Malaysia, South Africa and other partner markets will discuss global trends, destination marketing, and the role of innovation in shaping future growth. In a special interview with TravTalkME, Anastasia Popova, Head of the Business Tourism Development Department, Moscow City Tourism Committee shared that they are looking at one of the largest MICE events in Moscow over the next two days bringing over 2000 delegates across the globe with Middle East as a key partner. The programme includes 15 sessions in various formats: strategic panels, expert lectures, case presentations, and practical masterclasses.  The first day focuses on strategy: organising large-scale international exhibitions, personalisation and gamification in event design, and how major events can become catalysts for destination development. The second day is dedicated to applied solutions — working with VIP clients, engaging Asian markets, scaling corporate projects, and exploring the future of MICE 5.0, including AI and neurotechnology. MGMC 2025 also offers strong networking opportunities. More than 3,200 B2B meetings are planned, while the exhibition zone will feature over 100 exhibitors from Russia, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, presenting venues, service providers, and destination capabilities. https://business.russpass.ru/en/projects-events/meet-global-mice-congress/mgmc-2025 Business tourism is a core pillar of Moscow’s Tourism Strategy 2030. The city is investing in the renewal of cultural and historical sites, expanding its portfolio of high-quality visitor attractions and launching large-scale, seasonally driven event programmes. These initiatives are designed to reinforce Moscow’s position as a leading global hub for international meetings and professional dialogue. As the city upgrades its MICE infrastructure, deepens international partnerships and introduces more innovative event formats, demand for major congresses in the Russian capital continues to …

The Jamaica Tourist Board continues with its “Discover Jamaica” webinar series for GCC-based travel professionals. Tune in tomorrow 16 December at 13:00 UAE Time. Designed exclusively for travel agents in the Gulf region, this session provides a comprehensive overview of Jamaica as a viable destination, equipping agents with the knowledge they need to confidently sell the island. The webinar will cover essential facts about Jamaica, including its key resort areas – Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Negril, Kingston, Port Antonio, and the South Coast, highlighting their unique selling points, top hotels and resorts, and must-see attractions, from Dunn’s River Falls to the Blue Mountains. This webinar is a valuable resource to help travel agents design unforgettable Caribbean itineraries for their clients. Register in the link below : https://event.webinarjam.com/n7kng/register/6v7qri5xg

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has launched two new e-learning modules for its Experience Abu Dhabi Experts Platform. The Official Abu Dhabi Pass and Ramadan in Abu Dhabi online modules are designed to equip travel trade industry professionals with the insights and tools they need to deliver exceptional travel planning and guest experiences and further reinforce Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading year-round destination.  The e-learning platform provides travel trade industry professionals with an extensive range of destination-related information about the emirate and has become one of DCT Abu Dhabi’s most successful trade engagement initiatives. The new Abu Dhabi Pass and Ramadan content has a strong focus on destination insights that ensure agents have the necessary understanding they need to promote the region and what it has to offer. Abdulla Yousuf, Director of International Operations at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “These new modules reflect how the Experience Abu Dhabi Experts Platform continues to evolve and how we prioritise providing our partners with practical, hands-on tools that make a real difference to how they sell the destination. Whether it’s helping them package the emirate’s leading attractions through the Abu Dhabi Pass or giving them the cultural insight to guide visitors respectfully during the holy month, this expansion ensures the knowledge they gain translates directly into stronger product design, more memorable experiences, and greater visitor satisfaction.” Issued by DCT Abu Dhabi’s official digital pass for Abu Dhabi offers guests savings of up to 50% across more than 70 of Abu Dhabi’s top attractions, including Louvre Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Watan, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and SeaWorld Yas Island Abu Dhabi. The module provides an overview …

Oman Air hosted an official signing ceremony with Fun & Sun to formalise their new strategic partnership aimed at expanding direct access between Moscow and Salalah. The partnership forms part of Oman Air’s broader commitment to enhancing point-to-point connectivity and supporting Oman’s growing tourism sector. Expected to draw thousands of visitors during its inaugural season, the initiative contributes directly to Oman’s national tourism objectives and supports the continued development of Dhofar as a year-round destination. The seasonal charter flights between Moscow and Salalah will operate between 26 December 2025 and 9 May 2026. Meanwhile, the airline, which flew more than 200,000 guests into Salalah during khareef’s peak period alone – a 15% increase over 2024 – continues to work closely with the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism and Dhofar Municipality to promote the destination and support sustainable growth in domestic and inbound tourism. The event brought together senior representatives from both organisations, including Mike Rutter, Chief Commercial Officer at Oman Air, and Yaroslav Stepanyuk, Commercial Director at Fun & Sun. Journalists from the Russian media and members of the local Omani media were also in attendance. Speaking at the ceremony, Mike Rutter, CCO of Oman Air, emphasised the significance of the collaboration, noting that strengthening direct routes from high-potential markets such as Russia aligns with the airline’s long-term commercial strategy and ongoing transformation. Yaroslav Stepanyuk, Commercial Director at Fun & Sun added, “Salalah is rapidly emerging as one of the most desirable winter-sun destinations for Russian travellers. Through this partnership, we are opening the door to a new chapter of growth and strengthening the bridge between our markets.” Oman Air’s ongoing focus on point-to-point growth has resulted in an increase …