Category Archives: Technology

Vision-Box announces a strategic partnership with U.S.-based digital identity innovator, Airside Mobile, best known for the Mobile Passport App. The partnership offers an enhanced safe, secure, and touchless platform for all stakeholders along the travel experience involved in managing verified identity credentials, including trusted health data. With more than nine million satisfied members, Airside’s digital identity network enhances seamless travel. The Airside Digital Identity App provides a convenient single enrollment for travelers to add their credentials (e.g. passports, driving licenses, COVID lab results) to their mobile device using biometric source-verification. Travelers may choose to share their credentials according to their specified time-bound conditions at a multitude of digital and physical authentication points. Enrolled information is only stored on the traveler’s encrypted device, thereby reducing costs and liability for businesses and organizations who may have previously stored sensitive data on siloed databases. Speaking about the partnership, Jeff Lennon, VP – Strategic Sales and Global Partnerships at Vision-Box, said, “We are absolutely delighted to start the new year by announcing our strategic partnership with Airside, a very important ally for the company in expanding personalized experiences on the Orchestra platform. Airside also shares our commitment to enhancing safe passenger travel journeys, and with this partnership we will be able to deliver world class privacy-by-design solutions to our clients across the world, starting with the USA.” Jessica Patel, Chief Revenue Officer at Airside, said, “What I especially appreciate about our partnership with Vision-Box is that the traveler is at the center of the journey, where they ought to be, breezing through online and in-person check points without any long lines or crowding. Our private and secure technologies fit together naturally, providing peace-of-mind for …

Amadeus has signed a wide-ranging technology partnership agreement with OK Travels and Tourism LLC. The partnership with Amadeus will provide OK Travels and Tourism with access to a range of cutting-edge travel solutions including artificial intelligence, all designed to deliver a superior level of service to customers and remove friction from the travel experience. Muhammad Ali, Managing Director of OK Travels and Tourism, said: “We understand the challenges of the modern tourism industry and know that planning, developing, and adapting destination resources to the evolving needs of the market is the key to success. In an increasingly digital world where more consumers are online. Amadeus’ solutions will enable us to build upon this philosophy, taking our customer relationships and value-offering to the next level.” Ernesto Sanchez Beaumont, Managing Director of Amadeus Gulf, said: “The UAE is an attractive travel hub, not only for residents from the region but also for global travelers looking to visit or transit through a country with robust health and safety systems in place. In partnership with Amadeus, OK Travels and Tourism will have access to some of the most advanced global technology solutions to enhance its offerings, providing a key point of differentiation based on superior customer experience.” Under the agreement, OK Travels and Tourism will benefit from products including Amadeus Web Services, which allows the creation of customer applications and delivery of a wealth of high-quality tailored content for customers; Business Management Platform, incorporating various solutions such as Robotic Ticketing tools and Sales Data management systems to support pricing, comparing, and ticketing automation through a single platform; Amadeus All Fares Plus, through which agents can find the best air deals for customers in minutes …

ZoodMall, the fastest growing B2C cross-border e-commerce marketplace app, operating in Central Asia and the Middle East, announced a new strategic partnership in Jordan with MENA region’s leading payment gateway, HyperPay, to offer customers a convenient and secure online payment experience at checkout when completing a purchase on the ZoodMall Application. Recent studies confirm that the e-commerce sector in the Middle East and North Africa region is on the verge of distinct levels of continuous growth during the coming period, coinciding with the increasing demand among consumers for electronic payment options, and the awareness of merchants of the need to enhance their electronic presence during the Corona virus pandemic. Trade in e-commerce platforms is expected to reach USD 28.5 billion in 2022, which is over 3.5 times the current trade volume and nearly 7% of total retail sales. “The vibrant e-commerce market has witnessed an unprecedented increase during the pandemic period with the volume of e-commerce in the Middle East and North Africa region currently about $ 8.3 billion. With our vision and determination to continually expand our customer experience, ZoodMall recently partnered with HyperPay. This affiliation will enable our Jordanian customers to make payments online, using Debit and Credit Cards with ultimate flexibility, security and ease and will be the stepping stone to roll out ZoodPay ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ (BNPL) payment options towards Local purchases including three easy instalment plans of up to 60 days without incurring interest charges.” said Mohammad Al Yousef , ZoodMall Jordan’s Country Manager “We look forward to a long-term partnership with ZoodMall Jordan, and help our new partners grow their presence in the Jordanian eCommerce market as well as unlock their full potential …

Lufthansa Group airlines and Sabre Corporation announced a new, mutually flexible distribution agreement that enables modern airline retailing as well as technology innovation. Under the agreement, which covers the carriers Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, SWISS, Air Dolomiti and Brussels Airlines, Sabre will continue to distribute Lufthansa Group airlines’ content through traditional connectivity to hundreds of thousands of travel agents and thousands of corporations through its global distribution system (GDS). In addition, the agreement enables the distribution of Lufthansa Group airlines’ content via the New Distribution Capability (NDC) standard in the Sabre travel marketplace. “Our agreement with Sabre is a landmark deal for airline distribution. I am very excited to shape our joint path towards modern airline retailing and innovate by introducing a diversified NDC program with associated commercial models, – enabling agencies to agree bilaterally on NDC with Lufthansa Group airlines”, says Tamur Goudarzi Pour, Senior Vice President Revenue Management and Distribution Lufthansa Group Network Airlines and Chief Commercial Officer SWISS. “Sabre and Lufthansa Group airlines share an ambition to innovate at the forefront of our industry. Through this new level of flexibility, we jointly enable a diverse distribution ecosystem, extend the reach of NDC and allow for differentiated commercial models. With this customer-oriented agreement, Sabre and the Lufthansa Group airlines team up to put the interests of our travel agency partners and our joint clients at center stage.” “Today maybe more than ever, we are looking to engage creatively with our airline and agency partners to deliver outcomes that provide added value to all players in the travel ecosystem,” says Dave Shirk, President, Sabre Travel Solutions. “Sabre is committed to finding flexible, sustainable solutions that address traveler expectations, deliver against …

Singapore Airlines (SIA) KrisConnect program, Travelport, a leading technology company serving the global travel industry and SIA have welcomed on board their first passengers whose tickets were booked using NDC technology. Star Cruise Travel Services, one of Travelport’s partner agencies for the implementation of NDC capability, made the NDC bookings through Smartpoint, Travelport’s agency desktop solution. The passengers took international flights, arriving into Singapore Changi Airport in early November 2020. “This is an important milestone for our industry and our partnership with Singapore Airlines as they work to leverage IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC),” said Kyle Moore, Head of Customer Strategy at Travelport. “We are grateful to our partner agencies for working with us as we bring this new technology to our customers.” “Singapore Airlines is pleased to be working closely with Travelport on our KrisConnect program. By leveraging new technology, SIA and our partners can better meet the evolving expectations of our customers. Expectations about how, where and when they can access information, their ability to quickly and efficiently execute desired actions, and the demand for greater personalization, are all influenced by their experience with companies beyond the travel sector. The KrisConnect Program, and the technology upon which it sits, is key to meeting those expectations, and SIA is pleased to be leading the change in Asia. This milestone achievement with Travelport is critical in ensuring the program’s success.” said Bryan Koh, Divisional Vice President E-Commerce and Distribution, Singapore Airlines. “NDC Booking is made easy via Travelport Smartpoint. We are now able to access more content and offers, all in a single workflow, maintaining our efficiency.” Said Lynn Ong, Assistant Vice President, Star Cruise Travel Services. ATPI International Board …

“The implementation of a slew of measures and initiatives at both federal and local levels is further enhancing the openness of the UAE economy, presenting a golden opportunity for the Israeli business community to take advantage of the numerous economic prospects that are being currently generated,” said H.E. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs. The Minister made these opening remarks during his participation in the ‘Sharing innovation – A UAE-Israel’ startup ecosystem event, which was organized by Google. With an aim to create an exclusive inner circle of experts to collectively build an ongoing dialogue and collaboration between the UAE and Israeli tech ecosystems, the event brought together policy makers and technology leaders from both the UAE and Israel, in addition to featuring the participation of Google executives. H.E. Dr. Al Falasi further reviewed the UAE’s success in establishing a robust SME sector in line with the highest standards stands out at both regional and international levels. He noted that the sector contributed 53 per cent to the UAE’s GDP in 2019, up from about 49 per cent in 2018. Through the efforts we have currently undertaken, we strive to increase SME sector’s contribution to 60 per cent by 2021, also underscoring its importance in the country’s economic diversification, H.E. explained. The event witnessed the participation of H.E Faisal Al Hammadi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Entrepreneurship and SMEs, in the roundtable discussion, where he discussed how the UAE’s economic strategy aligns with the appendix of the Abraham Accords. He added that the UAE’s main focus areas include the retention of high-quality human capital, advancement of key industries enabled by technology such as healthcare, cyber …

Etihad Airways officially inaugurated the latest aircraft in its journey towards sustainability, with the pioneering 2020 ecoDemonstrator entering commercial service following a series of industry-leading test flights across the United States. The aircraft, a brand-new Boeing 787-10 registered A6-BMI, is the latest arrival to Etihad’s 39-strong fleet of 787 Dreamliners, making the UAE national airline one of the world’s largest operators of the technologically advanced aircraft type. Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said: “As the first 787-10 to take part in the ecoDemonstrator programme, this very special aircraft stands testament to the innovation and drive for sustainable aviation that forms a core element of Etihad’s values and long-term vision. This is in line with the tremendous strides being made by Abu Dhabi, and the UAE, in the research and development of viable solutions to combat climate change. “Etihad’s partnership with Boeing, and participation in the programme with NASA and Safran, is one the UAE’s national airline is incredibly proud of. This exciting and progressive programme will have a real-world impact on our industry as part of Etihad’s GreenlinerProgramme and demonstrates Etihad’s ambitious sustainability strategy. As a prime example of industry collaboration, this aircraft is a unique example of how the aviation industry can come together for a more sustainable future.” “Boeing’s partnership with Etihad Airways on this year’s ecoDemonstrator program elevated the strategic sustainability alliance we formed last year to a whole new level,” said Stan Deal, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO. “Collaborations like these are invaluable to accelerate innovation that further enhances the safety and sustainability of flying. The testing we conducted, in partnership with NASA and Safran Landing Systems, will benefit aviation and …

Gulf Air is adding new capabilities in partnership with Amadeus, in addition to the distribution and loyalty technology it uses today, in order to better meet the needs of travellers. The sheer number of travel options and fares available can be overwhelming to consumers. That’s why Amadeus and Gulf Air have joined forces to help travellers and travel professionals more easily match the right product offer to the right customer. Amadeus Airline Fare Families enables airlines to showcase the full value of their travel offers, allowing travel professionals to easily view all possible options. This includes the details of services included in a fare or offered at a charge, as well as the applicable fare conditions. For travel retailers using Amadeus technology, a unique, proactive upgrade facility will help drive revenues for both the travel agency and Gulf Air and enable customers to enjoy the flexibility and comfort that is important to them. Vincent Coste, Chief Commercial Officer, Gulf Air, comments, “Our partnership with Amadeus is going from strength to strength. We are pleased to extend our existing cooperation to include Amadeus Airline Fare Families and Amadeus Rich Merchandising. We are proud of the products and service we provide, and this technology will enable us to better showcase our differentiated offer to our customers. As travelers return to the skies, we are confident that these technologies will help drive even greater customer satisfaction.” Maher Koubaa, Executive Vice President, Airlines, Middle East, Turkey & Africa, Amadeus adds, “Gulf Air is a valued and longstanding customer, and we already work closely on a number of strategic areas including distribution and customer loyalty. With so much choice and innovation taking place in the …

Sabre Corporation announced that Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, has recently implemented Sabre’s branded fares technology – enhanced merchandising capabilities that allow travel agents using the Sabre global distribution system (GDS) to access the full breadth of airlines’ branded fares. With this implementation, agents can now easily view, compare and sell Gulf Air’s ‘Boutique’ fare family across the network, offering their customers greater choice and personalisation at better value. “With Sabre’s branded fares, airlines can go beyond the basic fare rules,” said Dino Gelmetti, Vice President EMEA, Sabre Travel Solutions.  “They can package additional benefits and features, such as additional air miles, seat selection, checked baggage and other services, with the goal of providing their customers better flexibility and greater value.  The ability to cater to and personalise these demands will enhance travellers’ experiences and drive revenue for airlines.” Gulf Air has introduced a new price concept for all destinations effective 20 October 2020, which travel agents can book through Sabre’s GDS.  With three economy class and two Falcon Gold class fare options, customers will be able to enjoy more choice when booking their flights. By marketing its “Boutique” fares through Sabre, Gulf Air will be giving its customers more control over their travel experiences, paying for the services that best meet their needs. “We recognise that many travellers today consider the overall value of a ticket, rather than just the price alone – and this means different things to different people,” said Vincent Costa, Chief Commercial Officer, Gulf Air.  “While we continue to offer increased benefits across our fares, we also need to be able to cater to specific traveller demands. With Sabre, we …

Sojern announced the addition of metasearch to its multichannel digital marketing platform designed for hotels, attractions and destinations. Now travel marketers can access all major digital marketing channels from a single provider: metasearch, display, native, video, connected TV, search, and social. For more than a decade Sojern has built tools to help customers drive more direct bookings to their websites. Underpinned by proprietary data science and machine learning technology, Sojern’s Traveller Platform leverages travel data sourced from thousands of partners around the globe to provide unprecedented insight into the traveller path to purchase. This information is then used to optimise digital marketing campaigns in real time to reach travellers in the right channel at the right time. “Like everyone in travel, Sojern was significantly impacted by COVID-19. It hasn’t exactly been ‘down time’ for us, but we used the past few months to focus our business strategy and double-down on what’s working: building a robust suite of solutions to drive bookings for hotels, attractions and destinations,” said Kurt Weinsheimer, Chief Solutions Officer. “Putting it simply: We built the most intelligent multichannel digital marketing platform for travel in existence today.” “We believe travel will come back even stronger than before, so we’re investing now to make sure we can be the best partner to our customers worldwide long after the pandemic has ended,” said Goulden.