Tag Archives: travel agents

Tero Taskila CEO and Chairman Beond Airlines in a special interview with TravelTVMiddle East shared that they are working on creating awareness with the travel agents about their premium flight and they are looking at different compensation structures such as providing their own booking platforms where the agents can book their customers to enjoy a seamless experience which will make them happy as well. “We are the world’s fist premium airline operating from Maldives to 60 destinations. After studying the Middle East market we found Riyadh as the luxury market which is underserved unlike other Middle East destinations where there are many frequencies and travellers have access to the Maldives with the frequencies but not with the product that they want. Most of the travel agents have the same requirements so its about making them aware of the product, strength of the product and also how to package the service, not necessarily how do we package the resort and the flight but how we can create a seamless service for their customers, because as a travel agent you want to make sure your customer  will be happy and satisfied. We are looking at different compensation structures and we are providing our own platforms where you can make bookings much earlier than with the traditional inventories. For example, all airlines apart from us are able to sell seats only 360 days ahead but we can do it three years ahead. When some people want to book for a special event they want to book at least 12 or 15 months ahead so this is helpful.”

At a recent exclusive interview with TravelTV Middle East, Alan William Chief Strategy Officer Satguru Travel shared that upskilling the staff is important with new technologies such as AI and NDC. He reiterated, “Travel is a very personal business irrespective of what AI pops out today if you do a ChatGPT and what it pops out today, do you really believe it? I think there is a lot more for AI to go and if you read all the management books they always say to take AI with a pinch of salt and that’s what we are also doing. We are very much aware that technology will be there but when packages are formed they still need human intervention. I come from a generation when computers were introduced they didn’t kill jobs but the skills of the people need to change to adapt to the new requirements it’s a service industry people are needed but it’s a different breed of people that are needed. Upskilling is very important take for example a travel consultant five years ago his job was to issue a ticket and ensure those tickets were issued but today with NDC coming in and the amount of ancillaries the staff has to know.”

At a special interview with TTME, Josh Vasquez – Regional Head – EMEA Region Philippine Airlines disclosed that 2023 had posted  53.8million dollar revenue in terms of passenger sales in the UAE and 70% of which came from the travel agents their most important channel. Vasquez reiterated, “we are celebrating Philippine Airlines UAE Mabuhay Night, this is the second installment of this event, we will be recognizing our top travel agents who have contributed to Philippine Airlines UAE passenger sales for 2023, we have also invited our Filipino community partners and our media friends who have been instrumental in the Philippine Airlines success in the UAE for 2023. In 2023 Philippine Airlines UAE passenger sales posted a revenue of 53.8 billion dollars and  70% of that came from the most important channel which is the travel agents and this event is to recognize them for their major contribution to that bottom line. ”    

Ricky Pacquing – Country Manager Philippine Airlines at a special interview with TTME shared that 80 per cent of their sales come from the travel agents in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “we owe a lot to the travel trade so we incentivise them as much as we can providing them back end and front end support.” Participating at the first ever B2B exhibition Saudi Travel Mart in Riyadh Saudi Arabia, Philippine Airlines showcased their many connectivity options to attract the Saudi market which consist both locals and expats. Pacquing reiterated that they will be celebrating their 83rd anniversary this year and they will be hosting the top performing agents across the globe to a special award ceremony in Manila next month to recognise their efforts and commitment to bring in the numbers.

General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai in a special interview with TravelTV Middle East shared that travel agents can  now make use of the smart portal to apply and obtain approval for bulk tourist visa within a few minutes with the new system in place. Lt.Colonel Dr. Ghalib Abdullah Hassan Al Majed Al Marri, Director of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence reiterated, “the new visa issuance application which process all the entry permits through AI solutions within 3 to 10 minutes with this new system. Travel agents apply through the smart portal, the main AI system  is comparison of pictures which is a new solution which expedite the process. The good part of this new solution is that you can obtain approval for bulk visa within a few minutes instead of the earlier time period. Before, if you had 100 or 200 tourists who needed entry visa you had to send each one for approval but with this new system, travel agents can obtain approval within minutes as it becomes one application through the new system.”

Kanoo Travel announced its association with Travel Leaders. This strategic alliance amplifies Kanoo Travel’s international reach, leveraging its deep domain expertise to ensure continued premium service to its clientele and paving the way for future expansion opportunities within the global network. This partnership was announced at a gala event which took place at the Museum of the Future in Dubai on October 5. The fusion of Kanoo Travel’s personalized approach with Travel Leaders’ extensive state-of-the-art technology offerings promises an unparalleled travel management experience. As part of the Internova Travel Group, Kanoo Travel will now have access to Travel Leaders’ broad suite of services, including online booking platforms, marketing tools, a global destination marketing company network and exclusive hotel programs. Furthermore, a comprehensive technology suite will bolster the servicing of both international and local clientele, providing tools for profile management, trip authorization, consolidated data analytics, advanced meetings technology and in-depth customer reporting. Mr. Ali Abdulla Kanoo, Chairman – SBU Trading Divisions, commented, “I believe this partnership with Travel Leaders International will be another milestone step for Kanoo Travel. It synergizes with our recent digitalization efforts and opens new doors, giving us new opportunities to better serve our client base. He added, “Kanoo Travel has taken another step forward, reflecting on our continued dedication to elevate the travel experience. Earlier this year, we introduced Kanoo Travel MORE, expanding our offering with targeted solutions. And today with this alliance, we are even more equipped to provide our clients with an unparalleled travel platform.” “We are thrilled about this collaboration with Travel Leaders, a renowned and revered brand within the Internova Travel Group portfolio. This partnership presents a unique opportunity for Kanoo Travel to …

RezLive.com announced the launch of its new and enhanced version, designed to provide travel agents with a more refreshing and convenient platform for their business needs. The upgraded features and user-friendly interface aim to streamline the booking process, empower travel agents, and elevate the overall booking experience. RezLive.com has always been committed to delivering exceptional travel solutions, and the new version is a testament to the company’s dedication to continuous improvement. The latest upgrades leverage cutting-edge technology to revolutionize the travel industry’s B2B segment, ensuring travel agents have access to the most advanced tools and a seamless user experience. One of the key enhancements of the new B2B version is its refreshing and intuitive interface. The platform has undergone a complete redesign, featuring a modern and sleek look that captivates users from the moment they log in. The clean and user-friendly layout allows travel agents to navigate effortlessly and access a comprehensive range of travel services and products. Furthermore, RezLive.com’s new version offers a highly convenient booking process that saves time and simplifies operations for travel agents. With the introduction of a simplified search and booking system, agents can quickly find the best deals tailored to their clients’ needs. The upgraded interface is optimized for speed and responsiveness, ensuring efficient browsing and enabling agents to complete bookings with ease. “We are excited to launch the new version of RezLive.com, which signifies a major milestone for our company,” said Jaal Shah, Group Managing Director at RezLive.com. “Our goal is to empower travel agents with a refreshing and convenient platform that enables them to provide seamless travel experiences for their clients. With the new version, we are confident that travel agents will …

Sabre Corporation announced the availability of Lodging AI, marking the introduction of its Sabre Travel AI™ capabilities in the lodging sector and enhancing the power of Content Services for Lodging. Lodging AI can help travel agencies improve hotel attachment rates, creating additional revenue opportunities and providing travelers with more personalized lodging options. Using Sabre Travel AI™ machine learning models, the new lodging capability analyzes property attributes, customer trip segmentation, and traveler and agency preferences to generate custom lodging options and serve up properties that are most likely to be booked. “Artificial intelligence combined with data and insights, such as profiles and preferences, is a very powerful tool in removing friction from the travel booking process,” said Sabre Chief Product Officer Garry Wiseman. “As the next evolution of intelligent retailing capabilities supported through our strategic partnership with Google, Lodging AI brings more personalized results to enable agents to be more efficient in their workflows and to ensure travelers obtain the most relevant options available.”

Red Sea Global (RSG), the developer behind two of the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism projects, has confirmed its flagship destination, The Red Sea, has joined the exclusive Serandipians network of luxury travel and hospitality organizations. Set to welcome its first guests in 2023, The Red Sea is one of the first Saudi tourism destinations in the Kingdom to join Serandipians, and is one of just a small select number of luxury destinations to join the network before officially opening to guests. An industry-leading ecosystem drawing together the best boutique luxury travel agencies and hospitality brands from around the world, Serandipians has specifically selected The Red Sea to join its community on account of the destination’s ambition to deliver outstanding services and best-in-class accommodation in a breathtaking location along Saudi Arabia’s west coast. Combining the natural beauty of rolling sand dunes, untouched islands and abundant coral reefs with first-class luxury guest experiences, The Red Sea is poised to welcome travelers to Saudi Arabia as one of the world’s few remaining unspoilt gems. Our partnership with Serandipians will help us bring regenerative tourism to the world, and demonstrate a new kind of sustainable development that aims to enrich natural capital and benefit the environment in which we operate said John Pagano, Group CEO of RSG. An impressive portfolio of 13 internationally renowned hotel brands have already announced they will have a presence at The Red Sea, including Ritz Carlton Reserve and Miraval hotels, the first to operate in the Middle East. In addition to some of the world’s leading luxury hotels, travelers will enjoy a bespoke and unique experience at The Red Sea that caters to every need. Guests have the …

Promoting its innovative and state of the art travel system, Swiss Travel System’s Excellence programme is aimed at equipping travel agents, tour operators and media to understand, obtain knowledge, explore and learn about the different aspects of the Swiss travel system, which would finally be rewarded. Andreas Nef, Market Manager GCC, Swiss Travel System shared with tourism breaking news that they would like to invite every person engaged in the travel industry to join the programme; one can be a travel agent, media, tour operator etc. Nef reiterated, “participants will get a profound knowledge of the Swiss Travel System and Switzerland as a tourism destination. There are lucky draws on a regular basis for participants who have successfully completed the program with great prizes to win, such as Swiss watches. The whole programme consists of several modules covering various topics. For completing a module, 5 to 20 minutes are required. Participants will be tested to check on the progress of each of them.” He further added, “each participant can earn points in making progress in the program, especially by completing the test very well.  Additional points can be earned for participating in extra modules, e.g. the Excellence Talk etc. Our aim is to welcome every person interested to join in the programme.” Speaking on benefits of attending or completing the programme Nef shared, “once a participant has concluded the whole programme and passed all the tests, a certificate will be issued with the title of “Swiss Travel Pass Excellence Expert”. This certificate is states that the person in possession of it is an expert of Swiss Travel System. Finishing the programme does not mean you are done with everything. Regular …