TVS Travels, a travel management company in the Middle East, has reaffirmed a longstanding business relationship with global technology company, Sabre Corporation, to support its global growth, drive operational efficiencies and achieve a higher level of customer satisfaction. TVS Travels will continue using Sabre technology to manage its business operations including shopping, booking and managing travel for its clients, as well as leverage mobile, data and automation capabilities to provide clients with a better, more personalized travel experience.  The company will also benefit from a range of new features and capabilities when a new version of Sabre’s solution, Sabre Red Workspace, is launched next year. “Our ambitious expansion strategy will see us extend into regional markets and provide a new level of customer satisfaction and value throughout the travel journey,” said Dr. Hyder Ali, Chairman of TVS Hyder group. “Sabre’s technology gives us a distinct advantage over our competitors. Their deep understanding of the travel industry, its challenges and future traveler expectations equip us with the right tools and technologies to stay ahead of the game and anticipate traveler needs.”

Travelport announced the launch of a new mobile app, Travelport Fusion, for airlines that can work across all host systems in response to the growing need to meet the expectations of today’s mobile-first customer. The new product gives airlines end-to-end trip engagement via mobile, allowing them to develop more valuable and lasting relationships with their customers. For airlines who need highly customized mobile solutions adapted to their specific digital roadmap, Travelport Digital will continue to offer its unique and proven blend of market leading design, agile delivery and mobile customer engagement solutions. The first release of Travelport Fusion will include a rich set of features such as mobile search, booking, check-in, boarding, passport scanning, day of travel assistance, itinerary management and real-time flight alerts.Commenting on the launch of Travelport Fusion, Fergal Kelly, CCO of Travelport Digital in Dublin stated “While we will continue to offer bespoke, high-end solutions as we have always done, Fusion is ideal for a wider market of airlines who now wish to move quickly on mobile.”

The Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), is gearing up to usher in the 10th edition of the “Eid in Dubai” celebrations with a diverse line-up of events designed to offer families, residents and visitors many memorable moments during the upcoming Eid Al Fitr. This year’s ‘Eid in Dubai – Eid Al Fitr’ celebrations promise to be as exciting as it can get with a range of events and activities for everyone to enjoy including concerts by Arab stars, family oriented events hosted by malls and Modhesh World, one of the most popular indoor edutainment destinations in the region. To celebrate the 10th edition, ‘Eid in Dubai’ will also have plenty of surprises and prizes for Eid shoppers including a six week sale from July 1 to August 12 by Dubai Summer Surprises, the ‘Shop, Spin & Win’ promotion run by the Dubai Shopping Malls Group, with the support of DFRE, and offering AED 250,000 in instant prizes. Saeed Mohammad Measam Al Falasi, Executive Director, Retail and Strategic Alliances, DFRE, said, “As an annual celebration that unites people from different nationalities from across Dubai, there is a great deal of anticipation surrounding Eid in Dubai events. In celebrating a decade of success, this year we want to ensure that everyone in the emirate feels the joy of Eid, in keeping with the true spirit of the slogan of Eid in Dubai – ‘United in Celebration’.”

Ethiopian Airlines has placed an order for 10 additional Airbus A350-900 aircraft, enabling further development to its fast expanding long-haul route network. Last June, Ethiopian Airlines became the first African carrier to operate the A350 when it took delivery of the first of 12 aircrafts in order. Today the carrier operates a fleet of four A350s. Ethiopian Airlines’ A350-900s are configured in a two class layout, seating 30 passengers in Business Class and 313 in Economy Class. The spacious, quiet interior and mood lighting in the cabin contribute to superior levels of passenger comfort and well-being. “Operating the youngest fleet in the industry with modern and comfortable customer features in cabin is one of the four pillars in our 15 years strategic road map and this order placement for additional A-350s is one component of this strategy. The performance, operational and cost efficiencies we have achieved with our initial A350-900s have resulted in these additional ten aircraft order placement and thereby suffice our ever-expanding global network. We will deploy the additional aircraft on our long haul routes connecting Addis Ababa with destinations in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia,” explained Tewolde GebreMariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines.

Emirates reminds customers to arrive at the airport at least three hours before flight departure because of ongoing heavy road works, construction around the main airport highways and summer rush. Passengers can physically check in at the airport as early as six hours before departing on their flight. They are requested to check in no later than 90 minutes prior to departure and those who check in less than 60 minutes prior to departure will not be accepted for travel. Customers can also check in online on both their desktops and mobile devices from 48 hours to 90 minutes before flight departure or use the facilities near its car park area to check in and drop off luggage 24 hours to six hours prior to departure. Along with checked in baggage, passengers are strongly advised to adhere to carry-on baggage weight limits, which are 7kg for Economy Class and 14kg for Business and First Class. Alternatively, customers heading to Emirates Terminal 3 can choose to drop their luggage at one of the 46 dedicated bag drop counters. Passengers on US-bound flights starting their journeys in Dubai are encouraged to pack their electronic devices into their check-in luggage to avoid delays.

Thailand’s Centara Hotels & Resorts reopened the Centara Sandy Beach Resort Danang following an extensive renovation and upgrade. The resort offers an excellent location on the white sands and clear waters of Non Nuoc beach. The site is designed to offer seclusion on a private beach, but is conveniently within 20 minutes of Danang’s airport and downtown, two championship golf courses and the Hoi An World Heritage site. Accommodations include rooms, villas and bungalows, with up to 92 square meters of living space. The resort’s newly-designed premium rooms and suites feature furnished balconies facing the East Sea, forested mountains and 42 acres of manicured gardens. All 198 rooms are just a few steps away from a swimming pool – one in the gardens, the other at the beachfront. Centara also offers a children’s pool, Kids’ Club and babysitting service. Adults and teens can enjoy at the fitness centre, tennis court and games area. Other amenities include Centara’s SPA Cenvaree, a sanctuary set in the tropical gardens that pampers guests with traditional Thai treatments and herbal balms. Centara added two new restaurants, giving the resort a total of five. For weddings and business events, the resort now has two flexible function rooms with seating up to 90, plus outdoor areas for large receptions.

The Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island Resort, a 641-Room Property opening in 2019, will be located in the Yas Bay, a 3-kilometre stretch that is anticipated to become one of the most iconic and vibrant waterfront destinations in the region. The resort’s facilities will include a multi-purpose conference centre, seven dining outlets and an innovative urban beach concept with an infinity pool suspended above the waters of the Arabian Gulf. The resort is also nearby the Yas Arena, a multi-purpose indoor arena designed to host large- and intimate-scale events, including sporting competitions, major cultural performances, concerts and MICE activities. B.R. Kiran, Chief Portfolio Officer of Miral said: “We are proud to announce our partnership with Hilton, which represents another milestone in our journey to establish Yas Island as a top global destination. The creation of a world-class family resort at the heart of Yas Bay, our iconic waterfront development, will provide visitors with a five-star opportunity to extend their leisure and business stays and enjoy the unique attractions and memorable experiences that only Yas Island can offer.”

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts will open a new 264-room hotel in Basel’s city centre in 2019, set to become the hotel group’s flagship hotel in Europe. Located in the heart of the city, next to the SBB railway station, the hotel can easily be accessed from several European cities. The 19-storey building is designed by renowned architects Miller & Maranta, while the “Timeless Modern” interiors, incorporating several design classics, is created by Matteo Thun. The hotel will include 50 Mövenpick Sleep rooms where guests can enjoy a good night’s sleep in individually adjustable beds. Another highlight will be the spacious Executive Lounge with its floor-to-ceiling window front and a furnished terrace with park views. Additionally, the hotel will offer 1,800 square metres of meeting space, divided into 20 different rooms. The 500-square-metre ballroom with a seven-metre-high ceiling will be able to accommodate up to 600 people.

Rove Hotels, the contemporary lifestyle brand by Emaar Hospitality Group, has unveiled its fourth hotel, with a focus on the fast-growing meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) tourism sector of Dubai. Offering a design-influenced lifestyle experience for value-conscious business travellers, Rove Trade Centre has 270 rooms and will also appeal to leisure travellers who can access Dubai’s leading tourism, retail, food and beverage, and leisure destinations such as Downtown Dubai, City Walk and the Satwa/Jafiliya and Karama neighbourhoods. The home-grown Dubai hotel brand continues to offer a strong value for business and leisure travellers. Six more Rove Hotels are being developed, also in strategic locations across the city, each meeting the needs of visitors from across the world seeking value lifestyle experiences in Dubai. This will take the total number of rooms under Rove Hotels, developed as a joint venture between Emaar Properties and Meraas Holding, a Dubai-based holding company, to over 3,700 by 2020.

Cleartrip has officially launched a website in Arabic to support its GCC market expansion efforts and provide users in the region with localized browsing and booking capability. The new website includes content and promotions relevant for Arabic-speaking audiences and comes with a host of useful features, tools and functionalities designed to allow travellers to more easily make and manage reservations. There are also exciting offers and benefits displayed on the website which the users can make use of when booking online through Cleartrip. Cleartrip’s website experienced a 30% increase in traffic from mobile devices during the first week of Ramadan, and the launch of a dedicated website in Arabic is expected to further accelerate bookings. Innovations in payment security, along with the launch of new government initiatives in the UAE and the proliferation of e-commerce startups, have increased consumer trust in online payments. This, in turn, is expanding the market opportunity for Cleartrip.