Turkish Airlines has added two new destinations in Russia — Voronezh and Samara. The national carrier is going to increase capacity in Russia by operating 3 flights per week between Istanbul–Samara and Istanbul-Voronezh instead of Astrakhan and Novosibirsk which are currently operated as two flights per week.  Istanbul-Voronezh v.v. flights will be launched on 4th April 2017 and Istanbul-Samara v.v. flights will also be launched on 11th April 2017. Special round-trip fares are available for Istanbul-Samara starting from $159 and for Istanbul-Voronej starting from $189 (including taxes).

The Ascott Limited (Ascott), the world’s largest serviced residence owner-operator, is strengthening its presence in Saudi Arabia with the opening of its latest luxury executive residence, Ascott Rafal Olaya Riyadh. The 234-apartment luxury executive residence opened on March 12, 2017 in the financial heart of KSA’s capital. The exclusive serviced residence will provide guests with luxurious lifestyle facilities, within an elegant environment and complete with efficient business support services. With a soft opening scheduled for March, Ascott Rafal Olaya Riyadh is an ideal choice for short, medium and long-term visitors who want the luxury of an internationally-branded hotel, with the flexibility and privacy of an apartment. The property is located close to King Abdullah Financial District – the city’s prime financial centre – and 15 minutes’ drive from Riyadh King Khalid International Airport, making it highly convenient for business travellers. The onsite business centre ensures executives have everything they require, from meeting rooms and AV equipment to secretarial and courier services. Additional facilities include a residents’ lounge, prayer rooms, boutiques and a selection of restaurants and cafes. There is also an outdoor terrace, swimming pool, gymnasium, steam and sauna room, separate day spas for men and women and a children’s playroom. “We are delighted to welcome guests to Ascott Rafal Olaya Riyadh, our first serviced residence to open in the Saudi capital,” says Vincent Miccolis, Ascott’s Country General Manager, Middle East & Turkey. “The Ascott brand is renowned for providing attentive and highly personalised service which is exactly what travellers need to enjoy a hassle-free stay in this busy and dynamic city.”

Cozmo Travel has announced a partnership with Taiwan Tourism Board. Aimed at the summer of 2017, Taiwan is going to be the latest outbound destination for UAE.  Jamal Abdul Nazar, CEO, Cozmo Travel, said, “We are happy to announce that we have signed a contract with Taiwan Tourism Board with a range of joint promotions to increase tourism and visibility for Taiwan through Cozmo Travel network.” Vishal Mehra – VP Sales, Taiwan Tourism Board, said, “We are pleased to tie-up with Cozmo Travel in the UAE. This partnership is aimed at increasing the number of visitors to Taiwan from the Middle East, a trend that is already on an upward index. We have recognised the fact that Taiwan has a huge potential for tourism offerings to the UAE in particular, and the GCC at large, owing to the multi-cultural population in the region. The partnership with Cozmo Travel will help us further boost interest and ease the travel to the beautiful Chinese island.”    

Disney Destinations recently hosted a keynote event in Dubai to celebrate new announcements for Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line and Disneyland Paris aimed at summer. Speaking to Tourism Breaking News, Damien Vayne, Head of International Press Relations Disney International stated that the Middle East clientele, especially those from UAE and Dubai could contact them through agents to discover the new features for summer so that they could book their packages in advance for the outbound experience with their families. Therefore annually Disney International hosts this event so that all partners are aware of the new features incorporated. He further reiterated that Disneyland Paris celebrates 25 years hence there would be a lot more to look forward to in terms of entertainment for the whole family. “There is no better place than our Disney Destinations to build lifetime memories. This year, we are bringing unique experiences, making our Disney Destinations the ultimate family vacation destinations for the GCC region. With direct flights from Dubai to Florida, USA and to Paris, France, the magic of our Disney Destinations is easy to reach from the GCC region”, said Brigitte Elmkies-Sitbon, Director of International Sales & Marketing, Disney Destinations International. Walt Disney World Resort announced that Pandora – The World of Avatar will open at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on Saturday, May 27. Inspired by Academy-award winning filmmaker James Cameron’s box-office hit, “AVATAR,” the new 12-acre land will immerse guests in the lush world of Pandora about a generation after the film’s human-Na’vi conflict. Disney Cruise Line announced the 2017 summer itineraries. Disney Cruise Line will sail on new itineraries and to new ports, including first-time visits to new destinations in Alaska and Europe. …

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) will host the 67th Annual Convention of the German Travel Association (DRV) later this year. The three-day Convention, to be held December 7-9, will welcome more than 800 German travel trade professionals representing a consumer base of around six-to-eight million German travellers. The agreement for Ras Al Khaimah to host the primary international gathering of the German travel industry’s leading special interest group was signed by RAKTDA and DRV at ITB Berlin, the world’s largest travel trade show. During the convention, CEOs and senior executives from tour operators, travel agencies and service providers of all sizes, as well as representatives from airlines, cruise lines and insurance companies, will attend RAKTDA-organised tours, destination workshops and evening events highlighting the emirate’s latest natural and man-made product developments, future plans and unique attractions. Haitham Mattar, CEO, RAKTDA, commented: “Germans are known for their love of travel, as adventure seekers and early adopters of new products – all of which resonate with Ras Al Khaimah’s maturing tourism proposition. Germany is already our largest international source market and we recorded a 24.6 per cent year-on-year increase in German visitors last year, which means German travellers now represent one in 10 of all visitors to the emirate. “We are building on that progress by hosting the DRV Annual Convention, an event that underlines our growing credentials as a leading option for medium-size MICE events. DRV’s exemplary attendees can look forward to experiencing tailored opportunities to explore the unique diversity of Ras Al Khaimah, including our untouched natural beauty, authentic Arabian culture, heritage and a history dating back more than 7,000 years.” “Ras Al Khaimah is gaining importance as a …

Sabre Corporation has announced an expanded agreement to make The Hertz Corporation’s full inventory of car rental rates, including those available via Hertz.com and its mobile app, available to more than 425,000 travel agents, hundreds of corporations and the world’s largest online travel agencies powered by Sabre’s APIs. A longstanding user of Sabre’s e-commerce technology, The Hertz Corporation chose Sabre as the first GDS provider to distribute its worldwide rental vehicle inventory – including Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty and Firefly brands – to shop and book by travel agents, business travellers and online travel agency (OTA) websites using Sabre technology. With the renewed agreement, The Hertz Corporation is now positioned to market and offer its global car rental inventory through the Sabre travel marketplace, including popular prepay options previously available only on Hertz.com. The strategic collaboration will benefit Sabre-connected travel agents with a global network of car rental pickup locations, and additional payment options to shop and book one of the world’s largest vehicle fleets. Business travelers and online shoppers will also see immediate benefits, as corporate booking tools and OTA websites using Sabre technology will now display the full range of Hertz car rental inventory worldwide along with all available pricing options. Through the enhanced and additional car product offering, travel agents have access to all Hertz rates worldwide, seamlessly integrated into the Sabre Red platform which includes the Sabre Red Workspace and full set of APIs. “Sabre and Hertz have reached a landmark agreement that will maximize retailing opportunities through a mix of digital channels,” said Traci Mercer, SVP of hotel, car, cruise and rail in Sabre Travel Network. “We continue to offer Hertz seamless connectivity to the largest …

Cozmo Travel has launched a B2B trade portal, www.travtrolley.com for local travel and tourism industry operators in the UAE. This new online booking system offers a single login and account to manage the complete tour package which includes airlines, hotels and car rentals worldwide. It is a user-friendly interface developed to empower both travel agencies and corporates in the UAE and the GCC region. Commenting on the initiative, Jamal Abdul Nazar, CEO of Cozmo Travel, said, “We are proud to launch the B2B trade portal for the travel sector operators in the UAE. This is another milestone achievement for Cozmo Travel that allows us to spearhead the industry by incorporating online innovations to serve our customers well. Our new B2B online platform will be a pioneering initiative in the UAE’s travel and tourism industry. We also plan to expand this initiative to other GCC countries. The B2B portal provides both inbound and outbound holiday packages across the globe based on various seasons and interests.” Deepa Rajesh, Head of Sales at Cozmo Travel, said, “We are happy to launch the B2B portal, which is a one-of-a-kind initiative in the UAE’s travel industry. We introduced this considering the evolution of new business models in the travel industry to provide travellers more choices and assist them in making more informed decisions in the digital age. We firmly believe that technology and digital sector is the way forward and with dedication and hard work we want to be one of the best service providers in the travel and tourism industry. This portal is at the forefront both technologically and in terms of services offered. We are offering hundreds of airline fares and thousands of …

Under the aegis of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and CEO and Chairman of the Emirates Group, Dubai Heli Conference 2017 will take place from April 17 to 18, at the Al Maktoum International Airport, planned to be the world’s largest airport located in Dubai World Central, the venue for World Expo 2020. Dubai Airports, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), and the UAE Airforce and Air Defence and Dubai South support the inaugural event. The new symposium is also backed by the Dubai Helishow, the biennial Helicopter Technology and Operations Exhibition held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The key agenda for the first day of the symposium includes ‘Partnering with Industry and Enhancing Helicopter Life Cycle Management’ and ‘Meeting Safety Levels for Helicopter Operators.’ The topics to be discussed during the first session are ‘Key Considerations in Planning Life-Cycle Usage of New Acquisitions;’ ‘Ensuring Helicopters Meet Flight Time Requirements Through Securing the Spare Parts Supply chain;’ and ‘Enhancing Information Flow Between MRO and Users During Operations to Enhance Faster Turnaround Times.’Ahmad Abulhoul, Managing Director, Domus Group, said: “The pioneering Dubai HeliConference is the only dedicated event to focus on the helicopter segment of the Middle East’s aviation industry. The event format has been designed to provide an engaging and interactive platform for industry stakeholders, including government entities, private companies, and leading professionals, to address current challenges and discuss ways for further advancement. We are upbeat that Dubai HeliConference will enable regional and international companies to explore partnership opportunities for the dynamic growth of …

FCS Computer Systems (FCS) and NEC Enterprise Solutions EMEA, providers of advanced ICT solutions to the hospitality sector, have inked a partnership agreement that incorporates FCS solutions into the NEC Hospitality offering for the Hotel sector in EMEA. Under the new agreement, NEC Enterprise Solutions, NEC partners and their hotel clients will have access to FCS’ full suite of hotel operations management applications. The multi-language, web-based applications streamline a multitude of back-of-house and guest-facing hotel operation needs, from real-time maintenance requirements to housekeeping management to guest issue tracking and a comprehensive customer relationship management platform. The FCS suite of hospitality interface and operational solutions, encompassing billing interface, voicemail, job dispatch, engineering, housekeeping, glitch management and more, are fully tested and integrated to work with NEC’s range of IT and communications servers, and will be available directly to order through NEC’s business partners in EMEA. Eric Rogers, FCS’ Vice President EMEA, will be working closely with his team to support NEC partners in their rollout of these solutions. “This partnership is not just only about call accounting and voicemail, but also about providing NEC partners a fully featured range of new solutions to offer their hotel partners, thereby enhancing the value and relationship of new and existing customers,” said Rogers. “I have been working closely with Kees Van Donk (director of hospitality EMEA for NEC) and his team to make this a reality and am delighted to say that today the partnership is now in full effect, and I am looking forward to working closely with NEC’s Hospitality team, and the wider NEC partner family to support this new agreement.”

St. Regis Hotels and Resorts announced the opening of The St. Regis Dubai, Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club. Owned by the Al Habtoor Group, the resort is feted as the first St. Regis property of its kind, promising exhilarating polo experiences combined with the brand’s iconic personalized service across 136 rooms and suites, 25 St. Regis branded villas and six culinary venues. The St. Regis Dubai, Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club is set around four lush polo fields, approximately 25 minutes from Dubai’s Downtown area. The association between St. Regis and polo emerged at the turn of the 20th century, as both polo and The St. Regis New York were essential to New York’s vibrant summer social scene. Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, Founding Chairman, Al Habtoor Group, said: “The Al Habtoor Group creates luxury lifestyle destinations in Dubai. We are committed to growing with the UAE and promoting it as a tourism destination. The St. Regis Dubai, Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club is a unique destination that will attract equestrian enthusiasts locally, regionally and internationally.” “Today we are proud to debut the first St. Regis polo resort in the brand’s history with the opening of The St. Regis Dubai, Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club, featuring the bespoke service delivery for which the St. Regis brand is known,” said Alex Kyriakidis, President And Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. “This opening not only strengthens our collaboration with the Al Habtoor Group, but it also reinforces our leadership position in the United Arab Emirates and brand’s commitment to the ‘sport of kings’.”