Etihad Airways is launching a third daily flight on the Abu Dhabi – Bengaluru route, effective 26 March 2017. The triple daily schedule will provide greater choice to local passengers travelling between the two cities, and improved connectivity to destinations across the GCC, North America and Europe via the airline’s Abu Dhabi hub. The capacity increase underscores the airline’s commitment to offer guests more travel options between Abu Dhabi and key destinations across its network. With a new daily late night departure from Abu Dhabi, and early morning service from Bengaluru operated with a two-class Airbus 321, the schedule provides additional online connectivity to and from a number of destinations, including Doha, Jeddah, London, Dublin, New York and Dallas. Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer, said: “Our expanded services between Abu Dhabi and Bengaluru are in line with Etihad Airways’ strategy to offer greater travel options when aircraft availability and market conditions permit. The extra flights to Bengaluru will cater to the strong demand between both cities, and bring closer our global network to and from Bengaluru over our Abu Dhabi hub.” Etihad Airways launched flights to Bengaluru, capital of the southern Indian state of Karnataka, in January 2011 with four services a week, rising to daily two months later. It has steadily grown capacity with additional frequencies and aircraft upgrades to its current double daily operation. More than 700,000 guests have been flown on the route over the past six years.

IndiGo, India’s largest budget-carrier, plans to introduce two daily routes to Sharjah International Airport, which will become its sixth international destination. The airline announced the launch of daily non-stop Sharjah-Kozhikode (CCJ) flights from 20 March and daily non-stop Sharjah-Thiruvananthapuram (TRV) flights from April 8. Headquartered in Gurgaon (Gurugram), India, IndiGo is India’s largest passenger airline with a market share of 40.3 percent (December 2016). IndiGo is ranked among the top ten best low-cost airlines in the world by leading consumer aviation website Skytrax and among the 10 On-Time Performers in the Asia Pacific region by FlightStats, a leader in global flight information services. The airline plans to to operate 857 daily flights connecting 43 destinations from March 2017. Sharjah-based Air Arabia already operates flights between the emirate and 13 key Indian destinations. Meanwhile, Air India Express added three new routes last year connecting Sharjah with Mumbai (SAHAR), Chandigarh (IXC) and Tiruchirapalli (TRZ) airports, bringing its total number of direct Sharjah services to seven. The low-cost airline also operates direct flights to Sharjah from Kochi (COK), Kozhikode (CCJ), Thiruvananthapuram (TRV) and Varanasi (VNS).Jet Airways now flies daily to Sharjah from Kozhikode, or Calicut (CCJ) and Kochi (COK), both in the south-west coast Indian state of Kerala. The airline launched a daily service from Mangaluru in Karnataka state in 2016, but stopped flying the route at the end of the year due to operational reasons.

Dubai Airports’ three-year long sponsorship of the UAE’s Shaheen Rugby programme is paying huge dividends for the team and the sport by boosting participation levels tenfold, improving fitness levels and fuelling the team’s drive to support the UAE Olympic 7’s dream. The Shaheen Rugby Development programme started with the support of Dubai Airports in 2014 and is responsible for a key Emirati element of the UAE Rugby Development and Performance Pathway. The programme, which commenced with 20 Emirati players who had no real rugby background, now boasts over 250 players aged 16 or over. Shaheen is the development squad for the UAE national rugby team. “Dubai Airports’ support of UAE Rugby Shaheen programme changed the lives of those who have been involved and have created role models for others to follow,” said HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum – Chairman UAE Rugby. “It has been a huge success story and not only in terms of the growing number of participants,” said Shaheen spokesperson Qais Abdulla Al Dhalai. “The enthusiasm of the group, love of the game, improving skills and fitness levels are also important success factors. Dubai Airports’ sponsorship and influence not only touches the players, but their families and friends. We estimate since the start of the programme over 420 different individual players which have been involved in the Shaheen programme and over 2,000 Emirati families and friends have also been exposed to the sport as a result.”

GTA has kicked off its 2017 roadshow in the Middle East region. The first stop took place in Riyadh at the Marriott Hotel on the February 6, 2017, where over 180 key travel professionals and hotel representatives attended the event. The second stop on Wednesday, February 8, at Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai. The event connects travel agents and key shop bookers with leading suppliers and hoteliers from across Asia Pacific, Africa & Turkey. The aim is to increase product knowledge and awareness and ultimately to grow outbound traffic from the Middle East markets to these destinations by building new distribution channels and stimulating specific customer segments. Over 60 hotel partners, representing groups, chains and unique individual brands show cased their products. These included ACCOR Hotels (Platinum Sponsor), Regal Hotels Group (Gold Sponsor), Hilton Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels Group, Anantara Hotels & Resorts, Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts and many others. “By organizing this roadshow, we enable our travel associates to connect with our leading hotel partners from across Asia Pacific, Africa & Turkey, allowing them to understand their key offerings, powering global travel while focusing on the most-loved destinations where we see a growing demand from the GCC region. We also support business growth with expert advice and insights on the latest travel trends”, said Rami Mashini, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Middle East, Africa, Turkey & India at GTA. Today 35% of GTA Middle East business is going into Asia Pacific, Africa and Turkey destinations, the ambition is to keep growing with double-digit increase year-on-year. The Middle East Roadshow 2017 welcomed hotel partners from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, India, Sri Lanka, …

FORM Hotel, the upscale hotel brand in Smartotels Hospitality International’s portfolio, was launched at GIOHIS 2017 (Gulf & Indian Ocean Hotel Investors’ Summit) in the UAE. A pioneering ‘concept hotel’ brand, FORM offers business and leisure travelers accessible premium hotel fundamentals with the flexibility of add-on service and amenity features in a technologically-advanced, design-forward and socially-responsible environment. FORM Hotel’s 143-key flagship property is being developed by Dubai Contracting Company (DCC), a world-class UAE-based contracting and development company with significant long-standing experience in hotel real estate, and designed with inimitable timeless elements and custom-designed furniture by Paris-based global architectural firm, Architecture-Studio, known for creating global landmarks such as the Arab World Institute in France and the National Theatre of Bahrain. FORM Hotel Dubai’s facilities will include an all-day dining lifestyle restaurant, a rooftop infinity pool, a fully-equipped rooftop gym, a specialized design boutique, and a technology-focused boardroom. The hotel is situated by the newly-extended Dubai creek in Al Jaddaf, a location rooted in tradition and evolving with the urban landscape of Dubai. FORM Hotel Dubai is located within close proximity and favourable accessibility to some of Dubai’s most famous landmarks and business and leisure destinations. Currently under construction, the hotel is expected to open in Q1 2018. Smartotels Hospitality International LLC’s Founder and Managing Partner, Tarek M. Daouk said: “By offering a core hospitality experience with the flexibility of add-on service and amenity features, FORM Hotel will empower its guests to customize their journey. The hotel will benefit from an operating model that is engineered to drive strong returns to investors through an increased ability to control operating expenses by compressing fixed costs and exploiting variable costs”. FORM Hotel has designed …

The Royal Atlantis Resort and Residences is currently been constructed next to the Atlantis resort on the Palm by Kerzner International.  The expected completion date of the 43-storey resort complex is the third quarter of 2019, according to reports. When completed, The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences will offer 231 residences and 795 new guest rooms and suites. Prices for the luxury apartments start at approximately AED7.65m ($2m). The Royal Atlantis Residences will have views of the Arabian Sea or across the waters of The Palm towards the Dubai city skyline.

The Rezidor Hotel Group has announced the signing of two new Radisson Blu hotels in International Media Production Zone (IMPZ) and Dubai Studio City, United Arab Emirates. The new signings made in partnership with renowned, Dubai-based, Bin Haider Group, follow Rezidor’s recent announcement that it will open 14 new hotels in the UAE by 2019, and part of expansion plans to have 100 hotels & 20,000 rooms in operation by 2020, across the Middle East. Elie Younes, Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer, The Rezidor Hotel Group, said: “We are progressing our growth journey in the UAE where Dubai is a key primary market and welcome the Bin Haider Group to our business family. We believe the brand promise – iconic, sophisticated and stylish – of Radisson Blu perfectly complements the unique needs of the international media production industry that will be based in these two locations”. The two new Radisson Blu hotels are set to open in two upcoming media zones in Dubai, designed to support corporate travelers and media professionals visiting and working in the Emirates. Both properties will further enhance the Radisson Blu brand presence, which already has strong association with media zones in Dubai. Radisson Blu Hotel, International Media Production Zone (IMPZ), Dubai will feature 356 rooms, and, with construction already underway, has an anticipated opening date in Q1 2019. The hotel will hold a prominent location on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, close to the newly opened Al Maktoum International Airport (Dubai World Central). The hotel’s interior design will incorporate the brand’s new “Blu Print” design scheme and facilities include two restaurants, a bar and significant meeting facilities to support the free zone’s businesses. …

Etihad Aviation Group and Lufthansa German Airlines, part of Europe’s largest aviation group unveiled details of a new commercial partnership.  The two airline groups have concluded a $100 million global catering agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate in aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul. Addressing a press conference in Abu Dhabi, the chief executives of both airline groups spelled out plans to broaden their commercial partnership. James Hogan, Etihad Aviation Group President and Chief Executive Officer, said: “Partnerships are at the heart of our strategy and remain fundamental for us to compete effectively and efficiently in a complex and competitive global market. Our collaboration with one of the aviation industry’s most established and recognised brands is undoubtedly the most significant non-equity partnership with an airline we have ever announced. This partnership is the platform for a much wider strategic collaboration between our two organisations. It demonstrates the commitment of the Etihad Aviation Group Board and Abu Dhabi to our European growth strategy.” Carsten Spohr, Lufthansa Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said: “We welcome the opportunity to strengthen our cooperation with the Etihad Aviation Group. Together we can create added value for our customers and shareholders. Partnering with the Etihad Aviation Group fits perfectly the Lufthansa Group’s global strategy for our passenger airlines and service companies.” The four-year catering contract will see Lufthansa’s LSG Sky Chefs provide catering services to Etihad Airways in 16 cities in Europe, Asia and the Americas. This makes LSG the largest provider of catering services to the UAE’s national airline, outside its Abu Dhabi home base. Etihad Aviation Group and Lufthansa Technik (LHT) also signed an MoU to explore cooperation in maintenance, repair …

AVIAREPS has been appointed as market representative, with immediate effect, for the Bahrain Tourism & Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and China. AVIAREPS’ marketing and PR specialists, located within each targeted market, will be responsible for proactively coordinating and developing the authority’s media relations, press events and familiarization trips, and the organization of roadshows and seminars in Central Europe and China based on Bahrain’s unique tourism offering. These activities will also include a major presentation to be conducted at ITB Berlin, the world’s leading travel trade show in March 2017. Thomas Drechsler, Chief Operating Officer-Tourism, AVIAREPS, says: “Our media partners will be pleasantly surprised with the unique and aspirational stories the Kingdom of Bahrain has to tell. Bahrain is a small country packed with many wonders of nature and a unique culture to share with travellers. At the same time, Bahrain boasts an impressively modern tourism infrastructure. We are very excited and honoured about our appointment, and looking forward to representing Bahrain`s interests in both German-speaking Europe and China”. Commenting on the appointment, His Excellency Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al-Khalifa, CEO of BTEA said, “Although Bahrain has a number of unique offerings for tourists, we noticed that tour operators around the world did not have enough information or packages to push holidaymakers to visit the island. The new representative offices would help bridge the gap and boost visitor numbers to the kingdom.” Yousef AlKhan, Director of Marketing and Tourism promotion at BTEA added “BTEA took a huge step forward by introducing its new brand ‘Ours.Yours.Bahrain’ at the World Travel  Market in London in November 2016. We are now showcasing our new brand outside of the region. ‘Ours.Yours.Bahrain‘ embraces …

Qatar Airways has launched its new record-breaking Auckland service on one of the country’s most significant days of the year – Waitangi Day. It was the first Qatar Airways flight to touch down on the North Island of New Zealand. Auckland is the first city in New Zealand to be served by Qatar Airways and will provide a gateway for travellers to visit the stunning country, which is famous for its spectacular coastlines and lush forest landscapes. Celebrations to commemorate the launch of the world’s longest commercial flight, which takes 17 hours and 30 minutes and covers a distance of 14,535 kilometres, began at the airport with a traditional water salute as the Qatar Airways Boeing 777 taxied down the runway. The new daily flight to Auckland is served by a Boeing 777, which has a two-class configuration with 42 seats in Business Class and 217 seats in Economy Class. Passengers travelling on board the Qatar Airways Boeing 777 to and from Auckland in Business Class can enjoy one of the most comfortable fully-flat beds in the sky with 78 inches of seat pitch. In addition, the on-demand à la carte menu service allows Business Class passengers to order anything from the menu at any time during the flight. The aircraft also features the airline’s award-winning Oryx One entertainment system, offering up to 3,000 entertainment options on individual Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker travelled on board the inaugural flight from Doha to Auckland and was welcomed by The Hon Todd McClay, New Zealand’s Minister of Trade and State Owned Enterprises; and Auckland Airport Chief Executive, Adrian Littlewood. H.E. Al Baker said: “The launch of our …