Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) will conduct a two-day roadshow curated for travel trade partners in the Middle East on 8th and 9th March 2021 from 8am to 8pm GST. The roadshow is part of STA’s ‘Journeys in Arabia’ virtual engagement series and is an opportunity for partners to meet one-on-one with senior representatives from the key destinations, experience, and hospitality brands. For the first time ever, local travel trade partners and key stakeholders are being brought together on one platform, to build relationships and stimulate conversations around potential commercial partnership opportunities. As it relates to leisure tourism, Saudi is a relatively new destination hence the focus is two-fold. While it is fundamental to drive awareness about Saudi amongst travelers around the world, also it is also critical to engage, educate and inspire travel trade partners about the diverse products and experiences that Arabia offers. Saudi Arabia aims to achieve 100 million annual visits to the Kingdom by 2030, made up of both domestic and international travelers. In order to achieve this goal, STA has developed a comprehensive strategy to drive the number of visits, increase spend and build a leading tourism brand for Saudi. Across the world, 15 priority leisure source markets have been identified spanning the GCC region, Asia, North America, and Europe. This is broken down further into three target segments, leisure, MICE, and spiritual travel. Since the opening of doors to leisure tourism in September 2019, STA has unveiled many new destinations and experiences for audiences from home and abroad. The Saudi offering is unique– its rich culture, deep heritage, diversity of landscapes and unparalleled hospitality. It is the authentic home of Arabia: a place of exploration, …

As the milder temperatures continue to set the perfect conditions to explore the great outdoors, the team at Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) is sharing useful tips and information to inspire nature enthusiasts to explore the Emirate’s spectacular trails. Running throughout March, the tourism team will release a series of expert-led videos on its social media channels advising hikers (and avid walkers) how best to prepare for an excursion as well as offering interesting insights into the various routes and tips on safety. Raki Phillips, Chief Executive Officer of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said, “The diverse terrain of Ras Al Khaimah offers hikers an extensive choice of outdoor experiences that appeal to first-time adventurers as well as experienced hikers. With this program,  we wanted to shine a light on the spectacular natural wonders of Ras Al Khaimah, as well as providing all hikers with guidance and support to enjoy memorable and safe nature-based experiences.”

It is time to keep two days free to discover and connect with 28 Irish partners as Tourism Ireland present their maiden virtual roadshow on 8th and 9th March 2021 from 2pm to 6pm UAE time. Ruth Vaughan – Sales Manager – The Savoy Hotel, an esteemed event partner shared about their participation. “The Savoy Hotel has been recently refurbished and boasts 107 guest rooms with a choice of Deluxe, Executive & Junior Suites. Comfort & safety of our guests is paramount and we have been awarded The Failte Ireland Covid 19, Safety Charter. We are privately owned & managers with a small personable team, and are flexible and adaptable and understand guests’ needs & requirements. The Middle East market is an up & coming market for us. We participated in the Tourism Ireland Trade Mission 2019 and also hosted agents from the Middle East in 2020. We are ideally located in the heart of the city centre within easy access to Shannon International Airport making us the ideal destination to explore The Wild Atlantic Way. We work closely with Tourism Ireland and participated in the Tourism Ireland Trade Mission 2019 and also hosted agents from the Middle East in 2020. We work with DMC’s and locally-based Secret Ireland to create unique bespoke experiences.”

Omeir Travel has strengthened its long-term relationship with Amadeus by extending its partnership. Since 2003, Amadeus has accompanied Omeir Travel in its digital transformation and the development of integrated travel services for consumers in the UAE and from around the world. This continued collaboration comes as Omeir Travel plans expansion into more B2B and retail outlets in the UAE. The latest engagement also includes the development of an Omeir Travel one-stop-shop mobile app that meets customers’ hotel and flight needs and is expected to be introduced to the UAE market very soon. Abdulla Bin Omeir, CEO at Omeir Travel Agency, said, “With the travel sector constantly evolving, our business must stay agile to not only keep up, but to stay ahead. Our partnership with Amadeus has allowed us to do this with resounding success. It makes me very pleased to extend our relationship once more. Our ambition is to provide customers with tailored services and a superior experience, which Amadeus helps make possible.” Ernesto Sanchez Beaumont, Managing Director of Amadeus Gulf, noted, “ We are pleased to see the role our technology has played in the growth, digitisation, and optimisation of Omeir Travel during our ongoing collaboration that spans nearly two decades. We will continue to support them with our worldwide experience and leading technology-based solutions as the business enter an exciting new stage of expansion.”

Tourism Malaysia pledges partnership for the second consecutive time at the second edition of the Gulf Travel Show to be held on March 31 and April 1, 2021 as diamond partners. Shahrin Mokhtar, Director of Tourism Malaysia – Dubai shared, “Tourism Malaysia Dubai, Jeddah & India join forces with major tourism partners to spearhead Malaysia promotion in Virtual Gulf Travel Show 2021. Tourism Malaysia has become the Diamond partner in GTS 2021 to further communicate the “Malaysia Truly Asia” brand to the travel industry fraternity in MENA and India markets. This time we are planning to showcase Malaysia with our 10 selected tourism partners who will engaged with Middle East & India potential buyers during the 2 days virtual show. This a great opportunity for us to interact with the industry players and plan for the New Normal once Malaysia opens its borders to welcome tourists. For this year, we are promoting the hashtag #WeMissYou to the market indicating that we miss the tourists coming to our beautiful country and can’t wait to see them again at the Malaysian shore soon.” The first edition of the Gulf Travel Show successfully concluded in 2020 with 40 plus exhibitors, 6000 one-to-one meetings, and 2,500 visitors from 59 countries which included travel agents, tour operators, tourism boards, airlines, hotels, travel management companies, and international agencies encouraged the emergence of a second edition. Once again, the show promises some of the key travel, tourism, and hospitality experts from across the Middle East share their insights on the industry through one on one sessions and panel discussions.

It was quite an interesting webinar session concluded by the partners of Kyoto tourism as they presented the wide variety of offerings in each region. Koji Kuriyama, Managing Director, Kyoto Tourism Federation welcomed everyone to the webinar and thanked everyone for taking time off their busy schedules to attend the event. “Today, we would like to provide you with information not only about the temples and shrines in Kyoto city but about Kyoto prefecture. Kyoto city is surrounded by traditional history and culture, there are landscapes called “Kyoto by the sea in the north, wonderful sceneries called “woodland Kyoto” such as thatched roofs in the central region, sceneries of tea plantations called “Kyoto infused with tea” in the south and sceneries of beautiful bamboo groves in “Kyoto Otokuni Bamboo Grove.” I think you can enjoy different Kyoto. Today we will make a presentation about each region, so once the covid -19 crisis ends, we hope you can come to visit another Kyoto besides Kyoto city.” Ken Fujimoto, Representative, Japan Exploration Tours JIN shared that as a land operator in Kyoto they organise a variety of tours in and around the area. At first, he shared the counter measures taken to ensure the safety standards of all visitors. Thereafter, shared the many flight options and map of how to get to the destination, the areas that can be explored by all visitors including how the visitors can enjoy the four seasons. He covered areas from Woodland Kyoto; forest areas in Japan to mountain terrain to countryside hiking, special experiences that would also entail making ones’ own handkerchief at the Handkerchief indigo dyeing experience, blowing glass experience, Namba soy sauce brewery, Katamoto …

Holidays by flydubai has launched attractive packages for travel to Sarajevo and Tbilisi. The packages start from AED 1,539 and include hotel accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis and return economy class tickets for two people. flydubai passengers looking for a getaway can book these special packages by March 15 for travel by March 20. Sarajevo is a city with a rich history and architecture set against the backdrop of beautiful mountains. The district of Baščaršija is Sarajevo’s vibrant centre and is where most of its sights are located. Hiking, shopping and museum hopping are just a few of the numerous activities this tourist-friendly city has to offer. Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, has been attracting visitors for centuries. Nestled in a valley between the North and South Caucasus mountain ranges, this lively and colourful city has a fascinating old town full of narrow streets, sulphur bathhouses and buildings with distinctive carved wooden balconies. A big part of experiencing Georgian culture is by sampling its amazing food, taking a stroll through its many traditional bazaars or booking a day trip to Kazbegi, one of the most stunning mountain regions in Georgia.

Kiwi.com and Sabre Corporation, a leading software and technology provider powering the global travel industry, announced a new strategic partnership. The agreement will see Kiwi.com leverage Sabre’s well-established global position to support its continued growth and expand its market reach. Since its foundation in 2012, Kiwi.com has grown into one of the most successful online travel businesses of the past decade, offering the content of more than 800 ground and air carriers from around the world. Already well-established in numerous markets, particularly across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), the company is looking to further improve its competitive position and advance its global market share. Sabre is the premier global distribution system (GDS) in the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region and will fuel Kiwi.com with unique content, competitive pricing, state-of-the-art business intelligence and online expertise. “We are looking to serve our customers even more effectively and deliver a seamless experience, which will set us up for success once the travel industry enters a phase of recovery,” said Gilles Karlé, Chief Strategy Officer at Kiwi.com.  “Sabre is the right addition to our partnerships to help us increase our footprint across the globe; we appreciate its responsiveness amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as its continued investment in innovative technology.” “To fuel recovery, travel tech companies like Kiwi.com need access to the broadest range of content”, said Madhavan Kasthuri, senior director – online EMEA for Sabre Travel Solutions. “Kiwi.com is already a proven industry innovator that is delivering a highly sophisticated end-to-end experience to its customers. In addition, it is now providing increased choice and flexibility, which is crucial in helping gain peoples’ trust to travel again. We are looking forward …

The Park Hyatt Doha relaunches its luxury property in the heart of Qatar’s latest sustainable, SMART and walkable city district. With its distinctive accommodation and bespoke guest experiences, Park Hyatt Doha is the place to be for people who savour subtle elegance. Commenting on the reopening of the hotel, General Manager Stefan Gaessler, said, “We are thrilled to welcome back our guests and to have the opportunity to reintroduce our luxury property to travellers across the Middle East. We can’t wait for our guests to experience the understated luxuries Park Hyatt is renowned for around the globe and for them to enjoy everything the vibrant city of Doha has to offer.”

Sabre Corporation and Akbar Travels announced a new long-term, strategic partnership agreement to further expand Sabre’s footprint in the Indian subcontinent while driving operational efficiencies to increase productivity and profitability for Akbar. Under the extended and expanded agreement, Sabre will continue to be Akbar’s preferred global distribution (GDS) partner in India, ensuring that the firm, which is the largest travel company in India in terms of IATA-approved branches, staff numbers and business turnover, can continue to access real-time, rich content from hundreds of thousands of airlines, hoteliers and other travel providers through Sabre’s intuitive Sabre Red 360 interface. “For many years, Akbar has utilized a broad portfolio of Sabre technology and solutions to leverage growth, streamline operations, expand our geographic reach and differentiate our own services within our markets,” said K.V. Abdul Nazar, founder, chairman and managing director, Akbar Group. “So, we’re not only delighted to continue to benefit from Sabre’s robust and scalable solutions but also proud to build on our successful, shared history by further extending Sabre’s world-class products and services in the Indian subcontinent through the new partnership agreement between our subsidiary Benzy and Sabre.” “Our new agreement and renewal with Akbar is testament to their confidence in Sabre’s technological solutions,” said Todd Arthur, Vice President, Sabre Travel Solutions, Agency Sales, Asia Pacific. “There’s no question about the extent to which the entire travel ecosystem has been impacted by the ongoing pandemic. However, what is also not in any doubt is the commitment of both Sabre and Akbar Travels to continue to invest in technological innovation for the future of our companies, our shared relationship and the recovery and growth of the travel industry as a whole …