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Kuwait Airways strengthens its partnership with Amadeus to improve and develop the customer booking experience

Kuwait Airways announced the strengthening of its partnership with Amadeus, which specializes in providing technology, innovation services and solutions to airlines, to develop a streamlined booking process for passengers travelling on Kuwait Airways. Captain Abdulmohsen Salem Al-Fagaan, Chairman – Kuwait Airways stated, “Kuwait Airways is pleased to announce the strengthening of the partnership with Amadeus, one of the leading providers of technology and solutions for airlines in the global air transport sector. Through this partnership, Amadeus will enhance the booking mechanism to provide our valued customers with a simplified and streamlined process.” Al-Fagaan added, “Kuwait Airways customers can now book their flights in just three simple steps. This enhanced booking process has been designed to assist customers in the best possible way, providing them with essential information needed to make informed decisions quickly, while eliminating unnecessary complexities.” Al-Fagaan further stated, “Kuwait Airways is committed to providing its valued customers with an exceptional and comfortable travel experience and in facilitating the booking procedures for all our passengers. Through close collaboration with Amadeus, we can rely on their expertise and professionalism to significantly enhance the transformation of the digital experience for all our customers and Oasis Club members.” Maher Koubaa, EVP Travel unit and Managing Director, EMEA, Amadeus stated, “At Amadeus, we are proud to support Kuwait Airways on this transformative journey. Our ongoing dedication to enhancing the customer experience for Kuwait Airways passengers will continue to drive new innovations and improvements and providing them with diverse options.“

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flydubai and Batik Air announce strategic interline agreement

flydubai and Batik Air Malaysia announced an interline agreement that will offer flydubai passengers access to more than 40 destinations across Batik Air’s network via Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL). The interline agreement will offer passengers seamless connectivity between the UAE, Malaysia and beyond as they explore new routes on the carriers’ combined networks, offering the convenience of a single booking and through-checked baggage. flydubai customers will have the opportunity to explore more than 40 destinations across Southeast Asia on the Batik Air network including Hanoi, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Osaka and Sydney. ​In addition, Batik Air passengers will have the opportunity to travel conveniently to 38 destinations on flydubai’s growing network across Africa, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Central and Southeast Europe as well as the GCC and the Middle East. This includes unique destinations such as Entebbe, Istanbul, Milan-Bergamo, Prague and Zagreb. ​ Commenting on the interline agreement, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “we are pleased to add Batik Air to our growing list of partners, offering their passengers a smooth travel experience on a young and modern fleet, with our great service and enhanced cabin interior, as they explore our growing network. We look forward to offering our passengers more opportunities to explore Southeast Asia and beyond and we remain committed to creating free flows of trade and tourism and supporting Dubai’s position as a thriving aviation hub.” ​ ​ ​ Batik Air Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy said that this agreement marks a significant step forward in expanding travel possibilities for valued passengers. “By bringing together the networks of Batik Air and flydubai, we’re not only making it easier for travellers to connect with …

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Travelport and ANA Strengthen Relationship with NDC Multi-Source Content Agreement

Travelport and All Nippon Airways (ANA)  have signed a multi-source content distribution agreement that includes New Distribution Capability (NDC) content and servicing. Named a ‘Friendly Partner’ of ANA, Travelport is the first global distribution system (GDS) to confirm an NDC distribution agreement with the airline. Travelport and ANA are actively collaborating to make ANA’s NDC content available via Travelport+, targeting mid-year 2025. “Travelport has been a valued partner of ANA for many years as a result of our productive collaboration that enhances our modern retailing approach so we can provide exceptional experiences for our travelers,” said Keiji Omae, Executive Vice President of Customer Experience at ANA. “As we advance our NDC strategy, I am confident that Travelport can play a crucial role in helping us expand our reach and simplify the booking and servicing process as agents and travelers shop for our best offers.” Travelport and ANA have deepened their long-standing relationship to ensure that Travelport-connected agencies will continue to have simplified access to ANA’s wide range product offerings, including ancillary services. Travelport+ is the only modern retailing platform built for travel agencies. To date, thousands of travel agencies in more than 178 countries can easily search, sell and service multi-source content, including NDC, using Travelport’s APIs, Smartpoint Cloud and Smartpoint desktop agency point-of-sale solutions. “This pivotal agreement confirms that agencies using Travelport+ will be able to access relevant, personalized, and enriched multi-source content from ANA, which means travelers are presented with more choice among ANA’s best offers and fares,” said Damian Hickey, Global Head of Air Partners at Travelport. “As ANA’s friendly partner, we are dedicated to delivering ANA’s content to our agency customers in a retail-ready way so …

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World Travel Market London 2024 closes with 11 per cent increase in qualified buyers

The number of pre-qualified buyers attending this year’s World Travel Market London increased by 11 per cent compared to last year, with organisers of the world’s most influential travel and tourism event thrilled to confirm 5,049 world class buyers came through its doors, over three-days. Returning to Excel London from November 5 to 7 2024, the 44th edition hosted 5,049 buyers, a substantial increase of 11 per cent, and almost 500 extra buyers, on the 4,560 buyers welcomed to the 2023 show. Bigger and better than ever, overall attendance at the event increased by six per cent to 46,316 individuals, with many travel professionals attending for between two and three days. To accommodate the additional visitors, the show increased in scale by almost eight per cent, adopting new halls within Excel London’s Level-0, where visitors could enjoy large new conference stages and hospitality areas. Aligned to the event expansion, a record number of exhibitors from the private sector were in attendance, with exhibitor participation growing to 4,047, another rise of eight per cent compared to last year. Continuing to deliver measurable value for attendees, confirmed business meetings also rose by a phenomenal 17 per cent in 2024, with 34,082 pre- scheduled meetings facilitated, in contrast to the 29,075 that took place last year. Hunger for change Leading conversations that will shape the travel and tourism industry throughout 2025, WTM London focussed on ‘Travelpower’ and how attendees, including tourism boards, hoteliers, transport services, technology brands, associations and experiences, can use their platforms for positive change. Reflecting this, the show’s exhilarating conference programme saw more than 200 world-class speakers deliver over 70 insightful sessions built around the topics of Diversity, Equity, Accessibility & Inclusion (DEAI), Geo-Economics, …

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Emirates to back DP World Tour, extending partnership until 2031

Emirates and the DP World Tour have inked an agreement for the airline to extend its status as the Official Airline and Marketing Partner of the leading professional golf Tour until the end of 2031. The airline currently supports an international roster of DP World Tour tournaments that cut across continents and culminate in the prestigious DP World Tour Championship, one of golf’s ultimate prizes, in its home of Dubai. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: “We’re proud of our deep roots in golf, and of our role in boosting Dubai’s place as one of the world’s most sought-after destinations for top players and golfing enthusiasts with its world-class courses. Emirates’ continued investment in the DP World Tour will enable us to maintain our long-standing connection with golf fans across Europe, the US, Asia, Africa and Australia, and of course in our home of Dubai, where golf’s greatest names vie for the prestigious Race to Dubai title.” Guy Kinnings, Chief Executive Officer of the DP World Tour, added: “Emirates are one of our longest serving partners and I’m delighted that they have decided to extend our relationship until the end of the 2031 season. They are extremely experienced in the sports sponsorship landscape and this long-term agreement is strong validation of the ongoing strength of our partnership platform as golf’s global Tour. As an airline that connects the world, we continue to build campaigns that resonate with Emirates’ global customer base.” During the multi-year partnership, Emirates will continue to benefit from highly visible branding throughout the season. In addition, Emirates will enjoy marketing opportunities across the Tour’s media and …

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Sabre and BookLogic partner to advance retailing and distribution strategies across Turkey and the Middle East  

Sabre Hospitality announced a new partnership with BookLogic  which marks a significant step in expanding the global distribution and retailing capabilities of both companies, focuses on driving growth in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) regions, with particular emphasis on United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Turkey as well as Qatar and Saudi Arabia. This partnership reflects both companies’ commitment to regional growth and innovation. The collaboration will begin by connecting up to 1,200 hotels from BookLogic’s portfolio to leading Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) and Internet Distribution Systems (IDS). Future plans include expanding to online travel agency (OTA) integration, BookLogic’s long-tail distribution channels, and comprehensive retail solutions. This layered approach allows BookLogic to scale its offerings and marketing distribution opportunities to meet the evolving needs of the hospitality industry, offering hoteliers a complete ecosystem and landscape for managing optimized operations, distribution, and efficient guest engagement. Sabre Hospitality and BookLogic also share strategic priorities in payment automation, dynamic packaging technology, alternative regional distribution, and guest experience, creating a strong foundation for future growth and innovation. “Partnering with BookLogic will enable Sabre Hospitality to expand its reach in key markets such as UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey,” said Frank Trampert, Senior Vice President, Global Managing Director at Sabre Hospitality. “By leveraging the power of our SynXis platform, BookLogic will offer best-in-class distribution and retailing services to independent hotels, helping them unlock new opportunities and drive operational efficiency in a competitive market.” Leveraging Sabre’s SynXis Retailing platform integrated with the BookLogic system, the partnership brings a robust set of features and connections to the MEA region, one of Sabre Hospitality’s key growth areas. SynXis, the leading global hospitality commerce and distribution platform, connects hotels to over …

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One Global Community announces Almosafer Business as first Travel Management Company member from Saudi Arabia

Almosafer Business has become a member of the One Global Community, formed by World Travel Inc and Clarity as a community of world-leading travel management companies.  Almosafer Business is the first travel management company to join One Global from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, showcasing its innovative strategy to lead from the front. Almosafer Business caters to corporate and government entities with cutting-edge travel management solutions designed around innovation and technological advancements. The partnership will enable Almosafer Business to amplify its digital-first services and offerings to benefit its clients and suppliers. Khalid Alyahia, VP of Almosafer, said; “We are excited to join forces with One Global Community to expand our innovative services across our digital platforms. This marks a milestone for Almosafer Business as we embark on a new chapter together, leveraging our best-in-class local expertise in the region and One Global’s network of worldwide suppliers and partners to enhance our offerings to our customers. Collaborations and partnerships are key to Almosafer’s success today, and we look forward to widening our imprint as we deliver even more innovative services.” Jodie Gentles, Managing Director of One Global, said; “Almosafer’s market leadership within the Saudi tourism sphere and their on-ground collaborations with service providers will be an asset for us at One Global. We look forward to enhancing their global reach even as our community of travel management companies will gain from their best-in-class practices.” One Global – a global community of world-leading travel management companies – formed by two of the world’s largest – Clarity Travel Management and World Travel, Inc. – is powered by partnerships. With industry-leading technology supplemented by local experience, One Global offers customers and service providers access …

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Etihad Airways enhances digital experience with new customer-focused features

Etihad Airways has enhanced its digital platforms with new features that make travel easier and more personalised for guests. The improvements to etihad.com and the Etihad Airways mobile app introduce new market-specific payment options, expanded self-service capabilities, and enhanced loyalty programme features. Guests can now pay using local payment methods across key markets including India and Europe, easily modify their bookings through the improved self-service options, and seamlessly redeem Etihad Guest miles for flights and upgrades. The enhanced platforms also offer a more intuitive booking process with features such as calendar-based fare searches and local language options. In the Indian market specifically, customers benefit from Hindi language support, locally preferred payment options, and an innovative fare calendar that makes finding the best travel deals easier. These market-specific improvements reflect Etihad’s commitment to meeting the distinct needs of its global customer base. Looking ahead, Etihad Airways is focused on further enhancing the customer experience, with upcoming improvements to the check-in process and more accurate, timely travel updates. These changes will make the entire travel journey, from booking to arrival, even more seamless for guests. Frank Meyer, Chief Digital Officer at Etihad Airways, said: “Our commitment to digital innovation is unwavering. By consistently refining our digital touchpoints, we’ve been able to rapidly implement enhancements that directly benefit our customers. This agile approach allows us to stay at the forefront of the competitive airline industry and consistently exceed passenger expectations.” Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer at Etihad Airways, added: “The growth in our digital channels has been remarkable, with online direct sales increasing significantly across our key markets. The close collaboration between our Commercial and Digital Technology teams has enabled us to …

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Khaled Shaker honoured with DDP Face of the Future

Khaled Shaker Director of Investment and Strategic Projects at Dubai Developments becomes DDP Face of the Future. He is a visionary leader known for his expertise in investment and strategic project management, specializing in sustainable growth initiatives. With over 15 years of experience across key Dubai government entities, he has a solid track record in driving governance, strategy, and risk mitigation. Focused on redefining real estate and hospitality landscapes through innovation, his mission is to foster impactful change.  

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Andy Cuthbert recognised as DDP Gourmet Ambassador

Andy Cuthbert General Manager at Jumeirah Creekside Hotel and Madinat Jumeirah Conference & Events was recognised as the DDP Gourmet Tourism Ambassador. A distinguished chef and industry leader, he has spent decades elevating the culinary arts in Dubai and beyond. Founding member and past president of the Emirates Culinary Guild, he was recently elected President of the World Association of Chefs Societies for 2024-2028.

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