Cozmo Travel signed a co-op agreement with the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB).  The partnership aims to promote Jordan as a top summer destination for GCC tourists through a targeted marketing campaign. The Co-op Agreement signing ceremony was attended by senior officials from both Cozmo Travel and the JTB, and marks a significant milestone in the two entities’ collaboration. As part of the agreement, Cozmo Travel will spearhead a summer marketing campaign across the GCC to promote Jordan’s rich history, culture, and scenic beauty to potential tourists in the region. The campaign will utilize a range of marketing channels, including social media, influencer partnerships, and targeted advertising, to showcase the best of Jordan’s tourism offerings to audiences across the GCC. It is expected to attract a significant number of tourists to Jordan during the summer season and contribute to the growth of the country’s tourism industry. Speaking on the occasion, Jamal Abdulnazar, CEO of Cozmo Travel, said, “We are delighted to sign this Co-op Agreement with the Jordan Tourism Board, which will allow us to showcase the beauty and diversity of Jordan to a wider audience across the GCC. We believe that this partnership will open new avenues of growth and opportunity for both our companies and contribute to the continued development of the tourism industry in Jordan.” On his part, Dr. Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat, Managing Director of the Jordan Tourism Board, said, “We are excited to collaborate with Cozmo Travel on this summer marketing campaign, which will enable us to reach out to more potential tourists in the GCC and encourage them to explore the unique experiences that Jordan has to offer. With its rich history, vibrant culture, and …

Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) and Kuwait Airways announced a codeshare agreement, which provides enhanced connections and convenience to guests of both airlines, in a signing ceremony that took place in SAUDIA’s headquarter in Jeddah. As part of its codeshare cooperation, each airline will place the other airline’s marketing code on its flights operated between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and other routes with the alliance; the agreement will come into effect after obtaining all approvals. Both airlines agreed to expand all kinds of Interline Cooperation and the implementation is expected during the Summer Season 2023. The codeshare will further promote bilateral and strategic partnership for the benefit of both airlines, enabling them to offer more competitive and cost-effective services that will allow their guests to enjoy a better travelling experience. The new Codeshare partnership will strengthen and take to new heights the cordial commercial long-standing relationship existing between SAUDIA and Kuwait Airways. SAUDIA has been carrying guests between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait by operating four daily flights. Similarly, Kuwait Airways has been serving passengers on this route and operating six daily flights between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Guests may expect to gain all the benefits of codeshare flights including seamless connectivity, baggage transfer and the convenience of having their entire journey managed by one airline from the purchasing of tickets to the arrival at their final destination. Furthermore, guests of both airlines will enjoy increased alternative flight options across each other’s network. SAUDIA CEO, Captain Ibrahim Koshy said: “We are delighted to partner with Kuwait Airways and give their guests the opportunity to experience SAUDIA’s world-renowned hospitality onboard. We look forward to further growing our relationship with this important partner and …

According to the latest data from UNWTO, the Middle East saw the strongest performance as the only region exceeding 2019 arrivals (+15%) and the first to recover pre-pandemic numbers in a full quarter. International tourism is well on its way to returning to pre-pandemic levels, with twice as many people travelling during the first quarter of 2023 than in the same period of 2022. Overall, international arrivals reached 80% of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2023. An estimated 235 million tourists travelled internationally in the first three months, more than double the same period of 2022. Tourism has continued to show its resilience. Revised data for 2022 shows over 960 million tourists travelling internationally last year, meaning two-thirds (66%) of pre-pandemic numbers were recovered. Europe reached 90% of pre-pandemic levels, driven by strong intra-regional demand. Africa reached 88% and the Americas about 85% of 2019 levels whilst Asia and the Pacific accelerated its recovery with  54% of pre-pandemic levels, but this upward trend is set to accelerate now that most destinations, particularly China, have re-opened. UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “The start of the year has shown again tourism’s unique ability to bounce back. In many places, we are close to or even above pre-pandemic levels of arrivals. However, we must remain alert to challenges ranging from geopolitical insecurity, staffing shortages, and the potential impact of the cost-of-living crisis on tourism, and we must ensure tourism’s return delivers on its responsibilities as a solution to the climate emergency and as a driver of inclusive development.” International tourism receipts grew back to hit the USD1 trillion mark in 2022, growing 50% in real terms compared to 2021, driven by …

Qatar Airways is re-introducing a direct Doha to Auckland flight, which commences on 1 September 2023 and will operate seven times a week/departing daily at 01:50 local time. Qatar Airways will be operating an Airbus A350-1000 on the route with 46 Business Class and 281 Economy Class seats. A key feature of the service is the Qsuite, which is available to Business Class passengers.  Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “The direct Doha to Auckland service augments a number of new routes announced in recent weeks and enables passengers in key European markets including the UK and Ireland to save time with this direct connection. Business Class passengers on board our Auckland flights can also enjoy the enhanced privacy of Qsuite, which has been awarded the Best Business Class Seat in the World.” Travellers can begin booking flights from today for the resumption on 1 September 2023 and those previously booked for after 1 September travel will be re-accommodated, due to their tickets being via Adelaide to Auckland. With the largest global network in the region and the Best Airport in the Middle East offering seamless and efficient connectivity to destinations across the world, Qatar Airways continues to lead the recovery of international air travel with the airline rebuilding its network to more than 160 destinations worldwide. Daily Flight Schedule: Doha (DOH) to Auckland (AKL) QR920 departs at 01:50 and arrives at 02:45 (+1) local time. Auckland (AKL) to Doha (DOH) QR921 departs at 15:00 and arrives at 23:15 local time. From 24 September, due to daylight saving time changes in Auckland, both QR920 and QR921 will arrive and depart one hour later, respectively.

As part of work on tourism for rural development, UNWTO has concluded its first Executive Training for the Middle East Programme. Under the theme ‘Tourism for Rural Development: A Practical Approach to Strategy and Product Development’, the three-day session was held at the UNWTO Regional Office for the Middle East in Riyadh to address the underlying needs for continuous skills development for ensuring up to date learning, adaptation, and innovation. Sultan AlMusallam, Deputy Minister for International Affairs, Saudi Ministry of Tourism said: “This training programme demonstrates how determined and keen the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and UNWTO are to promote the role of the Regional Office for the Middle East, and to provide every support and assistance possible to the Member States of the Organization in the region.” Opening the programme, Zoritsa Urosevic, UNWTO Executive Director said: “In the post-pandemic world, the role of tourism in rural development is more relevant than ever. Rural tourism has a high potential to empower local communities, stimulate local economic growth and social change.” “Our Member States see rural tourism as a priority and we trust this training will support them for continuous learning, adaptation, and innovation. It aims to provide them with the adequate knowledge and capacities to plan and manage tourism in rural territories in a way that contributes to inclusive, sustainable, and resilient development,” she added. The training session was aimed at managers in charge of rural tourism in National Tourism Administrations from across the region. Around 35 participants from 10 countries joined present, representing Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Sessions focused on issues such as incorporating sustainability dimensions in …

Shangri-La  launched its new “Find Your Shangri-La” global campaign, created to help guests find their personal moments of joy at the luxury hotel chain renowned for its delivery of Asian hospitality. The initial part of the campaign is centred around a whimsical brand film that celebrates Shangri-La’s commitment to providing guests with unforgettable experiences, showcased through unexpected moments of personalised and authentic service. “At Shangri-La, we understand that each guest has a unique version of what it means to “Find Your Shangri-La”, says Shangri-La Chairman Hui Kuok. “We have a rich legacy of more than 50 years in delighting customers and wanted to take this opportunity to highlight something that has always been part of us — bringing joyful moments to the people we host. “The new brand film captures the unique way in which we delight our guests with special moments and treats through our warm, authentic hospitality. We are excited to debut our campaign with this film, alongside an array of immersive experiences that elevate our brand experience.” The film was developed in partnership with GRAMMY® award-winning director Dave Meyers. To illustrate how guests can find their own Shangri-La, Meyers brought to life fanciful characters that represent different guest personas and chronicled how they found their happiness in various Shangri-La properties, showcasing the delightful, personalised hospitality experiences offered at each hotel. “Shangri-La is more than a physical place”, said Meyers. “It is a state of mind – a magical world that you can get lost in. Making this film has been a wonderful and inspiring experience for me to explore what ‘Shangri-La’ means to modern travellers”. “Find Your Shangri-La” themed experiences at a variety of hotels… To encourage guests …

Wego announced its partnership with flyadeal to offer its users the chance to directly book flights on flyadeal through its platform. The new partnership includes all flyadeal flights to Wego’s marketplace where users can book directly with the airline. Wego is looking to provide its users with a wider choice of airlines to book from, by adding such a renowned airline to its portfolio. Con Korfiatis, flyadeal Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted to partner with Wego, the biggest and renowned online travel marketplace in the MENA region. This collaboration will allow our customers to directly book flyadeal’s wide choice and growing number of flights through Wego’s platform, giving us the opportunity to distribute our products to a bigger audience, and showcase our competitive everyday fares. This partnership will further enhance our customers’ travel experience and help us to better serve them.” Additionally, Wego’s users will benefit from flyadeal fares which will be promoted across all Wego’s marketing channels and will be able to search and book the most competitive deals online. Ross Veitch, CEO and Co-founder of Wego, said: “As the largest online travel marketplace in MENA we are delighted to announce our partnership with flyadeal, the fastest growing airline in KSA. We look forward to offering flyadeal’s attractively priced fares to Wego’s audience both in The Kingdom and also across our regional points of sale as flyadeal opens new international routes.” MENA is a key market for Wego, and always tops the searches from this region. flyadeal, one of the youngest and fastest growing low-cost airlines in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Middle East, continues its expansion to the region. flyadeal currently operates scheduled flights to 17 …

Musafir.com has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Royal Commission of AlUla (RCU). The agreement, which aims to promote the destination to tourists from the UAE to AlUla between Melanie De Souza, Executive Director, Destination Marketing at RCU and Sachin Gadoya, CEO and Co-Founder of musafir.com. Speaking about AlUla and the partnership with RCU, Gadoya said, “AlUla, the World’s Masterpiece, is one of the oldest cities in the Arabian Peninsula with massive tourism potential. The fact that it received close to 185,000 visitors in 2022 speaks volumes about the level of interest among tourists to explore this unique destination and its UNESCO World Heritage site. With Musafir.com’s expertise in travel planning and the Royal Commission for AlUla’s commitment to preserving the region’s heritage, this partnership promises to offer visitors a truly authentic experience of Saudi Arabia’s fascinating history and culture.” Sachin added, “AlUla is ready to receive up to 250,000 visitors in 2023, the majority of which will come from neighbouring nations. As part of the agreement, musafir.com will promote holiday packages to AlUla with the objective of growing the profile of AlUla as a destination. Musafir.com will collaborate on various promotional and marketing initiatives to increase tourist arrivals.” Melanie De Souza, Executive Director, Destination Marketing at RCU, said, “AlUla is a truly unique destination, representing over 200,000 years of largely unexplored human history and 7000 years of continuous human civilisation. From Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site to the ancient oasis and AlUla Old Town, recently recognised by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) as one of the World’s Best Tourism Villages, to a vibrant arts and culture scene, world-class culinary experiences and a …

In an effort to launch joint activation campaigns, offer appealing deals, and design captivating experiences to showcase Saudi Arabia as a top tourism destination worldwide and in the region, Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh and the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The partnership will involve the sharing of insights, ideas, and experiences. The MoU falls in line with the hotel chain’s endeavours to collaborate with the Saudi tourism entity to achieve mutual goals and support efforts aimed at establishing Saudi Arabia as a premier destination in the region. “The Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh is delighted to conclude such an agreement with STA’s Middle East and Africa Business sector, with the hopes of forming a prosperous collaboration to promote Saudi tourism, lure tourists from nearby markets, and offer a tourism experience that rises up to what the Kingdom’s guests expect from the leading, globally renowned hospitality brand, the Four Seasons Hotel” said Swen Ehlender, Director of Marketing for Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh. “This agreement emphasizes once more STA’s keenness to sign partnerships with leading companies and global hotel chains to attract tourists from markets in the region and fulfil the aspirations of visitors who come seeking the world’s finest hotels,” said Abdulkarim Aldarwish, STA’s President of Middle East & Africa Markets. The MoU was signed at Saudi Arabia’s pavilion at the Arabian Travel Market 2023 held in Dubai by Swen Ehlender, Director of Marketing for Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh, and Munirah Abanomy, Head of Marketing Partnership for Middle East and Africa.  

The Qatar Tourism China Roadshow 2023 was successfully held across four major cities in China including Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing. During the travel-trade roadshow, Qatar Tourism introduced Qatar’s rich cultural heritage, modern infrastructures, as well as the country’s tourism and hospitality offerings to over 200 industry professionals including online travel agencies (OTAs), local tour operators and trade media. In partnership with Qatar Airways, Qatar Tourism led a strong delegation at the roadshow that included WeChat Pay, Alipay, five Doha hotels, three destination management companies (DMCs) and three official associations in Qatar. The strong delegation helped to position Qatar as an appealing destination for the contemporary Chinese consumer and showcased both diversified and high-quality tourism products. China represents an important source market with many of its travellers looking for a destination that caters to a luxury city break. Last year, Qatar Tourism’s China Representative Office hosted 31 seminars and trainings for travel trade stakeholders, supporting 524 participants to obtain their Qatar specialist certificate, and made hundreds of sales calls across the mainland. Moreover, 400 million Chinese television viewers were reached after exciting collaborations with CCTV and Migu led to the production of “Meet Qatar” and “Boiling Qatar” during the FIFA World Cup 2022™.