Slated to open in 2027, Marriott International, Inc. signed an agreement with Palm Hills Developments to open The Ritz-Carlton Cairo, Palm Hills, signaling a commitment to strengthening its portfolio of properties across the company’s luxury brands in Egypt. The hotel will be located in Palm Hills West Cairo, in close proximity to the Great Pyramids of Giza, “We are thrilled to work with Palm Hills Developments to bring a new level of exceptional luxury and unrivaled elegance to West Cairo,” said Sandeep Walia, Chief Operating Officer – Middle East, Marriott International. “Cairo is a sought-after leisure destination synonymous with some of the world’s most outstanding historical and cultural sites. We continue to see a opportunities to thoughtfully grow our iconic brands in Egypt and other destinations where we know our guests want to travel most.” Expected to open in 2027, the luxury property is expected to include 150 guestrooms and 50 one-, two- and three-bedroom serviced apartments, and will bring The Ritz-Carlton’s legendary service and exquisite design to West Cairo. Comprehensive facilities are anticipated to include five dining destinations, a spa, fitness centre, pool, children’s club and state-of-the-art meeting and event facilities. Commenting on the signing, Palm’s Hills Developments Chairman and Group CEO, Yasseen Mansour said, “We would like to welcome Marriott International as our new prominent collaborator in Palm Hills October as we are always eager to work with best-in-class partners, and bringing Ritz-Carlton on board is a milestone for our company, that aligns perfectly with our strategic vision of encouraging the tourism sector along with elevating the offerings of the real estate industry in Egypt. This collaboration underscores our commitment to complement PHD’s communities and hence maximize their …

A special event was held in Riyadh highlighting Berlin’s offerings in medical travel, showcasing a dedicated Arabic website catering to GCC travellers and providing information on accommodation and medical facilities. The Arabic site can be viewed at berlin-health-excellence.com/ar. It was held under the esteemed patronage of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Riyadh, the German National Tourist Office (GNTO) and visitBerlin last night hosted a special event in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter. The gathering aimed to showcase the allure of Berlin and highlight Germany’s tourism offerings for 2024. The exclusive event served as a platform to spotlight Berlin’s rich history, vibrant culture, enchanting Christmas markets, and diverse culinary scene, positioning it as a premier destination for global tourism and conventions. In addition to this, recognising the popularity of football in the region, Berlin also promoted the highly anticipated European Championship, which will be held in 2024 across 10 German cities, including Berlin where the final game will be played. Another major date in 2024 is the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall with numerous events taking place in November next year to showcase the city of freedom Berlin. Additionally, Berlin also emphasised its commitment to welcoming guests from diverse backgrounds, offering Muslim-friendly accommodations and sharing information on where to find halal cuisine. The city’s family-friendly environment – featuring children’s museums and zoos – presents an ideal destination for families. Moreover, with its abundant lakes, rivers, and parks, Berlin offers an idyllic retreat for relaxation and rejuvenation. Yamina Sofo, Director of Marketing & Sales Office – Gulf Countries at the GNTO, said: “Germany stands as an embodiment of cultural magnificence and this exclusive event in Riyadh …

Millennium Place Hotel Mirdif emerged winner as the ‘Best 4 Star Lifestyle Hotel’ at Arabian Travel Awards 2023. Shady Dawad – General Manager – Millennium Place Hotel Mirdif shared, “The Arabian Travel Awards is a fascinating assembly of innovators in the hospitality industry. Being consistently named the Best 4-Star Hotel is an incredible experience. This demonstrates our dedication to providing excellent guest service. The award is a powerful inspiration for us to ignite our zeal and strive for even greater heights in the year 2024.”    

Rayna Tours has partnered with MoEngage to leverage data-driven insights for personalized customer engagement, improve user experiences, and boost loyalty. “Travel is a significant investment, and travellers seek confidence in their choices. Meaningful engagement, with personalized interactions and transparent information, builds trust. Engaging customers throughout their journey ensures their needs are met, leading to satisfaction, return bookings, and referrals. This is where we think our partnership with MoEngage will be fruitful”, said Rajkumar Gaikwad, Business Head, Rayna Tours. Using MoEngage’s intelligent platform, Rayna Tours aims to increase customer retention, drive higher booking conversion rates, and ultimately boost revenue. “Our experience with MoEngage has been positive, empowering us to optimize engagement strategies and drive better outcomes in the travel industry. By leveraging MoEngage’s insights and engagement capabilities, we anticipate a measurable impact on our bottom line”, said Rajkumar, Business Head, Rayna Tours. “We are stoked to be the proud partners of Rayna Tours. The brand has always kept a customer-centric approach and with the help of our partnership, we further plan to strengthen it”, said Sweta Duseja, Director of Customer Success at MoEngage. Rayna Tours joins the growing list of 1200+ global companies across 35 countries, such as Azadea Group, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Azadea, Jazeera Airways, Alsaif Gallery, Apparel Group, Airtel, Ola, Oyo, and Mashreq, that trust MoEngage to deliver a consistent experience across multiple devices and touchpoints.

Cruise Saudi announced its partnership with the Culinary Arts Commission to showcase authentic Saudi cuisine onboard AROYA Cruises through the Irth Culinary Boutique & Café. This collaboration forms part of AROYA Cruises’ vision to offer exceptional and creative experiences to its passengers. AROYA Cruises is the first cruise ship of its kind to be tailored exclusively to Arabian tastes, and resembling it is Irth, the first Saudi restaurant at sea, which will offer a variety of locally sourced Saudi foods and drinks and high-quality products. In addition to its rich heritage and glorious history, Saudi is also renowned for its authentic hospitality, which will be embodied in the services provided at Irth, with all restaurant staff being trained by the Culinary Arts Commission to ensure a deluxe and genuine experience for passengers. Founded in 2020, the Culinary Arts Commission seeks to promote the unique Saudi culinary traditions on both a local and global scale and position the Kingdom as a leading destination for culinary arts. The goals and ambitions of the Culinary Arts Commission align perfectly with those of AROYA Cruise, which aims to provide exceptional experiences that cater to the tastes and preferences of Arabian people while seeking inspiration from the authentic Saudi culture. Lars Clasen, CEO at Cruise Saudi, commented on the partnership, “We’re proud to be partnering with the Culinary Arts Commission. Launching Irth Culinary Boutique & Café onboard AROYA Cruises represents a key step in exhibiting the Kingdom’s authenticity and offering the best of services to our guests”. Mayada Badr, CEO of the Culinary Arts Commission, said, “Irth Culinary Boutique & Café will showcase the authenticity of Saudi cuisine and its rich culture, and this partnership …

Turkish Airlines (TK) and Riyadh Air (RX) have agreed a Strategic Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding to offer a comprehensive range of benefits for guests traveling between the Kingdom, Türkiye and points beyond their Riyadh and Istanbul hubs, as well as lay the ground for deeper future collaborations. Guest of both airlines will be able to take full advantage of each carrier’s worldwide network through a comprehensive interline and codeshare agreement that will allow customers to seamlessly connect between and combine sectors operated by either Riyadh Air or Turkish Airlines. Turkish Airlines Chief Investment & Technology Officer Levent Konukcu and Riyadh Air CEO, Tony Douglas, signed the agreement at a ceremony on the sidelines of the ICAO Air Services Negotiation Event (ICAN 2023)  held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The intention of both carriers is that benefits will be made available to guests as soon as possible after Riyadh Air launches operations in mid-2025 and is subject to regulatory approvals by relevant authorities. The close cooperation will allow members of each carrier’s loyalty program to earn points or credits when traveling on codeshare services operated by the other, with both airlines also exploring opportunities to develop a broader loyalty agreement covering both global networks. In addition to offering a comprehensive range of guest benefits, the MoU also commits Riyadh Air and Turkish Airlines to work together to explore and implement broader synergies and efficiencies across the value chain, touching areas such as aviation related services, cargo and digital development. Turkish Airlines Chief Investment & Technology Officer, Levent Konukcu stated: “We are happy to start our relationship with Riyadh Air, a promising new player in the aviation industry. This Memorandum of Understanding is …

Halal Products Development Company (HPDC) signed a strategic partnership with Halal Development Corporation Berhad (HDC) to amplify the growth of the Halal industry within Saudi Arabia and globally at Halal Expo London. According to the terms of the agreement, the two companies will exchange information on industry-leading practices and successful models of Halal ecosystems. In addition to fostering commercial relationships between stakeholders in a variety of Halal sectors, the agreement will broaden the scope of collaboration by facilitating engagement with Halal exporters and investors. Fahad S. AlNuhait, CEO of Halal Products Development Company, affirmed the importance of the alliance, commenting: “Through our partnerships and strategic agreements, we at HPDC strive to connect vendors, distributors, and businesses operating in the Halal industry across the world.” “We are excited to enter into this landmark agreement which allows us to leverage shared resources to make a significant contribution to the expansion of the industry. With this agreement, our aim is to establish a dynamic ecosystem in Saudi Arabia that enhances the local economy, invites international investors, and increases Halal trade worldwide.” In alignment with the sentiment, Hairol Ariffein Sahari, CEO of Halal Development Corporation Berhad, said, “This collaboration transcends mere business alignment; it embodies a shared vision to propel the Halal industry to new heights globally.  With HDC’s vast experience in building a comprehensive halal ecosystem, we will provide specialized advisory, investment strategies, innovation collaboration, technology transfer and Industry Thought Leader sharing. We believe HDC can provide a proven effective operational model, along with a sustainable Halal ecosystem not only brings substantial benefits to Saudi Arabia but also extends its positive impact to a global scale and beyond.” Both organizations will continue to collaborate …

Almosafer announced the signing of a strategic partnership with Talemia to provide and implement field trips ( by planes, buses) for school students in the Kingdom providing enjoyable and culturally enriching experiences. The collaboration builds on the mutual commitment of the two entities to nurture a profound understanding of Saudi Arabia’s rich natural and cultural heritage of Saudi Arabia among students. Under the three-year agreement, Discover Saudi, Almosafer’s destination management company, will be responsible for meticulously curating and expertly managing cultural field trips  that offer immersive cultural experiences for students from elementary to high school. The core objective is to offer a deep understanding of the cultural richness and achievements of the Kingdom through specially curated hands-on learning opportunities for public education. Commenting on the newly signed agreement, Fahad Mohammed Alobailan, Chief Tourism Officer at Almosafer, said: “We are excited to support “Talemia” and the Ministry of Education in taking education beyond the confines of classrooms and textbooks as we believe that every student should have the opportunity to explore, learn, and be inspired by their own heritage and culture. The partnership with Talemia allows us to perfectly blend culture with education and draws on the expertise of Discover Saudi in fostering a deep appreciation of our Kingdom’s heritage to create lifelong learners in the Kingdom with a passion for culture and history.” The trips, organized by Discover Saudi in collaboration with Talemia, will meet the requirements of the student activities specified by the Ministry of Education departments in the Kingdom. Students will embark on journeys to various cities, where these trips will bridge the knowledge derived from textbook knowledge with real-world experiences, and enable the students to explore and …

Travelport Worldwide Limited announced that a group of its existing equity holders and lenders have agreed to invest $570 million of new equity financing into the Company. The new financing will give Travelport a robust capital structure, enable further investment into Travelport’s technology platforms and pave the way for other innovations to deliver new and exceptional ways for the travel industry to serve customers. The new investment in Travelport is being made pursuant to an agreement that will significantly deleverage and strengthen the Company’s balance sheet (the “Transaction”). Following completion of the Transaction, Travelport will have a new ownership structure composed of Travelport’s existing equity and credit investors, including Elliott Investment Management, Davidson Kempner Capital Management, Canyon Partners, Siris Capital and other leading institutional investors. These investors will remain well positioned to provide strategic counsel and support to the Company’s management. “This investment demonstrates our investors’ support for Travelport and will advance our mission to reinvent a better future for the travel industry,” said Greg Webb, Chief Executive Officer of Travelport. “With this new investment, Travelport will have a strong balance sheet with the least amount of debt amongst its peers, which we believe will put the Company in an even better position for long-term, profitable growth. Most importantly, this Transaction will further strengthen our operating business and accelerate our investments in Travelport+ and other initiatives that make us the most innovative and agile partner to all our customers. We thank our investors for their significant vote of confidence in Travelport.” In the last year, Travelport has undertaken several successful strategic investments and initiatives to enhance the technology, products and services it provides to customers. These include the acquisition of …

PIF announced that it has entered into a share purchase agreement to acquire a 10% stake in FGP TopCo (TopCo), the holding company of Heathrow Airport Holdings Ltd, from Ferrovial S.A. Under the terms of the agreement, PIF will acquire 10% in TopCo, and Ardian through its infrastructure funds will acquire 15% through separate vehicles. The transaction is subject to complying with ROFO (Right of First Offer) and full tag-along rights which may be exercised by the other Topco shareholders pursuant to the Shareholders’ Agreement and the Articles of Association of the company, in addition to satisfaction of applicable regulatory conditions. PIF is pleased to be investing in Heathrow, a world-class airport, which acts as a key gateway to the world. PIF’s investment in Heathrow is in line with its strategy to support the business as a long-term partner. Heathrow is one of the world’s largest air traffic platforms, connecting the UK with global trading partners to help stimulate economic growth.