At the recently concluded Travel Tech ME summit with TravTalkME as media partner, the focus was on the digital tourism strategies which could accelerate growth in the tourism ecosystem. Guest speaker Amro Al Zubair – Director of Digital Product & Digital Experience, Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia reiterated that a new unified platform to connect the tourism ecosystem, launch new services, and support investors and startups as some of the main criteria to work on. He further shared that strategy to embed digital practices across the tourism sector, upskill workforce, and attract investment coupled with digital transformation will help drive sustainable growth of the tourism ecosystem. In this digital age in travel and tourism where technology has become a catalyst in this industry. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been at the forefront of digitalisation for the past many years and today they continue with their plans to make the destination sustainable in all aspects.

Saudia announced the transfer of its operations from Al Wajh airport (EJH) to the Red Sea International airport (RSI), effective Sunday, October 29th, 2023. This transfer aligns with the official announcement made by Red Sea Global about the development of Al Wajh airport. Saudia affirms that all tickets remain free from any restrictions or charges when cancelled, reissued, or refunded. The Red Sea Global is providing free of charge shuttle services between Al Wajh airport and the Red Sea International airport to facilitate the transfer of Saudia’s guests. Saudia is currently operating four weekly flights to and from the Red Sea International airport, from Riyadh and Jeddah.    

Qatar Airways collaborates with Starlink and in the future, will roll out a complimentary high-speed, low-latency internet connectivity experience onboard specific aircraft and routes. Starlink’s service will be a further enhancement of Qatar Airways’ 5-star onboard experience. Once the service is active, passengers will be able to enjoy ultra-fast Wi-Fi speeds of up to 350 Megabits per second which can be used for a variety of internet-based services such as video streaming their favourite entertainment and sports videos, gaming, enriched web-browsing and much more. As a leading 5-star airline of the world, Qatar Airways remains committed to offering the best passenger experience onboard, and the agreement with Starlink will allow passengers to have a rich seamless Wi-Fi connectivity experience onboard with a simple one-click access. The high-speed and low-latency network is powered by the revolutionary Starlink satellite communications system – the world’s largest satellite internet constellation engineered and operated by SpaceX. Qatar Airways and Starlink are currently in the pre-launch phase of the rollout strategy across Qatar Airways fleet. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “Qatar Airways is proud to announce its agreement with Starlink to provide seamless and complimentary Wi-Fi to its global passengers. This exciting collaboration is not only in line with our industry-leading approach to technological adoption, but also serves as an unmissable opportunity to connect Starlink to our global passengers. We look forward to our passengers benefitting from this state-of-the-art addition to Qatar Airways’ in-flight experience.” “Qatar Airways continues to lead the way prioritizing the passenger experience,” said SpaceX’s Vice President of Starlink Commercial Sales Jonathan Hofeller: “With Starlink set to support the entire Qatar Airways fleet, passengers travelling between …

Emirates Premium Economy and Economy Class customers on long haul flights globally will be treated to new complimentary amenity kits, now onboard. The amenity kits have been designed in partnership with United for Wildlife, to highlight eight of the most endangered species on the planet. Preserving wildlife and habitats is a core pillar of the Emirates Environmental Sustainability Framework. The new amenity kit range will highlight Emirates’ longstanding partnership with United for Wildlife and commitment to raising awareness about endangered species, and the prevention of illegal trade of wildlife and wildlife products. The animals featured on the kit pouches and bookmarks are some of the most trafficked creatures in the world – the green sea turtle, African elephant, blue macaw,  gorilla, hammerhead shark, lion, pangolin, and the black rhino. United for Wildlife has shared some impactful statistics which highlight the magnitude of the issue, such as that globally 100 elephants are poached every day, meaning that at current poaching rates elephants could be extinct in the wild by 2025. There are now only 30,000 rhinos left in the wild compared to the 500,000 that existed at the beginning of the 20th century, meanwhile pangolins are the most trafficked mammal in the world. David Fein, Co-Chair of United for Wildlife, said: “The illegal wildlife trade is international organised crime that is driving many iconic species around the world towards extinction at an alarming rate. Airlines and other transport operators have a huge role to play in disrupting the traffickers’ supply chains. Emirates have consistently demonstrated leadership and commitment in tackling this global threat. We are delighted to see the new amenity kits from Emirates now onboard and hope that passengers find …

Amadeus announced the opening of its new office in Dubai. This strategic move aims to further strengthen Amadeus’ commitment to the UAE and particularly to the burgeoning travel sector in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. Ernesto Sanchez Beaumont, Managing Director of Amadeus Gulf, expressed his enthusiasm and said, “We are excited to mark the inauguration of our new Amadeus Gulf Office and are eager to enhance the level of service we provide from this new, dynamic location. Dubai is a lighthouse to attract tourism and the new office is a state-of-the-art space for clients and visitors who support this growth for this city.” Next month marks the 21st anniversary of Amadeus Gulf’s presence in the UAE, initially opening its doors in Abu Dhabi. Recognizing the UAE as a hub for some of the busiest airports, Amadeus is committed to complementing Dubai’s rapid growth in the travel sector. The global achievement of Amadeus supports the regional growth including partners working with the Dubai office. Amadeus continues to be a leading R&D investor, and recently formed a groundbreaking partnership with Microsoft using Azure cloud technology to revolutionize software development cycles and data capabilities. Customers will be able to develop truly engaging solutions on top of the Amadeus Technologies. Amadeus in Dubai is also working on the environmental efficiency of its operations and sup-ports customers in their sustainability journey with the aim of reaching the industry’s goal of being Net Zero 2050. “At Amadeus, we acknowledge our responsibility to contribute to the fight against climate change. The company has invested in climate-tech companies like Chooose and CAPHENIA and aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025’ and locally in Dubai we get involved in …

Red Sea Global (RSG) revealed the first project in its expanded portfolio, with the developer entrusted refurbishment works at Al Wajh Airport (EJH). The development is focused on modernizing the airport to bring it in line with international standards, as well as upgrading the existing terminal and infrastructure, RSG is building a new international terminal, the designs of which will be revealed soon. This will see EJH ready to offer more direct flights leading to greater connectivity and job opportunities for local people. EJH will also be able to better service key developments taking place in the area, including becoming a gateway for the Amaala destination, also developed by RSG. The airport will also become a new base of operations for Fly Red Sea, the Kingdom’s first seaplane company. “Last year, Red Sea Global announced a growing portfolio of projects stretching along the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. Today I can reveal the first of those projects is to refurbish Al Wajh Airport, making it a modern airport for the people of Tabuk. It’s an honor to be the developer of choice for this important work, ensuring Al Wajh is ready and equipped to support the needs of the growing local community,” said John Pagano, Group CEO of Red Sea Global. The development joins a growing list of aviation projects under the Group. Last month, the developer’s Red Sea International Airport (RSI) welcomed its first domestic flight with a regular schedule now in place. RSG is also developing a second, private airport close to The Red Sea and Amaala destinations. As part of the modernizing work taking place at EJH, four flights operated by SAUDIA will be transferred from …

Etihad Airways welcomed the latest addition to its expanding fleet as a new Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner landed at Abu Dhabi International Airport on Friday 13 October. After a thorough check by Etihad’s engineering team, the new arrival will go straight into service and is set to start flying guests from 15 October. “The arrival of our latest 787 Dreamliner underlines our passion to grow this year by enhancing the quality of our customer experience and the reach of our network,” said Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways. “This is all part of our vision 2030 supporting our growth as underlined by the new destinations to Osaka, Copenhagen and Dusseldorf we began operating two weeks ago.” This aircraft, and the three Dreamliner 787-9s following shortly, are up to 25 per cent more fuel efficient than many comparable aircraft of their size. The arrival comes exactly three years to the day since Etihad took delivery of its last Boeing 787-10 on 13 October, 2020.

Dubai Municipality has announced the launch of the temporary winter camping season that starts from Tuesday, October 17, 2023, until the end of April 2024 at Al-Awir area in Dubai. The Municipality has set up family-friendly and practical camping areas for the visitors to enjoy a beautiful desert camping experience and winter. This is part of the Municipality’s initiative to provide high-quality services to ensure people’s happiness and wellbeing, further supporting Dubai’s goal of being the best city in the world to live and work in. Dubai Municipality has ensured availability of necessary equipment, services, and amenities at all camping areas to enhance campers’ experience, promote a safe and comfortable camping, and ensure well-organized activities during the winter. Additionally, the Municipality has prioritized safety and comfort for people of determination and senior citizens’ by enabling them to reserve places at the front of the designated camping location for ease of access. Several sites have also been set aside for store owners to offer goods and services to campers. This will enhance the happiness of beneficiaries and visitors, ensuring a safe and comfortable camping experience, as well as organizing the popular camping activities during the winter season and preventing the random camping. The Municipality stated that after winter camp permits are issued, applicants can construct their own camping space with a temporary fence and can arrange it according to their wants and requirements, as long it is for family usage. Additionally, it has set aside a location for government partners who wish to take part in the camping season and design their own camps. Customers can also start registering their winter camping requests through the following link: https://wintercamp.dm.gov.ae/. Dubai Municipality has …

His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, has announced the launch of the master plan for the new Abha International Airport. The new Abha airport aims to embody a consistent architectural identity with the heritage of the Asir region, transforming it into a prominent landmark in the Kingdom. Its terminal area will expand to 65,000 square meters, as planned to complete the first phase by 2028, compared to the current 10,500 square meters of the existing airport. This expansion includes the construction of passenger boarding bridges, self-service facilities for streamlined travel procedures, and high-capacity parking facilities. The design of the new airport will reflect the architectural identity of the Asir region and showcase Saudi culture. This design will offer a distinctive travel experience with high efficiency, ensuring seamless services for visitors and travellers. The airport’s capacity will increase to accommodate over 13 million passengers annually, a tenfold increase from the current 1.5 million capacity. It will also handle more than 90,000 flights per year, a significant increase from the current 30,000 flights. Additionally, the new airport will feature 20 gates, along with 41 check-in counters with 7 new self-service check-in. The new Abha airport is expected to contribute to enhancing the prominence of the Aseer region as an attractive tourist destination. It will also fulfil Aseer’s development strategy and the aviation strategy that aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 by increasing air connectivity to 250 destinations and transporting 330 million passengers.  

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) is set to announce a series of groundbreaking initiatives aimed at solidifying Bahrain’s position as a premier global tourist destination. The declaration follows Bahrain’s remarkable achievement in Manama being chosen as the capital of Gulf tourism for the year 2024 during the 7th meeting of the ministers responsible for tourism in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The prestigious designation of “Manama” as the capital of Gulf tourism for 2024 is a testament to Bahrain’s exceptional contributions to the growth of Gulf tourism sector. The Kingdom of Bahrain’s foresight in recognizing tourism’s potential as a vital sector capable of driving economic growth and ensuring sustainable development played a pivotal role in securing this honour. Bahrain is committed to nurturing a thriving and dynamically expanding tourism sector, with the aim of not only enhancing its reputation as a prominent hub for regional and international tourists but also fostering stronger tourism cooperation within the GCC region. Dr. Nasser Ali Qaedi, CEO, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) said, “We take immense pride in this achievement in the Kingdom’s tourism sector, which stands as a testament to a series of successful tourism endeavors at local, regional, and international levels. The Kingdom has positioned the tourism sector at the forefront of its developmental agenda. This strategic position acknowledges the sector’s pivotal role in driving sustainable development. Under this vision, substantial investments have been channeled into expanding tourism infrastructure, refining tourism services, and establishing high-quality facilities. These endeavors are aimed at attracting a greater influx of tourists worldwide.” Dr. Qaedi added, “Collaborating closely with its public and private sector partners, BTEA persistently crafts success stories, aiming to fulfill …