Travelport announced the acquisition of Deem, a leading corporate travel management platform. Since launching the company’s next-generation marketplace, Travelport+, Travelport has continued its investment in innovation, with the acquisition of Deem being the latest example. “The game-changing acquisition of Deem by Travelport will fulfill a growing, post-pandemic need for a tight, fully-integrated corporate tool that will provide access to all multi-source content, including NDC,” said Greg Webb, CEO of Travelport. “We’ve been laser-focused on investing in technology innovation, and Travelport+ has simplified the agency workflow, upgraded how travel content is curated, and enabled modern travel retailing. Now with the acquisition of Deem, Travelport will provide corporate travel with award-winning, complementary tools that are as revolutionary, modern, and easy-to-use as Travelport+.” Previously owned by Enterprise Holdings, a leading provider of mobility solutions, Deem has long been recognized as the foremost modern technology for the corporate travel industry. Named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2022, Deem has pioneered its suite of online booking and travel technology products for business travelers, travel managers, travel-management companies and suppliers, making the corporate travel experience more efficient for all. Deem has continued to grow its share of the corporate travel business, and Travelport’s investment intends to further accelerate that growth on a global scale. “Deem is pleased to be joining the Travelport family,” said David Grace, President of Deem. “We are proud of the growth and success Deem has achieved in recent years. The acquisition by Travelport will enable a strong future of global growth for Deem and help accelerate the delivery of travel management solutions in a rapidly evolving industry. We want to express our sincere appreciation to our customers, as well …

The Emirates Group and Dubai Future Foundation have today signed a significant partnership to launch the Emirates Centre of Excellence for Aviation Robotics (ECEAR). The agreement was signed at ForsaTEK, the Group’s innovation forum. Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer said: “This is a key milestone in the Emirates Group’s innovation journey and a remarkable step for the aviation industry. Our partnership with Dubai Future Foundation helps realise our own vision for aviation and supports Dubai’s vision to be one of the world’s leading futuristic cities. This will give us a true opportunity to take advantage of evolving technology, allowing us to continually expand the use of robotics and technological applications in our customer journey and improve operational efficiency. Investing in focused R&D will allow us to transform our business in the digital era, make more use of AI, give tangible benefits to our customers and stakeholders, and will keep us ahead.” His Excellency Khalfan Juma Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation, said the launch of the Emirates Centre of Excellence for Aviation Robotics embodies the importance of incubating top national and international talents in Dubai to develop robotic solutions that support the growth of the aviation sector. Belhoul said the agreement will provide fresh and diverse economic opportunities centred on developing technologies of futures. He added: “The outputs of this initiative will contribute to advancing “Dubai Robotics and Automation Program”, launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Future Foundation’s Board of Trustees, which aims to make Dubai one of the leading cities in the world within this field, …

The number of travellers visiting Germany from the GCC recorded more than double in 2022, resulting in double the room nights as compared to 2021, according to new data from the German National Tourist Board (GNTB). Germany recorded approximately 1.12 million room nights in 2022, more than double the 2021 figure of 500,000. GCC travellers were responsible for more than 335,000 room nights in the first half of 2022, representing a 318 per cent increase on 2021. The second half of the year brought even more growth, with records showing a further 793,000 room nights – a 136.7 per cent jump on the previous six months. Further, Germany recorded more than 404,000 GCC travellers in 2022 that resulted in the 1.12 million room nights, a 243.84% increase from 2021 that recorded just a bit more than 165,000 GCC travellers that resulted in 500,000 room nights approx. “This consistent growth illustrates an increasing interest in Germany from the GCC and amplifies anticipation for the year ahead,” said Yamina Sofo, director at the Dubai-based German National Tourist Office (GNTO). “The rise in travellers can certainly be attributed to Germany’s ongoing efforts to diversify itineraries through various tourism campaigns that highlight local cultures, family-focused leisure options, and natural, sustainability focussed travel options.” Sofo continued: “We have seen a consistent growth in 2022 – both quarter-by-quarter and year-on-year. Now our focus lies in amplifying these numbers in 2023 by driving sustainable tourism offerings and helping ensure visitors explore and experience the culture and natural beauty of Germany throughout all its states and cities.” Further, GCC travellers were more inclined towards visiting places that were surrounded by nature and exploring the country’s green landscapes and …

Business travel in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) is recovering more rapidly than in any other region, according to the most recent Business Travel Index™ Outlook annual forecast and outlook (2022), from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the world’s largest business travel association. MEA business travel achieved 86% of its 2019 levels during 2022, outperforming the recovery in Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe. The strong performance of the sector and future opportunities will come under the spotlight during Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023, which takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 1-4 May. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “The business travel sector is a key component of the Middle East’s wider travel and tourism industry, and it is encouraging to see that it has bounced back so strongly since the pandemic. The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) will present an in-depth analysis of how technology can support this return to travel and the ways in which this can be done sustainably in two education sessions with key insights from leading industry professionals.” According to the forecast, business travel spending reached $933 billion globally in 2022, 65% of the USD $1.4 trillion business pre-pandemic travel spend, with the MEA region accounting for $23 billion or approximately 2.5% of overall spending within the sector. “The MEA region is an important growth market for business travel and benefitted from a prompt Covid-19 vaccination roll-out in key markets such as the UAE and Israel, as well as increased economic activity driven by the rising price of crude oil to accelerate the business travel recovery. The region is expected to return to pre-pandemic business travel spend by …

Marriott International, Inc. announced it has signed an agreement with NEOM to open three properties on its luxury island destination Sindalah, situated in the Red Sea off the northwest coast of Saudi Arabia. The multi-deal agreement includes Saudi Arabia’s first Autograph Collection Hotels property, as well as two Luxury Collection properties. “NEOM is one of the most highly-anticipated developments in the world and we look forward to working with its team to develop these three exciting properties,” said Jerome Briet, Chief Development Officer, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International. “The Luxury Collection and Autograph Collection Hotels properties will express their own unique personality inspired by the exceptional natural landscapes of NEOM. We continue to see growth opportunities for our brand portfolio within the destination and Saudi Arabia overall.” The Luxury Collection in Sindalah Offering global travelers a gateway to the world’s most captivating destinations, The Luxury Collection is expected to open two properties in the highly anticipated island destination, featuring transformational experiences and destination-rooted authenticity. Slated to open in 2024, a beach resort will offer a mix of 70 luxury rooms and suites, including one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom villas all featuring private pools. The second project, projected to open in 2024, is expected to be an all-suite property offering 115 one-, two- and three-bedroom luxury suites, and will be situated in the heart of the retail and marina district of Sindalah. Both Luxury Collection properties are set to showcase multiple culinary experiences and leisure facilities. Autograph Collection in Sindalah Autograph Collection Hotels are a product of passion inspired by a clear vision, soul, and story that makes it individual and special. Expected to open in 2024, the Autograph …

Sojern shares its latest data highlighting that the Middle East continues to build on its strong 2022 travel momentum. With relatively quick bouncebacks from COVID-19 in the UAE, and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) seeking to secure its place on the tourist map with an ambitious visitor push, it’s looking like strong travel intent to the region will continue well into 2023. As of February, Sojern sees that 2023 flight searches are up year on year (YoY) globally; 72% from APAC, 48% from EMEA, 36% from US & Canada, 30% from LATAM and 23% from Caribbean. With last year’s FIFA World Cup boosting travel recovery in the region, Sojern looks at the current state of play for travel now that the tournament dust has settled. Demand for Regional Hotels Up on 2019 Levels in Many Middle Eastern Countries Several recent reports highlight that Middle East destinations are leading global travel recovery, in part boosted by Dubai’s 2020 Expo and last year’s World Cup. Sojern’s latest lodging data supports this positive picture and sees that 2023 interest from most origins to the region is high and even above January 2019 levels. Inbound travel demand from African, Asia-Pacific (APAC), and Latin American (LATAM) markets continue to grow with KSA showing one of the most marked increases in demand. The country sees a 541% increase in 2023 versus 2019 international lodging searches from Africa, 358% from Europe, 279% from LATAM, 251% from the United States and 2,547% from Canada. This uplift suggests that their tourist ambitions to draw 100 million visitors annually by the end of the decade appear to be off to a strong start. Qatar continues to ride the World Cup …

‎Qatar Airways drew major attention at ITB Berlin 2023, Airline’s Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, unveiled new destinations, and announced flight resumptions and frequency increases during a press conference held on the first day of the exhibition. Highlighting the success of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, Qatar Airways revealed its new sports sponsorship portfolio as well as a multitude of other projects and partnerships lined up for the year 2023, continuing on the path of bringing people together all while boosting the tourism industry in the State of Qatar. The press conference was also attended by His Excellency, Sheikh Abdulla Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Thani, Ambassador for the State of Qatar to Germany. At the press conference, H.E. Mr. Al Baker announced over seven new destinations planned for launch in 2023, including Chittagong, Juba, Kinshasa, Lyon, Medan, Toulouse, and Trabzon. Qatar Airways is also resuming flights to 11 destinations: Beijing, Birmingham, Buenos Aires, Casablanca, Davao, Marrakesh, Nice, Osaka, Phnom Penh, Ras Al-Khaimah, and Tokyo Haneda. Multiple destinations also saw frequency increases scheduled for the year 2023.* Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “Qatar Airways is dedicated to enrich the global community which it serves. As the World’s Best Airline, we are excited to offer more ways of bringing the world together, increasing connectivity and bridging gaps within the travel industry. As we expand our fleet, network, partnerships and international presence we look forward to working together to deliver sustainable growth and a compelling future for the industry. “We continue to look forward to our bright future here in Qatar, with multiple projects lined up for 2023 and beyond, such …

The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MOHT), hosted the largest Global Travel Week Middle East this week with the participation of 200 professionals in the field of luxury tourism from around the world, along with 40 local Omani tourism industry key players. It was two days of networking opportunities to connect with the luxury exhibitors across the globe in the Sultanate of Oman. Asma bint Salem Al Hajriya, Deputy Director General for Tourism Promotion at the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism in the Sultanate of Oman said in her closing remarks stated, “On behalf of my country, the Sultanate of Oman, and on behalf of my entire team of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, we are all delighted to welcome you here today – we hope you have a very enjoyable time and are excited to learn more about our beautiful country. Oman is a blessed country with a diverse landscape, nature, heritage and history and of course, without forgetting the most aspect of its people, the most renowned friendliest and hospitable people of Oman are the assets of this country. With all these components, Oman delivers a unique luxury travel experience.” She further reiterated, “striking the perfect balance between international outlook and traditional atmosphere, our deep culture and heritage combined with world-class hotels and authentic Arabian experiences, means that we are very well placed to make the most of the growing interest in visiting our region. Events like today are an invaluable opportunity for you to connect with our stakeholders, and I hope that as we end this two day event you had fruitful meetings and good knowledge of what Oman offers …

Millennium Hotels & Resorts Middle East and Africa (MEA) will assume management of Dubai’s iconic Crowne Plaza Dubai. The property will be rebranded as Millennium Plaza Downtown Hotel and is a testament to the company’s commitment to regional growth. Fahad Abdulrahim Kazim, Chief Executive Officer of Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA, said, “The hotel is an icon of the Dubai skyline, and its enduring legacy is a testament to the continued transformation of the city. We are excited to reimagine and redevelop the property in line with the needs of tomorrow’s traveller, whilst retaining the charm and familiarity that has made it a favourite destination in Dubai.” “Its location on Sheikh Zayed Road and landmark status exemplify the type of properties that Millennium Hotels & Resorts (MEA) strives to add to its portfolio. This announcement is very much in line with our development strategy focused on growth in prime locations in the region.” An AED500m renovation program is already underway and is due to be completed over the next two and half years, including the hotel tower with 568 rooms, suites and apartments, meeting spaces, F&B outlets, and the commercial tower. The hotel is well-placed in the heart of the city, a 5-minute walk from the World Trade Centre, across the road from the Museum of The Future and Dubai Financial Centre, 15 minutes from Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, Dubai Mall, and 10 minutes from Dubai International airport.

Wego revealed the top booking trends for Ramadan. Ramadan is just around the corner, and with it comes a surge in demand for hotel bookings across the UAE. Ramadan brings in a vast number of tourists and locals alike, looking to indulge in the traditions, customs, and festivities that are part and parcel of this holy month. Travellers worldwide are showing an increased willingness to venture beyond their immediate surroundings, leading to a rise in travel-related activities. Spike in Airfare Rates As we enter the month of Ramadan, airfares from the UAE are expected to increase compared to the same period last year. Cheap flights may be harder to come by as the prices for flights to India and the UK have already risen between 13 to 32 percent, according to our data. This year’s Ramadan is coinciding with school breaks, which could be a reason for the instant spike in travel demand. We expect to see a further increase in airfares as we approach the Eid break. We saw that the price for flights to India, for instance, have increased to Dh713.06, up from Dh627.37 in 2022. Similarly, travel to the UK and popular European destinations also experienced rate hikes compared to February 2022. High occupancy rates for hotels Dubai’s hospitality sector saw a strong rebound in 2022 after the COVID pandemic, with 14.36 million international visitors arriving in the emirate and daily occupancy remained over 70% throughout the year.  Due to a busy event schedule and the upcoming Ramadan season, hotel rooms in Dubai have experienced slight price increase and limited availability compared to last year. Many hotels were close to full occupancy due to conferences and the …