Flyadeal is continuing its aggressive expansion with the announcement of 12 additional European and regional destinations this summer. Gearing up for the upcoming summer peak holiday season, flyadeal is introducing a combined 49 scheduled flights a week from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam to eight countries — Egypt, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Bosnia, Montenegro, Georgia And Azerbaijan — representing a 127% increase in seasonal capacity on the same summer period last year. The new routes, to be operated by a modern fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft, will boost flyadeal’s international presence to 18 destinations — up from six currently — supplementing a strong domestic network of 17 cities across Saudi Arabia. The Greek island cities of Rhodes and Heraklion will be served for the first time by flyadeal, as will Bosnia’s capital of Sarajevo, Cyprus’s coastal city of Larnaca and port town of Tivat in Montenegro. flyadeal’s presence in Turkey will be significantly increased with four resort cities of Izmir, Antalya, Bodrum and Trabzon joining existing services to Istanbul, and seasonal flights will return from both Riyadh and Jeddah to the popular Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheikh. Baku and Tbilisi, capital cities of Azerbaijan and Georgia respectively, will be served from three Saudi gateways of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. Con Korfiatis, flyadeal Chief Executive Officer, said: “This summer’s expansion represents flyadeal’s highest seasonal capacity increase since we launched the airline just over five years ago. With new direct scheduled services from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, we look forward to spreading our wings to popular European destinations, including four additional points in Turkey, and a return to Sharm el Sheikh for Saudi travellers and expatriates looking for beach and cultural breaks during …

Travelport announced the launch of Smartpoint Cloud on Travelport+. As the only modern retailing platform built for agencies, Travelport+ will now deliver a more intuitive and efficient way for travel agents to sell and service travel, all while increasing sales of higher-value services for suppliers. Through Smartpoint Cloud, agents will be able to easily search, filter, find and create tailored packages to suit every customer type, including fully customizable hotel and flight search options and NDC offers. “Travel agents are the true retailers of our industry, and launching Smartpoint Cloud on Travelport+ will help our partners to deliver more value to both their clients and suppliers,” said Tom Kershaw, Chief Product & Technology Officer at Travelport. “Like any good tech innovation, these tools are simple to use and tackle key challenges faced by the travel advisor community. Smartpoint Cloud will further personalize agent workflows, help drive more revenue, and most importantly, impress customers.” Built with the insight that agencies need to train and onboard new agents, the graphical user interface (GUI) on Travelport+ is designed to provide a more user-friendly, simpler experience that speeds up agent workflow. Agents who prefer to work in a traditional (cryptic) interface have the flexibility to do so. Smartpoint Cloud’s retailing storefront helps agents understand offers and make more informed decisions within the robust offerings of air, hotel, car, and rail content available. It provides better criteria to allow easy comparisons from any source, including both NDC and traditional air content side by side. Smartpoint Cloud also helps provide more transparency on offers, enabling agents to have the relevant information for comparison shopping at their fingertips. Additionally, the newly expanded Trip Quote capabilities integrate both …

Emirates will deploy its signature A380 aircraft to Bali starting from 1 June 2023, marking a milestone in Indonesia’s aviation history as the first A380 service to the country. The new 2-class Emirates A380 service will replace one of the two daily services to Bali currently operated by a 2-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The airline’s debut A380 flight EK368, will depart from Dubai International Airport (DXB) at 03:25 hrs, arriving in Denpasar International Airport (DPS) at 16:35 hrs local time. The returning flight, EK369, will depart Bali at 19:40 hrs, arriving in Dubai at 00:45 hrs local time. All times are local. Tickets can be purchased on emirates.com, the Emirates App, at Emirates sales offices, and via both online and offline travel agents. Travellers are also encouraged to check the Emirates website for the latest travel requirements. Highlighting the deployment of the world’s largest passenger aircraft to Bali, Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer, said: “The Emirates A380 is synonymous with our fly better promise and world-class products and services, and we’re excited to offer our travellers the opportunity to experience its uniqueness and unmatched beauty on flights to and from Bali. Needless to say that we’ve been working closely with our partners at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport to ensure our A380 operations will be seamless and smooth. We’d like to thank the authorities and our partners for all their support. Bali continues to be one of the most popular tourist destinations in our network and strategic markets in Southeast Asia, and the Emirates A380’s debut in Indonesia underscores our long-standing commitment to its travel and tourism sector. We look forward to driving more inbound traffic to the island, …

Great Britain, one of the GCC’s most popular holiday destinations, invites visitors to experience the royal treatment ahead of the Coronation of King Charles III, taking place on Saturday, May 6th, 2023. From estates owned by members of the royal family; to palaces, castles and hotels with royal connections; Britain has a GREAT collection of regal experiences that are fit for a king. Castles, Palaces & Estates Sandringham Garden House – located in the Norfolk Coast of England, the country retreat is used by the Monarch and the royal family for their holidays. The garden house on the estate, listed by Norfolk Hideaways, was the former home of the queen’s head gardener and is available for rent for your clients. Hampton Court Palace Georgian House – built in 1719 at Hampton Court Palace, the Georgian House has been converted into a five-bedroom accommodation stay.  Most palace visitors are typically required to leave the palace grounds at closing, but those staying at the property can continue to explore the spectacular courtyards and gardens. Fun Fact: King Henry VIII was the most famous resident of Hampton Court Palace, along with each of his six wives. Balmoral Castle & Estate – located north of Edinburgh in Cairngorms National Park, the Scottish castle is privately owned by the Royal Family and has been a popular summer retreat for them through the years.  When the royal family is not staying at the castle, visitors can rent one of six self-catering cottages on the royal grounds. Palace of Holyroodhouse – the King’s official residence in Edinburgh and home of Scottish royal history, the Palace of Holyroodhouse stands at the end of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and is …

 The Kingdom of Bahrain has cemented its business-friendly reputation, ranking 1st globally as the ‘Best Destination for Getting Started Abroad’ in 2023, according to the Expat Essentials Index published by InterNations. The milestone ranking of first in the overall index, which places Bahrain firmly ahead of leading countries including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and Canada, is based on a comprehensive survey that analyses the performance of countries across several key indices, resulting in a comparative scale on both regional and international levels. Citing Bahrain as the ‘ideal place for easy beginnings’, the index surveyed foreigners across 52 countries in the world, rating each destination based on vital aspects typically associated with settling into a country. Alongside its global ranking of 1st overall, the Kingdom additionally ranked 1st in MENA and 11th globally for Digital Life, a testament to Bahrain’s advanced financial and digital infrastructure and progressive regulatory framework. The survey scored countries across four key pillars, analyzing aspects including digital readiness, online government services, ease of digital payments, ease of opening a bank account and obtaining a visa, in addition to ease and affordability of housing. Furthermore, the metrics assessed potential language barriers, in terms of ease of living without speaking the local language, for which Bahrain ranked 4th globally, which reaffirms Bahrain’s business friendly environment and talented workforce that combines highly skilled, multi-lingual, hospitable Bahraini nationals alongside a diverse expat talent pool offering a global perspective. Bahrain also ranked 1st in MENA and 3rd globally in ease of opening a bank account. 67% of surveyed expats reported high levels of ease in dealing with local authorities, versus the global average of 40%. Ranking 2nd globally …

A homegrown Qatari brand with ambitions for international expansion, The Outpost Al Barari is designed to help preserve the natural heritage of its surroundings and is a self-proclaimed ode to the country’s history and culture. Recently opened, visitors can learn about local wildlife on a guided desert walk, or simply bask in the beautiful sunshine at one of the resort’s opulent tented villas. Commenting on one of the country’s most exciting and newest luxury hospitality openings, Co-founder of The Outpost Al Barari, Dr. Peter Van de Bunt said: “The Outpost Al Barari brings an entirely new, one-of-a-kind luxury hospitality concept to Qatar by integrating immersive nature experiences, and sustainability into a close-to-nature resort concept. The resort is all about celebrating the rich natural heritage of Qatar and will be an inspiring place for the domestic, regional, and international traveller to get a well-deserved break from the hectic, overworked world and to learn about Qatar’s stunning natural environment.” He added: “Beyond delivering high-end hospitality, our resort takes guests on an adventurous and thoughtful journey with insightful activities, signature wellness treatments and delectable gastronomic experiences. We are excited to welcome visitors and invite them to indulge in one-of-a-kind hospitality experience that they will love and will never forget.” Reflecting on the expansion of the hospitality landscape in Qatar, Haya Al-Noaimi, Head of Marketing and Promotions Sector, Qatar Tourism, said: “The Outpost Al Barari is sure to become one of Qatar’s most prized luxury leisure destinations. In what has already been a banner year for new hotel and entertainment venue openings, this has been one of the country’s most highly awaited new launches. Sustainability is of paramount importance to the tourism sector and …

As the world’s tallest hotel, Ciel is set to become one of the region’s most famous buildings. The property’s incredible rooftop glass observation deck will make it a magnet for locals and international visitors to the city, promoting the hotel as a one-of-a-kind development in one of the world’s most exciting cities. This global profile makes Ciel one of the hottest investment options in our fast-growing portfolio. Reaching a remarkable height of 365 metres, Ciel in Dubai Marina is a stunning development that will set a new global benchmark as the world’s tallest hotel upon completion. The architectural masterpiece is the latest landmark addition to the Marina district’s world-famous skyline, and The First Group’s largest and most luxurious project to date. Designed by award-winning London-based architect NORR, Ciel features a striking design, contemporary interiors and a remarkable glass observation deck, which will offer incredible 360-degree vistas across Dubai Marina, the Palm Jumeirah and the Arabian Gulf.

Radisson Hotel Group continues its strategic digital transformation with the expansion of its innovative real-time, self-service online booking platform for meetings and events. Book it easy is now available across all key conference hotels in EMEA. This best-in-class digital solution allows meeting and event organizers to save hours of precious time when planning for a meeting and booking a venue by making the process faster and more efficient. In response to the rapidly changing meetings and events landscape for which meeting organizers need to book meetings and events ever more swiftly, Radisson Hotel Group’s Book It Easy platform allows planners to organize events seamlessly by simplifying the venue sourcing and booking process online. Planners can simply enter their event details, check real-time availability of meeting spaces, view the room options with ground-breaking 360 technology, book their preferred venue, and receive instant booking confirmation. Book It Easy key functionalities include: 24/7 real-time availability of meeting spaces 360-degree views of rooms Best available rate guaranteed and transparent pricing Custom-made packages, including AV equipment or additional amenities Easy and secure online payment “We are incredibly proud to have launched our Book It Easy tool successfully across key hotels in our EMEA portfolio over the last 12 months. Radisson Hotel Group has a strong reputation for delivering world-class meetings and events facilities, and we are now making the booking process even easier. We conducted extensive research with our valued meetings and events partners to create this new platform and to ensure it includes all the technology and information required for a seamless, real value, and real time experience,” says Chema Basterrechea, Global President and Chief Operations Officer at Radisson Hotel Group. Radisson Hotel Group …

In line with Kuwait Airways’ expansion plans in the Far East, the company announced the inauguration of its new sales office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The company celebrated the opening of the office in the presence of Kuwait Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, Eng. Maen Razouqi with numerous officials attending the event consisting of dignitaries and representatives, headed by the Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to the Kingdom of Malaysia, H.E. Rashid Al-Saleh, and his accompanying delegation, as well as various officials from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia, Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism and Culture, travel and tourism companies, and various media representatives and also included honouring outstanding partners from travel and tourism offices. Speaking on the occasion, Kuwait Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, Eng. Maen Razouqi welcomed the attendees, and extended his sincere thanks to the guests for accepting KAC’s invitation. Razouqi in his speech stated, “Kuwait Airways is pleased and honoured to be present to participate in the inaugural ceremony of its new sales office in Kuala Lumpur and to honour our successful partners. The opening of the office comes within the framework of the Blue Bird’s preparations for the summer season of 2023 and is part of the company’s objectives to expand and launch new destinations to provide the best services to our valued customers, in addition to meeting their requirements. The new office is situated in a distinguished location in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, which is easily accessible to KAC’s customers.” Razouqi added, “Kuala Lumpur is one of Kuwait Airway’s most important destinations. Since its launch in October 2022 with two flights per week, there has been a growing demand from our valued passengers to travel …

Creating a new milestone in its network expansion strategy, SalamAir has announced direct flights to two new destinations Mashhad in Iran and Almaty in Kazakhstan. Mashhad is the third destination in Iran for the airline, with flights to Shiraz and Tehran already in its network, and Almaty is the airline’s first entry into Kazakhstan. Weekly flights from Muscat to Mashhad and Almaty are scheduled for starting from February 21 and 1st July 2023 respectively. These two routes serve a high demand for medical, business, and leisure tourism. The new flights will also offer convenient connections to the SalamAir network. Speaking of the two new routes, Captain Mohamed Ahmed, CEO of SalamAir, said, “Iran has been one of the key focus markets for us, and we are pleased to launch the third destination to the country. The steady bilateral connection and strong cultural and economic ties between Oman and Iran have given significant momentum to our growth plans and enabled the route’s success. Speaking of the 2nd destinations, he added; This is our first introduction into Kazakhstan; the city of Almaty has promising passenger travel into Muscat, and we expect to carry both business travelers and holidaymakers between the two important cities. Oman and Kazakhstan recently agreed to have close bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy, renewable energy, tourism, and food security too thus this route being mutually beneficial.” Mashhad The holly city is the capital of Khorasan province in northeast Iran and the second largest city in the country, Mashhad is best known for the shrine of Imam Reza. Every year, millions of people visit the holy shrine considered the largest and most magnificent of its kind.. Mashhad is …