Beond Airline in Saudi Arabia has selected Almosafer as the exclusive general sales agent (GSA) in Saudi Arabia. Almosafer will lead Beond’s sales, promotions and ground staff activities in Saudi Arabia through its dedicated service solution Almosafer Business, leveraging the large customer base across Almosafer’s businesses including the consumer segment, Discover Saudi, the destination management company,and Mawasim, the Hajj and Umrah tour operator. Under the agreement, Almosafer Business will handle the reservations, transactions and administration relating to general sales for Beond. Beond’s fleet is comprised of an all-premium cabin configuration that delivers maximum comfort, elegance and style. It plans to operate a non-stop route between Riyadh and Malé. The newly launched airline has set out to capitalise on the ever-increasing demand for travel from KSA to the archipelago in the Indian Ocean, which as a destination has seen a steady influx of visitors from the Saudi market, especially in the luxury segment. Tero Taskila, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Beond, said: “Beond is pleased to be represented by Almosafer in Saudi Arabia. They have the standards, experience and consumer trust necessary to offer Beond’s premium leisure experience to discerning customers in the Saudi market.” Muzzammil Ahussain, Chief Executive Officer of Almosafer, said: “The Maldives is a very popular destination for Saudi travellers and a very important market for our company. At a time where travellers are increasingly looking for exclusive and meaningful experiences, we are delivering on our commitment to our customers and partners by offering a wide range of products and services that cater to their needs. We look forward to working with Beond to provide our customers with premium experiences.” This year, there has been increasingly strong …

Air Astana launched a new direct air services from Almaty to Tel Aviv. The new flight is scheduled to operate twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays using Airbus A321LR aircraft. The outbound service from Almaty has a flight time of 6 hours 45 minutes, with the return flight from Tel Aviv taking 5 hours and 50 minutes. The cost of a round-trip Economy ticket starts from US$603 and Business Class ticket starts from US$1438. Israeli citizens can stay in Kazakhstan visa-free for up to 30 days. This new route is destined to strengthen business, trade, cultural and tourism links between the two countries. Almaty, nestled at the foothills of the majestic Tien Shan mountains, is the largest city in Kazakhstan and beckons international travelers with its unique blend of culture, nature, and history. Almaty’s cultural tapestry is a testament to its diverse heritage, where Eastern and Western influences converge. Visitors can immerse themselves in the city’s vibrant arts scene, explore captivating museums, and indulge in the flavors of Central Asian cuisine. Nature enthusiasts will be captivated by the city’s proximity to pristine mountain landscapes, offering opportunities for hiking, skiing, and breathtaking vistas.

Air France-KLM Group and Etihad Airways signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aiming at enhancing their collaboration opportunities across passenger operations, loyalty programmes, talent development, and maintenance. Through this partnership, and subject to any necessary regulatory approvals, Air France-KLM and Etihad contemplate expanding their codeshare and interline agreements initiated in 2012. As a first step, more than 40 new routes covering destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Australia have been made available for booking as of today, for travel as early as the winter 2023 season. The signing ceremony took place at the Air France-KLM Group’s headquarters in Paris, France in the presence of Angus Clarke, Chief Commercial Officer, Air France-KLM, and Arik De, Chief Revenue Officer, Etihad Airways. The MoU also proposes the ability for frequent flyers of both Flying Blue and Etihad Guest to earn and redeem miles with Air France, KLM, and Etihad. The airlines will also explore terminal co-location, reciprocal lounge access and ground handling, among other initiatives. Etihad currently operates daily flights to both Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam Schiphol from Abu Dhabi international airport. Air France will start operating daily flights between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Abu Dhabi International Airport from October 29, 2023. Angus Clarke, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Air France-KLM, said: “I’m delighted to further develop our partnership with Etihad Airways. This 11-year collaboration is now expanding even further, as we aim to explore opportunities in maintenance and loyalty, in addition to enhancing our route network for the benefit of our customers from all around the world. The attractiveness of Abu Dhabi as a destination and a hub, powered by Etihad’s large footprint spanning South and …

Nestled along the pristine shores of the Red Sea, the vibrant and cosmopolitan city of Jeddah is set to welcome football enthusiasts from across the globe, as it gears up to host the iconic FIFA Club World Cup presented by Visit Saudi from 12 – 22 December 2023. The historic announcement comes ahead of the competition draw, which took place today the 5th of September – a pivotal event that will chart the potential paths to glory for participating teams, Al Ahly, Al-Ittihad, Auckland City, Manchester City, Leon, and Urawa Red Diamonds, as well as the CONMEBOL winners, which will be known on 4 November 2023. With Saudi team Al-Hilal reaching the semi-final of the FIFA Club World Cup in 2022, Saudi-based team, Al-Ittihad will be looking to repeat and build on the success of their countrymen as they welcome the 7-team tournament to Jeddah. As the most played and followed sport in the country, football holds a special place in the heart of Saudis, with levels of participation that continue to surge across all age groups. The country is also home to some of the most passionate football supporters on the planet, fuelled by the success of the men’s football team in Asia and a club fanbase infrastructure that rivals some of the largest leagues in the world. Over the past few years, Saudi has made historic strides in broadening female access and participation in football, establishing female football clubs, and promoting initiatives and incentives aimed at increasing female attendance at domestic and international football games. Additionally, Saudi Arabia has become a major global sports hub, with Jeddah at its heart, boasting a diverse cultural calendar, that includes events …

Arabian Travel Market has unveiled its next theme: ‘Empowering Innovation: Transforming Travel Through Entrepreneurship.’ The 31st edition of the show will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from Monday 6 to Thursday 9 May 2024. Over the last 15 years, the travel and tourism industry has secured only 1 percent of total funding for startups across all industries, according to analysis from McKinsey. This is despite the fact that the sector accounted for more than 10 percent of global GDP in 2019. With exhibitors from the fields of aviation, accommodation, hospitality, attractions, technology and more, ATM 2024 will explore how innovators in the travel and tourism space are working to attract greater levels of funding to further increase the sector’s overall contribution to global GDP. The 31st edition of ATM will once again host policymakers, industry leaders and travel professionals from across the Middle East and beyond, encouraging them to forge new relationships, exchange knowledge and identify innovations with the potential to reshape the future of global travel and tourism. From startups to established brands, the upcoming show will highlight how innovators are enhancing customer experiences, driving efficiencies and accelerating progress towards a net-zero future for the industry. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director, Arabian Travel Market, said: “The Middle East’s travel and tourism sector has demonstrated impressive resilience and growth in recent years, but we must continue to innovate and adapt in order to achieve the industry’s long-term goals. Thanks to ATM 2024’s theme, ‘Transforming Travel Through Entrepreneurship’, we have a golden opportunity to showcase expert insights, cutting-edge technologies and commercial opportunities with the potential to completely reshape the sector.” Building on ATM 2023’s theme of ‘Working Towards Net …

Emirates announces a significant expansion in its codeshare partnership with United, to include nine destinations in Mexico. Emirates customers will now have access to eight new destinations in the country, in addition to Mexico City, which the airline also serves. The expansive codeshare network between Emirates and United currently includes a host of US cities and Mexico becomes the first country outside of the US to be added to the growing network. The codeshare partnership enables customers to enjoy flexibility and choice with smooth connections, allowing passengers flying on Emirates to two points in the US, either Chicago or Houston, to connect onwards to exciting leisure destinations in Mexico. The new Mexican points include Cancun, Cozumel, Monterrey, Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, San Jose Del Cabo, Leon/Guanajuato, and Queretaro. Furthermore, the codeshare partnership also provides more flexibility on flight timings, giving Emirates customers flying to Mexico City more options when choosing flights. Depending on travel plans, passengers can opt to fly to the Mexican capital using Emirates daily services from Dubai with a stop in Barcelona, or separately book codeshare flights to Mexico City. The expansion of the codeshare network also enables customers flying from the nine points in Mexico to fly to destinations on the airline’s network, via Chicago or Houston. Tickets to codeshare destinations in Mexico are available via emirates.com and preferred travel agencies, for travel starting on 14 September. The newly-expanded network of Mexican destinations now available to Emirates customers is expected to be popular amongst customers from the Middle East, India and South Africa, to name a few. The most frequented destinations for global travellers embarking from points in Mexico include India, Israel, UAE, South Africa and select …

Expo City Dubai is pioneering advancements in new technologies and elevating its position as an Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovation hub with the launch of the region’s first Artificial Intelligence Film Festival (AIFF), which will explore the potential of AI technology to enhance creative storytelling and advance the filmmaking landscape. The hybrid AIFF, hosted by Expo City Dubai with a dedicated website to enable virtual visitors to explore the festival remotely, will be the region’s premier event to celebrate and propel the convergence of cinema and AI, underlining the symbiotic relationship between human creativity and technology. It establishes Expo City Dubai as the epicentre of AI innovation, a future-focused community and a global platform for collaboration on big ideas. AIFF will span almost six months of dynamic experiences, including a global competition, innovative film screenings, engaging panel discussions featuring renowned AI experts and filmmakers, and hands-on workshops offering insights into AI integration in film production – all showcasing how AI can be used to enhance the filmmaking process. The competition opens today, with professional and amateur film creators from around the world invited to submit a short film that includes AI-generated content. The winning entries will be showcased at an awards ceremony on 29 February 2024. Marjan Faraidooni, Chief of Education and Culture, Expo City Dubai, said: “As a driver of innovation and a hub for AI exploration and development, Expo City Dubai is proud to unveil the Artificial Intelligence Film Festival – a demonstration of our ongoing commitment to put humanity at the centre of technological innovation. “The first in a long line of initiatives, AIFF will explore the relationship between creativity and technology, between human ingenuity and artificial intelligence. …

Hamad International Airport (DOH), in partnership with Atos and Royal Schiphol Group, introduces Passenger Digital Assistance Kiosks to enable seamless journeys for travellers. The kiosks will provide easy access to information, assist in navigation and help passengers through live video calls to customer service agents. Commenting on the new passenger experience, Mr. Suhail Kadri, Senior Vice President of Technology and Innovation at Hamad International Airport said: “The new Passenger Digital Assistance Kiosks are part of our overarching digital strategy to transform passenger experiences. We are committed to investing in the latest technology and innovative solutions; to create the most seamless airport experience for all passengers traveling from and to Hamad International Airport, we are working with industry innovation leaders such as Atos and Royal Schiphol Group.” Marc Veelenturf, CEO of Middle East and Turkey at Atos said: “Together with our strategic partner Schiphol, we are proud to have successfully delivered this solution at Hamad International Airport to improve the digital passenger experience, and to manage passenger flow more effectively especially during the airport’s critical peak periods.” The kiosks are multilingual with 20 language options, with the airport map for wayfinding. They provide information related to flights, airport services, retail and F&B outlets and passenger events at the airport. Hamad International Airport will continue to add new and strong partnerships to its portfolio with the aim to introduce innovative solutions and advanced technologies, as part of its commitment to being the industry leader, setting the benchmark for the airport industry and expanding beyond traditional solutions, to deliver an exceptionally memorable passenger experience for all travellers.

Marriott International, Inc. reinforced its long-term commitment to Türkiye with the announcement of 13 deal signings comprising over 2,000 rooms.  The signings are expected to further enhance the company’s footprint in the country where it currently has a portfolio of 48 properties and nearly 8,000 rooms across 21 brands. “As one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in the world, Türkiye continues to provide the company with opportunities to further diversify its portfolio across primary, secondary, and tertiary markets in the country,” said Marriott International Chief Development Officer – Europe, Middle East & Africa Jerome Briet. “These deal signings are a testament to the trust owners and franchisees have in Marriott International and the strong demand for our captivating portfolio of brands in the Turkish market.” The projects announced by Marriott International include the introduction of Fairfield Inn by Marriott in Türkiye with the signing of the 192-room Fairfield by Marriott Istanbul Yenibosna. Plans for the property include an effortlessly relaxed and efficient hotel design paired with a contemporary aesthetic.  The project will be a part of a mixed-use development in the Yenibosna district, which will also feature the 90-room Residence Inn by Marriott Istanbul Yenibosna.  Both properties are projected to open in 2025. Residence Inn by Marriott continues to meet demand for longer-stay accommodation in the country.  The company also signed Residence Inn by Marriott Istanbul Piyalepasa, which will form part of Piyalepaşa Istanbul, a 450,000sqm mixed-use development in downtown Istanbul.  Plans for the development also include the Courtyard by Marriott Istanbul Piyalepasa.  Both properties combined will offer 329 rooms when they open in 2026. Following the recent debut of Marriott Executive Apartments in Türkiye with Marriott Executive Apartments …

The Qatar Research, Development and Innovation (QRDI) Council’s flagship program, Qatar Open Innovation (QOI), has recently announced three Innovation Opportunities in collaboration with MATAR. Through Innovation Opportunities, QRDI Council has partnered with MATAR, the Qatar Company for Airports Operation and Management, to drive innovation within Qatar and tackle major asset management challenges. the launch of three innovation challenges aimed at finding groundbreaking solutions to critical issues faced by the aviation and sustainability industries. Playing a critical role in managing and operating Hamad International Airport (DOH) since the facility’s inception in 2014, MATAR continues to elevate the aviation industry with its renowned forward plans and investments – winning multiple awards and accolades in the process. Mrs. Haya Al-Ghanim, RDI Program Director at QRDI Council, commented: “Here at QRDI Council, our mission is to support the sustainable management of Qatar’s innovation echo systems through research and technological solutions. Our vision aligns with the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Second National Development Strategy is to create a locally empowered, globally connected RDI ecosystem that propels Qatar’s social and economic future.” “We are excited to collaborate with MATAR and announce the first three of these pioneering challenges, which aim to increase accessibility for persons with disabilities, enhance customer experience in car parking facilities, and enable predictive management capabilities for asset intensive industries. Together, we are shaping a brighter and more inclusive future for Qatar and beyond,” she added. Suhail Kamil Kadri, Senior Vice President of Technology and Innovation at Hamad International Airport, said: “We stand at the intersection of digital innovation crafting a future that elevates the industry and customer experience. Through our collaboration with QRDI Council, our vision resonates with Qatar’s commitment …