Connect Worldwide (CWW), a global leader in marketing and sales solutions for hotel brands and tourism destinations announced a strategic partnership with Buzz Travel Marketing which operates a tourism marketing office in the United Arab Emirates. This partnership strengthens CWW’s global presence and reinforces its commitment to expanding international market reach for clients. Strategic Partnership Overview Buzz Travel Marketing supports destination organizations, travel suppliers and tourism companies in achieving measurable, high-impact results through: • Insight-driven strategy development • Market-access and business-growth solutions • Deep analysis and innovative marketing approaches • Real-world expertise and strong industry relationships The Buzz Travel Marketing team brings extensive tourism experience and long-standing partnerships with tour operators, travel media, digital influencers, airlines and key stakeholders across the Middle East. “We are thrilled to welcome Buzz Travel Marketing to CWW Connect Worldwide,” Eric Otto, Founder & CEO, Connect Worldwide “Their expertise in destination marketing will be an invaluable asset as we pursue the growth objectives of our destination clients. This partnership significantly enhances our global sales and marketing capabilities.” “We are honored to join Connect Worldwide and contribute to its mission of delivering best-in-class solutions, at a time when brands are looking for deeper market engagement and stronger global representation”  SanJeet, Director Buzz Travel Marketing. “This collaboration allows us to combine Buzz’s on-ground expertise with CWW’s international reach, creating meaningful opportunities for destinations and travel brands to grow visibility, trade partnerships and long-term business across the region.”

Emirates and Air Peace have activated a bilateral interline agreement, expanding air connectivity between Africa, the UAE, and London. The agreement offers passengers of both airlines frictionless, single-ticket travel and with through-checked baggage, on select routes, resulting in greater travel comfort and convenience for customers. Beyond the 13 cities in Nigeria* already available for Emirates passengers on Air Peace’s network, the enhanced interline agreement now enables travellers to connect with Banjul in Gambia and Dakar in Senegal, both via Abidjan; and with Freetown in Sierra Leone and Monrovia in Liberia, both via Accra. The additional gateways allow more passengers in Africa to access Emirates world-class product and services, and vast global network. The agreement allows Air Peace to connect its extensive West and Central African route system into Emirates’ hub in Dubai, and on key destinations including London Heathrow, London Gatwick and London Stansted, Abidjan, Accra and, of course, Lagos. With huge demand for travel between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, providing Air Peace passengers with increased choice, flexibility, and global reach. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer said, “Enhancing our interline partnership with Air Peace allows us to expand our footprint across more of Africa, creating new opportunities for people to fly better with Emirates, while helping international tourists explore more of the region, via Lagos. We remain committed to working with strategic partners such as Air Peace to further strengthen Nigeria’s aviation, tourism and trade sectors.” Nowel Ngala, Chief Commercial Officer, Air Peace, said: “This interline agreement with Emirates represents a major step in Air Peace’s strategic vision to connect Africa more efficiently to global markets. By combining our strong regional presence with Emirates’ extensive international network, …

VFS Global has opened a state-of-the-art Visa Application Centre, to provide an enhanced visa application experience to residents in the State of Kuwait. The new premises feature an increased number of biometric enrolment counters to ensure a faster application process, alongside a refreshed look and feel that provides a comfortable, safe, secure, and privacy-enabled environment for all visitors. Speaking at the inauguration, H.E. Juraj Chmiel, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Kuwait said: “This new visa application centre reflects our commitment to providing efficient, transparent, and user friendly services. We believe that the renewed services of the visa application centre will facilitate easier mobility, supporting cultural exchange, business growth, and deeper people to people connections. Through this Visa Application centre, we look forward to welcoming more travellers to discover natural, historical and cultural beauties as well as modern technologies and health spas of the Czech Republic.” H.E Hans-Christian Freiherr von Reibnitz, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Kuwait said: “VFS Global has been trusted with receiving visa applications for the Federal Republic of Germany since more than 20 years now. Since then, their services have been constantly expanded and improved. As all residents of Kuwait wishing to travel to Germany pass by these premises, I am happy to see them upgraded and truly being welcoming, efficient and comfortable. The best place to start a visit to my home country, Germany!”. Monaz Bilimoria, Regional Head, VFS Global said, “VFS Global shares a long-standing relationship with the Governments of the Czech Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany, and we are excited to unveil this facility in Kuwait. This centre will play a crucial role in effectively catering to the growing …

Qatar Tourism and Visit Qatar delivered a strong performance and sustained strategic momentum in 2025, reinforcing Qatar’s position as a year-round tourism destination. Total visitor arrivals grew 3.7 percent to 5.1 million, with the country welcoming 674,000 visitors in December, a near 16 percent increase on the same month a year earlier, driven by major international events, including the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025. The hospitality sector delivered solid growth across all key indicators. 10.8 million room nights were sold, up 8.6 percent compared to 2024, while total accommodation revenue reached QAR 8.3 billion, representing a 12 percent year-on-year increase. 2025 was defined by strong integrated delivery across marketing, partnerships and events. More than 35 global strategic partnerships were activated, supported by over 95 integrated marketing campaigns across 19 international markets. Qatar Calendar delivered more than 600 events, while the MICE sector welcomed over one million international business visitors and secured 14 international bids for events scheduled across 2026 and 2027. The designation of Doha as the GCC Tourism Capital for 2026 further affirmed Qatar’s regional leadership. Service excellence remained a central priority, marked by the launch of Taste of Qatar, with up to 800 restaurants inspected nationwide and approximately 150 awarded 3-Star certification, alongside continued growth of the MICHELIN Guide Doha. Workforce development advanced at scale, with more than 55,600 Qatar Host and 13,000 Qatar Specialist programme completions delivered since 2022. Digital enablement and operational readiness were also strengthened – through Hayya, which processed nearly one million e-visa applications and supported major events with over 1.1 million ticket scans during the FIFA Arab Cup, with zero critical disruptions. Cruise tourism also advanced, with 72 cruise calls scheduled for the …

Concierge ONE Tourism was recognised as the ‘Fastest Growing Luxury Tour Operator’ at the 8th edition of the Arabian Travel Awards 2025.”Winning at the Arabian Travel Awards is a defining moment for Concierge ONE Tourism, validating our rapid journey from ‘Best Debut’ to ‘Fastest Growing DMC’. This honour highlights our team’s unwavering dedication to curating exceptional, bespoke experiences. The way forward is clear: we will continue to elevate industry standards, expanding our exclusive portfolio.” Ivan Mavrov, Business Development Manager; Concierge ONE Tourism

Oman Air announced the launch of direct flights to Kigali, Rwanda, marking a significant step in strengthening air connectivity between Oman and the African continent. The new route was announced during a formal signing ceremony hosted by His Excellency Saeed Al Mawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology in Muscat, during the official visit of Hon. Amb. Uwihanganye Jean de Dieu, Rwanda Minister of State for Infrastructure; Hon. Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda and Yusuf Murangwa, Minister of Finance & Economic Planning. The Muscat-Kigali service will act as an important facilitator of the growing relationship between Oman and Rwanda, one of East Africa’s leading emerging destinations for both tourism and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions). It will also provide travellers with greater choice and connectivity between the Middle East and Africa, and onwards across Oman Air’s vast network throughout India, Asia Pacific, and Europe. His Excellency Saeed Al Mawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology of the Sultanate of Oman, said, “The launch of direct flights between Muscat and Kigali reflects Oman’s commitment to strengthening international connectivity in support of trade, investment and economic cooperation. Air transport plays a vital role in enabling closer ties between nations, and this new route will support the continued development of relations between Oman and Rwanda, while enhancing Oman’s position as a key regional aviation hub.” Hon. Amb. Uwihanganye Jean de Dieu, Rwanda Minister of State for Infrastructure, added, “Rwanda’s vision is to foster direct connectivity to enable growing cooperation between States which is the objective for establishing Kigali as an international hub for aviation, economic and social activities. The Government of …

Mövenpick Grand Al Bustan Hotel & Convention Centre Dubai was honoured with the title ‘Best Wedding & MICE Hotel’ at the 8th edition of the Arabian Travel Awards 2025. “Winning the Best Wedding & MICE Hotel award once again is a reminder of why we do what we do. It reflects the dedication of our team, the trust of our partners, and the memories our guests allow us to be part of. This recognition encourages us to raise the bar even higher.” Harssh Siingh, Director – Sales & Marketing, Mövenpick Grand Al Bustan Hotel & Convention Centre Dubai

In a special interview with TravTalk ME, Abdulla Yousuf, Director – International Markets at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), highlighted Spain as one of the emirate’s key source markets under its long-term Vision 2030 tourism strategy. Yousuf explained that Spain has been identified as a high-potential European market, prompting DCT Abu Dhabi to roll out targeted initiatives aimed at strengthening trade engagement and destination awareness. These include hosting familiarisation trips for Spanish travel partners, launching dedicated e-learning programmes, and maintaining regular communication through market-specific newsletters. “Being present at FITUR brings us closer to achieving our vision,” Yousuf said, emphasising the importance of direct engagement with partners. During the event, DCT Abu Dhabi conducted multiple training sessions for Spanish tour operators to enhance product knowledge and improve destination sellability. Further reinforcing these efforts, DCT Abu Dhabi was invited by the Confederation of Spanish Travel Agencies to participate in a special networking event with Spanish agents, offering an additional platform to showcase Abu Dhabi’s diverse tourism offering. Supporting this market development is strong air connectivity growth. Yousuf noted that year-on-year capacity between Abu Dhabi and Spain has increased by over 29% through the emirate’s national carriers, significantly improving access and strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position in the Spanish outbound travel market.

Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and Informa have signed a partnership agreement to create a new business, inD. inD brings together a portfolio of more than 40 major B2B brands serving a range of high growth market categories, including Healthcare (WHX), Energy (Middle East Energy), Aviation (Dubai Airshow), Food & Beverage (Gulfood), Information & Communications Technology (GITEX Global) and Information Security (GISEC). These brands are expected to deliver revenues of more than US$650 million in 2026, with a strong pipeline of forward growth as demand for high impact, B2B live experiences continues to rise. This new partnership business combines DWTC’s leadership in global B2B event IPs with Informa’s international scale and expertise to accelerate growth across the UAE, the wider super-region, and internationally – further enhancing Dubai’s position as a leading global hub for B2B Live Events and innovation. B2B Live Events play a vital role in convening industries, thought leaders and decision makers to foster innovation and stimulate growth and investment. They enable companies to access new markets, showcase products and services and build lasting partnerships. The formation of inD comes at a pivotal moment, as Dubai significantly increasing its world-class venue capacity, with the expansion at Dubai Exhibition Centre delivering 140,000 square metres of event capacity in 2026 further cementing its position as one of the most dynamic and innovative markets for B2B Live Events. The first inD brand to run in 2026 will be Gulfood (26-30 January), which will be hosted at an unprecedented increased scale across DWTC’s two flagship venues, the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre (DICEC) and Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC), for the first time, welcoming over 8,500 exhibitors, showcasing 1.5 million products from 195 countries. …

Dubai Holding announced the acquisition of the five-star Jumeirah Mallorca in Spain. The property, which has been successfully operated under Jumeirah for several years, will continue to be managed by Jumeirah, Dubai Holding’s flagship hospitality brand and global luxury hotel company. Jumeirah Mallorca is a world-class luxury retreat featuring 121 rooms, situated on the northwest coast of Mallorca. Offering panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea and the UNESCO-listed Serra de Tramuntana mountain range, the property has received the prestigious LEED Platinum certification, highlighting its commitment to sustainability and environmental performance. Dubai Holding plans to invest in further enhancing the product offering at the property with the ambition of positioning the asset as one of Jumeirah’s flagship destinations in the wider Mediterranean region. The acquisition reflects Dubai Holding’s strategy of investing in high-quality assets across key international markets, supporting the Group’s long-term vision of building a diversified and resilient global portfolio. Amit Kaushal, Group Chief Executive Officer at Dubai Holding, said: “This acquisition represents a strategic addition to our growing global hospitality portfolio and underscores our commitment to invest in high-quality assets that enhance long-term value for Dubai Holding. Jumeirah Mallorca embodies the exceptional standards and guest experience associated with both Dubai Holding Hospitality and Jumeirah. As we continue to expand our footprint in world-class destinations, we remain focused on optimising performance across our portfolio and creating sustainable value through disciplined growth.” Dubai Holding Hospitality’s latest acquisition in Mallorca expands its ownership portfolio to 34 hotels and resorts, including five Jumeirah hotels across Europe. The company’s portfolio encompasses a range of world-class hospitality brands, including Bvlgari Hotel Dubai, a distinguished F&B offering and its flagship homegrown luxury hotel company, Jumeirah, which operates 29 …