Cozmo Travel signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Moroccan National Tourism Office. This partnership marks a significant milestone for Cozmo Travel as it expands its reach into promoting destinations in the African continent. The signing ceremony was attended by senior officials from both organizations, including Mr. Jamal Abdulnazar, CEO of Cozmo Travel, and Mr. Adel El Fakir, CEO of the Morocco Tourism Board. The MoU outlines the collaboration between the two entities in promoting and facilitating tourism to Morocco from GCC & India. This partnership will help to create new business opportunities, enhance customer experiences, and boost economic growth in all countries involved. Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Jamal Abdulnazar, CEO of Cozmo Travel, said, “We are thrilled to sign this MoU with the Morocco Tourism Board, which demonstrates our commitment to expanding our footprint in the African market. Morocco is a unique destination that offers a rich cultural heritage, stunning landscapes, and a diverse range of experiences for travelers. We are excited to work with the Morocco Tourism Board to promote the country’s tourism offerings and showcase the best of what it has to offer to our customers.” With this partnership, Cozmo Travel and the Morocco Tourism Board aim to leverage their respective strengths to drive tourism growth and provide unique travel experiences to their customers. Cozmo Travel’s extensive network, expertise in travel management, and digital capabilities, coupled with the Morocco Tourism Board’s wealth of knowledge and resources, make for a powerful alliance that will benefit both organizations and their customers. As the travel industry continues to recover from the impact of the pandemic, partnerships like this one are vital to support the industry’s growth and provide …

Elaf Group participated in the ‘Future Hospitality Investment Summit – Saudi Arabia 2023’, which was held from May 7 to 9, 2023, in the capital city of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh. This year’s summit assembled a huge number of leaders and officials from countries across the globe as well as renowned investors, business owners, developers and operators in the hospitality and hotel services sector, making it the largest edition in the history of this significant event for the region’s hospitality sector. As the event draws industry leaders from around the world, Elaf Group highlighted its most notable hotel services and products as well as the most recent additions to its hotel facilities in Saudi Arabia. The event served as a platform to address challenges and opportunities, promote sustainability and innovation, and enable entrepreneurship in the hospitality sector and shape the future of hospitality in the KSA and the region. During the event, Majed Kaki, Vice President of Elaf Travel and Tourism at Elaf Group participated in the panel discussion titled ‘The Saudi Private Sector and the Saudi Vision 2030’, centred on the private sector’s contribution to the development and growth of tourism sector and execution of developmental projects. In addition, he emphasised the opportunities and possibilities for the expansion of tourism, hospitality and hotel services sectors and reinforced their role as significant private economic contributors in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. He further highlighted Elaf Group’s plans to develop its hotel services and products, modify and expand its hospitality facilities in line with the ambitious national plans for tourism, and ensure readiness to welcome more visitors, tourists, pilgrims and Umrah performers. Kaki said: “Elaf Group …

SAUDIA and Lumi, announce a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the provision of an array of benefits for members of SAUDIA’s ALFURSAN loyalty program. With a fleet of around 25,000 cars, Lumi is one of the Kingdom’s top-performing rental companies with a commitment to embracing digitisation and innovative technology for a highly personalised and intuitive service. SAUDIA has recently announced several new partnerships to further bolster its ALFURSAN loyalty program to provide a range of unprecedented benefits to members. This included the opportunity to redeem more miles through the introduction of the “Reward” and “Reward Plus” categories. Essam Akhonbay, VP Marketing & Product Management at SAUDIA, commented: “Our partnership with Lumi is further testament to our dedication to working with best-in-class partners to deliver a truly seamless traveller experience. The collaboration also forms a vital part of the complete transformation of the ALFURSAN loyalty program and we hope that this latest MoU will further support our aim to grant more exclusive benefits than ever before whilst rewarding our highly valued guests for their continued loyalty.” Azfar Shakeel, Chief Executive officer of Lumi, commented: “We are delighted to announce this MoU with SAUDIA, and we are excited to be offering the opportunity for our car rental customers to participate in and benefit from the ALFURSAN loyalty program. This is another important step in our ambitious growth journey, as we build our network of blue-chip partners across the Kingdom – spurring the expansion of our business and widening the opportunity set for our customers. We look forward to working closely with the SAUDIA team on what we are sure will be a long and fruitful collaboration.”

Dubai Municipality has further expanded its beach tourism offering with the opening of three new beaches for night swimming in Jumeirah 2, Jumeirah 3 and Umm Suqeim 1. The 800-metre-long night-swimming beaches feature lighting systems, which enable residents and tourists to swim around the clock, and electronic screens that display content aimed at increasing safety awareness among beachgoers. His Excellency Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality said: “The new night-swimming beaches are part of Dubai Municipality’s efforts to contribute to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make the emirate the world’s best place to live and visit. The initiative also forms part of the Municipality’s beach development plan aimed at providing distinctive experiences. The new facilities will further raise Dubai’s status as a beach tourism destination. Dubai Municipality will continue to develop the emirate’s picturesque beaches into some of the city’s most compelling outdoor attractions.” The emirate’s wide diversity of beaches, each with its own unique charm, provide people the opportunity to enjoy vibrant seaside dining and diverse activities. The beaches are key attractions that form part of Dubai’s unique tourism, lifestyle and leisure proposition for residents and visitors. In collaboration with its partners, Dubai Municipality has developed unique new facilities to improve the experience of beachgoers including lighting systems and electronic screens that allow them to swim securely 24/7. The beaches have qualified lifeguards outfitted with state-of-the-art rescue and emergency instruments to ensure the highest safety benchmarks. Night swimming timelines at the beaches will be from sunset to sunrise, the Municipality said. To enhance safety, Dubai Municipality recommends that …

Taking a step forward in its drive to offer customers the convenience and assurance of digitally enabled travel journeys, Emirates will require most passengers departing Dubai to use a mobile boarding pass instead of a printed paper version, from 15 May onwards. Passengers checking in at Terminal 3 will receive their mobile boarding pass via email or SMS. Passengers who check in online can load their boarding pass into their Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, or retrieve their boarding pass on the user-friendly Emirates App. The checked-in baggage receipt is also emailed directly to passengers, or available in the Emirates App. This initiative will significantly reduce paper waste while simultaneously offering a convenient and speedy digitised check in experience for passengers departing Dubai. It reduces the risk of lost or misplaced boarding passes, giving passengers peace of mind when travelling. The mobile boarding pass can be used throughout the travel journey – in Dubai Duty Free, at security and for boarding, simply by showing the boarding pass on the phone. Emirates agents and airport staff will simply scan the QR code on the mobile boarding pass as passengers move through the airport and onto the aircraft. Some passengers may still require a physical boarding pass to be printed – for instance when travelling with infants, unaccompanied minors, passengers requiring special assistance, passengers with onwards flights on other airlines, and all passengers travelling on flights to the US. The option to print a boarding pass is available by request to Emirates agents at check-in counters, if passengers do not have a mobile device, or if they are unable to access the information on their devices for reasons such as: running out …

Dur Hospitality and Memar Development & Investment have signed an agreement to operate two hotels in Makkah under the brand Nur by Makarem. The two hotels are among Dur Hospitality’s first Nur by Makarem properties.  The first hotel, Nur Al Naseem, is located in Makkah’s Al Naseem district and includes 124 rooms and suites, as well as a restaurant, café, and various amenities. Commenting on this milestone, Dur CEO, Mr. Sultan Al-Otaibi said:” Nur by Makarem brand is redefining the experience of affordable hotels in Saudi Arabia to meet the growing demand for this category of hotels. The brand will add value and diversity to the hospitality options in the holy cities in line with the Saudi government’s strategy to scale up spiritual hospitality offerings as per Saudi Vision 2030. It will also leverage Saudi heritage hospitality while complying with international standards.” Dur Hospitality’s President of Hotels Operations,  Mr. Hassan Al Ahdab stated: “Nur by Makarem will renovate, convert, and operate the hotel while upgrading the hospitality experience, capitalizing on the heritage, vast potential, and world-class services of Makarem. This concept presents an excellent opportunity for hotel owners and operators in Makkah and Madinah to revitalize their hotels with a new modern and sophisticated look.” Speaking on this occasion, CEO of Memar Development & Investment, Eng. Abdulaziz Al-Muqran said: “ Our company’s strategic priorities as a real estate developer in the hospitality sector focus on developing great hotels in strategic locations in various regions of the Kingdom, providing properties that meet market needs, and signing management and operation agreements with leading local and international hotel operators. We are pleased to be signing a partnership agreement with a leading hospitality company …

Cozmo Travel has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) during the Arabian Travel Market 2023 for the second year in a row. The signing of the MoU was a significant achievement for Cozmo Travel and STA, as it signifies their continued collaboration to promote Saudi Arabia as a top travel destination for tourists from around the world. This year’s agreement builds on the successful partnership established between Cozmo Travel and STA in the previous year, which has contributed to the growth of Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry. Cozmo Travel’s CEO, Jamal Abdulnazar, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership with STA, stating that “the MoU reflects our shared commitment to promoting Saudi Arabia as a world-class tourist destination. We are excited to continue working with the Saudi Tourism Authority to showcase the unique beauty and rich cultural heritage of this remarkable country.” As part of the MoU, Cozmo Travel will offer exclusive travel packages and tour itineraries to travelers looking to explore the kingdom’s most iconic destinations, including its stunning natural landscapes, historic sites, and vibrant cities. Moreover, the collaboration will also focus on enhancing the tourist experience by facilitating dynamic travel arrangements, including visa processing, transportation, and accommodation to travelers through the expansive Cozmo Travel Network of branches and outlets across 11 countries. The partnership between Cozmo Travel and STA highlights the growing importance of the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia and the region. As the country continues to invest in its tourism infrastructure and diversify its economy, Cozmo Travel is proud to be a key player in promoting this vision. Overall, the signing of the MoU between Cozmo Travel and STA is a testament …

Saudi Entertainment Ventures (SEVEN), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has signed a second licensed agreement with Hasbro, Inc. a global branded entertainment leader. Under the agreement, SEVEN will bring the Transformers brand to its entertainment destinations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The agreement follows an earlier announcement of a licensed agreement between to the two parties for the world’s first PLAY-DOH attractions. SEVEN have partnered with AOA, an industry leader in immersive experience design and production, to develop the Transformers attractions which will provide thrilling and highly immersive experiences for people of all ages. Spanning over 10,000 square metres, the first Transformers attraction will open at SEVEN’s entertainment destination in the Al Hamra district of Riyadh, with two additional attractions set to open at other SEVEN’s entertainment destinations. The Transformers ride-based attractions will feature thrilling state-of-the-art rides and captivating environments that will have guests fully immersed in the action-packed world of the iconic brand. To complete the overall visitor experience, there will be branded retail, including specially developed merchandise, and themed food and beverage venues, leaving guests feeling as though they have stepped into the Transformers universe. Abdullah Al Dawood, Chairman, SEVEN, said: “We are delighted to once again be partnering with Hasbro to bring this iconic brand to the Kingdom. We continue to cement our position as the national champion of the Kingdom’s entertainment sector, strengthening the entertainment ecosystem with our strategic partnerships to bring a wide range of attractions for the people of Saudi Arabia to enjoy.” Matt Proulx, VP, Location Based Entertainment at Hasbro, Inc. said: “By partnering with SEVEN in the Kingdom, we can bring even more truly unique experiences …

The Emirates Group released its 2022-23 Annual Report, reporting its most profitable year ever on the back of strong demand across its businesses. Emirates achieved new record profits, a complete turnaround from its loss position last year. Both Emirates and dnata saw significant revenue increases in 2022-23 as the Group expanded its air transport and travel-related operations following the removal of nearly all pandemic-related restrictions around the world. For the financial year ended 31 March 2023, the Emirates Group posted a record profit of AED 10.9 billion (US$ 3.0 billion) compared with an AED 3.8 billion (US$ 1.0 billion) loss for last year. The Group’s revenue was AED 119.8 billion (US$ 32.6 billion), an increase of 81% over last year’s results. The Group’s cash balance was AED 42.5 billion (US$ 11.6 billion), the highest ever reported, up 65% from last year mainly due to strong demand across its core business divisions and markets. HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates airline and Group, said: “We’re proud of our 2022-23 performance which is not only a full recovery, but also a record result. This achievement would not have been possible without HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, whose leadership has been critical to our success today and through the years. The architect of Dubai’s progressive economic policies, HH Sheikh Mohammed is also the engine behind the Emirates Group’s trajectory. Without his drive and support, Emirates will be half the size of what we are today.” He added: I’m proud of the Emirates Group’s performance for 2022-23, and our contribution to the restoration of air transport and tourism across the markets …

Emirates announced it has committed US$ 200 million to fund research and development (R&D) projects focussed on reducing the impact of fossil fuels in commercial aviation.  This is the biggest single commitment by any airline on sustainability, with funds to be disbursed over 3 years. Emirates will identify partnerships with leading organisations working on solutions in advanced fuel and energy technologies. Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “We are ring-fencing US$ 200 million to invest in advanced fuel and energy solutions for aviation, which is where airlines currently face the biggest impediment in reducing our environmental impact. We looked long and hard at the reality we face in commercial aircraft and engine technology, fuel supply chain, and our industry’s regulatory and eco-system requirements. It’s clear that with the current pathways available to airlines in terms of emissions reduction, our industry won’t be able to hit net zero targets in the prescribed timeline. “We believe our industry needs better solutions, and that’s why we’re looking to partner with leading organisations on R&D. Our aim is to contribute meaningfully to practical solutions for the long-term sustainability of commercial aviation.” Sir Tim added: “Until viable solutions can be found, Emirates will continue to implement environmentally responsible practices throughout our business, including uplifting SAF where feasible, ensuring efficient fleet operations, and inducting modern aircraft into our fleet. Our US$ 200 million fund is earmarked for R&D, and not for operating costs like the purchase of SAF or carbon offsets to tick regulatory boxes – activities we consider business-as-usual.” Emirates’ Environmental Sustainability Executive Steering Group will oversee disbursements from the fund, with support from technical experts. Emirates’ long-standing environmental policy and strategy focusses its activities on 3 …