GCC-based travel conglomerate Kanoo Travel and premium destination management company Desert Adventures Tourism have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a joint venture in Saudi Arabia at Arabian Travel Market 2023. The collaboration brings together two of the largest and most reputable travel trade organisations in the Middle East, aiming to create the most comprehensive destination services company in the region. The joint venture marks a significant milestone in both companies’ history as they combine their expertise, resources, and capabilities to provide travellers with unparalleled travel experiences in Saudi Arabia. Desert Adventures Tourism, managed by Thomas Cook India Group and wholly owned by Fairfax Financial Holdings Canada, has been a leading company and partner of choice for many worldwide tour operators with 25 years of experience in destination management in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Oman. The company has developed a reputation for providing stability, consistency, and quality of service that its partners have come to trust. Kanoo Travel, an esteemed travel company with a legacy spanning over eight decades, offers the most comprehensive and reliable travel solutions. With a focus on corporate travel, Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events (MICE), leisure and holiday travel, airline representation, and marine travel, Kanoo Travel has established itself as a leader in the travel industry. The company’s commitment to delivering exceptional solutions and services has been consistently acknowledged, resulting in numerous regional industry awards. Peter Payet, CEO of Desert Adventures, expressed excitement about the new venture, saying, “We are delighted to partner with Kanoo Travel to provide the most comprehensive destination services in Saudi Arabia. With their extensive local knowledge and resources and our international expertise, we are confident that this …

In her first media briefing ahead of the start of Arabian Travel Market, the new CEO of Jumeirah Group, Katerina Giannouka, shared plans for an evolution of the Jumeirah brand and a commitment to growth in key cities and resort destinations worldwide. With capital assigned to grow its portfolio, as well as refine its existing properties, Jumeirah Group – a member of Dubai Holding – is strategically targeting assets that will align with its new brand expression of luxury hospitality. Europe, Asia and the United States are an important focus, with plans to build a brand presence in major European cities and key gateway destinations, the most recent acquisition being the luxury hospitality company’s first property in Switzerland – Le Richemond in Geneva.  The hotel, which is being fully renovated to open in 2025, will add to Jumeirah’s growing footprint in Europe which includes properties in London, UK; Capri, Italy; and Mallorca, Spain. The emphasis on further expansion comes after a successful year in 2022 and a robust start for the Group in 2023. That, coupled with the brand’s expanding community of loyal guests provides a strong rationale for growth. Jumeirah’s strength in Dubai, now one the world’s leading tourism destinations, also gives the brand a strong base from which to accelerate the diversification of its portfolio, both in the region and globally. Katerina Giannouka, CEO of Jumeirah Group said: “We are entering a new era for the Jumeirah brand, with a focus on brand evolution and expansion. With a proven track record building and operating successful resort destinations in the Middle East, Europe and Asia, we believe the time is right to extend our portfolio into new key city …

The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) presented a campaign update for their vision of ‘Making Tourism More Sustainable’ to GCC travel professionals at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023. Under the slogan, ‘Germany, simply inspiring’, GNTB is focusing on the sustainable related aspects across a number of tourism segments, which include: Embrace German Nature, highlighting natural landscapes and activity holidays; Historic Modern Germany, promoting cultural heritage and 51 UNESCO World Heritage sites, with a spotlight on traditions and customs of rural regions. And thirdly, their Feel Good – Sustainable Travel in Germany campaign, emphasising how to enjoy an environmentally friendly holiday in Germany. “We aim to make a meaningful contribution towards climate change mitigation, supporting Germany’s commitment to net zero, as well as driving increasing numbers of environmentally aware, inbound GCC tourists,” said Yamina Sofo, Director at the German National Tourist GCC Office (GNTO GCC), an affiliate of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB). “We want to present Germany as an all-year-round destination, that is not only sustainable, but diverse, accessible, inclusive, resilient and viable for the future,” she added. The GCC region is now Germany’s top performing inbound source market in Asia and Australasia, with 404,707 GCC guests generating almost 1.13 overnight stays during 2022, representing an increase of 117.6%, compared with the same period in 2021. “These figures confirm that Germany continues to be a preferred tourism destination for GCC visitors and unspoilt nature and careful use of resources are clearly becoming increasingly important to them. We also want to encourage longer stays in order to reduce the carbon footprint per travel day,” said Sofo. Germany boasts more than 350 spa and health resorts and the GNTB is focusing …

The climate crisis was under the spotlight during the opening session of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The discussion gathered tourism and economy figureheads from across the Middle East region to address how the travel industry needs to adapt to tackle the issue of climate change and meet current regulations by implementing new sustainable policies, funds and support. Taking place on the Global Stage at ATM, the discussion was moderated by Eleni Giokos, Anchor and Correspondent CNN, and the prestigious line-up of speakers included Sujit Mohanty, Regional Division for the Arab States, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR); Dr Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat, Managing Director, Jordan Tourism Board; and H.E. Walid Nassar, Minister of Tourism, Lebanon. According to Sustainable Travel International, tourism is responsible for approximately 8% of global carbon emissions from transport, food and beverage, accommodation and related goods and services. The opening session at ATM looked at the industry’s crucial role in climate change – a particularly pertinent topic as the UAE prepares to host COP28 later this year. The UNDRR works closely with governments, the private sector and stakeholders across the globe, including 22 Arab nations, to reduce disaster risk. Building a picture of the current situation, Mohanty said, “Globally, in the last 20 years, there have been $2.97 trillion in economic losses due to disasters. Climate change is leading to more frequent and severe climate-related hazards such as floods, heatwaves, cyclones and hurricanes. In turn, the tourism industry loses enormous amounts of money due to these hazards.  Therefore the return on investment is clear – invest now to help protect the future.” Jordan is one of the highest-ranking …

Emirates is showcasing its latest roster of innovative products and fan-favourites at this year’s 30th edition of Arabian Travel Market, which got underway on 1 May. A milestone year for the event, which is celebrating its third decade of connecting the travel industry, this year also marks Emirates 30th year of partnership and commitment to ATM. When the exhibition first opened its doors thirty years ago, Emirates flew 15 aircraft to 30 cities and carried close to 2 million passengers. Today, Emirates is the world’s largest international airline serving over 140 destinations on more than 200 wide-body aircraft, connecting tens of millions of travellers across the globe each year, and making Dubai one of the most globally connected cities for travel, tourism and business. Over the years, the airline’s presence has expanded and evolved at ATM. In 2007, Emirates unveiled its huge ‘Globe’ stand, a captivating three-storey spherical structure which literally ‘turned’,  featuring  the airline’s industry-first private suite in First Class on its Airbus A340-500 in a specially recreated area.  Later, the 9.5 metre tall structure focused on the airline’s tremendous network expansion featuring Emirates destinations, and on the fringes of the stand, its cabin products on the A380 and Boeing 777 across all classes, as well as its sports sponsorships around the world. In 2016, the airline unveiled its ‘Infinite Possibilities’ stand at ATM, a futuristic display showcasing its industry leading products and services for visitors to experience before boarding their next Emirates flight. Standing at 8.5 metres tall and taking almost 9 days to assemble, Emirates’ ‘Infinite Possibilities’ stand was one of the tallest exhibitor stands at ATM, weighing in at 166 tonnes, equivalent to one third of …

One of the key outbound destinations for Middle East travellers, Thailand held its press conference at the opening of Arabian Travel Market in Dubai. Speaking to media, Yuthasak Supasorn – TAT Governor reiterated, that responsible tourism and sustainability in tourism will be the main direction in the future. “Earlier this year, Thailand Tourism announced 17 sustainable tourism goals divided into four main categories to be incorporated and serviced over the year and beyond. From sustainable development goals it goes on to sustainable tourism goals, which focus on awareness, education and accessibility, the second main criteria is the socio-economic way in which the inclusivity and development of local sourcing to waste management play a key role. Thirdly the aspect of developing cultural strategies such as promoting sustainable destinations and local communities and the last segment which is the impact of environment a key factor in supporting tourism climate action and promoting land tourism ecosystems. The growing interest of the Middle East market in sustainable travel, shopping, health and wellness activities, we wish to deliver fresh travel experiences through Thailand soft power 5F: Food, Fight, Fashion, Film, and Festival, while highlighting Thailand’s strength in nature, and Thainess. TAT aims to create a meaningful travel experience that will not only be meaningful for travelers, but also for the local communities and the environment. In terms of the ATM exhibitors, we will have a total of 46 exhibitors from Thailand participating in the event.” He further shared the visitor numbers from the region, “In 2022, Thailand welcomed approximately 314,882 Middle East visitors, with nearly 100,000 visitors from Saudi Arabia, and around 66,000 visitors from the UAE. Visitors from the Gulf countries have a high average length …

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai, has officially inaugurated Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023, marking the start of the 30th edition of the Middle East’s largest travel and tourism exhibition. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was accompanied at the inauguration by Vasyl Zhygalo, Portfolio Director, RX Global; Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director Middle East, ATM; and a host of other VIPs who embarked on a tour of the show floor as the four-day event got underway in Dubai. Taking place from Monday 1 to Thursday 4 May at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), exhibitor participation at this year’s event has seen a 27% rise compared to ATM 2022. The 30th edition of the show, which will welcome an anticipated 34,000 attendees over the course of the next four days, is hosting more than 2,000 exhibitors and representatives from over 150 nations. In line with its theme, ‘Working Towards Net Zero’, ATM 2023 is enabling global tourism professionals to forge new connections, share knowledge and showcase innovations with the potential to expedite the sector’s journey towards decarbonisation. Day one of ATM 2023 includes 20 sessions across its Global Stage, Travel Tech Stage and brand-new Sustainability Hub. In addition to the opening Ministerial Debate, highlights include Technology: The Enabler of Sustainable Travel, Sustainability in the Travel Industry: Who Pays? and Enhancing the Customer Experience Through AI. In addition, the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance is addressing the importance of protecting the locations, livelihoods and communities in which hotels are located as part of the Achieving Net Positive Hospitality session. Looking ahead to day two, John Strickland will engage in conversation with …

The Ajman Department of Tourism Development (ADTD) and its partners in the travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors are set to present pioneering and secure tourism projects focused on sustainability at the upcoming Arabian Travel Market (ATM) held from May 1 to 4, 2023 at Dubai World Trade Center. These projects align with the sustainable tourism guidelines envisioned in Ajman Tourism Vision 2030 – which will see the emirate emerge as a major international tourist destination in the world with a focus on sustainable and eco-tourism projects. The recently issued regulations by ADTD on Holiday Homes, which come into effect this May, are set to boost the tourism industry and enable individual homeowners and corporates alike to register their properties for short-term leases to tourists. Ajman has been named the fourth safest city in the world for 2023, bypassing several regional peer cities by Numbeo.com, a global research portal, that will add to its tourism attractions, especially to international tourists who prefers to visit safest destinations for leisure travel. Tourism in Ajman has been growing steadily due to the emirate’s growing number of attractions that includes pristine natural beaches, mangroves, a growing number of hotels, resorts, restaurants, traditional markets, entertainment facilities and new tourism developments that cater to both domestic and international  tourists. The emirate of Ajman, hosts 44 hotel establishments ranging from 1-star to 5-star hotels, resorts and luxury hotel apartments with 3,997 hotel rooms and 250 tourism establishments that serve a growing number of regional and international tourists. Following a stellar growth in 2022, Ajman hotels and serviced apartments recorded a 3 percent growth in hotel revenues in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the corresponding period in 2022 …

Wego revealed its regular “Middle East Traveller Destination Leaderboard” that showcases the relative popularity of global destinations with Middle East travellers. Wego users search for tens of millions of trips each quarter and it’s this flight and hotel data that has been analysed to determine the relative destination rankings. The leaderboard announced today covers the first quarter of 2023. Global Destination Trends Egypt retains its #1 position as the top destination for international travel for MENA travellers in Q1 2023. “We are excited to share our MENA destination report for this quarter. Our data shows that Egypt remains the top destination of choice for MENA travelers for what the country offers from a mix of history, culture, and adventure for every type of traveler. We also observe that the UK continues to rank as the top European destination out of the Middle East. At Wego, we are proud to connect travelers with the best of the countries, and we look forward to continuing to work with leading partners to promote their unique tourism offerings”, said Mamoun Hmedan, CCO and MD, MENA, and India, Wego. Rounding up the top three is India. The country is a major source market for foreign talent and labor for the Gulf region and has consistently held the top spots for international air travel. Going as far back as 2014, Egypt has consistently been either #1 or #2 and India has invariably taken the #3 spot since 2016. As is usually the case, we saw more movements in the bottom half of the top 10 with Kuwait overtaking Turkey for the 5th spot and Jordan moving up two spots to rank 8th overall. The lone rank …

Turkish Airlines, flying to more countries than any other airline, is bringing the UEFA Champions League vibe to their stand at the Arabian Travel Market 2023, complete with a display relating to the tournament. The centerpiece of the stand will be a life-size replica of the Champions League trophy, gleaming under the bright lights and drawing the visitors for photo opportunities with the trophy exhibit. Visitors to the Turkish Airlines stand also can enter a competition on the airlines Instagram page on @TurkishAirlinesArabia.  Two winners will get tickets to the semifinals of the tournament together with airline tickets to enjoy the excitement and energy of a packed stadium watching professional players dribble, pass, and score. At this year’s ATM, the airline is reinforcing connectivity in response to growing customer demand for a stopover in Istanbul on their way to different parts of the world. The airline has won multiple awards for their product and service offering recently including accolades such as the Apex Best Seat Comfort in Europe, Apex Best Food & Beverage in Europe, Skytrax Worlds Best in Business Class Catering, Skytrax Best Airline in Europe as well as Skytrax Best Airline in Southern Europe. Turkish Airlines connects travellers to over 340 destinations worldwide (289 international and 53 domestic) while maintaining the utmost care for a safe and healthy travel experience.