‎Qatar Airways, will once again participate at ITB Berlin, from 7-9 March 2023, and is planning to make a significant network announcement. These plans will be revealed during Qatar Airways press conference for global media on the first day of the exhibition. The conference will highlight the spectacular success of the World’s Best Airline’s achievements during the historic FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, as well as expectations for the year ahead in the presence of the world’s most notable gathering of travel and tourism professionals. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We look forward to reuniting with the leaders of the global travel industry, especially our travel trade partners, to celebrate our achievements and to introduce our latest products and services to the industry dating back to before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our track record speaks for itself and over the years my country has strived towards being a beacon of positivity in the world of aviation and beyond, most notably as the host country of the greatest sporting event, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.  I look forward to this year’s edition of ITB Berlin 2023 to share our plans for the year ahead and to continue to make Qatar a more connected place through HIA, The World’s Best Airport.” In light of Qatar Airways latest expansion announcement of its sports partnership portfolio as  the Official Airline and Global Partner of Formula 1, the world’s most prestigious motor racing competition, Trade show exhibitors are welcome to visit the stand and experience the F1 Car Racing Simulator setting a new standard of excitement for international travel and tourism guests. The world-leading travel …

Emirates will upgrade two of its services to Bahrain on 6 March to the A380 to serve high demand from those visiting and attending the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix 2023. Flights EK 835/836 and EK 837/838, all previously operated by the Boeing 777-300ER, have been upgraded to the flagship and customer favourite, the Emirates A380, and underscore the airline’s commitment to make connections for travellers to and through Dubai even easier. EK 835 departs Dubai at 0150hrs, arriving in Bahrain at 0205hrs, while EK 836 departs Bahrain at 0350hrs, arriving back in Dubai at 0605hrs. The other conveniently timed morning EK 837 flight departs Dubai at 0820hrs and will arrive in Bahrain at 0840hrs. EK 838 then leaves Bahrain at 1025hrs arriving in Dubai at 1240hrs. Both Emirates Airbus A380 aircraft serving the Dubai-Bahrain route on 6 March will offer a total of 517 seats in a three-class configuration, with 427 spacious seats in Economy Class, 76 fully flat-bed seats in Business Class and 14 First Class Private Suites. The two A380s join Emirates’ other daily flight to and from Bahrain, operated with the Boeing 777-300ER. Passengers in all classes can enjoy Emirates’ multi award-winning ‘ice’ Digital Widescreen entertainment system, offering over 5,000 channels of on-demand entertainment including sports on Live TV, and a robust selection of Arabic programming. Emirates has been serving the Kingdom of Bahrain for over two decades delivering the best in terms of network, convenient schedules and onboard products and services to travellers. The airline has in the past deployed numerous one-off and scheduled A380 missions to Bahrain in celebration of the Kingdom’s National Days, to serve high summer demand and has also displayed its …

SAUDIA has collaborated with the Saudi Air Connectivity Program (ACP) and Saudi Tourism Authority, to launch four new international destinations: Beijing (PRC), Birmingham (UK), Kano (Nigeria), and Johannesburg (South Africa). Representing a significant expansion program for 2023, the route development follows the national carrier’s signing of an agreement with ACP, and is in line with the program’s objective of enhancing the Kingdom’s point-to-point air connectivity and its reach to target international markets. By collaborating with airlines to expand their operations in Saudi Arabia, ACP seeks to promote growth and development within the tourism and aviation sectors, working to strengthen the Kingdom’s position as a leading destination for international travel. “The opening of four new air routes across three different regions is the result of strong collaboration between the Saudi tourism and aviation ecosystems,” said Ali Rajab, CEO of ACP. “We are proud to have been part of these efforts. These new routes offer a diverse mix of travel opportunities in the Kingdom, unlocking its rich cultural heritage and inviting travelers from around the world to experience the beauty and diversity of this remarkable destination. “Air connectivity will play an increasingly important role in enabling tourism growth and creating new opportunities for businesses and tourists alike. We look forward to building on this momentum to unlock new destinations, and create a brighter future for the Kingdom,” Ali Rajab added. Capt. Ibrahim Koshy, CEO of SAUDIA, highlighted the airline’s ongoing commitment to investing in operational expansion. “We are dedicated to continue optimizing our modern fleet to meet current and future expansion requirements,” he said. “In addition to the recent launch of the new service “Your Ticket, Your Visa” which is the first …

At a special interview with Travel TV Middle East  at their first GCC roadshow for the year conducted by Shaza hotels, it was disclosed that two hotels will be opening this year and four hotels the next year, but the biggest news was their plan to open the first hotel in USA by 2025/2026 in Orlando, USA in front of the world famous  Disneyland.  They will be the first to enter USA with a true Arabian hospitality brand in partnership with a Canadian developer with 500 rooms. Shaji Abu Salih Corporate Director Business Development Shaza Hotels and Mysk Hotels shared, “we are opening our first Mysk and Shaza hotels in Orlando, right in front of Disneyland, we will be the first Arabian hospitality brand entering into the United States of America. We are expecting to open by 2026, work is going on as we partnering with one of the developer from Canada, it will be a multi -property complex so by 2025,2026 we should be there with about 500 rooms.” He further reiterated, “Shaza is expecting to open two new hotels this year, one is in Dubai, we are coming to Dubai, the first hotel will be Mysk the Palm Jumeirah and then we are also opening Mysk Nomad, our first glamping on wheels concept and this will be in Al Hamriyah beach of Sharjah, so we have 2 projects this year and 4 openings next year which includes Salalah and Khorfakkan which is a beautiful Mysk retreat on the mountains and the Mutra souk, Oman and our first hotel in Jeddah, Mysk Jeddah. Mysk Palm Jumeirah to open by first July, end of Q2 or early Q3, and Q4 Al …

Vistara inaugurated its daily non-stop service between Mumbai and Dammam. This is Vistara’ s second destination in Saudi Arabia, complementing its 7x weekly connectivity between Mumbai and Jeddah. Deploying its A320neo aircraft with a three-class cabin configuration and enhanced features, Vistara is the only airline to offer travellers the choice of Premium Economy cabin in addition to Business and Economy Class on this route. Mr. Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara, said, “We are delighted to commence operations to Dammam, a major administrative hub in Saudi Arabia and home to a large Indian diaspora. The addition of Dammam to our growing international network is in line with our goal to further strengthen our presence in the Middle East. Dammam will be the fifth Vistara destination in the region – after Dubai, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi and Muscat. We are certain that, Vistara, with its award-winning product and services will be a preferred carrier on the Mumbai-Dammam route.” SCHEDULE OF FLIGHTS TO AND FROM DAMMAM (SAUDI ARABIA) Sector Flight No. Days of Operation Departure Arrival Mumbai – Dammam UK 0237 Daily 21:20 hrs 23:10 hrs Dammam – Mumbai UK 0238 Daily 23:55 hrs 06:15 hrs (+1) * All timings shown are in local time zones *+1 indicates next-day arrival Vistara will accept all eligible customers meeting visa/entry requirements in both countries, as specified by the respective government bodies. Vistara strongly encourages its customers to fully understand these guidelines before making their bookings. Vistara is India’s highest-rated airline on Skytrax and TripAdvisor, and it has been the winner of several ‘Best Airline’ awards, besides being lauded for world-class cabin cleanliness and upholding high safety standards. The airline has recently been featured amongst World’s …

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi to start direct flights from Abu Dhabi to Baku in Azerbaijan from 13th September 2023. The direct flights will connect Abu Dhabi International Airport to Heydar Aliyev International Airport with a frequency of three flights per week.     Schedule to Baku, effective September 13, 2023 (all times local): Flight Departure Time Arrival Time Aircraft Frequency 3L 730 Abu Dhabi 10:10 Baku 13:15 Airbus 320 Wednesday/Friday/Sunday 3L 731 Baku 14:15 Abu Dhabi 17:15 Airbus 320 Wednesday/Friday/Sunday               Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia, said: “We are excited to start our direct flights between Abu Dhabi and Baku, a city which offers a unique blend of Europe and Asia. Baku is a significant route in our expansion plans from UAE’s capital and reinforces our commitment to providing our customers with more choices, convenience, and enhanced connectivity, while supporting both countries’ aviation sector and tourism industry”. Air Arabia Abu Dhabi continues to enhance global connectivity to and from the capital of the UAE, serving a total of 32 destinations directly from Abu Dhabi International Airport. Air Arabia operates a total fleet of 68 Airbus A320 and A321 neo-LR aircraft, the most modern and best-selling single aisle aircraft in the world. The cabin configuration across Air Arabia’s fleet provides added comfort with one of the most generous seat-pitch of any economy cabin. The aircraft is equipped with ‘SkyTime’, a free in-flight streaming service that will allow passengers to stream a wide selection of entertainment directly to their devices. Customers can also enjoy a variety of delicacies between snacks, meals, and sandwiches from the on-board ‘SkyCafe’ menu at affordable prices. The …

Global travel marketplace Skyscanner highlighted key travel trends to Saudi Arabia for the month coinciding with Ramadan. Accordingly, Saturday 18 March 2023 is the most popular departure date, with 38% of travellers aiming to travel to Saudi; whilst over 92% travellers are aiming to travel to Saudi during the week of 20 March, making the start of Ramadan the most popular travel time. Travellers from across the GCC, the United Kingdom, Egypt and Germany are amongst the most popular making their way to the Kingdom during this time where Jeddah is the airport of choice, accounting for 75% of bookings. Over 70% of travellers are looking for trips between 1-2 weeks long. “As restrictions ease and capacity increases, we are seeing travel demand return to pre-pandemic levels, if not higher,” said Ayoub El Mamoun, Skyscanner Travel Expert. “Travel remains a key priority, with many travellers across the GCC, such as the UAE and Saudi, planning the same or more trips in 2023 than they did the year previously.” Top GCC destinations booking Saudi Arabia during Ramadan UAE Saudi Arabia Kuwait Qatar Oman   Top international destinations booking Saudi Arabia during Ramadan UK Egypt Germany Netherlands Pakistan Italy France USA Indonesia Morocco

Emirates and Philippine Airlines (PAL) have signed an interline agreement to boost connectivity for passengers of both air carriers to new points on each other’s networks via Manila and Dubai, using a single ticket and one baggage policy. Now in effect, the reciprocal interline partnership provides Emirates’ passengers access to 19 Philippine domestic destinations operated by Philippine Airlines, including Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod, Cotabato, Davao, Iloilo, Kalibo and more, as well as two Asian regional points via Manila. Philippine Airlines’ passengers also benefit from access to Emirates’ global network and seamlessly connect to 21 cities operated by Emirates beyond Dubai to European destinations such as London, Rome, Frankfurt, Barcelona, Paris and Kuwait, as well as to Jeddah and other points in the Middle East , Africa and India. Travel itineraries can be booked on emirates.com, philippineairlines.com, the Emirates and PAL mobile apps, or via both online and offline travel agents. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer commented: “The Philippines is one of our strongest consumer markets and we’re pleased to sign a new interline agreement with the country’s flag carrier. The partnership with Philippine Airlines will help open new links for trade and tourism that will drive more inbound traffic into the market, and expand Emirates’ footprint in East Asia. We look forward to serving our partner airline’s customers with additional travel choices to Emirates destinations across the Middle East, Europe as well as the Americas, and to expanding our cooperation with plans to include additional points via Cebu in the coming months.” Bud Britanico, Philippine Airlines Vice President for Sales commented:  “We are happy to embark on this new interline partnership with Emirates that expands the choices available …

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) introduces its all-new Wedding Certification Programme to enable seamless, quick, and easy wedding planning in the Emirate. Bolstering Ras Al Khaimah’s position as a world-class wedding destination, the new initiative was announced at the 11th edition of the Exotic Wedding Planning Conference (EWPC), currently taking place at Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Centre with leading wedding and event planners from around the world in attendance. As part of the programme, both domestic and internationally based wedding planners will have access to an e-learning platform that will be launched this spring as a one-stop-shop to seamlessly facilitate all aspects of a civil ceremony. Those certified through the programme will benefit from added ease and flexibility in obtaining necessary licenses, organising events, and gaining valuable business support from certified hotels via the portal. Planners will also gain a deeper understanding of the UAE’s civil marriage process, receive fast-tracked permits, and have access to a network of resources to help them confidently navigate through local regulations. With the aim of enhancing awareness of the Emirate’s array of distinctive locations, certified wedding planners will also gain expert knowledge on a curated portfolio of unique venues that provide breath-taking backdrops for bespoke, picturesque celebrations – including Al Jazeera Al Hamra, Jais Viewing Deck Park, Dhayah Fort, Sonara Camp Al Wadi, Date Farm, and Suwaidi Pearls Farm. In parallel, a series of comprehensive incentive packages will be available for couples, wedding planners, and certified venues. These will include complimentary services, discounted rates, and airport support for charter flights, while any specialised permits will be waived off to further ease procedures. The initiatives follow the UAE’s recent introduction of …

Now, in its 29th year, Dubai International boat show kicked off once again at the Dubai Harbour, the permanent show ground alongside the cruise terminal in the Dubai Marina. Speaking at the opening Abdulla Binhabtoor, Chief Portfolio Management Officer, Shamal Holding, the owner and curator of Dubai Harbour, “I would like welcome you again to the Dubai harbour, this district was designed and purpose built for the maritime industry in the UAE which has been guiding for thousands of years.” Speaking with tourism breaking news he added the importance of the international boat show and the development plans for the harbour itself. “We believe that with partners like the Dubai international boat show, we support the growth of the industry overall in the region and in Dubai. We believe that the show this year is bigger, we continue to emphasise the permanency of this show, it is on its 29th edition. We offer the largest marina in the region with amazing and extraordinary facilities, we believe that we cannot work in isolation from the industry, the show allows us to interact with the industry and support the industry and it also allows to bring in innovation. In Dubai harbour we have developed two cruise terminals which are the largest in the Eastern hemisphere in a drive to support the city’s ambition to grow in the cruise tourism sector. We can see double the number of cruise passengers from last season, we welcomed more ships, more variety and we continue to provide the best service and best experience. We believe with the current capacity we have with the two terminals we will continue to support the growth of the number of ship …