Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB) continues to act on its commitment to build sustainable tourism in the country by joining the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative (GTPI).  As the pandemic continues, ATB has been putting more and more emphasis on building responsible and sustainable tourism offerings as well as involving key local players in the process.  “Understanding the urgency to act for sustainable development, we are pleased to join an international initiative to reduce the environmental impact of the tourism industry in a collective effort with our esteemed stakeholders”, said Florian Sengstschmid, CEO of Azerbaijan Tourism Board. By joining the GTPI, ATB commits to stimulating the elimination of problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging and items by 2025 and involving local stakeholders in this process through discussion platforms and meetings with key players such as industry experts and experts in plastic pollution.  ATB’s commitments within the initiative also include to encourage change in traveller behaviour on recycling and reuse during their journey in Azerbaijan through tour guides trained and educated in the matter in question. Developed within the framework of the Sustainable Tourism Programme of the One Planet network, the Initiative is led by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Tourism Organization, in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to drive the shift towards a circular economy of plastics.

Etihad Airways and ADQ announced a proposed transaction that will support the ongoing transformation of Etihad Airways and the future growth of the civil aviation sector in Abu Dhabi. As part of the proposed transaction, a number of Etihad’s businesses providing airline support services will become part of a new ADQ aviation company. Once the transaction is complete, the airline support services businesses will benefit from being part of ADQ’s broad mobility and logistics portfolio, which includes Abu Dhabi Airports and AD Ports Group. The businesses included in the proposed transaction are Etihad Engineering, Etihad Airport Services Cargo, Etihad Airport Services Ground, Etihad Aviation Training, Etihad Secure Logistics and Etihad Technical Training.   Additionally, the proposed transaction will see two Etihad businesses join Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Company (ADNEC). Etihad Airport Services Catering will combine with ADNEC’s catering business Capital Hospitality, and Etihad Holidays will join ADNEC’s tourism promotion business, Tourism 365. The proposed agreement marks the start of a new chapter for Etihad Airways, allowing the airline to further sharpen its focus on its core business and respond with greater agility to market opportunities as global travel demand rebounds from COVID-19.   H.E. Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, CEO of ADQ, said: “With the proposed addition of Etihad’s experienced aviation support businesses to our new dedicated aviation company, ADQ is primed to develop an integrated aviation platform that is driven by performance and a robust financial foundation through its new company. With an integrated mobility and logistics portfolio that plays a leading role in the development of Abu Dhabi’s global connectivity, we are well-positioned to unlock the growth potential of these aviation services businesses. We see potential to capitalise on growth …

Ernesto Sanchez Beaumont, Managing Director, Amadeus Gulf  shares insights on how technology has become key to post pandemic travel recovery. After a turbulent two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the appetite for traveling is accelerating, according to recent research by travel technology company Amadeus, with 50% of travelers expecting to have taken a business flight by the end of 2021. The Rebuild Travel survey, which surveyed consumers across the UAE, France, Germany, India, Spain, Russia, Singapore, the UK, and the US, shows the need for human connection has not been dampened by the turmoil of the last two years. In fact, our “Rebuilding Hospitality: Trends in Demand, Data and Technology That are Driving Recovery” study showed global hotel occupancy increased to 60% in July 2021, nearly doubling 2020’s performance for the same month. These numbers mean that global hospitality occupancy had climbed 80% of the way back to pre-pandemic norms of around 75% for the first half of the year. For instance, the UAE registered a 62% hotel occupancy rate in the first half of the year, according to government figures That being said, traveler concerns still exist around issues such as last-minute cancellations and refunds, for example.  There is also a growing demand for apps and solutions where digital health data and travel information can be stored in one place for convenience. Digital transformation Technology plays a prominent role in combatting these concerns, particularly touchless experiences across the customer journey. Eighty per cent of travelers said technology – specifically, touchless technologies – would increase their confidence to fly. Ideally, it would reduce queues and congestion in public spaces and face-to-face/physical contact. More than half (56%) of the travelers …

Habitas, the sustainable, experience-led hospitality brand which continues to fortify its status as an industry disruptor with the recent launch of its Namibia and Bacalar properties, has opened its next “home” – this time even further off the map, in the uncharted AlUla region in the Northwest of Saudi Arabia. Launched November, 2021, Habitas AlUla rests within an ancient oasis in the desert canyons of the Ashar Valley, surrounded by sandstone cliffs and palm groves.  The serene resort pathways lead guests up to each of the 96 guest rooms which span three tiers: premium Celestial Villas, Alcove Villas and Canyon Villas, as well as to the yoga deck, wellness and fitness centers, restaurant, and swimming pool. Each of these spaces is constructed from ethically-sourced organic materials which blend seamlessly into their natural surroundings. This minimally invasive build model, along with the property’s sustainable construction methods, are the Habitas calling cards: modular-build, low impact design that does virtually no harm to the environment, creating an organic space in which meaningful experiences of all kinds will spring to life.   Habitas AlUla is the true embodiment of the brand’s six programming pillars: music, wellness, adventure, culture, learning, and culinary, all of which are meticulously developed to immerse guests within the region’s authentic culture and natural environment. This is illustrated through programming that accommodates art and culture walks, canyon trekking, yoga, meditation and breathwork. Habitas will leverage its musical roots to create and curate sounds from the region’s unique talents, and showcase them for guests through the medium of a concert series.   AlUla’s on-site restaurant Tama, aptly named after the word “here” in Aramaic, is in line with one of Habitas’ core …

Qatar Airways Privilege Club continues to honour the loyalty of its valued members by extending their tier status. This initiative will benefit all Silver, Gold and Platinum members whose tier status is due for renewal between December 2021 and December 2022. The tier validity of these members would be automatically extended to 31 December 2022. Find out more at qatarairways.com/tierextension. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “At Privilege Club, we remain steadfastly committed to our members. Their loyalty means everything to us, and we will continue to honour their choice to fly with us. As the Official Airline of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, Qatar Airways will continue to innovate in rewarding and recognising our members. We sincerely look forward to enriching our members’ travel experiences, and offering them more time to enjoy the incredible benefits of their tier as they plan for their travel with us in 2022, to over 140 global destinations”. Privilege Club has continued to invest in redefining the programme, including reducing the number of Qmiles required to book award flights by up to 49 per cent and extending the validity of Qmiles to last longer than ever before. Every time a member earns or spends Qmiles, the balance is valid for an additional 36 months. Furthermore, Privilege Club launched Hotel & Car Rewards, which allows members to earn and spend Qmiles at over 350,000 hotels and more than 20,000 car rental locations worldwide. Qatar Airways also launched Student Club, powered by Privilege Club, which offers a range of benefits curated for students to support them throughout their educational journey. Student Club recently celebrated its first anniversary with a …

Sabre Corporation signed a multi-year marketing distribution agreement with Tawfeeq Technologies and Services (TTS). The agreement will see TTS market and distribute Sabre’s products and services to travel companies in Qatar. “Qatar has proven its resilience during these challenging times and the region is recovering at a significant rate,” said Hashim Abdulla Al Hashemi, Board Member, TTS “Speaking with our customers, we understand they are receptive to technology and believe that the way forward requires reliable technology and intelligent solutions.  Sabre is an ideal partner to help empower our customers and provide them with innovative technology and solutions to help drive growth, boost revenue and transform their businesses.” Sabre demonstrated resilience and took proactive steps to enhance its financial position and plan for future growth, including identifying and investing in growth opportunities in the EMEA region. Qatar has been identified as a key growth opportunity and this agreement will play an important role in helping to enable that growth. “Our partnership with TTS will combine Sabre’s strong global technology capabilities with TTS’ deep local expertise to provide the travel agency community with unprecedented innovation and service options,” said Aditya Varma, Regional Director, Sabre Travel Network Middle East. “It’s an exciting venture between two companies that share many synergies, and we look forward to growing our business with them and transforming travel in Qatar.”

Retail Abu Dhabi, the retail plat-form of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), is embracing the festive season with unmissable mall activations, events and promotions. The Abu Dhabi Winter Shopping Season is being held for the second year running to support the emirate’s expansive retail landscape during the peak festive period. An array of themed activities for the entire family to enjoy has been planned  until 31 January 2022. Shoppers can find the best festive bargains, taking advantage of up to 80 per cent discounts in 3,500 retail outlets across 20 malls throughout the emirate. Abu Dhabi Winter Shopping Season has also partnered with some of the most popular malls to provide festive entertainment to enrich the shopping experience. At The Galleria Al Maryah Island, families can visit Santa Claus and take photos in his snow-filled Winter Village from 10am to 10pm until 24 December. Little ones can also visit the Letters to Santa station where they can pen personal letters to Father Christmas to be en-tered into daily prize draws. For more information or to book a visit, go to: www.thegalleria.ae/winterwonderland. At a North Pole activity in Yas Mall, young shoppers can ride the magical Santa Express train to the Elf Toy Factory while listening to festive performances from the mall’s live band. Children can also demonstrate their artistic flair by creating their very own gingerbread house. For more information, visit: https://www.yasmall.ae/en/events/winter-wonderland. At Deerfields Mall, a Festive Barasti Zone is open daily from 4pm to 10pm until 5 January, featuring a traditional souk selling perfumes, homemade cheeses and labneh, as well as traditional clothes. In addition, a multi-level virtual reality ‘Tippy Tree’ experience …

SAUDIA selected Boeing  for a suite of services to improve their 787 Dreamliner and 777 fleets’ operational efficiency through digital analytics, and to modify their 777 cabin interiors. “As ever, SAUDIA is continuously focused on operational efficiency, optimal fleet utilization, and deployment,” said Captain Ibrahim S. Koshy, CEO, SAUDIA. “We see our continued alliance with Boeing and these essential services as an enabler that will help to drive our progress toward this vision.” SAUDIA will utilize Boeing’s Optimized Maintenance Program (OMP), which uses advanced data analytics to provide detailed insights for improved maintenance operations, and Boeing’s Airplane Health Management (AHM) digital solution, which applies predictive maintenance analytics and diagnostic tools to help improve the quality and speed of maintenance decisions, resulting in improved on-time performance. These services will be combined with Boeing’s OEM engineering and consulting expertise. “Our Boeing consulting teams have partnered closely with SAUDIA for many years to find new opportunities to reduce costs and enhance operational efficiency. We are delighted to continue this partnership by applying our advanced digital solutions,” said Ted Colbert, president and CEO, Boeing Global Services. “Similarly, SAUDIA will be able to rely on our 777 interiors engineering expertise throughout the course of their fleet reconfiguration plans.” Boeing’s interior modification team will partner with SAUDIA to deliver all aspects of their 777 modification, including design, certification, and the supply of parts required for completion.   For more information on Boeing’s Optimized Maintenance Program, Airplane Health Management, interiors engineering and other aftermarket services, visit https://services.boeing.com.  

Turkish Airlines, flying to more countries than any other airline, celebrates its 40 year anniversary of flying to the UAE in synergy with the UAE’s Golden Jubilee celebrations. The airline, established in 1933 with a fleet of five aircrafts launched its first Middle East flight to Beirut and Cairo in 1951 and the first TK flight landed in Abu Dhabi on 7th January 1981 with the route relaunching again on January 25th, 2006. The first flight to Dubai was operated on 5th November 1983, while the Sharjah route was launched on 11th April 2019 with daily flights. In addition ; Anadolujet operated its first UAE flight on 20th December 2020 by operating daily flights. Currently Turkish Airlines operates 28 weekly flights to UAE (21 weekly flights between Istanbul Airport and Dubai Airport, 3 weekly flights between Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport and Dubai Airport and 4 weekly flights between Istanbul Airport and Abu Dhabi Airport. Emre Ismailoglu, General Manager, Dubai And Northern Emirates, Turkish Airlines said, ” We are delighted to celebrate 40 years in the UAE. This year started on a positive note with the airline industry opening up and we are focusing our energy on enhancing the travel experience especially for the Expo 2020 in Dubai while keeping in mind the airline’s hygiene protocols necessary for a safe flying experience. Our team is enforcing a higher level of protection for every stage of the journey that goes above and beyond industry standards.” Hasan Demir, the Turkish Airlines General Manager in Abu Dhabi said, “Reaching the 40-year milestone in the UAE is significant to Turkish Airlines. We are confident that the positive outlook of the UAE to normalise the travel …

Seera Group is transforming its portfolio to create the largest travel business in the Middle East with the integration of its diverse verticals under the umbrella of Almosafer. Almosafer will serve as the single umbrella travel brand under Seera Group managing not only consumer travel but also dedicated corporate & government services. Further, Seera’s travel services in the UAE will now also come under Almosafer for further expansion across the region. Earlier, these two services were under elaa and tajawal, respectively. The strategic business integration is part of Seera Group’s transformation journey to enhance its business footprint, enhance customer service through advanced digital technology, and to strengthen operational efficiencies and enhance financial performance by optimising resources and leveraging the strong synergies of the different business units. As one cohesive brand with leading digital and consumer technologies, Almosafer will continue its investment in omnichannel products and services in an effort to enhance the overall customer experience in travel management for corporate & government entities in the Kingdom, as well as creating seamless travel experiences for customers across the Middle East. Majed Alnefaie, CEO, Seera Group, said: “Seera is synonymous with the Kingdom’s transformational journey, playing an instrumental role in driving Vision 2030 and aiming to fast-track the revival of tourism in Saudi Arabia. Our shareholders are of utmost importance to us and with this move, we are leveraging our biggest success story with opportunities to grow further – driving business objectives and sales. Adaptable, innovative, digitally driven, Seera will continue to transform, evolve and grow to meet market, customer and partner needs. The integration will address market fragmentation and help us continue to build dialogue in the wider GCC as well …