Mohamed Khater, Regional General Manager and Managing Partner, Flash Horizon has dedicated his career to the tourism industry. Having worked for more than seven years for the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, he has become one of the greatest advocates for tourism development in the Middle East. Mohamed’s unrivalled passion for tourism has led to him becoming an expert in his field and is well-known throughout the industry for his professionalism and cordial demeanor. During the years spent working with government administrations and international organizations to promote tourism to the Middle East, Mohamed has honed his skills in destination promotion & marketing, negotiation, budgeting and leisure sales. He is part of the team that opened and promoted the longest zipline in the world.

Kathryn Wallington, Travelport’s Head of Middle East and Africa has been chosen as a gamechanger in the industry for her foresight and passion towards developing the sector. She has been identifying new growth opportunities and building the brand profile across eight countries. Together with her team, she is responsible for delivering best-in-class technology that meets the evolving needs of customers in the region. Kathryn increased the brand’s market share, while also growing customer satisfaction and implementing a successful tele-account management model to manage over 600 smaller accounts.

One of the top awardees at the Arabian Travel Awards is a tourism icon, who has grown the industry with his vision and hard work. Gerald Lawless has been chosen as the first tourism ambassador in the region by the Arabian Travel Awards. His dedication to the sector has been unparalleled. He is also the former Chairman, World Travel and Tourism Council and now ambassador for WTTC, the Non-executive Director Dubai Expo2020 Advisory Board, Non-executive Director, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority advisory board, Non-executive Director Temes Hotels and Resorts, Greece, Non-executive Director, Adnec, Abu Dhabi, Former President and CEO Jumeirah Group and Director, International Tourism Investment Corporation.

Nasir Jamal Khan has achieved an elite level of expertise in the travel business, perfecting his knowledge for more than 35 years, and playing an influential role in promoting the tourism landscapes, across the GCC. Khan joined Al Naboodah Travel in 2004, successfully repositioning the company’s growth strategy, securing new strategic airline partnerships, diversifying its product offering and championing the company’s service outlet expansion across the UAE and the KSA.

A night of glitter and glamour, as the fourth edition of the Arabian Travel Awards recognized the travel and hospitality industry stars. This year’s awards were extremely special as it was a salutation for all those overcoming the unprecedented challenges during the pandemic. His Excellency, Mohammad Tarid bin Sufian, Ambassador of Malaysia to the UAE, Her Excellency Hjayceelyn M. Quintana, Ambassador, The Republic of the Philippines, UAE and Dr. Aman Puri, Consul General of India in Dubai graced the occasion with their presence.

The travel, tourism and hospitality leaders in the Middle East will witness a star studded & glamorous evening as the Arabian Travel Awards return with their fourth edition. Recognizing industry heroes and unsung warriors, the pandemic challenged all leadership and changed the landscape of the sector. Achieving success and striving against all odds is something to celebrate and further motivate brands and the players behind it. Resilience has been a key factor in the Middle East, which over the years, has shown great strength and agility to adapt and refocus on situations when the going gets tough.

Emirates has concluded the 2021 edition of the Dubai Airshow on a positive note, culminating a week of investment announcements, new partnerships forged, and the strengthening of established connections as key aviation players from around the world came together in Dubai to mark a turning point in the industry’s recovery. This year, Emirates’ presence at the show included participation in the opening flypast; aircraft static displays; an exhibition stand showcasing its latest cabin products, Emirates Flight Training Academy and the Emirates Aviation University; and offering its renowned hospitality for partners and invited guests in the Emirates Chalet. Emirates was honoured to welcome His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum; His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to its Emirates A380 static display. Emirates’ latest four-class configured A380 remained a popular draw, featuring the airline’s recently introduced Premium Economy Class cabin, and decorated with the ‘United Arab Emirates 50’ livery, celebrating the Golden jubilee of the UAE. The Cirrus SR 22 and Embraer Phenom 100 jets utilized for training flights by the Emirates Flight Training Academy were also on display to visitors. At the Dubai Airshow, the airline announced a significant investment to retrofit 105 of its Boeing 777 and A380 aircraft with its Premium Economy product, in addition to other cabin enhancements. The entire 18-month retrofit programme, starting in 2022, will take place in Dubai and reinforces the UAE’s status as a centre of aviation excellence. Emirates also signed an agreement with Panasonic to deliver a suite of in-flight …

Gulf Air and EGYPTAIR, signed a letter of intent for studying cooperation expansion between the two airlines and the initiatives for cooperation in air freight, maintenance, training and frequent flyer programmes. This cooperation is intended for the enhancement of networks of the two national carriers and the services provided to their customers. In this regard, Gulf Air’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Captain Waleed AlAlawi commented: “As the region’s leading boutique carrier with a global footprint, Gulf Air is proud to further enhance commercial opportunities with our partner, EGYPTAIR. Signing this letter of intent demonstrates our continued focus to provide our passengers with new destinations, grow our cargo capabilities and importantly enhance customer experience. Likewise, this agreement represents the strong existing commercial cooperation that Gulf Air enjoys with EGYPTAIR, that we will look to build on.” EgyptAir Holding Chairman & CEO, Captain Amr Abul El Enein stated “We are glad of this cooperation, as EGYPTAIR and Gulf Air are two of the deep-rooted national airlines in the region backed with great experiences, technical and professional capabilities that qualify them to cater for the needs of our travellers. This cooperation comes at a time of remarkable developments in the aviation industry that requires the partners to cope with the new and developing requirements of the industry and to enhance the relations for better services to the customers.” Last year in December, Gulf Air and EGYPTAIR announced the expansion of their codeshare partnership, bringing more travel opportunities for their customers.

The much-anticipated Dubai EDITION opened recently, marking a significant expansion for the brand into the Middle East’s most popular travel destination. Based in the heart of Downtown Dubai, opposite the world-famous Dubai Mall, the one-of-a-kind hotel will showcase EDITION’s signature blend of modern luxury and local influence. Destined to become Dubai’s cultural and social milieu, the hotel will boast unique dining experiences, exciting entertainment, and world-class services and amenities. Designed by LW Design Group LLC, the hotel features 275 exquisite guestrooms including 45 suites. Restaurants featured at the hotel include an Italian restaurant, DUOMO, with an outdoor fresco terrace; Jolie – a French restaurant inspired by Mediterranean coastal flavors; a poolside bar and lounge with uninterrupted views of the Burj Khalifa, Thia; and a speakeasy style bar, Leon. The hotel will also feature a spa with three treatment rooms, a pool, and a state-of-the-art gym. Additionally, the property will boast meeting rooms and a flexible event space that can be uniquely transformed to fit any concept or theme.

As part of Kuwait Airways’ preparations for full operation of Terminal 4 (T4) and resuming to full capacity, Kuwait Airways Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Maen Razouqi, accompanied by the Chief Operations Officer, Captain Eisa Al-Haddad and Operational Department Directors of the Company toured the Terminal 4 (T4) and inspected the latest developments and preparations of the Company’s operational sectors, and following the recent decision of the Council of Ministers to commission the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to implement the third phase of Kuwait International Airport’s operating plan and full operation of the Airport from November 2021. During the visit, Razouqi observed the progress of the working mechanism at different sectors of Terminal 4 (T4), the most important of which is the itinerary of passengers and the services provided to them from their arrival at the terminal, completing their travel procedures at the baggage weighing area until reaching the departure gate. The tour also included inspecting the security measures implemented for passengers and their baggage, in addition to other measures. On the sidelines of the tour, the Chief Executive Officer, Maen Razouqi commended on the progress of work at Terminal 4 (T4) and the procedures undertaken, whether for security or related to completing all travel measures, in addition to the efficiency of services provided to valued customers and the expertise of Kuwait Airways employees in dealing with passengers in order to ensure convenient travel, starting from entering the airport until boarding the aircraft and for enjoying a safe and enjoyable trip, pointing that the Company seeks to provide all services that meet the requirements of dear passengers and extend efforts to overcome all obstacles ahead, in a manner befitting the …