At a recent interview with TravelTV, Tara Naidu, Vice President International Business, Air India Express she explained that travel agents are most important as 80% of their business come from them and they are looking at a new way to incentivise travel agents. “Travel agents are the most important source for us, about 80% of our bookings are through travel agents and within that what we see is that the segment of online travel agents is growing so online travel agents could be B2B or B2C, they could be operating through a network of sub agents or they could be operating directly to consumers. We offer commissions to them which are called transaction fees, but we have been looking at the models operated by the airlines and have seen that transaction fees are not very popular and agents may prefer to get some incentives.”

Cathay Pacific announced the launch of direct passenger flights to Riyadh  from 28 October 2024, further enhancing connectivity, trade and cultural exchange between its home hub, Hong Kong, and countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. Cathay Pacific marked the announcement with a signing ceremony in Hong Kong, attended and witnessed by Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung, Consul General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Hong Kong SAR, Hamad Aljebreen, Cathay Group Chief Executive Officer Ronald Lam and Saudi Air Connectivity Program Chief Executive Officer Majid Khan. The agreement was signed by Cathay Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau, and Saudi Air Connectivity Program Aviation Development Vice President Rashed Alshammari in the presence of distinguished guests from Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung said: “The signing of the cooperation agreement marks a significant milestone for the already prospering aviation partnership between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia developed for almost two decades. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Cathay Pacific for their unfaltering support to the Government’s policies and for considering Hong Kong’s strategic development needs in their network planning. “The Hong Kong SAR Government is committed to strengthening aviation services on current major routes and routes along the Belt and Road with potential. Following Cathay Pacific’s initiative to commence services to Riyadh, we will be able to expand Hong Kong’s aviation network and enhance air connectivity between us and the Middle East, which further consolidates Hong Kong’s status as an international aviation hub.” Consul General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Hong Kong SAR Hamad Aljebreen said: “The inauguration of this route is a …

IndiGo enhances connectivity between Mumbai and Kuwait from 29 October 2024 by adding frequencies, focusing on both business and leisure travellers. This new frequencies aim to enhance international connectivity and bolster mobility between the commercial hubs in Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra, considering the increased demand for business and leisure travel from the states. The addition of these flights will provide travellers with more options to explore these vibrant tourist and economic hubs in Southeast Asia and Middle East during the upcoming festive season and holiday travel months. With the launch of these new routes and frequencies, IndiGo now provides 908 direct flights a week from Chennai to 48 destinations, 141 weekly flights from Coimbatore to 7 destinations, and 1292 weekly flights from Mumbai to 72 destinations. Mr. Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales, IndiGo, said, “We are pleased to further enhance our international connectivity with new / direct additional flights to Singapore, Colombo and Kuwait. With introduction of these flights IndiGo now offers increased connectivity to Singapore (72 flights a week) from 9 cities in India, to Colombo (37 flights a week) from 4 cities in India, and to Kuwait (34 flights a week) from 5 cities in India. These new routes and additional frequencies foster stronger economic and cultural ties and unlock new avenues for trade, tourism, and collaboration. As India’s preferred carrier, we are committed to offering on- time, affordable, and hassle-free travel experiences across our extensive network.” Singapore, also referred to as the “Lion City” and the “Garden City,” boasts a unique fusion of culture, continental cuisine, customs, and traditions. The well-known Merlion Park, Gardens by the Bay, Universal Studios, SEA Aquarium, Marina Bay Sands Skypark, Botanical …

HealthStay.io, a member of Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund (MBRIF) Cohort 7 Accelerator, has launched its world-first artificial intelligence (AI) powered sales and booking management solution to revolutionise medical tourism in the UAE and beyond. The white label solution – hosting a strategic partnership with Dubai Health Experience (DXH), part of Dubai Health Authority (DHA) – will act as the link between medical tourists and healthcare in Dubai, automating the entire process, enabling medical tourists to select their procedure and make all necessary bookings to facilitate their visit via the international patients section of a hospitals website. Commenting on the launch, Fatima Yousif Alnaqbi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Support Services Sector, Chief Innovation Officer at the Ministry of Finance, and MBRIF representative, said: “We are pleased to support innovative initiatives that contribute to strengthening the UAE’s position as a global centre of excellence. It always gives us great pride to see an innovation supported under our Innovation Accelerator programme succeed. The launch of HealthStay.io, which offers solutions to enhance the medical tourism experience in our country, highlights the importance of such programmes and underscores the invaluable contribution a customised accelerator can have on our innovation ecosystem, creating positive impact on our economy.” HealthStay.io’s solution streamlines the many processes involved in medical tourism into a single automated system for patients, from selecting a practitioner to finalising flights, visas and accommodation bookings. For hospitals, with the use of HealthStay.io’s interconnected custom built CRM tool they now have a new automated system to acquire new customers, qualify leads and maximise efficiency throughout. Sean Conaty, Co-founder & CEO, HealthStay.io said: “HealthStay is an exciting example of how AI can play a key role in …

Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai (DWC) will host the 10th edition of the MEBAA Show, the leading business aviation event, from 10th-12th December 2024. The show will offer unparalleled opportunities to drive change across the industry. Renowned as a place to build new connections, highlight key launches and explore business opportunities, this edition will cater to the growing demand for business travel in the region. Ali Alnaqbi, Founding and Executive Chairman of the Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA), said, “As the business aviation industry continues to evolve, the MEBAA Show remains a pivotal platform for fostering crucial connections and driving innovation. This year’s event will host global leaders, offering unique opportunities to share and gain knowledge, explore new business deals and forge paths that align with our shared vision of advancing the future of business aviation.” A number of key regional and international operators have already confirmed attendance, including Saudia Private, Qatar Executive, Mukamalah Aviation Company, and Jet Aviation.

King Salman International Airport is to become a hub for tourism, travel and transportation in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In keeping with Vision 2030 the airport development company is partnering with leading local and international companies in the fields of architecture, engineering, construction, and air traffic management. Mr. Marco Mejia, Acting CEO of King Salman International Airport Development Company, stated: “We are committed to delivering an airport which will be seen as the benchmark in the world of aviation. It will provide the national and international connectivity the city of Riyadh needs to meet and drive the business, trade and tourism growth set out in Vision 2030. These four firms will work alongside the Saudi and international talent we have brought together, they will be an essential addition to our team as we build King Salman International Airport, creating a new passenger experience.” King Salman International Airport Development Company (KSIADC), one of Public Investment Fund’s companies, announced the signing of strategic partnership contracts with four leading local and international companies in the fields of architecture, engineering, construction, and air traffic management. This partnership aims to start a new phase to develop King Salman International Airport (KSIA) to become a hub for tourism, travel and transportation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and the wider region. The award-winning architecture firm (Foster + Partners) will design the airport’s master plan covering a total area of 57 square kilometres, which includes several terminals, six runways, and a multi-asset real estate area. The airport’s design will capture Riyadh’s essence and reflect Saudi culture, providing a unique travel experience for visitors and travellers. While the international engineering firm (Jacobs), will provide specialist consultancy services for the airport’s …

Qatar Airways Group has acquired a 25% stake in Southern Africa’s premier independent regional carrier, Airlink. The announcement is a continuation of the airline’s ambition to further develop its operations across the African continent. The investment in Airlink – which flies to more than 45 destinations in 15 African countries – will enhance a code-sharing partnership between the two airlines. The deal will bolster Qatar Airways’ Africa growth strategy and cement its role as a key driver to the continent’s economic success. On the announcement, Qatar Airways’ Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said: “Our investment in Airlink further demonstrates how integral we see Africa being to our business’ future. This partnership not only demonstrates our confidence in Airlink, as a company that is resilient, agile, financially robust and governed on sound principles, but also in Africa as a whole, showing huge potential that I am delighted we are able to help start realising.” Airlink Chief Executive Rodger Foster said: “Having Qatar Airways as an equity partner is a powerful endorsement of Airlink and echoes our faith in the markets we currently serve and plan to add to our network. This transaction will unlock growth by providing efficiencies of scale, increasing our capacity and expanding our marketing reach. By bolstering Airlink and its business, this investment will strengthen all of the existing airline partnerships Airlink has nurtured over the years.” The partnership between Qatar Airways and Airlink seeks to align both carriers’ loyalty programs – Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Airlink Skybucks. Qatar Airways currently flies to 29 destinations in Africa, and there’s been strong growth in the market with new destinations added to the Qatar Airways network …

Qatar Airways has launched additional flights to the key global destinations of London, UK; Male, the Maldives; Miami, USA; and Tokyo, Japan for the 2024-2025 season. Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Thierry Antinori, said: “As the World’s Best Airline, Qatar Airways is the best travel companion for international holiday-makers. Our increased flights during the winter holiday season comes as a response to the needs of our passengers who wish to create unforgettable travel experiences. Mr. Antinori continued: “Qatar Airways’ is also strengthening its commitment to the UK. Growing to 56 flights a week – the most of any Gulf carrier – further reinforces our long-standing relationship with London Heathrow Airport, as well as our unique strategic alliance with British Airways, which also operates two flights a day to Doha.” Qatar Airways flight to London (LHR) tarting 27 October 2024, Qatar Airways flights to London (LHR) will increase from 49 to 56 weekly flights. Following strong demand from customers, the airline will be offering more than 42,000 seats per week each way. Along with the two daily flights operated by its joint business partner, British Airways, there will be 10 daily flights between London Heathrow and Doha. New flights for this popular route are open for travellers, including travellers from Australia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the UK. The flights will depart daily as follows: • Doha (DOH) to London (LHR) – Flight QR109: Departure 09:30; Arrival 14:05 • London (LHR) to Doha (DOH) – Flight QR110: Departure 15:30; Arrival 01:10 Qatar Airways flight to Male (MLE) Starting 13 December 2024, Qatar Airways flights to Male (MLE) will increase from 21 to 28 weekly flights. Bookings are now open for travellers …

The General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha’at) is planning to host a series of events during “tourism week” in Madinah, to be held from 25 to 29 August 2024. Monsha’at will conduct eight workshops as part of the week-long event, covering topics such as innovation in tourism, tourism routes, tour guides, and showcasing successful local tourism businesses. The event is part of a nationwide efforts to boost the tourism sector; similar events will take place simultaneously in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al-Khobar. According to Monsha’at, this aims to help local entrepreneurs and investors by highlighting investment opportunities and government support programs for small and medium-sized enterprises.

In a recent interview with tourismbreakingnews.ae Nuwal Fadhilah Ku Azmi, Director International Promotion Division, North and East Asia, covering Asia and Africa shared that they are expecting a double increase in terms of tourism numbers from the GCC. Last year, Malaysia welcomed 164,568 tourists from the region, representing a substantial increase of 85.88% compared to 88,534 tourists in 2022. Therefore, we are optimistic that the arrivals from this region will double compared to last year. In mid-2024, Malaysia’s tourism sector showed strong recovery and growth in tourist numbers compared to previous years. Malaysia experienced a significant increase in international arrivals in 2024, with a 28.9% growth from January to June compared to the same period in 2023. Specifically, the West Asia market saw a rise from 56,592 tourists in the first half of 2023 to 85,559 tourists in 2024, an increase of 51.2%. Malaysia has been actively refining its strategies to attract visitors from the West Asian market. Tourism Malaysia will continue to collaborate with national carriers and foreign airlines through the Charter Flight Matching Grant (GSPC) to increase air traffic from the West Asian market to Malaysia. As of now, the number of flights for the year 2024 is 138 per week with a seating capacity of 41,956 from the UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman. Leveraging air connectivity to increase arrivals to Malaysia and rejuvenating offerings will further enhance Malaysia’s appeal as a preferred tourist destination in this region. Tourism Malaysia and Emirates signed a Memorandum of Collaboration (MOC) for a joint promotion campaign at the Arabian Travel Market 2024. In general, our marketing approach for 2024 is geared towards high-impact and fast conversion strategies by …