The Emirates A380 welcomed more than 7,000 visitors across two days at this year’s Bahrain International Airshow. The airline showcased its iconic flagship aircraft for trade and industry visitors, aviation aficionados, and the wider public for an up-close glimpse into the largest passenger aircraft in the world. The Emirates A380 on display featured four classes and was one of the latest aircraft to be retrofitted with the newest generation cabins including Premium Economy, alongside updates across First, Business, and Economy class cabins. The airline has embarked on a multi-billion dollar retrofit programme to elevate the travel experience for its customers for years to come. As part of the programme, the airline rolled out Premium Economy with more spacious seating and thoughtful touches that makes routine travel an unforgettable experience. Visitors to the aircraft were also able to tour the Onboard Lounge, and the iconic Shower Spa in First Class. Emirates has been serving Bahrain since 2000 and has carried close to 8 million passengers to and from Bahrain since the start of its operations. The airline currently operates 21 weekly flights on its Boeing 777 aircraft and connects travellers from the Kingdom to more than Emirates’ 140 global destinations via its hub in Dubai.

SAUDIA announced a partnership between AlFursan loyalty program and Choice Hotels, enabling AlFursan members to join Choice Privileges, the loyalty program of Choice Hotels. The agreement was signed by Essam Akhonbay, Vice President of AlFursan Loyalty Program at SAUDIA, and Nour Ghanem, General Manager of Choice Hotels in Saudi Arabia. As part of the partnership, AlFursan members will earn 1,000 AlFursan reward miles for every 5,000 Choice Privileges points converted. Essam Akhonbay, the Vice President of AlFursan Loyalty Program at SAUDIA, commented: “This partnership reflects SAUDIA’s ongoing commitment to enhancing its global network of partnerships and offering more exclusive benefits to AlFursan members. With Choice Hotels’ extensive portfolio across the world, this collaboration opens a wealth of new opportunities for our members to enjoy exceptional travel experiences worldwide.” David Beers, CEO of Choice Hotels EMEA, said: “We continue to focus on adding redemption benefits that provide further value for our members so they can redeem the points they have earned by staying at nearly 7,500 Choice Hotels around the world. This new agreement is a great expansion of the rewards and opportunities that are available to the 65 million Choice Privileges members for their travels.” AlFursan members enjoy a wide range of benefits and exclusive offers through extensive local and global partnerships, allowing members to accelerate the earning of Miles to redeem for flights with SAUDIA and our SkyTeam partners.

RwandAir has signed an agreement with Euroairlines Group to improve the distribution of its more than 30 domestic and international routes. They will benefit from the network of travel agencies, OTAs, aggregators and consolidators in more than 60 countries that the Spanish company will make available to them through its IATA Q4-291 plate. The Rwandan company, based in Kigali, offers regular flights to 22 countries across Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, after 22 years of existence. RwandAir was born in December 2002 as a national airline under the name of Rwandair Express with a concession to provide airport ground services as an ancillary activity. In December 2009, the current RwandAir began operations with Kigali International Airport as its hub. Since then, it has been providing commercial and passenger services and has a fleet of 14 aircraft, including three Airbus aircraft with more than 250 seats, seven Boeing aircraft with more than 120 seats and four Bombardier aircraft with a capacity of more than 60 people. According to Euroairlines CEO, Antonio López-Lázaro, the agreement will intensify and consolidate the already significant growth experienced by the African airline in recent years. “For us, southern Africa is an area with a lot of potential, which is why it is strategic to have such an established partner in the region as RwandAir”, says López-Lázaro. “Between the two companies, we can bring great value to each other to drive our growth, and our presence in more than 50 markets supports our distribution network”, adds.

As Saudi Arabia continues to make tremendous strides towards becoming one of the world’s most attractive tourist destinations, the Tourism Development Fund (TDF) has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing the industry. This was highlighted by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dusit International. The MoU will see TDF work closely with Dusit International to develop a range of world-class hospitality projects in the Kingdom. In line with Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Tourism Strategy, the partnership is fully geared towards setting Saudi Arabia apart as a must-visit destination — a go-to tourism hotspot — distinguished by a first-class array of luxury hotels and resorts. The MoU marks the latest step taken by TDF to transform the Kingdom into a global hub of immersive tourism experiences, reiterating the Fund’s focus on effective and truly aligned partnership-building to advance the Saudi tourism sector and fulfil the Kingdom’s potential as a leading player on the international tourism stage. Renowned for its rich traditions, stunning landscapes, proud heritage and diverse range of spiritual landmarks and historic sites, Saudi Arabia is home to some of the most engaging tourist attractions in the world. Together with Dusit International, TDF aims to call attention to these places of interest and attract more visitors and travelers to embark on rewarding journeys and tourist experiences across the Kingdom. Mr. Qusai Al-Fakhri, TDF’s CEO, said: “This MoU is a pivotal milestone in our strategy to attract world-class partners and create distinctive and sustainable tourism destinations in Saudi Arabia. We are pleased to be collaborating with Dusit International, whose expertise in hospitality aligns perfectly with our ambition to unlock the full potential of the Kingdom’s tourism sector. Together, we aim …

Kuwait Airways announced the strengthening of its partnership with Amadeus, which specializes in providing technology, innovation services and solutions to airlines, to develop a streamlined booking process for passengers travelling on Kuwait Airways. Captain Abdulmohsen Salem Al-Fagaan, Chairman – Kuwait Airways stated, “Kuwait Airways is pleased to announce the strengthening of the partnership with Amadeus, one of the leading providers of technology and solutions for airlines in the global air transport sector. Through this partnership, Amadeus will enhance the booking mechanism to provide our valued customers with a simplified and streamlined process.” Al-Fagaan added, “Kuwait Airways customers can now book their flights in just three simple steps. This enhanced booking process has been designed to assist customers in the best possible way, providing them with essential information needed to make informed decisions quickly, while eliminating unnecessary complexities.” Al-Fagaan further stated, “Kuwait Airways is committed to providing its valued customers with an exceptional and comfortable travel experience and in facilitating the booking procedures for all our passengers. Through close collaboration with Amadeus, we can rely on their expertise and professionalism to significantly enhance the transformation of the digital experience for all our customers and Oasis Club members.” Maher Koubaa, EVP Travel unit and Managing Director, EMEA, Amadeus stated, “At Amadeus, we are proud to support Kuwait Airways on this transformative journey. Our ongoing dedication to enhancing the customer experience for Kuwait Airways passengers will continue to drive new innovations and improvements and providing them with diverse options.“

flydubai and Batik Air Malaysia announced an interline agreement that will offer flydubai passengers access to more than 40 destinations across Batik Air’s network via Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL). The interline agreement will offer passengers seamless connectivity between the UAE, Malaysia and beyond as they explore new routes on the carriers’ combined networks, offering the convenience of a single booking and through-checked baggage. flydubai customers will have the opportunity to explore more than 40 destinations across Southeast Asia on the Batik Air network including Hanoi, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Osaka and Sydney. ​In addition, Batik Air passengers will have the opportunity to travel conveniently to 38 destinations on flydubai’s growing network across Africa, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Central and Southeast Europe as well as the GCC and the Middle East. This includes unique destinations such as Entebbe, Istanbul, Milan-Bergamo, Prague and Zagreb. ​ Commenting on the interline agreement, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “we are pleased to add Batik Air to our growing list of partners, offering their passengers a smooth travel experience on a young and modern fleet, with our great service and enhanced cabin interior, as they explore our growing network. We look forward to offering our passengers more opportunities to explore Southeast Asia and beyond and we remain committed to creating free flows of trade and tourism and supporting Dubai’s position as a thriving aviation hub.” ​ ​ ​ Batik Air Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy said that this agreement marks a significant step forward in expanding travel possibilities for valued passengers. “By bringing together the networks of Batik Air and flydubai, we’re not only making it easier for travellers to connect with …

Travelport and All Nippon Airways (ANA)  have signed a multi-source content distribution agreement that includes New Distribution Capability (NDC) content and servicing. Named a ‘Friendly Partner’ of ANA, Travelport is the first global distribution system (GDS) to confirm an NDC distribution agreement with the airline. Travelport and ANA are actively collaborating to make ANA’s NDC content available via Travelport+, targeting mid-year 2025. “Travelport has been a valued partner of ANA for many years as a result of our productive collaboration that enhances our modern retailing approach so we can provide exceptional experiences for our travelers,” said Keiji Omae, Executive Vice President of Customer Experience at ANA. “As we advance our NDC strategy, I am confident that Travelport can play a crucial role in helping us expand our reach and simplify the booking and servicing process as agents and travelers shop for our best offers.” Travelport and ANA have deepened their long-standing relationship to ensure that Travelport-connected agencies will continue to have simplified access to ANA’s wide range product offerings, including ancillary services. Travelport+ is the only modern retailing platform built for travel agencies. To date, thousands of travel agencies in more than 178 countries can easily search, sell and service multi-source content, including NDC, using Travelport’s APIs, Smartpoint Cloud and Smartpoint desktop agency point-of-sale solutions. “This pivotal agreement confirms that agencies using Travelport+ will be able to access relevant, personalized, and enriched multi-source content from ANA, which means travelers are presented with more choice among ANA’s best offers and fares,” said Damian Hickey, Global Head of Air Partners at Travelport. “As ANA’s friendly partner, we are dedicated to delivering ANA’s content to our agency customers in a retail-ready way so …

The number of pre-qualified buyers attending this year’s World Travel Market London increased by 11 per cent compared to last year, with organisers of the world’s most influential travel and tourism event thrilled to confirm 5,049 world class buyers came through its doors, over three-days. Returning to Excel London from November 5 to 7 2024, the 44th edition hosted 5,049 buyers, a substantial increase of 11 per cent, and almost 500 extra buyers, on the 4,560 buyers welcomed to the 2023 show. Bigger and better than ever, overall attendance at the event increased by six per cent to 46,316 individuals, with many travel professionals attending for between two and three days. To accommodate the additional visitors, the show increased in scale by almost eight per cent, adopting new halls within Excel London’s Level-0, where visitors could enjoy large new conference stages and hospitality areas. Aligned to the event expansion, a record number of exhibitors from the private sector were in attendance, with exhibitor participation growing to 4,047, another rise of eight per cent compared to last year. Continuing to deliver measurable value for attendees, confirmed business meetings also rose by a phenomenal 17 per cent in 2024, with 34,082 pre- scheduled meetings facilitated, in contrast to the 29,075 that took place last year. Hunger for change Leading conversations that will shape the travel and tourism industry throughout 2025, WTM London focussed on ‘Travelpower’ and how attendees, including tourism boards, hoteliers, transport services, technology brands, associations and experiences, can use their platforms for positive change. Reflecting this, the show’s exhilarating conference programme saw more than 200 world-class speakers deliver over 70 insightful sessions built around the topics of Diversity, Equity, Accessibility & Inclusion (DEAI), Geo-Economics, …

Emirates and the DP World Tour have inked an agreement for the airline to extend its status as the Official Airline and Marketing Partner of the leading professional golf Tour until the end of 2031. The airline currently supports an international roster of DP World Tour tournaments that cut across continents and culminate in the prestigious DP World Tour Championship, one of golf’s ultimate prizes, in its home of Dubai. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: “We’re proud of our deep roots in golf, and of our role in boosting Dubai’s place as one of the world’s most sought-after destinations for top players and golfing enthusiasts with its world-class courses. Emirates’ continued investment in the DP World Tour will enable us to maintain our long-standing connection with golf fans across Europe, the US, Asia, Africa and Australia, and of course in our home of Dubai, where golf’s greatest names vie for the prestigious Race to Dubai title.” Guy Kinnings, Chief Executive Officer of the DP World Tour, added: “Emirates are one of our longest serving partners and I’m delighted that they have decided to extend our relationship until the end of the 2031 season. They are extremely experienced in the sports sponsorship landscape and this long-term agreement is strong validation of the ongoing strength of our partnership platform as golf’s global Tour. As an airline that connects the world, we continue to build campaigns that resonate with Emirates’ global customer base.” During the multi-year partnership, Emirates will continue to benefit from highly visible branding throughout the season. In addition, Emirates will enjoy marketing opportunities across the Tour’s media and …

Sabre Hospitality announced a new partnership with BookLogic  which marks a significant step in expanding the global distribution and retailing capabilities of both companies, focuses on driving growth in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) regions, with particular emphasis on United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Turkey as well as Qatar and Saudi Arabia. This partnership reflects both companies’ commitment to regional growth and innovation. The collaboration will begin by connecting up to 1,200 hotels from BookLogic’s portfolio to leading Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) and Internet Distribution Systems (IDS). Future plans include expanding to online travel agency (OTA) integration, BookLogic’s long-tail distribution channels, and comprehensive retail solutions. This layered approach allows BookLogic to scale its offerings and marketing distribution opportunities to meet the evolving needs of the hospitality industry, offering hoteliers a complete ecosystem and landscape for managing optimized operations, distribution, and efficient guest engagement. Sabre Hospitality and BookLogic also share strategic priorities in payment automation, dynamic packaging technology, alternative regional distribution, and guest experience, creating a strong foundation for future growth and innovation. “Partnering with BookLogic will enable Sabre Hospitality to expand its reach in key markets such as UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey,” said Frank Trampert, Senior Vice President, Global Managing Director at Sabre Hospitality. “By leveraging the power of our SynXis platform, BookLogic will offer best-in-class distribution and retailing services to independent hotels, helping them unlock new opportunities and drive operational efficiency in a competitive market.” Leveraging Sabre’s SynXis Retailing platform integrated with the BookLogic system, the partnership brings a robust set of features and connections to the MEA region, one of Sabre Hospitality’s key growth areas. SynXis, the leading global hospitality commerce and distribution platform, connects hotels to over …