Visit Qatar and Huawei announced a partnership aimed at improving the tourism experience for Chinese visitors and showcasing Qatar as a leading travel destination in the Chinese market. This collaboration leverages the precise targeting capabilities of Huawei’s advertising platform, Petal Ads, to effectively reach and connect with potential travelers, reinforcing Qatar’s position as an attractive destination for Chinese tourists. The MoU was signed by Eng. Abdulaziz Ali Al Mawlawi, CEO of Visit Qatar, and Justin Chen, Global Head of Petal Ads, Huawei’s consumer cloud, representing Huawei, during Visit Qatar’s pavilion at Arabian Travel Market 2024. As part of this partnership, Visit Qatar and Huawei will develop an integrated travel ecosystem in Qatar, including the integration of Huawei products such as SkyTone for roaming data, Huawei Wallet for payments, Petal Maps for promotion and attractions, and AI-powered travel aids. In addition, visitors will be provided with advanced technologies supported by interactive and immersive tourism experiences that highlight Qatar’s famous tourist attractions. Leveraging the proven capabilities of Petal Ads, the MoU focuses on efforts to make Qatar a leading travel destination for Chinese tourists through joint marketing initiatives and harnessing Huawei’s vast and diverse media resources. This unique partnership also aims to attract the interest of Chinese travelers and direct their attention to Qatar and choose it as a preferred destination in their upcoming travel plans. Commenting on the collaboration, Eng. Abdulaziz Ali Al Mawlawi, CEO of Visit Qatar, said: “Through our strategic partnership with Huawei, we are taking an important step towards attracting more Chinese tourists and investors to Qatar. We also aim to develop a comprehensive travel ecosystem in Qatar and offer advanced technologies to visitors through interactive and immersive …

Emirates and flynas signed an expanded two-way interline partnership with plans to open up connections and more travel choices for flynas customers via Dubai. Emirates’ current interline with flynas provides its customers with enhanced connectivity via its four gateways – Riyadh, Jeddah, Medinah and Dammam – to over 15 domestic points in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It also includes the convenience of single ticket itineraries with onwards booking and baggage transfers. The MoU was signed at ATM by Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, and Bander Almohanna, Group CEO & Managing Director of flynas, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, and flynas chairman Ayed Al Jeaid, along with other senior representatives from both airlines. With the expansion of the interline to a bilateral arrangement, flynas customers can connect across any of Emirates’ gateways in the Kingdom to a select roster of onward destinations on the airline’s network in the Far East, West Asia & Indian Ocean and Europe, via Dubai. Bander Almohanna, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director in flynas said: “With the expansion of the interline to a bilateral arrangement, flynas travelers can connect to a select roster of Emirates’ onward destinations on the airline’s network in the Far East, West Asia & Indian Ocean and Europe, via Dubai. We are quite pleased to offer more choices to our customers through Emirates’ wide network. Once the expanded interline partnership is activated, customers will be able to book their travel on the flynas website, through online travel agencies as well as with local travel agents.” Once the expanded interline partnership is activated, …

His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, stressed the importance of collaboration between stakeholders from the tourism and aviation sectors to drive economic growth and create seamless travel experiences. Speaking at the Future Aviation Forum in Riyadh, the minister highlighted the Kingdom’s efforts to leverage new air connections to boost inbound tourism and accelerate sector growth. “Gathering here at the Future Aviation Forum, it is important to emphasize the intersecting relationship between tourism and aviation. Ensuring the strategic expansion and sustainability of air routes is critical for our tourism goals,” said Minister Al-Khateeb during his keynote speech titled “Sky High Tourism – Unlocking Destinations and Cultural Exchange Now and in the Future.” In the past two years, Saudi Arabia’s air connectivity network expanded greatly, with Saudi airports adding 28 new routes from international destinations. In the first four months of 2024 alone, airlines from key markets in Europe and East Asia have initiated direct flights to the Kingdom. These airlines include China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Air China, ITA Airways, and Eurowings. With visitors from 66 countries now benefiting from the Saudi eVisa, the Kingdom’s tourism market has been on an upward trajectory in recent years. Recognized as the second fastest-growing tourism market globally in 2023, Saudi Arabia welcomed 107 million tourists, with 27.4 million of these being international arrivals. Tourism currently represents 4% of GDP in the Kingdom– with a target of 10% GDP contribution by 2030. Aiming to attract 150 million tourists by that year – of which 70 million will be international arrivals – global airlines and tour operators will play a key role in this development. Minister Al-Khateeb added, “This growth is a …

DWTC’s 2023 Economic Impact Assessment (EIA) Annual Report underscores the company’s sustained contribution to the city’s GDP, especially highlighting the remarkable surge in Total Economic Output of AED 18.28Bn from 76 large-scale Exhibitions, International Association Conventions, and Industry Conferences (of the total 301 exhibitions and events in 2023). Notably, the Gross Value Added (GVA) to Dubai’s GDP by these large-scale events amounted to AED 10.53Bn, representing 58% of the total economic output being retained within the local economy, fostering 69,281 jobs and generating AED 3.36Bn in disposable income. DWTC’s large-scale events boost economic impact with 76 large-scale events (2,000 or more attendees), generated sales of approximately AED 2.33Bn within the MICE sector, resulting in nearly 8 times that value in economic output. This means that for every dirham invested by an organiser or attendee at a DWTC event, it generates eight times in sales value for the broader Dubai economy. The success of DWTC’s own events and exhibitions such as GITEX Global and Gulfood, which generated AED 7.22Bn in economic output and AED 4.15Bn in GVA – a 53% increase over 2022 – reflects DWTC’s unparalleled expertise in delivering world-class events that resonate with global audiences. Against the backdrop of the ambitious Dubai Economic Agenda D33 – aiming to secure the city’s status as one of the top three global destinations for business and travel by 2033, DWTC’s international leadership in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector continues to play a pivotal role in reinforcing Dubai’s position as a powerhouse of economic activity and innovation. The 76 large-scale business events hosted, organised and delivered by DWTC attracted 1.54 million attendees, with 46% being international attendees. In absolute terms, this …

SAUDIA signed an agreement with AEGEAN to expand their codeshare. The agreement will  enable guests of both airlines to reach new destinations. Through AEGEAN, guests can reach 47 countries at 156 destinations, such as Zagreb in Croatia and Tirana in Albania, as well as Santorini and Rhodes in Greece. Guests of AEGEAN will also benefit from access to domestic destinations in conjunction with the tourism movement witnessed in various regions of the Kingdom. The agreement adds numerous benefits for SAUDIA’s guests as well as AEGEAN passengers, including the expansion and growth of the flight network. Additionally, it includes transit visa services, which can be issued through digital channels by SAUDIA in collaboration with the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, allowing guests from around the world to stopover for up to 96 hours. The agreement was signed during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) held at the Dubai World Trade Center by the Chief Commercial Officer of SAUDIA, Arved Von Zur Muehlen and Network Planning and Airline Partnerships Director AEGEAN, Yannis Rasoglou, by which SAUDIA’s guests and AEGEAN’s passengers will benefit from a wide range of privileges, starting with reservations and ticket issuance, in addition to fast and smooth transfers between flights with a single ticket. Moreover, they will enjoy the convenience of checking in their luggage to their final destination and benefiting from a reciprocal rewards program where miles can be collected to upgrade membership. Arved Von Zur Muehlen, the Chief Commercial Officer of Saudia, said: “This new codeshare agreement with AEGEAN is a significant step forward in expanding our network and offering a wider range of travel options. Not only will Saudia’s guests enjoy seamless connections to exciting new destinations, but they will …

Emirates will resume services to Nigeria from 1 October 2024, operating a daily service between Lagos and Dubai, and offering customers more choice and connectivity from Nigeria’s largest city to, and through, Dubai. The service will be operated using a Boeing 777-300ER. EK783 will depart Dubai at 0945hrs, arriving in Lagos at 1520hrs; the return flight EK784 will leave Lagos at 1730hrs and arrives in Dubai at 0510hrs the next day. Tickets can be booked now on emirates.com or via travel agents. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer said, “We are excited to resume our services to Nigeria. The Lagos-Dubai service has traditionally been popular with customers in Nigeria and we hope to reconnect leisure and business travellers to Dubai and onwards to our network of over 140 destinations. We thank the Nigerian government for their partnership and support in re-establishing this route and we look forward to welcoming passengers back onboard.” With the resumption of operations to Nigeria, Emirates operates to 19 gateways in Africa with 157 flights per week from Dubai, with further reach to an additional 130 regional points in Africa through its codeshare and interline partnerships with South African Airways, Airlink, Royal Air Maroc, Tunis Air, among others. As a major economic hub in Africa, Nigeria and the UAE have built strong bilateral trade relations over the years, headlined by Lagos as the nation’s commercial centre. With the resumption of daily passenger flights, the airline’s cargo arm, Emirates SkyCargo, will further bolster the trade relationship by offering more than 300 tonnes of bellyhold cargo capacity, in and out of Lagos every week. Emirates SkyCargo will support Nigerian businesses by exporting their goods via its …

Almosafer announced the expansion of its partnership with Amadeus into new verticals at the Arabian Travel Market. As part of the broadened collaboration, Almosafer will integrate Amadeus’ NDC (New Distribution Capability) technology, to help drive the industrialization of NDC, ensuring that all actors make the most of the benefits of NDC, through the distribution of new differentiated and relevant content. The collaboration will enable Almosafer to deliver more customized and targeted content and enhanced digital marketing capabilities by leveraging Amadeus’ accurate data analysis. The expansion of the long-standing partnership between the two companies is testimony to Almosafer’s commitment to accelerate travel retailing through innovative technology. By leveraging their IT and distribution synergies, Amadeus NDC [X] programme fosters cross-industry collaboration between airline and travel seller partners, enriching and enhancing customer experience on the travel agencies’ side while allowing airlines to tailor offers using latest merchandising techniques. In keeping with Almosafer’s focus on being future-ready and providing a seamless experience for their customers, the updated collaboration will enable the travel company to further boost their implementation of NDC-enabled Travel API solution to target more personalised products to customers. Tarique Khatri, Chief Commercial Officer of Almosafer, said: “At Almosafer we have always been at the forefront of harnessing the power of technological innovations to drive customer satisfaction. Our holistic association with Amadeus over the years has enabled us to offer travellers a seamless experience across our digital portals and with the addition of Amadeus’ NDC technology we hope to further our ambitions to provide more targeted personalised content for our customers.” Jamel Chandoul, SVP Travel Sellers, Middle East, Africa, Türkiye, and Central Asia at Amadeus: “Our mission at Amadeus is to make the travel …

Marriott International, Inc. and King Abdullah Financial District Development & Management Company (KAFD DMC) announced the signing of an agreement to open a new property from W Hotels within KAFD – Riyadh’s premier business and lifestyle destination. Slated to open in 2025, W Riyadh will offer an urban escape within the capital and will bring the brand’s bold design, elevated service, innovative culinary experiences, and always-on programming to locals and international visitors alike, positioning the property to emerge as an icon of hospitality in Riyadh. W Riyadh is expected to feature 210 luxury guest rooms and suites, seven restaurants, retail space, and expansive event and meeting facilities. Design plans for the property also include signature brand spaces such as the Living Room, WET Deck®, AWAY® Spa, and FIT® fitness center, and the hotel will provide the brand’s iconic Whatever/Whenever service. “In line with the strategic framework of Vision 2030, Riyadh is fast becoming a key regional metropolis attracting global leisure and business travellers alike,” said Chadi Hauch, Regional Vice President, Lodging Development, Middle East, Marriott International. “This monumental signing underscores the increased demand for distinctive luxury brands in the capital and we look forward to working with KAFD DMC to bring the W Hotels vision for innovation, creativity, design, and exploration to the city.” The signing of W Riyadh is in alignment with KAFD’s strategic vision to broaden and enrich its dynamic lifestyle destinations, attracting both business and leisure travellers with elevated luxury and hospitality offerings. “The Kingdom has surpassed Vision 2030 tourism expectations seven years ahead of schedule which sets the stage for future growth. As a cornerstone initiative of the Kingdom’s Vision, and in keeping with the new …

The allure of European shopping has become an essential component of every traveler’s itinerary from the Middle East, with McArthurGlen Outlets positioned as the market leader in providing unparalleled retail experiences across the continent. In a landmark achievement, Middle Eastern markets emerged as the first market in tax-free shopping at McArthurGlen’s outlets in 2024, signaling a trend of exponential growth in the region’s affinity for European retail destinations. “Shopping in Europe has evolved from a mere activity to a cultural phenomenon for travelers from the Middle East,” remarked Matthias Sinner, Head of Tourism at McArthurGlen Outlets. “We are thrilled to see the growing enthusiasm among tourists from these markets for exploring the diverse retail landscape of Europe, and our centers are committed to delivering exceptional experiences that cater to their unique preferences and expectations.” The peak travel season for Middle Eastern tourists, typically following Ramadan (Eid al Fitr) and during the European summer, coincides with enticing sales promotions across the continent, amplifying the allure of European shopping. Notably, there has been a noticeable surge in autumn breaks, further underlining the year-round appeal of European shopping destinations for travelers from the Middle East. Key European cities remain the focal points for this group, with McArthurGlen’s outlets strategically located near major fashion hubs. Among the most visited outlets are Serravalle, Castel Romano and Noventa di Piave in Italy, Roermond and Parndorf in Austria, and Paris-Giverny in France, reflecting the diverse shopping preferences of travelers from the Middle East. Middle Eastern tourists, renowned for their penchant for luxury items, display a strong preference for internationally renowned brands and upscale establishments. McArthurGlen boasts an exclusive array of premium and luxury brands, featuring coveted names …

Boutique Group  marks its first independent participation at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) highlighting its commitment to redefining the luxury hospitality experience by transforming some of Saudi Arabia’s most iconic former royal residences, among other cultural and historic landmarks, into ultra-luxury hotels. Boutique Group also announced details of a new Memorandum of Understanding signed with ALTANFEETHI luxury concierge service to cooperatively exchange knowledge and expertise to develop and enhance guest experience at airports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Boutique Group’s portfolio includes the stunning Al Hamra Palace in Jeddah, known for hosting some of the world’s most prominent international public figures, the Red Palace in the heart of old Riyadh, which adorned the SAR 100 bank note and served as the home to the Council of Ministers for three decades, and the Aga Khan Award-winning Tuwaiq Palace, an architectural masterpiece inspired by Saudi Arabia’s iconic forts, tents and oasis landscape. Across its palaces, Boutique Group is dedicated to designing bespoke modern luxury offerings rooted in a strong sense of place, backed by strong partnerships and an authentic representation of Saudi’s vast heritage. “This year’s ATM theme explores gateways. This is particularly poignant for Boutique Group, because our properties are in essence a gateway to a new model of hospitality, and a more sustainable future. Inspired by Saudi Arabi’s rich heritage and powered by its talent, we are creating a gateway to a more resilient and diversified economy,” said Mark De Cocinis, Chief Executive Officer at Boutique Group. “We are also delighted to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with luxury concierge provider, ALTANFEETHI, and look forward to exploring more ways to collaborate on this remarkable new model of Saudi hospitality,” …