Gold Medal, the largest travel consolidator in the Middle East, has expanded its operations into India. Travel agents in the country can now benefit from the company’s extensive sales, marketing and operational expertise, advanced booking and reporting system, and excellent customer service. Gold Medal will initially provide its Indian customers with access to flight bookings, offering over 100 airline partners’ services at competitive rates. The company is planning to launch its full product portfolio, including hotels, car hire, insurance services and visas, in the following months in India. Preetham Kiron, Managing Director for Gold Medal in India, said: “We are thrilled to launch our offering in India, a rapidly growing market, where we see excellent business opportunities and strong demand for our quality services. Our broad partnership network and innovative solutions enable travel agents to efficiently manage and grow their business, while providing the best possible services to their customers. Our dedicated team will ensure that our Indian partners can make the most out of our offering.  We continue to invest in our operations to further improve our services and expand our footprint in India and beyond.” Gold Medal is committed to engaging the travel trade community across India and will launch its offering in the country’s largest cities, such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad, as well as in other strategic locations, including Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Shimla, Ambala, Jaipur, Lucknow, Kanpur, Indore, Bhopal, Surat, Baroda and Mangalore. Gold Medal is one of the leading providers of air and non-air products to the travel trade. The company offers a sophisticated online booking tool to help travel agents cater to their customers’ needs. Gold Medal has been supplying scheduled …

Accor and Oman Air have announced a new partnership for members of their respective loyalty programmes, Le Club AccorHotels and Sindbad, with a range of benefits to make their travel experiences richer and more rewarding. This new partnership enables Le Club AccorHotels (LCAH) members to earn rewards points when flying with Oman Air by converting 1,500 Sindbad miles into 500 LCAH rewards points.  At the same time, it will enhance the experience of Le Club AccorHotels members as they will have the opportunity to redeem their rewards points into Sindbad miles to benefit from awards tickets and upgrades with Oman Air. Every 4,000 LCAH points equals to 1,500 Sindbad miles. This is an exciting partnership for frequent travellers who are members of both programmes because it allows them to purchase stays and discounts for their next trip at more than 3,500 hotels ranging from luxury to economy in joint destinations. They can also benefit from premium experiences and exclusive themed packages curated by Accor, which include access to live music concerts, food festivals and sporting venues such as Paris Saint-Germain VIP box and tickets. These assets will be available through the new Accor rebranded loyalty programme ALL – Accor Live Limitless to be launched in Q4 2019. The partnership allows elevated reward value for Accor’s loyalty customers throughout a network of more than 50 destinations serviced by Oman Air. Paul Starrs, Chief Commercial Officer at Oman Air, commented, “Our aim is to make Sindbad one of the most attractive and rewarding frequent flyer programmes. The addition of AccorHotels and Le Club AccorHotels will further enhance benefits offered to our members by allowing them even more options to earn and redeem miles …

The Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) recently reviewed the existing laws and regulations concerning the registration of vehicles used for excursions in Dubai. The review was part of the DMCA’s move promoting maritime recreation and tourism in the emirate in line with the UAE’s economic diversification plan. It took place during the visit of H.E. Ahmed Issa Al Hosani, Executive Director of the Sharjah International Marine Sports Club, and his delegates to the DMCA office, where they were welcomed by Executive Director Amer Ali. During the meeting, both parties agreed to engage in the exchange of knowledge, expertise, and the best industry practices related to building a safe and integrated maritime environment in the hope of solidifying the UAE’s leadership in global maritime recreation and tourism. Ali reiterated the importance of constant communication between industry stakeholders in the UAE to maintain maritime safety, secure navigation, and operational efficiency. Ali also welcomed the visit of Sharjah delegation, saying it reflected their shared goal to implement effective mechanisms, laws, and regulations to manage the registration and licensing procedures for boats and Jet skis according to the highest local and global standards. On the other hand, H.E. Al Hosani maintained the significance of building a unified maritime system in the country amid the ongoing national digital transformation initiatives. During the visit, the DMCA showcased Dubai’s marine recreational facilities and ongoing efforts to integrate maritime activities for faster registration and licensing of sailing permits in cooperation with the public and private sectors. Additionally, they discussed innovations and smart transformation of the maritime sector in the emirate as well as the numerous associations and clubs within the community.  

Seven Chief Executives Officers from the leading travel agencies in the UAE were hosted by the Department of Tourism Philippines for a week long familiarisation tour of three of the most picturesque destinations — Manila, Boracay and Palawan. Philippine Airlines was the official airline to host exclusive personnel who are the key players in the UAE. The executive delegation experienced one of the most exclusive islands in the world at the Banwa Resort apart from the other five-star properties in the Philippines. The team shared their thoughts on the whole trip. Nasir Jamal Khan – CEO – Al Naboodah Travel and Tourism Agencies LLC, stated, “Philippines is emerging as a very attractive and cost-effective tourism destination.” Jamal Abdulnasser – CEO – Cozmo Travel, said, “The vibrant city of Manila is an excellent destination for MiCE and corporate events. Boracay , Palawan & Banwa islands offer you sandy beaches, rainforest and mountains.” V. Jeyaram – Managing Director – Sharaf Travel, said, “The destination offers great beaches with turquoise crystal clear waters, beautiful islands with breath-taking views and super hotels catering to all pockets.” Suresh Ahuja  – Managing Director – Trans Arabian Air Travel, responded, “I liked the whole itinerary especially our luxurious stay at Banwa.” Mohammed Haneefa – Managing Director – Deira Travel and Tourism, said, “We could see from day one that the services at Maxims Hotel, Crimson Resort, Sheridan Beach Resort and Banwa Private Island Resort were of high quality.” Sumit Acharya – Managing Director – BCD Travel, said, “We packed in a lot in six nights but had the opportunity to experience the variety that the Philippines has to offer, both for MiCE and the leisure traveller.” Manu Mehrotra – …

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) organised a familiarisation trip for a delegation of nine women from renowned Saudi travel agencies and tour operators. Hosting the trip comes in line with BTEA’s efforts to showcase the Kingdom’s tourism facilities and attractions, as well as introduce visitors to its rich history with an aim to further develop the tourism sector and increase its contribution to the national economy. The familiarisation trip, held from October 3-5, 2019, was organised in collaboration with BTEA’s representative office in KSA. During the trip, the delegation met with local representatives from the tourism industry and were taken on several sightseeing tours in Bahrain. “KSA is considered one of the largest tourism markets across the region and visitors from KSA comprise a huge portion of tourists in Bahrain, holding 88 per cent of the market share. Since the start of this year, BTEA’s collaboration with Saudi travel agencies through its KSA representative office has resulted in attracting approximately 31,500 visitors in Q1 of 2019, a growth of 31 per cent, and BHD 11.9 million in total spending. In the first half of 2019, the total number of Saudi visitors amounted to 5.3 million, including business and project owners which contributes to supporting the local GDP,” said Dr. Ali Follad, Tourism Advisor at BTEA. Organising the familiarisation trip comes in line with the BTEA’s strategy to promote and develop the country’s tourism sector under the slogan of ‘Ours.Yours.’, which contributes towards Bahrain’s economy and the 2030 Economic Vision.

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, is currently on a cultural visit to the Spanish capital. On October 8, he was at Casa Árabe Madrid, which has been operating as the strategic centre for Spain’s relations with the Arab world since 2006. The Sharjah Ruler was received by Pedro Martínez-Avial, General Director, Casa Árabe, and senior representatives of Spanish cultural and academic institutions. The Sharjah Ruler witnessed the signing of a MoU between Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) and Casa Árabe, to promote Emirati and Arab cultures in Spain. It was signed by HE Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of SBA and Pedro Martínez, in the presence of heads and senior officials of both Emirati and Spanish cultural entities. The MoU seeks to achieve the goal of building bridges and strengthening bilateral relations to promote cooperation in key cultural sectors leveraged by Casa Árabe’s strong regional and international network. Under the agreement, the two entities will also work on executing agreed-upon programmes targeted at enhancing cultural exchange. They will develop a programme to promote cooperation between cultural entities in Spain, Sharjah and the UAE, and steer Spanish cultural experts to devising and applying effective tools to enhance dialogue and exchange between Sharjah, Spain and the world.

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) continues to adopt initiatives with an aim to attract more tourists to the Kingdom of Bahrain and increase the tourism sector’s contribution to the national economy. In light of this, BTEA welcomed passengers who arrived on the first charter flight of the new season from Moscow on October 7, 2019. The first flight commissioned by Coral Travel within the charter programme from Moscow to Bahrain took place in October 2018 with two flights scheduled per week. This will be increased to three weekly flights until May 2020, carrying 220 passengers that will be staying in 30 different hotels across Bahrain. “The BTEA has strengthened its presence, bilaterial relations and partnerships with travel and tourism organisations, tour operators, travel agents and airlines across the world through its representative offices located in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), India, France, Germany, Russia, Kuwait and the United Kingdom. We will continue to work closely with all our representative offices to bring in tourist groups from around the world, further developing the tourism sector and increasing the contribution of non-oil based sectors of the national economy,” said Dr. Ali Follad, Tourism Advisor at BTEA. Receiving charter flights comes as part of the BTEA’s long term strategy to bring in large tourist groups, further developing the Kingdom’s tourism sector on a regional and international level under the slogan of ‘Ours.Yours.’, which contributes towards the Kingdom’s economy and the 2030 Economic Vision.

Eirad International Tours and Travels has signed a new technology agreement with Sabre Corporation to expand its reach in the region and enrich the customer experience. The agreement provides Eirad International Tours and Travels with continued access to Sabre’s portfolio of innovative technology across the region, including its industry-leading workflow Sabre Red 360 and the latest mobile, data analytics, personalisation and automation capabilities.  Using this technology, the agency is able to differentiate its offering, compete more effectively and grow faster in the region. “We need a technology partner which is aware of the market development and can lead us through the many transformations happening in the travel industry,” said Bandar Saad AlMalki, Deputy General Manager, Eirad International Tours and Travels.  “Saudi Arabia is a dynamic market with a great potential that requires customised solutions to meet the unique requirements of its travellers,” said Abdul-Razzaq Iyer, Vice President, Sabre Travel Network Middle East.

Marriott International signed an agreement with Assila Investments to bring its Luxury Collection brand for the first time to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Situated in the heart of Jeddah, Assila Hotel is anticipated to join the Luxury Collection’s portfolio of more than 100 world-renowned hotels and resorts in 2020. “We are thrilled to have Marriott International manage the beautiful Assila Hotel, under the Luxury Collection brand,” said Bader Alissa, CEO, Assila Investments. “This only affirms Assila Hotel’s position as a premier luxury hotel in Jeddah.” “We are delighted to announce plans for the first Luxury Collection property in Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with Assila Investments,” said Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International.  “This deal signing supports our plans to further diversify our footprint in the Kingdom while enhancing our overall luxury portfolio in the region.”   Assila Hotel features 210 guestrooms, including a 590 sqm Royal Suite, and 94 apartments.  It comprises multiple food and beverage venues, including a Café Lounge and Argentinian and Mediterranean specialty restaurants.  The hotel also includes a 348 sqm ballroom and nine meeting rooms, as well as full-service recreational facilities such as a spa, fitness centre and squash courts.

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) unveiled four innovative projects designed to further boost the competitiveness of Sharjah’s tourism sector at the premier GITEX Technology Week 2019 at Dubai World Trade Centre. The ‘AI Tour Guide Chatbot,’ a 24/7 voice-and text-based chatbot, has been developed to provide the latest information about Sharjah to tourists. The interactive tour guide chatbot, which is accessible via WhatsApp, a mobile app, SCTDA’s website, and Facebook messenger, shares accurate details about the emirate’s top tourist destinations, must-do activities, world-class accommodations, leading restaurants, and much more. The project is the result of SCTDA’s initiative to incorporate the latest technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), into its tourism programmes to better highlight Sharjah’s renowned beauty and hospitality while enhancing visitor experience. The ‘AI Tour Guide Chatbot’ supports five languages, including Arabic, English, German, Chinese, and Russian, and can recognise various Arabic accents. The other three projects are Smart Hotel Licensing and Classification system, Smart Vehicle Permit System and Hotel Statistics System – Business Intelligence (HSS – BI) solution. H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, SCTDA, said, “These latest projects reflect our commitment to introducing technology-driven ideas that will promote Sharjah as a world-class tourist destination with a wide range of leisure, cultural, and entertainment activities. We are confident that these initiatives will help accelerate the fulfillment of the main goal of Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021, which is to attract 10 million tourists to our shores.”