Category Archives: Agents

SEVEN  announced its plans for global franchise expansion. Since its inception in 2019, SEVEN has become synonymous with redefining the wellness experience through its integrated approach. Nestled in the heart of Dubai, SEVEN Wellness Club distinguishes itself by seamlessly blending physical fitness, mindfulness, relaxation, lifestyle, beauty, nutrition and recovery into a unified experience. SEVEN transcends traditional gym and spa concepts, offering a comprehensive and personalised approach that fits effortlessly into everyday life. Global Franchise Expansion: In a strategic move to share its unique wellness concept with the world, SEVEN has partnered with Francorp Middle East, a leading franchise development firm renowned for its expertise in expanding brands globally. Established in 1976 in Chicago, Francorp has been instrumental in the success of over 6,000 brands worldwide through its robust franchise development programme. Imad Charaf Eddine, Chairman and CEO of Francorp Middle East, expressed his enthusiasm for this partnership, saying, “SEVEN Wellness Club presents a distinctive concept in the wellness industry. Their comprehensive and innovative approach to wellness, coupled with their exceptional business model, makes them a standout. We are excited to support SEVEN in their journey to bring their unparalleled wellness experience to a global audience.” Invitation to Prospective Franchisees SEVEN is extending an invitation to potential investors, wellness enthusiasts and aspiring entrepreneurs to join their growing family through this exciting franchise opportunity. With a proven track record and a reputation for excellence, SEVEN offers franchisees the chance to lead a thriving business while making a significant impact on the wellness industry. Prospective franchisees will have the opportunity to be part of an innovative and proven franchise model, enjoying substantial returns on investment while championing a transformative approach to wellness. The …

South America’s Latam Airlines announced that it is now available on the APG platform, APG’s NDC portal. This enables full ticketing solutions to thousands of travel agencies in more than 120 countries including the possibility to add ancillary services, such as bags, during the booking process. The network further allows to offer a more personalized and efficient purchasing experience with better fares, improving transparency and expanding service capabilities. Richard Burgess, President of APG Network and Sandrine de Saint Sauveur, President & CEO of APG Inc, along with Mohamed Jassim Al Rais, Prem Sagar, and members of the APG GULF team at their office in Dubai. “We are delighted to start this new collaboration with LATAM. It will offer a lot of new opportunities to our client agents by opening up for them the entire LATAM network. By adding this airline content, we are making available one of the top ranked airlines in the world. 100% of LATAM’s product offering is available through our NDC Platform and more functionalities will be coming soon.” said Richard Burgess President of APG Association. Under this agreement, APG Platform and LATAM Airlines provide a full ticketing solution to thousands of travel agencies in more than 120 countries, including the possibility to add ancillary services, such as bags, during the booking process. “We are excited to announce this agreement that deepens our relationship with APG and marks an important milestone in our distribution strategy. The implementation of NDC by LATAM through the APG network allows us to offer a more personalized and efficient purchasing experience with better fares, improving transparency and expanding our service capabilities. With APG as a partner, we are confident that we will …

Travelport announced the debut of the Content Curation Layer (CCL). The CCL uses AI to power search while trawling billions of trip options, helping agencies find the perfect match for their customers. As the latest enhancement to the innovative Travelport+ platform, CCL uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning (ML) to quickly deliver the right range of accurate, highly intuitive search results to its travel agency partners worldwide. “Travelport’s role in the increasingly complex travel industry is to take millions of pieces of disparate information and make it simple for both travel agencies and providers to understand, search, sell and service,” said Greg Webb, Chief Executive Officer at Travelport. “We believe AI and machine learning are powerful tools to do just that. The Content Curation Layer will allow travel agencies to provide travelers the right range of normalized, enriched, bookable content at speed, via a singular search screen. Used for all content sources (LCC, EDIFACT, NDC, hotel, car, etc.), the CCL allows agents to compare apples to oranges in an apples-to-apples way.” Travelport’s Content Curation Layer is a powerful tech-enabler that uses AI and ML to sift through aggregated, multi-source content and returns search results faster than the average airline search response time. It identifies the most relevant offers for each traveler to create a faster, more intelligent search experience for the agent. This technology layer simplifies the delivery of retail-ready content to agencies and helps them curate options that are most desirable for the travelers. One of the key features of the CCL is the Content Optimizer, a new Travelport+ product that offers agency customers greater control over all content types, including both traditional and NDC content. With the ability …

HBX Group presented its Sustainability Report, including the initiatives developed to date and the key elements of its ESG strategy for the next three years, focusing on the positive impact potential of the tourism industry. HBX Group, with over 3,700 employees and present in more than 170 countries, has established a plan with over 75 actions linked to fulfilling various ESG commitments. To achieve this, HBX Group conducted a double materiality analysis, where consultation with its stakeholders was crucial in aligning the plan with their expectations. The company has also established a new framework for work and result reporting that considers multiple current regulations and certifications. In this context, HBX Group has recently joined the United Nations Global Compact, which sets out the 10 principles guiding companies to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies. HBX Group has also initiated a three-year plan to align its reporting with the new European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which analyses the impact of the company and its entire value chain. This has been based on the identification of over 4,000 key performance indicators, enabling the implementation of concrete and tangible changes in environmental protection. Collaboration in the tourism Industry As an example of our objective to work collaboratively with partners and clients to achieve a greater positive impact, HBX Group has implemented a Sustainable Hotels Programme. This programme aims to highlight the most environmentally, socially, and community-respectful actors. It already includes over 40,000 properties with official sustainability certifications. Thanks to awareness- raising actions carried out in collaboration with multiple partners, the number of hotels with a no- single-use plastics policy has increased from 500 to 5,000 in just one year. Elena Pérez, Chief …

The China Visitors Summit (CVS) with TravTalkME as media partner, scheduled for September 5-6 in Dubai, is set to provide a pivotal platform for hotel properties across the UAE. This unique event will welcome over 120 Chinese travel agents, tour operators, MICE managers, corporate travel planners, wholesalers, luxury agents, and media representatives. This year, the summit has expanded its program to include an extensive schedule of hotel site inspections. These sessions are designed to give Chinese buyers a comprehensive, firsthand look at the participating hotel properties’ amenities and services. Groups of buyers, typically ranging from 20 to 25 individuals per session, will have the exclusive opportunity to be hosted by hotels, offering them an in-depth onsite experience. Since its inception in 2008, CVS has successfully attracted highly qualified Chinese travel buyers from Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. These paying delegates actively seek to establish connections with local travel suppliers including hotels, attractions, museums, shopping centers, and other destinations. Unlike traditional conferences and exhibitions, CVS facilitates direct, experiential interactions between travel buyers and suppliers at the actual hotel properties. This immersive approach is unparalleled in its effectiveness for showcasing hotel offerings directly to decision-makers in the travel industry. There is no better way to market and promote your hotel property than to demonstrate its value firsthand to this select group of influential buyers.

dnata Travel reported a 35% increase in bookings for international travel across July and August 2024, compared to the same timings last year. As one of the busiest weekends forecasted for travel fast approaches, the travel agency is supporting thousands of travellers with pre-booked itineraries and last-minute requests across its multiple channels, including 14 retail outlets across the country. For July and August, dnata Travel’s most popular destinations for international travel from the UAE are Thailand, Maldives, Mauritius, Turkey, and the UK, respectively. Compared to trends released earlier this summer, Mauritius has emerged to enter the ‘top three’ most-booked holiday destinations. Across summer 2024, the island country is one of the fastest-growing holiday locations for dnata’s travellers, alongside Germany and Malaysia. International trips are on the agenda for this popular time for summer travel, dominating a 90% majority of overall bookings this year, compared to 10% for UAE staycations. In comparison, the split was reported by dnata Travel experts as 65% international and 35% staycations over the Eid al-Adha break for 2024, with demand for outbound travel witnessing a significant increase. Meerah Ketait, Head of Retail and Leisure UAE at dnata Travel, commented: “International travel is in high demand this summer, with destinations including Mauritius, Malaysia, and Germany witnessing some of the strongest growth we’ve seen this year. Mauritius and Malaysia offer the chance to stay on world-class beaches and in exceptional resorts at affordable prices. Kuala Lumpur is also a popular destination in Asia for a city break for its impressive skyline, and opportunities for shopping and dining. Meanwhile, Germany’s vibrant cities are popular this month, as travellers seek to soak up the action of the UEFA European Football …

Al Rostamani Travels announced a partnership with BluSmart, UAE’s first 100% electric full-stack premium limousine service to launch eco-friendly travel solutions in the region. Driven by Al Rostamani Group’s values of Commitment, Care, and Vision, this unique collaboration sets a new standard for sustainable travel. BluSmart’s chauffeur driven luxury service with Audi e-tron fleet delivers a premium experience while significantly reducing CO2 emissions, contributing to a cleaner environment. This partnership will offer sustainable travel services, including airport transfers, city tours, and intracity travel, supporting the UAE’s Green Mobility Strategy 2030 to decrease fossil fuel reliance and enhance energy security. BluSmart’s premium fleet service will help Al Rostamani Travels achieve its environmental goals, showcasing its commitment and dedication to sustainability and reducing carbon emissions in the travel industry. Bimal Jain, General Manager of Al Rostamani Travels, commented, “Being the first travel company in the UAE and the region to partner with BluSmart is a significant step towards our goal of providing sustainable travel solutions. We are excited to offer our clients an eco-friendly alternative that aligns with our commitment to environmental stewardship.” “As the benefits of electric vehicles become more widely recognized, this partnership sets a new benchmark for sustainable travel combined with premium services in the region” he added. Sreejith Hrishikesh, VP – Business and Country Head – UAE, BluSmart added, “This partnership with Al Rostamani Travels is the first of many such travel collaborations in the region. We provide our riders convenient, reliable, and environmentally conscious transportation options, while also contributing to the UAE’s vision of building smart, sustainable cities.” Al Rostamani Travels and BluSmart are leading the charge in promoting green mobility, supporting the UAE’s vision. For more …

Geof Travel has been named the overall winner among Dubai and Northern Emirates travel agencies of the recently-concluded Philippine Airlines and Sabre Emquest’s Top Seller Campaign. Geof Travel will receive a trip for two to Palawan, Philippines, which includes two round-trip tickets and two nights of hotel accommodation.The contest ran from March 20 to May 31, 2024. “EmQuest was delighted to award Geof Travel with a voucher for a 2 night stay in Palawan. Geoffrey Salatan, CEO of Geof Travel, is a loyal EmQuest customer and Sabre user. We couldn’t be happier that the winner of Season 2 – EmQuest/Sabre & Philippines Airlines Top Seller Campaign – was won by such a good partner. Congratulations!”, Andrew Dowling, Emquest General Manager said. “Philippine Airlines is pleased to award Geof Travel with the top recognition in this year’s sales campaign. Geof has been a consistent Philippine Airlines supporter and this is yet another testament of the agency’s trust and confidence in booking their passengers to Philippine Airlines, the Heart of the Filipino”, Josh Vasquez, PAL Regional Head-EMEA quoted.

SalamAir announced its network-wide social media engagement campaign to celebrate the enchanting Khareef season in Salalah, Oman. This campaign aims to gather travelers from around the world in a collective celebration and promotion of Salalah as a must-visit destination during the summer months, renowned for its refreshing cooler weather and stunning natural beauty. We invite all our passengers to capture and share their favorite moments from Salalah during Khareef for a chance to win a free return ticket to any of our destinations! “We are thrilled to reveal this interesting social media campaign, designed to harness the power of our vibrant community of travelers and showcase the enchanting Khareef season in Salalah. By encouraging our passengers to share their personal experiences, we highlight Salalah’s unique beauty and create a deeper connection with our audience and community. This strategic initiative aims to magnify Salalah’s appeal as a premier summer destination, leveraging user-generated content to inspire and attract more visitors to experience its refreshing cooler weather and captivating landscapes.” said Sherif Hosny, Director of Marketing and Digital Sales at SalamAir. This campaign is more than just a contest; it’s an opportunity to join a community of travelers who appreciate the unique charm of Salalah during Khareef. Salalah transforms into a verdant city with cooler temperatures, offering a refreshing escape from the summer heat. By sharing your experiences, you stand a chance to win exciting prizes and contribute to showcasing Salalah as a premier summer destination. Your photos and stories will inspire others to discover the hidden gems of this beautiful city, and promoting it as a must-visit location will aid local businesses, events, and communities to prosper. Now, SalamAir connects Salalah with …

Amadeus and Vistara Airlines successfully collaborated on a joint promotion to support the travel industry during the typically slow period last Ramadan which boosted travel bookings, saw an overwhelming positive response from travel partners and resulted in healthy flight loads and increased incremental segments. As part of the highest seller incentive, six top-performing travel partners were rewarded with attractive prizes including Apple Watches, Lenovo Tablets, Vistara Premium Economy and Economy tickets, and shopping vouchers. The incentive was designed to motivate and appreciate the hard work of the travel agencies during this period. Both Vistara and Amadeus expressed their deep gratitude to their travel partners for their unwavering support. This gesture was met with enthusiasm and appreciation from the travel partners, who reaffirmed their commitment to a long-term partnership with both companies. The collaboration with travel partners has not only bolstered travel bookings has also strengthened relationships with key industry players. The positive feedback from travel partners underscores the success of the promotion. Among the top-performing travel agencies were Akbar Travels Middle East, Alhashar Travels, Bahwan Tourism LLC, Khimji’s House of Travel, Satguru Travel and Tourism Services and Zahara Travel & Service Bureau LLC. These agencies demonstrated exceptional sales performance, contributing significantly to the promotion’s success.