Category Archives: Agents

The sixth edition of the Arabian Travel Awards will return tomorrow recognizing the key players who contributed immensely to the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors in the UAE. It is an invitation only event to be held at the Sofitel Downtown Dubai on 25th October 2023. Arabian Travel Awards is a platform for the Middle East market to appreciate the efforts of the travel, tourism and hospitality specialists who have contributed to the booming travel, tourism and hospitality industry. The aim is to encourage them to continue promoting travel, tourism and hospitality in the region. The Arabian Travel Awards are fair and unbiased, following a systematic method of internet-based voting. These awards are supported by Tourismbreakingnews.ae, TravelTVmiddleeast.news and TravTalk Middle East who are premier media partners for the coverage of the event. The awards will be divided into four categories: Personal Awards, Business Awards, Trending Awards and Partner Awards. They will include awards for Best Business Hotel, Best Family Friendly Hotel, Best City Hotel, Best Green Hotel, Best Leisure Hotel, Best Destination Management Company, Best Hotel Apartments, Best B2B Travel Portal, and Best Luxury Hotel to name a few. San Jeet Director Arabian Travel Awards shares, “Our awards have been evolving over the years to recognize the untiring efforts of the industry experts. This year will be the first time that we can finally say that we are back on track, especially with the UAE recording numbers higher than the pre-pandemic era. In today’s travel, tourism and hospitality landscape there are many changes and new trends that have emerged. As UAE declared this year as the year of sustainability and carrying forward their legacy to become the host nation for COP28, …

As travel picks up once again around the world. Wego provides a detailed report on Egypt’s top flight destinations for domestic and international travel in 2023. According to Wego’s 2023 data so far, Kuwait and Jeddah are highly favored by Egyptian travelers as top international destinations due to convenient accessibility and wide range of attractions. Following these two cities are Dubai, Doha, and Muscat. On the domestic front, Cairo takes the lead as the most popular choice even for local tourists. Along with Cairo, Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, Aswan, and Luxor also captivate Egyptian travelers with their unique characteristics. During the ongoing changes within the travel industry, Wego’s core mission is to assist Egyptian travelers in uncovering their preferred destinations, offering a streamlined booking process for flights and accommodations to ensure an exceptional travel experience. With a wide range of flight options at their disposal, those with a passion for global exploration will find countless opportunities in 2023.    

Germany has witnessed a considerable surge in tourism from GCC countries, recording a remarkable 40.9 per cent increase in overnight stays during the first half of 2023 compared to the same period 12 months prior. Further, the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) revealed a huge 593 per cent rise in visits by Gulf nationals in H1 2023 compared to the same period in 2021, underscoring the enormous post-pandemic recovery the country has undertaken. And while overall figures are still 10.3 per cent lower than the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, a 40.9 per cent increase from 2022 is stark evidence of the country’s enduring appeal. Additionally, with GCC providing 478,715 overnight stays in H1 2023, compared to 338,000 in H1 2022 and just 81,000 in H1 2021, the GCC region has established itself as the third-largest Asian source market for inbound tourism to Germany. Yamina Sofo, Director at the German National Tourist Office (GNTO), said: “The GCC stands out as one of the top Asian source markets, showcasing a strong increase in travel interest due to recent successful campaigns by GNTB. Both longstanding and first-time travellers are increasingly eager to explore everything that Germany has to offer.” To sustain this positive momentum, GNTB recently reintroduced its ‘Simply Feel Good’ campaign last month, providing valuable tips on eco-friendly initiatives to reduce carbon footprints during travels. This campaign aligns with the demands of conscientious travellers, emphasising Germany’s commitment to environmentally conscious travel experiences. In tandem, the ‘Embrace German Nature’ campaign, running across the GCC since March, has heightened awareness of Germany’s diverse natural wonders. From protected landscapes and cycling trails to rejuvenating spas and much more, the campaign resonated with GCC travellers seeking …

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the upcoming change in the Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) Remittance Frequency for IATA accredited agencies from fortnightly to weekly effective January 1, 2024. This change will impact the following BSP Gulf countries: Oman, UAE and Bahrain. The changes, including remittance and settlement dates, will be reflected in the calendar application on the IATA Customer Portal before January 2024. “IATA is committed to supporting the travel agency community during this transition. The change has been communicated to all agencies and the 2024 remittance calendar will be made available by the end of the year to enable them to prepare accordingly,” said Mr. Khaled Al-Eisawi, Area Manager Gulf and Near East at IATA. “The change means that IATA will be billing travel agencies for their airline sales on weekly basis and the travel agencies will be settling their dues to IATA within a week of receiving their invoices.  As the association representing travel and tour agencies in Dubai, we encourage our member agents and corporate customers to take the necessary measures and adjust their billing and payment schedules to effectively manage the impact of this change,” said Mr. Asim Arshad, President DTTAG. IATA remains committed to the facilitation of financial settlement between IATA accredited agents and member airlines under the Passenger Agency Program umbrella.

Cozmo Travel announced the inauguration of its office in Muscat, complementing the existing operations in Salalah. The new office in Muscat has been meticulously designed to serve as a convenient and accessible point of contact for clients, offering a comprehensive array of travel services, including flights, accommodation, holiday packages, visa assistance, and more. Jamal Abdulnazar, CEO of Cozmo Travel, expressed his enthusiasm for this new expansion, stating, “Our objective is to empower individuals and families to turn their travel dreams into reality. The inauguration of our new office in Al Khuwair, Muscat, underscores our unwavering commitment to providing convenient access to expert travel advice and services. We aspire to be the preferred choice for anyone seeking extraordinary travel experiences. Additionally, Cozmo Travel also is a partner of Visit Oman, a subsidiary of Omran Group and the national travel operator of Oman via an MOU signed in Dubai during ATM 2023 with the aim of promoting and developing Inbound tourism within various segments of tourists into Oman from all 11 countries within the Cozmo countries and our partners globally in over 90 countries. With the establishment of this new office, Cozmo Travel continues to make significant strides in revolutionizing travel experiences, ensuring that every journey transcends mere travel and becomes a memorable adventure. Operating across more than 70 branches in 11 countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Armenia, and India, Cozmo Travel has a dedicated team of over a thousand employees. The company is committed to expanding its team’s reach and services, catering to the diverse travel requirements of individuals and corporate entities. The inaugural ceremony was graced by the presence of His Excellency …

General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai in a special interview with TravelTV Middle East shared that travel agents can  now make use of the smart portal to apply and obtain approval for bulk tourist visa within a few minutes with the new system in place. Lt.Colonel Dr. Ghalib Abdullah Hassan Al Majed Al Marri, Director of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence reiterated, “the new visa issuance application which process all the entry permits through AI solutions within 3 to 10 minutes with this new system. Travel agents apply through the smart portal, the main AI system  is comparison of pictures which is a new solution which expedite the process. The good part of this new solution is that you can obtain approval for bulk visa within a few minutes instead of the earlier time period. Before, if you had 100 or 200 tourists who needed entry visa you had to send each one for approval but with this new system, travel agents can obtain approval within minutes as it becomes one application through the new system.”

As part of its ongoing endeavours to empower national competencies and enhance their skills and experiences in the tourism sector, Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN Group) announced the launch of the first of a kind “Leadership Development Academy” and introduced its programmes (SHIFT & LIFT). The academy launch ceremony was held under the patronage of Al Mutasim Said Al Sariri, OMRAN Group’s Vice Chairman, and witnessed the presence of a number of members of the Board of Directors, CEO and officials from OMRAN Group, subsidiaries, and owned hospitality assets at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC). The Leadership Development Academy serves as a platform to enhance the leadership skills of the local competencies and foster a motivating professional environment. In addition to providing the tourism sector with qualified leaders who actively contribute to achieving this promising sector’s growth and development. Commenting on this occasion, Dr.Hashil bin Obaid Al Mahrouqi, CEO of OMRAN Group, said: “OMRAN Group is devoted to providing various programmes and initiatives that aim to harness national competencies, equip them with the knowledge, insights, and strategies needed to drive the growth and sustainability of our nation’s tourism sector.” He further added, “We affirm our commitment to investing in our human capital and their development in alignment with the national tourism strategy and our corporate objectives.” The ‘SHIFT’ programme will provide training courses in different management and leadership roles within the sector. Its first phase includes 40 participants from management levels at OMRAN Group and its subsidiaries. On the other hand, the ‘LIFT’ programme involves 20 candidates from hospitality assets, concentrating on developing leadership skills specifically for the hospitality industry. To ensure the high quality of the training …

The world’s first premium leisure airline Beond will debut its operations in  Riyadh and the first inaugural flight will commence from 9th November 2023. Speaking with TravelTV Middle East, Tero Taskila CEO and Founder Beond reiterated that they selected Riyadh as the first destination mainly due to the fact that the luxury market is underserved, hence they wanted to cater to the luxury travellers who seek special experiences onboard. The Munich inaugural departing will be 15th November and the Zurich inaugural departing 17th November 2023. Between today and the scheduled service launch, early bird customers have chartered the aircraft to experience the Maldives. In addition, the airline announced new routes from Dubai and Milan, beginning in late March 2024. With events in Malé, Maldives attended by dignitaries, investors, supporters and employees, and at a global media event broadcast online and in-person in Dubai, the airline showcased its first aircraft, an Airbus A319 seating 44 passengers in a luxurious all lay-flat configuration. “Welcome to Beond. Our aim is simple: to fly our customers to the most unique and unspoiled destinations where they can release their inner explorer on the most memorable vacation of their lives,” said Tero Taskila, CEO of Beond, and a founder. “Today is but the beginning of our vision for our customers, embodied by this beautiful aircraft — inside and out. We could not be more pleased to showcase it in Maldives, our home,d and Dubai. We wish especially to thank the government of Maldives and our supporters there, the Maldives Civil Aviation Authority, and SIMDI Group — each of whom believed in our vision for a new airline in Maldives. Our team will do its best to …

According to Phocuswright, an increasing number of companies from outside of travel are entering the online travel agency (OTA) space. This comes ahead of the 2023 Phocuswright Conference, which will be themed around what recent powerful advances in technology could mean for the future of the industry – and how travel businesses must adapt to remain relevant. Although outside players are plugging into online travel companies’ platforms, it is mainly the OTAs that will reap the rewards of this trend, according to Phocuswright: “Historically it was travel suppliers who partnered with the OTAs in a bid to supplement their core products,” said Lorraine Sileo, senior analyst, at Phocuswright.  “However, non-travel brands, such as financial institutions, retailers and loyalty clubs, are now partnering with OTAs to sell travel. “These companies now really want to get into the travel business – and technology is enabling them to do so.  Over the past two years, several have launched travel booking platforms or announced ambitious plans to do so, even though the online travel agency market is already near saturation and uber competitive.  The goal for these companies is not to gain substantial revenue directly from travel, but to keep their customers coming back, for example by encouraging card usage and giving customers more ways to earn or redeem loyalty points.  But, for the OTAs, these partnerships can be directly profitable.” This trend is set to benefit the big brands in the OTA space, as many “outside” companies will simply be tapping into their various plug-and-play models without needing much experience or expertise in the travel sector.  Here are three companies in the finance space that are now tapping into OTAs to drive loyalty …

Kanoo Travel announced its association with Travel Leaders. This strategic alliance amplifies Kanoo Travel’s international reach, leveraging its deep domain expertise to ensure continued premium service to its clientele and paving the way for future expansion opportunities within the global network. This partnership was announced at a gala event which took place at the Museum of the Future in Dubai on October 5. The fusion of Kanoo Travel’s personalized approach with Travel Leaders’ extensive state-of-the-art technology offerings promises an unparalleled travel management experience. As part of the Internova Travel Group, Kanoo Travel will now have access to Travel Leaders’ broad suite of services, including online booking platforms, marketing tools, a global destination marketing company network and exclusive hotel programs. Furthermore, a comprehensive technology suite will bolster the servicing of both international and local clientele, providing tools for profile management, trip authorization, consolidated data analytics, advanced meetings technology and in-depth customer reporting. Mr. Ali Abdulla Kanoo, Chairman – SBU Trading Divisions, commented, “I believe this partnership with Travel Leaders International will be another milestone step for Kanoo Travel. It synergizes with our recent digitalization efforts and opens new doors, giving us new opportunities to better serve our client base. He added, “Kanoo Travel has taken another step forward, reflecting on our continued dedication to elevate the travel experience. Earlier this year, we introduced Kanoo Travel MORE, expanding our offering with targeted solutions. And today with this alliance, we are even more equipped to provide our clients with an unparalleled travel platform.” “We are thrilled about this collaboration with Travel Leaders, a renowned and revered brand within the Internova Travel Group portfolio. This partnership presents a unique opportunity for Kanoo Travel to …