Category Archives: Agents

The Luxurist, the world’s first all-in-one B2B luxury travel ecosystem, is expanding into key global markets, including Gulf Cooperation Council, Spain, Mexico, Australia and South Africa. The company is also now officially integrated into Bedsonline, the retail arm of HBX Group (HBX.MC), granting access to travel agents worldwide to its portfolio of luxury and premium travel products. Launched in early 2025 and already live in the US, Canada, UK, France, Belgium and Luxembourg, The Luxurist leverages innovative travel technology to connect best-in-class travel advisors with extraordinary properties via a seamless interface designed exclusively for the luxury segment. Aiming to establish a new reference point in the B2B luxury &premium travel market by offering: ● Dedicated concierge team available 24/7 ● Real-time inventory management and booking confirmation ● Privileged rates and exclusive amenities for discerning clients Now part of HBX Group’s retail distribution, The Luxurist will be accessible to a wider network of luxury travel advisors with an impressive portfolio of over 5,000 handpicked luxury properties across +200 countries. “Integrating The Luxurist into HBX Group’s retail platform is a major milestone. Our unique value proposition – exceptional concierge service and exclusive privileges – is now accessible to all HBX Group partners worldwide via web and API.” said David Amsellem, CEO of The Luxurist. “We are expanding into Spain, Mexico, Australia, South Africa and Gulf Cooperation Council with a platform that reflects the elevated standards expected in luxury travel. We are not just providing access, we are providing an ecosystem of excellence.” “Luxury travel is the fastest-growing segment in our industry” said Nicolas Huss, CEO of HBX Group. “With The Luxurist, we are investing in the future of high-end travel services. By …

Almosafer announced a strategic partnership with Landmark Group to deliver greater value and flexibility to travellers across the GCC through Shukran, Landmark’s award-winning loyalty programme. Through this collaboration, Almosafer customers across the GCC can earn Shukran Points on travel bookings made through Almosafer’s online travel platforms. Additionally, customers can transfer their Almosafer Points to Shukran Points, providing them with even more options for utilising their travel rewards. Shukran Points can be redeemed across Landmark Group’s extensive retail network, including Centrepoint, Max Fashion, Home Centre, Splash, Lifestyle, Shoemart, and Emax – creating a seamless connection between travel and everyday lifestyle benefits. Pallav Singhvi, VP of Consumer Travel at Almosafer, said: “Our goal has always been to deliver a seamless and enriching experience for our travellers. This partnership with Shukran allows us to add even more value to each journey booked through Almosafer, while also expanding our benefits ecosystem to include one of the region’s most trusted loyalty programmes.” James Dickson, Chief Product Officer at Landmark Group said; “We’re thrilled to extend Shukran’s reach through our partnership with Almosafer. Shukran is built to reward customers for the lifestyle choices they make every day, and this collaboration is a significant step forward in offering even greater flexibility and value to our members.” The partnership reflects Almosafer’s continued commitment to delivering smarter, more rewarding travel experiences across the region. -ENDS- About Almosafer Almosafer is the Middle East’s leading travel brand offering consumers seamless user experiences for domestic and international travel bookings through its omni-channel offerings across state-of-the-art online platforms, call centre, WhatsApp and retail locations. Providing hotel booking options for over 1.5 million properties around the globe, flight bookings on over 450 airlines, domestic …

Air Arabia has opened its second City Check-in facility in Dubai, located at Al Barsha Mall. The newly launched service offers added convenience to customers traveling from both Sharjah International Airport and Zayed International Airport, bringing the total number of Air Arabia City Check-in facilities to 14 spreads across the UAE. The City Check-in service allows passengers to drop off their baggage and collect their boarding passes from 48 hours up to 8 hours prior to their scheduled departure time, helping them avoid airport queues and head straight to immigration upon arrival at the airport. A handling fee of 20 dirhams per passenger applies. Operating daily from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, the new facility also offers additional services such as the purchase of extra baggage allowance, seat selection, and flight modifications. The Al Barsha Mall location is the second Air Arabia City Check-in facility in Dubai, complementing a growing network of conveniently located centres across the UAE in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Ajman, and Ras Al Khaimah. This service is designed to streamline the travel experience, reduce waiting times at the airport and deliver added value to customers ahead of the busy summer travel season. As part of its growth strategy and dedication to quality, the carrier continues to provide enhanced customer experience. The opening of the new City Check-In facility is consistent with the airline’s commitment to providing affordable and value-added solutions that meet its customers’ evolving needs.

flydubai launches a new Travel Shop in the Emirate of Sharjah, featuring a City Check-in service for the first time. Partnering with Sharjah National Travel and Tourist Agency (SNTTA), flydubai’s Travel Shop in Sharjah enhances convenience and accessibility for its customers in the Northern Emirates. For the first time, the airline’s recently opened Travel Shop offers passengers the option of City Check-in, enabling them to complete their check-in process well in advance before arrival at Terminal 2, Dubai International (DXB). The new Travel Shop, located in the heart of the city, is now open to customers who can avail the new convenient service as well as other available services. Sudhir Sreedharan, Divisional Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations (UAE, GCC, Africa, South Asia and South-East Asia) at flydubai, said: “we are committed to finding the right travel partners to bring our reliable travel experience to our customers wherever they are. The new flydubai Travel Shop in Sharjah underscores our continued commitment to innovation and delivering value-driven convenience to our customers. By offering this added flexibility with the new City Check-in service, we aim to improve the overall travel experience and support our customers’ needs in a more personalised and accessible way.” Designed with convenience in mind, flydubai’s Travel Shop in Sharjah features a comfortable waiting area, designated service desks and a porter service for baggage drop to enhance the overall customer experience. Customers can expect a range of travel-related services, including booking flights, making changes to their travel plans and choosing flydubai Holidays packages. The City Check-in service marks a significant step in flydubai’s customer experience journey, enabling passengers to check in their baggage, receive their boarding pass and select their …

flyadeal announced a regional first with Saudi cabin crew to be trained as certified tour guides in support of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 to build a dynamic tourism industry. The programme will target 800 crew by 2030 for comprehensive tour guide training in which they will embrace wider learnings of Saudi Arabia’s culture and historical attractions. Upon completion, they will receive a licence as tourism ambassadors enabling them to hone their skills as official guides engaging with passengers, and with visitors in a private capacity. Over the next few weeks, the Saudi-based airline will open applications for courses specifically designed for Saudi nationals. A training institute accredited to Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism will conduct the courses.  flyadeal is promoting several developments at the show including its upcoming summer season flying programme and new year-round destinations. Steven Greenway, flyadeal Chief Executive Officer, said: “flyadeal continues to push the boundaries with employee initiatives designed to enhance their personal development and professional skills. This new training programme, the first of its kind in the Middle East, will empower crew and equip them with the skills and confidence to engage with visitors as official tourism ambassadors. “As licensed tour guides, the beauty of the programme allows our crew to use their new-found skills while interacting with passengers but also harness their experience by taking tourists on guided tours around the wonderful historic sites that the Kingdom is so renowned for.” To kick-off the programme, flyadeal crew were given a guided tour of the fascinating Dirayah district – the birthplace of Saudi Arabia – in the Kingdom’s capital, Riyadh. They explored and learned more about the traditional mud-brick architecture and cultural sites being restored to …

Qatar Tourism, in collaboration with Discover Qatar announced the return of Whale Shark tours for the 2025 season. The tours offer residents and visitors a rare opportunity to witness one of Qatar’s most unique natural experiences. Qatar’s northern waters host one of the world’s largest aggregations of whale sharks. The Whale Shark Tours aim to promote ecotourism by allowing guests to observe these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat, while ensuring minimal disturbance to the marine environment. The tours also provide educational insights into whale shark behaviour and Qatar’s conservation efforts to protect these endangered animals. The return of the Whale Shark Tours has been made possible through close coordination with key entities from both the private and public sectors, including Qatar Energy, the Ministry of Municipality, Mawani Qatar, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Qatar Airways, and the General Directorate of Coasts and Borders Security. These partnerships strengthen the tour’s operational framework and contribute significantly to enhancing the service delivery and overall visitor experience. Mr. Omar Al Jaber, Chief of Tourism Development Sector at Qatar Tourism, said: “We are proud to welcome the return of the Whale Shark Tours, one of Qatar’s most distinctive ecotourism experiences. This initiative highlights our dedication to sustainable tourism and showcases the richness of Qatar’s marine biodiversity. Our preparations for the upcoming Whale Shark Tours have been greatly strengthened by the valuable contributions of our government and semi-government partners, whose collaboration reflects a shared commitment to delivering an exceptional and environmentally responsible visitor experience.” Operated by Discover Qatar, the tours promise a unique adventure aboard a premium catamaran, led by expert marine guides. Guests will enjoy a truly immersive and informative journey, learning about …

Etraveli Group, the leading global technology provider for flights announced an eight-year extension of its existing and long-standing commercial partnership with Booking.com. Building on a successful collaboration first established in 2019, this renewed commitment will leverage Etraveli Group’s advanced technology to further strengthen and accelerate Booking.com’s global flights offering, today live in 57 countries. The extension reflects both companies’ ambition to deliver more ease, choice, and value to travelers and partners worldwide. “We’re excited to build on our collaboration with Booking.com, a partnership rooted in shared values, mutual benefit, and a commitment to innovation,” said Mathias Hedlund, Chief Executive Officer, Etraveli Group. “Together, we’ll continue to bring our deep flight expertise and advanced technology to further refine the flight booking experience and help shape a smoother, more rewarding travel experience for customers.” “We’re pleased to extend our long-standing partnership with Etraveli Group, a trusted collaborator as we continue to enhance how people discover and book flights around the world,” said Glenn Fogel, Chief Executive Officer, Booking Holdings. “This next chapter will help us go further and faster in delivering the intuitive, flexible travel experience today’s travelers expect.”

Tourism Seychelles Middle East Office successfully held a targeted Travel Trade Networking Event recently in Bahrain. The event brought together 25 key attendees, including travel trade professionals. This event in Bahrain marks the beginning of a series of travel trade engagements organised by Tourism Seychelles across the Gulf region. Similar events are scheduled to take place in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Oman in the coming months as part of a wider strategy to maintain strong market presence and build meaningful partnerships with travel trade stakeholders throughout the GCC. The evening provided a valuable platform for open discussions on market developments, evolving travel trends, and upcoming opportunities to promote Seychelles as an attractive and accessible destination for Bahraini travellers. Led by Ahmed Fathallah, Tourism Seychelles’ representative in the Middle East, the event aimed to strengthen collaboration with the local travel trade through direct engagement and relationship building. “Staying connected with our partners on the ground is crucial,” said Ahmed. “By exchanging ideas and insights in a relaxed setting, we can align our efforts and develop tailored strategies that meet the expectations of the market while increasing destination awareness. This was also an ideal opportunity to engage with our partners as the second Eid holiday and summer travel period are fast approaching.” Tourism Seychelles looks forward to building on the momentum generated by the Bahrain event through continued outreach and collaborative initiatives with key industry stakeholders in the region.  

The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) at its first City Briefing of 2025 shared that Dubai welcomed 7.15 million international overnight visitors between January and April 2025, a 7% YoY increase. This builds on the 18.72 million people who visited in 2024, the second consecutive year of record-setting growth for the city. Dubai’s hotel sector offered 153,534 rooms at the end of April, with all key performance indicators demonstrating strong YoY growth. Beyond the data, the forum reaffirmed DET’s commitment to creating a resilient and future-ready tourism ecosystem. DET also highlighted the critical role that partners across the public and private sectors are playing in Dubai’s continued tourism performance. His Excellency Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), said: “The visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is reflected in the continued success of our tourism sector. Building on yet another record-breaking performance in 2024, the exceptional results achieved by the industry so far in 2025 is a testament to the resilience and steadfast support of our stakeholders and partners. From hospitality and aviation to retail and gastronomy, every sector has played a critical role in solidifying Dubai’s position as a global tourism leader. It is by coming together as a community that we have been able to navigate challenges, create compelling narratives about the city, and drive global trends. “In advancing the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, our focus remains on strengthening the spirit of partnerships, embracing innovation, and creating future-ready experiences that enhance Dubai’s position as the world’s best city to visit, live …

KlasJet has signed an agreement with Air Cairo to provide chartered flights this summer. The agreement sees KlasJet operate charter flights for Air Cairo taking holidaymakers from Milan (Italy) and Sharjah (UAE) to Cairo (Egypt). The partnership between Air Cairo and KlasJet is helping meet an upsurge in tourism, a sector that is vital to Egypt. In the period from July to September last year, tourism revenue hit $4.8 billion, a significant uplift for Africa’s second-largest economy. “We have been able to get alignment on all operational and crew-related topics thanks to the flexible and proactive approach of our team – who flew out to Cairo to ensure everything progressed smoothly – and the strong commitment on both sides to clear communication and a partnership-based approach,” said Vytautas Mikuckas, Head of Wet Lease Department at KlasJet. “We are delighted to be partnering with KlasJet for these charters, and we know they will offer tourists to Egypt an excellent experience that will add to the overall enjoyment of their stay here.” The contract will run until 31st October. Air Cairo was founded in 2003 and is partly owned by EgyptAir, Egypt’s state-owned national airline. The carrier currently operates more than 30 aircraft, mostly A320s, and its main business focus is charter flights from Europe to Egypt’s most popular holiday destinations. KlasJet became the very first ACMI provider based in an EASA-regulated country working with Air Cairo. Despite the differences in procedures and regulations, KlasJet secured a three-day turnaround from signing the agreement to the ferry flight to Cairo on 30th May.