Category Archives: Agents

Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia, have officially commenced a strategic partnership that significantly expands the networks, lounges and loyalty programs of both airlines, bringing substantial benefits and new destinations to travellers. Announced in May 2022, the partnership opens seamless travel to over 150 destinations across the extensive Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia networks, creating a new gateway of seamless travel between Australia, the Middle-East, Europe and Africa, including to popular destinations such as London, Paris, Rome and Athens. Flights can already be booked on each airline’s websites, for travel effective 12 September 2022. Members of Privilege Club will be able to earn Avios and QPoints on flights operated by Virgin Australia, and Velocity Frequent Flyer members can now earn Velocity Points and Status Credits for flights operated by Qatar Airways. Reward seats are also now available to book on eligible services operated by both airlines. From 12 September, eligible members of both loyalty programs will also receive additional tier benefits, including priority check-in, priority boarding, and lounge access irrespective of their class of travel. The strategic partnership is set to provide a critical trade and tourism boost for Australia and Qatar, while opening a world of new travel opportunities for both airline’s customers. To commemorate the start of the partnership, Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways today held a launch event at Brisbane Airport, featuring dancers representing various countries that can be accessed on the Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia networks. Special promotions for Privilege Club and Velocity Members Privilege Club members will earn double Avios when they book and fly on any Virgin Australia flight until 6 December 2022. Similarly, Velocity members will enjoy a special offer with discounted fares …

Alpha Flight Services (Alpha), a leading UAE-based catering, retail, and hospitality services provider, has signed a 10-year concession agreement with Ras Al Khaimah International airport (RKT). The partnership will see Alpha Flight Services invest in infrastructure and provide inflight catering services to more than 10 airlines at the airport. In addition, it will operate three F&B outlets, the airport lounge and a number of vending machines at RKT. Mark Whelan, General Manager of Alpha, said: “We are proud to have earned the trust of Ras Al Khaimah airport and look forward to contributing to its success and growth over the next decade. Our significant investment, broad experience, and passion for excellence will ensure world-class culinary and airport hospitality experiences for passengers flying to and from RAK. We will constantly enhance our offering to deliver innovative products and services that travellers value both on board and on the ground.” His Excellency Engr. Sheikh Salem Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of The Department of Civil Aviation, Ras Al Khaimah & Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, said: “With our partnership with the Alpha group, Ras Al Khaimah International Airport looks forward to strengthening our catering services, elevating the passenger experience at the airport, and exploring together the ample number of opportunities available to enhance the business.” Atanasios Titonis, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, said: “We are excited to start this new long-term partnership with Alpha Flight Services at Ras Al Khaimah International Airport as we build our profile in refining the customer experience in the food and beverage field as well as lounge and flight catering. This is an important step for us as we embark on our journey towards transitioning into …

SAUDIA announced the start of shuttle flight bookings to and from Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup via “FLY TO QATAR WITH SAUDIA” flight booking page at saudia.com The move comes as part of the airline’s recent MoU with Qatar airways and Its commitment to bringing greater convenience to soccer fans in the Kingdom by helping them plan their travel arrangements early, while offering services of the highest standards. SAUDIA’s shuttle flights aim to boost tourism to the Kingdom by enabling international soccer fans to travel to Doha via connecting flights out of Riyadh, Jeddah, or Dammam, presenting exciting opportunities for travelers to tour the Kingdom as part of their journey. The shuttle service also makes it easy for Saudi and expatriate fans to travel back and forth on single-day trips for the World Cup matches. SAUDIA’s ongoing marketing campaign for its World Cup services kicked off last month and is targeted for soccer fans in the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, and South Korea. The airline has launched a special website that travelers can use to plan their entire trip, while also learning more about the Kingdom’s many tourism attractions through exclusive promotional content. SAUDIA’s network spans more than 100 destinations across four continents. As a member of the SkyTeam alliance, the national carrier’s guests benefit from access to 1,036 destinations in 170 countries. SAUDIA’s fleet of 144 aircraft is set to be further expanded with an additional 38 aircraft, all of which offer a luxurious guest experience. Travelers can arrange their journeys through the www.saudia.com website or by using the SAUDIA app on their smartphones.

Dubai Can, the citywide sustainability movement launched on 15 February 2022 by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, has seen a reduction in the usage of an equivalent of more than 3.5 million 500 ml single-use plastic water bottles. The movement has achieved this extraordinary success as measured by water consumed from Dubai Can water fountains installed throughout the city. During the last six months, 46 fountains have been installed in various locations across the city, including public parks, beaches and tourist attractions, with the help of the initiative’s stakeholders, sponsors and partners. The fountains are now in various Dubai neighbourhoods, including Kite Beach, Dubai Marina, JLT, Downtown Dubai, Dubai Harbour, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai Festival City, Khawaneej, and others. Yousuf Lootah, Executive Director – Tourism Development & Investments  Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), said: “In line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai a sustainability champion, the Dubai Can movement has made remarkable progress during the last six months. We could not be prouder of this achievement. While encouraging residents and visitors to commit to a paradigm shift in their lifestyles, this initiative has a larger goal: creating a city that is the world’s most visited and the best place to live and work in, as envisaged by the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. “The strength of the city’s public-private partnership is essential to realising the Dubai Sustainability Strategy. As we look forward to the campaign’s continued success, this excellent collaboration model will …

In its bid to strengthen international connectivity, IndiGo, India’s leading carrier announced a new daily direct flight from Hyderabad-Riyadh along with additional frequencies on Hyderabad-Doha and Mangalore-Dubai routes. This new route and additional frequencies will enhance connectivity between India and Middle East. Mr. Sanjay Kumar, Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer, IndiGo said, “We are pleased to strengthen our network by introducing new international flights and frequencies. The new connection to Riyadh will enhance business connectivity and easy access to tourist attractions like Al Masmak Fortress, National Museum, Heet Caves, Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Grand Mosque, and Kingdom Center Tower, among others. In addition, these flights will make travel affordable to the Middle East through direct connections and additional capacity. We will strive to stay true to our promise of affordable fares, on-time performance, courteous and hassle-free service across wide network, onboard our lean clean flying machines.” These flights are designed to cater to business and leisure travellers who are constantly on the lookout for new and affordable flying options to access destinations which help in building businesses and are known for their tourist attractions. Customers who wish to plan their travel can book tickets via our official website www.goIndiGo.in and also browse our website in Hindi at https://www.goindigo.in/hi-in/homepage.html. The introduction of these flights will further bolster the airline’s international connectivity.

The fifth edition of Gulf Travel Show (GTS) will kick off on Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th September 2022 under the theme of sustainable tourism. One of the most important factors post covid is sustainability in every single way. Participation in GTS assures you of the great responsibility held by the travel and tourism fraternity about their intent to reduce its carbon footprint. Gulf Travel Show (GTS) is the only event which was built in with a purpose. When it first started out just after the pandemic whilst most borders were still closed, it gave the travel, tourism and hospitality fraternity an opportunity to ensure that confidence is restored in the minds of the people passionate about the industry. It was also a tool which connected online GCC buyers with exhibitors from across the globe. The fifth edition or GTS 5.0 demonstrates its commitment to uphold its social responsibility to ensure less carbon emissions, yet bring all players to the table and learn and study the stakes, the many opportunities to make things right after a bout of almost two and a half years of pandemic era. Sustainability has many layers to be addressed, it is no longer a word to be utilized and passed on as a mere CSR activity, hence it is a commitment to ensure that everyone has a part to play on mother earth. Starting off with airlines and their biofuel capabilities, hotels and their sustainable strategies, tourism boards which provide and maintain sustainable goals to ensure that the country or destination promoted will not be perturbed, undisturbed, instead leave in its natural state. When UNWTO announced its commitment on declaration of sustainability in the industry, …

Atlantis, The Palm announced a selection of nine local conservation and sustainability projects set to receive funding from the 1 USD contribution initiative the resort launched in June 2021. Over the past 12 months, for every marine animal experience participated in by a guest, Atlantis, The Palm has collected $1 (USD), which has resulted in a $120,000 (USD) investment fund for the project, which aims to support UAE-based conservation and sustainability projects to help protect the ocean and our environment. Over the past two months, UAE-based organisations were invited to apply for funding, after which proposals were solicited and assessed against their contributions to scientific advancement, conservation and sustainability. Atlantis Atlas Project currently focuses on four key groups of wildlife; sharks, rays, dolphins, and corals, and two key threats to the ocean; unsustainable seafood and plastic pollution. With this in mind, projects were selected based on their support of these conservation goals. The first project the funding will support is UAE’s leading social enterprise Goumbook on their ‘Save The Butts’ campaign. This initiative sees the collection of cigarette butts littering beaches and public areas and uses circular economy principles to recycle the waste to create valuable material from it. This campaign will also actively involve Atlantis Dubai’s colleague base through volunteer litter picking and collecting waste within the destination that Goumbook and their partners can recycle. The initiative will also provide a year of funding for UAE-based Seafood Souq, which will support the development of a digital platform to make seafood trade more efficient, sustainable, transparent and traceable. This will involve developing a QR code for diners – to be piloted on Michelin-starred Ossiano’s menu – enabling diners to find …

Registration is now open for the foremost global event of the international travel industry – World Travel Market London – taking place at London’s ExCeL on 7-9 November 2022. This year’s show is back to its fully live, pre-pandemic format, with hundreds of destinations exhibiting and brands from across the globe showcasing their new products to buyers. Organisers are pulling out all the stops to make WTM London 2022 the most memorable so far, with a packed conference programme across four themed stages: the Future Stage, Sustainability Stage, Technology Stage and the Insights Stage.  Over 70 live sessions have already been confirmed, with more content being added every week. Visitors will hear from top motivational speakers, celebrities and industry leaders from a variety of sectors during a tailored programme to help inspire, educate and guide – bringing key insights and takeaways that are hard to find anywhere else. Once again, WTM London will serve as the meeting point for the prestigious WTM, UNWTO & WTTC Ministers Summit.  Responsible Tourism will also be on the agenda, while Travel Tech – the event for cutting-edge technology for travel and hospitality, will attract decision-makers from across the globe. Networking is back in full force and WTM London is offering plenty of opportunities for meetings, whether that’s specific buyer networking sessions, drinks parties or other opportunities where delegates can enhance their presence, make maximum connections and increase their business network. Juliette Losardo, Exhibition Director at World Travel Market London, said: “Buyers are telling us how excited they are about walking through the doors of ExCeL once again, where they can discover what’s new in the world of travel and what’s in store for the …

With a target to attract over six million international visitors a year by 2030, Qatar Tourism (QT) has opened its first representative office in Tehran, Iran earlier this month, adding to QT’s vast and growing network of offices around the world. Marked as QT’s13th global opening, the office will lead various promotional activities, including tour operator partnerships, travel agent destination training, media visits and campaigns, all of which will serve to highlight Qatar as a cosmopolitan and culturally rich destination for travellers from Iran. Qatar makes for an attractive and convenient destination for tourists from Iran, owing to weekly direct flights from the Iranian cities of Tehran, Mashhad, Shiraz, and Isfahan to Doha in less than three hours and visa-free entry for Iranian citizens. In addition, both countries follow Islamic calendars and can see synced holiday seasons, allowing visitors from Iran to travel to Doha for a last-minute getaway or luxurious city break. Chief Operating Officer of Qatar Tourism, Berthold Trenkel, said: “Qatar Tourism’s choice in the location of its latest office opening is a testament to the decades-long cultural and trade ties between the two countries. Iran is one of 15 target markets identified by Qatar Tourism as a primary source for tourists looking to relax, rejuvenate and soak in some culture. Opening a representative office in Iran will help support Qatar Tourism’s strategic goals to increase the number of visitors to Qatar by threefold, increase spending by 3 to 4 times, and grow the GDP contribution of the tourism sector to 12% by 2030.” In addition to holidays in which Qatar is the end destination, the country makes for an excellent stopover retreat for Iranian travellers set to …

Global Village guests will have the opportunity to experience a stunning new attraction when Season 27 opens on October 25, 2002. The ‘’Global Village Big Balloon’’, accommodates up to 20 people of all ages and is also suitable for people of determination. The helium balloon, which is as high as a six-storey building and measures 65 feet in diameter, will give guests the chance to experience spectacular 360-degree views across Global Village and the wider surroundings. The huge balloon is to become a new landmark in the sky, visible from miles around the multicultural destination. Naveen Jain, Director – Business Development, Global Village, said: “Every Season we make sure our guests are able to experience new and exciting attractions. A balloon ride experience is on many people’s bucket lists, so we’re thrilled to be able to offer this opportunity to our guests. Closer to the season opening, we will be revealing more fun experiences that can be enjoyed by all the family.” The massive balloon has been designed to exceed the high safety standards that have been established by Global Village in recent years. The park once again received a 5* rating for the 4th consecutive year by the British Safety Council and was also awarded the prestigious Sword of Honour for the past 3 years.