Category Archives: Agents

The fifth edition of the Gulf Travel Show kicked off with a special press conference with Mohamed Amirul Rizal, Senior Deputy Director, International Promotion (Asia Africa) Division Tourism Malaysia chairing the press conference. In his opening remarks he welcomed the media for attending the event sharing that this is the fifth consecutive time that Tourism Malaysia participated as Platinum partner with the Gulf Travel Show to network with the travel agents and tour operator partners in the Middle East, especially in the GCC. He also thanked everyone for their dedication and commitment to make Malaysia top of mind destination in the region. He reiterated that entry requirements to Malaysia are now eased, and you can travel hassle free to explore the destination. It is no longer necessary to have pre-departure nor on arrival PCR tests nor have a special covid insurance etc. Instead, he stated that Malaysia is hassle free and everyone is welcome to travel without any quarantine or testing as their vaccination drive including children and retirees hit over 86% hence after two years of stringent border controls now it is time to explore the destination which has a lot more to offer to guests especially from the Middle East/ GCC countries. Connectivity is of utmost importance for all destinations, sharing his thoughts on this, “we work with our airline partners such as, Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways etc, at present we are looking at further strengthening our network with SAUDIA, Egypt Air and Air Arabia to have more connectivity to our destination from the Middle East. After the pandemic and the borders opened we received about 23,000 visitors from the Middle East from 1st April 2022, however, we …

Saudi is the fastest growing tourism destination in the G20. Saudi Arabia’s exponential sector growth has seen an extraordinary +121% increase from pre-pandemic international tourism levels as recognized by the newly published UNWTO Tourism Barometer. The substantial tourism recovery recognizes not only Saudi’s considerable investment in tourism, but also the country’s pioneering leadership in future-proofing its tourism sector. Saudi was swift in its response to the pandemic and rolled out vaccines to ensure high immunization rates quickly which accelerated the easing of restrictions and the reopening of the country to tourists. The government also implemented several measures aimed at supporting companies and employees working in the tourism sector thereby mitigating the effects of the pandemic. Tourism is a key pillar of Saudi’s transformative Vision 2030 and the country has ambitious goals to ensure that tourism contributes 10% of the country’s GDP by 2030, with one million jobs created along the way. According to the UNWTO Tourism Barometer, the global tourism sector saw international tourist arrivals almost triple from January to July 2022 (+172%) compared to the same period of 2021. This means the sector recovered to almost 60% of pre-pandemic levels. His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, and Chairman of the Board of Saudi Tourism Authority said: “Recognition of Saudi’s achievements in the UNWTO Tourism Barometer is a key milestone in our extraordinary recovery and much of the success lies in our leadership’s multipronged approach to managing the pandemic and accelerating the sector’s pace of recovery. Saudi opened to the world in September 2019 and through continued leadership and commitment, we have made incomparable progress toward realizing our ambitious Vision 2030 tourism goals. We are …

It is finally here, the fifth edition of Gulf Travel Show (GTS) which will kick off at 11am today until 4pm (UAE time) and tomorrow under the theme of sustainable tourism. One of the key areas post covid is sustainability, it is not a mere CSR project anymore but a wholesome deal which ensures responsible tourism. 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 …

The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) has revealed the country recorded a 318 per cent increase on overnight stays from Gulf nationals in the first six months of 2022 when compared to the same period last year*. GCC nationals were responsible for more than 335,000 stays in H1 2022, compared with a little less than 81,000 in 2021. Such figures confirm the region’s position as representing the biggest growth from an Asian source market. While tourism numbers may not have returned to pre-pandemic levels yet, the promising growth demonstrates the countries strong recovery as it continues to attract tourists. “The GCC is the top Asian source market, therefore it’s unsurprising with our recent campaigns that there has been such a strong increase,” said Yamina Sofo, director of sales and marketing at the German National Tourist Office, the regional office of GNTB. “Pandemic recovery has long been top of mind and it’s encouraging to see that both longstanding and first-time travellers are increasingly keen to explore everything that Germany has to offer.” Overall, the Asian source markets have recorded a 252.3 per cent increase in overnight visitors, a jump from just over 217,000 to just under 800,000 in 6 months. The surging increase demonstrates a dedication and determination to travel internationally, despite some countries continuing to implement travel restrictions during the first half of the year. To further drive interest in travel to Germany in the remainder of 2022, GNTB has announced the launch of its ‘Feel Good’ campaign, which encompasses a plethora of guiding tips highlighting the country’s eco initiatives that provide conscious tourists with adequate tools and information to reduce their carbon footprint during their travels. A recent survey by D/A, …

Leading travel trade agents in Abu Dhabi attended the first ever roadshow from St.Petersburg recently with partners from DMCs, hoteliers, cruise/shipping companies and medical tourism specialists. The roadshow was divided into three main parts, the first was the one on one B2B sessions where the travel trade could spend time and get to know the destination, followed by detailed presentations by the partners. The final part of the event was the grand dinner with authentic St.Petersburg entertainment, which included a ballet performance as well. Ksenia Narvatkina, Chief Specialist of the development department from St. Petersburg City Tourist Information Bureau and Committee for tourism development of Saint Petersburg, opened the presentation sharing, “we would like to share with you the tourism potential of St.Petersburg and hope that today’s presentation will allow you to know more about our unique city and its many offerings. In 2018, committee for tourism development of St.Petersburg and city tourism bureau organised a roadshow to the cities of the United Arab Emirates. The presentation of tourism development was held with great success and the event aroused great interest among people of the United Arab Emirates.” Mahesh Perera – Travel Consultant – BCD Travels Abu Dhabi shared, “After the pandemic during the past two and half years we did have on and off a few events but this was the first in Abu Dhabi and this was a very well organised roadshow. It was interesting to meet many partners including cruise partners this evening at the St.Petersburg roadshow. For agents like us in Abu Dhabi it was really a very productive and interactive event which enabled us to meet many partners.” Kumar Jiandani Business Development Manager Over Seas …

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced its line-up of events for the 2022/2023 winter season, which are set to create excitement and elevate the destination experience of the UAE capital. Revealed during a TV talk show-style launch event, the up-to-date Abu Dhabi Calendar spans 180 days and features extraordinary concerts by regional and international artists, exhilarating sporting and e-sports action, immersive cultural festivals, live interactive family shows, crowd-pleasing concerts, and unmissable theatre, opera and dance performances. Highly anticipated events in the Abu Dhabi Calendar include the live concerts by Sting, Andrea Bocelli and A. R. Rahman, the first NBA Abu Dhabi Games, the return of Abu Dhabi Showdown Week, headlined by UFC 280: OLIVEIRA vs MAKHACHEV, Disney’s The Lion King, and IIFA Awards Abu Dhabi 2023. For rap and global urban music fans, the Wireless Festival makes its Abu Dhabi debut in March 2023. H.E. Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director General for Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi, said, “Abu Dhabi Calendar has an incredible line up of events to thrill and excite our residents and visitors this season. We’re looking forward to sharing Abu Dhabi with the world by playing host to spectacular musical acts and action-packed global sport spectacles that will attract fans and families from across the globe. It’s a jam packed and incredibly diverse agenda of events which promises to connect friends, excite youth and unite families for unforgettable moments they can enjoy at their own pace.” Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, CEO of Miral, said, “Through our collaboration with DCT Abu Dhabi and the support of our trusted partners, Abu Dhabi will host an action-packed line-up of world-class events …

The Spain Tourism office in Abu Dhabi celebrated an event to celebrate the World Paella Day. The event was held in El Sur restaurant – The Westin Mina Seyahi , Dubai with trade partners from different sectors, including travel trade profesionals , influencers and media. The objective of this event was to promote and to share with the world the iconic Spanish dish, its different variations and its origin. For this reason, everyone was able to see the chef prepare and cook the different types of paellas (seafood, chicken, vegetarian & black paella ) while also sharing some insights about the history of this special dish. The menu also presented typical spanish starters (croquetas, cheese) and ended with some “churros”  . Invitees could also enjoy a traditional show of our typical Flamenco dance, which was one of the key moments of the evening. This year was quite special as this year was the first time a chef represented UAE at the Paella World Cup. This years’ edition has taken place from the 16 to 20 of September, gathering the best chefs  from all over the world in Valencia, Spain. Representing the United Arab Emirates-our candidate, Chef Piedade Fernandes along with Mariano from Sevilles . He was just 20 years old when he switched  from playing  football to cooking. Since then, he has been working for 22 years at the Seville’s Restaurant in Dubai, where he is in charge of the paella section, among other activities. Our representative was able to attain the final quarters elaborating a “classic paella”. Piedade was able to return with the 4th position for best paella chefs in the world. The World Paella Day aims to …

IndiGo India’s leading carrier has commenced new daily direct flights between Mumbai and Ras Al Khaimah, starting September 22, 2022. Ras Al Khaimah is the 100th overall destination and 11th in Middle East in 6E network. Ras Al Khaimah was also named as Gulf Tourism Capital for the year 2020 and 2021 by Gulf Cooperation Council. The operator and managing body of Ras Al Khaimah International Airport welcomed the arrival of the inaugural IndiGo flight from Mumbai. The aircraft received a ceremonial water cannon salute as it taxied to the terminal to mark the occasion. Chairman of Ras Al Khaimah International Airport Engr. Sheikh Salem Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Mr. Atanasios Titonis Chief Executive Officer of Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, Mr. Stanislav Bujnovsky, Director – Commercial & Business Development, welcomed Mr. Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo who travelled in the inaugural flight to Ras Al Khaimah. Mr. Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo said, “We are very pleased to commence this first direct connection between Mumbai and Ras Al-Khaimah. For IndiGo, this is 100thdestination in 6E network and our fourth Emirate. Ras Al-Khaimah, which is known for its bright agricultural surroundings, is also focused on becoming the regional leader in sustainable tourism, which aligns well with our overall focus on sustainability. In vast and diverse India, IndiGo already serves an unparalleled 74 cities and communities throughout the nation. This new route, warmly welcomed by our customers and authorities, further enhances connectivity in the region as envisioned in IndiGo’s strategy.” 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: “It is our …

St. Petersburg City Tourist Information Bureau and Committee for tourism development of Saint Petersburg organized a very successful roadshow for the travel trade in Dubai. There were 10 partners who conducted B2B sessions with the agents from Dubai and shared information about the destination and their new attractions and programmes especially designed for the GCC clientele.The partners from St.Petersburg included, DMCs, hoteliers, cruise/shipping companies and medical tourism specialists. The roadshow was divided into three main parts, the first was the one on one B2B sessions where the travel trade could spend time and get to know the destination, followed by detailed presentations by the partners. The final part of the event was the grand dinner with authentic St.Petersburg entertainment, which included a ballet performance as well. Ksenia Narvatkina, Chief Specialist of the development department from St. Petersburg City Tourist Information Bureau and Committee for tourism development of Saint Petersburg, shared that they were very excited to showcase the beautiful offerings in their destination and the fact that it was open for visitors from across the globe. The only requirement at present is a negative PCR test 72 hours before flying into the country. She further reiterated that the goal of the event was to promote the potential of St. Petersburg as a world tourist center and to develop partnerships between St. Petersburg tourism enterprises and representatives of tour operators and travel agencies in Dubai. The presentation videos and the great performances took the audience to the destination for a short period of time. Travel trade agents present at the event shared that it was really a great opportunity to meet with partners in one platform and having different DMCs who …

Singapore-based travel-tech company utu (utu Pte Ltd) has announced that Etihad Guest, the frequent flyer programme of the UAE’s national airline Etihad Airways, will now allow Etihad Guest members to shop tax-free globally with the utu Tax-Free Card. Etihad’s Vice President Loyalty & Partnerships, Kim Hardaker said, “With nearly 8 million members globally, we’re constantly innovating and expanding our network of global partners to provide even greater rewards for being an Etihad Guest member. Today, we’re pleased to join forces with utu to allow our members to earn Miles as well benefit from utu’s tax refunds capabilities.” Under the partnership, Etihad Guest members can now use the utu Tax-Free Card to: Earn 6,250 miles (worth US$125) for every US$100 tax refunded on the utu Tax-Free Card. To celebrate the launch, until 30 November 2022, Etihad Guest Members can simply download and register on the utu Tax Free App and select Etihad Guest as the default rewards programme to receive 500 Etihad Guest miles. The first VAT transactions (accumulated) of U$100 in the UAE or U$150 for refunds from the rest of world qualifies for an additional 2000 bonus Etihad Guest Miles. Commenting on the new partnership, Asad Jumabhoy, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder at utu said, “We are incredibly excited to announce our new partnership with Etihad Guest. For utu travellers, it is even more exciting as they can now select one of the most popular airline programmes, Etihad Guest, as their rewards programme when converting their VAT refunds to miles.” As the UAE’s national carrier, Etihad operates to more than 70 passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. The Etihad Guest …