Category Archives: Agents

The summer report reveals that the current enthusiasm to travel overseas is so strong that a rise in air fares has done relatively little to dampen demand. For example, the average fare from the US to Europe climbed by more than 35% between January and May with no noticeable slowing in booking rates. The report also reveals that Europe has seen the biggest tourism recovery, recording an improvement of 16 percentage points, and is now reporting the highest overall tourist arrival volumes. The European region also illustrates the widespread trend of beach destinations recovering more quickly than their urban counterparts. The continuing revival of leisure travel around the globe during the third quarter of this year (July, August and September) sets the stage for World Travel Market London – the foremost global event for the travel industry – taking place at ExCeL on 7-9 November 2022. A second, end-of-year Travel Outlook Report will be published during World Travel Market London, giving delegates the latest trends and detailed forecasts based on bookings from airlines and travel agencies. Africa and the Middle East are the regions on course to recover most strongly, with Q3 arrivals expected to reach 83% of 2019 levels. It is followed by the Americas, where summer arrivals are expected to reach 76%, Europe (71%) and Asia Pacific (35%). The impressive rebound of summer destinations such as Antalya (Turkey; +81%), Mykonos and Rhodes (both Greece; both +29%) is partly attributable to early reopening and the proactive communication of their countries.  Greece was among the first European nations to reopen to non-essential travel and has been clear and consistent in its messaging throughout the pandemic. It is interesting to note …

Sabre Corporation announced the renewal of an exclusive and a long-term agreement with El Ajouz Travel, the leading travel company in Lebanon to power the agency’s growth and recovery. The extended agreement reaffirms two decades of collaboration and was marked by a signing ceremony that was attended by executives and team members from both companies. Under this agreement, El Ajouz Travel will continue to access Sabre’s portfolio of innovative technology, including its industry-leading Sabre Red 360 platform. Furthermore, El Ajouz Travel will deploy Sabre’s Automation Hub- a series of automated processes to minimize human error, increase efficiency, and amplify customer satisfaction. ‘With its industry-leading shopping and merchandising technology, coupled with the expertise of its dedicated team, we are confident that Sabre is the right partner during this pivotal time,” said Hasan El Ajouz, Chairman, El Ajouz Travel. “We are working with them to deploy latest intelligent and innovative solutions to support our long-term goals, differentiate our travel offerings, improve operational efficiencies and boost revenue.” EL Ajouz Travel has showed resilience and steady growth and been recovering on higher rates than the Lebanese market. Its ambitious plans include continue providing exceptional travel services in Lebanon and expand its reach to regional markets. “We are thrilled to continue working with EL Ajouz Travel to achieve their growth goals as the industry continues to recover,” said Abdul-Razzaq Iyer, vice president, Sabre Travel Network Middle East. “We are committed to partnering with them and our agency community in creative ways to deliver smart and intelligent technology that meet their customers’ needs and address the challenges of today’s environment.” Sabre’s travel marketplace plays an important role in facilitating the marketing and sale of airfares, hotel …

Mamoun Hmedan, Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director, Middle East, North Africa (MENA) and India of Wego, “The demand for travel continues to see significant growth and recovery post COVID-19. With summer approaching, travelers began planning and booking their holidays, and we are witnessing an increase in bookings and demand for flights to and from the UAE. Travelers are also looking for new experiences and exploring places they haven’t visited before to make up for lost travel in the past two years due to the pandemic. And they are ready to spend more on leisure trips than before. Flight and hotel searches from the UAE during the month of June reached about 3 million, an increase of 77% over the same period last year. Despite the increase in airfares, we continue to see an increase in demand and people are booking longer stays.” He further reiterated, “The airfares for the upcoming Eid Al Adha holiday have spiked for most destinations. If we look at the top destinations from the UAE during the Eid break, the average airfare to Egypt is $551 with an increase of 41% in comparison to the same period last year, the airfare to India is around $379 a rise of 114%, Jordan saw an increase of 45% with an average airfare of $689, the flight to Turkey is $306 with an increase of %36, $788 to Morocco with a rise of 65%, $1,900 to Thailand with a spike of %191, and flights to Lebanon from UAE recorded a 36% increase with the average airfare around $575.”

flydubai celebrated its inaugural service to Pisa, becoming the first UAE national carrier to operate this route from Dubai. The airline will operate three weekly flights from Dubai International (DXB) to Pisa International Airport (PSA). Emirates will codeshare on this route, offering travellers more seamless connections through Dubai’s international aviation hub. Flights to Pisa will operate from Terminal 3 at Dubai International. The inaugural flight arrived at Pisa International Airport (PSA) just after 12:00 local time on 24 June and was welcomed on arrival with a traditional water cannon salute and representatives from the airport and Italian government officials. On board the inaugural flight was a senior delegation led by Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai. Upon arrival in Pisa the flydubai delegation was met by an official delegation led by Marco Carrai, the president of Toscana Aeroporti. The welcome reception was followed by a press conference held at the airport. Speaking at the press conference, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “We are excited to launch our third point in Italy this summer with our inaugural service to Pisa. Our strong business model and growing fleet have enabled us to offer passengers from across our network more choices for travel, and we can expect Pisa to be a popular destination for travellers from the UAE and GCC to discover the beauty of the Tuscany region. The start of flydubai operations to Pisa also reflects our commitment to opening up previously underserved markets and providing direct air links to Dubai. We look forward to welcoming our passengers on board.” Marco Carrai, Chairman of Toscana Aeroporti S.p.A., said: “Today we inaugurate the connection between Pisa and …

The latest phase of the #DubaiDestinations campaign, focused on highlighting the city’s exceptional summer experiences, has kicked off, inviting local and international audiences to enjoy an epic summer in the emirate. Running till the end of August, the new campaign encourages residents and travellers to discover the city’s diverse leisure, dining, adventure and family-friendly activities that make Dubai a one-of-a-kind summer destination. Aligned with the vision of Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to make Dubai the world’s best city to live and visit, the #DubaiDestinations initiative was launched in December 2021. The start of the latest phase of the campaign was marked by the release of two interactive #DubaiDestinations summer guides focused on children’s activities. The first guide lists a vast range of indoor destinations for children and adults who want to rediscover their inner child. From having breakfast with penguins and riding on giant rollercoasters to painting up a storm in art cafes, the activities featured in the guide offer something for all children. The list covers activities offered at 115 destinations spread across malls, retail complexes, theme parks, beaches and esplanades, among other locations, making it a handy reference for families to plan their leisure activities during the Eid-Al-Adha holidays and the rest of the summer season.  A total of 20 theme parks and 28 retail complexes are covered by the guide. The second guide features a list of around 40 exciting summer camps for children that will enable them to challenge themselves, forge new friendships and pick up a new skills. The release of the guides coincides with the start of school …

As it finally starts to emerge from crisis mode, new predictions from Aruba reveal how businesses in the hospitality sector will proactively leverage technology to deliver enhanced total guest experiences across the next decade. Following a transformative few years, which saw the entire industry adopt critical technology solutions in order to survive, hotels and venues have grown increasingly adept at offering seamless digital-first experiences. As they look ahead, however, this reliance on digital technology poses potential challenges to an industry that is built on human-to-human experiences. Aruba worked with global trends agency Foresight Factory to uncover five ways in which hospitality businesses will adapt to evolving consumer demands to offer the perfect balance between the digital and physical worlds. HOSPITALITY COMPANIES WILL BE SERVING UP PRESENCE-FREE OPTIONS Building on current contactless trends such as digital check-in and biometric payments, hospitality companies will be able to welcome guests that are not present at their venue at all, using innovative technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and the metaverse to offer presence-free experiences to “visitors” anywhere in the world. THE GUEST EXPERIENCE WILL START WELL BEFORE THEY ARRIVE AND CONTINUE LONG AFTER THEY LEAVE (AKA THE RISE OF ‘PRETAILTAINMENT’) Forget looking at photos or scanning the menu. In the future, guests will no longer do anything without first trying out the fully interactive, immersive digital option. As the virtual experience becomes a non-negotiable precursor to the real event, companies will begin to offer more creative, elaborate and personalized “pretailtainment” options. Meanwhile ‘post-stay’ services will also be available, rounding out the total experience.   THE GUEST EXPERIENCE WILL HAVE BECOME A COMMUNITY UNDERTAKING The future will see hospitality companies form …

Bahrain’s Al Dana Amphitheatre unveiled more exciting details about its upcoming calendar of events for the 2022 season. Among the world-renowned names confirmed to perform at the open-air venue in October and November are renowned DJ Tiësto, Scottish singer-songwriter and musician Lewis Capaldi, and a much-loved regional icon –Abdulmajeed Abdullah. The venue kicks off its second season on 5th October with a sell-out show by global star Justin Bieber. Later that month, on Friday, 21st October, Al Dana Amphitheatre will welcome another international headliner: Grammy® Award-winning, platinum-certified DJ and producer Tiësto, who is the only artist to ever hold the titles of “#1 DJ” from Rolling Stone and “The Greatest DJ of All Time” courtesy of Mixmag. Also in the line-up is Lewis Capaldi, whose hugely successful single “Someone You Loved” is the longest song ever to remain in the UK Top Ten singles chart. Capaldi is the first artist in history to sell out an Arena tour prior to the release of a debut album (tickets sold out in 1 second). Fans are expected to travel from overseas to see him in action on Al Dana Amphitheatre’s stage on Saturday, 26th November. The calendar also features iconic artists from closer to home. Last season the venue hosted regional stars including Ahlam and Hussain Al Jassmi, continuing this stellar theme by welcoming Abdulmajeed Abdullah, known as the “Prince of Tarab”, who will also be lighting up Al Dana Amphitheatre’s stage this season, with a show on Friday, 14th of October. Tickets to these events will go on sale at a later date via Al Dana Amphitheatre’s official website, www.aldana.com.bh. Shane Chalmers, Chief Executive Officer of Al Dana Amphitheatre, said, “Everyone …

At the press conference along with its partners, Miral and DCT Abu Dhabi announced a stellar calendar of events running from July 2022 until February 2023 on Yas Island. Promising memorable moments at each event for every guest, the unmissable line-up features everything from global sports championships and family-friendly excitement to top-artist concerts and exhilarating adventures. An extensive line-up of events awaits with the return of Abu Dhabi Showdown Week featuring Ultimate Fighting Championship event UFC 281, National Basketball Association (NBA) pre-season games at Etihad Arena, and a stellar performance by Academy Award-winning composer AR Rahman as part of Diwali celebrations. Also coming to Etihad Arena is the awe-inspiring on-stage adaptation of Disney’s The Lion King in November, adding another level of entertainment for Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix guests! Returning to Abu Dhabi, Disney On Ice will surprise fans from all ages with new show ‘Mickey and Friends’ in October at Etihad Arena. In addition, Andrea Bocelli, the world’s most-loved tenor, is set to perform in November at Etihad Park. 2023 will also see the return of the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) in February, the biggest celebration of the Indian film industry. Welcoming the new year with a bang, the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship weekend will see comedian Kevin Bridges take the stage in January for the highly anticipated DP World Tour golf tournament. More exciting sports events will also be taking place in November and December which include the World Triathlon Championship Finals and the FIBA 3×3 World Tour final. His Excellency Aref Hamad Al Awani, General Secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said: “Whilst announcing the calendar of events on Yas Island …

As Eid-al-Adha and summer break fast approaches Skyscanner can reveal strong demand for summer travel; with Saudi bookings for travel this July and August increasing by 325% in May compared to the previous month and UAE bookings up by 156% for the same period.* In line with Eid-al-Adha holiday period, week commencing 4 July is the most popular week for travellers to depart both the UAE and Saudi Arabia this summer as travellers look to maximise the public holiday: heading off on holiday and visiting friends and family. Top trending destinations this summer:   Top trending redirect (booking) destinations for UAE travellers in summer 2022:** Manila Cairo Amman Mumbai Istanbul The top trending redirect (booking) destinations for Saudi travellers for summer 2022:*** Cairo 2. London 3. Bangkok 4. Baku 5. Hyderabad   Skyscanner’s Travel Expert, Ayoub El Mamoun, comments: “As travel restrictions have eased and traveller confidence returns, we’ve witnessed a travel revival with pent-up demand turning into millions of travellers enjoying their much longed for trips again.    “Flights to popular summer destinations don’t have to cost a fortune if you know how to search for the best prices – in fact Skyscanner helps travellers filter all the options of 1,200+ travel providers to find the best option for you.  UAE travellers can find economy return deals to holiday favourites including Manila for AED 2,181 and Istanbul from AED 1084 this July whilst Saudi travellers can find deals to Cairo from SAR 855 and London for SAR 3,648.   “Setting up price alerts on Skyscanner is a great way for travellers to be the first to know as prices drop with any additional discounts or added supply.  You can …

Wego and German National Tourist Office for the GCC sign new partnership to inspire travellers to visit the country post COVID-19. The German.Local.Culture. campaign promotes Germany focusing on four themes: ‘Flair, Craft, Taste and Green’. The campaign will be marketed to Wego’s wide user base to bring more travellers from the MENA region. Wego’s data shows that Germany is in the top 10 destinations for MENA travellers looking to travel to Europe in 2022. The campaign will be launched digitally through social media networks for a broader reach to establish an authentic image of Germany as a sustainable travel destination. The country attracts tourists for its historic architecture, picturesque Old Towns, urban city vitality, impressive industrial monuments, castles and palaces and unspoiled nature. The ‘Flair’ theme showcases the architectural styles of the German cities and places of cultural interest to the tourists. The theme highlights the regional roots of small towns with fascinating historical stories. GNTB, through the campaign, aims to reignite the love of architecture among foreign tourists. Mamoun Hmedan, Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director, Middle East, North Africa (MENA) and India of Wego, said: “Following the successful campaigns, we’re partnering with the German National Tourist Board for the third year running. We are looking forward to inviting even more travellers to this preferred European destination through this campaign.” The campaign also focuses on enjoyable travel experiences even under covid-19 circumstances. These experiences include Germany’s classical and world-famous opera houses attracting about one-third of worldwide operatic performances. The famous opera houses have historic concert halls, ornate stucco, and plush furniture. Yamina Sofo, director of sales and marketing at the German National Tourist Office (GNTO GCC), said: “The GCC …