Category Archives: Associations

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, …

Jamal Travel Agency, a fully-fledged travel and tourism service provider based in the United Arab Emirates, is working together with Amadeus to launch its B2B and B2C ecommerce platform. The new agreement sees Jamal Travel Agency adopting Amadeus’ advanced technology solutions to help achieve the company’s strategic objectives for greater efficiency, increased profitability and its drive to enter new markets. Jamal Travel Agency has built its solid reputation and customer base since its inception in 1988. By working with Amadeus, Jamal Travel Agency plans to offer a wide range of new technology-driven solutions with customer service at the core. Its goal is to make travel experiences more integrated and frictionless. Ernesto Sanchez Beaumont, Managing Director, Amadeus Gulf, adds: “We are primed to help Jamal Travel Agency grow its position as a leading travel agency by helping the company launch its exciting new B2B and B2C ecommerce platform. Jamal Travel Agency will use a variety of Amadeus solutions ranging from ecommerce (Amadeus web services API), to increasing its non-air content revenues, automating processes by means of robotics and adopting the latest payments technology. Our aim at Amadeus is to help travel agencies navigate through the current challenges and help renew travel by delivering what customers need.” Sainulabdeen Salim, Founder and Managing Director, Jamal Travel Agency said: “Our partnership with Amadeus is focused on increasing productivity, streamlining customer service and giving our commercial teams access to more markets. We will also be able to offer customers greater control in managing their travel bookings and process payments seamlessly and securely through our ecommerce platform. We are confident this new alliance with Amadeus will reinforce our position as a trusted and favorable travel partner …

Saudi Airlines (SAUDIA) has initiated the next phase of an ongoing agreement with Saudi Falcons Club to become a Strategic Partner and the Official Carrier for the International Saudi Falcon and Hunting Exhibition. SAUDIA’s presence at the 10-day expo, which kicked off in Riyadh on Thursday, Aug. 25th, comes as part of the airline’s effort to be present at a variety of events and activities that enhance cultural development and promote Saudi Arabia’s rich falconry tradition. Guests attending the exhibition will have the opportunity to redeem a promotional up to 20% discount on a wide range of travel packages through SAUDIA Holidays. Guests can plan the perfect holiday getaway that includes a wide range of flight, accommodation, and service options, including vehicle rentals and tours. Moataz Alandijani, General Manager of Partnerships and Sponsorships at SAUDIA commented “We are very pleased with what was achieved last year with Saudi Falcons Club and we are proud to extend the strategic partnership for the next 3 years, and our participation comes as part of SAUDIA Group’s contribution to supporting all heritage, culture and sports event. The CEO of the Saudi Falcons Club, Hussam bin Abdulmohsen Al-Hazaimi, affirmed the club’s endeavor to expand the agreements with all strategic partners to serve those interested in falconry. He stated, “The Saudi Falcons club is proud to sign the partnership agreement with SAUDIA Group and contribute to supporting and serving the cultural and local heritage of Saudis.” The strategic partnership signed at the exhibition marks the three next years of the on-going agreement between SAUDIA group and the Saudi Falcons Club. The agreement encompasses additional sponsorships and official carrier status for various other events as well as …

Over 120 hospitality leaders and tourism experts will address the industry’s hottest topics at the much-anticipated Future Hospitality Summit (FHS), which debuts at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai by bringing together over 900 hospitality investment decision makers from 19 to 21 September. This year Future Hospitality summit unites the investment communities of the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC), Global Restaurant Investment Forum (GRIF) and African Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF) under one roof for three days of debate, initiatives and exciting industry announcements to highlight – and celebrate – the key role of the region’s hospitality and tourism sectors. Featuring a topflight line up of presentations and insight from government leaders, hotel investors, owners and developers, and industry experts, the FHS programme hones in on sustainability, technology, talent, investment, innovation, the continued post-pandemic recovery and more – all under the main event theme of Lead the Change. There’s also a Franchising Workshop, Startup Den, regional-specific sessions that bring Africa and Asia under the spotlight, and the finals of the 2022 Sustainability Hospitality Challenge, a global competition for students to turn their ideas for innovation and sustainability into a reality. Hosted by Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts and co-organised by The Bench and MEED. “We are delighted to welcome the region’s most respected and experienced hospitality figureheads to the FHS programme, which has been carefully crafted to address key focus areas, challenges and trends for the hospitality industry. The investment communities of AHIC, GRIF and AHIF all feature in our action-packed agenda, bringing a wealth of knowledge, expertise and insight to this prestigious event,” said Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of The Bench. “With a focus on embracing and leading change, FHS brings a wide and …

dnata Travel Group is enhancing its long-standing partnership with Club Med, the world’s leading provider of upscale, all-inclusive holidays, as demand for its travel experiences from the GCC countries increases. dnata Representation Services has been exclusive distributor for Club Med in the region since 2013. As local traveller demand soars for more comprehensive holiday packages inclusive of meal plans, activities, flights, and transfers, dnata is bringing Club Med experiences closer than ever to the region through exclusive rates, tailor-made packages, and a host of new resorts for 2022. Known for its ‘Sun’ and ‘Ski’ resorts in sought-after and unique locations worldwide, Club Med continues to grow with new openings, renovations and extensions annually. Its mountain escapes are popular with GCC travellers seeking nature-based holidays including new resorts in the French Alps (La Rosière) and Canada (Quebec Charlevoix) which launched in 2021. With the launch of 2022’s ‘summer mountain’ holiday season, Club Med offers a playground for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts with six resorts in Europe open until September. The popular hiking, trail, biking and yoga activities on offer are included as part of its all-inclusive concept, bookable in the GCC with dnata Travel. Highly-anticipated for the winter 2022/23 season are new ski resort launches in Tignes and Val d’Isère, the latter being the first of Club Med’s luxury Exclusive Collection Resorts to be located in the mountains. John Bevan, Divisional Senior Vice President, dnata Travel Group, commented: “We are growing our partnership of almost a decade with Club Med as we expand its presence across the GCC. Demand for travel is at a high, and local trends include a rise in popularity in all-inclusive offerings and nature-based retreats, making …

dnata announced that it would invest US$ 100 million in green operations in the next two years to further enhance environmental efficiency across its global network. The company’s ongoing investment in infrastructure, equipment and process improvement will support it to achieve its strategic objectives and reduce its carbon footprint by 20% by 2024, and by 50% by 2030. dnata has embedded its environmental framework across its broad-spanning Travel businesses, aiming to empower customers to make better travel choices. Its corporate services include hybrid event solutions, sustainable travel policy guidance as well as carbon emission monitoring and reporting, aligned to global standards. dnata Travel Group in the UK has invested in green technologies and introduced new business practices to improve environmental efficiency. It switched to renewable energy to take all electricity from green sources at all of its offices, cut out single-use plastic (SUP) from its operations, reduced paper consumption by 4 million pages annually through its ‘paperless office’ initiative, and implemented a zero to landfill policy to ensure that all non-recyclable waste is sent to energy recovery facilities for processing. Furthermore, it replaced 80% of its fleet with electric or hybrid cars with a target to operate a fully green fleet by 2024. Steve Allen, CEO of dnata Group, said: “We’ve been making great progress on reducing our carbon footprint, minimising waste and reducing energy and water consumption across our operations. We will further increase our investments and efforts in strong cooperation with our partners to achieve our targets and preserve the environment for current and future generations.” In recent years dnata has significantly invested in advanced technologies to optimise resources and improve operational efficiency across its facilities. It installed …

With admissions open for the September 2022 intake at Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), part of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), students seeking to pursue higher education are encouraged to explore vocational opportunities and hands-on learning experiences beyond the classroom in order to develop successful careers within the tourism and hospitality industry. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, global travel and tourism employment is expected to grow in 2022 by 3.5%, comprising 9.1% of the total global job market, a figure which is set to increase further in 2023 and beyond.  As the tourism industry rebounds, now marks a crucial time for high school students who are carefully considering their prospects and planning a roadmap for a successful career. DCT runs the first-of-its-kind multi-disciplinary educational platform in the region with an aim to create a dynamic and forward thinking workforce of exceptional talent who will be at the forefront of the future tourism workforce in the UAE and the wider MENA region. Providing students with vocational training in tourism, retail business, culinary arts, hospitality, and events, DCT helps to foster the talent pool within the emirate and encourage young Emiratis and expatriates to take up suitable careers within the tourism industry.   In order to leverage opportunities within the growing tourism and hospitality sector, DCT is urging young people at this significant point in their lives to explore vocational education and training to be able to successfully position themselves for gainful employment in the tourism ecosystem. Essa bin Hadher, General Manager of DCT, commented: “In a few months’ time, high school leavers across Dubai will be focused on taking the next steps towards their future careers …

Amadeus is partnering with ATS Travel to launch its sustainable drive under the brand ‘ATS Go Green’ in collaboration with Olive Gaea, a Dubai-based start-up providing Net Zero solutions across the MENATI region. Amadeus is committed to working towards environmental sustainability, encouraging industry-wide progress to help achieve its net zero targets and securing long-term growth and prosperity for the travel industry. The company has set a target of zero emissions by 2050, with the ambition to achieve this by 2030. The ‘ATS Go Green’ initiative reiterates the commitment by all parties to reach their environmental sustainability goals and be the front runners in the travel industry providing tailor-made reports on Co2 emissions for corporates. Saleem Sharif, Deputy Managing Director at ATS Travel said, “The partnership will allow Amadeus, ATS Travel and Olive Gaea to work closely together and offer clients offsetting opportunities and inspire sustainable living. The collaboration saw all parties pledging to develop a more sustainable future with participants planting mangroves at the local Al Zohra mangrove ecosystem.  Participants were briefed on the sustainability project and taken on a Kayak tour to the mangrove plantation area with reusable water bottles and eco-friendly utilities. We invited our corporate clients and UAE National airlines representatives to join the event and support the cause.” “The increase of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere today is a growing concern within the travel and tourism sector. We aim to be the front runners in the travel sector providing custom carbon footprint reports for Air, Land, and hotels to our travel corporates. Our collaboration will enable us to go beyond just greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reports in the future, and provide cost effective offsetting options,” …

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), announced that leaders of the global aviation industry are gathering in Doha, Qatar, for the 78th IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit (WATS), with Qatar Airways as the host airline. The event (19-21 June) attracts the industry’s most senior leaders from among IATA’s 290 member airlines, as well as leading government officials, strategic partners, equipment suppliers, and media. “In a few days, Doha will become the aviation capital of the world. The last time we met in Doha, in 2014, we were celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first airline flight. This year’s AGM is another momentous occasion: Airlines are simultaneously recovering from the COVID-19 crisis, setting the path to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, working to improve gender diversity, and adapting to a geopolitical environment that is undergoing its greatest shock in over three decades,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker said: “It is an absolute privilege to be hosting our industry partners in Qatar Airways’ home city, particularly during our milestone 25th year of operations. Coming together face-to-face provides us with the opportunity to discuss lessons learnt from our recent years during the pandemic, global issues affecting us all in the here and now, and to plan the best way forward for the industry.” The WATS opens immediately following the AGM. A highlight will be the third edition of the Diversity and Inclusion Awards sponsored by Qatar Airways. These awards recognize organizations and individuals who are making a difference in helping to drive the industry’s 25by2025 initiative to make the aviation industry more gender balanced. …

The global events industry has entered recalibration mode as it rebounds from a two-year COVID induced hiatus which has forced it to re-examine its future operation strategies and human resource challenges, the Middle East Event Show & Awards 2022 has heard. The show, which connects the Middle East MICE and live events industry, took place at the Madinat Arena, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai over June 15 and 16 with more than 70 innovative exhibitors and uniting over 2500 event and entertainment industry professionals with two days of interactive learning, connections, and collaboration. More than 50 industry leaders took to the event’s seminar stages to address emerging sector challenges including the need for greater sustainability through the creation of carbon neutral events with NetZero builds, slow technology adoption, inclusivity in the workplace and the likely impact of the emergence of the Metaverse. Dan Bolton, Owner & Director, BE Experiential & Dan Bolton Creative Management Agency said the turbulent COVID times had made future workforces address the very ethos of the industry and the sector now needed to address mounting concerns over sector sustainability. “As employers, we must be more transparent, authentic and communicative in how we perceive what we ask of our employees, since the wants and needs of the industry are rapidly changing,” he said. “The way to engage, manage, hire, retain and grow people needs to be more empathetic. Culturally, too, event industry employers need to move away from ‘virtual’ and focus on reconnecting with their employees in person.” “The industry is youthful in its essence; and we all have to come together and hire across the spectrum – with age, gender, race, and nationality not being an impediment in …