Tag Archives: 2024

The share of hotels sold via the direct channel in Spain increased by an average of 18% during the summer of 2024 over other channels thanks to the determination of the hoteliers to improve the profitability of the hotels again, according to data from Mirai. Although during the initial weeks of the UEFA Euro Cup 2024 sales growth slowed down, probably also due to the bad weather in Spain, in the last few days the company has observed that growth is picking up again. This rebound suggests a potentially very positive last-minute booking trend in most tourist destinations. At a global level Mirai – which provides hotels with technology and operations support to sell in the direct channel – has experienced an 11% increase of direct hotel roomnights sales worldwide, with Spain surpassing this figure with a 12% rise and ADR increasing by around 7%. Spain’s primary inbound source markets, excluding the domestic market, have shown remarkable growth in nights booked compared to 2023. Specifically, the United Kingdom source market has seen a 12% increase, with source markets such as the United States at 18% and Germany at 14%. “2024 is proving to be a landmark year for Spain’s tourism sector, especially for hotels’ direct bookings and the increase in direct hotel sales share this summer” said Javier Delgado Muerza, CEO EMEA at Mirai. “This remarkable growth in direct hotel bookings is thanks to the hard work of hoteliers and our team’s commitment to boosting their profitability”. “To continue this positive trend, we advise hoteliers to focus on a few key areas. First, maintain a clean and organised distribution strategy to ensure seamless booking experiences for guests by offering the …

Sharjah Airport welcomed over 8.3 million passengers over the past six months, while recording a similar growth in aviation movement during the same period of 12.2% with 52,702 flight movements. Additionally, Sharjah Airport succeeded in recording a significant growth in cargo handling operations, which reached 40.7% with a total of 97.2 thousand tons. Meanwhile, sea-air cargo operations increased by 17.5% with a total of 7.4 thousand tons. In the context of solidifying its competitiveness and leadership by enhancing operational performance and providing services of the highest global standards, Sharjah Airport achieved a 12.4% growth in total passengers in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period last year. Sharjah Airport Represents a Dynamic and Active Gateway Supporting Economic, Tourism, and Business Sectors in the Emirate of Sharjah His Excellency Ali Salim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Airport Authority (SAA), affirmed that the progressive and well-planned growth in Sharjah Airport’s performance in travel, aviation, and cargo operations enhances its strategic efforts to solidify its leading regional position as the optimal choice for passengers in the region. This is due to the airport’s provision of a safe and seamless travel experience, adoption of the latest innovative technologies, adherence to environmental sustainability standards, and offering of integrated and high-quality services that align with passengers’ desires and aspirations. His Excellency Ali Salim Al Midfa pointed out that Sharjah Airport serves as a dynamic and effective gateway supporting economic activity, tourism, and the business sector, while attracting investments to the Emirate of Sharjah and connecting it with industrial and economic zones as well as commercial markets. This is achieved by expanding the airport’s connectivity networks and increasing the frequency of aviation movements globally. The …

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) revealed its theme “Ancient Land: New Perspectives,” for the Global Summit which will spotlight Australia’s rich cultural heritage and natural wonders, emphasising innovation and sustainable growth. Hosted by Tourism Western Australia (TWA), the event will take place in Perth (Boorloo), Western Australia, from 8-10 October. It stands as the pinnacle of the Travel & Tourism calendar. Industry trailblazers and international government officials from across the globe will converge in Perth to drive forward efforts for a safer, more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future in Travel & Tourism. WTTC announced its latest round of high-profile speakers for its upcoming Global Summit, featuring top leaders from the world’s leading Travel & Tourism businesses. Top business leaders set to speak include Greg O’Hara, Certares Founder & Senior Managing Director and WTTC Chair, Matt Goldberg, TripAdvisor CEO, Audrey Hendley, American Express Travel President; Jerry Inzerillo, Diriyah Company Group CEO, Hiroyuki Takahashi, JTB Corp Chair of the Board, and James Thornton, Intrepid Travel CEO, among many others. Adding star power, renowned wildlife conservationist and TV presenter Robert Irwin will also take the stage. Known for his dedication to wildlife conservation and inspiring positive change, Irwin follows in the footsteps of his legendary father, Steve Irwin. Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “The leading industrialists in Travel & Tourism who are shaping our sector and countries’ economies will be at WTTC’s Summit in Perth. Their insights and leadership are crucial as we shape the future of Travel & Tourism. “Western Australia, with its stunning natural beauty and deep commitment to sustainability and cultural diversity, is the perfect backdrop for this event. Hosting the Global Summit in Perth enables us to …

Summer is here, and so is the much-awaited sale season at the McArthurGlen Designer Outlets, where luxury meets affordability. Spanning across 23 designer outlets in Europe, the centers Summer Sale is set to kick off in mid-June in Northern Europe and conclude at the end of August in Southern Europe. Shoppers are in for an exciting treat with discounts soaring up to 70% off European retail prices. For the valued customers from the Middle East , this is a golden opportunity to capitalize on Tax Free Shopping for even greater savings. This sale period coincides with the peak travel season for Middle Eastern residents heading to Europe. It’s the perfect moment to pack light and return with suitcases filled with treasures from the favorite brands, including Gucci, Fendi, Saint Laurent, Brioni, Tumi, Bally and Polo Ralph Lauren. Sale Periods by Country To help planning the shopping adventure, here are the sale periods by country: Italy: Designer Outlet Serravalle (Milan), Designer Outlet Noventa di Piave (Venice), Designer Outlet Castel Romano (Rome): From 6th July to the end of August* Austria: Designer Outlet Parndorf (Vienna), Designer Outlet Salzburg. June and July*. France: Designer Outlet Paris-Giverny; from 26th June to 23rd July* Spain: Designer Outlet Malaga: July and August* Netherlands: Designer Outlet Roermond (near city is Dusseldorf/Cologne) from 13th June to end of July*. UK: Designer Outlet Ashford (London), Designer Outlet Cheshire Oaks (Manchester) from 17 June to 14 July*. Germany: Designer Outlet Berlin, Designer Outlet Neumunster (Hannover) from 6th June to 10th August*. *Sale periods mentioned are indicative; periods may vary according to local / regional laws. The McArthurGlen Designer Outlets boast an impressive lineup of world-renowned brands, making it the perfect …

The Arabian Travel Awards, now in its seventh year, has announced Conrad Dubai as its official hospitality partner. The prestigious event, known for recognizing excellence in the travel and tourism industry, is set to take place on Tuesday, November 12th, at the Conrad Dubai.  Michael Schmitt, General Manager of Conrad Dubai, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “ I’m thrilled to partner with the Arabian Travel Awards. This event attracts the top leaders in the travel industry; it’s a perfect platform to showcase our unwavering commitment to providing exceptional experiences that reflect Dubai’s dynamic spirit.” Schmitt highlighted the strategic importance of the partnership, noting that it offers a unique opportunity to connect with key industry players, forge new partnerships, and solidify existing relationships. “By being a part of this event, Conrad Dubai contributes to promoting Dubai and the wider Arabian region as a premier travel destination. Bringing industry leaders together fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing. This aligns perfectly with Conrad Dubai’s mission of redefining what luxury hospitality means in this ever-evolving region and aligns perfectly with Conrad Hilton’s founding philosophy ‘to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality,’” he added. SanJeet, Director, DDP Group, also shared his excitement about the collaboration, stating, “We are very happy to welcome onboard our hospitality partner Conrad Dubai for the seventh edition of the Arabian Travel Awards. Our awards have been evolving over the years to recognize the untiring efforts of the industry experts. In today’s travel, tourism, and hospitality landscape, there are many changes and new trends that have emerged. Applications are now open to vote for those in the industry who have been at the forefront of promoting and working to …

Speaking on the sidelines of the IATA AGM in Dubai, Ahmet Bolat – Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee Turkish Airlines shared that they received 83 million passengers in 2023 and they expect to welcome 90 million passengers by the end of this year with the momentum at present. There was an increase in passenger numbers from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last year and they expect the rest of the year to be the same. Bolat also mentioned that there had been an increase of business class passengers over the last year as well in comparison to before and this trend seems to be continuing over the year. In terms of new routes, he reiterated that they added the sixth continent of Australia in 2023, with 3 flights per week and by end of this year they will increase to more cities in Australia. They increased operations in the US as well by adding their 13th destination – Detroit and they will start to Denver by next week. He further shared that within the next ten years they will double their fleet from 450 currently to 800 plus.

According to IATA’s latest April research data, Middle Eastern airlines saw a 14.2% year-on-year increase in demand with capacity increased 9.9% year-on-year and the load factor increased +3.0ppt to 79.3% compared to April 2023. Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs), was up 11.0% compared to April 2023. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was up 9.6% year-on-year. The April load factor was 82.4% (+1.0ppt compared to April 2023). International demand rose 15.8% compared to April 2023; capacity was up 14.8% year-on-year and the load factor improved to 82.2% (+0.7ppt on April 2023). Domestic demand rose 4.0% compared to April 2023; capacity was up 2.1% year-on-year and the load factor was 82.6% (+1.5ppt compared to April 2023). “Passenger demand has been growing for 36 consecutive months. As we enter the peak northern summer travel season, there is every reason to feel optimistic for a strong summer with airlines offering a wide range of travel options. 97% of passengers asked in our recent survey said they were satisfied with their last flight. Every part of the travel value chain needs to be focused on maintaining that,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. The IATA Passenger Survey also revealed 88% agreement that ’air travel makes my life better’. “That’s an important motivation as our members gather for the IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit in Dubai next week. This strong endorsement of the power of air connectivity to transform lives and boost economies brings with it a challenge that will also be on the minds of all attending. It is critically important that we achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 so that people can continue to …

Global aviation leaders will gather in Dubai for the International Air Transport Association (IATA) 80th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit (June 2-4 2024). The event is being held in the UAE for the first time and hosted by Emirates Airline. Over 1,500 participants are expected to be in attendance, including industry leaders, government officials and media. H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy for the United Arab Emirates is expected to welcome delegates to Dubai with an opening keynote speech to the AGM. “Dubai’s world-leading connectivity places it at the crossroads of the planet. And it will soon be the center of the airline industry’s leadership as it hosts the 80th IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. “We look forward to hosting our industry colleagues in Dubai, Emirates’ home and hub. This is a city that has forged its place in global aviation and prospered, thanks to its visionary leaders and progressive policies that recognize air transport’s role as a key economic enabler. In line with this, last year aviation contributed 27% to Dubai’s GDP and supported $37 billion in gross value added. There are always exciting new developments in Dubai, and I hope visiting delegates will get to a chance to experience this buzzing city and the UAE’s renowned hospitality for themselves,” said Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline. World Air Transport Summit The World Air Transport Summit (WATS) immediately follows the AGM for a comprehensive program addressing the critical issues facing aviation. “The commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 will top the agenda of the 80th IATA AGM and …

Speaking with TravTalkME Lydia Li, Deputy General Manager ITB China shared that one of the key emerging trends seen over the past few months is an increase of outbound travel with Chinese travellers opting for MICE and business travel to the Middle East. According to the recent report by Trip.com, there were destinations that fall in the medium- and long-haul outbound travel categories that witnessed significant growth, with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and the Maldives, among others along the Belt and Road Initiative, experiencing high order growth rates, increasing by over 800%, 60%, 40%, and 40% respectively compared to 2019. Countries farther away such as the UK, Argentina, and Norway also saw significant increases, with growth rates exceeding 60%, 40%, and 200% respectively compared to 2019.

The Middle East saw the strongest relative growth, with international arrivals exceeding by 36% pre-pandemic levels in Q1 2024, or 4% above Q1 2023. This follows an extraordinary performance in 2023, when the Middle East became the first world region to recover pre-pandemic numbers (+22%). UN Tourism shared that international tourist arrivals reached 97% of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2024. According to UN Tourism, more than 285 million tourists travelled internationally in January-March, about 20% more than the first quarter of 2023, underscoring the sector’s near-complete recovery from the impacts of the pandemic. In 2023 international tourist arrivals recovered 89% of 2019 levels and export revenues from tourism 96%, while direct tourism GDP reached the same levels as in 2019. UN Tourism’s projection for 2024 points to a full recovery of international tourism with arrivals growing 2% above 2019 levels. In line with this, the newest data released by the UN specialized agency for tourism show that: Yet it also recalls the need to ensure adequate tourism policies and destination management, aiming to advance sustainability and inclusion, while addressing the externalities and impact of the sector on resources and communities Europe, the world’s largest destination region, exceeded pre-pandemic levels in a quarter for the first time (+1% from Q1 2019). The region recorded 120 million international tourists in the first three months of the year, backed by robust intra-regional demand. Africa welcomed 5% more arrivals in the first quarter of 2024 than in Q1 2019, and 13% more than in Q1 2023. The Americas practically recovered pre-pandemic numbers this first quarter, with arrivals reaching 99% of 2019 levels. International tourism is experiencing a rapid recovery in Asia and the Pacific …