Tag Archives: 2024

It was an evening of glitz and glamour as the seventh edition of the Arabian Travel Awards concluded recognising and honouring those who have significantly shaped Middle East’s travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors. Chief Guest for the event was Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer Emirates Airline. San Jeet, Director of Arabian Travel Awards, shared, “Middle East has become a global leader in luxury and experiential tourism, offering everything from high-end resorts to unique cultural experiences like desert safaris and historic sites. Visitors are drawn to the region’s rich blend of modern luxury and authentic local experiences. At the same time, there’s a big focus on sustainable tourism. The Middle East is working hard to protect heritage sites, promote eco-friendly travel options, and create a balance between growth and environmental responsibility. Enjoy your success, but please make sure you innovate, improve and develop the travel industry. I’m sure everyone will be watching you very carefully. These awards are just not a reward but a responsibility on you all to grow this industry, and I’m sure with all your efforts, the Middle East will soon become the world’s most prominent Travel hub.”

The seventh edition of the Arabian Travel Awards takes place tonight at Conrad Dubai, honouring those who have significantly shaped Middle East’s travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors. This invitation-only event offers a dedicated platform to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of industry leaders, encouraging their continued contributions to this rapidly evolving region. The Arabian Travel Awards distinguishes itself as a fair and impartial event, with winners selected through a systematic, internet-based voting process. Supported by TravTalkbreakingnews.ae, TravelTVMiddleEast.news, and TravTalkMiddleEast, the awards will showcase and reward excellence across four main categories: Personal Awards, Business Awards, Trending Awards, and Partner Awards. Categories will spotlight Best Business Hotel, Best Family-Friendly Hotel, Best City Hotel, Best Green Hotel, Best Leisure Hotel, Best Destination Management Company, Best Hotel Apartments, Best B2B Travel Portal, Best Luxury Hotel, among others. San Jeet, Director of Arabian Travel Awards, shared, “Our awards continue to evolve, celebrating the dedication and resilience of industry experts. This year is particularly special as we witness record-breaking growth, surpassing pre-pandemic levels in the region. Throughout the region, responsible tourism and hospitality have become more essential than ever. Hence, this is an opportunity to recognize those at the forefront of making the region, globally admired, sustainable destination.” He added, “The resilience of the Middle East sets a global standard in recovery and growth. The public-private partnerships across the GCC have catalysed the region’s strong rebound, ensuring a forward-thinking, collaborative approach. Tonight’s awards will honour those individuals and organizations who, despite challenges, continue to drive the industry forward, marking the start of an exciting new era in the region.”    

Despite ongoing global geopolitical tensions, bottlenecks in aircraft production, and engine problems, Turkish Airlines continued its growth uninterruptedly thanks to its agility and extensive flight network, increasing passenger capacity by 5.4% in the third quarter of 2024. In the July-September period of 2024, Turkish Airlines’ total revenues increased by 4.9% year-on-year to 6.6 billion USD, even with the high base effect from the same period in 2023. Passenger revenues, which accounted for 84% of the total, increased to 5.6 billion USD driven by the strong contribution from the Far East region. At the same time, our Incorporation’s third-quarter cargo revenues rose by 47% year-on-year to 911 million USD. Turkish Cargo increased the amount of cargo transported by 16.8% compared to the same period in 2023 and became the world’s third-largest air cargo carrier in September, with a market share of 5.7%, according to data published by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Due to competitive pressure on passenger unit revenues along with the negative impacts of global inflationary environment and engine problems on costs, Profit from Main Operations recorded as 1.3 billion USD in the third quarter of 2024. Our Incorporation’s EBITDAR amounted to 2.3 billion USD and EBITDAR margin stood at 35.2%, exceeding both its historical average and peers. Financial income generated through Turkish Airlines’ effective and dynamic portfolio management also played a key role in supporting net profit. Aiming to expand its fleet to 800 aircraft by 2033 as part of its 100th Anniversary Strategy, Turkish Airlines increased its number of aircraft by 9% in the first nine months of the year to 467 in spite of bottlenecks in aircraft production. As a part of its diversification strategy …

As the world convenes once again in London from today with Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority promoting the emirate as a premier global destination. It is taken one step further by adding its offerings for winter where visitors can relax, indulge and explore an unforgettable experience. World Travel Market (WTM) London is a premier global event for the travel and tourism industry, attracting professionals worldwide. It offers networking, partnership opportunities, and insights into industry trends. The event plays a crucial role in shaping future travel strategies and showcasing innovations, influencing global tourism developments. Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority is promoting its special winter campaign where every traveller would find a destination tailored to their sense of adventure, relaxation, and culture. As the emirate proudly showcases its diverse tourism offerings at the World Travel Market (WTM) 2024, visitors are invited to explore Sharjah’s hidden gems during the cooler months, from tranquil eco-retreats to exhilarating outdoor adventures. Whether you’re captivated by breathtaking natural landscapes, seeking adrenaline-packed activities, or eager to immerse yourself in rich cultural experiences, Sharjah promises an unforgettable winter getaway for all visitors and residents alike. HE Khalid Jassim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), expressed excitement about the emirate’s participation in WTM 2024, saying: “Sharjah’s participation in the World Travel Market this year underscores our dedication to positioning the emirate as a premier global destination, particularly during the winter season. Our unique blend of natural beauty, cultural richness, and eco-tourism initiatives truly shine during this time and we are proud to highlight how Sharjah continues to evolve with sustainability at the core of its tourism offerings. From our meticulously preserved heritage sites …

Speaking with TravTalk Middle East, Suhaib Albakheet – Marketing Specialist – Jordan Tourism Board shared that GCC and Asia are some of the key markets they focus on currently. He further reiterated that Africa is another source market which they are looking at present and they have a diverse portfolio of visitors from these markets. Presenting their unique experiences at ITB Asia, some of the areas they focus on is faith tourism, which brings in a lot of devotees to the destination. Jordan has been in the forefront of promoting itself with all its rich culture and heritage. They have been able to keep their tourist numbers high mainly due to the many efforts to promote the destination to new markets.

Speaking with TravTalkME Middle East,  Joyce Wang – Executive Director of Messe Berlin Asia Pacific, Organiser of ITB Asia, MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia shared that this year ITB Asia concluded with immense growth from the Middle East and Europe. Wang shared, “So we not only had exhibitors from the Middle East, but we also had buyers from the Middle East coming down to Asia. It’s a big market for us. For the Middle East, we are looking at two important sectors, wellness travel as well as luxury travel. They are coming in quite well and a big trend this year. Lots of regional and local NTOs are actually looking into tapping into these two themes to attract the Middle East buyers.” She further reiterated that this year’s 3 day show concluded on a positive note with 45,000 business appointments, 18,500 visitors from 85 countries featuring 1950 exhibitors and over 1400 buyers across the globe.

Visit Oman, the countries native B2B booking engine for Oman, exhibiting at ITB Asia 2024 showcased Oman’s unique travel experiences to the Asian market. As Asia’s curiosity and appetite for new destinations is growing, Visit Oman has found this the perfect time to showcase the ease of booking Oman, with the destination known for its warm hospitality, offering a safe, comfortable and easy to navigate environment, making it ideal for travellers seeking both relaxation and adventure. Mohammed Al Asmi, Visit Oman Senior Executive shared “Solidifying Oman as a must-visit destination while showcasing at ITB Asia highlights a significant step forward to attract travellers from Asia and the importance of travel technology solutions like Visit Oman in a fast paced tourism ecosystem.” Visit Oman aims to forge stronger partnerships with travel agents and resellers across Asia, educating travel trade on the nation’s blend of rich heritage and vast array of experiences to explore. To attract more visitors in Q4 2024, Visit Oman is launching exclusive travel packages, and immersive itineraries with live booking capability.

Arabian Travel Market (ATM) announced a groundbreaking partnership with the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), expanding the business events sector at the 2025 edition of the exhibition. As the official Business Events Partner for ATM 2025, ICCA will lead sessions on the evolving landscape of global business events, including seminars focusing on the sector’s future and addressing key trends such as sustainability, digital transformation, and the integration of AI to enhance event experiences. Furthermore, ICCA will be responsible for facilitating the attendance of key international association buyers, showcasing the region’s diverse offer for event planners, and its capacity to attract large-scale congresses with the long-term outlook of contributing to the region’s economy and development. In addition, the Association will launch an exclusive government meeting ranking report at the show, providing critical data on the Middle East’s growing influence in the business events arena. The organisation has previously highlighted Dubai as the top city in the Middle East for association meetings in 2023 and Abu Dhabi in 2022. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “Our partnership with ICCA reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering exceptional value to the business events sector, which has always been a cornerstone of ATM. We look forward to leveraging ICCA’s global network and insights to deliver unparalleled value to our exhibitors and attendees as we explore the future of business events, particularly in the rapidly expanding international market.” The latest insights from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) show a strong recovery in the business events sector. Business travel spending is expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels in 2024, reaching a record US$1.5 trillion. Dubai has already secured 175 international business events in …

The official opening ceremony of the 17th edition of ITB Asia, Singapore was graced by Alvin Tan – Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth of Singapore, Mario Tobias- CEO Messe Berlin and David Ruetz – Senior Vice President, Messe Berlin, reported TravTalkME as media partner of the event. Bringing together over 85 tourism organisations and convention bureaus from across the globe, the 17th edition of ITB Asia promises to be the most expansive and diverse yet. The 3-in-1 show features a 75% increase in African exhibitors and 25% growth from Europe. This year, attendees will gain insights from 160 expert speakers and 100 sessions across three conference tracks, all centered on the theme “Innovating for Tomorrow: Strengthening Future Resilience in Travel and Tourism.” Co-located with MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia, ITB Asia, ‘Asia’s leading travel trade show’ opened its doors today at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. Over the next three business days, travel industry professionals will be able to look forward to the largest and most diverse exhibition event and conference programme to date. Spanning across three massive halls, ITB Asia and MICE Show Asia will showcase a diverse range of exhibitors from destinations, attractions, airlines, hotels, cruises, and the MICE industry. Meanwhile, Travel Tech Asia will host the latest travel technology suppliers and startups in an additional hall dedicated to Travel Technology companies, displaying their most innovative tech solutions. With over 85 tourism organisations and convention bureaus, a 75% growth in African representation, and a 25% increase from Europe, the event will offer attendees unmatched opportunities to explore new markets, build partnerships, and gather key takeaways for business …

Dubai Reef is aligned with the ambitious goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, to further consolidate Dubai’s position as a leading global city for business and leisure. Leading reef developer HaejooX has been formally confirmed as the official construction and fabrication contractor for Dubai Reef, a sustainable initiative by Dubai Can. The signing ceremony for the agreement was attended by His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), a strategic partner of Dubai Reef, His Excellency Ahmed Mohammed bin Thani, Chairman of Regulatory Committee on Fishing of Living Aquatic Resources in Dubai and Director General of Dubai Environment and Climate Change Authority (DECCA), and Sang-Hyun Paik, Chairman of HaejooX. In the contract signed by Yousuf Lootah, CEO of Strategy and Corporate Performance at DET, and Ryan Paik, CEO of HaejooX, it was announced that the company will design and construct 20,000 purpose-built reef modules, which will be deployed across Dubai’s waters over a three-year period. HaejooX, a pioneer in the purpose-built reef industry originating in Korea, has been involved with the Dubai Reef project since its initial proof of concept in 2021. Inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, the Dubai Reef pilot stage began in April 2024, and the deployment of the first 1,000 purpose-built reef modules is expected to commence in late November 2024. A citywide collaboration of key partners from across the public and private sectors, Dubai Reef is aligned with the ambitious goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, to further consolidate …