Tag Archives: agents

McArthurGlen Designer Outlets, a global leader in luxury outlet shopping, proudly acknowledged its top trade partners in the region for their exceptional contribution at the McArthurGlen Tourism Awards held on the 29th of November 2023 at Park Hyatt Dubai – Creek Resort hotel. This recognition is part of McArthurGlen’s commitment to fostering strong partnerships that have played a pivotal role in achieving remarkable success and record-breaking numbers throughout the year. Selected esteemed trade partners were presented with Certificates of Appreciation and McArthurGlen Tourism award trophies in highlighting their outstanding dedication to promoting the brand in the region. “We are thrilled to express our gratitude to our invaluable trade partners who have been instrumental in our success story in the Middle East. Their commitment, creativity, and collaborative spirit have significantly contributed to McArthurGlen’s strong presence and growth in the region,” said Matthias Sinner, Head of Tourism, McArthurGlen Group. The awards ceremony brought together industry leaders, partners, and stakeholders for an evening of celebration, recognition, and camaraderie. McArthurGlen Designer Outlets continues to set the standard for luxury outlet shopping worldwide, and these awards underscore the brand’s appreciation for the collaborative efforts that have contributed to its success in the Middle East.

The German National Tourist Office (GNTO) successfully concluded its five-day GCC roadshow at the German Ambassador’s residence in Abu Dhabi, marking the end of a productive journey across the region. The purpose of the roadshow was to foster relationships and gain insights with local tourism professionals and media partners in the Gulf. Starting on October 29 at the private residence of the German Consul General, Her Excellency Dr Eltje Aderhold, in Jeddah, it was followed by a visit to Riyadh and the private residence of the German Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Michael Kindsgrab. The roadshow then moved to Kuwait City at the private residence of the German Ambassador, His Excellency Hans-Christian Freiherr von Reibnitz, followed by a stop in Doha in the presence of the Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy in Doha, Mr. Thomas Triller. The roadshow concluded its journey November 2 at the residence of the German Ambassador, His Excellency Alexander Schönfelder, in Abu Dhabi. Yamina Sofo, Director of Marketing & Sales Office Gulf Countries at the GNTO, expressed her enthusiasm about the roadshow’s impact: “The GCC roadshow was an incredible experience for us. It enabled us to expand our network and explore promising opportunities in these major cities. We not only raised awareness about Germany among the local travel trade, but also diversified our campaign offerings, sharing valuable knowledge with market experts.” During the roadshow, Munich Tourism, as one of the attending partners, highlighted its hospitality offerings for GCC travellers, emphasising amenities such as Arabic-speaking staff and Khaleeji chefs during the summer season. It showcased the upcoming events such as UEFA Euro 2024 taking place in 10 German Cities 14 June – 14 …

Travelport announced the launch of more transparent, enhanced carbon dioxide (CO2) emission estimates for flights on Travelport+ calculated using the publicly accessible Travel Impact Model (TIM), which has been developed by Google in partnership with the Travalyst coalition. This new feature is the first of Travelport’s wider product offering that is focused on helping agents, travel managers and travelers easily make more eco-conscious choices when planning and booking their trips. “Agents, corporate and leisure travelers want to feel more confident in making better travel decisions that put environmental impact as a top priority,” said Tom Kershaw, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Travelport. “Agents and travelers are seeing different carbon emissions scores and rankings for the exact same flight options when searching them in different channels. As an industry, adopting a free, publicly accessible data framework will allow us all to be more transparent and consistent in the way travel options are displayed and scored based on factors like carbon emissions, environmental certifications, or waste initiatives. We’re committed to standardizing the information on the environmental impact of transportation and accommodation options and displaying it in a way that makes it easy for agents and customers to incorporate that information in their decisions.” Travel retailers using Travelport can easily compare CO2 estimates generated by the TIM per flight, per passenger, across carriers, at the point of sale based on factors such as the type of aircraft, seat configuration, distance of the flight, load factors and more. These enhanced TIM carbon emission estimates for air segments can be accessed via Smartpoint, Trip Quote and the Travelport API Suite in the Flight Service Information Display and In-Flight Search Response views. The TIM was …

The past few weeks saw a hike in airfares especially in the UAE. As an expat populated destination, the short breaks are always popular, and this continues year on year. Hitherto known destinations, have become the best escapes for the UAE travellers over the past few years. Georgia started off this campaign offering visa on arrival for residents of the UAE. Following them, other destinations too wanted a piece of the business, hence employed similar tactics to attract this huge expat market by ensuring they provide either visa on arrival or visa free for any nationality with a resident visa from the UAE. However, connectivity is a concern with the rise of the air ticket pricing, yet the number of travellers hasn’t really reduced, especially in the case of the Asian sectors. When it comes to holiday destinations such as Turkey which is a key outbound getaway for UAE travellers the pricing went up to almost 6k return, and Asian destinations, especially India was at a staggering 3k plus. Many travellers opting to spend time with their families back in India over the Eid holidays, are seen to be taking smarter ways by checking in from Ras Al Khaimah or Fujairah. No matter the price, travellers in the UAE would always take a chance to travel. Some travellers have also become smart in the sense that they pre-plan their travel dates almost six months prior so that they can partake in some of the best deals. What are the criteria for all this drama? What becomes of the families who wish to travel? Is there a balance between supply and demand? Well, we spoke with some of the key agents who …

MeetChina, the business forum for travel buyers from China and tourism suppliers from the MENA region, returns to Yas Island Abu Dhabi for the first time since the pandemic. Taking place at Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island, the event will kick off on September 4, 2023, with two days of intensive meetings aimed at reestablishing tourism ties between China and the region. MeetChina is owned and operated by NPI Media, with the support of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT – Abu Dhabi) along with Yas Island as the Destination Partner. Now in its 10th year, the 2023 edition will welcome up to 100 top senior-level Chinese travel buyers. Playing an integral role in the resurgence of China’s outbound travel market, MeetChina guarantees tourism stakeholders from across the UAE an opportunity to secure business from China through pre-scheduled one-to-one meetings and networking sessions over the course of two days. Event registration is open to government tourism organisations, hotels, destination management companies (DMCs), attractions, excursion providers, shopping malls and luxury retail brands. In 2019, outbound travel from China contributed over US$253 billion to the global economy – the highest of any country. Chinese tourists took more than 150 million trips during the year, making them outsized contributors to the international travel market. Earlier this year, the country eased all restrictions, allowing outbound travel activity to resume. According to the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI), Chinese travellers are projected to take around 110 million international trips in 2023, which is two-thirds of the 2019 level, while 2024 will see the country’s outbound travel figures touch the 155 million mark. During the past decade, China consistently ranked among …

Thailand’s leading B2B travel industry show, the Thailand Travel Mart Plus (TTM+) 2023, kicked off in Bangkok attended by key agents in the Middle East. Hon. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Tourism and Sports, opened the event welcoming everyone. “It is indeed an honour and pleasure for me to meet everyone of you, who have travelled from around the world and entrepreneurs living in Thailand who have come to participate in the Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2023 in Bangkok today. After covid-19 pandemic, ‘shaping supply’ is what Thailand’s tourism has put in mind and has been increasingly concerned about. In other words, we realize that developing the quality of tourism products and services and most importantly experiences for the entire journey are key to meet the demand of quality travellers. Meanwhile, sustainability is playing a crucial role in improving the supply side. Thus, it has been addressed in our strategy that implements the “Bio-Circular-Green” economy concept to design travel experiences and deliver meaningful trips to travellers, as well as initiate and implement the sustainable tourism goals to set a frame work advocating sustainability in the environment, socio-economy, management, and culture for tourism related businesses in Thailand. In order to successfully drive Thailand towards sustainable tourism and being a quality destination, we cannot do it alone. However, we need support from you and the stakeholders in the tourism industry to make it happen.” Last year, Thailand received 96,389 travellers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 65,857 from the UAE, Kuwait came in next with 44,566 travellers followed by Oman with 26,745 travellers and Qatar with 23,170. Last month at the Arabian Travel Market, Yuthasak Supasorn – TAT Governor reiterated, that they expect …

In a significant move poised to redefine the Saudi Arabian tourism landscape, ELAF Group, a leader in the Kingdom’s travel, tourism, and hospitality sector, announced a strategic partnership with global destination management trailblazer, EXO Travel Group. This collaboration will lead to the inception of EXO Saudi Arabia, a venture designed to amplify the allure of Saudi Arabian tourism on the global stage. The historic contract was signed by key representatives from both organizations in the historical district of Jeddah, amidst a host of distinguished personnel from the Ministry of Tourism, Elaf’s directorial board and executive team, and delegates from SEDCO Holding. This agreement not only embodies the consummation of an earlier pact between Elaf and EXO but also aligns seamlessly with Saudi Vision 2030, aiming to bolster tourism influx into the Kingdom and cultivate sustainable growth in this pivotal sector. EXO Saudi Arabia’s genesis signifies ELAF Group’s ambition to craft a reputable destination management organization, fueled by a synergy of expertise, robust global alliances, and an unyielding commitment to provide innovative travel experiences, state-of-the-art technology, and sustainable travel practices. Dr. Abdulraouf Mohammad Mannaa, Chairman of the Board of Directors at ELAF Group, commented on this occasion by saying: “Our key priority is to contribute to the development of Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. We have been working towards forging long-standing relationships with leading international tourism companies and agencies to boost this sector and attract more tourists, further positioning KSA as a leading global destination that provides exceptional experiences that satisfy the needs of visitors from across the globe. The partnership contract signed with EXO Travel to establish EXO Saudi Arabia is a …

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) hosted a series of events in major cities across the GCC including Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman to launch the highly anticipated SeaWorld, Yas island, Abu Dhabi, and Experience Abu Dhabi’s ‘One Summer Isn’t Enough’ offering, in partnership with 20 key stakeholders including hotels, city attractions, and agencies. The roadshow provided GCC travel trade professionals with the opportunity to learn more about the various attractions and experiences that Abu Dhabi has to offer as well as the emirate’s new promotions and travel products. Highlights included SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, the latest addition to Abu Dhabi’s tourism landscape, which promises to offer an unparalleled experience to visitors when it opens on 23 May. Abdulla Yousef, Director of Travel Trade and Market Development at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “This GCC roadshow will be an effective tool for promoting the new, highly anticipated SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, as well as Abu Dhabi’s exciting summer season offers, providing an ideal opportunity to showcase our family-friendly offerings and luxury experiences to families and visitors from across the GCC. With the Kids Go Free and Stay More, Pay Less offers, and with our location just a short flight away, we are confident that the emirate will be recognised as a top destination for families and friends looking to create memorable summer vacation experiences. We look forward to welcoming visitors to Abu Dhabi and showcasing all that our vibrant city has to offer.” Located on the emirate’s entertainment hub Yas Island, alongside popular attractions Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, and Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, this state-of-the-art theme …

Sabre Corporation hosted an interactive event for key travel players in Saudi Arabia. The event, which took place in Riyadh last week brought together key decision-makers from travel companies, online agencies and corporations to discuss the evolving industry landscape in the kingdom and the region, the need for digital transformation and Sabre’s latest technology solutions. “Saudi Arabia is a particularly exciting country to be in right now,” said Abdul-Razzaq Iyer, vice president, Sabre Travel Network Middle East. “It has a bright vision to build a progressive global tourism brand, and our customers need the right technology to help them leverage this unique opportunity for growth.  In parallel, the industry has become more complex post-pandemic, so simplifying the travel journey will be particularly important.  We will continue to deliver best-in-class technologies, including AI-driven products to travel agencies, across the region to help our travel partners tap into this growth.” At the Riyadh event, Sabre showcased its latest technology, including corporate solutions, application programming interface (APIs) and automation, and outlined how these solutions can increase efficiency through automation, allowing agents to spend more time to serve their customers and keep track of latest trends.  Solutions in the online and mobile space were also highlighted, in addition to innovative point-of-sale, Sabre Red 360, which offers an intuitive, customizable workflow and significant benefits for travel agents, including reduced training time and costs.  The technology is proven to reduce training times from weeks to hours. “We are helping some of the leading travel agencies in Saudi enter the online space, through access to intelligent technology that can personalize the customer journey,” continued Abdul-Razzaq. “Travel agencies continue to evolve, adapting to new consumer needs and leveraging …

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 …