Tag Archives: Barcelona

Dubai is among the highest demand cities globally joining London, Paris, New York and Barcelona, according to the latest insights shared by MarketHub Europe, by HBX Group. Among the travel trends from Middle East: the relevance of last-minute bookings. Markets such as the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and France continue to be key outbound markets for tourism to the region. Last-minute bookings are crucial in this market, where they account for more than 40% of the total. The average stay is around 3 nights, and Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Mecca are among the most popular destinations. Among the top ten favourites, Doha shows up as one of the fastest growing options. Türkiye. Regaining its position as an issuing country. Antalya and Istanbul are the most popular destinations in Türkiye. According to data from HBX Group, in addition to domestic tourism, the main source market for Türkiye is the Middle East and, from Europe, Germany is particularly strong. Bookings made by travellers from Türkiye have grown by more than 50% compared to 2019 and already exceed the bookings recorded last year. Among the most popular choices are domestic destinations, followed by the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and France in Europe, as well as the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East. Carlos Muñoz, Chief Commercial Officer of HBX Group, highlighted the increasingly important role of Gen Z and their consumer habits in defining travel trends: “With a clear focus on last-minute bookings and a preference for package tours, Generation Z is already reshaping the way the industry operates. In addition, their high awareness of sustainability clearly shapes their travel choices.” HBX Group has registered a 25% increase in searches on its platforms, now totalling …

Emirates and Avianca launched a new codeshare partnership which allows Emirates and Avianca customers to enjoy seamless connectivity on select routes. Emirates customers flying from Emirates’ network via Madrid, Barcelona or London Heathrow, can fly direct to three points in Colombia and enjoy seamless connectivity, in addition to other travel benefits that introduce more convenience. Codeshare flights include Madrid to Bogotá, Medellin or Cali; Barcelona to Bogotá; and London Heathrow to Bogotá. Tickets can be booked immediately on emirates.com, avianca.com, the Emirates and Avianca Apps, contact centres or via both online and offline travel agents, with codeshare flights starting from 4 June. Avianca will place its code on routes operated by Emirates, between Barcelona, Madrid or London Heathrow and Dubai. The Colombian carrier’s customers will fly on Emirates-operated widebody aircraft while enjoying premium dining, lie-flat seats in premium cabins in addition to an abundance of content on Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system, featuring more than 6,500 channels of movies, shows, music and more, including in Spanish. Customers of both airlines will enjoy the convenience of seamless connectivity, hassle-free booking of itineraries on both airlines on a single ticket while reaping the benefit of securing competitive fares, and a single baggage policy checked through to the final destination. Adnan Kazim, Deputy President, and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates said: “We are delighted to establish a codeshare partnership with Colombia’s largest carrier, Avianca to provide seamless connections on select routes to customers of both airlines. The codeshare agreement will enable us to expand our reach and allow our customers to use our services and fly to additional popular points in Colombia.” We are also pleased to offer Avianca’s customers connections through points in Spain …

Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA), the Kingdom’s national flag carrier, has hosted a special roadshow event in Barcelona, Spain in the presence of His Excellency Mr. Ehab Mohammed AlNajjar, Minister Plenipotentiary of the Saudi Embassy in Spain, on behalf of His Excellency the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Spain, Mr. Azzam Al-Qain, with the goal of promoting the Kingdom as a leading global tourist destination. The roadshow, which comes as part of the global campaign Fly to Your Next and was held in collaboration with the Air Connectivity Program, showcased Saudi Arabia’s numerous exciting travel and tourism projects and invited travel agencies to learn more about the world-class attractions visitors can experience in the Kingdom. The special event highlighted the latest marketing campaigns for tourism events and programs, including both current and planned initiatives. The Saudi Tourism Authority and tourism megaprojects including NEOM took center stage during the presentation. Invited guests were also familiarized with the benefits SAUDIA provides through its SAUDIA Holidays platform, which offers full packages including flight tickets and hotel reservations, as well as opportunities to book vehicles, tours, and excursions. The national flag carrier’s campaign comes as part of its ambitious plan to bring the world to Saudi Arabia. As the ‘Wings of Vision 2030’, the airline aims to take the campaign to many countries across Europe, as well as the United States and other key markets. SAUDIA highlighted its continuing collaborations with the Ministry of Tourism, the General Entertainment Authority, the Ministry of Culture, and the Ministry of Sport. The airline is a strategic partner in transporting participants and visitors from across the globe to leading events in the Kingdom and operates a …

It is time once again to rediscover two most favoured cities in Spain by GCC Barcelona and Catalonia. Register today to learn about the two most interesting city breaks that could keep you glued to your seats. Keep Tuesday 23rd March 2021, free from 12noon to 1pm UAE time. Marta Aldana, International Promotion at Barcelona Tourism, “Barcelona is one of the top city destinations worldwide and is a must for all lovers of culture, architecture, shopping, gastronomy and Mediterranean lifestyle. GCC is a market with high intentions to visit Barcelona as soon as possible, and which we consider will be strategic in a future. We would be  presenting  the latest projects and developments in the Mediterranean metropolis through this webinar. Barcelona awaits you!” Patrick Torrent – Executive director of the Catalan Tourist Board, “Diversity, plurality and an impressive list of qualities all help to make Catalonia a land where you feel at home. An amazing cultural legacy, a nuance-filled history and a present that is as successful as its future is hopeful all help to make this small region one of the most attractive destinations. Cutting-edge art, culture and gastronomy blend perfectly with Roman and medieval remains, as well as a unique architecture ranging from Gaudí to Norman Foster.  There’s no denying that 2020 has challenged us all completely. We have been fighting for our businesses and figuring out how we can adapt and recover from an unprecedented time. But this year has also motivated us and it’s produced fresh waves innovation. While 2020 did not run as planned, we have been very conscious to do all we can for the tourism sector. From the begining of the pandemic, we …

Etihad Airways has launched its first-ever scheduled flights from Abu Dhabi to Barcelona. The inaugural flight recently departed Abu Dhabi with a special delegation including dignitaries, media representatives and senior members of the airline’s management team. Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said, “There could not have been a better time to arrive here than the month when Etihad celebrates its 15th anniversary. Commercial and cultural links between the UAE and the Catalonia region are flourishing and Etihad is honoured to play a pivotal role in facilitating and enhancing the growth of trade and the strong demand for tourism. This is a breathtakingly beautiful part of the world, with something to offer the most discerning of travellers, and now for the first time, Abu Dhabi is accessible from Barcelona with regular non-stop flights. On behalf of the Etihad Aviation Group, I extend our sincere thanks to the Barcelona Air Route Development Committee for their invaluable support with the new service.” The number of visitors from the UAE to Spain has been rising rapidly, thanks in part to a successful Schengen visa waiver programme introduced for UAE nationals in 2015. The new route will initially be operated five times a week by a two-class Airbus A330-200 before becoming a daily operation from March 31, 2019.

Etihad Airways has announced the introduction of a new scheduled service linking Abu Dhabi and Barcelona, Spain, effective from November 21, 2018. The route will initially be operated five times a week by a two-class Airbus A330-200 before becoming a daily operation from  March 31, 2019. Barcelona will become the second city in Spain served by Etihad Airways, complementing the airline’s existing daily service to the capital Madrid. The new route will provide business and leisure travellers with convenient timings to travel between Abu Dhabi and Barcelona, also providing seamless onward connections through Abu Dhabi to major cities in the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Korea and Australia. Peter Baumgartner, Chief Executive Officer Etihad Airways, said,“As one of the largest unserved markets from our Abu Dhabi base, Barcelona – a hub of culture, commerce, tourism, education, fashion and science, has witnessed a significant increase in travel demand from the emirate, and from across our wider network. We are now delighted to announce the first direct link between these two important global hubs. We are confident it will prove very popular with UAE and Barcelona-based customers, allowing us to extend our acclaimed inflight service, hospitality and flair to this vibrant Mediterranean city, and to build on the flourishing cultural and commercial ties between the UAE and Spain.”