Tag Archives: Europe

Etihad Airways announced that they will be boosting services between Abu Dhabi and European destinations such as Paris, Milan, Rome, Manchester, Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Barcelona, and Madrid with double daily flights for Summer 2025 schedule. The newly enhanced schedule, now open for booking, offers increased flight frequencies and convenient 2pm departures to many European destinations, further boosting tourism to Abu Dhabi. Etihad Airways is significantly boosting its services to popular European destinations, offering year-round double-daily flights between Abu Dhabi and major cities such as Paris, Milan, Rome, Manchester, Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Barcelona, and Madrid. Additionally, seasonal flights to Malaga will increase to five times per week, giving travellers even more flexibility for their summer plans. The new daily European flights are conveniently timed for morning and evening departures and arrivals, offering travellers the flexibility to choose the schedule that suits them. There are also more flights to key destinations across the airline’s growing global network, including daily flights to Bali for the summer season, and Sydney rising to 10 flights a week. Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer at Etihad Airways, said: “We are delivering on our strategic promise to serve more key destinations twice daily as fast as we can, and our summer schedule underscores our commitment to growth and further supporting tourism in Abu Dhabi. By aligning our schedule to offer 2pm departures from Abu Dhabi, we provide guests with convenient check-out times from their hotels, allowing them to make the most of their stay in our beautiful city. “Morning arrivals offer tourists the benefit of early hotel check-ins and extra time to explore the city’s attractions, and evening arrivals are ideal for those who prefer a seamless …

FTI Touristik GmbH, the parent company of the FTI GROUP as the third largest tour operator in Europe, will file an application for the opening of insolvency proceedings at the Munich Local Court on Monday, 3 June 2024. Initially, only the tour operator brand FTI Touristik is directly affected by this. Subsequently, however, corresponding applications will also be filed for other Group companies. Windrose Finest Travel GmbH with the luxury brand WINDROSE will continue its business. The independent companies Euvia GmbH and its travel shopping channel sonnenklar.TV as well as the franchise system of Touristik Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH (TVG) with its brands sonnenklar.TV Reisebüros, 5vorFlug Reisebüros and Flugbörse do not belong to the FTI GROUP. After a lengthy and complex investor process, the entry of a consortium of investors was announced in April 2024. Since then, however, booking figures have fallen well short of expectations despite the positive news. In addition, numerous suppliers have insisted on advance payment. As a result, there was an increased need for liquidity, which could no longer be bridged until the closing of the investor process. The filing for insolvency has therefore become necessary for legal reasons. Information for customers of the FTI GROUP Supporting travelers affected by the consequences of the insolvency is now a top priority for the FTI GROUP. A support website has already been set up at www.fti-group.com/en/insolvency as well as a support hotline at +49 (0) 89 / 710 45 14 98. All relevant information can be accessed here and German- and English-speaking contact persons are available for individual questions. In addition to the full focus on customer support, the FTI GROUP will also keep its guests regularly informed together with …

Emirates will return to ITB Berlin from 5 until 7 March in a major way, showcasing its latest signature products and reaffirming the airline’s longstanding commitment to Europe’s leading travel and trade show. Emirates is gearing up for three action-packed days at ITB Berlin with plans to launch new partnerships and expand existing collaborations with local and regional travel partners – including air carriers to enhance connectivity for travellers headed to/from major European travel hubs; and strategic partnerships with travel and tourism entities to promote travel to and from Europe via joint marketing and other trade initiatives. Visitors to the Emirates stand will have the opportunity to experience Emirates’ latest roster of innovative products and fan-favourites including the highly popular Emirates Premium Economy seat which will be showcased in Germany for the first time. Unveiled at the 2022 Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, Emirates’ Premium Economy product has so far won multiple awards and is available on 27 A380 aircraft flying to 15 destinations including New York JFK, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, London Heathrow, Sydney, Auckland, Christchurch, Melbourne, Singapore, Tokyo, Mumbai, Bangalore, Sao Paulo and Dubai. Also debuting for the first time at ITB Berlin is Emirates’ iconic Boeing 777-300ER game-changer First Class fully enclosed private suite. With the full range of onboard products on display, visitors can experience Emirates’ Boeing 777 Business Class seat, the newest generation of the A380 Onboard Lounge and First Class Shower Spa, as well as its generously pitched Economy Class seats. Emirates will also dedicate an area to showcase its latest sustainability initiatives, including onboard items that incorporate responsibly-sourced materials, and items from ‘Air-crafted by Emirates’ – a unique collection of luggage, bags and …

flydubai announced the launch of four new services, growing its network in Europe to 43 destinations in 21 countries. flydubai becomes the first UAE national carrier to operate direct flights to EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL) from 02 August 2024. The announcement also marks the carrier’s first entry into the Baltic region with direct flights to Riga International Airport (RIX) in Latvia commencing on 11 October as well as Tallinn Airport (TLL) in Estonia and Vilnius International Airport (VNO) in Lithuania from 12 October 2024. Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “we are proud to see our network grow bigger than ever with the new route launches. We have created a diverse network of 126 destinations, 60% of which previously had very limited or no connections to Dubai. Our new services to the Baltic region and Basel will enable more people to travel conveniently through Dubai’s aviation hub, whether they are visiting Dubai or connecting conveniently onto the flydubai network or further afield with our codeshare partner Emirates.” Commenting on the launch of flights, Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai, said: “Europe is an important market for flydubai and we remain committed to offering more passengers a convenient, reliable service with a great onboard product and experience. With the addition of Basel, Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius, we look forward to welcoming more travellers from Europe to Dubai and onwards to other points on our network including Malaysia, the Maldives, Mombasa, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Zanzibar.” Situated on the borders of northwest Switzerland, the Alsace historical region in France and Baden-Württemberg in Germany, EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg is a unique gateway to a wide variety of tourist attractions …

Dubai’s Jumeirah Group announced its plans to expand its brand presence in Asia, Europe and US whilst doubling its portfolio by 2030, building on its strength in the UAE and further expanding into key global markets. Plans include upweighting its presence in Europe, leveraging its strong base in London, Capri, Mallorca and Geneva to acquire luxury properties in other major cities as well as exploring opportunities in the US. The Group will also look to capitalise on the strong growth potential of the Asia Pacific market to extend its current reach beyond its properties in China, Bali and the Maldives. The growth plans are part of Jumeirah’s Mission 2030 strategy which will also see an evolution of the brand with a renewed focus on delivering distinct guest experiences and new ancillary businesses to complement its ultra luxury positioning.  Launching in 2024, this will include the integration of wellness into the entire guest journey based on the principles of lifelong learning, longevity and inclusivity, as well as a re-imagined family experience with a focus on education, self-discovery, environmental stewardship, cultural immersion and the arts. Katerina Giannouka, Chief Executive Officer of Jumeirah Group, commented: “The luxury landscape continues to evolve in response to consumer demand, particularly from younger millennial and Gen Z audiences, and as a brand we need to continually innovate to stay relevant.  Mission 2030 is a strategic plan that is designed to evolve the Jumeirah brand from a regional success story to a global leader in ultra luxury hospitality. It focuses on four key areas – international expansion, brand and product development, operational excellence and ancillary business – with an overall aim to sustainably double the size of our …

Abu Dhabi Airports announced that daily non-stop flights operated by Air France-KLM connecting Abu Dhabi and Paris will be resumed starting October 2023. The return of this route will create additional avenues for business, trade and tourism between Abu Dhabi and France. Abu Dhabi International Airport’s expanding network currently encompasses 114 passenger destinations in 61 countries with 23 airlines operating flights. Elena Sorlini, Abu Dhabi Airports’ Acting Chief Executive Officer, commented: “This renewed partnership between Abu Dhabi Airports and Air France contributes to bolstering the existing business relations between Paris and Abu Dhabi, while affirming our commitment to enhancing connectivity from and to the UAE’s capital. The highly anticipated resumption of flights reinforces Abu Dhabi International Airport’s standing as a gateway to the United Arab Emirates and the region. We look forward to catering to the diverse needs of travellers from France and facilitating commerce and cultural exchange between the two countries.” Angus Clarke, Chief Commercial Officer, Air France-KLM, added: “Air France is poised to reinstate daily non-stop service between Abu Dhabi and Paris, further connecting the United Arab Emirates to Europe and beyond. Abu Dhabi has emerged as a major and rapidly growing destination in the Middle East, and we are proud to join hands with such a reputable airport owner and operator to elevate the city’s global presence and attract travelers seeking unique and enriching experiences.”  

Rayna Tours announced its plans for expansion into new destinations, along with the appointment of a CEO to lead the company’s tourism businesses sector. The company’s expansion plans include establishing new destinations in the main European, Asian, and Middle Eastern countries, to create a comprehensive fully fledge products for the travel and tourism industry and communities. Since its inception in 2009, Rayna Tours has established itself as a leading player in the tourism and hospitality industry in UAE. With a major focus on adopting technology across all facets of its businesses and a commitment to excellence, Rayna Tours has been at the forefront of creating innovative travel solutions for its partners across the globe. To accelerate its growth strategy, Rayna Tours is pleased to welcome Mr. Senthil Velan, an accomplished leader in the tourism industry, as its new CEO. With over two decades of a proven track record of success in driving business growth in some of the leading DMCs in the region. Velan is ideally positioned to lead the company’s expansion into new markets and to build upon the company’s strong reputation. Mr. Velan will take over the CEO duties from the company owner and founder Mr. Manoj Tulsani who will continue to oversee the whole group of companies with a major focus on initiatives such as driving overseas expansions in addition to leading the innovation and technology developments across the group. In his new role, Mr. Velan will be responsible for accelerating the growth of Rayna Tours and its various tourism ventures, assets, and brands across the Middle East. He will oversee the company’s operations, strategic planning, and business development initiatives. “We are thrilled to welcome Senthil to …

Wizz Air is launching exciting new routes from Dammam, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to Rome, Vienna and Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi route will be operated by Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, Wizz Air’s joint venture airline with ADQ. Launching in September 2022, the new destinations are the first step towards a growing presence in KSA which will provide for the first time truly affordable, hassle-free, point to point travel for tourists and residents in the Kingdom, Europe and the UAE, strengthening global connectivity. The new routes by Wizz Air introduce a new era of travel to the Residents of KSA by unlocking affordable travel opportunities and giving them access to WIZZ’s incredibly low fares. Tickets for all routes are already on sale on wizzair.com and the airline’s mobile app, with fares starting from 24.99€.* Last month Wizz Air signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Investment for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia supported by the Saudi National Air Connectivity Programme (a Ministry of Tourism initiative) to support the development of the Saudi Tourism Sector. The MoU reflects a shared vision between the parties on the potential Wizz Air could bring to the Kingdom to stimulate tourist demand, thereby making a significant contribution to Saudi Arabia’s planned growth. The new destinations support the growing Saudi Arabian tourism sector, aligning with the Vision 2030 programme, a strategic and ambitious vision to triple passenger traffic in the Kingdom by 2030. The ultra-low-cost routes will boost the burgeoning tourism industry and significantly increase connectivity for residents in Europe and the region, with key strategic government partners collaborating to add to the Saudi aviation ecosystem. Robert Carey, President of Wizz Air, …

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts announced the debut of La Quinta by Wyndham in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Eurasia and Africa) market with the opening of the 404-room La Quinta by Wyndham Istanbul Gunesli, bringing the brand to travellers outside of the Americas for the first time.  La Quinta by Wyndham is a leading upper-midscale brand at over 900 hotels across North and Latin America, offering contemporary design, thoughtful amenities and friendly service. Wyndham acquired La Quinta’s hotel franchise and hotel management businesses in 2018, further building upon the company’s diverse family of hotel brands and offerings around the world. La Quinta by Wyndham Istanbul Gunesli is one of the latest additions to Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ presence in Turkey, where the company is the largest international hotel group with over 80 hotels all across the country. Dimitris Manikis, President & Managing Director for EMEA, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, said, “We are thrilled to welcome La Quinta and its long-standing reputation for delivering quality, reliability and a great guest experience to the EMEA region, further expanding our offering of brands in such an important market like Turkey. With a record of over 13 million international visitors in 2018 alone and an incredible variety of historical, cultural and business sites, Istanbul is one of the world’s most attractive cities for travel, making it the perfect fit for La Quinta’s European debut.”

Turkish Airlines is giving United Arab Emirates jet-setters an unmissable opportunity to travel to major European cities within its unrivalled global network and pocket a satisfying saving when they book. Passengers from Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah can benefit from generous discounts on Economy Class tickets to Athens, Brussels, Dublin, Marseille, Rostov-on-Don, Saint Petersburg, Samara, Strasbourg, Thessaloniki, and Zurich, and on Business Class tickets to Athens, Barcelona, Brussels, Düsseldorf, Malaga, Munich, and Valencia. The offer is valid for travellers booking a flight any time from now until 25th November 2019, valid for a travel period until 15th May 2020. Turkish Airlines, one of the fastest-growing airlines in the world, provides exceptional service for passengers through its Business Class offering, its new flagship lounges in the Istanbul Airport, and its strong reputation for amazing Turkish hospitality and convenience. There are currently three Turkish Airlines lounges available in the new Istanbul Airport – the Turkish Airlines Business Lounge, Miles & Smiles Lounge, and Domestic Lounge, with two more scheduled to be open before the end of the year.