ITB China officially opened last evening withTravTalk ME as media partner and Malaysia tourism as the destination partner. Speaking at the opening dinner last evening, David Ruetz, Senior Vice President Messe Berlin shared that they anticipate over 700 exhibitors from around 90 countries and regions, while the number of buyers is set to increase by 30%, reflecting the growing global interest in the event. The Honourable Dato Sri Tiong King Sing – Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia shared the importance of ITB China as they become destination partner promoting 2026 as Visit Malaysia year. Ruetz addressing the audience reiterated, ” We are truly honored to be celebrating this evening with over 700 esteemed representatives from across the travel industry – all united under one roof. The global travel industry is on an exciting trajectory, full of dynamism and renewed energy. The momentum is especially felt and vibrant here in China. We are witnessing not just a mere recovery, but a reimagining of the sector. Chinese travelers are maturing, seeking deeper, more meaningful journeys. And destinations respond by offering more immersive and personalized experiences. Travel is evolving, and China is at the forefront of these new and exciting trends. The 6th edition of ITB China is a clear reflection of that momentum. We are thrilled to announce that ITB China has expanded by an impressive 30% compared to last year, underscoring the growing relevance and confidence in this market. Over the next three days, we will bring together more than 700 exhibitors from 85 countries, and 1,400 hosted buyers from every province in China and across the globe. This is a powerful signal of trust in the market, in the …
Read More »64% of UAE travellers willing to try airline loyalty programme
Despite the widespread adoption of Airline Loyalty Programs (ALP), the results of the recent survey reveal passengers feel unable to make the most of them with over half (58%) unsure where they can redeem points and 64% unaware of the value of their points in the UAE and Singapore. A survey was conducted online by YouGov. The study polled 1500 travellers from Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore who have travelled by air in the last 18 months. In Dubai there is a high adoption of loyalty programs in general, with more than half of respondents here already a member of airline loyalty programs. More travellers prefer travelling for leisure with family/partners/alone. This market shows the highest willingness for ALP among the non-members, however, has the lowest awareness of the redemption process. There is a high adoption of loyalty programs in Dubai, with more than half of respondents are already a member of an ALP – with respondents citing class upgrades, discounts on travel experiences and exclusive lounge access as the most appealing elements of an ALP. However, of the markets surveyed, Dubai travellers were the least aware of the redemption process. Conversely, in Dubai non-members were the most willing to try an ALP. Infrequent flying and insufficient knowledge of ALP benefits were the top barriers to membership. Free seat reservation and great customer experience were deemed to be the main motivating factors to join. Overall, more than half of respondents said they are looking for more customised experiences – in particular flexible bookings, access to travel documentation and additional discounts. Almost six in ten (58%) agreed they are more likely to buy additional services from an airline when targeted with …
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