Following the recently expanded air services agreement between the UAE and Canada, Etihad Airways has announced it will increase flights to Toronto. On 30 May, Etihad Airways will introduce an additional weekly flight between Abu Dhabi and Toronto, on top of its current six-per-week flight schedule, to offer travellers a daily connection. “Etihad is thrilled to begin flying daily between Abu Dhabi and Toronto, which has been one of our busiest routes in 2023 as a result of the rapid recovery and continued growth in travel demand between the UAE and Canada,” said Arik De, Chief Revenue Officer at Etihad Airways. “Our daily service will provide business and leisure travellers, the Canadian diaspora and the large body of students from the UAE enrolled in Canada’s world-class universities with a convenient flight option every day of the week. “We thank the government and civil aviation authorities for laying the groundwork for us to strengthen the air links between our two countries, which are essential for tourism, trade and bilateral relations.” Etihad will this year mark 18 years since it began serving Toronto in October 2005.  The carrier has an interline agreement with WestJet and a codeshare with Air Canada which allow guests to benefit from seamless connectivity in Toronto to more than 15 destinations. Dynamic and cosmopolitan, Toronto is the largest city in Canada and a must-visit destination for its diverse culture, stunning architecture and exciting food scene. Visitors can explore its iconic landmarks such as the CN Tower – one of more than 80 skyscrapers in the city – along with the Royal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario. Abu Dhabi is a world-class tourism destination and offers …

Wind Rises sailing community was launched at DP World’s Mina Rashid Marina in Dubai. Sailing experiences on performance yachts will take place at the port every day, and will be available to sailors of different skill levels. Despite yachting being one of the world’s most popular sports, starting to sail has always been a challenge. Wind Rises is the solution to this problem. The community allows you to effortlessly and affordably book a sailing session, enabling you to embark on an exciting adventure. Users just need to check the available time slots and choose an instructor. Wind Rises is aimed to make sailing more accessible and affordable, in order to engage newcomers living in urban areas and attract new audiences. Hamza Mustafa, Chief Operating Officer of P&O Marinas, a DP World company, said: “The arrival of Wind Rises at Mina Rashid Marina offers a new experience in the world of watersports and adventure activities. As part of our vision to elevate sailing in Dubai and the region, we have created a conducive environment with state-of-the-art amenities and services to give the perfect platform for companies like Wind Rises to support sailing enthusiasts, and drive the yachting industry to new heights.” The United Arab Emirates is among the most culturally diverse and rapidly growing countries in the region. Affordable sailing activities are experiencing a significant surge in demand, owing to the increasing interest in leisure, sports, and a healthy lifestyle in Dubai today. The Wind Rises sailing base will be located in the heart of Heritage Dubai, at the mouth of the Creek. Max Pinigin, CEO of Wind Rises, the sailing community, said: “Sailing is now one of the world’s most …

Accor announced the signing of a cooperation agreement with the leading Georgian development company Archi to open the first Mövenpick in Georgia on the Black Sea coast in 2028. Mövenpick Kobuleti will deliver the best of Swiss hospitality, high-end gastronomy, exciting family offerings and children’s’ facilities thanks to the Mövenpick Family brand program as well as additional privileges and access to the global ALL – Accor Live Limitless loyalty program. “We are thrilled to present our premium Swiss brand Mövenpick on the Black Sea coast in Georgia. Kobuleti is rightfully considered one of the best resorts for a relaxing family holiday. It has a unique combination of the mild subtropical climate, clean well-maintained beaches and ancient architectural monuments, and of course, we couldn’t pass by this destination. We are confident that the new opening will make a significant contribution to the resort’s popularity among international travelers and residents. The tourism market in Georgia is one of the most promising in our region, and Accor aims to take a leading position in it. We are grateful to our partners for their trust and are looking forward to bringing this wonderful project to life,” – notes Alexis Delaroff, COO of Accor New East Europe. The new hotel will occupy several floors in one of the high-rise buildings on the eastern coast of the Black Sea within walking distance from a well-equipped beach with small pebbles. Kobuleti resort is perfectly suited for a comfortable family vacation, thanks to its long coastline, fresh air and mineral springs. For travelers who prefer sports activities and experiences, there are facilities for paragliding, jet skiing, paddle surfing, kayaking, and flyboarding. The exclusive Mövenpick Kobuleti will offer 120 …

Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important consideration within the Middle East’s luxury travel sector, especially in the UAE where 61% of residents say they are willing to pay a premium for more responsible, eco-friendly and sustainable tourism experiences. Trends and opportunities within the high-end travel segment will represent key focuses throughout the 30th edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which will run from 1-4 May 2023 at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). According to YouGov’s Global Travel & Tourism Whitepaper 2023: Luxury travel post-pandemic, one in 10 consumers has stayed in luxury eco-friendly accommodation during the past three years. This trend is especially prevalent among high-income travellers, whose sustainable luxury hotel stays have increased by 50% during the same period. The UAE topped global rankings in terms of the value placed on exploring, with almost two-thirds (58%) of respondents reporting that travel has become more important to them since the Covid-19 pandemic. In terms of luxury travel priorities, a quarter of those living in the Emirates are looking for great entertainment, whereas 19% place the biggest emphasis on premium-quality accommodation when booking trips. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “The Middle East has developed an unparalleled international reputation for luxury tourism, with consumers across the region placing a high value on bespoke, memorable and environmentally responsible experiences. This is especially pertinent given ATM 2023’s theme, ‘Working Towards Net Zero’. Industry leaders will be showcasing the innovative ways in which they are delivering luxury, sustainable travel experiences across the Gulf and beyond.” In addition to sustainable luxury travel, consumers’ appetite for authentic excursions is also on the rise within this segment. Over half (51%) of affluent tourists have …

Discover the city of the future and enjoy an enlightening day out at Expo City Dubai, where visitors can explore all the flagship pavilions with a one-day Attractions Pass. Everyone is welcome to enjoy daily access to the public areas of Expo City Dubai, including the Surreal water feature and Al Wasl Plaza, free of charge. In addition the AED 120 one-day Attractions Pass offers a raft of engaging and immersive exhibits, workshops and special programming at the Vision Pavilion, the Women’s Pavilion, Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion, Alif – The Mobility Pavilion and all three Stories of Nations exhibitions. Terra equips visitors with the knowledge and skills to become agents of positive change with its focus on ecology, sustainable science and design, while Alif demonstrates how mankind has harnessed the latest technologies to transform the way we live – while highlighting our ever-growing desire to explore new horizons. Celebrating the life and leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Vision Pavilion shares the experiences that influenced the pioneering leader’s bold vision for Dubai and the UAE. The Women’s Pavilion celebrates women’s achievements and successes, highlighting the challenges they still face, and exploring ways to work together for a more equal world. A place for everyone, the pavilion demonstrates an important principle: when women thrive, humanity thrives. The three Stories of Nations exhibitions, one in each of the Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability and Districts, feature highlights from the 200-plus nations and organisations that helped make Expo 2020 Dubai such a success, sharing a treasure trove of experiences and presenting new stories that inspire fresh …

Knight Frank Middle East announced a collaboration with Pan Kingdom Holding Saudi Arabia to focus on Asset Management Project for a newly constructed 2,000 room hotel in Makkah. Turab Saleem, Partner & Head of Hospitality at Knight Frank MENA, expressed excitement for the collaboration, stating that with 20 years of Asset Management experience in the region, Knight Frank Middle East is eager to contribute to the success of the project. The collaboration will see Knight Frank not only overseeing the hotel project but also providing expertise in brand development and business planning for Pan Kingdom’s growing hospitality portfolio. The partnership aims to cultivate new hotel assets in the Kingdom in alignment with the 2030 vision.

SAUDIA announced that it will significantly increase the number of flights to major global destinations. This comes as part of its objectives to bring the world to the Kingdom and strengthen the airlines’ international presence. The expansion offers convenient connections and more flexibilities for SAUDIA’s guests. SAUDIA CEO, Captain Ibrahim Koshy commented on the international network expansion: “We are pleased to offer our guests more flights to Europe’s most important cities. The increase in frequency also means greater connectivity to our growing network and the opportunity to welcome more visitors to the Kingdom.” By mid-year, SAUDIA will be operating 56 weekly services internationally to and from 14 destinations. The uplift in capacity provides SAUDIA guests with even more access globally, as well as bolstering trade and business opportunities.   Bangkok – From 26 March, SAUDIA will be introducing 3 additional flights to Bangkok from Jeddah. As a result, SAUDIA will be serving Bangkok a total of 10 flights a week with daily services from Jeddah and 3 flights per week from Riyadh. Seoul – From 26 March, SAUDIA will be introducing non-stop flights to Seoul from both Jeddah and Riyadh. As a result, SAUDIA will be connecting Seoul with 4 flights a week with 2 non-stop flights a week from Jeddah and 2 non-stop flights a week from Riyadh. Guangzhou – From 26 March, SAUDIA will be serving Guangzhou from Jeddah three times a week. The company will also introduce two new weekly flights from Riyadh. Kuala Lumpur – From 26 March, SAUDIA will be adding three services a week between Riyadh and Kuala Lumpur. The extra services will boost SAUDIA’s presence at Kuala Lumpur to 24 flights per week, …

Wego has emerged as the #1 travel app for flight search and booking in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region with a year-over-year (YOY) growth of over 157.7% and 143,002 downloads in February 2023, according to data from data.ai. This data was gathered by analyzing the download rates of 1,062 travel apps that offer flight and hotel search capabilities. Wego has also earned the distinction of being the most downloaded travel app for flight-focused brands in the MENA region, and secondly, it is the most downloaded travel app under Meta and OTA categories in Kuwait since September 2022. With holidays such as Eid Fitr approaching soon, the app’s popularity is expected to rise steadily. Wego is an award-winning travel app and one of the largest online travel marketplaces in the MENA & Asia Pacific. With its extensive network of airline and hotel partners, Wego offers travelers a comprehensive range of travel options, allowing them to find the best deals and make informed decisions about their travel plans. Whether traveling for adventure, work, family, or other reasons, users can rely on Wego to provide them with a seamless booking experience. Wego’s success can be attributed to its user-friendly interface, which allows users to browse and compare flight and hotel room options from multiple airlines and hotels in one place. Moreover, throughout the year 2022, Wego has introduced a string of new updates and features for its users, like easier payment gateways with its collaboration with Tabby and Apple Pay. This, coupled with the app’s competitive pricing, has helped Wego secure its position as the top travel app for flight search and booking in the MENA region.

According to the latest information by Skyscanner on the Eid Al Fitr break, 24th April seems to be the most popular departure date with 65% travellers. Almost half of travellers (49%) from the UAE are searching for a trip of a week or less while (39%) are looking for trips that are 1-2 weeks long. Everywhere Search appeared as the second most popular ‘searched for’ destination. And the Top 10 Searched Countries from the UAE for Eid Al Fitr:           India, UK, Egypt, Philippines, Italy, Indonesia, USA, Maldives, Thailand and Pakistan. For a short break the Middle East is a goldmine with culturally rich, gastronomically diverse and architecturally elegant destinations. Best of all, most of them are less than a three-hour flight from the UAE, including Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. Ayoub El Mamoun, Skyscanner Travel Expert said: “With Eid approaching, travellers from the Middle East are planning their trips to make the most out of their time and prioritising quality time to spend with family and friends abroad, and with so many great places to choose from, the options can be overwhelming. The best way to make sure you choose the right destination that saves you time and money is by using the Everywhere Search tool that will give you the best options for your trip.” Live flight deals for Eid Al Fitr from the UAE: Dubai to Saudi Arabia from AED 631, Dubai to Kuwait from AED 865, Abu Dhabi to India from AED1,237 and Sharjah to Philippines from AED2,684. Skyscanner’s Ayoub shares, “There are multiple ways to get to a destination – direct flights, stopovers and airport switches. But when it comes to mini breaks, speed is …

In a move to promote the hitherto known destinations and to familiarise the travel trade with a wealth of knowledge about the country, its rich history, culture, gastronomy Turespaña, has compiled a Spain Specialist Programme campaign for the trade partners in the Gulf Region. The programme has been designed to suit the requirements of the Gulf Region travel trade. Daniel Rosado, Director GCC, Spain tourism shared, “Turespaña has designed different online training programs about Spain in the Gulf Region so that the partners in travel trade can obtain the expertise on how to present Spain to their customers. These tools will help the travel trade discover everything about Spain through its different courses which starts off with a Basic one followed by an Advanced course, it also entails Cultural routes and other products and autonomous regions.” He further reiterated, “The Spain Specialist Course offers a wealth of knowledge necessary to plan a vacation to Spain. Travel trade partners can learn about the different regions of Spain including Islands, Mediterranean Spain, and the beautiful Green Spain also known as the Northwest regions. With popular itineraries that include the incredible gastronomy, scenic wine routes, and cities with World Heritage Sites that can’t be missed, it is recommended that trade partners should begin this course today to learn all about the varied offerings the destination has to offer.” Rosado explained that the travel trade partners can become a certified expert on one of the most visited countries in the world, Spain. They will obtain the “Certificate of Specialist in Spain”. Speaking about the course, Rosado shared, “There are 4 different courses with 41 modules with more than 1700 minutes of training. One starts …