Emirates has operated its first milestone demonstration flight on a Boeing 777-300ER, powering one of its engines with 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The flight took off from Dubai International Airport (DXB), and was commanded by Captain Fali Vajifdar and Captain Khalid Nasser Akram, flying for more than one hour over the Dubai coastline. The flight deck crew were accompanied by Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer, and Captain Hassan Hammadi, Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates Flight Operations. The demonstration flight powered by SAF holds particular significance as the UAE declares 2023 the ‘Year of Sustainability’. The year will showcase the UAE’s commitment to seek innovative solutions to challenges such as energy, climate change and other issues related to sustainability. The flight supports collective industry efforts to enable a future of 100% SAF flying and help advance the UAE’s sustainability objectives. Emirates’ demonstration flight, the first in the Middle East and North Africa to be powered by 100% SAF, supports broader efforts to reduce lifecycle CO2 emissions as the industry looks to scale up its use of SAF. The flights will also help to refine the playbook for future SAF demonstrations, and  support future certification where 100% drop-in SAF fuel is approved for aircraft. Currently, SAF is approved for use in all aircraft, but only in blends of up to 50% with conventional jet fuel. Emirates worked alongside partners GE Aerospace, Boeing, Honeywell, Neste and Virent to procure and develop a blend of SAF that closely replicates the properties of conventional jet fuel. At each blend ratio, a host of chemical and physical fuel property measurements were carried out.  After multiple lab tests and rigorous trials, they arrived at …

Key global airport industry players will showcase their energized enthusiasm at the trend-setting Airport Show in Dubai in May, with three exhibitions and two conferences over three days on its side lines. To be held under the continued patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, the 22nd edition of the world’s largest annual airport industry B2B platform will connect over 200-plus aviation brands and 100-plus buyers from over 30 airports and aviation authorities from 20 countries making it to the annual trade show from May 9 to 11.  His Highness Sheikh Ahmed said the airport industry has come back almost to its full strength and the construction of new airports and expansion are on to meet future needs. The global domestic passenger traffic is projected to reach 2019 levels in late 2023, with international passenger traffic taking another year to recover, reaching 2019 levels by H2 2024. Officials anticipate the passenger business generating US$522 billion in revenues for the carriers and the airports returning to profitability and witnessing fewer disruptions. Also taking place on the sidelines of the Airport Show will be industry-specific exhibitions and conferences – the Global Airport Leaders’ Forum, Air Traffic Control Forum, Airport Security Middle East, and the Women in Aviation Anniversary. Women in Aviation Middle East Chapter will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and will have two days at the show covering a one-day conference and another day for workshops and round-table discussions. With a tagline of ‘Connecting the Global Airport Industry’, the high-profile global platform will see over 4,500 …

Dubai-based independent hotel management company, Aleph Hospitality, has signed an agreement to operate The Pelican Hotel in Accra, marking the Group’s first entry into Ghana. Located in Cantonments, an affluent suburb of Accra home to various embassies, as well as shopping malls, dining and leisure facilities, the all-suite boutique hotel is set to open in June 2023. A 10-minute drive from Kotoka International Airport, the upscale property features 134 suites and apartments, a cafe, a speciality restaurant, swimming pool, gym, spa and meeting room facilities. Having won three international architecture awards, including the prestigious title of ‘Best Architecture Multiple Residence in Africa,’ The Pelican Hotel is the first of its kind in Ghana, unmatched in its contemporary design and luxurious accommodation. Bani Haddad, Founder and Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality said, “We are delighted to have been entrusted with the management of The Pelican Hotel in Accra and look forward to a very successful opening. With its stunning natural beauty, rich history, many cultural attractions and tourism-friendly infrastructure, Ghana is an attractive destination for business and leisure travellers alike, and with tourism as one of the fastest growing sectors in the country, this is a very exciting time for us to enter Ghana.” DevtracoPlus Limited, one of Ghana’s leading real estate companies under the Devtraco Group, is the developer and owner of The Pelican Hotel Apartments. John Kane Entsuah, CEO of Devtraco Group said, “We are excited to continue delivering on our promise of creating value for investors in this strategic partnership with Aleph Hospitality. With years of experience in working with the world’s largest hotel companies, Aleph Hospitality is the ideal partner to deliver the highest level of hospitality …

Amadeus and House of Travel Bahrain have renewed their ongoing partnership with the signing of a new multi-year agreement. This will help one of Bahrain’s leading travel agencies to benefit from the latest optimization and digitalization tools as well as a host of other technology. Eng. Nashat Bukhari, GM – Amadeus Saudi Arabia & Bahrain, commented, “We are thrilled to continue working with House of Travel in Bahrain as part of this new, multi-year agreement. The suite of Amadeus solutions that will be deployed is designed to help House of Travel enhance its leading position in Bahrain. The agency will also benefit from advanced optimization and productivity tools, and market insights.” Jehad Amin, CEO & Vice Chairman – House of Travel, added, “At House of Travel Bahrain we only work with the best partners, so we can deliver on our mission to improve the customer and traveller experience. After a thorough review, we’re delighted to have selected Amadeus as our preferred technology partner. Thanks to this ongoing partnership, House of Travel’s consultants will be able to spend even more time focusing on serving the needs of customers and delivering an unmatched level of service.” Highlights of the deal include the deployment of touchless, robotic tools to accelerate and automate administrative functions as well as Amadeus Online suite, a complete end-to-end online booking solution with integrated payment gateway and trip notifications. House of Travel Bahrain will also benefit from the latest market insights from Amadeus.

Red Sea Global (RSG), the multi-project developer behind the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism destinations, The Red Sea and Amaala, has achieved commercial close on a financing agreement to support its Joint Venture (JV) with Almutlaq Real Estate Investment Co. (AREIC), a subsidiary of the Al Mutlaq Group (AMG). The SAR 1.081 billion (USD 288 million) green financing was provided by Gulf International Bank Saudi Arabia (GIB). The initial joint venture with AREIC was signed in July 2022 and valued at SAR 1.6 billion, for the development of Jumeirah The Red Sea. The resort is a 159-key luxury property situated on The Red Sea destination’s hub island, Shura. Shura Island forms part of the first phase of development, and will comprise 11 luxury, premium and lifestyle hotels and resorts, residential units, a championship golf course, 118 berth marina, and a comprehensive retail, dining, and entertainment offering. Tariq Almutlaq, Chairman of AREIC, said: “We’re delighted to achieve commercial close on our joint venture so soon after signing the agreement and it is testament to Red Sea Global’s best-in-class management team that it has been able to happen. Already progress is being made at pace to bring the destination to life and we are excited to continue helping Red Sea Global achieve its vision.” Abdulaziz Al-Helaissi, CEO of GIB, said: “Red Sea Global has made an ambitious commitment to being conservation-positive, supported by its partnership with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. GIB is proud to enable this activity through the provision of green finance, and we look forward to seeing the positive impacts generated on sustainable development goals.”   GIB is the fifth Saudi bank to support RSG in the …

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, the ultra-low-fare national airline of the UAE announced its outstanding operational results for 2022. The joint venture established between ADQ, and Wizz Air Holdings PLC enjoyed a record-breaking 2022 by operating more than 6,000 flights and transporting more than 1.2 million adventurous travellers. The national airline carried over 600,000 point-to-point passengers to the UAE in 2022, supporting the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi’s culture and tourism sectors and unlocking an eclectic mix of travel opportunities for travellers from all classes. The airline supports Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) vision to welcome the world to Abu Dhabi, connecting cultures and inspiring generations to embark on journeys of creativity and discovery*. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is looking forward to future growth, in line with the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, and further strengthen the position of the UAE as one of the best destinations in the world for tourism**. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has doubled the size of its fleet and organisation with a 100 percent growth from 4 to 8 state-of-the-art brand-new A321-neo aircraft. The average fleet age is 1 year, ensuring the airline meets its commitment to sustainability with the lowest environmental footprint in the region. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has proudly introduced a new segment of travel in the UAE in line with the country’s socio-economic vision with recent exciting expansions into Central Asia, The Maldives and across the Gulf Region allowing for convenient, self-connecting travel across the wider Wizz Air network via the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is constantly developing the UAE network to share the love of travel with tourists and residents benefitting from hassle-free, point-to-point travel …

Dubai’s quintessential desert resort, Bab Al Shams is now accepting reservations, as it prepares to enter a new era, reopening on 10 February 2023 under the Rare Finds vertical of Kerzner International. The extensive reimagination of the iconic desert resort will introduce a completely renewed aesthetic whilst maintaining the resort’s authentic identity. Captivating destination experiences and vibrant entertainment will be the beating heart of the reborn resort, spreading an intangible energy to every stay, imprinting everlasting memories. Guests can return to reimagined, world-class culinary experiences such as modern Arabic cuisine, a rooftop lounge, and al fresco dining. Championing local producers and using responsibly sourced ingredients, each outlet will showcase the exceptional array of sensorial and theatrical dining available throughout the resort. The much-loved desert infinity pool will also return, offering guests the opportunity to escape from city life and enjoy the tranquil surroundings from plush sun-loungers and private cabanas. The Desert Spa will invite guests to step into a calming mirage to unwind and rejuvenate through both traditional and contemporary treatments. In keeping with Rare Finds’ focus on discovering a destination in a truly authentic way, Bab Al Shams will offer an endless selection of expertly curated itineraries and bespoke outdoor activities, tailored to each individual guest. Bab Al Shams will provide a dreamy setting for weddings, events and celebrations, for corporate meetings and incentive retreats with indoor and outdoor event spaces that can host up to 500 guests. At the helm is General Manager Gilles Sohier, a member of the Kerzner team for more than 20 years, joining the legacy resort from his most recent post as Resort Manager at One&Only Royal Mirage in Dubai.   Be among the …

With Itvar as the GSA, Fiji Airways officially launched in the Middle East last week. As an offline carrier Fiji Airways has codeshare partnerships currently with Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific with Singapore and Hong Kong as the connection points for the guests travelling from the Middle East. HE Naipota Tako Katonitabua – Ambassador – Republic of Fiji in UAE graced the occasion of the official launch and stated that the relationship between the UAE and Fiji has been a ling standing one not just with sports tourism but also with a mega project that will be announced soon by a hospitality developer in the UAE for a three million dollar project where the information will be disclosed soon. Speaking with TTME, Sajid Khan Country Manager for India, Middle East and Sri Lanka of Fiji Airways shared, “We are very excited to have Fiji Airways in the Middle East and it has been here for almost a year but we don’t fly into Dubai or the Middle East. We are an offline carrier and we fly from Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan, these are our Asian points of connect, the plan has always been to connect from Dubai, from other parts of Middle East into Singapore, into Hong Kong and then onwards connect Fiji. The airport’s name is Nandi. We can also connect to Nandi via Australia and New Zealand and that’s always been the plan. We are now excited to be in Dubai and launch this officially so that we can give a new destination to our passengers based in Middle East who want to connect from Europe, Africa and we want to take them to the country …

Yalago, part of the Emirates Group and one of the world’s fastest-growing leisure bed banks, recorded a 92% increase in hotel bookings in 2022 compared to the previous year. Reporting on latest trends from across all global markets, the wholesale specialist reveals record-high figures for the number of travellers, spend per booking, and length of stay throughout the year. Travellers are spending 30% more per booking, taking on more extensive meal plans such as all-inclusive, and booking five-star hotels as a majority (45%). They are also staying for longer, with the average number of nights per stay increasing to five, compared to four nights in previous years. Astrid Kastberg, General Manager of Yalago, commented: “With more destinations now open for international travellers, we are seeing incredibly strong demand for all our key destinations. Looking ahead, we are expecting this trend to last as flight capacity continues to expand to reach pre-pandemic levels. This is especially true for some of our key source markets in the Asia-Pacific region, which are yet to return to pre-pandemic flight capacity. “Through our industry experience and partnerships, we aim to support worldwide travel companies in offering an ever-growing hotel portfolio for leisure travellers. We have built a reputation for our expertise globally, in destinations including Dubai, the Indian Ocean, Florida, Spain, and others, and continue to build on these destinations, alongside new locations across the globe. “The UAE, USA, Maldives and European cities as an example, remain extremely popular, while in the last couple of months we have seen a considerable increase towards bookings in Southeast Asia. Across Asia, five-star resorts are in demand, yet remain affordable and attractive with our exclusive discounts and value-adds.” …

SITA is innovating with cutting-edge technology to strengthen its airline, airport, and border solutions in partnership with travel identity company Zamna Technologies. Zamna’s solution uses a decentralized blockchain based model to transform how passenger data, such as passport, visa, and health information, is verified and handled, bringing security, ease, and efficiency benefits for travelers airlines, airports and governments. The first deployment will be focused on AACO’s 30+ airlines. Instead of passengers presenting travel documents repeatedly to every touch point, each time they fly, Zamna’s ability to verify and securely persist such data will provide SITA customers with ongoing automation enhancements, supporting SITA’s vision of a completely digital travel experience. Airlines and airports will benefit from a tested and verified technology for reduced processing times, and less infrastructure needed to process passengers. At the same time, border agencies will experience fewer exception cases and fewer passengers requiring on-site processing as the border checks are completed pre-departure. Across the journey, the passenger will enjoy peace of mind that the data is being handled even more securely and that they have satisfied all regulatory requirements to travel. The solution also enhances security for SITA’s clients, whose data is managed in a safe, private, and decentralized manner. Airlines, airports, and governments can drive operational savings by having confidence in the accuracy and timeliness of traveler data. Verified traveler data will be securely shared throughout the journey, eliminating duplicate processes, increasing trust, and improving the passenger experience. This approach is a paradigm shift to fundamentally change data management within the aviation industry, elegantly ensuring that the individual traveler has minimal impact and that their documents are read and verified once and put to work many …