Emirates announced that it will introduce the first scheduled commercial Airbus A380 service to Istanbul, Turkey from 1 October. For the first time, travellers to and from Turkey will have the opportunity to regularly enjoy the experience of flying on this iconic double-decker jumbo jet. Emirates will operate the A380 on its daily EK123/124 service. Flight EK123 will depart Dubai at 10:45 and arrive in Istanbul at 14:25. The return flight EK124 will depart Istanbul at 16:25 and arrive in Dubai at 21:50. All times are local. Deploying its three-class A380, Emirates will offer a total of 517 seats, with 14 private suites in First Class, 76 mini pods with lie-flat seats in Business Class and 427 spacious seats in Economy Class, increasing capacity per flight by more than 150 passengers compared to the current Boeing 777-300ER. First Class customers can look forward to Emirates’ private suites and signature onboard Shower Spa, while First and Business Class customers can relax in the popular Onboard Lounge on the upper deck. Passengers in all classes enjoy free Wi-Fi to stay in touch with family and friends, the industry’s largest seatback screens and Emirates’ multi-award winning ‘ice’ inflight entertainment which currently boasts over 4,500 channels. “We are excited to finally bring our flagship to Istanbul to join many other top cities we currently serve with the A380. Since Emirates started operating to Turkey 34 years ago, we have carried six million customers on more than 23,000 flights. Bringing the A380 service to Turkey is a major milestone for Emirates and we would like to thank all our partners and stakeholders for their support in making this a reality,” said Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial …

Etihad Airways is set to embark on a major digital transformation following the signing of a landmark multi-year deal with Amadeus. As part of the deal, Etihad Airways will implement the full Amadeus Altéa PSS suite, including web booking, revenue management and merchandising, data management and passenger servicing solutions. These technology products will be customised for Etihad over the coming years and will improve the experience of guests, staff, travel agents, Etihad Guest members, and corporate customers. Etihad’s guests will see new web and mobile channels powered by Amadeus Digital Experience suite, offering the simplest user experience possible to purchase flight tickets and manage bookings. Advanced retailing capabilities will be developed collaboratively using machine learning to provide guests with bespoke offerings and personalise their travel experience. To modernise retailing capabilities across sales channels, Etihad has also signed for Amadeus Altéa NDC (New Distribution Capability) and will work with Amadeus to distribute personalised travel offers to guests. Etihad will make its full range of NDC offers available to Amadeus travel sellers, allowing agents to see the features of Etihad’s award-winning product more transparently and the ancillaries that can be bought. The airline will, in addition, implement the Altéa Departure Control Customer Management component of the suite, providing guests with real-time, personalised alerts of offers, services, and flight changes. The system will offer a higher level of service customisation and provide guests with a faster and simpler check-in process, which is more important than ever as travel rebuilds. Mohammad Al Bulooki, Chief Operating Officer, Etihad, says: “The aviation industry is going through a digital revolution, and Etihad Airways is committed to staying at the forefront of that change. With Amadeus as a …

The Tourism Development Fund (TDF) and Seera Group signed a financing agreement to establish and operate the Raghadan Tourist Resort, the first sustainable tourism project in the Al Baha region – one of the main investment destinations identified under Saudi Arabia’s National Tourism Strategy. The agreement was signed during an event at the Al Baha Principality Building by Qusai Al-Fakhri, CEO of TDF and Majed Al Nefaie, CEO of Seera Group. The Raghadan Tourist Resort project represents the beginning of a new era in Al Baha’s history and will be a major boost for tourism in the region. Al-Fakhri expressed his happiness with the support that the project, located in the famous Raghadan park, has received from His Royal Highness Prince Hussam bin Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of Al Baha Region, and the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing, represented by the Al Baha Municipality. This support reflects the strong integration between government sectors to serve tourism investments in Saudi Arabia and reinforces the cooperation between TDF and Seera Group to transform the Al Baha region into one of the leading tourist destinations in the Kingdom. Al-Fakhri also expressed his confidence in Seera Group and its capabilities to develop the project – which aims to attract domestic and international tourists – to the highest engineering and environmental standards. Al Baha’s rich history, cultural heritage, climate, topography and geographic location in the south-west of Saudi Arabia make it an attractive area for tourism and one that will further diversify the country’s offering. Majed Al Nefaie, CEO of Seera Group, said: “Developing tourist destinations based on unique experiences will be an important priority for the Saudi tourism sector over …

Sabre Corporation announced the successful migration of GOL Linhas Aéreas, Brazil’s largest domestic airline, from their legacy reservation system onto the SabreSonic passenger service system (PSS). The well-executed cutover now enables the airline to expand GOL’s global reach, offer exceptional personalized passenger experiences, and propel its growth plans. With the recent migration, Sabre’s highly-scalable technology will collectively manage the large number of passengers that travel on GOL each year. The two companies will continue to work closely to expand the airline’s operations and evolve its retailing, distribution and fulfillment capabilities. “At GOL we have taken significant steps to ensure the company is well-positioned for growth in the post-pandemic cycle. Innovation and technology are key components of our strategic growth plans,” said Eduardo Bernardes Neto, Vice President, Sales, Marketing & Clients at GOL. “We are confident that the flexible and intelligent nature of Sabre solutions, including the PSS, will enable us to be more efficient and offer a modern retail experience that enables personalized travel at scale to better serve our customers.” Headquartered in São Paulo, GOL began operations in 2001 and has quickly grown to become one of largest airlines in South America, carrying more than 36 million passengers per year to over 100 destinations in Brazil, South America, the Caribbean and the United States. “We are proud to become GOL’s trusted travel technology partner as it embarks upon the next phase of its journey,” said Dave Shirk, President of Travel Solutions at Sabre. “We are excited to have successfully completed GOL’s migration to SabreSonic and see that Sabre’s differentiated set of solutions delivers value to the airline.” Sabre’s robust PSS has already allowed Sabre’s valued partners to realize increased …

The Lufthansa Group airlines and Travelport announced a new distribution agreement that enables modern airline retailing as well as technology innovation. Under the agreement, which covers the carriers Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, SWISS and Air Dolomiti, Travelport will distribute Lufthansa Group airlines’ NDC content through the next-generation content distribution and travel retailing platform, Travelport+. This agreement builds on the ongoing distribution of Lufthansa Group airlines’ content through traditional EDIFACT channels. Both companies are already in the process of implementing end-to-end NDC functionality. The launch, expected in the first half of 2022, also lays the foundation for a diversified NDC program giving Travelport-connected travel agencies the ability to access Lufthansa Group airlines’ content through Travelport+ by signing up to one of the two available commercial NDC models, the NDC Public model or NDC Bilateral model. “Lufthansa Group is firmly committed to delivering superior customer experiences along the entire travel journey, increasing reach of our most attractive offers and enabling a diverse travel ecosystem. Especially in these times of crisis and when creating additional customer value through advanced technology proves to be more important than ever, we are doubling down on our long-term NDC strategy”, says Tamur Goudarzi Pour, Senior Vice President Channel Management at Lufthansa Group Network Airlines and Chief Commercial Officer SWISS. “This future-oriented agreement allows a maximum level of flexibility, and confirms that Travelport and Lufthansa Group airlines are teaming up to drive change in our industry towards true retailing capabilities and implementing customer-centric processes that together elevate the customer experience to new levels.” Jason Clarke, Chief Commercial Officer, Travel Partners at Travelport, says: “Expanding our longstanding partnership with Lufthansa Group airlines to include NDC content, with the …

Singapore Tourism presents “Hala Singapore” a three day one-of-a-kind hybrid event from 16th to 18th September at Nakheel Mall especially designed for the Middle East travellers to reignite and reimagine travel to Singapore. The event promises to take the audience on an exhilarating and exciting journey to the Garden City using the latest technology Be ready at this immersive event to experience and explore Singapore’s distinctive tourist landmarks, stunning architectures, breath-taking greenery, vibrant food culture and much more, like never before. Join us at the in-mall activation which will bring to life Singapore’s diverse culture and heritage. Also explore Singapore in the comfort of your home on www.halasingapore.com by watching various exciting virtual tours, workshops, learning how to cook Singaporean cuisines and much more. Audiences can also participate in many exciting competitions and win fabulous giveaways.

Rove Hotels has just opened Rove City Walk, crossing 3,000 operational rooms in the Emirate of Dubai. Rove City Walk is the brand’s latest property, located in Dubai’s coolest creative lifestyle community, home to the latest and most popular hangouts. The hotel offers Rovers (guests) the perfect excuse to experience City Walk’s iconic urban lifestyle by being at the heart of it all – directly opposite to the biggest event arena in the city – Coca-Cola Arena Dubai. This makes it the ideal  spot for those attending or organising events, shopping at high-end retail stores, experiencing some of the hottest dining outlets, cinema, family-friendly attractions and, even an indoor tropical forest full of exotic plants and creatures, among others. “At Rove, we believe in offering Rovers – the modern global nomads, a fun, fuss-free and affordable accommodation while they explore without borders. With convenience and great service as the key to everything the brand has to offer, we are always looking for well-connected locations to add to our collection of ever-growing hotels. The latest addition – Rove City Walk, brings Rove’s much-loved concept and accessible hospitality to one of Dubai’s most premium locations, and gives visitors an unbeatable jump-off point to start their Dubai adventure from.” says Paul Bridger of Rove Hotels. Rove City Walk features artsy modern design themed around music. The hotel’s instagrammable interiors include musical instruments, a collection of vinyls and references to regional and international artists, both past and present, at every corner. Furthermore, Rovers checking into Rove City Walk will be greeted to the tune of local DJ’s and musicians, who will be performing at the hotel lobby at key times. The hotel features a …

Premier Inn Ibn Battuta Mall unveiled a brand-new extension, making it the largest Premier Inn hotel in the Middle East, recently. The new facilities were officially unveiled at a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by Omar Khoory, Nakheel Chief Assets and Hospitality Officer and Mark Whitlock, Regional Operations Director, Premier Inn Middle East, reinforcing the world leading property developer’s growing partnership with Premier Inn Middle East. The new development at Premier Inn Ibn Battuta Mall has seen the extension of the hotel’s family-friendly all-day dining restaurant, Nuevo, and an enhanced room offering, increasing the number of guest rooms to 594. Rooms have been refurbished in a contemporary, refreshed style, while ensuring the brand’s signature comfy Hypnos bed is included to guarantee the same great night’s sleep the global Premier Inn brand is famed for. As one of the closest hotels to the site of Expo 2020 Dubai, guests have the option to be part of the magic and visit the biggest showcase the world has ever seen with direct access from the Dubai Metro, connected to the property, or jump in a taxi straight to the venue within just 20 minutes. Omar Khoory, Nakheel Chief Assets and Hospitality Officer, said: “The award-winning Premier Inn Ibn Battuta Mall has gone from strength to strength since it opened in 2016, and the new extension highlights just how popular this hotel is – with holiday makers, business travellers and the long-term guests who call it home. With its convenient location and modern facilities, the hotel is a firm favourite for mid-scale accommodation in Dubai. We are proud that Ibn Battuta Mall is the home of what is now the largest Premier Inn in the …

Experience Emirates’ fully-enclosed Gamechanger First Class Suites, explore the airline’s signature A380 Onboard Lounge, or check out the cabin around your own seat in row 77 from the comfort of your home, with the airline’s award-winning and industry-leading virtual reality (VR) experiences. Available on emirates.com to anyone with an internet connection, via the Emirates app, and now on the Oculus Store for Oculus Rift users, Emirates has taken the next step in its ambition to reach and engage audiences around the world with cutting-edge VR technology. Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand, said: “Emirates aims to provide innovative and outstanding customer experiences whether onboard, on the ground, or in the digital space. In 2018, we were the world’s first airline to introduce advanced web VR technology on our digital platforms, offering our customers an immersive opportunity to learn about the fantastic Emirates experience that awaited them before they stepped on board. We’ve continued to invest and develop that experience, and today we are delighted to be the first airline to launch a fully-fledged Oculus VR app. “This initiative expands our global reach and ability to engage with our audiences across digital platforms. It is also particularly relevant right now, as many people have not travelled for a while due to the pandemic, and are seeking inspiration and researching and rediscovering their flight options.” Created in partnership with technology company Renacen, Emirates’ customers can navigate through Economy, Business and First Class cabins, explore their seats, as well as the iconic Onboard Lounge and Shower Spa on the Emirates A380 using navigational hotspots. Emirates is working on an updated version featuring its Premium Economy cabin and …

Kanoo Travel has marked a new milestone by rolling out the new Sabre Red 360 (SR 360) across its offices in the Middle East in attempt to fuel its ambitious growth plans by enabling intelligent retailing to improve efficiency and boost recovery. With access to a full spectrum of travel booking and merchandising through an intuitive and customizable user interface, the next generation travel agency desktop SR 360, will help Kanoo Travel address industry challenges and respond to ever changing traveller demands. It will further enhance Kanoo Travel’s consultative service delivery by equipping travel consultants with insightful data and search tools to keep up with the savvy traveller and will give clients worldwide an even greater choice of airfares, hotel rates and booking options including NDC content. The new integration will take Kanoo Travel’s shopping experience to the next level and empower travel consultants to close the deal. “Kanoo Travel has been always at the forefront of offering the best travel services by adopting the latest technology and solutions,” said Ramzi Al Qassab, senior director global partners, Sabre Travel Network Middle East. “Kanoo’s unique product offering, and innovative approach has established its position as a key industry player, as is evident by its performance over the past year. Migrating to SR 360 and recruiting some of Sabre’s intelligent solutions will enable Kanoo Travel to deliver its ambitious growth plans and continue to deliver a highly consultative service to its travellers. We are looking forward to supporting Kanoo Travel through the recovery and beyond.” Kanoo Travel has positioned itself as the corporate travel leader across the Middle by deploying superior products and solutions. “Kanoo’s leadership and team’s achievements combined with Sabre’s …