Category Archives: Agents

dnata Travel has reported a 21% increase in the average booking value for in-store services in 2024 compared to the previous year. Walk-in services at its 13 retail outlets across the UAE remain the most popular way for residents to book travel, driven by a rise in demand for more complex itineraries. This summer, multi-location trips across Europe were particularly popular, combining train and self-drive travel. France, Italy and Switzerland were frequently included in these itineraries, which featured multiple stops across one or several countries. Tailor-made itineraries in Asia also gained traction throughout the year, with bookings typically including multiple stops within a single country. Hotspots across Thailand and Sri Lanka are especially sought after, with a notable spike in demand for Vietnam compared to previous years. Cruise itineraries, offering multiple stops across different countries, are also seeing steady growth, with dnata Travel anticipating even higher demand as the GCC cruise season approaches this winter. Meerah Ketait, Head of Retail and Leisure UAE at dnata Travel, commented: “Multi-destination itineraries are trending, as travellers look to experience the best of a region or country in one extended trip. “Many of our customers prefer to book these complex journeys in-store, where our travel experts can provide personalised advice on destinations, hotels and the latest offers. We offer a one-stop solution, where travellers can book everything from flights and hotels to car rentals, tours and insurance. “One of the highest value in-store bookings in 2024 was a summer trip across France, taking in Paris and Cannes, then on to Monaco. Our travel experts arranged the flights, accommodation, private transport and guided tours, all with a fashion theme, in one sitting. This luxurious itinerary featured …

Travelport announced it has signed a multi-year renewal agreement with Delta Air Lines, including NDC content. The top U.S. airline is collaborating with Travelport on the integration of its NDC solution into Travelport+ to support Delta’s selling and servicing transformation. “We value our long-term partnership with Travelport and are pleased to extend our full content agreement, as well as make Delta’s NDC technology solution available to all of Travelport’s agency customers,” said Jeff Lobl, Managing Director, Distribution Strategy and Agency Sales Programs at Delta Air Lines. “Together, we aim to create value by ensuring customers are presented with the best options to fit their needs for a better, more personalized shopping experience.” To help agencies solve challenges with comparing NDC offers alongside traditional content, Travelport recently debuted its Content Curation Layer (CCL). Travelport’s CCL uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning (ML) to sift through aggregated, multi-source content and return the right range of accurate, highly intuitive search results that are normalized and easier for agents and travelers to understand. CCL is the latest enhancement to the Travelport+ platform, simplifying the delivery of retail-ready content from partners like Delta and presenting tailored options to agency customers and the end-traveler. “Our renewed agreement with Delta underscores our shared commitment to modernizing travel retail for agents and travelers with a seamless, personalized shopping and servicing experience,” said Damian Hickey, Global Head of Travel Partners at Travelport. “As we prepare for the future delivery of Delta’s NDC content, our ability to deliver multi-source content in a retail-ready way ensures that agents and travelers will be able to easily shop and compare all of Delta’s product offerings in one place.”

Sabre Corporation and Virgin Australia announced a strategic partnership to modernize the airline’s retailing capabilities through the phased implementation of SabreMosaic, the revolutionary AI-driven platform built to transform airline retailing. This establishes Virgin Australia as the flagship customer and will enable the airline over time to adopt the broad suite of solutions within SabreMosaic, marking a significant milestone in the airline’s journey towards modern retailing and the general market availability of the SabreMosaic solutions. The collaboration underscores the companies’ commitment to innovation and industry leadership, as well as the airline’s aim to be an early mover in the industry transition to offer-and-order based modern retailing. “Building on our decades-long partnership, Sabre is proud to collaborate with Virgin Australia as our launch partner for SabreMosaic, which is our revolutionary platform designed to transform airline retailing,” said Roshan Mendis, Chief Commercial Officer, Sabre Travel Solutions. “We aim to empower Virgin Australia to deliver a personalized, dynamic travel experience that will set a new standard in the industry. This collaboration marks the beginning of a new era, as SabreMosaic is now available to airlines worldwide.” Virgin Australia’s path to modern retailing “We are excited to partner with Sabre to lead the industry in modern airline retailing,” said David Hogarth, Chief Information Officer of Virgin Australia. “This partnership supports our mission of being Australia’s most loved airline by offering our customers choice and a wonderful guest experience. The SabreMosaic platform will over time enable us to optimize our offers, enhance guest interactions, and build a competitive advantage in the market.” Sabre designed the SabreMosaic platform and related solutions with a modular approach, giving Virgin Australia the ability to easily operate in a hybrid environment …

Starting 27 October, ITA Airways will be operating direct flights from Dubai to Italy with the state of the art A321neo, the new-generation aircraft that combines efficiency and style to make your travel experience truly unforgettable advised Mr. Mohamed Jassim Al Rais, Executive Director, APG Gulf, the General Sales Agent of ITA Airways in the UAE. He added that ITA Airways, Italy’s national carrier, is committed to providing exceptional service and connectivity as with a modern fleet and a focus on sustainability, ITA is well-equipped to offer travelers a comfortable and memorable journey between Dubai and Rome and on its vast network beyond. ITA will operate a daily service on DXB-FCO-DXB routes offering highly attractive fares (both in business and economy class) to Rome and beyond sectors, including points in UK/Europe and USA. ITA would operate to Dubai with A321 Neo with a 3 class figuration offering Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy, thereby offering full service product with aggressive fares. Schedule: Rome Fiumicino to Dubai: Starting October 27th, departing at 10:40 a.m. (local time) and arriving in Dubai at 7:50 p.m. (local time). Dubai to Rome Fiumicino: Starting October 28th, departing at 1:50 a.m. (local time) and arriving in Rome at 6:00 a.m. (local time). Mr. Mohamed Al Rais, expressed his enthusiasm about this new venture, “We are proud to partner with ITA Airways to bring this exciting route to Dubai. This collaboration not only enhances our portfolio but also enriches travel options for our customers. We look forward to providing outstanding service and showcasing the best of Italy to travellers in the UAE. We invite everyone to explore the beauty of Italy with ITA Airways. Stay tuned for …

IndiGo has reached an agreement with travel technology leader Amadeus to provide travel sellers around the world with access to the airline’s NDC content via the Amadeus Travel Platform. IndiGo has decided to rely on Amadeus for its unique and robust offering, which combines state-of-the-art airline and distribution technology with an unmatched market reach. The airline, which will carry more than 110 million passengers in 2024 and has growth ambitions backed by one of the largest aircraft order books in the industry, will strengthen its competitive edge through access to new markets and customer segments, thanks to Amadeus’ 96% global market coverage of NDC-ready travel sellers across the globe. NDC technology, with its standardized messaging is a game changer in the distribution landscape. It opens up new opportunities for airlines to distribute their content to travel sellers even more efficiently and elevate their retailing to the next level. For corporate clients and travel agencies, NDC simplifies the booking process by providing direct access to IndiGo’s full range of products. This not only streamlines operations but also delivers the ability to offer exclusive deals and promotions tailored to individual traveler profiles. With the Amadeus NDC capabilities and the seamless integration with the airline’s IT systems powered by Navitaire, IndiGo is able to build dynamically price-tailored offers and expose them to customers – boosting ancillary sales and optimizing the customer experience, regardless of which sales channel they choose quickly and efficiently. Indigo is already live with NDC booking and servicing capabilities in UAE and Singapore with other markets to follow. IndiGo’s commitment to embracing NDC technology reflects its dedication to innovation and customer satisfaction. By providing greater access and reach of its products …

Ajman is currently witnessing a substantial increase in tourists from the CIS countries, recording an exceptional increase of 12 per cent visitors and 12 per cent increase in nightly accommodations. This is a testament to the growing attractiveness of the emirate as a tourist destination. There has been a marked increase of 3 per cent in hotel occupancy rate, along with a 5 per cent increase in room revenues as compared to the previous year. The Ajman Tourism Department has launched a promotional tour to the CIS under the leadership of His Excellency Mahmood Khaleel Alhashmi, Director General of the Ajman Tourism Development Department. The tour, which is being held from September 14 to September 21, has been organised to reinforce collaborations with representatives from the tourism sector of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan in a move to attract more tourists to the emirate of Ajman. The promotional tour includes visits to Almaty, Tashkent and Baku, during which the Department is highlighting Ajman’s latest tourist destinations and new projects which aim to enhance the Emirate’s position as a global tourist destination. His Excellency Mahmood Khaleel Alhashmi said: “The key goal of the promotional tour is to enhance Ajman’s position as a leading tourist destination at a regional and global scale. Our visit to the CIS is aimed at deepening strategic relations with our key partners, and further explore newer avenues for cooperation ad exchange of expertise.” He added: “During the promotional tour, we are showcasing Ajman’s rich heritage and ongoing transformation as a unique cultural and tourist destination within the UAE, enabling us to draw more visitors. We are confident that all these efforts will create new opportunities for sustainable economic …

Al Jaber Travel and Tours Qatar announced its latest addition to its portfolio, Al Jaber DMC, delving into destination management as they have the capacity, experience, knowledge and facilities to cater to the inbound travellers to Qatar. Dileep Nair General Manager Al Jaber Travel and Tours shared, ” keeping in line with Qatar’s Vision 2030, we have developed this brand, Al Jaber DMC, a destination management company where we can serve inbound travellers with memorable experiences. Qatar’s Vision 2030 includes economic growth, social development and environmental management, these 3 aspects will boost Qatar’s tourism. Hence, we decided that this will be an opportunity for us to launch this brand now so that we could assist travellers coming from different parts of the world into Qatar to experience Qatar’s true hospitality and enjoy the landscapes of Qatar. Our advantage is that we have two hotels of our own Century Hotel Doha, which is Four Star and Century Marina Lusail which is a five star hotel, this  makes it easier for us to curate packages for different types of travellers coming into Qatar. We are specialists in MICE  and cruise sector and this too adds on to our plethora of offerings to our valuable customers. As we embark on the cruise season in a few weeks as winter this time there are three main cruise lines which would operate and a few others expected, which we will update very soon.”

Travalyst has scaled flight emissions information globally, with emissions data appearing in over 65 billion searches1. The search figure, released by Travalyst – the not-for-profit organisation founded by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex – aggregates data from a number of its coalition partners2, which include Amadeus, Booking.com, Expedia Group, Google, Sabre, Skyscanner, Travelport, and Trip.com Group. Travalyst’s mission is to align the travel industry behind clear, consistent and credible sustainability information to help people make more informed choices. The Travel Impact Model (TIM), which estimates lifecycle emissions for flights at the individual passenger level, was developed by Google and has been scaled through the Travalyst coalition. Platforms using the TIM present flight emissions information at the time of booking, so travellers are able to choose a flight with an estimated lower-than-typical CO2e footprint3. On some platforms, travellers can also sort flight search results by emissions, alongside standard filter options such as cost and arrival/departure time. For example, the typical CO2e per passenger on a one-way economy flight from London (LGW) to New York (JFK) is 466 kg4. Popular travel booking platforms highlight an option that is 12% (57 kg) lower than the typical CO2e for that route. The difference in CO2e is approximately equivalent to a passenger’s flight from London (LGW) to Dublin (DUB) (typically 56 kg CO2e). The TIM takes a variety of attributes into account including flight origin and destination, aircraft type, cabin class and seat configuration, load factors and average aircraft utilisation. With such granular data comes the ability to see emissions at individual airline level, which could pave the way for airlines to compete on reducing their climate impact, as well as price and service. …

SAUDIA announced a new partnership with AlUla Club Company, to provide exclusive travel benefits for the company’s employees and affiliates. SAUDIA has been at the forefront of showcasing Al-Ula’s heritage and tourism through several high-profile initiatives, and this partnership builds on a rich history of collaboration between SAUDIA and the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU). Signed by Wail Basaffar, Assistant Vice President of KSA Sales at SAUDIA, and Waleed Muath, Chief Executive Officer of AlUla Club Company, the agreement will offer special discounts and rates on domestic and international flights with SAUDIA, further enhancing AlUla Club Company employees’ travel experiences. Recently, Alula FM became the first radio station to be featured on SAUDIA’s In-flight entertainment system. The airlines has also played a key role in sponsoring AlUla Skies Festival in 2022 and 2023, which included a diverse range of sky activities such as hot air ballooning and drone displays, attracting a wider audience to the region. Additionally, SAUDIA sponsored the Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo tournament in 2022, highlighting Al Ula’s cultural vibrancy. Earlier milestones included the 2021 launch of the “Museum in the Sky,” a first of its kind flight experience that showcased Al-Ula’s archaeological treasures. SAUDIA was also the first airline to introduce seasonal flights to AlUla in 2019, solidifying its highlighting its continued dedication to enhancing the region’s growth. Wail Basaffar said: “This partnership not only reflects SAUDIA’s commitment to expanding our network of collaborations but also builds on our long-standing relationship with RCU. As we continue to grow our fleet and enhance our travel services, we are excited to offer exclusive benefits to AlUla Club Company employees and further strengthen our enduring ties with the region.” Waleed …

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism has reinforced its commitment to becoming a global tourism leader by signing a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence (SDAIA). The agreement, finalized during the Global AI Summit in Riyadh, emphasizes the Kingdom’s focus on leveraging advanced technology to support its Vision 2030 objectives. Tourism, a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic diversification plan, has already surpassed expectations. In 2023, the Kingdom reached its target of welcoming 100 million annual tourists—seven years ahead of schedule. Now, Saudi Arabia is setting its sights even higher, aiming to attract 150 million tourists by the end of the decade. This rapid growth underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to developing its tourism infrastructure and embracing innovation, with AI playing a central role in this transformation. At the heart of this next phase of growth is the integration of artificial intelligence. The partnership with SDAIA is designed to embed AI across the tourism sector, enhancing operational efficiency, personalizing visitor experiences, and optimizing resource management. The MoC outlines plans to establish a Center of Excellence for AI in tourism, deploy AI-driven technologies, and create data-driven strategies to continually refine and elevate the sector’s offerings. His Excellency Anas Al-Sulai, Assistant Minister of Tourism, emphasized the transformative impact of AI on Saudi tourism. “Saudi tourism is growing at an incredible pace, and we are seeing visitors from all over the world choose Saudi Arabia as their destination. As we continue this upward trajectory, we recognize the critical role of technology in enhancing the visitor experience. From the moment travelers land at our airports to every experience they have in our country, AI will be a key …