Category Archives: Agents

As Abu Dhabi unveils the highly anticipated Zayed National Museum this week, Expedia data reveals an unprecedented surge in traveller interest – with long-haul American travelers leading a global rush to witness another cultural marvel in the UAE. Global searches on Expedia for Abu Dhabi travel have increased 15% year-over-year.* The United States is leading with a staggering 40% increase in searches for December travel**, while both the UK and France show 10% growth***. “The opening of Zayed National Museum represents a landmark moment for cultural tourism in the region,” said an official from Expedia Group. “We’re seeing travelers from around the world eager to be among the first to experience this world-class institution.” The museum honors the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, by keeping heritage alive and cultivating a spirit of learning and belonging. It unites the nation’s diverse community around shared milestones and values, providing a window into the UAE’s history and culture. Designed by the renowned Lord Norman Foster of Foster + Partners, its collection features over 3,000 pieces, with 1,500 currently on display, each telling its own story. Residents as well as international tourists, can expect a groundbreaking blend of archaeological artifacts with cutting-edge audiovisual experiences, sensory installations, and contemporary art. Insider Picks: Opening Week Hotel Stays Abu Dhabi has no shortage of iconic stays across the destination. According to Expedia’s recent data, several hotels have seen a similar spike coinciding with the Zayed National Museum opening****, in proximity to the Saadiyat Cultural District, which includes: Saadiyat Rotana Resort and Villas Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Villas Millennium Residences Saadiyat Island The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi …

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) is showcasing the emirate’s expanding luxury credentials at the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) Cannes. At the flagship event for the global luxury travel industry taking place this week, DCT Abu Dhabi is connecting with key industry partners to create new growth opportunities, highlighting the destination’s unique blend of high-end hospitality, fine dining, and landmark cultural attractions. Abu Dhabi continues to strengthen and expand its luxury portfolio, with the world’s highest concentration of five-star hotels and 21 new hotel projects currently under development, including upcoming properties from Nobu Hotels, The Ritz-Carlton Reserve, and Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts. The emirate’s culinary scene has also gained international recognition, now home to three Michelin-starred restaurants – Hakkasan, Talea, and Erth – and eight Bib Gourmand recipients. The delegation’s presence at ILTM Cannes coincides with the launch of two major cultural institutions in the emirate. The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi opened in November, followed by the inauguration of Zayed National Museum, the national museum of the UAE, today. These landmark institutions will further enrich Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District, which features the world’s highest concentration of cultural experiences. To further empower its luxury travel trade partners, DCT Abu Dhabi continues to enhance its support tools. The ‘Experience Abu Dhabi Experts’ e-learning platform is available in 13 languages and provides partners with in-depth destination knowledge to become certified specialists, while the recently launched reseller portal for the Abu Dhabi Pass offers wholesale rates and a seamless interface for agents to expand their product offerings. DCT Abu Dhabi invites ILTM Cannes attendees to visit its delegation at the Experience Abu Dhabi stand, H161, …

RezLive.com announced that it has once again been recognized at the prestigious Arabian Travel Awards 2025, held in Dubai, securing the coveted title of Best Travel Booking Platform. This honor underscores RezLive.com’s unwavering commitment to innovation, reliability, and excellence in the B2B travel space. It is a testament to the trust and support of our valued travel partners worldwide, who continue to inspire us to push boundaries and redefine industry standards. “This achievement belongs to our partners and team who believe in our vision and drive us forward. Together, we are shaping the future of B2B travel.” – Jaal Shah, Founder – RezLive.com and Group Managing Director – Travel Designer Group RezLive.com extends heartfelt gratitude to every partner and stakeholder for being an integral part of this journey. With this milestone, we reaffirm our mission to deliver cutting-edge solutions and seamless experiences that empower travel businesses across the globe. Here’s to many more milestones ahead – together, we continue to redefine B2B travel.

Bin Ham Travel Group has renewed its long-standing partnership with Amadeus, a global leader in travel technology, to further enhance travel booking experiences and drive sustainable growth across the region. Through this continued collaboration, Bin Ham Travel Group will leverage Amadeus’ state-of-the-art solutions to deliver seamless, real-time booking services. This partnership will continue to provide access to rich travel content, enabling more personalized offers, greater choice, and a seamless booking experience across flights, hotels, car rentals, and other travel services. In addition, Bin Ham Travel Group will benefit from Amadeus’ innovative portfolio of digital solutions, including Amadeus Online Suite Mobile App, which will enhance the mobile booking journey for customers. The Amadeus Value Hotels (AVH) will offer access to competitive hotel content worldwide while the NDC-X program will give access to next-generation airline retailing and personalized offers. H.E. Ahmed Musallam Bin Ham, CEO of Bin Ham Travel Group, commented: “Our renewed partnership with Amadeus reinforces our commitment to delivering innovative travel solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. Together, we aim to elevate the travel experience by offering a wider range of choices, seamless booking, and greater convenience.” Echoing this sentiment, Ernesto Sanchez Beaumont, Managing Director, Amadeus Gulf, said: “Bin Ham Travel Group has been a valued partner for many years. By renewing our collaboration, we are jointly advancing the travel ecosystem in the UAE with cutting-edge solutions that enhance efficiency and deliver exceptional value to travelers and partners alike.” This renewed alliance underlines the shared vision of both companies to set new benchmarks in travel technology, strengthen the UAE’s position as a global travel hub, and deliver enriched experiences to both individual travelers and corporate clients.

Akbar Travels secured the title of Best Travel Portal Middle East at the 8th edition of Arabian Travel Awards. Arabian Travel Awards is a platform for the Middle East market to appreciate the efforts of those travel specialists owing to whom the travel and hospitality industry is booming as ever. The aim is to encourage them to continue promoting tourism in the region. The Arabian Travel Awards are fair and unbiased, following a systematic method of internet-based voting. These awards are supported by TravelTV.news, TravTalk Middle East and TravTalk India, the premier media partners for extensive coverage.

Alaa Al Ali with over three decades of experience in the travel and tourism industry, leading Nirvana Travel and Tourism since its establishment in 2007, is a highly respected figure in the UAE’s travel sector. Ali has been instrumental in establishing Nirvana as a regional powerhouse in the tourism market. Under his visionary leadership, the company continues to evolve each year, striking a seamless balance between exceptional customer service, operational efficiency, technological innovation, and groundbreaking product development. His remarkable contributions to the industry have earned him a well-deserved feature on ‘The Most Creative Business Leaders in the Arab World’. Guided by an in-depth understanding of the region and a clear business vision, Ali has steered Nirvana to the forefront of the UAE’s travel sector, earning prestigious awards and widespread industry recognition. He now heads NG9 Holding, a dynamic conglomerate comprising Nirvana Holding, Gewan Holding, and 9Yards, operating locally and regionally across 10+ countries in multiple industries with a diverse business portfolio.

RezLive.com hosted a vibrant roadshow in Muscat bringing together leading hospitality brands and over 180 plus travel agents from across Oman. The event spotlighted RezLive.com’s commitment to empowering travel agents through technology, curated content, and strategic partnerships. Attendees gained insights into RezLive’s expanding global footprint and product innovations during an engaging presentation. The roadshow featured active participation from top hotel partners, including:  Tulip Muscat, Ramada Encore Muscat Al-Ghubrah, Kyriad Hotel Salalah, Tulip Inn Hotel MaJan, Hilton Salalah Resort and  Jumeirah Muscat Bay. Each partner showcased their offerings and contributed to the excitement by distributing exclusive lucky draw vouchers, adding a celebratory touch to the evening. The event was graced by Mr. Jaal Shah, Founder of RezLive.com and Group Managing Director of Travel Designer Group, whose presence reinforced the brand’s strategic focus on regional growth and agent engagement. The evening concluded with a gala dinner and cocktails, fostering meaningful connections and celebrating the spirit of collaboration in B2B travel.

TOURISE Destination Initiative (TDI) brings together global leaders from government, international organizations, academia, and the private sector, to transform destinations into living laboratories for tourism innovation. Guided by its Declaration of Principles, TDI champions safety, environmental stewardship, cultural preservation, and community-centered development through responsible technology and multi-sector collaboration. TDI’s first project, “AI for Tourism Safety,” aims to promote the responsible deployment of AI in TDI member destinations. The project builds on insights from Surveillance or Safety? How Cities are Rewriting Tourism, a white paper by the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR). Authored by Mauricio Rodas—Visiting Scholar at Penn IUR and former Mayor of Quito—the paper explores the ethical and operational challenges of AI in urban tourism and was launched alongside TDI. “As destinations, we carry the responsibility of protecting what makes us unique, our people, our heritage, and our future,” said His Royal Highness Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of Aseer Province and Co-Chair of the TOURISE Destination Initiative. “Through TDI, we are creating a shared space for cities to lead; by embracing innovation rooted in ethics and empathy, we ensure that tourism becomes a force for safety, dignity, and sustainable development.” TDI is co-chaired by Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of Aseer Province, and Luigi Brugnaro, Mayor of Venice, and founding members include: • Patricia de Lille, Minister of Tourism, Republic of South Africa • Mateo Julián Estrella Durán, Minister of Tourism, Republic of Ecuador • Mateo Julian Estrella Duran, Ministier of Touirsm, Republic of Maldives • Francis Suarez, Mayor of Miami, United States • Mohamed Sefiani, Mayor of Chefchaouen, Morocco • Natalia Bayona, Executive Director, UN …

The Agentic Tourism Initiative was unveiled at the inaugural TOURISE Summit, introducing the world’s first Agentic Protocol for Tourism, a universal digital framework set to transform every stage of the traveler’s journey. Launched in partnership with TOURISE and Globant, the Initiative builds on the momentum of the acclaimed whitepaper Tourism’s AI Takeover: Reinventing Travel through Agentic Tourism to create a landmark application of AI. It directly answers the whitepaper’s call to create an Open Protocol for Tourism AI, defining how AI agents interact from inspiration to return. The result: intelligent, seamless, and sustainable travel experiences across the global tourism ecosystem. The Initiative brings together a diverse coalition of founding members across technology, infrastructure, aviation, and destination leadership, including: Globant, Red Sea Global, HUMAIN, Riyadh Air, King Salman International Airport, World Travel & Tourism Council, Amazon Web Services, Salesforce, Hollibob, and Trip.com. This collaborative approach ensures the Agentic Protocol is technically robust, inclusive, and adaptable to the evolving needs of travelers, operators, and destinations worldwide. “We are proud to see the Agentic Tourism Initiative take flight from the Kingdom, reflecting our commitment to shaping the future of global travel through innovation and collaboration. This protocol represents a bold step toward harmonizing technology with the human spirit of exploration. By anchoring AI in empathy and cultural intelligence, we are not only enhancing the traveler’s experience, we are empowering destinations to grow sustainably, inclusively, and with purpose,” said His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Guided by the principle “Digitize the expected. Humanize the unexpected,” the Initiative aims to amplify, not replace, human creativity, empathy, and connection. AI will serve as an enabler, empowering the people and places …

The Jamaica Tourist Board continues with its “Discover Jamaica” webinar series for GCC-based travel professionals. The next session will take place on the 19 November at 13:00 UAE Time. Designed exclusively for travel agents in the Gulf region, this session provides a comprehensive overview of Jamaica as a viable destination, equipping agents with the knowledge they need to confidently sell the island. The webinar will cover essential facts about Jamaica, including its key resort areas – Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Negril, Kingston, Port Antonio, and the South Coast, highlighting their unique selling points, top hotels and resorts, and must-see attractions, from Dunn’s River Falls to the Blue Mountains. This webinar is a valuable resource to help travel agents design unforgettable Caribbean itineraries for their clients.