Category Archives: Agents

Emirates has signed MoUs with Icelandair and travel technology and ticketing specialist GO7 to develop deeper commercial cooperation. The move comes as the airlines look to leverage each other’s networks, in addition to using modern tools for more efficient combined air and rail ticket connections. Both the MoUs will set the framework to establish potential codeshare cooperations across the networks of each respective airline in addition to expanding intermodal programmes offered by virtual interlines across the Emirates network. Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline said: “We are pleased to deepen our partnerships with Icelandair and GO7. Their networks and intermodal capabilities complement our European presence, providing an array of connections for our customers to simplify their journeys. Together, we will open up new travel opportunities, and more choice for customers wishing to travel across Europe. We believe that these partnerships will bring real benefits to our customers and business, and we’re taking positive steps towards further strengthening our relationships in the future.” GO7 Emirates has partnered with travel technology and ticketing specialist GO7 to work on a holistic airline distribution approach, enabling Emirates to offer combined interline and rail tickets to worldwide destinations through Emirates’ direct and indirect channels, outside of the traditional booking ecosystem. Peer Winter, Chief Distribution Officer, GO7 said: We’re committed to providing airlines with innovative technology-led solutions that give them more control. We are delighted to sign this MoU with Emirates, building upon our successful history together. With Emirates already offering multimodal network connections through the GDS, including Rail & Fly via W2 by GO7, our new agreement takes it further. This partnership will provide a holistic approach to Airline Distribution for Emirates, …

With an impressive 15% increase in overnight stays from GCC travellers in 2023, totalling 1,297,256, Germany reinforces its position as a premier global destination. The fourth quarter of 2023 alone showcased a remarkable resurgence to near pre-pandemic activity levels, with 263,985 overnight stays, mirroring 97.44% of the figures from 2019. The German National Tourist Office (GNTO) announced a stellar performance for Destination Germany, reflecting a robust recovery trajectory and heightened appeal among travellers from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.  2023’s success builds on the momentum from 2022, when GCC visitors to Germany more than doubled, underscoring the region’s growing fascination with Germany’s cultural and sustainable tourism offerings. Germany’s rich calendar of events, including the eagerly anticipated European Championship 2024 from June 14 to July 14, promises to further elevate its status as a premier cultural travel destination. The championship, along with more than 300 cultural events themed around football, exemplifies Germany’s innovative approach to blending sports, culture, and sustainability, aiming to attract even more international visitors in the current year. Yamina Sofo, Director of the Marketing & Sales Office – GNTO GCC, shares her optimism: “Our 2023 performance is a testament to Germany’s magnetic appeal and our steadfast commitment to hospitality. Our growth from the GCC region, our third-largest overseas market, highlights the multifaceted appeal of Germany. “Germany’s allure for travellers from GCC is multifaceted, offering an enriching blend of stunning natural scenery, exclusive shopping experiences, and dynamic urban environments. This diversity not only underscores Germany’s universal appeal but also speaks volumes of our commitment to hospitality and inclusiveness.” Building on the momentum of the previous year’s remarkable performance, GNTO is eager to advance its sustainable tourism initiatives under …

At the recent celebration of International Women’s Day by TTME, CEO and Founder of Elaxiom Tourism Elmira Heshmati shared that post covid has taught the world that tourism is the way forward and the most resilient. “Today we see the results as travel bounces back and it is the largest contributor which not just helps boost the economy of every country but also provide job opportunities, benefit communities as the infrastructure is also well planned out. Tourism is the most resilient industry when you compare it to other industries. It is the most long lasting one when compared to other industries. We are also very lucky to live in a country where various destinations are also promoted and tourism contributes to the economy and boosts the communities in every country.”

DidaTravel signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enter into a strategic partnership with Visit Oman – the National Travel Operator – to promote the country to DidaTravel’s network of 25,000+ travel trade partners in China. The MOU outlines potential areas of collaboration between DidaTravel and Visit Oman, which include DidaTravel offering Visit Oman’s varied portfolio of contracted properties, transfers, and experiences to their extensive B2B network through API integration. As a result of this agreement Visit Oman will also be able to access DidaTravel’s consolidated portfolio of high value, yet hard to reach, Chinese travel trade customers. The two companies will embark on joint marketing initiatives to increase brand awareness and drive travel demand from China to Oman. Jinyan Li, VP Global Account Management at DidaTravel commented “We are thrilled to partner with Visit Oman and leverage our B2B distribution network to introduce the beauty and cultural richness of Oman to our extensive network of travel partners in China. This collaboration holds immense potential to foster cultural exchange and strengthen ties between our nations”.

At the recently concluded TTME International Women’s Day Celebrations it was shared that the new travellers of today require a different type of experiences. Sapna Aidasani Director Pluto Travel shared, “there are three kinds of tourism trends for younger generation. They prefer experiential holidays as what really excites them is something out of the box or the regular itinerary, such as a bread baking experience in France etc. The next trend we see is purpose tourism where the client will take a trip to receive an award of achievement and this could be a three or four day break where they can network with likeminded individuals as well as experience the localities. Lastly, the main trend is “detox holidays” where travellers just want to kick back and relax and stay away from all things digital or technological including their mobiles which has become part and parcel of life.”

At a recent exclusive interview with TravelTV Middle East, Alan William Chief Strategy Officer Satguru Travel shared that upskilling the staff is important with new technologies such as AI and NDC. He reiterated, “Travel is a very personal business irrespective of what AI pops out today if you do a ChatGPT and what it pops out today, do you really believe it? I think there is a lot more for AI to go and if you read all the management books they always say to take AI with a pinch of salt and that’s what we are also doing. We are very much aware that technology will be there but when packages are formed they still need human intervention. I come from a generation when computers were introduced they didn’t kill jobs but the skills of the people need to change to adapt to the new requirements it’s a service industry people are needed but it’s a different breed of people that are needed. Upskilling is very important take for example a travel consultant five years ago his job was to issue a ticket and ensure those tickets were issued but today with NDC coming in and the amount of ancillaries the staff has to know.”

musafir.com announced its recent partnership with Fly Egypt, appointing musafir.com as the General Sales Agent (GSA) for Fly Egypt in the UAE. This strategic collaboration aims to enhance Fly Egypt’s market presence and sales across the UAE travel network while offering the lowest fare for Sharjah to Cairo return flights in the country. Under the agreement, musafir.com has established a dedicated reservation and ticketing sales office for Fly Egypt in Sharjah, located at their Rolla branch. This office will cater exclusively to Fly Egypt customers, offering seamless booking experiences and personalized services. “This appointment aligns perfectly with our strategic goals and vision,” said Raheesh Babu, COO,musafir.com. “We are committed to increasing sales and distribution for Fly Egypt in the UAE, thereby expanding its market reach and enhancing customer satisfaction.” “We at FlyEgypt are delighted to partner with musafir.com, a leading travel agency in the UAE. This collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission of making travel to Egypt more accessible and convenient for everyone, this appointment will significantly strengthen our presence in the region and allow us to offer even more value to travelers flying between Sharjah and Cairo.” said Ashraf Osman, Chief Commercial Officer, FlyEgypt. “Through musafir.com’s extensive network and expertise, we look forward to providing a seamless booking experience and unmatched affordability on this popular route. We are confident that this partnership will be a win-win for both FlyEgypt and musafir.com, ultimately creating a more convenient and enjoyable travel experience for our customers.” Osman added. Initially, musafir.com responsibilities as Fly Egypt’s GSA will focus on the Sharjah-Cairo-Sharjah route, offering direct flights at the most competitive rates in the UAE market. With flights operating three times a week on Fridays, Saturdays, …

At the recently concluded International Women’s Day celebrations by TravTalkME, panellist Aga Khatib, General Manager Panworld Travel spoke on the importance of attracting next generation to join the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. She reiterated, “I can see shifting values. I think its also important to recognise that the values are changing and how we can close the gap between the generations and how we can attract the young generation to join our industry by increasing the net revenue which industries generate. Next, we need to create for them the surroundings or conditions that speak to their values by offering flexible timings, attracting them by pointing how the tourism and hospitality industry has a great positive impact in terms of the income, revenue, connections, learning about different culture and travelling the world and also focus on personal benefits like building confidence there are many points that we need to link the benefits by source of inspiration like social media or internet.”

At a recent exclusive interview with TravelTV, Dinkar Dasaur, General Manager Satguru Travel UAE shared that this year is one of expansion not only to them but in the travel and tourism industry itself. He reiterated, “last year was the year of correction and this year is the year of expansion. I don’t think covid is existing anymore in our business. We can see the growth of corporate business and corporates getting more opportunities in respect to their businesses. We see a lot of B2C movements, we see a lot of B2B movements. In fact the industry has grown versus last year and this year looks more promising as there are more expansion plans not only with us but also with our partners like airlines, where their frequencies are increasing, the destinations are increasing, value spent for money is increasing, hence we look at 2024 as an opportunity to make great gains.”  

At the recently concluded panel discussion celebrating women’s day with TTME, Namratha Rose – Marketing and Partnership Manager at Spain Tourism GCC shared that the travellers today are more open to discover and explore new destinations than before, “there has been significant development in GCC and from 2022 there has been a massive increase of travellers seeking different experiences, people are not restricting themselves and this opens us more opportunities.” She expressed this on the outlook of the region at the special panel session conducted to celebrate International Women’s Day by TTME at the Screening Room at Paramount Hotel Dubai.