Agents

Borders reopen for summer

As restrictions ease in Europe, most GCC travellers can look forward to resuming their travel plans once again this summer. The vaccination drive has expedited the process and travellers from the UAE can travel to almost 20 destinations including Europe. Travel professionals from tourism boards, airlines & travel agencies share …

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Saudis prioritise safe destinations

Almosafer, the Kingdom’s leading omni-channel travel brand, is revealing key insights into Saudi nationals’ travel preferences one month after opening borders. Almosafer’s study examined consumers’ searches and bookings over the period of May 17-June 16, 2021 compared to the same period in 2019 and found promising signs of travel revival. …

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Karhoo launches in the UAE

More than 80 travel professionals attended the official launch of Karhoo in the GCC. Vanessa Heydorff, Senior Vice President, Karhoo shared with TRAVTALK their plans for the year and how they will collaborate with agents across the GCC. Working with Karhoo, travel companies gain a more efficient search and booking …

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Pent-up demand for travel

The pent-up demand for travel reveals that travellers who were frequent flyers before COVID-19 expect to take almost six flights in the next 12 months, underlining their desire to travel as soon as possible. 78% attribute being vaccinated against COVID-19 as key to their confidence in the safety of air …

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Leisure travel: key tourism driver

Oxford Economics highlights the outlook of the market and helps understand sectorial growth. Shehara Rizly Over the past few months countries are strengthening their vaccination drive to ensure confidence and provide initiatives to restart travel. The outlook depends on factors such as vaccination rates, mutations of the virus, economic growth …

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ATS partners with Luxury Connoisseurs

In a major push to provide very high end ultra-luxury products to the travellers in the region and beyond, two major brands – ATS Travel and Luxury Connoisseurs –  have come together to offer unique products and services to be launched in UAE and KSA to begin with. Saleem Sharif, …

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Succeeding as a female leader

The travel and leisure industry is rich with female talent, yet research shows that when it comes to leadership positions, they are still the minority; but this is set to change. According to a Middle East report by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Ministry of Tourism of the …

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Poised for recovery in 2021

While the pandemic has been a major disruptor, the travel industry is resilient and going all out to overcome challenges. Industry leaders have a very positive outlook for the upcoming year and share with TRAVTALK their views, expectations and insights for a more fruitful 2021. HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, …

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BCD Travel opens their new location

Adhering to all precautions during the COVID period BCD Travel moved to their new premises  at M Square, right next to Spinneys (Bur Dubai) on Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street, Al Mankhool. The move was planned much before the pandemic hit the world. Despite all difficulties, with their proactive and …

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Careem rides high on safety

In light of the pandemic the Dubai-based ride-hailing group, Careem, quickly took precautionary measures, ensuring the highest levels of safety in its rides. These measures have been taken in all the 13 countries in which Careem operates, and the focus is on wearing masks, using hand sanitisers and disinfecting cars …

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