Regional and religious tourism are pivotal to the GCC’s economic diversification strategy, prompting implementation of unique models of engagement to enhance activity in the region. GCC continues to invest in its transport infrastructure by expanding airport capacity, constructing new airports, and building a rail network for better regional and international …

Cruising has been a more mature market pleasure than usually imagined. In the Middle East, more and more young affluent travellers are opting for cruise trips, making it one of the most lucrative businesses. TRAVTALK spoke to some experts in the field to know about the new trends in cruising, …

BARK Air, the world’s first airline dedicated to dogs, could be an ideal carrier for ME travellers, as they have been seeking a more convenient way to travel with their pooches onboard. Dr Shehara Rizly BARK Air first took flight in May between New York and Los Angeles and New …

Middle Eastern airlines saw a 14.2% YoY rise in demand in April with capacity increasing 9.9% and load factor increasing 3 percentage point to 79.3% compared to 2023, finds IATA. TT Bureau During the month of April, total demand, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs), was up 11 per cent …

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that its projections for a tripling of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) production in 2024 to 1.9 billion litre over the previous year are on track. This would account for 0.53 per cent of aviation’s fuel need for the year. SAF fuel comes in …

The Middle East region has been rapidly expanding its luxury offerings over the past few years in terms of hospitality. The region has the most affluent travellers who seek premium services. In an interview with TRAVTALK, Marloes Knippenberg, CEO, Kerten Hospitality, shares her views on the rise of demand for …

More than 4.5 million passengers travelled onboard Turkish Airlines from the Middle East to Türkiye last year. Prof Ahmet Bolat, Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee, Turkish Airlines, says the task for this year is to increase the number of visitors, especially from the Middle East region, as they …

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) predicted that 2024 will be a record-breaking year for the travel and tourism sector, with its global economic contribution expected to reach an all-time high of US $11.1 trillion. The continuous advancements in AI and VR, coupled with increasing consumer acceptance, indicate that …

A significant portion of business to hotels in the Middle East region is contributed by agents due to the rise in bleisure travel over the past few years, which enables the traveller to explore more options than just the business meeting. In an interview with TRAVTALK, Sushanth Nambiar, Cluster GM, …

ITB China, a three-day networking event organised recently in Dubai with TRAVTALK as the media partner, witnessed 600 exhibitors from over 80 countries and 1,000 buyers, apart form 15,000 visitors. More than 27,500 business meetings were conducted at the event. A cross section of the trade express their views on …