In-the-Issue

New Palladium hotel to open in RAK

The Palladium Hotel Group has been appointed by Almal Real Estate Development to manage ‘The Unexpected Al Marjan Island Hotel & Residences’, which is set to open its doors for customers in 2026. The project, coming up in Ras Al Khaimah, is a groundbreaking one and marks a new era …

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LATAM Airlines now on APG Platform

South America’s LATAM Airlines announced that it is now available on the APG Platform, APG’s NDC portal. This enables full ticketing solutions to thousands of travel agencies in more than 120 countries, including the possibility to add ancillary services, such as bags, during the booking process. The network further allows …

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UN stresses on tourism investment

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 …

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Summer cruising: a profitable option?

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, …

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Fly with your pooches onboard

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 …

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ME airlines’ traffic up 14% in Apr

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 …

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SAF production to triple in 2024

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 …

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Luxury travel marked by bespoke services

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 …

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