Tourism & Aviation
Tourism and aviation news — covering travel technology, airline updates, Saudi tourism developments, and hospitality innovations in the Kingdom and the region.
SABB and Emirates Skywards launch Visa co-branded credit card
SABB, Emirates Skywards and Visa have partnered to launch the SABB Emirates Visa Signature Credit Card. The first Emirates Skywards co-branded card in Saudi Arabia, the card offers customers the opportunity to earn Skywards Miles whilst enjoying a range of benefits both in Saudi Arabia and internationally. The agreement was signed at a ceremony held […]
Wego’s Top 7 National Delicacies and their Surprising Origins
Every country boasts culinary dishes and flavours that are strongly associated with its people and culture. Just names of iconic seasoning and dishes such as Cajun, curry, Pho, and tacos can lead us to conjure images of their supposed origins. But how many do we know the real origin stories of? Time to start travelling […]
Kurban Travel inks long-term agreement with Sabre to take its traveller experience to the next level
Kurban Travel, a leading travel agency in Lebanon, will use innovative technology from Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), the leading global technology provider to the travel and tourism industry, to create an intuitive and personalized experience for travelers. The five-year agreement will enable Kurban Travel agents to access Sabre’s global distribution system (GDS) to shop, book […]
Al Faisaliah Hotel Riyadh Celebrates Saudi National Day with Great Turnout
In honor of Saudi National Day, Al Faisaliah Hotel Riyadh hosted a 3-day celebration at the hotel, offering guests a range of festive experiences and extraordinary culinary treats in line with the historic day. The event was well-received, with a remarkable number of guests attending from all across the Kingdom. A key part of Saudi […]
IOM, and Turkish Airlines sign up to promote the “MigApp”
The promotion of safe, orderly, and regular migration is at the heart of the long-term partnership agreement signed between The UN Migration Agency (IOM) and Turkish Airlines, one of the world’s largest carriers. Signed by IOM Director General William Swing, and Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, M. İlker Aycı, the cooperation will focus initially on the […]
Saudi General Entertainment Authority: Saudi Arabia to break Guinness World Records on the 88th National Day
The General Entertainment Authority (GEA) revealed Saudi Arabia’s quest to break a number of Guinness World Records through two major events taking place during the Kingdom’s 88th National Day celebrations. The record-setting events will include the largest firework display and the largest flag painted in the sky using the drones, in collaboration with the Saudi […]
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AURAK Gains ABET Accreditation – Global – ENG_1536041888
The American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) bachelors of science degree programs in computer science, industrial engineering, and mechanical engineering have been accredited by the Computing and Engineering Accreditation Commissions (CAC and EAC) of ABET, the global accreditor of college and university programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology. ABET […]
Etisalat roaming packages offer business customers coverage across all in-flight networks
Etisalat today announced that subscribers of any Global Business Roaming pack can now enjoy in-flight coverage in all airlines that provide on-board connectivity at no extra cost. Etisalat Global Business Roaming packages – both data and voice – will now include both Aeromobile and SITAOnAir in-flight coverage, providing business users increased options and uncompromised connectivity […]
Sabre Hospitality Solutions announces Business Travel Services suite, with InterContinental Hotels Group® as one of its first adopters
Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR) today announced Business Travel Services, the new consolidated solution suite from Sabre Hospitality Solutions that will offer hoteliers easy-to-use tools with time-saving automation and simplified processes; access to industry insights and expert guidance; and unlimited access to travel management companies and consortia partners – all in one place. InterContinental Hotels Group® […]
Arrival flights around the holy city of Mecca up 20% ahead of Hajj 2018
As of 31 July 2018, arrival flights around the holy city of Mecca ahead of this year’s Hajj were up 20% when compared to the last year’s pilgrimage, according to analysis conducted by Travelport (NYSE:TVPT), the leading travel commerce platform. Hajj 2018 vs Hajj 2017Growth in arrival flights around Mecca booked through all GDS(as of […]
Turkish Airlines reached the highest Load Factor in July with 85.3% LF.
Turkish Airlines, which has recently announced the results of passenger and cargo traffic in July, achieved the highest July load factor (LF) in its history with 85.3%. Despite the high base of July 2017, growth in the number of passengers, revenue per kilometer, and load factor has been an important indicator of the continued global […]
Turkish Airlines announces exciting August promotions to Istanbul for travelers from KSA
Turkish Airlines has announced its special fares promotion for the month of August. Customers from KSA can now book a ticket for a price as low as SAR 1,300 if travelling from Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport, SAR 1,700 from Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, SAR 1,130 from Medina’s Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Airport, SAR […]
Turkish Airlines posted USD 258 million Operating Net Profit in the first half of 2018.
Turkish Airlines total revenue increased significantly during the first half of the year approximately by 30 percent compared to the same period of last year, reaching USD 6 billion. Thus, having displayed a remarkable growth performance in 2017, Turkish Airlines managed to increase both passenger and cargo revenue in the first half of 2018. During […]
Lights, camera, action! Turkish Airlines launches new inflight safety video in partnership with Warner Bros. and The LEGO(R) Movie franchise.
Turkish Airlines, the airline that flies to more countries and international destinations than any other airline, launches a new animated safety video, complete with familiar LEGO® mini-figures in surprising new roles. The custom-animated safety video for Turkish Airlines was created by the teams who assembled “The LEGO Movie”, “The LEGO Batman Movie”, “The LEGO NINJAGO® […]
10 Factors Weakened the Brand Image and Reputation of the Saudi Hospitality Sector
The Division for Research and Analytical Study at W7Worldwide revealed 10 factors that contributed to the absence of a brand image and reputation of the large and medium-sized hotel sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with focusing on two categories (five and four stars), which weakened their marketing and communications/media campaigns. The periodic advisory […]
Reigning champion Justin Rose confirms 2018 Turkish Airlines Open appearance
Justin Rose has announced he will defend his title at the Turkish Airlines Open, the sixth Rolex Series event of the European Tour’s 2018 Race to Dubai, in Antalya in November. Englishman Rose, currently second in the Official World Golf Rankings, made three birdies in his last four holes to secure a thrilling victory at […]
“Festival Tourism” Grows as Travellers seek Authentic Experiences
The demand for ‘Festival Tourism’ has skyrocketed, especially among millennials who continue to thirst for unique and buzz worthy experiences – according to Wego, the leading online travel marketplace in the Middle East and Africa. “Today’s global travellers are willing to spend that extra penny to experience the magic of seasonal, music, cultural, and even […]
Into the Mesosphere at Mach 2.4
Virgin Galactic test pilots broke Mach 2 on 26 July, as VSS Unity took her third rocket-powered supersonic outing in less than four months. After a clean release from carrier aircraft VMS Eve at 46,500 ft, pilots Dave Mackay and Mike “Sooch” Masucci lit the spaceship’s rocket motor, before pulling up into a near vertical […]
SalamAir to add six new A320neo to its growing fleet
Oman’s first budget airline, SalamAir, has signed an agreement to add six new A320neo aircraft to its fleet, of which five are on lease from an undisclosed lessor. SalamAir is owned by the Muscat National Development and Investment Company (ASAAS) and other Omani private investors.The airline launched services on 30 January 2017 and today operates […]
Kuwait’s Wataniya Airways to add 25 A320neo aircraft
Golden Falcon Aviation, the exclusive aircraft provider of Wataniya Airways, has confirmed an order for 25 Airbus A320neo family aircraft. The order follows an earlier MoU announced at last year’s Dubai Airshow. The firm order was signed during the Farnborough International Airshow by Rakan Al-Tuwaijri, Chief Executive Officer of Golden Falcon Aviation, and Eric Schulz, […]
E-marine bags the prestigious MARS project to connect islands in East Africa
E-marine, the leading company in providing marine engineering and installation services for submarine cables in the region, bagged a contract from Huawei Marine Networks to install the ‘Mauritius and Rodrigues Submarine Cable System’ (MARS), which covers a distance of 700 km connecting two islands in the Indian Ocean. The MARS cable will help boost internet […]
Turkish Airlines continues its growth trend without slowing down.
Turkish Airlines, that announced the results of June 2018 passenger and cargo traffic, achieved the highest rate of Load Factor (LF) in the first six months of its history with a brilliant performance of 80.4%. The double-digit growth that the flag carrier recorded in the number of international non-transit passengers, marks an increasing interest in […]