Travel News June 2022


Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) and American Express Saudi Arabia launch new miles redemption partnership


SAUDI Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA), the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, and American Express Saudi Arabia, have further strengthened their partnership by introducing the possibility for all American Express Saudi Arabia Cardmembers to transfer two Membership Rewards® points for one AlFursan mile.


The announcement comes as an extension of the ongoing successful partnership between the two parties through the existing AlFursan American Express cobranded credit card that allows American Express Saudi Arabia Cardmembers to earn miles directly using the card. Present to mark the occasion during a signing ceremony at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, were SAUDIA’s Vice President of Marketing and Product Management, Mr. Essam Akhonbay and American Express Saudi Arabia Chief Marketing Officer, Mr. Khalid Mohammad Kayal. Commenting on the expanded partnership, Mr. Akhonbay said: “SAUDIA is proud to be building on the successful, long-standing partnership with American Express Saudi Arabia,” “Jointly, we are committed to providing members with additional convenience to maximize earned


benefits and build travel journeys with flexibility in mind.” Mr. Kayal added: “Consolidating our strategic partnership with SAUDIA for the benefit of our Cardmembers is an important priority. The relationship with SAUDIA started with the successful AlFursan American Express cobrand credit card and through signing our new agreement all American Express Saudi Arabia Cardmembers will be able to access the benefit of our strategic partnership and redeem their Memberships Rewards® points toward AlFursan miles.” SAUDIA’s vast network of flights connects to more than 95 destinations across four continents. The airline recently announced the addition of 10 new international routes: Bangkok, Thailand; Barcelona and Malaga, Spain; Marrakech, Morocco; Mykonos, Greece; Moscow, Russia; Beijing, China; Seoul, South Korea; Entebbe, Uganda; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Chicago, Illinois in the United States of America. SAUDIA provides a full suite of online services through www.saudia.com and its mobile app which enable guests to book and manage their flights conveniently and easily.


ARABIAN NEWS 25


SAUDIA wins Best Stand Design and People’s Choice Award at Arabian Travel Market 2022


Industry experts optimistic about future of international travel and tourism in the Middle East during opening session of Arabian Travel Market 2022


THE opening session of the 29th edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) – the Middle East’s largest travel and tourism showcase – took place live in Dubai , shining a spotlight on the future of international travel and tourism within the region and beyond.


As the post-pandemic recovery of the Middle East’s travel and tourism sector continues apace, industry leaders took to the ATM Global Stage to explore the latest trends and global movements that are steering the sector forward. Flexibility, responsiveness, sustainability and innovation were all highlighted as catalysts for long-term success. Moderated by Eleni Giokos, Anchor and Correspondent at CNN, the opening session’s panellists included Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing; Scott Livermore, Chief Economist at Oxford Economics; Jochem-Jam Sleiffer, President – Middle East, Africa and Turkey at Hilton; Bilal Kabbani, Industry Head – Travel and Tourism at Google; and Andrew Brown, Regional


Director – Europe, Middle East and Oceania at the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). Commenting on the ever-increasing importance of environmentally responsible travel and tourism, Issam Kazim said: “A few years ago, we launched special awards to recognise the efforts that hotels in Dubai are making in advancing sustainability within the emirate’s tourism industry. We have now broadened this with the continued support of our valued stakeholders and partners to ensure that everyone operating in the travel and tourism space is working with sustainability at top of mind. We are also highlighting its importance to residents and visitors, as evident in the launch of the Dubai Can sustainability initiative. “With the post-pandemic era set to create a highly competitive landscape, our successful tourism recovery strategy is still evolving in keeping to the disruption taking place across global tourism. As we continue to embrace creativity and innovation to stay ahead of the curve, we will remain focused on creating alternative pathways to growth as we strive


to achieve the goal of our visionary leadership to make Dubai the world’s most sought-after destination and the best place in the world to live and work in,” Kazim added. Kazim’s fellow panellists cited examples such as Expo 2020 Dubai as proof of the emirate’s success in following through on its travel and tourism-related commitments, noting that destinations across the Middle East are working hard to mirror this success.


Panellists also noted that domestic travel had rebounded at a faster pace than international travel in the Middle East. Regional trips accounted for 55 percent of demand in 2019, according to Scott Livermore, and this figure grew to more than 80 percent during the segment’s post-Covid peak. While Livermore predicted the proportion of regional trips accounted for by international travel would continue to recover in the future, he also pointed out that the importance of domestic travel was likely to persist.


In addition, speakers highlighted the role of mega-events, such as Expo 2020 Dubai and FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, in ensuring tourism in the Middle East continues to recover more rapidly than in other regions. Panellists also noted that, while issues related to the supply chain and oil prices represent challenges for the sector, they remain cautiously optimistic due to high levels of pend-up demand in the wake of the pandemic.


Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME for Arabian Travel Market, said: “Speakers during our opening session offered a selection of fascinating insights into the future of the Middle East’s travel and tourism sector. “Industry professionals are going to great lengths to meet customers’ evolving requirements in the wake of the global pandemic, and it was interesting to learn about the steps already taken to ensure the long-term success of travel and tourism in our region. Curtis added.


THE SAUDIA stand stood out for its futuristic and eye-catching design amongst 1,500 exhibiting companies at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2022 in Dubai as it was crowned the winner of Best Stand Design and the People’s Choice Award at the popular Best Stand Awards.


Using vivid colours and futuristic design elements, the three-level SAUDIA stand featured a mesmerising and immersive staircase. For the Best Stand Design category, the judging panel, including Matt Gibson, CEO, UpThink; Andrew Wingrove, Group Director, Motivate Media Group; Joe Mortimer, Editor-at-Large, Destinations of the World News; Philip Wooller, Area Director Middle East & Africa – STR; and Paul Johnson, Editor, A Luxury Travel Blog focused on identifying a stand with a creative design that makes the best use of available space and appears inviting from a visitor perspective.


Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “Arabian Travel Market is once again proud to celebrate the best of exhibition stand design and event experiences with the return of the Best Stand Awards. A common theme highlighted throughout the exhibition halls this year was the ability to create an immersive experience that offers an engaging and imaginative look into the company’s products and services.” The coveted award for Best Stand for Doing Business was awarded to Jumeirah International for its inviting and aesthetically brilliant design that incorporated a busy and stimulating environment for networking and business. Runner ups in this category included Turkish Airlines, Ras Al Khaimah and Al Mousa for their creative use of technology and installations.


Judges selected the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi stand for Best Stand Feature for its ability to pull in the crowds from the exhibition floor, while the Dubai Tourism, Saudi Tourism Authority and Emaar Hospitality Group stands were all highly commended in this category. The Best New Stand category win was awarded to Ishraq Hospitality, who were making their debut at the show this year, for their wooden design reminiscent of the desert landscape. The final award was the Best Stand within the ATM Travel Tech, which shines a light on the importance of technology to the industry and rewards exhibitors with a tech focus. TBS/Vbooking’s innovative design impressed the judges for its immersive metaverse experience. The winners of this year’s awards were presented with their awards on the exhibition show floor on Wednesday, 11 May 2022.


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