RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA—Saudi Arabia registered more international arrivals than any other Arab nation during the first nine months of 2022 at 18 million, indicating it’s on track to reach its target of 100 million annual visitors by the end of this decade, officials said.
Figures released by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) show that Saudi Arabia attracted more than 18 million inbound visits in the first three quarters of 2022, followed by the United Arab Emirates (14.8 million tourists) and Morocco (11 million tourists), which ranked second and third in the region, respectively.
Owing to these unprecedented numbers, the Kingdom’s burgeoning tourism sector will represent a key focus at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023, which will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 1-4 May.
This year’s Saudi Summit will take place on the Global Stage and focus on the importance of the Kingdom in reshaping the regional travel and tourism landscape now that mega projects are well under way.
In addition to the summit, ATM 2023 will feature a host of Saudi exhibitors, including Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA), flynas, Makkah Clock Royal Tower, Asma Hospitality Company, Eye of Riyadh, Itrip, Dur Hospitality, Sadana Real Estate Co, Saudi Amad for Airport Services & Transport Support and
many more.
“From upcoming giga-developments such as NEOM and the Red Sea Project to how the Kingdom’s latest visa reforms are bolstering its travel sector, we expect Saudi Arabia to represent a major drawcard during the upcoming edition of ATM,” said Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market.
Tourism spending in Saudi Arabia also skyrocketed last year, hitting $7.2 billion in H1 2022 according to figures released by the country’s Ministry of Investment. Travel experts from around the world will place these statistics under the microscope at ATM 2023, as part of a series of KSA-focused sessions and panel discussions.
DOHA, Qatar – Qatar Airways, the Official Airline Partner of FIFA, concluded its FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ journey in style, presenting the medals and individual awards to Argentina after their historic 4-2 victory on penalties over 2018 champions, France.
Following a thrilling month of non-stop action and entertainment, the airline operated nearly 14,000 flights, uniting the world in Qatar for the greatest sporting show on Earth.
As the Official Airline Partner of FIFA and the Official Airline of the Journey, Qatar Airways celebrated the historic FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ with its global passengers through countless international, local, and onboard football-themed activations and entertainment experiences. The tournament was a resounding success, with impressive attendance figures of over 3.4 million fans throughout the 64 matches.
Throughout the duration of the tournament, the Qatar Airways Sky House, located at the FIFA Fan Festival™ at Al Bidda Park, welcomed more than 1.8 million fans. The iconic pavilion provided a range of interactive activities, including a Neymar challenge, Qverse experience, Swing the World, foosball, and face painting.
“What started off as a dream has finally turned into reality. The State of Qatar succeeded in bringing the world together in a celebration of football and unity, and now history will remember this FIFA World Cup™, the first in the Middle East, and the best edition ever. On behalf of the Qatar Airways Group, I would like to congratulate the Argentinian team for their victorious performance and also commend the French team for their inspiring journey throughout the tournament,” said Qatar Airways Group Chief ExecutiveAkbar Al Baker.
“We are grateful to have been a part of this long and rewarding experience as the Official Airline of the Journey. For every step and every mile travelled with us, we have aimed to deliver a flying experience like no other.”
Qatar Airways concluded the tournament festivities with a partnership with the international artist, Lili Cantero. During the Final, Cantero live painted a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 aircraft model at the FIFA Fan Festival™. Cantero depicted key moments and highlights of the thrilling face-off between Argentina and France. At the intersection of arts and sports, her work portrays the story of the successfully delivered FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.
To celebrate the beginning of the tournament, Qatar Airways launched its official FIFA World Cup™ campaign song, ‘C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.S’, featuring the internationally renowned artists DJ Rodge and Cheb Khaled. In the span of a month, the highly-popular song reached an astonishing 23 million views.
Privilege Club, the Official Frequent Flyer Programme of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ welcomed over 67,000 new valued members across the tournament period, having successfully completed five different offer campaigns.
Qatar Airways offered all passengers flying through Hamad International Airport (HIA) and Doha International Airport (DIA) a complimentary experience at the Passenger Overflow Areas (POAs) – pre-departure waiting spaces, setting a new standard of excellence for international travel at sporting events. The POAs were built to provide fans with dedicated facilities, to complete their FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ journey.
During the tournament, Qatar Duty Free (QDF), the Official Retail Store for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, exclusively sold FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ merchandise in the fan zones and at all of the eight spectacular stadiums. QDF also inaugurated the first FIFA store at HIA, showcasing an impressive collection of merchandise, souvenirs, collectibles and team jerseys.
Throughout the World Cup period, Qatar Airways and Qatar Executive also sponsored the Diego Armando Maradona Give&GetFanfest to honour the late, great Diego Maradona, using state-of-the-art technology, public exhibits, events, auctions and more.
Besides the football, the airline also hosted seven Qatar Live concerts to engage audiences with performances from Jason Derulo, Enrique Iglesias, Black Eyed Peas, J Balvin, Robbie Williams, Tamer Hosny, and Akon. Alongside these world-renowned artists, Qatar Live also brought back the Daydream festival with a new stage – the Magic Lantern.
Hamad International Airport, ranked “Best Airport in the World” for the second year in a row by SKYTRAX World Airport Awards 2022, unveiled a state-of-the-art 10,000-sqm, lush, tropical indoor garden named “The Orchard.” Drenched in natural light and featuring sustainably sourced plants and shrubs, it offered a show-stopping, luxury shopping experience to fans with many first-of-a-kind retail outlets.
In 2017, Qatar Airways announced its partnership with FIFA as the Official Airline. The alliance has gone on to connect and unite fans globally, with The World’s Best Airline also sponsoring numerous football tournaments such as the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017™, the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, the FIFA Club World Cup™, and the FIFA Women’s World Cup™.
A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways currently flies to more than 150 destinations worldwide, connecting through its Doha hub, Hamad International Airport, voted by Skytrax as the ‘World’s Best Airport’.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates—flydubai has unveiled a special livery on two of its Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft to celebrate the Argentina national football team’s victory in the final of the World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
As the regional partner for the Argentine Football Association (AFA), the Dubai-based low-cost carrier carried the champions from Abu Dhabi to Doha after they concluded their training on 18 November, marking the start of their race to the cup.
The new livery features the iconic world cup trophy and the Argentina national flag over the winning team of Capt. Lionel Messi, which include Julian Alvarez, Rodrigo De Paul, Angel Di Maria, Lautaro Martinez, Nicolas Otamendi, Paulo Dybala, etc. The “Campeón” decal and the three-starred AFA logo are added to the celebratory liveries.
The aircraft A6-FKA and A6-FKB will operate on select flights on the last day of the Match Day Shuttle service between Dubai World Central (DWC) and Doha International Airport (DIA). Since the launch of these special Match Day Shuttle flights on 21 November, flydubai has carried more than 170,000 football fans from across the globe to Doha to take part in the biggest event in the world.
Commenting on the Argentina national football team’s win and the new special liveries, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “What a fantastic fun-filled month of football it has been. The operation of up to 30 daily Match Day Shuttle flights between Dubai and Doha has been an unprecedented milestone in the region. This was possible thanks to the support and collaboration of all involved including Dubai Airports, dnata, Dubai Police, Dubai Immigration, the authorities and our partner Qatar Airways.”
“To be able to partner with the winning team was a momentous achievement in flydubai’s history. Congratulations to our partner, the Argentina national football team, and well done to all the teams who participated in this year’s tournament that will surely go down in history as one of the most memorable editions of the world cup to date,” he added.
Abu Dhabi, UAE– Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the UAE, has celebrated the milestone of carrying 10 million passengers in 2022.
The 10 millionth passenger and their family were surprised onboard flight EY205 from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi with a cake, complimentary roundtrip tickets, as well as Gold tier membership on Etihad Guest, aircraft models and a polaroid camera to capture the occasion.
“Thank you to each one of our guests who chose to fly with Etihad Airways and to our team for delivering our award-winning and reliable service day in and day out in 2022. Reaching the 10 million mark is an important milestone for the airline and our entire Etihad family,” said Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Aviation Group, has reinforced its commitment to the Chinese and Indian markets, reinstating a twice-weekly freighter service from Shanghai to Abu Dhabi via Chennai starting 8 December.
The additional freighter service will provide additional capacity into two key global markets.
“The Indian market is currently booming,” said Martin Drew, Senior Vice President Global Sales & Cargo at Etihad Aviation Group. “The country’s industrial production is rising and manufacturing output is rebounding, driven by increases in the production of machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and metals, among others. As part of Etihad Cargo’s commitment to supporting this key market, the carrier has opened up freighter capacity from Chennai to support increased demand from customers in the region.”
This latest addition to Etihad Cargo’s network follows the introduction of twice-weekly direct flights to Guangzhou. With the introduction of this destination to the carrier’s network, Etihad Cargo became the first international airline to operate long-haul cargo and passenger services to the top three Chinese gateways — Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou — since the beginning of the pandemic.
In addition to expanding operations in China and India, Etihad Cargo has continuously reviewed its global network, adding destinations and frequencies, and is optimising freighter utilisation to support key trade lanes and customer demand.
DUBAI, UAE—flydubai, the Dubai-based airline, announced the launch of daily flights to St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo International Airport (LED) from 20 January 2023. The carrier has grown its network to 114 destinations most of which were not previously served with direct airlinks to the United Arab Emirates.
flydubai flights to St. Petersburg from Terminal 2, Dubai International (DXB)is currently scheduled to be operated by its fleet of Boeing MAX 8 aircraft. The flight time on this route is six hours and 50 minutes, making it one of the longer flights the carrier operates to after Krabi and Pattaya in Thailand which will also commence on 20 January 2023.
Commenting on the announcement, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “2022 has been a tremendous year for growth for flydubai. We have taken delivery of 18 new aircraft this year which has enabled us to continue to expand our network and add more capacity on some of our existing routes. We are confident this momentum will continue well into next year thanks to the hard work of everyone at flydubai and the encouraging economic environment Dubai has given us.”
The carrier first started its operations to the Russian market in 2010 with direct flights to Samara and Yekaterinburg. With the launch of the new service, flydubai will serve nine destinations in the market including Kazan (KZN), Makhachkala (MCX), Mineralnye Vody (MRV), Moscow (VKO), Novosibirsk (OVB), Samara (KUF), St Petersburg (LED), Ufa (UFA) and Yekaterinburg (SVX).
Commenting on the launch of flights to St. Petersburg, Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai, said: “the start of our operations to St Petersburg will give passengers from the market a more convenient option for travel to Dubai and further afield onto the flydubai network to popular holiday destinations such as the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Zanzibar. Customers can enjoy a comfortable travel experience on board our Boeing 737 MAX aircraft which features a lie-flat seat in Business Class, comfortable seats in Economy Class with in-seat Inflight Entertainment and an internationally inspired menu.”
St. Petersburg is considered to be Russia’s cultural capital. Also known as the “Venice of the North”, the city is home to the Neva River canals, impressive historic architecture and one of most renowned museums, the Hermitage palace.
flydubai has recently announced the launch of operations to six new routes in 2023 including flights to Cagliari in Sardinia, Corfu in Greece, Gan in the Maldives, Krabi and Pattaya in Thailand and Milan Bergamo in Italy.
DUBAI, UAE—The Emirates Group announced its revenues soared by 128% during the first half of 2022-23, earning it $1.2 billion (AED 4.2 billion) in profits, a record half-year performance, and a turnaround of almost AED 10 billion from its AED 5.7 billion (US$ 1.6 billion) loss for the same period last year.
The Group also reported an EBITDA of AED 15.3 billion (US$ 4.2 billion), a marked improvement from AED 5.6 billion (US$ 1.5 billion) during the same period last year, illustrating its strong operating profitability.
Group revenue was AED 56.3 billion (US$ 15.3 billion) for the first six months of 2022-23, up 128% from AED 24.7 billion (US$ 6.7 billion) last year, driven by the strong demand for air transport across the world with the further easing and removal of pandemic-related travel restrictions.
The Group closed the first half year of 2022-23 with a strong cash position of AED 32.6 billion (US$ 8.9 billion) on 30 September 2022, compared to AED 25.8 billion (US$ 7.0 billion), as on 31 March 2022. The Group has been able to tap on its own strong cash reserves to support business needs, including debt payments and pandemic-related commitments.
“Across the Group, our operations recovery accelerated as more countries eased and removed travel restrictions. We were ready and amongst the first movers to serve the strong customer demand thanks to our robust business plans, the support of our industry partners, and our ongoing investments in people, technology, and products and services,” said His Highness (HH) Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group.
“For the coming months, we remain focussed on restoring our operations to pre-pandemic levels and recruiting the right skills for our current and future requirements. We expect customer demand across our business divisions to remain strong in H2 2022-23. However, the horizon is not without headwinds, and we are keeping a close watch on inflationary costs and other macro-challenges such as the strong US dollar and the fiscal policies of major markets,” he added.
In line with increased capacity and business activities, the Emirates Group’s employee base, compared to 31 March 2022, grew 10% to an overall count of 93,893 at 30 September 2022.
Emirates Airline & Emirates SkyCargo
Emirates continued to focus on restoring its global passenger network and connections through its Dubai hub, restarting services and adding flights to meet customer demand across markets.
In June, it launched services to Tel Aviv, a new destination. Expanding connectivity options for customers, Emirates launched codeshare and interline agreements with 12 airlines in the first six months of 2022-23: Airlink, AEGEAN, ITA Airways, Air Baltic, Air Canada, Bamboo Airways, Batik Air, Finnair, Royal Air Maroc, Sky Express, Sun Country Airlines, and United Airlines.
By 30 September, the airline was operating passenger and cargo services to 140 airports, utilising its entire Boeing 777 fleet and 73 A380s.
During the first six months of 2022-23, Emirates took delivery of 2 new Boeing 777 freighters and returned 1 older freighter from its fleet as part of its long-standing strategy to minimise its emissions footprint and operate modern, efficient aircraft. With new passenger aircraft only expected to arrive in 2024, Emirates has begun its multibillion-dollar program to retrofit 120 aircraft with its latest cabin interiors and products.
Overall capacity during the first six months of the year increased by 40% to 22.8 billion Available Tonne Kilometers (ATKM) due to an expanded flight program as more countries eased travel restrictions. Capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometers (ASKM), increased by 123%, whilst passenger traffic carried measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPKM) was up by 265% with an average Passenger Seat Factor of 78.5%, compared with 47.9% during the same period last year.
Emirates carried 20 million passengers between 1 April and 30 September 2022, up 228% from the same period last year.
Emirates Skycargo uplifted 936,000 tons in the first six months of the year, a 14% decrease compared to the same period last year, as the airline shifted capacity from its “mini-freighters” back to passenger operations.
dnata
In line with increased air and passenger traffic across markets, dnata’s businesses in cargo and ground handling, catering and retail, and travel services saw a significant uptick in operations. This drove strong revenue growth in the first six months of 2022-23, however, dnata’s overall performance was dampened by inflation and increased costs across its markets.
In the first half of 2022-23, dnata grew its footprint with new long-term concession contracts to provide services in Zanzibar (dnata airport operations), and Ras Al Khaimah (Alpha Catering). Its Airport Operations division entered the German market with the acquisition of Wisskirchen Handling Services, the exclusive operator at Cologne Bonn Cargo Centre; and acquired the remaining 30% stake to assume full ownership of its ground handling business in Brazil.
dnata’s revenue, including other operating income, of AED 7.3 billion (US$ 2.0 billion) doubled compared to AED 3.7 billion (US$ 1 billion) generated in the same period last year. Its overall profit totaled AED 236 million (US$ 64 million), compared to last year’s AED 85 million (US$ 23 million).
Switzerland: Air Austral, a Reunion Island-based French airline, and Unilode Aviation Solutions, the market leader in outsourced unit load device (ULD) management, repair and digital services, have extended their ULD management partnership until 2026.
Unilode has been managing Air Austral’s ULD fleet since 2016. Under the terms of the renewed agreement Unilode will supply lighter weight and more durable digitalised containers for Air Austral to further reduce the fuel costs and CO2 emission of Air Austral’s five wide-body aircraft.
Joseph Brema, Chief Executive Officer, Air Austral, said: “We are very pleased with the renewal of our ULD management partnership with Unilode, particularly at a time when Air Austral is recovering its pre-Covid activity, and even strengthening its offer on some of its long-haul routes. The new digital containers supplied by Unilode will help us reduce our carbon footprint and save on fuel costs, an environmental issue to which Air Austral is particularly sensitive. Our partnership has delivered the expected results over the past six years, and we have been especially pleased with Unilode’s commitment, presence and focus on meeting our expectations. We look forward to continuing partnering with Unilode for many years to come.”
Ross Marino, Chief Executive Officer, Unilode, said: “It is great to see our airline customers’ recovery and growth as the industry bounces back after the pandemic, and we are delighted with Air Austral’s decision to extend our ULD management agreement for a further four years. Sustainability is high on Air Austral’s agenda and the new lighter weight containers will contribute to reaching its carbon footprint reduction targets. We place great importance on continuous process and performance improvement and customer success, so we are delighted that our efforts are being recognised by Air Austral.”
Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA—Ethiopian Airlines, the largest aviation group in Africa, has partnered with the globally leading online booking platform GetYourGuide, to offer passengers an unforgettable travel experience.
This partnership provides Ethiopian Airlines’ customers easy access to book travel activities alongside their flight. Passengers will have the option of booking high quality and well-curated tours and activities online either immediately after booking flights or at a later date.
“Ethiopian strives to offer passengers a service beyond just travel and its ancillary services are its tools in doing so. The new partnership with GetYourGuide will be the new stream of convenience our leisure passengers can enjoy. Putting our vast network and GetYourGuide’s services in major cities around the world into consideration, our passengers will have a great number of exciting experiences to choose from,” said Ethiopian Airlines Chief Commercial Officer Lemma Yadecha.
GetYourGuide is the globally leading online booking platform offering unforgettable travel experiences and extraordinary tours and activities around the world such as guided tours with the best local experts, cooking and craft classes, local food tours, skip the line tickets to the world’s most famous sights, once-in-a-lifetime “bucket list” experiences and niche offers that can’t be found anywhere else. The tours and activities offered by GetYourGuide will be available for booking through Ethiopian Airlines website.
Doha, Qatar – With the countdown to hosting the world’s largest football event advancing, Qatar Airways Group and Qatar Tourism unveiled major events to provide football fans with world-class entertainment including Qatar Live – which hosts more than 60 international artists throughout the World Cup.
Over 10 projects have been developed for the event with partners including Qatar Tourism, Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy and Qatari Diar. The airline announced the development of beach clubs, fan zones and theme parks, in addition to hosting Qatar Live, Daydream Music Festival, Lusail Boulevard brand activation, Qatar Airways Sky House, Winter Wonderland and the naming ceremony for the MSC World Europa cruise ship.
At an insightful press conference, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker was joined by FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Chief Executive Officer, Nasser Al Khater and MATAR Chief Operations Officer, Eng. Badr Al Meer.
“Today we see the breadth of what can be accomplished when aviation and tourism work together. We are very proud to announce a wide range of world-class live entertainment coming to Qatar to celebrate the most exciting tournament that will take place in the Middle East. We look forward to our locals and tourists alike having the best of the entertainment industry readily available for their enjoyment,” said Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker.
Chief Executive Officer, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, Nasser Al Khater, said: “Qatar is ready to welcome the world and host a unique edition of the FIFA World Cup – the first to take place in the Middle East and Arab world. Fans can expect top-class international football and a vast array of entertainment options. The live acts announced today by Qatar Airways and Qatar Tourism are sure to excite fans from everywhere as they prepare to descend on our country for an unforgettable festival of football, fun and entertainment.”
Chief Operating Officer at MATAR, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, noted, “MATAR is ready for the much-anticipated FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and we look forward to welcoming fans for the mega event. We are introducing exciting activations at Hamad International Airport and Doha International Airport, which will embody the spirit of football and make this truly a once in a lifetime experience.”
FIFA Onboard Experience
The Official Airline Partner for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ sets the stage with a unique onboard cabin experience. Passengers will have much to look forward to when travelling with Qatar Airways during the football season, with a special range of FIFA World Cup themed products and activations.
The football-inspired cabin includes FIFA limited edition amenity kits, souvenir cushions, headphones, dining menus and football jersey-styled loungewear. Young traveller packs and plush toys have been especially curated for our younger fans.
The Official Airline of the Journey Qatar Airways Oryx One In-flight Entertainment system will be home to more than 180 football related titles including an exclusive interview with FIFA president Gianni Infantino. During FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, passengers can enjoy complimentary livestreaming of World Cup matches and other major sporting events directly from passengers’ personal devices.
Beach Clubs
Doha Sands is one of Qatar’s newest beaches where live music, dancing and dining come together for an unforgettable experience. Locals and tourists can enjoy Doha’s classic food kiosks for a range of culinary options.
Named after Doha’s prominent district, West Bay Beach is a public beach shoreline that is set to offer families a range of water sports activities, and accommodate up to 1,500 guests. Sports fans can also enjoy the first-of-its-kind Fuwairit Kite Beach, built on Qatar’s northern coast, the resort offers thrill seekers spaces to relax and unwind after a day’s activities.
Fuwairit Kite Beach Resort
Situated on pristine coastline next to a natural lagoon, the resort offers kite surfers an ideal setting to practice their sport. With a total of 50 rooms, the resort offers 40 beach-front rooms, where guests can enjoy various facilities including pool, yoga pavilion, Padel courts, an outdoor cinema, and a state-of-the-art gym.
Qatar Live
Qatar Live, a series of concerts will engage audiences with performances from Enrique Iglesias, Black Eyed Peas, Maroon 5, Post Malone, J Balvin and Robbie Williams. Alongside these world-renowned artists, Qatar Live will bring back the Daydream festival with this year’s new stage the Magic Lantern. Daydream Qatar 2022 will be headlining the biggest DJ line up seen in the Middle East, with Alesso, Alok, Armin Van Buren, DVLM, John Newmam, Major Lazer, Tiesto, & Tinny Trumpet, with many more global artists to be announced ahead of the tournament. Additionally, the airline and its partners will schedule family theatre circus musical performances including The Enchanted Prince, and Pinocchio. The Qatar Live series has been organised by the international event management company Alchemy Project.
The Coca-Cola Company will be sponsoring Qatar Live allowing attendees to sip on their favourite beverage while enjoying the various shows.
Winter Wonderland
Lusail Winter Wonderland is a remarkable theme park located on Al Maha Island, in the heart of Qatar’s entertainment district, that is set to open to the public in November. This unique theme park will feature more than 50 exhilarating rides and attractions including the Qatar Airways Forest Train inside the Qatar Airways Festive Forrest, the Flume ride Arctic Splash, a giant Ice Slide, The Galleon, the Ooredoo 5G Rollercoaster, and the Ain QNB which is a 150 ft Ferris Wheel.
Technology has made the world smaller and faster.Real time communication with people from all over the world at different time zones through phones and gadgets
