The participants converged to engage with key outbound travel agencies and meeting and conferencing professionals from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, fostering one-on-one interactions aimed at creating tailored travel packages, itineraries, and events for 2023/ 2024, designed exclusively for travellers based in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
The 2023 edition of the Aviareps Caravan featured 27 international partners, including The Royal Commission for AlUla, The Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, Malta Tourism Authority, Visit Hungary, Visit California, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, Trnava Regional Tourism Board, Galeria Canalejas, Sunway Hotel & Resorts, Al Riyadh, and a select collection of international hospitality brands, airlines and destination management companies.
Glenn Johnston, Vice President Middle East & Global Public Affairs, Aviareps, said: “We look ahead with optimism and excitement as we work with our partners and travel trade affiliates to redefine travel and craft journeys that captivate the imaginations of Gulf travellers, while setting new standards for responsible and enriching exploration and experiences.”
Johnston added: “Luxury travel continues to thrive, with travellers from the Gulf countries showing an increasing appetite for bespoke experiences that cater to their discerning tastes. Our focus remains on crafting journeys that blend opulence with authenticity, providing travellers with exclusive access to hidden gems, and natural and cultural treasures around the world.”
The Riyadh event of Aviareps Middle East Travel Caravan was held on Sept. 13 and drew substantial interest.ALULA IDEAS
AlUla sent a strong delegation to the recently concluded Aviareps Middle East Travel Caravan, with the Royal Commission itself present at the show, a few destination management companies and luxury-wellness property Habitas AlUla.
Glenn Johnston, Vice President Middle East & Global Public Affairs, Aviareps, told TTN, “AlUla’s presence at the Travel Caravan is perfectly timed as different festivals come alive under AlUla Moments and also as more rooms start to come online. Specifically for the festivals, different types of camps are being set up and there’s a steady FlyDubai connection directly from the UAE. AlUla is a story of real progression and growth.”
Underlining the importance of the UAE as one of AlUla’s key international markets, the destinations year-round calendar of events AlUla Moments was launched in Dubai. While Saudi Arabia remains the most important feeder market for AlUla, the destination is branching out internationally, not just in Dubai, Johnston tells us.
“The short flight to AlUla not only provides a ‘new’ destination for travellers from the UAE, but also an opportunity to combine it with the historic towns of Khaybar and Tayma, which when combined with AlUla provide weeklong heritage trail itineraries for guests to enjoy.
“Top-of-the-line international concerts such as shows by Bruno Mars, provide that extra pull factor for travellers.”
MALTA PRIVATE JETS
WITH Malta, Aviareps has been planning something quite unique with Malta Tourism Authority: private jet itineraries complete with crafted experiences that cannot be replicated.
Glenn Johnston, Vice President Middle East & Global Public Affairs, Aviareps, says, “It has been a year in the making because it has required us to work with Malta Airport Authority to secure landing rights, finding the right jet service provider, putting together experiences that are so unique they are not commercially available.
“For private jet itineraries to Malta, we are looking, in particular, at special events such as The Rolex Middle Sea Race (for yachts) and one of my personal favourites, The Malta Classic, a vintage car rally around Mdina. Flights will connect from Dubai and Saudi Arabia, which at the moment has no direct connectivity with Malta.
“More and more people are taking jets now. We just want to equip travel advisors and concierge desks with confidence to be able to sell private jet holidays to Malta as something new and because we have curated just the right product for it,” says Johnston.