Sabre extends agreement

Bahrain-headquartered Sabre Travel Network Middle East (STNME), the world’s leading provider of high performance travel solutions, has signed a three-year extension to its existing agreement for El Ajouz Travel, one of Lebanon’s leading travel agencies to use  Sabre GDS for all reservation needs. 

Expo doubles in size

Bahrain’s second annual Food&Hospitality Expo was held in January and witnessed more than 100 per cent growth in participation over the 2009 inaugural event.

Expo 2010, at Bahrain Exhibition and Conference Centre, drew 81 exhibitors, compared to 40 in 2009, who showcased a range of products and services related to all aspects of food and beverage, catering equipment, food processing technology, and packaging.

Flying high

Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital, the world’s largest facility of its kind and one of the main tourist attractions in the capital of the UAE, has won the prestigious ‘Golden Tourism Award’ from the Madrid-headquartered Trade Leaders Club, a business organisation representing 7,000 producers and service providers across 120 countries.

The award is in recognition of the venue’s outstanding leisure and Mice tourism programme, which includes guided tours of the facility and the chance for visitors to try their hand at the noble art under expert guidance.

Ports handling agreement

SNTTA Emir Cruises, the cruise management division of leading destination management company SNTTA Emir Tours, has been appointed by Royal Caribbean Cruises to handle the ground arrangements for its super-luxury ship Brilliance of the Seas which sailed on its maiden Gulf cruise from Dubai in January.

SNTTA Emir Tours, part of the UAE-based Liberty Investment Company (Liberty Group), will handle all shore excursions in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Fujairah.  In addition, the company will handle embarkation, disembarkation, airport and hotel transfers in Dubai, UAE, as well as provide trained check-in teams at the Dubai Cruise Terminal.

Sixt awards triumph

Car rental giant Sixt was proclaimed the world’s best car rental company at the 2009 annual ‘Best Awards’ as voted by around 300,000 travel professionals in a survey by Travel & Leisure magazine.

Sixt, which is locally represented by Gragash Enterprises, has recently launched its services from Abu Dhabi International Airport and already has offices in Dubai and Sharjah airports.    

All at sea

Speedboat tours are the latest tourism product to arrive in the UAE capital.

The Yellow Boats are providing a unique way to explore Abu Dhabi city’s headline-grabbing new developments and stunning coastline with guided tours of signature attractions as well as nature tours and the Ultimate Thrill Ride for adventure seekers.

The top-of-the-line rigid inflatable craft are manned by experienced and fully-qualified boat crews and tours can be tailor-made and last between 30 and 60 minutes.