KUCHING, Sarawak, 27 January 2025: The Sibu and Miri Visitor Information Centres under the Sarawak Tourism Board presented the Lunar New Year Market: Spring in the City, a pop-up celebration on 25 to 26 January at the VIC Sibu Garden and VIC Miri Garden.
Over the two festive nights, the event featured cultural performances and displays by artisan vendors, with VIC Sibu hosting 12 vendors and VIC Miri showcasing 22 vendors. Together, they presented a welcome celebration before the start of the Year of the Snake on 29 January.
Visitors enjoyed the festive atmosphere through captivating performances, including the Lion Dance, Dragon Dance, San Tai Zi — an energetic and theatrical dance from Chinese folklore — and an exhilarating Wushu demonstration.
The event also highlighted the talents of local artisans, providing a chance to explore Sarawak’s creativity and take home handmade crafts.
As a family-friendly celebration, the Lunar New Year Market delivered a memorable experience for locals, tourists, and the entire community.
Beyond the festivities, the event also underscored the evolving role of Sarawak’s Visitor Information Centres as dynamic community hubs. Originally established to provide travel information, the VICs have grown into hubs that actively collaborate with stakeholders, celebrate Sarawak’s rich culture and attractions, and host events that strengthen community connections while promoting regional tourism.
Aligned with the Sarawak Tourism Board’s commitment to sustainability, the Lunar New Year Market strongly emphasised eco-friendly practices, embodying the Board’s vision for a responsible and dynamic tourism ecosystem.
Through partnerships with regional stakeholders and support for local artisans, the VICs continue to enhance Sarawak’s tourism offerings while cultivating a robust and collaborative network.
DUBAI UAE, 27 January 2025: Emirates has officially debuted a new uniform designed for its Premium & VIP Passenger Services team, who are responsible for the seamless transfer of Premium & VIP personnel through Dubai International Airport (DXB).
The new uniform echoes the iconic Emirates cabin crew look. However, it exclusively represents Emirates’ elite unit that caters to high-profile customers.
A new look for an elite team
Emirates’ Premium & VIP Passenger Services in Dubai are a busy and in-demand team, with Dubai lauded as the premier destination for high-net-worth individuals and a central hub for world-class meetings, incentives, conferences and events. The sophisticated uniform introduced at Emirates’ hub reflects the elevated service and attention to detail offered to Premium & VIP customers, as they arrive in Dubai or transit through.
Designed in-house by Emirates’ uniform standards team, there are 3 different variations of the uniform – a stylish A-line skirt suit for ladies, a chic pantsuit for ladies, and a tailored 3-piece suit for gentlemen. Just like the cabin crew uniform, the VIP Passenger Services uniform is designed in warm sand shades, symbolising the desert dunes of the United Arab Emirates, with a subtle red collar and matching cuffs for ladies. The suit is accented by the iconic Emirates red hat with a gold pin showcasing the Emirates logo, and an elegantly draped cream-coloured chiffon scarf, representing the local culture. The look is completed with red leather shoes and matching handbags where Ambassadors can carry iPads and essential documents for their clientele. In the VIP Passenger Services female uniform – fans will notice a red pleat in the A-line skirt, allowing the busy Ambassadors to walk comfortably around the vast airport, and a red leather belt at the waist, adding a stylish touch. The menswear is tailored to perfection and made to measure for each Ambassador, featuring a jacket, pants and waistcoat, accented with a red pocket square and muted tie.
Managing travel for high-profile VIPs
The 145-strong team at Emirates has been meticulously trained to handle high-profile VIP passengers and Premium First Class connecting passengers at Dubai International Airport, offering exceptional service and hospitality to more than 150,000 Premium and VIP passengers annually.
Within the team of 120 Ambassadors and additional operational staff at the Control Centre, there are more than 50 nationalities speaking a myriad of languages to the international First-class connecting passengers and VIPs, across various areas of Dubai International Airport.
VIP Passengers departing Dubai, flying into Dubai and transiting through can include all kinds of dignitaries and heads of state from members of Royal families worldwide, Presidents and former Presidents, international Ministers, Ambassadors, celebrities and public personalities, athletes and actors, and even globally recognised influencers and vloggers. As well as regular VIP travel which occurs throughout the year, the VIP Passenger Services team also carefully plans and prepares for an international calendar of notable events with high levels of VIP travel, like the World Government Summit, Formula 1, Dubai World Cup and Dubai Film Festival, as well as events on the global stage, from the World Sports Events, G20 Summit, EXPO 2025 to the G7 Summit and the World Sustainable Development Summit.
First-class passengers also enjoy a seamless transit experience in Dubai. As connecting travellers, they benefit from dedicated services such as expedited security and escorts to their departure lounge.
Premium & VIP Ambassador services
The core operations consist of two teams: One team manages the Premium First-Class connecting customers at the airport’s airside, and the other manages the high-profile VIP customers.
The VIP team manages pick-ups, drop-offs, check-in, airport transportation, lounge access and departures, connections and arrival formalities for VIP passengers, ensuring their journey is as smooth as possible with privacy and security as high priority.
The Premium team excels at delivering a first-class experience for connecting customers. This encompasses a range of services, from personalised greetings upon arrival to expedited security checks through fast-track lanes and premium transfers utilising Mercedes Viano or buggies based on gate distances and connection times.
For airline information and to make bookings, visit www.emirates.com.
DUBAI, 27 January 2025: UAE-headquartered Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), representing independent hotel brands, described 2024 as a milestone year with record-breaking performance across all key metrics during the group’s 20th anniversary year.
Total revenue generated by the ‘GHA Discovery’ loyalty programme soared to USD2.7 billion, a 16% increase from the previous USD2.3 billion record set in 2023.
Repeat stay revenue climbed 15% to USD1.6 billion (up from USD1.4 billion in 2023), highlighting the growing engagement of loyal members, while cross-brand stay revenue surged by nearly one-third, reaching USD370 million (up from USD289 million in 2023), driven by members staying in a different brand than where they enrolled.
The 20th anniversary year also saw remarkable growth in loyalty programme membership and engagement. Enrolments reached 3.2 million, up 18%, taking membership past the 30 million threshold.
In 2024, GHA welcomed seven new hotel brands to its portfolio while existing brands continued to expand, collectively adding 68 new properties to its loyalty programme. New additions included Cheval Collection, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, Lore Group, Unike Hotels, Sunway Hotels & Resorts, Andronis Hotels, and Paramount Hotels.
These brands offer more choices across destinations such as the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, the US, Greece, Sri Lanka, The Maldives, Malaysia, and the UAE.
International travel dominated GHA revenue in 2024, rising to 67%, up from 60% in 2023. This surge highlights the accelerating pace of global travel, fuelled by key feeder markets such as the US, where 73% of member spend was on international stays. Destination-wise, Thailand had 93% of its revenue from international stays (up from 90%), Portugal at 87% (slightly down from 88%), and the Netherlands at 85% (up from 83%). Hong Kong, SAR, and China recovered strongly, leaping into fifth position at 82%, overtaking the UAE, which secured sixth place at 76%.
US and UK travellers remain the top spenders
The US and UK once again claimed the top spots as the most important feeder markets. GHA Discovery members based in these countries generated a combined USD367 million in international stay revenue – up sharply from USD316 million in 2023. Germany retained third place with USD83 million (up from USD67 million), followed by Australia at USD72 million (up from USD56 million) and China at USD66 million (up from USD45 million).
Destination demand trends
Thailand retained its crown as the most popular destination in terms of international stayroom revenue, driven by members based in the UK and US (each generating USD11.8 million) and China (USD10.6 million), while the UAE kept its second-place position, favoured by members from the UK (USD22.4 million), Russia (USD13.7 million) and Germany (USD10 million). Singapore came in third, with travellers in China (USD16.5 million) and Australia (USD13.5 million) flocking to the destination, and Italy was the fourth most popular location, thanks to members based in the US (USD28.4 million) and Germany (USD4.7 million).
International guest is coming to the accommodation - hotel, hostel or guesthouse, and after successful check in, going with reception lady to the room.
BANGKOK, 27 January 2025: A new report by SiteMinder, a leading hotel distribution and revenue platform, reveals Thailand as a global standout in 2024, with a strong surge in rates and revenue.
Thailand’s hotel room rates were over 15% higher than the previous year — the only country with double-digit growth.
The report, SiteMinder’s Hotel Booking Trends, based on over 125 million reservations, shows that Thailand’s average daily rate (ADR) grew to THB 5,377 in 2024, up from THB 4,648 in 2023. Rates peaked in December, reaching THB 6,460 per occupied room, marking an 11% increase compared to the same period in the previous year.
SiteMinder’s report shows the country’s hotels led Asia in international arrivals, with foreign guests accounting for 77% of total check-ins, well above the global average of 48%. This figure saw Thailand rank second globally, surpassed only by Austria.
Data takeaways — Thai hotels
Travellers who stayed at Thai properties booked their stays further in advance, with the average lead time reaching 27 days — the longest in Asia and approaching the 29-day booking window observed in 2019.
Strengthening Thailand’s status as a premier leisure destination, local properties ranked fifth globally for the longest stays, with over 15% of bookings lasting three nights or more. This is higher than the 11% global average, following counterparts in Portugal (21%), Colombia, Mexico, and Spain (18%).
While December remained Thailand’s busiest month, Thai properties relied less on the last month of the year for annual arrivals. Guest volumes during the cool months of 2024 rose compared to the same period the previous year, reflecting a more balanced distribution of visitors during the country’s peak period.
“The rise in the average room rates in Thailand, coupled with the strong resurgence of international guests, suggests not only a lucrative year for Thai properties but a local hotel industry that is thriving amid bolstered confidence to travel in the country. To stay competitive and relevant, hotels need to be dynamic and what our data shows is that hotels in Thailand both recognised and achieved this in 2024,” SiteMinder Thailand Country Manager Supakrit Phansomboon explained.
Top 12 booking sources for Thai hotels
The Top 12 hotel booking sources for Thai properties, based on the total gross revenue they generated via SiteMinder’s platform in 2024, were:
Booking.com
Agoda
Hotel websites (direct bookings)
Expedia Group
Trip.com
Hotelbeds
Tiket.com
Goibibo & MakeMyTrip
Traveloka
WebBeds
Klook
TBOHolidays
The growth in international check-ins, led predominantly by Asian guests, propelled Klook – popular among travellers from markets such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Philippines – to debut as a top revenue-generating channel in Thailand. Meanwhile, Trip.com’s consistent performance underscores China’s position as Thailand’s largest source market, further buoyed by the introduction of visa exemptions for Chinese travellers in early 2024.
Notably, hotel websites reclaimed their place in the top three, surpassing Expedia Group after being overtaken the previous year. This coincides with the global finding in SiteMinder’s report, which found that hotel websites performed strongly last year, generating an average of US$519 per booking for hotels – 8.5% higher than the prior year and outpacing the average booking value generated by OTAs by more than 60% at US$320.
“Travellers who book directly typically choose higher-value rooms, stay longer, and add extras. Each of these factors represents a significant opportunity for hotels to provide those exclusive deals travellers are looking for, and our findings show that many hotels are doing this effectively,” Phansomboon noted
SHENZHEN, 27 January 2025: DidaTravel, a tech-driven global travel distribution company, has unveiled key traveller trends during the 2025 Chinese New Year period.
This year, the Chinese New Year, which marks the Year of the Snake, spans an eight-day holiday from Tuesday, 28 January to Tuesday, 4 February.
Chinese travellers have booked holidays earlier, with the booking windows increasing from 45 to 54 days before the Chinese New Year holiday season kicks off on 28 January.
According to DidaTravel’s booking data, total outbound hotel bookings during the Chinese New Year increased 48% compared to 2024.
For outbound mainland Chinese travellers, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong SAR, the USA, Australia, Spain, and Italy emerged as the top destinations.
Hotel bookings by Chinese travellers have tripled in Japan, with USA hotel bookings more than doubling. Short-haul Asian destinations such as Indonesia, Vietnam, and South Korea are in the top 20 list of destinations. Long-haul countries such as New Zealand, France, the UK, Finland, Iceland and Switzerland also remain popular. Norway has entered the top 20 destinations list.
The average daily rate (ADR) for hotels globally increased by nearly 10% during this holiday. However, the share of five-star hotel bookings decreased from 32.2% to 26.5%, while bookings for three – to four-star hotels saw a notable rise. The average length of stay for Chinese travellers per hotel remained steady at three days, the same as last year.
DidaTravel Head of Hotel Direct Contracting Snow Xiao said: “We are thrilled to witness the emergence of new popular destinations for Chinese travellers and their growing willingness to venture to longer-haul destinations.
Inbound travel bookings to the Chinese mainland during Chinese New Year have achieved double-digit growth year-on-year, with top bookings made by travellers from South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, the US, Australia, Germany and the UK.
SINGAPORE, 27 January 2025: Air travel data from travel intelligence leader ForwardKeys reveals a significant post-pandemic rebound in Chinese outbound travel for the upcoming Chinese New Year (CNY) vacation.
The eight-day holiday from the 28 January to the 4 February has prompted a surge in departures, with peaks recorded on the 18 and 25 January as many travellers make their journeys before the festivities.
Photo credit: ForwardKeys.
“The extended holiday CNY 2025, part of a government initiative to stimulate tourism and cultural exchange, is positively impacting travel patterns,” commented ForwardKeys Market Analyst (China) Nancy Dai.
“We’re seeing a clear trend of travellers departing earlier than the official holiday starts to avoid the rush, with another peak expected on 30 January, most likely driven by those seeking short-haul getaways after spending the first days of the holiday at home or with family.”
Regional Travel Rebounds
Chinese outbound travel to Asia during the holiday period is experiencing a remarkable recovery, nearing pre-pandemic levels. “Looking at the whole period from 13 January to 16 February, our flight tickets data reveals a +48% year-on-year increase in outbound travel from China to other Asian destinations, closing the gap with 2019 levels to just 8%,” reported Dai.
“Southeast Asian countries are proving popular,” she added, “ForwardKeys analysis highlights Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam as standout performers, with growth rates of +41%, +26%, and +8%, respectively — compared to their performance in 2019. Relaxed visa policies in these countries have undoubtedly contributed to their appeal. However, while Thailand and Indonesia show year-on-year growth, they remain slightly behind 2019 figures.”
“Japan has emerged as the top-performing destination in Asia. “The depreciation of the Yen has made Japan a desirable option for Chinese travellers, resulting in a staggering 104% increase compared to 2024 — and a 20% increase compared to 2019,” Dai explained.
South Korea, while slightly behind 2019 levels, has seen a 13% increase compared to 2024, supported by a rise in flight capacity.
Russia, UAE, UK and Europe make gains
“While Chinese outbound travel to destinations outside Asia remains -15% below 2019 levels, it has seen a healthy +24% increase compared to 2024. “This demonstrates a strong recovery and increasing demand for international travel beyond Asia,” commented Dai.
Russia, in particular, has seen remarkable growth. “Outbound travel to Russia is +30% up on 2024 and an impressive +39% above pre-pandemic levels — partly due to the rising popularity of winter destinations, eased visa restrictions and increased flight capacity,” Dai explained.
The UAE continues to be a popular visa-free destination, showing +9% year-over-year growth and +14% compared to 2019. European countries, including the UK, France, Italy, Spain, and Germany, have also experienced substantial growth, all performing +20% compared to 2024.
Increased seat capacity is a key driver of long-haul growth. “Destinations like Canada, Russia, Spain, the USA, and France have seen substantial increases in seat capacity — 165%, 65%, 55%, 42%, and 18% year-on-year, respectively — making them more accessible to Chinese travellers,” Dai highlighted.
GURUGRAM, India, 27 January 2025: Air India has rolled out an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven feature eZ Booking, for customers to complete their reservation on its website in fewer steps than currently available.
Currently available exclusively for members of Maharaja Club, Air India’s loyalty programme, the innovation helps customers book their tickets on the Air India website, airindia.com, by eliminating several commands and without having to navigate multiple screens. eZ Booking is another step in Air India’s endeavour to give its customers an enhanced and seamless experience.
Photo credit: Air India. eZ Booking start-up page.
eZ Booking is powered by intelligent ‘Agentic AI’ tools and simulates the role of a travel agent by listening to the customer’s requirements and generating a customised itinerary. ‘Agentic AI’ helps users complete complex tasks with minimal human intervention, utilising machine learning, natural language processing, and automation technologies to take decisive action.
The reservation journey on digital channels for airline customers involves navigating multiple screens to enter travel details, select from available choices, and feed in information about travellers before paying and getting the ticket.
How eZ Booking works
Simple steps: Customers can express their travel needs in simple natural language. For example, they can say, ‘Give me the first flight from Delhi to Mumbai tomorrow’ or ‘I need to go to Chennai from Mumbai next Thursday and return on Friday,’ just like they would convey their travel needs to a human travel agent.
Voice input: Guests can also talk to eZ Booking instead of entering text. This further simplifies the effort needed to convey the travel intention and creates an almost human-like interaction.
Changes with minimum commands: If guests are not satisfied with the itinerary provided, they can change it with additional input on what needs to be modified through text or voice commands.
SINGAPORE, 27 January 2025: UN Tourism’s latest tourist arrivals data for 2024 declares the recovery of tourism from the Covid pandemic, with 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals recorded globally.
In a media statement last week, UN Tourism said that 2024 marked the recovery of international tourism from the worst crisis in the sector’s history. It noted that most member destinations welcomed more international tourists in 2024 than pre-Covid pandemic levels, while visitor spending also continued to grow strongly.
Photo credit: UN Tourism.UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.
UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili commented: “In 2024, global tourism completed its recovery from the pandemic and, in many places, tourist arrivals and especially earnings are already higher than in 2019. Growth is expected to continue throughout 2025, driven by strong demand contributing to the socio-economic development of both mature and emerging destinations.”
According to UN Tourism’s latest World Tourism Barometer, an estimated 1.4 billion tourists travelled internationally in 2024, indicating a virtual recovery (99%) of pre-pandemic levels.
This represents an increase of 11% over 2023, or 140 million more international tourist arrivals, with results driven by strong post-pandemic demand, robust performance from large source markets and the ongoing recovery of destinations in Asia and the Pacific.
Middle East leads recovery
The Middle East, Europe and Africa saw the strongest results in 2024 compared with 2019 (pre-Covid pandemic).
The Middle East (95 million arrivals) remained the strongest-performing region when compared to 2019, with international arrivals 32% above pre-pandemic levels in 2024, though 1% higher compared to 2023.
Africa
Africa (74 million) welcomed 7% more arrivals than in 2019, and 12% more than in 2023.
Europe
Europe, the world’s largest destination region, saw 747 million international arrivals in 2024 (+1% above 2019 levels and 5% over 2023) supported by strong intraregional demand.
All European subregions surpassed pre-pandemic levels, except for Central and Eastern Europe, where many destinations are still suffering from the lingering effects of the Russian aggression on Ukraine.
Americas
The Americas (213 million) recovered 97% of pre-pandemic arrivals (-3% over 2019), with the Caribbean and Central America already exceeding 2019 levels. Compared to 2023, the region saw 7% growth.
APAC
Asia and the Pacific (316 million) continued to experience a rapid recovery in 2024, though arrival numbers were still 87% of pre-pandemic levels, an improvement from 66% at the end of 2023. International arrivals grew 33% in 2024, an increase of 78 million from 2023.
Tourism Tracker
The full recovery of international tourism in 2024 is also reflected in the performance of other industry indicators. According to the UN Tourism Tracker, international air capacity and air traffic virtually recovered to pre-pandemic levels through October 2024 (IATA).
Global occupancy rates for accommodation reached 66% in November, slightly below 69% in November 2023 (based on STR data).
Exports from tourism reached a record USD1.9 trillion in 2024. International tourism receipts saw robust growth in 2024 after reaching pre-pandemic levels in 2023 in real terms (adjusting for inflation and exchange rate fluctuations). According to preliminary estimates, receipts reached USD1.6 trillion in 2024, about 3% more than in 2023 and 4% more than in 2019 (real terms).
As growth stabilises, average spending gradually returns to pre-pandemic values, from nearly USD1,400 per international arrival in 2020 and 2021 to an estimated USD1,100 in 2024. This is still above the average of USD1,000 before the pandemic.
Tourism export values
According to preliminary estimates, total exports from tourism (including passenger transport) reached a record USD1.9 trillion in 2024, about 3% higher than before the pandemic (real terms).
Several destinations reported outstanding growth in international tourism receipts during the first nine to 11 months of 2024. These include Kuwait (+232%), El Salvador (+206%), Saudi Arabia (+148%), Albania (+136%), Serbia (+98%), Republic of Moldova (+86%), and Canada (+70%), all in local currencies. These countries also enjoyed double-digit growth in receipts in 2024 compared to 2023.
Among the world’s top five tourism earners, the United Kingdom (+40%), Spain (+36%), France (+27%) and Italy (+23%) saw robust growth in the first nine to eleven months of 2024, compared to 2019.
Data on international tourism expenditure reflects the same trend, especially among large source markets such as Germany, the United Kingdom (both +36% compared to 2019), the United States (+34%), Italy (+25%) and France (+11%). Expenditure from India remained high in the first half of 2024 (+81% above 2019 levels), after extraordinary growth in 2023.
Positive outlook for 2025
International tourist arrivals are expected to grow 3% to 5% in 2025 compared to 2024, assuming a continued recovery of Asia and the Pacific and solid growth in most other regions. This initial projection assumes global economic conditions remain favourable, inflation continues to recede, and geopolitical conflicts do not escalate.
The outlook reflects a stabilisation of growth rates after a strong rebound in international arrivals in 2023 (+33% vs 2022) and 2024 (+11% vs 2023).
Confidence and challenges
The latest UN Tourism Confidence Index confirms these positive expectations. Around 64% of the UN Tourism Panel of Experts see ‘better’ or ‘much better’ prospects for 2025 compared to 2024. Some 26% expect similar performance in their destination, while only 9% believe 2025 will be ‘worse’ or ‘much worse’ than last year.
However, economic and geopolitical headwinds continue to pose significant risks. Over half of respondents point to high transport and accommodation costs and other financial factors, such as volatile oil prices, as international tourism’s main challenges in 2025. Against this backdrop, tourists are expected to continue to seek value for money.
Geopolitical risks (excluding ongoing conflicts) are a growing concern among the Panel of Experts, which ranked them as the third leading factor after the economic ones. Extreme weather events and staff shortages are also critical challenges, ranking fourth and fifth among the factors identified by the Panel of Experts.
Balancing growth and sustainability will be critical in 2025, as reflected by two significant trends the Panel of Experts identified: the search for sustainable practices and the discovery of lesser-known destinations.
DUBAI, UAE, 24 January 2025: Emirates Group plays a vital role in shaping Dubai’s growth, development and the wellbeing of its communities.
Reflecting Dubai’s drive to attract, retain, and cultivate the best talent worldwide, the Group has now unveiled a futuristic lounge at its iconic headquarters to serve global candidates, new joiners, employees, their families, and retirees.
HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group and Emirates Group, with senior executive leaders at the opening of Wejhaty.
‘Wejhaty,’ meaning ‘my destination’ in Arabic, was officially opened by HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, in the presence of executive leaders and employees.
HH Sheikh Ahmed said: “The Emirates Group’s next era will witness unprecedented global growth right here from our Dubai hub. Powered by the sharpest minds and the latest technology, we’re reshaping and redesigning our organisation to gear up for this growth. Our focus is firmly on our people, who are our biggest brand ambassadors and advocates.
“Their safety, security, career development, professional wellbeing, and personal journeys are our top priorities. Wejhaty will set new signature standards of service and excellence in people experience – for our employees, their families, new joiners, and those aspiring to join the Group.”
Spread across a sprawling 22,770 sq ft space, Wejhaty is no ordinary employee lounge or one-stop shop. The space can serve 500 people at any point in time, 1,200 a day, and it aims to create an inspiring and welcoming space that reflects the Group’s people ethos. The focus is on elevating employee experience with streamlined solutions, advanced technology, and seamless, highly responsive services.
A personal touch is central to customer-focused organisations like the Emirates Group, so visitors to Wejhaty will be greeted, served and guided by friendly, supportive concierge service attendants.
Employee journey
Employees and their families have access to the complete range of services – including biometrics, Dubai Health’s medical fitness tests and x-rays – plus HR, IT, payroll and cashier services. Wejhaty also houses third-party international visa services to cater to employees’ wanderlust and minimise pre-travel stress.
While parents are being served, their young children can have a whale of a time, supervised by a nanny, in an imaginatively designed space packed with toys, merchandise and entertainment.
Teams within the Group have access to an amphitheatre-style, modular auditorium that can hold around 100 people – ideal for team-building activities, projects and training sessions. The auditorium houses high-tech audio-visual solutions, directional sound waves, online environmental data capture, and scalable technical capabilities.
Candidate journey
Candidates, both internal and external, can enjoy an integrated and stress-free experience as they meet the Group’s recruiters in state-of-the-art spaces, including 19 discussion rooms that can accommodate 116 people at a time. Two assessment spaces, which can host 46 people, are where pilots, cadets, and other specialist roles have dedicated facilities and advanced technology for simulation and computer-based assessments.
Senior executives, cherry-picked for roles in the Group, will be welcomed in a tastefully appointed executive lounge and high-end meeting rooms offering the latest presentation tech.
New joiners’ journey
Highly specialised and fully immersive spaces will engage new joiners in the rich culture, powerful values, lifestyle and future vision of Dubai and the Emirates Group.
Art installations and social spaces, including Emirates’ renowned Business Class seats fully kitted out with recycled materials from the airline’s retrofit programme, add glamour and drive home the Group’s ethos on sustainability. Cool and modular seating throughout the lounge, a pantry, lockers, and fashionable dressing rooms for uniformed employees complete Wejhaty.
Wejhaty can host 400 candidates for interviews and assessments, 100 new joiners for corporate induction, and serve 700 employees and their family members daily. Every year, on average, the Group processes 46,000 employee ID cards, 30,000 medical fitness tests, 8,200 UAE biometric registrations, and 3,400 X-rays for new joiners. Thousands of aspiring candidates are assessed at the Emirates Group headquarters annually.
For flight information and to make bookings, visit www.emirates.com.
SINGAPORE, 24 January 2025: ITB Asia is rolling out promotions offering early bird rates for exhibitors who finalise their booth space bookings before 31 March.
ITB Asia, co-located with MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia, will convene from 15 to 17 October 2025 at Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Singapore.
Arguably the biggest travel trade show with the most comprehensive conference agenda in Asia, show owner Messe Berlin Singapore is mustering a record lineup of destination exhibitors for the 2025 three co-located events — ITB Asia, MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia.
To secure a booth space with significant savings, contact the exhibitor team at [email protected] .
Other shows to look out for in 2025
Travel Meet Asia 25 to 26 June 2025 Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE), Jakarta, Indonesia. The premium tradeshow is for market-focused networking, engagements, and thought leadership. Travel Meet Asia provides you with opportunities to unlock key potentials in specific source markets or regions. Travel Meet Asia
ITB India 2 to 4 September 2025 Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai, India. ITB India is a three-day B2B travel trade show focusing on the Indian & South Asian travel market in MICE, corporate and leisure travel sectors. ITB India
ITB Asia 15 to 17 October 2025 Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. The annual three-day B2B trade show and convention will feature exhibiting companies globally, covering MICE, Leisure and Corporate Travel. ITB Asia
Photo credit: ITB Asia.
MICE Show Asia 15 to 17 October 2025 Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. An unmissable event for the meeting industry in APAC, MICE Show Asia is where the incentive travel, meetings and events industries come together to connect and build the future of MICE. MICE Show Asia
Travel Tech Asia 15 to 17 October 2025 Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. Travel Tech Asia is where the latest technologies, emerging trends, leading travel brands and innovative startups are all in one place to create new possibilities for travel. Travel Tech Asia
