Kata_kenya – Page 64 – Kenya Association of Travel Agents

DER Touristik and Lufthansa Group Partner to Expand Sustainable Aviation Fuel Usage in Tourism

In order to meet the challenges in the area of climate and environmental protection, DER Touristik and the Lufthansa Group are expanding their cooperation: As part of a strategic partnership, DER Touristik is the first major tour operator to purchase Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from the Lufthansa Group.
This consists of biogenic residues such as used cooking oils and reduces CO₂ emissions by around 80 percent compared to conventional kerosene. With the SAF it has purchased, DER Touristik will offer its guests more climate-friendly air travel using SAF at no extra charge. The costs for the SAF are covered by the tour operator.

Specifically, DER Touristik uses the SAF purchased from the Lufthansa Group to improve the carbon footprint of selected products. These tours will be presented in the DERTOUR Magalog – a mixture of magazine and catalog – to be published in September 2023 with the title “Conscious Travel”. For example, an SAF share of 20 percent will be fed into the flight system for the Lufthansa flights of the 2024 round trips presented in the Magalog. This will reduce the passenger’s individual flight-related CO₂ emissions. These round trips include two individual DERTOUR trips to Ireland, where guests travel locally by public transportation, as well as five guided small-group trips to Albena on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, Menorca, Andalusia, Madeira, and Lisbon and Porto. By the end of 2024, selected Lufthansa Group flights booked in addition to one of the sustainably certified hotels in the new DERTOUR Magalog will also feed 20 percent SAF into the flight system at DER Touristik’s expense. In addition, REWE Reisen in Germany and Billa Reisen in Austria will each put together two more sustainable vacation offers with Lufthansa Group flights in Europe in the fall of 2023.

As part of the strategic partnership between DER Touristik and the Lufthansa Group, various other measures are also planned that will sensitize vacationers and travel agency experts to the topic of SAF and make it tangible for them, including an expert study trip to Ireland for travel agencies. Last spring, the Lufthansa Group and DER Touristik had already jointly launched more sustainable travel offers in an initial test run.

A crucial key to more sustainable flying

“We are very pleased to have DER Touristik as a cooperation partner at our side who is committed to the sustainable transformation of the travel industry, who is breaking new ground together with us and who is sensitizing its customers to forward-looking travel offers,” says Frank Naeve, Senior Vice President Global Markets & Stations Lufthansa Group. “With our airlines, we want to connect people, cultures and economies in the most sustainable way possible, reduce the environmental impact of flying and use required resources as efficiently as possible. The use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel is a crucial key to more sustainable flying in this regard.”

“Our goal is to make tourism more climate-friendly and reduce emissions from vacation travel. A key lever in this is flying,” explains Dr. Ingo Burmester, CEO DER Touristik Central Europe. “At the same time, we are investing in the shift toward a lower-emission airline industry with our commitment. As a tour operator and flight broker, we see it as our responsibility to get involved in this area. As an industry, we can only achieve change by joining forces and standing shoulder to shoulder with long-standing, trustworthy partners such as the Lufthansa Group.”

The Lufthansa Group has set itself ambitious climate protection goals and aims to achieve a neutral CO₂ balance by 2050. Already by 2030, the Lufthansa Group wants to halve its net CO₂ emissions compared to 2019 through reduction and compensation measures. The reduction target until 2030 was validated by the independent Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in August 2022. The Lufthansa Group was the first airline group in Europe with a science-based CO₂ reduction target in line with the goals of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. For effective climate protection, the Lufthansa Group is focusing in particular on accelerated fleet modernization, the use of SAF, the continuous optimization of flight operations, and offers for its private travelers and corporate customers to make a flight or the transport of cargo more sustainable. In addition, the Lufthansa Group has been actively supporting global climate and weather research for many years.

Source: breakingtravelnews

Hero Dubai Desert Classic achieves GEO Certified Tournament status

The Hero Dubai Desert Classic has become the first golf event in the Middle East and first within the DP World Tour Rolex Series to achieve GEO Certified Tournament status, demonstrating the event’s leadership among sustainable golf events.

The distinction is awarded and assured by the international non-profit GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf, and is based on the strength of commitment, breadth and depth of action, and range of tangible measured impacts across a broad sustainability agenda.

Obtaining GEO Certified status has become a notable achievement showcased by many of the world’s most renowned golf venues and events.

Commenting on the achievement, Simon Corkill, Executive Tournament Director for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic said: ‘We are delighted that the Dubai Desert Classic is the first golf event in the Middle East to achieve this important distinction, and milestone. It speaks to our strong dedication to tackling priority environmental and social issues, as we strive to deliver meaningful net positive impacts through the event. With the wide reach that the tournament has, we hope this achievement will help to raise awareness and inspire other events, businesses, and individuals across the region and beyond.”

Meanwhile, Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) at Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), said the Dubai Desert Classic’s certification is a laudable achievement.

‘With 2023 being the Year of Sustainability in the UAE, and as the country prepares to host COP28, the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, the Dubai Desert Classic’s certification is a laudable achievement and a meaningful step towards achieving the wider, national Net Zero objectives,” Al Khaja said.

“We congratulate them on their inspiring commitment to resource efficiency and climate action. This accomplishment sets an exceptional example of sustainable best practice within such high-profile global mass events, further reinforcing the city’s position as an international events hub in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda 2033 launched by our visionary leadership to further consolidate Dubai’s status as one of the top three global cities.”

The criteria for the certification of tournaments spans a range of priority sustainability themes and action areas; supported by detailed best practices; which are in turn weighted and scored.

A minimum number of points are required to achieve certification. These are verified by an accredited, third party and expert verifier, who visits during event week to observe practices, projects, and other activations on site.

A verifier report is then submitted to the GEO Certification Ltd team, a subsidiary of the GEO Foundation. If the criteria are met, certification is then awarded accompanied by key Continual Improvement Points.

The criteria for the certification of tournaments spans a range of priority sustainability themes and action areas; supported by detailed best practices; which are in turn weighted and scored.

Andrew Lynch, Head of Sustainability for the European Tour group, said: ‘It is wonderful to see events across the DP World Tour schedule leaning into sustainability in this way. Making it integral to the way they are planned, staged, and promoted. It aligns fully with our own Green Drive strategy, and leadership actions we are taking across our own operations and our owned and staged events. We encourage all of our valued tournament promoters to join the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in making their tournaments a true showcase for sustainability.”

Source: khaleejtimes

WTTC Spotlights Importance of Women’s Involvement in Travel and Tourism for Global Sector Growth

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) highlighted the importance of women’s participation in travel and tourism at the Women Deliver Conference in Kigali, Rwanda.

According to the global tourism body, women constitute 54 percent of the workforce. And while Travel & Tourism provides accessible opportunities for women, it also faces disparities such as lower pay and job security. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a loss of 62 million jobs in Travel & Tourism, most of these females.

The event served as a platform to address challenges faced by women in the Travel & Tourism sector, explore strategies to overcome them, and ways to inspire change and promote equal opportunities for women. The conference also emphasized the vital importance of mentorship programs for younger women to unlock their potential for economic transformation through networking, opportunity and resources.

Panel discussions focused on challenges faced by women in various aspects of the business, including barriers to entry, operational obstacles, and ecosystem limitations.

In her conference address, Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said “It is proven that companies that have 50% women in their leadership make more money. This makes even more sense in travel and tourism where women make the buying decisions on where to go on holiday. It also makes good sense to employ women in senior roles; why would you exclude access to 50% of global talent.”

She added that “Rwanda has a great track record with a majority of women MPs in the Parliament. President Kagame addressed the Women Deliver for the first time held in Africa, with real passion and a track record of gender equality. Putting women center stage in Travel & Tourism will ensure a better future for the sector and the global economy. Currently, more than half of the sector is made up of women. By addressing the barriers and inequalities they face, we can unlock immense potential and drive sustainable growth. The ‘Women Deliver’ event serves as a catalyst for change, bringing together sector leaders, policymakers, and advocates to work collectively towards a more diverse and prosperous future.”

WTTC remains committed to advocating for gender equality, working closely with its members, governments, and industry partners to foster an environment where women have equal opportunities to excel, lead, and shape the future of the travel and tourism sector.

The council continues to urge public and private sectors to play their part in promoting women’s participation in the Travel & Tourism sector. In addition, governments should adopt policies promoting women in senior management, such as mandatory quotas for publicly listed companies and state-owned enterprises. The private sector should also offer targeted professional development programs for women and create networking and mentoring opportunities.

Source: travelpulse

Kenyan passport climbs six positions in latest global rankings

The Kenyan passport has improved six places in the global mobility ranking to position 67, up from the 73rd place it ranked in January while moving one step up in the continent to occupy the seventh most powerful position.

The Henley Passport Index Report released on Wednesday further shows that the number of countries that Kenyans can visit without a visa, or obtain one on arrival, increased to 76 from 73 in January.

The mobility score measures the number of countries that a person holding a given country’s passport can visit without possessing a visa or the nations where they can get a visa on arrival.

Mauritius, which has maintained its top position on the continent, improved five places in the global rank to hold position 29, showing that holders can visit 148 countries visa-free.

It was followed by South Africa (51), Botswana (58), Namibia (62), Lesotho (64) and eSwatini, with Kenya toppling Malawi which came 68th position in the globe. Tanzania emerged position 69 while Zambia and Uganda came positions 70 and 72 respectively.

Singapore dislodged Japan from the world’s top rank, allowing visa-free users to access 192 countries, followed by Germany, Italy and Spain, which all came position two at 190 each.

Afghanistan’s passport ranks the lowest, only allowing holders to visit 27 countries visa-free. It comes immediately below Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, among others, in that order.

Kenya’s document’s boost is attributed to a government deal inked with its South African and Eritrean counterparts to remove visa travel restrictions.

The strength is set to improve after the Senegalese government this week agreed to allow Kenyans to tour the country without visa requirements.

In 2015, Kenya first made public the decision to roll out new chip-embedded passports for its citizens in efforts aimed at taming rampant forgery and impersonation of holders.

The electronic passport was initially to be launched in December 2016, but the unveiling was over the years extended several times.

The government, however, finally set last December as the deadline for phasing out the old generation passports, with the move being part of a binding commitment to migrate to the new East African e-passport.

Source: The East African

RwandAir Reveals Plans to Fly Daily to London Heathrow This Winter

RwandAir has announced its plans to almost double the number of flights that it operates between Kigali and London, increasing from four flights a week to a daily rotation. The new schedule will come into operation at the end of October, with the carrier keen to capitalize on extra demand while growing its European footprint.

Daily overnight flights

The services in both directions will operate overnight, with the outbound service departing RwandAir’s Kigali International Airport (KGL) base at 23:35 local time as flight number WB710. This flight will touch down at London Heathrow (LHR) at 06:20 the following morning, after a block time of eight hours and 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, after spending just over 14 hours on the ground, the aircraft will depart London Heathrow as flight number WB711 at 20:30 local time. The return leg is scheduled to be 15 minutes shorter, with its arrival at Kigali International scheduled eight hours and 30 minutes later, at 07:00 local time the following morning.

RwandAir will operate these new daily flights, which commence on October 29th this year, with Airbus A330 aircraft. According to a statement released by the Rwandan flag carrier, these have 30 business class and 244 economy class seats onboard, with the former of these cabins offering passengers lie-flat comfort.

Sub-£600 returns

Perhaps unsurprisingly, RwandAir is the only carrier operating direct flights on the aerial corridor between Kigali and London. Despite this monopoly, passengers will be able to buy return tickets for less than £600, with the airline noting that these “start from £587 [$755] in economy class and £2,199 [$2,827] in business class, including all taxes and charges.” RwandAir CEO Yvonne Makolo stated that: “London is an incredibly important market for RwandAir, so we are incredibly excited to be adding direct daily flights from our home in Kigali to London Heathrow. We know these new daily direct flights will offer customers the convenience and connectivity which they have long asked for, and look forward to welcoming more visitors to Rwanda.”

RwandAir is mainly targeting point-to-point traffic with these flights, noting that they will be ideal “for those looking to see mountain gorillas, experience Rwanda’s majestic scenery or go on a safari in Akagera National Park.” However, the airline has also identified the potential for them to accommodate connecting traffic, and adds that passengers from the UK can transfer to a myriad of destinations via Kigali.

RwandAir has served London for more than six years

It has now been over six years since RwandAir first flew to the British capital, with flights from Kigali to London Gatwick Airport (LGW) via Brussels having commenced in May 2017. Three years later, the success of the route prompted the carrier to switch from Gatwick to Heathrow, and, late last year, the flights became non-stop.

Source: Simpleflying

Bank of Tanzania (BoT) issues license to new DPO Pay

DPO Pay says it has been operating successfully throughout Africa since 2006 and was recently acquired by Network International.

Dar es Salaam. The Bank of Tanzania (BoT) has permitted an African digital payments provider, DPO Pay, to operate as a Payment Service Provider in Tanzania, the company said in a statement yesterday.

The DPO is registered locally under One Payment Tanzania Limited.

The company has been licensed in line with the National Payment System Act, 2015 which requires all Payment Service Providers (PSPs) to undergo a rigorous license application process to provide payment services in Tanzania.

DPO Pay managing director, Judy Waruiru said the license highlight the firm’s commitment to compliance and regulatory standards.

“This milestone demonstrates our dedication to driving financial inclusion and economic growth in Tanzania, empowering businesses of all sizes to thrive in the digital era.

“We will continue to prioritise the security of transactions, adhering to stringent data protection protocols and industry best practices,” Ms Waruiru said in the statement.

DPO Pay says it has been operating successfully throughout Africa since 2006 and was recently acquired by Network International, a leading enabler of digital commerce across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.

It has worked closely with regulators across the continent to obtain new licenses as requirements vary in each country to ensure secure and uninterrupted services for its merchants and partners.

DPO Pay has gained significant recognition and trust among prestigious business in various industries including hotels and resorts in Arusha, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, where it has extensive experience in the travel and tourism sector.

The company, the statement said, has established itself as the preferred payment solution for major merchants in the region, including industries such as Airlines, Hotels, online retailers and logistic companies.

With a firm focus on expanding its network, DPO Pay continues to seek collaboration with top-tier businesses and brands, and cater to the diverse needs of merchants across various industries.

The company’s robust security systems ensure that merchants and consumers can transact with confidence, safeguarding their sensitive information and maintaining the highest standards of integrity. With the recently updated DPO Pay Mobile app, merchants are able to collect and receive payments anywhere and anytime.

DPO Pay provides efficient payment solutions enabling businesses and individuals across the continent to accept both local and international payment options.

It has developed integrated payments technology to support businesses of all sizes in over 20 countries and accept payments securely and swiftly in multiple currencies and through diverse payment methods including cards, mobile money, bank transfers, USSD, and EFT.

Source: The Citizen

Air travel in Africa: Costly flights hold the continent back

Flying within Africa is more expensive than just about anywhere else in the world. Travellers pay higher ticket prices and more tax.

It is often cheaper to fly to another continent than to another African country.

For a quick comparison, flying from the German capital, Berlin, to Turkey’s biggest city, Istanbul, will probably set you back around $150 (£120) for a direct flight taking less than three hours.

But flying a similar distance, say between Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria’s biggest city, Lagos, you will be paying anything between $500 and $850, with at least one change, taking up to 20 hours.

This makes doing business within Africa incredibly difficult, and expensive – and it is not just elite travellers that are affected.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) – the global trade body representing some 300 airlines which make up about 83% of world air traffic – argues that if just 12 key countries in Africa worked together to improve connectivity and opened up their markets, it would create 155,000 jobs and boost those countries’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by more than $1.3bn.

“Aviation contributes directly to the GDP in every country. It generates work and it activates the economy,” says Kamil al-Awadhi, IATA’s regional vice-president for Africa and the Middle East.

Adefolake Adeyeye, an assistant professor of commercial law at the UK’s Durham University, agrees that Africa as a whole is missing out because of its poor air service.

“It’s been shown that air transport does boost the economy. As we’ve seen in other continents, budget airlines can improve connectivity and cost, which boosts tourism, which then creates many more jobs,” she says.

The poor quality of road networks and lack of railways in many African countries often makes air transport the practical choice for cargo too.

The climate emergency, which has severely impacted Africa, means everyone needs to be more careful about their carbon footprint and should aim to fly a lot less.

But even though around 18% of the world’s population lives in Africa, it accounts for less than 2% of global air travel and, according to the UN’s Environment Programme, just 3.8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This is in contrast to 19% from the US and 23% from China.

Africa may be rich in minerals and natural resources, but of the 46 nations on the UN’s Least Developed Countries list, 33 are on the continent, and poverty continues to be the biggest daily threat for millions of people on the continent.

But there is also a growing middle-class who could potentially travel by air if the tickets were priced at similar levels to Europe or elsewhere.

“Every government in Africa wants to see their flag on the tail of an aircraft at Heathrow or JFK”, Zemedeneh Negatu, Global chairman of Fairfax Africa Fund.

African states have been trying for decades to integrate the aviation sector, but they haven’t been successful, yet.

“There needs to be a coherent strategy by Africa to address the issue of its poor air service if they want to transform Africa’s economies,” says Zemedeneh Negatu, the global chairman of US-based investment firm Fairfax Africa Fund.

He says that flights within Africa are still structured around cumbersome bilateral agreements from one country to the next, and that most flag-carrying state airlines in Africa barely cover their costs, while some even run at a loss.

“Every government in Africa wants to see their flag on the tail of an aircraft at Heathrow or JFK airport, but African governments need to realise that stand alone carriers are not viable.”

Mr Zemedeneh argues that African airlines should take inspiration from Europe and form major partnerships, such as between flag-carriers Air France and KLM of The Netherlands, and the Anglo-Spanish International Airlines Group (IAG) formed between British Airways and Iberia.

He says even in the rich market of Europe, conglomeration is the way forward for airliners to survive, and provide a cheaper more reliable service.

The current system in Africa is very fragmented, and although 35 countries are signed up to the Single African Air Transport Market, an African Union (AU) initiative to free up the skies to African airlines and bring down costs, it could be years before it’s implemented.

IATA’s Mr Awadhi says governments are reluctant to work together.

“There is a hard-headedness where each state thinks they know how to handle it better and will stick to their remedies even when they are not very effective,” he says.

“In the end it’s a business and there is a level of protectionism that starts to hurt the aviation industry. Then there is no benefit to having your own national carrier.”

There is one notable exception in Africa of an airline that is absolutely thriving, and that could provide a blueprint for others to copy – Ethiopian Airlines.

Just over 15 years ago the company employed about 4,000 people. Now that figure is over 17,000.

It is state-owned but run entirely as a commercial venture without government interference.

It has more than doubled the size of its fleet of cargo and passenger planes and has made Addis Ababa a regional hub, driving foreign currency into the Ethiopian capital, and boosting the country’s service industry.

At the turn of the millennium Ethiopia was one of the poorest countries in the world, now it’s one of the fastest growing economies.

Mr Zemedeneh, an Ethiopian-American who played a key role as an adviser to Ethiopian Airlines as it developed its strategy, says Ethiopian Airlines has played a part in that boom.

“Ethiopian Airlines generates millions of dollars in hard currency for the country, and it makes every Ethiopian proud that they have been able to create one of the most successful indigenous African-owned, African-operated, multinational companies,” he adds.

African travellers will be hoping these kinds of commercial successes will ultimately impact their airfares, bringing them down more in line with Europe or Asia – and that they can finally get to where they want to go more quickly and cheaply.

Source: BBC

Nairobi To Become IndiGo’s 27th International Destination

IndiGo has announced non-stop flights to Nairobi, Kenya, as part of its larger international expansion program. After commanding a massive lead in the domestic market, IndiGo has been actively pursuing its goal of overseas expansion. The airline previously announced its intention to expand to several new destinations in Africa and Central Asia, and Nairobi is part of that plan.

Hello, Nairobi!

IndiGo is set to start non-stop flights between Mumbai and Nairobi, which will become the budget carrier’s 27th international and 105th overall destination in the 6E network. The airline has opened the booking for these daily flights on its website, and the new service will begin on August 5th. This will be IndiGo’s first scheduled commercial service to Africa. Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales at IndiGo, commented,

“Kenya is our first destination country in Sub-Saharan Africa and encompasses Savannah, Lakelands, as well as mountain highlands…”

John Chirchir, A.g. CEO Kenya Tourism Board, feels this would be great for the tourism sector of the country and business in general. He added,

“This direct access to Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city and a regional hub for business and travel, will provide leisure tourists, business visitors, and investors with a seamless connection to the destination, in addition to our national carrier, Kenya Airways … Through our joint marketing and sales campaigns, we strive to solidify Kenya’s appeal and attract more Indian travelers to explore its wonders.”

Competition

Africa has traditionally not featured heavily on the network maps of Indian carriers. Passenger demand for non-stop flights to the continent is mainly met by African airlines, but things are changing gradually.

Air India did start a non-stop flight between Ahmedabad and Nairobi as part of its repatriation mission during COVID called the Vande Bharat Mission. The airline now has thrice-weekly service to Nairobi from its Delhi hub.

IndiGo’s direct competition from Mumbai will come from Kenya Airways, which operates two daily services to Nairobi. The airline deploys its Boeing 737 aircraft on the route, offering 16 business and 129 economy class seats. It remains to be seen how IndiGo fares on this route eventually and if it enters any partnerships in the future for the markets in Kenya and Africa.

Big plans

Nairobi is part of IndiGo’s larger plan of international expansion. Earlier this month, the carrier announced the addition of six new destinations across Asia and Africa, connecting destinations such as Nairobi, Jakarta, Tashkent, and Baku, among others, in the coming months.

The carrier is also utilizing its codeshare partnership with Turkish Airlines to offer its passengers convenient connections to the West. It currently provides connections to more than 30 destinations in Europe that offer access to countries including Scotland, Bulgaria, Spain, the Netherlands, Greece, Belgium, Hungary, Denmark, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, Malta, France, the Czech Republic, Israel, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and Portugal.

IndiGo has even expanded the codeshare agreement to destinations in the US, allowing access to New York, Boston, Chicago, and Washington via Istanbul, effective June 15th. Currently, IndiGo commands a share of more than 60% of the Indian domestic market and is preparing to bolster its international presence with these new services and codeshare connections.

Source: Simple Flying

Asante Rewards To Offer Status Match To Its Existing Air France-KLM Flying Blue Customers

Kenya Airways’ new loyalty program is hoping to attract its existing Flying Blue members.

It’s been exactly a month since Kenya Airways announced its new loyalty program, Asante Rewards. Simple Flying had the chance to speak to Julius Thairu, Chief Commercial & Product Officer at Kenya Airways, about what the future will look like and the first steps in the public rollout. Membership will be key, and Thairu is hoping some of the airline’s most loyal customers will try out, and stick to, Asante.

Existing members welcome

For nearly two decades, Kenya Airways customers were invited to make their loyalty accounts at Air France-KLM‘s Flying Blue, one of the many agreements under their joint venture. However, as that deal wound down, the carrier decided it was time to regionalize its loyalty scheme and reward members closer to home. But there’s no point in creating all this infrastructure if you can’t get the high spenders over.

Thairu noted that the status match is only available to those who joined Flying Blue through Kenya Airways, so Asante is not competing with the program. Alliances avoid trying to poach members from their own ranks, but since Asante is new, Flying Blue customers have the chance to join two programs at the same elite level.

Thairu emphasized that this offer is only for those who joined through Kenya Airways and have a majority of their flying with the carrier in the region. Notably, these members will be status matched instantly and be given a lower tier threshold to renew their status for the next year as well. You also will not lose your Flying Blue status, the same as any match offer.

Details being sketched out

Asante Rewards is very much in its infancy and is slowly building out its core features, including earning and spending miles with partners. On this, Thairu noted that the program is in close contact with Air France, KLM, and Delta to draw out its first distance-based award charts. This can be a major factor in influencing members to join, with cheaper reward tickets being the best to generate interest.

However, for those living in Kenya or flying with Kenya Airways primarily, Asante promises to provide more regional benefits as one of Africa’s only major loyalty programs. Expect partnerships with local retailers, online portals, and other avenues to increase your mileage balance on a daily basis. While it will be a long road to becoming a full-fledged program, it is promising to see work done toward developing Asante.

To earn status, members can also just fly with Kenya Airways (KQ), with no minimum points needed. Here are the requirements:

Silver Elite: 15,000 points or 12 flights on KQ or partners
Gold Elite Plus: 30,000 points or 25 flights
Platinum Elite Plus: 60,000 points or 50 flights

Asante hasn’t listed out the definition of partners, but it’s likely only flights carrying KQ’s code. While 50 sectors is ambitious, 12 or 25 flights for frequent flyers is quite achievable and perhaps an easy path to unlocking SkyTeam Elite Plus benefits.

Source: Simple Flying

#DubaiDestinations campaign launched to showcase city’s top summer attractions

Campaign seeks to showcase the city’s unique charm as a summer destination to audiences across the world through engaging storiesDubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) held its first ‘City Briefing’ of the year on June 15.

DUBAI: Under the directives of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, the #DubaiDestinations campaign has rolled out its latest phase inviting residents and tourists to embark on a new journey to discover Dubai’s offerings in the warmer months of the year.

The collaborative campaign, implemented by Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO), seeks to showcase the city’s unique charm as a summer destination to audiences across the world through engaging stories.

The current season of the #DubaiDestinations campaign, running until the end of August, will showcase the city’s top-rated experiences in the summer and its distinctive attractions ranging from serene beach destinations and exciting indoor activities to thrilling waterparks and picturesque hotels.

Mona Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council and Director-General of the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO), said, “Aligned with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to transform the emirate into the world’s best city to live and visit, the campaign continues to open new windows into the unrivalled diversity, memorable experiences and creative urban vibe that define Dubai’s character as one of the globe’s greatest destinations.

“By harnessing the power of storytelling, the campaign seeks to highlight the city’s offerings during the warmer months, with an emphasis on the unique experiences that set Dubai apart as one of the world’s most captivating destinations. This season of the campaign extends a fresh invitation to both the local and global community to explore Dubai’s diverse attractions and share their memorable moments.”

Shaima Al Suwaidi, Director of Brand Dubai, said, “The latest season of the #DubaiDestinations campaign invites residents and visitors to embark on an exhilarating journey to explore the unique and enriching treasures that Dubai offers in the summer months. As with every season, we join hands with government entities, industry stakeholders from the public and private sectors, and the vibrant creative media community to raise the profile of Dubai’s diverse array of summer attractions. Through interactive guides, engaging media content and other immersive activations, we aim to weave compelling narratives that showcase the essence of the Dubai experience, enticing people from the UAE and all over the world to set out on their own extraordinary adventures in Dubai.”

As part of the campaign, Brand Dubai will introduce a collection of interactive guides, offering valuable insights into Dubai’s premier summer experiences. From top-rated summer camps for children to thrilling water activities, enchanting staycations and indoor hotspots, these guides serve as indispensable resources for exploring the best of Dubai during the summer season.

The #DubaiDestinations campaign will also put the spotlight on indoor destinations, such as malls, restaurants with play areas, indoor sports activities and theme parks, as well as Dubai’s most-loved homegrown food outlets from the “Proudly from Dubai” network, an initiative launched by Brand Dubai to highlight the success stories of businesses born and initiated in Dubai.

Brand Dubai will be partnering with some of the emirate’s most accomplished creatives including influencers, photographers, digital media content creators, visual artists, animators and videographers to create compelling content about Dubai’s destination offerings.

The campaign is being rolled out over digital, broadcast, print and outdoor media to ensure it reaches large sections of local and international audiences.

Source: Zawya