dnata Travel Group, the travel arm of aviation services provider dnata, signed 12 partnership agreements at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 to further broaden its travel offering and expand its international reach.

The agreements span hotel distribution, cruise holidays, hospitality, destinations and travel technology. Alongside the signings, the group announced the integration of Travelbag into Imagine Cruising and an expansion of Arabian Adventures’ The Fort – Lisaili, combining external partnerships with investment in its own businesses.

John Bevan, CEO, dnata Travel Group, said: “Our announcements at ATM reflect where we see the strongest opportunities for growth: developing our specialist travel brands, expanding distribution for our partners and investing in experiences that give travellers more reasons to choose a destination.

“The value of these partnerships extends beyond any single brand or market. A hotel partner can work with us across leisure, corporate and wholesale travel, while a destination can draw on both our international sales network and local expertise. Building those relationships across the group is an important part of how we intend to grow.”

Partnerships across the travel portfolio

dnata Travel Group’s agreement with Rotana will increase access to its 118-property portfolio through its leisure, wholesale, corporate and group travel channels, connecting the hotel company with travellers across more than 180 source markets. It builds on recently established direct dynamic connectivity, with opportunities for joint marketing and technology initiatives to improve distribution efficiency.

For dnata Travel Leisure, seven agreements brought together partners across cruise, luxury hospitality and destination tourism.

Four cruise agreements with Royal Caribbean Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises and The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection support dnata Travel’s ability to serve a broad range of customers across its cruise portfolio. Together, these relationships offer scope to develop holidays around different destinations, ship styles, accommodation options, and onboard experiences, helping customers find a cruise that suits their interests, budget and travel preferences.

dnata Travel also signed an agreement with Kerzner International to support its luxury holiday proposition across family resorts, ultra-luxury stays and wellness experiences through brands including Atlantis, One&Only, SIRO and Rare Finds.

Operators aside, the travel agency also secured agreements with tourism bodies, offering opportunities to build more varied itineraries for customers. With Turespaña, the focus includes Spain’s gastronomy, wellness, coastal destinations and Islamic and Arab heritage. Tourism Seychelles brings opportunities to complement resort holidays with island-hopping, nature, marine activities and Creole culture, giving customers more reasons to explore each destination.

Elsewhere in the group, Arabian Adventures, its destination management and desert experiences specialist, signed with Trip.com, providing a basis to explore wider digital distribution for its destination services.

Travel technology distributor EmQuest concluded separate agreements with Smart Travels and Jalhansa Tours & Travels, supporting its agency relationships and opportunities for closer cooperation on booking and distribution services.

Developing the group’s own businesses

Alongside its partnership programme, dnata Travel Group announced the integration of Travelbag into Imagine Cruising, bringing together complementary strengths in tailor-made land holidays and cruise experiences.

The move expands customer choice and gives Travelbag customers access to Imagine Cruising’s dedicated concierge support throughout booking and travel. It also gives Imagine Cruising its first high street presence through Travelbag’s seven UK stores, which will become dual-branded. Both businesses will retain their existing names, teams and customer propositions, while benefiting from shared expertise, greater scale and operational efficiencies.

In Dubai, Arabian Adventures announced an AED8 million expansion of The Fort – Lisaili, with new adventure, dining and cultural experiences opening in phases from 2027. The development, including the UAE’s first dune-top desert zipline, will broaden the group’s own offering for international visitors and UAE residents.

The group’s ATM participation also included four conference sessions on leisure and corporate travel, new insights into UAE winter holiday bookings, and seven World Travel Awards Middle East wins across dnata Travel, Arabian Adventures and dnata Travel Management. -TradeArabia News Service