Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, the ultra-low-fare national airline of the UAE, has announced its operational results for 2024. The joint venture established between ADQ and Wizz Air achieved more than 20 per cent growth year-on-year in both seat capacity and the number of passengers carried.

 

The national airline operated more than 19,000 flights at a completion rate of 99.8 per cent, unlocking more than 4.4 million ultra-low-seats, and carrying more than 3.5 million point-to-point passengers, contributing to Zayed International Airport’s point-to-point traffic by 25 per cent.

 

Wizz Air carried more than 1.2 million international visitors to Abu Dhabi in 2024, playing a pivotal role in reinforcing the Emirate as a world-class destination and supporting the sustainable growth of its culture and tourism sectors through efficient, reliable and ultra-low-cost travel.

 

The airline is an important contributor to Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030, which aims to position the Emirate as one of the fastest growing global destinations for international visitors.

 

The strategy seeks to boost visitor numbers to 39.3 million and increase the sector's GDP contribution to AED 90 billion ($24 billion) by 2030.

 

The airline is also supporting the development of the UAE’s tourism sector, in alignment with the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, further solidifying the nation’s position as a global tourism hub.

 

In the first half of 2024, hotels in Abu Dhabi welcomed over 2.87 million guests, generating AED 3.6 billion which represents a 19.5 percent year-on-year growth.

 

Additionally, in 2024, Wiz Air Abu Dhabi introduced the region’s first flight subscription models, the Wizz MultiPass and All You Can Fly, which sold out twice within 48 hours, underscoring its unwavering commitment to affordability and accessibility.

 

The airline also optimised its network by increasing its capacity by 40 per cent on its most popular destinations, ensuring a more flexible, reliable, and affordable travel experience for its customers.

 

Johan Eidhagen, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi said: “This year was another record breaker with incredible growth. We are very proud of our achievements and remain committed to delivering more convenient and affordable travel options for everyone. In 2024, we connected people to create great memories, accelerating the growth of the emirate of Abu Dhabi as a global tourism hub. Our exciting memberships, such as the one-of-a-kind All You Can Fly, provide efficient and seamless opportunities for visiting incredible destinations, enabling affordable travel throughout the region. We would like to thank our partners and all our passengers that travelled across our ever-expanding network. We look forward to welcoming you on board for a well-deserved trip soon.”

 

Wizz Air currently connects the UAE capital to more than 30 destinations, flying to must-visit vibrant cities and hidden-gems across the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

 

The airline is expanding convenient and affordable travel for everyone and allowing for convenient, self-connecting travel across the wider Wizz Air network via Abu Dhabi, with an enhanced winter schedule providing 40 percent more seat capacity to explore culturally rich destinations. The new schedule provides more flexibility, convenience, and savings, making it easier than ever to travel.

 

The incredible All You Can Fly membership enables unlimited adventures for the whole year, with no blackout periods and the first booked flight complimentary.

 

All You Can Fly members can book up to three segments per day within a 12-month period, as early as 72 hours before departure, a truly worthwhile option for flexible and frequent adventurous travellers.

 

To enhance convenience for travellers, Wizz Air expanded payment options on its mobile application and introduced Apple Pay and Google Pay for a quick, secure and easy mobile payment solution.

 

The integration of popular digital payment tools provides more flexible payment options, adapting to the evolving needs of its customers, making travel planning as smooth and efficient as possible, especially useful to the last-minute customers who need to complete the booking quickly to catch a good deal.

 

This year, the national airline expanded the boundaries of WIZZ MultiPass, an innovative and unprecedented flight membership service that allows frequent travellers to fly to or from the UAE every month and explore multiple destinations while saving more.

 

WIZZ MultiPass enables passengers to lock in a fixed price for tickets and baggage, unaffected by seasonality, for an entire year.

 

 Travellers can save up to 40 per cent on tickets to the most popular destinations by choosing the ticket-only fare.

 

Passengers can enjoy greater flexibility and a peace of mind with WIZZ Flex. This service allows passengers to change their flight up to three hours before departure without any fee and receive 100 per cent of the fare immediately reimbursed in airline credit.

 

Based strategically in the UAE capital, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi offers ultra-low fares to a wide range of destinations, including Alexandria (Egypt), Almaty (Kazakhstan), Amman (Jordan), Baku (Azerbaijan), Belgrade (Serbia), Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Cairo (Egypt), Cluj (Romania) and Dammam (Saudi Arabia). As well as routes to Kutaisi (Georgia), Larnaca (Cyprus), Male (Maldives), Madinah (Saudi Arabia), Nur Sultan (Kazakhstan), Samarkand (Uzbekistan), Sarajevo (Bosnia), Sohag (Egypt), Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Turkistan (Kazakhstan), Tirana (Albania), now available Varna (Bulgaria) and Yerevan (Armenia) among others. -TradeArabia News Service

The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) today (March 13) laid the foundation stone for its AED440 million ($120 million) hospitality project - Sofitel Legend Pyramids Giza - in Egypt. 

 

A luxury five-star hotel, it will feature 302 rooms equipped with state-of-the-art amenities. The property will also house a selection of international restaurants and entertainment facilities, positioning it as a premier destination for luxury hospitality.

 

The project is being financed through a strategic partnership between the private sectors of the UAE and Egypt, said the statement from ADFD. 

 

ADFD is contributing 84.28% of the project’s capital through Abu Dhabi Tourism Investment Company (ADTIC). Additionally, Abu Dhabi National Hotels owns 10.22%, Overseas Tourism Investment Company holds 0.4%, Misr Hotels Company owns 2.73%, and the Egyptian General Company for Tourism & Hotels owns 2.37%.

 

It will be a landmark addition to the hospitality and tourism sector in Egypt and the broader Middle East, thus reinforcing the UAE’s commitment to advancing global economic partnerships and supporting sustainable development, it stated.

 

This comes as part of its efforts to support and revitalise Egypt’s tourism sector and enhance strategic investments, it added.

 

The foundation was jointly laid by Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of ADFD, and Engineer Adel Al-Najjar, the Governor of Giza, from the Egyptian government, in the presence of officials from both sides.

 

Blending rich history with modern luxury, the project promises an exceptional hospitality experience that meets the highest international standards. Abu Dhabi Tourism Investment Company is partnering with Accor Group, a globally renowned hospitality brand, to manage the hotel and ensure excellence in service and guest experience.

 

On the deal, Al Suwaidi said: Sofitel Legend Pyramids Giza is a significant step in strengthening Egypt’s tourism sector, offering a world-class hotel experience that underscores our commitment to sustainable investments in promising markets."

 

"Through our partnership with Accor Group, we aim to elevate the tourism industry while supporting economic and social development in Egypt," he stated.

 

Al Suwaidi called this investment a reflection of ADFD’s commitment to advancing sustainable development projects and driving investment partnerships that fuel economic growth in partner countries.

 

Lauding the ADFD support, Al Najjar said: "We appreciate Abu Dhabi Fund for Development’s commitment to supporting Egypt’s development projects, particularly in key economic sectors like tourism."

 

"The Sofitel Legend Pyramids Giza project represents a transformative step in strengthening our tourism infrastructure, enabling us to attract visitors from around the world thanks to its strategic location near Egypt’s most iconic archaeological sites," he added.-TradeArabia News Service

ITB China, the B2B-exclusive trade show for the Chinese travel industry, introduces a brand-new event – MICE Meeting Point China – taking place from September 11-12, 2025, in Beijing.

 

This event is designed to cater to the evolving needs of China’s rapidly changing MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) industry.

 

The confex-style event will be co-located with the ITB China Business Travel Conference, offering its attendees a dynamic platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and business development.

 

To further enhance engagement, a post-event Fam trip will be organised from September 13-14, providing participants with first-hand experiences of China’s top MICE destinations and offerings.

 

MICE Meeting Point will feature a dynamic conference stage where leading experts and innovators will present cutting-edge insights, trends, and first-hand updates shaping the future of MICE and business travel.

 

The event will also host a dedicated business mart area, enabling sponsors to showcase their products, solutions, and services to a highly targeted audience at branded sponsor booths and tables.

 

Additionally, exclusive networking events will offer valuable opportunities to connect with key industry players and decision-makers, fostering meaningful business interactions.

 

This event is supported by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism.

 

“Beijing has always played a significant role in advancing the development of China’s MICE industry. As a supporting unit for this event, we are deeply honored to host such an international MICE gathering in Beijing. We look forward to fostering innovation and growth in China’s MICE industry through this event and further deepening cooperation both domestically and internationally”, commented Sun Jian, Deputy Director, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism.

 

According to the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), China ranked first with $372.5 billion in business travel spending (a 9% increase) among the top fifteen countries in 2023. By 2028, it is projected to exceed $2.0 trillion, highlighting a robust outlook for the global business travel sector in terms of the global business travel spending. According to Trip.Biz data, cross-border business travel is also surging, with figures as of October 2024 already 34% higher than in 2019 and a 72% increase compared to the same period in 2023, setting a new historical record. This growth highlights China's expanding influence in the global business travel sector.

 

Beyond financial growth, the industry is also undergoing a structural transformation, shaped by advancements in artificial intelligence, sustainability initiatives, digitalisation, and hybrid meeting technologies. The demand for customised, tech-driven, and flexible MICE solutions is rising, with businesses prioritising efficiency, personalisation, and sustainability in their event planning strategies.

 

These emerging trends and industry shifts will take center stage at the conference, where experts and innovators will delve into a wide range of pressing topics, including:

 

• Bleisure Travel: How is the rise of bleisure travel creating new opportunities for the MICE industry?

 

• Cost vs Quality: Which destinations are preferred for balancing budget efficiency with high-quality experiences?

 

• AI-Driven Transformation: How is artificial intelligence reshaping personalisation and efficiency in the MICE sector?

 

• Corporate Globalisation: How can MICE activities drive internationalisation and cross-cultural exchange?

 

• Customisation Trends: How are personalised MICE experiences redefining the market?

 

• Sustainability & ESG: How can MICE events integrate green innovation and social responsibility?

 

• 5G & Virtual Reality: How are emerging technologies enhancing hybrid meetings and live event experiences?

 

"The launch of MICE Meeting Point in China’s capital Beijing is a significant step in providing a tailor-made platform for China's MICE and business travel industry, with the prospect of facilitating communication between domestic and international industry professionals, fostering innovation and creating new business opportunities. We look forward to contributing to the development of a more efficient, smarter, and globally connected MICE landscape in China”, said Lydia Li, Director of ITB China. -TradeArabia News Service