Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Qatar to host the T100 Triathlon World Championship Finals for 5 years

Visit Qatar, the Professional Triathletes Organisation, World Triathlon, and the Qatar Cycling and Triathlon Federation have announced the hosting of the Triathlon World Championship Finals Qatar T100 from 2025 to 2029. 
 
This comes as part of a five-year partnership agreement between Visit Qatar and the Professional Triathletes Organisation.
 
The inaugural Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final will be held from December 11 to 13, 2025. The swim leg will take place in the Arabian Gulf, while the bike and run legs will navigate through Doha and Lusail, passing several iconic landmarks such as the Lusail Stadium.
 
The multisport festival weekend will also offer a series of swim, bike, and run events for amateurs, including the chance for amateur athletes to participate in the new 100km triathlon distance (2km swim, 80km bike, 18km run) alongside the best professional triathletes in the world.
 
Commenting on the partnership, Eng Abdulaziz Al-Mawlawi, CEO of Visit Qatar, said: “We are delighted to partner with the Professional Triathletes Organisation to host the Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final in our vibrant cities for the next five years. This event underscores Qatar’s growing reputation as a premier sports destination, showcasing our commitment to hosting world-class international sporting events. Qatar’s infrastructure, state-of-the-art facilities, and rich sports culture offers the perfect environment to host this event. This collaboration further strengthens Qatar’s position as a global hub for sports tourism, inspiring both professional athletes and enthusiasts alike.”
 
Antonio F Arimany, President of World Triathlon, who have designated the series as the ‘Official World Championship Tour of long-distance triathlon’, added: "The T100 Triathlon World Championship Final represents a new chapter for our sport, combining elite competition with global accessibility and participation. As we continue to grow triathlon around the world, confirming the presence of the Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final on the calendar for the next five years is another major milestone for our great sport in this dynamic region. Partnering with Visit Qatar and the Qatari Triathlon Federation to host this prestigious event in Doha ensures not only a world-class experience for professional athletes but also an incredible opportunity for the broader triathlon community to connect with our sport. Qatar’s dedication to innovation and excellence aligns seamlessly with our vision for the T100 series, and we’re excited to see triathlon thrive in this dynamic and inspiring destination. Mass participation events are once more thriving alongside the elite racing around the world and really building into a major movement in the Middle East.”
 
Sam Renouf, CEO of the PTO, said at a press conference held in Doha: “We have always been clear about our strategy for the T100 Triathlon World Tour – to feature iconic locations and create a world-class destination for our series. This five-year partnership with Visit Qatar allows us to achieve that vision in one of the fastest-growing, family-friendly tourist destinations in the world, which welcomed more than five million visitors last year. Qatar’s residents and visitors are showing increasing demand not only to attend world-class sporting events but also to participate in them. The legacy of major events like the FIFA World Cup and Formula 1 has encouraged such demand. The season-long series will be known as the T100 Race to Qatar and will not only be a spectacular finale for our new professional series, but also provide opportunities for amateur swimmers, cyclists, and runners – from first timers to the inaugural T100 Age Group World Championships.”
 
He added: “Qatar is a nation with a deep respect for its heritage, yet one that is firmly focused on the future. In addition to its role as a hub for global universities and cutting-edge health and research centres, the country has a rapidly growing sports ecosystem, including training, sports medicine, and wellness facilities. This aligns perfectly with the goals we have for the T100 series.”
 
Abdulaziz Al Tamimi, Qatar Cycling and Triathlon Federation President, said: "As President of the Qatar Triathlon Federation, I am thrilled to announce that hosting the Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final over the next five years marks a significant milestone in strengthening Qatar’s position as a global hub for sports. This prestigious event aligns with our vision to elevate triathlon in Qatar and support our athletes in achieving international excellence."
"As a passionate triathlete, it has always been a dream to witness a world-class event like this in our homeland. Hosting this championship simplifies logistical challenges for athletes and reflects Qatar’s commitment to fostering a vibrant sports culture. Developing our national team is a key priority, as we prepare our athletes to compete globally and proudly represent Qatar. The presence of elite triathletes offers opportunities for inspiration and growth, encouraging the community to embrace the sport.” he added.
 
The list of athletes for the 2025 T100 Triathlon World Tour was announced earlier this month, with a remarkable group of Olympic champions and World Championship winners from 13 countries participating. The women’s field will be led by American and Belgian Olympians Taylor Knibb and Marten Van Riel, who won the inaugural T100 Triathlon World Championship Finals in Dubai, becoming the first-ever T100 series world champions.
 
Each athlete will have to compete in at least five of the ten T100 races during the season, with their four best scores plus their result in the Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final, where points will count double, contributing to their final T100 standing.  – TradeArabia News Service
 

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Etihad Airways launches new digital experience

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has announced the roll out of its new and elevated digital experience across etihad.com and the mobile app. 
 
The new digital experience offers a modern and inviting platform to book travel and gain inspiration for upcoming journeys, the airline said. 
 
The website navigation is re-engineered as a standout left-side menu allowing users to move seamlessly and efficiently through the site; while the bold colour of ‘midnight dune’ from Etihad’s newly integrated colour palette, gives an enticing first impression. 
 
A strong emphasis on enhanced digital self-service options makes the user experience easier and more personalised. During the online check-in process many new features have been added including pre-populated data to save time, an improved seat map and streamlined access to travel extras all within a simple three-step process, it said.
 
Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer, Etihad Airways, said: “In our commitment to delivering an extraordinary customer experience, we’ve completely redesigned the digital experience ensuring that our guests enjoy engaging with us from the very first touch of a screen until reaching their destination and beyond. Furthermore, we’ve made sure our valued Etihad Guest members can enjoy the benefits of a more personalised experience now conveniently in the one app or website.”
 
Etihad Airways’ Chief Digital Officer, Frank Meyer, said: “At Etihad, we are constantly evolving and innovating the digital experience in line with customer preferences and industry trends.  In our commitment to innovation and improvement, we will continue to go beyond expectations by delivering a more personalised and seamless online experience for our guests.”
 
The Etihad Airways mobile app, on both Android and iOS, now also serves as a digital travel assistant with booking, trip management and loyalty member profiles all in one handy place. Ahead of travel, customers will find the most important information and tools they need for a seamless journey with quick access to boarding passes, real-time gate updates, boarding times, baggage status and more.
 
One of the main benefits of the new digital experience is the integration of the Etihad Guest programme to both the website and app. As well as a more personalised experience, Etihad Guest members can now view and manage aspects of their loyalty programme from a single point, including adding travel documents, viewing upcoming trips, tracking tier status, selecting their loyalty benefits, and earning or spending miles. Members can also gain quick access to their virtual membership card and tier status online.
 
Through both new platforms, all travellers also have easy access to book an integrated Abu Dhabi Stopover experience as part of their travel itinerary, offering complimentary two-night hotel stays when flying through Abu Dhabi. With a simple click, guests can turn a single journey into a two-destination holiday with a couple of days to enjoy the year-round sunshine and world-class experiences Abu Dhabi has to offer.
 
The website is available at etihad.com and the mobile app is available for download on the app and play store. - TradeArabia News Service

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Saurav Puri appointed Multi-Property General Manager

The St Regis Downtown Dubai, Delta Hotels by Marriott, Dubai Investment Park, and Marriott Residences Al Barsha South, Dubai have announced the appointment of Saurav Puri as Multi-Property General Manager. 
 
With over 17 years of leadership experience in the hospitality industry, Puri brings a wealth of expertise in driving operational excellence, enhancing guest experiences, and strengthening brand positioning across highly competitive markets.
 
Puri’s journey in hospitality began with Marriott International in 2008, where he built a strong foundation in commercial strategy before transitioning into key leadership roles across the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions. 
 
Most recently, during his tenure at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai—first as Director of Operations and later as Hotel Manager, the hotel achieved a prestigious Forbes 5-Star rating, earned the Dubai Quality Award, and consistently exceeded performance benchmarks through enhanced guest satisfaction and operational efficiency, a testament to his ability to elevate standards and exceed performance benchmarks.  -TradeArabia News Service