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    Airport Handling Expands with Seven-Year License to Operate at Rome Fiumicino Airport

    Airport Handling, a majority-owned subsidiary of leading global air and travel services provider dnata, has been awarded a seven-year ground handling license by Aeroporti di Roma and will establish operations at Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO). The company is targeting to launch operations in the Italian capital in the second quarter of 2024.
    Airport Handling will provide a range of quality and safe ramp and passenger services to airlines in Rome. It has already committed an investment of over €20 million to purchase new ground support equipment (GSE), including advanced electric vehicles. Having recruited a local senior management team, which is very familiar with the Rome market, Airport Handling is targeting to employ over 1,800 customer-oriented aviation professionals at FCO.
    Airport Handling’s expansion into Rome further strengthens its position as a leading air services provider in Italy. A trusted partner of over 60 airlines, the company’s dedicated teams already handle more than 22 million passengers and 82,000 flights annually at the two Milan airports, Malpensa (MXP) and Linate (LIN).
    Alberto Morosi, CEO of Airport Handling, said: “We are proud to have secured operating license at another leading Italian airport as a result of a highly competitive tender process. Expanding into Rome Fiumicino is a significant milestone that aligns with our growth strategy and underlines our commitment to consistently enhancing our operations.
    “We look forward to working with the airport to deliver high quality and safe services for our airline customers and their passengers travelling to or through Rome. I thank our partners for their continued trust in our services and our team for their hard work and dedication.”ADVERTISEMENTThe majority stakeholder of Airport Handling is dnata, a global player in the combined air services industry, which operates at over 120 airports globally. Besides its ground handling business, dnata also provides catering & retail services at all major Italian airports, including Rome Fiumicino.
    Serving over 300 airline customers, dnata’s customer-oriented teams handled more than 710,000 aircraft turns, moved over 2.7 million tonnes of cargo and uplifted 111.4 million meals in the financial year 2022-23.

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    Frank Dobbelsteijn Appointed as Swissport’s Global Head of Operation

    Frank Dobbelsteijn will join Swissport International AG on 1 January 2024 as Global Head of Operations. In his former role as Vice President for the Heathrow operation of Menzies Aviation and other senior roles in the aviation and logistics sector, he gained the frontline operational experience and the managerial credentials for this key position on Swissport’s Global Management team.
    Swissport appoints Frank Dobbelsteijn as Global Head of Operations. With over 30 years of experience in several senior roles in the aviation and logistics sectors in Europe and the United States, Frank brings a wealth of expertise to his new role at Swissport. He will be responsible for aligning the company’s operational priorities with the overall strategic goals, while ensuring a consistent service delivery and above all safe operations.
    “We are delighted to welcome Frank Dobbelsteijn aboard as Global Head of Operations,” says Warwick Brady, President & CEO of Swissport International AG. “With his vast experience in airport ground operations and the logistics sector, Frank is ideally prepared to take Swissport’s service delivery to the next level in terms of safety, reliability, customer centricity and consistent operational excellence.”
    Frank Dobbelsteijn succeeds Richard Male, who has served as Swissport’s interim Director of Global Operations since April and recently decided to accept a job offer outside of the company.
    Frank Dobbelsteijn’s background in logistics, aviation ground handling and passenger services will allow him to make quick progress towards even more stable operations while further enhancing the quality of Swissport’s service delivery to airline customers across the globe. Prior to joining Swissport, he played a pivotal role as Vice President of Menzies’ single largest station at London Heathrow Airport. He had previously served the company as Vice President USA West Coast and Vice President Los Angeles, start-up project manager Europe and General Manager low-cost division Amsterdam. He also served as Senior Station Manager at Amazon in Los Angeles, where he oversaw the company’s third-largest US distribution center in Los Angeles.ADVERTISEMENTAs the global leader in aviation ground services, Swissport is also setting the industry benchmark for safe airport operations and overall employee health and safety. The company sees its uncompromised commitment to safety as the key prerequisite for delivering superior operational excellence for its airline customers.

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    Civitatis unveils unprecedented growth in tours & activities portfolio and supplier partnerships sin

    Civitatis, the leading technological platform for booking Spanish-speaking activities, day trips, guided tours, and excursions worldwide – both in the B2C and B2B channels – has today announced a substantial growth in the number of products and supplier partnerships, projecting a significant increase in activities and partners by the close of 2023.
    Comparing data from 2019, Civitatis has experienced exceptional growth of 200% in its product portfolio, rising from 29,000 to 87,000 activities available.
    In a similar vein, the supplier partnership network has undergone a remarkable transformation, witnessing a rise from 3,500 providers in 2021 to over 6,000 at present, marking an impressive 71% increase.
    This expansion has been driven by the internationalisation strategy of Civitatis, particularly targeting Spanish-speaking markets like Latin America, enabling access to superior suppliers, and amplifying the diversity of offerings available to customers.
    The growth in product offerings and partnerships is also backed by the commitment of Civitatis to meeting evolving market demands and amplifying their global footprint, together with significant staff growth and increased investments in marketing efforts.ADVERTISEMENTAlberto Gutiérrez, Founder and CEO at Civitatis, commented, “The exponential growth in our product range and supplier partnership network is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the entire Civitatis team – but I’d also like to thank all those new supplier partners who have placed their trust in our global distribution capabilities. Our strategic focus on expanding our portfolio, particularly in LATAM, and forging strong alliances has positioned us one of the top handful of tours & activities online sellers in the world. We remain committed to furthering our international presence and enriching the travel experiences of our customers.”
    This announcement follows recent news of remarkable growth in traveller numbers for Civitatis, predicting reaching a milestone of roughly 10 million travellers for 2023 by the close of the year, based on current year-to-date sales of almost 9 million.

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    DFDS Retains ‘World’s Leading Ferry Operator’ Title at World Travel Awards

    Global ferry operator DFDS has sailed to victory once again after being named the ‘World’s Leading Ferry Operator’ at the prestigious World Travel Awards.
    Voted for by passengers and travel industry peers, the award acknowledges, rewards, and celebrates excellence in the travel, tourism and hospitality industries and represents DFDS’s commitment to unrivalled service, unparalleled reliability, and an unwavering dedication to passenger satisfaction.
    The win wraps up a successful awards season for DFDS, having already secured the following accolades:
    Europe’s Leading Ferry Operator 2023Europe’s Best Ferry Operator Website 2023World’s Best Ferry Operator Website 2023The grand final took place in Dubai at the iconic Burj Al Arab with DFDS taking home the highest honour in ferry travel at the landmark celebrations.
    While reflecting on the record-breaking win, DFDS’s Vice-President and Head of Passenger, Kasper Moos, said: “The World Travel Awards represents the pinnacle of excellence in the travel industry, and to be named as the World’s Leading Ferry Operator for the 13th year running is an incredible honour.ADVERTISEMENT“Above all, it is testament to the passion and dedication demonstrated by each and every member of our team across the globe and the exceptional service they provide to our passengers.
    “I am proud that our passengers choose DFDS time and time again and want to express my gratitude to everyone who voted for us. Their belief in our service inspires us to continually strive for excellence.”
    DFDS operates a diverse network of ten passenger routes across Europe, carrying more than 4.7million passengers between:
    Amsterdam-NewcastleCopenhagen-Oslo and Frederikshavn-OsloDover-Calais, Dover-Dunkirk, Dieppe-Newhaven and Rosslare-Dunkirk on the ChannelPaldiski- Kapellskär, Klaipeda-Karlshamn and Klaipeda-Kiel in the BalticsFor more information about DFDS’s ferry services please visit www.dfds.com

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    UNIVERSAL DESTINATIONS & EXPERIENCES CREATES FIRST-EVER THEME PARK CONCEPT FOR FAMILIES

    Universal Destinations & Experiences, a division of Comcast NBCUniversal, officially introduces Universal Kids Resort – the company’s first-ever theme park designed specifically for families with young children. Located in Frisco, Texas and first announced earlier this year, this imaginative, original resort brings the company’s innovative style of storytelling to a new, younger audience.Universal Kids Resort will include a theme park featuring immersive themed lands that celebrate Universal’s iconic brand of entertainment, humor and fun – bringing to life its beloved characters and stories in ways that will wow the youngest theme park goers. It will feature family-friendly attractions, interactive and playful shows, unique merchandise, fun food and beverage venues and character meet and greets. The resort area will also include a 300-room themed hotel giving families a place to stay and to play following their day of adventure.
    “Universal Kids Resort will inspire the unbridled creativity of kids through imagination, discovery and most importantly – play,” said Molly Murphy, President, Universal Creative. “We’re designing the resort so kids and families can feel the thrill of being physically immersed in their most beloved stories and characters.”
    Set in lush green landscape with a distinctive look, feel and scale specifically for younger kids, the park will deliver the quality the Universal brand is known for worldwide.
    Progress on the new concept is well underway following a groundbreaking in November. Universal Kids Resort will drive immediate economic impact for the region, creating thousands of jobs including more than 2,500 new construction jobs. Throughout the project, the company will remain focused on ensuring the resort adds value and positively serves the community.
    Additional details about Universal Kids Resort will be revealed over time. To stay updated on all the company’s newest developments, visit corporate.universaldestinationsandexperiences.com.ADVERTISEMENTAbout Universal Destinations & Experiences (UDX)Universal Destinations & Experiences, a unit of Comcast NBCUniversal, offers guests around the world the most innovative, immersive and popular entertainment experiences. Our portfolio is comprised of world-class theme parks featuring the industry’s most thrilling and technologically advanced attractions, exceptional hotels and resorts, unique merchandise, games, virtual and live entertainment experiences. We use our rich collection of stories and franchises – from Universal Pictures, Illumination, DreamWorks Animation and more – to take people to places they couldn’t imagine while creating memorable and emotionally fulfilling moments for people of all ages.

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    Abu Dhabi International Airport Transitions All Airlines to State-of-the-Art Terminal A

    A total of 28 international airlines are now fully operational from the state-of-the-art Terminal A at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH). All airlines operating from Abu Dhabi international Airport have now fully transitioned to Terminal A, marking a significant ramp up in capacity from the new terminal.
    Terminal A is now the primary terminal serving Abu Dhabi International Airport, with flights arriving to and departing from the emirate, set to use the cutting-edge facilities available. The successful transition to Terminal A will facilitate a major increase in aviation capacity in Abu Dhabi, with the terminal able to process up to 45 million travellers annually and handle 79 planes at once.
    Terminal A will enhance the passenger experience, providing seamless connectivity. The leading facilities available at Terminal A include biometric technology to streamline the screening and boarding process, and 35,000 square metres of retail and F&B space.
    In November as a whole, it is forecast 7,669 flights will operate from Terminal A with already 1,557 flights operating in the first two weeks of operations. The number of flights operating from Terminal A is set to further increase in December to 12,220, as will the number of passengers using the new terminal projected to be 2.29 million.
    Elena Sorlini, Managing Director and Interim Chief Executive Officer at Abu Dhabi Airports said: “With all airlines now operating from Terminal A, I’m pleased to announce a new era for operations at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Bringing new state-of-the-art facilities and a major increase in aviation capacity , Terminal A will greatly enhance the passenger experience, whilst enabling international airlines to further increase their presence in Abu Dhabi.”ADVERTISEMENT

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    loveholidays Launches Biggest Black Friday Promotion Yet Offering Up to 30% Off Selected Hotels

    The UK’s largest online travel agent, loveholidays, has launched its biggest ever Black Friday promotion with discounts on hundreds of hotels.
    From today through to midnight on 30th November, savvy shoppers can secure up to 30% off selected hotels* through the online travel agent.
    Including everything from short haul beach holidays, city breaks and long haul escapes, loveholidays has a record number of Black Friday deals up for grabs – making it easier than ever for Brits to bag a bargain.
    Some of the best deals on offer include a winter sun break to Tunisia, with a seven night package holiday at the five-star Iberostar Selection Kantaoui Bay starting from as little as £33 per person per night.
    There are savings on 2024 summer holidays too, with getaways to Canary Island hotspots Lanzarote and Tenerife starting from £401 per person during July and £473 per person during August respectively.ADVERTISEMENTFor those looking to stretch their money further, there are some great discounts on hotels in long haul destinations including New York, Florida and Dubai.
    Customers have the flexibility to secure their dream holiday with deposits starting from just £25 per person and convenient pay-monthly plans, ensuring a stress-free booking process.
    Holidaymakers can also travel with confidence knowing that all loveholidays bookings are ATOL protected.
    To browse all of loveholidays’ unmissable Black Friday deals, visit https://www.loveholidays.com/holidays/black-friday-holidays.html
    Our top picks of loveholidays’ Black Friday deals:
    5* Iberostar Selection Kantaoui Bay, Port el Kantaoui, Tunisia
    Travel dates: Seven nights from 26th January 2024
    Price: £227pp (£32pp/pn)
    Board Basis: Breakfast and dinner
    Flights: Departing from Bristol with easyJet
    URL: https://www.loveholidays.com/holidays/l/?masterId=2133920&nights=7&rooms=2&date=2024-01-26
    5* Be Live Collection Marrakech (Adults Only), Morocco
    Travel dates: Seven nights from 16th June 2024
    Price: £450pp (£64pp/pn)
    Board Basis: All inclusive
    Flights: Departing from London Gatwick with easyJet
    URL: https://www.loveholidays.com/holidays/l/?date=2024-06-16&boardBasis=&masterId=2103855&departureAirports=LON%2CDSA-LBA-NCL-HUY-MME%2CABZ-EDI-GLA-PIK-INV%2CBOH-BRS-CWL-EXT-SOU-NQY%2CBHX-EMA-MAN&rooms=2&nights=4&source=srp
    Malibu Park, Costa Adeje, Tenerife, Canary Islands
    Travel dates: Seven nights from 23rd August 2023
    Price: £473pp (£67pp/pn)
    Board Basis: Self catering
    Flights: Departing from Glasgow Prestwick with Ryanair
    URL: https://www.loveholidays.com/holidays/l/?masterId=2730&departureAirports=LON%2CDSA-LBA-NCL-HUY-MME%2CBOH-BRS-CWL-EXT-SOU-NQY%2CBHX-EMA-MAN&nights=7&rooms=2&date=2024-08-23
    4* Sands Beach Resort, Costa Teguise, Lanzarote, Canary Islands
    Travel dates: Seven nights from 1st July 2024
    Price: £401pp (£57pp/pn)
    Board Basis: Self catering
    Flights: Departing London Gatwick with easyJet
    URL: https://www.loveholidays.com/holidays/l/?masterId=2451&departureAirports=LON%2CDSA-LBA-NCL-HUY-MME%2CABZ-EDI-GLA-PIK-INV%2CBOH-BRS-CWL-EXT-SOU-NQY%2CBHX-EMA-MAN&nights=7&rooms=2&date=2024-07-01
    Coco Key Hotel and Water Park Resort, Florida, USA
    Travel dates: Eight nights from 11th July 2024
    Price: £681pp (£85pp/pn)
    Board Basis: Room only
    Flights: Departing from London Heathrow with British Airways
    URL: https://www.loveholidays.com/holidays/l/?masterId=8296&departureAirports=LON%2CDSA-LBA-NCL-HUY-MME%2CBOH-BRS-CWL-EXT-SOU-NQY%2CLPL-MAN&nights=8&rooms=2&date=2024-07-11
    4* Hyatt Place Dubai Jumeirah, Dubai
    Travel dates: Seven nights from 21st April 2024
    Price: £684pp (£97pp/pn)
    Board Basis: Breakfast included
    Flights: Departing from Edinburgh with Qatar Airways
    URL: https://www.loveholidays.com/holidays/l/?masterId=7355900&departureAirports=ABZ-EDI-GLA-PIK-INV&nights=7&rooms=2&date=2024-04-21
    4* Arlo SoHo, New York, USA
    Travel dates: Five nights from 7th February 2024
    Price: £588pp (£117pp/pn)
    Board Basis: Room only
    Flights: Departing from Southampton with KLM
    URL: https://www.loveholidays.com/holidays/l/?date=2024-02-07&boardBasis=&masterId=894176&departureAirports=ABZ-EDI-GLA-PIK-INV%2CDSA-LBA-NCL-HUY-MME%2CLON%2CBHX-EMA-MAN%2CBOH-BRS-CWL-EXT-SOU-NQY&rooms=2&nights=5&source=srp
    4* Nautico Ebeso, Figueretas, Ibiza, Balearic Islands
    Travel dates: Seven nights from 14th May 2024
    Price: £478pp (£68pp/pn)
    Board Basis: Breakfast included
    Flights: Departing from Liverpool with Ryanair
    URL: https://www.loveholidays.com/holidays/l/?masterId=285051&departureAirports=ABZ-EDI-GLA-PIK-INV%2CDSA-LBA-NCL-HUY-MME%2CLON%2CBHX-EMA-MAN%2CBOH-BRS-CWL-EXT-SOU-NQY&nights=7&rooms=2&date=2024-05-14
    4* Leonardo Hotel Vinkeveen Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Holland
    Travel dates: Four nights from 4th March 2024
    Price: £273pp (£68pp/pn)
    Board Basis: Room only
    Flights: Departing from London Southend with easyJet
    URL: https://www.loveholidays.com/holidays/l/?masterId=3131368&departureAirports=ABZ-EDI-GLA-PIK-INV%2CDSA-LBA-NCL-HUY-MME%2CLON%2CBHX-EMA-MAN%2CBOH-BRS-CWL-EXT-SOU-NQY&nights=4&rooms=2&date=2024-03-04

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    Ambitions Travel Recruitment & Training grows presence in UK travel sector

    Ambitions Travel Recruitment & Training, a go-getting new travel industry recruitment and training agency, has bolstered its position within the UK travel sector, tapping into an expansive network to deliver quality candidates to businesses across the industry.
    A series of award wins, new hires, free eLearning courses and industry partnerships have accelerated growth at a time when many travel businesses struggle to recruit in the face of continued talent shortages. 
    Founded by specialist Fi Morrison-Arnthal, Ambitions Travel Recruitment & Training (ATR) works to swiftly connect businesses with top-tier candidates, leveraging industry knowledge, contacts and a proven track record for efficient, successful hires.
    Morrison-Arnthal has more than three decades of experience in the industry, including as a director at Progressive Travel Recruitment, a leading global recruiter. 
    The launch and swift expansion of ATR comes at a time of ongoing candidate shortages within the industry.
    Morrison-Arnthal, managing director of ATR, said: “Against an improving economic backdrop, the travel industry’s recovery continues to accelerate.
    “However, candidate shortages mean that many businesses find their progress throttled by the inability to source hard to find talent. This has resulted in a strong demand for our services since launching. 
    “The old ways of doing business are no longer working – today employees are seeking attractive salaries that are in line with inflation and flexibility in their roles, while ongoing training and career development opportunities and a sense of mission are more important than ever before.
    “At Ambitions Travel Recruitment we work tirelessly to connect employers from across the industry to the people they need to make their businesses thrive in this new world of work, and to match candidates with roles that will give them long-term fulfilment.”

    Originally launching in 2022, ATR has welcomed two new additional industry experts in recent months, to support the agency’s rapid expansion.
    The business welcomes talent acquisition operations specialist, Genna Davis.
    Her diverse career spans travel consulting, national travel account management, travel recruitment, and training in the hospitality industry.
    Brand operations manager Claire Castro brings years of experience leading international, remote travel recruitment operations support teams.
    Joining ATR, she provides online advice and value to their global audience, candidates and customers.
    ATR Industry Support
    As part of a wider ambition to develop new industry talent and support growth in the travel industry, ATR has launched a series of 12 free essential soft skills courses via their sister website.
    While product and destination knowledge are undeniably crucial, it’s incomplete without the essential soft skills needed to have a career within the travel industry.
    Their free courses are created by industry experts, featuring interactive modules, flexible learning options, engaging content, and worldwide accessibility.
    The free courses are designed to enhance expertise, boost customer satisfaction, and open doors to new career opportunities within the industry. 
    In addition, ATR offers a wide range of free guides for their candidates and clients, downloadable from the website.
    Covering topics such as creating a personal brand, interview preparation, new hire on-boarding, and developing a stand-out CV, the informative guides are available to everyone that might want guidance or support job hunting or talent acquisition a success. 
    ATR is also proud to be a partner of Back in time for Bed (BITFB), the flexible working movement for parents, created by Vicky Billing, head of partnerships at Riviera Travel, and head of supplier relations at Panache Cruises, Anna Perrott.
    A co-branded guide is already available via their ATR website, offering valuable insights to make parental leave a success, and support for businesses and candidates as they navigate the parameters of flexible working.
    With a positive impact on the long-term career satisfaction, loyalty and wellbeing of staff, businesses can gain competitive advantages.
    This guide will help all parties to achieve a more flexible approach and demonstrates why a more human touch to resourcing is so important in attracting the best talent, reducing turnover, to increase productivity and profitability. 
    Morrison-Arnthal added: “It is an honour to work with our partners at BITFB.
    “This inspirational organisation is doing important work to promote better working practices, and we are delighted to offer our support and expertise to help parents everywhere, as well as the businesses that recruit and employ them.
    “The travel sector is a career, not just a job, and we aim to create conditions where our candidates can thrive for the long term.”
    More Information
    Ambitions Travel Recruitment was recently awarded ‘Lone Wolf Business of the Year’ at the Small Business Awards 2023, celebrating the independent strength and prowess of the newly launched agency.
    The consultancy was nominated for ‘Best Start Up Agency’ at Global Recruiter Awards 2023, recognising the hard work, determination and inspiration required to create a thriving new business in a highly competitive industry. 
    Take a look at the Breaking Travel News interview with Ambitions founder, Fi Morrison-Arnthal, here.
    For more information, please visit the official website.

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