EVOPS Marketing & PR, a trusted provider of marketing and PR services in the Middle East and Central Asia, participated in the Career Expo organised by the University of Birmingham Dubai yesterday. The event drew over 300 students seeking internship and work placement opportunities. The successful engagement of EVOPS Marketing in the Career Expo underscores the agency’s commitment to fostering new talent and staying at the forefront of the rapidly evolving marketing industry.EVOPS’ station was a hive of activity as students inquired about the internship and training opportunities available at the company’s various AI-enabled marketing services ranging from e-commerce, website and app development solutions to events management, branding, market research, PR and social media.“We were glad to see such a strong interest in our internship and training programs, and grateful to the University of Birmingham Dubai for giving us the chance to participate in such a pivotal event,” said Hina Bakht, Managing Director of EVOPS Marketing & PR.She added, “At EVOPS, we believe in the transformative power of training and internships. They are not just about acquiring skills; they are about shaping futures, igniting passions, and building the leaders of tomorrow. In today's dynamic and fast-paced business environment, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a game-changer, revolutionizing various industries including marketing. We were very impressed by the quality of the students we met and are confident that they have the potential to make significant contributions to our company and the industry.”As a reputed service provider in multiple sectors including FinTech, Finance, Technology, Travel & Tourism, Hospitality, Healthcare, Retail, Beauty & Fashion, EVOPS Marketing & PR is committed to nurturing the next generation of marketing and PR professionals.Hina believes with AI enabled marketing tools, businesses and professionals can achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency and effectiveness. “The impact of AI, with its ability to drive efficiency, personalization, and ultimately, business growth is being widely recognized. Its ability to analyze vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and generate actionable insights empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions and drive impactful marketing strategies.”

Dubai: Travel Genius, the most innovative location intelligence platform, has today announced the appointment of three new board directors who will bring with them a wealth of experience in hospitality, brand marketing, business process design and governance.Roshni Pandey, Jagdish Sidhu and David King will all join the company with immediate effect.Hannes Bos, the CEO and Founder of Travel Genius said "Their invaluable expertise, diverse backgrounds, and deep industry knowledge will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in bringing our innovative solutions to life and driving our company's success. Their commitment to excellence and passion for innovation align perfectly with our company's vision and mission."This announcement follows the recent launch of SpotQuest, the world’s first solution with actionable insight for travel professionals. Using unique data points at micro-neighbourhood levels, the new location intelligence platform provides detailed and actionable insights in a fraction of the time it currently takes travel professionals to gather the data.Over the next few weeks, Travel Genius is planning to announce a number of innovative products that are set to disrupt the Travel and F&B industries, by bringing together AI-powered tech and a proprietary database of millions of micro-location data points to create accurate local insights with an accuracy not seen before. 

Dubai: Atmosphere Core, the leading hospitality travel operator which is celebrating its 10 year anniversary this year, has appointed Brazen MENA to handle the communications across its portfolio of world-class resorts in the Maldives.The award-winning agency will be looking after the PR for Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts and Colours of OBLU, who between them have six different resorts, each designed to anticipate everything a guest could dream of.Following a four-way competitive pitch, Brazen MENA has been appointed to not only elevate awareness and understanding for each of the brands’ resorts across the GCC, but also firmly establish them as must-visit destinations in the stunning, Indian Ocean archipelago.A dynamic and fast-growing hospitality company, Atmosphere Core prides itself on its ability to suit the modern travellers’ needs, be they families, couples or solo travellers and offers premium all-inclusive, personalised plans designed to restore the body and inspire the mind.Brazen MENA will manage all the media and influencer communications for the following resorts: VARU by Atmosphere, Atmosphere Kanifushi, OBLU Experience Ailafushi, OBLU Nature Helengeli, OBLU Nature Sangeli and OBLU Select Lobigili.As part of this, the agency will highlight the overarching Atmopshere Core brand narrative of the ‘Joy of Giving’.Sarah Walker-Kerr, Vice President of Communications for Atmosphere Core comments:“Ensuring we have the right agency partner is of paramount importance to us as we look to expand our offering to the GCC audience. The communications agency market is incredibly saturated, from large, global organisations, to the smaller boutique offerings – and even those with more specialized services.“At every stage of the pitch process, Brazen MENA, truly shone out from the competition – their passion and dedication is second to none and I’m very confident in their ability to amplify our brand, Atmosphere Core, to the next level as we move into our second decade and chapter of history and expansion.”Louise Jacobson, Owner and Managing Partner of Brazen MENA added: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been appointed by Atmosphere Core to look after the communications for Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts and Colours of OBLU in the GCC. As one of the most dynamic and fastest growing travel operators in the Maldives, we cannot wait to truly show how Atmosphere Core’s ‘Joy of Giving’ narrative comes to life in one of the world’s most desired destinations. “Over the last eight years, Brazen MENA has cemented itself as one of the GCC’s leading hospitality and travel PR agencies – and we are confident our combined 200+ years of expertise has what it takes to ultimately elevate the brand and its resorts at this very exciting time for the business.”

Dubai: Big data is having a transformative effect on hospitality across the Middle East and beyond. However, leading hoteliers speaking on the opening day of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023, which will run at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) until Thursday 4 May, emphasised that human intervention remains essential if owners and operators wish to derive genuine value from the information being gathered.‘Hospitality Debate: What More Can Big Data Unlock?’ featured a range of expert insights into the power of data to improve guest experiences within the Middle East’s hospitality sector. Moderated by Paul Clifford, Group Editor – Hospitality & Design at ITP Media Group, the session saw Chris Hartley, CEO of Global Hotel Alliance; Tommy Lai, Chief Executive Officer at General Hotel Management Pte Ltd; Sandeep Walia, Chief Operations Officer – Middle East at Marriott; and Nicolas Huss, CEO of Hotelbeds, take to the ATM Global Stage to share their views.Commenting on advancements in the hospitality sector’s data capabilities over the past decade, General Hotel Management Pte Ltd’s Lai said: “It used to be you’d need a lot of people for analysis, but now, you can collect data and AI will decipher it for you. Big data and AI are evening the playing field between small groups and larger brands.”Speaking on the importance of interpretation, Marriott’s Walia said: “This technology can help guests to narrow down the hotels they would like to stay in,” noting that big data – when used in combination with AI – can help to identify the best options for customers. “But ultimately, guests have to connect with us to make the booking, so the balance between AI and the human touch is equally important and can’t be forgotten.”Reiterating the importance of quality over quantity, Global Hotel Alliance’s Hartley said: “Acquiring data is one thing but that isn’t ‘big data’. It’s what you do with the data that’s critical. We’ve known for years, for example, that credit card companies have a huge amount of data on spend – way beyond the hotel. This tells you a lot more about the customer than they might reveal to you during a one-off stay.”Hotelbeds’ Huss agreed but warned that an ethical approach is essential in order to realise the full potential of this information. “I think there are several rules,” he said. “The first is that everything has to be anonymous. The second is that we must ensure that the data we have adds value to the guest experience. And finally, we must acknowledge that the way we behave when we’re staying at a hotel doesn’t always reflect what we do when we leave that environment. We will only thrive if we have the best data and some form of human care.”Day one of ATM 2023 featured 20 sessions across the Global Stage, Travel Tech Stage and Sustainability Hub. Other highlights from the day included the Technology: The Enabler of Sustainable Travel session, the funding of sustainability and Enhancing the Customer Experience Through AI. The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance also touched on the importance of protecting the locations, livelihoods and communities in which hotels are based, in the Achieving Net Positive Hospitality session.The 30th edition of ATM is taking place as part of Arabian Travel Week (1-10 May 2023), a festival of events dedicated to enabling industry professionals from all over the world to collaborate and capitalise on market opportunities through exhibitions, conferences, breakfast briefings, awards, product launches and networking events.Those attending ATM 2023 in person can get involved in the conversation online by using the hashtag #ATMDubai when posting on social media channels.ATM 2023 is being held in conjunction with Dubai World Trade Centre, and its strategic partners include Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) as the Destination Partner, Emirates as the Official Airline Partner, IHG Hotels & Resorts as the Official Hotel Partner, and Al Rais Travel as the Official DMC Partner.The latest ATM news stories are available at https://hub.wtm.com/category/press/atm-press-releases/.

Dubai: Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world's largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,100 hotels spanning more than 95 countries, has announced the promotion of Panos Loupasis to the role of Market Managing Director for Türkiye, the Middle East and Africa. In his newly expanded role, Panos Loupasis will be at the helm of driving brand operations, business development, as well as owner relations and commercial leadership across the region.As an integral part of Wyndham’s leadership and development team for more than ten years, Panos Loupasis has played a key role in driving the Company’s expansion across the Middle East, Eurasia and Africa region. In the Middle East and Africa region alone, Wyndham has reached approximately 70 properties. In his expanded role, Panos Loupasis will also be responsible for Türkiye, a key growth market for Wyndham with a portfolio of approximately 100 hotels across more than 40 cities, supported by Murat Özel, Wyndham’s newly appointed Country Director of Türkiye.Dimitris Manikis, President, Europe, Middle East, Eurasia and Africa, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, said: “Since joining Wyndham in 2011, Panos has played an invaluable role in our successful growth in the region, helping to elevate our presence to new heights through new signings and brand entries. His exceptional leadership skills, strategic vision, and deep understanding of the industry make Panos the ideal person to lead our strategy for the region, and we are confident that, together with his talented team, he will continue to deliver exceptional results.”Panos Loupasis, Market Managing Director Türkiye, Middle East and Africa at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, said: “As destinations that provide a truly unique travel and hospitality experience, Türkiye, the Middle East and Africa markets offer incredible potential for growth with ambitious goals over the coming years. I am excited to step into this new role and continue to expand and promote Wyndham as the preferred brand and partner in these exciting markets.”