Smartvel, a global leader in travel content solutions, expands its collaboration with Ponant Expeditions, the luxury expedition operator. Building on their longstanding relationship, Ponant has now adopted the new EntryDocs for Cruises, Smartvel’s comprehensive, cruise-specific travel documentation solution, to help deliver a smoother, more stress-free travel experience for its guests.

The move strengthens a growing relationship between Ponant Expeditions and Smartvel and reflects both companies shared vision for smarter, more intuitive travel. EntryDocs for Cruises is a fully embedded solution that provides real-time entry and documentation requirements, not only for every destination along the cruise itinerary, but also for air travel to the embarkation point and the guest’s return journey home.

“We are using Smartvel’s solution to verify the travel documentation required for our guests – not only for boarding our cruises, but also for their full journey, including international flights to the point of embarkation and any additional countries visited en route,” said Priscila Martin, Superviseur at Ponant Expeditions. “The solution is intuitive, reliable, and reflects our commitment to delivering a seamless and stress-free travel experience – from departure to return.”

Integrated across Ponant Expeditions’ digital touchpoints, the EntryDocs widget can be embedded on individual cruise landing pages, preloaded with the itinerary and customized to match the Ponant Expeditions brand. Guests can instantly access official government links and all relevant entry requirements in just one click, enhancing clarity and confidence as they prepare for their journey.

EntryDocs for Cruises includes:

• Tailored documentation requirements for every country in the cruise itinerary.
• Personalized results based on passenger nationality and residence.
• A widget and API for flexible integration options.
• Pre-filled traveler details for streamlined pre-departure communications.
• Embedded links to insurance or visa providers, helping generate ancillary revenue.
• On-demand updates and support for new routes and itineraries.

“With Smartvel’s coverage in over 70 countries and their ability to adapt quickly to route changes, our teams are always supported with the latest information. This collaboration underscores Ponant Expeditions’ focus on elevating the guest journey at every step.” added xx of Ponant Expeditions.

“We are excited to support Ponant Expeditions in their commitment to providing a world-class guest experience,” said Iñigo Valenzuela, CEO of Smartvel. “With EntryDocs for Cruises, our goal is to remove complexity and create clarity – helping both travelers and cruise operators navigate today’s dynamic travel landscape. It’s about offering reassurance, saving time, and building trust throughout the entire journey.”

The article Ponant Expeditions selects Smartvel’s EntryDocs for cruises to simplify travel requirements first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

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DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – Dubai International (DXB) welcomed 46 million guests in the first six months of 2025, marking its busiest first half on record. The 2.3% year-on-year growth underscores DXB’s resilience, the continued strength of Dubai’s aviation sector and the airport’s ability to maintain high performance despite temporary regional airspace disruptions in May and June. This achievement reinforces DXB’s vital role in connecting Dubai to the world and supporting the city’s broader economic progress.

In the second quarter alone, DXB served 22.5 million guests, an increase of 3.1% over the same period last year. April emerged as the busiest month of the quarter and the most active April on record, with 8 million guests passing through the terminals.

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said: “DXB’s continued growth through a period of regional challenges highlights the strength of Dubai and the UAE, the agility of our operations, and the commitment of our airport community. The oneDXB mindset once again enabled us to manage disruption while elevating the guest experience and ensuring seamless global connectivity.

As we enter the second half of the year, travel activity is expected to accelerate, beginning with the late-summer peak and leading into a winter season filled with high-profile events across entertainment, sport, and business. A standout moment will be the Dubai Airshow 2025, which is set to surpass previous records and showcase the bold vision shaping the future of aviation and aerospace. Based on our performance to date and a positive outlook, we expect the annual traffic to reach 96 million this year, bringing us closer to the symbolic 100 million milestone.”

Performance and Efficiency

Average monthly traffic in H1 stood at approximately 7.7 million, with daily volumes averaging 254,000. January was the busiest month of the period and also set a new monthly record, with 8.5 million guests.

DXB handled 222,000 total flights during the first half of the year, while the load factor reached 76%. A total of 41.8 million bags were processed, with 91% delivered within 45 minutes on arrival. The mishandled baggage rate remained low at just 2 bags per 1,000 guests, significantly outperforming the 2024 industry average of 6.3 reported by SITA. The airport is on track to process over 85 million bags by year-end, surpassing its previous record of 81.2 million set in 2024. The busiest baggage days were between January 3-5, with daily volumes reaching 300,000 bags.

Efficiency at key guest touchpoints also remained consistently high. In the first half, 99.2% of guests cleared departure passport control in under 10 minutes, 98.4% cleared arrivals in under 15 minutes, and 98.7% passed through security checks in under 5 minutes.*

Top Markets and Destinations

India remained DXB’s largest country market in H1 with 5.9 million guests, followed by Saudi Arabia with 3.6 million, the United Kingdom with 3.0 million, Pakistan with 2.1 million, and the United States with 1.6 million guests. London was the busiest city destination with 1.8 million guests, followed by Riyadh with 1.5 million, Mumbai with 1.2 million, Jeddah and New Delhi with 1.1 million each, and Istanbul with 982,000 guests.

Currently, DXB is connected to more than 269 destinations in over 107 countries, served by a network of over 92 international carriers. This breadth of connectivity continues to underpin Dubai’s appeal as a hub for tourism, commerce, investment, and long-term growth.

Outlook

With the second half underway, Dubai is preparing for a surge in global travel and events, with DXB playing a central role. From the late-summer travel rush related to reopening of schools, to a packed winter calendar, activity is set to intensify. The upcoming Dubai Airshow 2025 is expected to be a landmark event, reflecting not only the scale of aviation in the region but also the vision shaping its future.

*Figures are based on average waiting times, weighted by the total number of passengers processed. The data was captured by DXB’s real-time passenger flow monitoring system, across arrival immigration, departure emigration, and departure central screening touchpoints.

The article Dubai International marks busiest H1 with 46m guests despite regional headwinds first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

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ROME – ITA Airways’ Board of Directors has approved today the Company’s 2026-2030 Business Plan. The Plan is structured around three fundamental strategic pillars:

• Strengthening the competitive position: ITA Airways aims to establish itself as Italy’s reference carrier – efficient and innovative – offering high-quality connectivity in close collaboration with the key sectors of tourism and international trade. At the core of the Company’s strategy is delivering exceptional service to both business and leisure travelers, with a continuous focus on economic,
  social, and environmental sustainability through responsible resource management.
• Network and fleet development: The Plan focuses on expanding the long-haul segment and increasing intercontinental destinations from the Rome Fiumicino hub. Connectivity will also be
  enhanced through commercial agreements and strategic partnerships with other Airlines. Meanwhile, the fleet renewal process will continue, prioritizing energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact, in line with the Company’s sustainability commitments and EU regulations—such as the elimination of ETS free allowances. By the end of the plan period, the fleet will be almost entirely made up of next-generation aircraft.
• Strengthening integration with the Lufthansa Group, the world’s fourth largest Airline group, as a strategic advantage to leverage significant operational, commercial, and technological synergies,
  boosting competitiveness, the access to new markets, and driving continuous innovation in passenger services.

Below are the key development priorities outlined in the Business Plan.

Network

The 2026-2030 business plan places great emphasis on expanding and strengthening the network, particularly long-haul routes. ITA Airways plans to launch new routes connecting Rome Fiumicino with key destinations in North America, South America, Asia, and Africa, tapping into growing markets and meeting the needs of an increasingly global customer base. These new routes will not only promote inbound tourism to Italy but also increase commercial and cultural exchanges, reinforcing ITA Airways’ role as a bridge between Italy and the world.

In addition to intercontinental growth, the plan also targets expansion within Europe and the Mediterranean, leveraging partnerships to provide fast, efficient connections. The network strategy is designed with flexibility, enabling adaptation to market trends, regulatory and economic changes, and evolving geopolitical dynamics, which will be continuously monitored.

Special attention is also given to innovating onboard and ground services, aiming to enhance the passenger experience through advanced digital solutions, modern comfort, and initiatives focused on environmental and social sustainability. The goal is to build an Airline that combines operational efficiency, service excellence, and responsibility towards the Country and the communities it serves.

Fleet

The Plan calls for adding one new additional long-haul aircraft each year starting in 2026, as part of a strategy to introduce next-generation aircraft while gradually retiring older models. The fleet is expected to average around 100 aircraft, which by 2030 will be entirely composed of new-generation models. This supports network growth and promotes the use of the most advanced and environmentally friendly aviation technologies in terms of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Alliances and Synergies with the Lufthansa Group

Over the five-year period, operational and strategic synergies with the Lufthansa Group will be progressively strengthened, expected to deliver benefits in terms of revenue gains and cost savings. The plan also foresees full integration into Star Alliance from early 2026, along with pending approval of joint ventures for flights between Europe and North America (A++) and Europe and Japan (J+). These alliances are key to expanding the range of destinations and ensuring seamless passenger services, supported by partnerships between loyalty programs (Volare and Miles&More), cargo synergies, and a broad range of codeshare agreements.

Workforce

Starting in 2026, a program will be launched to grow and develop staff, closely aligned with the Company’s evolving fleet and network. At the same time, initiatives will foster a stronger sense of belonging, helping make ITA Airways an increasingly competitive and sustainable player in the global aviation market.

“I would like to express the warmest appreciation from myself and the entire Board of Directors to the people who worked in the last weeks for the Business Plan approved today, which will guide and ensure the development of the Company in the next five years.” said Sandro Pappalardo, President of ITA Airways. “We are laying the groundwork to continue being Italy’s reference carrier with a strategic role for the national economic system and to increase connectivity with the rest of the world.”

Joerg Eberhart, CEO and General Manager of ITA Airways, added: “Today marks another milestone for the Company. The approved Business Plan makes it possible for ITA Airways to continue developing sustainably through Lufthansa Group synergies. With the expansion of our network, the adoption of cutting-edge technologies, partnerships with major global players, and our commitment to service excellence, we will be able by 2030 to bring more and more passengers – departing to and from Italy – to choose ITA Airways. This will create attractive job opportunities and generate a positive economic impact for the air transport industry”.

The article ITA Airways Board of Directors approves 2026-2030 Business Plan first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

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