dnata Travel Group closed Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 with 12 partnership agreements, announced on 18 September in Dubai. The stated aim is to broaden the group’s travel offering and strengthen its international presence. The deals add to those of other regional players at the show, such as Legacy Hotels Holding, which formalised four signings there.
The agreements span five areas: hotel distribution, cruise, hospitality, destinations and travel technology. The group also announced the integration of Travelbag into Imagine Cruising and the expansion of The Fort – Lisaili, Arabian Adventures’ site in the Dubai desert.
John Bevan, CEO of dnata Travel Group, said the group’s announcements at ATM reflected the areas in which it sees the strongest growth opportunities: developing its specialist travel brands, broadening distribution for its partners and investing in experiences that give travellers more reasons to choose a destination.
Rotana at the heart of hotel distribution
The most significant agreement for the hotel sector involves Rotana. The Abu Dhabi-based group is pursuing its expansion in Africa, as far as Somalia. Its portfolio of 118 properties will become more widely available through dnata Travel Group’s leisure, wholesale, business travel and groups channels, giving Rotana access to travellers from more than 180 source markets.
The agreement builds on the direct dynamic connectivity recently established between the two groups. It also paves the way for joint marketing activity and technology initiatives designed to make distribution more efficient.
John Bevan added that the value of these partnerships extends beyond any single brand or market. A hotel partner, he explained, can work with the group across the leisure, corporate and wholesale segments, while a destination can draw on both its international sales network and its local expertise. Building these relationships at group level, he said, is an important part of its growth strategy.
Cruise and ultra-luxury at the core of the leisure offering
dnata Travel Leisure accounts for seven of the agreements. Four concern cruise, each with a distinct positioning. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. targets families and multigenerational travel. Norwegian Cruise Line covers a broad spectrum, from solo travellers to premium suites. MSC Cruises combines family holidays with upmarket services such as the MSC Yacht Club. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection offers a smaller-scale, ultra-luxury alternative.
Together, these partnerships allow dnata Travel to build its cruise offering around a wider range of budgets, interests and service expectations.
In luxury hospitality, dnata Travel signed an agreement with Kerzner International covering family resorts, ultra-luxury stays and wellness through the Atlantis, One&Only, SIRO and Rare Finds brands. Kerzner has already strengthened its presence in Dubai, where it has taken over management of the Meydan Hotel, now part of its Rare Finds collection.
Destinations, digital and distribution technology
dnata Travel also concluded two agreements with tourism boards to offer more varied itineraries. With Turespaña, the priorities are Spanish gastronomy, wellness, coastal destinations and the country’s Islamic and Arab heritage. With Tourism Seychelles, the aim is to complement resort stays with inter-island tours, nature and marine activities and an introduction to Creole culture.
Elsewhere in the group, Arabian Adventures, a specialist in destination management and desert experiences, signed with Trip.com to explore wider digital distribution of its services. Meanwhile, travel technology distributor EmQuest concluded two separate agreements with Smart Travels and Jalhansa Tours & Travels, designed to support its agency relationships and strengthen cooperation on booking and distribution.
Travelbag joins Imagine Cruising
dnata Travel Group announced the integration of Travelbag into Imagine Cruising. The two brands are complementary: Travelbag specialises in tailor-made land-based travel, Imagine Cruising in cruise.
Travelbag customers will gain access to Imagine Cruising’s dedicated concierge service, from booking through to the end of their trip. Imagine Cruising, for its part, secures its first high-street presence through Travelbag’s seven UK stores, which will become dual-branded. Both companies will retain their names, teams and offerings, while sharing expertise and benefiting from greater scale and operational efficiencies.
The Fort – Lisaili: investing in experiences in Dubai
In Dubai, Arabian Adventures is investing around €1.9 million (AED 8 million) in the expansion of The Fort – Lisaili. New adventure, dining and cultural activities will open in phases from 2027, including the UAE’s first dune-top zipline. The project aims to broaden the group’s own offering for international visitors and residents alike.
During ATM, the group also hosted four conference sessions on leisure and business travel and presented new data on winter bookings to the UAE. In addition, dnata Travel, Arabian Adventures and dnata Travel Management won seven awards at the World Travel Awards Middle East.
Analysis – These signings illustrate a model in which a single partner, whether a hotel group or a destination, can be distributed across several of the group’s channels at once. Rotana is the clearest example. Against a regional backdrop that led to the postponement of the 2026 edition of the show, dnata Travel Group is emphasising group-wide relationships rather than isolated brand-by-brand agreements.
dnata Travel Group is the travel division of dnata. Founded in Dubai, it now brings together more than 15 international travel brands. Its activities span high-street travel retail, global consolidation, business travel, destination management and attractions, and airline representation.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
dnata Travel Group signs 12 partnerships at ATM 2026
Rotana deal opens its 118-property portfolio to leisure, wholesale, corporate and group channels across 180+ source markets
Seven leisure agreements, including Royal Caribbean, NCL, MSC Cruises, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Kerzner International
Destination deals with Turespaña and Tourism Seychelles; Arabian Adventures signs with Trip.com
Travelbag integrated into Imagine Cruising, with seven UK stores becoming dual-branded
AED 8m (c. €1.9m) development of The Fort – Lisaili in Dubai, phased openings from 2027
