4Sale, Kuwait’s leading online classifieds platform, announces the appointment of Khaled Gomaa as its new Chief Technology Officer. Khaled’s appointment is further proof of 4Sale’s ability to attract world-class senior talent as it consolidates its status as Kuwait’s leading classifieds platform, powered by advanced technology and with innovative products.
Khaled’s remit involves overseeing product development and technology. From listening to the users’ voice, to coining their issues and building solutions to tackle them. His team is there to uncover 4Sale’s biggest opportunity and use state of the art technologies to realize it.
Khaled joins 4Sale from elmenus, Egypt’s second-largest food delivery platform, where, as CTO, he built a culture of collaboration between tech and business to solve the company’s biggest problems like increasing its success rate by 48% while optimizing the cost by 72%.
Previous roles include CTO at CONNY, one of Germany’s top tech startups, and Engineering Manager at AppLift, Germany’s second-largest AdTech company by revenue.
A natural entrepreneur, Khaled also co-founded Speakol – the first native advertising platform in the MENA region, serving millions of visitors across major news websites; Elves – an AI-assisted concierge service; and Mash, a startup builder that later became the technical arm of a local venture capital firm.
A seasoned tech leader with 16 years’ experience across all stages of business growth, Khaled has a strong passion for creating products that drive business value. He founded his first company at 18 years old and has since contributed to various technology-driven projects, including social media, marketplaces, AdTech, LegalTech, chatcommerce, and ecommerce sectors.
Across his career, Khaled has worked with systems and platforms handling billions of requests, and startups searching for the optimum product-market fit; providing him with vast experience to develop solutions meeting corporate and customer goals.
Tarek Sakr, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of 4Sale, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Khaled as our new Chief Technology Officer as we continue to drive innovation and elevate our technology to provide the leading classifieds service in Kuwait. Khaled’s diverse experience in multiple sectors and companies will be a valuable asset to the team and we are excited to leverage his expertise to further our growth.”
Khaled Gomaa, Chief Technology Officer of 4Sale, said: “I am delighted to join Kuwait’s leading classifieds platform and advance its product and technology. 4Sale is a market leader that I have always admired, and I look forward to playing a part in taking its success to new levels.”
The announcement follows a record trading performance in 2023 for 4Sale, following the Company’s expansion to 197 categories, and with over 90% of the Company’s sales now online – up from 65% as recently as 2019.
As travel trends for 2025 shift toward immersive, slow-paced adventures, LandyCampers is paving the way for explorers seeking extended, eco-conscious getaways. Offering classic Land Rover Defenders equipped with rooftop tents and premium camping gear, LandyCampers is designed for those who want to slow down and reconnect with nature.
A surge in demand for longer stays in 2025 has been noted by the family business this autumn, as more adventurers opt for weeks-long explorations over short getaways. Whether navigating the scenic backroads of France or discovering hidden villages in the Pyrenees, a LandyCampers vehicle offers freedom, flexibility, and the perfect base for a deeper travel experience.
“We’ve noticed that travellers are seeking more than just a destination—they’re seeking a journey that reflects their values,” says Max Isham, co-owner of LandyCampers. “Our extended bookings cater to those looking for slow, intentional travel experiences that are both sustainable and wellness-focused.”
Wellness and Sustainability at the Forefront of Travel in 2025
With wellness and eco-consciousness taking centre stage, the rise of off-grid camping is anticipated to continue well into 2025. LandyCampers offers an ideal escape for those looking to disconnect from technology and reconnect with nature. Whether it’s for mental clarity or simply for a change of pace, extended off-grid trips in a Defender offer a much-needed reset in a fast-paced world.
LandyCampers is committed to sustainable travel and operates as a climate-friendly business. Each trip booked with LandyCampers includes a carbon offset, with contributions going toward tree-planting programs that have already planted 4,418 trees and offset 193 tonnes of CO2 to date via Ecologi. The longer the adventure, the bigger the positive environmental impact—making LandyCampers the go-to choice for eco-conscious adventurers.
Exclusive Offer for 2025: 20% Off Extended Bookings
For those ready to experience the joy of slow travel, LandyCampers is offering a 15% discount on bookings of more than 14 nights in 2025, and 20% on bookings of 30 nights or more. This is the perfect opportunity to explore the UK’ remote beauty, or venture further onto mainland Europe, without the rush (with EU insurance & breakdown cover included as standard). Whether it’s a month-long trip through the rolling hills of Northern Spain, or a five-week journey across France and the Pyrenees, travellers can embrace the ultimate adventure at a relaxed pace while enjoying significant savings.
Chinese mobile payment service Alipay reported a surge in outbound and inbound tourism transactions during the country’s weeklong celebration of its National Day last week.
This is seen as proof that consumer confidence is on the rebound following Beijing’s large-scale stimulus measures introduced ahead of the annual holiday.
During the first four days of the holiday, 1 to 4 October, the number of transactions made via Alipay in overseas markets surged by 60 percent year on year. Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Singapore recorded the fastest growth in transaction numbers.
Better consumer confidence
Alipay’s Golden Week data reflects signs of recovering consumer confidence in China. Amid weak domestic demand and ongoing deflationary pressures this year, the Chinese government introduced a slate of stimulus measures before the national holiday in an effort to spur spending and investment.
Last year, Chinese travellers made more than 5.9 million outbound trips and 826 million domestic trips during the combined Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays, generating over 753 billion yuan (US$106.5 billion) in domestic tourism revenue, a 1.5 percent increase from pre-pandemic levels in 2019, according to data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
However, official figures for this year’s Golden Week remain unavailable as of press time.
Fruitful collaborations
Likewise, Alipay’s collaborations with local businesses to offer discount packages helped drive increased spending across sectors such as services, transport, entertainment, food and beverage, and retail.
The online payment platform also reported a 120 percent year-on-year rise in spending by foreign travellers in mainland China during the first four days of the holiday, bolstered by Beijing visa-free policies that have driven inbound tourism.
According to China’s largest travel platform, Trip.com, daily bookings from countries including Italy, Malaysia, Russia, and the US have increased more than threefold year on year.
In addition, consumer spending through Tap!, Alipay’s contactless tap-and-pay feature launched in July, rose by 130 percent compared to last month, according to Ant Group.
Meanwhile, Alipay’s newly introduced AI-powered chatbot, Zhixiaobao, assisted travellers with 20 million interactions during the holiday period.
The 24th World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit officially opened today, 8th October in Perth, Western Australia with an update to its ground-breaking environmental footprint data.
The WTTC’s latest Environmental & Social Research (ESR) report, created in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, reported a marked decrease in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the global travel and tourism sectors in the past year.
According to the report, joint emissions figures from the travel and tourism industries stand at 6.7 percent as of the end of 2023. This is lower than the 7.8 percent reported back in 2019 prior to the travel restrictions imposed throughout the pandemic years.
Interestingly, global GHG emissions in the past year were 12 percent below the 2019 peak, with GHG intensity (emissions per unit of gross domestic product) falling 8.4 percent during this period. This demonstrates the sector’s growth is becoming cleaner.
A defining moment
WTTC president and CEO Julia Simpson remarked: “Our sector is proving that we can grow responsibly. We’re decoupling growth from emissions; travel and tourism are expanding economically while lowering its environmental footprint. “
Simpson added that this defining moment proves that innovation and sustainability go hand in hand in shaping the future of global tourism.
However, she also reiterated that the long-term goal is an absolute reduction in GHG emissions even as the sector decouples its growth from an increase in such emissions.
Simpson said: “We must accelerate this progress significantly to meet the Paris climate targets. We’re on the right track, but we need to up our game.”
Room for improvement and accelerated progress
Although 2023 showed positive trends compared to 2019, it’s clear that there are still significant opportunities to accelerate the green transition.
The increases in renewable energy use and reductions in fossil fuel reliance remain relatively modest, highlighting the need for more decisive action.
In 2023, the sector’s reliance on fossil fuel energy sources (oil, coal, and natural gas) dropped to 88.2 percent from 90 percent in 2019.
Also, the share of low-carbon energy sources (nuclear and renewables) increased from 5.1 percent in 2019 to 5.9 percent in 2023, reflecting ongoing efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Improved revenue generation
The resurgence of the global travel and tourism sector is also mirrored in tax revenues that accrue to governments from the direct taxes paid by our businesses.
In 2023, total joint tax revenues amounted to US$3.32TN. This equates to 9.6 percent of total global tax revenues.
The WTTC opines that governments must use these additional revenues to reinvest in decarbonising infrastructure, expanding renewable energies and supporting businesses in their green transition.
Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy accepted the challenge to skydive for charity on 19th October.
Duffy’s tandem dive with the Round Canopy Parachute Team is one of the activities celebrating the first-ever Special Forces Legacy Initiatives (SFLI) cruise.
Carnival’s president aims to raise $50,000 with the initiative to benefit hurricane relief efforts through the Gary Sinise Foundation, established by award-winning actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise, who has advocated for US service personnel for nearly five decades.
The foundation honours veterans, first responders, their families, as well as those in need. Its hurricane relief efforts support first responders and military on the ground, working tirelessly around the clock to bring relief to communities devastated by Hurricane Helene.
A first time for everything
Duffy said: “I’ve never jumped from an aeroplane before, so I think this effort is worth at least $50,000 for the Gary Sinise Foundation and their efforts to support military and first responders assisting with hurricane relief. Saying that Carnival is America’s Cruise Line and the favourite cruise line for active-duty military and military veterans is one thing, showing it is another story, and I’m always ready to jump at the chance to prove it!”
She is set to jump from the “Tico Belle,” a World War II veteran C-47 aircraft flown during the Normandy D-Day invasion on 6th June 1944.
At the same time, the SFLI chartered the Carnival Paradise for a special five-day cruise to the Bahamas for special forces alumni, their families, Gold Star families, and friends. This aims to strengthen the bonds within their community. Also, this Special Forces cruise will bring together Green Berets who served from the Korean War to present times together to enjoy a reunion at sea.
In addition to Carnival, SFLI also partnered with Dream Vacations, the Gary Sinise Foundation, USSOCOM Para-Commandos Parachute Demonstration Team, and the Round Canopy Parachute Team to ensure an epic experience for all cruise guests.
G Adventures, together with its non-profit partner, Planeterra, hosted the second annual GX World Community Tourism Summit on September 27, 2024 in Jaipur, India, coinciding with World Tourism Day celebrations around the world.
Featuring a line-up of incredibly powerful speaker and panel sessions, the day highlighted the transformative impact of community tourism and how it can change lives and create lasting positive effects. Discussions tackled key challenges and opportunities such as how community tourism is empowering women in India to gain economic independence and how the climate crisis is disproportionately affecting in-need communities globally. The Summit brought together close to 500 travel industry representatives from all corners of the globe, including travel agents, partners, suppliers, media and travellers. With the support of Incredible India as headline sponsor, the event was a feel-good celebration of travel and the transformative power of community tourism, showcasing its ability to drive positive change.
Jamie Sweeting, President of Planeterra, who has been committed to uplifting communities through tourism for over two decades, highlighted the phenomenal progress since the first GX summit held in Peru in September 2023. There he announced the launch of Project 300 and the Trees for Days, a tree planting initiative in partnership with G Adventures.
“Project 300 has a bold target to uplift 300 communities through travel by the year 2030. I’m delighted to report that in the past year, 13 new community tourism enterprises have been integrated into G Adventures trips, including four in India,” said Sweeting. “This means that today, 130 community projects are currently benefiting from the power of tourism. New partners include Pink City Rickshaw in Jaipur which offers women from low-income households sustainable livelihoods as they proudly drive designer e-rickshaws and Sheroes Hangout in Agra – a café that offers acid attack survivors opportunities for personal growth and recovery.”
Sweeting also announced that over three million trees will be growing by the end of 2024 as part of the Trees for Days initiative which sees a tree planted for each day a traveller is on a G Adventures trip.
“Since its launch 12 months ago, we’ve nurtured 18 community tree-growing projects in 14 countries, benefiting over 40,000 community members. We’ve learned that if you plant the right kind of tree with the right kind of people in the right kind of place, it can be absolutely extraordinary.”
The event also featured an engaging conversation between G Adventures’ founder Bruce Poon Tip and Lonely Planet founder, Tony Wheeler. In an ode to the impact Tony has had on local communities with his Lonely Planet guides, they reflected on how backpacking defined responsible tourism and discussed how community tourism today can help shape the future of travel.
Elizabeth Becker, author of Overbooked: The Exploding Business of Travel and Tourism took to the stage to share insights from around the world on how government policies can influence how local communities benefit from tourism. Award-winning travel storyteller and founder of Climate Conscious Travel, Shivya Nath, followed by stressing the need for a shift in responsibility from individual travellers to the travel industry. “I think tourism by default must become tourism that supports local communities. Hopefully, we come to a day where we don’t need a World Community Tourism Summit. It will just be a Tourism Summit, because all tourism will support communities,” Shivya concluded.
Other speakers of note included Meenu Vadera, the Founder of Azad Foundation, Aayusha Prasain from the Community Homestay Network, Indian poet Aranya Johar as well as presenter Ernest White II of Fly Brother and Paras Loomba, the founder of Global Himalayan Expeditions.
Attendees also had the chance to learn more about Planeterra-supported social enterprises in India including Women with Wheels, Sheroes, Anoothi, Sunder Rang, Together we Earn (TWE), Tenacious Bee Collective, Odisha Ecotourism Foundation, Pink City Rickshaw, and Salaam Baalak Trust.
During the event, Planeterra also announced a new five-year community tourism development partnership with G Travel Community (GTC) member, G Touring, featuring a donation and match funding model to support future projects.
Bruce Poon Tip, the founder of G Adventures and Planeterra captured the essence of the day by concluding that GX is a way to celebrate the incredible power tourism has to change the lives of communities all over the world.
“We’ve had this dream at G Adventures, since we first started, that travellers can change the world just by going on holiday. And that’s what GX is all about.
“Bringing all of our communities together in India to showcase how the right kind of tourism can positively impact lives on a daily basis has been a huge privilege for me. Our guests have had the opportunity to visit remarkable projects and meet remarkable people during their time here. The experience has been transformational for everyone involved.”
The day wrapped-up with the announcement of the host destination for the next GX Summit, which will be held in Jordan in September 2025. In partnership with the Jordan Tourism Board North America (JTBNA), Royal Jordanian Airlines will sponsor the event along with support from USAID Jordan through its Tourism, Resilience, Innovation and Promotion Activity (TRIP). The event will also celebrate G Adventures’ 35th anniversary and promises to be bigger and better than ever.
The full line-up of speakers included:
Aayusha Prasain – Community Homestay Network
Aranya Johar – Poet
Brian Young – G Adventures
Bruce Poon Tip – G Adventures
Elizabeth Becker – Author – Overbooked
Ernest White II – Fly Brother
Jaideep Bansal – Global Himalayan Expeditions
Jamie Sweeting – Planeterra
Meenu Vadera – Azad Foundation
Michelle Degenhardt – Flight Centre
Paras Loomba – Global Himalayan Expeditions
Shivya Nath – The Shooting Star
Tabitha Lipkin – TV presenter, journalist and creator
Digi Yatra, a cutting-edge Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) based ecosystem utilising face biometric technology for contactless and seamless passenger processing at airports, has announced the launch of its d-KYC Campaign. It was scheduled to go live on 4th October.
Under the banner ‘Don’t Know Your Customer,’ the campaign highlights Digi Yatra’s commitment to addressing customer needs without storing or accessing their personal information. In a world where data breaches and misuse are increasingly common, Digi Yatra’s approach sets a new standard for secure and responsible data management.
At the core of Digi Yatra’s operations are the principles of Self Sovereign Identity (SSI) and adherence to World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards. By employing Verifiable Credentials (VCs), Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs), and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), the company ensures that travellers retain full control over their personal data. All sensitive information is securely deleted within 24 hours of departure, adhering to the highest global standards for data protection and privacy.
As a part of its marketing strategy, the company will encourage users to engage with the campaign through social media, using hashtags like #DontKnowYourCustomer and #DigiYatra. The campaign will also include video testimonials from satisfied customers and infographics showcasing the app’s privacy features and benefits, making Digi Yatra the ultimate travel companion.
Suresh Khadakbhavi, CEO of Digi Yatra Foundation, said, “Our primary goal is to make travel seamless and hassle free, while ensuring that users feel confident and secure about using our app. The launch of this campaign represents a major step forward as we prepare for our future growth. With ambitious expansion plans ahead, we are dedicated to reaching a wider audience educating our users about Digi Yatra’s Privacy By Design approach, which ensures the safety and reliability of our services”.
With 6.4 million app users and operations spanning 24 locations across India, Digi Yatra continues to emphasise the importance of trust, offering travellers an ecosystem where convenience and privacy are equally prioritised.
AirAsia Group maintained its seven-star airline safety certification under the enhanced safety criteria mandated by AirlineRatings.com.
Every accredited airline in the Group also achieved accreditation under the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) programme, which is a key global benchmark for upholding the highest safety standards at all times.
According to AirlineRatings’ Geoffrey Thomas: “The AirAsia Group including [its medium-haul airlines] AirAsia X and Thai AirAsia X, achieved an excellent safety rating under our enhanced rating criteria and are performing almost flawlessly. The AirAsia Group’s on-time performance rate is tracking well, the incident rate is almost non-existent and the airline’s safety performance is extremely impressive.”
Safety always comes first
AirAsia Aviation Group’s Group CEO Bo Lingam, welcomed the news of the recertification with great pride.
Lingam said: “To date, AirAsia Group has flown nearly 800 million passengers since its inception over 23 years ago. As the aviation industry continues to face the challenges and opportunities of fleet reactivations and growing travel demand in the region, this recognition from AirlineRatings.com underscores [our] laser focus on enhancing safety protocols, operational efficiency, and on-time performance. We continually invest in our people, technology, and processes to comply with the highest standards, including regular IOSA audits by IATA.”
Lingam added that the Group is reaching beyond the regional geographical boundaries and leveraging on the expertise within all of its airlines. The Group constantly embraces its core value of “safety is always our number one priority.”
Likewise, the Group’s safety management ecosystem is amplified thanks to being safer and stronger together to conform beyond the required safety standards and protocols.
Lingam concluded by saying: “With this acknowledgment further supporting our growth strategy, we remain dedicated to being one of the top low-cost carriers globally, delivering safe and reliable air travel for our guests.”
Discovery Samal served as the elegant venue for The Stellar Fashion Gala, a charity event benefiting indigenous weaving communities under the patronage of the b.LOOM Project.
Held in partnership between the Davao Fashion and Design Council Foundation Inc (DFDCI) and the Mindanao Trade Expo Foundation Inc (MTEFI) at the hotel’s Samal Grand Ballroom, the event featured a 100-piece collection crafted by member-designers Aztec Barba, Dodjie Batu, Emi Englis, Popoy Barba, Edgar Buyan, Egay Ayag, Windel Mira, and Benjie Panizales.
Discovery Samal president Beatrice Gonzalez-Magallanes said of the event: “We are in awe of the creativity and proudly Davaeño aesthetic displayed by the b.LOOM Project at The Stellar Fashion Gala; [and we] look forward to welcoming more fantastic events with a priceless view of the Davao Gulf at Discovery Samal.”
Indigenous fabrics in the 21st century
The collection featured an array of garments highlighting indigenous Philippine fabrics, including abaca, bandala, piña, banana, and kawayarn, among others. The fabrics were produced by the Philippine Department of Science and Technology (DOST)’s Philippine Textile Research Institute.
Proceeds from the event went to the b.LOOM Project’s Sustainable Enterprise Program on Indigenous and Emerging Artisanal Textile Weaving among Davao Region’s Extra-Mile Creative Communities. MTEFI played an integral role in ensuring deserving communities were identified and the donation was adequately distributed.
SJM Resorts, SA (SJM) showed off the best that Macau can offer business travellers at this year’s Trip.Biz Business Travel Summit on 30th September.
The hotel management firm was the chief sponsoring partner at the event which focussed on the theme Going Digital, Moving Faster – Digital Transformation, and welcomed more than 100 corporate clients, partners, and business leaders from various Asian nations.
SJM’s presence at the summit served as proof of its commitment to drive corporate travel to Macau and promote the city as a global travel destination.
Increasing popularity thanks to innovation
According to the Trip.Biz White Paper, 2023 saw 77.04 million outbound business trips from mainland China to Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, highlighting these regions’ popularity as travel destinations for the mainland Chinese business travellers due to their convenient locations.
According to SJM managing director Daisy Ho: “SJM is committed to supporting Macau’s development as a ‘World Centre of Tourism and Leisure’ by creating diversified ‘Tourism+’ products that showcase Macau’s unique charm and cultural heritage.”
Ho added that SJM’s goals are also aligned with the Macau SAR Government’s push for technology-driven tourism, leveraging advanced technologies to drive innovation, as seen in attractions such as ‘AI Wonderland’ and ‘Martial Art Arena,’ which utilise ‘Tourism+ Education’ to add new vitality and enrich the visitor experience.”
