Expedia Group Expands Presence in the Middle East Through New Travel Partnerships

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 24, 2025--

Expedia Group today announced a series of strategic travel partnerships aimed at expanding its footprint to additional markets in the Middle East, spanning advertising, technology and supply partnerships, alongside the launch of its travel agent program, Expedia Travel Agent Affiliate Program (TAAP), part of the company’s B2B network, into the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The partnerships underscore the company’s commitment to empowering Middle Eastern partners with access to its global traveler audience, increasing their visibility, and driving incremental revenue growth.

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Expanding the Travel Agent Footprint in the UAE

Expedia TAAP – part of the company’s B2B network, Private Label Solutions – is launching in the UAE, unlocking its intuitive booking platform for travel agents in the Middle East region to meet the rising demand in the region.

Expedia TAAP empowers travel agents to boost their earnings with access to its vast travel inventory and a seamless booking experience. Travel agents earn commission on total booking value and grow their business with user friendly tools, marketing materials, and more.

Other areas of Expedia Group's B2B network have operated in the Middle East for more than 10 years with key partnerships including Rezlive, Halalbooking and Blackrock Technologies.

Advertising the Middle East to a Global Audience

Expedia Group Media Solutions, the world’s travel media network, provides travel partners, brands and Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) with targeted solutions to reach, engage, and convert hundreds of millions of travelers worldwide through innovative advertising products. For partners in the Middle East, the media network offers a powerful platform to connect with travelers through compelling content wherever they plan and book their journeys. With industry-leading measurement and reporting tools, advertisers can optimize campaigns and maximize impact. New partnerships include:

Giving Partners More Control Through Travel Technology

Expedia Group also announced new technology partnerships with leading airlines and hotels, enabling its Middle Eastern partners to capture more market share and gain visibility to Expedia Group’s global traveler base:

“We're excited to collaborate with key players in the Middle East travel industry," said Rob Torres, Senior Vice President, Expedia Group Media Solutions. "By combining innovative technology solutions, an expanding travel agent network, and impactful advertising partnerships, we’re helping travel partners in the region extend their reach, enhance the traveler experience, and showcase their destinations to a global audience. We’re proud to support our partners in driving growth and delivering meaningful results in this important region.”

Expedia Group also continues to invest in the traveler experience in the region, now offering packages (flight + hotel) on the Expedia UAE and Saudi Arabia points of sale to help travelers enjoy the best traveler experience and also save both time and money.

Expedia’s proprietary flight price tracking tool is also now available on the Expedia app. Taking the guess work out of deciding when to book, the feature notifies travelers when flight prices change and uses data to help travelers decide when to book. Additionally, an Arabic-language version of the UAE and Saudi Arabia sites will soon be available to enhance the traveler booking experience.

Learn more about partnering with Expedia Group here.

About Expedia Group

Expedia Group, Inc. brands power travel for everyone, everywhere through our global platform. Driven by the core belief that travel is a force for good, Expedia Group™ helps people experience the world in new ways and build lasting connections. They provide industry-leading technology solutions to fuel partner growth and success, while facilitating memorable experiences for travelers.

The Expedia Group family of brands includes Expedia®, Hotels.com®, Expedia® Partner Solutions, Vrbo®, trivago®, Orbitz®, Travelocity®, Hotwire®, Wotif®, ebookers®, CheapTickets®, Expedia Group™ Media Solutions, CarRentals.com™, and Expedia Cruises™.

© 2025 Expedia, Inc., an Expedia Group company. All rights reserved. Expedia Group and the Expedia Group logo are trademarks of Expedia, Inc. CST: 2029030-50.

For more information, visitwww.expediagroup.com.

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Expedia Group Expands Presence in the Middle East Through New Travel Partnerships

Expedia Group Expands Presence in the Middle East Through New Travel Partnerships

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Gunmen attacked several locations in Mali's capital and other cities early Saturday in a possible coordinated assault, residents and authorities said.

Mali’s army said in a statement that “unidentified armed terrorist groups targeted certain locations and barracks” in Bamako and that soldiers were “engaged in eliminating the attackers.” It said in another statement later the situation was under control.

Mali has been plagued by insurgencies fought by affiliates of al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, as well as a separatist rebellion in the north.

An Associated Press journalist in Bamako heard sustained heavy weapons and automatic rifle gunfire coming from Modibo Keïta International Airport, around 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the city center, and saw a helicopter over nearby neighborhoods. The airport is adjacent to an air base used by Mali's air force. A resident living near the airport also reported gunfire and three helicopters patrolling overhead.

Residents in other cities in Mali reported gunfire and blasts on Saturday morning, suggesting a possible coordinated attack by armed groups.

A resident of Kati, a town near Bamako that is home to Mali’s main military base, also said he was woken up early in the morning by the sounds of gunfire and explosions. Gen. Assimi Goita, the leader of Mali’s military junta, resides in Kati.

Videos on social media showed militant convoys in trucks and motorcycles moving through the town's deserted streets, while residents looked on fearfully. Other videos in the northern towns of Kidal and Gao showed gunfire exchanges in the streets, with dead bodies lying on the ground.

Gunmen entered Kidal, taking control of some neighborhoods and leading to exchanges of fire with the army, a former mayor of the town told AP over the phone. He spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear for his safety.

Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesperson for the Tuareg-led Azawad separatist movement, said on Facebook its forces had taken control of Kidal as well as some areas in Gao, another northeastern city. The AP could not independently verify his claim.

The separatists have been fighting for years to create the state of Azawad in northern Mali. They once drove security forces from the region, before a 2015 peace deal that has since collapsed paved the way for some ex-rebels to be integrated into the Malian military.

A resident of Gao said gunfire and explosions started in the early hours of Saturday and could still be heard in the late morning.

“The force of the explosions is making the doors and windows of my house shake. I’m scared out of my wits,” the resident told AP by phone. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of concerns for his safety. The resident said the gunfire came from the army camp and the airport, which are right next to each other.

The U.S. Embassy in Bamako issued a security alert, saying “there have been reports of explosions and gunfire near Kati and the Modibo Keita International Airport in Bamako” and that “U.S. citizens should shelter in place and avoid travel to these destinations until further information becomes available.”

Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, said the assault seems to be the largest coordinated attack in years in Mali.

“It’s especially concerning that JNIM (al-Qaida affiliated group) apparently has been coordinating today’s attacks with Tuareg rebels: Jihadists and Tuareg rebels teamed up in 2012 when they overrran northern Mali, sparking the region's security crisis.” Laessing said.

Mali, alongside neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso, has long been battling armed groups affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, a fight that has escalated over the past decade.

Following military coups, the juntas in the three countries have turned from Western allies to Russia for help combating Islamic militants.

But the security situation in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso has worsened in recent times, analysts say, with a record number of attacks by militants. Government forces have also been accused of killing civilians they suspect of collaborating with militants.

In 2024, an al-Qaida-linked group claimed an attack on Bamako’s airport and a military training camp in the capital, killing scores of people.

An ariel view of Bamako, Mali, Saturday, April 25, 2026. (AP Photo)