Dubai national carrier Emirates today (September 14) kicked off Arabian Travel Market 2026 in style by signing or renewing tourism agreements with seven destinations, thus underscoring the airline's role in driving international visitor flows through its global network.
The airline also renewed partnerships with technology company Huawei and Dubai Duty Free as part of efforts to expand its marketing, digital and retail offerings.
The Dubai flag-carrier said the tourism agreements would include joint marketing campaigns, advertising, travel packages and familiarisation trips for media and travel industry representatives.
The airline renewed a partnership with the Seychelles Tourism Board and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, first established in 2013. Emirates operates two daily flights to the Seychelles, while visitor arrivals to the Indian Ocean archipelago rose 13% to nearly 400,000 in 2025, according to the airline.
Emirates also renewed its agreement with the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority. The airline operates three daily flights to Mauritius, with weekly capacity of 19,096 seats in both directions. Arrivals from Middle Eastern markets rose 10.5% in the first half of 2026 from a year earlier, Emirates said.
A new partnership with Madagascar's Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts aims to support the country's target of attracting one million tourists by 2028.
In the UAE, Emirates and the Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority renewed their co-operation on promoting Sharjah in key markets including the Gulf, India, China, Southeast Asia and Europe.
The two organisations have previously worked together on sales campaigns, trade workshops, roadshows and familiarisation trips, Emirates said.
Emirates also renewed a one-year agreement with Tourism Malaysia to support the Visit Malaysia 2026-2027 campaign, which targets 47 million international visitor arrivals.
The airline operates 21 weekly flights between Dubai and Kuala Lumpur and provides onward connectivity through a codeshare agreement with Batik Air.
Emirates signed an agreement with Visit Finland ahead of the launch of year-round services between Dubai and Helsinki on October 1. The airline said the new service would provide the only year-round direct connectivity between Finland and the UAE.
The agreement with Fjord Norway, the official tourism board for western Norway, will focus on increasing inbound tourism to the region through Emirates' global network.
Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority Chairman Khalid Jasim Al Midfa said: "Renewing our partnership with Emirates is a strategic step in advancing Sharjah’s tourism agenda and consolidating the emirate’s position as a distinctive, year-round destination at the heart of the UAE’s tourism landscape."
"Aviation partnerships of this calibre are central to how Sharjah competes globally: Emirates’ worldwide network, market intelligence and deep relationships with the international travel trade give the emirate direct access to high-value source markets and enable us to convert that reach into seamless, enriching itineraries for visitors," he stated.
Emirates and Tourism Malaysia have renewed their partnership through a one-year MoU to support the Visit Malaysia 2026–2027 campaign, which targets 47 million foreign visitor arrivals.
Separately, Emirates renewed its strategic partnership with Huawei, building on co-operation that began in 2020. The agreement will focus on marketing, digital services and customer experience in China.
Emirates has expanded its Chinese network, resumed Airbus A380 services and introduced its Premium Economy product in the market, the airline said.
The carrier also signed an agreement with Dubai Duty Free to offer Emirates passengers exclusive promotions at outlets in Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport.
The deals come as airlines and tourism authorities seek to stimulate international travel and strengthen connections between major source markets and destinations, it added.
