Etihad Airways has unveiled a new travel platform, Etihad Escapes, which aims to let guests plan and book more of their trip beyond the flight itself, the airline said in a statement.

The platform was announced at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai and is set to launch in October, initially allowing customers with an Etihad flight booking to add hotel accommodation directly through etihad.com, according to the statement.

Etihad said it is the first phase of a broader travel platform it plans to expand through 2027, eventually bringing together flights, hotels, and other travel services in a single digital experience, with further integration into the Etihad app and its Etihad Guest loyalty programme.

Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said the new platform is intended to make the rest of a guest's journey as convenient as the flight itself.

He said Etihad Escapes would bring together flights, hotels, loyalty and other travel experiences in one place, creating a simpler and more personalised way to travel, and described it as a new growth avenue for both the airline and Abu Dhabi, which the statement said is targeting 39.3 million visitors and AED 90 billion in tourism GDP by 2030. 

etihad

At launch, the statement said, guests will be able to add hotel stays after booking a flight, with the service later expanding to let customers search and book hotels independently and combine them with flights in one booking journey. Future phases will add greater personalisation, loyalty integration and additional travel services, according to the statement.

The platform is being built through a mix of Etihad's own capabilities and outside partnerships. The statement said Expedia Group B2B is supplying hotel inventory for the service, Juniper Travel Technology is providing technology infrastructure, and Miral Destinations has joined as a launch partner to help connect guests with Abu Dhabi attractions and travel packages.

Etihad said the move responds to a global holiday market it estimated at $2.7 trillion, which it said is forecast to grow 6.5 percent annually through 2030, with much of that spending occurring outside the flight itself.

Source: PR