Hospitality
Turkish Airlines and Airlink Launch Strategic Codeshare to Boost African Connectivity
Turkish Airlines and South Africa-based Airlink will launch a new codeshare agreement that enhances seamless travel across Türkiye and southern Africa. This collaboration goes beyond a standard commercial deal. It’s a strategic effort to bridge continents, connect cultures, and offer smoother, smarter air travel experiences.
A Unified Network That Puts Passengers First
The agreement, signed at Airlink’s Johannesburg headquarters, marks a key milestone in both airlines’ global expansion plans. Senior executives from each carrier attended the event, which further emphasized the importance of this partnership. In a region where better connectivity is increasingly vital, this collaboration aims to close long-standing network gaps.
As part of the codeshare, Turkish Airlines will place its “TK” flight code on a wide selection of Airlink-operated routes. As a result, travelers arriving on Turkish Airlines’ long-haul flights can connect—on a single ticket—to multiple regional and domestic destinations across South Africa and its neighboring countries.
What This Means for Travelers
The new codeshare significantly improves the overall travel experience. It introduces several benefits that make journeys more convenient and flexible:
- More destinations available on a single ticket
- Simplified connections via Johannesburg and Cape Town
- Flexible schedules with better-coordinated flight times
- Consistent, high-quality service across both airlines
By combining Turkish Airlines’ global reach with Airlink’s regional strength, the partnership gives travelers more choices and smoother travel flows. As a result, passengers will enjoy better timing, fewer hassles, and greater comfort when flying across continents.
Strategic Growth with Regional Impact
Levent Konukcu, Turkish Airlines’ Chief Investment & Strategy Officer, emphasized the broader benefits of this collaboration:
“We give importance to this cooperation with Airlink to enhance our connectivity in South Africa and the region. We aim to improve our partnership to maximize the travel opportunities offered to our guests. We believe this partnership will bring benefits to both carriers commercially and strengthen cultural and tourism ties between our countries.”
De Villiers Engelbrecht, CEO of Airlink, shared a similar outlook:
“This collaboration represents a significant opportunity to deepen ties between our airlines. For customers, it means more convenient travel options, world-class service, and better access to destinations across our combined networks.”
It’s clear that the partnership is about more than connecting flights—it’s about connecting economies, travelers, and experiences.
A Boost for Regional Travel and Tourism
This move is expected to stimulate travel in both directions. South African travelers can now explore Türkiye and beyond with greater ease, while visitors from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East gain simpler access to southern Africa’s top destinations.
For the tourism sector, the timing couldn’t be better. With increasing demand for long-haul leisure travel and multi-destination itineraries, seamless routing through Johannesburg and Cape Town could drive more inbound travel and longer stays.
Looking Ahead: More to Come?
While the codeshare begins with Turkish Airlines placing its flight code on Airlink services, this may be just the beginning. With mutual interest in expansion, the partnership could eventually evolve to include reciprocal benefits, frequent flyer integrations, or joint marketing initiatives.
As airlines continue rebuilding stronger post-pandemic networks, collaborations like this one represent a smarter path forward—one that values efficiency, customer experience, and regional integration.
If you’re interested in how other industries are enhancing the travel experience, check out how hospitality brands are designing for the modern traveler.
Hospitality
THE WORLD CUP TAKES OVER THE COTERIE THIS SUMMER WITH STADIUM-STYLE FAN FESTIVAL

This summer, football fever takes over Dubai as The Coterie Ibn Battuta partners with African + Eastern to launch Festiball at The Coterie Clubhouse by Stella Artois. Running from June 11 to July 19, the high-energy World Cup fan festival promises giant screens, stadium-style energy and unforgettable match-day moments from first kick to the Final.
Designed to capture the energy and unpredictability that makes football so special, Festiball will transform The Coterie into a stadium-style fan destination packed with live entertainment, immersive activations, crowd energy and non-stop tournament action throughout the summer.
Fans can also expect dedicated match-day food and drinks menus including stacked burgers, pies, pastries and loaded chip cones alongside The Coterie’s signature à la carte menu.
Selected headline fixtures will turn up the energy with CO2 cannons, ultras-style flags, live DJs, drums and MC hosts creating an electric stadium atmosphere right in the heart of Dubai.
Throughout the tournament, fans can expect all-day hops offers, score prediction competitions, match-day prizes and surprise fan moments across every major fixture – with AED 500 vouchers up for grabs during activated games. Ladies can also kick-start selected match days with complimentary drinks before kick-off, while returning fans will unlock exclusive rewards and tournament-long experiences throughout the summer.
Speaking about the launch, Heinrich Spies, General Manager, said:“Festiball is all about bringing people together and recreating the energy, excitement and unpredictability that makes football so special. We wanted to create more than just a place to watch the games – this is a full football festival experience with incredible atmosphere, entertainment and fan moments from start to finish.”
With football fans expected to gather across the city this summer, Festiball at The Coterie Clubhouse by Stella Artois is set to become one of Dubai’s go-to destinations for every goal, chant, celebration and unforgettable match-day moment.
Hospitality
DABUBU CHOCOLATE OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES IN THE UAE AS DUBAI’S FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND COLLECTIBLE CHOCOLATE BRAND

DABUBU CHOCOLATE has officially arrived in the UAE, launching exclusively online as the first collectible luxury chocolate brand of its kind in Dubai. Blending playful creativity with premium chocolate craftsmanship and Middle Eastern inspired flavours, the brand introduces a completely new confectionery concept designed specifically for the region’s growing luxury and culture-driven consumer market. Consumers can now purchase the launch collection exclusively via www.dabubuchocolate.ae, with delivery available across the UAE.
Created through a collaboration between TACO BRANDS LLC-FZ and A22 FZC, DABUBU CHOCOLATE transforms the iconic Dabubu character into an edible experience inspired by curiosity, nostalgia, art and culture.
The first release introduces a signature 100g chocolate bar featuring a rich blend of salted caramel, dates, baklava and cardamom, a flavour combination never before seen in the UAE, combining familiar regional flavours with a modern premium twist. Each bar also includes DABUBU’s signature mystery chain detail, making every piece instantly recognisable and collectible.
“DABUBU CHOCOLATE was created to be more than just chocolate,” said Werner Coetzee, Co-Founder of TACO BRANDS. “We wanted to build a product that feels playful, premium, visually exciting and deeply connected to the UAE market and culture.”
Manufactured in the UAE and developed specifically for the GCC market, DABUBU CHOCOLATE aims to bridge the gap between luxury gifting, pop culture and modern confectionery. The launch reflects the growing demand for products that are not only high quality, but also experience driven and social media friendly.
Hospitality
SUN, HISTORY & FIVE-STAR LUXURY: WHY THE IXIAN GRAND & ALL SUITES IN RHODES SHOULD BE ON EVERY TRAVELLER’S RADAR THIS SUMMER
Summer is almost here, and a Greek escape to The Ixian Grand & All Suites in Rhodes deserves to be on the agenda this season. Greece’s largest Dodecanese Island has been luring travellers for centuries, with its UNESCO-listed medieval Old Town, layers of ancient history, and unmissable Aegean golden-hour glow. This five-star retreat is poised on the serene shores of Ixia Bay, just six kilometres from the charming Rhodes Town.
At The Ixian Grand & All Suites, the all-inclusive experience captures the heart and soul of Mediterranean living, inviting a sense of calm where both mind and body can truly reset. Days drift by effortlessly – poolside lounging, beachfront cocktails, and the freedom to explore six exceptional restaurants and bars at a leisurely pace. Across six exceptional restaurants and bars, guests can journey from bold Japanese-Peruvian fusion at Muza Htista to the Mediterranean flavours of Vis-à-Vis, Alazonia, and Milonges – every meal a fresh, vibrant celebration of the island’s finest ingredients.
This summer, Rhodes comes alive with a packed calendar of events – from the Rhodes Soul Festival (1-8 June) and Lindos Rock Festival (10-17 June), to the Rhodes Street Food Festival (3-12 July) where live music, global flavours and community spirit come together in the ancient town.
Whether after romance, rest, or a reunion with friends, The Ixian Grand & All Suites is the ultimate setting for a summer escape worth remembering.
The Ixian Grand & All Suites is offering those who book directly via the hotel’s website for 7+ nights, Stay & Dine Experience which includes:
• Two Free A la Carte dinners per stay
• One Dine Out Experience at a local restaurant with Authentic Greek Cuisine per stay.
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