Newsletter 1

Our first newsletter is out and we would like to take this opportunity to give you some news about what we’ve been up to! 
The Covid-19 crisis has had unprecedented affects on the Tourism industry. Trade fairs around the world were cancelled including ATM in Dubai and RTF in Ryiadh. Airlines have grounded their entire fleets and travel agencies and the hospitality sector are struggling with revenue. We do however believe, that this crisis will pass and we will be able to get back to work again.
Aurora Agency will be supporting you in the Middle East Markets, as before, with different activities, so that your brand stays on top of people’s mind and encourages bookings for next season.
Now more than ever you will need the local support and we are happy to assist you with your requests.
Stay safe and stay positive ! We will get over this ! 

Since last year we are representing Wilderness Safaris in the Middle East.
Wilderness Safaris is a leader of conservation in Africa for more than 35 years. With exclusive access to 2.5 million hectares of pristine wildlife areas and 40 privately owned luxury camps in 6 countries in Africa, our purpose is to offer life changing journeys. The privately owned airline – Wilderness Air allows guests to move to those remote areas without any hassle. In our board of chairmans we have the well known Sir Richard Branson and Bono from U2.

Despite the fact that most camps are now closed due to the Covid-19 world crisis, we believe that soon enough we will be able to welcome back our guests.

Give us a call or send us an email for enquires !

We have also recently signed an agreement to represent Space Nation in the Gulf countries !
Space Nation is the World’s first space travel company and the first one to offer terrestrial astronaut expeditions for everyone.

We have partnerships with NASA and Axiom Space, the company that is building the first commercial space station and orbiting hotel. One of our team members is Gregory H. “box” Johnson, the last NASA astronaut pilot of the Space Shuttle Endeavour and veteran of several space missions. He is also the executive director of NASA’s Center for the advancement of Science in Space.
Our expedition in April was cancelled due the current situation, but we believe that in September we will be able to welcome you to our Moon landing expedition.

Contact us for more details !

Ramadan Kareem !
Ramadan has started this week and we would like to wish all our clients and business partners a blessed month.

LATEST NEWS

Ethiad Airlines has announced that they will be resuming passenger flights from May 16th.

The new Magashi Camp in Rwanda has been chosen as one of AFAR Magazines’s Top 27 new best hotels in the world!

Contact us for enquires ! 
Wilderness Safaris – Our journeys change lives !

We are living in challenging times and finding ourselves in the confinement of our houses for long periods of time, has not been easy on anyone.
Astronaut Gregory H. Johnson, who has done several space missions onboard the Endeavour, shares some tips on how to cope mentally and physically.

Read more here !

Your feedback is important to us !

In order to improve our services we have created a survey. It only takes 2 minutes of your time to fill it up.
Survey

Press release 1

Aurora and VIP Today close a partnership agreement 

The marketing and communication agencies specialized in the luxury and premium sector aim to expand their catalogue of services, capacity of influence and territorial scope.

The partnership agreement has led to two new divisions, specializing in sales and luxury concierge services

 

Barcelona/Dubai (7/5/2020) Aurora and VIP Today – online marketing agencies, communication and luxury concierge -, have reached a partnership agreement that aims to increase the scope of their service catalogues, expand their level of influence and operational scope in different business areas and key territories, and enhance their capacity to impact on high-value audiences and stakeholders.

The alliance between Aurora, based in Dubai and VIP Today, based in Barcelona, enables them to collectively offer services in the areas of digital marketing, corporate communication/public relations, sales and luxury concierge.

This partnership agreement derives a great capacity of joint impact on stakeholders of multiple profiles; from media – specialized in the luxury field but also in other industries, from generalists – to top management, including opinion leaders, political positions, and HNWI.

 

Broadening territorial coverage

To increase their competitiveness and capacity to influence in global terms, but as a priority in the luxury and premium environment, – the area of specialization of both companies-. The agreement will allow them to operate with greater agility and efficiency in key regions in the current economic scenario, such as Europe, Latin America, the United States and the countries belonging to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) such as Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

In this regard, it should be emphasized that the capacity of both organizations to provide service is not limited to these territories.

 

Specialized sales services

The alliance between Aurora and VIP Today also implies the introduction of a new category of services, focused on obtaining commercial results in the different markets in which both agencies operate, but especially in the Arab Emirates and Spain.

From this division, a series of specific services are derived, ranging from market prospecting, representation or the development and implementation of commercial actions to the organization of private sales-oriented events focused on people with high acquisitive power.

 

Luxury Concierge based in Barcelona and Dubai

Another sector of activity in which Aurora and VIP Today will begin to operate together will be that of a luxury concierge. Aimed at providing service to high net worth travelers based on the concepts of Security and Well-being, which, we foresee, will take on special relevance in the tourism scenario that will prevail over the next few years.

In this regard, the cities of Barcelona and Dubai – along with their respective territorial environments of influence – will be established as centers of activity for the luxury concierge division.  They will contemplate categories of services such as Accommodation and Transport – land, air, and sea -, Sports Experiences – especially in top-level Football clubs such as FC Barcelona or Real Madrid -, Gastronomy, Health/Wellness, Aesthetics, Real Estate, Shopping, and other customized experiences.

Aurora Agency – VIP Today comprehensive service catalogue

From the partnership agreement between Aurora agency and VIP Today, a catalog of services is derived in the areas of Digital Marketing -Digital Strategy, Web Development, SEO, Social Media, Advertising, and Branding-, Corporate Communications -Press Office, Public Relations, Influencer Marketing, Celebrity Management, Content Marketing, Events -B2B and B2C-, Sales, Training and Luxury Concierge.

 

For further information, please contact:

 

 

Albert Simó / Maria Ines Amaral

 

director@viptoday.es / maria.amaral@aurora-agency.com

+34 627 655 266 / +971 55 595 9935

Newsletter 2

I HAVE A DREAM !

I have always been fascinated by some historical speeches, that somehow will never be forgotten.
We all know the words ” I have a dream” from Martin Luther King Jr. or “ich bin ein berliner” from John F. Kennedy ! Most recently I saw, one more time, the film “The King’s speech” and from all this historical speeches, I think King George’s VI was the most courageous one! In his initial words ” In this grave hour, perhaps the most fateful in our history..” he addresses the nation  announcing that Britain is at war with Germany.
Unfortunately these days, we do not have country leaders like these anymore,  yet in the circumstances we’re are living in now, sometimes I wish we had!
These are indeed uncertain times and I always imagine Optimism and pessimism in a boxing ring, throwing punches at each other , trying to see which one gets a knockout first.
But I know ,we will also get over this situation and very soon we will look back to this and think how strong, resilient , united we were.
#it’snearlyover !
Maria Ines Amaral

AURORA AGENCY based in Dubai AND VIP TODAY based in Barcelona have just closed a strategical partnership. 
The main purpose of this agreement is broaden the scope of services and range of operation for both marketing and PR agencies to countries such as the US, Colombia, Mexico, Spain, UK and the Middle East with more to follow. 
Aurora Agency operates in all of the Gulf countries region and VIP Today operates in Spain and the UK.
 In the list of services we will offer digital marketing, digital strategy, SEO, Web development, social media, advertising and branding, corporate communication, Public relations, influencer marketing, celebrity management, content marketing, B2B and B2C events, sales, trainings and luxury concierge

 

In order to adapt the new challenges of the markets, we decided to create a new online tool. We have updated our website and now you can apply for different trainings, virtual meetings and webinars that will be available for all in the travel sector!

How to apply!

Jao Camp from Wilderness Safaris has been listed in the Conde Nast Traveller 2020 hot list of the best new hotels in the world!
Jao camp was recently completely renovated and offers 2 exclusive villas and five twins all with private plunge pools, lounge and dining areas, and en-suite bathrooms, including indoor and outdoor showers. The two Jao villas accommodating four people each in two identical guest rooms, share a main area and also have an exclusive vehicle guide, chef and butler.
The camp also offers a spa, a gym, a swimming pool, a library and a restaurant in the main area.
Jao offers water and land activities such as safaris, picnics, boating and Mokoro on the channels of the Okavango Delta on a full inclusive basis.    

Read more here ! 

Founded in Botswana in1983, Wilderness Safaris is widely acclaimed as the continent’s foremost ecotourism operator, dedicated to conservation and restoring Africa’s wilderness and wildlife.
We do this by creating life-changing journeys for our guests in some of the most remote and pristine areas in Africa- and in so doing help conserve Africa’s spectacular biodiversity and share ecotourism’s benefits with the communities that live alongside these areas.
In these unprecedented times we are now living, conservation has never been more challenging!
Please watch the video and listen to the inspiring words from Dr. Neil Midlane (wilderness safaris sustainability manager)   

Watch the video

SPACE NATION ONLINE COURSES NOW AVAILABLE STARTING 21STMAY TO 04TH JUNE 

This course is designed for anyone who wants to understand the new space age and how astronaut training can help in your everyday life as well on Earth as in space. You will learn how to plan for the unknown, adapt to new realities and see the World from a different perspective – the astronaut perspective.

SIGN IN NOW! 

LATEST NEWS
ATM will be virtual this year! Amazing effort from the exhibitors to put this together! from the 01st to the 03rd of June you can register to assist webinars, access content and participate on online events. We will be there to represent our clients and partners. Stay in touch and let’s “meet” there !

Newsletter 3

BC/AC

A lot has changed since last month’s newsletter..

I realized recently that we are constantly adapting to this “new age” – I would like to call it BC/AC as in “before Covid” and “after Covid”.

I am sure you have noticed the analogy, but it does feel like life will never be the way it was before. As human beings we have an incredible way of adapting, our biology alone has been evolving since the beginning of mankind. As Darwin used to say ” it is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change”

So yes, we will adapt, we will reinvent ourselves, we will thrive and the same for our businesses, the ones that will have the capacity of seeing new opportunities will be successful in this new era.

When it comes to tourism, not too long ago we were dealing with serious problems of overtourism all around the world.

The Thai Government had to close 5 islands as tourism was destroying entire ecosystems.
The Tibetan side of Mount Everest base camp, was closed due to a serious trash problem caused by tourists (over 8 tons of trash), Rome closed the emblematic “Fontana di Trevi” and Iceland the Fjaorarglgufur Canyon.

I believe we needed the change, we need to be less selfish and go back to the way we used to travel, seeing things through our own eyes and not the lens filter of our Instagram accounts, feeling it, touching it, smelling it, as it is all part of the traveling experience, to indulge all our senses and emerge in new cultures. Be curious again, explore and make new friends.
So yes please, l am all up for quality rather then quantity and if one can only travel once a year, maybe you will take more time planning and maybe it’s time to try new things, new places and do it with an open heart and with respect to all!!

Let’s do it, let’s embrace the change!

Maria Ines Amaral

AURORA AGENCY has been working on a new concept that will involve some Portuguese Tourism associations that are keen in exploring the Middle eastern Markets.
It will be called the Portuguese association of Tourism for the Middle East Market. The members of this association will be hotels, travel agencies, tours operators and all other tourism service providers that see the potential in the Middle East markets and are willing to explore one of the most profitable markets in the world when it comes to outbound tourism.
There has been a increasing interest in Portugal as a destination in the past years and both Emirates Airlines and the local travel sector have been asking for more support in order to be able to sell the destination better.
During the next couple of weeks Aurora Agency will inform the name of the members that have joined.
We will also have a dedicated page on our website with the information of each of them, their contacts and their websites.
More detailed information including a press release about the new website and logo will be announced soon!

LIFE STREAMING 

We are planning the introduction of a number of new technologies that we will be offering our clients, such as life streaming interviews for product launches and product presentations or life meetings.
We will be partnering with a local company that has created a very stable and high quality life stream system, with screen sharing and professional cameras and sound. This will enable clients for much less amount of money, to be able to showcase their products and share it on social media, for a greater impact and organic growth of their followers and clients, but also to have meetings and product launches  without the costs of renting a venue, catering, flights and hotel costs. We will be recording in our partners studios in Dubai and we can brand the studio according to the clients needs. (Roll up’s, back drops etc)
Ask us for more information ! 

A GUIDE TAKES YOU ON A SENSORY JOURNEY OF AFRICA- THE CALL OF THE LION

Becoming a safari guide in Africa was not a very common career choice for a small-town girl from England, and Louise Monsey was steered down other paths before listening to her heart and following her dreams. She now brings her expertise as an educator, zoologist and guide to our Guide Training department in Botswana, and is excited to make a difference through her passion for wildlife, guiding, teaching and conservation, and contribute to our vision to conserve and restore Africa’s wilderness and wildlife.

CLOSE YOUR EYES AND LISTEN ! 

 

Wilderness Safaris is proud to be nominated for the Condé Nast awards. As leaders in responsible ecotourism, these nominations are testament to the company’s continued commitment to providing its guests with life-changing experiences, which contribute to the biodiversity conservation of some 2.3 million hectares of Africa’s most pristine wildlife areas. In voting for Wilderness Safaris, travellers are helping the company gain further public confidence in our abilities to positively influence even more local economies through sustainable ecotourism.

The annual Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards are among the longest-running and most prestigious recognitions of excellence in the travel industry. In 2019, the Awards noted a record-breaking 600 000 votes from travellers across the globe rating their travel experiences. As the tourism industry continues to grapple with the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, this year the publication has urged travellers to cast their vote as a way to express their support and appreciation of the places they cannot wait to visit again.

Only one online entry per person/email address will be counted towards the results. These will be released in the November 2020 issue of the print magazine and on the Condé Nast Traveler website. To learn more about the survey, or to cast your vote, click here.

Wilderness Safaris has been nominated for the following camps in the Best Hotels and Resorts category:

• Botswana: Abu, Chitabe, DumaTau, Jacana, Jao, Kalahari Plains, Kwetsani, King’s Pool, Mombo and Little Mombo, Pelo, Tubu Tree and Little Tubu, Vumbura Plains and Little Vumbura, Qorokwe, Savuti and Seba.

• Kenya: Segera Retreat.

• Namibia: Damaraland, Desert Rhino, Doro Nawas, Hoanib Skeleton Coast, Kulala Desert Lodge, Little Kulala and Serra Cafema.

• Rwanda: Bisate Lodge.

• Zambia: Busanga Bush Camp, Shumba and Toka Leya.

• Zimbabwe: Chikwenya, Davison’s, Linkwasha, Little Makalolo, Ruckomechi and Little Ruckomechi.

SPACE NATION MOON LANDING EXPEDITION
This Expedition will start on the 30th of August this year!
Imagine yourself in a spacesuit on the same lunar landscape where Neil Armstrong trained in Iceland. 
“We will put your cognitive skills, physical abilities and views on the world to the test like never before”
 
Hjörtur Smárason
Space Nation Mission Commander
SIGN IN NOW! 

COMING SOON ! 

We are already planing a few events for the end of this year. A media breakfast in Doha-Qatar. Around 20 guests from photographers, Instagrammers and Travel Writers will join and we will be presenting some of our clients products.
We are also planning a few consumer events and Instagram campaigns this Summer in partnership with a local lifestyle magazine for a network of HWNI expats.

Contact us for more information !

Newsletter 4

PORTUGUESE ASSOCIATION OF TOURISM FOR THE MIDDLE EAST

I like to think that there is always a silver lining in every situation of life. Sometimes we just need to change the perspective of things and see opportunities.

As a Portuguese and since I started Aurora Agency in 2018, I always had this idea of promoting Portugal as a tourism destination in the Middle East. However I thought that it would be rather difficult without the support of an institution.

The fact that I know my country very well and I know what tourists from the Middle East expect when traveling, I thought that I could actually do it on my own.
During the quarantine, I created a strategy, business plan, targets to achieve, the name and logo for it.
I knew for a fact that there was a lot of Portuguese companies interested in the Middle East markets and on the other hand, the local travel agencies were interested in selling Portugal as a destination and were looking for support and know how.

Emirates Airlines recently added a second daily flight to Lisbon and another one to the city of Porto. Qatar Airways has also added a flight to Lisbon which shows that there is a real interest in Portugal as a holiday destination.

Portugal offers not only beautiful landscapes but also the best value for money in Europe, excellent gastronomy and has been voted for the second consecutive year as one of the safest countries in the world.

The Portuguese Association of Tourism for the Middle east is an association of Portuguese companies related to tourism, that are seeking cooperations with the travel sector in the Middle East to encourage tourists from this region to travel to Portugal.
The association will support these companies to close agreements as well as helping them to position their brands in the Middle East and sell their products and services in the Gulf region.
The association will also be supporting the travel sector in the Middle east, with the right know how to sell Portugal as a destination, through webinars, workshops, sales calls, regular newsletters, roadshows etc.

Memberships are now open to all Portuguese companies that want to be members of the association.
We are also looking for freelance ambassadors that want to join our team and earn great commissions.

We have recently been interviewed for a Portuguese radio channel about this project and as soon as we have the first members assigned we will update our website with all that information.

Watch the video and get inspired ! 

 

Maria Ines Amaral