Technology

UBER confirmed the official close of the previously announced acquisition of Careem for $3.1 billion. Careem Networks FZ-LLC has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Uber, preserving its brand.

The newly introduced messaging App, ToTok, created by the UAE and downloaded by millions of users worldwide is being used by the Emirates' government "to track every conversation, movement, relationship, appointment, sound and image of those who install it on their phones", according to a New York Times investigation.

HalalBooking has closed its small Series A round, with a post-money valuation of US$52.5 million. After attracting significant interest from dozens of individual investors, $2.5 million was raised.

Booking.com, the global leader in online travel making it easier for everyone to experience the world, announced a year-long partnership with Google Nest aimed at helping to build a more connected and seamless trip experience for travelers and hosts.

American Airlines launches passport scanning in its mobile app to speed up checking in for international flights. It makes American the first airline to offer passport chip scanning.

HalalBooking’s results for the first three quarters of 2019 show that over 75,000 guests have booked through its website, using its unique halal-friendly search functionality to choose hotel and villa accommodation.

Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Amazon.com company announced that Best Western Hotels & Resorts is moving its infrastructure to AWS – going all-in the world’s leading cloud – to automate processes and quickly develop new and more personalized experiences for travelers visiting its more than 4,700 properties around the world.

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As mobile devices have become an integral part of daily life, with people becoming increasingly reliant on them in order to stay connected, tourism marketers target consumers across all age demographics via mobile gaming.

All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan’s largest and 5-Star airline for seven consecutive years, is giving passengers flying to or from select Chinese airports the option to accept compensation for canceled and delayed flights via Alipay.

United Airlines’ MileagePlus members receive access to a free Timeshifter jet lag plan and Premier 1K members receive a complimentary subscription with unlimited plans.

EL AL Israel Airlines and Viasat Inc. expanded their successful relationship, adding the Boeing 777 widebody fleet to the mix of EL AL aircraft with Viasat's equipment for high-speed in-flight connectivity (IFC).

Trip.com Group Ltd. (NASDAQ: TCOM), the parent company of Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar, today began trading under its new name, following the unveiling of the company’s new brand in Shanghai last week as part of its 20th-anniversary celebrations.

With the holiday season officially underway, Amazon has expanded its fast, free, and convenient delivery options. From Los Angeles, Calif. and Killeen, Texas to Elkhart, Ind. and Philadelphia, Pa., Prime members across the U.S. now have access to over 10 million items available for delivery the next day for free, including popular holiday gifts such as toys, games, and electronics.

SiteMinder, the global hotel industry’s leading guest acquisition platform, is today launching the Hotel App Store—the first marketplace allowing hotels of all sizes to easily discover, choose and connect applications to their business systems for greater guest experiences and revenue.