The partnership brings together Emirates Holidays’ portfolio of destinations, experiences and package holidays, with KATA’s network of more than 300 travel agencies across Kenya. It will provide travel professionals with enhanced access to product deep dives, destination insights and competitive promotional opportunities, enabling them to offer more choice and value to their customers.

Under the terms of the MoU, Emirates Holidays and KATA will also explore collaboration on joint marketing and promotional activities, trade webinars and industry events, such as the upcoming 2026 Arabian Travel Market, hosted in Dubai. The partnership will also support the development of targeted packages and offers for KATA member agencies, giving travel agents greater access to Emirates Holidays’ portfolio and the tools to effectively promote and sell Emirates Holidays packages.

The collaboration will focus on Dubai as a key leisure destination, while also showcasing the breadth of destinations available across the Emirates Holidays network, including Bali, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Hong Kong, Greece, Finland, Chile, Jamaica, Australia and many more.

The MoU was signed by Maitha Albutehi, Business Development Manager for Emirates Holidays – Africa Markets and Dr Joseph Kithitu, Chairman, Kenya Association of Travel Agents at the Emirates Travel Store in Nairobi. The signing was attended by Christophe Leloup, Emirates’ Country Manager in Kenya, along with Nafisa Salim – Sales Manager Kenya, Emirates.

Commenting on the signing, Christophe Leloup said, “The signing of this MoU reflects our commitment to building long-term strategic partnerships with the Kenyan travel trade. Following the launch of Emirates’ third daily Nairobi service in July, we are now focused on leveraging this enhanced connectivity to stimulate leisure travel and unlock new growth opportunities. Working closely with KATA and its extensive network of travel agencies will allow us to increase awareness of Emirates Holidays, strengthen agent capability, and deliver greater value to travellers across Kenya.”

Dr. Joseph Kithitu – Chairman, Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) said, “For KATA, this MoU represents a strategic step in strengthening the role of Kenyan travel agents in the growing outbound travel market. As travellers increasingly seek diverse destinations and experiences, our members must be well positioned to respond to this demand. Our partnership with Emirates Holidays strengthens the connection between travel agents and a global travel ecosystem, creating opportunities for KATA members to expand their reach, diversify their offerings and remain relevant in a rapidly evolving market.”

The MoU forms part of Emirates Holidays’ wider strategy to strengthen its presence in key African markets through strategic partnerships with travel industry stakeholders. By working closely with the trade, Emirates Holidays aims to increase product awareness, strengthen distribution and support incremental bookings and passenger growth across its air and land offering.

Emirates Holidays makes it easy for travellers from Kenya to book a variety of holidays, with all arrangements managed by their team of expert consultants. From romantic island retreats to family getaways, or vibrant city escapes, Emirates Holidays unlocks premium hotel property stays, attractions and, of course, Emirates flights. Emirates Holidays also offers bespoke travel packages into Kenya, driving inbound tourism for international visitors to experience Kenya’s spectacular wildlife, pristine coastline, vibrant culture and warm hospitality.

Emirates first began operations to Nairobi in 1995 and, over the next 31 years, steadily scaled operations and increased frequencies to 21 weekly flights, fostering stronger connectivity between Nairobi and the wider world. Providing a world-class in-flight experience, Emirates remains the only airline serving Nairobi with private, enclosed First Class cabins.

Taking place October 12–16 in Cape Town, AEW 2026 will bring together governments, national oil companies, investors and industry leaders from across the continent. For SNH, the partnership comes as Cameroon advances projects extending well beyond conventional upstream activity, from new refining infrastructure and gas development to cross-border energy cooperation.

A major focus is the CSTAR refinery and tank farm project in Kribi, which SNH describes as a strategic component of the transformation of Cameroon’s petroleum sector. The planned refinery will have a capacity of 30,000 barrels per day and is being developed near the Kribi Deep Sea Port. Following board meetings in Dubai in May, SNH said the CSTAR entities reviewed operational and financial priorities and adopted resolutions aimed at implementing the planned infrastructure at the Mboro site, with the company positioning the development as part of efforts to strengthen Cameroon’s petroleum infrastructure and energy sovereignty.

Gas development is another area where SNH is pursuing opportunities with regional implications. In February, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea signed a unitization agreement covering the Yoyo-Yolanda transboundary gas field, following years of negotiations. SNH and Equatorial Guinea’s GEPETROL signed the agreement alongside Chevron, which is involved in the project. SNH has described the field as holding an estimated 2.5 trillion cubic feet of gas, with the development concept including two export pipelines and separate processing facilities at Bipaga in Cameroon and Punta Europa in Equatorial Guinea.

The agreement illustrates the regional dimension of Cameroon’s hydrocarbons strategy, while also highlighting SNH’s role as the state’s implementing arm in energy-sector development. The company’s mandate covers the promotion of the national petroleum and gas domain, negotiation and monitoring of petroleum and gas contracts, commercialization of the state’s hydrocarbons and development of gas projects for power generation, domestic use and exports.

At the same time, Cameroon is seeking to reinvigorate its upstream sector. SNH launched a new promotion cycle for nine free blocks in August 2025, spanning the Douala-Kribi-Campo and Rio del Rey basins, with the company reporting in June 2026 that the results of the call for expressions of interest had been published.

“SNH represents the kind of African national energy institution that is increasingly important to the continent’s next investment cycle,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “Its role extends from resource promotion and commercialization to major infrastructure and regional gas projects, creating multiple entry points for investors, technology providers and financial partners. As a Platinum Partner, SNH will bring Cameroon’s broader energy ambitions directly to the companies and institutions shaping Africa’s energy future.”

With its participation at AEW 2026, SNH will have an opportunity to engage investors across the full hydrocarbons value chain – from exploration and production to refining, gas monetization, logistics and regional cooperation – while positioning Cameroon as a market for projects that can translate its existing resource base into greater domestic and regional value.

“Every material has a code. Material Intelligence dechiphers it.” This statement lies at the core of VitrA Tiles’ design approach, where it reinterprets naturally available materials through the combination of research, advanced technology, and design expertise. Adding on the aesthetic and technical potential of nature, VitrA Tiles transforms them into original surfaces to create new inspirations for contemporary architecture.

Three design languages

The Code concept represents three design languages to create Resincode, Geocode, and Metacode collections, which will be available to the visitors of Cersaie at the VitrA Tiles booth.

Resincode inspired by the porous, mineral-rich texture of natural concrete with natural transitions and layered surface effects, lending a minimalist, balanced, and refined surface aesthetic to contemporary interiors. Geocode draws inspiration from Spanish limestone, marble, quartzite, and gneiss, bringing the diverse geological heritage of natural stone to ceramic surfaces through a contemporary interpretation, featuring four distinct surface typologies: Alba, Imperio, Rio, and Merano. Metacode, with three distinct surfaces in gold, iron, and copper tones, brings the subtle tonal transitions and soft reflections of a patinated metal texture to ceramic surfaces, blending industrial character with a refined aesthetic.

New Technologies

At Cersaie 2026, VitrA Tiles also showcased its V-Flex and V-Tone innovations alongside its new collections.

V-Flex, powered by Välinge’s Ceraloc® locking technology, represents a tile installation solution which requires no adhesives. Thanks to its special side profiles, the system allows mechanical tile bonding, promising up to five times faster application, unlike conventional bonded tile applications. It supports precise alignment, even grout lines and a clean, professional finish. Individual tiles can be removed and replaced when needed, offering significant advantages to simplify maintenance and repair processes. It also offers acoustic comfort. V-Flex is recommended for retail stores, store chains, showrooms, offices, hotels, educational facilities and commercial spaces.

Focusing on tonal differences in ceramic manufacturing, V-Tone maintains color consistency and design integrity across different surfaces. The integration of V-Tone technology into VitrA Tiles’ production lines is continuing.