Emirates wins Gold at the 2026 Global Performance Marketing Awards
Emirates won Gold in the inaugural Best Travel, Leisure & Experience Campaign category at the 2026 Global Performance Marketing Awards.
The award recognized Emirates' transformation of its affiliate marketing programme across the highly competitive Asia Pacific (APAC) market.
Winning Strategy
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Shifted from a high-volume affiliate model to a more focused, high-performing partner network.
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Strengthened direct relationships with affiliate partners.
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Expanded into new affiliate partner categories.
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Prioritized investments that delivered stronger commercial results.
Business Impact
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Achieved 31% growth in performance marketing revenue in APAC within one year.
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Improved both booking quality and revenue outcomes.
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Reinforced performance marketing as a key customer acquisition and growth driver.
Performance Marketing at Emirates
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Dedicated Dubai-based team oversees affiliate marketing, paid search, and metasearch.
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Supported by 60+ digital marketing specialists and hundreds of global partners.
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These channels generate more than one-third of new customers acquired via emirates.com.
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Manages 5,000+ always-on campaigns across 80 markets and more than 4,000 routes.
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Uses advanced analytics, automation, customer insights, and first-party data to optimize performance.
Leadership Comment
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Boutros Boutros, EVP Corporate Communications, Marketing & Brand, Emirates Group, said the award reflects the team's data-driven approach, smart automation, clear strategy, and disciplined execution, which have delivered significant value to both customers and the business.
About the Awards
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The Global Performance Marketing Awards recognize campaigns that demonstrate:
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Strategic excellence
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Strong execution
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Effective partnerships
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Measurable commercial impact
Key Takeaway
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Emirates earned industry recognition for transforming its APAC affiliate marketing programme, delivering a 31% increase in performance marketing revenue through a focused, data-led, and highly automated approach.
