7 NOVEMBER 2015 ISSUE 313 - Travel Trade Weekly Weekly-Issue... · 7 NOVEMBER 2015 . ISSUE . 313. 20. TRAVELPORT HAS BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH INNOVATION AND HAS TRANSFORMED FROM A .

04

10

THE NILE RITZ-CARLTON, CAIRO RETURNS IN STYLE

IN THIS ISSUEMARKET UPDATE

TECHNOLOGY

ACCOMMODATION

AIR

INTERNATIONAL

RENDEZVOUS

SPECIAL REPORT: TRAVELPORT SUMMIT

WHO'S MOVED

AGENT CORNER

TRAVEL CHANNELS

PHOTO ALBUM

NEWS & EVENTS

02

04

09

14

18

19

20

22

23

24

25

26

7 NOVEMBER 2015 ISSUE 313

20

TRAVELPORT HAS BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH INNOVATION AND HAS TRANSFORMED FROM A

TRADITIONAL SINGLE-LINE GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM INTO A FULLY-FLEDGED TRAVEL COMMERCE PLATFORM.

TRAVELPORT: REDEFINING TRAVEL COMMERCE

DUBAI AEROTROPOLIS TO ENHANCE ECONOMIC STATUS

7 NOVEMBER 2015

MARKET UPDATE

22

TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS

MANAGING EDITORMary Kammitsi

[email protected]

ASSISTANT EDITORMaria Kazeli

SENIOR JOURNALISTRita Kasziba

CONTRIBUTOR

Ana Mladenovic

PRESS Maria Demetriadou Pauline Shahabian

Inna Armeanu

DESIGN & LAYOUTElena Stylianou

WEB & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Savvas Kammitsis

DIRECTORS Andreas Constantinides

Mary Kammitsi

HEADQUARTERS

T.T.W. Travel Trade Weekly LTD P.O. Box 25255, Nicosia 1308 Cyprus

Tel: +357 22 021607, Fax: +357 22 103670

WEBSITEwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

EMAILS

[email protected] [email protected]

[email protected]

Bahrain (BHD)

Jordan (JOD)

Oman (OMR)

Qatar (QAR)

Saudi Arabia (SAR)

UAE (AED)

Algeria (DZD)

Egypt (EGP)

Iran (IRR)

Iraq (IQD)

Kuwait (KWD)

Lebanon (LBP)

Libya (LYD)

Morocco (MAD)

Syria (SYP)

Tunisia (TND)

Yemen (YER)

Dinar

Dinar

Rial

Rial

Riyal

Dirham

Dinar

Pound

Rial

Dinar

Dinar

Pound

Dinar

Dirham

Pound

Dinar

Rial

0.37

0.71

0.39

3.64

3.75

3.67

107.02

8.03

29,964.38

1,191.05

0.30

1,506.73

1.38

9.88

188.82

2.01

214.89

MENA EXCHANGE RATES

As of 6/11/2015Currencies shown in blue are fixed against the US Dollar

COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=

Double-digit Profit Increase at Kingdom Holding

Emaar Malls Profit Up 30 Percent

Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) posted a net income of SAR291.6 million (USD77.8 million) for the third quarter of the year, up 10 percent year-on-year, while gross operating profit rose 10.2 percent to SAR441.9 million (USD117.8 million).

Emaar Malls recorded net profit of AED1.22 billion (USD332 million) for the period between January and September, marking a year-on-year increase of 30 percent.

N et revenue for the first nine months of the year reached SAR669.2 million (USD178.4 mil-

lion) as compared to SAR603.1 million (USD160.8 million), underscoring that, as H.R.H. Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, chairman, KHC, noted, the company is steadfast in realising strong results.

KHC board of directors

T otal revenue soared to AED2.19 billion (USD596 mil-lion), a surge of 15 percent, as visitor footfall of all shop-ping mall assets of the com-

pany, including The Dubai Mall, rose to 90 million from 81 million.

Mohamed Alabbar, chairman, Emaar Malls, attributed the sustained growth to the family-oriented position-ing of the retail assets.

WEEKLY NEWS

37 NOVEMBER 2015

Saadiyat to Become a Tourist-magnetSaadiyat Island is the jewel in Abu Dhabi’s tourism crown, according to Federico Mantoani, general manager, Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas, who expects the destination to develop into a major attraction for both domestic and foreign visitors with the upcoming opening of Zouvre Abu Dhabi and The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. As he revealed, the property already enjoys a high repeat guest ratio.

“W e often find that our guests recommend the hotel to friends and family because we have such a wide array of services. We are able to meet the needs of all visitors, whether they are travelling for business or pleasure,” added Mantoani.

G enerating strong high-potential leads and the possibility to attract

over 40,000 delegates, Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC) has successfully complet-ed its third road show in Europe.

Jointly organised with the Sultanate’s Ministry of Tourism, the programme presented the soon-to-open venue to decision-makers and thought-leaders in key European markets, including Milan, Geneva, Berlin and Brussels.

“The response […] was over-whelming,” revealed Trevor Mc-Cartney, general manager, OCEC. “Indeed, in Geneva we were able to finalise the contract for an event to be held in December 2017. There is no doubt that this booking is a direct result of our collective efforts in championing Oman as a preferred business tourism destination.”

A lpha Destination Manage-ment is launching a five-year development strategy

titled 2016-2015 Plan, which is set to significantly contribute towards achieving Dubai’s vision for 2020.

The programme includes the opening of offices in the US, as well as promotional and marketing initia-tives targeting the health and sports tourism segments, among others.

As Ghassan Aridi, CEO, Alpha Destination Management, ex-plained, the company also intends to expand the scope of its coopera-tion and collaboration with other government departments for tour-ism promotion in the region.

Alpha Destination Management: Five-year Growth Plan

OCEC Attracts European Interest

Park

Hya

tt A

bu D

habi

Hot

el a

nd V

illas

Ghassan Aridi

7 NOVEMBER 2015

WEEKLY NEWS

4

Mar

riott

Exe

cutiv

e A

part

men

ts D

ubai

Cre

ek

Knight Frank: Dubai Aerotropolis to Enhance Economic Status

Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai is among the largest infrastruc-ture schemes currently under construction globally, according to Knight Frank’s 2016 Global Cities Report.

“A key word in today’s global cities is connectivity,” said Khawar Khan, research manager, Middle East, Knight Frank, adding that a four-hour plane ride from Dubai allows access to one-third of the world’s population and an eight-hour ride to two-thirds.

“In addition, over the next decade, Dubai South is planned to be easily acces-sible by road, rail and sea. All of this will no doubt increase this location’s appeal for businesses,” concluded Khan.

Dubai’s real estate sector is expected to continue the resurgent levels of growth and stability it has been ex-

hibiting throughout this year and post yet an-other strong performance, according to Salem Almoosa, chairman, Falconcity of Wonders.

Almoosa attributes the buoyant outlook to several key factors, including the emirate’s status as a top commercial and tourism hub, a rising local population, its appeal among inter-national investor and substantial government funding.

“This optimism is already very apparent in our own development, Falconcity of Wonders, which has been enjoying high demand and interest, especially with its mega complex City of Wonders proposition that complements Dubai’s global appeal as a leisure and lifestyle destination,” concluded Almoosa.

Falconcity Chairman Predicts Bright Future

Al M

akto

um In

tern

atio

nal A

irpor

t

7 NOVEMBER 2015

WEEKLY NEWS XX

6

WEEKLY NEWS TECHNOLOGY

Hotelogix to Boost Hotel Group Business

The property management and online distri-bution system is used by independent hotels, small resorts, apartments and group proper-

ties in more than 85 countries and with the new re-lease, Hotelogix will also help manage hotel group operations seamlessly by giving single sign-on access to member properties.

“There is no doubt that cloud technology is the best option for budget brands, and end-to-end au-tomation allows for smoother operations that can be scaled up quickly and seamlessly,” explained Aditya Sanghi, CEO, Hotelogix

Cloud-based hospitality tech firm, Hotelogix is further expanding into the realm of group property management.

Initiative for On-the-go B2B Partners

Swiss-Belhotel Joins Forces with Vault

Travelport Hotelzon released a mobile application designed to help both travel agents and business travellers manage corporate hotel bookings directly from their smartphones.

Mirroring the existing hotelzon.com website, which offers corporate guests an extensive choice of chain and independent properties, the com-plementary tool is immediately available for download.

Customers can also access their company preferences and negotiated rates, making the entire process fast and simple whilst enforcing travel policy.

Swiss-Belhotel International has signed a joint venture agreement with Dubai-based Vault Group to support the global expansion of both parties through development of hotel management services,

systems and investment support. “The hotel industry needs to keep upgrading its information technol-

ogy systems, guest loyalty systems [and] telecommunication systems to meet the needs of the ever dominant millennial market and the Vault Group will be an important partner in this respect to ensure we remain competitive,” commented Gavin Faull, president, Swiss-Belhotel Inter-national, adding that Vault Group’s interest to invest in Asia, where the hotel company has a strong presence, is also a critical element of the partnership.

7 NOVEMBER 2015

WEEKLY NEWS TECHNOLOGY

8

Mar

riott

Exe

cutiv

e A

part

men

ts D

ubai

Cre

ek

Etihad and IBM Join Forces

Etihad Airways signed a 10-year USD700 million deal with IBM, allowing it to en-hance the guest experience, develop

world-class infrastructure and security, and im-prove efficiency.

The move will secure access to the latest cloud-based technologies and services for the airline, its group companies and equity partners.

In addition, Etihad Airways plans to set up a new cloud data centre in Abu Dhabi, to be de-veloped and operated by IBM.

Martin Jetter, senior vice president, IBM Global Technology Services, said that this move will allow the UAE carrier to access new tech-nologies which will help achieve growth plans.

Outbound trips of Chinese travel-lers grew during the Golden Week holiday, according to global travel

distributor, GTA. Hong Kong and Singapore were the

most visited locations, while Phuket proved to be the top beach destination with room bookings doubling over the same period in 2014. Exotic beach locations which saw new market opportunities from Chinese tourists included Cancun, Fiji, Negombo, Mauritius, Koh Lanta and Koh Racha.

Furthermore, destinations in Japan showed the largest growth for Chinese tourism revenue from 2014 where Tokyo, Osaka and Okinawa all saw a grand in-crease in bookings.

Additionally, more travellers took long-haul trips to Australia, the US and Europe.

Golden Week Sees Increase in Chinese Travel

Mar

ti Je

tter

(lef

t) w

ith E

tihad

Airw

ays

repr

esen

tativ

es

A s Elie Younes, chief development officer, The Rezidor Hotel Group, explained, the Middle East is a core market for the

brand with already one member operating in the region, namely Symphony Style Hotel Ku-wait, and the company is keen on further ex-panding the network with carefully selected properties.

Wolfgang Neumann, president, The Rezidor Hotel Group, described the 231-room establish-ment as one of Oman’s flagship hotels.

Majlis Grand Mercure Debuts in Qatar

Omani Hotel to Join Quorvus CollectionHormuz Grand Hotel, Muscat is to join Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group’s luxury Quorvus Collection before the end of the year.

ibis Styles Jumeirah organ-ised its first corporate social responsibility activity since

its opening, with a visit to Sens-es Residential and Day Care for Special Needs.

To connect with the chil-dren, a variety of activities were carried out, including a painting competition for special prizes.

Muhammad Haider, hotel manager, ibis Styles Jumeirah described the initiative as an uplifting experience and the beginning of the team’s com-mitment to giving back to the community.

ibis Styles Jumeirah Surprises Special Needs Kids

7 NOVEMBER 2015

ACCOMMODATION WEEKLY NEWS

9

AccorHotels has signed a management agreement with Qatar-based Al Jas-

sim Group to launch the first Ma-jlis Grand Mercure hotel in Doha.

Scheduled for completion by mid-2018, the hotelier’s seventh property in the country will boast 223 rooms and 60 serviced apart-ments, extensive business, sports and leisure facilities, an infinity pool, spa and nine food and bever-age outlets.

Located on the C-Ring Road, the upscale hotel will embody world-class services in a modern lifestyle fashion.M

ajlis

Gra

nd M

ercu

re, D

oha

7 NOVEMBER 2015

WEEKLY NEWS

10

WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATIONWEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION

Swiss-Belhotel Takes Over Sharjah Property

S wiss-Belhotel International has assumed the management of a four-star establishment in Sharjah, increasing its Middle East port-folio to 12 operating and future projects.

Situated in the heart of the city, Swiss-Belhotel Sharjah, formerly known as Sharjah Rotana, features 205 units, four meeting rooms with a combined capacity of 100 people, a restaurant and a lobby café. The hotel also offers a daily scheduled shuttle bus to Dubai and private transfers to the beach.

According to Gavin Faull, president, Swiss-Belhotel International, the company’s third property in the UAE brings passion and professionalism to what he described as a very dynamic market.

Novotel Marsa Alam Open for Business

AccorHotels has reinforced its commit-ment to Egypt with the launch of its fifth Novotel-branded property in the

country.Located by the Red Sea, Novotel Marsa

Alam is set on a 646m beach and features 268 units, including four suites and 80 family rooms.

Guests can choose from a number of food and beverage outlets and various activities. Other facilities and amenities include a fitness and wellness centre, swimming pools and meeting and event spaces.

T he Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo has reopened its doors, heralding a new era for the historic property.

“Cairo is a city that fuses the majesty of the past with the pulse of the present and the promise of the future,” stated Herve Humler, president, The Ritz-Carl-ton Hotel Company.

The 331-key hotel comprises ultra-modern facilities, including an Olympic-size swimming pool, meeting rooms, ballrooms as well as business spaces. Gastronomes visiting Egypt will also be spoilt for choice with an array of dining venues.

The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo Returns in Style

Novotel Marsa Alam

The

Nile

Ritz

-Car

lton,

Cai

ro

Swiss-Belhotel Sharjah

7 NOVEMBER 2015

WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION

12

AccorHotels: 1,300 New UAE Rooms

AccorHotels has entered into four management agree-ments with Manazil Group for projects in Dubai and Sharjah, bringing a total of over 1,300 keys to the UAE.

The partnership constitutes one of the hotel company’s largest in the country, with the group set to operate five prop-erties owned by Manazil Group.

Already under construction in Sharjah is the upscale Pull-man Sharjah, due to open in 2018, while in Dubai a cluster of three hotels located in Jumeirah Village Triangle will combine the upscale Majlis Grand Mercure, and the midscale Mercure and Adagio aparthotel brands, all slated to launch in 2019.

Aiana Hotels to Enter India

Doha-based Aiana Hotels & Resorts signed a management agreement with Moonriver Resorts to operate Aiana Munnar – A Moonriver Resort, in India.

Scheduled to open in 2016, the Qatari company’s first property in the coun-try is a niche all-suite villa resort, set amongst natural springs and scenic vistas. It will feature authentic dining experiences and extensive Ayurveda-inspired spa facilities.

Amruda Nair, CEO, Aiana Hotels & Resorts, commented that the deal heralds an exciting journey for the company.

“As our first property in India, Aiana Munnar – A Moonriver Resort solidifies our commitment to offer locally relevant design and authentic experiences,” she suggested.

R amada Abu Dhabi Corniche Hotel hosted celebrations as part of the Wyndham

Green programme, marking the international Green Day.

Wyndham Worldwide has invested in exploring and adopt-ing innovative practices through its initiative which was launched in 2006 and focusses on sustain-ability across the company’s properties.

The hotel’s team celebrated by wearing green t-shirts all day to attract the customers’ at-tention to the importance of the event and distributed flyers to highlight the emphasis of a plastic-free day.

Green Day Festivities at Ramada Abu Dhabi

Aia

na M

unna

r – A

Moo

nriv

er R

esor

t

Dub

ai h

otel

s

7 NOVEMBER 2015

WEEKLY NEWS AIR

14

Starting February 16, 2016, Qatar Airways will again operate twice-daily services between Doha and

Hong Kong. The Gulf carrier will take over the sec-

ond frequency from oneworld alliance member, Cathay Pacific, that launched the itinerary in March 2014.

According to Akbar Al Baker, CEO, Qatar Airways, the resumption of the twice-daily flights to the Asian destina-tion will further strengthen the airline’s competitiveness and leadership in what he described as one of the world’s key global aviation hubs.

Nevertheless, as Al Baker suggest-ed, the two carriers will continue to explore mutual business cooperation opportunities.

E mirates signed a codeshare and lounge agreement with Alaska Airlines, allowing travellers to

book connecting flights on both carriers through one reservation process.

Pending governmental approval, the UAE airline will begin marketing up to 300 daily services operated by its new business partner. The deal also covers other benefits such as reciprocal lounge access and priority boarding and check-in.

“Alaska Airlines’ superior service and exceptional connectivity across the US and Canada, particularly in the Pacific Northwest, perfectly complements our global network and extends the range of travel options for both our customer bas-es,” said Tim Clark, president, Emirates.

Qatar Airways to Boost Hong Kong Service

Etihad to Deploy A380 to Melbourne

Emirates to Codeshare with Alaska Airlines

E tihad Airways will commence daily Airbus A380 services between Abu Dhabi and Mel-bourne on June 1, 2016.

The flagship superjumbo will operate one of the airline’s twice-daily flights between the cities, replacing the three-class Boeing 777-300ER cur-rently used. The move will bring the exclusive The Residence by Etihad offering to the Australian city and increase the total number of seats on the route by 26 percent to 11,500.

As James Hogan, president, Etihad Airways, noted, the service will connect seamlessly to the carrier’s A380 flight from Abu Dhabi to London.

Mel

bour

ne

7 NOVEMBER 2015

WEEKLY NEWS AIR

16

ONYX Enters Vietnam with New DealTurkish Airlines Lands in Baghdad

Baghdad has become Turkish Airlines’ 25th destination operated from Sabiha Gökçen International Airport.

The carrier currently offers twice-weekly services between Istanbul and the Iraqi capital on Tuesdays and Fri-days, while from November 23, passengers will be able to take advantage of daily frequencies between the two cities.

Turkish Airlines now flies to 110 countries and is said to have the world’s fourth largest network.

O man Air has launched four weekly services to its second Bangladeshi destination, Dhaka.

As of December 1, the carrier will offer six weekly fre-quencies to the Asian capital, in addition to the already operational seven weekly flights between Muscat and Chittagong.

The Middle Eastern carrier will deploy Airbus A330-300 aircraft on the route, configured with 204 economy and 26 business class seats.

According to Abdulrahman Al Busaidy, chief operating officer, Oman Air, the new flights mark a significant milestone in enhanc-ing trade, manpower, tourism and cultural exchanges between the countries.

Oman Air Touches Down in Dhaka

f lydubai has launched services from Al Maktoum International Air-port, complementing the low-cost carrier’s existing flights from Dubai International.

The UAE’s new hub presents a huge opportunity, noted Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO, flydubai, referring to the benefits and convenience of-fered by Dubai South.

As the carrier prepares to take delivery of more than 100 new Boe-ing aircraft over the next eight years, the dual-hub strategy is set to help the company expand capacity and achieve its goals.

“We are a young, dynamic airline and keen to increase opportuni-ties for travel for our passengers across Dubai,” concluded Al Ghaith.

flydubai Begins Dual-hub Operations

Bagh

dad

7 NOVEMBER 2015

WEEKLY NEWS INTERNATIONAL

18

Mexico City to Welcome a Ritz-Carlton Hotel

Carlson Rezidor to Grow in Australasia

Mövenpick Extends Presence in Pakistan

T he Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company plans to open its first property in Mexico City in 2019.

Upon completion, the 153-room The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City will operate under a long-term management agree-ment with Thor Urbana Capital and Heldan Hotels & Resorts.

The property will be part of the Chapultepec Uno mixed-use project, located in the heart of the capital’s financial centre, where it will occupy floors 36 – 47.

Jaime Fasja, CEO, Thor Urbana Capital, noted, “Mexico City is the country’s economic, industrial and cultural centre. We are so proud to be a part of this extraordinary project that we know will bring a new level of luxury hospitality to the city.”

M övenpick Hotels & Resorts’ expansion strategy in Pakistan gains momentum with the expected 2018 launch of Mövenpick Hotel Centaurus Islamabad.

The landmark deal, which marks the Swiss hotel compa-ny’s entry into the country’s capital, was inked with PAK Gulf Construction Company.

The 361-key property will be the focal point of a new upscale mixed-use development located in the heart of the city’s bustling business district and will boast five restaurants, expansive meetings and events facilities, wellness units and a swimming pool.

C arlson Rezidor Hotel Group has inked a management contract with Fund Trust Joint Venture to develop Park Inn by Radisson Fiji Suva.

Scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2018, the company’s second project in Fiji is hailed as the first interna-tional midscale property in Suva.

Located within walking distance of the capital city’s main street, the 130-key new-build hotel will feature a restaurant, lounge, meeting facilities with a ballroom and a fitness centre.

Mex

ico

City

Isla

mab

adFi

ji

Did you know...

In the first

quarter of

the year,

380,870 tourists

visited the

Pacific Island

counties?

7 NOVEMBER 2015

RENDEZVOUS

19

Q & A withShiho Ikeuchi

HOTEL GRANVIA KYOTO HAS LONG BEEN COMMITTED TO SERVING ARAB GUESTS AND AS SHIHO IKEUCHI, DIRECTOR, OVERSEAS MARKETING, HOTEL GRANVIA KYOTO, REVEALS, THE MANAGEMENT LAYS GREAT EMPHASIS ON BECOMING A MUSLIM-FRIENDLY PROPERTY.

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What kinds of steps have been taken in order to attract more Arab travellers?

SHIHO IKEUCHI: At our café restaurant, Le Temp, Hotel Granvia Kyoto was the first hotel in western Japan to offer Ha-lal-certified menus in June 2013. In April 2014, our Japanese restaurant Ukihashi also gained the official Local Halal cer-tificate from Malaysia Halal Corporation. We can now proudly assure all Muslim guests that the delicious Halal meals at our hotel are fully Halal certified and that we are pleased to serve them with a variety of choices for both Japanese and Western-style Halal meals.

We even prepare prayer mats, Qibla direction signs and a copy of the Quran in our guest rooms upon request. More-over, an alcohol-free mini bar can be arranged. A prayer room can also be ar-ranged at one of our banquet rooms for group travellers.

In addition, Kyoto’s Islamic Culture Center is just 10 minutes away from the hotel by taxi. As a leading Muslim-friendly hotel in Japan, we assure all Muslim guests a safe, comfortable, re-laxing and enjoyable stay.

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Being locat-ed in Kyoto, Japan’s cultural capital, embellished with thousands of clas-sical Buddhist temples, gardens, im-perial palaces and traditional wood-en houses, what makes the city an attractive destination for Arab travel-lers?

SHIHO IKEUCHI: With Japan’s long and illustrious history, there are numer-ous cultural and historical sites to at-tract travellers from all over the world, including those from the Arab world. Since Kyoto was the imperial capital of the country for 1,100 years, this is where the traditions and culture of Japan were born. You can be strolling through the most modern of shopping areas, and then by just turning a corner, suddenly find yourself in a neighbourhood that is as old as the city itself. […]

Our hotel guests have the advan-tage of being located above […] Kyoto Station Building Complex. The complex includes Kyoto Station, which is a major hub station for the Japan Rail Shinkans-en bullet trains and local trains, as well as the Kintetsu private train lines, sub-way lines, the city bus terminal and taxi stands. As a place where Kyoto’s long

travellers from MENA has been on the rise in the past few years. I would not say that the increase is dramatic, yet it is certainly notable each year.

Another area of the world that has shown a significant increase is Spain, with 150 percent more visitors this year in comparison to 2014.

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Which were the achievements the management can be proud of in the past months?

SHIHO IKEUCHI: […] We have added Qibla stickers to our guest rooms this year under the supervision of Kyoto Ha-lal Association. At present, two-thirds of the rooms already have Qibla stick-ers on the ceiling, and we are aiming to have them in all of the rooms by March 2016. In order to serve Muslim guests better, it is important to learn about their customs and culture, especially about Halal. We regularly hold study meetings for our staff members in order to increase their knowledge about Mus-lim customs and traditions so that their stay with us will be enjoyable.

Considering the dramatic increase in the usage of smartphone and tablet devices while travelling, the hotel’s Wi-Fi system has now been upgraded and strengthened with advanced equip-ment and enlarged coverage through-out the hotel. […]

Apart from guestroom Wi-Fi ser-vices, Wi-Fi service in the function and conference rooms has also been en-hanced. […]

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Which are the priorities for 2016?

SHIHO IKEUCHI: In 2017, we will cel-ebrate our 20-year anniversary, and we have just launched our exciting renova-tion project. All of our 535 guest rooms, as well as the Granvia Lounge and some restaurants, will be fully renovated over the next few years. To that end, no ex-pense will be spared. Moreover, we con-tinuously focus on increasing our level of customer service in order to satisfy our guests’ high demands and expec-tations. By early spring 2016, we will change our guest room amenities to in-clude Halal certified shampoo, hair con-ditioner, body soap, make-up remover and facial soap.

We believe that high-quality Ha-lal products cater not just for Muslim guests, but to all guests worldwide.

DIRECTOR, OVERSEAS MARKETING, HOTEL GRANVIA KYOTO

“THE NUMBER OF TRAVELLERS FROM MENA HAS BEEN ON THE RISE IN THE PAST FEW YEARS

history of tradition and culture co-exist in perfect harmony with a modern ur-ban environment, Hotel Granvia Kyoto provides a unique experience, offering guests a splendid and delicate mix of both the past and present.

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Have you witnessed an increase in MENA arriv-als?

SHIHO IKEUCHI: Yes, the number of

7 NOVEMBER 2015

SPECIAL REPORT TRAVELPORT E-VOLVE SUMMIT

20

Travelport: Redefining Travel Commerce

TRAVELPORT HAS BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH INNOVATION WITH ITS THEME OF REDEFINING HAVING CAUGHT ON EFFORTLESSLY. ALREADY LEADING IN SEVERAL SEGMENTS WITHIN TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY, THE COMPANY HAS TRANSFORMED FROM A TRADITIONAL SIN-GLE-LINE GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM TO A FULLY-FLEDGED TRAVEL COMMERCE PLATFORM, PROVIDING ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES TO INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS.

O ver 150 travel industry ex-perts and thought leaders representing airlines, hotels and travel agencies from across the Middle East gath-

ered for Travelport’s e-Volve summit, in Istanbul.

With a clear aim of addressing how technology is redefining and shaping the region’s increasingly competitive USD72 billion travel industry, the two-day event provided a much needed platform for associated stakeholders to discuss and share invaluable insight.

Upon an introductory speech by

Gordon Wilson, president, Travelport, il-lustrating the company’s leading areas of airline branding and merchandising, hotel distribution, mobile commerce and business-to-bisiness online payment so-lution, a host of spokespeople took the stage to elaborate on their designated ar-eas of expertise, including the company’s heads of department as well as keynote speakers and industry leaders.

“Technology is changing the world,” pointed out Matt Minetola, chief infor-mation officer, Travelport, who went on to emphasise how the company is heavily investing in its software devel-

opment to enable clients to differenti-ate their brand, image, product and overall offering, with an end-to-end

service on their platform. eNett International, as a global ex-

pert of dedicated payment solutions for the industry, is a recent and fully in-tegrated partner of Travelport which is driving security, efficiency and value for travel providers.

“Travelport has provided fantastic industry expertise on a global level [...], they certainly bring a domain expertise to our business which is phenomenal,” commented, Anthony Hynes, CEO, eN-ett International, whose revenues grew 49 percent in 2014.

With over 650,000 unique properties

“TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING THE WORLD

7 NOVEMBER 2015

TRAVELPORT E-VOLVE SUMMIT SPECIAL REPORT

21

fully bookable on its platform, Travelport is the fourth largest hotel distributor in the world, having sold 63 million room nights in 2014. Niklas Andréen, senior vice president, hospitality commerce, Travelport, shed light on the current stance of online hotel bookings, loyalty programmes and ancillary investment opportunities, in turn highlighting how the company can assist travel agents to boost sales through a breadth of choice,

easily accessible information pertaining to hotels, as well as through its Hotelzon and Smartpoint solutions.

Glenville Morris, head of consult-ing, Mobile Travel Technologies (MTT), posited that travel in the region is fun-damentally evolving into being more mobile-centric. He continued by shar-ing his insight into what Middle Eastern travellers expect from airlines’ mobile applications. With the recent acquisi-

“TRAVELPORT HAS PROVIDED FANTASTIC INDUSTRY EXPERTISE ON A GLOBAL LEVEL

tion of MTT by Travelport, the mobile technology company already has an impressive list of clients under its belt, including Singapore Airlines, easyJet, Jumeirah and Saudia.

Alison Bell, senior director, MTT, noted, “We have been very committed to the Middle East for a very long time [...] Being here [at Travelport e-Volve summit] is just a very good opportu-nity for us to meet a broader range of customers and for us to be able to share some of the trends and some of the in-formation we feel we have access to [...].”

Matthew Powell, senior director, India, and agency commerce solutions, Africa, Middle East and South Asia, Travelport, categorically defined and emphasised that in this day and age, customers seek next generation travel agents who have evolved and kept up

with technology in order to cater to all client needs. As travellers are becoming more demanding, as they have easier access to information, Powell empha-sised how Travelport enables agents to stay ahead of the game, especially through the Smartpoint solution which aggregates all information in a single workflow, ensuring efficiency.

Another key driving segment for Travelport, airline merchandising is taking strides within travel technology through its innovative merchandising suite, incorporating its latest project, Rich Content & Branding, which pro-vides carriers personalised and broad selling capabilities. With Etihad Airways, Middle East Airlines and Gulf Air already signed up for the tool, the company is prioritising itself to garner a larger share of the regional players.

Will Owen Hughes, senior director, air commerce, Middle East and Africa, Travelport, enthused, “More carriers in the region are signing up to the project. It has been a real success.”

A live panel discussion amongst airline partners, as well as guest speak-ers, including rocket scientist Siya Xuza, Abdul Wahab Teffaha, secretary gen-eral, Arab Air Carriers Organization, who brought regional updates, and Trevor McFarlane, founder, Emerging Markets Intelligence & Research, who offered an

overall business outlook for the Middle East and gradually built-up to the con-text of the tourism industry, all provided a complementary approach to the topics discussed.

The summit, now its second year, is fast establishing itself as an essential event for industry leaders in the Middle East.

Rabih Saab, president, Africa, Mid-dle East and South Africa, Travelport, commented, “Given the ever-changing and rapid paced environment of the travel industry, it is paramount for those part of it to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to how technology is re-defining the industry.”

7 NOVEMBER 2015

WHO'S MOVED

22

HANS ROEHRBEIN

EIRIK BERGVOLL

Hans Roehrbein is the new gen-eral manager of Cairo Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino.An experienced and success-ful leader, Roehrbein has been with Marriott International for 32 years.He joined the company in 1983 as room service manager at Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa. Later on, he gained food and beverage man-agement experience at other Marriott International properties in the US and also worked in the corporate headquarters in Wash-ington. He first became general manager in India, a position that he later also held in the Caribbe-an and at San Juan Marriott and Stellaries Casino, Puerto Rico, his most recent station prior to his move to Egypt.

Eirik Bergvoll has been select-ed as general manager of the soon-to-open Steigenberger Hotel Business Bay, Dubai. Bergvoll boasts a 25-year career in the international hotel busi-ness. After completing a degree in hotel management in the UK, he took on management roles in Norway, Lithuania, Oman, South Africa and most recently in Estonia, and has worked, among others, for Carlson Rezi-dor Hotel Group.He is known as a strong and re-liable manager who is expect-ed to play a key role in meet-ing the needs of the Dubai property’s future guests.

Bergvoll is known as a strong and reliable

manager

MORGAN PARKER

Morgan Parker has been se-lected by Dubai Holding as chief operating officer of Mall of the World. He joins the company from Rockefeller family-owned global private equity firm, Rose Rock Group, where he served as CEO. His experience as a sen-ior executive at Morgan Stan-ley, Taubman Centers and Lend Lease spans two decades as developer, investor and banker in various Asia Pacific markets, having completed a total of 65 projects in nine countries.Parker’s versatility and wealth of experience has led him to hold a number of industry board positions since 2005. At Dubai Holding, he will oversee the progress of the latest major pro-ject, Mall of the World, which is expected to add significantly to the emirate’s tourism, retail and hospitality portfolio.

Parker worked for Rockefeller

family-owned firm

7 NOVEMBER 2015

AGENT CORNER

23

Roberto Morgi

Sales and product manager

TiBiWorld Tour Operator

Italy

www.tibiworld.com

COMPANY:

POSITION:

NAME:

LOCATION:

WEBSITE:

Agent’s Insight

When and how was the company formed?TiBiWorld was born 10 years ago and our headquarter is located in Rome. Our phi-losophy is enclosed in our name; in Latin ‘tibi’ means ‘for you’, thus, our name: The world for you. The fusion of Latin and English, travellers’ past and present languages, is a reference to our core values: attention to tradition and the vision of the future. We offer personalised tours to destinations that we have personally visited. […] We aim to bring to our customers’ attention countries we love under a magnifying glass, pausing on certain areas and details that mass tourism often ignores.

What are the most important attributes of a good travel agent/tour operator?First of all, deep knowledge of the destination, and then that of the market and its evolution.

What is the most frequently asked question that your company receives from customers?Local assistance and a good price. Presently, people lay great emphasis on receiv-ing reliable services at the best possible rates.

What are the must-visits and must-dos in Rome that no one should miss? Local food, museums and archaeological sites, the people, the weather, the travel services; what else could anyone wish for?

Which destination would you like to visit next?Next I plam on visiting Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Iran.

7 NOVEMBER 2015

TRAVEL CHANNELS

24

T he number of international visits to Great Britain contin-ued to grow in the first half

(H1) of the year, with visitors spend-ing more, according to the country’s Office for National Statistics.

The destination welcomed three percent more visitors in H1, beating 2014’s results for the same period. Spending rose two percent, contrib-uting GBP9.5 billion (USD14.5 bil-lion) to the economy.

Increases from growth markets such as China, which surged 28 per-cent to 90,000, and the GCC which rose two percent to reach 282,000, follow VisitBritain’s campaigns and commercial partnerships in both markets.

B urJuman Arjaan by Rotana - Dubai launched Pink Day at the hotel in support of its Safe &

Sound Breast Cancer Awareness cam-paign, introcuced in 1997.

The campaign saw different areas of the property being decked out with pink flowers, candies, ribbons, bal-loons and more. A variety of events were also planned by the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, including a spe-cial lunch.

Ulrike Andorff, general manager, BurJuman Arjaan by Rotana – Dubai, commented, “Our whole team really got involved, and we had such great support from our guests during our pink initiatives which helped us raise further awareness for this noble cause.”

T ripAdvisor introduced new Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort pages, ena-

bling travellers to access information and insights about specific attrac-tions, rides, theme park accommoda-tions and restaurants.

Disney Parks marks the first brand to be included as part of a broader ini-tiative by the travel site to offer dedi-cated pages for popular destinations.

Adam Medros, senior vice presi-dent, global product, TripAdvisor, noted, “Millions of travellers search for Walt Disney World and Disneyland vacation options on TripAdvisor, and our new dedicated pages offer a one-stop resource to help them plan and book their trips.”

Britain: Increased GCC Arrivals

BurJuman Arjaan Backs Breast Cancer Initiative

TripAdvisor Pilots Disney Parks Projects

7 NOVEMBER 2015

PHOTO ALBUM

25

Ramada Abu Dhabi Corniche marked the worldwide Green Day

The Domain Hotel and Spa hosted dinner for the members of   Chaine Des Rotisseurs

Biritish singer Labrinth performs for the huge crowd at Green Grooves Abu Dhabi at Abu Dhabi

Golf Club

Amwaj Rotana, Jumeirah Beach Dubai together with Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan, Abu Dhabi joined the Big Book Sale organised by

Operation Smile

Royal Jordanian Airlines hosted Think Pink day as part of the October breast cancer awareness campaign

Air Arabia was awarded for customer innovation at the first Aviation Achievement Awards

Share with us the latest images of your activities and let your colleagues know what you have been up to.

Send your photos to [email protected] Because a picture is worth a thousand words...

Take a Shot!

7 NOVEMBER 2015

WEEKLY NEWS XX

26

NEWS & EVENTS

EVENTS

IBTM WORLD

Barcelona, Spain November 17 – 19 www.ibtmworld.comA leading global event for the MICE and business travel industry, which gathers over 15,500 professionals.

4TH GLOBAL SUMMIT ON CITY TOURISM

Marrakech, MoroccoDecember 14 – 15 www.unwto.orgInternational experts in city tourism, representatives of local authorities, municipalities and international and regional associations will discuss challenges and create a platform for the exchange of ideas.

3RD ANNUAL AFRICA HOTEL EXPANSION SUMMIT

Lagos, NigeriaJanuary 28 – 29, 2016africa.hotelandresortsummit.comFor the third consecutive year, Noppen is organising the Africa Hotel Expansion Summit, bringing together hotel chains, developers and architects with hospitality institutions.

SAUDI INTERNATIONAL HOTEL TECH EXHIBITION

Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaNovember 30 – December 02www.saudihoteltechexpo.comThe show brings together hotel equipments, security procedures, interior and exterior providers and information technologists.

INTERNATIONAL LUXURY TRAVEL MARKET (ILTM)

Cannes, FranceNovember 30 – December 03 www.iltm.comILTM is luxury travel's flagship event, where international travel agents and advisors meet the world’s luxury travel experiences.

Auckland: USD1.9 Million Worth of Events

Auckland won another three bids to host conferences over the next three years, generating an

estimated AUS2.67 million (USD1.9 mil-lion) towards the local economy.

The first International Council of Large Electrical Systems’ CIGRE B5 Study Annual Meeting and Colloquium in 2017 is set to attract 250 experts. In 2018, around 800 doctors and therapists are expected at the Asia-Oceania Conference of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, and in the same year the World Congress of Environmental Health will welcome 300 participants.

ACI to Promote Airport Excellence in China

Airports Council International (ACI)’s Asia Pacific board has signed a memorandum of under-

standing with the China Civil Airports As-sociation (CCAA) to strengthen coopera-tion between the two entities.

The partnership aims to drive ex-change of knowledge and expertise by introducing and promoting ACI pro-grammes to CCAA members, including training, airport carbon accreditation, safety as well as economic data sharing.