Dubai Hospitality Market Softens in Q1 · Morocco (MAD) Syria (SYP) Tunisia (TND) Yemen (YER) Dinar. Dinar Rial Rial Riyal Dirham Dinar Pound Rial Dinar Dinar Pound Dinar Dirham Pound

LARGE EXPANSION PLANNED AT DWTC

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INTERNATIONAL TOURISM VOLUMES REACH 1.14 BILLION

IN THIS ISSUEMARKET UPDATE

TECHNOLOGY

ACCOMMODATION

AIR

RENDEZVOUS

INTERNATIONAL

AGENT CORNER

TRAVEL TALK

TRAVEL CHANNELS

WHO’S MOVED

PHOTO ALBUM

NEWS & EVENTS

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9 MAY 2015 ISSUE 287

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H.R.H. PRINCE SULTAN BIN SALMAN BIN ABDUL AZIZ, PRESIDENT, SAUDI COMMISSION FOR TOURISM & ANTIQUITIES,

WELCOMED ELENA KOUNTOURA, ALTERNATE MINISTER OF TOURISM, GREECE, TO DISCUSS PROSPECTS OF COOPERATION.

SAUDI ARABIA AND GREECE TO ENHANCE TIES

9 MAY 2015

MARKET UPDATE

2

TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS

MANAGING EDITORMary Kammitsi

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ASSISTANT EDITORMaria Kazeli

SENIOR JOURNALISTRita Kasziba

CONTRIBUTORSAna Mladenovic

Valentine Stavrou

PRESS Maria Demetriadou Pauline Shahabian

DESIGN & LAYOUT

Elena Stylianou

WEB DEVELOPER / ITSoteris Constantinou

DIRECTORS Andreas Constantinides

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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

97.79

7.62

28,430.02

1,175.13

0.30

1,519.60

1.38

9.69

188.93

1.92

214.89

MENA EXCHANGE RATES

As of 08/5/2015Currencies shown in blue are fixed against the US Dollar

COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=

Dubai Hospitality Market Softens in Q1Advisory firm, Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) released its first quarter (Q1) Dubai Real Estate Market Overview report, according to which the hotel sector continued to face downward pressure.

O ccupancy dipped marginally by two percent year-on-year and average daily rates (ADR) saw a nine percent decrease to USD272 in the first two months of the year.

Chiheb Ben Mahmoud, head of hospitality, JLL MENA, added, “The increase in supply on one hand and the per-

ceived softness of the inbound travel market on the other are leading some hotels to review their pricing and revenue management strate-gies. While occupancy rates remain healthy at 86 percent and above the MENA average, RevPAR declined 11 percent.”

Traffic Surges at Abu Dhabi AirportPassenger traffic rose 21.1 percent at Abu Dhabi International Airport in the first quarter (Q1) of the year, in comparison with the same period in 2014.

T he total number of passengers served stood at 5,521,110, while air-craft movements rose 16 percent to 41,585. Cargo activity recorded a nine percent increase with 200,127

tonnes being handled at the hub.Ahmad Al Haddabi, chief operations of-

ficer, Abu Dhabi Airports, commented, “Abu Dhabi Airports has made great progress in matching the growth in passenger traffic with a carefully implemented programme to expand capacity. During Q1, we opened the newly expanded facilities at Terminal 1 and we continue to push ahead with a broader capac-ity enhancement programme […].”

Abu Dhabi International Airport

Dub

ai

Did you know...

Dubai's hotel m

arket

welcomed 11.6 million

guests in 2014?

9 MAY 2015

TECHNOLOGY WEEKLY NEWS

3

T he release of Apple Watch in April also included TripCase’s latest version. Sabre’s popular travel management application allows users to access important travel data through the gadget in just

a glance. Travellers can instantly find out about changes regarding their

flight, gate number or hotel reservation code. “Millions of travellers rely on TripCase every day for real-time, ac-

curate updates to their trips. Now with the Apple Watch, we can make travel even easier as travellers receive these messages on their wrist,” highlighted John Samuel, senior vice president, TripCase.

Travel Application Incorporated into Apple Watch

Guest Behaviour Business Intelligence Tool Launched

G lobal provider of compre-hensive hospitality solu-tions and services, FCS

Computer Systems has unveiled FCS Vega, hailed as the first of its kind solution that enables hotel-iers to understand the specific be-haviour of each individual guest.

The innovative tool lever-ages guest-related data available through the FCS Rainbow Solu-tion and integrates it with the hotel’s third party system’s data in order to analyse guest behavi-our in a variety of scenarios from search preferences to their actual stay and feedback afterwards.

The standard version of FCS Vega was designed for single ho-tels, while the enterprise edition is for corporate office and group level use.

9 MAY 2015

WEEKLY NEWS

4

S audi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities (SCTA) has stepped up

its monitoring and inspection efforts at tourism accommoda-tion facilities, including hotels and furnished apartments, in cities and municipalities that are located along the southern bor-ders of Asir, Jazan and Najran.

During the tours, the inspec-tion team was keen to ensure that the prices were compatible to the quality of the services provided to guests, and hy-giene levels met SCTA’s require-ments.

SCTA Intensifies Accommodation Supervision

More Parking Space at Mall of the Emirates Visitors at Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates can benefit from additional car park spaces, made available by Majid Al Futtaim, the operator of the shopping centre.

I n addition, a new taxi rank was intro-duced to allow for 40 more vehicles at Welcome Court 4.“As part of our goal to create great mo-

ments for everyone, everyday at Mall of the Emirates, we want our guests to have choice, convenience and safety in their transport options, which is why phase two of the mall’s Evolution 2015 initiative includes a focus on the availability of taxis and parking spaces,” said Fuad Mansoor Sharaf, senior director, property management, shopping malls, Majid Al Futtaim Properties.

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9 MAY 2015

WEEKLY NEWS

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D ubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) is to build a 15,500m2 extension to the exist-ing indoor complex space, taking the

total multipurpose indoor event and exhibition capacity to over 122,000m2.

Adjacent to the Zabeel Hall, the custom-built new halls will form the extension beyond Halls 1, 2 and 3 with the new area set to become operational in the first quarter of 2016.

As Helal Saeed Almarri, director general, Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing, pinpointed, the development will allow the emirate to position itself as a domi-nant force in the international events delivery arena.

“The expansion of our venue will provide the supporting platform for home-grown local and regional businesses, as well as global cor-porations,” added Almarri.

Large Expansion Planned at DWTC

A vis Budget Group Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Kanoo Travel have teamed up to offer travellers in the GCC

and Egypt a new car rental solution.In terms of the deal, the travel management

company will serve as the general sales agent of the group, allowing professionals to book their cli-ents with Avis Car Rental and Budget Car Rental.

According to Praveen Gandhi, executive gener-al manager, Kanoo Travel, the agreement enhances the company’s travel services and the customer experience in one of the world’s fastest growing economies.

“We will work very closely with the Avis Budget Group team to explore opportunities in the cor-porate and retail segment of this market, and help generate reservations,” added Gandhi.

Avis Budget Group Partners with Kanoo Travel

Larry De Shon, president, international, Avis Budget Group EMEA (left)

and Praveen Gandhi

9 MAY 2015

WEEKLY NEWS

6

WEEKLY NEWS

Abu Dhabi Summer Season to Attract Hundreds of Thousands

Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) announced the pro-gramme for the upcoming Abu Dhabi Summer Season that will run between June 11 – September 5.

The emirate-wide event will feature headline theatre shows, live children’s show, top Arab and European comedy acts and various concerts across Abu Dhabi city, Al Ain and Al Gharbia. In 2014, the festival attracted over 786,000 visitors, while guest nights from the GCC, excluding the UAE, rose 25 percent, from India 26 percent and from Europe 19 percent.

“We saw significant interest in 2014’s Summer Season and hotel occupancy with an additional 2,495 hotel rooms grew by a total of seven percent from 2013, and obviously we are aiming to improve that figure again this season,” commented Sultan Al Dhaheri, executive director, tourism sector, TCA Abu Dhabi.

The timeless appeal of Peru’s an-cient past was once again show-cased at the Arabian Travel Mar-

ket in Dubai as the Trade, Tourism and Investment Office attended the event for the third consecutive year.

In 2014, the South American coun-try welcomed 3.2 million visitors and by 2021, this figure is set to reach eight million.

“Peru has been gaining tremendous ground as a tourism hotspot in the last few years, and is a consistently top-ranking destination for travellers,” said Alvaro Silva Santisteban, director, UAE, Trade, Tourism and Investment Office, Peru, noting that two of the country’s hotels made it onto the top 10 on Trip- Advisor’s Travelers’ Choice list.

Peru to Lure Arab Travellers

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9 MAY 2015

WEEKLY NEWS

8

SAUDI ARABIA AND GREECE TO ENHANCE TIESH.R.H. Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, president, Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities (SCTA), welcomed in Riyadh Elena Kountoura, alternate minister of tourism, Greece, to discuss the prospects of cooperation in various fields. T he two countries aim to foster partnerships in the ar-

eas of tourism, antiquities, museums and urban herit-age under the valid memorandum of understanding that was signed between the Saudi organisation and the Greek Ministry of Tourism in 2014.

According to the World Tourism Or-ganization, the number of global travellers increased by 4.4 percent

to 1.14 billion in 2014.Meanwhile, receipts from international

tourist spending on accommodation, food and drink, entertainment, shopping and other services and goods reached an esti-mated USD1.25 trillion, up 3.7 percent.

In the Middle East, tourism receipts grew by USD4 billion to USD49 billion and in Africa by USD1 billion to USD36 billion.

In the top 10 ranking by tourism earn-ings, China climbed from the fifth to the third place following a 10 percent boost to USD57 billion. The US (USD177 billion) and Spain (USD65 billion) maintained the first and second position, respectively.

International Tourism Volumes Reach 1.14 Billion

Elena Kountoura (left) and H.R.H. Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz

9 MAY 2015

WEEKLY NEWS

10

WEEKLY NEWS

Safety Awareness Week at Abu Dhabi Airports

With the aim to highlight aviation safety standards and best practices among employees and airport stakeholders, Abu Dhabi Airports once again or-

ganised a safety awareness week. This year’s edition was held under the slogan Giving safety

your full attention, and featured various programmes, includ-ing an exhibition dedicated to promoting airside safety, occu-pational health and environmental protection; health check-up, and sessions and lectures by health and safety specialists.

“Through these initiatives, we aim to promote a culture of safety at our airports and encourage our employees to consider their own personal safety as well as their obliga-tions to provide a safe environment for all airport users,” commented Ahmad Al Haddabi, chief operations officer, Abu Dhabi Airports.

T he International Air Transport Association (IATA) hosted the second annual Cabin Operations Safety Conference in Paris, attracting more than 300 del-

egates from 130 organisations including airlines, regulatory agencies, investigation bodies, aircraft manufacturers and suppliers.

“Safe, efficient and effective cabin operations are an in-tegral part of our broader commitment to flight safety. The enormous teamwork that goes into every flight is at the heart of our industry’s success,” said Kevin Hiatt, senior vice president, safety and flight operations, IATA, adding that the event served as an opportunity for stakeholders to address current and emerging safety challenges and discuss global standards and best practices.

IATA Event Focusses on Cabin Operations Safety

Safety Awareness Week in Abu Dhabi

H.R.H. Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, president, Saudi Commission for Tourism & An-tiquities (SCTA), visited a number of castles and

historic sites under restoration by SCTA along the historic Egyptian pilgrim road in Tabuk.

“What distinguishes the inhabitants of these areas is their affection towards their history, culture and desires to rediscover these castles and forts, as well as get their history from the history books to real life to be a daily experience and practice by the current and future generations,” said Abdul Aziz.

SCTA Observes Tabuk Restoration Works

SCTA

repr

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9 MAY 2015

WEEKLY NEWS

12

Emaar Malls, the shopping malls and retail business majority-owned by Emaar Properties, re-

corded net profits of AED433 million (USD118 million) for the first quarter (Q1) of the year, up 32 percent, as tour-ists and residents alike continued to visit the company’s assets in large numbers.

During the three-month period, Emaar Malls, which is also behind The Dubai Mall, welcomed over 31 million shoppers, marking a seven percent year-on-year increase, boosting rev-enue by 21 percent to AED735 million (USD200 million).

Tenant sales across Emaar Malls soared to AED5.2 billion (USD1.4 billion) with AED4.6 billion (USD1.2 billion) from The Dubai Mall, similar to 2014 figures.

Emaar Malls: 31 Million Visitors in Q1 ADC to Further Promote Aqaba

The

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During a gathering of the business scene in Aqaba, Hani Al Mulki, chief commissioner, Aqaba De-

velopment Corporation (ADC), said that the consecutive Aqaba Special Econom-ic Zone Authority administrations had elevated the city to a level that enables it to become Jordan’s economic capital.

As Mulki noted, Aqaba started with one single port and now has nine, not only serving the Kingdom but many re-gional countries, while the number of hotel rooms in the area grew from 500 units in 2001 to 4,125 keys in 2014.

Sports tourism is another potential business of attraction, according to Mul-ki, who also emphasised the importance of further widening the destination’s appeal.

Did you know...

The Dubai Mall

houses over 1

,200

shops?

9 MAY 2015

WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION

14

High Occupancy at Rixos The PalmRixos The Palm Dubai recorded an average occupancy rate of 90 percent in the first quarter of the year and expects business to remain strong.

“We are pursuing our efforts to upgrade and add more fa-

cilities to ensure the best services to our guests from the UAE, the GCC and other countries,” said Alexander Schneider, general manager, Rixos The Palm, Dubai, adding that guests can now take advantage of new water sports facilities as well as re-freshed food and beverage offerings at the restaurants.

As Schneider revealed, the 233-key hotel enjoys high demand from the GCC, UK, Germany, the CIS mar-kets, as well as visitors from Abu Dhabi.

Did you know...

Rixos The Palm has

two event halls, e

ach

boasting a ca

pacity

of 200 guests?

Rixos The Palm Dubai

Moxy Hotels Arrives to Eastern Europe

R Hotels and Accor Partner for ibis Styles

Marriott International has penned a deal with GMT Group to bring its Moxy Hotels brand to Georgia by 2017.

The 130-room Moxy Tbilisi Hotel will be a part of a new retail and office development around Saarbrucken Square, just a short drive from the historic city centre and its attractions.

This will be the group’s third hotel in the Georgian capital, bringing it closer to its vision of opening 150 hotels in Europe by 2020.

R Hotels has established the framework for an agreement with Accor Hotel Services Middle East to franchise an upcoming ibis Styles hotel in Dubai.

Due to be launched in the second half of the year, ibis Styles Jumei-rah will mark the brand’s debut in the UAE. The 191-unit hotel will tar-get both leisure and business travellers looking for reasonably priced accommodation in a central location.

As Sumair Tariq, managing director, R Hotels, suggested, the company is poised to establish its mark by teaming up with notable brands, expand-ing its portfolio in key locations and offering suitable products to the right market.

9 MAY 2015

WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION

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Bulgari Arrives in Dubai in 2017

Meraas Holding and international luxury brand, Bulgari teamed up to launch Bulgari Resi-dences Dubai within the 158,000m2 Bulgari

Resort and Residences project on Jumeirah Bay Island.Comprising 165 apartments, 15 mansions and eight

penthouses, the property will be unique in scale and magnitude, offering living spaces with the brand’s sig-nature style. Besides swimming pools and gyms, guests will also enjoy access to Bulgari Resort’s services as well as a plethora of dining and sporting options on site, in-cluding the 50 berths Marina and Bulgari Yacht Club.

According to Silvio Ursini, executive vice presi-dent, Bulgari, upon completion in 2017, the project will serve an international niche audience looking for the most exclusive experience.

New Citymax Hotels Break Ground

Raine & Horne Dubai to Sell Anantara Residences

Citymax Hotels commenced construction on two new properties in Dubai’s Al Barsha and Business Bay areas.

Located within walking distance of Mall of the Emirates, the new project in Al Barsha will comprise 120 rooms and an all-day dining restaurant, while Citymax Hotel Business Bay, due to be unveiled early 2017, promises to set new standards within the budget category with three restaurants and spacious units for families or young guests.

Featuring a number of smart features, the new rooms have been designed with the needs and preferences of millennial visitors travel-ling on a budget.

Seven Tides has appointed Raine & Horne Dubai to market the freehold luxury five-star Anantara Residences on Palm Jumeirah, worth AED1.4 billion (USD38 million).

The signing of the deal was attended by Abdulla bin Sulayem, CEO, Seven Tides, and Angus Raine, executive chairman, Raine & Horne Dubai.

“We decided to appoint Raine & Horne because of [the company’s] vast experience of marketing luxury properties and their extended international network, stretching from Australia to Japan, India and Western Europe. These offices will provide us with a platform to market the Anantara Residences internationally in a cost effective and direct way,” commented Bin Sulayem.

Action Hotels plans to launch a new three-star property in Riyadh in the second quarter of 2016.

Located on Olaya Street, the hotel will be developed by the conversion of an ex-isting office building in just over 12 months at an estimated cost of USD8 million, and will feature 130 rooms.

Highlighting the limited supply of quality, internationally-branded economy and midscale establishments in Saudi Ara-bia, Alain Debare, CEO, Action Hotels, said, “There is great potential for Action Hotels in the Kingdom, and in Riyadh in particular. Although the Riyadh hotel market is a ma-ture market, there is considerable demand for mid-economy branded hotels from the corporate segment, yet this segment is cur-rently undersupplied.”

Action Hotels to Expand in Riyadh

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Palace Hotel Turizm Hizmetleri teamed up with Steigenberg-er Hotels to operate Steigen-

berger Hotel Maslak, Istanbul. Located in close vicinity to the

Maslak district, the new five-star ho-tel is expected to appeal to business travellers and holiday-makers alike.

The property boasts 305 rooms, including 23 suites, a restaurant, lobby bar and a further rooftop bar, 13 conference rooms, as well as a gym and spa.

Puneet Chhatwal, CEO, Steigen-berger Hotels, noted, “We are creat-ing genuine added value for visitors to Turkey by exporting German ex-cellence in service.”

Amala products are now available at La Mamounia Marrakech’s spa.

The hotel has added the brand which has ethics and a philosophy similar to its own, with values like quality, luxury and simplicity corre-sponding to La Mamounia’s vision.

The Amala product line will be available in wellness rooms and in the boutique, offering a complete range to help visitors hydrate, reju-venate, purify and soothe.

The 2,500m2 La Mamounia Spa features two traditional Hammams, 10 wellness rooms, an indoor ozone heated pool and a Jacuzzi.

La Mamounia Spa Welcomes New Brand

Istanbul Welcomes German Hospitality Group

M ubadala Development Company will soon offer a new urban liv-ing experience in the UAE capi-

tal, with residential sales at Rosewood Abu Dhabi and Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi set to begin in the second half of the year.

Collectively more than 140 apartments will be available for sale at the two prop-erties, of which the Four Seasons-branded hotel is due to open in 2016, offering resi-dents five-star luxury and access to a full spectrum of dining outlets and leisure fa-cilities.

According to Ali Eid AlMheiri, execu-tive director, Mubadala Real Estate & Infra-structure, Al Maryah Island’s designation as a financial free zone makes the sale a rare investment opportunity for UAE and GCC nationals as well as expatriates.

Residential Sales at Rosewood and Four Seasons Chinese Delegation Visits The Ajman Palace

T op officials and other representatives of the Chinese government enjoyed the hospitality of The Ajman Palace Hotel & Spa.

The delegation arrived to the UAE to attend a luncheon of the Commercial Branch of Hunan Province in the Mid-dle East, hosted by the Gulf Chinese Trading Corporation, which also coincided with the unveiling of Hunan Pavilion at China Mall – Ajman.

With a built up area of 200,000m2, China Mall – Ajman is a pioneering development in the emirate, boasting a gross leasable area of 150,000m2 and some 1,000 retail shops.

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Steigenberger Hotel Maslak, Istanbul

La Mamounia Spa

9 MAY 2015

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M arriott International is gearing up for the launch of its second

JW Marriott branded property in Turkey.

Located in Yalikavak on the Bodrum Peninsula, the 107-unit JW Marriott Bodrum is sched-uled to welcome its first guests on May 15, who will enjoy an ar-ray of restaurants, a 2,000m2 spa, a 420m2 ballroom, five meeting rooms and various swimming pools.

“The new JW Marriott Bod-rum combines the best of tra-ditional Turkish culture with the contemporary design and signature service our guests have come to expect from JW Marriott properties around the world,” commented Mitzi Gaskins, global brand manager, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts.

JW Marriott Bodrum to Open This Month

H ospitality Management Holdings (HMH) is deter-mined to leverage the

growing demand for Halal products. “All our properties, no matter

where these are located, offer a safe and family-friendly environment. Halal-friendly policy is part of our company’s culture and DNA and not simply a business decision,” ex-plained Laurent Voivenel, CEO, HMH, adding that having created the first international alcohol-free chain of hotels, the company takes pride in operating in the segment. “Over the years we have gathered an amazing experience both in terms of opera-tions and market intelligence in the dry hotel segment.”

HMH: Focus on Halal and Family Travel

T he sales team’s aggressive cam-paigns over the past weeks are set to pay off at Coral Al Khobar Hotel

and lead to notable improvement in busi-ness results.

As Michel Mandrea, general man-ager, Coral Al Khobar Hotel, indicated, the management predicts an 80 percent oc-cupancy for these weeks, with 65 percent of the traffic coming from the corporate segment, and the remaining volume from weekenders from across Saudi Arabia.

The hotel’s delegation recently show-cased the property in Riyadh, Doha, Kuwait and Dubai.

Coral Al Khobar Hotel Expects Significant Growth

JW Marriott Bodrum

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T he Ascott Limited’s Citadines Apart’hotels is further expand-ing. UAE, Vietnam and Malaysia

are set to welcome their first serviced residence units by the end of 2018.

Lee Chee Koon, CEO, The Ascott Limited, commented that the compa-ny sees big opportunities for its inter-national-class serviced residencies to expand in these countries.

Expected to launch first, the 81-unit Citadines Culture Village Dubai will be located in what is known as the city’s cultural hub whereas in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City’s commercial District 3 will be the home of Citadines Regen-cy Saigon. In Malaysia, Citadines Wa-terfront Kota Kinabalu will be located in the heart of the seaside destination.

Ascott Brings Citadines to the UAE

Did you know...

JW Marriott

Hotels & Resorts

is also expanding

in Mexico, US

and Canada?

9 MAY 2015

WEEKLY NEWS AIR

22

Oman Air Codeshares with KLMOman Air has signed a codeshare agreement with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines enabling the Omani carrier’s customers to book onto flights operated by the European company between Muscat and Amsterdam.

O nboard an Airbus A330 aircraft, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will offer five weekly services on the route, which, according to Paul Gregorowitsch, CEO, Oman Air, is expected to receive strong demand.

“[The partnership] will increase the number of destinations we offer in Europe to seven and rep-resents an expansion of the choice we offer our customers,” added Gregorowitsch.

flynas Opens New Kuwait Office

M arking six years of operations in Kuwait, flynas has launched a new office in Kuwait City’s Al Khalij Tower.

As Bandar Al-Mohanna, CEO, NAS Holding, noted, the Saudi carrier currently operates 19 direct flights a week from Kuwait to Riyadh, Jeddah, Taif and Medina.

“We […] look forward to expanding our operations to meet the growing demand for air travel between Kuwait and the Kingdom,” added Al-Mohanna.

In line with its strategy to achieve the highest degrees of comfort, flynas continuously studies the ever-changing needs and trends of the aviation sector.

Gulf Air Moves to New Medina Airport

Gulf Air has officially transferred its operations to the new Prince Muhammad Bin Abdul Aziz International Airport in Medina, coinciding with the start of the hub’s test run operations in the

lead up to its formal inauguration.“We have been operating to Medina since June 2010 and we are de-

lighted to welcome this new airport – a timely addition that will enhance and facilitate passenger movement,” said Maher Salman Al Musallam, CEO, Gulf Air, reminding that the airline was established in 1950 specifi-cally to facilitate movement between the Kingdoms of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

9 MAY 2015

WEEKLY NEWS AIR

24

WEEKLY NEWS AIR

Etihad Airways to Run UAE’s First Aeromedical Centre

E tihad Airways received accreditation from the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to operate the country’s first Aeromedical Centre (AeMC).

The authorisation followed a detailed review of Etihad Airways Medical Centre, which covered its policy and pro-cedure framework and as well as medical professionals. As a result, Etihad Airways AeMC will now have the authority to issue initial medical certificates to pilots, air traffic control-lers and other professional aviation licence holders.

Nadia Bastaki, vice president, medical services, Etihad Airways, said, “This accreditation is a great addition to the world-class medical services we offer our people and reflects the high standard of service which has been implemented at the airline’s medical centre in recent years. It will enhance the care that we provide to our pilots and cabin crew.”

A ircraft charter specialist, Air Charter Service (ACS) record-ed a 14 percent rise in turno-

ver to USD470 million for the year ending January 31, driven by notable improvements in all departments, in-cluding private jets, commercial air-lines, group travel and cargo.

According to Chris Leach, chair-man, ACS, the results reflect the com-pany’s continuous investment in its global infrastructure.

As Leach further pinpointed, profits more than doubled year on year, brining ACS closer to its goal to become, as the chairman said, the largest charter brokerage house in the world across all three sectors in the next five to 10 years.

The US cargo network of Emirates’ freight division is grow-ing with the addition of a daily service to Orlando, Florida.

Expected to begin September 1, the Dubai – Orlando route will have a capacity of up to 17 tonnes of cargo per flight. The airline’s weekly freight capacity of outbound US flights is currently estimated to be 1,690 tonnes.

With the introduction of Orlando to the routemap, 11 points across the US will be served, pointed out Nabil Sultan, divisional senior vice president, cargo, Emirates. He added that more than 100,000 tonnes of cargo were carried in 2014 facilitating foreign trade and opportunities between what Sultan described as the world’s largest economy and markets within Emirate’s network.

Emirates SkyCargo US Operations Expanded

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Air Charter Service Turnover up 14 Percent

Chris Leach

9 MAY 2015

RENDEZVOUS

25

Q & A with

SOUFIANE EL ALLAM, DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING, THE RITZ-CARLTON, BAHRAIN HOTEL & SPA, TALKS ABOUT LUXURY TRAVELLER'S PREFERENCES.

Soufiane El AllamDIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING, THE RITZ-CARLTON, BAHRAIN HOTEL & SPA

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What makes The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa an ideal choice for luxury travellers?

SOUFIANE EL ALLAM: [...] The Ritz-Carl-ton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa is the leading hospitality product in Bahrain and caters to the widest range of guests from short staycations to family holidays.

On the same day, our resort could be hosting market segments as varied as corporate groups, staycationers from Bahrain or from the region, business travellers, honeymooners, families, or even sports and arts enthusiasts attend-ing one of the many events and attrac-tions of the destination. Of course this

is possible because we have the most comprehensive product in the market, if not in the region. However, this is far from what luxury travellers are looking for nowadays. [...]

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What are the needs of today’s luxury traveller?

SOUFIANE EL ALLAM: Today the defini-tion of luxury is plural, because there are as many perspectives about luxury as there are travellers. Our vision is and re-mains centred on recognising the variety of our guests, throughout their individu-al and unique value, by offering them a service which is genuine, anticipatory,

and most importantly, personalised. By tailoring our products to each

guest’s needs, we offer a level of service which transcends the notion of luxury. This has created the mystique of the legendary service of The Ritz-Carlton. We recognise that our guests come from, and to, an almost infinite array of destinations, and that they are highly educated to global affluent travel. [...]

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How is the brand adapting to the requirements of today’s luxury travellers?

SOUFIANE EL ALLAM: The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has been one of the pi-oneers in investing in the digital space because it is believed that our future lies in the generation Y which is tech-savvy. [...] We also take part in and gen-erate content for our company’s social media channels, being Twitter, Pinter-est, Foursquare, and Facebook. Our fo-cus now is to leverage user-generated content about our brand and hotels. [...] Beside the social media which we use

to create inedible marks on our guests, and inspire new ones to experience our services and facilities, we have in-vested in the mobile application which would take our guests’ experience and convenience to the next level of excel-lence and exclusivity. We are currently upgrading our mobile features [...].

Optimised features on property level currently enable guests to have access to destination tips, hotel events, and consult all the hotel information and resources.

However, technology is only a component of the hotel product, and the amenities of tomorrow will not dif-fer much from the amenities of today: whether it is a traditional Arabic coffee warm welcome served by our lobby ambassador coming to surprise you at the airport, or your favourite pastry cre-ated by our culinary team and waiting for your arrival on your bed table. The most personalised amenities are those which surprise you by their spontaneity and keep you emotionally engaged to the destination.

9 MAY 2015

WEEKLY NEWS INTERNATIONAL

26

Best Western Adds to Bangkok Portfolio Best Western International (BWI) has signed a new midscale BEST WESTERN hotel in the central Sukhumvit district of Bangkok.

The new property, the seventh for the company in the Thai capital, is slated to open in the last quarter of 2016 and will offer 75 modern rooms, all equipped with comfortable beds, flat-screen TVs and complimentary Wi-Fi connection. Additional facilities include a restau-

rant serving both local and international cuisine, a fitness centre and meeting space. Ron Pohl, senior vice president, brand management, BWI, noted, “Tourism in Bangkok is a

huge success story, and Best Western is delighted to play such a major part in it.”

Four Seasons Cements Presencein Colombia

Four Seasons Hotels and Re-sorts has unveiled details of its latest project in Colombia.

Comprising 62 rooms and suites, Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina Bogota is scheduled to welcome its first guests late this year. Originally built in 1946, the property has long been recog-nised as one of the city’s finest hotels. Guests will now have the chance to take advantage of a Spanish-style restaurant, spa and fitness facilities, 350m2 of function space and various meeting rooms.

I nterContinental Hotels Group’s (IHG) Hotel Indigo brand has signed its first property in the US

state of Colorado.Hotel Indigo Denver is expected

to open in winter 2016 and will be located within Union Tower West, a mixed-use development of office and retail space in downtown Denver.

The hotel will feature 180 rooms, substantial meeting space, a fitness centre, business venues, a bar and a restaurant.

As every Hotel Indigo property is uniquely designed to reflect the culture and character of its sur-rounding neighbourhood, down-town Denver’s story will be woven throughout the guest experience. Seasonal and locally sourced food and drinks will be served in a styl-ish environment at the bar and res-taurant, and local art, photography, and architecture will be incorpo-rated into the design.

Hotel Indigo Enters Colorado

Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina Bogota

Bang

kok

9 MAY 2015

AGENT CORNER

27

Tyrone Emandien

Guided tours division

Springbok Atlas Tours & Safaris

South Africa

www.springbokatlas.com

Agent’s Insight

Who are you? My name is Tyrone Emandien and I am employed in the guided tours division at Springbok Atlas Tours & Safaris. We are a long-standing leader in touring throughout Southern Africa and we are famous for being one of Africa’s best-known tour operators.

What is your favourite thing about working in the travel industry?My favourite thing about being in the travel industry is definitely the travelling. I also really enjoy selling a destination that has such a great variety of attractions to offer to visitors, from bush and safari holidays to beach holidays, nature, cultural experiences and history. When is the best time to visit South Africa?The best time to visit us is during the summer months, from October to February. Where would you like to travel for your next holiday?There are so many places I would like to visit but New Zealand, Australia and the US are on the top of my list.

Why should people come to you for travel advice?I have been at Springbok Atlas Tours & Safaris’ guided tours division for the past eight years. I am passionate about the high-quality products we sell within our division and know them very well. I can therefore easily recommend a tour to suit a specific client’s needs. I endeavour to respond to each and every enquiry as quickly and efficiently as possible.

COMPANY:

POSITION:

NAME:

LOCATION:

WEBSITE:

9 MAY 2015

TRAVEL TALK

28

SUBIN DHARMAN

JAMES HOGAN

Executive assistant manager, food and beverage, The Ritz-Carlton, Doha

President, Etihad Airways

“Our ladies and gentlemen have always been at the forefront of community initiatives and our involvement in Earth Day activi-ties truly underscore our com-mitment to genuine care – of our guest and of the local envi-ronment. By championing this effort, we hope to engage with our guests and the larger com-munity to back a very current and relevant cause.”

“Etihad Airways is not just an-other foreign airline flying to Europe to poach local traffic. We are a sophisticated partner to and investor in Europe for long-term mutual benefit, con-tributing billions of Euros every year to European Union (EU) and non-EU economies, supporting tens of thousands of jobs. […] In 2014 alone we carried 3.3 mil-lion passengers to and from EU economies, connecting 618,000 travellers onto flights by our EU codeshare partners, and accom-modating 368,000 of their pas-sengers on our flights.”

We hope to engage with our guests and the larger community

We are a sophisticated partner to and investor in Europe

IFTIKHAR HAMDANIGeneral manager, Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman

“I am honoured to accept [Wyndham Hotel Group’s Wyndham Rewards Champion] award on behalf of our team at Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman. We have been very keen on Wyndham’s Rewards Program as this provides excellent incen-tives for our guests, especially the frequent travellers. We will continue to reinforce the loy-alty scheme to generate more business and enrolments for the year.”

TRAVEL TALK IS YOUR SPACE – this is a casual forum for travel industry professionals to discuss current issues and share stories. We want to hear from you, so send your comments, questions, frustrations and observations to [email protected]

We will continue to reinforce the loyalty scheme

9 MAY 2015

TRAVEL CHANNELS

29

Emirates Cabin Crew Reaches 20,000 Members

T he team has been steadily growing over the past years in line with the addition of new aircraft and new routes. Today, members represent 135 nationalities that speak over 55 languages. This year

alone, the company plans to hire more than 5,000 new employees.

“Our cabin crew are our greatest brand ambas-sadors,” stressed Terry Daly, divisional senior vice president, service delivery, Emirates.

The airline offers its crew an entire employment package and diverse future prospects for progres-sion within the company as well as being promoted through the cabin crew ranks.

Emirates celebrated another milestone in its employee history with its cabin crew exceeding 20,000 staff.

Smartworld Now ISO Certified

Sharjah Welcomes a New Book Authority

U nder the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, member, Supreme Council, Sharjah, the Sharjah Book Authority held its launch event in late April.

The ceremony revealed the structuring of the new body, its man-agement, departments and functions, as well as the new logo, cultural projects, and the announcement of a first of its kind specialised pro-ject in the publishing world.

It gathered a number of VIPs, intellectuals and culture ministers from the region.

Smartworld, an Etisalat and Dubai World Central joint venture com-pany, has been awarded the ISO

27001:2013 certification for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) by global certification agency DNV.

Mohammed Fouz, CEO, Smartworld, commented, “The certification recognises our commitment to our customers towards enhancing our security management prac-tices and controls to protect the business information and offer secure services.”

According to Fouz, the certification im-plies that the digital solutions and services provider offers fool proof protection of vi-tal business assets and ensures compliance with business, legal, contractual and regu-latory requirements.

Emirates cabin crew

9 MAY 2015

WHO’S MOVED

30

WILLIAM MOUJAES

GEORGES OJEIL

SHAKEEL AL HAMID

William Moujaes has been named cluster general man-ager of Centro Al Manhal and Al Rawda Arjaan by Rotana in Abu Dhabi.Since joining the Rotana cor-porate office in 2003, his com-mitment and devotion to the company’s success has traced his path to the role of assistant director of sales, followed by his promotion to director of sales for the Abu Dhabi and Al Ain properties in 2009.In 2012, he assumed the po-sition of assistant executive manager at Park Rotana and Park Arjaan by Rotana, Abu Dhabi.Building on his 12-year career with Rotana, Moujaes now takes on new challenges in the UAE capital.

Georges Ojeil has been ap-pointed hotel manager at In-terContinental Jordan. Having worked in the indus-try for more than 18 years, Ojeil brings a wide spectrum of expertise and skills to the role. He holds a master’s de-gree from Ecole Superieure De Commerce De Paris and has been a competent professor in several hospitality institutions and universities. Over the years, he has gained vast experience in the Leba-nese hospitality industry and held various roles. Ojeil joined InterContinen-tal Hotels Group in Jordan in 2013 as executive assistant manager at Crowne Plaza Jor-dan Dead Sea Resort & Spa, before making his move to InterContinental Jordan as ex-ecutive assistant manager.

Shakeel Al Hamid has been promoted to cluster general manager at Radisson Blu Ho-tel, Jeddah and Radisson Blu Royal Suite Hotel, Jeddah.In his new capacity at The Rezi-dor Hotel Group, Al Hamid will be responsible for all aspects of the overall operation of the two properties. Having been with the hotels since 2004, he has gained extensive knowledge of the market.

Ojeil has been in the industry for

18 years

Al Hamid will be responsible

for two hotels

Sharjah's developments showcased at the Arabian Travel MarketHoliday Inn Abu Dhabi received a Best Family

Friday Brunch award

Rotana earned the Best Hotel Loyalty Programme in the Middle East accolade at Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2015

Qatar Duty Free scored a hat trick at Duty Free News International Global Awards

Southern Sun Abu Dhabi celebrated a successful first year of operations

Grand Hyatt Doha's team won the Inter Hotel Cricket Tournament

9 MAY 2015

PHOTO ALBUM

31

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!

9 MAY 2015

NEWS & EVENTS

32

EVENTS

IMEX

Frankfurt, GermanyMay 19 – 21www.imex-frankfurt.comA one-stop-shop for planners looking to book and organise worldwide meetings, events and incentive travel programmes.

CHINA GUILIN INTERNATIONAL TOURISM EXPO (CGITE)

Guilin, ChinaMay 29 – 31 www.cgite.com.cnPart of Conference & Exhibition Management Services’ travel and tourism portfolio, CGITE brings together Chinese and international buyers and exhibitors in one dynamic marketplace.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL EXPO HONG KONG

Wanchai, Hong KongJune 11 – 14www.itehk.comAmongst others, the event also highlights trendy travel themes such as overseas weddings and honeymoons, as well as sports tourism.

KOREA WORLD TRAVEL FAIR

Seoul, South Korea June 11 – 15www.kotfa.co.krWith a 30-year history, the event sees the participation of 60 countries which promote their tourism resources and cultures.

Abu Dhabi Promoted in South Africa

New Expo 2020 Initiatives Launched

Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) showcased the emirate’s

tourism credentials at the recently-held World Travel Market Africa, in Cape Town.

Through its participation, which followed the opening of the destina-tion’s office in South Africa, the tour-ism body and its partners, Etihad Airways and Oryx Tourism, aimed to highlight Abu Dhabi to the wider Af-rican market.

Expo 2020 Dubai officially launched its business engagement pro-gramme to more than 250 region-

al and global corporate leaders.H.E. Reem Al Hashimy, board rep-

resentative, Dubai Expo 2020 Higher Committee, enthused, “Let us teach and educate to build a true knowledge-based economy. Let Expo be your test-bed for new technologies. Let Expo be your research and development labora-tory. Let Expo be your showcase to the world.”