Travel Trade Weekly Issue 14

Market Update 2Accommodation News 4International News 6Air Travel & Cruising News 8Travel Tips 12Travel Talk 13Who’s Moved 14Rendezvous 15Events 16

Middle East and North Africa Edition

FEBRUARY 13, 2010 ISSUE 14 www.traveltradeweekly.travel

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3WOLGAN VALLEYAccording to Tony Williams, senior vicepresident of resorts and projects atEmirates Hotels and Resorts, WolganValley Resort and Spa’s recent carbonneutral certification came as a surprise.

Dubai based destination managementcompany Arabian Adventures has flaggeda five-fold increase in its fleet over thenext two decades, along with the openingof a new 3,500 square metre operationscentre at Dubai Investment Park.

In This Issue

QatarSupply

Qatar Tourism Authority has announced that 41new hotels are expected to come online across

Qatar in 2010. With a total of 6,743 hotel rooms,the new supply will increase rooms in the country

by 55 percent.

4

ARABIAN ADVENTURES

Contact us now at [email protected]

Online February 20

FEBRUARY 13, 20102

COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=UAE (AED) Dirham 3.67Egypt (EGP) Pound 5.47Saudi Arabia (SAR) Riyal 3.75Lebanon (LBP) Pound 1501Bahrain (BHD) Dinar 0.37Jordan ( JOD) Dinar 0.7Syria (SYP) Pound 46Kuwait (KWD) Dinar 0.28Qatar (QAR) Riyal 3.64Oman (OMR) Rial 0.38Tunisia (TND) Dinar 1.36Morocco (MAD) Dirham 8.16Iran (IRR) Riyal 9890Yemen (YER) Rial 205.5Algeria (DZD) Dinar 72.9Libya (LYD) Dinar 1.25

MENA Exchange RatesAccurate as of 10/2/2010Currencies shown in red are fixed against the US Dollar

Marriott’s New Solvency Melts Cash FreezeAfter three successive financial quarters of issuing dividends in stock, Marriott willresume cash payments to share holders.

Holders of class-A shares inMarriott International Inc willreceive USD0.04 per share, inthe form of a cheque, on April9.

Eligible share holders will be those on record asof February 19.According to Marriott, shareholders will not berequired to take any action as the companytransitions from a stock to a cash dividend. Cheques will be generated reflecting both shareamounts in investors' book entry accounts andwhere shares are held in a brokerage account in thename of a broker. The cash dividend will be administered by BNY

Mellon Shareowner Services, the company'stransfer agent.Arne Sorensen, Marriott International’s chiefoperating officer said stock dividends had beennecessary due to the financial downturn, butreduced debt had allowed the return to cashpayments.“Through operating cash flow, reductions ininvestment activity and other cash management,the company was able to reduce its total debt levelsby almost USD800 million, to USD2.3 billion, byyear-end 2009,” he said.“With this debt reduction, the board of directorshas agreed with management's recommendation toreturn to a cash dividend.”

Wyndham Worldwide, whose brandportfolio includes Wyndham,Travelodge and Ramada, has tripled itsquarterly dividend following positiveresults from the fourth quarter of2009.Stephen P Holmes, CEO of WyndhamWorldwide, said that the companyplanned to resume its share repurchaseprogramme in tandem with thedividend increase.The company will recommence theUSD200 million repurchase plan, withUSD157 million still available.According to Wyndham, the amountand timing of specific repurchases aresubject to market conditions,applicable legal requirements andother factors. Repurchases may be conducted in theopen market or in privately negotiatedtransactions.Holmes said that both developmentsreflected his confidence in thecompany’s restructuring initiatives.“As we continue to transform thecompany to drive free cash flow, theseactions reflect our confidence in the

resilience of our business model, ourproven ability to execute, and thesustainability of our cash flow, whilemaintaining investment grade creditmetrics,” he said.The dividend has increased toUSD0.12 from USD0.04, equating toa yearly rate of USD0.48 per share.The company expects the firstdividend at the new rate to be declaredin the first quarter of 2010.

Wyndham Resumes Stock Buyback, Boosts Dividend

Steven P Holmes

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLYDeputy EditorLaura Warne

JournalistLouis Dillon Savage

Design & LayoutElina Pericleous

Sales & MarketingJane DavidsonMarianna TsiamasDanielle Bragg Tina Georgiou

DirectorsAndreas ConstantinidesMary Kammitsi

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3FEBRUARY 13, 2010

Frederic Bardin, senior vicepresident of ArabianAdventures, told TravelTrade Weekly that thecompany was targeting 10

to 15 percent annual growth over the next15 to 20 years. “This new facility will last us throughoutthis decade and into the next,” saidBardin. “We decided to build big, because withthe rate of growth in Dubai, we didn’tknow when we would get another goodpiece of land, in the right location.”The operations centre comprises twobuildings, which include a warehouse,office area, meeting rooms, a five storeycar park for 400 vehicles, inspection baysand vehicle washing areas.Bardin pointed out that the new facilityhad first been planned in 2005, as partof the company’s long term growthstrategy.“It took about two years to build, which Isuppose is quite slow by Dubai standards,”he said.“We started in 2007, which was a verydifficult time to build; in the boom years

there was a shortage of building materialsand even construction workers andproject managers.”He added that the company expected tosee further growth in Dubai, andencouraged development companies tocontinue with hospitality and tourismprojects, including hotels and theme parks.“The message is we’re totally confidentabout Dubai’s growth,” said Bardin.

“Demand is increasing; we are makingsure of that, as are hoteliers, EmiratesGroup and other airlines.”Arabian Adventures, which is part ofEmirates Group, is expected to add anumber of vehicles to its fleet in 2010.According to Bardin, the planned five-foldfleet increase would take between 15 and20 years to complete, depending on therate of development in Dubai.

Arabian Adventures Thinks Big for Long Term Growth Dubai based destination management company Arabian Adventures has flagged a five-fold increase in itsfleet over the next two decades, along with the opening of a new 3,500 square metre operations centre at DubaiInvestment Park.

The Saudi Arabian tourism market isthe fastest growing in the world and ison the verge of further acceleration,according to a leading Saudi Arabiantourism expert.Dr Nasir Bin Aqeel Al Tayar, CEO of theAl Tayar Group for Travel and Tourism,said the non-religious tourism sector inSaudi Arabia was growing by 30 percentannually and already accounted forSAR80 billion (USD 21.3 billion) inrevenue.

Further, he said that recent initiatives bySaudi tourism regulators had set thestage for increased leadership by theprivate sector, resulting in an idealenvironment for investment in tourism.Al Tayar emphasised the kingdom’sability to stimulate and direct growth inits various provinces, in order to exploitthe different environments andattractions of each region.He said that he expected updatedregulations for the tourism sector to

encourage diversity and prosperity inSaudi Arabia and pointed to a variety ofdevelopments that were key toencouraging the market.These developments included: Al OgairSeafront Development in Al Ahsa; theSouk Okaz development project; anumber of projects in the Al Taifmunicipality; Red Sea Coast resortdevelopments; heritage hotels; ruralguest houses; eco-inns; and economiccities.

Saudi Arabian Tourism Sector Grows 30 Percent and Counting

FEBRUARY 13, 20104

ACCOMMODATION NEWS

A total of 6,743 hotels roomsacross 41 new hotels areexpected to become availablein Qatar in 2010.

These figures represent an approximate 55percent increase in the number of hotelrooms.Hotel apartments account for 18 of the newproperties, with traditional hotels making upthe remaining 23.According to QTA, 90 percent of theplanned hotels are expected to receive fouror five star ratings.The report also noted that Qatar hadperformed strongly in 2009, experiencingonly small declines in revenue andoccupancy, despite a large increase inaccommodation availability.Occupancy fell by 6.3 percent in 2009, andrevenue by two percent, with four and fivestar properties experiencing relatively minorlosses, according to QTA.Ahmed Al Nuaimi, chairman of QTA, said

that shrinking occupancy and revenue ratescould largely be attributed to the boostedsupply of hotel rooms in Qatar, with supplygrowth far outstripping retractions inoccupancy.The total number of hotel rooms in Qatarincreased by 25 percent in 2009, with 1,728rooms added.Growth was strongest in the in the five starcategory, which accounted for 1,003 of thoserooms, outstripping the growth of one, two,three and four star hotels combined.Four star hotels claimed the second strongestgrowth, with 605 new rooms.QTA attributed the strength of four and fivestar properties to surging demand for thesecategories in the local market, as well asefforts by Qatari and foreign investors toattract reputable international hotel names.Al Nuaimi said the Qatari government hadbegun developing plans to further encouragetourism development in the country.“QTA has begun developing a co-ordination

plan with the Supreme Council ofDevelopment Planning and the Ministry ofMunicipal Affairs and Urban Planning,” hesaid.“This plan will enable us not only to shapethe framework for technical cooperation ontourism matters, but will also allow us tooversee this important sector and properlydistribute the different authorities’responsibilities.”

Qatar to the Masses: Accommodation Supply Booms

Wholly owned subsidiary of the KuwaitHotels Company, Safir Hotels andResorts, reported record profits for 2009and will continue to expand its portfolio,according to Helmut Meckelburg, CEOof the company.Meckelburg said Safir’s profits for 2009

returned 40 percent higher than projected,which he said had recommitted the brandto ongoing growth.Safir Hotels currently manages hotels inKuwait, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt,Algeria and Oman, and has propertiesunder development in Morocco, the

UAE, Sudan, Iran, Malaysia, Indonesia,Turkey and India.In addition, the company has recently signeda management and co-operation deal withthe Shami Group for Tourism Investment toopen a new hotel in Aleppo, Syria.The five star Safir Al Shami Hotel isscheduled to open in 2012 and willfeature 158 rooms, including 20 suites.According to Meckelburg, expansionwithin Syria follows the strongperformance of the company’s recentlyopened hotel in Kerbala, Iraq.Meckelburg said that for the first threemonths of operation, the Iraqi propertyhad averaged 70 percent occupancy.“70 percent occupancy is impressive fora newly opened hotel in a ratherchallenging location,” he said.

Safir Hotels Recommits to Growth, Following Record Profits in 2009

Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) has released a report that predicts large increases in hotel room supply in 2010.

Safir Marina HotelKuwait

Doha, Qatar

5FEBRUARY 13, 2010

ACCOMMODATION NEWS

Belle Vue Looking Good WithDubai and Saudi PropertiesShariah compliant hotel and tourism investmentcompany Amlak has expanded its Belle Vue hotelbrand to Dubai.The recently opened Grand Belle Vue HotelApartments, in Dubai, is the brand’s secondMiddle Eastern property, following Belle VueHotel and Trade Centre in Amman, Jordan.According to Amlak, Belle Vue was one of the firstshariah compliant hotel management companiesin the Middle East, when launched in 2000.Naji Alia, CEO of Belle Vue Hotels, said thenew property in Dubai would allow Belle Vueto take advantage of continued growth in thesurrounding region.“Middle East tourism in general is seeing rapidgrowth and the Dubai market still holds a lot ofvalue for hospitality investment as an internationalcommercial and tourism hub,” he said.The 274 suite property is located in theTECOM district of Dubai and includes 42executive suites (two bedrooms), 70 ambassadorsuites (one bedroom) and 162 business suites(studios).Belle Vue has also declared its intention to expandinto Saudi Arabia, with a property planned atDammam.

Sheraton Hotels and Resorts haslaunched a USD6 billion brandrevitalisation programme, to be supportedby a USD20 million marketing campaign.The expenditure allows USD4 billion fordevelopments in the US and USD2 billionfor international properties.Over the next three years, Sheraton willadd 100,000 beds across 70,000 newrooms worldwide, and will update thelobbies of 300 existing hotels.Sheraton’s new lobby lounge concept,Link@Sheraton, has been developed inpartnership with Microsoft and will be

introduced to many hotels.According to Phil McAveety, chief brandofficer for Starwood, the redesign hasbeen motivated by an emerging trendtowards the combination of business andleisure travel.Redesigns have also taken into accountthe rising demand for mixed use socialspaces, which have come to be termedthird spaces.The campaign that has been designed toaccompany the changes will focus onmulti-platform delivery and seek to blurthe lines between business and leisure.

It is the first campaign to be designed bythe in-house marketing team headed byMcAveety, and he said that the emphasison new media would take Sheraton in anew direction.“What sets this campaign apart is the fullyintegrated, multi-platform approach and howthe work uses non-traditional media toconvey the new Sheraton experience,” he said.“Every brand touch-point of the campaignis strategically aligned across allexecutions including print, online,mobile, promotional and experientialevent activities.”

Sheraton Overhauls Global Portfolio, Declares New Marketing Direction

FEBRUARY 13, 20106

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

South Africa Enlists TripAdvisor for Marketing JAL Refocuses FollowingBankruptcy Protection Japanese Airlines (JAL) has released its firstroute, frequency and fleet plan since filing forbankruptcy protection in January.The plan, covering the first six months of 2010,outlined changes to JAL’s flight schedule anddeclared a new focus on improving profitability.JAL will decrease domestic frequency by 32 dailyflights, including the suspension of 12 routes untilfurther notice.Three domestic offices will be closed: at Kobe;Matsumoto; and Shizuoka.However, 19 flights have been added to otherroutes and international flights saw a relativelysmall decrease in frequency.International traffic has been cut by sevenflights weekly on JAL’s Shanghai route and oneper week on the carrier’s Sao Paulo via NewYork run.Meanwhile, service to Vietnam has beenincreased, with four new flights added eachweek between Tokyo and Hanoi, and one extraweekly flight scheduled to Ho Chi Min City.

Wolgan Valley’s Carbon Neutral Surprise

South Africa has engagedTripAdvisor in a creative partnershipto help promote the country as atourism destination.TripAdvisor has been contracted bySouth African Tourism (SAT), SouthAfrica’s tourism authority, to producea destination-specific portal featuringinformation drawn from TripAdvisorreviews.The Ultimate Experience, as the hubhas been named, is divided into threecategories: Adventure and Wildlife;Culture and Nature; andEntertainment and Leisure. Each section will featureTripAdvisor's top rated attractions asreviewed by travellers, plus photos,videos and other content about SouthAfrica.Roshene Singh, chief marketingofficer at SAT, said that utilisingTripAdvisor as a marketing tool

allowed the campaign to reachconsumers through channels beyondtraditional advertising."We know that the majority of ourtarget segments use the onlineenvironment for researching andgathering information about holidaydestinations, so we believe that thispartnership with TripAdvisor willfurther compliment our strategy tomarket South Africa globally," shesaid.She pointed out that TripAdvisorwould introduce an element ofinteractivity into the marketingcampaign, and stimulate interest inthe destination.“The TripAdvisor partnership offerstravellers the opportunity to engagewith our destination in an interactivemanner and to place South Africa atthe forefront of conversations that aretaking place online,” she said.

A ccording to TonyWilliams, senior vicepresident of resorts andprojects at EmiratesHotels and Resorts,

Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa’s recentcarbon neutral certification came as asurprise.“We planned to be extremely light with ourcarbon footprint, but when the scientificassessment verified that we were carbonneutral, we were absolutely amazed,” saidWilliams.“We purchased five percent of carbon offsetcredits as a safety measure to ensure wemaintained carbon neutral status during ouropening phase, and we chose aninternationally recognised project where the

money was directly sentto a large wind farm inNew Zealand.”Williams added that theAustralian resort is thefirst hotel in the world toachieve carbon neutralcertification from aninternationally accreditedgreenhouse gascertification scheme. A greenhouse gas emissions inventoryassessment was carried out by LandcareResearch New Zealand. Professor Ann Smith, from LandcareResearch, said the carboNZerocertification process was carried out inaccordance with ISO14064 and World

Resources Institute standards. Williams said he hoped the certificationwould encourage other hotel companies topursue carbon neutral status. “This proves that even luxury resorts can becarbon neutral and I believe mainstreamhotels need to take this on board,” he said.

Wolgan Valley Resort

FEBRUARY 13, 20108

AIR TRAVEL & CRUISING NEWS

Cruising Rebound Crystal Clear in JanuaryCrystal Cruises has reported a 205 percent increase in January bookings, compared to 2009.

UK based Balli Aviation Ltd has pledguilty to charges related to illegallyexporting Boeing 747 aircraft to Iran.The plea, entered in the US DistrictCourt for the District of Columbia,resulted in a USD2 million fine, as wellas a USD15 million civil settlementwith various US government bodies.According to the US Department ofJustice (DOJ), a Balli Aviationsubsidiary, Blue Sky Companies,purchased US origin aircraft withfinancing obtained from an Iranianairline and exported them to Iranwithout obtaining the necessarylicences.David Kris, US Assistant AttorneyGeneral for National Security, said thatthe penalties would help discouragecorporations from breaching US tradesanctions with Iran.

“This case demonstrates thatcorporations that conduct businesswith Iran in violation of US export lawsand sanctions face seriousconsequences,” he said.According to the US GovernmentOffice of Foreign Assets Control, theUS prohibits the exportation, re-exportation, sale or supply, directly orindirectly, from the US or by a USperson, wherever located, of any goods,technology or services to Iran or theGovernment of Iran. Kris said that the US would continue toforcefully apply these regulations.“These charges reflect the commitmentof the United States to vigorouslyenforce our laws against corporationsthat illegally seek to acquire US aircraftfrom the US on behalf of Iraniancustomers,” he said.

Royal Jordanian LaunchesNew Saudi RouteRoyal Jordanian plans to launchregular direct flights to MadinahMunawwarh, Saudi Arabia, tocapitalise on Hajj and Umrah religioustourists.Hussein Dabbas, president of RoyalJordanian, said the new air servicewould be easier than travelling toMadinah Munawwarh via Jeddahairport or by land. He added that the airline hadconducted feasibility studies thatindicated the route’s potential successwith Jordanian tourists and transitpassengers from around the world.The new flights will begin on March 28. Royal Jordanian is also consideringnew routes to Kuala Lumpur,Johannesburg, Tehran, Izmir, Luxorand Aswan.

According to Crystal, thebooking surge representedthe strongest January forthe company in the pastfive years.

Bill Smith, Crystal Cruises' senior vicepresident of sales and marketing, said thatconsumer behaviour had shifteddramatically in 2010, and that Crystal hadbenefited from an influx of newcustomers.“Along with the strong bookings fromnew Crystal guests, our very loyal CrystalSociety members continue to come back,discovering Crystal's many new itinerariesand voicing overwhelming complimentsfor the major redesign of CrystalSymphony," he said.According to Smith, the number ofcustomers sailing with Crystal Cruises for

the first time reached 89 percent of total2009 figures in January alone.Smith noted that trends in bookingbehaviour had shifted compared to 2009,with an increased booking windowsupplementing the continued strength ofshort notice purchases.Smith attributed Cystal’s success to itsestablished reputation; the company iscelebrating 20 years of operation in 2010.

“Savvy travellers and travel agentsrecognise the value and reputation ofCrystal's luxury cruising in 2010, and thatwe deliver an incomparable experience ofservice, space, quality and choices,” hesaid.Crystal Cruises sails to destinationsworldwide, including the Middle East,Africa, the Americas, Antarctica, Asia andEurope.

US Cracks Down on Aircraft Exports to Iran

The Crystal Symphonycruise liner

FEBRUARY 13, 201010

The Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) has signed a memorandum ofunderstanding (MoU) with the Republic of Croatia.The MoU was ratified by Ahmed Al Nuaimi, chairman of QTA, andDersan Margita, the Croatian Ambassador to Qatar.Both countries have committed to cooperate on various tourismmatters, including the exchange of expertise and training, and jointinvestments in the tourism sector.The two parties also agreed to collaborate on planning anddevelopment, as well as destination promotion and marketing.

Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi,UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, hassignposted increased interconnectivitywith India as a crucial component of theUAE’s future policy.As part of her recent visit to India, AlQasimi discussed increased bilateral co-operation between India and the UAE withDr Shashi Tharoor, Indian Minister of Statefor External Affairs.Al Qasimi pointed out that trade with India

accounted for approximately USD32billion in 2008, making up 15 percent ofUAE gross domestic product (GDP).Improved connectivity was raised by AlQasimi as a necessary component ofincreased business activity, pointing outthat intensified business connectionswould require a commensurate increase inbusiness travel.Meeting with Praful Patel, Indian Ministerof Civil Aviation, Al Qasimi discussed

mutually streamlining the approval processfor new air services between the countries.Patel confirmed that UAE air travel firmswould soon be authorised to operate inIndian terminals.Al Qasimi noted that at 275 flights perweek, the UAE was first among GCCnations in regards to Indian connections.She then emphasised the importance ofincreasing travel between the countries tofacilitate economic co-operation.

UAE and Indian Ministers Discuss Business Travel

Qatar and Croatia Ink Tourism Partnership

However, Mohamed AAl Noman, directorgeneral of the SCTAhas described thelosses as marginal.

Despite a six percent decline in the totalnumber of guests staying in hotels, thiscontraction was mitigated by a trendtowards longer stays.SCDTA reported that the total number ofoccupied room nights in Sharjah’s hotelsfell by only three percent.Al Noman attributed the overall 11percent decline in occupancy toincreased accommodation supply, withthe number of available rooms in Sharjah

growing by 14 percent in 2009.European tourists accounted for themajority of visits to the emirate,comprising 42 percent of arrivals.Arrivals from the Middle East and Africa(MEA) made up the next largestdemographic at 40 percent.Within the MEA segment, GCC visitors

accounted for 23 percent, other Arabiannations a further 11 percent, and Africanssix percent.Visitors from Asia equalled 15 percent ofthe total, and the final three percent wereaccounted for by two percent UStravellers, and one percent from thePacific region.

Al Noman said that the impact of the globaldownturn on Sharjah had been minor,relative to other destinations, and announcedthat the emirate planned to launch furtherpromotional activities in order to capitaliseon growing market awareness.“Sharjah’s tourism brand is distinguishedfrom other regions by such attractions ashigh profile cultural, heritage,entertainment and sporting activities thatare organised in the emirate throughoutthe year, the cohesive family atmosphere,and the multitude of attractions, such asmuseums and heritage sites, which attractvisitors from all over the world toSharjah,” Al Noman said.

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has released its visitor figures forthe second half of 2009, showing widespread contractions in demand.

Sharjah’s Increased Supply Blamed for Occupancy Contraction

(L-R) Ahmed Al Nuaimiand Dersan Margita

In the lead-up to GIBTM, Selim El Zyr,CEO of Rotana, offered his advice fortravel agents wanting to get more out ofMICE:“Explore new and interesting destinationsand work closer with the hotels to achievethe best results. We provide MICE organisers with all thetools and selling points for each of ourdestinations and properties locatedwithin, in order to facilitate the process.

Furthermore, we tailor-make packages tosuit their specific requirements.Organisers prefer to deal with a team thatis not only professional and experiencedbut with a team that caresPrices are certainly important but MICEorganisers look mainly at the wholepackage in terms of the destination andwhether it’s interesting and attractive sothat participants can work and enjoythemselves at the same time. Standards and facilities are vital factors forboth the participants and organisers.Customers are attracted and retained bythe offer of a wide and increasing numberof personal choices in terms of location,type, budget and style of property.”

FEBRUARY 13, 201012

Tips and tricks from industry experts, bringing you the latest in emerging destinations,technology, marketing and travel trends.

Late Bookings Here to StayAccording to Tony Williams, seniorvice president of resorts and projects atEmirates Hotels and Resorts, the travelindustry needs to get used to latebookings from clients.“The challenge we face from anoperational point of view is far laterbooking trends. Al Maha bookings areusually 21 days ahead, but many peopleare calling us on Monday wanting tostay for the weekend. I hardly ever see trends going backward,so I don’t see booking trends going backto their old ways. In the mainstream,late bookings will continue.”

With some of the biggest Middle Eastern trade shows of the year coming up – includingGIBTM, AHIC, The Hotel Show and ATM – it’s time to start planning how to get themost out of each event. Get in EarlyMark Walsh, group exhibition director of Reed Travel Exhibitions, said that earlyregistration was one of the best ways to capitalise on events.“Registering to attend Arabian Travel Market before it begins provides visitorswith a host of benefits; up to date exhibitor information, discounts on flights andaccommodation, and priority access to the exhibition, which means no queues,”said Walsh.Forward PlanningWith more than 2,000 exhibitors expected at ATM and organisers predicting a recordyear for GIBTM, it pays to do some pre-planning.“It is crucial that visitors prioritise their time to gain maximum benefit,” said Walsh.Visitors should make a list of key exhibitors to visit before arriving, and take note oftheir location within the venue to plan an efficient schedule for each day.Pre-arranging meetings is also a good idea, to ensure access to the most relevant people.

How to Get More From MICE

Make the Most of Exhibition Season

I hardly ever see trends going

backward

Tony Williams

Organisers prefer a team that is

not only professional, but a team that cares

Selim El Zyr

13FEBRUARY 13, 2010

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]

You simply can’t overtake Dubai

Business traveloffers a more

dependable streamof income

The hottestmarkets in

North Africawill be Morocco

and Egypt

Frederic BardinSenior Vice President,Arabian Adventures“Dubai is the originalMENA hub and you simplycan’t overtake Dubai rightnow; it would take decades.Companies are not going tomove their Middle Easternheadquarters to otherregional cities because ofthe downturn. The businessmodel for Dubai is to be aregional hub and it has allthe facilities that go alongwith that. The growth ishere to stay and we mustlook at the future.”

FredericBardin

Ahmed Al NuaimiChairman, Qatar TourismAuthority“Qatar has been among the leastaffected by the repercussions ofthe global financial crisis,precisely because Qatar reliesprimarily on meeting andconference tourism – andbusiness travel offers a moredependable stream of incomethan other forms of tourism.”

Mark Wynne-SmithCEO of Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels,EMEA “We see increased regional hoteltransactions as being a key trend in2010, with strengthening interestfrom high net worth individuals, suchas Middle Eastern and Asianinvestors and sovereign wealth funds.Development activity will likelyremain subdued in some markets inthe short-term but we expect pick upacross the entire market in themedium and longer term. The hottestmarkets in North Africa will beMorocco and Egypt, whilst theMiddle East markets will seedevelopers balance out theirportfolios by expanding outside theUAE.”

Ahmed AlNuaimi

Morocco

FEBRUARY 13, 201014

Rania TakiRania Taki has been appointed as talentacquisition manager for Renaissance Hotel,Courtyard by Marriott and MarriottExecutive Apartments Doha City Centre,Qatar. Taki holds a degree in hospitality andmarketing management and previouslyworked as human resources officer atRenaissance Dubai Hotel. Her key areas willbe recruitment, talent acquisition and settingup graduate programmes for Marriott’s threenew hotels in Qatar.

RaniaTaki

Philippe GeorgiouPhilippe Georgiou has been appointedas chief officer of corporate affairs atOman Air, Muscat. Georgiou will workacross several departments, includingmarketing, corporate communications,media, customer relations, emergencyresponse, government relations andlegal affairs. He will also be the officialspokesperson for the airline. Georgiouhas 30 years of experience and haspreviously worked in the Middle Eastfor global companies such as CadburySchweppes and Coca-Cola.

PhilippeGeorgiou

Ahmed Thani Salim Mousa Al HalyanEtihad Airways has appointed Ahmed ThaniSalim Mousa Al Halyan as country managerfor Qatar, based in Doha. Al Halyan hasworked in the airline industry for almost 10years and has previously held positions withEmirates Airlines and Dubai Customs.

Thomas BommerSafi Airways has appointed ThomasBommer as director of sales and marketingfor its Afghanistan, UAE and internationalmarkets. Bommer has 33 years ofexperience in the aviation industry,including 15 years working for Swissair inmanagement positions. He has worked inSwitzerland, Africa and the Middle East.

Hany KhorshidRotana has appointed HanyKhorshid as general manager of AlMarwa Rayhaan by Rotana, Makkahin Saudi Arabia. Khorshid has morethan 25 years of experience in thehotel industry, having worked withHyatt, Mövenpick, Ritz Carlton andothers. He moves to Al MarwaRayhaan from Coral Beach RotanaResort Montazah in Sharm ElSheikh, Egypt, where he was generalmanager.

ThomasBommer

Ahmed Thani SalimMousa Al Halyan

Hany Khorshid

15FEBRUARY 13, 2010

Q&A with Omar Boujild

Travel Trade Weekly: Please tell meabout the new tourist visa applicationprocess in Saudi Arabia. Who can takeadvantage of this visa, for instance?Omar Boujild: In Saudi Arabia, rapidly-increasing demand for Umrah visas (forminor religious pilgrimages, which can bemade at any time of year) has increasedthe overall demand for hotels in othercities in Saudi Arabia. Now people who are coming to performUmrah (or Hajj, the major pilgrimage)want to visit other areas and cities whilethey’re here. The main cities that are visited after the holycities of Makkah and Madina  are Jeddah,Yanbu and Khobar.Umrah and Hajj visas apply only to Muslims,while tourism visas  apply to both non-Muslims and Muslims. Those who want to apply as tourists can nowobtain tourist visas through authorised localtour operators in the kingdom who havebeen approved by the Saudi Commission forTourism and Antiquities. As for travel arrangements, they should allbe made by a Saudi tour operator, with theco-operation of the foreign travel andtourism agent.There is an electronic tourist visa systemused by the tour operators which canfacilitate all arrangements. Saudi touroperators can organise tours covering site-seeing, cultural attractions, shopping, divingor snorkeling, and other attractions.

Travel Trade Weekly: Are the newtourist visa developments affectingMövenpick’s plans in Saudi Arabia?Omar Boujild: This move is having apositive effect on Mövenpick Hotels andResorts, and the hotel industry in generalin Saudi Arabia.

Due to increased demand foraccommodation, Mövenpick Hotels andResorts have offered promotional ratesduring the peak seasons of the year,especially since we have many attractiveproperties in different locationsthroughout Saudi Arabia. Mövenpick is now in six major cities: Jeddah,Makkah, Yanbu, Madinah, Khobarand  Qassim. There are also two newMövenpick facilities opening in 2010: a hotelin Riyadh and a resort in Al Khobar.

Travel Trade Weekly:: What impact doyou think this will have on the Sauditourism and Umrah industry?Omar Boujild: This move will definitelyincrease demand in the Saudi tourism sector.A major portion of the economy alreadydepends on the large number of pilgrimstravelling in the kingdom each year. It is estimated that more than 15 milliondomestic trips, out of a total of nearly 30million, are religious tourists, and more than50 percent of inbound foreign tourists arereligious tourists. Hotels are reacting quickly to addressreligious tourism; transportation networksare growing and medical tourism forreligious travelers has started to take off in thekingdom. Religious tourism will continue to growstrongly and will help protect the kingdom’stravel and tourism industry from anypotential for recession in the years ahead.Visitors to Saudi Arabia totaled 11.5 millionin 2007, but traditional leisure tourism hasbeen a very small percentage of this market -just five percent. The kingdom is now anxious to expand thetourism segment, particularly the domestictourism market. To accomplish this goal, the infrastructure is

quickly being enlarged to accommodate theanticipated growth. One major component is a programmecalled Vision 2020, developed under theSaudi Commission for Tourism andAntiquities (SCTA). This plan aims toquickly ramp up the development of thedomestic tourism market. Starting with a focus on major opportunitiesaround the Red Sea and the country’sheritage, seven new museums are underwayin the kingdom, with another 34 planned.There are also plans to develop Jeddah’shistoric old-town (Balad) into a potentialWorld Heritage Site.In addition to religious tourists, the kingdomhistorically draws many business travellersand Saudi planners see great potential in five-star market growth centered on thesevisitors. There are an estimated 10,000 hotel roomscurrently under construction in thekingdom, and there is a sense that thetourism market could really be transformedwithin the next several years.

Saudi Arabia is home to one of the fastest growing and biggest spending outbound tourism markets in theworld, but the country has hitherto remained closed to all but business travellers and religious tourists. OmarBoujild, general manager of Mövenpick’s Hajar Tower property in Makkah, shared his thoughts on the recentdevelopments for Saudi tourism visas.

Mövenpick Hotel and Residence Hajar Tower Makkah

FEBRUARY 13, 201016

Events

Gulfood Exhibition 2010 Dubai, UAE, Feb 21-24 (www.gulfood.com)Food and beverage exhibition.

Jordan Travel Mart ( JTM) Dead Sea, Jordan, February 21-23 (www.jordantravelmart.com)Showcase of the Jordanian tourism industry.

Meetings Africa 2010Johannesburg, South Africa, February 24-26 (www.meetingsafrica.co.za)Business tourism exhibition showcasing meeting venues,destinations and industry support services.

Asia Pacific Incentive and Meetings ExpoMelbourne, Australia, March 2-3 (www.aime.com.au)Australian, Asia Pacific and international destinations, productsand services for the incentive and meetings industry.

ITB BerlinBerlin, Germany, March 10-14 (www.itb-berlin.com)A combination of trade exhibition, public exhibition andprofessional convention for the travel trade industry.

Britain and Ireland Marketplace 2010London, UK, March 16 (www.bim.travel)Workshop for tour operators, wholesalers and intermediariesto meet suppliers from the UK and Ireland’s hotels, attractions,ground handlers and other tourism services

Moscow International Travel and Tourism Exhibition Moscow, Russia, March 17-20 (www.mitt.ru/en)International trade exhibition for trade and consumer visitors, with157 participating destinations and more than 3,000 companies.

GIBTMAbu Dhabi, UAE, March 29-31 (www.gibtm.com)International event for the business travel and meetingsindustry in the Gulf and Middle East region.

Meeting LuxuryLugano, Switzerland, April 8-10(www.meetingluxury.com/en)Exhibition for top end travel products.

World Holiday and Travel FairJohannesburg, South Africa, April 16-18 (www.worldtravelfair.co.za)Split between a business to business exhibition and public access,with the opportunity for on the spot selling to consumers.

The Arabian Hotel Investment Conference(AHIC) has announced a series of panels,briefings and break-out sessions basedaround its focus theme of unlockinginvestment opportunities in the Middle Eastand North Africa. Key speakers will include representativesfrom Etihad Airways, Jumeirah Group,Rezidor Hotel Group, Jones Lang LaSalleHotels and Kingdom Hotel Investments. Jonathan Worsley, chairman of BenchEvents, is a co-organiser of AHIC, which

will be held at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubaifrom May 1 to 3. “The consensus appears to be that theworst of the global economic crisis is over,which makes the themes being debated atAHIC 2010 more important than ever,”said Worsley.“Intelligent and targeted investment isvital for the industry as the regionrecovers from the downturn, and theinsight that will be offered by the group ofspeakers that will gather in Dubai in May

will be invaluable for everyone in theindustry.”

Arabian Hotel Investment Conference Sets Programme for May

Madinat Jumeirah