Travel Trade Weekly Issue 38

Market Update 2Accommodation News 4Air Travel News 6International News 8Agents’ Corner 10Travel Tips 11Travel Talk 12Who’s Moved 14Rendezvous 15Events 16

Middle East and North Africa Edition

JUlY 31, 2010 iSSUe 38 www.traveltradeweekly.travel

6

4oil coSTSindependent analysis by oxfordeconomics has determined that theDeepwater Horizon oil leak in the Gulf ofMexico will cost the regional travelindustry more than USD22.7 billion overthree years.

In This Issue

2

Mövenpick AqAbA

Mövenpick Resort and Spa Tala bayAqaba has launched its second phase ofoperations with the opening of astandalone spa facility, Zara Spa.

Hotel and aviation investment in the Middle East andNorth Africa is on the rise. Recent aviation orders by Middle

Eastern airlines have reached nearly USD10 billion.Similarly, hotel analysts say transaction volume is expected

to double in the EMEA region over the next six months.

InvestmentImprovements

Ge Aviation’s total globalorders came to USD16billion; David Joyce, ceo ofGe Aviation, said USD7.8billion of that total was

attributed to emirates. “The level of activity at the show demonstratesthat the aviation industry is beginning to emergefrom the economic downturn,” said Joyce. in addition to emirates, major orders were madeby Air Arabia, Royal Jordanian and qatar Airways. etihad Airways has also finalised its purchase of

70 Genx-1b engines from GeAviation, which are intended topower the airline’s 35 boeing7887 Dreamliner aircraft. Muhammad Al-lamadani,general manager for easterneurope, Middle east and ciS at

Ge Aviation pointed to the importance of theaviation industry in the Middle east.“Aviation continues to be one of the stronggrowth pillars of the region, powered byinfrastructure development and the focus of theregional governments to strengthen airlineconnectivity to boost tourism and business,”said Al-lamadani.

JUlY 31, 20102

COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=UAe (AeD) Dirham 3.69egypt (eGp) pound 5.70Saudi Arabia (SAR) Riyal 3.75lebanon (lbp) pound 1501bahrain (bHD) Dinar 0.37Jordan ( JoD) Dinar 0.70Syria (SYp) pound 46.6kuwait (kWD) Dinar 0.29qatar (qAR) Riyal 3.64oman (oMR) Rial 0.38Tunisia (TnD) Dinar 1.46Morocco (MAD) Dirham 8.55iran (iRR) Riyal 9,995Yemen (YeR) Rial 224Algeria (DZD) Dinar 73.87libya (lYD) Dinar 1.28

MENA Exchange RatesAccurate as of 29/7/2010currencies shown in red are fixed against the US Dollar

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLYDeputy Editorlaura Warne

Journalistlouis Dillon Savage

Design & Layoutelina pericleous

Sales & MarketingMarianna Tsiamasevelina Hadjigeorgiou

DirectorsAndreas constantinidesMary kammitsi

Headquartersp.o. box 25255nicosia 1308 cyprusTel: +35722820888Fax: +35722318958

Websitewww.traveltradeweekly.travel

[email protected]@[email protected]

middle eastern Aviation IndustryCommits to $10b in OrdersMiddle Eastern airlines dominated the orderbooks of GE Aviation and its jointventure partners CFM International and Engine Alliance at the recent FarnboroughAir Show, signing nearly USD10 million worth of engine and services orders.

Jones Lang LaSalle Hotelshas releasedpositive growth projections for the hotelinvestment market in europe, Middleeast and Africa (eMeA). Transaction volume showed a six percentyear on year increase in the first half of2010, demonstrating that the investmentmarket was starting to pick up. This growth is expected to double in thesecond half of the year, according toMark Wynne Smith, ceo for eMeA atJones lang laSalle. “The market conditions experiencedover the first half of 2010 are reminiscentof what we saw in 2002,” he said. “The second half of 2002 saw a doublingof transaction volume and i anticipatethat we will see a similar outcome overthe remainder of this year.”

Wynne Smith acknowledged that therewas still a sense of caution in themarket.“The dynamics of the market havechanged and deals are taking longer tocomplete, with both buyer and sellerapproaching negotiations withcaution,” he said.“However, we are starting to see sellersacknowledge that buyers’ pricing isacceptable given the current economicclimate, which is likely to drive increaseddeal volume as the year progresses.”Jones lang laSalle noted that manyhigh leverage buyers had fallen out ofthe market, with 65 percent of hotelinvestments dominated by hoteloperators, institutional investors andinvestment or private equity funds.

EMEA Hotel Investment to Accelerate

(L-R) David Joyce, CEO of GE Aviation, with JamesHogan, CEO of Etihad Airways

3JUlY 31, 2010

Abu Dhabi targets sustained tourism Growth Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has reported strong growth figures in the first half of 2010, andannounced plans for initiatives to encourage further tourism growth.

A range of domestic tourism packagesreleased by Saudi commission forTourism and Antiquities (ScTA) hasbeen well received by tour operators inthe country, who say the packages willcompete well with overseas offerings. Salah Aldeen Yaseen, executive directorof inbound tourism, omra pilgrimage

and domestic tourism at Al TayyarGroup for Tourism and Travel, saidinquiries by Saudi Arabian tourists hadincreased since the launch of theprogramme.“The initial indications show that theoffers of domestic tourism fordifferent destinations and provinces in

the kingdom of Saudi Arabia aregetting positive attraction by tourists,”he said.He added that if the domestic tourismaccommodation sector lowered itsprices and operating costs, domestictrips would compete more favourablywith international tourism packages.

Saudi Tour Operators Positive about Domestic Tourism Packages

A bu Dhabi has declaredintentions to targetthe Russian andcommonwealth ofindependent States

(ciS) markets, with plans to open aregional office.The office will be located in Moscow, thecapital of Russia, but an opening date hasyet to be disclosed.ADTA has also added facilities for tourismstakeholders to its website which willallow interested parties to apply for andbook training programmes.According to ADTA, the courses areaimed at building long term destinationcompetitiveness.The authority has set a goal of boostingovernight visitors to the emirate by anaverage of 10 percent in 2010,

compared to 2009.According to Mubarak Al Muhairi,managing director of ADTA, Abu Dhabihas already exceeded that goal for the firsthalf of this year.“We are now well above our targetedannual growth of 10 percent and haveseen double digit monthly growth sincelast november's staging of Formula 1etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand prix,”he said.Abu Dhabi hotels have reported anaverage 16 percent improvement over2009 visitor numbers, as well as revenueincreases of 14 percent.According to ADTA, domestic tourismand travellers from the Uk have bothbeen important contributors, with thosetwo segments growing by 20 percent and18 percent respectively.

We are now well above our targeted

annual growth

Mubarak Al Muhairi

Abu Dhabi

T he spa signifies thesecond phase ofoperation for theproperty, which openedin 2009.

it is the second standalone spa to bemanaged by Mövenpick, following thecelebrated Zara Spa at Mövenpick Resortand Spa Dead Sea, also in Jordan. The spa will feature 11 different types oftreatment rooms and other facilities,spread over 1,200m². Hubert klemenz, general manager ofMövenpick Resort and Spa Tala bayAqaba, said the facility would cater to

hotel guests as well as the general public.“The highly anticipated opening of theZara Spa is a vital component of the resortexperience, offering guests, both leisureand business, a truly authenticexperience,” he said.The hotel, located in Tala bay, has alsolaunched a regular shuttle bus servicebetween the resort and Aqaba city, whichis 15 minutes away.

JUlY 31, 20104

- Accommodation

Swiss-Belhotel International hassigned on to manage a three star propertyin Dubai, in collaboration with MTkhoory Group. The hotel, Swiss-inn Al khoory Dubai, isexpected to open in early 2011, with 212rooms and suites. it will be located in Al bada, close toDubai international Airport and WorldTrade centre.The hotel will bring Swiss-belhotel’s

Middle eastern portfolio to sevenproperties, with an additional four hotelsin the pipeline for oman, Saudi Arabia,Yemen and the UAe. Gavin M Faull, international president ofSwiss-belhotel, said the new signing waspart of an aggressive expansion campaign. “The addition of this new property to theSwiss-belhotel international portfolio ofhotels in the Middle east is an indicationof the confidence our global international

hotel management company has in theMiddle east region and a reflection of ourbelief in the growing Dubai tourismmarket,” he said.“Swiss-belhotel international is rapidlysigning new hotels and projects andexpects to achieve a portfolio of 100hotels by early 2012.”The company, based in Hong kong, hasregional offices in china, vietnam,indonesia, Australia and the UAe.

Swiss-Belhotel Signs Second Dubai Property, Targets 2011 Opening

mövenpick’s Aqaba Resort Launches second Phase

Middle Eastern hotel group Rotana willlaunch its first property in Doha nextweek, with oryx Rotana scheduled toopen its doors on August 1. The hotel will feature 400 rooms andsuites. kevork Deldelian, general manager ofthe new property, said the hotel’s newmanagement team had been drawn froma wide pool of global talent. “qatar being the latest hub in the regionsurely attracted our associates from allover the world,” said Deldelian.

“oryx Rotana’s multinational team ofprofessionals is truly a valuable asset,with their long experience in the industry.“our aim at oryx Rotana is to provide amemorable Rotana experience to allDoha visitors and we are thrilled to be

the team who will open the first Rotanaproperty in this vibrant city.”oryx Rotana will focus largely onbusiness travellers, with nine meetingrooms, two ballrooms and a dedicatedevent hosting team.

Rotana to Open First Qatar Property on August 1

Mövenpick Resort and Spa Tala Bay Aqaba has opened a standalone spa facility, Zara Spa.

We are thrilled to be the team who will open

the first Rotana property in this vibrant city

Oryx Rotana, Doha

Zara Spa is a vitalcomponent of the resort experience

Mövenpick Resort and Spa Tala Bay Aqaba

JUlY 31, 20106

- Air Travel

Abu Dhabi International Airport hasbecome the first iATA certified platinumAirport in the Middle east, following theintroduction of universal barcoding forboarding passes.According to Abu Dhabi Airportscompany (ADAc), the new barcodedboarding passes will streamline

passenger flows by allowing travellers toprint their passes at home or at self-service kiosks in the airport.James e bennett, ceo of ADAc, saidthe change would allow airlines toupdate their check-in processes as well.“Abu Dhabi Airports company is proudto be spearheading the adoption of new

technology in airports, as we engineerthe best possible passenger experience,”he said.“With this new technology we are pavingthe way for airlines to issue boarding passesto passengers' mobile phones, providingfurther convenience and reducing theimplicated environmental impact.”Through iATA, the aviation industry hasset a target for universal barcoded boardingpass adoption by the end of 2010.

Gulf Air to Become First Gulf Carrier to Aden, YemenGulf Air has announced new routes, with plans to add Aden, Yemen and Colombo, Sri Lanka to its network.According to Samer Majali, CEO of Gulf Air, the carrier will be the first Gulf carrier servicing Aden.

“A s the commercialcapital of Yemen,Aden presentsenormousopportunity for

Gulf Air to establish itself in this newmarket,” Majali said.“The city has recently been included inthe Yemen government’s developmentpriorities with major plans to support thecity’s trade zone, port, airport and privatesector and by attracting promisinginvestments.”Majali said new flights to colomborepresented the revival of a long standingconnection to Sri lanka.“colombo is not new for Gulf Air as weused to fly as far back as 1976 and untilMarch 2005, and i am glad the time hascome for us to re-connect with the capitalof Sri lanka,” he said.He noted Sri lanka’s potential as a

destination, based on its attractions andexisting ties to the Middle east.“besides being the country’s largest basefor commerce and trade, colombo is alsoa popular tourist destination with itsfabulous beaches and cultural attractions,”he said. “in addition, the re-commencement ofservice to colombo will be great news forthe thousands of Sri lankan residents inbahrain as they now have a direct and

non-stop service to their country.”Flights to Aden via Sana’a will commenceon September 22, four times per week.Five weekly flights to colombo will start

on october 5.

As the commercial capital of Yemen, Aden

presents enormousopportunity

Abu Dhabi AirportsCompany is proud to be spearheading

the adoption of new technology

Abu Dhabi International Airport Updates Boarding Pass Technology

7JUlY 31, 2010

- Air Travel

Middle East Airlines hasbecome the latest Middleeastern carrier to adoptautomatic check-in, installingself-service kiosks in RafikHariri international Airportbeirut.Adib chreif, head of the iTdivision at Middle east Airlines,said the kiosks would improvecustomer experiences at theairport.

“Middle east Airlines is stronglycommitted to provide a smoothand seamless travel experiencefor its passengers,” he said.“We are pleased to introducethe new self check-in kiosksfrom ieR, at Rafic Hariri beirutinternational Airport whichsimplify the check-in process forpassengers and at the same timehelp to ease congestion duringbusy times.”

Egypt Winds Back Daylight Saving Timefor RamadanFollowing a decision by the egyptiancabinet, daylight saving time (DST) willbe suspended in egypt throughoutRamadan.Times will change backwards by anhour, starting from 12am August 11, tobe moved forward again at 12am,September 9.egyptair has issued a notification that alltravellers and travel professionals shouldbe aware of the change, so as to keep insync with airline schedules.egypt has traditionally adapted DSTtimetables to accommodate Ramadan;in 2008, the government chose to endDST early for the holy month.

Middle East Airlines Adopts Customer Self Service Technology in Beirut

JUlY 31, 20108

- International

Gulf of mexico Oil spill to Cost travel Industry$22.7b Over Three YearsIndependent analysis by Oxford Economics has determined thatthe Deepwater Horizon oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico will cost theregional travel industry more than USD22.7 billion over three years.

oxford economicsstudied theimpacts of the 25most recentnatural and

manmade disasters in the process ofproducing the figures.Adam Sacks, managing director ofoxford economics USA, said timelymarketing could reduce the impact byup to USD7.5 billion.“one of the most cost-effective ways tomitigate these damages is toimmediately fund strategic marketingto counter misperceptions andencourage travel to the region,” he said.Roger Dow, ceo of the US TravelAssociation (USTA), affirmed theimportance of managing publicawareness of the event.“Travel is a perception business andthe impact of disasters like the bp oilspill on the industry is actuallypredictable," he said."We know from this research that the

oil spill will have long term effects onbusinesses and jobs in the Gulf coastregion unless we counteract the usual

course of events with an unprecedentedresponse.”The USTA’s recommendations fordealing with the crisis include:organising trade visits to the regionfor international buyers; opening anonline public awareness portal; andproviding tax relief for affectedbusinesses.costs of addressing fallout for thetravel industry have been estimated bythe association at USD500 million.“We call on the federal government toimmediately secure the USD500million necessary to operate aneffective marketing program andprevent billions of dollars ineconomic harm to the Gulf coast,"said Dow. "it is not too late to save Gulf coastjobs and keep attracting the visitorsthat can prevent further damage tothese vital American communities."The tourism industry on the Gulfcoast employs an estimated 400,000people in the states of Alabama,Florida, louisiana, Mississippi andTexas.

Rezidor Signs Third ParkInn in Nigeria

Swissôtel Extends Networkof Indian PropertiesUpmarket hotel chain Swissôtel has openeda new hotel in kolkata, india and has signedtwo further properties in the country.Swissôtel Gurgaon will open in the region ofthe national capital, new Delhi.According to Swissôtel, the property will alsoallow guests to access the attractions of theJaipur region.The second property, Swissôtel Whitefield,will be located in the Whitefield district ofbengaluru, which is famous for its highconcentration of iT businessesboth new properties are scheduled to open in2013 and are being developed in partnershipwith the Xander Group equity firm.

Rezidor is continuing its expansion innigeria, with the announcement of park innlagos.kurt Ritter, ceo of Rezidor, said the hotelwas part of a developing brand network in thecountry.“We are establishing a true park inn networkin nigeria – after contracts in lagos, Abujaand Abeokuta this agreement is our third oneand further underlines the importance ofnigeria as a high potential emerging marketfor Rezidor,” he said.The hotel will include 135 rooms and will openin 2013 in the ikeja district of lagos, near thecountry’s primary international airport.

Park Inn

JUlY 31, 201010

Agent’s InsightHaipham DahlanManager, Dahlan Tour and Travel Company, Jordan

Who is travelling to the Middle East right now?At the moment it is the “Arabs of ‘48”, which is theArab population of israel. They come for concerts ofArabic pop music and also enjoy visiting Aqaba.

What makes a good travel agent?it’s the service. i think it’s about what you can offer;how you prepare the programmes, the staff, theitineraries and the guides.

When do you think business will return to pre-downturn levels?i think in Jordan there was a mistake when it came todealing with the downturn. Hotels never modifiedtheir prices; since the market had its upturn a fewyears back, prices went up and stayed up. There was no strategy to counter the down-slope thatthe whole world experienced.because of this it became and remained very costlyto visit Jordan. For things to return to the way they were, we can’t justwait for April and october for people to come, weneed more equal distribution over the year.The same is true of our attractions. The ministry oftourism needs to understand that the whole countrymust be promoted, not just one region like petra.

Where do you take your own holidays?i like to go to europe and to egypt.

Why did you get involved in the travel industry?We got started 20 years ago when the market was a littlebit different. We wanted to show Jordan and we hadvisitors who were asking on a private basis and enjoyingtheir stays, so we decided to make a business of it.

For things to returnto the way they were…

we need more equal distribution over the year

This will be a new product that joins a bouquet of world class services

of Hajj and Umrah for Muslims from all over the world

Al Tayyar Travel Group’s ExclusivePilgrimage Insurance DealAl Tayyar Insurance Broker, a member of Al Tayyar Travel Group, hassigned an exclusive agreement with the company for co-operativeinsurance to market, distribute and sell insurance policies for Hajj andUmrah tourism outside of Saudi Arabia. Dr nasser Al Tayyar, vice chairman of Al Tayyar Travel Group, said thiswas part of the company’s expansion plans. in 2000, Al Tayyar Travel Group received official permission from theMinistry of Hajj to organise and promote group Hajj packages. Thecompany then became an authorised agent for Umrah in 2002.“We continue to strive to be one of the leading companies in the SaudiArabian market,” he said.“This will be a new product that joins a bouquet of world class servicesof Hajj and Umrah for Muslims from all over the world, with the highestlevel of safety and quality.”Hamdi Abdulmajid, executive manager for Al Tayyar insurance brokerexplained that insurance services cover medical care, transportation costsin case of illness or accident and the cost of repatriating a body in caseof death. “This insurance covers the traveller throughout the Hajj or Umrah anduntil he returns home; this allows all travellers peace of mind and securityduring their visit,” said Abdulmajid.The new service will be available from all branches of Al Tayyar TravelGroup located outside of Saudi Arabia.

11JUlY 31, 2010

The Best of times, the Worst of times: How theeconomic slump can Help menA DestinationsThe global economic upheaval has defined the market over the last two years, with abundant speculation asto how it will affect the travel industry.

W ith the worldrecovering, butstill shaken, thepost downturnmarket has made

consumers cost-conscious, givinginexpensive MenA destinations anopportunity to attract the leadingeuropean source markets.iTb’s annual Travel Trends Report,undertaken by ipk international,provides valuable insight into thebehaviour of consumers in europe, who

are responsible for much of the inboundtourism to the Middle east.in a trend that is predicted tocontinue, business travel was scaledback over 2009, with corporationsadopting alternatives such as onlineteleconferencing to address their needfor international meetings.The result was what ipk termed a collapsein premium travel, as business and firstclass tickets went unsold for want ofbusiness travellers.Despite the downturn, good news

emerged for the MenA region.According to the report, the leisureindustry was the most resilientsegment in 2009; and with travellersunwilling to sacrifice their summerholidays, sun and sand destinationsfared relatively well.However, the comparative expense oftraditional european getaways such asSpain and southern France has drivenconsumer eyes eastward, to Turkey,the eastern Mediterranean and northAfrica.

JUlY 31, 201012

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]

Mubarak Al MuhairiDirector General, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority“Abu Dhabi has become a morecompetitive marketplace than this timelast year which is assisting in building ourproposition within the international tradearena. in addition, the destination isattracting more tourism service providerswith new watersport companies enteringthe market and developers now planningdedicated overnight stay desert camps.”

Abu Dhabi has become a more competitive

marketplace than thistime last year

Christian H MuhrCluster General Manager, HiltonDubai Jumeirah Resort and Residence“We’re excited to commemorate our 10-year anniversary and celebrate thecontributions Hilton Dubai Jumeirah hasmade towards supporting Dubai’sposition as a world class touristdestination. looking forward, 2011 willherald a new era for our hotel, with theopening of the 371 room Hilton DubaiJumeirah Residence. This new entry willdouble our guest capacity and cater to thegrowing demand for short and mediumterm accommodation options,reaffirming our commitment towardssuperlative experiences for our guests andpartners.”

2011 will herald a new era for our hotel Aamir Pervez

General Manager, Corp Executive Hotel Apartments Al Barsha“The biggest reason that we have seen development in Al barsha is owing to itsproximity to city’s main business and cultural attractions. it is an ideal location forhotels from an economic and touristic perspective. no doubt there is a lot ofcompetition but eventually hotels that deliver quality product and service wouldsucceed in the long run.”

[Al Barsha] is an ideal location for hotels from an economic and touristic perspective

Christian H Muhr

Mubarak Al Muhairi

Corp Executive Hotel Apartments

JUlY 31, 201014

Mafraq Hotel, Abu Dhabi has madeseveral appointments to its pre-openingmanagement team. Salem Shamseddinhas been named assistant director ofsales. Shamseddin has 15 years of

experience in the industry. Sam Majari will take on the role ofhuman resources manager. Majari haseight years of management experience inhuman resources, working across several

multinational chains. Manar etallis has been appointedbranding and marketing executive andTatyana Sobotovich has been named aspersonal assistant to the general manager.

Mafraq Hotel, Abu Dhabi Pre-Opening Team

Eihab Shehadehlandmark Amman Hotel and conference centre has promoted eihabShehadeh to director of sales and marketing. Shehadeh has more than 15years of experience in the hospitality industry. He has worked across theindustry for intercontinental Hotels Group, Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts,le Méridien Amman and burj Al Arab, Dubai.

Georges Van Gool Rezidor Hotel Group has appointed Georgesvan Gool as director of corporate sales, basedin the Dubai global sales office. van Gool hasmore than 15 years of experience in thehospitality industry and has worked in salesand marketing roles at Starwood, Rezidorand intercontinental Hotels Group. Hismost recent position was assistant director ofsales and marketing at Holiday inn viennaSouth. in his new role, van Gool will profileregional and international corporate accountsin the Middle east and will develop corporateproduction, working with global salesrepresentatives in kuwait, qatar, SaudiArabia and Turkey. He holds a degree intourism and hotel management.

Oryx Rotana Doha Opening TeamRotana has appointed a managementteam for its first qatar property,opening this week in Doha. kevorkDeldelian will lead the team asgeneral manager, bringing with him25 years of experience in thehospitality industry. Deldelian haspreviously worked for a range ofintercontinental Hotel Groupbrands, including intercontinentalAl Ahsa in Saudi Arabia and crowneplaza Muscat in oman. Mostrecently, he worked as directorgeneral of the real estate portfolioand hospitality division of lkFinance inc in canada. oryx Rotana’s management teamalso includes: Ursula chidiac asexecutive assistant manager; lisaTahabsem as director of marketing

and communications; DominiqueJossi as director of food and beverage;Gabriele Ferola as director of sales;and imene Mrad as director ofhuman resources.

Georges Van GoolKevork Deldelian

Salem Shamseddin Sam Majari Manar Etallis Tatyana Sobotovich

15JUlY 31, 2010

Travel Trade Weekly:What sets yourhotel apart from others in Dubai?Jason Harding: The palace - The oldTown is situated near burj khalifa, theworld’s tallest building in DowntownDubai, described as the new heart ofDubai. The five star premium hotel,owned and managed by The AddressHotels and Resorts offers prime views ofthe Dubai Fountain, the world’s tallestperforming fountain. it is also directly connected to the Souk Albahar, a modern shopping destinationwith Arabesque architectural features andis in close proximity to The Dubai Mall. From an architectural perspective, it isperhaps the first and only one of its kind– a luxury resort development in the heartof the city celebrating the finest Arabianarchitectural traditions. From the use ofmaterials to the architectural style, allaspects reflect the region’s rich heritage.

Travel Trade Weekly: How has theproperty changed since The Addresstook over its management in 2008?Jason Harding: With The AddressHotels and Resorts acquiring operation ofThe palace – The old Town, the firstconsideration was to align the hotel withthe key differentials of the brand – namely,offering superior customer service andensuring tangible guest benefits. This outlook permeates across all aspectsof the hotel’s operation, thus offeringsignificant value to customers.

Travel Trade Weekly: Has the newArmani Hotel in Burj Khalifa createdgreater competition in this area?Jason Harding: Armani Hotel Dubai isa one of its kind property in the world andcaters to a very niche market.

From our perspective, each of ourproperties has a distinct character andidentity that appeal to our customers.

Travel Trade Weekly: What are themost important challenges you havefaced over the past 18 months andhow have you addressed these issues?Jason Harding:like all global economies,the Gulf region was impacted by thechallenges of the global economic crisis. Tourism and hospitality – two of the maindrivers of the economy – naturally facedchallenges. However, passenger traffic at Dubaiinternational Airport crossed 40 millionin 2009 – an indication of the robustperformance of tourism and thehospitality sector.The palace – The old Town has benefitedfrom the influx of tourists, marking apositive effect on our occupancy levels.

Travel Trade Weekly: What, if any,changes could be made to improve thetourism industry in Dubai?Jason Harding: Dubai is now apreferred tourist destination for severalnew and emerging markets in the MenAregion, the indian subcontinent, chinaand europe. The expansion of regional airlines,including emirates, to new destinations isa catalyst for the tourism and hospitalitysector. Dubai has always given visitors a warm

welcome and with attractive offers such asDubai Summer Surprises and many morethe city is one of the world’s mostpreferred destinations. We believe that the Dubai Government andits various agencies are taking concertedefforts to boost the tourism industry.

Travel Trade Weekly: What advicewould you give to travel agentsattempting to sell Dubai as adestination in the current climate, eitherto regional or international visitors?Jason Harding:Most Gulf countries arefocusing on diversifying their economiesand tourism and hospitality is one of thekey pillars in this diversification thrust. Also, the Gulf region is increasinglypopular globally as a must-visit tourismdestination with the addition of severalworld-class accomplishments like burjkhalifa, the world’s tallest building, andThe Dubai Mall, the world’s largest mall –both in Dubai. These achievements are to be underscoredby travel agents to tourists in the regionand internationally.

Q&A with Jason HardingJason Harding is general manager at The Palace – The Old Town in Dubai. The hotel has undergone severalchanges in its relatively short life, adapting to new management with The Address Hotels and Resorts, as wellas taking stock of its position in one of Dubai’s fastest growing areas.

The expansion of regionalairlines, including Emirates,

to new destinations is a catalyst for the tourism

and hospitality sector

Jason Harding

JUlY 31, 201016

eventsDubai Summer SurprisesDubai, UAE, June 17 - August 7 (www.mydsf.ae)Major shopping and entertainment event covering variousvenues across Dubai, specifically targeting family holidaysduring summer.

Summer in Abu DhabiAbu Dhabi and Al Ain, UAE, June 24 – August 4(www.summerinabudhabi.com)Festival of family entertainment events covering eight venuesacross Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, featuring performers from morethan 15 countries.

Medical Tourism and Global Healthcare ConferenceLos Angeles, US, September 22-24 (www.medicaltourismconference.com)Forum for the global medical and wellbeing tourism industry.

Outdoor Adventure DubaiDubai, UAE, October 8-10(www.outdooradventuredubai.com)Adventure sports, outdoor clubs, equipment specialists andholiday destinations.

GITEX Technology WeekDubai, UAE, October 17-21 (www.gitex.com)Technology solutions for hotels, businesses and consumers.

Hotex Fair SyriaDamascus, Syria, October 19-22 (www.hotexfair.com)Fair for Arabic and foreign companies in tourism and travel,including hotels, restaurants and equipment suppliers.

World Travel MarketLondon, UK, November 8-11 (www.wtmlondon.com)Global event for the travel industry – four day business tobusiness event promoting a range of destinations and industrysectors to international travel professionals.

World Green Tourism Abu DhabiAbu Dhabi, UAE, November 22-24 (www.worldgreentourism.ae)inaugural eco-tourism exhibition, featuring tourismauthorities, urban city planners, hotels and resorts, propertydevelopers, airlines, tour operators, green product suppliers,universities, museums and heritage site organisations.

Blossom JapanTokyo, Japan, January 18-21,2011 (www.blossomjapan.com)A new invitation-only luxury travel exhibition focusing on theJapanese market.

Bahrain International Air Show 2012 to Build on Inaugural Event’s SuccessBahrain Airport Company has signedon as a major player in the upcomingbahrain international Airshow 2012(biAS 2012), following the success of thecountry’s inaugural biAS earlier this year. kamal Ahmed, chairman of bahrainAirport company, said the show wouldsupplement the company’s efforts topromote bahrain as an internationalaviation hub.

“We are pleased to be amongst the first toconfirm our participation in this majorevent, as it creates the ideal platform toshowcase the progress of ourdevelopment plans for bahraininternational Airport and the nationalaviation industry as a whole,” said Ahmed. “our goal is to transform the airport intoa regionally renowned and globallycompetitive player within the industry.”

Our goal is to transform the airport

into a regionallyrenowned and globally

competitive player withinthe industry