Travel Trade Weekly Issue 47

Market Update 2Accommodation News 6Air Travel News 10International News 12Agents’ Corner 14Travel Tips 15Travel Talk 16Who’s Moved 18Rendezvous 19Events 20

Middle East and North Africa Edition

OCTOBER 2, 2010 ISSUE 47 www.traveltradeweekly.travel

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66UP AND AWAYThe re-launched RAK Airways will begintwo new routes this month, with fourweekly flights to Calicut in India andJeddah, Saudi Arabia.

In This Issue

HILTON TUNISIAHilton is set to re-enter the Tunisianmarket after a seven year absence, aftersigning a management contract for aproperty under development by SociétéTouristique Tunisie Golfe.

Ice Land Water Park has opened to the public inRas Al Khaimah. The water park is the first phase

of the WOW RAK theme park and resort andfeatures more than 50 water attractions and slides.

33Ice Landin R AKIce Landin R AK

A ccording to Jafar, economiesamong the Gulf states arebouncing back, but moreneeds to be done to attractinvestors and encourage

international levels of competitiveness. “This is an exciting time full of potential,” he said.“But more initiatives are needed to ensure aproductive workforce and more support mustbe mobilised in order to attract foreigninvestments back to the region.“In addition, regional success stories are neededto inspire strategic and impact-orientedphilanthropy.”

With new initiatives andregulations taken into account,Jafar predicted that the UAEcould see five percent GDPgrowth by the end of 2011 – a

goal that he described as both lofty andachievable. “After marginal growth, an outflow of capitalduring the financial crisis and the downturn inthe property markets of the Gulf, we’re seeingsome bullish trends on other parts of theeconomy now, and optimism is back,” said Jafar. He added that Saudi Arabia would witnessparticularly solid growth, due to governmentspending on local infrastructure, which allowedsmall to medium enterprises to grow.

UAE Could Boost GDP by Five Percent Over Next Year: ENSHAARaza Jafar, CEO of UAE real estate developer ENSHAA, delivered an ambitiousoutline for the GCC’s economy to the annual Forbes Global CEO Conference this week.

OCTOBER 2, 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 46.2Kuwait (KWD) Dinar 0.28Qatar (QAR) Riyal 3.64Oman (OMR) Rial 0.38Tunisia (TND) Dinar 1.41Morocco (MAD) Dirham 8.21Iran (IRR) Riyal 1022Yemen (YER) Rial 214.29Algeria (DZD) Dinar 73.71Libya (LYD) Dinar 1.24

MENA Exchange RatesAccurate as of 30/9/2010Currencies 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]

Shares Drop for IFA Hotels and Resorts Kuwait based IFA Hotels and Resorts has reported a loss of KWD19.5million(USD67.3 million) for the 2010 financial year. Earnings per share decreased to 45.2 fils (USD0.16), with shareholder equitydropping to KWD50.79 million (USD175.2 million).However, the company’s total assets increased by 10 percent to KWD400.85million (USD1.38 billion). Ibrahim S Al-Therban, chairman of IFA, said the reported losses were largelydue to a capital loss on the sale of land.“The land was sold to generate further liquidity for the company to be able torepay financial commitments and finance ongoing projects,” he said.“A revaluation loss has also been taken on our property portfolio in South Africaand provisions have been made in the fourth quarter in order to compensatefor current market conditions.”He said despite tough economic conditions, 2010 was the busiest year yet forIFA, in terms of moving projects from construction to completion. The company has created a wholly-owned subsidiary, IFA Hotel Investments,which will provide strategic direction to the company’s operational aspects andwill expand its portfolio within the hospitality industry. “Heading into the new financial year, we will continue to focus our efforts onthe completion of our existing projects worldwide and as a result, transitionthe company into its operational stage,” said Al-Therban.

More initiatives are needed to ensure a productive workforce

and more support must bemobilised in order to attract

foreign investments back to the region

3OCTOBER 2, 2010

RAK’s Ice Land Water Park Opens to PublicAfter several delays, Ice Land Water Park has opened to the public in Ras Al Khaimah. The water park is thefirst phase of the WOW RAK theme park and resort and features more than 50 water attractions and slides.

The second phase ofWOW RAK is expectedto open in late 2011,offering a shopping mall,4D theatre, seaside resort

and ice skating rink.The final stage, Planet Earth amusementpark, is scheduled to open in 2012,featuring signature rides and attractionsacross five themed zones – Cosmos,Oceanic, Amazon, Mountain and Desert.The new Ice Land Water Park canaccommodate up to 10,000 visitors and isequipped with two water recycling plantsthat will recycle water for horticulturepurposes; other in-house facilities includea desalination plant.

Ice Land will be managed by Polo RAKAmusement, which is a joint venturebetween India’s Polo Amusement Group,RAK Properties PJSC and RAKInvestment Authority.Balwant Singh, managing director of PoloRAK Amusement said the park wasdesigned to offer experiences for a widerange of ages, lifestyles and cultural groups.“For instance, we have built the Kids Coveas a dedicated place for toddlers, primarilybecause children and toddlers are oftenoverlooked in facility planning of otherwater parks,” he said.“There is certainly something foreverybody to enjoy and appreciate and weare sure that families will greatly appreciate

such a unique, complete entertainmentexperience.”Mohammed Sultan Al Qadi, managingdirector of RAK Properties, said the waterpark would reinforce the growingreputation of the emirate’s tourism andleisure industry.“Ice Land Water Park underlines Ras AlKhaimah’s continuing thrust to offer apremium selection of business, leisure andlifestyle amenities and to attract morevisitors to the emirate,” he said. In addition to its 50 rides and attractions, IceLand Water Park will offer a range of foodand beverage options for visitors. The park’scar parking facilities can accommodate2,500 vehicles and 75 buses.

A six-stop road show willkick off on October 3,taking in Kuwait, Doha,Bahrain, Muscat, Riyadhand Jeddah.

Sharjah Water Festival and Sharjah LightsFestival, both scheduled for the firstquarter of 2011, will be a key focus of theroad show. Mohamed A Al Noman, director generalof SCTDA, said road shows were aneffective way to stimulate regional tourismand strengthen co-operation betweenGCC countries. “Sharjah spares no effort in its questtowards distinction and excellence,”

he said.“Its tourism season has no end and itsactivities never stop, and it continues tosurprise us with new ideas and events.”He added that the Sharjah Lights Festival,to be held between February 10 and 18,would be the first of its kind in the MiddleEast. “It is a global event supervised byinternational experts with vast experiencein organising such events in major worldcapitals and cities, such as the French cityof Leon and the German city of Berlin,”said Al Noman.“Light will be used in a uniquecombination with music to illuminate the

landscape and buildings of the city,conveying messages of the emirate’scharm and the significance of Islamicarchitecture and heritage.”Preceding the light festival, the fourthannual Sharjah Water Festival will be heldbetween December 2 and 11, 2010. Al Noman said organisers were planningto introduce new initiatives for this year’sevent in order to increase the usual170,000 visitors. In addition to new education andentertainment facilities, an old favouritewill return – Sharjah will host the F1Powerboat World Championships for theeleventh consecutive year.

OCTOBER 2, 20104

Sharjah Goes on the Road to Promote FestivalsSharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has teamed up with Air Arabia andother key tourism representatives from the emirate to promote its upcoming festivals to the GCC market.

5OCTOBER 2, 2010

Dubai’s Russian Ties Set to Boost Visitor NumbersFurther cementing the strong tourismrelationship between the UAE and Russia,the annual congress of Russia’s NatalieTours was held in Dubai on September 28. Held in partnership with local AlphaTours, the congress was inaugurated byKhalid Bin Sulayem, director general ofDubai Department of Tourism andCommerce Marketing (DTCM).

Bin Sulayem praised public and privatepartnerships within the tourism sectorand said the success of Natalie Tours’congress would boost Russian tourism toDubai. In co-operation with Alpha Tours, NatalieTours signed an agreement with Flydubaito offer regular flights between Dubai andimportant Russian cities, such as Samara

and Yekaterinburg. Natalia Vorobieva, CEO of Natalie Tours,said she expected tourists from these areasto visit Dubai in increased numbers overthe next tourist season.According to DTCM figures, Russianhotel guests in Dubai rose 17 percent inthe first half of 2010, compared to thesame period last year.

Countdown toAsian CupBegins in QatarA 100 day countdown hascommenced in Qatar, tickingoff the time remaining beforethe 2011 Asian Cup footballtournament.The cup will be held in Qatarbetween January 7 and 29, 2011. Qatar Football Associationhas installed a giant clock onthe corniche in Doha andcommenced the countdown ata ceremony attended byMohammed bin Hammam,president of the AsianFootball Confederation.The Asian Cup is the leadingfootball championship for thecontinent, also drawingparticipants from west Asiaand the Middle East.The Cup will commence withan opening game betweenQatar and Uzbekistan and isexpected to attract attendancesfrom all 16 participatingnations.

OCTOBER 2, 20106

- Accommodation

Hilton Returns to Carthage after Seven YearsHilton is set to re-enter the Tunisian market following a seven year absence, after signing a managementcontract for a property under development by Société Touristique Tunisie Golfe.

Hilton Tunis Carthage,a 283 roomconversion project ofan existing property, isscheduled to open in

mid 2011.It will be located in Gammarth on thecoast of the Tunis Governorate, a popularbeachside destination.Belhassen Trabelsi, president of theKarthago Group and Société Touristique

Tunisie Golfe, said the Hilton brand hadbeen selected due to it being wellrecognised on the world stage.“We wanted to work with a globallyrecognised hotel brand that matches ourambition to provide world-class hotelfacilities and services,” he said.“Hilton was a natural first choice; we aredelighted to be working together.”According to Anna Corcoran,communication spokesperson for Hilton

Worldwide, Hilton ceased operation inTunisia seven years ago. The company operated the Hilton TunisHotel for approximately 40 years, beforea change of ownership led to the propertybeing rebranded as the Sheraton TunisHotel and Towers.

Middle East Luxury Sector Continues to Diverge from Developed Markets

The figures for MENAcertainly stack up

favourably

Organisers of the Hotel Show have saidthat, despite the recession, the MiddleEastern luxury sector has remainedstrong compared with old worldmarkets.The event has reported ongoing interestfrom the upper end of the market, andsaid market indicators showed relativeresilience in the region.Furthermore, Frederique Maurell,director of the show, said the regionalmarket was continuing a trend ofdiverging from investment patterns inestablished countries.Maurell cited figures from STR Global

that showed 940 new luxury or upperupscale hotels were due to open in theMENA region by the end of 2012.By comparison, STR’s research showedonly 678 similar hotels due in Europe inthe same period.“When you consider that the Euro zone,including the UK, has a population ofwell over 385 million, the figures forMENA certainly stack up favourably,”said Maurell.Maurell said the Middle East’sdifferentiation from European marketswas accelerating, as downward pressureon investment in key markets like the

UK has driven luxury investments to theMiddle East.“The Middle East has proportionallymore high net-worth individuals thanany other region and a rapidly growingpopulation with a culture of travelling;and for GCC residents, tax freeincomes,” he said.“Arabs are prepared to spend on luxurytravel, hospitality and leisure activities.”

We wanted to work with a globally

recognised hotel brand

(L-R) Belhassen Trabelsi with Deepak Seth, vicepresident of development for Southern Europe

and Africa, Hilton Worldwide Hilton Tunis Carthage

T he trial is being run at four properties currentlyin the early design stage of development andwill continue until mid next year.According to Nasser Al Reyami, tourismstandards director of ADTA, new build

properties have been selected to pilot the programme becauseof the plan’s basis in established building codes.“This is the first government green hotel design guidelines fornew hotels and is based on Abu Dhabi's Estidama Pearl RatingScheme, which is a green building rating system for all newbuildings in the emirate,” he said.However, pending a positive assessment of the results, the planwill be integrated into the emirate’s classification scheme forall hotels.“By the middle of 2011, Abu Dhabi's hotels and hotelapartments will have a green rating included in their star rating,”Reyami said.

He said ADTA was pursuing wide ranging initiatives focused onsustainability, but emphasised the importance of improvingenvironmental efficiency in hotels.

“Hotels use more energy and water and produce more wastethan all other buildings,” he said.“So, if we want to help reduce the impact of buildings on ourenvironment, then it is a good idea to start by focusing on hotels.”The scheme has met with some resistance from within theindustry, from operators who fear increased overheads broughton by stricter operating requirements.“We have found that many are initially skeptical of environmentalprogrammes because they think they will cost them a lot ofmoney but that's not necessarily the case,” Reyami said.“We have evidence that shows hotels can achieve considerablesavings through good operational practice, such as saving energy,water and waste.”ADTA has already developed environmental regulations forhotels, targeting reductions of energy, water and waste usage.

OCTOBER 2, 20108

- International

ADAT Commences Test Run of Green Rating SystemPiloting has begun on Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority’s (ADTA) green hotel rating scheme, in preparationfor a 2011 rollout

Hotels can achieve considerable savingsthrough good operational practice, such

as saving energy, water and waste

If we want to help reduce the impact of buildings

on our environment, it is a good idea to start by focusing on hotels

Abu Dhabi

OCTOBER 2, 201010

Royal Air Maroc Adds Gulf Destinations with Expanded Codeshare

RAK Airways Re-launches with Two New RoutesThe recently re-launched RAK Airways will begin two new routes this month, with four weekly flights to Calicutin India and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The two inaugural routes have been designed to target religious tourismand the UAE’s large Indian expatriate population.

Omar Jahameh, CEO ofRAK Airways, saidairfares would startfrom AED10, but saidthe airline would not

operate to a strict budget carrier model. “Although our fares are extremelycompetitive, we are focused onproviding a value offering thatdifferentiates itself from the low costcarriers,” said Jahameh. He explained that passengers would beallowed 30kg of luggage, plus a normalhand baggage allowance. “They will also get a complimentary fullhot meal with beverages served on board,”said Jahameh. However, RAK Airways will offer just onetravel class throughout the entire cabin. To capture local business, the airline willrun a complimentary shuttle bus servicebetween RAK and its neighbouringemirates of Dubai and Sharjah for eachflight that it operates. Sheikh Omar Bin Saqr Al Qassimi, chairman

of RAK Airways, said the airline’s re-launchwould help fuel tourism to the emirate.“Ras Al Khaimah presents a verycompelling business opportunity with itshealthy economy and stable politicalenvironment,” he said.

Moroccan national carrier, Royal AirMaroc has gained wider access to GCCmarkets as the airline expands its longstanding codeshare agreement withEtihad Airways.The carriers have been long termcollaborators on flights between AbuDhabi and Casablanca, but the updatedagreement will see Royal Air Marocpassengers gain access to Etihad flightsfrom Abu Dhabi, to Kuwait, Bahrain,Oman and Singapore.Etihad will gain greater route saturationwithin Morocco, giving customers access

to links from Casablanca to Agadir,Marrakech, Fez and Layoune.Connections to Nouakchott inMauritania and Dakar in Senegal willalso become available in the shortterm.Driss Benhima, CEO of Royal AirMaroc, said strengthened co-operationreflected the confidence both airlineshad gained over recent years.“This new agreement confirms theconfidence we have in each other’soperations and services, and helps meetour aims of enhancing the travel

experience for our customers andproviding them with new destinationchoices,” she said.James Hogan, CEO of Etihad, said theextra routes would contribute to Etihad’soverall expansion.“An important part of Etihad’s growthstrategy is to offer customers access to asmany global destinations as possible,whether this be through opening upnew routes of our own or throughstrategic agreements with other airlines,adding breadth and depth to ournetwork,” he said.

We are focused onproviding a value offering

that differentiates itselffrom the low cost carriers

(L-R) Sheikh Salem Bin Sultan Al Qassimi, deputy chairman of RAK Airways; Sheikh Omar Bin Saqr AlQassimi, chairman of RAK Airways; and Omar Jahameh, CEO of RAK Airways

- Air Travel

11OCTOBER 2, 2010

Etihad has announced flights to its eighthdestination in India: Bengaluru(Bangalore), in the country’s south.Flights will commence on January 1,2011, four times per week, with plans toexpand to a daily service in March of thatyear.James Hogan, CEO of Etihad, said theroute would serve the local market as wellas the large Indian diaspora.

“Etihad is committed to serving theIndian market and people, whether it isIndian nationals who are residing in Indiaor in countries across the world,” he said.“Abu Dhabi and Bangalore [Bengaluru]are both growing cities, emerging as majoreconomic hubs and the new service willfurther enable commercial ties to developbetween India and the UAE.”Marcel Hungerbuehler, president of

Bengaluru International Airport, saidEtihad’s entry would help build theprominence of Bengaluru as the regionalairport of choice.“The new services will take us a step closerto achieving our vision of becoming theinternational gateway to the South ofIndia, as well as enabling us to offerpassengers more travel options and cabinclasses to choose from,” he said.

Sohag Airport is Lifelinefor Upper Egypt,According to Egyptair The recently opened MubarakAirport in Sohag, Egypt representsa lifeline for the surrounding area,Egyptair has said.The eponymous Hosni Mubarak,president of Egypt, opened thefacility in May and it received itsfirst domestic services fromEgyptair in July.According to the airline, Sohagairport will provide a much neededimpetus for development in thearea, boosting its attractiveness toboth tourists and investors.The airport will provide a directlink for the Sohag governorate inUpper Egypt, in line with theEgyptian state’s plans to stimulatedevelopment in the area.Egyptair commenced internationalflights from the airport onSeptember 30, adding Sohag asa stopover on a twice weeklyroute between Cairo andKuwait.According to the EgyptianMinistry of Tourism, Sohag ismajor centre for Coptic Egyptiansin the south of the country.Its primary attractions include theancient Red Monastery, WhiteMonastery and the nearby town ofAkhmin.

Etihad Commits to Further Indian Services

- Air Travel

OCTOBER 2, 201012

- International

Hilton Enters Peruvian MarketHilton Worldwide will introduce the Hilton Hotels andResorts brand to Peru, under a franchise agreement withreal estate developer J G J Proyectistas SAC. Construction has already begun on a 230 room hotel –Hilton Lima Miraflores.Dave Horton, global head of Hilton Hotels and Resorts,said the Miraflores area of Lima was known for shoppingareas, beaches and fine dining; the hotel will also be closeto MiraCorp Business Corporate Centre. “Now is a period of tremendous global growth for theHilton brand and this partnership will create an exceptionalproperty in Peru’s capital city,” said Horton. “With a population exceeding nine million people, Lima isa major market for international travel and key to our strongpresence in South America.”Hilton Lima Miraflores is scheduled to open in early 2012.

InterContinental Hotel Group’s Continental ExpansionInterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) signed 18 new European hotels during the summer period, adding atotal of 2,375 new rooms to its development pipeline.

Lima is a major market for international travel

and key to our strong presence in South America

We’ve been able to maintain momentum

with our growth strategyacross Europe and around the world

The new properties will bespread across the UK, Spain,Portugal, Germany, France,Russia and Turkey. Kirk Kinsell, president for

Europe, Middle East and Africa at IHG, saidthe signings represented the confidence thatdevelopers have in IHG’s various hotel brands. “It’s encouraging to see that we’ve been ableto maintain momentum with our growthstrategy across Europe and around theworld,” said Kinsell.“As a business, we have continued to invest inthe things that we believe make the biggestdifference by strengthening our brands,increasing our scale and working more

closely than ever with our hotel managers.“This puts us in a great position to continueto take advantage of the market upturn andgrow market share.”The new signings cover a number of IHGbrands, including Hotel Indigo, StaybridgeSuites, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn andHoliday Inn Express.

Kirk Kinsell

13OCTOBER 2, 2010

- International

Southwest to Acquire AirTran in USUS low cost airline, Southwest, has declared its intention to acquire AirTran Airways, based in Orlando.

Iberia Waves Right of Refusal: Merger with British Airways to Go Ahead

Spanish airline, Iberia, has confirmed its intention tomerge with British Airways (BA), a move which willcreate one of the largest carriers in Europe andsupplement a recently approved transatlantic alliance withAmerican Airways.The terms of the merger agreement, cemented in late 2009,allowed Iberia the right to terminate the process if it wasfound that BA’s pension responsibilities would become aburden to Iberia.The airline recently lodged a statement of its intent to wavethat right with Spain’s Security Markets Commission, thebody responsible for securities market regulation in thatcountry.The airlines will maintain their distinctive branding after themerger, though a joint board of directors has been set up tooversee the company and manage licenses.Willy Walsh, current CEO of BA, has been named bothmanaging director and CEO of the combined operations.According to Iberia, although a revenue sharing operationwith American Airlines was given anti-trust immunity earlierthis year, a full blown merger with that airline would beforbidden by both US and European regulations.

The merger has beenunanimously approvedby the boards of directorsof both companies,though shareholder

approval is still required.The acquisition is expected to befinalised in the first half of 2011 andoperational integration is planned to becompleted in 2012.Gary C Kelly, CEO of Southwest, said themerger offered significant opportunitiesfor Southwest, despite its much larger size. IATA figures show the carrier as thebusiest of all US airlines in terms ofpassengers carried, and the companyemploys more than 34,000 people.By comparison, AirTran has 8,000employees.

The integrated network would grow from69 cities served by each carrier to a totalof 106 and give Southwest accesspreviously un-serviced aviation centres.“The acquisition of AirTran represents aunique opportunity to grow SouthwestAirlines' presence in key markets we don'tyet serve and takes a significant steptowards positioning us for future growth,”Kelly said.“It offers customers more low faredestinations as we extend our networkand diversify into new markets, includingsignificant opportunities to and fromAtlanta, the busiest airport in the US andthe largest domestic market we do notserve, as well as Washington, DC.”Southwest estimates concluded thataccess to Atlanta alone would generate

more than two million new customers. Both carriers will fly under Southwest’soperating license, but retain their brandidentities.According to a statement from AirTran,the total cost of the acquisition comes toUSD3.42 billion.Southwest is often credited as the seminallow cost airline, inspiring the businessmodels of carriers like Air Arabia andFlydubai.

The acquisition of AirTran represents a

unique opportunity to growSouthwest Airlines'

presence in key markets

OCTOBER 2, 201014

Who are your highest spending clients?Families, definitely, whether it is two or three people, or acouple of families that join together to form a larger group.They come to Egypt to see the country’s treasures and theseare the people who do not ask for discounts. They prefer tohave a holiday to remember. What are the most popular holiday activities for yourclients?For our inbound market, it is mainly Egyptology and thePharonic sites – they are interested in the history, theculture and the vast knowledge that the ancient Egyptianshad. It is all the things that people learn in primary schoolreally. We also arrange a lot of Nile cruises and desertsafaris. Then, after they have seen the Pharonic sites, manyare interested in the other religions that have shaped Egyptthroughout its history. When did you get involved in the travel industry andhow has it changed since then?I started in 1971 and it has changed tremendously. Thisindustry is all based on communication and since 1971communication technology has boomed. This hasfacilitated more tailor-made packages for tourists, whichhas changed the industry. Where are you most interested in visiting next and why?Having been in the industry since 1971, I have seen it all.Personally, I work a lot, so when I travel I want no noise,no cars and nice weather – at my age I want to do it quietly.However, I will say that the best destination, regardless ofmoney, is Japan. This nation is full of respect. Why are internet bookings increasing in popularity?People like to customise their travel – they want to imaginewhere they will go and put their own thoughts into the trip.It is like having a dream – they want it to be an individualexperience. Once you understand this, it is obvious thatpeople will want to look for themselves and they will dothis online.

Agent’s InsightName: Hafez TawfikPosition: General ManagerCompany: Osoris TravelLocation: Egypt

The best destination, regardless of money, is Japan

Amadeus Updates e-TravelAmadeus has launched the latest version of its online bookingtool for corporations, e-Travel Management.The program is designed to allow business travellers to search andbook their travel needs in line with the requirements of theircorporation, allowing high levels of automation and integrationwith corporate policies and processes.The new version adds an upgraded graphical user interface andmaps from Microsoft’s Bing Maps platform, while streamliningother processes and incorporating technology from Amadeus’Hotels Plus program.Jean-Noel Lau Keng Lun, head of product management forcorporations at Amadeus said the updates would improve policycontrol for corporate travel departments.“This latest version of Amadeus e-Travel Management willrevolutionise the way business travellers search for and bookhotels and will ultimately save them both time and money in theprocess,” he said.“We believe that version 13.2 will empower corporations to takegreater control of their travel policies whilst at the same timeensuring that the utmost care is given to travellers and travelbookers by making it inherently easier for them to search for andbook their business hotel accommodation.”

This ... will revolutionise the way businesstravellers search for and book hotels

Tom Parker, secretarygeneral of EuropeanTechnology and TravelServices Association(ETTSA), cited a study

commissioned by the association, sayingthe growth of online travel distributionhas changed the European market andcreated opportunities for lower leveloperators. “Technology unleashed a revolution intravel distribution, spawning innovationin retailing and commercial models andbreaking down the barriers tocompetition,” he said.“The study reveals the scope of that

transformation in Europe.”He said technology had improved pricingtransparency and streamlined the researchprocess for consumers, lubricating thesales process for retailers.

“Our industry, with the creative use oftechnology, has delivered dramaticimprovements in travel research andshopping for the benefit of travel retailersand consumers,” he said.As the habits of travellers in major sourcemarkets gravitate towards online sales, aworld of opportunities opens for retailersand service operators looking to sellremotely and directly.Furthermore, as the Middle Easternmarket becomes more comfortable withthe concept of online platforms, theproven success and recent growth of lowcost online distribution in Europe showsthe potential of the sector.

15OCTOBER 2, 2010

European Study Reveals Opportunities OnlineOnline travel agencies have been taking ever larger bites of the pie in recent times. The global downturn hasdriven customers online searching for better deals, especially in key feeder markets such as Europe and the UK.

Technology unleashed a revolution in travel

distribution, spawninginnovation in retailing

and commercial modelsand breaking down thebarriers to competition

OCTOBER 2, 201016

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]

[Cityscape] will offer investors a fresh perspective

Raza JafarCEO, ENSHAA“Triple bottom line is not an award, accreditation or a certification you can achieve- it's an ongoing process that just helps a company keep on track towards running asustainable business and demonstrates to the community at large they are workingnot just towards riches, but the greater common good - and that's what consumersare increasingly wanting to see these days”.

[The triple bottom line] helps a company keep ontrack towards running a sustainable business

Nasser Al ReyamiTourism Standards Director, ADTA“There are very good cost savings that can be madeby managing hotels responsibly. Big companiesunderstand they have to go green if they want tomaintain their market and satisfy investors. In AbuDhabi we believe green hotels are a win, win, winscenario. They benefit the owners and operators,they benefit guests and they benefit our destination.It is the only way ahead.”

Green hotels are a win, win,win scenario ... It is the only

way ahead

Saed ArekatCFO, Bloom Properties“Cityscape Global in Dubai is a great platform to communicate withreal estate developers and investors that will open doors for greatinvestment opportunities in UAE and the region. We believe the eventwill offer investors a fresh perspective on the diversity of our projectportfolio and encourage them to be part of our unique developments.”

Nasser Al Reyami

Raza Jafar

Cityscape Global Dubai

OCTOBER 2, 201018

Steve JonesAbu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC)has appointed Steve Jones as generalmanager of Al Bateen Executive Airportin Abu Dhabi. Jones previously spent 10years with London Oxford Airport,where he oversaw the creation of theOxfordjet facility. From November, Joneswill take over the day to day managementand development of Al Bateen ExecutiveAirport.

Elie MilkyRezidor Hotel Group has appointed ElieMilky as manager of businessdevelopment for the Middle East andAfrica. Based in Dubai, Milky willprovide transaction and owner relationssupport to potential and existingpartners, while supporting the group’sexpansion in the region, focusing on theRadisson Blu, Park Inn by Radisson andHotel Missoni brands. Milky has abachelor’s degree in hospitalitymanagement and tourism, as well as anMBA in international hospitalitymanagement. He previously worked forHVS International, working out ofLondon, Dubai and Beirut.

Lisa MunroHertz has appointed Lisa Munro aspartnership sales manager for theMiddle East and Africa. Munro has11 years of experience in theautomotive industry. She waspreviously business developmentmanager for LeasePlan Emirates,based in Abu Dhabi. In her new role,Munro will be based in Hertz’s Dubaioffice, reporting to Gina Costa,commercial director for the MiddleEast and Africa.

Christian Hoehn and Hany AhmedHilton Abu Dhabi has appointed Christian Hoehn as director of operations andHany Ahmed as cluster director of business development. Hoehn began hishospitality career in 1996 and joined Hilton Hotels and Resorts in 2000. In thisnew role, he will be responsible for overseeing the operations department,including rooms, food and beverage and catering. Hany Ahmed has a range of management experience in five star hotels throughoutthe Middle East and Africa. His most recent employer was Hilton Sandton in SouthAfrica, which hosted the Dutch football team during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.As cluster director of business development, Ahmed will manage the sales,conferences, events, marketing and revenue departments for Hilton Abu Dhabi,Hilton Corniche and Hilton Baynunah.

Godfrey VasSix Senses Zighy Bay, in Oman, hasappointed Godfrey Vas as generalmanager. Vas has been with Six Sensessince 2005, when he joined the groupas resort manager of Soneva Fushi inthe Maldives. He has also worked inSix Senses properties in Thailand andVietnam. Before joining Six Senses,Vas held various positions at GulfHotel, Bahrain and Le Méridien, PortVila Resort and Casino.

Steve Jones

Lisa Munro

Elie Milky

Godfrey Vas

Travel Trade Weekly: What haschanged since the property opened?John Rogers: A number of things;everything has really come along since wefirst opened and we have been workinghard to make it more guest friendly.All the landscaping has advanced andthings have matured a lot since the earlydays. We have added extra activities to ourofferings for our guests, the mainland andarrival centres have been refurbished andwe have regular scheduled flights cominginto the airport.

Travel Trade Weekly: How hasbusiness been? John Rogers: Steadily improving yearon year as we’ve been getting betterknown in the marketplace.Weekends are very popular for the leisuremarket and we have been very popularwith the UAE market.At the moment between 70 and 80percent of our customers come fromwithin the UAE, whether they are expatsor locals.

Travel Trade Weekly: Do moreexpats or locals visit the hotel?John Rogers: It is seasonal. InRamadan, obviously it was mostly expats,but in an average month it will be about a50/50 split.We also get traffic from the GCC countriesand about 15 percent international, whichis mostly European.

Travel Trade Weekly: How has thischanged since you opened?John Rogers: The share of internationaltravellers has been increasing. In the firstyear we had nearly 90 percent of ourcustomers coming from the UAE, with

international accounting for around sevenor eight percent.

Travel Trade Weekly: Do you expectto benefit from the increased interestthat Abu Dhabi has been receivingrecently?John Rogers: All hotels in the area aregoing to benefit from the exposure thatADTA [Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority]has been putting out there.We feel that we are very much part of theAbu Dhabi experience.

Travel Trade Weekly: Do you haveplans to target the MICE segment, orwill you remain as a purely leisureproperty?John Rogers: We definitley have plansto target the MICE market and next yearwe actually have a conference centreopening on the island, as well as awatersports facility and two new lodges.One of the new lodges will be on thebeach, while the other will be in thewildlife area.

Travel Trade Weekly: So cheetahscould wander onto your doorstep?John Rogers: Maybe not cheetahs; Idon’t think there’s much chance of themwanting to come that close. But certainlygazelles and other animals will bewandering around.

Travel Trade Weekly: How do expectto be affected by competition fromother wildlife resorts?John Rogers: Well, everybody is uniquein their own ways. I think that for us, ourconference centre and watersports facilitywill be key.I feel confident that we can hold our own.

Travel Trade Weekly: How will theconference centre change your business?John Rogers: At the moment ourpredominant market is leisure, so theweekends are the busy times for us.With the conference centre we will beable to target corporate team buildingretreats, which we have had a lot ofenquiries about but haven’t been able tooffer with our current business facilities.This will supplement our existingbusiness, as we will be able to target morebusiness for the mid week.

19OCTOBER 2, 2010

Q&A with John RogersJohn Rogers is the general manager of Desert Islands Resort and Spa by Anantara, which is attached to theDesert Islands wildlife park on Sir Bani Yas Island. Rogers chatted with Travel Trade Weekly about how theproperty has developed since opening in late 2008.

John Rogers

All hotels in the area are going to benefit fromthe exposure that ADTA

[Abu Dhabi TourismAuthority] has been

putting out there

OCTOBER 2, 201020

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

World Green Tourism Abu DhabiAbu Dhabi, UAE, November 22-24 (www.worldgreentourism.ae)Inaugural eco-tourism exhibition, featuring tourism authorities, urbancity planners, hotels and resorts, property developers, airlines, touroperators, green product suppliers, universities, museums and heritagesite organisations.

EIBTMBarcelona, Spain, November 30 – December 2 (www.eibtm.com)Global event for the meetings and events industry, includingnetworking opportunities, professional education seminars and a tradeshow platform for exhibitors, hosted buyers and trade visitors.

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

International Conference on Responsible Tourism in DestinationsMuscat, Oman, October 10-12 (www.rtd4.om)Organised by Oman Ministry of Tourism, UNWTO andInternational Centre for Responsible Tourism, Leeds MetropolitanUniversity. Conference for government, private sector, academicinstitutions and decision makers to discuss new directions for theprinciples and practice of responsible tourism in global destinations.

Arab Tourism Bourse Travel and Tourism FairDamascus, Syria, October 19-22 (www.abtfair.com)Aimed at promoting the Syrian tourism industry, attracting newvisitors and developing tourism in the region.

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

Business Travel Show – DubaiDubai, UAE, October 25-26 (www.businesstravelshowdubai.com)Dedicated event for buyers and bookers of corporate travel in theMiddle East, focusing on small and medium sized organisations thatbook business travel.

The International Civil AviationOrganisation (ICAO), the UnitedNations’ specialty body for internationalcivil aviation affairs, is holding the 37thsession of its general assembly.The conference will run fromSeptember 28 to October 8 and drawparticipants including government civilaviation regulators, commercial airlines,manufacturers and other industryplayers.The body provides a forum for

establishing co-operation on internationalissues relevant to civil aviation, includingsecurity practices, technical co-operationand safety standards.Key topics on this year’s agenda are safety,security and environmental protection.A number of Middle Eastern states areseeking election to ICAO’s governingcouncil this year, including the UAE,Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Egypt.Council membership is arranged intothree categories, based on the significance

of a given country to internationalaviation as a whole.The first tier represents those countries ofchief importance to air transport, with thesecond tier accounting for those countriesnot in the first category, but who providethe bulk of international air services.The remainder of member states comprisethe third and final section, a policy whichICAO stated was intended to ensurerepresentation for all geographicalregions.

International Civil Aviation Organisation Holds Thirty Seventh Assembly Session