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OVER 2,100 TOURISM JOBS OPEN UP IN SAUDI ARABIA
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ROOMSXML.COM ADDS GAME-CHANGING FEATURE
IN THIS ISSUEMARKET UPDATE
TECHNOLOGY
CRUISING
ACCOMMODATION
AIR
INTERNATIONAL
RENDEZVOUS
AGENT CORNER
TRAVEL TALK
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WHO’S MOVED
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NEWS & EVENTS
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28 FEBRUARY 2015 ISSUE 277
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QATAR TOURISM AUTHORITY HAS SIGNED A DEAL WITH OLERY, AN ONLINE TRAVEL DATA PROVIDER, TO GET
REAL-TIME INFORMATION ON THE QUALITY OF THE SERVICES AND OPERATIONS OF QATAR’S HOTELS.
QTA MONITORS NATIONAL HOTEL PERFORMANCE
28 FEBRUARY 2015
MARKET UPDATE
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Bahrain (BHD)
Jordan (JOD)
Oman (OMR)
Qatar (QAR)
Saudi Arabia (SAR)
UAE (AED)
Algeria (DZD)
Egypt (EGP)
Iran (IRR)
Iraq (IQD)
Kuwait (KWD)
Lebanon (LBP)
Libya (LYD)
Morocco (MAD)
Syria (SYP)
Tunisia (TND)
Yemen (YER)
Dinar
Dinar
Rial
Rial
Riyal
Dirham
Dinar
Pound
Rial
Dinar
Dinar
Pound
Dinar
Dirham
Pound
Dinar
Rial
0.37
0.71
0.39
3.64
3.75
3.67
94.58
7.635
27,711.21
1,162.20
0.29
1,499.78
1.35
9.52
188.92
1.93
215.00
MENA EXCHANGE RATES
As of 25/2/2015Currencies shown in blue are fixed against the US Dollar
COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=
TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS
MANAGING EDITORMary Kammitsi
ASSISTANT EDITORMaria Kazeli
SENIOR JOURNALISTRita Kasziba
CONTRIBUTORSDominique Christou
Ana Mladenovic
PRESS Maria Demetriadou Pauline Shahabian
DESIGN & LAYOUT
Elena Stylianou
WEB DEVELOPER / ITSoteris Constantinou
DIRECTORS Andreas Constantinides
Mary Kammitsi
HEADQUARTERS
T.T.W. Travel Trade Weekly LTD P.O. Box 25255, Nicosia 1308 Cyprus
Tel: +357 22 021607, Fax: +357 22 103670
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EMAILS
[email protected] [email protected]
Etihad Airways: Best-ever Operational Performance
Jet Airways Returns to Profit
Etihad Airways carried a record number of passengers and cargo in 2014, marking its strongest operational performance to date.
Jet Airways achieved its first profit in seven quarters with key operating parameters showing strong progress.
A lmost 14.8 million travellers flew with the UAE national carrier, up 23 percent year-on-year, with the growth in demand outstripping capacity increase. Together with its equity partners, the airline accounted for 82 percent of passenger traffic at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
Etihad Airways introduced 10 additional destinations to its global route network and also expanded its codeshare and equity agreements with these partnerships delivering over 3.5 million passengers onto Etihad Airways flights.
Cargo volume reached 568,648 tonnes, a boost of 17 percent year-on-year.
I n the third quarter of its fiscal year, that ended on December 31, 2014, the Indian carrier’s business improved 101 percent and profit reached USD500,000, while total revenue was up nine percent to USD875 mil-lion. Notably, the Etihad Airways Partners member airline witnessed a 93 percent surge in codeshare traffic, to over 314,000 passengers.
Commenting on the first profitable quarter since the company’s turna-round plan in 2012, Cramer Ball, CEO, Jet Airways, said, “While the global and local operating conditions have eased, we only expect to see the real impact of the lower fuel price in the next quarter.”
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28 FEBRUARY 2015
TECHNOLOGY WEEKLY NEWS
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Travelport and Schiphol Travel Interna-tional, a travel management company based in the Netherlands and the UK
which specialises in serving medium and large multinational companies, have reinstat-ed their mutual commitment.
The two businesses have been cooperat-ing since 2000, and their contract renewal will continue to provide Schiphol Travel Interna-tional access to Travelport’s content invento-ry, including fares and ancillaries from airlines and hotels worldwide as well as its merchan-dising and desktop technology.
Marco van Ieperen, general manager, Benelux, Travelport, commented, “We look forward to continue working together [with Schiphol Travel International] over the com-ing years, by supporting their evolving needs as a modern travel management company.”
Travelport Renews Deal with Dutch Partner
Sabre to Showcase Innovative Solutions Sabre Travel Network Middle East (STNME) is to launch the Innovation Product Road Show in Bahrain, displaying its latest technologies.
The key highlight of the event will be Sabre’s Red App Center, the online travel app market-place that connects buyers, including travel
agencies, travel management companies and leisure operators with third-party developers.
Daniel Naoumovitch, CEO, STNME, said, “We are proud to launch the world’s first business-to-busi-ness travel app marketplace, which has become a destination for developers to generate fresh ideas and develop apps that make travel buying easier, more personalised and dynamic.”
Since its global launch in 2012, Sabre Red App Centre has exceeded 1.2 million downloads by travel agencies worldwide.
28 FEBRUARY 2015
WEEKLY NEWS
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Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) cel-ebrated this year’s Qatar National Sports Day with a walkathon.
The programme, organised in cooper-ation with the United Development Com-pany, allowed participants, many of whom work at hotel establishments and tourism organisations, to enjoy a tour of The Pearl-Qatar, while it also shed light on the im-portance of sports and physical activity in the daily life.
“The event is part of QTA’s efforts to en-gage with the public and the hotels sector, boost the sports tourism industry, in co-operation with private and public sectors, and promote Qatar as a world tourism des-tination capable of attracting tourists […],” commented Saif al Kuwari, director of pub-lic relations and communications, QTA.
QTA Marks National Sports Day
Abu Dhabi Pushes for Italian TourismAbu Dhabi is on a major drive to boost inbound tourism from Italy following the emirate’s first Italian travel trade summit.
Italian delegation in Abu Dhabi
A bu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Au-thority partnered with various stakeholders to host chairmen,
CEOs, general managers and directors of sales from 14 leading Italian tour opera-tors, destination management companies and retail travel groups to show them how much more there is to see and do in the emirate.
At the Focus Abu Dhabi summit, Ital-ian operators discussed the future and challenges of the sector and identified business and investment opportunities to extend Abu Dhabi’s presence in their brochures, as well as ways to boost arriv-als and extend stays in the destination to five nights.
28 FEBRUARY 2015
WEEKLY NEWS
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Dubai Taxi Drivers to Improve English Skills
In line with its keen attention to refine the skills of taxi drivers, Dubai Taxi Corpora-tion (DTC), part of the emirate’s Roads and Transport Authority, has recently con-ducted a free English language course for cab drivers, in cooperation with the Dan-
ube Educational Institute.“This course comes as part of the Speak Fluently initiative launched by DTC’s hu-
man resources department in order to hone English language skills of our taxi driv-ers and enhance DTC’s corporate profile among customers and the public in general. The initiative will contribute positively to providing distinguished services to custom-ers and realising DTC’s vision of Pioneers in Passenger Transport Services,” commented Ahmed Khalfan Al Suwaidi, CEO, DTC.
HMH CEO Chairs Resort Conference
Laurent Voivenel, CEO, Hospitality Man-agement Holdings (HMH), opened the 2nd Annual Resort Development &
Hospitality Conference in Dubai. Voivenel presided over the various
sessions of the two-day event and also participated in a panel discussion on Enhancing the Owner-Operator Relation-ship in Building an Empire of Hospitality Properties.
“The six key cities in the [MENA] re-gion; Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Muscat and Riyadh represent over 124,000 hotel rooms in the development pipeline with most of this new supply only added in recent years,” Voivenel said, noting that in Qatar 45,000 new rooms are required to meet FIFA World Cup demand while 160,000 new rooms are expected by 2020.
28 FEBRUARY 2015
WEEKLY NEWS
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WEEKLY NEWS
S audi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities (SCTA) has recently announced more than 2,100 new positions for Saudi citizens in the country’s hospital-
ity sector.During the first half of February, recruitment interviews
were held by the National Tourism Human Resources Devel-opment Centre (Takamul) throughout Saudi Arabia, in coop-eration with the Human Resource Development Fund and the National System for Joint Training.
Nasir bin Abdul Aziz Al Nashmi, acting director general, Takamul, said that the recruitment interviews confirmed SC-TA’s keenness to promote service quality levels in the hospital-ity sector through providing it with national qualified cadres.
T ravelClick released a study that looks at TripAdvisor as a key marketing and reputation channel for hoteliers, with more than 170 million reviews and opinions of travel-related busi-
nesses or travellers from across the world. Besides positive reviews, the document also showed that the
number of comments and the number of stars of a property also have an impact on the hotel’s revenue per transaction. However, the ranking of an establishment does not lead to more income, most likely due to the fact that TripAdvisor does not disclose its al-gorithm so the ranking system is not transparent.
The study looked at 178 hotels from across the US, and the data was collected from two months of revenue.
TravelClick: What Really Matters on TripAdvisor
Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), alongside the Min-istry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Qatar Museum Authority and the Supreme Committee for Deliv-
ery and Legacy 2022, represented the country at the fifth edition of the Gulf Heritage Village Festival in Kuwait.
“Through its participation in this event, QTA also seeks to stress the importance of formulating a unified tourism strat-egy for the GCC countries, as well as activating initiatives aimed at deepening the cooperation among GCC countries in tourism-related activities,” said Rashed Al Qurese, chief marketing and promotions officer, QTA.
QTA Highlights Local Traditions and Customs
Over 2,100 Tourism Jobs Open Up in Saudi Arabia
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TASWEEK Real Estate Marketing and Development is to launch a USD55 million mixed-use
project, comprising health, resi-dential, retail and tourism zones, in Agadir.
Through the development, the real estate company aims to further strengthen the ties between Morocco and the UAE, while also encouraging more investment, Massod Al Awar, CEO, TASWEEK Real Estate Marketing and Development, explained.
The project follows the successful launch of a 160-bed private hospital in the Marrakesh Healthcare City.
USD55 Million Mixed-use Project Introduced in Morocco
A ccommodation specialist for the travel trade industry, roomsXML.com has introduced yet another
unique feature that is set to revolutionise the way professionals manage bookings.
The innovative function, the result of thousands of dollars and man-hours invested in product development, ensures a more con-venient booking experience by displaying the room types exactly as per the hotel’s very own room names, alleviating the confusion associ-
ated with the normally used simplified names, thus saving time and keeping customers satisfied.
“At roomsXML.com, innovation is the key differentiator. That is what keeps us leading the pack. Till date we have introduced nine specific features that were industry firsts; and many of them still are,” noted Prakash Bang, managing director, roomsXML.com, adding that to date, over 3,900 of the world’s most popular hotels, including many from the MENA region, have been added.
roomsXML.com Adds Industry Game-changing Feature
Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) wrapped up its second Desert Caravan Challenge. Two teams, each consist-ing of 15 adventure lovers, participated in the 12km
camel-riding endurance challenge, which kicked off from the historical Bait Al Imam, winding through the scenic desert sand along the western quarter of Qatar.
“We are always seeking to diversify the products offered by the tourism sector by encouraging the launch of new ones every now and then that entice to tourists and highlight the rich Qatari heritage, as well as the importance of preserving Qatar’s archaeological wealth,” said H.E. Issa Bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi, chairman, QTA.
QTA Concludes Second Desert Caravan Challenge
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WEEKLY NEWS CRUISING
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I n summer 2016, Holland America Line’s newest ship, ms Koningsdam will debut with a series of Northern
European and Baltic cruises as part of the company’s robust European sea-son that will feature seven ships.
Following seven- and 12-day pre-miere sailings from February to April in the Mediterranean, the ship will repo-sition from Civitavecchia, Rome, to its summer homeport of Amsterdam to offer roundtrips to Norway, the British Isles, the Baltics and Iceland.
“For the first summer sailing sea-son of our beautiful new ship ms Koningsdam, we have crafted some incredible itineraries to Europe’s most beautiful ports,” enthused Orlando Ashford, president, Holland America Line, disclosing that the response for the premiere voyages was over-whelmingly positive.
Holland America Line’s ms Koningsdam Heads to Europe
Cunard Unveils Digital Animated TimelineCelebrating 175 years of ocean travel, Cunard Line has unveiled a brand new two-minute animated timeline, giving viewers an insight into some of the most iconic moments in the cruise line’s illustrious history.
The animation moves through the decades, taking the viewer on a journey through some of the cruise line’s most significant mo-ments, beginning in 1840 with Britannia, one of the company’s
first ships, making its maiden transatlantic voyage to Nova Scotia. Simon Attwater, group creative director, DigitasLBi, the technology
agency that created the film, said, “Most brands do not have the luxury of an illustrious story that has literally changed history. Consequently many attempt to make one up. However, Cunard is different.”
A total of 100 cruise liners called in Malta in the fourth quarter of 2014, bringing
passenger numbers to 153,251, up 27 percent over the corresponding pe-riod in 2013.
Based on data released by the country’s National Statistics Office, transit passengers accounted for the vast majority of the total traffic. Around 524 holiday-makers visited Gozo, and 3,541 travellers spent at least one night onboard their berthed cruise liner.
Visitor numbers from European Union member states represented 80.7 percent of the total, with the main markets being Germany, Italy and France.
All in all, cruise passenger num-bers for 2014 reached 471,554, an in-crease of 9.3 percent over 2013.
Maltese Cruise Tourism Gains Momentum
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WEEKLY NEWS
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B AC FM, the fac i l i ty manage-ment arm of Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) announced its
affiliation with the British Safety Council.Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah, chair-
man, BAC FM, was presented with the official membership certificate from the British health, safety and environmental (HSE) organisation.
“HSE matters are a top priority in our industry and form a significant compo-nent of our day-to-day operations. […] Membership to the British Safety Council is a further step in strengthening our HSE processes and enables us to benchmark our safety performance against global standards and practices,” commented Ather Ahmed Osmani, manager, quality, health, safety and environment, BAC FM.
BAC FM Attains Safety Membership Certificate
QTA MONITORS NATIONAL HOTEL PERFORMANCE
Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) has signed a deal with Olery, an online hotel and travel data provider, to get immediate and real-time information and reports on the quality of the services and operations of Qatar’s hotels.
Q TA will benefit from the Olery destination system, which draws on traveller and cus-tomer opinions to monitor and analyse review sites across the world, providing an insight into customer experience. Examina-
tion of the data can give an overview of the destination’s hospitality industry and compare its quality to other cit-ies around the world or regionally.
“This system [will allow] us to reallocate our resourc-es to focus effectively on those issues which may be lim-iting our industry,” said Hassan Al Ibrahim, chief tourism development officer, QTA.
The signing of the deal
28 FEBRUARY 2015
WEEKLY NEWS
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IATA Introduces Advanced Master’s Degree
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched an advanced aviation training programme in partnership with École Nationale de l’Aviation Civile in Toulouse, France.
Through the IATA Training and Development Institute, experts from across several key areas of the business will be teaching courses such as aviation fuel management, airline business foundations, safety management systems, crisis management and much more.
According to Tony Tyler, director general, IATA, the initiative will help build a pool of qualified and competent aviation professionals.
Meanwhile, IATA also welcomed the recommendation of the International Civil Aviation Organ-ization’s Second High Level Safety Conference to move towards the adoption of a performance-based standard for global tracking of commercial aircraft, supported by a multinational evaluation exercise.
T he MENA region’s tour-ism sector has been largely able to adapt
and recover in recent times and even bounce back over the past years. Against this backdrop, tourism ministers, Spanish au-thorities and private sector rep-resentatives gathered together at the third Ministerial Round Table on Tourism Development in the MENA region to discuss future tourism prospects.
Participating tourism min-isters pointed precisely to the critical contribution of political stability for tourism to pros-per and drive socio-economic progress, and highlighted the need for political will to sup-port tourism, consolidation of democracy, an active civil society, as well as the benefits of trans-border cooperation in MENA.
A l Ain Zoo’s veterinary team recently came to the rescue of a distraught
female giraffe that was suffering from a problematic labour with a stillborn calf.
Muna Al Dhaheri, chief, conser-vation and education, Al Ain Zoo, said, “Al Ain Zoo has established an integrated clinical service for wild-life conservation in which a team of specialists provide first-rate care and expert medical management for an animal’s medical case in zoos anywhere in the region, with the full support of our state-of-the-art veterinary laboratory.”
Al Ain Zoo Proves Devotion to Wildlife
Regional Tourism Ministers Remain Bullish
28 FEBRUARY 2015
ACCOMMODATION WEEKLY NEWS
11
Meliá Brings New Brand to the Region
Almouj Marina’s new venue
New Seaside Venue at Almouj MarinaAlmouj Marina has launched a new 372m2 facility capable of hosting events for up to 65 seated guests. The new lounge at the private yachting hub is suspended seaside off the main facility, offering a unique atmosphere.
As Khalil AbuJaber, marina manager, Almouj Marina, noted, the opening seeks to harness the growing demand for event space whilst
offering something new, exclusive and stylish. “Our vibrant facility combines the picturesque view
of Oman’s pristine waters with a multipurpose option that can cater to individually tailored events; however, as a venue within an integrated tourism complex, our destination is one filled with opportunities that only complement our tranquillity and add to our appeal,” he added.
Meliá Hotels International is to debut its Innside brand in the Middle East.
The Spanish hotel company has cho-sen Dubai to introduce the product, which has grown its presence from eight hotels in 2008 to 36 properties open or in the process of launching.
Located in the Jumeirah Lakes Towers complex, the 125-key Inn-side Dubai is scheduled to welcome its first guests in 2016, and will bring the operator’s UAE portfolio to three projects.
The company is also strengthen-ing its presence in North Africa with the 87-bungalow Sol House Tag-hazout in Morocco due to open later this year.
Aparthotel Adagio Premium Debuts in the UAE
Accor launched Aparthotel Adagio Premium Dubai Al Barsha, the brand’s first project in the UAE and second in the world, after Doha.
Located in close proximity to Novotel Dubai Al Bar-sha, the property features 198 upmarket serviced apart-ments across 41 floors, offering upscale accommoda-tion with an array of amenities.
“Al Barsha has grown popular with residents and vis-itors alike, and lends itself to the longer-term guest, that is why we will guarantee Aparthotel Adagio Premium Dubai Al Barsha offers an excellent hotel stay, with the comfort and privacy of home,” enthused Philippe Mon-taubin, general manager, Aparthotel Adagio Premium Dubai Al Barsha.
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WEEKLY NEWS AIR
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The International Air Transport Associa-tion (IATA) released
air cargo data for 2014 which shows a 4.5 percent demand growth compared to 2013.
The air freight mar-ket expansion gathered momentum as 2014 pro-gressed and the year fin-ished on a positive note, with growth in December accelerating 4.9 percent year-on-year.
The vast majority of the rise was witnessed in the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions, which respectively contributed 46 percent and 29 percent of the expansion in freight tonne kilometres.
“Recent concerns over the health of the global economy and a corre-sponding fall in business confidence have not yet im-pacted air cargo,” said Tony Tyler, director general, IATA.
Turkish Airlines witnessed double-digit increase in de-mand for its premium cabins
across the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait, whereas performance from the three countries jumped 6.44 percent.
Demand for the carrier’s busi-ness and premium economy cabin class rose 17.45 percent in 2014, while international-to-internation-al transfer figures were up 9.05 per-cent compared to 2013.
As Adem Ceylan, vice presi-dent, marketing and sales, Middle East and Cyprus, Turkish Airlines, explained, the GCC market contin-ued to deliver strong results in line with the carrier’s international traf-fic growth that reached 54.7 mil-lion passengers, up 13.3 percent.
Economy Sleeper Class Introduced by Air Astana
RJ Holds Event with NASA Expert
Air Cargo Shows Positive Image in 2014
Turkish Airlines Grows Premium Business from GCC
Air Astana has launched its new Economy Sleeper
class on international flights connecting Kazakh-stan’s capital with London and Frankfurt, with plans to also add it on its Astana – Paris route on March 29.
The new service of-fers passengers more per-sonal space and privacy in the dedicated and parti-tioned section in front of the economy class cabin, transforming the row of seats with a mattress layer, a duvet and pillow set. Ad-ditional perks include KC-TV, Air Astana’s in-flight entertainment iPad, access to the carrier’s dedicated business lounge at Astana International Airport, pri-ority check in, boarding and disembarkation, fully changeable and refund-able tickets, as well as busi-ness class amenity kits.
Royal Jordanian Airlines (RJ) hosted a seminar by Ayman Qaddumi, former
senior avionics system engi-neer, NASA, on the key princi-ples of programme and project success. Following an 18-year career at the aeronautics agen-cy, Qaddumi has established a company, JACQ Tech, to help create innovative technical so-lutions.
Having himself attended the presentation, Haitham Mis-to, CEO, RJ, confirmed that the carrier works on improving the quality of all its procedures and services by using scientific and practical methods in line with the best international practices.
28 FEBRUARY 2015
AIR WEEKLY NEWS
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In celebration of The Oscars which took place on February 22, Qatar Airways re-freshed its in-flight entertainment offerings to include this year’s nominees; Gone Girl, Whiplash, Nightcrawler, Big Hero 6 and The Boxtrolls. Passengers can also enjoy
previous candidates and winners such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Rocky, An-nie Hall, The Departed, The Artist and The King’s Speech. The selection of Bollywood blockbusters has also been renewed, as well as that of Arabic content with episodes of the Bedouin drama series Ekhwat Al Damm and the famous comedy show, Wifi.
Qatar Airways Offers New Films
Member states of the Interna-tional Civil Aviation Organiza-tion (ICAO) endorsed the adop-
tion of a new 15-minute aircraft tracking standard during this year’s High Level Safety Conference.
The recommended standard is perfor-mance-based and not prescriptive, mean-ing that global airlines would be benefit from it using the available and planned technologies and procedures they deem suitable.
According to Olumuyiwpa Benard Aliu, council president, ICAO, the system will be an important first step in providing a foundation for global flight tracking and the future implementation of the more comprehensive ICAO Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System.
ICAO Supports New Flight Tracking Standard
28 FEBRUARY 2015
WEEKLY NEWS INTERNATIONAL
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A new economic impact report released by the Indiana Office of Tourism Development (IOTD)
documents the growing effect tourism has on the US state’s economy. The study shows that travel, tourism and hospital-ity continue to be the sixth largest indus-try in the destination, supporting over 187,000 jobs and contributing USD10.3 billion in revenue to local economy.
According to the survey, total in-dustry-related spending in 2013 was USD10.3 billion, an increase of USD200 million over 2012.
I nterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has opened its first Holiday Inn Express-branded property in Hyderabad, India.Located in the city’s financial district,
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Hyderabad Gachibowli features 232 units, including 39 suites, an all-day dining restaurant, lounge bar, self-service business centre, three meeting rooms and fitness centre.
Commenting on the launch of the third Holiday Inn Express hotel in the country, Shantha de Silva, head of southwest Asia, IHG, said, “[…] It is the perfect hotel brand for busy travellers on the go, whether they are travelling for business or leisure. With the added option of its contemporary and efficient suites, this hotel is also a great option for travellers staying for extended periods.”
Minor International Expands in Europe and South America
Holiday Inn Express Debuts in Hyderabad
Tourism Impact on Indiana’s Economy Grows
M inor International has acquired a hotel portfolio of over 1,600 keys consisting of two properties in
Brazil, which include a hotel operating plat-form and the intellectual property rights of the Tivoli Hotels & Resorts brand in Brazil, as well as four projects in Portugal.
The acquisitions in the European country include Tivoli Lisboa, Tivoli Marina Vilamoura, Tivoli Marina Portimao and Tivoli Carvoeiro.
Commenting on the EUR168 million (USD190 million) investment, William Hei-necke, group CEO, Minor International, noted that over the past years, the focus has been in expansion in Asia, Australia, the Mid-dle East and Africa as the company is now looking beyond for compelling opportuni-ties to expand its global coverage.
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Hyderabad Gachibowli rendering
Did you know...
Minor International
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Indiana
28 FEBRUARY 2015
WEEKLY NEWS INTERNATIONAL
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dusitD2 Residence Yangon Announced IHG to Grow Thai Presence
The Ritz-Carlton, Bali Opens for Business
D usit International has penned a deal with Myan-mar JP Asset for its first-ever dusitD2 project in Myanmar, dusitD2 Residence Yangon, slated for
a 2017 opening.The property will offer 300 units, a specialty dining
outlet, bar, business lounge and recreational facilities in-cluding a gym and swimming pool.
Masami Hatae, CEO, Myanmar JP Asset, commented, “The dusitD2 in Yangon will be the first property in the city to combine the best of warm Asian hospitality and cutting-edge design.”
“With the growth of Myanmar’s tourism industry, we truly look forward to showcasing Dusit’s world-renowned hospitality in this charming city,” added Ryan Chen, direc-tor of hotel business development, Dusit International.
I nterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) signed a manage-ment agreement with Nova Park to develop a 240-room Holiday Inn Express in one of Thailand’s most
popular beachside cities, Pattaya.Slated to open by 2017, Holiday Inn Express Pattaya
Central will offer comfort and convenience close to the city’s beachfront, and guests will be able to enjoy the lounge by the rooftop swimming pool and a fitness cen-tre.
Leanne Harwood, vice president, operations, south-east Asia, IHG, said, “With tourism growing and the devel-opment of the upcoming Eastern Seaboard industrial hub expected to draw more business visitors to the city, we will be in a good position to cater to the growing number of guests coming to the area when the hotel opens in 2017.”
T he Ritz-Carlton, Bali welcomed its first guests amidst the dramatic cliffs and pris-tine beaches of southern Bali.
Located in Sawangan, Nusa Dua, the resort offers 313 rooms, including 34 cliff-top and ocean-view villas, in addition to the 180-degree unobstructed views of the Indian Ocean. Guests are provided with access to the beach via a 70m high glass elevator.
Other facilities include six food and beverage outlets, a kids’ club, spa and an exclu-sive lounge for privileged guests. Finally, a chapel is available for bespoke weddings.
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RENDEZVOUS
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Q & A withHaytham Omar
OVER THE PAST YEARS, ARRIVALS TO RAS AL KHAIMAH HAVE CONTINUED TO RISE, REACHING 1,470,000 HOTEL GUESTS IN THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS OF 2014 AND ACCORDING TO HAYTHAM OMAR, GENERAL MANAGER, RIXOS BAB AL BAHR, THE EMIRATE IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How has business been at your hotel?
HAYTHAM OMAR: Our property is currently taking steps to contribute towards the development and promis-ing future of Ras Al Khaimah, preparing itself to meet the continuous demand for high calibre accommodation with distinctive guest experiences, pro-viding global travellers and the local community with leisure and business occasions.
The main strategy is to ensure we surpass our guests’ expectations by offering them nothing but premium hospitality and luxury services. Rixos Bab Al Bahr is planning to continue with this very guest-oriented and ser-vice-focussed strategy. With this spe-cific property, the all-inclusive con-cept is our main unique selling point and definitely unique to the region. We are confident about this concept introducing a new experience to our guests and fulfilling the true relaxa-tion holiday facilities. From check-in to check-out the only thing you will need is your room key, avoiding the hustle of carrying your wallet on you within the resort. [...]
The property has managed to establish a good reputation in the hospitality field just in a year after it opened its doors in February 2014.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Over the past years, the emirate’s room stock has risen sharply. How do you ensure steady occupancy levels and high rates amid the rising competition?
HAYTHAM OMAR: Rixos Bab Al Bahr has been the first example of the all-inclusive concept in the region offering a 24-hour food and bever-age service to its guests with various dining options. The property proudly presents an assortment of 14 restau-rants and bars of true gastronomic experiences from all around the world that are all included in the unique all inclusive concept of the hotel.
The essence of traditional Turkish hospitality allows guest to savour the delicacies of Turkish and Lebanese cuisine at Lalezar in an old-fashioned Turkish grandeur that creates an au-thentic ambiance. Also serving ex-ceptional Turkish dishes along with a lavish spread of international buffet is
Seven Heights. The hotel’s food and beverage
offerings extend to an array of other specialty restaurants such as the Aja restaurant which allows guests to en-joy oriental flavours from China, Ja-pan and Thailand; L’olivo Restaurant that serves authentic Italian dishes promoting a sharing experience; Fish Bone, a mouth-watering seafood res-taurant and Meat Point, a true South American Grill venue serving pre-mium meat cuts. For guests who are looking for small and tasty bites, Toast ’n Burger prides itself on quality and value, offering a combination of taste and variety.
Rixos Bab Al Bahr includes unlim-ited innovative dining and accommo-dates the Turkish hospitality philoso-phy very aptly extending attention and services beyond imagination. [...]
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Please tell us about your plans for this year.
GENERAL MANAGER, RIXOS BAB AL BAHR
“FROM CHECK-IN TO CHECK-OUT THE ONLY THING YOU WILL NEED IS YOUR ROOM KEY
What kind of new developments or programmes can guests and/or travel agents expect in the coming months?
HAYTHAM OMAR: Our top market guests come from the CIS federations, Germany, the UK and the UAE.
Rixos Bab Al Bahr is the first Rixos Hotels property opened in Ras Al Khaimah. The exponential increase of tourism over the years proved to us that the emirate is ready for more expansion and growth. Being the pio-neers of the all-inclusive concept in the region is giving us that competi-tive edge in the market. Further to that, we have new opportunities com-ing our way which are in the pipeline within the UAE. Our property’s expan-sion will include another all-day din-ing restaurant and a new adult-only outdoor swimming pool.
Rixos Bab Al Bahr
28 FEBRUARY 2015
WEEKLY NEWS INTERNATIONAL
18
Langham Launches New Brand
L angham Hospitality Group is introducing a new upscale global hotel brand, Cordis Hotels and Resorts. According to Robert Warman, group CEO, Langham Hospitality Group, the product will be de-
veloped through a combination of new-built and conversion projects in key cities in Asia and North America, with the first hotel expected to fly the Cordis flag in Hong Kong, due to open in May. Cordis has already signed management agreements and letters of intent to open eight hotels in seven cities within the next three years. Apart from the Hong Kong property, the portfolio will include five projects in China, and one each in Bali and Colombo. Other cities targeted for the future include Dubai, London, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Orlando, San Francisco, Singapore and Bangkok.
AVANI Enters the Seychelles Carlson Rezidor to Open Property in Chad
A VANI Hotels & Resorts has opened AVANI Sey-chelles Barbarons Resort & Spa, the company’s first property in the Indian Ocean destination,
following a USD14 million refurbishment. Each of the 124 guest rooms and suites feature a
balcony or terrace with garden, pool or ocean views, and essential comforts inside. The hotel boasts two restaurants accompanied by pool and shisha bars, as well as private dining, in addition to the AVANISPA.
Dillip Rajakarier, CEO, Minor Hotel Group, com-mented, “We are very happy to add the Seychelles to the growing list of countries our AVANI brand is pre-sent in, which is now 10 with a total of 13 properties.”
C arlson Rezidor Hotel Group is further expanding its network in Africa by adding a new destination to its portfolio, Chad, the fifth largest country on
the continent. Radisson Blu Hotel N’Djamena will open in the capital
city in the second quarter of the year and will feature 175 guest rooms, a lobby bar, two restaurants and more than 1,300m2 of meeting space. In addition, the property will have three amphitheatres, assembly hall, health club, out-door pool, tennis courts and large parking facilities.
“We are delighted to arrive in Chad. Africa is our most important development market […],” said Wolfgang Neu-mann, president, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group.
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28 FEBRUARY 2015
AGENT CORNER
19
Zameer Seahabdeen
Assistant manager
Al Mulla Travel Bureau
Kuwait
www.almullatravel.com
Agent’s Insight
Who are you?I am Zameer Seahabdeen, assistant manager of product and business develop-ment at Al Mulla Travel Bureau, in Kuwait.
What is your favourite thing about working in the travel industry?Taking up new challenges to tackle the competition by introducing new products using innovative marketing methods.
When is the best time to visit Kuwait?September through December.
Where would you like to travel to for your next holiday?Austria or Turkey.
Why should people come to you for travel advice?Because of our knowledge and experience on how we recommended suitable des-tinations to the types of clients based on their interest and budget.
COMPANY:
POSITION:
NAME:
LOCATION:
WEBSITE:
28 FEBRUARY 2015
TRAVEL TALK
20
JOHN STEVENS
PHILIPPE ZUBER
KARIM ZAKI
FERGHAL PURCELL
Managing director, Asteco
Chief operating officer, Emaar Hospitality Group
General manager, Novotel, ibis and Adagio Fujairah
General manager, The Ajman Palace Hotel
“We are now handling a steady stream of enquiries from small start-ups to international compa-nies looking to set up their busi-nesses [at ibn Battuta Gate Office building] and we expect that to accelerate in the run up to Expo 2020, particularly with the avail-ability of fully fitted, fully inclusive offices with dedicated parking spaces. Around USD7 billion has been earmarked for development and infrastructure projects linked to Expo 2020 which will effec-tively position the 150ha devel-opment as a hub in its own right.”
“There is a need to create great-er awareness about [Ajman] it-self. [...] Ajman is home to many historical sites, lovely white sandy beaches, an enchanting museum, exotic souks and the largest dhow-building yard in the world. The traditional way of Arab living has been well pre-served here. […] Plans for the international airport combined with new properties, infrastruc-ture and attractions such as the golf course in Al Zohra will greatly boost tourism in Ajman positioning it as a sought-after destination in the years ahead.”
“The Global Traveler Awards are another strong endorsement on the exceptional guest experience that The Address Hotels + Resorts offer. [The Best Hotel Chain in the Middle East award] is also a testa-ment to the brand’s recognition globally in setting new bench-marks in the hospitality sector. Our focus on providing tangible guest benefits is highlighted by the [Best Individual Hotel in the World] award for The Address Downtown Dubai. We will con-tinue to drive our growth through our award-winning one-size-fits-one approach.”
“We are thrilled to be on the top of the ranking in our region [with Novotel Fujairah scooping two awards from Accor for the best net promoter index and overall satisfaction] as we continue to provide the best services and facilities to our guests every day.”
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]
USD7 billion has been earmarked for infrastructure projects linked to Expo 2020
There is a need to create awareness about [Ajman]
We will continue to drive our growth through our […] one-size-fits-one approach
We are thrilled to be on the top of the ranking in our region [...] as we continue to provide the best services
28 FEBRUARY 2015
TRAVEL CHANNELS
21
Thailand Looks to a Brighter Future
H eld at InterContinental Bangkok, the fourth edi-tion of the event gath-ered a record number of delegates totalling over
500 from across Asia to glean insight from industry leaders on Thailand’s tourism trends.
Jesper Palmqvist, area director, Asia Pacific, STR Global, revealed that occupancy in December 2014 for Bangkok was one of the highest ever recorded by STR Global since 2000.
Thailand’s tourism industry has turned the corner after a difficult year, bouncing back in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2014 with strong growth,
according to data released by STR Global at Thailand Tourism Forum 2015.
Abu Dhabi Airports: Employer of Choice
for UAE Nationals
A s part of its UAE national development strategy, Etihad Air-ways plans to offer more than 6,000 jobs to Emiratis over the next five years.
To reach the target, the airline will continue to utilise the stra-tegic collaborations it has formed with the UAE government, edu-cational and Emiratisation institutions.
As Ray Gammell, chief people and performance officer, Etihad Airways, explained, these partnerships are vital to recruiting, re-taining and developing a UAE national workforce and as a result, Emiratis are now the number one nationality group in the airline.
“We have made huge strides and are looking forward to forg-ing new partnerships to support more UAE nationals across the business and significantly increase our Emirati representation year-on-year,” he added.
An ambitious Emiratisation target of 50 percent by the end of the year has been
announced by Abu Dhabi Airports. The company’s sustained commit-ment to employing locals is part of its vision to be an employer of choice for Emiratis. In order to reach this target, Abu Dhabi Air-ports is offering 100 scholarships within UAE universities and colleges alongside 50 jobs in its fire-fighting and administration departments, and a further 50 entries within its national training programme Al Eqla’a. The initiative is delivered over an 18- to 24-month period and is divided into five phases.
Bangkok
Etihad to Employ 6,000 Emiratis
28 FEBRUARY 2015
WHO’S MOVED
22
Sheikha Al Mugheiry has as-sumed the post of international business development man-ager at Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC), as the venue is preparing to become the catalyst in attracting hun-dreds of thousands of visitors to the Sultanate.Having worked for the past six years in the local five-star hos-pitality industry, Al Mugheiry has gained a wealth of experi-ence that will play a critical role in her new position. As business development manager, she will continue to work closely with the Omani community to at-tract major international con-ventions to the Sultanate. Al Mugheiry considers being part of such a landmark devel-opment a privilege and aims to use this opportunity to show-case the beauty that the coun-try has to offer to the world.
JORDI PORCEL COSTES
ABDULMOEEN NASSER
SHEIKHA AL MUGHEIRY
THOMAS JOSEPH
Jordi Porcel Costes has been chosen as Etihad Airways’ new general manager in Spain.Building on his extensive ex-perience in the aviation in-dustry and knowledge of the region, Costes will lead Etihad Airways’ Spanish commercial operations from the airline’s Madrid office.He joins the UAE carrier from Vueling Airlines where he served as chief sales officer for the past three years. Prior to that, he worked in vari-ous managerial positions for British Airways, with the last position at the UK carrier being that of regional commercial manager responsible for Spain, Portugal and Latin America. Costes’ appointment comes as Etihad Airways prepares to launch direct services between Abu Dhabi and Madrid on March 30.
Abdulmoeen Nasser is now part of the team of Park Inn by Radisson, Al Kobar as the property’s new human re-sources manager. Nasser has several years of ex-perience in the field of human resources and in the hospital-ity industry in general. After graduating from the King Faisal University with a degree in business – human resources affiliation, he began his ca-reer at Gosaibi Hotel Al Kho-bar. He then joined Abdulaziz Mubarak Group as director general of the head office. In his new role, Nasser will be responsible for all aspects of human resources and govern-ment relations for the 148-room hotel.
Thomas Joseph has taken on the role of business develop-ment manager for exhibitions at the Oman Convention & Ex-hibition Centre (OCEC).Joseph joins OCEC’s growing team after almost a decade in the local exhibition, business and live events industry. Over the years, he has gained vast knowledge of the region-al market and the industry. In his new capacity, he will utilise these skills in order to increase the Sultanate’s market share in the sector. As business development manager for exhibitions, Jo-seph is expected to play a key role in the successful launch of OCEC in 2016.
Joseph has spent almost a decade in the
event industry
Nasser will be also responsible for
government relations
To celebrate the arrival of Michael Koth, the new director of operations, and the accomplishments of the outgoing general manager, Jan Ifcic, InterContinental Jordan held a cocktail reception
W Doha Hotel & Residences team joined the National Sports Day activities
Spectacular show during the annual Sharjah Light FestivalNational Sports Day at Hamad International Airport in Doha
The newest members of flydubai's cabin crew
28 FEBRUARY 2015
PHOTO ALBUM
23
Share with us the latest images of your activities and let your colleagues know what you have been up to.
Send your photos to [email protected] Because a picture is worth a thousand words...
Take a Shot!
28 FEBRUARY 2015
NEWS & EVENTS
24
Qasr Al Hosn Festival Revives Culture
INVESTOUR Calls for Stronger Brand Africa
One of the UAE capital’s most iconic structures, the Cultural Founda-tion Building was brought back
to life at this year’s Qasr Al Hosn Festival.Areas of the facility were reopened to
the public and revived through a number of interactive activities and performances that engaged visitors.
Located on the same founding block of the city of Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Hosn stands next to the Cultural Foundation Building which has housed the UAE’s first dedicated cultural centre.
INVESTOUR, a joint World Tourism Organi-zation (UNWTO), FITUR and Casa Africa initiative, has gathered 16 tourism minis-
ters from Africa and the Middle East, along-side numerous experts, to discuss matters such as branding and promotion, foreign direct investment, human resources devel-opment and visa facilitation. The debate especially highlighted the need to build a stronger Brand Africa.
Taleb Rifai, secretary general, UNWTO, said, “In order to fulfil Africa’s tourism poten-tial, key challenges such as infrastructure development, need to be addressed.”
EVENTSITB BERLIN
Berlin, GermanyMarch 04 – 08www.itb-berlin.deA leading trade fair for the global travel industry as in 2014 some 10,140 companies from 189 countries exhibited their products.
INTERNATIONAL LUXURY TRAVEL MARKET JAPAN
Kyoto, JapanMarch 16 – 18www.iltm.com/japanA specialist invitation-only event, where Japan’s travel agents and advisors meet the world’s most spectacular travel experiences.
GUANGZHOU INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL FAIR
Guangzhou, ChinaMarch 06 – 08www.gitf.com.cnThe fair has received wide attention from the tourism industry since its first session, 22 years ago.
MITT TRAVEL & TOURISM EXHIBITION
Moscow, RussiaMarch 18 – 21www.mitt.ruOne of Russia’s largest and longest running travel exhibitions with over 2,056 participants and more than 200 destinations.
INTERNATIONAL SKI TRAVEL MARKET
Davos, SwitzerlandMarch 23 – 24 www.istm.co.ukAn event, bringing together resorts, tourism boards and ski travel suppliers.
