Market Update 2Accommodation News 4International News 6Air Travel News 8Travel Tips 15Travel Talk 16Who’s Moved 18Rendezvous 19Events 20

Middle East and North Africa Edition

FeBRUARy 20, 2010 issUe 15 www.traveltradeweekly.travel

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5Uk eyes eGyptegypt is attracting record numbers of Uktravellers, with one online travel agentreporting that interest in the destinationhas increased by 220 percent year-on-year.

Following years of development acrossthe Middle east, the Mövenpick hotelbrand is now set to target emergingmarkets in india and the Asia pacific.

In This Issue

RAKInvestment

Banks in the UAE must raise their lendingcapacity in order to stimulate a projected

development boom in Ras Al Khaimah, accordingto the chairman of the emirate’s Free Trade Zone.

2

MövenpiCk Re-ORients

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sheikh Faisal bin saqr Al Qasimi,chairman of the Ras Al khaimah(RAk) Free trade Zone, hassaid that banks in the UAe mustraise their lending capacity in

order to stimulate a projected developmentboom in RAk.“Moving forward, new and current real estateprojects will require financing, and banks forthe entire UAe will need to increase theirlending capacity,” he said.“if that happens, it will be a real signal that thereal estate sector is improving and investmentopportunities will emerge accordingly.“people with high liquidity are waiting for theright opportunity to invest, and 2010 will bethe year to do so.” Al Qasimi told the Oxford Business Group(OBG) market research firm that the planned

developments would changeevery aspect of life in the emirate.“Funds are to be spent in thedevelopment of our ports system,sewage plants, industrial parks,natural parks, and educationalfacilities,” he said.OBG reported that the list ofplanned developments reflected thecommitment of the government to

developing tourism in the long term, as well as thestrength of the local construction sector.According to Al Qasimi, the strength of the

RAk economy was evidenced by the emirate’sstrong credit ratings, and the performance ofthe government’s recent bond issuance.“The bond was issued during difficult financialtimes,” he said.“However, thanks to RAk’s very good financialratings, it was well received by the market andwas even oversubscribed.”

UAE Banks Must Raise Lending Capacity

FeBRUARy 20, 20102

COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=UAe (AeD) Dirham 3.67egypt (eGp) pound 5.49saudi Arabia (sAR) Riyal 3.75Lebanon (LBp) pound 1501Bahrain (BHD) Dinar 0.37Jordan ( JOD) Dinar 0.7syria (syp) pound 46kuwait (kWD) Dinar 0.28Qatar (QAR) Riyal 3.64Oman (OMR) Rial 0.38tunisia (tnD) Dinar 1.36Morocco (MAD) Dirham 8.15iran (iRR) Riyal 10040yemen (yeR) Rial 205.5Algeria (DZD) Dinar 72.84Libya (LyD) Dinar 1.25

MENA Exchange RatesAccurate as of 17/2/2010Currencies shown in red are fixed against the Us Dollar

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLYDeputy EditorLaura Warne

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Sales & MarketingJane DavidsonMarianna tsiamasDanielle Bragg tina Georgiou

DirectorsAndreas ConstantinidesMary kammitsi

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Travelport Postpones IPO IndefinatelyGlobal Distribution System (GDS) provider travelport has announced thatit will not proceed with an initial public offering and listing on the London stockexchange.Jeff Clarke, CeO of travelport, cited changed market conditions as the reasonbehind the postponed listing.“since we announced our intention to float, there has been significantlyincreased volatility and uncertainty in global equity markets, as a result of macrocircumstances unrelated to our business,” said Clarke.“travelport has a 40 year track record of success in a dynamic and growingindustry.“it is a strong company with an attractive financial model and great momentum,as demonstrated by recent contract wins. The business remains on track tocontinue delivering outstanding value for its shareholders.“We will consider bringing it back to the market at a future date, when equitymarket conditions are more favourable.”

(L-R) Natalie Toon of OBG; Sheikh Faisal bin Saqr AlQasimi; and Leonardo Gonzalez of OBG

3FeBRUARy 20, 2010

Sri Lanka Reports Early Surge in Middle Eastern VisitorsThe Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Board (SLTPB) has released figures that show a spike in Middle Easterninterest in the destination.

Key representatives from sharjah’stourism sector, including sharjahCommerce and tourism DevelopmentAuthority (sCtDA) and Air Arabia arecurrently conducting a road showthrough three european countries. The ten day exercise, running fromFebruary 14 to 21, will cover turkey,Bulgaria and Greece.Representatives from sharjahinternational Airport Authority, RadissonBlu Resort and Golden tulip sharjahHotel are also taking part in the road show.Mohamed A Al noman, director generalof sCtDA said challenging times hadcreated a responsibility to increaseactivities that would cement sharjah’sposition on the regional and global

tourism map.The emirate recently increased its hoteland hotel apartment offerings to 110properties, with more than 8,000 hotelrooms.“The sCtDA is seeking to oil the wheelsof economic growth by increasing themarketing and promotional activities forsharjah’s various tourist attractions, inline with the rapid progress achieved inthe emirate’s tourism sector, with theentry of a number of new hotelfacilities,” said Al noman.in 2009, european tourists accounted for42 percent of total tourist arrivals tosharjah, with 608,281 european visitors.These figures represented a seven percentincrease in arrivals, compared to 2008.

Sharjah Launches its First European Road Show

Mohamed A Al Noman

v isitor numbers from theMiddle eastern regionincreased by 50 percentin January 2010,compared to the same

month of 2009.According to Heba Al Ghais AlMansoori, Middle east director ofsLtpB, the strongest interest wasexhibited by the UAe, Qatar, saudiArabia, kuwait and Jordan.Al Mansoori said she saw the figures as asign of continued growth for tourism insri Lanka. “Judging by these early results, destinationsri Lanka is on track to surpass figuresattained last year, where tourist arrivalssaw double digit growth,” she said.Recent events had helped developinterest in sri Lanka as a destination, AlMansoori said.she also pointed out that the country

benefited from being both close and costeffective for travellers from the Gulf.“peace will finally bring prosperity anddevelopment into the country and openup more areas for tourism developmentwhich were not accessible during the war,”she predicted.

“With the widespread effects of thecredit crunch and the stability that finallydawned on sri Lanka as the war came toa halt and decades of strife ended, sriLanka is a destination with good valuefor money and an exotic locale thattantalises tourists."

FeBRUARy 20, 20104

ACCOMMODATION NEWS

Mandarin Oriental to Branch into the Middle EastThe Mandarin Oriental brand will launch in the Middle East with a property on Abu Dhabi’s SaadiyatIsland, set to open in 2013.

Hotel distribution and revenuemanagement company, HotelReZ, hasexpanded into the Middle east.HotelReZ, which represents 675 propertiesworldwide, has appointed Mezze Associatesas its representative in the region.Mezze Associates, a subsidiary of the MezzeGroup based in Dubai, specialises incorporate representation and marketing.Russel sharpe, managing partner at MezzeAssociates, said the collaboration withHotelReZ had been driven by a need foreffective revenue management in theMiddle east.According to figures released by HotelReZ,Dubai’ s revpAR fell further than any otherdestination in the Middle east over thecourse of 2009.

“Mezze Associates have over 30 yearsexperience in the Middle east region andrecognises that hoteliers need crediblesolutions for demand and revenuegeneration,” sharpe said.“We are committed to offering hoteliers asolution that will maximise revenue throughall channels, and we believe our partnerhotels will benefit from HotelReZ’s strongglobal presence and experience."Brenda Collin, executive director atHotelReZ, said she expected her companyto benefit from Mezze’s experience in theregion.HotelReZ and Mezze have reported thatcollaboration with Layia Hospitality isalready underway, as well as partnershipswith several independent hotels.

HotelREZ Chooses Mezze Associates as Middle Eastern Launch Partner

to be developed by theAbu Dhabi tourisminvestment andDevelopment Company(tDiC), the hotel will

encompass 160 guest rooms and suites, aswell as 35 serviced apartments and 50branded residences.Mubarak Al Muhairi, managing director oftDiC, said the hotel would complementthe cultural and leisure attractions of thesaadiyat island development.“This agreement demonstrates AbuDhabi’s evolution into a global tourismdestination as it seeks to attract 2.3million tourists by 2012,” he said.“tDiC aspires to provide unprecedentedlevels of luxury hospitality in Abu Dhabi,and Mandarin Oriental will furthercomplement the distinctive leisureofferings on saadiyat island.”The 2013 opening date coincides with the

launch of some of saadiyat’s keyattractions, including the Louvre Abu

Dhabi, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, andthe sheik Zayed national Museum.

(L-R) Ahmed Hussein, chief operating officer TDIC; Edouard Ettedgui, CEO Mandarin Oriental HotelGroup; Mubarak Al Muhairi, managing director TDIC; Lee Tabler, CEO TDIC; Terry Stinson,

development director Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group

Russel Sharpe

5FeBRUARy 20, 2010

ACCOMMODATION NEWS

Oetker Hotel CollectionAdds Middle Eastern Properties to Portfolio

The Oetker Hotel Collection (OHC) willexpand into the Middle east, with plans to opena new hotel in Abu Dhabi, followed by propertiesin Lebanon and other GCC countries.samir Daqqaq, former vice president of globalsales in the Middle east and Africa for Marriottinternational, has been placed in charge ofdeveloping the company in the region.Daqqaq said that leading executives of OHC hadalready met with potential development partnersand would travel to various countries in the regionto introduce the brand.“The family run OHC has long been associatedwith style, nobility and efficiency and has createda timeless tradition at each of its properties,” hesaid.“As part of our development plan, we are happyto be in the GCC and Lebanon to officiallyannounce our launch and introduce the OHC tothe region.”OHC’s first Middle eastern property will be the250 room Le Bristol Abu Dhabi, and is set forlaunch in 2012.

sheikh Mubarak Abdullah AlMubarak Al sabah, chairman ofthe company, said that budgetand mid-range travel optionshad been the most resilient

throughout the global downturn.He added that reaseach indicated theeconomic climate had increased globaldemand for economy hotels by as much as16 percent in 2009.Al sabah stated that the economy sector hadoutpaced average hospitality developmentby six percent in 2009. He said that a 13 percent increase in budget

air travel in the Middle east in 2009 had ledto a concurrent increase in demand for cheapaccommodation.“Business class air travel has experienced atleast a six percent downturn in the past year.Meanwhile, intra-regional travel is growingand this accounts for more than 70 percentof the room occupancy in Dubai andBahrain, for example,” he added.According to Al saba, Action Hotel’s brandportfolio was well situated to take advantageof the shift in consumer behaviour.“The ibis, Holiday inn and novotel flags sitperfectly in this lodging gap for business

travellers and tourists who travel differentlyand want a comfortable room andpersonable proactive service at true valuerates," Al saba said.iAction will introduce an additional nineinternationally branded midscale propertiesin eight cities across the Middle east by2012, adding a total of 2,000 rooms to thecompany’s inventory.ibis properties are scheduled to open sharq,kuwait and Manama, Bahrain in 2010, withproperties under the ibis, novotel, Holidayinn and staybridge brands to follow insuccessive years.

A Little More Action: 2,000 New Rooms by 2012Kuwait’s Action Hotels will open nine new properties across the Middle East in the coming three years, takingadvantage of the boom in economy and mid-range travel.

FeBRUARy 20, 20106

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Cape Town Institutes Pricing Code of Conduct for World CupHeading off anticipated price gouging surrounding the FIFA World Cup later this year, Cape Town Tourism(CTT) has formed an industry wide pricing policy.

the Code of Responsiblepricing for Cape town(CRpCt) has beenformulated according tofour core principles: fair

value, responsible tourism, sustainabletourism and consumer protection.Conformity to the code will be voluntary,but CTT has said that it will promoteadherence through its internationalpublic relations network as a sign ofquality and value.Lianne Burton, spokesperson for CTT,said the code had been developed inresponse to perceptions that the WorldCup would inflate prices in south Africa.“This is exactly the perception we have toguard against,” she said.she pointed out that for south Africantourism to benefit from the event, goodvalue had to be maintained throughoutand following the World Cup.“There must be offers of even greater

value (along with accessibility toinformation on these great offers) bothbefore and after the event,” she said.Burton said she expected the code toreceive industry support, and added thatpotential malefactors could be broughtinto line.

“The industry is eager to ensure that Capetown’s good reputation is not spoiled bygreedy individuals out to capitalise on afew weeks, at the expense of a responsiblesector that has worked incredibly hard toput Cape town on the top of everytraveller’s destination wish list,” she said.

The first hotel under an interContinentalHotels Group (iHG) brand has opened inDenmark.The hotel, Crowne plaza Copenhagentowers, has an inventory of 366 rooms andwas designed to become one of europe’smost environmentally friendly hotels.According to iHG, the hotel featuresDenmark’s first groundwater basedcooling and heating system, which isexpected to reduce the energy used inthe hotel for heating and cooling byalmost 90 percent.Other green features include the largestbuilding-integrated solar panel innorthern europe as well as low energy

electrics.The hotel is operated by CopenhagenHotel Management under a 20 yearfranchise agreement with iHG.Allan L Agerholm, CeO of CopenhagenHotel Management said Denmarkfunctioned as a hub for travel to otherareas in northern europe and that heexpected the hotel to cater to thebusiness travel market.“Our location is known as the crossroadsof scandinavia because it is the accesspoint for Denmark, sweden and othernordic countries, making it a greatdestination for domestic and internationalbusiness travellers,” he said.

Denmark’s First InterContinental Hotel Set to be Green Business Hub

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FeBRUARy 20, 20108

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Mövenpick Moves From Middle East to Asia

The Skyscanner flight metasearch enginehas released its search data from January,showing that spain remains the topchoice for Uk travellers.spanish cities comprised five of the top 10searched-for destinations, including fourof the top five.Middle eastern destinations fared lesswell among skyscanner customers, with

sharm el sheikh entering at number 24 asthe highest ranking regional search.Barry smith, co-founder of skyscanner,shared his predictions for other desirabledestinations throughout 2010.“spain is still the top dog by a long shot,but portugal, italy and Cyprus have asignificant slice of the market andturkey and thailand are nipping at its

heels,” he said.“Orlando in the Us should do well thisyear due to the opening of Harry potter’sWizarding World, and south Africa willalso see a spike due to the World Cup”smith said that cheaper destinations hadrecently become more competitive withspain, due to the devaluation of thepound.

US Commits to National High-Speed Passenger Rail ProjectsThe US federal government has allocated USD8 billion to developing nationwide high-speed passenger rail services.

the administration alsoreleased a master plan fora Us high-speed railnetwork, and committedto an additional UsD1

billion per year in funding for the project,for five years.According to a statement issued byRobert Gibbs, White House presssecretary, the initiative comes as part ofan attempt to stimulate the Us economyand to create jobs.The text of the rail strategy documentstates that the initial investment will serveas a down payment on developing 13large-scale high-speed rail corridors.Gibbs said the project was expected tohave an immediate employment and

economic impact, and would helpeconomic growth across the country.The high-speed rail network wouldprovide faster and more energy efficientmeans of travel, and establish a newindustry in the Us, Gibbs said.More than 30 domestic and internationalrail manufacturers have agreed to establishor expand their base of operations in theUs if they are successful in bidding for thedevelopment of the projects.The investment will be directed to variousindependent projects around the country.projects already announced include workin Florida, which is receiving up toUsD1.25 billion to develop a new high-speed rail corridor between tampa andOrlando, with trains running up to 270km

per hour; and in California, which isreceiving up to UsD2.25 billion for itsplanned project to connect Los Angeles tosan Francisco and points inbetween withtrains running up to 354km per hour.

Spain Remains Firm Favourite as Skyscanner Flags UK Outbound Trends

Following years of developmentacross the Middle east, the Mövenpickhotel brand is now set to targetemerging markets in india and the Asiapacific region.toufic tammim, Mövenpick’s vicepresident of sales and marketing for theMiddle east, said there were changesahead for the swiss company.“Our focus for development is shifting to

Asia,” said tammim.“For the past 10 years we have beenfocusing on the Middle east, but we havecovered that market now – we havehotels in all of the major cities in theMiddle east.“The shift now is to Asia and india.”Mövenpick has several propertiescurrently in development across the Asiapacific and india region.

TouficTammim

FeBRUARy 20, 201010

Australia and UAE Ink New Deal to Boost FlightsThe UAE and Australia have committed to increasing flights between the two countries, following a meetingbetween key stakeholders in the aviation industry.

t he UAe General CivilAviation Authority(GCAA) signed amemorandum ofunderstanding with the

Department of infrastructure, transport,Regional Development and LocalGovernment of Australia to cement the plan.emirates Airline, etihad Airways and AirArabia were all listed as UAe nationalairlines. Both parties agreed to an increase of 14weekly passenger frequencies to and fromgateway points in Australia. An enhancedregional package was also put forward andagreed upon, resulting in an additional 21frequencies to key regional points. Representatives from Abu DhabiDepartment of transport, Dubai CivilAviation, sharjah Department of CivilAviation, emirates Airline and etihadAirways all attended the meeting.

AIR TRAVEL NEWS

Etihad to Capitalise on New Australian FlightsAs a result of negotiations between the UAe and Australian Government, etihad Airwayshas been granted seven new flights to existing Australian gateways, plus a further sevenweekly flights, on the condition that the operation flies via or into a regional airport. James Hogan, CeO of etihad Airways, said the company had made significant investmentsin its workforce and infrastructure in Australia.“The announcement that etihad Airways has beengranted up to 14 additional flights each week is anindication of the airline’s deepening bond withAustralia,” said Hogan. “We are committed to this important market andlook forward to carrying greater numbers ofbusiness and leisure travellers from destinationsacross etihad’s expanding network to Australia.”etihad currently flies 21 times per week betweenAbu Dhabi and Australia, covering three east coastcapital cities: sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.The airline will now have access to a total of 42flights per week into Australia; 35 direct togateways and seven via or into regional hubs.The new flight slots will be available fromMarch 2011.

James Hogan

Jazeera Airways has fully acquired privatefirm sahaab Aircraft Leasing Co forkWD25.6 million (UsD88.75 million). Jazeera will now pursue strategic verticalintegration initiatives that include anairline acquisition and access to globalleasing markets, according to MarwanBoodai, chairman of the airline.“As we implement our strategy to build

Jazeera Airways into one of the leadingregional airlines in the Middle east, thisacquisition is the first in a series of verticalintegration initiatives planned for 2010 and2011 to drive growth and profitability forthe airline through acquisitions,infrastructure investments and strategicpartnerships,” said Boodai.“This acquisition is instantly accretive toJazeera Airways; it will immediately boostshareholder return on equity and give ourshareholders access to steady revenuestreams, as well as access to the globalaircraft leasing industry, which is expectedto experience long term growth.“As a result of this acquisition, JazeeraAirways will now be even more strongly

capitalised to pursue its strategicaspirations, regardless of any prevailingmarket environment.”sahaab currently owns a fleet of nineAirbus A320s, which will be increased to aminimum fleet of 38 Airbus A320s by2016, based on confirmed orders.The current fleet has been purchased andleased back to Jazeera Airways, and willcontinue to operate as a fully ownedsubsidiary of the airline, catering to bothJazeera and other airlines both regionallyand globally.sahaab posted earnings of kWD2.2million (UsD7.6 million) in 2009, withprojected earnings of kWD4.6 million(UsD15.9 million) in 2010.

Jazeera Airways to Pursue Vertical Integration Following Acquisition

11FeBRUARy 20, 2010

Royal Jordanian generated netprofits of JOD28.6 million(UsD40.3 million) in 2009, despitea 15 percent decline in operationalrevenue, compared to 2008. The profit was attributed to a 19.1percent drop in operational costs in2009, largely due to the globaldecrease in fuel prices and asubsequent 47 percent decline in thecompany’s fuel costs.Hussein Dabbas, CeO of RoyalJordanian, was optimistic about thefuture of the company, despiteseveral challenges on the horizon.

in particular, Dabbas highlightedincreased competition amongregional carriers, reductions in ticketprices and the annulment of theroute exclusivity that RoyalJordanian previously enjoyed on allits regular routes. to combat these challenges, theairline has implemented new itsystems with electronic ticketing,internet booking, self service check-in and revenue management systems. The company will also continue withextensive marketing activities toenhance its global market share.

Royal Jordanian Posts Profit, Despite Decrease in Revenue

AIR TRAVEL NEWS

Abu Dhabi Boosts FrenchTies Ahead of New Flights

Air France will launch flights from Charles deGaulle airport to Abu Dhabi in May. Francois Michel, Air France Africa and Middleeast manager for the French market said AbuDhabi’s attractions made it one of the mostdesirable destinations in the Gulf region.Ahmed Hussein, deputy director general ofAbu Dhabi tourism Authority (ADtA)emphasised the importance of the Frenchmarket to Abu Dhabi.“The Air France flights bring us substantialbenefit in not only increasing capacity fromFrance, which is one of Abu Dhabi’s top 10source destinations for hotel guests, but fromits extensive route network, which isparticularly strong throughout north, south,east and central europe as well as north Africa,”said Hussein.“in the run up to the launch of the Air FranceAbu Dhabi service, we will be working closelywith the carrier in further boosting awarenessof the destination throughout the carrier’sroute network and will be hosting significantmedia and trade delegations from France tosample our expanding attractions.”Air France will fly to Abu Dhabi five timesper week.

Air France delegates on a recent familiarisation tour of Abu Dhabi

FeBRUARy 20, 201012

Egypt Top Destination for UK Budget TouristsEgypt is attracting record numbers of UK travellers, online travel agent lowcostholidays.com has reported.

Agents and operators in key Germanspeaking source markets, includingGermany, Austria and switzerland areexpected to drive an increase in tourism tothe UAe in 2010.A recent brochure audit conducted by AbuDhabi tourism Authority (ADtA) foundthat 49 percent of all tour operators thatfeature Abu Dhabi had expanded theircoverage of the product. Operators increased Abu Dhabi hotelfeatures in print catalogues by 25 percentcompared to 2009; in online material, there

was a 51 percent increase in hotel features. Mubarak Al Muhairi, director general ofADtA said the result followed a year ofintensive international promotions,marketing and inbound familiarisationtrips. “The audit covered some of the biggestnames in the business within Germanspeaking territories, which remain amongour key target markets,” said Al Muhairi.total Abu Dhabi product exposure withinthe audited countries increased by 20percent on 2009.

in Dubai, a recent tourism workshop andfamiliarisation tour targeted leadingGerman tour operators, travel agencies andmedia representatives. ibrahim yagoot, executive director ofcorporate support for the Department oftourism and Commerce Marketing(DtCM) said the workshop aimed to drivemore visitors from Germany to Dubai.Dubai’s new cruise terminal was expectedto draw a substantial number of Germantourists in 2010, as were new initiatives byemirates Airlines.

Sheikha Lubna Bint khalid Al Qasimi,Minister of Foreign trade for the UAe,has met with Barham saleh, primeMinister of kurdistan, iraq to discussfuture investment partnerships.saleh named tourism and oil productionas his region’s most promising industries.He noted that both sectors would requireincreased foreign investment in order tomeet their potential.According to saleh, kurdistan had

attracted UsD12 billion in foreigninvestment over the past three years andwas expected to attract more foreignfunds following a recent liberalisation ofinvestment laws.Al Qasimi emphasised the importance ofmaximising co-operation between theUAe and kurdistan, in order to takeadvantage of the latter’s untappedinvestment potential.“Common ambitions for boosting

bilateral ties present us with a continuedresponsibility to work out advancedmechanisms to bolster joint economicand investment cooperation,” she said.Al Qasimi described the UAe as a gatewayfor iraq to the future and said that theUAe was spearheading an investmentdrive into the kurdistan region.she said UAe firms were well situated toexplore investment offers earlier thanother international interests.

y ear on year results forJanuary have seeninterest in the destinationincrease by 220 percent,according to figures from

the company.According to paul evans, CeO atlowcostholidays.com, the upswing hascame in the wake of improved economicoutlooks for the Uk.He said that many hotels in egypt andother areas of interest to Uk tourists hadseen much of their business shift toturkey in 2009, and been forced to lowertheir rates.travellers from the Uk had picked up on the

trend and were choosing to take advantageof the improving pound and cheap deals.evans reported that the 2009 trend

towards close to home holidays for Uktravellers was easing and interest indestinations further afield had increased.

Kurdistan PM and UAE Trade Minister Discuss Tourism Investment

UAE Boosts Industry Coverage in Key German Source Markets

FeBRUARy 20, 201014

ICRT Backing to Boost Abu Dhabi’s Green Tourism ConfexThe International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) has signed on as an official sponsor of World GreenTourism Abu Dhabi, an inaugural environmental conference and exhibition to be held in December.

Informa Group, a global publiclyowned organiser of conferences andcourses, has partnered with the nationalexhibition Company in saudi Arabia. negotiations for the partnership are inthe final stages, with offices in Jeddahexpected to be operational by midMarch.peter Rigby, CeO of informa, said theoffice would initially consist of a focusteam, but the company would targetsignificant growth over the next threeyears.“saudi Arabia is an incredibly importantmarket for informa’s global growth

strategy and we are currently working ona number of ventures aimed at bringingmore world class events to the kingdom,”said Rigby.“The saudi government has madecommendable strides in the area offoreign investment and business activityand the timing is right for informa toestablish itself in this burgeoningmarket.”initially, informa will organise CityscapeJeddah and Cityscape Riyadh, with morelarge scale events planned over the next18 months.The company will also develop events

organically, based on the local market.Hussain Al Harithy, co-owner of thenational exhibition Company said thepartnership with informa would help tofurther develop the events industry insaudi Arabia.“supported by our local knowledge, thisis a first class arrangement for thecountry,” he said.“The formation of informa saudi Arabia,a company registered and based in thekingdom, is a great illustration of thecommitment that informa has towards along term sustainable contribution tosaudi business.”

R ick Theobald, from eventorganiser streamlineMarketing Group(sMG) said iCRt’ssupport would provide a

boost to the success of the event.“This is a significant vote of confidence inthis international confex, which aims topromote sustainable tourismdevelopment by influencing theintegration of eco-tourism principles intothe operations and policies of tourismindustry players – a theme which is dailygathering momentum within the Middleeast,” said Theobald.“This agreement will now see the eventactively marketed to the centre’s extensiveglobal database of companies andindividuals who are solidly engaged insustainable tourism.”He added that professor HaroldGoodwin, iCRt’s director of research andinternational partnerships, would be a keyspeaker at the event.“professor Goodwin will share hisextensive knowledge of working on four

continents with local communities, theirgovernments and the inbound andoutbound tourism industry,” saidTheobald.“His research on tourism, local economicdevelopment and poverty reduction,conservation and responsible tourism willprovide invaluable insights into howtourism can also play a role in theconservation and promotion of localtraditions, environments and jobcreation.”World Green tourism Abu Dhabi will runfrom December 6 to 8 at Abu Dhabinational exhibitions Centre (ADneC).The event emerged from Abu Dhabitourism Authority’s (ADtA)international incentive programme,Advantage Abu Dhabi, which is focusedon seeding new business tourism andmeetings concepts.Ahmed Hussein, deputy director generalof ADtA, said industry stakeholders werenow putting sustainability concerns to thefore.“We are looking to this confex to spur on

the green debate, explore regionalchallenges and identify solutions,” saidHussein.

Informa Saudi Arabia Brings Cityscape and other Events to the Kingdom

Abu Dhabi

15FeBRUARy 20, 2010

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

Graeme Barnett, exhibition director ofGiBtM, points out that while there are arange of factors that influence travellers,good old fashioned service is still the keyto success in the MiCe industry.“Cost, quality of suitable accommodation,availability of meeting facilities, value formoney and use of technology continue tobe influencing factors when creating andselecting a destination in the Gulf,” saidBarnett.“However, it is the issue of servicestandards that can make or break an event,so recruitment, training and development

must continue to be at the forefront for allthose involved in the sector. “A training plan that builds a workforcewhich attracts, develops and nurturestalent at all levels of their careers is vital.”Barnett also reiterated the importance ofkeeping up to date with the latesttechnological advances – even if you’resick of hearing about Facebook by now.Rather than seeing twitter, Linkedin andother social media platforms as time-wasters, Barnett said they can actuallyboost productivity and revenue in theMiCe industry.

“social media and new technologies arebecoming increasingly integrated intothe meetings and event marketingindustry as they, more than ever before,can save time and labour, hencemaximising return on investment,” hesaid.“Rob Davidson’s 2009 industry trendsand Market share Report reflects thisdevelopment, with respondents seeingvirtual meetings as an important trend,and many of them predicting a shift toweb-based learning as a way to controlmeeting and travel costs.”

Keep Standards High with Staff Training

Many Hands Make Light Work - Connect With Your Peers

Travel Distribution in PhocusThe growing signifigance of ancillaryrevenue for airlines is poised to changethe travel distribution landscape in2010, according to a phocusWrightConnect (pWC) report.According to pWC, major globaldistribution systems (GDs) lack thecapability to handle the airlines’optional extras.pWC predicts that airlines will getcreative with their optional charges,introducing premium ancillaries inaddition to charging for basic serviceslike checked baggage.expect aviators to take advantage of theincreased importance of ancillaryofferings to gain leverage with GDsproviders; or drive consumers towardschannels favourable to the airlines.

Travel agents can communicate with one another to harness the collective knowledge of a network of peers

While the benefits of consumer-focusedsocial media have been well documented,business to business applications remainrelatively scarce. travelport has now introduced aservice, specifically tailored to the traveltrade, which aims to connect travelagents throughout the Middle east.travelport has partnered with webhosting provider travelChat to create anonline chat facility, enabling travelagents to communicate securely and inreal time with their colleagues.Rabih saab, vice president of travelportGDs Middle east, said the service could

be used to exchange information,knowledge, ideas and best practices witha network of travel professionals.“With travelChat, travelport has fostereda dynamic online community whereGalileo and Worldspan connected travelagents can communicate easily with oneanother to harness the collective knowledgeof the network of peers,” said saab.“A growing number of travel agents inthe Middle east are using this interactivetool and we are delighted that the portalis encouraging the flow of informationand facilitating collaboration amongagents in the region.”

FeBRUARy 20, 201016

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Frederic BardinSenior Vice President, ArabianAdventures“Australians have now discoveredDubai as a new holiday destinationthat is comparatively close to them.Also, since emirates launched flightsto sao paulo, Brazilian tourists haveentered our top 10 visitor arrivals. iwouldn’t be surprised if we seeemirates open more flights to Braziland south America. The Uk remainsour biggest client base, followed byGermany and Australia, south Africa,switzerland, Japan and France.”

I wouldn’t besurprised if we see

more flights to Brazil and

South America

Frederic BardinSheikh Mubarak Abdullah Al Mubarak Al SabahChairman of Action Hotels“Action Hotels is focused on the development of a global portfolio of landmark,affordable hotels of a build that is a notch above the tier guidelines. We look toservice niche corporate and tourism traffic in gateway locations within cities,strategic sectors and primary tourist destinations.”

Action Hotels is focused on the development of a global portfolio of landmark hotels

Thomas Tapken Group General Manager, City Seasons Group

We are looking at acquisition of internationalproperties as well as the development

of a management company

“even during the past year of economicchallenges, the City seasons Group hasachieved a respectable occupancy rate of 82percent, with average room rates around AeD420, reflecting the market’s continued interestin solid four star properties. We are not seekingto change the business model, but to furtherdevelop it within the UAe and internationally.City seasons Group is a firmly establishedUAe hospitality chain with the ability todevelop steadily according to its business plan.We are also looking at acquisition ofinternational properties as well as thedevelopment of a management company tofurther broaden the reach of the group, andhave a very exciting year ahead of us.”

ThomasTapken

City Seasons Al Hamra Hotel

FeBRUARy 20, 201018

Waike PapkeWaike papke has been appointed asdirector of sales and marketing for parkHyatt Dubai. papke holds a bachelor ofarts degree in tourism management. shebegan her hotel career in 1995 at europaHotel schwerin in Germany as a financialaccountant and was promoted to residentmanager in 1996. she has also worked forHyatt in Germany, swissotel in Russiaand Banyan tree Al Areen in Bahrain.

Janet FitznerRezidor Hotel Group has appointedJanet Fitzner as general manager ofRadisson Blu Hotel, Dubai DeiraCreek. Fitzner began her career in1988 at interContinental Cologne,Germany. she joined Rezidor in 1992as director of sales and marketing atRadisson sAs Hotel Dusseldorf.since then, Fitzner has worked acrossa range of Rezidor properties inireland, Germany and poland. sheholds a degree in businessadministration for the tourism andtransport industry.

Shinu Pillaishinu pillai has been appointed asregional sales manager UAe andMiddle east for Reed travelexhibitions’ (Rte) meetings andincentives portfolio, based in Dubai.pillai will be responsible for activelymarketing Rte’s full suite of meetingand incentive shows, includingGiBtM in Abu Dhabi, eiBtM inBarcelona, CiBtM in Beijing,AiBtM in Baltimore and AiMe inMelbourne. However, his primaryfocus will be GiBtM. pillai has beenbased in the UAe since 1996 and hasworked in the exhibition industry fornine years. He was a key player in thelaunch and marketing of the Businesstravel show in Dubai in 2007.

Francesco AgusMövenpick Hotel Bahrain has appointedFrancesco Agus as food and beveragemanager. Agus has more than 11 years ofexperience in international hospitalityand previously worked with Mövenpickin the Uk as a regional sales manager. Hehas also worked for expotel, sugo treRestaurant, L’arena Restuarant, Jury’sClifton Ford Hotel and The BernersHotel. He began his career at the age of16 as a bartender in sardinia, italy.

Laurent ChaudetAccor Hospitality Middle east hasappointed Laurent Chaudet as generalmanager for pullman Dubai Mall ofthe emirates, the flagship property ofpullman Hotels and Resorts in theMiddle east. Chaudet has 25 years ofexperience in hotel management. Hehas managed several Accor propertiesacross Asia, including east indonesianovotel, novotel Ambassador seoul,sofitel suzhou China and GrandMercure Xidan Beijing.

Janet Fitzner

Francesco Agus

LaurentChaudet

Waike Papke

19FeBRUARy 20, 2010

Travel Trade Weekly: How doesGIBTM 2010 differ to previous years?Graeme Barnett: There are several newinitiatives this year, not least of which is arestructured education programme. There is a hunger in the Gulf and Middleeast region for education, which is whywe have developed the programme toinclude a number of new initiatives tyingin with a dedicated Gulf Meetings Week –all created with the input and support ofkey associations Mpi, site and iCCA.The professional education programmeat GiBtM will be divided into threedistinct themes – event planning Day onMarch 29; industry Research Day onMarch 30 and industry trends Day onMarch 31.

Travel Trade Weekly: Are thereparticular exhibitors at GIBTM 2010that stand out?Graeme Barnett: new destinations thatare exhibiting at the show for the first timeinclude: south Africa, turkey, China andindonesia-through Cape WinelandsDistrict Municipality, Dragonfly Africa,turkish Culture and information Office,Beijing tourism Administration and theMinistry of Culture and tourism ofindonesia.

Travel Trade Weekly: How has thisindustry changed in recent years?Graeme Barnett: The Middle east hastremendous opportunities ahead of itselfin the meetings industry: an ideal locationbetween east and West, with rapidlydeveloping airline hubs and an increasedcapacity to host meetings, incentiveprogrammes and events; from the largestinternational association congress, tohighly focused niche corporate meetings. The emergence of Abu Dhabi as one of

the top destinations to host meetings andincentives in the Gulf (according to Reedtravel exhibitions’ third annual Gulfregion meetings industry survey,presented at last year’s event) is evidenceof the potential opportunities on both thesupplier and buyer side.

Travel Trade Weekly: Do you haveany predictions for the future of theindustry in 2010 and beyond?Graeme Barnett: According to RobDavidson’s 2009 industry trends andMarket share Report, the general outlookfor the conference and events industryremains uncertain, as many believe that itis still premature to talk about thebeginnings of a recovery, despite growingoptimism.Recovery is expected to be gradual andbusiness confidence will most probablypursue a moderate but cautious path torecovery, and the meetings and eventsindustry will follow.i am, however, optimistic about the futureof the meetings industry in the Gulfdespite difficult economic andchallenging trading conditions.

Travel Trade Weekly: What advicedo you have to travel professionalsworking in the MICE market?Graeme Barnett: As GiBtM willattract the largest gathering of meetingprofessionals in the region, my last piece

of advice is simple and straightforward –attend GiBtM at ADneC from March29 to 31 and come away with businessleads and new knowledge as to how togrow and develop business. Those that visit GiBtM will findeverything that they need to organise andplan their next meeting, conference,incentive or event. Additionally, professional educationfeatures highly with a programme ofseminars and workshops presented byinternational professionals who willdebate and tackle key issues and givepractical advice for meetings industryprofessionals at all levels of experience. Finally, concentrate on the customerexperience from start to finish. it certainlyis getting harder to attract and win newbusiness so do all you can to hang on to it!

Q&A with Graeme BarnettGraeme Barnett, exhibition director of GIBTM, gives Travel Trade Weekly a sneak peak at this year’s event,as well as offering his comments and advice on the MICE industry in the Gulf.

It is still premature to talk about

the beginnings of a recovery, despitegrowing optimism

GraemeBarnett

FeBRUARy 20, 201020

Events

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Riyadh Travel Show Back For Seconds in JuneThe second Riyadh travel (RtF)exhibition is being planned for June,following the success of the inaugural2009 event.The four day exhibition will focus on anew theme - Destination 2010 Foreveryone At Anytime. RtF has been designed to coincide withthe start of preparation for the summertourism season.exhibitors will include international

airlines, travel agencies, hotel companiesand governmental bodies, includingforeign missions and tourism activationagencies. specific topics covered will include traveland tour packages, rail tourism, cruisingand unexplored destinations aroundsaudi Arabia and internationally. RtF organisers are targeting entrepreneurs,potential investors, private organisations andgovernment bodies to attend the event.

The exhibition will run from June 1 to 4at the Riyadh international exhibitionCentre (RieC).