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Market Update 2Accommodation News 4Air Travel News 8International News 10Cruising News 12Travel Tips 15Travel Talk 16Who’s Moved 18Rendezvous 19Events 20
Middle East and North Africa Edition
MAY 29 , 2010 ISSUE 29 www.traveltradeweekly.travel
12
leBanon CruisingFady Abboud, Lebanon’s Minister ofTourism, has admitted that the country’slack of suitable marine facilities ishampering tourism and said thegovernment was committed to improvingthe situation, with new marinadevelopments on the cards.
In This Issue
LIBYA14
Baader Hotels omanWith the financial backing of Germanbanking moguls, real estate companyBaader Hotels and Resorts has enteredthe Omani market to stimulate tourismand development in the sultanate.
Tourism in Libya has received a shot in the arm from anew deal with the US. Ryad Sunusi, CEO of Libya
Expeditions, said an agreement has been reached thatwould allow US tourists to visit the North African nation
for the first time in years.
2
Opens Up
Details of an upscale residentialhousing development,targeted at Omani and GCCbuyers, are expected to bereleased soon.
Baader Hotels and Resorts LLC has thefinancial backing of Uto Baader, majority ownerof Baader Bank.The company is under the joint ownership ofBaader; Siegfried Lingel, majority owner ofMerkur Bank; and Omani partner Silver CircleOverseas LLC. Baader Hotels and Resorts LLC aims tobroaden the range of real estate and integratedtourism projects in Oman.
Baader is also vice chairman ofGulf Baader Capital Market
SAOC, part of a listed investment companythat operates in Oman. “Our objective is to create a series of unique anddistinctive projects that also fit with thedevelopment objectives set by Oman’sleadership,” said Baader.“Our company has very strong financialfoundations and is backed by the experienceand expertise that transformed Baader Bankinto one of Europe’s most successful and largeststock broking banks.”
MAY 29, 20102
COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=UAE (AED) Dirham 3.67Egypt (EGP) Pound 5.60Saudi Arabia (SAR) Riyal 3.75Lebanon (LBP) Pound 1501Bahrain (BHD) Dinar 0.37Jordan ( JOD) Dinar 0.70Syria (SYP) Pound 47.03Kuwait (KWD) Dinar 0.29Qatar (QAR) Riyal 3.64Oman (OMR) Rial 0.38Tunisia (TND) Dinar 1.50Morocco (MAD) Dirham 8.94Iran (IRR) Riyal 9986Yemen (YER) Rial 225.77Algeria (DZD) Dinar 74.44Libya (LID) Dinar 1.32
MENA Exchange RatesAccurate as of 26/5/2010Currencies shown in red are fixed against the US Dollar
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLYDeputy EditorLaura Warne
JournalistLouis Dillon Savage
Design & LayoutElina Pericleous
Sales & MarketingJane DavidsonMarianna TsiamasTina Georgiou
DirectorsAndreas ConstantinidesMary Kammitsi
HeadquartersP.O. Box 25255Nicosia 1308 CyprusTel: +35722820888Fax: +35722318958
Websitewww.traveltradeweekly.travel
[email protected]@[email protected]
Head of Germany’s Baader BankBacks Oman Development CompanyGermany’s Baader Hotels and Resorts LLC has entered the Omani market,promising a development announcement in the near future.
Bond holders in Accor have approvedthe company’s planned demergerahead of a vote by shareholders inJune.Accor has also released further detailsof the strategy it intends to pursue withits hospitality assets following the split,focusing on cutting costs andmaximising cash flow.The hospitality segment of thecompany is preparing to shoulder thebulk of Accor’s debt and its strategyfocuses on generating the income tosustain its planned EUR1.2 billion(USD1.48 billion) load.The new business model will focus onmaximising asset values and managingcosts, with a plan to overhaulpurchasing processes expected togenerate EUR40 million (USD49.29million) in savings per year.The company will minimise ownership
in its hotels by selling many of itsproperties. Of the 1,600 hotels currently owned oroperated under fixed leases by Accor,450 will be sold.Accor expects the sale of hotels togenerate EUR450 million (USD554.5million) over the course of 2010, morethan 50 percent of which had alreadybeen achieved.However, despite plans to divest itselfof many properties, Accor has flaggedan aggressive expansion programmebased on franchise and managementagreements.The group expects to be adding up to40,000 rooms to its inventory per yearby 2012.Other plans include a rebranding ofthe company’s Suitehotel chain, whichis to be brought under the Novotelmarquee as Suite Novotel.
shareholders are last test for accor demerger
Our company has very strong
financial backing
MAY 29, 20104
aCCommodation neWs
Hilton Signs Dead Sea Property in JordanHilton has signed its third property in Jordan, contracting with Emaar’s Dead Sea Resort Company formanagement of a property on the Dead Sea Coast.
The Holiday Inn Seeb inMuscat, Oman is ready tobegin construction, withAl Rawahi Internationalappointed to build theproperty.The hotel is being developedby Action Hotels Kuwait, aspart of the company’s plan toexpand its hotel holdingsacross the Middle East.Initially slated to open in thethird quarter of 2010, theproperty was delayed due to areview of construction costs.According to Al Mubarak AlSabah, the hotel is now ontrack to open in the fourthquarter of 2011, thoughconstruction has not yetbegun.Mubarak said Oman was animportant component inAction’s regional expansion.“We are looking to service
niche corporate and tourismtraffic in gateway locationswithin cities, specialist zones,and iconic touristdestinations,” he said.“The Holiday Inn Seeb Muscatwill deliver all of theseelements and more.”Similarly, Kirk Kinsell,president of Europe, MiddleEast and Africa forInterContinental HotelsGroup (IHG), said Oman wasan important growth marketfor IHG brands.“Today we have six existingproperties and three morehotels under development,”he said.“These figures signify ourcontinued investment in thegrowth and development ofOman’s tourism sector and itsposition as a leading leisuredestination.”
Holiday inn seeb ready to Build
The hotel, Hilton DeadSea Resort and Spa, isscheduled to open in2013 within the SamarahDead Sea Resort mixed
use development.It will be linked to the King Hussein BinTalal Convention Centre, which is part ofthe project.Said Darwazah, chairman of Dead SeaResorts Company, said the hotel wouldbenefit both from health tourism to theDead Sea and meetings businessgenerated by the convention centre.
“We are delighted to have signed thismanagement agreement with Hilton, theleaders in hospitality,” he said.“As Jordan continues to witness a growthin tourism numbers, with the Dead Seaattracting health, religious and corporatebusiness, this resort is destined forsuccess.”Hilton has also contracted to manage twofurther hotels in Jordan, both of which arestill under construction.The 531 room Hilton Amman JordanGate hotel is due in the fourth quarter ofthis year in Amman, to be followed by the
346 room Hilton Tala Bay Aqaba propertyat the end of 2011.
Hilton dead sea resort and spa
5MAY 29, 2010
aCCommodation neWs
Jal Hotels launches guest ProgrammeMy JALHotels frequent guest programme is the latestinitiative of Japanese company, JAL Hotels. The programme will include discounts and complementaryadd-on services at Nikko Hotels International, JAL HotelsME and Hotel JAL City. Standard, Silver and Gold memberships will be offered; theprogramme is free to enroll in.Hotel JAL Fujairah Resort and Spa is the brand’s first hotelin the UAE and Middle East; a property in Dubai is alsocoming up. Enrolment to the My JALHotels programme is open nowand will remain open until December 2011. Customers can enroll or get more information via a weblinkon JAL’s official website home page.
Jumeirah Group Partners with Meeting Professionals InternationalDubai based Jumeirah Group has signed a formal partnership with Meeting Professionals International(MPI) that will span investments in research, education and marketplace opportunities.
U nder the three year agreement, MPI will trainevent focused employees at Jumeirahtowards the goal of obtaining CertifiedMeeting Professional (CMP) credentials.The two companies plan to advance current
research on the future of the meetings industry; to aid thisresearch, Jumeirah has made an investment commitment to theMPI Foundation.In return, Jumeirah will have access to MPI members, whorepresent buying power of USD16.4 billion. Guy Crawford, CEO of Jumeirah Group, said Jumeirah wasactively expanding around the world, focusing more closely onmeetings and events.“At Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts, we have access to some of themost imaginative and exhilarating facilities to hold a meeting ora conference, and Jumeirah colleagues have become known forthe thoughtful and generous service they provide in a luxuriousenvironment,” said Crawford.“By supporting the MPI Foundation and through ourcontinuous commitment to the development of our colleagues,our goal is to raise the bar to offer even more innovative andsuccessful meetings.”
Jumeirah emirates towers
MAY 29, 20106
SNTTA Reports Upswing in BookingsSNTTA has reported a 15 percent increase in summer bookings compared to 2009.
seawings targets repeat BusinessWith incentive ProgrammeSeaplane tour operator Seawings has launched a customerloyalty and incentive programme, targeted at Dubai’sexpatriate market. Guests booking a repeat experience, who have registered onthe Seawings website, will receive a 30 percent discount ontheir seat. The company has also implemented a referral programme,where guests will be rewarded for seats booked by referredpassengers.Stuart Wheeler, CEO of Seawings, said repeat business wasan important strategy for the company.“We want to encourage those guests that have flown with usand give them incentives to repeat their experience manytimes,” he said.“Our guests are considered part of the Seawings family andwe believe this programme will bring true value to them.”
Z afar Imam, managingdirector of SNTTATravel, said the riseindicated was a goodsign for both
consumer confidence and theoutbound travel market in the UAE.“Current trends show a healthy 15 percent increase in bookings for air ticketsand holiday packages, compared to thecorresponding period last year,” hesaid.“This, we believe, is a reflection of anupswing in outbound travel, which isthe result of increased consumerconfidence this season.”However, he also observed that
changing patterns of travel had affectedthe figures.“We see a new trend in whichexpatriate families are combining theirannual holidays to their homecountries with short-duration holidaypackages to other destinations,” he said.“Bookings from Emirati families arealso on the rise and most of them aretravelling earlier than usual in order toreturn to the UAE before Ramadan,which begins in mid-August.”Malaysia, Egypt, Turkey, UK andGermany were identified by Imamas the destinations which hadproven most popular with travellersfrom the UAE.
Current trends show a healthy 15 per cent increase
in bookings for air tickets and holiday packages
Zafar imam
We want to encourage those guests that have flown with us and give them
incentives to repeat their experiencemany times
MAY 29, 20108
air tRAVel neWs
air arabia egypt receives government approvalAir Arabia’s plans for a third hub in Egypt have moved astep closer to realisation, with the carrier qualifying for itsAir Operators Certificate from the Egyptian authorities.According to the airline, the certification clears the way forthe launch of Air Arabia Egypt, which will operate fromAlexandria International Airport.The Egyptian base will begin operations with two aircraft,servicing various destinations around Europe, the MiddleEast and Africa.It represents Air Arabia’s third hub, following the launch ofthe company’s base in Morocco.The venture is being undertaken in co-operation with Egypt’sTravco Group, operators of the Ibertoel, Swiss Inn and JazResorts hospitality brands, as well as a number of tour andcruise offerings in Egypt.
Gulfstream Highlights Market Shift Ahead of AVEXThe Middle East and Africa region is ripe with opportunities for aerospace companies, according to businessjet manufacturer Gulfstream.
eff Miller, vice president ofcommunication for Gulfstream,said his company currentlysupported more than 120 aircraftacross the Middle East.
“The overall market is shifting from NorthAmerica to global markets and certainlythe Middle East is one of our majormarkets,” he said. Gulfstream has signed on as a key sponsorfor the upcoming AVEX InternationalAirshow, to be held in November atSharm El Sheikh International Airport,Egypt.
“Our participation at AVEX reflects ourgrowing commitment to internationaloperators,” said Miller. “We will be at the show with at least onelong-range jet and one mid-range jet; bothtypes serve the region well, depending oncustomer mission.”AVEX organisers have highlighted severalpositive developments within the Africanaviation industry, with expanded servicesby several regional and internationalairlines. AVEX will be held between November 7and 10.
J
Jeff miller
9MAY 29, 2010
air tRAVel neWs
To find out more and to make your business booking, please call +971 4 705 4277 or email [email protected] for hotels in Dubai, Fujairah, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah.
For Abu Dhabi and Al Ain hotels, please call +971 2 697 9107 or email [email protected].
Flydubai expands to sri lankaDubai based low cost airline, flydubai,has expanded its network to includethe Sri Lankan capital, Colombo.The new route will mark 21destinations on flydubai’s internationalmap. Flights will begin on June 23. Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of flydubai,said the airline would operate fourflights per week from DubaiInternational Airport. “Sri Lanka is a great destination for usto have in our network and once againwe are complementing the existingservices on the route,” said Al Ghaith.“The more options for passengers thebetter and we believe our simple, lowcost service will be very popular withthe 300,000 Sri Lankan expats living inthe UAE, as well as tourists looking foran affordable tropical getaway.”
Thai airways Boosts Connections Between middle east and asia Pacific
emirates targets abudhabi recruits ForCabin Crew BoostEmirates has its eyes on Abu Dhabias a recruitment market, in its bid toreach a target of 3,000 cabin crewrecruits this year. The airline is also seeking to increasethe number of crew members withArabic language skills. A cabin crew open day, on May 29,was designed to give potential recruitsa better understanding of theindustry, said Rick Helliwell, Emiratesvice president of recruitment.“There are very few jobs that enableyou to travel the world working in amulticultural team of over 120nationalities,” he said.Emirates currently employs more than11,000 cabin crew, all based in Dubai.
Thai Airways is tailoring its routes and capacities to meet the needs of the MiddleEastern market, the carrier has revealed.Larger aircraft will be utilised throughout the summer season, in anticipation of increaseddemand.Thai recorded fleet-wide load factors of more than 70 percent in April and is targetingthe Middle East to maintain business during its traditional low season of May to June.The carrier is enhancing its connections to between the Middle East, Indonesia, Australiaand New Zealand, increasing the number of flights between these destinations from itsBangkok hub.
Four Seasons has set a target of increasing its currentthree Chinese properties to a total of 14 hotels, withtwo openings this year and nine more on the books.Kathleen Taylor, president of Four Seasons Hotels
and Resorts, said the company was working on a strategic planthat would establish Four Seasons as the premier luxuryhospitality brand in China. “More business and leisure travellers are visiting China than everbefore and with that comes increased expectations for superiorservice and product of the highest quality,” said Taylor. “Critically, as the Chinese travel more frequently within thecountry and around the world, they’ll look for a brand theyalready know.”In 2010, Four Seasons will open hotels in Hangzhou andGuangzhou.
“The importance of China as both an inbound and outboundmarket cannot be underestimated and we believe that the currentrapid growth in travel, encouraged in part by more accessibletravel visas, will continue,” said Taylor. JW Marriott Jr, chairman of Marriott International, echoed thissentiment, announcing that China was arguably the world’s mostcompelling tourism market today.“Within the next 10 years, China is expected to be the world’ssingle largest source of international tourism and its number onetravel destination,” said Marriott.Accordingly, the company has signed management agreementsfor seven new hotels in China and aims to double its presence inthe country within the next five years. China is already Marriott’s largest market outside of NorthAmerica; the company expects to have 60 hotels open across sixbrands by the end of 2010, including eight Ritz-Carlton hotels.
MAY 29, 201010
international neWs
China Hotel Supply Set to Boom with Top BrandsMajor international hotel chains, including Four Seasons and Marriott, have announced aggressive and rapidexpansion plans within China.
Four seasons Hotel Hangzhou
The importance of China as both an inbound and outbound market
cannot be underestimated
11MAY 29, 2010
international neWsThai tourism market event shut down by riots
Violence in the Jamaican capital of Kingstonhas disrupted flights into and out of thecountry. Air Jamaica, the national airline, was
forced to reschedule flights due to theviolence, which was sparked by an attemptto extradite a high level drug dealer to the
United States. Access to Norman ManleyInternational Airport in Kingston has beenblocked intermittently by the event.
The Thai Tourism Market (TTM) tradeshow has been indefinitely postponed dueto recent civil unrest, according toTourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).According to Suraphon Svetasreni,governor of TAT, although the event wasnot due to be held until early June, theimpact of recently ended violence wassufficient to require it be postponed.“After intense consultation and discussionwith the private sector in the light of therecent situation in Bangkok, we decidedthat the TTM would not achieve the set
outcomes as we had anticipated,” he said.According to TAT, life in the country’scapital Bangkok is returning to normal,with a large scale cleanup underway torepair the damage caused by months ofexplosive social unrest.Svetasreni said encouraging the recovery oftourism would be a crucial part of Thailand’shealing process, emphasising that TTM hadbeen postponed and not cancelled.“It is our duty and responsibility to promoteboth the international and domestictourism industries, especially for the benefit
of the private sector, which has beenimpacted by the political unrest,” he said.“Thus, we felt it appropriate to proceedwith TTM, as it is important to ensure thatwe make an emotional recovery first aspart of the effort to regain our strength.”Tourism in Thailand has been disruptedsince March, when protesters against thecurrent government entrenched themselvesin downtown Bangkok.Violence escalated until a finalconfrontation with security forces endedthe demonstrations in mid May.
Jamaican drug War disrupts Flights, in Kingston
MAY 29, 201012
Cruising neWs
Zegrahm expeditions returns toPersian gulf with new Cruise
US based adventure cruising company ZegrahmExpeditions will resume services to the Gulf in 2011, with aSands of Time voyage through the Persian Gulf. The voyage will begin in Dubai, taking in local sites andincluding a traditional dhow cruise, before continuing to SirBani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.It then continues to Bahrain and Qatar, before exploringOman, Fujairah and the Musandam Peninsula. The cruises will include a high calibre expedition and lectureteam, including Professor Ron Wixman – a specialist on thecultures and people of the Midlde East – and author andtextile expert Kim Saunders. Other cultural and natural history experts will alsoaccompany the Persian Gulf and Dubai cruises as part of thelecture team. The Sands of Time voyage will be serviced by the 110passenger luxury Cruise ship, Clipper Odyssey. All cabins have an ocean view, ensuite with shower and bath,and sitting area with sofa.The Sands of Time cruises will be offered between February17 to March 4, as well as November 25 to December 7, 2011.
Lebanon to Act on Marina ShortageFady Abboud, Lebanon’s Minister of Tourism, has admitted that the country’s lack of suitable marine facilitiesis hampering tourism.
Speaking at the recent BeirutBoat 2010, he said thegovernment would act on theshortage.
“Marine tourism and private boats havebecome key components of the Lebanesetourism sector,” said Abboud.“With all the touristic Lebanese marinasbeing packed with private boats, it hasbecome mandatory to develop a newmarina with high touristic features to hostyachts and boats of all sizes. “Our efforts will be focused onestablishing several new marinas in
Lebanon, the first of which will be in theport of Jounieh.”Edward Aoun, board member of BeirutBoat organiser IFP, said the marine sectorwas crucial to the tourism industry. “Besides the fun side of boating, there’s ahigh economic value at stake; marinasremain catalysts to bringing high incomesto tourism and hospitality activities,” saidAoun.“We should start taking advantage of ourstrategic location and our beautifulbeaches.“We need proper collaboration and an
action plan between the public sector andthe private and civic players in ourcountry, aiming at the sustainability andcleanliness of our Mediterraneanseafronts, starting with sewer treatmentprogrammes and beach cleaning. “Now is the time to act.”
It has become mandatory to build
a new marina with hightouristic features
MAY 29, 201014
Libya Opens to US Tourism Tourism in Libya has received a shot in the arm from a new deal with the US.
Flywell travel launches online travel Portal for egypt
R yad Sunusi, CEO ofLibya Expeditions, saidan agreement has beenreached which willallow US tourists to
visit the North African nation for the firsttime in years.“Effective immediately, visas are beingapproved for US citizens for travel toLibya,” he said.“We are pleased with the newdevelopments and giving the opportunityto US citizens to return to Libya andexplore this magical and scenic land.”
According to Travcoa, a tour operatorbased in California, US, the dealrepresents only the second time that UStourists have been allowed to visit thecountry since its 1969 coup d’état.Libya also opened its borders to US travellersfor a short time between 2004 and 2005.According to Libya Exhibitions, the majorsource markets for Libya are Italy, France,Germany, Spain, and the UK.However, interest from the US haspicked up and Travcoa has alreadyannounced its intentions to return to thecountry this year.
Jerre Fuqua, CEO of Travcoa, said thecompany would benefit from itsexperience in Libya, having operatedtours there up until 1969, and again in2004 and 2005.“We're enormously pleased that the doorto Libya is open to us again,” he said.“The chance for us to offer travel to Libyaagain this fall after a brief return in 2004and 2005 means that Travcoa will havemore experience than any other US travelcompany.”According to Libya Expeditions, theLibyan government has announced plansto attract 1.5 million tourists annually by2012 and visa reform has been a keyinitiative in that project.
MRCO-Egypt and Flywell Travel havepartnered to launch a new online portalfor tourism in Egypt.The portal has taken 10 months ofdevelopment, according to MRCO,developer of the site.The site is designed to serve both
consumer facing and business tobusiness applications, enabling travelagents and tourists to book and pay fora variety of services online.Mohammed F Reiad, executive managerof MRCO, said development of the sitewould continue and that a second phase
expansion of its facilities was underway.Mohsen Abdein, general manager ofFlywell Travel, highlighted theimportance of the online channel to hisbusiness and said Flywell had allocatedan open ended budget to webdevelopment and marketing.
Effective immediately,visas are being approved
for US citizens for travel to Libya
tripoli
The great Pyramids
15MAY 29, 2010
Prove Your Worth – Why Travel Agents Are IrreplaceableWith the rise of consumer independence that comes with online bookings and direct channels, many peopleare openly questioning the role of traditional travel agents. Here are some tips for proving why travel agentsare still important.
A ccording to industrysources, more thanever, clients are activelyresearching their traveloptions and comparing
prices online, often before demandingtheir travel agents match the deals theyhave found. While many agree that greatertransparency within the industry canonly be a good thing, the fact remainsthat travel agents provide a service thatgoes beyond that offered by directchannel bookings and online travelportals.
Although it may be easy for clients toforget this service, there are times whenthe help of a knowledgeable and savvytravel agent can be invaluable. Rabih Saab, of Travelport Middle East,pointed out that recent events haveproven the worth of traditional travelagents.“An agent can be particularly useful whenan individual traveller needs to makechanges to their booking or whenunforeseen circumstances – such as therecent ash cloud disruption – force achange in travel plans,” said Saab.“In these situations, a travel professional
is better positioned to guide a travellerthrough all of their options.”Saab added that travel agents could alsobenefit individual travellers whorequired assistance in comparisonshopping or booking more complexflight itineraries.
A travel professional is better positioned to guide a traveller
through all of their options
MAY 29, 201016
Travel Talk is your space – this is a casual forum for travel industry professionals to discuss current issues and share stories. We want to hear from you, so send your comments, questions, frustrations and observations to [email protected]
mohamed a al nomanDirector General, SharjahCommerce and TourismDevelopment Agency“The tour guide is considered todayas the cornerstone of the tourismpromotion process. The success orfailure of a tour can be mainlyattributed to a tour guide. We arewell aware of the critical role playedby our tour guides in the tourismpromotion process. Therefore, weare committed to developing theseprogrammes to cope with thedevelopment of the tourism sectorall over the world.”
The tour guide is the cornerstone
of the tourismpromotion process
mohammed al HabbaiCEO, Dubailand“Our vision is to remain a key tourism driver for Dubai and our participation inthis [Kids Go Free] promotional drive from Dubai Department of Tourism andCommerce Marketing and Emirates airline reinforces our ongoing commitmentto the development of Dubai as the ultimate family friendly destination of choice.Dubai has effectively demonstrated its value for money at a time when touristsaround the world are looking for new family holiday destinations at a highlycompetitive price. This is a commendable initiative whereby the private andgovernment sector of Dubai have joined forces to provide a seamless andaffordable holiday experience for families from around the world.”
The private and government sector of Dubai have joined forces
dr suhail KadhiChairman, Elaf Group“Through our visionary management and highly motivated, specialised staff, we wereable to develop our internal skills and meet the challenge of managing our hotels onour own. We are currently working on establishing and operating additional hotelsacross the country and obtaining authorisation from more international airlines. Weshall continue to provide our individual and group customers at the local andinternational levels with the best quality services. We look forward to further enhancingthe tourism sector and reinforcing its GDP contribution in line with the kingdom’slong-term strategy of minimising its dependence on oil as a revenue source andimplementing its economic diversification policy on a broader scale.”
We look forward to further enhancing the tourismsector and reinforcing its GDP contribution
saudi economic and development Companyexecutives inspect elaf headquarters
mohamed a al noman
17MAY 29, 2010
UAE based travel agency CozmoTravel has officially launchedoperations.
The agency provides business,leisure, health and religioustravel services across theGCC and wider Middle East
and North Africa region. Jamal Abdulnazar, general manager ofCozmo Travel, said the company alsooffered VIP services and visa processingfor UAE nationals and residents. “Cozmo Travel has been launched with amission to deliver the most memorabletravel experiences to regional travellers,backed by our experienced team ofprofessionals and commitment tocustomer service,” said Abdulnazar.“Our customers can expect anoutstanding and consistent level ofservice and an unbeatable range ofinnovative products.”Cozmo Travel’s main office is located onMina Road in Sharjah; the company alsohas two operational offices in Sharjah.
sheikh abdullah Bin mohammad al Thani, chairman of the sharjahdepartment of Civil aviation, officially opens Cozmo travelCozmo Travel
Launches UAEOperationswith SharjahOutlet
Cozmo Travel hasa mission to deliver
the most memorable travel experiences to
regional travellers
MAY 29, 201018
najib nasserInterContinental Hotels Group hasappointed Najib Nasser as cluster directorof sales and marketing for Jordan. Nasserwill be responsible for the followinghotels: Crowne Plaza Amman;InterContinental Aqaba Resort; HolidayInn Resort Dead Sea; Crowne Plaza PetraResort; and the upcoming Crowne PlazaResort Dead Sea. Nasser has workedacross Jordan, Qatar and the UK. Hismost recent roles were director of salesand marketing at Le Meridien Ammanand director of sales and marketing atLondon Marriott Hotel Park Lane.
toby JosephJumeirah Group has appointed TobyJoseph as vice president of sales andmarketing for Dubai. Joseph willoversee all sales and marketingmatters for Jumeirah’s Dubaiproperties. He was previouslyemployed as the co-founder andpartner of TJ Associates, aconsultancy specialising in businessrestructuring and sales and marketingprojects in the service industry.Joseph has also worked for EosAirlines, TQ3 Travel Solutions, andCarson Wagonlit Travel for Europe,Middle East and Asia.
magdy metwallyHilton Worldwide has appointedMagdy Metwally as general managerof Hilton Sharm Dreams Resort inEgypt. Metwally has spent 20 yearswith Hilton Worldwide in keymanagerial positions. Most recently,he was general manager of HiltonSharm El Sheikh Fayrouz Resort.
tarek mourad
JAL Hotels UAE has appointedTarek Mourad as director of financefor the upcoming Hotel JAL TowerDubai, the second JAL Hotelproperty to open in the MiddleEast. Mourad will join the pre-opening team for the new hotel,planning all financial aspects for theproperty. He has more than 23 yearsof experience in the hospitalityindustry, specialising in financialmatters.
gordon dewarBahrain Airport Company hasappointed Gordon Dewar as CEO.Dewar is currently managing director ofEdinburgh Airport and previouslyoccupied the same position at GlasgowAirport. He has more than 20 years ofexperience in the transport industry; inparticular, he has significant experiencein airport expansion and capacitybuilding.
gordon dewar
tarek mouradtoby Joseph
najib nasser
19MAY 29, 2010
Travel Trade Weekly: Please tell meabout Action Hotels – what makesyou different from other hoteldevelopers in the region?Alain Debare: We are one of the feworganisations working in this segmenttoday; although you have budget and mid-market hotels, they are mostly owned byindividuals making a single investment.So, the fact that we are both a privatecompany and an organisation focused onmid-market investments is something thatsets us apart.In five years we plan to be the leading mid-market hotel ownership company in theMiddle East and I would say we are wellon track for that.My pipeline is 3,500 rooms and we willhave five hotels open by summer.
Travel Trade Weekly: Your focus onmid-market properties is unusual in aregion usually associated with luxuryhotels – can you tell me a little aboutwhy this focus was chosen?Alain Debare: I think Sheikh Mubarak[chairman of Action Hotels] saw the earlypotential in of the mid-market hotels,based on a number of factors.The growth of intra Gulf travel, thegrowth of budget airlines and the growthof local economies all contributed, as wellas the great need in the region.In the Middle East, too often the choice isto stay in a five star hotel or in an unbrandedlocal hotel.There is a real need and huge potential forhigh quality branded accommodation thatis more affordable than the five star andluxury offerings.
Travel Trade Weekly: Action Hotelshas developments underway as far
afield as Australia – how do youchoose your destinations?Alain Debare: Our developments inAustralia were driven by the fact that ourholding company, Action Group, has anoffice there to oversee certain otherinvestments.They notified us of certain opportunitiesand we decided to take them, so wecurrently have an Ibis in Melbourne andare constructing a Novotel in Brisbane.We are very strategic in the way weidentify our locations. When we have afeeling that a market might be appropriate,we will then commission a consultant toconfirm our opinions.Then, we will go to the cities in a countryand explore, looking for good locations;then decide on the best brand for a locationand review them with the operator.Sometimes you will have to look at 10locations before settling on one.
Travel Trade Weekly: So the operatorsare involved from the very beginning?Alain Debare: Oh yes – all of our hotelsare purpose built. We will reach agreementswith our operators before we start on design.Even our choice of consultant isinfluenced by the operator we areplanning to work with.
Travel Trade Weekly: In youropinion, what is the most importantemerging market in the Middle Eastand North Africa region?
Alain Debare: It is an important fact aboutAction hotels that we are spread all aroundthe Middle East; though we are a Kuwaitbased company, we have offices in Dubaiand our properties are in seven countries.Of the Middle Eastern countries we areeverywhere except Qatar and Saudi.Saudi is one of our key target markets atthe moment and if we see the rightopportunities we would definitely investboth there and in Qatar.However the mid-market has certainobstacles in these countries, such as issuesof ownership rights, and finding land forthe properties at the right price.
Travel Trade Weekly: Do you haveplans to expand your brand portfolio?What brands are on your wish list?Alain Debare: At the moment we havetwo partners: Accor and InterContinentalHotels and we are very happy with them. So, today we are not looking for otherpartners.I would say we are busy enough!However, we are not locked up in any ofour destinations, so never say never.But for now it is not part of our plans.
Q&A with Alain DebareAlain Debare is the general manager of Action Hotels, a company that has been pioneering mid-markethospitality in the luxury saturated Middle East. He took some time with Travel Trade Weekly to shed lighton hotel development and the changing regional market.
In five years we plan to be the leading mid-markethotel ownership company
in the Middle East
alain debare
MAY 29, 201020
EventsInternational Holiday FestivalTehran, Iran, June 10-12 (www.expokish.com)Festival showcasing local food, traditions, tour organisers,hotels and accommodation providers to extend the range offoreign and domestic travels.
International Travel Expo Hong KongHong Kong, Jun 10-13 (www.itehk.com)Travel industry event for Chinese region, supported by morethan 96 countries.
Destinations WorldBengaluru, India, June 11-13A comprehensive exhibition for the travel and tourismindustry in the Indian region.
Asia Luxury Travel Market Shanghai, China, June 14-17 (www.altm.com.cn)Sister event to ILTM, focusing on senior Asian luxury travelbuyers.
Business Travel MarketLondon, UK, June 16-17 (www.businesstravelmarket.co.uk)Conference and exhibition for meeting corporate travel buyers,suppliers and intermediaries – expected to attract more than4,000 delegates and 500 of Europe’s top travel buyers.
Cityscape JeddahJeddah, Saudi Arabia, June 7-9 (www.cityscapejeddah.com)Networking, conference sessions and round table events forthe real estate market, including hotels and other tourismdevelopments.
Expo World Middle East Abu Dhabi, UAE, June 17-19 (www.adnec.ae)Gathering of exhibitions industry figures from around theworld, with a focus on the Middle East.
HospitalityWorld Bengaluru, India, June 24-26 (www.hospitalityworld.in)Showcasing south India’s hospitality industry.
Beijing International Tourism ExpoBeijing, China, June 25-27 (www.bitechina.com.cn)Exhibiting products and destinations for Chinese andInternational professionals.
India International Travel Market Bengaluru, India, July 10-12 (www.iitmindia.com)A showcase for tourism, leisure, hospitality and relatedindustries.
Cityscape Dubai Dubai, UAE, October 4-7 (www.cityscapeglobal.com)Networking, conference sessions and round table events forthe real estate market, including hotels and other tourismdevelopments.
Outdoor Adventure DubaiDubai, UAE, October 8-10 (www.outdooradventuredubai.com)Adventure sports, outdoor clubs, equipment specialists andholiday destinations.
dtCm Partners with dePe for gCC road showIn the lead-up to Dubai Summer Surprisesfestival, the Department of Tourism andCommerce Marketing (DTCM) haspartnered with Dubai Events andPromotions Establishment (DEPE) tomake a joint promotional tour of the GCC.The road show, supported by Emirates,Tamani Hotels and Alpha Tours, will take
in Kuwait (May 31), Qatar ( June 2) andSaudi Arabia ( June 12-16). It will highlight Dubai as a touristattraction and promote Dubai SummerSurprises – an event that attracted 2.2million visitors in 2009.This year, the event will run from June 17to August 7.
A range of Dubai hotels and travelcompanies will join the road show topromote discounted hotel prices andtravel packages. Spa tourism is also high on the agenda forDEPE, with an exclusive campaignfeaturing promotions from more than 35international spas in Dubai.
