04 general 09 usd38.2 billion to boost saudi tourism weekly-issue... · usd38.2 billion to boost...
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PASSENGER TRAFFIC AT DWC SURGES 79.8 PERCENT
30 JULY 2016 ISSUE 351
USD38.2 BILLION TO BOOST SAUDI TOURISM
GENERAL04
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THREE NEW HOTELS TO OPEN IN MUSCAT
ETIHAD: USD10.7 BILLION ECONOMIC FOOTPRINT IN US
TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS
30 JULY 20162
MARKET UPDATE www.traveltradeweekly.travel
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ASSISTANT EDITORRita Kasziba
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UAE: 54,000 NEW ROOMS IN THE PIPELINE
INTERNATIONAL TOURISM REMAINS STRONG
A construction report by TOPHOTELPROJECTS foresees 183 new hotels and 54,000 keys in the UAE.
The World Tourism Organization (UNTWO) reported above-average growth in global arrivals in the first four months of the year, with the figure increasing 5.3 percent year-on-year to 348 million.
With a combined 155 properties and 47,619 rooms, Abu Dhabi and Dubai lead the way in construction with projects such as Paramount Hotel Dubai and Hard Rock Hotel Abu Dhabi. Sharjah is set to welcome six new addresses, while in Ras Al Khaimah, five properties are anticipated.
Whilst the majority of developments are expected to open before 2020, the busiest years are predicted to be 2017 and 2018 with 56 and 58 new project openings, respectively.
The document was prepared for The Hotel Show which will be held at Dubai World Trade Centre between September 17 – 19.
At this rate, it could become the seventh consecutive year delivering better than normal num-bers, with international volumes rising four percent or more per annum since 2009.
During the Northern Hemisphere summer peak season, UNWTO predicts that 500 million tourists will travel abroad, accounting for approximately 41 percent of this year’s travellers.
According to the data available, international visitors in the Middle East and North Africa have been estimated to have declined seven percent and eight percent, respectively.
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WEEKLY NEWS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
30 JULY 2016
THE SAUDI COMMISSION FOR TOURISM AND NATIONAL HERITAGE (SCTH) AND A COALITION OF SAUDI ARABIAN GOVERNMENTAL BODIES ARE SET TO PROMOTE THE KINGDOM’S TOURISM THROUGH A RECENT SPENDING BOOST, ESTIMATED AT SAR144.3 BILLION (USD38.2 BILLION).
A ccording to Mohammad Abdullah Al-Amri, general director, SCTH, SAR53.5 billion (USD14 billion) is destined to be invested in local projects, while SAR90.8 billion (USD24.2 billion) will be allocated for inbound tourism.
SCTH is anticipating that travellers and residents of the country will deliver some SAR144.3 billion (USD38.5 billion) in revenues this year, with local visitors set to generate more than the SAR86.4 billion (USD23 billion) spent by them abroad.
USD38.2 BILLION TO BOOST
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WEEKLY NEWSwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (TDA) gathered close to 100 tourism stakeholders for a workshop which was designed to increase collaboration and align the emirate’s promotional activities.
Hosted by Rixos Bab Al Bahr, the event attracted industry partners, hoteliers, destination management companies and government entities from across Ras Al Khaimah and the UAE.
The seminar shared details of the strategy which aims to attract one million visitors to the emirate by the end of 2018.A key focus of the workshop centered on digital messaging, which is a strategic investment area for Ras Al Khaimah TDA
and a core pillar of its endeavours to encourage the support, alignment and active participation of all its partners.
Strategic Workshop in Ras Al Khaimah
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C onsidered as one of the fastest-growing automobile rental companies in the UAE, Dollar Rent A Car UAE launched a new branch in Dubai Marina Mall, bringing the number of
the company’s service points in the region to 27. With the recent-ly-opened location, the rental expert will provide its services and wide array of vehicle options to residents and tourists staying in the Dubai Marina area.
Commenting on the development, Marwan Al Mulla, general manager, UAE and Oman, Dollar Rent A Car, stated “We are proud to announce the opening of a new branch in Dubai Marina Mall as part of our expansion strategy on having a strong presence in the city’s most dynamic neighbourhoods.”
Dollar Rent A Car Opens in Dubai Marina Mall
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WEEKLY NEWS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
I n tune with its plans for Al Merief and Nareel Island, Aldar Properties has contracted Na-tional Projects and Construction (NPC) with a deal worth AED440 million (USD120 million).
The contract confirms planned work over a 16-month period, entailing infrastructure, utilities, public areas and the designated marina works for Nareel Island, which is set to be developed on two islands and will consist of 148 villas, a lagoon, pontoons, parks, gardens and private beaches.
Similarly, Khalifa City’s Al Merief will comprise 283 villas surrounded by a blend of Emirati traditions and modern amenities, including recreational facilities, located within a short reach of parks, mosques, school and retail centre.
“[…] With the appointment of NPC, we are on track for the completion of both develop-ments in 2017,” confirmed Talal Al Dhiyebi, chief development officer, Aldar Properties.
Aldar Recruits NPC for USD120 Million
Aldar Properties in Abu Dhabi views Al Ain as a key expan-sion market for its retail portfolio, driven by its significant local population and vibrant business landscape.
According to Urban Planning Council’s Plan Al Ain 2030, the city population will witness a threefold increase over the next two decades. As a result, driven by strong consumer demand, the destination’s retail sector is set for rapid growth as retail space per resident is expected to surge to approximately 1.115m2 by 2030.
Al Ain's strong fundamentals and its cultural significance within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi have led it to become a key destination for Aldar's development strategy with the Garden City, playing host to Al Jimi Mall, Remal Mall, Shabhat Plaza, and its residential development – Oyoun Village.
Retail Growth in Al Ain
Summer Festivals in Saudi Arabia
N ow with 700 events, this year’s summer season by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) has delivered an increase of 30 percent com-
pared to 2015, creating more than 7,000 temporary jobs.The calendar also includes in excess of 70 programmes as
well as over 100 trips organised by Live Saudi Arabia, taking visi-tors to museums, archeological and historic sites that reflect the Kingdom’s cultural and economic development.
SCTH has reported that by the end of the year, over 130 or-ganisations will have invested SAR150 million (USD40 million) into the events sector. Income from festivals is expected to reach SAR15 billion (USD4 billion), having a direct impact on provincial economy and local communities, who rely on tourism events.
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WEEKLY NEWS ATTRACTIONSwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
BTEA to Create Largest Mosaic in GCC
“This interactive initiative will help showcase the Kingdom’s touristic attractions to a wider audience,” remarked Yousef Mohamed Al Khan, director of market-ing and tourism promotion, BTEA, urging all talented photographers and en-
thusiasts to participate by submitting their unique shots that express their love towards the country.
A dedicated website has been developed for individuals to upload their photographs until the last week of November.
Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA) will reveal an artwork made from photographs taken by members of the public,
in December as part of the Manama Capital of Gulf Tourism programme.
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Egyptian Museum Exhibits Ancient
Papyri
Archaeologists have un-earthed the oldest series of writings found in the region,
with six of the 30 pages now on dis-play at Cairo’s Egyptian Museum.
Dated between 2589 – 2566 BC, the papyri provide information about the daily lives of the workers who built the Great Pyramid under the reign of Pharaoh Khufu. The documents were originally found near the ancient port of Wadi al-Jarf in the Red Sea area, inside a series of caves.
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WEEKLY NEWS TECHNOLOGY www.traveltradeweekly.travel
DHISCO has joined forces with Nirvana Travel and Tourism, the newest in a
series of agreements that the hos-pitality distribution company has formed to aid the expansion of the Middle Eastern travel sector.
Alaa Al Ali, general manag-er, Nirvana Travel and Tourism, commented, “Partnering with DHISCO is key to achieving that growth and ensuring it is able to provide its clients with the best rates and trouble-free bookings at hotels around the globe.”
Having opened offices in China, Spain and Saudi Arabia, the Abu Dhabi-based tour op-erator is planning to launch in the US, UK, Germany and France in 2017.
Nirvana Travel and Tourism
Teams Up with DHISCO
Abu Dhabi
EmQuest Partners with Al Futtaim Travel
E mQuest, a technology provider and distributor of Sabre products for travel agents in the UAE, Africa and the Indian Ocean, has signed a three-year contract with Al
Futtaim Travel. Under the agreement, Al Futtaim Travel will adopt the
Sabre global distribution system (GDS) throughout its entire
network of agencies within the UAE, and benefit from a range of advanced Sabre products within its corporate division.
“With EmQuest as a partner, we can provide our custom-ers with the best set of tools and applications in the market to meet their diverse needs,” commented Micky Bhatia, general manager, Al Futtaim Travel.
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WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATIONwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
Three New Hotels to Open in Muscat
The properties will include a five-star W Hotel as well as a five-star JW Marriott and a four-star Crowne Plaza-branded project, all located within the upcoming Madinat Al Irfan Urban Centre develop-ment, which is expected to significantly contribute to the diversification of the national economy.
All hotels are designed to meet the criteria for US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environment Design certification.
The properties will further enhance Omran’s collection of business and luxury addresses, supporting the strategic growth of the Sultanate’s tourism and MICE sectors, with Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre at its core.
Oman’s tourism development company Omran, is on course to launch three new premises with over 900 rooms in 2017 – 2018.
Paramount to Add 1,300 Rooms in
Dubai
Paramount Hotels & Resorts is ex-pected to become a significant player in the UAE’s hospitality sec-
tor over the coming year. As Thomas van Vliet, CEO, Para-
mount Hotels & Resorts, revealed, the operator’s flagship UAE property, Para-mount Hotel Dubai, is set to welcome its first guests by the end of 2017. Part of a mixed-use complex that will also house 1,197 serviced residences, the first Para-mount-branded project in the UAE will offer a luxurious experience with a Cali-fornian edge and Hollywood vibe.
As van Vliet further disclosed, be-sides the 823-unit hotel, three more developments themed after Paramount Pictures movies are underway in Dubai, with a total of 1,383 keys. M
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WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION www.traveltradeweekly.travel
Hospitality Management Holdings (HMH) has reported posi-tive results for ECO Vision 2020, the UAE-based company’s pro-gramme aimed at reducing the consumption of energy and
water by 20 percent per annum.HMH has applied a number of measures across all its hotels, includ-
ing the introduction of voltage optimisation, regular audits on thermal insulation systems and a review of building management systems to ensure equipment is operating at the highest efficiencies possible.
Laurent Voivenel, CEO, HMH, commented, “We have developed practical, cost-effective strategies to reduce our carbon footprint by up-grading infrastructure and changing behaviours. Actions such as these are critical to mitigating the devastating impact of climate change on people and nature.”
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Users of the Aeroflot loyalty pro-gramme are now able to earn one mile for every US dollar spent
at Jumierah Group’s hotels and resorts around the world.
Members – with their number cur-rently standing at five million – who stay a minimum of 15 nights a year at any of the UAE-based hotelier’s 22 properties will also receive 5,000 miles with the Russian carrier.
Alison Broadhead, chief commercial officer, Jumeirah Group, noted “Jumeirah’s hotels and resorts in Dubai and other coun-tries such as London, the Maldives and Mal-lorca, have always been popular with Rus-sian visitors and this partnership provides significant potential for Jumeirah Group to reach affluent Russian travellers - the coun-try is one of our top source markets.”
Aeroflot and Jumeirah Bonus Scheme Partnership
EarthCheck Design Certification for DAMAC Towers
DAMAC Towers by Paramount Hotels & Resorts, Dubai, has received the EarthCheck Building Planning and
Design Standard from one of the leading sci-entific advisory groups for travel and tourism.
According to Stewart More, CEO, Earth-Check, the accolade recognises developer DAMAC Properties’ commitment to reducing environmental impact and, as one of the few hospitality properties in the Middle East to at-tain it, sets a standard for others to emulate.
Due to be completed in 2017, the build-ing will be home to 1,200 luxury serviced res-idences across three towers with the world’s first Paramount hotel located in the fourth building.
DAMAC Towers
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WEEKLY NEWS AIRwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
Etihad: USD10.7 Billion Economic Footprint in US
T he group’s economic footprint across the US includes USD3.8 billion in GDP and the sup-port of 30,300 jobs, mainly through the recruitment of US-based suppliers for cabin in-teriors, IT infrastructure and new aircraft, thus, delivering USD2.9 billion to the country’s
GDP through domestic spending. Some 22,400 American jobs will be backed by the USD1.9 bil-lion that is expected to be left in the country by the Abu Dhabi-based carrier’s passengers.
In addition, the group’s partner airlines maintain another 54,800 jobs through their core op-eration and the wider leisure industry, with USD1.6 billion added to the national GDP.
Etihad Aviation Group supports around 108,000 jobs across the US this year, contributing some USD10.7 billion and leaving an enormous
impact on one of the world’s largest economies.
Iraqi Airways Flies Daily to Mashhad
C ontinuing its regional growth, Iraqi Airways will operate daily departures from Baghdad Inter-
national Airport to Mashhad International Airport in Iran, effective from August 01.
In order to provide enhanced travel options and better connections, the Mid-dle Eastern airline will further expand its route map with the introduction of regular flights from central Iraq’s Al Najaf International Airport to the Iranian hub in Mashhad.
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WEEKLY NEWS AIR www.traveltradeweekly.travel
Effective from October 01, Emirates will increase capacity on the Dubai – Milan route by 1,834 seats per week, enabling more Airbus A380 to A380 connections.
The double-decker aircraft comprises 14 private suites in first class, 76 seats in busi-ness and 401 in economy class. There will be Italian speaking staff on all flights, a selection of food and wine from the European country and a range of entertainment options in Italian.
Emirates operates three daily services to Milan and facilitates the import and export of goods through its SkyCargo division, having transported 22,000 tonnes of freight between the destinations in 2015.
Emirates Brings A380 to Johannesburg
Emirates Enhances Milan Service
T he potential collaboration between the Omani Ministry of Tourism and Salalah Air was explored in a meeting between H.E Maitha Al Mahrouqi, undersecretary, Min-istry of Tourism, Oman and Sam Owen, CEO, Salalah Air.
Owen clarified the airline’s ambition to further expand Salalah Air’s charter services across the governorates of Oman.
“Our vision is to become the number one charter air service provider in the Sultanate while remaining true to the traditions and culture of Oman,” expressed Owen, highlighting the firm’s intention to cooperate with Oman Air and Salam Air.
Whilst emphasising the fundamental principles of Salalah Air, namely cultural heritage, commitment and national character, Owen proposed the introduction of an adventure sports centre and Oman’s first flying club.
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Johannesburg Emira
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F rom February 2017, Emirates will use an Airbus A380-800 for one of its four daily departures on its busi-
est route in the African network between Dubai and Johannesburg.
The airline, which currently deploys Boeing 777 aircraft on the itinerary, has carried more than three million passen-gers between the two cities in the past five years. Like all of the airline’s services to South Africa, the flight will be operated in partnership with South African Airways.
The 516-seat Airbus A380 will be uti-lised for the first flight of the day. Johan-nesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport will join over 40 destinations in Emirates’ global network reached by the aircraft.
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WEEKLY NEWS AIRwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
The Kuwait Council of Ministers has granted Jazeera Airways permission to construct a terminal at Ku-wait International Airport (KIA). The decision will
facilitate the reduction of congestion at KIA, the state’s sole airport, which is currently functioning over capacity.
The country’s Directorate General for Civil Aviation up-
dated the airline on the decision through a letter approv-ing the allocation of land for building and operating both the terminal and designated car park buildings. The KWD14 million (USD46.3 million) investment has an overall con-struction frame of 15 months, and forms part of the com-pany’s series of value boosting projects, Next Big Thing.
I nternational Air Transport As-sociation (IATA) and Interna-tional Federation of Freight For-
warders Associations (FIATA) have teamed up to roll out the IATA-FIA-TA Air Cargo Program (IFACP).
In 2012, the organisations be-gan adapting the existing project to reflect the evolution of freight carriers from selling agents to pur-chasing customers. The IATA-FIATA governance board, jointly man-aged by forwarders and airlines, now governs rules for the industry.
Rudi Sagel, chairman, airfreight institute, FIATA, believes that the modern programme will free up valuable resources to tackle the complex challenges that today’s global trade presents.
IFACP will pilot the rollout in 2017 in Canada and completion is expected by the end of 2018.
IATA and FIATA Launch
Air Cargo Initiative
Kuwait Approves Jazeera’s Terminal Request
Kuwait International Airport
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WEEKLY NEWS INTERNATIONAL www.traveltradeweekly.travel
E tihad Airways and Arab Film Festival Australia (AFFA) have joined forces once again to bring the best of contempo-rary Arab cinema to Australian audiences through pro-
grammes in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Perth. The 13th annual AFFA, which runs until August 12, show-
cases diverse films from Australia, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq, Pales-tine and Syria.
The programme ranges from a powerful story of a mother searching for her son to a comedy about a couple on a mission to stop each other’s snoring.
Fadia Abboud, co-director, AFFA, said, “It is our objective to present amazing stories from the Arab world by capturing authentic voices, unique communities and current issues with sophistication and sensitivity.”
D esroches Island Developments has announced that Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts will manage the only resort on the remote Indian Ocean island, Desroches.
The intimate accommodation establishment will have 40 exclusive beach suites, each with direct access to the sea, outdoor living spaces and private plunge pools within tropical gardens. The property will boast 11 residence villas as well as two restaurants, a lounge bar and a six-suite spa offering lo-cally-inspired treatments and wellness classes. There will also be a marine conservation discovery centre and a giant tortoise sanctuary.
Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island will re-open in 2017 after extensive renovations to the existing property.
H VS’s U.S. Hotel Franchise Fee Guide has analysed the price of being a franchisee based on information obtained from 69 hotel brands, finding that the
average outlay was 10.9 percent of the room’s revenue.Median franchise costs per product type did not vary
drastically, demonstrating that differences are more de-pendent on hotel company and chain scale than on prod-uct type.
The 10 most expensive franchises represent a mix of mid-rate and first-class chain scales and the 10 lowest were reported at economy and mid-rate properties. The survey took a number of different expenses into account, includ-ing initial fees, continuing fees as well as royalties and charges related to advertising and marketing.
L oews Hotels opened its fifth property at Univer-sal Orlando Resort, raising the number of on-site rooms at the destination to 5,200.
In line with the hotel’s theme, guests were wel-comed with a Caribbean-inspired celebration which included a steel drum band, stilt walkers and colourful streamers inside the hotel lobby.
The development, influenced by Caribbean riv-ers and waterfalls, features a lagoon with water taxis, the largest pool at Universal Orlando Resort, two sand beaches and a children’s play area. Visitors staying at the relaxed, island style accommodation will also be entitled to early admission into the two Universal Stu-dios theme parks.
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Arab Film Festival Australia Underway
Four Seasons to Manage Seychelles Luxury Resort
HVS: US Franchises Cost 10.9 Percent
Loews Sapphire Falls Resort Greets First Guests
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TRAVEL CHANNELS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
Emirates have presented what is hailed as the world’s first economy class pack that uses augmented reality (AR) technology to access interactive content by utilising the Blippar mobile application.
Designs were inspired by the six regions in the airline’s network which passen-gers can scan to unlock health tips, entertainment and activities. The exclusive con-
tent will be updated every six months and is part of Emirates’ endeavours to improve comfort and convenience in economy class. The bags, which will be available on selected long-haul and ultra-long-haul flights from August, also contain an eye mask, earplugs, socks, a tooth-brush and toothpaste.
EMIRATES UNVEILS AR AMENITY KIT
PASSENGER FLIGHT POWERED BY BIOFUEL
Al Bustan Centre and Residence, Dubai organised a health and safety training for its engi-neering, food production and security departments as part
of the property’s responsibility awareness programme.
During their annual seminar, those work-ing in the aforementioned sectors attended lectures and workshops and took part in in-teractive sessions. Not only were employees informed of the latest developments and con-cepts of workplace safety, the gathering also promoted work performance and efficiency.
Moussa El Hayek, chief operating officer, Al Bustan Centre & Residence noted, “The safety of our guests and our staff remains one of our highest priorities.”
WORKPLACE SAFETY TRAINING
AT AL BUSTAN
Coinciding with Boeing’s centennial celebrations, South Afri-can Airways (SAA) and low-cost carrier Mango flew 300 pas-sengers on a Boeing 737-800s powered by a blend of 30 per-cent biofuel produced from Sunchem Holdings’ nicotine-free tobacco plant.
In 2014, Boeing and SAA launched Project Solaris in a bid to covert oil from Solaris seed into bio-jet fuel. Compared to fossil jet fuel, aviation biofuel emits 50 – 80 percent lower carbon emissions and provides eco-nomic opportunities to rural areas with underused land in South Africa.
In line with the project’s goals, a new plan called the Southern Africa Sustainable Fuel Initiative (SASFI) has been introduced to ensure long-term domestic fuel supply for SAA and other regional users.
Emirates amenity kits
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RENDEZVOUS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What are the main reasons behind the constantly rising traffic figures? In other words what makes KFIA an attractive airport for both airlines as well as passengers?
SHER KHAN: KFIA registered a record 9.6 million passengers in 2015 after six consecutive years of double-digit growth. Between 2009 – 2015, the compound annual growth rate reached 12.4 percent. Apart from favourable macroeconom-ic factors, such as population and GDP growth, active airline engagement and enhanced levels of service to our passengers have contributed to this positive trend. KFIA regularly meets its existing and future potential airline customers to
SHER KHAN
Q & A
with
MANAGING DIRECTOR, KING FAHD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
WITH OVER NINE MILLION PASSENGERS PER ANNUM, DAMMAM’S KING FAHD
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KFIA) REMAINS ONE OF THE REGION’S BUSIEST HUBS.
HERE, SHER KHAN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, KFIA, OUTLINES THE AIRFIELD’S FUTURE
PLANS.
ures to enhance the service and efficien-cy of the immigration process, introduce a meet-and-assist service, and work with customs to implement a green channel for passengers who have nothing to de-clare. The second ground handler, Swis-sport [commenced] operations in July and is expected to improve service levels and drive costs down for airlines.
Apart from facilitating the passen-ger growth, we have a strong focus on cargo development. With the first phase of the KFIA Cargo Village nearing completion, we are now moving on to phases two and three, with the award-ing of the second cargo operator and customs bonded zone. This will be fol-lowed by the launch of phase four, the warehouse and logistic zone, in the next few months.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What role are airports like KFIA playing in at-tracting more international visitors to Saudi Arabia?
SHER KHAN: Apart from ensuring the necessary airport infrastructure and fa-cilities, KFIA believes that airports have an important role in facilitating and promoting collaboration between key players in the travel industry, includ-ing airlines, tourism authorities, travel agents and hotels, to raise awareness among passengers and to provide them with convenient options to travel to and from the Kingdom.
Our priorities [for the next months] include the aforementioned infrastruc-ture and facility upgrades. We are also looking to enhance our connectivity to long-haul destinations in Europe and Asia, and facilitate the launch of our new home-base carrier SaudiGulf.
discuss network expansion opportuni-ties in Dammam. Through our incentive scheme, we are able to offer airlines the cheapest aeronautical charges in Saudi Arabia.
To enhance the passenger experi-ence, we are constantly upgrading the airport infrastructure and facilities. Over the past six years, we have doubled the retail and food and beverage space, pro-viding passengers with a wide variety of shopping and dining options, which in-clude many international brand names.
We are happy that these efforts have been recognised by the industry and we were named the best improved airport in the Middle East in 2015 at Airports Council International’s annual Airport Service Quality Awards.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Between 2004 and 2014, passenger numbers at KFIA jumped from just 2.8 million to 8.5 million. What are the latest de-velopments at the airport aimed at facilitating the fast-rising traffic?
SHER KHAN: We are in the midst of a number of infrastructure and facility up-grades to expand the handling capacity of the terminal and improve the level of service. These include the expansion of the check-in hall, enhancement of the baggage handling system, expansion of the immigration halls, addition of pre-board security screening machines, replacement of the passenger loading bridges, and the construction of addi-tional aircraft parking bays. We are also constructing a long-term car parking area and an airport hotel. In terms of initiatives to enhance the passenger ex-perience, we have plans to roll out a city check-in service, introduce new meas-
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King Fahd International Airport
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AGENT CORNER www.traveltradeweekly.travel
When and how did you get involved in the tourism industry?I worked in a resort hotel in the Philip-pines way back [in] 2002 until I got [the] opportunity to work abroad and joined Regency Travel & Tours [in] 2006.
What are the most important attrib-utes of a good travel agent/tour op-erator?A good travel agent listens, suggests and finally comes up [with the] best solution customised to each and every customer need. A personal relationship with customers is also very important.
What is the most frequently asked question that your company re-ceives from customers?Nowadays all travellers have access to all online booking tools. Aside from the fact that they are very well trav-elled, they already know what they want before consulting an agent. The most common questions they ask [in-clude] cruise bookings, cancellation policy, and “I saw this hotel have [an] offer online, how much can you [do]?” What are the must-visits and must-dos in Qatar that no one should miss? Some not to be missed [attractions are] sand dunes, Aspire Park, Corniche, Katara village, Al Zubarah Fort and the aqua park.
Which destination is on your bucket-list?My ultimate dream is to travel the world but my priority list [includes] Canada, US [and an] Asian cruise.
AGENT’S INSIGHT
Abergale Bantugan
Assistant operations manager
Regency Travel & Tours
Doha, Qatar
www.myholidays.com
COMPANY:
POSITION:
NAME:
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WHO’S MOVED / TRAVEL TALK www.traveltradeweekly.travel
30 JULY 2016
FIRAS RASHID has been ap-pointed area director of sales and marketing at Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar and Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara, in Oman.Having served at various lux-ury hotels and resorts, Rashid brings 15 years of experience and a solid understanding of the Anantara brand and the region to the role. Apart from a strong performance record in sales, he is known for his in-novative approach to market-ing strategies. In his new position, Rashid will oversee the sales and market-ing initiatives of the resorts with the aim to successfully in-troduce the brand to the coun-try and position the addresses as leading luxury destinations offering five-star experiences.
ROGIER HURKMANS has been promoted to cluster general manager of TRYP by Wyndham, Barsha Heights and Wyndham Dubai Marina. Hurkmans joined Wyndham Ho-tel Group in the Middle East in 2015, as opening general man-ager of Wyndham Dubai Marina. Having worked for numerous hotel chains, such as InterCon-tinental Hotels Group, Hilton Worldwide, Steigenberger Ho-tels, Swissôtel Hotels and Re-sorts and Bilderberg Group on various hotel openings, renova-tions and rebranding projects, Hurkmans brings over 20 years of experience to the role. His new duties include overseeing operations at Wyndham Dubai Marina and obtaining responsi-bility for the upcoming TRYP by Wyndham in Barsha Heights.
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Group business development director, The Sun Siyam Hotels & Resorts
“Here in the Maldives, we understand that our Middle Eastern guests place huge importance on spa and well-ness during their stay with us, after enduring the unfor-giving heat and dust of the Gulf region during the sum-mer, which is why we offer sanctuaries of tranquillity and rejuvenation at both of our resorts. Most of the cor-respondence we receive from the Middle East region con-cerns the [...] packages we can offer.”
We offer sanctuaries of tranquillity and rejuvenation
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General manager, Centro Sharjah
“We are extremely eager to play our role in the Healthy City project [by organising a health day on the hotel’s premises]. This distinction [awarded by the World Health Organisa-tion] for Sharjah compliments its reputation of being the cultural hub and is a great step forward to improve health and environmental levels in the city, in addition to strengthen-ing community participation in the programme.”
We are extremely eager to play our role in the Healthy City project
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An Arabic Calligraphy exhibition by well-known Egyptian artist Diaa Allam opened at La Verda
Suites & Villas, Dubai MarinaEmirates Park Zoo and Resort's summer
camp introduced African activities
Sultan, Mayar and Maram, the children of Sheikh Aimen Bin Ahmed Al Hosni, CEO, Oman Airports Management Company, were presented with
Oman Air’s first Junior Sindbad Flyer passports Health day at Centro Sharjah
19
PHOTO ALBUMwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
30 JULY 2016
Italian football legend Paolo Maldini with members of AC Milan Club UAE at the St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi
Al Seef Summer Tent at Al Seef Resort by Andalus is a true summer hotspot in Abu Dhabi
30 JULY 201620
NEWS & EVENTS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
IBTM LATIN AMERICA
Mexico City, MexicoSeptember 07 – 08www.ibtmlatinamerica.comLeaders, organisers and specialised suppliers for events will convene for business adventures.
SEATRADE CRUISE MED
Tenerife, SpainSeptember 21 – 23www.seatradecruiseevents.comA major biennial event focussed on the world’s second- largest cruise destination, the Mediterranean and its adjoining seas.
IMEX AMERICA
Las Vegas, USOctober 18 - 20 www.imexamerica.comThe hosted buyer programme qualifies and brings key buyers to the show, with IMEX America covering travel and accommodations.
EVENTSMajor Industry Events Coming
Up in Dubai
ADNEC to Host NATRANS Expo
Some of the largest happen-ings dedicated to MENA’s tourism industry will take place simultaneously in Dubai
in September. Running between September
17 – 19, both The Leisure Show and Piscine Middle East will be staged at Dubai World Trade Centre along with the already well-established The Ho-tel Show.
Considered as one of the region’s biggest events showcasing the lei-sure sector, the former is organised by dmg events, while Piscine Mid-dle East, hailed as one of the most significant pool and spa supply pro-grammes in this part of the world, is co-organised by GL events and dmg events.
Abu Dhabi National Exhibi-tion Centre (ADNEC) will hold NATRANS Expo 2016 on October 25 - 26, show-
casing several of the most advanced technologies with a variety of appli-cations in smart cities.
Industry leaders will display the latest innovations and solutions in the field, including road and traffic, metro and rail infrastructure, as well as autonomous vehicles.
Peter Costa, vice president, Mid-dle East, Honeywell Automation and Control Solutions, commented, “Sharing our expertise and technol-ogy at NATRANS enables the Mid-dle Eastern transport industry to be more green, safe, and productive in line with the region’s smart city vi-sions.”
Alongside the exhibition, two technical conferences will run with more than 75 speakers discussing sustainable transportation and In-ternet of things in transportation.