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20 DECEMBER 2014 ISSUE 267
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SEAWINGS LIFESTYLE LAUNCHED IN DUBAI
08
13
SHERATON GRAND HOTEL DUBAI OPENS
IN THIS ISSUEMARKET UPDATE
HOTEL PERFORMANCE
NAUTICAL
AIRPORTS
TOURISM ORGANISATIONS
ACCOMMODATION
RENDEZVOUS
AGENT CORNER
TRAVEL TALK
TRAVEL CHANNELS
WHO’S MOVED
PHOTO ALBUM
NEWS & EVENTS
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20 DECEMBER 2014 ISSUE 267
The team ofTravel Trade Publications join in saying thank you and wish you Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year!
20 DECEMBER 2014
MARKET UPDATE
2
TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS
MANAGING EDITORMary Kammitsi
ASSISTANT EDITORMaria Kazeli
SENIOR JOURNALISTRita Kasziba
CONTRIBUTORSDominique Christou
Ana Mladenovic
PRESS Maria Demetriadou Pauline Shahabian
DESIGN & LAYOUT
Elena Stylianou
WEB DEVELOPER / ITSoteris Constantinou
DIRECTORS Andreas Constantinides
Mary Kammitsi
HEADQUARTERS
T.T.W. Travel Trade Weekly LTD P.O. Box 25255, Nicosia 1308 Cyprus
Tel: +357 22 021607, Fax: +357 22 103670
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EMAILS
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Passenger Traffic Soars in Abu DhabiAbu Dhabi International Airport welcomed 1,689,983 passengers in October, marking a significant 17.4 percent year-on-year surge.
D uring the month under review, aircraft movements (ACM) rose 15.2 percent to 11,891 ACM, while cargo activity jumped 16 percent to 72,170 tonnes.
The top five routes from the airport included Bangkok, Doha, London's Heathrow Airport, Manila and Bahrain, all
together accounting for 17 percent of total traffic through the hub.“The airport will continue to invest in enhancing its services and
connectivity to attract more traffic to the capital,” pledged Ahmad Al Haddabi, chief operations officer, Abu Dhabi Airports, noting that the recently unveiled Al Reem Lounge is a further example of the compa-ny’s commitment to offering travellers the best possible experience.
Jazeera Airways Reports September PerformanceJazeera Airways released its September operational performance report, which shows a five percent increase in total flown passengers from September 2013 and an on-time performance of 96 percent.
T he Kuwaiti carrier saw a nine percent rise in passenger numbers on routes serving Istanbul, Beirut and Amman, which came during a low-
season month when families return from summer holidays.
Demand also increased on routes to five Egyptian cities, growing by 18 percent on September 2013. The airline boosted its market share on the Kuwait – Cairo route by nine percent.
Bahrain (BHD)
Jordan (JOD)
Oman (OMR)
Qatar (QAR)
Saudi Arabia (SAR)
UAE (AED)
Algeria (DZD)
Egypt (EGP)
Iran (IRR)
Iraq (IQD)
Kuwait (KWD)
Lebanon (LBP)
Libya (LYD)
Morocco (MAD)
Syria (SYP)
Tunisia (TND)
Yemen (YER)
Dinar
Dinar
Rial
Rial
Riyal
Dirham
Dinar
Pound
Rial
Dinar
Dinar
Pound
Dinar
Dirham
Pound
Dinar
Rial
0.37
0.71
0.39
3.64
3.75
3.67
86.13
7.15
27,020.94
1,165.13
0.29
1,530.93
1.21
8.94
175.80
1.86
215.05
MENA EXCHANGE RATES
As of 18/12/2014Currencies shown in blue are fixed against the US Dollar
COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=
20 DECEMBER 2014
HOTEL PERFORMANCE WEEKLY NEWS
3
Passenger Traffic Soars in Abu Dhabi
Four- and five-star hotels in Sharm El Sheikh en-joyed a strong recovery
in performance levels dur-ing September as RevPAR in-creased by a record 168.5 per-cent to USD39.15 compared to the same period in 2013, driven by a 43.5 percentage point growth in occupancy and an 18.2 percent surge in ARR to USD50.39.
Hotels in the city recorded one of their highest RevPAR levels in the past two years largely due to efforts under-taken by prominent travel as-sociations and tour operators to entice visitors back to the Red Sea destination, support-ed Goddard.
Dubai's four- and five-star hotels witnessed a mixed performance
with occupancy levels grow-ing 2.1 percentage points to 78.2 percent. However, ARR declined marginally during the month, falling 3.2 percent to USD231.36 and as a result RevPAR dropped 0.5 percent to USD180.88.
Goddard commented, “Al-though hotels recorded a 2.1 percentage point increase in occupancy, a rare decline in average rates directly impacted RevPAR levels for the month. Year-to-date figures indicate that hotels have managed to in-crease ARR [...], which confirms the strength of the market.”
J eddah continues to lead as one of the high-growth hospitality markets in
the region with robust gains in performance levels. The city witnessed a dramatic increase in top-line performance driven by a 21.4 percent surge in ARR, coupled with a 2.3 percentage point rise in occupancy to 85.9 percent.
“The lack of new hotels en-tering the Jeddah hotel market and increased proliferation of demand across various seg-ments has enabled hotels in the city to report the strongest growth in top-line revenues in the region, which have been on the rise since the first quarter of this year,” concluded Goddard.
According to the September HotStats survey of full service four- and five-star hotels by TRI Consulting, Abu Dhabi, Sharm El Sheikh and Jeddah led the way in hotel performance, while Dubai was struggling.Year-to-date figures indicate that proper-ties in the emirate have managed to in-crease average room rates (ARR) by 3.8 percent confirming the strength of the market, according to Peter Goddard, man-aging director, TRI Consulting.
T he recovery of the Abu Dhabi hotel market continued to gain momentum as ARR increased by 4.2 percent to USD128.96 while occupancy grew by 6.6 percentage
points to 76.6 percent, resulting in RevPAR rising 14 percent to USD98.76.
The growth in RevPAR directly impacted gross operating profit per available room (GOPPAR) which increased by 42.4 percent.
“Abu Dhabi’s hotel market is going from strength to strength with a strong performance in September boosting year-to-date figures. […] We project this upwards trajectory to continue [...]with notable events such as the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the opening of the much anticipated Yas Mall [this month],” said Goddard.
Abu Dhabi’s Market Revives
Jeddah Hotel Profits Grow on the Back of Rising ARR
Stronger Demand Fuels Recovery in Sharm El Sheikh
Despite an increase from the previ-ous month, ARR
remained soft in Riyadh during the month of Sep-tember.
A return to business for the Saudi capital´s hotels after the summer months was evident with double-digit growth in occupancy to 69.2 percent.
Although ARR contin-ues to slowly decline on the back of increased com-petition through new sup-ply, RevPAR performance continues to improve and profit margin also remains strong, according to God-dard.
Riyadh Hotels Record Higher Profits
ARR Fall, Profits Continue to Rise in Dubai
20 DECEMBER 2014
WEEKLY NEWS NAUTICAL
4
Showcasing Khalifa Port
A New Life for Voyager of the Seas
New Luxury Superyacht App
A bu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) officially hosted H.E. Sheikh Mo-hammed bin Abdallah bin Sultan
Al Nuaimi, president, Ajman Ports and Customs Authority, and his team on No-vember 18.
“We are delighted to welcome Al Nuai-mi and his delegation at ADPC; the visit has given us the opportunity to showcase our state-of-the-art facilities and operations at Khalifa Port […]”, said Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO, ADPC.
The delegates visited Khalifa Port’s ter-minal operations building from where they could see the port’s cutting edge container yard operations. Additionally, they were also given a tour of the Kizad Visitor Centre.
R oyal Caribbean International’s Voyager of the Seas, the largest cruise ship based in Asia Pacific,
successfully completed her month-long USD80 million revitalisation, bringing guests in the region a variety of first-at-sea features such as the FlowRider surf simulator and Virtual Balcony staterooms. In addition, the ship also received a 3D cinema, digital signage, a new Diamond Club for Crown and Anchor Society mem-bers as well as additional dining options.
The newly revitalised ship began sailing on November 25 from Singapore to Sydney where she will be based for her 2014/15 season. She will then return to Singapore in April 2015 to feature a 10-night cruise to Tokyo calling at Nha Trang, Hong Kong, Taipei (Keelung) and Nagasaki.
L ong-serving full-service luxury yacht brokerage house, Yachting Partners International (YPI) has created a new
mobile application for ultra high-net-worth holiday markers looking for a bespoke expe-rience.
Also available for Middle Eastern cus-tomers, the new application includes a se-lection of yachts for sale and charter, recom-mended charter destinations and itineraries, and much more. Additionally, the Yachts Around Me feature allows users to follow their favourite yachts around the globe.
“For so many people, the concept of booking a holiday with family or friends on-board any one of some of the world’s most luxurious private superyachts is more of a voyage into the unknown than a reality. Our job is to change that,” emphasised Mark Duncan, group commercial director, YPI.
FlowRider
Khalifa Port
Did you know...
YPI started from
a three-person
office in Brighton,
UK, 40 years ago?
20 DECEMBER 2014
AIRPORTS WEEKLY NEWS
5
Oman Airports Management Com-pany (OAMC) signed a 10-year contract with Turkish company
ATU Duty Free, for management and op-eration of duty free, retail, and food and beverage concessions at the new Salalah International Airport. The agreement was signed on behalf of Juma Ali Al Juma, chairman, OAMC and Ismet Ersan Arcan, chairman, ATU Duty Free.
Sheikh Samer Ahmed Al Nabhani, general manager, commercial operations, OAMC, said that the company hopes to work with ATU Duty Free's team to help the airport communicate its vision, as Salalah is experiencing significant eco-nomic growth in its tourism, leisure and hospitality industries and spending per passenger increasing.
OAMC Signs Deal with ATU Duty Free
Sohar Airport InauguratedOman’s Ministry of Transport and Communication celebrated the launch of Sohar Airport in November.
H eld under the auspices of H.E. Ahmed Bin Moham-med Bin Saleem Al-Futaisi, transport and commu-nication minister, Oman, the event was attended
by a number of governmental and civil aviation officials.The airport’s development was divided into three
stages, with the first two currently completed result-ing in one operational runway, which can handle four planes, and one temporary terminal which will be re-placed by another such facility upon completion of phase three. The hub already welcomes three flights a week that operate to and from Muscat. A
hmed
Bin
Moh
amm
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in S
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l-Fut
aisi
20 DECEMBER 2014
WEEKLY NEWS
6
WEEKLY NEWS TOURISM ORGANISATIONS
Abu Dhabi Tourism Hits the Road
A bu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) is planning its largest-ever
overseas promotion campaign for 2015 spanning 24 trade exhibitions and 13 road shows across 34 cities in 25 countries. In line with its goal to attract 3.5 million hotel guests in 2015, the authority will expand its activities to new markets, which as Mubarak Al Nuaimi, director of promotions and overseas offices, TCA Abu Dhabi, explained, offer increased airlift patterns and the opportunity for significant growth.
A iming at informing stake-holders about the Oman Tourism Strategy Project,
the country’s Ministry of Tourism continued with its programme of holding workshops at various governorates.
Attendees at the events in-cluded governors, members of Shura Council, members of municipal councils, sheikhs and other dignitaries, in addition to representatives of the concerned governmental agencies and the private sector.
The ministry’s objective is to throw light on the strategy and its main themes, and get the views of the local community so that a common vision is shared with the governorates. It is also intended that the meetings will enable discussions with the par-ticipants and receive their practi-cal proposals.
Oman Tourism Strategy Project Goes Ahead
Qatar Boasts New Helicopter Sightseeing ToursQatar Tourism Authority (QTA) unveiled a new tourism project named Samana or Our Skies, offering helicopter tours in and around Qatar with its partners Gulf Helicopters, Qatar Armed Forces and Regency Travels.
Mubarak Al Nuami
Laun
ch o
f the
Sam
ana
proj
ect
“T he importance of launching this new tourism project lies in strengthening the part-nership between the public and private sectors with the aim of introducing ground-breaking tourism products that upgrade tourism and turn a visit to Qatar into an en-
riching and special experience [...],” said H.E. Issa bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi, chairman, QTA.
20 DECEMBER 2014
WEEKLY NEWS
8
W ith the newly-launched packages, following their seaplane flight, visitors can add luxury yacht charter, a wildlife drive and various in-timate programmes, ranging from walking tours to dinner cruises, to their itinerary.
As Stuart Wheeler, CEO, Seawings, noted, Dubai is synonymous with luxury and, through these lifestyle packages, travellers can experience the destination in the most intimate ways.
Further expanding its services, Seawings will shortly add The World Journey to the line-up of its offers, enabling travellers to discover Dubai’s World Islands, with other packages, including spa, fine dining and desert excursions, following in 2015.
SEAWINGS LIFESTYLE LAUNCHED IN DUBAILuxury seaplane tour operator, Seawings, has introduced Seawings Lifestyle, a collection of hand-picked Dubai experiences created for the leisure and corporate incentive/MICE market.
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Worry Free Boating in Dubai
W orry Free Boat Club has showcased its dedicat-ed services that enable its members to enjoy all the benefits of boat ownership without associ-
ated costs and inconvenience, at the recently held Dubai Pre-Owned Boat Show 2014 at Dubai Creek Marina.
As Kalid Tarapolsi, CEO, Worry Free Boat Club, explained, the concept has already gained huge popularity in North America and Europe and is also picking up in the Middle East.
Members of the club are granted access to sports boats, day boats, cabin boats, fishing boats as well as jet skis. The annual subscription fee also includes the training needed to obtain in-ternational boat licence.
Dragon City to Welcome Residential Complex
D eveloper Diyar Al Muharraq signed a corporate deal with Bin Faqeeh Real Estate Devel-
opment Company for the development of a major residential complex, Dragon Apartments, in Bahrain.
The project resides on a land area of 20,000m2 within Dragon City close to Dragon Mall. It will comprise five multi-storey residential buildings encompass-ing both four and six floors with a total of 300 apartments. Construction work has already begun and is due for completion around the same time Dragon Mall is to be unveiled, which is June 2015.
Dragon City is infused with Chinese architectural and cultural aspects and in-corporates 780 shops with a special area of 4,500m2, designated for warehousing, while it also includes a 6,000m2 dining street.
Seawings Plane
20 DECEMBER 2014
WEEKLY NEWS
10
Sir Bani Yas Island’s New Activities First LEGO Store in the Middle East
Majid Al Futtaim Leisure & Entertainment has opened the first LEGO certified store in cooperation with The LEGO Group in the Middle East, at Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi. To com-
memorate this event, 300 children attended an opening ceremony workshop experiencing genuine LEGO building.
“It is a great privilege for us to bring a world-class brand such as the LEGO brand to children in the Middle East, and further demon-strate our commitment to remain at the forefront of the entertain-ment and leisure industry, whilst adhering to our brand promise of creating great moments,” said Arnaud Palu, CEO, Majid Al Futtaim Leisure & Entertainment.
Abu Dhabi Adds E-learning Portal
LEGO store at Yas Mall
Discover Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Cul-ture Authority’s first online trade education resource has been launched with the aim
to boost travel agents’ awareness of the destination and better engage with its ever-expanding interna-tional stakeholder base.
Dedicated to retail and wholesale tour operators, general sales agents, airlines and destination man-agement companies, the portal will soon be availa-ble in eight languages, including English and Arabic.
Agents scoring an 80 percent or higher pass rate on the programme’s test will be certified as Abu Dha-bi Discoverers and can also win familiarisation trips to the UAE capital.
S ir Bani Yas Island is grow-ing more popular with the launch of several new excit-
ing activities for its guests. Among these is a daily falconry
demonstration that offers visitors a glimpse into the rich feature of Emirati heritage and allows them to get close to these majestic birds of prey.
Guests can also join a land sail-ing session, whereby they navigate the terrain of Sir Bani Yas Island with a three-wheeled vehicle pow-ered by wind through the use of a sail. Moreover, visitors can opt for a camping excursion that can be arranged with the Desert Islands Watersports Centre, who will select the perfect place in an area nestled between the lagoon and hills of Sir Bani Yas.
Land
sai
ling
Did you know...
LEGO is an
abbreviatio
n of the
two Danish words
leg godt, meaning
play well?
20 DECEMBER 2014
WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION
12
DAMAC Properties Expands Luxury Offering in Dubai
In line with its ambition to become the Middle East’s largest serviced hotel provider by 2018, DAMAC Properties has added three new serviced hotel apart-
ments in Dubai's Burj Area to its growing portfolio. Canal Views is already welcoming guests, while Cour
Jardon and Capital Bay are slated for opening in the next couple of months.
As Ziad El Chaar, managing director, DAMAC Prop-erties, explained, the company currently has more than 10,000 serviced hotel apartments under development, all of which will be delivered by 2018, positioning the luxury real estate developer as one of the largest hotel apartment operators and developers in the region.
Ramada Ajman Pro-tects the Environment
Cana
l Vie
ws
Holiday Inn Cairo Maadi
The Nile Welcomes Holiday Inn Cairo MaadiInterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has opened Holiday Inn Cairo Maadi on the Egyptian capital’s famous Maadi Corniche.
The 175-room property was converted from what was Sofitel Cairo Maadi and becomes IHG’s 11th hotel in Egypt. It boasts views of the
Pyramids of Giza, as well as the Nile, and features a pool and gym, while all rooms have private balconies.
Holiday Inn Cairo Maadi is the third hotel that IHG manages for Bukhamseen Group. Jawad Bukhamseen, chairman, Bukhamseen Group, said, “It is a hotel which has a unique location, a successful past behind it and we are looking forward to many, even more fruitful years of success ahead, as Holiday Inn Cairo Maadi.”
Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman enhanc-es its green initiatives through a series of awareness programmes on waste
management to different sectors including schools, government entities and private companies.
The property recently gave a tour and a brief lecture about the zero landfill project to students to communicate the importance of recycling and proper waste disposal.
The hotel also hosted a number of site visits in its compost and recycling centre, as well as in the urban farm.
Iftikhar Hamdani, general manager, Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman, commented, “We hope that through these initiatives, we can motivate both public and private enti-ties to join us in our efforts in protecting the environment for the future generations.”
20 DECEMBER 2014
ACCOMMODATION WEEKLY NEWS
13
DAMAC Properties Expands Luxury Offering in Dubai
Katara Hospitality Plans Luxurious Hotel
Katara Hospitality is awaiting approval for a USD1.6 billion project for the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, The Silver Pearl Hotel.
With more than 1,000 rooms, the property is to be located 1.5km off shore, near Doha. It is envis-aged to take the form of two semicircular 30-storey towers, separated by a vaulted atrium over lush gar-dens. An adjacent structure would house a confer-ence and exposition centre, plus a recreational, land-scaped roof deck on top of a multi-storey parking facility. The hotel would be reachable via a four-lane elevated causeway, by private yacht or by helicopter.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide announced the launch of Sheraton Grand Hotel, Dubai, which marks the
first new-build opening for Sheraton Hotels & Resorts in the emirate in over 30 years.
The 54-storey property is part of a three-tower, mixed-use development, with compli-mentary Wi-Fi connection throughout the 654 guest rooms, suites and premium serviced apartments. Additionally, it features a business centre, Shine Spa for Sheraton, a Sheraton Fit-ness, rooftop swimming pool, three restaurant and lounge concepts and a Sheraton Club.
“Sheraton Grand Hotel will aim to become a crossroads to Dubai, delivering authentic experiences to the city’s bustling business and social scene for global seekers and UAE residents alike,” said Hoyt Harper, global brand leader, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts.
Sheraton Grand Hotel Dubai Opens
The
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20 DECEMBER 2014
WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION
14
T ravel writer, Andrew James has compiled a list of 10 hotels which hold strong connections with the
famous British crime novelist, Agatha Christie.
Amongst those was Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Hotel, Aswan. According to James, the riverside property, dating back to 1899, encapsulates the romance and mystery of the Nile despite recent renovations which have turned it into a lavish spa destination.
Mystery novel, Death on the Nile, was partly written during Christie’s stay at the Egyptian property, and the 1978 film with Peter Ustinov and David Niven was partly set there too.
Rotana Pulls Out of Lebanon Property
Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri Revamps Facilities
Sofitel Legend Old Cata-ract Aswan Named an Agatha Christie Hotel
Rotana and Société Hôtelière du Grand Beyrouth have mutually agreed to not renew their agreement for the manage-
ment of Tamar Rotana hotel in Lebanon.The cooperation between the two compa-
nies has come to an end, and effective Decem-ber 1 the property is no longer run by Rotana. Nevertheless, the UAE hotelier continues to manage two other hotels in Beirut, Gefinor Rotana and the four-star Raouché Arjaan by Rotana.
Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi has given its Horizon Club Lounge and event spaces on level five a fresh
new look with exclusive views from the top. Formerly on level five, the lounge has been
relocated two floors up to the south wing, granting Horizon Club guests private access to the hotel’s highest floor.
Simultaneously, the former level five Al Majlis meeting venue has been restored with a new take on its design, boasting luxurious dé-cor, rich colours and Arabian hospitality.
As Thomas Guss, general manager, Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi, noted, the new facilities ensure even higher standards of experience reiterating the UAE capital’s status as a world-class business and tourist destination.
Beirut
Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu DhabiSofitel Legend Old Cataract Hotel
20 DECEMBER 2014
AIR WEEKLY NEWS
15
Connecting Italy and Abu Dhabi
Alitalia’s summer schedule will commence on March 29, 2015, whereby the airline will launch new routes from Milan Malpensa and Venice
Marco Polo Airport to Abu Dhabi International Airport.Thus, Alitalia will triple its
frequency, with a total of 42 round-trip flights between Italy and Abu Dhabi. Etihad Airways will codeshare on Alitalia’s new flight to the capital.
Gabriele Del Torchio, CEO, Alitalia, said, “Connections be-tween Italy and the UAE have never been so strong. We decided to focus our efforts in expanding our flights in northern Italy, where the best of Italy’s industry resides.”
Etihad Airways to Codeshare with SASEtihad Airways is to begin codeshare operations with Stockholm-based Scandinavian Airlines (SAS).
The agreement, subject to regulatory approval, is set to further strengthen both carriers by enabling them to offer greater connectivity to and from a number of European cities.
In terms of the deal, SAS will place its SK code on the UAE carrier’s flights between Abu Dhabi and Brussels, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Rome, Milan, Zurich, Geneva and London's Heathrow. In turn, Etihad Airways’ EY code will be used from these destinations, excluding Brussels, onto SAS’ hubs in Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm and beyond.
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Emirates Develops Dar es Salaam Route
As of January 1, 2015, Emirates will offer double-daily services to Dar es Salaam, adding to its current 12 weekly flights between Dubai and the Tanzanian city.
“Our move to a double-daily for Dar es Salaam clearly shows the importance of Tanzania as a key tourism and busi-ness market, and we are optimistic that the additional flights will further boost inbound and outbound tourism and trade between the country, Dubai and our network, especially the US and Europe, as well as the Middle East, India and the Far East,” said Orhan Abbas, senior vice president, commercial op-erations, Latin America, Central and Southern Africa, Emirates.
Did you know...
SAS is Etihad
Airways’ 47th
airline partner
globally?
Stoc
khol
m
Dar
es
Sala
am
20 DECEMBER 2014
WEEKLY NEWS AIR
16
Gulf Air has signed a two-year re-newal deal with SITA for network, messaging and voice services. SITA
is providing the airline with a comprehen-sive global network infrastructure, Type B Messaging services, a mail platform for operational messages and global voice and data services.
Maher Salman Al Musallam, CEO, Gulf Air, said, “SITA offers the best end-to-end solutions and connects with all the cities that our airline flies to. At Gulf Air, we are committed to providing our customers with superior service standards and that encompasses a broad range of deliverables extending to our technological capabilities. We endeavour to have the best technology in place to ensure we operate as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.”
Etihad Airways and Air Seychelles Enhance Services
SAUDIA Welcomes New Office in Manila
Gulf Air and SITA Team Up
Etihad Airways and Air Seychelles an-nounced changes to their flight sched-ules on the Abu Dhabi - Seychelles route,
offering guests more choice and greater flex-ibility when travelling to and from Mahé.
The new schedule sees Etihad Airways add one service per week and Air Seychelles a fur-ther two frequencies per week, bringing the combined number of weekly return flights to Seychelles from 10 to 13.
Kevin Knight, chief strategy and planning officer, Etihad Airways, commented, “The new schedule will greatly benefit business and lei-sure travellers, ensuring they have more con-venient travel options.”
I n the presence of H.E. Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al-Hassan, ambassador to the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Saleh
bin Nasser Al-Jasser, director gen-eral, Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA), inaugurated the airline’s new office in Manila.
The new facility was built to reflect the carrier’s new visual identity. “Our new strategy is to keep all departments including sales, marketing, reservation and finance under one roof for the ben-efit of passengers and visitors, and the office will have 15 staff members,” said Abdul Aziz Al-Hazmi, CEO, SAUDIA.
Mahé Manila
Did you know...
Gulf Air was one
of the first organ-
isations in Bahrain
to implement
private cloud
computing in its
IT operations?
20 DECEMBER 2014
RENDEZVOUS
17
Q & A withRussel Sharpe
CITYMAX HOTELS IS PREPARING TO WELCOME THREE MORE PROPERTIES IN THE UAE, AND HERE RUSSEL SHARPE, CHIEF OPERATING OF-FICER, CITYMAX HOTELS, SUPPORTS THAT THE COMPANY IS PIONEERING ONCE AGAIN, JUST LIKE WHEN IT LAUNCHED WITH THE VISION TO CREATE A STRONG MID-MARKET BRAND.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Dubai’s ho-tels welcomed more than 5.8 million tourists in the first half of the year – the highest number of visitors ever achieved in the first six months of the year. How has performance been at your properties and what are your expectations for the year?
RUSSEL SHARPE: Citymax Hotels has enjoyed consistently high occupancy rates this year. To cater to the growing number of tourists, Citymax Hotels is currently building three new proper-ties in the UAE, located in Al Barsha and Business Bay in Dubai and another in Ras Al Khaimah, all in varying stages of construction and scheduled for com-pletion by 2016. This will increase the total number of rooms from 1,200 to about 2,000 within the next three years, with further properties close to finalisa-tion of lease agreements in Abu Dhabi and Fujairah.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How would you describe the company’s clientele and how has it changed over the last few years?
RUSSEL SHARPE: Over the past couple of years, we have seen a steady flow of tourists from South Asia, the Far East, the GCC and Eastern Europe. Currently 50 percent of our business originates from Eastern Europe and South Asia which we expect to continue. In the future, I believe Citymax Hotels and Dubai will receive travellers from all over the globe.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What are the major changes you have witnessed within Dubai’s hospitality industry in the past years?
RUSSEL SHARPE: Traditionally, Dubai as a destination has always been syn-onymous with luxury. More than 50 per-cent of the existing 85,000 hotel rooms are in the upscale segment. So, when Citymax Hotels opened three years ago with a vision to create a strong brand in the mid-market segment catering to budget-conscious travellers, we were the odd ones out.
Now, with mid-market hotel de-velopment high on the agenda for both government and private sectors alike, there is a development frenzy of mid-market hotels. This expansion is a necessity due to the Dubai Vision 2020 and the ever-increasing number
of tourists to our shores and Citymax Hotels welcomes the competition. Our business model is well-established and has proven successful with consistently high room occupancy rates.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What are your predictions for Dubai’s future especially in regards to the vision to host 20 million tourists by 2020?
RUSSEL SHARPE: To meet the target of 20 million visitors by 2020, Dubai has to start catering to guests on a tighter budget. Clearly, among 10 million ad-ditional visitors, the majority will not have the wallet to stay in upscale hotels. There will inevitably be a large number of consumers with no need for frills.
The profile of the future traveller to the Middle East will become much more diverse heading towards 2020, with a large number of visitors on tight-er budgets such as budget travellers, low-cost business travellers and econo-my transit passengers.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: In the past few years competition in Dubai has become fierce. In your opinion, how can so many hospitality units co-ex-ist and be profitable, and at the same time provide an excellent service?
RUSSEL SHARPE: Demand for hotel accommodation in Dubai has risen to about 7.5 percent per year on aver-age since 2003, and at more than nine percent in the past three years. Hotels overall, experienced a 2.2 percent rise in occupancy to 84.8 percent.
Demand for mid-market hotels is also increasing, however, only seven international budget hotel brands are currently present in Dubai, representing less than 15 percent of the accommoda-tion segment. In other parts of the world that number would be about 33 percent.
Realising this, Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing launched a campaign for more mid-tier accommodation with a target of 35,000 additional rooms. In just seven months, Dubai received 151 applications for three- and four-star hotels with a to-tal of 25,000 rooms; just 10,000 rooms short of the target.
In order to succeed as a mid-market hotel brand after 2020, I believe that you need to differentiate yourself in or-der to attract sustained local patronage in addition to overseas guests.
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, CITYMAX HOTELS
Citymax Hotel Al Barsha
20 DECEMBER 2014
WEEKLY NEWS INTERNATIONAL
18
Steigenberger Hotel Changchun to Open in 2016
Swiss-Belhotel International Eyes Indian Market
IHG’s Renovated Hotel in Fredericton Opens
S teigenberger Hotel Changchun, which will offer more than 130 rooms and 15 suites, is scheduled to receive its first guests in the
spring of 2016. The hotel will feature a spa and gym area complete with a swimming pool, in addition to bars and restaurants, including a Paulaner Brau-haus, a Chinese restaurant, a lobby bar, an execu-tive lounge and a Sky Bar. Additionally, it will boast a 1,300m² banqueting area comprising a ballroom and nine additional rooms.
"We are extending our international presence on an ongoing basis, and our brand enjoys an outstand-ing reputation both at home and abroad,” comment-ed Claus-Dieter Jandel, executive head and chief de-velopment officer, Steigenberger Hotels.
I n a bid to capture a larger slice of the booming In-dian outbound market, Swiss-Belhotel Internation-al has appointed Global Destinations as its sales
representative. The Mumbai-headquartered company will be
in charge of promoting the hospitality group’s 125 worldwide properties across the Middle East, as well as Asia Pacific.
Describing India as a market of great potential, Gavin Faull, president, Swiss-Belhotel International, said, “We are confident the international quality standards and professionalism of Swiss-Belhotel International proper-ties will be well accepted by the Indian travel trade and consumers and we are tremendously looking forward to a long and fruitful partnership with Global Destinations.”
Gav
in F
aull
Chan
gchu
n
Fredericton
I nterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced the opening of the newly renovated 91-room Holiday Inn Express & Suites Fredericton. Formerly a Lakeview Inns & Suites hotel, the property is located in the growing business area of uptown Fredericton,
Canada. The hotel features a completely renovated lobby with modern open-concept and all
rooms have been completely remodelled. The renovated breakfast area offers guests a larger space, in addition to the complimentary Express Start bar featuring a full range of items, including various healthy options.
20 DECEMBER 2014
AGENT CORNER
19
Michael Lee
Managing director
CWT Freme Travel Services
Brunei Darussalam
www.freme.com
Agent’s Insight
Who are you?I am a Singaporean who came to Brunei in 1976 after graduating from a New Zealand university. I joined Freme in 1976, which was just a small four-staff travel agency, and later took over the company. Freme has been a market leader and is a partner of Carl-son Wagonlit in Brunei. We have been the largest inbound operator since 1990 and have about 30 full-time staff.
What is your favourite thing about working in the travel industry?Visiting interesting places as an insider, meeting all kinds of characters in the industry and learning from them and from one another’s mistakes.
When is the best time to visit Brunei?Anytime from January to December, as temperature in summer reaches 36 degrees and 32 degrees in winter.
Where would you like to travel to for your next holiday?The Galapagos Islands without question.
Why should people come to you for travel advice?Because we are honest, have fresh ideas, our staff is client-driven, passionate, knowledge-based, and is willing to go the extra mile.
Which is the percentage of MENA travellers your agency welcomes annually? Unfortunately we are not targeting MENA visitors due to lack of Arabic-speaking staff, but are keenly developing the market especially Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and the UAE as they can visit Brunei without visa.
COMPANY:
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Abu Dhabi: A Must Destination for US Travellers
O ver 150 members of Virtuoso, the US-based interna-tional luxury travel network, explored Abu Dhabi, learning its wide array of cultural, recreational and
sporting attractions following the staging of the company’s annual chairman’s event on location.
The organisation comprises over 300 independent agen-cies with more than 6,000 elite travel specialists in 22 coun-tries, and has expressed a keen explorative interest in the UAE.
Matthew Upchurch, CEO, Virtuoso, recently identified the UAE as a go-to destination for outbound US travellers, noting a 336 percent increase in year-on-year bookings from his travel agency sales figures.
Abu
Dha
bi
20 DECEMBER 2014
TRAVEL TALK
20
LAURENT VOIVENEL
AURELIO GIRAUDO
MICHAEL WALE
MIGUEL VIDAOR
CEO, Hospitality Management Holdings
General manager, The Regency Hotel Kuwait
President, Europe, Africa and Middle East, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
Tournament director, Turkish Airlines Open
“If Dubai is to draw 20 million visitors annually by 2020 it will need to diversify its hospital-ity offering in order to widen its appeal to growing middle class worldwide. So there is an urgency to accelerate the devel-opment of mid-market hotels in order to reach the right mix of accommodation available in the market. Investors must broaden their horizon and con-sider budget hotels like ECOS Hotels as the hotel market gets stronger.”
“The second edition of this mag-nificent event [the Turkish Airline Open] has been a resounding success, in spite of the weather challenges we faced […], I would like to personally thank everyone at Maxx Royal Belek Golf Resort for an outstanding collective ef-fort that has really raised the bar on what we achieved [in 2013]. The course condition has been impeccable and the players have been united in their praise for this spectacular venue.”
“There are many visitors to Ku-wait that have never stayed at The Regency, so we will actively targets guests from other hotels to show them the highest lev-els of product and service. We are looking to attract an expe-rienced, demanding guest that will pay for superior quality, the elite. We will not compromise on price and are not interested in entertaining a clientele that want five-star at a three-star price. We will guarantee luxury, service and high quality and treat every guest like royalty.”
“We are thrilled to open [Shera-ton Grand Hotel Dubai] that builds on the brand’s proud heritage as the sixth Sheraton in the emirates and is our first new-build in Dubai in over 30 years. The opening of Sheraton Grand Hotel Dubai highlights our com-mitment to the region and de-velopment pipeline, as we aim to grow our portfolio by 75 per-cent in the Middle East by 2017.”
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]
There is an urgency to accelerate the development of mid-market hotels
I would like to personally thank everyone at Maxx Royal Belek Golf Resort
We are looking to attract an experienced, demanding guest
Sheraton Grand Hotel Dubai highlights our commitment to the region
20 DECEMBER 2014
TRAVEL CHANNELS
21
Al Ain Zoo Hosts Conference
O ver 60 delegates from zoo and aquar-ium institutions in Bahrain, Jordan, Ku-wait, Oman, Pales-
tine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE presented their experiences in animal management during the two-day event. Further to ex-ploring ideas to develop an or-ganisational committee for the association, as well as the mem-bership criteria, the delegates also discussed the challenges which hinder development pro-jects in the region.
Al Ain Zoo has launched the second Arabian Zoo and Aquarium Association conference with the theme of conservation and education in
zoos and aquariums across the region.
Asia Pacific Prepares for
Growth
King Abdullah Heritage Project Officially Introduced
King Saud University hosted the Forum of King Abdullah Project for Car-ing of Cultural Heritage of the Kingdom in cooperation with the Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities (SCTA), from November 23 – 24.
The forum served to introduce the initiative, which aims to highlight the Kingdom’s historical and cultural importance globally and is expected to contribute significantly to the preservation and development of nation-al heritage, creation of local jobs and investments to the urban heritage-related sites.
The forum featured a workshop on the national cultural heritage, de-livered by officials from the SCTA and King Saud University, in addition to a photo exhibition.
Rose Rayhaan by Rotana Celebrates Children’s Day
R aising awareness for children with special needs, on
the occasion of the Uni-versal Children’s Day, Rose Rayhaan by Rotana Dubai hosted a fun-filled day for kids with special needs.
Around 60 students of Senses Residential and Day Care Center for Spe-cial Needs, Al Noor Train-ing Centre for Children with Special Needs and Dubai Center for Special Needs, had the chance to enjoy the corporate social responsibility initiative, Around the world in 1 day, celebrating songs and na-tional dance performanc-es prepared by the hotel staff.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) identified continu-
ous safety enhancement, the availability of cost-efficient in-frastructure and environmental responsibility, as critical factors to ensure that Asia Pacific con-tinues to realise the enormous economic and social benefits of air connectivity.
Globally some 3.3 billion passengers are expected to board flights this year, and this figure is projected to grow to 7.3 billion by 2034. It is anticipated that nearly half of all air travel will touch the Asia Pacific region by 2034. Over the next 20 years, the region is set to account for about two thirds of global growth.
King Saud University
Karim Nahas, general manager, Rose Rayhaan by Rotana, Dubai
20 DECEMBER 2014
WHO’S MOVED
22
Ghyath Fawaz has been wel-comed by Nour Arjaan by Rotana, Fujairah as the prop-erty’s new hotel manager.He joined Rotana in 2008 with a wealth of experience in the hos-pitality industry. He was an ac-tive member of the pre-open-ing team at Arjaan by Rotana - Media City as complex facility manager until 2012. Fawaz´s next venture with the company was as executive as-sistant manager of the five-star Park Rotana hotel in Abu Dhabi where he was primarily based, until October when he was promoted to his current position. As the new hotel manager of Nour Arjaan by Rotana, Fujairah, he will be in charge of all hotel operations. With a firm background in sales, food and beverage, and operations, Fawaz will ensure that guests’ needs are met.
VIRGINIE MICHAUD
THOMAS GUSS
GHYATH FAWAZ
NICK BARTON
Virginie Michaud has joined Jannah Hotels & Resorts as vice president of project de-velopment.She holds a bachelor of arts in hospitality and tourism management from Glion In-stitute of Higher Education, Switzerland, accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.Michaud moved to the UAE in October 2006 and worked at different hotels and serviced apartments, such as Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa and Green Lakes Serviced Apartments. She also managed international leisure sales at Arabian Adventures, a destina-tion management company based in Dubai.Before joining Jannah Hotels & Resorts, she was the assistant director of sales at Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa.
Thomas Guss has joined Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi, Shangri-La Residences and Traders Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi as general manager.Arriving from Shangri-La Ho-tel, Xi’an in China, Guss brings along four years of experi-ence in Asia, particularly in Mainland China and India. The Middle East is not new to him, as he worked in this re-gion previously for five years.A decade ago at the age of 32, he became one of the youngest general managers in luxury five-star hotels with extensive restaurant and bar operation experience.Guss belongs to the third generation of hoteliers in his family, successfully com-bining his background with sharp attention to detail and an eye for unique style.
Nick Barton has picked up the baton as InterContinental Ho-tels Group (IHG)’s chief operat-ing officer for Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA).Formerly chief commercial of-ficer for IHG’s Greater China region, Barton succeeds Karin Sheppard.His career with IHG spans nearly 10 years. He was previ-ously based in the company’s headquarters in Denham, overseeing the marketing and communications team for the Europe region before moving to Shanghai for five years. He then relocated to Singapore to lead the group’s sales and mar-keting functions in the region.
Barton's career with IHG spans 10 years
Grand Millennium Dubai’s team on the UAE national day
Emirates, title sponsor of the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, offered rugby aficionados attending the tournament a
series of fun activities
The Emirates Group celebrated UAE national dayRamada Hotel & Suites Ajman’s team marked the 43rd UAE national day
Emirates and AC Milan signed a new five-year sponsorship deal, extending the airline’s presence on the club’s shirts until the 2019-
2020 season
Dubai sets two new world records at the Dubai Grand Parade
20 DECEMBER 2014
PHOTO ALBUM
23
Share with us the latest images of your activities and let your colleagues know what you have been up to.
Send your photos to [email protected] Because a picture is worth a thousand words...
Take a Shot!
20 DECEMBER 2014
NEWS & EVENTS
24
Visa Eases Shopping from US
Fiturgreen Promotes Green Solutions
V isa has joined forces with internation-al shipping platform and shopping facilitator, shipnow2.me, to enable
cardholders in the Middle East to conveniently shop at thousands of US e-tailers that do not ship internationally.
Shipnow2.me offers customers a physi-cal tax-free US address, allowing non-US residents a safe and hassle-free solution; one which is now also available in the GCC, Leba-non and Jordan.
A.J. Hernandez, CEO, SkyPostal, parent company of shipnow2.me, noted that e-commerce retail solutions have been rapidly growing in the region and the new partner-ship offers customers the chance to benefit from discounts and promotions that would otherwise be beyond their reach.
Fitur 2015 will be promoting, within the context of Fiturgreen, the com-petitiveness of the tourism sector, in
terms of both companies and destinations, through the convergence of the most suc-cessful trends as regards innovation and sustainability with current consumer ex-pectations and demands.
The forum, jointly organised by the In-stituto Tecnológico Hotelero and the World Tourism Organization together with Fitur, will be presenting over the three days of the event successful examples of initiatives and projects applied within the sector, along with the most notable practical experienc-es at the national and international levels.
EVENTS
HORECA KUWAIT
Kuwait City, KuwaitJanuary 19 – 21, 2015www.horeca-kuwait.comA wide-ranging event covering the hospitality , catering and food industry sectors in Kuwait and the region.
EAST MEDITERRANEAN INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AND TRAVEL EXHIBITION (EMITT)
Istanbul, Turkey January 22 – 25, 2015www.emittistanbul.comThe 18th edition of EMITT will assign an entire hall to health care, aesthetics, thermal and spa tourism.
SAUDI RAIL EXHIBITION
Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaJanuary 25 – 28, 2015www.saudirail-expo.comOrganised by Riyadh Exhibitions Company, the event showcases equipment, technologies and services from the biggest Saudi, regional and international industry players.
FITUR
Madrid, SpainJanuary 28 – February 1, 2015www.ifema.esA global meeting point for tourism professionals for inbound and outbound Ibero-American markets.