Market Update 2Accommodation News 4International News 6Air Travel News 8Travel Talk 12Travel Tips 13Rendezvous 14Who’s Moved 15Events 16

Middle East and North Africa Edition

MARCH 20, 2010 ISSUE 19 www.traveltradeweekly.travel

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3ELAF GROUP SAUDISaudi Arabia’s Elaf Group has laid downa target of four hotels within the kingdomby the end of 2012, and declared that itwill work with Saudi authorities todevelop domestic tourism in the country.

Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA)has offered to provide financial or in kindbacking to promotional ideas that willstimulate consumer demand for travel inthe UAE’s capital.

In This Issue

Banyan TreeDispute

Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts has filed a winding uppetition against Al Areen Holding Co, the owners of

Banyan Tree Bahrain, over unpaid debts. However, AlAreen has launched its own allegations of

mismanagement by Banyan Tree, threatening toreplace the company with another management group.

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ABU DHABI HORIZONS

Contact us now at sales@traveltradeweekly.travel

The complaint revolves around anunpaid debt owed by Al Areento BTH, of approximatelyUSD1.1 million. According toBTH, the winding up action

could be concluded this year, but the timelineremains uncertain.Mr Ho Kwon Ping, executive chairman of BTH,stated that he preferred to settle the debtamicably, but had been forced to take action.“It is common knowledge that the financialcrisis has impacted several entities in the MiddleEast; to a certain degree, it has affected some of

our hotels,” he said.“We endeavour to operate withthe highest standards, and if weare unable to settle issuesamicably, we need to defend ourown credibility and as a matter ofprinciple, take a firm position

with regards to any breaches and outstandingdebts.”He affirmed that the company’s other propertiesin the Gulf would not be affected.“In January this year, we soft-opened BanyanTree Al Wadi in the Ras Al Khaimah emiratenorth of Dubai,” he said.“There are also five other projects underdevelopment in Abu Dhabi, Egypt and Oman.”

MARCH 20, 20102

COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=UAE (AED) Dirham 3.67Egypt (EGP) Pound 5.48Saudi Arabia (SAR) Riyal 3.75Lebanon (LBP) Pound 1501Bahrain (BHD) Dinar 0.37Jordan ( JOD) Dinar 0.70Syria (SYP) Pound 46Kuwait (KWD) Dinar 0.28Qatar (QAR) Riyal 3.64Oman (OMR) Rial 0.38Tunisia (TND) Dinar 1.36Morocco (MAD) Dirham 8.23Iran (IRR) Riyal 9980Yemen (YER) Rial 205.5Algeria (DZD) Dinar 72.85Libya (LYD) Dinar 1.26

MENA Exchange RatesAccurate as of 9/3/2010Currencies shown in red are fixed against the US Dollar

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLYDeputy EditorLaura Warne

JournalistLouis Dillon Savage

Design & LayoutElina Pericleous

Sales & MarketingJane DavidsonMarianna TsiamasDanielle Bragg Tina Georgiou

DirectorsAndreas ConstantinidesMary Kammitsi

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Banyan Tree Chases Al Areen for Unpaid Debts of USD1.1 MillionBanyan Tree Hotels and Resorts, wholly owned subsidiary of Banyan TreeHoldings (BTH), has filed a winding up petition against Al Areen Holding Co,the owners of Banyan Tree Bahrain.

Al Areen Responds to Banyan Tree’s Suit, Alleges MismanagementTariq Al Jowder, CEO of Al Areen,said Banyan Tree had failed to meetthe terms of the hotel’s managementcontract, sparking the dispute.“The Banyan Tree Hotels and Resortsdid not deliver as agreed in our HotelManagement Agreement (HMA) andwe reserve the right to take theappropriate and necessary actionrequired accordingly,” he said.Al Areen claimed that year on year

losses, poor maintenance of thefacility, mismanagement and inactivepromotional activities on the part ofBanyan Tree had led to thedisagreement.Al Jowder said Al Areen was willing totake whatever steps necessary to

ensure the viability of the property.“We spent more than USD200 millionon this resort and we will not toleratenor accept anything that couldcompromise its high quality and levelof service,” he said.He said that the company had receivedoffers from other managementcompanies to take over at the Bahrainresort.“Numerous international renownedoperators have approached us in thepast and are still interested to take overmanagement of the facility,” he said.“We are committed to ensuring thehighest international standards andwill not hesitate to do so through anymeans we deem necessary.”

Banyan TreeAl Areen

3MARCH 20, 2010

ADTA Appeals to International Travel Trade to Boost Consumer PromotionsAbu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has offered to provide financial or in kind backing to promotionalideas that will stimulate consumer demand for travel in the UAE’s capital.

A DTA’s new seeding initiative,Horizon Abu Dhabi, is specificallytargeting international travel tradeprofessionals.

The organisation is eager to implement newstrategies to attract leisure tourism, after Abu Dhabiincreased its previously limited accommodationstock by 3,500 rooms in 2009.A further 4,145 hotel rooms are expected to comeonline in 2010, with 10 new hotel openingsplanned.ADTA has set a target of 1.65 million hotel guestsin 2010, which represents a 10 percent increase on2009 figures. Dayne Lim, product development director forADTA, said that ADTA would support all successfulsuggestions through either financial or non-financialmeans.“Every proposal submitted will be considered in fullmerit and without bias, with ADTA ready to backall concrete and tangible proposals with theappropriate resources,” said Lim.

“Opportunity abounds for tailored packaging,particularly focusing on Abu Dhabi’s new leisureproduct offerings and expanding events portfolio,”said Lim.He added that criteria for assessing the type anddegree of support would include alignment withADTA’s brand promise, core values of culturalrespect and target audience of high end luxury andcultural tourists.

“Other key factors will includepartners’ track records, in-depthindustry understanding andexpertise, as well as commitment to along-term relationship,” said Lim.Plans for a global consumeradvertising campaign are currentlybeing finalised.“Horizons Abu Dhabi is the start of asignificant campaign aimed at

building leisure tourism’scontribution to our hotel guestreceipts,” said Lim. “It is also important that we increaseour leisure component ahead of theopening from 2013 of the world’ssingle largest concentration ofpremier cultural assets on AbuDhabi’s signature Saadiyat Islanddestination.”

The ADTA team launchingHorizons Abu Dhabi

MARCH 20, 20104

ACCOMMODATION NEWS

Elaf Group Works to Boost Domestic Tourism in SaudiSaudi Arabia’s Elaf Group has laid down a target of four hotels within the kingdom by the end of 2012, anddeclared that it will work with Saudi authorities to develop domestic tourism in the country.

Deloitte and Roya Form Hotel Management Partnership for Middle East

Ziyad Bin Mahfouz,president of the ElafGroup, said the decisionto grow the company’shotel inventory was

inspired by an upswing of interest indomestic tourism among Saudi nationals.“The latest trends in domestic tourism arecertainly making it more conducive andattractive for Saudi nationals and residentsto travel within the country,” he said.“With the tourism authority increasinglypromoting historical sites and the KSA'scultural heritage, people are getting a lotmore excited to explore new destinationswithin the country, particularly the sitesthat are being added to the UNESCOWorld Heritage List.”

Mahfouz pointed out that Elaf operatedaccording to Shariah regulations, givingthe company an advantage in thedomestic arena.“Elaf Group conducts its business andinvestment activities in accordance withShariah law, which gives us greaterleverage to cater to the distinctrequirements of local travellers,” he said.In addition to hotel development,Mahfouz noted that the company offereda wide range of Shariah compliant travelservices and said Elaf Group would use itsreach to aid the Saudi government topromote tourism within the country.“We are strongly positioned to support

the efforts of the higher authorities toconsolidate the country's tourism

industry and target a wider range of high-yield niche markets,” he said.“Elaf Group provides a comprehensiveportfolio of integrated value offerings thatinclude customised travel packages,boarding passes, visit visa issuance,conventions and conferences, charterflights, international driving licenseissuance, catering, contract furnishings,travellers’ transportation, and evenlanding arrangements and permissions.”According to Mahfouz, the Elaf Group'sstrategy is to complement growth indomestic tourism by developingdedicated services and product offeringsthat add value to the travel experience ofdomestic tourists.

Deloitte has signed a memorandum ofunderstanding (MoU) with RoyaInternational for the joint provision ofhotel management oversight (HMO)services within the Middle East.According to Deloitte, the HMOservices are targeted at investors, hotelowner/operators and governmentbodies.

Ahmed Ramdan, CEO of Roya, said theservice would vet all aspects of hoteloperation to ensure the efficiency andprofitability of client properties.“As with all of our asset management clients,our goal will be to work closely with hotelowners and hotel operators to ensure theproperty’s financial performance, as well assales and marketing efforts, service quality,

maintenance, and capital expenditure, areall aligned with the hotel owner’s strategicobjectives and the hotel operator’smanagement agreement,” he said.The HMO service will be undertaken bya team of Deloitte/Roya consultants,who will help hotel owners andoperators realise targets and improveshareholder value.

Ziyad Bin Mahfouz

Mecca, Saudi Arabia

MARCH 20, 20106

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Low Cost Carriers Claim One Third of European TrafficLow cost carriers (LCCs) now account for one third of passenger traffic and more than one third of capacitywithin the European Union.

Great Hotels WelcomesNew Members

The Centre for AsiaPacific Aviation (CAPA)reported that the neweminence of LCCs hadbeen driven by a

combination of network expansions fromlow cost airlines and capacity reductionson the part of legacy carriers.While the full service members of theEuropean Association of Airlines postedcross-border traffic reductions of 5.3percent in 2009, the European Low FaresAirline Association reported passengernumbers increases of 8.7 percent.CAPA figures show that LCCs haveincreased their share of passenger trafficin Europe by 80 percent since 2005.Europe’s three largest LCCs, Ryanair,

easyJet and Air Berlin, handled 139million passengers in 2009.Though the gains by LCCs have beenmade primarily on short haul, intraEuropean routes, CAPA has indicated thatthe challenge posed by low cost airlinesmay spread further for full service carriers.According to CAPA, LCCs are eroding

the legacy airlines’ connection routes totheir long haul hubs, as well as beginningto challenge the full service operators inthe field of long distance travel.CAPA predicted that as the skies becomecrowded with more airlines, LCCs willlook towards applying their businessmodels to long haul operations.

Great Hotels Organisation, whichcomprises Great Hotels of the World,Special Hotels of the World and MetroHotels, has announced a range of newmember hotels across the world.Two Eurostars properties recently madethe cut, with Eurostars Madrid Tower inSpain joining Great Hotels of the World,and Eurostars Grand Central Munich inGermany joining Special Hotels of theWorld.The mid-range, city centre corporatehotels group, Metro Hotels, hasannounced five new members across theUK and Middle East.The new hotels include: The BeechwoodInn, Conventry, UK; Almanar HotelApartments, Dubai, UAE; Hala HotelApartments, Muscat, Oman; Umi HotelBrighton, UK; and Umi Hotel London, UK.

Unite, the union representing BritishAirways’ (BA) cabin crew, has concludednegotiations with the airline andannounced that its members will strike.A three day and a four day strike have beenannounced, with the former running fromMarch 20 to 22, and the latter from March27 to 30.Len McCluskey, joint general secretaryof the union, said that BA had refusedUnite’s resolution package, but had

tendered its own.Strike action remains conditional on aconsultative ballot by cabin crew membersregarding whether or not to accept theoffer.“It is right that cabin crew should be giventhe opportunity to consider this offer,although it falls short of what we believe isneeded to address the legitimate concernsthey have about crew complement andservice delivery,” McCluskey said.

BA Cabin Crew Announce Strike Dates in March

For more information call 800 AWPR or visit www.awpr.ae

COME. SEE THE WHITE LIONS. NOW AT THE AL AIN WILDLIFE PARK & RESORT.Home to Big Cat conservation.

The Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort, home to big cat conservation, proudly

welcomes the famous White lions of Sanbona. These extraordinary

animals are a colour form of the wild African lion and are extinct in

the wild. Together with our partners the Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort

is working to conserve big cats for future generations.

Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort – In Touch With Nature.

MARCH 20, 20108

AIR TRAVEL NEWS

Singapore Airlines Makes Fleet Investment in Middle East Most Improved: Abu Dhabi InternationalAirport Tops Middle EastAirport Council International (ACI)has ranked Abu Dhabi InternationalAirport number one in eight customerservice categories in the recent ACI ASQresults for the Middle East, earning theairport the Best Improvement Award.Craig Bradbrook, programme directorfor ASQ, said the award recognisedairports that had made the mostprogress in improving service quality.“The 2009 passenger ratings show that,despite the economic crisis, overallsatisfaction at airports increased byalmost three percent worldwide,compared to 2008,” he said.

South America to Receive First Qatar Airways Flights in 2010Qatar Airways will launch its first routes to South America in 2010.

The carrier will operatedirect flights from Doha,Qatar, to the two largestcities on the continent:Sao Paulo, Brazil and

Buenos Aeries, Argentina.The dates for the launch of these routeshave yet to be confirmed.Akbar Al Baker, CEO of the airline saidthe decision had been partly motivated bythe question of how to utilise the airline’srapidly growing fleet.“As more aircraft join the fleet at a rateof over one a month, we need toidentify exciting opportunities todeploy them to increase capacity onexisting routes, as well as operate to newdestinations,” he said.The airline has a current order book ofmore than 200 Airbus and Boeing aircraft,to be delivered over several years.Al Baker said the inclusion of South

American destinations in the QatarAirways network represented a watershedin the airline’s development.“By adding Brazil and Argentina, we canfinally say Qatar Airways has become atruly global airline touching all parts ofthe world,” he said.

“South America is a prime example of ourstrategy to fly to far flung destinationsfrom our Doha hub in the State of Qatar.”Qatar Airways will also add Bengaluru,India; Copenhagen, Denmark; Ankara,Turkey; Tokyo, Japan; and Barcelona,Spain to its network this year.

Singapore Airlines will replace itsBoeing 777 operations across theMiddle East with new Airbus A330-300aircraft at the end of March.The new aircraft will service daily flightsfrom Abu Dhabi to Singapore, as well asservices from Singapore to Jeddah,Kuwait and Male, via Abu Dhabi. Richard Lee, general manager for theGulf at Singapore Airlines, said themove reaffirmed the airline’scommitment to service.“The introduction of this new aircrafton this route provides us theopportunity to enhance our productofferings for customers from theregion,” he said.The Singapore Airlines A330-300 offers

business and economy classes and willbe progressively deployed on otherregional and medium haul routes laterin the year.Singapore Airlines currently has nineA330-300s, with another 10 due to bedelivered by the end of 2010.

MARCH 20, 201010

Dubai Travel Industry Joins Together in Summer Promotion

Etihad Expands Qantas Codeshare to Include Regional Australia

AIR TRAVEL NEWS

Gulf Air Leases New Jets to Increase Regional ConnectivityGulf Air has introduced two new regional jets to its fleet, in order to boost its connectivity to regional capitals.

S amer Majali, CEO of GulfAir, said the new EmbraerE-170 AR aircraft wouldenable the airline tolaunch an expanded

summer schedule. “The introduction of regional jets to ourfleet brings a new dynamic to Gulf Air,giving us the flexibility and opportunityto reinforce our position as the bestconnecting carrier across the region,” saidMajali.“My aim is for Gulf Air to serve everyArab capital with at least a double dailyservice; this objective can become areality thanks to the size, reliability,

comfort and unbeatable economics ofregional jets like the E170 AR.”The new aircraft, which feature 67 seats,will service several routes, includingLarnaca, Istanbul, Athens, Erbil,

Baghdad and Muscat. The two jets have been leased for threeyears while Gulf Air evaluates otherregional jets on the market to decide onpermanent additions to its fleet.

Emirates has partnered with more than100 hotels, tourist attractions anddestination management companies toboost family tourism in Dubai over thesummer months. Dubai Tourism and CommerceMarketing (DTCM) has joined the

promotion, which offers free flights,accommodation, meals, metro travel,airport transfers and tourist visas tochildren under 16, when accompaniedby two paying adults.Richard Vaughan, divisional senior vicepresident of commercial operations for

Emirates, said the promotion expandedon the success of a similar offer in 2009. “This year, we are delighted to be able toexpand on the offering by partneringwith DTCM and bringing more Dubaitravel and hospitality partners onboard,”he said.

Etihad Airways will add its EY code to arange of regional Australian flights, in anexpansion of its codeshare agreementwith Qantas.

The additions include flights from Sydney toUluru, Alice Springs, Canberra, Hobart andMelbourne; and from Brisbane to Cairns.James Hogan, CEO of Etihad, announced

the new regional flights in addition to acodeshare agreement launched in 2009,which covers major city hubs in Australiaand New Zealand.“The expansion of this codeshareagreement with Qantas reaffirms ourcommitment to passengers around theworld who are flying to Australia and wantto visit towns and cities outside the keygateways,” said Hogan.In addition to the codeshare agreement,Etihad also recently secured 14 additionalweekly flight frequencies from Abu Dhabito Australia.

MARCH 20, 201012

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 editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel

Here’s what the industry had to say about one of the year’s biggest travel trade events –International Tourism Bourse (ITB) in Berlin, Germany:

Ghassan JaberChief Executive Officer, Samaya Hotel"This is our second participation inITB, which we deemed necessary topromote our property to otherEuropean tourists and tour operators.We are receiving a good number ofEuropean guests but we hope togather more guests and ITB is the bestplatform to do that. Our participationshows our support to the Dubaigovernment in its efforts to promoteand position Dubai as a leadingtourist destination. We now havemore attractions especially with theopening of Burj Khalifa and theMetro, so tourists have more reasonsto visit the UAE."

Hazem SawafSales and Marketing Director of theAl Qasba Development Authority "Al Qasba has positioned itself as thepremier cultural, entertainment andtourism destination of the region in avery short span of time thanks to acombination of dynamics of effort bya great workforce and a trulydelightful location. Our previousparticipations at ITB Berlin as well asother travel and tourism sectorexhibitions have proved that suchparticipation indeed educates visitorsnot just about Al Qasba, but the UAEand the emirate of Sharjah as well."

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al QassimiChairman of the Sharjah Commerceand Tourism Development Authority(SCTDA)"We are delighted at the interest shown bythe VIPs who visited Sharjah's stand, aswell as that of the German - andinternational - travel and tourism agenciesand media. This attention serves toreaffirm the emirate's leading position asa unique destination for German tourists.We have no doubt that this participationand the meetings we have held with theGerman travel and tourism agencies willplay a significant role in further boostingcooperation between Germany and Sharjah, as well as in introducing Sharjah'stourism attractions to the European tourism market and attracting German touriststo the emirate. I expect the number of tourists to continue to grow this year as a resultof the SCTDA's efforts and participations throughout the year.”

Ahmed Al NuaimiChairman of Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA)[Arriving in Berlin following a five city promotional roadshow through Europe]"This roadshow was an initiative we launched to complement our participation atinternational travel exhibitions by specifically targeting professionals in the MICEindustry. The tour was very successful - we built new relationships and strengthenedexisting ones in these cities, which are important markets for Qatar. Qatar is preparingfor a robust economic future and tourism will play an important role in creating adiverse and sustainable economy. More attractions, more hotels, easier transit - thesedevelopments will make Qatar a popular unique destination to business travellers fromGermany and from around Europe."

QTA’s stand at ITB

Sheikh Sultan BinAhmed Al Qassimi

We are receiving a good number ofEuropean guests

MARCH 20, 2010

Keep Up: Mobile Info is a Key Travel Demand According to Ghulam Al Baloushi, managing director of Amadeus Gulf, customer expectations are evolvingjust as rapidly as travel technology.

F requent travellers, who areoften equipped with thelatest in consumertechnology, want to beable to access information

on the go, from anywhere in the world. “With air travel becoming more affordableand convenient, people today travel moreoften than they did five years ago,” said AlBaloushi.“This increase in travel, whether forbusiness or leisure, has meant thattravellers are well aware of their optionsand expect up-to-date information fromtheir travel consultants.”SMS updates of itineraries and othertravel details can fulfil this demand, hesaid, as mobile convergence technologybecomes more advanced and accessible.Proving that the trend has caught on inthe Middle East (albeit a little later thanother parts of the world), Amadeusrecently launched its web-based SMStechnology to travel agents in Oman.“The new SMS solution correspondsclosely with the trend of technologyconvergence on mobile devices and we’repleased to be the first to introduce this

concept in Oman,” said Al Baloushi.“It is a great example of how technologycan help reduce operating costs, increaseconvenience and take customer service tothe next level.”He explained that SMS technology cangive travel agents more flexibility, allowingthem to send data to their customersimmediately, anywhere in the world.

It is a great example of how technology can help

reduce operating costs,increase convenience and

take customer service to the next level

The new SMS solution corresponds

closely with the trend oftechnology convergence

on mobile devices

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MARCH 20, 201014

Q&A with Zafar ImamAs the new managing director of SNTTA Travel UAE, Zafar Imam is in charge of delivering a major

expansion plan and corporate restructure that will see the company increase its outlets from 18 to 25 by theend of 2011. Here, he discusses the road ahead with Travel Trade Weekly.

Travel Trade Weekly: Please explainthe upcoming changes to themanagement structure of SNTTATravel. How will these changes affectthe company?Zafar Imam: SNTTA Travel hasrestructured its management followingthe new IATA regulation which requiresseparating the GSA (general sales agent)and IATA businesses. It was therefore necessary to have onecorporate head to co-ordinate and growthe two business divisions independentlyof each other, without conflict of interest. The new business model has beenrecalibrated to establish SNTTA as oneentity, encompassing the two divisions, toreinforce our image as a professional andfriendly travel services provider.As the new managing director of SNTTATravel UAE, I would like to harness myexperience to boost the SNTTA Travelbrand in the UAE markets and thusemulate the success achieved in theterritories of Sharjah and the NorthernEmirates, which I had been heading forover a decade. I also intend to introduce new innovativetravel products and raise the servicestandards by upgrading the skills of ourtravel consultants through regularrefresher programs.

Travel Trade Weekly: Where will thenew outlets be based?Zafar Imam: SNTTA currently has 18outlets across the UAE. The immediateexpansion plans include opening a newbranch at Mirdif City Centre, Dubai,followed by another in Khorfakkan inMay. Recently, the SNTTA main travelshop and offices in Al Garhoud Dubaiwere expanded and fully refurbished as

part of the new growth strategy. Plans areunderway to open more outlets in otheremirates, with a special focus on Dubaiand Abu Dhabi.

Travel Trade Weekly: Are there plansto pursue expansion across theMiddle East?Zafar Imam: Not at the moment. Ourfocus is on consolidating our position inthe UAE, with the goal of reaching anetwork of 25 outlets by the end of 2011and further expansion thereafter.

Travel Trade Weekly:What are themain focuses for SNTTA in terms ofclient services, and what are your toptarget source markets?Zafar Imam: SNTTA Travel is anoutbound travel company, for which thetarget source market is the whole of the UAE. We also have a dedicated company forinbound travel operating under the nameof SNTTA Emir Tours.SNTTA Travel has been a leader in travelmanagement services for over threedecades. Our portfolio of services includecorporate travel, leisure travel, bespokeholiday packages, hotel reservations, carrentals, cruises, pilgrimage packages, etc. Our GSA division represents leadingairlines, such as Emirates, Iraqi Airways,Kuwait Airways, Pakistan International,Royal Jordanian, Shaheen Air, SingaporeAirlines, Sri Lankan and Sudan Airways. We are also a franchise partner of AmericanExpress Travel Services in Sharjah andGSA for Indian Railways in the UAE. Our focus under both divisions will be onraising standards and expanding ourcustomer base in the corporate and individualcustomer segments across the UAE.

Travel Trade Weekly:As a travelmanagement company operating inthe UAE, what are the currentchallenges facing the company? Zafar Imam: The first challenge is tobifurcate the GSA and IATA divisions inkeeping with IATA regulations, and drivethe two units to professionalism andprofitablity, without losing itscohesiveness under the SNTTA brand,which is now driven by a new tagline:Travel the World. The other challenge is to innovate andrealign business solutions to maintain ourleadership position in this challengingmarket..

Travel Trade Weekly: Finally, whatare the long term plans for thecompany? Zafar Imam: Long term plans includeopening new branches across the lengthand breadth of the country, and makingSNTTA Travel a household name. We have tremendous confidence in therobustness of the UAE market and, afterhaving achieved excellent year on yeargrowth over the last decade, we areconfident of exceeding 15 percent annualgrowth from 2011.

Zafar Imam

15MARCH 20, 2010

Sue WheatleyRaffles Dubai has appointed Sue Wheatleyas director of sales and marketing. Wheatleywill oversee the daily operations of the sales,marketing and events departments. She hasmore than 12 years of internationalhospitality experience. Wheatley previouslyworked as director of business developmentand marketing for Burj Al Arab, and directorof commercial development, global sales forJumeirah Group.

Al Bustan Rotana DubaiAl Bustan Rotana Dubai has made twonew executive appointments. GeorgeKhozam has been appointed as directorof front office, bringing with him nearly20 years of hospitality experience. Priorto joining Rotana, Khozam worked forseveral five star properties in the UAE,including Le Méridien Abu Dhabi, AlDiar Hotels and Sheraton Abu Dhabi.Abbas Moubarak has been promoted todirector of protocol at Al Bustan RotanaDubai. Moubarak was part of the pre-opening team for the hotel in 1997 andhas 30 years of experience in thehospitality industry. As director ofprotocol, Moubarak will be responsiblefor upholding the hotel’s standardswhen accommodating guests from thediplomatic market segment and largedelegations.

GeorgeKhozam

AbbasMoubarakSue Wheatley

MARCH 20, 201016

To book contact us at sales@traveltradeweekly.travel

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

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

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

China Outbound Travel and Tourism MarketBeijing, PRC, April 28-30 (www.cottm.com)A business to business platform for international destinations andcompanies to introduce their products to the Chinese outboundtravel industry.

Arabian Hotel Investment ConferenceDubai, UAE, May 1-3 (www.arabianconference.com)Interviews with hoteliers, forecasts from economists, paneldiscussions on the latest developments, trends and bestpractice in the hotel and investment industry.

Arabian Travel MarketDubai, UAE, May 4-7 (www.arabiantravelmarket.com)Travel and tourism event for inbound and outbound tourismprofessionals, featuring destinations, accommodation, tourismattractions and airlines.

HOTEC Middle EastMuscat, Oman, May 7-10 (www.mcleaneventsinternational.com/events/HotecMiddleEast2010)Business to business meetings forum for hotel owners,developers and operators to meet with suppliers.

The Hotel ShowDubai, UAE, May 18-20 (www.thehotelshow.com)Exhibition for hoteliers and suppliers to the hotel industry.

Events

Vision of the Future with New Ground Handling PartnershipThe Vision DestinationManagement has beenappointed by Reed TravelExhibitions as groundhandler for Gulf Incentive,Business Travel & MeetingsExhibition (GIBTM) andArabian Travel Market(ATM).The successful appointmentis expected to boost thecompany’s profile as apreferred partner in theregion. Ali Abu Monassar, owner ofThe Vision DestinationManagement said the

company offered a full rangeof leisure and MICE services,as well as representation andconsultancy services withinthe hospitality industry.“Technology is afundamental factor in ourdevelopment, in fact, TheVision is due to launch itsB2B multi-language onlinesystem and will add a B2Cplatform by the end of2010,” he said.The Vision has offices inDubai and Oman, withanother planned for AbuDhabi in the near future.