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Middle East and North Africa Edition

APRIL 17, 2010 ISSUE 23 www.traveltradeweekly.travel

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Banyan tREE SPlit

Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts (BTHR)has terminated its management of theBahrain resort owned by Al AreenHolding Company (AAHC).

After a five year suspension of flights,Royal Jordanian will resume servicesbetween Amman and Malaysia’s capitalcity, Kuala Lumpur.

In This Issue

AirportSHOW

The upcoming Airport Show, to be held in Dubaifrom April 25 to 27, will host the Emerging Markets

Airport Awards (EMAA) for the first time.According to Reed Exhibitions, the emerging airport

market is expected to grow to USD100 billion, drivenby the Middle East, China, India, Russia and the

Commonwealth of Independent States.

6

Royal JoRdanian to Kl

APRIL 17, 20102

COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=UAE (AED) Dirham 3.67Egypt (EGP) Pound 5.51Saudi 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 1.41Morocco (MAD) Dirham 8.22Iran (IRR) Riyal 9985Yemen (YER) Rial 206.27Algeria (DZD) Dinar 72.88Libya (LID) Dinar 1.26

MENA Exchange RatesAccurate as of 14/4/2010Currencies 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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According to figures from STRGlobal, Dubai performed strongly inlate 2009 and early 2010.Drawing on a report prepared by STR,Dubai Department of Tourism andCommerce Marketing (DTCM)declared strong performance forhospitality in the emirate, based on keyindicators.According to DTCM, throughout theperiod from November 2009 to theend of February 2010, Dubaiexperienced the highest average

room rates of any destinationworldwide.Rates varied from USD236 inNovember 2009 and USD235 inDecember 2009, to USD250 andUSD252 in January and February2010, respectively.Tokyo experienced the next highestroom rates in the first two months of2010, followed by Paris.DTCM also reported positive figuresfor the revenue per average room(revPAR) and occupancy measures.

Positive numbers for Hospitality industry in dubai

PWC CEO Survey Shows Optimistic Outlook for Middle Eastern EconomiesPricewaterhouseCoopers has finalised its thirteenth annual global CEO survey,uncovering widespread optimism regarding economic recovery in the Middle East.

W arwick Hunt, MiddleEast managing partnerof Pricewaterhouse-Coopers, said that thesurvey showed better

than average recovery within the Middle East.“The economies of the Middle East arerecovering at a faster pace than in other parts ofthe world and companies with the bestprospects are those who managed through therecession while keeping an eye on the recoveryahead,” he said.He noted that the overriding outlook within the

region was positive, but that changed perspectivesaccompanied optimistic attitudes.“Whilst the global economic slowdown has

clearly had a negative impact on a number ofbusiness sectors, it is clear that signs of recoveryare now emerging and with them a neweconomic paradigm,” he said.“After years of unprecedented growth,businesses across the region are now refocusingon fundamentals with a greater emphasis onregulatory issues, understanding market risksand the implementation of long-terminvestment strategies.”

dubai

3APRIL 17, 2010

Corniche El Nil, P.O. Box: 60, 11511 Cairo, Egypt. Tel: +20(2) 2795-7171 Fax: +20(2) 2796-3020e-mail: administration@semiramisinterconti.comor visit www.intercontinental.com

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S E M I R A M I S

Emirates Establishes newPresence in afghanistanwith dnata travel

Emirates Airline will target thecorporate travel market in Afghanistan,with Dnata Travel acting as the airline’soff-line sales agent in Kabul.Although Emirates does not operateflights to or from Afghanistan, there isstill a strong market for the airline inthe country, according to RichardVaughan, divisional senior vicepresident of commercial operationsworldwide.“Passengers can connect to Emiratesvia one of our interline partners or viaDubai to popular destinations inEurope, the Far East and the UnitedStates,” said Vaughan.“As our general sales agent in Kabul,Dnata Travel will be able to assistresidents of Afghanistan inpurchasing airline tickets and visas, aswell as all of Dnata’s travel productsand services.”Majid Al Mulla, vice president of DnataWorld Travel, added that thepartnership would increase Emirates’presence in Kabul, particularly amongstits corporate clients. The Dnata Travel office in Afghanistanopened in 2009, primarily to serviceUN agencies and the corporate market.

travelport Upgrades With iBM SoftwareGlobal distribution system (GDS) provider, Travelport, plans to double itsprocessing capacity for travel clients and boost its business growth with a multi-milliondollar software upgrade.The multi-year agreement with software provider IBM will affect Travelport customersin 160 countries, including travel agencies, hotels, car rental companies, rail networks,tour operators and cruise lines. Gordon Wilson, president of Travelport GDS, said that the upgrade was necessary tokeep up with modern travel professionals.“The changing needs of the travel industry for broader, deeper, faster contentaggregation, search and integration mean that the GDSs have to continually upgradenot only their hardware infrastructure, but also the key operating software andsupporting systems architecture that facilitate the offer of informed choice for theultimate consumer of travel products,” said Wilson.

(l-R) Richard Vaughan and Majid al Mula

APRIL 17, 20104

aCCoMModation nEWS

Banyan Tree Sheds its Bahrain BranchBanyan Tree Hotels and Resorts (BTHR) has terminated its management of the Bahrain resort owned byAl Areen Holding Company (AAHC).

A ccording to BTHR, thedecision was madewith immediate effect,but AAHC has statedthe operations of the

resort will not be affected.According to BTHR, an initial notice oftermination had been served to AAHC onApril 8, which contained a proviso for a15 day interim period throughout whichthe former would continue to manage theproperty.BTHR has alleged that AAHC tookimmediate control over the property, a

move which BTRH has named as afurther breach of agreements between thecompanies.AAHC has issued counter accusations,claiming that three BTHR representativeshave been banned from travelling by theBahraini public prosecution, pendinginvestigations into charges laid by AAHC.AAHC further stated that following aneight month leadership vacuum, the twocompanies have jointly appointedKhalid Anib as the general manager ofthe resort.The schism culminates a long standing

dispute between the companies, whichsaw BTHR file a winding up order againstAAHC in March.Each side has accused the other ofbreaching the management contract forthe hotel, with BTHR claiming unpaidfees and AAHC alleging negligence,mismanagement and betrayal of trust.Tariq Al Jowder, CEO of AAHC, said thatlate-stage talks were being undertakenwith other management companiesregarding the future of the hotel andproposed an interim name change to AlAreen Palace and Spa.

Ritz-Carlton targets Saudi GuestsRitz-Carlton has become the latest international chain todeclare an interest in Saudi Arabia, initiating a marketingdrive intended to attract more Saudis to the brand.Pascal Duchauffour, area vice president for Ritz-Carlton inthe Middle East, said Saudi Arabia represented one of themost promising source markets for the regional travelindustry.“We see tremendously high potential in the Saudi Arabiamarket for the coming years and our goal is to increase ourcustomer base by at least 15 percent in 2010,” he said.Ritz-Carlton has appointed a group sales manager dedicatedto the Saudi market in an attempt to realise this goal,Duchauffour said.“With such an aggressive objective to achieve, the generalmanagers have agreed to engage an experienced sales person,Mohamed Halawani, to be exclusively dedicated to thiscountry on behalf of their hotels’ revenue targets,” he said.

Ritz-Carlton dubai

5APRIL 17, 2010

Qatari diar ExpandsMushaireb Project in SudanQatari Diar Real Estate InvestmentCompany has acquired an extra58,000m² of land for its Mushairebmixed-use development in downtownKhartoum, Sudan.The project, which includes a five starhotel, family entertainment area,residences, retail towers and office space,will now encompass 206,000m².Construction on the project began in2009 and Mushaireb has already provenpopular with investors, according toMohammed bin Ali Al Hedfa, groupCEO of Qatari Diar.“We see strong potential in the country’slong-term growth and we are proud tobe helping to improve the business,tourist and residential opportunities andinfrastructure in Sudan,” he said.Qatari Diar has also planned aredevelopment of the waterfrontcorniche area along the Nile inKhartoum, which will become anentertainment area. Mohamed Abdul Wahab Othman,Sudanese Minister of Planning andUrban Development, added that theproject represented the strong bondbetween the people of Sudan and Qatar.Qatari Diar is wholly owned by QatarInvestment Authority and currently has35 real estate development projectsactive in more than 20 countries.

Premier inn Breaks into abu dhabi

(l-R) Mohammed abdul Wahab othman andMohammed bin ali al Hedfa

UK budget hotel brand Premier Inn hasbroken ground on its first hotel in AbuDhabi, within Abu Dhabi NationalExhibition Company’s Capital Centre. The new hotel will be the company’sfourth property in the UAE and isexpected to be completed by September2011, at a cost of AED120 million(USD32.67 million).Darroch Crawford, managing director ofPremier Inn Middle East, said the hotelwould capitalise on its position withinCapital City.

The completed Capital Centre will feature23 mixed-use towers, including sevenhotels.“Although the current economic climateshows a general slowdown in expansionplans for most companies, for Premier Innit is vital to continue,” said Crawford.“Demand from travellers to the UAEseeking high quality budget hotelaccommodation has been growing overthe last few years and we believe we offerthe best value proposition in the marketwithout compromising on service.”

APRIL 17, 20106

aiR tRAVEl nEWS

Emerging Markets Centre Stage at Dubai Airport ShowThe upcoming Airport Show, to be held in Dubai from April 25 to 27, will host the Emerging Markets AirportAwards (EMAA) for the first time.

Etihad airways Reports Growth in Early 2010 Royal Jordanian GoesBack to Kuala lumpurAfter a five year suspension of flights,Royal Jordanian will resume servicesbetween Amman and Malaysia’scapital city, Kuala Lumpur, on June 1.The flights were originally suspendedfor commercial reasons, but HusseinDabbas, president of Royal Jordanian,said that market studies had sinceproven the route was now viable. He added that there had been signs ofrecovery and an increase in tourismand commercial activity in Malaysia,as well as a strong family tourismmarket from Arab countries. The airline will operate the Amman toKuala Lumpur route three timesweekly, via Bangkok. Two new Airbus A330s will bedelivered to the airline in May toservice the route.

A ccording to estimates from ReedExhibitions, the value of theemerging airport market isexpected to grow to more thanUSD100 billion, including the

Middle East, China, India, Russia/Commonwealthof Independent States and Baltic States.Mohamad Bader-Eddin, show director at Reed, saidthe awards would provide a platform for buyers andexhibitors to meet key airport leaders.“There’s no doubt we are seeing great growth inemerging airport markets,” he said.“By 2050, China is planning to have 350 airports andIndia is to increase its airports to more than 300.”Airport Show 2010 will be supported by ADAC andDubai Airports, as well as other leading aviationauthorities.

Revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs)grew by 25.4 percent at Etihad Airwaysin the first quarter of 2010, according tothe airline. Etihad’s passenger numbers increasedby 11 percent, with a five percentincrease in premium traffic; seat factorswere up from 73 percent to 75 percent.James Hogan, CEO of Etihad, said thefigures were encouraging and thatEtihad had continued its growthtrajectory, despite the downturn in theair transport industry.Specifically, seat factors were strong onEtihad’s new Chicago route, as well asAsia Pacific and Australian routes. Hogan added that the airline hadreduced its costs per available seatkilometre (CASK) by more than 14percent during 2009. “We are seeing the results of theimplementation of our business strategy

over the last three years coming tofruition,” said Hogan.“The market environment remains verychallenging and it will require clearfocus if we are to continue on ourgrowth path in 2010.”

M arriott plans tohave all 29hotals open bythe end of 2013,which will bring

its Indian portfolio to 40 hotels undermanagement by Marriott brands. The newly signed properties include a JWMarriott Hotel at New Delhi InternationalAirport; Bengaluru Marriott WhitefieldHotel; Jaipur Marriott Hotel; andCourtyard by Marriott Hotel HyderabadHitec City. Ed Fuller, managing director of

international lodging for Marriott, saidthe four new hotels would cater to boththe upscale and luxury markets. “India is witnessing unprecedented

growth and expansion of its travel andtourism industry and we are delighted toparticipate in this expansion in ameaningful way,” said Fuller.

APRIL 17, 20108

Marriott International to Quadruple Indian Hotel Portfolio by End of 2013Marriott International has signed four new hotels in India; the company now has a total of 29 propertieseither under construction or in planning stages within the country.

Virgin Atlantic has made a submission tothe European Commission, objecting tothe findings of a market testing report onthe proposed British Airways(BA)/American Airlines (AA) tie-up.BA and AA already operate as co-members of the Oneworld airline alliance,and have been seeking worldwideantitrust exemption for enhanced trans-Atlantic co-operation since 2008.The deal received tentative approval fromthe US Department of Transportation(DOT) in February, but remains underreview by the European Commission.Virgin Atlantic is one of the keycompetitors on the trans-Atlantic routes

pertinent to the deal and Richard Branson,founder and president of that airline hasmaintained vociferous opposition tomerger since it was first proposed.Branson said his objections stemmedfrom the failure of the merger to providetangible consumer benefits, and the nearmonopoly that AA and BA couldcommand on certain routes.BA has responded to Branson’sallegations, stating that the Star Allianceand Skyteam airline partnerships havealready received antitrust immunity, andclaiming that Virgin’s objections originatefrom a close relationship with Starmember, Singapore Airlines.

A volcanic eruption in Iceland on April14 disrupted flights to and from severalcountries this week, after it spread dust

and ash across northern Europe,The central air traffic control body ofEurope, Eurocontrol, said the UK,

Denmark, Sweden and Ireland were themost impacted, and nearly all air trafficwas suspended in these countries.

intERnational nEWS

Volcanic Eruption disrupts Flights across Europe, UK

Virgin and Ba trade Blows on antitrust immunityRichard Branson

JW Marriott Hotel new delhiinternational airport

9APRIL 17, 2010

ATM Doubles Seminar Programme to Meet DemandReed Travel Exhibitions has increased its 2010 seminar programme for Arabian Travel Market (ATM) tomeet growing demand from participants.

Sharjah’s tourism Road Show targets GCC GuestsSharjah’s latest tourism road show is now underway,targeting a range of key GCC countries in an attempt toattract regional tourists to the emirate.In 2009, 24 percent of visitors to Sharjah originatedfrom GCC countries, prompting the Sharjah Commerceand Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) toboost its promotions and facilities within the GCCmarket. The road show is scheduled to run from April 14 to 20,taking in Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Along with SCTDA, the road show includesrepresentatives from Sharjah Millennium Hotel, GoldenTulip Hotel, Embassy Hotel Suites, Marbella Resort,Sharjah Premiere Hotel, Lulu’a Beach Resort, RubyLiving Courts Hotel Apartments and Ilaf Tours. This event has been organised in the lead-up to theSharjah Summer Promotions initiative, which willinclude events, activities and discounts on summershopping in Sharjah. Sharjah Summer Promotions will take place betweenJune 16 and July 25.

The newprogramme willinclude up to 25free sessions,spread across

two rooms for the first time. Lucie James, marketing managerfor Reed Travel Exhibitions, saidthe seminars would cover issuessuch as luxury tourism,hospitality, new businessgeneration and online customerengagement.“This year’s seminar programmehas been designed to ignitediscussion and debate among

industry peers and provides us aninvaluable resource that allowstravel and tourism tradeprofessionals to discuss key issuesand shape the sector’s future,”said James. Ask The Experts marketingseminars will also be introduced forthe first time, designed to helpcompanies market themselves inchallenging climates.The seminars will featureindustry experts who will explainthe importance of tools such aspublic relations, social media andSMS marketing.

APRIL 17, 201010

timur ilgazTimur Ilgaz has been appointedas general manager of AmwajRotana Jumeirah Beach Dubai.Ilgaz has 25 years of experiencein the industry; he holds abusiness administration degreeand has worked in Turkey,Canada, Czech Republic andKazakhstan. In 2007, Ilgaz wasappointed general manger ofJumeirah Rotana and has sincebeen heading the pre-openingteam of Amwaj Rotana JumeirahBeach Dubai. The new hotel ispart of the Jumeirah BeachResidence Complex.

oman airOman Air has made two new high-levelappointments to its team. Ejaz Khan hasbeen appointed as regional manager forthe Gulf, Middle East and Africa. Khanwill be based in Muscat, Oman. He hasmore than 28 years of experience ininternational sales, customer serviceand airport operations across theMiddle East, Africa and Pakistan. Hisprevious post was as country managerfor Oman Air in Pakistan.Oman Air has also appointed DonHunter as chief officer of airportoperations. Hunter has spent the past41 years working in the aviationindustry, including 19 years withCathay Pacific Airways. He has alsoworked with Virgin Atlantic andDnata. In his new role, Hunter will beresponsible for running groundhandling of Oman’s airports, includingcheck-in, passengers, baggage handlingand airport services.

Elie younesRezidor Hotel Group has appointedElie Younes as vice president ofbusiness development in the MiddleEast and Africa. Younes will work withthe company’s Middle East team todrive Rezidor’s growth strategy in theregion, focusing on new and emergingmarkets. Younes worked in severalmanagerial roles in Lebanon beforejoining HVS International in Londonin 2001. He was promoted to directorat HVS, and later joined StarwoodHotels in 2007 as director ofacquisitions and development EMEA.Younes also worked for Hilton HotelsWorldwide as vice president ofdevelopment for the Middle East.

daniel van der HeijdenLe Méridien Amman has appointed Daniel van der Heijden as executive assistantmanager for the hotel. Van der Heijden has more than 18 years of experience inthe international hospitality industry. He holds a hotel business degree and mostrecently worked as the food and beverage director of Sheraton Hotel, Jeddah inSaudi Arabia.

Ejaz Khan

don Hunter

Elie younes

timur ilgaz

APRIL 17, 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

Guests are seeking outdistinctive properties that

make a great base

We are going to places this year from wherewe have been generating good business

A high quality holiday is more important than ever

Saleh Mohammed al GeziryDirector Overseas Promotions and Inward Missions, DTCM“We are confident that Dubai will continue to evoke stronger interest from thetravel trade in the countries we will participate with in 2010 and generate goodbusiness for the tourism industry. The mix of exhibitions and road shows [thatDTCM will participate in] is in line with the changing patterns of the globaltourism industry and the expansion of the tourism product of Dubai. We aregoing to places this year from where we have been generating good businessand expect to consolidate our standing."

Samer achcarDirector of Global Sales Middle East andAfrica, Kempinski Hotels"Discerning guests seeking more rewardingtravel experiences is one of the key trendsthat have emerged in luxury travel postrecession. Guests are seeking out distinctiveproperties that make a great base from wherethey can enjoy any destination - whether newand exotic, or continually fascinating. Thelocation and landmark status of ourproperties places us in a strong position toleverage this trend and last year's healthyfigures prove that we continue to maintainthis advantage. Our travel trade partners play a key role incommunicating and recommending ourstatus among leisure and business travellers,and the good relationships we have built overthe years are integral to our future success.The annual [Kempinski] road show plays astrategically important role in strengtheningthese relationships and showcasing our mostpopular destinations as well as rising andupcoming stars. Our aim is to excite andentice our invaluable regional travel and tradepartners to continue to recommend us totheir clients.”

John Felix

Senior Vice President, Emirates Holidays“Nowadays, people appreciate more the value of taking a break, and forthem, a high quality holiday is more important than ever. Working withEmirates Airline we promote tailor made holidays to more destinationsthan any other operator from the UAE, and extend that quality experiencepeople get in the air – to the ground.”

Samer achcar

John Felix

APRIL 17, 2010 13

Hot Summer Holiday Destination: Italy

tripadvisor’s top FiveTripadvisor has surveyed its users around the globe andturned up a list of the top five world destinations for 2010:

Troncones, Mexico Boasting miles of white sand beaches, Troncones is peacefuland secluded, nestled between the jungle foothills of theSierra Madre del Sur Mountains and the tropical waters ofthe Pacific Ocean.

Nairn, Scotland Located on the Moray Forth coast, this small seaside townenjoys one of the sunniest climates in Scotland and is aperfect base from which to explore the Highlands.

El Chalten, Patagonia This remote town has limited capacity, but travellers whobook in advance are rewarded with incredible hikingexperiences in Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, a UNESCOWorld Heritage site.

Patara, Turkey With a 12 mile long beach (also a national park) and anabundance of Lycian and Roman ruins peeking out of the sanddunes, Patara is steeped in both natural beauty and history.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany This picturesque Bavarian town is celebrated not only for itswell-preserved medieval buildings and walls, but also for itsunspoiled setting.

E tihad Airways has recentlysigned a codeshare dealwith Alitalia to coincidewith the start of thenorthern summer season

in April. In addition to its current servicesto Milan, the new alliance will allowEtihad customers to fly to Rome andNaples.

In Dubai, Emirates already has direct dailyflights to Italy’s capital, Rome.For budget-conscious travellers looking toadd Italy to their existing Euro-trips, lowcost carrier Ryanair has launched a newroute from the UK to Trapani on theItalian island of Sicily. Maria Mackan, from Ryanair, said thedestination had plenty to offer travellerswho were looking for an Italianexperience beyond the capital cities.“Located on the western coast of Sicily,Trapani is renowned for its fantasticweather, beaches, fine seafood and Siciliancuisine,” she said.On the accommodation front, AdelSoukah from The Rocco ForteCollection’s Middle East sales team said

she was also expecting a busy season.“The Rocco Forte Collection’s hotels inItaly continue to experience growth invisitor numbers during the summer,” saidSoukah.“Families, in particular, enjoy a breakfrom the hot climate in the Gulf and achance to delve into Italy’s rich culturalhistory.”Soukah said the Hotel Savoy and Hotel deRussie, in Florence and Romerespectively, would be targeting childrenand teenagers specifically over the schoolholiday period.Special activities such as gladiatortraining and treasure hunts will beamong the family entertainmentpackages on offer.

Italy is the place to be for Gulf tourists this summer, according to airline and accommodation insiders.

italy

APRIL 17, 201014

Q&A with Firas MneimnehFiras Mneimneh is the general manager of Landmark Amman Hotel and Conference Centre in Jordan. Overthe past year, the hotel has undergone a major renovation and has recently confirmed a strategic alliance withHotel Management Holdings (HMH) to further the operations of both companies in the Jordanian hospitalitymarket. Here, Mneimneh talks to Travel Trade Weekly about these developments, as well as the changes hewould like to see within the Jordan tourism industry.

Travel Trade Weekly: Your hotel hasundergone some big changes recently– could you please tell me about thelatest developments?Firas Mneimneh: Since January 2009Landmark Amman Hotel and Conferencecentre has excelled in a very quick waywithin the Jordanian tourism market andhas been able to position itself within thefive star deluxe hotels fasterthan expected.The hotel has recently signed a strategiccommercial agreement which has beenunder development for months betweenLandmark and Hospitality ManagementHoldings (HMH).During the past year Landmark AmmanHotel and Conference Centre hasundergone renovation of  JOD7 million(USD9.85 million) in all areas of the hotelsuch as the lobby, outlets, new meetingand conference facilities in order to reachthe ultimate goal of client satisfaction,which we feel we have successfullyachieved.

Travel Trade Weekly: What changeshave you noticed within the Jordantourism market recently?Firas Mneimneh: As for the touristmarket, Jordan has witnessed quite anextraordinary flow since the beginning ofthe year especially from the Spanish,

Italian and German markets as well asmarkets such as Greece, India and China.Competition is extremely high and we atLandmark deal with it by emphasising ourextraordinary services, which we offer toall our clients. Jordan has been quite a tourist attractionsince Petra was chosen as one of thewonders of the world. It also offers many other historical andreligious sites, such as the Jordan River,Mount Nebo and many others.

Travel Trade Weekly: What changesor improvements do you think couldbe made to help to stimulate greater

tourism in Jordan?Firas Mneimneh: In the near future, Iwould like to see the opening up of Jordanto many other destinations, such as theeastern European countries. I’d also like to see more flexibility inissuing visas to different countries thathave difficulty in obtaining visas; this maybe of use to tourism in Jordan as a whole.

Firas Mneimneh

I would like to see the opening up

of Jordan to manyother destinations

Jordan has witnessedquite an extraordinaryflow of tourists since the

beginning of the year

15APRIL 17, 2010

ajman Thinks Big in 2010Ajman, the smallest of the UAE’s seven emirates, may see aboost in tourism business towards the end of 2010, accordingto Iftikha Hamdani, director of sales and marketing forRamada Ajman Hotel and Suites. “We foresee that the last quarter of 2010 will be a boom forAjman due to a lot of corporate activities; demand willincrease, especially from the corporate segment,” saidHamdani.He added that activity was increasing in Hamriya Free Zone,stimulating travel in the emirate. However, Hamdani admitted that there was still a long wayto go for Ajman.“No doubt Ajman is lesser known than the other emirates,as there is no tourism board to promote it as a destination;but in spite of this, there are attractions for tourists,” he said.He predicted that there would be an additional 929 roomsonline in Ajman by the second quarter of 2010.Budget conscious travellers are also looking to Ajman as acheaper destination than some of its neighbours, saidHamdani.“Being close to emirates such as Sharjah and Dubai, manytourists are staying here due to great value for moneypackages,” said Hamdani.

ADTA Hires US Internet Guru to Boost Emirate’s Tourism Marketing

Horvath will host aworkshop in AbuDhabi for ADTA’spartners, travel industryrepresentatives and

marketing professionals from the Traveland Tourism Agencies Council (ATTAC)on May 10.According to Horvath, travellers arerelying more heavily on search engines toboth research and purchase travelproducts.“The touch point for new customers is nota company’s website: it is the result pages

of the search engines,” he said.“I hope to show Abu Dhabi’s tourismprofessionals how to improve their digitalfootprint and increase their search engineoptimisation.” He added that travel companies could usesearch engines to drive web traffic to theirwebsites; increase sales locally andinternationally; and to protect theirreputation online.Paul Ram Prakash, industry professionaldevelopment manager for ADTA, said thatsecuring the course was a coup for bothADTA and the industry.

“To learn from a speaker of Laszlo’s calibreis an opportunity the industry’s marketing,sales and public relations professionalswould be remiss to forego,” he said.“We are pushing the boundaries with ourbreakfast sessions touching on issueswhich not only improve the industry’sservice offering, but its ability toeffectively communicate with, and sell to,the end user.“These are briefings with a distinctbusiness ROI.”Travel professionals can register withADTA to attend the workshop.

Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has enlisted Laszlo Horvath, founder of ActiveMedia, to educatetourism professionals on search engine optimisation.

APRIL 17, 201016

EventsAirport Show 2010 Dubai, UAE, April 25-27 (www.theairportshow.com)Dedicated to airport design, construction, operations, technologyand services. Offers networking and business development viadiscussions, seminars and hosted buyer programme.

China Outbound Travel and Tourism MarketBeijing, PRC, April 28-30 (www.cottm.com)A business to business platform for international destinationsand companies to introduce their products to the Chineseoutbound travel 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.

Destination Britain and Ireland Dubai, UAE, May 10-13Business to business event showcasing tourism offerings fromthe UK and Ireland to buyers from around the world.

World travel and tourism Council announces Global Summit detailsLas Vegas, US, will host the 2010Global Travel and Tourism Summit,according to the World Travel andTourism Council (WTTC). Jean-Claude Baumgarten, president ofWTTC, said that the support frommembers for Las Vegas wasoverwhelming. “Our tenth Global Summit takes placenext month in Beijing and we fullyintend to make the most of the morethan 12 months between now and theLas Vegas event to promote theimportance of travel and tourism,”said Baumgarten.The event is scheduled for May 15 to19, 2011. Las Vegas currently attracts more than

36 million visitors annually, both forbusiness and leisure travel; thetourism industry generates USD30billion for Southern Nevada andemploys 235,000 people.The summit will be held at ARIAResort and Casino, which is part ofthe recently opened CityCenter urbanresort development. CityCenter is a joint venture betweenMGM Mirage and Infinity WorldDevelopment Corp – a subsidiary ofDubai World.The Global Travel and TourismSummit is expected to attract leadersfrom the travel and tourism industry,public sectors, academia and theinternational media industry.

las Vegas City Cemter