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THE WORLD DOCKED AT DOHA PORT

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W Hotels Debuts in Dubai

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MARKET UPDATE www.traveltradeweekly.travel

MANAGING EDITOR

Mary Kammitsi mary@traveltradeweekly.travel

ASSISTANT EDITORRita Kasziba

JOURNALIST Ellen Petty CONTRIBUTORS

Ana Mladenovic Dominique Christou

SALES & SALES SUPPORT Maria Demetriadou Magda Christou Raluca Apostolescu

DESIGN & LAYOUTElena Stylianou

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DIRECTORS Andreas Constantinides Mary Kammitsi

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0.37

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110.63

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1.41

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2.25

250.09

COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=

21.10.2016as ofMENA EXCHANGE RATES

NUMBER OF JEDDAH HOTELS ON THE RISE

CAIRO HOTELS DELIVER STABLE PERFORMANCE

Jones Lang LaSalle’s third quarter (Q3) Jeddah Real Estate Market Overview has analysed property trends in the Saudi city, finding that the supply of hotel rooms now stands around 9,400, with a further 700 keys expected to become operational over the next three months.

The International Monetary Fund’s USD12 billion credit facility could pave the way for Egypt’s future economic growth, particularly in real estate, based on Jones Lang LaSalle’s (JLL) third quarter (Q3) Cairo Real Estate Market Overview report.

During the three-month period, Mövenpick Hotel City Star Jeddah and Centro Shaheen by Ro-tana have both opened their doors, while an additional two Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts ad-dresses are under construction.

Although occupancy rates had fallen four percent to 72 percent, unlike most other regional markets, average daily rates in Jeddah rose five percent year-on-year due to strong demand during the summer holidays and the Hajj pilgrimage in September.

According to JLL, the currency devaluation and economic reforms signal positive develop-ments for the hotel sector, as the Egyptian capital becomes more affordable to foreign visitors.

The financial performance of accommodation establishments in Cairo has been relatively stable throughout the year, and occupancy rates have shown signs of sustainable improve-

ment, thus, hotels are expected to achieve growth in rates as well as in RevPAR in 2017. In addition, further enhancements in airport security are likely to stimulate the continued recovery

of the North African country’s tourism industry.

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22 OCTOBER 2016

The World Docked at Doha Port

P assengers on the luxury cruise ship were the first to take advantage of the country’s new entry procedure which speeds up the disembarkation process, allowing tour-ists to enjoy their on-shore excursions within minutes of arrival.

Some 32 ships are due to call at the port between this October and April 2017, three times more than during the 2015/2016 season, bringing some 50,000 passengers to Qatar.

The World boasts 165 residences, with travellers living onboard, both full-time and pe-riodically, as it sails around the globe.

The start of Qatar’s cruise season was marked with the two-day docking of what is said to be the largest privately owned yacht, The World.

Marasi Business Bay Promenade to Open in November

D ubai Properties’ Marasi Business Bay Promenade is set to be unveiled in No-

vember.The first phase of the project

is due for completion in 2017 and it will feature The Park, a 50,000m2 area with 16 parks boasting water features and play zones as well as event spaces with an amphitheatre, outdoor cinema and weekly market.

Another key element, The Ma-rina will comprise five harbours with 1,250 berths and more than 100 floating retail and dining outlets.

Scheduled to be completed by 2023, the final AED1 billion (USD272.3 million) mixed-use desti-nation will also be home to The Pier.

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in DubaiW HOTELS WORLDWIDE HAS UNVEILED W DUBAI – AL HABTOOR CITY, THE BRAND’S FIRST PROJECT IN THE EMIRATE.

T he 33-storey property features 356 rooms and suites and offers sweeping views of the newly-built Dubai Water Canal and the Arabian Gulf.

A variety of dining options are available to guests alongside the WET Deck, fitness facilities and in-room yoga sessions, and ultra-modern event spaces, including five dynamic multi-use studios and the oval-shaped 725m2 Great Room where the walls and ceiling converge in a spiral effect.

The landmark Al Habtoor City is also home to The St. Regis Dubai which opened in November 2015, and The Westin Dubai, Al Habtoor City. The destination will also soon welcome a water-themed show, La Perle by Dragone.

Following the launch of W Dubai – Al Habtoor City, the brand is set to rapidly grow its portfolio in this region with four new hotels slated for the coming years, two of which will open in the UAE.

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Centro Shadeen Jeddah Officially Launched

Teatro Restaurant Opens in Doha

R otana and shuaa captal saudi arabia have officially in-augurated centro shaheen jeddah.

Located 20 minutes from King Abulaziz Interna-tional Airport, the 252-unit property is the company’s first project in Saudi Arabia to fly the Centro by Rotana flag.

According to Omar Al Jaroudi, CEO, SHUAA Capital Saudi Arabia, the lifestyle brand is expected to be a key contribu-tor to the Kingdom’s already bustling leisure and hospitality sector.

Omer Kaddouri, CEO, Rotana, added, “There is a high de-mand in the Saudi market for affordable accommodations that offer comfort and quality service, which is exactly the concept of the Centro brand.”

As he further revealed, by the end of 2017, five Centro by Rotana addresses are expected to welcome guests in Saudi Arabia.

C ity Centre Rotana Doha has launched the first Teatro restau-rant in the city, providing guests

with signature cuisines from around the world.

“The restaurant’s concept of five global kitchens under one roof is a first in Doha,” explained Joseph Coubat, general manager, City Centre Rotana, further ex-plaining that the interior design is unique and aesthetically stunning, ensuring an unforgettable experience on both levels.

“Teatro is a great lifestyle addition that takes visitors from one country to another in only a couple of steps as they get to take a gastronomic tour from Italy to Japan, Thailand and more,” concluded Coubat.

Barracuda Resort Gets a Makeover

G uests staying at Umm Al Quwain’s Barracuda Resort can look for-ward to enhanced amenities and

an even greater overall experience. As Rajan Harikrishnan, manager, Barra-

cuda Resort, revealed, the property is un-dergoing a renovation project.

The facelift includes the guest rooms in a bid to ensure the ultimate comfort and convenience of travellers who will be able to benefit from the refreshed units from mid-November onwards.

M arriott International’s eco-conscious brand, Element is set to debut in Egypt in 2019 with the launch of Element Cairo.

Slated to be the largest property flying the Element flag in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, the 344-key hotel will be part of the environmentally aware The Gate Project.

The studios and one- to three-bedroom suites will feature fully-equipped kitchens and spa-inspired bathrooms. Guests will also be able to take advantage of complimentary bicy-cles, a fitness centre, an all-day dining outlet as well as 668m2 of flexible meeting space.

Alex Kyriakidis, president, MEA, Marriott International, commented, “Element Cairo will be a highly anticipated addition to our rapidly growing portfolio presenting travellers an appeal-ing, new option for short and long stays in this market.”

Egypt to Welcome Eco-friendly Element Cairo

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Amman Welcomes New Property

A mman Rotana has official-ly opened its doors, boast-ing 412 rooms and suites

across 50 floors. Guests of the 188m tall hotel

can enjoy a number of dining ven-ues, a fitness and wellness club as well as an outdoor swimming pool.

For corporate and private func-tions, the deluxe Monarch Ball-room is available along with nine exclusive meeting spaces.

According to Mohammad Haj Hassan, area vice president, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Bahrain, Rotana, the inauguration of Amman Ro-tana falls in line with the compa-ny’s expansion vision.

“Amman Rotana has already become a landmark in the city, towering over the capital and of-fering a unique luxury experience housed in a magnificent design,” he added.

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F our Seasons Hotels and Resorts and international retail franchise operator Alshaya, announced plans for a Four Seasons-branded project in Kuwait.

Located in downtown Kuwait City, Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya will open in early 2017 as part of Alshaya’s new Burj Alshaya mixed-use development.

The 284-room hotel will boast five food and beverage outlets, indoor and outdoor pools, a spa, yoga studio and state-of-the-art fitness centre, as well as two ballrooms and a range of conference and banqueting rooms that can cater to up to 2,000 guests.

“Kuwait City is one of the most important commercial centres in the Gulf states, attracting regional and international business travellers, and a natural choice for Four Seasons as we continue to extend our presence across the Middle East,” said Allen Smith, CEO, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

Four Seasons to Enter Kuwait

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Renovations at Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa

Premier Inn anticipates its seventh UAE hotel to be a big hit with local residents living in Dubai as well as with families, holiday-makers and business travellers alike.

Premier Inn Dubai Ibn Battuta Mall offers 372 rooms and is directly linked to Ibn Battuta Mall. With a pedestrian bridge eas-ily connecting guests to and from the nearby metro station, the property features a swimming pool and a well-equipped gym, a restaurant, fully-licensed bar and a coffee shop.

Roudi Soubra, general manager, Premier Inn Dubai Ibn Bat-tuta, said, “Our new home at Ibn Battuta Mall [...] will become a popular destination for residents living nearby, as well as the first choice for business travel and families visiting the emirate.”

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B ur Dubai’s Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa has com-pleted its two executive floors with a VIP lounge and a dedicated boardroom.

The newly-renovated units on the seventh and eighth floors comprise 48 rooms with en-suite bathrooms. While incorporating all modern necessity of the 21st century, the freshly-unveiled areas maintain traditional Arabic influences with rich interiors creating an authentic feel of culture.

As Habib Khan, general manger, Arabian Courtyard Hotel and Spa, explained, the floors are suitable for both business as well as leisure travellers.

“[…] We anticipate that our new rooms and VIP lounge will provide an excellent experience for our guests,” added Khan.

American Style Barbeque Arrives in Kuwait

Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa has launched its latest outdoor dining experience, Southern American Barbeque nights, to be held every Wednesday.

Hailed as a first of its kind, the themed experience offers authen-tic flavours from across the southern states complemented with live country music.

Guests can choose from a variety of traditional hickory-smoked and grilled meats as well as a buffet with a range of accompaniments and desserts.

Daniel Irvine, junior executive sous chef, Pepper Steakhouse, en-thused, “We are delighted to continuously introduce guests to new and memorable dining experiences.”

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WEEKLY NEWS AIRwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

Etihad Airways Increases Madrid Frequency

Due to the growing demand, Etihad Airways has decided to offer daily flights on its popular

Abu Dhabi – Madrid route from June 01, 2017 onwards.

The introduction of an additional three services per week reaffirms the carrier’s commitment to offering greater choice and convenience to travellers.

As well as increasing tourism and business opportunities between the two capitals, the enhanced itinerary, oper-ated with an Airbus A330-200, will boost freight capacity by an extra 36 tonnes.

From Madrid, passengers will be able to continue their journey to seven Spanish as well as several South Ameri-can and Caribbean destinations with codeshare partner Air Europa.

Emirates to Serve Florida

The carrier will deploy a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft in a three-class configuration on the itinerary, offering a total of 266 seats and up to 15 tonnes of bellyhold for shippers.

Commenting on the airline’s 11th passenger route in the US, Tim Clark, president, Emirates, said, “We anticipate our service will contribute to the economy of south Florida by bringing new travellers to the area from across our route network, at the same time offering greater competitive choice for consumers and a new one-stop passenger and air cargo connectivity for the region to the global destinations that we serve.”

As of December 15, Emirates will launch a daily service from its Dubai hub and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

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Etihad Enhances Dublin Operations

With the introduction of daily flights to Luxor, Qatar Airways now operates a total of 33 weekly frequencies to Egypt.

The upgrade from five-weekly services means an ad-ditional 30,000 seats per year to the holiday hotspot, further compli-menting the airline’s existing itineraries to Cairo and Alexandria.

As Ehab Amin, senior vice president of commercial, Middle East, Africa and Pakistan, Qatar Airways, pinpointed, the daily frequencies reflect the strong demand that the carrier has experienced on this route since the inauguration of flights to Luxor in June 2004.

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A s of April 01, 2017, Etihad Airways will offer an addi-tional daily service between Abu Dhabi and Dublin, increasing the weekly frequencies on the route to 14

flights. Commenting on the upgrade, Kevin Knight, chief strategy

and planning officer, Etihad Airways, said, “It is a commitment to the Irish market and demonstrates our confidence to dedi-cate capacity throughout the year on a route that has enjoyed tremendous support from travel partners. It also reflects our strategy to offer more flexibility, greater convenience and in-creased choice.”

Emirates and GOL Codeshare

GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes (GOL) and Emirates have signed a new codeshare and frequent flyer programme agreement.

Passengers booking flights from multiple destinations in Bra-zil with the South American carrier, including Porte Alegre, Salva-dor, Belo Horizonte, Curitiba and Brasilia, will be able to connect in São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro and fly with the Dubai-based airline to destinations worldwide.

In terms of the deal, members of Emirates Skywards and the Brazilian carrier’s Smiles loyalty programme will be able to accrue and redeem miles on both airlines.

As Hubert Frach, divisional senior vice president, commer-cial operations, west, Emirates, explained, the perks of the fully-integrated loyalty scheme will be extended to customers across South America and the Caribbean at a later stage.

f lynas and Pegasus Airlines have entered into a codeshare partnership.

Under the agreement, passengers fly-ing with the Saudi carrier can now travel to a range of popular destinations, such as Trabzon, Ankara, Hatay, Antalya and Adana, from Riyadh and Jeddah via Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Inter-national Airport.

In turn, customers of the Turkish carrier can take advantage of services operated by flynas to the two aforementioned Saudi cities, further enhancing convenience for travellers of both airlines.

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Qatar Airways Celebrates Helsinki Route

Akbar Al Baker, group CEO, Qatar Airways, recently hosted a capacity crowd press conference at Helsin-ki’s Hotel Kämp, following the arrival of the airline’s

first flight to the Finnish capital.The Doha-based carrier is the first Middle Eastern com-

pany to serve all four Nordic capitals and as Al Baker high-lighted, the airline remains committed to bringing more visitors to Helsinki, boosting tourism to Finland as well as its neighbouring countries.

Kari Savolainen, CEO, Finavia, said, “We welcome tourists from Doha to enjoy Helsinki, a city full of amazing Nordic ex-periences. At the same time, Helsinki Airport is also an excel-lent gateway to Lapland.”

Oman Air Collaborates with Goldair

Oman Air has appointed Goldair as its general sales agent (GSA) in the Greek market.

During an event hosted atop the historic Lycabettus Hill in Athens, the Middle Eastern carrier highlighted its plans for further expansion in Greece.

Abdulrahman Al-Busaidy, chief commercial officer, Oman Air, commented, “Our flight network is ever expanding and we are very much looking forward to transporting both corporate and leisure passengers from Greece and opening a new network for the market.”

Etihad Steps Up Dallas Services

I n response to heightened demand, Etihad Airways will increase operations on the Abu Dhabi – Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport itinerary.Effective from February 02, 2017, the UAE carrier will introduce

four new weekly services, complimenting the existing flights avail-able on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

The additional services, which will be operated by Boeing 777-200 long-range aircraft, will allow the transport of 96 tonnes more cargo each week.

As Kevin Knight, aviation group chief strategy and planning of-ficer, Etihad Airways, noted, besides the travelling public of the Texas region, the services are also set to appeal to the large Indian market.

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E tihad Airways has signed an agreement with Tour-ism Australia to be the official airline partner of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards in 2017.

Under the deal, the airline will fly the world’s best chefs and food specialised media to Australia for the programme, which will take place in Melbourne between April 01 – 07.

Peter Baumgartner, CEO, Etihad Airways, said, “Bring-ing the world’s culinary elite to Australia [...] will further enhance Australia’s reputation as one of the world’s best holiday destinations.”

Etihad Airways Partners with Tourism Australia

T he International Air Transport Association (IATA) has renewed Royal Jordanian Airlines’ (RJ) IATA Operational Safe-ty Audit (Enhanced IOSA) for the seventh time in a row.

Effective until the end of 2018, the recognition reflects the company's operational effectiveness, its function-ing with the highest degree of air safety, and utmost accuracy and professionalism, as well as its adherence to interna-tional practices, which ensure a distinguished level of air and ground safety.

Commenting on the achievement, Suleiman Obeidat, president, RJ, underlined the airline’s commitment to guaran-teeing the highest level of safety of passengers, aircraft as well as employees.

RJ Gets IATA Approval

O man Air’s latest Airbus 330 to benefit from a comprehen-sive retrofit has landed at Muscat International Airport.

The newly-refurbished A330-200 underlines the car-rier’s commitment to ongoing investment in the comfort of guests onboard.

As Abdulaziz Al Raisi, executive vice president, product and brand development, Oman Air, explained, the upgraded aircraft now embraces the company’s latest cabin and seat designs which ensure comfort, space and privacy.

Since late 2014, the airline has been engaged in an extensive fleet and network expansion programme, which included the delivery of brand new Airbus 330-300, Boeing 737-800/-900 and Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft as well as a 50 percent uplift to date in the number of airliners operated by the carrier.

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Huawei and Dubai Airports to Implement a World First

Currently, on average almost 230,000 travellers pass through the hub every day and the figure is set to reach 325,000 per day by 2023, making zero downtime and high reliability a vital require-

ment for Dubai Airports.The entry point’s data centre will be the first of two planned modular

facilities that Huawei will build in Dubai and together, they will operate as a pair of mirrored Tier III data centres interconnected through a dedicated fibre optic link that will provide high-level resilience and availability to sup-port the critical operations at the hub.

Dubai Airports is partnering with Huawei to design and build the world’s first Tier III certified modular data centre complex (MDCC) at

Dubai International.

Abu Dhabi Airports Joins Seychelles

Project

Abu Dhabi Airports has signed a memorandum of understand-ing with Seychelles’ Ministry

of Foreign Affairs and Transport for the development of Seychelles International Airport.

“Our aim is to help to deliver an up-dated passenger terminal operating to the highest international standards,” ex-plained H.E Ali Majed Al Mansoori, chair-man, Abu Dhabi Airports.

As Joel Morgan, foreign affairs and transport minister, Seychelles, revealed, discussions will focus on what can be done for the Indian Ocean destination and what improvements can be further made so that Mahé’s airport can be not only a step ahead, but leaps ahead of the competition for generations to come. D

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A ccording to new research by World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), nearly one in 10 of all tourism invest-ment US dollars will go into Association of Southeast

Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries over the next 10 years.The publication, entitled Travel & Tourism Investment in

ASEAN, shows that between this year and 2026, 9.7 percent of global assets in the industry will be injected in ASEAN, with the total amount reaching USD782 million, represent-ing 7.4 percent of all investment in the region.

The figure marks a 6.3 percent annual growth rate, nearly two percentage points higher than the global average.

Investment spending will be dominated by five major destinations, namely Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Indone-sia and Malaysia, which together account for over 80 percent of ASEAN’s international arrivals and tourism contribution to the GDP.

M eliá Hotels International has re-vealed plans for Meliá Ho Tram, the group’s fourth property in Vietnam.

Managed under the Meliá Hotels & Resorts brand and owned by Tanzanite International, the resort is located within The Hamptons Ho Tram complex 95km from Ho Chi Minh City. Scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2018, the property will feature a total of 156 suites and 98 villas.

“The expansion of our Vietnam portfolio in one of the most dynamic regions in the world is a strong indication that our growth strategy is paying off,” said Bernardo Cabot Estarellas, senior vice president, Asia Pacific, Meliá Hotels International.

C hina is one of the most successful examples of how the prioritisation of travel and tourism in government

policy can drive higher incomes and more jobs, according to David Scowsill, president, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

Speaking at the Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF) in Macau, Scowsill empha-sised the industry’s power to drive economic growth and create jobs.

To support the sector, the Asian country has constructed thousands of kilometres of high-speed rail tracks and over 60 airports over the last decade. China is now looking to invest over USD720 billion in the next three years to meet the demand of both domestic as well as international travellers.

“China is currently the second largest tourism economy in the world and is one of the fastest growing,” said Scowsill.

T he Park Lane Hong Kong, a Pullman Hotel has unveiled its executive rooms, a dedicated lounge and state-of-the-art function rooms

as part of the property’s HKD300 million (USD38.7 million) renovation project.

The 68 revamped contemporary rooms each have bed-side media hubs, artistic murals of the iconic Bauhinia flower and views of Victoria Harbour. Guests can relax in private cocoons in the lounge or enjoy intimate gatherings on the sofas.

Set on the 27th floor, the five interconnecting function rooms feature natural light and the latest in event technology. The flexible spaces can accom-modate groups from 20 to 480 participants, and the hotel also boasts a roof-top restaurant.

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China Showing the Way

The Park Lane Hong Kong Adds Executive Floors

When and how did you get involved in the tourism indus-try? I started working in this busi-ness in 1995 when I completed my travel and tourism studies in Damascus.

What are the most important attributes of a good travel agent/tour operator? A tour operator should be famil-iar with the destination and the product that he offers to clients in order to tailor a convenient package with a suitable price.

What is the most frequently asked question that your com-pany receives from customers? Since Austria is a famous musical destination, most of our clients ask about the opera concerts and other musical activities which are available throughout the year, in addition to visiting the house of famous musicians such as Mozart, Haydn and oth-ers.

What are the must-visits and must-dos in Austria that no-body should miss? Visiting traditional restaurants and trying the local cuisine is highly recommended, from the special Würstelstand in Vienna to Grinzing [...], and Salzburg with its picturesque [views] or even a family restaurant at one of the beautiful Austrian lakes.

Which destination is on your bucket-list? Cuba and other Latin American destinations are always on the list of top destinations which I need to experience as they are full of history, culture, music and more.

AGENT’S INSIGHT

Qusai Helwani

General Manager

Planet4Travel

Vienna, Austria

www.planet4travels.net

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D esert Adventures is determined to attract and serve the vast number of frequent and new travellers from India by launching a series of special holiday travel and tour

packages.Among the distinct benefits that the Dubai-based expert

prepared in collaboration with hotel and excursion partners are cost-effective room rates at three- and four-star hotels during the festive season of Diwali, a one kid free offer for a family of two adults and one child and a free upgrade on a three-night accommodation package.

“A constantly evolving line-up of tourist attractions have made Dubai and the UAE all the more attractive as a go-to travel destination for first time visitors from India […],” said Senthilve-lan Nandagopal, chief operating officer, Desert Adventures.

Desert Adventures Targets Visitors from India

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WHO’S MOVED www.traveltradeweekly.travel

FRANÇOIS BOUTEILLER has begun his new role as CEO at SalamAir, hailed as Oman’s first budget carrier.In his capacity, Bouteiller will be responsible for the suc-cessful launch of the low-cost airline as well as the manage-ment of its operational and business strategies.Bouteiller has more than 30 years of industry experience with organisations such as Swiss International Airlines and FlyBaboo, a European regional airline which he co-founded and managed.He joins the SalamAir team from Saudi carrier, Flynas where he led the airline to serve four million passengers per year, gaining significant knowledge of operational efficiency as the company’s CEO.

WISSAM INJIBAR has been appointed director of sales at Marina Hotel Kuwait.Having been involved in the hospitality industry for over 15 years, Injibar has held various management position across hotels Lebanon and the Mid-dle East. He brings with him extensive knowledge of sales and marketing in the region.In Kuwait, Injibar will oversee the property’s sales activities with the main goal to drive business growth in order to secure a strong position for the hotel in the market. He will be responsible for strengthening relationships with clients and stakeholders as well as for gen-erating new leads for business.

ΜARK ABBOUD has been named as Golden Tulip Al Bar-sha’s new general manager.Abboud has been member of Louvre Hotels Group since June 2013, and all in all, he has nearly 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Over the years, he has held various positions in a number of organisations, including Swiss-Belhotel International, Ramada Worldwide as well as St. George Hotel.In his new role in Dubai, he will oversee the operations of the hotel which features 125 rooms and three dining out-lets.

ANDY STUART has added the title of CEO to his expanded role of president at Norwegian Cruise Line.As a dedicated brand execu-tive, Stuart will drive the de-velopment of the onboard product to ensure the compa-ny provides exceptional trips for its guests while also further expanding the list of destina-tions currently available. Stuart will continue to be ac-countable for sales, market-ing, passenger services as well as revenue management with the main aim to enhance the company’s performance. He will also be responsible for op-timising results in order drive the future growth of Norwe-gian Cruise Line.

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experience

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How have hotel meta-search sites like Hotels-Combined changed the way travellers search, review and book accom-modation and how hoteliers engage with existing and potential guests in order to drive business?

AMER ALHALABI: Booking accommodation is still quite a painful and stress-ful process for most people, requiring a lot of research, financial commitment and anxiety around whether you have booked the best option at the best rate. We at HotelsCombined, whether through our website or the mobile applica-

AMER ALHALABI

Q & A

with

REGIONAL MANAGER, HOTELSCOMBINED MENA

EACH YEAR, OVER 300 MILLION TRAVELLERS USE HOTELSCOMINED. HERE, AMER ALHALABI, REGIONAL

MANAGER, HOTELSCOMBINED MENA, REVEALS HOW THE META-SEARCH SITE BENEFITS BOTH GUESTS AS WELL AS

HOTELIERS.

tures or services. Our position on this is neutral and we used our review and booking trends and data to help identify these hotels. Following the success we currently see, we do intend to broaden this award beyond the UAE.

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: With In-ternet penetration in the region on the rise and travellers increasingly relying on online sources and appli-cations to manage their travel and make the most of their budget, what do you think is the future of meta-search sites like HotelsCombined? How will they be used in the long-term by travellers and hoteliers?

AMER ALHALABI: We believe meta-search will evolve into an essential part of the travel process in MENA. Travellers are getting smarter and will appreciate the efficiency that services like HotelsCombined offer; particularly as the MENA region sees a very power-ful and evident shift to mobile devices, where meta-search sites and apps of-fer a more compelling service to trav-ellers.

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What advice would you give to hoteliers look-ing to make the most of their online presence on meta-search engines in order to reach out to a broader au-dience and boost their business per-formance?

AMER ALHALABI: We believe most ho-tels need to get up-to-date with tech-nology and new distribution mediums such as meta-sites. For instance with HotelsCombined, hotels are able to promote their brand alongside other travel sites and attract customers looking to book direct from all over the world on any device that they use.

tion, aim to alleviate this pain and al-low users to be smarter about booking their accommodation.By aggregating rates, availability and reviews from the main online travel agencies around the world, chains and independent hotels, we allow users to maximise their time and money and find the best deal, helping then feel re-assured that they have made the right decision.

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: HotelsCom-bined has joined forces with several popular booking sites, including Booking.com, Expedia and Agoda, just to name a few, to create a one-stop hotel search engine. How does HotelsCombined’s unique method benefit travellers as well as hotel-iers?

AMER ALHALABI: We help the travel-ler by allowing them to be smarter at booking their accommodation, max-imising their time and money in the process. For hoteliers, we allow them to expose their rates and availability directly to the user in a neutral set of search re-sults so that a traveller can choose whether they want to book on a book-ing site or a hotel directly.

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Recognis-ing the Middle East region’s rising global appeal, HotelsCombined has recently announced the launch of Recognition of Excellence in the UAE. How will this distinction ben-efit Emirati accommodation es-tablishments? Could other Middle Eastern destination also see the in-troduction of the recognition?

AMER ALHALABI: We hope that this recognition award will bring aware-ness to some small and medium-sized regional hotels for their unique fea-

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Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa wel-comed the Kuwaiti athletes Fehaid Al-Deehani and Abdullah Al-Rashidi following their histor-ic gold and bronze medal win at this year’s Rio De Janeiro Summer Olympic Games.

Commenting on the shooters’ thriumph, Hakan Petek, general manager, Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa, said, “They have become an inspiration to future athletes in their aspirations to win Olympic medals. We recognise their extreme hard work, talent and dedication to positively represent Kuwait on the international playing field.”

In celebration of World Food Day, Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman gave away food lefto-ver from its buffet to Al Ihsan Charity Association, affirming the management’s com-mitment to fighting hunger with straightforward yet impactful actions.

Commenting on the property’s aim to reduce food wastage, Iftikhar Hamdani, gen-eral manager, Ramada Hotel & Suites, said, “We are positive that we can bring down

our food waste from 10 percent to two percent. Donating food is just one of the many ways to help the people and the environment and our team will continue to be innovators and benefactors in our community.”

Award-winning music legend Michael Bolton appeared live at Cairo Internation-al Fair Centre in October, performing some of his best known hits for the first time in Egypt.

During his trip to Cairo, Bolton was treated to a VIP experience by Egyp-tian Tourism Authority (ETA), where he had the opportunity to see some of the

capital’s renowned historical and cultural landmarks.The concert was part of ETA’s efforts to highlight the country’s entertainment scene with

Hisham El Demery, chairman, ETA, saying “ETA has been investing in promoting Egypt as the ultimate art, cultural and touristic destination, in order to boost the tourism sector, one of the main pillars of our economy.”

Animal attractions where tourists come into physical contact with captive wild animals or endangered species will no longer be bookable on TripAdvior and Viator.

The announcement forms part of the organi-sations’ set of actions that include changes to its policy of selling tickets to certain locations as well as the launch of a new educational portal to in-form tourist about wildlife.

As Stephen Kaufer, CEO, TripAdvisor, ex-plained, the move not only helps to improve the health and safety of animals but also celebrates destinations that are leaders in caring for these species.

JUMEIRAH MESSILAH BEACH

HOTEL & SPA HOSTS OLYMPIC ATHLETES

RAMADA AJMAN DONATES EXCESS FOOD

MICHAEL BOLTON PERFORMS LIVE IN CAIRO

TRIPADVISOR TO IMPROVE WILDLIFE WELFARE

Representatives from Ramada Hotel & Suites and Al Ihsan Charity Association

Fehaid Al-Deehani

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Emirates Palace’s kitchen went pink in support of the breast cancer awareness month

Rescued cheetah cub raised at Emirates Park Zoo and Resort in

Abu Dhabi

Zubin Karkaria, CEO, VFS Global, and CEO, Kuoni Group, was presented with the award of distinction by the

Travel Agents Association of India

Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah received top honours at this year's World Travel Awards

Semiramis InterContinental Cairo celebrated IHG Foundation Week

Travellers chose Qatar Airways at the Middle East’s airline of the year at Aviation Business Awards

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Luxor to Host UNWTO Summit

Preferred Hotels & Resorts

Members Gather in Dubai

The World Tourism Organi-zation (UNWTO) and the Egyptian government are organising the fifth Global

Summit on City Tourism under the ti-tle Cities: Local Culture for Global Trav-ellers on November 01 – 02 in Luxor.

The programme will focus on city tourism and related topics such as sustainable development, spatial organisation and rejuvenation, in-novation in the sector, cross-cultural behaviour, and new business models as well as the so-called sharing econ-omy.

As part of the action plan of the UNWTO City Tourism Network, the organisation will launch the Mayors for Tourism Initiative to promote the important role of the industry as a driving force for socio-economic de-velopment in cities, and place the sec-tor as a priority in the urban agenda.

More than 100 delegates from 60 member hotels from around the world attended the Preferred

Hotels & Resorts Global Conference, which took place in mid-October at Palazzo Versace Dubai.

Bringing the event to the Middle East for the first time, the company provided three days of educational presentations and panel sessions from industry professionals. Attend-ees received an update on the iPrefer awards programme and insights into future trends in areas such as distribu-tion, cyber security, and global sales.

As Lindsey Ueberroth, CEO, Pre-ferred Hotels & Resorts, noted, the decision to stage the conference in Dubai underscores the hotelier’s am-bition to provide further support for its regional partners.

E-TRAVEL MIDDLE EAST CONFERENCE

November 01 – 02Dubai, UAEwww.etravelmiddleeast.comLeading hotel groups, online travel agencies, airlines, social media platforms and other industry stakeholders will gather in Dubai.

WORLD TRAVEL MARKET

November 07 – 09London, UKwww.wtmlondon.comA global meeting place for the travel trade, providing attendees with quality contacts, content and communities.

CULTURAL TOURISM MIDDLE EAST

November 14 – 15Dubai, UAEwww.culturaltourismme.comHigh-level officials from the tourism, cultural development and antiquities, heritage and arts, cultural activities and architectural heritage community will convene in Dubai.

EVENTS

ITB BERLIN

March 08 – 12Berlin, Germanywww.itb-berlin.deOne of the most important annual events where leading industry stakeholders meet, network and conduct business.