26 AUGUST 2017 ISSUE 407

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DUBAI PROMOTES MARITIME TOURISM

BUSY SUMMER IN ABU DHABI

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26 AUGUST 2017 ISSUE 407

EMAAR ACHIEVES THREE GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS

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AccommodationTechnology

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TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS

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MARKET UPDATE www.traveltradeweekly.travel

MANAGING EDITOR

Mary Kammitsi mary@traveltradeweekly.travel

SENIOR JOURNALIST Ellen Petty

JOURNALISTS Maria Sabova Panayiotis Karanicholas Anna Spyrou

CONTRIBUTORDominique Christou

DESIGN & LAYOUTElena Stylianou

WEB & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Savvas Kammitsis

DIRECTORS Andreas Constantinides Mary Kammitsi

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WORLDWIDE REPRESENTATIVES

Representative for North, South & Central America, and the Caribbean: Neil Strickland GlobeTM Tel: +19542969515, neil@globetm.com

Representative for Indian subcontinent: Faredoon Kuka RMA Media

Tel: +912229253735, kuka@rmamedia.com

Representative for UK & Ireland and Scandinavia: David Simpson Simpson Media Tel: +447900885456, david@simpson-media.com

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The pace of growth across the region’s largest three hubs slowed during the month, Dubai In-ternational recorded an increase of 1.9 percent and Hamad International Airport reported a rise of 6.1 percent. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi International Airport saw a two percent decrease in passenger traffic.

Medina’s Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Airport and Muscat International Airport both achieved a significant jump in the number of passengers, up 24.9 percent and 14.7 percent, respectively.

In terms of freight, the Middle East achieved growth of 10.8 percent, bolstered by Hamad Interna-tional Airport, which delivered growth of 24.2 percent.

Positive June Amidst Challenging H1 for RJ

Middle East Saw Passenger Growth

In the first half of the year (H1), Royal Jordanian Airlines (RJ) registered a net loss of JOD26.3 million (USD37.14 million), attributed to seasonality and a drop in the average fare.

Stefan Pichler, CEO, RJ, summarised that in H1 revenue fell one percent year-on-year, while the number of passengers jumped six percent, and seat load factor climbed six points to 68 percent.

However, in June, the carrier achieved a net profit JOD1.5 million (USD2.12 million), com-pared to a JOD2.1 million (USD2.97 million) net loss in June 2016. This success was recorded

despite a 27 percent increase in fuel expenditure, which reached JOD10.5 million (USD14.83 million). The number of passengers carried during the month rose 13 percent to 253,000, while seat load factor jumped 3.9 points to 64.1 percent.

In May, passenger traffic in Middle Eastern airports rose 4.1 percent compared to the same period in 2016, as revealed by Airports Council International Asia-Pacific.

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WEEKLY NEWS DESTINATIONSwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

Busy Summer in Abu Dhabi

The successful month contributed to positive overall results in the first half of this year (H1), which saw 2.25 million guests staying at the emirate’s 165 hospitality establishments, a seven percent rise over H1 2016.

Emphasising that such positive results pave the way to achieving the forecasted guest arrival growth for this year, H.E. Saif Saeed Ghobash, director general, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, elaborated that the emirate’s rich event programme along with retail and hospitality promotions will attract tourists in the coming months.

Abu Dhabi recorded a 30 percent year-on-year jump in the number of hotel guests arrivals in June, attributed to an exceptional Eid Al-Fitr period with many premium hotels fully booked.

New Entity to Strengthen Shurooq’s Activities

H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, ruler, Sharjah, has issued a decree establish-ing Shurooq Holding Company, which is ex-

pected to play a leading role in developing large scale projects in the emirate’s key economic sectors.

While its capital structure and members of the board of directors are yet to be announced, the public joint stock company will enhance the development agen-das of Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), the organisation responsible for major trans-formation of the emirate in terms of tourism and infra-structure. Headquartered in Sharjah City, the new entity will also be well-positioned to generate revenues, source local or foreign investment, make local or foreign invest-ments and secure financial or credit facilities.

Yas Island Campaign Adds Value for Visitors

Yas Island is celebrating the success of its ongoing annual Say Yas campaign, which continues to at-tract residents and visitors with daily, weekly and

monthly prizes, including attraction passes, gift cards, and hotel stays.

To date, AED425,000 (USD115,709) has been distribut-ed to 41 winners, with the grand prize draw of AED1 million (USD272,257) and brand new Tesla car raffle to take place on September 10.

“The summer period between the two Eid celebrations is often a delightful time of recreation for both residents and tourists. As visitors continue to be captivated by the various and vibrant attractions across Yas Island, we are thrilled at the success of the ongoing Say Yas campaign […],“ enthused Gerardo LLanes, executive director, destina-tion management, Yas Island.

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WEEKLY NEWS www.traveltradeweekly.travel

26 AUGUST 2017

RecordsEMAAR ENTERTAINMENT AND LG ELECTRONICS HAVE UNVEILED AN ORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING DIODE (OLED) SCREEN, CONSISTING OF 820 FLEXIBLE PANELS, ABOVE DUBAI AQUARIUM & UNDERWATER ZOO, WHICH HAS RECEIVED GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS FOR LARGEST OLED SCREEN, HIGHEST RESOLUTION VIDEO WALL, AND LARGEST HIGH-DEFINITION VIDEO WALL.

M aitha Al Dossari, CEO, Emaar Entertainment, revealed, “We are [...] honoured that the new OLED screen at Dubai Aquarium & Un-derwater Zoo has received three Guinness World Records achievements, underpinning

our commitment to pioneering innovative attractions, con-tinued advancements in technology and digital attractions, and inspiring joy.”

The record follows Emaar Entertainment’s 2015 achievement, where Dubai Ice Rink and World Top DJ broke the Guinness World Record for longest DJ relay.

Emaar Achieves Three Guinness World

Saudi Commission for Tourism & National Herit-age (SCTH) has announced the completion of the basic blueprint of Souk Okaz City develop-

ment project at Ta'if municipality.Through this project, the authority seeks to de-

velop what is said to be the first cultural and inte-grated tourist destination in Saudi Arabia.

In collaboration with public and private sector partners, SCTH will be carrying out major projects, including an Okaz museum, conference and exhibi-tions centres, as well as multipurpose halls. It will also establish an Arab poetry academy for continuous education through festivals, cultural events, poetry evenings and theatrical exhibitions to attract citizens and visitors throughout the year.

The approved budget for the project under Na-tional Transformation Program 2020 is SAR815 mil-lion (USD217.32 million).

SCTH Finalised Souk Okaz City Blueprint

Majid Al Futtaim to Boost Abu Dhabi’s Retail Sector

Majid Al Futtaim Group and Al Jazira Club have un-veiled plans to develop a AED1.4 billion (USD381 million) shopping destination in Abu Dhabi, expect-

ed to open in 2021. Said to be the first City Centre-branded mall in the capital

and capable to meet the needs of approximately one million residents, the 21.5ha City Centre Al Jazira will include Carrefour hypermarket, 15-screen VOX Cinemas, Magic Planet, alfresco dining options, City Centre Clinic and a fitness centre.

The development is part of Majid Al Futtaim Group’s plans to increase its total investment in the UAE by AED30 billion (USD8.17 billion) by 2026, taking its total investment in the country to AED48 billion (USD13.07 billion).

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WEEKLY NEWS AGENTSwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

Phocuswright: Online Tours Set to Triple

M oreover, tours and activities online growth outpaces that of the total travel market, and online penetration is expected to reach 21 percent by 2020.

Even though 85 percent of global activities sales were offline in 2016, recent advancements from resellers have significantly contributed to the sector's online development. Among the highlights are TripAdvisor’s integration of Viator in 2014 and the launch of Airbnb’s Trips platform in 2016.

According to Phocuswright’s Tours & Activities Come of Age: The Global Travel Activities Marketplace 2014-2020 report, the online tours

and activities market will nearly triple from USD10 billion in 2014 to reach USD27 billion globally by 2020, as the industry expands its digital capabilities and more travellers are choosing to book online.

ASTA Unveils Opinions of American Travellers

T he American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) shed light onto perceptions of American travellers in its recent study

How America Travels, which revealed reactions to changing political landscapes currently shap-ing the industry.

Among other findings, the survey confirmed that 71 percent of American holiday makers would most likely not change the decision to travel abroad because of travel bans, however, 55 percent of respondents still believe that the restrictions will make US tourists feel less wel-come in foreign countries, including Mexico.

Zane Kerby, CEO, ASTA, explained, “Our re-search shows Americans’ passion to travel is stronger than ever and we believe travellers de-serve complete transparency from all vendors involved in the booking process, including from the government itself.”

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WEEKLY NEWS TECHNOLOGY www.traveltradeweekly.travel

9.5 Percent Revenue Surge for Amadeus

M oreover, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation reached EUR998.9 million (USD1.175 billion), a jump of 10.1 percent over H1 2016, while achieved adjusted profit grew 16.1 percent to EUR574 million (USD675.4 million).

Elaborating, Luis Maroto, CEO, Amadeus, said, “Our distribution segment continued to grow ahead of the industry, which allowed us to improve our competitive position. In IT solutions, we had important migrations that have contributed to the expansion of our international footprint. In H1, 56.8 percent of our passengers boarded were generated outside of Europe.”

Amadeus has reported solid financial performance in the first half of this year (H1), with a 9.5 percent year-on-year increase in revenue to EUR2.49 billion (USD2.93 million).

American Express and MineralTree

Optimise AP

Visa Facilitates QR Code

Payments

O n the back of new partner-ship, American Express and MineralTree have announced

an integrated payment solution for corporate card members, bringing ef-ficiency to daily accounts payable (AP) processes.

Substituting manual processes, the user-friendly platform incorporates American Express corporate card into usual AP workflows, enabling the or-ganisations to streamline supplier pay-ment process while receiving the card payment benefits, such as reward points and credits. Enhancing the security of virtual card technology, the tool gener-ates a single-use card number for each transaction and utilises two-factor au-thentication, payment verification and payment limits among other methods.

BC Krishna, CEO, MineralTree, ex-plained that one of the easiest ways to boost efficiency of financial operations is to streamline AP and convert more check spend to commercial cards.

V isa has announced its sup-port of the new global QR Code Payment Specifications

from EMVCo, the global technical body that manages EMV specifi-cations that covers merchant and consumer-presented QR Code digital payments.

Visa’s technology, mVisa is an in-novative mobile payment solution allowing consumers to pay by scan-ning a QR code on a smart phone or entering a merchant number. Along with being live in India, Kenya and Ni-geria, the company has implemented it in 15 countries.

Sam Shrauger, senior vice presi-dent, digital products, Visa, explained, “We are working with governments and central banks in countries like India to develop and implement QR code payment solutions that provide the convenience and security that are synonymous with Visa and help the journey toward a cashless future.”

F CM Travel Solutions has shed light on cur-rent technological innovations around the world that are set to revolutionise the future

of travel.Among other advancements, SITA launched

a baggage robot at Mexico City International Air-port this year, assisting passengers with complete luggage check-in and drop-off process while its obstacle-avoidance technology ensures uninter-rupted performance.

Meanwhile, Brisbane Airport has launched Australia’s first trial of facial recognition technol-ogy, expected to transform future air travel. Hotel-iers are also keeping up with the latest solutions, multiple brands are introducing keyless check-in based on a digital key concept.

Geraldine Calpin, chief marketing officer, Hil-ton, uncovered, “We will enable you to personal-ise the in-room experience [...] all from your smart phone.”

Technology that Shapes Future

Travel

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WEEKLY NEWS NAUTICALwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

Dubai Promotes Maritime

Tourism

Dubai Maritime Authority Sets

Water Traffic Rules

RASEINA Maritime Domestic & Leisure Working Group, an initiative of Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA), held a

workshop for its members on August 02 to pro-mote the emirate’s marine and leisure tourism.

Taking place at Address Dubai Marina Hotel, the symposium focussed on current and potential locations for marine entertain-ment activities, as well as the implementation of best practices to address challenges facing Dubai’s marine tourism sector.

Amer Ali, executive director, DMCA, re-vealed, “We are constantly developing and regulating Dubai’s maritime sector in line with globally recognised standards. We are par-ticularly committed to showcasing the role of the local marine and leisure tourism sector in boosting Dubai's reputation as a global tour-ist destination.”

Progressing in its efforts to create secure and sustainable maritime environment, Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) has issued

traffic regulations for Dubai Water Canal.The initiative seeks to improve security and

navigation safety, along with achieving the high-est operational efficiency within Dubai’s territo-rial waters. The new rules include, among oth-ers, the prohibition of jet skis, fishing boats, and commercial dhows, while other vessels are able to freely navigate within certain limitations.

Amer Ali, executive director, DMCA, ex-plained, “The DMCA is continuously developing comprehensive and integrated strategies in line with its aspirations to build a vibrant, safe, and inclusive maritime community. We also seek to raise the local sector’s global competitiveness to attract regional and international investors to Dubai.”

Abu Dhabi Ports Certified for

Business Continuity

Abu Dhabi Ports has secured ISO 22301 Certification for Business Continu-ity Management System, an industry

benchmark in evaluating the effectiveness of the systems’ design and implementation.

With the achievement, the organisation has also proven proficient in managing risk ex-posure associated with emergencies and crisis management, as a result of the successful com-pletion of detailed crisis management exercise performed in cooperation with Emergency and Crisis Management Team in Abu Dhabi along-side 12 government entities earlier this year.

Commenting on the milestone, Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO, Abu Dhabi Ports, said, “Abu Dhabi Ports is committed to adopting best practices in line with Abu Dhabi government’s aim to achieve excellence across all its business units and service offerings.”

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WEEKLY NEWS ACC0MMODATION www.traveltradeweekly.travel

AccorHotels Boosts Manama’s Economy Offerings

Conveniently located in close proximity to Bahrain International Airport as well as business and retail venues, the property features 95 rooms, providing affordable comfort. Expected to become the hotel of choice for business and leisure travellers, the address also boasts in-house restaurant, a meeting area and a gym.

Olivier Granet, chief operating officer, Middle East and Africa, AccorHotels, commented, “The opening of this property not only signifies the growing popularity of our landmark economy brand, defined by its creative design and distinct person-ality, but also further strengthens our global partnership with Action Hotels.”

AccorHotels and Action Hotels have completed their 10th joint hospitality project with opening of ibis Styles Manama Diplomatic Area, in response to significant demand for midscale hotel brands

in the Bahraini capital.

Marriott Strengthens MENA Team

F ollowing the successful merger with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International has introduced a new integrated sales and marketing team to support its growth strategy in the MENA region.

Comprised of high-caliber seasoned professionals from both hoteliers, the dedicated team, led by Neal Jones, chief sales and marketing officer, MENA, Marriott International, will be instrumental in achieving the company’s goal of 150,000 new units in 38 countries across the region by 2022, while maintaining consistency with the company’s vision.

Jones enthused, “The leadership changes we are announcing today are im-portant to foster greater synergies, teamwork, accountability and nimble deci-sion-making critical to lay a strong foundation that will support our ambitious growth plans in the region [...].”

Swiss-Belhotel International

Expands in Jordan

S wiss-Belhotel International has recently unveiled Ma-rina Plaza Hotel by Swiss-

Belhotel, its second property in Aqaba.

Overlooking the golden moun-tains and the Red Sea, the new ad-dress boasts 260 well-appointed rooms alongside an all-day din-ing restaurant, a pool bar, an out-door swimming pool, a separate kids’ pool and a spa providing an array of health and beauty treat-ments.

Gavin Faull, president, Swiss-Belhotel International, empha-sised, “We are committed to grow-ing our presence in the Middle East, a strategic growth market for us where we have a robust devel-opment pipeline corresponding to 17 percent of our global portfolio. We are eager to expand in the re-gion in the right locations with the right partners [...].”

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WEEKLY NEWS AIRwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

Etihad Deployed Dreamliner to Incheon

Aiming to serve more passengers on its daily Abu Dhabi International Airport – Incheon International Airport schedule, Etihad Airways has introduced a Boeing 787-9

Dreamliner aircraft on the route, providing more seats between the UAE and South Korea.

Noting that there has been a steady increase in the number of business and leisure travellers between the destinations, Mo-hammad Al Bulooki, executive vice president, commercial, Eti-had Airways, explained, “The addition of more 787 Dreamliners into our fleet has allowed us to upgrade the Seoul service so our customers can enjoy the unique Etihad experience available on this incredible aircraft, and ensuring that we maintain the com-petitive edge with the innovative cabin and seating designs fea-tured onboard.”

Oman Air and Royal Jordanian Combine Services

Oman Air and Royal Jordanian Airlines have entered into codeshare partnership on flights between Muscat and Beirut with stopover in Amman, en-

hancing travel flexibility and convenience for passengers.Operated by the Jordanian carrier and marketed by both

companies, the service is set to enhance the collaboration between the partners, which share a common philosophy and commitment in providing excellent customer service. The agreement is a part of Omani flag airline’s expansion programme aimed at operating a fleet of 70 aircraft to 75 destinations by 2023, while the Jordanian national airline currently reaches to 56 locations spanning four continents.In

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Qatar Airways Expands in Asia

From January 01, 2018, frequency to Ho Chi Minh City will be increased by three flights to 10 weekly services, while passengers travelling to Hanoi can benefit from a new direct daily service. Meanwhile, holidaymakers visiting the Thai destination can enjoy a daily service from December 01.

Commenting on the occasion, H.E. Akbar Al Baker, group CEO, Qatar Airways, pinpointed, “The Asian market is very important for us, so we are very pleased to be able to increase our flights to Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Krabi.”

Continuing its dynamic expansion, Qatar Airways has introduced more flights to top destinations in Asia, including extra services to the Vietnamese cities of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, as well as to

Thailand's Krabi.

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D C Aviation Al-Futtaim (DCAF) has welcomed a Challenger 605 aircraft to its fleet which brings the total number of jets managed by the company to six.

The management contract will see DCAF providing a complete service package from its facility at Al Maktoum International Airport, including handling, main-tenance and air-conditioned hangar parking in addition to flight management, dis-patch and continued airworthiness services.

Meanwhile, the company is expanding its parking and maintenance facilities with a new 6,800m2 hangar.

Commenting on the addition, Holger Ostheimer, managing director, DCAF, empha-sised, “[…] The management contract for the Challenger 605 aircraft is further evidence of our expertise and capability to deliver the highest possible quality standards for safe-ty and service to our VIP clients.”

DC Aviation Al-Futtaim Expands Fleet

RwandAir Revealed

Strategic Moves

R wandAir has received permission from the Benin government allow-ing the carrier to position two Boe-

ing 737 aircraft at Cotonou Cadjehoun Air-port, making the gateway its second hub.

Furthermore, Benin and Rwanda have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a joint venture airline based in the aforementioned gateway and set to serve passenger and cargo flights to desti-nations such as Abidjan, Brazzaville, Douala and Libreville, to mention a few.

“The launch of this hub will take air travel on our continent to the next level as RwandAir will be able to reach more coun-tries in west and central Africa with im-proved connections and more frequencies,” said Yvonne Manzi Makolo, deputy CEO, corporate affairs, RwandAir.

I n response to high demand for better connections between Muscat International Airport and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Oman Air

launched a third daily flight on the route on August 01. Due to the time of the itinerary, which will enable pas-

sengers to depart Oman in the evening and arrive at the destination in the early morning, the new service is ex-pected to be especially popular among business travellers.

Commenting on the expansion, Abdulrahman Al-Bu-saidy, chief commercial officer, Oman Air, revealed, “India is a key destination for Oman Air and the demand for all 11 of our Indian destinations has always been high. Increased frequencies offer yet more choice and convenience to our guests [...].”

E mirates’ redesigned Airbus A380 onboard lounge has re-cently made its operational

debut on a flight to Kuala Lumpur, marking the ninth anniversary of the carrier’s A380 service.

Inspired by private yacht cab-ins, the latest makeover of the lounge features a more intimate and social area, able to accommo-date up to 26 guests, while also serving a wide variety of beverages and bar snacks.

Claimed to be the world’s largest operator of A380, with 96 of double-decker aircraft in service, and further 46 on order, Emirates has recently unveiled plans to further expand A380 network in order to serve São Paulo, Casablanca and Nice.

Oman Air Increases Mumbai Service

Emirates A380 Revamped Lounge Debuted

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INTERNATIONAL: AMERICASwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

Marriott Among Best Workplaces

for Millennials

Hilton Expands in

New York City

Enterprise Truck Rental Strengthens

Presence

F or the second consecutive year, Marriott International has been named as one of the 20 best

workplaces for millennials, by global re-search and consulting firm Great Place to Work and FORTUNE.

Ranked in 14th place, the recog-nition came as a result of the group’s brand-new campaign To the Journey, which focusses on recruiting top mil-lennial talent globally.

Commenting on the success, David Rodriguez, executive vice president, Marriott International, disclosed, “[...] This hyper-connected, tech savvy gen-eration makes up a significant portion of our workforce – in fact, millennials accounted for 69 percent of all Marriott hires in 2016 in the US alone [...].”

E nterprise Truck Rental, a subsidi-ary of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, has recently launched new stores in

Frederick and Salisbury in Maryland. The company which plans to open a

total of 40 new facilities by the end of this year currently operates in 300 locations through the US, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Commenting on the expansion, Rob McGrain, truck manager, Baltimore, En-terprise Group, explained, “Many busi-nesses in Salisbury need access to high quality trucks, but not necessarily 365 days a year. Enterprise Truck Rental offers a great solution for local businesses seek-ing reliable vehicles during peak seasons, eliminating the need to purchase an ex-pensive truck that will go unused the ma-jority of the year.”

H ilton has announced that the land-mark hotel ONE UN New York will join its network as Millennium Hil-

ton New York ONE UN Plaza on August 30.Marking the group’s seventh local prop-

erty and poised to deliver Hilton's flagship hospitality to visitors, the address’ USD68 million renovation preserved its distinctive architecture and layout while upgrading the 439 guestrooms and suites, meetings and event spaces, public areas and restau-rants.

“At Hilton, we are always looking to be in the heart of the world's top destinations that matter most to our guests and Hilton Honors members, and no city embodies this more than New York […],” enthused, David Marr, senior vice president, full ser-vice brands, Hilton.

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INTERNATIONAL: AMERICAS www.traveltradeweekly.travel

A ccording to STR’s 2017 DestinationMAP, Chicago, Orlando, and Washington, D.C. are among the top North American markets for meeting planners.

The comprehensive study revealed that 67 percent of organisers listed Chicago and Orlando in their destination consideration set, while Washington, D.C., San Diego, and Las Vegas also proved popular with 66 percent, 64 percent, and 62 percent, respectively.

Chris Klauda, director, destination research, STR, elabo-rated, “Planners indicated that a safe environment was over-whelmingly the top consideration when selecting a meet-ing site, followed by a clean and attractive location, and other logistical considerations.”

O penTable has unveiled this year’s 100 most sce-nic restaurants in the US, based on the combined opinions of more than 10 million restaurant re-

views submitted by verified diners for more than 25,000 restaurants.

While venues from 34 states were represented, Califor-nia achieved the most success, with 13 restaurants ranking in the top 100, followed by North Carolina with six.

Caroline Potter, chief dining officer, OpenTable, re-vealed, “[…] This year's winning restaurants deliver on taste and sight in spades, offering delectable menus and breathtaking surroundings for the ultimate dining experi-ence. They are also a great way for both locals and travel-lers to immerse themselves in a destination and relish in some of the best views the area has to offer.”

F or the period July 16 – 22, hotels in Canada reported a successful week, re-sulting in a seven percent year-on-year

boost in RevPAR to CAD138.15 (USD109.52), as revealed by STR.

Not only this, occupancy also increased, up 2.1 percent to 80.7 percent, while aver-age daily rate (ADR) climbed 4.8 percent to CAD171.26 (USD135.77), compared to the corresponding week in 2016.

Among the country’s provinces, Nova Scotia experienced the largest increases in the three performance metrics, occupancy rose 8.4 percent to 90.6 percent, ADR grew 12.4 percent to CAR159.24 (USD126.26), while RevPAR soared 21.8 percent to CAD144.24 (USD114.34).

Quebec was the only other region to achieve double-digit growth in both ADR and RevPAR, up 10.6 percent and 14.1 percent, re-spectively.

A ccording to STR, the US hotel industry re-mained mostly flat during the period July 16 – 22, when compared to the corresponding

week in 2016.Occupancy decreased 0.2 percent to 78 percent,

while average daily rate (ADR) marginally increased, up 0.5 percent to USD131.86 and RevPAR rose 0.4 per-cent to USD102.85.

San Francisco and San Mateo registered the larg-est year-on-year jump in RevPAR, which grew nine percent to USD235.25, primarily due to a seven per-cent surge in ADR to USD249.79, the highest recorded during the week under review.

Meanwhile, Norfolk and Virginia Beach posted the highest increase in occupancy, up three percent to 83.4 percent, as well as the second-highest jump in RevPAR, which soared 5.4 percent to USD117.12.

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Chicago and Orlando Top Choice for Meetings

OpenTable Listed Most Scenic US Restaurants

Rising RevPAR for Canadian Hoteliers

Flat Week for US Properties

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A s part of its investments into innova-tion, Delta Air Lines has launched the first phase of a test programme de-

signed to enhance gate and boarding experi-ence at T Concourse of Atlanta’s Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport.

Passengers travelling through the gates will encounter new features, such as smaller podi-ums compared to traditional gate counters, handheld nomad devices allowing gate agents to engage with passengers more efficiently, designated pillars creating four boarding lanes and e-gates enabling guests to self-board. This will be followed by the second testing stage, focussed on increased agent mobility and cus-tomer’s digital experience, as a part of three-month pilot project.

I n the second quarter of the year (Q2), WestJet reported net earnings of CAD48.4 million (USD38.43 million), up 32 per-cent over Q2 2016.This translates to CAD0.41 (USD0.33) per fully diluted

share, up 36.7 percent year-on-year, marking its 49th consecu-tive profitable quarter.

During the period under review, the airline carried a re-cord 5.9 million travellers, an increase of 11.5 percent, while load factor jumped two percentage points to 82.8 percent. Meanwhile, available seat kilometres rose 6.3 percent, while revenue passenger kilometres soared 8.9 percent.

“I am very pleased with the positive momentum we are seeing in our business as we reported Q2 earnings growth, margin expansion, double digit revenue growth [...],” said Gregg Saretsky, CEO, WestJet.

T he Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has given its final ap-proval to a lease agreement with

Delta Air Lines for the construction of a 37-gate facility at LaGuardia Airport, with an overall cost of USD4 billion.

As part of the agreement, the authori-ty has committed USD600 million to facili-tate construction of the new terminal and other supporting infrastructure projects.

The redevelopment is part of the overall LaGuardia Airport transformation initiative launched in 2016. All of the new airport terminal facilities, including the carrier’s project, will be located closer to the Grand Central Parkway as part of the new unified airport design, providing sig-nificantly more airfield space.

A iming to make it easier for international travellers to explore the state, Michigan Economic Devel-opment Corporation has recently put in effect

2016’s Public Act 138, removing provisions in Michigan Vehicle Code that previously prevented travellers from certain countries, including China, from operating a mo-tor vehicle in Michigan.

The US state saw a 79 percent growth in Chinese trav-ellers between 2014 and 2015, highlighting the impact this market has for its tourism industry.

With the new legislation, non-residents with valid li-censes in their countries will now be able to travel freely in Michigan without having to rely solely on coaches, group travel experiences or public transportation options.

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Delta Air Lines Tests Advanced Gate Features

WestJet Earnings Rose 32 Percent

Delta to Transform LaGuardia Airport

Michigan Encourages Road Trips

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INTERNATIONAL: ASIA PACIFIC www.traveltradeweekly.travel

B uilding on the high demand for intra-Asian travel, FIT Ruums has recently signed a partnership contract with

China Airlines.Under the new agreement, the carrier will

release special airfares to appointed Taiwan-ese travel agencies, which will be combined with hotels, selected from FIT Ruums 15,000 properties’ inventory to create a collection of tempting packages. According to China Tour-ism Bureau, 14.6 million Taiwanese travelled overseas in 2016, representing an increase of 10.7 percent compared to 2015.

Joseph Shih, general manager, Taiwan, FIT Ruums, highlighted, “[…] Partnerships such as these promote travel and create benefits throughout the entire industry. We are de-lighted to be able to use our latest travel sys-tems to help partners respond to fast-chang-ing market trends and demands.”

D uring a briefing in New Delhi, Boeing forecasted that 2,100 new airplanes worth USD290 billion will be need-ed in India over the next 20 years, as the country’s com-

mercial air traffic is expected to grow exponentially.Findings of the company’s Current Market Outlook revealed

that India’s rapid traffic growth is more than 20 percent, exceed-ing the global average of 7.3 percent, while domestic traffic rose 23 percent from 2016, with low-cost carriers accounting for 60 percent of all flights.

Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president, sales, Asia Pacific and India, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, clarified, “The increasing number of passengers combined with a strong exchange rate, low fuel prices and high load factors bodes well for India’s avia-tion market, especially for the low-cost carriers.”

FIT Ruums Joins Forces with China Airlines

India’s Aircraft Demand to Soar

HK Express Partners with

Klook

Changi Airport to Feature Modern Art

Thai Airways Introduces Vienna

Service

D uring the annual Hong Kong Book Fair, Hong Kong Express Airways (HK Express) and Klook Travel Tech-

nology announced the launch of U-Explore, an online travel activities booking platform.

Providing high flexibility in booking tours, experiences, theme park visits, airport transfers and Wi-Fi device rentals, the plan-ning tool is expected to enhance travel ex-periences for the carrier’s customers.

Commenting on the partnership, An-drew Cowen, CEO, HK Express, highlighted, “HK Express is thrilled to partner with Klook to launch U-Explore, as part of our continued efforts to provide guests with value-added services and experiences. With our growing line-up of ancillary services, we aim to en-sure our guests’ travel needs are met every step of the way.”

T hai Airways (THAI) announced the introduction of direct flights from Bangkok’s Suvarn-

abhumi Airport to Vienna International Airport, effective from November 16.

The carrier will operate four roundtrip flights per week on Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Noting that Vienna is an ideal gate-way to Europe, Usanee Sangsingkeo, executive vice president, THAI, re-vealed, “Passengers can easily connect to cities in Europe and from Europe to Thailand conveniently with THAI’s net-work.”

The new route to the Austrian capi-tal will be the airline’s 13th European destination, joining tourist hotspots such as Paris, London and Rome.

T he upcoming new Terminal 4 at Sin-gapore’s Changi Airport will welcome travellers with visually immersive ex-

periences with specially curated art and en-tertainment features, set to enhance the qual-ity time spent at the hub.

Located at vantage points across the new facility, the collection will boast traditional art forms, such as sculptures, as well as kinetic and multimedia installations. One of these is Petalclouds, spanning 200m across Central Galleria, combining art and technology as the object moves in rhythm with classical music. Furthermore, The Heritage Zone in the transit area will give passengers a glimpse into the evolution of shophouse architecture in a digi-tal theatre form, while the wall at the security screening area will surprise with imagery of Singapore’s landmarks.

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INTERNATIONAL: ASIA PACIFICwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

Tourism Australia Launched

BuzzFeed Mateship

Hyatt Arrives in China’s

Foshan

Tourism WA Unveiled Mobile Responsive

Website

T ourism Australia has partnered with BuzzFeed Australia to launch a travel programme for the next generation

of travellers.Searching for young visual storytellers

from around the world, BuzzFeed Mateship will offer a fellowship to eight travellers and aspiring content creators from the UK, Ger-many, Italy and France to be flown to Aus-tralia for a three-month road trip in order to discover and report on some of the most unique experiences across the country.

Commenting on the initiative, Steven Ciobo, trade, tourism and investment min-ister, Australia, revealed, “These eight lucky young travellers have a life-changing trip ahead of them and one which we believe will motivate many more young interna-tional travellers to follow in their footsteps.”

I n order to make it easier for the in-dustry to access the latest news and updates, Tourism Western Australia

(Tourism WA) has launched a brand new corporate website which is responsive to mobile devices.

The redesigned platform offers ef-fortless access to the agency’s current campaigns, research reports, and sched-uled events for both locals and tourists, while also providing an opportunity to get involved and work with the agency in order to promote events and busi-nesses.

The authority has also revealed plans to launch new corporate Facebook and Twitter accounts which will enable more immediate, two-way communica-tion with industry and stakeholders.

H yatt Hotels has welcomed 152-key Hyatt Place Foshan Lishui to its portfolio, its first address in

China’s Guangdong province.Embodying the brand’s casual hospi-

tality and purposeful service within a con-temporary environment, the property fea-tures an all-day dining outlet with a 24/7 market, along with a coffee and cocktail bar. Guests are also able to enjoy a modern gym and high-technology meeting space, among other practical amenities.

Harvey Huang, general manager, Hy-att Place Foshan Lishui, described, “With our smartly designed social spaces and guestrooms, featuring separate work and sleep areas, our multitasking guests can easily accomplish what they need to do while on the road.”

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RENDEZVOUS www.traveltradeweekly.travel

MUHAMMAD ALI ALBAKRI

Q & A

with

REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT, AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST, INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION (IATA)

WITH AIR TRAFFIC EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO SOAR, SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES RELATED TO SAFETY,

SECURITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY GOVERNMENTS

AND INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS. MUHAMMAD ALI ALBAKRI, REGIONAL

VICE PRESIDENT, AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST, IATA, EXPLAINS HOW THE

ORGANISATION ENSURES THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF SAFETY AND DISCUSSES THE INDUSTRY’S LATEST EFFORTS TO

REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS.

lets, replacing pilot paper manuals with laptops, replacing heavy weight cabin equipment. Infrastructure initiatives in-clude airport operators working with air traffic management and airlines through collaborative decision making to identify optimal route, encouraging the use of satellite-based navigation systems al-lowing flights to operate optimal route.

ICAO’s Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (COR-SIA) is the first global scheme covering an entire industrial sector. CORSIA is set to commence with a voluntary period (2021-2026) after which it will become mandatory. By the end of the ICAO As-sembly, 65 states had already volun-teered to implement the scheme from its outset, covering approximately 80 percent of CO2 growth in 2021 – 2035.

The operations, infrastructure and technology initiatives outlined above have delivered around two percent year-on-year efficiency improvements.

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: In your opinion, which areas the MENA avia-tion industry need further improve-ments?

MUHAMMAD ALI ALBAKRI: There are a number of issues that continue to plague the Middle East that need to be addressed. At the top of the list is infra-structure. […] Even more urgent is the need to modernise air traffic manage-ment in the Gulf region. A recent study calculates average delays in the Gulf at 29 minutes with the potential to double by 2025. More expensive technology is not the solution. Regional coopera-tion is. Without it, all the investment in world-class hubs will be compromised with gridlock. We appreciate the many programmes that are in progress includ-ing the GCC Air Navigation Committee, the Middle East ATM Enhancement Pro-gramme and others. But these efforts must be driven even harder to achieve a real breakthrough. The next issue is an unprecedented rise in taxes and charges across the region. The majority of that is from passenger facility charges in the UAE and Qatar. But we also see rises in Tunisia, Egypt and other countries. A low cost structure is a key component of the region’s success particularly in the Gulf. Every dollar that a passenger spends in the region creates jobs and spreads pros-perity. And every dollar collected in taxes or charges is an incentive for travellers to go elsewhere. We must work together to reverse this unprecedented trend […].

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What are IA-TA’s priorities for the upcoming years regarding aviation in the MENA re-gion and what initiatives have been implemented to ensure the highest levels of safety and security?

MUHAMMAD ALI ALBAKRI: Safety and security are the industry’s priori-ties. Every accident makes us even more determined to make aviation safer. Two of IATA’s key initiatives in this area are the IATA Operational Safety Audit and the Global Aviation Data Management projects. Both initiatives help airlines to more easily exchange safety infor-mation, by collecting and analysing aviation data while also identifying and mitigating risks.

Flying is secure but there are risks and challenges as well as threats including landside exposure at airports, over flight of conflict zones, and cyber security. Effi-cient airport checkpoints are also impor-tant and our Smart Security programme is making them more effective and conven-ient […]. The 2017 UN Security Council Resolution reminded governments that keeping aviation secure is integral to a state’s responsibility for national security. Governments can and must do more up-ping their game on intelligence gather-ing and sharing vital information among them and with the industry […].

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Airports and airlines have made significant steps in managing their carbon emis-sions while adopting a greener busi-ness model. Does IATA promote any sustainable projects that you could share with us?

MUHAMMAD ALI ALBAKRI: Aiming to address the global challenges of climate change as well mitigate CO2 emissions, IATA adopted a set of ambitious targets including an improvement in fuel ef-ficiency of 1.5 percent year-on-year be-tween 2009 – 2020 along with succeed-ing carbon-neutral growth by 2020 and reducing CO2 emissions by 50 percent until 2050. In order to succeed these goals, a multi-faced, four-pillar strategy has been adopted and significant pro-gress has been made. Technology has been improved with the deployment of sustainable low-carbon fuels. Sustain-able alternative jet fuels are the only low-carbon fuels available for aviation in the short- to mid-term. […] Initiatives in-clude promoting taxiing on one engine, encouraging airlines to retro-fit wing-

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WHO’S MOVEDwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

HANITA HAIDA has been named as the new direc-tor of finance and business support at Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi – Yas Island and Staybridge Suites Abu Dha-bi – Yas Island.Bringing more than two decades of finance and asset management expe-rience, Haida began her hospitality career in 1994 as accounts and finance manager for Radisson Blu in Langkawi.In 2001, she joined InterCon-tinental Hotels Group, where she initially took the position of assistant finance control-ler at Crowne Plaza Mutiara Kuala Lumpur before be-ing promoted to director of finance in 2010, which she held alongside the role of cluster finance and business support champion.

THOMAS GRUNDNER has as-sumed the role of group direc-tor of sales and marketing at JA Resorts & Hotels.With a sales and marketing career spanning more than 20 years in the hospitality and leisure industry, Grundner has worked across many interna-tional markets including Ger-many, Egypt and Spain. Most recently, he served as vice president of sales and market-ing at Millennium Hotels and Resorts.In his new role, he will over-see all sales, marketing and revenue efforts to support the group’s growth and develop-ment strategies.

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DANY DAGHER has been ap-pointed as complex general manager for Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort & Spa and Four Points by Sheraton Sharjah.Having previously specialised in food and beverage, Dagher moved to Dubai in 2004 as di-rector of food and beverage at Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Re-sort, before being promoted to general manager in 2009.With more than 20 years of hospi-tality industry experience, Dagh-er has worked with various hotel groups across three continents and has extensive knowledge and skills in both pre-opening and operating properties. In his new role, Dagher will be responsible for the overall man-agement of both properties, working closely with the team to offer high levels of service and memorable guest experi-ences.

GLORIA GUEVARA MANZO has taken on the positions of president and CEO of World Travel & Tourism Council, where she will be instrumental in lead-ing the organisation into its next phase of development.Having gained a wealth of experience in executive roles across government, private sector, and academia, Guevara previously worked as CEO of Sabre Mexico. Between 2010 – 2012, Guevara served as sec-retary of tourism for Mexico as well as CEO of Mexico Tour-ism Board, where under her leadership, Mexico’s National Agreement for Tourism was created. Alongside her new role, Gue-vara is also currently a special advisor on government affairs for Center for Health and the Global Environment at Har-vard School of Public Health.

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TRAVEL CHANNELS www.traveltradeweekly.travel

National Center for Tourism Human Resources Development (Takamul) has concluded the preparation of a training agenda related to tourism routes across provinces in Saudi Ara-bia, aiming to educate tourism professionals

and involve more citizens in the sector.Based on the strategy of Saudi Commission for Tour-

ism & Cultural Heritage (SCTH), which emphasises the de-velopment of domestic tourism through local expertise, Takamul’s plan comprises short intensive training pro-grammes and seminars.

Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al Nashmi, director general, Takamul, expanded, “One of the major objectives of SCTH has been to create jobs for Saudi citizens in the tourism and national heritage sectors. […] All this is expected to have a positive impact on the local communities as well as the development of tourism, in general.”

Committed to reduce the carbon footprint of everyday operations, Dubai’s First Central Hotel Suites has put all its promotional materials online as a part of its Go Paperless campaign.

Following the success of environmentally-friendly initiatives in the areas of en-ergy, water and waste management, which have been recognised by Green Key

Certification 2016-2017 award in January, the property is committed to significantly lower usage and wastage of paper.

Wael El Behi, general manager, First Central Hotel Suites, said, “Paperless makes a lot of sense especially in this digital era […]. Therefore, in keeping with our responsible and sus-tainable environmental practices we have decided to make all our brochures, factsheets, and media files available for download online.”

As part of UAE’s Year of Giving, Deyaar Development in collaboration with Dubai Blood Donation Centre has launched a two-day blood donation drive in order to provide supplies to Thalassemia patients, road accident and burn victims, pa-tients with neonatal and maternity health complications.

Furthermore, the company unveiled its national initiative, Deyaar Al Khair, providing AED500,000 (USD136,130) worth of essential maintenance services to underprivi-leged families.

Commenting on the occasion, Mona Al Tamimi, vice president, marketing and corporate communications, Deyaar Development, revealed, “The blood donation drive is part of our efforts to consolidate the values of corporate social responsibility, service to the country, and our contribution to its development.”

The Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA), in col-laboration with Norway-based international clas-sification society DNV GL, has educated industry representatives on the use of Smart Survey Simula-tor during a two-day workshop.

The advanced training solution for vessel survey inspec-tions has the ability to provide cost-effective realistic training using virtual reality technology and models of actual ships. Designed with extensive survey knowledge and expertise, the system is able to identify deficiencies on each virtual ves-sel and export the data on virtual platform.

Amer Ali, executive director, DMCA, said, “The Smart Sur-vey Simulator complements our sharp focus on innovation in training and inspection and we are highly satisfied with the knowledge and skills imparted by DNV GL’s expert […].”

First Central Hotel Sets Paperless Example

Deyaar Launched Blood Donation Drive

DMCA Showcased New Survey Training System

Takamul to Nurture Saudi

Tourism ExpertsFirst Central Hotel Suites

Jeddah

26 AUGUST 2017 19

PHOTO ALBUMwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

Take a Shot!

Share with us the latest images of your activities and let your colleagues know

what you have been up to.

Send your photos to editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel Because a picture is worth a thousand

words...The culinary team from Bahi Ajman Palace Hotel delighted visitors to Liwa Ajman Dates Festival

2017 with creative recipes using dates

Iftikhar Hamdani, cluster general manager, Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman and Ramada

Beach Hotel Ajman, right, welcomed teachers from Deaf Reach Schools in Pakistan

Qatar Airways celebrated its first nonstop flight from Doha to Sohar in Oman as the airline’s newest destination in the Middle East

The Dubai Maritime City Authority hosted a workshop on the use of the Smart Survey Simulator, an advanced training solution for vessel survey inspections

22ND UNWTO GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Chengdu, ChinaSeptember 04 – 09 World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) annual meeting will bring together tourism officials and private sector leaders.

26 AUGUST 201720

NEWS & EVENTS www.traveltradeweekly.travel

Thailand to Host Amour

Forum

SCTH Seminar Boosted Hoteliers’

Knowledge

Worldwide Events has an-nounced the launch of its renowned romance travel trade event, Amour Fo-

rum, which will take place in Bangkok on February 14 — 17, 2018.

Designed specifically for the high-end romance travel market, including honeymoon curators, destination wed-ding planners, and private travel design-ers, the three-day programme will be a mix of one-to-one meetings, network-ing activities, gala dinners and after par-ties, allowing buyers and suppliers to network and build relationships that will enhance their own business offering.

Richard Barnes, CEO, Worldwide Events, highlighted, “We launched our inaugural Amour Forum in Venice earlier this year and it was a huge success, with more than 4,000 appointments taking place.”

Under the supervision of the newly established entity Na-tional Center for Tourism Hu-man Resources Development,

Saudi Commission for Tourism & Na-tional Heritage (SCTH), represented by Saudi Arabia’s Department of Licensing, hosted a training workshop for senior hotel staff in Riyadh.

Aiming to enhance quality man-agement and customer service, the occasion presented the principles of Together We Commit programme, which, among other topics, introduced the hoteliers into obligations of hospital-ity investors, as well as educated them on the importance of qualified staff, managing employee data and applying monitoring mechanisms. The trainees also toured Burj Rafal Hotel Kempinski, where they observed recommended customer service practices.

THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TOURISM AND BUSINESS

Lucerne, SwitzerlandAugust 31 – September 01 The second edition of the event will see the presentation of research related to the tourism and hospitality sectors.

OTDYKH LEISURE

Moscow, RussiaSeptember 20 – 23 www.tourismexpo.ruThe 23rd edition of the exhibition will be held alongside its events focussing on MICE, luxury as well as medical tourism, spa and health.

IFTM TOP RESA

Paris, FranceSeptember 26 – 29 www.iftm.frMore than 31,000 trade visitors are expected to attend the multi-target event with dedicated programmes for the leisure, business and MICE sectors.

EVENTS