UAE: THIRD LARGEST REGIONAL BUSINESS JET MARKET

AJMAN TOURISM REVENUE UP 47 PERCENT

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23 JANUARY 2016 ISSUE 324

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MarketTechnologyTravel TalkNews & Events

TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS

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Mary Kammitsi mary@traveltradeweekly.travel

ASSISTANT EDITORMaria Kazeli

SENIOR JOURNALISTRita Kasziba

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Pauline Shahabian CONTRIBUTOR

Ana Mladenovic

PRESS Maria Demetriadou Inna Armeanu

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WEB & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Savvas Kammitsis

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

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MARKET UPDATE www.traveltradeweekly.travel

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Dinar

Dinar

Rial

Rial

Riyal

Dirham

Dinar

Pound

Rial

Dinar

Dinar

Pound

Dinar

Dirham

Pound

Dinar

Rial

0.37

0.71

0.39

3.64

3.75

3.67

107.68

7.83

30,182.90

1,107.02

0.30

1,515.15

1.38

9.93

188.81

2.04

214.89

MENA EXCHANGE RATES

COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=

22.1.2016as of

MIDDLE EAST AIRPORTS LEAD ASIA PACIFIC

DNATA EXCELS ON BUSIEST DAY

Passenger traffic in the Middle East rose 6.9 percent in October 2015, outpacing the growth in Asia Pacific that averaged at 6.7 percent.

As Dubai recorded its highest air travel traffic of the year on December 18, 2015, dnata simultaneously served more than 256,000 passengers who passed through Dubai International and Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai South.

According to Airports Council International’s data, among the busiest hubs, Dubai In-ternational witnessed a 4.4 percent rise in traveller figures, and despite a slowdown in the Chinese economy, several airports in China recorded double-digit improvements.

On the other hand, freight volumes continued to be weak, showing a 2.2 percent increase in the Middle East and a 0.7 percent gain in Asia Pacific.

The aforementioned day, which delivered a four percent year-on-year increase in figures, also proved to be dnata’s busiest day as it handled over 296,000 pieces of luggage and serviced some 570 flights. Correspondingly, more than 9,000 staff members were mobilised at both airports with 6,400 vehicles deployed on the airside.

As Nick Moore, senior vice president, airline services, dnata, explained, on average, a flight was tak-ing off or landing every minute.

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WEEKLY NEWSwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

Ajman Tourism Revenue Up 47 Percent

B ased on data released by Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD), during the three-month stretch, the industry added AED80.05 million (USD21.8 million) to the economy, as occupancy levels, average room rate and additional inven-tory of accommodation units continued to grow.

While visitor numbers dropped slightly, room nights rose 49 percent to 300,948 with local residents, travellers from the GCC and other Arab countries making up the bulk of the guests.

According to H.E. Faisal Al Nuaimi, general manager, ATDD, the positive trend is set to continue driven by the new marketing strategy and brand identity.

UK: Second Most Popular Destination from Abu Dhabi

P assenger traffic from Abu Dhabi International Airport to the UK swelled 34.2 percent during the

period between January and November 2015, making the UK the second busiest route from the UAE capital.

As Ahmad El Haddabi, chief op-erations officer, Abu Dhabi Airports, ex-plained, over the 12-month period up un-til November 2015, the number of seats available on flights between the Middle Eastern hub and the European country increased 53.1 percent.

All in all, a total of 1.78 million pas-sengers were handled by the airport in November 2015, up 15.8 percent year-on-year, with London, Bangkok, Doha, Delhi and Mumbai being the most popular destinations.

Total revenue generated by tourism soared 47 percent year-on-year in Ajman in the third quarter of 2015.

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Rising Supply Impacts Dubai

Hotel Performance

T he significant growth in room supply continued to put pressure on occupancy and

average daily rate (ADR) in Dubai, according to STR Global’s report for November 2015.

The emirate’s hotel inventory grew 5.4 percent, while demand rose 2.4 percent, leading to a 2.9 percent decrease in occupancy lev-els to 83 percent, a 7.1 fall in ADR to AED889.13 (USD242.3) and an almost 10 percent drop in RevPAR to AED737.71 (USD201.04).

The month’s performance indica-tors were, however, boosted by the Big 5 International Building & Con-struction Show, DP World Tour Cham-pionship, Dubai International Motor Show, Dubai Airshow and Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

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23 JANUARY 2016

Russians Prefer Dubai Holidays

Dubai has become a favourite destina-tion for Russian tourists who prefer hotels near beaches or shopping areas.

Research conducted by Hayk Mkhitaryan, an Emirates Academy of Hospitality Manage-ment student, proved that these holiday-makers opt for a comfortable environment with Russian-speaking employees and have very high expectations of the service quality, therefore, they tend to choose internationally known brands.

The study also showed that Russians tend to go on vacation with their families, have a longer average stay and their sensitivity to prices is usually low.

Abu Dhabi Unveils Upgraded

Al Mirfa Port

Having recently completed extensive redevelopment works, including infra-structure and facilities upgrades, Abu

Dhabi Ports inaugurated the refreshed Al Mir-fa Port in the Western Region of the emirate.

The extensive project formed part of the company’s endeavours to diversify the desti-nation’s economy by supporting and serving local communities. The newly established fa-cilities and improved services aim, amongst others, to play a key role in boosting tourism, specifically to the beaches of the Western Re-gion, further supporting the local economy by generating new income resources.

Inauguration ceremony

New MICE Concept Launched

tmf dialogue marketing, in collaboration with its venue-finder partner RENT-A-RESORT, introduced a new MICE service, giving event planners the oppor-tunity to exclusively rent hotel resorts for their corporate or private functions.

Based in Germany, the company focusses on properties in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic region.

Through a smart application of content marketing in digital and social net-works as well as in traditional channels, tmf dialogue marketing aims to constantly develop new tracks for associations and corporations to cooperate with interna-tional destinations and vice versa.

DID YOU KNOW...

Emirates Academy of Hospitality

Management is an integral part of the

local Jumeirah Group?

Gre

ece

Dub

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http://www.almarfapearlhotels.com/

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WEEKLY NEWS www.traveltradeweekly.travel

A t the 18th session of the Arab Tourism Ministers Council, held in Sharjah, H.R.H. Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, president, Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), called on the council to reconsider its role in light

of the current regional instability, and leverage the value of religion, history and inherited culture and civilisation to strengthen security in the Arab world.

“We are passing through critical times,” said bin Abdulaziz. “We do not want the role of this council to be confined to economic development only, […] but we should assume the new roles to it to restore the prestige of the Arab world and bring its people under the glare of their history and heritage.”

W orld Tourism Organiza-tion (UNWTO) and Tourism Agency of the Balearic Is-

lands released Global Report on Cultural Routes and Itineraries of the World Tour-ism Organization, shedding light on cur-rent trends and case studies relating to the development of these specific seg-ments.

“Culture is intimately linked with tourism and this report reflects not only the importance of the protection and preservation of tangible and intangible heritage in tourism development, but also UNWTO’s commitment to these values through initiatives such as the training programmes we carry out or the existence within our organization of the Silk Road Programme,” said Taleb Rifai, secretary general, UNWTO.

The publication also highlights the positive impact of these itineraries in terms of sustainability and their im-mense benefits to local communities.

I n support of the agreement reached at the Sustainable Innovation Forum COP21 in Paris, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) launched an online tool.

The initiative is aimed at helping companies in any industry or sector un-derstand the laws and regulations relating to the reporting of environmental, so-cial and governmental issues.

“Reporting on the practices we are implementing to combat climate change is a starting point and a commitment towards a more sustainable future of not just our sector but any industry,” said David Scowsill, president, WTTC.

SCTH President: Arab Culture to Bring Stability

UNWTO: Culture is

Crucial

WTTC Presents Environmental Project

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WEEKLY NEWSwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

Sharjah Takes on India

SCTH: Employing Tourism College Graduates Is Priority

A s part of its overseas promotion strategy, Sharjah Com-merce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) held a series of workshops and meetings with decision-makers

and major travel and tourism companies in India. The road show, which covered four cities including Delhi,

Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Kochi, focussed on showcasing the most prominent projects and events of the emirate, as H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, chairman, SCTDA, explained.

Sharjah attracted more than 135,000 visitors from India in 2014, recording a 23 percent year-on-year increase.

W ith the opening of several col-leges and institutes special-ised in tourism, Saudi Arabia is

witnessing a notable surge in the volume of graduates and entrants to the industry.

So far more than 11,500 graduates have finished their studies.

According to H.R.H. Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, president, Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Her-itage (SCTH), employing graduates from the tourism colleges is a major task and a priority for the organisation.

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R as Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (TDA) hosted an intensive five-day training programme to fur-

ther enhance the skills and knowledge of tour guides working in the emirate.

The initiative, which attracted 22 profes-sionals, included learning about the history and traditions of the destination and the UAE as a whole, as well as sustainable tour-ism and customer care. In addition, practi-cal elements of the course included a trip to the main sites in Ras Al Khaimah.

As Haitham Mattar, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah TDA, noted, the emirate is already recog-nised as the fastest growing tourism loca-tion in the UAE.

A bu Dhabi Airports installed the first three of 106 passenger board-ing bridges in the new Midfield Terminal Building (MTB).

Constructed with glass walls to allow travellers to appreciate the architecture of the facility and see their aircraft as they prepare for journey, all the bridges are expected to be delivered over the coming 15 months.

“We are using the latest in smart airport technology for MTB. Each of our new passenger boarding bridges will interface with the Visual Docking Guidance Systems, which direct aircraft to their gate parking positions. All of our bridges also have anti-collision sensors to protect aircraft from damage,” commented Ali Majed Al Mansoori, chairman, Abu Dhabi Airports.

Passenger Boarding Bridges Arrive at MTB

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WEEKLY NEWS TECHNOLOGY www.traveltradeweekly.travel

Travelport Unveils Smartpoint Update

To increase opportunities to sell hotel rooms and derive incremental revenue, agents can now search for accommodation establishments by vicinity using a full or partial address. Moreover, a hotel billback solu-tion has been integrated into the feature, strengthening security and saving users time by automating the

manual reconciliation process, utilising virtual account numbers, as provided by eNett International. Jason Clarke, managing director, agency commerce, Travelport, commented, “We are constantly talking with

and listening to our travel agency customers to find out exactly what their requirements are and these new en-hancements come as a direct response to those conversations.”

Sabre and APT Enhance Ties

Sabre renewed its agreement with APT which in-cludes customised solutions to assist the luxury travel specialist scale its regional business.

The Australia-based tour and cruise operator’s cus-tomer service team already leverages Sabre Explore, and with the new long-term deal, the technology provider will continue to strengthen APT’s workflows with the latest digital tools.

Richard Morgan, regional director, South Pacific, Sa-bre Travel Network, noted, “Until recently, the Australia and New Zealand travel industry did not have this specific technology to support the local needs of tour operators, wholesale agents and agents with reservation call centres. We are proud to have addressed this gap in the market.”

Travelport entered into a long-term, full content agreement with Equatorial Congo Airlines

(ECAir).The deal will enable travel agents

connected to the technology provider to search and book all of the Congo-lese flag carrier’s fares using Travelport Smartpoint.

The partnership also includes the implementation of the tech firm’s Elec-tronic Transitional Automated Ticketing functionality, allowing airline approved agencies to issue and amend electronic tickets in countries where the bank set-tlement plan is not available.

Travelport Partners with ECAir

Travelport released the latest version of its travel agency point-of-sale solution, Travelport Smartpoint featuring improved performance, superior usability and new functionality that enhances

the selling experience.

DID YOU KNOW...

ECAir was founded with the support of

the Congolese State in a bid to modernise Congo's air transport

industry?

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WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATIONwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

OPENSTHE 50-STOREY SHANGRI-LA HOTEL, DOHA WELCOMED ITS FIRST GUESTS IN THE QATARI CAPITAL’S BUSINESS DISTRICT. D eveloped by Al Rayyan Tourism

Development Company (ARTIC), the five-star property features 272 rooms and suites and 42 fully serviced apartments.

Horizon Club is hailed as Doha’s largest executive lounge. In addition, guests can also take advantage of seven food and bev-erage outlets, a health club with a 2,000m2 pool deck, a spa, eight meeting rooms and an 840m2 ballroom.

“As Qatar’s tourism infrastructure contin-ues to develop through the construction of new hotels, resorts and other tourism facili-ties, ARTIC will play a key role in this growth,” commented H.E. Sheikh Mohamed Bin Faisal Al Thani, vice chairman, ARTIC.

Shangri-La Hotel, Doha

Shangri-La Hotel Doha

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WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION www.traveltradeweekly.travel

9 JANUARY 2016

Four Seasons Doha to Add New Outlets

T he latest addition to the property’s portfolio is Elements restaurant, and as Rami Sayess, general manager, Four Seasons Hotel Doha, revealed, another three venues are coming up to, as he said, enhance value and choice.

“We will continue to be focussed on the consistency and personalisation of our service delivery and having the relevant product in place to ensure that we maintain healthy per-formance levels.

A jman Tourism Development Department (ATDD) and Hos-pitality Management Holdings

(HMH) awarded special accolades to participants of the recently-held The Ajman Palace Hotel Wedding Fair.

As H.E. Faisal Al Nuaimi, general manager, ATDD, noted, the trophies celebrate exceptional standards and initiatives as well as innovative ideas presented during the two-day event.

“Weddings is a huge industry and we have seen remarkable local talent that needs to be appreciated and en-couraged to facilitate growth,” com-mented Al Nuaimi.

Already home to a number of popular dining choices, including the largest Nobu restaurant in the world, Four Seasons Hotel Doha plans to introduce three new food and beverage venues this year.

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Mövenpick West Bay to Grow Regionally

Ajman Wedding Fair Exhibitors

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ACICO Unveils Nassima

Royal

A CICO Hotels opened Nas-sima Royal Hotel in Dubai, marking the company’s ex-

pansion into the hospitality sector.Nassima Royal Hotel and Nas-

sima Tower Hotel Apartments to-gether offer a total of 600 units, 18 meeting rooms and a modern space named Origami, further to an array of dining outlets.

According to Nabil Al-Khaled, chief operating officer, ACICO Ho-tels, the entity will soon become a major player in Dubai’s tourism industry. In addition, the company is also keen to invest further in the Gulf region and diversify its portfolio.

Nassima Royal Hotel is also part of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts network.

M övenpick Hotel West Bay Doha’s manage-ment is keen on fur-

ther increasing the property’s share in the regional market.

As Ahmed Hisham, director of sales and marketing, Möven-pick Hotel West Bay Doha, re-vealed, the focus remains on the UAE and Saudi Arabia, however, the GCC in general is also con-sidered a strong feeder market.

“On the international side, we will be focussing on the UK, Germany and France,” added Hisham, emphasising that con-tinuous product upgrades and consistent service levels are crucial to remain competitive amid the fast-growing supply in Qatar.

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WEEKLY NEWS AIRwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

UAE: Third Largest Regional Business

Jet Market

Currently, the UAE is considered the Middle East’s third most significant market for the segment with a 17 percent share.

Therefore, the launch of X Jets by Private Jet Charter (PJC), one of the largest independent private jet charter brokers, came at an opportune time in Dubai, Hugh Courtenay, CEO, PJC, suggested.

With initial operations due to begin in the first quarter of the year, X Jets will focus on the Middle East but also has plans to expand into Africa and India.

Middle East and Africa accounted for a 7.9 percent share of the global business aircraft shipments in 2014.

RJ Heads to Jakarta

Royal Jordanian Airlines (RJ) added Jakarta to its ex-panding global network.

The route, the fourth new itinerary for the carrier in 2015, is being offered via Kuala Lumpur three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, on-board an Airbus A330 aircraft.

The launch marks the airline’s return to the Indonesian capi-tal after 2003, when following a decade of operations the service was suspended for commercial reasons.

According to Suleiman Obei-dat, CEO, RJ, the addition of the route comes at a time when the southeast Asian country is expe-riencing a growth momentum in air traffic.

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WEEKLY NEWS AIR www.traveltradeweekly.travel

E mirates hosted a high-level delegation from Central and Latin American countries as part of a one-day commercial summit.

The official visit and subsequent meetings aimed to examine mutually beneficial opportunities to en-hance relationships and further stimulate trade and leisure traffic flows between Dubai and Panama, as well as other countries in the region.

The programme came as the UAE carrier gears up to launch scheduled services to Panama City on Febru-ary 1, marking the airline’s debut in Central America.

Etihad Ups Offering for Staff

Emirates Strengthens Latin American Ties

O man Air selected Elite Travel as its new general sales agent (GSA) in Bahrain.

With seven outlets, the Manama-based com-pany is one of the largest billing and settlement plan trav-el agencies in the Kingdom.

“As Oman Air continues its current major expansion programme, it is also consolidating its established servic-es. The appointment of Elite Travel as GSA for Bahrain con-tinues this work, ensuring that our international network serves Oman Air, and the people of Oman, with increasing effectiveness,” explained Abdulrahman Bin Harith Al Bu-saidy, chief operating officer, Oman Air.

Oman Air Appoints New Bahrain GSA

I n a special ceremony at the Amiri Airport Terminal, Ku-wait Airways welcomed the demonstration flight of an Airbus A350 XWB, which made its first visit to the coun-

try ahead of joining the carrier’s fleet in 2020. “This is the first time for Airbus A350 XWB to land in

Kuwait,” commented Rasha Abdulaziz Al-Roumi, chairper-son, Kuwait Airways, emphasising that the company has devised a long-term strategy of strengthening its leading position in the air transport industry within the region and globally.

In line with the airline’s overhaul, Kuwait Airways signed an agreement with Airbus for purchasing 25 new aircraft; 10 Airbus A350 and 15 A320 NEOs.

Kuwait Airways to Add Airbus A350 XWB

E tihad Airways opened the doors of a world-class medical facility in Abu Dhabi for its employees.

The complex comprises an aviation clinic, visa medical centre as well as an identification facility.

Located at Etihad Plaza in Khalifa City, the hub will guarantee the air-line’s 23,800 UAE-based staff access to a modern, comfortable and exclusive environment near the head office.

Ray Gammell, chief people and per-formance officer, Etihad Airways, com-mented, “The new facility will allow us to further our development of well-be-ing programmes aimed at looking after the health of our employees.”

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DID YOU KNOW...

The facility follows a staff ambulance

service, travel clinic and a welfare support

service for the airline’s crew and pilots?

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WEEKLY NEWS AIRwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

Eurowings Lands in Dubai

Belavia to Launch Egypt Flights

Belavia is to introduce services to Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada in the summer season, Igor Cherginets, deputy director general, marketing

and foreign economic affairs, Belavia, revealed.The Belarusian carrier’s decision comes in response

to increased demand for charter operations to Egypt, with passenger numbers growing almost fivefold in 2014, Cherginets explained.

“In the new season we will resume flying to Sharm El Sheikh. That is for sure. Booking and sale of Egypt routes for spring and summer are already underway,” he added.

Dubai International welcomed yet another international name to the over 100 airlines that already fly to the airport.

Eurowings now connects Cologne and Dubai with three weekly nonstop flights, offering passengers a wide array of opportuni-ties to continue their journeys onward to Berlin, Hamburg and many other locations across the European continent.

German carrier Eurowings is part of Lufthansa Group.

Middle East Proves Popular with Cebu's Customers

The Middle East was one of the fastest growing regions in terms of passenger numbers for Cebu Pacific Air during the period between January

and September 2015.The low-cost carrier’s gain in the Middle East was

driven by the launch of new services to Kuwait, Riyadh and Doha as part of the company’s expansion strategy to the region.

In addition, the airline also witnessed notable growth in Australia and Japan.

Cebu Pacific Air currently has a network of over 90 routes on 60 destinations, including Dubai.

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WEEKLY NEWS INTERNATIONAL www.traveltradeweekly.travel

H ilton Worldwide launched DoubleTree by Hilton Golf Resort Palm Springs, a contemporary 289-key full-ser-vice hotel located a short distance from Downtown

Palm Springs in California, US.Converted from Desert Princess Palm Springs Golf Resort,

the property reopened following a multimillion dollar renova-tion which included the complete redesign of the lobby, gues-trooms, meeting facilities and restaurants.

John Greenleaf, global head, DoubleTree by Hilton, com-mented, “Situated below the breathtaking San Jacinto Moun-tains, DoubleTree by Hilton Golf Resort Palm Springs is a true desert oasis, complete with a 27-hole championship golf course, nine tennis courts and a full-service spa.”

B uilding on more than 16 years of experience in Argentina, Wyndham Hotel Group debuted its namesake brand, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts with the opening of the 141-room Wyndham Nordelta Tigre Buenos Aires, marking the

hotelier’s 35th property in the country. Located across from Nordelta Bay in Tigre, the hotel is accessible by land and river

and is just 60km away from the capital city’s Ezeiza International Airport, 35km from the city centre and 15km from Tigre’s train station.

The accommodation establishment offers a full-service spa, health, beauty and wellness facilities, seven meeting rooms which accommodate up to 250 people for business or social events, a restaurant and bar as well as a fitness centre.

C arlson Rezidor Hotel Group unveiled Radisson Hotel Cromwell, in Connecticut, US.

Located in close proximity to a variety of attractions, including Wilcox Park and Webster Square Shopping Center, the 215-room property boasts 2,787m2 of meeting and conference space, a restaurant offering American cuisine with a New England twist, in-door swimming pool, state-of-the-art fitness centre and a business area.

“As the only full-service hotel in the city, we could not be more thrilled to have Radisson Cromwell join the brand,” enthused Javier Rosenberg, chief operating of-ficer, Americas, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group.

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Wyndham Enhances Argentinean Presence

Connecticut Welcomes Radisson

Travel Trade Luxury is a worldwide luxury travel trade publication.

Travel Trade Luxury is brought out monthly. It is published both in digital and printed format.

Its digital readership is based on the 150,000 readers which the Travel Trade Publications platform enjoys. Readers include agents spe-cialising in individual luxury travel, group luxury travel, travel counsellors and advisors, luxury travel DMCs and all other luxury products and services.

Travel Trade Luxury is also distributed to the major travel trade exhibitions and specialised luxury shows and events.

Travel Trade Luxury contains informative cur-rent news on luxury destinations and products. It also includes specialised luxury destination reports with in-depth analyses of issues related to the luxury segment.

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WEEKLY NEWS INTERNATIONAL www.traveltradeweekly.travel

D usit Fudu Hotels & Resorts signed an agreement to manage what is hailed as the first upscale internally-branded lifestyle resort in Zhuzhou in China’s Hunan province.

Scheduled to open in the last quarter of 2019, Dusit Devarana Hot Springs & Spa Resort Zhuzhou, Hunan will feature 150 rooms and villas, various dining outlets, a conference centre, vast outdoor space, natural hot springs pools and badminton and tennis courts, among more.

Lim Boon Kwee, president, Dusit Fudu Hotels & Resorts, noted, “With its scenic location, outstanding facilities, gracious and personalised service synonymous with traditional Thai hos-pitality, we are confident that Dusit Devarana Hot Springs & Spa, Zhuzhou will become the premier resort in the city.”D

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T he St. Regis Macao, Cotai Central opened its doors in Macau.

Located on Cotai Strip, the 400-room hotel offers guests the brand’s signature butler service, Iridium Spa, an expansive outdoor pool area and a number of dining venues. The launch of the property will soon be joined by new St. Re-gis properties in Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi, Malaysia; the Maldives; Changsha, China; and Cairo, Egypt.

“There is an ever-increasing demand for luxury around the globe and Macau is no exception, especially with the re-cent proliferation of luxury brands in the market and a record number of visitors to the destination in 2015,” said Jim Petrus, global brand leader, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts.

T his April will see the opening of the 26-storey AVANI Riverside Bangkok Hotel on the banks of the Chao Phraya

River.The Thai property will house 251 rooms, all

with uninterrupted city and river views, as well as a rooftop restaurant and bar, and another three food and beverage outlets. For events, there will be a 4,500m2 ballroom for up to 1,500 guests, complete with its own open-plan kitchen.

Next to the hotel is Riverside Plaza with ex-tensive retail, spa, food and beverage and en-tertainment options.

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RENDEZVOUSwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What are the key pillars of the country’s tourism strategy that have enabled it to grow in the face of regional and global challenges?

GIANRICO ESPOSITO: One of the key pillars of Qatar’s tourism strategy, devel-oped by the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), is the investment in the positioning of its MICE offering and the strong focus on business tourism. In recent years Qatar has increasingly been developing its reputation as a regional business hub where business events can host large number of delegates without compromis-ing on the quality of the service.

With the opening of The Westin Doha Hotel & Spa planned for early this year,

GIANRICO ESPOSITO

Q & A

with

GENERAL MANAGER, THE WESTIN DOHA HOTEL & SPA

AS THE WESTIN DOHA HOTEL & SPA GEARS UP FOR ITS OFFICIAL OPENING, GIANRICO

ESPOSITO, GENERAL MANAGER, THE WESTIN DOHA HOTEL & SPA, DISCUSSES

THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS AND TRENDS IN QATAR’S HOSPITALITY SCENE.

The Qatar Rail project, Doha Metro, in particular will make the city much more accessible for tourists, allowing fast and convenient movement be-tween hotels and public amenities.

We believe that it is an exciting time to live and work in Qatar, especially over the next few years, when Doha will be-come a world-class thriving city in the lead-up to FIFA 2022.

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What are your priorities as you gear up for the launch?

GIANRICO ESPOSITO: As the hospital-ity market keeps growing at a fast pace, differentiation is key to our market-ing strategy. We will be focussing and targeting multinational corporations, government entities, corporate travel agencies and event organisers to fur-ther develop Qatar’s reputation as a business destination.

We have created a downtown sanc-tuary in the heart of bustling Doha, aiming to provide a truly holistic expe-rience of wellbeing. […] Additionally, The Westin Doha Hotel & Spa also of-fers state-of-the-art events and meet-ing facilities, including the second largest pillarless ballroom in Doha, complete with VIP rooms designed to appeal to the local and regional wed-ding market. With 365 rooms, six food and beverage outlets, and our interna-tionally renowned Heavenly Spa, we believe The Westin Doha Hotel & Spa will be a welcomed addition to the Qa-tari hospitality scene.

we have already experienced a high level of interest in our state-of-the-art meeting and conference facilities, dem-onstrating the popularity of Doha as a MICE destination. It is also a testament to the ever-growing need for high qual-ity amenities for both small as well as large scale events, whether private cel-ebrations or corporate events.

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: The Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030 aims to attract 7.4 million visi-tors by 2030. How will this sharp increase affect supply and de-mand? GIANRICO ESPOSITO: As Qatar is being positioned as an exclu-sive travel destination for both business and leisure tourists, this will attract tourists from across the GCC as well as internation-ally and I think we will see more investment across all segments as we approach 2022 and the FIFA World Cup.

We, at The Westin Doha Ho-tel & Spa, are excited to intro-duce a whole new wellbeing hospitality concept to Qatar. To provide a truly holistic experi-ence of wellbeing, each Westin programme is developed to help guests feel, work, move, eat, sleep and play well.

Guests can rejuvenate with a Heavenly Bath; energise with WestinWORKOUT; fuel up with our Su-perFoodsRx offerings; and experience superior sleep in our signature Heaven-ly Bed. No matter how guests recharge, The Westin Doha Hotel & Spa offers eve-ry traveller a personal path to wellness.

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What are the main issues that need to be ad-dressed in order to exploit the tour-ism industry’s full potential? GIANRICO ESPOSITO: We are very much committed to working closely with QTA to ensure we are supporting the growth of Qatar’s tourism industry as envisioned in the Qatar National Vi-sion 2030.

Doha is undergoing an urban trans-formation. The current development of large infrastructure projects, such as rail, roads, malls and local cultural amenities will only reinforce Qatar as one of the primary hubs for international business and tourism in the Middle East.

The Westin Doha Hotel

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WHO’S MOVED www.traveltradeweekly.travel

BERNARD MARTYRIS has been named group chief human re-sources officer at Kuoni Group, VFS Global’s parent company.Based in Dubai, Martyris is responsible for the group’s human resources strategy, leadership development, and talent and performance man-agement.Martyris joined VFS Global in 2004 and led the corporate human resources function of the group on an interim basis from 2013 until early 2015.He has over 35 years of experi-ence in the field, two decades of which he spent in the hospital-ity industry. Martyris has held senior management positions at The Oberoi Group as well as Taj Group of Hotels. Through his association with Tata Group, he also served as an independent director on the board of Tata Coffee in 2003.

OTTO KURZENDORFER con-tinues as general manager at JA Jebel Ali Golf Resort in Dubai. In his capacity, he will oversee the operations of the resort as well as JA Centre of Excellence & Shooting Club.Kurzendorfer moves to the role after serving as general manager at JA Ocean View Ho-tel, a position that he had held since 2013. Throughout his extensive ca-reer, he has worked with vari-ous leading hospitality brands across the world.

AZAR SALIBA has been pro-moted to general manager at Jumeirah Al Qasr and Jumei-rah Dar Al Masyaf at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai.Saliba, who has over two dec-ades of experience under his belt, has been with the com-pany since 2006 when he joined Jumeirah Beach Hotel overseeing the rooms division. Since then, he has undertaken various senior management roles, such as resident manager and hotel manager at different properties under the brand.In his new position, Saliba will oversee complete operations of all departments at Jumeirah Al Qasr, Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf as well as the Malakiya villas.

TORSTEN OBERMANN has been appointed area general manager of JA Ocean View Hotel, Dubai and The Walk. Obermann has been with JA Resorts & Hotels since 2009, when he joined the company as executive assistant man-ager in charge of rooms at JA Jebel Ali Golf Resort. Prior to that, he gained a wealth of experience in the field of hospitality in Switzerland and Germany.

Obermann now has additional

responsibilities

Kurzendorfer moves to the resort

from another JA Resorts & Hotels

property

Saliba has over two decades of

experience

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WHO’S MOVED www.traveltradeweekly.travel

SULTAN MOHAMED AL MAHMOUD continues as vice president of corporate strat-egy at Etihad Airways.Al Mahmoud joins the airline from the Tourism Develop-ment and Investment Compa-ny, where he held a number of director level roles which gave him exposure to various tour-ism development stakehold-ers in the UAE capital.He will put his work insights and experience, gained over the last 14 years, to good use by developing and implement-ing short-, medium- and long-term strategies that will see Eti-had Airways further strengthen its position as key contributor to Abu Dhabi’s GDP and the UAE more broadly.

SVEN FRITZSCHE has joined Al Murooj Rotana Dubai’s team as executive assistant manager.Fritzsche brings with him valuable international hos-pitality expertise and know-how gained over the years while working with renowned brands. His background in-cludes more than 22 years of experience with managerial positions in various countries, such as China, Germany, Mon-golia, Malta, Switzerland, Bah-rain and lately the UAE. Prior to joining Al Murooj Ro-tana Dubai, he held the same position at sister property, Al Bustan Rotana Dubai from 2014.

YASSER MANSOUR has been chosen to fill the position of general manager at JA Oasis Beach Tower in Dubai.Mansour is not new to JA Re-sorts & Hotels as he has spent the past 15 years with the UAE-based company. During his tenure with the growing hotelier, Mansour has gained extensive experience in vari-ous roles.

DHIREN SAVLA has been ap-pointed chief information of-ficer of Kuoni Group, the Swit-zerland-based multinational travel service provider. Savla, who most recently served as chief information officer of VFS Global and senior vice pres-ident and head of global IT for Kuoni Group, will be responsi-ble for providing strategic lead-ership to the IT function and further strengthening the com-pany’s global IT delivery model across geographies.Based in Dubai, Savla will con-currently continue in his cur-rent VFS Global role. He has a long history with Kuoni Group, having joined the company in 2004.

Al Mahmoud held numerous director roles

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Savla will provide IT leadership

Fritzsche joins the hotel from a sister

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TRAVEL TALK www.traveltradeweekly.travel

AREA DIRECTOR OF

SALES AND MARKETING,

BAHRAIN AND

NORTHERN GULF,

CROWNE PLAZA

BAHRAIN

CHAIRMAN, SHARJAH

COMMERCE & TOURISM

DEVELOPMENT

AUTHORITY

“In a small market such as Bah-rain, the anticipated increase in visitors may not drive the demand [...] to support the new inventory. We are fortu-nate to be part of InterCon-tinental Hotels Group, which gives us access to our global hotel sales teams. With this support we are able to target new markets and build on the loyalty of our customer base. With the development plans of the Ministry of Tourism, we hope that the increased focus on providing new and exciting attractions to the Kingdom will create a niche market.”

“The Middle East and the Ara-bian Gulf are emerging cruise tourism destinations. The re-gion is abound with huge po-tential for cruise tourists, and in recent times cruise tour-ism is witnessing remarkable growth in places such as Shar-jah where enhanced cruise tourism facilities are attracting the attention of more interna-tional cruise companies. Shar-jah has developed its Khorfak-kan port [...]. Besides, Sharjah offers cruise tourists easy visa processing and an array of ac-tivities during their stop in the emirate.”

We are able to target new markets

Cruise tourism is witnessing remarkable growth in [...] Sharjah

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EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT MANAGER, INTERCONTINENTAL DOHA

“Being one of the leading ho-tels in Doha, since 2000, the hotel has been through many stages, and what you can see now is a refined brand new product that offers guests a truly five-star experience. And, of course, to cope with the growth of Qatar’s market and with the existent devel-opments, InterContinental Doha’s vision is to continu-ously expand and develop, to be always one of the favourite choices for Qatar visitors and residents.”

What you can see now is a refined brand new product

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TRAVEL TALK IS YOUR SPACE – this is a casual forum for travel industry professionals to discuss current issues and share stories. We want to hear from you, so send your comments, questions, frustrations and observations to

editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel

GLOBAL BRAND

LEADER, LE MÉRIDIEN

AND WESTIN HOTELS &

RESORTS, STARWOOD

HOTELS & RESORTS

WORLDWIDE

“Today’s family travellers are more active, more global and more socially-connected than ever before, and the way they travel together has changed dramatically. In speaking with our most loyal guests, we know that the new dream va-cation – for many – looks like an active adventure, exploring new destinations and experi-encing a new culture. To help us develop these new family programmes, we also zeroed in on insights from our littlest travellers, who will define ex-pectations and inspire the fu-ture of family travel.”

The new dream vacation […] looks like an active adventure

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AGENT CORNERwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

21

When and how did you get involved in the tourism industry?I set the Travel Agenda business up in 2005 after moving to London in 1999 and getting to know lots of people in the industry. After years of work-ing in distribution – commodities and later construction products – I thought working very hard is easier in an indus-try that is more fun.

What are the most important at-tributes of a good travel agent/tour operator?

Abu Dhabi-based tour operator, Nirvana Travel & Tourism is now also present at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi on Al Maryah Island.

Alaa Al Ali, general manager, Nirvana Travel & Tourism, described the opening of the branch as an important move that would serve the UAE capital’s growing medical sector.

“The company will offer […] all services related to travel and tourism for the patients and their relatives from the UAE, the Gulf and other Arab and foreign countries,” added Al Ali.

The tour operator plans to launch similar centres across the Gulf, in Europe and the US.

Nirvana Travel Expands Abu Dhabi Presence

AGENT’S INSIGHT

Richard Blake

Director

Travel Agenda

UK

www.travel-agenda.co.uk

COMPANY:

POSITION:

NAME:

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WEBSITE:

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Common sense and a good under-standing of logistics […]. So many times I have seen itineraries that do not make sense, bookings made for times that are not achievable and an unrealistic list of things to do.

What is the most frequently asked question that your company receives from customers?How do we make the most of the time we have available.

What are the must-visits and must-dos in the UK and Ireland that no one should miss? So much to do […]. The key cities are London, York, Edinburgh and Dublin […].

Which destination is on your bucket list?Both Poles, [to see] the penguins, polar bears, ice sheets and maybe for some whale watching.

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TRAVEL CHANNELS www.traveltradeweekly.travel

Competing in the 92km category, Ferghal Purcell, general manager, The Ajman Pal-ace Hotel, participated in The Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge.

Speaking about the annual event, Purcell said, “The Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Chal-lenge is no doubt one of the most exciting and tough competitions featuring some excellent riders. Packing a real punch, the vibrant streets of Dubai of-fer a spectator-friendly circuit with families, enthusi-asts and professionals.

As Purcell noted, the goal is to inspire associates with the benefits cycling has in terms of exercise while reducing pollution.

Ferghal Purcell

Manifesting its firm support towards environmental sustainability, Al Murooj Rotana Dubai organised a Green Week.

The initiative included daily activities, such as a scavenger hunt, meat-free Monday, switch-off Tuesday, waste not Wednesday, Thurs-day green and a tree-planting project, highlighting the various ways

one can contribute to a sustainable future. “The Green Week was an exciting initiative everyone in the hotel got involved in,”

commented Sven Fritzsche, executive assistant manager, Al Murooj Rotana Dubai.

In a bid to keep guests abreast of the company’s contribution to the soci-ety, TIME Hotels Management intro-duced a dedicated corporate social responsibility (CSR) platform under

the name Tomorrow’s World. Launched after the hotelier’s CSR Label

from the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the initiative showcases the vari-ous CSR and sustainable activities carried out by the company, all of which are aimed at enhancing wellbeing in the workplace, marketplace, community and environment.

“Tomorrow’s World brings together all manner of entities and local communities to ensure the world which our children will inherit is alive and well,” commented Mohamed Awadalla, CEO, TIME Hotels Management.

Etihad Airways raised approximately AED1 million (USD272,250) to support the We Care Yemen campaign and reno-vate two schools in Kenya as part of the airline’s annual charity fundraising in co-

operation with UAE Red Crescent.The donation was announced at the closing

ceremony of World Aviation Football Cup and Food & Fashion Festival which saw the participa-tion of 28 teams.

“Collectively, we have given a glimmer of hope and the chance of a better future to our brothers and sisters in Yemen and Kenya,” said Khaled Al Mehairbi, senior vice president, government and aero-political affairs, Etihad Airways.

AJMAN PALACE GM JOINS BIKE

RACE

AL MUROOJ ROTANA HOLDS GREEN WEEK

TIME HOTELS LAUNCHES

CSR WEBSITE

ETIHAD BACKS WE CARE YEMEN AND AFRICAN

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Mohamed Awadalla

Sports and social committee members with international costume teams

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...City Centre Bahrain wrapped up its Winter Tales

campaign by announcing the winner of a BHD20,000 (USD53,000) mega shopping spree

Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas invited all brides- and grooms-to-be to

the hotel's exclusive wedding showcase

The winner of Win the Wedding of Your Dreams with Crowne Plaza Amman

Atana Gives Back is an initiative for the hotelier's hard-working employees

Scooby Doo landed in Egypt with EGYPTAIR

Football star Lionel Messi is Expo 2020's first global ambassador

23 JANUARY 2016 23

PHOTO ALBUMwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

23 JANUARY 201624

NEWS & EVENTS www.traveltradeweekly.travel

3RD ANNUAL AFRICA HOTEL EXPANSION SUMMIT

Lagos, NigeriaJanuary 28 – 29africa.hotelandresortsummit.comFor the third consecutive year, Noppen is organising Africa Hotel Expansion Summit, bringing together hotel chains, developers and architects with hospitality institutions.

IBTM ARABIA

Abu Dhabi, UAEFebruary 09 – 11www.ibtmarabia.comWith a new format, the event is ideal for meetings, events and incentives industry decision-makers to meet for global business adventures.

TEHRAN INTERNATIONAL TOURISM EXHIBITION

Tehran, IranFebruary 16 – 19 www.titexgroup.comThe newest edition covers an area of 21,000m2 divided into six different halls showcasing Iran’s tourism attractions.

ABU DHABI AVIATION AND AEROSPACE WEEK

Abu Dhabi, UAEMarch 06 – 12www.adaaw.aeThe inaugural event, which aims to become a biennial fixture, will take place across multiple locations in the emirate and will converge six trade, defence, entertainment and sports components under its umbrella.

ADNEC Promotes

UMEX in the US

Sharjah Hosts Water

Championship

Abu Dhabi National Exhibi-tions Company (ADNEC) has attracted interest from com-panies specialised in training,

simulation and unmanned systems worldwide during its participation at Interservice/Industry Training, Simula-tion and Education Conference held in Florida, US.

ADNEC aimed to promote the sec-ond Unmanned System Exhibition (UMEX) and the pilot edition of the Simulation Exhibition and Conference, which is set to take place at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre between March 6 – 8.

Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, acting group CEO, ADNEC, noted, “Both events create a perfect platform for companies seeking to leverage the growing de-mand for defence and military training equipment in the Middle East and ex-plore potential business opportunities.”

Sharjah welcomed the UIM F1H20 World Champion-ship 2015 for the 16th consecutive year with a

first-ever collaboration with Shar-jah International Marine Sports Club.

Yet another first, Sharjah Com-merce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) also extended the event for two days to stage the first UIM – ABP Aquabike Class Pro Circuit World Championship.

As H. E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, chairman, SCTDA, noted, the au-thority is developing the Sharjah World Championship Week into a key element of the annual Sharjah Water Festival, positioning the emirate as a major destination in the international arena.

EVENTS