Featuring exhibitorsfrom destinations,attractions, airlines and

airports, hotels and resorts,tour operators and so on fromAsia-Pacific, Europe, theAmericas, Africa and theMiddle East, covering leisure,corporate and MICE travel –all are expected to attend.

Now in its sixth year,this three-day annually heldB2B trade show and conven-tion is set to be even biggerand better.

“As part of our commit-ment to enhance the quality ofbuyers at the show year-on-year, we’ll be investing in anew IT partner to improve thematch-making algorithms foreven higher-quality meetings.Our programme has consis-tently attracted top qualitybuyers and we hope to take itto an even higher level as theshow enters its sixth year,”informed Nino Gruettke,Executive Director, ITB Asia.

In 2012, ITB Asiarecorded almost 8,500 atten-dees, a 12 per cent increasefrom 2011, representing 92countries, making it one of

the region’s most internation-al travel trade events. MesseBerlin (Singapore), organiserof ITB Asia, ‘The Trade Showfor the Asian Travel Market’,has announced a strategicthree-year partnership withintegrated resort, Marina BaySands, starting in 2014. Thenext three editions of ITBAsia will take place at theSands Expo and ConventionCentre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

Through this newagreement, Marina BaySands will also be ITB Asia’sofficial hotel partner hostinginternational buyers, provid-ing an integrated experiencefor all delegates.

“Marina Bay Sandsoffers ITB Asia a uniquevalue proposition, whichincludes accommodation forattendees as official hotelpartner and conferencingfacilities as official venue.The venue’s prominencetogether with ITB Asia’s rep-utation as a leading tradeshow will help to attract andgrow leisure, MICE and cor-porate industry partnerships.This partnership also pro-vides ITB Asia with the spacewe need to grow this industry

platform over the next fewyears and expand our exhibi-tion and conference pro-gramme to reach out to moredelegates and exhibitorsworldwide,” furtherexpressed Gruettke.

George Tanasijevich,President and CEO, MarinaBay Sands, revealed, “Thisthree-year partnership withITB Asia is a very powerfultestament of our commit-ment to remain the numberone business and leisure des-tination in Asia. With ITBAsia’s long standing reputa-tion and extensive reachthroughout the region, weare very confident that thispartnership will solidify ourleadership within the MICEindustry. We are very privi-leged to be chosen as a part-ner, and we look forward todelivering an exceptionalMarina Bay Sands experiencethrough ITB Asia.”

Each October, the tradeshow attracts over 8,000 par-ticipants, representing morethan 90 countries, allowingdelegates to ‘meet the worldin three days’. ITB Asia is apartner event of TravelRaveas well, a mega travel andtourism festival week organ-

ised by the SingaporeTourism Board.

The Sharjah Commerceand Tourism DevelopmentAuthority (SCTDA) has been regularly participating

in ITB Asia for the past five years. The annualB2B trade fair, will onceagain showcase Sharjah’stravel and tourism industry.Mohamed Ali Al Noman,

Chairman, Sharjah Commerceand Tourism DevelopmentAuthority elucidated, “Thisyear Sharjah will once againbe taking part in the strategic

As a global melting pot for the travel industry, ITB Asia 2013 will take place at the Suntec Singapore Exhibition& Convention Centre from October 23 to 25, 2013. This leading travel trade show sold out four months aheadof its opening date, and is expected to be even bigger and better this year.

Meet the world at ITB Asia 2013SU S M I TA GH O S H

In 2012, Sharjahreceived morethan 227,000tourists fromAsia, whichmakes 13 percent of totalvisitor numbers

We are veryconfident thatthispartnershipwill solidify ourleadershipwithin theMICE industry

George TanasijevichPresident and CEOMarina Bay Sands

ITB Asia hasconsistentlyattracted topquality buyers,and we hopeto take it to an evenhigher level

Nino GruettkeExecutive DirectorITB Asia

Mohamed Ali Al NomanChairmanSCTDA

Contd. on page 3

A DDP PUBLICATION Pages: 16Vol. IX No. 10; October 2013

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Scripting success stories ......................................................................................04Oman bowls over movie moguls ..........................................................................13Nigeria eyes Indian hospitals ..............................................................................16

COVER STORY O C T O B E R , 2 0 1 3 TRAVTALK 3

B2B trade exhibition in viewof the encouraging and posi-tive results of the earlier par-ticipations marked by theincreasing number of touristsfrom Asian markets. Thenumber of Asian tourists toSharjah has been steadilygrowing in the past fewyears. In 2012, the Emiratereceived more than 227,000tourists from Asia, whichmakes 13 per cent of totalvisitor numbers.”

ITB Asia is an importantpromotional platform for var-ious international destina-tions, and major travel &tourism players and stake-holders. It is also an ideal

opportunity to increasetourism investments bymeetings with leading Asianinvestors as well as interactwith other tourism playersand world media.

In response to the queryhow this event help theleisure, corporate and MICEtravel industry in the region,he further informed,“Singapore is a regional hubof not just the leisure marketbut also of MICE travel indus-try. So the exhibition natu-rally helps us tap these mar-kets. Of late, the MICE orbusiness tourism sector hasbeen growing at a breathlesspace in the Gulf region ingeneral, and in UAE andSharjah in particular.”

“We at the Ministry ofTourism Creative Economicof Indonesia has participatedin ITB Asia 2012 and will beattending ITB Asia 2013 too.Based on the report receivedfrom the industry, the overalloutcome was quite good lastyear. To facilitate the increaseof demand from the partici-pated industry from all over Indonesia, we alwaysenlarge the space forIndonesia Pavilion,” asserted

Chrismiastutie, DeputyDirector of InternationalPromotion for ASEAN Region,Ministry of Tourism CreativeEconomic of Indonesia. “Wethink that this event is very

helpful not only for leisuremarket, but also for corporateand MICE travel, by facilitat-ing the industry to meet allthe prospective buyers thatare invited by ITB Asia

Committee. And the proxim-ity of this event really helpsus, we do not have to go toBerlin to do such thing.”

AVIAREPS, the globalleader in tourism, aviationand hospitality representa-tion with 46 offices in 38countries around the world,has been experiencing growing interest for repre-sentation in Singapore ashospitality and retail organi-sations seek to increase visi-tation and spend from out-bound travellers of theSouth-East Asian city-state.

Requests for project-based sales & marketingactivities by tourism entitieshave also peaked, as theinternational tourism indus-try prepares to descend onSingapore for the upcomingITB Asia Travel Exhibition tobe held during October 23 – 25, 2013.

Michael Gaebler,Chairman & CEO, AVIAREPSGroup said, “AVIAREPS haslong seen Singapore as astrategic, growing and qual-ity outbound travel marketthat many tourism, hospital-ity and aviation entities may

do well to consider when planning their interna-tional marketing and salesactivities.

With the opening of ourdirectly owned office inSingapore, and the appoint-ment of an experienced localteam of industry specialistsearlier this year, we see our-selves as the bridge and localexpert that allows overseasorganisations to conveniently,economically and instanta-neously access the dynamismand growth possibilities thattypically signify Singapore.”

Singapore’s outboundtravel market increased by4.1 per cent in 2012, result-ing in a total of 8.05 millionoverseas trips that is estimat-ed to be worth a total ofUSD$21.1 billion.

Seventy per cent of thepopulation is estimated totravel overseas at least onceeach year, with 79 per cent ofthat travel attributed toleisure travel and holidays. Itis estimated that eachSingaporean spends on average USD$190 per night when travelling overseas.

ITB: Strategic B2B trade exhibition

AVIAREPS has seenSingapore as astrategic,growingoutboundtravel market

Michael GaeblerChairman & CEOAVIAREPS Group

ITB Asia isvery helpfulnot only forleisure market,but also forcorporate andMICE travel

ChrismiastutieDeputy Director of InternationalPromotion for ASEAN Region,Ministry of Tourism CreativeEconomic of Indonesia

Contd. from page 1

Singapore’s outboundtravel market increased by4.1 per cent in 2012,resulting in a total of 8.05million overseas trips

Seventy per cent of thepopulation is estimated totravel overseas at leastonce each year, with 79per cent of that travelattributed to leisure traveland holidays

Outbound Market

4 TRAVTALK O C T O B E R , 2 0 1 3 GUEST COLUMN

EDITORIAL

ITB: Success mantrain unsure times

Aline-up of events comprising 3,850minutes of ‘high powered’ content

over 20 sessions is what ITB Asia 2013promises to deliver to delegates at the6th instalment of the annual travelindustry trade show. As a global meltingpot for the travel industry, ITB Asia hashas prepared to expose delegatesattending this year’s conference to avariety of tailored sessions that willaddress the latest developments,challenges and trends in travel.

Scheduled to be held from October 23-25 in Singapore, this uncertain time ofpolitical strife at a global stage, the firstday of ITB Asia kicks off with a session on‘Crisis Management’. The organisers havealso included a wide range of ‘how-to’sessions on adapting and thriving in thisever-changing environment.

The event will set the ball rolling inthe right direction with a keynoteaddress on how travel companies caninnovate, ‘future-proof’ their strategiesand continuously adapt to flourish, evenin uncertain times. Two high-levelsessions on human capital developmentand facilitating visitor economy will behighlights of Pacific Asia TravelAssociation’s (PATA’s) contribution tothis year’s programme. The event’sorganisers had announced a ‘Call forAudience & Papers’ in the run-up to theOctober-end event. This innovative toolreflecting ITB Asia’s efforts to “listen”to partners will go a long way in its questof coming up with an insightful andpractical conference programme at ITBAsia 2013.

A first-ever initiative by ITB Asia,adopting an industry-driven approach byallowing the upcoming trade show’saudience comprising industrystakeholders, to recommend the topicsand speakers during the event’sconference sessions, comes like a breathof fresh air.

New 5-star propertyfor SofitelRepresentatives of Al Tamiuz Hotels & Resorts, thehospitality business unit of a Saudi company has appointedSofitel Hotels, the luxury brand of French Hotel GroupAccor, to be manager of their 5-star property in Jeddah.The signing of the management contract took place in thepresence of Accor Middle East Management and RobertGaymer-Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Sofitel worldwide.

Driven by a vision, there-fore, to deliver different

solutions within the hospital-ity industry, ‘Sales & Deals’were and will remain, theessence that will provide usguaranteed turnover.

It is this unique anddecisive factor that has led usto reach thus far, what withstunning new hotel projectssoon to be launched in Africa,Asia and Europe.

Today, our hotels, whichare located at some of theworld’s stunning destina-tions, stand out by their highquality of service and theclassy comfort that we pro-vide our guests.

What makes FiveContinents Hotels & Resortsdifferent from others is that it’snot merely the managementof the hotel but also aboutdeveloping the destination. Wetook over Cassells Al BarshaHotel in April 2013.

In the beginning, wehad many challenges beforeus – to establish our presencein the market, while honour-ing our contract with themanagement. But our confi-dence in the tour operatorsstood us in good stead. Wedid take a different approach,and in the end, as of date, we

registered an increase inbusiness by 30 per cent fromthe time we took over and 45per cent as compared to lastyear’s performance.

The Cassells Al BarshaHotel, which is our latestacquisition, is already verypopular for the smiles thatguests receive from check-into check-out. The hotel isunique for housing the firstEmirati restaurant in Dubai.

As for our future plans,we have many projects in thepipeline, as I have stated inAfrica, Asia and Europe. Thusfar, we have built a strongpresence in Europe. Ouroffice in Berlin looks afterbusiness from Austria andGermany, an office in Zurichoversees the business fromSwitzerland, and thePlymouth office in the UKlooks after the business fromthe UK and Ireland markets.

We have plans toexpand in Germany, Zurichand the UK. Most of our busi-ness does come from Europe.This is the continent wherewe have a grip on the marketand our partnership with touroperators in the continentensures an increasing flow ofbusiness. Around 70 per centof our business is garnered

from B2B, whereas 30 percent comes from corporateand online travel agents.

Being communicativeand sharing information withour partner travel agents ispart of our marketing strate-gy to achieve good growthrates. To that end, we hostorientation programmes fortravel agents by way of edu-cation and training sessionsin addition to follow-ups inthese areas. Besides, a wholehost of attractive incentivesare on offer for performingtravel agents. In fact, we areone of those hotel manage-ment companies that haveinvested both much time andresources, including FAMtrips and special rates fortravel agency and airportstaff, besides other peoplewho are part of our industry.

What differentiates usfrom many others in the hos-pitality sector is our invest-ments in this area oftenexceed budgetary allocations.This is because we stronglybelieve that it is in keepingour partners in progress, thetravel agents happy, that con-sistent growth results.

As far as other marketsgo, besides Europe, wealready have plans in place toattract business from theGCC markets on a very bigscale. These include puttinga lot of work and necessaryfollow-up into the variousdatabases that relate to ourindustry in the region.

Our strategy for growthlays great stress on commu-nicating our vision and givingconfidence to both propertyowners and our partners inthe business. Besides tackling

the competition in the vari-ous markets that we operatein, it’s always a challenge toachieve the right synergybetween property ownersand those of our workingpartners who have to con-stantly measure up to theirexpectations. In this regard,I must add that ensuring thewell-being of our extremelyprofessional staff is a top pri-ority for the company.

Success, I believe, canonly be achieved when one isprepared to face challengeshead on, which we as a com-pany are happy to do so.

Our marketing strategyis based on a well-balancedvision of the Asian market,which we consider a veritableMICE business beehive andthe European Union being aburgeoning leisure market.

This strategy, we assert,is and what will continue tobe as Five Continents Hotels& Resorts moves forward -the bedrock of our success.

Elia Timani Managing Director

Five Continents Hotelsand Resorts

Five Continents Hotels & Resorts is a hotel management company witha mission to develop and operate unique hotels and resorts in handpickeddestinations across the world. Its success mantra comprises turning aroundeach acquired property.

We strongly believe that it is inkeeping with our partners in progress,the travel agents are happy withconsistent growth resultsElia Timani Managing Director, Five Continents Hotels and Resorts

Scripting success stories

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TRAVTALK is a publication of Durga Das Publications Private Limited. All information in TRAVTALK is derived from sources, which we consider reliable and a sincere effort is made to report accurate information. It is passed on to our readers without any responsibility on our part. The publisher regret that he cannot accept liability for errors and omissions contained in this publica-tion, however caused. Similarly, opinions/views expressed by thirdparties in abstract and/or in interviews are not necessarily shared by TRAVTALK. However, we wish to advice our readers that one or more recognised authorities may hold different views than those reported. Material used in this publication is intended for information purpose only. Readers are advised to seek specific

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Publisher : SanJeet Director : Sumeera Bahl Editor : Deepa Sethi Assistant Editor (ME) : Susmita Ghosh Desk Editor : Archana Sharma Sub Editor : Ramya J.S. D’Rozario Design : Ruchi Sinha / NN MisraBusiness Development Manager : Crisna De Guzman Manager Advertising : Geetika Pathak Circulation Manager : Ashok Rana Manager Production : Anil Kharbanda

AVIATION6 TRAVTALK O C T O B E R , 2 0 1 3

The actor, Travolta washosted by the national

carrier of Australia during hisweek-long trip to Dubai.

The Hollywood icontook in some of the Emirate’smost iconic and luxuriousdestinations, but not beforeenjoying the luxury of anA380 First Class Suite, enroute from London Heathrowto Dubai InternationalAirport.

Speaking on arrival at Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport,Travolta, who first wowed his fans with a stellar performance in SaturdayNight Fever, said, “I am honoured to be involved withthe Airline’s new services toDubai, which marked as a pivotal time in the Airline’s history.”

Qantas had begundirect daily services on A380aircraft from both Sydney andMelbourne to Dubai andonwards to London Heathrowon March 31, 2013, with thelaunch of the Qantas andEmirates partnership.

John Travolta, whobecame Qantas’ Ambassador-at-Large in June 2002 - when

it joined him to launch theSpirit of Friendship Tour to foster goodwill andencourage people to travelafter September 11, added,

“I wanted to telleveryone whyQantas is myfavourite Airline,

and why all should tryQantas the next time they flyto London or Australia.”

Upon commencing theSpirit of Friendship Tour,Travolta was presented withhis 747-400 'wings', after anextensive training withQantas in Sydney and Boeingin Seattle.

The tour began on July1, 2002, with John pilotinghis Boeing 707, painted in itsoriginal 1960s Qantas brand-ing and livery.

Today, John Travoltacontinues to fly his Boeing707 and represents theQantas brand both inAustralia and overseas, com-mented Rohan Garnett,General Manager, Qantas -Middle East & North Africa,while speaking on theAirline’s celebrity guest’sarrival in Dubai.

Two-time Oscar nominee, two-time Golden Globe winner and QantasAmbassador-at-Large John Travolta, kicked off his inaugural visit to Dubaiby jetting in aboard a Qantas A380 on September 9, 2013.

John Travolta mesmerises Dubai

TT BU R E AU

John Travolta with Rohan Garnett, General Manager, Qantas - MENA

Post a complete refur-bishment, the PullmanDubai Deira City Centrehotel received the official 5star rating from TheDepartment of Tourism andCommerce Marketing(DTCM) on May 21, 2013.

Focussing largely on theMICE segment, the manage-ment and team membersbelieve ‘There is alwaysroom for design even in ameeting room’. The proper-ty entails more than 909 sqmt of meeting venues, com-prising 7 meeting rooms and2 boardrooms which werefully redesigned.

As of October, there willbe a wide choice of areasand amenities for businesscustomers. The dedicatedco-meeting space is locatedon the 2nd floor of thePullman Dubai Deira CityCentre hotel, and will beused exclusively to organiseall types of professional andprivate events. There will bea dedicated team consistingof an Event Manager and ITSolutions Officers, who willtake care of the details, thusguaranteeing comfort andconnectivity that is con-ducive to bonding andengagement.

MICE sector in focus

Presently operating twoflights a day from Kabul

to Dubai, and four flights aweek from Kabul to NewDelhi on the internationalroute network, along withdaily flights from Kabul toHerat on the domestic sector,Safi Airways is all set to launchdirect flights between Kabuland Islamabad, startingOctober 1, 2013. The Airlinehad more than 10,000 Hajjoperations during September.Operations to Delhi are mainlypatronised by Afghanis who flyto India for medical tourism.With the addition of the twoA319’s, Safi Airways’ fleet of

aircraft will comprise A319,A320 & Boeing aircraft.

Naeem Mahamoor,Manager Marketing, SafiAirways, mentioned, “TheA319’s high altitude flight performance, rangeoptions, versatility, seat lay-out flexibility, with theproven wide single-aislefuselage makes it the idealchoice for Safi Airways andprovides an edge over its competition.”

The Airline’s fleetenhancements and routedevelopment for the future,therefore, will be spearhead-ed with A319s in anticipationof the growing demand for air

transport in the region, he added.

Aiming to take its cater-ing services to a new level,the Airline, which claims tobe the only service carrieroperating to and from Kabul,is offering both business andeconomy class passengersthe best of local and interna-tional cuisines.

Additionally, businessclass passengers will be wel-comed aboard the aircraftwith their very own SafiAirways signature drink,along with a selection of appe-tizers, beverages, local andinternational cuisines anddesserts. The Airline invests

lot in training travel agentsand staff. With near 40 to 45per cent of the Airline’s busi-ness coming from travelagents, Safi Airways offers bigagents great incentives in

their bid to compete with LowCost Carriers.

“Growth is slow ascompetition is stiff,what with newoperators likeTurkish Airlines, Air Arabia andflydubai enteringthe market.

In spite of the majorchallenges associated with operating out ofAfghanistan, that of expen-sive fuel, twice as much as inthe Middle East and besidesthe unrest, high altitude,harsh terrain, infrastructure

in its nascent stage, the attitude at Safi Airways is oneof ‘we dare’,” Mahamoor further stated.

Maintaining uncompro-mising international safetystandards is an unflinchingcommitment that SafiAirways makes to its customers. The Airline is thefirst Afghan carrier to operatein compliance with EASA(European Aviation SafetyAgency) requirements, andalso the first Afghan carriercertified as complying withthe strict ICAO (InternationalCivil Aviation Organisation)and IATA Operational SafetyAudit (IOSA) regulations.

Well on the move to expanding its reach to other destinations with the commissioning of two modern Airbus319 Aircraft, Afghan private carrier, Safi Airways has also enhanced its catering service and cabin crew.

Safi: Raising the bar in the skiesSU S M I TA GH O S H

Naeem Mahamoor Manager MarketingSafi Airways

Ramada Hotel & SuitesAjman, a premier destina-tion for business and leisuretravellers, announced itsparticipation in LuxuryLeisure Moscow 2013,which was held in CrocusExpo InternationalExhibition Centre inMoscow, Russia from

September 17 - 20. Ajman as a destination

has witnessed an increase ofdemand from the CIS market,as compared to 2012. InRamada Ajman, 66 per centof the total bookings are fromthe leisure segment, 80 percent of which are from guestsfrom the CIS alone.

Eyeing Russian tourists

HOTELS O C T O B E R , 2 0 1 3 TRAVTALK 7

Local dignitaries and VIPsjoined Dusit

International’s executiveteam at the gala event, whichsaw a traditional ribbon cut-ting ceremony, followed by atour and sampling of thehotel’s restaurants take place.

Standing at 37 storeys,Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi is wellon its way to achieve land-mark status. Blending thebest of both the cultures, thehotel’s design exudesArabian grandeur imbuedwith touches of Thai warmth.There are 402 guest rooms

on offer and 131 deluxe serv-iced apartments, five world-class dining outlets and aspacious conference centrethat can host up to 2,000guests. The hotel also boaststhe third highest hotel atriumin the world.

“We are proud to present this latest propertyhere in Abu Dhabi, the UAE'scentre of industry, cultureand commerce,” expressedChanin Donavanik, Managing

Director and CEO, DusitInternational.

“We had a presencein the Middle Eastfor over a decadeand Dusit ThaniAbu Dhabi is asymbol of ourcontinuedcommitment todeveloping in theregion.”

The innovative designof the conference centre’spre-function area, with itsglass-panelled Skydome,and the convenience of eachstate-of-the-art functionroom make Dusit Thani AbuDhabi the perfect venue to host a memorable event. From now throughDecember 2013, DusitThani Abu Dhabi offers aspecial opening rate of ‘Stay3, Pay 2’.

Dusit International’s fifth property in the Middle East,Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi, had a grand opening onSeptember 16. With 37 storeys, the hotel is deemed asa symbol of commitment towards developing the region.

A new hotel unveiled

TT BU R E AU

Chanin Donavanik Managing Director and CEODusit International

The innovative design of theconference centre’s pre-function area, with its glass-panelled Skydome, andstate-of-the-art functionrooms make the hotel theperfect venue

A Perfect Venue

There will be no let-up inthe push to promote the

brand, with the Group mak-ing its presence felt at theupcoming ITB Asia inSingapore. This, in additionto offices in Singapore,Germany and France, a bigoffice in India, besides thosein the US and the UK.

“The emphasis has always been on quality, notquantity,”

asserts Karim Bizid,General Manager, TheOberoi, Dubai, “An obviousreference to the hotel beingthe brand’s third in theMiddle East after its twoproperties in KSA and Egypt.”

He added, “The Grouphas always been keen to zeroin on the right location toopen the right property. So all

the time is spent looking outfor the right partner, the rightlocation and the right open-ing time.”

Since its opening inJune 2013, the hotel has runa positive average occupancyof mid-45 per cent. Overweekends, UAE nationalsfrom Abu Dhabi and Al Ainraise it up by a couple of per-centage points. While themonth of May did see a muchhigher than average 70 per

cent, special 10 to 20 per centreduction offers duringRamadan, which also sawelaborate Iftar events, visitorsfrom the Persian Gulf, groupbookings and MICE travellerssaw occupancy on the rise.

It was an auspiciousfirst week since its openingwith a prestigious Forbes MEevent that opened the doorsfor a successful foray into theevents arena.

“With the crème de lacrème of the city present onthe occasion, the hosting ofthe event was a fruitful expe-rience. To date, in threemonths, the hotel has donethree major travel trade-related events,” stressed he.

The season determinesthe type of guest footfall.During Ramadan, it’s defi-nitely MICE, which is muchthe same during Septemberand October. Capitalising on

The Oberoi, Dubai opened in June 2013 after nearly twoyears of homework, which included a robust presence atboth ATM and WTM carried out by the luxury brand priorto its latest presence in the region.

Aiming to ace luxury space

SU S M I TA GH O S H

Karim BizidGeneral ManagerThe Oberoi, Dubai

Contd. on page 13

HOTELS8 TRAVTALK O C T O B E R , 2 0 1 3

Sant Singh Chatwal,Chairman, Hampshire

Hotels will bring his lifestylebranded hotel and residencesto life in Dubai’s MarinaDistrict after a deal to thateffect was recently inked with

Abu Ali Malik ShroffChairman of SheffieldHolding Ltd.

The deal will makeDream Dubai the world’stallest hotel development,taking occupancy in the proj-ect known as Marina 101.Dream Dubai Marina will bea 101-storey property hous-ing 300 guest rooms and 420branded serviced apartments.

Dream Dubai Marinawill also feature six restau-rants and lounges, multiple

retail outlets and a nightcluboccupying the 101st floor.There will be two pools andtwo spas - one for each hoteland the residences, andmen’s and ladies’ gymnasi-ums with squash courts makeup the other recreationalfacilities.

What will make theupcoming Dream hotel open-ing in Dubai stand out fromthe competition is the pro-gressive nature of the brandand its forward-thinking eyefor design and programming,according to Chatwal.

He added that thelaunch of Dream in Dubaiwould mark the first truelifestyle hotel opening for theEmirates and will be accom-panied by other openings inthe Dream pipeline, including

projects in Los Angeles,Dallas and West Palm Beachin the US, besides South Goaand Mumbai in India.

The Marina 101 devel-opment is one of the largestsuper towers in the districtand will stand as the tallesthotel tower in the world. Thehotel is slated to open in thefourth quarter in 2014.

The property will bemanaged by Sant SinghChatwal’s Hampshire HotelsManagement, LLC in association with WyndhamHotel Group who are globalexpansion partners for the Dream brand, courtesy ajoint venture deal which thetwo entities struck in early 2011.

Following the successful launch of its New York flagshipproperty, the brand announced its next internationaloffering, Dream Dubai, in one of the Emirate city’s mostprestigious locations – the Waterfront Marina District.

A new Dream in Dubai

TT BU R E AU

The launch of Dream in Dubai would mark the first true lifestylehotel opening for the Emirates Sant Singh Chatwal Chairman, Hampshire Hotels

The brand narrates that itshotels for 2013 were

booked in 2012 itself and islooking forward to a positiveand profitable year ahead.

“One of its managedproperties, the

Suha City Hotel, aboutique hotel inDeira, Dubai hasparticularly donewell, postingsignificant growthin revenues vis-à-vis 2012,”

informed DeepakSinghal, Director of Sales,Mondo Hospitality, who addsthat the hotel has raced awayto a flier in 2013. “Travelagents play an important rolein generating revenue forMondo Hospitality, who arerewarded with commissions,

special rates and discounts,”added Singhal.

The Group’s marketingstrategy, which includes pric-ing and promotion, throughadvertising, personal selling,direct marketing, events,Internet marketing hasproved to be successful.

In the highly competi-tive hospitality sphere, thegroup acknowledges thatchallenges are plenty. Theylike keeping up with the mar-

ket, planning ahead, selectionof the right systems, besidesdealing with change.

“It is important how oneapproaches challenges, whichin Mondo Hospitality’s case,are dealt with by associatingwith suppliers who can growwith the group and helpachieve its evolving priori-ties,” asserted Singhal.

Consistent supplierquality and reliability is con-sidered more important thansimply going in for the cheap-est offer. Also, the groupplaces great emphasis ontraining and developing itsemployees, besides keepingabreast with the latest tech-nologies in order to stayahead of the competition.

While Mondo Hospitalitymay not have any immediateexpansion plans, focussing on consolidation of the group’s financial health isa top priority.

Mondo Hospitality, besides London, operates a collectionof serviced residences and a boutique hotel in Dubai. To capitalise on a fantastic start to the year, they will offerspecial dicsounts on the occasion of Eid Al Adha.

Dealing with change

TT BU R E AU

Deepak SinghalDirector of SalesMondo Hospitality

The Marina 101development is one of thelargest super towers in thedistrict and will stand asthe tallest hotel tower inthe world

The hotel, Dream Dubai isslated to open in the fourthquarter in 2014

World’s Tallest

The hotel’s world-classlevel of luxury facilities

and service takes over fromthere, which ensure thatguests keep returning.

Cahal Altman,Marketing & CommunicationAssistant Manager, AsianaHotel Dubai, informed, “Thehotel has recorded 85 percent room occupancy sincethe beginning of 2013 and isgoing to be at nearly fullroom occupancy during theupcoming Eid Al Adha, witheven its restaurants register-ing group bookings for thefestive season.”

Altman is quick toacknowledge the role of trav-el agents in making the hotelknown among its potentialcustomers and especially ingenerating business whenthe hotel is not at full occu-pancy. In 2012, the 136room-hotel received nearly

4,000 room nights from trav-el agents, which in 2013, isexpected to be bettered.

“The hotel has putinto place strategiesto increaseawareness amongpotential markets inthe Far East,especially China.

It was represented atthe Chinese Visitor Summitin Abu Dhabi, besides dis-patching its Chinese SalesManager on a number ofbusiness trips to China. Theresults have been quiteencouraging,” he added.“Besides, the hotel has beensuccessful in employing FAMtrips to give a boost to itsRussian market.”

Attracting more corpo-rate and online business hasbeen a strategy employed bythe hotel to overcome the

hurdle of getting good ratesfrom the group bookings seg-ment, and the fact that it iscompeting with top interna-tional brands, an approachthat is paying rich dividends.

The hotel, sensing theopportunity in the other emi-rates and GCC countries,would over the next fewyears see it opening up inthose markets as well. Thehotel is close to the DubaiInternational Airport.

Asiana Hotel Dubai in 2013 has taken off quitemagnificently, both in terms of room occupancy andfootfall in its food & beverage outlets, a feat that the hotelwould like to better as the year progresses.

A glimpse of the Orient

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Cahal AltmanMarketing & Communication AssistantManager, Asiana Hotel Dubai

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Modernisation takes wings at Safi Safi Airways, the airline of Afghanistan, takes delivery of two Modern Airbus 319-200 aircraft. Pierfranco Prato, CEO, Safi Airways stated at thegala inauguration ceremony held at Safi Land Mark Hotel in Kabul on September 3 and 4. With the addition of the two A319's, Safi Airways aircraftfleet comprises A319, A320 & Boeing aircraft. Safi Airways has also enhanced its catering service and cabin crew.

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The recently held signingceremony was attended

by Dr. Shtaywy S. Abdalla,Vice President Administrativeand Finance Affairs and Dr.Zaid Alrawadieh, Head ofTourism Guidance andDevelopment from theUniversity and DarrenWickham, Managing Directorand Wael Abu Arqoub,Jordan Country Manager at Sabre.

To make the most of theoffering to the customers,travel agencies across theMiddle East use Sabre's wideproduct range as tools. TheUniversity students will nowbe able to access such knowl-edge and expertise.

Darren Wickham,Managing Director, SabreTravel Network Middle Eastinformed, "Travel is a dynam-ic and exciting industry to bein, and the technology used

by the industry is constantlyevolving. As a leadingprovider of travel technologysolutions,

Sabre is committedto invest in thedevelopment oflocal Jordaniantalent by partneringwith the top travelindustry trainingschools.”

He further added, “Withour comprehensive andrewarding travel industrytraining programmes thatleverage the latest technolo-gy, University of Jordan's students will have a leg upwhen they enter competitivetravel industry."

The Sabre courses willbe available to students in theAmman and Aqaba campus-es. Sabre Travel Network, aSabre Holdings Company isthe provider of high performance travel solu-tions. Combining its uniqueexpertise and leading technology, it helps powerthe business performance ofthe travel industry acrossthe world.

A three-year exclusive partnership agreement was signedbetween Sabre Travel Network Middle East andUniversity of Jordan. Sabre-certified courses, softwareand training support will be provided to the University.

Moulding future agents

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Speaking on the openingday of the inaugural e-

commerce summit recentlyhosted by theTelecommunicationsRegulatory Authority (TRA)in Dubai, Thierry Dongier,Regional Sales Director - KeyAccounts, Middle East andNorth Africa, Amadeusstressed on e-commerce hav-ing a critical role in thegrowth of the travel &tourism sector.

Inaugurated byMohammed Nasser AlGhanim, Director-General,TRA, the e-commerce summitfeatured experts from the e-commerce landscape includingGeorge Held, Vice President-Commerce, Etisalat Group,Omar Sadodi, ManagingDirector, Payfort, and RonaldoMouchawar, CEO, Souq.com.

The summit focussed onissues like e-commerce

strategies, e-commerce secu-rity, market regulations, elim-inating barriers of e-com-merce, boosting consumerconfidence and consumerprotection. The sessions alsohighlighted the need to gen-erate out-of-the-box techno-logical solutions to boost theUAE’s digital economy.

At a session titled‘Travel Industry: LeadingInnovation on e-Commerce’,Dongier, said,

“The UAE’s highlycompetitive e-commerce sectorinspires technologyleaders likeAmadeus to developadvanced solutions

that enable online play-ers to seize the right oppor-tunities and stay ahead of thecompetition.” The summit’sgoal is to serve as a great

platform, facilitating theregion’s leading e-commerceplayers to meet and exchangeknowledge and ideas for newsolutions.

According to globalfinancial results for the yearending December 31, 2012,Amadeus invested over €414million in research and development (R&D). It’snearly 20 per cent higherthan in 2011.

It’s the growing demand from increasingly technologysavvy consumers that has paved the way for efficientonline business systems, a trend clearly reflected in thetravel and tourism sector across the MENA region.

Developing advanced solutions

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The two entities,Travelport, a leading dis-

tribution services and e-com-merce provider for the globaltravel industry and Karibuannounced the continuationof their successful 15-yearbusiness ties with the inkingof the agreement.

Travelport had consis-tently provided Karibu withextraordinary products &services over the past 15years. As part of its celebra-tions commemorating 50years of serving the travellingpublic, the Travel Bureau hadrecently announced thelaunch of a rebranded WaljisTravel Bureau and KaribuHolidays under their flagshipbrand – Karibu.

As part of the new deal,Travelport will continue toprovide Karibu with itsexpertise and top-of-the-range technology productsand solutions.

It includes Smartpoint,Travelport Mobile Agent,Agentivity and eTravel Backoffice system.

Mark Meehan,Managing Director for Africa,Travelport stressed, “Thecompany had enjoyed a very

successful relationship span-ning over 15 years withWaljis Travel Bureau. We lookforward to support our cus-tomer’s continued growthand success under the newKaribu brand.”

“The new contract rein-forces Travelport’s ongoinginvestments in East Africa asa strategic priority region.What was pertinent to notewas Travelport sharedKaribu’s ambition of provid-ing the best possible travelcontent and technology tocustomers across East Africaand beyond.” According toKaribu, Travelport’s technol-ogy and expertise would con-tinue to support them indelivering the best possibleservice to their customers,ensured to remain at the cut-ting edge of the industry.

Recently Karibu, one among Tanzania’s premier travelcompanies, signed a multi-year renewal contract withTravelport, as a measure of the confidence it enjoys asone of its prominent clients in East Africa.

Cementing ties in Tanzania

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Thierry DongierRegional Sales Director-Key Accounts,Middle East and North AfricaAmadeus

Darren Wickham Managing DirectorSabre Travel Network Middle East

The new contractreinforcesTravelport’songoinginvestments inEast Africa as astrategic priorityregion

As part of the new deal,Travelport will continue toprovide Karibu with itsexpertise and top-of-the-range technology productsand solutions

New Deal

Mark Meehan Managing Director for AfricaTravelport

The Sabre courses will beavailable to students in theAmman and Aqabacampuses

Sabre Course

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Special movie screening for ME agentsAir Astana showed its appreciation to its travel agents partners by throwing an exclusive Dubai Mall movie screening of Two Guns, the action movie of DenzelWashington and Mark Wahlberg. The event was well attended by representatives from dnata, Kanoo Travel, Airlink International, Al Rais, Trident Travel/GriffinTravel, Otta Travel, SNTTA Travel, Satguru Travel, ANTA Travel, Akbar Travel, Al Tayer Travel, Jerry Varghese, Advance Travel, Al Arif And Son, AlphaHolidays Tours&Travel, Deira Travel, Travco Travel, Sharaf Travel, Neptune Tours & Travel, Pearl of Arabia and Dadabhai Travel among others.

Photo Credit: Sharfy Daligdigan

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Attracted primarily byUAE’s tax-free shopping

opportunities, ease of accessand entry, today the Chinesetraveller has varied interests.Trumping its second year, theChinese Visitor Summit 2013is strongly backed by AbuDhabi Tourism and CultureAuthority (TCA), exposing theChinese traveller to the mostsought-after travel destina-tion Abu Dhabi has to offer.

Consisting of a delega-tion of 75 Chinese, the sum-mit was attended by out-bound tourism bookers,Chinese media, CEOs andsports events producers fromwholesale, retail, leisure, golf,adventure and FIT operators.

Roofed under the largestexisting Ferrari Logo, the del-egates from China were intro-duced to the world’s largestindoor and first Ferrari brand-ed theme park, among others.

The delegates had experi-enced and shared a widerChinese travel audience, AbuDhabi’s greatest attractionsincluding Yas Island, the

region’s prime leisure andbusiness destination.“Boasting the only Emiratithemed waterpark, YasWaterworld, sensational seaviews on our world renownedgolf course, Yas Links, thelanguid leisure of Yas Beachand the highly anticipatedYas Mall, needless to say wetick a lot of the boxes!” saysKarim El Guanaini, Vice

President, DestinationManagement Yas Island.“With a schedule of eventsplanned for the Chinese del-egation, guests visiting Yas

Island have experienced abrave ride on the world’sfastest rollercoaster at FerrariWorld Abu Dhabi, followed bya bird’s eye view as they soarabove Yas Island on aSeawings plane,” he added.With this opportunity, theChinese travel partners got a chance to see for them-selves what’s in store fortheir clientele.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld jointlyhosted an opening event, on September 1, kicking off theChinese Visitor Summit 2013. With this, the tourismauthority is keenly committed to boost Chinese presence.

Yas wows Chinese agents

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According to Wego, thespeed at tourism in gen-

eral and airfare search vol-umes among travellers inparticular world over, hasbeen exceeding expectations

and more so in the MiddleEast and Asia.

Commitment to aviationexcellence continues to bestressed across the MENA

tourism industry. Four MENAairlines were in the 2013Skytrax World Top 10Airlines, with Emirates andQatar Airways at one and tworespectively, Etihad Airwaysat seven and Turkish Airlinesat nine.

“It can be gaugedfrom theconsiderableresources beingdedicated to theindustry in theregion that tourismhere is indeed beingtaken veryseriously,”

expressed MohammedIbrahim Masri, ManagingDirector - MENA, Wego,adding that travel operatorsare investing heavily toensure the region is at theforefront of world tourism.

“Even both travellersand the travel industry recog-nise the value, reach andsimplicity of what Wego pro-vides. The company remainscommitted to investment inthe MENA and to proactivelybuild the brand in the regionas in all of its other markets,”added Masri.

Most recently, connect-ing with the strength of itsAsian network presence andcoinciding with Egypt Air’sannouncement of a four timeweekly Cairo to Jakarta serv-ice, (via Kuala Lumpur), Wegosigned a full content agree-ment with the Airline.Marking an ever-growingregion for Wego, many majorairline accounts are currentlyunder negotiation.

The company believesthe youthful nature of new,extremely tech savvy MENAairlines is also contributing toits accelerated growth.

Foreseeing an unprecedented thrust for tourism in theMiddle East, Wego, the leading travel metasearch site inthe Asia Pacific and Middle East, moved into a dedicatedoffice and appointed a director in Dubai.

Focussing on ME market

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Mohammed Ibrahim MasriManaging Director - MENAWego

Guests visiting Yas Island haveexperienced a brave ride on theworld’s fastest rollercoaster at FerrariWorld Abu DhabiKarim El Guanaini Vice President, Destination Management Yas Island

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This was the first time amajor Indian production

was being shot in theSultanate. Portions of the filmwere shot at the QantabBeach, Qurum Corniche,

Central Business District andThe Shangri-La Barr Al JissahResort & Spa. Beyond thearea in and around its capital,Muscat, most of the filmingtook place.

“Oman Air is commit-ted to promote the Sultanateof Oman within internationalmarkets and encourage visi-tors from overseas, discoverits rich culture, ancient his-tory and breath-taking land-scapes. As part of this mis-

sion, we work with variousmedia personalities to reachlarge audiences with Oman’smindblowing attractions.Supporting the production ofthis Indian movie, is one of

them, hence we provided airtravel and logistical back-upfor the movie’s 130-strongcast and crew, partially filmedin Oman,” explained UsamaKarim Al Haremi, SeniorManger CorporateCommunications and Media,Oman Air.

“As Oman Air flies toten destinations in India, thiswas positively a good oppor-tunity to showcase theSultanate’s natural beautyand historic towns to thepotential visitors,” he added.

The launch of movieswhich showcase Oman tointernational audiences pro-vides great opportunities fortravel agents, he added.

“Once the destinationhas been shown to audiences,many will be encouraged tovisit Oman, while others willrespond to publicity whichreminds them of Oman’sattractions, that refers to the

film. Opportunities to pro-mote the film, in associationwith the producers orexhibitors, through competi-tions published or broadcastin the media may also arise,bringing participating travelagents’ brands to a wider audience,” Al Haremifurther added.

According to the Omanitourism ministry, theSultanate has 3,000 hotelrooms due for completion bythe end of 2014.

Hotel room capacity inOman was forecast to grow ata compound annual growthrate (CAGR) of 5.3 per centover the period 2011-2016.

With Oman’s dramaticnatural environment and reliable weather beingadvantageous, Oman Air is currently pursuing opportunities with a number of other producers as well.

The latest Bollywood film, ‘Once Upon A Time in Mumbai Again’ releasedin cinemas worldwide, has showcased the mesmerising beauty of theSultanate of Oman. With the national carrier, Oman Air’s assistance, thefirst part of the shooting started in September last year.

Oman bowls over movie moguls

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the build-up to Dubai’s Expo2020 bid, the strategy is totarget all market segments.

“The hotel has a num-ber of FAM trips on offer fortravel agents, which havebeen very successful in show-casing the hotel, Dubai andall its other attractions andactivities, who adds that thehotel sees challenges not aschallenges but opportuni-ties,” Bizid further informed.

MICE, though, has beena very vital segment for TheOberoi, Dubai. With backupsupport from DTCM in thisarea, the hotel has been get-

ting a lot of enquiries.However, these times, thereis no more the case of the old-fashioned marketingstrategy eyeing either thecorporate or the leisure segments. The differencebetween the two has gottenso thin, with visitors nowadays combining busi-ness with leisure.

Region-wise, Europeanvisitors lead, followed bythose from North America, abig bulk from the new mar-kets of South America andAsia. The CIS market is stillin a nascent stage, but nearly8 per cent of visitor traffic isfrom India.

Emphasising onquality over quantityContd. from page 7

As Oman Air flies to ten destinationsin India, this was positively a goodopportunity to showcase theSultanate’s natural beauty andhistoric towns to the potential visitorsUsama Karim Al Haremi Senior Manger Corporate Communications and Media,Oman Air

Traffic at the world's sec-ond busiest international air-port surged 23.8 per cent inAugust making it the busiestmonth in terms of passengernumbers in DubaiInternational's history,according to traffic reportissued by airport operatorDubai Airports. According tothe report, the monthly pas-

senger traffic at DubaiInternational reached5,999,375 in August, a year-on-year increase of 23.8 percent compared to 4,847,152in the corresponding monthin 2012. The surge is theresult of a strong growth inalmost all markets and theeffect of Ramadan and Eidtravel, which boosts traffic.

Surge in traffic at airport

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Four Seasons Hotel Amman Jordan Yasmin Sati is the new Director of Public Relations of theFour Seasons Hotel Amman. Prior to joining the team at FourSeasons, Sati worked at a reputablePR agency for seven years,boasting a wide range ofexperience with corporations andindustries, and now this is herfirst venture into the hotel andhospitality industry. She bringswith her a vast background inthe field of public relations andjournalism.

Oceanic Khorfakkan Resort & Spa UAE Ian R. Phillips joins the Oceanic Khorfakkan Resort &Spa as the new and first General Manager. Phillips brings awealth of experience to the hotel from over15 years within the industry, includingsenior roles at Jumeirah Beach Hotel,Vittaveli Island Resor t & Spa inMaldives, and most recently theCeltic Manor Resor t in Wales. Agraduate of the prestigious CornellUniversity General ManagersProgram, Phillips is well knownfor his high energy andprofessional approach.

Royal Rose Hotel Abu Dhabi Michael Kappes has been appointed as the Director ofBusiness Development of the soon-to-open Royal Rose, the

first 5-star property owned by the BinHam Group and managed by the CitySeasons Group of Hotels. Kappesgrew up in Germany where he started

his hotel career as an apprentice at thePark Hotel Bremen. He brings over 35

years of experience, workingwith popular hotel brands andcovering a range of sectors,including sales & marketing,front office management andreservations.

FRHI Dubai Sami Nasser is appointed the new Senior Vice President,Operations, Middle East, Africa and India, FRHI. He will be

responsible in providing leadershipacross the Middle East, Africa and Indiafor Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, RafflesHotels & Resor ts and SwissôtelsHotels. In this new role, he will also

be instrumental in developing strongrelationships with key par tners and

owners in these regions. He has over 25years of experience to his new

role, having held severalroles within numerousinternational brands.

Rosewood Corniche Saudi Arabia Sherif El Mansoury has been appointed as the new Directorof Sales & Marketing of Rosewood Corniche in Jeddah. He joined

Rosewood Corniche from Mosaic PalaisAziza & Spa Hotel in Marrakesh, Moroccowhere he was the Director of Sales &Marketing. Prior to joining RosewoodCorniche, El Mansoury worked atKempinski Hotel Soma Bay, where he

was Director of Sales until 2010. Heserved as Associate Director of Sales at

the famous Fairmont Nile CityHotel in Cairo, before beingpromoted.

Pullman Dubai Deira City Centre HotelDubai Laurent Chaudet has been appointed as the new GeneralManager of Pullman Dubai Deira City Centre Hotel. Following thesuccessful opening of the Pullman Mall ofthe Emirates Hotel, Chaudet was askedby Majid Al Futtaim Hospitality to takethis current post. In his new role,Chaudet's responsibility includes takingcare of the unique meeting facilities,repositioning some of the Food &Beverage venues, and see to therecruitment of key executives to name a few.

Etihad Airways Seychelles Salem Al Mesmari has been appointed the new AirportManager in the Republic of the Seychelles for Etihad Airways.Based in Mahé, Al Mesmari isresponsible for overseeing theAirline’s operations at SeychellesInternational Airpor t and thesmooth operation of its three times-a-week service between theSeychelles and Abu Dhabi. An Emiratinational, he joined EtihadAirways in 2008 under theGraduate ManagementDevelopment Program.

Accor Paris Sébastien Bazin has been appointed the Chairman andCEO of Accor and will see to all the markets. Prior to thisappointment, he was at the ColonyCapital, which he had been headingsince 1997. He began his career inthe finance sector in 1985. In Francein 1990, he was appointed as Directorof the investment bank HottingerRivaud Finances and then, in 1992,chose to devote himself to the hotelsector by becoming CEO ofImmobilière Hôtelière company,specialised in high-end hoteldevelopments.

Concorde by Mourouj Fujairah Dubai Soma Ali is the new Senior Sales Manager of Concorde byMourouj Fujairah. Ali has over nine years of sales experienceand has previously worked in HolidayInn Sharjah and Rotana Hotel andResort Sharjah before joiningConcorde. Her expertise includessetting sales strategies, sales forcedevelopment and establishingbusiness connections. As Senior SalesManager, Ali will be responsible fordeveloping strong and well-planned salesstrategies in order toachieve the sales target.

Etihad aids in promotingeducation in Yemen

Marking the launch of flights between Abu Dhabi and Sana’a, Yemen, Etihad Airways’ volunteeringstaff distributed 1,000 bags filled with stationery and supplies to school students in Sana’a. Theeffor t was arranged in collaboration with the UAE Red Crescent.

A warm welcomeAyla Hotel has gathered more than 35 partners to welcome new residents in Al Ain and present theirproducts and services. New teachers, faculty members, doctors, students who came from all overthe world were invited for the open gathering where everybody got a chance to meet and exploredifferent communities in Al Ain. As a part of Ayla’s corporate social responsibility programme, theevent was organised to help them ease the start, offer information and assistance in getting to knowtheir new home. This annual event was free of charge for visitors and all guests had an opportunityto get various kinds of services, products and information.

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As per industry feedback,the inflow of patients

from overseas to Indiaappears to be going up in thelast few months. More sosince the Indian rupee hasbecome weaker, the morepatients are seeking medicaltreatment from countries inAfrica & the Middle East.

The countries of Africaare emerging as an importantMedical Tourism generatingsource market for India. “TheIndian Medical TourismDestination (lMTD) Show2013 was held in Abuja,Nigeria on September 23,2013 and in Lagos on September 24-26, 2013,” informed VikasRustagi, Regional Director(West Asia & Africa), IndiaTourism, Dubai.

“India is well knowninternationally as a Medical,Wellness & Health destination.

Africa is a bigpotential market forMedical Tourism toIndia due to variousfactors like costeffectiveness,expertise of India inthe field of medicineamong others,”

he further stated. “Indiais also popular for WellnessTourism with the ancientpractice of healing, yoga andAyurveda which has beenknown for more than 5,000years and now it is time forthe world to experience it.”

The Indian governmentis taking steps to addressinfrastructure issues that hin-der the country's growth inthis sector.

The government hasremoved visa restrictions ontourist visas that required atwo-month gap between con-

secutive visits by visitorswhich is likely to boost med-ical tourism.

This event has beenplanned by the Ministry ofTourism, Government ofIndia along with theFederation of Indian Chamberof Commerce & Industry(FICCI). The event would bearranged by the IndiaTourism office, Johannesburgalong with the active supportof the High Commission ofIndia, Nigeria.

Andhra Pradesh,Karnataka, Kerala, TamilNadu, Maharashtra, Haryana,Uttar Pradesh and New Delhiare the fast emerging statesas some of India's best med-ical centres, with several hos-pitals and specialty clinicscoming up in the cities.

Making use of the sametechnology and medicalknowledge, Indian hospitalsand doctors offer health careat a substantially less price.It is estimated that medicaltreatment costs in India startat around a tenth of the priceof comparable treatment inother developed countries.

As per study by theAssociated Chambers ofCommerce and Industry ofIndia (ASSOCHAM), it isestimated that the currentmarket size of the Indianmedical tourism sector isaround ‘7,000-8,000 crorewith an annual growth rate of25-30 per cent.

With the falling Indian rupee, the situation has turned advantageous forthose seeking medical treatment in India. Realising the potential of Nigeria,a source market for Medical Tourism, the Ministry of Tourism, Governmentof India held a Medical Tourism Roadshow here.

Nigeria eyes Indian hospitals

SU S M I TA GH O S H

Vikas RustagiRegional Director (West Asia & Africa),India Tourism, Dubai

JA Resorts & Hotels on September 17, 2013completed the first phase ofits new online training programme, which was targetted towards UK tourand travel professionalsoperating in the UAE leisure market.

Following a number ofimprovements to its individ-ual properties, the initiativewas created to ensure itstravel trade partners are upto date. More than 250 UK-based tour operators and

travel agents completed theprogramme, as the Dubai-based hotel chain targettedthe UK’s outbound leisuremarket ahead of theEuropean winter seasonwhich started on October 1.Travel trade professionals inSaudi Arabia will be thefocus of the next phase ofthe training programme, followed closely by the restof the GCC over the comingweeks ahead of the Eid AlAdha holiday and for good reason.

UK tour operators getonline training

Offering mystical jour-neys, learn more aboutenchanting cultures anddelve deep into far-awaylands with MSC Lirica’sGrand Voyage to the UnitedArab Emirates. It is the per-fect escape this winter. OnNovember 5, 2013, MSCLirica will embark on a 19-day/18-night Grand Voyagefrom Genoa, calling inCivitavecchia (Rome), Italy,Valetta, Malta, Piraeus(Athens) and Rhodes,

Greece, Aqaba, Jordan,Salalah and Muscat, Oman,before arriving in Dubai onNovember 23.

A unique entertainmentprogramme offers art &craft sessions, bridge, burraco and chess lessons,professional belly dancingcourses as well as a fascinat-ing lecture programmeincluding The Constructionof the Suez Canal andLawrence of Arabia and theFirst World War.

An enchanting cruise