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Travel Trade Weekly is a leading news provider for travel industry professionals in the Middle East and North Africa, delivered every Saturday electronically and monthly as a hard copy.
Transcript of Travel Trade Weekly Issue 159
24 NOVEMBER 2012 ISSUE 159
Travel Trade Weekly proudly enjoys readers on average per day
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The five-star JW Marriott Marquis Dubai has welcomed its first guests, marking the opening
of the world’s tallest hotel at 355m.
24 NOVEMBER 2012 ISSUE 159
09
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EGYPTAIR Resumes Flights to Japan
Baron Palace Resort Sahl Hasheesh to Open in May 2013
EGYPTAIR is set to relaunch flights to Osaka, Ja-pan, as of December 1, offering promotional fares to customers between the two destinations.
Baron Hotels & Resorts is to unveil its latest prop-erty, Baron Palace Resort Sahl Hasheesh, Egypt, in May 2013.
IN THIS ISSUERENDEZVOUS CRUISING MARKET UPDATE WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION AIR NEWS INTERNATIONAL WHO’S MOVED TRAVEL TALK AGENT’S CORNER TRAVEL CHANNELS RENDEZVOUS NEWS & EVENTS
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JW Marriott Marquis Dubai Opens
Travel Trade Weekly proudly enjoys readers on average per day
2 RENDEZVOUS
24 NOVEMBER 2012
Q & A with H.E. Marwan bin Jassim Al SarkalBeing one of the key sectors fuelling the emirate’s economic growth, Sharjah lays great emphasis on its tourism industry's development and H.E. Marwan Bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO, Sharjah Investment and Develop-ment Authority (Shurooq), has plentiful reasons to explain why.
Travel Trade Weekly: The Heart of Sharjah is one of Shurooq’s most ambitious pro-jects. What stage is the development at?
H.E. Al Sarkal: It is the largest heritage project in the region, which aims to develop Sharjah’s heritage area while preserving its national his-toric landmarks.
The five-phase project is envisioned to be completed in 2025 […] and will cover an area of about 35,000m2. Once completed, the pro-ject will restore and revamp the city’s tradi-tional areas to create a tourist and trade desti-nation. It will also secure an undeniable place for the emirate on the world heritage map.
Work at the first phase is already underway and Shurooq has set up a joint committee to oversee the implementation of this first phase.
The Heart of Sharjah will feature diverse commercial, cultural, and residential projects, including a boutique hotel, restaurants, retail shops, art galleries, traditional and contempo-rary markets, archaeological sites, museums, play areas, and commercial offices.
Travel Trade Weekly: The Al Majaz Water-front has already become a premier tour-ist destination. What are the main factors behind this success?
H.E. Al Sarkal: The core reason for the success of the Al Majaz Waterfront, in the relatively short period after its relaunch, is the passion and the commitment that drives its team to provide the best of services. The project has been expanded to offer a whole range of at-tractions for all age groups, and the number of visitors, which crossed the one million mark, included a multitude of nationalities. We have
view of the emirate of Sharjah. Al Qasba’s musical fountain is equally interesting to watch.
Masrah Al Qasba, Al Qasba’s 300-seat state-of-the-art theatre, has also walked away with honours [this year].
Travel Trade Weekly: Another major develop-ment in Shurooq’s portfolio is The Chedi Khorf-akkan Resort. When is it slated for completion?
H.E. Al Sarkal: The Chedi Khorfakkan is a brilliant combination of two concepts, a Fort, which will be open to the public and a 106-suite five-star resort for guests. Re-garding the progress of work on The Chedi Khorfakkan Resort project, [we] recently an-nounced getting done with excavation and soil test studies. The planned hotel, at a cost of AED420 million (USD114 million), has been planned to become one of the most impor-tant destinations in the region.
The project includes state-of-the-art amenities including the city hill, beach area, and hotel suites which include the hill, front, and health resort, a gym, and outdoor restau-rants and cafés, as well as a beach club. The 106 hotel suites boast beach views and are located alongside the natural resources of the hill. The hotel is due to open in 2015.
[In addition], Shurooq has already begun development works on Al Hisn Island in Dibba Al Hisn, a leisure and tourism project in the Eastern region of the emirate. The project is being developed [...] in order to develop the Eastern region of Sharjah, to create projects that serve the interests of citizens in these areas, spur economic growth, and attract in-vestments that help create jobs and create added economic value to the emirate.
H.E. Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal CEO, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq)
cafés and restaurants, picnic, play and sports areas. We are proud to say that the Al Majaz Waterfront also won the prestigious Sharjah Tourism Excellence Award 2012.
Travel Trade Weekly: Al Qasba is another landmark of Sharjah. How do you aim to further develop this destination?
H.E. Al Sarkal: According to the Al Qasba De-velopment Authority, the destination received 1, 376,676 visitors in the first half of the year. Al Qasba, like Al Majaz Waterfront, is designed to offer a myriad of services to all classes of people.
We aim to attract an even higher number of visitors by next year and the progress towards its achievement is steady and promising.
Al Qasba’s other major attraction is its Etis-alat Eye of the Emirates, a 60m high observation wheel, from where one can get a wonderful
3WEEKLY NEWS
24 NOVEMBER 2012
Maritime industry leaders from Oman will head to the three-day Seatrade Middle East Maritime (SMEM) 2012 event in Dubai, on November 27, as the Sultanate’s key ports move ahead with ambitious development plans.
The country’s northern key port of Sohar has teamed up with Sohar Free Zone in a bid to promote business op-portunities as both facilities undergo expansion, with in-vestments at the port exceeding USD14 billion.
Over the past years, the port has benefited from in-creased fiscal support from the government, which is keen to capitalise the Sultanate’s strategic location and the potential economic windfall that could realise, ex-plained Chris Hayman, chairman, Seatrade, the organis-ers Seatrade Middle East Maritime 2012.
Moreover, demand from international corporations looking to set up operations in Salalah is beginning to accelerate.
Luxury travel specialist, Century Travel, has released its 2013/14 World of Cruising brochure, showcasing a range of imaginative voyages onboard four-star, five-star, and six-star cruise lines, including Crystal Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Oceania Cruises, Windstar Cruis-es, Regent Seven Seas, P&O Cruises, and Thomson Cruises.
Itineraries in the new brochure, which was launched in Paphos, Cyprus, include popular destinations such as Dubai and the UAE, Alaska, Australasia, New Zealand, the Carib-bean, and the Far East, just to name a few, and offer a host of different excursions including family-friendly options, the best selections for couples and honeymooners, tips for single travellers, and recommendations for passengers with disabilities.
“Our goal with our new 2013/2014 World of Cruising is to re-veal the unique elements that make luxury cruising an extraor-dinary holiday experience for each of our customers,” highlight-ed Daniel Essex, CEO, Century Travel. “With attention to detail on each itinerary, the brochure personalises each magical voyage with amazing destinations, epicurean cuisine, exciting land ad-ventures, choice of cabin, and pricing summary.”
Mein Schiff 2, the wellness flagship of German cruise operator TUI Cruises, has celebrated its maiden arrival into Abu Dhabi, marking the first of its 20 calls to the UAE capital this season.
Calling on a weekly basis at Mina Zayed port, the 77,000 tonne ship will deliver 40,000 passengers to the emirate, who will then continue their journey to Bahrain on the seven-day ‘Dubai and the Orient’ excursion.
Commenting on the increasing popularity of Abu Dhabi, which is expected to welcome 88 vessels and some 180,000 passengers this season, Richard Vogel, CEO, TUI Cruises, said, “Abu Dhabi is now an essential port-of-call on any meaningful Arabian Gulf cruise. The emirate’s in-creasing number of headline attractions […] provide our guests a very specific mix of tradition and modernity.”
Mean Shiff 2’s passengers are mainly from German-speaking countries, boasting the potential of the Europe-an country for the capital, which now ranks as the emir-ate’s fourth largest source market for hotel guests.
Oman to Showcase Port Development Plans at Seatrade
Century Travel Reveals New Itineraries
TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 2 Arrives in Abu Dhabi
Cruising
4 MARKET UPDATE
24 NOVEMBER 2012
UAE (AED)
Egypt (EGP)
Saudi Arabia (SAR)
Lebanon (LBP)
Bahrain (BHD)
Jordan (JOD)
Syria (SYP)
Kuwait (KWD)
Qatar (QAR)
Oman (OMR)
Tunisia (TND)
Morocco (MAD)
Iran (IRR)
Yemen (YER)
Algeria (DZD)
Libya (LYD)
Dirham
Pound
Riyal
Pound
Dinar
Dinar
Pound
Dinar
Riyal
Rial
Dinar
Dirham
Riyal
Rial
Dinar
Dinar
3.67
6.09
3.75
1,505.50
0.37
0.71
70.70
0.28
3.64
0.38
1.59
8.62
12,250.00
214.55
79.81
1.27
Accurate as of
23/11/2012Currencies shown in red are fixed against the US Dollar
MENA EXCHANGE RATES
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY
MANAGING EDITOR
Mary Kammitsi [email protected]
JOURNALISTS
Stefanie Saghbini Rita Kasziba
Dominique Christou Maria Kazeli
SALES & MARKETING
Maria Demetriadou Derek Lainsbury
DESIGN & LAYOUT
Elena Stylianou
DIRECTORS
Andreas Constantinides Mary Kammitsi
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Triple-digit Freight Growth at DWC
Delta Air Lines Profit Soars
IHG: Notable RevPAR Growth in the AmericasInterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has recorded increases in RevPAR, both in the US and the Americas region, for the first nine months of the year.
The company’s comparable RevPAR in the US rose 6.3 percent between January and September, driven predominantly by a rate improvement of 4.3 percent.
Mirroring a shift in timing of certain holidays, which adversely impacted results in both July and September, the company’s third quarterly RevPAR growth was slightly softer, at 4.6 percent, along with a rate increase of four percent, as the US industry continues to benefit from a favourable supply and demand dynamic.
Supply growth is said to remain well below historic levels while over the past 19 months, the industry has broken monthly records for room nights sold, although the pace of demand growth is expected to continue to slow.
B ased on the latest traffic report issued by airport operator Dubai Airports, the emirate’s second airport handled a total of 58,423 tonnes compared to 26,570
tonnes in the corresponding period in 2011.Year-to-date freight volume at DWC in-
creased 178 percent, reaching as high as 164,757 tonnes, which follows the 226 per-cent surge recorded in the first half of the year.
Dubai World Central (DWC) continues to record robust growth in cargo volumes, which more than doubled in the third quarter (Q3) of the year.
Air traffic movements also witnessed a proportional upswing in Q3, rising 42 percent to 4,097, bringing the year-to-date figure to 11,571, up 114.2 percent.
The exceptional growth can be attributed to the introduction of a number of new char-ter and scheduled services to DWC, which currently has 36 carriers signed up and op-erating while negotiations with a number of others are ongoing.
A tlanta-based Delta Air Lines has reported a total net income of USD1.05 billion, including special items totalling a USD279 million, for the third quarter of the year.
This figure includes a USD440 million of mark-to-market gains on out of period hedg-es as the second-largest US carrier by traffic marked a one percent increase of operating profit to USD107 million, on 1.5 percent lower capacity, compared to the corresponding pe-
riod in 2011. Meanwhile, load factor during the three-
month stretch improved 0.3 percentage points year-on-year, to 86.4 percent, while passenger revenue increased one percent, equivalent to USD124 million.
The positive quarterly results reflect an improved industry structure and the airline’s consistent investment in the business, accord-ing to Richard Anderson, CEO, Delta Air Lines.
5WEEKLY NEWS
24 NOVEMBER 2012
Oman’s Ministry of Tourism and Omran, the Sultanate’s lead-ing tourism-related developer, hospitality management, and investment company, have announced plans to further pro-mote Khasab as an ideal destination for short breaks and high-light its status as a country that offers authentic and cultural experiences.
A key element of the plans is the launch of a unique wom-en-to-women cultural programme entitled ‘Zaree’, a corporate social responsibility initiative developed by Omran, which will operate from a dedicated room inside the historic Khasab Castle.
H.E. Maitha Al Mahrouqi, undersecretary, Ministry of Tour-ism, Oman, said, “We are confident that this new cultural pro-gramme, ‘Zaree’, will become an iconic activity, especially among expatriate women’s groups coming from the UAE and cruise passengers. Zaree is a unique and immersive insight to Oman’s heritage, lifestyle, and modernity from a woman’s perspective.”
Khasab is experiencing a surge in tourism investment and is gearing up to welcome the 110-room, three-star Khasab Ho-tel, being developed by Omran.
Online versus traditional booking channels will be a key focus at the 2013 Arabian Travel Market technology semi-nar sessions, following changing trends which have seen the region’s travellers shift to new booking channels, re-sulting in online bookings growth by almost a third.
According to a PhoCusWright survey, this upsurge is set to continue with online bookings accounting for 22 percent of all travel bookings made in the region within the next two years.
Mark Walsh, portfolio director, Reed Travel Exhibitions, has also revealed that there is a shift from the depend-ence on traditional booking channels to online services, as Middle Eastern travellers become more comfortable using the Internet due to the fast pace of technological development, which is, in turn, leading the travel industry to a completely virtual environment.
Promoting KhasabRegional Online Travel Bookings Worth USD15.8 Billion by 2014
6 WEEKLY NEWS
24 NOVEMBER 2012
Dubai Municipality Completes Nad Al Hamar Park ProjectHussain Nasser Lootah, director general, Dubai Municipality (DM), has announced that the general projects department of DM has completed Nad Al Hamar Park Project.
The park, measuring 4ha has been designed in line with stand-ards and specifications of green cities for reducing cement spaces and increasing green areas, relying on the elements of eco-friendly materials. In addition, the design has taken into account people with special needs, ease of movement, and the safety factor.
The park will soon be opened to the public with adequate parking facility.
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi Continues to Thrive
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi continues to attract visitors with a range of new attractions and an exciting line-up of interactive games.
Earlier this year, the indoor theme park opened Viaggio in Italia, a technologically-advanced simulator ride that take guests on a flying virtual journey over Italy, explained Bruno Wiley, di-rector of sales, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, further informing of the brand new interactive quiz attraction, Fast Lane, which offers visitors a chance to win great prizes, as well as a new live show that celebrates the winning spirit of Ferrari and the glamour of 1960s Italy through a 25-minute spectacle.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has indicated that the key demand drivers for the Middle East and India are the changing demographics, strong aviation sector, and religious tourism.
The Middle East is an important market for the group, since the opening of its first hotel 50 years ago, especially as it still has the characteristics of an emerging market; this is the reason the management of the regional busi-ness strategically shifted to the dynamic emerging econ-omies in Asia, underlined Jan Smits, CEO, Asia, Middle East, and Africa, IHG.
India, the Middle East, and Africa are set to see growth across the region with a development pipeline of 110 hotels, creating some 24,000 new jobs across In-dia, UAE, and Saudi Arabia, which already boasts 22 IHG properties, making the international hotel company the Kingdom’s largest.
IHG: Middle East Important Market
7WEEKLY NEWSAccommodation
24 NOVEMBER 2012
JW Marriott Marquis Dubai Opens The five-star JW Marriott Marquis Dubai has welcomed its first guests, marking the opening of the world’s tallest hotel at 355m.
Opening in several phases, with its first tower of 804 rooms and suites alongside three restaurants being unveiled first, a further 14 food and beverage outlets will be launched in Janu-ary 2013, in the run -up to its grand opening, which is scheduled for February 2013.
Located in the heart of Business Bay, just minutes from Dubai World Trade Centre, the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, and close to Dubai International airport, the hotel resides in a prime location and is set to significantly add to the emirate’s drive in becoming a preferred choice for MICE business, as Rupprecht Queitsch, general manager, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, highlighted.
Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express Expand in the Middle East
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is to further strengthen its Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brands’ presence in the Middle East and India with the opening of 38 new hotels.
Seven new properties are planned in the Middle East alone, adding to the 25 hotels already operating in the region, while in India, the brand is set to grow by over 400 percent, with 31 new Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express properties opening across the country.
The Holiday Inn brand, which celebrates its 60th anniversary worldwide this year, debuted in the Mid-dle East in 1977 and has continued to grow ever since, as Pascal Gauvin, chief operating officer, India, Middle East and Africa, IHG, noted, adding that this growth continues to demonstrate its strength as a midscale brand, providing guests with great experiences at a good value.
Sofitel to Open in Riyadh in 2015Sofitel, Accor’s luxury brand, has entered into a manage-ment contract with King Abdullah International Founda-tion for Humanitarian Activities, to launch a new luxury hotel in Riyadh.
Set in a fast-growing area of the Saudi capital city, in close proximity to many key business centres, the five-star property will offer an ideal base for high-end domestic and international business travellers, government offi-cials, and diplomats.
Upon opening it will become the anchor point of a major complex, developed over an area of approximately 100,000m2, which will also comprise the headquarters of the foundation, a mosque, and a convention centre.
Scheduled for completion by the end of 2015, Sofitel Riyadh will feature a full range of facilities including some 400 rooms and suites, six food and beverage outlets, vari-ous meeting facilities, a swimming pool, a spa, and addi-tional recreational amenities.
Rupprecht Queitsch (second right)
9WEEKLY NEWSAccommodation
24 NOVEMBER 2012
Wyndham Hotel Group has signed an exclusive de-velopment agreement for the Days Inn brand in Saudi Arabia with Riyada International Hotels and Resorts, the master franchisee for Ramada hotels in the Kingdom.
Commenting on the partnership, that will see the development of 10 hotels, Rui Barros, senior vice presi-dent, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Wyndham Hotel Group, said, “We are delighted to expand our relation-ship with Riyada International Hotels and Resorts through this deal, to launch and grow the Days Inn brand, our largest brand globally with 147,224 rooms, in Saudi Arabia.
“This brand has exceptional growth potential in this market as it is perfectly suited to the grow-ing number of travellers seeking comfort and qual-ity accommodation without a mid-market or upscale price tag.”
Wyndham and Riyada Launch Days Inn Brand in Saudi Arabia
Baron Palace Resort Sahl Hasheesh to Open in May 2013
Baron Hotels & Resorts is to unveil its latest property, Baron Palace Resort Sahl Hasheesh, in May 2013.
Set on the coast of the Red Sea, the resort occupies a land area of 100,000m2 and features a 600m private beach, offering guests 650 rooms, suites, swim-up suites, and roy-al suites with a private swimming pool and butler service.
Clientele will also enjoy a wide selection of culinary experiences with 18 restaurants and bars as well as rec-reational areas which will include a shopping arcade, amphithertre, and a comprehensive recreation complex including tennis courts, a jogging and cycling beach
promenade, diving centre, and a spa and wellness centre.
In addition, the hotel will also feature a MICE complex with ballrooms, and for the younger guests, an array of dedicated facilities will be avail-able.
Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels Celebrates Grand Opening
Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels, an exclusive collection of boutique hotels in one of Doha’s main attractions, owned and managed by Al Rayyan Hospitality, has been officially inaugurated.
“Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels’ vision travels far beyond offering the best in hospitality, allowing guests to enjoy an unparalleled experience,” commented Mohamed Al Qahtani, CEO, Al Rayyan Hospitality, adding that the re-vived brand identity has been designed to pay tribute to the Qatari history, culture, and sophistication, and is in sync with the country’s elevating need for leisure accom-modation.
Besides the already operating properties, namely Al Najada, Al Mirqab, Arumaila, and Musheireb, the company has also unveiled its latest addition to the collection, Al Jasra, which comprises 22 rooms and four suites. The next project under the brand it slated for completion in 2013.
Baron Palace Resort Sahl Hasheesh
10 WEEKLY NEWS Accommodation
24 NOVEMBER 2012
51 Buckingham Gate, Taj Suites & Residences Unveils Cinema Suite
51 Buckingham Gate, Taj Suites & Residences, Lon-don, has opened its new cinema suite, which has been designed in tribute to the history of film and takes in-spiration from motion pictures across the globe, most notably by 1940s and 1950s Hollywood and the Indian cinema era of the 1950s.
Opened just ahead of celebrations which are to mark 100 years of Indian film born in 1913, the 170m2
suite comprises two bedrooms, a dining room, study, and kitchen, and is the creation of acclaimed Indian de-signer Sabyasachi Mukherjee.
Guests can marvel at rare Bollywood film prints, his-tory books, vintage mirrors, and a myriad of portraits and drawings, as well as antique furniture display orna-ments, while enjoying one of the largest private screens in any London hotel suite, with a 3D state-of-the-art home theatre system.
Crystal Lagoons to Expand GCC Portfolio
Radisson Blu Resort, Sharjah, Gears up for High Season
Crystal Lagoons Corporation, the patented technology developer of giant crystalline lagoons, is looking to add a number of new projects to its regional portfolio.
The company, whose portfolio already includes the USD160 million The Dead Sea Lagoon in Jordan, boast-ing 1,000 rooms and a 3ha crystalline lagoon bordered by private white sand beaches, as well as the soon-to-be-unveiled mega lagoon at Cairo’s Citystars development, hopes to announce a handful of new deals in the GCC, revealed Kevin Margan, CEO, Crystal Lagoons Corporation.
“The value of the deals we are talking is in aggregate of upwards of some USD3 billion of new developments. We are in talks with developers and investors in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi,” said Mor-gan, adding that to cater to the growing demand, the company plans to open two new regional offices in Cairo and the UAE.
Radisson Blu Resort, Sharjah, which in the first three quarters of the year exceeded all set targets, has recently undergone a soft refurbishment to further improve the overall quality and ambi-ence of the hotel.
The refurbishment of the resort’s 212 rooms has been carried out in stages, as Kamal Rijhwani, director of sales and marketing, Radisson Blu Resort, Sharjah, explained, noting that in line with The Rezidor Hotel Group’s ‘Yes I Can’ service philosophy and 100 percent guest satisfaction guarantee, the property’s fully trained staff ensures high quality services at all times.
“We are also working to launch the company’s ‘Brain Food’ concept for meetings and events and smart packages for out-door catering for the local market,” added Rijhwani, who also ex-plained that, currently, the CIS nations represent the resort’s main source markets, followed by Germany and German-speaking countries, and the GCC.
Speaking about the emirate’s increasing steady development, he said, “The emirate has established the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority, an entity to evaluate and follow up on investment, heritage, and tourism-related infrastructure projects to achieve each project’s goals. This will help us, hotels, to gain constant visitors and make Sharjah a year-round destination.”
11WEEKLY NEWS
24 NOVEMBER 2012
EGYPTAIR Resumes Flights to Japan
EGYPTAIR is set to relaunch flights to Osaka, Japan, as of December 1, by offering promotional fares to EGYPTAIR customers between the two destinations.
Passengers who wish to benefit from this offer will need to purchase their ticket before Decem-ber 31 and to use the first route of the ticket before March 31, 2013.
In addition, EGYPTAIR Frequent Flyer Members will enjoy 50 percent extra bonus miles when they fly between Cairo and Osaka from December 1 to 31.
“This step comes in the continuous efforts to in-crease traffic into Egypt and to promote trade and economic exchange between Egypt and other coun-tries worldwide. Besides, Japanese travel market is a promising one that will boost travel and tourism to Egypt,” said Tawfik Assy, CEO, EGYPTAIR Holding Company.
flydubai to Serve Malé
Etihad Airways Eyes US Expansion
flydubai has announced flights to Malé, the capital of the Republic of Maldives, set to commence on January 19, 2013.
The five times a week service from Dubai to Maldives is the airline’s latest addition to its growing network and makes it the first low-cost carrier to offer flights from the UAE to the island, according to Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO, fly-dubai, who believes that this will undoubtedly be a draw for those looking to experience one of the world’s top holiday spots at an affordable price.
“We anticipate a strong demand for flights from the GCC, in particular Kuwait, as well as markets such as Rus-sia, CIS, and central and Eastern Europe. This will be our first launch in 2013 and we look forward to welcoming passengers from across our network to this wonderful country,” Al Ghaith concluded.
Etihad Airways is keen to grow its network in the US as it is among the highest performing regions across the airline’s global network, with an average of 81 percent load factor this year, according to James Hogan, president, Etihad Airways.
On existing US routes, New York and Chicago, a significant portion of premium bookings are for travel to and from Abu Dhabi, with 72 percent of first class passengers and 53 percent of business class passengers starting or ending their journey in the UAE capital.
To date, Etihad Airways has flown some 1.5 million pas-sengers to and from the US as it gears up to launch its third route to the country on March 31, 2013, with daily non-stop flights between Washington, D.C. and its home base.
Air News
Washington, D.C.
12 WEEKLY NEWS Air News
24 NOVEMBER 2012
Qatar Airways Receives its First Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Qatar Airways has been delivered its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner at a special ceremony held at the US aircraft manufacturer’s headquarters, attended by airline manage-ment officials, Boeing executives, and local and international media.
The delivery marks a milestone in Middle East aviation with Qatar Airways becoming the first airline from the region to take delivery of the aircraft, which features 254 seats in a two-class configuration, 22 in business class and 232 in economy, and is said to be the first mid-size airplane capable
of flying long-range routes.
The airline’s Boe-ing 787 Dreamliner will initially operate with commercial passen-gers on familiarisation flights to Dubai before launching its maiden long-haul commercial service between Doha and London Heathrow in December.
Etihad Airways Revises Cyprus Schedule
Etihad Airways has updated its Larnaca - Abu Dhabi flight schedule which continues to operate three times a week, however has changed Sunday’s services to Monday.
John Rees Evans, country manager, Cyprus, Etihad Air-ways, said, “Improved travel options for business and leisure passengers going directly to Abu Dhabi and connecting onwards to more than 80 of our destinations across the GCC, Indian subcontinent, North Asia, and Australia are the reasons behind our decision to update the schedule. The new flight schedule will also give our leisure guests travel-ling from Cyprus the opportunity to experience weekend breaks in the exciting UAE capital, Abu Dhabi.”
Etihad Airways currently operates a two-cabin Airbus A320 aircraft between Larnaca and Abu Dhabi, offering 816 seats a week; 96 in Pearl Business and 720 in Coral Economy.
Qatar Airways
RAK Airways Reveals Plans for 2013RAK Airways has outlined ambitious plans for 2013, which will see the airline significantly increase fre-quencies to key destinations.
In the coming months, the carrier’s strategy will focus on providing better connectivity across its net-work, introducing routes, and adding new aircraft to its existing fleet. RAK Airways will take delivery of its third and fourth aircraft in March 2013 and Novem-ber 2013 respectively, and in April 2013, the Saudi city of Dammam will be added to the airline’s net-work, taking it to 11 destinations.
Effective from December, the airline will offer daily flights to Abu Dhabi, its first domestic destina-tion, and double daily services from April 2013.
Frequencies to Calicut will increase to six weekly flights in January 2013, and to daily services in April 2013, while the Jeddah route will be operated on a daily basis, starting in March 2013, and Chittagong will be serviced twice a week.
14 WEEKLY NEWS
24 NOVEMBER 2012
EVEN Hotels Announces First Property Signing
Hyatt Announces Hyatt Regency Colombo in Sri Lanka
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the first EVEN Hotels property, which is expected to open in the heart of Manhattan, New York, late 2014.
“New York City is an ideal location, being one of the most health-minded cities in the US, so it will provide the EVEN Hotels brand with the right exposure to its target guest, the healthier-minded traveller,” noted Richard Solomons, CEO, IHG.
With over 50.9 million visitors in 2011, New York City is one of the strongest markets for the EVEN Hotels’ target guest, as Kirk Kinsell, president, the Americas, IHG, ex-plained, “New York City [...] provides strong market expo-sure to healthier-minded people, both living and travel-ling to New York City, looking for a holistic wellness hotel experience.”
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has en-tered into an agreement with Sino Lanka Hotels and Spa for the first Hyatt-branded hotel in the growing market of Sri Lanka, Hyatt Regency Colombo.
“Establishing our brand’s pres-ence in key gateway cities like Co-lombo is an integral part of our strat-egy to drive preference for the Hyatt brand in the South Asian region. It is our privilege to work with Sino Lanka and be part of the government's ini-tiatives to develop tourism infrastruc-ture in Sri Lanka,” noted Ratnesh Ver-ma, senior vice president, real estate and development, Asia Pacific, Hyatt Hotels Corporation.
Similar satisfaction was ex-pressed by Gamini Senarath, chair-man, Sino Lanka Hotels and Spa, “Hyatt Regency Colombo is expected to be a flagship development for Sri Lanka, demonstrating the rapidly ex-panding opportunities in this coun-try’s tourism sector.”
Hyatt Regency Colombo is ex-pected to open in 2014 in the cen-tral business district and will feature 475 guestrooms, 84 apartments, a lounge, spa treatment rooms, and a ballroom.
International
WHO'S MOVED
24 NOVEMBER 2012
15
Sari Mabire
Houssam Weiss
Andrew Adey
Sari Mabire has been named public relations manager at Kempinski Grand & Ixir Ho-tel Bahrain City Centre, the European hotel company’s 460-room property, just a 15-minute drive from Bah-rain International Airport. Having previously held vari-ous positions with Gulf Air, the Kingdom’s flag carrier,
Mabire brings a wealth of experience and in-depth knowledge to the role that makes her a valuable mem-ber of the team. She joins the European luxu-ry hotel chain after working in the publishing and media field, where she has further developed her media as well as public relations skills.
Houssam Weiss has been named general manager of Qatar at Etihad Airways. Over the past 17 years, Weiss has held various managerial commercial positions with companies such as Swiss International Air Lines, Gulf Air, and Emirates in the Mid-dle East and the UK. Building on his wealth of ex-
perience and in-depth under-standing of the Qatari market, he will now be responsible for Etihad Airways’ commercial activities in Qatar. Weiss' appointment coin-cides with the airline’s re-cently launched freighter operation between Abu Dhabi and the Qatari capi-tal, Doha.
Andrew Adey has joined Ro-tana as associate vice presi-dent of sales and revenue for the UAE. Adey studied business and marketing and completed his Higher National Diploma at Guilford College. During his 17 years in the industry, of which he spent 14 years with Marriott International, he gained considerable expe-rience in hotel-related sales and revenue practices and strategies.In his new position, Adey will
be focusing on developing the local sales and revenue channels, keeping with the company’s expansion plans, which will see Rotana man-age 32 hotels in the UAE by the end of the year.
He will be focusing on de-veloping the local sales and revenue channels, keeping with the com-
pany’s expansion plans, which will see Rotana
managing 32 hotels in the UAE
16 TRAVEL TALK
24 NOVEMBER 2012
Philippe Harb
“Abu Dhabi remains right on track to attain this year’s hotel guest target of 2.3 million. [Among oth-ers], the upcoming Yas Waterworld Aqua Park will also attract worldwide attention and promises to deliver a significant year-end boost for Abu Dhabi. No doubt that there is also a great potential when attracting emerging markets like South America. […] I am sure that within few years time South America’s production will be close to North America which means 64,000 visitors year-to-date.”
Hotel manager, One to One Hotel – the Village.
Vice president, Meydan Hotels & Hospitality.
“The Meydan is positioned as a destination ho-tel, and we are honoured by our connection to horseracing and the world renowned Dubai World Cup. To win the [New Luxury Hotel 2012 award at the World Luxury Hotel Awards in Kuala Lumpur]is an incredible achievement for the entire team of Meydan. With the recent opening of the new Mey-dan Beach, our existing tennis academy and the nine-hole golf course at Meydan, we now offer the largest hotel sports offering in Dubai.
Abdin Nasralla
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17AGENT'S CORNER
24 NOVEMBER 2012
AGENT’S INSIGHT Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Spreading Its Wings to the US Market
Abu Dhabi Tourism & Cul-ture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) and Etihad Airways recently organised a com-prehensive tour for seven leading US tour operators.
Having already wel-comed 58,574 US hotel guests in the first nine months of the year, the US has been the emirate’s sixth largest inbound mar-ket for the year, and this is set to increase with the launch of Etihad Airways’ daily non-stop flights to Washington, D.C., in March 2013, alongside the open-ing of TCA Abu Dhabi’s of-
fice in New York in May this year.
“Abu Dhabi has a wide spectrum of experi-ences from cultural to de-sertscapes, to excellent lei-sure attractions,” said Nicole Beattie, destination man-ager, Cox & Kings, one of the hosted tour operators.
The visiting groups were introduced to the emirate’s future cultural projects, the three new museums opening in 2015, and the Yas Marina Circuit, where the annual Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dha-bi Grand Prix, takes place.
Who are you?I have eight years of travel and tourism experience, having worked at Alpha Tours Dubai (the leading destination manage-ment company in the UAE) as head of operations of the luxury department for four years, and now I am completing my four years at Nakhal & Cie as the head of incoming department.
What is your favourite thing about working in the travel industry?Learning about destinations, getting introduced to colleagues in each country who work in the same field, and communicate with people from different nationalities, languages, and habits.
When is the best time to visit Lebanon?Lebanon has 365 days of tourism; winter is for ski, with the best decorated cities during Christmas and New Year; spring and au-tumn for the nice moderate weather and an ideal period for busi-ness travel; and summer, for the warm weather. Where would you like to travel to for your next holiday?I mostly travel for business, and because of this, I always prefer to have my holiday beside my family in Lebanon, as it contains all the things that tourists seek in a holiday destination. Why should people come to you for travel advice?Nakhal & Cie is leading the Lebanese market in travel and tour-ism, and we are the most expert in this field; we have been nomi-nated the most qualified agency for travel advice because we represent many international companies.
Also, we are the owners of Hoojoozat.com; the number one online hotel reservation system in the Middle East, so we satisfy the needs of every client who visits our agency.
Finally, we run the biggest outbound business to many destina-tions worldwide. We had more than 25,000 travellers during 70 days in the summer, and operated around 20 charter flights every week.
NAME: Khaled Aridi
POSITION: Incoming manager
COMPANY: Nakhal & Cie
LOCATION: Lebanon
WEB: www.nakhal.com
18 TRAVEL CHANNELS
24 NOVEMBER 2012
Preserving Africa’s National Parks
Tourism is one of the most effective ways to preserve Africa’s national parks and protected areas while creating jobs and
income for local communities.
T his was one of the main conclusions of the First Pan-African Conference on Sustainable Tourism in African National Parks, or-
ganised by World Tourism Organiza-tion (UNWTO) and the government of Tanzania, which took place on October 15 - 18.
In the opening ceremony, Taleb Rifai, secretary general, UNWTO,
said, “Nature is one of Africa’s greatest assets. Many of the 50 mil-lion international tourists visiting Africa each year are driven by the continent’s unparalleled wildlife and natural scenery. These tourists spend in the local economy, sus-tain jobs, and provide an incentive for conservation, making tourism a powerful engine for sustainable development.”
Etihad Airways Celebrates Emiratisation
Milestone
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts Preservation for
Responsible Business Week
Etihad Airways has welcomed its 1,000th Emirati member of staff to the airline, passing a significant milestone in its Emiratisation initiatives.
Noora Al Marri, from Abu Dhabi, recently joined the airline’s graduate manager development programme, becoming the latest Emirati member of the company.
“Etihad Airways recognises the vital role of UAE nationals in the ongoing development and running of our business and we look forward to support-ing Noora as she embarks on her career with Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national airline,” emphasised Ray Gammell, chief people and performance officer, Eti-had Airways, adding that the airline is immensely proud of its Emiratisation recruitment strategy and programmes, which have achieved great success since it launched in 2007.
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts across the Mid-dle East recently spent hundreds of man hours to actively help in protecting and preserving unique and cultural heritage sites as part of Responsible Business Week 2012, under the theme People Pro-tecting Places.
November 16 marked the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention, which was adopted by the UNESCO General Conference held on the same day back in 1972, and this year saw special fo-cus being placed on the links between world herit-age and sustainable development, and in particular the role being played by local communities.
In the Middle East, 17 InterContinental Hotels & Resorts dedicated their time and effort to cleaning up important sites of natural beauty, while some properties also took the opportunity to educate its colleagues and guests about the environment and its preservation, whilst others used this chance to help others in need.
19RENDEZVOUS
24 NOVEMBER 2012
Q & A with Patrick AntakiWith the last month of the year fast approaching, we take a look back with Patrick Antaki, complex general manager, Le Méridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, and Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, at the most defining moments and trends of the past quarters.
Travel Trade Weekly: As complex general manager of these two resorts, how would you describe the first three quarters of the year?
Patrick Antaki: Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa in Dubai and Le Méridien Al Aqah in Fu-jairah have both seen growth in occupancy in the first three quarters of the year compared to 2011. Traditionally, the third quarter sees a decline in hotel occupancy rates due to external factors, such as weather. This year, however, has still had a higher occupancy rate compared to the third quarter of 2011, for both properties.
Travel Trade Weekly: How have your main markets changed over the past months?
Patrick Antaki: For Le Méridien Al Aqah, we get an influx of traffic from the UAE. A large percentage of our guests also come from the UK, Germany and Russia.
Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa has a slightly different clientele, unlike Al Aqah, which is ex-quisite in its own right. This resort caters to those who want to be transported into an entirely dif-ferent lifestyle and want to experience, in full, the natural beauty, culture, and heritage of this part of the world. As such, we have guests com-ing in from all over the world to stay.
As for the emerging markets, there are a growing number of visitors to the UAE from Ireland, Scandinavia, and Zambia due to the daily, non-stop flights launched to these des-tinations by Emirates and Etihad Airways. Also, UAE is likely to see a marked increase in visitors from Chengdu, the southwest eco-nomic hub, due to extra flights being added on this sector.
jairah’s tourism sector will continue to grow?
Patrick Antaki: Fujairah’s current position on the global tourism map as an international and competitive destination is on the rise, welcoming tourists from all over the world. The emirate remains hugely popular with div-ing enthusiasts as it is on the Indian Ocean. The new express highway has halved the trav-elling time between Dubai and Fujairah, also boosting intra-regional tourism and increasing local and international visitor numbers.
By continually upgrading and enhancing its facilities and services, in addition to play-ing a leading role in driving social responsibil-ity and environmental protection, Le Méridien Al Aqah is keen to remain at the forefront of this success. We are likely to see an increase in visitors as we have planned numerous events and activities to celebrate our 10th an-niversary. Coupled with recent renovations at the hotel, we are likely to witness traffic grow markedly.
Travel Trade Weekly: How do you think the competition in Dubai will continue to inten-sify?
Patrick Antaki: Dubai has always been a hot-spot for tourists. It has always had a strong focus on the tourism industry and it is impor-tant to note that the competition will only intensify.
Dubai has an increasing number of hotels, which means there is a lot of competition, but at the same time it keeps on creating new at-tractions for tourists which, in turn, creates more markets for the tourism industry to cater to.
Patrick AntakiComplex general manager, Le Méridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, and Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa
Travel Trade Weekly: How do you integrate online and social media tools in your mar-keting strategies?
Patrick Antaki: Social media in the region is unquestionably on the rise and with it busi-nesses, especially in the hospitality industry.
Social media has become one of the most efficient ways of marketing as it at-tracts such a diverse audience and speaks articulately to each demographic. In order to be effective, we tend to be quite visual with our marketing strategies. We encour-age guests to regularly visit our websites and other social media outlets [where we of-fer] special promotions and competitions to entice them. Our main focus is to approach every supporter in an individualistic manner so as to connect with them one on one.
Travel Trade Weekly: How do you think Fu-
20 NEWS & EVENTS
24 NOVEMBER 2012
EVENTSEIBTMBarcelona, Spain, November 27 – 29, 2012(www.eibtm.com)A leading global event for the meetings, incentives, events, and business travel industry, held in a vibrant business and tourism destination.
India International Travel Mart HyderabadHyderabad, India, November 30 – December 2, 2012(www.iitmindia.com)India’s premier exhibition for travel, tourism, hospitality, leisure, and other related sectors.
Monte Carlo Travel Market (MCTM)Monte Carlo, France, December 2, 2012(www.monte-carlo-travel-market.com)An event enabling participants to make a maximum number of con-tacts in a minimum amount of time.
Food & Hotel OmanMuscat, Oman, December 3 – 5, 2012(www.foodandhoteloman.com)Formerly known as Food Expo, the event has been re-branded to reflect the emerging hospitality and tourism market in the Sultanate and the region.
Travel Turkey Izmir Tourism Fair & ConferenceIzmir, Turkey, December 6 – 9, 2012(www.travelturkey-expo.com)One of the leading tourism shows in Turkey, focusing on all kinds of travel services, destinations and holidays.
Garuda Indonesia International Islamic Expo 2012Jakarta, Indonesia, December 14 – 16, 2012(www.aliaconvex.com)A meeting point where tourism practitioners, policy makers, hoteliers, investors, and sellers and buyers gather together.
Ferien – Messe WienVienna, Austria, January 10 – 13, 2013(www.ferien-messe.at)The leading public access tourism trade fair in Austria with over 100,000 consumers and thousands of experts from within the sector.
SATTE New Delhi, India, January 16 – 18, 2013Mumbai, India, January 21 – 22, 2013(www.satte.in)Hailed as South Asia’s leading business-to-business travel and tourism event serving the inbound, domestic and outbound markets.
Central Bank of Jordan: Tourism Revenues Increase
QNCC to Host Qatar’s Largest Conference
Sharjah Unveils its Spectacular and Exotic Water Festival
The Central Bank of Jordan’s September Monthly Report, has revealed that travel receipts increased JOD273 million (USD385.5 million), equivalent to a year-on-year rise of 19.2 percent, during the first eight months of the year, registering JOD1.7 billion (USD2.4 billion), despite the fall in the number of inbound tourists by 5.3 percent.
Meanwhile, travel payments decreased 0.9 percent during the eight-month stretch, which stood at JOD587.7 million (USD828.3), compared with JOD593.1 million (USD835.9) during the same period in 2011.
Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) has intensified its preparations to host the country’s largest conference to date, the United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change 2012.
The event, which will take place be-tween November 26 – December 7, is expected to attract an unprecedented number of delegates to Doha, thus all the spaces and meeting rooms in QNCC will be utilised during the event, including 40,000m2 of indoor exhibition space and the 3,500m2 outdoor exhibition area.
In addition to the 52 meeting rooms of the centre, an extra 76 meeting area will be set up to accommodate all the delegation offices and work areas, mak-ing a total of 128 meeting spaces.
H.E. Mohamed Ali Al Noman, chair-man, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, announced the sixth edition of Sharjah Water Festival 2012 to be held in December, which will feature a number of new events, recreational activities, enter-tainment shows, and games.
Speaking of the occasion, Al Noman said that Sharjah continues to grow and amaze the world with its unique brand of cultural tourism. Referring to the emirate’s selection as the Capital of Arab Tourism for 2015, he indicated that these achievements are due to the vision and guidance of H.H. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, ruler, Sharjah.
