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n An occasion to travel around India ......................................................................03n Etihad connects Jaipur ........................................................................................10n New Identity unveiled at ATM 2014........................................................................14

A DDP PUBLICATION Pages: 24Vol. X No. 5; May 2014

ATM organiser ReedTravel Exhibitions indi-cates that demand from

new exhibitors has merited theaddition of an extra hall bringingtotal event floor space to 23,500square metres. In addition morethan 100 new exhibitors willmake their ATM debut.

During ATM 2013, AjmanTourism DevelopmentDepartment (ATDD) hasannounced several projects. Itincluded an e-learning pro-gram on Ajman Tourism and anew hotel classification sys-tem, in addition to the statisticsof the hospitality sector inAjman in 2012.

“This year, every projectis moving forward as now wehave already announced thestatistics for 2013 and we willannounce it twice every year.Ajman Tourism classificationproject was named two monthsbefore as the best AjmanGovernment project in 2013.This year, ATDD is taking part for the first time in theMENA Travel Awards 2014,

in which it was nominated for two categories,” statedFaisal Al Nuaimi, GeneralManager, ATDD.

“We announced, for thefirst time, the Ajman TourismAward 2014 in five categories.The results of Ajman Award willbe declared on May 7 on thesidelines of MENA TravelAwards 2014. The event willalso witness the launch of the ATDD Customer Charter,ATDD Licensing andStandards Guide,” he added.

This pre-ATM event host-ed by The Tourism Authority ofThailand (TAT) Dubai andMiddle East in 2013 had provided an ideal opportunityfor the regions’ travel professionals to meet the del-egation from all over Thailand,discover the attractions whichthe country can offer to theMiddle East tourists.

“This year, TAT Dubaiand Middle East is hosting apre-ATM Business NetworkingLuncheon on May 4. It willfocus more on couples and partners looking for a per-

fect wedding and romantichoneymoon destinations.Thailand is becoming increas-

ingly popular among weddingcouples and honeymoonersand TAT will introduce

major romantic attractions in northern and southern Thailand,” informed

Thawatchai Arunyik,Governor, Tourism Authority of Thailand.

During the last two years,the number of visitors from theMiddle East to Thailand hasgrown considerably. While theUAE remains in top positionbringing estimate of 176,000visitors in 2013, other GCC countries are alsoemerging as potential expand-ing markets including Oman,KSA and Kuwait.

Golden Tulip Hotel is par-ticipating ATM since late 90’sand Golden Tulip Al Barshahad been a pioneer sponsor forthe event. “ATM-2013 had wit-nessed not only a growth factorover the previous years, butalso a momentum of newopportunities in selling destinations and in identifyingnew destinations which havetriggered better hospitalitydevelopment. We are expect-ing more in ATM 2014, especially after adding 13 newnationalities to enter UAE without pre-visa,” asserted

Arabian Travel Market (ATM) is a dynamic event, where hotels, airlines, GDSs & Tourism Boards from six continents meet under one roof. It’s an event to update knowledge and maintain latest trends of the industry. In short, an event hard to miss! Middle East reports...

ATM 2014: Time to show competence

SUSMITA GHOSH

We areexpecting morein ATM 2014,especially afteradding 13 new countriesto enter theUAE withoutpre-visa

TAT will focusmore oncouples andpartnerslooking for aperfectwedding andhoneymoondestination

The AjmanTourismclassificationproject wasnamed as thebest AjmanGovernmentproject in2013 recently

Faisal Al Nuaimi General Manager ATDD

Thawatchai ArunyikGovernorTourism Authority of Thailand

Amine E MoukarzelPresidentGolden Tulip Hotels

Contd. on page 6 u

NEWS

Tourism ties and the potential oftourism business between

India, the Gulf and the Middle Eastregion will be strengthened with thepresence of tour operators andhotels from India at the ATM 2014.The independent booths aroundIndia pavilion, will include IndianRailways, Catering & TourismCorporation (IRCTC), IndiaTourism Development Corporation(ITDC), Air India and the state gov-ernments of Kerala, Uttarakhandand Jammu & Kashmir.

“In ATM 2013 and previousyears, we had organised ‘IndiaEvenings’ where travel agentswere invited to explore businessopportunities. But we have comeup with a different event this year;spending two ‘Happy Hours’ whichwill take place on the last day ofthe event. It will provide moreopportunity for interaction,”informed IRV Rao, AssistantDirector, India Tourism, Dubai.

With the presence of localtravel trade, India Tourism willorganise a Medical Tourism sem-inar in Kuwait in June 2014, fol-lowed by Qatar and Oman.

“It was emphasised that, India has established itself as round-the-year destina-tion, offering something for every traveller. This year, thetourist flow is expected to bemore with the decision of extend-ing Visa-on-Arrival for tourists from 180 nations,” he added.

Based on the details from the Ministry of RuralDevelopment (MRD), and theMinistry of Tourism (MOT), NewDelhi, the Foreign Tourist Arrivals(FTA) during January toDecember 2013 were 68.48 lakhwith a growth of 4.1 per cent, ascompared to FTAs of 65.78 lakhwith a growth of 4.3 per cent dur-ing January to December 2012.

India Tourism, Dubai is gearing up to attend Arabian Travel Market 2014 which willcommence from May 5 – 8, 2014 in Dubai. The main attraction in India TourismPavilion, comprising of 28 co-exhibitors this year, will be Henna application,Kathakali dance and various other popular cultural programmes.

An occasion to travel around India

TT BUREAU

� The independent boothsaround India pavilion, willinclude IRCTC, ITDC, Air Indiaand the state governments ofKerala, Uttarakhand andJammu & Kashmir

� Instead of an ‘India Evening’,‘Happy Hours’ would beorganised, which wouldfacilitate business interactionbetween participants

Present@ATM 2014

India has established itself as round-the-year destination, offering something for every traveller. This year, thetourist flow is expected to be more with thedecision of extending Visa-on-Arrival for tourists of almost all nationalities

IRV RaoAssistant DirectorIndia Tourism, Dubai

Cathay and Qatar sign new code-share n Cathay Pacific Airways and QatarAirways have announced the launch of anew code-share agreement between thetwo oneworld alliance airlines. Followingthe launch of the new twice-daily servicebetween Hong Kong and Doha, CathayPacific and Qatar Airways have nowannounced an extensive code-share agree-ment between the two airlines.

The agreement will offer both CathayPacific and Qatar Airways passengersgreater flexibility and a wider choice whentravelling from Hong Kong to Europe, Africaand the Gulf or from Doha to Australia, NewZealand, Korea and Japan.

GUEST COLUMN

EDITORIAL

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It is a top-of-the-world feeling for the traveland tourism industry in the Middle East,with several factors pumping up theoptimism. While the year 2013 saw moretourism inflow and new hotel openings in theUAE, 2014 is predicted to end on a highernote, thanks to the Expo 2020 boost. Butthe immediate reason for enthusiasm is theinternational travel and tourism mega event,the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2014.

The organiser, Reed Travel Exhibitions,has indicated that the increasing demandfrom new exhibitors at the ATM 2014 hasmerited the addition of an extra hall, bringingtotal event floor space to 23,500 sq mtrs. It’san increase of almost 7% on 2013. Last year,ATM welcomed over 21,000 visitors from165 countries, covering 22,000 sq mtrs offloor space. In addition, more than 100 newexhibitors will make their ATM 2014 debut.

Vertical sector growth has been repeatedwith travel tech companies’ presence up by14% as technological innovation and onlinebooking dominate strategic development.The Middle East and UAE exhibitors haveincreased by an 11%, with Asia exhibitorsrising by 7% on 2013 attendance.

The ‘Spotlight on Luxury’, will featureluxury-focussed seminar sessions and invite hosted buyers directly responsible for this segment.

The ATM-2014 calendar encompassesmore than 30 wide-ranging seminar andtech-theatre sessions covering aviation,cruise tourism, mobile trends and the risingdemand for wellness tourism. Hotels inDubai reported the highest profit levels inthe region in 2013 for the fourth consecutiveyear, according to TRI Hospitality Consulting.

Gross Operating Profit per AvailableRoom for 2013 increased 10.3 per cent toUS$206, ARRs for the year were up by 6.5per cent to US$324 and RevPAR was up by7.6 per cent for the same period. It is not justthe regular tourists, but even the corporatesector in different countries is taking note ofDubai's attractions.

Expanded line-upboosts ATM attraction

The beginning of aviation inthe Middle East can be

credited to Sharjah. The coun-try’s first aircraft landing tookplace on Oct 5, 1932, inSharjah. The country has notonly witnessed, but has alsoplayed a significant role in thegrowth of the United ArabEmirates aviation market. In2013, the World EconomicForum rated UAE’s air trans-port infrastructure as theworld’s third best in its World Travel and TourismCompetitiveness report.

Since its inception in1932, Sharjah InternationalAirport has been playing a piv-otal role in the emirate’s econ-omy. Rapidly emerging as oneof the most modern aviationgateways in the UAE, the air-port has become the catalystfor Sharjah’s cultural, touristand commercial activities.

The airport, serving trafficfrom many regional and inter-national destinations, is con-sidered an important cargohub for many of the world’sreputed airlines, and is also apreferred favourite for arrival,departure and transit passen-gers across the region.

Strategically located,Sharjah International Airport isin close proximity to Sharjahcity and within 20 minutes’ driv-ing distance to Dubai and theother Northern Emirates.Sharjah International Airportreported a significant increasein passenger traffic with a

13.15 per cent jump during2013 in comparison with 2012.It registered 8.5 million passen-gers compared to 7.5 millionpassengers in 2012, anincrease by one million pas-sengers. The aircraft move-ments were up 0.41 per cent in2013 to reach 66.244 com-pared to 65.975 in 2012. Thefreight handled for the sameperiod of 2013 recorded295.402 tons.

To meet the growingdemand, Bechtel has beenselected by Sharjah AirportAuthority to provide masterplanning services for thephased expansion of SharjahInternational Airport in theUAE. The company will con-duct short-term and long-termanalyses of the airport’s futureneeds. Also, a new runway isunder construction at anapproximate cost of AED 500million. This will be of 4060mlength of CAT-II capability withthe possibility and provision ofupgrading to CAT-II B.Construction is expected to becompleted by the end of 2014.

Sharjah Airport Authorityhas signed an agreement withGama Aviation, the global avi-ation services company, whichallows the company to man-age private aviation servicesat Sharjah InternationalAirport, including all proce-dures and processes, startingfrom issuing landing permis-sions to take care of passen-gers and crews. TheDepartment of Civil Aviation

on the other hand, has signeda contract with Serco, theinternational service company,for the provision of air naviga-tion services at the SharjahInternational Airport. Sercowill also be responsible fortraining Emirati nationals tobecome qualified Air TrafficControllers and Air TrafficControllers Assistants.

Sharjah InternationalAirport’s convenient and efficient procedures make it an ideal choice for cargo operators.

Recently, SharjahInternationalAirport introducedan eClearancecargo portalfurther enhancingits cargo services,and in 2012, theairport installednew equipmentsworth over AED 3million at itsFreight Centre inorder to meet therequirements ofSharjah’s broad-ranging anddistinguishedairfreight sector.

The Airport is participat-ing in the celebrations surrounding the SharjahIslamic Culture Capital in 2014to highlight its contribution to

the cultural landscape filledwith a range of diverse activities and events.

Sharjah achieved this titleas the capital of Islamic culturecapital 2014 because of the ini-tiatives and directives of HisHighness Dr. Sheikh Sultanbin Mohammed Al Qasimi,Supreme Council Member andRuler of Sharjah, whichenhanced the prestige ofSharjah’s civilization and cul-ture over the past years.Sharjah International Airport’sattractive design is one of thearchitectural masterpieces thatform a part of the cultural fabricof Sharjah

The reputation and highstanding that SharjahInternational Airport enjoys today is the best testimony to its hard work,commitment to excellence andits far-reaching vision.

We, at Sharjah International Airport, always look to increase people connectivityand enhance ease of travel through our world-class facilities and services.

Aviation in UAE started from Sharjah

H.E. Ali Salim Al MidfaChairman

Sharjah Airport Authority

Major runway upgrade at Dubai Airports n Dubai Airport is launch-ing a comprehensive run-way upgrade project fromMay 1, 2014, to boost safety,service and capacity levels.The upgrade work will last80 days during which therunways will be closedalternatively – the southernrunway from May 1st toMay 31st, and the northernrunway from May 31st toJuly 20th, 2014. The projectinvolves the resurfacing ofthe entire 4,000-metre long

northern runway.

Passenger advisoryDuring the 80-day peri-

od, Dubai Airports is urgingpassengers to double-checkwith their respective air-lines’ websites to confirmtheir airport of departure orarrival. Dubai Airports’website www.dubaiair-ports.ae can also be consult-ed. While all Emiratesflights will continue to oper-ate out of DubaiInternational, a total of 14

airlines*, including flydubai,have reserved slots for

flights at DWC during the80-day period.

AVIATION6 TRAVTALK M A Y 2 0 1 4

Qatar Airways starts Doha-Philadelphia flightsn Qatar Airways’ inau-gural flight toPhiladelphia toucheddown at PhiladelphiaInternational Airport(PHL) on April 2, mark-ing the airline’s fifthgateway in the UnitedStates. With the launchof the daily service

between Philadelphiaand Qatar Airways’ hubin Doha, capital of theState of Qatar, the citybecomes destinationnumber 137 in the air-line’s expanding world-wide network.

Qatar Airways nowoperates 35 passenger

flights a week betweenthe United States andDoha – daily from NewYork, Washington DC,Chicago, Houston andPhiladelphia.

Qatar Airways’Doha to Philadelphiaroute is being operatedwith a Boeing 777-

300ER in a two-classconfiguration of up to293 seats in EconomyClass and up to 42 in Business.

Qatar Airways is setto launch services to adiverse portfolio of newroutes during the com-ing months, including

Larnaca, Cyprus (April29), Sabiha GökçenAirport, Turkey (May22), Edinburgh, Scotland(May 28), Miami, USA(June 10), Haneda,Japan (June 18),Dallas/Fort Worth, USA(July 1) and Djibouti(July 27).

All ready to make a difference@ATMAmine E Moukarzel,President, Golden Tulip Hotels.

Qantas is focussed onleading the way when it comesto setting the standard for pre-mium travel and enhancing theexperience for our customers.“We have recently opened thenew Qantas Hong KongLounge, offering customers anew standard of luxury whentravelling through the city. Wewill begin the A-330 fleetupgrade by the end of this year,which will include MarcNewson-designed BusinessSuites and new Economy seatsfor international and domesticcustomers. Qantas is also work-ing on two new lounges in LosAngeles”, explained RohanGarnett, Qantas RegionalGeneral Manager Middle Eastand North Africa.

Recently, Jetstar, part ofthe Qantas Group, announcedan agreement which is set toopen up new destinations forEmirates passengers acrossAustralia, New Zealand andSouth East Asia.“Emirates’code will now be placed on anumber of routes operated byJetstar Airways in Australiaand New Zealand and JetstarAsia, giving passengersaccess to 27 new routes andsix new destinations like Baliin Indonesia, Byron Bay inAustralia, Dunedin in NewZealand and Siem Reap inCambodia,” he added.

Air India has been astrong participant of ArabianTravel Market since early daysand will be participating ATM2014 as well. The Expo 2020would find relevance in theATM this year and Air India tooexpects to gain from this inter-action/forum.

“Tourism destinationsfrom the Middle East andacross the world showcase adiverse range of accommoda-tion options, new tourismattractions and new airlineroutes. As an airline of Indiaand as the Indian national car-rier, Air India gets an opportu-nity to represent and show-case the dynamic growth ofaviation industry in Indiathrough ATM,” stated SeemaSrivastava, RegionalManager- Gulf , Middle Eastand Africa, Air India, Dubai.

With more Dreamlinersscheduled for delivery in thecoming months, plans are onto expand our internationalnetwork to new destinationsincluding Rome, Milan andMoscow from India. “Air Indiabecomes the first Indian airlinethat is set to join the StarAlliance, an elite globalalliance of 28 leading interna-tional airlines. A strongerInternational Network that con-nects to interior points of Indiais what we wish to focus onsupported by a new generationfleet and world's largest airlinealliance,” she added.

“We had one stand lastyear with DTCM and overall, itwas a great result. We havedecided to have 2 stands, onewith DTCM and another stand-

alone. The one with DTCM willpromote our inbound and theother to promote our outgoingand travel agency,” expoundedMohamed Jassim Al Rais -Deputy Managing Director forAl Rais Tours & Holidays. “Thisis the first ATM after Dubai won

Expo and it’s time to show theworld what Dubai can do, it’salso the first time after Dubaiis moving as a smart city. SoATM 2014 will be different and

more visitors are expected,” he further stated.

Amadeus hasannounced its 13th consecu-tive annual participation atATM-2014. Antoine Medawar,Vice President, Middle East

and North Africa, Amadeus,elucidated, “To the next generation traveller, connectiv-ity, personalisation and sustainability are paramountand as service providers in an end-user driven industry,we need to be geared to meet these demands.Amadeus has been workingover the years to observe,understand and anticipate the changing end-user dynamics that directly impacttravel trends.

“Our research hasenabled us to design compre-hensive solutions that equipthe industry to serve their cus-tomers in a mutually satisfyingand sustainable manner. ATM2014 provides the ideal oppor-tunity for Amadeus to show-case our portfolio of avantgarde travel technology solu-tions that enable our cus-tomers to stay well ahead ofthe competition in an increas-ingly dynamic trade environ-ment,” he added.

Air India getsa chance toshowcasethe growth ofaviationindustry inIndiathrough ATM

We haverecently openedthe Qantas Hong KongLounge, whichoffers a newstandard ofluxury

Rohan GarnettQantas Regional General ManagerMiddle East and North Africa

Seema Srivastava Regional Manager- Gulf, MiddleEast and Africa, Air India, Dubai

ATM 2014 isideal forAmadeus toshowcaseour portfolioof avantgarde traveltech solutions

This is the firstATM afterDubai wonthe Expo andit’s time toshow theworld whatDubai can do

Mohamed Jassim Al Rais Deputy Managing Director for Al Rais Tours & Holidays

Antoine MedawarVice PresidentMiddle East and North Africa, Amadeus

u Contd. from page 1

HOTELS8 TRAVTALK M A Y 2 0 1 4

At Arabian Travel Market,the hotel will promote new

summer sales initiatives includ-ing tactical early bird offers forleisure and corporate visitors,longer-stay promotions withdiscounts for stays for fournights or more. It will also focuson the new refurbished apartment tower mainly for theGCC market.

In addition, the hotel isplanning to target stopovertraffic with attractive packageslike complimentary earlycheck-in for those arriving onovernight flights like fromAustralia, introducing guaran-teed room upgrade options asa sales incentive. According tothe Dubai Department ofTourism & CommerceMarketing (DTCM), nearly3,000 hotel rooms are beingadded in 2013 in Dubai and29,000 are in the pipelinebetween now and 2016.

“Dubai’s number of visi-tors increased by 10.6 per centin 2013 to reach around 11 mil-lion, well on the way to the tar-get of 20 million by 2020.Hence, the hotels must bedynamic in both their market-ing and services to sustainbusiness levels in the comingyears,” explained PeterMansourian, GeneralManager, Grand MillenniumDubai. “The hotel has to develop to cater market needs, selling on product and experience and not justprice to face increased compe-tition,” he added.

“Saudi Arabia, UK, USA,Russia, Germany, Oman andChina were our top visitor gen-erators in 2013. But we arelooking beyond these tradition-al markets to tempt new coun-tries with a taste of Dubai,”Mansourian added.

The sales team of this343-room five star hotel is con-

tinuously working on new mar-ket entries like Spain and LatinAmerican countries forinstance. It’s in the process ofattending roadshow inAzerbaijan and hosting familiari-sation trips for the travel tradeand media from Argentina,Brazil and Columbia. In addi-tion, Grand Millennium Dubaifocusses on Indonesian andMalaysian markets to boost summer occupancies, working with more overseastour operators as well to widensales platform.

In order to diversify international source markets, the Grand MillenniumDubai aims to strengthen the number of regional visitors to GCC with itsparticipation at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2014.

Focussing on new markets

TT BUREAU

Saudi Arabia,UK, USA,Russia,Germany,Oman andChina were ourtop visitorgenerators in2013

Peter MansourianGeneral ManagerGrand Millennium Dubai

� It is planning to target stopover traffic with packages likecomplimentary earlycheck-in for those arrivingon overnight flights,guaranteed room upgradeoptions as a salesincentive and so on

Upgrades

New luxury hotel in RAK n Bin Majid Hotels andResorts is scheduled toopen its doors for the newSantorini on MarjanIsland, the first man-madeisland project in Ras Al Khaimah, by the end of 2014.

The seven-story build-ing comprises 410 stylishguest rooms as well as anarray of facilities and ameni-ties to enhance the luxurydesign hotel experience.This will be the fifth proper-ty Bin Majid owns in RAK,joining others such as BeachResort, Beach Hotel, Acacia

Hotel and Mangrove Hotel.“We have developed a

hospitality legacy throughour current brands, andmuch of that legacy wasbuilt upon continuing toexpand and building astrong brand presence in theEmirates. With the newproperties and upcomingones in the pipeline, we willsoon be recognised as aleading hotel and leisurecompany in the UAE and theregion,” said Dr. AliKasapbashi, the ChiefOperating Officer of Bin Majid.

Best Airport Hotel in METhe OryxRotana Dohahas beennamed as theBest AirportHotel in theMiddle Eastthis year atthe 2014World AirportAwards heldat thePassengerTerminalEXPO inBarcelona,Spain

AVIATION1 0 TRAVTALK M A Y 2 0 1 4

Craig Thomas, EtihadAirways’ Regional General

Manager-Asia Pacific Northand Indian Subcontinent, said,

“The addition of the Jaipurservice reinforces EtihadAirways’ commitment to theIndian Subcontinent. We areconfident that the new flightswill continue the strong pas-

senger growth between Indiaand the UAE.” “The new serv-ice will provide travellers fromJaipur with seamless connec-tions to the Gulf region andMiddle East, as well as Africa,

Europe and North America, viaour Abu Dhabi hub,” he added.

Neerja Bhatia, GeneralManager – India, EtihadAirways, said, “Jaipur is a widely

recognised premium destina-tion attracting leisure and busi-ness travellers from around theworld. It is also known for host-ing many international culturalevents, including the renownedJaipur Literature Festival. Withthe addition of the new Jaipurflights to our existing Delhi serv-ices, we now fly to two destina-tions in the world-renownedGolden Triangle, offering ourguests more choice and con-venient travel options.” EtihadAirways’ new daily service willbe operated with an AirbusA320 aircraft in a two-class configuration, featuring 16 Pearl Business Class seatsand 120 Coral Economy Class seats. With the additionof Jaipur, Etihad now servestotal of 10 Indian cities including Ahmedabad,Bangalore, Chennai,Hyderabad, Kochi, Kozhikode,Mumbai, New Delhi andThiruvananthapuram.

Etihad Airways commenced daily operations betweenJaipur and Abu Dhabi. A lamp-lighting ceremony greetedthe disembarking passengers to celebrate the serviceand the airline’s 10th destination in India.

Etihad connects Jaipur

TT BUREAU

Dubai enters TripAdvisor’s ‘Best 25’n Dubai has been named asone of the top 25 places go worldwide in theTraveller Choice Awards2014 by TripAdvisor, theworld’s largest travel site.The entry highlighted 646activities to try in Dubaiincluding the SheikhMohammed Centre for

Cultural Understanding,The Dubai Fountain, DubaiCreek and various attrac-tions and tours in the city,desert and along the coast.Travellers’ ChoiceDestinations honour toptravel spots worldwidebased on the millions ofvaluable reviews and opin-

ions from TripAdvisor trav-ellers. Award winners weredetermined using an algo-rithm that took into accountthe quantity and quality ofreviews and ratings forhotels, attractions andrestaurants in destinationsworldwide, gathered over a12-month period.

Hosting Travel Agents from Slovakia

The Ramada Downtown Dubai played host to a group of 12 travel agents from Slovakia as part of a multi-venue familiarisation trip to Dubai aimed at building awareness of the city in Central Europe. Enjoying the hotel’sconvenient location near iconic attractions such as the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Mall, Dubai Fountains andMohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, the agents were also able to discover the features of the Ramada DowntownDubai including spacious suites, unrivalled views and pool and gym facilities.

TECHNOLOGY M A Y 2 0 1 4 TRAVTALK 1 1

“This fully supports the mis-sion and strategy we have

shared openly with our investorcommunity, media and col-leagues across the hotel andtravel industry over the last year.

Our stated mission is to build acommunity model for the hotelindustry, a replicaof our highlysuccessfulAmadeus Altéacommunity modelfor airlines,” explained Jeff Edwards, Headof Global Hotel Business,Amadeus IT Group.

IHG has a wealth of subject matter expertise,

renowned for offering the mostefficient technological solu-tions at all stages of theguest’s journey (Dream, Plan,Book, Travel and Share) toenhance their guests’ experi-ence. IHG has also soundideas about what next-gensystems for the hotel industryshould look like.

According toInterContinental Hotels Group,it’s a consumer-driven compa-

ny that uses insight to antici-pate consumer trends andbehaviour. It has long trackrecord of investing in relevanttechnologies to support brandpromise and build a closer rela-tionship with its guests.Partnering with Amadeus willhelp continue to do that.

“The marriage ofInterContinental HotelsGroup’s unique insight andguest care with Amadeus’technology vision and infrastructure capabilities has the potential to deliver agreat change in hotel solu-tions,” he said.

“While a ‘communitymodel’ is a new concept for thefragmented hotel industry, wesee significant interest. As weprogress with partners likeIHG, we look ahead truly toshape the future of hotels,”Edwards further stated.

Amadeus recently announced a strategic technologyrelationship with IHG. The initial phase will focus on planningand development. This will involve scoping out and creatinga roadmap for potential technologies and solutions.

Strategic technology bonds

Jeff EdwardsHead of Global Hotel BusinessAmadeus IT Group

TT BUREAU

As part of the agreement,Travelport, which is distrib-

uted in Kuwait by TravelTechnology SystemsCompany, will also provideEternity Travels with a range ofits industry leading productsincluding TravelportSmartpoint, the cutting edgepoint-of-sale solution andTravelport Rooms and More,the online hotel booking tool.

“Kuwait remains one ofour focus regions in the MiddleEast and signing this deal withEternity Travels, who are amajor industry player, will sig-nificantly boost Travelport’spresence in the country andfurther extend our service andcontent offering to travelagents and travellers acrossthe region,” informed JenniferD’Souza, RegionalCommercial Director, Gulf,

Levant, Pakistan and Turkey,Travelport. “We look forward to

work closely with our distributorTravel Technology SystemsCompany to support EternityTravels and help them achievetheir business goals for yearsto come.” Originally establishedin 2009, Eternity Travels, aswholesale and retail agency,has steadily grown to becomeone of the top 10 agencies inKuwait with eight branchesacross Kuwait and India.According to them, the strongrelationship with TravelTechnology Systems Companymade them a very strong busi-ness partner for EternityTravels and the primary GDS.

An important partnership was announced betweenTravelport and Eternity Travels. The new multi-year dealwill see the latter migrate the majority stake of its businessto Travelport’s GDS.

Migrating to a better GDS

Signing this dealwill extend ourservice andcontent offeringto travel agentsand travellersacross the region

Jennifer D’SouzaRegional Commercial DirectorGulf, Levant, Pakistan and Turkey, Travelport

TT BUREAU

� Eternity Travels hassteadily grown to becomeone of the top ten agenciesin Kuwait with eightbranches across Kuwaitand India

New Ties

CRUISE1 2 TRAVTALK M A Y 2 0 1 4

The Queen Elizabethwould spend a day in the

port as part of its 2014 worldcruise that set sail fromSouthampton in the UK inearly January. In due course,it has taken aboard passen-gers from calls in SanFrancisco, Sydney, HongKong and Singapore. Theliner will return next April at the heels of The Queen Mary 2 as part of 2015world cruise program com-memorating the 175th anniver-sary of the Cunard LinesFoundation.

Sultan Al Dhaheri,Acting Executive Director,Tourism, Abu Dhabi Tourism &Culture Authority, explained,“The Queen Elizabeth is con-sidered the most high-profilearrival of what is set to be ourbusiest cruise season, and asign that our promotion of AbuDhabi in recent years as a

highly credible winter cruisedestination is bearing fruit.”

Furthermore, he eluci-dated “Long-term supportfrom leading cruise liners likeCunard raises the emirate’scredibility within the cruisesector and allows us todemonstrate our extensiverange of high-end differentiat-ed passenger experiences.Developing awareness ofArabian Gulf cruising in part-nership with other regionalcruise destinations remains apriority. Abu Dhabi’s expand-ing cultural, historic and sin-gular experiences are corecomponent of our plans toenhance the emirate’s repu-tation and ability to deliver aworld-class, shore excursionexperience.”

Passengers aboard the294 mt, AED 2 billion ship will appreciate the selectionof 12 restaurants and bars, an 832-seat Royal Court the-

atre, a library, a spa and fit-ness centre, an outdoor pool and 1,046 stateroomsand suites.

The 2014-15 cruise season is slated to be thelargest ever with the arrival ofalmost 190,000 passengersfrom 75 calls generated by 14ships in all. To meet suchstrenuous demand, AbuDhabi is moving forward withits plans for a permanentcruise terminal at Zayed Portand a stopover ‘Desert Island’beach experience in itsWestern Region both set to debut in the 2015-16 cruise season.

The Cunard line, aBritish-American owned ship-ping company based atCarnival House inSouthampton, England, wasfounded in 1840 and has beenthe leading operator of passen-ger ships in the Atlantic for overa century.

The Queen Elizabeth is set to make its maiden call at Zayed Port, Abu Dhabi,in April 2014. This follows in the success of a similar maiden voyage made bythe company’s flagship, Queen Mary 2 to Abu Dhabi last January.

When Queen Elizabeth sails in!

SUSMITA GHOSH

Developingawareness ofArabian Gulfcruising inpartnership withother regionalcruisedestinationsremains apriority

Sultan Al DhaheriActing Executive Director, Tourism, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority

Langham Hospitality forays into Middle Eastn Langham HospitalityGroup announced an agree-ment with DAS Real Estateto manage The Langhamresort in Dubai, UnitedArab Emirates. Located onthe crescent of PalmJumeirah and scheduled toopen in 2015, this 323-room resort marks doublelandmark ‘firsts’ for the

Hong Kong-based hotelcompany. It is the group'sfirst foray into the MiddleEast and the first resort inits global collection.

With the interiorsdesigned by the AedasLimited, The Langham, PalmJumeirah, Dubai, will show-case tasteful furnishingsreflective of the brand's her-itage as one of the premier

grand hotels in Europe. Designed to become one

of the city's social centres fordining, The Langham willoffer guests a wide variety ofinnovative restaurants andbars, most of them with alfresco waterside dining.

Headlining the culinaryoptions will be Palm Court, an

elegant lounge modelled afterits namesake at TheLangham, London - the firstgrand hotel to serve the tra-ditional afternoon tea in1865. "We are very muchlooking forward to introduc-ing The Langham's rich her-itage and impeccable servicevalues to Dubai," said RobertWarman, CEO, LanghamHospitality Group.

We are very much looking forwardto introducing The Langham's rich heritage and impeccableservice values to Dubai

Robert WarmanCEO, Langham Hospitality Group

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The pre-launch buzz hasalready begun. The

rebranding will be executedacross all Coral Hotels &Resorts shortly after the ATM 2014.

"We operate in a highlycompetitive and dynamic envi-ronment. Having been 10years in operation, we felt itwas time to refresh the identity

of Coral Hotels & Resortsbecause of the challenges andopportunities we see as weexpand,” announced LaurentA. Voivenel, CEO, HMH -Hospitality Management

Holdings. “The overhaul wasdriven by an acknowledgementthat provides a highly digitalenvironment as guests wants to be simply moreengaged. Hence, it was

both necessary from a techno-logical standpoint and as anopportunity to leverage CoralHotels & Resorts for competi-tive advantage."

Laurent stressed, "Digitaland social engagement hasmoved brands outside ofadvertisements into incidentalexposure. As a brand, we mustserve customers who attendmultiple media simultaneously.So, as a part of our marketingand rebranding strategy, weare investing in new digital plat-forms to optimise the con-sumer experience. Our primaryobjective is to engage andbuild strong relationships withour guests."

Reviving Coral Hotels &Resorts has not been an easyexercise. Laurent stated,"Undoubtedly, it is a very sig-nificant step in the brand's his-tory and has taken nearly 6months of research and work,including the development of

the new logo as well as identi-fying the Coral brand's corepurpose. The new identityoffers a strong, consistent andfocussed brand identity on allcustomer-facing fronts. Wehave kept it very simple."

HMH – HospitalityManagement Holdings is thefirst hotel chain in the MiddleEast to offer alcohol-free safeenvironment. The Hotel brandscater from budget to luxury. Itsexisting portfolio features 20properties located in destina-tions across the MENA regionwith a pipeline of hotels underdevelopment.

Coral Hotels & Resorts will have a new corporate identity during the ArabianTravel Market 2014. Utilising print, digital and broadcast media, the new lookwill be introduced to consumers with a 360° campaign across the MENA region.

New Identity unveiled at ATM 2014

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Laurent A. VoivenelCEOHMH - Hospitality Management Holdings

As a part of our marketing andrebranding strategy, we areinvesting in new digital platforms tooptimise the consumer experience

� The process had takennearly six months ofresearch, including thedevelopment of a new logoas well as the Coralbrand's core purpose

Transformation

Emirates Official Storelands at the Dubai Malln The newest EmiratesOfficial Store and theEmirates A380 Experience -the Middle East’s first publicA380 flight simulator - atthe shopping destinationwas launched at The Villageat The Dubai Mall by SheikhAhmed bin Saeed Al

Maktoum, the Chairman ofDubai Civil AviationAuthority and the Chairmanof Emirates Group.

The Emirates A-380Experience introduces itsvisitors to the flight deck ofthe world’s most spaciousand modern aircraft, allow-ing the guests to experiencethe thrill of landing and tak-ing off from 12 of the

world’s busiest airports indifferent weather condi-tions.

Adding to the excite-ment, the guests will bescored on how well theynavigate the aircraft, allow-ing them to compete againsttheir family and friends. Thisis the Emirates Airlines’ sec-ond such project, havinglaunched the EmiratesAviation Experience inLondon last year to a strongpublic reception.

“Emirates is the largestoperator of the A-380 with47 in our fleet. We aredelighted to present avia-tion enthusiasts withanother unique perspectiveto the world’s largest pas-senger aircraft with theEmirates A-380Experience. Based on ourexperience in the UK, webelieve the Emirates A-380Experience will be a verypopular activity for mallvisitors, as well as forteam-building activities forcorporate and incentivegroups,” said SheikhAhmed.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al MaktoumChairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Emirates Group

AVIATION M A Y 2 0 1 4 TRAVTALK 1 5

The summit brought togeth-er over 1,000 C-level

executives, senior decision-makers and government offi-cials involved in the aero-

space, aviation, defence andspace industries. The themeof the summit was ‘ForgingStrategies for the Growth of our Industries.’ A series ofindustry-specific strategy

sessions, closed-door meetings, social networkingopportunities and site visitsran along the Summit's mainconference. Tony Douglas,CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports,said, “We are proud to beinvolved in this significantindustry event for the secondyear since its inception. AbuDhabi’s aviation industry is avital pillar supporting the long-term objectives set out in AbuDhabi Economic Vision 2030.We are excited to discuss and learn more about the crucial issues the aero-space, aviation, defence and space industries are currently facing.”

Etihad is focussing onproduct innovation as it contin-ues to expand its operations,while Abu Dhabi Airports provides the necessary support of world-class airportinfrastructure.

In line with Abu Dhabi EconomicVision 2030, the development of Abu Dhabi aviation industry was led by Abu Dhabi Airports and Etihad Airways.

Investing in Aerospace

Tony DouglasCEOAbu Dhabi Airports

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In February 2014, Air Arabiaand the Ras Al KhaimahDepartment of Civil Aviationentered into a long-term strate-gic partnership to increase thenumber of destinations acces-sible to the residents of RAKand bring more tourists withinthe reach of the emirate.

Besides increasing theaccessibility of Ras AlKhaimah to international pas-sengers, this partnership alsoanticipated a direct boost to thelocal economy through anincrease in tourism flow andthe job opportunities for AirArabia employees who will bepermanently based at RAKInternational Airport. Air Arabiawill follow exactly the samevalue-for-money businessmodel from RAK InternationalAirport, as it does from its pri-mary base in Sharjah.

His Excellency Engr.Sheikh Salem Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman,Department of Civil Aviation(DCA), Ras Al Khaimah, said,“This important collaborationwill give a major boost to theeconomic development of RAKand strengthen the growingexcitement about the Emirateas an investment destination.”

“With our hubs inSharjah and Ras Al Khaimah,Air Arabia is well positioned to cater to the travel needs of the Northern Emirates, a position we believe will deliver real value to our cus-tomers and shareholders,”expressed Adel Ali, GroupChief Executive Officer, Air Arabia. Two new Airbus A-

320 aircraft will initially bebased at RAK InternationalAirport to service regularroutes to Jeddah in Saudi, Cairo in Egypt, Muscat in Oman, Islamabad,Lahore and Peshawar inPakistan, Dhaka inBangladesh and Calicut inIndia, which will be addedshortly after launch.

Starting May 6, 2014, Air Arabia offers direct services to eight routes from RAK International Airport. To announce the operational details of itssoon-to-open hub at RAK Airport; Air Arabia, the newly-designated carrier ofRAK joined the Emirate’s tourism and aviation authorities on April 15.

Air Arabia to open a hub at RAK

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NEWS

The Dhafra Beach Hotel isto receive 100 extra suites,

with the existing 100 beingrenovated. Similarly, the DanatJebel Dhanna Resort is to gain24 new chalets, in addition to3 new restaurants and a healthclub facility. As for new attrac-tions opening within their prop-erties, the ‘Modern IrishExperience’ pub McGettigansis slated to open in Al RahaBeach Hotel. It will offer thevery best of Irish fare in a mod-ern, yet warm environment.The Danat Al Ain Resort’s allday dining restaurant ‘TheArabesque’ has recently fin-ished being renovated. SandsHotel has started the renova-tion of three floors. In addition,the Tilal Liwa, the group’sdesert-themed property, located at the edge of the Rub Al Khali desert has recently opened a newattraction. The Al Dhafra Oasisis intended to be an ideal

venue for gathering of varioussizes and descriptions.

The hotel group is alsolooking to capitalise on theonset of Ramadan and sum-mer with promotional cam-paigns and events for both togo into effect.

Walid Nicolas Harouni,Hotels Division Director DanatHotels & Resorts – A Divisionof NCT&H, highlights thegroup’s plans for the upcom-ing ATM (Arabian TravelMarket) 2014. “We will beexhibiting to bring more properties under Danat Hotelsand Resorts brand in bothdomestic and foreign locations,” he stated.

Harouni also informed,“Our hotels occupancy haswitnessed a growth in 2013 atlower ADR due to the increasein competition in Abu Dhabi.The guests are looking forspecial deals to book rooms.

Despite this, the group isanticipating an increase in thedomestic tourism and fromleisure segment from abroadand the GCC market.”

Danat Hotels & Resortsis the Hotels ManagementDivision of NationalCorporation for Tourism &Hotels. It manages a portfolioof four- and five- star proper-ties in Abu Dhabi - Danat AlAin Resort, Danat JebelDhanna Resort, Al RahaBeach Hotel, Tilal Liwa Hotel,Sands Hotel and DhafraBeach Hotel.

The National Corporation for Tourism & Hotels (NCT&H) group has addedand renovated several properties in its portfolio. In 2014, it is launchingDanat Residence, a premium residential complex with 189 apartments.

Addition and overhaul underway

We will beexhibiting tobring morepropertiesunder DanatHotels andResorts brand inboth domesticand foreignlocations

Walid Nicolas HarouniHotels Division Director Danat Hotels & Resorts

� The pub McGettigans isslated to open in Al RahaBeach Hotel.

� The Danat Al Ain Resort’srestaurant ‘The Arabesque’has recently finished beingrenovated.

Expanding Portfolio

SUSMITA GHOSH

SATA’s Abu Dhabi branch launchedn As part of its expansionplans in the region,Sharjah Airport TravelAgency (SATA), an IATA

accredited travel agency,recently opened its AbuDhabi branch.

The new office will servetravel needs of its increasingcustomers and offer a com-plete range of travel serviceslike worldwide airline reser-vation and ticketing, hotelreservation, holiday pack-ages, cruise packages, renta car, conferences, air char-ters, MICE and more.

The opening ceremonywas inaugurated by H.E. AliSalim Abdelrahman AlMidfa, Chairman, Sharjah

Airport Authority andattended by H.E. SheikhKhalid Isam Saqer AlQassimi, Chairman,Department of CivilAviation, Arshad Munir,General Manager, SATA,other government officials,airline and trade partners.Munir informed at the

launch, “Opening our firstbranch in Abu Dhabi is amilestone achievement forSATA. We are now seeingthe realisation of our goalwhich is to spread our wingsand open several branchesall over the UAE.”

Primarily to cater to theneeds of passengers travel-ling through SharjahInternational Airport, solelyowned by the AirportAuthority, SATA had decidedto change its strategy bypositioning itself as a profes-sional agency. SATA movedits head office to Sharjah tospread its wings firstly with-in the Emirate of Sharjahand then later on all over theUAE with offices in Ajman,Ras Al Khaimah, Dubai, AbuDhabi and plans to open inFujairah.

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Arshad MunirGeneral ManagerSATA

HOTELS M A Y 2 0 1 4 TRAVTALK 1 7

Adopting various eco-friend-ly elements including

Green Menus to Green Tours,Green Services, GreenAmenities and many more,Tilal Liwa Hotel is recognisedas ‘Green Stay’ with the teamand their guests.

All the guests stayed atthe property throughout thefestival, were offered impres-sive Green Packages. Theyhave received discount of 15per cent on Best AvailableRoom Rate and 20 per centdiscount on massage andbeauty treatments offered atthe Body & Soul Health Club.They took part in the hotel’splanting activity and wereadvised on water and energyconservation.

Ayman Ashor, GeneralManager, Tilal Liwa Hotel,expressed, “We have com-mended the UAE government

for launching the UAE GreenFestival. Our Green Packageshave ensured to provide resi-dents and visitors a better qual-ity of life by protecting and pre-serving our Mother Earth!”

Portrayed as an idealdestination for short holidaysor weekend escape, Tilal LiwaHotel recorded a growth in2013, with 36 per cent increaseon overall revenue comparedto 2012. The hotel occupancyincreased by 6 per cent and the guest level surged by 91 per cent.

The Arabian TravelMarket is a much-awaitedevent for Tilal Liwa Hotel as itis attended by key decision-makers in the travel and hospi-tality industry, and hence,receives immediate feedback.

“Our meeting with ourpartners will focus on strength-ening the relations and updatethem about our growth this

year and the plans throughoutthe season. We will be present-ing to them our unique andcustomised packages duringsummer that will include hotel stay, activities, transfersand other fantastic offers,” he added.

The Danat SummerPromotion will also be unveiledwith fun-filled activities. For thenext season, the hotel hasorganised more activities likestar-gazing, desert football,volleyball and desert walk toamazing dunes, tours to theLiwa Oasis, Moreeb Dune,forts, date plantation and otherkids’ activities.

Tilal Liwa Hotel, a leisure resort in Abu Dhabi, has announced itsparticipation in UAE Green Festival. The festival, organised from March 16to April 16, 2014, was designed to educate people about the property.

UAE: A key ‘green destination’

Our GreenPackages haveensured toprovideresidents andvisitors a betterquality of life byprotecting andpreserving ourMother Earth!

Ayman AshorGeneral ManagerTilal Liwa Hotel

� Tilal Liwa Hotel recorded agrowth in 2013, with 36per cent increase onoverall revenue comparedto 2012.

Green Growth

More flights from AbuDhabi to Athens, Larnacan Etihad Airways, the nationalairline of the United ArabEmirates, announced it willboost frequency and capacityto Athens and Larnaca, addingdepth to its expanding net-work, while enhancing connec-tivity over its Abu Dhabi hub.Peter Baumgartner, ChiefCommercial Officer, EtihadAirways said, “These increases

in frequency and capacitydemonstrate our commitmentto build a global, connectednetwork. In the case of Athens,our new flights will offer gueststhe choice of two differentdeparture times to and fromAbu Dhabi, and in the case ofLarnaca, the additional flightswill provide more choice andflexibility, as well as better con-nectivity over Abu Dhabi.”

From July 2 2014, EtihadAirways will increase frequen-cy on the Abu Dhabi-Athensroute from seven to ten flightsper week with the introduction

of three new flights, which willprovide passengers travellingto and from Athens with morechoice and greater flexibility.The new flights will enable Etihad Airways to place its flight code on Aegean-operated flights beyond Athensto Barcelona, subject to regu-latory approval.

In addition, between 1June and 30 September, EtihadAirways’ daily EY090/EY091flights will be upgraded fromthe current 174-seat AirbusA321 operation to a 254-seatAirbus A330-200 aircraft.

The airline will increase itsbase frequency on the AbuDhabi-Larnaca route fromthree to five flights per week.Etihad Airways will also oper-ate Larnaca as a daily serviceduring the peak summer periodfrom July 1 to September 30, 2014.

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AGENTS1 8 TRAVTALK M A Y 2 0 1 4

The company will launch itsredesigned corporate web-

site which is more user-friendly,with comprehensive featuresto help travellers access and navigate the site faster and easier.

Planet Travels & Tours willalso announce the enhance-ment of the B2B online reser-vation system with new fea-tures like secure paymentgateway for payments by creditcard. The site’s customer XMLis already working smoothlyand the group is planning tolaunch the supplier intranet toincrease last minute availabilityfor its customers.

Georges M. Moussa,Chairman, Planet Group,informed, “We are pleased toannounce our participation inthis year’s Arabian TravelMarket (ATM). We are alsoexcited to hear and learn the

latest travel trends includinginformation on how the compa-nies are working towards Expo2020. We, at Planet Group, willbe sharing the successes anddevelopments that we haveachieved since ATM 2013.”

“We are proud to unveilour new website with moreinformation, our partnershipwith EC Air from theCongolese Republic and theenhancement of our B2Bonline reservation system,”added he.

Besides UzbekistanAirways, Planet Travel & Tourshas been appointed byEquatorial Congolese Airlines(EC Air) as its general salesagent in the UAE to provide fullsales and marketing servicesand customer support, ticket-ing and administrative facilities.A signing ceremony was heldFebruary 2014, attended bytop officials of the airlines andthe government of the

Congolese Republic.Commercials flights betweenBrazzaville and Dubai startedsince March 31, 2014.

The company is currentlyworking on integrating withseveral international wholesaletravel companies to offer acomprehensive global product.This interface will go live beforeATM 2014 and will make a variety of attractive onlinebooking services.

A new website, an enhanced B2B online reservation system and a newpartnership are some of the major successes of Planet Travels & Tours in2013, a travel management company in the UAE.

New achievements on the move

SUSMITA GHOSH

We are proud tounveil our newwebsite, ourpartnership withEC Air from theCongoleseRepublic andenhanced B2Bonline reservationsystem

Georges M. MoussaChairmanPlanet Group

� It will also announce itsenhanced B2B onlinereservation system withfeatures like securepayment gateway forcredit cards.

� The group is planning tolaunch the supplier intranetto increase last minuteavailability for itscustomers

On The Way

Kyoto City Tourism enters UAE n Kyoto City has opened apromotional office in Dubaito encourage Gulf nationalsand residents to visit Japan’sancient capital for holidaysand leisure.

Yoshikazu Kuki, Director ofKyoto City Tourism & MICEOffice, said, “We say with greatpride and enthusiasm that weare the first Japanese tourismauthority to open a permanentpromotional office in theMiddle East. While Kyoto is an

ancient city, our outlook isextremely modern. We warmlywelcome visitors from theMiddle East to experience our unique culture, shopping,sites, activities and cuisine, as well as our internationallyrenowned ‘omotenashi’ hospitality.”

To make Kyoto even morehospitable for Muslim trav-ellers, Kyoto City has beenworking closely with its localtourism and hotel industry toensure cultural and religiousneeds are well taken care of.Local seminars have been heldregularly to educate the travelindustry on the importance ofproviding Halal and Muslim-friendly cuisine and other serv-ices and amenities that wouldbe appreciated by guests from

the region. In 2013, a selectgroup of leading UAE travelagents were invited to Kyoto toexperience what the city has tooffer as well as speak to thelocal tour operators and hoteliers to provide theirexpertise and advice on how tocater for Middle Eastern guests.

We welcome visitors from theMiddle East to experience ourculture, shopping, cuisine, as wellas our ‘omotenashi’ hospitality.

Yoshikazu KukiDirector, Kyoto City Tourism & MICE Office

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When Global and local expertise merge Web In Travel (WIT) Middle East, the local edition of WIT Conference witnessed leading personalities of the online travel world in the region, relevant stakeholders and global players who want to get engaged with one of the world’s fastest growing travel market. Dubai was served as its launching hub in the ME and similar events have been planned in Saudi Arabia and Turkey subsequently.

FAMILY ALBUM M A Y 2 0 1 4 TRAVTALK 2 1

Air India celebrates ‘Awards Nite’Air India conducted its ‘Annual Agency Awards Nite 2014’ and felicitation function. The function was well-attended by the who’s who of travel trade fraternityfrom UAE, covering seven Emirates.

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GIBTM 2014 kicked off with 300 exhibitorsThe show, which is gaining fame, had 74 new exhibitors, making their debut. Over 250 regional and international buyers from 36 countries attended GIBTM 2014 in Abu Dhabi, which counted over 300 exhibitors. The event was inaugurated by Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development.