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AUGUST 2015
ISSUE 70
SPECIAL REPORT: TATO
WITH ITS WELLNESS TRADITIONS DATING CENTURIES BACK,
THE MIDDLE EAST BOASTS SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST
OPULENT SPA AND WELLNESS HUBS, AS WELL AS SOME OF ITS
MOST EXPENSIVE TREATMENTS.
08
TOUR: MALDIVES
17
IN THIS ISSUE
MARKET UPDATE
02
EXCLUSIVE: SPA’S
03
02
08
SPECIAL REPORT: TATO
EXPLORE: TURKEY
ONSITE: AZERBAIJAN
TOUR: MALDIVES
RENDEZVOUS
WHO’S MOVED
NEWS & EVENTS
04
12
09
15
16
17
20
21
21
22
22
24
23
24
EXCLUSIVE: Spas
3
MARKET UPDATE
TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS
MANAGING EDITOR
Mary Kammitsi
[email protected]
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Maria Kazeli
Positive Growth for Abu Dhabi
International Airport
Passenger traffic at Abu Dhabi International Airport was up by 14.9 percent yearon-year in May, with 1,877,440 passengers on records.
SENIOR JOURNALIST
Rita Kasziba
CONTRIBUTOR
Ana Mladenovic
PRESS
Maria Demetriadou
Pauline Shahabian
Inna Armeanu
DESIGN & LAYOUT
Elena Stylianou
WEB & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Savvas Kammitsis
DIRECTORS
Andreas Constantinides
Mary Kammitsi
HEADQUARTERS
T.T.W. Travel Trade Weekly LTD
P.O. Box 25255, Nicosia 1308 Cyprus
Tel: +357 22 021607, Fax: +357 22 103670
WEBSITE
www.traveltrademena.travel
T
EMAILS
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
he figures included travellers to and from Italy, which have grown by
166.5 percent compared to May 2014, exceeding 50,000 passengers, as
Alitalia’s newly-opened routes to Milan and Venice started to take effect. In addition, passengers on US routes rose by 49 percent to reach
106,000 persons.
In terms of traffic, India topped the list with over 305,000 customers, up by
58.6 percent over 2014.
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Cyprinters Ltd
P.O. Box 58300, CY-3732, Limassol, Cyprus
Tel: +357 25 720035, Fax: +357 25 720123
Email: [email protected]
MENA EXCHANGE RATES
As of 29/7/2015
Currencies shown in blue
are fixed against the US
Dollar
2
COUNTRY
CURRENCY 1USD=
Bahrain (BHD)
Dinar
0.37
Jordan (JOD)
Dinar
0.71
Oman (OMR)
Rial
0.39
Qatar (QAR)
Rial
3.64
Saudi Arabia (SAR) Riyal
3.75
UAE (AED)
Dirham
3.67
Algeria (DZD)
Dinar
99.23
Egypt (EGP)
Pound
7.82
Iran (IRR)
Rial
29,567.34
Iraq (IQD)
Dinar
1,156.43
Kuwait (KWD)
Dinar
0.30
Lebanon (LBP)
Pound
1,503.25
Libya (LYD)
Dinar
1.37
Morocco (MAD)
Dirham
9.79
Syria (SYP)
Pound
188.82
Tunisia (TND)
Dinar
1.96
Yemen (YER)
Rial
214.89
QAIA: 2.66 Million Passengers in
Five Months
Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) welcomed close to 2.66 million travellers
between January and May, a decline of 8.1 percent compared to the
corresponding period in 2014.
A
ircraft movements (ACM) for the five-month period dropped 6.3 percent to 57,624; with cargo
volumes on the other hand showed a continued
growth since the beginning of the year, surging
7.4 percent to 40,099 tonnes.
In May, the Jordanian airport received 565,591 passengers, down 6.6 percent, while ACM plummeted 5.4 percent to
6,323 movements.
Queen Alia International Airport
AUGUST 2015
EXCLUSIVE SPAS
SERVING A LIFESTYLE
WITH ITS WELLNESS TRADITIONS DATING CENTURIES BACK, THE MIDDLE EAST BOASTS SOME
OF THE WORLD’S MOST OPULENT SPA AND WELLNESS HUBS, AS WELL AS SOME OF ITS MOST
EXPENSIVE TREATMENTS – GOLD LEAF MASKS, GEM- AND PEARL-INFUSED FACIALS, CAVIARBASED INDULGENCES, AND MORE. LUXURY AND OPULENCE ASIDE, WHAT IS THE MIDDLE
EASTERN SPA-GOER REALLY LOOKING FOR?
 Ana Mladenovic writes
“S
pa guests are looking
more and more for
the holistic approach,
natural products and
quick
treatments,”
said Miroslava Meszarosova, spa manager,
Talise Spa, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, con-
AUGUST 2015
cisely summing up the top three trends
almost unanimously reported by spa experts across the region. Lavish premises,
expensive cosmetics brands and the latest in technology just do not seem to be
enough these days, with the savvy spa
-goer demanding just a tiny bit more.
AN ALL-ENCOMPASSING JOURNEY
“Today’s spa-goers are looking for not
just a one-time pampering experience
in spas, but rather a holistic regime
ranging from therapies, fitness, nutritional and mindful practices that can be
embraced daily, in a more sustainable
way,” enlightened Suraj Dubey, director
of spa and wellness, Mövenpick Resort
& Spa Dead Sea, who is heading the expansive 6,000m2 Zara Spa.
Holistic health and wellness concerns are also gaining prominence
among the Middle Eastern clientele
outside Jordan. In the UAE, for example,
there seems to be a need to encompass
spa and wellness routines in people’s
lifestyle. This was highlighted by Paris
Kounoudis, director, ESPA, The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal, who said,
“People are becoming more conscious
and sensitive about their health and are
trying to adapt to a more holistic approach to lifestyle. […] An increased 
3
EXCLUSIVE SPAS
its Dead Sea shores and natural springs.
“People are paying more attention
to living a green, environmentallyfriendly lifestyle with the use of organic
ingredients and this translates over into
their spa treatments as well,” confirmed
Darani Phanchaisri, spa manager, Kempinski Hotel Aqaba.
Sourcing local and natural ingredients is also a hot trend over in Egypt,
according to Christopher Tutty, director
of sales and marketing, Sofitel Old Winter Palace & Pavillon Luxor and Sofitel
Legend Old Cataract Aswan, who enthused, “The latest trend in the Egyptian spa treatments is to draw on local
culture and traditions, combining seabased therapy with the natural health
and beauty secrets of ancient Egypt.”
Similarly, in the glistening and buzzing Doha, affluent spa patrons are also
number of customers are trying to find
spas and treatments that match their
lifestyle.”
Thus, in order to ensure an all-encompassing spa journey to its savvy clients,
The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal
is upgrading its private spa beach – the
only one in the UAE capital - and will
launch new treatments in September.
Similar views have been voiced
across Dubai, with Gopal Kumar, director
of spa and retail, Burj Al Arab, revealing,
“Today’s spa-goers are more educated
and more conscious of their lifestyle and
their needs […]. They are interested in an
all-encompassing lifestyle plan, as opposed to a short-term quick fix.”
The trend towards a holistic approach to spa, instead of limiting it to
pure indulgence, has also spilled into
the Lebanese capital, as Michel Chaaya,
spa manager, PreGray Health Club and
Spa, Le Gray, Beirut, confirmed.
“As a result of growing demand for
relaxation and stress management these
days, clients are looking for much more
than basic pampering; they want to learn
how to take care of themselves,” he said.
TOWARDS THE NATURAL
A region known for its high-spenders,
the Middle East is famed for its luxurious treatments that use some of the
most expensive ingredients such as
gold, gems, pearls, caviar and the likes.
As coveted as these are, for an increasing number of spa-goers the ‘wow’ factor alone is not crucial when deciding
on their treatment.
4
“The very expensive gold and gems
treatments are still the highest trend
and most requested, however, we are
starting to see more curiosity in the
type of products used and more interest in the contents and origin of the
products,” said Drashell Schmidt, spa
director, Rosewood Abu Dhabi.
“Guests are now taking an interest
in organic products that are healthier
for the skin, so for us at Sense carrying
VOYA is a big advantage,” she added.
Organic and natural ingredients
also dominate the spa menu of Sharjah’s newest spa gem, O2 Spa which
welcomed its first clients in July, and
are the pride of ESPA at Yas Viceroy Abu
Dhabi which uses luxuriously natural
products, according to Made Sudiarti,
“
CLIENTS ARE
LOOKING FOR
MUCH MORE THAN
BASIC PAMPERING
ESPA director, Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi.
Organic is also the buzz word on the
Jordanian spa scene, and it perfectly
complements the country’s centurieslong history of wellness and healing on
valuing the local and the natural. This is
perhaps best reflected in Sharq Village
and Spa, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, which
boasts an expansive wellness hub with
23 treatment rooms resembling a traditional Qatari village with a souq and narrow alleyways.
“The local environment and traditions have provided inspiration for
treatments which use organic ingredients such as fresh dates, honey, figs and
almonds,” said Francisca Rocha Antunes,
regional operations director, Sharq Village and Spa, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
Taking natural to another level,
Thomas Fehlbeir, general manager, Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara,
referred to ‘earthing’, that is, using movements that include contact with 
AUGUST 2015
EXCLUSIVE SPAS
the Earth and with natural environments, such as walking on grass.
“Earthing can take several forms,
such as offering treatments outdoors
[…] or opening spas in the wilderness,”
he explained.
ute treatment or workout. Shorter
and more efficient spa treatments and
classes are emerging, and integration
of classes for those who struggle to find
the time to work out is becoming more
common,” enlightened Rishi Bharadwaj,
spa director, GOCO Spa Ajman.
CHASING TIME
RESULT-DRIVEN
“With our busy lifestyles, […] there is an
interest in wanting maximum relaxation within a minimum amount of time,
so express treatments for 30 to 40 minutes, as opposed to a full day of pampering, are more appealing,” Jeanette
Haua, director, Royal Spa, The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain, introduced the third most
prevalent trend in the regional spa and
wellness industry.
Her insight has been mirrored by
others outside Bahrain.
In the neighbouring Qatar, Fehlbeir
similarly noticed, “Spa-goers have never
been so pressed for time. As a result,
they look for a moment to quickly relax. Spas have successfully been able to
address the need by proposing shorter
treatments and sporadically in non-traditional settings.”
The situation seems to be no different in the UAE, with Kounoudis confirming that visitors at The Ritz-Carlton
Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal are looking to
get the most benefits of a treatment in
just one hour.
Over in slower-paced Ajman, time
also is very precious.
“There never seems to be enough of
it to do everything, including an 80-min-
6
Another trend that has been prominently mentioned in the industry is focus on
result-driven treatments.
“
SPA-GOERS
HAVE NEVER BEEN
SO PRESSED
FOR TIME
“In the fast-paced Middle Eastern
environment, people want to make the
most of their time and experience express wellness treatments with immediate results,” said Maggie Derblay, regional
director, Global Fit, Kerzner International.
Speaking from Bahrain, Haua shared
her experience, “Locals, Bahraini ladies
especially, are very spa-savvy and are
in search for result-driven treatments,
particularly with facials. It is lovely to experience a nice, relaxing facial but the
trend is to see immediate results, even
if slight.”
Qatari clients seem to be no different according to Eman Arafa, spa sales
manager, Grand Hyatt Doha, “[Spa-goers] must feel that the treatment was
beneficial and they got a great value,
which is what we offer to each and
every guest visiting Jaula Spa and Club.”
So the outlook is clear – spa-goers
aspire to wisely use their time, often
opting for natural or organic treatments which show immediate effects
and complement, if not constitute their
wellness-focussed lifestyles.
“Competition is fierce, and consumers are taking more responsibility for their
wellbeing, and are looking for brands that
make pursuing wellbeing easier,” enlightened Paul Hawco, director of Talise SPA
operations, Jumeirah Group.
“The trends and research show that
we are in the midst of a shift and it is up
to each and every one working in the industry to embrace the shift and develop
their spa, or to stand still and watch others pass them by,” he concluded. 
AUGUST 2015
SPECIAL REPORT TRAVEL AGENTS & TOUR OPERATORS
To Be or Not to Be
IN AN ERA WHERE WE CAN DO EVERYTHING – OR ALMOST EVERYTHING – BY OURSELVES,
SOME PROFESSIONS ARE FACING THE DANGER OF EXTINCTION. HOW IMPORTANT ARE TRAVEL
AGENCIES NOWADAYS AND WHAT CAN THEY DO TO ENSURE THEIR PROFITABLE EXISTENCE?
 Maria Kazeli
T
writes
raditional travel agents are still
being utilised by both businesses as well as independent
travellers across the Middle
East, however, there has certainly been a shift in the sense that more
individuals are now booking personal
and leisure trips on online portals rather
than through the standard travel agent.
This was suggested by Bijoy John,
operations manager, Airlink International UAE, when analysing the topic of
how dependent on travel agents tourists in the region are and if they still rely
heavily on offline representatives to
take care of their trip arrangements.
The change in consumer behaviour
was also noted by Hassan Bolaachoub,
general manager, Beautiful Morocco
Voyages, who underlined that modern
travellers are becoming less and less reliant on the travel agent; especially the
younger generation who mostly uses
the latest technologies and social media for their travel needs.
8
“However, those individuals who
still wish to have greater flexibility and
high levels of personalised customer
service and support provided to them,
continue to use traditional travel
agents,” John suggested.
ONLINE FREAKS
Expectedly, in an era characterised by
wide Internet penetration, a huge technological boom and many online channels available to every single individual,
professionals of the sector are facing
challenges; the biggest of which is the
competition from online travel agencies (OTAs).
The specific means has been coveted and criticised since it rose to 
AUGUST 2015
SPECIAL REPORT TRAVEL AGENTS & TOUR OPERATORS
prominence in the early 2000s. According to recent research by Phocuswright,
OTAs represent 13 percent of the global
travel bookings, which for 2013 translated to an amount exceeding USD150
billion. Over the next two years, worldwide online travel is expected to jump
11 percent as more and more vacationers use their laptops, smartphones and
tablets to make related purchases.
Data by the same source revealed
that online travel penetration in the
Middle East is projected to have neared
25 percent by the end of this year, compared to just over 15 percent in 2011.
“When the Internet blossomed,
very few small travel agencies saw it
as a potential advantage for their businesses. […] As all aspects of the digital
world become increasingly sophisticated, a top priority for travel agencies
should be to leverage the overlapping
space between online and offline channels and implement more robust channel integration strategies,” emphasised
Rafa Armisén, e-commerce business
line manager, Spain, Amadeus.
Fortunately, experts of the field agree
with the specific standpoint and have realised that the Internet should be used as
a weapon and not seen as a threat.
Bolaachoub commented that, indeed, high Internet infiltration is not a
concern for the sector but an opportunity to reach a vast range of travellers
and tourists from a wide geography,
especially the younger generation that
adores the web, new technologies and
social media.
“Offline travel agencies need to be
present online to compete with online
travel portals and they need to market
the fact that they have a location where
a client or a traveller can visit to meet
with the agent face to face, for advice
and assistance. The human touch in the
travel service industry is a very important competitive advantage the traditional travel agents have over the online travel portals,” he reminded.
John also corroborated that the Internet is actually a boon for the travel
industry as it allows more information
and options to be made available to the
end consumers so that they better understand what is available and are, thus,
able to make more informed decisions
which suit their individual requirements.
To ensure agents and operators do
not become obsolete, it is vital to move
with the times and embrace online
technology and incorporate it into tra-
10
DIRECT VS INDIRECT
Nowadays, there is a trend to book directly with the airline or the hotel, as
John attested, but the task of checking
multiple sites and understanding the
way each portal handles the addition
of taxes and surcharges means that
there will continue to be business done
through traditional agents, he said.
“
THE HUMAN
TOUCH IN THE
TRAVEL SERVICE
INDUSTRY IS A
VERY IMPORTANT
COMPETITIVE
ADVANTAGE
ditional service offerings, he added.
“There is much more reliance and
investment in technology within the
travel industry which is the direction
where the business is headed. This is
the same with Airlink where we have
also had to develop our own solutions,
such as online tools for reporting as
well as a corporate booking engine to
provide all the support our clients require and tailor solutions that are not
available elsewhere in the market,” John
further elaborated.
In a recent move that was initially
seen as stepping on the toes of travel
agents, Emirates introduced a new feature that offers customers the opportunity to hold their reservations and lock
in fares for up to 48 hours.
Prompted by this, Bolaachoub argued that such a move puts any airline
in competition with the travel agency
industry for revenue.
“People nowadays think it is always
cheaper to buy directly from the airline
than from the travel agent if they have
the possibility to do so, especially for
deals and special promotions that the
airlines advertise that are available only
on their websites. Airlines would rather
have their customers buy from them directly than through the travel agent,” he
declared.
Voicing a different opinion, John
AUGUST 2015
SPECIAL REPORT TRAVEL AGENTS & TOUR OPERATORS
claimed that Emirates’ step will primarily impact those travellers who are
already using online channels to purchase tickets, while other customers
– such as the corporate segment - will
more likely continue to be handled by
agencies that have an offline presence
and can offer flexibility and additional
travel options with individually-tailored
services.
cess efficiency.
In line with this, John said, “The
main challenge affecting the travel industry in the region is effectively managing lower margins of profitability into
sustainable business plans.”
Bolaachoub agreed that the financial crisis that the world has experienced led to a decrease in the purchasing power of the Arab tourists.
Moreover, he cited regional security
risks and political instability as some of
the major obstacles posed to the travel
trade at this point of time.
In addition, Ibrahim took a further
step and touched upon the issue of
the overall attractiveness of a location.
“Destinations seeking to maintain or
strengthen their position in the future
world of travel should start working on
a long-term action plan,” he said.
Despite all adversities, John suggested, “Ensuring high standards of
personalised customer service, providing relevant management information
systems data, embracing and incorporating technology – rather than avoiding or disregarding it – and providing
tailored solutions to clients is the only
way offline agents can continue to compete with the many online portals.”
Summing up, Bolaachoub said that
the traditional travel agent’s only competitive advantage is to provide great
service in order to gain and maintain
loyalty, and be able to compete under
fair terms.
“Offline travel agencies must know
their clients better than ever, and they
need to find growth areas that distinguish them from competing travel
agencies. They need to customise their
messages, be where their clients are,
and position themselves in order to find
and develop an effective online strategy,” concluded Armisén. 
“
OFFLINE TRAVEL
AGENCIES MUST
KNOW THEIR
CLIENTS BETTER
THAN EVER
He even predicted that in the near
future, there will be more technology
available to business travellers allowing them much more information and
helping them increase savings, while
also opening room for the carriers to
sell more services directly to end customers, ultimately boosting their own
revenue.
CHALLENGING DAYS
The profession of the travel agent is
admittedly being tested by a variety of
other aspects that threaten the sector.
As Ibrahim Mohamed Ibrahim, managing director, Perfect Tours, commented,
the global economic downturn affected
businesses, therefore the agent needs
to react by implementing cost-saving
measures and creating value and proAUGUST 2015
11
EXPLORE TURKEY
Stronger
than
Yesterday
Stronger
than
Yesterday
WITH A YOUNG POPULATION OF 77.7 MILLION, A DIVERSIFIED ECONOMY AND A STRATEGIC
LOCATION JUST FOUR HOURS FROM 1.5 BILLION CONSUMERS, TURKEY CONTINUES TO CLAIM
AN EVER-BIGGER SLICE OF THE PIE.
 Rita Kasziba writes
S
ince 1999, the Turkish economy has recorded an average annual growth of 3.9
percent, and although the
rate fell below three percent
in 2014, by 2023 the national GDP is set
to soar to USD2 trillion from USD800
billion in 2014, presenting a plethora
of opportunities in various industries,
including tourism.
Based on data compiled by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, over 36.84
million foreign travellers flocked into
Turkey in 2014, up 9.5 percent year-onyear, making it the sixth most visited
country globally on the World Tourism
Organization’s ranking.
In 2014, Germany alone accounted
for some 5.04 million visitors and was
followed by Russia with 2.67 million
tourists. Arrivals from the number two
source market, however, plummeted
in recent months with forecasts suggesting that Turkey might miss out
on as much as one million travellers –
from Russia alone – prompting tourism
stakeholders to reach out to new markets and promote niche segments to
balance out any potential losses.
“Turkey is renewing its tourism industry by raising the quality of services
and building better facilities to keep up
with the industry’s fast-paced growth,”
asserted Eda Yurtsever, assistant travel
trade manager, Crowne Plaza Istanbul
Asia, saying that spurred mainly by investments from major hotel chains, Turkey continues to enhance and diversify
TURKEY IN BRIEF
Capital: Ankara
Currency: Turkish Lira (TRY)
Language: Turkish
Population: 7.7 million
Calling Code: +90
Capital Time Zone: GMT +3:00
its offering, leading to new destinations
and attractions season after season.
In fact, having long relied on its rich
history and abundant cultural experiences, Turkey has in recent years laid
12
great emphasis on showcasing other,
lesser-known facets of the country and
promoting alternative tourism types in
order to mitigate the negative impact
of low-seasons and shoulder months.
The Tourism Strategy of Turkey 2023
aims to exploit the potential of health and
thermal, winter, golf, sea, eco, and congress and expo tourism to make the industry less volatile to external factors and
ensure steady, year-round revenue flow.
CLOSE TIES
In this regard, due to its proximity and
historical and cultural ties, MENA continues to play a crucial role in the Turkish tourism industry’s growth.
“The MENA region, especially the
Middle East, is one of the fast-growing
and tourist-generating regions in the
world as well as for beautiful Istanbul,”
said Tarek Mourad, general manager,
Raffles Istanbul, referring to the close
links between the countries.
Likewise, the recently-launched 10
Karaköy, A Morgans Original also aims
to capture a fair share of business from
MENA, revealed Engin Tinmaz, sales
and marketing manager, 10 Karaköy, A
Morgans Original, saying that the management is poised to attract young couples and hip travellers from the region.
Further demonstrating the Middle
AUGUST 2015
EXPLORE TURKEY
East’s significance, Raffles Istanbul organises regular sales trips to the area
and participates in all major travel trade
shows, Mourad revealed.
As Yurtsever observed, almost every
day new MENA destinations are being
linked to Sabiha Gökçen International
AUGUST 2015
Airport, resulting in growing interest.
“Our popularity in MENA countries
is rising day after day,” stated Yurtsever.
In 2014, Iran alone sent close to 1.2
million visitors to Turkey, while arrivals
from Iraq soared to 730,639. The largest
increases were, however, recorded from
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia with figures rising to 51 and 46 percent, respectively.
To further boost arrivals from the
region, Turkey will present some of its
most renowned brands at the upcoming The World Halal Travel Summit & Exhibition (WHTS) in Abu Dhabi.
“Turkey remains the leading destination for many Halal tourists and this
is reflected by all of the most important
Halal hotels, resorts and destination
management companies confirming
their stands,” explained Andy Buchanan,
event director, WHTS.
Poised to leverage the potential of
the industry, Middle Eastern hotel companies are getting ready to make their
foray into the country. Rotana has recently celebrated the dual launch of Burgu Arjaan by Rotana and Tango Arjaan
by Rotana in Istanbul, adding a total of
318 keys to the company’s room count.
“A breakthrough into Turkey is a significant achievement for Rotana as it is a
crucial territory to penetrate, for us to solidify our standing as a leading hotel management company in the region,” com-
mented Omer Kaddouri, CEO, Rotana.
Abu Dhabi-based Cristal Group has
also recently revealed its intention to debut in Turkey and open eight properties
within three years encompassing all four
brands under the company’s umbrella.
“Turkey is one of the fastest growing economies in Europe and tourism
plays a major role [in this development],”
pointed out Kamal Fakhoury, chief operating officer, Cristal Group, noting that
the country is also becoming a powerhouse in the region from a geopolitical
perspective, making it even more lucrative for tourism-related investment.
“There is a long-shared history between Turkey and the Middle East, which
shows in the volumes of outbound travel
from the Middle East to the country,” reminded Fakhoury, revealing that the
company’s expansion drive will focus
on primary and secondary business and
resort cities, including Istanbul, Ankara,
Hatay, Antalya and Bodrum.
Given the country’s ambitious plans,
Fakhoury forecasts sustained development for the destination with 
13
EXPLORE TURKEY
tourism remaining the backbone of the
progress.
These initiatives and projects underscore the words of Kenneth Millar,
general manager, JW Marriott Bodrum,
who said that the tourism industry in
Turkey is in a state of constant growth.
“Certain regions are quite over-saturated in regards to supply as well as
demand. For these regions, there is not
much chance to grow and invest much
further. Fortunately, the same cannot
be said about the Bodrum peninsula,”
stated Millar, explaining how parts of
the country offer unexploited potential
for developments, which, as he suggested, will ultimately help Turkey to
reap benefits from its rising profile.
“We strongly believe that competition
is good for the business and more and
more global companies coming into
the region will also attract more guests
from MENA. These guests are wellversed in regards to luxury chain hotels,
as especially the Middle East is a region
that is quite enriched and saturated with
these kind of hotel,” elaborated Millar.
ON THE TOP OF THE WORLD
The developments are indeed much
needed considering that according
to Eurocontrol, Turkish air traffic will
double over the next 10 years. Turkish
Airlines, for example, plans to double
its fleet to 424 aircraft by 2020, while
Pegasus Airlines’ fleet is set to grow to
107 aircraft by the same year.
The national carrier continues to
14
grow at an exponential rate and as
Adem Ceylan, vice president, marketing
and sales, Middle East, Turkish Airlines,
explained, today, it connects 275 destination across 110 countries.
“Turkish Airlines’ business across
both the Middle East and Africa is growing and both these markets play a very
central role in the company’s fast-paced
expansion,” stressed Ceylan, disclosing
that in the UAE alone, the carrier expects to see a traffic increase of around
four percent this year.
“Turkish Airlines already has the
“
THERE IS A
LONG-SHARED
HISTORY BETWEEN
TURKEY AND THE
MIDDLE EAST
largest network in Africa among foreign
carriers and North Africa continues to
account for most of our African capacity […],” continued Ceylan.
Similarly to its GCC-based peers, the
Turkish carrier also aims to expand its
presence to long-haul markets as Ceylan revealed.
“Turkish Airlines is looking at the
US, Europe and Africa for expansion
[…]. The airline is targeting an increase
in its total passenger traffic to reach
over 50 million passengers by the end
of the year, from 2014 figure of 47 million,” indicated Ceylan.
Yet, Turkish Airlines’ strategy notably differs from its regional competitors
in certain aspects.
“Different airlines have a different
approach,” explained Ceylan. “Due to
limits in aviation and competition, some
airlines have started to get more profit in
other markets by investing in ailing carriers. This is one way to become a player in
new markets. And if these investments
As Ozturk revealed, in 2014, the airline carried over 2.2 million guests on
these transit routes, while in the first
three months, figures hit 500,000.
“We are very pleased with how our
MENA routes are performing, both in
terms of passenger load factor and revenue. Our MENA services also make a
significant contribution as they generate connecting traffic to our European
routes as well as domestic flights,” explained Ozturk, suggesting that the airline plans to launch new services and
extra frequencies on a number of routes.
succeed then it becomes one of the
main business strategies for an airline.”
In line with the country’s development, the Turkish aviation market has
experienced astonishing growth over
the past years, having flown a total of
165.9 million travellers in 2014, up from
just 70.2 million in 2007, a 120 percent
rise in just seven years.
Over the years, Pegasus Airlines has
played a vital role in the Turkish aviation sector’s evolution, having carried
19.7 million passengers in 2014, demonstrating a growth rate one and a half
times higher than the average, and registering a 10 percent rise in demand in
the first five months of the current year.
According to Guliz Ozturk, chief
commercial officer, Pegasus Airlines,
the figures are partly due to the company’s remarkable expansion, which saw
the first Turkish low-cost carrier link the
country to destinations such as Bahrain,
Hurghada, Kuwait and Sharm El Sheikh,
among others in recent months.
“The Middle East is increasingly
viewing Turkey as a travel and business
destination, adding to the number of
guests travelling on these routes for both
summer holidays and city breaks with
Istanbul enjoying the bulk of growth of
this traffic,” commented Ozturk.
All in all, this year a seat capacity increase of nine percent is expected at Istanbul Atatürk Airport on international
scheduled services following a 13 percent
hike in 2014, and to cater to the anticipated rise in traffic, the airfield’s international terminal is to be further expanded.
Meanwhile, just 35km from the city, construction crews are working around the
clock to build one of the world’s biggest
airports. Once completed in 2018, the
New Istanbul Airport will cater to 150 million annual passengers, meaning that it
will boast more than twice the capacity
of London’s Heathrow Airport, one of the
world’s busiest hubs, further consolidating Turkey’s position at the crossroads of
continents and cultures. 
AUGUST 2015
ONSITE AZERBAIJAN
Hot on Global MICE Scene
HAVING SUCCESSFULLY HOSTED SEVERAL
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EVENTS OVER THE
PAST YEARS, AZERBAIJAN IS INCREASINGLY
BECOMING A DESTINATION OF CHOICE FOR
EVENT ORGANISERS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE
WHO, LURED BY ITS ATTRACTIVE LOCATION,
RAPIDLY EVOLVING INFRASTRUCTURE AND
COMPETITIVE PRICES, TRUST IT TO PROVIDE
A STUNNING BACKDROP TO THEIR BESPOKE
EVENTS.
 Ana Mladenovic writes
T
estifying to its growing appeal is the recent International Congress and Convention
Association (ICCA) ranking,
the first-ever for the country, which named it 79th in the world,
based on the number of association
meetings held in the country in 2014.
In light of the rising global popularity of Azerbaijan on the global MICE
scene, its government and hospitality
sector are working in sync to further elevate the country’s offerings and boost
its appeal to international MICE organisers, signalling a bright future for the
local events sector.
“Currently, the local meetings industry is in its infancy and through
planned promotional and sales activities it tries to establish Azerbaijan as a
AUGUST 2015
AZERBAIJAN IN BRIEF
Capital: Baku
Currency: Azerbaijani Manat (AZN)
Language: Azerbaijani
Population: 9.5 million
Calling Code: +994
Capital Time Zone: GMT +5:00
premier meeting destination in the region,” confirmed Anar Narimanov, sales
and marketing manager, Azerbaijan
Convention Bureau.
The forward-thinking approach of
the leadership was highlighted by local hospitality experts as one of the key
factors that drove the country’s success
so far.
Laman Aghazadeh, associate director, sales, Four Seasons Hotel Baku,
explained, “Events like the Eurovision
Song Contest, the 48th annual meeting
of Asian Development Bank in Baku, the
1st European Games this year and many
more upcoming events, the highlight of
which is Formula 1 Baku Grand Prix in
2016, definitely increase the interest of
international event organisers.”
Indeed, a slew of events scheduled
to take place in the country’s capital,
the most important ones being the
next conference of the International Association for Energy Economics in 2016
and Islamic Games in 2017, are turning
heads towards Baku and the country as
a whole.
TICKING ALL BOXES
“There are many factors that influence
international meeting planners’ decision to organise their next events in
any destination,” said Narimanov, explaining that some of them are more
universal than others, such as access
to the destination, modern meeting infrastructure, safety and security, price,
visa formalities and support of the local
government.
“Azerbaijan meets all the above criteria for hosting significant international events by providing modern hotel
facilities and venues, an electronic visa
system, high priority on stability and
safety in the country and a government
keen on hosting international events,”
Narimanov further confirmed.
Commenting on this, local hospitality experts turned attention to perhaps
the most important of all factors – infrastructure, and available facilities.
Focussing the spotlight on Baku,
host to the majority of big international
events in the country, Martin Kleinmann,
general manager, JW Marriott Absheron
Baku, said, “Apart from being an interesting destination to visit, Baku offers exhibition venues for large-scale events.” 
15
ONSITE AZERBAIJAN
Kleinmann’s property, in particular,
is popular with organisers, having hosted more than 4,000 events in the three
years that it has been operating.
“The hotel offers 13 conference
rooms with 2,600m2 of meeting space.
The 1,208m² [pillar-free] Sharg Zali ballroom with a seven-metre high ceiling
and a panoramic view of the city centre
and the Caspian Sea can accommodate
up to 1,000 people,” he enthused.
Vast meeting spaces are also available
at Four Seasons Hotel Baku which boasts
a dedicated convention Centre with more
than 1,865m2 of function space.
In addition to the existing infrastructure, the city is constantly innovating and expanding its offerings, promising novel and exciting backdrops for
international events.
“New hotels and meeting spaces
are offered to the clients,” confirmed
Pascal Leprou, general manager, Fairmont Baku, Flame Towers, adding that
new tours and entertainment are also
being developed.
BEYOND THE OBVIOUS
It is not just Baku that has the capacity
to stage major events, according to Narimanov.
“One of the most significant cities of
Azerbaijan in this regard is Gabala. Situated in the northern part of Azerbaijan,
this ancient city has all the modern facilities to host meetings of small and
medium size. With its magnificent Haydar Aliyev Congress Centre, it can host
16
up to 1,200 people,” he explained.
International hospitality player that
spotted the opportunities offered outside Baku, Rixos Hotels boasts two hotels in the country, Rixos Quba Azerbaijan and Samaxi Place Platinum by Rixos,
which are ideal for incentive travel.
“Thanks to the unique location,
both of our hotels [...] are offering unmatched facilities for team building
like no other in Azerbaijan,” said Kenan
Agayev, regional director, sales and
marketing, Azerbaijan and Georgia,
Rixos Hotels.
“Rixos Quba Azerbaijan offers the
largest golf course and its own amusement park with extensive playground
and facilities for children and adults.
Both hotels are also offering great facilities for weddings and live concerts,” he
further revealed.
DRAW OF THE FAMILIAR
“
AZERBAIJAN
MEETS ALL THE
ABOVE CRITERIA FOR
HOSTING
SIGNIFICANT
INTERNATIONAL
EVENTS
growing regions of the world and one
of the priority markets for our activities,”
continued Narimanov.
Alongside Azerbaijan Convention
Bureau are individual properties with
their own strategies and sales initiatives.
“MENA region is in the top five of the
key markets for our hotel,” said Aghazadeh. “At the moment, all the travellers
are [coming for business], however, in
the recent two years we have observed
the increased demand for leisure visits.
The hotel actively participates in sales
trips to MENA and makes presentations
of the hotel, along with destination
presentations, hosts fam trips and tries
to be highlighted in the important publishings of this region,” she explained.
Fairmont Baku, Flame Towers is used
to welcoming clients from the Middle
East, as arrivals from the region account
for around 10 percent of its business.
“It is not a market feeder, however
it has a big potential due to the high
budget and developing direct flight
connections between the countries,”
enthused Leprou.
To fully capitalise on the opportunity presented by the MENA market, still
more needs to be done, according to
Kleinmann, “We need to improve flight
connections which are key to grow the
MICE market and ensure an easy access
to Azerbaijan. […] We plan [...] to promote Azerbaijan and Baku as a professional destination for MICE business,
but also for leisure guests and families.”
Also with an eye on the Middle
Eastern leisure market, Rixos Hotels is
working on a new property, expected
to open by 2017.
“It will be a hunting resort in one
of the regions of Azerbaijan and that is
where we are aiming to attract MENA
region, but mainly for leisure retreats,”
said Agayev.
With still more venues and initiatives
to be unveiled, Azerbaijan and its capital
Baku are headed towards a bright future
on the global MICE scene. Those seeking
original and largely unexplored locations for their memorable events should
hurry up, as in a few years Baku is likely
to further rise in popularity and rank as a
more mature destination. 
Due to cultural similarities with the
Middle East region and a favourable climate, as well as promotional efforts of
the local tourism scene, Azerbaijan and
Baku are increasingly popular travel
destinations among MENA travellers.
“As per arrivals from MENA, the majority of arrivals were from UAE, Iran and
Egypt,” Narimanov elucidated.
The region is definitely on the radar
of the local tourism industry, when it
comes to promotion and marketing.
“MENA, with an average growth
of eight percent in terms of outbound
business travel, is one of the fastest
AUGUST 2015
TOUR MALDIVES
It Is Always Sunnier
in the Maldives
WITH ITS TOTAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE GDP
REACHING 94.1 PERCENT IN 2013, THE
MALDIVIAN TOURISM SECTOR CANNOT AFFORD
TO SIT IDLE, BASKING IN PAST ACHIEVEMENTS,
THUS THE UNWAVERING EFFORTS TO FURTHER
STRENGTHEN THE BRAND.
 Rita Kasziba writes
T
he country’s steadfast development continued at full
pace in 2014 with the Maldivian economy expanding 8.5
percent, driven by the recovery of the construction sector, and, nevertheless, robust increases in arrivals.
As per data released by the Maldives Monetary Authority, some 1.2
million tourists spent around USD2.7
billion in 2014, reaffirming tourism’s
catalytic role in the country’s economy,
which is expected to grow 10.5 percent
this year, putting further pressure on
the industry.
As Reena Abdul Wahid, marketing
officer, Maldives Marketing & Public
Relations Corporation, noted, tourism’s
growth has a direct correlation with the
AUGUST 2015
nation’s socio-economic development
with statistics showing that employment has increased in sync with arrivals.
For this very reason Maldives takes
immense pride in being one of the
few destinations that give political and
economic recognition to the growing
relevance and proven contribution the
industry provides to the economy 
MALDIVES IN BRIEF
Capital: Malé
Currency: Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR)
Language: Dhivehi
Population: 350,000
Calling Code: +960
Capital Time Zone: GMT +5:00
17
TOUR MALDIVES
and community, as Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Gafoor, tourism minister, Maldives,
recently highlighted.
“Tourism is a vital tool for economic
growth, offering significant opportunities for economic gain,” added Gafoor,
stressing that therefore it is important
to develop the tools for managing tourism properly.
MENA LINKS
As Eugene Feklistov, director of sales
and marketing, Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa, explained, business has become
less volatile as challenges in specific
markets are now balanced out by encouraging growth from other sources.
“We see the stabilisation of Asian
markets and the growth of the Middle
East, North and South America,” added
Feklistov.
Indeed, since 2010, inbound figures
have followed a steady upward trajectory with numbers jumping 17.4 percent in 2013 and 7.1 percent in 2014.
Taking this into account, industry
18
stakeholders are increasingly looking to
appeal to the lucrative Middle Eastern
market, which, as Wahid pinpointed, has
shown substantial growth over the past
five years with arrivals from the region
rising from just over 9,500 in 2009 to
cations,” explained Shafa Shabeer, director of marketing, Coco Collection.
Reporting a 16 percent year-todate increase in arrivals from the Middle East, Srikant Peri, general manager,
Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru, Angsana Ihuru
As Lyle Lewis, general manager,
Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, suggested, easy accessibility, high frequency of flights, short travel distance and
free visa services make the Maldives a
convenient choice for MENA travellers.
and Angsana Velavaru, further pinpointed, “The Maldives is one of the few
beach destinations that is also a Muslim
country; [so] we understand the needs
and expectations of this market and are
well-equipped to serve these guests.”
Likewise, Shanoon Khalid, sales and
marketing manager, Baros Maldives,
reported a robust, 200 percent surge in
demand from the Middle East, thanks
to the hotel’s reputation in the market
and especially in Dubai.
As Vivek Suri, marketing and communications manager, Dusit Thani Maldives, said, the resort strives to increase
its share of Middle Eastern guests and
offers a plethora of dedicated facilities
and services, from female butlers to an
on-site mosque.
Underlining the region’s significance, this year 92 members of 47
companies represented the Maldives at
the Arabian Travel Market, marking the
country’s 16th year of participation in
the annual show.
Wahid deemed the event a huge
success for the whole delegation, leading to new and stronger partnerships
and increased arrivals from the GCC.
“We will also be taking part in hosting a road show in four cities at the end of
August in Dammam, Riyadh, Kuwait and
Doha to further boost the number of visitors from the Middle East,” said Wahid.
From the region, Emirates, flydubai,
Oman Air and Qatar Airways all operate
to Malé with increasing numbers of passengers booking for the flights. In 2013
for example, Emirates alone carried
over 212,800 travellers between Dubai
and the islands, up from just 127,300
customers in 2009, while demand on
Oman Air’s service has grown 12 times
during the same period from 1,845 to
well above 23,200.
“With so many direct flight options
from the region’s key cities, the perfect
long weekend escape is just a few hours
away,” said Evgenia Boyankova, director
of sales and marketing, The Sun Siyam
Iru Fushi Maldives.
Further boosting connectivity and
accessibility, MEGA Maldives Air has over
the past five years grown into the fourth
largest international airline to the Maldives, having carried over 263,000 passengers in 2014 to and from a bouquet
of destinations, including Jeddah.
“The Middle East is an area where
MEGA is looking at very keenly; our strategy, however, is identifying and serving
those destinations that are not readily
accessible by the large Gulf carriers,” divulged Mifzal Ahmed, director of strategy and business development, MEGA
Maldives Air. “While we do not have the
scale of these highly well-funded large
carriers, we believe that there are 
“
THE MALDIVES
IS ONE OF THE
FEW BEACH
DESTINATIONS
THAT IS ALSO A
MUSLIM COUNTRY
37,200 in 2014, marking a 16.1 percent
surge following 2013’s 46.7 percent hike.
“While the US and Europe used to be
the most popular spots among MENA
travellers, the destination choices for this
growing market have shifted to Asian lo-
AUGUST 2015
TOUR MALDIVES
still niche destinations that prefer a direct route to the Maldives rather than
having to transit through the major
hubs. We believe there are a couple of
such markets still available in the Middle
East, most notably in Saudi Arabia.”
To tap into these niche segments,
as Ahmed revealed, the airline plans to
relaunch direct services between Jed-
20
dah and the Maldives this November.
‘THE’ CONNECTION
To meet demand, the country has also
steadily and deliberately expanded its
room stock in recent years from a registered bed capacity of 21,536 in 2009 to
30,689 in 2014, and from 84 resorts to 104
establishments – all while also improving
average occupancy rate from 70.3 percent in 2009 to 74.5 percent in 2014.
In 2014, China, Germany, UK, Russia,
Italy and India collectively accounted for
about 60 percent of the total arrivals to
the islands, with figures from the country’s top feeder markets showing significant increases; a fact that, according to
Peri, explains the slight downturn in guest
nights as Chinese visitors traditionally opt
for shorter holidays than those from the
Middle East or Western countries.
Another trend observed by Suri is
the difference in affinity towards specific accommodation types.
“Honeymoon guests from Middle
Eastern and European markets usually
prefer to stay in beach villas with direct
access to their own private beachfront,”
highlighted Suri the Arab guests’ quest
for privacy, further noting that while in
previous years, family leisure travel was
mainly restricted to European markets
while Asians preferred to visit the country majorly as couples, in recent times,
the share of families travelling to the island nation has seen a rise from Asia as
well as the Middle East.
This was also confirmed by Lewis,
who said, “The most common thread
with the Middle East market is that they
are either travelling for romance and
honeymoons or as families for multigenerational holidays.”
In fact, having already established
itself as a top honeymoon destination,
the Maldives has successfully utilised
its image to build a loyal clientele, indicated Boyankova.
“We are now seeing those honeymooners return years later with their
families. With more and more families
and large groups of relatives spending
their holiday on the island, it is very important that we continue to offer something for every member of the family,”
stressed Boyankova.
Similarly, Lewis also expressed his
belief that nowadays travellers are seeking experiences that connect them with
their surroundings – while also enjoying relaxation and the time spent with
their loved ones.
“
MALDIVES IS A
UNIQUE EXAMPLE
OF HOW TOURISM
HAS CONTRIBUTED
TO EVERY SINGLE
CITIZEN
“They want to experience and connect with the destination through the
eyes of the people who live there […],”
stated Lewis, noting that to adopt to
the latest craze, wellbeing is now a key
focus now at the resort.
Health and wellness are indeed of
high priority for the modern traveller,
reaffirmed Shabeer.
“Moving away from the standardised
fairy tale experience, we are focussed on
celebrating memorable moments to capture the essence of timeless experience,”
added Shabeer, underlining once again
tourism’s vital role in the development of
the Maldives and the local community.
As the tourism minister said, “Maldives is a unique example of how tourism has contributed to every single citizen in the country.” 
AUGUST 2015
RENDEZVOUS
TRAVEL TRADE MENA: You have
joined the property from Holiday Inn
London Heathrow Ariel. What triggered the decision to move to Oman?
LAURA EGGLETON: I had expressed an
interest in moving to the GCC region and
when I received an email from our talent
manager based in Dubai inviting me to
apply for the job, I looked up Oman, did
some research on Muscat and went from
there. Oman and the Omanis have such
a great reputation worldwide – everyone I asked about Oman always referenced the Omani people and their great
welcoming hospitality. When I came for
the interview back in February, I experienced exactly that.
As soon as I had visited I knew that
Oman was the place to start my career
in the GCC region, and feel so fortunate
to be here now surrounded by great
people in a naturally beautiful country
where the sun is always shining.
Q & A with
Laura Eggleton
GENERAL MANAGER, HOLIDAY INN MUSCAT AL SEEB
TRAVEL TRADE MENA: What are the
perks as well as the responsibilities of
being the only female general manager in the GCC within IHG?
LAURA EGGLETON: It is great to be
the first female [general manager] in
the GCC region for such a large hotel
group like IHG, and I am grateful that
IHG believes in celebrating difference
and was supportive of my move to the
Middle East. I live by the expression
‘challenge the norm’ so getting an opportunity like this was fantastic. When I
announced that I was moving to Oman
to friends, family and colleagues in the
UK, many were concerned that being a
female general manager in Oman would
be a near impossible challenge for me,
as it was not common and I would not
be accepted. They could not have been
more wrong. Everyone I have met so far
has been so enthusiastic, eager to help
me settle and offering me any support
I need. In my experience so far, the illusion that female general managers will
struggle in the Middle East is completely
false. My fellow IHG colleagues in Oman
have been equally welcoming. Anything
I need, there are plenty of people at the
end of the phone willing to help me out
with any questions I have. I could not
have wished for a better welcome.
The best thing about being a female
general manager in Oman is the inspiration it brings to the young Omani girls
working here at the hotel. Many of the
AUGUST 2015
Of course, it goes without saying
that I need to execute a fabulous job to
ensure that I represent the female population of hotel general managers well –
and I intend on doing exactly that.
TRAVEL TRADE MENA: What are the
challenges you expect to face in this
new post?
LAURA EGGLETON: The main challenges really relate completely to the
change in region, change in business environment and cultural setting. I am really familiar with the Holiday Inn brand,
as this is the third Holiday Inn-branded
property I have managed, so it is good to
already have the knowledge relating to
the brand, systems and everything that
comes with it. […]
I have a lot to learn about the feeder
markets and the cultural differences in
this role, so its a huge learning curve.
However, I thrive on challenges and love
change, so this opportunity suits me so
well on a personal level. Everything is so
different to what I am used to; the speed
at which the business operates, the business peak seasons, the local labour laws,
and the list goes on. [...]
TRAVEL TRADE MENA: Holiday Inn
Muscat Al Seeb is a landmark hotel
which marked the brand’s re-entry in
Oman. What are your plans for it?
AFTER SUCCESSFULLY HOLDING THE SAME
POSITION IN LONDON, LAURA EGGLETON,
GENERAL MANAGER, HOLIDAY INN MUSCAT AL
SEEB, SPEAKS ABOUT THE DECISION TO MOVE
TO OMAN AND BECOME THE FIRST FEMALE
GENERAL MANAGER FOR INTERCONTINENTAL
HOTELS GROUP (IHG) IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
girls have said that they never realised you
could be a general manager if you were
female as they have not seen it before.
Seeing me in the position has inspired
them to focus on a career in hospitality knowing that one day, they too could
have the opportunity. They ask me hundreds of questions about how I became
a general manager, where did I work and
what departments have I worked in. It is
great that I am able to tell them stories of
when I used to work on reception.
“
THE BEST ABOUT
BEING A FEMALE
GENERAL MANAGER
IN OMAN IS THE
INSPIRATION IT
BRINGS TO THE
YOUNG OMANI GIRLS
LAURA EGGLETON: The hotel is a fabulous example of the Holiday Inn brand. It
is fresh, appealing and of a great finish.
We have only been open just over a year,
so we are still working on establishing
ourselves as a leading hotel in the Muscat market.
We have got a fabulous food and
beverage offering here at the hotel, so
we are working on raising awareness
of this to establish us as a real destination in Muscat, and implementing new
menus and delicacies for the local community as well as our resident guests.
I am really focussed on hotel sales
thus am working closely with the sales
team to promote our great hotel to both
corporate and leisure travellers alike. We
are so well located for both business and
leisure guests; it is really all about how
we are promoting and positioning ourselves now.
The hotel has so much potential and
I fully intend on ensuring it operates as a
leading hotel in the Muscat market, for
both business and leisure guests alike. 
21
WHO’S MOVED
CRAIG
BRUCE
Craig Bruce has moved to
Grand Millennium Al Wahda,
Abu Dhabi as general manager.
Building on his 10-year background in the industry and
thorough understanding of
the local market, Bruce aims to
ensure that the reputation of
the five-star hotel continues to
grow from strength to strength.
He joins Millennium &
Copthorne Middle East & Africa from Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, where he held various roles at properties under
the Radisson Blu brand. Most
recently he worked as general manager of Radisson Blu
Hotel Abu Dhabi, Yas Island
and Park Inn by Radisson Abu
Dhabi, Yas Island. Prior to that,
he honed his skills with Sun International in South Africa.
CHRISTIAN
RESETARITS
DESMOND
HATTON
22
Christian Resetarits has been
appointed director of sales and
marketing at Burj Rafal Hotel
Kempinski, Riyadh.
A knowledgeable and driven
character, Resetarits will be
leading the sales and marketing team of the hotel. He
moves to Saudi Arabia from
Austria, where he served as director of sales at Palais Hansen
Kempinski Vienna.
After working with Marriott International in the front office in
Canada and Germany, he joined
Kempinski’s sales department.
He then pursued several responsibilities, such as sales manager
at Kempinski Hotel Beijing Lufthansa Centre and senior sales
manager at The Stafford London
by Kempinski, before relocating
to the Austrian capital.
Desmond Hatton has been
introduced as Dusit Thani
Abu Dhabi’s new general
manager.
His responsibilities will include overseeing the performance, strategic direction
and day-to-day operations of
the property with the aim to
further consolidate its presence on the market.
With a career spanning 34
years, Hatton brings a wealth
of experience to the UAE capital. He has held progressive
management roles within
leading hotels and resorts
including Shangri-La Hotels
& Resorts properties in Fiji,
Malaysia and the Philippines,
as well as a Shangri-La Barr Al
Jissah Resort & Spa in Oman.
His career path also includes
positions in the kitchen, food
and beverage, rooms and accounting in Germany, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia and
Turkey. He returns to the Middle East after serving as general manager at Dusit Thani
Maldives.
AUGUST 2015
RENDEZVOUS
TRAVEL TRADE MENA: Which are the
next properties to join the group’s
fast-growing network?
ALI ALZAABI: It has been a very busy
period for the team since the start of
the year with several new openings
and further expansion of our network.
We marked our entry into Saudi Arabia
with two properties in the Holy City of
Medina, the 208-room Millennium Taiba Hotel and the 484-key Millennium
Al Aqeeq Hotel. The world’s first Millennium Executive Apartments opened in
Muscat and the 221-room Millennium
Fujairah opened its doors. The strong
pace continues with Millennium Hotel
& Convention Centre, in the Salmiya
district in Kuwait City. [...]
We have also recently announced the
signing of two new properties in Oman,
including the global debut of eco-lifestyle brand, Agarwood in Salalah. Due to
open in 2017, the Agarwood brand has
been conceived to meet the needs of
today’s traveller with a social conscience.
It will be a 286-key resort encompassing
a hotel, villas and apartments, all set in
beautiful natural surroundings and will
combine modern design sensibilities
with innovative and intelligent ecofriendly features to reduce the impact
on the environment whilst providing
comfort and style. Meanwhile our new
budget brand Studio M concept will
open a 302-key property in the Al Hail
district of Muscat in 2017. These properties will join Grand Millennium Hotel
Muscat and Copthorne Hotel Muscat,
which we will be adding to the portfolio
later this year, resulting in Millennium &
Copthorne becoming one of the largest
hotel operators in Oman.
We are also focussing on aggressive
expansion in Saudi Arabia; with up to 20
hotels due to open in the next five years,
it has been identified as an integral part
of the group’s strategic growth. Openings
are planned in the Holy Cities of Medina
and Mecca, primary cities such as Riyadh,
Jeddah and important second-tier cities
such as Hail, Jizan, Tabouk and Baha. The
next hotel to open in Saudi Arabia will
be Millennium Hotel Hail, followed by
the opening of M Hotel Makkah. Additionally, we will be introducing the Studio M concept to the region [later this
year]. […] We have recently announced
the signing of four hotels in Dubai, including three Studio M hotels and a
Millennium hotel set to open in Dubai
World Central, Dubai Investments Park
AUGUST 2015
Q & A with
Ali Hamad
Lakhraim Alzaabi
CEO, MILLENNIUM & COPTHORNE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
We have identified Saudi Arabia as a
particular focus for strategic expansion
due to the significant developments
within the Kingdom and its role as a key
feeder market for the UAE and the rest
of the GCC. Our hotel pipeline within
the Holy Cities of Mecca and Medina is
a result of sustained growth of religious
tourism. Meanwhile Riyadh and Jeddah
continue to grow as commercial hubs
within the Kingdom resulting in an increased demand for hotels. Our hotel
development pipeline spreads across
the various provinces due to major infrastructure projects that drive the hotel
supply. Oman is also an important foothold for us due to the support from the
government which has proactive initiatives to increase inbound tourism. […]
Meanwhile the UAE’s hospitality sector has witnessed exceptional growth
from all markets and this is expected to
continue, particularly with events such
as Expo 2020, which will have positive
implications before and after the event.
We have a broad brand portfolio
which covers all key market segments
to meet the needs of multiple audiences across the region. […]
TRAVEL TRADE MENA: What kind of
initiatives are being implemented
to differentiate the company and its
products in the market?
IN LINE WITH THE GROUP’S AMBITION TO
OPERATE 50 PROPERTIES ACROSS THE MIDDLE
EAST AND AFRICA (MEA) BY 2017, MILLENNIUM
& COPTHORNE’S EXPANSION CONTINUES
FULL STEAM AHEAD AS ALI HAMAD LAKHRAIM
ALZAABI, CEO, MILLENNIUM & COPTHORNE
MEA, REVEALS.
and Al Barsha.
An important launch for the group
will be Bab Al Qasr, opening in Abu
Dhabi later this year. The 677-room, luxury hotel will be located in the exclusive
Corniche area and will be one of the
largest hotels in the city. […] This opening supports Millennium & Copthorne’s
commitment to strategic expansion in
the emirate and the UAE. It will establish the Group as one of the major players in the hospitality sector.
TRAVEL TRADE MENA: What aspects
make these markets strategically important for Millennium & Copthorne?
ALI ALZAABI: The market opportunity within the GCC has significantly increased due to major infrastructure developments, government initiatives for
the hospitality sector, an undersupply
of budget and midscale brands in the
region and a growth in both international and domestic tourism numbers.
ALI ALZAABI: We are introducing a new
global customer relationship management platform to improve our customer
communication and help us focus our
marketing more effectively. The data
we collect will help us build up accurate
profiles of our guests and give us vital
insights into their lifestyles, behaviour
and preferences. Using these profiles, we
can be sure we are making the right offers to the right people at the right time
– reducing our costs and increasing the
number of times a guest stays with Millennium and Copthorne Hotels.
We understand the importance in
recognising our guests and so many of
our hotels participate in the Millennium
& Copthorne Loyalty Club.
Furthermore, the importance of talking to our customers in their own language has meant we are delighted to
see the launch of our global website in
Mandarin and Arabic. The year 2014 saw
the launch of our Chinese website and
this year will see the launch of an Arabic
version. The first phase sees all UAE hotels go live in Arabic language. 
23
NEWS & EVENTS
ADNEC Teams up with Agility
IBTM CHINA
Beijing, China
August 05 – 06
www.cibtm.com
A place for meetings, events and
incentives industry
decision-makers to meet for
global business adventures.
ICOMEX
Mexico City, Mexico
August 25 – 26
www.icomex-mexico.com
Part of ibtm events, the
show focusses on incentives,
congresses and conventions in
Latin America.
ONLINE TRAVEL MARKET
HURGHADA
Sharjah to Hold Family Tourism Conference
Sharjah Science Museum
Hurghada, Egypt
September 04 – 05
www.otmhurghada.com
A specialised event for travel
technology and online travel
solutions in Egypt and the Middle
East.
A
bu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) signed a five-year strategic
agreement with Agility Global Integrated Logistics’ fairs and events division.
The memorandum of understanding will enhance ADNEC’s service offering to exhibitors and event organisers with a wide range of logistics and freight forwarding service and other cost-effective solutions.
According to Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, acting group CEO, ADNEC, the partnership
will significantly improve ADNEC customers’ operational and cost efficiencies, while
further boosting their competitive edge.
Elias Monem, CEO, Agility Group Integrated Logistics (left)
and Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri
EVENTS
MICE ASIA PACIFIC EXHIBITION
Singapore, Singapore
September 10 – 11
www.miceasiaexhibition.com
Over two days, the event aims to
connect Asia’s leading meetings,
conference, exhibition and
events organisers and help them
network with Asia Pacific venues.
24
W
ith an exciting year-round event calendar offering programmes for visitors of
all ages, Sharjah aims to attract large numbers of families.
The push comes as the destination is moving forward to welcome 10 million travellers within the next six years as identified in the emirate’s Vision 2021.
With the family tourist at the core of Sharjah’s tourism roadmap, Sharjah Commerce
and Tourism Development Authority is organising a unique family-focussed event towards the end of the year , the Sharjah International Family Tourism Conference. Featuring
training workshops and networking activities, the programme will be attended by experts
from tourism and hotel sectors, travel industry, celebrity speakers, ministerial delegations
as well as heads of tourism authorities and departments from the region and abroad.
AUGUST 2015