CITY SIGHTSEEING SHARJAH TO EXPAND INTO AJMAN

23 MAY 2015
ISSUE 289
UNION MUSEUM PROJECT
GETS GREEN LIGHT
AJMAN TOURISM DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND SHARJAH
INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SIGNED A DEAL
UNDER WHICH CITY SIGHTSEEING SHARJAH
WILL EXPAND ITS SERVICES TO AJMAN.
06
THE NILE RITZ-CARLTON, CAIRO
TO RETURN LATE SUMMER
14
IN THIS ISSUE
MARKET UPDATE
02
TECHNOLOGY
03
ACCOMMODATION
12
AIR
20
RENDEZVOUS
25
INTERNATIONAL
26
AGENT CORNER
27
TRAVEL TALK
28
TRAVEL CHANNELS
29
WHO’S MOVED
30
PHOTO ALBUM
31
NEWS & EVENTS
32
CITY SIGHTSEEING SHARJAH
TO EXPAND INTO AJMAN
10
MARKET UPDATE
RJ Outlines Restructuring Plans
In line with its restructuring strategy, Royal Jordanian Airlines (RJ) will increase its
authorised shared capital by JOD200 million (USD282 million) to JOD246.4 million
(USD348 million).
TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS
MANAGING EDITOR
Mary Kammitsi
[email protected]
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Maria Kazeli
T
he decision was taken at
the company’s general
assembly meeting, where
board members suggested reducing capital
by JOD37.9 million (USD53.5 million)
to offset the accumulated losses at
year-end 2014.
The capital increase will happen
in three phrases between this year
and 2019, to restructure the airline’s
finances, operations and administration and, as Suleiman Al Hafez, chairman, RJ, said, to enable the company
bolster its competitive edge and
maintain its strategic role.
SENIOR JOURNALIST
Rita Kasziba
CONTRIBUTORS
Ana Mladenovic
Valentine Stavrou
PRESS
Maria Demetriadou
Pauline Shahabian
DESIGN & LAYOUT
Elena Stylianou
WEB DEVELOPER / IT
Soteris Constantinou
DIRECTORS
Andreas Constantinides
Mary Kammitsi
HEADQUARTERS
Al Hafez (second from right) headed the meeting
Jumeirah:
Successful
Start to the
Year
After a strong 2014, which
saw the company growing
revenues by 5.2 percent,
Jumeirah Group recorded
positive results for the first
four months of the year.
O
ccupancy levels across its
properties reached 84.6 percent. As a result, average
daily rate (ADR) soared to
AED2,385 (USD650) and
RevPAR stood at AED2,018 (USD550).
The UK continues to be the largest single source market for Jumeirahbranded properties around the globe,
accounting for 15.2 percent of total
room nights sold. Russia came in second, while business from the Gulf region showed a 13.9 percent rise.
2
T.T.W. Travel Trade Weekly LTD
P.O. Box 25255, Nicosia 1308 Cyprus
Tel: +357 22 021607, Fax: +357 22 103670
WEBSITE
www.traveltradeweekly.travel
EMAILS
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MENA EXCHANGE RATES
As of
22/5/2015
Currencies shown in blue
are fixed against the US
Dollar
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
98.88
Egypt (EGP)
Pound
7.62
Iran (IRR)
Rial
28,649.35
Iraq (IQD)
Dinar
1,170.77
Kuwait (KWD)
Dinar
0.30
Lebanon (LBP)
Pound
1,515.10
Libya (LYD)
Dinar
1.37
Morocco (MAD)
Dirham
9.72
Syria (SYP)
Pound
188.83
Tunisia (TND)
Dinar
1.94
Yemen (YER)
Rial
214.85
23 MAY 2015
TECHNOLOGY WEEKLY NEWS
CrescentRating Introduces Game-changing B2B Platform
M
uslim Travel Warehouse, a global trade platform connecting the tourism industry to the world’s largest family travel sector, was launched
by CrescentRating, providing travel agencies with comprehensive
search and booking capabilities across a portfolio of Muslim-friendly tour packages, excursions and activities. It will include 16 destinations in Europe, Asia
and the US, with more to be added over the next months.
“There was a real need within the industry to offer a solution that enables
travel agents around the world to be able to provide Muslim travellers, especially the family travellers, with itineraries that fit their needs and requirements,”
said Fazal Bahardeen, CEO, CrescentRating.
GTA Establishes
Multilingual Team
in Dubai
G
lobal travel distributor GTA
moved one of its most valued functions to Dubai,
aiming to provide enhanced service
to worldwide travel agents. An improved Global Assistance Team will
support those who encounter problems during their trip outside usual
office hours in all major languages.
Andy Aitkenhead, senior vice
president, global operations, GTA,
said, “Businesses choose to work
with us in part because they know
that we have real people at the
end of the telephone [...]. Establishing our Global Assistance Team
in Dubai allows us to take advantage of the emirate’s close ties with
many parts of the world.”
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23 MAY 2015
3
WEEKLY NEWS TECHNOLOGY
SITA to Equip
Abu Dhabi Midfield
Terminal
A
bu Dhabi Airports announced a five-year partnership with SITA to provide the
new Midfield Terminal with information technology infrastructure.
SITA will offer integrated end-toend passenger and airport management solutions including its airport
management system, passenger
processing platform, automated
boarding gates, flight information
display systems and baggage management services.
Mohamed Mubarak Al Mazrouei, CEO, Abu Dhabi Airports, said,
“We will ensure that the very latest
in every system is installed.”
4
Illusions Online
Moves to Microsoft
Cloud Technology
I
llusions Online, a Dubai-based travel
technology firm, penned a strategic
deal with Microsoft to transfer the
company’s entire business operating
platform on to Microsoft’s cloud technology, Azure.
The move to Azure – an initiative aimed
at enhancing productivity and client satisfaction - will incorporate the existing system on which Illusions Online operates
and will help pave the way for the future
growth of the company’s core business.
Faisal Memon, CEO, Illusions Online,
noted, “We have major expansion and acquisition plans on a global scale. The deal
with Microsoft will certainly fuel these
plans and support our future growth.”
UAE Passengers: Technology
Key to Stress-free Travel
P
assengers increasingly rely on new airport and inflight technology when travelling, according to a
Honeywell survey conducted by YouGov. Around 94
percent of UAE passengers agree that airports and airlines
have taken the right steps to improve punctuality over the
past decade. Many, however, feel that there is still much to
be done, with nearly half of travellers believing that areas
of speed and flight efficiency should be the industry’s top
investment priorities.
The majority of passengers uses new technologies to
check in and move through security. They also increasingly
view in-flight Wi-Fi as an essential travel tool.
23 MAY 2015
WEEKLY NEWS
GTA and Silk Air
Promote Singapore
In a bid to bring more traffic to Singapore,
global travel distributor GTA has signed a
year-long memorandum of understanding with
SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines,
to collaborate on marketing initiatives.
D
Singapore
23 MAY 2015
aryl Lee, regional vice president, sales and marketing,
Asia Pacific, the Middle
East and Africa, GTA, stated, “With
increasing competition from neighbouring destinations, visitors to Singapore fell 3.1 percent to 15.1 million in 2014 […]. We want to improve
awareness among travel agents of
all that Singapore has to offer travellers and particularly address misconceptions that it is expensive.”
BIA Hosts Dinner
for Agents and
Partners
Expedia Reveals Top
Outbound Markets
for UAE Residents
B
O
ahrain Airport Company (BAC)
recently hosted an appreciation
dinner for travel agents and airline country managers from the Eastern
Province of Saudi Arabia.
Mohamed Khalil, chief commercial
officer, BAC, stressed that 2014 was a
significant year for Bahrain International
Airport (BIA) as it marked a 10 percent
surge in passenger numbers compared
to 2013.
“This was a tremendous achievement for BIA and by reflection BAC. Our
aim is to further grow this number and
we are confident that with your help, we
will be successful in not only reaching our
targets but surpassing them,” he added.
ne of the world’s largest
online travel sites, Expedia
highlighted the top 20 most
popular outbound destinations from
the UAE, based on bookings made
on its sites.
The list shows Cairo taking the
lead over other international cities,
followed by Amman and Beirut.
“Expedia outbound passenger
data [...] found that three MENA cities
topped the poll. In terms of international destinations, London is ranked
in fourth place […], ahead of New
York in ninth place and Paris ranked
at 15,” said Eman Barhoumeh, director of e-commerce, Expedia.
5
WEEKLY NEWS
Dollar Boosts Its
Saudi Presence
S
trengthening its footprint in
Saudi Arabia, Dollar Rent A Car
took part in the Riyadh Travel
Fair Exhibition and Jeddah International Travel and Tourism Exhibition.
Marwan Al Mulla, general manager, UAE and Oman, Dollar Rent A
Car, explained, “Our presence in both
Jeddah and Riyadh exhibitions was
important because it strengthened
our relationship with our key partners and it also opened new opportunities with prospective clients. The
Saudi market is growing rapidly [...]
so attending these exhibitions has
never been more significant because
we are directly dealing with the kingdom’s decision makers within the
travel and tourism industry.”
6
Union Museum Project Gets
Green Light
H.
H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister,
UAE, endorsed the implementation of the
AED500 million (USD136 million) Union Museum project
– a 25,000m2 museum located next to the Union House
which narrates the history of the UAE from 1968 to 1974.
It is to include restored historic buildings, a new pavilion,
permanent and temporary halls, a theatre, educational
and recreational areas, a rebuilt Ministry House, a new
waterfront and a 123m-tall flag pole to substitute the old
one that was built in 2001.
Union Museum rendering
RCI Lures Middle
Eastern Cruise-goers
Q
uantum of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International’s (RCI’s)
smart ship, will be passing
through Dubai and Muscat en route
to her new home in Tianjin, China, on
May 29, 30 and 31.
To promote the company’s cruise
itineraries and vessels, Royal Caribbean Arabia participated at the Arabian Travel Market, highlighting the
newly inaugurated Anthem of the Seas
and its facilities including North Star,
which provides guests with panoramic views from over 90m above sea
level; RipCord by iFLY, the first skydiving experience at sea; and SeaPlex,
the largest indoor active space at sea,
complete with bumper cars, a circus
school, roller skating and more.
23 MAY 2015
WEEKLY NEWS
St. Moritz Highlighted
at the ATM
Croatia Lures Middle Eastern Travellers
8
Zagreb
R
einforcing the Alpine
luxury hub St. Moritz as
the ideal family holiday
destination for GCC travellers,
Tourism Organization Engadin
St Moritz took part at this year’s
Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in
Dubai. The organisation hosted
an exclusive networking event
with members of CEO Clubs
U.A.E on May 06.
“St. Moritz enjoyed a 19 percent increase in the number of
visitors from the GCC in 2014,
and we are keen to invest in this
region even further to attract
more visitors to St. Moritz,” said
Ariane Ehrat, CEO, Tourism Organization Engadin St. Moritz.
C
roatian National Tourist Board (CNTB), Zagreb Tourist Board and flydubai used
the Arabian Travel Market to highlight an increase in the number of routes to
the Croatian capital, and its offerings for the Middle Eastern clientele.
“Notwithstanding Croatia’s stunning natural beauty, our heritage and our cultural
similarities, the real game-changer now is the increased number of direct flights to
Zagreb, most notably those operated by flydubai and Qatar Airways. Many people
may not realise that we are little more than five hours away from Dubai,” said Jelena
Slavujevic, representative, CNTB.
23 MAY 2015
WEEKLY NEWS
CITY SIGHTSEEING SHARJAH
TO EXPAND INTO AJMAN
Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD) and Sharjah
Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) signed an
agreement to enhance collaboration and joint promotion.
U
H.E. Faisal bin Ahmed Al Nuaimi (left) and
H.E. Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO, Shurooq
nder the terms of the deal,
Shurooq’s City Sightseeing
Sharjah will expand its services
to Ajman which, as H.E. Faisal
bin Ahmed Al Nuaimi, director
general, ATDD, revealed, strives to achieve
a 25 percent rise in tourist volumes.
“This agreement serves the goals set in
the ATDD’s updated strategic plan which
was aligned with Ajman’s 2021 Vision, aiming to attract five million tourists to the
emirate by 2021,” added Al Nuaimi.
HIA Welcomes
7.36 Million
Travellers in Q1
H
amad International Airport
(HIA) served a record 7.36 million passengers during the first
quarter (Q1) of the year, marking a 17
percent increase from the figures of
Doha International Airport during the
same period in 2014.
Cargo totalled 249,769 tonnes, representing a nine percent year-on-year
rise, while aircraft movements surged
14 percent to 49,208 movements.
“HIA is fully prepared for the rise in
aircraft movements and passenger traffic expected during the summer, owing
to its sophisticated facilities and integrated services [...],” commented Badr
Mohammed Al Meer, chief operating
officer, HIA.
Automated Boarding Pass System in
Abu Dhabi
A
bu Dhabi Airports paired up with air transport IT specialist, SITA to deploy a new traveller documents authentication system.
By utilising the iValidate product, the solution will further
enhance security, accelerate passenger processing and reduce
waiting times by automatically verifying all types all boarding
passes, be it mobile or home printed. Upon installation this
June, Abu Dhabi International Airport will become the first hub
in the Middle East to introduce the system.
Lausanne Aims for the Gulf Market
L
ausanne Tourism Authority penned a deal with dnata to promote special summer getaway packages for families residing in
the UAE and the Gulf region, starting after the holy month of
Ramadan.
“Through dnata, these packages include the provision of special
offers to customers with an overall package for accommodation, dinning and sightseeing in Lausanne throughout a number of hotels during the summer season starting July until the end of September,” said
Walter Looser, adviser, Lausanne Tourism Authority, pointing out that
the UAE is ranked as the second Middle Eastern market.
10
23 MAY 2015
WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION
Crowne Plaza Amman Unveils
Renovations
Crowne Plaza Amman has undergone a major facelift with the Royal Tent being
expanded even further to accommodate more guests, while its terrace has been
enlarged in order to serve bigger buffet set-ups.
M
oreover, the hotel’s pool has been renovated
and has turned into a hydro-heated pool,
whereas two Jacuzzis and a kids’ pool are
now available to visitors and guests. In addition, the
property has updated its menus and refreshed the surrounding landscape.
Crowne Plaza Amman pool
Meliá to
Add Two GCC
Hotels
Novotel and
ibis Abu Dhabi
Gate Teams
Tour China
N
ovotel and ibis Abu
Dhabi Gate’s delegation
joined Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority on a
five-day road in China, aimed at
encouraging visitors from China
and wider Asia to choose the UAE
capital for their next trip.
The tour, that included stops
in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu,
Guangzhou and Hong Kong, included face-to-face meetings
with MICE and travel agents as
well as key players in the local
tourism sector.
Gulf Hotels
Group Discloses
Future Openings
M
eliá Hotels International
plans to open two new
properties in the Gulf region within the next three years.
Slated for a 2017 launch, ME
Doha will comprise 235 rooms,
business and convention facilities,
three restaurants, an open-air cinema, a fitness centre and a spa.
The second property was announced for the UAE. Meliá Downtown Residences Dubai, due to
open in 2018, will offer 258 residential units, meeting rooms, business centre, to two restaurants, a
spa and a fitness centre.
ME Doha rendering
12
Aqeel Raees
A
t this year’s Arabian Travel
Market, Aqeel Raees, CEO,
Gulf Hotels Group, revealed
that the company signed deals for
two four-star hotels in Seef and Manama, to be launched in September.
He further confirmed that Gulf
Hotels Group commenced work on
the five-star Gulf Hotel Business Bay,
Dubai, a waterfront property located
1.5km from Burj Khalifa and Dubai
Mall, to be completed by 2017.
In addition, Gulf Residence Amwaj
in conjunction with Lona Real Estate is
nearing completion and the 173-unit,
four-star hotel apartment property
will open in the second half of the year.
23 MAY 2015
WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION
The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo to Return
Late Summer
Dusit Opens Saudi Sales Office
The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo
A
fter establishing a joint venture hotel management company in Saudi
Arabia with local partners Dyar Hotels and Resorts, Dusit International
opened a regional sales office in Riyadh. With the Kingdom being the
most significant source market for its properties in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Cairo
and the Maldives, the company aims to capitalise on this growing customer
base while also providing support to the recently inaugurated entity.
As Sameh Shawkat, regional director, sales and marketing, Middle East
and Africa, Dusit International, explained, the opening comes at a time when
the company focusses on its expansion in the Middle East and Africa.
C
urrently undergoing a complete renovation, The Nile
Ritz-Carlton, Cairo is set to reopen in late summer,
heralding a new era of luxury in the Egyptian capital.
Whilst retaining many of the original features, the 331-key
property is poised to appeal to a new generation of guests
with ultramodern facilities, including 50 suites, an Olympicsize pool with 17 private cabins, a spa, meeting and conference spaces with a 1,700m2 conference hall and an array of
dining venues.
Dusit Inks Deals for Saudi and
Qatari Hotels
Rendering of Dusit Thani Jeddah
A
fter partnering with Dyar Hotels
and Resorts, Dusit International
confirmed the first two projects
of the new joint venture hotel management company; Dusit Thani Jeddah and
dusitD2 Salwa Doha, both slated for
2018 openings.
The 211-key Dusit Thani Jeddah will
have a Royal Suite, as well as a separate
floor for female guests and male and female spas.
The Shariah-compliant dusitD2 Salwa
Doha, located in the heart of the Qatari
capital, will boast two wedding halls, 10
meeting rooms and three dining outlets.
Riyadh to Get a New Mövenpick
R
iyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District will welcome a new hotel by
Mövenpick in 2017. The 353-key Mövenpick Hotel Financial District Riyadh will boast 264 rooms, 85 apartments and four bungalows, as well
as four dining outlets, meeting rooms, a banquet hall, health club and gym.
“King Abdullah Financial District is tipped to become Riyadh’s new
business hub and our upscale hotel will be well placed to tap into the
substantial corporate and meetings industry business,” said Andreas Mattmüller, chief operating officer, Middle East and Asia, Mövenpick Hotels &
Resorts.
14
23 MAY 2015
WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION
B
est Western International
(BWI) announced another addition to its rapidly expanding
MENA portfolio: BEST WESTERN PREMIER Deira Hotel.
“Dubai is one of the world’s most
exciting cities and a destination with
a heavy demand for both corporate
and leisure clients. Entering Dubai
with an established local operator
strengthens our current foothold in
the GCC region,” said Suzi Yoder, senior vice president, international operations, BWI.
The 250-room four-star hotel offers amenities such as free Wi-Fi, satellite TV, all-day dining, conference
and banquet facilities and fitness
centre.
DAMAC Properties Reveals Luxury
Retail Strip
BlueBay Group
Enters Morocco
B
Vista Lux
Best Western to
Conquer Dubai
D
AMAC Properties unveiled details of its lifestyle and
retail strip running through the centre of its living
community, AKOYA Oxygen. The 93,000m2 Vista Lux
includes a waterway and more than 1.5km of walkways, and
will feature many firsts for the region, including a self-contained experiential rainforest, a hydroponic café and more,
“Vista Lux will house more than 2,000 hotel apartments
and residences, allowing visitors to the Dubai Rainforest, or
those looking to challenge themselves at the Tiger Woodsdesigned Trump World Golf Club, Dubai, to have an all-encompassing, holistic experience,” said Ziad El Chaar, managing director, DAMAC Properties.
lueBay Group has launched
Blue Diamond Sahara Palace
in Marrakesh with 89 spacious suites, in addition to several
Riads with their respective suites,
equipped with private terraces, Balinese beds, large bathrooms and
free Wi-Fi. The property also features
four restaurants serving Moroccan,
Indian, international and Mediterranean specialties.
The Spanish company plans to
expand further in the region with
upcoming openings in Istanbul, Ras
Al Khaimah, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Fujairah and Sharm El Sheikh, under
the Blue Diamond, BlueBay Hotels
& Resorts and BelleVue Hotels & Resorts brands.
Jumeirah Al Naseem Coming Soon
16
Jumeirah Al Naseem
J
umeirah Group unveiled the name for its
new hotel at Madinat Jumeirah, Jumeirah
Al Naseem, scheduled to open in 2016.
The property will have 430 luxurious rooms
and suites, complete with walk-in rain showers,
floor-to-ceiling windows and private outdoor
terraces. It is set among lush, landscaped gardens and offers three large swimming pools, as
well as private beach access.
Guests will have access to the Madinat Theatre, the resort’s waterways serviced by traditional wooden abra boats, a kids’ club and over 50
restaurants at Souk Madinat Jumeirah.
23 MAY 2015
WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION
Rotana: 11 More
Openings This Year
Oman Unveils Luxury Hotel Developments
Saraya Bandar Jissah Resort
R
otana will launch 11 new
properties this year spanning the UAE, Saudi Arabia,
Qatar, Bahrain and Turkey, in addition to its first property in the African market.
Qatar will welcome its second
five-star hotel as well as and the first
Centro property, while the company’s UAE portfolio will welcome
Capital Centre Arjaan by Rotana
Abu Dhabi. Rotana is also poised to
extend its footprint in Bahrain with
the launch of Downtown Rotana,
and a further three projects are set
to open in Saudi Arabia, including
the first five-star Rotana hotel in Riyadh and the Kingdom’s first Centro
hotels in Jeddah and Riyadh.
O
man’s Ministry of Tourism will develop several luxurious hotels to address
the rising numbers of guest arrivals. With an expected 1.14 million tourist
arrivals this year, the top 10 projects that are under development in the
country boast a total investment value of over USD3.3 billion.
Among those are properties under the Westin, St. Regis, W, Ritz Carlton, Kempinski and Fairmont brands, as well as a Louis Vuitton hotel, Saraya Bandar Jissah
Resort, Shati Salalah, Alila Resort Salalah and Yiti Resort.
Mövenpick Adds to Moroccan
Portfolio
M
övenpick Hotels & Resorts will soon add a third property in Morocco,
due to soft open in the fourth quarter of the year. Owned by Kuwait’s Al Ajial Asset Fund, the 501-room five-star property will undergo extensive renovation and expansion valued at USD69 million, before
reopening as Mövenpick Hotel & Palais Des Congrès. It will offer more suites
in a newly-built wing, plus leisure as well as dining and entertainment venues.
“Attracting MICE business especially from Europe, the Gulf states and the
US will be a key focus,” commented Alan O’Dea, senior vice president, Africa,
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.
City Seasons Bur Dubai to Open
This Summer
C
ity Seasons Hotels is gearing up for the imminent launch of City Seasons Bur Dubai, the company’s third property in the emirate and
seventh in the region.
Located in the heart of the business centre and just a few steps from Burjuman Mall, the hotel boasts sleek and futuristic architecture. The 14-storey
building comprises 192 rooms and suites, three food and beverage outlets,
leisure facilities and an entire floor dedicated to meeting and banqueting
venues.
Due to be launched this summer, the property will bring the company’s
room count in the UAE and Oman to over 1,600 units.
18
23 MAY 2015
WEEKLY NEWS AIR
Air Arabia: New Sales
Office in Ras Al Khaimah
Germania Adds Tunisian
Routes
Adel Ali (left) and Salem Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, chairman,
Ras Al Khaimah Department of Civil Aviation
After a year of successful operations from Ras Al
Khaimah International Airport, Air Arabia opened a new
sales office and city terminal check-in in the emirate.
“T
his step is another vote of confidence in the long-term potential of Ras Al Khaimah as an
aviation and tourism centre,” said Adel Ali,
group CEO, Air Arabia.
Located on Nakheel Road, the facility is open daily and is manned with sales
agents able to assist with bookings. Customers can also drop off their bags and collect their boarding passes before journeying to either Ras Al Khaimah International
Airport or Sharjah International Airport.
G
ermania has further expanded its North African
network with the introduction of two new services to Djerba and Enfidha in Tunisia.
Just in time for the busy summer holiday season, the
German carrier now offers weekly flights between Berlin
Schönefeld Airport and Enfidha–Hammamet International
Airport every Saturday, while services to Djerba–Zarzis International Airport are being operated on Tuesdays.
The Berlin-headquartered airline’s routemap also includes Moroccan and Egyptian destinations.
Etihad and Alitalia’s Expo Pavilion
Inaugurated
A
ribbon-cutting ceremony was hosted by Alitalia and Etihad Airways,
official global carriers of Expo Milano 2015, to celebrate the opening
of their joint pavilion at the mega-event.
James Hogan, president, Etihad Airways, said, “The combined networks
of Etihad Airways and Alitalia offer unmatched travel connections into Italy,
making us the smartest option to bring the world to Expo Milano [...]. In addition, as official global carriers, we are able to actively promote the event
worldwide and provide visitors with a pavilion experience that is memorable, entertaining and educational, in line with the Expo theme.”
Emirates Skywards Teams Up with
Heathrow
E
mirates and London’s Heathrow Airport launched a strategic partnership to bring more benefits for members of their respective loyalty programmes.
Over 14 million members of Emirates Skywards and Heathrow Rewards
will now have the option to convert their miles into points and vice versa, and
spend them on airport services or put them towards flights.
“As the UK’s hub airport, where we operate five daily A380 flights, this partnership makes perfect sense for us and for our loyal Emirates Skywards members,” said Thierry Antinori, chief commercial officer, Emirates.
JW Marriott Bodrum
20
23 MAY 2015
WEEKLY NEWS AIR
flydubai Aligns with Emerging Travel
Trends
Etihad: US Airlines Supported by
USD71.48 Billion
R
f
lydubai’s customers see direct air links as key factors
influencing their airline choice with priority given to
connectivity (37 percent) and value for money (24 percent), according to the budget airline’s latest survey based on
the analysis of over 4,000 independent opinions compiled
through its in-flight entertainment system.
Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO, flydubai, commented, “The data
we are capturing shows travel patterns as well as behaviours,
and importantly helps us to drive innovation to meet our passengers’ expectations. The timeliness of this analysis and our
emphasis of putting the customer experience at the core of
our operations give us a unique insight to our passengers.”
esearch commissioned by Etihad Airways shows that the three biggest US carriers, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and American Airlines
Group, along with carriers with which they have merged, received
government subsidies worth of USD71.48 billion to transition from the verge
of bankruptcy to industry leaders.
The Abu Dhabi-based airline released the findings after being accused of
being aided by unfair advantages. As James Hogan, president, Etihad Airways,
reinforced, the company wished to highlight the fact that these airlines have
been benefitting, and continue to benefit, from a highly favourable legal regime.
Emirates Boosts Beirut Operations
E
mirates plans to gradually increase its services to Beirut with a third
daily frequency, fully effective as of October 1.
The addition of the extra flight, which will take the number of
weekly Emirates’ Lebanese operations to 21, will further enhance connectivity for customers travelling onwards to destinations in the US, Australia and Africa.
The Dubai-based airline will deploy a 267-seat Airbus 340-300 in a
three-class configuration on the route.
Doha
Qatar Airways Introduces Doha – Dubai
Shuttle
Q
atar Airways’ newest offering aims to make travelling
between Doha and Dubai smoother with the introduction of a shuttle service which offers flights from
Hamad International Airport to Dubai International, as well as
Al Maktoum International Airport.
The new service, the first of its kind between the two cities,
enables 18 daily connections between the two cities.
“The Doha – Dubai Shuttle caters to the needs of both business and leisure travellers, and provides them with a more convenient and time-saving option […],” said Akbar Al Baker, group
CEO, Qatar Airways.
22
23 MAY 2015
WEEKLY NEWS AIR
Air Malta Facilitates Cargo
Operations to Libya
Second Etihad Airways’ A380 to
London
kno
u
o
y
d
Di
w.
A
ir Malta has concluded an interline cargo agreement
with Global Aviation Services to utilise space on its
weekly freighter operation from Ostend, Belgium to
Libya’s Misrata and Mitiga airports.
Through this deal Air Malta will be providing cargo space on
its direct flights from Malta to Amsterdam and Malta to Brussels
and connecting with Global Aviation Services’ Libya-bound service over the weekend through these airports.
E
tihad Airways took delivery of its second Airbus A380
which has been introduced on the popular Abu Dhabi to
London’s Heathrow Airport route.
Peter Baumgartner, chief commercial officer, Etihad Airways,
said that the addition will give passengers more opportunities
to experience the carrier’s revolutionary new cabins, including
The Residence by Etihad and First Apartments. “By August, all
three daily flights on this flagship route will be operated by the
A380, offering our guests unparalleled luxury and superior inflight technology,” he added.
In June, the third A380 will be introduced on one of the two
daily services from Abu Dhabi to Sydney.
Gulf Air Attains
IATA Safety
Audit
Emirates Unveils
New Headsets in
Economy Class
G
E
ulf Air has successfully
completed the IATA Operational Safety Audit
(IOSA) therefore the company will
now be registered under IOSA
until May 2017. The national carrier regularly conducts internal
appraisals in order for it to be
aligned with IOSA safety rules and
recommendations.
With this being the airline’s
sixth assessment, Nasser Al Salmi,
chief operations officer, Gulf Air
commented, “We approached this
audit with two specific goals: to
meet all of IATA’s rigorous safety
requirements in order to maintain
IOSA registration and to evaluate
our operational safety standards.”
24
Etihad Airways' Airbus A380
Air Malta cargo
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Airw 15 trav
om
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Airp
mirates is preparing to
launch new, redesigned
headsets for its in-flight entertainment system, which will be
available from the end of June on
all Emirates A380 aircraft.
The new equipment has
been redesigned to improve
sound quality, reduce ambient
cabin noise and enhance overall
comfort.
“Now customers can completely immerse themselves in the
broad variety of entertainment
choices offered onboard,” said
Patrick Brannelly, divisional vice
president, customer experience,
in-flight entertainment and connectivity, Emirates.
23 MAY 2015
RENDEZVOUS
Q & A with
Steen Jakobsen
DIRECTOR, DUBAI BUSINESS EVENTS
STEEN JAKOBSEN: All stakeholders
recognise the importance and opportunities related to the business events
sector so as Dubai’s official convention
bureau, Dubai Business Events’ role is to
lead, support and manage a cooperative strategy that involves public and
private stakeholders across tourism,
hospitality, academic and business sectors. Working with these partners, we
spearhead and participate in a range of
activities throughout the year.
In 2014, we were present promoting Dubai at over 100 international
events and we welcomed more than
200 international conference decision
makers and influencers to the emirate.
Along with international marketing and
relationship building, we are also working towards fostering ongoing advocacy at a local level in order to build an
established and long-term base of support for business events. […]
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How can today’s business travellers turn into tomorrow’s holiday-makers?
STEEN JAKOBSEN: The emirate has
done a wonderful job of establishing its
profile as a world-class leisure destination which is ideal from an incentive industry point of view. Our aim now is to
build upon the opportunity presented
by destination Dubai’s rebrand in 2014
and further market the emirate’s holistic offer to key business and academic
audiences and the time has never been
better to do so.
The hospitality industry has further
diversified its offering with more budget
options than ever before. This, coupled
with exceptional infrastructure and connectivity both to, and within the city has
made for a compelling offer for business
event planners. As the city’s leisure calendar of events also continue to grow
year on year, so too does our reputation for hosting large-scale, high-profile
groups and events. These elements
combined make for a compelling destination offer whether you are a business
or leisure traveller and all fit well into our
ethos that today’s leisure traveller could
be tomorrow’s business traveller.
INCREASED EMPHASIS IS BEING PLACED ON
BUSINESS TRAVEL WHICH, ACCORDING TO STEEN
JAKOBSEN, DIRECTOR, DUBAI BUSINESS EVENTS
(DBE), PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN ATTRACTING 20
MILLION VISITORS TO DUBAI.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How important is business travel for Dubai?
STEEN JAKOBSEN: The importance of
business events and business travel to
Dubai’s tourism sector, and economy in
general, cannot be understated. Events,
including business events, are a key pillar in Tourism Vision 2020 which aims
to welcome 20 million visitors a year by
2020. Dubai is the region’s leading MICE
destination with a 50 percent share of
the market and thanks to a variety of
factors and initiatives such as Tourism
Vision and Expo 2020, prospects for
growth remain very strong.
23 MAY 2015
Dubai Business Events’ role is to further develop and increase the emirate’s
share of the international business events
market. Along with the clear and positive
economic impact, in terms of inbound
travel numbers and associated infrastructure projects, business events including
congresses and association meetings also
strengthen knowledge and job creation
which, in turn, benefit the emirate and its
population long into the future.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What steps
are taken in order to encourage hotels, venues and service providers to
focus more on this segment?
25
WEEKLY NEWS INTERNATIONAL
Best Western Boasts New Japanese Gem
Kagoshima on Kyushu Island has recently welcomed BEST WESTERN Rembrandt Hotel Kagoshima Resort, the
brand’s newest addition in the country’s southwestern part.
kn
Did you
ow. .
BEST WESTERN Rembrandt Hotel Kagoshima Resort
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imat
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aw
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With merous and its
,
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attr ning vo oshima
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sca
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a
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O
ffering a view of the Sakurajima volcano, the 199-room property accommodates 230m2 of meeting space and a local cuisine restaurant. Enhanced with an outdoor swimming pool
and a Jacuzzi, the hotel is also overlooking Kinkoh Bay.
South Australia Awaits New
Five-star Hotel
T
he city of Adelaide anticipates the development of a new fivestar property that will be operated under Accor’s Sofitel brand.
The 32-storey project will offer 250 rooms and suites, as well as
80 apartments, a collection of food and beverage outlets, conference
rooms, a swimming pool, a health and fitness centre, a Sofitel Club
Lounge and a restaurant. The USD140 million Sofitel Adelaide is expected to open by the end of 2018. Characterised as the city’s new gem, the
hotel will create a uniquely European experience for guests, said Daniel
Palumbo, managing director, Palumbo, the hotel's developer.
Wyndham Enters Eastern Africa with
Tanzanian Debut
W
yndham Hotel Group (WHG) opened its first hotel in eastern Africa, the 139-room Ramada Resort Dar es Salaam in
Tanzania.
“[The opening of Ramada Resort Dar es Salaam] is a key milestone
in our regional growth,” commented Dan Ruff, president, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Indian Ocean, WHG.
The property features locally inspired artwork and extensive leisure facilities including a swimming pool, rooftop gym, direct beach
access and five food and beverage outlets, as well as seven meeting
rooms for up to 375 guests.
26
23 MAY 2015
AGENT CORNER
Agent’s Insight
NAME:
Charlotte Harris
POSITION:
Products and marketing manager
COMPANY:
Charlotte Travel
LOCATION:
Hong Kong
WEBSITE:
www.charlottetravel.com.hk
Who are you?
I am the product and marketing manager for Charlotte Travel, a one-stop-shop
travel agency based in Hong Kong focussing on global corporate and high-end
leisure travel.
What is your favourite thing about working in the travel industry?
Having the opportunity to travel and meet like-minded people within the same industry across the globe gives me my adrenaline rush and keeps my engine running.
When is the best time to visit the destinations you offer?
The best time to travel to Bhutan is during spring and autumn when it is not too
hot and the main Bhutanese festivals are on. [...] As for the Northern Lights, book
now! Solar activity occurs roughly in an 11-year cycle and we are now at the peak
of the cycle. This means that from now to winter 2016, there is an incredibly high
chance of seeing the Northern lights in the Arctic Circle.
Where would you like to travel for your next holiday?
I would love to spend a few nights at the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort in Finland to
see the Northern lights. I am not a huge fan of the cold so staying in the warmth
of a bed and looking up through the ceiling of the glass igloo would be amazing.
Why should people come to you for travel advice?
Our team started with three people […]. Charlotte Travel has now grown to the
optimum size company that enables us to retain its focus on individual and personalised service whilst cultivating differentiated and respected reputation within an
important and growing niche market.
23 MAY 2015
27
TRAVEL TALK
Emirates is committed
to providing support for
innovative projects
I […] very much look
forward to our bright
future
RAMI
SAYESS
General manager,
Four Seasons Hotel
Doha
NICOLA
HOCHGRUBER
General manager,
Novotel and ibis
Abu Dhabi Gate Hotel
“After 10 incredible years, Four
Seasons Hotel Doha continues
to be a recognised leader in hospitality thanks to our exceptional employees, intuitive service
standards and valued guests.
I am excited to celebrate and
honour the hotel’s rich past and
very much look forward to our
bright future as we continue to
offer unforgettable and unique
experiences found nowhere
else – from culinary to spa, the
hotel’s priority remains focussed
on dazzling each guest that
walks through our doors.”
PATRICK
BRANELLY
Divisional vice
president, customer
experience, in-flight
entertainment and
connectivity, Emirates
“As a global airline with our base
in Dubai, Emirates is committed
to providing support for innovative projects that highlight the
unknown incredible stories within the vibrant UAE ecosystem.
Through supporting the creation
of The Last Wilderness of the UAE
documentary and then letting
our passengers view it onboard
our flights, we hope to engage
millions of our customers around
the world and raise awareness
about the abundant natural
beauty found in the UAE’s terrestrial and marine ecosystems.”
A happy employee will
definitely lead to a higher
customer satisfaction
The award reflects Dubai
Airports’ efforts in driving
commercial performance
“We are proud to state that we
have been champions of the
Accor Fun Day for two years in
a row, [in] 2014 and the current
year. This is a wonderful event
and I personally consider it a
special Accor hub that combines
all employees and managers
from different hotels to come together for a wonderful day and
refresh relations, and of course
[this] adds up to our satisfaction,
as we all know a happy employee will definitely lead to a higher
customer satisfaction.”
“The [Most Supportive Approach to Travel-Retail] award
[from Duty Free News International Global Awards] reflects
Dubai Airports’ efforts in driving commercial performance
through creating successful,
growth-oriented partnerships,
and in effectively planning commercial spaces to enable continued profitability. It is also an
endorsement of our strategy to
partner and work with premium
global brands to enhance and
reward increased passenger engagement at our airports.”
EUGENE
BARRY
Executive vice
president, commercial
group, Dubai Airports
TRAVEL TALK IS YOUR SPACE – this is a casual forum for travel industry professionals to discuss current issues and share stories.
We want to hear from you, so send your comments, questions, frustrations and observations to
[email protected]
28
23 MAY 2015
TRAVEL CHANNELS
New Portuguese Visa
Application Centre in Jeddah
T
VFS Global has been chosen to run Portugal’s new visa application
centre in Jeddah.
he launch of the outlet follows
the first Portuguese visa centre’s
opening in Riyadh in April.
Services will also soon be extended to Al Khobar as well, just
in time for the busy summer holiday season.
Manuel Carvalho, ambassador to Saudi
Arabia, Portugal, reiterated, “Jeddah is an
important city and a crucial economic and
travel hub. We expect that extending this
service to Jeddah will allow for much more
convenient travel to Portugal for Saudi residents, be they tourists, businesspeople, investors or students.”
Launch of the centre
New Visa
Innovation Centre
in the UAE
V
isa is investing in an
innovation centre in
Dubai to provide the
company, its clients and partners across the region with an
ingenious space to jointly develop the next generation of
payment technology.
The initiative is set to
help position the destination, home to Visa’s Central
and Eastern Europe, Middle
East and Africa (CEMEA) headquarters, as a smart city and
reinforce the region’s importance to the business, as Kamran Siddiqi, group executive,
Visa CEMEA, noted.
Mother and Son Reunion at Holiday Inn
Al Barsha
A
fter spending two decades apart, a mother finally got the
chance to meet her son at Holiday Inn Dubai – Al Barsha.
Hermelinda, who battles breast cancer, left the Philippines
when Jonathan was less than three years old and the two have not
seen each other ever since. Holiday Inn Dubai – Loves You initiative
joined forces with Air Brunei, Cosmos Travel and RJ Radio Spice 105.4
to fulfill the mother’s wish and reunite her with her son.
“It was an emotional moment when Hermelinda shed tears of joy
as she finally saw her son hugging her, unbelieving her fortune. I pray
and hope that is emotional burst will give her a new lease of life,” commented Roxana Jaffer, CEO, Holiday Inn Dubai – Al Barsha.
Mother and son reunion
23 MAY 2015
29
WHO’S MOVED
ABDULMOHSEN
AL SAYEGH
Abdulmohsen Al Sayegh has
assumed the position of chief financial officer at Air Seychelles.
Al Sayegh, who holds a bachelor degree in business administration and financial services,
has extensive experience
working for Etihad Airways in
the UAE and across the world.
He joined the Abu Dhabibased carrier as senior financial controller in 2008 and
moved to Sydney three years
later as senior finance manager for Australia.
In 2013, he continued as area
finance manager in Berlin,
overseeing operations in Ireland, Belgium, Turkey and
Cyprus, together with the financial accounts of the UAE
embassies in Europe on behalf
of the company.
SARAH
BUILT
JEFF
KAYS
30
Sarah Built is the new general
manager for Australia and New
Zealand at Etihad Airways, at
an exciting time for the airline
when it will introduce its flagship Airbus A380 to Sydney.
Built has 25 years of aviation experience which includes sales
and senior management roles
with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines,
American Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Kingfisher
Airlines and Jet Airways. She
joined Etihad Airways in August 2011 as the airline’s London-based manager of global
industry sales, in charge of the
company’s commercial partnerships.
Based in Sydney, Built will report to Lindsay White, vice
president, Asia Pacific South
and Australasia, Etihad Airways.
Jeff Kays has been appointed
by Sabre to lead account management for enterprise customers within its hospitality
solutions business, including
newest customer, Wyndham
Hotel Group.
In his capacity, Kays will oversee
the deployment of the SynXis
Property Manager and SynXis
Central Reservations system to
thousands of Wyndham Hotel
Group properties around the
world. Kays is a highly experienced business leader with
a proven record for managing strategic relationships and
large-scale initiatives.
Prior to joining Sabre, he spent
24 years at Accenture, where
he held a number of leadership roles within the outsourcing and global business
shared services organisations.
Most recently, he was managing director for outsourcing
account delivery, with responsibility for leading Accenture’s
business process outsourcing
services across the products
industry for North America.
23 MAY 2015
PHOTO ALBUM
Take a Shot!
Share with us the latest images of your activities and let your colleagues
know what you have been up to.
Send your photos to [email protected]
Because a picture is worth a thousand words...
Kinan Al Ghraoui, general manager, Villa, Rihab and
Rimal Rotana Dubai (second from right) celebrates the
property’s win in Dubai Green Tourism Awards’ standard
hotel apartment category
Air Arabia Jordan has launched operations from
Queen Alia International Airport
Marwa Al-Said, winner of Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl,
Doha and Virginia Commonwealth University’s Lady in
Red design competition
23 MAY 2015
Amwaj Rotana, Jumeirah Beach Dubai conducted a mangrove
clean-up initiative to mark Earth Day
Mövenpick Hotel Doha held a selfie competition amongst its
hotel operations' teams
Radisson Blu Resort Sharjah was voted Sharjah’s Leading Hotel by
World Travel Awards
31
NEWS & EVENTS
ibtm arabia 2016
Moves to Jumeirah
at Etihad Towers
EVENTS
CHINA GUILIN INTERNATIONAL
TOURISM EXPO (CGITE)
Guilin, China
May 29 – 31
www.cgite.com.cn
Part of Conference & Exhibition
Management Services’ travel
and tourism portfolio, CGITE
brings together Chinese and
international buyers and
exhibitors in one dynamic
marketplace.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL EXPO
HONG KONG
Jumeirah at Etihad Towers
F
ollowing a successful debut
edition in February, ibtm arabia 2016 will follow the same
format and take place at the luxurious Jumeirah at Etihad Towers in Abu
Dhabi, from February 09 – 11, 2016.
Lois Wilcox, exhibition manager,
ibtm arabia, commented, “Part of the
success of this year was the location
and the fact that buyers and sellers
were together for the duration of the
event. For 2016, we are delighted to
confirm that we will be replicating
this unique offering in the famous
promenade of Abu Dhabi with views
of the Arabian Gulf and Cityscape.”
Wanchai, Hong Kong
June 11 – 14
www.itehk.com
Amongst others, the event also
highlights trendy travel themes
such as overseas weddings and
honeymoons, as well as sports
tourism.
KOREA WORLD TRAVEL FAIR
Seoul, South Korea
June 11 – 15
www.kotfa.co.kr
With a 30-year history, the event
sees the participation of 60
countries which promote their
tourism resources and cultures.
INDIA INTERNATIONAL
TRAVEL MART
Bangalore, India
July 10 – 12
www.iitmindia.com
One of the country’s premier
travel and tourism exhibitions
established in 1998, this year
launches in Bangalore with
upcoming showings in Chennai,
Mumbai, Gurgaon, Pune,
Hyderabad, Kochin and Kolkatta.
32
23 MAY 2015