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NOVEMBER 2014
ISSUE 61
EXPLORE: IRAN
COMING TOGETHER LIKE PERFECTLY DESIGNED PIECES OF
A PUZZLE, THE SEVEN EMIRATES HAVE MANAGED TO WOW
THEIR COMPETITORS AND BECOME A GLOWING
BEACON IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
24
EXCLUSIVE: MEDICAL TRAVEL
28
IN THIS ISSUE
MARKET UPDATE
02
VISIT: UAE
04
ONSITE: IRAQ
22
EXPLORE: IRAN
24
WHO’S MOVED
25
TOUR: INDIA
26
EXCLUSIVE: MEDICAL TRAVEL
28
TRAVEL TALK
30
RENDEZVOUS
31
NEWS & EVENTS
32
VISIT: UAE
4
MARKET UPDATE
TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS
MENA EXCHANGE RATES
As of 22/10/2014
MANAGING EDITOR
HEADQUARTERS
Mary Kammitsi
[email protected]
T.T.W. Travel Trade Weekly LTD
P.O. Box 25255, Nicosia
1308 Cyprus
Tel: +357 22 021607
Fax: +357 22 103670
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Maria Kazeli
SENIOR JOURNALIST
Rita Kasziba
CONTRIBUTORS
Dominique Christou
Ana Mladenovic
PRESS
Maria Demetriadou
Pauline Shahabian
DESIGN & LAYOUT
Elena Stylianou
WEB DEVELOPER / IT
Soteris Constantinou
DIRECTORS
Andreas Constantinides
Mary Kammitsi
2
WEBSITE
www.traveltrademena.travel
EMAILS
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
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Tel: +357 25 720035
Fax: +357 25 720123
Email: [email protected]
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
83.48
Egypt (EGP)
Pound
7.15
Iran (IRR)
Rial
26,723.78
Iraq (IQD)
Dinar
1,174.95
Kuwait (KWD)
Dinar
0.28
Lebanon (LBP)
Pound
1,521.97
Libya (LYD)
Dinar
1.21
Morocco (MAD)
Dirham
8.74
Syria (SYP)
Pound
162.90
Tunisia (TND)
Dinar
1.80
Yemen (YER)
Rial
214.81
Holidays
Boost Traffic
at BIA
Bahrain International Airport
(BIA) reported a significant increase in passenger numbers
during Eid Al Adha and Hajj
season, having served around
72,000 travellers.
T
his is in addition to 4,000 pilgrims who
used BIA as a transfer hub.
Mohamed Thamir Al Kaabi, chief
airport operating officer, Bahrain Airport Company, used the opportunity
to praise his staff for their hard work and thank
all the parties involved, from both private and
public sectors, in ensuring smooth operations at
the airport.
NOVEMBER 2014
MARKET UPDATE
Etihad Airways
Revenue Increases
in Q3
Etihad Airways reported total revenues of USD1.8 billion for the third quarter (Q3) of the year, registering a
growth of 29 percent year-on-year.
Cargo Volumes Rise at
Salalah Port
Oman’s National Centre for Statistics and Information
(NCSI) reported a strong increase in vessel movement at
Salalah Port in July, with the total cargo volumes growing by almost 29 percent to exceed six million tonnes.
F
T
his was achieved on the back of accelerated passenger and cargo
traffic during the summer.
A total of 3.9 million passengers travelled with the airline between July and September, 30 percent more than the three million
passengers recorded for the same period in 2013.
Etihad Cargo also outperformed the global market by transporting 144,498
tonnes of freight and mail during Q3, marking a year-on-year increase of nine
percent.
“Our focus on organic growth, codeshare partnerships and minority investments in other airlines has continued to produce strong results,” commented
James Hogan, president, Etihad Airways.
NOVEMBER 2014
Salalah Port
or the first seven months of the
year, unloaded cargo volumes
jumped by 19 percent to 723,000
tonnes, while loaded cargo grew
by more than 30 percent from 4.08
million tonnes seen by the end of July 2013
to 5.31 million tonnes this year.
At the same time, cargo volumes at Sultan Qaboos Port slightly declined. Growth
was reported only for the loaded cargo
levels which increased by 2.1 percent to
586,000 tonnes.
3
VISIT UAE Abu Dhabi
LIGHT-YEARS AHEAD
UAE IN BRIEF
Capital: Abu Dhabi
Currency: Emirati Dirham (AED)
Language: Arabic
Population: 9.4 million
Calling Code: +971
Capital Time Zone: GMT +4:00
COMING TOGETHER LIKE PERFECTLY DESIGNED
PIECES OF A PUZZLE, THE SEVEN EMIRATES HAVE
MANAGED TO WOW THEIR COMPETITORS AND
BECOME A GLOWING BEACON IN THE MIDDLE
EAST. BOASTING A DIVERSE TOURISM MAP WHICH
MAKES THE UAE AN ALL-IN-ONE HOSPITALITY
DESTINATION AND WITH THE REGION ENTERING A
NEW ERA OF INCREASED CONNECTIVITY AND
EXPANSION OF INFRASTRUCTURE, THE
COUNTRY’S TRAVEL AND TOURISM MARKET IS
SIMPLY BOUND FOR THE STARS.
ABU DHABI: One Way or Another
 Maria Kazeli
“T
GRADUALLY ACQUIRING ITS OWN BRAND IMAGE, ABU DHABI CONTINUES TO EVOLVE AND
DEVELOP IN A BID TO BECOME EVEN MORE ATTRACTIVE TO ALL KINDS OF TRAVELLERS.
4
writes
he Abu Dhabi brand
is much more known
and continues to attract new markets,”
emphasised Sayed
Tayoun, area director, sales and marketing, Abu Dhabi, InterContinental Hotels
Group, saying that at present, the Abu
Dhabi hospitality industry is more mature with hotels and venues catering
for leisure guests from new emerging
markets, such as China, Russia, the GCC
and India.
The UAE capital has recently witnessed major changes in its tourism
sector, with Zaida Marin, director of
sales, Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and
Villas, suggesting that the city now enjoys a much larger room inventory and
more entertainment options, while
Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority
(TCA Abu Dhabi) is increasingly proactive in marketing and promoting the
destination.
“
THE ABU DHABI
BRAND
IS MUCH
MORE KNOWN
BUSINESS OR PLEASURE
Abu Dhabi’s 153 hotels and hotel apartments continued their upward momentum in attracting increasing guest numbers with figures released by TCA Abu
Dhabi showing that some 304,637 guests
checked into the emirate’s accommodation units during April alone, a 29 percent
rise on the same month of 2013.
NOVEMBER 2014
VISIT UAE Abu Dhabi
“The market has suffered from a
steady decline in average rates since
August 2011, however, this trend is
starting to reverse with hotels undergoing a steady growth in average rates
during the past five months [ending
July], fuelled by strong regional visitor
demand. We expect this trend to con-
and see more of Abu Dhabi when they
visit, the hotel management is addressing the ‘bleisure’ segment. “[The] offer has emerged from our continuous
monitoring of the market needs and
requirements and we have noticed
the behaviour of guests in the UAE
and their willingness to make the best
from corporate clients, which are showing slight growth due to numerous projects in the city, as well as sports groups,
conferences, medical congresses, and
tours and leisure, according to Mohamed
Soussan, general manager, Ayla Hotels.
He, however, noted that, “Social
media engagement and focus on e-
“
ABU DHABI
BECAME MUCH
MORE APPEALING
FOR LEISURE AND
MICE GUESTS
FROM AROUND
THE WORLD
commerce brought various changes in
terms of the guests mix; we are having
a wider reach, tackling into different
segments and receiving guests from all
over the globe.”
Shankar Sivanander, marketing
manager, Aloft Abu Dhabi, corroborated
that the hotel’s clientele is a mixture of
generation Y, business travellers and the
local Emirati segment. “We have seen increase in long-term travellers from Western Europe and the US,” he added.
In an effort to also address the longstay business combined with leisure segment, TIME Hotels has opened the doors
to a second TIME Residence-branded
property, Zakher TIME Residence - Abu
Dhabi, which offers 68 fully-furnished
one-bedroom and studio apartments.
“The success of our first TIME Residence property reaffirms our confidence in this operational model as a
key driver to capture long-term business while ensuring that we deliver our
signature service and hospitality across
all TIME branded properties,” said Mohamed Awadalla, CEO, TIME Hotels.
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS
Announced in 2011, Abu Dhabi’s 
Qasr al-Hosn Palace
tinue throughout the remainder of the
year,” explained Peter Goddard, managing director, TRI Consulting.
Expectedly local attractions have increased the interest of tourists around
the world, said Fahim Zaman, director
of sales and marketing, Mafraq Hotel.
The UAE brings in tourists as well as
business influencers on a local and global scale, and consequently, Abu Dhabi is
expanding by attracting MICE as well
as leisure tourism with the increase of
touristic attractions, elaborated Pierre
Delfau, general manager, Southern Sun
Abu Dhabi. He added that all the attractions alongside projects like the new
Abu Dhabi airport, the Louvre Museum
and Etihad Airways’ continuous efforts
in several partnerships, make the capital the place to be.
Enticing business travellers to do
NOVEMBER 2014
they can while they are here. We will
definitely witness an increase with the
‘bleisure’ trend in the coming years;
with the continuous growth within the
attractions and sightseeing activities in
the city, guests want to have the best
of both worlds which is why this trend
was born,” Delfau said.
According to Tayoun, Abu Dhabi
was traditionally very much focussed on
transient business travel. “However, with
the recent developments of attractions,
the city’s focus on world-class events,
the increase of air traffic, destinations
and capacity expansions, along with
strong marketing support from authorities, Abu Dhabi became much more appealing for leisure and MICE guests from
around the world,” he agreed.
Being a centrally located hotel in Al
Ain, Ayla Hotel derives its main business
5
VISIT UAE Abu Dhabi
Sheikh Zayed Mosque
Midfield Terminal Complex is scheduled
for completion in 2017 and its expected
capacity will reach 8,500 passengers
per hour. Meanwhile, the emirates’ current hub is growing from strength to
strength. Abu Dhabi Airports revealed a
21.7 percent increase in passenger traffic
at Abu Dhabi International Airport for the
month of July, with a total of 1,703,995
passengers passing through its gates.
“Our challenge is to manage this
growth, whilst at the same time ensuring that standards of service, safety and
security remain consistently high, helping us achieve our goal to become the
world’s leading airports group,” commented Ahmad Al Haddabi, chief operating officer, Abu Dhabi Airports, adding that The Midfield Terminal Complex,
which is being built to meet this increasing growth, continues to progress
on schedule and as each day passes, the
project resembles more closely what it
will look like once completed.
At the same time, the development
of the emirate’s carrier network will be
accelerated in 2015, supporting a longterm vision to position Abu Dhabi as a
leading international travel hub with
extensive connections across the globe,
according to James Hogan, president,
Etihad Airways.
“As a fast-growing international
airline, our network is constantly being enhanced to better serve travellers,
either by adding depth to existing markets or expanding into new markets,” he
concluded.
“The tourism authorities are supporting the industry by bringing more
events to the city, as well as with destination marketing efforts in various key
markets. [...] The room supply is increasing, so does the traffic to the city,” confirmed Shaun Parsons, general manager, Le Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi, adding
that efforts should continue to keep up
the pace of business.
Underlying the improvement in facilities and services, Suzette Holandez,
marketing manager, Emirates Tours &
Safari, stressed that when all its pipeline
projects are completed, the emirate is to
become the most visited destination. 
Abu Dhabi International Airport
6
NOVEMBER 2014
VISIT UAE Dubai
DUBAI: Capital of
Superlatives
CONFIRMING ITS POSITION AS THE GLOBE’S
MOST VISIONARY STATE, THE EMIRATE IS LOOKING TO AMAZE THE WORLD WITH UPCOMING
HOTELS, INFRASTRUCTURE AND EVENTS.
 Maria Kazeli
A
writes
year into its tourism vision,
Dubai has won the right
to host Expo 2020; the first
phase of its second international airport has opened;
a substantial number of new hotels,
attractions and events have launched,
taken place or were announced; and
the UAE revised its visa regulations for
European Union member states.
According to Helal Saeed Almarri,
director general, Dubai Department
of Tourism & Commerce Marketing
(DTCM), the Tourism Vision for 2020 is
a collective industry commitment that
gives confidence that the emirate will
be able to achieve the target of attracting 20 million annual visitors by 2020,
MID-MARKET CONCERNS
“
WE ENVISAGE
A DRAMATIC
CHANGE OVER
THE NEXT FEW
YEARS AND
BY 2020
and inspires the ambition to eventually
become the world’s most visited city.
Well on track, Dubai’s hotels welcomed more than 5.8 million tourists
in the first half of the year, the highest
number of visitors ever achieved in the
first six months of any year.
Saudi Arabia persisted as Dubai’s
primary source market, while guests
from the world’s two most populous
nations, India and China, which ranked
second and sixth respectively, continued to show growth.
8
In addition to the increase in hotel
guest numbers, Dubai has added more
than 7,000 hotel rooms to its inventory
since the end of June 2013, with the
total standing at 88,680 across 634 establishments, noted Almarri, confirming that the destination’s hotel offering
is continuing to grow and diversify, allowing to both meet the demand from
travellers as well as broaden the market
Dubai is being promoted to.
In a bid to make the city accessible to
all social layers, demand for mid-market
hotels is increasing. This was stressed by
Russel Sharpe, chief operating officer,
Citymax Hotels, who also observed that
with mid-market hotel development
high on the agenda for both the government and private sector alike, there
is a frenzy for mid-market properties.
“DTCM launched a campaign for more
mid-tier accommodation with a target
of 35,000 additional rooms. In just seven
months, Dubai received 151 applications
for three- and four-star hotels with a 
NOVEMBER 2014
VISIT UAE Dubai
total of 25,000 rooms,” he confirmed.
Habib Khan, general manager, Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa, corroborated that, “Destination Dubai has become
more affordable due to supply and
demand imbalance, [while] rates have
been dropped by the hotels to grab the
larger share, particularly among the
mid-scale business.”
With Golden Sands Hotel Apartments registering a six percent yearon-year increase in occupancy for the
first half of the year, Nives Deininger,
director of sales, Golden Sands Hotel
Apartments, is also optimistic that since
Dubai has previously focussed on luxury
or five-star hotels, there is still room for
growth in three- and four-star properties, and demand continues to increase.
“Premium luxury hotels are beginning to find their rhythm in the market
again and have begun re-establishing
their brands here, but the most significant change is the increase in individually
owned and branded properties,” emphasised Wassim Jaber, project manager, Peacock International Hotel Management.
10
Dubai Marina
Disagreeing with views that upcoming budget hotels will put much pressure on average daily rates and gross
operating profits, Hani Lashin, group
general manager, Al Jawhara Group of
Hotels and Apartments, said that the
new classification system implemented
by DTCM will help to maintain Dubai’s
accommodation quality and standard,
and keep the service level above the
guest expectations.
ADDRESSING THE MASSES
“The destination of Dubai should not
rely heavily on one or two markets,
as this will cause major gaps should a
market not materialise as anticipated,”
underlined Alper Can Bulcum, general manager, Ramada Plaza Jumeirah
Beach Residence, adding that the hospitality industry in the emirate is a constantly changing environment, adjusting to the current market trends, global
NOVEMBER 2014
VISIT UAE Dubai
developments and financial situations.
In view of this market diversification,
Dubai is expected to turn into a destination for the masses. “We envisage a dramatic change over the next few years
and by 2020, UAE, particularly Dubai, will
be shifting from an upmarket tourist destination to a mass destination, with many
low budget customers considering the
ambitious desire of Dubai,” Khan said.
Reaching out to the average tourist is clearly reflected by the rates that
many hotels in the higher categories
are offering to guests, making Dubai
an extremely affordable destination, especially when it comes to the summer
months, confirmed Tarek Aouini, hotel
manager, Emirates Grand Hotel.
“Dubai’s hospitality industry has matured with the entry of world-renowned
brands in the market offering their best
of service and value for money to their
clients. There is lot of choice for the
guests from budget hotels to luxury
hotels, resorts and hotel apartments,”
said Faisal Abdul Rahman, assistant general manager, Dunes Hotel Apartments,
adding that Dubai’s accommodation
requirements have now become varied.
The continued diversification of the
industry is of benefit to everyone and
opens Dubai’s doors even further to welcome more guests, agreed Pascal Gauvin,
chief operating officer, Middle East, India
and Africa, InterContinental Hotels Group.
A VIEW TO 2020 AND BEYOND
“The consistency and diversification of
Dubai product will help in attracting
new markets and reaching new mileNOVEMBER 2014
“
EXPO 2020
IS JUST ANOTHER
STEP TOWARDS
A MUCH HIGHER
GOAL
ager, Golden Tulip Al Thanyah, supported that Expo 2020 will be a catalyst in
the growth of Dubai’s hospitality field.
Having become one of the most
popular destinations all over the world
gives Dubai a big advantage, whereas
the opening of more hotels in order to
achieve 160,000 rooms by 2020 and the
expected passengers brought in by improved air connections, are a guarantee
that it will achieve the 20 million tourists milestone, as Lashin suggested. 
stones. I am confident we will not only
reach but will exceed the set target of
20 million tourists by 2020,” said Wael
El Behi, general manager, Hawthorn
Suites by Wyndham Jumeirah Beach
Residence, declaring that Dubai is already looking beyond 2020.
According to Moussa El Hayek, chief
operating officer, Al Bustan Centre & Residence, the emirate made it clear that it is
not willing to halt its expansion projects, a
concept shared by the hospitality sector.
Having developed a ‘can do’ approach
that enabled a rapid and impressive development over the past years, Dubai is
committed to success and development
like no other city in the world. This according to Georges Farhat, general manager,
Crowne Plaza Dubai, who declared himself convinced that Dubai will succeed
in its goal hosting 20 million tourists by
2020. “Expo 2020 is just another step towards a much higher goal,” he said.
Noting that the hotel experienced
phenomenal revenues during the first
half of the year, especially during the
first quarter, Bob Khalife, general man-
11
VISIT UAE Dubai
Al Jawhara Gardens
A PILLAR OF SUCCESS
The emirate’s main air hub, Dubai International, saw its traffic bounce back in
August, registering a record 6.6 million
passengers at a time when it had just
returned to full operational capacity
following a runway upgrade project.
The year-to-date traffic at the end of
August totalled 46.5 million, an increase
“
EVERY DIRHAM
INVESTED HAS
BEEN CAREFULLY
CONSIDERED
AGAINST SHORTAND LONG-TERM
GOALS
of 5.7 percent on the first eight months
of 2013.
Looking to boost the hordes of global passengers arriving, transiting and
departing from the destination, Dubai
Airports also announced the expansion
of Al Maktoum International Airport –
Dubai World Central (DWC) which is set
to ultimately accommodate more than
200 million passengers a year.
“Our future lies at DWC. [...] With
limited options for further growth at
Dubai International, we are taking that
next step to securing our future by
building a brand new airport that will
not only create the capacity we will
need in the coming decades, but also
provide state-of-the-art facilities that
revolutionise the airport experience on
an unprecedented scale,” said Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports.
The further development of DWC
is considered to be a vital step towards
providing the necessary facilities to
accommodate passenger and cargo
growth in the decades ahead and pave
12
the way for Emirates to relocate its intercontinental hub operations to DWC
by mid-2020.
Additionally, with the aviation sector projected to remain a cornerstone
of Dubai’s economy, flag carrier Emirates marked yet another profitable
period for the financial year ended in
March, having carried a record 44.5 million passengers.
Rejecting the notion that there is a
secret to the airline’s 30-year successful
path, Mustafa Al-Jabri, country manager, Cyprus, Emirates, said, “We know
that to be a sustainable and profitable
business, we have to keep adding value to our stakeholders, our customers,
partners and employees. To do this, we
need efficient new aircraft, quality products and services, and cutting-edge facilities. Every dirham invested has been
carefully considered against short- and
long-term goals, be it enhancing our
capabilities, improving our product, or
expanding our business footprint.”
A VISIONARY LEADER
Dubai enjoys a good influx of various
nationalities from various parts of the
world, according to Samir Arora, general manager, Ramada Downtown Dubai,
who predicted that, “Asian inbound
markets, especially India and China,
NOVEMBER 2014
VISIT UAE Dubai
Radisson Blu Resort Fujairah.
Responding to guests’ expectations,
hotels are changing their strategies and
trying to figure out the best way to get
clientele into the property, said Cahal Altman, marketing communications manager, Asiana Hotel Dubai, adding that
social media has become a huge part in
the everyday aspect of gaining publicity
and presenting guests with special offers,
promotions and new menus.
“Previously, guests would consider
the location and rate of a hotel as the
major decision factors of choosing a
hotel however, now guests want to
have a memorable and pleasant stay
experience and this is what most of
the hotels in Dubai are striving to offer,”
commented Peter Mansourian, general
manager, Grand Millennium Dubai.
Confirming that the Arab hub is on
a good path, Mohammed Iqbal, general
manager, Khalidia Hotel Apartments, affirmed that Dubai has always achieved
its vision, aware of the fact that the visionary leader ensures it always fulfils
its commitments. 
Emirates Grand Hotel
“
NOW GUESTS
WANT TO HAVE A
MEMORABLE AND
PLEASANT STAY
EXPERIENCE
NOVEMBER 2014
are forecasted to grow substantially for
Dubai due to the growing middle class
in those countries.”
However, Farhat added that with
the development of modern technology, visitors became more sophisticated and demanding and hotels need to
cope with Dubai’s reputation being the
world’s capital of superlatives.
“What guests are expecting is a
buzz of many choices which will bring
the numbers up,” supported Hazem
Aouad, cluster director, sales and marketing, Radisson Royal Hotel Dubai and
13
VISIT UAE Fujairah
FUJAIRAH: Confidently Progressing
SITUATED ON THE INDIAN OCEAN AND FEATURING A MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, FUJAIRAH ASSERTS A
RICH ARAB CULTURE AND A WEALTH OF NATURE, HAVING ENJOYED RAPID DEVELOPMENTS IN THE
TOURISM SECTOR OVER ITS LAST FEW YEARS.
 Dominique Christou writes
A
lthough having witnessed a
general downfall due to the
competition from its surrounding emirates, Fujairah’s tourism performance
so far this year appears promising.
Janet Fitzner, general manager,
Radisson Blu Resort Fujairah, indicated
that this year’s performance has seen a
drop mainly from the German market
due to fierce competition from Ras Al
Khaimah, as well as Ukraine’s political
instability. She noted, however, that the
Russian tourists have been stable within the year and compared to 2013, even
though it was a challenging year for the
Russian market.
Much alike, with Russians keeping
loyal guests to the emirate, Vanessa
Chinopoulou, assistant director, marketing, Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa,
commented, “Our main target markets
are holiday makers from the CIS market,
mainly Russia and Ukraine; Germany is
the second biggest market for us, the
UK is growing year-on-year.”
Although there is a pattern of feeder markets being from abroad, hoteliers
in the emirate have indicated that the
UAE is also a big market.
As Gamil Guindi, marketing manager, Iberotel Miramar Al Aqah Beach
Resort, commented, “60 percent of our
guests are from MENA region.”
In the same way, Karim Zaki, general manager, Novotel, Ibis and Adagio Fujairah, indicated, “Two thirds of
our guests are Emiratis, around eight
percent are guests from neighbouring
Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain.”
The MENA region seems to be a
positive market for Fujairah’s tourism
and Sandy Beach Hotel & Resort witnessed around 30 - 40 percent of its
total occupancy fed from this region
according to Satish Gujaran, duty manager, Sandy Beach Hotel & Resort.
SOMETHING FOR ALL
So what is it that attracts tourists to the
emirate? According to Fitzner, Fujairah
is a laid-back relief after the bustle of
the city; on the other hand, for UAE residents and Emirati locals, it is a favourite
weekend escape.
With a vast array of offerings for
tourists, such as diving, historical sights,
as well as MICE facilities, Chinopoulou
pointed out that Fujairah witnessed a
rapid rate of economic and social development and tourism activities. With
14
a breathtaking coastline of more than
90km, it is the only emirate situated entirely along the Gulf of Oman.
“Fujairah is growing and attracting
tourists for the relaxation available far
from the Dubai crowd,” noted Gujaran,
indicating that the emirate is confidently luring in travellers for a dissimilar experience to that of other emirates.
DEVELOPING CONNECTIONS
With connections to the emirate currently being marginal, Fujairah International
Airport is set to witness major developments. As of 2015, the hub is to provide
enhanced infrastructure that will facilitate the growing industrial, commercial
and tourism business. This according to
Charles Hadju, acting general manager,
Fujairah International Airport, who further noted that scheduled services to
and from Fujairah are key to driving further tourism to the emirate.
Although Rotana Jet is the only
commercial airline serving the airport
at present, the airport has numerous
other charters and ad-hoc business as
well as many diversion flights from the
remaining emirates.
“We handle all flights, passenger,
private, business cargo and military.
Historically, our main business stream
has been cargo but we are aiming to
have a more balanced portfolio,” noted
Hadju. 
NOVEMBER 2014
VISIT UAE Ajman
AJMAN: Good
Things Come in
Small Packages
COMPACT AND TRANQUIL, YET A SOUGHT AFTER DESTINATION, AJMAN IS ON THE RISE TO A
BOOM IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, WITH SUPPORT FROM INTERESTED MARKETS.
 Dominique Christou writes
R
16
evenues of the tourism sector in Ajman during the second quarter (Q2) of this year
were estimated at AED67
million (USD18.2 million),
compared to AED42 million (USD11.4
million) during the same period in 2013.
The number of Russian visitors to
Ajman in the first half of the year was
113,934, and thus the emirate was keen
to take part in the recent International
Russian Travel Market, as Russia is one
of the fastest growing tourism markets
in the world.
A PROSPEROUS FUTURE
Europeans came first on the list of visitors to Ajman, followed by Russians and
CIS market citizens, then GCC and Arab
nationalities, according to Faisal Alnuaimi, general manager, Ajman Tourism
Development Department (ATDD).
Aiming to keep these figures on a
positive high, Alnuaimi said, “Ajman is
currently attracting about 450,000 tourists every year. Plans are underway for
Ajman Tourism Map, to be launched in
2015. The project, expected to be completed by 2021, will lure about five million tourists to Ajman every year.”
Further targeting the tourism segment for the emirate, the Ajman government is widely supporting ATDD.
Procedures and potentials are always
facilitated to help ATDD complete all
its projects. To this end, the government has allocated about 100,000m2 to
ATDD to set up a number of developments by the beginning of 2015. “This
will increase the number of visitors to
the emirate. The project will include the
establishment of a number of international restaurants,” noted Alnuaimi.
Ajman has witnessed a progressive
growth in the tourism industry, with figures on the rise to a prosperous future.
The Ajman Palace, for instance,
works closely with ATDD, which is promoting the emirate as a touristic destination. With the emirate working a
great deal towards increasing awareness of Ajman, Ferghal Purcell, general
manager, The Ajman Palace, pointed
out that all these developments will
definitely bring a positive impact on
the hotel occupancy and revenue in the
emirate, and will increase the opportunities for the travel trade and tourism
related business in the future.
AN INCREASED INTEREST
According to Alnuaimi, average hotel
occupancy for Q2 of this year reached
NOVEMBER 2014
VISIT UAE Ajman
65 percent, compared to the 58 percent
in the same period in 2013. The number of guests reached 180,000 with a
total of 182,000 guest nights during
Q2, compared to 120,000 guests and
128,000 nights in Q2 2013.
With figures on the rise for hotel
occupancy in the emirate, Alexander
NOVEMBER 2014
Suski, director of sales and marketing,
Kempinski Hotel Ajman, pointed out,
“This year has been a good year so far
for Kempinski Hotel Ajman due to an
increased interest in the destination
of Ajman. Despite two new five-star
hotels in Ajman since 2013, we are increasing our performance due to trav-
ellers opting for the hotel with 16 years
of operations.”
Suski noted that the hotel’s key feeder markets come from Russia, CIS and
GCC, whereby, Purcell agreed also indicating that the Central European market
shows a potential growth as well.
The CIS market proves to be a winner for the emirate as Iftikhar Hamdani,
general manager, Ramada Hotel and
Suites Ajman, and Ramada Beach Hotel
Ajman, also pointed out, “We are heavily dependent on the CIS market during
winter.”
indulge in water sports of just lay back
and refuel your energy resources,” commented Suski.
Much alike, Hamdani also indicated
that Ajman enjoys close proximity to
Sharjah and Dubai, making it very accessible. “It also boasts white sandy
beaches and the road infrastructure
has significantly improved compared to
a few years back. Plus, Ajman has topquality hotels along the beach which
provides the best value for money,
making it a top destination for a relaxing holiday.”
WITHIN PERFECT REACH
BACK ON TRACK
With Dubai and Sharjah airports being
only 20 minutes or less from Ajman,
Suski noted that the highlights of Ajman for visitors is that is it not far away,
but with its tranquility, the emirate
gives the feeling of being somewhere
else completely away from the hustle
and bustle of Dubai or the other big cities in the region. “Many appreciate the
natural private beaches, where you can
With plans for Ajman airport having
been put on hold for a while now, Alnuaimi said that the project is set to be
completed by 2018, and will be very important as part of the efforts to support
tourism in the emirate. Once completed, it will serve several emirates, including Dubai and Sharjah, due to its location in Ajman’s Al Manama area, stated
Alnuaimi. 
17
VISIT UAE Sharjah
SHARJAH: Securing a Fair Share
WITH MOST OF ITS LEISURE CLIENTELE HAILING FROM THE CIS, SHARJAH HAS FACED CERTAIN
DIFFICULTIES FOLLOWING THE UKRAINIAN CRISIS, THE EFFECTS OF WHICH, HOWEVER, ARE TO
SUBSIDE SOON WITH UPCOMING EVENTS CELEBRATING THE EMIRATE AS THE CAPITAL OF ARAB
TOURISM IN 2015.
 Maria Kazeli
“S
writes
harjah is getting
ready to offer a
grand welcome to
international visitors
to the emirate as
part of its celebrations for being chosen
as the capital of Arab Tourism in 2015,”
confirmed Khamis Kazzaz, general manager, Radisson Blu Resort Sharjah, supporting that within this framework, the
destination is launching new marketing
strategies targeting the cultural, family
and sports tourism segments.
Commending the work made by
the emirate’s government and Sharjah
Commerce and Tourism Development
Authority (SCTDA), Mohamed Eldeeb,
general manager, TIME Ruby Hotel
Apartments, Sharjah, agreed that the
local hospitality market has been stable
because of the huge efforts made previously by the authority which showcased
the latest attractions in the emirate at
18
major international exhibitions and yearlong road shows in major cities and key
capitals in Europe, the GCC and Asia.
Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO,
Sharjah Investment and Development
Authority (Shurooq), said that with regards to tourism, the investment body
has also been successful in developing
the emirate’s infrastructure and will aspire to improve and develop projects
to highlight and enhance the rapidly
growing industry.
“Between now and 2016, there is a
shortage of approximately 3,000 beds;
this equates to approximately four hotels, mostly in the five-star category. The
addition of Shurooq hotel projects Al Jabal Resort, The Chedi Khorfakkan and Al
Bait Hotel will definitely help to ease this
shortage, but there is still a lot of room for
investors and developers to embark on
new hospitality ventures,” he elaborated.
WELL-DESERVED ATTENTION
During the first half (H1) of the year,
Sharjah showed a significant increase
in the number of visitors, touching the
one million mark and registering a 15
percent jump over the same period in
2013. According to H.E. Mohamed Ali Al
Noman, chairman, SCTDA, this underscores the continuing, sustained growth
of the tourism sector in the emirate.
Emad Saeed, director of sales and
marketing, Oceanic Khorfakkan Resort
& Spa, is optimistic that the destination
will be able to reach the two million
milestone by the end of the year, while
he made known that the property’s revenue is expected to increase by at least
10 percent year-on-year during the second half.
NOVEMBER 2014
VISIT UAE Sharjah/Umm al-Quwain
SCTDA’s statistics reflected a stable occupancy of nearly 74 percent in
hotels, even during the normally slow
summer months in the emirate.
“Sharjah has always been in demand
for stays in the UAE due to its proximity
to Dubai, yet offering more affordable
rates. [...] The recently opened [Al Montazah - Amusement and Water Park] is
further adding to the entertainment
scene and the popularity of the emirate,
which will help boost local tourism as
“
SHARJAH IS A
DESTINATION THAT
STILL RETAINS ITS
CULTURAL
HARMONY AND
TRADITIONS
keting, Ramada Plaza Jumeirah Beach
Residence and Ramada Sharjah.
With Europe and the GCC being its
main source markets for H1, the emirate had to overcome the obstacle of an
unstable social and political situation in
the CIS negatively affecting the tourism
figures and expectations, as Tonya Gurshchenko, sales and marketing manager, MH Group of Hotels, explained.
The CIS and the German markets are
the main feeders for the beach properties, but due to the conflict between
Russia and Ukraine and the instability
of the political situation in the Middle
East, guest arrivals for the second half of
the year will remain the same, according to Wassim Nehme, hotel manager,
Beach Hotel Sharjah.
Sharing this belief, John Ceiston, resident manager, Royal Beach Resort & Spa,
said, “As Sharjah seems very dependent
on the CIS markets, there will be a drop of
40 percent in business from the CIS, unless we concentrate on other segments.”
AUTHENTICITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT
well as attract more international visitors,” ascertained Angela Christodoulopoulou, cluster director, sales and mar-
 Pauline Shahabian
T
writes
his year has seen an increase
in tourist arrivals in comparison to 2013, and according
to Ali Salameh, hotel manager, Royal Residence Hotel, the year-on-year boost in tourism
numbers is due to the growing popularity of hotels within Umm al-Quwain.
“We can say the figures increased by 15
to 20 percent comparatively to 2013,”
he noted.
Echoing Salameh’s comments, Sanal Xavier, business development manager, Barracuda Beach Resort and Pearl
Beach Hotel, also posited that Umm alQuwain’s increase in popularity as a city
has greatly improved occupancy levels.
Though arrivals have been witnessed from wider areas such as the
GCC countries, a few from international
markets, and the overall MENA region,
appeal seems to have expanded mostly
within the local market. “Our popularity
is among the resident expats of the UAE
NOVEMBER 2014
“Sharjah is a great place with a lot to
offer both to the business traveller
and holiday-maker alike. It has its own
unique style and is very popular with
families in particular,” commented Darroch Crawford, managing director, Premier Inn Middle East and Africa, as the
company prepares to soon open Premier Inn Sharjah King Faisal Street.
Much of the emirate’s appeal is concealed in it being a quiet destination, specialised in preserving traditional culture,
with emphasis on family themes and heritage/cultural activities, Lourdes de Souza, group sales manager, Premiere Group
UMM AL-QUWAIN:
A Legitimate
Contestant
DESPITE BEING THE LEAST POPULOUS OF
THE SEVEN EMIRATES IN THE UAE, LOCATED
IN THE NORTH OF THE COUNTRY, UMM AL-QUWAIN HAS CERTAINLY NOT SHIED AWAY IN ITS
INTEREST TO GAIN POPULARITY AS A TOURISM
DESTINATION, ALBEIT WITH A DIFFERENT
OFFERING FROM THE OTHER CITIES.
[...]. Most of our guests are resident expats,” commented Xavier.
Concerning the main tourism product of Umm al-Quwain, the beach prop-
erties and its correlating activities come
to mind.
However, according to Xavier, the
emirate enables a taste of both worlds;
of Hotel, Resorts & Apartments, said.
Gurshchenko too underlined that
Sharjah is a very special and unique
emirate that perfectly combines wonderful beach facilities and has much
more opportunities for tourists to learn
about the true Arabic culture, heritage
and traditions rather than in other emirates. “Sharjah is a destination that still
retains its cultural harmony and traditions. It is very important to disseminate this uniqueness and secure an appropriate visibility for Sharjah.” 
a tranquil beach solace simultaneously
in a close proximity to the bustling cities of the remaining emirates. Visitors
can enjoy both settings without having
to sacrifice either one.
Regardless of its growing popularity
and tourism volumes, it is widely agreed
for a need to further promote Umm alQuwain as a tourism destination.
Dinto Akkara, marketing and product manager, Al Kharji Travel, argued for
a more aggressive approach to promoting the city’s tourism product. “Promoting Umm al-Quwain as a destination
can be done in many ways. Participating in events such as [the Arabian Travel
Market], opening new desert camps, introducing more beach activities. These
initiatives will bring in more crowd and
attention here,” he noted.
Furthermore, Salameh posited that
Umm al-Quwain still does not have any
luxury five-star hotels which are vital to
further enhancing its destination status.
Xavier concurred this remark, emphasising the need for well-known multi-brand
properties, as only then will Umm al-Quwain witness the change it desires. 
19
VISIT UAE Ras Al Khaimah
RAS AL KHAIMAH: Transformed
by Growth
DESPITE IMPRESSIVE GROWTH IN THE CURRENT YEAR, RAS AL KHAIMAH’S TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS ARE EVERYTHING BUT COMPLACENT; TOURIST ARRIVALS ARE ON THE RISE, BUT SO IS THE
EMIRATE’S ROOM PORTFOLIO, THUS THE INDUSTRY IS WORKING HARD TO ENSURE STRONG
BUSINESS LEVELS IN 2015.
 Ana Mladenovic
“R
writes
as Al Khaimah is
currently the largest hospitality market in the Northern
Emirates,” enthused
Katie Shelton, director, corporate affairs, Action Hotels, which has just
penned a deal for a three-star property
in the emirate.
“[Ras Al Khaimah] is experiencing attractive economic fundamentals with a
GDP growth rate of 28 percent in 2013
and an A credit rating, along with a significant increase in intra-regional business travellers and tourist numbers. Hotel RevPAR, average daily rate (ADR) and
occupancy rates have also been steadily
increasing since 2009,” she elucidated.
Indeed, her praise for the emirate’s
hospitality prospects has been justified
by Steven Rice, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah
Tourism Development Authority (RAK
TDA), who revealed, “Ras Al Khaimah did
very well this year, recording 1.3 million
guest nights from January to August
with an increase of 72 percent year-onyear. [...] By the end of the year, we are
expecting 1.8 million guest nights.”
This growth becomes truly important
in light of the new hotel openings, which
added nearly 1,500 rooms to the emirate.
“[This year], Ras Al Khaimah marked
the opening of three resorts on Marjan
Island; the 650-key Rixos Bab Al Bahr [...]
the 301-room Marjan Island Resort &
Spa, and the 484-key DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island. In addition, a Ramada[-branded], 40-room hotel was opened in Ras Al Khaimah city,”
reminded Rice.
The new additions were well
planned and managed to control the
room demand and maintain hotel oc-
20
cupancies. As Rice underlined, “These
hotels opened satisfied a growing need
in the market and that did not affect the
level of the total occupancy of the emirate, as this came side by side with the
new markets choosing Ras Al Khaimah
as a destination and increasing the number of visitors [...] .”
Rice’s statement was confirmed
by hospitality stakeholders across the
emirate who reported solid business
performance.
“Marjan Island Resort & Spa opened
its door on March 1. The first seven
months witnessed great results, where
we achieved good occupancy and a decent average rate,” reported Khalid Motik, executive assistant manager, Marjan
Island Resort & Spa.
Satisfaction was also voiced by Haytham Omar, general manager, Rixos Bab
Al Bahr, who stated, “Rixos Bab Al Bahr
just opened [...] in February and the year
so far has been very rewarding. It is commendable to have achieved an average
NOVEMBER 2014
VISIT UAE Ras Al Khaimah
occupancy rate of over 60 percent in the
first 10 months of opening and the last
quarter looks very promising.”
Similarly, the new Ramada Hotel &
Suites Ras Al Khaimah, owned and operated by Global Hotels Management
(GHM), also exceeded all forecasts following its May opening, especially since
Eid al-Fitr when the average occupancy
surpassed 60 percent.
“As for the last quarter, […] we
expect our average occupancy to be
above 70 percent,” estimated Hassan
Masood, director, GHM.
Andreas Mueller, general man-
months; Santorini Hotel by Bin Majid
Group and DoubleTree by Hilton Marjan
Island Village, with around 500 upscale
rooms. To ensure enough business, all
stakeholders are spearheading their
sales and marketing campaigns for 2015,
expanding their market base and creatively luring in new types of travellers.
One of the traveller profiles new to
Ras Al Khaimah, traditionally known as
a luxury and upscale destination, is a
more price-conscious clientele – a market segment targeted by Action Hotels.
The company is now working on the
refurbishment and rebranding of Ras
ager, The Cove Rotana Resort - Ras Al
Khaimah, a veteran in the market, also
reported solid performance, thanks to
demand from Europe and the GCC.
On the back of such solid demand,
the emirate is preparing to welcome
two new properties over the upcoming
al-Khaimah Hotel into the three-star
Tulip Inn Ras Al Khaimah, slated for a
September 2015 opening.
“The existing hotel market is largely dominated by upscale and luxury
hotels, and is undersupplied in the
branded economy and midscale hotel
NOVEMBER 2014
sectors, which makes it an attractive
emirate for Action Hotels to develop in,”
asserted Shelton.
Another potentially lucrative segment are MICE travellers. It seems that
the emirate is ready to tap into this market and transform itself from a mainly
leisure and family destination into a dynamic, multi-faceted tourism hub.
Banyan Tree Al Wadi is one of the
hotels working on expanding its share
of the MICE business according to Axel
Jarosh, general manager, Banyan Tree
Al Wadi & Banyan Tree Ras Al Khaimah
Beach, “We have a dedicated MICE team
out in the market sourcing out MICE requirements from local corporate companies, event organisers, local and overseas
tour operators. In doing so, this drives
business to our two unique properties.”
This niche will also be a top priority
for Rixos Bab Al Bahr, as Omar confirmed,
“We expect to grow our business segment and source markets exponentially
in 2015 with impetus on MICE since we
have really fine meetings and events
venue at a very idyllic location.”
Geographically, traditional markets
such as the GCC, Germany, the UK, Russia and the CIS as still topping sales priorities across the emirate. However, fresh
markets such as Eastern Europe and Asia
are also being eyed.
Asia, especially China, is an important market for Golden Tulip Khatt
Springs, alongside Germany and the
CIS, according to Hani Shahwan, operation manager, Golden Tulip Khatt
Springs. “To target this sector, we are
taking part in health exhibitions and
road shows offering discounts to hospitals,” he explained.
As Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism masterminds continue to seek out ways to
extend their reach further than ever before, new tourism attractions are sprouting, a zoo has just opened and works
on an authentic pearl farm and the Corniche are also underway.
The prospects for 2015 seem bright
as the emirate promises to further transform over the upcoming year, building
upon its existing strengths and unearthing new ones. 
21
ONSITE IRAQ
 Ana Mladenovic
writes
cently embarked on a major promotion
project for the region which will include
the first ever world-class and comprehensive tour guide of the region,” Layton further enthused.
Regarding the general mood in
Kurdistan’s hospitality and tourism industry, Layton was positive. “Interestingly enough, it is the major players in
this sector who are now sponsoring efforts to promote tourism in the region
on a scale we have not seen before.
Everyone seems to understand this is a
temporal crisis for tourism and in some
way, it is working to inspire greater efforts for promotion in an industry that
can sometimes become complacent.
[…] The real stakeholders of Kurdistan’s
tourism industry are in this for the long
haul and are looking forward to a bright
and prosperous future.”
One of such players is Divan Erbil
I
n light of extensive media coverage of the ISIS crisis, international
audiences remain largely uninformed on the positive developments on the ground, and efforts
of the country’s business community to
ensure a better tomorrow.
“No doubt these are very challenging times for any business in the city, or
for that matter in the country, but the
fact remains it is a land of enormous
opportunity,” assured Laurent Voivenel,
CEO, Hospitality Management Holding
(HMH), which operates the four-star
Coral Baghdad Hotel.
“Therefore, despite the hurdles,
businesses are taking the risk to set up
operations there as well as to grow their
presence, and we at Coral Baghdad Hotel fulfil their demand for safe and quality accommodation,” he commented,
adding that occupancy averaged between 80 - 85 percent year-to-date.
As he further explained, the bulk
of the business at the property comes
from the corporate segment – business
travellers, government delegations, humanitarian and aid staff and the media.
“We also have a small percentage
of leisure [travellers], primarily coming
for religious tourism,” he added. “Talking
“
WHILE WE HAVE
TAKEN A SEVERE
BLOW IN THE
TOUR INDUSTRY
OF LATE, WE
BELIEVE IT IS
TEMPORARY
about the countries, we have got a strong
demand from the domestic market, as
well as key feeder markets such as the US,
the GCC, Jordan, China, India and similar.”
Also a confirmation that the business in Baghdad runs as usual was
the opening of the five-star Babylon
Warwick Hotel in October – a historic
property restored to accentuate its Arabic feel and comfort. The hotel offers a
range of luxurious amenities, including
indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a
22
IRAQ IN BRIEF
Beating
the Odds
A COUNTRY WHICH IS BEING ASSOCIATED WITH
CONFLICTS AND INSTABILITY FOR DECADES
NOW, IRAQ HAS DEVELOPED A RESILIENCE
WHICH COMMANDS EVERY RESPECT. EVEN IN
LIGHT CURRENT HARDSHIPS, THE COUNTRY’S
TOURISM SECTOR IS WORKING HARD TOWARDS
A BRIGHTER FUTURE.
spa and fitness centre, six restaurants, a
cigar bar and three hectares of lush gardens, spread on the coast of Tigris River.
Stepping away from Baghdad, tourism industry in the Kurdistan region,
which was flourishing in the first half of
the year, has stalled in terms of business.
“Before the recent crisis, we were
headed for a very good current year.
However, we do not expect to see any
significant international tourism for the
remainder of the year. […] This is a direct
result of the publicity surrounding the
ISIS crisis which has understandably discouraged visits to the area,” said Douglas
Layton, co-founder, The Other Iraq Tours.
Yet, it seems that the region’s industry stakeholders are thinking ahead in
anticipation of better times.
“While we have taken a severe blow
in the tour industry of late, we believe
it is temporary and we are conducting
ourselves in light of the future, not the
present. In fact, our company has re-
Capital: Baghdad
Currency: Iraqi Dinar (IQD)
Language: Arabic, Kurdish
Population: 33.4 million
Calling Code: +964
Capital Time Zone: GMT +3:00
Hotel, one of the region’s most acclaimed properties.
“We have closed each month since
June with 50 percent instead of the
budgeted 85 percent, however the average rate even increased slightly,” revealed Martin Kolb, general manager,
Divan Erbil Hotel.
“We just opened a brand new ballroom for up to 900 people. We have 15
conference rooms and a new spa and
indoor pool with a fitness centre, and
we are planning an outdoor pool and
two more rooftop restaurants and bars,”
he explained.
Looking towards the upcoming
months and perhaps years, it is the determination and resilience of these industry veterans that instils confidence.
Voivenel expressed HMH’s hopes
for the coming years, “We hope 2015
will bring peace and prosperity to Iraq.
It is one of the world’s greatest civilisations and its people deserve the very
best in terms of life.” 
NOVEMBER 2014
EXPLORE IRAN
Clearing The Mist
 Ana Mladenovic
IRAN IN BRIEF
writes
A
s Iran’s tourism officials
boast to global media of
twofold and threefold increases in international arrivals, tourists from across
the world are flocking to the country,
lured by its centuries-old cultural, religious and heritage sites, majestic nature and welcoming people.
Dazzled by this sudden tourism
craze surrounding Iran, one cannot
help but wonder; what has brought
about such interest in this destination?
“Thanks to the November 2013 historic nuclear agreement between Iran
and the P5+1 nations [...] and a better
image of Iran after 2013 presidential
elections, the country experienced a
very fast growth in tourist arrivals for
this year, a 30 percent increase comparing to 2013,” explained Saeed Azam,
marketing manager, Iran Doostan Tours.
This growth reflected positively on
business volumes across the industry, as
Azam further confirmed, “Like the whole
tourism industry, we, at Iran Doostan
Tours, also had a very busy year, with tourist demand levels [being] much higher
than previous years to the extent that we
struggled meeting the growing demand.”
Similarly, Cyrus Etemadi, managing
director, Cyrus Sahra, enthused, “This year
was the year of reunion of the global tourism with our country. […] Everyone suddenly discovered that Iran is a safe and
peaceful country, and that the Iranians
are friendly and the country has many interesting things to offer to visitors.”
So, who are these enthusiastic trav-
24
Anticipation of further growth can
be felt across the country’s travel industry, both on the ground and in the air, as
this year saw a number of new flights to
and from Iran.
The country’s national carrier, Iran
Air introduced services to Moscow in
mid-September, bringing its international destinations’ portfolio to 29, while
Mahan Air added three new destinations
on its network; Beijing, Munich and Yerevan, now serving 18 locations outside
Iran. It also launched domestic flights
between Kerman and Esfahan, Tabriz,
Kish, Sari and Zahedan, offering more
options for travelling within the country.
But it is not just the local airlines
Capital: Tehran
Currency: Iranian Rial (IRR)
Language: Persian
Population: 77.5 million
Calling Code: +98
Capital Time Zone: GMT +3:30
UNDOUBTEDLY THE STAR OF THIS YEAR’S GLOBAL TOURISM SCENE, IRAN IS BASKING IN INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT DUE TO A REMARKABLE SURGE IN TRAVELLERS WITNESSED
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
“
THIS YEAR WAS
THE YEAR OF
REUNION OF THE
GLOBAL TOURISM
WITH OUR
COUNTRY
ellers the industry is buzzing about?
“[We have] educated people from all
over the world,” Etemadi underlined.
He was quick to highlight Europe; Germany, Austria and the UK, in addition to
Australia and the US as their main countries of origin.
Azam, on the other hand, pointed
to Spain, Germany and China, also mentioning solid business from Austria, Portugal, Australia and the US.
As for the main interests on traveller
agendas, cultural tours and experiences
top the list according to both industry
experts, followed by adventure tours,
festivals, events, nature treks and historical sightseeing.
“Many of our demands are also related to business travel, as well as religious and pilgrim tours,” added Azam.
flying outwards. European, Asian and
Middle Eastern carriers are also starting
to enter the lucrative Iranian market;
amongst which is flydubai, having debuted into Iran with two cities; Tehran
and Mashad.
In addition to the newcomers on
Iran’s skies, airlines with a longstanding
presence in the country are also reaffirming their confidence in the market.
One of them is Emirates, which has recently introduced a fourth daily service
to Imam Khomeini International Airport.
“Iran is one of the most active
aviation markets in the world and an
integral part of Emirates operations,”
confirmed Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, divisional senior vice president, commercial operations centre, Emirates.
As the global travel industry continues to rebuild its ties with this promising destination, the outlook for the future is bright and the local experts are
projecting further growth.
Azam confirmed, “Our president
even claimed that according to Iran’s
20-Year Vision document, the country
expects to attract [...] 20 million foreign
tourists by 2020.” 
NOVEMBER 2014
WHO’S MOVED
ILLUSIONS BOLSTERS TEAM
STEFAN
FUCHS
SCOTT
FLUHRER
GREGORY
DUFFELL
DUNCAN
ALEXANDER
NOVEMBER 2014
Stefan Fuchs has been promoted to general manager
of Jumeirah at Etihad Towers,
Abu Dhabi.
Fuchs first joined Jumeirah
Group in 2006, working at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai for
three years as director of food
and beverage.
He then rejoined the company in 2010, taking up the
post of hotel manager at
Jumeirah at Etihad Towers to
assist with the pre-opening
of the hotel.
His previous industry experience spans over 15 years
working for known brands
such as The Ritz-Carlton and
Kempinski, while his international career path has taken
him to Europe, the Middle East
and Russia where he held senior roles in operations, food
and beverage, catering and
conference services.
YVONNE
LUEDEKE
Scott Fluhrer, Gregory Duffell and
Duncan Alexander have been brought
onboard at Illusions as the travel technology company embarks on a new
phase of unprecedented global expansion.
Fluhrer is now the new vice president of
sales for North America and will be dedicated to growing the travel tech firm’s
presence in the American market. He will
be in charge of driving sales across the
region, which is one of the top markets
Illusions has earmarked for expansion.
Fluhrer first entered the online travel industry in 1999, working as business development manager for Latin America’s
biggest online travel site, Despegar.com.
Duffell has joined Illusions as vice president of sales for Asia. Having spent the
best part of his career in Asia, he has
been charged with the task of significantly boosting Illusions’ client base
across this vast continent which now accounts for 50 percent of the global travel
market. In the late 1990s, in his role of
general manager for worldwide network
Yvonne Luedeke has been
appointed as the new director of marketing and communications at Jumeirah Zabeel
Saray.
She has over 19 years of hospitality experience from across
Germany, France, New York
and the UAE. She first came in
1999 to join Jumeirah Group
as food and beverage marketing manager.
After six years in Dubai, she
went on to work for several
companies and stand-alone
hotels in the field of marketing
and communications.
Luedeke will now work with
Robert El Khoury, director of
sales and marketing, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, to lead and
further develop the resort’s
dynamic marketing and communications team across public relations, marketing and
partnership development.
for the travel giant, Thomas Cook, he was
responsible for setting up one of the industry’s first online transaction systems.
The e-commerce solution was rolled out
across the group’s 1,000-member retail
travel network.
Alexander is taking on the role of vice
president global alliances and partnerships. He has more than 20 years of
travel distribution and technology experience and with online distribution
running through his veins, combined
with his travel marketing know-how,
negotiation skills and industry contacts,
he is aimed to set Illusions in good stead
as it develops i-World Travel eXchange
(iWTX) into a major global online travel
marketplace.
Illusions has recently established iWTX to
enable destination management companies, tour operators and travel agents
to sell one another’s content in real time,
while its next step is to make the system
available to the entire global travel trade
with the aim of creating the ‘Amazon of
the travel industry’.
25
TOUR INDIA
Impeccable India:
The Nation of Prospects
RENOWNED FOR ITS CULTURAL HISTORY, INDIA
IS ON THE RISE WITHIN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, BOASTING INTENSE DEVELOPMENTS AND
IMPRESSIVE TOURISM FIGURES.
INDIA IN BRIEF
Capital: New Delhi
Currency: Indian Rupee (INR)
 Dominique Christou writes
I
ndia’s inbound tourism has been
showing an upward growth, according to Shripad Yesso Naik,
tourism minister, India. In June,
foreign tourism arrivals (FTA)
grew by nine percent, and during July,
the growth rate was at a very impressive 12.9 percent, compared to the corresponding months in 2013.
To sustain this positive increase in arrivals, Naik pointed out that the ministry
is working on setting up a 24/7 tourist information line, available in different languages. “This service will primarily serve
26
those who know very little about India
or about travel within India, and those
who do not understand Indian systems
and/or languages.”
He further noted that India has extremely rich tourism assets and a strong
brand. Its renowned cultural, historical,
religious and natural heritage provides
a huge potential for the development
of tourism and job creation.
According to World Travel & Tourism
Council, India has not had it easy over
the past few years, and currently is paving the way for sustainable tourism.
“Our ministry is committed to developing tourism in India based on the
principles of sustainability, minimising the carbon footprint,” confirmed
Language: Hindi, English
Population: 1.27 billion
Calling Code: +91
Capital Time Zone: GMT +5:30
Naik. “We should ensure our strategies
for development of tourism are not in
conflict with the environment and have
minimal negative impact.”
He further urged stakeholders engaged in the tourism industry to not
over-exploit the country’s natural and
other resources for short-term gains.
A CUT ABOVE THE REST
With approximately 8.5 percent of its
guests hailing from the Middle East,
Shangri La’s – Eros Hotel, New Delhi, has
had an optimistic year thus far.
“This year has been a promising
year for the hospitality industry. Inbound traffic has grown by seven percent as compared to 2013. With the
visa on arrival facility, we expect this
segment to grow further as India is a lucrative market for international organisations,” commented Alok Chakravarty,
director of sales and marketing, Shangri
La’s – Eros Hotel, New Delhi.
Amit Nag, corporate director, sales
and marketing, Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi,
noted that even though the influx of foreign tourists has increased year-on-year
(y-o-y), this did not have an equal impact
on the increase in RevPAR on hotels.
“This is a clear indicator that the
new demand in the country is more
price-sensitive and is diverted towards
lower priced hotels. The month of July,
for instance, had a 13 percent y-o-y
increase in FTAs, however only a 0.2
percent increase in RevPAR y-o-y. We
NOVEMBER 2014
TOUR INDIA
have witnessed an overall increase in
FTAs this year for the market too,” he
explained.
Furthermore, Sofitel Mumbai BKC
enjoys 11 percent of its guests coming
from the MENA region, and Biswajit
Chakraborty, general manager, Sofitel
Mumbai BKC, observed that the hotel
performed well in 2013, while the first
six months of this year have been very
positive for the property. “We have seen
enhanced occupancy levels over 2013
and the upcoming season looks buoyant in terms of both average room rate
(ARR) and occupancy levels.”
The hotel is currently ranked at the
second slot amongst its set of competitors and endeavours to enhance
its RevPAR, which will be a judicious
mix of volume as well as ARR. “This will
be possible to achieve through quality
product offering, impeccable service,
intelligent marketing and high ratio of
repeat guests,” concluded Chakraborty.
YEARNING A PIECE
Hotel infrastructure in India seems to
be on the rise, with a number of international chains marking their foray into
the country.
As of March 2015, Starwood Hotels
& Resorts Worldwide will relocate its
global headquarters from the US to In-
dia for a month-long immersion.
Commenting on the move, Frits van
Paasschen, president, Starwood Hotels
& Resorts Worldwide, said, “This is a
particularly exciting time for us relocating to India. Its renewed focus on travel
infrastructure is much needed as travel
demand is fuelled by economic growth
and a population expected to overtake
China by 2030.”
Moreover, the 200-room Le Meridien Ahmedabad is set to mark the re-
“
INBOUND
TRAFFIC HAS
GROWN BY SEVEN
PERCENT AS
COMPARED TO
2013
entry of the brand in India in 2018.
“We are thrilled to partner with
Starwood Hotels to bring Le Meridien
to Ahmedabad, a very promising city
with a growing need for a branded upscale hotel,” commented Kalpesh Prajapati, director, Seven Leisure Private, the
owning company.
Moreover, Carlson Rezidor Hotel
Group’s leadership position in India
has been reaffirmed, as over the past
few years, the company has successfully maintained its pole position as
NOVEMBER 2014
the number one international hotel
operator in India with regards to number of hotels. Currently, it has over 110
hotels in operation and developments
throughout 40 cities across the country, and according to Thorsten Kirchke,
president, Asia Pacific, Carlson Rezidor
Hotel Group, the company is set to introduce two new hotel brands this year;
Radisson Red and Quorvus Collection,
which will fit well in India’s tourism
agenda to attract international tourism
and grow domestic travel.
Wyndham Hotel Group is correspondingly upping its game in the
country. The group has signed a franchise agreement with JMJ Group, a
large conglomerate with a multi-faceted presence, for the first Planet Hollywood hotel in India, set to be operational by the end of the year.
“We are truly excited about setting
up a world class hotel with a world class
partner. The company’s formidable
scale and expertise as a global brand
builder will meet out endeavor to further enhance the aesthetic value of
Goa,” commented Sachin Joshi, managing director, JMJ Group.
Furthermore, the group has also
signed 10 properties in India, thereby
expanding the company’s presence in
the rapidly growing mid-market hospitality segment in the country. The addition of 10 news properties with 1,088
rooms will take the tally of hotels operating under Wyndham Hotel Group
brands to 43 with about 4,841 rooms,
making it the fastest growing franchise
business in India. 
27
EXCLUSIVE MEDICAL TRAVEL
A Healthy Outlook
THE UAE ALONE IS SET TO ATTRACT AT LEAST HALF A MILLION MEDICAL TOURISTS BY 2020. WITH
THIS IN MIND, THE MENA REGION IS WORKING TOWARDS MAINTAINING THIS GROWTH AND EXPANDING ITS FACILITIES FOR THE MEDICAL TOURISM MARKET.
 Dominique Christou writes
A
ccording to Alpen Capital’s
industry report, between
2013 – 2018 the UAE market is expected to expand at
a compound annual growth
rate (CAGR) of 13.1 percent to USD18.6
billion from an estimated USD10 billion. The outpatient market is likely to
be worth USD12.8 billion and inpatient
USD5.8 billion.
“Dubai is taking the required measures to enhance its status as a global
medical destination. At Dubai Healthcare
28
City (DHCC), we take pride in our high
quality medical care within a strong regulatory environment,” commented Fatma
Alsharaf, senior manager, strategy and
partner development, DHCC.
This year, DHCC conducted a survey
among its 120 clinical facilities over a six
month period beginning January. The
survey found that 80 percent of medical
tourists come to Dubai for its quality of
care; 61 percent say it is for the city’s experienced physicians; while 48 percent
highlight the availability of specialist
treatments.
DHCC has witnessed extremely positive patient numbers in the first half of the
year, with nine new healthcare centres
having been set up, and occupancy of the
main buildings standing at 96 percent.
Patient visits to the facility crossed
600,000 in the first half of the year and are
expected to reach 1.2 million by year end.
With 15 percent of DHCC’s patients
being medical tourists, majority of
which are presented by the GCC, Arab
world, Eastern and Western Europe and
Asia, Alsharaf said, ” We expect this number to grow, particularly as we progress
with work on Phase Two of DHCC which
will see the introduction of innovative
healthcare and wellness concepts. This,
coupled with a wider network of medical facilitators, will help us reach more
patients and medical tourists.”
PRICE MATTERS
When choosing a facility, patients typically look for high-quality care at a reasonable price, noted Asiya Ismail, manager, Dubai Cosmetic Surgery, with the
majority of its clients hailing from the
MENA region, followed by Europe and
North and South America.
“A destination like UAE, which happens to be very touristic with a combination of high class well regulated aesthetic facilities, specialised physicians,
affordable treatment and state-of-theart medical technologies, I believe is
the perfect destination for a medical
tourist,” further noted Ismail.
NOVEMBER 2014
EXCLUSIVE MEDICAL TRAVEL
Samir Hamadeh, general manager,
Alpha Tours Dubai, noted that clients
mainly look for the best, safe, prompt
and affordable medical facilities on offer in the destination. “This is where our
role becomes extremely paramount.
The needs of every medical tourist are
different from the other, so we need to
have a comprehensive over view of the
entire spectrum of services as well as
options available.”
HEALTH AND LEISURE
Alpha Tours Dubai is committed to
“
THE BENEFITS
OF MEDICAL
TOURISM GO
BEYOND THE
HOSPITAL
bringing medical tourists to the UAE,
thus the company is working with the
relevant ministries to promote this market to the emirates, and was the main
sponsor for the World Health Tourism
Congress which took place between
October 18 – 20.
“The benefits of medical tourism go
beyond the hospital. Medical tourists
come with family members, all of whom
need accommodation, food, transport
and may enjoy other tourist activities
NOVEMBER 2014
during their stay; so this is part of our
overall strategy for UAE as a tourism
destination,” concluded Hamadeh.
“The UAE has a reputation for all
things luxury, and we are capitalising on
that status to carve a niche in the ever
competitive, more than USD30 billion,
medical tourism market,” remarked Ismail.
With the UAE being such a popular
tourist destination, it correspondingly
makes the country an ideal target for
medical tourism. Ismail pointed out that
rather than an emerging market, medical
tourism to the MENA region is an emerging trend. “This is because it is already
here with us and people are already mixing their treatments with holiday-making,” he said, further commenting that
the UAE government has plans already in
the pipeline to embrace this and improve
its position in the region and the world
market by attracting at least half a million
medical tourists by 2020.
rope, they typically look for a destination with no language barriers, such
as Jordan, where personalised touches
and treatments are on offer.
“We encourage authorities to focus
on this segment and invest in this field
in all terms, such as sales, marketing,
promotion, ads, organising of workshops and road shows, in an attempt
to increase end user awareness of Jordan’s medical and tourism product to
maximise the country’s presence and
increase market share,” Dakkak further
indicated. 
THE NATURAL CHOICE
Moving away from the UAE, which
boasts a popular choice for medical
tourists, Jordan is also well equipped to
cater to this market. “Medical tourism is
a growing segment and Jordan has a lot
to offer. It is accessible to the MENA [region] and Europe. Jordan is considered
a medium-haul destination for the European and short-haul destination for
MENA [travellers]. The country offers
extremely high standards along with
good value for money,” commented
Wael Dakkak, director of sales and marketing, Dakkak Tours.
With the majority of Dakkak Tours’
clients coming from the GCC and Eu-
29
TRAVEL TALK
PHILIP
LEWIN
General manager,
Germany, Etihad
Airways
We have carried almost
1.2 million passengers
on the route
[We] are excited to be
adding a three-star hotel
in Ras Al Khaimah
“We are delighted to win [the
Best Performing Airline 2014
Award] from Munich airport,
which illustrates the strong
partnership we have with the
airport and the city of Munich.
Munich was one of the first international destinations Etihad
Airways launched and since
then we have carried almost 1.2
million passengers on the route,
and this figure will continue to
increase at a greater pace with
our double daily service.”
“We take this opportunity to
thank Action Hotels for partnering with us on this new hotel
development, Tulip Inn Ras Al
Khaimah. We know the region
well and are excited to be adding a three-star hotel in Ras Al
Khaimah, in addition to our existing five-star resort, Golden Tulip
Khatt Springs in this area. This
new hotel is ideally located and
is a great addition to our portfolio, and is expected to be well
received by the regional travellers in a market that is currently
undersupplied in the economy
sector.”
AMINE
MOUKARZEL
President, Golden
Tulip MENA
These investments
deliver clear benefits for
European consumers
JAMES
HOGAN
President, Etihad
Airways
“Etihad Airways is proud to work
closely with European partners,
particularly Airbus, Rolls Royce
and others in the supply chain,
and see these investments deliver clear benefits for European
consumers and communities.
Our investment, valued at more
than EUR35 billion, will be added
to by others as we continue to
expand our fleet and operations
and we look forward to doing this
in partnership with Europe. Together with our partners, we are
expanding networks and enhancing schedules and connections to
increase choice for consumers.”
We firmly believe that
aviation and tourism
share a symbiotic relationship and the success
SALIM
AL MAMARI
Director general,
tourism promotions,
Oman Ministry of
Tourism
“This standpoint is the reason behind the ministry’s collaboration
with different airlines, starting
with the national carrier of Oman,
to boost tourism in our country
[...]. On a broader perspective, the
region’s aviation industry is currently experiencing a significant
growth, which undoubtedly has
a favourable impact on MENA’s
expanding tourism sector. There
is a need for the key players from
both sectors to foster relationships in order to leverage this
synergy and continue to secure a
sustainable development [...].”
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]
30
NOVEMBER 2014
RENDEZVOUS
TRAVEL TRADE MENA: Having established its presence in Dubai in the
past few years, Meydan Hotels and
Hospitality manages amongst others
The Meydan Hotel and Bab Al Shams
Desert Resort & Spa Resort. Tell us a
few words about these properties.
THOMAS GRUNDNER: Besides the
mentioned, we also manage Meydan
Beach at Jumeirah Beach Residences
and The Track Meydan Golf Course,
which is a nine-hole floodlit championship course under the Meydan Hotels
and Hospitality umbrella.
The Meydan Hotel, Dubai is a beautiful, five-star property where guests can
enjoy total serenity while overlooking the
Dubai racecourse, yet remain connected
with the hustle and bustle of the city
within easy striking distance of Downtown Dubai, the Sheikh Zayed Road and
Dubai International airport. The Meydan
Hotel features 284 luxuriously appointed
rooms and suites, seven themed dining
venues, extensive leisure recreation facilities such as a tennis academy on property, access to a private beach club shuttled
by the hotel and a nine-hole championship floodlit golf course, rooftop infinity
pool and a total of more than 20,000m2 of
flexible meeting and event spaces.
Nestled among the sloping sand
dunes of the Arabian desert, the awardwinning Bab Al Shams Desert Resort &
Spa embraces the culture and heritage of
its landscape, providing guests a tranquil
sanctuary just an hour and 15 minutes
from both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. A rural
retreat for a relaxing getaway, the fivestar resort features 115 charming rooms
and suites, eight themed dining venues,
three swimming pools, the award-winning Satori Spa and a wide range of outdoor leisure activities in addition to rustic,
experiential meeting and event spaces.
TRAVEL TRADE MENA: How has performance been in the current year?
THOMAS GRUNDNER: We have seen a
very positive development within our
RevPAR growth this year and we are
strengthening our [room revenue generation index] RGI growth against our
competitors, which is an outcome on
the positive changes we accomplished
so far this year.
TRAVEL TRADE MENA: Which are the
group’s main priorities in terms of marketing and strategic development?
NOVEMBER 2014
Q & A with
Thomas Grundner
HEAD OF SALES AND MARKETING, MEYDAN HOTELS
AND HOSPITALITY
portunities to utilise further marketing
activities. We are also about to launch
our own food and beverage loyalty
programme within the coming weeks
in Dubai to increase our awareness,
and we are currently in the middle of
re-positioning Meydan Beach. In order
to truly ensure that our customers understand what the brand stands for and
where we are growing from, we have
recently also started to work on our vision and mission statement for Meydan
Hotels and Hospitality.
TRAVEL TRADE MENA: What are your
plans for the two properties in the
near future?
THOMAS GRUNDNER: We have set up a
strong sales and marketing department
over the last six months and have gone
through some enhancements in the right
direction to drive revenue. Moving forward, we are looking into the positioning
of The Meydan Hotel in particular. There
are opportunities here that have not even
been tapped into and we are excited to
explore creating a destination within a
destination; compiling all these incredible offerings under one roof. Meydan Hotels and Hospitality will also play a major
role in cross-promotion moving forward,
ensuring that there is recognition across
all mediums under the brand.
WITH SUPREME FACILITIES AND AN UPCOMING
ADVENTURE PARK, THE MEYDAN HOTEL IS SET
TO TURN ALL EYES AS THOMAS GRUNDNER,
HEAD OF SALES AND MARKETING, MEYDAN HOTELS AND HOSPITALITY, ASSURES, WHILE ADDING THAT THE GROUP IS AIMING FOR GLOBAL
EXPOSURE.
How is this achieved through a successful human resources approach?
THOMAS GRUNDNER: Setting the basics such as the groundwork/pillars to
establish a brand and recruit the right
skill set is a key focus for us at the moment. Having signed an agreement
with Ultratravel Collection, a recentlyformed joint venture with the Global
Hotel Alliance, will give both properties
global exposure and will give us op-
“
THERE ARE
OPPORTUNITIES
HERE THAT HAVE
NOT EVEN BEEN
TAPPED INTO
TRAVEL TRADE MENA: Aside from the
many sporting events hosted at The
Meydan Hotel, how does the hotel
cater to the MICE travellers attracted
by those happenings?
THOMAS GRUNDNER: The Meydan
Hotel is actually the ideal MICE venue
considering its proposition on what is
offered with over 20,000m2 of meeting
space which can host exhibitions, concerts and conventions. With unsurpassed
facilities such as the Grandstand and any
kind of larger or smaller events, a ninehole floodlit champion golf course, a
tennis academy and the upcoming Wire
World Adventure Park leaves nearly no
opportunity aside to become the MICE
venue of Dubai, especially considering
its proximity from Downtown Dubai. We
are currently working on concepts to further enhance our MICE proposition and
to engage our customers and destination management companies to bring
such offerings closer to them in order for
them to understand the opportunities
we are able to offer. 
31
NEWS & EVENTS
EVENTS
FITUR to Represent Latest Trends
WORLD TRAVEL MARKET (WTM)
London, UK
November 3 – 6
www.wtmlondon.com
A vibrant event presenting a
diverse range of destinations
and industry sectors to UK and
international travel professionals.
T
MICE ASIA PACIFIC EXPO
he 35th staging of FITUR, organised by IFEMA
from January 28 – February 1, 2015, will showcase the latest tourism trends and technologies at a time when Spain is an increasingly important outbound market for countries worldwide. Only
in the first four months of the year, the total Spanish
outbound tourism spend amounted to EUR2.2 billion
(USD2.9 billion).
Meanwhile, MENA is growing its relationship
with Spain as for the African continent, specifically
Morocco, Spanish tourists represent the second most
significant outbound market with 730,000 visitors in
2012. The Moroccan government expects to double
this figure by 2020.
FITUR will play host to the global tourism industry,
with a comprehensive presentation of proposals and
destinations by companies, organisations and institutions from all round the world.
Singapore
November 13 – 14
www.miceasiaexhibition.com
It brings together event
organisers to meet and network
with Asia Pacific’s leading hotels,
venues and event suppliers.
THE GLOBAL MEETINGS &
EVENTS EXPO (EIBTM)
Barcelona, Spain
November 18 – 20
www.eibtm.com
The flagship MICE event of the
Incentives, Business Travel and
Meetings (IBTM) global portfolio.
INTERNATIONAL LUXURY
TRAVEL MARKET (ILTM)
Cannes, France
December 1 – 4
www.iltm.com
An event where international
travel agents and advisors meet
luxury travel experiences.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL &
HOSPITALITY SHOW
Muscat, Oman
December 14 – 16
www.iths-oman.com
Set to bring participants
closer to multiple investment
opportunities in Oman’s luxury,
leisure and business tourism.
32
Emirates’ Innovation Lab Participates at GITEX
H
.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, crown prince, Dubai, paid a visit to the
Emirates Group stand at GITEX Technology Week where he tested some of the technology apps
developed by Emirates’ Innovation Lab.
Innovation Lab, set up in 2012 to gather local creative talent to develop and apply their ideas, showcased various innovations, including Oculus and Google Street View tours of Emirates’ Airbus A380 aircraft,
Kinect and The Emirates App.
“Technology plays a crucial role in all aspects of Emirates’ business. We see it as a key enabler for success
in delivering world-class service to our customers, as well as driving business productivity,” said Boutros
Boutros, divisional senior vice president, corporate communications, marketing and brand, Emirates.
Events Are Part of Dubai’s Growth
T
he International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) named Dubai as this year’s winner of the
World Festival and Event City Award, for the third time.
H.E. Helal Saeed Almarri, director general, Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing, commented, “ Residents and tourists have a lot to look forward to as we continue to strengthen
existing successful events and festivals, as well as focus on attracting and encouraging a number of new
major events and remarkable festivals to Dubai’s exciting calendar.”
NOVEMBER 2014