Travel Trade Monthly June 2012

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JUNE 2012

INVESTIGATION: FUTURE TOURISM & TECHNOLOGY Travel and tourism together exhibits some of the world’s leading technological systems providing travellers with continuous up-to-the-minute information.

ISSUE 32

Following a year of challenges, Jordan’s industry is looking to rebound, forging ahead with its national tourism strategy, with the ultimate goal of enriching the lives of its people and its guests.

04 EXPLORE: TURKEY With a population of 74.7 million, Turkey is considered to be in a league of its own and has shown signs of resilience against the global and regional challenges.

12 IN THIS ISSUE MARKET UPDATE INVESTIGATION: Future Tourism & Technology VISIT: Jordan EXPLORE: Turkey ONSITE: Sri Lanka TOUR: UK LONG-HAUL: Los Angeles TRAVEL TALK TRAVEL CHANNELS EXCLUSIVE: Religious Travel WHO'S MOVED RENDEZVOUS NEWS & EVENTS

02 04 06 12 14 17 19 21 22 24 26 27 28

VISIT: Jordan

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MARKET UPDATE

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY MANAGING EDITOR Mary Kammitsi mary@traveltradeweekly.travel JOURNALISTS Stefanie Saghbini Rita Kasziba Dominique Christou

The Emirates Group: 24 Years of Profit The Emirates Group has recorded its 24th consecutive year of profit and company-wide growth, based on the group’s 2011-12 annual report.

SALES & MARKETING Maria Demetriadou Brighite Ess Katerina Dalal DESIGN & LAYOUT Elena Stylianou DIRECTORS Andreas Constantinides Mary Kammitsi HEADQUARTERS T.T.W. Travel Trade Weekly LTD P.O. Box 25255, Nicosia 1308 Cyprus Tel: +357 22 021607, Fax: +357 22 210466 WEBSITE www.traveltradeweekly.travel EMAILS info@traveltradeweekly.travel sales@traveltradeweekly.travel editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel PRINTED IN CYPRUS Cyprint Plc P.O. Box 58300, CY-3732, Limassol, Cyprus Tel: +357 25 720035, Fax: +357 25 720123 Email: info@cyprint.com.cy

MENA EXCHANGE RATES Accurate as of

28/05/2012 Currencies shown in red are fixed against the US Dollar

COUNTRY

CURRENCY

1USD=

UAE (AED)

Dirham

3.67

Egypt (EGP)

Pound

6.04

Saudi Arabia (SAR)

Riyal

3.75

Lebanon (LBP)

Pound

1,505.50

Bahrain (BHD)

Dinar

0.37

Jordan (JOD)

Dinar

0.71

Syria (SYP)

Pound

63.78

Kuwait (KWD)

Dinar

0.28

Qatar (QAR)

Riyal

3.64

Oman (OMR)

Rial

0.38

Tunisia (TND)

Dinar

160

Morocco (MAD)

Dirham

8.81

Iran (IRR)

Riyal

12,265.00

Yemen (YER)

Rial

213.55

Algeria (DZD)

Dinar

75.96

Libya (LYD)

Dinar

1.28

N

Emirates Taking Delivery of Boeing's 1,000th Boeing 777

et profit amounted to USD629 million, and despite fundamental challenges, revenue reached record high, climbing 17.8 percent to USD18.4 billion.

“Achieving our 24th consecutive year of profit and maintaining an upward growth trajectory is an achievement that belies the industry norm,” said H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman, Emirates Airline & Group, adding that in the financial year, the company collectively invested close to USD3.8 billion in new products. “Every dirham that we earn is strategically ploughed back into our business and it is this foresight that has allowed the group to maintain such strong and consistent profitability.”

During the period under review, Emirates’ fuel bill increased by 44.4 percent to reach USD6.6 billion,

while operating costs were up 24 percent. Meanwhile, the airline’s revenue reached a record high of USD17 billion, swelling 14.9 percent year-on-year.

Every dirham that we earn is strategically ploughed back into our business and it is this foresight that has allowed the group to maintain such strong and consistent profitability

Al Bateen Executive Airport: Increased Aircraft Movements Al Bateen Executive Airport recorded a 26 percent year-on-year increase in visiting business aviation traffic during the period between January and April, while total commercial aircraft movements reached 3,391, up six percent.

In April alone, the private aviation airport experienced a 38 percent growth in visiting aircraft volume and total commercial traffic rose five percent.

The results reaffirm the airport’s development into a thriving business aviation hub, noted Yousif Al Hammadi, acting general manager, Al Bateen Executive Airport. “Holding the first general aviation exhibition, Air Expo 2012, at Al Bateen in March, and the success it generated, is another key factor to the traffic surge, as it attracted thousands of aviation professionals in the business aviation community internationally and regionally to visit Abu Dhabi and witness at first hand the excellent facilities and services that Al Bateen has to offer,” he added.

JUNE 2012

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INVESTIGATION

Future Tourism & Technology

Embracing Technological Change Travel and tourism together stands as one of the most ubiquitous and fast maturing industries across the globe, exhibiting some of the world’s leading and ground-breaking technological systems and providing travellers with endless opportunities, unrivalled benefits, and up-to-theminute information through userfriendly intelligent devices.  Stefanie Saghbini

writes

T

echnology is heralding a whole new era in the world of travel and tourism and as a result of its rapid progression, travel trends are encountering major changes.

Travellers are becoming increasingly adamant, albeit compellingly, in their tech-savvy ways, the majority of whom now use ultra-modern devices and resources to coordinate a somewhat seamless and hassle-free vacation. At the same time, tourism professionals across the globe are endeavouring to provide their customers with the most avant-garde of services in a bid to guarantee them the perfect holiday.

WELCOMING TOMORROW The entire MENA region is certainly gaining momentum up the active technological highway as a means of remaining securely on course, as Mark Walsh, group exhibition director, REED Travel Exhibitions, organiser of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), clarified, “The region’s travel sector finds itself at an important crossroad where the desire to retain long-standing customer relationships is in a stand-off with the pressing need to embrace Internet technology in order to ensure commercial survival.” In line with this view, REED Travel Exhibitions this year formed ATM’s first ever dedicated technology pavilion, hosting a series of seminars where a host of leading digital experts, specialising in the travel sector, addressed delegates regarding the latest in technological advances and online consumer behaviour and, more specifically, discussed the use of social media and global distribution services’ direct access.

Another important event which marked the imperative role technology plays for the tourism industry was the World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) recently-concluded two-day meeting entitled Partnering with the Media in Challenging Times, which took place in Marsa Alam, Egypt, on April 26 – 27, in collaboration

with the Egyptian Tourism Authority (ETA). This event was the second in UNWTO’s series of conferences which highlighted the group effort required between tourism and the media as a means of increasing awareness of tourism through mainstream media.

The Airport Show 2012, which took place in Dubai from May 22 - 24, also embarked on the importance of technology within the tourism industry with a focus on countries in the region whose airports are currently witnessing massive expansions, triggered by their growing passenger and cargo traffic demands.

These countries included Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Algeria, Jordan, and the host country, UAE, alongside Pakistan, Turkey, and Djibouti. According to Mohamad Bader-Eddin, show director, Reed Exhibitions Middle East, organisers of the Airport Show, the programme members chose the Airport Show to be their platform to source out and explore new solutions and technologies for the airports and provided a meeting space between the hosted buyers and exhibitors to generate business relations.

TRAVELLING UP THE VIRTUAL HIGHWAY This has certainly been the case across the hotel sector in the Middle East with hoteliers on their mission to embrace the newest digital processes.

According to Frederique Maurell, events director, The Hotel Show, which took place on May 15 – 17 in

Dubai, professionals in the hotel sector are quickly coming to recognise the importance of investing in state-of-the-art technology systems, from smart phone technology, to international virtual meetings systems, and online games to encourage hospitality recruitment.

One hotel quickly making its way into the world of artificial intelligence is The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company which recently introduced the Ritz-Carlton Mobile App; a new tool which includes GPS technology, location specific advice, and exclusive offers as well as provides guests with the ability to keep up with the resort’s activity calendar, make reservations, check itineraries, and even manage Ritz-Carlton Rewards accounts. Most notably, The Ritz-Carlton App includes ‘Presidential Tips’, whereby Herve Humler, president, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, shares his favourite tips about each hotel with consumers. “I want to enrich a Ritz-Carlton experience for our guests further with details about the things I have found to be quite memorable and marvellous in my travels,” he said.

Websites, alongside mobile applications and a large number of other technologically advanced tools, have become the focus for up-to-the-minute information and services, as is the case with Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts. Having recently unveiled a revamped website, new features include sharing the best of the group's photography with the aim to help travellers get closer to their destinations. Commenting on the new service, Michael Leong, director, corporate digital marketing, Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts, said, “We hope the site will make it easier for our guests to explore destinations, make and manage bookings, connect and share through their social media communities, and allow travellers, who have not yet stayed with us, to have a beautiful entry into the world of Shangri-La.” Viceroy Hotel Group is also paving the way for guests to become part of its ‘family’ with the recent completion of its redesigned website, as a means to create a more accessible and user-friendly experience. The new feature allows guests to download information about each hotel and resort to compare JUNE 2012

Future Tourism & Technology room types and rates, and share content via social media networks. In the coming months, Viceroy Hotel Group plans to leverage the extensive knowledge and expertise of the hotel staff, particularly the concierge, at every property to create recommended itineraries that will be available online for all travellers.

Moreover, following the newly designed userfriendly website launched in English earlier this year, Hotel Missoni Kuwait recently unveiled its Arabic version, created with responsive technology which adapts to the user's viewing device automatically. Providing upbeat communication tailor-made for the hotel guests, the website promises its Middle Eastern clients a highly interactive, up-to-the-minute, personal experience by integrating social media activities, destination and hotel news, latest events, and special offers.

FLY ME TO THE MOON Currently believed to be valued at some USD100 billion, e-commerce in the Middle East is widely acknowledged to be one of the fastest growing regions in the world having surged tenfold since 2001.

Online travel in particular is fast-becoming the prevailing means through which travellers within the region search, compare, book, and organise their entire vacation, as Darren Wickham, managing director,

JUNE 2012

Sabre Holdings, explained, “Online travel accounts for around one fifth of all travel bookings in EMEA, and is forecast to grow to a quarter of all bookings in the next four years. Travel agents, who want to increase revenue, have to have a clear online strategy and the technology to convert online shoppers to bookers.”

This was evident at ATM’s Tech Theatre this year, which was also used as a networking platform for regional travel agents as a starting point to diversify traditional booking channels in light of increasing competition, as Walsh further indicated, also pinpointing the airline’s segment, “The Middle East travel community is still very much people focused. However, online booking functionality is the norm now within the regional airline community, and this is leading the shift in mindset on both the part of the consumer and a growing number of the region’s travel agencies.”

Confirming this transformation in travel trends, airlines across the world are using online tools as the path towards a successful future and one such airline is Emirates which recently joined hands with MasterCard Worldwide to offer the airline’s online booking customers incentives.

SHARING IS CARING A report released by Euromonitor International in

INVESTIGATION

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2011, covering global travel trends, revealed that apart from revamped websites and online tools, hoteliers are consistently tapping into the marketing power of social networks and the strengths and influences of friends and ‘followers’. As well as drive bookings and generate brand awareness through the sharing of photos and videos, results of the research have proven that these social networking tools allow hotel professionals to further engage with their guests in a personal and time efficient manner.

In conclusion, another new research study, entitled From Chaos to Collaboration, commissioned by Amadeus, revealed how new technologies and social change will combine to transform the travel industry by 2020. The global study highlighted that augmented reality, gamification, intelligent passenger records, long range biometrics, and the rise of the well-being agenda will drive the changes in the next decade and beyond, heralding a new era of industry and travel collaboration. Built upon discrete ‘enabling’ technologies and innovations, service-users will become partners rather than customers, and context will become as important as the transaction. The report therefore calls for increased partnership across the industry, which, in turn, will remove the stress, uncertainty, and chaos while providing much richer, deeper, and more personal travel experiences. 

6

VISIT

Jordan

THE ART OF HEALTHY

REVIVAL

Following a year of challenges, building on its splendid ancient past, magnificent scenery, and abundant potential in niche segments, such as medical and MICE tourism, Jordan’s industry is looking to rebound, forging ahead with its national tourism strategy, with the ultimate goal of enriching the lives of its people and its­guests.

Petra

The Dead Sea

Diving Site in Aqaba

 Rita Kasziba writes

D

espite unveiling the highly ambitious National Tourism Strategy (NTS) 2011-2015, a comprehensive scenario, built on four pillars: marketing; product development; human resource development; and enabling environment, with the overall aim of raising Jordan’s competitiveness, the industry’s progression has been hampered by a string of recent events, which resulted in heavy losses, as visitor volume dropped from 8.25 million in 2010 to 6.6 million in 2011.

Indicating that the tourism sector is on the way to recovery, the Kingdom experienced encouraging results in the first months of the current year with revenues from tourism between January and April improving 10.5 percent to JD776.7 million (USD1.1 billion), based on data released by the Central Bank of Jordan. In April alone, the figure jumped 20 percent, restoring the industry’s long-term prospects and demonstrating the past months’ vigorous work and the results of reconsidered strategies.

“The effects from the Arab Spring are still being felt in Jordan with the international leisure markets yet to return to pre-2010 levels. These have now been further impacted by the situation in Syria,” explained Sean Cullen, director of sales and marketing, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, adding that in response to the circumstances, the company diverted its sales and marketing efforts towards the domestic and regional markets.

Ali Al Jazzazi, director of sales and marketing, Radisson Blu Tala Bay Resort, Aqaba, also revealed a significant increase from the surrounding areas. “We are now focusing on the local market and nearby cities, such as Tabuk in Saudi Arabia,” he said. “Our target from the local market is the guest who used to travel by land to Syria and Lebanon for their short breaks.”

Ahmad Ebdah, director of sales and marketing, Le Royal Hotel Amman, added, “In the last months, the hospitality sector has focused its efforts on attracting more MICE and GCC guests in a bid to ‘replace’ the European markets, which have been badly affected,” he said, adding that medical tourism, especially from Libya, has been vital to the rebound.

JORDAN IN BRIEF Capital: Amman Currency: Jordanian Dinar (JOD) Language: Arabic

At InterContinental Hotels Group’s (IHG) properties, high occupancy rates were also mainly driven by improved business levels from the domestic and regional markets, indicated Soha Zaher, cluster director of sales and marketing, IHG. “There is a lot of focus on the local market, as many Jordanians like to spend their holidays and vacations at the touristic areas, in which IHG hotels are located.

“Also, the Libyans who came to the country for medical purposes were welcomed in our hotels. Thus, the IHG hotels around the Kingdom have enjoyed great success in terms of tourists and have had high occupancy rates throughout the year,” she said, indicating that Jordan still remains a popular destination of choice among travellers from the GCC, Europe, and the US as it has retained its safe and stable image.  JUNE 2012

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VISIT

“These markets are crucial to us and always have a potential,” Zaher added.

Naji Alia, CEO, Amlak Hotels & Tourism Investment concurred, “Jordan’s tourism industry benefits from the critical circumstances that affect the area, people from nearby countries chose Jordan for their stay,” he said, adding that at Belle Vue Hotel, occupancy levels dramatically improved towards the latter part of 2011, driven by, once again, a massive influx from Libya.

Tarek Madanat, director of sales and marketing, InterContinental Jordan, also confirmed a continuous recovery, stressing that the previously highly popular tour packages as well as bigger groups are yet to return. “The tourism sector was most affected and we have witnessed a huge drop in leisure groups, as most of these stopped flying to Jordan, while individual bookings were less affected. This year shows slight recovery, the GCC is picking up, and we have also witnessed further growth from the MICE sector.”

At Le Méridien Amman, these shifting patterns were even more apparent. “In 2011, total corporate segments contributed 80 percent to the hotel’s production, and 17 percent was though the leisure segment,” revealed Giuseppe Ressa, general manager, Le Méridien Amman.

Peter Schiess, general manager, Landmark Amman Hotel & Conference Centre, added, “The hotel offers guests a contemporary and luxurious retreat in the centre of Amman with first-class conference facilities and state-of-the-art business support. Our feeder markets are mostly from the corporate segment; UN missions, embassies and non-governmental organisations.”

Pointing out that the unfortunate situation in parts of the region might divert a significant (MICE) traffic to the Kingdom, Alia said, “We are optimistic toward the rest of the year. We will be hosting some of the huge events that used to be held in Egypt.”

In fact, to better cater to the anticipated corporate volume, Belle Vue Hotel recently unveiled its new club floor, offering dedicated facilities, including meeting rooms, and services to businessmen.

In a bid to bolster the MICE sector’s further development, Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) recently established a dedicated department, explained Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat, managing director, JTB, “We have also allocated a budget to specifically promote Jordan as a MICE destination, and to facilitate logistics for major events happening in the country.”

Jordan

There is a lot of focus on the local market, as many Jordanians like to spend their holidays and vacations at the touristic areas

Amman

In response to the changing conditions, JTB has also reconsidered its strategy, explained Arabiyyat.

“There are plans to collaborate with the UAE, especially because of their airlines fly to long-haul destinations that ours do not. We also complement each other in that while the UAE offers modernity and a great shopping experience, we offer the history and culture experience, which go perfectly together.

What is more, Royal Jordanian Airlines (RJ) has also just entered into a codeshare agreement with Gulf Air to offer passengers 11 weekly flights between Amman and Manama, Bahrain. Also, there are plans to collaborate with Turkey, as it is a great destination in itself as well as a popular transit destination.”

FINDING THE REMEDY While 2010 was a year of success, with a significant contribution from the burgeoning medical tourism segment, in 2011, the Jordanian tourism industry lost approximately USD1 billion, highlighted Ressa.

“Our hotel like other similar entities was also affected by cancellations especially from the leisure segment from Europe and the US,” he said, adding that on the contrary, emerging markets, such as India and China have increased their contribution.

Schiess reported similar trends, “We have experienced a considerable drop from the European and

American markets,” he said, noting that a surge in arrivals from the Far East and other parts of the Arab world started to show a moderate improvement in the leisure segment as well.

From a different perspective, Al Jazzazi added, “The economic crises is still hitting our main feeder markets as most of the guests are unwilling to travel, saving their money. In addition, Jordan is considered an expensive destination, compared to Sharm El Sheikh or Turkey.”

Madanat remarked on another sore spot, “Jordan is still mostly sold as a combined destination with Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, which led to a high rate in cancellations. Jordan is still a historic and cultural attraction for tourism and local authorities are working on developing different activities to promote the country as a ‘standalone’ destination, creating unique experiences across the country.”

Al Jazzazi further added, “In the past few years, Jordan has been combined in packages with Syria and Egypt. Nowadays, Jordan is being promoted and sold as a ‘single’ destination.”

SPREADING ITS WINGS

Mövenpick Resort Petra

RJ closed the first three months of the year with positive performance indicators, as passenger volume improved 26 percent year-on-year after carrying some 774,000 travellers, which also led to an increase in seat factor from 65 percent in 2011 to 71 percent.

JUNE 2012

VISIT

Jordan The airline has, in fact, left no stones unturned to attract more passengers, by easing travel procedures, improving air and ground services, and partnering with oneworld carriers, thus providing passengers with greater travel options and more convenient connectivity in a quest to boost its competitiveness in the regional skies.

“The number of passengers RJ transported reached 3.16 million in 2011, compared to three million in 2010,” said Basel Kilani, executive assistant to the president, media and communication, RJ, pointing out a number of obstacles in the way of the airline’s ability to further bolster the Kingdom’s prosperity. “RJ faced major and hard challenges in 2011, including increased fuel prices and political unrest that swept the Arab region which had a significant and direct impact on all airlines’ performance in the region.”

Despite the threatening outlook, in 2011, the airline launched new services to Berlin, Germany, and Nairobi, Kenya. In a bid to secure RJ’s profitable operation in the long term, however, in February the airline was prompted to suspend flights to Brussels and Al

BUILDING A HUB The Kingdom’s encouraging rebound is well demonstrated in Queen Alia International Airport’s first quarterly results; 1.4 million passengers, marking a year-on-year increase of 24 percent, and over 15,000 aircraft movements, up seven percent.

“In the specific field of aviation, Jordan has gone to great lengths to remove obstacles for airlines considering flights to the country,” said Kjeld Binger, CEO, Airport International Group (AIG). “The Kingdom has signed onto open skies agreements with the EU that removes obstructive fees and regulations for airlines flying between Europe and Jordan. This effort to liberalise Jordan’s aviation agreements with other countries comes at the same time as AIG has made a significant push to develop new routes, add new destinations, and market Jordan to airlines around the world.”

To facilitate future growth, AIG is gearing up for the launch of the eagerly anticipated new terminal.

“As the form of the new terminal takes shape, there

InterContinental Jordan

9

bilitate the current terminal facilities in order to respond to the growing number of passenger, explained Binger, highlighting the urging necessarily of the developments.

“The terminals currently in use were initially built with a capacity of 3.5 million passengers annually in mind. Our total number of travellers in 2011 was approximately 5.5 million. It has been a serious challenge coping with this over-capacity, but it is a challenge we have faced head-on.”

The new terminal is expected to become operationally ready by the end of the year, said Binger, revealing that later on an “extremely complex overnight transition” will take place with 100 percent of the passenger traffic and flights re-directed to the new terminal within a couple of hours, marking a significant step towards the Kingdom’s ambition to attract tourists and business investors in order to spur economic development.

MOVING FORWARD In a quest to raise the industry’s overall competitiveness, attract more and higher yield visitors, and create an Petra

Royal Jordanian Airlines

Ain, a decision that came under the carrier’s measures to reduce the operating costs brought up by the soaring fuel prices and to offset the decline in tourism to the region, as Kilani explained.

As a result, operations to Brussels were suspended from mid-April, while flights to Al Ain will be operated only in peak period, mainly in the summer time.

“Nevertheless, there is always a chance to resume operations to any of these cities when conditions improve and demand on travel grows,” stressed Kilani. “RJ is still conducting feasibility studies to some routes focusing mainly on Algiers for the time being in addition to checking the highest potential markets in Africa and other destinations worldwide.

“Although fuel prices are still high and the competition is very strong in the Middle East forming an obstacle for the airline, we expect higher numbers of passengers and more growth in the second and third quarter of the year in light of the increased travel demand in the summer season,” Kilani concluded.

JUNE 2012

can be no doubt that it will not only drastically increase capacity – from 3.5 million to nine million travellers in its first phase – but will also be a distinguishing feature of the Kingdom,” stressed Binger.

Indicating that the sector is on the way of recovery, the Kingdom experienced encouraging results in the first months of the current year with revenues from tourism between January and April improving 10.5 percent

“As of April, the progress of the new USD800 million terminal project is estimated at 84 percent. The design of the new terminal also allows for a future phase of expansion to 12 million passengers annually, to be initiated when necessary.”

In addition, AIG also invested USD100 million to reha-

attractive environment to investors as well, further propelling the Kingdom’s socio-economic development, JTB has long been committed to promote Jordan on various channels.

“Along with our participation in trade shows – we won the fifth best stand at ITB this year as well as a Guiness record for Largest Sand Structure – we are focusing on promoting the 200th anniversary of the rediscovery of Petra, while also emphasising the family and adventure offerings of Jordan, all the while still promoting the six experience segments that we have been promoting this far,” said Arabiyat, emphasisng the tourism board’s improvements of its activities in South America and Asia.

Commenting on the event’s marking of Petra’s 200th anniversary, Arabiyat said, “We launched the Treasure Hunt campaign in 2011 to promote Petra’s anniversary to European countries with the main focus on the UK, France and Germany, while accompanying print campaigns.”

Considering the number (and level) of projects in the development pipeline, the Kingdom is to 

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VISIT

Jordan Wadi Rum Desert

Amman

experience a new wave of prosperity. One of these unique endeavours is Abdali, which is set enrich Jordan’s offerings with an impeccable fusion of business, living, and leisure sphere.

“Abdali, the new downtown of Amman, goes beyond an average development project,” stressed Fahmi Saifi, marketing manager, Abdali Investment & Development, introducing what is hailed as the largest mixed-use development ever constructed in the heart of the capital city. “Abdali covers a land area of 386,000m2 and will contain a total built-up area of over 1.8 million m2 consisting of residential apartments, office spaces, hotels and serviced apartments, in addition to retail outlets and various entertainment facilities.

“Abdali compliments the rest of Jordan’s current tourism offerings and will have long-term implications for the capital’s broader touristic identity”, highlighted Saifi, explaining that phase one, which also includes Abdali Boulevard, will add approximately 1,000 keys to the city’s inventory, besides a wide spectrum of entertainment and shopping venues, further broadening the capital’s offering to its visitors, and is expected to welcome its first visitors later this year.

“On a wider economic scale, Abdali strives to become a catalyst to Jordan’s growth by helping transform it into a regional business and tourism hub for the Levant, and through human capital development, job creation, and stimulation of foreign direct investment by attracting a range of leading multi-national corporations. Abdali set tourism development and growth as one of its key priorities since the creation of the masterplan’s blueprint, and aspires to promote Amman as an attractive destination for tourists from across the globe.”

Meanwhile, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) continues its dedicated work on a number of mega projects with the ultimate goal of marketing the zone, and establishing it as a worldclass business hub and leisure destination, an attractive place to live, work, and visit, and an important driving force of the Kingdom’s economic growth in the long-term. ASEZA is working towards enhancing Aqaba’s attractiveness as a differentiated and branded international destination and support its sustain-

Amman

More cultural and entertainment events are taking place as well, with the Jerash Festival, Cirque du Soleil, and SkyDive Jordan all happening this summer

able success through a range of large-scale developments, such as Tala Bay. Covering 2.6 million m2, the integrated residential and tourism resort offers three hotels, furthermore villas, apartments, townhouses, duplexes, and a private marina, which also serves as a point of entry into Jordan. Saraya Aqaba is well advanced in its construction. Once completed, it will feature a range of facilities to visitors and residents alike, including a state-of-the-art conference and exhibition centre, a plethora of shopping and entertainment options, as well as a beach club, and a water park, managed by Jumeirah.

Furthermore, another USD10 billion real estate investment in Aqaba, stretching 3.2 km2 and hailed as one of the most significant developments in the whole region, is set to include high-rise residential towers, retail, recreational, entertainment, business and financial districts as well as a number of branded hotels. In addition, several marinas will add to the current berthing capacity, transforming Aqaba into a premier yachting destination, while the state-of-theart cruise ship terminal is expected to become one of the Kingdom’s touristic landmarks.

Moreover, creating a waterfront haven in Aqaba as a world-class destination for tourism, recreational and residential communities, Ayla Oasis Development Company’s project will feature upmarket hotels, luxury residences, commercial and recreational facilities, and Jordan’s first 18-hole championship golf course.

The JOD1.5 billion (USD2.1 billion) development will add some 1,550 rooms to Aqaba’s inventory, and will

JUNE 2012

Jordan boast a number of four- and five-star hotels, including brands such as Hyatt Regency, Grand Hyatt, Ayla Spa Hotel, Ayla Beach Hotel, and Ayla Palace Hotel. The total operation phase of the project is set to support 3,600 jobs (and some 14,400 indirectly), and the first phase is scheduled to debut by the end of 2014.

With a number of mega projects, Aqaba, which was chosen by the League of Arab States as the Arab Tourism Capital for the year 2011, is set to experience a significant increase in visitor numbers.

Adding to the already diverse palette of the Jordanian hospitality industry, Millennium Hotel Amman is slated for opening on July 15. The five-star business lifestyle hotel will comprise 20 floors with 178 rooms, including 25 suites, along with state-of-the-art meeting and conference facilities.

Warwick International Hotels also recently opened two new properties, unveiling both the 160-unit Winter Valley Warwick Resort & Spa on the Dead Sea and the 78-key Warwick II Palazzo Hotel & Suites in Amman on April 26.

Meanwhile, IHG’s latest property, Crowne Plaza Jordan Dead Sea Resort & Spa is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of the year.

“It is definitely something to look out for as this resort will offer the ultimate in opulence and luxury,” pinpointed Zahar, adding that the resort will feature

JUNE 2012

420 guestrooms and suites, and it will also boast the biggest pool in the Dead Sea at 5,500m3, as well as one of the largest spas in the region spreading over 6,000m2. Meanwhile, Crowne Plaza Resort is currently undergoing renovations, which, according to Zahar, will come out with a whole new look. “The renovated resort will boast 147 rooms, and will have various dining outlets.”

The Kingdom’s encouraging rebound is well demonstrated in Queen Alia International Airport’s first quarterly results: 1.4 million passengers, marking a year-on-year increase of 24 percent Rotana is also to launch a new property, Boulevard Arjaan by Rotana, in the fourth quarter of the year, further fuelling the positive outlook for the Kingdom’s industry and marking Rotana's debut in the country.

Commenting on the developments, Ebdah said, “Reservations show a progressive growth for the coming months, and it is expected to reach high levels in the summer.”

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Ressa also expressed his hope that European travellers would regain their confidence in region.

“We believe that Le Méridien Amman, after completing our various refurbishment projects, will be in the limelight of continued success.

Schiess voiced similar sentiments, emphasising that Jordan has great potential to further strengthen its position on the global tourism map, with “its rich cultural heritages, the unparalleled natural diversity, and high quality standards.”

“Year to date Jordan is on target as per budget,” said Cullen, adding that Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts remains optimistic in the long run.

Arabiyyat added, “Based on the first quarter of the year in which we saw a 5.2 percent growth in numbers from the region and Asia, we hope that this growth continues for the remainder of the year.

Jordan continues to be a safe and stable destination for travellers interested in visiting the region, and is a great introduction to the Middle East as a whole. More cultural and entertainment events are taking place as well, with the Jerash Festival, Cirque du Soleil, and SkyDive Jordan all happening this summer. Moreover, we are pushing to promote more time spent in Amman and will be launching a special website and map with a 99 Things to Do in Amman list to show the diversity of its experience.” 

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EXPLORE

Turkey

Bridge to Prosperity With a population of 74.7 million, Turkey is considered to be in a league of its own; the bridge linking East and West has shown signs of resilience against the global and regional challenges, as the country continues to forge ahead unabated.

Hagia Sophia

 Rita Kasziba writes

B

ased on data released by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, in 2011 Turkey welcomed nearly 31.5 million international visitors, up nine percent versus 2010, with Germany, Russia, UK, Iran, and Bulgaria making up the top five source markets.

Meanwhile tourism receipts amounted to USD23 billion, marking a year-on-year increase of 10.6 percent, positioning Turkey as the world’s 12th leading destination on the World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) annual barometer.

The momentum continued well into this year, as Sedat Gonulluoglu, cultural and information attaché, Dubai office, Turkish Tourism & Cultural Office, explained, “In the first quarter of the year, Turkey received 3.5 million visitors,” he said, highlighting the Middle East’s vital contribution to these figures. “Tourist arrivals from the UAE increased 86.81 percent, from Bahrain 48.56 percent, from Kuwait 54.38 percent, and from Qatar 102.30 percent. Visitor volume from the region, excluding Iranians but including expats, reached over 500,000,” Gonulluoglu added, highlighting the role of the offices across the region, including in Dubai, Riyadh, and Damascus, all of which have budget for advertising and carry out campaigns every year.

GOLDEN HORN As Turkey continues to reap the rewards of being out-

side the Eurozone, as well as the political turbulence of the region, the ministry aims to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic in 2023 by recording 70 million visitors and USD80 million in tourist receipts.

“Despite the economic valley experienced by its neighbouring countries in Europe, Turkey’s economy has shown significant growth over the past two years with a GDP increase of approximately 8.9 percent in 2010 and 6.6 percent in 2011,” explained Thomas Willms, vice president, regional director, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, East and Central Europe, who further stressed that this economic growth was positively influenced by the burgeoning tourism sector of the country, and especially of Istanbul, of which two international airports experienced a growth of approximately 17 percent in 2011. Willms further described Istanbul as ‘one of the standout cities of 2011’ laying emphasis on the city’s exceptionally strong average annual room rate growth, across four- and five-star hotels, of approximately 23 percent, which resulted in a RevPAR increase of about 20.1 percent, despite witnessing a decrease in average annual room occupancy of 1.7 percentage points.

Asli Borakan, director of sales and marketing, Le Méridien Istanbul Etiler, shared similar sentiments regarding Istanbul’s vertical ascent, “Economically, the city is booming and the business is growing rapidly,” she expressed.

Can Göktaş, areas sales director, Turkey and Bulgaria, Kempinski, concurred, “It was a record year for Istanbul with eight million visitors. The increase between 2010 and 2011 was over two million. Of course,

Istanbul

TURKEY IN BRIEF Capital: Ankara Currency: Turkish Lira (TRY) Language: Turkish

a part of the growth sources from the turbulences in neighbour countries. Istanbul currently has 109,000 five-star registered hotel rooms and in the following one year another 3,000 upscale luxury rooms will be added.

ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES Meanwhile, as a significant percentage of reservations from Egypt, Tunisia, as well as other destinations diverted to Turkey, the country has, on the other hand, faced dual effects, as Cumhur Özen, general manager, Mardan Palace, explained, adding that so far, losses overshadowed the profit for hoteliers and agents whom did not take into consideration the aggressive sales strategies of the other destinations, such as Spain, Portugal or Greece.

The Middle East is increasingly seen as a relevant market with immerse potential, as Khaled Al Jamal, general manager, JW Marriott Ankara, clarified. “The Middle East is definitely a very important market for Turkey and for JW Marriott Ankara, especially due to the high profile delegations that come to the capital on official and business trips. Having been open for less than a year, we are surprised with the level of demand on catering and conference space, which exceeded our JUNE 2012

Turkey expectations and continues to grow strongly.”

Gulsen Altincekin, tour consultant and operator, Turista Travel Agency, added, “We have clients from all over the world, but mainly from Europe, however, we also have guests from the MENA region.”

Commenting on the entire country’s fast developing hospitality sector, Cumhur Özen, general manager, Mardan Palace said, “An increasing number of visitors and worldwide property owners are discovering that there is more to this country than its sandy beaches, in fact, there is a great deal of opportunity for them.”

Göktaş also highlighted the significance of the country to the hotel group, ”Turkey is extremely important for Kempinski, and we have three hotels and three residences currently. On top of this, we are actively seeking for hotel development opportunities in Ankara and İzmir.”

Hilton Worldwide’s development pipeline includes DoubleTree by Hilton properties in Kusadasi and Malatya, and Hampton by Hilton hotels in Samsun and Istanbul. “We have opened a record number of hotels in Turkey in 2011, and by the end of 2013 we expect to have 33 hotels operating in Turkey, with potential to expand further,” Simon Vincent, area president, Europe, Hilton Worldwide, said.

Willms continued, “Starwood is expanding its pipeline in Turkey aggressively with four new hotels opening in a three-year period, including the recent debut of Le Méridien Istanbul Etiler.”

Further forging its commitment to the country, the company is to open Sheraton Bursa Hotel and Aloft Bursa at the beginning of 2013, and Sheraton Adana Hotel in mid-2013, bringing the company’s Turkish network to 10 hotels under five of its brands.

Dubai-based Jumeirah Group has recently taken over the management Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul.

“Our development team is continually in talks with potential owners and developers around the world, including in Turkey, in search of projects in tier one destinations that fit within the luxury portfolio of Jumeirah,” Piers Schreiber, vice president, corporate communications, Jumeirah Group said.

Another upcoming property in the metropolis, Renaissance Istanbul Bosphorus Hotel, is due to open in September.

Expanding its presence to Turkey, Rotana is to launch the 300-room Rhossos Rotana Resort and Serviced Apartments in 2014, and Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts is also set to open a world-class luxury hotel in Istanbul in 2013.

Turkish hospitality group, Rixos Hotels recently opened its latest addition to the luxury chain’s portfolio, Rixos Pera Istanbul, which consists of three buildings next to each other. Conveying optimism for the country’s as a burgeoning tourism hotspot, Basak Erel, senior vice president, brand management, Rixos Hotels, expressed, “Rixos Hotels inspires many Turkish hospitality and tourism investors as well as businessmen. We are sure that Turkey will be more a valuable destination in near future as we have good hospitality tradition in our roots.”

JUNE 2012

RAISING THE BAR Istanbul, and Turkey in general, is progressively becoming not only a focal point of economic development but of corporate tourism as well, as Willms pinpointed. “We do see strong potential in Turkey and, particularly, Istanbul is a rising market with 15 million

As Turkey continues to reap the rewards of being outside the Eurozone, as well as the political turbulence of the region, the ministry aims to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic in 2023 by recording 70 million visitors and USD80 million in tourist receipts inhabitants by now. It is already considered a financial hub of importance and enjoys strong levels of conference tourism. In 2011 alone, Istanbul hosted more than 100 congresses, fairs and trade shows.”

As Turkey aims to further increase its earnings from tourism, the industry seeks to gradually reduce its reliance on mass tourism and lure more high-value visitors by forging ahead in both the MICE and the medical segments.

“Our target markets are Europe, Middle East, North Africa as well as the US and Canada,” explained Didem Ozyigit, general manager, Harmonia Surgical Tourism.

“While we have patients from Europe seeking quality and top modern healthcare with affordable prices in order to overcome long waiting lists and get the most out of their payments with luxury services both in our hospitals and hotels, we also have clients from the MENA region seeking the same services but this time to reach speciality treatments which they cannot find in their countries or would like to have them without going long distance to Europe or the US.” FLYING THE FLAG “Turkish Airlines currently flies to 191 cities all over

EXPLORE

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the world, including 40 domestic and 151 international destinations,” explained Temel Kotil, CEO, Turkish Airlines (THY).

The fast global expansion of the airline has been vital to the Turkish industry’s success, noted Dikmen Koker, marketing manager, W Istanbul. “With the airline’s continuous improvement and development, Turkey is now easy to access, and it has become a major player with developments all across the country.”

“In 2011, THY carried a total of 32.6 million passengers, while in the first three months of the current year this number reached 7.97 million,” added Kotil, defining the year-end target of 38 million.

In 2011, the country’s busiest airport, Istanbul Ataturk Airport welcomed over 37.45 million passengers, marking an increase of 17 percent over 2010, and a robust improvement over the last decade, as in 2002 just over 11 million travellers passed through those terminals.

To facilitate the swelling number of visitors, the country has already embarked on a number of airport developments with the most anticipated of all, situated in Istanbul and expected to be completed in 2016. This new addition to Turkey’s gateways is set to handle a capacity of up to 150 million passengers per annum. 

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ONSITE

Sri Lanka

An Oceanic Pearl Kandy, Sri Lanka

SRI LANKA IN BRIEF Capital: Colombo Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) Language: Sinhala, Tamil

Sri Lanka is well on its way to reviving its tourism sector, having so far this year welcomed over 330,000 tourists, as growth plans are being implemented to ensure that endof-year tourism arrival figures reach a staggering 2.5 million in 2016, compared to just above 855,000 witnessed in 2011.

The Golden Temple

Sri Lanka Wild Life

 Dominique Christou writes

V

isitor arrivals to Sri Lanka totalled 855,795 in 2011, according to results released by Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau, surpassing the previously forecasted 750,000, while this year is being faced with even higher expectations, as predicted figures have reached some 900,000.

The first quarter of the year has encouragingly paved the way for these goals to be achieved as Sri Lanka, famous for its vast natural landscape, already welcomed 260,525 tourists. Moreover, according to data released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, the country’s tourist arrivals rose nine percent in April alone, reaching 69,591 visitors, compared to the same period in 2011, which welcomed 63,835 tourists.

Overall figures during the first four months of the year were mostly contributed by Western Europeans which rose 19.4 percent in comparison to the same period in 2011, to reach 140,000 tourists.

In addition, World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) country report on Sri Lanka revealed that direct contribution of travel and tourism to the country’s GDP in 2011 reached LKR219.7 billion (USD1.7 billion), representing 3.4 percent of total GDP. In line with the positive outlook in reference to tourism to Sri Lanka this year, these figures are set to rise by 5.6 percent, with a year-on-year growth of 5.7 percent expected to reach LKR402.4 billion (USD3.13 billion) over the next 10 years.

Moreover, travel and tourism investments in 2011 was recorded at LKR68.6 billion (USD531.9 million), according to the council’s report, with an estimated increase of 8.5 percent this year. Over the next decade, travel and tourism investments in the country are expected to escalate by 5.5 percent per year and set to reach LKR127.2 billion (USD969.3 million) in 2022.

A TREASURED ISLAND In line with these positive forecasts and figures, Sri Lanka launched an ambitious five-year plan, under the guidance of the Ministry of Economic Development, to boost tourism to the country, fulfill its infrastructure, improve its global trade,  JUNE 2012

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ONSITE

and advance its economic linkages. Under the terms of the plan, Sri Lanka expects the number of arrivals into the country to rocket to 2.5 million and earn annual revenue of USD2.75 billion, by 2016.

Furthermore, the tourism strategy 2010 - 2016 for the country, which is often referred to as the ‘pearl of the Indian Ocean’, has key objectives in order to position it as the world’s most treasured island for tourism. Already boasting scenic views of the hills, waterfalls, tea estates, chilled weather, beautiful greenery, and wildlife, as Sarangi Thilakasena assistant director, international media, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau, described, the country is already making headway with the entry of international hotel groups to its ever-growing hotel portfolio. Hong Kong-based

Sri Lanka than expected, as indicated by Ishanth Gunawardene, head of sales and marketing, Jetwing Hotels. “We have seen very high occupancies and average room rates over the winter period and this trend has also continued into the first quarter of the new financial year. The overall sentiment is that of positive optimism as we face the challenges of the coming year,” Gunawardene commented.

Moreover, Thailand-based hotel management company ONYX Hospitality Group, recently signed management agreements with Sino Lanka Hotels Holdings for the development of two properties in Colombo and Galle. Describing Sri Lanka as one of the most vibrant destinations in the Asia Pacific and one

The first quarter of the year has encouragingly paved the way for these goals to be achieved as Sri Lanka, famous for its vast natural landscape, already welcomed 260,525 tourists. Moreover, according to data released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, the country’s tourist arrivals rose nine percent in April alone, reaching 69,591 visitors, compared to the same period in 2011, which welcomed 63,835 tourists

Tea Pickers in Sri Lanka

We are delighted to enter the Pearl of the Indian Ocean with not just one but two very special projects Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts broke ground for a resort to be located on land measuring 59ha on the southern coast of Sri Lanka. Upon completion in 2014, Shangri-La's Hambantota Resort and Spa will complement Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo, which is currently under construction, and together will mark the entry of the hotel group into the country. Moreover, the hotels will fit strategically into the group’s ongoing expansion plans to link the promising Indian subcontinent’s developments with those in South East Asia, as Greg Dogan, CEO, Shangri-La International Hotel Management, explained, “We are delighted to enter the Pearl of the Indian Ocean with not just one but two very special projects. The southern coast of Sri Lanka is an area of unsurpassed natural beauty, rich in cultural heritage, and above all it is well-recognised for its warm and hospitable population. With the new shipping port and the second international airport close by, Shangri-La’s Hambantota Resort & Spa, Sri Lanka, will be perfectly positioned for leisure and business travellers.”

In addition, Jetwing Hotels, which boasts a strong presence across the country, has recorded overall growth across its portfolio for 2011 which trickled into the current year, with many hotels doing better

that is experiencing dynamic growth in tourism, Peter Henly, CEO, ONYX Hospitality Group, revealed that the company plans to make the region a key hub for progression. Bob Kundanmal, chairman, Sino Lanka Hotels Holdings, further commented, “We aim to be at the forefront of hotel development in Sri Lanka in the next decade and we see the OZO brand as an ideal platform for bringing style and innovation to the mid-market sector. We look forward to working with ONYX over the coming years to bring these first projects to life”.

Both OZO properties are expected to open in late 2013 and plans are also underway for other developments including a project in Kandy.

A GROWING MARKET According to Thilakasena, the Middle East contributed to 57,501 travellers to Sri Lanka in 2011 indicating that the MENA segment is an emerging one for the country. Moreover, the average daily expenditure of a MENA tourist is the second highest out of 20 random markets, at USD102.10 per day.

With regards to this rapidly developing market, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau recently showcased the country at the Arabian Travel Market, Dubai,

though Sri Lankan Airlines and Sri Lankan Diplomatic Missions, and pointing out the country’s natural offerings, Thilakasena said, “Scenic views of the hills, waterfalls, tea estates, chill weather in the hill country, water rafting, beautiful greenery, and wildlife. Additionally, increasing numbers of hotels are now implementing 100 percent halal food and beverages, and many hotels do have the praying times and directions for prayers for Islamic tourists.”

Gunawardene also emphasised the significance of the Middle Easterners as clientele of Jetwing Hotels, Sri Lanka, especially during the summer months.

The Jetwing Beach, Jetwing Blue, and Jetwing Sea hotels, all located in Negombo, along with the Jetwing Lighthouse hotel, Galle, and Jetwing St. Andrews and Jetwing Warwick Gardens hotels, Nuwara Eliya, are all hotels in the Jetwing Hotels portfolio which cater to this market, as Gunawardene confirmed, “The expectations of these clients are different and we, at Jetwing, endeavour to exceed these expectations wherever possible when it comes to catering to these special needs in food and beverage, prayer rooms, special meals, and other requirements.”

ARRIVING ON THE ISLAND Convenient flight options between Sri Lanka and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Damman, Dubai, Jeddah, Kuwait, Riyadh, and Muscat, are currently in operation with Sri Lanka Airlines, providing travellers from the Middle East with easy access to and from the region, onboard a number of Middle Eastern airlines, including Emirates, Etihad Airways, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Gulf Air, Qatar Airways, and Kuwaiti Airways.

Moreover, Abacus International, Asia's leading revenue partner for airlines, recently announced a new agreement with Sri Lankan-based low-cost carrier Mihin Lanka. Operating from Colombo, Mihin Lanka offers scheduled services to various destinations in the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and Far East. “With a vast travel agency network and extensive Asia footprint, Abacus will provide us with an important distribution channel that will help make Mihin Lanka more accessible to travellers,” commented Kapila Chandrasena, CEO, Mihin Lanka.  JUNE 2012

TOUR

UK

At Your Service

Tower Bridge, London

With the upcoming Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, tourism numbers in the UK are forecasted to soar high above recent years, and with more than just a variety of offerings for MENA tourists, the UK provides them a home away from home.

UK IN BRIEF

 Dominique Christou writes

M

ENA travellers continue to make their way west towards the UK in a bid to touch down on time for the upcoming Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, set to lure in an influx of visitors from across the globe.

After performing well in 2011 in regards to visitor arrival figures from the region, which reached approximately 744,000, positive times lie ahead, as Rania Hatoum, online marketer, UAE, VisitBritain, explained, “The final figures show an increase of 11 percent in the number of arrivals and spend from the GCC compared to 2010. In 2011, almost half a million travellers from the GCC visited the UK, spending GBP876 million (USD1.4 billion). This year, the year of the Olympics, is even more promising. With the summer Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, this is indeed a ‘great’ year for Britain, where we are expecting an additional increase of 10 percent in visitor numbers and spend from this region.”

The UK benefits from its multicultural trait which makes it all the more alluring to travellers from all around the world, according to Hatoum, who stated that the Middle Easterners have plenty to enjoy. “The tastes and flavours in the UK are boundless. We have Middle Eastern restaurants and cafés all around the country in addition to the cultural centres and institutions. Edgware road in central London is a main attraction for Middle Eastern travellers owing to its close proximity to all the iconic attractions that have a strong resonance with visitors from this region, including Hyde Park, the Marble Arch, Harrods, and high-street shopping.”

Hatoum further pointed out the majority of tourists from the Middle East visiting the UK travel to the country for business purposes, a lot of whom mix business with leisure. ”Many of the affluent UAE, GCC, and Middle East families consider Britain as their second home and have property around the UK that JUNE 2012

Capital: London Currency: British Pound (GBP) Language: English

The Queen's Guards

they go back to many times a year.”

The UK is certainly one of the MENA traveller’s favourite tourist hotspots and this is apparent in the progression of figures over the past decade, according to Hatoum, who said, “Britain is undoubtedly one of the top destinations for travellers from MENA; there is a historic foundation between Britain and this region that has grown stronger over the years. If you compare the number of visitors in 2001 and 2011, you will see an increase of 25 to 30 percent in the numbers from the MENA region.”

TRADITIONAL BRITISH HOSPITALITY The UK’s hotel sector is famed for its expertise in hospitality, and hotels across the country are placing every effort to please their guests from the MENA region.

One such hotel in one of London most prestigious areas is Sheraton Park Tower, Knightbridge, which offers a palette of specifically tailored services for its MENA guests, which recorded a year-on-year 13.5 percent increase in average number of room nights booked; the majority of which came from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar. “These include Arabic room service and bar menus, Arabic dishes with

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a kitchen team, which includes a number of Middle Eastern chefs who are familiar with preparing these dishes properly, encompassed in all guest rooms, as well as Arabic TV channels, and Arabic-speaking associates in key guest-facing position,” Tristan Nesbitt, manager, Sheraton Park Tower, explained.

Moreover, The Ritz London, having achieved record results in 2011, benefitted greatly from increased demand, throughout the year, from the Middle Eastern as well as the Chinese markets, in addition to the already strong business generated from the UK and the US, according to Steven Boxall, managing director, The Ritz London. “The hotel enjoyed consistently high room occupancy and continued to perform extremely well within the competitive London market.

The Ritz unquestionably remains the city’s most iconic landmark hotel.” The Ritz London recently introduced a dedicated range of exclusive new services and amenities designed especially for the MENA guests.

Furthermore, in 2011, Middle East business at the London Hilton on Park Lane Hotel accounted for 17 percent of total occupancy, according to Michael Shepherd, general manager, London Hilton on Park Lane. Catering to MENA guests, the hotel offers 24hour room service with an Arabic menu, Arabic speaking butler service on request, and it is located close to a mosque and Arabic restaurants, and is in close proximity to all premier shopping areas in London. “We have enjoyed hosting families from the Middle East for three generations, and have provided a spiritual home for so many, as they have grown up with us,” Shepherd commented. In addition, Shepherd praised the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar as the three leading markets from the MENA region, with increases of 33 percent, 4.4 percent, and 104 percent year-on-year respectively, in 2011 over 2010. Altogether, the top five GCC markets contributed to a 21.3 percent growth in 2011 over 2010.

The Stafford London by Kempinski is yet another hotel which warmly welcomes the MENA guest, as Ursula von Platen-Horande, public relations manager, The Stafford London, explained, “For our guests from the Middle East and North Africa, we offer special welcome amenities, prayer mats, halal cuisine, and Arabic speaking staff.”

IMPRESSIVE RATINGS In conclusion, UK-based Virgin Atlantic Airways maintains good ties with the MENA region, as Brad West, country manager, UAE, Virgin Atlantic Airways, explained, “The travel trade in Dubai is the driving force behind Virgin Atlantic’s market presence. We have a good relationship with our key trade partners. We continue to offer passengers a better alternative when flying to London by focusing on what makes us different.” Virgin Atlantic Airways currently offer daily flights from Dubai to London Heathrow.

Furthermore, catering to the popular MENA market demands for flights, Qatar Airways, Gulf Air, Emirates, Etihad, EGYPTAIR, and British Airways all offer convenient flights between the MENA region and the UK. 

Los Angeles  Dominique Christou writes

I

n 2011, LA achieved a record high in terms of tourist arrivals with more than 26.9 million visitors travelling to the state of California’s most populous city, boasting an increase of 4.5 percent over 2010 figures.

International visitors increased by 6.7 percent in 2011, representing 5.9 million arrivals of the total figure. Mexico, Canada, Australia, the UK, and China were LA’s top five visitor generating markets in 2010, according to Los Angeles Tourism Statistics 2011, released by Bureau of Economic Analysis; CIC Research, while the strongest growth in overseas visitors came from France and Germany as well as China, the UK, and Australia.

According to Kathy Smits, vice president, international marketing, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, the tourism market was strong in 2011, and is forecasted to remain this way again this year. “2012 is on track to be the strongest year on record for key performance measures,” Smits explained.

Meanwhile, direct visitor spending also resulted in a record high, having totalled USD15.2 billion in 2011, equivalent to a 7.8 percent increase over 2010.

DEEPENING STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS With regards to tourism coming into LA from the MENA region, Smits described this market as one of great importance, especially for luxury properties on the west side of the city, as they tend to stay longer and spend more money. Therefore, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, which represents Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) internationally, is placing every effort to keep up with the needs of travellers from this region. “We work closely with airline partners. In fact, Los Angeles Tourism will be at the World Route Development Forum in Abu Dhabi this fall,” Smits added.

Further demonstrating the significance of the MENA market to the country’s tourism industry, and in particular LA among other key cities in the US, American Airlines with Etihad Airways and Royal Jordanian Airlines have long collaborated under terms of a codeshare agreement, providing passengers with flights from Abu Dhabi and Amman to LA. IDEAL CHOICES One hotel on its way to completing its first year in operation this September is The Hotel Wilshire, which has so far this year averaged some 80 percent in occupancy levels, according to Michael Orwitz, owner, OSM Investment Company; a firm which focuses on hospitality and residential real estate, across California as well as Nevada. Located near Beverly Hills, the property is conveniently and centrally situated for foreign travellers visiting LA, as Orwtiz indicated, further stressing the need to showcase the city in order to boost tourism to the region. “We work with major domestic, foreign, and global travel agencies to promote our hotel to JUNE 2012

From tours of celebrated Hollywood to its distinguishable palm-filled beaches, there is something very special about Los Angeles (LA); an incomparable touch which entices all types of tourists annually as it continues to live by its long-adopted ‘the place to visit’ quality. foreign tourism.”

Another ideal choice for travellers visiting the city is Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles/Hollywood, which recently opened its doors after replacing the historic Hollywood Heights Hotel. Managed by Interstate Hotels & Resorts, the hotel is located just minutes from some of the city’s top attractions and, according to Ted Knighton, chief operating officer, Interstate Hotels & Resorts, is an excellent addition to the company’s growing list of hotels, as he positively expressed, “Between the history of the property, the location, and all of the amenities that the hotel has to offer, we are looking forward to achieving great success with the property.”

Similarly, Adrian Kurre, global head, Hilton Garden Inn, said, “The repositioning of the historic Hollywood Heights Hotel to a Hilton Garden Inn is such a great addition to our brand portfolio. Hilton Garden Inn's Pavilion lobby, combined with comfortable guestrooms and convenient guest services, make the hotel an ideal choice.

The property provides the amenities to ensure guests sleep deep, stay fit, eat well, work smart, and treat themselves while on the road. Whether travelling for business or leisure, we can ensure guests have everything they need to be successful.”

Furthermore, Marriott International is currently building two new hotels set to open during in the city in 2014. The 23-storey, 174-guestroom Courtyard

by Marriott and 218-key Residence Inn by Marriott, both situated in Downtown LA will, upon opening, become part of a large project currently taking place to revitalise the area which represents the core of LA’s central business district. 

LONG-HAUL

Loving LA Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES IN BRIEF State: California Currency: US Dollar (USD) Language: English

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IFTIKHAR HAMDANI

MICHAEL SCULLY

General manager, Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman

Managing director, hospitality, Seven Tides.

“Ajman is a great value for money destination, with close proximity to Sharjah and Dubai. We have a variety of world-class accommodation, cultural destinations, and clean and sandy beaches where tourists can relax away from the hustle of city life. We are strategically located in the middle of the five emirates so tourists can explore other neighbouring emirates while staying at our hotel. With [the establishment of the Ajman Department of Tourism Development] we are sure to get maximum exposure and the development of tourism in the emirate of Ajman.”

JUNE 2012

“Risk management is always at the forefront of investors’ minds and in that sense Dubai will continue to benefit from its reputation as a safe haven in a region affected by political change. Furthermore, heavy investment by the government into transport infrastructure, an integrated marketing strategy, and sound growth prospects continue to cement Dubai’s position as the Middle East’s tourism hub. The entertainment value of Dubai comes high on the list of any potential hotel investor while tourists heading to Dubai can enjoy a number of entertainment attractions.”

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travel talk is your space

TRAVEL TALK

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TRAVEL CHANNELS

WTTC Global Summit heads to Abu Dhabi In a ceremony at the 12th World Travel & Tourism (WTTC) Global Summit in Tokyo, WTTC officially handed over the hosting rights for the 13th Global Summit to Abu Dhabi slated to take place on April 8 – 10, 2013.

I

n line with this symbolic handing over of the globe to H.E. Mubarak Al Muhairi, director general, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, and James Hogan, president, Etihad Airways, the UAE capital’s tourism authority in partnership with the country’s national carrier, Etihad Airways, are officially set to host the next edition of the summit, which is likely to attract alsome 1,000 international travel and tourism leaders to the city.

David Scowsill, CEO, WTTC, commented, “In awarding the 13th summit hosting to Abu Dhabi, we were conscious of the infectious enthusiasm of its government and industry agencies, the destination’s

increasing accessibility and standards of capability, and its impressive evidence of green tourism growth as a key development strategy.”

According to Al Muhairi, the entire Abu Dhabi travel and tourism industry is fully behind the summit. “We will look upon those attending 2013’s summit as partners, whether existing or potential, and I know this is how our local industry is viewing the event,” he said. “It is a platform for us to come together, to engage with each other, and strike up new ventures, initiatives, and relationships,” he added, ensuring the delegates a lot more to see and do in the UAE’s capital than ever before. “We have many more attractions, new beach resorts on Saadiyat Island, new city centre hotels, and a new golf resort. By this time next year, we will have opened another two major resorts; one on a beach and another fronting a mangrove forest, and we will have welcomed more international names to the destination; Accor and RitzCarlton amongst them.

Yas Island will also, at the end of this year, open the UAE’s largest waterpark.”

Hogan highlighted Etihad Airways’ anticipation for the event which he described will give many of the WTTC delegates their first taste of Arabian hospitality onboard their flight to the capital city for next year’s summit. “Recent years have seen Abu Dhabi’s emergence as a dynamic, contemporary city and global economic powerhouse.

Etihad Airways has been central to the success of the UAE Government’s strategy to build travel

Abu Dhabi

and tourism into a major driver of economic development, bringing business and leisure tourists in their millions to the UAE capital. The success of this approach is a strong endorsement of WTTC’s policy.

Abu Dhabi is an exciting place to be and I have no doubt WTTC delegates will enjoy the city’s hospitality and be amazed at its energy when they attend the summit in 2013,” concluded Hogan.

In awarding the 13th summit hosting to Abu Dhabi, we were conscious of the infectious enthusiasm of its government and industry agencies JUNE 2012

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EXCLUSIVE

Religious Travel

Seeking the Divine Al-Masjid al-Haram (The Holy Mosque), Saudi Arabia

 Stefanie Saghbini

writes

F

ollowing a successful event in 2011, having witnessed some 140,000 visitors, Expo Centre Sharjah is gearing up for this year’s Ramadan & Eid Fair set to take place from July 27 until August 18.

Representing an integral part of the Sharjah Ramadan Festival, which is a major shopping, marketing, entertainment, and religious event organised throughout the emirate, the Ramadan & Eid Fair is supported by Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and is partnered by the Sharjah-based lowcost carrier, Air Arabia. Having welcomed an increase in visitor numbers by 43.4 percent in comparison to 2010’s edition, the event included major highlights such as a the Thailand pavilion, a heritage village, multi-national cuisine food court, amusement and fun rides, a mini zoo, and special Arabic cultural and musical entertainment for the whole family.

FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS Moreover, Egypt is certainly no stranger to the world of religious travel, as its national carrier EGYPTAIR dedicates its services during the holy annual periods of Umrah and Hajj, this according to Ayman Nasr, chairman, EGYPTAIR, who added that passenger figures on these flights represent some five to seven percent of the airline’s yearly results. “There was remarkable increase in pilgrim numbers in 2011, in comparison to 2010,” he said. “As in 2011, EGYPTAIR transferred 90,000 pilgrims while the airline transferred 88,651 pilgrims in 2010.”

The carrier is expected to welcome a further influx into and around the country this year, with regards to travellers visiting and commuting for religious purposes, according to numbers recorded so far, thus is bracing itself for upcoming changes, as Nasr

Egyptians. Moreover, in continuation of its efforts to provide more facilities, EGYPTAIR is going to carry on operating from the new seasonal terminal, which is dedicated to the Umrah and Hajj flights. This terminal gives more facilities to religious travellers in their holy travel.”

Attributing the airline’s success primarily to travel agents which symbolise one of the airline’s main selling points, Nasr also expressed gratitude towards the Saudi authorities who, he praised, have provided EGYPTAIR with the utmost facilities to improve customers’ journeys.

Hajj and Umrah are also among the main activities for Jordan’s national airline, Royal Jordanian Airlines (RJ), as Anwar Atalla, director of marketing, RJ, explained, “RJ operates three daily flights to Jeddah and seven weekly flights to Medina, in the regular schedule to these destinations, whereas the frequencies are bound to increase during Hajj time according to the demand for travel. In this context, RJ runs its

Perceived as one, if not the, holiest regions on Earth and laying claim to some of the world’s most sacred sites, the Middle East alongside North Africa has long been considered a desirable option for those in search of spiritual enlightenment, as the region prepares itself, yet again, for another annual holy period filled with events which naturally fall parallel with the summer months.

Umrah

explained, “Within the light of EGYPTAIR’s preparations for transporting the largest number of Umrah customers, we announce that we are ready to meet the expected operation increase. In addition, the initial indications show an increase in the number of EGYPTAIR Umrah passengers, consequently increasing the number of flights.”

Nasr further stressed the need for such business approaches as a means of making the airline more reliable towards meeting this expected increase, as well as the requirements of providing more qualified and well-trained human resources in the sales offices and in terminals. “On another hand, the airline has transferred about 89,093 pilgrims from Cairo and Alexandria to Jeddah and Medina onboard 650 flights operated between January 24 and March 31 this year, with 501 flights to Jeddah and 149 flights to Medina,” Nasr continued, adding that the team at EGYPTAIR is taking steady steps in hope that it will continue with the same rate and even better. Disclosing plans for the future, Nasr said, “In the coming period, we plan to operate flights from Aswan and Luxor airports to provide more facilities to a larger scale of

wide-bodied aircraft to cater for the large number of pilgrims in that time of the year. Pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia are not only Jordanians; many of them come from Africa, Iraq, North America and Europe.”

The main religious sites in Jordan, which include Mar Eylas, Mount Nebo, Madaba, Maghtas, Mukawirm and Umalrsas altogether welcomed some 564,000 tourists in 2011, with Madaba proving to be the country’s most popular religious hotspot, having witnessed 217,578 arrivals from across the globe. According to detailed statistics released by the Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities, Jordan, 216,958 of the total number of visitors to Madaba came from outside the Kingdom. Meanwhile, Mount Nebo attracted some 208,000 tourists.

NO TIME TO WASTE According to Euromonitor’s country report on Saudi Arabia in 2011, the Kingdom’s travel retail market continues to be characterised by some 1,000 travel agencies specialising in Hajj and Umrah services only.

Competition in this market continues to be driven JUNE 2012

Religious Travel by religious tourism, and the leading agencies in this market, such as Al Tayyar Travel and Elaf Group are all licensed for these two holy periods, as this is the best way to survive and to generate high returns. It is, nonetheless, still possible to become a leader by specialising in Hajj and Umrah packages, according to the report, given the large number of domestic and international religious tourists visiting the holy cities every year, and opportunities in this segment remain numerous.

“The Saudi authorities have been exerting major efforts to develop the quality of services for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims,” explained Ziyad Ahmed Bin Mahfouz, president, Elaf Group of Companies. “In 2010, the number of pilgrims to the Kingdom exceeded two million, which came from other cities and from outside the country. The year 2011 also saw a major rise in inbound travellers, as more than 1.8 million pilgrims were from outside the Kingdom. These numbers, in turn, have contributed to raising our occupancy rate by 18 percent compared to 2010,” he added.

Lauding the hard work carried out

by Saudi Hajj related authorities to serve the pilgrims and Umrah doers and to provide them with comprehensive accommodation, Hassan bin Abdullah Al-Sheikh, undersecretary, Ministry of Endowments and Guidance for Hajj and Umrah Sector, Yemen, also praised the great achievements carried out by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, custodian, Two Holy Mosques, to help visitors of the Holy Mosque in performing their rites, smoothly and at ease.

Another hospitality group setting its focuses on the growing religious segment is Dubai- and Bahrain-based Range Hospitality whose 12-storey USD175 million Al Rawdatain Residences hotel project in Karbala is well underway and expected for opening at the end of 2013. The hotel is located a mere one kilometre from the holy shrines and according to Munaf Ali, CEO, Range Hospitality, will successfully provide for the expected influx of pilgrims this year. “As the religious tourism market was ripe for development, we took the lead and are confident that people will appreciate Range Hospitality’s offering,” Ali expressed. By 2015 Range Hospitality aims to operate both three- and four-star hotels in Najaf, considered one of the holiest cities in Iraq, the developer has already received a number of inquiries from regional partners to consider joint ventures in Medina. The group also intends to develop and opJUNE 2012

erate a series of hotels in Mecca to cater to the needs of the entire Muslim audience.

NOT TO BE MISSED Religious travel is being taken to a whole new level with the launch of the world’s first air travel prayer time calculator, providing Muslim travellers with the ability to calculate prayer times throughout the flight path of their journey. Introduced by Crescentrating, the Singapore based world leader in Halal Friendly

EXCLUSIVE

25

Travel, and based on the departure airport and time, as well as the destination and expected arrival time, the innovative application estimates the prayer times while on board, and also gives information on the availability of prayer facilities at the two airports. With the beta version of the calculator having recently been released, Fazal Bahardeen, CEO, Crescentrating, commented, “Once we have tested with as many travellers as possible, we will launch the mobile applications. We also plan to add other features such in the future such as direction for prayers.” 

26

WHO'S MOVED

YASSER BAHAA Yasser Bahaa has been appointed to the role of general manager of Mercure Grand Hotel Seef in Bahrain.

During his 23 years in the industry, Bahaa has worked in various locations including Egypt, Tunisia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. Since joining Accor in 1994, he has served at different brands such as Sofitel, ibis, and

Mercure.

His extensive experience also includes roles with Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, Helnan International Hotels, Safir and Club Med. He moves to Bahrain after serving in the same position at ibis Amman in Jordan.

In his new role, he will be responsible for managing all of the 120room property’s operations.

ERIC SESO Eric Seso has been tasked to lead ibis Amman in Jordan as general manager of the property.

Seso, who previously held various managerial positions within Accor Middle East, will be in charge of managing all aspects of the 158-room property’s operations.

Prior to his latest appointment, Seso worked as general manag-

er for the 168-room ibis Madrid Aeropuerto Barajas, a position which he held for six years.

Having served at ibis hotels across Europe for over 20 years, Belgian-national Seso has extensive experience in managing ibis-branded properties.

Seso will be in charge of managing all operations

JAN HEESBEEN Jan Heesbeen has been named director of sales and marketing at King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre managed by Hilton.

Having worked for more than 13 years in the Middle East, six of which he spent in Jordan, Heesbeen is an accomplished tourism and hospitality marketing and development professional with solid experience in destination and product marketing and sales.

Besides a proven track record in managing complex multi-cultural marketing teams and achieving large global sales objectives, he has extensive knowledge of niche markets, including health,

wellness, cultural, and beach tourism.

Heesbeen’s past experience includes leading sales and marketing operations for key regional destinations in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, as well as destinations such as Jordan, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Thailand.

Besides his vast experience and innovative sales and marketing talent, Heesbeen has wide and direct contact with tour operators, as well as hotel managers, and owners.

Heesbeen has extensive knowldge in niche markets JUNE 2012

RENDEZVOUS

27

Q & A with Glenn de Souza The past 12 months have marked some major milestones in Best Western International’s (BWI) Middle Eastern expansion and the company is continuing to further strengthen its footprint in the region as Glenn de Souza, vice president, international operations, Asia and Middle East, BWI, reveals.

Travel Trade Monthly: In 2011, BWI continued its fast-paced global expansion drive by opening a number of new properties across the Middle East and Asia. What were the highlights of this period?

Glenn de Souza: The last 12 months have been very successful for Best Western in the Middle East. While the region has undoubtedly faced challenges, we have managed to keep an upward trajectory with new hotel projects signed, started, and completed.

Work is already underway on our first hotel in Iraq; the BEST WESTERN PREMIER Erbil Airport, which we are developing in partnership with the Golden Mountains Company, while construction of its sister hotel, BEST WESTERN PREMIER Erbil, will start soon.

We also opened the doors of our first hotel in Saudi Arabia. The BEST WESTERN PLUS Sand Rose Suite Hotel in Al Khobar marks the start of a huge expansion plan in the Kingdom which will see us add at least 10 further properties by the end of 2014.

hotels in Jeddah, Mecca, and Riyadh. This expansion will take our total Kingdom-wide inventory to more than 600 rooms by the end of the year.

In 2013, we will debut in the cities of Al Qissim and Al Hasa. Then in 2014, we will add our two largest properties in Saudi Arabia, both in Mecca; the 336-room BEST WESTERN PREMIER Makkah and the 305-room BEST WESTERN Makkah, which will take the country-wide inventory to more than 1,700 rooms.

By the end of 2014 we expect to have opened a further 10 properties in Saudi Arabia, adding more than 1,600 rooms. Accumulative to the BEST WESTERN PLUS Sand Rose Suite Hotel, we recently launched in Al Khobar, we are planning to debut our luxury BEST WESTERN PREMIER brand in Al Qissim in 2013.

Glenn de Souza Vice president, international operations, Asia and Middle East, BWI

Travel Trade Monthly: How has the public responded to the new brand and its debut in Saudi Arabia?

Glenn de Souza: The BEST WESTERN PLUS Sand Rose Suite Hotel only opened in February, but we are already seeing significant demand from the local market. As our first hotel in the Kingdom and our first BEST WESTERN PLUS-branded property in the Middle East, it was very important to make sure we got the product right. The hotel is located on the Al Khobar corniche and offers a more upscale range of facilities, as well as rooms large enough to cater to families and business groups. These factors, along with our excellent marketing, distribution, and support network, have ensured that the hotel has hit the ground running.

Travel Trade Monthly: Saudi Arabia represents a key market in BWI’s expansion plans. Which brands have been selected to further strengthen the company’s presence in the Kingdom?

Glenn de Souza: Saudi Arabia will be one of Best Western’s fastest-growing markets in the world over the next few years. This year, we will see the launch of five more hotels including BEST WESTERN PLUS properties in Riyadh and Al Ahsa, and BEST WESTERN

JUNE 2012

Travel Trade Monthly: With its fast expansion, BWI is currently present in three Middle Eastern countries. Which markets will BWI explore next?

Glenn de Souza: This year we will also debut in Jordan and in Kuwait. Oman will also receive its first ever hotel this year when we launch a 212-room BEST WESTERN PREMIER hotel in the capital, Muscat. Then of course next year we will open our first hotel in Iraq.

By the end of 2014, Best Western International will be present in seven Middle Eastern countries, as well as regional neighbours such as Pakistan and Israel.

But the Middle East is a fast-growing market and Best Western never stops looking for opportunities to expand its portfolio. If we find good partners and strong development opportunities in other countries, we will certainly look to expand our regional portfolio further.

Travel Trade Monthly: How does BWI adapt to the modern ways of researching and booking, preferred by today’s tech-savvy traveller?

Glenn de Souza: The advance of technology is perhaps the most influential trend in the travel industry today, and at BWI we are not only responding to these changes, but taking the lead.

As well as launching mobile applications to enable our customers to search for and book Best Western hotels from their smart phones and tablets, we recently unveiled a brand new booking facility from our Facebook fan page.

Today’s new generation of tech-savvy travellers is talking about Best Western more than many of our rivals. Not only that, they are also sharing their stories and photos, and recommending Best Western to their friends. And now, thanks to our new booking engine, they are able to book direct from Facebook.

It is an incredibly exciting development, and we will continue to advance all aspects of our e-commerce and social media in the coming months.

The last 12 months have been very successful for Best Western in the Middle East. While the region has undoubtedly faced challenges, we have managed to keep an upward trajectory with new hotel projects signed, started, and completed

28

NEWS & EVENTS

Meeting to Support The Rise in Tourism in Egypt

Hurghada

EVENTS

The Arab Center for Media Tourism recently concluded its forum on the relation between security and tourism in Egypt, which witnessed the participation of 17 Arab countries and the presence of Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour, minister of tourism, Egypt.

The fourth edition of the event was held at SUNRISE Mamlouk Palace Resort Hurghada under the slogan ‘we meet to rise up’ and was an initiative to support tourism in Egypt through reassuring both foreign and Arab media of the security situation in the country in general, and Hurghada, as a major tourist destination, in particular.

After the conference, the forum awarded a few Arab figures and media journalists for their coverage on tourism-related events in the Arab world. Sheikh Faisal Bin Kassim El Thani, chairman, Qatari Business Association, was awarded Ambassador of Arab Tourism for 2012, for his continuous contribution to promoting Arab Heritage.

Three workshops were conducted after the award ceremony on teaching of introductory courses on tourism in the Arab world, increasing touristic awareness among Arab countries on how to treat foreign tourists, and activating the centre’s branches in more Arab countries.

Sponsored by

International Luxury Travel Market, Asia (ILTM Asia) Shanghai, China, June 4 – 7, 2012 (www.iltm.net/asia) ILTM Asia showcases the world’s most sought after destinations and ultra-unique travel experiences to discerning luxury travel buyers from across the Asia Pacific.

The Americas Meetings & Events Exhibitions (AIBTM) Baltimore, US, June 19 – 21, 2012 (www.aibtm.com) A leading exhibition for the meetings and events industry, bringing together professionals from all around the world.

International Travel Expo (ITE) Hong Kong, June 14 – 17, 2012 (www.itehk.com) A travel fair with impressive profiles of international exhibitors, buyers, and regional trade visitors.

China Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition (CIBTM) Beijing, China, September 12 – 14, 2012 (www.cibtm.com) China’s leading meetings, incentives, and business travel show providing the ultimate platform for the world’s top suppliers to the MICE industry.

Beijing International Tourism Expo (BITE) Beijing, China, June 15 – 17, 2012 (www.bitechina.com.cn) A tourism event that showcases destinations, tourism attractions, travel packages, products, and services.

Africa Hotel Investment Forum Nairobi, Kenya, September 25 – 26, 2012 (www.africa-conference.com) An event showcasing the potential Kenya and other high-growth destinations across the continent have to offer.

JUNE 2012