Middle East and North Africa Edition
RESPONSIBLE OMAN Oman is all set to host the fourth annual International Conference on Responsible Tourism, to be held from October 10 to 12. The conference has been organised by Oman’s ministry of tourism, in collaboration with UNWTO and International Centre for Responsible Tourism, Leeds Metropolitan University.
Dubai’s hotel spas saw rapidly increasing revenues in the first quarter of 2010, according to Ernst and Young’s Spa Benchmark Survey Report. Total revenues for Q1 increased by 45.5 percent, compared to 2009 figures. In further good news, 61 percent of spa treatments were booked by hotel guests, showing a significant increase in guest spending and confidence.
3 EGYPT TO AFRICA EgyptAir is expanding its presence in Africa, starting with the launch of flights to the city of Juba in southern Sudan.
6 In This Issue Market Update Accommodation News Air Travel News International News Agents’ Corner Travel Tips Travel Talk Who’s Moved Rendezvous Events AUGUST 28, 2010
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SPA Surprises
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TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY Deputy Editor Laura Warne Journalist Louis Dillon Savage Design & Layout Elina Pericleous Sales & Marketing Marianna Tsiamas Evelina Hadjigeorgiou Directors Andreas Constantinides Mary Kammitsi
Free Zone Model Boosts Ras Al Khaimah as Business Destination Ras Al Khaimah’s drive to become a business destination is bearing fruit, with increased interest evident in Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone (RAK FTZ) and other similar zones.
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AK FTZ has reported 875 new businesses in the first Headquarters half of 2010 and anticipates P.O. Box 25255 further growth. Nicosia 1308 Cyprus Tel: +35722820888 According to market analysis Fax: +35722318958 and consultancy firm, Oxford Business Group Website (OBG), the success of the zone has been driven www.traveltradeweekly.travel by regulatory factors advantageous to many Emails businesses. info@traveltradeweekly.travel These include no corporate tax, no foreign editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel sales@traveltradeweekly.travel exchange controls and an allowance for 100 percent foreign ownership “These offers were partly responsible for the licensing successes in the first half of 2010, which saw 75 percent growth over the same period of 2009,” OBG reported. Oussama El Omari, CEO of RAK FTZ, said a focus on the needs of potential clients accounted for interest in his operation. “Our customers are the major MENA Exchange Rates stakeholders in our success, and we Accurate as of 20/8/2010 constantly strive to provide them Currencies shown in red with better business solutions, are fixed against the US Dollar infrastructure, technology and COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD= support,” he said. UAE (AED) Dirham 3.69 Egypt (EGP) Pound 5.69 “We have a customer-centred Saudi Arabia (SAR) Riyal 3.75 approach and a can do attitude: Lebanon (LBP) Pound 1501 as much as it is possible, we try to Bahrain (BHD) Dinar 0.37 reach out to current and potential Jordan ( JOD) Dinar 0.70 Syria (SYP) Pound 46.9 clients to make their experience Kuwait (KWD) Dinar 0.29 with us convenient and Qatar (QAR) Riyal 3.64 rewarding and let them know that Oman (OMR) Rial 0.38 our door is always open to assist Tunisia (TND) Dinar 1.49 Morocco (MAD) Dirham 8.70 them in any way we can.” Iran (IRR) Riyal 10,003 El Omari added that the zone Yemen (YER) Rial 238 would continue to revise its Algeria (DZD) Dinar 75.18 approach as needed. Libya (LYD) Dinar 1.28
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“Change is what allows us to grow and evolve,” he said. “By adopting innovative business methods, we remain competitive and continue to provide the best enabling business environment to the investment community.” According to OBG, the free zone model has been broadly successful in RAK, with major developments evident for other zones within the emirate. These include an overhaul of port facilities at Al Hamra, and a contract with SeAH Steel Corporation of South Korea for a 250,000m² construction plant in RAKIA Industrial Park. Several other free zones are also under development in the emirate, including The RAK Free Media and Film Zone and RAK Industrial and Technology Park. The success of the free zones has been accompanied by interest from the hospitality sector, with the growth of business oriented hotels established to serve the emerging market.
Change is what allows us to grow and evolve RAK Free Trade Zone Office Tower
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Al Qasba Capitalises on Sharjah Tourism Boost Al Qasba, one of Sharjah’s key entertainment destinations, has reported strong attendance figures in 2010, with nearly one quarter of a million visitors arriving in the first half of the year.
A Etisalat Eye
ccording to Al Qasba Development Authority, the destination is not only attracting its regular clientele of UAE residents, but is also proving popular with tourists. Al Qasba features a combination of business and leisure facilities and is located in the centre of the new Sharjah region, according to Hazem Sawaf, sales and marketing director at Al Qasba Development Authority. "As Sharjah's popularity increases, we have worked diligently to offer leisure and business customers not only excellent amenities, but a combination of attractions unlike any other available in the emirate,” said Sawaf. Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development
Authority (SCTDA) confirmed that the Sharjah tourism industry had maintained steady growth, with tourist arrivals and hotel occupancy rates rising in the first half of 2010. Sawaf added that Al Qasba planned to capitalise on the emirate’s popularity during Ramadan to ensure continued visitors throughout the second half of the year. “This is typically one of our busiest times of the year as people across the region seek to capture a glimpse of the past while exploring the many wonders of contemporary Islamic society,” said Sawaf. Notable attractions at Al Qasba include Etisalat Eye of the Emirates – the largest Ferris wheel in the Middle East, which drew nearly 40,000 visitors alone in the first half of 2010.
Oman to Host Conference on Responsible Tourism Oman is all set to host the fourth annual International Conference on Responsible Tourism, to be held from October 10 to 12. The conference has been organised by Oman’s ministry of tourism, in collaboration with UNWTO and International Centre for Responsible Tourism, Leeds Metropolitan University. Dr Rajiha Abdul Amir Ali, Oman’s Minister of Tourism, will host the conference, which is designed to reflect Oman’s commitment to sustainable tourism development. Discussion topics will be broken up into four sections: tourism, livelihoods, local economic development and human resources; responsible tourism in a world of finite resources; the responsible tourist, tangible and intangible heritage; and responsible destinations and marketing. In addition to scheduled discussions, the conference will also feature an exhibition of technologies and services for managing tourism. Pre and post conference tours have been designed to boost awareness of Oman as a destination. Objectives of the conference include preparing a general framework for responsible tourism, reviewing the national responsible tourism strategy and enhancing the international status of Oman. AUGUST 28, 2010
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- Accommodation
Hotel Spa Revenue up by 45.5 Percent in Dubai Dubai’s hotel spas saw rapidly increasing revenues in the first quarter of 2010, according to Ernst and Young’s Spa Benchmark Survey Report.
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aul Arnold, principal of real estate, hospitality and leisure services at Ernst and Young, said that total revenues rose by 45.5 percent in early 2010. “Dubai hotel spa operators are beginning to incorporate formal reporting techniques and use standardised metrics towards evaluating their spa performance,” he said. “Increased attention to operating diagnostics and business improvement strategies are important factors underlying the positive trends in spa performance.” During the first quarter of the year, 61 percent of spa treatments were booked by hotel guests, with non-hotel guests or day spa visitors accounting for the remaining 39 percent of bookings. Nikita Sarkar, spa industry specialist at Ernst and Young MENA, said Dubai hotel spa operators may now have the opportunity to create more effective marketing and promotional programmes, moving away from the price-based discounting of 2009. “The increasing share of hotel guest visitors to spas, combined with the increase in aggregate spa revenues, is a positive trend as it points towards the fact that hotel guests’ propensity to spend on spa services appears
Assawan Spa, Burj Al Arab
to be returning,” said Sarkar. According to Arnold, retail sales remain an under-exploited component of spa operations, contributing just 10.6 percent to overall Dubai hotel spa revenues in Q1 2010. However, he added that several high performing spas achieved up to 25 percent revenue contribution from retail sales. “In 2010, the focus will need to be on maximising revenue generation potential from each of the revenue streams,” said Arnold.
Sharm El Sheikh
Effectively integrating a hotel’s spa and fitness offerings was a key factor to success, according to the report. Sarkar concluded that expanding day usage or rental fees via membership and loyalty programmes was another way to maximise revenue and encourage repeat visitation.
Hotel guests’ propensity to spend on spa services appears to be returning
Sol Y Mar Riva Club Jaz Hotels, Resorts and Cruises is set to open the doors to its Sol Y Mar Riva Club in Sharm El Sheikh in April 2011. The five star hotel will market the company’s twelfth property in the area, featuring 287 guest rooms and access to a private sandy beach in Nabq Bay. The hotel will also offer five restaurants and bars, water sports activities and a spa with Thalassotherapy treatments.
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- Accommodation New Hospitality Classification System Rolled Out in Makkah, Saudi Arabia After a period of delay, Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) has begun applying its new accommodation classification system in Makkah. Work is also underway to introduce the system in Madinah. The two cities, considered the holiest in Islam, were excluded from the earlier roll out of the system in other Saudi cities. According to SCTA, the system is now being put in place in the holy cities in response to massive growth in the hospitality construction sector. The commission is now conducting a series of workshops and meetings designed to familiarise local operators with the requirements of the new system, which is based on a pricing scale. So far, 37 hotels in Makkah have been classified as five star, while 36 pricing resolutions have been come to for hotels that formerly fell into the category. In the four star category, 14 classifications and eight resolutions were handed down, while the three star category saw 45 classifications and 43 resolutions.
The reformed classification system comes as part of SCTA’s master plan for tourism development, which has been praised as unprecedented in the country. Sheikh Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Al Sabin, Undersecretary of Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Da‘wah and Call and Guidance for Planning and Development Affairs in Saudi Arabia, said a reformed tourism sector would pay dividends for Saudi Arabia. “I haven’t seen a such strategic plan made
by any other public authorities,” he said. “We are now in the early stages of reaping its rewards as planned by Prince Sultan [head of SCTA], and the coming years will be the years of harvest which will have great impact on the citizens and the country under the wise leadership of the country.”
The coming years will be the years of harvest
Madinah
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- Air Travel
EgyptAir Announces Strategic Focus on Africa EgyptAir is expanding its presence in Africa, starting with the launch of flights to the city of Juba in southern Sudan. Flights are operating twice weekly, on Wednesdays and Fridays.
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ccording to Alaar Ashour, CEO of EgyptAir, the new flights reflect the airline’s strategy of growing its presence on the African continent. “We have set an ambitious plan for expanding and developing the network, and we will proceed adding new destinations inside Africa, as well as increasing the number of flights,” he said. “By operating flights to Juba, we will have 26 flights per week heading to Sudan, as
there are already three to four flights daily to Al Khartoum.” Hussein Masoud, CEO of EgyptAir Holding Company, said the expansion would extend to aviation services other than flights. “The network’s expansion in Africa comes in line with the general strategy adopted by the company to expand its investments, and provide more services including training, maintenance, air and land services in this continent, which is considered to be among the
fastest growing regions in the world,” he said. “EgyptAir is capable now of encompassing the network expansion plan with its modern, developed fleet that has experienced a huge leap forward recently”.
[Africa] is considered to be among the fastest growing regions in the world
UAE Government Bodies Establish One-Stop-Shop Aviation Database The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has embarked on a joint project with that country’s Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to create a joint database of civil aviation statistics. The organisations have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will see them increase co-operation in the areas of data gathering, analysis and administration. Saif Mohammad Al Suwaidi, director general of GCAA, said the collaboration would ultimately benefit all civil aviation 6
interests in the UAE. “The MoU, which is valid for five years, will help the GCAA to establish an accurate national database in the civil aviation sector which can help decision making, in line with the strategic plan of the authority and can serve our partners and stakeholders to achieve excellence,” he said. Rashed Khamis Al Suwaidi, director general of NBS, said his organisation’s long experience with data management would give an advantage
to the aviation sector. “Co-operation with the National Bureau of Statistics is very important for its long experience, mechanisms and methodologies of high efficiency on the state level,” he said.
The MoU... will help the GCAA to establish an accurate national database AUGUST 28, 2010
- International
New Orleans Reports Strong Recovery Five years after the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the US city of New Orleans in the state of Louisiana has reported a dramatic recovery in the tourism sector.
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ccording to a study released by the local tourism authority, New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (CVB), the city has not only re-established itself, but exceeded pre-Katrina levels of development. According to CVB, many local hotels took the disaster as a catalyst for renovations, spending more than USD400 million on improvements in the past five years. The city has also increased its number of restaurants by 300 compared to 2005, and invested nearly USD100 million in its events facilities. However, despite certain positive indicators, many measures are yet to return to the levels experienced before the hurricane. The number of hotel rooms and air connectivity have not yet fully recovered, while the MICE sector has also failed to attract attendee volumes comparable to those experienced in 2005 and prior.
New Orleans
Tourism jobs have also lagged behind, with the industry employing approximately 70,000 people in 2010, compared with 80,000 in 2005. Despite these setbacks, tourism revenues for New Orleans have improved. In 2005 tourism generated USD185-221 million in tax revenues (a measure of overall performance) compared to USD250-300 million in the same period
of 2010. According to CVB, tourism is the number one job provider, and leading revenue source for the state of Louisiana, employing one of every 12 people there. Louisiana is currently facing a further crisis for its tourism sector, with the long term impacts of the recent Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico still uncertain.
UK Travellers Kiss Holidays Goodbye UK Budget travel firm Kiss Flights has ceased trading, leaving thousands of travellers stranded worldwide. According to reports in the UK media, 13,000 travellers are currently overseas on Kiss packages, and a further 60,000 have forward bookings. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has announced that it will seek to protect the holiday plans of all Kiss customers covered by appropriate regulations. According to CAA, as the majority of flights sold by Kiss were done so on a charter basis, most but not all customers will be able to complete their holidays and flights as planned. Customers who have not yet departed have been advised not to undertake their holidays, and instead seek a refund via CAA. Kiss dealt primarily in holidays to Greece, Egypt, Turkey and the Canary Islands. 8
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Sabre and Cisco Collaborate on Meetings Technology Sabre Travel Network will work with Cisco to develop a telepresence distribution and reservation platform, enabling travel agents to book services from any telepresence provider. Telepresence providers use high definition audio and video to arrange meetings that give participants the feeling of being in the same room as each other. Using this new distribution platform, users will be able to view telepresence room availability and rates in real time, as well as booking meetings. According to Greg Webb, president of Sabre Travel Network, the new technology will be a first for the industry. “For years, corporations and agencies have been using Sabre and GetThere technology to effectively manage their business travel and today it remains one of the primary tools used to collaborate,” said Webb. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen the demand for telepresence grow and become an important collaboration technology that, like travel, drives business and economic growth for our customers. “We believe our long history of technology and distribution leadership uniquely positions us to deliver the industry’s first platform for virtual meetings.”
Over the past few years, we’ve seen the demand for telepresence grow and become an important collaboration technology
Agent’s Insight Name: Ramzi Fuad Position: Sales Manager Company: Arabian Peninsula Travel and Tourism Location: Yemen Who are your best customers? We have lots of different customers, but we have a lot of corporate and most of them are westerners. Most of our clients are westerners.
What advice would you give to a young travel agent? I’m not sure what to say, but I think they should look to find corporate clients, companies they can deal with.
Where is your biggest selling destination? Around Europe; destinations like France and Great Britain are very popular.
When is the best time to visit your destination? The best timing is the months between summer and winter; from August to November is the best time.
Why is travel important? Travel keeps the world moving and progressing. It helps connect people, industries and cultures.
Travel keeps the world moving and progressing France
Oasis Travels GSA for Air Berlin Air Berlin Group has named Oasis Travels, a subsidiary of Sharaf Group, as its passenger general sales agent (GSA) for the UAE and Oman. Air Berlin will begin a non-stop connection between Dubai and Berlin in November, in line with its winter 2010/2011 schedule. Flights to Berlin will operate three times weekly. 10
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Iftar Innovation: Ramadan Tips While Iftar promotions have been omnipresent throughout the Middle East over the past few weeks, several members of the tourism industry have looked beyond the obvious events when organising Ramadan policies. Starwood’s Iftar for Cabs initiative
Private Jet Travellers Mixing it Up According to Air Charter Service (ACS), there is a growing trend emerging in the private jet sector – passengers are increasingly mixing commercial and private charter travel to maximise value for money. According to Tony Bauckham, managing director of ACS, many private jet users are shying away from long haul travel on executive jets, instead choosing first class scheduled flights to get to a local hub, then chartering smaller aircraft for the final leg of their journey. “Customers are becoming more sensible in the way they plan their trip, always looking for not simply cost reductions, but also value for money,” said Bauckham. “The concept is not a new one, but there has been a marked increase over the past 12 months or so.” He added that there had been no detrimental effect on business, with customers still recognising the benefits in chartering private jets to reach their final destination – avoiding time-consuming scheduled connections in the process.
The concept is not a new one, but there has been a marked increase over the past 12 months or so
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bu Dhabi Airport Company installed three Ramadan tents in the emirates’ international airports, welcoming not only Islamic passengers for the evening Iftar feasts, but also encouraging foreign tourists who were interested in learning more about Islam and the holy month of Ramadan. Starwood Hotels and Resorts Middle East celebrated Ramadan with its Iftar for Cabs initiative. More than 30 of the group’s properties in the region joined the initiative, distributing fast-breaking packs of food and drinks to cab drivers as they drove through the main entrances of each hotel. Hotels involved in included: Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel and Resort; Le Royal Méridien Hotel Abu Dhabi; Le Méridien Abu Dhabi; Sheraton Khalidiya Hotel; Aloft Hotel Abu Dhabi; Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai and Sheikh Zayed Road; and Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel and Towers. AUGUST 28, 2010
“With chartering there’s no hanging around waiting in airports, knock-on delays or being restricted by scheduled carriers’ times – you are able to create your own timetable and optimise your time in the region, and we are finding more and more customers who realise this,” he said. “Companies are looking at cost savings, whilst maximising their executives’ time spent away from the office at the same time.”
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Mark Napier
Khalid bel Jaflah
Director, Dubai World Trade Centre “The UAE is still investing heavily in tourism and hospitality and an essential part of that is food and beverage. [We] are looking to keep the future alive and well for the hospitality sector. Dubai in particular is becoming a food and beverage focal point for everything from manufacturing and packaging to fine dining and healthy eating.”
Vice President Commercial Operations UAE, Emirates “We have a significant number of passengers that travel to Dubai from Abu Dhabi and Al Ain to avail of Emirates’ world class services. As an airline we are all about connecting people and [our] value added bus service is just another aspect of our dedication to get passengers to their destination, with minimum hassle and maximum comfort.”
We have a significant number of passengers that travel to Dubai from Abu Dhabi and Al Ain
Dubai in particular is becoming a food and beverage focal point
Emirates bus service
Graeme Barnett Event Director, EIBTM “With 95 percent of space already taken for this year’s show (as at August 2010), it is clear that the industry is in an optimistic and upbeat frame of mind as meetings professionals around the world recognise the importance of attending EIBTM to create new business opportunities. As the flagship event of Reed Travel Exhibitions portfolio of global meetings events, the EIBTM team is totally committed to delivering a world-class event that meets the needs of the industry it serves.”
The industry is in an optimistic and upbeat frame of mind Dubai World Trade Centre
Graeme Barnett
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 editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel 12
AUGUST 28, 2010
Jason Geideman
Laura Perez
Dollar Rent A Car has appointed Jason Geideman as branch manager of Dollar Rent A Car in Abu Dhabi. Geideman has more than 10 years of business management experience, including seven years within the car rental industry in the UAE and US. His focus is on competitive market expansion and customer relationship development. Geideman will oversee all of the marketing and sales activities in the Dollar Abu Dhabi branch.
Mövenpick Hotels has appointed Laura Perez as area director of communications for the Middle East. Perez previously spent two years as director of public relations at The Address Hotels and Resorts, where she oversaw the brand’s growth from one to five hotels in Dubai.
Yasser Moussa Al Bustan Centre and Residence in Dubai has promoted Yasser Moussa to the position of director of business development. Moussa has more than 12 years of experience in the hospitality sector and has worked across the GCC, Far East, India and Europe. In his new role, he will be responsible for formulating and leading the property’s marketing strategy and expanding business in potential markets.
Herve Humler
Yasser Moussa
Khaled Nabil
The Ritz-Carlton, a division of Marriott International, has appointed Herve Humler as president and chief operations officer. Humler was one of the original founders of The Ritz-Carlton in 1983 and has more than 35 years of experience in the hotel industry. In his new role, he will also oversee Bulgary Hotels and Resorts. Humler will replace Simon F Cooper, who has been named Marriott International’s new president and managing director for Asia Pacific. Before joining The Ritz-Carlton, Humler held senior management positions with Hyatt Hotels , InterContinental Hotels and The Princess Hotel in Bermuda. He holds a degree in hotel management.
Sheraton Doha Resort and Convention Hotel has appointed Khaled Nabil as director of sales and marketing. Nabil has more than 22 years of experience within the hospitality industry, most recently working at Sheraton Dammam in Saudi Arabia. Before joining Sheraton in 2005, he also worked with Le Méridien and InterContinental Hotels Group in various sales and marketing roles. Nabil holds a bachelor’s degree in hotel management.
Sheraton Doha Resort and Convention Hotel 14
Herve Humler AUGUST 28, 2010
Q&A with Tony Potter Corinthia Hotels International is a Malta based luxury hotel chain with properties around the world. They are well established in North Africa and are pushing into the Middle East, with hotels underway in Dubai, Egypt and Abu Dhabi. Travel Trade Weekly quizzed Tony Potter, CEO of Corinthia, on the company’s strategy for the area. Travel Trade Weekly: Can you tell me a little about Corinthia’s activities in the Middle East and North Africa? Tony Potter: Well, in Africa we are extremely well known, particularly in North Africa and especially in Libya, with the Corinthia Hotel Tripoli, which is quite famous in Africa and the Arabic speaking world. It was quite a foresight for our director to go in there, which we did very early at a time when there were no other international players in the country, making ours the only high quality five star hotel in Tripoli. We no longer have the market to ourselves, and you can expect every big name in the world to be in Libya within the next 14 months, but we are very well established there. The market is very business oriented, but there is massive potential as a leisure destination. The beaches are the best in the world: totally unspoiled, totally unused. We have also just opened a spectacular hotel in Khartoum in Sudan, and we used to operate a hotel in Gambia, but when we moved our offering up-market to focus on five star it didn’t quite make the cut. We are also in Tunis, with a Ramada Plaza property that was refurbished when we took it over.
Travel Trade Weekly: What about closer to the Gulf? Tony Potter: We have a fantastic development programme in the area. Corinthia Hotels International, or CHI, has the exclusive rights to the Wyndham and Ramada Plaza brands in the area. We are opening a Ramada Hotel and Suites in Sharjah this October and have another planned in Dubai in June of 2011. AUGUST 28, 2010
We are also very keen on taking the Corinthia brand itself into the Middle East: our development guys are looking at Qatar and in Bahrain and at other opportunities in Africa. These mid market brands are doing very well at the moment. But even though there has been a surge in demand for them, in places like Dubai, you have a bit of an overbuild situation, so you have to be careful. The emerging Arabic mid spend market is why we chose the Ramada Hotels and Suites concept, because it allows us to cater to the regional, family travel market that is emerging in the area. We are also developing a fantastic 1,000 room resort in Sharm in Egypt. That one is being developed in phases, with the first already operating and the last due to open in 2012.
Mid market brands are doing very well at the moment Travel Trade Weekly: What are your long term plans in the Middle East? Tony Potter: We would ultimately like to see Corinthia branded hotels in all of the main gateways. I think we are well recognised in the area; I think we have good relationships and I think we have a good programme for development. We would definitely like to go into places like Abu Dhabi and Dubai, but we have to be a little cautious because, as mentioned, I am worried about there being an overbuild situation in those cities. We have a history of being adventurous, of going into difficult destinations like
Tony Potter
Libya and Khartoum, or perhaps places that are not actually difficult but are off the map for other operators, that have been deemed too risky. So we are good at tackling challenges and definitely plan to grow in the Middle East. I would like to see six to seven Corinthia hotels in the region the next seven to eight years. In the wider Islamic world, beyond the Middle East and North Africa, we are also looking at Turkey and have a very exciting five star Corinthia property in the works there. Turkey is exciting because it is moving away from its perception as a low cost destination, towards a fully rounded place that can cater fully to budget, mid and high end customers.
You can expect every big name in the world to be in Libya within the next 14 months 15
EIBTM Announces New Exhibitors in Lead-Up to 2010 Event More than 20 new exhibitors have signed on of the 2010 edition of EIBTM, to be held in Barcelona between November 30 and December 2. New faces at the exhibition include: Marriott International; Politours; Ilanga Travel; Cruise and Business Events; Divan Hotels; L’AND; African Conferences; KeyDM; Meeting Point International; Rwanda; Uganda; Nigeria; Seychelles; Epoque Hotels; Japan National Tourist
Organisation; Lithuanian Exhibition and Convention Centre (LITEXPO); and Incent Tours, of India. Additionally, more than 40 major stand holders have increased their space to include more exhibiting partners. From the Middle East and Africa, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has expanded its space by 29 percent, while Tunisia and Tanzania Tourist Board have boosted their stands by 100 percent and
36 percent respectively. Last year’s EIBTM event attracted 8,170 attendees, marking a 0.5 percent increase on 2008 figures; there was a three percent increase in hosted buyers between 2008 and 2009, bringing the total to 3,827. The event’s professional education programme was a standout success, with a 15 percent increase in attendance to 4,000.
Events Business Travel Show – Dubai India International Travel Mart Mumbai, India, September 3-5 (www.iitmindia.com) Dubai, UAE, October 25-26 (www.businesstravelshowdubai.com) Travel and tourism exhibition to market products from India Dedicated event for buyers and bookers of corporate travel in the Middle and abroad to the travel trade, corporate decision makers and East, focusing on small and medium sized organisations that book business travel. end users.
Medical Tourism and Global Healthcare Congress Los Angeles, US, September 22-24 (www.medicaltourismcongress.com) Forum for the global medical and wellbeing tourism industry.
International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations Muscat, Oman, October 10-12 (www.rtd4.om)
World Travel Market London, UK, November 8-11 (www.wtmlondon.com) Global event for the travel industry – four day business to business event promoting a range of destinations and industry sectors to international travel professionals.
World Green Tourism Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi, UAE, November 22-24 Organised by Oman Ministry of Tourism, UNWTO and (www.worldgreentourism.ae) International Centre for Responsible Tourism, Leeds Metropolitan University. Conference for government, private sector, academic institutions and decision makers to discuss new directions for the principles and practice of responsible tourism in global destinations.
Arab Tourism Bourse Travel and Tourism Fair Damascus, Syria, October 19-22 (www.abtfair.com)
Inaugural eco-tourism exhibition, featuring tourism authorities, urban city planners, hotels and resorts, property developers, airlines, tour operators, green product suppliers, universities, museums and heritage site organisations.
EIBTM Barcelona, Spain, November 30 – December 2 (www.eibtm.com)
Global event for meetings and events industry, including networking Aimed at promoting the Syrian tourism industry, attracting new opportunities, professional education seminars and a trade show platform visitors and developing tourism in the region. for exhibitors, hosted buyers and trade visitors.
Hotex Fair Syria Blossom Japan Damascus, Syria, October 19-22 (www.hotexfair.com) Tokyo, Japan, January 18-21,2011 (www.blossomjapan.com) Fair for Arabic and foreign companies in tourism and travel, A new invitation-only luxury travel exhibition focusing on the including hotels, restaurants and equipment suppliers. Japanese market.
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