Arabian Travel News - Feb 2010 by ITP Business Publishing

February 2010 Issue 2 Vol. 5

An ITP Business Publication

TOP 10 LUXURY TRAVEL TRENDS From glamping to experiential travel

G N I N TRAIfor SUCCESS YOUR NG YO ROVIIN IMPPR WHY IM EY IS A KEY SET IS ILL SE SK SKIL PRIORITY IN 2010

TRAVEL AGENTS GET DANGER-ZONE SAVVY Prime Travel sets up shop in Afghanistan

Licensed by Dubai Media City

ILTM REVIEW | KENYA INTERVIEW | MYSTERY SHOPPER | SPA CRUISE FEATURE | AGENT OF THE MONTH

8II@M< @E 8D<I@:8

@E EF K@D<¿ =C8K =LCCÆ=C8K 9<; J<8KJ EFEJKFG KF 8KC8EK8

Contents 06

News 03 Regional news

Prime Travel enters Afghanistan; UK operators urge Dubai to re-invent itself; and why travel agents should start exploiting the adventure travel trend.

06 News analysis Luxury travel looks forward to a new dawn as travel professionals attending ILTM discovered.

10 Airlines BA vows to protect customers from disruption; Munich Airport targets Gulf market; and Middle East airlines plan 2010 expansion.

12 Cruise Costa says Royal Caribbean competition is positive; Star Cruises reports growth in Middle East passengers; and Dubai Cruise Terminal opens its doors.

14 Accomodation ATN reports on the opening of the Burj Dubai — the biggest news of the year for the Middle East’s hotel and hospitality sector.

16 Tools Travelport signs agreements with Jazeera Airways, Gulf Air and alia’s AustFlight Centre while its rival, Amadeus, does deals with Lufthansa and SWISS.

17 Tourism boards VisitBritain forecasts a 2010 boost in visitor numbers; Malaysia looks to Iranian market for growth; and Turkey reports H2 2009 tourism boom.

Skillset 24 Tried and tested ATN puts Anantara’s brand new Abu Dhabi property, Qasr Al Sarab, through its paces.

18 Luxury

26 Mystery shopper

PURE Life Experie Experiences exhibition director and co-founder c Sarah Ball reveals the to p 10 luxury travel trends y you should know about in 2010 and beyond

This month ATN’s mystery shoppers re-visit some of the lowestscoring travel agents for 2009 and found they all improved.

28What’s new… The latest hotel openings, airline routes and travel-related events you should know about.

Q&A

20 Interview Interviews ATN N chats to Kenyan Minister forTo for Tourism Najib Balala an and Costa Cruises’ sales and marketing d director for Paciﬁc Asia operations, Dario Rustico.

How to sell

Agent action

30 Training

39 Travel agent interview

ATN discovers why getting your agency staff trained has never been more important.

Prime Travel’s assistant travel manager, Aiden Walsh, talks about the ﬁrm’s success in 2009 and its plans for the future.

34 Making waves

20 www.hoteliermiddleeast.com

ATN investigates how cruise lines are adapting their on board offerings to cater to the growing spa vacation market.

40 Agent of the mont Sharaf Travel Dubai manager holidays Aloke Dey is nominated by The Travel Collection.

February 2010 – Arabian Travel News

REGIONAL NEWS

News

Prime Travel to expand into Afghanistan Dubai-based agency reveals plans to open office in southern city of Kandahar EXPANSION An entrepreneurial Dubaibased travel agency is set to expand into Afghanistan having already ventured — and succeeded — in another danger zone, Iraq. Just a year after announcing its move into Baghdad, Prime Travel has revealed plans to open an ofﬁce in Kandahar in the south. Prime Travel and Tourism

Evans: no rivals in Kandahar.

SNTTA/Royal Caribbean deal PARTNERSHIPS SNTTA Emir Cruises, the cruise management division of leading destination management company SNTTA Emir Tours, has been appointed by Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd (RCCL) to handle the ground arrangements for Brilliance of the Seas, which is currently homeported in Dubai and embarked on its maiden Gulf cruise on January 18. The DMC will handle all shore excursions in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Fujairah, embarkation and disembarkation, airport and

hotel transfers in Dubai and will also provide trained check-in teams at the Dubai Cruise Terminal. “SNTTA Emir Cruises has been an exclusive partner of RCCL for more than 10 years having handled the ground arrangements of all of its ships, including Legend of the Seas and Azamara Quest,” said SNTTA Emir Tours senior general manager David Milican. “We are one of the few destination management companies that has an experienced team specialised in all aspects of a cruise ship’s ground requirements,” he added.

Orient Travel joins with Egencia Travel Management Company Egencia has signed a contract with Orient Travel that will see the ﬁrm become part of the Egencia Global Alliance. Under deal terms, Orient Travel, which has 19 ofﬁces UAE-wide, will provide several services to Egencia clientele including agent booking 24/7, VIP bookings, account management and meetings bookings. Egencia is an Expedia, Inc. company.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

general manager Richard Evans told ATN: “Afghanistan is the new Iraq and demand is probably three times as much as in Iraq.” Evans said a key reason for opening the new ofﬁce was that US-led forces in Iraq were down-sizing and moving personnel and resources into Afghanistan. “I do not think there’s any competition in Kandahar so we thought we’d start a

trend,” he said. “Our agency will be based inside a military camp and we’ll be quite vocal in our marketing.” Evans conﬁrmed a new recruit had been appointed to run the Afghan operation — a former hardware store worker who has been in Kandahar for some time. He will undergo training in Dubai before assuming his post. The agency’s Baghdad operation, which opened in

the city’s Green Zone last February, has gone from strength to strength, added Evans: “The response has been unbelievable. I have had one guy running the show, dealing with the military, government contractors and staff from our mother company Prime Projects International,” he explained. Evans said the Baghdad ofﬁce had recently picked up two “very big accounts”.

Dubai needs re-inventing: UK’s Tui MARKETING Dubai needs to re-invent itself as a more affordable destination if it is to attract the numbers it needs to ﬁll hotel rooms. The destination is currently over-priced and needs more attractions to up repeat business and encourage longer stays from the UK market, tour operating giant Tui has told ATN. “I can see Dubai eventually having to become a charter market in order to get the volumes it needs,” said Glenn McCool, regional product and contracts manager at Tui’s specialist division, which includes brands such as Hayes & Jarvis, Thomson Tailormade and Travelmood. He added that although Dubai room rates had dropped 25%-35% compared to peak 2008 prices, they still needed to plummet a further 50-60% for Dubai to remain competitive and to ﬁll the number of rooms coming online in the next few years. McCool also hinted that

Dubai overpriced says operator.

there was very little in terms of attractions to draw repeat business to Dubai and said the failure of Dubailand to materialise was unfortunate. “That was the attraction that was going to bring more people to Dubai,” he said. “The question is will that [project] ever happen — who will invest in it now?” McCool also warned Dubai hoteliers that unless they became more ﬂexible with their pricing, they would lose

out to the more accommodating destinations. “My message to hoteliers is that we really want to focus on Dubai, but reduce rates more, make your F&B cheaper and offer all-inclusive packages if you want to sustain and grow volumes from the UK market,” he said. “A market like Egypt, for example, is more reactive to market demands,” he said. As a result, Egypt was stealing market share from Dubai in the winter and summer sun stakes as was New York as a weekend or city break option, he added. McCool advised Dubai hotels to offer all-inclusive packages, which due to the current economic climate, were proving more popular than ever with British holidaymakers.

The % by which Dubai room rates should drop to attract business Source: Tui specialist division

February 2010 – Arabian Travel News

REGIONAL NEWS

News

Adventure travel boom imminent: study Sector set to treble in the next three years according to new industry trends report ADVENTURE The adventure travel sector is set to treble in the next three years according to a survey commissioned by the adventure travel subsidiary of UK travel giant Tui Travel. The ‘Passport to Adventure Industry Trend Report 2010’, which analysed current and future adventure travel trends on behalf of The Adventure Companies, revealed that consumer participation in adventure travel is predicted

to increase 70% over the next three years according to the survey component conducted by YouGov. In addition, participation in activity/ off-the-beaten-track/special interest breaks is predicted

Hot adventure travel destinations • • • •

India – Kerala and Rajasthan Camodia/Vietnam/Laos Turkey Morocco

Business travel spend on up BUSINESS TRAVEL Business travel spend will get back on track this year as budgets get a boost, a survey of business travel managers has revealed. More than a quarter (27%) of travel budgets will be increased for 2010 and 35% of buyers plan to book more trips, the survey of 1400 business travel managers by the Business Travel & Meetings Show (BTMS) found. The survey revealed that around half (46%) of budgets will remain stable and just 27% of managers will have less money to spend. Four in 10 buyers will manage the same number of trips and only one quarter will manage less.

Stump: target the grey market.

Managers were also more positive about the economic outlook for the future with more than three quarters (76%) of the industry believing the UK will be out of recession by the end of the year and only 12% dreading that it will drag on beyond 2011. However, 81% of managers said they would adopt even stricter travel policies in 2010 with 44% forced to trade down airline tickets. The Business Travel & Meetings Show will take place from February 9-10. The event’s sister event, The Business Travel Show Dubai, will take place from October 25-26 at the Madinat Arena. Visit www.businesstravelshowdubai.com

Number of business travel managers that will spend more on travel in 2010.

to double over the next three years and 5% more consumers will choose tour operators for adventure, according to the study. The report also found that average spend per passenger on adventure travel has increased by 21% from £987 in 2006 to £1198 in 2009. The Adventure Companies managing director Colin Stump said the ﬁndings were good news for the travel trade, with the survey revealing that 5% more consumers

will book with tour operators in the next three years. He said “motivated” travel agents should jump on the trend bandwagon and start selling adventure travel to three distinct groups — young professionals, middleclass families and the over 50s who were looking to embark on a trip-of-a-lifetime.” Stump said the latter group offered the most potential given they preferred the “reassurance” of booking with a travel agent.

Online check-in gets thumbs up INNOVATIONS Business travellers have voted online check-in as the ‘innovation of the decade’, followed closely by Wi-Fi, airline ﬂat beds, notebooks and the Eurostar. The top ﬁve innovations — noted for immeasurably improving business travel since 2000 — were revealed in a survey of 2400 business travellers by the Business Travel & Meetings Show, which takes place February 9-10 in London.

Online check-in was voted innovation of the decade.

Air travellers voted BA, Virgin, Emirates, Singapore and Lufthansa as their top ﬁve favourite airlines and said that Lufthansa was the world’s greenest airline. InterContinental was voted top hotel group — ahead of Marriott, Four Seasons, Hilton and Radisson. The top most inﬂuential factors when booking a hotel, said business travellers, was location, followed by cost, bedding, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi and a good quality restaurant.

TOP TIPS TO AIRLINES Business travellers make their demands for the future: • Faster airport security • Faster airport check-in • Faster immigration procedures • A child silencer (during ﬂights) • Supersonic aircraft • Carbon-free travel • Wi-Fi on planes Source: Business Travel & Meetings Show survey.

Source: Business Travel & Meetings Show survey.

Arabian Travel News – February 2010

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

parole.de

MUC: FLY TO HAPPINESS

Visit Europe‘s most exclusive shopping addresses

Take some time to relax in one of the elegant cafés

Simply enjoy Munich’s hospitality

Bavaria offers its guests a unique combination of an elegant metropolis behind the backdrop of the greenest natural scenery. Go shopping in the morning; enjoy the surrounding area in the afternoon, with green forests, sparkling clear lakes and romantic castles. Amidst this green vacation paradise is Munich Airport. Munich Airport – Best of Europe.

www.munich-airport.com

REGIONAL NEWS

News analysis

Luxury travel: With the noughties now behind us, luxury looks forward to a new era in 2010 and beyond as the travel professionals attending ILTM discovered

iscovering and discussing the latest luxury travel trends, securing deals and looking forward to a more positive business environment in 2010 dominated the agenda at the recent International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) in Cannes. The show brought together more than 3600 luxury travel professionals spanning both suppliers (1227) and personally-invited hosted buyers (from 70 countries) who participated in 43,083 scheduled appointments as well as several conferences, seminars and networking activities. Buyers from Iceland attended the event, which took place from December 7-10, for the ﬁrst time, while there was an increase in buyer numbers from Brazil. The Middle East was well represented from both a supplier and buyer perspective, with all parties getting down to business. Lore Koenig, director of sales and marketing at The Chedi, Muscat, attended ILTM for the fourth time and said the mood of buyers was “very positive”. “It is the most civilised of all trade shows because of the way it is

Arabian Travel News – February 2010

organised and there were no bargain hunters,” she said. “All buyers [with whom I met] were very professional and we have had many positive discussions on how to do business over the coming year.” The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), also a regular participant, said the 2009 show was “more successful” than in 2008 with more visitors to its stand and more enquiries. “We were literally inundated with people requesting information about the next F1, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and Louvre Abu Dhabi and the new hotel projects,” ADTA international promotions manager Mubarak Al Nuaimi told ATN. He said the event introduced Abu Dhabi as a luxury destination to many new tour operators from Europe and to his surprise, India, and revealed that interest in Etihad Airways, Emirates Palace InterContinental Abu Dhabi and Qasr Al Sarab desert resort by Anantara was particularly strong. Al Nuaimi said the mood for 2010 was upbeat and that his prediction for the coming 12 months was that Abu Dhabi and the wider Middle East would have “greater impact” within the luxury travel market. Epitomising the sen- timents of many attendees, Claudia Roth, vice president, Europe, Middle East, Africa, The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd — the event’s Platinum Partner — said ILTM was the “single most important luxury show in the industry calendar”. “The concept of bringing together

We were literally inundated with people requesting information ” (ADTA) qualiﬁed buyers with suppliers is a winning combination,” she added. A key highlight of the event was the ILTM Ultratravel Forum, which covered two key issues with a panel of industry experts: ‘Keeping Luxury Relevant in Today’s Market’ and ‘The Future of Luxury Travel’.

KEY POINTS RAISED WERE: • The need to exceed expectation and achieve magic — “luxury is about the software not the hardware”. Andres Ergas, president, Nomads of the Sea • Surprise and delight the customer — anticipate their desires while delivering meaningful experiences. Daniel Levine, founder and executive director, Avant-Guide Institute • “Our single most competitive advantage is our people and our culture. It is about empowering the front line.” Tom Storey, president, Fairmont Hotels • “The consumer is now empowered and this inﬂuence is here to stay.” Melissa Biggs Bradley, founder and CEO, Indagare Travel • The panel said key emerging markets were China, India and Russia — a counterbalance to the shortfall from the US market.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

REGIONAL NEWS

News analysis

Buyers speak out... BUYER 1 Nick Sheppard Title: Manager, non-air product Company: Dnata ILTM status: a regular buyer at the show

ATN: As a regular buyer at ILTM, what were your impressions of the show this year? Nick Sheppard: There were fewer attendees, but no dramatic change from last year. This may in part be due to the new trade show in Marrakech — ‘PURE Life Experiences’ (November 16-19). The quality of the exhibitors and the buyers was as high as always, the organisation of the event was excellent and the pre-arranged meetings work well. The vetting process means everyone attending is serious about doing business. ATN: As a ﬁrst-time buyer, what were your impressions of ILTM? Ahmed Soliman: ILTM is an excellent show where the quality of products is complemented by the level of seniority present. This is a platform where the quality of business conducted is at the highest level. For an entity like TCA, a consultancy ﬁrm with a High Net worth client base, ILTM provides insight to the luxury products available. ATN: What were the highlights and the lowlights of the show? Sheppard: Highlights — networking and negotiating with highly-professional hoteliers and friends. Lowlights — being away from my nine-week-old daughter. Soliman: The highlight was the level of hospitality shown by the Martinez and Majestic hotels [where evening networking events took place], allowing for additional opportunities to meet with suppliers. The lowlight was that the show only lasted three days. ATN: What did you achieve at the show? Sheppard: I developed relationships and returned with some good deals.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

BUYER 2 Ahmed Soliman Title: MD Company: Travel Connections Arabia (TCA) ILTM status: ﬁrsttime ILTM buyer

Soliman: The show helped us achieve excellent exposure and to formalise relationships. ATN: What products and services were you looking for and why? Sheppard: Hotels and DMCs. I was looking to further strengthen and grow our range of products for destinations popular with the GCC market such as the Far East and Europe, while also seeking out new or enhanced products for increasingly popular destinations such as Sri Lanka. Soliman: The show gave us the opportunity to increase our knowledge of the international luxury travel market as well as other experiences we could recommend to our clientele. First-hand knowledge of the products gives conﬁdence in our ability to customise to suit travellers’ requirements.

Particular consideration was being given to the fact that Ramadan is falling earlier each year and affecting peak summer travel patterns ”

ATN: Did you sign any new deals? Sheppard: Yes, but I can’t give details yet. Soliman: We have entered negotiations with a number of international suppliers. ATN: What was the general mood in terms of economic recovery for the luxury travel sector in 2010? Sheppard: Very mixed. Some hotels were eager to offer very keen pricing (in particular for Q1 & Q2) while others were indicating relatively high occupancies at the beginning of the year and were more interested in targeting periods later in the year. Particular consideration was being given to the fact that Ramadan is falling earlier each year and affecting peak summer travel patterns. The GCC summer travel period has traditionally helped to support trough periods from other markets but it is now starting to coincide with peaks from other markets. This is forcing many Far East and European city hotels to seek new source markets. Soliman: The mood was positive but there was the feeling 2010 would still be challenging. That said, there was a great expectation that the effects of both Swine Flu and the economic downturn were past thus presenting a more stable business environment.

PRESSING MATTERS “I think ILTM is a good show and we had back-to-back appointments with good quality tour operators from the UK, Europe Brazil, Mexico and Eastern Europe. My only beef is that they don’t do a good enough job with the press. We never see quality editors — not even from ATN!” Mark Allvey, vice president of sales and marketing, EMEA, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts

February 2010 – Arabian Travel News

REGIONAL NEWS

News analysis

ATN asked luxury travel experts for their 2010 trends

Trend C&K GLOBAL MARKETING, DUBAI Consumers will be more price savvy and look for online offers. Last minute bookings are becoming a norm from traditional markets like the UK and Europe. Luxury travel is still in demand with the top-end [Six Senses] Soneva brand doing well. Asia is still a ﬁrm favourite with the Middle East market and Thailand is once again number one.

Partner Christine Jabourian outlines her top 10 luxury travel predictions for 2010:

Medical and wellness holidays are receiving more interest from the Middle East and honeymoon couples are demanding spa breaks.

The summer holiday season will start in May due to Ramadan commencing on August 10.

Eid Al Adha is the most important holiday taken after the summer holiday with long-haul trips popular.

Afﬂuent Arab Nationals are looking for new experiences. Soneva Kiri by Six Senses is piquing their interest.

Family holidays — Arab nationals are demading spacious villas or serviced apartments such as Anahita.

The year 2010 will see Arab Nationals demand new destinations and new experiences.

THE TRAVEL COLLECTION, DUBAI

TREND TIPS

Director Jacqueline Campbell provides her clients’ top travel trends for 2010:

“From a GCC [customer] perspective, there will be an increasing demand for all-inclusive hotel products at all price points; continuing rapid growth in leisure travel to Sri Lanka; and increasing demand for weekend breaks either within the UAE or within a few hours’ ﬂying time, such as Oman or the Maldives. My tip for the next hot spot is Marrakech in Morocco — there are some wonderful hotels opening there that I think the most discerning traveller will love.” Nick Sheppard, manager non-air product, Dnata

• Short lead-in times as clients are booking holidays and breaks at the last minute. • Destinations three to four hours away such as Seychelles, Maldives, Lebanon and Sri Lanka. • Clients are asking for special offers and added value to their stay plus expecting more amenities from the hotel. • Two-centre destinations for longer holidays including soft adventure, providing an opportunity to learn and experience. • ‘Experiential’ holidays such as swimming with the dolphins and deep-sea ﬁshing in Mauritius, plus the festivals in countries like Vietnam. • Kids clubs are important to families — clients look for facilities with professional staff and daily activities for tots through to teens. • Sports — clients are looking for something to do such as golf and skiing. • Wellbeing and health — a strong trend for men and women. Chiva Som in Thailand has launched 10 new retreats with ‘Inner Peace’ and ‘Detxo’ already the most popular.

Arabian Travel News – February 2010

Sheppard tips Marrakech as the 2010 hot spot.

“We believe the demand for personalised services is growing not just amongst luxury travellers, but from the mass market too. There is such a variety of products available that they are looking for guidance.” Ahmed Soliman, managing director, Travel Connections Arabia

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

REGIONAL NEWS

Airlines News

GLOBAL UPDATE

Munich Airport eyes Gulf growth German airport says the sky’s the limit for Gulf airlines at the hub

JAL close to bankruptcy Japan Airlines (JAL) had filed for bankruptcy protection as ATN went to press. The carrier, which is Asia’s largest airline by sales, is currently the subject of speculation as the Japanese cabinet meets to discuss the future of the carrier. JAL has debts of 529 billon Yen (US $5.8 billion) and ran up a loss of 63.2 billion Yen ($0.69 billion) in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009, the third shortfall in four years. The stateoaffiliated agency charged with rescuing JAL, The Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corporation, has said the government will keep the airline running while it finds a solution. Rumours are also rife that JAL may drop partner American Airlines and the OneWorld alliance to join Delta’s Skyteam. Meanwhile, Etihad Airways entered the Japanese market on February 1 with a four times weekly Nagoya service via Beijing. It will also fly five times weekly to Tokyo (March 27).

AIRPORTS Munich Airport has declared “the sky’s the limit” for the Middle East as a key growth market . The airport’s director of traffic development, Oliver Dersch, told ATN average annual growth in traffic from the Middle East was 21.4% from 2000 to 2008, with Oman Air the most recent airline to introduce services to Munich, flying three times weekly to Muscat. Meanwhile, Etihad and Qatar Airways fly daily to their respective hubs and flights into Dubai include Emirates’ double-daily service and Lufthansa’s daily operation. “In terms of growth potential there is actually just one

Munich Airport’s Oliver Dersch says the sky’s the limit for Middle East growth.

thing to say: the sky is the limit,” he said. “Munich Airport as a gateway to Southern Germany and the entire Alpine region is increasingly becoming a year-round destination for travellers from the Middle East.” Dersch emphasised that Munich Airport offered several services that catered to

Middle East passengers who were either staying in Munich or transiting at the airport. Facilities include prayer rooms that are signposted in Arabic; Arabic brochures; Arabic-speaking staff; clearly marked menu cards in restaurants (i.e. notifying if food contains pork); an information desk for Arabic guests;

plus public announcements in Arabic. “As evidence of the good service offered to passengers and transit passengers, Munich Airport was named 3rd Best International Transit Airport worldwide by Skytrax,” added Dersch. He said the airport would continue to participate in trade fairs such as ATM and the Emirates Holidays brochure launch to raise its proﬁle and would also run travel trade roadshows. Tourist arrivals to Munich from the Gulf hit the 63,696 mark in 2008 — higher than any other German city. Overnight stays from the Gulf in Munich touched 273,035, compared to 529,833 total Gulf stays in Germany.

Airline world ﬁrst in Asia Customers our priority: BA STRIKES

ALLIANCES In a world ﬁrst for low-cost airlines, Jetstar and AirAsia have revealed plans to form an alliance in a bid to slash costs, pool expertise and reduce fares. Key to the agreement is a proposed joint speciﬁcation for the next generation of narrow-body aircraft.

Arabian Travel News – February 2010

Both airline groups will also investigate opportunities for the joint procurement of further aircraft. Pictured are Jetstar CEO Bruce Buchanan (third from left), AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes (centre) and Qantas Airways CEO Alan Joyce (third from right) celebrating the alliance in Sydney, Australia.

British Airways has stressed that offering customers “the highest standards of service”, remains a top priority for the troubled airline. The UK carrier, which narrowly avoided cabin crew strike action over the Christmas period and now faces further strikes in 2010 pending a ballot, claimed it was “very clear” its customers did not believe that “old-style trade militancy” was rade union militancy relevant elevant to its efforts to make BA proﬁtable. “We have always main-

tained that a strike is unnecessary and we will do everything we can to protect our customers from disruption,” a BA spokesperson told ATN. BA was speaking after ATN enquired as to the impact on sales of the avoided strike action, which caused concern to the thousands of passengers that had booked to travel with the airline over the festive period. The airline did not respond to that particular question. BA strike action would have inconvenienced thousands of passengers.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

LOCAL RAIL EUROPE REPRESENTATIVE - MIDDLE EAST

Region’s airlines start 2010 upbeat Carriers expand with a focus on Europe EXPANSION The Middle East’s major airlines are indicating a return in traveller confidence in 2010 by announcing a raft of new route launches. Both Emirates Airline and Qatar Airways are boosting their networks this year, with a particular emphasis on Europe. In addition, Emirates is forging ahead with plans to deploy its A380s on more routes with Paris and Jeddah the latest destinations to be served by the airline’s super jumbo after Toronto, London Heathrow, Seoul, Bangkok, Sydney and Auckland. The airline will become the first scheduled passenger service between Dubai and Spain when it launches direct daily services to Spanish capital Madrid on August 1. Emirates Airline and Group chairman and CEO His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum said the route would not only give Spanish passengers better access to Emirates’ global route network, but would aid trade between the UAE and Spain. Madrid is the fourth destination to be announced by Emirates for 2010 after Tokyo, Amsterdam and Prague. The airline has also announced plans to up the frequency of its Jakarta service from 11 flights weekly to double daily from March 1.

Qatar Airways, which already operates services to Madrid from its hub in Doha, will start daily services to Barcelona from the end of March. The carrier is also boosting its presence in Scandinavia that same month by flying to Copenhagen four times weekly and upping its Stockholm frequency to daily. Expansion doesn’t stop there with the airline recently unveiling plans to launch flights to Bengaluru (Bangalore) in southern India, the Turkish capital Ankara and Japanese capital Tokyo over an eight-week period starting this month. The airline also plans to launch flights to Sydney, its second Australian destination after Melbourne, during 2010.

The number of new routes announced for 2010 by Emirates Airline and Qatar Airways Source: Emirates and Qatar Airways

Rail Europe 4A (RE4A), the leading distributor of European rail products worldwide, is looking for a representative in the Middle East region! Rail Europe is in charge of sales and promotion of European rail passes and tickets worldwide. Rail Europe has 10 GSA’s in the middle East region.

ROLES and MISSIONS of the local representative • De ne the marketing plan for the region and implement it • Support the existing sales network • Monitor market’s evolution: threats and opportunities • Make monthly analysis of sales and market evolutions • Cooperate very closely with local partners: Trade, Press, European Tourist Of ces • Contribute to implement an ef cient web strategy in the region with the head of ce

PROFILE The applicant should have a min. of 5 years experience in the travel industry with preferably some knowledge of European rail products, and be uent in Arabic as well as English. Autonomy, team spirit, dynamism, good contact with people from other cultures are key qualities required for the job. The candidate must have excellent records in terms of eliability as well as a proved ability to control a budget.

EMPLOYMENT TERMS Full time: 5 days a week Availability: February 2010 Of ce to be based in Dubai.

CONTACT Applications to be sent by email to Mr Xavier Theret, Sales Director for the Middle East at xtheret@raileurope.fr Paris and Jeddah are the latest two routes to be served by Emirates Airlines’ A380.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

February 2010 – Arabian Travel News

Cruise ON AIR

OnAir takes to the high seas In-flight communications provider OnAir has decided to dominate the seas as well as the skies by branching out into cruise line services.The firm has signed an agreement with Hapag–Lloyd Cruises to service its flagship MS EUROPA with OnAir’s Mobile technology using an existing KU-band satellite link. OnAir said the deal marked an extension of its business into a “new and promising” business sector. “We’re delighted to be providing HapagLloyd Cruises with the very latest in communications technology, giving its passengers the freedom to stay in touch while at sea,” said OnAir CEO Benoit Debains. OnAir already offers passengers of more than 20 airlines — as well as VIP and governmental aircraft operators — voice, email, text and internet access by using the latest SwiftBroadband Inmarsat L-band technology. The first Mobile OnAir-equipped cruise will launch in Q1, 2010.

RCI competition positive: Costa Entry of new ships to the GCC market is welcomed says cruise line COMPETITION The homeporting of another cruise ship — Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas — in Dubai will have a “positive impact”, rival cruise operator Costa Cruises has claimed. The Italian cruise ﬁrm, which has opened its fourth winter season in Dubai (2009/2010) and is homeporting Costa Luminosa at the emirate’s new cruise terminal, said fresh competition was encouraged in a region where awareness of cruise needed improving. “The UAE and GCC are new to cruising so more competitors are actually welcomed because they can help us to talk more about cruises and educate agencies and consumers to this new way of vacationing,” Costa Crociere Paciﬁc Asia operations sales and marketing director Dario Rustico told ATN. “In emerging cruise

Costa Luminosa (left) and Brilliance of the Seas are going head to head in the Dubai market this winter.

regions such as this, it is more an issue to develop and create rather than to manage what we have. “We need to develop this market as a new source market, rather than as a destination only, and that needs to be a task of the entire industry, not just one for Costa.” He stressed that Costa Cruises was the ﬁrst cruise

group to invest in Dubai as a cruise hub and to “show the world its potential”. “And no matter how many cruise lines come here (Dubai) in the future, Costa believes in the potential of the region both as a hub and a source market,” he added. This winter Costa Luminosa and Brilliance of the Seas will go head to head for busi-

ness with both homeporting in Dubai offering seven-day multi-stop Gulf itineraries until April 2010. In addition, both have ships making stopovers in Dubai as part of other itineraries with Costa’s brand new ship, Costa Deliziosa, being set to be christened in Dubai this month as part of its grand inaugural cruise.

Star Cruises shines in the Middle East market SOURCE MARKETS Star Cruises saw strong growth in Middle East passenger numbers in 2009 and has revealed that Arab nationals comprise 40% of all its Middle East cruise guests.

Star Cruises says it’s attracting more Arab Nationals each year.

Arabian Travel News – February 2010

“We experienced doubledigit growth during 20072008. Likewise, we have seen growth this year despite the challenging situation around the world,” explained Star Cruises second assistant vice president sales and marketing Najeeb Mithvani. He revealed that the Middle East was among the top 10 markets for Star Cruises, which together with its jointly-controlled entity, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), has a combined ﬂeet of 16 ships cruising to more than 200 destinations worldwide.

Mithvani said Star Cruises had worked closely with the freezone and airlines such as Emirates, which was the “preferred” carrier of the Arab community, hence the sizeable proportion of nationals sailing with the cruise line. He noted that the opera-

tor’s Southeast Asian itinerary on board SuperStar Virgo, taking in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, was popular with Middle East cruisers. A typical three-night cruise on SuperStar Virgo in Southeast Asia is priced AED 1695 (US $460) per person.

Of all Middle East passengers on Star Cruises are Arab Nationals.

Source: Star Cruises

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

Dubai boosts its cruise credentials The emirate’s new terminal opens its doors FACILITIES The number of cruise tourists visiting Dubai will increase by almost 80% in 2010 compared to 2008 as the emirate’s new cruise terminal opens its doors, Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has claimed. Dubai Cruise Terminal, which officially opened at the end of January, will host 120 ship calls this year serving more than 325,000 passengers. This compares to 250,000 cruise tourists in 2009 and 182,000 in 2008. Cruise lines making the biggest impact on inbound cruise numbers this season include US cruise firm Royal Caribbean, which started offering seven-night Gulf sailings on Brilliance of the Seas on January 18 and will homeport in Dubai until April. In addition, Italy’s Costa Cruises has opened its fourth winter season in Dubai, with new ship Costa Luminosa also homeporting in Dubai for the first time and offering seven-day Gulf itineraries until April. It will be joined this month by Costa Deliziosa and Costa Europa. Together the three Costa ships will bring in some 140,000 guests to Dubai. Spanning 3450m², the new terminal is designed to handle up to three to four ships simultaneously. The DTCM claims it boasts a “swift

3450m² The dimensions of the new Dubai Cruise Terminal. Source: Dubai’s Department of Tourism Commerce Marketing (DTCM). entry system” with no visa issues for visitors while certified tour guides are on hand on arrival. Additional facilities include a money exchange, ATM, post office, duty free, gift and souvenir shops and a business centre with free internet access including WiFi, VIP Majlis, as well as toilets with access for the physically challenged. One of the biggest source markets for all Dubai-bound itineraries is the UK, which DTCM director UK and Ireland Ian Scott said contributed almost one million visitors to Dubai each year. He described Dubai as “the ultimate cruise destination” and an ideal stopover that provided “pristine sandy beaches, year-round sunshine, fine dining and an incredible array of activities to suit all tastes whether it’s shopping or skydiving”.

An artist’s impression of the brand new cruise terminal, which opened its doors recently.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com

February 2010 – Arabian Travel News

REGIONAL NEWS

Accommodation XXXXXX XXXXXXX

Dubai hotel sector scales new heights The world’s tallest building in Dubai — Burj Khalifa — is home to ﬁrst Armani Hotel WORLD FIRST The biggest news of the year for the Middle East’s hotel and hospitality sector is the opening of the tallest tower in the world. It had been known as ‘Burj Dubai’ in the lead up to the opening, but on the day of inauguration — January 4 — Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum renamed it ‘Burj Khalifa’ after the president of the UAE and Emir of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan. At the opening ceremony, Sheikh Mohammed said that the tallest building “ever created by the hand of man” was a “great project” that deserved to “carry the name of a great man”. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum, chairman of Dubai’s Supreme Fiscal Committee and the uncle of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said “Sheikh Khalifa is one of the UAE’s symbols”. The decision to change the name of the building to Burj Khalifa, he said, reﬂected the unity of the federation. During the dramatic

Burj Khalifa ofﬁcially opened on January 4.

unveiling ceremony, the structure was revealed to be 828 metres high, 10 metres higher than anticipated. A display of more than 10,000 ﬁreworks and a Dubai Fountain and light show wowed the crowds and attracted around two million television viewers. From a hotel industry perspective, the opening of

already has five world-class hotels including The Address Downtown Burj Dubai; The Address Dubai Mall; The Palace — The Old Town; Al Manzil and Qamardeen, with Armani Hotel Dubai to open shortly,” he stressed. Armani Hotel Dubai, the first hotel to open under the collaboration between Giorgio Armani and Emaar Properties, will officially open its doors on March 18. Occupying the concourse level to level 8 and levels 38 and 39 of the iconic tower, the Armani Hotel Dubai will have a dedicated entrance and comprise 160 Armanidesigned rooms. The property will bring many firsts to the Middle

Burj Khalifa was described a “truly deﬁning moment” for Emaar Hospitality Group by CEO Marc Dardenne. The developer and its hospitality division control the entire Downtown Burj Dubai area, which includes The Dubai Fountain, The Dubai Mall and several hotels. “The 500-acre Downtown Burj Dubai community

Another tall story The world’s tallest hotel tower — the Rose Rayhaan — opened its doors just days after the Burj Khalifa was unveiled. The 72-ﬂoor property, located on Sheikh Zayed Road, is 333metres high and features 481 rooms, suites and penthouses. The hotel is an alcohol-free zone.

FASCINATING BURJ KHALIFA FACTS

The observation deck

• The tower is 828 metres high with 160 ﬂoors • The world’s previous tallest building — the Taipei 101 — is 508 metres • The tower’s spire can be seen from 95 kilometres away • 22 million hours of labour went into the tower’s construction • There are 57 elevators in the building • Burj Khalifa’s main service lift has a capacity of 5500 kgs and travels a vertical distance of 504 metres

The Burj Khalifa features the world’s highest outdoor observation deck. Located on level 124, At the Top offers unrivalled views of Dubai, said Burj Khalifa general manager Thomas Dempsey: “The panoramic views are like those from an airplane, such is your height above ground,” he said. “There is also plenty to take in before you step into the elevators to the 124th ﬂoor: interactive displays, montages

Arabian Travel News – February 2010

East including the region’s first Armani/Privé — a hip and upmarket night club and the world’s first in-hotel Armani/Spa. The hotel will also be home to the Armani/Dolci chocolates and sweets store, an Armani/Fiori (floral shop) and an Armani/Galleria. The food and beverage offering will span Japanese, Indian, Mediterranean and of course, Italian cuisine. Armani Hotel Dubai is the first of a series of hotels, resorts and residences designed by Giorgio Armani to be opened around the globe. Its opening will be followed by the launch of the Armani Hotel Milano with more properties planned.

describing the evolution of the tower and in-depth information explaining the people and technology responsible for this incredible building.” Tickets for the tour are time stamped at 30-minute intervals to carefully manage the ﬂow of sightseers. Introductory prices are AED 100 for adults, AED 75 for children up to 12 years and free for children aged three and under.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

I]Z AZVY^c\ IgVkZa :m]^W^i^dc [dg i]Z B^YYaZ :Vhi GZ\^dc

DcZ :kZci! Jca^bîZY 9Zhi^cVi^dch 9jWV^ >ciZgcVi^dcVa 8dckZci^dc VcY :m]^Wî^dc 8ZcigZ 6gVW^Vc IgVkZa BVg`Zi '%&% \jVgVciZZh id WZ bdgZ i]Vc _jhi Vc Zm]^Wî^dc! d[[Zg^c\ cZildg`^c\ deedgijcî^Zh lî] ^ciZgcVi^dcVa VcY gZ\^dcVa WjnZgh# IV`Z eVgi ^c V cjbWZg d[ [ZVijgZh ^cXajY^c\/ ® HZb^cVgh VcY 9ZWViZh ® HdX^Va :kZcih ® 8VgZZgh 9Vn Ä I]jghYVn + BVn ® IgVkZa 6\Zcih 9Vn Ä I]jghYVn + BVn ® 8dchjbZg 9Vn Ä ;g^YVn , BVn

;dg Zm]^W^idg fjZg^Zh! XdciVXi LZaaV] :aa^h I/ .,& ) (+) '-&& :/ lZaaV]#Zaa^h5gZZYZmed#VZ GZ\^hiZg Vh V k^h^idg Vi lll#VgVW^VcigVkZabVg`Zi#Xdb$gZ\^hiZg'%&% ;dg Vaa di]Zg Zcfj^g^Zh! XdciVXi i]Z 6gVW^Vc IgVkZa BVg`Zi 8jhidbZg HZgk^XZ =Zaea^cZ :/ Vib]Zaea^cZ5gZZYZmed#Xd#j`

D[ÒX^Va 6^ga^cZ

D[ÒX^Va =diZa

D[ÒX^Va <gdjcY =VcYaZg

lll#VgVW^VcigVkZabVg`Zi#Xdb

REGIONAL NEWS

Tools MIME NEWS

Travelport signs new airline agreements The technology ﬁrm’s October report shows 2009 ﬁgures starting to hit 2008 levels AGREEMENTS Travelport has announced two key airline agreements that will give Galileo- and Wo r l d s p a n - c o n n e c t e d travel agents access to the full range of published fares and inventory of both. The GDS provider has signed deals with both Bahrain’s national carrier, Gulf Air, and with burgeoning Kuwaiti low-cost carrier, Jazeera Airways.

The multi-year agreement with Gulf Air gives Galileo and Worldspan users access to full content on a global basis. “As part of our distribution strategy we aim to offer our products and services to the global travel agency community at the best possible cost and Travelport is ideally positioned to support our needs through its very extensive worldwide network of users,” said Gulf

US $2.5 billion Travelport GDS revenues in 2008.

Gulf Air a tweet hit Gulf Air has claimed its website, gulfair.com, has become an instant hit with visitors on one of the most popular social media networks, twitter.com The Bahraini national carrier has said it is the top airline in the Gulf region by number of followers on twitter and that it is fast approaching the top 10-followed airlines in the world, referring to wefollow.com — a website that tracks Twitter followers. “Globally the power and reach of social media networks such as twitter, facebook, YouTube has grown tremendously in recent years,” said Gulf Air director of distribution and e-Commerce Lars Denlew. “Today it takes just four years to reach four million viewers on the internet. It took almost 13 years on television to reach that kind of audience.”

Arabian Travel News – February 2010

Travelport and Gulf Air have signed a multi-year full-content agreement.

TRAVELPORT IN FLIGHT CENTRE DEAL In other Travelport news, the technology firm has been re-appointed as preferred GDS provider of Australian travel agency group Flight Centre. The five-year contract covers nine countries including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UK, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, UAE and South Africa. “This new agreement is a reflection of the confidence and value we place in Galileo and the Travelport organisation,” said Flight Centre managing director Graham Turner. “In addition to extending our GDS relationship, we will work with Travelport with a view to introducing other products to our shops in Australia and other countries.”

Air’s director of distribution and e-Commerce, Lars Denlew, on signing the deal. In the meantime, Travelport’s deal with Jazeera Airways marks the ﬁrst time the budget airline has distributed its content through a Global Distribution System. “With an impressive travel agency network and an extensive global footprint, Travelport will provide us with an important distribution channel that will help make Jazeera fares more accessible to our guests,” explained Jazeera Airways chief executive ofﬁcer Stefan Pichler. “Travelport is a valued distribution partner and will become even more so as our route network expands,” he added.

Amadeus in double airline deal AGREEMENT Amadeus has signed a longterm full-contentt ag agreement ee e t with Lufthansa German Airlines and Swiss International Air Lines. The agreement, ement, which is valid until ntil the end of 2014, will guarantee Amadeus-connected onnected travel agents nts worldwide access ess to the full range nge of Lufthansa a and SWISS con-tent with no sur-charge. From m March 1, the full ull range of Lufufthansa and SWISS SS fares, schedules les

and inventory made available through the Amadeus system will be the same and under same u de tthe e sa e conditions co d t o s as that offered through any indirect or channel, direct distribution provider or website. “We are

Antinori: the agreement helps achieve distribution efﬁciency.

delighted with this agreement which brings comfort, stability and efﬁciency to the many thousands of travel agents worldwide making bookings on Lufthansa and SWISS,” said Amadeus vice president commercial Philippe Chérèque. Lufthansa’s member of the board for marketing and sales, Thierry Antinori, added: “This agreement strikes an important balance between delivering distribution efﬁciency for Lufthansa in a cost-effective manner, while at the same time, maximising our volumes by ensuring unrestricted access to our content through the Amadeus system.”

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

XXXXXXXXXX NEWS

Tourism Boards

Britain forecasts 2010 visitor growth Number of visitors to the country is set to hit the 30.4 million mark says tourism board UK VisitBritain is forecasting growth for inbound tourism in 2010 after ﬁgures for 2009 revealed an upturn in fortunes for the industry. During the ﬁrst 10 months of 2009, the UK attracted 300,000 more visitors than the same period in 2008 and in the three months to October, leisure and business visitors spent £5 billion, up 3% on 2008, according to the International Passenger Survey. The tourism board has attributed the upswing to an improving economic situation and a favourable

London more affordable The value of Sterling has dropped 25% in the last 12 months according to VisitBritain. London’s status dropping 18 places on the ‘most expensive city list’, from second place in 2007 to 20th in 2010, the tourism board said.

Exchange rate appeals to visitors.

Tourism to Turkey blossoms TURKEY Turkey’s tourism arrivals blossomed in the second half of 2009 showing a 10.7% year-on-year hike in November alone after notching up annual increases in each of the previous four months. This compared to an 8.2% drop in H1 arrivals year-on-year. December ﬁgures are yet to be revealed but the Turkish Government expects an overall arrivals increase of around 5% for 2009.

This compares to a 12.5% increase in 2008 and a 4.4% rise in 2007. One reason for the H2 uplift, said a source close to ATN, was that the Turkish Lira was weak against most major world currencies “There was a huge effort made by the government, tour operators and hoteliers to advertise the advantageous currency situation plus special deals and discounts also featured heavily and clearly worked,” he told ATN.

10.7% hike In tourism arrivals to Turkey in November 2009 year on year Source: Turkish Government

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

exchange rate against key currencies, the latter attracting North American visitors in particular — the number of visitors from the continent increased at an annual rate of 11% in the three months to October 2009. The board predicted a 0.8%

increase in inbound tourism to 30.4 million in 2010 with spend increasing to £17.1 billion, up almost 4% on 2009. In a VisitBritain statement, chief executive Sandie Dawe said: “These ﬁgures suggest that Britain’s tourism is now heading back in the right direction.”

30.4 million The number of visitors predicted to visit the UK in 2010. Source: VisitBritain

Iran market booms for Malaysia ASIA A Th Iranian market remains The the fastest-growing Middle East source market for Malaysia, the country’s tourMa ism board has revealed. IIranian visitors to Malaysia grew 60.9% in 2009 (compared to 2008) — the highest pa of any of the country’s source markets for the year. ma Signiﬁcant growth was S also recorded for arrivals als from Myanmar (39.9%), Laos fro (38%), France (27.9%), Aus(38 tralia (24.9%), Netherlands tra (22.4%), Vietnam (21.8%), (22 Cambodia (21.7%), Italy Ca (19%), UK (17.4%), Singapore (19 (15.7%), Germany (15%), (15 Canada (13.4%), the PhilipCa pines (12.5%), New Zealand pin (12.3%) and Russia (11%). (12 No Gulf source markets N were highlighted as signiﬁwe cant growth areas and back can in August, Malaysia Tour-

MALAYSIA’S TOP 10 SOURCE MARKETS

Iranians still ﬂocking to Malaysia.

ism revealed visitor numbers from the UAE had actually declined year-on-year over the summer due to the impact of Swine Flu on traveller conﬁdence. Malaysia recorded 23.65 million tourist arrivals in 2009, up 7.2% on 2008 (22.05 million arrivals) and surpassing the target of 19 million tourist arrivals set by the government earlier last year. In December 2009, arrivals increased 4% with 2,141,071 tourists visiting the country compared to 2,058,684 for the same month in 2008.

The top 10 tourist generating markets for Malaysia in December 2009 were: Singapore (1,073,110) Indonesia (255,840) Thailand (132,507) Brunei (127,370) China (94,940) India (64,307) Australia (58,971) Philippines (39,400) UK (36,966) Japan (33,044)

February 2010 – Arabian Travel News

REGIONAL NEWS

Luxury News

The luxury travel trends top 10 PURE Life Experiences exhibition director and co-founder Sarah Ball gives the low down on the trends she believes will dominate the luxury travel scene in 2010 SURVIVOR CHIC TRAVEL:

TRENDS EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL: As deﬁned by PURE: “A journey away from home, involving a truly memorable and powerful experience (active, cultural, natural, social or spiritual) that will enrich a person’s life and improve the way they connect with loved ones and with the world.”

Customers are seeking more active vacations or those with active ‘add-ons’.

CULINARY TRAVEL: This is huge and many hotels are trying to incorporate this into their offerings. However, it is the real culinary schools such as La Maison Arabe in Marrakech, Morocco, which offer a dedicated school with individual state-of-theart cooking stations where clients can prepare authentic dishes that they then enjoy at the end of the experience. It is a bonding experience that works well with all age groups including families.

CUSTOMISED ITINERARIES: Private travel designers who intimately know their clients’ likes and dislikes, family birthdays and anniversaries, business schedules (so they can add on a vacation at the end with their family) can pre-empt their needs and offer them inspiring and bespoke itineraries on an exclusive basis.

PHILANTHROPY TRAVEL: We are seeing an increase in private travel designers offering specialty trips to wealthy individuals who are looking to give back to society/communities/nature. Examples of this are Exquisite Safaris and goPhilanthropic.

INCONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION: A genuine authenticity that gives the customer a sense of self rather than indulging in extravagant comfort and excessive amenities.

GLAMPING (GLAMOUR CAMPING): Tented camps in the wilderness often with great comfort but more basic facilities and more in touch with the surroundings — this is both environmentally friendly and sustainable.

EXTREME ADVENTURE: Examples are Virgin Galactic, Waterproof Expeditions, Zero 2 Inﬁnity (Inbloon), the Ice Hotel!

About pure life experiences MORE TIME: For learning, self discovery and re-inventing oneself.

FAMILY TRAVEL: We have less time to spend with our families so we are seeing more vacations tagged onto the end of business trips. The family joins at the end of the trip to spend quality time together. Families are opting for lifeenriching experiences such as a Lindblad Expeditions cruise or a safari with Wilderness Safaris.

Arabian Travel News – February 2010

The inaugural PURE Life Experiences exhibition took place in Marrakech, Morocco, in November. Operating on a strict invitation-only basis, the show is designed as a networking platform and market place for those buying and selling experiential travel. It’s a three-day event comprising 42-prescheduled meetings, free networking sessions and evening functions. The next PURE Life Experiences takes place in Marrakech from November 15-18.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

REGIONAL NEWS

XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX

Luxury travellers look for value in 2010 Top-end clients are still spending, but are demanding more bang for their buck: experts TRENDS Luxury travellers are becoming frugal and demanding better value for money say the region’s leading luxury travel experts. “Apart from the super-luxury segment, luxury travellers are more money conscious than they were and are looking for deals,” said Bahrain International Travel Group general manager Paul Clabburn. “They are also moving to a shorter

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

lead-in booking period in the belief that in the present climate, the better deals are to be had at the last moment. “It transpires into a desire for even more value for their money, so the mind set behind where to go and what to buy has also altered.” D u b a i based luxury travel experts C&K Global Marketing partner Christine Jabourian and The Travel Collection director Jacqueline Campbell concurred.

“Consumers will be more price savvy in 2010 and will use the internet to find special offers,” said Jabourian. Campbell added: “Clients are asking for special offers and added value to their stay plus expecting more amenities from the hotel. They are also booking holidays and breaks at the last minute.” All the experts with whom ATN spoke remarked that the Far East was the “flavour of the season”, primarily because it represented “terrific value for money” according to Clabburn. However, the less budget-

Bahrain International Travel Group’s Clabburn said ‘experiential travel’ was a growing trend. “But you have to talk to us, because no one else knows about it!!!” he said. He tipped less-explored areas of South America as destinations to watch thanks to improved airlinks to the continent.

conscious clients were visiting Geneva for its “timeless quality and style”, while the Indian Ocean was witnessing a “renaissance”, he said. Clabburn also noted that the elite were ditching the private jet and moving back to the First Class cabins of the legacy carriers due to the new products on the market. He reiterated that with luxury travellers becoming increasingly demanding, there was “no denying the value of a good professional consultant” who knew “what’s hot and what’s not” in terms of destinations.

February 2010 – Arabian Travel News

REGIONAL NEWS

Q&A

Q&A CELEBRITY CRUISES

Kenya comeback on track Kenyan Minister for Tourism Najib Balala says the country is targeting the lucrative Middle East market in a bid to attract ﬁve million visitors a year ATN: How good is the Kenyan product and what are the key selling points? The unique selling point of Kenya is its diversity and its abundant wildlife with more than 59 national parks. We offer specialised safaris, deep-sea diving and bird watching plus there’s a lot of adventure on offer. We also have beautiful scenery, lots of culture and many different tribes. In regards to sports, there are many training facilities and more than 30 golf courses. We have pristine beaches, the nightlife is very active and there are lots of shopping opportunities such as traditional crafts. There’s a wide variety of accommodation, including wellness and spa facilities. ATN: How popular is Kenya with tourists from Middle East countries? We have not been put off [by the recent news of Dubai’s debt problems] and we sympathise with what’s happening, but we think this will pass within the next year.

Visitors from Dubai to Kenya have increased by 20% in the last nine months and we are vigorous trading partners with the UAE.The distance is only two-and-a-half hours by air and there are cultural semblances in regards to our country’s Islamic community and the English-speaking culture. The Middle East ﬁnds what we offer interesting; especially our sports offerings including golf. ATN: How do you plan to promote Kenya to the Middle East travel market in 2010? We are committed to promoting Kenya through Arabian Travel Market, Dubai’s Global Village and through business forums. As a government we will visit the UAE twice a year and will be organising familiarisation trips for travel agents and the media. By 2015 we want to target ﬁve million tourists a year and are in the planning stages of building three tourist villages by 2030. We want to tell the consumer that Kenya offers value for money and will be holding

THE STATISTICS • In 2001, total tourist arrivals in Kenya were 993,600 — by 2007 that ﬁgure had grown to 2,001,034. • Between January and October 2007, 2 7766 tourists arrived in Kenya from the UAE. For th the same period in 2009, grown 20% to 9317. that ﬁgure had grow • Kenya’s key ssource markets are the UK, the US, German Germany, Italy and France, which account for 46.6% of all tourcombined acc ism to Kenya. • In 2009, 50% 5 of visitors to Kenya visited the ccountry on holiday. Business accou accounted for 19%, while those on transit to other destinations accounted fo for 9%. Source: Kenya Tourism Board

Arabian Travel News – February 2010

By 2015 we want to target five million tourists a year ” workshops with trade representatives from the region, as well as participating in Emirates Holidays’ brochure launch, in order to get this message across. ATN: Is the infrastructure in place to accommodate a rise in tourist numbers? In the last three years we have invested heavily in our road network. The Nairobi to Mombassa road is brand new and more road projects are under construction. The government is currently looking to build a new port in Lamu, while next year we will be reclassifying hotels and will be very strict on four- and five-star classifications. At Jomo Kenyatta International Airport [in Nairobi] we have a project of more than US $120 million, which has already started. The parking upgrade for aircrafts is complete and refurbishment to four terminals will start in January 2011. ATN: How important is the FIFA World Cup, to be held in South Africa this summer, to African tourism? The World Cup is good for Africa and is good for the improving the continent’s image. We will prove to the world that Africa is a continent with potential — we invite the whole world to come to Africa and watch the World Cup. But the key product is in Kenya; we have been the pioneers of tourism in Africa since the 1930s and while we do not have the tourist volumes of South Africa, Egypt and Morocco, we do have a more diverse product.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

REGIONAL NEWS

Q&A

Costa on the crest of a wave ATN speaks to Costa Cruises sales and marketing director for AP operations, Dario Rustico, as the cruise line embarks on its fourth winter season in Dubai This winter has seen Costa Cruises ramp up its presence in Dubai — a cruise hub where the operator has homeported for four years. For the 2009/2010 programme, the cruise line opened with Costa Luminosa, described as “the most elegant” of its cruise ships, which entered service in April 2009 and is homeporting in Dubai for the first time until April 2010, operating seven-day itineraries in the Gulf. And from this month, Costa Luminosa will be joined by sister ship Costa Deliziosa, which during its inaugural cruise, will become the first ship to be christened in Dubai. Costa Crociere Pacific Asia operations sales and marketing director Dario Rustico said the estimated impact of the cruise line’s forthcoming winter season in Dubai with the presence of three ships (Costa Europa will also sail from Dubai) was 14 million euros, comprising some 140,000 Costa guests. Here he chats to ATN about the prospects for Costa in the Gulf.

COSTA CRUISES FACTS • Costa Luminosa is homeporting inn Dubai for the ﬁrst time this winter d in Dubai this season • Costa Deliziosa will be christened during its grand inaugural cruise se line’s current winter • The estimated impact of the cruise season in Dubai is 14 million euross • 140,000 guests will cruise on Costa’s osta’s cruises from Dubai this season

ATN:What beneﬁts will the new Dubai cruise ise terminal bring to Costa? Costa’s passenger movements in Dubai bai increased from 44,000 in winter 2006/2007 to 140,000 in winter 2009/2010. Costa Cruises’ s’ ships have generated substantial and grow-ing business for the emirate of Dubai and d the other ports of call on the itinerary.

ATN: Why did you decide to deploy your topof-the-range ships in Dubai this season? Costa Cruises was the ﬁrst operator to believe in the value of this new cruise destination and the appreciation of the destination by the public is increasing. For the 2009/2010 winter season, bookings to date are in line with the increase of the offer, which was 40% over last winter, thanks to the positioning in the area of three ships.

ATN: What further growth are you targeting for 2010-2011 and 2011-2012? Deployment for 2011 and 2012 is not yet ready. It is currently being ﬁnalised and will be released to worldwide markets by the end of January (at time of press). At this stage we can say Dubai will continue to see the latest ship generation deployed there.

Abu Dhabi could be a new interesting homeport to be developed in the future ”

ATN: What does Dubai need to do to attract further business from Costa? Together with our Preferred Sales Agent (in Dubai) Alpha Tours, Costa will conduct a series of training seminars for travel agencies to improve their overall knowledge of our brand, our destinations and our product. We will also promote ﬂy-cruise options and increase the awareness of Costa Cruises as an attractive holiday option. Furthermore we have tailor made many sales tools and gadgets for the UAE and have printed more than 100,000 brochures [for distribution].

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

Rustico: Costa believes in Dubai as a major cruise hub.

About Dario Rustico Dario Rustico joined Costa Cruises in 2002 and helped develop the emerging markets department as its supervisor. Since July 2005 he has helped the position of director of sales and marketing Paciﬁc Asia operations.

ATN: Are you looking at other cruise hubs in the Gulf? We always look at possibility to expand in the region. Abu Dhabi could be a new interesting homeport to be developed in the future ATN:What do other cruise hubs in the region need to do to get your business? They need to be attractive to consumers, easy to reach, have modern infrastructure in place and have the potential to generate guests locally for the type of vacation we offer.

February 2010 – Arabian Travel News

REGIONAL NEWS

Comment Comment

When is the best time to book a cruise? Cruise Master Middle East director of business development Ashok Kumar Knowing when to book a cruise for your clients will largely be dictated by the destination they are looking to cruise to, the popularity of that destination, and the number and size of ships operating in that region. It will also vary from ship to ship and by cabin category. Let’s look at some of the booking trends in the popular regions. Please do bear in mind that booking trends are changing continually and that you should use these as a guideline only.

ALASKA The Alaska season runs from May through to September. Balcony cabins typically sell out the quickest, with the Gulf route between Vancou-

tic are selling well. However, longer cruises of 14 nights or more are gaining more popularity amongst experienced travellers.

Generally there is a reasonable inventory and ‘deals’ are available throughout the year except for holiday sailings.

OTHER CARIBBEAN

The Alaska cruising season runs from May to September annually.

ver and Anchorage being the most popular. These can be combined with a land tour to the interior of Alaska. ‘Off Peak’ sailings in May and September often present great deals. Hot offer: Princess is offering free upgrade to balcony for the price of ocean view cabins on select sailings.

EUROPE Europe is experiencing an explosive rate of growth as cruise lines add one ship after another in this region. Like Alaska, cabins with balconies sell out the quickest and as cruising is gaining popularity amongst Arab and ex-pats, 10- to 12-night sailings in the Mediterranean and the Bal-

The Caribbean is a yearround destination and booking trends tend to be very predictable yet volatile at the same time. July/August sailings are busy when the children are out of school.

Other regions such as Hawaii, New England/Canada, South America or Australia and New Zealand have a limited window of sailing schedule and you should encourage your clients to book these as early as possible.

A golden rule for bookings If your clients are set on booking a specific ship, itinerary, sailing date or accommodation type, book as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Confirming a cruise vacation only requires a small refundable deposit. Depending on the cruise line, final payment is not due until 60 to 75 days prior to the cruise.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR DUBAI NOW CHEAP Last month ATN posted a story online (at www.hoteliermiddleeast.com and on www. arabianbusiness.com) entitled ‘Cheap Dubai now attractive to Brits: Virgin’ in which the UK airline’s sales and marketing director, Paul Dickinson, said Dubai was now a much more attractive destination to the average British holidaymaker. “We are seeing an increase in hotel rooms and average rates are coming down so suddenly we can offer

fantastic packages for prices that people can afford — this opens up massive new markets,” he told Arabian Travel News during an exclusive interview in London. “The perception of Dubai as a value-for-money destination can only grow.” He said the airline’s sister company, outbound tour operator Vir-

Virgin Atlantic’s Dickinson.

Arabian Travel News – February 2010

gin Holidays, was already the “biggest producer” for Atlantis on The Palm Jumeirah and that its all-inclusive packages with the new Hilton property in neighbouring emirate, Ras Al Khaimah, were also proving very popular. “[But] the question is, can other hotels in Dubai work on this all-inclusive basis,” stressed Dickinson. Online readers reacted positively to the article: STILL EXPENSIVE I agree that Dubai is becoming more affordable for European visitors in particular and also agree that the allinclusive packages bring in

more business, for two main reasons. Firstly, eating out in Dubai (at hotels) is still too expensive so there is no point in offering cheap rooms if a meal costs more than the accommodation. For this reason, all-inclusive offers are the way forward so visitors don’t have to worry about extortionate meal prices. Secondly, the European market has always reacted well to all-inclusive offerings — it has worked well in the Caribbean and the Med, so why not in Dubai? G Wood ROOM AT THE INN There is no doubt that Dubai

is becoming more affordable. The new Premier Inn at the airport is offering rooms at just AED 375. This really is value for money. Darroch Crawford GET REALISTIC Now we are talking reality and becoming practical. Umair ED: Although Dubai is becoming more affordable, the room rates are still too pricey for many, according to the regional product and contracts manager for the specialist division at UK tour operator Tui. For the full story, turn to page 3 in this issue.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

ArabianTravel

News and analysis for Middle East travel agents and tour operators

REGIONAL NEWS

Comment

NEWS

Registered at Dubai Media City PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE Tel: 00 971 4 210 8000 Fax: 00 971 4 210 8080 Web: www.itp.com Offices in Dubai & London ITP Business Publishing CEO Walid Akawi Managing Director Neil Davies Deputy Managing Director Matthew Southwell Editorial Director David Ingham VP Sales Wayne Lowery

Cruise or you lose Make sure you don’t miss the boat

EDITORIAL Contributing Editor Gemma Greenwood email: gemma.greenwood@itp.com Contributors Ben Watts ADVERTISING Publishing director Diarmuid O’Malley Tel: +971 4 435 6163 email: dom@itp.com STUDIO Group Art Editor Dan Prescott Designer Angela Ravi PHOTOGRAPHY Director of Photography Sevag Davidian Chief Photographer Khatuna Khutsishvili Senior Photographer G-nie Arambulo, Efraim Evidor, Thanos Lazopoulos Staff Photographers Isidora Bojovic, George Dipin, Lyubov Galushko, Jovana Obradovic, Ruel Pableo, Rajesh Raghav PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION Group Production Manager Kyle Smith Production Coordinator Sophia White Distribution Manager Karima Ashwell Distribution Executive Nada Al Alami CIRCULATION Head of Operations & Database Gaurav Gulati MARKETING Head of Marketing Daniel Fewtrell ITP DIGITAL Director Peter Conmy ITP GROUP Chairman Andrew Neil Managing Director Robert Seraﬁn Finance Director Toby Jay Spencer-Davies Board of Directors K.M. Jamieson, Mike Bayman, Walid Akawi, Neil Davies, Rob Corder, Mary Seraﬁn Circulation Customer Service Tel: +971 4 4356000 Certain images in this issue are available for purchase. Please contact itpimages@itp.com for further details or visit www.itpimages.com.

Printed by Atlas Printing Press L.L.C. Dubai Subscribe online at www.itp.com/subscriptions Controlled Distribution by Blue Truck The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the reader’s particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review.

*BPA Worldwide Audited Average Qualiﬁed Circulation 6,166 (Jan - June 2009)

If there is one trend the travel industry at large should latch onto in 2010, it’s the cruise trend. Of course, it’s not a new product, but it’s one — whether outbound or inbound — that has plenty of unexploited potential. Starting at macro level, governments across the region need to look at their ports and supporting tourism infrastructures and make a conscious decision whether or not to go full steam ahead and embrace the opportunities the cruise industry affords — new types of tourists visiting their shores that might not have otherwise ventured to the Middle East, each of them spending money in their country and then going home to spread the word about their experiences. Dubai is perhaps the most advanced cruise hub in the region and this year expects to attract some 325,000 cruise visitors, but those developing this facility should not rest on their laurels. Talk of delays to the opening of the emirate’s new terminal in late-December/ early-January ruffled a few feathers with cruise operators warning that there was no reason why they shouldn’t look to homeport in alternative locations, particularly if proven more efficient. Abu Dhabi was mooted as an up-and-coming cruise hub while some predicted that Bahrain had a bright future given the Kingdom is starting to get its act together by taking steps to develop its cruise credentials. Back on dry land and there has never been a better time for tour operators and travel agents to sell cruise. From an inbound perspective, there are 325,000 potential stopover guests hitting Dubai’s shores alone who need hotels, tours, transfers and a wide range of experiences from desert safaris and balloon rides to exclusive fine-dining and shopping experiences. Not only that but with both Costa Cruises and Royal Caribbean now homeporting ships in Dubai until April, the opportunities to offer taster cruises to Gulf residents are ripe. And once they’ve sampled a Gulf cruise and realised it not only offers value for money — arguably more so than a land-based holiday — as well as the chance to visit multiple destinations, they’ll be banging down your door to book cruises to more far-flung seas and shores. So, if you’re a travel agent still grumbling about airline commission cuts, selling cruise should bring a smile back to your face. Sell a cruise package that includes accommodation in a premium cabin plus all the bells and whistles pre- and post-cruise and you could be looking at a sizeable commission cheque. All you need to do is get clued-up on cruise products and services by taking advantage of the free training most cruise lines offer and you will be laughing all the way to the bank.

ATN Editor "53).%33

To subscribe, visit www.itp.com/subscriptions Published by and Copyright © 2009 ITP Business Publishing, a division of ITP Publishing Group Ltd. Registered in the B.V.I. under Company Registration number 1402846.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

In its capacity as mouthpiece of the Middle East travel trade, ATN is eager to hear your news and views. Email gemma.greenwood@itp.com

February 2010 – Arabian Travel News

REGIONAL NEWS

Skillset Tried and tested

Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort BY ANANTARA

archery. An Anantara spa, which was still under construction during my visit, is said to offer hamman-inspired treatments and uses local ingredients. There is also a wellequipped ﬁtness centre, tennis courts and a business centre.

BACKGROUND: Located in the B Abu Dhabi emirate’s Empty Quarter and developed by Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), Anantara’s most recent ediA tion to its UAE portfolio opened open in the late 2009. The resort is situated in the Liwa desert with views stretching out across a valley surrounded by tall sand dunes.

THE ARRIVAL: The resort is 180km from Abu Dhabi and located 7km from the main Hamim highway. The drive from the highway to the hotel is a dramatic, sandy excursion across several dunes. On arrival, guests are welcomed by staff in an Arabian-style courtyard, decorated with century-old artefacts collected from across the emirates. The lobby, while not grand, is elegantly presented and combines a strange mix of Arabian inﬂuence and modern design. THE ACCOMMODATION: I stayed in one of the hotel’s standard rooms, which was beautifully presented, comfortable and embraced the quiet nature of the resort. The large king-size bed was possibly the most comfortable I’ve ever slept in and the room featured a wide-screen TV, internet connection and several different lighting options. The room also featured an adequately-sized bathroom for two with a powerful All rooms have balconies boasting stunning desert views.

PRICES: Prices start from AED 1700 (US $463) for a deluxe room. All rates are commissionable for travel agents.

BOOKING IT: Phone +971 2 886 2088; fax: +971 2 886 2086; or visit www.qasralsarab. anantara.com

EDITOR’S VERDICT

The isolated resort is located 180km from Abu Dhabi.

shower and large circular bath. The wardrobe was built into the wall and, as long as you are not staying for too long, had ample space. There was also a large balcony that gave me the chance to sit back and enjoy the stunning view.

THE F&B: The all-day dining restaurant, Al Waha, was typical of many buffet offerings in the UAE. It featured a wide range of seafood, Arabian dishes and European cuisine. The quality of the offering was good, considering the probable logistical nightmare the kitchen staff face when ordering fresh ingredients. The restaurant was open for breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet services. I also tried the resort’s signature dining experience, the Bedouin Tent Dinner. Following a short night drive into the dunes our group arrived at an authentically-constructed Bedouin tent, complete with Oud player and an open ﬁre just outside. The food was classic hearty Arabian cuisine and the service was impeccable. After the meal, guests were invited to sit under the stars and enjoy several varieties of tea and shisha. EXTRAS: The resort adventure team offers guests the chance to hike into the desert, or experience camel riding, falconry and

Arabian Travel News – February 2010

Qasr Al Sarab translates as Mirage Palace and the property has been designed, with some degree of success, to mould into its desert surroundings. While a few unanswered questions remain regarding the sustainability of such a remote resort, and as construction on the ﬁnal two sections of the hotel — the Royal Villas and standard villas — continues, it seems to shake off any concerns by offering one of the most relaxing atmospheres of any UAE hotel. The hotel exudes authenticity and considering the long trek many of the resort’s ground staff have to make each morning to get to the property, service standards are very high. The remoteness of the resort means the hotel is the only nearby source of food, so it could prove costly for those who enjoy eating out, but the quiet, comfortable and serene atmosphere dispels any of these worries. The best thing about this hotel is the tranquillity; this is not the place to come if you’re looking to party, but rather for adventure, relaxation and reﬂection.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

REGIONAL NEWS

Skillset SKILLSET REVIEW

Agencies revisited A revisited four lowest-scoring UAE agencies from ATN 2009 and found they had all improved signiﬁcantly 2

Mystery shopping explained Each month ATN and Ethos choose four UAEbased travel agencies to mystery shop and find out how satisfied your customers are. The purpose of this exercise is to find out the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to travel agencies’ customer service and sales execution performance. What are the mystery shoppers looking for?

Scenarios Scenario 1: You are planing a twoeek holiday for two to France and would like join a tour group. Ask the travel advisor what time of year they recommend and for an estimated ﬂight cost.

Mystery shoppers asked for a group tour of Greece.

Mystery shoppers asked about a twoweek holiday to France.

1 AGENCY APPEARANCE

• Outlet easy to ﬁnd? • Opening/closing hours displayed? • Outlet clean and tidy? • Travel brochures and related literature placed in a good orderly manner? • Comfortable temperature? 2 TRAVEL ADVISOR

• Were the employees well groomed? • Were employee name tags clearly visible? • Enough employees available to serve? • Did the travel advisor make eye contact to acknowledge your presence at the desk? • Did the travel agency you visited have a formal customer queuing system in place? • How long did it take for you to be served? • If you waited, did an employee apologise? • How were you greeted by the agent? • Did the agent provide relevant info? • Was the agent friendly? • Did they give you their full attention? • Were they knowledgeable? • Did the agent provide you with information in an easily-understood format? • Were you satisﬁed with the information you received from the advisor? 3 THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE

• Overall, based on your experience at this travel agency, would you recommend it to your family and friends? • How satiﬁed were you with the outcome of your visit to this particular travel agency?

Arabian Travel News – February 2010

Scenario 2: You are planning a two-week holiday for two to Greece and would like to join a tour group. Ask your advisor what time of year they recommend and to provide an estimated ﬂight cost.

Star advisor St Well done Ahmed Rishath from Dnata, Abu Dhabi — this month’s winning agency. Ahmed provided detailed, structured information to both his mystery shoppers leaving them completely satisﬁed. Ahmed

exceeded expectations by using a map of France to point out the best places to visit. He also pleased his second mystery shopper by conﬁdently suggesting the best time of year to visit Greece. Great job Ahmed!

About Ethos Consultancy Originating in the UK 1995, Ethos Consultancy relocated to Dubai in early 2003. The ﬁrm’s consultants have been handpicked from some of the most mature customer service markets in the world to ensure experience and best practice is built into the mystery shopping process. Based on its years of expertise in the mystery shopping ﬁeld, Ethos has developed a combination of products and services to help organisations of all shapes and sizes understand exactly how their business is performing through the eyes of both their customers and employees. Contact: +971 4 332 6315, visit www.ethos.ae or email info@ethos.ae

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

REGIONAL NEWS

MYSTERY SHOPPER SKILLSET

Mystery shopper

DNATA Abu Dhabi Hamdan and Electra Streets 87% (45% in Oct)

Kish Travel & Tourism Abu Dhabi Madina Zayed 67% (33% in July)

Kanoo Holidays

Kanoo Travel

Dubai Karama

Sharjah Rolla Road

66% (46% in Sept)

51% (43% in Nov)

Summary: Dnata’s score increased by 42% since the last visit in October. This time the outlet was easy to ﬁnd, clean and tidy, brochures were clearly displayed and advisors were well groomed and wearing name tags. They made good eye contact, were friendly, helpful and provided good information. Advice: Your customer contact detail form is an efﬁcient means of gathering your customers’ details, however, our shopper hadn’t received the information they requested 24 hours after they visited the agency.

Comment: Kish Travel and Tourism improved its overall score by 34% since the last visit. This time the outlet was easy to ﬁnd, clean and tidy, but brochures were not clearly displayed. One advisor made good eye contact and was friendly, the other was cold and mechanical and not helpful at all. Advice: Train all your staff to assist customers with both ﬂight and holiday information. One of our shoppers visited when your holiday package advisor was on annual leave and was told the agency could not offer holiday packages.

Comment: Kanoo Holidays improved its overall score by 20% since the last visit. This time the outlet was easy to ﬁnd, clean and tidy, but the advisor’s desk was messy. Advisors were well groomed, but not wearing name tags. Both made good eye contact, however, only one displayed a good standard of product knowledge. One advisor was cold and the other was warm and genuine. Advice: Always wear a name tag. A smile is inﬂuential and makes your customer experience so muchmore enjoyable.

Comment: This was an improvement of 8% since the last visit, however our shoppers’ overall experience score remains at a disappointing 0%. The outlet was easy to ﬁnd, clean and tidy and brochures were clearly displayed. Advisors were well groomed, but not wearing name tags. Both made good eye contact but only one advisor was helpful. The other didn’t greet our shopper at all. Neither had good product knowledge. Advice: Always wear a name tag and greet your customers with a warm and friendly smile.

DNATA

KISH TRAVEL & TOURISM

KANOO HOLIDAYS

KANOO TRAVEL

100% 86% 70% 87%

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

80% 67% 40% 67%

100% 63% 35% 66%

90% 50% 0% 51%

February 2010 – Arabian Travel News

REGIONAL NEWS

Skillset

What’s new... Arabian Travel News provides a round-up of the latest hotel and resort openings, new airline routes and all other travel-related announcements... IN ACCOMMODATION: A villa and pool at the recently opened Banyan Tree Al Wadi.

• Revamp for Egyptian tower: Sheraton Cairo Hotel’s Nefertiti Tower has undergone a total room refurbishment. Each room now has Sheraton Sweet Sleepers Beds and everything from bathrooms to wallpaper has been completely revamped. Seven consulting agencies were involved in the refurbishment, which also included the 23rdﬂoor meeting rooms. The hotel’s second tower, Cleopatra Tower, will undergo a similar renovation project in the future.

• Desert adventures with Banyan Tree : The soft-opening of Banyan Tree Al Wadi, located in Ras Al Khaimah, took place last month. The desert spa resort is built in a nature reserve and offers guests outdoor pursuits, beach access and an 18-hole championship golf course. The resort is a 45-minute drive from Dubai International Airport and 20km from RAK city centre. • Women of luxury in Oman: Grand Hyatt Muscat has introduced new services for single female travellers including an exclusive check-in desk and dedicated staff who will accompany them to their room. Newly-designed rooms at Sheraton’s Cairo property.

• Jebel Ali resort refurb: Dubai’s Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa has re-opened following a ﬁve-month refurbishment programme. The renovation applied to all 260 rooms and suites, the executive lounge, lifts, lobby, corridors, meeting facilities and the Italian restaurant. The resort’s new conference centre comprises six fullyequipped meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 700 guests.

A renovated standard guest room at the Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa.

Arabian Travel News – February 2010

IN TRANSIT:

Air Arabia has upped services to Dammam.

• Visa ease for Turkish nationals: Turkish Airlines is offering Turkish passengers the chance to apply for UAE visas at its sales ofﬁces and authorised sales agents in the country before travelling. Travellers need to apply for the 30-day visa at least ﬁve days before departure.

• Air Arabia’s KSA boost: Air Arabia has increased its flight frequency to Dammam to daily for the first few months of 2010. Flights depart Sharjah daily at 8am, arriving in Dammam at 8.20am. Return flights depart Dammam at 9am, arriving in Sharjah at 11.10am. • Emirates’ Indo expansion: Emirates Airline will up its Jakarta frequency to double-daily from March 1. The three additional flights per week will be operated by a Boeing 777 on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Emirates Airline has several new routes planned for 2010.

• Qatar’s Euro boost: Copenhagen and Barcelona have been added to Qatar Airways’ summer schedule. The Copenhagen ﬂight will run four times weekly and the Barcelona route will be serviced daily from March.

WHAT’S COMING SOON: • More 2010 routes for Qatar: Qatar Airways has unveiled plans to launch ﬂights from Doha to Bangalore, India, Turkish capital Ankara and Tokyo, Japan, during an eight-week period starting this month.

Giorgio Armani’s hotel in the Burj Khalifa is scheduled to open next month.

• Designer hotel to hit new heights in March: The Armani Hotel, Dubai will open its doors on March 18 in the world’s tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa. The 160 guest rooms will occupy several levels of the supertall structure.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

Training

REGIONAL NEWS

G N I N I A R T for

S S E C C U S With W ith ccustomers ustome ers deman demanding ndin ng value forr money, and money, good goo od service a nd knowledgeable agents, knowled dgeable ttravel ravel agent ts,, ttraining raining has never been more important. ATN looks at how the industry can up its game in 2010 and beyond

Arabian Travel News â&#x20AC;&#x201C; February 2010

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

REGIONAL NEWS

Training

ravel agencies region-wide are beginning to realise the importance of having welltrained and knowledgeable staff as the role of the agent has now truly evolved — from order taker to consultant. And both the customers and the suppliers have driven this evolution. Clients are demanding more bang for their buck and most suppliers would do anything to cut out the ‘middle man’ unless they add true value. As a result, agents must be well-trained, knowledgeable and service-orientated if they th are to keep both parties loyal and happy. And, with commission payments all but abolished, agents must provide a service that ab is worth charging for, explains TRS Consulting in principal consultant Sundar Vasudaven. “Travel agencies are now compelled to look loo at alternative revenue streams and enhance their scope of services by chargen ing in professional service fees,” he says. “In 2010 20 there can be no denial that corporate customers will be conscious of their travel cu spend attempt to make the most of sp pend as they attemp better for optimum gains be etter deals and services servi from agency partners.” fro om their travel agen Vasudaven says now no is the time for travel agencies ag gencies to train their thei staff in order to maximise mise yields and generate gener new sales. “A trained member of staff will stand a betterr chance of doing th that,” he points out. “After all, a trained organisation is capable ble of dealing with new ne customer challenges and delivering servic services that are beyond clientele expectations.” The region’s agencies agenc are beginning to sit up and listen to the advice of trainers like Vasudaven as they loo look to improve the scope of their services and their th agents’ knowledge, with the intention of gaining the upper hand over their competitors. As a result, the emphasis on industry training in the Middle East is deﬁnitely showing signs of improvement, say industry experts. Austrian National Tourist Ofﬁce (ANTO) marketing manager Middle East, Klaus Ehrenbrandtner, comments: “It is becoming ever more important for agents to be up-todate and well trained because clients have grown up and know what they want. “They also know what level of product expertise they can expect from a good agent — good destination knowledge will provide the travel agent with a clear competitive advantage within the trade.” According to Ethos Consultancy training

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

manager Moustafa Shalash, ensuring customers return because of the focused and knowledgeable service provided is now more essential than ever. Shalash explains: “Loyal customers are playing a major role in the ﬁnancial survival of many companies. “A well-educated agent is open to new techniques and is skilled to face new market challenges; their performance reﬂects the level of change and adaptation that is essential for job responsibilities. “With the number of travellers shrinking day after day, travel agencies are now aware that promotional tickets aren’t the only answer. Staff interaction with customers, telephone skills and cross-culture awareness are now considered to be effective marketing tools, which if executed well can attract new travellers, as well as ensuring loyal customers feel valued and remain loyal.”

raise both awareness of the region’s destination and help spread the flow of knowledge across the travel world. ANTO’s Ehrenbrandtner says the Austrian organisation has run a similar educational programme since 2008. “We established our destination education programme, the Austrian Certified Travel Specialist (ACTS), in 2008,” he notes. “In a bit more than one year we have had more than 500 agents graduate as Austrian Certified Travel Specialists after finishing the seven basic destination courses.” Graduates of the course receive benefits from ANTO through acquiring ACTS status, including access to online brochures, picture material and an encyclopaedia on Austria. Agencies also receive a stream of benefits including an online listing of ACTS Agencies on the tourist office’s website, as well as direct booking requests from ANTO.

UNDERSTANDING LOCATIONS

TECHNOLOGICAL GAINS

Agencies are receiving more opportunities every year to learn about key destinations from the growing number of national tourist offices visiting the region to promote their respective destinations. Emirates Holidays senior vice president John Felix says: “National tourist offices are continuously improving the quality and availability of training opportunities for travel trade professionals. “They conduct regular road shows, presentations, familiarisation trips, and provide online learning modules.” Felix adds that since 1994, Emirates Holidays has hosted approximately 400 travel agent partners a year, from across it distribution network, to a two day in-depth leisure refresher workshop. The company works closely with other national tourist at o a t offi ces and desoffices tination partners in order to or

A good way of stimulating enthusiasm in travel agents to train, according to TRS Consulting’s Vasudaven, is to ensure they view training as an opportunity and believe it to be important to their jobs and relevant to their organisation. “Travel professionals need to involve themselves with enthusiasm,” he says. He believes in instilling such enthusiasm from the start and advises anyone looking to enter the travel trade to get some basic training before they apply for a job. Most essential, he adds, is that prospective agents familiarise themselves with the relevant technologies such as the GDS. TRS Consulting has been an external training provider for technology provider EmQuest since 2003 and the partners recently signed an agreement to enhance the training opportunities it offers. The enhanced alliance will see EmQuest provide TRS with extra educational tools such as computer sets and software by Sabre — the GDS provider it distributes in the UAE.

The value of upgrading knowledge and skills of the kn travel trade is beginning to tr be understood ” John Felix, senior vice president, Emirates Holidays

February 2010 – Arabian Travel News

REGIONAL NEWS

Training

Sundar Vasudaven’s top 10 travel trade training tips 1 Train for results — Link training sessions to on-the-job applications to ensure what is learned gets implemented in the job. 2 Train the trainer — Get one of your stronger experts to train other staff members. It may be easy to relate to the business issues; especially when everyone is in it together. 3 Know your trade partner’s product orientation — Get supplier product training converted into regular learning programmes to ensure everyone receives product knowledge. An idea is to put in place a quiz or a test to ensure that learners are assessed. 4 Learn more to earn more — Use staff incentives to pursue academic growth to ensure achievement orientation; after all, what goes around comes around. 5 Destination specialist — Work closely with tourism bureaus to get a complete orientation on major destinations that agencies need to promote. This would ensure staff are fully aware of all the major issues regarding a destination — such as climate, culture, major sight-seeing places, visa requirements, and things to do and not to do in each destination. 6 Learn from your customers — Compile a top 10 complaints

“EmQuest has now invested in computer reservation systems in order to present Sabre training to students who aspire to join the travel industry,” explains Vasudaven. “With TRS Consulting offering this Sabre training on a gratis basis to freshers enrolling on the US certification programme, Certified Travel Associate (CTA), these students will be better equipped with technical skills, to complement their newly acquired professional competencies gained through the CTA qualification. “They would be a ready asset to the travel agency that wishes to recruit them.” This has not been lost on EmQuest, which recognised that travel students who are aware of the equip-

analysis within an agency to avoid recurrence and gain new insights from clients. 7 The travel agent’s handbook — Have a quick reference handbook in place covering all products and service offerings, which staff members can refer to. This should be updated at least twice a year to ensure accuracy. 8 Duty of care — Compile a top 10 list between the agency’s team, where, regardless of seniority or experience, employees of the same outlet can share what they have learned each week. 9 Learn from your bosses — Don’t be afraid to ask your boss for new ways in which to do regular jobs. 10 Learn from the competition — Every fortnight, assess the competition. Analyse their successes, failures, new products, new offers and staff news.

ment and technology they will be using in the workplace prior to joining an organisation, have an advantage over less-educated employees, regardless of experience. EmQuest customer solutions manager Tricia Escucha comments: “Our vision is synonymous with progress — at EmQuest/Sabre we want our agency community to succeed and have access to all the tools. “We strive to help, encourage and support them to be the best they can and make their businesses successful. “Partnering with TRS was one of the ways to do so and together we are preparing students for a wider set of skills within the agency environment, providing a comprehensive understanding of the business that

Travel agencies are now compelled to look at alternative revenue streams and enhance their scope of services by charging professional Klaus Ehrenbrandtner, marketing manager, Austrian National Tourist Ofﬁce (ANTO) service fees ”

Arabian Travel News – February 2010

ranges from the middle and back office, as well as in the front office.” Escucha explains that real-time experience acts as a “looking glass into the immediate future”. “The participants get a true feel of the environment and the world of travel agents before actually becoming one. “They get to test-drive being a travel agent from talking with customers, to making actual bookings, and all that is included in between,” she assesses. “By using Sabre in their training, it ensures that the student participants completing the training have hands-on experience with Sabre and it gives them the advantage of knowing before embarking on the travel industry for employment. She adds: “If they are already travel agents it can act to simply improve their knowledge and performance.” Many of the region’s travel firms are realising the importance of investing in training technologies in order to further develop the skills of current and future employees. As Emirates Holidays senior vice president John Felix notes: “The value of upgrading knowledge and skills of the travel trade is beginning to be understood”. “In the current business environment, high-quality knowledge, professional consultancy as well as service delivery skills, are paramount to success”.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

REGIONAL NEWS

How to sell News analysis

New

wave thinking As spa goers demand wellbeing vacations of all types, cruise lines are looking to expand their spa offerings to attract this crowd by providing dedicated cabins, packages, medi-spa treatments and much more

here’s hardly a ﬁve-star hotel that doesn’t boast a ﬁve-star spa these days as the wellbeing trend reaches new heights in the world of travel. Taking it to the next level are resorts that are dedicated to holistic and wellbeing stays known as destination spas. These range from old-school retreats such as Chiva Som in Thailand that are still going strong after more than a decade in business, while relative newcomer, Six Senses Destination Spa Phuket, is giving it a run for its money, offering an eco-focused hideaway where guests can really get back to nature. With the discerning traveller — and the mainstream one too — demanding at least a massage or two during their holiday, it is no surprise that this trend has penetrated the cruise market. And while dedicated destination spa ships might be a pipedream of the future, lines such as Costa, MSC, Celebrity and Holland America have already set the benchmark with dedicated spa cabins featuring upgraded products (from rain showers and branded toiletries to designer water, pillow menus and aromatherapy diffusers) through to spa packages inclusive of a wellness consultations, treatments

Arabian Travel News – February 2010

and even exclusive restaurant access. Celebrity Cruises took the plunge last year with the launch of its Solstice-class ships, which include 130 AquaClass staterooms, all located near the ships’ two-storey spas run by Elemis. A neat addendum to this new class is the fact that cabins are restricted to two person occupancy, ensuring a quieter — basically child-free — and more exclusive ambience. As well as a pillow menu, free iced tea and lavender diffusers, ﬁve-jet showers and ondemand video programming for meditation and yoga, guests have unlimited access to the Persian Garden aromatherapy steam room

and the Relaxation Room, as well as the ‘clean cuisine’ Blu restaurant, which serves both breakfast and dinner. According to the cruise line’s senior vice president hotel operations, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, a focus group of women from hotels, the travel industry, media and consumers were brought in to advise on the components of AquaClass to get it right. “We looked at the growth of spas, dedicated spa breaks etc, as we needed to nuance our brand to include both in-cabin spa elements and healthy dining — and in fact, the best selling feature of AquaClass is the spe-

We have been successful in the past year at taking the spa outside in hotter climes, offering cabana massages on the beach and sunrise yoga on deck ” www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

REGIONAL NEWS

News analysis

Spa cruises

cial dining option in Blu,” she says. The line has also been fine-tuning its treatment menu, becoming the first to offer acupuncture at sea and now featuring Botox, Restylane and Perlane treatments, Oxydermy facials and teeth whitening. Its 24-Karat Gold Facial is another industry first, offering a rose quartz and gold leaf mask, plus free Golden Kiss Martini with every treatment. Other lines are introducing as equally holistic products to woo spa enthusiasts. Holland America (HAL) launched Spa Staterooms next to its Greenhouse Spa on the new Eurodam last year featuring an incabin water feature, power shower, yoga mat, pedometer for use on board, fitness DVD, speciality waters, herbal turndown chocolates with soporific benefits, plus a spa concierge and exclusive spa packages. Private cabanas, charged at a daily fee, are another innovation — a relaxation option inclusive of bathrobes, fans, sprays, loaded iPods, chilled water, iced fruit skewers and afternoon champagne, while new well-being packages offer a day’s entrance to the hydro pool, thermal suite, revitalisation treatment in an Alpha Capsule (combining dry heat sauna, vibratory massage and aromatherapy), plus one free facial or massage and a fitness session. “A Mind, Body, Spirit (MBS) programme will also be introduced across the fleet in the coming months where a Lifestylist will offer activities and discussion on wellness and health, including Tai Chi, Sleeping Better, Enjoying Life More, to name a few,” says Neal Sanders, the director of spa operations for

We believe that part of the challenge is to ‘demystify’ the spa by making passengers aware of the vast range of services available ” HAL spa operator, Steiner Management Services director. On Costa, the Samsara Spa on its latest ships, including Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa (which are both undertaking Gulf sailings this winter), claim to be among the largest at sea, with dedicated cabins located in the wellness area. Other features include a thalassotherapy pool, Turkish bath, tepidarium and laconium, a meditation lounge, a Technogym Kinesis circuit, Ayurvedic rituals, an Oriental VIP House for couples’ treatments, Tea House and the Samsara restaurant, while MSC is also focusing on spa as a draw with Balinese-themed 2000m² facilities on its new MSC Fantasia as well as a dedicated spa doctor.

The Samsara Spa is on board Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa, both of which are sailing in the Gulf.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

P&O Cruises, meanwhile, will debut spa staterooms on the new Azura as part of its developing spa programme. “We have been successful in the past year at taking the spa outside in hotter climes, offering cabana massages on the beach and sunrise yoga on deck,” explains head of brand marketing Philip Price. “The Azura will also have a dedicated open air spa terrace on deck 17 — The Retreat — as well as treatment rooms with balconies.” Royal Caribbean too has revealed innovations on board its larger-than-life Oasis of the Seas, launched in November as the world’s largest cruise ship — where new spa features include an Enrichment Lounge for information on wellness; Smile Spa for teeth whitening; a dedicated Teen and Kid Spa with highlights including Me!Bath Ice Cream Manicure and Pedicure and Fabulously Fruity Facial,

First female-only hotel spa for KSA The ﬁrst female-only hotel spa in Riyadh is set to open in March at the Al Faisaliah Hotel. The opening of the Sense Spa will coincide with the launch of a brand new wing comprising106 rooms that is currently under construction. It will be the ﬁrst female-only hotel spa in the city, and only the second in the conservative Islamic country. Rival hotel chain Park Hyatt is planning to open separate male and female spas in the more progressive city of Jeddah at the end of the year.

The 24-Karat Gold Facial is available on board Celebrity Equinox.

February 2010 – Arabian Travel News

REGIONAL NEWS

Spa cruises

plus an Elemis Spa Bar for SkinLab Facial Mapping Analysis as well as free product trials. Meanwhile, Carnival has 65 spa suites on board its new Carnival Dream. The ship’s Cloud 9 spa includes 17 treatment rooms and a thalassotherapy pool. Meanwhile, Seabourn has upped the ante with Spa Villas on its new Seabourn Odyssey, rentable by the half-day and featuring seating/dining areas, indoor double-bed lounger, two treatment beds, bathtub and shower plus private balcony with sun loungers.

GET SPA SAVVY Developments on land reﬂect developments at sea with resorts, city hotels and cruise lines alike all seeking that USP to attract new and

Costa Cruises’ Asian-inspired Samsara Spa are the biggest at sea.

Six Senses spa for Baglioni in Morocco Six Senses has teamed up with The Baglioni Marrakech to open its first spa in Morocco in late 2011. It will span 1500m² and form the centrepiece of the boutique fivestar hotel, which is set within a 34-acre parkland resort. The facility comprises eight single treatment rooms set around ponds, an outdoor terrace for group treatments, a gym, plus a steam, sauna, experience shower and floatation pool. Additional features include a bridal area, consultation room and a roof-top yoga pavilion.

Arabian Travel News – February 2010

Many cruise ship spas mirror those on land in a bid to attract spa afﬁcionados on board for the ﬁrst time.

repeat guests, and while space is perhaps restricted at sea, cruise lines are still innovating fast in order to distinguish their products. With this in mind, agents faced with spa enthusiasts should make sure their knowledge of each ship’s spa facilities is up to date. They should also be aware of when ships offer the best spa offers during the duration of the cruise to ensure their customers get value for money. Remember, spas on board cruise ships do not have walk-in business so there are times when treatments might be discounted in order for the facility to maximise revenue. “For example, while the ship is at sea between 9am and 4pm, full price is charged for spa appointments, but at other times,

The Baglioni Marrakech.

value pricing of up to 10% can be offered,” explains Celebrity’s manager of onboard revenue and amenities, Nicole Blanco. “In addition, on port days, special offers will give up to 30% savings on selected services.” Other initiatives many lines operate is to give discounts to repeat guests, those wanting multiple spa services and passengers using other services onboard such as shore tours, the art auction, and even the bingo, while the development by Steiner of the YSpa targeting teens, and more treatments for men, are other moves aimed at widening the customer base. “We believe that part of the challenge is to ‘demystify’ the spa by making passengers aware of the vast range of services available, what they involve and the benefits they can bring,” says Price. “We employ a number of strategies to do this such as videos on the cabin TV, treatment demonstrations and information seminars.” Whether agents are faced with a spa aficionado or novice, one thing is for sure, spa is becoming integral to the lifestyle of many — particularly in the Middle East market where hotels are increasing spa-focused — and so improving your knowledge of offerings on land and at sea is essential. And it’s best to keep as up-to-date as possible as cruise lines are only set to expand and refine their spa offerings. “For the most part, spa is already part of our passengers’ lifestyle on land — they are investing in their beauty, relaxation and overall health and wellness,” says Royal Caribbean’s revenue partner manager, onboard revenue and hotel operations Jill Bass. “Many guests make visiting the spa an integral part of their overall cruise experience, a relaxing escape or a conduit to positive lifestyle enhancements.”

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

REGIONAL NEWS

Agent action MIME NEWS

New recruit Incoming Sabre Travel Network president Greg Webb discusses his new role and plans for the company’s Middle East expansion ATN: What is your travel industry background? I have spent the majority of my career at Sabre in several roles, more recently as chief marketing ofﬁcer for Sabre Travel Network and Sabre Airline Solutions. ATN: What interested you in this role? The president of Sabre Travel Network sits at the crossroads of today’s travel industry. This position has immense potential to help agencies, suppliers, tour operators and other supporting companies harness

travel technology to help all parties make money, save money, and provide stellar customer service. ATN: How will Sabre increase its presence in the Middle East? Our team has done a fantastic job increasing our footprint since our 2005 launch. We now have 17 ofﬁces in 11 countries and have aggressive goals for 2010. We are working on enhancements to help our agency customers become more effective and efﬁcient. We’ll also be quite active on the corpo-

The president of Sabre Travel Network sits at the crossroads of today’s travel industry ” rate travel front, leveraging assets like GetThere and Sabre Hospitality Solutions . ATN: How has the economic downturn affected Sabre? Sabre has faced its share of challenges during 2009, but we continued investing in

key products and services, to prepare for the industry’s rebound. We are pleased to see early signs of recovery, but are cautiously optimistic about 2010. ATN: What are your biggest challenges at Sabre?

The biggest challenges come from the events and economic turns that can often blindside the travel industry. It’s critical that energy prices are kept in check as the cascading impact of high oil prices ripples from airlines to all downstream players. Security concerns can drive major challenges on both local and international fronts, depending upon the threat. From a business perspective, we’re hoping all our customers and partners can enjoy the fruits of an industry rebound with sustained, increased travel volumes.

Checkin’ in/checkin’ out CAPITAL GAINS AT HYATT

RHODES TO DUBAI

Ashwini Kumar has joined Hyatt at Capital Centre as general manager in a joint appointment by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company and Hyatt International. Kumar brings three decades of experience from leading hotels throughout the Middlee East, including his previous role as hotel manager of the Grand bai. His Hyatt Dubai. new role will see him ations at lead operations the hotel, which is n the Capital housed in tre and Gate Centre linked to bi Abu Dhabi National Exhibitionss Centre.

Arabian Park Hotel, Dubai, has welcomed Tom Rhodes, a recent graduate of Northumbria University, as its new sales manager. During his studies, Rhodes gained a w wealth of market experisales and marketing varie of hospitalence in a variety ity and leisure venues in the r will focus UK. His new role a maintainon building and relationshi with the ing relationships ma corporate market.

Arabian Travel News – February 2010

TTHRIFTY GM Thrifty Car Rental has appointed a new general manager to

lead the expansion of its ﬂeet and service offerings in Kuwait. Mohammed Al-Rashed, who has more than 13 years of experience in senior roles in the car rental industry, will oversee and identify new business opportunities.

Oman Air for more than 15 years, starting his career in HR, before rising through the ranks to his current management role. Commenting on the airline’s Omanisation strategy, he said the directive would help “develop the Omani citizens’ potential, broadening their expertise and skills, while creating greater job opportunities”.

NEW OMANI CHIEF

ROB GETS THE HE JOB

Continuing its initiative to increase the percentage of Omani nationals on its management team, Oman Air has appointed Sheikh Ahmed Himyar Al Nabhani as chief ofﬁcer support services. Sheikh Nabhani has worked for

Etihad Airways has welcomed Roberto Hukom ager for as country manager the Philippines, coincidease ing with an increase ht in its weekly ﬂight ounservices to the counabi. try from Abu Dhabi. With more than three erience decades of experience ustry, in the airline industry,

Hukom has previously worked for Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways and Korean Airlines, and is a member of various airline industry bodies including the Board of Airline Representatives and Philippine Travel Agents Association.

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

REGIONAL NEWS

Agent action Interview

Meet the agent… Prime Travel assistant travel manager Aiden Walsh talks about the ﬁrm’s plans for 2010 and the challenges the trade must face in the Middle East

Tough talk Name: Aiden Walsh Age: 33 Title: Assistant travel manager Agency: Prime Travel Number of years at the agency: Five months Number of years in the industry: 10 years Ambition: To stay healthy and be part of the team that makes Prime Travel the best agency in the region.

Chit chat

ATN: What has been the impact of the economic slowdown on sales in the past 12 months?

ATN: What do you like most about your job? Dealing with our great staff and clients and looking at developing new opportunities for the ﬁrm. ATN: What don’t you like about your job? Coming back to service again, I’d say it is a lot harder dealing with suppliers in this market compared to the UK. ATN: What’s the best deal you’ve ever done? Coming to work in Dubai! ATN: Where do you like to go on holiday and why?

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

ATN: What is the biggest challenge facing your travel agency right now? The biggest challenge for agents in this region is how we are viewed by our core market — the ex-pat community. Service levels are a lot lower than they are in markets like the UK and because of this, customers are becoming frustrated and effectively becoming their own travel agent and booking online. We have to raise our game and ensure clients view us as a resource to get the best information, price and service.

I’ve been lucky to have visited some amazing places during my career including Australia, New Zealand, the South Paciﬁc, South America, the USA, Asia and a lot of Europe. My favourite holiday region, however, is the Kimberley region of north-western Australia — it’s an amazing place. My favourite city is deﬁnitely New York as it has an amazing buzz.

Our specialist corporate markets of Afghanistan and Iraq have performed well and we are expanding into Kandahar, Afghanistan, this month. ATN: What impact did Swine Flu have on your sales in 2009/2010? As the new boy I can’t say ﬁrsthand what impact Swine Flu has had; our core business, however, stayed strong throughout 2009 and we ended the year with an increase in proﬁt. ATN: What is the outlook for your agency in the next 12 months? In these current trading conditions I would like to achieve the levels we did last year for our corporate business. In regards to leisure, I believe we have some great opportunities to grow this side of the

business based on our new products and the services we will be offering. ATN: What other agency news can you share? We’re looking at niche opportunities and have already put in place a number of new and exciting opportunities for clients to book with Prime Travel. This includes Prime Sports Travel, which will work with Thomas Cook Sports to gain access to English Premier League football match packages, Wimbledon, Formula One, cricket and other major sporting events. Prime Adventure Travel, our soft adventure travel operation, will be undertaking its ﬁrst trip this year — a skiing trip to Kyrgyzstan. It also is looking to carry out a hiking tour of Ethiopia later in the year.

It is a lot harder dealing with suppliers in this market compared to the UK ”

Dubai travel agent Aiden Walsh says his favourite city is New York because it has “an amazing buzz”.

February 2010 – Arabian Travel News

REGIONAL NEWS

Agent action

Festive fun and Christmas cheer Members of the Latitude Travel Club celebrated the end of 2009 and the start of a brand new year at the Marco Polo Hotel in Dubai in December and were full of Christmas spirit

(L-r): Hurtigruten’s Sonia Rashid; Cruise Master’s Ashok Kumar; and Costa Cruises’ Francesca Mugnari.

a of Al Rostamani l Kothari, Saroj Sinha and Deepak Aranh Party revellers pictured include Kuna tine Silva. Valen a’s Dnat and lport; Trave of at Travel; Girish Deshpande and Suraj Main

(L-r): Bibbs D’Souza, Alamo; Arun Henry, gta; Sunil Bhandarkar, Uranus Travel; Ashok Kumar, Cruise Master; Asif Hussain, Al Tayer Travel.

ATN’s travel agent of the month Sharaf Travel, manager holidays, Aloke Dey Star agent: Aloke Dey Position: manager holidays, Sharaf Travel, Dubai Nationality: Indian Time in travel industry: 18 years Time at Sharaf Travel: two years Ambition: to be the best in the elite travel ﬁeld Nominated by: The Travel Collection owner Jacqueline Campbell Campbell says: “Aloke is very professional when meeting visiting hoteliers. He is keen to learn more and share that knowledge with his colleagues. He has a good understanding of individual and unique hotels and is prepared to ‘go the extra mile’.”

Arabian Travel News – February 2010

ATN: Jacqueline Campbell you said that you had always placed particular emphasis on meeting with visiting hoteliers. How important is it for travel agents to meet with hoteliers in your opinion and why? Hotels form an integral part of our business. While the leading hotel chains have their regional offices, there are individual hoteliers who travel a long distances to visit us with objectives. These meetings lead to diversified benefits — identifying USPs, developing relationships, familiarisation with new properties and so on.

sion tours to neighbouring countries such as Italy and Spain can easily be arranged. ATN: What does oes it mean to you to o be nominated agent ent of the month? Thank you very ery much. I feel very ry honoured.

Sharaf Travel’s Aloke Dey says he likes selling the French Riviera.

About ATN’s Travel Agent of the Month ATN: What would you say is your favourite destination to sell and why? It is the French Riviera. You need to experience the touch of luxury, the culture and the mesmerising views the area boasts. There is food, fashion, entertainment — you get the best of everything — plus exten-

The initiative aims to give agents a big pat on the back in recognition of their achievements. It awards agents who that go that extra mile, not just for their organisations, but for their own personal achievements. It could be that you’ve shown initiative and made a big sale; completed a training programme; got promoted; or gone out of your way to achieve excellence in your ﬁeld. ATN takes nominations from both suppliers and agents. Email gemma.greenwood@itp.com