Arabian Travel News - March 2010 by ITP Business Publishing

An ITP Business Publication

March 2010 Issue 3 Vol. 5

Licensed by Dubai Media City

MUST-READ CRUISE COVERAGE INSIDE Brilliance B rilliance of of the the Seas review and Costa ship naming

RACE

FOR THE SKY

AIRLINE A IRLINE BBENCHMARK ENCHMARK SSTUDY TUDY R REVEALS EVEALS TTHE HE W WINNERS INNERS AND LOSERS LOSERS IIN N TTHE HE CCUSTOMER USTOMER SSERVICE ERVICE SSTAKES TAKES AND

OMAN ROUNDTABLE | RAFFLES INTERVIEW | DUKES REVIEW | SELLING IRELAND | AGENT OF THE MONTH

Contents News

18 26

03 Regional news Arabian Adventures opens new operations centre; e-marketing lessons for Abu Dhabi trade; and ATM registration now open

06 News analysis ATN talks to some of Oman’s key tourism industry stakeholders to ﬁnd out what opportunities and challenges lie ahead in marketing the destination.

10 Airlines BA’s new First product arrives in the UAE and ATN debates whether or not there is a future for ﬁrst class airline products.

11 Accommodation Layia Hospitality launches new budget brand and Dubai’s only guesthouse is forced to close.

12 Cruise Silversea to offer three bespoke cruises from Dubai and Allure of the Seas to set sail one week earlier than planned;

13 Tools Amadeus commissions Middle East report to gauge the region’s potential as a tourism hub.

14 Tourism boards Tourism boards and key suppliers from across Australia embarked on a region-wide travel trade roadshow last month.

16 MICE

fourth GIBTM, ATN asks exhibitors how agents can make more money out of MICE.

Q&A 18 Interviews ATN chats to Royal Caribbean’s Michael Bayley as Brilliance of the Seas sets sail from Dubai, as well as Rafﬂes Hotels & Resorts president John Johnston.

ATN ﬁnds an intimate and very friendly upmarket hotel tucked away in a quiet corner of Mayfair.

26 Mystery shopper This month Emirates Airline narrowly beats off stiff competition from Etihad Airways in an airline customer service benchmarking study by Ethos Consultancy.

28 What’s new… Skillset

The latest hotel openings and airline routes you should know about.

As Abu Dhabi prepares to host the

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com

24 Dukes London

How to sell

24 Agent action

30 Cruise special ATN steps on board Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas to ﬁnd out its key selling points and why customers don’t want to miss this cruise experience.

38 New recruit

34 Selling Ireland

40 Agent of the month

Key tips to help you sell both o Nrthern and Southern Ireland as either a stopover destination or a full-blown holiday.

Al Reyami Travel & Tourism products & contracts executive Rashmeeth Kalathil is a cruise enthusiast making waves.

A new event director for Business Travel Show Middle East and a MICE-focused sales manager at Grand Hotel Jebel Hafeet.

March 2010 – Arabian Travel News

Life enriching moments 2010 will be a year of celebration in Jukkasj채rvi, as it marks the 20th anniversay of ICEHOTEL, a celebration we invite all our guest to participate in. www.icehotel.com

REGIONAL NEWS

News

Arabian Adventures opens mega HQ The new Dubai facility will help the DMC realise its ambitious expansion plans EXPANSION Arabian Adventures has opened a mega operations centre as the DMC gears up for expansion. The ﬁrm’s senior vice president, Frederic Bardin, told ATN the new facility, which occupies 2.4 hectares, would “easily” cater to at least 15 years of year-on-year growth. “This is all part of our forward planning,” said Bardin. “Plus it’s ideally located — ﬁve minutes from the new Al Maktoum airport, 30 minutes from the existing air-

Arabian Adventures’ operations centre at Dubai Investment Park.

port, close to Jebel Ali, and sandwiched between Emirates Road and the new Dubai by-pass road.” He said the new centre would accommodate a

five-fold growth in Arabian Adventures’ fleet of vehicles. It also comprises a massive warehouse; spacious office area; staff briefing, training and meeting rooms; a five-

storey car park for 400 cars; inspection bays; and vehicle washing areas. It also provides ancillary staff amenities such as male and female prayer rooms, a cafeteria as well as showers and restrooms for drivers. “There are also lockers and showers for guests in transit who might have breaks

between a tour in the morning and another in the afternoon,” added Bardin. Key growth markets for the business going forward, he said, included, China and Japan — particularly the latter given that Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways were all boosting their services to hubs such as Tokyo.

The percentage of Dubai’s GDP attributed to travel and tourism

Source: WTTC

registration now open Abu Dhabi trade gets e-savvy Arabian Travel Market register. Mark Walsh, group tor information, discounts TRADE SHOWS

MARKETING The Abu Dhabi travel trade has received free digital marketing coaching thanks to an initiative hosted by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA). Last month, stakeholders and partners of the Abu Dhabi Travel and Tourism Agencies Council (ATTAC) attended an e-marketing seminar to ﬁnd out how this medium can increase sales, reduce costs, build brands and enhance customer service delivery. “It is important industry suppliers utilise all online means at their disposal al and the session will help them better understand how to leverage the technology,” said ADTA industry professionall development managerr Paul Ram Prakash. The course — the ﬁrst st

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in a series of planned ADTA breakfast brieﬁng sessions — was conducted by Chris Johnstone, managing director of the UAE’s SevDotCom, which operates the MakeMyDayME. com online experience and activities booking system. “The course will show how most online bookings come through in the evenings, which shows that most people like to book experiences after work hours and also demonstrates how important the web is to capturing the overseas market,” explained Johnstone.

Online registration for the 2010 edition of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) is now live. Visitors to the show, which takes place from May 4-7 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, should log onto www. arabiantravelmarket.com/

exhibition director of ATM organiser, ReedTravel Exhibitions (RTE), said visitors who signed up early would beneﬁt from “up to date exhibi-

on ﬂights and accommodation, and priority access to the exhibition which means no queue”. He said the show was now 90% contracted.

TO REGISTER FOR ATM VISIT www.arabiantravelmarket.com/register

QE2 part of Dubai World sell off FINANCE The QE2 is just one of several Dubai-owned assets being prepared for sale as part of a cash-raising exercise. Advisers to state-owned conglomerate Dubai World plan to ofﬂoad several ‘trophies’ owned by the group’s private equity arm, Istithmar, to help pay off its debts of around US $22 billion. A report in The Sunday Times said it was understood

The QE2 is being prepared for sale.

advisors would attempt to sell off each asset individually. Other DubaiWorld assets include the Canadian Circus

group Cirque Du Soleil, while it has already been forced to sell W Hotel in New York following news it had defaulted on its loan repayments. The group has also put UK port and shipping agent Inchcape Shipping Services up for sale at $700 million and recently sold its stake in Indian carrier Spice Jet. Istithmar bought the QE2 from Cunard for $100 million in 2007 with plans to transform it into a ﬂoating hotel.

March 2010 – Arabian Travel News

News

BTS gets ready for a 2010 comeback Following a hiatus in 2009, the Middle East edition of the show is back on the block TRADE SHOWS

WHO SHOULD EXHIBIT?

The Middle East installment of the Business Travel Show is back for 2010 following a break in 2009. This year marks a fresh start for the show with new event director, Paul Grinnall, claiming prospects for the event were “positive for a number of reasons”. “There is clearly a need for this event — it has worked well in the past and we know that when times are tough, it is important for businesses to continue to travel,” he told ATN. “Companies will continue to manage their travel spend and therefore the show will remain an important place for them to go to see the leading suppliers.”

Airlines, hotels, TMCs and any ﬁrm supplying products and services to business travel buyers, such as ground handlers, serviced apartments, private jet hire companies, technology ﬁrms and many more.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Anyone who buys inbound or outbound travel for their organisation. While traditionally this is a ‘Travel Manager’ role, there are other job functions within travel procurement that should come to the show.

Grinnall said a number of suppliers were already on board for the 2010 show, which takes place at the Madinat Arena from October 25-26, including Emaar, ADAC, Premier Inn, Virgin Atlantic and Kanoo Travel. Although the 2007 and

Business travel to rebound RESEARCH Business travel from the UAE is set to recover this year, research by YouGov Siraj has revealed. The latest quarterlyTravel Tracker survey of 330 leisure and 255 business travellers from across the UAE found that 46% of respondents expect their business travel to increase (15% indicated it will increase a lot), marking a rise by 22 points compared with ﬁgures of the

same period in 2009 (24%). A smaller proportion (16%) expects their travel to drop over the next 12 months. Business travellers are still downgrading class of travel — in January 2010, 24% said they ﬂew ﬁrst or business class, compared to 31% in January 2009, while economy travel (53%) was up four points and premium economy travel (23%) increased by three points, compared to the same period of last year.

of respondents expected their business travel to increase this year.

2008 installments were a success, Centaur has conceded that there were two issues that needed solving. Firstly, the show needed to attract a wider geographic spread of buyers plus the educational programme needed to be free of charge to

The Business Travel Show Middle East will take place in October.

draw in the crowds. But these crinkles look set to be ironed out in 2010. “First off we have changed the name to reﬂect the wider reach of the show to The Business Travel Show Middle East, plus our visitor campaigns will be bespoke, addressing a number of markets,” explained Grinnall.

“Second, we are introducing a Hosted Buyers programme and thirdly, we are signiﬁcantly expanding the educational programme within the event and this will be free to all buyers.” The programme would be wide-reaching with topics selected to appeal to new and experienced buyers, he said.

BTMS London proves corporate market recovery The Business Travel & Meetings Show (BTMS) — sister show to The Business Travel Show Middle East — has proved a resounding success, which organiser Centaur Exhibitions said indicated that the corporate travel market is ﬁnally bouncing back post-recession. The show, which took place at Earls Court, London, featured more exhibitors (around 200) than last year’s show plus a whopping 400% increase in the number of visitors registered for the executive programme, said Centaur’s B2B Exhibition Director Mike Sherrard. To be eligible for the programme, buyers must prove they have a corporate travel budget of £3 million or more and this year, 611 such individuals registered compared to 140 in 2009. The fact that on day one of BTMS, the show and its partner event, Travel Technology Europe 2010, were completely “packed” proved the

travel market was in a recovery phase explained Sherrard. “Technology is one of the ﬁrst things to recover after a recession — and so is corporate travel,” he said. “People realise that technology is the fast track to getting the better business model and the technology show is the busiest I’ve ever seen it.”

Emirates Airline exhibited at BTMS in London.

Source: YouGov Siraj Travel Tracker survey.

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel

REGIONAL NEWS

Roundtable

Oman’s future vision

Oman-based hospitality and tourism experts met at The Chedi Muscat to discuss the destination’s past, present and future with Arabian Travel News ATN: How has Oman developed as a tourism destination in the last decade? Koenig: It became more serious and professional as of September 2004 when a Ministry of Tourism was officially founded in Muscat. So it’s been five-and-a-half years and it is pretty amazing what has been achieved during that time. The Ministry proceeded to appoint oversees representation to help promote Oman as a destination and the feeder markets that were discovered were from the European sector plus Australia. The Ministry of Tourism doesn’t want Oman to become a backpackers’ destination. We are looking at a clear clientele of the medium- to high-income range that will appreciate the beauty of the country, the history and the culture that comes with it. I think it’s wonderful that Oman doesn’t have 358 five-star hotels and let’s hope it never happens. We don’t have the skyline of other destinations because of the wonderful topography that we have. But there is a distinct 2020 plan that included the diversification away from oil and one big part of that was to encourage tourism and slowly this has been developed and improved. Norman: Oman has always positioned itself as an authentic and unique destination. That’s what attracts people to Oman — the nature, culture and history, not something new and artificial.

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

ATN: Have there been challenges? Koenig: There were years when all of us — the Al Bustan, the Grand Hyatt etc — were full and we had to ask how we could improve. This is still the case in terms of our summer months, which tend to be a struggle — there is no doubt about it, more so for the resort hotels than the corporate hotels. There is this ﬁxation in the public’s mind that you cannot go to Oman in the summer because it’s 55 degrees and it is difﬁcult to eradicate this thought. It will be 55 degrees, but in Wahiba Sands and noone in their right minds will go there in the summer. But we are on the coastline with a lovely breeze that is usually stronger in the summer than the winter so there is no reason not to come here. Everything is air conditioned and you can still go to Jebel Shams stood at 3000 metres and it will be 25 degrees. This will be a phenomenon that we will have to struggle with for a long time. We need to educate the public and travel trade that ‘yes, you can come here in the summer’. Norman: Having said that, The Ministry of Tourism and Oman Air have been giving a lot of support to the industry to make sure that we can keep on communicating that. Yes, as Lore says, the destination is focused on the middle-to high-end income level audience, but still you can get even better value for money during the summer months

There is this ﬁxation in the public’s mind that you cannot go to Oman in the summer because it’s 55 degrees and it is difﬁcult to eradicate this thought ” and there are plenty of cooler places. However, our European guests do like the heat. Draper: Exactly, Europeans, if you go on holiday you go to the sun. Jaffer: Salalah is experiencing growth during the summer period, which is typically offpeak here. A lot of regional tourism is actually boosting business to Salalah because of such things as Swine Flu and people trying to avoid travelling to other parts of the world.

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REGIONAL NEWS

Roundtable

MEHDI M JAFFER deputy managing director of Al-Haditha, which represents both Thrifty Car Rental and Orient Holidays in Oman.

DANIEL NORMAN DOSM, InterContinental Hotels Group, based at the Al Bustan Palace, Muscat.

LORE KOENIG DOSM, The Chedi Muscat.

CORRYANNE DRAPER the marketing communications manager at the Grand Hyatt Muscat.

ATN: Does the car rental industry in Oman differ to other markets? Jaffer: It’s not a huge market as you don’t get your typical backpacker, but people booking six to eight months in advance — more middle aged visitors rather than youngsters coming to party. We get business clientele that are indirectly related to the tourism industry because of the projects that are going on in the country. Koenig: That’s an interesting movement for us. We used to be spoiled with people booking six to seven months in advance otherwise they wouldn’t get in. Have you found it is more short notice?

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Roundtable participants discussed Oman marketing issues.

Jaffer: 2009 was different, but now we see that trend happening again and we are taking bookings for July, August and September. Koenig: Do people tend to book online rather than walking in the ofﬁce? Jaffer: Absolutely, most of them do and we have lots of tie-ins with a number of brokers over Europe and repeat customers as well. ATN: What’s your relationship with the travel trade like? Norman: Very strong and the one thing we are discovering is that there is a lot of movement around the world of people looking for authentic destinations with history and nature. I think that quite often, Oman is becoming an alternative destination to suggest to people who are in that mindset. Draper: Added to that you have Oman Air opening up with direct routes to London, Paris and Germany and it helps the international tour operators tremendously.

The famous hospitality, friendliness and warmth when you visit Oman is unique and that is probably the greatest asset the country has ”

Koenig: The Chedi is 93% leisure orientated so we work extremely closely with agents and tour operators. They are our top producers and the excitement when I went on a sales trip in September when the announcements from Oman Air came out to our biggest feeder markets — it was fabulous. ATN: Can budget travellers be diverted away from Oman? Jaffer: We get a lot of visitors looking for a cheap bed, although Oman is not a cheap place to visit. Draper: If you open all these routes you get different people in and it’s more accessible — you need to accommodate to their needs. Koenig: The last list I saw from the Ministry of Tourism did include some three-star and a lot of four-star properties and we do need more alternatives to that high-end product. Norman: Although I am based at Al Bustan Palace, which is high-end, IHG’s portfolio in Muscat includes economy and mid-scale. The Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn are doing extremely well with occupancies very solid. ATN: Is it hard to shatter any negative perceptions of Oman that people may have? Norman: The famous hospitality, friendliness and warmth when you visit Oman is unique and that is probably the greatest asset the country has. It is something the tourist boards market very well. Draper: You also have the variety, the mountains, the marine life, turtles, the nice restaurants, the beautiful hotels and the nightlife. Koenig: What we are trying to do is introduce special packages with our partners to entice clients to come here during periods that they consider hot. If you compare it to Greece in the summer months — it’s 45 degrees there and it’s suffocating, when here is it clear.

March 2010 – Arabian Travel News

REGIONAL NEWS

Roundtable

There are perceptions that we cannot change overnight. I have tried for the last six years and it is like banging your head against a brick wall. The GCC market is very important for us during that period. I ﬁnd more people tend to come on shorter breaks and I am talking predominately about the ex-pat market. ATN: How does Ramadan’s summer timing affect tourism to Oman? Jaffer: It will be tough for the car rental market this year, because we really rely on Khareef Season (monsoon/rainy season), which is July/August this year, which is Ramadan. Draper: During Eid is a beautiful opportunity for people from the GCC to come and explore the country, especially with Oman Air and its direct ﬂights. Norman: Eid is an exciting consideration, but someone pointed out from the Ministry of Tourism that Ramadan here in Oman has a magic to it that you can really feel — more than in other Gulf countries. People really go back to their culture, family routes and traditions; even as a tourist you will really be able to feel that. During the day of course you will be respecting the traditions, but in the evening it is lively and people go out with their families. Jaffer: It’s a great family time. The typical vis-

The typical visitor to Oman is not about nightlife so that’s why Ramadan shouldn’t be a barrier. ” itor to Oman is not about nightlife so that’s why Ramadan shouldn’t be a barrier. Norman: That’s something that can be marketed to say ‘yes it is Ramadan, and that is a reason to book your holiday’ — it is a reason to see something different and special. ATN: How do you envisage the development of Oman’s tourism industry and the role the hospitality sector has to play in the implementation of the 2020 vision? Norman: One of the most important things we in the hospitality industry can do is to

attract local talented people into the industry and to give them rewarding and enriching careers. Jaffer: The Ministry of Tourism is doing a great job as a lot of people apply for permission to open up a hotel, but it is strict and regulated — you can’t just open wherever. We as a group are entering the hotel industry with a three-star property, because we’ve noticed a trend of more business travellers coming to the region. We are going with an international brand that will add more value, rather than be in competition [with other brands]. Koenig: Things like the Asian Games in early December will help attract business. Our Sultan’s 40th anniversary in November and the opening of our ﬁrst opera house are also highlights for the future. You can’t sit on your laurels though — you have to strive to bring something new. We are the smallest of the ﬁve-star properties here and we have two swimming pools that are 47 metres each, but we are going to have a third, 110 metres long with a purposebuilt gym and spa on top of the gym. It’s going to be wow and we are trying to offer our clients more facilities. You can’t sit there and increase rates year-by-year and offer nothing in return.

TOP FIVE REASONS FOR YOUR CLIENTS TO VISIT OMAN The perfect place to relax and be at one with nature

Oman’s unspoiled landscapes attract tourists to its shores.

The friendliness of the Omani people makes you feel part of the culture The country’s unspoiled landscapes are stunning You can explore and experience Oman at your own speed if you hire a car

The variety in landscapes, experiences and traditions gives plenty of reasons for your clients to return.

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

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REGIONAL NEWS

Airlines News

IN BRIEF

When in Rome Emirates Airline has increased frequencies to Rome from 12 times weekly to double daily. The airline also operates double daily ﬂights to Milan and a daily ﬂight into Venice.

Turkish delight Turkish Airlines has purchased 35 Boeing 737s — 20 definite and 15 optional. The Boeing 737-800 and 737900 ER planes will all be fitted with the airline’s ‘Sky Interior’ cabins. Turkey’s flag carrier recently bought 30 Airbus.

Iraq success Royal Jet has completed more than 100 flights to Iraq providing both VIP air charter services as well as emergency medical evacuation. The private jet firm said flights were made possible through Royal Jet’s thorough security procedures and good working relations with Iraqi aviation authorities.

American JAL Ailing carrier Japan Airlines (JAL) has strengthened its partnership with American Airlines (AA). The carriers have said they will enter a JV when anti-trust immunity (ATI) on transpaciﬁc routes is approved.

BA’s new First lands in Dubai Enhanced product to be fitted on British Airways Boeing 777s first E PRODUCT P Br British Airways’ much-anticipated new First product tic has already been sampled by ha passengers travelling from pa London to Dubai. Lo The product, which was launched on February 10 lau and is being rolled out on all an of BA’s Boeing 777s, started flying on the London-Dubai fly route just two weeks later. rou BA has invested £100 million in its First product, with lio new features including a ne 60% wider bed at the shoul60 der; a personal wardrobe; de personal electronic blinds pe a first for a commercial air-

BA Jan 2010 results

Frequent ﬂyer actress Rachel Weisz.

line; a 15” in-ﬂight entertainment screen; USB port, RCA jack and noise-cancelling headsets; fully-integrated ambient and mood lighting; leather-bound writing table; plus an Anya Hind-

* Passenger capacity in Available Seat Kilometres was 8.3% below January 2009. * Traffic, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres, fell 7%. * This resulted in a passenger load factor hike of one point versus 2009 to 74.2%. * There was a 2.1% decrease in premium traffic and a 7.9% decrease in nonpremium traffic.

march washbag ﬁlled with D.R. Harris & Co products. The re-designed suite boasts an enhanced bed with a new ‘intelligent’ mattress and 400-thread Egyptian cotton bed linen. BA head of customer experience Mark Hassell said the airline had created “an intimate private jet experience”. “We have resisted gadgets and gimmicks and focused on simplicity and quality.” In other BA news, at time of press, the airline’s cabin crew had voted in favour of industrial action. A date for the strike action had not been announced.

ED’S COMMENT Is there a case for first class? BA has launched its new First product at great expense, but was the investment necessary given many believe first class is obsolete? For a start, there are so many good quality business class products on the market — and BA boasts one of them — that it’s difficult to gauge just how superior a first product can now be. Oman Air is another example. Its business class product that is better than most first products and I personally cannot see the

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

value in paying quite a lot extra to move forward any further in the cabin. Speaking to ATN at the recent Business Travel & Meetings Show (BTMS), Virgin Atlantic’s general manager for Global MNA and UK sales, Paul Wait, suggested that ﬁrst class was no longer in demand in most markets. He said Virgin had always argued this — its Upper Class is really a business class equivalent — and that post-recession, corporate travellers were no longer willing to spend an extortionate amount on ﬁrst class travel. The days of ostentatious travel, he argued, were over.

Bmi’s Middle East marketing manager, Philip Hedges, said the UK airline’s business class offering was better than the first class products of many competitors, with features including complimentary chauffeur service, flat beds, chefs on board and a 30-minute check-in at London Heathrow. But he believed there would always be a market for first class. “First class tends to feed people’s desire to be recognised as important,”

hhe said. “There is a very importtant sector out tthere that will not no travel on anything less.” He also stressed that ﬁrst class was still relevant in the Middle East where many High Net Worth Individuals were willing to pay for the privilege. From a global perspective, Hedges said corporate travellers would still downgrade airline travel as budgets remained tight. Premium economy products would therefore be in hot demand for the forseeable future, he added.

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REGIONAL NEWS

Accommodation XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX

New budget hotel brand for the region Layia Hospitality to open 12-15 ‘Day & Night Hotels’ in the next seven to eight years BUDGET Middle East hotel brand Layia Hospitality has revealed plans to roll out a new budget hotel chain. The Dubai-based management firm has already signed an agreement with CAPM Investment PrivJSC to roll out five of the threestar properties in Abu Dhabi over the next five years. Layia Hospitality CEO Daniel Hajjar said the firm was currently seeking investors to roll out properties across the Middle East, with the expectation of opening 12-15 Day & Night Hotels in

Hajjar: prices at ‘Day and Night’ hotels will be set around the US $120 mark.

the next seven to eight years. “We are already talking to a company about opening a property in the Jadaf area of

Dubai,”said Hajjar. “We are also looking at Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt and Syria.” Hajjar said the three-star

Dubai guest house forced to close REGULATIONS Dubai’s only guest house — La Maison d’hô te — has been forced to close after Dubai Municipality refused to renew its licence. In a statement sent to ATN, La Maison d’hô te’s PR ﬁ rm said that the property had shut on January 11d “ ue to the Dubai Municipality refusing to authorise the renewal of running a guest house in the residential area of Jumeriah” .

When ATN contacted the PR ﬁrm to ask for a comment from guest house owners — Julie Renaudie and Claude Berquier — it was told they were not able to comment. A DTCM spokesperson said he could not comment on individual cases and reiterated that the decision to give out licences was based on regulations set by the Dubai Municipality. “We give licences and classiﬁcation based on plan-

Dubai’s only guesthouse, La Maison d’hote, has been forced to shut-down.

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ning of the area, so based d on the municipality plans,”” he explained. “We co-ordi- nate with the municipality y who provide us with build-ing usage. Some of them m are working without a legall licence and when we discoverr this we will stop them. I“f a hotel or guesthouse is operating in a residential area we can’t give approval. They (the municipality) will say this area is residential, this area is commercial and this area is for hotels all based on zoning and planning. He added: “They (the owners) have to provide the DTCM with a certificate from the municipality showing they have permission and plus they have to fulfill the DTCM’s criteria. The requirements for the DTCM are laid out in the classification manual that can be found on the DTCM’s website.”

concept would adhere to five-star standards in terms of the quality of beds, fixtures and fittings. “We won’t be stingy regarding the size of the room — it will be around 25m²to 32m²,”he said. P “ lus we’ll have good-sized work stations, good showers and ergonomic chairs.” The target market, he added, was young trendy executives in the 25 to 40 age bracket who wanted to c“ome into the room and plug in their iPods” . Hajjar hoped prices would sit around the US $ 120 per night mark, while other

hotel facilities would include access to a 24-hour gym plus, dining facilities (possibly a well-known brand under franchise) and where appropriate, a swimming pool and meetings facilities. Layia Hospitality is the commercial name of Layia Hotels Management Company, which has plans for three distinct brands across the Layia Hospitality portfolio. They are Layia Hotels, Living Courts and a Day & Night Hotels. Layia Hotels contains three elements: Layia Hotels, Layia Hotels & Suites and Layia Serviced V illas.

Abu Dhabi proves pricey Ab Dhabi has overtaken New York and Abu Paris to become the second most exP ppensive city in the world for business travellers, according to a new report. tr IIn comparison, Dubai dropped out of the top 10 to 16th place, according to the Hogg Robinson Group survey. Moscow remained the most expensive M destination worldwide for a fifth sucde cessive year with visitors expecting to pay $417 for a hotel room. In second place came Abu Dhabi where the average room rate is $349. Manama, the capital of Bahrain, rose to fifth place from 20th the previous year, “reflecting demand outstripping supply in the region”, said the report.

4689

The number of new hotel rooms expected to open in Qatar this year in 41 new hotels Source: Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA)

March 2010 – Arabian Travel News

Cruise Silversea to offer bespoke Dubai cruises High-end cruise operator to operate three voyages from Dubai in the next few months ITINERARIES Luxury cruise specialist Silversea will offer three bespoke voyages from Dubai this spring. Silversea’s all-suite vessel, Silver Whisper, will operate itineraries from the emirate in March and April. The ﬁrst two voyages, which set sail from Dubai on March 30 and April 6, will offer a seven-day ‘Middle Eastern odyssey’ with calls at Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Muscat, Bandar Abbas and

Silversea’s Silver Whisper will offer three sailings from Dubai this spring.

Interactive cooking school at sea SPECIALITY CRUISES Silversea Cruises has joined forces with Relais & Châteaux to introduce L’École des Chefs — a new interactive cooking school to be featured on 11 voyages in 2010. The Relais & Châteaux L’École des Chefs programme offers guests a special culinary curriculum relevant to each cruise itinerary hosted by Silversea executive chef

David Bilsland who is educated in French cuisine. He will present a programme developed in collaboration with Jacques Thorel, the owner of L’Auberge Bretonne and a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux. Highlights include workshops covering a range of topics from basic knife skills and kitchen terminology to cooking demonstrations with wine pairings.

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

guests to select a segment of this voyage by disembarking in Safaga or embarking in Safaga for the remaining six days to end their voyage in Athens, Greece. The Silver Shore Concierge will be on board to help guests arrange their tailormade excursions. Guests choose when and where they wish to dine on board and each suite now beneﬁts from the complimentary services of a professional butler who is available around the clock.

Allure to sail one week early INAUGURAL

Silversea is offering culinary cruises.

L’École des Chefs voyages for 2010. • Africa and Indian Ocean: a 16-day sailing on board Silver Wind from £4448. • Alaska & Paciﬁc Coast: a 12-day sailing on Silver Shadow from £2293. Reduced return economy air from £299 from select UK gateways. • Caribbean, Mexico, Panama Canal: a 17-day sailing on Silver Shadow from £3268; a 15-day sailing from £2908; a 10-day sailing on Silver Spirit £2457. • Far East & South Paciﬁc: an 18-day sailing on Silver Whisper from £3803.

Khasab before disembarking in Dubai. All-inclusive cruise-only fares start at US $7438 with a complimentary air credit of $1000 awarded to each guest. The ﬁnal itinerary will depart Dubai on April 13 for a 15-day cruise to Athens, with visits to Muscat, Safaga, Aqaba and Sharm El Sheikh along the way. All-inclusive cruise-only fares start at $12,158 with a complimentary air credit of $1000 awarded to each guest. There is also the option for

• Mediterranean: a 10-day sailing on Silver Wind from £2788. • Northern Europe: a day-10 sailing on Silver Cloud from £3347. • South America: a 16-day sailing on Silver Whisper from £4273. • Transoceanic: a 15-day transatlantic sailing on Silver Cloud with Silver Savings fares starting at £2643. Fares listed are per person, based on double occupancy for a Vista Suite that include port charges and handling fees.

The inaugural season on Royal Caribbean’s second mega ship, Allure of the Seas, will take place one week earlier than originally planned. The ship’s ﬁrst voyage on sale to the general public will be a seven-night Western Caribbean itinerary, departing on December 5. Guests booked on the original inaugural season sail date, December 12, will be contacted by their travel agent or a Royal Caribbean International representative and given the opportunity to move to the new sail date. Booked guests who wish to take the December 5 sailing

Allure of the Seas is being built.

will be re-accommodated in the same stateroom and category and the cruise price will be the lower of either the price paid or current prices. Prices for the ﬁrst sevennight Western Caribbean cruise start from £774 per person based on the December5 departure. Allure of the Seas shares the title of the world’s largest cruise ship with along with sister ship Oasis of the Seas.

AGENT ALERT A Brilliance of the Seas review A review of the facilities on board Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas, which is now sailing in the Gulf until April, is featured on pages 30-32.

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REGIONAL NEWS

Tools NEWS MIME

Amadeus commissions industry report Study hopes to discover potential for the region to become dominant travel hub RESEARCH GDS provider Amadeus has commissioned a report looking into the potential for the Middle East to become the world’s dominant travel hub. The report, to be conducted by Insights Management Consultancy and h2c Consulting, will cover the GCC and include assessments of the airline, travel agency and hotel sectors. It will span interviews with senior business ﬁgures as well as industry bodies and government ofﬁcials and be launched in Q2. The idea behind the report is to review current and future economic prospects for the region in terms of its positioning as a global travel hub.

PRODUCT UPDATE

Fare Families Amadeus has launched Amadeus Master Pricer Agent Fare Families — a new option within the Master Pricer portfolio that enables travel agents to make it easier for their customers to compare airlines’ fares online. The solution permits a more transparent purchase process for the end consumer. The ofﬂine version of this solution will be made available by the end of 2010.

It will consider the infrastructure and technology requirements as well as the business, social, cultural and environmental impacts, while the role of government, regulators and industry bodies will also be examined closely. The importance of the GCC for worldwide travel will be analysed, particularly in comparison with other emerging hubs such as those in Asia and the potential for growth will also be reviewed against the impact of the recent economic down turn. “Across the region there are so many important players involved [in the travel industry] and many complexities to address that we thought it was important to help draw all the threads

Austrian and Amadeus in full-content agreement

Antoine Medawar: the report will help “draw all the threads together”.

together to enable a clear view to be obtained,” said Amadeus vice president MENA Antoine Medawar. “It is also particularly timely to make this review now in light of the impact

Agent workflow solution pilot PILOT Sabre Travel Network has started piloting a new travel agent workflow solution globally. The solution facilitates simplified agency operations, enabling agents to serve a diverse set of customers while selling and servicing a wide range of travel supplier products. The pilot includes a customer profile system that “intelligently leverages client policies and preferences in the shopping and booking process”, according to Sabre. This workflow solution

operates across global distribution systems enabling larger travel management companies (TMCs) that serve clients on more than one GDS to simplify their operations with a standardised workﬂow across their customer base. Multiple travel agencies in the Americas have already signed up to participate in the pilot and Sabre hope agencies in Europe and other regions, including the Middle East, will join the pilot in the ﬁrst half of 2010 to provide feedback as Sabre prepares for global rollout later this year.

of the economic downturn. It will help us take a fresh look,” he added. He called on any industry representatives willing to make a contribution to the review to get in touch.

Austrian Airlines and Amadeus have signed a longterm full-content agreement that is valid until the end of 2014. As of March 1, Amadeus-enabled travel agencies worldwide will have guaranteed access to the full range of Austrian Airlines fares and inventory with no surcharge.

Travelport’s float flop FINANCE GDS provider Travelport has aborted plans to list on the London Stock Exchange. The firm’s private equity backer, Blackstone, pulled its $3.45 billion flotation — billed as the UK’s biggest IPO for two years — believing the bid was no longer workable after fund managers demanded heavy discounts. “Since we announced our

intention to ﬂoat, there has been signiﬁcantly increased volatility and uncertainty in global equity markets, as a result of macro circumstances unrelated to our business,” explained Travelport CEO Jeff Clarke. In other news, the GDS has launched TravelChat in the Middle East — an online facility for Galileo andWorldspan agents enabling them to contact one another.

Travelport’s FTSE listing was panned after investors asked for discounts.

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March 2010 – Arabian Travel News

NEWS XXXXXXXX

Tourism Boards NEWS IN BRIEF

Early Oz roadshow proves a hit But Aussie travel reps call for more support from Tourism Australia

Jordan hotels Jordan has launched a new hotel classification system that focuses on services rather than facilities. It is split into basic standards, which are mandatory and optional standards. Hotels must meet all basic standards within their star category to ensure the basic needs of their guests regarding safety, hygiene and comfort are met. The optional standards use a points system whereby hotels must obtain a minimum number of points to get the definite star classification.

Asia boom Singapore recorded its ﬁfth consecutive year of increase in tourist arrivals from the Middle East in 2009. The destination welcomed 117,000 visitors from the region, up 2.7% on 2008.

Cyprus show Cyprus Tourism Organisation will host a UAE roadshow from March 27-28 stopping at Dubai Marine Hotel from 11am-1pm on March 27 and at InterContinental Hotel Abu Dhabi from 11am-1pm on March 28.Both will be followed by lunch.

ROADSHOW Several Aussie tourism boards and their travel partners conducted a GCC roadshow last month and claimed staging this mission earlier than normal paid dividends. Roadshow leader, Andrew Oldfield, the former distribution development manager for Tourism Australia (TA) in the GCC, who now represents Queensland in the region, said staging an agent roadshow in February meant the group better engaged the attention of the trade. “There were no distractions from other roadshows taking place,” said Oldfield. He said the trade turnout at all events, which visited Dammam, Jeddah, Riyadh, Kuwait, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai , was “very strong”. Oldfield also staged a consumer show on a Thursday evening in Riyadh’s Kingdom Mall and said the response from the public was “outstanding” with Aussie trade

partners receiving enquiries from "more than three thousand people". One of the key messages reiterated throughout the roadshow was that Gulf nationals can now apply for an Australian visa online and if they ﬁll in all documents correctly, this two-year multientry visa can be turned around within two hours. “This makes a big difference because before, getting visas was an issue,” said

Oldﬁeld. “We now need to get proactive with our PR to make consumers and travel agents aware of what Australia had to offer." Roadshow participants included Tourism Queensland, Gold Coast Tourism, Tourism Victoria, Tourism NSW, luxury resort Hayman Island and DMC Tall Ships. All partners concurred that TA’s decision to shut down its Dubai ofﬁce last year was a bad move.

“The imperative will be for TA to maintain an appropriate overall investment in the Gulf, continuing to activate promotional activities that keeps the proﬁle of the country in the consumer space,” said Gold Coast Tourism Corporate director — international marketing — Gordon Price. “It is then up to us to dovetail into these activities while maintaining strong engagement with our airline and travel agent partners.”

Why sell NSW?

Why sell Queensland?

• Cool climate during the hot Gulf summer • Good range of four- and ﬁvestar apartments and hotels • Enjoyable attractions and tours • Shopping • Exciting nightlife • Family friendly

• Good climate all-year- round with cooler weather June-September • Romantic islands for honeymooners • The Daintree Rainforest in the north • The Great Barrier Reef — for diving • Whitsunday Islands — island hopping • The Gold Coast — shopping • Lots of family attractions and activities • 4WD adventures on Fraser Island (all sand)

Etihad Oz boost Vital statistics: Gold Coast • 16,000 Middle East tourists visited the Gold Coast in the 12 months to September 2009. • This compared to 28,000 the same period the previous year. • Tourism Queensland said H1N1 and the global ﬁnancial crisis were to blame.

Vital statistics: Victoria • Victoria attracts approximately 18,000 visitors from the GCC. • In 2008 there was a 17.4% increase in visitor arrivals from the Gulf with 17,200 visitors. • 2009 ﬁgures are yet to become available.

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

Etihad Airways has secured seven additional weekly flights to Australia.They can be operated to any gateway. A further seven weekly Oldfield: hoping flights have been granted to for Cairns flight Etihad on the condition the services fly via or onto a regional airport in Australia. Tourism Queensland marketing manager GCC Andrew Oldfield said he had asked Etihad to fly to Cairns in North Queensland. “This service would not only benefit the Middle East market but would prove hugely popular with the UK and European markets,” he said.

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REGIONAL NEWS

Luxury NEWS LUXURY

Zuri to focus on the Middle East market Luxury hotel group to promote its India properties during cooler Monsoon season MARKETING Luxury hotel group Zuri Hotels & Resorts has made its intentions clear to target the Middle East travel trade. The Bangalore-based ﬁrm, which boasts a diverse range of properties in India, Africa and the UK, is particularly keen to show the industry what its Southern Indian hotels have to offer. “We will be looking to promote them during the cooler Monsoon period — March to October,” explained Zuri Hotels & Resorts managing director Aditya (Bobby)

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Kamani. “With this in mind, the Middle East is one of our target markets, along with the UK [for the drier October to March period].” Zuri’s Indian portfolio includes The Retreat by Zuri, Goa — suited to family holidays, business meetings, incentives and conferences; the high-end Zuri Kumarakom Resort & Spa, Kerala, catering to luxury FITs, plus The Zuri Varca, White Sands Resort & Casino, Goa. Kamani is also keen to promote the ﬁrm’s property in Kenya — The Diani Reef Beach Resort & Spa in Mom-

Zuri Hotels & Resorts is promoting its Southern Indian properties, which are located in Goa (pictured) and Kerala.

bassa, which he describes as “the jewel in the crown” as far as Zuri’s portfolio is concerned. The resort recently acquired a five-star deluxe classification and is home to Zuri’s Maya Spa brand. This, claims Kamani, is the first of its kind in East Africa,

specialising in Ayurvedic, Oriental and Western therapies. Additional facilities include an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, nightclub, casino and cinema theatres plus eight F&B outlets. Zuri also operates The Liner at Liverpool and The

Zuri Whiteﬁeld, Bengaluru — both business hotels. Kamani said he would be working hard to get Zuri properties brochured in the Middle East. The company will also be attending key trade shows such as ATM, ITB Berlin, WTM and ILTM.

March 2010 – Arabian Travel News

GIBTM

THE MICE TRAP

With GIBTM set to stage its fourth installment in Abu Dhabi, ATN finds out why agents should attend and offers hints and tips on selling MICE he Gulf Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM) has come a long way since its first installment in 2007. Staged at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from March 29-31, the event has grown by 56% since its inception and has built a reputation as the largest gathering of meeting industry professionals in the Gulf, all of whom are intent on networking, exchanging ideas and doing business. Final numbers are yet to be confirmed

The future of MICE GIBTM exhibition director Graeme Barnett: “I am looking to the next 12 months with optimism and excitement. The enthusiasm of governments [across the region] to recognise the increasing economic benefits and potential of business tourism shows no sign of abating. A strong and clear vision, significant investment allied to private enterprise and constantly improving facilities and access for international business travellers have made the region highly competitive in a very short time. After all, it is predicted that 300,000 jobs will be created in the next two years in the hospitality sector alone — 20% within the meetings and events sector. That’s 60,000 meeting professionals. So recruitment and training will continue to be a major influence on performance.”

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

for this year’s event but exhibition director Graeme Barnett said the show would be attended by 300 international hosted buyers while exhibitor content continued to grow. Exhibitor stalwarts coming back for more include the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), the Egyptian Tourist Authority, Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority, Etihad Airways, the Government of Dubai, Oman Ministry of Tourism and Rotana Hotel Management Corporation, while regulars such as Qatar Tourism and Exhibitions Authority and the Jumeirah Group have increased their presence. Recent signings include Visit London, Dragonﬂy Africa, Beijing Tourism Administration, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Indonesia, Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions, Turkey, Cape Winelands District Municipality, Yas Hotels and Tourism Ireland. Other exhibiting companies include the Seoul Tourism Organisation, Meet Taiwan, the Cyprus Tourism Organisation, the Costa del Sol Convention Bureau, Czech Tourism, the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau and Silversea Cruises.

EXHIBITOR OFFERING Visit London head of event solutions and UK sales Zanine Adams said she would be showcasing the new London offerings at GIBTM, with phase two of ExCeL due to open as well as several hotels including Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, The Jumeirah Hotel at Beetham Tower in Blackfriars and the Shard of Glass Shangri-La property.

“We will also be sharing information on London’s luxury Michelin-starred restaurants and shopping venues such as Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges, while highlighting the major business objectives and hospitality offerings for London both preand post-2012 Olympics,” she said. Sean Cullen, director of sales and marketing at the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea, said he would be promoting the property as “a fresh alternative destination for the regional MICE market”, while Robin Mcleod, sales and marketing manager at Dragonﬂy Africa, said he would be extolling the growth potential for ‘concentives’, described as “a combination of conference and incentives, programmes with a corporate social responsibility element and ‘green’ programmes”. All hotels exhibiting told ATN they had experienced strong growth in MICE sales over the past few years and exhibiting at GIBTM ensured they capitalised on further growth potential in this sector. Rotana CEO Selim El Zyr cited Egypt as a key market for expansion: “We are forecasting, or in fact working on, increasing the MICE business within the coming two years to 18%,” he said, citing Sharm El Sheikh as an “emerging conference paradise,” he said. “In Abu Dhabi, the increase will be very signiﬁcant; up to 14%, which is a growth of over 60%, and this is due to the initiatives taken by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority to promote the destination for MICE.” He continued: “Hosting important exhibitions such as GIBTM assists hugely in the

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GIBTM

TIPS TO MAKE MICE WORK TIP 1: Product knowledge is key to be able to effectively sell. We encourage our travel agents to visit the properties, meet with the teams, and experience the service. Christian Pertl, director of sales & marketing, IHG Dubai Festival City TIP 2: It is imperative that travel agents have an in-depth knowledge of the destination to understand the opportunities and value for money that it offers to buyers. They can only really do that by visiting the destination and talking to the tourism bodies and hotels based there. Sean Cullen, director of sales & marketing, Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea TIP 3: Know your client and what their requirements are — are they a young, funky group or perhaps one that is more interested in cultural elements? These factors will influence what destinations appeal to the client. Look for unique selling points in the destinations you are proposing. Robin Mcleod, sales & marketing manager, Dragonfly Africa TIP 4: It is important to be creative with the product you are offering your client and one of the most important elements of this is to promote venues, activities and services that reflect the culture of the destination. As the saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”, and here in Dubai, the emphasis should be on providing a true Arabian experience for the guests. Carl Palmlund, director of sales — groups, Jumeirah Group TIP 5: Explore new and interesting destinations and work closer with the hotels to achieve the best results. Selim El Zyr, CEO, Rotana Hotels & Resorts

Rotana Hotels & Resorts CEO Selim El Zyr.

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Mice incentives for travel agents

The Jumeirah Group offers travel agents the following beneﬁts when booking MICE: • 15% commission on rooms • 10% discount on the master bill (excluding rooms) • 5% commission on food and beverage (Dubai only) • Up to 50% attrition 30 days prior to group arrival • One free room for every 25 rooms that are booked • One free suite for every 50 rooms that are booked Rotana Hotels & Resorts: offers tailormade packages for travel agents and MICE organiser to suit the speciﬁc requirements of their clients. Movenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea: offers fam trips to Jordan and the Dead Sea so agents can experience the product and speak to MICE and F&B specialists.

overall tourism development taking place and plays a major role in nurturing further growth in this sector.” Newcommers such as Cape Winelands District Municipality are looking to the Middle East as a prospective market and attending GIBTM is a way to analyse its potential. “There are various conference venues within the Cape Winelands and the focus it to get the market to recognise the strong MICE features of this destination,”said senior marketing ofﬁcer Bongiwe Nzeku.

WHY SHOULD AGENTS ATTEND? This year GIBTM has run a dedicated campaign to attract agents to the show, informing them of the opportunities to increase business, provide clients with added value services and to remain competitive. “Those that visit GIBTM will ﬁ nd everything that they need to organise and plan their next meeting, conference, incentive trip or event on behalf of their clients,”said Barnett. Additionally, “ professional education features highly with a programme of seminars and workshops presented by international professionals who will debate and tackle key issues and give practical advice.” He said the role of the travel agent had become increasingly important within the MICE sector as clients look to them to book their business travel. “There is also a great opportunity for travel agents to get involved in offering a wider service that could lead to planning and creating events and incentives,”Barnett added.

For more on GIBTM visit www.gibtm.com

New format for the GIBTM education programme For the ﬁrst time, GIBTM’S education programme, which is targeted at associations, corporates and agencies, will be divided into three distinct themes — The Event Planning Day on Monday March 29; The Big Industry Research Day on Tuesday March 30; and the Industry Trends Day on Wednesday March 31. Event Planning Day: will feature four sessions — Graham Keene, CEO, World Events, on implementing CSR policies; Ali Al Saloom, president, Embrace Arabia, will tackle the key cultural considerations when planning events in the Middle East; Adrian Bell, founder, Action Impact, will look at the future of the special events industry.

The day will end with a panel discussion. The Big Industry Research Day: will start with the presentation of the GIBTM/meetme Middle East Trends Report. This will be followed by Sean Mahoney, president, SITE 2010, looking at the current climate for motivational events, who will share insights from the International Site Index and IRF Incentive Industry Trends Outlook. Session three presented by Didier Scaillet, chief development officer, MPI, will highlight key findings from FutureWatch 2010 while the final session will bring the presenters together to discuss how the research findings impact the future of the industry.

March 2010 – Arabian Travel News

REGIONAL NEWS

Q&A News analysis

A taste for

cruising Royal C Caribbean International’s Helen Beck revealed her hopes for the Middle East cruise sector to ATN on board Brilliance of the Seas he inaugural Gulf season of Royal Caribbean International’s (RCI’s) Brilliance of the Seas is now well underway with seven-night sailings operating since January 18 . The cruise line’s investment in this deployment is expected to boost visitor numbers to the Middle East by 2 3,000 ,00 0over the four-month period as Brilliance¸ lianc which is homeported in Dubai, visits Muscat, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain. Mus In this exclusive interview with ATN — the only Middle Eastern publication onboard Brilliance for the ﬁrst sailing — on RCI, RC Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises regional sales director — interC national representatives (IR) — EMEA n Helen Beck says the company has witH nessed signiﬁcant interest in the voyage, n but b hopes changes in cruise visa applications will be implemented soon to garner ti even ev more appeal. ATN: An inaugural sailing always has its chalATN:A lenge what glitches did you encounter? lenges; We di did encounter some issues whereby UAE visa-requiring guests didn’t have the correct visa-r numb of visas, which caused some delays number durin our check-in process. We are working during

closely with the UAE Immigration Authorities and the DTCM to get the issues resolved along with reinforcing our communications to the trade and guests about visa requirements. We did face an issue in Bahrain whereby the taxi drivers there violated the law by not using their metres when taking our guests into town. This issue was swiftly dealt with by the transport and tourism authorities. ATN: What sort of cruise visa would you like to see introduced in the Middle East? There are 3nationalities that don’t need visas to enter the UAE but all others do. The itinerary we have means we have three entries into the UAE, so those guests that require visas have to purchase three single entry visas, which is a process that is facilitated through our ground handlers and port agents. There is a cost and we’re working with the federal government to have them review this requirement. We are also working closely with UAE Immigration and tourism authorities to implement a cruise visa so cruise guests requiring visas are only required to have one visa processed. ATN: The cruise offers a wide-range of excursions; how do you organise these? There is a bidding process where we evalu-

Trying out cruising here in your own backyard is a very cost effective ow way of ‘tasting’ this style of holiday ” wa

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

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REGIONAL NEWS

News analysis

Q&A

ate several operators based on their creativity, the costs and their abilities. For the UAE, our appointed partner is SNTTA Emir Tours, which has actually been our ground handler over the years when we’ve had ships pouring in on those one-off circumstances into Dubai. In Muscat we have appointed a Zhara Tours and in Bahrain, Mathias Tours. We always try to get a good mix of high-energy and less energetic activities. So we’ll offer dune bashing and scuba diving as well as standard city tours and walking guides. ATN: Do you get good rates to pass to guests? Well, we negotiate with ground handlers to ensure we’re competitive. We’re not necessarily the cheapest for our tours and that’s deliberate. For example, we won’t have 55 guests on a 55-seat coach — we’ll have maybe 5 3 guests, so it’s more comfortable. We include lunches sometimes and maybe other operators don’t do. So it could be that at the cruise terminal when some of the guests get off they think they can do the same tour cheaper, but actually this is the difference. ATN: What feedback have you received following the inaugural cruise? From a destination perspective, feedback is very positive for Dubai and Muscat. I was talking with a guest who was very charmed by Muscat. They had had thoroughly enjoyed the walking tour, visiting the ﬁsh market and then the museum where the director (of the museum) introduced himself. It was really very welcoming. I think Muscat will be the jewel of the itinerary to a certain degree. ATN: How do you envisage attracting more GCC residents on board? We have a marketing campaign that we’re

We are working closely with the UAE Immigration and Tourism Authorities to implement a cruise visa ” using around the region called a ‘Gulf Getaway’. The key messages are to offer guests the opportunity of ‘tasting’ a cruise for the first time locally without having to take a long flight; visit the region that you’re living and working in;have your visiting friends and family explore the Gulf as part of their extended visit to see you. We’re pleased to say that the campaign is working since we have guests from around the region sailing with us experiencing cruising for the first time.

Brilliance docks in Dubai for its maiden Gulf season.

About Helen Beck Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises as regional sales director — international representatives (IR) — Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) in September 2000. Since then, Beck has seen the EMEA IR region grow from 11 to 18 countries and oversees the sales, marketing and operational activities within these diverse markets. She has previously held roles with British tour operators, worked in inbound and outbound events, and as international sales manager for Millennium & Copthorne Hotels. Beck is a familiar face to ATN readers, having been ranked the highest placed female in the ATN Power 50 2009.

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ATN: Royal Caribbean claims it will be the leading cruise company in the region — how do you plan to achieve this? We are a truly international cruise line and our sales and marketing operation has been established in the Gulf for more than 15 years. Our ships sail all over the world and we already have a lot of Middle Eastern guests sailing with us in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Alaska and Asia. We have seen a good level of interest backed up by bookings for Brilliance of the Seas from the local and regional Middle Eastern markets, which means that guests here are starting to appreciate the beneﬁts of choosing a cruise holiday. Trying out cruising here in your own backyard is a very cost effective way of ‘tasting’ this style of holiday and because the majority of ﬁrst time cruisers love the experience, they continue choosing cruise holidays.

Cruising competition Royal Caribbean International (RCI) senior vice president Michael Bayley was so impressed at the launch he said: “I wonder why we didn’t come here earlier”. But RCI is not the only cruise company to spot the potential in the Middle East market with Costa launching its maiden Gulf voyage with Costa Lumionsa last December and becoming the ﬁrst company to name a ship — Costa Deliziosa — in Dubai at the end of February. In addition, Silversea will offer three voyages on board its luxury Silver Whisperr in March and Apr April. But Bayley sa said competition issue for RCI, which wasn’t an is was at 100 100% capacity for the ﬁrst sailing. “We’ve bee been marketing bringing this to D Dubai for more than a yea year-and-a-half — we sell aand market cruises in 6 60 different countries around the world and arou we carry approximately four million people fo Bayley: I wonder ev every single year on why we didn’t come oour cruise ships,” here earlier. he said. “We work together as an industry to grow the industry.”

March 2010 – Arabian Travel News

REGIONAL NEWS

Q&A

Q&A CELEBRITY CRUISES

An iconic brand with heart Raffles Hotels & Resorts president John Johnston discusses Paris and Makkah openings and the brand’s growing popularity in the Middle East ATN: How has the Raffles brand been received in the Middle East since the opening of Raffles Dubai? Raffles Dubai has been well received and in its first year of opening, was named ‘Best New Hotel Development’ in the Middle East. It also received awards for ‘Best Chef’ and ‘Best Sommelier’. Travellers in the Middle East also appreciate the spacious suites and the attentive and thoughtful service the hotel offers and they have formed a growing market for other Raffles hotels as a result. We are therefore confident our new hotel in Paris will be well received by guests from this region. ATN: Why was Makkah selected as a location for a Raffles property and what will the property contribute to Makkah’s hotel scene? MENA is an area where we would like to grow our portfolio and being in Makkah offered the opportunity to be part of a destination of great importance, not only to residents in the Middle East but to the global Muslim community. Raffles Makkah Pal-

Johnston: MENA is an area where we would like to grow our portfolio.

The name Raffles is first and foremost associated with a unique sense of service that comes from the heart ” ace is well located, adjacent to the Al Masjid Al Haram. Many suites will have direct views of this and even the Kaaba. ATN:What are your Middle East plans? We have two properties under development in MENA: Raffles Makkah Palace will open this year and Raffles Marrakech will open in 2012. Ultimately we would like to have properties in Oman and Abu Dhabi if the right project came along. ATN: Has the slowdown in the Middle East market a) delayed opening plans and b) disuaded Raffles and its investors from opening more properties in the region? We are satisfied with the development pace of both Raffles Makkah Palace and Raffles Marrakech and we are currently in discussions regarding other projects in the region. ATN: What are your expansion plans for Europe and what is your timeline? Raffles Paris — Le Royal Monceau, will open this year while Raffles Moscow is in early development stage and should open in 2012. ATN: Why did you decide to start your European expansion in France? Having a hotel in Paris is part of our group’s

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

growth strategy to extend our presence in key destinations where there is demand for luxury travel. Paris remains the world’s most visited cities so it is a natural fit for Raffles. ATN:What other locations are planned? We have projects underway in Moscow, Manila, Seychelles, Jakarta and Sanya. ATN: How can you expand without saturating the market with the Raffles brand? Compared to other hotel brands, Raffles is still a relatively small group with 20 properties including those under development. Our hotels and resorts have less than 250 guestrooms, maintaining the private and residential ambience our residents appreciate. We are comfortable with our pace of development. Success in growth for us is about having iconic hotels in sought-after destinations. ATN: How do you think the Raffles brand is perceived globally and is too much focus still on the Raffles Singapore property? The name Raffles is first and foremost associated with a unique sense of service that comes from the heart — heartfelt, anticipatory and a genuine service rather than programmed responses. We have always worked on the premise that a successful hotel is beyond its facilities; it is where you are cared for so well that you will return again and again. ATN: What are your predictions for the luxury travel market in 2010? Affluent travellers will seek increasing customisation such as a personal butler who manages a guest’s entire stay. There is already a trend towards experiential travel where leisure travellers in particular seek opportunities for enrichment so we will see the emergence of more interesting and diverse leisure programmes. Business travellers at the senior management level do not necessarily seek product opulence but rather service that is adapted to their needs.

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Morocco, a place of fun for the entire family.

MOSAIK

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Gulf MICE industry has bright future GIBTM exhibition director Graeme Barnett reminds us: customer is king GIBTM has come a long way since it was launched in 2007. It has established itself as the pivot of the region’s MICE industry as exhibitors continue to recognise the importance the show plays in maintaining, developing and attracting regional and international business. Huge strides have been made by the Middle East to attract meetings, incentives, conferences and events, with Abu Dhabi taking a major role in promoting what the UAE capital has to offer. Having been listed by both the Lonely Planet and Frommers as one of the world’s top 10 destinations, Abu Dhabi has invested substantially

in promoting itself as a business travel and MICE destination, which has impacted positively on how the entire region is now perceived by the meetings industry. With its ‘Advantage Abu Dhabi’ campaign, the emirate has already been chosen as the preferred location by many top events and meetings such as the The World Green Tourism Congress, The World Health Care Congress Middle East, Formula 1 Grand Prix, Abu Dhabi International Triathlon, Red Bull Race, Desert Challenge and Rally Abu Dhabi. Additionally, the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) is stepping up

its overseas promotions in 2010, which is ideal timing as several new hotels start to appear on the skyline. Yas Island alone has seven new hotels vying for the custom of business and leisure travellers. But what of the future of the MICE market in the region? These are certainly challenging and exciting times, but it is vital the industry does not to rest on its laurels. This is the time when customer-focused marketing is essential. The customer is a company’s most treasured and valuable asset. The winners in this challenging economic environment will be those that adapt

The familiar marketing phrase of ‘The Customer is King’ is as relevant and topical as ever ” and recognise that following the recession, customers have a feeling of empowerment and conﬁdence. They are much more aware of marketing and sales approaches and are more likely to demand value added packages as opposed to discounts. They, like businesses, want to see a return on their invest-

ment. The familiar marketing phrase of ‘The Customer is King’ is as relevant and topical as ever. Never has there been a more important time for those within the meetings industry to stick to their customers like glue and treat their customers as their most treasured asset.

When is the best time to get good deals? Cruise Master Middle East director of business development Ashok Kumar Cruise lines consider er many factors when determinrmining the price of a cruise, ise, including the nummber of nights, cabin in type, advance purrchase, seasonality and d demand, and many y offer attractive early y booking fares. Cruise lines do a good ood job in managing theirr revenues. When reservations rvations slow down or large groups cancel, prices drop. When they do, discounted cabins go fast (usually standard interior and ocean view). Generally, during ﬁrst quarter of each year, most cruise lines have a ‘wave’

booking period offering attractive deals such as 2-for-1 fares, free shore excursions and onboard credits. Other considerations to booking early: • Is your client cruising with

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

more tthan two people in the stateroom or with chilsta dren that need to be in an adjoining stateroom? adjo There The are limitations on such su accommodations. • Is the location, type and an size of stateroom important? Mid-ship im location balconies are loc generally the ﬁrst to go. gene Other factors also weigh into the th equation such as easy acc access to elevators. Lastminute cruise promotions leave the location of stateroom to the cruise line’s discretion, based on availability. • While $599 may sound great for an inside stateroom on a seven-night cruise, what if

your clients want to book a balcony or a suite? • July and August sailings are very busy due to school holidays. Also take into account the time required to process visas for the countries visited. • There may be some lastminute bargains on certain cruises but not in the peak season when demand is high. Either you may ﬁnd no space or your clients end up paying more because the early booking deals are sold out. • Make sure your consider whether or not the cruise line’s proposition suits your client’s lifestyle, personal preferences and onboard expectations as not all cruise

lines are alike. Service levels, onboard amenities, common area space, quality of food, type of entertainment and the lifestyles of other passengers onboard vary.

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.

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ArabianTravel News and analysis for Middle East travel agents and tour operators

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NEWS

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Service is not optional Consistency essential to keeping clients loyal

EDITORIAL Contributing Editor Gemma Greenwood email: gemma.greenwood@itp.com Contributors Louise Oakley, Jamie Knights 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, Jovana Obradovic, Rajesh Raghav, Ruel Pableo, Lyubov Galushko PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION Group Production Manager Kyle Smith Deputy Production Manager Mathew Grant 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.

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In today’s fiercely competitive marketplace there is no room for any business or individual to be complacent. With consumers demanding high standards, firms have no choice but to meet their expectations or face being sidelined for a more proficient option. Moreover, offering a consistent product and service is absolutely essential. Let the customer down just once and they’ll be off to your competitor in a shot. The need to provide a consistent service is highlighted in this month’s mystery shopping exercise (see pages 26-27) where Ethos Consultancy tested out the customer service credentials of seven major airlines operating out of Dubai and Abu Dhabi to London. It was interesting to note that both Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways put their money where their mouth is and took first and second place respectively as a result of the service standards they profess to uphold across all areas of the customer experience — from booking to baggage collection. However, the study, which concentrated on the economy-class products and services, still revealed gaps in consistency and quality. Emirates scored top marks (100%) in all but four of the nine categories tested. But the airline fell down on baggage pick-up service, even though the carrier is now operating from a brand new terminal (Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport), as well as check-in, boarding and plane conditions. Interestingly, Etihad also lost points for boarding and plane conditions, but check-in and baggage pick-up scored highly. Where this carrier let itself down was on food and beverage and in-flight service. This is disappointing given that Etihad has recently overhauled these two areas, which could lead you to conclude that there has been a greater emphasis on improving services in first (Diamond) and business (Pearl), rather than in Coral (economy) where the mystery shopping exercise was conducted. If this is the case then a re-think is in order. The majority of any airline’s clients are buying their ticket in the ‘back of the bus’ and it is these customers who will bad mouth you and shop around. There is no room for inconsistency and complacently and moreover, snobbery. A customer is a customer whether they are spending AED 500 or AED 50,000 and standards offered should be consistent, regardless of outlay. But Etihad should be proud of its mystery shopping score compared to Qatar Airways, which despite brandishing the slogan ‘five-star airline’, scored the lowest points in this benchmarking study. The only two areas where the Doha-based carrier scored top marks were for inflight shopping services and the cabin crew farewell — hardly what you would call a well-rounded performance. The moral of this particular story is that consumers will no longer be fooled by big budget marketing campaigns — the proof is in the pudding. There is no point in promising a five-star airline when the service provided is decidedly two star. ATN Editor

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.

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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

March 2010 – Arabian Travel News

REGIONAL NEWS

Skillset Tried and tested

Dukes London BACKGROUND: C Dukes London has been an ope operational hotel for more than 100 years. In 2006 , the boutique property, which is a member of The Leading Small Hotels of the World, became part of the CampbellGray Hotels group. In September of the same year, the hotel’s ownership was taken over by own Seven the company Seve Tides — behind the development of b the four new Movenpick properties in Dubai. THE ARRIVAL: When I mention to the London cabbie I would like to be dropped off at Dukes, he replies:O ‘ h yeah, that’s the one tucked away behind The Ritz — serves great Martinis.’ Well, black-cab drivers, eloquent or not in their delivery of information, know their stuff and his description of Dukes is apt. Located at 35 St James’s Place, just off St James’s Street in Mayfair, close to Piccadilly and on the edge of Green Park, the hotel is indeed, just behind The Ritz. But unlike such grandiose properties, Dukes is discreet, both in its luxury offering and location. The property has its own little cul-de-sac cum courtyard so you feel as if you are arriving at your own grand, yet private, London residence.

THE ACCOMMODATION: Understated luxury epitomises the accommodation offering at Dukes. The rooms are comfortable with quality fixtures, fittings and furnishings and are tastefully decorated. The necessary amenities are available — some would argue a little sparse in the bathroom area — but on the whole sufficient, and a sobering contrast to the over-the-top offerings of some larger properties where you are often bombarded The rooms are tastefully decorated in muted tones.

Dukes London is tucked away in a quiet London side street offering guests a safe haven from the big city.

with a mini feast that for most is unnecessary and quite frankly, wasteful. Instead, there was free Wi-Fi — much more useful to most guests and less damaging on the waistline. There are 0 9 rooms including 11 suites and The Penthouse. Many overlook Green Park.

BOOKING IT: Call Luxury Hotels by Dnata THE F&B: Dukes has one restaurant — The Dining Room — where a la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner is served in intimate and residential surroundings. The hotel’s bar, Dukes Bar, has become a very popular evening hang out with the Mayfair set and reservations are recommended. It’s the perfect place to sip champagne or as the cab driver said, a Martini. There are even Martini master classes on offer where the a‘ pprentice’ can learn how to make a mean mix. Dukes Bar also serves a daily C ‘ hef’s Plate’ at lunchtime. For afternoon tea there’s the Drawing Room or conservatory, plus private meeting/function rooms are available.

FACILITIES: Dukes boasts a Health Club with a gym, Italian marble steam room and a beauty treatment room. Personal trainers are available plus running enthusiasts might like to pound the paths in nearby Green Park. SERVICES:

The Head Concierge, Ian Steiger, will help with all requests, from dinner reservations and theatre tickets to information on car transfers and valet parking. Email iansteiger@ dukeshotel.com PRICES: Advance purchase rates start from 2 £20 (US 3 $44) per night for two people in a Dukes Room. Luxury Hotels by Dnata offers packages from AED 2 600 ($ 18 68) per person

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

including return ﬂights from Dubai to London, three nights in a Dukes Room, breakfast and one complimentary three-course dinner for two guests. Package is valid until March 31 for check-in from Thursday to Sunday.

on 7 9 +1 (0)4 3161 654, email luxuryhotels@ dnata.com or visit www.dnata.com. To contact Dukes directly, email bookings@ dukeshotel.com or call 4 +4 (0)207 318 5 685.

EDITOR’S VERDICT Dukes London suits clients seeking understated luxury in a private, discreet and intimate environment. It’s in a corner of London most are yet to discover, yet close to so many shops, restaurants, galleries and entertainment venues should you require them. It’s easily accessible by road, rail or tube and the right side of London for Heathrow. The service is personal and friendly – I’ve never seen a member of hotel staff run so fast to hail a cab for a guest as one at Dukes did for me. Dukes could almost be a family-run hotel in this sense, yet the luxuries associated with London’s ﬁnest establishments are readily available.

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REGIONAL NEWS

Skillset SKILLSET REVIEW

Airline showdown Emirates narrowly beats off stiff competition from Etihad in customer service benchmarking study Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways have outperformed their rivals British Airways, Air France and Qatar Airways in a service quality benchmarking report. However, the independent study, conducted by customer service consultancy firm Ethos Consultancy, did state that even though the Gulf-based carriers took top slot, the reports into both were “far from perfect”. “Both Emirates and Etihad have performed very well and should be content with their service quality performance during a very busy period,” said Ethos director of marketing Barry Judge. “[However], there is certainly room for improvement and consistency moving forward.” The study judged seven international airlines operating in the Middle East market against a list of service quality criteria that took into account customer satisfaction at all key customer touch points throughout a typical flight experience. These included the flight booking, check-in, baggage drop, boarding, plane conditions, in-flight services such as food and beverage, entertainment and shopping, right through to disembarkation and final baggage claim. With only 0.8% difference between the two UAE airlines, Emirates narrowly beat Etihad taking top slot with an overall score of 92.3%, with Etihad scoring 91.5%. Swiss Air came in third with 86.6%, BA placed fourth with 84.3%, Virgin Atlantic placed fifth with 79.8%, followed by Air France at 72.3% and finally Qatar Airways coming in last with 71.5%.

Emirates Airline

Etihad Airways

SWISS

British Airways

92.3%

91.5%

86.6%

84.3%

Virgin Atlantic

Air France

Qatar Airways

79.8%

72.3%

71.5%

CATEGORY

EMIRATES AIRLINES

ETIHAD AIRWAYS

SWISS AIR

BRITISH AIRWAYS

VIRGIN ATLANTIC

AIR FRANCE

QATAR AIRWAYS

Check-in/Bag drop

80%

100%

63%

89%

85%

75%

55%

Boarding

88%

94%

69%

88%

75%

69%

63%

Plane conditions

94%

78%

100%

94%

50%

61%

83%

In-Flight service - Host/hostess

100%

81%

100%

88%

94%

In-Flight service - Food and beverage

100%

88%

100%

88%

56%

50%

75%

In-Flight service - Entertainment

100%

56%

100%

75%

In-ﬂight service - Shopping

100%

Farewell

100%

50%

100%

Baggage pick up

75%

100%

58%

100%

83%

75%

50%

Overall

100%

38%

88%

90%

60%

92.3%

91.5%

86.6%

84.3%

79.8%

72.3%

71.5%

Overall performance score

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

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REGIONAL NEWS

MYSTERY SHOPPER SKILLSET

Mystery shopper

Airline performance — by category

The results

110% 90%

100% of travellers were greeted warmly when boarding.

100%

were greeted by a ﬂight attendant with a warm nature when boarding

felt completely safe and in good hands

100%

said they would recommend the airline to family and friends

said they were very satisﬁed or satisﬁed with the personal space provided

would ﬂy with their airline again based on the experience

were greeted using their name when handing over their ticket to board

70% 50% 30%

l t ll s e Up ral ing tions ing en es rop ag we t e d p r k r D m s e i v p c e r a O nd Ho /Bev ho ain /Pi Fa ag Bo st/ Co :S ge ert d t n/B o e a I e o n c n k gg :H Fo rvi :E ec Pla vice Ba e: ce Se i c t i Ch r v rv er gh Se Se Fli tS ht Qatar Airways t h g n h i g I li Fl ig Swiss Air l F British Airways F n I In InEmirates Airlines

Virgin Atlantic

Etihad Airways

Air France

Interesting ﬁndings — checkin and bag drop experience Did you check-in online before arriving at the airport?

experienced delays on departure

How long did you have to wait in line for the checkin-in and/or bag drop experience at the airport?

The criteria

About Ethos Consultancy

The study judged airlines during one of the busiest and most competitive periods — December and January. Criteria for inclusion included departure and return from either Dubai or Abu Dhabi in economy class with the flight being no shorter than six hours. A total of 14 flight experiences were measured with all of the flights taking place during the 2009/2010 Christmas and New Year period.

Ethos Consultancy specialises in delivering customer service solutions across the Middle East. The company has developed a range of customer service orientated products and solutions to help clients achieve a sustainable competitive advantage in the ﬁeld of service quality. Visit www.ethos.ae

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March 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: Hilton has re-launched its meetings offering.

• Hilton’s meetings offer: Hilton Worldwide has re-launched its ‘1 in 5’ meetings promotion where one in ﬁve and up to 20 attendees go free at meetings held in 2010 at selected properties throughout the UK, Europe, the Middle East and across several brands — Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, Hilton, Doubletree by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton by Hilton hotels.

• Armani open for reservations: Armani Hotel Dubai has started taking bookings ahead of its official opening on March 18. Room categories available at the 160-room property include 24 Armani Studios, 44 Armani Classic rooms, 38 Armani Premiere rooms, 36 Armani Suites, six Armani Executive and six Armani Ambassador Suites, and five Armani Signature Suites. The hotel will also feature eight restaurants, the region’s first and only Armani/Privé club, the world’s first in-hotel Armani/SPA, plus Armani/Dolci a chocolate and sweets store, the Armani/ Fiori flower shop and accessories outlet Armani/Galleria.

• ‘Dining in the Dark’ in Oman: Six Senses Hideaway Zighy Bay in Oman has introduced a ‘Dining in the Dark’ experience at the resort’s Vinotheque wine cellar restaurant, described as a “uniquely overwhelming culinary experience” by Six Senses bosses. By removing sight, diners are forced to rely on taste, they say.

WHAT’S COMING SOON:

A bedroom at Jumeirah Bangkok.

Dining in the Dark at Zighy Bay.

• Hotel classiﬁcation: The Dubai Department of Commerce and Tourism Marketing has said it will reveal the new Dubai hotel classiﬁcation system soon. The system, which is said to introduce several new leisure-based categories, has already been postponed twice.

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

IN TRANSIT:

Qatar Airways has announced ﬂight launch dates.

• Qatar Airways launch dates: Qatar Airways has unveiled the launch dates of four new routes. The four times weekly Copenhagen service will launch March 30; the four times weekly Ankara operation will start on April 5; the daily Tokyo via Osaka service will commence April 26; and the Barcelona service will start June 7. • Etihad heads to Japan: Etihad now flies four times weekly to Nagoya, Japan, via Beijing. The frequency will increase to five flights weekly on March 29. The route is served by an Airbus A330. Etihad will also launch Tokyo services on March 27. The airline will offer codeshare services with Japan’s ANA.

• Jumeirah heads to Bangkok: The Jumeirah Group has been appointed by Country Group (Thailand) to manage a luxury hotel in Bangkok. The 305-room, ﬁve-star Jumeirah Bangkok will be located on the Chao Phraya River, close to the Sathorn Bridge and Bangkok’s Central Business District and is scheduled to open in 2014.

• ‘Boarding Card Delights’ from Jet: Jet Airways’ has launched the ‘Boarding Card Delights’ programme, offering passengers travelling with Jet Airways, Jet Airways Konnect and JetLite discounts across ﬁve categories: retail, hotels, restaurants, lifestyle and car rental. To qualify, passengers need to present their boarding cards to participating partners along with photo id. The offer lasts until April 30. • Qatar’s Asian expansion: Qatar Airways has revealed plans to expand its operations in South East Asia and has already upped frequencies to KL to 11 weekly and to Bali (via Singapore) to daily. The airline’s Jakarta service has been de-linked from Singapore and now runs direct while the Doha-Singapore-Bali route is served by a new Boeing 777 aircraft. Daily services to Tokyo will also be launched this year. Etihad has launched services to Japan.

• Branson’s Caribbean submarine: Richard Branson has launched a new underwater experience in the Caribbean under his Virgin Limited Edition brand. He has unveiled Necker Nymps — a deep-ﬂight three-person aero submarine that has been likened to an underwater aircraft and is the ﬁrst of its kind to hit the market.

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REGIONAL NEWS

Skillset News analysis

Show time

Sports fans

The cruise ship’s Paciﬁca Theatre has a capacity for 900 and offers two performances each night to accommodate everyone on board.

There is a half-basketball court, a nine-hole miniature golf course and a golf simulator for the more active guests or those looking to try something new. For less adventurous passengers, other leisure facilities include a cinema, self-levelling pool tables and the Shops of Centrum.

After hours The Casino Royale is closed while Brilliance of the Seas is docked at the various Gulf ports but opens once out at sea.

On board

Brilliance ATN reports from Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas on its inaugural Gulf voyage, providing an exclusive insight into its services and amenities

Work out Most of the treadmills in the spacious, horse-shoe shaped gym have ocean views. There is a full range of CV and resistance equipment, as well as an aerobics area in the centre, which offers a range of classes.

Sun and shade Brilliance of the Seas features The Solarium with a retractable roof, pool and whirlpools.

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

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REGIONAL NEWS

News analysis

Brilliance review

High climber Classes are offered at the rock climbing wall on the top deck, which is 150ft above the ocean.

Sun and swim There are three pools and three whirlpools in total, with sun loungers on all outside decks, ﬁlled with guests every day.

Spa retreat The Day Spa and ﬁtness centre offers: hair salon; manicure, pedicure and facials; separate male and female changing facilities with access to sauna and steam areas; 12 treatment rooms; a rasul suite; and a full thermal suite. Signature treatments from Elemis and Ionithermie offered.

Run for it Six laps of the running track is equivalent to one mile.

Dining delights

Brilliance by the numbers

The main dining room is called Minstrel and it has capacity for 1226 with two sittings each evening. The dress code ranges from smart casual to formal (black tie). There is also buffet restaurant Windjammer Café for casual dining and seating on deck, Seaview Café, Chops Grille Steakhouse and Portoﬁno. Guests can also try the Latte’tudes coffee shop and a variety of other bars and cafes including Schooner Bar (pictured), Lobby Bar, Champagne Bar and Sky Bar.

Length: 962ft Width: 106 ft Decks: 12 Elevators: 9 Capacity: 2501 guests Crew: 848 Staterooms: 1055 Wheelchair accessible staterooms: 15

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March 2010 – Arabian Travel News

REGIONAL NEWS

Brilliance review

DID YOU KNOW?

EXCURSIONS INCLUDE:

Guests on board Brilliance of the Seas will consume 18,450 fresh eggs each week!

• Dubai: Sea plane tour; golf at the Els Club; dune drives • Muscat: Snorkelling trip and 4WD wadi experience; • Fujairah: Desert and wadi safari and snorkel at Sandy Beach • Abu Dhabi: city tour; high tea at Emirates Palace; Al Ain tour • Bahrain: BIC tour and Bahrain black gold and camel tour • Dubai (return stopover): Atlantis Aquaventure; dhow dinner cruise; Sharjah tours

The family-friendly Adventure Ocean Youth Programme.

TOP 10 SELLING TIPS 1 Talk cruise at every opportunity — it costs nothing to ask the question ‘have you considered a cruise holiday?’ 2 Position the cruise as an excellent way to visit the Gulf and destinations that the customer may not yet have visited 3 Find out if the customer has friends and family visiting who would also enjoy visiting where their host lives and works 4 Quote prices to upgrade to an ocean view, balcony stateroom or suite by breaking down the upgrade cost per person per day 5 Flag up the Adventure Ocean Youth Programme designed for children aged from six months to 17 years 6 Talk about the state-of-the-art Day Spa and Fitness Centre offering health and ﬁtness classes and a range of treatments 7 Highlight the Gold Anchor Service — our personal, friendly services that ensure your guests come back again and again 8 Mention dining options 9 Talk about the host of onboard activities including the rockclimbing wall, indoor/outdoor country club with golf simulator, sports court, self-levelling billiards tables and more 10 Stress entertainment such as West-End style shows and musical performances Source: Tips provided by RCI, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises regional sales director — international representatives — EMEA Helen Beck

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

There are 1055 staterooms on Brilliance of the Seas.

PRICES

RCI GUEST PROFILE Royal Caribbean cruises appeal to couples and singles in their 30s to 50s, as well as families. According to RCI, the median guest age is low-40s, although it is lower on threeand four-night cruises and higher on cruises of 10 days or more. Cruise guests typically have an appetite for new experiences and activities, a desire to connect with other people and they seek quality holidays at the best value. About 75% of Royal Caribbean’s guests have cruised before.

Prices differ according to sailing date and stateroom category. However, RCI provides the following guidelines: • The starting rate for two guests booking a balcony stateroom would be approximately US $220 per person per day or $1540 per person for a sevennight cruise including accommodation, food, entertainment and onboard hosted activities. Beverages, spa treatments and shore excursions are excluded. • The Royal Suite is Brilliance’s most expensive and luxurious stateroom measuring 1001ft² with approx 215ft² of balcony space. It has a separate bedroom with private balcony, whirlpool bath, double steam shower, living room with queen-size sofa bed, baby grand piano, dining table, entertainment centre and concierge service and more. Rates start from $1250 per person per day or $8750 per person for a seven-night cruise.

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How to sell Ireland News analysis

Ireland hopping Ireland is becoming a popular stopover holiday location for Western ex-pats heading home for the summer.

ATN’s Louise Birchall visits the Emerald Isle to discover why ex-pats are visiting Ireland as a stepping stone between the Middle East and home x-pats living in the Gulf are increasingly opting to tag a seven- to 10-day holiday in Ireland onto their visit home, according to Tourism Ireland. One of the main reasons, it believes, is that cash-strapped travellers want to ﬁnd cost-effective ways to take a short holiday either before or after visiting friends and family in their home country. Ireland’s convenient location and affordability make it a popular stepping stone to most European countries. So, it is time for agents to start pitching two holidays in one. The busiest outbound months from the Middle East to Ireland are between mid-June and September as many ﬂee the region’s soaring temperatures. And Ireland couldn’t offer a more refreshing contrast to the desert heat.

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

Aptly dubbed the E ‘ merald Isle’, the island is awash with green ﬁelds, rolling hills and more hedgerows than anywhere else in Europe, according to Blue Badge Ireland tour guide Barbara Cornett. Full of local knowledge, o Nrthern Irelandborn Cornett lives up to the company’s motto b ‘ ook a guide, not a guide book’. During the short drive from Belfast International Airport to Belfast city centre, she shares that the average number of wet days in Ireland ranges from 150 a year along the east and south-east coasts to 225 in parts of the west. Cornett also lets slip that she’s a member of her county’s R ‘ oundabout Appreciation Society’!Certainly a character, she is a good example of another of Ireland’s traits; its friendly and hospitable people. In Belfast city centre, the new glass-domed iVctoria Square shopping centre signiﬁ es a

new era for o Nrthern Ireland, recovering from its troubled past, explains Cornett as we pull up to The Merchant Hotel nearby; a grade A’ ‘ list building and converted bank surrounded by historic grandeur and featuring warm colours and ambient lighting. Those expecting spacious rooms, as often found in Middle East hotels, may be in for a shock as — like most accommodation in Ireland — The Merchant Hotel’s 21 bedrooms and ﬁve suites are on the small side, but contain custom-made furniture and antiques. However, the hotel combines charm and modern must-haves such as high-speed wireless internet and ﬂat-screen TV s. A traditional Irish breakfast in The Great Room Restaurant will set guests up for a day on the road along the stunning Causeway coastal route. Encourage clients to get the most out of their stay by hiring a car.

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REGIONAL NEWS

News analysis Ireland

Ireland

Daring travellers may wish to stop to cross Carrick-a-Rede; a narrow, swaying rope bridge suspended 24 metres above the sea ”

HOW TO SELL WHO TO SELL TO: Ex-pats on their way home or Arab nationals with families HOW TO GET THERE: British Airways www.britishairways.com Operates daily ﬂights from Dubai to Belfast and Dublin via London Etihad Airways www.etihadairways.com Operates daily ﬂights from Abu Dhabi to Dublin WHERE TO STAY: • Cromleach Lodge Country House Hotel & Spa: www. cromleach.com • Belle Isle Castle: www. belleislecastle.com • Rathmullan House: www. rathmullanhous.com • The Merchant Hotel: www. themerchanthotel.com • Harvey’s Point: www. harveyspoint.com TOUR OPERATORS: Ronan Ganter: www.ganters.ie Barbara Cornett: www. bluebadgeireland.com ACTIVITIES: • Sightseeing/culture • Golf • Fishing • Walking/hiking • Spa • Dining out GETTING AROUND: Thrifty Car Rental Ireland: www. thrifty.ie Europcar: www.europcar.ie

Hexagonal basalt columns form Giant’s Causeway.

Many of the international ﬁrms operating in Ireland offer generous commission for travel agents. The coastal road veers through historic Carrickfergus and the quaint towns of Cushendun and Cushendull. On the way, daring travellers may wish to stop to cross Carricka-Rede; a narrow, swaying rope bridge suspended 24 metres above the sea. Also a must-visit along this route is the award-winning Bushmills Inn Hotel (www. bushmillsinn.com), where guests can relax in front of an open ﬁre with a glass of hot Bushmills Irish Whiskey, honey and lemon.

SIGHTSEEING A short drive away is UNESCO World Heritage Site Giant’s Causeway; recognised as one of the natural wonders of the world.

It comprises thousands of hexagonallyshaped basalt columns reaching up to 160 metres high and formed 60 million years ago from volcanic lava. From here, Rathmullan House, located beside the sea, provides a peaceful retreat and as a member of Good Food Ireland, guarantees a hearty meal with fruit, herbs and vegetables handpicked from its adjoining organic garden. The country house offers large loft rooms that are ideal for families. Add Donegal to the itinerary if clients are happy to make the two-hour drive south to visit Donegal Castle, before heading to Slieve League approximately one hour away. Travellers should watch out for road signs changing from miles per hour (MPH) to kilometres per hour (KMPH) as they cross from Northern Ireland — part of the UK — to the Republic of Ireland. Similarly the currency in the north is Great British Pounds, while the republic operates in Euros. The view from Slieve League Cliffs overlooking the craggy coastline is worth the 30-minute uphill trek; however, travellers can also access a half-way point by car. On the way down, stop off at the family-run

The cosy Bushmills Inn Hotel is located in an old Coaching Inn and Mill House.

AGENT INCENTIVES Tourism Ireland rewards agents who complete the Shamrock Agents online training initiative with goody bags and the chance to win a trip to Ireland. Tel: +971 (0)4 316 6170; email: info@tourismireland.ae

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March 2010 – Arabian Travel News

REGIONAL NEWS

Ireland

Slieve League Cultural Centre (www.sliabhleague.com) for a bowl of delicious, homemade soup. Owner and historian Paddy Clarke set up the information centre and cafe with his wife, who’s a chef, ﬁve years ago. Clarke also offers walking tours packed with interesting tales about the region. If clients really want to get into the spirit of Ireland, book a Bodhrán (traditional Irish drum) lesson at nearby Oideas Gael (www. oideas-gael.com), a centre that provides a range of Irish language courses and cultural activities. The class offers a fun way to pass a couple of hours and the Irish music is bound to put your clients in the mood for an entertaining evening. Speaking of such, Harvey’s Point hote,l located six kilometres from Donegal town on the shores of Lough Eske, hosts a fantastic cabaret night every Wednesday with a line-up of talented local performers from ﬁddlers to opera singers. Clients will love the spacious rooms looking out over the lough and the en-suite bathrooms, which offer the unusual option to play an Elton John soundtrack while relaxing in the large Jacuzzi bath.

ACCESSIBLE ITINERARY One of Ireland’s selling points is the accessibility and variety of its towns, enabling travellers to get the most out of their stay whatever its length. For culture-hungry expats, just a few hours’ drive from Donegal, Sligo is the birthplace of famous, 20th Century poet William Butler Yeats. The picturesque scenery surrounding the town was an inspiration for many of Yeats’s poems. Today, travellers can while away the hours visiting the Yeats Centre, Yeats’ grave and do Ireland’s many golf courses offer stunning views.

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

Encourage clients to get the most out of their stay by hiring a car; many of the international ﬁrms operating in Ireland offer generous commission ” a spot of shopping on the town’s quaint high street. Look out for Kate’s Kitchen Foodhall, a member of Good Food Ireland, the family-run shop sells scrumptious chutneys and organic goodies, which make ideal souvenirs to take home for the family. A short drive from Sligo is Cromleach Lodge Country House Hotel and Spa. The homely hotel has 57 rooms, 48 of which have been recently added. The new rooms are designed in three-bedroom suites linked to the hotel by fully-enclosed walkways. The unique design ensures complete privacy for guests, with some suites situated up to 300 kilometres away from the main hotel; perfect for Arab nationals, who particularly value privacy and, according to Tourism Ireland, are also increasingly choosing to holiday in Ireland. Similarly, Belle Isle Castle, set among a landscape of rolling hills is a good option for Arab nationals, who often travel to Ireland in large groups and book a longer stay. The 17th

Century Castle features eight bedrooms and can sleep up to 14 people. Several excellent golf courses can be found within easy reach of the castle, including Strandhill Golf Club (www.strandhillgc.com), offering scenic surroundings, a restaurant and bar, and fully-equipped golf shop.

SELLING SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE During ATN’s short trip to Ireland, it became apparent that the country’s varied accommodation and activities offer something for expats and Arab nationals alike. The new Irish Embassy - scheduled to formally open in Abu Dhabi in March – is expected to further boost the number of visitors to Ireland from the Middle East. Furthermore, Etihad Airways already flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Dublin and plans to increase the number of flights by the end of March, says Tourism Ireland GCC market manager Aiveen Ryan. In response to this increased demand, Tourism Ireland is focused on providing more travel-agent training through The Shamrock Club, a dedicated training centre launched last year. “Agents across the region are encouraged to complete three sets of modules about Ireland uploaded through the website. Upon completion, the agents will receive a certificate declaring them as official Shamrock Agents and a gift pack from Tourism Ireland GCC,” explains Ryan. “Last year, around 154 travel agents registered to become Shamrock Agents and the top eight who completed the training were awarded with an all-expenses paid educational trip to Ireland in September.” This year Tourism Ireland is planning a similar initiative for travel agents, which could be your chance to see what all the fuss is about. Ireland boasts many loughs and inland lakes.

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REGIONAL NEWS

Agent action MIME NEWS

New recruit ATN speaks to new Business Travel Show Middle East exhibition director, Paul Grinnall, about his new role ATN: What was your previous role? I’ve always been involved in the media industry and have worked in many Middle Eastern countries. I’ve been living in the Middle East for ﬁve years and thrived on all the challenges this region has to offer. I have held various senior management positions and worked with many of the region’s major corporations and governments, all of which makes me very comfortable with my new surroundings. ATN: What attracted you to this role? Honestly? Working with [Centaur Exhibitions B2B director] Mike Sherrard again. We worked for the same company many years ago organising a number of shows — it was a great time and hard work, which made for a very rewarding workplace and an enduring

friendship. I would also add, at the risk of being obvious, that the Middle East really needs to get out there and do business now. The world is no longer coming to us. The best way to do that is get out of the office and see your customers and finding the most efficient and economic way to do that is what this show’s all about. ATN: What is your exhibition background? I have organised live events internationally such as the world’s largest coin operated amusement and casino shows; the largest attractions exhibition in Europe and visitor attractions shows with the British and English tourism boards. Locally I organised STTIM, the Worldwide Property Show (WPS), Rental & Resale Show (R&R), Middle East and Asia leadership Forum (MEALF), Asian CEO Leadership Forum

The outlook is positive because there is clearly a need for this event in this marketplace ” (ACLF), Jeddah Economic Forum (JEF) and Turbo & Adrenaline Sports LIVE amongst others. ATN: What are the prospects for this year’s show? The outlook is positive because there is clearly a need for this event in this marketplace. It has worked very well in the past and we know that when times are tough, it is important for businesses to continue to travel to meet their colleagues and customers. Companies will continue to manage travel spend and

the show will remain an important place for them to go to see the leading suppliers and to stay in-the-know about this industry. ATN: What do you hope to achieve in this new role? I want to stage a successful, well attended and valuable exhibition with representa-

Business Travel Show Middle East will take place from October 25-26 at Madinat Jumeirah. For more details see page 4.

tives from leading suppliers, niche service providers and SMEs that will drive the economy of the region and can grow with the increasing success of BTS ME. However, I also want to keep the intimacy of a boutique event has and engage the suppliers and buyers with a show Advisory Board, which would allow the industry to really contribute to its own event and future. ATN: What are the biggest challenges you will face? There is still economic uncertainty making it easier for companies not to spend money. But apathetic companies will fall behind theircompetitors making recovery much harder. This is the biggest challenge. There’s only one solution — to get out into the marketplace, see clients in their ofﬁces and meet customers face-to-face to do business.

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BONUS FOR BOMMER BOMME

A CORPORATE ROLE

Afghanistani carrier Saﬁ Airways has appointed Thomas Bommer as director of sales and marketing for its Afghan Afghanistan, UAE and overseas markets. Bommer boasts 33 years’ experien experience in the aviation bus business including roles with SSwiss Intern International Airiln Airilnes.

Muscat-based carrier Oman Air has appointed Philippe Georgiou as chief ofﬁcer — corporate affairs. He is responsible for marketing, corporate communications and media, customer relations, emergency response, government relations and legal affairs.

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

He will also be the ofﬁcial spokesperson for the airline.

ETIHAD’S QATAR ATAR MAN Etihad Airwayss has appointed Ahmed Thani Salim Mousa Al Halyan as its ts country manager for Qatar, based in Doha. He has as worked in the airline industry ndustry for almost 10 years, most recently as commerciall

manager for Emirates Airline and prior to that, with Dubai Customs. Etihad Airways operates four ﬂights daily between Abu Dhabi and Doha.

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REGIONAL NEWS

Agent action

Costa Deliziosa gets inaugurated in Dubai The Costa Cruises’ vessel was the ﬁrst cruise ship to be named and launched in any Arab city and VIPS from the cruise line and the UAE travel trade gathered to mark the occasion VIPs gathered for the ina

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ATN’s travel agent of the month Al Reyami Travel & Tourism’s Rashmeeth Kalathil Star agent: Rashmeeth Kalathil Position: products and contracts executive Nationality: Indian Time in travel industry: 7 months Time at Al Reyami Travel & Tourism: 7 months Ambition: To be a leader in the travel industry Nominated by: The Travel Collection owner Jacqueline Campbell Campbell says: Rashmeeth successfully completed the Silversea Academy online training course and was acknowledged by Silversea for his extra efforts and enthusiasm to learn more and educate himself

Arabian Travel News – March 2010

ATN: Why is it important for agents to complete training courses? It allows us to work at our own pace from our desktops, gives us complete insight into a particular product and keeps us up to date. ATN:Why does cruise sell well? No other vacation offers such variety. Being on board a ﬂoating hotel is a unique experience and most cruises offer superb sports and entertainment facilities, outstanding restaurants and the excitement of exploring various ports of call.

ATN:Whattdoes does it meanto mean to you to be nominated ATN’s N agent of the he month? It’s an honour nour to be associated d with ATN — a leading magazine with a signiﬁ gniﬁcant role in covering overing a wide range e of travel industry interests. nterests.

Rashmeeth Kalathi: cruises offer vacations like no other.

About ATN’s Travel Agent of the Month ATN:What is your favourite destination/itinerary to sell and why? It would be the Vancouver to Seward cruise because during this sailing, two shores can be viewed each side of the ship, which is a sight itself. Big ships cannot reach such destinations but [smaller] Silversea ships can.

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.

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