May 2010 Issue 5 Vol. 5
An ITP Business Publication
HOW THE MIDDLE EAST TRAVEL TRADE TACKLED THE VOLCANO CLOUD CRISIS
THE FUTURE FOR TRAVEL What’s in store for the travel industry in the Middle East?
ARABIAN TRAVEL MARKET Top exhibitors, show highlights and what’s new at this year’s event Licensed by Dubai Media City
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Contents News 03 News Travel trade counts costs of flight ban; UAE must coordinate tourism promotion; Agencies respond to mystery shopper.
04 News analysis Volcano crisis: how did the travel trade tackle the chaos brought about by the Icelandic ash cloud? .
09 Cruise Cruise lines caught up in volcano chaos, Brilliance of the Seas reports a successful first season.
10 Tools Agents to connect up online with a brand new networking site.
12 Airlines Gulf carriers lose millions over the ash cloud disruption.
14 Tourism Boards German roadshow in the Gulf, Visit Britain to host mega event.
15 MICE Recession has a silver lining, survey reveals business slowdown.
Arabian Travel Market
49
04 Analysis
Skillset
24 Road to Recovery?
38 Mystery shopper
What is the future for Middle East travel? ATN speaks to Euromonitor about what’s in store for the sector.
The ‘Big Mystery Shopper Survey’.
16 ATM guide Our guide to the seminars, show highlights and what’s new in 2010.
19 Top exhibitor pick A round up of the top exhibitors not to miss at this year’s ATM.
56
How to sell 37 Bridging the Gulf
Interview 30 Travel by Kanoo
We look at the various cruise lines offering Gulf cruises this winter.
We chat to the outspoken head of Kanoo Travel, Mishal Kanoo.
42 Capital attractions Abu Dhabi has bold ambitions to develop as a tourism destination.
24
49 The hills are alive We find out why visitors from the Gulf continue to flock to Austria.
Q&A 47 John Felix John Felix, from Emirates Holidays predicts a busy summer season.
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Training
Meet the agent
53 Sharjah tour guides
56 Mohammed Al Rais
The first tour guides receive official licenses in Sharjah.
We meet the deputy managing director of Al Rais Travel.
May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
01
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News
News
Travel trade counts cost of flight ban Six-day airspace shut down due to volcanic eruption brings major revenue loss ASH CLOUD Travel agents and tour operators in the region are counting the cost of the six-day shut down of European airspace due to the erupting volcano in Iceland last month. While IATA estimates that airlines globally suffered a loss of US$1.7 billion due to the crisis, the travel trade also took a major financial hit as passengers cancelled trips and held off from making bookings due to the uncertainty surrounding the situation. Hans Haensel, divisional senior vice president, Destination & Leisure Management, Emirates Holidays estimated that Emirates Holidays lost around AED 7 million in revenue. “We are losing revenue every day,” he told ATN during the crisis. “This time of the year is not a major travel season so we
Emirates Airlines planes sit grounded at Dubai Airport during the ash cloud travel crisis
have had a little bit of luck, but my estimate is that if we have a full week of flight cancellations we will reach AED 7 million in lost revenue.” Haensel described the situation as “the worst scenario I think the aviation industry has faced so far, its far beyond what we faced at 9/11. I’m
over 40 years in this business and I have never seen anything like it.” Travel agents said bookings to the UK and Europe came to a standstill during the flight ban. Sunny Augustine, executive director, White Sands Tours and Travel estimated that White Sands
had lost “approximately AED 25,0000” in revenue. He added that his fear now was that consumers would think twice about travelling in the coming months following the travel chaos. “Lots of business and leisure travellers are presently trying to postpone or even
stop planning for the next few months from travelling to Europe due to the situation,” he said. Al Rais Travel reported that most people that cancelled trips have now rebooked. “We had losses over these days but as most people postponed to a later date the consequences are less for us than an airline company,” said Mohamed Al Rais, deputy managing director, Al Rais Travel. Leo Fewtrell, general manager of DTTAG pointed out that while it was “impossible to say how much will be lost by tour operators and agents”, other sectors of the industry were able to cash in. “Many hotels here are having a bonanza with passengers stranded and accommodation secured by the airlines. As they say, what’s bad news for one can often be a boon for another party.”
Sheikh Sultan: UAE must coordinate tourism promotion PROMOTION Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has called for greater cooperation between the emirates in promoting themselves as one destination. He told ATN in an interview: “At the end of the day we are the United Arab Emirates. So it would be logical to coordinate. We have these models around the world. Australia, promotes itself with Tourism Australia, also the UK. There is some specific marketing and promotional activities where you need to coordi-
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Turn to p. 44 for the full interview with Sheikh Sultan
nate on the federal level.” Until recently the emirates have embarked on very separate tourism marketing campaigns, with the result being that many visitors don’t even realise Abu Dhabi and Dubai are part of the UAE. This may be about to change however with the recently formed ‘Tourism and Antiquity Council for the UAE’. “This [council] is to coordinate our marketing and promotional activities in the UAE and issues related to heritage,” explained Sheikh Sultan. “I think this is a way to address these challenges and I think it’s a great thing.” He
said that as the body was still brand new there was no strategy as yet on what direction it would take in terms of UAE promotion. “I don’t have the details. I know that they have only just created it – they have started last autumn. I’m not sure what the next plans are, I think we don’t want to raise expectations as it’s a newly created entity. But we know that this move is needed since a long time ago and we are moving in the right direction – but this is coming and everyone is working on this. To promote the whole UAE as one entity there is clear benefit for all emirates.”
May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
03
REGIONAL NEWS
News analysis
ADTA gives city tours to stranded tourists
Industry tackles The Eyjafjallajökul volcano in Iceland spews a cloud of volcano dust over European skies closing airspace for six days
Abu Dhabi Tourim Authority (ADTA) was able to give its new ‘stop-over’ programme for passengers transiting through Abu Dhabi airport an unexpected trial run due to the ash cloud situation. The authority sprang into action and treated some of the 2,500 travellers stranded in Abu Dhabi to cut-price and complimentary tours of the emirate’s top attractions. ADTA laid on buses to take 200 travellers staying at Yas Island on tours of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque and Al Ain Wildlife Park. Travellers were also offered discounted Big Bus and helicopter tours, kayaking tours through the mangroves and reduced green fees at four of the capital’s golf courses, as well as free information packs on Abu Dhabi including fridge magnets and postcards. “We are currently working with partners on creating stop-over programmes for the very healthy numbers of passengers transiting Abu Dhabi International Airport,” said Ahmed Hussein, deputy director general, ADTA. “This has been an unexpected trial-run but the response has been highly encouraging and demonstrates the potential.” The reaction from travellers was positive. One tourist even described the situation as a “blessing in disguise” as it gave him the chance to get to know Abu Dhabi. “I have never been here before and the visit to the mosque has encouraged me to reconsider another visit, more at my leisure, as it is obvious there is plenty to see and enjoy,” he said. ADTA said it expects to see an increase in return visitors to Abu Dhabi on the back of their recent experience. “This has been a significant blow to the airline industry so it would not be appropriate to term it as positive for the local industry,” said Barbara Saunders, senior communication adviser, ADTA. “We have simply taken the chance to demonstrate our destination’s hospitality and some of its attractions.”
04
Arabian Travel News – May 2010
How did the Middle East travel industry cope with what’s been called the “worst travel disruption the world has ever seen”? ust when the travel industry was busily anticipating a bright and busy summer ahead it was stopped dead in its tracks last month when the eruption from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland brought Europe’s most important airports and air traffic to a standstill for six days. The volcanic ash cloud caused thousands of flight cancellations and more than 7 million passengers to be stranded worldwide. One travel agent described the situation as the “worst travel disruption the world has ever seen”. As well as having to cancel and re-book holidays for those unable to travel, agents and operators were suddenly faced with the nightmare situation of hundreds of passengers stuck in Europe with no way of getting home and no idea when they might be able to get on a flight.
Airlink International UAE had 100 passengers in Europe when the volcano erupted. Candida Fitzsimmons, supervisor, Leisure Travel said the agency worked around the clock to book stranded passengers into hotel accomodation and onto the first available flight. “This is the worst travel disruption the world has ever seen. The biggest challenge for everyone in the industry is trying to accommodate stranded passengers in their current destination, rebook flights or find alternate routes,” she said. Mohamed Al Rais, deputy managing director, Al Rais Travel said his staff were in “direct contact with all passengers to rebook another flight.” He said staff had been busy fielding calls from customers, “cancelling flights, extending hotels, or postponing trips.” Many customers also requested refunds on holidays booked. “The biggest
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REGIONAL NEWS
News analysis
volcano ash crisis And with Dubai being a long-haul destination from Europe, there was simply no other option but to wait for flights to become available said Haensel. “If you live in Europe you could try to go on trains, buses, or rent a car but if you are on a longhaul holiday that makes it more difficult so that’s the story with our clients. You really have no other alternative because of the distance involved.” Haensel estimated it would take up to four days to clear the backlog of passengers once the flight ban was lifted.
PULLING TOGETHER IN A CRISIS
challenges have been getting hotel refunds at the last minute as some of the hotel are strict and will not accept it even though the customer insists.” For tour operators the situation was equally chaotic. Emirates Holidays had to oull in extra staff to help tackle the crisis. Hans Haensel, divisional senior vice president, Destination & Leisure Management, Emirates Holidays said: “We had a few hundred clients from Emirates Holidays in Europe – fortunately it was only about 20 percent of our business at the time as the majority of our business over the Easter period was to Asia and the Indian Ocean.” “The team at Emirates Holidays has been in contact with every single client – helping them to either extend accommodation or find cheaper accommodation – that has been the biggest challenge. To be in contact with hundreds of clients individually is a massive job.” He added: “We had to redirect our staff – we have a pool of staff who are trained to deal with emergencies, but we had to get a few more people on board.”
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Anwar Abu Monassar from DMC The Vision said one positive to come out the chaos was that the industry did pull together in the crisis. The Vision had a group of 250 people from Europe who were stuck in Dubai for five extra days. Monassar said his hotel partners “behaved very well - assisting us, giving us complimentary rooms, and helping us to accommodate them.” The Vision also offered their DMC services for free to assist the stranded group. “Some flights were not cancelled till the very last minute and no one knew what was happening. But we arranged trips to Abu Dhabi, to Oman, and we created a situation where people were able to enjoy it in the end.” And while agents and operators pulled out all the stops to help their stranded clients, those who booked independently and on the cheap are probably still the ones waiting desperately for a flight today. Leo Fewtrell, general manager, Dubai Travel and Tour Agents Group said: “I think this situation perfectly illustrates the benefits of booking with a responsible agency who can be held accountable by a trade body such as DTTAG. This gives a level of comfort to customers that they are dealing with companies that take their responsibilities seriously.” Agents agreed that the crisis had given them a chance to show their dedication to their stranded customers : “By booking with the travel agent, the passenger is eased out of coordinating directly with the airline or hotel, The travel agent takes care of it all,” said Fitzsimmons. “At times like this agents are expert and know when and how to contact the right people,” added Al Rais.
UAE hotels cash in on the flight ban Not everyone lost out during the ash cloud situation. A number of hotels in the UAE reported a dramatic surge in occupancy as stranded European-bound holiday makers and transit passengers unable to make it to their destination were forced to extend their stays. Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi Yas Island general manger Dieter Franke said the hotel had seen an increase in bookings due to the disruption and acknowledged that room rates were “determined by current availability and demand”. He added that there had been “a good cooperation and communication between the airlines and hotel”. Aldar Hotels & Hospitality managing director Paul Bell said The Yas Hotel had also accepted a number of layover passengers. “We have had requests from airlines for an allocated number of rooms so that they can plan for their passengers, The Yas Hotel has responded accordingly.” He added: “After the first couple of days of uncertainty, most guests seem to be bedding in and getting comfortable. Our pool sides are full and the restaurants are buzzing, most people seem intent on enjoying themselves despite the delays.” Staybridge Suites Abu Dhabi Yas Island hotel manager Fady Sawaya said there had been positive feedback from guests despite the delays getting home. “They are pleased with the product and the services they are receiving in our hotels. Some guests have taken this as an option to further explore Abu Dhabi city and its surroundings.”
FACT BOX 7 MILLION PASSENGERS STRANDED WORLDWIDE 20: NUMBER OF COUNTRIES WHICH SHUT DOWN THEIR AIRSPACE AT THE HEIGHT OF THE CRISIS $200 MILLION: COST TO AIRLINES PER DAY IN LOST REVENUE
May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
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News
Agencies respond to mystery shopper ATN’s ‘Big Mystery Shopper Survey’ is unveiled, but not all agree with the results SURVEY RESULTS Travel agencies have responded to the ‘Big Mystery Shopper Survey’ unveiled in ATN this month. The survey is compiled from mystery shopping results carried out by Ethos Consultancy on 28 UAE agencies. Dnata Travel received three mystery shops from Ethos. While two branches, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai and Hamdan Interchange, Abu Dhabi fared well, achieving scores of 77 and 66 percent – Rolla Road, Sharjah achieved just 58 percent.
A Majid Al Mulla, vice president Dnata World Travel said “substantial changes” had taken place to improve service levels at Dnata since the survey was carried out. “Since the survey was undertaken over eight months ago, we have made several substantial changes to our operations to further improve service. These include audits of our customer outlets – both visually and from a customer service perspective, further extensive product training for all frontline staff and an internal review of our cus-
tomer care processes. We are pleased with the outcome of these changes and are confident that moving forward we will place number one for service excellence.” Kanoo Travel was mystery shopped twice by Ethos, achieving scores ores of 56 percent at a it’s Karama ma branch and 47 7 percent at Rolla lla a Road, Sharjah. Sunil D’souza, uzza, country manan nager UAE & Oman argued that the sur-
vey results “appear flawed” as they are more tailored towards agents that cater to the retail rather than the corporate sector, which may explain why Kanoo fell down on the scoring. “Some of the criteria used by your survey calls for further consultant call clarifi cllari cation,” he said. “Because ssaid we w are a corporate rate travel management comag pany where p corporates conco orp tribute 96 of our 6 percent pe business, and retail / walk a ins accounts accoun to 4 percent.”
He added that Kanoo Travel regularly receives top level scores in Government of Dubai and third party customer surveys done through ZARCA which proves the company to be “in a robust position when it comes to customer service.” Omeir Travel, Khalifa Street, Abu Dhabi received 61 percent placing it 23rd overall. Reene Mary Thomas, marketing executive, Omeir Travel said: “It’s a great initiative from ATN’s side to conduct such a survey and such assessments can help both customers and the company.”
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May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
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Cruise Cruise lines caught up in volcano chaos Passengers miss out on cruise trips and can’t get home due to the cancelled flights ASH CLOUD The six-day flight ban due to the erupting volcano in Iceland meant that many passengers were unable to make it onto their Gulf cruise trips. Royal Caribbean said 50 percent of guests booked to sail on Brilliance of the Seas repositioning voyage from Dubai to Barcelona were forced to miss out on the trip. Globally six percent of guests trying to join a Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International or Azamara Club Cruises vessel were
affected by the situation. “This includes both those trying to complete return travel at the end of a cruise, or journeys to embark on a cruise,” said Royal Caribbean. Guests booked on a fly/ cruise package were offered alternative travel to join the ship mid-cruise or full refunds of their cruise fare in the form of a future credit or an alternative fly/cruise. Costa Cruises also helped stranded passengers. Dario Rustico, director of sales & marketing Costa Cruises said: “Passengers onboard
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Celebrity Eclipse waits at Bilbao to pick up stranded UK tourists
Brilliance first season a success FIRST SEASON
NEW BROCHURE Costa Cruises has released its 2011 brochure with more than 130 different itineraries for next season. In summer 2010/2011 the Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa will return to the Arabian Gulf on 7-day cruises. They will depart from Dubai and call at Muscat, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain. In January the Costa Luminosa will offer a special 21-day cruise from Dubai to India and the Maldives. Other itinerary highlights include 7 and 14 day cruises
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in the Red Sea, and 69 short cruises in the Far East with a new port – Osaka – being added to the traditional ports of Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Japan and Korea. Highlights in the brochure include a new Samsara packages – the Samsara Dream which allows passengers to enjoy a full spa experience, plus tea ceremony, access to the Samsara restaurant, two fitness lessons and admission to the solarium. Costa is also offering new ‘eco-tourism excursions’ for 2011 with visits to parks and nature reserves.
Costa Deliziosa that could not fly back to Europe were granted the possibility to stay onboard. “We also modified the itinerary to give them the chance of immediate repatriation as soon as the flights become operative.” Meanwhile brand new cruise ship Celebrity Eclipse abandoned plans for her launch celebration cruise and sailed to Bilbao in Spain instead in order to rescue over 2,000 stranded UK holidaymakers and return them to Southampton in the UK.
Royal Caribbean International’s Brilliance of the Seas, has reported a successful first season in the Middle East, with full occupancy on every sailing. The cruise ship began its Gulf sailings in January, offering a seven-night round-trip from Dubai to Muscat, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain. The majority of guests have been from Western markets on fly-and-cruise packages with nearly half coming from the UK, fol-
lowed by Germany, US, Spain and Canada. Royal Caribbean is now keen to attract more guests from the local market. “We have been marketing the itinerary locally in the UAE and regionally with our unique message ‘Gulf Getaway’,” said Lakshmi Durai, from Royal Caribbean International, Middle East. “The cruise around the Gulf, offering the choice of over 50 different excursions in the ports of call to our guests, provides a great opportunity for people liv-
ing in the region to take a break and visit their neighbouring countries. The interest from Middle Eastern guests has been very encouraging with an equal amount of bookings from nationals and expatriates.” Royal Caribbean said the presence of a ship in the region had also enhanced outbound cruise business which had seen a 35 percent growth in sales for the first quarter of 2010. Brilliance has now departed for the Med and will return to Dubai in January 2011.
CRUISE GUESTS ENSURED THEY WON’T MISS WORLD CUP Guests booked to sail with Azamara Club Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, and Royal Caribbean International this summer have been assured they won’t miss out on the World Cup action while at sea after the cruise
lines obtained rights to air all the games. Guests will be able to watch the games from their staterooms or in designated lounges. Special onboard World Cup activities have also been designed.
May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
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Tools Agents worldwide connect up online Social networking site for travel agents Travelport Opinions is launched in the region NEW PRODUCT Travelport has launched Travelport Opinions, an online networking tool for travel agents. The site allows agents to interact and share knowledge and reviews among their fellow travel agents across the world. The site has been rolledout in the Middle East following its launch in the UK and France where it is now used by over 1,700 travel agents and tour operators. Travelport Opinions connects travel professionals around the world. Agents
tos and 2,500 videos. The tool also includes a private email system to contact individuals on, and has the ability to track updates on specified hotels. Rabih Saab, Travelport GDS’ vice president for the Middle East, said: “Travelport Opinions allows agents to harness the travel community’s expertise, enriching travel knowledge, enhancing customer satTravelport Opinions is already in use by over 1,700 agents and operators isfaction and ultimately increasing sales. So far can use it to create and experts and access a wealth agents using the site have search hotel reviews, pose of hotel related media, said that Travelport Opinquestions to destination including over 110, 000 pho- ions is a trusted resource
where they can rely on the expertise from like-minded agents, post travel experiences and where hotel reviews are likely to be more trustworthy.” He added: “It gives me great pleasure to introduce this tool for our agents and we hope, as envisioned, that agents will benefit greatly from the knowledge and experience of their peers, all within a nurturing community environment.” Agents can sign up for Travelport Opinions at: www.travelportopinions. com/pr.
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Arabian Travel News – May 2010
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Airlines Gulf carriers lose millions over ash cloud The six-day flight ban due to Icelandic volcano leads to huge losses for UAE airlines ASH CLOUD The disruption caused by the Icelandic volcano eruption in April lead to million dollar losses in revenue for UAE airlines. Flights to the UK and airports on mainland Europe were suspended for six days due to the ash cloud from the eruption, affecting tens of thousand of passengers. Emirates Airline said it lost in excess of US$10million a day resulting in losses of around $66 million. Around 30 Emirates aircraft were grounded, equivalent to one
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Around one-fifth of Emirates aircraft were grounded during the flight ban
fifth of its fleet, and 18,000 passengers a day were impacted by the flight ban. Tim Clark, president of
Arabian Travel News – May 2010
Emirates Airline said: “The scale of this crisis is unlike anything I have experienced in my career. The longer it
continues the more complex the recovery process becomes. These are losses which are coming straight out of our own pocket. But despite this not being a crisis of our own making, we are doing everything possible to minimise the impact on customers.” Emirates paid for hotel accommodation and three meals a day for strandedpassengers at a cost of more than $1 million per day. Etihad Airways also suffered losses amounting to about $30 million due to the situation.
The carrier said 16,000 of its passengers had been affected worldwide by the disruption and 2,500 passengers had been put up in hotels in Abu Dhabi with each passenger receiving receiving breakfast, lunch and dinner at the hotel paid for by the airline.
Revenue lost by UAE airlines: Emirates: $66million Etihad: $30 million
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Tourism Boards Germany in bid to attract Gulf tourist GNTB organises Middle East roadshow in plan to bring in 1.5 million Gulf visitors ROADSHOW The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) embarked on a roadshow around the Gulf in March in a bid to boost Gulf tourists to Germany. 16 German partners and suppliers were involved in the event which stopped in Riyadh, Jeddah, Kuwait, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Antje Roeding, director Gulf countries, GNTB was “very pleased” with the overall trade turnout, adding: “the dialogue between
Germany is targeting 1.5 million Gulf tourists by 2015
participants and their GCC audience resulted in great enthusiasm on both sides.”
258,883 Gulf visitors to Germany in 2009 Source: German Federal Statistics Office
Roeding said the Gulf was an important growing market for Germany. “The number of overnight stays for tourism to Germany has increased continuously. For 2010, a further increase of two percent is possible. For 2015, GNTB estimates the volume of overnight stays from the Gulf to be 1.5 million, which would be the
second most important source market to China.” German participants had positive feedback about the potential for development of tourism from the Gulf. Klaus Odenthal, director of Cologne Tourism Board said: “Cologne is certainly in the focus of the travel industry in the countries we visited. The colleagues I meet were very interested in the medical facilities as well as in the tourist attractions, such as the Phantasialand Theme Park. A full house at every destination certainly shows the interest of the local industry in our cities and products.” “We were very pleased with the number of participants,” added Eva Gresch, marketing manager for Wiesbaden. “Especially in
Sri Lanka sees post-war surge in numbers SRI LANKA Sri Lanka is seeing a surge in visitors from the Middle East, following the end of the civil war last year. According to statistics from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Middle East tourists grew 50 percent in January 2010 compared to the same period last year, with the UAE showing the strongest growth (up by 164 percent), followed by Saudi Arabia Qatar, and Kuwait. “Sri Lanka is an exotic locale and peace has finally brought prosperity and development into the country and opened up more
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Gulf visitors to Sri Lanka saw a 50 percent increase in January 2010
areas for tourism development which otherwise were not accessible during the war,” said Heba Al Ghais Al Mansoori, Middle East director of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Board (SLTPB).
Arabian Travel News – May 2010
“At the beginning there were many challenges with the war. Sri lanka was not known as a destination for Arab travellers but we have had fam trips for VIPS from the Arab world and they saw
how they can explore the e country and the growth is massive now for the UAE.” Al Mansoori said there e were many of reasons for or the fast growth in popularity y among GCC nationals. “It used to be Europe and d the Far East that was popuular with Arabs but after 9/11 1 they started to find new desstinations where they can be e welcomed and feel comforttable with their family and d not have hassle at the airrport. Sri Lanka is one of these e destinations. Also it’s a short rt haul destination. You can fly from Dubai to Colombo in n four hours.” There are nearly y 50 direct flights from the UAE E to Sri Lanka per week.
Saudi-Arabia and Kuwait we noticed great interest in the medical services of Wiesbaden and its clinics. Since 2006 we have seen increased arrivals from the UAE. Even in 2009, a very difficult year in tourism, the number of tourists remained stable. An event like this offers the possibility to raise the popularity of Germany.” Christian Tänzler from the Berlin Tourism Board also had positive feedback about the event: “The event was a great success for us. We had a lot of requests from travel agents. The increase of visitors and overnights from the GCC states to Berlin shows a continuous growth in the last years. An event like this is a helpful instrument to present Berlin as an attractive travel destination.”
VisitBritain holds mega trade event Over 200 travel industry specialists are signed up to attend ‘Destination Britain & Ireland (DEBI) this month: a three-day event in Dubai to showcase the latest travel and tourism offerings from the UK and Ireland: May 10-13 2010 Grand Hyatt Hotel, Dubai
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MICE Recession has a ‘silver lining’ Hotels are no longer in the driving seat say meeting planners GIBTM The recession is a cloud with a ‘silver lining’ for meetings business said exhibitors at GIBTM last month. “The recession was a positive for the meetings industry,” said Alexandre Lolliot, manager of Congress Solutions International. “It helped to stabilise the prices and suppliers are much more flexible so it’s much easier to work as an association and conference organiser in the UAE today. Business is improving already – we can see the number of enquiries we are getting is much higher than last year.” Lolliot said that buyers were shopping around for the best deals: “More
and more it’s all coming down to price and affordability. They are looking for added value, added services, higher quality of services for an equal amount of money they used to spend .” Graham Barnett, exhibition director, GIBTM agreed: “Hotels now are not in the driving seat – two years ago if you were a DMC or a PCO wanting a block booking for 600 rooms they’d tell you to get stuffed, but now the hoteliers are literally on the phone saying what can you bring me? So the roles have completely reversed, that’s one of the fascinating things, the recession has been a silver lining to the cloud in the industry here.”
Survey reveals business slowdown SURVEY The Middle East Meetings Industry Report unveiled at GIBTM last month shows how meetings business suffered in 2009 due to the economic downturn. The report surveyed 72 meetings suppliers from around the region. The average value of business in the region was US$966,000, down from US$1,030,350 the previous year. Average event duration also fell to 2.6 days down from 3.1 days. And the typical size of meetings dropped to 150 delegates, down from 188. But despite ongoing concerns over budgets, 58 percent of suppliers believe the Middle East region has the most meetings growth potential in the world.
58
%
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458 meetings buyers from 57 countries were also surveyed. 56 percent of those surveyed said they expected the number of events in the region to increase this year. When placing an event, buyers said the influencing factors were cost, followed by quality of accommodation and service, overall appeal of the destination, travel time and security. Sally Greenhill, managing director, The Right Solution who compiled the report concluded: “Clearly 2009 saw a downturn in the region, however it was lower than that experienced in Europe and elsewhere. According to predictions made by buyers, this year will see the region bounce back with increased numbers of events using a wider range of destinations.“
Suppliers who say Middle East has the most meetings potential
GIBTM exhibitors were upbeat last month
Oman focus on meetings NEW VENUE N Om Oman is stepping up its focus on the MICE sector with the construction of a 6000 seat convention and tio exhibition centre in Muscat due for exh completion in 2013. com Muscat is also due to host the ‘4th M International Responsible Tourism Int Destinations Conference’ taking De place in October. pla Khalid Al Zadjali, acting director K of Tourism Events, Oman’s Tourism Ministry said: “We welcome the ‘leveraging’ that flows from niche conferences like the Internanic tional Responsible Tourism Destio tinations Conference. We expect tin that the conference will stimulate tha more adventure and nature-based mo travel,” he added. tra Al Zadjali said the new convenA tion centre in Muscat “will comtio plement the MICE capability of ple our leading hotels and resorts, and ou act as a ‘springboard’ for break-out groups and excursions to experigro ence Oman’s diverse regional landen scapes and experiences.” sca
May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
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Arabian Travel Market 2010
Arabian Travel Market This year’s ATM show is shaping up to be one of the most important in history. Here’s our comprehensive guide to this year’s event. fter a tough couple of years for the travel industry there’s a palpable mood of optimism in the air at this year’s ATM and according to organisers, this year’s show is shaping up to be the most important in its 16 year history. “This year the industry is in recovery and the outlook is much more positive - it’s a very exciting time for business,” said Mark Walsh, ATM exhibition director. “There will be a heavy focus on recovery and compared to the last few years we are looking to the future and positive growth rather than how to cope and ride out the crisis.” Over 2,200 exhibitors from six continents are at ATM this year. Most previous exhibitors have returned, and over 60 new companies have signed up. Last year over 15,000 visitors attended, and organisers are expecting a similar number this year. “Arabian Travel Market has always acted as a barometer for the industry’s health as the event allows the travel and tourism trade to come together and discuss the future. Progress is being made and interesting developments are beginning to occur as the industry takes its first steps back in to the sunlight after weathering the economic storm,” said Walsh. Some exciting new developments have been added to the show this year in a bid to make it even more relevant to the industry. The seminar programme has doubled in size, with the addition of a new Debate Room where top industry speakers will come together in a panel format to tackle topics like ‘Value Tourism’, ‘Cruise Tourism’ and ‘Sports Tourism.’ Another addition this year is the ‘Ásk the Expert’ sessions, designed to provide step-by-step guides to topics such as PR and social media. One highlight this year is bound to be the brand new ‘Zone 8’. The more relaxed space
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2010
is for informal networking away from the hustle and bustle of the main show floor, and destinations will be using it to put on live shows for visitors. “It’s about giving exhibitors a chance to use their imagination and really grab the industry’s attention,” explains Walsh. Travel Agents Day is also back for the third year running on Thursday 6 May. As in previous years the day will feature a combination of industry expert debates, educational seminars, entertainment and prize giveaways. Prizes up for grabs this year include city breaks, accommodation packages, MP3 players, car rentals and shopping vouchers. “It’s an initiative that brings exhibitors directly into contact with the agents selling their products. Agents can learn about the destination and the
TRAVEL AGENTS DAY Thurs 6 May is Career and Travel Agents Day, a dedicated day especially for the travel trade. Here are just some of the highlights: 11am-3pm: HR Roundtable A roundtable of HR experts will discuss issues including: how can travel agencies improve HR? Most travel agents come from the Indian subcontinent but with that talent pool being drained where can staff be found? And how is the industry progressing with Emiratisation targets? 1pm-3pm: Training, regulation and the evolution of the industry Keep up to date with the latest insider info with industry experts Leo Fewtrell, DTTAG, and Arabian Pacific Travel, Al Arabi, and Kanoo. 4pm: Travel Agents Day Passport Competition (Hall 8) Don’t miss your chance to win some amazing prizes!
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Arabian Arabian Traveltravel Market market 2010
TOP SEMINAR PICK:
WHAT’S NEW AT ATM THIS YEAR?
‘Hotels Get Real’: Tues 4 May 1pm Hotels in the region are still pricing themselves way out of the market say DMCs. This exciting panel debate should give hoteliers some tough advice. The Growth of Value Travel in the Middle East: Tues 4 May 3pm The session will explore the rise of low cost carriers, budget hotels and value entertainment option in the Middle East. Airline Debate: Wed 5 May 2pm A panel discussion on Gulf aviation issues with topics including the impact of the crisis, how are LCC’s performing and are carriers focused enough on the environmental challenge? Cruise Debate: Wed 5 May 4pm: What is the growth potential, opportunities and challenges of the Middle East cruise industry? Come and find out.
Network through tweets This year you can network online with Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin accounts as well as the regular ATM website. The increased web presence is a great way for visitors and exhibitors to interact during and after the event. “Our Twitter account provides up to the minute news on ATM and key industry developments, and our LinkedIn and Facebook groups are another avenue for exhibitors and visitors to meet and engage prior to the show,” said Mark Walsh, exhibiton director. “We recommend that everyone takes advantage of these free tools, to help maximise their time on site.”
Head to ‘Zone 8’ to see exhibitors put on live shows
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SMS entry Another techy feature introduced this year is the new SMS system which allows pre-registered delegates to receive their badge entry number by text message. Visitors to the show can then use the onsite touch screens to print their badge for easier and quicker entry to the show, which means no queuing up! Out of a job? ‘Jobs Hot of the Press’ is a service which delivers via Bluetooth new jobs direct to your phone. All visitors on Careers Day will be able to take advantage of this exciting new service.
It will be great to see so many of our returning supporters again this year and I look forward to meeting new exhibitors as they present their destinations and products. It’s always exciting to see what the future holds for the industry. ” services they have on offer which will ultimately secure extra sales,” said Walsh. For the travel trade, ATM is an opportunity to improve industry knowledge, make some great contacts and to get a sneak peek at what’s in store for the travel sector over the coming year added Walsh. “You have over 2,200 exhibitors all in once place, allowing you to do six months worth of business and meetings in just four days. This show provides key insights into the economy and predicts and shapes future trends for the travel and tourism trade. During tough economic times it is imperative that the travel trade takes advantage of all ATM has to offer to give them Mark Walsh, exhibition director ATM is excited to see what the that much needed future holds for travel edge.”
May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
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REGIONAL NEWS
Arabian ArabianTravel TravelMarket Market 2010
ATM: Top exhibitor pick To help you make the most of your time at Arabian Travel Market 2010 here’s our guide to the exhibitors you can’t afford to miss at the show AMADEUS
TOURISM IRELAND
Stand: TT20
SOFITEL
Agents should head down to the Amadeus stand to check out its new ‘SMS solution’ – a web-based tool which allows travel agents to update customers via SMS. Amadeus promises to unveil some other new solutions too and a group of specialists will be on hand to guide agents through the products.“This is Amadeus’ ninth year at ATM,” says Antoine Medawar, vp, Amadeus MENA. “In addition to educating and creating awareness on our new products, we are looking forward to strengthening our business in the region, to which we are deeply committed.”
Stand: ME2510
Stand: EU565
Sofitel has made huge strides to re-position itself in the luxury market in the past couple of years with major revamps to its properties. 2010 will see a rash of new openings with 11 new hotels including two in the Middle East - Sofitel Al Khobar the Corniche in Saudi Arabia, and Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq by Thalassa Sea & Spa in Bahrain. Added to that there’s a second Sofitel Legend hotel coming up in Amsterdam. The Legend brand is a prestigious label given to hotels housed in listed monuments that are designed to become destinations in themselves.
BANYAN TREE
Tourism Ireland is shouting about Dublin this year. “Dublin is one of the trendiest urban destinations in Europe and now beginning to gain recognition in the Middle East,” says Aiveen Ryan, Tourism Ireland. Some stunning properties are on show including the g hotel in Galway. Agents are encouraged to check out what Ireland has to offer. “We would like to meet more agents from other Gulf countries to establish strong business connections that will assist in our marketing activities,” says Ryan. “Now is the time to visit Ireland, it is a charming, relaxing and exciting new destination for travellers from this region.”
Stand: UAE2280
EMIRATES
Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts is at ATM to announce the launch of its brand new resort, Banyan Tree Al Wadi in Ras Al Khaimah which opened last month. The resort is located in Wadi Khadeja, a protected nature reserve, and is the first luxury desert resort in the UAE to offer an all-pool villa concept with Asian-inspired spa and private beach club. Audrey Chung, assistant vice president, global marketing says the Banyan Tree brand has big plans for this region: “The Middle East continues to be an important market for us where the following resorts are to open over the next two years: Angsana Eastern Mangrove, Abu Dhabi in 2011, Banyan Tree and Angsana Sifah in Oman, as well as Angsana Alegria and Angsana 40 West in Cairo in 2012.”
Stand: UAE 2400
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Emirates is making a massive impact as always with its ‘Emirates globe’ stand which has some exciting new innovations this year. “This mammoth rotating structure has been rejuvenated with some impressive new display features,” says Richard Vaughan, divisional senior vice president. There are three zones – one for Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa, one for the recently opened Wolgan Valley Resort and a third for Emirates airlines.
May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
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Arabian Travel Market 2010
LAS ROZAS VILLAGE, Madrid
TRAVELPORT
Stand: HC1550
Stand: TT220
The Armani Hotel has just opened its doors in the Burj Khalifa. Here’s your chance to check it out (if you haven’t already). The160room hotel is the first to be launched in collaboration between Emaar Properties and Giorgio Armani. It features eight restaurants, and the world’s first in-hotel Armani/SPA. The entire hotel was personally designed by fashion legend Giorgio Armani. Further projects are planned for Marrakesh and Egypt.
Travelport is generating a buzz with its ‘Galileo Fee Manager’ – which helps agents operate in a zero commission environment. There will also be live demos of ‘TravelChat’ and ‘Travelport Opinions’ - networking options for the agent community. “This is the first time many agents will get the chance to view our Galileo product enhancements up close and in such an interactive way,” says Paul Adams, Travelport EMEA director. “We will have live demos and presentations every hour to take agents through our latest products and tools, and will be bringing in experts to talk about our Non-Air offering too.”
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Stand: EU310
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GREECE TOURISM BOARD Greece has a new tourism campaign ‘Kalimera’ which means Good Morning and the destination is looking to promote its cultural side at ATM. As well as the ancient monuments this includes the brand new Acropolis Museum in Athens - one of the most important contemporary works of architecture in the country.
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ARMANI HOTEL
Stand: UAE2100
SINGAPORE TOURISM BOARD Stand: AS410 Singapore is showing off its new destination brand ‘YourSingapore’. The tourism board has also launched an interactive website yoursingapore.com. “YourSingapore was developed in response to the growing influence of digital media and the rise of virtual communities,” says Jason Ong, Middle East Director (STB). “It positions Singapore as a future-facing and inspiring destination that will appeal to the region’s tech-savvy traveller.” Singpore also has some exciting new attractions to appeal to Middle East visitors such as two new Integrated Resorts – Resorts World Sentosa and the Marina Bay Sands – which feature world-class accommodation, entertainment, shopping and dining experiences.
ADTA is mounting the largest stand this year. The 1400 sq m stand will include soon-toopen hotels and new travel and tourism operators. “It will be hard to miss the stand as it is the biggest at the show,” says Mubarak Al Nuaimi, international promotions manager. “But the real reason to visit is to come and meet our expanding stakeholder base and the business opportunities they hold. People will quickly see why Abu Dhabi has been voted by two of the world’s leading travel guides as one of the top 10 destinations to visit this year.”
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Arabian Travel Market 2010
THE MEYDAN Stand: UAE220 The world’s first and only five-star track-side hotel opened recently for the Dubai World Cup. “Our key message will be that the UAE’s latest iconic landmark and entertainment focal point is now open to guests from around the world,” says Abdin Nas ralla, the hotel’s GM. The Meydan is laying on a special shuttle to take visitors to the property throughout ATM so they can check it out for themselves.
HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT HOLDINGS (HMH) Stand: HC1350 2010 is going to be a huge year for HMH with a hotel opening practically every three weeks across the company’s four brands. “We have 20 new openings lined up this year,” says CEO Michel Noblet. HMH just launched a property in South Africa – Coral International Cape Town, making it the first Gulf brand to open a hotel there, as well as one in Khartoum and Sudan. “We plan to open 20 new hotels by the end of 2010 taking our existing portfolio of 33 to 53, increasing the group’s number of rooms by more than 40 percent. We have already signed 55 hotels and have a target of 100 hotels by 2012.”
HYATT HOTELS Stand: HC1600 Hyatt is showcasing its two new properties opening in Abu Dhabi in the next 12 months. The 189-room Hyatt at Capital Centre is linked to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), while the 270-room Park Hyatt, scheduled for early 2011 is located on Saadiyat Island and will feature a 9km stretch of natural beach. As well as the local market the brand also has big plans for expansion into India. Three new India Hyatt properties will open in 2010 Hyatt Regency Pune, Hyatt Regency Chennai, and Grand Hyatt Goa – and expansion into 15 new India markets is in the pipeline.
EMIRATES HOLIDAYS Stand: UAE2400 Agents should head down to the Emirates Holidays stand to pick up a copy of the brand new A World of Choice brochure which features more than 120 destinations in six continents. The latest brochure also has an Arabic and Russian version. “Emirates Holidays is a regular participant at ATM,” says senior vice president John Felix. “We use the platform to meet with our suppliers from across the destinations featured in our brochures; to refine rates and conditions in preparation for the summer travel season; and to showcase the holiday options on Emirates as well as our new brochures for the year. This always creates a great deal of interest with our partners attending the show.”
CONNECT AUSTRIA Stand: EU610 Austria has always been a perennial favourite with Middle East tourists, and Klaus Ehrenbrandtner, Middle East director, Austrian National Tourist Office says he hopes ATM will help build on this. “The travel trade tells us it will be another fabulous summer for Austria. In the last five years, arrivals from the Middle East to Austria increased 125 percent. ATM is basically to update the trade when the major bookings are coming in.”
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If you’ve heard of Twitter and Facebook but have no idea what they could do for you, it might be an idea to pay Connect a visit. Connect provides the travel industry with expertise in digital marketing. CEO Alexander Rauser believes he has a lot to talk about. “If your competitors are online and you are not, that’s a disadvantage and an opportunity lost. We look forward to discussing with companies how best to utilise the web and answer any questions they may have.”
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Arabian Travel Market 2010
FAIRMONT HOTELS & RESORTS
TOURISM MALAYSIA
Stand: HC850
Stand: AS515
Fairmont has five new hotels in the pipeline for 2010, but the one creating the most buzz is the Makkah Clock Royal Tower in Saudi. The hotel will cater to pilgrims and MICE business and over 2,600 Muslim staff member are being hired for the monumental 850-room hospitality complex. Mohammed Al-Arkobi, general manager, Makkah Clock Royal Tower said the opening of the hotel was “one of the most significant milestones in Fairmont’s 100-year history given the reverence of the location as well as the genuine needs that we have identified in Makkah for new levels of hospitality, as well as the ambitious plans that the government of Saudi Arabia has outlined for growth in that region.”
Malaysia has always been a firm favourite with travellers from the Middle East but with Ramadan arriving earlier in summer season its also marketing itself as an ideal place to combine the month with a summer getaway. There are a number of recently opened hotels to promote too which are bound to appeal to the local market-.
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Mohamad Ibrahim, marketing manager, Tourism Malaysia says: “Malaysia is home to some of the most beautiful and relaxing beach resorts in the world, with a wide range of lodging facilities to appeal to every taste and budget, from island and beach resorts to adventure with nature or city life experiences.”
May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
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REGIONAL NEWS
Analysis News analysis
On the road to recovery? After a difficult few years things are finally on the up, but what’s in store now for Middle East travel? ATN spoke to Caroline Bremner, Euromonitor’s global travel and tourism manager to find out her predictions for the year ahead. t’s been a painful couple of years for the beleaguered travel industry. Thanks to the global financial crisis, tightening consumer credit and a decline in business confidence, travel demand suffered badly in 2009 with tourist arrivals shrinking by five percent globally and tourist spend taking an even harder hit. The picture in the Middle East was far from rosy, with arrivals growth declining from around 10 percent in 2008 to just three percent in 2009. “The Middle East performed slightly better than other regions. It did suffer a slowdown, but at least it didn’t go into the red,” says Caroline Bremner, global travel and tourism manager, Euromonitor International.
TRAVEL SPEND TAKES A HIT One of the biggest impacts of the crisis was the decline in tourist spend which fell sharply. “In the crisis year, there was a sharp contraction in terms of what people were actually spending,” says Bremner. “Based on incoming tourist receipts, value declined by -15 percent.” There are various reasons for this: tourists trading down, operators discounting on room rates, and National Tourists Offices putting together packages and offering steep discounts (as happened in the UAE at the heart of the crisis). While these measures helped to boost volume to the destination, actual travel spend was badly hit. And for the foreseeable future, it’s a trend that looks set to continue according to Euromonitor. With a slowdown from traditional source markets, such as Russia, the UK and Ger-
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One of the biggest impacts of the crisis was the decline in tourist spend which fell sharply ” many, Middle East destinations are increasingly dependent on inter-regional travellers. “The problem with inter-regional travel is that people tend to spend less because they are close to home,” says Bremner. “Destinations need to target the long-haul travellers who are coming in, spending a longer time, and more money. That’s a challenge that needs to be addressed in the forthcoming period.”
THE ROAD TO RECOVERY With the economic picture looking more positive this year, travel industry figures are expressing confidence in the year ahead and the signs are encouraging. But how long will things take to get back to pre-crisis levels? This depends on what sector of the travel industry you’re in, says Bremner. Air travel and transportation sector are expected to recover within two years. Tourism expenditure and travel retail (sales made through travel agents and tour
operators) will take longer at three years, so won’t recover to pre-crisis levels until 2011. For the hotel industry it could be a long road to recovery. “The hotel industry will take a longer time to recover because it is a lag industry,” explains Bremner. “It takes a while once you start discounting to build up those rates again so it’s not going to be a quick fix overnight in terms of getting back to pre-crisis levels. By 2012 we will be back to 2008 levels in terms of value sales.” It may seem a long way off, but Bremner points out that the Middle East is actually not doing too badly compared to the rest of the world. “In the scheme of things
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that really isn’t too bad. Globally, Asia is going to recover in terms of hotels the fastest in say two or three years and then the rest of the regions could take several more years to recover. Four years does sound a long time but compared to other regions its actually pretty good. But it’s all in terms of context – obviously for the operators to wait four years to return to this level it is very difficult.”
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For the future, increased diversification is needed if the region’s tourism industry is to meet its potential. “It’s important that a destination needs to have an element of diversification,” says Bremner. “To have long-term potential you need to have something for everyone.” Middle East destinations are only now beginning to diversify their product offering away from the luxury segment, with low cost carriers (LCCs) and budget hotels entering the market. However, the budget sector is still hugely underdeveloped says Bremner. “In terms of the budget segment it’s still fledgling and there’s a lot of growth potential. In the UAE only two percent of hotel outlets were budget, so that’s very low,” There is potential there considering a lot of inter-regional travellers are low-spending and would be interested in looking at midoptions rather than the super premium, luxury hotels.” Equally LCCs are still not making the impact they could be. “By 2014 we expect 10 percent of all airline seats sold to be via LCC so there’s still quite a bit of potential in that market.” She adds: “Something we’ve picked up on is that there is still no real low-cost committed airline offering massive price differentials between the scheduled carriers. Even with Fly Dubai prices are very expensive.” Bremner adds that budget brands should be viewed as a major opportunity for the destinations to increase visitor numbers. “Budget hotels, combined with low cost carriers are ‘growth catalysts’ that bring in more volumes of people. “They are not necessarily stealing share from the other segments – what they are doing is building volume, which is putting more people into the destination so that’s very important. Once people are in a destination, if they’ve saved on their flights they are more likely to trade up to a higher priced hotel or spend more in a nice restaurant. So there are benefits to the destinations.” Accommodation options also need more variety,” adds Bremner. “It’s clear from our research that certain areas are still negligible. Hotels dominate with 85 percent of all sales in the MENA region, so there are opportunities there. Areas to consider are self-catering and camping and glamping (glamorous camping).”
TRAVEL TRENDS - NEW SOURCE MARKETS With traditional source markets on the decline; and with Asia leading the world out of recession its time to look East at India and China. Greater connectivity and relationships with Asia will be key to maintaining growth. Africa and Latin America also offer potential. - ADDED-VALUE This is the new watch word for the travel industry in 2010. “People are now looking for value,” says Bremner. “This is the new normal for the travel industry worldwide and guests will still pay a premium provided the service offers them something original, unique and authentic. it has to have that added-value and something that really clicks with the consumer.” - CRUISING This is set to be huge growth segment for the region. The sector has shown to be resilient to the pressures of the crisis as many consumers saw it as a value for money option. - TRAVEL HOT SPOTS This year’s destination to watch is Lebanon. In 2009 there were 1.9 million visitors to Beirut – an increase of over 30 percent on the previous year. “Beirut is up and coming thanks to its relative return to stability plus Lebanon was relatively unscathed by the economic crisis,”says Bremner. Another hot spot is Saudi Arabia, which has proved amazingly resilient to the downturn due to its religious tourism offering. The Kingdom suffered a slowdown in arrivals growth in 2009 from around 30 percent, down to 13 percent. “But that’s still very strong. And that’s even considering the impact of the H1N1 which shows that its insulated from the external shocks because pilgrims will travel regardless.” - ONLINE BOOKINGS? Great news for travel agents is that despite the ongoing internet threat, online ticket sales have still not really found a foothold in the region. “There’s still a consumer distrust of booking online, using a credit card online and a high dependency on face to face transactions.” - Health and Wellness This sector showed zero decline in growth through the crisis, and will continue to show its resilience this year. “Health and wellness is a sector that’s very important to consumers. So even when they’re under duress and there’s a lot of worry about budget it’s an area that they’re willing to spend on.”
May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
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REGIONAL NEWS
Ask the expert Q&A CELEBRITY CRUISES
Question: How can travel agents maximise revenues from hotel and carr content available via the GDS? Expert: Paul Adams, regional director, Hospitality and Car Rental EMEA, Travelport
ith an ever expanding portfolio of hotel and car rental suppliers from around the globe, there is currently more hotel and car content available on the global distribution system (GDS) than ever before. However most travel agents in the Middle East underutilise the GDS channel’s rich non-air booking capabilities. But this trend is shifting as travel agents in the region begin to recognise the value of the GDS as an efficient booking tool for hotel and car content as well as the relative ease of booking these reservations. Once travel agents understand how they can streamline the booking process through a single booking channel, they are empowered to increase their productivity. Apart from saving g time, travel agents who book hotels and cars through the GDS can also create new reveals nue streams. At a time when commissions from other segments are diminishing, agents can collect attractive commission rates from hotel and car suppliers. To put this into perspective, a typical hotel booking via the GDS can earn agents up to US$31 in commission. With the introduction of new commission processiing solutions, it is also much easier a for agents to collect these funds.
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Arabian Travel News – May 2010
At a time when commissions from other segments are diminishing, agents can collect attractive commission rates from hotel and car suppliers” Hotel and car suppliers are also expanding their use of the GDS, leveraging it as a sales channel to optimise their inventory and boost volumes from travel agents, many of whom prefer booking through the system and integrating multiple travel bookings into one booking file. Travelport has teamed up with major hotel chains and car suppliers for workshops that equip the trade with both the practical skills required to make hotel and car bookings, as well as the knowledge to sell these products effectively. During these training sessions, agents are taken through important non-air GDS features including Travelport’s ‘Best Available Rate Programme’, which guarantees best available published rates from over 45,000 hotels world-wide. Under the scheme, agents are guaranteed access to the same flexible room rates that participating hotels have available online, in addition to the thousands of negotiated and corporate rates for which they can receive instant confirmation. Apart from competitive rates, the GDS also provides a great platform for high quality visual hotel content, including photos, virtual tours and videos of hotel properties and car rentals. This enables the travel agency customer to make a more informed decision on where they would like to stay or which car they
would like to rent. Once a booking is made, there are options available for agents to more easily reconcile hotel bookings and improve tracking and collection of hotel commissions. One of the commission processing services currently available in the Middle East is Pegasus, which streamlines commission payments and facilitates collections, delivering regularly scheduled, consolidated payments to travel agents. For car rentals, the Travelport GDS has the functionality to support e-vouchers for car rental bookings. Through both Galileo and Worldspan, travel agents can instantly book and issue car rental vouchers, ensuring that that no paper voucher is needed. Overall, the GDS is an unrivalled platform with a wide range of hotel and car content that empowers the trade to streamline their workflow, and earn new revenue streams. However, more needs to be done to make agents in the Middle East aware of the value of booking hotel and car content. We believe its an opportunity that agents do not want to miss out on.
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ArabianTravel News and analysis for Middle East travel agents and tour operators
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What crisis could possibly be thrown at the travel industry next? Just when everyone was happily looking forward to a swine-flu and recession-free summer – a volcano thousands of miles away in Iceland erupts, dumping a giant cloud of ash over European skies, causing a blanket shut down of European airports for six days and complete and utter chaos for millions of stranded travellers everywhere. For the passengers left stranded by the six-day flight ban, it must have been a complete nightmare. But if there was one good thing to come out of all this chaos it’s that travel agents got to show what they’re made of. After all, if you’re stuck in a foreign country, with no idea when or how you might be getting on a flight home – the one person you should be able to rely on is your travel agent. Travel agents I spoke to during the crisis told me their priority had been to make sure all their clients affected by the situation had been contacted directly, booked into hotels, and re-booked onto the first possible flight home - all the while being kept informed and up to date about the changing situation. In our interview with Mishal Kanoo this month, he summed it all up when he said the volcano chaos illustrated perfectly why people needed travel agents: “If tomorrow I have an issue or problem with my ticket – like currently with this situation in Europe - what do I do? Who do I contact? What a travel agent does is act as an intermediary for the best benefit of the customer, that’s the whole purpose of having a travel agent. That’s what they’re supposed to do.” So while the volcano might have been the worst crisis ever to have hit the travel industry, at least it gave travel agents a chance to ‘do what they’re supposed to do’ and show their dedication to their customers. I guess every [ash] cloud has a silver lining..
Monika Grzesik, Editor, Arabian Travel News
To subscribe, visit www.itp.com/subscriptions Published by and Copyright © 2009 ITP Business Publishing, a division of ITP Publishing Group Ltd. Registered in the B.V.I. under Company Registration number 1402846.
www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel
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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 monika.grzesik@itp.com
May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
27
Top Ten sights to sell in Ireland
Ireland is fast becoming a hot new destination for travel agents to sell in the region. We have put together our top ten selling points for 2010: 1. DUBLIN. Millions of tourists flock to Dublin every year for its metropolitan atmosphere, easy charm and countless sights. Combine a visit to see the Book of Kells, dating back to 800 AD, on display at the Trinity College Library with a spot of designer shopping in Brown Thomas on Grafton Street, or head to Temple Bar for the quirky and unusual. Stay: The Westbury, Grafton Street. This five star hotel offers comfortable luxury in the heart of Dublin’s retail and cultural quarter. 2. GOLF. With 345 beautiful green golf courses to choose from, Ireland is undoubtedly a golfer’s paradise. Tee off in isolation on a remote green, or soak up the luxury of one of the country’s top golf resorts. Arnold Palmer's second golf creation, the K Club at Staffan, is a favourite for many, while Enniscrone Golf Club in County Sligo is often referred to as one of Ireland's best kept secrets. Stay: This part of County Sligo is off the beaten path, and you will not find any international hotel chains within walking distance. There are many good self-catering options and mid-range hotels nearby. 3. GALWAY. Galway city is the ‘bilingual capital of Ireland’ as it sits on the doorstep of the Galway Gaeltacht, an area where Irish is the primary language spoken. While there is more than a taste of traditional Ireland with plenty of opportunity to hear and see Irish singing, music and dancing, Galway has become the country’s trendy unofficial arts capital. In the summers, watersport enthusiasts flock to the city and surrounds for big wave surfing. Stay: The G hotel. Designed by Philip Treacy, the 20th century’s most famous and best loved milliner, the hotel offers luxury accommodation with a trendy twist. 4. THE RITZ CARLTON Powerscourt is situated on one of the most scenic and historical estates in Ireland. The tranquil country estate can trace its origins back to the 12th century, with endless elegance and glamour. A stay here is not complete without a visit to the luxury retreat spa, ESPA, where all your worries will be soothed away by pure indulgence. Stay: For as long as you can. 5. BELFAST. The chequered history of the capital of Northern Ireland makes it a fascinating place to visit. Having left its turbulent past behind, the city is now infused with vibrancy and optimism. A stay here is often teamed with a tour of the Antrim coast, where natural wonders give pause for thought. Bring a picnic for the Glens of Antrim, an area of unsurpassed natural beauty, cross the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge if you dare, and be wowed by the Giant’s Causeway, before continuing up to the walled city of Derry, or heading back to Belfast. Stay: The Malmaison Belfast. This city centre luxury boutique hotel provides the perfect base from which to explore the city and surrounds. The converted Victorian seed warehouse retains its historical exterior while offering every comfort and contemporary style. 6. THE RING OF KERRY. This is one of Ireland’s most scenic drives, and offers an itinerary of waterfalls, an old abbey, and picturesque villages. It is a 179 km circular route, so it can be started anywhere. Stay: The Europe Hotel & Resort in Killarney. Set on the banks of Lough Lein, Killarney’s largest lake, the hotel reflects the wilderness of Kerry’s mountain range. The view will take your breath away. 7. CORK. Named one of the top 10 cities in the world by Lonely Planet this year, Cork is rapidly gaining a reputation as one of Europe's hippest cities. Every corner gives way to another architectural gem and some of the best art galleries, theatres and museums in Ireland. No visit is complete without a trip to Blarney Castle, home to the famous Blarney Stone. Tradition says that those who kiss the stone will receive the gift of eloquence. Stay: Class, grace and opulence all go to describing the Hayfield Manor, one of Ireland's top five star hotels, tucked away in a quiet corner of Cork City. Situated in secluded leafy grounds, the Hayfield Manor is the image of timeless style associated with manor houses of the Georgian era. 8. CLIFFS OF MOHER. One of Ireland’s top attractions, the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare loom 214 metres over the Atlantic Ocean at its highest point. On a clear day, the Aran Islands are visible in Galway bay. Stay: In one of the charming guesthouses or self catering cottages available in the surrounding countryside. 9. HORSE RIDING. Activity holidays are becoming more popular by the day, and Ireland is the perfect destination for horse riding holidays, with its temperate climate and safe terrain. There are any number of equestrian centres in Ireland, from small family farms to five star facilities, with BHS qualified trainers. Visit the discoverireland.ie website for more information. Stay: Near the stables. 10. ASHFORD CASTLE. For the ultimate in luxury and indulgence, rent your own private castle. The magnificent 13th Century castle in County Mayo is one of the historical luxury estates available to rent from Adams & Butler. If it looks familiar, it is because you might have seen it on the pages of a society magazine as this is where Pierce Brosnan got married. Stay: Forever. www.adamsandbutler.com
For more information on Ireland, please contact Tourism Ireland GCC Ph: +97143166170 Email: info@tourismireland.ae - Website: www.discoverireland.com/ae
REGIONAL NEWS
Interview Q&A CELEBRITY CRUISES
Travel by Kanoo ATN sits down with the outspoken deputy chairman of the Kanoo Group, Mishal Kanoo for his views on the travel industry.
here’s probably few people better placed to talk about the rapid transformations happening in the travel industry than Mishal Kanoo. The multi-billion dollar Kanoo Group which Mishal is the driving force behind, pioneered the Gulf travel industry back in 1947 by being the first travel agency to register with IATA. Kanoo Travel has since mushroomed to become largest travel company in the Middle East, with a network of over 200 branches and a thousand employees across the region.
ONLINE BOOKINGS Today, things are changing, and the advent of the internet is threatening the traditional role of the agent. Kanoo however resolutely dismimisses the idea that travel agents are doomed by online bookings. “There was a perception about five years ago that travel agents were going to suffer because of internet ticketing and I don’t see that happening,” he says. “I’m not saying that it doesn’t exist but I’m just saying it hasn’t become the dominant power that people perceived it to be, even though it is taking a bigger slice year by year.” Kanoo argues that the fundamentals of being a good travel agency have not changed regardless of technology, and that’s to do with the focus on the customer. “If tomorrow I have an issue or a problem with my ticket – like currently with this situation in Europe [the ash cloud] – what do I do? Who do I contact? At that point I think if I was to contact a 1800 or a toll free number they would be overwhelmed. What a travel agent does is act as an intermediary for the best benefit of the customer, that’s the whole purpose of having a travel agent. That’s what they’re supposed to do.”
30
Arabian Travel News – May 2010
Mishal Kanoo, deputy chairman, The Kanoo Group
www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel
REGIONAL NEWS
Interview
UNDERCUTTING SUPPLIERS Good customer service is all well and good, but how does an agent deal with undercutting suppliers targeting clients directly? “First and foremost that will not happen because if our suppliers did that – and we have experienced it the past – we will immediately flag it to them and we will cut them off,” states Kanoo without hesitation. He acknowledges that relations can be strained between airlines and agents, but hints that agents still have an upper hand, as even airlines who have been “belligerent” in the past “thinking we are number one and everyone will come to us, have now turned around and said, actually you know what, can we work with you again?” He explains: “In the past certain airlines from Europe thought the world revolved around them - but they discovered very quickly that it doesn’t. An airline from this region – I won’t mention their name – also thought the world revolved around them, but they discovered they could be replaced. Another airline from the region picked up their banner and discovered that that’s not the case. And it will continue to be the case.”
BUDGET AIRLINES It’s clear that there is not much love lost between the travel boss and the region’s airlines. Kanoo has plenty more to add when asked about budget carriers, declaring: “Let us address the ‘myth’ of budget airlines: there are no budget airlines. “Just because you sell five or six or even a dozen seats at a very low price – does that make you a budget airline? In a plane that carries 300 people, if ten of them or even, let’s be generous, 30 are a really low price, you’re talking 90 percent that are not. And unless I’ve got my maths wrong, that means the majority is not budget so by default it is not a budget airline.” Another issue is the lack of ‘secondary’ airports. “Budget airlines survive on secondary airports.” explains Kanoo. “Where are my secondary airports in the region? Look at Ryan Air, Easy Jet and all these discount airlines in Europe – I’m talking about flying out of Luton versus flying out of Heathrow, I’m also talking about a £20 or £100 flight versus £200 with BA.”
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Travel agencies that rely on making a living off commission - they are going to die a natural death. Watch and see. You should start seeing these smaller shops shutting down - unless of course they are a front for something else. ” Kanoo is convinced that a genuinely budget airline has no hope in taking off while governments around the region continue to build “monstrous” airports. “It comes down to the issue of whether the governments here will open up the skies. Unfortunately the way I see it - Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Dubai - each one is targeting 40 to 50 million passengers. I’m sure the CEOs of these airlines will disagree with me, but if I was to say, what are the criteria to fulfill a budget airline and are they fulfilling it? No. We don’t have that in airlines here.”
HOTELS Some equally strong words are reserved for the region’s hoteliers. While the crisis forced hotels here to dramatically slash their rates to attract guests during the downturn, Kanoo remains unconvinced that they have learnt from past mistakes and with the tourism sector now reviving, hotels once again risk pricing themselves out of the market with inflated room rates. “I would strongly suggest to the hotels in the region – they have this done in the past and I hope they learn from this – do not ‘gouge’ your customer. I know the number of hotels here is limited but then so is the entertainment that a hotel guest would have. “Tourism is still young,” he adds. “There is still a lot to do here before it becomes a major attractions point. If you keep doing that to your customers, eventually you will lose them. The more discerning ones will find alternatives. If I was to charge the same rate as that of a hotel in London or Paris or New York, and I cannot provide them the same entertainment factor of London or Paris or New York – well what do you think?”
THE FUTURE Kanoo is optimistic that things are now picking up for the travel sector as those “silly policies” that companies put in place during last year’s reccession – otherwise known as corporate travel bans and travel spending cuts – are finally being rescinded. “Fortunately some companies have looked at it and said, it was a silly policy, let’s go back to what is the norm, and I can see the trend is moving towards readjusting that aspect, so I’d say [the travel sector] has revived, to a certain degree it has recovered.” But as to the future of the travel agency well, with airlines no longer paying commission and the internet taking a bigger slice of bookings every year, Kanoo says its only the “serious travel agencies that will survive”. He predicts a rash of consolidation and smaller shop closures in the future. “Travel agencies that rely on making a living off commission they are going to die a natural death,” he says. “In a zero commission environment, watch and see it won’t take very long. You should start seeing these smaller shops shutting down. Unless of course they are a front for something else...” he adds, (when I ask what that could be he suggests money laundering as one plausible option.) For a “serious travel agency” like Kanoo Travel there are other concerns. With 96 percent of the company business now coming from corporate accounts, the focus going forward is to take ultimate care of these clients. “Our main concern – and this is paramount for us – is to service our current customer base and to ensure that they are satisfied and happy with the service they are getting. And to find out what do to keep them as happy customers – that’s our main goal.”
May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
31
REGIONAL NEWS
Skillset
ince June 2009, Ethos Consultancy and Arabian Travel News have been carrying out ‘Agencies Uncovered’ – a monthly investigation designed to find out how travel agencies across the UAE fare when it comes to customer service. Each month Ethos sent its expert mystery shoppers undercover to four different travel agencies to find out how satisfied your customers are in regards to the following three categories:
Mystery Sh Shopper pp
Mystery shopper
TRAVEL ADVISORS Mystery shoppers rated advisors on their appearance, their attitude to the customer, how long it took to be served and the attention paid to the query, as well as the knowledge that they showed of the destination.
OVERALL EXPERIENCE Mystery shoppers were asked to rate their overall satisfaction levels and whether or not they would recommend the agency to family and friends following their experience.
AGENCY APPEARANCE Mystery shoppers rated agencies on whether the outlet was easy to find, was clean and tidy, whether opening and closing times were clearly displayed and whether travel brochures were well displayed.
www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel
Having visited a total of 28 travel agencies across the UAE and undertaken 232 mystery shopping visits we can now unveil the ‘Big Mystery Shopper Survey’ results. How did your travel agency do?
Ethos Consultancy Based in Dubai and Abu Dhabi Ethos Consultancy specialises in delivering excellence in customer service. Ethos Consultancy’s intent is to ensure that clients not only meet but exceed their customer’s expectations every time they come into contact with their brand. Ethos Consultancy services include consultancy, training, online feedback, customer and employee satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping and benchmarking surveys.
May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
33
REGIONAL NEWS
Mystery Shopper
Did the outlet have a formal queing system in place?
MYSTERY SHOPPER RANKING LIST: #
Score
AGENCY
LOCATION
1
Qatar Holidays
After Maktoum Bridge, Dubai
92%
2
Al Rostamani
Tamani Hotel, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai
91%
3
Etihad Holidays
Dubai Marina Mall, Dubai
83%
4
Compass Travel & Tourism
Hamdan St, Abu Dhabi
82%
5
Al Futtaim - Access to Travel
Mall of the Emirates, Dubai
82%
6
Orient Travel
Al Aroob Road, Sharjah
81%
7
Alpha Holidays
Behind Nissan Showroom, Deira
80%
8
Al Tayer Travel Agency
Al Maktoum Street, Deira
79%
9
SATA
Mina Road, Sharjah
79%
10
Holiday Company
Sheik Zayed Road , Emarat Building, Dubai
78%
11
Al Rais Holidays
Choithram Bldg, Bur Dubai
78%
12
Sharaf Travel
Near Ramada Hotel, Bur Dubai
78%
13
Dnata Holidays
Sheik Zayed Road, Dubai
77%
14
Al Futtaim Travel
Dubai Festival City, Dubai
76%
15
Al Rostamani
Electra Street, Abu Dhabi
75%
16
Al Rostamani
Mall of Emirates, Dubai
75%
17
Nirvana Travel
Behind Al Haliya Hospital, Abu Dhabi
70%
18
Emirates Holidays
Sheik Zayed Road, Dubai
68%
19
SNTTA
Al Mina Street, Sharjah
66%
20
Dnata
Hamdan and Electra Interchange, Abu Dhabi
66%
21
Palm Oasis Travel
Khalidiya Road, Abu Dhabi
64%
22
ANTA Travel and Tours
Bu Haleeba Plaza, Dubai
62%
23
Omeir Travel
Khalifa Street, Abu Dhabi
61%
24
DNATA-Sharjah
Rolla Road, Sharjah
58%
25
Kanoo Travels
Next to Manama Supermarket, Karama
56%
26
Gray Mackenzie
Behind Zayed University, Abu Dhabi
53%
27
Kish Travel & Tourism
Madhina Zayed, Abu Dhabi
50%
28
Kanoo Travels
Rolla Road, Sharjah
47%
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Arabian Travel News – May 2010
Yes 32%
No 68%
Was there a sufficient enough number of employees available to serve you and other customers?
Yes 89% No 11%
Kara Byrne, marketing manager, Ethos Consultancy says: “The standard of service delivery at UAE travel agencies is extremely inconsistent. It’s not uncommon to visit the same agency twice in the space of 24 hours and receive a complete contrast in service. The travel advisors attitude and ability to provide customers with timely information supported by sound product and destination knowledge correlates extremely highly with customer satisfaction and their overall experience. Agencies must focus on continually training, educating, and engaging their staff so service levels are consistent across the board.”
www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel
REGIONAL NEWS
Mystery Shopper
How were you greeted by the travel advisor who served you?
If you hads to wait to be served did the employee apologise for the wait?
Did the travel advisor have a friendly attitude towards you?
Non verbal greeting 16% Warm and genuine 68%
Yes
No
85%
No15%
88%
Yes 12%
Cold and mechanical 16%
Did the travel advisor provide you with all the relevant information relating to your enquiry?
Were you satisfied with the information you received?
60
40
0
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Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
0
Satisfied
20
Extremely satisfied
22%
Extremekly dissatisfied
14%
Yes
7% Extremekly dissatisfied
26%
Dissatisfied
31%
Dissatisfied
Overall based upon your experience would you reecomend this outlet to family and friends?
How satisfied were you with the outcome of this visit
40
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
20
39%
Satisfied
60%
No
Extremely satisfied
Yes
No
63%
37%
May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
35
REGIONAL NEWS
How to sell News analysis
News analysis
Cruise
Bridging the gulf More cruise lines are introducing Gulf itineraries for the winter season, but not all offer the same product. Kathi Everden looks at the options.
here were 120 ships calling at Dubai Cruise Terminal during 2010, a figure that is set to rise by 50 percent within five years. This compares to just 15 calls in 2005 - the year Costa added the Arabian Gulf as a winter cruise option for the first time. But while cruise is an interesting sell, with per diem costs lower than most premium hotels - and entertainment, full board and often drinks all thrown in – the trade is still to a great degree lacking in confidence in recommending a trip on the ocean wave. As well as the huge increase in ship calls in the Gulf from operators such as Princess, Cunard, Crystal and Celebrity, some
lines have introduced winter hub operations in the Gulf and sail round-Gulf itineraries. Royal Caribbean, Costa and Silversea are building bridges with the local trade to expose their USPs and boost awareness of cruise as an option and the differentials between the three lines. The latter is vital, with cruise operators similar to hotels in the variation of product from top-end boutique to lively mass market, with some lines dedicated to the German market, general European, North American or international. So, while these ships play tag round the Gulf ports of Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Fujairah and Muscat – in terms of a sell, they present very different options, catering to widely differing tastes.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN Royal Caribbean brought in the 2,500-capacity Brilliance of the Seas to spearhead its Gulf cruise product and will be returning next year 2010/2011, adding in a longer India voyage. Regional sales director Helen Beck said reaction has been positive to the product with Muscat scoring well as a port of call, given the contrast between the modernity of Dubai and the heritage in the Omani capital: “The dramatic entrance, fishing boats and souks, were all that was expected of Arabia, and the other ports need to match up to this, defining their USP.” Within the region, Beck said the arrival of the ship had served to spearhead sales and marketing, doubling bookings through the local office within a few weeks: “Now the ship is here, it has created an excitement and we see this as the beginning of a new era, opening up Dubai as a cruise arena internationally as well as boosting cruise as a new sell in the local market – for residents and locals.” Beck emphasised the distinctions between Royal Caribbean and Costa: “We have different source markets and market a different product,” she said. “Costa was the trailblazer, but it tends to sell product where we sell Arabia first, so we see ourselves as complementary as well as competitors.” Even so, there’s plenty of product on board, with a rockclimbing wall, basketball court, spa and solarium, indoor pool, putting course and golf simulator, three pools, three Jacuzzis, jogging track, casino, cinema and library, billiards and card clubs, steakhouse and Italian speciality restaurants, disco and theatre, and dedicated kids and teen clubs and pools.
www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel
Royal Caribbean is now looking at bringing in its Voyager class of ship offering more cabins, and an ice rink. ITINERARY Brilliance of the Sea 2011 Barcelona to Dubai, via Alexandria, Suex Canal, Aqaba and Safaga (January) - Dubai to Dubai, via Muscat, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain (January to March) - Dubai to Dubai, via Muscat, Cochin, Mormugao (Goa), and Mumbai overnight (March and April)
Royal Caribbean docked in Dubai port
May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
37
REGIONAL NEWS
Cruise
SILVERSEA The appeal of Silversea for many is its lack of size. With capacity for just 382 passengers - a minnow in cruise terms - the all-suite ship aims provides an exclusive retreat exuding casual elegance with butler service for every cabin, gourmet cuisine and complimentary wines and spirits as well as inclusive onboard gratuities (often a notable addition to any shipboard account). Most cabins have a private veranda, sitting area and dressing room, and all have the finesse of a five-star hotel with Bulgari toiletries, as well as a choice of Salvatore Ferrangamo or Neutrogena bath and body products, plus fresh flowers, a pillow menu, robes and slippers, glasses and luggage cleaning, complimentary mini-bar stocked to guests’ preferences, satellite TV with DVD, marble bathroom with full bath, separate shower and double sink, plus 24-hour ‘room service’ and champagne on arrival. The line claims its suites have the highest ratio of space-per-guest of any fleet, and the result is a cabin designed for
relaxation rather than just the sleeping quarters of livelier ships. Silversea does offer the facilities of the major carriers, although on a smaller scale, with a boutique size casino, spa and fitness centre, golf cage, pool, book, music and DVD library and internet cafe, show lounge, humidor, casual dining and á la carte restaurant, plus several bars and lounges and a full range of onboard activities and shore excursions. The seven-day Gulf itinerary takes in Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Fujairah, Khasab and Bander Abbas in Iran, with one day at sea, and there’s a full menu of events, from big screen entertainment under the stars to yoga, ice carving, cooking demonstrations, water volleyball, golf putting challenges to ballroom dance. According to regional senior vice president, Trudy Redfern, with nine voyages touching on the Middle East this year and seven in 2011, there is a real opportunity for the trade to exploit the potential of upmarket cruising – particularly given the fact that the traditionally strong UK mar-
ket is down. “We have never had many bookings from the region previously, but with capacity on our ships here, it has opened up opportunities to sell, and we are stepping up marketing with email shots to the trade, incentives such as Nintendo DSIs for any 2010 booking, as well as boosting awareness through media fam trips, hosting associations on board when we are in Dubai and offering air credits.” ITINERARY Silver Wind 2010: - Dubai to Dubai, via Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Muscat, Khasab and Bandar Abbas (November) - Dubai to Mumbai, via Fujairah, Bander Abbas, Khasab, Muscat overnight and Porbandar (December) - Mumbai to Dubai, via Mormugao (Goa), Cochin overnight, New Mangalore and Muscat (December) - Dubai to Dubai, via Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Muscat overnight, Salalah, Bandar Abbas, Khasab and Bahrain (December) Silver Spirit cuts the waves
38
Arabian Travel News – May 2010
www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel
REGIONAL NEWS
Cruise
COSTA CRUISES
Costa Deliziosa’s naming ceremony was held in Dubai in February
Meanwhile, for those seeking more of a party atmosphere, Costa Cruises represents a good option with competitive pricing and a wide range of facilities on board its two newest ships, Costa Deliziosa and Costa Luminosa, both with capacity for 2,826 guests. In fact, the former was officially named in Dubai in February on the occasion of the opening of the new Dubai Cruise Terminal, and Costa is acknowledged as having successfully introduced Dubai and the Gulf as a winter cruise destination. While the regional market was not initially a target for the line, according to sales & marketing director Dario Rustico, there is a medium to long-term project to raise numbers, starting with educationals to build awareness for both leisure and MICE business. “The market is mainly from Europe but we are building numbers from the Gulf region, as well as from Asia, South and North America too, with the development of the Emirates’ network,” he said. The ships, having enjoyed success during this winter’s deployment, will return at the end of November (Luminosa) and middle of December (Deliziosa), sailing week-long itineraries with two overnights in Dubai to enable guests to explore the
www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel
city prior to sailing. Facilities are designed to wow with four restaurants, 11 bars including a coffee and chocolate bar, four Jacuzzis and three pools (one with retractable cover), multi-purpose sports pitch and rollerskating track, pool deck with retractable glass roof and giant screen, a 4D cinema, three-level theatre, casino and disco, a 3,500 square metre Samsara spa with solarium, Turkish bath, saunas and thalassotherapy suite, plus a Grand Prix simulator, PlayStation World, golf simulator and putting green, kids’ and teens’ clubs and library and internet point. Nearly two-thirds of the cabins come with balconies while 52 have direct access to the spa, and Costa market several spa packages inclusive of unlimited access to the spa and thalassotherapy pool, wellness consultation, two free treatments, two free fitness or yoga classes plus entry to the solarium and relaxation areas, and reserved table at the exclusive Samsara restaurant. Another bonus is season-end bargains, with rates on the last cruises this spring starting from US$599 per person, inclusive of bed, board and entertainments, with children free up to the age of 17 sharing a cabin with two adults.
ITINERARY 2010/2011 Costa Luminosa: - Savona, Italy to Dubai, via Naples, Port Said, Suez Canal, Sharm-El-Sheikh, Safaga, Aden, Salalah, Muscat and Fujairah (November) - Dubai to Dubai, via Muscat, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain (November to March) - Dubai to India, Maldives and return, via Fujairah, Murmagao (Goa), Cochin, Male overnight (Maldives), Mumbai, Muscat, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi (January) - Dubai to Savona, via Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Muscat, Salalah, Aden, Safaga, Aqaba, Sharm-El-Sheikh, Suez Canal, Alexandria and Naples (March) Costa Deliziosa: - Savona, Italy to Dubai, via Naples, Port Said, Suez Canal, Sharm-El-Sheikh, Safaga, Aden, Salalah, Muscat and Fujairah (December) - Dubai to Dubai, via Muscat, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain (December to March) - Dubai to Savona, via Fujairah, Muscat, Salalah, Aden, Safaga, Aqaba, Sharm-ElSheikh, Suez Canal, Alexandria and Rome (April)
May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
39
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REGIONAL NEWS
How to sell News analysis
News analysis
Capital attractions And, its not only a city sell as the authorities seek to widen the appeal of the emirate to its islands, coast and desert dunes, with the western Al Gharbia region set to win fans with its own festival programme – from a desert hill climb championship through to date, camel and water sports events, the latter held every April at Mirfa and including kite-boarding, surf-ski kayaking, beach sports and dhow racing as well as concerts, a sunset souk, sand sculpting, classic car show, photography contest and fireworks. More accommodation options are underway with Tilal Liwa opening early this year and additional lodges due to debut on Sir Bani Yas island by the end of 2010 – both feature 30 rooms and restaurant and pool facilities while Al Barari Lodge will have a rustic setting and Al Yamm will have a lagoon location. In addition, a 300-capacity conference centre and a dive centre are also due to open on the island and an equestrian centre and outdoor camp are in the pipeline. All of this is in addition to the massive developments underway at Saadiyat and Yas Islands - location of the majority of cultural and tourism projects including the Guggenheim, Louvre and Maritime museums, theme parks and the Formula 1 race circuit, as well as two championship golf course, three marinas and a host of resorts.
The white marble domes of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
WHERE TO STAY
Yas Island signalled Abu Dhabi’s debut as a must-see destination, and with an ongoing roll-out of big name attractions, the emirate is rivalling its Gulf neighbours in the tourism stakes. Kathi Everden reports.
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Arabian Travel News – May 2010
ong written off as a rather reserved capital, offering few facilities to attract either local or overseas travellers, Abu Dhabi is undergoing a renaissance that will see it evolve as a destination of choice for those seeking culture, nature, adrenalin sports, family entertainment and more. Several years of strategic product development and marketing are bearing fruit as a string of hotels open their doors – including destination resorts such as Anantara’s Qasr Al Sarab and Sir Bani Yas hotels - while icon attractions such as the Ferrari World theme park and a growing list of annual sporting and cultural events are adding to the pull.
From the iconic to budget, Abu Dhabi is building an impressive line-up of hotels to accommodate its strategic ambitions to boost leisure and MICE travel. New names for the future include: Mandarin Oriental, Rocco Forte, St Regis, Le Bristol, Viceroy, Shangri-La, Rosewood, Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Ramada, Premier Inn, Park Hyatt and Jumeirah, while among the hotels that opened this year are Park Rotana Abu Dhabi and Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan, plus Tilal Liwa in the desert. In addition, the Grand Canal Abu Dhabi, Bridgeway Abu Dhabi, Grand Millennium Al Wahda and Vision Links and Vision Meena, plus the iconic 189-room Hyatt at Capital Centre are due to open by year end, and Rotana will be launching a Rayhaan prop-
www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel
Abu Dhabi
erty in Al Ain in the autumn – altogether adding more than 4,000 rooms to the emirate’s growing tally. Given the huge influx of rooms, rates and occupancies in Abu Dhabi are finally coming down, which mean packages and promotions are available at many hotels.
WHAT TO DO Following the debut of the Yas Island race track last autumn prior to hosting the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November, the circuit is now open for drag racing and GP2 and also operates Track Days when visitors can drive around in their own cars
EVENT CALENDAR: ADTA is rolling out an impressive line-up of events designed to bring tourists to the emirate. Here’s what’s happening in Abu Dhabi: Summer in Abu Dhabi Festival, July-August 2010: The festival held at ADNEC features family attractions from circuses to ice performers Middle East Film Festival, October 2010 Artparis, November 2010: a contemporary art fair held at Emirates Palace Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, November 12-14 2010: held at Yas Island with three days of celebrity concerts FIFA World Club Cup, December 2010 Capitala World Tennis Championships, January 2011. Opening event of the ATP tour Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, January 2011 The Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival March 2011: Ffeaturing opera, dance, Arabian contemporary music, classical concerts and art shows The Red Bull Air Race Series, March 2011, with stunt flying and racing along the Corniche
or spin the wheels in a Formula 1 car, with a professional driver. The second half of 2010 will see the opening of Ferrari World, the world’s largest indoor theme park at 86,000 sq metres with 20 major attractions including the fastest rollercoaster in the world, emulating the Ferrari experience at speeds exceeding 210km an hour, plus a racing coaster with competing carriages racing along parallel tracks to a finish line. For the travel trade, a booking engine and marketing tools and materials are promised, as well as event potential for conferences, incentives and product launches. Aside from Yas and its ultra-modern attractions, Abu Dhabi has a range of heritage and shopping sites to suit all tastes, as well as offering access to both the desert sands of Liwa and the islands and beaches of its extensive coastline. Principal stops on a city tour include the Sheikh Zayed Mosque with its 80 marble domes, 1,000 columns, 1,700 sq metre courtyard and artificial lakes, 24-carat gold and glass mosaics and the world’s largest hand-woven Persian carpet, plus the Corniche, the heritage village, dhow yard and local markets. In addition, the new Hala Abu Dhabi DMC
Given the huge influx of rooms - rates and occupancies in Abu Dhabi are coming down which means promotions are available at many hotels” recently launched by Etihad is offering helicopter tours, desert safaris, dhow cruise, Al Ain tour and unique Abu Dhabi experiences such as mangrove tours, island exploring by kayak, deep sea fishing, golf, ballooning and quad bikes, traditional farm visits and dolphin watching. Other options include the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital and falcon flight show, nature
The Yas Hotel and Yas Island Race Track will host the Grand Prix again this year
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May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
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REGIONAL NEWS
Abu Dhabi
SAMPLE PACKAGES CROWNE PLAZA ABU DHABI YAS ISLAND is offering an overnight stay for two people in a superior room including breakfast and dinner, complimentary wireless access and late check-out from AED599. T:+971 2 656 3030 W:www.crowneplaza.com STAYBRIDGE SUITES ABU DHABI YAS ISLAND has a family weekend package with a Friday overnight for two adults and two children in a two-bedroom suite including brunch and kids club access from AED899. T:+971 2 656 3030 W:www.staybridgesuites.com/abudhabi AL RAHA BEACH HOTEL has a honeymoon package priced from AED 1570 for the honeymoon suite, dinner, breakfast, spa massage, flowers and perfumed flower bath, and wedding souvenir. T: +971 2 409 9999 W: www.danathotels.com YAS HOTEL ABU DHABI has weekend and golf packages, starting at AED 1,999 for two-nights for room and breakfast from Thursday through to Saturday or AED3,099 for two-nights with a round of golf at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, transfers and breakfast. T: +971 2 656 0000 W: www.theyashotel.com
trips on Futasi Island or farther afield at Sir Bani Yas Island, race meetings at the Equestrian Club, camel racing at Al Wathba and high tea at Emirates Palace.
HOW TO SELL Ferrari World is the big sell, both for family and general leisure sales. Once it opens in the later part of this year in time for the Grand Prix event, it will be Abu Dhabi’s USP for at least the coming year. During the summer, the focus will be on family travel with the Summer Festival cited to be better than ever attracting world-class attractions from circuses to ice displays, workshops and other edutainment. All hotels are seeking regional meetings business to boost their occupancies in the lean season – watch out for cheap packages and promotions. Premier travellers can be channelled to resorts such as Qasr Al Sarab and Desert Islands, as well as the iconic Emirates Palace, while new options such as the Grand Canal, Tilal Liwa, Grand Millennium and Khaladiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana are good sells with some Saadiyat resorts set to open next year. ADTA is to launch its revamped corporate website at ATM this month, offering a range of collateral and marketing tools; indus-
try training programmes; exhibitions and roadshow news; online processing of hotel trade licences as well as entertainment and exhibition licences. Guided cyber tours are available at the Abu Dhabi stand, or go online at www.abudhabitourism.ae
The Cultural District will be completed by 2013
Ferrari World on Yas Island will open for the Grand Prix in November
DESERT ISLANDS RESORT, SIR BANI YAS Anantara has a weekday package inclusive of single room, breakfast, lunch, dinner, two daily activities such as kayaking or wildlife drive, and boat transfers from Jebel Dhanna, valid until September 9 from AED 1,500 per person (plus 16%). A similar package at Qasr Al Sarab costs from AED1,700. T:+971 2 801 5400 W: www.desertislands.anantara.com RADISSON BLU HOTEL YAS ISLAND is offering a weekend getaway deal from AED 529 per room, per night for a minimum of two nights, inclusive of Friday Brunch for two and 30 percent discounts on all spa treatments. T:+971 2 656 2000 W: www.radissonblu.com/hotel-abudhabi
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Arabian Travel News – May 2010
www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel
REGIONAL NEWS
Abu Dhabi
ATN meets His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority to find out about plans for tourism in Abu Dhabi What has ADTA done to develop the tourism industry in Abu Dhabi? The decision was taken in 2004 to create the authority. Back then the inventory of hotels in Abu Dhabi was about 8000 rooms. Now we have 17,000 rooms and an additional 5000 are being added this year, so we will cross 20,000 rooms in 2010. When we first started we received only 700,000 visitors a year. In 2009 we received 1.5 million visitors. So the growth is staggering. We even achieved growth in 2009 despite the economic crisis.
We have all the assets - the desert islands, the eco-tourism experience, the wildlife, the sun and beach and the desert. We opened the first product in the Empty Quarter last November, Qasr Al Sarab which the market reacted to very well. In business tourism we want to increase our share through the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). Four years ago ADNEC had only 15 exhibitions. Now we have exceeded 60 exhibitions a year, and including conferences have about 110 events in ADNEC alone and growing. Another area we are focusing on is international events, like the Formula One. We recently signed the Volvo Ocean Race. Abu Dhabi has a 450 km coastline and a deep maritime history - so we thought of doing an event related to sailing.
and Italy. A new area of focus now is East Asia, especially China. We have offices in Shanghai and in Beijing. How is the new hotel classification system helping to sell Abu Dhabi? We developed this system with the hoteliers themselves. It was a long process but a very healthy one. Classification is very important for any destination because it’s a promise you give to your customers. It helps a lot marketing the hotels abroad.
What is ADTA doing to encourage more nationals into the industry? There is a challenge, the perception How did the economic crisis impact of tourism when we started wasn’t on your plans for tourism? culturally that acceptable – but now We had to revise our visitor targets people know it. In Abu Dhabi you for 2012. From an initial target of don’t need to work in the hotel itself. 2.7 million we now want to achieve There are so many opportunities 2.3 million. That’s based on the - tour operators, tour guides, also availability of hotel rooms, the cirrelated to cultural attractions. We cumstances, and the economic crisis are working on training opportunities around the world. But the economies With all the new hotels being added, how do you plan to drive visitors - we are in advanced talks with hosthat we depend on for our tourism pitality schools like the Hong Kong to these new properties? are stabilising now. We believe there is an international Polytechnic and the American Institution for Hospitality in Las Vegas. appeal for Abu Dhabi. Talking speWhat are your strategies for inThis is one of our main targets – as I cifically about Saddiyat Island it creasing visitor numbers? said tourism is a way of diversifying The majority of our visitors are busi- definitely has international appeal, the economy and providing job opness tourists, which accounts for 80 with beaches, a unique waterfront; portunities for our nationals. percent. We want to increase leisure it’s close to the city and has potential for conferences as well. Once the visitors in the future as Abu Dhabi cultural attractions are in place there What’s coming up next for tourism has great potential from that side. in Abu Dhabi? will be a new dimension in terms of international appeal. Cultural visitors The quality of events we are hosting are the market we are focusing on now has improved dramatically like the Formula One. Abu Dhabi is now for the future. This is already tested to prove successful in Abu Dhabi. starting to position itself in tennis, so We have organised many exhibitions sporting events – this is the area of in Gallery One in Emirates Palace focus for the future – not any events and a lot of international and local but high level international sporting events like the Volvo Ocean Race. visitors came so the indication is Sheikh Sutan, that for the cultural district the funThere are world class attractions chairman, ADTA coming to Abu Dhabi – like Ferrari damentals are there. World. On Saadiyat Island, the culWhat are your main markets for tural institutions are under construcvisitors into Abu Dhabi? tion and we are on track for 2013 for Of course Europe because of proxim- opening those. It’s a major step not ity and flying time, the UK and Geronly from the tourism side but on the many, then Scandinavian countries cultural and educational side too.
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May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
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REGIONAL NEWS
Q&A
CELEBRITY CRUISES Q&A
A bright summer ahead On the eve of their brochure launch, ATN speaks to John Felix, senior vice president Emirates Holidays about his hopes for a busy summer ATN: How was business affected last year by the impact of the recession? Last year we suffered an impact in summer which is our peak time. We dropped off around 23 percent. This was when the swine flu issue came up and that slowed booking because the information coming through was not enough for people to make decisions and the uncertainty was there. The second issue was Ramadan coming in earlier in the summer period which will happen now as we go through. And the third issue was the uncertainty surrounding the business environment. I’d say the biggest impact here was probably swine flu though as that’s a personal health issue. The impact of that in this part of the world at that particular time was greatest, and then came the others.
ATN:What are your predictions for this year’s summer holiday season? This year I think all the implications are that business is normalising. Things are coming back to where they were and as we go into our summer the only thing we have to worry about is Ramadan coming in earlier but we still have a full month after the schools shut and we expect this period to be positive. We to believe it’s going to be a good year, its going go definitely be a better year than last year. ATN: Ramadan is arriving earlier into in the summer now, how will this affect bookings? book Ramadan is not necessarily difficult because be you can spend it in Egypt, you can spend it in Malaysia, you can spend it in Lebanon. Countries like Malaysia are promotpr where you ing themselves as a destination whe adjusting can observe Ramadan so they are adj their marketing depending on who they’re t promoting to. I think it goes in our favour. It fav shows people are looking at us in this part p of the world, rather than presenting a message me from somewhere else. So we are growing gr in awareness which is beneficial. c
to normalise now. They dropped significantly last year but most businesses cannot sustain that indefinitely. They have to bring it back. As normalisers we will reflect that in the pricing of our packages. ATN: What destinations will be popular this year from visitors from this region? Some destinations are coming back this year. Take Lebanon, that’s gone through a fairly bad patch for a long time but its now more settled and people are starting to go there again. It’s re-building from where they were where they dropped significantly. Sri Lanka is growing as well because the problems have stopped so people are starting to go back in. ATN:What is the biggest challenge for 2010? I think we have gone past the toughest time which was last year, now we have to go back to taking things toward the growth patterns we have seen before. The last quarter which started from December until the end of March we saw positives until the end of March.
ATN:Will ATN: Will we see the same cheap deals in the market this year? From a business perspective persp continue I think rates will con
A WORLD OF CHOICE
John Felix, senior vice president, Emirates Holidays
www.hoteli www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel ier em mid iid ddle ddlleeas dleeas ast.com/ as t com/ t.c om tra trtavel
Emirates Holidays H is launching its new 2010-2011 A World of Choice Brochure aat the Emirates Holidays World event from 30 April - 2 May. The 500 page pa brochure features over 120 destinations across 33 countries and covers c all types of packages from family breaks to cultural getaways. There is also a brand new section on multi-city breaks, allowing travellers to combine different destinations destina in one trip. A dedicated Dubai brochure, an Arabic language brochure and a tailored tai edition for Russia has also been introduced. The event aims to ‘bring th the brochure to life’, allowing consumers and travel agents to explore the destinations for themselves. Intercontinental Hotel, Festival City, Dubai, 30 April – 2 May 2010 Fest
May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
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REGIONAL NEWS
How to sell News analysis
The hills are
News analysis
Austria
alive
The hills and valleys of Zell am See in the summertime
ATN speaks to Klaus
Ehrenbrandtner, Middle East director of the Austrian National Tourist Office to find out why visitors from the Gulf are flocking to enchanting Austria
www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel
ATN: What are the main attractions of Austria for visitors from this region? In Austria visitors can combine a stay in a historic, romantic city centre in Vienna, Salzburg or Innsbruck with a visit to the Alpine region with its spectacular panoramic views and crystal clear lakes - and its all within two to three hours travelling time. The most visited destinations are Vienna, Salzburg and Zell am See, the province of Tirol with its capital Innsbruck, and picturesque mountain resorts like Kitzbühel or Seefeld. Other ‘newcomers’ are the Gastein Valley and the province of Carinthia. Both are famous for their water resources: Gastein Valley with its natural springs and the most famous spas in the Alps, and Carin-
thia - the ‘land of the lakes’ with 1,270 lakes in a region a quarter the size of Abu Dhabi. ATN: How many visitors come to Austria from the Gulf and how important is this market to you? In 2009, we had 97,000 guests from the Middle East generating 331,000 overnight stays. In the last five years, arrivals from the Middle East to Austria have increased by 125 percent. The Middle East is one of the fastest growing markets for Austrian tourism and has become the third biggest overseas market after North America and Japan. Most of our guests do still come from Germany, the Netherlands and other European countries but it has been the Austrian
May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
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REGIONAL NEWS
Austria
National Tourist Office’s (ANTO) policy to focus on the overseas market in recent years - and the figures confirm that we were right in doing so. Austria is in the top ten list of countries for international arrivals worldwide in the last few years, with three times as many visitors as Switzerland – and only 10 percent fewer guests than Germany. ATN: What are you doing to increase visitor numbers from the Gulf? We have been very successful in combining B2C campaigns and B2B activities and will
keep that strategy. Our activities in the Middle East range from a travel agents training program, road shows, fam trips, in-mall promotions, campaigns in radio and print and online marketing. ATN: When is the best time to visit Austria? Middle Eastern tourists like to visit our country in the months of May and June and also September and October. May and June are very popular because everything is blooming and blossoming and the weather is really pleasant. I personally would recom-
mend visiting during those months to see why literally hundreds of songs have been written about the blooming flowers and gardens in Austria. ATN: Why should travel agents here recommend Austria to their clients? We have everything that tourists from the Middle East are longing for in the summer. Thousands of lakes, rivers and waterfalls with fresh water from the mountains; green meadows and forests; mountains with snow-covered peaks; historical cities; lots of shopping – all within easy reach. That is why most of our guests combine a stay in a city like Salzburg and Vienna, with a trip to the Alpine region. Austria is also very safe and family-friendly and Austrians have a reputation of being very welcoming hosts. ATN: What is the accommodation like? In regions popular with Middle Eastern tourists (Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Zell am See, Gastein Valley, Kitzbühel, Seefeld, Carinthia lake district) 4- and 5-star hotels provide special facilities for guests such as hotels with connecting rooms and Arabic cuisine. Muslims should have no problems finding Halal food (Islam is the second biggest religion in Austria). There are a number of new luxury hotel projects such as the Grand Tirolia Resort in Kitzbühel which has just been completed and the Shangri-La on the famous Ring Boulevard in Vienna City which will open next year. ATN: Are there any new tourist attractions coming up in Austria? Very close to the Ring Boulevard, one of
A thermal spa in the Gastein Valley in mid-winter
HOW TO SELL WHO TO SELL TO: Families – lakes and mountain holidays offer plenty of activities to keep the kids occupied Adventure and activity seekers WHEN TO GO: Austria can be visited at any time of year but the seasons will influence what you do. Summer is great for hiking and swimming in the lakes, winter for skiing. The majority of festivals are held between May and October. ACTIVITIES: Sailing
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Arabian Travel News – May 2010
Windsurfing Mountain biking Hiking and Alpine walking Cycling Skiing Sightseeing and culture HOW TO GET THERE: Emirates and Austrian Airlines operate daily flights from Dubai Qatar Airways operates daily flights from Doha. However, around 50 percent of visitors from the Middle East reach Austria via Munich which is just 1.5 hours away from popular destinations like Salz-
burg, Innsbruck, Seefeld or Kitzbühel VISAS: Visas for stays of up to three months are not required for citizens of the EU, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Arab nationals will require a visa and should apply at the Austrian embassy. CONTACT: Austrian National Tourist Office PO Box 214050 Dubai, U.A.E. Tel: +971 4 321 88 61 www.austriatourism.com www.austria.info
www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel
REGIONAL NEWS
Austria
THE WHITE STUFF
AGENT INCENTIVE Austrian National Tourist Office runs a destination training programme for agents called “ACTS” (Austrian Certified Travel Specialist). More than 1,500 tour operators and travel agents in the Middle East have signed up so far to gain an official certificate and status as ‘preferred partner’ in all marketing activities. Visit www.acts-academy.com
Of course spring is the perfect time to head to Austria to see the country in bloom, but don’t forget that long winters with heavy snowfall make Austria a fantastic place for a winter ski break. Austria’s après-ski scene ranks as some of the best in Europe and its ski resorts offer good value for money compared with other European resorts. Eight glacier skiing areas guarantee that the Austrian Alps are blessed with an enviably long season which runs well into the spring with packed powder on the runs and knee-deep snow waiting off-piste.
The romantic city centre of Vienna
Vienna’s major sights opened in December 2009: The “Swarovski Wien” - a combination of art gallery, shop and masterpiece of architecture. After Swarovski’s big success with the “Swarovski Crystal Worlds” in Tirol (established in 1995, it’s now Austria’s second most visited sight after the Imperial Palace in Vienna), this is the second project by Austria’s famous crystal company.
A town festival in Zell am See
Top Austrian ski resorts: Innsbruck (850m to 3200m) Capital of Tyrol and an Olympic centre, Innsbruck has excellent facilities and a ski-lift structure that takes in nearby ski centres. The Stubai glacier means year-round skiing. Bruck am Ziller (760m to 3030m) With direct access to 150km of downhill skiing, there are three airports within two hours drive of the resort. Finkenberg (840m to 3280m) A pretty village, with traditional large chalet style hotels, surrounded by the stunning scenery of the Ziller Valley. Obervellach (3100m to 3120m) Direct access to 77km of downhill skiing, with 13 individual pistes, served by 16 ski lifts.The 16 lifts can take 8,000 skiers and snowboarders per hour and there are two airports within two hours drive. Boats on a lake in Zell am See
www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/travel
May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
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REGIONAL NEWS
Training News analysis
News analysis
Sharjah
Sharjah gets serious about standards
Sharjah is being promoted as a cultural destination
HOW TO SELL SHARJAH Sharjah has been voted Cultural Capital of the Arab World by UNESCO. It features a number of different museums including: the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, the Sharjah Aquarium and the Sharjah Desert Park. The Sharjah Heritage Area features traditional houses converted into museums and the oldest souq in Sharjah: Al Souq Al Arsah. Another popular souk is the Central Souq (also called Blue Souq). One of the top attractions in Sharjah is Al Qasba, with year round events and activities, it is a great place to mingle with the local population. Sharjah also boasts some beautiful natural scenery with its two lagoons Al Khan and Al Khaleed and the surrounding corniche, plus its authentic fishing villages on the East coast set against a stunning mountain backdrop. A trip to Dibba Al Hisn, Khor Fakkan and Kalba presents visitors with unspoiled beaches and scenic drives along the coast.
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Tour guides told they must get a license as the emirate looks to boost its tourism potential he Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) officially certified its first tour guides last month, as part of the emirate’s drive to boost tourism and improve standards in the industry. Just twelve tour guides – working for Arabian Adventures, Orient Tours, Al Khalediah Tourism and the Sharjah National Travel Agency - received their official licenses in a ceremony attended by Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmad Al Qassimi, chairman of SCTDA. The guides were the first to complete the ‘Advanced Tour Guiding Course’, rolled out last year in conjunction with Skyline University in Sharjah, but the plan is that by next year it will be mandatory for all tour guides working in Sharjah to have an official tour guiding license. Al Qassimi told Arabian Travel News that the programme has been developed
Sharjah is unique like a treasure - you have to come and discover it yourself” May 2010 – Arabian Travel News
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REGIONAL NEWS
Sharjah
to ensure that tourists to Sharjah receive the right information about the emirate. “It’s easy for companies to just take people around and talk about Sharjah even if they don’t know about it,” he said. “But we don’t want everyone to sell Sharjah the way they see it and the way they want to. We want them to understand the culture, and to know what they’re talking about at least.” Much of the course is focused on teaching guides about the culture and history of Sharjah. “It’s so they can talk about museums, they can talk about the different cultural and heritage areas within Sharjah, but at the same time they need to know what they are talking about,” said Al Qassimi. “They need to know not only what this museum has inside it, but why it is here and why it is part of the identity of Sharjah, so it’s a broad programme.” Sharjah received 1.4 million tourists last year, and has a target to increase this figure by 10 percent in 2010 by promoting itself as cultural and heritage destination.
“We have our own unique points,” explained Al Qassimi, “We have 18 museums, and we have real heritage areas. We are the more authentic Arabian experience - that’s what we try to provide tourists with instead of them coming see something they can see everywhere else in the world. We always say that Sharjah is unique like a treasure - you have to come and discover it for yourself.” Al Qassimi added that the biggest challenge for the future would be to increase the awareness of Sharjah as a tourist destination. “I think the main challenge is trying to reach everyone, and trying to make people understand what Sharjah is. We have been participating in several exhibitions and going to different places to promote Sharjah, talking with our different offices aboard – that’s our first step and I think we are doing very well. We just came from ITB in Berlin and we won the ‘best exhibitor’ award in our category. So step by step we are trying to reach more people.”
SCTDA runs an Advanced Course and a Beginners Course for tour guides: Advanced Course: (5 day course, cost AED 2000) Dates: 23 - 27 May, 10 - 14 Oct 2010 Beginners Course: (8 day course, cost AED 2,750) Dates: 13 -23 June, Mid-Nov 2010 (TBA) For more information contact: Conny Boettger, Email: conny@sharjah.org Tel: 971 6 519 0918
What the tour guides said: Divyesh, Orient Tours Does Sharjah have potential as a destination? How did you find the course? Sharjah absolutely has potential. They are This course helped us to see a lot more of heading in the right direction, they have the Sharjah which we had not been doing as a part sun, the sea, the desert and all that but then of the excursions we run at the moment. This there’s the culture. They are heading in the dihas opened the way for us to explore these rection of developing the emirate as a cultural places. We have seen some archeological destination more than a fun destination. sites which we could not personally go to ourselves because they are still under study and being excavated, so it has left a Partha Sawardekar, Arabian Adventures curiosity in us that there’s more to explore than what we see now What’s the benefit of this course to developing tourism? that will be ready in the future. It brings in some standardisation which is highly required in this industry, given the scope of the country, the large area and that What’s the potential for Sharjah as a tourism destination? tour guides working here are spread out everywhere. Everyone Sharjah has got a lot of potential for guests who are looking for does it their own way so this course is good because it’s stana place with rich culture and heritage. Guests get to see the dard information that is given out to us and then we in turn can Islamic architecture, the government buildings, and the beautiful pass this on to the tourists. landscaping. In Sharjah there’s a rich heritage to explore. What’s the reaction of your tour groups when you bring them to Sharjah? Mirella El Munawar, Arabian Adventures How useful did you find the tour guides course? Tourists are pleasantly surprised. It’s not a well The course was useful and very informative. We do a lot of tours known destination. It’s a kind of hidden gem, into Sharjah, and we learnt a lot of things we normally don’t get and when it’s revealed to them they are happy to know about so in that sense it was essential to our knowledge. to see it. What had been lacking here for a long It’s an accreditation - it puts up the value of us being professional time was the infrastructure to receive tourists tour guides. We could have done the tours anyway we wanted to but now that’s been developed. Part of the course is to see what’s do it but the licenses give a more professional look to the job. being planned by the tourism authority and it looks really good.
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Arabian Travel News – May 2010
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REGIONAL NEWS
Meet the agent Meet CELEBRITY the agent CRUISES Q&A
Mohammed Al Rais Deputy managing anaging director, Al Rais Travel
I always want to do something different which people will talk about. I have tried to do things that people in the travel industry have not done before. I invited the wives of my clients for dinner at Raffles to promote destinations. Why chose local ladies? Because in our culture when you go on holiday ladies have the influence. Secondly ladies talk more than men, so this spread the word of Al Rais to more than 100 families. About 75 percent of our leisure division is targeting the local market but our next strategy is to expand to target expats. Locals spend much more money but we cannot live without expats
Agent info: Company: Al Rais Travel & Shipping Time at the company: 8 years - I took over the business in 2008 Favourite holiday destination: Switzerland Next holiday destination: Japan. It’s somewhere I’ve never been before. I’m going to Tokyo as I want to promote it as a leisure destination.
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as its 80 percent ercent of the population here. re. During the e crisis we never closed any y offices and we never laid off any employees. In the e good times they were e our number one supporters upporters so in the bad times why should we e not support them? Of course we were affected and our costs osts were high but we knew it was just a matter of time – one year and we can n manage it. The main n challenge for me is the internet. People are increasing ing their bookings online. But I have ve found a resolution on – I am not letting g my customers go. We have done very special al training with all our staff aff to explain to customers ers the difference between ween the internet and a travel shop. We have to explain plain to people why they need to be with a travel agency. ency. These days ys I joke with my friendss a lot. I have travelled to o many destinations – so o they call me and say “Mohammed Mohammed I am going to Singapore is it better to stay at the Mandarin Oriental or Berjaya Times mes Square?” I say it depends epends - are
Arabian Travel News – May 2010
Trav is my love. I’m Travel into this business not just because it’s my family becau business. When you busin love something you defin nately want to creative with it” be c
you buying from bu a travel trave agency or the internet, if i you are booking on the internet you don’t don deserve to have the information! We have a good g relationship with airlines. But sometimes someti they smart, which try to act sma we don’t like. like A couple of airlines try to bypass agencies – their travel agenc excuse was that the market was bad and they need to get their share. But we w have a hand. I can say strong hand airline - I can to the airlin cut you, I will w not sell not in their you. It’s no favour. We have had frank some very ve discussions with discussio airlines.
I’m a very sociable person; I love to talk to people. I think this is the best way to be. I believe we should be in touch with the consumer. Personally I won’t miss any event, any cocktail reception, any wedding. If you need anything from me, I am available. My office style is open door. I have tried to create a different environment – there is no boss here. We have 500 plus employees, and if you ask at any counter they all know me by person. Travel is my love – actually it’s my second love, I can’t tell you it’s my first, my wife would have problem with that. I’m into this business not just because it’s my family business. When you love something you definitely want to be creative with it.
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