Tct 51

THE

CORPORATE TRAVELLER

AUTUMN 2014 NO. 51

Turkish Airlines flies to more countries than any other airline

EKATERINBURG

OSLO

STOCKHOLM GOTHENBURG

ST. PETERSBURG

AALBORG BILLUND

EDINBURGH

MINSK

AMSTERDAM MÜNSTER

HANNOVER

COLOGNE FRANKFURT STUTTGART PRAGUE

BRUSSELS NUREMBERG BASEL MUNICH

PARIS

LUXEMBOURG

BOSTON

BORDEAUX

ZURICH

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

FRIEDRICHSCHAFEN

SALZBURG

GENEVA

MALAGA

PISA

SOFIA

TIRANA

ATHENS

CONSTANTINE

MALTA

BATNA

ALEPPO

BEIRUT

AQABA

SULAYMANIYAH

SHARM EL-SHEIKH

DOHA BAHRAIN AL QASSIM RIYADH YANBU

JEDDAH

NOUAKCHOTT

KHARTOUM

BAMAKO

OUAGADOUGOU

DJIBOUTI

NIAMEY

LAGOS

ABIDJAN

MAZAR-I SHARIF

MASHHAD

KUWAIT SHIRAZ

DUBAI KARACHI

MOGADISHU NAIROBI

N'DJAMENA

MALE

SAO PAULO

KIGALI

LUANDA

HONG KONG

HO-CHI-MINH

ENTEBBE

KINSHASA

GUANGZHOU

DHAKA

BANGKOK

MOMBASA

LIBREVILLE

OSAKA

MUMBAI

ADDIS ABABA

YAOUNDE DOUALA

SHANGHAI

NEW DELHI

ABU DHABI MUSCAT

KANO

ACCRA

SEOUL

KATHMANDU

ISLAMABAD

LAHORE

ADEN TAIF SANA’A

BEIJING

DUSHANBE

ISFAHAN KABUL

BASRA

DAMMAM

MADINAH

DAKAR

KERMANSHAH

NAJAF

AMMAN

ASHGABAT

TEHRAN

MOSUL ERBIL

BAGHDAD

DAMASCUS

TEL AVIV

HURGHADA

TOKYO

TASHKENT

TABRIZ

ISTANBUL

BENGHAZI

MISRATA SEBHA ALEXANDRIA CAIRO

CASABLANCA

OSH

TBILISI

BAKU

NAKHICHEVAN

LEFKOSA

TRIPOLI

TLEMCEN

BISHKEK

GANJA

BATUMI

THESSALONIKI

ALGIERS TUNIS

ORAN

SOCHI

CONSTANTA VARNA

SKOPJE

NAPLES

CATANIA

HOUSTON

PRISTINA

ROME

ALMATY

STAVROPOL

SIMFEROPOL

ULAN BATOR

ASTRAKHAN

ROSTOV-ON-DON

ODESSA

CHISINAU

BUCHAREST

PODGORICA

BOLOGNA

BARCELONA MARSEILLE

MADRID LISBON VALENCIA

DONETSK

BUDAPEST

LJUBLJANA BELGRADE

GENOA VENICE SARAJEVO

ASTANA

KIEV DNEPROPETROVSK

VIENNA

ZAGREB

LYONTURIN MILAN

BILBAO NICE TOULOUSE

NEW YORK

LVIV

DUSSELDORF

UFA

MOSCOW

VILNIUS

BERLINWARSAW

BREMEN

ROTTERDAM

WASHINGTON D.C.

LOS ANGELES

BIRMINGHAM

LONDON

TORONTO

CHICAGO

RIGA

LEIPZIG HAMBURG

MANCHESTER

DUBLIN

KAZAN

TALLINN

COPENHAGEN

MONTREAL

NOVOSIBIRSK

HELSINKI

COLOMBO KUALA LUMPUR

SINGAPORE JAKARTA

KILIMANJARO

DAR ES SALAAM

SYDNEY

JOHANNESBURG

BUENOS AIRES

CAPE TOWN

 WINNERS OF THE BEST HOTEL ROOM FOR CORPORATE TRAVELLER AWARDS 2014  BRUSSELS AIRPORT KEEPS THE ENVIRONMENT AT THE HEART OF ITS DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY  INTERVIEW WITH EUROSTAR CEO NICOLAS PETROVIC - 20TH ANNIVERSARY AND NETWORK EXPANSIONS

THE

BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS

MAGAZINE

FOR

THE

CORPORATE

TRAVELLER

IN

THE

BENELUX

CONTENT EKATERINBURG

OSLO

STOCKHOLM GOTHENBURG

ST. PETERSBURG

BREMEN

MINSK

MÜNSTER

HANNOVER

DUSSELDORF

PRAGUE

ZURICH

FRIEDRICHSCHAFEN

SALZBURG

GENEVA

PRISTINA

SOCHI

SOFIA

TIRANA

ATHENS MALTA

BATNA

AQABA

SULAYMANIYAH

KUWAIT SHIRAZ

YANBU

JEDDAH

KHARTOUM

BAMAKO

OUAGADOUGOU

DJIBOUTI

NIAMEY

LAGOS

ABIDJAN

ACCRA

LAHORE

ADEN TAIF SANA’A

MOGADISHU NAIROBI MOMBASA

ENTEBBE

KINSHASA

KIGALI

LUANDA

TOKYO BEIJING

SEOUL

SHANGHAI

NEW DELHI

DUBAI KARACHI

ABU DHABI MUSCAT

OSAKA

GUANGZHOU

HONG KONG

DHAKA

MUMBAI BANGKOK HO-CHI-MINH

ADDIS ABABA

N'DJAMENA

LIBREVILLE

ULAN BATOR

KATHMANDU

ISLAMABAD

KANO

YAOUNDE DOUALA

SAO PAULO BUENOS AIRES

ASTANA

ALMATY

DUSHANBE

MAZAR-I SHARIF

MASHHAD

ISFAHAN KABUL

BASRA

DAMMAM DOHA BAHRAIN AL QASSIM RIYADH MADINAH

NOUAKCHOTT

DAKAR

KERMANSHAH

NAJAF

AMMAN

ASHGABAT

TEHRAN

MOSUL ERBIL

BAGHDAD

DAMASCUS

TEL AVIV

SHARM EL-SHEIKH

HURGHADA

BISHKEK

TASHKENT

NAKHICHEVAN

ALEPPO

BEIRUT

BENGHAZI

MISRATA SEBHA ALEXANDRIA CAIRO

TLEMCEN

CASABLANCA

OSH

BAKU TABRIZ

ISTANBUL LEFKOSA

TRIPOLI

UFA

STAVROPOL

TBILISI

GANJA

BATUMI

THESSALONIKI

CONSTANTINE

ASTRAKHAN

ROSTOV-ON-DON

SIMFEROPOL

CONSTANTA VARNA

SKOPJE

NAPLES

ALGIERS TUNIS

ORAN

DONETSK

ODESSA

CHISINAU

BUCHAREST

PODGORICA

ROME

CATANIA

HOUSTON

KIEV DNEPROPETROVSK

BUDAPEST

LJUBLJANA BELGRADE

VENICE SARAJEVO

BOLOGNA

PISA

VIENNA

ZAGREB

LYONTURIN MILAN

BARCELONA MARSEILLE MALAGA

LVIV

FRANKFURT

COLOGNE

LUXEMBOURG

BORDEAUX

MADRID LISBON VALENCIA

MOSCOW

VILNIUS

BERLINWARSAW

AMSTERDAM

ROTTERDAM

BRUSSELS STUTTGART NUREMBERG BASEL MUNICH

PARIS

GENOA BILBAO NICE TOULOUSE

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

WASHINGTON D.C.

LOS ANGELES

RIGA

LEIPZIG HAMBURG

BIRMINGHAM

LONDON

KAZAN

TALLINN

COPENHAGEN

MANCHESTER

DUBLIN

BOSTON

NEW YORK

NOVOSIBIRSK

HELSINKI

AALBORG BILLUND

EDINBURGH

MONTREAL

TORONTO

CHICAGO

MALE

COLOMBO KUALA LUMPUR

SINGAPORE JAKARTA

KILIMANJARO

DAR ES SALAAM

JOHANNESBURG

SYDNEY

CAPE TOWN

Turkish Airlines

THE

CORPORATE TRAVELLER

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER IN THE BENELUX WWW.THECORPORATETRAVELLER.BE CIRCULATION 26.000 DIFFUSION Belgium, France, Luxemburg and The Netherlands PUBLICATION FREQUENCY 4 issues per year PUBLISHED BY LEO bvba 1, rue des Ixellois, 4000 Liège, Belgium Tel: 0032 (0) 4 224 7871 Fax: 0032 (0) 4 226 9484 E-mail: jp@eventbox.be

INDUSTRY NEWS 004 The Journal

28

News from the travel industry

In the flock of European airlines, TAP Portugal is indeed a rare bird flying high in the sky. It should come as no surprise that TAP Portugal was honoured with two awards at the latest World Travel Awards.

015 Business Travel Show celebrates 21st anniversary with new dates and new venue 016 Amadeus Simplifies Booking Low-Cost Carriers With the recent introduction of Amadeus Light Ticketing the content provided by low-cost carriers is now being integrated in a seamless manner into Amadeus booking systems.

HOTELS

PUBLISHER Erik De Ridder – E-mail: edr@eventbox.be MANAGING EDITOR Jean Paul Talbot – E-mail: jp@eventbox.be EDITORIAL TEAM Joanna Pays, Angela Antrobus, Jeroen Coteur, Jacques Legros

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The new Premium Economy Class from Lufthansa

32

Air France adds high-end cabins; KLM makes you feel at home

31

Austrian’s red|services, your choice!

HOTELS 34

Hotel restaurants

40

Mercure: a new look combining innovation and authenticity One year after announcing its position shift, midscale hotel world leader Mercure is pushing ahead in the Benelux with its modernization drive at a very steady pace.

ART DIRECTOR Bert Wagemans SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions to The Corporate Traveller cost € 150 per year (excluding VAT).

Costs of delivery to destinations outside of Benelux and France are in addition to this price. Student subscriptions cost € 90 per year (including VAT). A student card is necessary to obtain a student subscription. Subscription requests can be made in writing, mentioning your name, job, title, company name and delivery address.

Subscriptions are for a period of one year, and are automatically renewed until revocation. Revocation of subscriptions must be made in writing two months prior to the end of the subscription period.

ADVERTISING ERIK DE RIDDER Tel: 0032 486 13 13 13 E-mail: edr@eventbox.be TRAFFIC HILDE DE RIDDER E-mail: Traffic.leo@telenet.be DESIGN LEO BVBA PRINTING Graphius, Gent COVER Turkish Airlines COPYRIGHT No extracts from this publication may be used, repeated or copied without express authorisation from the editor. Except The Corporate Traveller, LEO bvba also edits Experience Magazine, My Land Rover Travel Magazine and Kids Universe.

ISSN 1387-2400

TAP Portugal continues to outdo itself

018 Winners of the Best Hotel Room for Corporate Traveller Awards 2014 The Steigenberger Grandhotel Brussels received the accolade for Best Hotel Room for Corporate Travellers in the 5 star hotel category, while the Heritage Relais & Châteaux Bruges was recognised as the winning hotel in the 4 star category.

AIR PORTS 022 Brussels Airport: Keeping the environment at the heart of its development strategy The airport’s 2014 Environmental Report shows how it has made impressive achievements in decreasing its environmental impact.

AIR WAYS 025 Behind the scenes with Swiss: ensuring seamless journeys for passengers and their luggage!

026 Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup Series The Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup Amateur series is back. The Brussels event took place at the Royal Waterloo Golf Club on September 8.

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Secrets of hospitality design Bart Canini, General Manager of Creneau International, shared some secrets of the creative process and the latest trends in hospitality design.

44

Transformations at the Royal Windsor Grand Place and the Warwick Barsey hotels in Brussels The Royal Windsor Grand Place and the Warwick Barsey Hotel – Warwick International Hotel’s two properties in Brussels, have recently undergone major transformations to enhance every aspect of their welcome for business and leisure travellers.

RAIL WAYS 047 A new departure for Eurostar as it celebrates its 20th year Nicolas Petrovic, CEO, talked to us about Eurostar’s successes and exciting new plans for growth.

DESTINATIONS 048 London taking centre stage for business tourism Interview with Tracy Halliwell, Director of Business Tourism and Major Events at London & Partners, London’s convention bureau…

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AUTUMN 2014 | 3

The Traveller Journal NEWS FROM THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY

Etihad Airways airline partnership unveiled

Etihad Airways has unveiled Etihad Airways Partners, a new brand which brings together like-minded airlines to offer customers more choice through improved networks, schedules and enhanced frequent flyer benefits.

and efficiencies for participating airlines on the one side, and enhanced network choice, service and frequent flyer benefits for the consumer on the other” said James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways.

Initially, six airlines will participate in the new partnership - airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Jet Airways, Darwin Airline and Etihad Airways.

However, any airline can become an Etihad Airways Partner even if it is part of an existing alliance, such as airberlin, which is a member of oneworld. The key emphasis for Etihad Airways Partners is a strong commercial partnership and shared values.

“The Etihad Airways Partners logo is a seal of excellence and global cooperation. It will be displayed on aircraft and on branded materials by a group of airlines working together to connect travellers around the world, and increasingly to harmonise standards in the air and on the ground.”

“We are broadening our business model to articulate and define a partner proposition for like-minded airlines which will result in synergies

Etihad Airways Partners will also have access to economies of scale and operational synergies such as centres of excellence, shared sales teams in certain destinations, joint procurement of services and supplies, and shared pilot and cabin crew training at the Etihad Airways facilities in Abu Dhabi.

BCD Travel names David Coppens as Executive Vice President, Global Operations BCD Travel has announced the appointment of David Coppens to the newly created role of Executive Vice President, Global Operations.

In his new role, David Coppens will oversee worldwide efforts tied to strategic operations functions and carry out the company’s vision for operations globally and across borders. He will report to Global Chief Operating Officer Mike Janssen.

David Coppens

4 | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

AUTUMN 2014 |

Coppens previously served as Senior Vice President of Performance Solutions for EMEA. In that role he aligned and streamlined internal operational processes and increased efficiencies for client operational programs. He also ensured alignment between global, regional and local requirements, and headed up EMEA’s T24 emergency services. Prior to that role, Coppens helped lead the company’s Global Business Solutions team. He joined BCD Travel from American Airlines in 2002 to implement and manage Europe’s first multinational service centre for business travel.

Delta Air Lines brings Hollywood to London’s Canary Wharf business district Delta Air Lines brought the big screen to London’s Canary Wharf business district at the end of October, ahead of the start of its new services between London-Heathrow and Los Angeles on October 26.

As part of its ‘Hollywood Without the drama’ advertising campaign, Delta rolled out the red carpet to showcase its product and entertainment offerings at a speciallyconstructed pavilion at Jubilee Plaza, outside London’s Canary Wharf train station. A giant screen, created by Emmy Award-winning production company Unit 9, highlighted some of the 250 movies on-board Delta flights through a series of vignettes depicting popular film scenes. The promotion was complemented by radio campaigns, as well as a branded Delta Hummer visiting London railway stations, drama schools and Heathrow Airport. Visitors also had the chance to win a money-can’t-buy screen test with Dark Knight Rises casting director through a dedicated week long Selfie competition.

“London is a key market for Delta and activations such as this Hollywood theme help to bring to life the Delta flight experience and popular destinations we serve with both corporate and leisure travellers” said Frank Jahangir, Delta’s VP of Sales, Europe, Middle East and Africa. “We have invested heavily in our on-board products, including our in-flight entertainment and fully flat-bed seats in the premium cabin. This promotion allows us to communicate these improvements in a fun and creative way.”

Los Angeles will be Delta’s seventh non-stop destination from London to the US. The airline also flies to Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis-St Paul, New York-JFK and Seattle.

The Traveller Journal | News from the travel industry

Air Canada’s network growth to include year round Amsterdam to Toronto service

Sofitel So Singapore gets graphic touch of Karl Lagerfeld commented Karl Lagerfeld. “Stories of its history and evolution have inspired me, especially the discovery of the island and the mystical lion it was named after. The lion has historically symbolised courageousness, elegance and leadership – attributes aligned to the visionary Sofitel So label. The Emblem is a result of that combined inspiration – one that will be special to its guests and special in the country.”

Air Canada is to introduce a year-round service to Amsterdam from Toronto, beginning in June 2015, as part of the continuing expansion of its international network.

“Air Canada will continue its international expansion drive next summer, led by the addition of Amsterdam to its mainline global network” said Benjamin Smith, President, Passenger Airlines, at Air Canada. “Air Canada is the only Canadian carrier to offer the route year-round and it will complement our existing service to Brussels, giving customers easier access to the Benelux region.”

“In addition to Amsterdam, for summer 2015 Air Canada will launch a new double-daily, non-stop Air Canada service to Paris from both Toronto and Montreal, and a new Air Canada rouge service between Vancouver and Osaka and between Montreal and Venice” said Benjamin Smith. “It will also offer increased weekly Air Canada rouge frequencies to such popular destinations as Barcelona and Athens.”

The Air Canada rouge service from Toronto to Athens and Barcelona will increase to daily from five times a week in summer 2014, and the service from Toronto to Venice will increase to four times from three weekly. From Montreal, Air Canada rouge service to Athens will double to four times weekly and services to Barcelona will increase to three-times weekly from twice weekly. Overall, Air Canada rouge service to Athens, Barcelona, Lisbon, Manchester and Nice will operate a longer season during the summer of 2015, compared to summer 2014. Air Canada rouge will also begin operating a yearround service between Toronto and Lima, Peru beginning May 2, 2015, subject to government approval, following the transfer of the route from Air Canada.

THAI increases checked baggage allowance by 10 kilos in all classes Thai Airways (THAI) has announced a new baggage policy which gives all cabin class passengers an extra 10 kilos of baggage allowance.

Sofitel So Singapore has revealed a host of stylish graphic touches around the hotel from the legendary creative director Karl Lagerfeld.

Karl Lagerfeld exclusively imagined and designed ‘The Lion’s Seal’ emblem of the hotel, which commemorates the birth of ‘Singa Pura’, the Lion City. He took his inspiration from the age-old story of the discovery of the Lion City by a Sumatran Prince. He was also inspired by the property itself: an iconic neo-classical heritage building built in 1927 as the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company Building which was given conservation status in 2000, and is today situated in the thriving heart of Singapore’s central business district.

Karl Lagerfeld’s graphic touch has been given to a variety of objects which will appear in public areas as well as guest rooms. “Singapore is an Asian powerhouse – the city of the future”

Sofitel So Singapore will feature an inviting library space, La BiblioteK, with a selection of books personally chosen by Karl Lagerfeld, ideally located off the main lobby. As one of the world’s most famous book collectors, Karl Lagerfeld’s selection for Sofitel So Singapore will be representative of his own personal tastes and cultural interests. Above all, guests will discover the BooKube – an exclusive art piece bookend created

by Karl Lagerfeld bearing ‘The Lion’s Seal’ emblem as well as a quote from the creator – “Reading is a sport. Books are my personal brain building”. It is beautifully positioned in La BiblioteK, and is also found in all 134 luxurious rooms. It will be available for purchase for guests and collectors at Sofitel So Singapore as well as on the soboutique. com web site.

Sofitel So Singapore’s front of house team will be fashionably dressed from head to toe in exclusively selected pieces from the KARL LAGERFELD collection. Garbed in the Karl Lagerfeld’s signature famous black and white silhouettes, the teams will distinctively add a trendy touch to Sofitel So Singapore.

The new baggage policy, implemented by THAI, has already come into effect and is available on all flights, except those to and from the US. Royal First Class passengers may now checkin 50 kilograms of baggage, from 40 kilograms previously. Royal Silk Class passengers are now allowed 40 kilograms, from 30 kilograms; while Economy Class passengers are allowed 30 kilograms, from 20 kilograms previously. Royal Orchid Plus members are also entitled to additional baggage allowance based on their respective member status.

Through this increased service offering, THAI aims to generate greater passenger satisfaction when choosing to travel with Thai Airways International.

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AUTUMN 2014 | 5

5 TIMES WEEKLY FROM BRUSSELS

www.ethiopianairlines.com

The Traveller Journal | News from the travel industry

All Etihad Airways Boeing 777 aircraft now have inflight connectivity Etihad Airways has reached a major milestone with the deployment of mobile and internet connectivity across its entire fleet of 24 Boeing 777 passenger aircraft.

Within a few months, the airline’s entire fleet of 89 passenger aircraft will be connected, making Etihad Airways the first airline in the region and one of the few in the world, to offer mobile and internet connectivity services on every aircraft. The full suite of inflight connectivity services includes Wi-Fi, mobile services and Live TV. Guests will be able to enjoy high-speed broadband services on Wi-Fi enabled devices including smartphones, tablets and laptops, allowing them to surf the internet, update social media, make

Accor increasing Mercure hotels in Belgium Accor is continuing its growth strategy. With the opening of the new Mercure Roeselare on 2 October, the group now counts 61 hotels in Belgium.

The Mercure Roeselare is the 7th Mercure-branded hotel to open in Belgium. Targeting mid-budget travellers, the hotel features 87 guest rooms, a restaurant, meeting rooms and an auditorium.

“We are investing in the expansion of our Mercure network” said Caro van Eekelen, COO of Accor Hotel Services Benelux. “The Accor group intends to open five hotels in Belgium over the next five years, of which most will be franchises.”

The competition will run until January 2015.

With each Jet Airways ticket sold, travel agents gain the possibility to win a Fiat 500. The car will be awarded to the winner in February. The competition also offers a range of other prizes such as iPods and iPads.

“Travel agents are very important partners for us” said Stefan Hollands, Managing Director of Jet Airways. “We directly collaborated with

Connectivity is also paving the way for the airline to enhance the guest experience through increased onboard retail opportunities, with the added benefit of real-time credit card transactions.

Etihad Airways’ Boeing 777 aircraft are used for long-haul destinations across the airline’s network, such as Los Angeles, Washington DC, London, Manchester, Dublin, Düsseldorf, Paris, Sydney, Melbourne, São Paulo, Bangkok and Jakarta.

Virgin Atlantic to cease Little Red short-haul service in 2015 Virgin Atlantic has announced that it will cease its Little Red operations next year.

Little Red’s daily services between London Heathrow and Manchester will continue until the end of March 2015, while its flights between London Heathrow and Edinburgh and Aberdeen will continue throughout summer 2015 with the final flights in September 2015.

Jet Airways and Fiat competition for travel agents Jet Airways, India’s largest private airline, is organising a competition for one of its travel agents to win a Fiat 500.

phone calls, text messages, email and use mobile data services. The Live TV onboard service allows guests to watch live TV on seven popular television channels including BBC World News, CNBC, CNN, euronews, Japan’s NHK World Premium, Sky News Arabia, and Sport 24.

Third record quarter for Brussels Airport

them in September for the organisation of our roadshows in India. With this competition, we want to thank them for their loyal collaboration throughout the years.”

Brussels Airport recorded exceptional figures for September with over 2.23 million passengers, equal to an increase of 17.7% over September 2013.

All official IATA and non-IATA travel agents throughout Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands can participate in the competition.

Every Jet Airways ticket sold between 1 September 2014 and 31 January 2015 gives them an entry into the competition. Travel agents just need to sign up on the internet site and indicate each month the numbers of the tickets sold. For more information visit www.jetairwayspromotions.com

“The traffic figures recorded in September indicate a strong, on-going upwards trend and confirm the exceptional results recorded during the summer months” said Arnaud Feist, CEO Brussels Airport Company. “The huge growth in transfer passengers confirms the increasing role played by Brussels Airport as the Western Europe Star Alliance hub. It is also an important economic indicator, showing that Brussels Airport remains an essential player for the link between Belgium and the rest of the world.”

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AUTUMN 2014 | 7

Ready for take-off?

App-solutely!

Download now for FREE the new and improved Brussels Airport app.

Use it as your guide for our parking & shopping facilities and receive live flight updates. Enjoy our exclusive app promotions.

Available for iOS and Android devices.

www.brusselsairport.be 1

The Traveller Journal | News from the travel industry

Schiphol begins complete Qatar Airways renovations of Departure Lounge 2 voted best business class airline at Business Traveller Awards 2014 Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has commenced renovations to its Departure Lounge 2, due to be completed in the summer of 2015.

For the second year in a row, Qatar Airways has been named ‘Best Business Class Airline’ at the Business Traveller Awards.

During the Business Traveller Awards 2014, held in London, Jonathan Harding, Qatar Airways’ Senior Vice President, North, South and Western Europe, received the award for Best Business Class Airline from actor Robert Powell. Qatar Airways was also named as a finalist in several other categories – Best Airline, Best Long-Haul Airline, Best Economy Class, Best Middle Eastern Airline and Best Cabin Staff.

Departure Lounge 2 is undergoing a complete transformation and will be sub-divided into seven theme worlds. Each theme world will offer passengers a specific experience with plenty to enjoy for adults as well as children. The themes are Luxury, Family, Travel & Culture, Modern Dutch, See Buy Fly, Fashion & Lifestyle, and Care & Wellness. Each theme will be characterised by its use of specific materials and designs, and includes appropriate services such as seating areas, Food & Beverage outlets and shops. Furnishings will focus on the use of sustainable materials.

The arrival at Schiphol of the first JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE luxury retail concept store in Europe, will be a flagship in Europe travel retail.

Other new arrivals in the departure lounge include M&Ms Amsterdam, a shop with a unique range of toys, clothing and exclusive products, and a Gucci store. Bulgari, Hermès, Bottega Veneta, Omega, Mont Blanc and Rolex are amongst the familiar, trusted brands featured in the Departure Lounge 2. Innovative food concepts are provided by the

The shops in Departure Lounge 2 will remain partially open during the refurbishment, with smaller, temporary sites. Passengers will also be able to use the shops and Food and Beverage outlets in Departure Lounge 3. The work will be carried out in phases, with as much as possible being done at night. Passengers may need to follow temporary diversions during the refurbishment of Departure Lounge 2. Signage will be in place and airport staff on hand to provide directions.

The renovation of Departure Lounge 2 is part of the Master Plan, a comprehensive renovation programme for Schiphol to strengthen its capacity and improve levels of comfort and efficiency for passengers. The Master Plan includes the introduction of centralised security throughout the terminal, the construction of a new Hilton hotel, the development of Area A to the south of the terminal, and the renovation of the security filter in Departure Hall 1. Construction work began in July 2013 and is expected to be completed in 2018.

Claude Rath appointed General Manager of Steigenberger Grandhotel Brussels

The new awards follows major recognition in July, at the Farnborough Air Show, where Qatar Airways was again named ‘Best Business Class Airline’ by Skytrax. In May, Qatar Airways launched the first allBusiness Class service to operate between Doha and London Heathrow, with an A319 offering 40 bespoke seats. Qatar Airways received its first A380 on 17th September.

The aircraft is the first of 13 on order and has commenced operations on the QR003 and QR004 London-Doha route. Featuring a tri-class configuration of seating over two decks offering First, Business and Economy Class, the Qatar Airways A380 is designed to offer the airline’s signature five-star service with outstanding in-flight entertainment and service.

“Winning this accolade for a second consecutive year is a testament to the fivestar service and quality that our customers have come to expect from Qatar Airways” said Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr Akbar Al Baker.

Amsterdam Bread Co., the Asian restaurant Kebaya, Café Cocó, Starbucks and the Heineken Bar. Anyone seeking to relax or re-energise before departure can do so at XpresSpa.

Claude Rath has been appointed General Manager of the five star Steigenberger Grandhotel Brussels.

Claude Rath

Of dual French and German nationality, Claude Rath brings to the Steigenberger Grandhotel over 30 years of experience in international hotel management. He most recently managed the Hotel Concorde Opéra Paris, during which time he oversaw the hotel’s rebranding in 2009. His career portfolio includes prestigious establishments from around the world including the Hôtel Méridien in Singapore, the Mauricia Hotel Beachcomber in Mauritius and the Dusit Laguna Resort Hotel in Phuket. He began his career at the Savoy Hotel in London.

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AUTUMN 2014 | 9

Are you ready for a connected future?

The travellers of tomorrow will expect to travel without boundaries.

They’ll expect journeys to be a single experience – no matter which part of the world they’re visiting or how they’re travelling.

The question is, are we ready to provide them with linked-up journeys?

Join us on a journey towards a connected future at shapethefutureo�ravel.com Let’s shape the future of travel

You can follow us on:

AmadeusITGroup

benelux.amadeus.com

The Traveller Journal | News from the travel industry

Brussels Joins the Emirates Network Emirates marked its inaugural flight to Brussels on 5 September. The new daily service will see up to 16,000 Emirates customers travelling on the daily Boeing 777-200LR between Dubai and Brussels each month.

As the airline’s 145th worldwide route, Emirates will play a key role in further developing natural business links between Belgium and key markets in the Far East.

Emirates also estimates that it will deliver a boost to the country’s tourism sector, with Belgium a popular jumping off point for Europe bound travellers from Australasia.

Alitalia and Etihad finalise €1,758 million investment deal

“We’ve had lots of customers asking us to fly to Brussels over the years so this really is fantastic news for them. Belgium’s tourism is thriving and we believe that we can drive demand even higher by providing great competition with our multi-award winning product and service,” said Thierry Aucoc, Emirates’ Senior Vice President Commercial Operations Europe and Russian Federation.

Etihad Airways and Alitalia have signed an agreement which will result in a €1,758 million investment to build a reinvigorated Alitalia as a competitive, sustainably profitable business. The recapitalised Italian national airline will now be able to invest in a comprehensive strategic business plan which will see new long-haul routes from Italy and a revitalized brand.

“Emirates is the only airline offering First Class seats from Brussels to destinations in the Far and Middle East, providing an unrivalled premium experience for our passengers. As headquarters for a huge number of major global corporations we are already seeing strong bookings from markets like China, the UAE, Japan and India, one of Belgium’s largest trade partners.”

Etihad Airways will take a 49 per cent shareholding in Alitalia, for an investment of €387.5 million. Part of the investment includes the acquisition of a 75 per cent interest in Alitalia Loyalty Spa, which operates MilleMiglia, the airline’s frequent flier programme, and the purchase by Etihad Airways of five pairs of slots at London’s Heathrow Airport. The slot pairs will be leased back to Alitalia.

“For Etihad Airways, this is a strategic, long-term commercial investment” said Etihad Airways President and Chief Executive Officer, James Hogan. “On completion, we are committed, with the other shareholders, to build a reinvigorated Alitalia as a competitive, sustainable and profitable business that can operate successfully in the global air travel market.

The winners from this successful strategy will be Italian and international travellers, who will see better service, new routes and greater competitive choice.

Completion of the equity investment remains subject to completion by Alitalia and its key private and public stakeholders, certain conditions and final regulatory approvals. The transaction is due to be completed on 31 December 2014.

Alitalia board of directors designates Silvano Cassano as CEO On 5 September, the Alitalia Board of Directors resolved to formally designate Silvano Cassano as the future Chief Executive Officer of the ‘New Alitalia’.

Mr Cassano took up the position immediately after the closing of the Transaction Implementation Agreement entered into by Alitalia and Etihad Airways on 8 August 2014.

He brings to the role over 35 years of experience in senior management roles across a number

of industries. He has also served as Chairman and CEO of Italian shipping company Grandi Navi Veloci, CEO of global fashion brand Benetton Group, CEO of Fiat Auto Financial and Consumer Services, and Vice President European Operations at Hertz Europe.

| THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

AUTUMN 2014 | 11

Discover the new Lufthansa

Premium Economy (*) lh.com/be/en/premium-economy-class

Premium Economy class advantages

+ 17cm more legroom  2 checked bags (23kg each)  lounge access (€25)  Welcome drink  Upgraded meal service  Amenity kit

er

emb c e D om able fr

 Water bottle

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(*) Available from December 2014

Book now – fly from December Look forward to a new travel experience With Premium Economy Class Lufthansa will be offering you a new travel experience between Business Class and Economy Class on all long-haul flights. Whether you are travelling for business or pleasure, you will enjoy more comfortable seating, more service and more extras. So you’ll be able to enjoy a thoroughly relaxing journey – both on the ground and on board.

You will be able to book Premium Economy Class from May 2014 and from December 2014, it will gradually become available on the entire Lufthansa long-haul fleet. The retrofitting of the fleet is being carried out in phases, beginning with the B747-8s, and will be completed within about a year. The first destinations are expected to be Bangalore, Chicago, Delhi, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Mexico City and Washington D.C.

The Traveller Journal | News from the travel industry

Carlson Wagonlit Travel Innovation 2020 The future of business travel Carlson Wagonlit Travel and Contagious, a global insights publisher and consultancy, have made a study on the implications of pervasive technology and hyper-connectivity on the complete traveller journey – pre, during and post travel.

The assertion that the world is becoming a smaller place has never been more apt. Thanks to technology it is also becoming more seamless, more connected and more efficient. Digital interactions will dominate this world and hand-in-hand will come increased user expectations for customized, personally tailored offerings and services. Thus the business travel environment as we know it will change forever.

From purchase to post-trip, travellers will be continuously connected to agents and their services via mobile devices and ubiquitous Wi-Fi. This means that small pain points in customer journeys can be

Delta expands network between UK and US Delta will launch a daily non-stop service between Manchester International Airport and New York JFK Airport from June 2, 2015 as it increases its network between the UK and North America. The airline will also begin flying its first non-stop service between London-Heathrow and Newark Liberty International Airport effective March 29, 2015.

Both of the new routes will be operated in conjunction with joint venture partner Virgin Atlantic. Delta’s new Newark operation is part of a network update

by Virgin Atlantic where Delta will operate one of Virgin’s two Newark services, while Virgin Atlantic will start its first daily non-stop Manchester to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport service. This increase in joint venture flying from Manchester will give customers access to more than 200 connecting destinations through Delta’s Atlanta and New York-JFK hubs.

The updated joint venture network from LondonHeathrow brings the daily number of services to the New York area to 10. Eight of these flights will operate to JFK and two to Newark. All Delta’s aircraft operating between the UK and the US offer customers the choice of BusinessElite, Economy Comfort and Economy class seats.

solved in real time – if not pre-emptively – based on an individual’s context and the conditions around them. People need never hit an unexpected traffic jam en route to the airport, miss a last-minute gate change or settle for a mediocre meal on-the-go again. Business travellers will automatically be seated according to their on-record preferences (e.g. near co-workers, near networkers, near strangers).

These pairings will extend to ground transportation from airport to final destination as well, allowing for shared cabs and other efficiencies. Beyond efficiencies, the availability of social data and user profiles will enable travellers to connect with friends and colleagues they didn’t even know were in town. And travel services providers will be able to link such serendipity to rewards for travellers.

As business trips increasingly overlap with personal vacations, it will be important for agents to be able to tailor suggestions and opportunities

to travellers based on preference profiles, loyalty memberships, and trip details. Biotechnology and biometric identification will become commonplace and, increasingly, biological authentication will take the place of passwords and passports.

Passports will be digitally enabled to make the pre-flight screening process a breeze and digital money transfers will become the norm. Scan, snap and tap-to-pay functions will be present for nearly all transactions, and smartphones, wristbands and other tech devices will become intelligent wallets.

Post travel, centralized hubs for all travel information will minimize the hassle of post-trip paperwork. Travellers returning from trips will be able to immediately reap the rewards of loyalty points earned, rather than waiting for their next trip. In essence, branded loyalty systems will become an alternative currency for business travellers, before, during and after their journeys.

Etihad opens new Arrivals Lounge in Abu Dhabi Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has enhanced its premium service offering at Abu Dhabi International Airport, with the opening of a new Arrivals Lounge.

The luxurious facility is the first Arrivals Lounge to be operated by Etihad Airways in the world, offering a stylish and modern environment for the exclusive use of the airline’s First and Business Class guests. It also boasts a convenient location, immediately after customs.

Highlights include a dedicated area to freshen-up before leaving the airport, with 10 revitalising shower units, each equipped with luxurious amenities and linked to a complimentary service for clothes steaming.

As part of the offering, garments such as suits and dresses can be steamed by housekeeping while guests shower, and will be returned within 10 minutes. The innovative new ‘SHAVE by Etihad Airways’ concept has also been introduced inside the lounge, with guests offered a complimentary refreshing wet shave by fully-qualified barbers.

Access is also provided to a dedicated relaxation area, with high-comfort seating, large screen televisions, an array of local and international reading materials and café style refreshments which are served throughout the day. Guests looking for a quiet and productive space to prepare for meetings can utilise the onsite business facility, which features a large-screen Apple computer, printer, and complimentary broadband and wireless internet connections.

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The Traveller Journal | News from the travel industry

Smart Upgrade to Austrian Business Class Smart Upgrade gives passengers access to Austrian Business Class at a bargain price.

For those who already have an Austrian Economy Class ticket, but would like to enjoy all the amenities of Business Class, Smart Upgrade makes it possible! And the good thing is, the passenger decides how much they are willing to pay for their upgrade.

Passengers with an Austrian Economy Ticket need just make their bid and they will be notified within 72 hours before scheduled departure whether their offer has been accepted. Smart Upgrade is available on all Austrian scheduled flights, including all flights within Europe.

Kuala Lumpur – new destination for British Airways British Airways is expanding its Asian network, with the addition of Kuala Lumpur.

As from 27 May 2015, British Airways will offer daily direct flights from London Heathrow to the Malaysian capital.

The Boeing 777-200ER aircraft used on the route will offer a four cabin class service with First, Club World business, World Traveller Plus premium economy and World Traveller economy.

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TRADE SHOW

Business Travel Show celebrates 21st anniversary with new dates and new venue The Business Travel Show is Europe’s largest specialised exhibition and conference for buyers and managers of business travel. It returns to London next year on 25-26 February 2015 at a new venue: Olympia Grand. The event is now 21 years old and provides business travel buyers and managers with access to the suppliers, knowledge and contacts they need to help them develop successful travel programmes.

O

VER 250 SUPPLIERS WILL BE EXHIBITING AND THE EVENT FEATURES EUROPE’S LARGEST CONFERENCE PROGRAMME WITH MORE THAN 60 SESSIONS. The Business

Travel Show also runs a comprehensive hosted buyer programme for senior European buyers. Last year, 6,459 corporate travel professionals attended the event, including hosted buyers from companies including Accenture, Albemarle Europe SPRL, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, BP Paribas, BP, Continental AG, Carestream Health, eBay, HSBC, Ikea, Jaguar Land Rover, L’Oreal, Norgine , Novabase, Sony Mobile and Tennant. 90 per cent rated their overall experience as good or excellent and 83 per cent rated the conference sessions the same.

In return for committing to a minimum of five pre-scheduled appointments per day with exhibitors of their choice, hosted buyers enjoy the following benefits: • A three day conference programme including the pre-show conference stream on Tuesday 24th February, which is exclusively for hosted buyers • Invitation to the buyer-only masterclass sessions at the show • A new personal online diary system, accessible via any 3G device, to help manage and maximise time at the show • Up to two nights complimentary accommodation at a minimum four star hotel on a bed and breakfast basis including ground transfers to and from the event if required • Complimentary travel to London including ground transfers to and from the event. (if required) • Access to the exclusive hosted buyer lounge, including complimentary refreshments and a networking lunch

Sourcing new suppliers

Hosted buyers can meet 250 business travel suppliers at the Business Travel Show including airlines, accommodation

providers, ground transportation, technology providers and TMCs. Exhibitors – large and small – include easyJet, Etihad Airways, Star Alliance, Gatwick Airport, Virgin Trains, First Great Western, American Express Global Business Travel, Premier Inn and Capita.

Europe’s largest business travel conference

The Business Travel Show hosts Europe’s largest conference programme. Independently produced and supported by 100 expert speakers, more than sixty topical sessions cover the biggest issues affecting travel management, including NDC, the integration of travel and meetings, social media policy, stakeholder engagement, data management and duty of care.

Network with peers and create new relationships

From peer-to-peer and supplier networking sessions, to informal social events, hosted buyers will build new relationships at the show and be given a chance to share knowledge and best practice.

Vanda Barandas, corporate travel strategy manager, Novabase, said: “It is essential to keep up to date with trends and solutions in this market and the Business Travel Show consolidates – in one place – essential networking, new suppliers and solutions and interesting education sessions.”

The Business Travel Show takes place 25-26 February at Olympia Grand, London. Please visit www.businesstravelshow.com for more information, visit http://bit.ly/1o43oJk to view the hosted buyer brochure or contact hosted@businesstravelshow.com to apply.

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MANAGEMENT

Amadeus

Simplifies Booking Low-Cost Carriers

confidential

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Airline & Amadeus development

Page 1

Amadeus is constantly approaching the market with the widest possible range of content. They are aiming to offer full content as transparent as possible to their customers - and all on one screen. With the recent introduction of Amadeus Light Ticketing the content provided by low-cost carriers is now being integrated in a seamless manner into Amadeus booking systems.

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w

½½ LIGHT TICKETING IMPLEMENTATIONS 2014 OVERVIEW SO FAR

ITH AMADEUS, DEVELOPMENTS SUCH AS LIGHT TICKETING ARE ALWAYS THE RESULT OF INTERACTION WITH THE CUSTOMERS.

“We get constant feedback from the market, and quite often very concrete needs and wishes arise out of that,” explains Ceyhan Dulkadir, Account Manager IT & Content of Amadeus Benelux. “In this case, there was a clear demand for the integration of low-cost carriers into the same booking flow as the full service carriers. Amadeus Light Ticketing is a direct result of a permanent dialogue and collaboration between Amadeus, Travel Agencies and the low cost carriers.”

Seamless integration

This new introduction responds to three specific customer demands.

“First of all, we have simplified the booking process which means that making a low-cost carrier booking in Amadeus is now identical to booking any regular airline. Our customers have now also access to all ancillary services offered by the low-cost carriers such as seats or extra luggage or can use their frequent flyer cards to benefit from extras” says Dulkadir.

Corporate fares and unique document numbers

“A second component of this development is related to corporate fares and how we process them for low-cost carriers,” continues Dulkadir.

“Corporations exclusively benefit from bundled fares such as easyJet Inclusive Fares which are even not available on easyJet.com. The third new aspect is a single, unique document. With a completely ticketless approach, specifically designed for low cost carriers, the document number enables our customers to have a reference that can be sent to back office systems so that invoices and reports can be generated automatically. In addition, with the unique document, changes, additions, cancellations or services can be processed quickly.”

© 2014 Amadeus Benelux N.V.

RESTRICTED

Low cost and hybrid content Back-office integration

2013

2001

Turn the cost of booking LCCs into profit. Today.

Complete back-office integration. Real-time data, tracking and reporting of LCC bookings.

The number of seats sold on LCCs has more than tripled: from 8% in 2001 to 26,3% in 2013.*

A single view of all the options available to identify the right flight for each traveller, every time.

70+ LCCs Amadeus offers you more than 70 low-cost and hybrid carriers to choose from.

The number of LCCs available in Amadeus has doubled in 4 years: from 35 in 2009 to 70 in 2013.

Payment

Confirm

XXX XXX XXX XXX

Invoice

Seamless workflow Book

Transparent search

Fully automated booking flow makes booking an LCC as easy as booking a full-service carrier.

Synchronised changes PNR

PNR

A PNR can be automatically changed in an instant without having to contact the airline.

The traveller's itinerary is automatically updated.

5x faster

Save 8 minutes

Book up to 5 times faster than airline websites and twice as fast as other aggregator sites.**

Save 8 minutes on each change compared to any other channel.**

€3 profit Make up to €3 on a round trip booking.**

852,181,000 That’s the number of passengers who flew on LCC flights booked through Amadeus in 2012

€6 profit Make up to €6 on rebooking and changes.**

Discover how to make the most of Amadeus LCC content: *CAPA – Centre for Aviation ** Productivity of LCC booking solutions”, United Parcel Service of America, Inc. November 2008

Speed and efficiency

Ultimately these changes bring with them a number of advantages, both for the TMCs and Corporations. “TMCs are able to work more efficiently, with real-time access to availability of rates with low-cost carriers as well as all additional services offered by these LCCs. These can all be booked in a simple flow. As far as corporations and their travellers, they benefit from the integration of the Light Ticketing technology into our Amadeus e-Travel Management corporate booking tool, in which the same content can be booked by the traveller,” explains Dulkadir.

Growing importance of low-cost carriers

With its Light Ticketing product, Amadeus has made booking a lot simpler. “We cannot ignore the fact that the importance of low-cost carriers continues to grow. LCCs rep-

amadeus.com/LCCdemo

resented 26% of all seats in 2013 worldwide and continues growing. Having recognized this evolution, we have not only enhanced our technology but also increased our content offer. Four years ago, we had 35 LCCs in our system, and now that number has increased to more than 70.”

More and more content

Amadeus customers are gradually becoming familiar with the new Light Ticketing functionality and this is growing steadily. “We introduced this innovation at the beginning of the year, with easyJet as the first airline. In recent months the content has grown very quickly. We have been able to add new airlines, such as Transavia, AirAsia, Germanwings and recently Ryanair. Thanks to these evolutions, our customer have now access to a wide range of low cost carrier content in the Benelux“ concludes Ceyhan Dulkadir.

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HOTELS

Winners of the Best Hotel Room for Corporate Traveller Awards 2014

Steigenberger Grandhotel Brussels and Hotel Heritage Relais & Ch창teaux Bruges The hotel winners of Best Hotel Room for Corporate Traveller Awards 2014, sponsored by Amadeus, have been announced. The Steigenberger Grandhotel Brussels received the accolade for Best Hotel Room for Corporate Travellers in the 5 star hotel category, while the Heritage Relais & Ch창teaux Bruges was recognised as the winning hotel in the 4 star category.

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½½ STEIGENBERGER GRANDHOTEL BRUSSELS

T

HE BEST HOTEL ROOM FOR CORPORATE TRAVELLER AWARDS WERE CREATED IN 2013, BY THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER MAGAZINE, IN ORDER TO RECOGNISE OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN TERMS OF ROOM DESIGN AND INNOVATION FOR HOTELS THROUGHOUT BELGIUM – A COUNTRY WHICH BOASTS AN EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH LEVEL OF QUALITY IN ITS HOTEL PARK.

At the beginning of 2014, The Corporate Traveller Magazine announced the second edition of the Best Hotel Room for Corporate Traveller Awards. The three judges in this year’s awards’ panel were Bart Canini, General Manager of Creneau International, Olaf Leenders, Operations Director of Amadeus Benelux and Joanna Pays, Senior Editor of The Corporate Traveller Magazine. As well as being frequent business travellers, they are experts in the fields of hotel interior design, hotel technologies and business travel journalism respectively.

In the summer, the awards’ jury members travelled around Belgium to visit the seven hotel finalists. The judges took an ensemble of criteria into account including overall design, comfort, service, in-room technologies and facilities.

For regular business travellers, hotel rooms from one business trip to the next can sometimes feel quite similar, so the judges were also looking for unique and original design touches that can make a hotel room stand out. After much deliberation over the strong quality of the competition, the jury named the Steigenberger Grandhotel Brussels as winner in the five star category and the Relais & Châteaux Hotel Heritage Bruges in the four star category

The Awards presentation ceremony

During the presentation ceremony, held in Amadeus’ Benelux headquarters in Vilvoorde on 17 October, the judges presented the awards to Mr Claude Rath, General Manager of the Steigenberger Grandhotel Brussels and Mr Johan Creytens, General Manager of the Relais & Châteaux Hotel Heritage Bruges. The two winning hotels each win a full year of advertising in The Corporate Traveller Magazine with a value of 16,000 euros.

“Congratulations to the Steigenberger Grandhotel Brussels and the Relais & Châteaux Hotel Heritage Bruges” said Olaf Leenders, Director of Operations at Amadeus Benelux

½½ HOTEL HERITAGE

and one of the judges on presentation of the awards. “We wish you continuing ongoing success with the high quality of services you offer to your guests.”

“The choice of just two winners, one in the five star category and one in the four star category was a challenge” added Joanna Pays, Senior Editor of The Corporate Traveller Magazine and one of the award judges. “If I were to highlight one thing about each of the two hotel winners that set them apart this year, it would be the blend of light, space, colour accents and noble materials used in the Steigenberger Grandhotel, which achieved a real feeling of luxurious living and practical working space – as much appreciated by business travellers. At the Relais & Châteaux Hotel Heritage Bruges, the judges admired how the architect had crafted authentic antique surroundings together with the very latest innovations in in-room technologies.”

Steigenberger Grandhotel Brussels, winner of the 5 star hotel category

Even before entering the Steigenberger Grandhotel Brussels, its beautiful 19th façade, overlooking the Avenue Louise, exudes luxury.

Steigenberger Hotels and Resorts took over management of the hotel at the beginning of 2013 and finished refurbishments of the 225 guest rooms and 42 suites this year.

Rooms are amongst the biggest in Brussels and the redesigns have further enhanced the feeling of spaciousness by the use of clean design lines and luminous colour schemes, while natural light floods in through the elegantly proportioned arched windows.

The rooms’ layout and furnishings have been designed with both work and relaxation in mind. Combining comfort, elegance and functionality, the rooms’ features include custom-made king size beds, ample storage space, ipod docking stations and opulent marble bathrooms. The generous working desks provide plenty of space to work in comfort, and are fitted with international plug sockets.

In addition most of the hotel’s 180 Superior rooms benefit from their own balconies overlooking the courtyard café terrace. The hotel has five categories of suites, ranging | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

AUTUMN 2014 | 19

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HOTELS

½½ STEIGENBERGER GRANDHOTEL DELUXE ROOM

up to its three Presidential Suites and the 320m2 Royal Suite. The Royal Suite features an elegant living room centred around an open fireplace, a dining room which can be used as a meeting room for up to twelve people, a kitchen, a vast bedroom with 47” LCD screen which pivots to form a mirror, an office with its own library, a large dressing room and a bathroom with Jacuzzi and steam shower.

“It is a great honour to carry away this award for a year” said Claude Rath, General Manager of the Steigenberger Grandhotel. “I will be sharing this with the whole team.”

Hotel Heritage Relais & Châteaux Bruges – winner of the 4 star hotel category

The Hotel Heritage is part of the prestigious ‘Relais & Châteaux’ association, which links over 500 hotels and gourmet restaurants around the world. The Hotel Heritage, located in the heart of historic Bruges, began its life as the private mansion of a wealthy banker. The owners, husband and wife team Johan and Isabelle Creytens, acquired the building in 1992, lovingly restoring it to its former glory and transforming it into a charming boutique hotel.

The Heritage Hotel completed renovations to its 22 rooms and suites, as well as to its gastronomic restaurant, Le Mystique, last year. Blending comfort and classical elegance, Deluxe rooms benefit from distinct sitting and bedroom areas, as well as walk in dressing areas. Technology features include sustainable air conditioning and heating systems, iPads, iPod/iPhone docking stations with Bose sound system and high quality 42” flatscreen TVs. Guests will also appreciate the hand crafted beds by Nilson with fine Egyptian bed linen, tea and Nespresso machines and marble bathrooms with bath and separate walk in showers. Four suites are located on the hotel’s top floor.

½½ HOTEL HERITAGE GUEST ROOM

Johan Creytens is also an architect and he has successfully incorporated many of the building’s original features into the hotel. These include the beautiful 18th century hand painted wall panels in the Le Mystique restaurant and the gothic vaults of the 14th century cellar, which have been transformed into an exclusive fitness and wellbeing centre.

“We are honoured to receive this great award and are very proud of our team. They really go beyond to serve our guests” said Johan Creytens on receipt of the award.

Judges’ special mention to the Grand Place Suite at the Royal Windsor Hotel Grand Place, Brussels

The judges would also like to make a special mention of the spectacular Grand Place Suite at the Royal Windsor Hotel Grand Place in Brussels. Accessed by its own private elevator, the Grand Place Suite covers 250 square metres, in addition to a private terrace of 150 square metres overlooking Brussels. Besides a vast lounge with diverse seating and dining areas, there is a bar, an office, a fully equipped kitchen as well as a kitchenette, a master bedroom and a very large marble bathroom. Noble materials, inspirational artwork and customised design furnishings have been used throughout.

The Best Hotel Room for Corporate Travellers 2015, coming soon!

In 2015, once again our team of judges will be assessing and visiting hotels from all over Belgium. Their mission will be to find the very best hotel rooms and suites from amongst both well-established and newcomer hotels to Belgium’s premium and luxury properties. More information about the 2015 Best Hotel Room for Corporate Travellers Award will be announced in our forthcoming edition of The Corporate Traveller Magazine.

AMADEUS BENELUX PREMIUM SPONSOR OF THE BEST HOTEL ROOM AWARDS Amadeus Benelux, one of the world’s leading suppliers of technology solutions for the aviation and wider travel sector, was the premier sponsor of this year’s Best Hotel Room for Corporate Traveller Awards. Amadeus has been working with many of the world’s leading hotel chains for many years, providing them with a range of technology solutions to optimise sales and reservations management, as well as Property Management Systems and systems for managing group content and meetings. The company’s growth in the hotel sector was reinforced by its acquisition of Newmarket in 2013, a company which already counts 75% of the world’s top 20 hotel chains amongst its clients.

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AIR PORTS

Brussels Airport

keeping the environment at the heart of its development strategy Brussels Airport has been putting environmental performance at the heart of its business strategy for years. Even with growing passenger numbers and development projects, the airport’s 2014 Environmental Report shows how it has made impressive achievements in decreasing its environmental impact.

½½ CHRISTEL VANDENHOUTEN, HEAD OF ENVIRONMENT AT BRUSSELS AIRPORT

Sustainable development

T

O ENHANCE THE PASSENGER EXPERIENCE, BRUSSELS AIRPORT HAS BEEN UNDERGOING MAJOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS – IN PARTICULAR THE NEW CONNECTOR BUILDING DUE TO OPEN NEXT YEAR. The airport has achieved ISO 14001 certification for its

environmental management systems since 2000 and, with each new project, it continues to pioneer sustainable solutions and technologies to achieve its environmental goals. As an example, one of the latest sustainable energy forms - Cold Heat Storage systems which use natural underground thermal energy - will contribute to the provision of heating and cooling for the new Connector building.

Energy management

The use of sustainable energies figures highly on the airport’s environmental agenda. Since September 2010 the airport has acquired only green energy and, besides the new Cold Heat Storage systems, its two solar parks now generate 3% of its electricity requirements.

Overall, Brussels Airport’s energy management achievements are impressive and in 2012 it became the first airport in the world to be awarded the ISO 50001 certificate for its energy management systems. The airport has significantly reduced its energy consumption through measures such as constant monitoring and evaluation of installations and lighting. Despite passenger traffic being at its highest for over a decade, average electricity use at the airport has decreased by 13% over the same period.

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½½ WASTE SORTING ISLANDS AT BRUSSELS AIRPORT

Emissions and noise reductions

Thanks to the energy saving measures put in place, the airport’s greenhouse gas emissions recorded in 2013 were the lowest ever. Besides working on reduction of its own emissions, Brussels Airport also works with its partners to help reduce emissions from air traffic. These include the use of continuous descent aircraft approaches, which not only serve to reduce emissions, but also fuel use and noise levels.

Brussels Airport works in close collaboration with local authorities and residents to monitor its efforts in managing noise levels and has one of the most severe noise regulation policies in Europe. The potentially most impacted residents in terms of noise levels have fallen by 66% since 2000, while overall noise levels measured in 2013 were the lowest in a decade. These noise level reductions are the result of a raft of measures, such as the use of quieter more modern aircraft and heavier landing and take-off fees imposed for noisier aircraft. On the ground, the installation of sound barriers and underground piping to partially replace the use of fuel tankers, have further contributed.

Water and waste recycling

Brussels Airport’s objectives for 2015 include the reduction of its mains water consumption by 10% and it is one of the rare European airports to have its own waste water treatment plant.

The waste recycling policy at Brussels Airport has been particularly successful, as companies, passengers and staff at the airport are all actively encouraged to participate in sorting waste. Over the last decade, the amount of residual waste has fallen by 10%, while waste per passenger has decreased by 14%.

In 2012 the airport installed 192 refuse sorting islands and campaigned heavily to raise social awareness about the importance of recycling. The airport has also been working hard to encourage overseas passengers, who may not be familiar with the concept, to sort their waste. Instructions on collection bins have been made as clear as possible for all to understand, even for those who do not speak a European language. As it continues to look at further ways to optimise recycling, the airport is currently investigating solutions for the processing of biomass, such as kitchen waste.

A host of green initiatives

In addition to these major projects, a host of other green initiatives have been implemented, from the installation of beehives and electric vehicle charging stations, to more facilities for cyclists and improved public transport.

“Brussels Airport has been pursuing its sustainable development policies since the 1990s but working on environmental care and energy management is never done and there is always room for improvement” said Christel Vandenhouten, Head of Environment at Brussels Airport. “That is why we devise an environmental programme containing measurable objectives every five years. We are constantly working to improve environmental and energy awareness among our employees. As a result, the environment has become a fully-fledged aspect of our company’s activities that now plays a leading role in all projects and decisions.”

Brussels Airport’s 2014 Environmental Report gives a detailed overview of the solutions and measures that have been implemented to reduce the impact on the environment, as well as its aims for the future. More information can be found at http://www.brusselsairport.be/en/env/year_report/.

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AIR PORTS

Passenger Care Centre, Swiss International Air Lines Ltd

Behind the scenes with Swiss

Ensuring seamless journeys for passengers and their luggage!

Baggage handling, Flughafen Zurich AG

The SWISS hub at Zurich Airport boasts one of the most technologically advanced systems in place at any European airport, to ensure that the journeys of passengers and their luggage goes smoothly. Continuing our behind the scenes tour of Zurich Airport with SWISS, we were allowed a privileged access to the airport’s customer care and baggage systems.

One of the most advanced airport baggage systems in the world

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VER 12 KILOMETRES OF CONVEYOR BELTS AND 4300 MOTORS, THE BAGGAGE SORTING SYSTEM COLLECTS INFORMATION ON EACH BAG’S WEIGHT, DIMENSIONS AND FLIGHT NUMBER. Every piece of luggage checked-in

at Zurich Airport is 100% security checked. Laser barcode scanners read the bag labels, automatically assigning them into the appropriate aircraft containers. The software decides the order in which bags should be most efficiently loaded, and tracks available space left in the baggage hold.

On an average day, 30,000 pieces of luggage are sorted through the system and on peak days this number rises up to around 48,000 pieces of luggage!

State of the art Passenger Care Centre

SWISS also uses technology to follow its passengers along their journey. The SWISS Passenger Care Centre is based at its Operation Center Zurich Airport. Here, a team of highly skilled operators follow aircraft movements around the clock, ensuring seamless transition for passengers.

The passenger care centre staff follow movements of all aircraft into Zurich, counting down from 48 hours until aircraft arrival and departure. From an array of computer screens, they track all aircraft, passengers and due connecting times, predicting which could be in danger of missed flights and putting into place solutions. This task is made even more complex by the fact that different passengers on a delayed flight will be connecting onto many different flights.

“The decisions we make here are important to ensure the best passenger relations and customer services” explained a representative of the Passenger Care Centre. “As turnaround time for aircraft is just 40 minutes from landing to taking off again, a late incoming flight can often mean a late departing flight. Because of this, one flight delay can cause a domino effect of further delayed flights for two or three days, affecting potentially hundreds of passengers.

Should we delay a connecting flight, or should we divert certain passengers onto a later connecting flight? Other solutions can be changing an aircraft gate, in order to minimise connecting times so passengers can catch their onward flights. We also have reserve aircraft on hand, in case of technical problems. We have to make these decisions bearing in mind what percentage of passengers would be most inconvenienced with this or that delay. It’s a real logistical challenge, but we have the most advanced software solutions and most experienced staff to manage them.”

SWISS has 48 Passenger Care experts based in centres in Zurich, Capetown and Bangkok. Together they follow 450 aircraft movements a day.

As summarises Patrick Oberson, Head of Sales France & Benelux for SWISS, “Our industry awards prove the outstanding quality of our onboard service, but behind the scenes we put every means at our disposal to ensure a seamless journey for our passengers and our luggage” | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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AIR WAYS

Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup Series Belgian tournament hosted at Royal Waterloo Golf Club

The Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup Amateur series is back. For 2014 there are no less than 50 tournaments, held at prestigious golf courses around the world, to qualify for the final in November. The Brussels event took place at the Royal Waterloo Golf Club on September 8.

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HE TURKISH AIRLINES WORLD GOLF CUP WAS LAUNCHED IN 2013, WITH COMPETITIONS IN 12 GLOBAL CITIES. Following on from the success of the

first edition, this year’s series is on an even bigger scale.

2,500 players are participating in 50 qualifying events, spanning 35 different countries worldwide. Players include Turkish Airlines’ corporate customers, Turkish Corporate Club members, agencies, the media and industry authorities. They are invited as guests of Turkish Airlines to play some of the best golf courses in the world, in destinations across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia.

The golf club chosen for the Belgian tournament was the prestigious Royal Waterloo Golf Club, situated just outside Brussels. The course was originally designed by renowned golf architect Fred Hawtree in 1960 and features 45 holes in total – two 18 hole courses and two 9 hole courses. Its

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undulating terrain and woodland environment provides an excellent golfing challenge for all.

Players at each of the 50 qualifying tournaments are split into two categories, based on their handicaps. The competition is played on the basis of individual stroke play. The 100 lucky winners (the two finalists from each competition) will enjoy Business Class flights with Turkish Airlines, accommodation on an all-inclusive basis at a 5 star resort, enjoy the hospitality and play in the finals of the Turkish Open.

As global sponsor of this exciting event, Turkey’s prestigious Maxx Royal Resort has teamed up with Turkish Airlines to provide an exclusive Hole in One prize. Any player scoring a Hole in One during the series will receive a pair of business class flights with Turkish Airlines and a 7 night stay at the luxury Maxx Royal Resort in Belek. In addition, there will be a lucky draw taking place at every qualifying event with

½½ THE WINNERS

the winner also receiving a pair of business class flights with Turkish Airlines and a 7 night stay at the Maxx Royal Resort.

The 2014 series also features Nearest the Pin competitions in each of the 50 events, with separate prizes for men and ladies.

Winners of the Nearest the Pin competitions at the Brussels tournament were Yves van Lent and Marthje de Winter

Winners of the Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup, Brussels qualifying tournament

The winners of the Brussels qualifying tournament at the Royal Waterloo Golf Club on 8 September are Philip Wilkin, Finance Manager of Production Resource Group, who achieved a score of 39 points and Dirk Olyslager, Managing Director of Junge Maritime Insurance Brokers, who achieved a score of 40 points. “I am really looking forward to a fantastic week where I can really relax in a superb 5 star hotel!” commented Dirk Olyslager on receipt of his prize ticket. Both of the winners are going through to play in

the Grand Finals, which will be held in Belek, Turkey from November 9th-16th.

Commenting after the day’s tournament in Waterloo, Veysel Serdar, General Manager of Turkish Airlines Benelux said “This is a platform for us to enhance our relationship with the industry. We are sure that the network that was built today will contribute a lot to our company’s growing success – and also I have to say, we enjoyed the day!”

With the success of the 2013 series and the 2014 series so far, it is safe to say that this is just the start and we could even expect more exciting destinations next year!

Turkish Airlines also sponsors the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open, one of the Ladies European Tour’s most popular events that continues to attract many of the game’s leading players.

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AIR WAYS

TAP Portugal

continues to outdo itself In the flock of European airlines, TAP Portugal is indeed a rare bird flying high in the sky. Its passengers enjoy outstanding service on the ground as well as during their flights. They fly to southern Europe, Africa and South America. It should come as no surprise that TAP Portugal was honoured with two awards at the latest World Travel Awards.

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AP PORTUGAL PRESENTS ITSELF AS A TRUE NICHE AIRLINE, SPECIALISING IN PORTUGAL (LISBON, PORTUGAL AND THE PORTUGUESE ISLANDS) AND BRAZIL (12 DESTINATIONS). As far as that magnificent South American country

is concerned, TAP Portugal has the largest offering on the European market with no fewer than 12 daily flights to the land of the Samba. But there’s more: the Portuguese company is widening its orientation to the American continents. It is doing just that by adding new flights to Bogota and Panama City, supplementing its existing routes to Venezuela, New York and Miami.

long-haul flight, you will have the opportunity to taste the best that Portugal has to offer, with a selection of no less than 24 main courses, an extensive 18 salad dressings, 12 chutneys, 6 soups, 6 mouth-watering desserts and a variety of cold snacks. All of these delicious goodies are served via table service featuring traditional Portuguese textiles, which underscores the high standard of quality to be expected on a TAP Portugal flight. You can also expect outstanding catering on TAP Portugal flights within Europe in both economy and business class, which includes fine Portuguese wines and portos.

Culinary delights

Mobile playground

For the business traveller, TAP Portugal spares neither expense nor effort. Thus extra attention is paid to the inflight catering, where the Portuguese airline distinguishes itself with delicious meals. In addition it serves an outstanding selection of top Portuguese wines.

Top chef Vitor Sobral has reworked a number of typical Portuguese dishes in a contemporary, creative and sophisticated manner. You can choose from fish, poultry and meat dishes, complemented by traditional Portuguese specialties such as salted cod and squid. So during your 28 | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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TAP Portugal is not letting rapidly changing technology pass it by. Thanks to its apps, online as well as mobile check-in are some of the options available to the business traveller who does not want to waste time at the airport.

The new mobile site and the apps ensure that travellers have better, faster and more flexible access to all available information. The platform is compatible with iOS and Android systems as well as HTML-based applications for those devices which utilise other operating systems. Via flytap.com, smartphone users are automatically redirected to the mobile version of the site. It supplies helpful infor-

mation such as various flight schedules, departure and arrival times, a luggage allowance calculator, managing your booking, mobile check-in and other ticketing information. Also, all aircraft are equipped with personal displays and/or an AVOD entertainment system (Audio & Video On Demand).

TAP Portugal also pampers its corporate travellers from A to Z at the airport. TAP|Executive passengers enjoy access to the lounges at Brussels Airport and are also welcome at the TAP Portugal Premium Lounge in Lisbon while they wait for their connection.

Other services include “Fast Track Access” in Brussels and “Green Way Access” in Lisbon as well as Priority Boarding.

These are services that allow TAP|Executive passengers to not only travel in a relaxed manner but also save a considerable amount of time.

tourism industry. Awards for the leading airline with flights to Africa as well as to South America were given out on 2 August in Athens for the fourth year in a row. “This is recognition of all the efforts that we continue to deliver on our flights to these respective continents,” said spokesman Rui Lemos. “This is by the way the best motivation for us to keep investing in these markets. We feel that we are very responsible when it comes to our passengers, and we truly seek to outdo ourselves every single day.”

In the jury praise TAP passengers. the highest verdict.

panel discussions, the same tone was used to Portugal for its faithfulness and loyalty to its “This company provides a product that meets quality standards in all areas,” read the final

For more info: www.flytap.com

Two more WTA awards in the trophy cabinet

This extra effort has paid off, because TAP Portugal raked in the awards this year once again. It earned two WTA awards (World Travel Awards), achievements that could without exaggeration be described as the Oscars of the | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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AIR WAYS

The new Premium Economy Class from Lufthansa A few more extras make a huge difference

Lufthansa is now offering travellers its Premium Economy Class – positioned between Business Class and Economy Class – which is a unique, new travel experience on board its long-distance flights. Whether you are travelling for business or not, this formula is intended for all travellers because it offers more personal space, service and other extras. Passengers will be able to enjoy a more relaxing trip, both on the ground and in the air.

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ERE WE REVIEW THE NEW EXTRAS OFFERED IN PREMIUM ECONOMY CLASS BELOW.

More comfort

• Up to 50% more personal space: each passenger has more than enough room to be able stretch out his or her legs.

• 2 x 23 kg free luggage allowance: Travellers can check in a second piece of luggage at no extra cost (HON Circle Members and Senators can check in three pieces of luggage of up to 23 kg each).

• Welcome drink: You can easily place your welcome drink on the handy cocktail table in the armrest. Your drink is always at hand.

More personal space

• New seating: There is more room provided between you and the passengers in front of you and next to you. And each seat is also situated no further than one seat away from the aisle.

• Storage space: Each passenger has access to more storage space.

• Separate armrests: This feature also ensures that your arms are comfortable, as each seat has two separate armrests.

• Footrests: There is not just more legroom, but also comfortable footrests. This is ideal for long-distance flights where each passenger enjoy the ability to stretch out.

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More relaxation

• 11”/12” monitors: Larger screens are provided on the back of each of these new seats.

• Removable remote control: Decide for yourself what you want to see, hear or play. There is a choice of many films and games.

• Power outlet: Each seat has a separate power outlet that includes a USB port.

• Folding table: On the large, sturdy folding table, you can comfortably eat or work if you have time to get some work done.

Book today, fly starting in December

Premium Economy Class will officially take to the skies in December 2014, but you can already make reservations in this fare class. The new seats will be featured in the Boeing 747-8 aircraft that fly from Frankfurt to Bangalore, Peking, Buenos Aires, Chicago, Delhi, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Tokyo and Washington D.C.. Starting at the end of January 2015, the first Airbus 340-600 aircraft with Premium Economy Class will fly from Munich to Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo, and this will include flights serving Seoul from 11 February 2015. Later on, starting at the end of April, Premium Economy Class will also be available in the A380 aircraft serving the routes from Frankfurt to Houston, Johannesburg, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai and Singapore. The A340-600 fleet will start flying on 12 May from Munich to Los Angeles, Mexico City, Newark, Peking, San Francisco and Sao Paolo. The goal is for the new Premium Economy Class seats to be available on all Lufthansa long-distance flights by late summer 2015.

AIR WAYS

Austrian’s red|services,

your choice!

Would you like to personalise your trip to better match your wishes or needs? Your search is over! With its red|services, Austrian Airlines offers you a wide range of services to help facilitate the task, both before and during the flight and also on arrival at your destination. Whether you want to book extra baggage, take advantage of an upgrade, access the Business Lounge at Vienna Airport, have extra legroom during the flight, book a taxi at your destination or obtain all the practical information to make your arrangements easier on site… With the red|services of Austria, you can choose to make your journey a personalised and comfortable experience, whether for your business or leisure trips… red|extra bag

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AKE THE OPPORTUNITY AND USE THE EASY WAY TO ENLARGE YOUR FREE BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE. With redextra bag you may

purchase one additional bag on selected Austrian flights by the use of Austrian Web Check-in as of 36 hours before departure. With redextra bag you may save airport service charges and especially valuable time before departure.

red|upgrade

Decide spontaneously to upgrade your next Austrian flight. redupgrade will be offered to you automatically during the Austrian Web Check-in 36 hours before departure. redupgrade includes Business Class baggage allowance, priority baggage handling, Business Class check-in, using the Fast Lane, access to the Austrian Business Lounge, comfortable seating of Austrian Business Class and culinary DO & CO highlights On board.

red|lounge

Enter the exclusive world of our Austrian Business Lounge at Vienna Airport. Even travelling with an Austrian Economy Class Ticket you may purchase the access to our Business Lounge. The Business Lounge in Vienna features a variety of amenities such as drinks and snacks from our catering partner DO & CO, free WLAN, television, newspapers and magazines as well as a comfortable relax area – and all that in a modern, luxurious ambience.

red|legroom

Give yourself some more legroom on your next Austrian Economy Class flight. Just book your seat in the exit row as of 36 hours before departure on the Austrian Web Check-in, directly at the check-in counter or spontaneously on board of all Austrian long and medium haul flights.

red|cab

Book a redcab for a quick, comfortable and direct connection from and to Vienna Airport. The redcab fleet consists of modern air-conditioned vehicles. Depending on the number of passengers, we provide different car sizes from limousines to mini-vans. Reserve your individual airport transfer at least 24 hours in advance. For further information and an overview of all tariffs visit www.red-cab.at.

red|guide

You want to get some insider tips about the best places to shop in Paris, great restaurants to dine in London and entertaining bars in Hamburg? Get our redguide which provides useful information about around 25 cities all over the world. The redguide is available as an app for your smartphone or online under www.redguide.at. | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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AIR WAYS

Air France adds high-end cabins; KLM makes you feel at home Airlines restyle their Business Class sections

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At the end of September 2014, Air France unveiled its new Business cabin - one which guarantees a truly unprecedented travel experience. To that end, Air France plans to install no less than 2,102 of the new seats in 44 Boeing 777s between June 2014 and summer 2016. These aircraft form the core of the long-haul fleet of the French air carrier. And at KLM, World Business Class gets an upgrade. Their new cabin was already introduced in July 2013 and efforts are currently underway to extend this to the rest of their intercontinental fleet.

The perfect sleep

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ODIAC AEROSPACE, THE LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF AIRCRAFT SEATING IN THE WORLD, DEVELOPED THE SEAT ESPECIALLY FOR AIR FRANCE. It has a unique

design that was developed by Mark Collins of Design Investment together with Brandimage. Attention is paid to all possible details in order to immerse the passenger in a virtual cocoon of graceful lines and tranquillity. The seat is expertly upholstered in leather covering and stitching. It was designed with three pillars in mind - the three ‘F’s: • Full flat: The seat can be fully extended horizontally.

• Full access: In the Business Class section, each passenger has direct access to the aisle.

• Full privacy: The seat’s curved lines provide a reserved, private space.

In addition the seats also feature a quilted head cushions, adjustable soft leather headrests, stylish comforters and extra-large down pillows, as well as storage space within easy reach.

16-inch touchscreen

Customers in the Business cabin also have a widescreen HD touchscreen with a handset at their disposal. This 16-inch (41 cm) screen provides a unique navigation experience, similar to a tablet. Over 1000 hours of pure entertainment is at your fingertips. These are equipped with a control screen that operates in 12 languages (including Dutch), with a power outlet, USB port and noise-cancelling headphones.

Best & Beyond

With its Best & Beyond initiative, Air France continues to offer new upscale products and services in the framework of its Transform 2015 plan. With an investment of 500 million euros in these new seats, the airline seeks to distinguish itself on the highest level possible in terms of its products and quality service. Its caring attention towards its customers makes a real difference with the competition.

Dutch design

KLM’s new World Business Class concept is a new development from a notable Dutch designer - one in which each traveller is able to immediately feel at home. The cabin interior was designed by Hella Jongerius in close collaboration with KLM specialists. The result is a more private experience and a warm, friendly atmosphere on board, where the comfort of the passengers comes first. “A comfortable design goes much further than just designing soft seats.

I wanted to give Business Class a warm, homey feeling,” explains Jongerius. The new comfortable full-flat seats are an important part of the experience: • Seat is adjustable 180 degrees to the rear and is 207 cm long (extra leg room) • Power supply in your own seat with privacy screen • Personal entertainment system with 17-inch (43 cm) screen • Extra storage space

More than just a new seat

World Business Class is about more than just the installation of new, more comfortable seats. The carpeting is also new, but then again it’s really not so new. It consists of 100% recycled material. As far as the pillow is concerned, each side has its own function: one side is clean white cotton for restful sleep, and the other side has smooth surface for a fresh, comfy feeling.

In addition each EBC traveller gets to enjoy delicious meals from the Dutch master Chef Onno Kokmeijer, the chef at the Ciel Blue restaurant in the Okura Hotel Amsterdam (2 Michelin stars). Some great wines are also featured. The tableware was also developed by a Dutch designer: Marcel Wanders. There are 40 unique pieces of tableware, silverware, glasses and table linens are all made from lightweight materials so that the aircraft is loaded with less weight and thus produces less CO² emissions.

And finally there are the toiletry gift bags from Viktor & Rolf, made exclusively for KLM World Business Class and available in versions for both ladies and men. This Amsterdam-based fashion house is famous for its avantgarde designs.

Renewal in stages

The interior renovations in the KLM fleet are taking place in stages. In July 2013, the first Boeing took off from the ground with its new interior. In mid-2014, the entire Boeing 747 fleet was rebuilt with World Business Class. By the end of 2015, the goal is to equip the entire intercontinental KLM fleet with the new World Business Class interior. | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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HOTEL RESTAU RANTS

Best

Hotel Restaurants It is not always possible to fully benefit from the services offered by the hotels in which we are staying, when travelling on business. The visit is often confined to the reception area, the room and, ... the hotel restaurant.

So, the Corporate Traveller is presenting you with a selection of good addresses: a series of hotel etablishments that are playing the gastronomy card and are thus on the list of places to choose for those who like to enjoy an excellent gourmet meal after a hard day’s work. And of course, in Belgium, everyone knows that gastronomy is a subject taken very seriously!

So, have a good stay and ...Enjoy your meal!

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HOTEL RESTAU RANTS

Taste, style, atmosphere

Restaurant Icones Boulevard Charlemagne 80 1000 Brussels, Belgium Tel. +32 (0)2 235 17 28 icones@martinshotels.com - www.martinshotels.com

Ariane Hotel – Restaurant Slachthuisstaat 58 8900 Ieper – Ypres, Belgium Tel. +32 (0)57 218 218 info@hotelariane.be / www.ariane.be

Icones, the restaurant of the Martin’s Brussels EU, is all of that and more. Chef, Dimitri Musschebroeck, concocts a fresh market menu that gives pride of place to the best of the season’s produce with a deliciously gourmet dash of Belgitude. Escalope of duck foie gras with speculoos, fillets of sole with Timmermans Tradition Faro beer, Brussels waffle, macaron style, etc.

Dimitri masters the art of reinterpreting the Belgian classics.

The restaurant’s menu also boasts one of the best beef sirloins Brussels has to offer, served with home-made fries. A business lunch is available for €23. This is an address waiting to be devoured right at the heart of Brussels’ European district. Enjoy!

In the Ariane Hotel – Restaurant you can enjoy family hospitality in the green surroundings of the richly historical city of Ypres, located just two city blocks away from the Market Square (the Grote Markt).

Here you will find a warm welcome, a modern infrastructure and a charming contemporary restaurant with a conservatory, garden terrace and an able team and flawless service - offering classic cuisine with modern influences.

We use seasonal ingredients and carefully prepare our dishes with local products whenever possible.

It’s the perfect place to enjoy a snack, our daily, weekly and monthly menu as well as dishes à la carte.

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HOTEL RESTAU RANTS

The Dominican Grand Lounge Rue Léopold / Leopoldstraat 9 1000 Brussels, Belgium Tel. +32 (0)2 203 08 08 info@thedominican.carlton.be www.thedominican.be

The Grand Lounge has high windows overlooking the courtyard and features the unique metal work reminiscent of the past that can be found all over The Dominican. It is the ideal fine-dining setting in Brussels, beckoning you to experience the hotel’s excellent cuisine. At twilight, lights soften and the glamour of the evening comes alive. Sink back in a comfortable couch, enjoy a trendy cocktail and have a look at the Food Book which will surprise you with its innovative selection of beverages and dishes!

Private dining, Tasting Menu, à la Carte, Culinary Cocktails, Cooking Course

Restaurant Le Mystique Niklaas Desparsstraat 11 8000 Bruges, Belgium Tel. +32 (0)50 444 445 info@lemystique.be / www.lemystique.be

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To savor local cuisine and for a true taste of all that’s best of Belgian cuisine, head for Le Mystique, Relais & Châteaux restaurant in the heart of Bruges… From classical dining and a marvelous meeting in our atmospheric original room of 1869, to leisurely breaks in our bar le Magnum. Only finest seasonal ingredients are used by Chef Koenraad Steenkiste. His passion for flexible menus brings you the joy and pleasures of food.

Ready to delight & satisfy your taste…

HOTEL RESTAU RANTS

Brasserie Flo Antwerp Restaurant and Bar at Hilton Antwerp Old Town Groenplaats 32, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium Tel. +32 (0)3 204 12 29 BrasserieFlo.Antwerp@hilton.com www.brasseriefloantwerp.com

The newly opened Brasserie Flo Antwerp Restaurant and Bar, located at the Hilton Antwerp Old Town, truly is a Brasserie Cuisine with a contemporary twist In the most ambient and relaxing of settings, you’ll find authentic French-Belgian cuisine using nothing but the freshest and finest local products.

Sample oysters, Canadian lobster and North Sea crab from the seafood counter. Enjoy specialties such as Steak Tartare and white-blue Chateaubriand.

Open daily from noon until 11:00 p.m.

Restaurant Catharina Culliganlaan 4b 1831 Diegem, Belgium Tel. +32 (0)2 277 20 00 info@brussels.valk.com www.hotelbrusselsairport.com Part of Van der Valk Hotel Brussels Airport

We hereby present you our outstanding, contemporary Restaurant Catharina, where culinary delight and luxury go hand in hand. Here you can fully enjoy the most delicious starters, main courses and desserts Ă la carte. We delight in offering you modern cuisine with Mediterranean influences, including fresh seasonal, preferably local, products.

In our bar & lounge you can enjoy freshly tapped Belgian draft beer, a lovely glass of wine or any other drink of choice. In addition, our restaurant attendants will provide you with excellent service!

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HOTEL RESTAU RANTS

Victor Restaurant Place Victor Horta 1 1060 Brussels, Belgium Tel. +32 (0)2 528 98 00 H7431-FB1@accor.com www.pullmanhotels.com

Bistro Gorduna Gordunakaai 59 9000 Ghent, Belgium Tel. +32 (0)9 222 60 71 info@europahotel-gent.be www.europahotel-gent.be

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Victor Restaurant proudly presents a revisited Belgian and European Cuisine, refined and inventive, based on fresh products selected by our Chef Michaël Bastin.

Situated on the first floor of the Pullman Brussels Centre Midi, located in the enclosure of the international train station, Victor Restaurant is the perfect place for a business lunch, private appointment or even a quick lunch before catching the train.

Enjoy the wine library offering a wide range of fine wines by the glass.

The hotel, located in the verdant surroundings of the Lys River, has plenty of peace and quiet and is easily accessible.

Only a stone’s throw from the city centre, this hotel is ideal for your visit to Ghent.

Discover Ghent from Europe! Start out in our friendly bar - a great place to spend some time. Our culinary delights are provided by our ‘Gorduna’ bistro where our chef and our service will provide you with a delightful experience you won’t forget. You can also enjoy yourself on our sunny terrace facing the Lys River. We look forward to welcoming you here.

HOTEL RESTAU RANTS

Restaurant Lof Hoogstraat 36 9000 Ghent Tel. +32 (0)9 235 4071 www.restaurantlof.be / info@restaurantlof.be

The Restaurant by Pierre Balthazar 38, Boulevard de Waterloo 1000 Brussels, Belgium Tel. +32 (0)2 504 13 33 reservations@therestaurant.be www.therestaurant.be

In the spectacular restaurant ´Lof´ you can enjoy a pleasant time. A drink in the Blue Bird bar, a glass of champagne as aperitif in the bar to an extensive lunch or culinary a la carte dinner in the restaurant.

The beautiful and special décor, the unique location in the city centre of Ghent and the historic building making restaurant ´Lof´ the place to be for a culinary enjoy!

Culinary Director Pierre Balthazar offers a new take on fine dining at The Restaurant. Drawing from his experience working as Executive Chef for the Council of the European Union, where he prepared refined dinners for heads of state according to international protocols, Pierre Balthazar has built an incredible know-how and impressive network including the world’s top Michelin star chefs.

The menu of The Restaurant is more than simply a list of dishes – it is a trip around the world and into the universe of gastronomy.

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HOTELS

Mercure: a new look combining innovation and authenticity One year after announcing its position shift, midscale hotel world leader Mercure is pushing ahead in the Benelux with its modernization drive at a very steady pace.

½½ MERCURE HOTEL AMSTERDAM CITY

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ERCURE HAS BEEN BUILDING NEW HOME-AWAY-FROM-HOME LOBBIES AND FOOD-SERVICE AREAS IN EVERY HOTEL IT HAS REFURBISHED OVER THIS PAST YEAR. The brand has

adjusted to its customers’ new wants and needs, and placed innovation at the core of its concept;

• More than 20 hotels in the Benelux, 80% revamped • Entirely redesigned living areas • A new choice of wines and new breakfasts featuring local specialties • The Mercure Quality Guarantee enhancing quality in 100% of the network The brand’s 758 hotels worldwide treat guests to a friendly experience enriched with the local area’s features, with enthusiastic, genuine hoteliers.

“There is a strong demand for brands with an authentic personality that provide consistent quality standards throughout at the same time,” explains 40 | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

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Arnaud Perulli, who is in charge of Mercure operations in Belgium & Luxembourg. 100% of the network’s hotels in Benelux have adopted the Mercure Quality Guarantee, only a year after it was introduced. This pact covers 96 points throughout the customer’s experience and ensures every Mercure hotel meets uncompromising quality standards.

Local treats in the spotlight

Having breakfast is one of the highlights in a guest’s experience at a hotel and has been rearranged around two fundamental notions; guaranteed quality and local roots. 80% of the network is now serving typically local dishes. The choice of wines is also inspired by local specialties and Mercure is now introducing the new “flavours from the cellar” wine list, where each hotel exhibits their local ‘secrets’; from a classic Bordeaux, to Dutch Gin in The Netherlands and specialty beers in Belgium.

Mercure Hotel Amsterdam City – an example of Mercure’s renewal

Mercure Hotel Amsterdam City reopened its doors after a complete renovation of the ground floor. In the recent months, the hotel changed its identity; from interiors, to menus, to easy check-in procedures. Here, the modern traveler will find everything he needs; comfort, convenience and a local touch. The spectacular design represents the Dutch landscape and climate with solid wood furniture, soft sheepskin and teardrop lamps.

The bar and restaurant FLOOR are at the heart of the lobby. The public areas around it are multifunctional, each with its own atmosphere, and flow seamlessly into one another.

Hotel Mercure Roeselare – where quality meets business

Mercure Hotels extended its network in Belgium with the arrival of the brand new Hotel Mercure Roeselare. Located

½½ HOTEL MERCURE BRUSSELS CENTRE MIDI

½½ HOTEL MERCURE ROESELARE

½½ MERCURE HOTEL AMSTERDAM CITY 

at the Accent Businesspark in the centre of West Flanders, this hotel combines their unique local expertise with the strong quality of an international network. Hotel Mercure Roeselare features 87 rooms and an excellent, locally inspired, restaurant with 150 seats.

Because of its strategic location, the hotel offers all kind of business facilities including an auditorium which can host up to 100 guests. Caro van Eekelen, COO Accor Hotel Services Benelux: “We are working hard to expand the number of hotels in the Mercure network and we are proud that the construction of this unique hotel is completed. With the opening of Hotel Mercure Roeselare we have a new strategic location in the Benelux added to our portfolio.”

feel at home and at the same time let them experience the local touch of Brussels!” The Hotel Mercure Brussels Centre Midi is a 4-star boutique hotel, located next to the international train station Brussels Midi. The hotel is a perfect example of the ‘locally inspired’ Mercure brand, as is reflected in the service and the hotel theme. The hotel offers 70 rooms, 2 suites, a welcoming bar, an outdoor terrace and a fitness centre with Turkish bath, sauna and Jacuzzi.

Hotel Mercure Brussels Centre Midi – expect the unexpected!

Personality

Chris Joosten, General Manager Hotel Mercure Brussels Centre Midi: “We do everything to make the guest

“We are seeing the benefits of modernizing the brand in a very real sense. In the Benelux, it has provided us with the ability to attract new franchise partners, showing that

Mercure is enjoying growth,” explains Director Development & Franchise Benelux Alexander Dupont. These days, a midscale hotel brand is often perceived as undifferentiated, rational, functional and above all; no fun. At Mercure Hotels, guests can experience fun, authenticity and personality without compromising on quality.

Mercure Hotels; in Harmony with People & Places www.mercure.com | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

AUTUMN 2014 | 41

HOTELS

Secrets of hospitality design

behind the doors of a design studio With the announcement of the hotel winners of the Best Hotel Room for Corporate Travellers Award, what better time to take a behind the scenes look at hospitality design. Bart Canini, General Manager of Creneau International, shared some secrets of the creative process and the latest trends in hospitality design.

STEPS IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS

“O

UR GOAL, AS A FULL SERVICES DESIGN AGENCY, IS TO HELP OUR CLIENTS REACH FOR THE STARS AND BE SUCCESSFUL” SAYS BART CANINI. “To achieve this, we developed four key steps in

the design and deployment process that need to be taken. Every one of our projects follow this same methodology.”

For Creneau International the first step in the design process is an in-depth market study. This includes an analysis of local competition from hotels and restaurants already in the area and the target population. “Good analysis is the key to a successful project. We work with our own people and external experts to see what budgets are needed, define the target groups and create the design brief.”

With business intelligence in hand, the second phase, the creative design proposal, can begin. “This creative phase of the project includes ensuring that everything we propose in the design can be built within the budget” says Bart Canini. “Sometimes having a lower budget has the positive effect of making you more creative and the end result is sometimes even better. It makes you think about different types of solutions that make a project more interesting.

½½ CRENEAU DESIGN FOR RADISSON BLU SCHIPHOL

During the third phase, of engineering and execution, the project really comes to life. We source suppliers and begin construction.

Members of our team are always on site for trouble shooting and to ensure that plans are adhered to. That includes keeping the project on track in terms of timing and budget.”

“The final phase – the operational phase – is one that really sets Creneau International apart from other creative agencies” says Bart Canini. “Our team includes training and marketing operational staff who oversee the project opening and look for further operational efficiencies. Many people find it strange, that as a design agency, we also have operational teams. However, they have proven to be invaluable – especially in our hospitality franchise projects. This is one of the really unique selling points about Creneau, the fact that we have all resources in house, from A to Z, making total projects overall cheaper and more efficient.”

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»» CRENEAU FOOD AND BEVERAGE CONCEPTS

HOTEL DESIGN TRENDS

Being aware of future trends in hospitality and design is central to Creneau International’s consulting work. So what are the major trends that are preoccupying Creneau International at the moment?

“Personalisation of services is amongst the biggest trends in hospitality. The travellers of today are looking for more customised services. In addition they are experienced travellers who can find the same hotels everywhere, but they are interested in a more local flavour and culture” observes Bart Canini. “This is an aspect that worldwide corporate brands need to consider – combining their own brand with a local twist.”

Trends for hotel public areas and restaurants

“The biggest challenge for hotel restaurants is to attract people from outside the hotel, including locals.

That means they need to come up with a concept that is strong enough to stand on its own. This is where the importance of a local analysis before the project comes into to its own. The analysis will look at the area to see what is already there, in order to create an appealing offer to compete with them. A good food and beverage outlet, such as a rooftop bar that works all day and night, can upgrade an entire hotel.”

“Public areas need to be flexible spaces and certainly never empty. They need to attract people for informal meetings and relaxation. By integrating different functions from morning to evening, a hotel can really optimise the return on investment per

square metre on these public areas. For example libraries and reading areas give a great added value to the atmosphere in the corner of a public area.”

Trends for driving additional room revenues

“As concerns technology, free, reliable connectivity is more than just an important trend, these days its a requirement. In the future I think we will see the standard in-room telephone and television disappear, as travellers prefer using their own mobile devices. Strong data streaming and good sound systems will communicate with these personal devices and hotels will be looking at new creative ideas for driving room revenues.”

“When it comes to driving additional room revenues, guests will no longer accept paying for things that they take for granted in their home. As an example rather than paying for a bottle of water, they would rather pay for special cocktails or exclusive hotelbranded designer items that they cannot find at home and want to take away with them.”

“The most important trend will be a complete rethinking of target groups. The middle and older generations are not as ‘old’ as they used to be. In the future older people will really be hip and trendy and there will be less difference between the young and the old. We are already seeing this now and with hospitality design we need to create the right atmosphere and something unique that will appeal to them.”

ABOUT CRENEAU INTERNATIONAL

Creneau International is a full services interior design and creative agency based in Hasselt, Belgium. Created 25 years ago, with high-profile retail brand clients, it began working on shops all over Europe. Thus began the company’s international expansion and the addition of its offices in Dubai,New York and a production plant in Jakarta.

In 2001 Creneau changed its focus to the hospitality and food & beverage sector, which now makes up 80% of its business. Current and previous hotel clients including the Radisson Blu, Ritz-Carlton and Hilton Hotel groups.

Food & beverage concepts are a growing part of Creneau’s hospitality business and amongst these are the Belgian Beer Cafés, of which over 60 have already been created around the world. The concept is a typical Belgian brasserie, with bar and restaurant, that serves a combination of Belgian beer and food specialities. The first Belgian Beer Café in the US, in New York, was opened in September and Creneau plans to diffuse the concept further into the US and Canada. “Some of these we will invest in and operate ourselves, while others will be in collaboration with franchise partners” says Bart Canini. “The concept is good but the biggest challenge is always finding the perfect location and good staff – as with any hospitality project.” | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

AUTUMN 2014 | 43

HOTELS

Transformations at the Royal Windsor Grand Place and the Warwick Barsey hotels in Brussels

½½ ROYAL WINDSOR HOTEL CLASSIC ROOM

½½ WARWICK BARSEY CLASSIC ROOM

The Royal Windsor Grand Place and the Warwick Barsey Hotel – Warwick International Hotel’s two properties in Brussels, have recently undergone major transformations to enhance every aspect of their welcome for business and leisure travellers.

Royal Windsor Grand Place – exciting redesigns of guest rooms and Chutney’s Restaurant

T

HE ROYAL WINDSOR GRAND PLACE, LOCATED NEXT TO BRUSSELS’ ICONIC GRAND PLACE, BLENDS OLD WORLD ELEGANCE WITH ALL MODERN FEATURES THAT ONE WOULD EXPECT FROM A LUXURY 5 STAR HOTEL.

Over the last few months the hotel has unveiled the complete redesign of 100 of its guest rooms, with a new approach to its interior furnishings and lighting. The highlight of the new bedrooms are their luxurious handcrafted beds, carefully selected to ensure a perfect night’s sleep. Amongst the rooms’ many features are large flat screen TVs, individual temperature controls and high speed internet. In keeping with the hotel’s tradition, which fusions western and oriental design, European and Asian artworks feature throughout. The hotel also offers 23 spacious suites, ranging up to its exceptional Grand Place Suite, with its own private terrace of 150 square metres overlooking Brussels.

The Chutney’s Restaurant has also reserved some delicious new surprises for its guests, especially with the arrival of Grégory Lauwarts earlier this year as its new Executive Chef. Right from breakfast, the most important moment of the day, Chutney’s Restaurant now offers a wide array of gourmet treats, including Belgian specialities. And this is just the beginning! Renovations to Chutney’s Restaurant, and its terrace which enjoys a privileged view across the streets of the old quarter of the Grand Place, are scheduled for 2015.

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AUTUMN 2014 |

Warwick Barsey Hotel – a fresh new look for meeting rooms and guest rooms

The Warwick Barsey Hotel has become the destination of choice in Brussels for those who favour chic design boutique hotels – whether they be businessmen or leisure travellers. Its location is in total symbiosis with its clientele, at the crossroads of Brussels’ business and Art Nouveau districts.

The Warwick Barsey Hotel combines glamour and sophisticated comfort. Its 99 beautifully appointed rooms and suites have just emerged from a metamorphosis, striking exactly the right balance between contemporary chic and traditional charm. The majority of the rooms and suites have been individually decorated and designed to appeal to guests with an eye for the exquisite, to create a unique boutique boudoir personality. The feeling of opulence is enhanced by the rooms’ redesigned soft furnishings, with splashes of vibrant colour and textures in velvet fabrics.

The room enhancements include luxurious bedding with warm duvets and indulgent feather pillows. To further improve the guest experience, all rooms now feature high-speed Internet, Iphone/Ipad/Ipod docking stations, large flat screen TVs, mini-bars, individual temperature controls and tea and coffee making facilities. All rooms benefit from spacious and light filled marble bathrooms, complete with well-proportioned baths, power showers and bathroom amenities from Spa Therapy. The hotel’s 45m2 Warwick Suites, which benefit from their own private terraces overlooking the cityscape, have also been individually redesigned.

½½ WARWICK SUITE - TERRACE

Meeting rooms

The Warwick Barsey’s public areas have also been included in the transformations. In October, the hotel held a cocktail party to welcome clients to the inauguration of its two newly redesigned meetings rooms. The new meeting rooms now benefit from a fresh modern design scheme, bathed in natural daylight, making them the ideal location for inspiring exchanges and creativity amongst participants.

½½ ROYAL WINDSOR HOTEL

Offering multiple configuration options for up to 130 guests, the Warwick Barsey’s meeting rooms are equipped with all technological equipment, including video conferencing facilities, and supported by a dedicated team of staff to assist with all requirements.

The crowning glory of the Warwick Barsey, is undoubtedly its lounge areas, decorated with warm, rich fabrics and artworks in the style of a 19th century salon. The dining room and bar lead out to the hotel’s own charming interior garden and terrace. The garden features Roman statues and fountains, and is an ideal location for cocktails, dining in the warmer summer months, or as a memorable and exclusive venue for all types of business and social events.

½½ WARWICK BARSEY MEETING ROOM

“We are very pleased with the beautiful enhancements that are taking place in our two hotels in Brussels. Our desire is to make our guests’ stays with us even more comfortable and we have been particularly attentive to their requests when we designed our renovations” said Jacques Vitu, Regional Director of Warwick International Hotels. “And of course we continue to pride ourselves on the excellence of our personalised guest service relations!” | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

AUTUMN 2014 | 45

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RAIL WAYS

A new departure for Eurostar as it celebrates its 20th year Interview with Eurostar CEO, Nicolas Petrovic In November, Eurostar is celebrating its 20th year of high speed rail services between London and the continent. Nicolas Petrovic, CEO, talked to us about Eurostar’s successes and exciting new plans for growth.

½½ NICOLAS PETROVIC, CEO EUROSTAR

S

INCE ITS 1994 DEBUT, EUROSTAR HAS CARRIED OVER 145 MILLION PASSENGERS BETWEEN THE UK TO FRANCE AND BELGIUM. The two years in the run up to this

20th anniversary year have been particularly productive.

Passenger numbers and sales revenues continue to grow, boosted by business travel passengers, which increased by 6% in the first half of 2014 compared to the same period last year.

Growth in business passengers

“Companies in Belgium and France are very active in the UK right now and the economic ties between the countries are getting stronger” comments Nicolas Petrovic. “We have been very successful in adapting our service to give the business market what they are looking for. Overall we have simplified our fare tariffs and we are quite segmented, with Business Premier fully flexible fares for large corporates and Standard Premier to target small corporates and entrepreneurs. Standard Premier, introduced as a consequence of the recession, has been extremely successful. Business Premier is growing too, reflecting the increasing confidence of companies to invest in business, rather than focussing purely on cutting costs.”

For Nicholas Petrovic, much of Eurostar’s popularity is due to the service factor. “We invest continually in the quality of service, with friendly staff who are there to help and make the journey as smooth and easy as possible for passengers.

Feedback from our passengers shows that they feel more relaxed and find their journeys with us less stressful than with other modes of transport. What is interesting is that we are kicking off a period where we are going to change everything.”

New fleet and network expansions

Eurostar’s fleet of 28 trains is being completely renewed, with the first wave of new trainsets from Siemens to be delivered in early 2016. The interiors have been designed

by Pininfarina, who also design for Ferrari, and will benefit from onboard wifi, more seats and greater individual space for passengers. Ground-side, Eurostar’s investments in the complete passenger experience include newly refurbished lounges in Brussels-Midi and St Pancras, as well as planned works at Lille Europe and Paris Gare du Nord stations.

With its new state-of-the-art trains, Eurostar biggest development is the extension of its network further into continental Europe. In May 2015 the operator will commence year-round services from London to Lyon, Avignon and direct to the Mediterranean with Marseille.

Then, from December 2016, services will be extended into the Benelux, with new direct routes to Antwerp, Rotterdam and Amsterdam.

“We are still young, at 20 years, but Eurostar is a big success” says Nicolas Petrovic. “Starting from literally zero, we have become the biggest passenger carrier between London to Paris and Brussels. Travellers who used to fly these routes now think of us before anyone else.

These new routes, which currently represent a big market for air travel, have great growth potential for us.”

“Our challenges, looking forward, are positive challenges.

With the launch of our new fleet of trains and routes, for me our challenges are to make this the biggest success possible and raising awareness about these new services. Judging by our past results, once passengers have experienced the service once, they love it. The key is investing in the service, and at the end of the day its for the customer to choose if we have a great product and service.” | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

AUTUMN 2014 | 47

DESTINATIONS

London

taking centre stage for business tourism interview with Tracy Halliwell, Director of Business Tourism & Major Events at London & Partners London has been enjoying particular success since its hosting of the 2012 Olympic Games, posting two successive years of record breaking tourism numbers and drawing big new business investments to the capital. Interview with Tracy Halliwell, Director of Business Tourism and Major Events at London & Partners, London’s convention bureau… © London on View

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I

N THE RUN UP TO THE OLYMPICS, MANY TOURISM EXPERTS WARNED THAT LONDON COULD EXPERIENCE THE SAME POST-GAMES PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY MANY OTHER HOST CITIES, SUCH AS OVER-INVESTMENT IN HOTEL CAPACITY. On the contrary, London has

reported record numbers of international visitors over the last two years, while investments in its tourism infrastructure continue to thrive. Over the first half of 2014, the number of international visitors to the city rose by 7.6 per cent compared to 2013. According to the Mastercard Global Cities Index, in total 18.7 million international visitors are expected for 2014, of which nearly 5 million will be for business.

Investments continue in tourism infrastructure

London saw the addition of over 15,500 new hotel rooms leading up to and including 2012. However, the end of the Olympic Games has in no way signalled a slowdown. Hotel occupancy in the city currently stands at around 86%, on a year round average. Hoteliers are continuing to invest and another 20,000 rooms are in the development pipeline for delivery by end of 2015. “This will give us a total park of 140,000 hotel

© London on View

rooms, counting hotels with over 10 bedrooms” says Tracy Halliwell. Hotels under construction range from budget and boutique brands, to 4 and 5 star properties. Larger convention hotels include the new Intercontinental London The O2, due to open in 2015, and an additional hotel for the Westminster Park Plaza complex.

The capital’s public transport infrastructure has also benefited from large cash investments, to provide welcome improvements to connections between the east and west of Greater London.

The extensions to London’s DLR light rail network now bring more efficient connections between the Financial District, the Docklands area (including the Excel exhibition centre) and the centre of London. In 2018, the new Cross Rail network will link Heathrow Airport straight to the West End, the City and the Financial District.

Finance, technology and life science are key business sectors

London & Partners is focusing on the city’s sectoral expertise in finance, creative industries, technology and life sciences to help attract business tourism,

including for congress and associations.

“London has always been strong on the financial services side and we now have one of the biggest technology clusters in Europe, thanks to Tech City” says Tracy Halliwell.

The Tech City initiative was launched

by Prime Minister David Cameron and the Mayor Boris Johnson in November 2010, to support the growth of London’s technology sector.

Thanks to the success of Tech City, London now has around 34,000 technology companies in London, ranging from start-ups to European headquarters of large corporations.

These London-based technology firms are attracting record levels of venture capital investment and contributing to the growth in business tourism. In the first 9 months of 2014, technology firms in the capital attracted more than $1 billion in investment - more than ten times the amount raised in full-year 2010.

“Huge technology initiatives have been taking place in London, such as our recent London Technology Week, where we had 200 events taking place across

© London on View

| THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

AUTUMN 2014 | 49

DESTINATIONS

© London on View

½½ OXO TOWER

the capital, with over 40,000 delegates” says Tracy Halliwell. “The medical and life sciences tourism sector has also become very important here and the medical association business for London has grown immensely.” Effectively, since 2009, London has risen from 19th to 7th position in the ICCA listings for hosting medical conventions.

London culture attracting incentive travel

London’s cultural calendar of exhibitions, theatre, nightlife and cuisine is attracting incentive organisers and its position as a global business centre ensures that planners can seamlessly combine corporate meetings with reward programmes.

This year London received the accolade for ‘Best Culture Destination’, at the Leading Culture Destinations awards, while London’s Tate Modern received three awards, including that of ‘Leading Culture Destination for Exhibitions & Programming’.

“The incentive market has started to bounce back and we are working with a lot more incentive markets to showcase London” says Tracy Halliwell. “A main driver for the incentive market is our cultural offering, including our variety of unique and historic venues. We also provide excellent corporate hospitality opportunities around big sporting events. Next year alone, we have the 50 | THE CORPORATE TRAVELLER.BE

AUTUMN 2014 |

Formula E world racing series, which will finish in London next July, and the 2015 Rugby World Cup Finals.”

New venues

A host of new venues for meetings and events are set to open their doors over the coming months, including The Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street, The Standard Grill at Andre Balazs boutique Chiltern Firehouse hotel and the reopening of The Lanesborough hotel on Hyde Park Corner. One of the most anticipated venue openings of this year was IWM London, the flagship venue for Imperial War Museums. The IWM features a spectacular Atrium designed by Norman Foster’s pioneering architecture firm, with a breathtaking hanging gallery in the rooftop, overlooking the floors beneath.

“London is constantly reinventing itself” says Tracy Halliwell. “We are continually striving to promote the capital’s strengths to the world and this is being reflected in the number of business and leisure visitors who are coming to the city in ever increasing numbers. From magnificent exhibitions, theatre and nightlife to our fantastic collection of diverse and unique venues, London offers so much choice to visitors that more and more people are deciding the city is well worth visiting for both leisure and business trips.”

© London on View

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