BTME - MAY/JUNE 2021

MIDDLE EAST

MAY-JUNE 202 1

PRIVATE JE TS TAKE OFF

CLEANING UP THE CRISIS

A MEETINGS MAGIC ACT

PLUS

Discerning travellers are putting safety and convenience first

How hotels have risen to the challenges of the pandemic

MICE capital Las Vegas has a plan to conjure up visitors again

Tried and Tested • Tokyo tees • Responsible Traveller

K E Y S TO THE KINGDOM Hotels to check out when you next visit Saudi Arabia

UAE DHS12 OMAN RO1.30 BAHRAIN BD1.30 SAUDI ARABIA SR12 KUWAIT KD1

CONTENTS

MAY-JUNE 2021

R E G UL A R S 06

T HE R EP OR T

TRIED & TESTED FLIGHTS, HOTELS, R E S TAU R A N T S

UPFRONT

Airline and hotel news from around the world 14

62 OSH, La Mer, Dubai

RESPONSIBLE TRAVELLER

What to expect from airline carbon offset programmes 18

63 LPM Restaurant & Bar, Gate Village, Dubai International Financial Centre

POSTCARD

Discover Lake Kivu in Rwanda on the new Mantis Kivu Queen

64 Lola Taberna Restaurant, TRYP by Wyndham, Barsha Heights, Dubai

4 HOURS... IN LONDON PADDINGTON 46

65 Occidental Al Jaddaf, Dubai

For dining, shopping and more, head to the UK capital city’s bustling transport hub

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WORLD WISE

Thanks for the memories 36

PRIVATE JETS TAKE OFF

Discerning travellers are putting safety and convenience first

F E AT UR E S

40

How hotels are keeping guests safe during the pandemic

YAS ISL AND MAKES MOVE TOWARDS CONTACTLESS

A comprehensive golfers’ guide to courses in Japan’s capital city

The best and worst passports to possess for travel mid-pandemic 22

Abu Dhabi’s events destination rolls out FacePass technology 23

GOING THE E X TRA MILE

How Qatar Airways has negotiated the aviation crisis

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48

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KEYS TO THE KINGDOM

New and upcoming hotels to check out during your next business or leisure trip to Saudi Arabia

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CLEANING UP THE CRISIS

PASSPORT TO SUCCESS

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ON TH E C OVER

TEE TIME IN TOKYO

52 THE GREAT VEGAS MEETINGS MAGIC ACT

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The home of MICE and entertainment is conjuring up all sorts of tricks to get visitors back

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WELCOME

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t’s no secret that Saudi Arabia has ambitions to become a major global tourism destination. Vision 2030, the kingdom’s blueprint for socio-economic transformation, has earmarked the sector as crucial for long-term sustainable growth and the giga projects, now well under way, are focused on delivering domestic and international tourism arrivals in large numbers.

Despite the pandemic, KSA has forged ahead with these and many other developments, some of which are cities and destinations in their own right, and so it is no surprise the country’s hotel pipeline remains robust, despite the unparalleled global challenges of 2020 and 2021. In fact, Saudi Arabia is leading the world in projected hotel supply growth, according to the latest figures by data benchmarking and analytics specialist for the global hospitality market, STR. The kingdom has some 73,057 rooms planned across the three phases of the hotel pipeline with a huge 67.1 per cent increase in room supply anticipated over the next three years.

In this issue we throw the spotlight on some of the new properties opening this year and next, with all the major international chains set to expand their footprint in Saudi, across multiple brands. Business travellers will be spoiled for choice as the major cities witness a hotel boom.

From lifestyle properties and value-for-money accommodation designed to suit the needs of modern, on-thego executives, to high-end architectural icons with wow factor,

there is something to suit every taste, occasion and budget. If you’re looking to head out of town to discover more of what Saudi Arabia has to offer, perhaps after a busy week of work, AlUla, a vast area in north-western Saudi Arabia with a diverse desert landscape that’s home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hegra, is being tipped as a must-visit destination.

A recently launched government masterplan aims to transform AlUla into a global destination for heritage, nature, art and culture. This ‘Journey Through Time Masterplan’ includes creating a flagship institute for archaeological knowledge and will also see 5,000 hotel rooms added to the overall target of 9,400 rooms by 2035. They will be spread across five new districts and range from eco-tourism resorts and luxury lodges to canyon farms carved into the sandstone rocks.

If you can’t wait to visit, two new desert resorts open in AlUla this year – a Banyan Tree and for the first time in the Middle East region, a Habitas.

As travel restrictions start to ease and hospitality experiences such as these await, we can cautiously rekindle our wanderlust, taking the opportunity to explore destinations whether we are visiting them for business, leisure, or as is today’s trend, for both.

Gemma Greenwood, Editor

THIS ISSUE’S PICKS

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Business Traveller Middle East is jointly published

by Motivate Media Group and Panacea Media Ltd M OT I VAT E M E D I A GRO UP

Editor-in-Chief Obaid Humaid Al Tayer Managing Partner and Group Editor Ian Fairservice Editor Gemma Greenwood Art Director Clarkwin Cruz Editorial Co-ordinator Londresa Flores Contributors Tom Otley, Hannah Brandler, Varun Godihno, David Ndichu, Melanie Swan, Minty Clinch, Lark Gould, Ramsey Qubein General Manager – Production S Sunil Kumar Assistant Production Manager Binu Purandaran Production Supervisor Venita Pinto Chief Commercial Officer Anthony Milne Group Sales Manager Dane Hills PAN ACE A M E D I A LT D

Managing Director Julian Gregory Associate Publisher Middle East Rania Apthorpe Global Editor-in-Chief Tom Otley

KEYS TO THE KINGDOM A peek at Saudi Arabia’s new and upcoming properties (Page 24)

PRIVATE JET TRAVEL TAKES OFF Businesses are seeking alternative travel solutions (Page 36)

CLEANING UP THE CRISIS How hotels are keeping guests safe mid-pandemic (Page 40)

HEAD OFFICE: Media One Tower, Dubai Media City, PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE. Tel: +971 4 427 3000, Fax: +971 4 428 2270, E-mail: btme@motivate.ae DUBAI MEDIA CITY: SD 2-94, 2nd Floor, Building 2, Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 390 3550, Fax: +971 4 390 4845 ABU DHABI: PO Box 43072, UAE. Tel: +971 2 677 2005, Fax: +971 2 677 0124, E-mail: motivate-adh@motivate.ae LONDON: Acre House, 11/15 William Road, London NW1 3ER, UK. E-mail: motivateuk@motivate.ae Panacea Media Ltd 41-43 Maddox Street, London, W1S 2PD Tel +44 (0)20 7821 2700 businesstraveller.com Panacea Publishing Asia Ltd #2408 24/F Dominion Centre, 43-59 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong, Tel: +852 2594 9300, Fax: +852 25196846 SUBSCRIPTIONS: email subscriptions@motivate.ae; tel +971 4 427 3542

© 2021 PANACEA MEDIA LTD AND MOTIVATE MEDIA GROUP

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UPFRONT

HOTEL UPDATE SLS DUBAI OPENS IN 75-STOREY TOWER SLS Dubai (pictured) has opened its doors, marking the debut of sbe’s SLS Hotels & Residences brand in the emirate. Located in a 75-storey tower in Downtown Dubai, SLS Dubai offers 360-degree views of the city, as well as 254 expertly designed hotel rooms by acclaimed designer Paul Bishop, 371 residential units, 321 hotel apartments and in true SLS fashion, “contemporary art, sleek accents and exceptional fittings”. Stand out experiences range from Fi’lia, the entirely female-run restaurant that celebrates food and identity and Carna contemporary steakhouse by the award-winning Italian butcher Dario Cecchini, to sbe’s signature Ciel Spa.

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EMIRATES CONDUCTS IATA TRAVEL PASS TRIALS EMIRATES IS ONE OF THE latest airlines to carry out trials of the IATA Travel Pass, a digital health passport created by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Passengers flying from Dubai to Barcelona on EK 185 on April 15 were the first to trial the digital passport. The airline will continue to trial the pass on selected flights from Dubai to Barcelona, as well as from London Heathrow to Dubai, with plans to roll it out to include other routes “soon”.

Eligible passengers are invited to download the app and enrol for the

pass before they travel. Emirates has partnered with select Prime Health Care labs in Dubai, while those travelling from the UK can get their test done at select Screen4 labs.

The IATA Travel Pass app enables passengers to receive COVID-19 test results and verify they are eligible to undertake their journey through an ‘OK to Travel’ status. More than 20 airlines have signed up to trial the digital health verification app, including Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and SAUDIA, which launched its trial on the Kuala Lumpur to Jeddah route on April 19.

LONG STAYS AT PARK REGIS KRIS KIN HOTEL DUBAI Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel in Dubai has launched a long-stay package to support recent remote work and multiple entry visa initiatives in the emirate. Rates start from AED 4,350++ per month including complimentary high-speed internet, use of a small meeting room facility once a month, a 30 per cent discount on F&B, 20 per cent discount on laundry and dry cleaning, 30 per cent discount on Dubai Parks and Resorts entry, plus access to the hotel’s gym and rooftop pool. Those relocating to Dubai through the Remote Work Visa programme can take advantage of a one-time cashback of their US$287 (AED 1,100) visa cost when staying for a minimum of three months, which can be used as a hotel credit for services during their stay.

FOUR SEASONS OFFERS COVID-19 TESTING Four Seasons is now offering COVID-19 tests to guests at 12 of its properties across the Middle East and Africa as part of its Lead With Care enhanced health and safety programme.

Dubai’s The View at The Palm now open to visitors DUBAI’S LATEST ATTRACTION, The View at The Palm, is now open on The Palm Jumeirah. The observation deck, developed by Nakheel, is 240 metres high and located on level 52 of Palm Tower, offering stunning 360-degree views of Palm Jumeirah, the Arabian Gulf and the Dubai skyline. There’s also an exclusive VIP lounge with an outdoor terrace boasting the same views. Ideal for corporate events and open for bookings, the lounge is customisable to match various themes and concepts and offers meal services, advanced AV equipment and wireless connectivity. Coming soon on Level 51, world renowned restaurant SushiSamba will serve up a tri-cultural blend of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisines.

M AY-J U N E 2 0 2 1

UPFRONT

Turkish Airlines reinstates Business Class benefits TURKISH AIRLINES has

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reintroduced its signature Business Class benefits as flight passenger demand starts to pick up.

The carrier is now operating its ‘Exclusive Drive’ transfer service for flights to 20 destinations in Asia, Africa and the Middle East and 11 in the US and Canada.

Its Miles and Smiles lounge, Domestic lounge, the Ankara ESB Domestic lounge and lounges in Washington and Bangkok have reopened and the Moscow lounge will open soon.

In addition, Business, Economy and Corporate Club passengers are now offered immediate access to the terminal at IGA Istanbul Airport via entrance number five, rather than wait in a queue with other departing passengers.

The high-quality hot food for which the airline is known is also being served again following guest feedback, with more choice offered on flights of two hours or more. The popular buffet cart in Business Class remains suspended due to health and safety protocols with individual pre-prepared meals served instead.

Versace and Molton Brown amenity kits are also back, as are children’s packs and toys and noise-cancelling headphones by DENON. In-flight publications have been replaced by a digital option following a tie-up with the PressReader application, offering 7,000+ digital publications from 120+ countries with more than 60 languages available.

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QATAR AIRWAYS TO REACH 140 DESTINATIONS THIS SUMMER QATAR AIRWAYS will operate more than 1,200 weekly frequencies to 140-plus destinations this summer. This compares to 160 destinations in the peak season of 2019, indicating the airline is almost back to pre-pandemic service levels.

The airline has said it will fly to 23 destinations in Africa, 14 in the Americas, 43 in Asia-Pacific, 43 in Europe and 19 in Middle East this summer.

Emirates and flydubai introduce double tier miles offer EMIRATES AND FLYDUBAI have launched a

new double tier miles offer on flights taken by the end of the year. All flights booked by June 30 (for travel by December 31, 2021) across the carriers’ combined networks will earn double tier miles. The offer follows the recent 12-month extension to the validity of statuses within the Skywards programme. As an example, if a member has a current tier review date on March 31, 2021, their new tier review date will be extended to March 31, 2022.

Etihad launches services to Israel’s Tel Aviv ETIHAD AIRWAYS launched its first flight to

Israel last month (April 6) marking the start of the carrier’s regular Abu Dhabi to Tel Aviv service. At the same time, Israel was added Abu Dhabi’s ‘green list’, permitting quarantinefree travel for visitors from Israel to Abu Dhabi. The launch of scheduled operations comes as the next historic step in developing diplomatic, trade and tourism ties between Israel and the UAE, which were inked as part of the Abraham Accords in September 2020.

The route is initially being operated twice weekly by a B787-9 Dreamliner.

EXTRA PROTECTION, EXTRA HYGIENE Have a healthy journey with all precautions taken to the finest detail for your in-flight safety.

Please visit turkishairlines.com to learn more about our travel standards and other details.

Our hygiene standards have been awarded the Diamond Status by APEX Health Safety powered by SimpliFlying.

UPFRONT

Emirates supports UAE’s entrepreneurs

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EMIRATES HAS SIGNED a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa) to strengthen and expand the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the UAE. The agreement makes Emirates an official Strategic Partner of Sheraa, offering discounted fares to and from its network of more than 90 destinations for the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival and startups relocating to the UAE through Sheraa’s global soft-landing offering that provides an incentive package to facilitate entry for tech startups.

To date, Sheraa has supported 114 startups that have gone on to generate more than US$125 million in revenue, raised more than $74 million in investment and created 1,300-plus jobs.

Emirates has been supporting the UAE’s innovation ecosystem, young entrepreneurs and students since 2016 when it partnered with GE and Etisalat to launch Intelak – an incubator for an innovative pipeline of ideas and initiatives for Dubai’s travel and aviation industry.

KEMPINSKI AND TECHNOGYM LAUNCH NEW FITNESS ROOM CATEGORY KEMPINSKI HOTELS has launched a new room category designed for fitness in partnership with Technogym. Select hotels in Berlin, Munich, Dubai and Shanghai will be the first to offer the Kempinski Fit Room, with the group likely to roll it out to more destinations “as soon as guests are hopefully allowed to travel again in the coming months”.

The rooms are equipped with a Technogym Bike and a console featuring an on-demand library of cycling classes presented by trainers from around the world. Users can choose their favourite classes based on their preferred trainer, type of

workout, language and music. The bike also offers total body workout experiences, with integrated handlebars and training videos.

The Kempinski Fit Room also includes a Technogym Case – a “highend design bag” with a foam roller and massage ball “to help restore proper circulation to muscles” – a sustainable exercise mat, loop bands for lower-body exercises and power bands of varying resistance levels for upper body exercises. Guests will also receive a QR code to follow a guided workout with a virtual trainer on their phone. Rooms are bookable on respective hotel websites.

Don’t miss the Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2021 this month

flydubai relaunches 737 MAX FLYDUBAI HAS RELAUNCHED its 14-strong fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, with the first passenger service taking off on April 8. The decision comes after the aircraft received approval for a return to service from the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). It also follows similar developments worldwide, with 14 carriers now operating flights using the 737 MAX. flydubai plans to initially reintroduce four of its MAX 8s and one of its MAX 9s to its regional route network, while its remaining nine MAX aircraft will return to passenger service over the coming months.

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THE HOTLY ANTICIPATED Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2021 will take place on May 25, with voting for the popular programme now closed.

Recognising the best of the best across 33 categories spanning 10 airline awards, four airport awards, 17 hotel awards and more, the event will take place virtually for the second year running, taking into account current international travel restrictions. The Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2021 celebrate the companies at the forefront of business travel and services, as well as the hard work of top-level industry executives.

For more information and updates, visit www.btme.ae

A D V E R T I S E M E N T F E AT U R E FROM TOP: The Oberoi Beach Resort Al Zorah is a sanctuary for discerning travellers; a two-bedroom beach villa with private pool; Aquario

Ajman’s hidden gem The Oberoi Beach Resort Al Zorah promises serenity, superlative service and sanctuary

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ocated on the pristine shores of the Arabian Gulf in sleepy Ajman, The Oberoi Beach Resort Al Zorah is a sanctuary for discerning travellers seeking seclusion, privacy and tranquility in an outstanding natural environment.

Although it’s just a 25-minute journey from Dubai International Airport and 40 minutes from Downtown Dubai, the resort offers a true escape from city life, immersing guests in a natural paradise where white sandy beaches, mangrove forests, a golf course and a marina soothe the senses.

The boutique property, designed by Italian architect Pierro Lissoni, is contemporary in style and blends seamlessly with the environment.

Stylish and modern accommodation options range from Premier rooms with private gardens, to villas with two or three bedrooms, each with their own pool for absolute privacy. Living spaces are nurturing and encourage guests to relax, while floorto-ceiling windows reveal breathtaking views.

Villas, which are ideal for families, offer the finest in-room amenities, coupled with Oberoi’s signature personalised service, with a butler available on request.

Ideal for a socially distanced stay, there are just 89 rooms HIGHLIGHTS • 74 rooms and suites and villas spread across some • 15 villas 29 acres of land and the entire • Butler service on request resort faces the stunning • 24hr concierge sunrise and sunset over the • The Oberoi Spa turquoise waters.

• Two restaurants Dining venues range from • 85m swimming pool elegant international restaurant • Private beach Vinesse to beachside Aquario, • 24hr fitness centre which serves exquisite seafood

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and is famous for its in-house Fish Sommelier. For the ultimate private dining experience, an in-villa BBQ is not to be missed.

Popular as a wellness retreat – a place to find balance and calm – the resort’s Oberoi Spa features seven treatment rooms with open-air showers, private hammams and a menu of contemporary and holistic treatments.

Resort facilities also include a private beach, watersports, a 24-hour gym, the longest heated swimming pool in Ajman at 85m and for young guests, a Kids Club. For relaxed evenings playing board games or reading, The Library is a sophisticated, yet cosy space with woolen rugs and well curated artifacts.

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UPFRONT

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND FORM TRAVEL BUBBLE AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND have introduced quarantine-

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free travel between the two countries.

New Zealand travellers have been able to travel to Australia since October last year as part of a one-way travel bubble, allowing them to bypass Australia’s 14-day hotel quarantine, but as of April 19, travellers from Australia were permitted to enter New Zealand for the first time since the pandemic.

The new arrangements come with caveats, including ‘green zone’ airports and flights, meaning that flights into New Zealand will only carry travellers from Australia on board, and not from other destinations, and the flight crew will not have previously visited any COVID-19 hotspots.

Australia and Singapore are also discussing a travel bubble, which could allow for quarantine-free travel between the two countries by July. Reciprocal recognition of government-issued vaccine passports is also being considered.

HYATT UNVEILS RESTORED HOTEL DU PALAIS BIARRITZ HYATT HAS UNVEILED THE restored Hotel du Palais Biarritz two years after the property joined the group’s Unbound Collection. The property was first built in 1854 by Napoleon III for his wife Eugénie de Montijo and is the only hotel on the French Atlantic Coast to be recognised with ‘Palace’ status.

Most of the hotel’s 86 rooms and 56 suites have been “meticulously restored to reflect the palace’s iconic past in French history” and facilities include La Rotonde restaurant, offering dishes from the Pays Basque region. The 3,000 sqm Imperial Spa is spread over four floors and features an indoor freshwater pool, whirlpool, hammam and sauna, while outside there is a second seawater pool with cabanas and a private changing room. The hotel will remain open until November 1, 2021, when it will close again for the final phase of the restoration programme, reopening for summer 2022.

RAMADAN AT MONDRIAN DOHA MONDRIAN DOHA is showcasing its culinary credentials during the Holy Month

of Ramadan. Walima, the new hotel’s Qatari-inspired restaurant led by Arabian cuisine guru chef Sezar, has created generous Ramadan Iftar boxes packed with its signature chicken biryani, lamb machboos or mixed grill as the main course, a diverse selection of hot and cold mezzeh, a beverage and the must-haves at any Iftar table – medjool dates, dried figs, nuts and lentil soup. In addition, Walima’s Head Chef, Sezar Eliass and Morimoto’s Executive Chef, Timur Fazilov have collaborated to create exclusive set menus as part of the ‘Chefs of Qatar’ virtual food festival.

Available for delivery on Talabat, menus include a traditional Iftar-style meal with chef Sezar’s signature mixed grills and a variety of hot and cold mezzeh, as well as an Arabic dessert, fruit and dried fruit platters, while Morimoto’s menu presents the best of Japanese cuisine, including miso soup, buckweed noodles, tempura shrimps, a selection of maki and sushi and a soufflé-like cheesecake with fresh blackberry jam and fresh fruit. Visit www.mondriandoha.com M AY-J U N E 2 0 2 1

A D V E R T I S E M E N T F E AT U R E

Ascott Park Place Dubai

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An ode to the city’s pulsating vibe

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et stunningly on bustling Sheikh Zayed Road, Ascott Park Place Dubai is home to elite leisure and business travellers. Part of the prestigious portfolio of The Ascott Limited and three-time winner of Dubai’s Leading Serviced Apartments category at the World Travel Awards, the property is located in an upscale business neighbourhood offering its guests a varied living choice of studios and one- and two-bedroom serviced apartments.

Stepping in, each apartment is gorgeously curated with separate living and dining rooms and floor-to-ceiling windows that offer breathtaking views of Dubai’s glistening skyline.

Lavish in feel and contemporary in style, the living spaces elude warmth and are designed to indulge with the services of a hotel and the comforts of a home away from home.

A luxurious lifestyle destination, Ascott Park Place Dubai features the finest leisure amenities including a swimming pool, gymnasium and a guest lounge. Stepping out, guests find themselves at the doorstep of some of the city’s most renowned addresses and attractions, from the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and the new Museum of the Future to Dubai

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Ascott Park Place Dubai: a lifestyle destination; Spacious living areas with stunning views; Bedrooms are contemporary and stylish

International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Dubai Mall.

Prioritising the safety of its guests and staff, the property continues to strictly abide by health and hygiene protocols in line with the brand’s Ascott Cares programme initiated last year. In addition, ‘Discover ASR’ is Ascott’s loyalty app, which enables guests to book and manage their reservations directly and offers abundant loyalty privileges.

Those looking for a pampering city escape can now enjoy up to 25 per cent off on bookings made through the ‘Escape in Style’ promotion at the-ascott.com/offers Ascott Park Place Dubai is managed by The Ascott Limited, a member of CapitaLand. It is one of the leading international lodging owner-operators with more than 770 properties in 190-plus cities spanning more than 30 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the USA. Its portfolio of serviced residence and hotel brands includes Ascott The Residence, The Crest Collection, Somerset, Quest, Citadines, lyf, Préférence, Vertu, Harris, Citadines Connect, Fox, Yello and POP!.

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What to expect from some of the world’s major carriers

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ost airlines now offer you the chance to voluntarily offset your flight.

Some carriers offer this at the time of booking, while many give you the choice of doing so separately.

Although the principle of offsetting is simple, the more you look into it, the more complicated it can become.

Here’s a round-up of what some airlines are currently offering.

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QATAR AIRWAYS

Qatar Airways launched its voluntary carbon offset programme at the end of 2020 after partnering with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Climate Care. All contributions received through the programme are directed via Climate Care to the Fatanpur Wind Farm project in India.

Passengers can voluntarily offset the carbon emissions associated with their journey at the point of booking, with information available in multiple languages including Arabic, Chinese (classic), Chinese (traditional), Croatian, Czech, English, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.

The programme is built on a partnership with IATA’s carbon offset programme which “provides the assurance that the credits bought to offset these emissions are from projects delivering independently verified

WORDS TOM OTLEY M AY-J U N E 2 0 2 1

A GUIDE TO

AI R L I N E C AR B ON O FF S E T P RO G R A MME S

RE SP ONSIBLE TR AVELLER

carbon reductions as well as wider environmental and social benefits”.

The Fatanpur Wind Farm project in India has installed wind turbine generators (WTGs) with a combined output of 108 MW to generate and supply clean electricity to the Indian National Grid.

The project comprises 54 wind turbines, installed in and around the villages of Taluk Dewas, Tonkkhurd and Tarana Taluk in the Dewas and Ujjain districts of Madhya Pradesh.

The turbines displace electricity generated from fossil fuel sources from the Indian grid, reducing the overall carbon intensity and leading to emissions reductions. This project avoids 210,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, although this year there have been exceptionally low wind speeds across India, with operator Vena Energy measuring a record low wind speed in July 2020, representing a 40 per cent decline compared to its expectations.

IATA’s Carbon Offset Programme has been approved by the independent audit organisation Quality Assurance Standard (QAS), which assesses how organisations calculate emissions, select offset projects and how they communicate this information to their customers. IATA is one of only four organisations worldwide to meet this standard.

As an example of the cost of using the offset feature on Qatar Airways, Business Traveller made a test booking from London Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur via Doha in Business Class. The cost of the offset was £14.00 (US$19.40).

ETIHAD AIRWAYS

Etihad Airways is increasing its purchase of carbon offsets, while at the same time, moving ahead with a programme that will allow passengers to purchase additional offsets for their flights.

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ABOVE: Qatar Airways launched a voluntary carbon offset programme last year TOP: Etihad’s offset programme helps to protect Bornean proboscis monkeys

The airline purchased 80,000 tonnes of carbon offsets in November, but the new purchase, which is through Shell, expands the programme beyond the original Makame Savannah REDD project in Tanzania to include Peru’s Cordillera Azul National Park and Indonesia’s Katingan Mentaya Project.

The Katingan Mentaya project protects 149,800 hectares of peat swamp forest and vital habitats for five critically endangered species, including Bornean orangutans, southern Bornean gibbons and proboscis monkeys.

By 2021, the Cordillera Azul project in Peru aims to have protected 1.6 million hectares of threatened forest and 28 high conservation value species,

supported 716 jobs and created or supported 25 sustainable enterprises.

Both projects are certified by the Verified Carbon Standard and the Climate, Community, and Biodiversity Standard.

Etihad has purchased the offsets through Shell, which has launched a platform to trade REDD+ forestry credits. REDD stands for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation and the + signifies the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

Shell has committed to invest US$300 million in nature-based solutions – projects that protect, transform or restore land – over the next three years. In this way, nature absorbs more CO2 emissions from the atmosphere. These projects can lead to the marketing, trading and sale of carbon credits.

Etihad Airways is also working M AY-J U N E 2 0 2 1

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INDEPENDENT SITES

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There are dozens, if not hundreds, of sites that will offset your emissions, for travel, for your household and for your purchases.

The list here is not comprehensive and it does not recommend these organisations. Note that there is a strong argument that donating directly to charities, which help those affected by climate change, is the best way to spend your money.

You should also ask how much money is going towards the project. trees4travel, for instance, says that of the money donated for an offset, 67 per cent is for tree planting and distribution, 18 per cent is for development and income and 15 per cent is for overheads.

Bulb: works out your carbon footprint including your gas, electricity, what you buy and how much of it.

Compensaid: a sophisticated calculator that also offers the chance to offset your travel by purchasing SAF – which is very expensive, but much closer to the true price of our travels.

Fly Green: an online booking engine that offsets the flights you buy through it using part of its commission. myclimate: this calculator also offers the chance to work out your complete carbon footprint, or just your travel footprint.

Trees4travel: is a dedicated travel offset site.

with New Zealand Carbon Offsetting company Carbon Click, “a platform that uses certified Gold Standard offsets to reduce the climate impact of aviation through ethical, fully traceable reforestation and renewable energy projects”, to develop a customer carbon offset programme, but a launch date is yet to be revealed.

AIR FRANCE

Air France has offset its domestic flights since the beginning of 2020.

It also offers passengers the chance to offset flights, both domestic and M AY-J U N E 2 0 2 1

TOP RIGHT: Lufthansa launched its carbon offset programme with Compensaid RIGHT: British Airways offers offsets through a partnership with Pure Leap Frog

international, in partnership with A Tree for You, through the Tree and Trip programme. The emissions calculator does not have options for specifying the cabin you are flying in, and the payment for offsetting is on the separate Trip and Tree site. It leaves it up to you to decide how much to donate, rather than using the emissions calculator to suggest an amount.

BRITISH AIRWAYS

British Airways offers offsets through a partnership with Pure Leap Frog.

The emissions calculator is separate from the booking procedure, though there is the intention to integrate it in future. Instead, you go to the home page of the Pure Leapfrog British Airways page and enter your flight

details, including the class you are flying in, select your preferred project (or all three of the ones on offer) and then pay for the offset.

Given Pure Leapfrog is a not-forprofit offsetting service, there is a minimum offset charge of £1 ($1.38) to ensure admin costs are covered.

LUFTHANSA

Lufthansa launched its voluntary carbon offset programme in a partnership with Compensaid, an independent offsetting site (Swiss has done the same).

The advantage of this approach is that it allows for a more nuanced and sophisticated approach to offsetting.

The CO2 calculator provided by the climate protection organisation, myclimate, helps you to calculate your journey’s carbon footprint with the result based on the fuel consumption of the Lufthansa fleet.

Compensaid then offers “two options for offsetting: through the use of CO2-neutral, synthetic jet fuel and through reforestation projects. With the purchase of innovative sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), the emissions can be captured immediately as SAF causes up to 80 per cent less CO2 in comparison to conventional jet fuel.

Reforestation projects, in contrast, capture the CO2 resulting from flights over a longer period”.

C O R P O R AT E S O C I A L R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y

WORDS GEMMA GREENWOOD

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LEADING BY EXAMPLE UAE businesses are the most CSR active in MENA, a new report reveals

he UAE has emerged as a regional leader in awareness and the adoption of corporate social responsibility practices, the first annual MENA CSR Survey Report 2020 has revealed.

The study by Cicero & Bernay Public Relations (C&B), in partnership with YouGov, found 82 per cent of UAE respondents ranked the UAE as the most active country in CSR, while 80 per cent of UAE decision-makers had positively changed their perception of CSR during COVID-19. In addition, nine out of 10 UAE executives acknowledged the impact of CSR. From a regional perspective, 62 per cent of respondents across the GCC and Levant said they were well-informed of CSR. The C&B YouGov report was designed specifically to identify the importance of CSR across select countries in the GCC, Levant and North Africa — with the UAE, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Egypt headlining the results.

In total, 219 C-suite executives and corporate leaders across the MENA region were surveyed. They hailed from countries including the UAE, the KSA, Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco and were hand-picked due to their position and contribution to their respective sectors, including government, aviation, automotive, banking and finance, construction and real estate, healthcare and transport.

The respondents were asked a series of CSR-related questions that were revisited in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic to gauge perception.

“The findings of this report reveal the UAE has made a significant and leading contribution in ensuring the vitality of CSR, which has thus far played a crucial role during a pandemic that continues to impact every individual, company and sector on a global scale,” said Ahmad Itani, Founder and CEO of C&B and Chairman of PRCA MENA. According to Stephan Shakespeare, CEO of YouGov,

KEY REPORT FINDINGS

82%

of UAE respondents ranked the UAE as the most active country in CSR

62%

of respondents across the GCC and Levant are well-informed of CSR

60%

would not collaborate with companies that are not socially responsible

1 in 5

executives said companies with CSR plans appealed to job seekers

80%

of UAE decision-makers positively changed their perception of CSR during COVID-19

the report aimed to inspire companies to keep CSR as part of their plans.

“Our research indicates that corporate social responsibility is becoming embedded in corporate culture and the workforce,” he said. “Senior decision-makers in these markets have a good knowledge and understanding of CSR, especially those in the UAE. It is clear that many C-Suite leaders believe it shapes the trust in companies, with many saying they personally will not buy a product that is not socially responsible.”

Shakespeare added: “Due to the pandemic, governments across the globe will now be held more accountable for the safety of their citizens, and economic downturns will test authorities’ actions, compassion and support for their people. Hence, CSR will be listed as a priority on the agenda of public companies and governments.”

After the pandemic hit, effectively changing the way businesses operated, additional questions were added to the survey.

Respondents were asked how the spread of COVID-19 had affected their corporate social responsibility efforts or their budgets across the MENA region.

The findings revealed most executives had a positive sentiment towards CSR, with 46 per cent stating they would scale up their CSR activities in 2021.

“We believe in the importance of implementing CSR by entities across different sectors, and we are proud that companies and individuals in the UAE are working towards achieving the objectives of the UAE National Program for Happiness and Wellbeing,” said Itani.

“The survey’s findings are testament to the growing trust between brands and consumers, and we encourage companies to follow suit, sustain and nurture these relationships moving forward in support of their employees, communities, and the nation as a whole.”

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POSTCARD

RWANDA

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Great la ke lu x u r y Imagine exploring one of the most biodiverse ecozones of the world – the Albertine rift montane forest – from the comfort of a floating luxury hotel as it cruises one of Africa’s great lakes: Lake Kivu in Rwanda.

It will soon be possible, with the Mantis Kivu Queen uBuranga launching soon. Featuring 10 modern cabins, a swimming pool, restaurant, bar, wellness centre and a viewing deck with a hot tub, the onboard experience is tempting enough, but it’s the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to discover this remote part of the world that is really special. Guests can take part in guided hikes, bird watching, meander through quaint Rwandan villages and get up-close-and-personal with the local wildlife, all the

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time enjoying the mild equatorial montane climate. In line with the Mantis Collection’s commitment to sustainability and conservation, the Kivu Queen adds value to the environment and communities of Lake Kivu and is staffed by a team of local people.

The intimate houseboat complements two recently opened properties in Rwanda, the Mantis Kivu Marina Bay Hotel, which offers guests unique cultural experiences such as tea and coffee tastings at some of the best plantations in Africa, and Mantis Akagera Game Lodge, the only Big Five Reserve in the country. This property stands on a hill elevated above the savannah, with outstanding views of Lake Ihema. Gemma Greenwood

SPONSORED EDITORIAL

Immigration as an investment model Shai Zamanian, U.S. Licensed Lawyer and Migration Specialist at The American Legal Centre, based in Dubai, explains how to maximise the benefits of citizenship by investment programmes

A

s capital markets continue to expand in places like China and India, while access to Western countries continue to become more restrictive, entrepreneurs from around the world are finding innovative ways to access residency or secondary passports.

The model of exchanging residency rights for a sizable investment has fuelled the demand for governments to diversify their immigration programmes and to include these options. As the populairy of immigrant investor programmes has swelled, they have proved to be pertinent tools for the growth of various countries’ economies. While the main reason that prospective investors choose such routes is to have a guaranteed way to obtain a second passport or residency in developed countries and to further secure their multigenerational future, they must also be aware of the maximum potential in terms of the benefits these programmes deliver to the individual.

The benefits of these programmes are clear: an investor invests a specific amount of money and in return, they get residency rights in that particular country.

While the specifics of each programme will differ as per the country that offers it, the general idea is that money is invested into the country’s economy and residency rights are passed on to the deserving party. Now, the question is, can these investors use these programmes as a dual benefit model where on the completion of their application they end up with investment and residency rights for themselves and dependants?

The answer is yes, as long as the investor chooses a country that uses the investment in a private-sector asset model and selects the right project to invest in. The private-sector investment model requires the investor to invest their money into an in-country asset (barring government bonds).

After the completion of the investment cycle the investor can reclaim their money provided their investment was a success.

While the investment is in its investment cycle the petition for the residency rights will be in process and the two will be working simultaneously for the benefit of all parties concerned.

For instance, the United States EB-5 immigrant investment programme follows this model, but with the key factor that

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the investor has complete knowledge that his investment is a true investment. This means the investment made to a U.S. commercial enterprise is done so at the risk of the investor.

It must be noted that failure of an investment will not necessarily result in the denial of the immigration petition, provided the failure of the investment is not due to the investor choosing a project that does not meet the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services requirements.

To increase the chances of a successful investment the investor must ensure they do their diligence. Prior to making the investment, the investor must check the capital structure of the project, the chances of its success, the number of jobs created, and whether the appropriate certifications are in place to qualify for the minimum $900,000 investment threshold.

Choosing the right investment project can provide the investor with a rate of return on investment post the investment cycle and in many cases they will receive their investment funds back after a specific period.

Individuals signing up to this model will need to consult with experienced immigration consultants along with independent financial advisors prior to making any decision.

The American Legal Centre, based in Downtown Dubai, has a large focus and experience on the EB-5 immigrant investor programme. It has assisted families in the GCC and emerging markets to gain U.S. green cards in the region and as such, obtained more than 500 green cards.

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D ATA

Passport to success Due to increased globalisation and integration in recent years, the world had opened up considerably, with many passports offering easy travel. And then 2020 happened...

Strong passports A Japanese travel document opens more doors than any other in the world. Meanwhile, the UAE passport leads in the MENAT region

189

190

191

3

2

1

Finland

Germany

Singapore

Japan

Italy

South Korea

187

188

5

4

Austria Denmark

173

SCORE REVEALS THE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES THAT CITIZENS HAVE VISA-FREE ACCESS TO

161

160

20

120

110

95

96

56

55

53

23

16

Qatar

Kuwait

Turkey

Israel

UAE

80

40

GLOBAL RANKING

Luxembourg Spain

TOP 5 IN MENAT

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TOP 5 GLOBALLY

Weakest passports

These are the countries placed at the other end of the global mobility spectrum NUMBER OF COUNTRIES THAT CITIZENS HAVE VISA-FREE ACCESS TO

33 Somalia and Yemen

THE ‘PANDEMIC’ EFFECT The most powerful passports during the pandemic

The COVID-19 outbreak caused major disruptions to mobility by restricting travel and revoking existing visa privileges of travellers Visa-free

Visa on arrival, eTA and e-visa (if issued within 3 days)

Travel restriction

COVID-19 MOBILITY SCORE

112 Belgium

32 Pakistan

80

32

86

79

33

86

79

33

86

79

33

86

78

34

86

112 Finland 29 Syria

112 Austria 112 Luxembourg

28 Iraq 112 Spain 26 Afghanistan

Hit hard

South Korea recorded the highest fall, nosediving from third place with a mobility score of 171 last year to 78 during the pandemic Mobility score decrease due to Covid-19

Biggest changes: 2011–2021 2011

Covid-19 mobility score

South Korea 78

-93

2021

Canada 77

-92 MOVED UP +49

Japan 79

-92 #16

Singapore

+35

78

-91 #42

+31

US #57

#65

80

-91

#77 #88

UAE

Colombia

Timor-Leste

New restrictions

The world was opening up at an average pace of 6 per cent until 2020, according to the World Openness Score (WOS), that monitors travel ease between countries World Openness Score

% of the world open

MOVED DOWN

45%

-15

Syria

-15 #93 #108

-13 #91

2015 #84

47%

45%

2016

21,360

20,216

18,680

17,927

17,904

51%

54%

15,400

12,944 33%

2017

*Between December 31, 2019 and May 31, 2020

2018

2019

Covid-19*

39%

2020

SOURCE: THE PASSPORT INDEX, BY ARTON CAPITAL

#97

#106

Yemen

Nigeria

SOURCE: HENLEY PASSPORT INDEX 2021

CONTENT COURTESY OF GULF BUSINESS

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D E S T I N AT I O N S

Abu Dhabi’s entertainment destination rolls out FacePass technology

WORDS GEMMA GREENWOOD

Yas Island goes 22

contactless

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bu Dhabi’s entertainment hub, Yas Island, home to multiple theme parks, the Yas Marina Circuit and more, is set to become a fully contactless destination with the adoption of the latest FacePass technology.

It’s part of a digital transformation strategy master minded by the destination’s creator, Miral, and will soon be rolled out in phases across the island.

FacePass will streamline guest experiences using facial recognition, with Yas Theme Parks leading the way as the first theme parks regionally to use the technology.

It is facilitated by the Yas Island mobile app and linked to the island’s parks and attractions’ ticketing systems and turnstiles, allowing guests and Annual Pass holders contactless access at points of entry and contactless payment via facial recognition across select retail and dining outlets.

The long-term digital transformation plan for Yas Island will see FacePass technology integrated

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Yas theme parks will be the first in the region to implement complete contactless access and payment solutions

into all Yas Island assets, from access points for residential and communal areas to retail and F&B destinations.

Guests who want to use the technology can do so by downloading Yas Island mobile app from the Google Play or App Store.

Miral says that beyond the ‘wow’ factor, this kind

of contactless technology is the future for all consumer-facing businesses.

Not only does it save time, it enhances guest safety and wellbeing through touchless interaction.

“We are thrilled to be pioneering the adoption of the FacePass technology within the regional leisure and entertainment industry, delivering on our promise of creating a world-class wall-less destination using the latest technology,” says Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, CEO, Miral.

“Yas theme parks will be the first in the region to implement complete contactless access and payment solutions. This cuttingedge functionality is testament to achieving our vision of positioning Yas Island as a top global destination for entertainment, leisure and business.”

Yas Island it home to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, CLYMB™ Abu Dhabi, Yas Links Golf Course, Yas Mall, Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Marina and seven hotels, including the flagship Hotel W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island.

AIRLINES

GOING THE

E XTRA MILE Qatar Airways’ VP of Sales for Europe, Thierry de Bailleul, tells Business Traveller how the airline has negotiated the pandemic and aviation crisis

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t’s been a torrid time for the aviation industry, which this year will burn through between U$75-95 billion after 2020 when demand dropped by nearly 66 per cent worldwide.

The crisis saw the failure of some carriers, while many others have been reliant on government help to survive, and industry body, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts it will be 2021 before traffic recovers.

Qatar Airways has continued flying during the pandemic, though at the worst point its worldwide list of destinations fell to about 30. It is now on the rebound, flying to more than 120.

For many of us who are forbidden from travelling, it may seem surprising there are enough passengers to make it worthwhile.

Qatar Airways VP of Sales Europe, Thierry de Bailleul, told me that while cargo is making a bigger contribution to the airline’s revenue than normal, there are still passengers flying.

Some are visiting friends and family overseas and are prepared to undergo the tests and quarantine necessary and then there is essential business travel, where he gave me the examples of ships’ crew and people who work on oil platforms. Still, is it profitable?

“We cover at least our operational costs. It may not pay the whole costs, the structural costs and so on, but between the passenger revenue and the cargo we make sure that every flight is economically justified,” he reveals.

WORDS TOM OTLEY Throughout the pandemic, the airline has “In economy the face masks are not enough, taken the opportunity to show current and so we offer face screens. All crew cover their potential customers how reliable the airline uniforms and menus that normally are re-used is compared to its competitors. are disposed of and we present new ones on “We schedule the flights and do every flight. Our catering has not changed, but everything possible to keep that schedule it is sealed, and many other things [have been stable. We don’t like to cancel, especially at introduced] such as the ultraviolet robots, the last minute. Our customers don’t like it, which clean the cabins to exterminate germs. our trade partners, the travel management “I’m not saying there are zero cases, but we companies, don’t like it, because it gives are one of the few airlines that has published them extra work for no the numbers, for crew and payment and so we do passengers. The rate of everything it takes, even infection for pax is 0.002 if it’s costly, because we per cent, which is far think it’s all about trust and less than in the streets of reliability,” says De Bailleul.

London or Paris or Madrid.

Where there is not “It’s safer to fly with a enough demand to justify safe airline like us than the flight, then Qatar being in the normal living Airways cancels the flight circumstances wherever well in advance so it doesn’t we are.” affect many passengers and The COVID crisis has also reroutes them. not only altered airline Thierry de Bailleul De Bailleul believes priorities and practices, but the route to recovery also those of passengers too.

“I strongly believe provides opportunities, “I strongly believe the behaviour of provided airlines can that the behaviour of our our customers is convince people that flying customers is changing in in the era of COVID is quite a spectacular way,” changing in quite a safe. So, is it safe? says De Bailleul. “Before spectacular way” “Absolutely, yes, it is,” he it was all about price and says. “We have the right to that’s still important, speak about this because we [but] now it’s service, the have flown so much in the last 12 months. reliability that we have We have gone the extra mile. Some spoken about and the people were saying ‘Do you criteria of safety measures of think it is too much?’, but then each airline. Airlines are not all the new variants came along equal on safety measures, quality and they changed their mind. of service and reliability.”

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KEYS TO THE

KINGDOM

New and upcoming hotels to check out when you next visit Saudi Arabia

WORDS GEMMA GREENWOOD M AY-J U N E 2 0 2 1

HOTELS

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Habitas AlUla M AY-J U N E 2 0 2 1

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hile the pandemic has put on the hotel development brakes in many major markets, Saudi Arabia is well and truly bucking the trend. The country is currently leading the world in projected hotel supply growth, according to figures revealed last month (April) by STR, the data benchmarking and analytics specialist for the global hospitality market.

Saudi Arabia has some 73,057 rooms across the three phases of the hotel pipeline with a huge 67.1 per cent increase in room supply anticipated over the next three years.

This increase, which assumes completion of all projects in construction, final planning and planning, is the highest among the world’s 50 most populated countries, STR found.

“Saudi Arabia’s growth aspirations, along with the strength of other Middle East hospitality markets such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, is further validation that the region continues to emerge as a global tourist destination,” says Philip Wooller, STR’s area director for the Middle East/Africa. “Such growth is a testament to the strength and prospectus of the nation’s strong cultural and economic resources.”

While a significant portion of Saudi Arabia’s pipeline activity is concentrated in Holy City of Makkah where there are 28,052 rooms under development, representing a 81 per cent surge in hotel supply, several other submarkets are expected to increase supply by 50 per cent or more. They include the capital Riyadh, with 13,165 pipelined rooms (+75 per cent), Jeddah with 11,165 rooms (+97 per cent) and regional areas with 13,996 rooms (+80 per cent).

Of the total rooms in Saudi Arabia’s pipeline as of March 11, 2021, 16,965 were scheduled to come online in 2021. Here, we outline some of those keys and their hotels, as well as properties opening their doors across KSA in the next few years.

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Habitas AlUla

Habitas, the sustainable, experience-led hospitality brand known for redefining the concept of luxury hotels, will soon make its regional debut in AlUla. Opening in H2, the property will be nestled in the desert canyons of the Ashar Valley, surrounded by sandstone cliffs and palm groves.

The resort’s pathways will lead guests to each of the 100 guest rooms, as well as the yoga deck, wellness and fitness centres, restaurant and swimming pool. Every space is being constructed from ethically-sourced organic materials, which blend seamlessly into their natural surroundings.

Appealing to responsible travellers, Habitas hallmarks include a modular-build, low-impact design that protects the environment and sustainable construction methods.

Habitas AlUla will also immerse guests in authentic experiences based on music, wellness, adventure, culture, learning and food. They will range from Saudi cuisine made from fresh local ingredients and performances by local musicians to cultural film and documentary screenings and a guided walk through the remains of the ancient city where the Nabateans once lived.

HOTELS

Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh

The soon-to-open Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh, features 321 rooms and suites and is located in the Saudi capital’s Central Business District, providing easy access to corporate offices, government buildings, high-end shopping, restaurants and cafés. It’s part of the mixed-use Al Faisaliah Centre, designed by Foster & Partners. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group signed an agreement with Al Khozama Company to take over the management of Al Faisaliah Hotel in November. The luxury brand will start operating the property soon and continue with an extensive guestroom and public area renovation, which will be completed at the end of 2021, after which it will be rebranded Mandarin Oriental. The new room and suite interiors have been designed by Adam Tihany Design, New York. Also new are a variety of refreshed restaurants, lounges and bars, including the popular top-floor venue, which commands outstanding views of the city. Revitalised function spaces will cater to social events and business meetings, while an indoor swimming pool, male and female spa areas and a fitness centre will complete the leisure facilities

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JW Marriott Riyadh

Housed within the city’s iconic 64-storey skyscraper that is home to residential apartments and Saudi Telecom Company’s leadership and technology academy, the upcoming JW Marriott Riyadh (previously Burj Rafal Hotel) is set to deliver an “unprecedented level of service and accommodation in the kingdom’s capital”. The property will be part of the future Capital Gate community, boasting a prime location between the King Abdullah Financial District and Avenues Mall and close to the new Riyadh metro. The hotel is currently undergoing improvements including the introduction of new dining concepts such as Qahwet Al Mandaloun, JW Steakhouse, Tea eighty eight, Club Fumee and Maze Shisha Garden. The hotel entrance, lobby and reception area are also being heightened to provide guests with surroundings that “reflect their destination”. When works are completed, it will be rebranded as a JW Marriott Hotel.

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HOTELS

Renaissance Riyadh Hotel

The first Renaissance-branded hotel in the kingdom will be located in the King Abdullah Financial District, close to Riyadh International Airport.

It will feature 266 thoughtfully designed suites, three food and beverage outlets and leisure facilities such as a spa, pool and fitness centre.

The country is currently leading the world in projected hotel supply growth

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Aloft Makkah Taysir

Slated to be the world’s largest Aloft property, Aloft Makkah Taysir will feature around 1,000 guest rooms.

Located in Makkah’s Taysir district, close to the Grand Mosque entrance, the hotel will be ideally located for guests visiting on pilgrimage and offer signature Aloft amenities including the Re:mix Lounge; Re:fuel® by Aloft, offering a 24/7 grab-and-go gourmet menu; and Re:charge, Aloft’s 24-hour fitness centre.

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Courtyard by Marriott Makkah Kudai

Marriott will continue to expand Courtyard by Marriott’s footprint in Saudi Arabia when it opens Courtyard by Marriott Makkah Kudai featuring 438 spacious guest rooms, its signature Grab n’ Go market and a fitness centre.

It will be situated 2km from the Grand Mosque entrance.

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Hilton Riyadh Olaya

This new-build hotel, expected to open in Q4, will command a prime position on King Fahd Road, Riyadh city’s main thoroughfare, close to the iconic Kingdom Centre and a short drive from the Diplomatic Quarter (5km) and the King Abdullah Financial District (6km).

Hilton Riyadh Olaya will house 239 rooms, including 22 suites, one presidential suite, and 30 one/two-bedroom serviced apartments.

Amenities will include an all-day dining restaurant, lobby café, executive lounge, an Eforea Spa with a swimming pool, sauna, Hammam, Jacuzzi and treatment rooms, as well as a retail area and barbershop. For meetings and events, the ballroom will offer Kingdom Centre views, complemented by four state-of-the-art meeting rooms, one boardroom and a business centre.

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HOTELS

Banyan Tree Resort AlUla

Accor has partnered with the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) to operate an expanded Ashar Resort under the Banyan Tree brand. The group will add 47 new high-end villas to bring the resort total to 82, complemented by a luxury spa and several gourmet restaurants. A sensitive design concept will ensure each villa blends discreetly into the striking natural scenery of the Ashar valley, located 15km from the Kingdom’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hegra.

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Hilton Garden Inn Riyadh Financial District Expected to open around the time of press (end of April), Hilton Garden Inn Riyadh Financial District enables travellers to “enjoy an Arabian escape while staying connected to the city”.

The hotel’s 262 naturally lit guestrooms offer stunning views of the capital and are designed to reflect Arabian culture, featuring Saudi crafts and paintings. The property, which also offers a choice of meeting venues, is located near the King Abdullah Financial District and is minutes from business and entertainment destinations, as well as the city’s heritage sites.

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Fairmont Riyadh Serviced Residences

Fairmont’s first luxury long-stay apartment property in the kingdom will boast 249 serviced residences including one-, two- and threebedroom units, as well as fourbedroom penthouses. Pitched as an unforgettable luxury destination and a city landmark, the property will include a food and beverage plaza with three specialty dining concepts and family friendly features such as a cinema room, lounge and kids’ play area.

Shangri-La will make its brand debut in Saudi Arabia in October 31

Shangri-La Jeddah

Shangri-La will make its brand debut in Saudi Arabia in October.

The waterfront Shangri-La Jeddah will feature 235 guestrooms, suites and serviced residences that boast floor-to-ceiling windows with unparalleled views of the Red Sea and offering “unmatched facilities for both business and leisure travellers”.

Horizon Club members will enjoy an array of exclusive privileges including Horizon Club lounge access and the complimentary use of a meeting room. Set to become one of the city’s top dining destinations, restaurants will include Shangri-La’s signature Shang Palace, introducing guests and local residents to the brand’s awardwinning authentic Chinese cuisine.

Guests can also expect a 960sqm Grand Ballroom, 10 meetings rooms and CHI, The Spa, which will offer wellness treatments blending traditional Asian methods with local influences, with both male and female facilities available.

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HOTELS

Voco Jeddah North

Grand Hyatt Al Khobar Hotel and Residences

The recently opened Grand Hyatt Al Khobar Hotel and Residences – Hyatt’s first Grand Hyatt in Saudi Arabia – features 368 rooms, including 54 residential units, and is located in the commercial and retail heart of Al Khobar with a connecting bridge to Al Rashid Mall. The property features three restaurants and a lobby lounge, banquet halls and a fitness centre and spa.

Voco Jeddah North will feature 145 rooms, an outdoor pool, a spa with four treatment rooms and a range of culinary venues, including an all-day dining restaurant, a coffee lounge and a rooftop lounge, when it opens to guests in Q1 2022. One of the closest hotels to the new Jeddah airport, it will also offer 1,710sqm of meeting and banqueting space (including two ballrooms of 500 sqm and 400 sqm), making it ideal for a corporate gathering.

The hotel will be close to Jeddah Seasons square, Obhur Corniche and Alexandria beach, while Kingdom City, the new anticipated centre of Jeddah, is just 3km away.

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Mansard Riyadh, A Radisson Collection Hotel & Residences

The Mansard Riyadh, A Radisson Collection Hotel & Residences, which opened last month (April), is Radisson’s ninth hotel in Riyadh and its second Radisson Collection property in the Saudi capital. Located on Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Road, the property is easily accessible by rail and road to King Khalid International Airport and the King Abdullah Financial Centre, with Riyadh’s new metro system opening soon. The hotel features 140 rooms and suites, plus 27 luxurious apartments and 24 threebedroom villas for long-stay guests.

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AND THER E ’S MOR E …

Raffles Jeddah Hotel & Residences Inspired by rich Arab heritage and with an enviable waterside location, Raffles Jeddah will feature 181 guestrooms and 188 branded residences. The property will offer special wedding suites for newlyweds, as well as a library, a penthouse-level entertainment suite and a large spa with eight treatment rooms and a fitness club. A ballroom overlooking the corniche will be part of the meeting and events offering, while six exquisite restaurants and lounges will include a gentlemen-only lounge.

Aman Hotels will open a Janu property in AlUla next year

Janu AlUla Aman hotels, a pioneer of “sanctuary hospitality”, launched its wellness-orientated brand Janu in 2020. AlUla in Saudi Arabia is one of three destinations earmarked for Janu’s debut next year (2022). The others are Montenegro in Europe and Tokyo in Japan. The company says the AlUla property will provide “incomparable insight into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its magnificent unspoilt natural landscapes and archaeological sites, which have long remained undiscovered”. Sanskrit for “soul” (Aman translates as “peace”), Janu is founded on the belief that true luxury means never having to choose between personal fulfilment and pleasure.

to roads linking the capital to the international airport, which is just 12km away. The hotel will feature 103 rooms and suites and 16 villas.

Radisson Riyadh Airport Opening this month, Radisson Riyadh Airport offers 471 keys across various room types including serviced apartments and villas to cater to large groups and long-stay guests. An all-day dining restaurant, two specialty restaurants and meeting and conference space spanning 2,600 sqm are ideal for corporate events.

Radisson Blu Riyadh RICEC With a mooted Q3 opening, the Radisson Blu Hotel, Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Centre will feature 200 rooms, an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty restaurant, a lobby, a lounge and a café. With an indoor swimming pool, fitness facilities and a 1,075 sqm meetings and events area, this property will be ideal for business or leisure.

Radisson Al Qurayat Also opening in Q3, Radisson Al Qurayat, situated in the Al Jawf Province in northern Saudi Arabia, close to the border with Jordan, will feature 137 rooms and suites, an international restaurant and a lobby lounge, a spa, gym, four meeting rooms and a conference room. The hotel will be located 10km from the domestic airport and just 8km from the land port.

Holiday Inn Riyadh, Al Malaz This Holiday Inn, conveniently located in Riyadh’s city centre, near government institutions and several ministries, will open in Q1 2022. It will introduce Holiday Inn’s new ‘Open Lobby’ concept to the city, where the front desk, lobby, F&B, lounge area and business centre will merge into one open and cohesive space.

Voco Jeddah Gate Voco Jeddah Gate will be IHG’s sixth hotel in Jeddah when it opens in Q2/Q3 next year. The 681-key hotel will occupy a “premium location” in the Fayhaa area within Jeddah Gate, an integrated masterplanned community featuring residences, commercial areas and recreational amenities once completed. Four meeting rooms accommodating up to 600 guests, two dining options and an outdoor pool and health club will be part of the offering.

King Abdulaziz International Airport is just 10 minutes from the Jeddah Gate lifestyle destination.

Holiday Inn Jeddah Corniche Expected to open Q2 2022, this 156-room property, located near to Jeddah Waterfront, Jeddah Corniche and sister hotels InterContinental Jeddah and Crowne Plaza Jeddah, will feature a business centre, two meeting rooms, three dining options, a gym, spa and pool.

Holiday Inn’s ‘Open Lobby’ concept will be rolled out in Riyadh soon

Mövenpick Turaif Al Shamal This 237-room hotel, envisaged as an urban resort for business travellers, will offer three food and beverage outlets, extensive meeting and event space, male and female wellness areas and recreation facilities.

Radisson Blu Hotel Riyadh Al Qurtuba The Radisson Blu Hotel, Riyadh Al Qurtuba, opening soon, will be part of the new upscale Al Jadah mixed-use development, conveniently close to Riyadh’s city centre and

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HOTELS

ASCOTT TO OPEN FOUR NEW KSA PROPERTIES

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International lodging owneroperator, ‘The Ascott Limited’ (Ascott), is on course to open four new properties in Saudi Arabia by the end of 2022. As part of its ongoing expansion strategy, the group is currently preparing to launch and manage the 90-key Ascott Villas Riyadh, Somerset Downtown Al Khobar, Citadines Abha and Citadines Al Aziziya Al Khobar, all of which cater to business, leisure and long-stay guests with spacious serviced accommodation and lifestyle amenities. Ascott already operates six exclusive properties in the kingdom including Ascott Sari Jeddah, Ascott Tahlia Jeddah, Citadines Al Salamah Jeddah, Spectrums Residence Jeddah, Ascott Rafal Olaya Riyadh and Ascott Corniche Al Khobar.

Ascott recently launched an ‘Escape in Style’ promotion offering guests up to 25 per cent off when they book online at the-ascott.com/offers or via the brand’s loyalty app – Discover ASR. The app is part of Ascott’s loyalty programme, ’Ascott Star Rewards’.

Ascott Villas Riyadh

Citadines Abha

Somerset Downtown Al Khobar

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InterContinental Durrat Al Riyadh Resort

Riyadh City’s first and only resort will open in the distinguished Banban neighbourhood in Q4. The unique property, characterised by “architectural grandeur”, will be located amid a 154,000 sqm lush green oasis, enhanced by eco-friendly water features. The property will feature 121 rooms, 31 suites and 10 stately private villas, each with an outdoor swimming pool, plus a wide range of dining venues, a spa and indoor and outdoor pools. Ideal for meetings and events, venues will include Grand Durrah Hall, eight meeting rooms and several outdoor spaces, with a team of event specialists on hand to help with the planning.

Holiday Inn Riyadh, The Business District 15

This 138-room property will feature two F&B outlets, six meeting rooms (1,216 sqm), one of which will have the capacity for 310 guests, plus an outdoor pool, a gym and a business centre when it opens in Q1 next year. The hotel will be part of a mixed-use development, The Business District, comprising 20 offices, a coffee shop, a mosque and a nursery.

Ascott is on course to open four new properties in Saudi Arabia by the end of 2022

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Crowne Plaza Makkah (Beban)

This property will make its mark as the world’s largest Crowne Plaza when it launches in Q2 2022. Housing a staggering 1,200 rooms and close to the Holy Mosque, it will be a landmark hotel for IHG. It will join the InterContinental and Holiday Inn properties already in operation in the Holy City and cater to the influx of pilgrim visits expected as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan for socio-economic transformation. Crowne Plaza Makkah Beban will also offer two restaurants and a coffee shop, a business centre and three meeting rooms.

Holiday Inn Jeddah

Opening in Q2 next year, Holiday Inn Jeddah Al Hamra will feature 253 rooms and a host of facilities for business and leisure travellers, including three dining venues, six meeting rooms, a business centre, outdoor pool, a gym and a spa.

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ALLIANCEJET

P R I VAT E J E T S

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PRIVATE JET TRAVEL

TAKES OFF Corporations are seeking new travel solutions that put safety and convenience first

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WORDS GEMMA GREENWOOD

he pandemic has caused sisemic shifts in the global aviation market, with many new trends emerging, and a preference for private jet travel is one of them. Once a privilege of VIPs only, this travel solution has become an everyday consideration for organisations of all sizes, particularly those in the Middle East.

Pre-COVID, the Middle East and North African Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) had highlighted the ongoing organic rise in demand for private travel, with up to 70 per cent of private jet flights in the region operated for business purposes.

“The pandemic has served to further emphasise the benefits of private air travel beyond the VIP market, with corporates increasingly recognising the business opportunities it offers in terms safety, security and accessibility,” according to Thomas Flohr, founder and Chairman of Vista Global.

Testament to this, the group’s global business aviation company, VistaJet, which offers a popular fixed-rate membership programme, has witnessed a rapid acceleration in demand since the pandemic, with new subscription memberships increasing 29 per cent year on year in 2020. The Middle East accounted for 10 per cent of this.

Furthermore, 2020 was also a record year for VistaJet’s On Demand services, with bookings growing 15 per cent year-on-year and Flohr anticipating a continuation of this trend in 2021, driven by an “explosion in demand from both corporate and first-time fliers wanting to conduct travel safely and without delays across the globe”.

LEFT: Private jet travel is taking off ABOVE: VistaJet memberships surged 29 per cent in 2020

SAFETY FIRST

The very nature of private travel means it eliminates as many as 680 person-to-person touch points, according to VistaJet Chief Commercial Officer Ian Moore.

“One of the key draws for new members in the current climate is the small number of touchpoints when flying private — 20 as opposed to 700 when flying commercial,” he confirms. Citing the company’s recent The Future of Private Travel survey, he reveals 79 per cent of people across the HNWI segment say they would be more inclined to travel by private jet than before, considering it a “safer and more reliable flight solution”.

The convenience, reliability and

flexibility of private jet travel also appeals, he explains: “Consumers are faced with complicated and ever-changing travel restrictions and are looking for simple and reliable travel solutions. During 2020 and still today, commercial airlines are being grounded and flights cancelled, however, there are a still a number of people who still have critical travel needs. Private aviation is playing an increasingly important role in this. Pre-pandemic only around 10 per cent of people who could afford to fly privately did. Now 71 per cent of VistaJet’s new incoming requests are from passengers who have not regularly used business aviation solutions in the past.”

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P R I VAT E J E T S

Inter-Middle East flying from the UAE to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait has also been popular.

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The company has also seen a huge 49 per cent surge in corporate demand for its services since the start of the pandemic, he adds.

VistaJet has introduced several services and procedures to give travellers peace of mind. They include dedicated Flight Approval and Coordination teams that work 24/7 to assess and approve any booking and change requests from a technical, safety and security standpoint; a reduction in the number of people interacting with the aircraft by making every effort to assign a single set of crew to a single aircraft over their full 17-day rotation; monitoring crew for signs of the virus twice daily and, if there is any doubt, taking them out of service until cleared by a certified professional; all crew wear protective masks and gloves as required and permitted, overseeing all aircraft cleaning procedures to ensure they meet or exceed published guidelines.

MEMBERSHIP INCENTIVES

VistaJet has also launched Dynamic Corporate Membership offering a full suite of flexible travel solutions for businesses and executives. Benefits range from the option to pay in arrears, unlimited flying hours and guaranteed M AY-J U N E 2 0 2 1

availability of additional aircraft, to a dedicated a VistaJet flight manager and dedicated cabin crew to reduce COVID-19 exposure, access to 187 countries, plus an integrated carbon reduction and carbon offset option for fully audited and environmentally sustainable flying. The membership is suitable for businesses that require at least 50 flight hours over 12 months, with the lead time for reserving aircraft just 24 hours for domestic flights and 48 hours for most international destinations.

Meeting growing demand for larger aircraft that can travel long-haul routes, VistaJet operates the Bombardier Global 7500 – the largest and longest range business jet in the world – with more joining the fleet this year. This aircraft has set distance and speed records and also features new technology to combat jetlag. It makes private jet travel from Dubai to destinations as far afield as San Francisco, Vancouver or Sao Paulo possible in one trip, arriving up to 21 per cent faster than the next fastest jet on the market today, according to VistaJet. Over the past year, the company’s most popular flight routes from the Middle East have been to Russia, Turkey, Greece, Egypt and the UK.

ABOVE: Private jets allow customers to travel with minimal interaction

Private jets allow customers to travel with minimal interaction with other people and can avoid overcrowded public airport terminals. Upon landing, instead of queueing up for customs and border clearance, passengers are escorted into a private lounge to have documents checked or can be greeted by border agents on board the aircraft.

Brendan McQuaid, CEO, AllianceJet

But it’s not only business trips that are going private. AllianceJet, which operates luxury global charter services, witnessed a surge in private jet travel to private islands and exotic destinations in 2020, with wealthy travellers preferring this option to first class travel on a commercial airline, according to AllianceJet CEO, Brendan McQuaid.

“Flight pooling was also a big trend in Russia, whereby customers travelling to the same destination share the cost of booking a private plane,” he notes.

“Private aviation has emerged as more than just a matter of luxury and efficiency; it also addresses the vital concerns of safety and health. Some of the private fliers are older, wealthy travellers who fall in the high-risk segment. They want to visit their families or their second homes but do not wish to risk exposure to the virus.”

Similar to VistaJet findings, some of the most popular routes have been between Dubai, the Maldives and Moscow.

“London was also popular until Dubai entered the Red list and UK imposed strict quarantine measures,” says McQuaid.

“With many commercial flights and low-cost airlines working on lower capacity and airline routes being suspended, more partnerships with private jet companies are forecasted to help accessibility to remote destinations.”

The outlook for private aviation is rosy, says McQuaid, as travellers and companies put health and safety first and wealthy individuals look to travel between home and remote work locations.

“In 2021, more newcomers will be seen using private jets for the first time,” he says. “Private jet services are also likely to be offered as a service by hospitals, insurance companies and luxury hotels.”

OPINION

Points to prove

The pandemic has been tough on all travellers, but there’s one group on which it has been particularly cruel – still, don’t feel too sorry for them…

R I CH A R D TA MS A I R L I N E C O N S U LTA N T A N D E X E C U T I V E C O A C H

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BENJAMIN SOUTHAN

here are many tribes in travel, Room at Heathrow T5. By the summer, they so let’s distinguish between just were forced to post pictures of their Eat Out two of them. First, there are to Help Out family meals at Pizza Express. business travellers. Let’s assume And it’s hard to concentrate on loved ones that’s you. Second, there are when your Premier Platinum Elite others who look like you, but aren’t. They are Ambassador Club status with your airline frequent travellers, too – maybe even more of choice is looking increasingly precarious. frequent than you – but they travel not because they have to but because they want BACK DOWN TO EARTH to. Many of them aren’t actually business In the past, remedies to a hiatus in travel travellers, but instead they make it their were easy to come by. A simple “tier point business to travel. So who are they? And run” and your gold card could be retained. why has the Covid-19 crisis been so tough (For those who don’t know what a tier point on them? run is, it is an intense series of flights taken Well, to identify them at their most for the sole purpose of getting or retaining glamorous, think of the George Clooney airline frequent flyer status.) film Up in The Air. It’s not Since this is currently not quite accurate, because the possible, and the addicts’ Clooney character had to status levels have been left For eight long travel because of his job, hanging in the balance months, points but the relish he took in with frequent flyer miles addicts have been being an expert traveller, collecting dust, they could and the importance and grounded, abandoned only take to social media, benefits he felt he derived blogs and forums to lobby and unloved from his status (in every for its extension. Luckily sense) – well, that’s a for them, valued clients of definite characteristic of the airlines (ie, you, the this group. Let’s call them Points Addicts, business travellers) were in although the points are more a similar position, although of a symptom than a cause. at that point you were For eight long months and probably preoccupied with counting, they have been saving your companies or grounded, abandoned and working out how to manage a team unloved, regular travel a faint suddenly reliant on remote working. silhouette at the far end of an Once their status was secured, it was back empty airport terminal. In the recent past, on to social media to feel wistful for the these addicts burnished their social media nights in January when they would stay up profiles with the customary photo of their until the early hours to grab those early-bird glass of Bolly fizzing away in BA’s Concorde first class Avios seats to Cape Town over

New Year, followed by a rush to grab seat 1K – because, let’s face it, any other seat just doesn’t cut the mustard.

It’s not the same, though, when you can’t feign exhaustion at having to endure the fourth transatlantic “hop” this month.

And how can you spark the envy of fellow subscribers to a points blog without boasting of securing a discounted business class ticket from London to Dubai, earning double Avios by ticketing it in Belarus and flying via Phoenix? Instead, they are left booking and then rebooking tickets, since no fees are being levied as the airlines scramble to hold on to any cash that customers are prepared to give them.

But it’s not the same as travelling, these endless computer games on airline websites.

So here are five tips to help them cope during this traumatic time: 1. Remember that business travel is a means to an end and not an end in itself.

2. Essential business travel should be just that. Aviation isn’t environmentally friendly, “the pond” is not a pond and airliners burn 30,000 gallons of fuel to cross it, so fly when you really need to – either for work or a well-earned holiday – not just to retain status.

3. No one is defined by their frequent flyer programme status and, if they are, it’s not in the way they think.

4. If you are the sort of person who is “impressed” by travel, then recognise that really impressive travellers don’t have any status at all – they have their own jets.

5. Your grounding is at least freeing up seats for former airline staff standby passengers like me!

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HOTELS

WORDS HANNAH BRANDLER

Cleaning up the crisis How hotels have risen to the challenge of keeping guests safe during the pandemic

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RIGHT: Hilton CleanStay – cleaned rooms are sealed BELOW: Accor ALLSAFE

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he COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked huge damage on the hospitality industry over the past year, with new strains of the virus creating additional threats at the turn of the decade.

Where hotels have been able to stay open, they have had to adapt quickly to new regulations, redesigning spaces and enhancing cleaning to keep guests and staff safe, all the while trying to

maintain some kind of revenue stream through initiatives such as “work from hotel” packages.

Guests too have changed their behaviour. Whereas once they may not have thought much about the work that goes on behind the scenes, now travellers prioritise hygiene when booking. According to a survey carried out in the UK and US by Honeywell in December, 48 per cent of respondents said that enhanced cleanliness or health and safety procedures would motivate them the most to stay in a hotel, while 57 per cent of those in the US cited cleanliness as the top deciding factor for choosing which one to book.

Here we explore the new safety measures that have fundamentally changed the guest experience.

KEEP IT CLEAN

All of the major hotel chains have developed robust new cleaning protocols, reviewing each department and providing staff with comprehensive safety and hygiene training. For many groups this meant consulting external experts on keeping guests safe.

In April last year, Marriott International unveiled its Global Cleanliness Council, a body comprising specialists in hospitality, epidemiology, sanitation and protective health and hygiene technology.

Meanwhile, Hilton partnered with the manufacturers of Lysol and Dettol to launch its CleanStay platform in June, with Alex Humphrey, Hilton’s senior director for safety and security in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, using his experience as a medical microbiologist to steer the group in the right direction.

“The key thing is it’s not just a marketing ploy,” he says. “We approached this with a scientific microbiological mindset. We weren’t like a rabbit [caught] in the headlights.”

Such programmes also tend to undergo external certification and auditing.

Accor’s ALLSAFE scheme, for example, is endorsed by testing, inspection and certification specialist Bureau Veritas, while in the autumn its protocols in the UK and Ireland secured government backing.

Radisson Hotel Group has also signed a global agreement with inspection, verification, testing and

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certification company SGS to create a 20-step cleaning and safety protocol for hotels.

At a local level, some groups have appointed ‘COVID officers’ who are responsible for making sure that individual properties adhere to guidelines.

Accor has trained ALLSAFE Ambassadors, IHG Hotels and Resorts’ ‘clean champions’ instil a “culture of clean” across its portfolio, while Hyatt ensures that every hotel globally has a trained hygiene and wellbeing leader.

Meanwhile, health and security companies such as International SOS have provided support to the likes of

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Four Seasons and Oakwood. It sends medical directors to test out the user experience and compile comprehensive reports with recommendations for select properties.

STEPPING IT UP

So, what do these programmes entail?

It’s important to Each varies slightly and is tweaked to meet use the tried and regulations in different tested methods parts of the world but, by and large, the groups have a similar approach to hygiene. First and foremost, traditional cleaning measures have been stepped up. In public areas, high-contact surfaces such as reception counters, lift buttons, door handles, bathrooms, stair handrails and gym equipment are cleaned more frequently with hospital-grade disinfectant products, while sanitising stations have also been set up.

In guestrooms, high-touch areas such as door handles, taps and light switches are also receiving special attention, while groups such as

Accor are promising deep cleaning of upholstery and carpets and hightemperature washing of bedding.

Many chains also provide disinfecting wipes in each room for guests’ use.

While much of this work remains invisible, Hilton reassures guests by attaching a CleanStay room seal label to guestroom doors to show that no one has entered since housekeeping. “That helped to reduce anxiety and give great customer confidence,” says Humphrey, who previously worked for the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) as an infection control adviser. Rooms may also include cards detailing the cleaning procedures in place at the property.

Housekeeping itself has changed, with some guests wanting a full service and others preferring that no one else enters during their stay. Rooms are thoroughly disinfected between stays but it is then up to guests to choose the frequency of service. According to Honeywell, 93 per cent of respondents who had stayed in a hotel since March 2020 reported a positive experience regarding safety and cleanliness. Humphrey reports that Hilton’s measures have “gone down an absolute storm” with customers,

HOTELS

SPRAY IT AGAIN

while Richard Short, Accor’s health, safety and environment director for Northern Europe, encourages guests to shape the future of the hotel experience by providing feedback.

“We invite guests to join us on this journey because we all have the same motives. We don’t want this virus to spread uncontrollably,” he says.

While traditional cleaning methods are effective, some hotel groups have gone even further, using advanced technologies such as electrostatic spraying. Marriott deployed this in the public areas in properties across all brands in its portfolio.

It works by applying an electric charge to hospitalgrade disinfectant, enabling it to cover a surface more effectively than conventional methods. The rollout was not a simple endeavour – research was undertaken to discover how often it could be used, the consequences of inhaling the fumes, and how heavy the sprayers were.

“Like anything that’s new, you want to make sure it’s safe and that you’re not inadvertently causing harm”, Arielle Quick, Marriott’s chief continent lodging services officer for EMEA, says.

THE HUMAN ELEMENT

CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW: Marriott’s electrostatic spraying; ALLSAFE Ambassadors; Marriott uses hospital-grade disinfectants; An IHG ‘Clean Champion’

While such methods play their part in stopping the virus in its tracks, it’s human behaviour that is most important. The World Health Organisation warns that person-toperson contact is the main way to spread COVID-19, meaning technology is rendered obsolete if basic elements such as hand hygiene, face coverings and social distancing are not observed.

As Dr Rodrigo RodriguezFernandez, global medical director of non-communicable disease and workplace wellness for International SOS, puts it: “I can have the best and most expensive air purifier system, but if people are not following the rules then it doesn’t really matter.”

Short agrees that “it’s important to use the tried and tested methods”, while Tom Flanagan Karttunen, Area Senior Vice President for Northern and Western Europe at Radisson Hotel Group, states the firm “didn’t feel the need to bypass the more practical implementations of simple cleaning and disinfecting”.

Properties have therefore reconfigured public areas to allow for social distancing, as well as introducing signage and making mask-wearing in public areas mandatory.

Front desks may have Perspex partition screens for added protection, and one-way systems are often in place, with separate entrances and exits. Leisure facilities such as gyms and spas may be closed or limited in terms of guest numbers. Some hotels are also using thermal screening and temperature guns to pinpoint instances of the virus.

So, what happens in the case of a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 on-site? First, the hotel will make sure the individual is safe and quarantined. It will then notify local authorities and follow recommended measures on next steps.

Following the guest’s departure, the room will be isolated for 72 hours and then deep cleaned. The good news, according to Rodriguez-Fernandez, is that there is little risk of contaminating other people as most chain hotels have excellent ventilation.

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HOTELS

TOUCH-FREE TECH

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The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of contactless technology enabling travellers to control their stay from mobile devices. Apps are increasingly being introduced for guests to check in and out remotely, order room service and amenities, speak with staff using instant messaging and make special requests.

For a few years now, Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt have offered secure digital keys to loyalty scheme members, allowing them to bypass the front desk and unlock their doors using their phones. The global roll-out of this technology, however, has been sped up as a result of the pandemic.

As of December 2020, Hilton guests had used the digital key to open more than 100 million doors worldwide, with 80 per cent of the group’s hotels now equipped with the technology.

Hyatt, too, reached a critical milestone in its contactless journey, with more than 500 properties using digital key by the end of last year.

Meanwhile, more than 4,100 hotels within Marriott International’s global portfolio have a mobile key technology; half of its EMEA hotels are now live with the technology, with many more signing up this year.

Accor followed suit in January this year, partnering with mobile key tech provider Stay My Way to launch the technology at selected properties in North America, Europe and Asia – the group says that the service will be rolled out to 500 properties by the end of 2021, and at least 50 per cent of its portfolio within the next five years.

Low-touch travel is clearly here to stay – still, hotel groups are adamant that this is not at the expense of hospitality.

Humphrey cites how Hilton team members across the group have adapted their service during the pandemic, adopting different gestures to showcase their hospitality – one example is staff placing hands on their heart and using expressive eyes when interacting with guests.

“I’ve been bowled over by how our teams have adapted to these new gestures of hospitality,” he says.

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menus or QR codes for accessing them online.

Buffet-style service has survived in some hotels after being adapted for the new era, with cooked food served by staff and guests able to pick up prepackaged items.

As Marriott’s Quick puts it: “People love the hotel buffet. As operators and hoteliers, we want to keep our guests safe, but we also want to provide an experience that feels luxurious or special.”

Restaurants may also separate teams who touch equipment before or after it has been in contact with customers, as Hyatt does.

WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

Never before have we seen conversations about health in a non-health sector company

FOOD AND DRINK

Whether you’re staying at a budget hotel or a luxury resort, you’ll notice how hugely food and drink services have been affected by the pandemic.

Restaurants may be shut, transformed into takeaway outlets or had their menus streamlined to simplify operations and cut costs. Regulations differ in each territory, with individual properties having to comply with local policies.

Where restaurants remain open, they have been rearranged to create more space between tables and introduced disposable or laminated

Following a year of – yes, that word – unprecedented scenarios, it’s perhaps futile to try to forecast the future. Still, thanks to the rollout of approved vaccines, there is hopefully an end in sight.

Discussions are ongoing regarding the deployment of “vaccine passports”, apps that keep record of travellers’ vaccination and negative COVID tests, and the ethical implications of allowing businesses to demand proof of vaccination from their customers.

Would hotels use such technology?

Flanagan Karttunen says he welcomes such passports “to aid and generate more international travel, which is desperately needed”, but disagrees with the use of such technology as a condition of stay, adding that “it wouldn’t be correct” due to the discriminatory element.

While it is highly unlikely that hotels will accept vaccinated guests only, they may ask for proof of a negative test result. “[Rapid testing] is the one [thing] that will probably change the face of the hotel industry and travel in the next couple of months and how we return to some degree of normal,” says Rodriguez-Fernandez.

Indeed, Radisson is already looking into offering rapid testing as a service for people who book meetings at its hotels.

If there is any silver lining to come out of all of this, it is that “every

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company has become a healthcare company”, Rodriguez-Fernandez adds.

“Never before have we seen conversations about health in a nonhealth sector company. Our hope is that this will remain, even when COVID-19 goes away.”

Indeed, Accor has partnered with AXA to provide guests with free 24-hour access to telemedicine consultations across its global portfolio of more than 5,000 hotels.

This partnership is not COVID19-specific and will continue beyond the pandemic. Radisson has also looked beyond COVID, partnering with a crisis management company

to prepare itself for the long-term impact of the pandemic. The crisis has generated a series of new trends, notably the rise in remote working lifestyles. “One very cool trend that comes out of the pandemic is that hotels need to cater for people who are no longer trapped to an office environment”, explains Flanagan Karttunen, who typically travels 50 per cent of the year.

Groups are looking into how public spaces will evolve in the future, and how they can cater to this new market, whether that be through hybrid rooms with office-style facilities or coworking areas.

ABOVE: Hilton has teamed up with Lysol and Dettol LEFT: Accor has partnered with mobile key tech provider Stay My Way

There are difficult times ahead, but “hospitality is a resilient industry and has proven to be so time and again”, says an upbeat Srdjan Milekovic, Hyatt’s senior vice-president of operations for EMEA. “While the industry is in a tough position now, we know it will recover,” he continues.

The group recently announced plans to grow its footprint in Europe by more than 30 per cent.

“We know that there is pent-up demand for travel and once our guests and members are ready to do so again, we will be ready,” he says. “We’re patiently looking forward to it.”

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4 HOURS IN...

WORDS HANNAH BRANDLER

This bustling transport hub in the centre of London has plenty of options for eating, drinking and exploring

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London

Paddington GRAND UNION CANAL

Exit Paddington station via South Wharf Road and turn left into the cobbled pedestrianised street that runs alongside St Mary’s hospital.

Follow the sign to the right for Paddington Basin and snake around the building until you reach the Grand Union Canal.

Stretching 136 miles from London to Birmingham, it was once a major artery for bringing goods and freight to the capital from the Midlands and the North. Today, Paddington remains an important transport hub, as the London terminus of GWR and a future Crossrail station – but it has also invested in a cultural future.

More than $1.3 billion has been spent on regenerating the neighbourhood, transforming the banks of the canal into a lively

area buzzing with restaurants, bars and community spaces, while its waterways have become tourist attractions.Head to the year-round Floating Pocket Park at Merchant Square – overlooked by glass and steel buildings. This lush green space was created by garden designer Tony Woods. It offers respite from the industrial architecture with its series of lawns connected by decked platforms, walkways and plenty of bench seating amidst floral planters.

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GO BOAT

Take a break from London’s Tube and rail rides and instead cruise down the canal in one of Go Boat’s electric self-drive vessels. Starting at the pontoon at Merchant Square, you’ll be able to visit the likes of Regent’s

Park and Camden Lock with up to eight people (depending on current government “bubble” guidance).

Fret not, you won’t need any captain experience as a member of the crew will run through the controls before you set off.

On your travels you’ll pass the Thomas Heatherwick-designed Rolling Bridge on your right, an octagonal structure that unfurls across the towpath every Wednesday and Friday at noon, and on Saturdays at 2 PM. From £79 ($102) for one hour; online booking only. goboat.co.uk

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LITTLE VENICE

Once you’ve safely returned the boat in one piece, turn right into Hermitage Street and continue

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through a tunnel under the Westway, stopping to appreciate ceramicist Robert Dawson’s wall mural. The blue-hued tiles pay homage to the area, featuring a pattern based on the Crossrail logo and a portrait of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the engineer behind the network of tunnels, bridges and viaducts for the Great Western Railway founded in 1833, approved by Parliament in1835 and ran its first trains in 1838.

Turn left down St Mary’s Terrace until you reach Maida Avenue. You’re now in the heart of Little Venice, one of London’s most coveted residential areas, famed for its Regency white stucco villas and quaint houseboats along Regent’s Canal. Walk left and cross over to the peaceful Rembrandt Gardens for leafy views of the waterways and narrowboats.

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DARCIE AND MAY GREEN

Now that you’ve worked up an appetite, head back to the Paddington arm of the canal to experience one of its many eateries. Highlights include Darcie and May Green, an Antipodean restaurant housed in a barge on the canal. This floating and popular hangout could easily be mistaken for an art installation, with its colourful façade designed by Sir Peter Blake – creator of the Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover fame – and its 165-footlong upper deck is a prime spot for people and canal-watching.

Another option is London Shell Co, which runs seafood cruises aboard the Prince Regent, offering set menus for lunch and dinner. If you’re prone to seasickness, its neighboring

sister restaurant, the Grand Duchess, is safely moored on land. daisygreenfood.com; londonshellco.com

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PERGOLA PADDINGTON

End your fleeting visit with a welldeserved aperitif. From Darcie and May Green and London Shell Co, take a left turn into Sheldon Square and then continue on to Kingdom Street until you reach Pergola Paddington. This picturesque, partially open-air food court is set over two floors and is clad in a leafy canopy of flowers and fairy lights.

It has four self-service street-food vendors that change seasonally, plus two bars, daybeds for lounging, and weekend DJ sets. pergolapaddington.com

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TEE TIME IN TOKYO WORDS MINTY CLINCH

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WELL BEING

The Tokyo Olympics may be delayed, but the golf courses around Japan’s capital aren’t slowing down

KAWANA HOTEL

WHERE 75 miles south of Tokyo (one hour by bullet train, plus 15-minute minibus).

WHY The Kawana’s first course, Oshima, opened in the 1920s. Then followed a visit from revered course architect CH Allison.

Staying at the Kawana Hotel, he persuaded Anglophile owner Baron Kishichiro Okura to create the Fuji Course, named for the mountain seen from the 11th fairway. This course, laid out through mature parkland with changes of elevation and deep bunkers, opened in 1936. The opening tee shot is steeply downhill, begging the question, “What comes next?” The answer is a grueling three-hole climb. After the halfway house – a compulsory 15-minute stop – fairways cross a plateau towards the finishing stretch along spectacular cliffs. The 11th is the longest hole, while the 15th, which slopes down towards the shore, is the most dramatic.

No carts on Fuji, but Oshima allows them.

Some holes have robot carts to carry players up steep inclines, an eerie taste of the automation to come.

PRICE Fuji: weekdays ¥26,000 ($248), weekends ¥34,000 ($325), play fee includes caddie and range balls. Oshima: weekdays ¥12,300 ($118), includes cars with GPS and range balls; weekends ¥14,300 ($137). Club rental ¥6,480 ($62), Japanese brands.

HOURS Fuji: stay-and-play tee times 8-10:30 AM. Oshima: visitors any time from 8 AM until sunset.

FACILITIE S Fuji: 18 holes, 6,701 yards par 72; Oshima, 5,711 yards par 70. No outdoor practice area. Underground electronic driving range. Putting green.

MA X HANDICAP 24 FOOD AND LEISURE The Kawana Hotel, built in the 1920s, has 100 rooms and was stayed in by honeymooners Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio. Not all rooms are nonsmoking, so reserve ahead. There are two grass tennis courts, swimming pools, and billiard and mahjong rooms. The restaurant serves sashimi and sushi.

CONTACT 1459 Kawana Ito-shi Shizuoka, 414-0044; tel 81 557 45 1111; princehotels.com M AY-J U N E 2 0 2 1

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WELL BEING

KASUMIGASEKI COUNTRY CLUB (KCC)

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WHERE 25 miles north of Tokyo (35 minutes from Kan-Etsu/Ken-O expressway).

WHY The most likely way to get into this private club, which will be the course for the 2020 Olympics when it’s finally held in 2021, is through an invitation from a member. To stage the event, the club was pressured into opening to women members in March 2017. The KCC was established in 1929 with the East Course and redesigned in 1930 by CH Allison. His secret design weapon was a cavernous bunker, represented at the par 3 10th on Kasumigaseki East. He also provided input for the West Course. In that era, courses routinely had twin greens, with different grass for winter and summer – a feature considered outdated now since bent grass can cope with climatic vagaries. Part of the brief for Tom Fazio and son Logan, the US team refashioning the East for the Olympics, is to eliminate the twin-green system. In other respects, they remain true to tradition, lengthening and opening up the fairways and enhancing the bunkers – without adding gimmicky water features to existing lakes and streams.

PRICE Weekdays ¥27,000 ($258), weekends/holidays ¥31,000 ($296).

HOURS 7:30 AM to sunset. Closed Monday.

FACILITIE S East Course (Summer Olympics venue) 18 holes, 7,466 yards par 71; West Course 18 holes, 7,117 yards par 73. 250 yard range, five short-game practice greens and putting greens. Five pros offering tuition. Club rental not available.

MA X HANDICAP 20 (certificate not requested, but best to take a copy).

FOOD AND LEISURE Understated luxury marks a low-rise clubhouse in a circle of pines, which serves quality Japanese food and has a bar/terrace where businesspeople can be seen making deals after their rounds.

CONTACT 3398 Kasahata, Kawagoe-shi, Saitama 350-1175; tel 81 492 31 2181; kasumigasekicc.or.jp M AY-J U N E 2 0 2 1

FROM FAR LEFT: Kasumigaseki Country Club seen from the green; and from the air; Tokyo Golf Club

TOKYO GOLF CLUB

WHERE 20 miles north of Tokyo, 45 minutes from the start of the Kan-Etsu expressway.

WHY Inspired by a visit to the US, the first Japanese-designed course was created by golf course architect Mitsuaki Otani, and opened near Tokyo as a six-holer in 1913.

This was the start of a tumultuous history, which included three changes of venue and requisition, first by the Imperial Japanese Army and then by the US Army at the end of World War II. The club settled into its current location in 1956 and is now an oasis in a very urban world. As with many Japanese courses, the Allison factor can be clearly seen in the demanding bunkering and approach shots that require guile rather than strength to be successful. Later influences on the design include the UK’s Sunningdale and Wentworth, bringing a touch of Surrey heathland to the Japanese capital. As a prized venue for the Japanese Open, the layout was refurbished in 2010 by Gilbert Hanse, the architect of the Olympic Golf Course in Rio de Janeiro.

PRICE Weekdays ¥29,000 ($277), weekends ¥33,500 ($320), with a compulsory caddie.

HOURS 7:00 AM – 6:30 PM. Closed Monday.

MA X HANDICAP 20 FACILITIE S 18-hole course, 6,904 yards par 72, practice area, putting green. Club rental not available.

FOOD AND LEISURE The club celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1963 in style with the addition of an elegant yet rustic clubhouse designed by distinguished architect Anthony Raymond. Set among deciduous trees, it has a long terrace overlooking the course – a relaxing venue for 19th hole analysis.

CONTACT 1984 Kashiwabara Sayama, Saitama 350-1335; tel 81 4 2953 9111; tokyogolfclub.jp

L AKEWOOD GOLF CLUB

WHERE 47 miles southwest of Tokyo (72 minutes by train with 15 minutes by bus).

WHY Having just celebrated its 50th birthday in 2019, Lakewood is one of the most popular golf day trips from Tokyo.

Visitors love the course, the facilities, meals in the clubhouses and the dramatic setting between Mount Fuji and Mount Hakone.

In spring on the West Course – the more challenging of the two – the opening tee shot onto a fairway lined with cherry blossoms is nothing short of dazzling. The course rewards intelligence over power, with changes in elevation and abundant water features; the most dramatic is the four-tier waterfall at the signature 4th. The East is marginally more spectacular. The 1st sets the tone with a lake to the left and bunkering on both sides of a relatively generous fairway, followed by a blind dogleg approach shot.

The course asks tactical questions as it meanders through the forest, culminating in a nail-biting risk-reward decision over water to a three-tiered green at the par 5 18th.

PRICE Weekdays ¥25,150 ($240), Saturday ¥40,150 ($384), Sunday/holidays ¥37,150 ($355); green fees include caddie and cart.

HOURS 7:00 AM to sunset.

MA X HANDICAP 36, certificate not required.

FACILITIE S West Course: 18 holes, 6,554 yards par 72. East Course: 18 holes, 6,524 yards par 72. 19-stall covered driving range (7:00 – 10:45 AM), practice bunker, bent grass putting greens.

FOOD AND LEISURE The main West clubhouse offers locker rooms, Japanese baths, showers and massage chairs. Breakfast, lunch and an international menu are offered as well at its restaurants. The East clubhouse serves seasonal food.

CONTACT 169 Kuroiwa, Oiso, Naka, Kanagawa 259-0105, tel 81 4 637 2115, lakewood.co.jp/en/ M AY-J U N E 2 0 2 1

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The Great Vegas Meetings Magic Act The city is working hard to conjure up events and make millions of visitors reappear

WORDS LARK GOULD

MICE

L

as Vegas is famous for its magic acts and currently, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the city is bracing for its new trick: Magically making meetings materialise.

The city was on a roll until last winter, expecting a record year beating the 42.5 million visitor numbers of 2019. Then COVID-19 hit and the people disappeared.

Visitor counts went down to 12.7 million as of August from 28.4 million for the same months in 2019. Hotel occupancy vanished by more than 50 percent.

For a city built for and based on attracting tourism from far and wide, these numbers did not sit well. But the city is also based on brilliant pivots and bellwether reinventions that shape trends and headline the news. The pandemic, while a formidable challenge, may just be another era for Las Vegas. This is a city that rose from the dust and has lived to face down organised and disorganised crime, recessions, inflations, mass shootings, wars, sell-offs and buy-ups, droughts and a climate that could welcome the devil. But every time, it comes out on top.

Bringing back business travellers and meetings attendees may be the neon gaming mecca’s best bet amid the rabid unpredictability of the coronavirus culprit. It’s a big job and many destinations are competing to do this. But they do not have the buying power and fleet-footed visionaries available to create meaningful moves. Las Vegas does.

The city that turned dining into celebrity chef entertainment and hotels into monuments of architectural imagination has yet more cards to turn and rabbits to pull out of thin air.

As some casino resorts are scaling back operating hours, closing off guestrooms, and imposing limitations on admission into public spaces – unprecedented in a 24-hour town with no casino clocks – MGM Resorts is saying “bring it on,” when it comes to meetings, and putting in cutting edge solutions to ensure health safety for all participants.

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MICE

MGM’S MAGIC MOMENT

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In a dramatic move that even David Copperfield would envy, MGM Resorts International, which owns and operates 10 properties and entertainment venues along the Las Vegas Strip alone, is partnering with Cue Health of San Diego to make testing of guests quick and accurate so that meetings attendees can convene with confidence, knowing the people around them are not carrying coronavirus.

The testing manufacturer, backed by Johnson & Johnson, enables conference participants to register their information at a phalanx of kiosks manned by trained attendants. They receive a quick nasal swab at the bottom of the nostril, have that specimen placed in a single-use cartridge that is processed professionally on site, and have their result within 20 minutes. The result will be posted in the attendee’s meeting profile. The palm-sized portable test kit is designed to detect the ribonucleic acid (RNA) of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The exclusive partnership between Cue Health and MGM Resorts extends beyond the meeting rooms to the airport through a layered partnership between MGM and CLEAR, the private “fast-line” answer to long security queues at US airports. The partnership is part of MGM’s “Convene with Confidence” plan, a seven-point safety programme that includes the option for syncing test outcomes with CLEAR, in the event a negative COVID test result is necessary to board a plane, as several US and international destinations have required in recent months.

The system is in beta testing now and MGM officials expect to have the procedure available by the end of the year for the meetings scheduled in coming months. Accuracy of the tests skews to what is returned in PCR tests, which take several days to process at present.

The Department of Health and Human Services has been working with Cue Health based on preliminary data from an independent study – as yet unpublished – of the test’s accuracy administered by the Mayo Clinic. Cue is scaling up for demand with a goal of manufacturing 100,000 test kits per day, following a $481 million investment from the federal government.

MGM Resorts hopes this new process will build additional confidence with local and state officials as the city continues to welcome back meetings. Currently, only 1,000 attendees are allowed in a meeting and that number is divided into 250 people per room that are socially distanced and masked, and does not allow for crossing between designated spaces.

“We had our first pilot group last week. It operated at full testing capacity for their 145 attendees,” said Stephanie Glanzer, chief sales officer and senior vice president at MGM Resorts International.

“The ‘Convene with Confidence’ programme starts with planning, and planners are having to think through these things differently now – extra time for coffee breaks to sanitise the meeting rooms or how the breaking up for tracks and switching rooms will work.

“F&B is done differently now, so we have to walk our groups through that and still provide for that wow factor. And then there are all the contact areas: check in, getting to the guestrooms to getting to the meetings areas and meandering through those spaces.”

Beyond that, there’s the question of what types of meetings are being planned, as conditions change, rules change, protocols change and businesses needs change. To that end, MGM is now seeing a lot of short term meetings in play, especially with smaller groups and groups that have not met before.

M AY-J U N E 2 0 2 1

“We are trending higher on the radar of associations or small gatherings that need exhibitors and buyers to meet. Large corporations are not taking chances on large events or dealing with travel bans,” said Glanzer.

MANIFESTING THE VISION

The pandemic has hit Las Vegas’s robust meetings industry particularly hard this year as the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority puts the finishing sheen on the new $980 million West Hall expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Centre. The LVCC is currently one of the largest convention centres in the world with 1,940,631 square feet of exhibit space, and the expansion brings an added 1.4 million square feet including 600,000 square feet of new, mostly column-free space, a 14,000 square-foot outdoor terrace for receptions with up to 2,000 attendees, and a grand atrium indulging the city’s abundant natural light.

Everything is tech-forward for the new centre as Las Vegas annually hosts the Consumer Electronics Show, the world’s largest such gathering. Exhibitors and attendees will now have the benefit of more than 500 “floor boxes” for power hookups, 5G wireless service throughout, and “blazing fast” Internet connections.

The show typically brings in 4,400 exhibitors and 170,000 visitors for several days of showcasing in January but the CES 2021 event was cancelled, leaving a huge dent citywide. Of the 42 million visitors to Las Vegas in 2019, 6.6 million of them were there for a meeting or conference.

“We are seeing smaller meetings now but lots of activity in the works for future years, including 2021,” said John Schreiber, vice president of business sales for the LVCVA. “We have health and safety protocols for attendees and for organisers to determine who is responsible for what. We recently launched our Meet Smart, Vegas Smart campaign to remind visitors to be responsible and safe while in the destination. We also were the first in Nevada to receive the Global Biorisk Advisory Council STAR facility accreditation (GBAC STAR), which took a lot of effort, and we are committed to maintaining that certification.”

When all is completed, the newly-minted convention complex will include an expanded transit system built by the Boring Company, an Elon Musk firm. The tunnel system will transport passengers between convention center venues in electric-powered Tesla shuttles.

The system will be ready to roll by year’s end with three stops and stations at the LVCC. But the city is taking the pandemic slowdown to look at greatly expanding these plans in a move spearheaded

by Musk’s company. They now call for creating “The Vegas Loop,” which is intended to take those driverless Tesla transports from the southern Strip reaches of Allegiant Stadium to the northside corridors of Downtown Las Vegas.

KEEPING IT GREEN

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Night view of Las Vegas strip; Las Vegas Strip amid the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

View of the MGM Hotel in Las Vegas with signs across the street displaying encouraging messages; Las Vegas Convention Centre; electric-powered Tesla shuttles

Wynn Las Vegas is also trying to win its meetings clients back.

The gaming and hospitality company opened its new energy-efficient 430,000-square-foot meeting and convention expansion just as the virus hit and the city shut down. With it, Wynn and Encore event clients have 560,000 rentable square feet of flexible space.

The two-level expansion comes with the panorama of the resort’s new 18-hole championship golf course, and is powered by 100 M AY-J U N E 2 0 2 1

55

MICE

FROM LEFT: The Bliss Dance Sculpture display at the T-Mobile park; Circa, a new 777-room property became the first ground-up hotel to be built in the city’s downtown area in some 40 years

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percent renewable energy sourced and delivered from the company’s off-site solar facility as well as on-site rooftop solar panels – all an industry first for a gaming operator in Nevada. When completed, the Tesla vehicles will also connect seamlessly to the Wynn’s meeting spaces as an added convenience for LVCC attendees.

“The architecture, design and spectacular views create an event experience unlike anything else in Vegas,” said Chris Flatt, EVP of hotel sales at Wynn Las Vegas.

Wynn also revived its Lake of Dreams attraction in October.

The outdoor spectacle, in redesign for two years, shows a dazzling combination of immersive lighting effects, water, music and puppetry. The attraction happens outdoors and is suited for a safe, socially distanced experience. The company developed a safety plan with the help of Georgetown and Johns Hopkins Universities to ensure testing of guests and employees and expects to come up with its own system of rapid testing.

However, while Las Vegas is lifting heaven and earth to get back to some kind of normalcy after reopening in June, some of those efforts are seeing set-backs as COVID-19 cases spike and the country prepares for a long winter. At the end of October, some casino resorts announced curtailment of operating hours due to lower demand.

WHAT TO WATCH

Yet at the same time, new Las Vegas properties are launching or preparing for grand openings and others are changing in theme.

Circa, a new 777-room property in the Downtown area of Las Vegas, became the first ground-up hotel to be built in the city’s downtown area in some 40 years. It’s an adults-only complex with a pool spread that allows for guests to watch sporting events on big screens while working on their tans.

The Cromwell, a Strip property that is part of the Caesars Entertainment portfolio, also re-opened recently as an adults-only property. Further south on the Strip, Park MGM and the connected Nomad Hotel, both became non-smoking properties.

The coming months will also see the opening of the new Virgin Hotel & Casino, as a design-intensive rebranding of the former Hard Rock Hotel makes its debut; and Resorts World will bring M AY-J U N E 2 0 2 1

a gleaming glass tower and 3,500 new rooms to Las Vegas at its mid-Strip location where the old Stardust Hotel once sat. It will incorporate a resort-within-a-resort concept with the introduction of Crockfords Las Vegas, part of LXR Hotels & Resorts that is Hilton’s newest luxury brand.

To keep visitors – be they business or leisure – entertained during these COVID months, MGM brought back the great Las Vegas show in November – seven shows to be exact, on stages at MGM Grand, Luxor and Excalibur. David Copperfield is among them and may find a way to make coronavirus disappear.

This initial phase of entertainment allows for a maximum audience of 250 guests, physically distanced at six feet between parties and a minimum of 25 feet from on-stage performers.

All restaurants in Las Vegas have been allowed to open at 50 percent capacity as of press time. However, the fabulous Las Vegas buffet is limping along at some casinos, and, as such, is no longer the self-serve free-for-all of yore.

Las Vegas expert David Yeskel, known as “The Las Vegas Guru,” believes the city – and its signature buffets – will come through the crisis to indulge another day with endless shrimp and limitless slices of road beef.

“I like to think that Vegas has always been the most innovative tourist destination on Earth, and it will find a way back – probably before other sectors of the industry,” Yeskel said in an interview with CNN. “It will lead the way.”

LVCVA’s John Schreiber concurs. “The venerable Las Vegas Vacation has only changed in a slight ways: Small groups, masks and safety protocols. All the restaurants are open, hotels can accommodate as many guests as they want, shows are opening and we are trying to make it a place to visit and relax,” says Schreiber.

“Ever the optimist, I believe that this time next year the city will be bigger and greater than ever with so much learned from the pandemic. Some of those protocols will stay and the best practices are making us a tighter group, I think. We have our foot on the gas pedal with the new Allegiant Stadium, the Sphere attraction, Resorts World and Circa,” he stresses.

“Las Vegas is still one of greatest places in the world to visit and experience.”

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WORDS VARUN GODINHO

HOROLOGY

ZENITH

A TIME TO REAP 58

The second edition of the annual LVMH Watch Week took place in January as a virtual event, with top brands including Hublot, Zenith and Bulgari showcasing their novelties for 2021. Here, Business Traveller’s sister publication, Gulf Business, picks its top three favourites

BULGARI

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HUBLOT

Spirit of Big Bang Tourbillon 5-Day Power Reserve in Carbon White The Big Bang was never intended to be a discreet timepiece, or one that slips inconspicuously under your cuff. It is intended to – as you’d infer from its name – be an unapologetic statement piece, and an attention-grabbing one at that. There’s nothing shy about this 42mm tonneaushaped carbon fibre case with micro-glass fibre inserts, or even that skeletonised manufacture HUB6020 manualwinding movement boldly showcasing its imposing tourbillon.

CONTENT COURTESY OF GULF BUSINESS

Octo Roma Carillon Tourbillon It’s a watch where every element is designed to deliver absolute aural pleasure.

The three hammers have been brought dial-side to allow for added visual drama for the wearer as they strike the three gongs to sound the Westminster Chime (those gongs are hardened at a temperature of 900 degrees). The middle case of the 44mm black DLC coated titanium case has been hollowed out (as is the grille on the dial) to enhance the sound, while titanium only works to augment it further. Even the new calibre BVL428 movement features a separate barrel dedicated to powering the chiming mechanism.

Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Silver It’s the only watchmaker in the world allowed to use the word Pilot on its dial – and with good reason. This is a watchmaker who has spent the better part of its over 155-plus year history perfecting pilot watches (as far back as 1909, aviator Louis Bleriot wore one on his wrist crossing the English Channel). This year’s Pilot Type 20 Chronograph is limited to 250 pieces, with the 45mm case and dial made entirely of sterling silver – a first for the brand. The satin brush finish on the surface of the dial and the rivet on the leather strap resembles details found on the fuselage of vintage aircraft, a further nod to this watch’s aviation roots.

TECHNOLOGY

HANDS-ON REVIEW:

THE NOKIA 8.3 5G WORDS DAVID NDICHU

Nokia’s quest to win back an audience with camera, Google integration

I

f you are of a certain age, your first phone was likely a Nokia (3310 in my case). Much has happened since. Nokia lost grip of a market it pioneered, went through an identity crisis interspersed with a change in ownership – first a mismatched dalliance with Microsoft before finally going under the tutelage of the Finnish firm HMD Global.

And this is where we find ourselves today.

DIFFERENTIATION

CONTENT COURTESY OF GULF BUSINESS

With phones in the same price range largely looking the same and having nearly standardised specs, it is getting harder and harder to differentiate between brands, especially within the extended Android family.

Some of the Nokia 8.3 5G’s key highlights include a fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button which makes unlocking the phone much more fluid and intuitive. The Nokia 8.3 5G also comes with a dedicated Google Assistant button, making accessing your favourite assistant even easier.

Nokia’s tight alliance with Google is important here, if not a little ironic.

Nokia was a late convert to the Google Android doctrine. Nokia continued to run proprietary Symbian OS even as Android became the dominant force in mobile (part of why the brand lost its mojo), and then Windows Phone OS when it was under the Microsoft wing.

Now Nokia is part of Android One, a Google-devised programme for smartphone

manufacturers that guarantee the OS is a solid and stable version of Android. As part of Android One, users get first dibs of any software upgrade for two years as well as three years of monthly security updates.

Nokia customers also get a six-month 100GB Google One membership trial included ($1.99/month value) when they purchase a Nokia 8.3 5G.

CAMERA

The front (selfie) camera has emerged as somewhat of a paradox for phone manufacturers. On the one hand, it is a very crucial part of the architecture in the era of Instagram and TikTok. But we are also consuming lots of media on our devices and every millimetre of screen real estate counts.

So, pop up cameras, cameras on a swivel or cameras under the screen are all being considered by manufacturers at varying degrees of urgency.

For Nokia, the camera takes residence in the left corner of the device, visible via a small opening.

But the real war of the sensors is happening behind the phone. The camera has become the biggest differentiator for smartphone brands. Big names in the sensor business have been tapped to create the best camera experience for the creative genius in all of us. Nokia went with

The 64MP, quad-camera architecture is as versatile as it is sharp

Zeiss, a brand with more than 100 years of imaging experience.

Zeiss’ street cred shows, with the camera featuring built-in cinematic effects such as anamorphic (capturing an extremely wide field of view without distorting faces) and blue flares (that bright, sci-fi looking flash of light when shooting into headlights or streetlights). These features will elevate your footage from drab to fab at the touch of a button. Plus, share your now stunning 4K videos fast, thanks to 5G. The 64MP, quad-camera architecture is versatile. Instagram-bound close-ups of that delectable ramen will look as brilliant as your grand desert vistas, and with as much drama as your kids’ portraits. Action Cam mode can replicate some of the effects of the GoPro you never got for Christmas as you embark on your dune bashing adventures.

The screen is a sizeable 6.81-inch affair, one of the largest displays in its class. It is sharp too, thanks to Nokia’s proprietary PureDisplay technology.

Nokia may have lost some of its shine, but the 8.3 5G shows this old warhorse still has a few tricks up its saddle.

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HOTEL LISTINGS

HOTELS COLLECTION

B u s i n e s s Tr a v e l l e r M i d d l e E a s t m a g a z i n e i s a v a i l a b l e i n a l l o f t h e s e e x c l u s i v e h o t e l s

GRAND MILLENNIUM DUBAI HOTEL

MIRFA HOTEL

WALDORF ASTORIA RAS AL KHAIMAH

DUBAI The 340-room five star hotel features awardwinning restaurants and bars, spa and health club, state-of-the-art meeting rooms, a magnificent ballroom and exceptional banquet facilities. +971 4 429 9999 reservations@grandmill-dubai.com grandmillenniumdubai.com

AL MARFA Away from the bustle of city life, overlooking the azure blue waters of the Arabian Gulf, the Mirfa Hotel offers 114 newly renovated rooms. The hotel provides excellent accommodation for the business and leisure traveller, state-of-the-art conference facilities, a fully equipped gym and ample parking. +971 2 8953009 rsvn@mirfahotel.com

RAS AL KHAIMAH Cradled by the Hajar Mountains, a championship golf course, sandy beaches and the azure waters of the Arabian Sea, Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah is 50 minutes from Dubai Airport and brings true Waldorf service to the most alluring beachfront location in the UAE. +971 7 2035555 rasalkhaimah.info@waldorfastoria.com waldorfastoria.com/rasalkhaimah

CROWNE PLAZA MUSCAT OMAN CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE

CROWNE PLAZA DEIRA, DUBAI

SHANGRI-LA HOTEL, DUBAI

OMAN Adjacent to the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, this 295-room hotel is an integral part of Madinat Al Irfan, a product of an exciting ambition to establish a new urban centre within Muscat. Situated 10 minutes from the new Muscat International Airport, Al Mouj and Muscat Hills Golf courses and overlooking a Wadi - a natural reserve and home to about 260 variety of Oman’s exotic birdlife during the season. +968 2425 2000 rooms.cpmuscatocec@ihg.com crowneplaza.com/muscatocec

DUBAI Located in the cultural heart of Dubai, Crowne Plaza Dubai – Deira lies at the convenient gateway between the old and new districts of the city. Featuring 300 guest rooms and suites, and an array of meeting rooms, 6 restaurants and bars, a dedicated and fully equipped fitness centre with outdoor swimming pool, the hotel is the perfect place for both leisure and business guests. +971 4 262 5555 cpdeira.info@ihg.com crowneplaza.com/deira

DUBAI The award-winning Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai offers luxurious accommodations, exceptional dining and gracious hospitality in the heart of one of the world’s most dynamic cities. The hotel’s 302 superbly appointed rooms and suites offer a combination of traditional luxury and modern functionality. Spatial elegance, awesome views and thoughtfully selected furnishings create an experience of unparalleled style and comfort. +971 4 3438888 shangri-la.com/dubai

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the

eport Tried, Tested, Tasted.

TRIED AND TESTED

TRIED AND TESTED

WORLD WISE

∙ OSH, La Mer, Dubai

∙ Lola Taberna Restaurant, TRYP by Wyndham, Barsha Heights, Dubai

∙ Thanks for the Memories

62 ∙ LPM Restaurant & Bar, Gate Village, Dubai International Financial Centre

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64 ∙ Occidental Al Jaddaf, Dubai

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T R I E D & T E S T E D R E S TAU R A N T

HOURS Sunday-Wednesday, 13.00 - 01.00/ Thursday-Saturday, 13.00 - 02.00

LOCATION La Mer, north, unit 703, Jumeirah 1, Dubai

OSH, La Mer, Dubai 62

B A C K G R O U N D Set in Dubai’s pedestrianised beachside dining destination, La Mer, Osh offers a modern take on traditional Uzbekh and central Asian cuisine. Located close to Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), it’s a convenient dining spot for many of the city’s professionals. OSH Dubai is the second venue from The Bolt Group Company following the success of its flagship restaurant in Beauchamp Place, London.

W H A T ’ S I T L I K E ? The upstairs terrace of the two-storey restaurant lounge, with its mix of dining tables and sofa areas, is a great place to relax after work during cooler climes and promises Burj Khalifa and city skyline views. It is one of a handful of licensed venues in the area, and a hotspot for the trendy Russian-speaking crowd, busy every night of the week. The décor is elegant yet traditional, colourful but understated and very much rooted in its geographic origins.

T H E F O O D Given Uzbekistan’s proximity

to multiple continents, the menu is suitably diverse. From classic regional comfort food such as steamed khinkali (dumplings) and Uzbek Osh (slow-cooked lamb with chickpeas, vegetables and Uzbek spices) to sushi platters and Arabic-inspired dishes

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such as humous and chicken shashlik, it’s a pan-regional smorgasbord of tastes.

Even the fresh vegetables and herbs are brought from Uzbekistan so everything is fresh and flavoursome. I wanted to stick to the traditional Uzbekh dishes, which did not disappoint, for that taste of warm, homey cuisine. The restaurant has just launched its business lunch too, starting from AED 75 per person for three courses, with the choice of four starters, three mains and two desserts, all the way to its more lavish four-course offering at AED 125 per person, which adds on three choices of soup. This is now available 1-4pm, Sunday to Thursday. Prices are reasonable and portion sizes are generous, so it’s great value.

Prices are reasonable and portion sizes are generous

CONTACT info@oshdubai.com; +971 4 153 65 87

T H E S E R V I C E Staff are attentive and well trained and even when it’s busy, seem to have all corners covered.

T H E W O R K S P A C E Being such an expansive space, both inside and out, this could easily double as a beachside office or meeting spot with a twist.

V E R D I C T In a city with as many food offerings as Dubai, OSH has found a niche.

I can think of only one or two places to find this kind of food, but nothing as nice as this in terms of the setting, the vibe, being licensed and the expansive menus for both food and beverages. Melanie Swan

T R I E D & T E S T E D R E S TAU R A N T

LPM Restaurant & Bar (formerly La Petite Maison), Gate Village, DIFC, Dubai B A C K G R O U N D Now 10 years old, LPM is one of Dubai’s grandfathers of gourmet dining and brings French flair to the heart of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

One of an international chain, which started in London, its chairman, Arjun Waney, is also the co-founder of Zuma.

W H A T ’ S I T L I K E ? It’s easy to forget the pandemic when you walk into this cosy French diner, full of chattering voices and the clinking of glasses. Even abiding by COVID-19 guidelines, the restaurant is still buzzy and vibrant. Décor is classic, from the wooden shutters on the exterior to the French-inspired art deco, staying true to the concept’s origins.

Traditionally Niçoise, the cuisine is bursting with flavour T H E F O O D Traditionally Niçoise, the

cuisine is bursting with flavour, starting with the ‘cut them yourself’ tomatoes that await guests on the table, which are sliced and drizzled with fresh lemon juice and olive oil as a pre-appetiser. I tried the signature ‘tomatini’ on arrival; a cherry tomato martini topped with a drizzle of black pepper and balsamic vinegar, which was surprisingly amazing. Dishes explode with taste, from the overnight marinated lamb cutlets, which just melt in the mouth, to the yellowtail tuna carpaccio on a bed of tangy avocado. The burrata with basil and cherry tomato appetiser was the lightest, most delicious burrata I’ve ever tasted – the

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texture soft and rich, yet light and juicy.

Classically French dishes such as escargot and potato gratin did not disappoint either. The potato gratin was a decadent, creamy dish, which complemented the succulent salt-baked fish fillet. While I was expecting to feel stuffed after all that, the

HOURS 12pm-11pm, Saturday to Wednesday; 12pm-11.30pm, Thursday and Friday

LOCATION Gate Village No, 8, DIFC; + 971 (0)4 439 0505; lpmrestaurants.com/dubai

food was light and gentle, so I had room to try the fluff y lightweight cheesecake and chocolate mousse – picture a crispy spongy outside and warm rich chocolate sauce inside, topped with malt ice cream.

T H E S E R V I C E In Dubai, it is such a welcome novelty to have French staff serve in a French restaurant and to have them share their stories of how they eat these foods at home with their families. It totally transformed the experience and really made it easy to imagine, for a moment, that I had spent the night in a small chateau in southern France.

T H E W O R K S P A C E This is a space to meet, converse, and enjoy the beauty of face-to-face connections. There is way too much happening here to think about work.

V E R D I C T There is good reason this restaurant has retained its top spot in a market as competitive as Dubai, and in an area of the city that is a dining destination in its own right. From staff to food, it is truly a special place in the city and a must visit, at least once. Melanie Swan M AY-J U N E 2 0 2 1

T R I E D & T E S T E D R E S TA U R A N T

Creativity meets authenticity; this is definitely not a standard tapas offering

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Lola Taberna Restaurant, TRYP by Wyndham, Barsha Heights, Dubai B A C K G R O U N D A hiddne gem, Lola is one of two of Sunset Hospitality Group’s recent Dubai launches. The company also opened Goldfish sushi restaurant in Galleria Mall earlier this year.

W H A T ’ S I T L I K E ? Inside, there are many traditional Spanish ‘taberna’ touches, from wine bottle stocked shelves to heavy wooden furniture and terracotta tiling. A painting of Lola Taberna Española, Spain’s most famous Flamenco dancer, is the centre-piece on display, while wooden shutters and proper meat hunks hang

and ham lover’s paradise and the slowcooked paella (order this before all else) is a must-try. I had the black paella with squid allioli, which was delicious and great value at AED 169 for two. Starters were full of flavour and included classics like patatas bravas, manchego cheese chunks and delicious padron peppers. Garlic and chilli prawns were light and delicious, especially if you like a bit of spice, as was the sea bass tiradito and ‘green Mojo’ (Canary Islands sauce). We finished with the classically indulgent freshly cooked churros and chocolate dip, which definitely did not disappoint. And one thing’s for sure; this is an absolute winner for seafood and meat fans. One visit won’t be enough to get through the extensive list of choices, which are certainly a refreshing change from the run-of-the-mill steakhouse. Don’t forget to try the sangria (white or red) for that taste of Spanish summer.

on the other side. Outside, a cosy terrace dotted with greenery and wooden finishes, makes you feel a million miles away from the busy streets below. Situated in an area close to business hubs such as DMCC, Internet City and Media City, it is a convenient spot and within walking distance of Dubai Metro.

T H E S E R V I C E The service was fast and attentive, with no shortage of staff to ensure all ran smoothly.

T H E F O O D Creativity meets authenticity;

V E R D I C T Perfect as an after-work drinks spot or dinner venue, the bar/ restaurant vibe is casual and comfortable.

It’s welcoming and cosy, rather than formal and intimidating. Melanie Swan

this is definitely not a standard tapas offering. The menu is varied, but classically Spanish, rather than trying to offer multiple cuisines to suit all palates. It’s a pork

T H E W O R K S P A C E Maybe a little dark for a work space, but in the cooler months, a wonderful spot to get out of the office if you can grab a table on the terrace.

HOURS Sun-Thurs, 5pm-1pm; Fri-Sat 1pm-2am

LOCATION TRYP by Wyndham, Barsha Heights, Dubai

CONTACT info@lolataberna.com; +9714 2476688

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TRIED & TESTED HOTEL

Occidental Al Jaddaf B A C K G R O U N D Just two months old, this new Dubai hotel is operated by Spanish hospitality group Barcelo.

W H A T ’ S I T L I K E ? Blending Arabic architecture with contemporary simplicity, the hotel can best be described as modern Moorish and offers 365 large rooms and suites. Check in was smooth, but valeting the car was slow, as was receiving the luggage in the room. COVID-19 is still making its mark and at this hotel, guests are asked to bring their own towels to the pool, which I found odd.

W H E R E I S I T ? In the up-and-coming Al Jaddaf district, Old Dubai, with views of city icons including Burj Khalifa, Emirates Towers, Dubai Frame and Wafi Mall. Close to Dubai Healthcare City and the World Trade Centre, it’s a handy location, but this undeveloped area of the city feels remote if you are new to Dubai. The hotel is next door to a mosque.

The hotel can best be described as modern Moorish

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R O O M S I was upgraded to a junior suite, which had a nice lounge area with a TV, as well as a spacious bedroom. A large balcony was a nice touch, providing some welcome outside space, though it looked out to the E44 highway, which was quite noisy as it’s a busy ring road around the city, day and night. Bedside wireless device charging was handy.

F O O D A N D D R I N K At this point, just one of the three restaurants was open.

Souk, an all-day dining concept, offered international buffet and à la carte cuisine.

Lebanese and Tapas restaurants will open soon, but for now, The Stage lounge/bar at the pool offers a casual space to dine and relax and has great views. Staff were happy to offer menu alternatives at this venue, including healthy options.

B U S I N E S S There are six dedicated meeting rooms with a capacity of 12 to 180 people. Wi-Fi connection was patchy for me, making it difficult to work at the hotel.

L E I S U R E The pool area was spacious with BEST FOR Sundowners with Dubai views

DON’T MISS The cosy lounge areas at the pool

PRICE A deluxe room costs around AED 208 per night, plus taxes

CONTACT 326 Al Khail Rd, Dubai; +971 (0)4 246 4500; aljaddaf@occidentalhotels.com

a large lounge area. The city views were great, particularly at sunset. The gym has been created as an afterthought, offering the bare minimum in terms of equipment.

V E R D I C T Only two months old, the hotel is finding its feet during a tough period.

Though initially designed as a business hotel, with inbound arrivals down due to the pandemic, it has had to diversify and felt like a family hotel at this point in time.

It’s a good value accommodation option, but some might feel isolated as Al Jaddaf is still under development. Melanie Swan M AY-J U N E 2 0 2 1

WORLD WISE

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES When it comes to the travel experience, it turns out you can take it with you

WORDS RAMSEY QUBEIN

directly from GreatNuts.com, the same supplier that provides the snacks to airlines like American and United.

If you’re a fan of the Asprey toiletries used globally at Ritz-Carlton properties, you can buy them at RitzCarltonShops.com.

FRAGRANT MEMORIES

SWEET SLUMBER

Sometimes a familiar fragrance is all you need to transport yourself back to a special place. Many hotels use diffusers to share custom aromas in public areas. Westin Hotels has done this for years with its white tea scent, which is the same in every one of its global hotels and is available for purchase online at WestinStore.com.

Casa Angelina, along Italy’s Amalfi Coast, sells its signature fragrance of citrus and sandalwood online as does Charleston, SC’s HarbourView Inn, which has its own green tea lemongrass scent.

RUB-A-DUB-DUB

The Atelier Bloem Bath & Body products found in most Kimpton hotels are available from Kimpton’s online store (KimptonStyle. com), which also sells unique products like zebra and giraffe-patterned robes.

And who can forget the Heavenly Bed pioneered by Westin Hotels & Resorts?

Westin, which is part of Marriott, is one of the many hotel-branded bedding products you can buy online. The hotel company even awards points for your purchase if you go through its Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques website.

The Hilton to Home Collection sells everything from its pillows and toiletries to robes and mattresses. The Four Seasons at Home shop sells its well-known mattress in both firm and plush models.

Whether you are traveling now or simply want to recreate the experience at home, search out those mementos, and let them spark your favourite travel memories.

And if you find yourself yearning for more, look for those prized travel souvenirs online – at least until it’s time for you to get back out there and enjoy them in person.

SHUTTERSTOCK

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I

f you’re like me, 2020’s stay-at-home period led to lots of spring cleaning. As I slowly worked through the toiletries from business class amenity kits and the stash of luxury soaps from different hotels, each rekindled special memories of past trips.

Another discovery, as the great purge of closets and desk drawers continued, were countless hotel pads and pens. Those, too, brought to mind special recollections – anecdotes from various trips, which created even more wanderlust for where to travel next when once again we are able to venture far and wide.

Even if you don’t have the same drawer full of hotel and airline souvenirs but still long for the old days of travel, you’re not out of luck. Many hotels are making some of their guests’ favourite items, from toiletries to candles, available online to recreate the hotel experience at home.

Airlines, too, have online stores with branded merchandise. But the ultimate reminder of inflight premium cabins might be the first class nut mix now available

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