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UPFRONT
INDEPENDENT CONSULTANCY, Brand Finance, has published its annual Brand Finance Airlines 50 2022 ranking.
Within it, Dubai-based carrier Emirates is ranked as the fourth most valuable airline brand in the world. It estimated Emirates’ brand value at nearly US$5 billion. e consultancy added that the value is gauged as the net economic bene t an owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market.
Emirates is the only Middle East carrier to be featured in the top 10 most valuable airline brands in the world – a list that is led by Delta. Delta’s brand value was estimated to be up 27 per cent to US$7.3 billion. Saudi Arabia’s ag carrier Saudia (brand value up 13 per cent to US$0.5 billion) meanwhile was ranked as the fastest-growing airline in the Middle East.
NEW HOME CHECK-IN SERVICE FOR SELECT EMIRATES PASSENGERS IN DUBAI AND SHARJAH Emirates has launched a new home check-in service for first class customers based in Dubai and Sharjah. Slots must be booked at least 24 hours before the flight, and are available up to six hours before departure. Formalities including document verification, checking-in of baggage, and issuing boarding passes will be undertaken by the visiting agents. They will transport the passenger’s luggage directly to the airport. The customers can arrive at the airport to catch their flight a minimum of 90 minutes before their scheduled departure time.
New freezone opens aboard QE2 Hotel in Dubai
DUQE FREE ZONE has opened its headquarters in the Queen Elizabeth 2 Floating Hotel which is anchored permanently in Dubai’s Port Rashid. In June, DUQE announced its partnership with the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC), an umbrella organisation operating under the Dubai Government.
The new freezone entity will assist businesses beyond the launch stage by additionally delivering a range of value-added services including bank account opening assistance, accounting, medical fitness checks, Emirates ID, health insurance, VAT registration aid as well as business centre solutions. Hotel group Accor recently confirmed that it will rebrand the QE2 under its M Gallery portfolio.
Le Meridien enters Qatar with 377-room hotel in Doha
LE MÉRIDIEN HOTELS AND RESORTS,
part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio, has entered the Qatar market with its new Le Royal Méridien Doha property. Located in the country’s future city, Lusail, the 377room hotel features striking neo-classical architecture and connects to the Place Vendôme Qatar luxury complex that is home to 580 retail outlets, ne-dining outlets, theatres, o ce and residential spaces. e hotel’s dining options include Adri Anda by David Myers, alfresco restaurant Yedi, Loleya Patisserie by Chef Aziz, and e G.O.A.T Sports Lounge. e property has 240 guest rooms, including 53 suites, o ering sea or city views. It also boasts of 137 residences including studios, as well as one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments. For meetings and events, the hotel’s in-house events team, Le Caractère Events, can curate large events including lavish weddings or business gatherings in its 11,000 sqm events space. e Pétale Royal Ballroom can host large events of up to 750 guests.
RADISSON COLLECTION OPENS SECOND PROPERTY IN RIYADH
RADISSON HOTEL GROUP has announced the opening of Mansard Riyadh, A Radisson Collection Hotel. It is the brand’s second hotel in the city. Located in Riyadh’s northern neighbourhood of Ar Rabi, it is close to the King Abdullah Financial District. The hotel has 191 rooms, serviced apartments, and duplex villas designed in a colour scheme of blue and beige. The three-bedroom penthouse suite features hardwood floors and consists of a master bedroom with an en-suite bathroom, three bedrooms, a living area, kitchen, and dining room which seats up to eight guests. The suite also has a whirlpool tub surrounded by marble floors.
The 230 sqm two-floor duplex villas have a fully-equipped kitchen, living room, powder room, and dining room with a table for six. On the second floor, there are three bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. The names of the villas reference the grand squares of Paris, such as Vendôme, Concorde, and Opéra.
Opening later this year in collaboration with New York City-based restaurant group Major Food Group, will be Carbone, one of the group’s flagship Michelin-starred restaurants that serves up an Italian-American dining experience, and Sadelle’s, a brunch-time favourite from the heart of the SoHo neighbourhood in New York.
Super Basement Carpark in Saudi giga project Diriyah
10,500
The number of cars that can be accommodated in a planned three-level underground facility
1 million sqm
The floor area of the carpark
US$1 billion
The cost of the contract to build it
AIR ASIA X CONSIDERING LONDON RETURN, VIA DUBAI
EVER SINCE THE Malaysian airline retreated from Europe in 2012 it indicated that it would return. Recent media reports suggest that the airline is now actively seeking a return – but this time, Air Asia X would operate from Kuala Lumpur to London Gatwick, via Dubai.
The carrier would likely deploy an A330. When this low-cost carrier last served Europe (London Gatwick and Paris Orly) it operated non-stop. However, former Air Asia X CEO Azran Osman-Rani stated in 2012 that the “sweet spot” for long-haul flying was a sector of around eight hours. The London-Dubai and Dubai-Kuala Lumpur sectors are roughly the same flight length. A stopover in Dubai also means that Air Asia X would be able to tap two traffic flows (Kuala Lumpur-Dubai and Dubai-London).
SAUDIA TO BEGIN FLIGHTS TO ZURICH AND BARCELONA
SAUDI ARABIA’S flag carrier, Saudia, has confirmed that it will begin flying a second route to Switzerland in August, with twiceweekly direct flights from Riyadh to Zurich.
Furthermore, it will also start operating twice-weekly direct flights from Jeddah to Barcelona in July.
It comes following an agreement signed between Saudia and the National Air Connectivity Programme in which direct flights will be operated between Saudi Arabia and four new international destinations this year, providing more than 60,000 seats annually.
In addition to Zurich and Barcelona, Saudia is also adding 10 new routes to its network in 2022, which includes recently launched cities: Amsterdam, Entebbe, Bangkok, Marrakech, Malaga, Moscow, Beijing, the Greek island of Mykonos, Seoul, and Chicago.
Abu Dhabi takes steps to boost business events
THE ABU DHABI CONVENTION AND
EXHIBITION BUREAU, a division of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), has signed a partnership with the Society of Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE). e partnership will reportedly provide networking and destination awareness opportunities to DCT Abu Dhabi stakeholders and year-round access to SITE’s dedicated incentive travel events and conferences. e latter is the only international association that focuses on incentive travel, and allows industry professionals to connect and learn best practices to boost the sector. e UAE’s capital will also host the SITE Executive Summit at Abu Dhabi Business Events Week 2022, which will be held next autumn.
Qatar Airways Group reports highest-ever annual net profit
QATAR AIRWAYS GROUP has reported a record net profit of US$1.54 billion during the fiscal year 2021-22, 200 per cent more than its highest reported figure over the past 25 years that it has been operational.
Overall revenue increased to US$14.4 billion, up 78 per cent compared to last year and two per cent higher than the full financial year pre-Covid which was 2019-20. Passenger revenue increased by 210 per cent over the last year for the second financial year in a row. Qatar Airways carried 18.5 million passengers, an increase of 218 per cent over last year.
Revenue at Qatar Airways Cargo meanwhile grew 25 per cent over last year with the growth in cargo capacity (available tonne kilometres) of 25 per cent annually. The group generated an EBITDA margin of 34 per cent at US$4.9 billion, a 53 per cent increase over the previous year’s EBITDA of US$3.2 billion. The destination network of the national carrier of Qatar grew to more than 140 destinations in 2021-22, opening new routes including Abidjan, Lusaka, Harare, Almaty and Port Harcourt.
Etihad launches ve new summer routes
ETIHAD AIRWAYS launched ve seasonal routes in June. ree services took o on June 15, connecting Abu Dhabi to Nice in the French Côte d’Azur, the city of Heraklion on the Greek island of Crete, and Malaga in Spain. e route between Abu Dhabi and Crete will operate until September 17, twice a week aboard the carrier’s A320 aircra . Etihad will operate its service to Malaga until September 18, twice a week, using its B787. It will also deploy its B787 across the Abu Dhabi-Nice sector which will operate twice a week between June 15-September 18.
Etihad’s summer schedule meanwhile also includes two additional new routes which also commenced in June to the islands of Santorini in Greece and Zanzibar in Tanzania. e airline is using its A320 to conduct thrice weekly ights to Santorini and Zanzibar until September 18.
WORTHY SACRIFICES
Global tech company Travelport has revealed that people are prioritising travel over entertainment, shopping and self-care. Respondents said they would give up the following activities for six months or more in order to travel:
71% CONCERTS 64% NEW CLOTHES 63% SPA TREATMENTS 60% CINEMA 53% SPORTS 36% RESTAURANTS
Source: Study by Toluna Research, 2,000 respondents from the US, UK, Australia, Hong Kong SAR, India, Singapore and the UAE, March 2022
Palazzo Versace Dubai joins Global Hotel Alliance
Palazzo Versace Dubai, located in Dubai’s Jaddaf Waterfront, has confirmed that it will join the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA). The Dubai-based GHA reportedly represents a collection of 40 brands with over 800 hotels in 100 countries serving 21 million members. GHA’s brands include Anantara, Corinthia, JA Resorts, Kempinski, and Nikki Beach, among several others.
Palazzo Versace Dubai is now part of the GHA Discovery hospitality rewards programme that offers members benefits across all GHA-member properties worldwide. The programme’s Discovery Dollars (D$) is reportedly the industry’s first digital rewards currency. The GHA Discovery programme generates approximately US$2 billion in revenue and more than eight million room nights annually.
Ritz-Carlton enters Jordan with 228-room property in Amman
The Ritz-Carlton has entered Jordan with a new property in the capital city of Amman. The 20-storey Ritz-Carlton, Amman features 228 guest rooms, including 34 suites, spread across seven different categories. It offers several dining options including the property’s signature restaurant, Roberto’s, which is a familiar presence in Dubai’s culinary scene. Its other F&B options include Ambros, Iris, Sarab Garden and The Founders Room.
The hotel has a 1,050 sqm grand ballroom, five meeting rooms and a luxurious club lounge. The Ritz-Carlton Spa features temperature-controlled pools, six treatment rooms, a relaxation lounge and the largest spa bath in Amman.
Dubai to get its third Anantara property
Minor Hotels will open its third Anantara property in Dubai in July. Anantara Downtown Dubai will have 252 guest rooms and suites, all of which will offer views of Downtown Dubai, along with a wide variety of F&B options, a wellness floor with a spa, gym and swimming pool, and meeting and events spaces. Taking over the building operated by The Oberoi, Dubai, the hotel is located close to the DIFC district and several tourist attractions.
Minor Hotels currently operates a total of eight properties in Dubai across its Anantara, Avani and Oaks brands, including Anantara properties on The Palm and World Islands. It will debut its NH brand later this year with the launch of NH Dubai The Palm. Minor Hotels has a portfolio of 529 hotels and resorts in 56 countries.
Rotana opens luxury property in Iraqi city of Sulaymaniyah
UAE-based hotel management company Rotana has announced the soft opening of Slemani Rotana in the Iraqi city of Sulaymaniyah. The new five-star property is Rotana’s fourth hotel in the country after Erbil Rotana, Erbil Arjaan by Rotana and Babylon Rotana, Baghdad.
Slemani Rotana features 240 rooms and suites and is located on Salim Street. The property includes wellness and business facilities including one-bedroom suites, a presidential suite, gym, spa, and a piano bar. The dining options include Cinnamon; Kamoon, which specialises in Oriental and Lebanese cuisine; and Balsamico Cucina Italiana which serves contemporary cuisine.
Ascott showcases four properties in Jeddah
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Ascott Jeddah is a leading premium serviced living brand; Ascott Tahlia Jeddah is a luxury offering; Citadines Al Salamah Jeddah is a home for onthe-go travellers; Ascott Sari Jeddah is a boutique Parisian style residence
The serviced apartments range from studios- to three-bedroom units
If you are exploring business opportunities in the historical port city of Jeddah, or a traveller in search of the perfect staycation spot, premium serviced living brand Ascott has a few comprehensive options.
Boasting four properties in the city,
Ascott caters to different tiers of guests on business or leisure and long- or short-stays. These include, Ascott Tahlia
Jeddah, designed for the luxury discerned travellers; Ascott Sari Jeddah, a boutique
Parisian style residence for fashion connoisseurs; Citadines Al Salamah
Jeddah, a vibrant home for on-the-go travellers; and Spectrums Residence
Jeddah that offers families and bigger groups of guests the perfect city recluse.
Featuring studios to three-bedroom serviced spaces, the apartments offer separate living and dining areas, along with extensive lifestyle and business global amenities for adults and children alike.
All properties are aligned with the brand’s ‘Ascott Cares’ programme worldwide, assuring its guests and staff of seven commitments to hygiene and safety excellence.
Parallelly, Ascott Sari Jeddah, Ascott Tahlia Jeddah, and Citadines Al Salamah Jeddah are also a participant of Ascott’s global partnership with International SOS, offering 24x7 on-call support for wellness and security.
Summer holiday seekers can now enjoy 20 per cent off at any of the above four properties in Jeddah with the ‘ASR Member Special Rate’ promotion that can be found on its website. discoverasr.com/offers
The Ascott Limited is a member of CapitaLand Investment. It is one of the leading international lodging owner-operators with properties across Asia Pacific, Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the US. Its portfolio of serviced apartments, coliving and hotel brands include Ascott The Residence, The Crest Collection, Somerset, Quest, Citadines, lyf, Préférence, Vertu, Harris, Citadines Connect, Fox, Yello, Fox Lite and POP!.
