Arab Turkish Travel Magazine May 2012

AT &

Arab & Turkish

Trave Magazine MAY 2012

www.arabturkishtravel.com

Environs of Aegean Region Tourism News from Arab Countries

Algeria

Morocco

Bahrain

Oman

Comoros

Palestine

Djibouti

Qatar

Egypt

Saudi Arabia

Iraq

Somalia

Jordan

Sudan

Kuwait

Syria

Tunisia

Lebanon

Turkey

Libya

U.A.E

Mauritania

Yemen

Inside This Issue

06 News From Countries 20 Cover Story, Environs of Aegean Region 28 Exhibition ATM-Dubai ‘11 - EMITT‘12

AT &

Travel Magazine Arab & Turkish Travel Magazine

MAY 2012

16

EMITT – Istanbul Held 9 – 12 February 2012

30

Turkish Female to delight Qatar International Rally Cicek Guney (left) and Burcu Cetinkaya (right)

34 20

Environs of Aegean Region

Turkish Airlines Begins Service to Mogadishu

Country News

06

Lebanon

Palestine

Syria

Algeria

Egypt

Libya

Qatar

Tunisia

Bahrain

Iraq

Mauritania

Saudi Arabia

Turkey

Comoros

Jordan

Morocco

Somalia

U.A.E

Djibouti

Kuwait

Oman

Sudan

Yemen

Arab & Turkish Travel Magazine Prepared by S&M Publication Ltd. ART DIRECTOR: Fatih Tahtalı OFFSET PREPARATION: Repronet Reprodüksiyon FILM&PRINTED: ÖzgürMatbaacılık HEAD OFFICE: S&M PUBLICATION LTD.Muratreis Muradiye Mektep Sokak 13/1 Baglarbasi- 81140 Istanbul-TURKEY Tel:+90.216.391 3795 Fax:+90.216.391 3796 www.arabturkishtravel:com ALL EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES TO suat@arabturkishtravel.com - ozgur@arabturkishtravel.com

4 MAY 2012

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Algeria Tourism Development in Algeria

Visitors are drawn to Algeria by the natural beauty, rich culture, fascinating history and warm hospitality offered by this NorthAfrican country, and Algeria is becoming increasingly popular as an international tourist destination. With the knowledge that tourismhas the potential to contribute significantly on an ongoing basis to the economy of Algeria, authorities place emphasis on the development of the country’s infrastructure and tourism facilities.

Rising oil prices have had a positive effect on the growth of Algeria’s economy, and it is anticipated that this will result in significant returns in the hospitality and tourism sectors, as well as influencing residential development. A growing population that is dominated by youth, strong government support of development, and rising numbers of tourists, are viewed as supporting factors for economic growth.Algerian tourism has the goal of attracting 3 million tourists by 2013. To ensure that this large number of tourists are given a warm welcome, authorities have been encouraging investments in the development of hotels, as well as improving roads and transportation. The Public Works Authority of Algeria has earmarked $8.2 billion for large public works projects, including the upgrading of the East-West Highway and numerous secondary roadways. A recent study by the Accor group revealed that there is a need for at least 36 mid-markethotels to accommodate the number of tourists that are expected to visit Algeria. Already many foreign hotel groups, such as Marriott International, are entering the Algerian market and there is room for more foreign investors to take advantage of the growing opportunities in the country.

In addition to the development of tourism, Algerian authorities have plans in place to meet the growing demand for commercial and residential properties. The National Housing Program aims to complete the construction of one million low and middle income housing units by the end of 2009, with ongoing plans to build approximately 130,000 housing units each following year.

According to World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) – a specialized agency of the United Nations that serves as a global forum for tourism-related issues – Algeria has stepped up their total travel and tourism operating expenditure. It is anticipated that, by the year 2017, 1.1 percent of total government spending in Algeria will be devoted to the development of tourism. This is good news for Algerians for whom increased tourism translates into new job opportunities, as well as for tourists who decide to make Algeria their holiday destination.

Bahrain Opening of the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage On 28th April, HE Shaikha Mai, the Minister of Culture, will open the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage, after which its Board of Directors will hold their first meeting.

In line with the February 2010 agreement between the Government of Bahrain and UNESCO, the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage is established to support the implementation of the World Heritage Convention in the Arab States region with the underlying aim of protecting, conserving and presenting cultural and natural heritage.

6 May 2012

Egypt İnauguration of the Suez National Museum

The Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs and General Mohamed Abdel Moneim Hashem, Governor of Suez, inaugurated the Suez National Museum. The opening was a big celebration to coincide with the first anniversary of the Egyptian revolution, in recognition of the city of Suez as it was the first city to launch, the first spark of the revolution. m² and The 48 million Egyptian pounds project in Suez is built over 6000 ​​ houses 2,500 archaeological pieces that tell the story of the city of Suez from prehistoric times to the modern era. The Suez Museum will display, in one big hall, archaeological artifacts and illustrations that reveal the modern history of Suez and the residents’ battles against the British occupancy, and will also highlight the struggle of the city that lasted for many years until their victory in the October 24th, 1973 battle. The museum is also equipped with 221 electronic guide systems in Arabic, English and French, in addition to 48 fixed surveillance cameras.

The Minister of Antiquities confirmed that the feasibility study conducted for the project before the kick of work in early 1994, confirmed that the museum is expected to originate important revenue. The museum, that is to be listed among the main Egyptian touristic sites, is expected to receive more than one million visitors per year. The Minister called on for the foundation of an association for the Museum’s friends, from the youth and businessmen to promote it both locally and internationally.

The Suez National Museum is a modern, two-storey building. The ground floor includes an exhibition hall, stock rooms, a VIP Lounge, a library, a cafeteria and administrative offices. While the first floor displays the uncovered archaeological pieces and the second floor includes six exhibition halls each specialized in a different era of the ancient Egyptian times. The museum’s building is surrounded by a 10 m² garden and a 12 thousand m² parking area. The museum also includes, in an adjacent area, restoration laboratories equipped with the latest equipment for restorations.

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Iraq Iran Sanctions Affect Iraqi Tourism Industry Normally thousands of Iranian tourists arrive in Karbala daily. But as Western sanctions on Iran hit, pilgrims are staying at home. And the ones that do come are not shopping. Karbala’s merchants say they’re facing financial ruin.

Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

When textile merchant Fadel al-Bazzaz, ordered millions of Iraqi dinars worth of goods from China, he never expected that the rest of the world would cause him such a problem.

“I have a massive financial crisis,” al-Bazzaz, one of the longest established textile merchants in Karbala, said. “I imported goods worth millions of Iraqi dinars and I was hoping to sell these goods in Karbala, which has had a tourism boom with increased numbers of Iranian tourists coming to visit holy shrines.”

But with the recent economic sanctions imposed upon Iran by the US and European countries, as well as the boycott of Iranian oil imports and of the Iranian central bank, the value of the Iranian currency has plunged.

As news agency Bloomberg reported: “The sustained, global sanctions effort “has brought very substantial economic and financial pressure on the Iranian regime,” U.S. Undersecretary of Treasury David Cohen said in a speech in New York yesterday. That is reflected “most dramatically in its plummeting currency,” which has lost half its value since September, he said. It was a reference to the market rate that ordinary Iranians use to acquire a hard currency rather than the official rate.” The official rate has not actually moved much over the past few months but the unofficial rate certainly has.

Jordan Jordan Implements night-time Taxi Fare System

Kuwait New Terminal at Kuwait International Airport

Kuwait will be launching an initial tender for construction of a second terminal at the international airport. The project will be worth about KD700 to KD800mn, revealed KUNA, the state-run news agency, early this week. The project will be ready by 2016, as currently at least 16 international companies have expressed interest in the project. The first stages of tender will include work on the design and consultancy services.

Meanwhile, tenders for the second phase will include construction likely to happen by mid-2013. The Ministry expects the solar panels to contribute to at least 10percent of the energy supply of the terminal. At recent times, any progress on this airport terminal project can be considered a welcome sign, indicating that Kuwait is well on its way to break down hurdles for foreign investment. Further, the Parliamentary Committee has suggested that Kuwait should hold keep aside its laws on public tenders, and permit foreign companies to participate in biddings directly, without having the need for a local agent. These suggestions have been included on the draft bill. This new rules will be applicable to oil companies, military-related contracts and services, while state-owned company tenders will be excluded. During the past decade, Kuwait had already drawn $1.5bn in foreign investment, or 0.5percent of total Gulf inflows.

Lebanon Lebanon’s Tourism Industry will Contribute $4.3 billion

Jordan’s Land Transport Regulatory Commission (LTRC) has set a fixed night-time rate for taxis across the country, in light of repeated complaints that cabdrivers do not turn taxi meters on at night, Jordan Times has reported.

“Sometimes, cab drivers do not turn the meters on at night and take advantage of passengers by charging them fares higher than that of day hours, therefore, having a fixed night-time starting rate is good for them and for passengers,” said LTRC director general Jamil Mjahed.

The decision, which went into effect January 1, requires all taxis operating in governorates excluding Amman and Aqaba, which are not under the LTRC’s jurisdiction, to turn on meters during night-time hours and stick to the newly set tariff, he said.

8 May 2012

The World Travel and Tourism Council estimates that Lebanon’s tourism industry will contribute $4.3 billion to the country’s economy in 2012, equivalent to around 10 percent of GDP. Direct employment in the sector would reach 129,500 jobs, representing 9.5 percent of total employment in Lebanon this year, the study added.

WTTC expected the sector’s direct contribution to the economy to grow by 4.5 percent in real terms in 2012 and its direct contribution to employment to rise by 3 percent this year, as reported by Byblos Bank’s weekly newsletter.

Since tourism touches all sectors of the economy, its real direct and indirect impact is even greater. WTTC forecasts tourism will generate $15.5 billion or 35.5 percent of overall economic activity in Lebanon in 2012, including 461,000 jobs representing 33.8 percent of total employment in 2012. It expected the sector’s overall contribution to GDP to increase in real terms by 4.4 percent this year and its aggregate contribution to employment to grow by 2.8 percent in 2012.

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The WTTC expected Lebanon to rank in 69th place globally in terms of the forecasted growth of the sector’s total and direct contribution to GDP in 2012, in 67th place in terms of the forecast growth rate of the sector’s total contribution to employment, and in 157th place in terms of the industry’s direct contribution to employment in 2012.

It projected the travel and tourism economy in Lebanon to grow by 3.2 percent per year in real terms between 2012 and 2022, compared to 4.2 percent in the Middle East and 4.1 percent globally over the same period of time.

The tourism industry’s direct contribution is expected to grow by 3 percent per year in real terms during the 2012-2022 period compared to a 4.1 percent real growth rate for both the Middle East and the world.

Lebanon ranks in 127th place worldwide in terms of the sector’s annualized growth rate over the 2012-22 period and in 135th place in terms of the expected growth of the sector’s direct contribution to GDP over the coming 10 years As for employment forecasts, the WTTC projected the tourism industry to reach 136,000 jobs or 8.9 percent of total jobs in Lebanon by 2022.

Employment in the tourism economy is expected to total 448,000 jobs, equivalent to 32 percent of total employment by 2022.

In comparison, the WTTC forecast direct industry employment in the Middle East to grow by 2.4 percent over the 2012 to 2022 period and to account for 2.9 percent of total employment, while it forecast the tourism economy employment to grow by 2.5 percent and to account for 7.6 percent of total employment in the region.

Lebanon ranks in 152nd place in terms of the expected growth of the sector’s total contribution to employment and in 157th place in terms of its direct contribution to employment over the coming 10 years.

historic quarter in Tripoli featuring fine colonial buildings.

What is doesn’t have, though, is tourists.

But following the overthrow of dictator Moammar Gadhafi, there are plenty of reasons for hotels and tour operators to be optimistic.

Soaked in sun, the country’s position at the meeting point of the desert landscape of the Sahara and the Mediterranean makes it ideal for trekking and windsurfing.

Libya’s extraordinary history and ancient archaeological riches -- it boasts five United Nations world cultural heritage sites, including the remains of the Roman Empire outpost Leptis Magna and the Greek Hellenic city of Cyrene -- are its primary attractions.

It was off-limits for decades as a pariah state thanks to Gadhafi’s involvement in global terrorism, but a thaw in relations with Western countries saw a 14 per cent rise in visitor numbers between 2006 and 2010 and a 30 per cent jump in hotel revenue over the same period from $49 million to $65 million, according to analysts Euromonitor.

‘Big expectations’ That tourism renaissance was all but destroyed by the Arab Spring uprising and subsequent civil war, but there are hopes it could resume and emulate the success of other recovering war zones: the New York Times three years ago named Beirut as its number one global destination.

In Tripoli, the Rixos Al Nasr hotel -- where journalists were trapped during last August’s fierce fighting –- is open and full of guests, and its owners say they have “big expectations” in the coming months.

One small group is this week exploring the country on a trip organized

by Political Tours, a specialist firm run by former New York Times Balkans correspondent Nicholas Wood, while managers at Simoon Travel, a British operator that organizes tours of the Middle East and North Africa, are visiting later this month with a view to restarting its Libya itineraries.

“We are optimistic because reports suggest most of the monuments and ancient sites have been left undamaged by the NATO bombing,” Simoon’s managing director Amelia Stewart told msnbc.com. “It is such a fascinating and diverse country and we would like to offer trips once it is safe enough to do so.”

Access to the country is slowly improving following the end of NATO airstrikes that drove out Gadhafi’s regime: United Airlines partner British Midland International resumes direct flights to Tripoli from London Heathrow later this month, while British Airways will return to the city from May 1.

Morocco A New Hotel Classification System in Morocco

Libya Libya Tourism

Libya has all it takes to become a vacation paradise: 1,300 miles of palmfringed coastline, five world-class cultural heritage sites and an attractive

10 May 2012

In today’s competitive marketplace, tourism’s sustainable development and growth must be accompanied by quality tourism services.

With the aim of assisting its Member countries to reinforce their competitive advantages, UNWTO is supporting a new hotel classification system in Morocco to ensure the country’s accommodation industry meets international demand for quality service.

Thanks to its long-term tourism development strategy, tourism has become a fundamental driver of growth and development for Morocco.

On the occasion of the official launch of Vision 2020, UNWTO has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Morocco’s Ministry of Tourism and the National Hotel Industry Federation to support the entry into force of a new hotel classification system in the country (Marrakesh, Morocco, 30

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We know your expectations Receppaşa Cad. No : 15 34437 Taksim / İSTANBUL Tel : 0212-238 54 60 Faks: 0212 238 61 61 E-mail : info@madison.com.tr Web : www.madison.com.tr

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“Vision 2010 has proved a great success with tourism in Morocco booming,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, at the signing of the agreement. “Now is the time, through Vision 2020, to ensure the sustainability of these gains by focusing on quality of services offered to tourists. UNWTO is very pleased to contribute to this goal through supporting the high quality of standards in hotels and the development of a new hotel classification system in Morocco”.

Under the agreement, UNWTO will train and certify the training of a select group of specialized auditors in the new ranking system to carry out quality audits of Moroccan accommodation establishments.

Having implemented similar projects around the world, the Organization stands ready to provide the necessary expertise to the government and authorities as they implement the project over the next six years.

Morocco re-Invests in Tourism Nearly 10 million people visited Morocco in 2011, with the money they spent from the medina of Marrakech to the wilds of the Sahara making tourism the second biggest contributor to GDP. Yearly visitor numbers more than doubled between 2000 and 2010, and the government plans to double them again by 2020.

But since the global finacial crisis investors have been more difficult to find, so the government is putting its own money into many projects to help the tourism industry continue to grow.

Oman

arrivals to Muscat to exceed 300,000 by 2015. Additionally, the Ministry is seeking to attract a specialist eco-friendly cruise vessel to base in Oman, an outcome that is closer to reality with Oman Air’s international expansion which makes crew and passenger exchanges through Muscat possible.

Director General Al Mamari said “we are seeing Oman, and especially Muscat, recognized as offering cruise ships an authentic experience, with the visual quality of a Muscat stop over among the most beautiful in the world. Experiences like these are welcomed by cruise ship itinerary planners wanting to offer something special. Also, Musandam/ Khasab with its shelters waters with mirror like reflections, and the vitality of sub-tropical Salalah are emerging cruise destinations with their own natural beauty” he commented.

Matching the good news on cruise ship arrivals, data just released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) confirms 2010 as a record year for visitor arrivals to Muscat International Airport with 2.08 million arrivals representing with Year-on-Year growth of 13%.

Palestine Palestine, Sri Lanka Discuss Tourism and Economic Cooperation

Muscat’s Cruise Ship Passenger Arrivals Break 230,000

Oman’s Tourism Ministry and the country’s port operators are delighted with record cruise ship passenger arrivals projected to June 2011 with arrivals at Muscat’s Port Sultan Qaboos jumping to 231,100 - 72% higher than the 2009-10 cruise season.

The Director General of Tourism Promotion at Oman’s Tourism Ministry, Salem Al Mamari, says that while the results are pleasing and support our strategy, the year ahead will require greater marketing and consistent messaging to build awareness of Oman as a quality destination and stopover for world and regional cruise operators.

The cruise ship results add to a record year for visitors to Oman. IATA data on passenger arrivals by air show a record of 2.08 million arrivals to Muscat International Airport in 2010 - 13% higher than 2009.

Muscat: Oman’s Ministry of Tourism and Port Sultan Qaboos figures show that the number of cruise ship visits to Muscat for the current 2010-11 season jumped from 78 to 94.

Salem Al Mamari, the Director General of Tourism Promotion at Oman’s Ministry of Tourism said “the results are very pleasing especially considering that passenger arrivals to Muscat in 2007 were just 44,885.

We are seeing some welcome recognition of Oman as a preferred cruise destination. More companies are including Muscat on world itineraries, as well as Salalah and Khasab as distinctive regional destinations in their own right. The other welcome trend is the decision by a number of companies to deploy their larger vessels to our region” he said.

Since 2007 cruise ship visits to Muscat have grown quickly with 2010-11 being an exceptional year for growth. The Ministry expects passenger

12 May 2012

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Kholoud Duabes Wednesday discussed with the Sri Lankan Minister of Industry and Commerce, Rashid Bathiuddeen, possible ways to enhance Palestinian-Sri Lankan economic and tourism cooperation.

The Palestinian delegation to Sri Lanka met with the Sri Lankan board of the Industry and Commerce Ministry in the wake of the Palestinian participation in the International Sri Lanka EXPO 2012.Duabes expressed pleasure over the Sri Lankan invitation of the Palestinian delegation and stressed the importance of Palestine’s attendance to develop the bilateral relations between the two countries.

She said, ‘We aspire to develop strong relationship between the Palestinian and Sri Lankan governments and peoples.’Bathiuddin stressed the depth of the Palestinian-Sri Lankan friendship, affirming his country’s support to the Palestinian leadership and the Palestinian request of statehood membership in the United Nations Security Council.

‘It is time to prompt the Sri Lankan-Palestinian economic relations,’ he added.A Palestinian delegation of businesspersons and journalists headed by the tourism minister arrived Tuesday in Sri Lanka to attend the Sri Lanka EXPO 2012.

Qatar Qatar National Hotels Company to make Major Announcements at ATM ‘12 Qatar National Hotels Company (QNH) will mark another major milestone at this year’s Arabian Travel Market (30th April – 3rd May) as the Doha headquartered hospitality giant reveals details of its strategic expansion

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News From Arab Market programme to the regional and international tourism industry.

QNH will share its exciting plans for future development at both domestic and international level, within its expansive remit as asset owner, developer and manager of a growing hospitality portfolio on three continents.

“We have been at the forefront of Qatar’s development since its creation, and is responsible for growing the country’s hospitality product. In addition to introducing the world’s best known luxury hotel brands to this market, we are also targeting business travellers through our own Merweb group of hotels,” said His Excellency Sheikh Nawaf bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani, Chairman, Qatar National Hotels Company.

“QNH plays a vital role in positioning Qatar as a global hospitality player, as part of the government’s far-reaching National Vision 2030 economic development and diversification programme,” he added.

According to Euromonitor International, inbound visitor numbers for the Gulf state are expected to reach 1.6 million by 2014, up from just under one million in 2009.

Hotel occupancy rates also rose in the third quarter of 2011, despite a surge of new openings last year, reflecting increasing demand and interest in tourism in the Gulf state as Qatar prepares to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee recently confirmed that the World Cup will contribute significantly to the country’s tourism coffers, with annual tourist arrivals into Qatar forecast to increase to 3.7 million by 2022.

According to the Qatar Tourism Authority, more than 6,000 hotel rooms, with 25 hotels and 10 hotel apartments, opened up in the market in 2011, with average room occupancy rates continuing their upward trend for the period July to September 2011; reaching 48%, representing a 4% increase on 2010.

In addition to the construction of 12 new football stadiums, Qatar is building 77 new hotels and 42 hotel apartments ahead of the 2022 tournament. Over US$100 billion worth of infrastructure is also due to be completed, including the new US$11 billion Doha International Airport, the US$6 billion Doha port project and a US$25 billion metro and railway system.

The strength of Qatar’s banking sector underscores the Gulf state’s ability to finance major planned projects given its financial sector performance and its projected GDP growth of 6% in 2012 and its liquid banking sector.

At the end of 2011, total assets of the country’s commercial banks grew by 22.3% to $190.6 billion in 2011 from 2010 while customer deposits increased by more than 18.5% to $100 billion. Meanwhile credit facilities to customers rose by 28.2% to $103.5 billion.

Qatar’s financial performance was all the more impressive given fears of contagion from the Euro zone debt crisis and slow growth in the United States and other developed markets.

QNH has already added to its portfolio in 2012 with its acquisition of two iconic Raffles properties in Singapore and Paris – the iconic Raffles Hotel Singapore and the famous Le Royal Monceau – Raffles, Paris in the heart of the French capital.

An investment agreement was also signed between QNH and the Moroccan government in late 2011 for redevelopment of Tangier’s historic Tazi Palace. Under the agreement, QNH is investing US$55 million to convert the former palace into a five-star luxury hotel.

“Our focus is to use our investment wealth to continue on the path of success that we have achieved in recent years through our thriving portfolio of Qatar-based hotels, and growing portfolio of international properties, and to invest today for future generations,” remarked Sheikh Nawaf.

Qatar Hosted World Travel Awards Grand Final

14 May 2012

World Travel Awards (WTA) capped its year-long search for the world’s most successful travel and tourism brands with its glittering Grand Final Gala Ceremony in Doha, Qatar on 11 January 2012.

The show was held in partnership with Qatar Tourism Authority at Katara Cultural Village, Doha’s ground-breaking new arts and exhibitions complex.

Safak Guvenc from W Doha received World’s Leading Hotel & Residences award The evening marked the culmination of a year-long search for the very best travel and tourism brands in the world, and featured the winners from WTA’s five 2011 regional heats competing head to head.

India saw off the likes of London, New York, Cape Town, Rio de Janeiro and Sydney to win the blue riband “World’s Leading Destination” award in a year in which international arrivals edged closer to the target of one billion travellers by 2016.

Etihad Airways continued its meteoric rise by being voted “World’s Leading Airline” for the third year in succession, following a milestone year that saw the UAE flag carrier continue its journey as the fastest growing airline in history. Meanwhile Abu Dhabi’s sparkling new Jumeirah at Etihad Towers won the nod against the likes of Mandarin Oriental Paris, The Ritz Carlton Hong Kong, The Park Hyderabad, Hotel Missoni Edinburgh and W Hotel London to pick up the coveted “World’s Leading New Hotel” title.

It was also an evening of celebration for Qatar, with Doha being voted “World’s Leading Business Travel Destination”, Qatar Airways named “World’s Leading Airline Business Class”, and Regency Travel & Tours winning “World’s Leading Travel Agency”.

Qatar Tourism Authority Chairman, Mr. Ahmed Al Nuaimi, said: “We are delighted to be honoured as the ‘World’s Leading Business Destination’ by our peers in the global hospitality industry. This is a great achievement and solidifies Qatar’s premier position as a great place to do business as well as one with first class leisure, sporting and cultural attractions”.

Hailed as “The Oscars of the Travel Industry” by the Wall Street Journal, WTA is recognised worldwide as the ultimate travel accolade. Its 2011 Grand Tour featured regional heats in Dubai (UAE), Antalya (Turkey), Sharm el Sheikh (Egypt), Bangkok (Thailand) and Montego Bay (Jamaica).

Turkish award winners at this year’s World Travel Awards Grand Final are: World’s Leading All Suite Hotel & Spa: Hotel Les Ottomans, Turkey World’s Leading Design Hotel: Adam & Eve at Belek, TurkeyWorld’s Leading Fully Integrated Resort: Cornelia Diamond Golf Resort & Spa, Turkey World’s Leading Hotel Spa: Mardan Spa, Mardan Palace, Antalya, Turkey World’s Leading Luxury Resort: Mardan Palace, Turkey

Saudi Arabia Shocking Revelation by UK Authorities about Hajj/ Umrah Tour and Travel Operators The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (ABH) is a National Charity working for the welfare and wellbeing of British Hajj/Umrah.

Pilgrims expresses its grave concern about the shocking revelation by the UK Authorities about the non compliance of travel regulations by a large number of Hajj/Umrah tour and travel operators which is causing extreme suffering, exploitation, hardship, difficulties, and mental anguish for British Hajj/Umrah travellers at the hands of unscrupulous and rogue tour and travel operators.

ABH highly commended and strongly supports the initiative taken by Chairman of Birmingham City Council’s public protection committee, Councillor Neil Eustace who has written letters to Edward Davey, Minister of Consumer and Postal Affairs, and Baroness Warsi, who is Britain’s first female Muslim Cabinet Minister as well as the co-chairman of the Conservative Party to highlight the plight of innocent and vulnerable British Hajj/Umrah Pilgrims.

The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK has been campaigning tirelessly for the last decade to draw the attention of the relevant Government Departments towards the complete violation and disregard of the UK Regulations by a large number of unscrupulous and rogue tour and travel operators.

A number of Members of Parliament and Members of House of Lords have also offered their support to this campaign and this issue was raised in the House of Parliament as well. However, regrettably the community is still waiting for a decisive action to be taken by the Government to help and protect vulnerable citizens including elderly, sick, and disabled.

Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK once again strongly urges that

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News From Arab Market Government Departments should not delay their course of action after Birmingham Trading Standards reported that just four out of 40 online and High Street travel agencies offering Hajj packages were completely compliant with travel regulations. The Government should take its responsibilities seriously and ensure the rule of law in this civilized and democratic society.

Saudi Arabia Issued 9.5 million visas in 2011

2016, will feature three restaurants, a lobby lounge, and a Grand Club Lounge. In addition, the hotel will have 5,700 square meters of meeting and event space, including grand and junior ballrooms. The hotel will also have a spa and fitness center. In addition to Grand Hyatt Jeddah, 11 previously-announced Grand Hyatt hotels are under development in the following cities around the world: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Frankfurt, Germany; Chengdu, Dalian, Nanjing, Sanya Haitang Bay, and Shenyang, China; Pune, India; Beirut, Lebanon; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Moscow, Russia.

Hyatt Regency Jeddah, with 240-rooms, including 30 suites, will be located on Tahliyah Street in the center of Jeddah, near Tahliyah Square and close to Malek Road and North Corniche Road. The hotel, which is expected to open in the second half of 2015, will feature three restaurants, a lobby lounge, and a Regency Club lounge. In addition, the hotel will have 1,700 square meters of meeting and event space, including a ballroom and boardroom, as well as a spa and fitness center. In addition to 148 Hyatt Regency hotels currently open worldwide, more than 30 previously announced Hyatt Regency hotels are under development around the world, including three in Russia, one in the Middle East, two in Mongolia, two in Latin America, 16 in India and 14 in China.

Sudan The Port Sudan Tourism Festival 2012 Saudi embassies and consulates in different countries issued about 9.5 million visas during 2011.

Assistant Foreign Minister Prince Khaled bin Saud said, “This is the highest number of visas issued by our foreign missions in history”. He added that the figure was 11.3 percent more than the visas issued in 2010 and 58.2 percent more than those of 2005.

He said the Umrah visas issued in 2011 were a million more than those of 2010. He commended embassy and consular staff for the good work.

Nearly two million foreign pilgrims arrived in the Kingdom last year to perform Haj.

Hyatt to Open 3 hotels in Saudi Arabia Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into agreements with Naseel Holding Company to manage three new Hyatt-branded hotels in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ith the addition of these three new hotel agreements, there are six Hyattbranded hotels under development in Saudi Arabia across five of Hyatt’s brands. Currently, there is one Hyatt-branded hotel in Saudi Arabia – Park Hyatt Jeddah – Marina, Club and Spa, which opened in 2009.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an important market for Hyatt, having just increased our worldwide sales team to include on the ground support in the country,” said Peter Fulton, Managing Director for Hyatt International – South West Asia.

“Expanding the number of Hyatt-branded hotels in the Kingdom will be a significant step towards our goal of being the preferred brand for global travellers, and we are pleased to be working with Naseel Holding Company to manage these outstanding new properties,” Fulton added.

“The addition of the Hyatt brand to our portfolio of hotels in the Kingdom is greatly welcomed and we are pleased to be part of Hyatt’s strong commitment to the Kingdom and the hospitality sector,” said Majid Al Ibrahim, Chairman – Naseel Holding Company, “and we are confident that the three new buildings are going to be a very valuable addition to the two great cities of Riyadh and Jeddah.”

Park Hyatt Riyadh, currently slated to open in the fourth quarter of 2015, will be a stand-alone building located on King Fahd Road in the Olaya District in the city of Riyadh, situated near the Kingdom Center and the Al Faisaliya Tower. The 275-room hotel, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), will have 50 suites, as well as three restaurants, a lounge, 1,450 square meters of meeting and event space, including a 1,000 square meter ballroom, and a spa and fitness center. In addition to Park Hyatt Riyadh, 13 other previously announced Park Hyatt hotels are under development in the following locations worldwide: Além-Tejo, Portugal; St. Georges, Bermuda; Doha, Qatar; Changbaishan, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, and Sanya Sunny Bay, China; Chennai, Hyderabad, and Mumbai, India; Marrakech, Morocco; New York, United States; and Vienna, Austria.

Grand Hyatt Jeddah, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), with 400-rooms, including 48 suites, will be located in the center of the city of Jeddah, on the corner of Corniche Road and Al Amir Naif Street with views of the Red Sea. The hotel, which is expected to open in early

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The Port Sudan Tourism Festival held on 17th - 25th February 2012. The event was hosted by Dr. Mohamed Tahir Aila, Governor of the Red Sea State, and outlined the visions ahead for the State and the focus in promoting not only tourism as a main driver of economic growth but also other trade and services initiatives. In that regard, CTC Group has been a key stakeholder in the development of the State and takes pride in being chosen as official sponsors for the closing week for the third year running.

The closing ceremony was attended by H.E. Ali Osman Mohammed Taha, First Vice President of Sudan and other senior dignitaries, Mr. Ahmed Abdellatif, President of CTC Group along with CTC Port Sudan members led by Mr. Mohammed Ali Al Hassan. CTC Group was honored by the First Vice President for its contributions to the socio-economic development of the State and its outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility values.

Tunisia Future of the Mediterranean Tourism to be Discussed in Tunisia

The Government of Tunisia invites travel professionals to the 6th International Conference on Destination Management – “The Future of the Mediterranean Tourism” that will be organized in Djerba, on 16 and 17 April, 2012 in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism of Tunisia.

As has been widely recognized, the Mediterranean is one of the most important tourism regions, which accounts for more than a third of total

May 2012 15

News From Arab Market tourism revenues and half of all international arrivals. Nevertheless, along with the adverse impact of the economic crisis in source markets, the on-going political changes in North African and Middle Eastern countries and sustainability issues, as well as the need for investment and product rejuvenation in the highly developed mature destinations, could have adverse implications on the tourism sector of this region while some countries achieve seemingly positive results.

Despite being competitors, the challenges and opportunities also vary across the Mediterranean destinations in terms of level of development, performance and positioning. Therefore the priorities and the key policy initiatives will have to respond to specific needs.

The Conference aims at creating a platform for the Mediterranean destinations and the relevant partners of dialogue and shared-vision to re-evaluate their tourism industries in the context of sustainable development strategies, begin to consider re-structuring their industries and increase efficiency and competitiveness, form strategic alliances for co-operative promotion and marketing efforts in order to maintain a competitive edge in the global tourism market.

In light of the foregoing, we would like to extend an invitation to you and your administration to attend this conference and to participate actively in the discussions that could provide us with insights to the scenario of the future of Mediterranean Tourism.

Tunisia Targets UK Visitors with Brand New Marketing Campaign In Maqrch the launch of a brand new UK advertising campaign by the Tunisian National Tourist Office (TNTO).

Designed by London-based agency Fox Kalomaski Crossing, the threemonth campaign will highlight the fact that now, there’s more to celebrate in this Mediterranean country.

In just 12 months, Tunisians have marked a successful revolution, elected a new government and started on the road towards democracy.

The country still has more to celebrate and the new campaign aims to encourage consumers to rediscover the destination, which is just two and a half hours from the UK. From 2 April the creative run for two weeks on bus sides across the country, highlighting Tunisia’s key selling points including ancient archaeology and stunning white-sand beaches.

The first wave of the campaign will also run on national rail, as well as in print and online media through April, May and June. It will be followed by a second wave of activity in the autumn.

“We all know tourism in Tunisia took a hit following the Jasmin Revolution, but British visitors have been quick to return and the UK is now our third most important market,” says Wahida Jaiet, TNTO Director for the UK and Ireland.

“We still have the sandy beaches and thousands of years of history that have attracted visitors for many years; but add to that the fascinating recent history and a renewed sense of optimism that you can’t help but share, and there really is more to celebrate in Tunisia than ever before,” continues Jaiet.

Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari’s Prodrive-built Mini S2000 in the two-day rally that gets underway with a ceremonial start at the headquarters of the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) at 09.30hrs on Friday morning and finishes at the same venue the following afternoon from 15.35hrs.

All-female crews have been few and far between on rounds of the Middle East’s premier rally series in recent years, but a second lady crew will be hoping for success in Qatar on this occasion. Rounding off the provisional 16-car start list is German driver Edith Weiss and her Greek navigator Vicky Psarali.

Weiss has competed all over the Middle East since the 1990s and is passionate about her rallying. She finished third in class in the 1992 Qatar International Rally and a fine 10th overall in 1997. Psarali and Weiss competed together in last year’s Rally of Portugal and are looking for a top 10 finish on this occasion.

16 of the original 20 crews completed their reconnaissance of the six special stages. Even though he has won the last nine Qatar rallies, defending champion Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah had not seen parts of some of these special stages before.

“They are completely new, quite nice, but definitely not easy,” said Nasser, who drives a Kronos-run Peugeot 207 WRC on this occasion. “There is always a risk of punctures and the surfaces are quite hard in places.”

A Peugeot 207 S2000 has only won one round of the MERC to date, with Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi winning the Syrian International Rally in 2009. Although the Riyadh-based driver also won the Sharqia event in Saudi’s Eastern Province when it ran as a candidate event in 2010.

The Al-Wakra based Qatar event also marks the return to the series of Lebanon’s Nick Georgiou in a Motortune-run Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX. Georgiou now resides in Beirut and has hired a car from tarmac legend Roger Feghali for the Qatar Rally.

“The stages are difficult to judge and it is not easy to find where to brake and where you could get a puncture,” said the Lebanese, who lost a frontrunning position in 2009 when he sustained two flat front tyres on the final stage of the event. “It’s a case of fingers crossed for a good result here and then we will see for the rest of the year. Punctures are always key to a good run here on the rocky terrain.”

Turkey Tops the list of 2010 Holiday Destinations

Turkey Turkish Female to delight Qatar International Rally The all-female Turkish rallying crew of Burcu Cetinkaya and Cicek Guney attended Qatar International Rally, round one of the 2012 FIA Middle East Rally Championship, for the first time at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, prepared by Tok Sport.

The duo took part in the Dubai International Cicek Guney (left) and Burcu Cetinkaya (right) Rally last December and Cetinkaya, a five-time Turkish ladies champion, was one of the revelations of the event, finishing a superb fifth overall. Guney also has competitive blood running through her veins – the youngster is a nine-time Turkish snowboarding champion.

Tok Sport, the Istanbul-based car preparation company, is also running

16 May 2012

The first shots of a package holiday price war have been fired today with tour companies offering a host of discounts as they attempt to capitalise on a recovering market. Bookings for the top 20 summer 2010 destinations have increased sharply over the past three months, according to the Co-operative Travel company.

The Turkish resort of Dalaman has seen an 82 per cent increase in bookings and has taken over from Majorca as the number one holiday destination for UK travellers in 2010. Majorca is in second place, with Orlando in Florida third, the Spanish Costa Blanca fourth and the Greek island of Crete fifth.

Other destinations high on the booking list include Bodrum in Turkey, Ibiza and Larnaca in Cyprus.

Trevor Davis, director of retail distribution at Co-operative Travel, said: “As the holiday sector recovers, the battle for bookers will intensify, with companies seeking to increase their market share after a challenging 12 months.”

Meanwhile, holiday company Thomas Cook launched a new advertising campaign today.

It coincides with a survey by the company that revealed that people put foreign holidays higher in their “must have” list than eating out, home improvements, buying new clothes or UK breaks.

Thomas Cook predicted Turkey would be the in-place to visit in 2010, with

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News From Arab Market Egypt, Majorca, Tenerife and Cyprus all expected to do well too.

Travel agency Going Places said it was launching an early-booking offer for Airtours’ holidays tomorrow.

There will be savings of up to £200 per booking for those booking before 4 February, 2010.

Direct Holidays is offering £100 off prices and child-goes-free deals for those booking before 31 January, 2010, on selected holidays.

The company is also offering an additional £50 off winter 2010-11 breaks for early bookers.

Latest figures from Shearings Holidays reveal that bookings for next year’s UK breaks have increased by more than 95 per cent in some regions, with locations that have been showcased in the latest barrage of British holiday TV shows proving to be among the biggest winners.

Caroline Brown, commercial director for Shearings, said: “Programmes such as John Sergeant On The Tourist Trail, Martin Clunes’ Islands Of Britain and Alexander Armstrong’s Very British Holiday have reignited people’s love of Britain.

“Screen locations are always popular with tourists and the trend for UK holiday programmes has encouraged people to have a closer look at holiday destinations in the UK.” Meanwhile, another study found that more than half of those who spent their holiday at home in the UK this year are planning on making up for it by flying abroad in 2010.

Fifty-six per cent said they plan on escaping British shores to head for sun, sea and warmer climates next year. Spain, US and France emerged as their desired travel hotspots.

Nick Trend of travel website www.simonseeks.com said: “It reveals a real determination to travel, especially among those who didn’t take a holiday overseas in 2009, but it also made clear that keeping a tight grip on budget was a clear priority for many people.”

Source: Scotsman

U.A.E UAE Focus on Health Tourism The largest private hospital in the region opened in Dubai this week as the emirate is vying to become the medical hub of the Middle East.

The 300-bed Saudi German Hospital built at the cost of Dh400 million is a milestone in Dubai’s bid to attract “medical tourists”.

The hospital was inaugurated by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

At the end of the hospital tour, Shaikh Mohammad affirmed that he is personally following up progress in the health and educational sectors. He also welcomed local, Arab and foreign investors to the health sector as a key provider of health care to local and regional patients without taking the pain of travelling abroad for treatment.

Health tourism in the UAE, he said, is the focus of his attention and of his government as well as other relevant national entities. He referred to the diverse, ultra-modern infrastructure in the UAE which attracts investors to the medical sectors and other fields.

“People will not have to travel far to get the best medical care. Doctors from across the world will provide unique services,” said Subhi Baterjee, chairman of the Saudi-German Group.

In the near future the group plans to build another six speciality centres around the hospital in cooperation with six German universities. Each will have its own sub-speciality. An education centre will also update knowledge of doctors and nurses. The group is looking at investing Dh300 million in the next five years in the UAE.

Tourism to contribute $44 billion to GCC Economies in 2012 Top industry executives and officials will head to the annual Arabian Hotel Investment Conference 2012 (AHIC), which takes place in Dubai on 28-30 April at Madinat Jumeirah, to discuss investment opportunities in a region where governments are ploughing billions of dollars into tourism infrastructure.

Flush with petrodollars, with oil prices consistently above $120 a barrel, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have all embarked on aggressive hotel and transport development programmes as they seek to diversify their economies away from oil and boost revenues from the tourism sector.

The total direct contribution of travel and tourism to GDP in GCC countries

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is expected to reach US$44 billion this year, up 27% from 2009, the peak of the financial crisis in the Gulf, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council.

“AHIC provides a platform for investors, government officials, developers, hotel executives and advisors to come together. Investment into the region’s tourism industry is still an attractive proposition despite the Arab Spring and the real prospect of a recession in Europe,” commented Jonathan Worsley, Chairman and CEO Bench Events and Board Director of STR Global.

In the United Arab Emirates, this figure is expected to hit $19.9 billion this year, compared with US$16.6 billion in 2009. Some of the Gulf state’s major tourism infrastructure investments include the US$8 billion expansion of Dubai International Airport, as the emirate seeks to increase its capacity from 60 million passengers to 90 million by 2018 to become the world’s busiest airport.

Complementing its airport expansion, Dubai added a second Metro line last year to connect the city east to west and is scheduled to open a tramline in 2014. Meanwhile Abu Dhabi’s national carrier Etihad Airways continues to expand aggressively as the UAE capital continues to build its reputation as a tourist hub developing projects such as Ferrari World, an amusement park on Yas Island, and Saadiyat Island, home to the planned Louvre and Guggenheim museums.

“The economic conditions in the GCC are excellent and hotel revenues are continuing to grow steadily, so we see the region as a key hotel investment destination,” commented Amine Moukarzel, President, Golden Tulip Hotels, Suites & Resorts MENA. The direct contribution of travel and tourism to Saudi Arabia’s GDP is expected to reach US$14.9 billion, or 2.9% in 2012, up from US$10.4 billion in 2009, or 2.7%, as the Kingdom focuses its efforts to provide the necessary travel infrastructure to boost religious, business and domestic tourism. Saudi Arabia is spending more than $500 million on expanding its existing airports and is planning a new US$7 billion airport in Jeddah.

Well documented but nevertheless still impressive is Qatar’s infrastructure spend which will dominate the next five years as the Gulf state prepares to host the 2022 World Cup and for life beyond, with around US$65 billion due to be invested in new transportation schemes.

These include the new US$11 billion Doha International Airport, the US$6 billion Doha port project and a US$25 billion metro and railway.

The direct contribution of travel and tourism to Qatar’s GDP is expected to reach US$1.1 billion in 2012, compared to US$800 million, in 2009.

Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, organiser MEED Events in partnership with Bench Events has put together a three-day programme designed to explore the outlook for hotel investment in the Middle East’s changing landscape.

As well as focusing on the Middle East’s investment landscape after the Arab Spring, AHIC will hold a session that looks at the issues facing Egypt, while key industry figures will address the challenges of developing and operating in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

There will also be a separate dedicated session exploring investment opportunities outside the Middle East.

Abu Dhabi hosted 1.3 million business travelers in 2011 Business travel is set to be one of the key focuses of the 2012 Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM), the region’s only event dedicated to the meetings and events industry to be held next March.

GIBTM, a REED Travel Exhibitions event, is the largest gathering of meetings industry professionals in the Middle East, attended by over 2750 industry professionals from all over the region, and is a driving force behind the industry offering five star business, networking and educational opportunities.

GIBTM, now in it’s is 6th year, will focus on opportunities in the growing business travel sector.

“The business and corporate travel community is an intrinsic part of the meetings industry and has been expanding steadily, in 2012 we are making business travel a key focus at GIBTM. With the UAE witnessing a 5% increase in air traffic this year* and recording the largest number of hotel rooms under way in the Middle East and Africa region**we expect to see even greater growth in the business travel sector,” said Lois Jane Hall, REED Travel Exhibitions Manager GIBTM. “We are collaborating with The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE), to provide unprecedented solutions for business travelers,” she added.

Pre-qualified buyers of business travel from the region will be selected and invited to take part in the well established Hosted Buyer program, a platform providing exclusive business meeting opportunities for regional and international senior level buyers and decision makers. These targeted

May 2012 17

News From Arab Market and pre-qualified hosted buyers will meet with regional and international exhibitors.

Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), GIBTM’s partner and supporter, is placing increased emphasis on attracting business tourism and over the past few years has significantly upgraded its meetings and conference facilities, providing businesses with world-class facilities.

ADTA expects an increase of 20,000 business tourists this year.

Approximately 1.3 million of the 1.8 million guests across 115 hotels and hotel apartments in the Emirate are business travelers, out of which 215,000 guests arrive specifically for MICE related activities.

Oman Ministry of Tourism and Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts were also among the first exhibitors signing up for GIBTM 2012 and are both keen to engage with business travelers.

“The planned convention center and airport will have modern facilities and will help position Oman as one of the main business travel destinations in the region,” said Khalid Al Zadjali, Head of Overseas Promotion, Oman Ministry of Tourism. “Our aim for participating in GIBTM 2012 is to recognise new trends, best practices and also benefit from the abundant networking opportunities,” he added.

Golfing Under the Stars at Abu Dhabi Golf Club

Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s night golf kicks into action this week giving players the chance to enjoy one of the region’s most stunning courses under lights with amazing prizes from Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara.

The Anantara Powerplay Open Championship will provide monthly competitions at night for golf lovers looking to keep their game in top shape during the summer months.

The promotion includes nine holes, golf cart, two complimentary beverages and snacks, along with prizes on offer from Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas. Ken Kosak, General Manager of Abu Dhabi Golf Club, said, “The warm weather is fast approaching and this will be a great way to enjoy the game in the cooler evenings under different conditions. We are encouraging golfers not to let their game slip during the summer and this is a fantastic opportunity to get a group together for an enjoyable night together under the stars.”

Anantara, the title sponsor of the monthly tournament, sees the competition as an opportunity to showcase its three Abu Dhabi properties - Desert Islands Resort & Spa on Sir Bani Yas Island, Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort in the Liwa Desert’s Empty Quarter and the soon to open Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara in the heart of Abu Dhabi - to keen golfers in the Emirate.

The winner of the March tournament has the chance to win prizes sponsored by Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara including a luxurious two night stay valued at more than AED 5,000.

“We are delighted to be partnering with Abu Dhabi Golf Club as there is a real synergy between our two brands,” said Sharon Garrett-Otter, Area Director of Marketing & Communications of Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas UAE. “The golf course is a terrific place for networking and with the Anantara Powerplay Tournament Series being played in the early evenings, the tournament presents a wonderful opportunity for professionals to take meetings in the board room to the lush fairways of the golf course,” The Anantara Powerplay Tournament commenced March 29th and continues on April 26th, May 17th and June 21st.

other Sharjah government bodies holding meetings and exchanging ideas with representatives of leading public and private tourism players on efforts and initiatives to boost and develop this growing, niche tourism market. Speaking on the sidelines of the exhibition, Tariq Allay Al Naqbi, Head of SCTDA’s Media Division, underscored the immense potential of business tourism in the region. “Business tourism sector holds great promise and potential to contribute to the national economy. This sector has already witnessed remarkable development in the recent period.

And the future looks even brighter. This platform presented an ideal opportunity of meeting the growing needs in this area in Sharjah, the UAE and across the Middle East,” he said.

Al Naqbi added: “The significant growth rates seen in the emirate today in all sectors of the economy, high rates of tourists year after year, requires us to study the mechanism of the development of business tourism sector which is one of the most important investment channels that contribute to maintaining and boosting development.”

Sharjah has become one of the leading tourist destinations of choice for tourists from around the world, because of its variety of tourist attractions and has established itself on the world tourism map, emphasised the official.

This year, the GIBTM Abu Dhabi attracted more than 26,000 visitors, including top decision makers and leaders of the tourism industry from across the region and from around the world. More than 330 exhibitors and 284 companies from 36 countries took part in the tourism event which registered an increase of 17 per cent in visitor numbers.

More than 1.56m Tourists Visited Sharjah in 2011 Sharjah continues to draw international visitors. Hotels in the emirate recorded 1,562,869 guests during the Year 2011 as against 1,562,869 arrivals during 2010.

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority statistics for Year 2011 show an increase in the occupancy rate of the emirate’s hotels and hotel apartments. The hotel occupancy rate in the emirate over the past year stood at 76 per cent. Sharjah’s hotels received 843,676 guests in 2011 whereas they had recorded 774,651guests in 2010. Hotel apartments received 719,193 guests in 2011 whereas they recorded had 782,234 guests the year before.

Hotel apartments recorded 71 per cent occupancy last year compared to 70 per cent in 2010. The overall occupancy of hotels and hotel apartments in the emirate has been put at 74 pc in 2011.

The total number of room nights in Sharjah’s hotels and hotel apartments rose to 1,804,530 in 2011, with hotel room nights accounting for 1,026,934 and hotel apartment room nights accounting for 777,596.

This can be compared to 1,537,765 room nights in 2010 with 806,401 hotel rooms and 731,364 hotel apartment rooms, a 17 per cent increase from 2010.

The number of hotels and hotel apartments in the emirate stood at 104 during 2011 (47 Hotels and 57 hotel apartments). The total number of hotel and hotel apartment rooms reached 9,123 (5,191 hotel rooms and 3,932 hotel apartment rooms) recording a 6 per cent increase.

Sharjah was working to attract more tourism investments in the emirate and expects to increase the number of hotel rooms in the emirate to go up to 12,000 over the next four years, with a focus on 5 star and 3 star hotels and beach resorts.

Curtain Comes Down on An Eventful GIBTM Exhibition Sharjah wrapped up an eventful participation in the GIBTM 2012 at the Abu Dhabi Exhibition Centre today with the emirate attracting considerable interest of major business tourism players, exhibitors, investors and international media. The emirate once again commanded strong presence at the region’s most prestigious event promoting MICE tourism for the sixth consecutive year, held in Abu Dhabi from March 2628.

The spotlight remained firmly on business tourism with senior officials from the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority and

18 May 2012

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News From Arab Market

Appointments l Al

Bustan Rotana Dubai Appoints New HR Director, Bilal Mehdi.

l Murat Bilal Mehdi

Cevherioglu has been appointed to The Grand Tarabya as Director of Sales &

Marketing. l Raffles

Carsten Schaeffer

Dubai announced the appointment of Hichem Ben Amor as Director of Food &

Beverage. l Volkan Erhan Cakay

l Mr.

Simsek appointed as Vice President of Rixos Hotels.

Carsten Schaeffer has responsible for the overall sales and representation of Lufthansa

Murat Cevherioglu

across 28 countries and 38 destinations in Southeast Europe, Middle East and Africa. l Erhan l Reed Hichem Ben Amor

Çakay has been appointed to Karnak Travel as General Manager.

Travel Exhibitions, organiser of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), has given former Group

l Suvat

Avci is the new General Manager of Marmaris Resort Hotel & Spa.

l Etihad Hossam Kamal

Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced a new

General Manager Philip Lewin for Germany. l Serdar

l Rose

Suvat Avci

Baş is the new GM of Sheraton Çeşme Resort & Spa.

l Captain

Mark Walsh

Serdar Bas

Exhibition Director Mark Walsh an expanded remit and directive.

Hossam Kamal, the Chairman & CEO of EgyptAir Holding Company

Hotels Executive Board member Tayyar Gül has been elected as the new President of

KETOB.

Volkan Simsek

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May 2012 19

Cover Story

Environs of Aegean Region

T

he Aegean Region is the only region in Turkey which opens extensively to the sea. It covers some 11 percent of Turkey’s land with a surface area of approximately 79,000 km2. The region, which is in the west of Anatolia, takes its name from the adjacent sea. Izmir, Aydin, Manisa and Kutahya Provinces, and Usak Province, excluding some small sections, are completely within

20 May 2012

the borders of the region. Some sections of Mugla, Denizli and Afyon Provinces are included in the Mediterranean or Central Anatolia Regions. In the same manner, the Aegean shores of Balikesir Province are in the Marmara Region, and some counties of Bursa Province are included in the Aegean Region.

The Aegean Region is in second place after the Marmara Region in industrial activities. Textiles, food and automotive industries are in the lead, with machinery, spare parts and other industrial organizations concentrated in Izmir, the oil industry is concentrated around Edremit and Ayvalik. There are sugar factories in Usak, Kutahya and Afyon, and nitrogen factories in Kutahya. Besides Izmir, cotton textiles are widespread in Usak, Aydin, Nazilli, and especially in Denizli. Denizli is the most important textiles center in the region and they are exported from here. Carpet weaving is developed in Usak, Kula, Gordes, Simav and Demirci in the Inner Western Anatolia sections. Afyon is known for its marble and marble production facilities. The Camalti Saltern is the most important salt production center in Turkey. The region contributes to the electricity production in Turkey through thermal power plants in Soma, Tuncbilek and

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Hotel Izmir Palas Atatürk Caddesi 35210 Izmir-Turkey. Tel:+90 232 465 00 30 Fax:+90 232 422 68 70info@izmirpalas.com.tr – www. izmirpalas.com.tr

Cover Story

Yatagan, and hydroelectric power plants in Kemer and Demirkopru.

There is a large oil refinery at Aliaga near Izmir. Cultivated and planted lands cover a large area in the Aegean Region. Fruits and vegetables are important in the Inner Western Anatolia section. More than half of Turkey’s tobacco production comes from the Aegean Region. The share of the region in the total production of cotton in Turkey is close to one-third. The seedless grapes of the Gediz Plain which are dried and sold domestically and especially exported abroad, and the figs of the Great Menderes Plain, and the olive and olive oil production of the Edremit Bay contribute considerably to the economy of the region. The region produces more than one third of the grapes and four-fifths of the figs in Turkey. A total of 48 percent of the olive trees in Turkey are in this region. Citrus fruits are among the important export items of the region.

Tourism is also very developed in the Aegean Region. It contributes considerably to the economy of

the region. Throughout the Aegean shores which have “the most beautiful skies and the best climate in the world” (according to the famous historian Herodotus of Bodrum) bays, peninsulas, coves, islands and fine sandy beaches follow one another. Ancient cities famous for their theaters, temples, agoras and fortresses are encountered at every step taken in the region, which has lived intimately with innumerable mythological subjects for centuries.

These cities constituted the foundation of the Western civilization with their successful performances realized in the tunnel of time in the fields of city planning, philosophy, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, architecture and art.

Çeşme, Pearl of Izmir The Cesme Peninsula, lapped by the waters of the Aegean Sea, lies west of Izmir. The name “Cesme” meaning fountain, refers to the many springs found in the area during the 18th and 19th centuries. It is one of Turkey’s most beautiful coastal stretches surrounded by clear blue sea, with a landscape of aniseed, sesame

22 May 2012

and artichoke fields dotted with fig and gum trees. In the unspoiled bays you can swim in absolute peace. Visitors will find excellent holiday accommodation, restaurants, and sports and entertainment facilities. A 14th-century Genoese fortress, restored and enlarged by the Ottomans in the 16th century, dominates the small port of Cesme 80 km from Izmir. Today the town is a popular holiday resort with excellent accommodation and restaurants. The 16th-century caravanserai near the fortress, built by Suleyman the Magnificent, has been converted into a hotel, while the 19th-century Church of Hagios Haralambos has been restored as the Emir Caka Art Gallery.

Thermal baths offer a health-oriented escape from modern life.

Excellent shopping for the finest quality carpets, leather goods, as well as souvenir items is also possible. At night, a lively, fun atmosphere pervades the town, especially in the restaurants, cafes, bars and discos along the promenade. Cesme hosts an annual International Song Contest in the summer. Yachts can be hired to explore the peninsula’s splendid coastline. Also, ferries make the run from “Cesme” to Venice on a weekly basis.

The very popular holiday center of Ilica boasts an excellent white

sandy beach and the outstanding facilities of the Altin Yunus Marina and Holiday Complex. The bay here is ideal for water sports, especially windsurfing and sailing. The thermal baths around Ilica are very popular, the best being located on Sifne Bay. Pasa Limani (Pasha Harbor) also has a campsite which offers comfortable

facilities. In Ilica Bay, the colorful International Cakabey Optimist Yacht Race is held every year in July.

Ildiri, a quiet seaside village 20 km northeast of “Cesme” was ancient Erythrai. Those who climb up to the Acropolis at dusk are rewarded with a beautiful sunset over the bay and islands. Nearby Gerence Gulf is a pristine inlet northeast of the Cesme Peninsula which can be reached by yacht or car.

The natural surroundings are relaxing while the bay is ideal

A&T Travel Magazine

Cover Story An impressive medieval castle built by the Knights of Rhodes guards the entrance to the dazzling blue bay of Bodrum, where the Aegean and the Mediterranean Seas meet. This charming town attracts a diverse population of vacationers who stroll along its long, palmlined waterfront, while elegant yachts crowd the marina.

Not far from town, you can swim in absolutely clear, tideless, warm seas. Underwater divers, especially, will want to explore the numerous reefs, caves and majestic rock formations. The waters offer up multicolored sponges of all shapes and sizes, and an immense variety of other aquatic life, including octopus. for water sports. In Dalyan, a fishing village built on a sheltered deep water inlet just north of “Cesme” some of the region’s best fish restaurants border the quay of the lively marina.

Tourists are attracted by the variety of accommodations at Ciftlik and by a long, sandy beach (Pirlanta Plaj), just outside the town to the southwest. Tursite camping facilities are available to the south, and nearby is one of the area’s best beaches, the Altinkum Plaj (Golden Sand Beach). Windmills, some of which have been converted into attractive restaurants, dot the hill above Alacati, a delightful and typical Aegean town. Alacati lies to the south inland from Ilica and

The reputation of Bodrum’s boat yards dates back to ancient times. Today, craftsmen still build traditional boats: the tirhandil with a pointed bow and stern, and the gulette with a broad beam and rounded stern. The latter are especially used for excursions and pleasure trips, and in the annual October Bodrum Cup Race.

the coast. A couple kilometers to the south is a good beach. Many lovely bays along the coast southeast of the town are accessible only by yacht, ensuring peaceful and relaxing anchorage in this popular sailing region.

Known in ancient times as Clazomenae, Urla Iskelesi offers a marina as well as plentiful accommodation in all price ranges. Restaurants on the top of Guvendik hill afford a marvelous view of the bay and its islands.

The prosperous little fishing village of Cesmealti is notable for its simple yet excellent fish restaurants.

Bodrum, Endless Nightlife A&T Travel Magazine

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Cover Story

Yacht Race, Bodrum walks through the orange and tangerine groves bordering the beach.

Ortakent has one of the longest stretches of sandy beach in the area and offers an ideal place for relaxing in solitude. One of the most beautiful beaches on the Bodrum peninsula is Karaincir, ideal for active days by the sea and relaxed evenings with local villagers.

Finally, Akyarlar enjoys a well-deserved reputation for the fine, powdery sand of its beach.

Turgutreis, Gumusluk and Yalikavak, all with excellent beaches, lie on the western side of the peninsula and are ideal for swimming, sunbathing and water sports. Gumusluk Beach is a blue-flag beach.

The yearly throng of visitors has encouraged small entrepreneurs to make shopping in Bodrum a delight. Leather goods of all kinds, natural sponges and the local blue glass beads are among the bargains to be found in the friendly little shops along the narrow, white- walled streets. Charming boutiques offer kilims, carpets, sandals and embroidery as well as original fashions in soft cotton fabric. Bodrum has gained the reputation as the center of the Turkish art community with its lively, friendly and Bohemian atmosphere and many small galleries. This community has encouraged an informal day time life style and a nightlife full of excitement. The evenings in Bodrum are for sitting idly in one of the many restaurants, dining on fresh seafood and other Aegean specialties. Afterwards, daytime night clubs (some with cabaret) and superb discos keep you going until dawn.

Bodrum, known in ancient times as Halicarnassus, was the birthplace of Heredotus and the site of the tomb of King Mausolus (4th century B.C.), which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In the harbor, the Bodrum Castle, or the medieval castle of St. Peter, is a fine example of 15th-century Crusader architecture. It has been converted into the Museum of Underwater Archeology, with remains dating as far back as the Bronze Age. The stunning panoramic view from Goktepe, nearby, is much photographed by those who visit the second-century theater there.

In Turgutreis, the birthplace of a great Turkish admiral for whom it is named, you will find a monument honoring him. In the ancient port of Myndos (Gumusluk) you can easily make many friends from among the hospitable and outgoing local populace. In Yalikavak, white- washed houses with cascading bougainvillaea line narrow

The beautiful Bodrum Peninsula suits holiday makers interested in a subdued and relaxing atmosphere. Enchanting villages, with guest-houses and small hotels on quiet bays, dot the peninsula.

On the southern coast, Bardakci, Gumbet, Bitez, Aktur, Ortakent Yalisi, Karaincir, Bagla and Akyarlar have fine, sandy beaches (Bitez, Ortakent and Aktur are blue-flag beaches). Campers and windsurfers enjoy Gumbet, and at Bitez colorful sailboards weave skillfully among the masts of yachts in the bay. On shore you can enjoy quiet

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Cover Story streets. Small cafes and the occasional windmill make it a picturesque setting.

The north coast of the peninsula Torba, Turkbuku, Golkoy and Gundogan - can be seen by road or, even better, hire a boat and crew to explore the quiet coves, citrus groves and wooded islands.

Little windmills which are still used to grind grain crown the surrounding hills covered in olive trees. Torba, a modem village with holiday villas and a nice marina is located 8 km north of Bodrum. Golkoy and Turkbuku are small and simple fishing villages with a handful of taverns overlooking a lovely bay.

After a boat trip to Karaada, half an hour from Bodrum, you can bathe in the grotto where warm mineral waters flowing out of the rocks are believed to beautify the complexion.

The translucent and deep waters of the Gulf of Gokova, off the southern shore of the Bodrum peninsula vary from the darkest blue to the palest turquoise, and the coastline is thickly wooded in

every hue of green. In the evening, the sea reflects the mountains silhouetted against the setting sun, and at night it shimmers with phosphorescence.

You can take a yacht tour or hire a boat from Bodrum for a two, three or seven-day tour of the gulf.

The Gulf of Gulluk, and harbor of the same name, lie north of the Bodrum peninsula on the Aegean. The mythological Dolphin Boy is said to have been born a little farther to the north at Kiyikislacik (lassos). South of Gulluk, Varvil, ancient Bargilya, sits at the end of a deep narrow inlet surrounded by hillsides covered in olive trees.

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Inland from Gulluk, is Milas, ancient Mylasa, known for its beautiful carpets - a century old tradition which continues today. The weavers rarely mind a visitor watching them at work. Plenty of old Turkish houses with carved timbers and latticed windows provide examples of the local architectural style. Gumuskesen, a memorial tomb, thought to be a small copy of the famous Halicarnassus Mausoleum, stands west of the city.

Must Do The Blue Voyage in Bodrum, Gökova The pioneers of the blue voyage were two famous Turkish writers, Cevat Sakir Kabaagacli (better known as Fisherman of Halicarnassus) and Sabahattin Eyüboglu, and their circle of friends. They set out in a fishing boat from Bodrum to explore the shores to the south, beginning with the Gulf of Gökova, aiming to seek the roots of Anatolian Turkish culture in the ancient settlements of this part of Ionia.

True to its spirit, the ideal itinerary for a Blue Voyage must allow you to best penetrate the sense and soul of places where you anchor. So, instead of rushing from one spot to the next, a program has to strike a balance between the time spent at sea, the time passed in various bays, villages or ancient sites and the time required to enjoy them. For those on a private cruise, we recommend an itinerary visiting as many places as possible without making the cruise tiresome. Cabin charter tours are scheduled in accordance with this philosophy, as

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Cover Story well.

The Blue Voyage offers the best possible escape on the water: a means of forgetting the rigors of everyday life for a while and just letting go of time. Most of yachts are of the traditional wooden variety, built in Bodrum. On a week week cruise, travellers sail along the GĂśkova coast, through crystal clear waters frequented by schools of dolphins and into quiet bays, the harbors of small, picturesque villages and many a historic port.

Between the beginning of May and the end of September, Turkey is extra busy with the height of summer bringing millions to the coastal regions. July and August days are long and hot and the nights are warm. June, the beginning of July and all of September offer a better combination, with warm days and cool evenings. The water in September can be especially warm in places. The months of May and October offer excellent sailing conditions and the opportunity to go trekking or fishing.

A sample tour Day 1 - Arrival to yacht .

Day 2 - Arrival to Orak Island reminds an endless aquarium with sparkling turquoise waters, after a good breakfast on yacht anchored in harbour. After swimming and lunch, arrival to Cokertme where cheerful and friendly people live. That has been the place of songs of a nice fishermen village.

Day 3 A wonderful day in Yedi Adalar (seven islands) where coral reefs are. Surfing, diving, snorkeling, sunbathing, fishing, swimming, lunch and sleeping a crazy-lazy day. You will be in Longoz natural harbour for the lunch. We will sail to Karacasogut for the dinner. If you wish you can visit Marmaris by minibus (Arrive in 25 minutes) till the dinner time.

Day 4 - Arrival to Sedir Island where the coast and the antique city is in the shape of a horseshoe. Ruins from roman era are in golden beaches where Anthonius and Cleopatra had a great love.

Day 5 - Breakfast and departure to Paradise Bay named English Harbour surrounded by rosariums and pine forests. That reminds a lake where english war ships burrowed.

Day 6 - After breakfast, when your yacht is getting closer to another tip of cap we bet your admiration will be increased as you will find yourself in a blanket like sea and colours festivity.

The name of this marvellous natural harbour is Longoz. You can spend the rest of day by swimming as well as you may wish a walk thourgh the pine forest. The most quiet overnight waits for you in Tuzla Bay. Day 7 - After breakfast in Tuzla, arrival to Papuc Bay for the lunch.

Arrival to Kara Island for mud bathes and continue to Bodrum harbour. Dinner and staying night at the harbour.

Day 8 - After breakfast, it’s time for check-out

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Exhibition ATM-Dubai ‘11

ATM-Dubai ‘11 Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2011 the region’s leading travel industry showcase, welcomed over 2,200 exhibitors from 69 countries, covering more than 20,000 square meters of floor space, highlighting the underlying strength of the regional tourism industry.

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According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), the Middle East currently receives more than 36 million visitors per year, with this figure set to climb to 69 million tourists by 2020, an average growth rate of 6.7% even before factoring in the substantial positive impact of Qatar’s successful 2022 FIFA World Cup bid. In the UAE, the number of hotel guests in Dubai grew by 10.7% during 2010, while Abu Dhabi saw visitor growth of 18% in 2010.

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Exhibition ATM-Dubai ‘11

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Exhibition EMITT 2012

EMITT – Istanbul Held 9 – 12 February 2012 World travel and tourism industry representatives from over 60 countries gathered in Istanbul for the world’s 5th largest tourism exhibition in the world.

The East Mediterranean International Travel & Tourism Exhibition (EMITT) held 9 – 12 February 2012 at Tüyap Exhibition Center, in Beylikdüzü, Istanbul. Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister who opened the exhibition on February 9, said that Europe’s ongoing economic crisis is forcing the Turkish tourism industry to seek new markets to reduce its dependence on its current markets.

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“We foresee that the European market could become saturated in the coming year, so we are trying to branch out to new markets,” said Günay at the opening of the East Mediterranean International Travel & Tourism Exhibition (EMITT). “This is why the upcoming Arab Tourism Union meeting in Bursa is important and we will hold a similar meeting in Turkey’s Black Sea region in a few years.”

“Istanbul is not only important in the world because of its history, but also for its art and cultural activities. It’s not just Istanbul though, but also Antalya and Muğla,” added Günay.

This year’s fair is being attended by 4,500 participants from 62 different countries.

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Exhibition EMITT 2012

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May 2012 31

Aviation

Etihad Airways Partners with Abercrombie & Kent

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tihad Airways and Abercrombie & Kent have forged a new strategic partnership to offer guests luxury travel experiences in 50 destinations around the world.

These carefully-crafted itineraries will be marketed in the United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, USA and Australia, supported by co-

branded brochures. Packages will combine the award-winning hospitality of Etihad Airways flights with customized Abercrombie & Kent travel services.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Commercial Officer, said: “This exciting new partnership combines the best of both worlds, uniting the world’s leading airline with the leading bespoke travel company to offer exceptional services to the discerning traveller.

“With this new alliance, Abu Dhabi will be featured as an exciting new destination for Abercrombie & Kent clients. This is yet another testament to the emergence of the Emirate as a luxury and adventure travel destination.” Abercrombie & Kent founder, chairman and CEO, Geoffrey Kent, said: “We share a common vision with Etihad Airways: a commitment to excellence and personalized service. Our guests are experience seekers; educated, active, accomplished connoisseurs who enjoy the good life and insist on the best the world has to offer.”

From cosmetics and fragrances to watches, jewellery, gifts, electronic products, travel and fashion accessories, the airline has introduced a wider selection of items than ever before for the discerning traveller.

Features of the magazine include an exciting collection of over 160 items, of which 80 are new products included for the first time, 20 are best selling items, as well as 11 products exclusively available onboard Qatar Airways.

The exceptionally popular promotion ‘Save US$ 15 when you buy any two fragrances’ is back again this year, giving passengers great value for money on inflight purchases.

Qatar Airways Inflight Duty Free Senior Vice-President Keith Hunter said that the latest magazine featured the most extensive range of products ever available onboard.

“We are delighted to introduce our new onboard Duty Free magazine and once again we have put together some exciting products at highly competitive prices,” he said.

“In recognition of the huge success of our onboard duty free programme, Qatar Airways was recently named Inflight Retailer of the Year at the prestigious Frontier Awards in Cannes. After this, more and more of the world’s leading brands have shown keen interest to be a part of the airline’s onboard shopping experience.”

Some key products introduced are popular Japanese Shisiedo skin care products, sophisticated brand new collections from Emporio Armani watches, Faber Castell writing instruments, Ajmal Perfumes and an exclusive Bvlgari Miniature collection to name a few.

Best selling items being continued this year include Lancome, Christian Dior and La Prairie cosmetics and skin care products and the very popular Russian trio set from Buckley Jewellery.

“Qatar Airways Inflight Duty Free magazine Shopping Extravaganza has always been regarded by our passengers as one of the finest in quality and product range. We would like to thank our passengers for their continued patronage and look forward to surpassing their expectations in the years to come,” added Hunter.

The Shopping Extravaganza magazine is available in the seat pocket onboard all Qatar Airways’ flights

Etihad Airways Offers 20 % off Early Summer Air Fares

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tihad Airways has revived its popular “Up, Up and Away” sales promotion, offering Coral Economy Class at special pre-summer fares of 20 per cent off.

The promotional fares are available for purchase within the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, until April 5, valid for travel between April 10 and May 31. On offer are more than 20 destinations across the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Far East and Australia.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Commercial Officer, said: “Last year’s ‘Up, Up and Away’ sale was a huge success with our guests and an indicator that the early summer season is a popular time to take advantage of attractively priced travel deals. We are very excited to revive this offer for our guests and offer them yet another opportunity to book a fantastic holiday with Etihad Airways at great value.”

To purchase the “Up, Up and Away” fares, visit etihad.com, Etihad retail shops or call Etihad Airways on +971 (0)2 599 0000. The fares can also be booked through local travel agents.

Qatar Airways Unveils New Inflight Duty Free Magazine

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atar Airways’ award-winning onboard duty free programme has introduced the latest issue of its inflight duty free magazine, Shopping Extravaganza, featuring the widest ever range of products available for sale onboard.

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Aviation

Emirates Upgrades More Aircraft in Germany

Al Ghaith said: “The simplicity of flydubai’s visa services helps UAE residents make travel for their relatives and friends a little less stressful.

By offering this service in the same location as ticket sales, the whole booking process becomes simple and convenient, encouraging them to travel more often.”

The flydubai Travel Shop is located on Al Ittihad Road in Deira, Dubai, and is open from 08:00 to 20:00 Saturday to Thursday. For more information, visit flydubai.com. flydubai has a simple model where customers only pay for services they want to receive. Fares are inclusive of all taxes plus one piece of hand luggage weighing up to 7kg and one small laptop bag or hand bag.

Checked baggage starts at AED 50 for 20kgs. A seat with extra legroom costs AED100. flydubai operates from the modernised Terminal 2 building on the north side of Dubai International Airport.

EGYPTAIR Optimizes Network Planning

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mirates is investing further in Germany by upgrading the aircraft serving Munich , Dusseldorf and Frankfurt.

The Airbus 340-300 currently deployed on one of Munich’s two daily flights, EK 051, will be replaced with a larger Boeing 777-300 from 25th March, giving a 36% boost to seat capacity.

Similarly, the A340-300 supporting one of the twice daily flights to Dusseldorf, EK 057, will be switched to a 777-300ER as of 1st June, giving a 36% increase in the number of seats available.

Additionally, the A330-200 serving one of Frankfurt’s three daily flights, EK 043, will be upgraded to a 777-300ER from 1st October, giving a 49% boost in seat capacity.

The 777 aircraft will be arranged, as before, in a three class configuration; First Class, Business Class and Economy Class.

The airline currently offers 63 flights a week to four gateways in Germany; Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich.

flydubai Celebrates Visa Sales & Services

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lydubai, Dubai’s innovative low cost airline, was joined by officials from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs-Dubai (GDRFA-D) at the flydubai Travel Shop to celebrate a successful first three months of in-house visa sales & services. flydubai’s CEO, Ghaith Al Ghaith and CCO Hamad Obaidalla were joined by Major General Mohammed Al Marri and Brigadier Salah Saif bin Suloom from GDRFA-D for a cake cutting ceremony as flydubai added mobile visas to its list of services at the Travel Shop. UAE residents can also apply for tourist, short- and long-term, 96-hours, and service visas for their relatives and friends travelling on flydubai to the UAE. Major General Al Marri said: “The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai continuously strives to provide the best services for travellers to enjoy their time in Dubai, whether visiting for business or leisure. With an increasing number of visitors to the UAE, the flydubai Travel Shop works closely with us to process all visa needs from applications to providing a copy of the approved visa and helping tourists extend their stay in the country.”

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n pursuit for achieving the highest network planning revenues and customer satisfaction, EGYPTAIR has opted for NetLine/Plan, the IT provider’s solution to manage the route network. This enables the national airline of Egypt to raise the revenue and earnings potential of its network and increase profitability by up to five percent.

With the modern technology and user-friendly architecture of NetLine/ Plan, EGYPTAIR can adapt its schedules to market demand. NetLine/ Plan generates optimal schedules by simulating new connections and forecasting passenger flows, costs and revenues. This will make it possible for the airline to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the network and act accordingly.

NetLine/Plan gives EGYPTAIR the ability to modify its flight plans in order to increase the overall capacity utilization of its aircraft. The airline can also generate additional demand by offering optimized transfer connections and codeshare flights. Finally, the solution offers significant economic benefits through increased revenues and improved load factors.

More than 50 airlines around the world have already opted for a NetLine solution.

“EGYPTAIR is looking towards applying the best solutions for network planning optimization. We are looking for innovative ways for improving profitability and reduce operational costs” Captain Ayman Nasr, EGYPTAIR AIRLINES Chairman & CEO commented.

“Our positive experience with solutions from Lufthansa Systems encouraged us to opt for a NetLine product to optimize our network planning. NetLine/Plan gives us even better control over our growing route network and our cooperation with partner airlines,” says Yasser Elramly, Vice President Commercial at Egyptair from his side.

“With EGYPTAIR we can fully implement the integration of several systems to optimize the overall benefit. NetLine/Plan and the SchedConnect codeshare management system already being used by Egyptair are part of our Integrated Commercial Platform (ICP) that covers all of an airline’s network and revenue management processes.” explains Peter Ahnert, Senior Vice President Regional Management Middle East and Africa at Lufthansa Systems. Besides these planning solutions, Egyptair is also already using the Sirax AirFinance platform and the Lido/ Flight flight planning solution.

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Aviation

Royal Jordanian Suspends Operations

attractive for business travellers and holidaymakers alike,” said Hartmut Mehdorn, CEO airberlin, who himself flew on the inaugural flight AB7494 to Abu Dhabi.

Gulf Air Announces Promotional Fares

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oyal Jordanian’s Board of Directors took the decision to suspend operations to five destinations on its route network in order to reduce the operating costs brought up by the soaring fuel prices and to offset the decline in tourism to the region, the outcome of the Arab spring and the political unrest.

RJ President/CEO Hussein Dabbas said the company suspends operations to Brussels, Munich and Alain starting with March and April respectively, and to two other destinations in the Gulf area, to be announced at a later time. The decision was based on the assessment of the performance and economic feasibility of these stations.

Dabbas added that in order to reduce costs, the company has also decided to reduce the number of frequencies to destinations like Rome, Vienna, Zurich, Geneva, Amsterdam, Colombo and Khartoum.

The company will cancel more flights during this year, to be decided by the amount of bookings to certain destinations, and will keep tight control on all aspects of capital expenditure. It stopped employing new personnel in 2012, focusing on increasing staff productivity. These measures, stressed Dabbas, will not affect in any way the level of services provided to passengers.

airberlin Started Flights from Berlin to Abu Dhabi

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ulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, announced promotional fares for group bookings from its two recently launched Italian cities Milan and Rome to travel to any of its GCC, Middle East and Asia destinations via the airline’s Bahrain hub.

The promotional fares are available for booking and travel between now and are valid for travel until 31 May 2012. Travel agents will be able to book travellers while enjoying a consistent flat promotional rate for the mentioned time period.

“We are strengthening our presence in the Italian market , where we have seen encouraging response and this new strategy is aimed at boosting our collaboration with our Italian travel agents, who are an important link in our business. Passengers leaving from Milano Malpensa Airport in Milan and Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in Rome will be able to experience the convenient and hassle-free ticket issuing of a pre-defined rate through this group booking.” Said Mr. Marco Fontana, Gulf Air’s Country Manager for Italy.

Fares for groups leaving Milan and Rome to Bahrain start from €199; to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries from €249; and to all Gulf Air destinations in North Africa, Asia and Indian Subcontinent, fares start from €299 excluding taxes.

Turkish Airlines Begins Service to Mogadishu

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urkish Airlines will add Mogadishu, Somalia to its growing network, operating twice weekly via Khartoum.

Flights will depart on Tuesday and Thursday from its Istanbul hub, Atatürk Airport, and return from Mogadishu on Wednesday and Friday.

Roundtrip airfares from Istanbul to Mogadishu are now available with fares starting from 426 Euros including taxes and fees for the travels starting before April 7th, 2012.

Star Alliance member Turkish Airlines currently flies to 189 destinations, including 149 international and 40 domestic lines, with joining the Mogadishu flights to its flight network, the airline will reach to 190 destinations worldwide.

n Sunday evening, Hartmut Mehdorn, CEO airberlin, officially opened the new route between the German capital city and Abu Dhabi. airberlin now flies four times a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday) non-stop from Berlin to Abu Dhabi with its Airbus A330-200. The new connection also marks the start of the codeshare agreement between the two airlines, initially covering selected flights in the network of both airlines.

“This strategic partnership with Etihad Airways not only opens up unique opportunities for the future for airberlin, it also brings a number of benefits for our passengers in terms of access to new routes, including our new all-year-round direct connection to Abu Dhabi. This flight is integrated into Etihad’s hub system in Abu Dhabi, so we are in a position to offer excellent connections, for example to Asia and Australia.

Passengers coming from Abu Dhabi will have access to the numerous connecting flights operated by airberlin, both to destinations in Germany and also to Austria, Scandinavia and Switzerland. This makes the flight

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