Travel Trade Weekly Issue 241 by Travel Trade Publications

21 JUNE 2014

ISSUE 241

Doha Hosts IATA AGM Nearly 1,000 industry professionals attended the International Air Transport Association (IATA)â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 70th annual general meeting (AGM) and World Transport Summit 2014 in Doha.

Nakheel has signed a letter of intent with Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts for the management of a luxury hotel in The Palm Tower on Palm Jumeirah.

06 Radisson Blu Hotel Dhahran Opens Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has further expanded its footprint in Saudi Arabia with the launch of Radisson Blu Hotel Dhahran.

08 IN THIS ISSUE MARKET UPDATE WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION AIR INTERNATIONAL AGENT'S CORNER TRAVEL TALK WHO'S MOVED TRAVEL CHANNELS RENDEZVOUS NEWS & EVENTS

02 03 07 10 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Palm Jumeirah to Welcome New Shangri-La Hotel

MARKET UPDATE

TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS

MENA EXCHANGE RATES

MANAGING EDITOR Mary Kammitsi mary@traveltradeweekly.travel SENIOR JOURNALIST Rita Kasziba JOURNALIST Maria Kazeli PRESS Maria Demetriadou Pauline Shahabian DESIGN & LAYOUT Elena Stylianou WEB DEVELOPER / IT Soteris Constantinou DIRECTORS Andreas Constantinides Mary Kammitsi HEADQUARTERS T.T.W. Travel Trade Weekly LTD P.O. Box 25255, Nicosia, 1308, Cyprus Tel: +357 22 021607, Fax: +357 22 103607 WEBSITE www.traveltradeweekly.travel EMAILS info@traveltradeweekly.travel sales@traveltradeweekly.travel editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel

Accurate as of

20/06/2014 Currencies shown in red are fixed against the US Dollar

COUNTRY

CURRENCY

1USD=

UAE (AED)

Dirham

3.67

Egypt (EGP)

Pound

7.15

Saudi Arabia (SAR)

Riyal

3.75

Lebanon (LBP)

Pound

1,508.63

Bahrain (BHD)

Dinar

0.37

Jordan (JOD)

Dinar

0.71

Syria (SYP)

Pound

149.10

Kuwait (KWD)

Dinar

0.28

Qatar (QAR)

Riyal

3.64

Oman (OMR)

Rial

0.38

Tunisia (TND)

Dinar

1.67

Morocco (MAD)

Dirham

8.24

Iran (IRR)

Riyal

25,636.00

Yemen (YER)

Rial

214.96

Algeria (DZD)

Dinar

79.68

Libya (LYD)

Dinar

1.21

MEA: RevPAR Soars in April The Middle East and Africa (MEA) region recorded a RevPAR of USD119.89 in April, up 9.4 percent year-on-year.

uring the month under review, occupancy levels in MEA rose two percent to 67 percent, while average daily rate (ADR) jumped 7.2 percent to USD178.93. Ιt is noteworthy that in Manama and Abu Dhabi occupancy improved 17.9 percent and 13.3 percent to 60.1 percent and to 79.2 percent respectively, and three markets achieved ADR growth of more than 10 percent, including Muscat, Dubai and Jeddah, while five destinations registered double-digit RevPAR increase: Muscat, Abu Dhabi, Amman, Dubai and Jeddah.

Emaar to Sell 25 Percent of Malls Business Emaar Properties announced its intention for a primary listing of Emaar Malls Group on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM). The listing is expected to add significant value to the bourse and drive more foreign direct investment to the country to boost its overall competitiveness. “The malls business is one of our high-performing subsidiaries, and the proposed listing on DFM will enable the business to achieve its true potential,” commented Mohamed Alabbar, chairman, Emaar Properties. In 2013, Emaar Properties’ flagship mall asset, The Dubai Mall, welcomed 75 million visitors, while footfall for the first three months of the year stood at 21 million. The Dubai Mall

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WEEKLY NEWS New Switzerland Visa Application Centre in Kuwait City In a bid to cater to the growing demand of Switzerlandbound travellers in the region, the government of Switzerland and VFS Global Group have launched a new visa application centre in Kuwait City. As of June 1, all Shengen visa applications for the European country from applicants residing in Kuwait are being handled by VFS Global Group, the outsourcing and technology services specialist for diplomatic missions and governments worldwide. Located in the Al-Qiblah area of Kuwait City, the centre is manned by professional and responsive employees who speak Arabic as well as the official Swiss languages, making the application process smooth and hassle-free. The same group also works with the governments of Austria, Greece and Spain.

Profitability Plummets in Sharm El Sheikh Sharm El Sheikh hotels struggled to remain afloat in April, figures published in TRI Hospitality Consultingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HotStats report show. During the month under review, average room rates fell 13.3 percent to USD44.57, while occupancy levels dropped eight percentage points to 62.5 percent, resulting in a 23.2 percent decline in RevPAR to USD27.84. As Peter Goddard, managing director, TRI Hospitality Consulting, noted, during April, visitor numbers to Egypt fell 22 percent, driven by a significant drop from European source markets which comprise 80 percent of demand. Sharm El Sheikh

New Kuwait Facility

Thailand Welcomes Omani Travel Agents The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dubai and Middle East office and Oman Air organised a familiarisation trip for Omani travel agents. The five-day TAT/Oman Air Frontline Staff FAM Trip 2014 allowed professionals to visit a number of hotels and attractions in Bangkok and Hua Hin and, as Chalermsak Suranant, director, Dubai and Middle East, TAT, noted, to ascertain them that the Asian country remains a safe destination. In 2013, Thailand attracted 627,435 visitors from the Middle East, most of whom travelled from the UAE.

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WEEKLY NEWS

IATA: Healthy Increase in Demand for April The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced global passenger traffic results for April showing that passenger demand growth has accelerated, with total revenue passenger kilometres rising 7.5 percent year-on-year. International capacity rose 6.9 percent and load factor climbed 1.2 percentage points to 79 percent. Airlines in all regions recorded growth but the strongest gains were registered among Middle East carriers, with demand soaring 18.6 percent in the month under review. Capacity climbed 13.1 percent and load factor jumped 3.8 points to 80.8 percent, as airlines in the region continue to benefit from the strength of regional economies and solid growth in business-related premium travel. African airlines had the weakest demand growth, possibly due to adverse economic developments in some parts of the continent, including the slowdown of the major economy of South Africa.

Jeddah Airport to Open Early 2015 The new King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah is progressing according to plans with the latest technologies being installed to serve airlines and travellers, including the passenger complex building, baggage handling system and automated people mover. The above indicate that the project will be completed on schedule by the end of the year and operations will start within the first six months of 2015, as H.E. Faisal Bin Hamad Alsugair, deputy head, General Authority for Civil Aviation, Saudi Arabia, revealed at a recent site visit where he was accompanied by H.R.H. Prince Mishal Bin Majid Bin Abdulaziz, governor of Jeddah.

Dubai’s Summer Surprises for GCC Visitors

Summer Surprises in Dubai

In a bid to highlight Dubai’s range of attractions and array of events and shopping offers, the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has organised a seven-city roadshow across the GCC region. The initiative, which was aimed at promoting the ‘Summer in Dubai’ programme, kicked off at the beginning of June in Saudi Arabia and also covered Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain. DTCM formed partnerships with eight major travel agents across these countries in order to market the destination and create tailored flight and hotel packages, enabling visitors to experience Dubai’s luxury offering at competitive prices.

21 JUNE 2014

WEEKLY NEWS Sharjah on Russian Promotion Tour In line with its endeavours to capture a bigger share of the Russian market, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) organised a five-day promotion programme in Russia. As H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, director general, SCTDA, noted, the Russian market has shown consistent year-on-year growth, peaking at 29 percent in the first quarter of the year. The Sharjah delegation included representatives from Air Arabia, Coral Beach Resort Sharjah, Centro Sharjah by Rotana and Sharjah Rotana. The tour, which included stops on Moscow, Kazan, Yekaterinburg and Rostov, was SCTDA’s last overseas roadshow before Ramadan.

21 JUNE 2014

Dubai Shopping Strip to Rival Rodeo Drive and Champs-Élysées DAMAC Properties has revealed plans to develop a shopping and entertainment strip in Dubai, inspired by Beverly Hills’ famous Rodeo Drive and Paris’ Champs-Élysées. AKOYA Drive, hailed as one of the most expansive shopping experience in the emirate, will stretch 1.3km and will include high-end food and beverage and retail shopping outlets, outdoor cinemas, an ice-skating rink, kids entertainment areas and various other locations, creating a vibrant focal point for residents of AKOYA by DAMAC golf community and tourists alike. “AKOYA Drive is what everyone in Dubai has been waiting for,” asserted Niall McLoughlin, senior vice president, DAMAC Properties, adding that the new project is expected to become the place to meet friends, entertain and get away from it all. AKOYA Drive

WEEKLY NEWS

New Troon Venue to Host Prestigious Event The announcement that The National Azerbaijan Golf Club has been selected to organise an addition to this year’s European Tour has further strengthened the championship credentials of Troon, the upscale golf course management, development and marketing company, as its venues continue to be chosen to host various events. The National Azerbaijan Golf Club, located in Quba in the northwest of the country, is the first golf facility of the destination, which under the professional stewardship of Troon is forging the foundations for sustainable golf developments in the destination. According to Philip Henderson, general manager, The National Azerbaijan Golf Club, the inaugural Azerbaijan Challenge Open, which will take place in July, will give the team the perfect opportunity to firmly place Azerbaijan on the golfing map.

Doha Hosts IATA AGM

Tony Tyler and Akbar Al Baker, CEO, Qatar Airways

Nearly 1,000 industry professionals attended the International Air Transport Association (IATA)’s 70th annual general meeting (AGM) and World Transport Summit 2014 in Doha. This was the first time that the AGM took place in the Middle East, where, as Tony Tyler, director general, IATA, pinpointed, aviation supports some two million jobs and USD116 billion in economic activity. “[Regional] carriers, including Qatar Airways, have been at the core of a major shift in global aviation. In just over a decade, the share of global traffic accounted for by Middle East airlines increased from four percent to nine percent,” added Tyler. Prominent issues discussed during the three-day event included aviation safety, financial viability and environmental sustainability.

MEBAA Event in Tunisia The Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) has chosen Tunisia as the host country for the next edition of its regional event. Running between September 10 – 11, the Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Conference (MEBAC) aims to unite the region’s business aviation industry and shed light on the common challenges and latest trends, as well as the main issues surrounding North Africa’s market, such as fixed-base operation problems and regulatory framework.

21 JUNE 2014

Accommodation

New Luxury Resort on Saadiyat Island Sheikh Suroor Projects Department (SSPD) and Ghantoot Group have signed an agreement for the development of a luxury beach resort on Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi. The partnership marks the beginning of the AED860 million (USD234 million) Saadiyat Island Resort Development project, due to be completed by the end of 2017. Designed by DBI Design, the architects behind the Etihad Towers development in Abu Dhabi, the luxury resort will consist of a low-rise 295-key hotel of four wings, a standalone spa and wellness centre, gym and state-of-the-art meeting rooms, and guests will also be able to take advantage of 11 luxury two-storey villas.

Hilton Introduces New Brand: Curio

Curio - A Collection by Hilton

Hilton Worldwide has launched Curio – A Collection by Hilton, a new brand created for travellers seeking local discovery and authentic experiences. Curio is envisioned to become a carefully selected, global collection of distinctive four- and five-star hotels, with each property being different from the next one. The hotel company has already signed letters of intent for a number of projects, including SLS Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, The Sam Houston Hotel, Hotel Alex Johson, The Franklin Hotel and a soon-to-be-named development in Portland.

21 JUNE 2014

WEEKLY NEWS

Le Royal Beirut Promotes Lebanon in Jordan A team from Le Royal Beirut highlighted the property’s facilities and services as well as the Lebanese capital’s main attractions at a recent gala dinner at its sister property, Le Royal Amman. The event came in line with Le Royal Hotels & Resorts’ Lebanon, Star of the Middle East summer campaign, which features all kinds of experiences and packages with sightseeing tours, winery visits, shopping, religious tours and the true discovery of the country. The Lebanese delegation also unveiled two new summer packages; Romantic Escape in Beirut for honeymoons and wedding anniversaries, and the Overnight Summer Escape with access to the WaterGate Aquapark, which are expected to be especially attractive for Jordanian visitors.

WEEKLY NEWS

Accommodation

Accor Brings ibis to Jeddah Accor HotelServices Middle East has signed an agreement with Al Ahlam Holding to operate a new ibis branded property in Jeddah. Scheduled to be unveiled in 2018, ibis Madinah Road, Jeddah will have a prime and central location and will feature approximately 300 units, along with an all-day dining restaurant, lobby lounge and meeting rooms. As Christophe Landais, chief operating officer, Accor HotelServices Middle East, revealed, discussions to develop two ibis properties in the Kingdom began in 2011, and following the successful launch of ibis Yanbu earlier this year, the company is delighted to sign yet another hotel under the brand with Al Ahlam Holding. “The development of our fifth ibis hotel in the Kingdom is part of Accor’s commitment and effort to strengthen a much-needed and trusted value offering in Saudi Arabia,” concluded Landais.

Radisson Blu Hotel Dhahran Opens Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has further expanded its footprint in Saudi Arabia with the launch of Radisson Blu Hotel Dhahran. The upper upscale hotel, the company’s first project in the thriving business city, features 74 suites, and guests can also enjoy an outdoor swimming pool, spa, fitness centre, two meeting rooms, and all-day dining restaurant and a café. Wolfgang Neumann, CEO, The Rezidor Hotel Group, described Saudi Arabia as an important market for the company due to its strategic location in the Middle East. “With a rapidly growing population of nearly 30 million people, the Kingdom is the Gulf’s largest Arab country […], making it a highly lucrative market for the growth of our regional footprint,” added Neumann.

Radisson Blu Hotel Dhahran

Wyndham Adds Three Hotels in Turkey Wyndham Hotel Group has launched three new properties in Turkey, expanding the company’s footprint in the market to 30 hotels. The latest projects to join the group’s portfolio include Wyndham Istanbul Old City, Ramada Usak and Ramada Resort Akbuk, collectively adding a total of 740 units to the company’s existing 4,500-strong room count in the country. Rui Barros, senior vice president, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Indian Ocean, Wyndham Hotel Group, described Turkey as a strategic growth market for the hotelier. “We look forward to continuing meaningful relationships with both developers and consumers, who are more and more recognising the value of our powerful global brands,” added Barros.

21 JUNE 2014

Accommodation

Palm Jumeirah to Welcome New Shangri-La Hotel

New Shangri-La Hotel on Palm Jumeirah

Nakheel has signed a letter of intent with Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts for the management of a luxury hotel in The Palm Tower on Palm Jumeirah. Constructed at the heart of Dubai’s manmade archipelago, The Palm Tower is Nakheel’s new, five-star, 52-level hotel and residential complex that will be directly linked to Nakheel Mall and will comprise 504 high-end, furnished apartments and a luxury hotel with 290 rooms and suites, occupying the first 18 floors of the building. In addition, the project will also be home to an array of facilities, including a rooftop leisure and dining outlet with what is hailed as Dubai’s highest infinity pool.

City Seasons Hotels Launches Loyalty Scheme City Seasons Hotels has rolled out its loyalty programme to reward guests at all of the company’s six properties in the UAE and Oman. Travellers who enroll in the scheme will accumulate points which can be redeemed for free weekend stays and dinner vouchers amongst others. The launch of the initiative comes at a time when the company looks to further expand its footprint in the region. “City Seasons Hotels has definitely established its name in the market; therefore expansion is the only way forward,” stated Mohamed Al Aamri, managing director, City Seasons Hotels.

21 JUNE 2014

WEEKLY NEWS

DAMAC to Launch NAIA Hotel on AKOYA Drive In response to the positive response to the development of AKOYA Drive, the proposed 1.3km shopping strip in Dubai, DAMAC Properties has brought forward the launch of the first units of the project, including the first hotel. Slated for completion in the first quarter of 2018, the 28-storey NAIA Hotel – AKOYA Drive will comprise some 500 units, providing a 40 percent share in room revenue to owners. In addition to the hotel, the second building will feature NAIA hotel apartments managed by NAIA by DAMAC, offering spacious living with a range of facilities, including a gym, swimming pool, steam and sauna areas.

NAIA Hotel - AKOYA Drive

WEEKLY NEWS

Air

Qatar Airways: Nonstop to Zagreb Commencing October 1, Qatar Airways will offer nonstop flights from Doha to Zagreb three times wper week, providing a more convenient alternative to the current daily flights to the Croatian capital which fly via Budapest, Hungary and which will be also operated simultaneously. “In the two years since we began flying to Zagreb we have watched it grow into one of our most popular destinations in Europe. This is why I am so pleased that we are now able to provide our passengers with a new and more convenient option by offering a direct flight to this beautiful city direct from Doha,” said Akbar Al Baker, CEO, Qatar Airways.

Croation National Theatre, Zagreb

Cloud to Transform the Airport Experience In order to improve operational efficiencies, airports are increasingly indentifying the need to switch to next generation cloud systems, Amadeus’ recently published IT makes sense to share: Making the case for the cloud in Common Use airport technology insight paper reveals. According to the findings, rising business pressures require airports to make the most of their IT resources to operate effectively and collaboratively with airlines, while looking for alternative revenue streams. The paper also indicates that modernising approaches to common use systems is one way to mitigate these challenges in a world that has access to the latest models of cloud computing. “Airports around the globe need to look for new ways to compete and maximise the value of their resources amidst growing economic pressures,” stressed John Jarrell, head, airport IT, Amadeus.

ADIA: Passenger Traffic up 22.5 Percent Abu Dhabi International Airport (ADIA) handled 1,620,324 passengers is April, a year-on-year increase of 22.5 percent. Aircraft movements during the same month rose 16.4 percent to 12,240, while cargo activity jumped 16.6 percent to 60,059 tonnes. The top five routes serviced from ADIA included Bangkok, Manila, London Heathrow, Doha and Jeddah. As Ahmad Al Haddabi, chief operations officer, Abu Dhabi Airports, noted, presently the hub caters to more than 40 international airlines connecting the UAE capital with more than 96 destinations in over 54 countries.

Abu Dhabi International Airport

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Air

Bulgaria Air to Fly to Beirut Bulgaria Air is to commence seasonal services between Sofia and Beirut. Travellers looking to explore the Bulgarian or the Lebanese capital city during the summer months will be able to fly with the flag carrier between July 6 – August 31. During the period between July 6 – 22, the airline will operate twice weekly services from Sofia to Beirut on Fridays and Sundays, while between July 23 – August 15, one weekly flight will be offered on Fridays. Finally, passengers looking to travel from Bulgaria to Lebanon at the end of the summer will be able to choose from two weekly services between August 16 – 31 on Fridays and Sundays. Between July 7 – 23, the return flights will be operated every Saturday and Monday, during the period between July 24 – August 16 the aircraft will take off from Beirut on Saturdays, while between August 16 – September 1 passengers will have the choice to travel on Saturdays or Mondays. Beirut

Emirates Partners with Bulgaria Air Emirates has signed a cooperation agreement with Bulgaria Air. The new partnership between the Dubai-based airline and the national carrier of Bulgaria aims to ensure comfort and the highest level of services on intercontinental flights. In terms of the deal, the two airlines will jointly operate flights to New York and Dubai. Both routes will be carried out with one stopover with the New York services stopping in Milan, while the contact points for the Dubai operations will be Vienna, Athens, Larnaca, Milan, Rome, Amsterdam and Frankfurt. The two companies are also in the process of negotiations to add further destinations to their partnership.

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WEEKLY NEWS

QAIA Praised for Service Quality Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) has recorded significant improvements in nearly all 18 service and facility categories under the first quarterly Airport Service Quality (ASQ) survey, hailed as the world’s leading airport passenger satisfaction benchmark programme. According to Airport International Group (AIG), Jordan’s prime hub registered the highest score in improvements within various categories, including overall satisfaction with the airport, availability of baggage carts and trollies, efficiency of check-in staff, feeling of being safe and secure, and speed of baggage delivery service. QAIA also ranked 38th out of over 200 airports worldwide and received an overall satisfaction score of 4.42 out of the possible 5.0, showing notable improvement compared to 4.23 during the corresponding period in 2013.

WEEKLY NEWS

Air

Etihad Links Abu Dhabi and Los Angeles Etihad Airways has launched daily flights between Abu Dhabi and Los Angeles, its fourth destination in the US. James Hogan, president, Etihad Airways, described the American city as one of the world’s premier travel destinations and iconic cities. “The greater Los Angeles area has a diverse population of more than 18 million people, the second largest in the US, who can now access direct flights to Abu Dhabi and beyond into the Middle East and Indian subcontinent.” Etihad Airways will initially operate an Airbus A340-500 on the route, while from mid-July, the service will transition to a 777-200 LR. The national airline will later this year further expand its North American network with the inauguration of direct flights to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on December 3.

EGYPTAIR Express to Operate to Marsa Matrouh With the start of the summer season, EGYPTAIR Express announced the launch of two weekly flights to the costal Egyptian city of Marsa Matrouh, having started on June 15. The services, which originate from Cairo, are performed on Sundays and Thursdays, and flights are available for booking through EGYPTAIR’s website or its mobile apps. Marsa Matrouh is a Mediterranean seaport in Egypt located on the main highway from the Nile Delta to the Libyan border, and it serves as a getaway resort for Europeans and residents of Cairo in the summer months.

Los Angeles Launch

EGYPTAIR

Jazeera Airways Adds to Fleet

Jazeera Airways’ Team and the New Aircraft

Jazeera Airways Group took delivery of a brand new Airbus A320 aircraft in the manufacturer’s A320 facility in Hamburg, Germany, bringing the airline’s total fleet number to 15 aircraft and supporting the company’s long-term growth plans. The Kuwaiti low-cost carrier has received three new A320 planes in the last 12 months and as Marwan Boodai, chairman, Jazeera Airways Group, revealed, the company is already considering placing a new order as part of a phased modernisation programme. “Operating one of the Middle East’s youngest fleets is a core component to our customer offering,” emphasised Boodai. “This marks our 15th Airbus A320 delivery since 2005 and I thank partners for their great efforts in making every aircraft delivery a successful one,” he added.

21 JUNE 2014

Air

WEEKLY NEWS

Mahan Air Launches Services to Yerevan Iranian carrier, Mahan Air, pioneering in the expansion of its international route network, introduced new double-weekly flights to the Armenian capital city of Yerevan. The airline started flying its passengers to the destination on June 1 and will continue to do so on Sundays and Wednesdays each week. The services on this route will be operated by a modern Airbus aircraft. Armenia is located in the Caucasus region and Yerevan is also its largest city.

Yerevan, Armenia

Etihad Airways’ First Flight to Zurich Touches Down

Etihad Airways Lands in Zurich

Marking the start of Etihad Airway’s new daily nonstop service between Zurich and Abu Dhabi, flight EY073 was met with the customary water cannon welcome as it landed on schedule at the city’s airport on June 1. The new service builds upon the airline’s existing daily operations between the UAE capital and Geneva, launched on June 5, 2004, bringing the number of flights linking Abu Dhabi and Switzerland to 14 per week. The new Zurich - Abu Dhabi route is served by an Airbus A330-300 aircraft configured with eight seats in first class, 32 in business class and 191 in economy class.

21 JUNE 2014

RJ Steps up New York Services Royal Jordanian Airlines (RJ) has added two extra weekly flights to New York, bringing the number of scheduled services operating between Amman and the American city to six per week. The additional frequencies, which run via Montreal every Monday and Thursday, will be offered during the summer peak season in June and July, while starting August, the Jordanian carrier will operate five weekly services to John F. Kennedy International Airport. RJ was the first Arab carrier to inaugurate scheduled flights between the Middle East and New York in 1977. Today, the airline offers frequent direct services from Amman to North Africa using its wide-body Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft to popular destinations such as Chicago, Detroit, New York and Montreal.

New York

WEEKLY NEWS

International

Jumeirah Group to Enter Mauritius Jumeirah Group has signed a management agreement to operate a luxury resort in Mauritius, marking the company’s debut in the Indian Ocean destination. Slated for opening in 2018, the property will be set on 68.5ha of land, 50km from Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport and it will feature all-day dining and specialty restaurants, lounge and poolside bars, meeting and events space, spa facilities, a swimming pool, health club and dedicated areas for younger guests. Expressing excitement at entering yet another market, Gerald Lawless, CEO, Jumeirah Group, said, “Our track record in delivering the very best in luxury hospitality, combined with the success of our two other tropical island resorts – Jumeirah Vittaveli and Jumeirah Dhevanafushi in the Maldives – fills us with confidence that our guests will warmly welcome the addition of a property in Mauritius.”

Mövenpick Announces Third Property in India

Mövenpick Hotel Kochi

The new 167-room Mövenpick Hotel Kochi in the southern port city will increase Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts’ portfolio in India to three properties, including Mövenpick Hotel Bangalore and a planned spa resort in Dharamshala. The contemporary hotel, which hosts futuristic design elements and is scheduled to open towards the end of the year, is strategically located on the national highway bypass road around six kilometres from the city centre and 25km from Cochin International Airport. Among the six outlets count a speciality Keralite restaurant and a Pan-Asian dining venue, as well as a sky lounge bar and a modern pub.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company: First Hotel in Mumbai Following the recent opening of The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore in Karnataka, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has signed a long-term management agreement with a consortium led by Oberoi Realty and Sahana Group of Companies to open the first Ritz-Carlton-branded property in Mumbai. The 238-room newly built structure will be located in Worli, the heart of central Mumbai, offering views of the city’s skyline and is expected to open early 2017. The Ritz-Carlton, Mumbai forms part of a mixed-used development in an iconic high-rise tower with luxury residential spaces, while a second tower has been designated for luxury residential condominiums managed by the company.

21 JUNE 2014

AGENT'S CORNER

AGENT’S INSIGHT NAME: Fatma Offtada POSITION: Operations manager COMPANY: Nuzha Touristic Enterprises

Company

LOCATION: Kuwait WEB: www.nuzhatours.com

Who are you? My name is Fatma Offtada and I am the operations manager of Nuzha Touristic Enterprises Company. Since 2006 we have been the first established tourism company in Kuwait, with the determination to promote our beloved country as a tourist destination. It is a natural extension of our continuous efforts and goals to prove that Kuwait has hidden, unexplored potential in the tourism sector, because there are many beautiful places to visit and interesting things to do. What is your favourite thing about working in the travel industry? I love that I can have a lot of connections and meet people from different countries. That makes me more open-minded and respectful to other religions and their backgrounds while letting everyone know more about our country. When is the best time to visit Kuwait? It is from August till April. Where would you like to travel to for your next holiday? France. Why should people come to you for travel advice? We do care about the clients and want to make them feel at home.

Desert Biking

21 JUNE 2014

Travelport to Launch Online Travel Reward Scheme in the UAE Travelport has joined forces with Expedia Affiliate Network and Majid Al Futtaim Finance to launch Najm Voyager Rewards, what is hailed to be the UAE’s largest online travel rewards scheme. Najm Voyager Credit Card members will be allowed to spend their loyalty points on flights, hotels and car rentals at

competitive prices and will also gain access to holiday package deals. Moreover, they will enjoy choice and flexibility with realtime redemption of travel rewards anytime, from anywhere just by logging into a dedicated easy-to-use portal to make their bookings and redeem their loyalty points instantly.

Gulf Air Hosts Greek Travel Agent Networking Event

Participants at the Event

Gulf Air recently held a networking event for Greecebased travel agents to promote tourism between Bahrain, the GCC region and Greece, and to share information about Gulf Air products, services and commercial endeavours. Maher Salman AlMusallam, acting CEO, Gulf Air, commented that, as the Kingdom’s national carrier, Gulf Air plays a key role in supporting ongoing economic growth and strengthening strategic ties with key global destinations, therefore similar events are important in enabling greater tourism and business movement between Greece and not only Bahrain but the greater Middle East region. Theodoros Theodorou, Greek ambassador, Kuwait and Bahrain, added, “I thank Gulf Air’s executive management for facilitating this travel agent networking event to help promote Greece in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. We are excited and look forward to Gulf Air’s re-entry into the Greek market and what positive benefits it will bring to both our countries.”

TRAVEL TALK

travel talk is your space

Ahmed Siyam Mohamed

Gregor Schmidt-Kiefer

Chairman, Sun Siyam Resorts.

Executive assistant manager, Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai.

“The great thing about [The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, Maldives] is that there is such a variety of activities to do, guests can really choose for themselves what kind of holiday they are looking for. With our beautiful and private villas we cater to those on honeymoon or wanting more of a retreat type holiday, and for those staying with a family or looking for adventure we have many activities such as water sports, scuba diving, excursions and much more.”

“Receiving the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence is a true source of pride for all of us and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our guests who have taken time to write some fantastic reviews on TripAdvisor.”

Receiving the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence is a true source of pride

Michel Lansen

Mohamad Yassine

General manager, DoubleTree by Hilton Aqaba.

General manager, Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Downtown.

“Hilton Worldwide has a long-serving philosophy to promote not only its hotels but the destinations in which our hotels are located. At DoubleTree by Hilton Aqaba we help boost the profile of Aqaba and Jordan as a country to a wide overseas audience by a number of means including regular international marketing campaigns, trade fares and seminars and via Hilton HHonors, the company’s leading customer loyalty programme with 38 million international members.”

“The [Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System (HACCP)] certification signals our commitment to the safety and control of our food handling within the hotel. While we have always been unremittingly strict on hygiene practices and food safety management, this is an invaluable recognition for our ongoing efforts. With the HACCP system’s regular monitoring protocols, we are more aware of potential issues and the establishment of corrective action if required.”

TRAVEL TALK is your space – this is a casual forum for travel industry professionals to discuss current issues and share stories. We want to hear from you, so send your comments, questions, and observations to editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel

21 JUNE 2014

WHO'S MOVED

Oussama Chalak Oussama Chalak has been named resident manager at Grand Millennium Hotel Dubai. Chalak has been with the hotel for over six years and has previously served as director of rooms and director of revenue. He has been working in the sector for over 15 years, starting his career with Hilton Worldwide

and gaining extensive experience across the Gulf region with internationally renowned names. In his new role, he will be assisting the general manager in the day-to-day operations of the hotel, focusing on maximisng profitability and maintaining product and service standards.

Maha Ali Maisari Maha Ali Maisari has been appointed vice president of corporate strategy at Jumeirah Group. Ali Maisari has over 10 years of experience working with a strategic investment company, biomedical sciences research and in healthcare management, while over the past six years her primary focus has been on corporate strategy development and change management. Ali Maisari previously worked with the group’s parent com-

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pany, Dubai Holding as director of strategy development and deployment. As one of the founding members who established the strategy department, she was in charge of managing the hospitality portfolio and developing its long-term strategy. At Jumeirah Group, she will be responsible for deploying and overseeing the company’s long-term strategy implementation and she will work to continuously refresh the group’s corporate strategy.

Rahul Sharma Rahul Sharma has been promoted to resident manager at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray in Dubai. As executive assistant manager for rooms, Sharma has been managing the overall operations of the hotel since 2011 and he will now play a key role in the resort’s continued success. Sharma started his career with

Jumeirah Group in September 1999 as a guest butler during the launch of Burj Al Arab. In 2004 he moved to Madinat Jumeirah to assist with the opening of Al Qasr and Dar Al Masyaf as assistant front office manager before progressing to the role of director o rooms at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai.

TRAVEL CHANNELS Al Masaood Travels Commits to Amadeus Gulf

Technology partner for the global travel industry, Amadeus Gulf has extended its existing agreement with Al Masaood Travels.

n terms of the deal, Amadeus Gulf will continue to provide its products and services to the Abu Dhabi-based travel agency. By utilising e-Travel Management solution to manage the corporate business segment and Amadeus Business Management Platform (BMP), which enables consolidators and subagents to achieve end-to-end process automation and global business partnerships, Al Masaood Travels aims to retain its competitive edge in the business. In return, the long-term partnership with the travel agency is also expected to help Amadeus Gulf gain greater visibility and market share in the region.

GTA: New Structure to Reflect Partners’ Needs Travel distributor GTA has made changes to its sourcing structure and management to adopt tothe global marketplace and better align its activities with its supplier partners. With markets across the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific exhibiting similar characteristics and growth trends, GTA went on to establish an Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA) region with hotel sourcing led by vice president Andrew Hughes. James Phillips took over the same position for the Americas region, while Clive Wood, head of commercial hotel chains and supplier integration, is relocating to the US to be closer to the headquarters of international hotel brands and further strengthen GTA’s partnerships.

Travel Trends Require Tech Overhaul

Akram Sharaf, general manager, Al Masaood Travels (left) and Graham Nichols, managing director, Amadeus Gulf

PAYFORT Celebrates First Year of Operation

In order to remain competitive in the market, travel companies need to shift their mindset to a longer-term view with new investment and technology strategies, PhoCusWright’s Travel Innovation and Technology Trends: 2014 and Beyond report pinpointed. One of the many trends disrupting the travel industry is social marketing, which, according to the study, is here to stay, thus markets must develop new ways to determine attribution, calculate return on investment, and deliver and measure value.

Online payment service provider, PAYFORT, commemorating its one year of operation with openings in Dubai, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, released its report on the state of payments, entitled Arab World Online Payment Report 2014 at the ArabNet Digital Summit, which was held between June 3 - 5 in Dubai. The report aimed to shed light on the rapidly evolving state of payments in the region by providing crucial sets of data, in-depth analysis into the key drivers of commerce, and many of the insights that PAYFORT has gained over the course of its first year of operation.

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RENDEZVOUS

Q & A with Mark Hardman Having established its base in Dubai in 1999, ExecuJet was one of the first independent companies to offer business aviation services in the region. Mark Hardman, flight operations director, Middle East, ExecuJet, talks about the sector’s growth and its future prospects.

Travel Trade Weekly: How would you describe your clientele? Mark Hardman: Operating since 1999, ExecuJet has developed an extensive customer base from the traditional high-net-worth individual and royalty through to business and leisure travellers. As such, we undertake flights to the traditional European or regional destinations and we have also witnessed increased demand for the Far East and Africa. ExecuJet’s range of services and solutions are very popular in the Middle East. Our philosophy is to manage, charter and maintain aircraft to the highest standards. ExecuJet also offer private terminal services at five locations in the region and 18 locations worldwide, so customers benefit from industry leading service at excellent rates. Our clientele are in many ways as diverse as the region’s population. The commonality is in having the need to travel and the resources available to support it. Time efficiency, security, privacy and convenience are valued more every day and this serves the industry well. Travel Trade Weekly: In your experience, is there a growing need for private/business aviation services in the Middle East? Mark Hardman: Absolutely, over the last two years we have seen a significant increase in our managed fleet and can report that we presently manage 20 aircraft. We fully expect this to increase annually over the next three years. Fixed-base operation (FBO) and maintenance traffic remains buoyant and we expect an eight percent annual rise in general aviation traffic visiting Dubai, while our Riyadh FBO business shows the most potential for growth.

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Mark Hardman Flight operations director, Middle East, ExecuJet .

sense. The other regionally specific point is that a private jet is essential if you want to do top level business in places the airlines do not service with any real frequency. Examples of these are Afghanistan, Iraq and parts of Africa. The private jet opens up thousands of airports, meaning that business can be completed within a day. Business is every more competitive and access to a private jet often gives the competitive edge in big international deals. Travel Trade Weekly: How do you see the Middle Eastern private aviation sector growing over the next few years?

Our clientele are in many ways as diverse as the region’s population

Travel Trade Weekly: In your opinion, what are the main trends driving the Middle Eastern private aviation sector’s growth? Mark Hardman: Wealth and need are the key drivers in the region. We are well served by the commercial airlines in the region, but given that one has the means and needs to travel on a private jet [it] makes complete

Mark Hardman: We should see the market reporting a steady recovery […]. With this we should see increased development in general aviation infrastructure to better support business jets across the region, such as dedicated general aviation terminals and service providers. To this end ExecuJet has and continues to actively review opportunities within the region and beyond. The closure of Dubai International’s Northside runway presents a challenge for the business as all general aviation traffic is banned during these essential works. However, ExecuJet Middle East is well placed to look after FBO and maintenance clients at Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central during the closure period until July 20. Maintenance-wise we will be offering full line maintenance services and have fully established FBO services at DWC. We are also working on a loyalty programme for our regional FBO clients.

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