10 AUGUST 2015
ISSUE 19
HOTEL PERFORMANCE THE MAJORITY OF EUROPEAN DESTINATIONS REPORTED GROWTH IN THE FIRST HALF (H1) OF THE YEAR, ACCORDING TO EUROPEAN TOUR OPERATORS ASSOCIATION AND FORWARD KEYS.
04 GLASGOW AIRPORT: BUSIEST JUNE EVER
09 IN THIS ISSUE MARKET UPDATE
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HOTEL PERFORMANCE
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TECHNOLOGY
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AGENTS
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TOURISM BOARDS
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ACCOMMODATION
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AIR
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TRAVEL CHANNELS
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WHO’S MOVED
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PHOTO ALBUM
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NEWS & EVENTS
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EUROPE SEES MORE VISITORS IN H1
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MARKET UPDATE TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS MANAGING EDITOR Mary Kammitsi mary@traveltradeweekly.travel ASSISTANT EDITOR Maria Kazeli SENIOR JOURNALIST Rita Kasziba
European Air Traffic up 5.6 Percent European airports recorded a 5.6 percent surge in passenger traffic for May, data compiled by Airports Council International (ACI) Europe shows.
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uropean Union (EU) member states witnessed a 5.8 percent rise in demand, while figures at non-EU hubs rose five percent, marking a notable improvement compared to previous months. “EU passenger traffic continues to perform strongly, led by airports in Ireland, Greece, Portugal, Belgium, Spain and Hungary, as well as smaller markets, including Slovakia, Croatia, Malta and Luxembourg,” pinpointed Olivier Jankovec, director general, ACI Europe, noting that although Greece has been a top performer for the past 12 months, the current situation in the country has caused a decrease in forward bookings.
CONTRIBUTOR Ana Mladenovic
PRESS Maria Demetriadou Pauline Shahabian Inna Armeanu
Liverpool Airport Witnesses Growth in H1
DESIGN & LAYOUT Elena Stylianou
WEB & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Savvas Kammitsis
Increases in passenger numbers seen at Liverpool John Lennon Airport in recent months continued in June with over nine percent more passengers compared to the same month in 2014.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport
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 103670
WEBSITE www.traveltradeeurope.travel
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EMAILS info@traveltradeweekly.travel sales@traveltradeweekly.travel editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel
EXCHANGE RATES
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10/8/2015 COUNTRY
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1EUR=
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he latest figures take improvement at the hub to six percent for the first half (H1) of the year, and continue to reflect the recent upsurge in business at the airport following the addition of a number of new routes and airlines. With new services scheduled to commence in autumn, the rise in traffic is forecast to continue for the second half of the year as well.
Inbound Tourism Fuels Berlin Hotel Demand Bed nights spent by foreign visitors in Berlin rose 7.2 percent to over 1.77 million in May, driving total guest nights for the month under review up by 3.1 percent to 2.76 million.
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ll in all, the German capital welcomed close to 1.14 million visitors in May, marking a 1.7 percent year-onyear rise, and while the volume of domestic travellers dropped 1.9 percent, international arrivals climbed 7.9 percent. The city’s top foreign feeder market remained the UK, followed by Italy and the US. The largest growth rate in demand however was recorded from Slovenia at 95.8 percent, ahead of China and Thailand. 10 AUGUST 2015
MARKET UPDATE
Eurostar: Rezidor: 15 New Record Quarterly Projects in Q2 The Rezidor Hotel Group has signed Passenger 15 projects with almost 2,500 units Numbers and opened six hotels with 1,200 Eurostar reported the highest-ever volume of travellers transported by the company in a three-month period with over 2.8 million customers opting for high-speed rail services between the UK and mainland Europe in the second quarter (Q2) of the year.
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Eurostar
he three percent year-on-year surge was boosted by a 10 percent hike in business premium passenger figures, leading to a 1.5 percent rise in sales revenues in Q2 to GBP232 million (EUR334 million). Nevertheless due to unfavourable events earlier this year, revenues for the first half of the year plummeted two percent. Eurostar’s new e320 trains, which offer increased seat capacity, are now in the final stage of testing and will be available by the end of the year.
rooms in the second quarter (Q2) of the year.
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he majority of signings were in emerging markets and focus countries, and are scheduled to open within the next 12 months – further supporting out clearly defined growth strategy and ambitious targets,” explained Wolfgang Neumann, president, The Rezidor Hotel Group. To accelerate the roll-out of the Radisson Red brand, the group will renovate Radisson Blu EU Hotel Brussels and create a showcase property by April 2016. During Q2, the company launched new properties in Novosibirsk, Volgograd, Istanbul and Tallinn, and signed new projects in Neumarkt, Istanbul, Tallinn and Keflavik.
Hertz Global Holdings announced progress on its planned separation of its equipment rental business as well as its capital allocation, cost savings, capacity plans and fleet refresh.
The Air Bridge from Copenhagen to London Grows In the first six months of the year, 1,027,785 passengers travelled between Copenhagen and London, representing a 15.1 percent year-onyear growth.
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ne of the reasons behind the surge is that the number of flights to the UK capital has increased with two daily frequencies since Ryanair started operating out of the Danish city. Accordingly, there are now between 23 and 25 daily services linking Copenhagen to the airports of Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton. Overall, 2,529,528 passengers passed through the Danish hub in June, with the busiest day being June 26, the first day of the school summer holidays, with a total of 95,790 travellers.
10 AUGUST 2015
Hertz to Repurchase EUR915 Million of Shares
“G
oing forward, we are committed to developing a differentiated customer experience and premium brand position for Hertz that is number one in the industry, while revitalising Dollar and Thrifty into leading value brands,” commented John Tague, CEO, Hertz Global Holdings, saying that this is a transition year with significant investments in the fleet, systems and service, and the up to EUR915 million share repurchase programme. “We are taking actions to rationalise the company’s cost platform, dramatically improve customer satisfaction and reset our capacity,“ he added.
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NEWS HOTEL PERFORMANCE
Challenging Month for Berlin and Munich
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erlin registered negative year-on-year comparisons across all key performance indicators. Both occupancy and ARR declined by 3.7 percentage points and 1.5 percent, respectively, to deliver a RevPAR slump of 5.75 percent. Similar movements in non-room revenues did not help the poor performance and total RevPAR plummeted 11.8 percent. Different city but same story for Munich, as hoteliers also suffered from a combined decrease in occupancy (0.6 percentage points) and ARR (0.3 percent), resulting in a RevPAR drop of one percent. Mixed movements in non-room departments delivered the total RevPAR recess of 1.2 percent. With payroll rising by 2.8 percentage points, departmental operating profit per available room (DOPPAR) dropped by 5.6 percent to EUR97.65, and GOPPAR fell by 10.1 percent to EUR62.37.
Happy Days for Madrid and Prague Based on the latest data from HotStats, May was a positive month for the hospitality sector in the emerging Eastern European markets of Hungary and the Czech Republic, as well as for the Spanish industry. On the other hand, German cities struggled as occupancy, room rates and RevPAR plummeted.
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otels in Madrid and Prague recorded increases in GOPPAR of 12.8 and 28.8 percent respectively. May was another positive month in the Spanish metropolis with demand shooting up 7.7 percentage points and ARR climbing 1.9 percent boosting RevPAR by 12 percent to EUR118.49. Surges in other revenues per available room also contributed to a total RevPAR rise of 7.9 percent. The Czech capital also forged ahead recording 25.3 percent uplift in RevPAR thanks to a 5.3 percentage point swell in occupancy combined with a 17.6 percent growth in ARR. Similar performances were registered in non-room departments and total RevPAR went up by 18.9 percent to EUR139.12.
RevPAR Remains Positive in Budapest
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n May, Budapest hoteliers boosted average room rate (ARR) by 8.7 percent thus occupancy went down marginally, which resulted in a RevPAR uplift of 8.5 percent to EUR96.08. However, decreases in non-room revenue from meeting room hire, food and beverage – which declined 50, 10.5 and 8.8 percent, respectively – softened the total RevPAR rise of 1.6 percent to EUR132.92. Nevertheless, a two percentage point increase in payroll, combined with a 6.5 percent surge in overheads per available room, diluted the top-line gains from the rooms department, and gross operating profit per available room (GOPPAR) dropped 0.5 percent to EUR58.12 during the month.
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Madrid
10 AUGUST 2015
TECHNOLOGY NEWS Slovenia Lures More Foreign Tourists A Leap Forward for SITA’s Airports IT Solutions
ClickTripz Acquires TheSuitest
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ITA, a specialist in air transport communications and information technology, has acquired delair Air Traffic Systems, a provider of airport collaborative decision making (A-CDM) solutions for airports based in Germany. The acquisition is expected to strengthen SITA’s position as a leader in airport management systems by offering an A-CDM product that is in increasing demand by hubs around the globe. The additional functionalities such as departure sequencing, de-icing, and performance management broaden the reach and capabilities of SITA’s offering, currently used by over 150 airports in 48 countries.
ravel technology company ClickTripz has taken over hotel data-science startup, TheSuitest. With the new addition, ClickTripz plans to unveil a number of joint innovations in the coming months. The innovative solution is set to make sense of unstructured travel buying information, allowing businesses to gain insight into market dynamics. The first product ClickTripz Labs, the firm’s new technology innovation centre, aims to dramatically increase conversion rates for travel suppliers and online travel agents (OTA), using a mix of metasearch technology and machine-learning enhanced targeting. The product displays rates from other channels on supplier websites and OTAs, allowing consumers to easily compare prices.
Business Travellers Rely on Mobile Technology
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obile solutions, including Wi-Fi, travel applications and digital wallets are transforming business travellers’ experience around the globe, according to the first-ever Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Global Business Traveler Sentiment Index. The four key findings of the index were that technology continues to evolve the way businessmen travel. It also showed that despite overall satisfaction with travel, a number of pain points have emerged, such as getting through security and high airline fees. Based on the findings, travellers are optimistic about the health of their industry, though less hopeful about the overall state of their respective country’s economy. The level of satisfaction varies widely by location.
10 AUGUST 2015
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NEWS AGENTS Complaints Handling Workshop in Manchester
L’TUR Says Yes to Greece
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aden-Baden-based tour operator L’TUR showed its commitment to Greece with a large-scale campaign across the German-speaking countries it operates to. The last-minute specialist aims to send more travellers to the popular holiday destination regardless of the recent Euro crisis. As Markus Orth, CEO, L’TUR, confirmed, all call centres and branches of the company are well prepared to answer any enquiries, whereas the firm’s representatives are in constant communication with local hoteliers and agencies to ensure that L’TUR’s clients are having an amazing holiday.
TravelClick Teams Up with TripAdvisor
he Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) took its Complaints Handling Workshop to Manchester. The event was staged in the wellequipped conference centre of Manchester Airport Marriott Hotel, where a series of presentations, workshops and sessions ensued focussing on overall customer support, overcoming complaints in a comprehensive manner, and information on how the association can guide and assist through the complaints journey looking at the code of conduct and the resources available to ABTA members. A networking reception took place after the event allowing delegates to continue their discussion on the subject.
Thomas Cook Adds Summer Holidays
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ravelClick has expanded its partnership with TripAdvisor to offer TripConnect instant booking to their iHotelier Web 3.0 booking engine customers, making it possible for independent hotels to generate bookings directly on TripAdvisor. TripConnect instant booking is a powerful way for independent properties to leverage the travel site to attract more guests directly and to manage the relationship with customers from the moment the reservation is made. Through TravelClick’s Premium Partner certification, independent hotel clients will be able to acquire bookings directly from their property page on TripAdvisor by paying a commission after the guests have completed their stay.
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n response to strong customer demand for this summer, Thomas Cook has added more options to some of the UK’s favourite holiday hotspots under its three brands, Airtours, Thomas Cook and Signature from Thomas Cook. Airtours offers a wide range of the most popular destinations designed to suit customers, their families and their budget. Thomas Cook stands out with its innovative and personalised experiences on quality assured, expertly tailored holidays, while at the high end of the portfolio, Signature from Thomas Cook provides relaxation or exotic tailormade experiences in a range of destinations, incorporating the company’s finest premier properties and holidays. Newly added holiday spots include Turkey, Algarve, Spain and Bulgaria.
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10 AUGUST 2015
AGENTS NEWS
Balkan Holidays Links Glasgow with Varna
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K-based tour operator to Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia, Balkan Holidays will launch a new weekly route from Glasgow Airport to Varna for its summer 2016 programme. Located on the Black Sea coast, the Bulgarian city boasts mineral springs and beach resorts, as well as various cultural attractions. Chris Rand, sales and marketing manager, Balkan Holidays, said, “This additional flight will help us deal with increasing demand for summer holidays to Bulgaria which continues to top the polls in terms of providing the best value-for-money holidays in Europe. The flights to Varna will also provide additional capacity for us as we become the sole UK operator to the resorts of Golden Sands, St. Konstantin and Albena on the Northern Black Sea coast.”
10 AUGUST 2015
British Agents Explore Londonderry
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ourism Ireland, in association with holiday company, Superbreak, invited a group of travel agents from Scotland and northern England to discover Londonderry and experience all that the destination has to offer. The industry professionals visited several of the Northern Irish city’s hotels and also enjoyed a tour, taking in the historic walls, the Guildhall, the Tower Museum as well as the Walled City Brewery. The initiatives formed part of Tourism Ireland’s endeavour to increase arrivals from 1.8 million visitors registered in 2014.
The team on the Peace Bridge
ABTA Members to Benefit from ADR
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he Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA)’s alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme has been audited by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. ABTA’s is the first and only ADR scheme designed specifically for travel companies and their customers and have thus gained approval ahead of the new government legislation that will come into effect later this year. From October 1 the European Union ADR legislation will require all companies to notify their customers of an approved third party who can help resolve disputes. The legislation aims to widen the availability of low-cost ADR processes to consumers who wish to raise complaints against businesses. All ABTA members and their customers are entitled to use the ADR scheme.
Over Two Million British Head Overseas
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he Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) estimates that some 2.1 million British holiday-makers headed overseas for summer holidays between July 24 – 27, which marked the start of a break for a number of schools in England and Wales. Spain retained its position as the number one destination for the UK holiday market, with the Canary and Balearic Islands also continuing to be popular. Other Eurozone destinations, including Cyprus, France and Greece also attracted significant volumes of British travellers, thanks to the favourable exchange rates. As for long-haul destinations, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Florida all proved to be major hits.
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NEWS
EUROPE SEES MORE VISITORS IN H1
Helsinki’s Ring Rail Line Opens for Travel
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fficially launched in July, Finland’s Ring Rail Line was designed to connect Helsinki Airport with the capital city. During the first days of operation, trains did not reach the airport and travellers were offered a bus link from Aviapolis station to the terminals. Once Tietotie entrance was completed, Helsinki Airport station was open for passengers. In addition to this, regular buses to the airfield, such as the regional route 615 and the Vantaa route 61, continue to operate as normal.
The majority of European destinations reported growth in the first half (H1) of the year, according to European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) and traveller data intelligence provider, Forward Keys.
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d boun n in ls for a e p a Euro st arriv re i a tour e year pass o th t d cte lion expe 00 mil 6 ? e e th ston mile
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rrivals to Germany rose five percent, to both Spain and Italy four percent, while the UK registered a three percent surge. As for air travel, revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) grew by 4.8 percent until April, while hotel occupancy rates improved 2.3 percent in the first five months of the year. Tom Jenkins, CEO, ETOA, commented, ”This is exchange rate driven. Both US and Chinese visitors are getting about 22 percent more Euros than this time in 2014; Indian tourists are enjoying 17 percent higher spending power, while those from the Gulf have as much as 25 percent more money in their pockets.”
European Tourism Remains Strong
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Greenland Welcomes European Regions Airline Association
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Iceland
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imon McNamara, director general, European Regions Airline Association, met with Michael Højgaard, CEO, Air Greenland, in a bid to reinforce the organisation’s commitment to working with and representing the concerns of the airline as well as its members. Visits to members build on the trust that Europe’s regional carriers have in the association’s influence with the continent’s regulatory bodies and ensure that the representative body is fully equipped to represent their interests in its lobbying and communication campaigns. Greenland’s flag carrier is the latest to join the group which how boasts a total of 52 airlines.
uropean tourism maintains a firm footing this year, according to the European Travel Commission’s latest report European Tourism 2015 – Trends & Prospects. A significant majority of European destinations registered positive growth in the pre-summer months proving the resilience of the sector and underlining its significance as a contributor to the region’s ongoing economic recovery. Among the best performers are Iceland, Montenegro and Romania, all of which have experienced a substantial growth in international arrivals. In addition, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and Cyprus all reported double-digit increases. Among Europe’s most popular destinations, Germany, Spain, Italy and the UK also saw healthy developments. 10 AUGUST 2015
AIRPORTS NEWS Glasgow Airport: Busiest June Ever
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total of 905,689 passengers travelled through Glasgow International Airport in June, marking the hub’s busiest June
to date. The 14.2 percent year-on-year increase in fig-
ures led to the airfield’s 28th consecutive month of growth, boosted by the launch of new services to Budapest and Bordeaux. “Despite passenger numbers approaching the one million mark, June was one of our best months
from an operational perspective with 99.77 percent of passengers passing through security in less than 10 minutes and 97.13 percent passing through in under five minutes,” boasted Amanda McMilan, managing director, Glasgow Airport.
Avinor Sees Lower Traffic in June
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assenger numbers to and from Avinor airports decreased in June when compared to the same month in 2014. Domestic traffic fell 1.5 percent while figures for international flights dropped 0.9 percent, resulting in a 1.3 percent overall decline.
Trondheim Airport
More specifically, Oslo Airport saw a decrease of 0.2 percent in the month under review, statistics at Bergen Airport plummeted 1.1 percent, at Stavanger Airport 4.6 percent, and at Trondheim Airport 2.8 percent. Furthermore, aircraft movements to and from Avinor airports were also down by 1.2 percent in June.
10 AUGUST 2015
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NEWS AIRPORTS
Heathrow: Over 35.5 Million Travellers
Traffic up 1.7 Percent in Vienna
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ondon’s Heathrow Airport handled 35.5 million passengers in the first half of the year (H1), a year-on-year rise of 1.3 percent. Revenues jumped six percentage points to GBP1.3 billion (EUR1.84 billion) and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation were up 6.3 percent. John Holland-Kaye, CEO, Heathrow Airport, said, “Heathrow’s performance in the last six months has been excellent […]. The Airports Commission’s unanimous and clear recommendation to support Heathrow was warmly welcomed by business leaders and politicians from across the country and closed the debate on where a new runway should be built. Our focus now is on working closely with government to deliver the benefits of expansion for all of the UK as quickly as possible.”
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Prague Airport: 270,000 More Passengers in H1
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ienna Airport catered to over 2.17 million passengers in June, 1.7 percent more than in the corresponding month in 2014. Domestic figures rose 1.9 percent, while transfer passenger volumes jumped 0.9 percent yearon-year. Flight movements fell 0.8 percent, whereas the maximum take-off weight increased five percent. Moreover, total air cargo improved 0.8 percent to 21,241 tonnes. The number of passengers flying to Western Europe, Middle East, Far East and North America showed growth, while demand to Africa and Eastern Europe declined.
áclav Havel Airport Prague welcomed 270,000 more passengers in the first half (H1) of the year, with the total registered footfall standing at 5,233,583 travellers. Commenting on the positive statistics, Václav Řehoř, chairman, Czech Aeroholding, revealed, “We recorded the greatest increase among passengers from countries in Europe and the Middle East. Based on the current figures, we expect the total increase in the number of passengers [this year] could amount to approximately five percent.” The largest improvements in passenger numbers were recorded on routes to and from the UK, Belgium, Turkey, the UAE and Germany.
Lithuanian Airports Named Host of CONNECT
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ithuanian Airports will stage the 13th edition of the European route development event CONNECT in Vilnius between March 13 – 15, 2016. The event is set to attract more than 400 airline industry representatives to the Lithuanian capital. “A true jewel, [Vilnius is] a destination with a rich heritage to explore, and awaits tourists with a warm welcome and great hospitality: a fitting location for the CONNECT event,” said Karin Butot, managing director, The Airport Agency, creator of CONNECT.
Vilnius 10 AUGUST 2015
NEWS TOURISM BOARDS Ireland Focusses on Business Tourism
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s part of its push to grow conference and business tourism from the UK, Tourism Ireland, together with 13 enterprises from the country attended The Meetings Show, which took place in London. Every year, the programme attracts thou-
sands of conference and meeting professionals and event planners from the UK as well as mainland Europe. The three-day show provided the Irish tourism companies with an excellent opportunity to do face-to-face business with the influential decision-makers in attendance.
David Boyce, deputy head, Great Britain, Tourism Ireland, said, “The Meetings Show is another valuable platform for Tourism Ireland and our partners to showcase and sell Ireland and to build awareness of our world-class business and conference facilities.”
New All-time Record in Vienna
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V Inexpensive Hungary Lures More Visitors
Positive Figures for Scotland
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hanks to its value-for-money proposition and recent improvements Hungary continues to attract increased numbers of visitors. During the spring months, the country welcomed some 950,000 travellers, up six percent, boosting guest nights by 3.8 percent to 2.25 million nights. Revenues at accommodation establishments soared 7.4 percent to HUF19.7 billion (EUR62.8 million), as occupancy levels and average rates remained on the growth trajectory. Germany remained the main feeder market, followed by Austria and Great Britain.
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Schönbrunn Palace
ienna registered around 6.3 million guest overnights in the first half of the year, marking a 5.4 percent year-on-year increase and setting a new all-time record for the Austrian capital. With over 1.28 million nights, Germany remained the city’s main source market, followed by Austria, the US, Italy and the UK. While figures from Russia dropped 32 percent, strong improvements were witnessed from South Korea, Serbia, Turkey, India and Taiwan. Despite the addition of 3,700 beds, bringing Vienna’s supply to 63,800 beds, occupancy levels rose one percent to 66 percent. As Norbert Kettner, director, Vienna Tourist Board, pinpointed, international overnights account for more than 80 percent of the destination’s total volume.
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Scotland
n response to this year’s quarter one International Passenger Survey tourism statistics by the UK Office of National Statistics and data on domestic tourism derived from the Great Britain Tourism Survey, Mike Cantlay, chairman, VisitScotland, noted that Scottish tourism is continuing to do exceptionally well during what he described as a very challenging economic time for many countries around the world. He noted that marketing campaigns this year have focussed on inspiring domestic audiences to realise that Scotland is ‘Closer than you think’. “It is clear that our friends in the rest of the UK have discovered just how easy it is to travel here with large rises in both visits and spend. […] We, as an industry, must work hard to ensure we stay ahead of the game,” he continued.
10 AUGUST 2015
TOURISM BOARDS NEWS Great Start to the Year for Malta
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Malta
he Maltese Islands witnessed an increase of 5.6 percent in arrivals during the first four months of the year, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)’s latest World Tourism Barometer. Based on data released by UNWTO, international tourism demand continued to be robust during the period under review, showing a 4.4 percent improvement. Almost all areas are enjoying strong growth, with Europe being the world’s most visited region, having registered an above-average 4.9 percent rise in demand. The results also indicate that Malta is sustaining its trend of outperforming overall growth rates.
Glasgow Reaffirms Commitment to Accessible Tourism
Glasgow
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isitScotland has taken a firm step to help turn Glasgow into one of the country’s most accessible tourism destinations with the launch of new holiday itineraries which highlight a number of attractions that can lure in people of all ages and disabilities. As part of VisitScotland’s Glasgow and Strathclyde Country Park Accessible Tourism Destination Pilot Project, the businesses involved have committed to creating online access statements, and completing a VisitScotland Accessible Tourism online training course. The project was launched just as the city geared up to welcome the International Paralympic Committee Swimming World Championships in July.
10 AUGUST 2015
Azerbaijan and France Discuss Tourism Cooperation
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ooperation in the field of tourism and the future perspectives between Azerbaijan and France have been discussed in a meeting between Abulfaz Garayev, culture and tourism minister, Azerbaijan, and a delegation led by Matthias Fekl, secretary of state, foreign trade, France. Garayev expressed the notion of ample opportunities for joint initiatives between the two
countries and in turn, Fekl reciprocated the state’s interest with an intent and readiness to implement necessary activities. The simplification of visa procedures, tourism routes, the organisation of joint info-tours, cooperation in the field of education on tourism management, and projects on exchange of cuisines, were all on the agenda.
Greece: National Campaign for Increasing Bookings
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Santorini
lena Kountoura, economy, infrastructure, maritime affairs and tourism alternate minister, Greece, launched a national marketing campaign to boost tourist bookings to the country and enhance the sector. Happening Now: #GreekSummer targets last-minute travellers, and its main goal is to promote the destination’s touristic image. The initiative, which mainly addresses European audiences, is an online campaign running mainly on the Internet and on social media platforms, calling on Greece’s fans to share their most special moments and experiences from their Greek getaway.
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NEWS ACCOMMODATION Four Seasons Budapest Adds New Restaurant
BlueBay Increases Online Sales Presence
Autograph Adds Gewandhaus Dresden
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panish hotel chain, BlueBay Hotels & Resorts has successfully integrated its properties in TripAdvisor’s Instant Booking system, enabling travellers to make a reservation in any of the company’s hotels directly on the online platform. Mercedes Sánchez, territory manager, business listings, Spain and Portugal, TripAdvisor, highlighted the key benefits of the booking tool, including the ability to position themselves in a privileged way in the system’s metasearch at no added risk.
BlueBay Grand Esmeralda
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utograph Collection Hotels has announced that luxurious boutique property, Gewandhaus Dresden has joined its network, becoming the second German establishment in the ensemble. The hotel, which recently underwent an extensive refurbishment, is located in the heart of the baroque city centre of Dresden and is steeped in history, dating back to 1768. The comprehensive restoration process has brought the 97-room project to a luxurious modern finish that also reflects the origins of the baroque edifice. Gewandhaus Dresden offers an array of facilities, including an indoor swimming pool complete with sauna, steam bath and fitness room, atrium and an inner courtyard. Various meeting facilities are also available and a bouquet of sports activities are also offered on site.
Steigenberger Grandhotel Petersberg Restyled
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he historical Steigenberger Grandhotel Petersberg is to undergo a major renovation, during which the property will remain open. As part of the project, room capacity will be expanded from 99 to 111, and air conditioning and modern fixtures and fittings will be installed in all units. The restaurants and public areas will also be renovated and redesigned, and a new outdoor pavilion will be introduced. Construction works are slated to begin 2016 and are expected to be concluded by the end of 2017.
Steigenberger Grandhotel Petersberg
Improved Hotel Performance in Europe
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esults from the ECM-MKG European Destinations Observatory report highlight that long-term growth has returned to Europe's hotel industry. For the first three months of the year, occupancy levels on the continent rose 3.3 percentage points, with average daily rates (ADR) also surging 2.4 percent, leading to a 5.8 percent increase in RevPAR. Spanish cities fully benefitted from a favourable calendar, with several events being held in Madrid, as well as Malaga and Zaragoza, reporting respective increases in RevPAR of 8.6 percent, 15.3 percent and 4.6 percent. Hotel activity in Central Europe was marked by a 14.4 percent rise in RevPAR in Budapest, which continued to take advantage of its attractiveness and rates. Copenhagen and Stockholm were are also among the destinations that recorded growth in RevPAR by seven percent and 3.6 percent respectively.
10 AUGUST 2015
ACCOMMODATION NEWS
Thomson Family Life Baia de Conte, Sardinia
Additions to Thomson and First Choice in 2016
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homson’s Thomson Family Resorts is to become Thomson Family Life, effective from May 2016. The new collection of hotels and resorts has been designed to meet the needs of every generation and it will include 22 resorts which comprise the very best of Thomson Family Resorts and some new additions, including Thomson Family Life Aeneas Resort in Cyprus and Thomson Family Life Baia de Conte resort in Sardinia. Thomson’s Platinum range will also expand for summer 2016 with the introduction of 10 new hotels in destinations such as Mallorca, Algarve, Croatia, Greece and Morocco. Additionally, First Choice Club Magic will introduce two new hotels in Egypt and Turkey.
Six Senses Penetrates Europe
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rue to its heritage of creating exceptional guest experiences in places of beauty, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas has unveiled Six Senses Douro Valley, in Portugal, marking its first resort in Europe. Located in the Portuguese UNESCO World Heritage area of the Douro Valley, the property is touched with the romance of 19th century architecture wedded to contemporary interiors. The resort comprises 57 rooms, suites, and villas, three restaurants which highlight regional produce with a dedicated wine cellar featuring local vintages. A Six Senses Spa is ever so present at the resort with 10 treatment rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, as well as a fully-equipped gym.
Six Senses Douro Valley, Portugal
10 AUGUST 2015
Scandic to Further Expand in Copenhagen
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n response to the growing demand for accommodation in the Danish capital, Scandic Hotels plans to open a new property in the Meatpacking District. The company, which currently operates eight hotels with some 1,800 rooms in Copenhagen, expects to launch Scandic Kødbyen in early 2018, further strengthening the city’s position as a meetings and conference destination, with dedicated facilities catering for up to 550 guests. “Scandic is the first hotel to offer guests a place to stay in Kødbyen, which is the area that is developing the most right now. This is a unique position, enabling us to acquire market shares from the other hotel chains,“ suggested Jens Mathiesen, managing director, Denmark, Scandic Hotels.
Scandic Kødbyen
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NEWS ACCOMMODATION Marriott International Reports Impressive Q2
IHG Expands in France
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arriott International’s second quarter (Q2) results highlight a net income of USD240 million (EUR220 million), a 25 percent increase over the same period in 2014. Arne Sorenson, president, Marriott International, said, “We were pleased with our results in the quarter. Our worldwide RevPAR grew over five percent and rooms growth increased more than six percent. With many hotels reporting peak occupancy rates, room rates continue to move higher.” The company added 101 new properties with over 20,000 rooms to its global portfolio, while its worldwide development pipeline increased to more than 250,000 units, including approximately 35,000 keys approved, but not yet subject to signed contracts.
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nterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed an agreement for InterContinental Bordeaux – Le Grand Hotel, France, slated to open later this year. The property will mark the group’s sixth InterContinental Hotels & Resorts project in the country. The historic 130-room hotel will be converted from the current Grand Hôtel de Bordeaux & Spa over the coming months, and will feature seven meeting rooms, an indoor pool, as well as fitness, spa, and Hammam facilities.
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Reichshof Hamburg
Rovaniemi, Finland
Europe Welcomes Reichshof Hamburg
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ilton Worldwide’s Curio – A Collection by Hilton brand has entered the European market with the opening of Reichshof Hamburg, Curio Collection by
Hilton. Located opposite the historic Hamburg Central Railway Station, the property fuses architecture and modern furnishings with personalised hospitality. A total of 278 renovated rooms, as well as junior and one-bedroom suites, offer a relaxing haven in the centre of the city. Guests can also benefit from a large recreation and fitness facility, which comprises a fully-equipped gym and a luxury spa, and enjoy a selection of dining options.
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he European hotel industry recorded positive results in the three key performance metrics in June, according to data compiled by STR Global. The continent witnessed a year-on-year increase of 4.5 percent in occupancy to 78.1 percent, a 5.5 percent boost in average daily rate (ADR) to EUR122.10 and a 10.2 percent growth in RevPAR, which climbed to EUR95.34. Finland, Italy, Romania and Spain reported occupancy rates of over 70 percent, with Italy witnessing a 7.4 percent improvement in this specific metric. Despite the uncertainties in Greece, demand in Athens remained strong , occupancy rising 3.2 percent. ADR on the other hand was down by 3.8 percent to EUR135.04 and RevPAR decreased 0.7 percent to EUR122.17.
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AIR NEWS Aer Lingus Transaction Gets Green Light
Aeroflot Becomes Public Joint-stock Company
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n line with recent amendments to Russian legislation, Aeroflot has changed its official name and legal status. The company’s full legal name in English is now Public Joint-stock Company Aeroflot – Russian Airlines, nevertheless its strategic goals remain unchanged. The public joint-stock company status refers to companies with publicly traded securities, and carries additional responsibilities in terms of corporate governance and disclosure. As previously, Aeroflot remains committed to meeting the highest global standards and implementing international best practice in these areas.
he European Commission has cleared the proposed acquisition of Aer Lingus by International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG). The decision is conditional upon the release of five daily slot pairs at London’s Gatwick Airport to facilitate the entry of competing airlines on routes from London to both Dublin and Belfast, and Aer Lingus will continue to carry connecting passengers to use the long-haul flights of competing airlines out of Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Amsterdam, Shannon and Dublin.
Estonian Air: Decreased Revenue in 2014
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stonian Air’s total revenue in 2014 amounted to EUR69.9 million, down three percent, translating into a net loss of EUR10.4 million. According to Jan Palmer, CEO, Estonian Air, of the net result, nearly half derives from its core business and the remaining half from its different none-core
items, including excess aircraft and interest payments. “The year 2014 was very demanding for the airline, as we faced increased competition on our Baltic and Scandinavian markets and also the instability on the eastern routes impacted heavily our operating result,” noted Palmer.
Austrian Airlines: Increased Intercontinental Demand
Double-digit Growth for Brussels Airlines
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russels Airlines handled 12 percent more travellers in the first half of the year than in the corresponding period in 2014. With 3.46 million passengers on records, this means an increase of 374,652 customers. June alone saw a rise of 14 percent, translating into a record seat load factor of 75.3 percent. “The competitive pricing we have introduced has had the desired effect in the market,” said Bernard Gustin, CEO, Brussels Airlines. “With our new Check&Go, Light&Relax, Flex&Fast and Bizz&Class products, we now have an attractive formula for every budget.”
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ustrian Airlines’ traffic results for June reflect the success of the company’s ongoing consolidation strategy. Whereas European flight traffic fell by 1.4 percent to 908,000 passengers, intercontinental volumes rose 5.8 percent to 159,000 travellers. Overall, the airline carried a total of 1.1 million customers in June, down 0.4 percent year-on-year. Andreas Otto, chief commercial officer, Austrian Airlines, noted that long-haul flight traffic is adequately developing, and the airline’s new connection to Miami is expected to assist in attracting even more passengers.
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NEWS AIR Transaero Airlines: Positive Operating Results
Monarch: 600,000 More Seats in 2016
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n comparison to the corresponding periods in 2014, Transaero Airlines witnessed a 5.5 and a 0.4 percent increase in passenger volumes in June and in the first half of the year, respectively. In June alone, the airline carried 1.51 million customers, with a three percent surge in passenger load factor to 87.3 percent, as demand on domestic routes rose 65.8 percent. During the first six months of the year, the airline handled over 5.77 million passengers, with load factor reaching 82.5 percent. Traffic on domestic services improved 26.8 percent, with the highest interest being recorded on flights to the south of Russia.
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reek airline, Ellinair has commenced flights between its home base, Thessaloniki and Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport. The regular services from Greece to the Russian capital are being operated twice a week onboard an Airbus A319. Part of Mouzenidis Group, Ellinair was founded in 2013 and its network includes regular flights to Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Georgia, as well as domestic services between cities and islands of Greece.
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onarch Airlines is to add an extra 3,200 flights to its summer 2016 schedule, which will also include two new routes from Leeds Bradford to Malaga and from Manchester to Gran Canaria. The new offering is already on sale and covers services from Birmingham to Gibraltar and Ibiza; from London’s Gatwick Airport to Ibiza, Rhodes, Paphos and Verona; from Leeds to Naples and lastly from Manchester to Ibiza. Marjan Schoeke, head of network development, Monarch Airlines, commented, “Following the strategic review of our network and looking closely at where and at what time our customers want to fly, we have launched an additional 600,000 seats to our summer 2016 flying programme.”
Aer Lingus: Seven Percent Top-line Growth
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er Lingus recorded an operating profit of EUR34.5 million for the second quarter of the year, down 10.9 percent, supported by a revenue increase of 7.1 percent to EUR468.9 million. For the first six months of the year, revenue jumped 7.4 percent to EUR749 million, and operating loss stood at EUR13.9 million. As Stephen Kavanagh, CEO, Aer Lingus, noted, the profitable second quarter leaves the airline on track to deliver an improved operating performance in the third quarter and for the full year. “The continued investment in our transatlantic business was rewarded with strong growth in unit revenues,” added Kavanagh.
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Ellinair Links Thessaloniki to Moscow
Ellinair was welcomed at Sheremetyevo International Airport
Air Astana Profit Soars 115 Percent
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ower oil prices and other costsaving measures have helped Air Astana turn its business around and record an operating profit of USD23.9 million (EUR21.8 million) for the first half (H1) of the year. The carrier’s net profit reached USD8.3 million (EUR7.6 million), versus a loss of USD36.4 million (EUR33.1 million) registered in H1 2014 as a result of a book loss following a local currency devaluation. Passenger numbers rose four percent to 1.82 million, total revenue, however, dropped nine percent. Peter Foster, CEO, Air Astana, forecasted a stellar year for the airline, noting that low unit cost and the expanded network will allow the Kazakh carrier to take full advantage of market recovery when it comes.
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AIR NEWS Air Serbia Adjusts Winter Schedule
Condor Increases Long-haul Fleet
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his winter, Air Serbia will reshuffle its route network to include more flights from Belgrade to Beirut and Tirana, with the cities being served four and five times per week. In addition, operations between the Serbian capital and Larnaca will become seasonal, as they will be excluded from the winter schedule only to be re-introduced in summer 2016. Travellers will still be able to fly to the Cypriot coastal town through Air Serbia’s codeshare partner AEGEAN Airlines. In addition, the carrier will also suspend its daily service between Belgrade and Budapest.
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he 13th Boeing 767 with registration D-ABUS has been added to Condor’s long-haul fleet. The aircraft flew its first journey early July between Frankfurt and Toronto. “Condor is busy growing. At the beginning of June we integrated a brand new Airbus A321-211 into our fleet, and now another long-haul aircraft is being added,” said Ralf Teckentrup, managing director, Condor. “Our route network is also growing accordingly. Since June, we have been offering direct service from Frankfurt to Portland, Oregon and Providence, Rhode Island. Our services from Munich will be extended in the summer of 2016, with new services, for example to Halifax, Canada and Windhoek, Namibia.”
Air France’s A380 to Fly to Mexico
Tirana
Bulgaria Air Boosts Frequency on Sofia – Varna Route
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rédéric Gagey, CEO, Air France, and Gilberto López Meyer, general director, Civil Aviation Authority, Mexico, have signed a partnership agreement formalising the arrival of Air France’s Airbus A380 to Mexico. From January 2016, the French carrier will offer three flights a week onboard its superjumbo jet between Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport and the South American country, while from the end of March 2016, the service will become daily. “Using our A380 on flights to Mexico this winter means we can improve our offering for this line and contribute even more to promoting tourism and increasing the number of interactions between Mexico and France,” noted Gagey.
Finavia: Slight Change in Figures
n response to strong demand, Bulgaria Air has introduced the fourth daily service between Sofia and Varna. The additional flight between the two cities will offer more flexibility, especially for travellers, who are looking to take one-day business trips. Additionally, the extra service will also enhance transfer connection options, further improving travel and tourism links between the countries.
assenger volumes at the airports operated by Finavia have remained almost unchanged in the first half of the year when compared to the corresponding period in 2014. All in all, the hubs served a total of 9.75 million travellers during the concerned period, signalling a marginal 0.1 percent year-on-year surge. International passenger volumes, including scheduled and chartered services, rose 0.3 percent to 7.1 million customers. More specifically, passenger volumes at Helsinki Airport jumped 1.3 percent, with 6.6 million international travellers, indicating a 1.6 percent growth. During the same period, international transfer traffic also climbed three percent.
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NEWS AIR Norwegian Expands Spanish Network
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s of October 25, Norwegian will fly daily from Madrid to Gran Canaria and Tenerife North, and from Barcelona to Gran Canaria, Tenerife North and Fuerteventura. Also, Malaga will be linked with Gran Canaria and Tenerife South. The carrier is said to become first to offer free Wi-Fi onboard Spanish domestic flights. Bjørn Kjos, CEO, Norwegian, enthused, “Figures speak volumes: Norwegian offers 133 routes in and out of 15 Spanish airports, of which six are operating bases, and employs almost 900 people in the country. One fifth of our entire fleet is based here.“
Codeshare Deal between KLM and Air Malta
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LM Royal Dutch Airlines and Air Malta have signed a codeshare agreement whereby the Dutch airline will place its code and flight numbers on services operated by its Maltese partner between the Mediterranean destination and Amsterdam. The cooperation will enable KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to offer customers daily services between the Dutch capital and Malta. Air Malta’s flights to and from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport will connect with its new partner’s extensive global network. Essentially, the two carriers’ customers will benefit from new services, further enhancing their travel experience.
Hainan Airlines to Serve Prague
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ainan Airlines is set to operate direct flights between Prague and Beijing, as of September 23. The airline plans three services a week onboard its Boeing 767 aircraft with a seating capacity for 223 passengers. “A direct air connection between Prague and Beijing is a crucial milestone in our Chinese-clientele-oriented segment. China is one of the strategic resource markets for our inbound tourism,” said Karla Šlechtová, regional development minister, Czech Republic.
TAP: Increased Traffic in the Azores
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he number of passengers carried by TAP to Ponta Delgada and Terceira in the Azores during the first half of the year increased by more than 5,000, equal to a seven percent rise. The biggest surge was recorded on the Ponta Delgada route, where the airline has greatly enhanced its service following liberalisation, resulting in an accumulated growth in passenger volumes of more than 43 percent. In a bid to meet demand, the Portuguese carrier is introducing extra seats and additional services to Terceira and Ponta Delgada during August.
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Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Edelweiss to Expand Its Fleet
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ver the next few years, Switzerland’s leisure travel airline, Edelweiss is set to add three long-haul Airbus A340s and a medium-haul Airbus A320 to its fleet. The aircraft will be transferred from affiliate company Swiss International Air Lines and with the already announced brand-new Airbus A330 which is set to join the fleet in spring 2016, Edelweiss will operate 12 airliners by 2018. Bernd Bauer, CEO, Edelweiss, commented, “Our plans are a major investment and commitment to the business location Switzerland. By expanding the aircraft fleet, Edelweiss will grow considerably and generate 350 new jobs in the coming years.”
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TRAVEL CHANNELS
How to Respond to Negative Hotel Reviews?
The Ritz-Carlton: 1,000 Travel Tips
Online reviews, even those expressing unsatisfaction, should be used by hoteliers as an opportunity for constructive exchange with guests.
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his was articulated by Nicolas Mayer, industry leader, lodging and tourism clients group, PwC, who urged the sector to pro-actively manage online ratings and embrace customer reviews. “Today, hotel online reviews have become one of the primary information sources for guests during the buying process,” pinpointed Mayer. “Hotels that not only monitor and respond to them, professionally, rapidly and honestly, and use them to improve their product where it is perceived negatively in reviews, will come out winners in the long run.” PwC’s study found that online reviewers tend to rate Eastern European hotels highly, but the city of Cape Town leads on overall online reputation.
Promoting Ireland to Germans
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he Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has published its 1,000th travel tip on the Foursquare app. The brand’s Foursquare campaign, entitled World Concierge, enables travellers to immediately receive well-curated information as they check in at iconic landmarks and places of interest around the globe. Gathered from expert concierge teams at each of its 89 hotels and resorts around the globe, the company publishes recommendations for the world’s most compelling destinations. Travel enthusiasts are encouraged to explore tips from the World Concierge at home as they plan a trip, or on their phones through Foursquare in real time as they arrive in a new destination.
Finnair Cargo Receives Pharmaceutical Certificate
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ight German journalists visited Ireland’s Ancient East as guests of Tourism Ireland, in a bid to explore the gardens of the area, and other attractions worth seeing and experiencing in this part of the country. Zoe Redmond, manager, Central Europe, Tourism Ireland, said, “Tourism Ireland was delighted to invite this group of journalists to come and discover the gardens in our newest visitor experience, Ireland’s Ancient East. Fact-finding visits like this are very important; they are a really effective way for us to get positive exposure for Ireland through the media in Germany, helping us to showcase what we have to offer to a huge audience of potential holidaymakers.”
The journalists with representatives of the Irish tourism sector
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innair Cargo has passed the International Air Transport Association’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics programme. Pharmaceuticals are among the most delicate products transported as air cargo, and therefore, it is essential to ensure their transport follows a global standard and strict temperature control guidelines. The certificate was presented to Finnair Cargo in conjunction with the laying of the cornerstone of Finnair’s new cargo terminal, the COOL Nordic Cargo hub. The new state-of-the-art facility will feature separate temperature-controlled areas for the handling of pharmaceuticals as well as other perishables foodstuffs.
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WHO’S MOVED
ROBERTSON STEWART
Robertson Stewart has joined Warwick International Hotels as chief operating officer for Europe. Stewart brings high-level experience and major achievements to the role. He started his career in 1992 at Disneyland Paris and later joined Le Méridien Etoile Paris. He then continued as director of operations at Royal Meridien Warsaw before moving to the Hungarian capital city, Budapest. In 2008 Stewart returned to Paris to Concorde La Fayette and later he set up his own consulting business and acted as a teacher at several renowned business schools in the French capital.
MICHAEL UZIELLI
Stewart also worked as a teacher
JOSEF BOGDANSKI
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Josef Bogdanski is the new chief information officer and chief process officer at Lufthansa Group. Bogdanski is in charge of overseeing the global IT and process management of the group and will also drive the further integration of the airline and service companies in this field. Since the beginning of his career at Deutsche Lufthansa in 1984, Bogdanski has held key responsibilities including area management in the Middle East, Southeast Europe and Africa, based in Dubai, and then the management of sales in Germany, global key account management and online sales. Prior to his current appointment, he led future programme SCORE Change for Success, which will be completed this year.
GAURAV BHUSHAN
Michael Uzielli has taken up the role of chief financial office at London’s Heathrow Airport. He will be focussing on further strengthening the airport’s reputation in international markets as a pre-eminent global infrastructure asset and building confidence in the financing of the hub’s expansion plans. His other responsibilities will include financial and investment strategies and management, tax, insurance, treasure and investor relations. Uzielli joins the team from British Gas where he worked as finance director. Prior to that, he spent years at asset management company Schroders and British Airways. He has a strong track record in leading highly engaged financial teams that support companies to make sound financial and investment decisions.
Gaurav Bhushan has been appointed chief development officer at AccorHotels. Bhushan began his career with the company in 1995 in Australia, where he held various posts in operations and finance. In 2000, he took up his first development role as business development manager for Australia, New Zealand and Japan and later extended his area of responsibility to become vice president of development for North Asia and the Pacific. Since 2006, he has headed the Asia Pacific development teams and coordinated the roll-out of joint ventures and partnerships in the region. He was also able to secure the acquisition of Mirvac Hotels & Resorts in Australia and New Zealand and, most recently, an alliance with Huazhu in China.
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PHOTO ALBUM
Take a Shot! Share with us the latest images of your activities and let your colleagues know what you have been up to. Send your photos to editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel Because a picture is worth a thousand words...
Transaero joined the International Tiger Day celebrations
Norwegian celebrated the first anniversary of its flights between the UK and the US by announcing a new route to Boston
Marine wildlife artist Guy Harvey decorated the new Norwegian Escape
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Jet2.com flew out singer and actor Shayne Ward to Murcia to support him in his charity trek for Hearts & Minds
Rixy Kids’ Festival started at Rixos Premium Tekirova, Turkey
Brussels Airlines carried 12,000 passengers on 119 flights who visited world renowned music festival Tomorrowland
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NEWS & EVENTS WTM Partners with World Food Travel Association
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orld Travel Market (WTM) London and the World Food Travel Association (WFTA) have partnered to bring the organisation’s food travel expertise to this year’s show delegates. “Food and drink have become a critical focus for most travellers. There is a lot that businesses and destinations everywhere can be doing to leverage food and drink as tools for economic development. Food and drink should be the foundation of all tourism development,” said Erik Wolf, executive director, WFTA.
EVENTS FUN &CHINA BIZ AFRICA IBTM Johannesburg, Beijing, China South Africa August 13 15 August 05 –– 06 www.fbafrica.net www.cibtm.com Anplace expofor aiming promote the A MICE to industry improvement of entertaining decision-makers to meet for facilities in Southadventures. Africa. global business
ICOMEX Mexico City, Mexico August 25 – 26 www.icomex-mexico.com Part of ibtm events, the show focusses on incentives, congresses and conventions in Latin America.
Germany Hosts DAS FEST OTDYKH 2015
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ne of Germany’s biggest open-air events, DAS FEST took place at the end of July in Karlsruhe, featuring performances from a number of well-known bands and solo artists. Having attracted some 250,000 visitors, the event also boasted a children’s section, a sports area with a skateboarding competition, an entertainment programme and a Sunday breakfast classical concert.
Moscow, Russia September 15 – 18 www.tourismexpo.ru Fosussing on three distinct segments, the event is a global platform addressing MICE, luxury and leisure travel experts.
Gdańsk Celebrates Merchants’ Day
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he old town in Gdańsk has become one of the largest shopping precincts in Europe for a two-week period, until August 16. During St. Dominic’s fair, almost 1,000 stalls are arranged to attract crowds of enthusiasts of collectables, antiques, crafts, and artistic products. In addition, several hundred hours of concerts, performances and shows satisfy the tastes of enthusiasts of all sorts of forms of artistic expression. In what is hailed to be Poland’s largest outdoor event, the city celebrates merchants’ day, a holiday established in the 13th century.
Celebrations at St. Dominic’s fair
Attracting Russian Tourists to Ireland
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delegation of Irish tourism enterprises travelled to Moscow, to take part in a business-to-business workshop, in a bid to grow Ireland’s share of the emerging Russian tourism market. The event, organised by Tourism Ireland and hosted by the Irish Embassy in Moscow, involved oneon-one meetings and networking sessions with more than 70 Russian travel agents and tour operators. David Boyce, deputy head, Great Britain, Tourism Ireland, said, “Workshops like this help foster relations with key travel professionals in Russia, who can help us achieve our goal of delivering growth from this market of potential.”
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IFTM TOP RESA Paris, France September 29 – October 02 www.iftm.fr A must-attend business-tobusiness event established in 1978 in Deauville focussing on leisure tourism. In 2008, it became a multi-target show covering business, leisure and events.
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