10 JULY 2016 ISSUE 41
10 SHORT BREAK
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BUDAPEST
REZIDOR ADDS ISTANBUL PROPERTY
15 SHEREMETYEVO TO UNDERGO FACELIFT
08 Agents 16 Air 19 Rendezvous
MARKET UPDATE
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SOFTENING AIRPORT TRAFFIC GROWTH
TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS MANAGING EDITOR Mary Kammitsi mary@traveltradeweekly.travel ASSISTANT EDITOR Rita Kasziba JOURNALIST Pauline Shahabian CONTRIBUTORS Ana Mladenovic Dominique Christou PRESS Maria Demetriadou DESIGN & LAYOUT Elena Stylianou WEB & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Savvas Kammitsis DIRECTORS Andreas Constantinides Mary Kammitsi
Following months of dynamic development, passenger volumes at European airports, including full service, low-cost, charter and other operations, showed a somewhat more moderate increase in April, at three percent.
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ccording to Airports Council International (ACI) Europe’s figures, while the European Union (EU) maintained a 3.7 percent growth rate, non EU hubs witnessed a 0.8 percent surge. On the other hand, freight traffic rose 5.5 percent, the best monthly performance in almost two years. As Olivier Jankovec, director general, ACI Europe, noted, security concerns have been one of the factors impacting the results with Brussels, Turkey and also Russia observing a setback.
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BERLIN RECEIVES OVER ONE MILLION TOURISTS
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Berlin
Representative for UK & Ireland and Scandinavia: David Simpson Simpson Media Tel: +447900885456 david@simpson-media.com
EXCHANGE RATES
as of
8.7.2016
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111.37
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According to data released by Berlin Tourism Board, the German capital welcomed a total of 1,071,982 visitors in April, indicating a four percent year-on-year increase.
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he city clocked some 2.55 million bed-nights during the month under study, up 1.4 percent over April 2015. From the total arrivals, 655,005 of the visits derived from the domestic German market, 416,977 from foreign countries, and 313,018 came from Europe. As for the first four months of the year, Berlin received over 3.69 million travellers, registering a 4.1 percent surge compared to the same period in 2015.
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MARKET UPDATE LONG-HAUL TRAVEL BOOSTS EUROPEAN TOURISM
Malta
MALTA ENJOYS INCREASED VISITOR VOLUMES
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ccording to Malta’s National Statistics Office data, inbound tourism to the country continued to soar with total travellers reaching 166,252 in April, indicating an 8.1 percent year-on-year increase. The growth was mainly generated by first-time tourists to Malta and by non-package type of visitors. With an average length of stay of 6.6 nights, overnight stays increased 7.4 percent to 1.1 million. Visitor expenditure totalled EUR123.1 million, EUR3.9 million higher than in April 2015. The UK, Italy and Scandinavia posted the largest numbers of tourists during the month under study.
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Dubrovnik
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espite the challenges encountered by the industry, Europe has remained a popular destination, with the volume of trips taken to the continent from longhaul markets having increased 3.4 percent in the first quarter (Q1) of the year. The positive development was fuelled by a 6.1 percent rise in demand from North America, counteracting the slow-down from Asia and Oceania and the drop from Central and South America. The fastest-growing city destination proved to be Dubrovnik with figures up 37.1 percent. All in all, international trips to Europe fell 0.7 percent in the three-month period, Nevertheless, bookings look positive for the second quarter of the year, particularly for Valencia, Helsinki, Barcelona and Mallorca.
EUROPE’S BUSINESS TRAVEL: CLEAR SAILING FORECAST
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estern Europe’s business travel spending is projected to increase to USD211.2 billion (EUR187.4 billion) this year, and top out at USD225.6 billion (EUR200.1 billion) in 2017, registering 6.3 percent and 6.8 percent surges, respectively, according to Global Business Travel Association (GBTA)’s recent BTI Outlook – Western Europe report. The study looks at Germany, the UK, France, Italy and Spain that together make up 70 percent of Western Europe’s business travel market. Combined, the corporate travel trends of these five destinations demonstrate that business travel confidence and demand are growing. As Catherine McGavock, regional vice president, Europe, Middle East and Africa, GBTA, noted, despite Europe having faced various challenges in recent times, the continent’s business travel market has been thriving.
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NEWS
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Eurostar Joins Football Celebrations
Eurostar partnered with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) to give football fans a green carpet send off as they made their way to the UEFA Euro 2016 in France.
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he high-speed railway service provider’s platform at London’s St Pancras International was transformed into a mini football pitch, further elevating the continent-wide football fever. Over the one month of the tournament, almost a million passengers travelled with Eurostar to the French hosting cities with the busiest day being June 10 clocking over 30,000 fans. “[UEFA] Euro 2016 [gave] football fans from across the UK a great opportunity to visit some of France’s most impressive destinations,” commented Nick Mercer, commercial director, Eurostar.
UNWTO and The Netherlands Foster Religious Travel
trivago Examines London Accommodation Scene
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o promote the role of religious tourism as an agent for cultural preservation, peace and understanding is in the focus of the agreement signed by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the government of The Netherlands. The partnership includes the celebration of a conference on Religious Heritage and Tourism: How to increase religious heritage tourism in a changing society that will be held in Utrecht, The Netherlands, in October. Taleb Rifai, secretary general, UNWTO, said, “Religious tourism is a powerful instrument to raise awareness of our common responsibility in safeguarding this lasting heritage and a key agent of peace, fostering tolerance and understanding between visitors and host communities, in an amalgam of different faiths.”
London
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rivago has analysed hotel data from nine of London’s central boroughs, in order to advise visitors on where to stay. According to the study, at an average of GBP220 (EUR281) per night, the most expensive borough is City of London, while Westminster is the most popular. In general, properties in the eastern boroughs have better ratings than those in the west, while Germans prefer to stay in the east and Italians in the west. When analysing accommodation type and star ratings, the company found that central boroughs have the highest proportion of hotels, while outlying boroughs have a higher number of bed and breakfast establishments. Unsurprisingly, the pricier central boroughs have a greater proportion of fourstar hotels, while the cheaper areas have a larger share of three-star hotels.
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NEWS
MTA Committed to Accessible Beaches
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Belarus-Russia Union State to Hold Tourism Year
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alta Tourism Authority (MTA) recently installed two new walkways at Ghadira Bay in Mellieha. Totalling approximately 150m in length, the additions are intended primarily to make the beaches more accessible. Although the paths were introduced mainly for people with special needs and wheelchair users, they may also be accessed by the general public. Additionally, new ramps have been installed which leading directly onto the walkways. These developments form part of a larger project by the tourism authority, which will be launched soon.
F MTA Ups Eastern European Marketing Efforts
Belarus to Get a Tourism Brand
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Malta
s part of its ongoing endeavours to achieve further growth and greater diversification, Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) has intensified its presence in Eastern Europe, and is already registering positive results. The year 2015 was considered a success for the Maltese Islands with increasing arrivals from Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia. The authority’s main propositios for tourists from these countries were sun and sea, active holidays, weddings, English language learning as well as city breaks. More specifically, the Polish and Czech markets rose 33.1 percent and 40 percent, respectively, over 2014. MTA carried out a number of promotional activities in the two destinations to lure visitors.
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Nesvizh
Walkway at Ghadira Bay
ive cooperation agreements were signed between the cultural institutions of Belarus and Russia, following the BelarusianRussian cultural and humanitarian cooperation and collaboration in tourism: historical and contemporary context session held in Nesvizh, as part of the third Forum of Regions of Russia and Belarus. The tourism industry was in the spotlight during the session, as the two destinations declared plans for a year of tourism in a bid to enhance the sector’s capabilities.
ollowing Belarus National Tourism Agency’s roundtable titled Competitiveness of Belarus in the world market of tourist services, Belarus Brand, a special working group will be set up in order to develop a tourism brand for the country. The group will comprise 12 individuals, who will hold regular meetings with professionals from different areas as well as with representatives of government agencies. The roundtable suggested conducting sociological researches across tourist companies, and criticised the method of calculating tourist numbers as it is perceived imperfect. Hence, satellite accounts will be introduced in the near future, which are expected to give market participants the ability to manage statistics when choosing effective solutions to promote the country.
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NEWS
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London’s Highest Summer Garden at The Shard
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he View from The Shard’s open-air skydeck on level 72, 244m above the capital has been transformed into an immersive garden with thousands of blooms. The project took 800 man-hours to complete, and allows guests to Western Europe’s tallest building to enjoy the foliage and the panoramic 360-degree views while indulging in a green-fingered inspired cocktail at the pop-up bar. London’s iconic landmark teamed up with the organisers of the Grow Wild campaign to promote the importance of UK wild flowers in pollination and elevating bee populations. The garden will welcome guests until September 18.
Eurostar Ups Onboard Entertainment
Singapore to Welcome Ovation of the Seas
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Ovation of the Seas
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urostar and ITV Essentials have announced a new partnership, which will enhance onboard entertainment. Launching on the rail company’s state-of-the-art fleet of e320 trains, travellers can unlock a range of British drama by using their own device to connect to the free onboard Wi-Fi. The first collection of eight programmes comes in addition to Eurostar’s exiting line-up of over 300 hours of television shows and films, and has been specially selected to offer a variety of classic British drama, including Cold Feet, Home Fires, Lewis, among more. The company plans to renew all content on a regular basis to offer an extensive selection of French and British options to keep passengers entertained as they travel across the Channel.
oyal Caribbean International has announced that it will homeport its billion dollar smartship Ovation of the Seas in Singapore for one season, in 2017, bringing thousands of travellers to the area and injecting millions into the local and regional economies. Over its 10 sailings, from March to April 2017, the 4,905-passenger vessel is expected to add some 42,000 extra guests to the Singapore cruising scene, and deliver millions through in-port spend. It will offer return trips ranging from three to five nights to Penang, Phuket, Bangkok, and a one-way journey to Tianjin with calls at Ho Chi Minh City for an overnight, Hue/Danang, Hong Kong and Seoul.
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NEWS AGENTS
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Jet2holidays Launches Hassle-free Provision Jet2holidays unveiled Resort Flight Check In, an innovative hotel check-in service.
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he free offering was originally trialled at a select few accommodation establishments in Benidorm, and proved so successful that it has now been officially rolled out at further resorts across Mallorca and Tenerife. As part of the process Jet2holidays representatives greet customers at their hotel on the day of their return flight and check in their baggage on the spot. The company‘s special ground operations team then transports the bags to the waiting aircraft, carrying out all the standard security checks. This leaves clients free to make the most of their last day away without the worry of having to look after their luggage.
FTI Partners with Rixos for Road Show
Make Holidays Greener Gets Strong Support
Make Holidays Greener campaign
Rixos Premium Belek
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erman tour specialist, FTI Touristik joined forces with Rixos Hotels to conduct a road show in five cities in Germany and Austria. Industry partners in Cologne, Stuttgart, Munich, Salzburg and Vienna had the chance to familiarise themselves with the highlights of the company’s summer offers, with a special focus on the hotelier’s wide array of properties in touristic hotspots in Turkey, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Each day was wrapped up with a raffle with valuable prizes.
he Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) has urged more travel companies and hotels to join the Make Holidays Greener month in July, by participating in this year’s Big Holiday Beach Clean. Up until mid-June, more than 40 businesses committed to the initiative in a bid to raise awareness of more sustainable vacations. ABTA, in collaboration with Travelife and the Travel Foundation, called on industry stakeholders to promote how people can take action to protect the environment and support local communities. As Nikki White, director of destinations and sustainability, ABTA, highlighted, the tourism industry is uniquely placed to make a difference to coastal regions and beaches globally.
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NEWS ACCOMMODATION
Rezidor Adds Istanbul Property
Park Inn Apartment Hotel Istanbul Esenyurt
L Meliá Antillas Calvià Beach
The Rezidor Hotel Group’s Park Inn Apartment Hotel Istanbul Esenyurt is set to welcome its first guests in late 2017 or early 2018.
Meliá Reopens Magaluf Property
ocated at the western end of Magaluf’s beachfront, Meliá Antillas Calvià Beach has been relaunched following the EUR12 million renovation and rebranding of what used to be Sol Antillas Hotel. The property was transformed with upgraded tourist facilities in order to attract new customer segmentation to the southwest area of Mallorca. The original building has been completely renovated to offer 316 rooms and suites, three swimming pools, including a signature lagoon pool, as well as a sun terrace, treatments at YHI Spa and private access to Magaluf’s beach. As a key partner within the Hotel Association of Palmanova-Magaluf, since 2012, Meliá Hotels International has been enhancing its local portfolio through the investment of more than EUR140 million, with an additional EUR50 million to be spent over the next two years.
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he 484-key property will be the company’s largest hotel in Turkey and will increase its portfolio in the country to 22 addresses with almost 4,000 rooms in operation or under development. “The hotel will be our first serviced apartments product in Turkey – an exciting market segment with growing demand. It will not only allow us to use operational and commercial synergies with our existing hotels in Istanbul, but also to unlock additional value for our guests and owners,” said Elie Younes, executive vice president, The Rezidor Hotel Group.
One&Only to Debut in Europe
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he first foundations were laid for One&Only Portonovi, the hotelier’s first project in Europe and an integral part of a new high-end lifestyle development that is being built in Monte-
negro. The first phase of the 24ha destination is due for completion in 2017, with the hotel scheduled to be unveiled in 2018. Setting a new level of guest experience through impeccable service and offering, One&Only Portonovi will comprise 120 rooms, suites and villas, a bouquet of dining and retail options, and a wellness and vitality centre. Aside from the hotel, Portonovi will also feature a selection of real estate properties and a 220 berth super-yacht marina.
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SHORT BREAK BUDAPEST
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IN THE HEART OF
Europe HAILED AS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CITIES IN EUROPE, BUDAPEST EFFORTLESSLY AND PROUDLY BLENDS THE HERITAGE OF THE COUNTRY’S PAST WITH CHIC ELEMENTS, CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE DEEPLY IMBUED WITH CUSTOMS AND ABUNDANTLY ENRICHED WITH CHARACTERISTICS.
RITA KASZIBA WRITES
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hough taking in the night views from Gellert Hill creates fairytale-like bouring countries and by those with a penchant for the legacy of the former images with the glimmering lights of the Chain Bridge, the Parlia- socialist system. ment and the castle reflecting on the Danube River, the Hungarian “Budapest is in the heart of Europe. It provides a magnificent combinacapital‘s charm transpierces through all aspects from the trendy ruin tion of times […],” pinpointed Michael Borges, director of sales and marketing, pubs to market halls and from authentic street food to the city’s bohemian InterContinental Budapest. entertainment scene. In recent years, the city has been developing apace with “Budapest has become one of Central Eua dynamic restoration scheme and the substantial developrope’s most popular tourist attractions in the ment of infrastructure, explained Tamás Fazekas, general BUDAPEST IN BRIEF last decades,” attested Teodóra Bán, managing manager, Buddha-Bar Hotel Budapest Klotild Palace. director, Budapest Festival and Tourism Center, In fact, while in 2011, the highest volume of foreign disclosing that arrivals and guestnights have guests originated from Germany, by 2013, the UK overtook Country: Hungary been rising constantly since 2009, surging from as the city’s main international source market while arrivals Language: Hungarian 2.56 million visitors and 6.06 million nights in from China, for example, have almost doubled in the first Currency: Hungarian Forint (HUF) 2010, to 3.8 million tourists and 8.77 million quarter of the current year, when compared to 2015. Population: 1.7 million overnight stays in 2015 – a more than 40 perReaffirming the city’s growing global significance, Calling Code: +361 cent growth in just five years. Fazekas revealed that besides the UK, Scandinavia, France Time Zone GMT: +1:00 Gone are the days when the Hungarian and Italy, demand from the US and Russia has been also on capital was frequented by people from neighthe rise, with India, the Middle East and China also emerg-
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ing as promising sources. The past years have indeed brought on various changes, starting with the closure of national airline, MALÉV in 2012, which, however, has had little to no impact on the Hungarian tourism industry. Demonstrating the sector’s resilience, carriers, both full service as well as low-cost companies, were quick to fill the void and as Rick Enders, general manager, Budapest Marriott Hotel Millennium Court and Marriott Executive Apartments, noted, besides the arrivals of new names, existing airlines have upped their frequencies or upgauged the route to larger aircraft. Even with the lack of a national carrier – albeit with a robust presence by Wizz Air –, Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport continues to serve as one of the main aviation gateways in the region, noted Bán, citing statistics showing that in 2015, the hub welcomed some 10.3 million passengers, up 12.5 percent year-on-year against the five percent average growth rate posted by Europe. Currently 96 destinations in 40 countries on three continents are available from the city and as Bán further pinpointed, with the boost in operations by 10 carriers and the introduction of nearly 20 routes, the momentum continues. “The airport has developed a very healthy airline mix, from ultra-low-cost carriers to five-star Gulf airlines, catering to all possible age and income groups,” highlighted Bán, saying that unlike many other European capitals, Budapest is now directly connected to a range of key business and tourist hotspots, giving the Hungarian city a competitive edge. Accessibility is, however, only one of the many aspects that make Budapest a bucket-list destination for many. As Balázs Kovács, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Danubius Hotels, remarked, the Hungarian capital boasts many of the highlights of other European tourist favourites in one place and with a dynamic citywide development underway, along with upcoming and proposed events and projects, the city is set for a bright
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future. In addition, as Enders noted, this distinctively rich tourist product is being offered at the fraction of the price of other European hotspots. “Being known as a value for money destination is important, but […] we would like to enhance the quality of tourist services and at the same time raise the prices close to the European level,” admitted Bán, saying that ultimately this development would allow the industry to reinvest in the product, further improving the offering. As Enders put it, Budapest is still the hidden pearl of Eastern Europe. Instead of turning its back on the past, Budapest has embraced its background, and, with a modern twist on this heritage, turned it into a competitive advantage that set it apart from other European destinations.
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NEWS MICE New Golden Tulip Arrives in Marseille
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Yerevan Welcomes New Radisson
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ouvre Hotels Group launched Golden Tulip Marseille Euromed, in France. The four-star hotel, which features 210 rooms spread over nine floors, is designed by the internationally known architect Massimiliano Fuksas. “The inauguration of Golden Tulip Marseille Euromed at the heart of this new, dynamic business district, strengthens the strategic positioning of our brand. The urban and diversified fabric of the city of Marseille also contributes to the development of Golden Tulip by creating an attractive environment,” explained Pierre-Frédéric Roulot, CEO, Louvre Hotels Group.
Radisson Blu Hotel, Yerevan
Golden Tulip Marseille Euromed
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he 142-room Radisson Blu Hotel, Yerevan, hailed as the first upper upscale international address in Armenia’s capital city, opened. “This stunning property complements the city with a blend of great design, innovations and cutting edge technologies. All these are combined with the unique Yes I Can! service from Radisson Blu that echoes Armenian hospitality traditions when every guest is important and is offered only the best,” commented Michel Stalport, area vice president, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. The property features a number of food and beverage outlets, including Larder Restaurant & Summer Garden, Ad Astra Rooftop Restaurant & Bar and Havana Club Cigar Bar, while it offers six meeting rooms with state-of-the-art equipment and free Internet access.
Jaz Amsterdam
Jaz Introduced in Amsterdam
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az Amsterdam celebrated its official opening, with local artists and DJs who gave live performances while guests enjoyed a range of culinary delights and show components. Designed by musical enthusiasts for musical visionaries, the hotel, which soft-opened in November 2015, is Steigenberger Hotels’ third brand to enter The Netherlands. The next Jaz property is scheduled to launch in Stuttgart in early 2017, and the aim is to have 10 further addresses operational or at the planning stage by 2020.
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NEWS MICE Starwood Sells Two Italian Properties
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tarwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide handed over of The St. Regis Florence and The Westin Excelsior Florence to Nozul Hotels & Resorts, owner of The Gritti Palace, Venice and W Doha Hotel, for EUR190 million. As Thomas Mangas, CEO, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, explained, as a preparation to the merger with Marriott International, the
company continues to vigorously compete in the market, by growing its brands and executing its strategy to create value for Starwood’s shareholders. “Asset dispositions remain a key part of that strategy and, following a year where we exceeded our target, we have already disposed of nearly USD500 million (EUR443 million) of assets this year,” he concluded.
HTL Hotels Renamed to Scandic Property
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n line with its efforts to streamline operations, Scandic Hotels Group will rebrand and integrate the HTL division into its strong, well-known brand and other operations. The concept was launched by the company in 2014, and is represented by four properties in Stockholm and Oslo which will be rebranded to bear the Scandic name during this autumn. “Together with scalability, our strong brand constitutes an important basis for Scandic’s value creation, which is confirmed by our good and stable margins. With Scandic’s brand and system support, these four hotels can perform even better,” said Frank Fiskers, president, Scandic Hotels Group.
HTL Kungsgatan, Stockholm
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NEWS ACCOMMODATION
Hotels Reluctant in Mobile App Adoption
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Eurostars Washington Irving Launches in Granada
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he five-star Eurostars Washington Irving, a historical establishment in Granada, has reopened, further extending the chain’s presence in the Spanish destination. With 63 rooms, the property, which is the company’s fourth hotel in Granada and its 20th in Andalusia, is based on and inspired by the works of the American romantic writer John Irring and his ties to the city. “[The relaunch] has been a long, costly process. However, since the hotel closed in 1999, our sole intention has been to make the hotel perfect for the city of Granada. It is a very important project for our company and we are sure that it is destined to become an emblematic hotel for the city of Granada,” said Amancio López Seijas, president, Hotusa Hotels.
Eurostars Washington Irving
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espite the rising expectations of mobile devices, less than 40 percent of US leisure travellers have a hotel application installed on their smartphones. As Phocuswright’s report pinpoints, in stark contrast, close to 60 percent have already downloaded airline apps. Yet, unlike airlines, who simply transfer existing technology to the mobile platform, building cutting-edge mobile functionality for hotel stayers requires physical and costly alterations to each property. Based on the study, almost half of US holidaymakers support having the ability to check in and out without ever visiting the front desk and demand is also high for local activity suggestions. Booking functionality, the possibility to order room service and other amenities, and keyless room entry are also popular features.
Park Hyatt Opens in Mallorca
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Park Hyatt Mallorca
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ark Hyatt Mallorca has launched in Spain as the first resort of the brand in Europe and the first hotel of the company on the island. Designed in the style of an authentic Mallorquín village, the secluded setting offers guests a tranquil environment with 142 rooms, including 16 suites. “Park Hyatt Mallorca provides guests with an unrivalled resort experience different than anything else offered on the island. We look forward to welcoming guests to Park Hyatt Mallorca on this previously undiscovered corner of the island and showing them the rare and intimate experiences that the Park Hyatt brand delivers,” said Philippe Rouxdessarps, vice president, global brands, Park Hyatt.
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NEWS AIRPORTS
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Sheremetyevo to Undergo Facelift
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y 2018, a new modern Terminal B with extended infrastructure will be built in the place of the old building, featuring multilevel parking, as well as subterranean passenger and cargo tunnels connecting the southern and northern terminal complexes. Mikhail Vasilenko, CEO, Sheremetyevo International Airport, highlighted, “Sheremetyevo today is a leader in quality, passenger and cargo transportation volumes, passenger air terminal complex spaces, innovation and business. We go on with progressive development and are currently undergoing major transformations for World Football Championship 2018.”
Madeira Airport: EUR11 Million Injected in New Areas
Sheremetyevo International Airport
Moscow’s regional authorities have approved the Northern Terminal Complex development project that is expected to make Sheremetyevo International Airport one of the major passenger and cargo hubs in the world.
Status Quo for BSCA in May
B New areas of Madeira Airport inaugurated
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russels South Charleroi Airport (BSCA) handled 649,810 passengers in May, slightly up from the 647,720 record during the same month in 2015. Load factor also remained the same, standing at 86 percent. Since the beginning of the year, the countries with the most traffic to and from the hub have generally been from around the Mediterranean, with Italy coming on top, followed by Spain, France and Morocco. Jean-Jacques Cloquet, CEO, BSCA, commented, “In May, BSCA continued in a difficult climate. Operations at the airport were affected by various instances of union action, both on a national and a European level. The proactive response and professionalism of the staff at BSCA and its partners helped to minimise the impact on the airport and its activities.”
Brussels South Charleroi Airport
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adeira Airport has been modernised following the inauguration of a renovated commercial area, with new stores across more than 1,800m2. Improvements were also introduced at the operational level, including the strengthening and re-profiling of the runway and a 1,500m2 increase to the airfield’s usable area by. Moreover, passengers can take advantage of seven new hand baggage screening lines that will enable an 83 percent improvement in traveller processing. In all, the total expansion work represents an investment of EUR11 million.
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NEWS AIR
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TAP Enriches American Offering TAP Portugal inked a codeshare agreement with New York’s JetBlue, which will allow the European carrier to offer customers convenient flight options to several North American gateways.
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osé Guedes Dias, vice president, alliances, industry and regulatory affairs, TAP Portugal, said that partnering with an airline such as JetBlue, which is renowned and cherished for its quality, customer-driven service, is a very important cornerstone of the company’s strategy, “Our codeshare will allow TAP to extend and intensify its network coverage and service options in a key market like the US, by conveniently combining our transatlantic services with JetBlue's domestic flights,” he concluded.
Lufthansa: Year-round to Cape Town
Berlin and Sofia Links Enhanced
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n addition to an early morning Bulgaria Air flight connecting the German and Bulgarian capitals once a week, airberlin has launched a new year-round service between Berlin and Sofia. Both itineraries are well-connected with airberlin’s route network via the low-cost airline’s hub in the German city. Travellers can choose from various flight options with convenient connection times, such as Copenhagen, Stockholm, Gothenburg and Helsinki, or from destinations within Germany, like Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Saarbrucken and Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden.
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Ryanair: 2,000 Extra Flights across Europe
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his winter, Lufthansa will resume operations on the Frankfurt – Cape Town route. From December 02, the European airline will take off from the German city to the South African destination. The step is extending Lufthansa Group’s portfolio to the country as the service complements Edelweiss’ former seasonal offering from Munich and Zürich. Cape Town will be served by an Airbus A340-300, which boasts over 279 seats in business, premium economy and economy class. The departure and arrival times enable ideal connections to the entire Lufthansa route network.
yanair added almost 2,000 extra flights in its European network for the October holidays, offering customers nearly 350,000 additional seats. The low-cost carrier aims to become the ideal choice for late sun or city break getaways this autumn, by allowing UK customers and visitors to choose from various flights on over 150 routes.
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NEWS AIR
Tianjin Airlines Starts Flying to Russia
Czech Airlines and Alitalia Codeshare
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ianjin Airlines launched services between Russia and China, making Moscow the first European city on its network. The once-weekly itinerary, which is taking off from Sheremetyevo International Airport, offers a capacity of 260 passengers onboard an Airbus A330. The Chinese regional carrier operates on more than 20 international routes.
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zech Airlines and Alitalia launched a new codeshare agreement. The deal allows the two carriers to offer customers more than 40 direct return weekly flights between the Czech Republic and Italy, along with connecting services in the two destinations, as well as in Slovakia and many other countries. Both airlines will also add new itineraries to their schedules; Czech Airlines in the Middle East, the Near East and in North and South America, while Alitalia in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Ukraine.
Air Moldova Adds to Italian Offering
Vueling to Open Copenhagen – Rome Route
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panish carrier Vueling launched its sixth itinerary from Copenhagen with a twice-weekly frequency to Rome’s Fiumicino – Leonardo da Vinci International Airport. With around 450,000 passengers having flown between the two cities in 2015, Peter Krogsgaard, chief commercial officer, Copenhagen Airport, said, “Vueling’s new service will be perfect for the many Danes who want to travel to Rome for a weekend break. Being a well-known brand in Italy, the airline will be able to attract many Italian travellers wanting a city break in an attractive city such as Copenhagen.”
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ir Moldova expanded its route network by launching a direct flight between Chisinau and Florence. With the introduction of the new route, Florence becomes the seventh Italian destination to be served by Air Moldova joining Rome, Milan, Bologna, Verona, Venice and Turin. The itinerary will be operated twice per week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, with an Embraer 190.
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Celebrating the new route
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NEWS AIR
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ERA Addresses Aviation Safety
Iran and Africa Step Up EU Air Safety Efforts
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he European Commission has updated the European Union (EU) Air Safety List which consists of airlines that do not meet international safety standards, and are, therefore, subject to an operating ban or restrictions within the EU. Following the recent revision, all carriers certified in Zambia are cleared from the list, along with Air Madagascar and three airlines certified in Indonesia. In addition, most aircraft of Iran Air are now allowed to resume operations within the EU. A total of 216 airlines are currently banned from EU skies.
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nternational aviation safety experts gathered at a twoday forum co-hosted by the European Regions Airline Association (ERA), Flight Safety Foundation and Eurocontrol, in Brussels. The event focussed on safety nets and the improvement of essential safety tools to help to prevent, for example, mid-air and runway collisions. “While aviation remains an extremely safe means of transport, it is important that the industry continues to look at ways of further improving safety standards. This safety forum, now in its fourth successive year, is an excellent vehicle for bringing together international safety experts to garner their expertise and ensure that the public’s safety remains aviation’s priority,” noted Simon McNamara, director general, ERA.
Football Championship Boosts Private Jet Business
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new travel experience embodying the concept of Italian hospitality await Alitalia passengers at the airline’s first two new flagship lounges at Rome’s Fiumicino – Leonardo da Vinci International Airport and at Milano Malpensa Airport. “With Casa Alitalia we will showcase Italian excellence and style in an elegant yet relaxed setting, where a warm welcome with attention to details will make our guests from all over the world feel as they were in a typical Italian home,” said Cramer Ball, CEO, Alitalia, deeming the opening of the lounges a further step in the re-launch plan of the airline’s ground and in-flight services.
Casa Alitalia
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he ongoing UEFA Euro 2016 tournament heightened demand for Air Charter Service (ACS)’s offerings as football fans from all over the world flocked to France to be part of the games. The company has been busy with enquiries since the group draw in December 2015, with more than 20 aircraft having been booked to fly to the championship by May. As Matt Purton, group commercial director, ASC, noted, the knock-out stages are even more frantic. As he further pinpointed, this time around, the threat of pilot strikes further bolstered interest in private jet services.
Alitalia Opens First Flagship Lounges
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NEWS AIR
Q & A with
Budapest
TEODÓRA BÁN MANAGING DIRECTOR, BUDAPEST FESTIVAL AND TOURISM CENTER
HAILED AS ONE OF EUROPE’S MOST ARCHITECTURALLY, HISTORICALLY AND CULTURALLY RICH DESTINATIONS, BUDAPEST CONTINUES TO ATTRACT MILLIONS OF TRAVELLERS YEAR AFTER YEAR AS TEODÓRA BÁN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, BUDAPEST FESTIVAL AND TOURISM CENTER, REVEALS.
TRAVEL TRADE EUROPE: The closure of MALEV in 2012 prompted many to question the future of the Hungarian tourism industry. Yet, despite the challenges, Budapest continued to attract high volumes of travellers. What are the main reasons behind this? TEODÓRA BÁN: […] Budapest [Ferenc Liszt International] Airport continues to be one of the main aviation gateways in the region. The airport has served 10.3 million passengers in 2015, with a remarkable growth rate of 12.5 percent and [it] 10 JULY 2016
continues this trend this year, currently serving 96 destinations in 40 countries on three continents. With an increase of flight frequencies by 10 airlines and the launch of nearly 20 new destinations, Budapest is also experiencing growth on a number of existing successful routes. Budapest Airport has developed a very healthy airline mix from ultra-lowcost carriers to five-star Gulf airlines, catering to all possible age and income groups, ranging from young backpack tourists to business people from around the world. While most major European cities could be reached at least by two airlines directly from Budapest, there are a series of long-haul carriers like Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air China, Air Transat and the latest newcomer Air Canada rouge connecting Hungary to the American continent and Asia. Having invested over EUR325 million between 2007 – 2015 in a substantial upgrade and expansion programme, the showpiece SkyCourt passenger terminal is winning many awards for its design, efficiency and passenger experience. The net results of the investments are already materialising with improved passenger ratings year-on-year and significant new airlines entering the market from 2014 onwards. […] TRAVEL TRADE EUROPE: What are the organisation’s main priorities? TEODÓRA BÁN: The main objectives of Budapest Festival and Tourism Center are the structuring of the Budapest brand and the development of the image of the capital of Hungary. The two core activities of our office are the organisation of key cultural events, festivals and the support of the capital’s tourism services, as well as consistent development of the quality and supply of incoming and domestic tourism. Our festival centre is in a privileged position in that it actually organises quality cultural events itself. Festivals spanning all four seasons represent both tourist attractions and cultural
urban experiences. […] TRAVEL TRADE EUROPE: Which are your main target markets and what characteristics of the capital are being highlighted? TEODÓRA BÁN: The main target markets of interest are China, Italy, Germany, the UK and Russia. Primary target groups of our marketing campaigns include families with children, those looking for trend-leading venues, and people who place emphasis on quality leisure and culture. Budapest is [also] one of the most favourite MICE destinations in Europe. The Hungarian capital maintained its position as the 17th destination for association congresses [as per The International Congress & Convention Association’s list] and outranked such important conference venues like Stockholm, Sydney, Munich or Warsaw. More than 1.2 million people arrived for MICE tourism purpose to Hungary in 2014 […] and their total spending reached HUF131.4 billion (EUR418.7 million). Reasons to choose Budapest include easy access […], the city is also the spa capital of Europe, then cultural wealth, shopping options and […] competitive prices. Based on the price-value conditions Hungary is still among the most reasonable destinations in Europe. It has well-developed infrastructure for conferences and incentives. Deluxe and five-star hotels, well-skilled and knowledgeable guides, legendary art of cuisine and wines, Michelin star winner restaurants, widely varied, extraordinary venues. Most of the famous sites and major hotels are in walking distance to each other. The public transportation is also very well developed offering fast and nature-friendly ways to get around the city. All major hotel brands can be found in Budapest and beyond to cater for conferences, corporate events and incentive trips.
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TRAVEL CHANNELS
Pupils participating in the challenge
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PUPILS TAKE ON HEATHROW VENTURE
FLYBE BACKS CANCER RESEARCH
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ver 2,600 students from schools around London’s Heathrow Airport area received an introduction to coding and robotics through the company’s Heathrow Secondary School Challenge. Now in its seventh year, the educational event visited 14 academic institutes where pupils were taught about coding as part of the government’s STEM programme which aims to encourage youngsters to take up science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The challenge was based on the 21 driverless pods that are used to transport passengers from the airport’s business car parks to Terminal 5. Working in teams, participants built their own pods of Lego, and then programmed them to travel a set route.
UNWTO FOCUS ON SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
n a bid to raise research funds for Cancer Research UK, Flybe concluded a month-long onboard collection scheme. Passengers on all flights operated by the airline in June were invited to make a donation asupport the iniatianive. Since 2008, the carrier’s staff and customers have donated over than GBP630,000 (EUR800,825) to the charity. Saad Hammad, CEO, Flybe, commented, “In 2015 alone, we raised GBP140,000 (EUR178,000) and [we would] like [this year] to be another record breaking year for donations.”
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he World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) welcomed over 70 experts from 21 countries at its headquarters in Madrid, to discuss and share experiences related to the measurement and monitoring of the impact that tourism has on destinations. Special focus was placed on the relevance and the opportunities available from non-traditional data sources, including social media analysis, geospatial data mapping, big and live data collection and usage as well as the analysis of credit card spending patterns and the flow of visitors based on mobile device information. The consultation took place in the context of recent achievements that underline and strengthen the role and responsibilities of sustainable tourism as a positive instrument for development.
T TAP CELEBRATES WORLD CHILDREN’S DAY 20
o commemorate World Children’s Day, TAP Portugal gave 26 kids the chance to fly for the first time ever. The youngsters arrived from the Orphanage of Our Lady of Shelter in Porto, and from the Roll of Honour of the Luís António Verney Group of Schools in Lisbon, making their maiden flight on the airline’s Ponte Aérea shuttle between the two Portuguese cities, and touring the destinations on arrival. TAP Portugal also surprised around 500 children flying to Lisbon, with a gift pack of the company’s mascots Flip & Flap.
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TRAVEL CHANNELS
POLAND AND MOLDOVA RENEW EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK COMMITMENT
RESPONSIBLE UNIFORM AT AIR FRANCE
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ir France has set up an innovative uniform recycling operation, hailed as a first of its kind in the textile sector. Organised at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris Orly International Airport between January and March, the collected items were taken to a recycling plant to be processed and used as raw materials to become cement granules. Currently, some 17,650 cabin crew and 8,500 ground staff wear Air France uniform with another 8,600 members serving in work clothes. During the initiative, 8.56 tonnes of clothing were gathered, resulting in 1.28 tonnes of cement in the end.
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erome Simpson, outreach coordinator, EUROPEAN MOBILITY WEEK, recently visited to Warsaw and Chisinau to promote the theme of cooperation as the key to success. In both countries, the environment and transport ministries have realised that a truly effective campaign depends on their collaboration. All concerned made their intention clear to establish inter-ministerial working groups that would seek to involve non-governmental and international organisations besides municipal associations and the private sector. The outreach also highlighted the importance of allying more closely with those campaigning on matters of road safety and equitable access. Chisinau's streets currently cater to cars more so than cyclists and pedestrians, while those with impaired mobility face even greater challenges.
SOLIDARITY ACCORHOTELS: OVER 240 PROJECTS
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ore than 240 initiatives have been supported in favour of the world’s most disadvantaged within the framework of Solidarity AccorHotels. The hotelier’s programme aims to promote training and professional integration all over the globe, from Germany to Ivory Coast and Thailand. Since 2008, some 200,000 highly vulnerable beneficiaries have been helped and in 2015 alone, the Endowment Fund supported the social solidarity endeavours of over 6,000 employees in 16 countries.
E EXPEDIA.COM: BEST-LOOKING BEACHGOERS COME FROM EUROPE 10 JULY 2016
uropeans are considered the most attractive people to prance on beaches ahead of Caribbean and American nationals, according to Expedia.com’s Flip Flop Report. Relaxation remained the favourite beach indulgence; however, 32 percent of Indians and 17 percent of Americans also often work while listening to the sounds of the waves. Wi-Fi is becoming a major requirement with 23 percent of Americans saying that they would share up-to-date posts and images, while beer was chosen as the most preferred drink. Beachgoers voted The Slob the most annoying behaviour, ahead of The Inattentive Parent and The Loud Mouth. Interestingly, Austria stripped off the global beach nudity title from Germany with 28 percent of respondents having disrobed at a public beach.
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MAURIZIO SACCANI has been appointed global director of operations at Rocco Forte Hotels. Saccani, who most recently served as chief of product development and executive vice president for Italy and Spain at Belmond Hotels, is an experienced hotelier with great knowledge of the detail which drives high levels of customer satisfaction. He has a proven record in developing the properties under his leadership and notably improving their levels of profitability. In his new role, Saccani will be responsible for operations, sales and marketing as well as human resources. He will be a member of the company’s executive committee and will report to Karim Naffa, managing director.
LINDA NUSS
JEFFREY GOH has been named as the new CEO of Star Alliance, effective from January 01, 2017. Upon official appointment, Goh, who currently serves as chief operating officer and general council of the organisation, will head Star Alliance Services, the German-based brand and project management company which coordinates the alliance’s ongoing activities. Goh, who holds a doctorate in the principles and policies of regulating airline competition and regulation, is an experienced aviation professional who is well-known and respected in the industry. He has previously worked at the International Air Transport Association, and prior to that, he taught and practiced law.
TAMARA VALLOIS
MAURIZIO SACCANI
JEFFREY GOH
WHO’S MOVED
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LINDA NUSS is the new regional manager of North America at German Convention Bureau’s New York office in the US. Nuss, who is bilingual in German and English, will lead all marketing, public relations and sales activities stateside, communicating the value of Germany’s dedication to innovation, key industry expertise and sustainability to planners and delegates. She will also provide hands-on support for first-time meeting planners as well as to organisers who are interested in returning to Germany. She has a background in marketing leadership in both the German and US markets in the innovative space of medical devices, and also has valuable experience in executing largescale trade shows.
TAMARA VALLOIS has been selected as head of communications at Wizz Air. Reporting to chief corporate officer Owain Jones, Vallois will be based at the company’s office in Budapest. Vallois joined Wizz Air in 2013 as corporate communications manager, having previously worked in marketing and communication at Colgate-Palmolive, General Motors and Agoda.com. In her new role as head of both internal and external communications, she will manage a team that has already forged a reputation in the industry.
Vollais has been with Wizz Air since 2013
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PHOTO ALBUM
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The Irish embassy in Denmark, together with Tourism Ireland and Tullamore D.E.W., hosted a special pre-Bloomsday event to mark the 80th anniversary of writer James Joyce’s visit to Copenhagen
To celebrate the new Chisinau - Florence flight, Air Moldova presented a winner with a free to ticket
Take a Shot! Share with us the latest images of your activities and let your colleagues know what you have been up to.
Lufthansa won the Best European Airline serving the Middle East title at the Business Traveller Middle East Awards
Send your photos to editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel Because a picture is worth a thousand words...
Glasgow Airport celebrated its 50th anniversary
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Jos Nijhuis, CEO, Schiphol Group, christened the tulip at Amsterdam’s airport to mark the 100th anniversary of the hub
Scandic Hotels Group recognised valuable employees through Scandic President’s Awards
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NEWS & EVENTS EVENTS FARNBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOW Farnborough, UK July 11 – 17 www.farnborough.com Some 22 nations from Europe, the US, Canada, South America, Russia and the Far East will be hosted at the show, while Chinese participation will see a 103 percent increase over 2014’s event.
IFTM TOP RESA Paris, France September 20 – 23 www.iftm.fr Reed Expositions France puts together a happening that over the years has become a multitarget market event for all travel types.
MOSCOW MED SHOW Moscow, Russia September 30 – October 01 www.medshow.ru A professional event with a highly targeted promotional campaign which brings clinics and medical tourism providers into direct contact with potential patients.
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Belagro Attracts Over 530 Companies
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insk-1 Airport played host to Belagro 2016, which formed part of the Belarusian AgroIndustrial Week in June. Occupying 31,271m2, the exhibition gathered 535 industry specialists from 23 countries, including the agriculture ministries of several European and Asian states. Further raising the prestige of the event, a number of international shows, such as Belferma, Belprodukt, Food Industry and others, were also held as part of the Belagro 2016.
Japan Welcomes The Royal Ballet
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s part of its international tour programme, UK’s The Royal Ballet is in the midst of performing Romeo and Juliet as well as Giselle in five cities across Japan this summer season. The company last toured the Asian country three years ago, performing Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Speaking of the return, Kevin O’Hare, director, The Royal Ballet, noted, “Touring to Japan is always a highlight for the company, the audiences are so warm and receptive and I am delighted that this summer we will present two masterpieces […], showcasing the breadth, artistry and talent of our world-class dancers.”
Over 4,000 Cyclists Saddle Up in Northern Ireland
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he second edition of Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia Northern Ireland proved to be a success with more than 4,000 cycling enthusiasts joining the event. Titanic Belfast & Titanic Exhibition Centre venues served as the main hub for the competition, which formed part of the NI Festival of Cycling. From Australia to the US and Malaysia, riders travelled from all over the world to Northern Ireland to be greeted by big crowds along the route.
UKRAINE INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL MARKET (UITM)
Icelandic Capital Holds Bike Contest
Kiev, Ukraine October 05 – 07 www.ukraine-itm.com.ua Tour operators and travel agencies, various seminars and conferences make the annual programme a must-attend event.
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or the fourth year running, the KexReið bicycle race took place in downtown Reykjavik in June. Hosted by Kex Hostel and Kría Cycles, the event was open to the general public, where competitors raced in a loop in the Skuggahverfi district. Prizes were awarded for both men and women who came in first, second and third place.
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