Travel Trade Europe, 25 April 2016, Issue 36

25 APRIL 2016 ISSUE 36

15 THE EUR245 BILLION QUESTION: AIRSPACE MODERNISATION

10 SHORT BREAK

NICOSIA

20 INTERVIEW WITH OMER KADDOURI

08 Cruising 14 Airports 19 Agents

MARKET UPDATE

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TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS

LUFTHANSA: STRATEGIC REALIGNMENT BRINGS RESULTS

MANAGING EDITOR Mary Kammitsi mary@traveltradeweekly.travel ASSISTANT EDITOR Maria Kazeli SENIOR JOURNALIST Rita Kasziba JOURNALIST Pauline Shahabian CONTRIBUTOR Ana Mladenovic PRESS Maria Demetriadou Inna Armeanu DESIGN & LAYOUT Elena Stylianou WEB & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Savvas Kammitsis 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 EMAILS info@traveltradeweekly.travel sales@traveltradeweekly.travel editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel

Lufthansa Group reported doubled profits for its airlines in 2015, due to higher revenues and lower fuel costs, as Carsten Spohr, chairman, Lufthansa Group, explained.

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he company generated revenues of EUR32.1 billion, a 6.8 percent year-on-year increase. Adjusted earnings before interest and taxes rose 55 percent to EUR 1.8 billion. “[This year] we aim to enhance the profitability of our hub airlines by further modernising their fleets and further increasing efficiency. […] We will expand Eurowings substantially and enlarge the route network. We will foster innovations in all business areas and make travel for our customers even more pleasant and simpler through digitalisation and corresponding new offers,” analysed Spohr.

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EXCHANGE RATES

as of

15.4.2016

COUNTRY

CURRENCY

1EUR=

US (USD)

Dollar

1.12

UK (GBP)

Pound

0.79

Switzerland (CHF) Franc

1.08

Japan (JPY)

123.34

2

Yen

Driven by strong performance by both Virgin Atlantic Airways and Virgin Holidays, Virgin Atlantic Group registered a profit before tax and exceptional items of GBP22.5 million (EUR28.5 million) in 2015, a GBP10.1 million (EUR12.8 million) improvement over 2014.

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irgin Holidays alone accounted for a substantial contribution of GBP10.9 million (EUR13.8 million) of the total, up 85 percent year-on-year.

In 2015, over 5.9 million passengers flew with Virgin Atlantic Airways to 29 destinations and 325 Virgin Holidays trips were arranged to more than 40 locations. The results come as Alaska Airlines prepares to acquire Virgin Atlantic Airways.

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MARKET UPDATE

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EUROSTAR REPORTS STABLE PASSENGER NUMBERS

Eurostar registered 10.4 million passengers in 2015, with the figure remaining at the same levels as in 2014.

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hilst the business saw a sharp drop in customer numbers in the aftermath of the Paris events in November 2015, trading started to pick up over the first two months of this year and forward bookings for the summer are positive.

“With our new state-of-the-art trains and highly competitive fares to a range of destinations, we expect this trend to gather momentum over the coming months,” explained Nicolas Petrovic, CEO, Eurostar.

Following the introduction of eight e320 trains on the London – Paris route, passengers can also enjoy a new onboard entertainment service and Wi-Fi connectivity.

MARITIM IMPRESSES IN 2015

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aritim Hotels exceeded all forecasts with a turnover of EUR475.1 million in 2015, reporting an increase in comparison to EUR448.2 million recorded in 2014.

The group’s occupancy levels rose 3.5 percent while room rates stayed the same, despite the fact that some of the hotels were undergoing various renovation and modernisation works.

This year, the company added Hotel Saray Regency on the Turkish Riviera to its portfolio, and will unveil a new a conference hotel in Amsterdam this summer. Two hotels in China are also underway, while in the coming years a new 217-key property in Ingolstadt will be also completed.

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UPHILL ROAD FOR SWISS DELUXE HOTELS

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wiss Deluxe Hotels ended the year 2015 with slightly lower consolidated sales of around CHF1.42 billion (EUR1.30 billion), corresponding to a 1.5 percent decline over 2014.

The hotelier’s overnight stays also fell three percent to around 847,000 in 2015.

Domestic demand remained stable, reinforcing the approximately 35 percent market share with a moderate growth of 0.2 percent.

"Together with our partner MySwitzerland, we shall be promoting the exclusive and traditional values of the Swiss luxury hotel sector even more intensively, boosting trust in the safe travel destination that is Switzerland,” said Siro Barino, managing director, Swiss Deluxe Hotels.

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NEWS HOTEL PERFORMANCE Overall, February was a good month for European cities, as the latest HotStats data revealed.

Properties in Germany’s capital benefitted from a large event, while Prague hoteliers enjoyed a double-digit RevPAR growth. On the other hand, establishments in Budapest strived and achieved profit growth despite lower occupancies and RevPAR.

Budapest Hotels Struggle

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ccupancy at Budapest properties dropped 2.5 percentage points year-on-year, contributing to a 0.5 percent decline in RevPAR, to EUR52.39 from EUR52.64 during February 2015.

A four percent downfall in total RevPAR was also recorded as food and beverage revenue plummeted 13.4 percent.

Whilst hoteliers in the Hungarian capital lamented the absence of demand related to the European Regional Consultation on the World Humanitarian Summit, which boosted top and bottom level performance in February 2015, they were able to salvage profit growth for the month.

Berlin Market Thrives

Prague Enjoys Good Performance

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otels in the German capital recorded a 13 percent year-on-year increase in profit per room in February as Messe Berlin hosted an important information technology conference which has moved from Milan and attracted 13,000 extra visitors to the city.

The event helped fuel a 10.3 percent boost in RevPAR which was almost entirely the result of a 9.8 percent surge in achieved average room rate (ARR) to EUR150.73, from EUR137.22 during the same period in 2015.

Despite the positive image in room revenue, total RevPAR growth was tempered back to 3.8 percent, as a decline was recorded on a per available room basis in food and beverage as well as conference and banqueting income.

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ith RevPAR increasing 11.6 percent in February, demonstrating almost consistent growth over the past 24 months, top-line results at Prague’s establishments were encouraging.

On a rolling annual basis, this has resulted in a 32.1 percent surge over the past two years to EUR72.55 in the 12 months to February, from EUR54.94 in the 12 months to February 2014.

The Czech capital’s hotel market is still facing some challenges, particularly in the food and beverage department as year-on-year profit dropped 4.5 percent in February. This, however, had little impact on overall gross operating profit per available room (GOPPAR) which increased 10.4 percent, to EUR16.84 from EUR15.25 in February 2015.

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NEWS

Europe’s Hoteliers Convene in Cyprus

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he European Hotel Managers Association (EHMA) recently held its 43rd annual general meeting in Limassol.

Under the theme Drivers and Trends of Luxury Hospitality, the three-day gathering saw a number of sessions at Amathus Beach Hotel, traditional evenings, a gala dinner, cooking lessons with famous chef Tonia Buxton, as well as an excursion at the picturesque village of Omodos.

Numbering more than 5,000 four- and five-star hotels, EHMA was established in 1974 in Rome to promote collective intelligence, education, networking and professional development among its members.

Greece Promoted Worldwide

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n a bid to boost tourism growth, Elena Kountoura, economy, infrastructure, maritime affairs and tourism alternate minister, Greece, held meetings with a number of foreign ambassadors to the country, including those of Australia, the Czech Republic and India, to strengthen tourism ties between the destinations and attract a larger number of visitors to Greece.

At the same time, the municipality of Thessaloniki, alongside Greek National Tourism Organisation’s office in Italy, presented both Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki to Milanese and Bolognese audiences with the goal of promoting medical tourism. Participants at the event included journalists, bloggers, travel agents and tour operators.

Thessaloniki

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NEWS

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Fresh Art Concept in the Netherlands

Greece Targets Russians

Brits Prefer to Stay Close to Home

The New Museum Rotterdam Unveiled

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he number of British holiday-makers taking a vacation in the UK continues to rise, according to new research by QHotels.

The study revealed that nearly 34 million adults plan to take at least one UK getaway this year with Cornwall remaining the preferred destination.

Furthermore, a change in holiday duration was spotted, with short trips now being almost as popular as longer vacations.

“As a nation, we are definitely moving towards shorter and more frequent breaks, and increasingly those breaks are in the UK,” noted Claire Rowland, director of marketing, QHotels, pinpointing the high cost of travelling abroad and the preference for frequent long weekends away rather than saving up for one big trip a year, as key factors driving the change.

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reek National Tourism Organisation participated in the recently-held Moscow International Travel & Tourism Exhibition.

The authority was present at the Russian forum with a 805m2 stand where it co-hosted 47 industry stakeholders from Greece.

Discussions focussed on further enhancing cooperation between the countries aimed at prolonging the tourist season in Greece by enriching travel packages and offering alternative modes of tourism, including religious, thermal and gastronomic options.

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ormerly known as Historical Museum of Rotterdam, Museum Rotterdam has opened its premises in the historical heart of the city.

Reflecting the character of the destination that embraces diversity, constant change and the belief in the future, three major presentations take visitors on a voyage of discovery through the past, present and future of the city.

Rotterdammers and Their City introduces the people behind the skyline, the In History of The City segment showcases various items from the museum’s collection, while The New City displays models and cityscapes from the 1950s and 1960s.

Museum Rotterdam

Hermitage Amsterdam

Moscow International Travel & Tourism Exhibition

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he Netherlands welcomed its first Outsider Art Museum which features world-class works by local and international artists at Hermitage Amsterdam.

The new museum focusses on contemporary pieces from the growing Dolhuys collection, boasting hundreds of works by creators from the UK, France, Iran, Japan and the Netherlands.

Cathelijne Broers, director, Hermitage Amsterdam, explained, “Our relationship with [health care organisation and partner for the exhibition] Cordaan goes back a long way [...].

We are also pleased that we can broaden our partnership by inviting gifted Cordaan artists to workshops in the Hermitage for Children, our programme for talented young people.”

Cornwall

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NEWS CRUISING

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Holland America Line Welcomes Latest Addition

Holland America Line has taken delivery of ms Koningsdam, the first Pinnacle class ship in the company’s fleet.

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ms Koningsdam

ollowing a signing ceremony at Fincantien’s Marghera shipyard in Italy, the Dutch flag was raised on the vessel which made its way to Rome for its premiere voyage.

The ship can cater to 2,650 passengers and features the liner’s first purpose-built staterooms for families and solo travellers among its 1,331 accommodation units. It further boasts various dining options, a café and onboard entertainment, among more.

An official naming event is also expected to take place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on May 20, after which ms Koningsdam will head to its summer homeport in Amsterdam and sail on a series of northern Europe and Baltic cruises.

Numarine 32XP Underway

Silja Europa Links Tallinn to Helsinki

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Numarine 32XP

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ruise ferry Silja Europa started operating between the Estonian and Finnish capitals, sailing to Helsinki’s Southern Harbour, Olympia terminal.

“Our Helsinki – Stockholm vessels also operate from this terminal in Helsinki and its location is very good for direct access to central city. While designing the time schedule, we had to take into account the availability of berths and the traffic times of other vessels, but we hope the new departure and arrival times are perfect for spring and summer season,” commented Margus Hunt, sales and marketing director, AS Tallink Grupp.

The modernised vessel which underwent numerous reconstruction works on its seventh and eighth deck, returned on the route with a new tourist-friendly setup enabling travellers to discover the neighbouring cities within a day trip.

Tallinn

acht brokerage firm Burgess revealed that the Numarine 32XP Series Concept is now under construction, aiming to combine size with capabilities and test the boundaries of luxury versus performance.

Building on the 40XP steel-hull explorer idea released in 2015, the 32.5m vessel, expected to be delivered in 2017, will enhance the Numarine explorer line by ensuring efficiency coupled with onboard comfort.

Once built, the ship will accommodate 12 guests and will include a full beam owner’s cabin plus ample entertainment options throughout.

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NEWS ACCOMMODATION

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Tribute Double-Debuts in French Capital

Le Metropolitan, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide’s Tribute Portfolio entered Paris with Le Metropolitan and Le Dokhan’s.

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ccording to Dave Marr, global brand leader, Tribute Portfolio, when launching the brand in April 2015, Starwood’s Preferred Guest expressed a desire to have a Tribute Portfolio property in Paris, so they could have an independent hotel experience.

Located in a traditional 19th-century Haussmann-style building, Le Metropolitan boasts hardwood floors, local artwork and city views, while Le Dokhan’s houses an original Louis Vuitton lift cabin, handpainted friezes, custom-made fabrics and works of art by Picasso, Klee and Matisse, as well as the city’s very first Champagne bar.

MGallery Adds Luxury to Eastern Paris

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ffering an experience rich in emotions and discoveries at the heart of the 11th arrondissement, MGallery by Sofitel unveiled what is hailed as the first five-star hotel in eastern Paris.

Housed in a historic building that was formerly a joinery workshop and then a chocolate factory, Hotel Paris Bastille Boutet MGallery by Sofitel features 80 rooms, 10 of them with balconies, spread over six floors. Its 150m2 wellbeing space includes an indoor pool with resistance jets, a steam room, sauna and two luminotherapy showers.

Mandarin Milan Unveils Designer Units

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andarin Oriental, Milan revealed two suites inspired by Milanese design masters, Piero Fornasetti and Gio Ponti. The latest additions complete the hotel, which opened in July 2015, with each measuring 100m2 boasting a living room, bedroom and a master bathroom.

Milano Suite is dedicated to Piero Fornasetti, and is furnished with original pieces by the designer. Premier Suite is a tribute to Milanese rationalism and the minimalist style of Gio Ponti who has inspired many artists since the 1950s. It is decorated in black walnut and boasts several striking features.

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SHORT BREAK NICOSIA

REMARKABLE

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MARIA KAZELI WRITES

Contender DESPITE BEING LOCATED IN A POPULAR MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY HOTSPOT, NICOSIA CANNOT BE PROMOTED AS A SUN AND BEACH DESTINATION. HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE POSING OBSTACLES TO INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE DOING THEIR UTMOST TO PROMOTE THE CITY. NICOSIA IN BRIEF Country: Cyprus Currency: Euro (EUR) Language: Greek Population: 329,500 Calling Code: +357 22 Time Zone: GMT +2:00

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ne of the smallest European capitals, Nicosia has many attractions to pride itself on. Starting with its centuries-old history that embellished the destination with a plethora of medieval and remarkable monuments, to the many cultural activities taking place year round, the city is Cyprus’ centre – both metaphorically and literally.

Nicolas Nicolaou, general manager, Semeli Hotel, commented that one of the capital’s unique selling points is its location that offers tourists the opportunity to organise short round trips on a daily basis in order to explore the island’s abundant natural beauty.

The city also benefits from its proximity to the Troodos mountain range allowing visitors to discover various nature trails and tucked-away traditional villages to get a feeling of the authentic Cyprus, disclosed Marcella Loucaidou, managing director, Travel Pass.

In addition to this, she noted how the destination has gained global attention over the past four decades and is known as the last divided capital in Europe.

Melita Rolandi-Strati, director, Easy Conferences, agreed that for many years the Green Line separating the city in two has been – and still is – a major tourist draw.

Rolandi-Strati was, however, quick to highlight the destination’s modern-day attractions.

“Nicosia cannot boast a sandy beach, but it certainly has a lot of other things to showcase. The old town that has recently been reconstructed and upgraded is a beautiful pedestrianised centre, full of cafés, shops and restaurants. The city’s main square and the new municipality hall are now under construction and will complete the nice picture [for Nicosia] which is surrounded by the old and famous Venetian Walls,” she elaborated.

Aside from the plethora of things to see, Rolandi-Strati also made note of various cultural events and exhibitions that take place in galleries and halls across the city, with A.G. Leventis Gallery being the epicentre of the cultural buzz, as she said.

BUSINESS AS USUAL Nicolaou supported that the capital has mainly been a business travel hub but this should not limit its potential of reaching out to wider markets.

“Other than the usual corporate and conference tourism, Nicosia should more intensely concentrate on other segments such as sports, religious and health tourism,” he analysed.

With Easy Conferences specialising in the full-service management of conventions and events across a broad spectrum of areas, from legal and scientific to government and education focussed initiatives, Rolandi-Strati corroborated that the majority of visitors to the capital encompass business people.

She also added that the company strives to bring participants of seaside events for one-day excursions to Nicosia, resulting in thousands of additional arrivals per year.

Guests to the city make up a very specific type of traffic, Loucaidou enlightened, explaining that businessmen from Russia, the UK, Greece and Germany usually head to Nicosia to visit their associates and hold meetings with their representatives.

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SHORT BREAK NICOSIA

IN NEED OF STARS A rough indication of the volume of travellers that the destination receives is offered by Cyprus Tourism Organisation’s data which reveal that Nicosia welcomes only five percent of the island’s total hotel guests. Specifically, in 2014, the figure reached 5.7 percent, which translated into some 138,000 visitors to the city’s establishments. The respective number for 2015, however, declined to 101,000 guests.

In spite of the fact that Nicosia is the capital, it is only home to a very few upmarket properties, especially when compared to coastal areas.

According to Nicolaou, this definitely negatively affects the capital’s visitation numbers since on several occasions Nicosia’s upscale hotels simply cannot accommodate or provide adequate

alternatives for groups requesting proposals.

Loucaidou went one step further to suggest that the lack of a sufficient number of five-star establishments creates a domino effect which has an impact on available nightlife options.

On the other hand, Rolandi-Strati added an optimistic note, saying, “It is true that Nicosia could do with more big hotels, but as a few new smaller hotels are now also offered, especially near the town centre, I believe that tourists who never stay for long, as they come to Cyprus for the beaches too, can be satisfied.”

Nicolaou concluded that in order to improve the tourism product, authorities should invest in the development of sports facilities and conference venues, and focus on attracting more exhibitions. As he said, this could definitely create a more attractive proposition for the destination’s hospitality scene spurring foreign investor interest in Nicosia. 

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NEWS ACCOMMODATION Hotel Market Does Well

Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane

Four Seasons London Unveils New Suites

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ccording to STR Global’s February data, the European hotel industry recorded positive results in the three key performance metrics.

Compared to February 2015, the continent reported a 1.5 percent increase in occupancy to 63.1 percent, a 3.7 percent rise in average daily rate (ADR) to EUR102.98 and a 5.2 percent lift in RevPAR to EUR65.01.

Austria and Italy were the big winners as all market indicators improved year-on-year, with RevPAR in both countries seeing double-digit surges.

Turkey, on the other hand, experienced decreases in occupancy, falling 13.4 percent, as well as in RevPAR which declined 9.6 percent.

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D Malta

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our Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane revealed seven newly-designed Westminster Suites.

A vision of interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, the refurbished units create a classic yet contemporary look, balancing eclectic British sophistication with Mayfair’s fashionable history.

Situated on the hotel’s upper floors, Westminster Suites feature a living room and separate bedroom with a Juliet balcony, both offering views across the London cityscape.

Maltese Accommodations Go Eco-friendly

European Properties Enter Wyndham’s List alkensteiner Hotels & Residences announced the affiliation of Senia Apartments in Croatia and edel:weiss apartments in Austria to Wyndham Worldwide’s The Registry Collection, one of the largest luxury exchange programmes globally.

The Croatian property is located in Punta Skala directly by the sea, offering views of the islands as well as modern architecture with a Mediterranean feel.

The other establishment is set in the picturesque alpine mountains of Katschberg, boasting 70km of slopes and 200km of marked trails for walking and hiking.

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uring a seminar organised by Malta Tourism Authority (MTA), 20 hotels in Malta and Gozo were awarded with eco-certifications.

The accolade forms part of a national scheme which aims to ensure the environmental, socioeconomic and cultural sustainability of accommodation establishments in the Maltese Islands.

Paul Bugeja, CEO, MTA, commented, “The eco-label should not be considered as some kind of cost savings measure, but a way of supporting and ensuring that we preserve our resources for future generations, whilst at the same time utilising the available resources for the benefit of current generations.”

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NEWS ACCOMMODATION

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SLH Enriches European Portfolio

Hilton Athens: New Spa Experience

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The VIEW Lugano

mall Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) welcomed one Spanish, one Swiss and one Portuguese property.

The 64-room TOTEM Madrid, expected to receive its first guests in June, is located in the upscale neighbourhood of Barrio de Salamanca, hailed as the capital’s shopping haven.

Switzerland’s The VIEW Lugano boasts 18 suites complete with a large terrace and mini-bar tailored to each guest’s taste.

Pousada de Guimaraes, Portugal, which was once home to Augustinian monks and Portuguese royalty, has since been renovated and restored to feature 51 rooms, a swimming pool, restaurant and bar, among more.

Hiltonia Spa

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uests at Hilton Athens’ Hiltonia Spa can now enjoy specialised massage treatments and anti-aging, moisturising and anti-cellulite sessions with Germaine de Capuccini products, following a recent collaboration between the hotel and the professional skincare expert.

Some of the services provided exclusively at the property include the Cleopatra Jacuzzi Therapy with milk proteins and marine collagen, a treatment with vitamin C and Japanese plum, the Diamond Noir facial with energy gems, and body exfoliation with argan oil, olive seeds and rosewater, among others.

Elevated Technology at CityHub Amsterdam

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ityHub Amsterdam, a new hotel concept opened in October 2015 that caters to guests with a modern, pod-sized, themed room environment, implemented cutting-edge security access solutions from ASSA ABLOY Hospitality to offer safety and convenience.

Visitors can now expect a significantly improved experience, thanks to the installation of VingCard Signature radio-frequency identification (RFID) door locks and RFID card readers, which allow them to quickly access rooms and enjoy a variety of other convenient features.

Pieter Van Tilburg, owner, CityHub Amsterdam, said, “The high level of security provided by Signature RFID further assists us in assuring peace of mind to each guest.”

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NEWS AIRPORTS

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Riga: 79 Destinations, 21 Airlines Following a 12 percent year-on-year increase in passenger traffic up until March 21, Riga International Airport is gearing up for yet another busy summer period.

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uring the sunny months, 21 carriers will be operating to the Latvian hub, serving a total of 79 destinations. The highest frequency is expected to be observed to Moscow with 66 weekly flights, followed by Stockholm, Helsinki and London.

Yanair will start operating from Kiev in May, while June will see the inauguration of the Barcelona route by Vueling, the Athens itinerary by AEGEAN Airlines, and Tel Aviv flights by Wizz Air. National carrier, airBaltic is adding two destinations; Reykjavik and Rimini.

Heathrow Joins Hands with Hong Kong

bmi regional Improves Business Routes

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Heathrow Airport

mi regional added extra itineraries and enhanced its schedules from Bristol Airport for the summer months.

According to Jochen Schnadt, chief commercial officer, bmi regional, the changes are a direct response to customers’ requirements for improved connectivity.

The airline introduced a new evening route to ParisCharles de Gaulle offering now up to two daily flights to the French capital. Moreover, the Frankfurt connectivity has been enhanced with three daily frequencies on weekdays and two daily services on weekends. bmi regional further increased its German offering with extra twice-daily operations to Düsseldorf, as well as one more weekly rotation to Munich.

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assengers at London‘s Heathrow Airport and Hong Kong International Airport are set to benefit as the two global hubs formed a partnership to share expertise with the aim of improving operations, driving up innovation, achieving world-class service and developing industry-leading environmental performance.

The collaboration, the first of its kind for the UK airfield, will see colleagues from each airport work on joint projects, looking to take advantage of emerging trends and help shape industry standards. Areas identified for the first phase include the central management of airport operations, crisis planning, passenger service, future terminal design, and more.

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MINI REPORT

The EUR245 Billion Question: European Airspace Modernisation

A fully reformed airspace could add EUR245 billion and support one million jobs on the continent, hence the urging need to address current challenges and take commercial aviation to the next level by 2035.

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oday, some 11.7 million jobs and an economic benefit of USD860 billion (EUR758 million) are linked to the sector, making aviation a key vehicle in Europe’s socioeconomic development. Yet, questions remain as according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), average routes are nearly 50km longer than they need to be and flights touch down approximately 10 minutes later. Such complications, if unchecked, could cost the European economy EUR245 billion in 2035, an IATA-commissioned study

by SEO Economic Research showed.

“Air traffic management inefficiency is not just a burden for airlines. Travellers suffer wasted time from delays. The environment suffers from avoidable emissions. And businesses face reduced productivity,” stressed Tony Tyler, director general, IATA, adding that this is also negatively effecting the continent’s competitiveness – and the cost is shared broadly.

Europe has long acknowledged the problems, hence, in order to enhance air traffic management, the Single European Sky (SES) project was developed to deliver a threefold increase in capacity, improve safety by a factor of 10, reduce environmental impact by 10 percent, and cut costs by 50 percent.

Yet, as Tyler noted, the continent has failed to achieve the SES goals.

“Despite a strong European Commission vision and push for SES, national interests have prevailed. The incentive to improve efficiency is to make Europe more prosperous with the realisation of EUR245 billion and one million jobs in 2035,” added Tyler.

DO IT NOW! The reforms have to start from the bottom and involve everyone from businesses to individuals, suggested Tyler. As an example, he referred to the fact that the US has one provider to manage its airspace, while in Europe, this number stands at 38. If nothing is done, the situation might worsen, he warned.

As part of a continent-wide campaign, IATA will be calling on consumer groups and business associations to recognise the broad importance of efficient air connectivity to the economy, productivity and quality of life at the national level.

“Quantifying the value of what we are aiming for in jobs and GDP should be a great motivator in aligning national policies and action with a vision for an efficiently-connected and competitive Europe,” stressed Tyler, adding that EUR245 billion is a worthy goal. 

A FULLY MODERNISED AIRSPACE WOULD RESULT IN:

 1.3 percent more hotel beds  up to 2.2 percent faster expansion of trade in services  5.5 percent more patent applications and 4.7 percent greater research spend  1.3 percent more employment in knowledge-intensive industries

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NEWS AIR

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Norwegian Takes Off to Boston

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he growth of low-cost long-haul travel with Norwegian from Gatwick has revolutionised transatlantic travel helping to make flights more affordable for hundreds of thousands of passengers and shows no sign of slowing [...],” enthused Guy Stephenson, chief commercial officer, Gatwick Airport.

With four weekly Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights departing the UK airfield to the US city on a year-round service, almost 80,000 seats are on offer this summer alone.

For the season, a record 425,000 passenger capacity is available on Norwegian’s direct services.

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elavia will increase the number of flights from Minsk to both Kiev and Odessa.

Between April 25 – October 29, the airline is to add more frequencies to the Ukrainian capital, bringing the total services to the city to five daily. It will also commence a thrice-weekly operation to Odessa on June 17.

As Anatoly Gusarov, director general, Belavia, noted, Belarus anticipates an increase in Ukrainian holiday-makers.

“Odessa municipal and regional authorities have done a great job to attract tourists from Belarus. We also believe that more Ukrainian citizens will choose Belarus as their holiday destination,” he commented.

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Air Serbia Partners with Israeli Airline

easyJet Expands European Network

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ir Serbia and EL AL Israel Airlines launched a codeshare agreement enhancing ties and cooperation between the carriers.

The deal allows the Israeli airline to place its code on Air Serbia’s five weekly flights between Belgrade and Tel Aviv for the summer season.

Dane Kondić, CEO, Air Serbia, noted that codeshares are a fundamental part of the company’s long-term growth strategy and this partnering will enable it to grow its business in Israel, a country which shares many cultural and commercial ties with Serbia.

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Venice

Belarus to Boost Ukrainian Reach

Boston

Norwegian inaugurated a new service to Boston, the airline’s sixth direct long-haul destination from London’s Gatwick Airport.

asyJet inaugurated two new routes from Bristol Airport to Venice and Nantes.

The services combined are expected to carry around 70,000 tourists annually to and from the southwest airfield.

“Since we announced [that we would] be starting the routes in [2015], they have proved extremely popular with bookings from both inbound and outbound tourists,” noted Ali Gayward, commercial manager, UK, easyJet. Meanwhile, Shaun Browne, aviation director, Bristol Airport, commented that the Italian and French markets are vitally important for the hub which sees continued growth from both business and leisure visitors.

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NEWS AIR

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Icelandair Lands in Aberdeen

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celandair commenced year-round flights to its second Scottish destination, Aberdeen.

Operated by its subsidiary, Air Iceland, the new route will be served four times per week, with a new fleet of 72seat Bombardier Q400s, and will connect to Icelandair’s 16 North American gateways through Keflavik.

As Birkir Holm Gudnason, CEO, Icelandair, pinpointed, the announcement of the new itinerary coincided with the airline‘s 70th anniversary of flying to Scotland.

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Monarch Extends Portuguese Presence

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ritish carrier Monarch Airlines’ popular summer routes to Madeira and Lisbon will remain available throughout the upcoming winter season as well.

The airline will operate the flights to the new locations from Birmingham, London’s Gatwick as well as Manchester airports.

According to Marjan Schoeke, head of network, Monarch Airlines, the growing demand for Portuguese destinations accelerated the company’s strategy for the country which has resulted in the strengthening of services to Faro, Lisbon and Madeira, even during the colder months.

Onur Air Expands German Footprint

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nur Air celebrated the addition of Munich as its sixth destination in Germany, which is now linked to Istanbul Atatürk Airport daily.

The route enables travellers from across Turkey to reach the German hub via connecting flights from Adana, Antalya, Diyarbakir, Elazig, Gaziantep, Kayseri, Samsun, Trabzon and Nalchik.

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NEWS AIR VistaJet to Grow Maltese Operations

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Lufthansa Revises Distribution

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istaJet plans to relocate its corporate headquarters to Malta, bringing together its operations, finance and European customer services teams, aiming for the highest levels of efficiency and interaction.

The move follows the milestone delivery of the company’s 50th Malta-registered aircraft reiterating its commitment to build on the Mediterranean country’s track record for attracting and developing world-class organisations.

Edward Zammit Lewis, tourism minister, Malta, commented, “We recognise and value the continued role [VistaJet] plays in our aviation sector, and look forward to continuing to build our relationship in the future.”

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he Lufthansa Group airlines extended their direct connections to successfully position their current distribution strategy in the market.

Many of the company’s business-to-business (B2B) distribution partners are already using direct booking interfaces for ticket sales as an alternative to the existing channels.

Jens Bischof, executive vice president, sales and chief commercial officer, hub Frankfurt, Lufthansa Group, commented, “Through our initiative we have achieved more substantial progress with our B2B direct connections in the last six months than in the past five years.”

Wizz Air Expands in Bulgaria

AEGEAN Completes Airbus Additions

I E Sofia

ffective from June 13, Wizz Air will operate a new thrice-weekly direct route from Copenhagen to Sofia, following the launch of services between the Danish city and Skopje in March.

“Sofia is the second city we fly on low fares from Copenhagen and we are confident that Danish consumers will appreciate visiting this dynamic Eastern European capital that preserves many valuable monuments to its long and storied past,” said Gabor Vasarhelyi, communications manager, Wizz Air.

airberlin Withdraws Stuttgart – Abu Dhabi Route

n a special ceremony held at Airbus’ headquarters in Toulouse, the aircraft manufacturing company handed over the last of seven Airbus A320ceos to AEGEAN Airlines, bringing the Greek carrier’s total fleet to 61.

The airliners are equipped with Airbus Sharklets fuel-saving wing tip devices which cut the fuel burn and emissions from two to three percent on average, depending on flight times.

“We reach the fulfilment of a cycle that started in 2007, when we took delivery of the first […] Airbus aircraft that we had ordered, which have now reached the figure of 47,” said Eftichios Vassilakis, vice chairman, AEGEAN Airlines.

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s part of its network and schedule adjustments for this summer season, airberlin will discontinue services between Abu Dhabi and Stuttgart, effective from May 31.

Guests from the wider Baden-Württemberg region may continue to use the airline’s flight connections from Stuttgart via Berlin Tegel Airport with two daily flights to the UAE capital and through Düsseldorf with two daily frequencies jointly operated with Etihad Airways, or use Abu Dhabi’s national carrier for double-daily nonstop services from Frankfurt and Munich.

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Airbus A320ceo

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NEWS AGENTS

Adventure Travel in South Africa

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Western Cape

K-based The Travel Foundation and CapeNature launched a new partnership in South Africa to develop adventure tourism in nature reserves in the Western Cape.

The deal aims to increase the opportunities for local people to economically benefit from the industry, enhance funds for environmental conservation and promote adventure travel products in the African province.

Razeena Omar, CEO, CapeNature, commented, “As the custodians of the Western Cape’s biodiversity, we recognise the need to develop products and recreational activities which leverage our natural assets in such a way that protected areas become sought-after tourist destinations, and become more accessible and beneficial to a greater portion of the local population.”

Atlasglobal Selects SNTTA as Emirati GSA

Thomas Cook Opens Up Market Options

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urkish carrier Atlasglobal appointed SNTTA Travel, a member company of Liberty Group, as its general sales agent (GSA) in Sharjah and the Northern Emirates.

The airline’s customers can now fly daily from Sharjah to Istanbul Atatürk Airport and connect to other Turkish destinations like Izmir, Bodrum, Antalya, Adana and Gaziantep, as well as more than 15 locations across Europe.

As GSA partner, SNTTA Travel offers Atlasglobal passengers in the UAE exclusive services such as reservations, ticketing, holiday packages, visa assistance and meet-and-assist facilities, among more.

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DID YOU KNOW...

Discover the World has a worldwide network of 85 offices in more than 60 countries?

homas Cook Airlines appointed Discover the World to handle its sales and marketing operations in Cyprus, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Israel, Kenya, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia, Tanzania and Thailand.

According to Ian Murray, vice president, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Discover the World, the new agreement allows travel agents in these areas to have local support when selling the carrier’s products in their markets.

“Working with Thomas Cook Airlines, we will make sure to introduce these agents to the product and help train them on their service,” he added.

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Q & A with

RENDEZVOUS

OMER KADDOURI CEO, ROTANA

HAVING ALREADY ESTABLISHED A FIRM PRESENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, ROTANA IS NOW TARGETING THE EUROPEAN MARKET, AS OMER KADDOURI, CEO, ROTANA, REVEALS.

TRAVEL TRADE EUROPE: What were the main reasons behind the company’s decision to enter the European hotel scene?

OMER KADDOURI: Rotana made its European debut in 2015 with its entry into Turkey – where we currently operate three properties – and plans are afoot to open more hotels on the continent in the coming years. As a company, Rotana is committed to pursuing new openings and opportunities, and seeking out partners who share the same goals and aspirations as us.

Europe is the largest tourism destination in the world with a market share of around 50 percent, representing some 475 million international arrivals. The hospitality industry, naturally, is one of the largest and fastest-growing industries in Europe. We believe this is the right time for us to build a presence in Europe as governments across the region today are more appreciative than ever of the con-

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tribution made by the hospitality sector to the European economy – in terms of growth, job creation as well as its knockon effect on the prosperity of other business sectors. For example, in the 10 years since the start of the millennium, the number of jobs overall in the European economy grew by just 7.1 percent, whilst the hospitality sector created 29 percent more jobs in the same 10 years. Policymakers, hence, realise the importance of the hospitality industry in driving overall growth and employment and are more supportive than ever in offering a conducive environment for hospitality businesses to thrive.

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in a market as competitive as the Middle East where most of the international chains had been present for two or three decades before we came in.

Today, Rotana has a portfolio of 100 hotels and the percentage of multiple owners is very high – 65 percent of our

TRAVEL TRADE EUROPE: Which parts of Europe are on Rotana’s radar and what makes these markets attractive for the company? Is the management primarily focussed on destinations with high GCC visitor numbers?

OMER KADDOURI: Our focus, for now, is on key cities in Europe, including Paris, Barcelona, Frankfurt as well as the UK, especially London where we are currently in discussion with many investors and developers.

Turkey is a key market and represents our strategic gateway to Europe.

With over 40 million international tourists passing through the country annually, Turkey finds itself among the world’s most visited countries, and its largest city, Istanbul, was ranked as the number one travel destination in the world by TripAdvisor in 2014. Rotana is keen to capitalise on the opportunities offered

by Turkey’s vibrant tourism sector and steadily grow its presence to emerge as a major player in the domestic market.

Currently, our three properties in Turkey have 497 rooms in total and the imminent opening of our fourth property in the country, Vazo Residences in Istanbul, will take that tally to 631 rooms.

TRAVEL TRADE EUROPE: What are the values and selling points that will distinguish Rotana and its brands from others names that already have a strong footprint in Europe?

OMER KADDOURI: Rotana has an exceptionally strong product offering. Our properties are in the right locations and our level of service is acclaimed for being consistently superior. Guests know what to expect when staying at any of our properties and we [have] worked hard to gain the trust of our customers

hotels are owned by 20 owners. Our best ambassadors, therefore, are our owners.

Our vision is to constantly build on existing relationships and fully focus on our owners and their assets. We take full ownership of our hotels, even though we are a management company. We are only a phone call away and our owners have complete access to Rotana’s senior leadership team. Our corporate office structure is built of experienced longservicing senior leaders from a diverse range of disciplines to assist with operations and openings, literally from the ground up, to ensure the success of all Rotana properties.

Customers are attracted, and often revisit, drawn by the increasing choice 25 APRIL 2016

RENDEZVOUS

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of property in terms of location, type, budget and style. This success has been achieved through a combination of sound strategic planning and financial control, sophisticated human resource capabilities and reliable technical services support – all complemented by inno-

brand portfolio currently includes five distinctive brands. Which brands are you planning to introduce to the European market and why?

OMER KADDOURI: Two of our existing properties in Turkey, Burgu Arjaan

Rotana’s tradition of in-depth study and analysis of the dynamics specific to a given market in order to determine the type of property most suited to that market.

TRAVEL TRADE EUROPE: How important is Europe as a source market to

our properties in all cities, and we are keen to capitalise on the continuing rise in tourist arrivals from these countries.

TRAVEL TRADE EUROPE: Please tell us about the company’s long-term strategy. Will the focus remain on in-

Vazo Residences by Rotana

Burgu Arjaan by Rotana and Tango Arjaan by Rotana

vative food and beverage management and aggressive sales and marketing.

Rotana Rewards, our loyalty programme which is managed by our own dedicated Rotana team at the corporate office, has more than 190,000 active loyal members and counting, and serves as ample testament to the trust our guests place in us.

Rotana today, is the result of a shared vision and many years of loyalty, dedication and hard work. Knowing who we are and what we are capable of, is of great value – and this solid foundation allows us to move into the future with confidence.

TRAVEL TRADE EUROPE: Rotana’s 25 APRIL 2016

by Rotana and Tango Arjaan by Rotana are under the Arjaan hotel apartments brand, while the recently opened Dalga Residences and the upcoming Vazo Residence both come under The Residences by Rotana brand.

On account of its enhanced lifestyle credentials, affordability and convenience, Centro by Rotana is very well-positioned for Europe and we consider that this brand holds tremendous potential for growth in this important international market by redefining the conventional notion of affordable comfort. It is worth mentioning that Rotana Hotels & Resorts brand also has a lot of potential for growth in Europe.

Future openings will carry forward

Dalga Residences by Rotana

Rotana’s overall business?

ternational ventures in the future?

OMER KADDOURI: Europe holds an important place in Rotana’s growth strategy not just for being one of the focus markets in our ongoing global expansion, but also as a major source market for Rotana properties in the Middle East.

Increased business from countries such as Poland, Slovakia and Hungary proved crucial in helping Rotana offset the impact of falling tourist arrivals in 2015 from markets such as Russia.

The UK and Germany are both key source markets for Rotana. Our business from Germany contributes to 11 percent of the entire business across all

OMER KADDOURI: Rotana’s growth strategy involves expanding into international markets such as Europe and Africa as well as strengthening our presence in traditional strongholds such as the GCC and the Middle East as a whole.

This year, we will be opening two hotels in Saudi Arabia and two hotels in Qatar, and over the next five years, nine new hotels will be added to our portfolio in the UAE. Rotana is the largest player in each of these three markets.

We are also gearing up to open our first property in Congo later this year.

New openings are also planned in Iraq, Jordan and Turkey this year.

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TRAVEL CHANNELS

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DENMARK: THE MOST JOYFUL DESTINATION

IATA BACKS WILDLIFE INITIATIVE

Copenhagen

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n behalf of the aviation industry, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) signed a declaration aimed at reducing the illegal trafficking of wildlife and underlining the sector’s commitment to sustainability.

The United for Wildlife initiative, created by the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, invited representatives of the transport industry to Buckingham Palace in London to pledge their support. IATA, along with several other key industry influencers signed commitments for raising awareness of the trafficking issue among passengers, and training staff to recognise and report suspicious packages and behaviour. “[The declaration] marks a step forward for environmental protection, a commitment that we take very seriously,” said Tony Tyler, director general, IATA.

enmark was once again ranked as the world’s happiest country, in the annual World Happiness Report update.

A combination of good healthy life expectancy, soaring GDP and high levels of social support brought the country to the top spot, knocking Switzerland to second place.

The study reviews the bliss status of 156 states and shows how new science clarifies personal and national variation in happiness.

The publication revealed that the most content people are in Northern Europe, and include Icelanders, Norwegians and Finnish.

YPI UNVEILS GROUND-BREAKING TECHNOLOGY

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achting Partners International (YPI) joined forces with virtual reality experts, Bricks & Goggles to introduce Oculus Virtual Reality, a technology which enables luxury yacht owners to experience their new-build projects before they are even constructed.

“Our system [...] allows owners to walk around a complete virtual construction of their yacht both inside and on deck as well as seeing it from the air,” explained Russell Crump, director of sales, YPI, elaborating on the ability to experience how the overall layout and different textures feel, change the interior’s colour palette and even alter the time of day and lighting to see how everything works together.

AmaDolce

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TASTE OF BORDEAUX WITH AMAWATERWAYS

maWaterways expanded its river cruise experiences in France with the debut of its first Taste of Bordeaux journey aboard AmaDolce, which will sail on 10 wine-themed voyages this year.

The launch of the seven-night round trip underscores the company’s confidence in the country as one of Europe’s most enjoyable river cruise vacation destinations.

The itinerary offers guests the opportunity to visit famous chateaux and vineyards, with stops at Cadillac’s Roquetaillaide Castle, a Grand Cru Classé wine tasting in Pauillac, and more.

Optional pre- and post-cruise land extensions are also available with panoramic city tours in Paris and additional castle visits and wine samplings.

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PHOTO ALBUM

Lufthansa Systems was among the winners of the Crystal Cabin Award

Air France and Glasgow Airport celebrated the new Paris route

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Share with us the latest images of your activities and let your colleagues know what you have been up to.

Singers, actors and television presenters joined kids from three London charities for a magical outing to Disneyland Paris with British Airways

TUIfly Netherlands won the Sustainability Award at the Schiphol Aviation Awards ceremony in Amsterdam

25 APRIL 2016

Send your photos to editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel Because a picture is worth a thousand words...

Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest‘s KOLLĂ ZS Brassiere & Bar staff recently tested their competitive skills on the national and world stage

Holland America Line officially took delivery of ms Koningsdam

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