25 JANUARY 2016 ISSUE 30
10 SHORT BREAK
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MADRID
EU TOURISM SECTOR SUPPORTS 3.3 MILLION JOBS
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02 Market Update 03 Cruising
GATWICK AWAITS EXPANSION
16 Air 20 Travel Talk
MARKET UPDATE
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TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS
TUI OUTPERFORMS TARGETS
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
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TUI Group exceeded its earnings guidance for the full financial year with operating result or underlying earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation (EBITA) climbing 22.9 percent to EUR1.07 billion, up from EUR870 million in the previous financial period.
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s Fritz Joussen, CEO, TUI Group, noted, the first year following the restructuring of the company was completed with a very strong set of results. Growth in tourism was driven by the northern region, hotels and resorts and cruises. Accommodation establishments alone achieved a 15.7 percent improvement, propelled by the core RIU and Robinson brands, while the cruise segment delivered an eightfold increase in underlying EBITA.
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RYANAIR NOVEMBER FIGURES SURGE
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Ryanair’s passenger traffic climbed 21 percent during November 2015, as the low-cost airline transported 7.71 million travellers.
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ts load factor rose five percentage points, while rolling annual traffic increased 17 percent to 99.9 million customers. Kenny Jacobs, chief marketing officer, Ryanair, attributed these figures to lower fares, stronger forward bookings and the airline’s customer experience programme, which enters year two, therefore, customers can look forward to more service enhancements.
25 JANUARY 2016
NEWS CRUISING
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Queen Mary 2 to Welcome Landmark Eatery
Silversea’s Unique Take on Cruise Ritual
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ilversea Cruises celebrated the milestone keel laying ceremony of its newest ship, Silver Muse at Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa. The event is a long-standing maritime tradition celebrating the start of a vessel’s construction. The action of welding a coin into the keel is hailed to bring good luck during the building process and to the captain and crew as it sets sail. The cruise line took this custom a step further by welding eight coins into the latest addition, each representing one of the seven continents that the company sails to, along with a specially-designed commemorative Silver Muse coin. The ship is slated to sail throughout Europe, Canada, North and South America as well as the Caribbean effective from April 2017.
25 JANUARY 2016
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xactly 80 years after Cunard Line’s first Cunard Verandah Grill went to sea on Queen Mary, the latest incarnation of the Verandah concept will open onboard Queen Mary 2 in June. The space will launch following the vessel’s significant refit between May – June. Angus Struthers, director, Cunard Line, commented, “The original Verandah Grills on Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth were nothing short of legendary in their day. They were the most exclusive dining rooms at sea, on a par with esteemed private clubs in London, New York and Paris. Today’s Verandah concept on our fleet aims to recreate that special ambience and is open to all passengers who want to enjoy a truly special lunch or dinner in an environment that heralds the golden age of ocean travel.”
Norwegian Adds New Summer Itineraries
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laska, Bermuda and the Bahamas are all among Norwegian Cruise Line’s new destinations for summer 2017. With departures from New York, Boston and Miami, guests can take advantage of four ships to Bermuda and the Bahamas, including the recently refurbished Norwegian Gem, or experience the beauty of Alaska on some of the youngest vessels in the industry, explained Andy Stuart, president, Norwegian Cruise Line. In addition, Norwegian Gem will once again offer two summer Canada and New England roundtrip cruises from New York. The cruise line’s summer 2017 Caribbean and European itineraries will also soon be revealed.
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NEWS
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EU Tourism Sector Supports 3.3 Million Jobs In the European Union (EU), the three industries that rely almost entirely on tourism, namely accommodation, travel agencies / tour operators and air transport, employed 3.3 million persons in 2013.
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oreover, according to data released by Eurostat, in 2014 core tourism activities in the EU provided more part-time contracts and less stable jobs, with the share of temporary workers in Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Cyprus and Austria, being around three to four times higher in core tourism professions. In addition, the three main sectors employed a more female and younger workforce – with 58 percent of persons working in core tourism activities being women – whereas 13 percent of the total workers was in the 15 – 24 age group.
Lithuania Remains a Favourite among Germans
Europe Launches Manifesto for Tourism Growth
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uropean public and private industry stakeholders, including the European Travel Commission, published Tourism for Growth and Jobs Manifesto on the occasion of European Tourism Day in Brussels. The document sets out eight policy priorities for the sector for the coming years, including competitiveness, digitalisation, good governance, joint promotion, mitigation of seasonality, skills and qualification, as well as sustainability and transport connectivity. This is the first time that European stakeholders unite to urge institutions to act on these issues, which seek to ensure that the continent remains an attractive destination and that the industry continues to make a significant contribution to growth and job creation.
uring the first nine months of 2015, Lithuania was visited by 152,000 German tourists, signalling a 4.2 year-on-year increase. For the first time, the amount of German travellers at the country’s accommodation facilities far exceeded the long-term leaders of the inbound market – Russia and Belarus – making up 14 percent of Lithuania’s incoming segment. According to Egle Kudzmaniene, head of inbound tourism subdivision, State Department of Tourism (SDT), Lithuania, “The Germans like Lithuania, thus, this market has a huge potential to grow in the future. Since 2013, SDT has a local representative in Germany and carries out complex marketing tools […]. Currently, the main purpose of SDT is to improve awareness of Lithuania in Germany and attract young people to visit our country.”
25 JANUARY 2016
Travel Trade Luxury is a worldwide luxury travel trade publication. Travel Trade Luxury is brought out monthly. It is published both in digital and printed format. Its digital readership is based on the 150,000 readers which the Travel Trade Publications platform enjoys. Readers include agents specialising in individual luxury travel, group luxury travel, travel counsellors and advisors, luxury travel DMCs and all other luxury products and services. Travel Trade Luxury is also distributed to the major travel trade exhibitions and specialised luxury shows and events. Travel Trade Luxury contains informative current news on luxury destinations and products. It also includes specialised luxury destination reports with in-depth analyses of issues related to the luxury segment.
NEWS Record Overseas Visits for UK
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AEGEAN and Starwood Join Forces
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Robert Koren (left) and Dimitris Gerogiannis, CEO, AEGEAN Airlines (right)
he volume of international arrivals to the UK continued to set new records with figures for October 2015 rising 12 percent year-on-year to approximately 3.4 million. Overall, according to the Office for National Statistics, between January – October 2015, some 30.5 million travellers headed to the country, four percent more than during the corresponding period in 2014. Overseas visitors also spent nine percent more in October 2015 with the total amount for the month reaching GBP2 billion (EUR2.7 billion), a new record for this month. All in all, tourist expenditure totalled GBP18.4 billion (EUR24.99 billion).
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EGEAN Airlines and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide partnered, bringing a selection of exclusive benefits to their loyalty programmes; Miles+Bonus and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG). With 11 properties in Greece under The Luxury Collection, Westin and Sheraton brands, the hotelier has a large presence in the country’s market and Robert Koren, vice president, southern Europe, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, commented, “Our new partnership with AEGEAN will allow us to reward our loyal SPG members and cultivate even greater loyalty with travellers. Greece, Germany, the US and the UK are key markets for us and we look forward to introducing AEGEAN’s Miles+Bonus members to our world-renowned SPG programme.”
DID YOU KNOW... In 2013 AEGEAN Airlines acquired Olympic Air and in 2015 total traffic of both companies exceeded 11.6 million?
Greek Winter Destinations Promoted in Turkey
Santorini, Greece
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he Greek National Tourism Organisation’s office in Turkey in collaboration with AEGEAN Airlines held an event in Istanbul to showcase Greece’s winter destinations. The day, which addressed more than 80 tour operators, included presentations of various cities and respective air connections, a press conference with Turkish media representatives and a ticket draw.
25 JANUARY 2016
NEWS
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Malta Enjoyed Successful October
Berlin: Increased Arrivals in October 2015
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Berlin
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erlin welcomed some 1.16 million visitors in October 2015, signalling a two percent year-on-year surge. During the month under study, the local German market remained the city’s main source with 715,404 travellers, while 444,186 tourists originated from other European and international countries. The UK, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Iceland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Lithuania, Malta, Croatia, Slovenia, the US, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan were among the countries which indicated a double-digit growth in numbers. As for the timeframe, between January – October 2015 the German capital received 10.4 million arrivals, a rise of 4.5 percent over the same period in 2014.
Spanish Culture Celebrated
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25 JANUARY 2016
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pain was MATKA Nordic Travel Fair’s partner at the recently-concluded edition. The latest instalment, which marked the event’s 30th anniversary, attracted thousands of exhibitors, visitors and press members to Messukeskus Helsinki. Throughout the years, the European country has maintained its position as a preferred destination for Finnish travellers, with the Canary Islands being the most favoured location. The Spanish culture is celebrated in many ways this year, including San Sebastian being chosen as one of this year’s European Capital of Culture.
Canary Islands
ccording to Malta’s National Statistics Office, total inbound visitors to the country reached 199,937 in October 2015, marking a10.7 percent year-on-year boost. Moreover, double-digit growth was also registered in the number of nights spent and expenditure incurred by tourists. The highest increase was recorded in expenditure with the figure touching EUR182 million, 13.9 percent more than October 2014. Commenting on the success, Paul Bugeja, CEO, Malta Tourism Authority, stated that the data bears witness to the outstanding results achieved by the tourism industry during the year. “The strategy being employed to increase quality and volume in the shoulder and winter months is definitely bearing fruit through these exceptional and unprecedented results,” he added.
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NEWS TOURISM BOARDS
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Ireland Basks in Tourism Growth
Ireland welcomed a 19 percent year-on-year growth in overseas holiday travellers in the first nine months of 2015, recording a revenue surge of almost 18 percent.
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articular increase was witnessed from Britain, Mainland Europe and North America with 18, 23 and 17 percent, respectively. With arrivals on the rise, 10 tourism businesses from the country joined Tourism Ireland at the International Luxury Travel Market in Cannes. The four-day event provided an opportunity for the Irish industry enterprises to meet and do business with travel agents who design luxury travel itineraries for international clients. The tourism body highlighted a number of key themes, including Dublin and luxury shopping.
VisitTallinn’s Website Improved
New Partnership Ups Scotland’s Appeal
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DID YOU KNOW... In 2018, the Republic of Estonia will be 100 years old?
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Edinburgh
Tallinn
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isitTallinn’s web page is now available in Japanese and also boasts a redesigned section for travel and conference professionals. The site, which first launched in June 2015 in seven languages including Estonian, English, Finnish, Russian, Swedish, German and French, now also targets Japanese visitors introducing the Baltic city’s sights, museums, food spots, among others. In addition, tourism professionals as well as conference organisers revisiting VisitTallinn’s page can enjoy a refreshed travel trade and media division.
isitScotland joined forces with TripAdvisor to bring information about the country to the attention of millions of international and UK visitors by supplying online content towards the website’s designated page on Scotland. Scotland is hailed as the first European country to build this type of alliance with the travel site, an effort which is expected to support the development of the organisation’s digital activity, including an enhanced webpage, mobile capability and other projects. The initiative will target key inbound markets, including the US, the UK, France and Germany.
25 JANUARY 2016
NEWS AIRPORTS
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Budapest Airport Enters the 10 Millions League
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ith the new record – which equals the country’s population – the airfield entered the elite club of hubs facilitating eight-digit numbers of travellers within a year. “Our strategy for [2015 was] to seek out new and exciting destinations and solidify our position in Central Europe. [This year] is already set to be even busier as we continue to do all we can to ensure Budapest, and Hungary, remain an attractive market, while we ensure the demands of our catchment area and beyond are met,” commented Jost Lammers, CEO, Budapest Airport.
Passenger Levels Surge at LJLA
MAG: Traveller Numbers Drive Growth
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iverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA) recorded its 10th successive month of growth during November 2015 with a yearon-year increase of over 19 percent in traffic. More than 313,000 passengers travelled through the airport compared to 262,000 in 2014, with numbers at their highest November level since 2010. Year-todate, the total surged over seven percent. Andrew Cornish, CEO, LJLA, commented, “By the end of November [2015], more passengers travelled through Liverpool than during the whole of 2014. […] We expect to see passenger throughput for 2015 to be back to levels last seen in 2012.”
25 JANUARY 2016
Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport
The number of passengers handled by Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport in a single year surpassed the 10 million mark before the end of 2015, marking the highest traffic figure to date in the Hungarian capital.
or the period April 1 – September 30, 2015, UK-based MAG Group saw continued strong growth in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation, up 10.7 percent year-on-year, driven by record passenger numbers, which surged 5.7 percent to 29.7 million, and new route development. The company experienced its most successful summer ever, as at 1.2 million, London’s Stansted Airport registered more travellers year-on-year than either Heathrow Airport or Gatwick Airport. Moreover, Manchester Airport witnessed the busiest month in its 77-year history in August 2015. Cargo income also grew, up 5.7 percent year-on-year.
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SHORT BREAK MADRID
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MEET ME IN
Madrid WHEN IT COMES TO EVENTS AND INCENTIVES, MADRID REIGNS ON THE GLOBAL MICE SCENE, FLAUNTING ITS ACCLAIMED SUPREMACY OVER MUCH MORE ROBUST COMPETITORS. BUT WHERE DOES ITS STRENGTH LAY – ITS FACILITIES, CONTINUOUSLY REFRESHED VENUE OFFERINGS OR A STRUCTURED APPROACH TO TOURISM?
ANA MLADENOVIC WRITES
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n 2014, the city hosted a total of 12,455 meetings, of which 2,266 were congresses, 2,585 conventions and 7,604 one-day events. But what propelled it to the very top of the global industry was the ranking of International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) as the third best performing destination worldwide for 2014, having hosted 200 international congresses – 7.5 percent more than in 2013. The year 2015 continued strong, with IFEMA alone hosting five large international congresses in the second quarter of the year, attracting more than 25,000 delegates. During the same period, over 13,000 participants visited several smaller events and exhibitions taking place at what is hailed as Madrid’s top congress and exhibition venue. With such impressive credentials, a question ponders: what makes Madrid an absolute favourite among event organisers worldwide? “Its rich artistic and natural heritage, cutting-edge transport network, quality accommodation, fine cuisine and the passion locals
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show when enjoying their city's day and night life make it one of the most attractive cities in the world,” believes Mari Paz Jimenez, director of sales, Hotel Nuevo Madrid. In her opinion, the capital of Spain offers a safe, comfortable setting where taking time out and doing business are equally enjoyable, and this is the key to its admirable success.
MADRID IN BRIEF Country: Spain Currency: Euro (EUR) Language: Spanish Population: 6.4 million Calling Code: +34 Time Zone: GMT +1:00
STAYING FRESH Another key quality of the city, and perhaps the most important one, is its enviable portfolio of diverse, quality venues and facilities. “The capital of Spain has a lot of different and diverse quality spaces for […] any event that companies want to launch,” confirmed Julio
25 JANUARY 2016
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SHORT BREAK MADRID
A SHOPPING INCENTIVE – LAS ROZAS VILLAGE
Montes, director of sales and marketing, Madrid Marriott Auditorium Hotel & Conference Center – among the city’s latest openings and a significant one for the local MICE scene. Its conference centre features 15,500m2 of event space, 869 rooms as well as extensive leisure and dining facilities. Since its opening in November 2015, the hotel has hosted a range of events, from product presentations, corporate meetings and trainings to awards and conventions, as Montes confirmed. Apart from this opening, there were several others that entered the market in 2015 including The Principal Madrid Hotel, which boasts a rooftop terrace complete with a private bar, a pergola for winter events as well as a collection of meeting rooms. Looking ahead, this year will celebrate the opening of Gran Meliá Palacio de los Duques, a lavish, palatial property nestled in a 19th century building with nine meeting rooms spread across 800m2, with a total capacity for over 700 people. Scheduled for 2017, the historic Hotel Ritz Madrid, which was recently acquired by Mandarin Oriental International and The Olayan Group, will undergo a EUR90 million revamp, including all rooms, public areas and its five event venues. A STRUCTURED APPROACH Being so close to the very pinnacle of the highly coveted ICCA ranking, Madrid still has to push itself to overthrow Paris and Vienna and be named the very best. To drive and oversee its further growth as a tourism and events hub, the local city council, the regional government and tourism companies have joined forces and created Asociación Turismo Madrid, a new management model for Madrid as a tourist destination, and a five-year strategic plan with clear targets: to increase tourist flow by 30 percent, thus, boost occupancy in the city to over 65 percent; improve tourist spending by a half; and slash seasonality by 20 percent. Its advertising and marketing efforts are largely focussed domestically, as well as on about 30 cities in international markets including the US, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, India, Russia, Japan, Mexico, Argentina, Peru and Brazil. Internationally important events, performances and sports gatherings are one of the key assets to lure travellers from these locations. 25 JANUARY 2016
Las Rozas Village is one of the 10 shopping villages created and operated by Value Retail in Europe and China. It welcomed 4.3 million visitors in 2015, and has evolved into one of the city’s leading MICE hubs. In 2014, there was an increase of nearly 60 percent in the number of events hosted by the village. This equates to almost 50,000 delegates attending more than 750 events. Around two thirds of attendees of these events were from southeast Asia.
Focussing specifically on the MICE sector is Madrid Convention Bureau (MCB), a network platform that links clients from all over the world with the Madrilenian industry. This year, the spotlight will be thrown to traditional markets, as David Pérez Noack, director, MCB, revealed, “We are going to continue the trend of the last years on what our promotional activities calendar is concerned, meaning an intensive presence in our traditional key markets – in the US or in general European countries. In line with this, MCB will attend the main MICE professional forums and fairs [...], as well as the organisation of fam trips and an active presence in the media worldwide.” Europe is on the radar for hoteliers across the city. “We are working to increase our position in the incentive business in different international markets. We know that Madrid is popular in key European cities, and we know corporates are trying to incentivise and increase budget to this aim, so we want to position our hotel as one of the best options to stay in the city and enjoy,” said Pilar Lanchas, director of sales, Hotel Emperador Madrid. With a clear goal and an overarching strategy, in addition to unrivalled facilities, cultural heritage and leisure and sightseeing options, there is no doubt that the city will remain a global MICE leader for years to come, setting the bar high for more vocal and robust cities around the globe.
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NEWS AIRPORTS
Glasgow Airport: Footfall Surges in November
Glasgow Airport
Gatwick Awaits Expansion
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Gatwick Airport
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ondon’s Gatwick Airport has continued to lay the groundwork for extension following its busiest-ever November in 2015. During the month under review, 2.6 million passengers travelled through the hub, marking a 7.3 percent year-on-year growth. Long-haul winter sun routes performed particularly well, and in the coming months, traffic both on these services and in general is set to significantly increase, underscoring, as Stewart Wingate, CEO, Gatwick Airport, said, the urging need to give the green light for the airport’s expansion against Heathrow Airport.
lasgow Airport welcomed 618,583 passengers in November 2015, a year-on-year rise of 7.7 percent. International traffic increased 12.2 percent due to strong demand for new routes to Eastern European cities, including Wizz Air’s services to Budapest, Vilnius and Lublin, and Ryanair’s flights to Berlin. The month saw the launch of new itineraries to Milan, Bucharest and Salzburg. “An added bonus to round off the month was being named the Best Airport in the UK by our trade body [Airport Operators Association], which makes us the first UK airport to hold the top three industry awards at the same time,” boasted Amanda McMillan, managing director, Glasgow Airport.
Edinburgh Airport
New Routes Drive Growth at Edinburgh Airport
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n November 2015, Edinburgh Airport served 794,792 passengers, marking a 12.4 percent increase compared to November 2014. This is mainly due to an annual 22.5 percent boost in international routes, with new flights to destinations across Europe by easyJet and Ryanair, as well as to Doha by Qatar Airways and Abu Dhabi by Etihad Airways. “Edinburgh Airport has experienced passenger number levels in November – a quiet month in air travel – on a par with what many other regional airports do at the peak of summer,” emphasised Gordon Dewar, CEO, Edinburgh Airport, adding that this is a sure sign of the growing success of both Scotland and Edinburgh as a destination.
25 JANUARY 2016
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NEWS AIRPORTS
New Bristol Airport Development Launched
Helsinki Airport Adds Printable Map
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he consortium comprising Petrányi Autó and BUDPORT was selected as Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport’s official minibus service provider. The new offering is available for airport transfer under the name miniBUD, boasting environmentally friendly vehicles, a flexible booking system, Wi-Fi service and other favourable conditions. Having recognised the success of the low-cost carrier business model, basic service will be offered for a lower price, but passengers will also have the opportunity to purchase additional perks. The airport minibus fleet boasts 60 vehicles.
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Berlin’s Airports Celebrate 28 Millionth Passenger
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erlin Schönefeld Airport and Berlin Tegel Airport enjoyed a new passenger record in 2015, having welcomed their 28 millionth traveller, the 34-year-old pianist, Yao Yao Brandenburg. Accompanied by her husband and daughter, Brandenburg had checked in for a flight to London Gatwick by Norwegian. Growth in passenger figures was reported by both German airports.
Yao Yao Brandenburg (left)
Bristol Airport
ravellers at Helsinki Airport can now easily explore its fun locations with the help of a printable map. From coffee shops, restaurants and retail outlets, to an art gallery, photo exhibition, book swap station and sleeping pods, voyagers of all ages can easily find their location of interest and spend their time at the airport more efficiently.
New Minibus Services in Budapest
Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport
Helsinki Airport
ristol Airport’s terminal extension has opened. The major expansion follows a 12-month build programme and a GBP8.6 million (EUR11.8 million) investment. It provides a significantly enlarged departure lounge featuring hundreds of additional seats as well several retail and catering brands and a second executive lounge. A stand-out feature is an outdoor rooftop terrace area with views of arriving and departing aircraft. Work is already underway on a second terminal extension, to the western end of the main building, which will transform the security process when it opens in summer, as well as creating an enlarged baggage reclaim area, customs facilities and arrivals retail. Construction of a 201-room Hampton by Hilton hotel to be completed this year has also commenced.
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NEWS ACCOMMODATION
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Louvre Hotels Buys German Company
nordic hotel Domicil Berlin
Louvre Hotels Group doubled its presence in Germany through the acquisition of Nordic Hotels.
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he France-based company added 25 hotels in 11 German cities to its portfolio, injecting a total of 1,816 rooms. Out of the total properties, 23 are operational and two are scheduled to open this year. Eight are in the four-star, 15 in the three-star and two in the two-star categories. The deal also includes the acquisition of a management platform based in Kiel, which will serve as a Louvre Hotels Group hub in Germany.
InterCityHotel Enters Saarbrücken
The 200 shops lining the pedestrian precinct around St. Johanner Market Square in Saarbrücken are an excellent place to browse?
teigenberger Hotels signed a deal with Saarbrücken-based property group Altin to open the first InterCityHotel to the German manufacturing and high-tech hub. The property will be located within a walking distance from the city’s main railway station, as well as the Europa Galerie shopping mall. Guests will also enjoy free local public transport through FreeCityTicket, available to those who stay at all of the brand’s properties. Joachim Marusczyk, managing director, InterCityHotel, stated, “This represents a further stage towards the completion of our InterCityHotel portfolio in Germany.”
F Magdalen Chapter, Exeter
Saarbrücken
S DID YOU KNOW...
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Frasers Hospitality Expands in the UK
rasers Hospitality acquired four UK properties from Swire Properties Hotels through its subsidiaries, Malmaison and Hotel du Vin Property Holdings. The establishments in question are Avon Gorge Hotel, Bristol; Magdalen Chapter, Exeter; Montpellier Chapter, Cheltenham; and Hotel Seattle, Brighton. Choe Peng Sum, CEO, Frasers Hospitality, said, “These four stylish and iconic hotels in their respective cities are a perfect fit for Malmaison and Hotel du Vin, and this acquisition is clearly in line with the group’s expansion strategy of the brands within the UK, Europe and Asia. With these two best-in-class lifestyle brands, we are on track to achieve our goal of operating 30,000 keys by 2019.”
25 JANUARY 2016
NEWS ACCOMMODATION
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IHG Expands Core Brand in France
Louvre Hotels Steps Up Internal Mobility
Kyriad Prestige Thionville Centre
InterContinental Bordeaux – Le Grand Hotel
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ouvre Hotels Group’s corporate university, U awarded 11 hotel managers with a master’s degree in hotel management. As part of a partnership with Ecole de Savignac, the educational institute offers a 304-hour course spread over 11 months with the objective of sustaining the group’s development by assisting managers to move towards the administration of high-growth properties. As Pierre-Frédéric Roulot, CEO, Louvre Hotels Group, noted, the company strongly values and supports talent with 80 percent of its managers appointed through internal mobility. The collaboration with Ecole de Savignac was further extended with the launch of the first English-speaking international class.
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nterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) unveiled InterContinental Bordeaux – Le Grand Hotel, France, marking InterContinental Hotels & Resorts’ fifth property in the country. Converted from Grand Hôtel de Bordeaux & Spa, the 130-unit accommodation establishment was refurbished with colourful design whilst preserving its original 18th century splendour. It boasts a range of fitness and wellness facilities including an indoor swimming pool, 10 treatment rooms and a Jacuzzi on the 360-degree rooftop beach which recreates the atmosphere of a summer day in the Bay of Arcachon.
Park Inn Arrives in Keflavik
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ark Inn by Radisson, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group’s midmarket hotel brand, debuted in Iceland with Park Inn by Radisson Reykjavik Keflavik Airport, the company’s third addition to the country. The new property is situated in the city centre five kilometres away from Keflavik International Airport, offering 77 rooms and suites. “The Rezidor Hotel Group […] is one of Europe’s leading airport hotel operators. We have presence at almost all major gateways and travel hubs across the continent. With a new Park Inn by Radisson in Iceland, we are signalling our commitment to maintaining our leading position in the Nordics,” said Tom Flanagan, area vice president, Nordics, The Rezidor Hotel Group.
Park Inn by Radisson Reykjavik Keflavik Airport
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NEWS AIR
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Wizz Air Opens New Hungarian Base Wizz Air launched its second base in Hungary, in Debrecen.
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he low-cost carrier is initially deploying one Airbus A320 aircraft from Debrecen International Airport, offering three new routes to Paris Beauvais, Brussels Charleroi and Malmo. The newly inaugurated services bring the number of destinations operated from the eastern Hungarian city to six and boost the annual seat capacity by 136 percent to 145,000 passengers per year. To better serve customers, Wizz Air also introduced extra frequencies from Debrecen to London’s Luton Airport and Eindhoven.
Lufthansa to Add Second Hungarian Destination
Transavia Opens Base in Munich
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ith the start of the summer schedule, Lufthansa will begin to operate thrice-weekly services to Debrecen, the airline’s second destination in Hungary after Budapest. Effective from April 11, the German carrier will deploy Bombardier CR9 jets on the route which will be offered on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to the second-biggest city in the country. “Lufthansa’s hub at Munich is well-known for the number of connections it has to other European cities, and with Debrecen we are adding another highlight,” said Thomas Winkelmann, CEO, Munich, Lufthansa.
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n March, Transavia will launch a new European base in Munich, with the low-cost airline offering customers 18 destinations from Germany to Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, France, Italy, Morocco, the Netherlands and Portugal. With four Boeing 737-800s based in Munich, Transavia will operate over 101 weekly flights from the Bavarian capital throughout the summer season. The carrier aims to develop its activity on departure from France and the Netherlands, but also from other European countries in order to seize new growth opportunities on the European low-cost market.
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NEWS AIR
Wizz Air Enhances UK Network
Lufthansa Adds New Dream Destinations
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Iberia to Return to Johannesburg
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ufthansa has enhanced its network with the addition of three new long-haul routes. Passengers now have the opportunity to fly direct from Frankfurt to Cancún, in Mexico, Malé, in the Maldives, and Mauritius. The carrier tailor-made the services to suit travellers, with the inaugural flights in December 2015 having proved to be very well booked. The new itineraries were just three of the several holiday destinations the German airline introduced in recent months, with Tampa, Florida and Nairobi, Kenya being added in September and October 2015, respectively. Furthermore, effective from March, flights to Panama will also take off.
Cancún
ffective from March 18, Wizz Air will operate a twice-weekly route from Wroclaw to Birmingham. With the new service, the airline will be offering seven itineraries to five countries from the Polish city. Gabor Vasarhelyi, communications manager, Wizz Air, commented, “We are thrilled to announce the third UK route for our Wroclaw network. Stimulating air travel between Poland and the UK, we hope tourism and hospitality sectors will benefit from our newest service as well as strengthen business relations between the two countries.”
DID YOU KNOW... Cancún is one of the easternmost points in Mexico?
Austrian to Launch Flights to Havana
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s of August 1, Iberia will resume flights to Johannesburg, South Africa, offered three times per week onboard the airline’s new 278-seat Airbus A330-300, equipped with long-haul cabins. “When we presented our transformation plan, we said that we intended to resume all flights we needed to stop at that time,” recalled Luis Gallego, chairman, Iberia. “Thanks to the efforts made by all employees to reduce our cost base and thanks to our new, more fuel-efficient fleet, we can now resume the route to Johannesburg, which will be profitable and sustainable,” he assured.
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s of October 25, Austrian Airlines will add another new tourist destination to its flight schedule, offering once weekly services to Havana, Cuba. The move marks the first time in five years that the European carrier includes a Caribbean destination to its network following services to Punta Cana in 2010. “[This year] Austria and Cuba celebrate 70 years of bilateral ties. We are pleased to link our new direct flight to Havana with this anniversary,” explained Andreas Otto, chief commercial officer, Austrian Airlines. He added that the launch is another step in the consistent expansion of the carrier’s long-haul route portfolio and its continuing focus on tourist destinations.
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NEWS AIR
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British Airways’ first cabin
BA’s Dreamliner to Fly to Shanghai
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ecember 2015 saw a number of novelties at British Airways (BA), including the launch of Shanghai as the new destination for its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, complete with the luxurious first cabin. The aircraft will be deployed on the route this summer, while the carrier prepares to add three more flights to the Chinese city from February 20. In addition, passengers who fly in BA’s First, Club World and World Traveller Plus class from London to Beirut, Cairo, Baku, Tel Aviv and Amman can now pre-order their meals. This was previously available on long-haul flights. Finally, the carrier’s charity Flying Start, in partnership with Comic Relief, has reached the GBP12 million (EUR16.51 million) milestone.
airBaltic Takes Off to Iceland
Brussels Airlines Opens Thessaloniki Route
SAS Enjoys Passenger Growth
Thessaloniki
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tarting in May, Brussels Airlines will operate two weekly flights to Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city and the gateway to the famous tourist region of Chalkidiki. The new service is aimed at the Greek diaspora in Belgium and southern Netherlands who return to Northern Greece every summer. “We invest heavily in our Greece offer next summer because we strongly believe in the growing tourism potential of the country. With flights to Thessaloniki, Crete and Athens we fly to all the important regions of the country and we offer interesting travel options for those who travel to the mainland or the islands,” commented Frédéric Dechamps, vice president sales, Benelux, Europe and US, Brussels Airlines.
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s of May 28, airBaltic will connect Riga to Reykjavik with twice-weekly flights onboard a Boeing737-300 aircraft. “The new route will offer excellent opportunities to explore Reykjavik, one of the most fascinating cities in the Nordic region with breathtaking landscapes and stunning nature,” enthused Wolfgang Reuss, senior vice president, network management, airBaltic. “At the same time, travellers from Iceland will enjoy new unique links to the Baltic region, its cultural events, unmatched architecture of its capitals and vibrant nightlife,” he added.
candinavian Airlines (SAS) carried 2.2 million scheduled travellers in November 2015, indicating a year-on-year 3.7 percent increase. Revenue passenger kilometres rose 9.6 percent and available seat kilometres grew 9.8 percent, while load factor stood at 69.3 percent having decreased 0.2 percentage points. Demand was positive in Scandinavia during 2015, with overall market capacity gradually swelling during the last months and the trend expected to continue primarily on international services. In response to the growing demand, the airline enhanced its intercontinental capacity by about 25 percent during its winter programme through new routes and frequencies.
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NEWS AIR
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Soaring Demand for Brussels Airlines Flights
EC Clears Air Astana
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russels Airlines carried 53,655 passengers in November 2015, 10.9 percent more than in the corresponding period in 2014. The results were boosted by the introduction of a new destination, Accra, which helped increase traffic on African routes by 25.3 percent; numbers on European services, however, showed a slower growth rate at 9.4 percent. Driven by strong demand, load factor improved 7.3 percentage points to 72 percent, while in line with the overall European market trend, cargo activity declined.
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he European Commission updated the European Union (EU) Air Safety List, a document with airlines subject to an operating ban or operational restrictions within the union, clearing Kazakhstan’s Air Astana and adding Iraqi Airways. Violeta Bulc, commissioner for transport, EU, confirmed that offering the highest level of air safety to European citizens is a priority of the commission. “I am satisfied that we were able to clear Air Astana after six years of work. In the interest of European citizens, we are however forced to maintain other Kazakh carriers on the list and to add Iraqi Airways,” she explained. A total of 230 airlines are banned from operating in the EU, and these hail from a variety of states including many African countries.
Norwegian Subsidiary to Lease 12 Aircraft
Airbus 320neo
Wizz Air Illustrates Growth
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izz Air signed its largest-ever lease agreement for 11 Airbus A321ceo aircraft and expanded its fleet to 64 with the arrival of the first plane to its Budapest base in November 2015. In accordance, the low-cost carrier’s seat capacity for the month rose 24.6 percent to over 1.7 million in the corresponding period in 2014. Passenger numbers also surged 25.5 percent reaching 1,485,281 and load factor stood at 83.6 percent having increased 0.6 percentage points.
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rtic Aviation Assets (AAA), a fully-owned subsidiary of Norwegian, signed a final agreement to lease out 12 Airbus 320neo aircraft to HK Express. The modern planes are set to be delivered between this year and 2018 and will support Hong-Kong’s low-fare carrier’s expansion strategy. Through AAA, the Scandinavian company has firm orders of 100 Airbus A320neo. This aircraft type offers new, more energyefficient engines enabling fuel savings and emission reductions of up to 20 percent compared to previous models.
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“Britain has a clear choice on airport expansion: get on with growth at Gatwick or yet more delays and inertia with an illegal Heathrow scheme that continues to stall. This decision has always been about balancing the economic benefits of expansion with the impact on the environment. The simple facts show that Gatwick expansion would give the country the economic benefit it needs at a dramatically lower environmental cost.”
CEO, ACCORHOTELS
TOM JENKINS
[The manifesto] […] demonstrates the need for action
CEO, EUROPEAN TOUR OPERATORS ASSOCIATION
“[The fact that the publication of Europe’s Tourism Jobs and Growth Manifesto] was necessary, demonstrates the need for action. Unless we address the European Union’s competitiveness as a destination and as a place to do business, the prospects for tourism’s success will reduce.”
CEO, WIZZ AIR
SÉBASTIEN BAZIN
CEO, GATWICK AIRPORT
Get on with growth at Gatwick
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JÓZSEF VÁRADI
STEWART WINGATE
TRAVEL TALK
We are positioning ourselves as a key player “This is an outstanding opportunity to add three prestigious brands – Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel – to our portfolio, and a great step forward for AccorHotels. It offers us robust and global leadership in luxury hotels. […] The transaction will also enable the group to consolidate its shareholder base, with the arrival of two highprofile investors. […] Through it, we are positioning ourselves as a key player in the current industry consolidation process while maintaining substantial leeway to implement our transformation plan.”
Our Debrecen [...] base makes east Hungary more accessible “The opening of our second base in Hungary and 22nd base overall is truly an important milestone for our presence in Hungary. Our Debrecen operating base makes east Hungary more accessible, further boosts tourism and fosters economic development in the region. […] Our based Airbus A320 […] will further enhance the travel opportunities on the Hungarian market, create a number of local jobs with Wizz Air and our business partners while doubling our capacity from Debrecen International Airport.”
TRAVEL TALK IS YOUR SPACE – this is a casual forum for travel industry professionals to discuss current issues and share stories. We want to hear from you, so send your comments, questions, frustrations and observations to editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel
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TRAVEL CHANNELS
EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK GETS EUROPE ON THE MOVE
EASA PAVES WAY FOR SAFE DRONE USAGE
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he European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) published a Technical Opinion on the use of drones in Europe’s civil airspace which sets the direction to be followed for all future work to be done to guarantee unmanned aircraft operate and interact securely with other airspace users. The aim is to provide a framework that is proportionate to the activity, ensuring safety, and simultaneously enabling the innovative industry to continue to grow. The document also serves as guidance for European Union member states that have no rules for small unmanned aircraft or for those that plan to modify existing ones, to confirm consistency of future regulations.
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n increased number of countries were represented at 2015’s EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK. While the two countries with the highest rates of participation, Austria and Spain, registered decreases compared to 2014, Hungary saw a dramatic rise in the number of cities taking part. Similarly, Slovenia, Finland and Greece all witnessed notable growth in interest. All in all, the number of participating cities dropped from 2013 in 2014 to 1873 in 2015. Nevertheless, the Car-Free Day saw 906 destinations close off at least one street to motorised traffic. In 2015, countries from outside the European Union also joined the initiative, including Japan, Norway, South Korea and Ukraine.
CELESTYAL BACKS EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVE
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elestyal Cruises supported the presentation of the daily educational programme Science, Art and Mathematics to primary and secondary school students of the Greek islands of Milos and Ios. Organised by Museum Herakleidon, the initiative engaged 762 children between May – November 2015, seeking to relate the subjects through interactive activities involving exhibits and selected works of art, over twohour sessions. Froso Zaroulea, director of public relations, Celestyal Cruises, commented that the company transferred the programme from the Athens-based museum, in line with its endeavours to support local communities where it operates to. She revealed that this year, Celestyal Cruises will help expand the initiative’s reach to more Greek islands.
A AIR MALTA HELPS EMPOWER TOMORROW 25 JANUARY 2016
ir Malta was one of the main supporters of the third edition of the Mediterranean Tourism Forum which aimed to bring together over 1,000 public and private sector stakeholders from across the region. Held under the theme Empowering Tomorrow, the event threw the spotlight on tourism‘s contribution to socioeconomic development and the general stability in the Mediterranean. “Understanding our customers today is the key to empower tomorrow,” commented Ursula Silling, chief commercial officer, Air Malta. As Silling explained, the airline has invested a lot into trying to evaluate its passengers’ satisfaction levels and needs, and conducts regular real-time surveys in this regard.
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DANIEL TWERENBOLD has taken over the lead at Radisson Blu Hotel, Zurich Airport as general manager. Twerenbold also assumes additional responsibilities as district director for all Radisson Blu-branded properties in Switzerland and will thus be in charge of revenue development in the entire market. He returns to his home country after positions in Egypt, Russia, Estonia, Sweden and the UK. He is not new to managing an airport hotel, while most recently he worked as district director in the Nordic region. Twerenbold is replacing Werner Knechtli who leaves The Rezidor Hotel Group after 30 years of service.
REMCO ALTHUIS
DANIEL TWERENBOLD
WHO’S MOVED
BERNARD BOT has been selected as Travelport’s new executive vice president and chief financial officer. Bot joins the company from Aer Lingus, where as chief financial officer, he played an instrumental role in completing the airline’s recent takeover by International Airlines Group. Based in Travelport’s global headquarters in Langley, UK, he will be in charge of investor relations, mergers and acquisitions, treasury, tax, financial planning and analysis, audit, controllship and procurement. Earlier in his career, Bot has also held positions at TNT Express and global management consulting firm, McKinsey & Company.
Bot joins the company from Aer Lingus
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MAURIZIO LAVIO
BERNARD BOT
Twerenbold held positions across Europe
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REMCO ALTHUIS has assumed the position of vice president for Europe at Etihad Airways. Althuis has more than 20 years of sales and marketing experience, having spent many years with the Abu Dhabi-based carrier, as well as KLM and Air France-KLM. During this time, he held a number of different sales and marketing roles in Europe as well as Asia. He joined Etihad Airways in 2012 as general manager for China. In his new role, Althuis assumes commercial responsibility for the entire European region, which covers the airline’s 14 European markets including the UK, Ireland, France and Germany, and which will also be expanded to include Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.
MAURIZIO LAVIO has been named sales manager for Switzerland at bmi regional. Lavio has over 30 years of travel industry experience under his belt, 15 of which he spent with Hogg Robinson Group (HRG) in Switzerland. Earlier in his career he had served as head of marketing at Voyages Wasteels before his most recent role as a key account manager at HRG, a position that he held for almost 15 years. With his comprehensive knowledge of the Swiss leisure and corporate sectors, Lavio is considered the right person to grow the airline’s business in Bern and enhance bmi regional’s presence in the market.
Lavio has over 30 years of industry experience
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PHOTO ALBUM
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Air France celebrated its new Glasgow service
Celebrations of winter and skiing traditions in Slovenia
Take a Shot! Share with us the latest images of your activities and let your colleagues know what you have been up to.
Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko brought festive surprises to children with disabilities days before Christmas
Grand Hotel Kempinski High Tatras invited guests to enjoy the fresh snow
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Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon presented art both inside the hotel and out on the streets
Wizz Air celebrated 600,000 likes on Facebook
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NEWS & EVENTS EVENTS THE ADVENTURE TRAVEL SHOW London, UK January 23 – 24 www.adventureshow.com Inspiring itineraries and off the beaten track experiences will take centre stage at the programme.
UNWTO SHEDS LIGHT ON KEY ISSUES AT FITUR
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pportunities for tourism opened up by innovation was a key topic for World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) at FITUR, alongside the importance of promoting sustainability and ethics initiatives. The event, held from January 20 – 24, hosted the annual UNWTO Awards. Social responsibility and sustainability were given special attention. In addition, business and investment opportunities in Africa were the focus of the seventh Tourism Investment and Business Forum for Africa – INVESTOUR.
3RD ANNUAL AFRICA HOTEL EXPANSION SUMMIT Lagos, Nigeria January 28 – 29 africa.hotelandresortsummit.com For the third consecutive year, Noppen is organising the Africa Hotel Expansion Summit, bringing together hotel chains, developers and architects with hospitality institutions.
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ITB CONVENTION TO DELIVER WELL-ROUNDED INSIGHT
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he programme of events at the forthcoming ITB Berlin Convention features a wide spectrum of topics, ranging from humanoid robots, migration and integration, to career advice for the next generation of tourism professionals. Between March 09 – 12, speakers at discussion rounds and lectures will offer their views on examples of best practices and thought-provoking suggestions and ideas. Additional key areas to be showcased at the latest installment of the tourism think-tank will be digitisation and climate change.
ENTER Bilbao, Spain February 02 – 05 www.enter2016.org A forum for the industry, government, and other organisations to exchange, share, and challenge research on the application of technologies to travel and tourism.
IMEX AWARDS: GREEN MEETINGS AND CSR
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pplications opened for the IMEX-CMIC Green Awards which recognise outstanding achievements in green meetings planning, sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). The initiative, run by IMEX Group and the Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC), have three categories – Green Meeting Award, Green Supplier and Commitment to the Community Award – which will be presented at the IMEX Gala Dinner and Awards ceremony in Frankfurt on April 20. “As an industry, it is important that we demonstrate how we can support the goals of the recently held [Conference of Parties] COP 21 Conference in Paris, by reducing the environmental impacts of the meetings and events that we run,” said Carina Bauer, CEO, IMEX Group.
CONVENE BOASTS INCREASED INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT
F.RE.E Munich, Germany February 10 – 14 www.free-muenchen.de Bavaria’s popular interactive and sales exhibition for everything related to travel, leisure and recreation; a place to discover beautiful travel destinations and trends.
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his year’s edition of CONVENE enjoys an increased international support of key travel and events industry players and the media. Organisers partnered with airBaltic, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, International Association of Professional Congress Organisers, United Networks of International Corporate Events Organisers, International Congress and Convention Association, Association of Corporate Travel Executives, Meeting Planner.pl and Groupo Evento, among others. Jolanta Beniuliene, director, Vilnius Tourism & Convention Bureau, said, “This expansion of the international support for a Baltic Sea regional event is a growing testament to the range of destinations, venues, hotels, professional services this region offers to the international meetings and events community.”
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