25 MARCH 2017 ISSUE 57
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05 AGENTS
POSITIVE Q1 FOR TUI GROUP
BELARUS WELCOMED 32.6 PERCENT MORE HEALTH VISITORS
09 04 Cruising GENEVA ATTRACTED MORE UK VISITORS
11 Accommodation 14 Airports
MARKET UPDATE
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Austrian Airlines Reports Passenger Growth in January
TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS MANAGING EDITOR Mary Kammitsi mary@traveltradeweekly.travel JOURNALIST Ellen Petty CONTRIBUTORS Panayiotis Karanicholas Maria Sabova Anna Spyrou Dominique Christou SALES & SALES SUPPORT Magda Christou 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
In January, Austrian Airlines carried close to 668,000 passengers, a year-on-year boost of 8.5 percent, primarily fuelled by expanded bilateral flight traffic between Austria and Germany.
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vailable seat kilometres rose three percent to almost 1.7 billion, while revenue passenger kilometres jumped 1.9 percent to some 1.2 billion. However, when compared to 2016, passenger load factor fell 0.8 percentage points to 69.4 percent. The carrier operated a total of 9,532 flights during the respective month, an increase of 5.3 percent on January 2016. Austrian Airlines, part of the Lufthansa Group, currently serves a global network of approximately 130 destinations.
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Latvia Recorded Tourism Growth
Representative for Indian subcontinent: Faredoon Kuka RMA Media Tel: +912229253735 kuka@rmamedia.com
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Representative for UK & Ireland and Scandinavia: David Simpson Simpson Media Tel: +447900885456 david@simpson-media.com
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Latvian accommodation providers welcomed 2.3 million visitors in 2016, marking 7.7 percent rise over 2015.
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he number of nights spent at tourist establishments had increased by 7.5 percent compared to 2015 and the average duration of a visitor’s stay was 1.9 nights. Additionally 85.4 percent of guests booked hotel type lodging, 11.1 percent chose guest houses and other short-stay accommodation, whereas 3.5 percent preferred camping. Most of the foreign visitors to Latvia travelled from Russia, Germany and the Baltic neighbour states, Lithuania and Estonia. A significant increase was recorded with tourists from China, and the US. Domestic tourism also witnessed a growth, some 730,000 Latvian residents booked accommodation in 2016, 9.8 percent more than the 2015 figure.
25 MARCH 2017
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WEEKLY NEWS HOTEL PERFORMANCE
Hotstats has released its European Chain Hotels Market Review December 2016, highlighting the challenges experienced by hoteliers in Paris and Vienna in 2016 and the mixed results seen by addresses in Madrid.
Paris Hotels Continued to See Falling Profit
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ddresses in Paris struggled with a 40.2 percent yearon-year plummet in profit per room in 2016 as a consequence of unfortunate events such as flooding and air-traffic controller strikes which affected tourists arrivals. In 2016, hotels in the French capital reported a 19.9 percent fall in RevPAR compared to 2015, a result of both an 11.3 percentage point decline in occupancy and a 5.9 percent drop in achieved average room rate, which stood at EUR314.24. Cost cutting was a challenge for hoteliers due to French employment law, underscored by a 5.1 percentage point increase in payroll levels to 46.5 percent of total revenue in 2016. All in all, profit conversion fell to 19.2 percent of total revenue in 2016, one of the lowest in Europe.
Rising Costs Impacted Profit in Vienna
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oteliers in Madrid recorded a 19.6 percent year-onyear increase in profit per room in December 2016, which fuelled a 3.8 percent increase in gross operating profit per available room. Despite this, RevPAR declined 0.9 percent compared to December 2015, as a result of a 6.8 percent fall in achieved room rate, which stood at EUR126.68. Properties in the Spanish capital saw a strong first six months in 2016, with the 2.7 percent jump in RevPAR driving a 6.9 percent rise in profit per room. However, hotels were unable to maintain this performance, and suffered profit decline for a number of months, including a 13.6 percent year-on-year drop in October 2016. Overall, thanks to cost savings in both labour and overheads, Madrid reported a third consecutive year of growing profit.
25 MARCH 2017
Vienna
Madrid Experienced a Strong December
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n 2016, a 1.4 percent decline in total revenue combined with increased labour and overheads caused a 7.6 percent drop in profit per room at addresses in Vienna, when compared to 2015. In the 24 months to December 2016, overheads rose 5.3 percent, while an 8.2 percent jump in payroll was observed. Furthermore, despite a 0.3 percentage point increase in occupancy, a 1.5 percent year-on-year fall in RevPAR was recorded. Hotels in the city saw decreases in ancillary revenues, food and beverage was down 0.5 percent accompanied by a 7.4 plummet in conference and banqueting, both of which contributed to a 1.4 percent decline in total RevPAR.
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NEWS CRUISING
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Carnival Reveals Unique Enriched Journey Continuing the expansion of its popular Carnival Journeys enriched sailings, Carnival Cruise Lines will offer a 14-day Alaskan adventure round-trip from Long Beach, California, set to sail from August 25, 2018 through to September 08, 2018.
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Carnival Splendor
arnival Splendor will offer callings to the majestic Hubbard Glacier and a day-long visits to Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan, Skagway, Juneau and Sitka, Alaska, along with a day-long call at Victoria, British Columbia. Guests will have the opportunity to visit one of the world’s longest zip-lines, natural wonders including calving glaciers and fjords and see native sea and animal life. Furthermore, a wide variety of shore excursions will be available such as a helicopter flight - seeing, rainforest canopy tours, hiking, canoeing and kayaking expeditions along with alpine lake snorkeling. The journey will also feature onboard culinary experiences, entertainment and cultural opportunities within the various ports of call.
Silversea Cruises to Present its New Flagship
Viking Line Set To Expand Helsinki – Tallinn Route
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iking Line is set to invest in its Helsinki – Tallinn itinerary by tripling the number of departures in July due to its popularity amongst travellers. Estonia, a favourite destination of Finns, attracts leisure and business travellers alike. The cruise line has responded to this strong demand by adding a new vessel, the Viking Faster, which will serve the route during the period April 10 – October 22. The new catamaran will cross the sea between Helsinki and Tallinn in less than two hours, offering a number of departures, with up to 12 daily sailings during the summer period. This timetable and the short travel time will provide greater flexibility to passengers sailing across the Gulf of Finland.
Estonia
ilversea Cruises has celebrated the successful completion of sea trials by its new ultra-luxury ship. Expected to be delivered in spring, Silver Muse will accommodate up to 596 guests. The addition of the flagship will expand the company's fleet to nine ships, and will raise the bar in the ultra-luxury cruise market by satisfying the uncompromising requirements for comfort, service, and quality of the most discerning travellers. Roberto Martinolo, CEO, Silversea Cruises, enthused, “The successful completion of sea trials marks yet another significant milestone in Silver Muse’s development. In just a matter of weeks we will be welcoming guests from around the world onboard the newest member of the Silversea family, with our new flagship set to offer the highest expression of excellence in elegance and comfort at sea.”
25 MARCH 2017
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NEWS AGENTS
Positive Q1 for TUI Group
TUI Group has recorded a turnover of EUR3.49 billion, up 8.5 percent, in the first quarter (Q1) 2016-2017, while underlying earnings before interest, taxes, and amortisation (EBITA) grew 16 percent year-on-year to a seasonal loss of EUR66.7 million.
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he result was partly impacted by higher than usual sickness rates in TUI fly Germany. While emphasising the company’s strength despite a challenging market environment, Fritz Joussen, CEO, TUI Group, said. “[...] We operate in more than 100 countries around the globe. This gives us great flexibility and enables us to quickly remix our programme if our customers’ travel preferences change. [...] For the full year 2016-2017, we reiterate our guidance of at least 10 percent growth in underlying EBITA.”
Record Sales at Jet2holidays Mobile Store
ABTA Joins a New Apprenticeship Scheme
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new mobile store has been recently launched by Jet2holidays in Bradford. Located in a prominent position, outside Morrison’s supermarket in Idle, the new store has attracted many visitors. Idle Travel, an independent travel agency based in the city, co-branded the store and enjoyed a record-breaking sales day with its booking revenue raised up to 200 percent. Alan Cross, head of trade, Jet2holidays, enthused, “Our mobile travel agency stores have been a huge hit in high streets and town centres up and down the country. This feedback and sales data, which comes from one of our best selling independent travel agency partners, shows what an enormous impact they can have.”
25 MARCH 2017
Jet2holidays Mobile Store
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ailed as the UK’s largest travel association, Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) has joined the new Travel Apprenticeship Board. Performance expert People 1st, the company running the board on the industry’s behalf, called Vicky Wolf, educational partnership manager, ABTA, to join the new Travel Apprenticeship board. The Board plays a critical role in overseeing the quality and assessment of the new travel consultant apprenticeship as members have an opportunity to influence the future of the industry. Board members are required to work openly, challenge, innovate and drive the industry’s commitment to quality apprenticeships in England. ABTA has joined the programme in order to support the industry and aims to play a leading role in the governance of the new apprenticeship scheme.
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Belarus Welcomed 32.6 Percent More Health Visitors In 2016, more than 216,000 international arrivals visited health resorts in Belarus, a year-on-year rise of 32.6 percent.
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elarusian health premises provided BRY157.9 million (EUR7,960) of services to foreign citizens, up 32.6 percent on 2015. Gennady Bolbatovsky, director, Republican Center of Health Improvement and Health Resort Treatment of the Population, Belarus, attributed the success to optimal prices as well as improved quality and variety of services available. In recent years, the occupancy rate for health improvement and wellness centres has stood at around 80 percent. There are currently some 324 certified offerings with capacity of 67,400.
Georgia Proves Popular for Ukrainian Travellers
Berlin Welcomed Record Overseas Arrivals
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Berlin
Tbilisi
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n 2016, Ukraine was the most popular source market for Georgia, with Ukrainians having a total of 172,000 visiting the country. The influx of visitors from Ukraine increased 21.8 percent in 2016 compared to 2015. The remaining top tourist source destinations were Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey and Russia which all contributed to the total amount of 6.35 million visitors and the country’ s tourism earnings of more than USD2 billion (EUR1.88 billion) in 2016.
or the first time, in 2016 the number of international visitors to Berlin surpassed five million, while the number of overnight stays rose 2.7 percent to more than 31 million. While German guests accounted for 54.4 percent of stays, large numbers were also recorded from the UK, the US, Spain and Israel. In 2016, the city’s conference industry blossomed, generating around a quarter of the 31 million hotel stays. It is thought that more than 11.5 million delegates travelled to the German capital for approximately 137,500 events, including 2.4 million international participants.
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NEWS
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A positive 2016 for Cologne’s Convention Market
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Stephanie Klausing
ccording to a survey conducted by the Cologne Convention Bureau, in cooperation with the Europäisches Institut für TagungsWirtschaft, 2016 was a generally constant event year. The city’s market for congresses and conventions saw a slight increase in the number of events, delegates and locations compared to 2015. The city hosted nearly 48,700 events which were attended by a total of 3.82 million participants while the number of event locations were also boosted. Stephanie Klausing, director, conventions and marketing, Cologne Tourist Board, enthused, “Cologne is a favourite location for events, and it is going to stay that way […]. With our eyes on the future, we approve of Koelnmesse’s initiative to build the CONFEX Hall, which from 2021 onward will offer space for events attended by up to 6,500 people […].”
Nesvizh Castle, Belarus
Attractive Belarus Visa-Free Policy
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he opportunity of five-day visa free entry to Belarus, introduced on February 12 for citizens of 80 countries, has already attracted over 1,000 visitors. The highest amount of travellers arrived from Germany, Poland and Italy, among other 43 nationalities who have taken advantage of the new policy. Visa-free travel is granted to tourists entering the country through Minsk National Airport and presenting valid travelling documents, evidence of funds equivalent to at least two base amounts for each day of stay in Belarusian Rubles and medical insurance with minimum coverage of EUR10,000 valid in Belarus. Visa-free visitors do not have to register with the interior bodies.
25 MARCH 2017
NEWS
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Geneva Attracted More UK Visitors
Geneva
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he number of tourists arriving to Geneva from the UK in 2016 rose 2.9 percent year-on-year, demonstrating the popularity of the destination among the British travellers. The influx outperformed expectations and positioned the UK as the city’s leading inbound tourism segment. In particular, the leisure travel marked a significant growth as a result of various incentives undertaken by Geneva Tourism. In 2016, visitors had the opportunity to attend International Motor Show, Geneva Marathon and Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie watch festival, among other events. The popularity of the destination is also assigned to its rich menu of museums and exhibitions along with its reputation as an attractive skiing destination and the victory in the category Europe’s Leading City Break Destination at the World Travel Awards for two consecutive years.
Museum Barberini Has Opened its Doors
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arly this year, Museum Barberini opened its doors to the public. Located at the Old Market Square in Potsdam, the new gallery was rebuilt on the site of the Barberini Palace. The venues inaugural exhibition is dedicated to impressionism and will run until May 28. Featuring the work of renowned artists such as Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Gustave Caillebotte, the show brings major representatives of impressionism to Potsdam. Upon arrival, visitors can download a free Barberini Guide application, which recognises their location within the museum and leads them through the galleries with audio guides.
Barberini Museum
25 MARCH APRIL 2016 2017
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NEWS
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Hertz to Invest for Top-line Growth
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n the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2016 Hertz Global Holdings reported a loss from continuing operations and a revenue declines reflecting the overall financial performance in 2016. Q4 2016 brought a net loss from continuing operations of USD438 million (EUR408 million), compared to the USD37 million (EUR34.5 million ) net loss figure during Q4 2015. The company also experienced a one percent decline in revenues during the reviewed period, year-on-year. Kathryn Marinello, president, Hertz Global Holdings, explained, “The company’s 2016 performance resulted from issues around fleet and service, which we are addressing. […] This year’s investments in fleet, service, marketing and technology will be the catalyst to ultimately generating steady top-line growth.”
Belarus Returns to Chizhovka Arena for Semi-final Clash
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Chizhovka Arena, Minsk
elarus Fed Cup by BNP Paribas will host Switzerland on an indoor court at the Chizhovka-Arena in Minsk on April 22 – 23. Stunning performances from Aryna Sabalenka and Aliaksandra Sasnovich saw Belarus overcoming the Dutch team in February when Belarus defeated the Netherlands 04 – 01. Currently Belarus is fifth in the Fed Cup rankings following their Swiss rivals. Although Switzerland has been predicted to be the favourite for the upcoming match, after its victory over France, the Belarusian team promises to put up a fight in front of the home crowd.
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H10 Hotels Debuts in Urban Five-Star Category
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he five-star establishment features 89 guestrooms including 25 suites, designed with fine quality materials to create a timeless luxurious atmosphere. Guests can enjoy a restaurant and a cocktail bar along with a leisure area on the top floor, rewarding the visitors with panoramic views while taking advantage of the terrace’ s amenities such as bar, pool and solarium. Further, the hotel boasts a wellness centre with spa, a fitness room and two meeting rooms. Extra offerings such as concierge and limousine services along with valet parking and complimentary Wi-Fi are also available for the guests.
The One Barcelona
H10 Hotels launched its new brand concept The One by H10 Hotels, targeting the urban luxury segment, with opening its flagship address The One Barcelona.
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nantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas prepares to launch its first address in Europe with Anantara Vilamoura Algarve Resort in Portugal, scheduled to welcome its first guests on April 01. The property, currently operating as Tivoli Victoria, has been under renovation ahead of relaunching as the European flagship of the brand. Upon completion, the resort will feature 280 spacious guestrooms and suites catering to family and group holidaymakers. The refurbishment includes the main lobby, the Anantara Spa and gym. Six restaurants and bars will take care of the guests’ fine dining needs. Corporate travellers will benefit from the stand-alone conference centre with capacity for up to 800 people in eight versatile rooms. The property will further offer tailored golfing activities, a tennis court and children’s and teens club.
25 MARCH 2017
Anantara Vilamoura Algarve Resort rendering
Anantara to Enter European Market
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NEWS ACCOMMODATION
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IntercityHotel Braunschweig
IntercityHotel Braunschweig Inaugurated
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he official opening ceremony of the IntercityHotel Braunschweig had recently taken place, with numerous guests attending the celebrations. The property is hailed as the first hotel operating under the brand to bear the interior design signature of the Italian architect Matteo Thun. The new address offers 174 rooms, four conference and events spaces, a restaurant, a bistro lounge and a bar. Standard rooms reach 20m2 in size with room categories to suit families and business travellers. The public areas are characterised by natural materials, an open plan design and comfortable corners with a fireplace and plants paving the lobby, creating an inviting atmosphere. Booking, stay, check-in, check-out and payment features have been digitised via the hotelbird application, enabling smart phones to serve as reception and room key.
Sir Adam Brings Art and Sound to Amsterdam
Sir Adam
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esign Hotels officially opened the doors of Sir Adam hotel in Amsterdam, unveiling a combination of firstclass musical credentials with artful luxury. Located in the highly anticipated redevelopment A’DAM Toren, the 108-key property offers luxurious guestrooms dotted with local artworks and custom-made furniture and lighting. The hotel features living lobby The Butcher Social Club with an island bar offering live DJ sets and a river terrace with a mobile bar. The guests can also enjoy the rooftop beer garden, music library and a concept store, The Hub. “Sir Adam is like Amsterdam, cool, edgy, creative, culturallyrich, a little off-beat but always interesting. Its cutting-edge design combined with the innovative lifestyle programming of the A’DAM Toren is committed to fun and will bring a new dimension to the Amsterdam hotel scene,” said, Liran Wizman, CEO, Europe Hotels Private Collection.
25 MARCH 2017
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Hard Rock Hotel Malta to Open in 2020
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A model of Hard Rock Hotel Malta
ard Rock International, in collaboration with the Malta-based Seabank Group, has announced the opening of its third European resort, following debuts in Ibiza and Tenerife. Projected to open in 2020, as part of db City Centre, the seafront Hard Rock Hotel Malta will feature 370 rooms, including 110 suites with balcony views. Marco Roca, executive vice president, Hard Rock International, commented, “Malta draws in travellers from around the world given its central Mediterranean location, idyllic charm, rich cultural history and vast array of activities […] and we are thrilled to be part of a project that will provide travellers and locals with the country’s first true entertainment destination.”
Action-Packed Holidays at Sun Gardens Dubrovnik
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Sun Gardens Dubrovnik
his summer, Sun Gardens Dubrovnik will be offering a wide range of new sports activities for children and families, promising an outstanding luxury holiday. Through its new sports academies and children’s programme, the resort aims to enrich young guests’ holiday while offering them a unique opportunity to enhance their sports skills. Taking place from midMay until September 15, the five-week programme will include activities such as football training, tennis and basketball academies, swimming and water polo sessions. The destination caters to families looking to enjoy an action-packed holiday in the Adriatic Coast.
25 MARCH 2017
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NEWS AIRPORTS
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Another Record Year for BSCA Following 2016’s success of welcoming 7,303,720 visitors, Brussels South Charleroi Airport (BSCA) continues to be a popular hub with passengers’ numbers rising.
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Helsinki Airport Expansion in Progress
BSCA
ome 497,267 travellers used BSCA in January, a seven percent year-on-year increase. Southern Europe was the most popular region for flights to and from BSCA, with Italy, as the number one destination, followed by Spain, France, Morocco and Poland. Jean-Jacques Cloquet, CEO, BSCA, enthused, “After a year in 2016 when we redoubled our efforts to achieve the record results we have now seen, January this year closed on a positive note. Charleroi certainly has excellent prospects and we wish to thank our passengers and partners for their confidence in us.”
Heathrow Confirmed Revenue Growth
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elsinki Airport is preparing for increased air traffic by a major expansion project currently underway, with the first section slated to of unveiled at the end of summer. Jarkko Lahti, project engineer, Lemminkäinen, shared some insights related to the ongoing project, highlighting that the 45m tall mobile crane is one of the strongest in Europe, able to carry 64 tonnes of materials. Finavia’s development programme for expanding the hub was launched in 2013, to consolidate the airport’s competitive position as a transfer traffic provider. The expansion aims to create facilities to accommodate 20 million passengers by 2020.
eathrow Airport has announced its 2016 financial results, marking the strongest growth figures in recent years. The hub reported 7.7 percent retail revenue growth with GBP612 million (Euro705 million) generated during the year under review which contributed to the total annual revenue of GBP2.8 billion (Euro3.22 billion), a 1.5 percent rise over the 2015 figure. It is said that the positive results were bolstered by increased traffic and boosted figures in the duty-free and tax-free retail channel. John Holland-Kaye, CEO, Heathrow Airport, enthused, “2016 was a milestone year for Heathrow. I am very proud of what our 76,000 colleagues have achieved. We gave better service at lower cost to a record number of passengers and helped British businesses across the country trade more with the rest of the world.”
25 MARCH 2017
NEWS AIRPORTS
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Edinburgh Airport’s Strong Figures
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dinburgh Airport revealed that in January, 781,753 passengers were welcomed through its doors, representing an 11.7 percent increase year-on-year. The greatest growth was recorded among passengers on international flights with 11.6 percent rise compared to January 2016. Gordon Dewar, CEO, Edinburgh Airport, enthused about starting the new year with such positive figures after a record-breaking 2016. He explained that the strong numbers confirm the impact of launching 27 new international services in 2016 and mark the busiest January ever for the hub.
Munich Airport
Munich Airport Updates Website
25 MARCH 2017
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unich Airport has relaunched its website with a contemporary design, new features and comprehensive information, optimised for all devices. To assist the 13 million annual visitors that access the service, the website now features more than 1,000 pages packed full of relevant information for travellers including a route planner, a 3D tour of the terminals and the ability to book parking before travelling. Designed to enable customers to find out what they need to know within seconds, the flexible user-friendly service also has a search function as well as technologies allowing the hub to publish the latest up-to-date information for passengers.
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NEWS AIRPORTS
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Gatwick Airport To Sponsor Brighton Festival
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Gatwick Airport
erving as a partner of Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival, Gatwick Airport will be sponsoring the event’s Family, International and Accessibility programmes this year, to be held on May 06 – 28. The hub has sponsored the organisation for the past three years and is committed to helping to make the arts accessible to a wider audience in the local community. The Brighton Festival 2017 offers a wide range of artistic performances, spanning music, theatre and dance. Assisted performances for adults and young people with access needs will be included in the schedule, such as audio-described performances for blind and visually impaired people, sign language interpreted performances for deaf or partially hearing visitors as well as relaxed and multi-sensory programmes for people with learning disabilities.
Riga International Airport
Riga International Airport Took the Lead in the Baltics
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iga International Airport reached a record-high number of passengers in 2016, handling almost half of the total number of the passengers travelling through all Baltic airports. The hub has forecasted that this year, the number of passengers will continue to increase. In 2016, the airport served 5.4 million passengers, almost five percent more than in 2015. The majority of passengers were welcomed by the Airport in August 2016 with more than half a million travellers of which more than 50 percent served by the national airline airBaltic, 18.3 percent by Ryanair and 8.5 percent by WizzAir.
25 MARCH 2017
NEWS AIR
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Wizz Air is Taking-Off to Bordeaux
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ailed as one of the largest low-cost carrier in Central and Eastern Europe, the airline will serve the itinerary twice weekly, on Mondays and Fridays, with seats already available for booking. Gabor Vasarhelyi, manager, corporate communications, Wizz Air, commented, “We are delighted to announce another exciting route from Budapest. Bordeaux is already the 61st destination we add to our evergrowing Budapest network and we are sure our customers will enjoy visiting the fascinating Southwestern France on our low fares […].”
Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport
Wizz Air has announced the launch of its new route from Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport to Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport commencing on September 22.
Another Milestone Year for Air Serbia
Air France Launched Ghana Route
Kotoka International Airport
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ir France's new service to Kotoka International Airport in Accra took of on February 28, with three weekly departures from Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. The route is operated from the French hub on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, onboard an Airbus A330 until March 27, after which the aircraft will be substituted for a Boeing 777-200. The itinerary complements the service of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, merged with Air France since 2004, offering a daily flight between Amsterdam, Schiphol and Accra.
25 MARCH 2017
or the third consecutive year, Air Serbia recorded an operational growth in 2016, driven by the launch of new international routes as well as the introduction of a new widebody aircraft. During the course of 2016, Serbia’s national carrier has seen an increase of up to three percent in its passenger numbers compared to 2015. In addition, the airline’s cargo division experienced considerable double-digit growth. Meanwhile, its network capacity, measured in available seat kilometres, grew 11 percent yearon-year. At the same time, the fleet grew to 21 aircraft as the airline took delivery of its first Airbus A330. Dane Kondić, CEO, Air Serbia, stated, “This year we will continue to focus on the long-term sustainable growth of Air Serbia to ensure we continue to hit on the commercial objective set out by our two shareholders, the Government of the Republic of Serbia and Etihad Airways.”
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Wizz Air Celebrated Growth
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n February 22, Wizz Air celebrated the milestone of 100,000 passengers on its low-fare domestic route between Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca. Wizz Air first launched the route in 2016, which is now operated 10 times weekly for the convenience of business and leisure travellers alike. Sorina Ratz, communications manager, Wizz Air, enthused, “Over the past decade, since Wizz air’s first flight from Romania, we earned the trust and loyalty of our Romanian customers and we remain committed to providing low fare travel opportunities and expanding our network to best meet our customers’ needs. We have also welcomed many foreign visitors on our Romanian flights that have discovered the rich heritage and warm hospitality that our country has to offer.”
New bmi regional Service
Adria Airways Resumes Flights to Manchester
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Ljubljana
mi regional has unveiled its plans to launch a new service between City of Derry Airport and London Stanstead Airport. Effective from May 02, the new bmi regional service will run twice daily, offering business travellers the opportunity to do their round-trip in a day, saving both money and time. On Saturdays, there will be one flight each way. Jochen Schnadt, chief commercial officer, bmi regional, commented, “The north west region of Ireland is undergoing a sustained period of economic growth, and has received significant investment in new jobs and growth projects over the past 12 months. It is important for businesses that the region is well connected to the UK capital and bmi regional is proud to be bringing its quality, premium product to this route.”
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dria Airways is strengthening its upcoming summer schedule by re-launching the Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport – Manchester Airport service, effective from March 26. The route will be served from the airline’s base on Wednesdays and Saturdays, offering a convenient connection between the north of England and Slovenia’s capital. The carrier boasts more than 50 years of experience in charter and scheduled services, connecting Slovenia with numerous European destinations as a part of a global network of 193 countries. It executes 170 scheduled flights from Ljubljana per week while most of the charter flights are offered to holiday destinations in the Mediterranean region.
25 MARCH 2017
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Alitalia Enhances Summer Schedule
Monarch’s Summer Plans
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n a bid to meet the expected high demand of this year’s summer period, Alitalia has unveiled its new seasonal routes to domestic and international destinations, as well as increased frequencies. From Rome, the airline is set to serve Kiev, Split and Dubrovnik, while a service to Athens will take off from Milan Linate. Furthermore, Alitalia will launch a route from Catania to Saint Petersburg and three destinations from Bologna, namely, Ibiza, Venice and Verona. To support the development of the carrier’s long-haul flight network, a new Boeing 777-300ER will be delivered in August.
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onarch has announced plans to add four new routes to its summer schedule from Birmingham Airport. The new destinations will include Split, Valencia, Naples and Rhodes. Monarch will be the only airline flying to Split and Valencia from the hub. Marjan Schoeke, head, network development, Monarch, enthused, “We are delighted to be announcing four new routes to the network from Birmingham Airport. With the introduction of these routes we now have 30 destinations on offer to customers flying from Birmingham Airport this summer.” In addition to the four new destinations, Monarch will be launching new flights to Stockholm from April 28.
Air France Launches Malé Itinerary
25 MARCH 2017
Malé
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ir France is planning to expand its services to the Indian Ocean by adding two weekly flights to Malé. Effective from November 01, the flights will be operated by Boeing 777-200 in a three class configuration and passengers will have the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of comforts including the completely redesigned seats in the premium economy and economy cabins, and seats that adapt to the shape of each individual in the business cabins. Franck Terner, CEO, Air France, enthused, "The arrival of Air France in Malé strengthens the company's presence on top-of-the-range leisure destinations, a growing market where Air France, with the quality of products and services it offers its customers, is a leader”.
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S7 Airlines Launched its New Route Network
Flybe Expands Summer Schedule
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lybe is to launch a new twice weekly service between Doncaster Sheffield Airport and Palma de Mallorca Airport, starting July 07 and effective until October 02. The new route will operate on Mondays and Fridays, giving the travellers an option for a long weekend or a full week away in the destination, as pin pointed by Vincent Hodder, chief revenue officer, Flybe. Hailed as one of Europe’s largest regional airline, the carrier will offer 11 summer itineraries in total, with a choice up to 46 flights a week. Chris Harcombe, head, aviation development, Doncaster Sheffield Airport, commented, “We are delighted to be adding more options to fly to this fantastic Mediterranean destination. We have listened to feedback asking for more low-cost flights to popular holiday spots and we are pleased to deliver this route with Flybe.”
Palma de Mallorca
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Airlines has expanded its network with a new service from Vladivostok to Osaka. Commencing on April 28, the itinerary will be operated with an Airbus A320 on Wednesdays and Fridays. Flights will depart from Vladivostok International Airport at 13:30 and arrive at 14:40 local time. The return flight will depart from Kansai International Airport at 15:45 and arrive in Vladivostok at 19:05. “For the inhabitants of the Far East, Japan, for obvious reasons, has always been one of the most popular international destinations for business and leisure trips. This year, due to a substantial simplification of visa regime, interest in this country will rise substantially. That is why S7 Airlines is expanding its route network […],” said, Igor Veretennikov, commerce director, S7 Group.
Alitalia Set to Increase Rome – Mexico Flights
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litalia announced four additional weekly flights on the popular Rome – Mexico City route, with a new daily service starting July 03. Daily flights will continue throughout the summer, more than doubling the connectivity and the number of seats available between the two countries, totaling to 3,900 seats per week. “Over 40,000 people have flown between Italy and Mexico since Alitalia commenced flights to Mexico in June 2016, demonstrating the strong demand for direct services between the two countries. […] Alitalia is set to strengthen its position as the leading air carrier between Italy and Latin America. Our new flights will further improve economic and cultural ties, as well as tourism flows between Italy and Mexico,” said Cramer Ball, CEO, Alitalia.
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NEWS AIR
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Wizz Air to Settle at London Luton
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izz Air has announced the opening of its 28th base on June 18 at London Luton Airport with one Airbus A320 aircraft. The low cost carrier’s decision came after more than 12 years of operations from the airport, which will become the airline’s first UK base. In 2016, as the second largest operator from the hub, more than five million passengers flew onboard its aircraft. With new services to Tel Aviv in Israel, Prishtina in Kosovo and Kutaisi in Georgia, along with higher frequencies on existing itineraries, the carrier will increase the number of routes being served from the airport to 42. József Váradi, CEO, Wizz Air, commented on the announcement, “It once again underlines Wizz Air’s commitment to the UK. Wizz is bringing direct connections and the lowest-fare opportunities to our customers in the UK to explore everything that the CEE region has to offer […].”
AZALJet Enhances Connections to Moscow
BA Links London and Milan
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he low-cost subsidiary of Azerbaijan Airlines, AZALJet, has launched regular flights between Moscow Vnukovo International Airport to two Azerbaijani hubs, Ganja and Gabala. The service to Ganja International Airport will be operated on Wednesdays and Saturdays, while Gabala International Airport will be served on Thursdays, both with an Airbus A320. The carrier’s new itinerary became effective on March 15. The additions to the airline's route map are expected to further enhance ties between the two countries, creating more opportunities for business and leisure tourism.
Moscow
Milan
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rom April, British Airways (BA) will enhance connections to Milan from two London hubs. The new route taking off from London Stansted Airport will commence April 29, and will operate twice weekly. Meanwhile, the London City Airport – Milan Linate Airport itinerary will fly twice a day on weekdays and once on weekends from April 24. Luke Hayhoe, general manager, customer and commercial, BA noted, “Milan is a very exciting route for us as it will appeal to both business and leisure customers. The new services gives the choice of two alternative London airports with well-timed flights to Linate, which is Milan’s most convenient airport.”
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TRAVEL CHANNELS
EU’s Humanitarian Aid to Lake Chad
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Air Malta Supports Local Community Agenzjia Apogg volunteers
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or the third consecutive year, Air Malta has expressed its support towards Children’s Dream, a project aiming to help parents who are facing difficulties to realise their children’s wishes. Agenzija Apogg, Malta’s national agency for children, families and the community, is the main organiser of this initiative. Air Malta staff sold homemade sweets to other colleagues and managed to raise EUR1,415 which have been used to buy children their preferred presents. Stephen Gauci, head corporate communications, Air Malta, stated, “Air Malta was one of the first Maltese organisations on the islands to drive forward the concept of corporate social responsibility. Since its inception, the airline has contributed hundreds of thousands of Euros and assisted various organisations and individuals in diverse fields including humanitarian, medical, philanthropic, and cultural and heritage.”
Lake Chad
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ith humanitarian needs growing in Africa, the European Commission has announced its plans to mobilise EUR105 million in order to support communities living in the Lake Chad region. In an announcement made on February 24, Christos Stylianides, commissioner, humanitarian aid and crisis management, European Union (EU), said, "With the crisis in the Lake Chad region growing at an extremely alarming rate, the EU is stepping up its response [...]. These funds will help to meet the life-saving needs of the affected populations and scale up our response. The conditions for delivering assistance remain particularly difficult. It is essential to ensure quick and safe access to people who need lifesaving assistance.” The funding aims to meet the increasing needs in terms of food, nutrition, water, sanitation, health and protection.
Monarch’s Educational Mission
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onarch’s crew members have talked about their roles to a group of 12 children from Saint Anthony’s Catholic Teaching School, Beeston, at Leeds Bradford Airport. During their visit, pupils had the opportunity to ask the crew members questions about a wide range of topics, including how to get into travel and tourism as a career, how aircraft fly as well as what training they would need to complete to become a pilot. Jessica Luffman, cabin crew manager, Monarch, said, “It was lovely to answer all the children’s questions and was a real pleasure to host this visit with Leeds Bradford Airport.”
2017 Chess Festival by Aeroflot
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rom February 20 to March 03, Cosmos Hotel Moscow hosted the 15th Aeroflot Open International Chess Festival. The free annual event is the product of a close collaboration between Russia’s flagship carrier, Russian Chess Federation and the Association of Chess Federations. This year’s festival welcomed top-ranking Russian and foreign chess players including Alexander Motylev and Ernesto Inarkiev. The competion includes classical chess tournaments that are held over nine rounds and a lighting tournament. Hailed as one of the world’s most popular and accessible chess events, Aeroflot Open International Chess Festival was listed in the World Guinness Records in 2004 as the competition with the highest number of participants.
Chess competition
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PHOTO ALBUM
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Freda Newton, managing director, Loch Ness by Jacobite was awarded with the pretigious Caledonian MacBrayne Silver Thistle Award for her contributions to tourism
Hilton ATHENS celebrated Earth Hour
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Palazzo di Strozzi welcomed Electronic Renaissance
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Disneyland Paris marked its 25th anniversary
British Airways commemorated its inaugural flight to New Orleans with a star-studded flight, including a performance from Nicole Scherzinger
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NEWS & EVENTS EVENTS UKRAINE INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL & TOURISM SHOW (UITT) Kiev, Ukraine March 29 – 31 www.uitt-kiev.com Experts from 28 countries will exhibit and visitors can enjoy more than 100 hours of seminars and presentations.
B-TRAVEL Barcelona, Spain April 21 – 23 www.b-travel.com A tourism fair focussed on Catalonia’s experiential travel, organised into five major sections.
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Tallinn Convention Bureau Hosted International Event
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allinn Convention Bureau participated for the fifth time in the Convene business tourism fair in Vilnius. During the two-day fair, Tallinn’s possibilities were introduced to 60 international meeting and incentive organisers from associations, corporations and event marketing companies. Increased interest was shown in Tallinn as a potential destination, specifically in the regions hotels, the city's newest potential venues and incentive tourism opportunities. News about Linnahall’s re-opening also initiated considerable interest and received positive feedback. In cooperation with Enterprise Estonia, Tallinn Convention Bureau also arranged a familiarisation tour for eight international coordinators from the UK, the Netherlands, Poland, Denmark, Greece, Russia and Belgium, to introduce the destination’s meeting and incentive possibilities.
Belarus to Welcome Taekwondo Championships
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he European Taekwondo Union has appointed the Belarusian city Ulyanovsk as the location for the European Para Taekwondo Championship, which will run in conjunction with the European Taekwondo Championship taking place in Minsk on September 07 – 10. The expected participants from 80 countries can benefit from the country’s visa policies granting a visa-free stay for five days when arriving via Minsk National Airport. Fred Buitenhuis, first vice president, European Taekwondo Union, said, “The organisation made a good choice by granting Belarus with the right to host the championship. The forthcoming tournament is of great importance ahead of the Second European Games, which are due in Minsk in 2019, and the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.”
Sustainable Growth for Berlin’s Convention Industry
GTM GERMANY TRAVEL MART Nuremberg, Germany May 07 – 09 The 43rd edition of the show, where German suppliers will meet with international buyers from 45 countries.
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ccording to visitBerlin Convention Office, the convention market in Germany’s capital is continuously growing as more than 11.5 million travellers visited nearly 137,500 international events hosted in the city during 2016. When compared to 2015 data, these numbers indicate an increase of about two percent in both the number of visitors and events. In addition, statistics have shown that congress participants spend more money than the average Berlin visitor while a new high has also been reached for overnight stays in hotels. Burkhard Kieker, CEO, visitBerlin Convention Office, commented, "The city will continue to assert itself in an increasingly competitive environment. Especially international conventions and events will be able to be brought to Berlin in increased numbers."
Paperworld 2017 completed with Success IMEX Frankfurt, Germany May 16 – 18 www.imex-frankfurt.com A one-stop shop for meetings, events and incentive travel programmes where more than 3,500 exhibitors are expected to showcase their offerings.
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osting more than 1,500 exhibitors, this year’s Paperworld, an international trade fair for stationery, office supplies and sriting instruments, took place between January 28 – 31 in Frankfurt am Main. Featuring a wide selection of products including office paper, writing and drawing utensils, IT and printer accessories, the exhibition brought together top German and international buyers. In addition, it offered the opportunity for multiple companies to find producers from the supplier industry, processing specialists and private-label manufacturers. Paperworld along with Creativeworld, Christmasworld and Floradecora trade fairs presented products that profitably supplement trade visitors’ core selection.
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