SEPTEMBER 2017 - ISSUE 95
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SEPTEMBER 2017 - ISSUE 95
09 EXPLORE: OMAN
04
VISIT
Qatar
13 TOUR: THE SEYCHELLES
18 Who's Moved 19 Rendezvous 20 Travel Talk
MARKET UPDATE
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TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS
Air Arabia Posted Strong Q2 Profits
MANAGING EDITOR Mary Kammitsi mary@traveltradeweekly.travel SENIOR JOURNALIST Ellen Petty JOURNALISTS
Maria Sabova Panayiotis Karanicholas Anna Spyrou CONTRIBUTOR
Dominique 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 the second quarter of the year (Q2), Air Arabia exceeded expectations with a net profit of AED158 million (USD43.12 million), a year-on-year increase of 21 percent.
WEBSITE www.traveltrademena.travel EMAILS info@traveltradeweekly.travel sales@traveltradeweekly.travel editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel PRINTED BY Cyprinters Ltd P.O. Box 58300, CY-3732, Limassol, Cyprus Tel: +357 25 720035, Fax: +357 25 720123 Email: info@cyprinters.com WORLDWIDE REPRESENTATIVES Representative for North, South & Central America, and the Caribbean: Neil Strickland GlobeTM Tel: +19542969515, Email: neil@globetm.com
D
uring this period, turnover rose to AED906 million (USD246.67 million), with the lowcost carrier serving more than 2.05 million passengers, while average seat load factor stood at 79 percent. Meanwhile, in the first half of the year, net profit jumped seven percent to AED261 million (USD71.06 million), and turnover reached AED1.72 billion (USD467.22 million). Between January – June, the airline carried over 4.1 million travellers with an average seat load factor of 79 percent.
Representative for Indian subcontinent: Faredoon Kuka RMA Media Tel: +912229253735 Email: kuka@rmamedia.com
QAIA Welcomed H1 Passenger Growth
Representative for UK & Ireland and Scandinavia: David Simpson Simpson Media Tel: +447900885456, Email: david@simpson-media.com
MENA EXCHANGE RATES
as of
2
6.9.2017
COUNTRY
CURRENCY 1USD=
Bahrain (BHD)
Dinar
0.37
Jordan (JOD)
Dinar
0.71
Oman (OMR)
Rial
0.39
Qatar (QAR)
Rial
3.64
Saudi Arabia (SAR)
Riyal
3.75
UAE (AED)
Dirham
3.67
Algeria (DZD)
Dinar
111.09
Egypt (EGP)
Pound
17.66
Iran (IRR)
Rial
32,268.80
Iraq (IQD)
Dinar
1,165.10
Kuwait (KWD)
Dinar
0.30
Lebanon (LBP)
Pound
1,506.63
Libya (LYD)
Dinar
1.33
Morocco (MAD)
Dirham
9.40
Syria (SYP)
Pound
515.51
Tunisia (TND)
Dinar
2.45
Yemen (YER)
Rial
250.30
Queen Alia International Airport
Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) welcomed 3,609,875 passengers in the first half of the year (H1), up 5.4 percent year-on-year, while aircraft movements (ACM) rose 0.7 percent and the amount of cargo handled dropped 1.7 percent over H1 2016.
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n June, the hub served 628,787 travellers, a jump of 14 percent over the corresponding month in 2016. Moreover, ACM and cargo also grew, up 8.9 percent and 22.2 percent, respectively. “We are delighted to see such great results during the month of June, which witnessed the celebration of Eid Al-Fitr, as well as an upsurge in travels by both locals and foreigners looking for a change of scenery and new experiences,” commented Kjeld Binger, CEO, Airport International Group.
SEPTEMBER 2017
MARKET UPDATE
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DWC Reports Strong H1
A
ccording to Dubai Airports, 554,993 passengers passed through Dubai World Central (DWC) in the first six months of the year (H1), a year-on-year surge of 35.3 percent During the period under review, aircraft movements totalled 18,371, a decline of 11.1 percent over H1 2016, while the average number of travellers per flight soared 34.4 percent to 121. Moreover, freight volumes at the gateway reached 443,835 tonnes, up 3.2 percent. Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports, commented, “DWC’s continuing growth as an important travel and logistics hub is driven by advantages the facility offers to both airlines and passengers - from easy availability of slots to quick turn-around times, access to new catchment area, and quick transit times for passengers.”
Dubai World Central
H1 Jump in Profit for Aldar
A
ldar Properties reported that gross profit in the first six months of the year (H1) reached AED1.29 billion (USD351 million), a year-on-year increase of five percent. The group also announced that revenue reached AED2.93 billion (USD797 million), supported by revenue recognition on developments under construction. Some AED1.8 billion (USD490 million) was achieved in project sales, with the launch of The Bridges contributing AED600 million (USD163 million). Elaborating, H.E. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, CEO, Aldar Properties, said, “Robust occupancy across our portfolio of investments demonstrates our resilience as an asset manager and the success of our most recent residential development, The Bridges, clearly shows there is strength in the Abu Dhabi property market.”
Rendering of The Bridges
SEPTEMBER 2017
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VISIT QATAR
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Qatar: The Ultimate
Revival ALONG WITH EFFORTS TO DIVERSIFY ITS ECONOMY, QATAR HAS BEEN LOOKING AT WAYS TO DEVELOP ITS TOURISM INDUSTRY TO APPEAL TO A BROADER RANGE OF TRAVELLERS. BUILDING UPON QATAR TOURISM AUTHORITY’S STRATEGY OF ATTRACTING VISITORS FROM NEW SOURCE MARKETS, THE INDUSTRY IS MAKING HEADWAY, DESPITE THE DIFFICULTIES IT IS CURRENTLY FACING.
ELLEN PETTY WRITES
I
n June, geopolitical events transformed Qatar’s relationship with neighbouring countries, with travel restrictions imposed by some of its leading source markets. As an indicator of how valuable the GCC is, in the first quarter of this year (Q1), more than 45.6 percent of all arrivals hailed from the region, according to Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA). Reinforcing the significance of the sanctions, Zeinab Hammoud, director, sales and marketing, Adagio Aparthotel Premium West Bay, pinpointed that prior to the blockade, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Kuwait were the most productive markets for vacations, while the UAE accounted for the bulk of the property’s business travellers. Hammoud continued, “After the new restriction, we lost all our business from the nationals of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE, as around 80 percent of expat corporate travellers came from those countries [...].” While the true impact of the embargo is yet to be realised, the first half of the year (H1) proved to be extremely positive for Qatar. Musa Al Nammari, hotel manager, Mövenpick Hotel Al Aziziyah Doha, highlighted that the property had a strong six months, with a 13 percent uplift in business as a result of seeking new sources of business, as well as implementing fresh services and attractive promotional offers. Known as a peak travel period in the Arab world, Eid Al-Fitr typically is a time of high occupancy, bolstered by leisure travel. Noting that overall H1 was one of the property’s most successful, Thomas Fehlbier, area general manager, Qatar, Banana Island Resort Doha by
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SEPTEMBER 2017
VISIT QATAR
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QATAR IN BRIEF Anantara, enthused, “In June alone we exceeded our budget by 27 percent and had nearly Currency: Qatari Riyal (QAR) 100 percent occupancy during Eid. Even with the current state of affairs, we saw a big influx Language: Arabic of guests from Kuwait and Oman [...].” Population: 1.9 million Meanwhile, Dyan Andrado, manager, Calling Code: +974 Mannai Holidays, confirmed that, although Time Zone: GMT +3:00 business has been steady throughout the year with substantial growth expected, the blockade has had an affect on the country’s tourism. Nevertheless, things have already begun to look up as the leisure sector gains momentum. He elaborated, “Thankfully, we have seen a rise in holiday travel once again during the past few weeks, however, that has still not brought us on par with what we had experienced in 2016.” All in all, H1 was unequivocally deemed a success, albeit before the restrictions. Even so, this has brought the opportunity to focus on alternative markets. As revealed by QTA, in the first five months of the year, the largest contributors to the seven percent surge in arrivals were the Americas and Europe, whose numbers soared nine percent and 14 percent, correspondingly. Capital: Doha
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Meanwhile, the number of Kuwaiti nationals jumped seven percent year-onyear, reaffirming the potential of strategic marketing efforts. Hassan Al Ibrahim, chief tourism development officer, QTA, revealed that during H1, the overall number of arrivals increased one percent, a feat considering the circumstance. Impressively, the country achieved outstanding success in attracting cruise tourism. Al Ibrahim disclosed that during the 2016-2017 season, 29 vessels brought 47,000 passengers to Qatar’s shore, representing yearon-year increases of 120 percent and 1,000 percent, correspondingly. SOURCING NOVEL MARKETS While political events at the beginning of June prompted tourism providers to rethink strategies to sustain business, QTA’s commitment to diversifying the country’s inbound tourism was already well underway. The recent update to visa regulations is considered to be the most important factor in building the country’s resilience, according to industry professionals. In August, Qatar Ministry of Interior, QTA, and Qatar Airways implemented visa-free entry for citizens of 80 countries, who will be able to enter the country with a multi-entry waiver, issued free-of-charge at the port of entry. This latest development
SEPTEMBER 2017
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VISIT QATAR
belongs to a series of measures that Qatar has executed to facilitate visitor access, with waiving visa requirements considered a critical component of Qatar’s National Tourism Sector Strategy (QTNSS). Al Ibrahim, pinpointed, “Easing entry to Qatar is a key enabler for the growth of Qatar’s tourism industry.” Prior to the landmark visa reform, in June QTA launched an e-visa platform to easily enable visitors from all countries to apply for tourist visas. Moreover, aiming to capitalise on Doha’s position as a hub of air travel, Qatar launched a free transit visa in November 2016, allowing all travellers transiting for a minimum of five hours to leave the airport and enjoy the country for up to 96 hours. Further building upon this, in partnership with Qatar Airways, QTA unveiled +Qatar in May, an initiative offering transit passengers free accommodation. As a result of these measures, the number of stopover tourists soared 39 percent in the first six months of the year. Tareq Derbas, general manager, The St. Regis Doha, concurred that attractive stopover packages will assist in boosting tourism from new and emerging markets, which are increasing as visa restrictions are eased. In an effort to raise awareness of the country to new and emerging markets, QTA is hosting a vast number of travel professionals on familiarisation trips this year. Between January – May, some 350 tour operators, travel agents and media from the US, Finland and the UK visited the country on such trips.
SEPTEMBER 2017
Furthermore, in the last quarter of this year, 40 prominent industry experts from Germany will be welcomed, along with planners specialising in MICE from a variety of key global markets. Building on this interaction with sellers, Al Ibrahim highlighted yet another initiative enacted to support the travel trade. He elucidated, “[...] We have also worked on making Qatar easily accessible to global tour operators and travel agents through the Tawash destination programme. Conducted entirely online and available in six languages, it provides them with the in-depth knowledge they need to market the destination [...].” Thanks to the organisation’s endeavours to engage with the travel trade, in 2016, the number of tour operators selling Qatar increased 21.6 percent. Moreover, in 2016, QTA inaugurated new representation offices in Italy, the US and Turkey, joining its existing international branches in France, the UK, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and South East Asia. Confirming the valuable role of QTA, Figen Caglar, director, sales and marketing, The Shangri-La Hotel Doha, explained, “We are actually quite fortunate to have the support of QTA presenting Qatar on a global scale with offices around the world and a lot of activities to promote the destination. With the recent inclusion of visas on arrival, we believe that it will allow those guests who are with us as part of our stopover package to extend and see more of
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VISIT QATAR
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economic climates and should not be underestimated,” concurred Derbas, while noting that the hotel has shifted its strategy to also target Russia and China. Also setting sight on the world’s fastest growing outbound market, Maia Richa Masbanji, managing partner, Arrival to Departure, said, “For 2018, we will be targeting the Chinese market by attending Universal Tourism Exhibition 2017 in October. The Chinese market has a huge potential for Qatar.” PURPOSEFUL VISITS
Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara
what Doha has to offer.” While the QTA is the main driver in attracting tourists, Al Nammari elucidated that all stakeholders share the responsibility of sustaining tourism numbers. He summarised, “We believe that in order for government plans to work well, local businessmen and entities should take their role and support such plans by providing new projects and quality service with reasonable prices, and implementing value for money in tourism.”
As well as novel markets, Qatar is undergoing a metamorphosis to attract a wider variety of segments. Along with utilising its global position to tap into stopover trips, QTA is keen to promote Qatar as a destination in itself, with the intention of diversifying its products and services. Historically known for its business appeal, Qatar is working to change this perception, through the promotion of its cultural heritage, modern cultural attractions as well as an array of events. Echoing this, Masbanji illustrated, “Qatar is known as either a stopover or business destination, therefore we are trying to promote Doha as an incentive destination where tradition and modernisation are emerging to create a unique destination in the Gulf.” Indicating the importance of repositioning the country as more than a corporate destination, Derbas explained, “In order to attract non-GCC travellers to Qatar, we are working closely with QTA to promote Qatar as a destination by endorsing the outstanding cultural assets that the country has to offer, promoting the hospitable and welcoming society, authentic traditional visitor experiences, world-class museums, galleries and public art installations, historic sites as well as heritage attractions to appeal to a larger leisure audience.” The 2022 FIFA World Cup has also helped to secure Qatar’s place on the global map. Andrado explained, “[...] An active interest in sports has really exploded Qatar into the world scene.” He continued to say that as well as projects for the upcoming football tournament, the government has also invested in a number of other developments to ensure the country retains its appeal beyond 2022. Meanwhile, QTA is currently consulting with tourism stakeholders to review and refresh QTNSS, with Al Ibrahim revealing that the renewed strategy will be announced on September 27, to coincide with World Tourism Organization’s official World Tourism Day celebrations in Qatar. Acknowledging that its tourism industry has transformed since the implementation of QTNSS in 2014, the updated version will ensure that the tourism industry is on track to fulfill its role in the realisation of Qatar National Vision 2030. Despite uncertainty, Qatar has continued to develop its resilience, as a result of the staunch efforts of QTA and tourism providers. Concluding that the citizens of Qatar are coming together, ever more determined, Andrado said, “Ultimately, it is not the investments that makes Qatar great, it is the people with their vision, ambition and drive which is taking Qatar to new heights.”
THE NEXT STEP In line with QTA’s strategy of targeting Kuwait and Oman for leisure trips, Kashif Javed Khan, director, sales and marketing, Governor West Bay Suites & Residences, underlined that the property is primarily targeting Kuwait, Oman, and Turkey, offering numerous summer promotions to add to the appeal. Meanwhile, building on its success in H1, where revenue from events and food and beverage rocketed, Yasser Lotfy, director of finance, Warwick Doha, explained that the hotel is now targeting MENA and domestic tourists, creating tailored packages that are appealing to specific regions, whether for rooms, food and beverage, or its spa. Agreeing that Oman and Kuwait are among its top target markets, which Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara is aspiring to attract through incentives, Fehlbier highlighted that the address is also placing an emphasis on domestic tourists. He expounded, “[The resort] really is the perfect place to get away without going abroad so we are focussing our efforts on local families and residents.” “[...] The increase of the staycation trend is every growing in the current
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Warwick Doha
SEPTEMBER 2017
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EXPLORE OMAN
Oman: A MICE Destination
with a Twist
OMAN’S BUSINESS TRAVEL SECTOR HAS BEEN PUT UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT AS A KEY SEGMENT WITH SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL TO ENHANCE THE SULTANATE’S THRIVING TOURISM INDUSTRY. IN A BID TO CAPITALISE ON THIS MOMENTUM, MULTIPLE ONGOING DEVELOPMENTS ARE SET TO ELEVATE THE REGION’S IMAGE AS A WORLD-CLASS YET AUTHENTIC MICE HUB.
OMAN IN BRIEF Capital: Muscat Currency: Omani Rial (OMR) Language: Arabic Population: 4.74 million Calling Code: +968 Capital Time Zone: GMT+04:00
MARIA SABOVA WRITES
O
man’s global competitiveness among high-profile tourism destinations has been gradually increasing, with more travellers opting for its cultural history, unique landscapes and genuine hospitality, allowing niche tourism sectors to flourish alongside profitable traditional segments. Manuel Levonian, general manager, Crowne Plaza Resort Salalah, observed, “[The] Last few years proved [to be] record years for Oman’s tourist industry, with the number of incoming visitors topping those of previous years and wide media coverage promoting the country’s increasingly cemented status as a niche tourism destination.” In these terms, the country boasts a few differentiating protourism elements, with safety and security standing out. Beating the tourism hotspots such as Australia, the US and the UK, Oman is among the top 10 safest global economies according to World Economic Forum’s The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017, which represents a highly favourable travel decision-making factor. Meanwhile, having welcomed a record number of visitors in 2015, the Sultanate has shifted its focus on economic diversification with an emphasis on tourism. Ambitiously, the current agenda aims to double the number of international arrivals by 2040. To attain the target numbers, the industry is intensively investing resources in development of infrastructure and modern facilities to enhance the country’s appeal to diverse audiences, including the lucrative MICE segment, which has been identified as a strategic area of tourism growth. Commenting on MICE, Amit Garg, director, sales and marketing, Al Nahda Hotels & Resorts, elaborated, “Over the years, the business travel segment has been the main stay for hotels in Oman and we feel that this segment will grow further because of the right steps being taken by the government.” He added that the Ministry of Tourism is also reconsidering visa policy and transparency to make Oman more accessible. The initiatives of tourism authorities and service providers seem to have fallen on fertile ground, as local hoteliers collectively enthused about positive occupancy figures in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2016. Despite challenges arising from expanding supply, which created a price sensitivity between the establishments, growing demand for accommodation is set to compensate the situation with positive outlook for the second half of the year, as assumed by Vasken Vartanian, director, sales and marketing, Crowne Plaza Muscat. Expanding on this, STR Global’s study Global Hotel Industry Performance for the Month of April 2017 reported that for the month under review, hotels in regional Oman outperformed the capital with a 43.6 percent growth in RevPAR, which was attributed to a significant over 91.5 percent leap in group booking demand. Providing evidence of MICE tourism’s importance for the industry’s prosperity, the same data exemplified that during Oman Pediatric and Neonatal Conference in Muscat, RevPAR jumped over 40 percent each day.
Rubba, Musandam Sea Adventure Travel & Tourism
SEPTEMBER 2017
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EXPLORE OMAN
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THE OMANI WAY
Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre
One of the major tourism investment projects, which underlines the government’s focus on growing the business travel sector, is Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC). It officially opened after completion of the first construction phase in October 2016, with the unveiling the exhibition space and hospitality facilities. Settled within the global gateway-to-be, of Madinat Al Ifran master development, the centre is estimated to contribute up to OMR170 million (USD441.6 million) to the country’s GDP, 30 percent of which is attributed to tourism revenues, according to a preliminary project study between Omran and Booz & Co. In support of that, World Travel Tourism’s report Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2017 revealed that business travel spending in Oman is expected to soar 6.8 percent this year to OMR465.9 million (USD1.2 billion), with its growth forecast standing at 3.8 percent annually to reach OMR679.5 million (USD1.8 billion) in 2027. The pivotal role of the centre in encouraging the influx of global MICE tourists has been acknowledged by industry professionals who jointly emphasised its unprecedented potential for strengthening the sector. Usama Al Haremi, head, corporate communications and media, Oman Air, summarised, “Oman is home to a whole host of suitable settings for events and conferences, including the newly developed OCEC – located just a stone’s throw away from Muscat International Airport. As one of the largest convention centres in the region, this world-class facility is quickly becoming a leading global MICE destination and is equipped with the very latest technology to meet the demands of the most discerning global event organisers.” The attractiveness of the venue did not take long to spark the interest of MICE audiences. Ahead of its second phase opening scheduled in December, which will see the launch of the convention premises and related facilities, Trevor McCartney, general manager, OCEC, revealed that the centre has already welcomed thousands of visitors attending 65 events, predominantly of exhibition and corporate character, as well as a Layali Ramadan event, which as a unique destination experience attracted some 87,000 visitors over 24 days. Looking forward, he further unveiled, “With the next phase of opening, OCEC is targeting more regional and international conferences including Airports Council International Airport Exchange that will bring together the world’s airport community […] on December 05 – 07 and the UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture coming to Oman on December 11 – 12.” Furthermore, the venue has recently outperformed global competitors by winning a bid to host the upcoming World Cancer Congress in 2020. FIRST IMPRESSION IS KEY
Crowne Plaza Muscat
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Contributing to the myriad of highly-anticipated developments positively affecting tourism, while enhancing ever-so-important connectivity to the region, the approaching opening of a new terminal at Muscat International Airport in 2018 and the launch of Salalah International Airport’s new premises in 2015 have both increased expectations. Observing that business travel to Salalah has improved thanks to upcoming projects in the vicinity, Levonian enthused, “Various developments look set to bolster the [tourism] sector moving forward, with the ongoing expansion of Muscat International Airport a prime example. A new terminal is currently under construction which will boast an expected capacity to 12 million passengers per annum. […] This will definitely improve the business travel to the destination too.” Close proximity to the Sultanate’s major hub seems to represent a successful factor for hoteliers. Martin Cramer, area general manager, Grand Millennium Muscat and Millennium Resorts Mussnah, noted that despite the Muscat property’s newcomer status on the hospitality market, it has followed an upward growth trajectory since its opening in 2016, which is attributed, among others, to its location within the reach of the airport and consequent 95 percent occupation by business guests. Oman’s gateways play a vital role in creating the right impression of the country’s hospitality and ability to cater for MICE groups. Acknowledging this, Al Haremi elucidated that Oman Air invites first and business class passengers at Muscat hub to experience luxury and comfort of its state-of-the-art 24 hour lounge, boasting dedicated dining facilities, gender separated prayer and shower rooms, along with a business centre and a spa, among other highlights. Noting that the services on the ground are the extension of the carrier’s outstanding onboard hospitality, he elaborated that the first class passengers are also able to take advantage of dedicated limousine pick-up service to the aircraft, while the economy passengers also have an option to experience pampering at the Majan Lounge for a modest fee. Meanwhile, the Salalah gateway appears to follow this trend, positively representing Oman’s
SEPTEMBER 2017 Dhofar BallRoom, Crowne Plaza Resort Salalah
EXPLORE OMAN
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increasing attention to business travellers with its Oman Air’s premium lounge reflecting the concepts found in Muscat. While mentioning that the city continues establishing itself as an undiscovered gem of the region, James Hewitson, general manager, Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara, also disclosed, “Salalah itself is following in line with large undertakings such as the new Salalah International Airport and various new road surface projects. In addition, the number of direct flights to Salalah is increasing.” He further expanded that the recent addition of Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara [in November 2016] is set to attract a new level of luxury customer to the destination, also benefitting from the resort’s close proximity to the airport. REWARDING DESTINATION Shifting from Oman’s evident ability to provide world-class premises and services for meetings, conferences and events, as well as to ease the burden of travelling for delegates, the country’s resorts, cultural and historical attractions and natural surroundings also lend themselves well to incentives groups. Levonian pinpointed, “Oman rejoices in a uniquely diverse landscape of spectacular mountains, desert and beach. Most resorts combine two of the three. […] Omanis are proud of their beautiful country and warmly welcome those who want to discover its attractions. These factors of true hospitality influence the MICE business to the country.” Travellers on incentives trips can benefit from plethora of options enhancing quality time during team-building and leisure activities. Dagmar Weber, tour manager, Musandam Sea Adventure Travel & Tourism, suggested that for convenience and seamless arrangement of a group programme, visitors are welcome to directly liaise with Oman Convention Bureau or destination management companies (DMC) in Muscat. She further exemplified on attractions, ”We are capable
Ballroom, Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara
of handling big groups of travellers. […] For incentive group the best is our motor yacht Rubba, a double decker boat with large platform and six double cabins […]. We consider our day cruise in the Fjords of Musandam peninsula on board of our traditional Omani dhow or the luxury yacht as the highlights, as cruising through the Fjords is an amazing and magical experience.” As a representative of DMCs, Salim Al Masroori, general manager, The Vision Oman Destination Management, considers Oman as an ideal MICE destination thanks to its appealing blend of excellent hotel and convention facilities with flexible settings, sophisticated arrangements and services by DMCs and variety of opportunities to relax at leisure time. He expanded, “We, The Vision of Oman, offer reasonable and seasonal packages including private chauffer service […].” Omani hotels and resorts also seem to have discovered an effective formula for providing attractive offerings for groups of colleagues. Hewitson explained that Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara, hailed as the first luxury private pool villa resort in Southern Oman, features various configurations of meeting space to host any event function, boosted by unique excursions and on-site activities for enhancing team spirit, commemorating a new deal or a milestone with exclusive celebrations. Bringing the signs of humanity to business as the property’s approach to corporate travel, Vartanian underscored the importance of balanced fusion between work and leisure. He expressed, “We are entering an era in which work and life are blending. Productivity matters to our guests but they also seek energising experiences and inspiration. They are lifeaholics and even in their time-pressured worlds, they embrace the aspirational side of business travel.” As a result, he exemplified that the establishment ensures the guests have spaces to be productive, to be better restored and inspired with globally recognised WorkLife room concept and Sleep Advantage programme. AUSPICIOUS PROSPECTS The latest developments accross the Sultanate indicate its prevailing focus on developing the corporate world with MICE tourism in the front line. As a result, the destination's competitive advantages seem being gradually recognised by business globetrotters. McCartney concluded, “While the economic and political disruption around the world will have some impact on business levels, Oman, as a peaceful, forward thinking country offers a meeting place where everyone is welcome.” Adding to the country’s unique appeal and paraphrasing Vartanian, Oman not only boasts an ability to fulfill requests of MICE travellers and even exceed expectations, but it appears to possess a rare potential to turn workaholics into lifeaholics, a distinct added value to every business trip.
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SEPTEMBER 2017
TOUR THE SEYCHELLES
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The Seychelles: Inviting
Ambience
WITH ITS WHITE-SAND BEACHES, SECLUDED COVES AND CORAL-COLOURED SUNSETS, THE SEYCHELLES PROVIDES A UNIQUE BACKDROP FOR ROMANTIC ENCOUNTERS. WITH THE DESTINATION BECOMING PARTICULARLY ATTRACTIVE TO THE MIDDLE EASTERN MARKET, HOTELIERS, TRAVEL AGENTS AND TOURISM AUTHORITIES ARE FURTHER INVESTING TO ENHANCE ITS IMAGE WITH A RANGE OF FACILITIES REACHING OUT TO COUPLES.
ANNA SPYROU WRITES
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aving long been synonymous with romance, exoticism and idyllic ambience, the 115-island archipelago welcomed 19,506 visitors from the Middle East and North Africa during the first half of the year, according to Seychelles Tourism Board. The data identifies the UAE as the destination’s largest source market, with 14,053 arrivals between January and June, followed by Qatar and Saudi Arabia, with 2,147 and 1,229 tourists, respectively. Underscoring the Arab region’s importance, Adrian Messerli, general manager, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles, revealed, “The Middle East remains one of our top markets and we have seen that demand is consistent year-on-year, which is supported by the great flight connections from Etihad Airways, Emirates, Qatar Airways and Air Seychelles.” Helen Gao, sales coordinator, Banyan Tree Seychelles, attributed part of the growth in arrivals from the Middle East to the convenient services offered between the region and the islands. Contributing to this, while also explaining the reasons behind the penetration of the UAE market, Roy Kinnear, CEO, Air Seychelles, stated, “Currently Air Seychelles together with its partner airline Etihad Airways operate nonstop twice daily flights between the two destinations. The flight schedule between Abu Dhabi and the Seychelles has been carefully timed to offer guests seamless connectivity to other destinations across the airline’s network including
SEPTEMBER 2017
THE SEYCHELLES IN BRIEF Capital: Victoria Currency: Seychellois Rupee (SCR) Language: Creole, English and French Population: 90,000 Calling Code: +248 Capital Time Zone: GMT +4:00
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TOUR THE SEYCHELLES Mauritius, Madagascar and Johannesburg in less than three hours [...].” Kinnear also highlighted that the Seychelles’ flag carrier offers a wide selection of special meals onboard upon request including Halal options, taking into account passengers’ dietary requirements. A NEST FOR LOVE Marking its increasing popularity among honeymooners, couples and newlyweds, the archipelago was declared as the World’s Leading Honeymoon Destination during 2016’s World Travel Awards, beating 10 other nominees. “Most of the guests are looking for tropical climate locations in total tranquillity and privacy away from big cities and this makes the Seychelles the perfect spot,” emphasised Siegfried Espitalier-Noel, chief marketing officer, Constance Hotels Resorts and Golf. His words are also echoed by Rene-Pierre Alis, sales manager, Seychelles European Reservations, who stressed that the attractiveness of the destination for couples derives from the island’s paradisiac nature, which offers the ideal setting for weddings, honeymoons as well as anniversary celebrations.
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hearts,” emphasised Bruce Simpson, managing director, North Island. He further explained, “An offer that we have developed recently and is quickly gaining popularity […] is the burning of torches ceremony. We have created an experience where each partner is given a lit torch. They then proceed together to a bonfire on the beach which they will light together. Essentially this is symbolic of lighting the fire of their union [...].” Following a similar concept, Avani Seychelles Barbarons Resort & Spa offers couples the chance to plant their own tree in the address’ garden, indicating their names and date of the wedding on the trees in order to memorise their matrimony. With the archipelago expecting to welcome around up to 360,000 visitors by the end of this year, Sherin Francis, CEO, Seychelles Tourism Board, emphasised that its focus is not only on increasing arrivals but seeing that the industry grows equitably. “[…] It is also important to ensure that the small tourism establishments, along with the boat charters, car hires, restaurants and attractions see themselves in the picture,” revealed Francis. With secluded beaches, sunset cruises, mesmerising encounters and captivating marine life the Seychelles undouptedly appears to be the ultimate choice for a romantic escape, assuring that there is no better place on earth to say I do! Four Seasons Resort Seychelles
Providing all the ingredients to make the special day perfect for couples, Four Seasons Hotel Seychelles has its own dedicated wedding specialist who is in contact with couples from the initial enquiry, until their departure from the property. Assuring that the process is stress-free so that couples can concentrate on the finer details Messerli, said, “[…]. Adding to the beauty of the islands, a key consideration for a couple planning a wedding abroad is the legal process, which is something that is relatively quick and uncomplicated in the Seychelles.” CONNECTING PEOPLE TO NATURE
Banyan Tree Seychelles
Highlighting the endless options that the destination offers, Shannon d’Offay, sales and wedding executive, Raffles Praslin Seychelles, enthused, “[…] Depending on the guests’ requests we can do all sorts of activities and arrangements, from flowers, to photographers, helicopter scenic flights, romantic dinners with musicians, [or] breakfast set up on the villa terrace […].” Four Seasons Resort Seychelles, along with marine education partner WiseOceans, invites couples to mark the big day by sponsoring a coral fragment, contributing into the Petite Anse Reef Restoration Project. As part of the resort’s recently launched Love Grows Beautiful Things experience, guests can help with the preparation of a rescued coral fragment for attachment to a heart-shaped metal frame, that will help sustain the growth of their coral, before it is planted into the coral nursery for a full recovery, and eventually transplanted back to the reef. In addition, the resort has recently introduced the Foumba Together experience offering couples the opportunity to rejuvenate at the ruins of an old Creole house. Designed to allow bonding and reflection the programme includes 60 minutes private yoga and meditation class, followed by an intimate breakfast based on locally sourced ingredients. With its philosophy oriented around spoiling, surprising and personalisation, every step of the way, while also incorporating elements of the island, North Island focusses on connecting couples with nature in secluded settings. “The goal for our guests is to depart with a little bit of North Island in their
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SCTH Launched Together We Commit
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audi Commission of Tourism & National Heritage (SCTH) has implemented Together We Commit, a training programme to enable licensed tourism organisations to self-monitor their facilities. By evaluating the level of service provided by participating enterprises, as well as assessing guest satisfaction through reservation websites and questionnaires, the programme seeks to measure performance in the sector, using a wide range of methods including violation inspection committee’s bylaws, automated licensing systems, licensing measures, classification and control procedures. The initiative is a part SCTH’s interest in developing and improving services provided by tourist accommodation facilities, through the application of the tourism system, implementing its regulations and guidebooks of approved procedures.
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BAC Nurtures Excellent Leaders
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ahrain Airport Company (BAC) organised a leadership course for managerial level employees at Gulf Aviation Academy in Muharraq, boosting the skills, knowledge and behavioral competencies of attendees from its various departments. Conducted in English and Arabic by a certified coach and a senior consultant, the seminar demonstrated BAC’s commitment towards the development of leaders at all levels. Among other topics, the agenda covered a wide range of essential leadership and organisational skills required by managers and department heads, such as conflict resolution, team coaching, effective questioning and listening, mirror work, and somatic coaching.
SEPTEMBER 2017
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Enthusiastic Crowds Enjoyed Qatar Goodwood Festival
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articipation of some 100,000 horse-racing enthusiasts marked the success of 2017 Qatar Goodwood Festival, hailed as one of the major sporting highlights of the UK summer season. An outcome of the partnership between Qatar Airways and Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, the five-day event saw the spectators enjoying the flat racing competition of top jockeys, along with the carrier’s photo competition for most unique hat worn on Ladies’ Day, with the winner receiving a prize of return business class tickets from the UK to Doha. H.E. Akbar Al Baker, CEO, Qatar Airways Group, enthused, “The UK is a very important market for us, so our association with the Qatar Goodwood Festival is always an excellent opportunity to engage with our premium customers […].”
SEPTEMBER 2017
Emirates Retains FA Cup Title Sponsor Role The Emirates FA Cup trophy
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ontinuing the successful cooperation in place since 2015, Emirates has extended its sponsorship agreement with The Football Association until 2021, maintaining the tournament’s name as The Emirates FA Cup. As the title partner of the prestigious competition, the carrier has conducted multiple initiatives, which assisted with expanding its global audience. The 20172018 Emirates FA Cup tournament, which commenced on August 04, saw 737 teams entering the competition and 185 extra-preliminary games taking place across the UK. Mark Bullingham, commercial director, The Football Association, added, “Working alongside such a well-established and iconic global brand has helped us to make the competition more accessible to fans across the world. With the support of Emirates, last season’s competition reached over 912 million fans worldwide.”
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HERVE PEYRE has been appointed as area general manager for Bahrain at Swiss-Belhotel International, a promotion from his previous position of general manager for SwissBelhotel Seef Bahrain, which he had held since 2013. Peyre began his career in the hospitality industry as assistant food and beverage manager at Hilton Paris La Defense in 1993. During his 18 years with the company, he rose up the ranks to become general manager at Hilton Strasbourg. Prior to joining Swiss-Belhotel Seef Bahrain, he was the cluster general manager for Flora Creek & Flora Park Deluxe Hotel Apartments in Dubai.
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KAMAL RIJHWANI
HERVE PEYRE
WHO’S MOVED
WALEED ABDUL HAMEED AL ALAWI has assumed the role of deputy CEO for Gulf Air, following recent decision by the airline’s board of directors. With over 37 years of industry experience acquired throughout his career in various aviation-related positions, the aviation management MBA degree holder will contribute to the achievement of the carrier’s corporate goals, enhancing its important position as a key Bahraini asset driving the economic growth of the Kingdom.
Al Alawi has more than 37 years of experience
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Rijhwani will be responsible for business development
JOHN FARRELLY
WALEED ABDUL HAMEED AL ALAWI
Peyre began his hospitality career in 1993
KAMAL RIJHWANI has been named as executive assistant manager including sales and marketing for the upcoming Radisson Blu Hotel Ajman which is expected to open in September. As a seasoned professional, Rijhwani has 20 years of experience in key account management, food and drink operations including meeting and events as well as marketing communications. In his new role, Rijhwani will be responsible for business development and partnership activities, sales execution, marketing and communications, as well as media strategies with focus on bottom line performance for rooms, food and beverage, along with other divisions.
JOHN FARRELLY has taken on the position of multi-property director of sales and marketing for The St. Regis Dubai, W Dubai Al Habtoor City, and The Westin Dubai Al Habtoor City, where he will lead the three brands’ strategic direction for sales and marketing. After working in various leadership positions across Marriott International’s UK portfolio from 1999, Farrelly was promoted to cluster director of sales and marketing for nine properties in Northern England in 2003. In 2011, he joined the pre-opening team of JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, where he played a crucial role in the launch of the hotel. Most recently, Farrelly served as market director of sales and marketing for the UAE at the company.
Farrelly will lead the three hotels’ sales and marketing initiatives
SEPTEMBER 2017
RENDEZVOUS
Q & A with
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MARCUS SUTTON GENERAL MANAGER, CROWNE PLAZA DOHA - THE BUSINESS PARK AND HOLIDAY INN DOHA - THE BUSINESS PARK
MARKING THE LAUNCH OF THE FIRST HOTEL TO FLY THE HOLIDAY INN FLAG IN QATAR, MARCUS SUTTON, GENERAL MANAGER, CROWNE PLAZA DOHA - THE BUSINESS PARK AND HOLIDAY INN DOHA THE BUSINESS PARK, DESCRIBES HOW THE BRAND’S ENTRY TO QATAR WILL FILL THE GAP IN THE FOUR-STAR MARKET.
TRAVEL TRADE MENA: Please tell us about the new property, and how it will serve Doha as the first Holiday Inn in the city? MARCUS SUTTON: The Holiday Inn Doha - The Business Park is the first Holiday Inn in Qatar and is a part of the InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG). In addition, it is located in The Business Park adjacent to its sister property the Crowne Plaza Doha - The Business Park, a hotel that has already been recognised as one of the best business hotels in Doha. The Holiday Inn is a four-star hotel offering 307 SEPTEMBER 2017
guestrooms, three signature dining options, seven meeting rooms including the 900m2 Al Masa Ballroom and has been designed in a modern contemporary style. The hotel is very bright and airy, and the artwork throughout the hotel is unique, taking inspiration from the Arabic world. The Holiday Inn brand, albeit new to Qatar, is one of the most recognisable hotel brands globally operating since 1952 and focusses on delivering The Joy of Travel For All. With a shortage of quality four-star hotels in the current market, the hotel is sure to be well received and service the needs of the modern traveller. TRAVEL TRADE MENA: Conveniently located in the centre of the Business Park and close the airport, what kind of clientele will the Holiday Inn serve? MARCUS SUTTON: The hotel is in a great location giving our guests easy access to the airport, the Corniche, Souq Waqif, the new finance district in Meishrab and much more. With the nearby metro station set to be completed in the coming months, the hotel will be even more accessible allowing our guests fast travel to all areas of Doha. The Holiday Inn brand caters for the contemporary traveller who wants to relax and experience joyful moments, whether travelling for business or pleasure. The Holiday Inn experience aims to make travel easy and relaxing placing an emphasis on making our guests feel at ease and comfortable. We also aim to provide dependable value making staying and dining in the hotel very accessible. TRAVEL TRADE MENA: How will the new property operate in synergy with the adjacent Crowne Plaza Doha - The Business Park? MARCUS SUTTON: The entire preopening process of the Holiday Inn has been overseen by the existing leadership team and, once the hotel opens, the team will continue to oversee the operations and strategy of both hotels. The team has done an outstanding job on taking on the additional responsibilities and adapting their ways of working to deliver two very distinct global brands successfully. A multi-property leadership team allows for great synergies and streamlining of otherwise heavy organisation charts. Teams such as finance, human resources, sales,
engineering and security will all be multi-property allowing synergies between managing human resources and also systems and ways of working. Having shared facilities, such the main kitchen, laundry, colleague cafeteria, among others, ensures that we can deliver great efficiencies and to ensure the right level of support is available for both properties at all times. TRAVEL TRADE MENA: What are your plans for the property in its first six months? MARCUS SUTTON: We aim to establish the Holiday Inn Doha - The Business Park as one of the preferred business hotels in Qatar. With the Holiday Inn brand globally recognised we are confident that we will see a steady ramp up of business after the opening, especially given the power of the IHG Rewards hotel loyalty programme, and believe the hotel will be well received in a market that is missing quality four-star hotels. With signature dining outlets we will also work to establish the hotel’s reputation for great food and beverage options and, supported by the other food and beverage offerings in the Crowne Plaza, make The Business Park a dining destination in Qatar. TRAVEL TRADE MENA: Anything else you would like to add? MARCUS SUTTON: We are very excited to be introducing the Holiday Inn brand, one of the most globally recognised hotel brands, to Qatar. The Holiday Doha The Business Park is set to be a brand defining hotel that will set the standards in the local four-star market, both in relation to product and service, and will greatly support Qatar’s vision to be a travel destination as we approach the 2022 FIFA World Cup and work towards Qatar’s 2030 vision.
Holiday Inn Doha - The Business Park
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COMPLEX GENERAL MANAGER, AL HABTOOR CITY HOTEL COLLECTION
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“I have wholeheartedly enjoyed visiting Delhi, Zurich and Kuala Lumpur which comes as part of my annual routine. These routes are of special significance to Oman Air and continue to prove extremely popular with our guests both in Oman and further afield. In a bid to reiterate Oman Air’s commitment towards its guests, Oman Air has added more offerings to its range. Notable among those is the increase of flights to Kuala Lumpur and the increased frequencies to certain key Indian destinations.”
BENOY KURIEN
[Delhi, Zurich and Kuala Lumpur] are of special significance to Oman Air
GENERAL MANAGER, AL HAMRA REAL ESTATE
We are [...] proud to be recognised internationally
“We are honoured to receive [Best Landmark Development of 2017 at Experiential Venues Awards 2017] and proud to be recognised internationally for the world-class venues and facilities we have to offer, as we build Al Habtoor City as a destination in the centre of Dubai.”
CHAIRMAN, SUN SIYAM RESORTS
AHMED SIYAM MOHAMED
CEO, OMAN AIR
JASON HARDING
PAUL GREGOROWITSCH
TRAVEL TALK
[Matthews] will be invaluable as we continue to grow
“Andrew [Matthews’, head, Al Hamra Golf Club] wellrounded career path includes several years running his own golf coaching business and this, combined with his international experience, has allowed him to develop acute commercial acumen as well as in-depth exposure to all aspects of the operation, and this will be invaluable as we continue to grow our member base and services.”
It is sharing passion that unites all of us
“I am so proud to host the Indian Ocean edition of World Travel Awards at Sun Aqua Vilu Reef and to share the beauty of this island with all of you here this evening. It is sharing passion that unites all of us, passion for tourism and hospitality, and striving to be the best and one of a kind. I want to thank the government of Maldives for supporting and leading the vision of tourism development in the country.”
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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PHOTO ALBUM
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Holiday Inn Cairo - Citystars’ Indira Indian restaurant was chosen as one of the winners of the annual Cairo 360 Editor’s Choice Awards
Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai has been awarded with a Loved by Guests Certificate from Hotels.com based on guest ratings and reviews
Take a Shot! Share with us the latest images of your activities and let your colleagues know what you have been up to.
Deyaar Development reinforced its commitment to fire safety programme by conducting an increased number of fire drills and inspections
Send your photos to editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel Because a picture is worth a thousand words...
Gulf Air hosted dinner events for the airline’s top corporate clients in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai
Modhesh entertained youngsters overlooking Dubai on the deck of At The Top, Burj Khalifa
SEPTEMBER 2017
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NEWS & EVENTS
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Sharjah to Gather Investment Experts
EVENTS 22ND UNWTO GENERAL ASSEMBLY Chengdu, China September 04 – 09 World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) annual meeting will bring together tourism officials and private sector leaders.
Sharjah FDI Forum 2016
ITW HCMC Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam September 07 – 09 www.itehcmc.com Hailed as one of the most important annual international travel events in Vietnam, more than 26,000 visitors from 50 markets are expected to attend.
TTF MUMBAI
Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and Sharjah Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Office have announced that the third edition of the Sharjah FDI Forum will take place on September 19 – 20 at Sharjah’s Al Jawaher Reception & Convention Centre.
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nder the theme The 4th Industrial Revolution, the occasion will convene renowned decision makers, senior global businessmen and highly regarded experts from the public and private sectors, to review foreign FDI prospects for the region. “[The forum] will examine trends in the economy and assess Sharjah’s experience of diversification, which includes equipping its key economic players with the requisite tools to ensure balanced growth,” said H.E. Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO, Shurooq.
Mumbai, India September 15 – 17 www.ttfotm.com Just one in a series of India-wide TTF events, with exhibitors from more than 80 countries due to showcase their products.
OTDYKH LEISURE Moscow, Russia September 20 – 23 www.tourismexpo.ru The 23rd edition of the exhibition will be held alongside its events focussing on MICE, luxury as well as medical tourism, spa and health.
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Abu Dhabi’s Events Sector Witnessed Growth Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority’s Events Licensing System (ELS) has experienced unprecedented growth, with 9,002 applications covering all types of events submitted since its official launch earlier this year.
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uring the second quarter of this year, the licensing system has received a surge in applications with an increase from 4,015 to 4,987 resulting in 19.5 percent growth compared to the first quarter of the year. Aiming to facilitate and collate event registration and licensing procedures, ELS incorporates a database for event types, categories, speakers and activities, as well as acting as a reliable indicator for tourism performance, growth orientation and event’s relative success, contributing to the ongoing promotion of Abu Dhabi’s events sector.
SEPTEMBER 2017