11 JULY 2015
ISSUE 296
IMPROVING HOTEL QUALITY IN SHARJAH A REPORT PUBLISHED BY TOPHOTELPROJECTS FOR THIS YEAR’S THE HOTEL SHOW DUBAI, REVEALED THAT DUBAI IS LEADING THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA REGION IN TERMS OF NEW HOTEL DEVELOPMENTS.
06 MIDDLE EAST: 50 MILLION ARRIVALS IN 2014
10 IN THIS ISSUE MARKET UPDATE
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TECHNOLOGY
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ACCOMMODATION
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AIR
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INTERNATIONAL
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RENDEZVOUS
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WHO'S MOVED
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TRAVEL TALK
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AGENT CORNER
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TRAVEL CHANNELS
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PHOTO ALBUM
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NEWS & EVENTS
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DUBAI LEADS IN HOTEL PROJECTS
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MARKET UPDATE TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS MANAGING EDITOR Mary Kammitsi mary@traveltradeweekly.travel ASSISTANT EDITOR Maria Kazeli
Over 6.5 Million Passengers in Dubai Over 6.5 million travellers passed through Dubai International’s terminals in April, up 5.7 percent year-on-year, marking the third time in the first four months of the year when traffic at the hub surpassed the 6.5 million milestone.
SENIOR JOURNALIST Rita Kasziba CONTRIBUTORS Ana Mladenovic Dominique Christou PRESS Maria Demetriadou Pauline Shahabian Inna Armeanu
astern Europe delivered the highest growth rate at 74.6 percent, figures from Russia and the CIS on the other hand dropped 27.6 percent. In terms of passenger numbers, the Indian subcontinent outperformed the rest of the regions, followed by the GCC and Western Europe. Between January and April, the airport welcomed 24.5 million passengers, an increase of 6.5 percent compared to the corresponding period in 2014.
WEB & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Savvas Kammitsis DIRECTORS Andreas Constantinides Mary Kammitsi HEADQUARTERS T.T.W. Travel Trade Weekly LTD P.O. Box 25255, Nicosia 1308 Cyprus Tel: +357 22 021607, Fax: +357 22 103670 WEBSITE www.traveltradeweekly.travel EMAILS info@traveltradeweekly.travel sales@traveltradeweekly.travel editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel
MENA EXCHANGE RATES As of
10/7/2015
Currencies shown in blue are fixed against the US Dollar
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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
99.31
Egypt (EGP)
Pound
7.83
Iran (IRR)
Rial
29,437.60
Iraq (IQD)
Dinar
1,162.03
Kuwait (KWD)
Dinar
0.30
Lebanon (LBP)
Pound
1,503.91
Libya (LYD)
Dinar
1.37
Morocco (MAD)
Dirham
9.73
Syria (SYP)
Pound
188.82
Tunisia (TND)
Dinar
1.96
Yemen (YER)
Rial
214.89
Dubai International
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DESIGN & LAYOUT Elena Stylianou
Middle East Passenger Traffic Up Eight Percent Middle Eastern airports recorded a gain of eight percent in passenger volumes in April, led by a 15.5 percent surge at both Hamad International Airport and Abu Dhabi International Airport.
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ll in all, the Asia Pacific region closed the month with a 9.3 percent year-on-year improvement boosted by a 42.2 percent rise at Bangkok Don Muang and close to 20 percent increases at Shanghai Pudong, Incheon and Mumbai. According to Airports Council International’s data, the Middle East also sustained strong growth at 14.5 percent in air freight volumes due to expansion in both capacity and network, contributing to a marginal 2.6 percent rise in figures across Asia Pacific. 11 JULY 2015
TECHNOLOGY WEEKLY NEWS Mercator Partners with Catapult
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ercator acquired Catapult International, a solutions provider for freight forwarders, shippers and carriers worldwide. Catapult will retain its management and brand under its new name; Catapult, a Mercator company. David Tibble, executive chairman, Mercator said, “Catapult is key to our strategy of optimising critical transportation processes through an unparal-
leled combination of technology, business process outsourcing, analytics, and data management. With the Catapult solution set, we will enable enterprises to make smarter, real-time decisions at that point in the transportation lifecycle where accurate and fast quotation can make the difference between profit and loss on a shipment.”
Travelport and Kenya Airways Collaborate
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ravelport and Kenya Airways signed a merchandising agreement which will see the African carrier participate in the technology provider’s Rich Content and Branding programme. The innovative solution enables airlines to market and retail their offering more effectively by controlling how their products are visually presented and described on travel agent screens. The move will allow Kenya Airways to boost sales and ultimately satisfy the demand of consumers. Wanjiku Mugo, manager, corporate communications, Kenya Airways, commented, “We are happy to expand our partnership with Travelport by adopting this new technology which will further our ability to differentiate Kenya Airways’ unique products and services.”
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WEEKLY NEWS
Deloitte: Middle East Drives Aircraft Sales Global aerospace and defence companies added USD12.7 billion in revenues in 2014, according to a Deloitte study.
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evenues in the commercial aerospace subsector increased by USD23.7 billion and the year saw new records for sales totalling 2,888 orders, a 6.1 percent surge in deliveries to 1,352 planes, a 14.4 percent growth in backlogs reaching an all time high of 12,175 aircraft and revenues soaring to USD314.9 billion. The development was driven by strong travel demand, primarily in the Middle East, India and China, and the gradual replacement of obsolete aircraft with modern fuel-efficient models.
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ARCADIS to Develop Doha Metro System
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atural and built asset design and consultancy firm, ARCADIS has been appointed to provide architectural, branding, design and construction consultancy services for Doha’s upcoming Gold Line metro line. The project is one of four lines under development in the first phase of the Qatari capital’s 354km underground transportation network and is by far the largest single construction package of the Doha Metro, crossing the city from east to west. The contract includes 32km of bored tunnel along with 13 new subway stations fitted out with high-end architectural finishes and state-of-the-art mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, as well as services buildings, tunnels and entrances, in addition to landscaping, traffic and utilities works. The design phase is expected to take 12 months and will be followed by 24 months of construction works.
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WEEKLY NEWS XX Etihad - Tourism Australia: USD23.3 Million Deal
Improving Hotel Quality in Sharjah
Participants in SCTDA's meeting
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n line with its efforts to improve the quality and efficiency of hotel services in the emirate, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) organised a meeting with hotel sector representatives to discuss an updated classification system and its implementation mechanism. H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, director general, SCTDA, underlined the focussed approach towards concrete initiatives that enhance the overall tourism experience and stressed the importance of cooperation between the hospitality and tourism sectors to improve the emirate’s tourism products and hotel services. The meeting also shed light on the amendments in the updated classification scheme, which includes several new elements.
tihad Airways and Tourism Australia have deepened their commercial partnership by signing a five-year AUD30 million (USD23.3 million) marketing deal to promote Australia in key overseas markets, including the UK, Germany, France and Italy. The agreement extends the existing three-year partnership, worth AUD12 million (USD9.3 million), which expires this year, and will cover targeted support for the tourism body’s trade and business events programme, while the airline will provide international tickets. As John O’Sullivan, managing director, Tourism Australia, noted, the Abu Dhabi-based carrier continues to play a critical role in feeding traffic to the country’s key international gateways.
Dubai International
Dubai Airports Prepares Passengers for Summer
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ubai Airports launched Hang out at DXB, a nationwide campaign aimed at encouraging travellers to arrive earlier to Dubai International to enjoy its services while also making sure that all flights depart on time. “With many passengers leaving Dubai on vacation at this time, we want to ensure that everyone’s experience is as stress-free as possible. By arriving to the airport early, utilising the online check-in facility offered by airlines, or using our website to track their flight, we would like to get passengers through their travel formalities and to the departure areas as smoothly as possible,” commented Eugene Barry, executive vice president, commercial group, Dubai Airports.
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WEEKLY NEWS
IATA Focusses on Consumer Protection
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he International Air Transport Association (IATA) is stepping up its efforts to engage with industry stakeholders on the issue of customer protection. “The growing patchwork of consumer rights regimes is leaving travellers confused […]. We need an air transport system that balances the need to protect consumers while allowing the airline industry to compete and innovate,” said Paul Steele, senior vice president, member and external relations, IATA, suggesting that some governments are ignoring basic commercial principles and are producing regulations that do not address the root causes of many travel disruptions, therefore IATA and the airlines need to contribute a new perspective to the conversation on consumer protection.
Dutch Visa Application Service in Saudi Arabia
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he Netherlands has joined the VFS Global Schengen Visa Application Centre in Saudi Arabia to cater to the growing demand of travellers in the Eastern Province. Speaking in Al Khobar, H.E. Laurens Westhoff, ambassador to Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, highlighted that the cooperation will help travellers save time as they will no longer be required to apply for their visa in Riyadh. VFS Global started working with the Dutch government in 2006 and today, the company offers visa application processing for the European state across 13 countries.
Amsterdam
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Dubai and Brazil Foster Relations
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he Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) has announced that a high-profile delegation from Dubai recently visited São Paulo to participate in various seminars and business meetings. Organised with the support of ABCC, the tour aimed to seek new suppliers and establish fresh partnerships in a bid to give a boost to an already bustling trade relations between the South American country and the UAE. The forum threw the spotlight on Dubai as a business hub for Brazilian companies and gateway to the Middle East. Michel Alaby, CEO, ABCC, said, “We foresee Dubai as a highly developed city with tremendous economic opportunities and establishing good business relations and partnership with the emirate will bode well for Brazil’s economy.”
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WEEKLY NEWS Middle East: 50 Million Arrivals in 2014
Qatar Duty Free Awarded with ISO Certificate
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VS Dubai’s 2015 Middle East Hotel Survey – Peak Assessments showed that tourism and travel in the region exhibited solid growth in 2014, with total arrivals soaring to 50 million. The document revealed that regional airline capacities rose 11.9 percent, load factors climbed to 78.1 percent, while the overall regional passenger traffic surged around 13 percent. The analysis also confirmed that occupancy in Beirut exhibited a double-digit improvement, whereas the same metric increased by as much as 65.5 percent in Cairo. In Dubai, data indicate that for the three-month period, RevPAR performance was roughly seven to eight percent lower than in 2014.
ecognising the establishment’s commitment to quality, cleanliness and service, Qatar Duty Free (QDF) has been accredited ISO 22000 for Marché, its 600-seat restaurant with production facilities at Hamad International Airport (HIA). All new staff members who join the company are required to embark on a series of Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) certifications and are trained to value the importance of food safety in everything they do. “QDF has some extremely exciting concepts coming on line and we are pleased that both HACCP and ISO will form the foundation of everything we do moving forward,” said Keith Hunter, senior vice president, QDF.
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QDF’s 600-seat Marché restaurant
Massar Solutions Trains Drivers
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assar Solutions certified 90 drivers on completion of a driver skills enhancement programme offered at the organisation’s training facility in Musaffah, Abu Dhabi. The training was delivered as part of the company’s mission to ramp up driver skills to ensure efficient supply chain operations. Topics of the training covered included driver responsibilities (on and off road); road safety and accident management; defensive driving; driver behaviour and attitude; laws of the road; product awareness and protection; practical checking of vehicles; and two assessments.
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WEEKLY NEWS
A report published by TOPHOTELPROJECTS for this year’s The Hotel Show Dubai, revealed that Dubai is leading the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region in terms of new hotel developments with 96 projects and 36,523 rooms in the pipeline.
Dubai Pearl
DUBAI LEADS IN HOTEL PROJECTS
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ubai has been MEA’s leading city for hotel openings for the past three years, but activity is now at an all-time high with the number of new units to be added to the existing 65,000 rooms, reported by JLL as available this year, set to bring the total to over 100,000 by 2020. “Hotel and leisure development, build and investment is significant and set to continue, making Dubai the perfect contract market for global suppliers and investors,” said Christine Davidson, event director, The Hotel Show Dubai. The event will take place between September 28 – 30 in Dubai.
Sharjah to Bolster Ties with Italy
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n the sidelines of Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq)’s participation in the 9th World Chambers Congress in Italy, a delegation held a meeting with Piero Fassino, mayor, Turin. The visit aimed to explore possible cooperation between the two destinations in fields of common interest, including culture, tourism and industry. The two sides discussed carrying out a number of joint ventures, introducing the available investment opportunities in Sharjah and Turin to investors in both cities and the use of the emirate’s ports and free zones to re-export Italian products to the region and the beyond.
Seychelles Presented to Select MENA Clientele
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eychelles Tourism Office Middle East recently held an event for the trade, media and consumers, to uphold existing relationships and forge new ones. Held at Radisson Royal Hotel, Dubai, the programme gathered around 70 guests. “We have done a dedicated trade or media events in the past, [but] this time we have thought of gathering the boutique [or] luxury companies, media and target key consumers to further strengthen the awareness of Seychelles and its diversity as a destination,” explained Ahmed Fathallah, regional manager, Seychelles Tourism Office Middle East.
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WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION
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nder a management agreement with Jabal Omar Development Company, Hyatt has launched Hyatt Regency Makkah, marking the brand’s entry into the Kingdom. Located in the heart of the city, the hotel forms part of a mixed-use development. Spanning 19 floors, the property comprises 656 units, a range of culinary experiences, on-site facilities for relaxation and rejuvenation and the Regency Club, the brand’s hotel within a hotel concept. As Pablo Graf, senior vice president, operations, southwest Asia, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, revealed, the company is poised to introduce additional brands, such as Hyatt Place and Hyatt House to the Holy City.
Strong Demand for Anantara Residences Dubai The continued decline in off-plan sales in Dubai’s real estate market is driving renewed interest in newlybuilt premium properties, such as Anantara Residences Dubai The Palm, the residential flagship project of Seven Tides.
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Anantara Residences Dubai The Palm
Hyatt Regency Makkah
Hyatt Regency Debuts in Saudi Arabia
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s Sanjay Chimnani, managing director, Raine & Home Dubai, pinpointed, the five-star freehold development offers international investors a guaranteed annual return with access to the Anantara Hotel Rental Management Scheme. “A number of new project announcements have also been made in recent months and with a narrowing in the sales price gap between offplan units and ready-to-go products, potential investors are looking to put their money into the market with the guarantee of immediate income generation,” added Chimnani. 11 JULY 2015
ACCOMMODATION WEEKLY NEWS
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umeirah Group is set to welcome a large number of Kuwaiti residents this summer. More Kuwaitis are travelling abroad than ever before and residents are spending increased amounts on holidays and visits to friends and family members within the Gulf region, thus the country has emerged as a key driver of tourism growth and an important source market for the Dubai-based company. Alison Broadhead, chief commercial officer, Jumeirah Group, said, “Kuwait is a prominent outbound tourism market for Jumeirah […]. In Dubai, room nights booked by Kuwaiti residents this year increased by 10 percent year-to-date, whilst globally, room nights booked by Kuwaiti residents showed a 10.8 percent increase.”
Jumeirah Zabeel Saray
Jumeirah Prepared to Welcome Kuwaiti Guests
One to One Hotels and Resorts Debuts in Saudi Arabia
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ne to One Diar Al Jaafria has opened its doors, marking One to One Hotels and Resorts’ foray into Saudi Arabia. Located only 4.5km from Mecca’s Grand Mosque, the hotel features 403 rooms and is the first of four planned projects for the company in the Kingdom. “With the continued growth in business and religious tourism, we entered the Saudi market, to strengthen our leadership position with four new properties in Mecca and Jeddah,” explained Philippe Harb, chief operations officer, One to One Hotels and Resorts, adding that to support the company’s expansion drive, a new sales and marketing office was launched in Jeddah.
A Kuwaiti delegation checking in at One to One Diar Al Jaafria
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WEEKLY NEWS AIR
Etihad Airways and MSC Cruises Team Up Etihad Airways and MSC Cruises have announced a new partnership agreement that will benefit the cruise line’s guests travelling to Abu Dhabi and the UAE.
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nder the terms of the deal, MSC Cruises customers will be able to fly to the UAE capital from Europe with Etihad Airways to cruise in the region during the winter months. James Hogan, president, Etihad Airways, said, “Our partnership with MSC Cruises, as well as Abu Dhabi Ports Company and Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, for Fly&Cruise will expand source markets for cruises in the UAE and regionally, bringing in more travellers from destinations across Europe. It will also ensure a comfortable travel experience for guests at all stages of their holiday, including their time in the air and on the sea.”
James Hogan (left) and Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman, MSC Cruises
Romanian Airline to Fly to Middle East
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omanian carrier, Blue Air has revealed plans to make its foray into the Middle East region. “Blue Air intends to initiate regular flights to the Middle East, as the company’s goal is not the explosive growth, but the gradual development, so that the company is [being] set up on solid foundations,” explained Antonis Orthodoxou, managing director, Orthodoxou Group of Companies, the European low-cost carrier’s representative in Cyprus.
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WEEKLY NEWS AIR Etihad Cargo Ups Freighter Services
Mahan Air Adds to Network
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tihad Cargo has increased its services to Africa with the launch of a freighteronly service from Abu Dhabi to Maya-Maya Airport in Brazzaville, Congo. Offered twice a week onboard a Boeing 777F aircraft, the new route is being operated via Lagos’ airport in Nigeria. Kevin Knight, chief strategy and planning officer, Etihad Airways, said, “Our new freighter service will allow us to capitalise on trade between the republic and the UAE, and better connect Africa with markets in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.”
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s part of its expansion drive for the current year, Mahan Air launched yet another international route. The triple-weekly flights to Athens took off on June 14 and are being operated onboard an Airbus 340 aircraft. In addition, the Iranian airline also enhanced its offering to Almaty by doubling frequencies to Kazakhstan’s largest city, meaning that travellers can now choose from two weekly operations, on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Largest SAUDIA Aircraft Leasing Deal Advances
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nternational Airfinance Corporation (IAFC) has appointed Quantum Investment Bank and Palma Capital as exclusive arrangers for Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA)’s largest aircraft leasing programme to date. In terms of the agreement, the two Dubai Financial Services Authority-regulated institutions will arrange debt and equity financing to acquire 30 Airbus A320-200s and 20 Airbus A330-300s to be leased to the Saudi carrier. SAUDIA will become the first airline in the world to operate the Airbus A330-300 Regional following an operating lease deal with IAFC.
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INTERNATIONAL WEEKLY NEWS
Peru Welcomes Wyndham Costa del Sol Lima Wyndham Hotel Group has opened the 144-room Wyndham Costa del Sol Lima, in Peru.
Wyndham Costa del Sol Lima
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he property offers full leisure facilities, 730m2 of meeting and event space, and an on-site casino along with dining outlets. In addition, Club Level guests also benefit from a VIP lounge and spacious suites. The newly-constructed hotel boasts a central location within walking distance to shops, cafés, restaurants and world-class shopping at Real Plaza Salaverry. “We are thrilled to continue expanding upon our successful partnership with Costa del Sol in Peru, one of the top leading destinations in the region with a blooming tourism and business industry,“ said Paulo Pena, president, Latin America and the Caribbean, Wyndham Hotel Group.
Marriott Collaborates with Netflix
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arriott International’s Marriott Hotels and on-demand Internet streaming media provider, Netflix announced a ground-breaking partnership. Guests staying at selected Marriott Hotels properties will be able to subscribe to Netflix or sign into their existing accounts simply by using the application on the hotel’s Internet-connected TVs. With this agreement, Marriott Hotels is the first hotel brand authorised to offer guests direct access to their Netflix accounts as part of its room entertainment offering. The media channel is currently available at six American addresses, with six more launching over the next three months.
Dusit Thani Guam Resort to Be Unveiled
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usit International is gearing up for the launch of Dusit Thani Guam Resort, hailed as the island’s first new-built resort since 1999. Situated in Tumon Bay, the 30-floor property is considered the tallest building in Guam, and the only one classified in the luxury category. The resort celebrated its soft opening in June with approximately half its inventory of 419 deluxe rooms and suites with ocean views. It also boasts six Villa Suites, each with their own private plunge pools, exclusive gym and concierge service. Dusit Thani Guam Resort will also be home to a spa, four dining venues and the 1,169m2 Guam Convention Center, the largest convention space on the island.
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RENDEZVOUS TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Over the past years, traffic at Queen Alia International Airport has shown significant increases. What are the main driving forces behind this growth? KJELD BINGER: QAIA marked yet another milestone during 2014 by welcoming 7,089,008 travellers from across the world, representing by an impressive nine percent increase compared to 2013, thanks to a carefully studied route development strategy and open skies policy. The overall growth experienced throughout 2014 was mainly driven by strong traffic performance during peak holiday seasons such as Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha and Christmas, as well as at times of religious pilgrimage like Umrah and Hajj. Another factor that positively impacted annual passenger traffic figures was Jordan’s prime geographic location and standing as a safe destination within a region riddled with political instability, which consequently prompted airlines to redirect their flights through QAIA or to utilise the airport as their preferred touch point in the Middle East. TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How many passengers pass through the airport per day and how many aircraft movements are registered on a daily basis? KJELD BINGER: QAIA serves an estimated 20,000 passengers and witnesses nearly 204 aircraft movements on a daily basis. Since being awarded the 25-year build-operate-transfer concession in 2007 by the government of Jordan, QAIA has experienced an upward traffic trend reaching a compound annual growth of 9.07 percent and 7.29 percent in passenger and aircraft movements respectively till the end of 2014, with the exception of certain months, which were negatively impacted mainly by geopolitical circumstances. That being said, traffic results have declined by eight percent since the beginning of this year due to the prevalent political tensions within the region, which we expect will contribute to very modest growth, if any, for the current year. TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: In your
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Q & A with
Kjeld Binger CEO, AIRPORT INTERNATIONAL GROUP
and a commitment to continuous development across the board. Seeing how far we have come in such a short period of time has been extremely gratifying, and serves as testament for other airports across the world as to what can be accomplished when passion, hard work and great teams combine. TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What are the next developments to be implemented in order to boost capacity and ensure seamless operations? KJELD BINGER: QAIA is currently in the process of implementing its second expansion phase, which is slated for completion in 2016 and will boost annual passenger capacity to up to 12 million. To smoothly accommodate expected traffic growth, we will be adding another two fixed link bridges with associated passenger boarding bridges to increase the boarding capacity. We will also be providing golf cars and travelators in the new terminal once the expansion is completed to ensure optimum passenger convenience. As for airport safety and development, AIG incorporates a robust safety management system that is compliant with international standards and best practices, and is carrying out rehabilitation activities across its taxiway and airfield lighting system.
AS QUEEN ALIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (QAIA) CONTINUES TO EVOLVE INTO A REGIONAL HUB, KJELD BINGER, CEO, AIRPORT INTERNATIONAL GROUP (AIG), THE COMPANY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPERATION OF THE AIRFIELD, TALKS ABOUT THE TASK OF PUTTING JORDAN ON THE GLOBAL MAP. opinion, what can other airports around the globe learn from Queen Alia International Airpor? KJELD BINGER: QAIA’s journey has been nothing short of inspiring. Only three years ago we stood at the 186th place in the 2012 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Survey, which is the world’s leading benchmark programme for airport passenger satisfaction and service levels. Today, QAIA has risen through the ranks to come
in at the 34th place from amongst approximately 300 airports worldwide. Further building on this success, the overall 2014 ASQ Awards have positioned QAIA at the first place in the categories of Best Airport by Region: Middle East and Best Improvement by Region: Middle East, an unprecedented achievement in the airport’s history. These accomplishments would not have been possible without the new terminal’s enhanced infrastructure, a passenger-centric corporate culture,
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What is next for AIG? KJELD BINGER: The past few years have been truly remarkable for QAIA, recording many historic achievements that would not have been attainable without the unwavering support of both our partners and our employees. In April of this year, we marked yet another proud accomplishment by hosting the Airports Council International 10th Asia Pacific Regional Assembly, Conference & Exhibition for the first time in the Middle East, subsequently helping position the Kingdom as a prime destination for key industry events. This being said, we eagerly look forward to what the future holds as we continue to do all that is in our power to highlight Jordan as a worldclass stopover point and gateway for regional and global aviation. 11 JULY 2015
WHO'S MOVED
REBECCA NACHANAKIAN
RAFFI TORIKIAN
11 JULY 2015
Rebecca Nachanakian has been promoted to hotel manager at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers. Nachanakian joined the social and gourmet hub in October 2012 as director of conferences and events, and has been leading and developing her team successfully ever since. In her new role, she will oversee the operational departments, including food and beverage, conferences and events, rooms division, housekeeping as well as IT. Having previously worked at InterContinental Phoenicia Beirut in Lebanon, Nachanakian has gained extensive experience and valuable knowledge across various areas, such as food and beverage, MICE, corporate sales and conference and events.
Raffi Torikian has been named senior manager of hotel operations at Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH). Having served various hotels, Torikian brings 15 years of experience to the management team. Over the years, he has gained an in-depth understanding of hotel operations while also developing an overall corporate approach. Prior to joining ADNH, he worked with InterContinental Hotels Group in Lebanon and the UAE and with Rotana in Abu Dhabi. An experienced strategist and a determined target achiever, Torikian’s main goal now is to help consolidate and expand the company’s hotel network both locally and regionally, and contribute to streamlining operational processes and increasing profitability.
GREG D’SOUZA
MUNA DOHRY
Greg D’Souza is the new member of Millennium Plaza Hotel Dubai’s team as director of sales and marketing. D’Souza, who has 15 years of experience in the hospitality field, has been tasked to oversee the aggressive sales and revenue generation for the property and strategically position it to drive optimal sales and revenue results. Over the past years, he has served numerous brands. Prior to joining Millennium Plaza Hotel Dubai, he was the corporate director of sales in Rotana’s area sales officer and previously he also worked as director of sales at The Ritz-Carlton Doha, director of sales and marketing at Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort in Thailand and director of ecommerce and intermediaries for Middle East and Africa at Marriott International.
Muna Dohry will be taking over the role of events manager at The Domain Hotel and Spa Bahrain. Dohry has strong organisational and communications skills, combined with essential interpersonal abilities gained over her 22 years in the hospitality industry. Evaluation of long-term viability of projects, experience in tourism, aviation industrial activities, project management leadership and five years in the MICE business has helped Dohry climb the ladder and her efforts have been recently recognised by the management.
Dohry has diverse experience in the industry
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TRAVEL TALK
Winning the Skytrax award is particularly pleasing
ADEL ALI Group CEO, Air Arabia
“We are delighted to be once again named the region’s top low-cost carrier. Winning the Skytrax award is particularly pleasing as it is based on levels of customer satisfaction, which is the criteria Air Arabia values above all others. We thank survey participants for their positive feedback and hope to make their next experience of flying with Air Arabia even more enjoyable.”
Dubai is also becoming the MICE capital of the world
ABDUL RAHMAN FALAKNAZ Chairman, International Expo-Consults
Our human capital is our greatest asset
AHMAD AL HADDABI Chief operations officer, Abu Dhabi Airports
“The [Beat the Heat] multifaceted campaign demonstrates Abu Dhabi Airports’ commitment to providing a healthy and safe workplace for employees, suppliers and subcontractors. Our human capital is our greatest asset and we will continue to put their health and wellbeing first by ensuring we operate in line with optimum safety and security standards.”
“Entertainment and leisure projects within the UAE and across GCC have boosted the confidence of the amusement and leisure industry manifold. The UAE is experiencing this exponential growth because of its quality infrastructure and growing tourism and retail industry sectors. Another key factor is that Dubai is also becoming the MICE capital of the world due to the yearlong calendar of trade events. This also brings in considerable amount of footfall as families merge business with leisure activities and that further propels the theme park industry.”
Our properties have been actively involved in social responsibility initiatives
IFTIKHAR HAMDANI General manager, Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman and Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman
“Our properties have been actively involved in corporate social responsibility initiatives throughout the year and for the Holy Month of Ramadan, we have lined-up a couple of charitable activities. Mainly, we chose to reach out to our brothers in the labour camps to express our gratitude for their hard work, to share our blessings with them and to make them feel that they are a significant part of our society, through these little acts of kindness and altruism. We hope that this will inspire other private entities to take part in such activities.”
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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AGENT CORNER
Agent’s Insight NAME:
Mohamed Ragab
POSITION:
Managing Director
COMPANY:
Holidays Arabia
LOCATION:
Egypt, Lebanon, Kuwait and Qatar
WEBSITE:
www.holidaysarabia.com
VFS: Special Service Timings for UK Visas al Glob VFS es over n io at oper applicat 1 2 0 1 6 1,6 tres in ross cen ries ac s? t t coun ontinen c e fiv
Who are you? I am Mohamed Ragab, the managing director of Holidays Arabia. We offer a business-to-business online booking engine where we provide worldwide hotel reservations and any other travel-related services. What is your favourite thing about working in the travel industry? Working in the travel industry has made us more aware of many destinations around the world that should be promoted more and has also created more social relations between us and other friends in the industry worldwide. With great pleasure I am more than happy to have met and seen many people and destinations during my work experience in this industry. When is the best time to visit your destinations? We are based in Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt and Lebanon and each destination has a beautiful advantage and you can find hot summer weather, winter weather touristic destinations and many more. The four destinations are to be visited throughout the year, whether it is for corporate or leisure travel. Where would you like to travel for your next holiday? My main thoughts would go to Egypt, as the situation now is being much more saturated and the tourism potential has been growing again. Egypt has come back to life. Why should people come to you for travel advice? We have a highly experienced team and offer good quality of services. Our partners are always confident that they will have no issues with their trips nor with our advice on destinations to visit. Our service and travel awareness has eventually proven to our clients that they can depend on us at anytime and anywhere. 11 JULY 2015
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FS Global maintains extended working hours at the UK Visa Application Centre in Dubai during the Holy Month of Ramadan. Those planning a trip to the European country can book an appointment between 8:00 – 15:00 or between 20:00 – 22:00. “The UK welcomes visitors from the UAE and we offer a fast and efficient service for those who require a visa,” commented Matt Heath, regional director, Middle East and Pakistan, UK Visas & Immigration, saying that the new initiative is yet another example of the flexibility provided by the organisation.
VFS Global’s UK Visa Application Centre
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TRAVEL CHANNELS TIME Hotels Tackles Energy Consumption
SCTDA Workshop on Hotel Performance Monitoring Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) held a workshop for hoteliers to highlight the benefits of a new tool, developed by Olery, which helps monitor the performance of accommodation units.
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he event, which was attended by more than 70 professionals, threw the spotlight on how the travel data provider’s reports will assist in evaluating the status of each facility based on visitor comments and single out the positive and negative aspects of each facility. SCTDA will then evaluate these reports and follow-up with appropriate actions, especially on issues attracting negative criticism. As H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, director general, SCTDA, revealed, the authority plans to launch a series of similar programmes to raise awareness in the sector about the key advantages of utilising industry data.
Participants at the event
Helping Children in Need
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IME Hotels has partnered with energy services company Smart4Power, to roll out a new corporate initiative aimed at reducing energy use at a number of its UAE properties. An initial energy audit revealed that window and split air-conditioners were responsible for approximately 60 percent of total energy consumption across the company’s six Dubai and Sharjahbased hotels. To address this high level of consumption, the company charged Smart4Power with the responsibility for testing the latest generation Aircosaver technology, which improves the energy efficiency of existing air-conditioning units. The results of the testing showed that implementation of the innovative technology in the six participating properties is expected to reduce the energy consumption of each unit by 20 percent.
TripAdvisor Reveals Most Affordable Destinations
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orwegian, UNICEF and Amadeus have extended their long-term cooperation with each other through a global agreement for all three together for the first time. The new deal enables the European airline’s passengers to donate funds to UNICEF’s work for children all over the world when purchasing their tickets online, through an Amadeus donation engine. “Norwegian and UNICEF have over the past few years had several activities to collect funds for children in need. Together we are now also partnering with Amadeus and hope that the opportunity to give a small amount to UNICEF while booking tickets on our website will result in even more children getting the future they deserve,” said Bjørn Kjos, CEO, Norwegian.
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ripAdvisor announced the results of its annual TripIndex Cities cost-comparison study, revealing that Dallas is the most affordable US city for a summer trip, while Hanoi in Vietnam is the least expensive international destination. The findings also show Seattle as the priciest US city this summer, while Cancun took the title of the most expensive international location. The TripIndex helps travellers identify the destinations that offer the best value by comparing the cost of a three-night trip during the summer in nearly 60 key tourist hotspot around the US and the world, taking into account typical travel costs for two. For each day, the index factors a four-star hotel stay, an organised tour or activity at local attractions, a round-trip taxi ride, as well as lunch and dinner.
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PHOTO ALBUM
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Ramadan celebrations at Cristal Hotel Abu Dhabi
Jordan Marriott Hotels hosted Flying Doctors of America during a four-day mission
Al Bustan Rotana Dubai hosted disabled students of Rashid Centre for Iftar at the Rashidiya Ballroom
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Jumeirah Beach Hotel hosted auditions for the popular TV talent-spotting programme Arab Idol
Members of InterContinental Hotels Group’s Cairo Citystars complex visited Um Kolthoum Association for social care and vocational training as part of the team’s Ramadan charity initiatives
W Doha Hotel & Residences has the best café in town according to Time Out Doha
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NEWS & EVENTS International Ski Travel Market Rebrands
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o follow the unique format of the newly-launched World Travel Market (WTM) connect events, International Ski Travel Market (ISTM) is rebranding to WTM connect Ski. The two-day business-to-business ski show will take place on March 14 – 15, 2016, at the Aqua Dome, Ötztal, Austria and will offer an exclusive oneto-one opportunity for ski resorts, tourism boards, private sector ski properties and inbound ski travel suppliers to meet with outbound ski travel buyers. According to the organisers, as the ski travel industry continues to tackle political and economic challenges, the opportunity to meet centrally with peers and colleagues is absolutely key in terms of business development and knowledge sharing.
Etihad Airways Hosts Aviation Health Conference
EVENTS IBTM CHINA Beijing, China August 05 – 06 www.cibtm.com A place for meetings, events and incentives industry decision-makers to meet for global business adventures.
ICOMEX Mexico City, Mexico August 25 – 26 www.icomex-mexico.com Part of ibtm events, the show focusses on incentives, congresses and conventions in Latin America.
ONLINE TRAVEL MARKET HURGHADA Hurghada, Egypt September 04 – 05 www.otmhurghada.com A specialised event for travel technology and online travel solutions in Egypt and the Middle East.
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tihad Airways hosted the third annual Aviation Health Conference at Radisson Blu Hotel, Abu Dhabi Yas Island. The conference was held in partnership with the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority and was the largest event of its kind in the region, attracting expert speakers and aviation health professionals from across the world. With a focus on psychological issues in aircrew, the conference explored industry best practice as well as innovative solutions to the physical and psychological effects of working in all areas of aviation. Experts also explored the areas of aviation medicine with an emphasis on prevention as well as assessment, management treatment and care of those working within the aviation industry.
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MICE ASIA PACIFIC EXHIBITION Singapore, Singapore September 10 – 11 www.miceasiaexhibition.com Over two days, the event aims to connect Asia’s leading meetings, conference, exhibition and events organisers and network with Asia Pacific’s leading venues.
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