6 JANUARY 2018 ISSUE 426
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6 JANUARY 2018 ISSUE 426
08 ACCOMMODATION
RADISSON BLU HOTEL OPENS IN BEIRUT VERDUN
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DUBAI AIRPORTS WELCOMES FIRST MED-VIEW FLIGHT
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WORKING TOGETHER FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
MARKET UPDATE
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TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS
IMPRESSIVE PASSENGER FIGURES FOR QUEEN ALIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
MANAGING EDITOR Mary Kammitsi mary@traveltradeweekly.travel PRESS Efi Rousi Maria Angelica Constantinou Athena Karsera Yiazou
Queen Alia International Airport registered a growth in its number of passengers as it welcomed 599,683 passengers in October 2017, resulting in a 12.6 percent year-onyear leap in comparison to the same month of 2016.
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 WEBSITE www.traveltradeweekly.travel EMAILS info@traveltradeweekly.travel sales@traveltradeweekly.travel editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel WORLDWIDE REPRESENTATIVES Representative for North, South & Central America, and the Caribbean: Neil Strickland GlobeTM Tel: +19542969515, neil@globetm.com Representative for Indian subcontinent: Faredoon Kuka RMA Media Tel: +912229253735, kuka@rmamedia.com
Representative for UK & Ireland and Scandinavia: David Simpson Simpson Media Tel: +447900885456, david@simpson-media.com
MENA EXCHANGE RATES
as of 4.1.2018
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COUNTRY
CURRENCY USD1=
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
114.66
Egypt (EGP)
Pound
17.68
Iran (IRR)
Rial
36,060.79
Iraq (IQD)
Dinar
1,191.80
Kuwait (KWD)
Dinar
0.30
Lebanon (LBP)
Pound
1,513.70
Libya (LYD)
Dinar
1.36
Morocco (MAD)
Dirham
9.33
Syria (SYP)
Pound
515.0
Tunisia (TND)
Dinar
2.49
Yemen (YER)
Rial
250.2
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ccording to statistics announced by Airport International Group, the airport also experienced an impressive 12.6 percent improvement in cargo figures compared to October 2016 by handling 9,950 tonnes. Meanwhile, the airport recorded 5,536 aircraft movements, representing a year-on-year decrease of 1.7 percent. Additionally, as of the end of October, the airport had received a total of 6,802,053 passengers in 2017, resulting in a 6.6 percent year-to-date increase in passenger traffic in comparison to the same period in 2016.
WESTJET REPORTS POSITIVE NOVEMBER FIGURES WestJet revealed November’s 2017 traffic results with a load factor of 82.4 percent, an increase of 2.4 percent year-on-year.
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evenue passenger miles, or traffic, increased 12.1 percent year-on-year, and capacity, measured in available seat miles, grew 8.9 percent over the same period. The airline flew a record 1.9 million guests in the month under review, a year-on-year increase of 13.2 percent or approximately 226,000 additional guests. "We are very pleased with our double-digit traffic growth and record number of guests flown in November," said Gregg Saretsky, president, WestJet. "I want to thank our more than 13,000 WestJetters for their continued efforts in providing our guests with a safe, friendly and caring travel experience through the busy upcoming holiday season."
6 JANUARY 2018
WEEKLY NEWS
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World Travel Market, 2017
Hotelbeds to Increase Hotels Across its Platform Hotelbeds has announced their plan to increase the number of directly contracted hotels available across its bedbank platform.
UAE Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai Breaks Ground
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he objective of the programme is to increase by 10,000 the number of hotels directly contracted over the next three years. The deal aims to gain the best prices, under the best terms and conditions, for the sole benefit of the thousands of Hotelbeds’ travel intermediary clients globally. This initiative follows Tourico Holidays and GTA joining Hotelbeds and forms part of the its commitment to provide its online travel agency, tour operator, wholesaler and airline clients with a continually evolving portfolio of the best possible hotel content. The recruitment process has begun and will last until around April this year.
Travelport Certification Tool Available to IATA Agencies
T UAE Pavilion
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ravelport has made its online Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) certification referral programme, supported by SecurityMetrics, available to all International Air Transport Association (IATA) agencies, on the association’s request. The innovative online Wizard Tool was initially launched by the company in November 2017 to exclusively help its agency customers achieve PCI DSS compliance as smoothly and effectively as possible.
Aleks Popovich, senior vice president, financial and distribution services, IATA, commented, “This type of initiative from our partners is commended and will greatly assist our industry in maintaining PCI DSS compliance at every card payment touch point.” In line with association resolutions, by March 2018 any IATA agent that accepts card transactions against its own merchant agreement or issues BSP card transactions is required to provide proof of PCI DSS compliance.
n December 17, 2017 H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman, Expo 2020 Dubai, laid the foundations for the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Al Maktoum, said, “The UAE Pavilion will undoubtedly be one of the most prominent attractions of Expo 2020, drawing in many millions to witness its futuristic design. It will be a wonderful opportunity to share our Emirati culture and achievements while showcasing our ambitious vision for the future. The Pavilion will be an architectural marvel that all seven emirates can rightly take pride in, both now at the groundbreaking stage, during Expo, and in legacy when it will become a lasting icon of our nation.”
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TECHNOLOGY
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American Express Provides Flexibility
Travelport Achieves IATA NDC Level 3 Certification
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merican Express announced that it is eliminating the requirement for merchants to collect card members’ signatures for all purchase transactions at the point of sale beginning in April. The move, which applies globally to all American Express-accepting merchants, will help provide a more consistent and simplified checkout experience for merchants and card members in regions around the world, speed up the process of paying in store and help reduce merchants’ operating expenses associated with retaining signatures. “The payments landscape has evolved to the point where we can now eliminate this pain point for our merchants,” said Jaromir Divilek, executive vice president, global network business, American Express. “Our fraud capabilities have advanced so that signatures are no longer necessary to fight fraud.”
Travelport has been certified by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as a Level 3 aggregator under IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) initiative intended to create a new distribution standard for the airline industry.
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ravelport is now the first global distribution system travel commerce platform to acquire such status and will work with airline technology specialist Farelogix to implement the first such NDC connection with a major global airline, details of which will be announced soon. Level 3 is the highest certification IATA awards to companies who can demonstrate the ability to execute full offer and order management. Travelport was also the first travel commerce platform to be granted Aggregator Level 1 certification for its GDS and IT Provider Level 2 status by IATA.
Amadeus Travel Tech Challenge Finalists Showcase Tomorrow’s Solutions
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Triend’s developers and supporters Travel Tech Challenge
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s start-ups continue to fuel the Middle East’s travel industry’s transformation, Amadeus invited entrepreneurs to submit ideas for the sector’s next big tech breakthrough in its Travel Tech Challenge for 2017. The developers of the Triend mobile application, Michel Semaan and Karim Mecattaf, from Lebanon, were named the challenge winners during a recent event in Dubai. Triend proposes a travel website and application combining bookings, stories and reviews to allow people around the world, but particularly in the Middle East and North African region, to build a more personal travel experience. Amadeus presented Triend’s creators with a cash prize, pro-bono consultancy services and access to Amadeus’ application programming interface to further develop their vision, and the chance to interact with key players in the travel industry through Amadeus’ global footprint. 6 JANUARY 2018
AIRPORTS
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Celebration ceremony
Dubai Airports Welcomes First Med-View Flight Dubai International Airport recently welcomed Nigerian airline, Med-View’s first flight, with a traditional water salute on the afternoon of December 08, 2017.
6 JANUARY 2018
Bahrain Airport Company Highlights AMP
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he airline, which operates into the airports’ Concourse D, offers travellers three weekly flights on a Boeing B777 and B767 aircraft from Lagos via Abuja to Dubai. A cake cutting ceremony was attended by Muneer Bankole, CEO, Med-View, Khalil Lamrabet, director, aviation business development, Dubai Airports, and Saood Kankazar, executive director, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority.
he USD1.1 billion Airport Modernisation Programme (AMP) currently underway at Bahrain International Airport will be an important and wide-ranging facilitator for national growth in Bahrain according to Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah, CEO, Bahrain Airport Company, during a conference of global aviation leaders in Oman. “[…] Once completed, it will revamp all aspects of the airport’s operations to accommodate the growing demands of today’s travellers, who will be passing through a state-of- the-art airport four times its current size, catering to 14 million passengers each year. This will make the AMP a major contributor to Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030” said Al Binfalah.
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WEEKLY NEWS
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European Commission Supports Yemen
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he European Commission has announced new humanitarian aid of EUR25 million (USD29,3 million) to support civilians in need in Yemen. This brings the total European funding to EUR196.7 million (USD230.9 million) since the start of the conflict in 2015. The current measures restricting humanitarian and commercial access together with the intense armed clashes and air strikes reported from Sana'a over recent days are threatening to deprive people even further from food, water and basic services. "Children, women and men urgently need access to food, water and medical services in Yemen. All parties to the conflict must give priority to protecting civilians and allow humanitarian aid to get to the people," said Christos Stylianides, commissioner, humanitarian aid and crisis management, European Commission.
Yemen
Praises for UAE's IMO’s Category B Membership Victory
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E. Sultan Bin Sulayem, chairman, ports, customs and free zone corporation, Dubai, has congratulated the UAE’s wise leadership and the people behind the country’s successful bid for Category B Membership of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) executive council. This achievement is said to highlight the UAE’s leading position on the world trade map. Meanwhile, Bin Sulayem added that the latest achievement and other successive accomplish-
ments in the local maritime sector have made the UAE a strong international competitor and one of the most influential countries in the world maritime trade. He added that winning IMO’s Category B Membership is another addition to the global accolades being bestowed on the Emirates as it continues to pursue global maritime leadership backed by its many competitive advantages, world-class capabilities, and top-notch ports, maritime infrastructure, logistics facilities, and shipping.
Bin Sulayem
WTTC and McKinsey Suggest Tourism Overcrowding Solutions
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he World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and McKinsey & Company report Coping with success: Managing overcrowding in tourism destinations has identified specific solutions to the problem of overcrowding. The report highlights five types of problems, namely alienation of local residents, constrained infrastructure, diminished tourist experience, damage to natural resources, and threat to cultural heritage. It also identifies actions ranging from smoothing visitor numbers over time, spreading visitors across sites, and adjusting pricing to balance supply and demand, to regulating accommodation supply and limiting access and activities. The report concludes that local tourism managers must work with all public and private stakeholders to develop a coherent plan to create and manage tourism growth that puts people and communities at its heart.
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6 JANUARY 2018
ACCOMMODATION
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Radisson Blu Hotel Opens, Verdun
RADISSON BLU HOTEL OPENS IN BEIRUT VERDUN RADISSON BLU HAS ANNOUNCED THE OPENING OF ITS SECOND HOTEL IN BEIRUT.
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he 127-room Radisson Blu Hotel, Beirut opened its doors in Verdun, offering a range of guest rooms and suites with a modern and stylish design and many rooms with views of Verdun Main Street. Dining options at the hotel include the Cook House restaurant, Shogun pan-Asian restaurant, which opened in December, 2017 and daily Radisson Blu Super Breakfast. The hotel's modern meetings and events space can host up to 600 guests, and includes a 377 m2 ballroom with built-in stage, for weddings and social occasions. Guests have complimentary access to a new fitness gym located in the Dunes Center which opened late December, 2017.
Danat Al Ain Resort McGettigan’s
First 25Hours Hotels in Dubai
A Danat Al Ain Resort Welcomes McGettigan’s
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anat Al Ain Resort announced the opening of the first McGettigan’s in the city. The award-winning Irish bar and restaurant in the UAE opened its door on December 04, 2017 and more than 200 members including influential guests of the Irish community, representatives from Danat Hotels and Resorts, and the team from McGettigans welcomed the arrival of the popular bar in the city.
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McGettigan’s boasts 12 screens playing live international sports matches. The menu features classic Irish dishes including Wagyu big burgers, desserts and a daily happy hour featuring a range of beverages. The modern and contemporary design of the bar creates a stylish and vibrant ambience for guests. With a terrace overlooking the swimming pool and seating 150 people, the open air area is ideal for friendly gatherings.
ccorHotels and Dubai World Trade Centre have announced the first 25hours Hotels property outside of Europe. 25hours Dubai Hotel will feature 434 rooms and is expected to open by 2020. The property will feature a mix of modern rooms and suites, two specialty restaurants, a lobby café and rooftop dining venue. The dining concepts will join 25hours Hotels’ portfolio of international restaurants, including the rooftop concept at 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin. Christoph Hoffmann, CEO, 25hours Hotels, explained, “The 25hours Hotel for Dubai is an exciting first on many levels. Apart from being our first destination outside of Europe, it is the first development in cooperation with our partner AccorHotels and will be the largest hotel for the brand.”
6 JANUARY 2018
ACCOMMODATION
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Radisson Blu Debuts Resort in Al Khobar
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adisson Blu has announced the opening of its first resort in Al Khobar, namely Radisson Blu Resort, Al Khobar Half Moon Bay. The 137-room resort features balcony views of the pool, and garden and sea. The individual chalets are situated across a garden and feature two bedrooms. The resort, is located 50 km from the south of the city, and showcases health clubs, an outdoor swimming pool, bicycle rental services and a chil-
dren’s playing area. The hotel also provides easy access to the private beach with water sports. The resort’s main restaurant Larder provides an international buffet of Saudi Arabian delicacies for lunch and dinner, while the renowned Radisson Blu Super Breakfast is served daily. The Radisson Blu Resort, Al Khobar Half Moon Bay also features an 80 m2 meeting room with facilities that accommodate 40-50 people.
Radisson Blu Resort, Al Khobar Half Moon Bay
Marriott International to Open 40 Hotels
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arriott International announced that it is set to open nearly 40 hotels this year. The company is to expand its luxury footprint yet further with 200 hotels in the development pipeline, representing 25 new countries, from Iceland and Nepal to Cuba and the Philippines. Providing globetrotters with a global perspective and an unparalleled portfolio of eight distinct luxury brands, Marriott International luxury brands include The Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, St. Regis, W Hotels, The Luxury Collection, EDITION and JW Marriott. “From former palaces in Venice and Vienna, to skyscrapers in Hong Kong and Dubai, to intimate, remote escapes in the Maldives and Mexico, the breadth of our portfolio is incomparable,” said Tina Edmundson, global brand officer, Marriott International.
JW Marriot Marquis Dubai
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AIR First Qatar Airways Landing in Chiang Mai
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atar Airways recently celebrated the start of its new direct non-stop service from Doha to Chiang Mai International Airport. Jassim bin Saif Ahmed Al-Sulaiti, minister, transport and communications, Qatar, travelled on board the inaugural flight with Akbar Al Baker, group CEO, Qatar Airways, and Soonthorn Chaiyindeepum, Thailand, ambassador, Qatar. Al Baker commented, “With the choice of four flights a week, passengers travelling from Chiang Mai are now connected seamlessly to more than 150 destinations, via our stateof-the-art hub in Doha. In 2018 we will add a fifth Thai destination to our network to include Pattaya.”
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Oman Air Enhances Sinbad Frequent Flyer Programme
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man Air has launched online redemption for its Sindbad members, enabling customers to spend their miles for flight tickets online. Until now, Sindbad members had to contact Oman Air’s loyalty team to get their redemption tickets issued. With the implementation of the new process, Sinbad members can purchase their ticket for miles on Oman Air’s website. To purchase their tickets for miles online, members can select the flight of their choice, combine it with any extras and pay with their credit card. The new system aims to be more convenient and flexible, giving Sindbad members more booking options.
Sinbad Cards
Falcon Aviation Celebrates IS-BAH Accreditation
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alcon Aviation celebrated its first anniversary at its fixed-base operator (FBO) in the VIP Terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport with the news that it has been awarded with the International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH) certification. The accreditation was received by the company on November 30, 2017 following a third-party audit by the International Business Aviation Council. The reward portrays to the wider business aviation industry that Falcon Aviation pursues a voluntary code of best safety practice for FBOs. “[...] it has been a priority for us in 2017 as we build up our activity in Dubai,” said Raman Oberoi, chief operating officer, Falcon Aviation.
6 JANUARY 2018
INTERNATIONAL
AFRICA
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Zambezi Cruise Safaris Reveals 2018 Plans
Hot Air Balloon Safaris Come to Ruaha National Park
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ntroducing a new safari to the region, Serengeti Balloon Safaris has been established at Ruaha National Park in Tanzania,set to begin operations on June 15. the region’s largest national park, covering 20,000 km2 in the southern part of the country. Balloon Safaris itineraries vary, however, they all begin with a sun rise morning. A demonstration of boarding and landing is included for safety, wildlife trails are followed, and the programme concludes with a champagne toast before guests head off to a special Out of Africa breakfast. Guests continue their day depending on their choosen activities.
Victoria Falls
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ambezi Cruise Safaris will commence new weekly cruises this year, as well as upping frequencies. New weekly cruises from Victoria Falls are set to launch, with a dedicated vessel to run the two- to three-night Sengwe and Rusi River cruises from the Binga-Victoria Falls end of Lake Kariba. There will be weekly departures for most of the main safari season based on a Wednesday departure for the two-night cruises and a Saturday departure for the three-night cruises. During this year, charter cruises to the bays and creeks of Matusadona National Park from Kariba town will operate at any time with groups of six or more people.
Uganda Expressway ReducesTravelling Time
Western Cape: WaterWise Tourism Arrivals
South African Graduates in US Exchange
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new expressway between Entebbe and Kampala, scheduled for completion in May, is expected to reduce travelling time to between 20 and 30 minutes. The 49 km long expressway is also expected to significantly reduce travelling time from Entebbe International Airport. Vincent Mugaba, public relations officer, Uganda Tourism, said travellers currently spend anything between one and two hours stuck in traffic jams to and from the airport. Mugaba also clarified access to the road would be limited in terms of interchanges. “There is a single interchange at Kajjansi, which connects to Kampala through the Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort. No other access will be allowed on to the road,” he said.
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Serengeti Balloon Safaris
ater-saving campaigns aimed at tourists have been launched, as tourism arrivals are predicted to increase drastically this upcoming festive season throughout the Western Cape. Alan Winde, minister, economic opportunities, Western Cape, said online airline bookings showed that tourism arrivals for December 2017 and January showed a five percent year-on-year increase. “We will be distributing around 20 thousand hand sanitisers, branded with watersavings tips. Through this event, we will be welcoming tourists into our province and making sure they are aware of the water crisis,” said Winde.
n November 30, 2017, Tokozile Xasa, minister, tourism, South Africa, said farewell to 76 unemployed graduates who are leaving to participate in the US placement programme. The Department of Tourism, in partnership with Awesome Travel and Nedbank, formulated the US placement programme to provide workplace experience in the culinary arts for 1,400 graduates between the ages of 19 and 29, for the next three years. The graduates will participate in a 12-month placement programme at various hospitality establishments across the US where they will receive practical experience in advanced cookery, restaurant management and hotel management.
6 JANUARY 2018
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AMERICAS
American Airlines Now Operates from New York LaGuardia
INTERNATIONAL
OneJet Announces Three New Routes
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merican Airlines started operating from New York’s LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B. To ensure smooth travels for customers, the airline’s customer assistance representatives will be stationed throughout Terminal B, as well as in its previous space in Terminal C, to guide customers and answer questions. Customers are encouraged to check the American Airlines app or website for the most up-to-date flight information. “I am humbled by the outpouring of support from every department within American,” said Loretta Bove, managing director, hub operations, New York LaGuardia Airport. “And very proud of the work our team has done while caring for each other and our customers to make this move seamless.”
Palm Beach
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neJet announced three new routes from the Pittsburgh International Airport, with the introduction of nonstop services to Palm Beach, Kansas City and Memphis. Palm Beach and Kansas City service will begin March 07, while the Memphis service will begin on March 27. The company will concurrently begin nonstop service between Memphis and Kansas City. With the launch of these routes, OneJet will introduce its new OneJet Plus service to the Pittsburgh market, offering expanded service onboard larger ERJ135 aircraft and providing travellers with enhanced amenities, including exit-row legroom at each seat, free 4G high-speed Wi-Fi, streaming entertainment gate to gate, and complimentary beer, wine and snacks en route. Matthew Maguire, CEO, OneJet, said, “We look forward to continuing to expand our network and supporting the growth of the communities and corporate customers we serve.”
United Airlines to Add Services to South Pacific
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nited Airlines announced it will begin services between San Francisco and Papeete in Tahiti, offering a gateway to more than 118 islands in French Polynesia including Bora Bora, Moorea, the Marquesas and Raiatea. United Airlines will operate nonstop service, three times weekly with Boeing B787 Dreamliner aircraft between its San Francisco hub and Fa'a'a International Airport, beginning October 30, 2018, through March 28, 2019, subject to government approval. "We are excited to announce Tahiti as our 13th new international route this year, and we are even more thrilled about offering our customers a whole new world of vacation opportunities," said Patrick Quayle, vice president, international network, United Airlines.
6 JANUARY 2018
Papeete
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INTERNATIONAL
AMERICAS
Europe Partners with COTTM
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he European Commission-funded project Partnerships in European Tourism will be part of the China Outbound Travel & Tourism Market (COTTM) in April 2018, marking the first of a series of business-to-business tourism events within 2018 EU-China Tourism Year. The Partnerships in European Tourism initiative aims at supporting European tourism businesses and operators wishing to expand into China. This is achieved through tutoring activities, facilitating new collaborations and partnerships around trans-European tourist products and the organisation of business-to-business matchmaking and other promotional events alongside international fairs.
Dreamtime Australia Debuts Successful Programme
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Sports Events 365 Launches Korean Service
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ports Events 365 has further expanded and launched its service in South Korea. The platform has started to operate a Koreanlanguage website and a full-service Korean-language reservations call centre. The website and the call centre allow Korean sports tourists, individuals and groups to buy tickets online to some 60,000 sports events a year at hundreds of destinations, mostly in Europe and North America. Sefi Donner, CEO, Sports Events 365, said, “Sports Events 365 brings to South Korea a unique combination of massive offering of events, full customer service and strong commitment to the local customers and market, all of this in their mother tongue.”
New Experience at Gowings QT Sydney
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T Sydney is introducing a new experience at Gowings Bar & Grill as it will take a culinary journey in summer 2018 through collaborations with what are hailed to be Australia’s best provedores, menu additions and the appointment of guest chef, Jean-Paul Lourdes. Fresh from Nomad in New York, Lourdes joins Gowings Bar & Grill for summer 2018 and is inspiring the restaurant’s culinary team to create new plates, in addition to the favourite dishes that have earned Gowings its reputation. Menu additions include roasted snapper served with slipper lobster and persian saffron, and a signature New York cheesecake.
Dreamtime 2017
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ustralia’s business event capabilities were on show during the week of December 04 – 10, 2017, to almost 100 international incentive planners, decision makers and 19 business events media at this year’s Dreamtime event, Tourism Australia’s signature incentive product showcase. The first two days of the programme were held in Brisbane with 89 of Australia’s business events industry giving international delegates the opportunity to discover the latest incentive offerings from around Australia and experience Brisbane’s creative incentive products. A further three days were spent on educational visits to other Australian destinations to see what the country has to offer. Steven Ciobo, minister, trade tourism and investment, Australia, said deals done at Dreamtime would drive tourists to Australia and inject millions of dollars into the economy.
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Thai Vietjet Aims to Increase Passenger Traffic
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ollowing the announcement that Thai Vietjet received the recertified Air Operator Certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, the airline has decided to launch new routes expected to bring significant increases in passenger traffic between Thailand and Vietnam. Effective from December, 2017, Thai Vietjet and Vietjet Group operates a total of six direct routes between Thailand and Vietnam, including Bangkok to Hanoi-Hai Phong-Ho Chi Minh City, and Dalat and Phuket-Chiang Mai to Ho Chi Minh City. “[...] The new flights were launched just before the International Flower Festival of Dalat, which is held in December 2017. I am delighted that people from these two countries can now enjoy their neighbouring country even more through our expanding flight network,” said Nguyen Thi Thuy Binh, management representative, Thai Vietjet.
6 JANUARY 2018
ASIA PACIFIC
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Bali Welcomes Best Western Hotels
Holiday Inn Express Suwon Ingye Opens
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est Western Hotels & Resorts has opened a new midscale hotel in Jimbaran area of Bali. Best Western Kamala Jimbaran features 120 contemporary rooms and suites, all equipped with cutting-edge facilities, working areas and complimentary Wi-Fi. Guests can enjoy authentic Balinese and international cuisine in the hotel’s restaurant, relax in the lobby lounge, and indulge in romantic dinners in an al fresco setting by the poolside. During the day, visitors can enjoy a swimming pool, the hotel’s spa and can also arrange events in a choice of three meeting rooms, all fully equipped.
6 JANUARY 2018
nterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has opened the doors to Holiday Inn Express Suwon Ingye, in the South Korean city of Suwon, 30 km south of the capital, Seoul. The 14-storey hotel is home to 249 rooms and features extensive views overlooking Suwon. Guests can experience the brand’s signature dining area, Great Room, with a free Express Start breakfast. Alternatively, guests can take their breakfast on the move with the hotel’s Grab & Go breakfast offering. With a business and leisure focus, the hotel facilitates a 24-hour gymnasium allowing guests to maintain their fitness routine, a dedicated meeting room is available.
INTERNATIONAL
Marriott International Hotels Expand in Asia Pacific
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arriott International’s Select-Service brands are expanding in the Asia Pacific region throughout the year. The portfolio consists of 21 brands, seven of which are SelectService brands with hotels open or under development, including Fairfield by Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott, Four Points by Sheraton, Aloft, Moxy, Element and AC Hotels. Select-Service hotels in Asia Pacific aim to allow travellers to experience the quality of international brand names at affordable price points in some of the region’s most exciting cities and upcoming destinations.
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RENDEZVOUS
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WITH DUBAI DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM AND COMMERCE MARKETING (DTCM) FOCUSING ON INCREASING THE NUMBER OF REPEAT VISITS AS ONE OF ITS THREE MAIN PILLARS OF VISION 2030, MARK DEERE, GENERAL MANAGER, AMWAJ ROTANA EXPLAINS HOW THE RESORT CONTRIBUTES TO THE AUTHORITY’S EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE TOURISTS TO COME BACK.
Q&A with Mark Deere GENERAL MANAGER, AMWAJ ROTANA
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How successful was the first half (H1) of this year been and what are the demographics of travellers visiting Amwaj Rotana? MARK DEERE: H1 has been very successful for Amwaj Rotana as we were able to increase our RevPAR significantly while the market on the overall experienced a downturn in RevPAR. We have noticed an increase in a new category of travellers who are younger, design-conscious, adventurous and technologically savvy. It is clearly noticeable that today’s travellers have a different lifestyle and travel habits compared to 10 years ago, which forces hotels to evolve to meet these demands. With the world becoming more digital and social, hotel stays are becoming more about sharing the experience so travellers look for photogenic properties to snap. One of the main expectations is a strong complimentary Wi-Fi connection throughout the hotel amongst others such as smart TVs, digital menus and so on.
events that are organised throughout the year by the DTCM, which also offer an added incentive to visit. Secondly, the emirate is so well positioned between Europe and Asia that even if a guest has visited previously it would be convenient to plan a stopover for one or two days. Emirates has some great packages that a guest can tailor for a short stay. From a general perspective, these initiatives seem to have been effective because according to Dubai Tourism 2017 Performance Report, Dubai has seen an increase of over 800,000 tourists in the first quarter of this year alone.
[At Amwaj Rotana] we are doing our best to deliver the highest level of service and products, in other word a Treasured Time to all our guests. We have numerous guests who return and ask for the same colleagues who look after them each time. We also have a structured programme to recognise guests who have repeatedly stay with us. TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Why should travellers return for another trip to Dubai and what more can be done in order to further promote repeat visits? MARK DEERE: Dubai is offering and will continue to offer more attractions for travellers such as amusement parks, Ain Dubai- the world’s largest Ferris wheel-Dubai Frame and many more. We are expecting that these attractions will increase the length of stay of travellers, however as supply increases in the market, this will also put further pressure on hotels to offer more competitive rates.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: DTCM identified increasing the number of repeat visits as one of three key objectives in its Tourism Vision 2020. What is being done across the emirate to achieve this and what is Amwaj Rotana doing to further support the authority’s objective?
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What are the hotel’s priorities for the upcoming years? MARK DEERE: Our priorities are to deliver and excel in terms of service for our guests as this is one of Rotana Hotels; core brand promises. We strongly believe that even though travellers have numerous accommodation options to choose from, service will always remain the deciding factor in choosing Amwaj Rotana versus our competitors. In regards to our business priorities, we are forecasting by taking advantage of demand patterns while reducing risks during lower occupancy months.
MARK DEERE: Dubai offers numerous reasons for guests to visit and there is always something new coming up which just means that no two trips will be the same. A guest who has visited previously will still find reasons to come back and experience a different itinerary. There are many festivals and special Amwaj Rotana
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WHO’S MOVED
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RAYMOND VRIJENHOEK has been appointed vice president for Sabre Travel Network Middle East, effective January 02. In his new role, Vrijenhoek will lead customer engagement and business development across the Middle East and accelerate Sabre’s growth in the region. Vrijenhoek joins Sabre from Otravo, an online travel agency group, where he served as CEO. He previously held senior positions at Travix International, Beins Travel Group, Amadeus and airlines like Canada 3000 and Transavia.com, gaining extensive experience in commercial operations, digital marketing, e-commerce, online travel, aviation, and distribution.
FLYNN PINTO has been promoted to revenue manager of Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai. Over the years, he has been employed at various highprofile hotels including the Hyatt Hotels, Wyndham Hotels and Intercontinental Hotels Group before joining the Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai in 2015 in the Hotel and Revenue Management Systems Department. In his new role, Flynn will be responsible for developing an overall pricing strategy and revenue management, in line with Millennium & Copthorne guidelines, targeting all market segments and distribution channels. He will also be in charge of recruiting, training and mentoring reservations sales agents.
Pinto has been employed at various high-profile hotels
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TOHAMY GAD has assumed the role of front office manager of Copthorne Hotel Dubai. Gad joined the hotel in 2009 as guest service agent. Prior to his recent promotion, he assumed the role of night manager and later advanced to assistant front office manager. As front office manager, Gad will be responsible for leading the teams of front desk, guest relations, telephone operator, bell service and transportation, with an emphasis on further developing the front office colleagues, improving guest satisfaction results and incremental revenue generation.
Raymond Vrijenhoek
Tohamy Gad
Gad will be responsible for leading the teams
Flynn Pinto
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TRAVEL CHANNELS
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VR Mission to the Top of Burj Khalifa
Emaar Properties’ At the Top, Burj Khalifa, hailed as the region’s most-visited attraction, has unveiled a new virtual reality (VR) experience that simulates the real-feel of scaling all Burj Khalifa’s 160 habitable floors as well as take a hardknuckle climb to the top of the spire, its highest point. Mission 828, the new VR product, gives visitors the unprecedented opportunity to have the virtual experience of scaling to the pinnacle of the tower before taking a parachute jump right down to The Dubai Fountain. It has been carefully simulated to take users on a nerve-wracking four-minute journey that will give them a feel of what it is like to ascend and descend the tower in the most adventurous fashion. Mission 828
The Caterer opening event
Tejar Dubai Launches The Caterer Project Tejar Dubai, a Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s initiative, announced that it has launched The Caterer, a new age company offering nutritious and balanced meals to businesses, communities and individuals. The Caterer, located in Dubai Investment Park, serves healthy food for different occasions and purposes such as for corporate and social gatherings, and provides catering services at schools and large govern-
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mental institutions. The company marked its official launch with an opening ceremony, which was attended by Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry officials and Faisal Al Ketbi, founder, The Caterer. At the event, Al Ketbi expressed his hope to expand the business in the future by managing canteens and cafeterias across organisations and institutions in Dubai, and tendering for government contracts.
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PHOTO ALBUM
Take a Shot! Share with us the latest images of your activities and let your colleagues know what you have been up to. Filipino laundry attend of TIME Hotels won hotel talent competition, TIMER'S Got Talent with Freddie Mercury tribute
Gulf Air, BAC and Gulf Aviation Academy team members gathered to celebrate Bahrain’s 46th National day and the anniversary of H.M. the King's Accession to the throne
Send your photos to editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel Because a picture is worth a thousand words...
Yas Island transforms into Winter Wonderland to celebrate the festive season with on-going events, activities and offers for everyone
Royal Jordanian held a ceremony on the occasion of its 54th anniversary, honouring employees who have been in the service of the airline for years
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NEWS & EVENTS EVENTS
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Working Together for Sustainable Tourism
VII EUROPE+ASIA EVENT FORUM (EFEA) St Petersburg, Russia January 17 – 19 euras-forum.com EFEA serves as a communication site for active interaction between events industry professionals such as forums and conferences and incentive tourism.
FITUR
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ver 800 participants from 70 countries gathered in Muscat on December 11 – 12, 2017, for the 2nd UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture, an official event on the International Year for Sustainable Tourism for Development calendar. Under the patronage of H.H. Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud al-Said, deputy prime minister, council of ministers, Oman, the conference brought together ministers of tourism and ministers of culture as well as private sector stakeholders and experts with the objective of building and strengthening partnerships between the tourism and culture sectors and enhance their role in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Istanbul and Kyoto will host the 2018 and 2019 editions of the UNWTO / UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture.
Madrid, Spain January 17 – 21 www.ifema.es FITUR is a global meeting point for tourism professionals and the leading trade fair for inbound and outbound Ibero American markets.
2nd UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture delegates
Diyar Al Muharraq Hosts International Development Delegation
EMITT Istanbul, Turkey January 25 – 28 www.emittistanbul.com EMITT, attracts over 46,000 industry professionals and tourists, annually, looking for new travel opportunities from destinations and travel service companies from across the globe.
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ahrain urban developers Diyar Al Muharraq recently hosted a visiting delegation from International Development Ireland (IDI). As an international implementation support company active in Bahrain for over 25 years, IDI was recently appointed to work closely with the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA,) a newly established government entity whose responsibility is to monitor, regulate, protect and promote real estate
developers and investors in the country. IDI has been selected to assist in establishing and operating the RERA by assuming a host of duties before handing over all functions to RERA in three years. The purpose of the December 10, 2017, visit to Diyar Al Muharraq was for RERA and IDI to gain a better understanding of the real estate market and its issues from a developer’s perspective.
Dubai Food Festival Returns HOSPITALITY INDONESIA CONFERENCE (HIC) Jakarta, Indonesia January 30 – 31 www.hospitality-asia.com HIC focuses on delivering a sea of timely market insights that facilitate corporate strategies and growth on a regional scale.
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ubai Food Festival will return from February 22 to March 10, 2018, offering foodies a programme of events, activities and promotions. Organised by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, the fifth edition of the festival will bring together the best of Dubai’s gastronomy, offering a range of cuisine available throughout the city. Presenting the latest food trends and concepts, where award winning dining can be enjoyed, the food festival will offer food related events to meet the needs of foodies across the county.
Dubai Food Festival 2017
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