21 JANUARY 2017 ISSUE 376
04 SAUDI ARABIA WITNESSES TOURISM GROWTH
07 CRUISING
RECORD CRUISE NUMBERS IN ABU DHABI
09 RITZ-CARLTON INAUGURATES SALES OFFICE
06 Technology
16 Rendezvous 20 Agents
MARKET UPDATE
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TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS
Passenger Traffic Soars in the Middle East
MANAGING EDITOR Mary Kammitsi mary@traveltradeweekly.travel JOURNALIST Ellen Petty CONTRIBUTOR Dominique Christou Panayiotis Karanicholas Stella Alexandrou SALES & SALES SUPPORT Maria Demetriadou Magda Christou Raluca Apostolescu 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
Airport Council International reported rising passenger traffic in the Middle East representing a 3.8 growth for the month of October, 2016.
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ubai recorded 2.7 percent more passengers than in the same month in 2015, whereas Doha remained in the leading position delivering growth at 16.7 percent. Regarding air freight, despite global trade growth remaining weak, in October 2016 the Middle East continued strong performance of recent months and generated an increase of 11.5 percent. The region also appeared to be gathering momentum into the fourth quarter of the respective year, as air freight volumes in October at all major hubs reported substantial gains, with Dubai at 9.5 percent, Doha at 21.5 percent, and Abu Dhabi saw a growth of 6.7 percent.
Representative for Indian subcontinent: Faredoon Kuka RMA Media Tel: +912229253735, kuka@rmamedia.com
Qatar Airways Reports a Prosperous 2016
Representative for UK & Ireland and Scandinavia: David Simpson Simpson Media Tel: +447900885456, david@simpson-media.com
MENA EXCHANGE RATES
as of
2
20.1.2017
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
109.86
Egypt (EGP)
Pound
18.90
Iran (IRR)
Rial
32,362.73
Iraq (IQD)
Dinar
1,182.73
Kuwait (KWD)
Dinar
0.31
Lebanon (LBP)
Pound
1,507.85
Libya (LYD)
Dinar
1.40
Morocco (MAD)
Dirham
10.04
Syria (SYP)
Pound
214.35
Tunisia (TND)
Dinar
2.27
Yemen (YER)
Rial
252.15
Qatar Airways celebrated a successful year of continued growth in 2016 achieved through a strategic network, fleet and partnership expansions.
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he airline inaugurated 14 new destinations across its global network and welcomed 19 new aircraft to its fleet, taking the count to 192, as well as having placed a record aircraft order to power future growth. Qatar Airways has made a number of strategic investments in other airlines and groups, while investing heavily in the continued evolution of its own passenger experience. The carrier also celebrated its strong financial performance for the 2016 fiscal year with an operating profit of more than QAR3 billion (USD824 million).
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WEEKLY NEWS
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Abu Dhabi to Welcome New Mall
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et to open by the end of 2018, the new mall will include 60 outlets across 18,000m2, including a Magic Planet family entertainment centre, a Carrefour Hypermarket, a City Centre Clinic to provide community-focussed healthcare services, and convenient dining options for both residents and professionals within Masdar City. Yousef Baselaib, executive director, sustainable real estate, Masdar City, said, “Masdar City offers a greenprint for the future, embracing economic, social and environmental principles of sustainability. The new mall is a testament to the emergence of Masdar City as a compelling destination for residents, business tenants and visitors.”
Abu Dhabi
Majid Al Futtaim continues its expansion following the announcement of a new AED300 million (USD81.6 million) project in Abu Dhabi, namely My City Centre Masdar.
JLL Reports Softening of UAE Real Estate
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Dubai
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ccording to Jones Lang LaSalle’s (JLL) UAE Real Estate Market Overview for 2016, there was a general softening in the UAE real estate sector as a result of lower oil prices. In terms of hotels, Dubai saw the completion of around 7,000 rooms in 2016, including the launch of Jumeirah Al Naseem, Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai and Premier Inn Ibn Battuta Mall in the fourth quarter. This year, 14,000 additional rooms are scheduled to be inaugurated. Meanwhile, approximately 1,000 keys were unveiled in Abu Dhabi in the year under review, with some 2,000 more forecasted to be handed over during the year. The hospitality sector suffered from a drop in corporate demand, which was in part offset by a boost in leisure tourism.
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WEEKLY NEWS
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Saudi Arabia Witnesses Tourism Growth
Riyadh
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uring the Umrah season 2016, Saudi Arabia witnessed growth spikes in the tourism sector, according to Elaf Group. This was evident in the increase of occupancy rate in hotel rooms across the country, signifying marked growth in hospitality operations duing this time. The positive numbers complement the country’s government’s initiatives of Vision 2030, which aims to increase the number of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims to 30 million annually. During the abovementioned period, there was a noticeable increase in the number of visitors that arrived in Saudi Arabia and there was a heavy concentration of people who visited notable holy and religious sites. Ziyad Bin Mahfouz, CEO, Elaf Group, said, “[…] We continue to support this by providing the highest quality of services and providing innovative packages that will address the current market needs.”
Extending Emirates Park Zoo
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Emirates Park Zoo and Resort
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mirates Park Zoo and Resort has welcomed a new 6,500 m2 zoo extension that hosts a herd of exotic animals, marking the start of a year-long facelift. The extension of the zoo’s premises is the first stage of the Emirates Park Zoo and Resort renovation that aims to make the establishment the premium zoo resort destination of the region. The new space allows visitors to see the zoo’s newest member, a hippopotamus and provides a view for resort guests who can enjoy the zoo from their suite balconies. To entertain and educate children and families, fun animal shows are hosted at the state-ofthe-art amphitheater that seats 400 people. Waleed Sha’aban, zoo operations manager, Emirates Park Zoo, said, “We believe that guests will fall in love and connect with our animal family who are some of the world’s most amazing and disappearing wildlife.”
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WEEKLY NEWS
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Focussing on Sustainability
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Abu Dhabi
bu Dhabi Sustainability Group’s (ADSG) annual event, the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Business Leadership Forum, is set to take place on March 01–02. Mainly focussing on sustainability leadership, strategy and management, the event will bring together a group of sustainability thought leaders and practitioners who will share their insights and expertise to help forge the way to a truly sustainable future. Over the exclusive two day event, the ADSG will showcase distinguished speakers, discussions and intelligent, innovative insights to inspire attendees towards implementing sustainable business models for a resilient future. Huda Al Houqani, director, ADSG, said, “We aim to highlight the key sustainability issues that need to be addressed, how to implement these within organisations and showcase best practices in responsible business operations across the region.”
Global Wellness on the Rise
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he global wellness industry grew 10.6 percent becoming a USD3.72 trillion market during 2015, with the spa market a key driver according to new research from the Global Wellness Institute. The research mirrored the growth in the MENA region of the tourism-related industry with the UAE at the forefront of growth. The growing sector will be showcased once again at this year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM) as the dedicated Wellness & Spa Lounge returns for this year. Over 35 exhibitors representing some of the world’s most recognised health and wellness hospitality destinations will attend, showing an increase of 40 percent on 2016 numbers. “The global wellness industry has witnessed incredible growth in recent years as more and more people incorporate healthy habits into holidays and corporate travel, with an increasing trend of travelers willing to commit their time and money to wellness proving to be a major driving force when making vacation decisions,” said Simon Press, senior exhibition director, ATM.
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WEEKLY NEWS TECHNOLOGY
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Travelport and Al Hashim Travel Reveal Partnership In an exclusive long term agreement with Travelport, Al Hashim Travel will now benefit from the travel commerce platform’s mechandising technology, Travelport Smartpoint.
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he Saudi-based agency currently operates 10 branches in the Eastern province, with plans to expand across the country this year. Commenting on the announcement, Asgar Khan, general manager, Al Hashim Travel, noted, “Travellers are increasingly expecting a more personalised travel experience. They want more choice and flexibility when they book. Travelport’s technology is cutting edge in enabling us to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations around new travel trends.”
Panasonic Teams with IBM to Offer a Digital Mirror
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anasonic and IBM have unveiled a new digital concierge solution for the hotel industry. This will see Watson, IBM’s talking artificial intelligence solution, incorporated into a digital mirror. Hotel guests can then use the mirror to obtain a host of hotel and local area information, such as requesting room service, ordering transportation and checking the weather. “Panasonic has identified a need for this and several other kinds of connected solutions in the hospitality industry,” explained Yasuji Enokido, president, Panasonic AVC Networks Company. “Working with IBM, we plan to further implement our connected solutions vision while making use of Watson intelligence to provide end users with more natural cognitive functionality.”
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Sabre Signs Agreement with Akbar Travel
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kbar Travel has announced a new partnership with Sabre, which comes in line with its strategy of expanding into new markets across the GCC. Akbar Travel plans to boost its online customer experience offerings, increase its operational efficiencies and ultimately drive its global growth. Furthermore, the travel company is set to invest in new technology including mobile, online, data and automation capabilities to offer enhanced personalisation. Commenting on the region’s rapidly developing industry, Ramzi Al Qassab, commercial director, GCC and global partners, Sabre Travel Network Middle East, noted, “Agencies looking for long-term sustainable growth need to [...] evolve their business strategies and technology investments to reflect how their customers want to shop and buy travel in future. “
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WEEKLY NEWS CRUISING
Record Cruise Numbers in
A New Guest Experience
Abu Dhabi
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uring the 2015-2016 season, the emirate welcomed over 100 ship calls, seven regional rotational callers and more than 228,000 passengers, which TCA Abu Dhabi forecasting growth around 10 percent this year. H.E. Saif Saeed Ghobash, director general, TCA Abu Dhabi, said, “Our strategic intervention is strengthening the cruise sector’s influence on the tourism economy and contributing to the emirate’s economic diversification. This is now Abu Dhabi’s longest ever cruise season where we will welcome 139 ship calls to Abu Dhabi and 39 to Sir Bani Yas Island.”
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Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal
ABU DHABI TOURISM & CULTURE AUTHORITY (TCA ABU DHABI) IS CELEBRATING 2016 AS A YEAR OF ACHIEVEMENT WITH RECORD NUMBERS OF SHIP CALLS AND PASSENGERS IN THE 20152016 SEASON AS WELL AS THE RECENT LAUNCH OF SIR BANI YAS CRUISE BEACH.
arnival Corporation has developed an interactive guest experience platform capable of transforming vacation travel into a highly personalised and elevated level of customised service for millions of guests. Ocean Medallion, is hailed as a first-of-its-kind wearable device that enables a personal concierge by bridging the physical and digital worlds to deliver a new level of personalised service not previously considered possible. The device includes sophisticated wayfinding, food and beverage on demand, an array of interactive gaming, personalised entertainment experiences and more. The new guest experience platform will debut on Princess Cruises' Regal Princess in November, followed by Royal Princess and Caribbean Princess in 2018.
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WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION
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Two New Properties for Saudi Arabia The Rezidor Hotel Group has announced the signing of Radisson Blu Hotel, Dhahran Square and Radisson Blu Residence, Dhahran, in partnership with Tanami Arabia.
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adisson Blu Residence, Dhahran will open in the first quarter (Q1) of this year, with 92 serviced apartments boasting access to an all-day dining restaurant and a gym for guests. Secondly, the newly built Radisson Blu Hotel, Dhahran Square, located across the road from the Residence, will open in Q1 2019 featuring 216 rooms, a business class lounge, two gyms, a swimming pool and meeting facilities. Elie Younes, executive vice president, The Rezidor Hotel Group, said, “With the signing of Radisson Blu Hotel, Dhahran Square and Radisson Blu Residence, Dhahran, we want to showcase our ambition and unique competence to bringing upscale hospitality standards, particularly to the serviced apartments segment.”
Fourzone Décor Works on Dubai Property
Casablanca Welcomes Hilton
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ilton Worldwide has signed a management agreement with Group Sadiki to open its first hotel in Casablanca, namely Hilton Garden Inn Casablanca Sidi Maarouf. With construction beginning this year, and set to welcome its first guests in 2021, the property will consist of an initial 118 guest rooms with space available on site for further expansion. The hotel forms part of a mixed-use development with a 550m2 ballroom and Moroccan-oriental restaurant also to be built in the vicinity. Carlos Khneisser, vice president, development, Middle East and North Africa, Hilton Worldwide, said, “Sidi Maarouf is rapidly establishing itself as not only the gateway to the city centre, with the construction of its new suspension bridge, but as a significant business district in its own right.”
Casablanca
Dubai
ourzone Décor has signed a AED30million (USD8.16 million) hotel apartment project deal with Shine Properties. As the fit out contracting company for the hotel apartment project, Fourzone Décor will be handling all interior work including flooring, ceiling, woodworks, furnishing and decorative lights. Ajish Nambiar, marketing director, Fourzone Décor, said, “The construction sector is booming in this part of the world with Dubai being the most active construction market so we are optimistic that the region’s interior and fit-out contracting industry will also grow. This is a situation that will continue this year as investors push ahead with projects to ensure delivery before Expo 2020 so we are on track and we plan to keep it that way till the years to come.”
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WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION
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l Wadi Desert, a Ritz-Carlton Partner Hotel, Ras Al Khaimah has officially opened a fully-fledged sales office within JW Marriott Dubai Deira. Amit Arora, general manager, Al Wadi Desert, a Ritz-Carlton Partner Hotel attended the ceremony along with Ross Park, director, sales, Al Wadi Desert, a Ritz-Carlton Partner Hotel, who will lead the sales activities of the office. The sales team is strategically located, just 45 minutes from the resort and in close proximity to travel industry partners in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The property will operate as a partner hotel until its official launch as a Ritz-Carlton offering later in the year, and will be jointly managed alongside Al Hamra Beach.
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Official launch of the Al Wadi Desert, a Ritz-Carlton Partner Hotel sales office
Ritz-Carlton Inaugurates Sales Office
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WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION
Katara Hospitality Reaching Goals
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Algeria Welcomes Seventh Marriott Address
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s part of its expansion plans, Marriott International has unveiled Sheraton Annaba, its seventh property in Algeria. The hotel boasts 201 rooms, including 15 suites, over 18 floors, while the 19th storey features the exclusive Sheraton Club Lounge and Al Pesto, an Italian dining experience. Furthermore, guests can enjoy food and beverage options at the hotel’s numerous outlets, including Feast, Hugo Bar and Lobby Lounge. Sheraton Annaba is also home to more than 1,400m2 of modern meeting space with state-of-theart facilities as well as a fitness centre, spa, swimming pool and tennis court. In addition to its 1,580 rooms in the country, Marriott International has a further six properties under development.
Sheraton Annaba
atara Hospitality made excellent progress in 2016 across all areas of its operations, through the opening of new properties, renovations and gaining awards. The company’s strong performance builds on the achievements of 2015 and takes it a step closer towards realising its vision to be one of the world’s leading hospitality organisations. Commenting on the company’s success, Hamad Abdulla Al-Mulla, CEO, Katara Hospitality, said, “We remain committed to the further development and expansion of our portfolio, and 2016 was an important stage in that process. We now turn our attention to [this year] as we expect to complete a range of initiatives that will take us closer to our target of 60 properties by 2026.”
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urio - A Collection by Hilton has opened AlRayyan Hotel Doha, Curio Collection by Hilton, the brand’s first property in the Middle East. Located in the upscale neighbourhood of Al Rayyan, and directly connected to the Mall of Qatar, the property offers 201 guest rooms and suites, a 300m2 ballroom, five meeting rooms, and a rooftop restaurant, in addition to other food and beverage outlets. Guests can enjoy an array of activities such as three outdoor swimming pools, 24-hour gym, male and female wellness areas each featuring a sauna, Jacuzzi, hammam and jetted showers, as well as an onsite ladies’ beauty lounge and children’s play area.
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AlRayyan Hotel Doha, Curio Collection by Hilton
Curio Brand Enters the Middle East
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WEEKLY NEWS AIR
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Expanding on Riyadh Route
As of February 01, Etihad Airways will introduce a third daily flight on the Abu Dhabi – Riyadh route, offering guests great choice and more travel options.
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he new daily late night departures from both Abu Dhabi and Riyadh are timed to allow guests to spend full days in either city. Commenting on the initiative, Kevin Knight, chief strategy and planning officer, Etihad Airways, said, “Our expanded services between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh are in line with Etihad Airways’ strategy to offer more choice, greater frequency and additional travel options when aircraft availability and market conditions permit. The extra flights will cater to the strong demand between the two capital cities, and bring closer our global network to Riyadh over our Abu Dhabi hub.”
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WEEKLY NEWS AIR
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Emirates A380 Returns to Serve Dubai-Narita Route
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mirates will resume its A380 service between Dubai and Narita from March 26. This follows the airline’s recent A380 deployment to Moscow, and will take place after the upcoming launch of A380 services to Johannesburg. It will also coincide with the launch of A380 services between Dubai and Casablanca. The airline will deploy its three-class A380 on the Narita route, offering a total of 489 seats, with 14 private suites in first class, 76 mini pods with lie-flat seats in business class and 399 seats in economy class, increasing capacity per flight by more than 135 passengers compared to the current Boeing 777300ER.
Oman Air Introduces New Baggage Perks
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man Air has introduced a new policy on baggage, moving away from the traditional kilogramme weight-based allowance and excess baggage charge, to a more simple policy based on number of bags being checked-in, that will save money for passengers. Now new free baggage allowances are in-order for up to 30kg for economy class and up to 50kg for business and first class. Also inaugurated is the allowance of one free extra piece of baggage weighing 20kg for economy class and a total of two pieces weighing 60kg for business and first class members of the silver and gold Sinbad programme. Charges regarding extra pieces of baggage come at a small fee, with a weight of 20kg and under.
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WEEKLY NEWS AIR IATA: Strong Demand Growth in November 2016
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ccording to statistics revealed by International Air Transport Association (IATA), global passenger traffic results for November 2016 saw the strongest demand growth in nine months, with a year-on-year boost of 7.6 percent in total revenue passenger kilometres. Additionally, available seat kilometres also rose, by 6.5 percent, while load factor increased 0.8 percentage points, reaching 78.9 percent. In particular, Middle Eastern carriers led the way with a 12.2 percent jump in demand. However, the region’s upward trend seasonally adjusted traffic was put on hold, with November 2016 levels on par with that of July 2016. Having said that, capacity on the region’s airlines surged 11.6 percent, and load factor was up 0.3 percentage points to 68.7 percent.
Ethiopian to Launch Flights to Jakarta
Boeing 787-800
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thiopian Airlines will start services to Jakarta in June using the Boeing 787-800. Commenting on the new service, Ato Tewolde GebreMariam, group CEO, Ethiopian Airlines, said, “As the fastest growing Airline in Africa, Ethiopian is pleased to offer the opportunity to business people as well as tourists to explore Jakarta’s potential, both for investment and leisure. This move will further increase our presence in Asia, connecting Africa to the Asia region and in turn strengthening the tourism and trade ties between the people of Africa and Asia." Passengers to and from Jakarta will enjoy the unparalleled comforts of the B-787 with less noise, larger windows, a higher ceiling, and unique lighting.
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RENDEZVOUS
assignments and projects.
Q & A with
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Given that the number of hotels is expected to continually rise in the coming months and years, what are you doing to stand out from competition?
AMRUDA NAIR CEO, AIANA HOTELS & RESORTS
AMRUDA NAIR: According to a report by Qatar Tourism Authority, 56 hotels and 13 hotel apartments with a total of 26,653 rooms are currently under construction and due to be released within the next five years. We believe there will be a tapering off of supply as new developments are delayed thus allowing the market to absorb the gradual increase in inventory. We will be the first hotel company to offer Indian hospitality in Qatar with a unique restaurant and spa offering with an underlying Indian service ethos. Our strategy is to launch the Aiana brand in Qatar with a serviced apartment project in West Bay where the capture market is the long-stay expatriate population and GCC leisure guests. TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How is the wealth of upcoming sports events expected to contribute to the development of tourism in Qatar? AMRUDA NAIR: The country is gearing up to host a steady calendar of major international sporting events every year leading up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup including the UCI Road Cycling World
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Championships, followed by FIG Artistic World Gymnastics Championships in 2018 and IAAF World Championships in 2019. The increase in sports tourism is expected to contribute greatly to the growth in tourism revenues from QAR18 million (USD4.94 million) in 2016 to QAR37 million (USD10.16 million) in 2025, which a recent study announced would be a compound rate of eight percent. This growth is expected to peak in 2022 at QAR48 million (USD13.18 million) as Qatar hosts the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Current estimates by the Qatar Tourism Authority indicate an increase in the number of visitors to Qatar to 3.7 million by 2019, four million by 2020 and seven million by 2030. Thus there are several plans, projects and programmes in line with the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030 to continue to increase tourism to the country even after the 2022 FIFA World Cup. TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What is next for Aiana Hotels & Resorts? AMRUDA NAIR: With plans announced for eight hotels across the Middle East and India sub-continent, Aiana Hotels & Resorts is creating a hospitality brand of upscale hotels that will offer fresh and relevant product design, facilities customised to the traveller of today with an intuitive service ethic based on traditional Indian hospitality values.
WITH THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF HOTELS IN QATAR, AMRUDA NAIR, CEO, AIANA HOTELS & RESORTS, SHARES WHAT MAKES THE PROPERTY STAND OUT.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How was demand in 2016 for serviced apartments? AMRUDA NAIR: Aiana Hotels and Resorts’ first hospitality project in Doha, the Aiana Suites and Residences, is a 180-key hotel apartment located in the diplomatic area of West Bay. We remain confident of the serviced apartment sector as occupancies have traditionally been higher when compared to hotels in the Doha market with lower volatility during the low season. Another positive factor is the fact that in comparison to other cities in the GCC, the demand segmentation for serviced apartments in Doha over 70 percent of the business is skewed towards longer term stays over six months wherein other markets approximately between 70 – 80 percent is under one month. This is mainly due to a shift in corporate demand in serviced apartments from business travel to short term
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Doha
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WEEKLY NEWS INTERNATIONAL
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arriott Hotels & Resorts has debuted JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, boasting 726 rooms. The resort will offer a culinary programme which will include private sommelierled wine tastings and chef’s table experiences at signature restaurant Ario. Alongside food and beverage options, the property offers spa treatments and yoga classes. Later this year a 94-room adult only tower with a rooftop pool, restaurant and entertainment centre will also be added to the property. “We look forward to offering guests a distinctive and enriching luxury experience set on three miles of pristine white sand beach on the Gulf of Mexico,” said Mitzi Gaskins, vice president, luxury brand management, Marriott International.
Nevis Welcomes Wyndham Grand
JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort
Florida Opens New Resort
Dusit International Visit TAT
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Nevis Island
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ollowing talks regarding inbound tourism, representatives from Dusit International, led by Sukanya Janchoo, general manager, Dusit Thani Bangkok and Jurairat Sirisambhand, corporate director, partnership marketing and advertising, visited Yuthasak Supasorn, governor, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), in December 2016. Together, they discussed how both organisations could work together in promoting tourism to Thailand this year and beyond.
Dusit Thani Hotel Towers, Bangkok
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et to be completed in 2019, the beachfront Wyndham Grand Nevis will be situated within Northern Pointe Resort, a new 121,406m2 luxury real estate development being built along Long Haul Bay in the Parish of Saint James. The resort will boast 170 suites, condominiums and villas ranging from 83.6 to 474m2, hosting a private beach club, five dining areas, infinity pools, along with more than 929m2 of meeting space, spa and more. The property is owned by Northern Pointe Development and will be managed by Wyndham Hotel Group. Paulo Pena, president, Wyndham Hotel Group, Latin America and the Caribbean, commented, “Wyndham Grand’s distinct experiences and understated approach to luxury will bring a unique accessibility to this elite island. Adding Nevis to an impressive growing list of amazing global destinations.”
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WEEKLY NEWS INTERNATIONAL
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ountry inns & Suites By Carlson has welcomed the opening of Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Fergus Falls in Minnesota, offering 96 guest rooms and suites. Hotel guests can enjoy an indoor pool, WiFi access and a fitness centre. In addition, the property boasts food and beverage outlets, and meeting and event space. “Country Inns & Suites is committed to providing both business and leisure guests a comfortable hospitality experience that makes them feel at home, and this hotel will do just that,” commented Jeffrey Freund, senior vice president, midscale brands, Americas, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group.
Taiwan Welcomes Second Marriott Property
Anantara Announces King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament Dates
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A Aloft Taipei Beitou Hotel
arriott International has opened Aloft Taipei Beitou Hotel, the second Aloft in Taipei, bringing a modern twist to the century-old hot spring destination of Beitou. The 292-room hotel features a variety of dining and social spaces, a 24 hour gym, and three meeting spaces. “We are proud to debut Aloft Taipei Beitou, the second Aloft hotel in Taiwan, redefining the traditional hotel experience and strengthening the Aloft brand’s presence in the dynamic Taiwanese market,” said Stephen Ho, CEO, Greater China, Marriott International.
nantara Hotels and Resorts have announced the dates for the 2017 King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament. The event will be held at the banks of Bangkok’s mighty Chaophraya River from March 09 to 12. The tournament has become one of the biggest charitable events in Southeast Asia with over USD1.3 million raised and donated to projects, saving wild and domesticated elephants. The welfare of the elephants that participate in the tournament is of paramount importance, with strict rules by imposing a ‘no micro-chip, no game’ rule, Anantara guarantees that all participating elephants have been domestically bred. The King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament recently awarded a silver medal for Sports CSR Initiative of the Year at the Asia 2016 SPIA Sports Industry Awards.
The 2017 King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament
Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Fergus Falls in Minnesota
Minnesota Debuts Carlson Hotel
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WHO’S MOVED
ISLAM ELRAYES has been appointed as general manager of Sheikh Faisal Sports Academy. In his new position he will aim to enhance the academy’s operations and generate a new line of activities and events, in addition to boosting the existing ones. Elrayes boasts impressive management experience as he worked as an internal auditor at KPMG for four years and later as internal audit manager at Al Faisal Holding.
MATTHIAS WIDOR
ISLAM ELRAYES
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SALEH BATAINEH has been named deputy general manager at The St. Regis Doha, a role in which he will oversee all aspects of daily operations. Bataineh brings with him 20 years of international hotelier experience and has worked for luxury brands, including Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. He joins the property from Four Season Cairo at The First Residence, where he held the position of hotel manager. As well as his involvement in all features of running the hotel, Bataineh will be closely involved in staff training at all levels to ensure the address maintains its high level of service.
Bataineh brings with him 20 years of international hotelier experience
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SAMER RAFIE
SALEH BATAINEH
Elrayes boasts impressive management experience as he worked as an internal auditor at KPMG
MATTHIAS WIDOR has been named general manager of Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Center, Abu Dhabi. Widor began his career with Marriott in 2000 and held a number of roles across German properties, including catering service manager at Frankfurt Marriott Hotel and food and beverage manager in Stuttgart. In 2007, Widor relocated to Asia, where he achieved success as director of food and beverage at various properties, including New World Hotel Saigon, Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa, Marriott Hotel Manila, followed by JW Marriott Hotel Seoul. Since 2015, Widor has been based in the UAE and prior to this appointment, was the director of operations at JW Marriott Hotel Dubai.
SAMER RAFIE has been appointed hotel manager at Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Jumeirah Beach Residence, where he will head the property’s daily operations. Prior to this role, Rafie served as executive assistant manager at Fraser Suites Dubai, where he also previously worked as operations manager. He has more than 20 years of hospitality experience within the GCC region at a range of hotels, including City Seasons Hotel Dubai and Jood Palace Hotel Dubai. Rafie will lead all departments to achieve high customer satisfaction ratings and will focus on maintaining occupancy levels and revenue.
Rafie has more than 20 years hospitality experience within the GCC
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WEEKLY NEWS AGENTS
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Promoting Bahrain in Greece Gulf Air recently launched a Bahrain travel guide in Athens in coordination with Arab World Tours.
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Athens
amely, 101 Things to See and Do in Bahrain, and sponsored by Gulf Air, the travel guide serves a comprehensive tool to Bahrain that is useful to first time visitors as well as recurring travellers with activities, suggested itineraries and places to visit. The book launch took place in IANOS, bookstore in Athens, promoting Bahrain as a tourist destination to the Greek market and helping to inform potential visitors on the country’s tourism and hospitality assets.
dnata’s UAE Operations Soared in 2016
Al Maktoum International Airport
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n 2016, dnata recorded unprecedented growth at its two Dubai airports, with 431,978 aircraft movements and serving more than 91.3 million passengers, increases of four percent and 16 percent, respectively. Despite global economic pressures and challenges within the aviation industry, Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central witnessed a boost in passenger numbers thanks to flydubai’s increased operations. Furthermore, the airfield has developed into a regional cargo hub which handles some 117,000 tonnes of cargo a year, with capacity to grow to 16 million tonnes yearly. Commenting on the company’s success, Steve Allen, divisional senior vice president, dnata Airport Operations, noted, “We have worked hard to stay agile, efficient and innovative, while never compromising our safety and operational excellence.”
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Encouraging Children’s Art
KAHF to Give More to Charities
Sharjah Children Biennial creative workshop
Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor
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halaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, founder, Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Foundation (KAHF) and chairman, Al Habtoor Group, urges people to give more to charities for the betterment of humanity. Al Habtoor said that H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president, UAE, declared 2017 as ‘The Year of Giving’. Al Habtoor, has donated to date AED370 million (USD101 million) of his own money to many charities. In 2013 he launched a foundation in his name, KAHF, which aims to improve the lives of mankind irrespective of race, religion and political affiliation. The main focus of the foundation is community development, interfaith dialogue and understanding, education and research, healthcare and poverty alleviation. Al Habtoor added, “I urge everyone to give within their means to people less fortunate than themselves. No matter how big or small the donation is, every dirham counts. Even the smallest of donations can make an impact on a community.”
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harjah Children Biennial (SCB), the international event that celebrates young artistic talents from around the world, achieved a new milestone by enabling 420 refugee children to draw their hopes and dreams by submitting 34 artworks for its fifth edition, entitled A World as Big as Your Imagination. An SCB delegation travelled to Za’atari Refugee Camp in Amman to conduct a series of artistic and creative workshops for Syrian children in coordination with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. “Through the workshops we conducted at Za’atari Camp, we saw these children taking ownership of their personal narratives, expressing themselves using the tools we provided them with to challenge their imaginations and realities,” said Reem BinKaram, president, SCB.
Success of Joy of Eid Campaign
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as Island and Emirates Red Crescent have plans in the pipeline to build two schools in Pakistan and Mauritania, following the success of Yas Island’s Joy of Eid campaign. Once built, the school in Pakistan will accommodate up to 200 students, while the one in Mauritania will accommodate 110 scholars. Yas Island revealed that funds collected will cover the costs of the two facilities, including their classrooms and playgrounds. Students at Pearl Primary and Yas West Academy schools wrote a number of messages and warm wishes that will form a book for future students in the new schools. Mohamed Abdulla Al Zaabi, CEO, Miral, said, “We are heartened by the generosity that visitors of Yas Island have displayed in supporting the campaign, […].”
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atar Airways and Qatar Duty Free, the official airline and retail sponsors of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open Men’s Tennis for this year, welcomed fans to the first tournament of the 25th annual ATP World Tour 250 Series in Doha, on January 02-
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Welcoming Tennis Enthusiasts Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Stadium
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Held at Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Stadium, the tournament is the first in the prestigious ATP World Tour 250 Series that takes place across the globe. Both bodies helped to celebrate the tournament with dedicated interactive booths located in the Public Village Area. Qatar Airways welcomed tennis enthusiasts to play their own virtual Qatar ExxonMobil tennis tournament, with an exciting and interactive stand hosted by its cabin crew, alongside an exciting competition to win USD1 million.
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Notre Dame University Signs with IHG Academy
Gulf Air Awarded for Punctuality
Notredame University
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he IHG Academy in Lebanon signed an agreement with Notre Dame University in a ceremony that took place at the hotel Phoenicia Beirut in December, 2016. The agreement facilitates internships for Notre Dame University students in the six existing InterContinental Hotels Group properties in Lebanon, as well as offering priority for subsequent employment. The event was attended by hospitality executives, industry figures and the Notre Dame University management who gathered to celebrate this valuable initiative.
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ulf Air has been independently ranked by UK aviation analysts OAG as the most punctual airline in 2016, amongst GCC airlines, with an average on-time performance of 82.7 percent. In its ranking amongst global airlines, Gulf Air garnered ninth place for punctuality amongst European, Middle Eastern and African airlines and 19th place for punctuality globally in 2016. Maher Salman Al Musallam, CEO, Gulf Air, commented, “We are delighted to be recognised as a leading global player in on-time-punctuality for 2016. Recognising that on-time-punctuality is a critical element for travelers, we are committed to improving our performance to better deliver on our promise to get passengers to their destinations in a timely manner, while at the same time continually focusing on ongoing enhancements across all aspects of our product and service offering.”
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Hamad International Airport Welcomes FC Bayern Munich One of 50 lucky fans with David Alaba
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Al Habtoor Hosts Harvard GCC Trek
halaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, chairman, Al Habtoor Group, welcomed a group of 20 students from Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School who visited the region for Harvard GCC Trek, an initiative to experience local culture through meetings with political and business leaders. The students had the opportunity to learn about Al Habtoor’s management style as well as his business successes and failures. The Harvard GCC Trek is a student-led effort which ran from December 29, 2016 to January 14, with the aim of giving the participants a better understanding of the region and its business practices. The students visited the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman.
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ollowing the Winter Training Camp 2017 in Qatar, Hamad International Airport (HIA) arrivals welcomed four players from FC Bayern Munich football team. As a result of an online draw, 50 lucky guests were drawn to participate in HIA’s organised meet and greet event giving a unique opportunity for the selected fans of the team in Qatar to meet FC Bayern Munich players Xabi Alonso, Joshua Kimmich, David Alaba, and Juan Bernat at the airport on January 03. Their arrival in Doha marks almost a year since the airport was announced as an official platinum partner of the football club. As the country prepares to host FIFA World Cup 2022, this partnership is another key step for Qatar towards achieving its national vision of establishing itself as a global leader in sports.
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Emirates has introduced new sustainable blankets made from 100 percent recycled plastic bottles
Semiramis InterContinental Cairo hosted the Agriform Master Class PDO European Cheese Cooking Demo & Tasting Event
Take a Shot! Share with us the latest images of your activities and let your colleagues know what you have been up to.
Sharjah Children Biennial Kicked off featuring 376 Artworks from 785 Children
Send your photos to editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel Because a picture is worth a thousand words...
An exceptional concept with mouth-watering steak every Wednesday at ToroToro, Grosvenor House, Dubai
Outdoor concerts featuring global artists as part of SWMF’s complimentary offerings
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NEWS & EVENTS Positive Outlook for Middle East Hospitality
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n the lead-up to the 13th edition of the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference, being held at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai from April 25 – 27, key speakers and sponsors at the annual knowledge platform and networking event revealed their forecast for the year ahead. They indicated that hotel investors, owners, consultants and operators alike, share a positive outlook for the Middle East hospitality industry this year, with strong market fundamentals in place and attractive investment opportunities on the horizon. The experts acknowledged that while aspects of both development and operations were challenging in 2016, the market remains robust with investment potential. Hamad Abdulla Al-Mulla, CEO, Katara Hospitality, said, “The Middle East hotel market remains a vibrant and exciting one for investors. The region’s fundamentals are strong, making it an attractive investment destination.”
Mlieha Hosts Second Sharjah Forum
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he second Sharjah Forum was held at Mlieha Archaeological Centre under the title The Future of Sharjah, where more than 200 government representatives discussed how best to capitalise on the emirates budget of AED22 billion (USD5.99 billion), the largest to date. The event, organised by Sharjah Investment and Development Authority, had a focus on four key sectors, the environment, tourism, healthcare as well as transport and logistics. Hazem Galal, global leader, cities and local government sector, PricewaterhouseCoopers, highlighted Sharjah’s tourism sector which is expected to be an important driver of the emirate’s GDP growth, which is thought to have reached AED1.5 billion (USD40 million) in 2016.
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EVENTS FITUR Madrid, Spain January 18 – 22 www.ifema.es The 37th edition of the travel trade fair for both inbound and outbound Ibero American markets.
EMITT Istanbul, Turkey January 26 – 29 www.emittinstanbul.com Industry professionals from more than 70 countries are expected to attend the exhibition focussed on the East Mediterranean.
IBTM ARABIA Abu Dhabi, UAE February 07 – 09 www.ibtmarabia.com One of the leading international events for the Arabian meetings, incentives, conferences and events industry.
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