28000
03 NOVEMBER 2014
ISSUE 01
TURKEY WELCOMES RADISSON BLU HOTEL, KAYSERI MALTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SAW A 2.4 PERCENT RISE IN TRAFFIC IN SEPTEMBER, CATERING TO A TOTAL OF 463,215 PASSENGERS, A DEVELOPMENT ATTRIBUTED TO THE CLOSURE OF THE LIBYAN AIRSPACE SINCE MID-JULY.
11 BIRMINGHAM AND GATWICK AIRPORTS JOIN FORCES
12 IN THIS ISSUE MARKET UPDATE TECHNOLOGY TOURISM BOARDS ACCOMMODATION AIRPORTS AIR RENDEZVOUS AGENTS TRAVEL TALK TRAVEL CHANNELS WHO’S MOVED PHOTO ALBUM NEWS & EVENTS
02 04 08 09 12 13 17 19 20 21 22 23 24
MALTA’S AIRPORT TRAFFIC BOOSTED
18
MARKET UPDATE TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS
MANAGING EDITOR Mary Kammitsi mary@traveltradeweekly.travel ASSISTANT EDITOR Maria Kazeli SENIOR JOURNALIST Rita Kasziba
Athens Bounces Back From January to August, hotel bed occupancy in the Greek capital increased by 22.3 percent compared to the corresponding period in 2013.
T
his was announced at a joint press conference by the Athens-Attica & Argosaronic Hotel Association (AHA), Marketing Greece, Athens International Airport (AIA) and AEGEAN Airlines. Average room rates (ARR) rose 4.9 percent and RevPAR increased by 28.3 percent. Furthermore, the rise in Athens’ popularity as a destination has been reinforced by visitor satisfaction studies carried out by AHA and GBR Consulting, in which 96 percent of travellers to the city said they would recommend the city to others. AIA reported that an increase of 528,000 in tourist arrivals at the airport was noted during the same period.
CONTRIBUTORS Dominique Christou Ana Mladenovic PRESS Maria Demetriadou Pauline Shahabian DESIGN & LAYOUT Elena Stylianou WEB DEVELOPER / IT Soteris Constantinou
Ryanair Traffic Continues to Grow
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.traveltradeeurope.travel EMAILS info@traveltradeweekly.travel sales@traveltradeweekly.travel editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel PRINTED IN CYPRUS Cyprinters Ltd P.O. Box 58300, CY-3732, Limassol, Cyprus Tel: +357 25 720035, Fax: +357 25 720123 Email: info@cyprinters.com
EXCHANGE RATES
Accurate as of
22/10/2014 COUNTRY
2
CURRENCY
1EUR=
US (USD)
Dollar
1.26
UK (GBP)
Pound
0.79
Switzerland (CHF)
Franc
1.20
Japan (JPY)
Yen
135.76
Ryanair announced that passenger movements improved four percent and reached 9.4 million customers, while load factor also increased by four percentage points year-on-year to 93 percent in August.
T
he company’s September results have shown that traffic grew by 400,000 to 8.5 million customers, up five percent in comparison to September 2013. Additionally, load factor increased five percent year-on-year during the same month. The launch of the carrier’s new family and business products have been extremely successful and have contributed significantly to these high figures, according to Kenny Jacobs, chief marketing officer, Ryanair, who added, “Ryanair traffic grew [...] thanks to our lower fares and our improving customer experience, including our great new website and mobile app, allocated seating, a free second small carry-on bag and personal electronic devices use on all flights.”
Aeroflot Reports Growth Across Key Indicators
Russian carrier Aeroflot announced its operating results, as well as those of Aeroflot Group, for the first eight months of the year.
A
s for the airline alone, passenger traffic rose by 13.9 percent year-on-year, reaching almost 15.7 million passengers, while revenue passenger kilometres jumped by 12.3 percent against 2013 figures to 44.63 billion. Changes were also made to its fleet with the addition of 13 new Airbus A320s, two Boeing 737-800 and six Boeing 777300ERs. At the same time, four Boeing 767-300ERs exited the fleet and seven Airbus A320s were moved to subsidiary airlines. As a result, available seat kilometres grew by 12.3 percent year-on-year. 03 NOVEMBER 2014
MARKET UPDATE
easyJet Carries Six Million in September
Hotel Profits up in Most Key European Cities
According to data released by the British low-cost carrier, easyJet carried 6,143,974 passengers in September.
Hotstats’ European Chain Hotels Market Review for August showed growth in Dublin, Vienna and Rome, while Berlin and St. Petersburg recorded negative performance across most indicators.
T
hese results signalled a 7.5 percent year-on-year increase, while load factor for the month under review jumped to 92.2
percent. Moreover, the airline announced that in the 12 months covering October 2013 – September 30, easyJet transported a total of 64,769,065 customers achieving a 90.6 percent load factor. The passenger traffic figures for the 12-month period indicated a 6.6 percent boost for the airline.
03 NOVEMBER 2014
Dublin
A
s for Dublin, average room rate (ARR) rose by 10.6 percent, with RevPAR up by 10.3 percent. Strongest segments were leisure, tours/groups and corporate, with rates jumping 5.8, 24.8 and nine percent respectively. Vienna saw a 10.8 percent surge in ARR, a 0.9 percent rise in occupancy and a 12 percent RevPAR growth. Leisure and tours/ groups segments’ rates jumped by 6.4 and 16.1 percent. Rome saw an eight percent surge in demand and a RevPAR uplift of 7.7 percent, while the performance recorded by hoteliers in Berlin and St. Petersburg was negative.
3
NEWS TECHNOLOGY
Aeroflot Joins Travelport
Hotelogix Puts a Hotel on Cloud in Record Time
A
eroflot has signed up for Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding solution. Becoming the first airline in Russia and across the CIS to take advantage of Travelport’s innovative new offering, the Rich Content and Branding solution provides airlines with the ability to manage how their flights, fare families and ancillaries are visually presented and viewed on travel agency screens. Robin Ranken, head of airline services, Europe, Travelport, said, “Rich Content and Branding is one such product and I am so pleased Aeroflot has signed up and taken a lead in Russia. We look forward to continuing to build on our already great relationship.”
4
Brussels Bids for Stronger Online Presence
T
A
zalea Hotels & Residences group has selected Hotelogix’s cloud property management service for its newly launched 220-room hotel. The team at Hotelogix managed to place the complete hotel operations on the cloud in less than 24 hours, which included setting up all rooms, packages, future reservations, guest details and similar on the Hotelogix system. “We turned to Hotelogix because of its excellent track record and affordable pricing. The system also supports handling of multiple properties which is in line with our upcoming business goals,” said Elisa Escobar, general manager, Azalea Hotels & Residences. Aditya Sanghi, co-founder, Hotelogix, explained, “We continue to put in our efforts to self-enable hotels, which significantly reduces the cost of training and the time that the hotel needs to invest.”
he Belgian capital acquired its own web extension, with .brussels being the latest innovation, marking the last phase of a large-scale project initiated at the beginning of 2012. This development aims to enable Brussels-Capital Region to adopt a new and strong image based on a multilingual trademark and tailored to all international and regional stakeholders. Guy Vanhengel, minister, finance, budget, external relations and development cooperation, Brussels-Capital Region, commented, “An Internet address with a .brussels extension evokes associations with cosmopolitism, multilingualism, diversity, open-mindedness, selfmockery, humour, art, sports. Furthermore, Brussels is a strong brand name, the strongest in the country. The use of English ties in with Brussels’ status as capital of Europe and puts us on the world map, and rightly so.”
03 NOVEMBER 2014
NEWS
UK Hospitality to Flourish in 2015 UK hotels are benefiting from a resilient economy and buoyant travel markets, as an analysis by PwC UK sees evidence of a sustained and bedded-in growth story in the provinces, as well as continued growth in London.
O
verall, UK hotels are expected to see a 5.6 percent gain in RevPAR in 2015, driven by a four percent rates growth and a 1.6 percent increase in occupancy, which is set to reach 78 percent. In 2015, PwC expects trading fundamentals to remain sound, driven by the economic momentum and a buoyant travel market despite global geo‑political uncertainties, while the impact of the Rugby World Cup could be a significant demand driver.
Rotterdam Welcomes a New Market Experience
CAA Releases Flight Punctuality Reports
T Markthal
he UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) released statistics on passenger flights punctuality at London airports for the second quarter of the year, including Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, London Luton Airport, Stansted Airport and London City Airport, as well regional airports in Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow. According to the statistics, overall on-time performance stood at 78 percent and was three percent lower than in the corresponding period of 2013. London airports saw a 77 percent on-time performance, and at the regional airports the figure reached 81 percent. The monitored flights were on average 12 minutes late.
T
he Netherlands has welcomed its first indoor food market, Markthal, a new shopping, eating and living experience in Rotterdam. The market floor area contains 96 fresh produce units, 15 food shops and eight restaurants. Open seven days a week, the market is expected to witness 4.5 to seven million visitors per year. What is also special about the Markthal is the possibility to live there. There are 102 rental apartments and 126 units for sale which includes 24 penthouses. These reside at the top of the arch above the market hall area. The apartment types will host from two to five rooms with areas of 80m2 to 300m2.
6
Stansted Airport
03 NOVEMBER 2014
RAIL NEWS Developing Europe’s Transport Infrastructure
I
n a speech at Innotrans, a rail industry event in Berlin, Siim Kallas, vice president, European Commission, outlined the changes in approach that Europe’s transport infrastructure policy has undergone, showing there is a stronger focus on innovation and new technologies. Kallas noted that the European Commission aims to join the East and
the West and all corners of a vast geographical area, indicating that railways are a key part of the network in the plans to build. He noted that the big challenge ahead is the implementation of these infrastructure projects, which requires commitment, dedication and strong will from all stakeholders.
Eurostar Connects London and Geneva
I
n a bid to provide its passengers with even more convenient travel options, Eurostar has introduced a new route to its network by connecting London and Geneva, via Lille. Starting on December 14, the service will be offered four times per week. Passengers will be able to travel between London and
Eurostar Train
Geneva in just over six hours by boarding a TGV Lyria high-speed train in Lille. Nick Mercer, commercial director, Eurostar, said, “With citycentre to city-centre travel and a generous baggage allowance, the new offer proposes an attractive alternative to flying.” In addition to Geneva, Eurostar has further plans to introduce Lyon and Marseille to its network in May 2015, and Amsterdam in 2016.
03 NOVEMBER 2014
7
NEWS TOURISM BOARDS
Bringing about Awareness in Croatia
Tourism Ireland Celebrates Joint BritishIrish Visa
Ireland
The Croatian National Tourist Board in collaboration with the Tourist Board of Split-Dalmatia County hosted The Travel Network Group (TTNG).
T
he annual convention took place from October 3 – 5, bringing together more than 350 British agents and tour operators and raising awareness of Split, Dalmatia and Croatia as a whole. Gary Lewis, director, TTNG, said, “We thank our Croatian partners for all their support in organising this year's convention. I believe that the positive response of this event is to be highly visible in the increase in tourist traffic from the British market in the upcoming period.”
Split
T
ourism Ireland has welcomed the new joint British-Irish visa scheme, introduced on October 6 at the Irish Embassy in London in the presence of senior political, media and trade representatives. Niall Gibbons, CEO, Tourism Ireland, commented, “The introduction of the British-Irish visa scheme is really good news, making it easier than ever before for visitors from China and India to visit the island of Ireland. It is a significant step in helping us to grow visitor numbers from these markets, whether those visitors wish to travel here for sightseeing, golf or as business tourists.” He further highlighted that this step makes sense given the fact that these visitors travel long distances and often want to visit more than one destination.
EU Supports Moldova’s Development
now. . k u o y e Did d th n igne
s o ova Acti Mold ova-EU y 2005 r Mold Februa hin the t n i i w Plan russels s of the k r B r o n i ew hbou fram ean Neig y? p lic Euro hood Po
Chisinau
8
I
urie Leanca, prime minister, Moldova, recently met with civil society representatives to tackle issues that could be solved with the authorities’ support, at the second edition of the Civic Fest International Festival. The event brought together in Chisinau participants from Moldova and the European Union (EU) to interact, exchange ideas, experiences and best practices. The civil society representatives talked with the prime minister about the need to speed up the implementation of the law on the nongovernmental organisations’ (NGO) means of funding. Leanca emphasised the role of the civil society in Moldova’s development process. “NGOs have a vital role in promoting advanced models and innovations within the public policy process,” he said.
03 NOVEMBER 2014
ACCOMMODATION NEWS Choice Hotels International Expands in Turkey
C
hoice Hotels International has announced the signing of the 237-room Clarion Hotel Istanbul Airport North, scheduled to open in 2015, signifying further expansion of the company's Turkish hotel portfolio. “Expanding internationally in Europe is key to our global growth strategy, and we see great potential for our brands in Turkey,“ said Steve Joyce,
president, Choice Hotels International. “We have focussed initially on Istanbul because it is a thriving and vibrant destination for both business and leisure travellers. In contrast to competitor brands, our brands are not only suitable for new buildings, but also for existing and privately managed hotels,” concluded Joyce.
easyHotel Frankfurt Opens for Bookings
e
asyHotel has announced that its newest German property, the 132-room easyHotel Frankfurt City Center, is now accepting bookings ahead of its December 1 opening. Achim Marowsky, CEO, i.gen hotels, the master franchiser of easyHotel in Germany, stated,
Frankfurt
“We are pleased to bring easyHotel to Frankfurt and to take bookings for our new hotel [...] before the opening. The same rules apply in Frankfurt as in any other easyHotel: book early, pay less.” Simon Champion, CEO, easyHotel, added, “This new hotel provides customers with exactly what they want, a centrally located, good quality hotel at an affordable price.”
03 NOVEMBER 2014
9
NEWS ACCOMMODATION
Premier Hotels Welcomes New Property
L
uxury Ukrainian collection, Premier Hotels, has welcomed a new property in Odessa to its family, Premier Hotel Geneva City. “Odessa has a great potential to become a year-round destination. From a strongly pronounced resort city, it is gradually becoming a new touristic destination with the prospects of competition with the already recognized Lviv,” indicated Iryna Sidletska, general director, Premier International Hotel Management Company. Sidletska further noted that Odessa has a great demand for high-standard hotels, with the city attracting both tourists and the business community, and that Geneva City is a new object on the market, and the company is sure it will be a worthy participant of Premier Hotels’ collection.
10
A Fresh Start for Ten Trinity Square
M
ultinational investor and developer Reignwood Group and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts have announced plans to breathe new life into Ten Trinity Square, one of London’s most iconic buildings, by transforming the property into a luxury hotel and residential development. With 98 guestrooms and suites, the site of Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square will also include 41 private residences, Ten Trinity Square, The Residences at Four Seasons, as well as a private members’ club. “We are thrilled to be working with Reignwood Group on the transformation of this unique and exquisite London landmark,” said Allen Smith, president, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
Fairmont Signs a Prestigious Barcelona Deal
F
airmont Hotels & Resorts has flagged Barcelona as its newest destination as the company penned a deal to manage the city’s prestigious Hotel Rey Juan Carlos I property. The 432-room hotel, officially to be rebranded as Fairmont Rey Juan Carlos I, will undergo extensive renovation in 2015, but will remain open throughout this period. Centrally located, it offers an acclaimed spa, extensive MICE facilities and provides direct access to the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya congress centre. Jennifer Fox, president, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, commented, “Barcelona is one of the most popular destinations in Europe and a key hub for the cruise market, as well as for MICE travel, a segment in which Fairmont has established itself as an industry leader.”
Regina Hotel Baglioni Welcomes Its Latest Spa
R
egina Hotel Baglioni on Via Veneto, Rome, has announced that the new Baglioni SPA by Caschera SPA is now open, offering an oasis in the city for all who want to experience authentic beauty and wellbeing. Designed by Rebosio +Spagnulo, the spa features two massage rooms, a beauty room, fitness centre, sauna, Turkish bath and a Jacuzzi. Guests can experience an extensive range of treatments, including the signature SPA Penthouse Ritual, a unique massage and facial created exclusively by Paolo Caschera for Regina Hotel Baglioni. This exclusive treatment is carried out in the hotel’s 560m² Roman Penthouse suite, which has 360-degree views of the Eternal City.
03 NOVEMBER 2014
ACCOMMODATION NEWS Turkey Welcomes Radisson Blu Hotel, Kayseri
C
arlson Rezidor Hotel Group recently celebrated the opening of its 10th property in Turkey, Radisson Blu Hotel, Kayseri. Centrally located, the hotel offers 244 rooms and suites, as well as a wellness centre with a traditional hammam, steam bath, indoor and thermal pools, solarium and gym. For diners, it boasts four restau-
rants and bars, one of which is located on the rooftop offering panoramic vistas over the city and Erciyes Mountains. ”Kayseri has always been an important business destination in Turkey and is attracting more and more visitors”, stated Mehmet Mulayim, general manager, Radisson Blu Hotel, Kayseri.
Russian Investor Restores Ancient Estate in Belarus
Mir Castle, Belarus
A
Belarus public association, Country Escape, has recently revealed that an ancient estate in the town of Vidzy, in the Vitebsk Oblast county, is to be restored by a Russian investor. “The ancient country estate in Vidzy, where spa procedures and mineral water baths used to be available, will be restored with the assistance of Russian capital. The project is already in its implementation phase,” confirmed Valeria Klitsunova, chairwoman, Country Escape, adding that the number of investments into farm tourism estates is also on the rise. “I strongly hope that this new wave will embellish the Belarusian countryside,” she enthused, expressing her belief that Belarus will emerge to be a country of castles and country estates.
03 NOVEMBER 2014
11
NEWS AIRPORTS
Stansted Airport Brings Out New Departure Lounge
P
hase one of Stansted Airport’s brand new international departure lounge has officially opened, as part of the GBP80 million (EUR102 million) terminal transformation project taking place at the airport, significantly improving the services and facilities available for passengers. The latest phase guides passengers on a simple journey through the largest World Duty Free store in terms of retail space, which boasts a variety of shops, and has created an extra 250 jobs. The next major milestone in the transformation will be the opening of a brand new Escape Lounge in early 2015, located directly below the main departures area and overlooking the airfield. This will be followed by the arrival of further exciting worldfamous food and beverage brands.
Stansted Airport
12
Expansion Works Start at RIA
R
iga International Airport (RIA) has announced that construction work has started on the expansion of its northern terminal. The project is expected to see the enlargement of the terminal’s nonSchengen area, as well as the addition of four new boarding areas to complement RIA’s existing facilities. Following the completion of works, the airport is to be able to cater to larger aircraft, and, thus, increase its overall capacity as, according to current passenger number growth rate, RIA expects to serve up to five million travellers per year by 2017. Companies involved in the expansion project are Skonto Būve, Būvalts P.M.G and Arhis Arhitekti.
RIA
Birmingham Airport and Gatwick Airport Join Forces
P
aul Kehoe, CEO, Birmingham Airport, and Stewart Wingate, CEO, Gatwick Airport, have for the first time joined forces to call on the Airports Commission to ensure any new runway developments promote competition and choice across the UK. Kehoe said, “Passengers and businesses tell us they want to fly direct. With our region attracting over a quarter of the UK's foreign direct investment, we are clear that the answer is a network of national long-haul airports, plugging all regions into global growth opportunities.“ Wingate added, “By expanding Gatwick, we can harness the strength of the country's network of great airports, delivering new South East capacity and supporting the growth of connectivity across the UK.“
Birmingham Airport
03 NOVEMBER 2014
AIR NEWS
WestJet to Serve Glasgow Daily Glasgow Airport has further strengthened its long-haul connectivity after the Canadian airline WestJet announced it is to introduce direct flights between Glasgow and Halifax, Nova Scotia, during summer 2015.
Halifax
T
03 NOVEMBER 2014
he inaugural nonstop flight will depart Glasgow on May 30, 2015 and will fly daily until October 24, 2015. Amanda McMillan, managing director, Glasgow Airport, said, “This is fantastic news for Glasgow Airport and for Scotland. WestJet is an ambitious airline with an extensive route network and we are delighted it has chosen Glasgow as its first ever UK destination. Scotland has always enjoyed a close relationship with Canada and not only will the daily service to Halifax provide our customers with greater choice, it will further strengthen our long haul connectivity.”
Wizz Air Strengthens Links with Tel Aviv
W
izz Air recently boosted its services from Tel Aviv, Israel, with one additional weekly flight to both Budapest and Bucharest. The airline has also reintroduced its Tel Aviv – Warsaw route, strengthening ties between Israel and Poland. Daniel de Carvalho, corporate communications, Wizz Air, commented, “Wizz Air is delighted to respond to increased demand for our Tel Aviv routes with more low fare seats to Budapest and Bucharest, as well as the reinstatement of our Warsaw route earlier than planned as part of our winter schedule. We are looking forward to welcoming ever-more passengers on our greater number of flights from Tel Aviv with the low fares which our customers love.”
13
NEWS AIR Air Lituanica Signs Interline Agreement
Air Serbia Reconnects Belgrade and Tirana
A
ir Serbia recently introduced thriceweekly flights between Belgrade and Tirana, reinstating the connection between the two cities after a five-year hiatus. Dane Kondić, CEO, Air Serbia, commented, “The reintroduction of services to Tirana benefits the more than two million[-strong] Albanian diaspora in Europe with increased travel options and connectivity over our Belgrade hub to their homeland. The route will also further contribute to the growth of Albania’s inbound tourism.” Siniša Mali, chairman, Air Serbia, added, “The new service reinforces the significant progress Air Serbia is making with its operation and network expansion.”
A
ir Lituanica has signed a interline agreement with Air France and KLM. Simonas Bartkus, chief commerce officer, Air Lituanica, said, “From now on, passengers will be able to buy a single ticket, for example, for a journey from Vilnius to Miami via Paris or Amsterdam at a convenient time and for a reasonable price. Air France and KLM will operate connecting flights on our direct routes to Paris and Amsterdam. For us, it is extremely important that we will be able to use particularly wide ticket distribution channels of the two carriers and offer their exceptional service to our passengers.”
Air France and kulula.com Collaborate
Celebration of the New Service
Turkish Airlines Adds New Routes
T
A
ir France and kulula.com have announced a codeshare partnership whereby the airline will add its code to kulula.com’s domestic route network. This will allow customers to seamlessly connect in South Africa to and from Cape Town, Durban, George and East London and enjoy the benefits of purchasing a single Air France ticket with the convenience of one-stop check-in and baggage transfer. Air France and kulula.com further confirmed that discussions were underway to include the Flying Blue Frequent Flyer Programme which will allow members to accrue and redeem miles on the codeshare flights.
14
urkish Airlines has launched direct flights to the capitals and the largest cities of Estonia and Lithuania; Tallinn and Vilnius, as of October 26. Flights from Istanbul to Tallinn will operate four times a week, and services between the Turkish hub and Vilnius will be operating five times per week.
Tallinn
03 NOVEMBER 2014
AIR NEWS Austrian Airlines Restructures Its Network
A
ustrian Airlines announced several changes to its global destination network to better cater to its passengers. The carrier has reaffirmed its commitment to North America with a phased increase in frequency of flights to Newark, from five to seven by June 2015, as well as the continuation of daily flights to New York, Chicago, Washington and Toronto. Also, the number of flights to Chisinau will rise from seven to 10 to meet the demand of the airline’s transfer passengers. As for the MENA region, flights will continue to Tel Aviv and Tehran, with Istanbul to be reintroduced in time for Easter holidays. Finally, 39 destinations will be offered in Eastern Europe, including four in Russia; Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar and Rostov.
15
NEWS AIR Lufthansa’s Biggest Product Upgrade
Condor Adds to 2015 Schedule
O
n October 2, a special two-hour flight took off from Frankfurt Airport for Lufthansa’s Boeing 747-8 featuring the new premium economy class. The aircraft is the first in the Lufthansa fleet to offer the new class of travel on board. Karl Ulrich Garnadt, CEO, Lufthansa, stressed that premium economy was an important part of the biggest product upgrade in Lufthansa’s history. From December 1, Lufthansa customers will be able to enjoy premium economy class on all flights on the Boeing 747-8 fleet. The new offering seats will make up some 10 percent of the entire seating capacity on each wide-bodied aircraft.
A
new destination on America's West Coast is being added to Condor's schedule in summer 2015. Beginning June 19, 2015, the German carrier will be flying nonstop twice a week to Portland, Oregon. The flights will be operated by a Boeing 767-300 with departures to and from Frankfurt on Tuesdays and Fridays. Additionally, easy connections with Alaska Airlines will also increase the frequency to Seattle with Condor to six days a week. “Condor flies nonstop to Seattle on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays,” said Jens Boyd, head of long-haul, Condor.
Blue Air Celebrates 10 Years
H
aving launched in December 2004, the Romanian carrier Blue Air is successfully completing 10 years of operation now serving 30 destinations across Europe. In order to better serve its diverse clientele, the airline recently completed a number of developments. Those included increasing its fleet from six to 11 aircraft – all Boeing 737; redesigning its livery to better express its core values; retrofitting the interior of all aircraft with stateof-the-art seats offering passengers a more comfortable in-flight experience; and developing the network with new destinations such as Liverpool, Bacau, Turin Cuneo, Catania and Cologne Bonn. Moreover, Blue Air has further developed its Smart Flying concept so that passengers are the ones to decide the configuration of their flight ticket by choosing from three categories of basic and optional Blue Air services.
16
03 NOVEMBER 2014
RENDEZVOUS TRAVEL TRADE EUROPE: Why is the continent a perennial favourite with travellers around the world? TALEB RIFAI: Modern tourism is rooted in contemporary European history. Europe´s industrial revolution, which had a profound socioeconomic and cultural impact, fuelled the emergence of the middle class which increasingly sought travel as a leisure activity. In the 1950s, as international tourism began to flourish after the Second World War, most international tourists travelled to, and from, the industrialised regions of Europe and North America. Today, Europe remains the most visited region in the world with 563 million international tourist arrivals in 2013. Europe has a multitude of tourist attractions; famous monuments and landmarks, historical sites, cosmopolitan cities, beautiful landscapes and world-class gastronomy. Other key factors include ease of travel; the Schengen Visa, whose provisions allow EU citizens and tourists free movement [...], accessible air travel and good rail and road connections.
Q & A with
Taleb Rifai
SECRETARY GENERAL, WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION (UNWTO)
TRAVEL TRADE EUROPE: How do you see the visa relaxation issue moving within Europe? How would it benefit the region’s less developed countries?
TRAVEL TRADE EUROPE: This year, the region’s growth is driven by Northern and Mediterranean Europe. Why do you think these areas witness such a demand? Which European countries/regions still hold a great development potential? TALEB RIFAI: Much of the growth in Northern and Southern Europe reflects the rebound of important European source markets such as the UK and Germany. With regards to destinations showing growth potential, countries in Central and Eastern Europe have in recent years been showing consistent strong growth. In fact, this sub-region recorded the highest growth rate for the past three consecutive years, with many small countries registering double-digit growth. Our long-term forecasts reveal that by 2030, Central and Eastern Europe will be the fifth most visited sub-region in the world. TRAVEL TRADE EUROPE: Which are Europe’s emerging inbound markets and how are they going to shape the region’s tourism image in years to come? TALEB RIFAI: Destinations in Central and Eastern Europe have been showing particularly strong growth. The number of in03 NOVEMBER 2014
eralisation of the air transport market in the 1990s. [...] Further factors include the developments in the Schengen area, the single currency in the Eurozone as well as the economic integration process which led to increased business links between European businesses. Given this advantage, destinations in Europe can further leverage by easing their visa policies wider in the region, as well as instituting what we call ‘intelligent’ taxation models on travel and tourism to maintain fair competition among destinations. In addition, [...] it is important to develop and promote emerging niche tourism markets such as cultural tourism, ecotourism, health and wellness, sports, spiritual tourism, as well as other special interest holidays or themebased tourism segments.
WITH TOURISM HAVING ITS ROOTS IN THE MODERN EUROPEAN HISTORY, THE REGION IS LEADING IN TERMS OF INBOUND AND OUTBOUND TRAVELLERS. TALEB RIFAI, SECRETARY GENERAL, UNWTO, PREDICTS THAT BY 2030, EUROPE WILL ACCOUNT FOR 744 MILLION OF THE 1.8 BILLION GLOBAL TOURISTS. ternational tourist arrivals to these countries grew on average 4.8 percent a year in the last decade as compared to three percent a year for Europe as a whole. Looking ahead, prospects for international tourism in Europe remain very positive. Despite an expected slowdown due to the redistribution of tourism as emerging destinations take a larger share of the global tourism market, Europe will still long be the world’s most visited region. Overall, the region will
see an average growth of 2.3 percent a year compared to the world average of 3.3 percent, and by 2030, Europe will account for 744 million of the 1.8 billion international tourists travelling the world. TRAVEL TRADE EUROPE: What needs to be changed in order for intra-European travel to flourish further? TALEB RIFAI: Intra-European travel has been significantly boosted by the lib-
TALEB RIFAI: Visa facilitation is certainly one of UNWTO’s central priorities as this is closely linked with tourism development; leading to job creation, socioeconomic growth and international cooperation. Over recent decades, visa facilitation has gained much ground, particularly via multilateral agreements that mutually exempt all or certain categories of travellers from obtaining a visa, of which Schengen is an excellent example. According to the UNWTO Openness Index, while in 2010 destinations around the world requested, on average, that 75 percent of the world’s population obtained a traditional visa before initiating an international journey, [this year] this share decreased to 62 percent. There is still, however, much more that can be done. With regards to advancing visa facilitation in Europe, the European Commission is currently reviewing the Schengen visa system, discussing, among other facilitation measures, the possible exemption for short-stay Schengen visas for citizens from Moldova, Peru, Colombia and the UAE. [...] This will greatly contribute to the competitiveness of European tourism namely in emerging markets such as China or Brazil at a time when international tourism is becoming increasingly competitive. [...]
17
NEWS AIR
MALTA’S AIRPORT TRAFFIC BOOSTED Malta International Airport registered a 2.4 percent increase in traffic in September, catering to a total of 463,215 passengers, a development attributed to the closure of the Libyan airspace since mid-July.
“T
hese figures are a great follow-up to the half a million passengers we hosted in August, the airport’s best month ever recorded,” said Markus Klaushofer, CEO, Malta International Airport. During September, France was the market to register the largest growth at 11.1 percent, thanks to increased demand on the Paris route. Traffic from Italy and the UK grew by 8.9 percent and 6.7 percent respectively. Between January and September this year, the Mediterranean hub witnessed an increase of 7.2 percent when compared to 2013’s figures, hosting a total of 3,385,808 passengers.
KLM: App for Transfer Passengers
T
o elevate the travel experience for its transfer passengers at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, KLM has launched a new mobile app which helps travellers better plan their transfer time. Upon arrival, passengers who have installed the app need to connect to free Wi-Fi and turn their Bluetooth on in order to view a map of the airport, along with the route they need to take and the walking time. This allows them to know exactly how much time to allocate for shopping, refreshments or other activities. The app, currently available for Android smartphones, uses the latest ibeacon technology to provide indoor navigation service, and will soon be available for iOS devices.
18
Edelweiss Invests in Core Markets
E
delweiss is continuing to grow and invest in its core markets with its summer 2015 schedule, introducing new destinations in Europe and expanding its flight offering in North America and the Caribbean. The airline will increase the number of flights to Las Vegas, Tampa/Florida and Vancouver with three weekly flights, this in addition to two weekly flights to Havana, Cuba. Additionally, new destinations such as Banja Luka and Podgorica are being included in the route network and the number of flights to Pristina, Skopje and Split are also to be increased. The choice of flights to Greece and Turkey will expand and with new services to Corfu. In addition, increased flights to Heraklion and Dalaman, and extra services to Spain and Italy, will be introduced.
03 NOVEMBER 2014
AGENTS NEWS
Nordic Tour Operators Experience Ireland
A
group of leading tour operators from the Nordic countries recently visited Ireland as guests of Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. The group was taken on a tour of Ireland and also had the opportunity to meet local tourism providers, at a networking event in Tralee. Aileen Hickey, manager, Nordic region, Tourism Ireland, said, “We are delighted to bring these influential Nordic tour operators to Ireland, […] to see for themselves the high standard and variety of the tourism product on offer here. Our aim is to enthuse them about the destination and ensure that when they return home, they are better equipped to advise their clients about Ireland when planning and booking their holidays.”
TUI Travel Boasts Strong Figures
T
his October, TUI Travel released its preliminary operating results, showing growth across its product portfolio. “Our strong trading and market performance continues to be driven by increased customer demand for unique holidays and higher conversion rates from our web platforms, driven by our digital transformation strategy,” said Peter Long, CEO, TUI Travel. The company’s operating profit grew by at least nine percent, and this summers trading closed with higher average selling prices. Particularly strong performance was noted in Germany with overall bookings jumping nine percent, and package holidays rising by 22 percent. Bookings for winter 2014/2015 season are up two percent, and summer 2015 bookings jumped by 11 percent. Online bookings grew by nine percent in summer, with Germany again showing high growth of 19 percent.
kn Did you
Tralee, Ireland
03 NOVEMBER 2014
Thomas Cook Researches Family Holiday Trends
T
homas Cook’s latest research on family holidays highlighted that a third of all parents prefer a sunny holiday and a third of the kids desire snow adventures. Similarly, while half of all parents want to enjoy sites or Northern Lights, a third of all kids prefer theme parks. With 90 percent of kids having travelled abroad, they are crucial to travel planning and execution, as 74 percent of parents let their children influence their holiday choices, and one in five teenagers already booked a holiday themselves. Salman Syed, managing director, UK and Ireland, Thomas Cook, stated that the company has tailored its 2014/15 winter holidays to offer more than the traditional ‘fly and flop’ options with a range of activities.
ow. .
tes pera 0 o l e n 18 Trav TUI ore tha h more t m i w in illion tries coun n 30 m 31 key tha ers in s? rket om u c st rce ma sou
19
TRAVEL TALK
We offer 1.5 million passengers the opportunity to choose extra comfort
KARL ULRICH GARNADT CEO, Lufthansa
“We are launching a new travel class for the first time in 35 years. With premium economy class alone, we will be able to offer some 1.5 million passengers per year the opportunity to choose extra comfort and quality at affordable prices. Booking levels to date have significantly exceeded our expectations. This shows that we are striking a chord with customers with our new offering. As well as cost-conscious business travellers, we are also attracting the rapidly growing target group of leisure travellers who do not want to skimp on on-board comforts during their holidays.”
We have many new dining, lounging and entertainment spaces in the works
KEVIN SHEEHAN President, Norwegian Cruise Line
“The Waterfront and 678 Ocean Place have revolutionised the industry, receiving rave reviews from our guests and travel partners. We knew from the start that Norwegian Escape should also feature this game-changing design. With this new, larger ship, we have taken the concept up another notch and we have added some additional interesting venues and features. We recognised the need to be able to accommodate groups on board and have addressed that with a private dining space.”
[The award] reflects the trust our investment partners place in us
PUNEET CHHATWAL CEO, Steigenberger Hotels
“We are delighted to have been awarded this title, [of the most wanted investment partner in the hotel branch by The 2014 Treugast Investment Rankings], which reflects the trust our investment partners place in us. It also strengthens our endeavours to pursue our successful strategy of expansion with strong partners on our side.”
TRAVEL TALK IS YOUR SPACE – this is a casual forum for travel industry professionals to discuss current issues and share stories. We want to hear from you, so send your comments, questions, frustrations and observations to editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel
20
03 NOVEMBER 2014
WHO’S MOVED
PHILIP MICALLEF
EMMA GREEN
22
Philip Micallef has taken on the position of the new CEO at Air Malta, as the company’s board is working to have a full management team in place. Micallef, who has a wealth of experience in leading complex organisations, was most recently the CEO of the Bermuda Communications Regulatory Authority, while in the last 30 years, he has occupied various management positions within many organisations in Malta and overseas, both in the private and public sector. He has worked with various telecommunication and information technology companies and organisations in Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Libya and France, as he holds a bachelor degree in electrical engineering from University of Malta and a master’s in business administration from University of Warwick, UK.
Emma Green has been appointed regional sales manager in the UK for leisure and entertainment at Baglioni Hotels. After gaining her first-class honours degree in hospitality management, Green’s strong ambitions led to an immediate leap into the British capital’s five-star hotel market. Having previously worked for some of London’s most unique; luxury hotels such as The Goring and The Arch London, her most recent experience gave her global visibility. As global account manager of luxury leisure and entertainment sales in the UK for Melià Hotels International, she thoroughly enhanced its dynamic sales efforts across the UK, leading to an overall rise above budget in 2013. Green will be based at Baglioni’s London corporate office.
CLAUDIA KÜCHLER
JOE MENSAH
Claudia Küchler has been appointed as bmi regional’s new sales manager for Germany. Based in Frankfurt, she joined bmi regional at an exciting time as the British carrier plans further expansion in the German market, a venture Küchler is to assist with her comprehensive knowledge of the German leisure and corporate sectors. She has over 15 years’ experience in aviation, having worked in sales management positions for several carriers. After graduating from the University of Trier she joined United States Travel and Tourism Administration in Frankfurt as a marketing project specialist before moving into aviation, taking a sales position at World Airways. She then moved to Aviareps, where she managed sales for various carriers.
Joe Mensah has joined Jumeirah Carlton Tower as director of events. With over 15 years’ experience in event management, he brings a wealth of knowledge to this pivotal role. Prior to his appointment, he was director of events and operations at InterContinental London Park Lane where his responsibilities included the planning and execution of high profile events. At his current role Mensah’s duties include leading a passionate team to new heights committed to delivering excellent guest experiences in service and facilities, staying true to Jumeirah’s STAY DIFFERENT brand promise, while he will be managing events at the recently refurbished ballroom, which is suitable for special occasions and conferences.
03 NOVEMBER 2014
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. Send your photos to editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel Because a picture is worth a thousand words...
The French by Simon Rogan at QHotels' Manchester hotel, The Midland celebrated its fourth AA Rosette at the AA Hospitality Awards
Scandic and chef Jamie Oliver opened the Nordic region’s first Jamie’s Italian at Scandic Anglais in Stockholm
Žarko Radulović, co-owner, Montenegro Stars Hotels Group is the winner of this year’s Russian Award
03 NOVEMBER 2014
Surprise Icelandair stopover for stunned passenger
NH Collection presents NH Collection Eurobuilding
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts will bottle and retail the beloved Bloody Mary cocktail, born in the King Cole Bar at The St. Regis New York in 1934
World number two tennis star Maria Sharapova trained for seven days at Thanyapura Phuket ahead of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals 2014 in Singapore
23
NEWS & EVENTS European Travel Shows RobustEVENTS Growth
EVENTS
“A
ugust was a good month right across the industry. All regions reported an expansion in demand for air travel. And load factors were high, reflecting the fact that August is peak travel season in the Northern hemisphere,” said Tony Tyler, director general, International Air Transport Association (IATA), commenting on international passenger traffic. Specifically, European carriers’ worldwide movements climbed 6.8 percent in August compared to the same 2013 period. Capacity was up six percent pushing load factor to 86.9 percent which is 0.6 percentage points above August 2013 levels.
THE GLOBAL MEETINGS & EVENTS EXPO (EIBTM) Barcelona, Spain November 18 – 20 www.eibtm.com The flagship event of the Incentives, Business Travel and Meetings (IBTM) global events portfolio, which holds seven events across the globe.
Messinia to Host ABTA 2015 Travel Convention
A
BTA has announced that Costa Navarino in the region of Peloponnese in Messinia, Greece, will host the ABTA 2015 Travel Convention, set to take place from October 12 – 14, 2015. Petros Tatoulis, governor, Peloponnese, commented, “I am extremely satisfied and happy about ABTA’s decision to host [2015's] event in the Peloponnese, in the beautiful area of Messinia. The Peloponnese is a rapidly developing tourist destination, with unique beauty, rich cultural heritage, long history, exceptional gastronomy and most importantly with excellent tourist facilities.“
TT WARSAW Warsaw, Poland November 27 – 29 www.ttwarsaw.pl One of the leading Polish shows in the Central and Eastern Europe targeted at the tourist industry.
INTERNATIONAL LUXURY TRAVEL MARKET (ILTM) Peloponnese
Cannes, France December 1 – 4 www.iltm.com ILTM is luxury travel's flagship event, where agents and advisors meet luxury experiences.
EAST MEDITERRANEAN INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AND TRAVEL EXHIBITION (EMITT) Istanbul, Turkey January 22 – 25, 2015 www.emittistanbul.com This edition will assign an entire hall to healthcare, aesthetics, thermal and spa tourism.
FITUR Madrid, Spain January 28 – February 1, 2015 www.ifema.es A global meeting point for tourism professionals for the Ibero-American markets.
24
03 NOVEMBER 2014