EMAAR PRESENTED EXPANSION PLANS

GCC TARGETS INDIAN AND CHINESE MARKETS

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6 MAY 2017 ISSUE 391

BAHRAIN TO WELCOME 15 NEW PROPERTIES BY 2020

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AgentsMarket Update

International

TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS

6 MAY 20172

MARKET UPDATE www.traveltradeweekly.travel

MANAGING EDITOR

Mary Kammitsi mary@traveltradeweekly.travel

JOURNALISTS Ellen Petty Maria Sabova

CONTRIBUTORS Panayiotis Karanicholas Anna Spyrou Dominique Christou

DESIGN & LAYOUTElena Stylianou

WEB & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Savvas Kammitsis

DIRECTORS Andreas Constantinides Mary Kammitsi

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Dinar

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0.37

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250.26

COUNTRY CURRENCY USD1=

4.5.2017as ofMENA EXCHANGE RATES

Tourists Spent More in 2016

Since 2012, China has continued to lead the international outbound tourism in spending and is now followed by the US, Germany, the UK and France as top five spenders.

Among the largest 50 source markets, Egypt earned its place with a 19 percent rise in trav-elling expenditures, followed by Qatar and Thailand, both reaching 11 percent growth in tour-

ism spending.

Sri Lanka Targets the Middle East

Ahead of its 14th consecutive year of attendance at Arabian Travel Market, Sri Lanka Tourism highlighted the importance of the Middle Eastern market, which accounts for around seven to eight percent of all arrivals.

In 2016, the country welcomed 107,635 travellers from the Middle East, a substantial growth com-pared to the 2011 figure of around 56,000. In particular, Saudi Arabia demonstrated a significant in-crease, with nearly 38,836 holidaymakers in 2016, the largest Middle Eastern source market, followed by Oman with 14,216 tourists. Despite a slight decline in visitors from the UAE, it still represents the third largest Middle Eastern

market. Meanwhile, Kuwait is considered an important emerging market for Sri Lanka.

According to the results on tourism expenditure from major outbound markets, reported in the latest World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) World Tourism Barometer, 2016 marked an increasing demand for international tourism across the world, with many source markets demonstrating a double-digit growth in spending.

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ACCORDING TO BAHRAIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD (EDB), BAHRAIN IS TO FOLLOW ITS HOSPITALITY SECTOR’S GROWTH WITH PLANS TO LAUNCH 15 NEW PROPERTIES WORTH USD10 MILLION BY 2020.

T he Kingdom’s existing portfolio of 190 hotels and resorts is set to expand with world-renowned hospitality brands planning to boost current ca-pacity of 16,500 rooms with additional 4,000 keys. Meanwhile, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority aims at reinvigorating the industry through a new campaign Ours. Yours. Bahrain. to encourage USD1 billion

contribution of the sector to the country’s economy.H.E. Khalid Al Rumaihi, CEO, Bahrain EDB, commented, “These future invest-

ments in the hospitality sector [will] fill the gaps in the market, […] and will both help to meet rising demand and attract new visitors to the Kingdom.”

Bahrain to Welcome 15 New Properties

6 MAY 2017 3

WEEKLY NEWSwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

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Abha Granted Tourism Funding

Dubai’s Tourism Strong

Q1 Results

A bha has been an-nounced as the next tourism funding project,

on the occasion of the event Abha as the Capital of Arabic Tour-ism 2017.

Supported by H.R.H. Faisal bin Khalid bin Abdul Aziz, gov-ernor, Asir province, the event highlighted the potential of the region through exhibitions across 20 pavilions, attended by public and private sector organisations.

Following the event’s launch-ing ceremony, H.R.H. Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, president, Saudi Commission for Tourism & National Heritage, confirmed that the summer 2018 will see more tourism projects across the Kingdom, with the Asir province to witness a shift in tourism, be-ing the major beneficiary of the latest financing programmes of this year.

D ubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing confirmed that

the destination has sustained the momentum of this year’s strong start and recorded 11 percent over-all increase in overnight visitors in the first quarter (Q1), more than a double growth compared to the same period in 2016.

During the reviewed period, the emirate welcomed 4.57 million visitors, among which Chinese and Russian tourists marked the highest growth, 64 and 106 percent jumps over 2016, which is attributed to positive changes in visa policy. Meanwhile, India, Saudi Arabia and the UK remained as top three source markets, accounting collec-tively for 30 percent of total Q1 ar-rivals, with India reaching a record of nearly 580,000 visitors, the first ever market to achieve such figure for the reviewed period.

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WEEKLY NEWS www.traveltradeweekly.travel

6 MAY 2017

Yas Island Targeted ATM Visitors

Experiential Travel to Boost GCC Tourism

The panel discussion The Real Deal: Why selling local experiences matters held at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) revealed that fusing cultural offerings with

the latest modern attractions is a way ahead to maximise Dubai’s and GCC countries’ tourism potential.

During the seminar, Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corpo-ration for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, confirmed that while contemporary attractions position Dubai globally, cultural authentic sites represent unique expe-riences that deepen the destination’s offerings and en-hancing travellers’ holidays.

Elaborating, Saif Saeed Ghobash, director general, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, stressed the importance of well educated citizens who through the knowledge of their city and multi-lingual skills can pro-mote a destination to visitors, therefore an investment in such training is required.

Hailed as one of the UAE’s premier enter-tainment and business destinations, Yas Island participated at this year’s Arabian

Travel Market (ATM) on April 24 —27, in order to showcase its full range of leisure and MICE offer-ings to both domestic and international visitors.

With the ongoing development of world-class projects including Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, CLYMB, and SeaWorld, the island is ex-pected to attract more visitors and boost tourism to Abu Dhabi in 2018 and beyond.

Delegates visited Yas Island’s immersive stand exhibiting 3D depictions of some of the destina-tion’s iconic structures and future attractions and learnt more about its diversified portfolio of cur-rent and upcoming offerings.

Camel Festival Underlined Regional Heritage

The annual King Abdul Aziz Camel Festival, organised by Saudi Commission for Tourism & National Heritage (SCTH) in cooperation with the King Abdul Aziz Dara,

was successfully concluded in Al Sayaheed.As noted by H.R.H. Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul

Aziz, president, SCTH, the festival, a tribute to the important role of camels in the history of Saudi Arabia, was a part of SCTH’s efforts to boost the events and activities which elevate the public awareness about the country’s heritage and sup-port tourism. He further pinpointed, “Paying great attention to the events associated with the heritage of the regions and linking the generations to their heritage is an original ap-proach established by SCTH since its inception.”

ATM, The Real Deal: Why selling local experiences matters

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UNWTO and ATM Facilitated Leadership Talks

World Tourism Organization (UN-WTO) & Arabian Travel Market (ATM) Ministerial Forum, held on

April 24, brought together tourism ministers and industry leaders from across the MENA region to discuss ways and means of capi-talising on tourism growth while also max-imising the sustainable development of the sector.

The main themes discussed included the advance of domestic tourism, supporting in-novation and entrepreneurship as well as the need to improve the quality and perception of tourism employment.

Along with how best to ensure resilience, ministers debated issues regarding visa fa-cilitation, intra-regional connectivity and the measurement of tourism’s impact through the recently launched UNWTO Initiative on Measuring Sustainable Tourism.

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WEEKLY NEWS AGENTSwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

GTA and Hotelbeds Join Forces

R eferring to the recent announcement of Tourico Holidays joining the group thus proving the company’s commitment to accelerate its expansion, Joan Vilà, executive chairman, Hotelbeds Group, explained that GTA’s significant

presence in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East closely aligns with Hotelbeds Groups’ growth strategy.

Ivan Walter, CEO, GTA, added, “[…] By coming together with Hotelbeds Group we can bring together a wealth of experience, commitment and a clear strategic focus on the B2B sector. We believe that today's news is a milestone for the industry and great news for our respective suppliers and customers.”

Hotelbeds Group has announced that business-to-business (B2B) travel distributor GTA has joined its bedbank family, in a

bid to further drive the distribution in the sector.

dnata Travel Launched Ninth

Doha Outlet

As part of its expansion ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, dnata Travel has opened an outlet on The Pearl-

Qatar, offering outbound getaways and in-bound services.

Rashid Alawadi, vice president, regions, dnata Travel, stated, “The opening of our ninth travel hub is a testament to the ser-vice standards, quality travel products and overall success of dnata Travel in Qatar. We have seen our business grow exponentially over the past few years and I believe it is due to the speed to market, service innovation, technology, and staff training we offer.”

In the past three years, the company has achieved 100 percent growth in non-air transactions and has experienced a yearly growth of around 15 – 20 percent in overall business.

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WEEKLY NEWS www.traveltradeweekly.travel

D ubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) brought together over 200 hospitality professionals in an event at Bollywood Parks Dubai, to share information on the newest offerings and experiences.

Concierges and members of Dubai’s extensive hotel community convened to re-ceive updates on various projects in the pipeline within the emirate and toured the parks and Riverland to ensure comprehensive knowledge of the attractions.

Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, com-mented on the initiative, “Our partners in the emirate are of utmost importance to our efforts to promote Dubai as a destination as we head towards 2020, and their support is truly invaluable. […] We will continue to invest in our relationship with them.”

Chinese Firm to Develop Al Marjan

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Dubai Tourism Gathered Industry Experts

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N ovel International Group, a Shanghai-based in-vestment company, has

recently unveiled plans to part-ner with Al Marjan Island to ac-quire 6.7ha of land for a luxury project on the man-made island.

“Ras Al Khaimah represents a lot of potential for us as investors, and the nature and infrastructure assets especially in Al Marjan Is-land and around are a winning card to bring the attention of China to the region,” pinpointed Alan Feng, director, Novel Inter-national Group.

The new development is in line with the emirate’s vision to attract one million visitors by the end of 2018 as well as encourage growth and diversification across the accommodation portfolio while enhancing tourism offer-ings for both business and leisure travellers.

D uring the seminar Capitalising on Experiential Travel: China & India Mega Source Markets at Arabian Travel Market, Colliers International revealed that Chinese and Indian outbound

tourism market are currently increasing 6.7 percent and seven per-cent, respectively, year-on-year.

According to the report, GCC hotels should aim for a volume-driv-en strategy when tapping the combined Indian and Chinese markets, while also creating culturally tailored experiences. All in all, 12 recom-mendations were suggested, including GCC-wide multi-entry visas, welcome kits and signage in native languages, along with targeted loyalty programmes.

“The growing middle class and cheaper flight options are trans-forming the outbound travel landscape for these two countries, with a combined 146 million passport holders,” commented Filippo Sona, director, head, hotels MENA region, Colliers International.

T he Saudi Exhibition and Convention Bureau (SECB) report-ed a fruitful first quarter (Q1) of this year, during which it li-censed some 2,484 various events, from which MICE events

marked a nine percent year-on-year increase.During the reviewed period, the organisation supported busi-

ness events in the healthcare, education, technology and commu-nication sectors, held in the forms of workshops, meetings, train-ing courses, exhibitions and conferences, among others. Through developing a favourable regulatory and legislative environment, including granting visiting visas, which reached 2873 approvals in Q1, SECB aims to strengthen the position of Saudi Arabia as an international destination for the MICE industry in the Middle East.

GCC Targets Indian and Chinese Markets

Saudi Events Industry in Boom

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DXB Entertainments Reveals Future of Lapita

F ollowing on the January opening of Lapita, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Autograph Collection Hotels, the first of its kind, and in direct response to the demand for onsite hotels within the entertainment parks, the company intends to collaborate with trusted partners to establish the upscale themed

brand in other locations.Raed Kajoor Al Nuaimi, CEO, DXB Entertainments, said, “We are aiming for Lapita to become the lead-

ing family hotel chain in key entertainment destinations around the world. Strategically we want to estab-lish ourselves locally before expanding regionally and then globally. […].”

As part of its strategy to become a leading leisure and entertainment provider, DXB Entertainments has announced plans to grow its Lapita brand to eventually become a global chain.

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WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION www.traveltradeweekly.travel

Cristal Group Lines Up Two

Hotels

Barr Al Jissah Unveils Al Mina

Residences

E nhancing its presence in the Middle East, Cristal Group has announced

the soft opening of two new properties in June, Bayat Hotel by Cristal in Saudi Arabia’s Abha region and Masaya Hotel & Resi-dences by Emerald in Erbil.

The new additions follow the group’s recent strategic partnership with StayWell Hos-pitality Group, through which the hotelier aims to strengthen its global appeal. The company currently has some 1,600 rooms in the region, including 200 keys in the UAE, as confirmed by Kamal Fakhoury, CEO, Cristal Group. He further revealed, “It is a record year of growth for us. We have two outstanding ho-tels lined up for soft launch next month […] which is a testament to the strength of our brands […].”

A iming to bring a new level of luxury to Oman, Barr Al Jissah has recent-

ly announced its plans to launch Al Mina Residences and Yacht Club.

Expected to be completed by 2020, the new development will feature 69 residential units rang-ing from sleek duplex and pent-house style apartments, to stylish villas with spectacular views.

Firas Matraji, CEO, Barr Al Jis-sah, commented, “[…] This new phase of expansion delivers stun-ning freehold residential proper-ties complete with full integrated tourism complex status, as well as all the premium lifestyle benefits afforded to our Barr Al Jissah resi-dents. […] With each of our resi-dences we offer more than just a home, we offer a great quality lifestyle that resonates with our homeowners across the globe.”

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A iming to showcase its ongoing renovation projects, Millennium Plaza Dubai is partic-ipated in this year’s Arabian Travel Market

(ATM) at Dubai International Convention Centre.As revealed during the event, the address is

currently upgrading its facilities to cater to the changing demands of the market providing guests with a new level of experience, including a refur-bished lobby, designed to welcome and impress guests. The property is also widening its dining options with the development of two new restau-rants. Furthermore, the addition of a presidential suite to the hotel’s inventory is set to attract an in-creasing number of families and affluent travellers.

Millennium Plaza Dubai Presents

Revamp

6 MAY 2017 9

WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATIONwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

Emaar Presented Expansion Plans

Alongside celebrations of its 10th anniversary of operations, Emaar Hospitality Group has unveiled six new hotel projects at the Arabian Travel Market, while also showcasing its port-folio of 10 hotels and three serviced residences.

Boosting its regional and international network, the hotelier confirmed 26 upcoming projects in the pipeline, including new addresses under its three brands in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Egypt.

Announcing the new project, Olivier Harnisch, CEO, Emaar Hospitality Group, noted, “[…] In such a short span of time, we have established our reputation as a home-grown Dubai hospitality group with a fast-growing regional and international footprint. The upcoming properties highlight our competencies as a hotel and serviced residences operator, committed to delivering guest-cen-tric lifestyle experiences.” Vi

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Al Dar Darak Expands Dubai Portfolio

Rotana Enhances Oman Inventory

Aiming to accommodate the higher number of long-stay leasers and holidaymakers in Dubai, Al Dar Darak has recently unveiled plans to

launch 10 new apartments in one of the emirate’s most vibrant areas.

Featuring one- to three- bedrooms units furnished with contemporary pieces designed by BoConcept, the new apartments will be located in City Walk, an outdoor retail complex with wellness and dining outlets offering experiences and venues for both business and pleasure.

The launch is set to take place in the second quarter of this year with further details to be announced soon.

During Arabian Travel Market, Rotana signed a manage-ment agreement with Golden Group Holding (GGH), for the opening of a new property in Muscat, Al Mouj Rayhaan

by Rotana.Located within the landmark Al Mouj development, an inte-

grated tourist complex comprising a mix of hotels, luxury residenc-es, dining facilities along with a private yachting hub and a golf course, the new address is designed to meet diverse guests’ needs.

Scheduled to open before 2020, the hotel will feature 250 rooms, suites and apartments.

Nasser Al Nowais, chairman, Rotana, commented, “[…] These projects will bring significant economic benefits for Oman and cre-ate hundreds of new jobs for Omani nationals, while providing a new level of guest experience to visitors to the Sultanate.”

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Rendering of Al Mouj Rayhann by Rotana

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WEEKLY NEWS AIR www.traveltradeweekly.travel

Emirates to Debut New A380 Onboard Lounge

S cheduled for its operational debut in July, the new version of the lounge was displayed at ATM, ena-bling visitors to experience its airier look, innovative lighting concepts, new seating area with tables and window views, as well as its horse-shoe shaped bar.

Speaking ahead of the event, Thierry Antinori, executive vice president, Emirates, enthused, “[ATM] is also a perfect platform for us to showcase our new product innovations, including our hugely popular A380 onboard lounge, and we look forward to highlighting its newly enhanced features to the travel trade and wider industry […].”

During Arabian Travel Market (ATM), Emirates showcased its enhanced Airbus A380 onboard lounge, along with other signature products.

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Saudia Boosts Inventory

Oman Air Presented New B787-9

S audia Airlines has announced the expansion of its fleet with the addition of a new Boeing 787-9, the first of 15 jets awaiting delivery, bringing the current number of Boeing aircraft to seven.

Purchasing the state-of-the-art aircraft from major global producers is the carrier’s strategy to con-stantly modernise its fleet, according to the requirements for different types and sizes of the aircraft, reflecting its operational strategies for domestic, regional and international flights. Presently, the Saudi national airline boasts 129 jets, including the market’s latest Boeing and Airbus wide-body aircraft.

A New Partnership for Nile Air

N ile Air has recently unveiled plans to col-laborate with Hahn

Air Group, the German-based provider of distribution ser-vices for air, rail and shuttle partners and the ticketing expert for travel agents. The new partnership will enable the airline’s passengers to use over 100,000 travel agencies in over 190 markets in or-der to book their flights and connect to almost any point of the globe using HR-169 ticketing.

Commenting on the new agreement, Ahmed Aly, CEO, Nile Air, stated, “Our goal is to reach a global audience with our services. With Hahn Air’s HR-169 product, we found a flexible solution that can be easily expanded and aligned with our strategic outlook.”

O n April 22, Oman Air welcomed a new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, to be utilised on its European and far Eastern destina-

tions.Featuring 30 award-winning flat-bed business

class suites and 258 economy class seats, the new aircraft, designed by B/E Aerospace, offers passen-gers the opportunity to choose from a wide selec-

tion of entertainment through Thales Integrated In-Flight Entertainment System.

Commenting on the addition to the airline’s fleet, which now stands at 52 aircraft, Abdulaziz Al-raisi, executive vice president, products and brand development, Oman Air, assured that Oman’s na-tional carrier will continue to invest in providing guests with the best possible onboard experience.

https://www.melia.com/

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www.traveltradeweekly.travelWEEKLY NEWS AIR

Emirates to Serve Spain with A380

T o further enhance passenger’s experience to and from major key hubs, Emirates has recently

announced that all of its flights to Spain will be operated with Airbus A380 air-crafts.

In addition to the existing double daily A380 service to Barcelona, the airline will upgauge its Dubai – Madrid schedule from September 01. Currently operated with a Boeing 777, the itiner-ary to the Spanish capital will soon offer 14 private suites in first class, 76 business class seats and 399 in economy class.

The carrier, which has also been a sponsor of Real Madrid since 2011, operates dedicated cargo flights from Barcelona and Zaragoza. In 2016, the carrier transported more than 70,000 tonnes of goods from the European country.

E mirates renewed its global marketing agreements with the Seychelles and Mauritius by extending the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the countries’ tourism boards.

Emirates started operations to Mauritius in 2002 and in 2016 more than 1,2 mil-lion Emirates’ passengers visited the country. In addition, the carrier increased its capacity to the Seychelles in 2015, switching from the Airbus 330-200 to a larger Boeing 777-300ER.

Commenting on the extension of the agreement, Kevin Ramkaloan, director, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority commented,” [...] The facilities extended by Emirates to the Mauritian trade through discounted tickets to MTPA-supported trade fairs and roadshows will certainly benefit the local industry.”

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G ulf Air has kicked-off its informative road show aimed at promoting its corporate loyalty programmes to companies in the

six GCC states.Airline representatives will share information

about tailored offerings and benefits of the Gulf Air Falcon Corporate Plus and Falcon Corporate Loyalty schemes, which target small and medium enterprises. With customisable privileges and other rewards for both employers and staff, the programmes ensure that business trips are more profitable for all parties.

Yahya Ali Buali, director, sales and marketing, Gulf Air, enthused, “[…] We look forward to engag-ing with organisations across the GCC to share information about how our corporate offering fa-cilitates travel for both employers and employees across the Gulf Air network, providing a host of tailored advantages.”

Emirates Extended MoU with the Seychelles and Mauritius

Gulf Air Presents Corporate Plans

Airports in Asia Pacific Accredited

D uring a ceremony held along-side the 12th Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific

Regional Assembly, Conference & Exhibi-tion which took place in Qatar, 37 Asia Pacific airports received their Airport Carbon Accreditation certificate for their initiatives and achievements in carbon reduction.

Patti Chau, regional director, ACI Asia-Pacific, commented, “Airports in our region have made remarkable pro-gress in their journey towards carbon neutrality. […] These airports account for more than 29.5 percent of air passenger traffic in Asia Pacific. Going forward, we will continue to encourage airports to establish targets on carbon emissions re-duction and work with our members to achieve sustainable growth [...].”

Originally developed and launched by ACI Europe in 2009, Airport Carbon Accreditation was extended to airports in Asia Pacific in 2011 in partnership with ACI Asia Pacific.

https://www.wien.info/en

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WEEKLY NEWS AIR www.traveltradeweekly.travel

Qatar Airways Surprised ATM

Attendees

On April 24, the opening day of Ara-bian Travel Market (ATM), Qatar Airways made a series of announce-

ments regarding upgraded products and new onboard services as well as a redesigned website, set to go live in May.

This included the unveiling of the airline’s new high-speed broadband on flights start-ing this summer, along with a brand new graphic user interface for improved usability and a complimentary new entertainment ap-plication. In addition, the carrier revealed 12 new destinations set to be launched in 2018, including Mykonos, Málaga and Lisbon.

On the same day, the Doha-based airline unveiled Qsuite, what said to be the indus-try’s first-ever double bed available in busi-ness class, to Middle East consumers for the first time.

E tihad Airways debuted what is said to be the world’s first airline mobile exhibi-tion unit at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) following its 18 month European tour.

The innovative stand provided visitors with a first-hand experience of the carrier’s cabin products and in-flight service within the 16m long unit, presenting a full-size three-room cabin and an apartment, both available on board the airline’s Airbus A380 fleet, as well as an example of the suite offered on Boeing 787 aircraft.

Speaking ahead of the event, Peter Baumgartner, CEO, Etihad Airways, said, “We are delighted to once again showcase our world-class product, services, global net-work and award-winning marketing partnerships on our stand at ATM […].”

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WEEKLY NEWS INTERNATIONALwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

F ollowing an announcement made in April by Marriott In-ternational, the company’s first property in Kenya is set to take shape with the opening of Four Points by Sheraton

Nairobi Hurlingham.Owned by Kamcan Properties, the hotel is strategically lo-

cated close to the city centre and within easy access from the surrounding business areas of Westlands, Kilimani and Nairobi Central, as well as from the Kenyatta International Airport and the Wilson Airport.

“The 96-key property, first of four concurrent hotels set to open this year, hails as a significant addition to the brands grow-ing portfolio in the region offering blends of stylish comforts and modest service at an honest value,” commented Alex Kyriakidis, president, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International.

D uring the annual shareholders’ meeting, Vietjet has an-nounced its five-year strategic plan focussed on sus-tainable growth.

The carrier’s top priorities are safety and reliability, continu-ing innovation and service quality improvement, along with operational efficiency and management in line with the inter-national and regional standards.

The plan follows the positive performance seen in 2016, when the carrier led the Vietnam domestic market with 14.05 million transported passengers, a 50.9 percent jump over 2015, and expanded its fleet to 41 jets after receiving 12 new aircrafts.

Nguyen Thanh Ha, chairwoman, Vietjet, enthused, “Vietjet is ready to conquer new heights. I am confident that there is a bright future in the air and Vietjet is making every effort to bring it closer."

Kenya Home to First Four Points Hotel

Vietjet Defines the Way Ahead

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RENDEZVOUS www.traveltradeweekly.travel

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How important do you foresee the sports segment to be at your property?

RICHARD BLEAKLEY: Marriott Hotel Al Forsan, Abu Dhabi is a destination resort that offers facilities unlike any other and provides new experiences to all travel-lers to Abu Dhabi. The property has something for everyone, which can be tai-lored to individual needs whether you are a family looking for a short staycation, a couple on a mini getaway, colleagues looking for team building activities or a business traveller or sports fan looking to use the endless facilities.

Since the Marriott Hotel Al Forsan, Abu Dhabi opened its doors in mid-Feb-

RICHARD BLEAKLEY

Q & A

with

GENERAL MANAGER, MARRIOTT HOTEL AL FORSAN, ABU DHABI

WITH SPORTS TOURISM BEING ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWNING SEGMENTS

ACROSS THE WORLD, RICHARD BLEAKLEY, GENERAL MANAGER, MARRIOTT HOTEL

AL FORSAN, ABU DHABI, EXPLAINS WHAT MAKES THE PROPERTY A LEADING CHOICE FOR ATHLETES AND SPORTS FANS ALIKE.

Saray Spa also houses a traditional marble Hammam bath offering total privacy, comfort and relaxation. Taking inspiration from timeless rituals and invigorating treatments the spa offers sanctuary from the hectic sporting ac-tivities in the resort.

The hotel offers fluid meeting space and is designed to accommodate meet-ings, conferences and social occasions of all sizes. All the room and event hire spaces can be formatted and segmented to accommodate a small meeting to a large scale event with dedicated staff and event planners to bring Marriott Hotels’ signature meetings concept, Meetings Imagined to life. The lobby also features a separate space for event organiser liaison and deal closing, offering comfort and en-suring privacy at all times.

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What do you believe is driving the popularity of sports tourism in the MENA region?

RICHARD BLEAKLEY: A number of major sporting events are playing a sig-nificant role in positioning the MENA region as a leading international sports tourism destination with global events including the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix, DP World Champion Golf Tour, Dubai Duty Free Tennis Champion-ships and the pending FIFA World Cup in 2022 in Qatar. The Qatar government has proposed a significant budget to develop sporting facilities with a focus on the development of 12 new sports stadiums and the renovation of older ones to promote sport in the region and bring together the global sporting community.

ruary, the property has created numer-ous offerings for the local community that live in close proximity to the hotel to enjoy and we have plenty more excit-ing initiatives in the pipeline.

The hotel will be partnering with the Al Forsan International Sports Re-sort to offer different packages for guests which will all be available by call-ing the hotel to personalise the guest’s experience.

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Along with the hotel’s strategic location, what makes Marriott Al Forsan Hotel, Abu Dhabi ideal for guests looking to take part in sports activities?

RICHARD BLEAKLEY: Marriott Hotel Al Forsan, Abu Dhabi delivers a complete-ly new experience for guests. We are extremely fortunate to be surrounded by endless sporting facilities such as football and rugby pitches, basketball, tennis and volleyball courts, two indoor paintball arenas, a professional karting circuit, an off-road buggy race track, shooting facilities, equestrian centre, polo field and a stunning lake with water-ski and wakeboarding cableway system. The hotel also offers an outdoor 50m Olympic swimming pool in addi-tion to the Kids Zone with an outdoor splash and adventure playground.

Marriott Hotel Al Forsan has six world class hospitality venues that ca-ter for every taste and mood through enticing food and entertainment.

The fully-equipped Saray Spa & Health Club provides a variety of well-ness options to refresh travellers, in-cluding a world-class luxury spa. The

6 MAY 2017

Marriott Hotel Al Forsan, Abu Dhabi

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TRAVEL TALKwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

GENERAL MANAGER, ROYAL ROSE ABU DHABI

“We are really proud to be awarded [Best Family Hotel 2017 by The Arab Center for Tourism Media]. Our guests are mainly families from GCC countries who regularly travel with young children and for whom the hotel is the most important part of the whole trip. [...] Royal Rose Abu Dhabi has gone the extra mile with providing children activi-ties and recreational areas to suit all ages. Moreover every single effort has been made to provide the right culinary choices as well as the right amenities for the pleasure and comfort of all the family members.”

Royal Rose Abu Dhabi has gone the extra mile

GEO

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VICE PRESIDENT, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA, AMADEUS

“At Amadeus, we believe that the combination of education and technology is critical, in order to build up a sustain-able and competitive travel and tourism sector in the fu-ture. In terms of the education requirements for the labour force of today and tomorrow, [World Tourism Organization and Arabian Travel Market Ministerial Forum] is a unique platform to discuss the poli-cies and initiatives that will equip future sector employ-ees with the skills and knowl-edge to contribute to contin-ued, sustainable growth.”

The combination of education and technology is critical

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TRAVEL CHANNELS www.traveltradeweekly.travel

Aiming to assist passengers with reduced mobility and promote the destination to tourists, Cairo Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino has recently donated 60 wheelchairs to EgyptAir’s Cairo-Egypt ter-

minals. The initiative illustrates Marriott International’s Spirit to Serve and Travel Brilliantly philosophy through continuous community partnerships.

In order to celebrate the donation, a partnership agreements was signed between Omar Tantawy, gen-eral manager, Cairo Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino and Sherif El Maghloub, vise president, EgyptAir at Eugenie Salon, located on the hotel’s ground floor, with the presence of EgyptAir members and delegates from Cairo Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino.

With this newly launched initiative, the hotel want-ed to promote the message that nothing should stop anyone from travelling and exploring the world.

In April, Irina Bokova, director general, UNESCO, toured Al Ain Oasis, one of the UAE’s first UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Led by H.E. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chair-man, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), the tour included visits to the key historic and cultural sites of Al Ain such as Qasr Al Muwaiji and Al Jahili Fort.

The visit coincided with the conclusion of the CultureSummit 2017 Abu Dhabi, a five-day event that brought together leaders from the worlds of government, arts and me-dia, technology and policy to address the role culture can play in relation to some of the challenges of our time.

The Art from Museum exhibition, organised by the National Museum in col-laboration with Fine Art Club, concluded in April at the National Museum in Riyadh.

The event highlighted the role of fine arts, handicraft and folklore in reviv-ing the national heritage of the Kingdom, as well as presented the museum’s

message to the members of society, to encourage cultural awareness through visual arts.In light of this objective, the exhibition offered a number of informative smart screens

to enable visitors to identify the history and heritage of the Kingdom through the ages.

To promote aviation careers as part of national efforts to engage youth in science and technol-ogy, Etihad Aviation Group has deployed its pi-lots and engineers to Think Science 2017, held at Dubai World Trade Centre on April 18 – 20.

The carrier offered visitors the opportunity to get be-hind controls of a flight simulator and experience flying an aircraft, with the crew available to answer questions. Meanwhile the company’s engineers displayed a jet en-gine model to shed light on how they support the fleet.

Salah Al Farajalla, senior vice president, security and national pilot development, Etihad Airways, said, “It is vi-tal for the UAE’s economic development that we attract young Emiratis into the professions that help fuel future growth. […].”

Cairo Marriott Embodies Spirit to

Serve Bokova Visited Al Ain

National Museum Riyadh Digs Roots

Etihad Stimulated Interest in Science

From left: Al Mubarak, Bokova

Think Science

Cairo Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino

6 MAY 2017 19

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Park Inn by Radisson Hotel & Residence Duqm received Green Key Certificate

Asia Pacific airports received their Airport Carbon Accreditation Certificate at a ceremony held in Doha alongside the 12th ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly

Etihad Airways facilitated the Umrah pilgrimage travel for 15 individuals to Saudi Arabia as part of its support of the na-

tional Year of Giving

H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler, Dubai was officially welcomed by H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chief executive, Emirates

Group, who gave a personal tour of the new Onboard Lounge at the Emirates Infinite Possibilities stand at Arabian Travel Market

More than 500 workers were celebrated by Ajman Tourism Development

Department in ceremony on International Workers’ Day

Oman Air received the Best Arab Air Carrier supporting Arab Tourism award granted by 2017 Arab Tourism Media Awards during a ceremony

at Casablanca Grand Hotel Jeddah

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NEWS & EVENTS www.traveltradeweekly.travel

Crafts for All

in Sharjah

Oman Hosted Get Connected

Forum

Irthi Contemporary Crafts Coun-cil introduced traditional Emirati crafts during the 15th edition of Sharjah Heritage Days. To maintain and build on the re-

gion’s deep-rooted heritage, Bidwa Social Development Programme showcased the craft making skills through variety of workshops and activities.

Reem Bin Karam, director, NAMA Women Advancement Establish-ment, said, “Whenever the Bidwa craftswomen or the Irthi Contem-porary Crafts Council participate at an event, people express their admiration of their work and skills. While many Emiratis are aware of their heritage, it is different when they witness it first-hand, and grasp its complexity, and the fact that it has a renewed relevance in today’s society.”

Aiming to facilitate direct communication between various stakeholders in the Omani tourism sector, the

second edition of Get Connected fo-rum took place in April.

This year’s forum focussed on the progress made by the Ministry of Tour-ism in cooperation with concerned au-thorities, while highlighting the latest developments in the sector’s projects, and initiatives taken by various stake-holders involved in tourism services.

During the event, topics related to Oman’s Tourism Strategy 2040 were reviewed and discussed.

The meeting saw the participation of officials and representatives from several government entities, private sector institutions and other establish-ments operating in the tourism sector.

IMEX

Frankfurt, GermanyMay 16 – 18www.imex-frankfurt.comA one-stop shop for meetings, events and incentive travel programmes where more than 3,500 exhibitors are expected to showcase their offerings.

INTERCARE INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL TOURISM EXHIBITION

Milan, ItalyMay 25 – 27www.inter-care.itAn opportunity for international medical and tourism operators to forge working relationships.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TOURISM TECHNOLOGY

Kochi, IndiaJune 08 – 10 www.icttindia.orgSpeakers from across the industry will share ideas on how to maximise online business.

EVENTS