ISSUE 275 · Mary Kammitsi annual traffic capacity to 12 million after 2016, and to 16 million by...
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DUBAI INTERNATIONAL TOPS THE CHARTS 04 12 SCTA FINANCES FIVE-STAR HOTEL IN THIS ISSUE MARKET UPDATE TECHNOLOGY GENERAL ACCOMMODATION AIR RENDEZVOUS INTERNATIONAL AGENT CORNER TRAVEL TALK TRAVEL CHANNELS WHO’S MOVED PHOTO ALBUM NEWS & EVENTS 02 03 04 10 14 17 16 19 20 21 22 23 24 14 FEBRUARY 2015 ISSUE 275 10 CARLSON REZIDOR HOTEL GROUP IS FURTHER GROWING ITS MIDDLE EASTERN PORTFOLIO WITH TWO NEW PROPERTIES. CARLSON REZIDOR EXPANDS IN DUBAI AND SAUDI ARABIA
Transcript of ISSUE 275 · Mary Kammitsi annual traffic capacity to 12 million after 2016, and to 16 million by...
DUBAI INTERNATIONAL TOPS THE CHARTS
04
12
SCTA FINANCES FIVE-STAR HOTEL
IN THIS ISSUEMARKET UPDATE
TECHNOLOGY
GENERAL
ACCOMMODATION
AIR
RENDEZVOUS
INTERNATIONAL
AGENT CORNER
TRAVEL TALK
TRAVEL CHANNELS
WHO’S MOVED
PHOTO ALBUM
NEWS & EVENTS
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CARLSON REZIDOR HOTEL GROUP IS FURTHER GROWING ITS MIDDLE EASTERN PORTFOLIO WITH TWO
NEW PROPERTIES.
CARLSON REZIDOR EXPANDS IN DUBAI AND SAUDI ARABIA
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MARKET UPDATE
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Bahrain (BHD)
Jordan (JOD)
Oman (OMR)
Qatar (QAR)
Saudi Arabia (SAR)
UAE (AED)
Algeria (DZD)
Egypt (EGP)
Iran (IRR)
Iraq (IQD)
Kuwait (KWD)
Lebanon (LBP)
Libya (LYD)
Morocco (MAD)
Syria (SYP)
Tunisia (TND)
Yemen (YER)
Dinar
Dinar
Rial
Rial
Riyal
Dirham
Dinar
Pound
Rial
Dinar
Dinar
Pound
Dinar
Dirham
Pound
Dinar
Rial
0.37
0.71
0.39
3.64
3.75
3.67
93.82
7.62
27,592.48
1,186.02
0.29
1,510.56
1.35
9.48
188.89
1.92
215.08
MENA EXCHANGE RATES
As of 13/2/2015Currencies shown in blue are fixed against the US Dollar
COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=
TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS
MANAGING EDITORMary Kammitsi
ASSISTANT EDITORMaria Kazeli
SENIOR JOURNALISTRita Kasziba
CONTRIBUTORSDominique Christou
Ana Mladenovic
PRESS Maria Demetriadou Pauline Shahabian
DESIGN & LAYOUT
Elena Stylianou
WEB DEVELOPER / ITSoteris Constantinou
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
WEBSITEwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
EMAILS
[email protected] [email protected]
Over Seven Million Passengers at QAIA
Etihad Airways’ 2014 Performance Surpasses All Expectations
Qatar Airways Buys Stake in IAG
Jordan’s Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) welcomed 7,089,008 travellers during 2014, marking a nine percent year-on-year surge and yet another milestone year for the hub.
C orrespondingly aircraft movements (ACM) rose 7.6 percent to reach 73,125 ACM, driven by robust traffic during peak holi-day seasons, as Kjeld Binger, CEO, Airport International Group, pinpointed.
“Building on this success, we will continue to work towards further enhancing passenger capacity and service levels, thus helping QAIA reach its full potential,” added Binger. “We particularly look forward to the completion of the second QAIA expansion phase that is currently underway, as it will enable Jordan’s prime gateway to further boost its annual traffic capacity to 12 million after 2016, and to 16 million by 2032.”
Etihad Airways marked its strongest operational performance ever, having carried almost 14.8 million passengers in 2014, 23 percent more than in 2013.
In line with its efforts to enhance operations and strengthen existing commercial ties initiated through codeshare agreements with International Airlines Group (IAG), as well as its membership in the oneworld alliance, Qatar Airways has acquired a 9.99 percent stake in the group.
J ames Hogan, president, Etihad Airways, said, “Our business model, which focusses on organic network growth, codeshare partnerships and minority equity investments in other airlines, continued to yield positive results in 2014 and surpassed our double-digit targets for passenger and cargo growth.”
The airline introduced 10 new destinations to its global network, and has further expanded its codeshare and equity partnerships, which delivered over 3.5 million passengers onto its flights in 2014, an increase of 40
percent over 2013.
“I AG represents an excellent opportunity to further develop our westwards strategy. Having joined the oneworld alliance, it makes sense for us to work more closely together in the near term and we look forward to forging a long-term relation-
ship,” said Akbar Al Baker, group CEO, Qatar Airways.Formed in January 2011, IAG is the parent company
of British Airways, and Spanish carriers Iberia and Vueling Airways.
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TECHNOLOGY WEEKLY NEWS
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Qatar Airways Buys Stake in IAG
Qantas Airways and Samsung Electronics Australia launched a new trial entertainment service that uses virtual reality (VR) technology to pro-vide a three-dimensional interactive experience, in a 360-degree format.
To test the product, Samsung Gear VR headsets will be available at the carrier’s Sydney and Melbourne first class lounges and cabins aboard select
Airbus A380 flights.Olivia Wirth, group executive, brand, marketing and corporate affairs, Qan-
tas, said that the technology will open up a new world of lounge and in-flight entertainment for customers, and give Qantas Airways a powerful way to pre-view destinations and experiences.
Qantas Tests VR In-flight Experience
Travelport Partners with Philippine Agency
Travelport signed a new multiyear agreement with Philippine-based Skyreign
Travel and Tour. Under the deal, the agency
will now be transacting all its in-ternational air bookings through Travelport’s travel commerce plat-form, offering agents access to vast travel content and driving produc-tivity and business growth across the board.
As Carole Oh, commercial di-rector, Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore, Travelport, explained, the company’s team has already been working closely with the agency for quite some time to align with their growth strategy and ensure a smooth transition.
Mario Salamat, president, Skyreign Travel and Tour, added, “We have already seen improve-ments in efficiency made possible through the Travelport Smartpoint agency desktop, and look forward to further growing our business with their innovative technology.”
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F ollowing the visit paid by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, presi-dent, Egypt, to China, Hes-
ham Zaazou, tourism minister, Egypt, pointed to the improving ties between the countries.
Speaking at a press confer-ence to announce Egypt’s deci-sion to organise Chinese New Year celebrations, Zaazou also confirmed the start of flights from Shanghai to Aswan this month. This, according to him, would help attract Chinese tour-ists to Egypt.
Zaazou expects the number of Chinese tourists to Egypt to hit 200,000 by the end of the year.
Egypt Expects a Surge in Chinese Visitors
Dubai International Tops the ChartsDubai Airports released its year-end traffic report for 2014, which con-firms that Dubai International has secured its position as the number one airport for international passengers worldwide.
F ull-year passenger numbers totalled 70.48 mil-lion, up 6.1 percent from 66.43 million recorded in 2013. This followed robust traffic growth of 7.5
percent in December 2014 with 6,498,573 travellers passing through the facility.
H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chair-man, Dubai Airports, commented that the shared ambi-tion is to make the emirate a global centre of aviation and this goal is coming nearer thanks to an open skies policy, a friendly business environment, and Dubai’s growing attractiveness as a hub for trade, commerce and tourism.
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Abu Dhabi to Witness Indian Market Surge
Representatives of Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector headed to SATTE, one of India’s most prominent business-to-business travel industry expos, looking to lever-age growing outbound traffic to the emirate, following news that India has
regained its position as the destination’s largest overseas source market for hotel guests.
A total of 14 industry partners had a series of one-to-one meetings, and Desti-nation Abu Dhabi travel trade workshops were held across three key Indian cities, targeting upwardly-mobile, aspirational travellers.
“Our activities in New Delhi, Chandigarh, Lucknow and Kolkata [presented] a di-verse mix of Abu Dhabi destination products and [allowed] our partners to expand their profiles in Indian trade operator portfolios,” said Mubarak Al Nuaimi, director, promotions and overseas offices, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority.
Dubai Festival City Mall Capitalises on DSF
Over the past years, Dubai Shop-ping Festival (DSF) has proved to be a driving force that has sub-
stantially enhanced Dubai Festival City Mall’s retail offering.
According to Brad Merchant, general manager, Dubai Festival City Mall, the shopping and entertainment centre at-tracted significant footfall throughout every edition of DSF as a result of the crea-tive and highly engaging programmes in partnership with Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment.
“DSF has placed Dubai on the inter-national map as one of the region’s most visited destinations [...]. The festival lures millions of visitors to the emirate every year which adds great value towards the growth of Dubai’s economy,” he concluded.
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WEEKLY NEWS
H ala Abu Dhabi, the destination management division of Etihad Airways, has signed preferred sales agreements with 45 leading tour operators from around the world to
promote Abu Dhabi as a tourist destination. The new partners include organisations from 23 countries
from the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia and Aus-tralia, allowing the UAE company to further expand the reach of Etihad Airways’ Stopover in Abu Dhabi programme, aimed at passengers transitting in the capital.
The initiative encourages travellers of Etihad Airways and se-lected partner airlines to break their journey in Abu Dhabi and enjoy special privileges.
Hala Abu Dhabi Partners with 45 Tour Operators
Hala Abu Dhabi’s preferred sales agents in the UAE capital
F ollowing a recent visit by the senior management of Ham-burg Chamber of Commerce,
Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) explored ways of deepening coop-eration and investment opportunities between the two destinations.
The German delegation was met by Amer Ali, executive director, DMCA, as well as other executives from DMCA.
“This visit is an important move that will support our tireless ef-forts to enable German companies to optimally benefit from promis-ing investment opportunities within the local maritime sector, which has seen steady growth over the past few years,” said Ali.
DMCA Strengthens German Investment Potential
Dubai Marina Gains Popularity
A new wave of transport, retail and leisure develop-ments at Dubai Marina, continues to drive buyer demand in the area, where prices have risen 28 per-
cent to AED1,670 (USD455) per square foot in the past five years.
In comparison, according to real estate consultancy, Cluttons, average residential values across Dubai stand at AED1,493 (USD406) per square foot.
“Jumeirah Beach Residence and Dubai Marina have become increasingly popular locations over the past five years, with many residential properties at 100 percent oc-cupancy,” noted Lucy Bush, head of residential sales and leasing, Cluttons, saying that the location’s appeal has been boosted by enhanced transport links and retail as well as food and beverage offerings.
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Dubai to Receive 450,000 Cruise Tourists by 2016
With the opening of the new Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal, the efficiency with which Dubai looks after thousands of passengers simultane-ously was enhanced further, according to H.E. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem,
chairman, DP World, the facility’s operator. He was speaking at the ceremony which welcomed five cruise ships at the same time
at Mina Rashid, as over 25,000 passengers of Costa Serena, AIDAdiva, MS Amadea, MSC Orchestra and Costa neoRiviera, docked at the port.
Hamad bin Mejren, executive director, Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing, said, “DP World recently opened the newest 28,000m2 terminal at Mina Rashid and this extra capacity will allow us to welcome even more ships than we did last season. We […] expect to welcome 450,000 cruise visitors by 2016.”
Royal Jordanian Airlines, Jordan Tourism Board and the Kingdom’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities welcomed a 20-strong delegation from Vatican
and Italy.As Nidal Qatamin, tourism and antiquities minister,
Jordan, noted, Christian pilgrims are now given the op-portunity to walk the trail of Christ and his apostles and explore the religious and historical sites of the country. According to Qatamin, the tour operators’ visit also sends a message to the local Christian community that these sites are important for their religion.
The Jordanian hosts and their guests pledged to con-tinue their close collaboration particularly in the field of religious tourism.
Jordan Hosts Vatican Delegation
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T he first World Conference on Tourism and Culture, organised by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and UNESCO, brought together min-
isters of tourism and culture from around the world, as well as experts and stakeholders from related sectors in an effort to explore new models of partnership.
The conference provided a global platform for policy-makers, experts and practitioners in tourism and culture to meet and identify key challenges, as well as oppor-tunities for stronger cooperation between these highly interlinked areas.
Over the course of two days, participants explored different roles and mandates on five key topics; govern-ance and partnership models, cultural preservation, liv-ing cultures and creative industries, cultural routes, and urban regeneration through cultural tourism.
Inaugural World Conference on Tourism and Culture
Despite the rapid growth of online travel agencies (OTA) globally, Priceline and Expe-
dia, considered the two largest, out-pace the market by large according to Phocuswright.
Combined gross bookings of the two platforms surged from 38 per-cent of global OTA sales in 2011 to 47 percent in 2013 and the continued development of Priceline's Booking.com and Expedia's assumption of the Travelocity volume in 2014 point to future growth.
Phocuswright highlighted that markets like Latin America, India, Russia and Asia have smaller but strong, independent OTAs, with lo-cal expertise and first-mover advan-tage, but Booking.com is proving to be especially adept at leveraging its scale and marketing expertise. Also, TripAdvisor and Airbnb are players to look out for in the future.
Priceline and Expedia Dominate Global OTAs
Did you know...
The PhoCusWright
Yearbook 2
014: The
Year Ahead in Digi-
tal Travel presents
more critical
trends
transforming the
global digital
travel
marketplace?
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T owards sustainable consumption and production in the tourism sector was the theme of the sixth edition
of FiturGreen that focussed on the role of travellers in promoting sustainable tour-ism and driving change and innovation throughout the tourism value chain.
Success stories, initiatives, projects and experiences from around the world served as examples of how to implement the three pillars of sustainable tourism, namely corporate social, environmental and economic.
FiturGreen was held on the sidelines of FITUR in Spain and gathered together representatives of the governments of Germany and Morocco, international organisations, as well as private sector leaders.
Travellers Can Promote Sustainable Tourism
Taking Advantage of Business Opportunities
T ravel companies are not fully capitalising on the busi-ness opportunities presented by social media plat-forms, according to the Digital Channels in Travel report
released by Facebook and Deloitte Global. The analysis asserts that travel companies must fully integrate digital channels into their overall business strategies in order to better engage with consumers.
The report’s findings are based on Deloitte Global’s re-view of data from a Facebook-commissioned global survey of 10,500 people who use social media.
Adam Weissenberg, sector leader, travel, hospitality and leisure, Deloitte Global, said, “Travel companies that are not taking advantage of the business opportunities presented by digital platforms […]. With the right approach, digital can transform a travel company’s marketing efforts […].”
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Grand Millennium Dubai to Exhibit at ITB Berlin
Further attracting the European travel market, Grand Millen-nium Dubai will participate in this year’s ITB Berlin as part of the Dubai stand in the UAE pavilion.
“According to ITB World Travel Trends Report, the European mar-ket continues to expand, with a three percent rise in overseas trips in 2013 and five percent during the first eight months of 2014,” said Shadi Karameh, director of sales, Grand Millennium Dubai.
“Europe is by far the largest market worldwide in volume, long-haul travel from the continent is up, city breaks are becoming more popular and winter sun is also growing in popularity, all of which represent good opportunities for us at Grand Millennium Dubai,” he added.
Ramada Ajman Promotes Sports
As part of its resolution to encour-age a healthy and active lifestyle and help beat vitamin D deficiency,
Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman and Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman started organising a se-ries of physical fitness and sports activities for their associates.
The management and staff of both hotels can participate in the activities eve-ry morning. They can choose from physi-cal fitness exercises and various sports like table tennis, badminton, cricket and beach volleyball. Activities are taking place at the hotels’ parking area and the private beach.
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CARLSON REZIDOR EXPANDS IN DUBAI AND SAUDI ARABIA
T hose are the 147-room Park Inn by Radisson Dubai Motor City, due for an early 2017 opening, and the 452-key Radisson Blu Hotel & Residence, Jeddah Gate, set to launch in 2018.
As for facilities, the former will be adjacent to a shopping mall and the autodrome, while the latter will have three swimming pools.
Wolfgang Neumann, president, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, commented, “Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE are focus regions for us.”
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group is further growing its Middle Eastern portfolio with two new properties.
Did you know...
Ramada Beach Hotel
Ajman's amenities
include an indoor
swimming pool, gym,
and a beach spa?
Hilton Abu Dhabi announced the com-pletion of its AED8 million (USD2.18 million) eco-friendly beach reclama-
tion project, which has extended the hotel’s Hiltonia Beach Club beachfront on the Abu Dhabi Corniche from 2,000m2 to 11,000m2.
Now in place, a sea wall allows waves to break offshore to protect the beachfront from erosion. With this step, algy is likely to grow first, which will then attract crabs, shrimps and fish overtime.
Daniel Chamberlain, director of sports and leisure, Hiltonia Beach Club, Hilton Abu Dhabi, said, “We have taken major steps to ensure that this exciting beach extension project protects and preserves our marine environment, while also enhancing guests’ experience.”
I nterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and Social Security Investment Fund re-newed their contract to manage Crowne
Plaza Amman and Crowne Plaza Resort Petra.
Pascal Gauvin, chief operating officer, India, Middle East and Africa, IHG, said, “We are happy to pool all the experiences we gained from all over the world and place it in the hands of the hotel industry in Jor-dan, specifically for hotels that are owned by the Jordanian citizens via the Social Se-curity Investment Fund.”
He also added that the properties have been schools, from which excellent talents and competencies have graduated and are currently working as local and regional ho-tel managers.
SCTA Finances Five-star Hotel
IHG Shows Devotion to Jordan
Hilton Abu Dhabi Reveals Beach Reclamation Eco-project
Supported by Saudi Commission for Tour-ism & Antiquities (SCTA), an investor in Al Qassim has recently secured a loan to
establish a five-star hotel after receiving half of the total cost of the project, which is SAR75 million (USD20 million).
The investor had requested SCTA’s support to facilitate the procedure of obtaining a loan from the Ministry of Finance and the authority exam-ined the request, made a field visit to the location and evaluated the feasibility study, in order to be able to finance the development.
Cooperation programmes between SCTA and the Saudi Credit and Saving Bank are con-sidered a staging ground for financing tourism investments in line with the resolution of the cabinet, regarding the development of nation-al tourism.
Hilton Abu Dhabi Representatives of the two entities seal the deal
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Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has partnered with the UK’s Royal Academy of Culinary Arts to bring the
Chefs Adopt a School programme to Abu Dha-bi. The initiative tackles childhood obesity by giving children a hands-on approach to food education and teaching them healthy eating and practical skills.
“Having industry professionals volunteer their time by passing on knowledge to school children, is what makes Adopt a School so suc-cessful,” commented Sara Jayne Stanes, CEO, Royal Academy of Culinary Arts.
The hotel company΄s properties in Abu Dhabi will be training selected chefs on how to deliver the programme to children. Justin Galea, director of food and beverage, Le Roy-al Méridien Abu Dhabi, is currently author-ised to conduct the courses.
Starwood Tackles Child Obesity in Abu Dhabi
As part of its 15th anniversary celebrations, Burj Al Arab has added four Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II to its fleet, further enhancing its guest
arrival and departure experience. Promising to offer the ultimate in luxury and com-
fort, the hotel’s new white vehicles boast the signature golden logo embroidered into the leather seats, hand-crafted into the veneer and imprinted on the hand-painted coach line.
“Burj Al Arab offers its guests the pinnacle of luxury, and the Rolls-Royce Phantom is a fitting expression of this promise,” commented Anthony McHale, general manager, Burj Al Arab.
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Burj Al Arab Reveals Its New Rolls-Royces Series
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flynas Takes Part in Jeddah Exhibition
E tihad Airways recently introduced its first Boeing 787 Dream-liner into commercial service, with the inaugural route linking Abu Dhabi and Düsseldorf, Germany.
James Hogan, president, Etihad Airways, commented, “The Boe-ing 787 is without doubt the most technologically advanced aircraft in its class. It will provide us with a clear reduction in operating costs and carbon emissions, at maximum reliability and efficiency.”
He further noted that the dimensions and unique features of the aircraft have allowed the airline to customise it with the most inno-vative and sophisticated cabins, providing guests with high levels of comfort.
The aircraft features eight First Suites, 28 Business Studios and 199 Economy Smart Seats.
f lynas participated in Jeddah International Travel and Tour-ism Exhibition (JTTX) which was held between February 4 – 6 in the Saudi city.
“Our participation represents flynas’ commitment to sup-porting the development and growth of Saudi Arabia’s travel sector,” said Wael Al-Sarhan, director of marketing and commu-nication, NAS Holding, parent company of flynas.
He added that through JTTX the carrier aims to strengthen its presence in the Mecca province, especially in Jeddah, and contribute to the exhibition and conference market as one of the important sectors of the Saudi economy.
Etihad’s New Dreamliner Takes to the Skies
To cater to the increased demand, the airline will gradually start deploying its new Airbus A350 XWB aircraft on all flights to the city state.
“Qatar Airways is proud to be the first airline in the world to introduce the next gen-eration A350 XWB aircraft to Asia, redefining the travel experience of our passengers,” said Akbar Al Baker, group CEO, Qatar Airways.
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Airbus A350 XWB
aircraft fea
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Qatar Airways Increases Singapore OperationsAs part of its global expansion drive, Qatar Airways is to introduce a third daily frequency on the Doha – Singapore route, effective from June 1.
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Etihad Airways has appointed the first Emirati female airport manager in Japan. Based in Nagoya, Fatima Al
Kharousi will be responsible for overseeing the airline’s operations at Chūbu Centrair In-ternational Airport and the five-weekly ser-vice between Abu Dhabi and Nagoya.
Ray Gammell, chief people and perfor-mance officer, Etihad Airways, said, “We es-pecially value the contributions that Emirati women make to our business […]. We are particularly proud of Fatima whose hard work and dedication has led her to be en-trusted with the critical role of airport man-ager in one of Japan’s busiest airports.”
Al Kharousi joined Etihad Airways in 2009 and has built up her experience of air-port operations at a number of outstations across the airline’s global network.
First Female Emirati Airport Manager at EtihadSAUDIA Expands to Northern Cities
As part of its strategic plan to boost operations within the Kingdom, Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) is stepping up its services to the northern cities of Al-Jouf, Arar and Rafha.
“We have a plan to increase the number of flights and seats from Riyadh to the northern region, beginning from May,” revealed Ab-dullah Al-Ajhar, executive vice president, public relations, SAUDIA, disclosing that in order to accommodate more passengers, larger aircraft will be deployed on the routes.
Using an Airbus A320, SAUDIA will offer a total of 42 weekly flights to Al-Jouf, the Riyadh – Arar route will be served 30 times per week, while Rafha will be connected to the capital with 22 weekly services.
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H ilton Worldwide continued to ex-pand its global network in 2014, now boasting a large number of
rooms in supply, under construction and in the development pipeline.
The company has 12 distinct brands at 4,300 properties that drive a global RevPAR index premium of 15 percent. They comprise more than 715,000 rooms and serve over 139 million guests annually.
Hilton Worldwide΄s number of rooms under construction globally makes up 18.7 percent of the industry΄s total rooms un-der construction. The company΄s pipeline increased by 35,000 units in 2014 covering more than 1,350 hotels and nearly 230,000 rooms in 79 countries and territories.
I nterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and Carr City Centers, a privately held real es-tate acquisition and development com-
pany, are developing a new InterContinental Hotels & Resorts property in Washington, D.C.
The 278-room hotel will be part of The Wharf, a world-class mixed-use waterfront de-velopment located on Washington Channel.
Expected to open in the second quarter of 2017, the project will feature a signature restaurant, spa, rooftop pool and bar, meeting space and a sky view lounge.
Joel Eisemann, chief development officer, the Americas, IHG, noted, “This new InterCon-tinental hotel will add to and enhance the mo-mentum of the brand’s growth in high profile international cities and resort destination.”
Moxy Hotels Introduced across the US
IHG Expands Washington, D.C. Portfolio
Hilton Worldwid: Continued Upward Path in 2014
M arriott International has announced the introduction of Moxy Hotels to the US. The new contemporary brand
is entering the market in a bold way, with eight identified projects slated to launch in 2016 across major metropolitan locations, including New York City, New Orleans and Chicago.
The brand, which was first introduced in Europe, was launched in September 2014, in Milan and more hotels are set to also open across Europe over the next two years.
Moxy Hotels is the latest addition in the growing luxury and lifestyle brand portfolio of Marriott International, with each brand po-sitioned to serve today’s savvy traveller by de-livering high design and technology-forward experiences.
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Q & A withAyman Ashor
BRINGING ALONG 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, AYMAN ASHOR, GENERAL MANAGER, CENTRO CAPITAL CENTRE, ABU DHABI, JOINED THE PROPERTY AIMING TO ESTABLISH THE HOTEL IN ITS RANGE AND AREA. HERE, HE ANALYSES HIS PRIORITIES AND THE UAE HOSPITALITY’S OWN CHARACTERISTICS.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Having re-cently joined Centro Capital Centre, what are your priorities going to be?
AYMAN ASHOR: One of our main pri-orities is to ensure that Centro Capital Centre is positioned correctly in the market and that the sales and market-ing strategy is well implemented to achieve the desired results in terms of business levels and expected financial performance, and also to ensure that we continually innovate to keep and improve our position.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Gaining a 20-year experience in Egypt and across Europe, you decided to settle in the UAE. How is the country’s hos-pitality different than those you have worked in before and how do you see it evolving?
AYMAN ASHOR: In comparison with other countries, the UAE has had an im-pressively fast growth in the hospitality industry, and this is thanks to many fac-tors that exist here and that I did not see in other countries. For example, Dubai is ranked seventh in terms of high-est number of international overnight visitors, which remained ahead of other popular cities, like Barcelona, Rome, Hong Kong and Milan.
Moreover, the UAE is already among the top five countries in the world for new hotel openings over the past five years. Also, it has the biggest pipeline of rooms under construction.
Furthermore, Dubai’s successful bid to host the Expo 2020 is set to boost the industry and make it more competitive than ever, as we estimate that 25 mil-lion people are likely to visit the expo, of which 70 percent will come from out-side the UAE.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How would you describe the hotel’s clientele and how has it changed over the past few years?
AYMAN ASHOR: The hotel witnesses a mixed source market and is not limited to specific countries.
Every exhibition that takes place at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Cen-tre brings new spectators from differ-ent counties and our offerings and the type of room configuration accommo-dates and satisfies all tastes. Also look-ing at the individual traveller business,
we have a big reach to the European market, for they are very much used to budget hotels and favour them during their business trips.
The GCC market and the Arab ex-pats travelling for business are also a key source market for the hotel.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What are the plans for the property for the coming months and what develop-ments are in the pipeline?
AYMAN ASHOR: November [2014] was fantastic looking at all the events that were taking place in the city like the Formula 1 race and the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, which is one of the major exhibitions at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. The event has grown into an international exhibition with the number of visitors doubling this year, which had a direct effect on the demand for hotel rooms in the fourth
GENERAL MANAGER, CENTRO CAPITAL CENTRE, ABU DHABI
“THE UAE HAS HAD AN IMPRESSIVELY FAST GROWTH IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
quarter of the year.Formula 1 [Abu Dhabi Grand Prix]
was another major event which gets better year-by-year and attracts more spectators, which increases the de-mand and this is reflected by the high average room rates (ARR) witnessed among all hotels in the city.
Furthermore, we are looking to po-sition Centro Capital Centre among the top three-star hotel names in this area specifically, and in Abu Dhabi in gen-eral, for we believe that in this short pe-riod of time, the Centro brand has dis-tinguished itself from other three-star properties by offering refined finesse and functionality while maintaining the reasonable rates.
Our strategy is to simply keep up with this tough market by keeping our rates competitive. Keeping our guests satisfied will also always be our major concern and focus and our long term strategy.
Centro Capital Centre, Abu Dhabi
14 FEBRUARY 2015
WEEKLY NEWS INTERNATIONAL
18
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Wyndham Hotel Group has ex-panded its Ramada brand in Malaysia with the opening of the
357-room Ramada Plaza Dua Sentral Kuala Lumpur, marking the brand’s second loca-tion in the country.
The new property offers a range of din-ing options, 10 meeting rooms, an on-site spa, children’s pool, and a fully-equipped fit-ness centre with an infinity pool.
The 33-storey hotel is an approximately 50-minute drive from Kuala Lumpur Inter-national Airport, and is ideally located just steps from the city’s shopping and enter-tainment centres and other attractions.
Hyatt has announced that an af-filiate has entered into a man-agement contract with Claridge
Homes for an Andaz hotel in Ottawa, Canada.
When the 200-room Andaz Ottawa Byward Market opens in mid-2016, it will become the first Andaz-branded hotel in Canada, as well as the city’s first property under Hyatt’s brand portfolio.
David Tarr, senior vice president of de-velopment, the Americas, Hyatt, said, “An-daz Ottawa Byward Market will bring to life the brand’s mission of creating inspiring, indigenous experiences and immersing guests into the destination’s local culture.”
Ascott’s Growth in China Gains Momentum
First Andaz Hotel in Canada to Open in 2016
Ramada Opens Second Location in Malaysia
The Ascott Limited secured contracts to manage three properties with over 300 apartment units in Beijing and Hong
Kong. The new projects will further reinforce the company’s position as the largest interna-tional serviced residence owner and operator in China, with over 12,900 apartment units in 72 properties across 23 cities.
The Ascott Limited is deepening its pres-ence in Beijing by launching the 208-unit Citadines Fangshan Beijing and the 70-key Changyang World Serviced Residence Bei-jing, both slated to open in 2018. The com-pany also plans to open its fifth property in Hong Kong, the 92-unit Hotel Prayo Hong Kong in March.
Beijing Ottawa
Ramada Plaza Melaka
14 FEBRUARY 2015
AGENT CORNER
19
Adam Jebrin
Managing director
Alwaseilah Tours
UK
www.alwaseilahtours.com
Agent’s Insight
Who are you? I am Adam Jebrin, managing director of Alwaseilah Tours. We offer all-year-round trips to visit the holy sites of Iraq and enjoy top-class travel and accommodation including a personal tour guide to take care of all your requirements. Our clients can relax in comfort as they are taken on a journey through history.
What is your favourite thing about working in the travel industry? To be able to offer my travel experience and expertise to my clients.
When is the best time to visit Iraq? Any time between September and May. June, July and August are hot.
Where would you like to travel to for your next holiday? For my next holiday I would like to travel to Canada.
Why should people come to you for travel advice? I have been working in the travel industry for years; every customer I meet will become a friend.
COMPANY:
POSITION:
NAME:
LOCATION:
WEBSITE:
14 FEBRUARY 2015
TRAVEL TALK
20
H.E. ALI MAJED AL MANSOORI
STEPHAN KAPEK
KARIM ZAKI
Chairman, Abu Dhabi Airports
General manager, Traders Hotel, Dubai
General manager, Novotel, ibis and Adagio Fujairah
“Abu Dhabi Airports is playing a fundamental role in supporting the drive by the emirate of Abu Dhabi to grow its global position as a key player in various dynam-ic industries, including aviation, both through offering excellent services for passengers, and by increasing capacity to meet the continuing growth in demand. The continuing growth in pas-senger numbers translates this ambition as it strengthens Abu Dhabi’s position as a growing global transportation hub.”
“We are very honoured and privileged to be once again recognised in a global platform such as TripAdvisor. The Travel-ers’ Choice Award [in the bar-gain category] is the fifth award received from TripAdvisor in addition to the Certificate of Ex-cellence recognitions we have achieved every year between 2011 and 2014. Such awards stand as recognitions of our ho-tel facilities and amenities and a testament to the dedication and hard work of the team who tire-lessly provide each and every guest with quality experience and exceptional service from the heart.”
“We opened at the beginning of 2014 and the biggest challenge was to create awareness and to introduce the new name of Ada-gio aparthotel, the first to open in the Middle East region, as well ibis as a budget hotel brand. [...] We will keep promoting Fujairah as a destination and will focus on the MICE market; weddings, international events and exhibi-tions and local conferences.”
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 [email protected]
The [...] growth in passenger numbers [...] strengthens Abu Dhabi’s position
Such awards stand as recognitions
The biggest challenge was to create awareness and to introduce the new name
14 FEBRUARY 2015
TRAVEL CHANNELS
21
Emirati Youth to Stand as Festival Ambassadors
T he Ambassadors Programme will see the students interact with visitors to help narrate the emirate’s rich culture and history across the various festival touch points.
The event will celebrate the UAE’s tangi-ble and intangible heritage through a rich and diverse programme featuring guided tours of the fort, inspiring activities, live performances and more.
As part of their preparation for becoming ambas-sadors, the students received extensive training from cultural experts and festival organisers.
More than 250 university students from across Abu Dhabi have been selected to act as Qasr Al Hosn Festival ambassadors during this year’s
edition of the annual event, which is being held from February 11 – 21.
Boeing Introduces Qatari Students to
Aviation
A s the Chinese New Year approaches, travel search site, Wego, reflects on the efforts of global tourism entities to attract Chinese travellers to their countries.
China’s outbound tourist numbers are estimated to ex-ceed 100 million this year and with an overall spending of USD140 billion in 2014, inbound destination marketers around the world are now competing for the attention of these travellers.
“[In 2014] a number of countries announced a lifting of complex visa regulations which results in their destinations becoming a great deal more attractive to the Chinese travel-ler,” said James Huang, market development manager, North Asia, Wego.
Qatar Academy Al-Khor recently hosted members
of the Museum of Flight from Seattle, US, under the initiative of Boeing.
The team presented a slew of educational activities to students in grades four through eight, with sessions in robotics and the history of flight.
According to Qatar Academy Al-Khor, the school was the only one in the country to enjoy this opportunity.
Traditional handiwork during the festival
Wego: How Countries Lure Chinese Visitors
14 FEBRUARY 2015
WHO’S MOVED
22
Jan Ifcic has assumed the po-sition of area general manager at InterContinental Regency Bahrain.Over the past 22 years, Ifcic has gained a wealth of indus-try knowledge in the luxury hotel segment. He relocates to Bahrain from Jordan where he served as InterContinental Jor-dan’s general manager.He is a graduate of Thames Val-ley College in London and has gone through InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG)’s senior lead-ership programme. Ifcic has also received the IHG President Europe Middle East Africa Spe-cial Award for exceptional lead-ership in 2008.Michael Koth, outgoing region-al general manager, will con-tinue as director of operations for the Levant region as general manager of InterContinental Jordan.
NIZAR EL EZZ
ELIE YOUNES
JAN IFCIC
HELEN VAN WENGEN
Nizar El Ezz continues as the new director of sales and mar-keting at Park Inn by Radisson, Al Khobar.El Ezz brings 14 years of ex-perience to the role. After graduating from Southeast-ern University with a degree in business science, he joined Marriott International’s sales office in Abu Dhabi. He then moved to Rotana as an area sales manager before becom-ing a regional sales manager in Kuwait for Mövenpick Ho-tels & Resorts. El Ezz then returned to Marriott Interna-tional and he later also worked at Al Jahra Copthorne Hotel & Resort.In his new position, he will be in charge of all aspects of sales and he will also work on mar-keting budgets and business plans to maximise the hotel΄s revenue.
Elie Younes has been promot-ed to executive vice president and chief development officer at The Rezidor Hotel Group.Younes, who served as the company’s senior vice presi-dent and head of group devel-opment since 2012, is now in charge of the group’s growth strategy across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Younes began his career in managerial roles in Lebanon before joining HVS Interna-tional in London. He then con-tinued with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide as direc-tor, and later senior director of acquisitions and develop-ment for EMEA. Between 2009 and 2010 he worked as Hilton Worldwide’s vice president of development for the Middle East before moving on to The Rezidor Hotel Group’s regional office in Dubai.
Helen van Wengen has been appointed director of sales and marketing at InterConti-nental Jordan. Van Wengen brings with her more than 20 years of experi-ence to the role, having previ-ously worked in the UK, Western Europe, Middle East, Vietnam as well as Jordan. Her expertise spans across various fields and industries such as hospitality, aviation and cosmetics. In her capacity, she will set new objectives and create ef-fective strategies and tactics in order to ensure continued success and the achievement of the overall goals of the sales and marketing team. No stranger to InterContinen-tal Hotels Group, throughout the years van Wengen has al-ready worked on various pro-jects across many locations and properties.
Dubai’s traditional souk shopping experience attracts tourists and residents during Dubai Shopping Festival
Guests at the ladies-only gala dinner reception hosted by Qatar Airways’ frequent flyer programme, Privilege Club
Dusit Thani Duba΄s team welcomed general manager, Prateek Kumar after he collected the General Manager of the Year award at Dusit International's
annual conferenceAbu Dhabi's Midfield Terminal Building taking shape
Mother and son, Sue Abdul and Karim Hollosi have both served as Emirates cabin crew, two decades
apart
Custom designed burger cake at The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal
14 FEBRUARY 2015
PHOTO ALBUM
23
Share with us the latest images of your activities and let your colleagues know what you have been up to.
Send your photos to [email protected] Because a picture is worth a thousand words...
Take a Shot!
14 FEBRUARY 2015
NEWS & EVENTS
24
Creating Opportunities for Africa
Best of the MICE World Heads to Dubai
T he Tourism Investment and Busi-ness Forum for Africa (INVESTOUR) was held alongside FITUR in Spain.
It brought together a record number of Af-rican tourism projects, potential investors and business partners, presenting ustain-able tourism opportunities in the region.
Debates during INVESTOUR focussed on investment in human capital and the impact of Africa’s image on foreign direct investment in the tourism sector. A total of 22 ministers of tourism from Africa and the Middle East, participated in the event.
T he third edition of the annual MICE Arabia Congress, running between February 22 – 23, is set to bring to-
gether leading corporate organisations, and travel and hospitality providers, to explore business opportunities.
“What sets this congress apart is its focus on providing a balanced offering in terms of addressing the crucial matters in the MICE industry, while still maintaining a prime focus on the business meetings and networking opportunities,” asserted Sidh N C, director of projects, QnA Internation-al, the organiser of MICE Arabia Congress.
EVENTS
INDIA TRAVEL MART
Ahmedabad, IndiaFebruary 21 – 23 www.itmtravelmart.comOrganised across many Indian cities throughout the year, it showcases travel, hospitality, leisure and related industries.
MICE ARABIA CONGRESS
February 22 – 23www.mice-arabia.comWith a portfolio that boasts off leading luxury and MICE travel agencies, the event is a platform for global solution providers.
ITB BERLIN
Berlin, GermanyMarch 04 – 08www.itb-berlin.deA leading trade fair for the global travel industry as in 2014 some 10,140 companies from 189 countries exhibited their products.
INTERNATIONAL LUXURY TRAVEL MARKET JAPAN
Kyoto, JapanMarch 16 – 18www.iltm.com/japanA specialist invitation-only event, where Japan’s travel agents and advisors meet the world’s most spectacular travel experiences.
GUANGZHOU INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL FAIR
Guangzhou, ChinaMarch 06 – 08www.gitf.com.cnThe fair has received wide attention from the tourism industry since its first session, 22 years ago.
