LONG HAUL: CHICAGO

MARKET UPDATE 2INVESTIGATION: Niche Tourism 3VISIT: RAK & Fujairah 5EXPLORE: Cyprus 12ONSITE: Hong Kong 14TRAVEL TIPS 17TRAVEL TALK 18EXCLUSIVE: Family Travel 19LONG HAUL: Chicago 20TOUR: France 21WHO’S MOVED 22RENDEZVOUS 23NEWS & EVENTS 24

ONSITE: HONG KONG

FEBRUARY 2011 ISSUE 16

VISIT: RAK & FujairahVISIT: RAK & Fujairah

Middle East and North Africa Edition

www.traveltradeweekly.travel

The Middle East is an important and growingmarket for Hong Kong, with operators reportingstrong upmarket interest and a range ofinitiatives aimed at attracting more traffic.Comprising Hong Kong Island and itssurrounding territories, the zone combines adense urban centre with relatively unknownnatural treasures.

Chicago is one of the largest and most importantcities, not only in the US, but the world. Its roleas a dynamo for the American industrialrevolution has raised the city to an iconic statuswhich prevails to this day. Perhaps less well visitedthan other US metropolises such as New York orLos Angeles, Chicago remains one of the mostvibrant destinations that the country has to offer.

In This Issue

55

1414

2020

Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah have always stood a little apart fromthe bustle of their more famous compatriots, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Now, the time of these emirates has come, with both experiencingrenewed interest as the beachside escapes find their place in the sun.

A bu Dhabi International Airportultimately posted a 12.2 percentincrease in passenger traffic comparedto 2010; a total of nearly 11 millionpassengers.

While Abu Dhabi’s efforts to establish itself as a transithub could be credited for the growth, similar figuresfrom across the region point to a wider trend.Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) in Amman,Jordan, reported similar figures, with a 13.7 percent year-on-year increase.Curtis Grad, CEO of AIG (operator of QAIA), said theprogress reflected both managerial efforts and arecovering global market.“As global market demand continues to recover, we areextremely pleased with our 2010 traffic results, as QAIAnow ranks as one of the fastest growing airports in theregion in terms of passenger volumes, as well as flightactivity,” he said.“Since assuming operations of QAIA in late 2007, AIG

has been extremely keen on developing newroutes, services and frequencies and ourefforts have very well been rewarded.”According to AIG, passenger numbers atQAIA have increased by 1.6 million annualtravellers since 2007.James E Bennett, CEO of Abu DhabiAirport Company, said the growth figureswere far in excess of global averages.“2010 witnessed strong traffic development atAbu Dhabi International Airport, well abovethe world airports average growth,” he said.

“Our developmental strategy, combined with AbuDhabi's increasing awareness as an attractive businessand tourist destination, led us again to a very positiveend of year outcome.

“We would like to express our warmest appreciation toall our partners for their contribution to one more yearof dynamic growth and smooth operation for Abu DhabiInternational Airport.”Abu Dhabi International added five new airlines and sixnew routes in 2010.

FEBRUARY 20112

COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=UAE (AED) Dirham 3.67Egypt (EGP) Pound 5.81Saudi Arabia (SAR) Riyal 3.75Lebanon (LBP) Pound 1509.62Bahrain (BHD) Dinar 0.37Jordan ( JOD) Dinar 0.71Syria (SYP) Pound 46.48Kuwait (KWD) Dinar 0.28Qatar (QAR) Riyal 3.64Oman (OMR) Rial 0.38Tunisia (TND) Dinar 1.42Morocco (MAD) Dirham 8.26Iran (IRR) Riyal 10,340Yemen (YER) Rial 214.27Algeria (DZD) Dinar 73.14Libya (LYD) Dinar 1.24

MENA Exchange RatesAccurate as of 25/1/2011Currencies shown in red are fixed against the US Dollar

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY

Managing EditorMary Kammitsi

EditorLaura Warne

Deputy EditorLouis Dillon Savage

JournalistRita Kasziba

Design & LayoutElina Pericleous

Sales & MarketingDimitris Thomaidis

DirectorsAndreas Constantinides

Mary Kammitsi

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Regional Aviation Exceeds GlobalAverages in 2010Final figures from major regional airports show that 2010 was a strong year for aviation in theMiddle East.

Al Daaysi and Range Hospitality Sign Partnership DealRange Hospitality and Al Daaysi Group have entered a strategic partnership for the developmentof hospitality in the Iraqi city of Kerbala.Range Hospitality is a development company focused on emerging markets and religious tourism,while Al Daaysi is a diversified family firm based in Bahrain.Kerbala is a site of major religious significance for Shiah Islam, attracting approximately 18 millionpilgrims per year.Range is engaged in developing accommodation for the growing sector, based on a fractionalownership model, which is distributed in the form of Shariah compliant shares, called MulkiyaIntifa'a.Al Daaysi will act as a distributor of Mulkiya Intifa'a within Bahrain, a market in which Essa AlDaaysi, managing director of the group, said he anticipates success.“Bahrain is a significant market for the retail distribution of Mulkiya Intifa'a and we are confidentto achieve our objectives,” he said.

2010 witnessed strong traffic development at

Abu Dhabi International Airport,well above the world airports

average growth

3FEBRUARY 2011

Filling In the Gaps with Minority MarketsBusiness; Leisure; Visiting Friends and Family; Other. These are the ubiquitous categories of the travel industry – the portionsinto which the market is sliced. However, these chunks gloss over many of the motivations for travel, which are both many andvaried. While the Middle East has become known as a hub for luxury travel, this investigation looks at some of the lesser knownsegments of the regional travel industry.

Louis Dillon Savage writes

- Niche Tourism

Charity TourismCharity tourism is another growing niche within the industry. The category includes voluntourism, a portmanteau of “volunteer” and“tourism,” in which travellers pay their own way to participate indevelopmental or conservation projects around the world.The Jordan Tourism Board has actively promoted voluntourism in theUS since 2006, with opportunities ranging from teacher training toconstructing villages with Habitat for Humanity.However, charity tourism exists in a range of forms, including fund raisingexpeditions of the kind operated by regional organisation Gulf 4 Good.Gulf 4 Good operates regular long-distance trekking adventures in theMiddle East and around the world.Participants in the expeditions raise sponsorship funds, which Gulf 4Good then channels to a variety of charities.

Accessible TourismTravel is one of the great pleasures of life, but is one which is oftendifficult to access for certain members of the population. Options fortravellers with physical disabilities are often limited, but the industryis becoming increasingly capable of dealing with specialrequirements. DTCM has made a commitment to developing infrastructure toensure disabled access and Dubai hosted the fifth Middle East Forumon Accessible Tourism in early 2010.Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, CEO of Emirates Airline andpatron of the forum, said the event’s success demonstrated the desireof the industry to cater to this group.“The support this forum has been getting since the past five yearsclearly reflects the eagerness in the Middle East to promote thedestinations to people with special needs, for whom infrastructure andservices have been developed at the airports, hotels, shopping mallsand recreational facilities,” he said.Emirates Special Needs, an advocacy group for people withdisabilities, has estimated that attracting only one percent of theworld accessible tourism market would boost revenue by as much asUSD3 billion per year.

War and Military Heritage TourismArchaeological tourism is a well established mainstay of tourism forthe Middle East and North Africa. From Egypt’s pyramids to Syria’sPalmrya, the region is littered with spectacular ancient remains.However, as interest in national heritage has grown around the world,so too has the desire to visit sites of importance from recent history;especially among travellers from many core markets.The Middle East and North Africa area was the stage for many keyconflicts throughout the great wars of the twentieth century andtravellers from the UK, Australia and Germany in particular arevisiting them in increasing numbers.North Africa especially was the site of major battles during World WarTwo, making the region of especial interest to travellers interested incommemorating their nation’s heroes.

Al Alamein in Egypt experiencedtwo major battles and houses wargraves and monuments forAustralian, Greek, New Zealand,UK, Indian, German and Italiansoldiers.Tobruk in Libya is a major war-pilgrimage destination forAustralians in particular.

The government of RAK has set atarget of 2.5 million hotelvisitors by 2012, to meet anexpected addition of 3,700 newhotel rooms in the short to

medium term.The ambitious visitor target has not been setwithout precedent, however: in 2009, theemirate received 542,000 hotel guests – anincrease of 153 percent compared to 2007. According to the newly formed tourism wing ofRAK’s Economic Development Department, therelatively small number of hotel rooms in theemirate has sheltered it from the recent fall inglobal tourism numbers. The government’s plan from here is to turntourism into a key socio-economic pillar, whileexercising caution in developing the industry. The Tourism Promotion and SupportAdministration was created in 2010 to replacethe previous Tourism Office. According to Mahmoud Abu Ali, acting directorof the administration, this move has placedtourism promotion and oversight under one roof.While the Tourism Promotion and SupportAdministration was initially financed by theEconomic Development Department, it nowreceives funding directly from the RAK government.Objectives have been outlined for developingleisure and entertainment facilities, as well ascalibrating supply with demand, rather thanadopting a build-and-they-will-come attitude,according to Abu Ali.Heritage has also been prioritised, with cultural

tourism held up as a sustainable attraction for theemirate. European and UAE tourists make up themajority of visitors to RAK, contributing 54percent and 37 percent of arrivals respectively. Visitors from the UAE have increased graduallybut steadily in recent years, growing from 19,085in 2006 to 201,026 in 2009.This lucrative local market has been targeted as akey contributor to weekend traffic to RAK and theemirate is subsequently increasing its high-endleisure infrastructure to further attract UAE guests. Five-star hotels make up almost 80 percent of thehospitality offering in RAK, reflecting theprimarily leisure-based, luxury-seeking clienteleof the emirate.Recent entrants to the market include The Cove

Rotana Resort and Banyan Tree Al Wadi – bothtargeting the upscale market. Magali Cassin, marketing and communicationsexecutive for The Cove Rotana Resort, saidarrivals had noticeably increased in 2010. “The city is starting to be known as a destinationfor weekend getaways and for beach lovers,” saidCassin.“The city now has an Ice Land park which alsoattracts many people, the activities in themountains are increasing and our resort has avery good reputation in the market in terms ofservices, location and food.“We as a hotelier and the government of Ras AlKhaimah are working very closely to make surethat the city will soon become a hot spot forpeople visiting the country.”

5FEBRUARY 2011

- RAK

North Star Rising: The UAE’s Up and ComerWith a newly re-launched airline, a spate of new leisure facilities and a dedicated tourism board, Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) isone of the UAE’s fastest rising stars. Operators in the emirate have cited regularly increasing tourist arrivals and a positiveoutlook for the coming year, as growing leisure and business facilities attract new market segments.

Laura Warne writes

[RAK] isstarting

to be known as a

destinationfor weekend

getawaysand forbeach lovers

Al Hamra Villa Beach View

Pascal Eppink, general manager of Banyan TreeAl Wadi, reiterated the growing demand forluxury in RAK. Although the hotel has only recently beenlaunched, new developments are already in thepipeline, including the inclusion of more culturaland nature-based activities. Banyan Tree Al Wadi has also recently opened abeach club, which Eppink said was set to cometo life in 2011. “The emirate is really moving forward under theguidance of His Highness Sheikh Saud and we seemany beneficial opportunities for tourists, suchas new entertainment venues, work in progress todevelop facilities in the beautiful mountains andmany infrastructure improvements,” he said. More than 20 new hotels are currently in thepipeline, according to the RAK government. Hamra Hotels and Resorts’ highly anticipatedseven-star waterfront property, The Palace RasAl Khaimah, is expected to open during 2011. Hamra Hotels and Resorts was established in 1997with a mandate to develop and operate uniqueproperties in RAK and the wider UAE region. The company already operates a number oftourism facilities within RAK, including Al

Hamra Fort Hotel and Beach Resort, Al HamraVillage Golf Resort, Al Hamra Residences and AlHamra Convention Center.The Palace is set to feature 348 suites, rangingfrom deluxe family junior suites through to amulti-floored imperial suite. Ten restaurants have been flagged for the hotel,along with extensive spa and event facilities. According to RAK government officials, theupcoming Jebel Al Jais Mountain Resort will tapinto the natural beauty of the emirate’s high country. The resort, still in the planning stage, is expectedto feature a five-star hotel, conference centre,residential units and leisure facilities. Cable cars have been included to transportvisitors from sea level to the mountain resort. Facilities for mountain climbing, hiking, bikingand camping are all being developed in themountain region, aiming to stimulate nature-based tourism. At the foot of the mountains, Golden Tulip hasrecently taken on Khatt Springs Resort and Spa,offering 130 rooms and a spa with natural thermalsprings – a unique offering in the emirate.In addition to individual hotel developments, anumber of mega projects are under construction

within the emirate and are expected tocontribute much to the growing hotel and leisurefacilities in RAK. The USD2.7 billion mixed-use Mina Al Arabdevelopment is expected to feature eight five starproperties, including dedicated eco-resort facilities.A further 10 luxury hotels are planned for RAK’sfirst man-made island project, Marjan Island. The USD1.8 billion project will feature fourcoral-shaped islands built on reclaimed land,currently under construction.

Leisure UpgradeBy the government’s own admission, leisure andentertainment infrastructure remains minimaland limited mostly to hotels and resorts. However, stand-alone facilities are underdevelopment and the sector’s flagship project,WOW RAK, is well under way. The first phase of WOW RAK, Ice Land WaterPark, opened in September 2010, featuring arange of water slides, pools and adventureactivities for all ages.The park has been designed to cater tointernational tourists, as well as local residents;Thursdays have been reserved for women andchildren exclusively. Polo RAK Amusements LLC is the projectdeveloper behind WOW RAK; the group is ajoint venture between India’s Polo AmusementPark, RAK Investment Authority (RAKIA) andRAK Properties. Phase two of WOW RAK will include a seasideresort and mall, both scheduled to open during2011. The resort will feature 180 chalet-style seasiderooms, complemented by shopping facilities andfood and beverage outlets. According to Mansi Chawia Saada, director ofpublic relations for Polo RAK Amusement, theresort will target corporate team-building events,school groups and weekend visitors from the GCC. Planet Earth theme park represents the thirdphase of WOW RAK; construction on the parkis expected to start in 2011, with completionscheduled for 2012. In addition to the emirate’s upcoming themepark facilities, water sports and marine leisureactivities are also expected to increase, with anumber of new marinas planned for Mina AlArab, Marjan Island and The Palace.

Airline Re-LaunchRAK Airways, national carrier for the emirate, wasforced to suspend services in May of 2009, citingexceptionally tough market conditions and thegrowing impact of the global financial downturn.

FEBRUARY 20116

- RAK

We see many

beneficialopportunitiesfor tourists,such as new

entertainmentvenues,

work … to developfacilities

in the beautiful

mountains and many

infrastructureimprovements

After being grounded for more than a year, theairline was officially re-launched in October 2010and has since posted strong results from the market. According to Omar Jahameh, CEO of RAKAirways, load factors on most routes have beenbetween 70 and 80 percent since October 2010. “Early indications are showing strong interest inour services and we have had an excellentnumber of initial bookings,” he said.Since its re-launch, the airline has aimed tooccupy a niche between legacy carriers and lowcost airlines in the region. As Jahameh explained, RAK Airways offerscompetitively low fares, but includes a fullbaggage allowance, shuttle service and hot mealsin all ticket prices. A strategically chosen destination network is alsopart of the airline’s plan to set itself apart fromregional competitors.“We aim to deliver a value offering thatdifferentiates itself from low cost carriers,” saidJahameh. “The announcement of new routes to Cairo,Dhaka and Chittagong has further cemented ourposition in a niche segment, that is markedlydifferent to the Emirates’ other carriers.”

RAK Airways plans to capitalise on its savvypricing structure and route network by targetingthe wider UAE market. “Although we are headquartered in Ras AlKhaimah, RAK Airways is very much a nationalcarrier of the UAE and as such aims to servicepassengers from across the emirates,” saidJahameh.“RAK Airways’ value position, the ease of travelthrough RAK International Airport and ourexpanding network of destinations has alreadyattracted travellers from other emirates.”Cautious expansion is the catch-cry of RAKAirways for the coming year, according toJahameh. “Our key areas of focus for the new year will beto ensure we continue to meet the highest safetyand quality standards, maintain a competitiveprice structure and work closely with the relevantRAK authorities to ensure a successful re-entryto the market,” he said.“Our main, long-term objective is to be asuccessful airline, but we would also like to growour operations in Ras Al Khaimah as a hub,acting as a regional gateway for a number ofroutes in the future.”

Jahameh concluded that the airline had alignedits operations with the RAK government’soverarching vision for boosting tourism to theemirate.RAK Airline has also partnered with Hilton andother major hotel chains, under its RAKHolidays banner. According to Roland Blaney, CEO of RAK Airport,the re-launch of RAK Airways may encouragedirect flights from charter companies in Germany,Scandinavia, Italy and the Czech Republic, who arecurrently flying into Dubai or Fujairah. Oman Airways is currently the only othercommercial airline operating out of RAK, howeverGulf Air and other carriers have also expressedinterest, according to government reports.

OutlookAccording to the government’s tourismdepartment, dedicated tour operators andmarketing experts will be key to ensuring RAK’sfuture as a successful tourism destination. Several major international operators are alreadyonboard, including the UK’s Virgin group and anumber of Dubai and Abu Dhabi based touroperators. However, industry professionals have stressedthe need for local tour operators to be created,along with an independent marketing campaignto attract national and international exposure. According to Mahmoud Abu Ali, the TourismPromotion and Support Administration hasbegun co-operation with local participants,including WOW RAK, plus a number of hotelsand cultural institutions in the emirate.He said the department was primarilyinterested in marketing at the local level, beforeincreasing the market base to attract touristsfrom emerging destinations such as EasternEurope, China and India. Initial activities have included the production of ashort promotional film to present to tour operators,hotels and travel agencies, along with participationin key trade shows and global exhibitions.

FEBRUARY 20118

- RAK

Cove Rotana

Earlyindicationsare showing

strong interestinour servicesand we have

had anexcellent

number ofinitial

bookings

Fujairah’s nature-based attractions,including mountains, beaches anddiving opportunities, are widelypromoted as unique features in thewider UAE landscape.

Coupled with low density development, a strongeconomic centre and good resort facilities, theemirate has established itself as a family beachholiday hub and weekend getaway.A number of international projects also feed thetourism industry, providing long-stay hotelguests and extra clientele for the emirate’s foodand beverage industry. Operators in Fujairah have said that, whileperformance was strong in the early months of2010, the emirate has seen a decline in visitorsover the past year. Shankar Bharadwaj, director of sales andmarketing at Coral Suites Hotel, said thecompletion of several major corporate contractshad impacted sales. “In the middle of 2010 we lost some good longstaying guests from international projectcompanies who finished their projects and leftthe country, affecting our occupancy [and]posing the challenge to look at retaining baseroom business,” said Bharadwaj.“The past year there has been a marginal drop ininternational tourist arrivals to the UAE andFujairah beach properties are feeling the impact,however strong local marketing and sales to

cover the loss paid dividends and the hotels heredid do well.”Coral Suites Hotel, recently renamed from CoralResidence Tower, is currently undergoing aproperty-wide upgrade, in order to position itselfas a premium option in the increasingly busyaccommodation scene in Fujairah.Two new city properties were launched in theemirate in 2010 – between them, Nour Arjaan byRotana and Iberotel’s Concord Hotel Fujairahadded more than 400 new hotel rooms to themarket. Fairmont and Accor both have Fujairahproperties in the pipeline, expected to open inthe coming two years.

According to Bharadwaj, Fujairah’s general cityoccupancy closed at around 64 percent at theend of 2010. Patrick Antaki, general manager of Le MéridienAl Aqah, acknowledged that the market inFujairah was “reasonably difficult”.“While Fujairah has been working to establishitself as a destination, it is affected by the trendsof big cities like Dubai,” he said.“There are a lot of hotels coming and while thesupply of rooms is increasing, the number ofvisitors is not increasing as much.“It is a battle to get our fair share of business,however there is business out there for everybody,even if the yields are not as high as they were.”

FEBRUARY 201110

- Fujairah

Seaside Emirate Awash with Tides of ChangeFujairah has traditionally been a small but solidly performing weekend tourism destination, attracting a steady base of localsand expats, looking for a quiet beach holiday away from the bustle of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. However, with the rise of beachresorts in Ras Al Khaimah and desert or island escapes in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Fujairah’s market share is under threat. Agrowing divide between supply and demand is hardly helping, but local sources say the emirate is holding its own.

Laura Warne writes

New MarketsAntaki said Germany and the UK remain strongas international source markets, with Germanyin particular fueling interest in charter flights tothe emirate. Russia and the Commonwealth of IndependentStates have also been flagged as strong futuremarkets. However, it is local and regional traffic thatoperators are putting the most effort intoattracting for the next year. “Our plans are to aggressively do marketinglocally, concentrating on intra-travels within theUAE,” said Bharadwaj.“The clients have their say now with an oversupplyof rooms and competition: they dictate the ratesand it has become a rate driven market.”“New source markets are being looked atregionally.”Antaki agreed that the local market was a keysource, but added that regional attractions werealso taking up this market share. “Five years ago there were no competitors for theweekend market,” he said.

“Now we have new desert resorts competing forweekend business. “We are competing not just with the hotelsaround us – RAK is also a major competitor nowand we can’t ignore that.”However, Antaki added that Fujairah was here tostay as a destination and pointed to ongoinginvestment and hotel upgrades as a sign ofconfidence in the market. While the emirate is rich in natural attractions

and antiquities, sources agree that a focus onbuilding Fujairah’s modern infrastructure wouldbenefit the tourism industry. New golfing, marina, sporting event andshopping facilities have all been flagged byoperators as potential boosts to visitor numbers. A new highway between Dubai and Fujairah isalso being heralded as a major boon to hoteliersand other tourism operators; the new road isexpected to shorten travel time between theemirates to half an hour. On the economic front, upcoming projects andexpanded facilities are set to provide a new waveof long-stay visitors over the coming years.“The oil terminal, port expansion and pipelineproject are all positive indications of growth inFujairah for the next five years,” said Bharadwaj.“Expansion of the airport, tie up for commercialflight operations and tourism infrastructuredevelopments are all planned, giving Fujairahimportance in the coming years.“The emirate of Fujairah has a lot of advantagesin comparison to other emirates within the UAE.“The potential is being tapped now and I am sureFujairah [will have] very positive growth in thenear future.”

11FEBRUARY 2011

- Fujairah

n

It is a battle

to get ourfair share

of business,howeverthere isbusinessout there

foreverybody,

even if the yieldsare not as high as they

were

Le Méridien Al Aqah Eagle Roundabout

Fujairah Fort

FEBRUARY 201112

- Cyprus

W hile the Middle East onlycontributes a smallpercentage of Cyprus’tourism market, highspending visitors from

this region are very important to the country. Lebanese tourists in particular have been listedas a strong market for short breaks and weddingor honeymoon packages, especially to theisland’s coastal Limassol district.

Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) operatesan office in Dubai specifically to target MiddleEastern visitors, and according to VassilisTheocharides, director of CTO’s Middle Eastand Arabian Gulf Office, interest from the regionis strong. Theocharides said the CTO was currentlyfocusing on attracting MICE tourists, not onlyfrom its key Middle Eastern markets, but also thegrowing outbound market from India.

He said a range of familiarisation trips withcorporate partners in 2010 had yielded directresults, and added that the organisation was alsobuilding local partnerships with key players suchas Emirates and Arabian Travel Market.A new incentive programme has been set up tooffer value-added services to group bookings toCyprus. For instance, bookings of 25 people will receivecomplimentary greeting services at the airport;groups of 25 to 50 will receive complimentarylunches and dinners; and groups of more than 50are eligible for complimentary transport services. Theocharides said work still needed to be donein a number of areas – most crucially visa issuing.Connectivity is also an ongoing concern: while anumber of international airlines, includingEmirates and Etihad, both operate regular servicesto the island, Cyprus’ national carrier, CyprusAirways, is struggling with financial difficulties. After posting substantial losses in both 2009 and2010, the airline recently cancelled its services toand from Paphos airport, creating outrage amongbusiness owners in the region.

Slow and Steady on the Island of the SunThe sunny island nation of Cyprus has always been a popular tourism destination for UK and European visitors seeking year-round warmth and idyllic Mediterranean beaches. As the closest European destination to the Middle East, Cyprus also targetsboth the local and expat markets of the GCC, Levant and North Africa. Despite trying times and a struggling national carrier,operators remain confident and development continues, with an emphasis on luxury accommodation and leisure facilities.

Laura Warne writes

Cyprus in BriefCapital: NicosiaCurrency: Euro (EUR)Language: Greek

Limassol MarinaConstruction on the highly anticipated Limassol Marina project began in May 2010 and,according to officials, work is progressing rapidly, with development currently ahead of schedule.The facility is expected to welcome its first yachts in mid to late 2012, with full completion dueat the end of 2014. With 650 berths, the marina will be able to accommodate yachts from 8m to 100m and will providefresh water, electricity, IPTV, high-speed wireless internet and telephone facilities to all owners. Limassol Marina will also offer workshop and maintenance outlets, refuelling and wasteremoval services. Camper and Nicholsons has been appointed to operate the marina. In addition to berthing facilities, the project will include a range of accommodation options,some of which are already available.Sources at the marina have cited strong interest in berthing and accommodation sales, followingthe project’s latest marketing campaign. The project is expected to have a positive impact on the wider economy of Cyprus and operatorsin the country have emphasised the importance of large-scale tourism projects to secure theindustry’s future.It is hoped that the marina will attract high-end (and high-spending) yachting tourists to theisland, in order to stimulate greater tourism development.

Limassol Marina, Commercial Area

A requested cash injection from the country’sgovernment may improve Cyprus Airways’prospects, but industry sources have expressedconcern that the airline could meet the same fateas state-owned Eurocypria Airlines, which filedfor bankruptcy in late 2010.

Hopeful HotelsWhile a number of properties have closed inrecent years, upscale hoteliers in Cyprus havecited strong sales, which are trending upwards. Jochen Niemann, general manager of LondaHotel in Limassol, said revenue and occupancyat his hotel increased by 10 percent and sixpercent respectively in 2010. However, he added that bookings were still a last-minute affair for most visitors.“Reservations are still coming in within the samemonth as the booking, and people are not usingearly booking promotions,” said Niemann.At Londa Hotel, the UK is still the strongestmarket, but interest is growing from EasternEuropean countries such as Poland, Romaniaand Hungary. Niemann said being a boutique hotel was a clearadvantage for Londa – with only 68 rooms, he

claims the property is creating strong demand forits rooms.“We have budgeted an increase in occupancy andrevenue for 2011,” said Niemann.“2009 was the recession, 2010 was the recoveryand in 2011 we will still be in recovery, but itshould be better than 2010.”Stelios Kiziz, general manager of ColumbiaHotels and Resorts, agreed that while the marketcontinued to be difficult, there had been a clearupswing in business from June 2010, particularlyfrom the UK market. He said Turkey and Russia were also proving tobe strong source markets for Columbia’sportfolio of properties, which target the

upmarket and luxury segments. In the Middle East, the UAE, Qatar and Omanare key areas of interest for Kiziz; Columbia hasassigned an expert to evaluate the MiddleEastern market for interest in Cyprus, withpositive results from both expat and localrespondents. However, Kiziz noted a strong downturn indomestic tourism spending, following increasedtaxation and financial stress arising from theglobal financial downturn. He said the ongoing development ofinfrastructure and tourism facilities in Limassolwas an under-marketed feature of the Cyprustourism offering.

13FEBRUARY 2011

n

- Cyprus

GolfGolfing holidays have been a popular mainstay of the Cypriot tourismindustry and new developments continue to prove the enduring successof the sector. Aphrodite Hills combines an 18-hole course with resort facilities thatinclude an InterContinental hotel, holiday villas and a range of diningand leisure facilities. Adding to the golfing tourism sector is Elea Golf Club, which openedin October 2010 and has already been met with strong support fromkey golfing personalities and media outlets around the world.Designed by Sir Nick Faldo, the course is situated near Paphos andforms the centrepiece of Elea Estate – a mixed-use development thatwill eventually offer villas and apartments, a boutique hotel and a rangeof spa and dining options. During the opening ceremony, Faldo declared that the course would bepivotal in establishing the south west of Cyprus as a leading Europeangolf destination.Ross Robertson, director of golf operations at Elea Estate, said he hadbeen overwhelmed by the response from visitors and potentialmembers during the first few months of operation.“By creating Cyprus’ first ‘golfer’s golf course’ we can now offer every

visitor to the island the challenge ofa world-class layout in first-classsurroundings,” said Robertson. With year-round golfing weather, justa short flight from most Europeanand Middle Eastern hubs, operatorsexpect this sector to remain a strongsource of tourism into Cyprus.

Peninsula and Marina view

FEBRUARY 201114

- Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a specialadministrative region (SAR)of the People’s Republic ofChina (PRC), ruled by theBritish from 1842 to 1997

when it was handed back to the Chinese.Comprising Hong Kong Island and itssurrounding territories, the zone combines adense urban centre with relatively unknownnatural treasures.Hong Kong has prioritised the Middle East,alongside India and Russia, as one of its top-threeemerging markets. Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) establishedan expertise-sharing programme with Abu DhabiTourism Authority in 2010, bringing the tourismcommunities of both states closer together.According to HKTB, its activities in the MiddleEast are aimed at attracting the family and youthsegments. Interest from the Middle East has been growingsteadily; Hong Kong has reported large increasesin travel from the Middle East over past years,boosted by the tightening of economic ties andimproved connectivity.In 2010, a 24.1 percent increase in arrivals fromthe Middle East was reported by Hong Kong’sTourism Commission.Hong Kong has benefited immensely from itsposition between Communist China and the restof the world.The region has established itself as an importantwaypoint between the state-regulated economyof mainland China and the open market,becoming the preferred stock exchange for manyPRC companies looking to list abroad.Elin Wong, corporate communications manager

for Cathay Pacific, reported a strong businesstravel market.“Hong Kong attracts many different kinds oftravellers,” Wong said.“As a key Asian financial centre, Hong Kongdraws in a large number of businesspeople inmany different commercial sectors. “Hong Kong has also developed a very largemeeting and incentive business and hosts manydifferent trade fairs throughout the year.”Closeness with China also sheltered Hong Kongfrom the worst ravages of the global financialcrisis, not least in regards to its tourism sector.According to US government figures, visitorsfrom China increased from 4.5 million in 2001to 17.7 million in 2009; coming to outnumbertravellers from all other nations combined.

China’s new prominence has also helped HongKong in other ways, with Hong Kong InternationalAirport serving as a gateway to the mainland.“Hong Kong’s geographical location and itsmodern and efficient airport also make it a greathub for connecting travellers to different parts ofthe world,” she said.“We offer a range of products that allow passengersto simply visit Hong Kong or stopover en-route toa different destination and with our significantmainland China network served by our sister

airline Dragonair, we provide unrivalled access tonot only major Chinese cities but also a range ofsecondary points. From our perspective, HongKong is both a home and a hub.”As a result, the leisure market in Hong Kong isbooming, according to Wong.“Tourism in Hong Kong is growing,” said Wong.“There has been much investment in attractionsand facilities over the years.“In addition, the opening of the new airport 10years ago provided the opportunity for HongKong to be connected to many moredestinations: the future for Hong Kong as aleisure destination is bright.”James Tien, chairman of HKTB, said theterritory had done well to improve its positionafter the setbacks of recent years.“Hong Kong’s tourism experienced a strongrebound in 2010 after the severe blow dealt bythe financial tsunami and human swine influenzain 2009,” he said.“The result could be attributed to thecollaborative effort between the SARGovernment, the local travel trade and theHKTB in rolling out various promotions, suchas the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival, theWine and Dine Festival and the New YearCountdown Celebrations, as well as thepolicies implemented by the CentralGovernment to facilitate individual visits byMainland residents.”

Luxury and Modernity on China’s DoorstepThe Middle East is an important and growing market for Hong Kong, with operators reporting strong upmarket interest anda range of initiatives aimed at attracting more traffic.

Hong Kong in BriefCapital: Hong Kong CityCurrency: Hong Kong Dollars (HKD)Language: English, Cantonese, Mandarin

As a key Asian financialcentre, Hong Kong draws

in a large number ofbusinesspeople in many

different commercial sectors

Hong Kong

FEBRUARY 201116

AttractionsHong Kong is one of the most densely populatedareas in the world, offering a full range ofattractions which are easily accessible due to itscompact nature.Sources invariably named shopping and cuisineas points of excellence.“Hong Kong is renowned as a world classcity  with  sophisticated and state-of-the-artfacilities; wonderful shopping; excitingentertainment and a culinary paradise,” Lung said.Wong echoed the sentiment, also mentioningtheme parks and traditional shopping experiencesas key attractions.“Hong Kong is a vibrant shopping destinationand has an exciting leisure aspect and greatdining opportunities,” she said.“Whether it is Disneyland or Stanley market -Hong Kong has something for everyone.“Hong Kong has an enormous diversity ofattractions and activities: The range of attractionsand activities is growing, as is the connectivityand access to Hong Kong.”However, according to Lung, an emphasis onurban pursuits has served to conceal HongKong’s other attractions.“We need to promote our proud heritage andculture in order to let people realise that HongKong has much more to offer beyond shoppingand dining,” she said. Beyond urban pursuits, Lung said Hong Konghad a stock of underexposed natural attractions.“We need to let  the world know  that over 38percent of our land belongs to the country parks,which is scenic, unspoilt and visitors can discoverunique rock formations and great nature,” she said.“Hong Kong is also a natural stopover for themigratory birds on their  way to the southernhemisphere.”

According to HKTB, Hong Kong has a substantialMuslim population (around 80,000), meaningprayer rooms and Halal food are widely available.The government is pursuing a number of largescale tourism projects.In June 2009, The Walt Disney Company and theHong Kong government announced a majorexpansion for Hong Kong Disneyland, to becompleted within five years.

The park will be expanded with exclusive GrizzlyTrail, Mystic Point and Toy Story 3 themed sections,featuring more than 30 new rides and attractions.Net economic benefits of the scheme areexpected to be as high as HKD117.3 billion(USD15.06 billion).Ocean Park, another major theme park in HongKong is also undergoing major renovations,expected to be completed by 2012.Other major projects underway include a newcruise terminal, to be delivered in 2013, aimed atestablishing Hong Kong as the leading regionalcruising hub.

VisitorsSources reported the importance of the regionalmarkets for Hong Kong’s future tourism strategy,but also noted the role to be played by emergingmarkets such as the Middle East.“Looking into 2011, Asia will be the key driverin the global tourism growth,” Tien said.“The HKTB will maintain our close partnershipwith the travel trade to uphold Hong Kong’simage as an international, cosmopolitan city”

Lung of The Peninsula said the Middle East wasalready a strong demographic for the hotel.“At the moment, we receive very high-end business from the Middle East,” she said.“We believe that there is huge potential from thismarket and we have identified this as ourgrowing target.”She explained that, again, the relationship toChina was a boon to Hong Kong.“There is good growth potential because Chinais an attractive destination and we believe thissegment will grow relatively fast,” she said.“Also, Hong Kong's attractions and infrastructureand services are world class, to ensure a visit toHong Kong is relatively hassle-free.”Travel from the Middle East covers a range ofinterests, according to Wong.“Cathay Pacific has both a strong inbound as wellas outbound market into the Middle East acrossmany different sectors - tourism, corporate and themovement of expatriate employees between theirplaces of work and home countries,” she said.

ConnectivityCathay Pacific operates a range of flights to theMiddle East, including recently launchedservices to Abu Dhabi. Middle Eastern carriersservicing the state include Royal Jordanian,Emirates, Qatar Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlinesand Oman Air.

Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival

Visitor DataThe breakdown of reasons for visiting HongKong are as follows, according to HKTB:Holiday: 56 percentVisiting friends and family: 20 percentBusiness: 18 percentStopovers: 3 percentOther: 3 percent

Hong Kong - Mong Kokshopping district

At the moment, we receivevery high-end business from the Middle East

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- Hong Kong

17FEBRUARY 2011

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Worldwide Buzz Makes Syria One to Watch in 2011Syria has emerged as the hottest upcoming destination in the Middle East this year, with a huge number of new developmentsand meteoric growth in arrival numbers.

One sign of the country’s rapidtourism evolution is the sheernumber of tourism facilitiesbrought online over the past year.According to a report by the

Syrian Ministry of Tourism, 222 new facilitiescame online in the first nine months alone.Including 42 hotels and 180 restaurants, theprojects combine for a total investment ofUSD314 million.This renewed focus on tourism is already payingdividends: Saadallah Agha Al-Qalaa, minister fortourism in Syria, told Bloomberg that tourismarrivals increased by a massive 40 percent overthe course of 2010.According to the minister, the removal of visarequirements for neighbouring countries was amajor factor in promoting Syria’s improvingfortunes, combined with a favourable relationshipbetween the cost and quality of services.

As a result of intensive promotional efforts, theperception of Syria in core markets is improving.Where Syria has often been perceived in the Westas an unsafe destination, the Syria’s Ministry ofTourism has reported increasing amounts ofpositive press in the foreign media.Combined with a huge number of well preserved

historical attractions and a vibrant, modernculture, Syria is beginning to gain the attentionof travellers jaded by crowded travel staples.The country has already been picked by theAssociation of British Travel Agents as one of thetop mid-haul destinations for 2011, making Syriaa hot spot to watch in the immediate future.

Omayad Mosque of Aleppo, Syria

FEBRUARY 201118

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 fromyou, so send your comments, questions, frustrations and observations to editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel

Wael bin Ahmed Al LawatiCEO, Omran“We have completed many important stages ofthe design and planning work for [OmanInternational Exhibition Centre] and we aredelighted to have started work on site. We havebeen given an ambitious timeline to completethe first phase of the project but as we showedwith the site for the Asian Beach Games, we canrise to the challenge. We commit to deliveringa facility which will make Oman proud; onewhich will stand against the very bestconvention centres in the world.”

We have been given an ambitious timeline

to complete the first phase of the project Oman International Exhibition Centre

Salam Al MamariDirector General of Tourism Promotions, Oman Ministry of Tourism“Oman offers a host of destinations and amenities to cater to all types of travellers. Foradventurers and leisure seekers we offer many cave, desert camping, nature trekking anddiving sites considered as some of the most beautiful and scenic destinations in the ArabWorld. For history lovers we have many castles, forts, museums and archeological sitesexuding a unique old-world charm. Even shoppers will enjoy our mix of quaint souks, oldmarkets and modern shopping centers. The Muscat Festival perfectly reflects the diversityof our travel and leisure offerings, which is why it has emerged as one of the most awaitedfestivals in the region”

Ahmed KhoorySenior Vice President Commercial OperationsGulf, Middle East and Iran, Emirates“Basra represents a significant opportunity forEmirates as our first entry into Iraq. We have fullGovernment approval to operate this route and weare keen to get our operation underway. Theappointment of a Sales Manager is a key step in ourlaunch plan.”

Basra represents a significantopportunity for Emirates as our first entry into Iraq

Ahmed Khoory

TheMuscatFestival perfectlyreflects

thediversity

of ourtraveland

leisureofferings

Salam Al Mamari

W ith Ramadan set to fallacross the entire monthof August in 2011, thelucrative summerholiday and school

vacation period will be severely shortened formany operators in the Middle East. Tourism sources say they are expecting localfamilies to travel from mid June to the end of July,with very little traffic in the usually busy monthof August. Expat families will make up some of thisshortfall, with many Western residents expectedto take extended international holidays duringRamadan.However, according to some professionals, agreater change is underway. Dina Al Herais, vice president of commercialoperations at Emirates Holidays, said the days of

a long annual family holiday may be numbered. “The trend we see is that a lot of people in theMiddle East are capitalising on short breaksthroughout the year, such as Eid holidays, schoolvacations and the Christmas and New Yearperiod,” she said.“People are now taking several short trips peryear, rather than just one big one.”Al Herais pointed out that the market in theMiddle East was split very clearly between youngexpat families with one or two children, and largelocal families travelling in groups that often rangebetween seven and 16 people. However, the long-standing habit of extendedfamilies travelling together may also be changing;Al Herais said it was more likely for local familiesto book in a single unit, rather than together withcousins, grandparents and other family members.“Travelling as a big family group can make it harder

to be adventurous, often simply because of the extrabaggage and transport requirements,” she said.While new destinations are on the rise,traditional family holiday hotspots are still inhigh demand. Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the GoldCoast in Australia all remain strong markets,along with European stalwarts France, the UK,Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Turkey. Mauritius and South Africa are expected to drawa strong crowd during the summer months, andAl Rais said Sri Lanka was set to be a standout. “Sri Lanka will do very well in the next year, nowthat it is stable and offers very good value formoney,” she said.The Middle East and North Africa is alsoexpected to maintain strong bookings, withEgypt, Lebanon and Dubai picked as the mostpopular regional spots for family tourism.

19FEBRUARY 2011

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- Family Travel

Foreign Relations Remain a Relative MatterFamily travel is one of the cornerstones of Middle Eastern tourism. However, in the coming year, things are set to become more challenging.

Laura Warne writes

Keeping BusySelf-drive holidays are a strong seller for the Middle Eastern familymarket, particularly for European destinations. Sources says the short distances, solid infrastructure, safety andcrossover visa requirements for Schengen countries are all importantfactors for local travellers. Staff at Emirates Holidays have noticed a small but growing market forprivate jet charter within the region, highlighting a growing trend forupscale domestic travel. Cruising is another growing market, with an increase in cruise arrivalsin Dubai cited as the catalyst for renewed interest in sea-based holidays.Philippe Saad, managing director of the UAE’s Eden Yachting,confirmed this trend, pointing out that family travel accounted forabout 50 percent of his company’s worldwide business.

“Family cruising holidays can workwell if the destination and theyacht are carefully chosen,” he said.Al Rais said Emirates Holidays hadnoticed strong interest in shortcruises combined with city stays;the company is now planning tocombine Mediterranean andCaribbean cruises with EmiratesAirline’s key city gateways. She said that, while it was still agrowing market, demand was clearand family holidays would continueto be a pillar of the tourism industryin the Middle East.

I ndeed, it is Chicago’s distinction fromother major cities that comprises itsgreatest charms according to operatorsin the country.Depending who you ask, The Windy

City earned its moniker either for its blowhardresidents; the ad hoc wind tunnels formed by itspioneering high-rises (Chicago is credited withthe first modern skyscraper); or the cool breezesoff Lake Michigan, which made the city a favouritesummer escape for nineteenth century America.Chicago still markets itself as an alternativedestination for visitors looking beyond thecountry’s main gateways.Where New York and LA have reputations forbeing, variously, dangerous or dirty, MargaretHeneghan, of the historic Drake Hotel, outlinedthe reasons people choose Chicago.“[Chicago is] safe and clean,” she said.“While there’s a lot to see, you’ll be able toaccomplish a lot in one visit, due to attractionsand neighbourhoods’ proximity to the hotels inthe city: walk, taxi, or bus, everything’s withinreach, and Chicago loves visitors and areincredibly hospitable.”The city has its share of tourism attractions,ranging from well-stocked museums to thefamous Lincoln Park Zoo.The mixed use Navy Pier – a kilometre ofexhibition spaces, galleries and amusements,projecting into the waters of Lake Michigan – isthe most visited tourism attraction in the Mid-Western US, according to Chicago’s tourism office.The structure, built as a working dock in the earlytwentieth century, speaks to Chicago’s essence.As a hub for America’s early railways, thecirculatory system of its industrial economy,

Chicago has always been a place for innovation,engineering and invention.At one point, the city’s engineers reversed theflow of the Chicago River to prevent pollution ofthe lake – a triumph of engineering that sharesthe spirit of the mega projects of the Middle East.Economically, Chicago is still a powerhouse.According to a 2008 Pricewaterhouse Coopersestimate, Chicago has a gross metropolitanproduct of USD574 billion. That gives the windy city more money to blowthan the economies of the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar,Oman, and Lebanon combined.Chicago was home to America’s first Nobel Prizewinner, as well as its first non-white president,Barack Obama.It is also credited with inventing zippers, vacuumcleaners, softball, the electric dishwasher, ferriswheels, elevated trains, open heart surgery andthe skyscraper.Although the first skyscraper, the HomeInsurance Building, was torn down in 1931,architecture still plays a major role in theChicago’s tourism industry. Frank Lloyd Wright, auteur of the originalGuggenheim Museum, served his apprenticeshipthere and established his practice in the suburbof Oak Park.Jason Neises, vice president of tour operationsand guest relations for the Chicago ArchitectureFoundation, explained that the area boasts anunrivalled wealth of Frank Lloyd Wrightdesigned structures; making themed tours apopular diversion for many visitors to the city.“Wright’s own home was in Oak Park, so thatvillage has the most Wright structures of anyother city (by most counts, over 30 sites);

Chicago itself has about 19 Wright-designedsites,” he said.“No other single city or village has more than nineor 10 Wright structures, … so clearly the area inand around Chicago has the highest concentrationof Wright-designed structures in the world.”Although many hotels are yet to introduceamenities specifically for Islamic visitors, Chicagois easily able to cater to the needs of a Muslim diet.For a town once proudly called Porkopolis,Chicago is  admirably kitted with halal eateries.The city has  an Islamic population in thehundreds of thousands, resulting in a solidinventory of  Islam friendly restaurants.

Furthermore, according to Heneghan, friendlinessin general is another of the selling points of the city.“Chicago is real: real people; real food; realrecreation; and real hospitality,” she said.“We treat our friends like our family, our neighbourslike our friends and strangers like our neighbours.“Chicago is a safe, hospitable, and authentic city –true to the American culture, while basking in whatit can learn from cultures from around the world.” Chicago is well connected to the Middle East,by flights from Etihad, Qatar Airways andEgyptair.

FEBRUARY 201120

- Chicago

Windy City Offers a Breath of Fresh Air for US TravelChicago is one of the largest and most important cities, not only in the US, but the world. Its role as a dynamo for the Americanindustrial revolution has raised the city to an iconic status which prevails to this day. Perhaps less well visited than other USmetropolises such as New York or Los Angeles, Chicago remains one of the most vibrant destinations that the country has to offer.

Chicago is a safe, hospitable, and authentic

city – true to the Americanculture while basking in whatit can learn from cultures from

around the world

Chicago

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A ccording to statistics from theEuropean Commission, France isthe second most populardestination in Europe for nonEuropean residents, and receives

the second highest tourismincome (Spain came first in 2010on both counts).Now as always, Paris is theprimary port of call for mostvisitors to France.Hélène Avril, public relationsofficer of the Four Seasons HotelGeorge V in Paris, said the city’slegendary cultural richness is thebasis of its ongoing appeal.“Paris is one of the main capitalsof the world where history meetsarts, fashion, gastronomy andluxury just to name a few, so thevisitor can find something specialfor them regardless of what theyare looking for,” she said.“We are centrally located inEurope so we are very easy toreach,” she said.

Ahmed Thabet, sales manager ofthe Hôtel Fouquet’s Barriere,reported a strong interest fromthe Middle East.“Middle East people are veryattracted by Paris and especiallyby the Champs Elysées avenue,”Thabet said.Avril said the market in France iswell balanced, but demonstratesa high level of luxury.“I would say in proportion to thevolume of visitors to the country,the luxury level of the marketrepresents a very large percentage

compared to other leading countries.”“The best part is even though there are a high numberof luxury hotels, there are more luxury brandsarriving in France which proves there is a strongdemand for this level of service and product.”

21FEBRUARY 2011

- France

Luxury Continues to Boom in the City of LoveParis; The Eifel Tower; Mont Blanc; the French Riviera. France is a country packed with tourism sites so famous as to havebecome iconic. The country has gained a much envied status as a must-visit destination for many travellers, including thosefrom the Middle East and North Africa.

France in BriefCapital: ParisCurrency: Euro (EUR)Language: French

Paris is ... wherehistory meets arts,

fashion, gastronomyand luxury just to

name a few

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FEBRUARY 201122

Adam TurnerAdam Turner is the new sales and marketingmanager for Ritz-Carlton Dubai, in theUAE.Prior to moving to Dubai, Turner served forthree years as director of travel industrysales for the london global sales office of TheRitz-Carlton Hotel Company where heimplemented a new strategy for the luxurygroup’s penetration within the UK travelmarket. Turner previously worked withBritish Airways as the key accounts salesmanager for special markets. In this role hemanaged and coached a mid-sized team ofaccount managers, sales support and a callcentre sales team. Turner started his careeras account manager for consumer sales in1999 with British Airways.

Nehal RizviNehal Rizvi is the new director of sales and marketing for two hotels within the City Seasons group.Rizvi has been in the hospitality industry for more than 26 years, beginning his career with thehotel Oberoi Intercontinental New Delhi, India, as a management trainee.From there he moved to Saudi Arabia, gaining experience in the front office and the salesdepartment. Rizvi moved to the UAE in 2002 joining the Riviera Hotel, Deira, Dubai and theMetropolitan Deira Hotel. Rizvi's most recent position was with the Habtoor Hospitality GroupDubai, where he was responsible for corporate sales as well as food and beverage sales. In hisnew role, Rizvi will oversee the sales and marketing function of the City Seasons Suites and theCity Seasons Hotel Dubai. He will be primarily responsible for acquiring business and for the planning and implementationof key account business development plans in line with business objectives.

Patrick MartinezRotana has appointed PatrickMartinez to manage two propertieson Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Hewill take over as general manager ofboth Yas Island Rotana and CentroYas Island. Martinez has 20 years ofexperience in the hotel industry onthree different continents. He held hisfirst position as general manager atthe age of 28 years old and has 13years of experience with the MarriottGroup in North and South East Asia.He graduated from the HotelManagement School in Nice, France.Martinez has prior experience in theUAE, where he started at HyattRegency Dubai in the food andbeverage department.

John MorganWataniya Airways has a new chief commercialoperator, in the form of John Morgan. Morganhas held senior marketing, sales and commercialpositions at a number of international airlines.He began his airline career with British Airwaysin 1988 as a regional business manager and waspromoted to general manager for business sales,before moving to BMI as director of sales andmarketing. He has also worked in a number ofsenior roles in Europe and the Gulf region,most recently as senior vice president in Europethe Middle East and Africa of Eos Airline Inc,based in Dubai, and as Vice Presidentoverseeing commercial activities for Royal Jetin Abu Dhabi. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree withhonours in Business Management fromUniversity of Aston, Birmingham. Adam Turner

Patrick Martinez

Rudi Jagersbacher

Rudi JagersbacherRudi Jagersbacher has assumed the post ofarea president in the Middle East and Africafor Hilton Worldwide.A Hilton veteran, Jagersbacher joined thecompany in 1974. His career has includedsenior leadership positions at the Savoy andClaridges hotels in London, as well asgeneral manager positions in flagshipproperties such as the Langham Hilton andthe Park Lane Hilton. He then rose to vicepresidential roles in London, Dubai andBrussels.

Travel Trade Monthly: What newdevelopments have occurred over the pastyear, both within Limassol Tourism and inthe wider tourism industry in Limassol?Tony Antoniou: The Limassol TourismDevelopment and Promotion Company hascompleted its third year of operation. During thepast year the company has strengthened itsefforts both in promoting the development oftourist infrastructure and in promoting Limassolas a destination both in Cyprus and abroad. We are very proud that our efforts to promoteLimassol in the local market have been successful, afact that was really refreshing, considering that it wasanother challenging year for the tourism industry.For the first time, we have organised a mega eventin Limassol, with the famous tenor Jose Carreras. The concert took place in June at the LimassolMunicipal Garden Theatre and was a great success.It both attracted high end visitors and foreignbusiness people that live and work in Limassol. The most important development for thetourism industry in Limassol during 2010 wasthe green light from the government to begin thedevelopment of the Limassol Marina. This is a EUR350 million project that willenhance nautical tourism, upgrade the touristproduct of Cyprus, put Cyprus at the centre ofthe yachting destination map and provide yachtowners top quality service.

The marina will be conveniently located adjacentto the heart of Limassol near the old harbor, theold town and the Medieval castle, making it alandmark development for the locals and anattraction for the visitors. The Limassol region really needs developmentsof this caliber and that is why it has been ourpriority to make all necessary efforts to give suchprojects a push. Our next big project is the development of theLimassol International Conference Centre which

will make it possible for Limassol to attract biginternational conferences of up to 2,000delegates. Imagine what this will mean for our hotels andtourist businesses. Mostly conferences are carried out during thelow season and their delegates are consideredquality visitors that spend a considerable amountof money during their stay. Such projects will enhance Limassol’s image as aquality destination and will assist in overcomingseasonality.

Travel Trade Monthly: What is coming upfor you in 2011?Tony Antoniou: Our aim in 2011 is to keeppushing to make projects, such as the abovementioned ones, a reality.In terms of promotion we will emphasise on theEnglish, Russian and German markets. Additionally, we will continue our efforts to attractathletic, cultural and other events in Limassol. Such events attract hundreds of visitors fromabroad to participate or watch them.

Travel Trade Monthly: Have you noticedany changes in client or visitor behaviour?Tony Antoniou: England is our main market,but numbers have been dropping, while theRussian market seems very promising. With regards to the visitors, I believe that themain change is that Limassol mainly became adestination for quality tourists. This is because a significant number of three starhotels and apartments have closed and were turnedinto luxury real estate projects, therefore most ofthe hotels in the market are five and four stars. Another significant change in terms of visitorbehaviour is that they are interested in more thanjust the sun and sea.

That is why we try to enrich the cultural calendarof Limassol with high quality events like the JoseCarreras concert. Additionally, the Cyprus Tourism Organisationhas planned byzantine churches routes, cyclingand wine routes for interested visitors. Such activities are memorable and significantlyenrich the visitors’ experience.

Travel Trade Monthly: How is tourism inCyprus faring? What changes could be madeto improve the industry?Tony Antoniou: Our tourism industry is goingthrough a challenging period. The government should make every effort topromote development in cooperation with theprivate sector in a faster and more efficientmanner to assist in improving the quality ofCyprus as a tourist destination. Visa procedures should become easier and fasterwith the use of technology, especially for thecountries that are vital to Cyprus tourism. Ways to increase connectivity should be studiedbecause that is the number one reason to chooseor drop a destination. There is a lot to be done both by the governmentand the private sector to upgrade our touristproduct and give higher value to the visitor.Improving the industry should be considered byall an ongoing effort.

23FEBRUARY 2011

Q&A with Tony AntoniouCyprus has historically been a bridge between the Middle East and Europe, combining Greek culture with proximity to countriesin the Levant and North Africa. Limassol serves as the country’s primary port and has been a key target for tourism sectordevelopment. Tony Antoniou, chairman of Limassol Tourism Development and Promotion Company, spoke to Travel TradeMonthly about tourism in his region.

n

We will continue our efforts to attract athletic,

cultural and other events in Limassol

Visa procedures should become easier andfaster ... especially for thecountries that are vital to

Cyprus tourism

Tony Antoniou

FEBRUARY 201124

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EventopediaAmman, Jordan February 22-23, 2011 (www.eventsunlimited.com.jo)Conference covering the A to Z of events management, aimed atencouraging Jordan’s MICE market.

Gulfood Exhibition 2011Dubai, UAE, February 27–March 2, 2011 (www.gulfood.com)International exhibition for the food, drink and hospitality markets.

ITBBerlin, Germany, March 9-13, 2011(www.messe-berlin.de)One of the world’s major travel and tourism exhibitions for all aspects ofthe travel industry.

GIBTMAbu Dhabi, UAE, March 28-30, 2011 (www.gibtm.com)International event for the business travel and meetings industry in the Gulfand Middle East region.

India Travel Market - MumbaiMumbai, India, February 4-6, 2011 (www.indiatravelmart.com)Travel trade show for inbound, outbound and domestic tourism.

Food and Hospitality ExpoManama, Bahrain, February 8-10, 2011 (www.foodexpbh.com)Hospitality technology, systems and equipment, along with exhibitorsfrom international food companies.

Emitt IstanbulIstanbul, Turkey, February 10-13, 2011 (www.emittistanbul.com)Istanbul’s only international trade fair: focused on tourism in theEastern Mediterranean.

Middle East Exclusive 2011Dubai, UAE, February 20-22, 2011 (www.middleeastexclusive.com)Luxury brand and travel retail exhibition.

Construction on OmanConvention and ExhibitionCentre, Oman’s first events venueof an international standard, hasformally commenced.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place onJanuary 2 at the site in Muscat.The centre will feature an auditorium with totalseating capacity for 3,000 people, exhibition hallswith 25,000m2 exhibition space and with theability to seat 10,000 people in the first phase.

The development will also have banquet halls,meeting spaces, a business park with 85,000m2

of office space, four hotels with a total of 1,000rooms and a large shopping mall.

Ahmed Bin Abdulnabi Macki, Minister of theNational Economy of Oman, said the facility willhave a major impact on the country’s economy.“This facility will allow Oman to become a majornew destination for conferences, exhibitions andother major business events,” he said.“These will have a major impact on our economyin the future, creating many hundreds of jobs forOmanis and attracting hundreds of thousands ofbusiness travellers each year.”

Dr Rajiha Bint Abdul Ameer Bin Ali, Minister forTourism of Oman, said the centre was part ofOman’s overall tourism strategy.“Over recent years, Oman has taken majorstrides forward in attracting tourists to our manyleisure resorts and hotels,” he said.“Our strategy has always been to target thebusiness sector too and this investment willprovide us with an outstanding venue forconferences and exhibitions.”

Oman’s New Exhibition Centre Breaks Ground

Oman International Exhibition CentreThis facility will allow Oman to become a major new

destination for conferences,exhibitions and other major

business events