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24 DECEMBER 2011 ISSUE 111
IN THIS ISSUEMARKET UPDATE
WEEKLY NEWS
ACCOMMODATION
AIR NEWS TRAVEL
INTERNATIONAL
WHO'S MOVED
TRAVEL TALK
AGENTS' CORNER
TRAVEL CHANNELS
RENDEZVOUS
NEWS & EVENTS
0204060710111213141516
Season's Greetings
02
07
airberlin’s Biggest StakeholderEtihad Airways has agreed to increase its stake in airberlin to 29.21 percent, making the airline the European carrier’s largest single shareholder.
United Airlines is to further expand in serving the Middle East region with a new daily service.
United Airlines Services to Qatar
The team of Travel Trade Weekly and
Travel Trade Monthly join in saying
thank you and wishing you a happy holiday
and a prosperous new year.
2 MARKET UPDATE
24 DECEMBER 2011
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY
MANAGING EDITOR
Mary Kammitsi [email protected]
JOURNALISTS
Stefanie Saghbini Rita Kasziba
Marianna Keen Dominique Christou
SALES & MARKETING
Maria Demetriadou Brighite Ess
Dominique Tennant
WEB & LAYOUT
Elina Pericleous
DIRECTORS
Andreas Constantinides Mary Kammitsi
HEADQUARTERS
T.T.W. Travel Trade Weekly LTD P.O. Box 25255, Nicosia, 1308, Cyprus
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Dinar
Dinar
3.67
6.03
3.75
1,505.50
0.37
0.71
54.15
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8.52
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219.26
75.27
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COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=
Accurate as of
22/12/2011Currencies shown in red are fixed against the US Dollar
MENA EXCHANGE RATES
airberlin’s Biggest Stakeholder
Capital Hill Closes on Sale of London HotelsCapital Hill Hotels, a Middle Eastern investor with other global hotel holdings, and Morgans Hotel Group, the operator and 50 percent owner of the London joint venture that owns Sanderson and St Martins Lane, have closed on the sale of the two London properties.
The hotels were sold for a total price of nearly USD300 million, or a value of approximately USD847,000 per room.
Morgans Hotel Group, however, continues to operate the 150-room Sander-son and 204-room St Martins Lane under long-term management agreements, which, including extension options, have been extended to 2041 from 2027.
After the repayment of debt and closing costs, Morgans Hotel Group’s 50 per-cent portion of the net proceeds amounts to approximately USD73 million, which the company intends to use to fund the acquisition of The Light Group as well as renovations at existing hotels and further growth.
T he strategic move connects the airlines’ extensive networks and frequent flyer programmes, and brings the number of destinations Etihad Airways serves either direct-
ly or with partner airlines to 269; more than 80 destinations larger than any other Gulf car-rier’s route map.
“Today, more than ever, it is vital to think differently in this industry. The number of codeshare partners Etihad Airways has, and the number of destinations it is now able to serve, is a point of marked differentiation,” em-phasised James Hogan, CEO, Etihad Airways.
Under the partnership, airberlin will shift its Middle East operation from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and offer four A330-200 flights per week between Berlin and the UAE capital as of January 15, 2012. The extensive codeshare agreement will see Etihad Airways placing its code on 36 of airberlin’s 171 routes, and the European carrier expanding its market reach to 24 of Etihad Airways’ 82 destinations.
Etihad Airways also indicated that it will sign codeshare agreements with the airber-
Etihad Airways has agreed to increase its stake in airberlin to 29.21 percent, making the airline the European carrier’s largest single shareholder.
lin group for all European activities including NIKI and Belair. Finally, under the agreement, Etihad Guest and topbonus, the airlines’ fre-quent flyer programmes, will be integrated, allowing passengers of both airlines to ‘earn and burn’ on each others flights.
“This new partnership expands our net-work reach, gives us access to 33 million new passengers, and provides us with a real op-portunity for global growth. Through airber-lin, we gain immediate access to a broad and complementary European market, with out-standing connectivity options for customers of both airlines,” concluded Hogan.
James Hogan, CEO, Etihad Airways and Hartmut Mehdorn, CEO, airberlin
4 WEEKLY NEWS
24 DECEMBER 2011
A significant downturn in travel to the capital city is expected in 2012, with a particularly severe drop in July and August, in which operators are forecasting a 60 percent shortfall. This slump is expected to be at its worst during the Olympic Games, when forecasted bookings are estimated at 95 per-
cent below normal levels. Bookings for the remainder of 2012 are forecasted at 20 percent
below those of the previous year, based on comparative year-on-year reported performance.
The study, which took place at the end of October, was conducted among 38 ETOA members who organise travel for more than two mil-lion people annually to London.
Tom Jenkins, executive director, ETOA, commented. “We always see a decline in demand for a destination during an Olympic year. Clients tend to think that a city has priorities other than being a place to visit for a normal holiday.
“These figures represent only current trends in leisure tourism and they do not account for those people who are coming for the Olympics. However, they indicate that bookings for London will have to strength-en enormously to make up for this shortfall. Even if London does fill with Olympic enthusiasts, they do not behave as normal tourists. Their pres-ence is determined by their interest in an atypical event; they do not generally shop or attend other attractions.”
Skylogue, the global co-operative union of airline pas-sengers which seeks to bring its members the best pos-sible bargains, has announced its Middle East launch.
Drawing on sophisticated technology to gather indi-vidual ticket requirements, the platform then communi-cates with the CRS ticketing systems of various airlines, thus providing its members with the benefit of collective bargaining.
Skylogue, which is supported by Silicon Valley start-up investors who funded innovative Internet companies such as flickr, differ greatly from other independently run portals, as the savings of bulk-booking discounts are passed onto the members.
Skylogue charges a one-time membership fee, how-ever, as a special launch promotion and only for this lim-ited period, the portal is currently waiving its one-time fee allowing passengers to sign up for free.
Apart from Skylogue’s exclusive promotions, mem-bers will also be entitled for special privileges and pack-ages from various airlines. The co-operative union has already reached agreements with a number of carriers for bulk discount arrangements and more airlines and segments are being added to the network.
Commenting on the visions of the union, Rave En-dran Kochummini, global director, Skylogue, said, “Sky-logue seeks to bring about a paradigm shift in the air-lines' relationship with the passengers, by reversing the equation: putting the passenger at the centre of the scheme, rather than the airline.”
Leisure Tourism slump During OlympicsEuropean Tour Operators Association (ETOA) findings suggest that a major slump in leisure tourism bookings to London is underway.
London Olympic Stadium
Air Miles Middle East has partnered with Marhaba to re-ward its members every time they book services.
The 1.2 million members of the region’s leading loyalty programme now receive two Air Miles for every dirham spent on Marhaba’s meet and greet services at Dubai International Airport, and one Air Mile for every dirham spent on its City Stop service.
“We are delighted to offer our members the chance to collect Air Miles every time they use dna-ta’s high quality airport services. The expatriate pop-ulation living in Dubai constitutes a large percentage of our membership so there’s a lot of interest in travel and related products as a result,” highlighted Paul Lacey, commercial director, Air Miles, Middle East.
Air Miles Teams up with Marhaba
Skylogue Debuts in the Middle East
5WEEKLY NEWS
24 DECEMBER 2011
ACTE and GIBTM Collaborate to Strengthen Business Travel IndustryThe Association of Corporate Travel Ex-ecutives (ACTE), a leading non-profit or-ganisation serving and advancing global business travel, along with the Gulf Incen-tive Business Travel and Meeting (GIBTM) Exhibition, have collaborated in an aim to improve the business travel experience through industry education.
At the upcoming GIBTM in Abu Dhabi, on March 26 to 28, 2012, ACTE will deliver educational sessions ad-dressing how industry professionals
are integrating the voice of the traveller and leveraging emerging technologies to enhance the management of busi-ness travel and corporate meetings.
Ron DiLeo, executive director, ACTE, remarked that the agreement is signifi-cant in the developing industry. "This collaboration is extremely timely, as business travel and meetings continue to converge. Face-to-face meetings are vital to business success and a healthy economy. Through this partnership,
ACTE is pleased to bring its unique level of knowledge, insight, and expertise to GIBTM, increasing educational delivera-bles to the meetings industry.”
Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Tourism Author-ity (ADTA), GIBTM 2012’s distinguished industry partners include ADTA, Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company, Etihad Airways, and The Vision Destina-tion Management.
As of January 1, 2012, Air Malta is to introduce a pet travel policy, whereby passengers who wish to travel with their small cat or dog in the passenger cabin will now be able to do so subject to certain conditions and procedures. The facility will be available on all Air Malta’s network, with the exception of flights to and from the UK. The maximum weight for each pet allowed will be 10kg includ-ing the pet carrier, and all pets must be registered before travelling.
Pet Passenger
Air Malta
Travelling pets must be at least eight weeks old and must be weaned at least five days prior to the day of departure. A valid pet passport and all other nec-essary documents are required in order for the pet to be allowed to travel. Each travelling pet should be examined by a licensed vet less than three days before the intended travel date.
Emirates A380 WiFiEmirates has launched WiFi Internet con-nectivity on its A380 with leading industry service provider, OnAir. Travellers can ac-cess the Internet whilst onboard from their smartphones, tablets and laptops.
“Emirates recognise that being connect-ed in-flight is increasingly important espe-cially on our longer flights. Adding Internet access is going to be a vital and ubiquitous part of any in-flight experience, just as it is in everyday life on the ground,” commented Patrick Brannelly, vice president, passen-ger communications and visual services, Emirates.
The WiFi service will initially be launched on 11 of the 19 A380 airbuses already in service and by mid-2012, all new Emirates A380s will be delivered with a full range of WiFi, mobile phone and data services.
Price plans have been implemented in order for passengers to take full advantage of the Internet whilst travelling, with prices dif-fering for laptops and mobile devices.
Adel Al Redha, executive vice president, engineering and operations, Emirates, com-mented on the new service. “Emirates is con-tinuously introducing the latest advanced technology to its customers for use onboard our fleet. Making in-flight connectivity avail-able is a value-added service that Emirates customers will highly enjoy.”
Adding internet access is going to be a vital and ubiquitous part of any in-flight experience
6 WEEKLY NEWS
24 DECEMBER 2011
Accommodation
Salalah Beach to Launch Juweira Boutique Hotel
Salalah Beach, one of Muriya Tourism Development Company’s main projects in Oman, is to open Juweira Boutique Hotel.
The hotel is set to play a major role in providing visitors with the true tropi-cal Salalah experience, and will boast 65 rooms, including 21 suites. Poised along the Salalah Beach Marina promenade, it will offer scenic views over the majestic Indian Ocean. Dining options will range from all-day dining to the seafood restaurant, and other facilities and services include two swimming pools with pool bars, a children’s pool, an outdoor Jacuzzi, gym, sauna, treat-
ment rooms, beach access, table-tennis, snorkelling, and other water sports.
Salalah Beach, spreads over 15.6 million m2 and is located a mere 20 minutes from the airport. It is also home to freehold villas and apartments, and will soon boast five five-star hotels, two Marina Boutique Hotels, an inland marina, two 18-hole golf courses, retail ven-ues, restaurants, and cafés.
Juweira Hotel, Salalah Beach
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has found an in-novative way to further satisfy its customers with the introduction of its 15-Minute Room Service, set to be available at its worldwide hotels by the end of the year.
Christopher Hunsberger, executive vice president, global product and innovation, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, commented, “Whether needing to quickly replenish after a workout or wanting to toast the per-fect sunset, 15-Minute Room Service provides quick and delicious meals for those who want it right away.”
Each Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has created its own gourmet menu based on local tastes and ingre-dients. Menu choices are designed for top speed deliv-ery to the guests’ room. Some hotels suggest full meal options, and others offer à la carte choices to mix and match. Many choices are available to go and are airline security-friendly, with an option of being delivered to the front drive as guests jump in a car on the way to catch a flight.
New Quick Room Service
15-Minute Room Service provides quick and delicious meals for those who want it right away
Sharjah Investment and Devel-opment Authority (Shurooq) has signed a contract with General Ho-tel Management (GHM) to bring the company’s latest series of The Chedi hotels to Khorfakkan, Sharjah.
More than AED350 million (USD95.3 million) will be invested in The Chedi’s Khorfakkan Hotel & Resort project, which will comprise of three components; the Fort, the hilltown, and the town square, and also set to boast a wide range of ac-tivities including a fully equipped dive centre, jet skis, yachts and sailing boats.
The Fort, which will be located on Al Suwifa mountain, will serve as the primary access point to the resort, of-fering restaurants, business facilities, a spa, and a gym, while the hilltown is set to consist of 170 suites boast-ing seaside views. The town square, which will be located in the centre of the hilltown, will further offer a variety of cafés.
H. E. Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmad Al Qassimi commented, “Prestige pro-jects like The Chedi Khorfakkan Resort continue Sharjah’s growth as a cul-tural, scenic, and tourist destination. It has been carefully considered and thoughtfully planned to minimise the environmental impact, while maxim-ising the social and financial sustain-ability of the project, and its accessi-bility to the other emirates will make it a prime destination.”
The resort, which is scheduled for completion in 2015, will join the chain of The Chedi hotels that GHM has launched across the world, including The Chedi Chiang Mai in Thailand, The Chedi Muscat in Oman, as well as The Chedi Andermatt and The Chedi Club in Bali, Indonesia.
Shurooq Confirms Deal for The Khorfakkan Hotel & Resort
7WEEKLY NEWSAir News
24 DECEMBER 2011
Oman Air initiated its new service between Muscat and Zurich, Switzerland, on December 2, providing four flights per week be-tween the destinations.
The new service will offer Swiss travellers the opportunity to experience Oman Air’s luxurious new fleet of Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft, which features the world’s first complete onboard connectivity service, allowing passengers to make phone calls, send SMSs, check emails, and surf the Internet.
Peter Hill, CEO, Oman Air, commented. “We are delighted to launch our new service between Oman’s capital of Muscat and Zu-rich. We anticipate that the route will prove extremely popular for visitors from Oman and other Gulf nations, as well as from
further afield.”Zurich marks Oman Air’s 41st
destination worldwide and its sixth in Europe. “The new service will offer the people of Switzer-land the opportunity to visit Oman and to experience the un-paralleled hospitality, rich culture, and dramatic landscapes that are unique to the Sultanate,” conclud-ed Hill.
Air France now serves Dubai with a flight depart-ing daily from Paris – Charles de Gaulle Airport with services that commenced December 5 and that will continue through- out the winter season ending March 24, 2012.
The new A380 destination is made possible by the aircraft’s redeployment to Dubai from Tokyo for the winter season as a result of lower seasonal demand in Tokyo. For the 2011/12 winter season, Air France will operate six Airbus A380 aircraft from Paris –Charles de Gaulle Airport, serving five destinations; New York, Johannesburg, Montreal, Washington, and Dubai.
U nited Continental Holdings has an-nounced that as of May 1, 2012, United Airlines will launch a daily service between its Washington - Dulles International Airport (IAD)
hub and Doha, via Dubai.
United Airlines Services to QatarUnited Airlines is to further expand in serving the Middle East region with a new daily service.
Doha will be the fourth city in the Gulf region that United Airlines serves from IAD, in addition to Dubai, Kuwait City, and Bahrain. The airline operates to more destinations in the Gulf region and Middle East than any other US carrier.
Andrew Buchanan, director, international
Air France Takes on DubaiOman Air Launches Muscat to Zurich Service
United Airlines
planning, United Airlines, commented on the route. "This new service will improve travel op-tions for our customers at both ends of the route. The Doha flights are timed to provide convenient connections to and from destina-tions across North America."
Zurich, Switzerland
Air France
8 WEEKLY NEWS
24 DECEMBER 2011
Air News
Egyptair increased its flight frequency between Juba and Cairo. The airline, which previously oper-ated four weekly services on the route nows offers five weekly flights to the capital city of South Su-dan on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. As of January 1, 2012, the carrier will offer daily services.
The decision underscores Egyptair’s commit-ment to connect the continent with vast destina-tions through the airline’s expanding network, according to Hussein Massoud, CEO, Egyptair Holding Company.
“Expanding network in Africa through inau-gurating new routes and increasing frequencies to the current routes comes within Egyptair’s strategy that aims at increasing the investments, economic de-velopment, providing more services in training, mainte-nance, in-flight services, and ground services in Africa.
Egyptair Increases Flights
Emirates is to add an additional five weekly flights to Paris by the end of 2012, as a result of strong pas-senger demand on the route.
As of March 25, 2012, the current double-daily Charles de Gaulle service will be supplemented by an additional four frequencies, increasing to five ex-tra weekly flights. The four extra flights will operate on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Effec-tive as of October 30, 2012 services will also operate on Tuesdays.
Salem Obaidalla, senior vice president, com-mercial operations, Europe and Russian Federation, Emirates, commented. “Demand to and from France, particularly from business travellers, is such that a third frequency has always been an objective for Emirates. With these additional services, we will help to satisfy that demand, while providing more oppor-tunities for travel between Paris, Dubai, and beyond to our network of more than 100 destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Australasia.”
Emirates Further Serving Paris
RJ and Meridiana Sign Codeshare Agreement
Royal Jordanian (RJ) has signed a codeshare agreement with Italian airline, Meridiana fly.
Under the agreement, RJ passengers will be able to seamlessly travel through Rome to Vero-na on Meridiana fly services featuring RJ flight numbers. In return, the Italian carrier’s passen-gers can buy tickets for RJ’s routes operated between Milan and Amman, and Rome and Amman, featuring Meridiana fly flight numbers.
According to Hussein Dabbas, CEO, RJ, the partnership will significantly expand the Jor-danian airline’s presence in Italy and the addi-tional routes cater to both business and leisure travellers.
Alessandro Notari, commercial director, Meridiana fly, Air Italy Group, added, "This is a very important deal for Meridiana Group, add-ing to our sales portfolio another destination in the Middle East region which offers many chances for development of both tourist and business passengers’ traffic. More specifically, our northern Italy customers will be able to reach Jordan with Royal Jordanian departing directly from Milan or Rome."
RJ which started operating to Rome in 1965 and to Milan in 1996, now offers six weekly flights to the capital and three weekly services to Milan.
Trevi Fountain, Rome
Egyptair
10 WEEKLY NEWS International
24 DECEMBER 2011
Best Western International (BWI) has added two new hotels to its portfolio in Nagoya and Yonezawa, further consoli-dating its presence in Japan.
The 99-room Best Western The Japo-nais Yonezawa, offers an ideal base for both leisure and business travellers with easy ac-cess to shops and transportation networks.
The 140-room Best Western Hotel Nagoya boasts a prime location, situated within close proximity to the Nagoya Ter-minal station, and the Sakae shopping, dining, and entertainment centre. The company’s first hotel in what is being hailed as the largest city in central Japan, features a restaurant, a coffee shop, and meeting and banquet facilities.
“Best Western is always thrilled to add to its growing network in Japan, especially when the newest hotels are in new desti-nations,” commented Glenn de Souza, vice president international operations, Asia and the Middle East, BWl. “The opening of Best Western The Japonais, Yonezawa, Best Western Hotel Nagoya, and other new properties in the near future, is evi-dence of our commitment to what is one of Asia’s most fascinating destinations. Best Western is extremely proud to be tak-ing part in promoting Japan’s tourism to more and more of the world’s travellers.”
Marking another landmark for Dusit In-ternational, this month is set to see the opening of Dusit Thani Maldives, located on Mudhdhoo Island.
With its Thai-inspired environment, the resort will consist of 122m2 beach villas, 128m2 lagoon villas, and 178m2 ocean villas.
Guests can opt from a large range of food and beverage experiences includ-ing the resort’s all-day dining restaurant, Benjarong.
Chanin Donavanik, CEO, Dusit Inter-national, commented on the coming of the resort. “Our first foray into the Mal-dives is a very exciting addition to our growing portfolio and represents a mile-stone for the Dusit brand. The resort will combine the rich flavour of Thai hospi-tality with the stunning tropical beauty of the Maldives.”
A 750m2 infinty pool will also be pre-sent in the resort alongside the Devaran Spa, which will be set in six tree-top treat-ment pods, providing signature treat-ments. Guests can also benefit from the resort’s fitness centre with a personal trainer and yoga instructor, as well as a children’s play area and club facility, inter-net workshops, and a range of boutiques.
Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center opened its doors on December 1, providing luxury accommodation as well as an extensive space for conven-tions and social functions to the area.
Dusit International to Make its Mark in the Maldives
Sheraton Launches Hotel in Kansas City’s Crown Center
The new hotel joins The Westin Crown Center, Kansas City, as the sec-ond Starwood Hotels & Resorts World-wide property in the popular shopping and dining complex of Crown Center.
The property marks one of more than 60 new hotels that are expected to be added to the Sheraton Hotels & Re-sorts’ portfolio over the next three years as part of a multi-year strategic expan-sion plan.
Ideal for business meetings and so-cial functions of all sizes, Sheraton Kan-sas City Hotel at Crown Center offers more than 9,300m2 of flexible meeting space with all the latest in meetings technology. Located on the southern edge of the city’s downtown area, the hotel is also less than a mile from Kan-sas City Convention and Entertainment Facilities, and adjacent to Crown Center Exhibit Hall.
Highlighting the hotel’s unique of-fering, Hoyt Harper, global brand leader, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, commented. ”The fully refurbished hotel will serve as a fine representation of the brand’s new look and feel, and will showcase all our signature brand offerings.”
Best Western Expands in Japan
Sea Grill Restaurant
Sheraton Kansas City Hotel
Best Western The Japonais Yonezawa
11WHO'S MOVED
24 DECEMBER 2011
Mahmoud El Keiy
Stuart Allum
Ahmed Adam
Cédric Gobilliard
Mahmoud El Keiy has been promoted to hotel manager at Four Seasons Hotel Alex-andria at San Stefano, Egypt. El Keiy, a hotel veteran, be-gan his career with Hilton Hotels & Resorts in Egypt, where he worked his way up from the front office to the sales department. He joined Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in 2002, and first gained experience as
sales manager and part of the pre-opening team at Four Seasons Resort Sharm El Sheikh. He then spent seven years at the renowned Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza as director of sales, where he developed extensive lead-ership skills and managerial insight. El Keiy is a graduate of the Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Egypt.
Stuart Allum has joined The Rezidor Hotel Group as pur-chasing manager for the UAE. He moves from Marketboom-er International, a hospitality procurement solution provid-er, where he held the regional operations manager position for the UK and the EMEA re-gion. During his tenure with the company, he worked closely with Starwood Ho-tels and Resorts in Dubai,
Abu Dhabi, and Jeddah. Al-lum, a highly experienced e-commerce and procurement professional, has a successful track record in strategic op-erational management and large scale e-commerce pro-ject implementation. During his career, he has success-fully delivered more than 10 international projects in the Middle East, Thailand, and Singapore.
Ahmed Adam has been named director of sales for Saudi Arabia by The Rezidor Hotel Group. Adam, who has more than a decade experi-ence in the hospitality indus-try, first joined The Rezidor Hotel Group in 2009, as sen-ior sales manager for Radis-son Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City. Adam brings a wealth of experience and exten-sive knowledge of the Saudi
Arabian market to his new position, where he will work closely with the Middle East regional sales and marketing teams to develop initiatives to drive and establish brand awareness, maximise oppor-tunities, and increase profit in this crucial market. The Rezidor Hotel Group is one of the first hotel chains to have a dedicated director of sales in the Kingdom.
Cédric Gobilliard has been appointed senior vice presi-dent of global sales at Accor. As of January 1, 2012, Gobil-liard will take over the posi-tion from Patrick Mendes, who is joining the Latin Amer-ica team. Gobilliard has been tasked to define the group’s sales strategy and policy for each of its market segments, in collaboration with the brands and countries. He will
also be in charge of creating business-to-business offers and of supervising the priority ac-counts. Prior to his current po-sition at Accor, Gobilliard was CEO of Club Méditerranée’s North American operation as well as Look Voyages, and also held the position of marketing manager at Disneyland Paris before becoming senior vice president, direct sales and loy-alty at Accor.
12 TRAVEL TALK
24 DECEMBER 2011
Richard Nuttall
John Leahy
Chief operating officer, customers, Airbus.
“I am both honored and excited to be given this opportunity [being appointed CEO of Bahrain Air]. Whilst 2011 has been an extremely challeng-ing year for airlines operating within the Middle East, Bahrain Air has come a long way in its three years of operation. We have a great team and our goal now is to become Bahrain’s airline of choice within the region.”
“With almost 200 Airbus corporate jet sales to date, we now serve a growing and increasingly important community, and combining all the various aspects of this business [by bringing to-gether commercial, programme and support ac-tivities in a single in-house unit] will help us to serve our customers better while paving the way for further expansion.”
Peter Mansourian
General manager, Grand Millennium Dubai.
CEO, Bahrain Air.
“We know, even as visitor numbers to Dubai in-crease, there is more pressure to gain business as the hotel sector expands and new hotels continue to open. To stay on top of our game, we have to provide a quality product at a competitive price, but more than that, we have to enlist and retain the loyalty of the local market that drives business in to the Grand Millennium Dubai – and this is our way of demonstrating our gratitude.”
Maurice Phohleli
Country manager , South Africa, Etihad Airways.
“We are honoured to have received the [Best In-ternational Airline prize at the Airports Company South Africa Feather Awards], particularly be-cause this feedback has come directly from our guests. To see that our guests recognise and ap-preciate the high-quality product and attentive service of Etihad Airways is a very gratifying mo-ment. We wish to extend our thanks to all of our loyal guests for their kind support.”
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
trav
el t
alk
is
you
r sp
ace
13AGENT'S CORNER
24 DECEMBER 2011
Peter Mansourian
Maurice Phohleli
AGENT'S INSIGHT
Who are you?My name is Premjit Bangara and I am the general manager of Sharaf Travel. I have approximately 26 years of experience in the airline and agency sectors, both in the Sultanate of Oman and the UAE.
What is your favourite thing about working in the travel industry?My most favourite thing is the connections I have established both with my internal and external clients over the course of two decades, which have greatly contributed to the develop-ment of my personality.
When is the best time to visit the UAE?The best time to visit the UAE is from October to February where the weather is salubrious and one can venture outdoors and ex-perience the diverse natural beauty and the modern wonders of the UAE.
Where would you like to travel to for your next holiday? I would like to visit Rio de Janeiro and São Paolo and experience the sights and sounds of the festive carnival season in February.
Why should people come to you for travel advice?Sharaf Travel provides a high quality of travel services in the cor-porate, leisure, and retail segments through a team of well-trained and motivated travel professionals working under the strict qual-ity guidelines governed by their ISO 9001/2008 certification.
bmi Guarantees Full Content for Travelport-Connected CustomersTravelport will continue its glob-al content agreement with British Midland and International (bmi) as part of its strategy of securing full content programmes with air-lines across the globe.
Through the agreement, Travel-port has ensured that its Galileo and Worldspan travel agency cus-tomers worldwide have continued access to bmi’s full published fares.
Remarking on the importance of continued cooperation, Robin Ranken, head of airline relation-ships, Europe, Travelport, said.“ This agreement will certainly sharpen our competitive edge and further illustrate our ability to work with our airline partners to reach a situa-tion that is mutually beneficial.”
Barbara Hunter, general ma-nager, distribution and custom-er services, bmi, commented, ”Travelport offers an important distribution channel for the sale of bmi fares through their Galileo and Worldspan platforms and we are pleased to be continuing our partnership with them.”
NAME: Premjit Bangara
POSITION: General manager
COMPANY: Sharaf Travel Services
LOCATION: UAE
bmi A320
Dubai
14 TRAVEL CHANNELS
24 DECEMBER 2011
Weighing up Golf Travel Costs
Research commissioned by Reed Travel Exhibitions for International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), has shown that 52 percent of UK golf travellers have noted that their decisions to go abroad or take a golf break at home
have been highly affected due to the increased cost of flying with their clubs.
T he report published at IGTM, gives details on the main influences on UK golfers when making a deci-sion on their choice of destination for golf holidays. Peter Grimster,
exhibition manager, IGTM, commented on the findings, which were indicative of price-sensitivity in the golf travel market. “While a destination’s variety of golf courses, the price of the break, and whether golf is part of the package, [all] remain the key influence fac-tors, clearly UK golfers are weighing up the
additional cost of transporting their clubs in deciding whether or not to fly abroad for their golf break.”
There are 3.9 million UK golfers, making
the region the largest golf market in Europe, with a quarter of these regular golfers taking annual golf breaks, both domestic and over-seas. The cost of additional airline fees for travellers’ equipment also plays a significant role on international golf tourism.
Overall, the research provides interest-ing insights into how UK golfers go about selecting their golf breaks, where they look for recommendations and advice, as well as the important factors that determine their holiday choices, according to Grimster.
Cerbat Cliffs golf course, Kingman, Arizona
15RENDEZVOUS
24 DECEMBER 2011
Q & A with Victor LouisRas Al Khaimah (RAK) has demonstrated itself as a rising star of the emirates due to its safe image and unique offering. Victor Louis, chief operating officer, RAK Tourism Investment and Development Authority (RAK TIDA) shares the industry’s altered strategy.
Victor LouisChief operating officer (RAK TIDA)
Travel Trade Weekly: How has the overall tourism strategy for RAK changed in the past year and what are the current focuses?
Victor Louis: Tourism strategy for RAK over the last year has taken significant strides across the board. Firstly, in May, RAK TIDA was estab-lished as a entity of the government of RAK. Previously, tourism promotion activities were conducted under the auspices of the Depart-ment of Economic Development, however, fol-lowing the vision of H. H. Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, supreme council member and ruler of RAK, RAK TIDA was established to both de-velop and promote the rising emirate’s tourism potential domestically, regionally, and interna-tionally. In the months since its establishment, separate tourism and hospitality divisions have been created to oversee the various activities of business and investment development, commercial and research activities, licencing, and public relations and marketing.
RAK TIDA is responsible for establishing the emirate of RAK as a premier quality-value destination for leisure, adventure, and busi-ness travel. In order to achieve its goals, the au-thority has a government mandate to license, regulate, and monitor the emirate’s hospitality industry. It conducts research and analysis of future tourism projects and current trends, cre-ates and implements the branding, marketing, and promotion of RAK’s tourism products and services, and develops, implements and sup-ports strategies designed to encourage tour-ism investment into the emirate.
Travel Trade Weekly: What are the accom-modation targets in RAK and how will this be achieved?
Victor Louis: Clear strategic goals and tar-gets have been set by RAK TIDA, which in-clude doubling the total number of annual visitors to RAK to 1.2 million by 2013 and increasing the emirate’s total hotel and re-sort room inventory to 10,000 keys by 2016. These targets will be achieved through a myriad of activities including the represen-tation of RAK’s tourism industry at overseas travel shows, conferences and exhibitions, together with the education of travel pro-fessionals regarding RAK’s tourism products and unique attractions.
New tourism experiences are also planned, with the Pearl Farm and Pearl Mu-seum scheduled to launch early in 2012. This new attraction will be the first of its kind in the Gulf region and will offer visitors unique opportunities to both learn and ex-perience first-hand the processes of natural pearl production.
Travel Trade Weekly: The authority high-lighted discussions regarding promotion plans for increasing desert tourism aware-ness in RAK. Could you tell us about the plans that have arisen?
Victor Louis: A meeting with the Arabian Incentive Company was held by the adminis-tration of support and promotion tourism in the Department of Economic Development (DED) with the objective of introducing and promoting desert tourism in the emirate. However, this assignment was taken over by the RAK TIDA. One of its first achievements was announcing the signing of an agree-ment between the government and Rakeen development to take over the first exclusive desert resort in the UAE, Banyan Tree Al Wadi. This is a luxury resort located in the heart of a 90-hectare private natural reserve in the desert, featuring various types of local plants and wildlife and is considered to be the first of its kind in the Gulf region and Middle East. We are currently overlooking the master plan for the resort's expansion and upgrade.
Travel Trade Weekly: How popular are her-itage sites and cultural attractions in RAK?
Victor Louis: RAK’s heritage and cultural at-tractions prove very popular not only with re-gional and international visitors but also with Emiratis and expatriates living in the UAE. While RAK TIDA will continue to develop and promote our heritage and cultural attractions, RAK has its own unique identity with a diver-sity of landscapes that makes it the perfect getaway for leisure, adventure, and value for money experiences.
16 NEWS & EVENTS
24 DECEMBER 2011
EVENTS
Ferien-Messe Wien Vienna, Austria, January 12 – 15, 2012(www.ferien-messe.at)The leading public access tourism trade fair in Austria, which is attended each year by more than 100,000 consumers.
FITUR Tourism Trade Fair FeiradeMadrid, Spain, January 18 – 22, 2012(www.ifema.es)A meeting point for tourism professionals, in which they can estab-lish lines of action, strategies and business alliances.
Horeca KuwaitKuwait City, Kuwait, January 22 – 24, 2012 (www.horeca-kuwait.com)Operating under Leaders Group for Consulting & Development, this trade exhibition is a comprehensive event covering hospitality, cater-ing, and food sectors in Kuwait and the GCC.
Austrian and Central European Travel Business Vienna, Austria, January 22 – 24, 2012(www.actb.eu)A tourist market place, industry meeting point and platform for gen-erating new networks, initiating business deals and reinforcing exist-ing customer relations.
Travel Technology EuropeLondon, UK, February 7 – 8, 2012(www.traveltechnologyshow.com)Europe’s leading annual travel technology event that connects the travel industry with market-leading technology solution providers.
SATTENew Delhi, India, February 10 – 12, 2012(www.satte.in)India’s leading business-to-business travel and tourism event, which will host more than 6,000 travel agents and tour operators from all over India and its neighbouring markets.
Middle Eastern and North African Tourism Expected to Spring back
Participants at the UNWTO & Arabian Travel Market’s (ATM) event on the Future of Tourism in the Middle East and North Af-rica which was held at the World Travel Market this November, were unanimous in agreeing that tourism in the region, which has, for long, lived with uncertainty and a number of external shocks, will return from current challenges stronger than before.
Taleb Rifai, secretary general, UNWTO, opened the event by suggesting the industry should be optimistic regarding uncer-tainty and external shocks. “The on-going changes in the Mid-dle East and North Africa bring enormous opportunities. Rule of law and democracy will empower local communities, open-ing the door for these to be better engaged in the process of tourism development. There will surely be a more transparent business environment, increased support for smaller business-es, as well as stronger regional integration and cooperation.”
Nayef Al Fayez, minister of tourism and antiquities, Jordan, highlighted that the benefits of tourism have an impact on the country’s entire population. ”Communities are the first to be
affected when tourism demand falls and this is why we need to support them.”
Along the same lines, Mehdi Houas, minister of tourism, Tunisia, emphasised that the country is looking to position its culture, history, and people at the centre of tourism develop-ment and promotion.
Moreover, close cooperation between the public and pri-vate sectors was pointed out as one of the keys for success in the UAE and one of the ways with which to reinforce the growth of tourism in the region, whereas misperception was highlighted as one of the most pressing challenges, with par-ticipants stressing that the Middle East should not be seen as one block but rather as different countries with different reali-ties and challenges. “The Middle East is rich in culture and peo-ple; the sector has been expanding in terms of infrastructure and air capacity. If we work together there is an incredible fu-ture for the region,” Guy Crawford, CEO, Jumeirah Group, Dubai, expressed.
