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Travel Trade Weekly provides travel professionals around the world with the latest tourism news from within the MENA region, as well as international news and events.
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Abu Dhabi Airports Company has signed a contract for the construction of the Midfield Terminal Building at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
14 JULY 2012 ISSUE 140
04
06
Cosmopolitan Hotel Debuts in Dubai
Shurooq Unveils Splash Park
Cosmopolitan Hotel has opened its doors, marking the launch of Nael & Bin Harmal Group’s first boutique property in Dubai.
Sharjah Investment and Development Au-thority has opened the highly anticipated Splash Park within Al Majaz Waterfront.
IN THIS ISSUEMARKET UPDATE
WEEKLY NEWS
ACCOMMODATION
AIR NEWS
WHO’S MOVED
TRAVEL TALK
AGENT’S CORNER
TRAVEL CHANNELS
RENDEZVOUS
NEWS & EVENTS
02
03
06
08
11
12
13
14
15
16
ADAC Signs Deal for New Terminal
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14 JULY 2012
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MENA EXCHANGE RATES
Pegasus Capital Acquires Six Senses Resorts & Spas
Air Malta: State Aid Gets Green LightThe European Commission has ap-proved a EUR130 million (USD162.3 mil-lion) state aid for the restructuring of Air Malta.
Following an in-depth investigation, the Commission concluded that the plan adequately addresses the financial problems of the state-owned airline and the government’s financial intervention is in line with EU state aid rules. Overall, it is based on realistic assumptions and should enable Air Malta to become vi-
able within a reasonable timescale, according to the Commission.Furthermore, the Commission indicated that the restructuring meas-
ures foreseen, including a significant capacity reduction and the sale of assets, should ensure the carrier’s long-term viability without continued state support, whilst avoiding undue distortions of competition.
The five-year plan began in November 2010 with a loan facility of EUR52 million (USD65.5 million) as a rescue aid authorised by the Com-mission for Air Malta, which, in May 2011, requested this sum to be in-creased by EUR130 million (USD163.8 million) to help restructure the company, which has been facing difficulties for several years.
The restructuring project is set to be completed in 2015.
U nder the terms of the agreement, the US-based private equity fund manager company now holds all of the resort and spa management contracts and related intellectual
property rights of the Six Senses- and Evason-branded properties.
The company strongly believes that the brands are well-positioned to grow and con-tinue evolving on its heritage as an interna-tionally recognised brand built on unparalleled guest service and experiences, while being a
Pegasus Capital Advisors, through one or more of its affiliates, has completed the acquisition of the Bangkok-based resort and spa management business of Six Senses Resorts & Spas for an undis-closed financial sum.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY
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leader in sustainable hospitality with a strong sense of environmental responsibility, stressed Craig Cogut, founder, Pegasus Capital Advisors.
“Six Senses is now a debt-free company, with committed capital to pursue opportunities in new and existing international markets. We are confident that our president Bernhard Bohnen-berger and our management team will continue the Six Senses legacy,” he further expressed.
The Soneva brand and resorts, as well as the company’s real estate assets and holdings, were not included in the transaction.
Air Malta
3WEEKLY NEWS
14 JULY 2012
Emirates Air Line Launched Alshamel International Becomes Alshamel Travel Emirates Air Line, the UK’s first urban cable car, has
been unveiled, bringing a new and innovative way to cross London’s River Thames.
Passengers, including wheelchair users, can now take a ‘flight’ up to 90m above the river, on-board one of the 34 cabins from two new terminals; Emirates Greenwich Peninsula and Emirates Royal Docks, each with 1.1km journeys taking up to 10 minutes.
According to Tim Clark, president, Emirates, Emirates Air Line reflects the company’s philoso-phy of connecting people through innovative and shared experiences, and will provide all passengers with a unique perspective of the capital city.
Along similar lines, Boris Johnson, mayor, Lon-don, indicated that this new addition supports his ambitious plans to revive the neighbouring areas, creating jobs for Londoners and stimulating growth.
Alshamel International and Alshamel Travel & Tourism have adopted a brand new identity, namely Alshamel Travel, at all the fully-owned offices located in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia as well as the UAE.
“This is not just a logo change; we be-lieve that the new Alshamel Travel brand will not only demonstrate where we stand today, but also where we are heading,” high-lighted Khaled Al-Ghanim, CEO, Alshamel Travel. “Our new branding will tell our exist-ing customers, and future customers, that we offer the region's best-in-class travel manage-ment services that are backed by a profes-sional committed team and ground-breaking technologies.”
4 WEEKLY NEWS
14 JULY 2012
MARVEL Adventure to Open in Dubai
DTCM Organises Ramadan Forum
Seawings Adds New Packages
UAE Attracts Saudi Spenders
Shurooq Unveils Splash Park
MARVEL Entertainment, the creator of a number of popular comic book heroes, and Ilyas & Mustafa Gala-dari Group (IMG Group) have signed a licensed agree-ment to build and operate a new indoor family enter-tainment centre in Dubai.
Scheduled to welcome its first visitors by the end of 2013, MARVEL Adventure will be housed within a large, fully-enclosed, family-entertainment destina-tion, covering some 11ha overall; said to be the re-gion’s largest temperature-controlled indoor themed venue and designed to attract over 10,000 visitors per day.
Situated along Emirates Road, Dubai, the centre, which itself measures approximately 3.3ha, will include retail outlets and dining facilities along with a range of interactive entertainment experiences featuring popu-lar MARVEL characters. The facility of this magnitude is also expected to generate a significant demand for ho-tels and hotel apartments along with other retail and leisure components in the vicinity.
The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing is to hold a Ramadan Forum between July 24 and August 4.
Organised under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chair-man, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, the 12-day event will take place at a special marquee in Al Twar 3 area under the theme ‘Breezes of Mercy’ and will include new events, lectures from prominent reli-gious scholars, as well as Arab and non-Arab preachers from various parts of the region.
Seawings Tours has launched new aerial sightsee-ing experiences in Abu Dhabi, offering passengers a whole new perspective of the capital city.
The Abu Dhabi-based seaplane tour operator recently commenced the Abu Dhabi Scenic, Yas Clas-sique, and Dubai Classique, providing spectacular
views of the capital from a Cessna 208 amphibious aircraft.
Following an exhilarating take-off, passengers get to enjoy pano-ramic scenes of Ferrari World, the Formula One Grand Prix Circuit, Emirates Palace, Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi, as well as the Grand Mosque.
Saudi Arabia has proven to be the fastest-growing GCC country of the UAE, based on Visa account hold-ers spend.
According to the latest research from Visa, the Kingdom’s spending shot up 73.8 percent, with a to-tal of 1.1 million transactions made on Visa debit and credit cards in the UAE during 2011, which resulted in a total spend of USD326.3 million, making travellers from the Kingdom the fourth biggest spenders in the UAE behind the UK, Russia, and the US.
Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has opened the highly anticipated Splash Park within Al Majaz Waterfront; a fully automated, zero-depth aquatic play area suitable for the entire family, from toddlers to adults, as well as for children with special needs.
“Splash Park is a unique concept; a safe and re-freshing entertaining water play system for children up to 12 years,” said Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, chief op-eration officer, Shurooq.
State-of-the-art technology reducing water con-sumption through sequenced activation and low-flow hypodermic technology has been implemented, in a bid to minimise danger and facilitate access for disabled people.
“What makes this system different is that there is no standing water, so there are fewer safety risks in-volved. This also makes it possible for children with special needs to make use of the facility with their wheelchairs and enjoy playing with others,” explained Al Qaseer.
Seawings
6 WEEKLY NEWS
14 JULY 2012
Accommodation
Cosmopolitan Hotel Debuts in Dubai
Elaf Group: Four New Hotels in Saudi Arabia
Super 8 Comes to Saudi Arabia
Cosmopolitan Hotel has opened its doors, marking the launch of Nael & Bin Harmal Group’s first boutique property in Dubai.
Built at a cost exceeding AED100 million (USD27.2 million), the seven-floor hotel is envisaged to become one of the finest four-star properties in Dubai’s Al Bar-sha area.
Besides 114 rooms and suites, it comprises three food and bev-erage venues, and a fitness centre among other facilities, offering holidaymakers as well as busy ex-ecutives an ideal base.
Elaf Group of Companies has com-menced the construction of four new properties located across Jeddah, Mec-ca, and Medina, and valued at a total construction cost of SAR400 million (USD106.7 million).
Slated for completion between this year and 2014, the projects include Elaf Bakkah, Elaf Al Kawthat, Mecca, Elaf Galleria, Jeddah, and another hotel in Medina, revealed Ziyad bin Mahfouz, president, Elaf Group of Companies.
The company closed the first quarter with a revenue increase of 30 percent, and is determined to bring its portfolio of guest rooms to 5,000 before the end of the year.
Wyndham Hotel Group and Saudi Automotive Services Com-pany (SASCO) have signed a mas-ter franchise agreement for 20 Super 8-branded hotels in Saudi Arabia over the next five years.
With its contemporary design in highway locations, the Super 8 concept is said to be a unique concept in the market, and is set to meet the needs of the grow-ing domestic segment. Special features developed particularly for guests in the Middle East and Africa will include larger family rooms with adjacent living space.
8 WEEKLY NEWS
14 JULY 2012
Air News
Emirates to Increase Services for Ramadan
flydubai Expands on Iraqi Route
Emirates is planning to launch a total of 73 ex-tra flights to and from Saudi Arabia during Ram-adan; 59 more services to Jeddah and another 14 to Medina.
Both cities will greatly benefit from the in-creased flights, scheduled to be in operation as of July 20 until September 1, catering to the ex-pected influx of visitors to the Kingdom during the Holy Month, as Ahmed Khoory, senior vice president, commercial operations, Gulf, Middle East and Iran, Emirates, explained, “We expect travel to the Kingdom to increase significantly during the holy month of Ramadan in line with the annual movement of pilgrims. To effectively cater to this increased demand, we have added extra services giving our passengers more flight options and easing the flow of traffic.”
flydubai is to add another Iraqi destination to its network, with four weekly flights to Basra scheduled to begin on August 8.
Commenting on the rising prospects between the UAE and Iraq, which saw trade exchange between the two nations account for more than USD4.5 billion in 2011, Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO, flydubai, said, “We identified Iraq as one of our principal markets in 2010 with the launch of services to Erbil and Sulaimaniyah. This is in line with our commitment to continually identify emerging and underserved destinations. We
hope that our expanding network will further pro-mote travel between the UAE and Iraq, not only for the business community but also for the thousands of Iraqi expatriates residing in the UAE.”
Qatar Airways Partners with GOL Linhas Aèreas Inteligentes
GOL Linhas Aèreas Inteligentes, the largest low-cost airline in Latin America, and Qatar Airways have an-nounced the beginning of a frequent flyer agreement. This new deal is designed to enable participants of GOL SMILES and Qatar Airways’ Privilege Club loyalty pro-grammes to accumulate miles on all flights operated by the two airlines. Passengers will also be able to redeem tickets in due course.
“We are very pleased to expand our partnership with Qatar Airways, one of the most renowned international airlines. In addition to augmenting movement through
our system, the agreement will allow us to offer our SMILES clients direct access to the Middle East and Asia, extending the reach of the programme, which already has partners in North Ameri-ca and Europe, even further,” commented Constantino de Oliveira Junior, CEO, GOL Linhas Aèreas Inteligentes.
flydubai
Qatar Airways
10 WEEKLY NEWS
14 JULY 2012
Air News
Emirates A380 to Gatwick AirportOn July 6, Emirates touched down at Gatwick Airport with the first Airbus A380 to serve London's second largest airport.
The aircraft now operates one of the airline’s three daily flights to the city, enabling passengers to experience the globally renowned amenities onboard. These include the world’s first onboard shower spas in first class, and an onboard lounge for first and business class passengers.
“Emirates has changed the face of UK air travel since we took off from Gatwick 25 years ago. Since that time, millions of travellers have flown with us from our six UK departure points to Dubai and beyond,” said Salem Obaid-alla, senior vice president, commercial operations, Europe and Russian Fed-eration, Emirates.
Spread over two levels, the whole of the A380’s upper deck is dedicated to premium passengers. First class passengers can relax in one of 14 flat-bed, massage-equipped private suites, while business class passengers can enjoy a new generation of intelligent seating designed to ensure all seats have aisle access.
Ryanair has announced the cancellation of 34 weekly flights to and from Morocco due to the Office National Des Aèroports (ONDA) reneging on its agreement with the airline by imposing a new monopoly handling company on Ryanair which would have resulted in a massive increase in charges for the carrier.
ONDA has refused to guarantee Ryanair the continuation of the cost levels of its original agreement. Consequently, according to Michael Cawley, deputy CEO, Ryanair, the airline has no alternative but to announce substantial cut to its flight programme to Moroccan airports which will include reductions of eight weekly frequencies at Nador, six at Fez, eight at Mar-rakech, four at Tangier, and the complete closure of its operation at Oujda Airport.
Ryanair Cancels Morocco Services
IndiGo, India’s fastest growing airline, has enhanced its customer experience by introducing its new Arabic website for the Dubai market specifically designed for both business and leisure travellers based in the Middle Eastern region.
Aditya Ghosh, president, IndiGo, commented, “The launch of this new Ara-bic website in Dubai is to bring the local feel alive for the people of UAE. With an introduction of this customer friendly initiative, IndiGo is the only Indian carrier operating out of UAE to have launched this Arabic website. The timing of the launch of the Arabic website coincides well with the launch of an addi-tional four new flights between Dubai and India.”Furthermore, the low-cost carrier recently announced the expansion of its in-ternational operations with an introduction of new flights connecting Dubai with various southern destinations in India.
IndiGo Launches Arabic Website
Gulf Air has announced the intro-duction of nine new international television channels on ‘SkyHub’; the world’s first in-flight entertain-ment suite.
Beginning July 1, a variety of channels now provide passen-gers with 220 hours of continu-ous viewing, bringing Gulf Air to become the first ever airline to of-fer programme selection through channels rather than genre.
Gulf Air Improves SkyHub
Samer Majali, CEO, Gulf Air, commented, “In the past 10 years, in-flight entertainment has dra-matically improved and is now a decisive factor for choosing an airline; borne out by 20 percent of passengers in a recent Gulf Air survey.
“In today’s competitive en-vironment, staying ahead of the technology curve is crucial. Last year we launched SkyHub, which is an entertainment suite offer-ing passengers, for the first time in the world, full broadband con-nectivity to access the Internet, mobile phone services, and a global, live television service.”
Gulf Air
11WHO'S MOVED
14 JULY 2012
Wassim Tarabay
Valeria Mertsalova
Pieter Idenburg
Wassim Tarabay recently joined the executive team of Hotel Missoni Kuwait as direc-tor of sales and marketing. In his capacity, he will be re-sponsible for the entire de-partment including public re-lations activities at the hotel. Tarabay brings more than 20 years of industry experience to the role, having started
his career at Le Méridien Abu Dhabi. He later moved to Hy-att Regency Riyadh before joining the regional team of Radisson SAS Hotels and Re-sorts as director of sales. He later held positions at Radis-son Blu Hotel in Dubai Me-dia City, and Hyatt Regency Dubai, as well as Park Inn by Radisson Al Khobar.
Valeria Mertsalova has taken on the position of public rela-tions manager of The Ritz-Carl-ton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal. She started her career in the hospitality industry as food and beverage administrative assistant at Sheraton Palace Hotel in Moscow, before mov-ing into new roles.Mertsalova, who holds a mas-
ter’s degree in public relations from Moscow State Linguistic University, gained valuable ex-perience as part of the open-ing teams of The Ritz-Carlton Moscow and The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai International Finance Centre, the company’s second property in Dubai, where she served as public relations coor-dinator.
Pieter Idenburg has been named group CEO of Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC). Idenburg, who will com-mence his new position on August 1, brings more than 25 years of customer service experience and business acu-men to ADNEC, having previ-ously held senior manage-ment positions with various international organisations including American Airlines, The Walt Disney Company, and British Airways.
He moves to Abu Dhabi af-ter serving as CEO of Suntec Singapore Exhibition & Con-vention Centre, where, since 2005, he helmed a number of prestigious international events such as The Inter-national Monetary Fund / Worldbank Conference, and the first ever Youth Olympic Games. In addition, Idenburg also served as CEO of Suntec International.Idenburg’s appointment com-pletes the restructure of AD-NEC’s senior leadership team.
12 TRAVEL TALK
14 JULY 2012
Alex de Vos
“After careful evaluation of the available software technology on the market, Eastern Express has come to the conclusion that [the airline reserva-tion system provider] Videcom not only provides a superior product, but also focuses on customer ease and connectivity into existing global distri-bution systems; all very vital aspects for the en-hanced quality of our offered products.”
CEO, Eastern Express.
Vice president, worldwide sales, South West Asia, Hyatt International.
“Travellers from the Middle East tend to want to stay close to home when holidaying, especially for short breaks. With the upcoming Eid-al-Fitr holiday next month, we foresee a large number of travellers looking for a holiday experience which provides luxury and style, but within a short distance from home to maximise their time away.”
trav
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Thierry Bertin
Wayne PearceCEO, Oman Air.
“We are delighted to be playing a leading role in supporting the Salalah Tourism Festival [as the official carrier and main sponsor of the event run-ning between June 21 and July 18] which draws people from all over the world to join in celebrat-ing the rich history, culture, and traditions of this beautiful area of Oman.”
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, and observations to
13AGENT'S CORNER
14 JULY 2012
Travelport Works Closely with China Travel Specialists in the UAE Travelport recently hosted a ded-icated product forum in Dubai to share best travel technology prac-tices with agents specialising in travel to China and East Asia.
The event offered the global distribution systems (GDS) pro-vider a platform to reach out to a growing customer segment, as travel between the UAE and China rises rapidly amongst increasing business, trade, and cultural links. Both China and UAE-based carri-ers continue to expand their route capacity to accommodate growing demand from travellers in the UAE.
“As a GDS partner of the local travel trade, we see a lot of growth potential in travel bookings to China and are keen to support these travel
specialists with tools that can help them keep up with increasing vol-umes and deliver fast and efficient customer service. As such, we are committed to working closely to-gether and equipping them with the technology they require to suc-ceed,” commented Ghulam Al Ba-looshi, country director, lower GCC, Travelport.
Showcasing a portfolio of solu-tions for Galileo- and Worldspan-connected agents, Travelport high-lighted desktop applications such as Smartpoint App that improve productivity and significantly en-hance the overall selling experience.
Tools such as Travelport’s e-Learning portal were also empha-sised as an important resource.
AGENT’S INSIGHT
NAME: Nader Durak
POSITION: Director of business development
COMPANY: Travel One
LOCATION: Jordan
WEB: www.travel1.com.jo
Who are you?I have been with Travel One for the past 10 years, with over 15 years of experience in all major aspects of travel and tourism.
Having started in 1998, Travel One operates in more than one de-partment, primarily focusing on commitment, credibility, long-term vision, quality, attention to detail, and staff dedication, to provide the ultimate standard of service in an effort to fulfill our valuable clients’ needs and to maintain a good relationship with its associates and in-ternational partners.
The company’s continuous success during the last few years, which did not succumb to the instability in the area, led to thoughts about regional expansion to reach a bigger clientele with unique and unsurpassed services.
What is your favourite thing about working in the travel industry?The diversity of choices that enable us to fulfill the needs and require-ments of our clients when realising the effect of our services on them.
When is the best time to visit Jordan?All year round. Whenever you plan to visit Jordan, it will be the best time.
Where would you like to travel to for your next holiday?South Africa and Mauritius.
Why should people come to you for travel advice?We are a comprehensive, multi-lingual team of highly educated and well-experienced travel experts dedicated to customer service and hard work. We have high skills and clear communication ability with clients, offering personalised services catering to the exact needs and requirements of the client and beyond.
In addition, we boast expert guidance, vast knowledge, aware-ness of travel services, and creativity and ideas in providing a variety of options, as well as the ability to provide the best deals and prices related to quality and efficiency.
Thierry Bertin
Wayne Pearce
14 TRAVEL CHANNELS
14 JULY 2012
The Flightpath to a Sustainable Future
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) with support from the Air Transport Group (ATAG), have
launched ‘Flightpath to a Sustainable Future’.
T his initiative, unveiled at Rio+20, is the first ever series of connecting flights powered by sustainable alterna-tive fuels, one of which Raymond Benjamin, secretary general, ICAO, used to travel from Montreal to Toronto, Mexico City, and São Paulo, for the event.
Airline partners include Porter Airlines, Air Canada, Aeromé-xico, and GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes, while aircraft associates include Bombardier, Airbus, and Boeing.
Having received approval for aircrafts to fly on biofuels in 2011, the civil aviation industry remains optimistic regarding the future of such initiatives alongside correct government assistance.
Sharjah: 18 More Tourist Guides
Shurooq: Promotion in Beijing and Hong Kong
The Sharjah Tourist Guides Programme 2012, a joint ini-tiative of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) and University of Sharjah, concluded with 18 tourism professionals joining the emirate’s fast de-veloping industry.
The course, which will continue with two more sessions in September and October, was created to meet the grow-ing demand for professional and certified tourist guides, explained Mohamed Ali Al Noman, chairman, SCTDA, “This is a reflection of the spectacular growth of the tourism sec-tor in Sharjah and the UAE,” he said, emphasising that tour-ist guides play a crucial role in promoting tourism, which in turn, drives the destinations economic development.
“Sharjah’s tourism sector has not just established itself on the world tourism map; it has emerged as a major con-tributor to the national economy and growth of the country.”
In line with its strategy to promote the emirate and highlight its tourist attractions and business potential, a delegation of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) recently held a series of meetings with officials from economic and commercial sectors, as well as with representatives from tourism, business, and investment sectors, and government authorities in Hong Kong, following a successful participation in the Beijing International Tourism Expo.
During its three-day visit, the delegation discussed ways of cooperation with the Hong Kong Tourism Board, and also met the Indian Chamber of Commerce, which expressed great interest in further strengthening ties between the par-ties and Indian companies headquartered in Hong Kong.
Drawing conclusions from the meetings, Elie Armaly, director, business development, Shurooq, said, “We high-lighted economic growth witnessed in the emirate, focusing on the retail, renewable energy, tourism, healthcare, and lo-gistics sectors and the promising future and great potential for these sectors in light of the rapid growth in the region, in general, and Sharjah, in particular, as well as the emirate’s solid infrastructure and strategic location.”
RENDEZVOUS
14 JULY 2012
Q & A with Munaf AliWith an estimated value of USD18 billion and over 300 million travellers annually, religious tourism is considered one the industry’s most fertile sectors, and here, Munaf Ali, CEO, Range Hospitality, part of the Range Holdings Group, shares his perspective on the flourishing segment while unveiling the company’s future plans.
Travel Trade Weekly: Range Hospitality fo-cuses on developing hospitality complexes in countries which benefit from religious tourism. What factors make this sector a solid and healthy ground for investment?
Munaf Ali: Religious tourism is a growing in-dustry. Currently it is estimated to be worth over USD18 billion a year, with Saudi Arabia accounting for almost 40 percent of this mar-ket share.
According to the World Travel Market, re-ligious tourism is the fastest growing sector within the travel and tourism industry.
Range Hospitality is always on the look out for potential markets and Iraq offers a very favourable foreign investment environment making it a lucrative market for investment.
The holy city of Karbala in Iraq, which is home to two of Islam’s holy shrines, is an emerging centre of religious tourism. It at-tracts up to 18 million pilgrims every year yet accommodation standards remain very primi-tive which make it a huge market, so we pro-ceeded with a large development.
The economic and political environment of Iraq has been improving on a daily basis at-tracting more and more visitors, both pilgrims and business travellers. Over the last two and a half years, we have seen the country open up to the outside world and now airlines such as Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai, and Air Arabia, all having daily routes to various des-tinations in Iraq.
Travel Trade Weekly: The company is cur-rently developing a new property in Karba-la, hailed as the largest hotel in Iraq. Could you tell us about this development?
Travel Trade Weekly: Range Hospitality has also outlined plans to add a mixed-use de-velopment in Najaf to its portfolio. What kind of facilities will this project offer?
Munaf Ali: Range Hospitality’s current devel-opment is in Karbala, however pilgrims dur-ing their visit to Iraq also visit the holy city of Najaf. The success of any real estate develop-ment starts from the location.
We have identified a number of locations in Najaf and we hope to be able to secure the site and make an announcement during the course of the year. The development will be a four- or five-star hotel in close proximity to the holy shrines with the possibility of a small mall.
The hotel, like our project in Karbala, will be fully equipped to offer all guests a comfort-able stay during their visit to the city. A variety of restaurants, crèche services, and a business centre will be just a few of the services offered.
Range Hospitality has also a firm plan to enter Saudi Arabia and will unveil its develop-ment strategy in the near future.
Travel Trade Weekly: Over the past few years, religious tourism has shown great resilience against the regional and global challenges. How do you think this sector will continue to develop over the next few years?
Munaf Ali: Despite the global and regional challenges, the growth rate of the religious tourism industry has been consistent, and we continue to expect to see solid growth num-bers each year. With the country’s security and infrastructure improving on a daily basis, passenger traffic numbers are likely to con-tinue to increase.
Munaf Ali CEO, Range Hospitality
15
Munaf Ali: Range Hospitality’s USD175 mil-lion Al Rawdatain Residences is the first five-star hotel and residences in Karbala. De-signed by Dewan Architects and Engineers, the UAE-based firm behind projects such as Yas Hotel in Abu Dhabi and the Baghdad Rotana Hotel, the new hotel with 624 fully furnished and serviced apartments, will be managed by the five-star hotel operator, Shaza Hotels, and is a 65,000m2, G+12 hos-pitality development located just 1km from the holy shrines.
The construction of Al Rawdatain Resi-dences is in full swing and capping out of the buildings structure is expected to hap-pen during the third quarter of this year.
Range Hospitality has already sold a sub-stantial part of the Al-Rawdatain Residences. This property offers Mulkiya Intifa’a, a Shari-ah compliant fractional ownership and is ex-pected to be completed by the end of 2013.
16 NEWS & EVENTS
14 JULY 2012
EVENTSChina Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition (CIBTM)Beijing, China, September 12 – 14, 2012 (www.cibtm.com)A leading meetings, incentives, and business travel show providing the ultimate platform for suppliers to the MICE industry.
International French Travel Market (IFTM Top Resa)Paris, France, September 18 – 21, 2012(www.iftm.fr)An international fair for networking, doing business, innovating, and keeping abreast of market developments, offering a 360° panorama of the travel industry. Africa Hotel Investment ForumNairobi, Kenya, September 25 – 26, 2012(www.africa-conference.com)An event showcasing the potential Kenya and other high-growth destinations across the continent have to offer.
PATA Travel Mart Manila, Philippines, September 25 – 28, 2012(www.pata.org/events/pata-travel-mart-2012)Asia Pacific’s premier travel trade show offering networking and con-tracting opportunities for hundreds of international buyers and sellers.
The 18th World Route Development ForumAbu Dhabi, UAE, September 29 – October 2, 2012www.routesonline.com/eventsThe largest global event of its kind, attracting over 2,750 delegates from more than 80 countries, and determining the future of air services.
ITB ASIASingapore, October 3 - 5, 2012(www.itb-asia.com)Where exhibitors across all sectors of the travel-value chain, meet with top international buyers from the MICE, leisure, and corporate travel markets.
Asia Pacific Tourism Destination Investment ConferenceSingapore, October 15 – 17 , 2012(www.tdiasia.questexevents.net)Consisting of an array of networking opportunities, business meetings, and a conference programme, the event will focus on hotel investments and tourism infrastructure developments.
Russia & CIS Hotel Investment Conference (RHIC)Moscow, Russia, October 15 – 17, 2012(www.russia-cisconference.com)Addressing the key opportunities and challenges across the region and offering a platform to exchange ideas with fellow industry experts.
ADAC Signs Deal for the New Terminal
Oman Air Joins Korean Expo
Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) and the joint venture of TAV Construc-tion, Consolidated Contractors Company, and Arabtec Construction have signed a AED10.8 billion (USD2.9 billion) contract for the construction of the Midfield Termi-nal Building (MTB) at Abu Dhabi Interna-tional Airport, slated for launch in 2017.
Construction of the 700,000m2 terminal building is due to commence in the third quarter of the year, and during the course of five years, the surrounding area will also be developed to ensure the required infra-structure and facilities are available to sup-port the operation of MTB.
According to H.E. Ali Majed Al Mansoori, chairman, ADAC, the focus remains on ex-panding the airport’s infrastructure to support the expected growth over the next five years.
Yas Marina Adopts Turtles
Yas Marina, operated and managed by Camper & Nichol-sons Marinas, has become a turtle adoption pack distribu-tor after teaming up with Emir-ates Wildlife Society in associa-tion with World Wide Fund for Nature (EWS-WWF).
As part of the three-year Marine Turtle Conservation Project which was launched in 2010 by EWS-WWF, Yas Marina will adopt a turtle on behalf of each annual berth holder and 2012 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix berth holder, and will offer adoption packs to anyone keen on supporting the initiative.
Oman Air is showcasing the Sultanate’s cul-ture and investment opportunities at the three-month long Expo 2012 Yeosu, Korea, set to come to an end on August 12.
The world fair, which focuses on bring-ing attention to the great importance of balancing the preservation of ocean and coastal areas with economic development, saw some 20 Omani students and a number of senior Oman Air representatives welcome guests at the Omani pavilion.
“Oman Air’s participation at Expo 2012 Yeosu highlights our commitment to promot-ing Oman as a wonderful tourist destination at every level,” said Wayne Pearce, CEO, Oman Air. “Its excellent hotels, rich culture, and superb hospitality, coupled with awe-inspiring land-scapes, untouched coastline, and year-round sun make it the perfect choice for visitors.”
