Market Update 2Accommodation News 6Air Travel News 10International News 12Agents’ Corner 14Travel Tips 15Travel Talk 16Rendezvous 18Who’s Moved 19Events 20

Middle East and North Africa Edition

NOVEMBER 27, 2010 ISSUE 55 www.traveltradeweekly.travel

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REZIDOR GOES GREENRezidor has become the latest hotelcompany in the Middle East to seek thirdparty environmental impact certification,announcing plans to certify all 27 of itshotels in the region by next year. Thecompany has already achieved Green Keycertification for all six of its UAE properties.

In This Issue

AFGhAN BANAll airlines from Afghanistan have beenbanned from European airspace in thelatest update to the EU’s no-fly list.Afghanistan based Arianna airlines hadbeen previously been singled out for no-fly status, but in its latest review, theEuropean Aviation Safety Agency foundsafety regulation in Afghanistan at largeto be deficient.

GULF AIRGULF AIR

Bahrain’s Gulf Air has revamped its compensation andbenefits scheme, after finding that 35 percent of employees

were being paid below the standard market rate. CEOSamer Majali admitted the system had not been updated in

30 years, but said Gulf Air was now in line with thenation’s standards of best practice.

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GlobalStar is comprised of anetwork of independenttravel agencies around theworld.Caesars Travel in Kuwait, Al

Tahadi Tours in Jordan and Travel Associates inLebanon joined the organisation at thecompany’s regional partner’s conference, heldrecently in Cairo.According to Moustafa Khalil, CEO ofGlobalStar Egypt, said Cairo was chosen for theevent in light of GlobalStar’s successfulexpansion campaign in the Middle East.Kumar Jagadeesan, general manager ofGlobalStar UAE, said the company would help

develop business travelmanagement in the Middle Eastin a way sensitive to the particularconsiderations of the region.“The specifics of business travelin the Middle East demand adifferent approach than, forexample, in Europe,” he said.“ With the establishment ofthe GlobalStar ME-BusinessDevelopment Group we will workclosely together in developing new

technology platforms, supplier agreements andboosting sales and marketing activity in order toprovide a true regional business travel managementsolution for GlobalStar clients worldwide.”

GlobalStar has been recruiting travelmanagement companies in the Middle East forthe past 18 months and now claims members in11 countries in the region.

GlobalStar’s Middle East Expansion International travel management firm GlobalStar has cemented three newpartnerships in the Middle East.

Al Habtoor Investigates Russian OpportunitiesUAE based Al habtoor Group, which operates the habtoor hotel chain, isconsidering investment in Russia.Khalaf Al habtoor, chairman of the group, travelled to the Tartarstan region ofRussia recently, to investigate investment opportunities.According to a statement from the Al habtoor Group, he was presented with fourpotential projects, including the development of the right bank of the KazankaRiver.Al habtoor said he would consider the projects.“My management and I will study all the offered projects by the Government ofTartarstan,” he said.“We are really interested in this kind of co-operation.”Tartarstan is an emerging destination within Russia. The state is set to host theYouth Olympic Games in 2013 and operated an independent stand at the WorldTravel Market for the first time this year.

NOVEMBER 27, 20102

COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=UAE (AED) Dirham 3.69Egypt (EGP) Pound 5.77Saudi Arabia (SAR) Riyal 3.75Lebanon (LBP) Pound 1501Bahrain (BhD) Dinar 0.37Jordan ( JOD) Dinar 0.70Syria (SYP) Pound 46.47Kuwait (KWD) Dinar 0.28Qatar (QAR) Riyal 3.64Oman (OMR) Rial 0.38Tunisia (TND) Dinar 1.44Morocco (MAD) Dirham 8.37Iran (IRR) Riyal 10,390Yemen (YER) Rial 214.45Algeria (DZD) Dinar 74.5Libya (LYD) Dinar 1.24

MENA Exchange RatesAccurate as of 25/11/2010Currencies shown in red are fixed against the US Dollar

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY

EditorLaura Warne

Deputy EditorLouis Dillon Savage

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DirectorsAndreas ConstantinidesMary Kammitsi

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The specifics of business travel in the Middle East

demand a different approachthan, for example, in Europe

3NOVEMBER 27, 2010

Arabian Adventures Outlet Targets Spanish MarketDubai based destination management company, Arabian Adventures, has established a new representativeoffice in Spain.

The new office brings thegroup’s internationalnetwork to 10 countries,including Australia,China, France, Germany,

Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK and the US.Adsum Tailored Tourism Services hasbeen selected as the Spanish partner forArabian Adventures; Adsum has morethan 10 years of experience representingtourism countries in global markets.The new representative office will help topromote the UAE as a destination andwill provide a range of services to supportArabian Adventures in its variousinternational markets.

The opening follows the launch of Emirates’new route to Madrid, and a subsequentincrease in travellers flying to and from Dubai.

Arabian Adventures listed Spain as a topemerging market for independenttravellers, as well as the MICE industry.

Arabian Adventures, Dubai

NOVEMBER 27, 20104

Qatar has hosted the first of a series oftraining sessions for travel industryprofessionals to improve the capacity ofoperators to market the Middle East as aregion.The workshops ran from November 23to 25 at the Millenium hotel in Dohaand were organised in tandem with theWorld Tourism Organisation(UNWTO).Ahmed Al Nuaimi, chairman of QatarTourism Authority (QTA), said regionalco-operation was imperative if theMiddle East is to thrive in the newlycompetitive climate brought on by global

financial difficulties. “As a region, we have a lot to offer – deeprooted history, rich culture, and steadfasttraditions: we must work together tomarket and promote our regionaluniqueness, complemented by what eachof our countries offer to tourists,” he said.“As professionals engaged in the businessof opening our cities and countries tooutside visitors, it is essential that wegather to learn from one another, sharebest practices and work to develop ourindividual tourism sectors throughworkshops such as these.”Participants included representatives of

tourism authorities, as well as hospitalityand tourism business operators.

Tourism ministries from around theMiddle East including Bahrain, Kuwait,Iraq, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt andMauritania were all represented.According to QTA, the workshops willbe followed up with further trainingprogrammes in the future.

UAE Pipeline Set to Launch 120,000 New Jobs by 2011The UAE’s pipeline of 244 hotels, containing 55,000 rooms, is set to provide a host of career opportunities forUAE nationals and expats – and a challenge for hotel management and recruitment specialists.

A ccording to FrederiqueMaurell, director of Thehotel Show, the 120,000new jobs expected by2011 may actually be a

conservative estimate.In response, she said the 2011 edition ofThe hotel Show would feature a careersafternoon in collaboration with TheEmirates Academy of hospitalityManagement (EAhM), targeting aspiringhoteliers and hospitality professionalslooking for further training.“The Emirates Academy of hospitalityManagement will be exhibitingthroughout the show, showcasing theirrange of hospitality management coursesto human resource directors, trainingmanagers and other industryprofessionals,” said Maurell.Shaun harper, director of consulting andtraining at EAhM, said hospitalitytraining was picking up in the UAE.“Many industry-focused colleges are seeinga substantial rise in local and overseasapplicants, highlighting the growing

interest from young people,” said harper. “Training is an integral part of thehospitality industry. A highly trained, well

motivated workforce enhancesoperational efficiency as well as providingstaff with additional skill sets.”harper added that staff developmentprovided a tangible return on investments,and urged hoteliers not to see trainingcosts as an expense, but as an investmentwith a potentially immediate payback. The hotel Show 2011 will run from 17 to19 May at Dubai World Trade Centre.

QTA and UNWTO Seek to Encourage Regional Tourism Promotion

We must work together to market and promoteour regional uniqueness

Industry-focused colleges are seeing a

substantial rise in localand overseas applicants

Dubai

The company has alreadyachieved Green Keycertification for all six ofits UAE properties:Radisson Blu and Park

Inn hotels on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island;Radisson Blu Resort in Sharjah; andRadisson Blu hotels in Dubai DeiraCreek, Dubai Marina and Dubai MediaCity.According to Rezidor, their hotels are thefirst in the region to use Green Keycertification; a number of other hotelcompanies, including Mövenpick, haveopted for the rival Green Globe standard.Green Key assessed the UAE properties

based on energy conservation; waterconservation; solid waste management;hazardous waste management; indoor airquality; community outreach; buildinginfrastructure; land use; and environmentalmanagement.Sarah Rooney, responsible businessmanager for Rezidor’s global network,said third party certification wasimportant to avoid greenwashing – thepromotion of seemingly eco-friendlypractices that have no real impact.“We believe it is important to have a thirdparty assess and recognise our efforts inresponsible business and in Green Key wefound an organisation that shares a number

of our key values and that has been set uppurely to preserve the environment - welook forward to taking our partnershipwith them much further,” she said.

Marko hytonen, area vice president forRezidor, said the company plans to certifyits entire Middle Eastern portfolio by2011.

NOVEMBER 27, 20106

- Accommodation

Rezidor Targets Certification for Middle East HotelsRezidor has become the latest hotel company in the Middle East to seek third party environmental impactcertification, announcing plans to certify all 27 of its hotels in the region by next year.

New Spa for Atlantis, The PalmDubai’s Atlantis, The Palm resort has launched a new spa andfitness concept outlet, in partnership with health and beautyproduct brand Shiseido.The new ShuiQi Spa and Fitness centre will feature exclusiveShiseido treatments and products, according to Neilhewerdine, vice president of spa services for Atlantis, The Palm.“The partnership is instrumental in ShuiQi and it enhancesthe East-meets-West philosophy that we have adopted for thespa,” said hewerdine.“It has allowed us to offer a diverse collection of treatmentsand products to suit all budgets and tastes.”Jan Liska, operational marketing director of Shiseido, saidShuiQi would be the first spa in the region to provide Shiseidotreatments and products, although the brand was launched inthe Middle Eastern retail sector 13 years ago.ShuiQi runs over two floors, featuring 27 treatment rooms,including a royal spa suite.

We believe it is important to have

a third party assess andrecognize our efforts in

responsible business

7NOVEMBER 27, 2010

- Accommodation

AWPR to Become First Green Rated Hotel in Abu DhabiAl Ain Wildlife Park and Resort (AWPR) has been chosen to pilot Abu Dhabi’s new environmental regulationsfor new build properties.

Middle East a Priority Market for IHGInterContinental Hotels Group (IhG) is treating theMiddle East as a high priority market, according to the lateststrategy update from the company.IhG has declared plans to double its portfolio across China,India and the Middle East.According to the company’s assessment, GDP growth in theMiddle East is still outpacing the rest of the world, promptingfavourable long term projections by IhG.Andrew Cosslett, CEO of IhG, said such long term planningwas necessary in order to take advantage changes apparent inthe present world. “hotel companies need to anticipate trends at least 10 to 20years ahead and we know the world is going to be on the movelike never before,” he said.“The economic empowerment of developing countries andmassive growth in business and leisure travel mean we will aimfor sustained growth in what could be an era of unprecedentedopportunity and sustained growth for the hotel industry.”IhG plans to open 38 new hotels in the Middle East withinthe next five years.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon AlNahyan, chairman of bothAbu Dhabi TourismAuthority (ADTA) andAWPR, said the guidelines

were an extension of Abu Dhabi UrbanPlanning Committee’s (UPC) EstidamaPearl Rating system. “These are the first government greendesign guidelines for new hotels,” he said. “It means that shortly, new hotels willhave a green rating alongside their starranking.”he then expanded on the role that AWPRwould play in the development process.“The hotel at Al Ain Wildlife Park andResort is being designed to the highest

green building standards,” he said.“It will be the first hotel to be assessed byEstidama under its pearl rating scheme.We expect it to achieve a four-pearl rating.

“When the trial is complete, ADTA willabsorb these green hotel standards into itshotel classification system.”According to Al Nahyan, the desireamong consumers for green tourism hasgrown to the point where environmentalawareness has become a necessity.“Two out of every five people interviewed

are so concerned about tourism’senvironmental footprint that they arewilling to spend more money onenvironmentally friendly holidays,” he said.“In other words, there is a high-endmarket waiting for us to deliver.”“Green tourism is the new commercialreality.”

Green tourism is thenew commercial reality

Sheikh Sultan BinTahnoon Al Nahyan

Hotel companies need to anticipate trends at least 10 to 20 years ahead

NOVEMBER 27, 20108

- Accommodation

Premier Inn for Doha’s Education CityUK budget hotel chain Premier Inn has signed an agreementwith Dohaland to manage a 200 room new-build hotel inEducation City, Qatar. The hotel is scheduled to open in 2012. Education CityPremier Inn will be the brand’s fourth hotel in the Middle East,with three properties already open in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Sue hocking, director of sales at Qatar National ConventionCentre, said the hotel would be ideal for hosting conferencedelegates seeking good value and proximity to theconvention centre. “We are extremely lucky to have so many luxury five star hotelshere in Qatar, but there is definitely a gap in the market whenit comes to less expensive accommodation and Premier Innhas spotted this,” said hocking.“The Premier Inn is a fantastic brand and will provideincoming MICE and business delegates, who are attendingconferences, meetings and exhibitions at the QNCC, withanother great accommodation option – and this one has theobvious benefit of being just a stone’s throw away from theconvention centre.”

The Wave to Provide Training for Future HoteliersThe Wave Muscat in Oman has undertaken a scholarship training programme for young Omanis as part ofan initiative to improve job opportunities for nationals of the sultanate.

Four high school graduateshave been chosen from apool of around 400 toparticipate in the scheme,which is being operated in

partnership with British Scholarships forOman (BSO) and the National hospitalityInstitute (NhI).The scholarship covers an 18 monthdiploma course at NhI and a six monthinternship at Kempinski The Wave, followedby the option of ongoing employment.Abdulla Al Shidi, deputy CEO of TheWave, outlined the importance of theprogramme.“Our strategic partnership with BSO andNhI underscores our support of private

educational institutions and their varioustraining platforms,” he said.“Through this collaboration, we areproviding future hoteliers with sector-specific skills in our quest to build a robusttourism industry and establish anindigenous workforce comprised of highlyqualified Omanis.”The Wave is a large scale mixed usedevelopment currently under constructionin Muscat.

It has been designed to expand the city’shotel district and will add four new hotelsas well as a Greg Norman designed golfcourse.Fairmont and Kempinski have alreadysigned on to manage the first two hotels. Both properties are expected to open inthe first quarter of 2013.

Through this collaboration, we are

providing future hotelierswith sector-specific skills

There is definitely a gap in the market when it comes to less expensive accommodation

and Premier Inn has spotted this

Kempinski The Wave

NOVEMBER 27, 201010

- Air Travel

Travellers Can Fly RAK Airways to BangladeshThe recently resurgent RAK Airways has added its first new destinations since recommencing operations in October.

Jazeera Launches FifthEgyptian RouteKuwait’s Jazeera Airways will beginnon-stop flights to Sohaj on December1, marking the airline’s fifth direct routein Egypt. The new service joins existing Jazeeraflights to Sharm El Sheikh, Alexandria,Luxor and Assiut.Flights to Sohaj will run from Kuwaiton Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. Jazeera currently operates services to 18destinations across the Middle East,North Africa and Turkey, with keymarkets including Dubai, Bahrain andIstanbul.The airline operates a modern fleet of 11Airbus A320s; since launching inOctober, 2005, the airline has flownmore than 6.5 million passengers.

Emirates and Rolls-Royce Sign Maintenance Contracts

Dhaka and Chittagong inBangladesh have beenincluded in the carrier’sroute network, addingto its launch routes of

Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Calicut inIndia.Flights will commence on December 15.Omar Jahameh, CEO of RAK Airways,explained why the destinations had beenchosen.

“With our new routes to Bangladesh,RAK Airways is delivering on its mandateto provide travellers with a value offeringto a range of exciting destinations,” hesaid.“With flights to the nation’s capital,Dhaka, the centre of economy andcommerce, as well as to the coastal touristhot-spot Chittagong, RAK Airwayspassengers can take advantage of thelatent opportunities for trade and tourism

that exist between the UAE andBangladesh.”Flights will operate three times per weekto both cities: on Tuesday, Thursday andSaturday to Chittagong; and Wednesday,Friday and Saturday to Dhaka.

According to RAK Airways, Dhaka isfamous for its historic architecture and isknown as the City of Mosques.Chittagong is a major port city, wellknown for its ship breaking yards, and thesecond largest urban centre in Bangladesh.

Rolls-Royce and Emirates havefinalised a USD1.2 billion agreement formaintenance of the engines on 50 ofEmirates’ wide body aircraft.Rolls-Royce will provide long termservicing support for the Trent 700model engines powering 29 of Emirates’Airbus A330 aircraft and the Trent 800model engines powering 21 of itsBoeing 777 aircraft.Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum,CEO of Emirates, said the agreementrepresented a renewed bond betweenhis airline and Rolls-Royce.“These agreements will extend thebusiness relationship and strengthen thepartnership between the twocompanies,” he said.“This will also provide a better platform

for effective management of engine lifecycle costs and enhanced enginereliability.”According to Rolls-Royce, theTotalCare agreements that Emirates haschosen are designed to minimise thefinancial risk to airlines operating Rolls-Royce engines.

[There are] latentopportunities for tradeand tourism that existbetween the UAE and

Bangladesh

11NOVEMBER 27, 2010

- Air Travel

Gulf Air Aims for Employer of Choice StatusIn an attempt to become both a carrier and employer of choice, Gulf Air has revamped its 30-year-old employeecompensation and benefits system for all technical and administrative staff.

Samer Majali, CEO of Gulf Air,said the airline had previouslybeen focused on its efforts tocreate a commerciallysustainable company.

“During the past year, our progress hasbeen very encouraging and we are on theright track; our seat factors and punctualityhave improved, costs have come down andour losses have reduced,” he said.Now the time has come for us to look atthe other key element of our business –our people.”Majali admitted that very little had beendone on this front in the past; Gulf Air’scompensation and benefits system has notbeen updated in three decades, and there

was no professional performance appraisalsystem and no fair salary increases oradjustments in line with the market.“We found that 58 percent of our employeesare currently paid within the standardmarket rate, 35 percent were below andseven percent were not uniform andconsistent across the organisation,” he said.“The new compensation and benefits systemremoves these anomalies and inequalitiesand harnesses the nation’s best employmentpractices and standards, creating a fair andefficient working environment.”The airline will also be issuing all Bahrainiand GCC nationals with open-endedcontacts, in partnership with the Gulf AirTrade Union.

“Despite our financial challenges andfierce competitive market conditions, weare introducing this new compensationand benefits system to our staff becausewe care,” said Majali.“All we need now is the fullest co-operation and the best performance fromour employees, going the extra miletowards achieving sustainability andprofitability.”

Air Arabia Connects Tunis to Casablanca

We are delighted to announce the start of

our flights to Tunis

Air Arabia Maroc will start direct flights from its base inCasablanca, Morocco, to Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, onDecember 16.Flights will operate thrice weekly on Tuesday, Thursday andSaturday.A spokesperson for Air Arabia Maroc said the flights were apositive step for the fledgling flyer.“We are delighted to announce the start of our flights toTunis,” she said.“In one year since the start of Air Arabia Maroc operations,we have been able to organically grow our destination mapand fleet.“We are confident the new services between Casablanca andTunis will offer customers great value for money to travelbetween the two cities as well as contribute to the growth oftourism between the two countries.”Air Arabia Maroc was launched in April, 2009 as a subsidiaryof the Sharjah based Air Arabia Group.

NOVEMBER 27, 201012

- International

Royal Wedding to Boost Tourism to UKAccording to the UK’s tourism agency, VisitBritain, the royal wedding of Prince William to Kate Middletoncould provide a major boost to tourism and the UK’s economy.

EIBTM Extras: Industry EventsA host of international industry organisations haveannounced that they will host events in Barcelona, Spain,alongside the upcoming EIBTM – a global exhibition for themeetings and events industry.EIBTM will run between November 30 and December 2.Project Meeting Architecture, which received seed fundingfrom EIBTM, will hold its first annual board meeting duringthe exhibition.MPI (Meeting Professionals International) will host itsChapter Leaders Conference on November 28, followed byMPI Global Training Day on November 29.Operations and event managers from around the world willaddress key operational issues and strategies at the AIPCFacility Operations Summit on November 29. On the same day, the Joint Meetings Industry Council( JMIC) will host its board meeting; the Green MeetingsIndustry Council (GMIC) will also hold its board meeting atEIBTM for the first time.On November 30 the first Congrex Client Forum will takeplace, as part of a partnership with EIBTM.Finally, the ICCA Forum for Young Professionals will takeplace from November 27 to 30, bringing together 20 industryprofessionals aged 30 or under for a programme of educationand networking.

The fashion, craft andcreative industries are alsoexpected to benefit fromthe wedding, which is set totake place at Westminster

Abbey on April 29, 2011. VisitBritain has predicted a potentialtelevision audience of up to four billionpeople. Carol Maddison, UAE manager ofVisitBritain, said the event would be anexcellent way to showcase the UK’s modernroyal couple, while celebrating the country’shistory and tradition.“Millions of people will see the royal weddingas the perfect opportunity to visit Britain andto enjoy all of the wonderful sights that the

UK has to offer,” said Maddison. VisitBritain is also hoping for a tourism flow-over effect into 2012, when the country willhost the Olympic and Paralympic Games, aswell as the Diamond Jubilee of QueenElizabeth.

A recent survey by the agency showed thatrespondents from 20 countries around theworld were most interested in visiting castlesand palaces when in the UK.

Millions of people will see the royal wedding

as the perfect opportunityto visit Britain

Prince William and Kate Middleton

A ccording to Kurt Ritter,CEO of Rezidor,Radisson Blu SafariResort Kruger Parkmarks a first for the

reserve and for Rezidor.“This hotel will be the first internationallybranded hotel within Kruger, and willclearly strengthen the Radisson Blu brandin South Africa,” he said.“At the same time, it adds a new segmentto our successful Radisson Blu portfolio:we manage city- and business hotels,airport properties, beach and ski resorts,and are delighted to now announce ourvery first safari resort.”The property will offer 104 rooms and 16

suites and will include a full range ofamenities, including swimming pools,conference facilities, dining options, gymand spa.

It is projected to be ready to receive itsfirst guests in the second quarter of 2013.Despite the extent of its facilities, AndrewMcLachlan, vice president business

development for Africa and the IndianOcean Islands at Rezidor, said the propertywould have a smaller environmental impactthan other hospitality options in the park.“In line with Rezidor’s group wideresponsible business programme, theecological footprint of the hotel will bemuch smaller than that of the older,existing camps within Kruger,” he said.Covering nearly 19,000km2, Kruger is oneof the largest national parks in South Africa.

13NOVEMBER 27, 2010

- International

Radisson to Open Hotel in Kruger Game ReserveRezidor has received approval for a new build property within the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Afghan Carriers Banned from EuropeAll airlines from Afghanistan have been banned fromEuropean airspace in the latest update to the EU’s no-fly list.Afghanistan based Arianna airlines had previously been singledout for no-fly status, but in its latest review, the EuropeanAviation Safety Agency found safety regulation in Afghanistanat large to be deficient.Afghanistan’s Safi Airways has been operating flights to Frankfurtin Germany since June, 2009, and has reported strong load factorson the route, which the airline said was mainly used by diplomats,business travellers and workers from international agencies.Werner Berchert, CEO of Safi, objected to the ban and said hewas informed too late to take action.he said the airline had been repeatedly checked by the GermanCivil Aviation Authority with no finding of fault.“What makes this ban especially hard for us is the fact that theEU commission has on several occasions confirmed that it doesnot see a safety risk in Safi’s operations,” he said.According to Safi, the ban came after Afghanistan failed tocomply with European requests to create a civil aviationauthority in line with international standards.

The EU commission has on several occasions confirmed that it does not see

a safety risk in Safi’s operations

The ecological footprint of the hotel will be muchsmaller than that of the

older, existing campswithin Kruger

Kruger National Park

NOVEMBER 27, 201014

Agent’s InsightName: Rebecca UnderwoodPosition: Sales and Marketing ManagerCompany: Amoun Tours Location: London, UK

What are the challenges of working with the MiddleEast as a destination?I would say the main challenges are the public perceptionsof the region. This does depend on the different countrieshowever; our most popular country is Egypt but we havealso just added Libya.We find that Libya is very misunderstood, but this has beenchanging since diplomatic relations have been resumedwith the UK.

Who Visits the Middle East from the UK?Business travellers are obviously in the high figures, butEgypt with the Red Sea Riviera, is popular with all ages.Libya is really people interested in cultural tours, so I wouldsay the age range is from the mid thirties up to the earlysixties.

Where do they go within the region?Egypt is our number one destination and Jordan is verypopular too, though not as popular as Egypt.

When is the peak travel period?At this time of year people are going to the Middle Eastlooking for warmer climes. In the summer months, peoplemight find that the weather is just a bit too warm, with theexception of the Red Sea area in Egypt, which is popularall year.

Why do they choose the Middle East for their holiday?Because of the state of the euro at the moment, they arelooking for value for money. Some people might go toDubai because of the positive publicity it receives, but onlyfor short trips, whereas you could go to Egypt for twoweeks for the same amount.

MMI Travel Gets AdventurousThe Middle East’s MMI Travel has been appointed general sales agentfor Gap Adventures, one of the world’s leading adventure tour operators. Gap Adventures’ cultural and soft-adventure packages will beexclusively available in the Middle East via MMI Travel. Bruce Poon Tip, founder of Gap Adventures, launched thecompany in 1990, at the age of 23 and was a recent speaker atWorld Green Tourism Abu Dhabi.“When we looked at who to partner with in the Middle East,MMI Travel stood out due to its ability to connect with customersand spread the word about small group adventures in what is anew market for us,” he said.“I launched Gap Adventures with the belief that other travellerswould share my desire to experience authentic adventures in aresponsible and sustainable manner and I hope that by learningabout our journey and success at [World Green Tourism AbuDhabi], other industry leaders will also recognise why putting inplace measures to make tourism more environmentally andculturally aware can also create growth opportunities.”Gap Adventures currently has more than 850 employees andoffers more than 1,000 small group experiences, safaris andexpeditions across all seven continents.

Egypt

15NOVEMBER 27, 2010

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Sell Your Customer a Healthy LifestyleOccasionally a tough customer takes an extra something to convince. Sometimes you might try discounts orother inducement to sweeten the deal, but sometimes there is another way.

Now, the power of scienceis on your side withmedical professionalsrecommending weekendescapes as a key to a

healthy life and good family relationships.A recent survey of Saudi Arabian andEmirati business people, conducted byInterContinental hotels Group (IhG),

found that as many as 50 percent arestruggling to achieve a balance betweenwork and leisure. Dr Melanie Schlatter PhD, is a consultanthealth psychologist, who said even a shorttime off could have measurable benefitsfor an individual’s wellbeing. “Studies have shown many positivebenefits of taking time off,” she said.“It is important that we learn to maximiseour weekend leisure time in order to avoidthe negative emotional effects which arelikely to increase when we are underpressure, tired and stressed.“The difficulty nowadays is down totechnological advances, which can meanthat people are never really away from work.”

Schlatter said taking positive steps to defineexclusive relaxation time was the key.“Making positive decisions around yourlife style such as planning a work freeweekend will have an immediate positiveeffect,” she said.“Taking control and planning to take abreak puts people in a more relaxed stateof mind, without having to feel guilty."Keep your customer’s wellbeing in mindwhen it comes to selling weekend breaks.

Planning to take a break puts people in a more relaxed

state of mind

NOVEMBER 27, 201016

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 editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel

To sell 70 percent of our exhibition space

at this stage of themarketing cycle... is a

testimony to thestrength of our brand

Mark WalshGroup Exhibition Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions“To sell 70 percent of our exhibitionspace [for Arabian Travel Market2011], at this stage of the marketingcycle with such consistent retention,is a testimony to the strength of ourbrand. It also highlights the fact thatwe deliver our promise, our extendedbusiness sessions are a good exampleof that. In addition, all participantswho pre-register for Arabian TravelMarket 2011 will be eligible for a 10percent discount on their airfare fromEmirates."

Mark Walsh

Sarah RooneyResponsible Business Manager, Rezidor“The calibre of speakers [at World GreenTravel Abu Dhabi] was very high. It was veryinteresting for me to learn from the otherspeakers at the event. In this region, thegovernment puts lots of resources behindevents and it may take a few years for theattendance to match the resources. But theAbu Dhabi government went ahead and builtthe awareness [as part of its plan to positionitself as a green destination].”

The calibre of speakers [at World Green Travel Abu

Dhabi] was very high

Joost HeymeijerGeneral Manager, Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa“Sustainability and protection of the environment is no longer an optional conceptin this industry; and we commend our colleagues who are making contributionsto become more socially and environmentally responsible. We look forward tomany more prosperous years to come; and to continue to offer travellers new andexperiential luxury that is driven by an extraordinary location, outstandingconservation values and first-class service.”

Protection of the environment is no longer an optional concept in this industry

Wolgon Valley Resort and Spa

Sarah Rooney

Travel Trade Weekly: As the newlyappointed general manager, what areyour plans?Joe Batshoun: I plan to put CoveRotana on the regional and internationalmap. We already enjoy a very goodposition with the local market and we arewell established in this regard. The nextstep is to ensure that we are on theinternational map. We have significanttour business from Europe, but we needto take that to the next level and make thehotel a destination in itself.This is a unique property – it is really likea small village, where guests can considerthemselves part of a small community onthe beach, while enjoying the privacy oftheir own rooms and the five star serviceof the resort.

Travel Trade Weekly: What are yourgeneral observations of the tourismindustry in Ras Al Khaimah so far?Joe Batshoun: RAK is a young destinationin terms of tourism, although the leadershipis working hard to grow the segment andhelp us as hoteliers to grow our business.The government fully understands theimportance of tourism to RAK and is veryinvolved. One example is that the rulerhimself gets involved and calls the generalmanagers often to discuss the industry ormake suggestions; he continues to bepersonally engaged in the project.

Travel Trade Weekly: What challengesdo you face?Joe Batshoun: The world economy is stillthe number one challenge that we face. Thetourism landscape is also very competitiveand RAK is competing with world classdestinations – this is challenging for ayoung tourism destination. As demand

grows, we will have a better chance to putourselves on the map.

Travel Trade Weekly: What are yourkey source markets for the property?Joe Batshoun: We have two verydistinct segments – tours and FIT[frequent independent travellers]. Thetour segment is almost purely European,with the majority of guests coming fromGermany. We are working on attractingmore visitors from Italy, Scandinavia, theUK and Russia. The FIT segment is almost purely localnationals, who make up most of ourweekend business. As local wealthcontinues to grow, people have moredisposable income and they are using thatto go out and enjoy their weekends. Weregularly get people who drive all the wayfrom Abu Dhabi or Dubai just to spendthe weekend at our resort.

Travel Trade Weekly: What featuresdoes Cove Rotana have that make itstand out from its competitors?Joe Batshoun: We have a unique hotelthat is laid out like a little village, withclusters of rooms and villas. On arrival, itdoes not feel like a hotel; it feels like avillage on the beach. To further maintainthis feeling, there are no cars allowedwithin the resort, so our streets are allpedestrian streets. Also, because the hotelis on a hill, almost all of our rooms andvillas have a spectacular view. The property has lots of potential, as it isone of the few resorts of this kind in thispart of the world.We offer villas with one to threebedrooms. These are ideal for families,because they can have a two bedroomvilla with their own living room and

terrace overlooking the water and canmaintain the whole family in one villa. This is very popular with the local marketalready, but I would also like to work on theEuropean market, because we know thatthis market also travels in family groups.Another option is for three couples tobook one of the villas, so a group offriends can share common facilities andhave a holiday together, while having theirprivate rooms.

Travel Trade Weekly: Are there anyinteresting traveller trends you’venoticed?Joe Batshoun: One thing, in terms offood and beverage, is that people arelooking for healthy options. This doesn’tnecessarily mean a personalised menu, buton the buffet we need to identify certainitems as being a health-conscious option.Of course there is the salad bar, but nowwe also need to make sure that in our maincourses and desserts at least 25 to 50percent of the choice are healthier options.

NOVEMBER 27, 201018

Q&A with Joe BatshounAs a 25-year Marriott veteran, Joe Batshoun joined Rotana in 2009 to assist with the opening of two hotelson Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island. Most recently, he has been named the new general manager of Cove Rotana Resortin Ras Al Khaimah. Batshoun spoke to Travel Trade Weekly about his plans for the property.

Joe Batshoun

19NOVEMBER 27, 2010

Pascal EggerstedtCrowne Plaza Bahrain has appointed Pascal Eggerstedt as general manager.Eggerstedt has a strong history with InterContinental hotels Group across AsiaPacific, Europe and the Middle East. he is a graduate of the hotel School, Thehague and specialises in quality control and revenue driving. he has lived andworked in the Gulf for the past four years.

Lynn GervaisThe Ritz-Carlton, Dubai InternationalFinancial Centre has appointed LynnGervais as director of public relations.Gervais most recently worked asdirector of public relations at TheFairmont Chateau Whistler, Canada.Earlier, she held a regional role,overseeing public relations for fiveFairmont Properties in Vancouver,Canada. Gervais holds a businessmanagement diploma from GrandMacEwan College.

Rabih SaabGlobal distribution system (GDS) provider Travelport hasappointed Rabih Saab as president and managing directorfor the Middle East and Africa. Saab will lead a team of morethan 150 employees from his base at Travelport’s MiddleEast and Africa headquarters in Dubai. Saab joinedTravelport in 2005 as Galileo’s vice president of the MiddleEast, Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. he also led the set-upof Travelport’s direct operations for travel agents in theMiddle East. Before joining Travelport, Saab worked for anumber of international organisations, including Chantelle,Japan Tobacco International and Procter and Gamble.

Irette FerreiraQatar National Convention Centre(QNCC) has appointed IretteFerreira as sales manager,international. Ferreira has severalyears of experience in the MICEindustry in South Africa; she wasmost recently employed by CapeTown Convention Centre, where hermain focus was to secureinternational association conferences.Ferreira also held the position ofWestern Cape secretariat for theExhibition and Event Association ofSouthern Africa (EXSA); she wassubsequently asked to join theWestern Cape committee for theSouth African Conference Industry(SAACI). In her new role, Ferreirawill focus on promoting QNCC tothe international meetings market.

Lynn Gervais

Rabih Saab

NOVEMBER 27, 201020

EventsEIBTMBarcelona, Spain, November 30 – December 2 (www.eibtm.com)Global event for the meetings and events industry, includingnetworking opportunities, professional education seminarsand a trade show platform for exhibitors, hosted buyers andtrade visitors.

International Luxury Travel MarketCannes, France, December 6-9 (www.iltm.net)Annual business to business event for the global luxury travelindustry. Showcases destinations and travel experiences, with aprogramme of networking events and pre-scheduled meetings.

Moroccan Travel MarketMarrakech, Morocco, January 12-15, 2011 (en.mtm.ma)Exhibition for international travel professionals.

Blossom JapanTokyo, Japan, January 18-21, 2011 (www.blossomjapan.com)A new invitation-only luxury travel exhibition focusing on theJapanese market.

Fitur International Tourism Trade FairMadrid, Spain, January 19-23, 2011 (www.fitur.es)Fitur is a meeting point for tourism professionals to establishlines of action, strategies and business alliances.

HobexTripoli, Libya, January 25-27, 2011 (www.wahaexpo.com/hobex)International hotel business exhibition.

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

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

Green Tourism Award to Launch at Abu Dhabi Event in 2011World Green Tourism Abu Dhabi willintroduce a new Green Tourism Award toits 2011 event.Rick Theobald, event director for theStreamline Marketing Group, whichorganises World Green Tourism, said theaward was aimed at encouraging interest ingreen initiatives among tourism businesses.“This initiative is aimed at furtherspurring take up of green tourism withinthe region,” he said.“We anticipate strong interest in thisaward, which will be presented during theWorld Green Tourism Abu Dhabi 2011,which will run from December 5 to 7.”The award’s recipient will be decided by a

voting panel chaired by Geoffrey Lipman,assistant secretary general of the WorldTourism Organisation (UNWTO).“Geoffrey is recognised for his radicalthinking on strategic and tactical policymaking, his commitment to the travel andtourism sector as an instrument of positivesocio-economic development, as well ashis passion for sustainable developmentand the green economy and thereforemakes an apt chairperson for the judgingpanel,” Theobald said.World Green Tourism was the first eventto be held in the Middle East dedicatedentirely to environmentally friendlytourism.

This initiative is aimed at further spurring take

up of green tourismwithin the region