Middle East and North Africa Edition

July 16, 2011 issue 88 www.traveltradeweekly.travel

July 16, Issue 88

Market Update 2Weekly News 3Accommodation News 5Air Travel News 7International 10Who’s Moved 11Travel Talk 12Agents’ Corner 13Travel Channels 14Rendezvous 15Events 16

55

flyDubai Joins sabre GDsflydubai and sabre travel network havesigned distribution and technologyagreements providing the carrier access tosabre’s extensive user database.

In This Issue

77

Marriott to Debut in iraq

Marriott international is poised to makeits foray into iraq after signing agreementswith empire iraq to manage two hotels inerbil, both slated to open in 2014.

44

The Rezidor Hotel Group has opened two new keyproperties in the UAE, strengthening its growing

portfolio in the region.

July 16, 20112

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY

Managing EditorMary Kammitsi

mary@traveltradeweekly.travelJournalistsrita Kasziba

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Design & Layoutelina Pericleous

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Directorsandreas Constantinides

Mary Kammitsi

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Websitewww.traveltradeweekly.travel

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COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=uae (aeD) Dirham 3.67egypt (eGP) Pound 5.96saudi arabia (sar) riyal 3.75lebanon (lbP) Pound 1,514.5bahrain (bHD) Dinar 0.37Jordan ( JoD) Dinar 0.71syria (syP) Pound 47.38Kuwait (KWD) Dinar 0.28qatar (qar) riyal 3.64oman (oMr) rial 0.38tunisia (tnD) Dinar 1.38Morocco (MaD) Dirham 7.97iran (irr) riyal 10,603yemen (yer) rial 213.95algeria (DZD) Dinar 73.11libya (lyD) Dinar 1.21

MENA Exchange RatesAccurate as of 14/7/2011Currencies shown in red are fixed against the us Dollar

Survey Predicts Optimism for Business Travel SectorUK business leaders gave an optimistic indication of their forecast business travelexpenditure for this year in a recent survey by the online private jet hire platform,PrivateFly.com.

The number of international tourist arrivals increased by 4.5 percent in thefirst four months of this year, according to the latest issue of the unWto Worldtourism barometer.Growth was positive in all regions, apart from the Middle east, with some sub-regions achieving double-digit growth. south america’s tourist arrivals shot up by17 percent, south asia’s by 14 percent and south-east asia’s by 10 percent.taleb rifai, secretary-general, unWto, commented on the industry’s strongperformance.“Global tourism continues to consolidate the recovery of 2010 despite the impactof recent developments in the Middle east and north africa, as well as the tragicevents in Japan, which are temporarily affecting travel flows to these regions. Weshould nonetheless remain vigilant as we face other persisting uncertainties suchas high unemployment and increased public austerity measures.” unWto expects that destinations currently facing difficulties will see demandrecover towards the end of the year. “it is time to support those destinations and help their tourism sectors to rebound,contributing to overall economic and social stability and progress,” added rifai.tourist arrivals in the Middle east were down by 14 percent, while north africa’sfell by 11 percent.nonetheless, some destinations in the Middle east have shown particularlypositive results, such as saudi arabia and the uae.

undertaken in March byClarity, an independentonline research group, theuK business leaders 2011travel survey analysed

responses from Ceos, managing directors andchairmen of some of the uK’s top companies.results suggest that business travel is stillconsidered of high importance, despiteadvancements in technology and the risingtrend in virtual events. as many as 95 percentof respondents stated that face-to-face meetingsare still essential for them.The vast majority of business leaders includedin the study, 80 percent expect to spend at leastas much on their own business travel this yearas they did in 2010, with just over a quarter 27

percent expecting their spend levels to increaseby 10 percent. almost one in 10 respondentssaid they intend to spend as much as 25 percentmore this year. a total of 39 percent of respondents said onaverage they spent between six and 10 days permonth travelling on business in 2010, with afurther 26 percent away for 11 days or more. an indicated rise in expenditure offers optimismto the business travel industry throughout theworld, however, adam twidell, Ceo,Privatefly.com, suggested that the sector haschanged. “There is now increased pressure totravel on business as efficiently as possible – bothin terms of cost and time. today’s business leaderis looking to reach their destination as seamlesslyas possible, with the ability to work on the way.”

UNWTO Reveals Positive Tourist Figures

3July 16, 2011

Dollar Rent a Car Expands into Saudi ArabiaDollar Rent a Car, a franchise of the Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. has expanded into Saudi Arabiain a franchise agreement with Al Wefaq Rent a Car.

Dollar’s office in alrawabi, riyadh, willserve as headquarters foroperations in riyadh,Jeddah, al Khobar and

Jubail, and will be managed by nasseralqahtani, chairman and Ceo of thecompany. The franchise will targetcorporate clientele as well as holiday makersand residents who frequently opt to rentcars for drives to bahrain and the uae.alqahtani remarked on the significanceof the new business agreement. “saudi arabia is a hub for regional andinternational investment at the moment.tourism is increasing at a steady pace. Wehave an influx of business tourists, saudi

has also been a hub for religious retreatsand we are prepared to serve the touristthis ramadan season.”

The World travel and tourism Council(WttC) reports that leisure travelspending (inbound and domestic) isexpected to generate 54.7 percent of

direct travel and tourism GDP during thisyear, compared with 45.3 percent frombusiness travel spending, so Dollarexpects an even distribution of businessfrom both sectors.

Saudi Arabia is a hub for regional and

international investmentat the moment.

Tourism is increasing at a steady pace

Riyadh

July 16, 20114

Marriott to Debut in IraqMarriott International is poised to make its foray into Iraq aftersigning agreements with Empire Iraq to manage two hotels in Erbil,both slated to open in 2014.

bmi Alters Syria flightsDue to the ongoing political unrest in syria,british Midland international (bmi) hasfurther rarefied its services to Damascus.The airline, which had previously offereddaily flights to the capital city of syria, hasnow trimmed its operation to three weeklyservices on Mondays, fridays and sundays.all other flights apart from the modifiedschedule, which is effective until september2, will be cancelled. The uncertainty in syria had alreadyprompted bmi to alter its schedule andreduce the number of services operatedbetween london Heathrow and Damascusfrom daily to four flights per week at thebeginning of the summer.

UAE Signs Open AirServices Agreement withRomaniaThe UAE General Civil aviation authoritysigned an open air services agreement(asa) with romania, boostingcooperation in the air transport sector.H.e. sultan bin saeed al Mansoori, ministerof economy and chairman of uae GeneralCivil aviation authority, signed the contractwith anca Daniela boagiu, minister oftransport and infrastructure, romania, onJune 21, while she was conducting an officialtrip to the uae.The agreement allows any number ofdesignated airlines of both parties toperform scheduled air services, with anycapacities, numbers, frequencies and typesof aircraft, in any type of service (passengeror cargo), whether owned or leased, onroutes between romania and the uae. inaddition to unrestricted third and fourthfreedoms, it includes the possibility toexercise fifth freedom traffic rights whileoperating all-cargo services.increased liberalisation achieved throughthe asa is anticipated to boost the airtransport and tourism industries of bothparties involved.

the 200-room upscaleMarriott Hotels &resorts-branded hoteland the 75-unit deluxeMarriott executive

apartments property will form part ofan ample mixed-use project. besides thehotels, empire World, currently underconstruction, will feature residentialtowers, private villas and office towers aswell as retail and leisure facilities. erbil, the capital of iraqi Kurdistan, isinstrumental to the region’sdevelopment and well-served by anumber of international airlines,highlighted ed fuller, president andmanaging director, internationallodging, Marriott international. “erbil is an encouraging destination witha lot of economic and commercialopportunity. The city serves as a gatewayto the region and we are pleased to beworking with empire iraq on thisprestigious project and look forward todoing what we can to help instill a senseof market confidence in terms of thearea’s security. We are confident that thissignificant development will help thepeople of erbil and Kurdistan to achievetheir positive visions of the future.”Marriot represents the first internationalbrand to invest straight into twoproperties in Kurdistan, noted Peshrawagha, chairman of the board, empireiraq.

“Marriott is the first truly global hotelbrand to recognise the potential of iraqand establish not one but two propertiesin Kurdistan. erbil is the centre ofgrowth in the area and Marriott’scommitment to these projects clearlyindicates that erbil has arrived as aninternational city benefitting suchprestigious and quality brands.”

besides 200 rooms, erbil Marriott willfeature a range of amenities and services,including four restaurants, lounges, afitness and spa section and spaciousmeeting facilities. upon completion, the75-unit Marriott executive apartmentswill present a five-star, full service hotelwith the tenor of residential living forextended stay travellers. located in aseparate building adjacent to the hotel,guests will enjoy access to all the facilitiesof both properties. erbil Marriott and Marriott executiveapartments erbil, Marriott international’sfirst two properties in iraq, will extend thecompany’s global footprint to 71 countriesaround the world.

Marriott is the first truly global hotel brand to recognise the potential

of Iraq and establish not one but two properties

in Kurdistan

Erbil

the 471-room radisson royal Hotel, Dubai andthe 257-room radisson blu resort, fujairahDibba, previously managed by Jal, will beoperated under the group’s core brand withimmediate effect. both hotels are owned by

aCiCo industries and its subsidiary.Kurt ritter, president and Ceo, rezidor, remarked on thesignificance of the new additions to the company’s portfolio. “The radisson royal Hotel, Dubai will be one of our flagshipsin the Middle east. it enjoys a prime location with outstandingvisibility, an award-winning design, and world class servicestandards. We are proud and thankful to be the operator of sucha high-quality asset. The radisson blu resort, fujairah Dibbafurther strengthens our growing portfolio of youngand stylish resorts across europe, Middle east andafrica, and opens new leisure markets to us.”The radisson royal Hotel, featuring a Zen spa,rooftop pool, night club, and eight meeting rooms,is located on the prominent sheikh Zayed roadand the radisson blu resort, with a fitness centre,indoor conference space and four terrace pools, issituated between the Hajjar Mountains and theGulf of oman.

5July 16, 2011

- Accommodation

V. Five Continents Hospitality to Open Kuwait HotelV. Five Continents Hospitality Group is to consolidate itspresence in the Middle east. The company, which currentlyoperates two properties in the uae, is scheduled to openramada Plaza in Kuwait, in the third quarter 2012. The Group is in process of taking over arabian suites andreopening the four-star hotel in Dubai after rebranding andrenaming it. The company’s scope of work also focuses on theopening of two properties next year, one in egypt and one inKuwait. Centrally situated in the main residential and commercial areaof Kuwait City, the 299-unit hotel will offer a range of optionsincluding royal and presidential suites and deluxe rooms. Withits two ballrooms, each seating up to 500 guests, spaciousexhibition facilities and a conference hall with the capacity toaccommodate 1,000 guests, the property will provide anexcellent venue for both private gatherings and corporateevents. it will also feature three restaurants, a swimming pooland a health club. With its service and amenities, the hotel is expected to set newstandards, noted tarek elsherif, managing director, V. fiveContinents Hospitality Group. “ramada Plaza with its central location and excellent facilities,slated to open in the third quarter 2012 will be a valuableaddition to our portfolio which we are planning to extend to15 new properties in the next 10 years. Kuwait as one of therichest countries in the world with a well developedinfrastructure, excellent entertainment and recreationfacilities and attracts business and leisure travellers alike. ournew five-star property we will be able not only to meet butexceed the requirements of the most demanding travellers.”

Rezidor Opens Two Hotels in UAEThe Rezidor Hotel Group has opened two new keyproperties in the UAE, strengthening its growingportfolio in the region.

The Radisson Royal Hotel, Dubai will be one of our flagships

in the Middle East

Radisson Royal Hotel, Dubai

7July 16, 2011

- Air Travel

flydubai Joins SabreGDSflydubai and sabre travel network havesigned distribution and technologyagreements providing the carrier accessto sabre’s extensive user database.in terms of the multi-year globaldistribution contract, more than350,000 sabre-connected travel agentsaround the world will be able to bookflights on flydubai’s expanding network. Hamish broom, director ofdistribution for europe, Middle eastand africa, sabre travel network,elaborated on the partnership.“our new agreement with flydubaigives our agency’s customers greaterchoice and relevant content in growthregions like the Middle east. agentscan be assured of reaching the airline’scontent through the global distributionsystem (GDs) as well as ourcommitment to working with them onan easy way to pay for and settle newancillary services.”flydubai has also joined the users of theflight scheduling technology providedby sabre airline solutions, which isexpected to generate up to two percentof incremental revenue for the carrierby improving its use of aircraft andpassenger connections. Ghaith al Ghaith, Ceo, flydubai,commented that the partnership willfurther consolidate the carrier’s positionin the market. “today’s announcementhighlights the great partnership we havewith sabre. We have enjoyed great successsince we were established as Dubai’s firstlow-cost carrier two years ago, and nowwe are putting in place key initiatives toreally accelerate our growth. Workingwith the world’s largest GDs, sabre, givesus global reach and enables us to take ourbusiness to the next level, while sabre’sflight scheduling technology will help usmaximise our fleet and provide an evenbetter experience for our customers.”

Qatar Airways Partners with JetBlueQatar Airways and JetBlue, New York’s Hometown Airline, have signeda new interline agreement to provide travellers with seamless connectivitybetween the airlines’ global networks.

i n terms of the partnership, travellerswill enjoy the convenience ofcombining flights on the carriers’extensive route maps by booking asingle itinerary.

The qatari carrier currently operates dailynon-stop services from its Doha hub toHouston, new york and Washington.Jetblue’s passengers will now be able to takeadvantage of qatar airways’ rapidly growingnetwork and easily fly to a number ofdestinations that have previously been ‘outof reach’ for them, including bali, indonesia;Cebu, Philippines; Phuket, Thailand; andHanoi, Vietnam. Jetblue, the top domestic airline at John f.Kennedy airport (JfK), will offer travellersflying with qatar airways more than 150daily services to a number of major americancities, including boston, Chicago, fortlauderdale, los angeles, orlando, sanfrancisco and san Juan, Puerto rico. Via Washington Dullas internationalairport, passengers will be able tocontinue their trips to dozens of cities in

California and florida as well as to bostonand new york. Dave barger, president and Ceo, Jetblue,commented on the cooperation. “We’re honoured to partner with qatarairways, an airline that like Jetblue isconstantly focused on delivering apremium experience to all travellers. Welook forward to introducing Jetblue'saward-winning service to more and morecustomers from all corners of the globe.”akbar al baker, Ceo, qatar airways,remarked on the partnership’s benefits. “We are pleased to now be growing ourpassenger base through this partnership withJetblue which offers a convenient travelexperience from Jetblue's domestic networkin the us to the many internationaldestinations we fly to beyond our hub inDoha, qatar. qatar airways' hub in Doha isstrategically placed to connect east and West,with a timetable so carefully orchestrated thattransit times on popular routes are as little as30 minutes, a connection time which wecomfortably can meet.”

Bahrain to Denmark Service LaunchedGulf Air has launched four weekly flightsfrom bahrain international airport toDenmark’s capital, Copenhagen.following the inaugural flight, KarimMakhlouf, chief commercial officer, Gulfair, commented that the new service willopen the doors for huge commercial andtourism opportunities in the whole ofscandinavia and the baltic region, as wellas the Middle east and north africa.“The Kingdom of bahrain, from where Gulfair operates, sits at the gateway to the vastarabian Gulf providing easy access to 36million consumers in the Gulf and 400million consumers in the Mena region,and Gulf air provides excellentconnectivity to these markets with itsextensive network. bahrain, on its own, is

ranked as the freest economy in the Menaregion besides boasting rich culturalheritage and history, a tropical climate withsome beautiful little islands and a multi-cultural, cosmopolitan lifestyle.”The asian and the indian sub-continentregions have gained popularity amongscandinavians, according to Makhlouf.“on the other hand, arabs are also keentravellers, who look for newer places tospend their summer holidays with familyand friends. With our Copenhagenconnection, we are opening the doors forthem to enjoy Denmark and beyond – thewhole of scandinavia and the balticregions. We are working closely with‘Copenhagen Connected’ and hope topromote Copenhagen in the Gulf region.”

July 16, 20118

- Air News

Gulf Air Returns to NairobiGulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain has reinstated Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, to its network.

Marcus bernhardt,chief servicesofficer, Gulf air,commented on there-introduced route.

“We are pleased to see our service re-launched to nairobi in Kenya, our fourthdestination in the african continent.Kenya has seen some impressiveeconomic growth in recent years and wefeel it is just the right time for us to beback to this great country.”The carrier has expanded at a rapid pacein the recent months, highlightedbernhardt.“With the addition of nairobi we haveopened eight destinations in this yearalone, which demonstrates our strategy of

connecting key potential andunderserved markets with the Kingdomof bahrain and beyond. We havescheduled services for good connectionsthrough bahrain, not just to allowpassengers to take advantage of theairline’s regional network, the largest inthe region, but also to travel to asia,africa and europe through our base inbahrain, the fastest hub in the region.” nairobi, the largest city of Kenya, is

instrumental in east africa’s financial andtouristical developments. The relaunched route will be served by anairbus a320 in a two-class configuration.

With the addition of Nairobi we have

opened eight destinationsin this year alone

Gulf Air

Etihad Airways Opens New China RouteEtihad Airways has revealed plans to commence services toChengdu in southwest China as of December 15, subject togovernment approval. Chengdu, the airline’s 69thdestination, is the capital of sichuan province and will beconnected to etihad’s home-base in abu Dhabi by four non-stop return services per week.James Hogan, Ceo, etihad airways, explained that the newservice provides the first ever flight link between the uaeand sichuan province.“The new Chengdu services will connect the uae with theeconomic centre and transportation and communicationhub of China’s booming southwest region. This will furtherstimulate the growth of commerce and trade between theuae and China, already the uae’s third largest tradingpartner. it will also provide a new, more convenient gatewayinto southwest China for business and leisure travellers fromeurope and the Middle east and a faster new route to europeand the Middle east for the rapidly growing Chineseoutbound travel market.”The flights to Chengdu will take place on tuesdays,Thursdays, fridays and sundays, returning to abu Dhabi onthe same days.

following an extensiverenovation, angsana bintanrevealed its revamped newlook in June. nestled inindonesia’s scenic tanjung

said bay, the property is a heavenly retreatin the tranquil island of bintan. besides106 suites and rooms, it features a privatebeach, and a number of food, beverage

and recreational facilities.scheduled to welcome its first guests byDecember 1, angsana laguna Phuket, thedesignated flagship property, is set to ushera new breed in the brand’s portfolio of‘stylish, practical and caring’ properties.Guests will enjoy an array of diningconcepts, a swimming pool and a brandnew room category, dedicated to families.

located 10 minutes away from the capitalcity of Port louis, angsana balaclava is setin Mauritius’ striking turtle bay. Theproperty, which will consist of 39 suitesand 11 villas, is slated to open in the thirdquarter of the year. as part of the integrated Xixi Paradisedevelopment, angsana Hangzhou is due toalso open in the third quarter of the year.

The contemporary hotel will feature59 rooms, an all-day dining restaurantwith outdoor terrace, a poolside baralongside an open-air roof garden, alibrary and meeting facilities.

July 16, 201110

- International

Banyan Tree to Open Four Angsana Hotels Banyan Tree is to further enhance its portfolio of Angsana branded properties with four openings this year.

Starwood TargetsChinese TravellersA Starwood Personalised travelprogramme aims to serve theunique preferences of Chinesetravellers, debuting in 19starwood hotels in gateway citiesaround the globe.as one of the world’s fastestgrowing travel markets, with 100million outbound travellersexpected by 2015, China will playa significant role in global travelwithin the next decade, and thenew initiative is anticipated torespond to this.among the international cities inwhich the programme has beenintroduced are Paris, Mexico Cityand new york. starwood Personalised travel offersa variety of simple tailored touchesthat are considered important to theChinese guest.The new initiative is a natural move,commented frits van Paasschen,president and Ceo, starwoodHotels & resorts. “Just as ourhotels in China have historicallycatered to american and europeantravellers with familiar amenitiesfrom home, now our hotels globallywill provide the same services toChinese travellers.”

11July 16, 2011

Detlef WinterDetlef Winter has been appointed asgeneral manager of athens ledraMarriott. Winter’s impressive career asa hotelier spans over 30 years andincludes positions at five-star leadinghotels across europe, asia, africa andthe Middle east. as general manager, hewill spearhead the operation of one of the busiest hotels in athens.besides maintaining athens ledra Marriott’s long-standingreputation, he also aims to bring the hotel forward in all aspects,including guest satisfaction and increasing the number ofinternational guests from the Middle east, asia and africa.

Lampros Brianaslampros brianas has been chosen totake on the role of regional marketmanager, Mena, at amadeus.brianas will be in charge of driving thegrowth of amadeus’ distribution andit business in the region, withspecific focus on Kuwait, lebanon,Jordan, syria and sudan. He will alsomanage the local amadeus commercial organisations in thesemarkets with the aim to grow profitability. Having been withamadeus for six years, he has gained experience in sales consultingwhile working on global sales transformation consulting projectsand airline account management and managing the relationshipwith airline partners across the african region.

Paul ArnoldPaul arnold has joinedrosewood Hotels & resorts’global development team as vicepresident of development for theMiddle east, africa and indianocean (Meaio). in the newlycreated position, arnold will leadthe ultra-luxury hotel and resortoperator’s expansion initiativeswithin the Meaio region, andprovide support for developmentactivities in europe. Having spent the past seven years in theMiddle east, he brings strong industry network and deepregional market knowledge to his role, in which he will alsospearhead the opening of rosewood abu Dhabi and rosewoodDubai hotels. He began his career in the industry in operationalroles at various hotel properties in the us. He then worked for12 years at ernst & young, five of which were spent in the usbefore moving to the Dubai office where he was in charge of thecompany’s real estate, hospitality and leisure advisory servicespractice across the Middle east and north africa.

Wael El BehiWael el behi has been appointed asexecutive assistant manager oframada Downtown Dubai. el behi,who has nearly two decades ofexperience in sales, marketing andoperations with luxury hotel brands,previously worked with CoralHotels & resorts, where he held several managerial positions.These included executive assistant manager of Coral Deira Dubai,general manager of Coral boutique Villas and regional director ofsales and marketing. in 2009, as general manager, he was in chargeof the successful opening of suha Hotel apartments. Prior tojoining ramada Downtown Dubai, he held the position of directorof business development with auris Hotel Management. in hisnew role, he will be instrumental in positioning the hotel as aleading deluxe hotel apartment in the market.

Paul Arnold

LamprosBrianas

DetlefWinter

Wael El Behi

July 16, 201112

Travel Talk is your space – this is a casual forum for travel industry professionals to discuss current issues and share stories. We want to hearfrom you, so send your comments, questions, frustrations and observations to editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel

Taleb RifaiSecretary General, UNWTO

“The message on this World tourism Day is that, thanks to tourism,millions of people from different cultures are being brought togetheraround the world like never before. This interaction between peopleof different backgrounds and ways of life represents an enormousopportunity to advance tolerance, respect and mutual understanding”.

Akbar Al BakerCEO, Qatar Airways

“We are among shining stars from the Middle east and willcontinue to explore new growth opportunities to cater forgrowing air travel demand.”

We will continue to explore new growth opportunities Thanks to tourism,

millions of people from different cultures

are being broughttogether around

the world like never before

Akbar Al BakerTaleb Rifai

13July 16, 2011

Who are you?My name is Denzil D’silva and i have been working in the industry for the past29 years, of which i served 14 years with KlM bahrain. Currently i hold thegeneral manager position of omega travel & tours, a member of radius, theglobal corporate travel management company serving multinationalcorporations with regional or global travel programs. radius currently managesusD19 billion worth of annual travel expenditure through a tighly-intergratedglobal network, operating in 80 countries. omega also acts as the general salesagent for south african airways, a member of the international air transportassociation.

What is your favourite thing about working in the travel industry?i enjoy working with our customers and discussing their next holidaydestination with them. in this industry every single day is a new learningexperience. you get to know new customers, airline managers and sales persons,thus your network is growing day by day. in addition, i cannot deny that gettingthe chance to discover an airline’s latest destination and getting discounts atairlines or hotels are also part of the profession.

When is the best time to visit Bahrain?i would suggest spending your holiday here sometime between november andapril.

Where would you like to travel to for your next holiday?shanghai, China. i have read so much about the city and i cannot wait todiscover it.

Why should people come to you for travel advice?What make omega really special are our excellent and experienced team andthe personalised service we offer. our office in the bahrain Mall, open sevendays a week, is happy to assist our customers anytime. Moreover, omega is theonly travel agency in bahrain that operates the airmiles loyalty programme.

Name: Denzil D’SilvaPosition: General managerCompany: Omega Travel & ToursLocation: Bahrain

Agent’s InsightTravelport Makes Ticketing Easier for DubaiReservation AgentsBusiness services provider Travelport, aspart of its extensive global partnership withfCm travel solutions and parent companyflight Centre, has migrated the travel group’soperations in Dubai to the Galileo globaldistribution system (GDs).fCm travel solutions is the corporate travelsubsidiary of flight Centre, an australasiantravel agency with more than 2,000 outletsaround the world. The conversion was a team effort that involvedtransferring the group’s reservation andticketing systems from a previous GDs to theGalileo platform. each of fCm Dubai’sreservation agents received hands-on trainingin preparation for the new system, enabling asmooth transition post-migration.as a result of flight Centre’s worldwidemarketing agreement with travelport, fCmDubai will gain access to a broader range ofproducts and support services offered globallyby the company, with the aim of implementingstrategic solutions that can significantlyimprove agent productivity and streamline midand back office processes. andrew boxall, general manager, fCm Dubai,feels that travelport will continue to developnew technology aimed at improving the travelindustry. “We are confident that travelport candeliver the next generation of travel technology,matched by unparalleled customer service atboth a local and global level. our mutual aim isto introduce cutting-edge products into ouroperations that can meet fCm Dubai’s futureneeds and bring our success to the next level.”

BahrainWe are confident thatTravelport can deliver

the next generation of travel technology matched

by unparalleled customer service

DenzilD’Silva

July 16, 201114

UNWTO Report Highlights China’s International Tourism GrowthChina continues to demonstrate strong growth and has shown by far the fastest growth with regard to expenditurein international tourism in the last decade, according to the UNWTO Tourism Highlights 2011 Edition.

r anking as the seventhbiggest source market in2005, China has sinceovertaken, respectively,italy, Japan, france and

the uK, to reach third position in theranking. in terms of receipts, an increaseof 15 percent moved China up therankings to fourth position.Hoping to further develop China’s travel andtourism market and raise the country’s profile,the China outbound travel and tourismMarket (CottM), now in it’s eighth year, willbe held on april 18-20, 2012 in beijing.

The event helps players in the Chinesetravel trade to network, do business andshare their knowledge of the industry.The previous CottM saw 235 exhibitors

from 55 different countries showcase theirdestinations and travel services to 3,300leading outbound tour operators from allover China.

Beijing

Travel Trade Weekly: Tell us aboutthe business model for nasair.Simon Stewart: We consider ourselvesto be the saudi flag carrier. We arebasically a low cost carrier (llC) inessence, but we are actually a hybrid, andi don’t believe that any airline out there isan lCC in its purest form anymore.basically carriers have got the elements oflCC models. our focus is on being asmart choice airline with smart servicesfor the saudi people. our venture is aboutproviding aviation services to the saudipeople from inside and outside theKingdom. We’re committed to highperformance, and also for us it’s about lowfares. We ensure that we’re ahead of thecompetition all the time. it’s about havinga young fleet; obviously it’s a young andsafe fleet, with high safety and standards.it’s about providing these smart servicesto our clientele and really that meansfocus on what smart services mean. forme it’s about leadership and service, anda front focus on the friendly warmth ofour people. our airline is our employeesand the way they communicate with ourclientele is what it’s all about. also, onlinebooking and our fares save them money.in that case we’re almost purist lCC. it’sabout the ability to be a one-stop-shop foryour journey. lastly, unlike other lCCs,we don’t want customers stampeding atthe gate, running down the isle, anddiving into the nearest seat where they feelis appropriate. We actually offer seatallocation, which has been quite popularas a service. you could say that’s similar toother carriers, but we also focus on doingthe basics right and being reliable andbeing fair. That doesn’t mean we’re notalways innovating. We have a bunch ofvery exciting projects, which are going to

be dropping into the market, offering anadvantage, which we’ll keep low profile.it’s like any business - you need toinnovate. However, what you can do isemploy some raw principles and rely uponthem. it’s simplicity through smartservices and we’ve got a complete newwebsite launch, which a lot of work hasgone into that.

Travel Trade Weekly: So how will thischange the business? Is it just a faceliftor are you thinking about the facilitiesthe website is opening to clientele?Simon Stewart: There should be aneffortless visit to our website. if i want togo on and find a flight to Jordan, i want tocome up and see a nice landing page allabout Jordan, and where you can hire acar there. you see, it’s about re-facing andactually making all the services linkedtogether.

Travel Trade Weekly: Low costairlines, versus legacy airlines; whatdo you think is the difference betweenthe two in reality?Simon Stewart: lets cut to the bottomline. lCCs are relatively new in the aviationfield, saying actually we’re not going to haveany frills, we’ll have a lean managementstructure, decreased processes to cut downtime, a smart use of technology and, as wediscussed with the website and theupgrading for nasair, integration of the mix.Communication is also very, veryimportant. so basically lCCs have thislower cost basis from the very start, and itssteam rolled, so now you’ve got a bunch ofairlines with elements of lCCs. for us, thesimple thing is its about providing theproduct that your customers value at theright price. so here in Dubai, we actually

have a lounge, and it’s the same in riyadh,because our customers want this. so we’veactually got legacy.until recently you didn’t get what you paidfor. People can’t be with some llCs andexpect a scenic destination or city airportand wonder why you’re 25 miles outsidetown, where the taxi fare costs more thanthe airfare. We view things in a differentview in this region. There are not so manysecondary airports, infrastructure orfacilities, so we’re working in that area, andat a regional view. There are differences inthis region, so the elements of the businessmodel of lCC and elements of legacy arethrough the needs of our customers. Weprovide the right product, and it gives us aproduct advantage, a market advantageand a communications advantage. We’recontinually looking at ways to assertdelivery and what we’re offering ourvarious customers.

Travel Trade Weekly: Do you havestatistics on types of bookings? Simon Stewart: around 30 percent arebusiness travel, while the remainder isdivided between leisure sectors. Thenumber visiting family and friends is oneof the highest.

15July 16, 2011

Q & A with Simon StewartWith the continually transforming airline market come frequent alterations in strategy and changes in waysto stay competitive. Simon Stewart, CEO, nasair, tells travel trade Weekly about the airline’s model, visionfor the future and the challenges it has been faced with in the industry.

Simon Stewart

July 16, 201116

EventsSports and Events Tourism ExchangeCape Town, South Africa, July 27-29, 2011(www.sportsandevents.co.za)an event that focuses on south africa’s facilities and servicesfor all top level international events and the exchange betweensports tourism and the events industry.

China Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings ExhibitionBeijing, China, August 30-September 1, 2011 (www.cibtm.com)a leading event for the meetings, incentives, business traveland events industry in China and asia.

PATA Travel MartNew Delhi, India, September 6-9, 2011 (www.pata.org)asia Pacific’s premier travel trade show with networking andcontracting opportunities.

Top Resa, International French Travel MarketParis, France, September 20-23, 2011 (www.iftm.fr)an international travel and tourism trade fair for networking, doingbusiness, innovating and keeping abreast of market developments. Cityscape DubaiDubai, UAE, September 26-29, 2011 (www.cityscape.ae)a b2b networking exhibition and conference for emerging realestate markets globally.

Kazakhstan International Tourism ExhibitionAstana, Kazakhstan, September 27-29, 2011www.leisure.kzThe eighth Kazakhstan international tourism exhibition inastana, which caters for both the b2b and b2C markets andfeatures a vibrant mix of inbound and outbound destinations.

Qatar Chamber of Commerce & industry(qCCi) signed a Memorandum ofunderstanding (Mou) with the qatartourism authority and q.media events toorganize the eighth World ChambersCongress in Doha in 2013.organised by the iCC World Chambersfederation and held every two years indifferent regions of the world, the WorldChambers Congress is the onlyinternational forum for chamberexecutives worldwide and businessleaders to share best-practice experience,develop networks and learn about newareas of innovation from other chambers.The next event, to be held on april 23-25,2013, proposes to help attendees face thechallenge of remaining relevant to

companies in their region.qCCi will be supported in the running ofthe event by the expertise of internationalconsultants: KPMG, one of the largestinternational companies which providesauditing, tax and advisory services; Pattonand boggs, an international law firm thatserves as a legal advisor to businessesthroughout the region and worldwide; andbrown lloyd James, a public relations firmthat offers strategic advice, public diplomacyguidance, government relations council,reputation management and media relations.ahmed al nuaimi, chairman, qatar tourismauthority, remarked on the importance of theorganisation’s involvement in the event andthe benefits it could have on tourism. “qatartourism authority welcomes the opportunity

to work with qCCi in organising such asignificant international event for qatar andthe region. The World Chambers Congresswill be an excellent opportunity to showcasethe country as an evolving destination forinternational conferences and events, andshare our progressive vision with the globalbusiness community.”The 2013 congress is expected to attractdelegates from over 125 countriesworldwide and it represents anothermilestone in the qatar national Vision2030 fostered by His Highness sheikhHamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, chairman ofqCCi, and Her Heighness sheikha Mozabint nasser, first lady of qatar, to securethe state’s rising position in the region andin the world.

QCCI, Qatar Tourism Authority and q.media events SignMoU to Organise World Chambers Congress in 2013