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MövenpiCk Re-ORients Following years of development across the Middle east, the Mövenpick hotel brand is now set to target emerging markets in india and the Asia pacific.
Banks in the UAE must raise their lending capacity in order to stimulate a projected development boom in Ras Al Khaimah, according to the chairman of the emirate’s Free Trade Zone.
5 Uk eyes eGypt egypt is attracting record numbers of Uk travellers, with one online travel agent reporting that interest in the destination has increased by 220 percent year-on-year.
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In This Issue Market Update Accommodation News International News Air Travel News Travel Tips Travel Talk Who’s Moved Rendezvous Events FeBRUARy 20, 2010
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RAK Investment 2 www.traveltradeweekly.travel
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY Deputy Editor Laura Warne
UAE Banks Must Raise Lending Capacity
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Journalist Louis Dillon savage Design & Layout elina pericleous Sales & Marketing Jane Davidson Marianna tsiamas Danielle Bragg tina Georgiou Directors Andreas Constantinides Mary kammitsi Headquarters p.O. Box 25255 nicosia 1308 Cyprus tel: +35722820888 Fax: +35722318958 Website www.traveltradeweekly.travel Emails info@traveltradeweekly.travel editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel sales@traveltradeweekly.travel
heikh Faisal bin saqr Al Qasimi, chairman of the Ras Al khaimah (RAk) Free trade Zone, has said that banks in the UAe must raise their lending capacity in order to stimulate a projected development boom in RAk. “Moving forward, new and current real estate projects will require financing, and banks for the entire UAe will need to increase their lending capacity,” he said. “if that happens, it will be a real signal that the real estate sector is improving and investment opportunities will emerge accordingly. “people with high liquidity are waiting for the right opportunity to invest, and 2010 will be the year to do so.” Al Qasimi told the Oxford Business Group (OBG) market research firm that the planned developments would change every aspect of life in the emirate. “Funds are to be spent in the development of our ports system, sewage plants, industrial parks, natural parks, and educational facilities,” he said. OBG reported that the list of planned developments reflected the commitment of the government to
MENA Exchange Rates Accurate as of 17/2/2010
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CURRENCY Dirham pound Riyal pound Dinar Dinar pound Dinar Riyal Rial Dinar Dirham Riyal Rial Dinar Dinar
(L-R) Natalie Toon of OBG; Sheikh Faisal bin Saqr Al Qasimi; and Leonardo Gonzalez of OBG
Travelport Postpones IPO Indefinately
Currencies shown in red are fixed against the Us Dollar COUNTRY UAe (AeD) egypt (eGp) saudi Arabia (sAR) Lebanon (LBp) Bahrain (BHD) Jordan ( JOD) syria (syp) kuwait (kWD) Qatar (QAR) Oman (OMR) tunisia (tnD) Morocco (MAD) iran (iRR) yemen (yeR) Algeria (DZD) Libya (LyD)
developing tourism in the long term, as well as the strength of the local construction sector. According to Al Qasimi, the strength of the RAk economy was evidenced by the emirate’s strong credit ratings, and the performance of the government’s recent bond issuance. “The bond was issued during difficult financial times,” he said. “However, thanks to RAk’s very good financial ratings, it was well received by the market and was even oversubscribed.”
1USD= 3.67 5.49 3.75 1501 0.37 0.7 46 0.28 3.64 0.38 1.36 8.15 10040 205.5 72.84 1.25
Global Distribution System (GDS) provider travelport has announced that it will not proceed with an initial public offering and listing on the London stock exchange. Jeff Clarke, CeO of travelport, cited changed market conditions as the reason behind the postponed listing. “since we announced our intention to float, there has been significantly increased volatility and uncertainty in global equity markets, as a result of macro circumstances unrelated to our business,” said Clarke. “travelport has a 40 year track record of success in a dynamic and growing industry. “it is a strong company with an attractive financial model and great momentum, as demonstrated by recent contract wins. The business remains on track to continue delivering outstanding value for its shareholders. “We will consider bringing it back to the market at a future date, when equity market conditions are more favourable.” FeBRUARy 20, 2010
Sri Lanka Reports Early Surge in Middle Eastern Visitors The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Board (SLTPB) has released figures that show a spike in Middle Eastern interest in the destination.
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isitor numbers from the Middle eastern region increased by 50 percent in January 2010, compared to the same
month of 2009. According to Heba Al Ghais Al Mansoori, Middle east director of sLtpB, the strongest interest was exhibited by the UAe, Qatar, saudi Arabia, kuwait and Jordan. Al Mansoori said she saw the figures as a sign of continued growth for tourism in sri Lanka. “Judging by these early results, destination sri Lanka is on track to surpass figures attained last year, where tourist arrivals saw double digit growth,” she said. Recent events had helped develop interest in sri Lanka as a destination, Al Mansoori said. she also pointed out that the country
benefited from being both close and cost effective for travellers from the Gulf. “peace will finally bring prosperity and development into the country and open up more areas for tourism development which were not accessible during the war,” she predicted.
“With the widespread effects of the credit crunch and the stability that finally dawned on sri Lanka as the war came to a halt and decades of strife ended, sri Lanka is a destination with good value for money and an exotic locale that tantalises tourists."
Sharjah Launches its First European Road Show
Mohamed A Al Noman FeBRUARy 20, 2010
Key representatives from sharjah’s tourism sector, including sharjah Commerce and tourism Development Authority (sCtDA) and Air Arabia are currently conducting a road show through three european countries. The ten day exercise, running from February 14 to 21, will cover turkey, Bulgaria and Greece. Representatives from sharjah international Airport Authority, Radisson Blu Resort and Golden tulip sharjah Hotel are also taking part in the road show. Mohamed A Al noman, director general of sCtDA said challenging times had created a responsibility to increase activities that would cement sharjah’s position on the regional and global
tourism map. The emirate recently increased its hotel and hotel apartment offerings to 110 properties, with more than 8,000 hotel rooms. “The sCtDA is seeking to oil the wheels of economic growth by increasing the marketing and promotional activities for sharjah’s various tourist attractions, in line with the rapid progress achieved in the emirate’s tourism sector, with the entry of a number of new hotel facilities,” said Al noman. in 2009, european tourists accounted for 42 percent of total tourist arrivals to sharjah, with 608,281 european visitors. These figures represented a seven percent increase in arrivals, compared to 2008. 3
ACCOMMODATION NEWS
Mandarin Oriental to Branch into the Middle East The Mandarin Oriental brand will launch in the Middle East with a property on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island, set to open in 2013.
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o be developed by the launch of some of saadiyat’s key Dhabi, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and Abu Dhabi tourism attractions, including the Louvre Abu the sheik Zayed national Museum. investment and Development Company (tDiC), the hotel will encompass 160 guest rooms and suites, as well as 35 serviced apartments and 50 branded residences. Mubarak Al Muhairi, managing director of tDiC, said the hotel would complement the cultural and leisure attractions of the saadiyat island development. “This agreement demonstrates Abu Dhabi’s evolution into a global tourism destination as it seeks to attract 2.3 million tourists by 2012,” he said. “tDiC aspires to provide unprecedented levels of luxury hospitality in Abu Dhabi, and Mandarin Oriental will further complement the distinctive leisure (L-R) Ahmed Hussein, chief operating officer TDIC; Edouard Ettedgui, CEO Mandarin Oriental Hotel offerings on saadiyat island.” Group; Mubarak Al Muhairi, managing director TDIC; Lee Tabler, CEO TDIC; Terry Stinson, The 2013 opening date coincides with the development director Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
HotelREZ Chooses Mezze Associates as Middle Eastern Launch Partner
Russel Sharpe 4
Hotel distribution and revenue management company, HotelReZ, has expanded into the Middle east. HotelReZ, which represents 675 properties worldwide, has appointed Mezze Associates as its representative in the region. Mezze Associates, a subsidiary of the Mezze Group based in Dubai, specialises in corporate representation and marketing. Russel sharpe, managing partner at Mezze Associates, said the collaboration with HotelReZ had been driven by a need for effective revenue management in the Middle east. According to figures released by HotelReZ, Dubai’ s revpAR fell further than any other destination in the Middle east over the course of 2009.
“Mezze Associates have over 30 years experience in the Middle east region and recognises that hoteliers need credible solutions for demand and revenue generation,” sharpe said. “We are committed to offering hoteliers a solution that will maximise revenue through all channels, and we believe our partner hotels will benefit from HotelReZ’s strong global presence and experience." Brenda Collin, executive director at HotelReZ, said she expected her company to benefit from Mezze’s experience in the region. HotelReZ and Mezze have reported that collaboration with Layia Hospitality is already underway, as well as partnerships with several independent hotels. FeBRUARy 20, 2010
ACCOMMODATION NEWS
A Little More Action: 2,000 New Rooms by 2012 Kuwait’s Action Hotels will open nine new properties across the Middle East in the coming three years, taking advantage of the boom in economy and mid-range travel.
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heikh Mubarak Abdullah Al Mubarak Al sabah, chairman of the company, said that budget and mid-range travel options had been the most resilient throughout the global downturn. He added that reaseach indicated the economic climate had increased global demand for economy hotels by as much as 16 percent in 2009. Al sabah stated that the economy sector had outpaced average hospitality development by six percent in 2009. He said that a 13 percent increase in budget
air travel in the Middle east in 2009 had led to a concurrent increase in demand for cheap accommodation. “Business class air travel has experienced at least a six percent downturn in the past year. Meanwhile, intra-regional travel is growing and this accounts for more than 70 percent of the room occupancy in Dubai and Bahrain, for example,” he added. According to Al saba, Action Hotel’s brand portfolio was well situated to take advantage of the shift in consumer behaviour. “The ibis, Holiday inn and novotel flags sit perfectly in this lodging gap for business
travellers and tourists who travel differently and want a comfortable room and personable proactive service at true value rates," Al saba said. iAction will introduce an additional nine internationally branded midscale properties in eight cities across the Middle east by 2012, adding a total of 2,000 rooms to the company’s inventory. ibis properties are scheduled to open sharq, kuwait and Manama, Bahrain in 2010, with properties under the ibis, novotel, Holiday inn and staybridge brands to follow in successive years.
Oetker Hotel Collection Adds Middle Eastern Properties to Portfolio The Oetker Hotel Collection (OHC) will expand into the Middle east, with plans to open a new hotel in Abu Dhabi, followed by properties in Lebanon and other GCC countries. samir Daqqaq, former vice president of global sales in the Middle east and Africa for Marriott international, has been placed in charge of developing the company in the region. Daqqaq said that leading executives of OHC had already met with potential development partners and would travel to various countries in the region to introduce the brand. “The family run OHC has long been associated with style, nobility and efficiency and has created a timeless tradition at each of its properties,” he said. “As part of our development plan, we are happy to be in the GCC and Lebanon to officially announce our launch and introduce the OHC to the region.” OHC’s first Middle eastern property will be the 250 room Le Bristol Abu Dhabi, and is set for launch in 2012. FeBRUARy 20, 2010
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Cape Town Institutes Pricing Code of Conduct for World Cup Heading off anticipated price gouging surrounding the FIFA World Cup later this year, Cape Town Tourism (CTT) has formed an industry wide pricing policy.
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he Code of Responsible pricing for Cape town (CRpCt) has been formulated according to four core principles: fair value, responsible tourism, sustainable tourism and consumer protection. Conformity to the code will be voluntary, but CTT has said that it will promote adherence through its international public relations network as a sign of quality and value. Lianne Burton, spokesperson for CTT, said the code had been developed in response to perceptions that the World Cup would inflate prices in south Africa. “This is exactly the perception we have to guard against,” she said. she pointed out that for south African tourism to benefit from the event, good value had to be maintained throughout and following the World Cup. “There must be offers of even greater
World Cup mascot Zakumi at Cape Town Stadium
value (along with accessibility to information on these great offers) both before and after the event,” she said. Burton said she expected the code to receive industry support, and added that potential malefactors could be brought into line.
“The industry is eager to ensure that Cape town’s good reputation is not spoiled by greedy individuals out to capitalise on a few weeks, at the expense of a responsible sector that has worked incredibly hard to put Cape town on the top of every traveller’s destination wish list,” she said.
Denmark’s First InterContinental Hotel Set to be Green Business Hub Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers
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The first hotel under an interContinental Hotels Group (iHG) brand has opened in Denmark. The hotel, Crowne plaza Copenhagen towers, has an inventory of 366 rooms and was designed to become one of europe’s most environmentally friendly hotels. According to iHG, the hotel features Denmark’s first groundwater based cooling and heating system, which is expected to reduce the energy used in the hotel for heating and cooling by almost 90 percent. Other green features include the largest building-integrated solar panel in northern europe as well as low energy
electrics. The hotel is operated by Copenhagen Hotel Management under a 20 year franchise agreement with iHG. Allan L Agerholm, CeO of Copenhagen Hotel Management said Denmark functioned as a hub for travel to other areas in northern europe and that he expected the hotel to cater to the business travel market. “Our location is known as the crossroads of scandinavia because it is the access point for Denmark, sweden and other nordic countries, making it a great destination for domestic and international business travellers,” he said. FeBRUARy 20, 2010
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
US Commits to National High-Speed Passenger Rail Projects The US federal government has allocated USD8 billion to developing nationwide high-speed passenger rail services.
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he administration also released a master plan for a Us high-speed rail network, and committed to an additional UsD1 billion per year in funding for the project, for five years. According to a statement issued by Robert Gibbs, White House press secretary, the initiative comes as part of an attempt to stimulate the Us economy and to create jobs. The text of the rail strategy document states that the initial investment will serve as a down payment on developing 13 large-scale high-speed rail corridors. Gibbs said the project was expected to have an immediate employment and
economic impact, and would help economic growth across the country. The high-speed rail network would provide faster and more energy efficient means of travel, and establish a new industry in the Us, Gibbs said. More than 30 domestic and international rail manufacturers have agreed to establish or expand their base of operations in the Us if they are successful in bidding for the development of the projects. The investment will be directed to various independent projects around the country. projects already announced include work in Florida, which is receiving up to UsD1.25 billion to develop a new highspeed rail corridor between tampa and Orlando, with trains running up to 270km
per hour; and in California, which is receiving up to UsD2.25 billion for its planned project to connect Los Angeles to san Francisco and points inbetween with trains running up to 354km per hour.
Mövenpick Moves From Middle East to Asia
Toufic Tammim
Following years of development across the Middle east, the Mövenpick hotel brand is now set to target emerging markets in india and the Asia pacific region. toufic tammim, Mövenpick’s vice president of sales and marketing for the Middle east, said there were changes ahead for the swiss company. “Our focus for development is shifting to
Asia,” said tammim. “For the past 10 years we have been focusing on the Middle east, but we have covered that market now – we have hotels in all of the major cities in the Middle east. “The shift now is to Asia and india.” Mövenpick has several properties currently in development across the Asia pacific and india region.
Spain Remains Firm Favourite as Skyscanner Flags UK Outbound Trends The Skyscanner flight metasearch engine has released its search data from January, showing that spain remains the top choice for Uk travellers. spanish cities comprised five of the top 10 searched-for destinations, including four of the top five. Middle eastern destinations fared less well among skyscanner customers, with 8
sharm el sheikh entering at number 24 as the highest ranking regional search. Barry smith, co-founder of skyscanner, shared his predictions for other desirable destinations throughout 2010. “spain is still the top dog by a long shot, but portugal, italy and Cyprus have a significant slice of the market and turkey and thailand are nipping at its
heels,” he said. “Orlando in the Us should do well this year due to the opening of Harry potter’s Wizarding World, and south Africa will also see a spike due to the World Cup” smith said that cheaper destinations had recently become more competitive with spain, due to the devaluation of the pound. FeBRUARy 20, 2010
AIR TRAVEL NEWS
Australia and UAE Ink New Deal to Boost Flights The UAE and Australia have committed to increasing flights between the two countries, following a meeting between key stakeholders in the aviation industry.
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he UAe General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of infrastructure, transport, Regional Development and Local Government of Australia to cement the plan. emirates Airline, etihad Airways and Air Arabia were all listed as UAe national airlines. Both parties agreed to an increase of 14 weekly passenger frequencies to and from gateway points in Australia. An enhanced regional package was also put forward and agreed upon, resulting in an additional 21 frequencies to key regional points. Representatives from Abu Dhabi Department of transport, Dubai Civil Aviation, sharjah Department of Civil Aviation, emirates Airline and etihad Airways all attended the meeting.
Etihad to Capitalise on New Australian Flights As a result of negotiations between the UAe and Australian Government, etihad Airways has been granted seven new flights to existing Australian gateways, plus a further seven weekly flights, on the condition that the operation flies via or into a regional airport. James Hogan, CeO of etihad Airways, said the company had made significant investments in its workforce and infrastructure in Australia. James Hogan “The announcement that etihad Airways has been granted up to 14 additional flights each week is an indication of the airline’s deepening bond with Australia,” said Hogan. “We are committed to this important market and look forward to carrying greater numbers of business and leisure travellers from destinations across etihad’s expanding network to Australia.” etihad currently flies 21 times per week between Abu Dhabi and Australia, covering three east coast capital cities: sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The airline will now have access to a total of 42 flights per week into Australia; 35 direct to gateways and seven via or into regional hubs. The new flight slots will be available from March 2011.
Jazeera Airways to Pursue Vertical Integration Following Acquisition Jazeera Airways has fully acquired private firm sahaab Aircraft Leasing Co for kWD25.6 million (UsD88.75 million). Jazeera will now pursue strategic vertical integration initiatives that include an airline acquisition and access to global leasing markets, according to Marwan Boodai, chairman of the airline. “As we implement our strategy to build
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Jazeera Airways into one of the leading regional airlines in the Middle east, this acquisition is the first in a series of vertical integration initiatives planned for 2010 and 2011 to drive growth and profitability for the airline through acquisitions, infrastructure investments and strategic partnerships,” said Boodai. “This acquisition is instantly accretive to Jazeera Airways; it will immediately boost shareholder return on equity and give our shareholders access to steady revenue streams, as well as access to the global aircraft leasing industry, which is expected to experience long term growth. “As a result of this acquisition, Jazeera Airways will now be even more strongly
capitalised to pursue its strategic aspirations, regardless of any prevailing market environment.” sahaab currently owns a fleet of nine Airbus A320s, which will be increased to a minimum fleet of 38 Airbus A320s by 2016, based on confirmed orders. The current fleet has been purchased and leased back to Jazeera Airways, and will continue to operate as a fully owned subsidiary of the airline, catering to both Jazeera and other airlines both regionally and globally. sahaab posted earnings of kWD2.2 million (UsD7.6 million) in 2009, with projected earnings of kWD4.6 million (UsD15.9 million) in 2010. FeBRUARy 20, 2010
AIR TRAVEL NEWS Abu Dhabi Boosts French Ties Ahead of New Flights Air France will launch flights from Charles de Gaulle airport to Abu Dhabi in May. Francois Michel, Air France Africa and Middle east manager for the French market said Abu Dhabi’s attractions made it one of the most desirable destinations in the Gulf region. Ahmed Hussein, deputy director general of Abu Dhabi tourism Authority (ADtA) emphasised the importance of the French market to Abu Dhabi. “The Air France flights bring us substantial benefit in not only increasing capacity from France, which is one of Abu Dhabi’s top 10 source destinations for hotel guests, but from its extensive route network, which is particularly strong throughout north, south, east and central europe as well as north Africa,” said Hussein. “in the run up to the launch of the Air France Abu Dhabi service, we will be working closely with the carrier in further boosting awareness of the destination throughout the carrier’s route network and will be hosting significant media and trade delegations from France to sample our expanding attractions.” Air France will fly to Abu Dhabi five times per week.
Royal Jordanian Posts Profit, Despite Decrease in Revenue Royal Jordanian generated net profits of JOD28.6 million (UsD40.3 million) in 2009, despite a 15 percent decline in operational revenue, compared to 2008. The profit was attributed to a 19.1 percent drop in operational costs in 2009, largely due to the global decrease in fuel prices and a subsequent 47 percent decline in the company’s fuel costs. Hussein Dabbas, CeO of Royal Jordanian, was optimistic about the future of the company, despite several challenges on the horizon.
in particular, Dabbas highlighted increased competition among regional carriers, reductions in ticket prices and the annulment of the route exclusivity that Royal Jordanian previously enjoyed on all its regular routes. to combat these challenges, the airline has implemented new it systems with electronic ticketing, internet booking, self service checkin and revenue management systems. The company will also continue with extensive marketing activities to enhance its global market share.
Air France delegates on a recent familiarisation tour of Abu Dhabi FeBRUARy 20, 2010
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Egypt Top Destination for UK Budget Tourists Egypt is attracting record numbers of UK travellers, online travel agent lowcostholidays.com has reported.
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ear on year results for trend and were choosing to take advantage January have seen of the improving pound and cheap deals. interest in the destination evans reported that the 2009 trend increase by 220 percent, according to figures from
towards close to home holidays for Uk travellers was easing and interest in destinations further afield had increased.
the company. According to paul evans, CeO at lowcostholidays.com, the upswing has came in the wake of improved economic outlooks for the Uk. He said that many hotels in egypt and other areas of interest to Uk tourists had seen much of their business shift to turkey in 2009, and been forced to lower their rates. travellers from the Uk had picked up on the
UAE Boosts Industry Coverage in Key German Source Markets Agents and operators in key German speaking source markets, including Germany, Austria and switzerland are expected to drive an increase in tourism to the UAe in 2010. A recent brochure audit conducted by Abu Dhabi tourism Authority (ADtA) found that 49 percent of all tour operators that feature Abu Dhabi had expanded their coverage of the product. Operators increased Abu Dhabi hotel features in print catalogues by 25 percent compared to 2009; in online material, there
was a 51 percent increase in hotel features. Mubarak Al Muhairi, director general of ADtA said the result followed a year of intensive international promotions, marketing and inbound familiarisation trips. “The audit covered some of the biggest names in the business within German speaking territories, which remain among our key target markets,” said Al Muhairi. total Abu Dhabi product exposure within the audited countries increased by 20 percent on 2009.
in Dubai, a recent tourism workshop and familiarisation tour targeted leading German tour operators, travel agencies and media representatives. ibrahim yagoot, executive director of corporate support for the Department of tourism and Commerce Marketing (DtCM) said the workshop aimed to drive more visitors from Germany to Dubai. Dubai’s new cruise terminal was expected to draw a substantial number of German tourists in 2010, as were new initiatives by emirates Airlines.
Kurdistan PM and UAE Trade Minister Discuss Tourism Investment Sheikha Lubna Bint khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of Foreign trade for the UAe, has met with Barham saleh, prime Minister of kurdistan, iraq to discuss future investment partnerships. saleh named tourism and oil production as his region’s most promising industries. He noted that both sectors would require increased foreign investment in order to meet their potential. According to saleh, kurdistan had 12
attracted UsD12 billion in foreign investment over the past three years and was expected to attract more foreign funds following a recent liberalisation of investment laws. Al Qasimi emphasised the importance of maximising co-operation between the UAe and kurdistan, in order to take advantage of the latter’s untapped investment potential. “Common ambitions for boosting
bilateral ties present us with a continued responsibility to work out advanced mechanisms to bolster joint economic and investment cooperation,” she said. Al Qasimi described the UAe as a gateway for iraq to the future and said that the UAe was spearheading an investment drive into the kurdistan region. she said UAe firms were well situated to explore investment offers earlier than other international interests. FeBRUARy 20, 2010
ICRT Backing to Boost Abu Dhabi’s Green Tourism Confex The International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) has signed on as an official sponsor of World Green Tourism Abu Dhabi, an inaugural environmental conference and exhibition to be held in December.
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ick Theobald, from event organiser streamline Marketing Group (sMG) said iCRt’s support would provide a boost to the success of the event. “This is a significant vote of confidence in this international confex, which aims to promote sustainable tourism development by influencing the integration of eco-tourism principles into the operations and policies of tourism industry players – a theme which is daily gathering momentum within the Middle east,” said Theobald. “This agreement will now see the event actively marketed to the centre’s extensive global database of companies and individuals who are solidly engaged in sustainable tourism.” He added that professor Harold Goodwin, iCRt’s director of research and international partnerships, would be a key speaker at the event. “professor Goodwin will share his extensive knowledge of working on four
continents with local communities, their governments and the inbound and outbound tourism industry,” said Theobald. “His research on tourism, local economic development and poverty reduction, conservation and responsible tourism will provide invaluable insights into how tourism can also play a role in the conservation and promotion of local traditions, environments and job creation.” World Green tourism Abu Dhabi will run from December 6 to 8 at Abu Dhabi national exhibitions Centre (ADneC). The event emerged from Abu Dhabi tourism Authority’s (ADtA) international incentive programme, Advantage Abu Dhabi, which is focused on seeding new business tourism and meetings concepts. Ahmed Hussein, deputy director general of ADtA, said industry stakeholders were now putting sustainability concerns to the fore. “We are looking to this confex to spur on
the green debate, explore regional challenges and identify solutions,” said Hussein.
Abu Dhabi
Informa Saudi Arabia Brings Cityscape and other Events to the Kingdom Informa Group, a global publicly owned organiser of conferences and courses, has partnered with the national exhibition Company in saudi Arabia. negotiations for the partnership are in the final stages, with offices in Jeddah expected to be operational by mid March. peter Rigby, CeO of informa, said the office would initially consist of a focus team, but the company would target significant growth over the next three years. “saudi Arabia is an incredibly important market for informa’s global growth 14
strategy and we are currently working on a number of ventures aimed at bringing more world class events to the kingdom,” said Rigby. “The saudi government has made commendable strides in the area of foreign investment and business activity and the timing is right for informa to establish itself in this burgeoning market.” initially, informa will organise Cityscape Jeddah and Cityscape Riyadh, with more large scale events planned over the next 18 months. The company will also develop events
organically, based on the local market. Hussain Al Harithy, co-owner of the national exhibition Company said the partnership with informa would help to further develop the events industry in saudi Arabia. “supported by our local knowledge, this is a first class arrangement for the country,” he said. “The formation of informa saudi Arabia, a company registered and based in the kingdom, is a great illustration of the commitment that informa has towards a long term sustainable contribution to saudi business.” FeBRUARy 20, 2010
Tips and tricks from industry experts, bringing you the latest in emerging destinations, technology, marketing and travel trends.
Keep Standards High with Staff Training Graeme Barnett, exhibition director of GiBtM, points out that while there are a range of factors that influence travellers, good old fashioned service is still the key to success in the MiCe industry. “Cost, quality of suitable accommodation, availability of meeting facilities, value for money and use of technology continue to be influencing factors when creating and selecting a destination in the Gulf,” said Barnett. “However, it is the issue of service standards that can make or break an event, so recruitment, training and development
must continue to be at the forefront for all those involved in the sector. “A training plan that builds a workforce which attracts, develops and nurtures talent at all levels of their careers is vital.” Barnett also reiterated the importance of keeping up to date with the latest technological advances – even if you’re sick of hearing about Facebook by now. Rather than seeing twitter, Linkedin and other social media platforms as timewasters, Barnett said they can actually boost productivity and revenue in the MiCe industry.
Many Hands Make Light Work - Connect With Your Peers While the benefits of consumer-focused social media have been well documented, business to business applications remain relatively scarce. travelport has now introduced a service, specifically tailored to the travel trade, which aims to connect travel agents throughout the Middle east. travelport has partnered with web hosting provider travelChat to create an online chat facility, enabling travel agents to communicate securely and in real time with their colleagues. Rabih saab, vice president of travelport GDs Middle east, said the service could
be used to exchange information, knowledge, ideas and best practices with a network of travel professionals. “With travelChat, travelport has fostered a dynamic online community where Galileo and Worldspan connected travel agents can communicate easily with one another to harness the collective knowledge of the network of peers,” said saab. “A growing number of travel agents in the Middle east are using this interactive tool and we are delighted that the portal is encouraging the flow of information and facilitating collaboration among agents in the region.”
“social media and new technologies are becoming increasingly integrated into the meetings and event marketing industry as they, more than ever before, can save time and labour, hence maximising return on investment,” he said. “Rob Davidson’s 2009 industry trends and Market share Report reflects this development, with respondents seeing virtual meetings as an important trend, and many of them predicting a shift to web-based learning as a way to control meeting and travel costs.” Travel Distribution in Phocus The growing signifigance of ancillary revenue for airlines is poised to change the travel distribution landscape in 2010, according to a phocusWright Connect (pWC) report. According to pWC, major global distribution systems (GDs) lack the capability to handle the airlines’ optional extras. pWC predicts that airlines will get creative with their optional charges, introducing premium ancillaries in addition to charging for basic services like checked baggage. expect aviators to take advantage of the increased importance of ancillary offerings to gain leverage with GDs providers; or drive consumers towards channels favourable to the airlines.
Travel agents can communicate with one another to harness the collective knowledge of a network of peers FeBRUARy 20, 2010
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Thomas Tapken
Frederic Bardin
Group General Manager, City Seasons Group “even during the past year of economic challenges, the City seasons Group has achieved a respectable occupancy rate of 82 percent, with average room rates around AeD 420, reflecting the market’s continued interest in solid four star properties. We are not seeking to change the business model, but to further develop it within the UAe and internationally. City seasons Group is a firmly established UAe hospitality chain with the ability to develop steadily according to its business plan. We are also looking at acquisition of international properties as well as the development of a management company to further broaden the reach of the group, and have a very exciting year ahead of us.”
Senior Vice President, Arabian Adventures “Australians have now discovered Dubai as a new holiday destination that is comparatively close to them. Also, since emirates launched flights to sao paulo, Brazilian tourists have entered our top 10 visitor arrivals. i wouldn’t be surprised if we see emirates open more flights to Brazil and south America. The Uk remains our biggest client base, followed by Germany and Australia, south Africa, switzerland, Japan and France.” Thomas Tapken
We are looking at acquisition of international properties as well as the development of a management company
City Seasons Al Hamra Hotel
Sheikh Mubarak Abdullah Al Mubarak Al Sabah Chairman of Action Hotels “Action Hotels is focused on the development of a global portfolio of landmark, affordable hotels of a build that is a notch above the tier guidelines. We look to service niche corporate and tourism traffic in gateway locations within cities, strategic sectors and primary tourist destinations.”
Action Hotels is focused on the development of a global portfolio of landmark hotels
Frederic Bardin
I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more flights to Brazil and South America
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 16
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Waike Papke
Waike Papke
Laurent Chaudet
Waike papke has been appointed as director of sales and marketing for park Hyatt Dubai. papke holds a bachelor of arts degree in tourism management. she began her hotel career in 1995 at europa Hotel schwerin in Germany as a financial accountant and was promoted to resident manager in 1996. she has also worked for Hyatt in Germany, swissotel in Russia and Banyan tree Al Areen in Bahrain.
Accor Hospitality Middle east has appointed Laurent Chaudet as general manager for pullman Dubai Mall of the emirates, the flagship property of pullman Hotels and Resorts in the Middle east. Chaudet has 25 years of experience in hotel management. He has managed several Accor properties across Asia, including east indonesia novotel, novotel Ambassador seoul, sofitel suzhou China and Grand Mercure Xidan Beijing.
Janet Fitzner Rezidor Hotel Group has appointed Janet Fitzner as general manager of Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek. Fitzner began her career in 1988 at interContinental Cologne, Germany. she joined Rezidor in 1992 as director of sales and marketing at Radisson sAs Hotel Dusseldorf. since then, Fitzner has worked across a range of Rezidor properties in ireland, Germany and poland. she holds a degree in business administration for the tourism and transport industry. Janet Fitzner
Francesco Agus Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain has appointed Francesco Agus as food and beverage manager. Agus has more than 11 years of experience in international hospitality and previously worked with Mövenpick in the Uk as a regional sales manager. He has also worked for expotel, sugo tre Restaurant, L’arena Restuarant, Jury’s Clifton Ford Hotel and The Berners Hotel. He began his career at the age of 16 as a bartender in sardinia, italy. Francesco Agus
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Laurent Chaudet
Shinu Pillai shinu pillai has been appointed as regional sales manager UAe and Middle east for Reed travel exhibitions’ (Rte) meetings and incentives portfolio, based in Dubai. pillai will be responsible for actively marketing Rte’s full suite of meeting and incentive shows, including GiBtM in Abu Dhabi, eiBtM in Barcelona, CiBtM in Beijing, AiBtM in Baltimore and AiMe in Melbourne. However, his primary focus will be GiBtM. pillai has been based in the UAe since 1996 and has worked in the exhibition industry for nine years. He was a key player in the launch and marketing of the Business travel show in Dubai in 2007. FeBRUARy 20, 2010
Q&A with Graeme Barnett Graeme Barnett, exhibition director of GIBTM, gives Travel Trade Weekly a sneak peak at this year’s event, as well as offering his comments and advice on the MICE industry in the Gulf. Travel Trade Weekly: How does the top destinations to host meetings and GIBTM 2010 differ to previous years? incentives in the Gulf (according to Reed Graeme Barnett: There are several new travel exhibitions’ third annual Gulf initiatives this year, not least of which is a restructured education programme. There is a hunger in the Gulf and Middle east region for education, which is why we have developed the programme to include a number of new initiatives tying in with a dedicated Gulf Meetings Week – all created with the input and support of key associations Mpi, site and iCCA. The professional education programme at GiBtM will be divided into three distinct themes – event planning Day on March 29; industry Research Day on March 30 and industry trends Day on March 31.
Travel Trade Weekly: Are there particular exhibitors at GIBTM 2010 that stand out? Graeme Barnett: new destinations that are exhibiting at the show for the first time include: south Africa, turkey, China and indonesia-through Cape Winelands District Municipality, Dragonfly Africa, turkish Culture and information Office, Beijing tourism Administration and the Ministry of Culture and tourism of indonesia.
Travel Trade Weekly: How has this industry changed in recent years? Graeme Barnett: The Middle east has tremendous opportunities ahead of itself in the meetings industry: an ideal location between east and West, with rapidly developing airline hubs and an increased capacity to host meetings, incentive programmes and events; from the largest international association congress, to highly focused niche corporate meetings. The emergence of Abu Dhabi as one of FeBRUARy 20, 2010
Graeme Barnett
region meetings industry survey, presented at last year’s event) is evidence of the potential opportunities on both the supplier and buyer side.
It is still premature to talk about the beginnings of a recovery, despite growing optimism Travel Trade Weekly: Do you have any predictions for the future of the industry in 2010 and beyond? Graeme Barnett: According to Rob Davidson’s 2009 industry trends and Market share Report, the general outlook for the conference and events industry remains uncertain, as many believe that it is still premature to talk about the beginnings of a recovery, despite growing optimism. Recovery is expected to be gradual and business confidence will most probably pursue a moderate but cautious path to recovery, and the meetings and events industry will follow. i am, however, optimistic about the future of the meetings industry in the Gulf despite difficult economic and challenging trading conditions.
Travel Trade Weekly: What advice do you have to travel professionals working in the MICE market? Graeme Barnett: As GiBtM will attract the largest gathering of meeting professionals in the region, my last piece
of advice is simple and straightforward – attend GiBtM at ADneC from March 29 to 31 and come away with business leads and new knowledge as to how to grow and develop business. Those that visit GiBtM will find everything that they need to organise and plan their next meeting, conference, incentive or event. Additionally, professional education features highly with a programme of seminars and workshops presented by international professionals who will debate and tackle key issues and give practical advice for meetings industry professionals at all levels of experience. Finally, concentrate on the customer experience from start to finish. it certainly is getting harder to attract and win new business so do all you can to hang on to it! 19
Riyadh Travel Show Back For Seconds in June The second Riyadh travel (RtF) exhibition is being planned for June, following the success of the inaugural 2009 event. The four day exhibition will focus on a new theme - Destination 2010 For everyone At Anytime. RtF has been designed to coincide with the start of preparation for the summer tourism season. exhibitors will include international
airlines, travel agencies, hotel companies and governmental bodies, including foreign missions and tourism activation agencies. specific topics covered will include travel and tour packages, rail tourism, cruising and unexplored destinations around saudi Arabia and internationally. RtF organisers are targeting entrepreneurs, potential investors, private organisations and government bodies to attend the event.
The exhibition will run from June 1 to 4 at the Riyadh international exhibition Centre (RieC).
Events Gulfood Exhibition 2010 Dubai, UAE, Feb 21-24 (www.gulfood.com) Food and beverage exhibition. Jordan Travel Mart ( JTM) Dead Sea, Jordan, February 21-23 (www.jordantravelmart.com) showcase of the Jordanian tourism industry.
Britain and Ireland Marketplace 2010 London, UK, March 16 (www.bim.travel) Workshop for tour operators, wholesalers and intermediaries to meet suppliers from the Uk and ireland’s hotels, attractions, ground handlers and other tourism services Moscow International Travel and Tourism Exhibition Moscow, Russia, March 17-20 (www.mitt.ru/en) international trade exhibition for trade and consumer visitors, with 157 participating destinations and more than 3,000 companies.
Meetings Africa 2010 Johannesburg, South Africa, February 24-26 (www.meetingsafrica.co.za) Business tourism exhibition showcasing meeting venues, destinations and industry support services.
GIBTM Abu Dhabi, UAE, March 29-31 (www.gibtm.com) international event for the business travel and meetings industry in the Gulf and Middle east region.
Asia Pacific Incentive and Meetings Expo Melbourne, Australia, March 2-3 (www.aime.com.au) Australian, Asia pacific and international destinations, products and services for the incentive and meetings industry.
Meeting Luxury Lugano, Switzerland, April 8-10 (www.meetingluxury.com/en) exhibition for top end travel products.
ITB Berlin Berlin, Germany, March 10-14 (www.itb-berlin.com) A combination of trade exhibition, public exhibition and professional convention for the travel trade industry.
World Holiday and Travel Fair Johannesburg, South Africa, April 16-18 (www.worldtravelfair.co.za) split between a business to business exhibition and public access, with the opportunity for on the spot selling to consumers.
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