ATM Yearbook 2016

AN OFFICIAL ARABIAN TRAVEL MARKET PUBLICATION

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ATM YEARBOOK

2016

A 12-MONTH REVIEW OF THE REGION’S TRAVEL

AND TOURISM INDUSTRY ACHIEVEMENTS

AN OFFICIAL ARABIAN TRAVEL MARKET PUBLICATION

28

CONTENTS 10 13 14 18 20 24

Editor’s foreword Publisher’s comment Notes from Reed Travel Exhibitions UNWTO guest column A year in review: 2015 industry timeline Big numbers: tourism sector statistics

27 DUBAI 28 Dubai Tourism 34 World Expo 2020 update 38 Emirates Airline 46 Seven Tides 50 Dubai Airports 54 Dubai World Trade Centre 58 Dubai Healthcare City 62 Kempinski Mall of the Emirates 66 Emaar Hospitality Group 70 Rotana Hotels 76 TIME Hotels

08 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

79 ABU DHABI 80 Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority 86 Miral (Yas Island) 90 Etihad Airways 94 Abu Dhabi Airports 98 Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences

Emirates Pearl

101 NORTHERN EMIRATES 102 Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority

106 112 118

Sharjah Investment and Development Authority Ajman Tourism Development Departments Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority

123 QATAR 124 Qatar Tourism Authority 130 Qatar Airways 136 Katara Hospitality

38

118

156 141 SAUDI ARABIA 142 Saudi Commission for Tourism & National Heritage 145 BAHRAIN 146 Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority 151 OMAN 152 Oman Tourism 156 Six Senses Zighy Bay 160 Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara 162 Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar 164 Shangri-La Muscat

162 169 HALAL TOURISM 170 The rise of Islamic tourism 172 Indonesia 177 INDUSTRY INSIGHTS 178 2016 regional hotel pipeline 186 Mega projects 194 #myATMstory 196 Trend watch

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 09

FOREWORD

A NEW-FOUND MATURITY Growth in the Middle East’s burgeoning travel and tourism sector gained momentum in 2015, defying global economic challenges and proving the effectiveness of the region’s visionary diversification strategies

I

t was a challenging year for the global tourism industry with a number of geopolitical and macro-economic factors threatening to thwart its growth.

The Middle East was in the firing line, impacted by historically low oil prices, a devalued Russian rouble, a weak euro, and ongoing regional tensions that have made headlines worldwide.

Yet, the region’s tourism sector demonstrated remarkable resilience to the adverse economic and political circumstances that threatened to dampen its performance.

It vindicates the robust long-term development strategies that regional governments have implemented to diversify their economies, with a focus on leisure, business and events tourism and other industries that support and complement their growth.

The results of these well-thoughtout and executed blueprints have been nothing short of remarkable, with tourism numbers and air passenger traffic continuing to grow year-on-year to reach record highs.

Take the example of Dubai, which in 2015 reported 14.2 million overnight visitors, up 7.5% on 2014 and double the United Nations World Travel Organisation’s (UNWTO’s) 3-4% global tourism growth prediction for the same period.

This positioned the destination as the fourth most visited city in the world in 2015 and marked another major step towards Dubai Tourism achieving its

010 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

target of 20 million visitors annually by 2020.

The positive performance was testament to Dubai’s ability to adapt to disruptive factors, from slackening economic growth in Asia and Europe to currency fluctuations in several countries around the world, according to Dubai Tourism Director General, His Excellency Helal Saaed Almarri.

In his interview with the ATM Yearbook 2016, Almarri explains how the strength of Dubai tourism’s source market strategy, the growing appeal of its dynamic tourism offering, and cooperation and partnership with key stakeholders, many of whom are also featured in this publication, helped to drive industry growth.

He says Dubai has “strategically sought to ensure a fragmented source market approach” in order to minimise risk exposure or over-reliance on any one country or region.

It’s a sign of the Dubai tourism industry's new-found maturity, supported by the development of new world-class infrastructure, including the World Expo 2020 site, as well as the emirate’s astonishing aviation industry, which is its lifeblood and a true foundation for economic growth.

In 2015, air passenger traffic at Dubai International Airport (DXB) topped 78 million, ensuring the airport retained its status as the world’s number one hub for international passengers.

The growth of some 100 airlines

that connect DXB to more than 240 destinations around the world, most notably Emirates and flydubai, contributed to the 10.7% year on year growth in passenger traffic, with new airlines flying into the emirate including Air Canada from Toronto, Eurowings from Amsterdam and China Southern from Wuhan.

With the recent opening of the $1.2 billion Concourse D, DXB’s capacity has been boosted from 75 million to 90 million passenger annually, but it won’t be long until this threshold is met.

Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths has revealed international passenger traffic is set to hit the 85 million mark this year (2016) and so all eyes are on Dubai’s new mega hub, Al Maktoum International – Dubai World Central (DWC), to soak up some of this capacity as it undergoes the $32 billion expansion announced in late 2014.

While Dubai is in a race against time to boost air passenger capacity to keep pace with demand, its fellow emirates are also witnessing impressive tourism growth, based on sound infrastructure development strategies and clever marketing campaigns.

Abu Dhabi attracted more than 4.1 million hotel guest nights in 2015, up 17% year-on-year, according to TCA Abu Dhabi, while Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) attracted 23 million passengers, of which 17.4 million were delivered by the national airline of the UAE, Etihad Airways.

AUH operator Abu Dhabi Airports (ADAC) anticipates passenger traffic growth of between 8-10%, or around

two million more passengers in 2016, while 90% of the airport’s new cuttingedge Midfield Terminal Complex (MTC) project will be completed by the end of the year. When it opens its doors in 2017, MTC will take AUH capacity to 45 million passengers annually.

The Northern Emirates are also fast-tracking their development plans as tourism becomes increasingly important to their future prosperity.

In Ras Al Khaimah, visitor numbers reached a record 740,383 in 2015, up 6% on 2014. In a bid to hit the one million visitor mark by 2018, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (TDA) has rolled out a rebranding strategy positioning the emirate as “a worldclass destination of choice for authentic Arabian culture and experiences”.

Ajman has also unveiled a new brand identity with a view to attracting five million visitors annually by 2021. The ‘Sincerely Emirati’ campaign reflects the emirate’s “exceptional hospitality” and its family-friendly proposition, says Faisal Al Nuaimi, General Manager, Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD), in his interview with the yearbook.

In Sharjah, many one-of-a-kind tourism projects are being spearheaded by the Sharjah Investment & Development

Authority (Shurooq), most of which aim to preserve the emirate’s historical and natural attributes.

Eco-tourism projects are the entity’s hallmark as it set out to differentiate Sharjah regionally and internationally.

The UAE is a prime example of how Middle East destinations are increasingly defining their unique selling points while broadening their mass appeal.

Further afield, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, to name but a few, are leveraging their assets to develop tourism industries designed to attract an optimal mix of leisure, business and MICE visitors.

Sports, medical, adventure, heritage and eco tourism are just some of the niches these destinations are developing to great effect.

The hotel and hospitality landscape is also maturing, with a broader range of accommodation options emerging that are designed to meet demand from increasingly influential groups of travellers, from the mass mid-scale market to 'Millennials'.

This has not gone unnoticed by ATM organiser Reed Travel Exhibitions and this year’s show theme is mid-market travel given the strong growth potential this presents for the Middle East travel and tourism industry.

It’s a trend also highlighted and documented in the ATM Yearbook 2016, with profiles on hotel groups and the regional pipeline of rooms all revealing a keen awareness of the mid-scale sector possibilities going forward.

Of course, we can expect a mid-market proposition that upholds the highest standards given the region’s expertise in this field, giving rise to an affordable luxury offering that will pique the interest of travellers the world over.

As we embark on the 23rd edition of ATM, we look forward to witnessing more exciting tourism developments either announced, get underway or come to fruition, thanks to the thirst for growth, innovation and excellence that is unique to the Middle East and its esteemed leaders.

There is no doubt 2016 will be another stellar year for the region, with more milestones, accolades and accomplishments achieved that will further consolidate its status as an inspirational global tourism powerhouse.

Gemma Greenwood Editorial Director

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 011

ATM YEARBOOK

2016 A 12-MONTH REVIEW OF THE REGION'S TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY ACHIEVEMENTS

An official Arabian Travel Market publication Published by GT Media ME Ltd 20-22 Wenlock Road London, N1 7GU United Kingdom

Contacts Publisher: Khaled Algaay E-mail: ka@ainalmusafer.com Editorial Director: Gemma Greenwood E-mail: gemma@ainalmusafer.com

P: +44 207 6085137 F: +44 870 4285885

DISCLAIMER The ATM Yearbook 2016, an official Arabian Travel Market publication, is published by GT Media ME Ltd. The publisher, editor and contributors reserve their rights in regards to copyright of their work. No part of this work covered by the copyright may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without the written consent of the publisher. No person, organisation or party should rely or on any way act upon any part of the contents of this publication without first obtaining the advice of a fully qualified person.

This publication and related products are sold and distributed on the terms and condition that: • The publisher, contributors, editors and related parties are not responsible in any way for the actions or results taken any person, organisation or any party on basis of reading information, stories or contributions in this publication, or related products.

• The publisher, contributors and related parties are not engaged in providing legal, financial or professional advice or services. The publisher, contributors and

012 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

editors disclaim any and all liability and responsibility to any person or party, be they a purchaser, reader, advertiser or consumer of this publication or not in regards to the consequences and outcomes of anything done or omitted being in reliance whether partly or solely on the contents of this publication and related products.

• The publisher, editors, contributors and related parties shall have no responsibility for any action or omission by any other contributor, consultant, editor or related party.

The ATM Yearbook is published under licence by Reed Exhibitions Limited.

The copyright in the design and content of the ATM Yearbook is owned by Reed Exhibitions Limited or its licensors.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form, by any means – electronic, photocopying or otherwise – without the prior permission of Reed Exhibitions Limited.

All Exhibitors’ entries have been supplied by the companies listed in the ATM Yearbook and while great care has been taken to ensure that the details are correct, neither Reed Exhibitions Limited nor the publisher of the ATM Yearbook accepts responsibility for any error, omission or claims made in the ATM Yearbook or at the exhibition.

The Arabian Travel Market logo and ATM are trade marks of RELX Intellectual Properties SA, used under license.a

NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

A YEAR TO REMEMBER The ATM Yearbook 2016 showcases the greatest milestones achieved by the region’s major travel and tourism players over the past 12 months

N

ow in its third year, the ATM Yearbook has established a reputation as a must-read publication that documents history in the making – the rapid evolution of the Middle East’s travel and tourism industry.

The 2016 edition is no exception, encapsulating many of the greatest moments, milestones and successes celebrated by the sector’s major stakeholders over the past 12 months.

From record tourism numbers and air passenger traffic reported by destinations across the Gulf, to the announcement, development and completion of major infrastructure projects, attractions and hotel accommodation, the ATM Yearbook 2016 provides a detailed overview of industry achievements that made the headlines in 2015 and early 2016.

The publication features interviews with some of the region’s most prominent movers and shakers, including His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline & Group, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) and Chairman of both Dubai Airports and flydubai.

A major driving force behind Dubai’s rapid development into one of the world’s major aviation hubs for more than three decades, His Highness talks about his vision for Emirates, which in

2015, celebrated 30 years in operation.

Emirates’ accomplishments led other Gulf governments to establish airlines and airports based on a similar model and today, carriers including Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways, both of which are featured in the ATM Yearbook 2016, are growing their global networks and demonstrating the success of their hub strategies.

The Gulf ’s aviation industry has been the foundation for growth and coupled with ongoing advancements in infrastructure, the tourism industry continues to flourish.

Details of new and upcoming tourismrelated projects of note, from theme parks and cities-within-cities, to cruise terminals, eco-tourism destinations and heritage-focused developments, and their contribution to the sector’s success are outlined in this publication.

So too are some of the challenges and opportunities facing the travel and tourism sector in 2016, as well as current and future and trends that will shape the way in which the industry evolves.

Our features and contributors reflect some of the new markets and demographics influencing the sector’s development and diversification, from halal and medical tourism, to the growing need to cater to the mass market, from Millennials to families, with

more affordable accommodation options.

In this year’s edition we have also asked leading travel professionals, from tourism board chiefs to hotel group heads, to discuss why Arabian Travel Market is a crucial event for their respective organisations and entities.

It’s all part of the show’s #myatmstory campaign, a social media-led initiative designed to reveal why the event is an irreplaceable platform for the regional and global travel community.

Now in its 23rd year, ATM continues to expand in line with the industry’s growth and development as the region cements its status as a world-class tourism hub.

The yearbook charts the sector's remarkable progress, providing readers with a true overview of the public and private sector figureheads and entities that are driving this ongoing success.

I hope you enjoy the read and wish you a prosperous 2016 and a highly successful Arabian Travel Market.

Khaled Algaay, Publisher

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 013

SPOTLIGHT ON MID-MARKET TRAVEL AT ATM 2016 Arabian Travel Market Exhibition Manager Nadege Noblet-Segers reveals the key themes and features of the show’s 23rd edition

T

he month of April this year means just one thing for the hospitality and tourism industry in the Middle East; Arabian Travel Market (ATM).

In 2016 we launch our 23rd edition of what is clearly recognised as the largest travel and tourism event in the region. It is also an opportune time to reflect on the success of the 2015 edition.

Last year, ATM recorded a 15% yearon-year increase in attendance to more than 26,000 visitors, with the number of exhibiting companies up 5% to 2,873.

This year, in order to accommodate growing exhibitor demand, we have expanded into an additional hall at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre (DICEC).

As more high-profile tourism infrastructure development projects come to fruition across the Gulf and the wider Middle East, broadening the region’s appeal, it is fitting that our spotlight theme for 2016 is the mid-

market tourism sector. This has been identified as a key growth market for the region, driven by demand from the growing middle class markets in countries like China, India and Africa, as well as budget-conscious Generation Y travellers and young families from across the globe.

Also new to ATM this year is the Wellness & Spa Lounge, a dedicated space created to connect Middle East wellness and spa buyers with international suppliers. Another new addition is the Travel Agent Academy, which will take place on the final day of the exhibition (Thursday April 28).

We will also continue to feature several successful tried-and-tested concepts at ATM 2016 including the innovative Travel Tech Show, boasting an enviable line-up of IT-focused exhibitors; the hotly contested Best Stand Awards; and a week-long calendar of seminar sessions and workshops covering a broad range of topics and sectors, from mid-market travel and developments in aviation, to

technology trends and halal tourism.

This year we are launching a new seminar theatre concept, the ATM Global Stage, which will play host a plethora of high-level speakers.

Modelled on the Global Stage used at sister show, London’s World Travel Market (WTM), this theatre can accommodate more than 200 delegates.

The ATM Leaders Breakfast is another feature of the 2016 show, an exclusive invitation-only event for 100 senior industry executives.

Visitors can keep up to speed with the latest show developments via the official ATM app, which offers access to the complete exhibitor list, detailed conference and seminar schedule, and a managed appointments diary function.

On behalf of the ATM 2016 team, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all of our visitors, exhibitors, sponsors and partners; we look forward to meeting you at the show and wish you a successful year ahead.

Nadege Noblet Exhibition Manager Arabian Travel Market

014 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

THE ABILITY TO ADAPT WILL DEFINE INDUSTRY’S FUTURE

A Key tourism sector trends will be addressed and debated at ATM 2016, the region’s leading industry platform for business deals and discussion, says Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions

016 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

rabian Travel Market (ATM) has been an eagerly anticipated fixture on the Middle East’s events calendar for more than two decades now. As we approach the 23rd edition of this annual showcase in a thoughtful frame of mind as the region’s tourism and hospitality industry reconvenes following an eventful 12 months, defined by a multitude of challenges and opportunities.

The Middle East is home to a fantastically diverse collection of tourism experiences, and is unique in its rich heritage, which encompasses ancient civilisations and UNESCO sites in countries spanning from Egypt to Oman.

It is also proactively shaping the tourism hotspots of the future, with investment in infrastructure, activities and accommodation options not only creating exciting new opportunities, but supporting regional economic growth.

One segment we believe will dominate the region’s tourism landscape in the years ahead is mid-market travel, and destinations are already putting strategies in place to capture this lucrative market.

Dubai, for example, is offering a threeyear tax break to three- and four-star hotels in order to encourage further investment, which will undoubtedly add much-needed new room stock designed to cater to this market segment.

Major international hotel management groups and local hospitality companies alike are introducing more mid-tier brands to accommodate a wider range of guests, while low-cost airlines based in the Middle East are now extending their

networks as far as Zagreb, Moscow, Male and East Africa, to meet pent-up demand from budget-conscious travellers.

The potential for low-cost carriers located in high-growth markets like China and India to fly to Middle East destinations is also immense.

ATM 2016 will once again provide a platform for these entities, complemented by an exciting programme of business events and networking opportunities as the show continues to fulfil its role in generating real value to all stakeholders.

ATM is also a forum where key issues, developments and market opportunities are discussed, proposed and progressed, and the mid-market sector will therefore take centre stage in 2016 given its growing importance.

So, as we prepare to welcome you back to Dubai, we hope ATM will be another meaningful and successful event for all tourism and hospitality professionals across the Middle East and beyond, building on the US$2.5 billion worth of business deals that were concluded at last year’s show.

On behalf of the Reed Travel Exhibitions team, I’d like to thank you for your continued support and wish you every success in 2016.

Simon Press Senior Exhibition Director Reed Travel Exhibitions

GUEST COMMENT

TOURISM: DRIVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

H

ospitality, culture, heritage, history, tradition – these are only a few of the images that come to our minds when we think about tourism in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). But tourism in the MENA region is also about economic growth, job creation and development.

Despite several external shocks, tourism in the region has been a success story.

International tourist arrivals grew from 32 million in 2000 to 54 million in 2015, while the income generated as exports from tourism jumped from US$21 billion to $61 billion.

Today, international tourism makes up for 5% of all exports in the region and 60% of services exports.

These positive numbers remind us of the opportunities the sector brings in terms of jobs and development.

The past years were naturally difficult for the region; yet the sector has shown, once more, its resilience.

International tourism is on the rise again and future prospects are positive.

UNWTO forecasts that by 2030, the MENA region will receive 195 million international tourist arrivals, almost tripling its current volume. We trust there is strong pent-up demand for tourism to the region from both intra- and interregional markets.

A key feature of tourism in the MENA region is in fact the potential of intraregional tourism, as highlighted during the 2015 UNWTO & ATM Ministerial Forum on Intra-Arab Tourism, held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Social Development and Chairman of the National Council of Tourism and

018 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

MENA not only has a unique opportunity to position itself as one of the most competitive tourism regions in the world, but as a leader in sustainability, says Taleb Rifai, Secretary General, World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Antiquities of the United Arab Emirates.

Higher transnational cooperation across the region opens new possibilities to reinforce the tourism sector.

Areas of cooperation include visa facilitation and easier land border crossings through enhanced use of technology; growing youth and cruise markets; and the development of thematic routes.

As tourism continues to grow globally, the Middle East and North Africa not only has a unique opportunity to position itself as one of the most competitive tourism regions in the world, but also as a leader in sustainability.

Responsible policies and sustainable practices should be further developed and implemented to ensure tourism translates into real benefits for host communities, safeguarding our common heritage and preserving our natural resources that are so scare in the region.

Under this framework, a sustainable approach to tourism development is mandatory and an opportunity to advance the contribution of the sector to the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and its 17 universal Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As we prepare to celebrate 2017, which has been declared by the United

Nations as the International Year for Sustainable Tourism for Development, the commitment of all actors, including governments, the private sector and civil society under this approach, is of particular importance.

Recalling the words of the United Nations when declaring 2017 as the International Year for Sustainable Development “tourism fosters a better understanding among peoples everywhere (…) bringing a better appreciation of the inherent values of different cultures”.

This principle reminds us of what tourism means: a vehicle to promote understanding and knowledge, but also to increase cooperation. We trust that together we can foster these values.

Arabian Travel Market is a key reference on the achievements and the future of the region’s travel and tourism sector. On this occasion, I would like to wish you all the success in this year’s edition and ensure you that we will continue to work together to build a more competitive and sustainable tourism sector in the MENA region.

Taleb Rifai Secretary General World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)

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YEAR IN REVIEW ME carriers gain market share

Yas Island will be home to a Warner Bros theme park

ATM 2015

2015 >>>

MAY

JUNE

JULY

ATM 2015 ATTENDANCE BOOM Total attendance grew 12% y-o-y to 36,268, while 2,873 companies exhibited and business deals worth more than $2.5 billion were signed.

ME CARRIERS GAIN MARKET SHARE Passenger demand for the region’s airlines climbed 8.2% in April says IATA.

WARNER BROS FOR YAS Work starts on a Warner Bros theme park on Yas Island, which is due for completion in 2018.

WIZZ AIR UPS DUBAI SERVICE Eastern European carrier reveals plan to fly twice weekly from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, to Al Maktoum International from December 19.

NEW TERMINAL AT MADINAH’S PMIA The three-storey terminal at Prince Mohammed Bin Abdul Aziz International will have the capacity for 8 million passengers annually.

HILTON’S MID-MARKET DRIVE Hotel group to open two properties under the Hampton by Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn brands in Dubai by 2019.

PET HOTEL OPENS IN DUBAI The $2.7 million ‘My Second Home’ in Dubai Investment Park 2, is pitched as the biggest indoor pet resort in the world.

SHARJAH’S NEW HOTEL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM Benchmark launched as part of Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021, which aims to attract 10 million tourists to the destination.

EGYPT’S TOURISM BOOST Tourism to Egypt increased 9% during the first five months of 2015 versus the same period of 2014, says Egyptian Ministry of Tourism.

QATAR AIRWAYS IN US PUSH Additional non-stop daily flights to LA, Boston and Atlanta. New York to become double daily.

First carrier to bring A350 to the US too.

ONLINE TRAVEL BOOKING SURGE 36% of all ME travel bookings to be made online by 2017, versus 25% in 2014, with revenue topping $35 billion, says Travelport.

ELEGANT RESORTS LAUNCHES IN GCC UK luxury tour operator bought by Saudi’s Al Tayyar Group for $21 million.

Firm opens a Dubai office.

020 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

At the Top, Burj Khalifa SKY

MAY 2015 - APRIL 2016 Thomson Celebration

Emirates celebrates its 30th anniversary

Mecca

2015 >>>

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

MEYDAN ONE ANNOUNCED New Dubai district to feature the world’s tallest residential tower, an indoor ski slope three times the length of Ski Dubai and the world’s largest dancing fountain.

ME TOURISM GROWTH OUTPACES GLOBAL AVERAGE Region witnesses 5% increase in international tourist arrivals during H1, 2015, outpacing the global average by one percentage point, according to the UNWTO.

ACCOR ENTERS IRANIAN MARKET Hotel group opens midscale IKIA and budget IKIA at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport, adding 492 keys to the market.

IRAN TO BUY 90 PLANES PER YEAR Country reveals plans to buy aircraft from Boeing and Airbus to revamp its antiquated fleet when Western sanctions are lifted.

GRAND MOSQUE PILGRIM RECORD More than 26 million Muslim pilgrims visited Mecca’s holy site during Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr 2015, up 4.6% y-o-y.

STARWOOD EXPANDS ITS MID-SCALE OFFERING Hotel group to open four new hotels in Dubai under the group’s Element and Aloft brands by 2018, adding 816 rooms.

UAE TOPS MEA HOTEL CONSTRUCTION LIST Country has 170 ongoing projects totalling 63,970 rooms, the highest in the region, says TOPHOTELPROJECTS. THOMSON CRUISES TO HOMEPORT IN DUBAI UK cruise firm’s Thomson Celebration to operate two seven-night cruises in the Gulf from December 2016.

UAE 90-DAY TOURIST VISA GOES ONLINE The e-service, available on the Ministry of Interior’s website and smartphone app, is expected to reduce application times by 80% within three years.

EMIRATES CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY Airline started with just two aircraft and $10 million on October 25, 1985, and today flies more than 230 aircraft to 140+ destinations.

SECOND HOME FOR FLYDUBAI Low-cost carrier launches flights from Al Maktoum International, Dubai World Central (DWC).

LUXURY GOLF DESTINATION FOR QATAR Several golf courses, a high-end clubhouse, five-star hotel, spa, and banqueting and dining facilities, are part of this world-first project.

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 021

YEAR IN REVIEW Abu Dhabi’s new cruise terminal

Dubai: the world’s 4th most visited city

Expo to boost GDP by 5%

2015 >>>

2016 >>>

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

JANUARY

QATAR UNVEILS DESTINATION BRAND Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) initiative designed to position the country as a premium tourist destination that offers authentic experiences.

NEW ABU DHABI CRUISE TERMINAL New landmark will facilitate the five-fold increase in passenger and cruise ships numbers during 2015-2016 season compared to the first cruise season of 2006-2007.

DUBAI RANKS AS WORLD’S 4TH MOST VISITED CITY Destination attracted more than 14.2 million overnight visitors in 2015, up 7.5% on 2014, says Dubai Tourism.

AJMAN TOURISM REVENUE SURGE A 47% hike in Q3, 2015 revenues (versus Q3, 2014) is driven by an increase in guest nights and average room rates, says the ATDD.

OMAN OCCUPANCIES HIT 98% Demand from Europe and the US fuelled growth, with four- and five-star properties recording the highest rates.

UBER OFFERS DUBAI HELI TOURS The popular taxi-booking app introduces the UberChopper service in Dubai.

EMIRATES NAMED WORLD’S TOP AIRLINE BRAND The Dubai airline’s brand value grew 17% in 2015 to reach $7.7 billion, according to the 2016 Brand Finance Global 500 report.

WORLD EXPO GDP BOOST Dubai’s Expo 2020 to add more than $23 billion to the UAE’s GDP, a boost of around 5%, says investment bank Arqaam Capital.

NEW DHC MEDICAL TOURISM PROJECT Plans are revealed for a mixed-use development comprising apartments, luxury hotels, retail and leisure facilities as part of Dubai Healthcare City’s Phase 2 expansion project.

PORTABLE HOTELS FOR THE GULF UK company Snoozebox, which converts shipping containers into rooms, reveals it is exploring opportunities in Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, KSA and the UAE.

022 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

ROTANA ADDS 14 PROPERTIES BY 2016 END UAE-based hotel management firm identifies Turkey and Bahrain as key growth markets.

RECORD YEAR FOR AUH Passenger numbers at Abu Dhabi International increase 17.2% y-o-y to hit 23 million in 2015.

ATM 2016

The 23rd edition of the region’s leading travel industry event runs from April 25-28 at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre (DICEC). An additional exhibition hall has been added this year to cater to rising demand, given more than 100 new exhibitors will take part in the event. ATM 2016 will host more than 400 main stand holders and more than 2,800 exhibiting companies from 80-plus countries from around the globe. Visitor numbers are expected to exceed 26,000, with more than 150 countries represented. The show’s 2016 theme is mid-market travel. New features for this year include the Wellness & Spa Lounge where 25 exhibitors will meet spa and wellness buyers in series of pre-scheduled appointments on April 26 and 27.

Opening soon – Louvre Abu Dhabi

Emirates goes double daily to Athens

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Library

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

RAK TOURISM REVENUES HIKE 12.4% jump in 2015 (versus 2014), driven by a 6% y-o-y increase in visitor numbers to 740,383.

NIKKI BEACH OPENS ITS DOORS The latest Nikki Beach Restaurant & Beach Club opens on manmade Pearl Jumeirah in Dubai.

DUBAI INTERNATIONAL THE THIRD BUSIEST AIRPORT IN THE WORLD Dubai International moves up from its sixth place in 2014, says Airports Council International (ACI).

NEW GIANT BOOK-SHAPED LIBRARY Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Library, which will house more than one million books, is set to open in Dubai next year (2017).

DUBAI RESTAURANT WEEK SUCCESS The inaugural Dubai Restaurant Week, which finished on March 5, reinforces Dubai’s emergence as a gastronomic destination.

78 MILLION PASSENGERS AT DXB Airport retained its position as the world’s number one hub for international passengers in 2015, registering annual traffic of just over 78 million.

DUBAI BRINGS IN NEW HOLIDAY HOMES RULES Dubai Tourism initiative to provide greater transparency, safety and standardisation of the market, in order to boost the sector’s appeal to guests, home owners, operators and developers.

$649 MILLION OMAN TOURISM PROJECT UNDERWAY Work begins of the first stage of the Ras Al Hadd tourism development, which will include a 100-room eco-themed resort.

EK DOUBLES UP IN ATHENS Emirates increases services to Greek capital from daily to double daily on March 1.

LOUVRE ABU DHABI OPENING IMMINENT All eyes are on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island to see when the iconic $650 million museum will open its doors..

DWTC REPORTS RECORD 2015 Dubai World Trade Centre visitors increased 12% year on year to 2.74 million.

NEW EXPO LOGO UNVEILED World Expo 2020 logo design inspired by an ancient golden artefact found at a UAE archaeological site.

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 023

THINK DUBAI AVIATION - A WELL CONNECTED CITY

51.3

78

26m

capacity planned Al Maktoum – Dubai World Central (DWC), by 2017

256,000 passengers at DXB and DWC

(Emirates Group)

this represents a 4% increase in passenger traffic y-o-y

it also became the first airline in the world to reach 1 million Instagram followers

(Dubai Airports)

TOURISM - 2020 PLAN ON TRACK

20

25

overnight visitors in 2015

visitor target by 2020

million visitors expected at World Expo 2020

million

(DTCM)

5.5milion

visitors anticipated at Dubai Parks & Resorts during the first year of operation

20,000 visitors daily and

7.3 million

annually expected at Al Habtoor City 24 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

(Dubai Government)

it was also the single busiest day for dnata in 2015 as it handled

296K

pieces of luggage and served more than

570 Flights

HOTELS - A MID-MARKET BOOM

14.2 million

million

The amount of GDP that Dubai’s aviation industry will account for by 2020

was the busiest day for air traffic in 2015 with ground handler dnata catering to

The number of pssengers Emirates flew in 2015, up 9% on 2014…

international passengers at Dubai International (DXB) in 2015

%

DEC 18

million

million

32

28,000

new hotel rooms by 2018 (JLL)

217 96 Dubai leads the MEA hotel pipeline with

%

projects spanning

36,523

y-o-y increase in the midscale and upper mid-scale pipeline in 2015

rooms

(TOPHOTELPROJECTS 2015)

Almost 50% of the 3,600 new hotel rooms that opened at the end of 2015 were three-star rated or less

BIG

The numbers illustrating the region’s rise to fame as a mega travel, tourism & aviation hub

TRAVEL TRENDS

UAE THEME PARKS

Gulf airlines are reporting the strongest passenger growth numbers in the world with an 11.7% y-o-y rise in traffic to August 2015 (IATA)

$

11.7% 36% 20m no.1 $16.6b

837

m

(Euromonitor International)

18,000,000

visits

by 2021 (PwC)

Iran, tipped as the next big ME tourism destination, is targeting 20 million international visitors by 2025

MACRO VIEW

(Euromonitor International)

By 2025, the Middle East’s travel and tourism industry will…

Emirates ranks the number one best perceived brand in the UAE

Contribute

(YouGov BrandIndex)

(ARANCA)

required to experience all three theme parks at Dubai Parks & Resorts

in 2019, up 78% on $470 million in 2015

36% of MENA residents plan to travel more for leisure in 2016 (YouGov)

MENA wellness tourism industry valued at $16.6 billion by 2017, up from $5.3 billion in 2014

18hrs

Revenues to hit

Genearate more than

Attract

328.1b

$

3.2m

to GDP

jobs

104,852,000

international tourist arrivals

109.1b 514 147,746 3,180 who will spend

There are around

8.3% of GDP

$

(World Travel & Tourism Council)

rooms are under contract in the Middle East

hotels spanning

(STR December 2015)

ATM 2015 26,000 visitors across 152 nationalities 2,873 exhibiting companies 113 new exhibitors

new aircraft over the next 20 years

The region will need

worth $730 billion

(Boeing)

$2.5 billion worth of business deals 36,268 total show attendance, up 12% on 2014 ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 25

AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW AS AN AIRLINE, I WOULD LIKE US TO MAINTAIN A LASER FOCUS ON OUR CUSTOMER PROPOSITION — HIS—HIGHNESS SHEIKH AHMED SAEED MAKTOUM, HIS HIGHNESS SHEIKH AHMED BINBIN SAEED AL AL MAKTOUM, CHAIRMANAND ANDCHIEF CHIEF EXECUTIVE, EXECUTIVE,EMIRATES EMIRATESAIRLINE AIRLINEAND & GROUP CHAIRMAN GROUP

ATM YEARBOOK

2016

ABU DHABI

DUBAI

A stellar 2015 performance and robust destination development strategy have put Dubai on track to reach its ambitious 2020 target of 20 million visitors, says H.E. Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism

028 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

The Spirit Of

I

n 2015, Dubai’s tourism sector once again proved the tenacity and strength of its economic contribution, as it made steady progress towards the target set out in Dubai’s Tourism Vision for 2020 of 20 million visitors to the emirate per year by the start of the next decade.

The emirate reported more than 14.2 million overnight visitors last year, up 7.5% on 2014, achieving double the global industry growth levels of 3-4% predicted by United Nations World Travel Organisation (UNWTO) for the same period, and firmly positioning Dubai as the fourth most visited city in the world.

“Dubai Tourism’s performance over the past 12 months reflects the resilience of Dubai’s diversified market strategy, unified industry-level responsiveness, and the sustained

attractiveness of the emirate’s proposition,” confirms H.E. Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism.

He says Dubai has “strategically sought to ensure a fragmented source market approach” in order to minimise risk exposure or over-reliance on any one country or region.

“The effectiveness and success of this strategy can be seen in our ability to offset the decline of the Russian market with increases in visitors from high-consumption markets across China, APAC and Africa as well as the mature travel markets of Scandinavia, for example,” he says.

“Aligned to this agenda, we focused on broadening the reach of Dubai Tourism’s global network to have stronger presence in-market.”

In 2015, Dubai Tourism opened its first office in South Korea, a source market Almarri says offers “strong growth

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 029

prospects for outbound travel to Dubai”. The entity also recently signed an agreement with a leading destination marketing agency, Interface Tourism, to act as Dubai Tourism’s new representative office in Italy.

Almarri stresses that the strength of Dubai’s airline connectivity continues to be a “very compelling advantage” for the destination, with both of the emirate’s home-grown carriers, Emirates and flydubai, launching new routes and increasing capacity on existing ones in 2015.

“And on the ground, the city experience and destination proposition have evolved in terms of hotels, retail environments, beach areas and food offerings – all of which have been at the forefront of adapting to changes in the visitation mix, responding dynamically to the need for servicing tourists from newer markets with relevant products through the year,” he adds.

Dubai also hosted another packed calendar of events in 2015 and was recognised as ‘World Festival and Event City’ by the International Festivals and Events Association for the third consecutive year.

The momentum has continued in 2016 with new events such as XYoga Dubai already taking place in the city, while Dubai Food Festival and Dubai Motor Festival both hosted their third editions this year. In addition, the Dubai Shopping Festival celebrated its 21st anniversary in January.

In a bid to encourage more organisers to stage events in Dubai, the government introduced a new e-Permit platform last year.

This enables all procedures related to the application, processing and licensing of event permits to be carried out through an online system managed by Dubai Tourism.

“We have also deployed a centralised e-Ticketing platform for the sale and distribution of tickets for all events in Dubai that collectively allows us to build a more competitive and sustainable event industry for the city,” adds Almarri.

A GLOBAL BUZZ To ensure Dubai remains “top of mind” for travellers, Dubai Tourism rolled out a global destination marketing

“Dubai Tourism’s performance over the past 12 months reflects the resilience of Dubai’s diversified market strategy, unified industry-level responsiveness, and the sustained attractiveness of the emirate’s proposition” 030 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

Bollywood Dubai will open its doors this year, broadening the destination’s tourism appeal

campaign – ‘The Spirit of Dubai’ – across digital and traditional media at the end of 2015, emphasising ‘all that’s possible in Dubai’.

Portraying Dubai as a buzzing travel hotspot, the campaign appeals to the “adventurous spirit of travellers, calling on them to explore a city of endless possibilities”, explains Almarri.

The campaign’s video has been viewed by more than 26 million people on YouTube since its release in September 2015.

Generating a global buzz about Dubai is all part of Dubai Tourism’s mission to hit its target of 20 million visitors per year in the next five years.

This dictates that tourism numbers maintain a consistent annual growth rate of 7-8% between now and 2020.

And there’s plenty to market as numerous attractions open their doors in the coming year, in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to transform the emirate into the world’s number one family holiday destination.

“Family tourism has been a major focus of our strategy since 2013 and continues to be moving forward as we work to fulfil this royal directive,” confirms Almarri.

“Dubai’s range of attractions, experiences and events already hold great appeal for families from across all of our source markets, particularly the near region, and with four major theme parks – Motiongate Dubai, Bollywood Parks Dubai, Legoland Dubai and IMG World of Adventure – all on track for a 2016 opening, Dubai’s destination appeal among the family segment is set to be significantly enhanced.”

He says all of these attractions will be unique to the region and are expected to “drive visitation significantly, particularly from markets within a four-hour flight path”.

“IMG Worlds of Adventure, for example, has a capacity of 20,000 visitors per day, and its developers expect to attract 4.5 million visitors in the first full year of operations,” he adds.

Motiongate, Bollywood and Legoland are expected to attract 5.5 million visitors during their first full year in operation, according to Dubai Parks & Resorts.

“Tourism-related infrastructure and capacity enhancement investment

2015 IN NUMBERS

14.2m overnight visitors, up 7.5% on 2014, double the UNWTO’s 3-4% global predictions

26.4m occupied rooms compared to 24.97 million in 2014

Visitor Numbers Up

29% 26% 19%

From China

From India

From KSA

3%

increase in hotels Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) celebrates its 21st anniversary in 2016

6

%

increase in rooms

250bids

submitted by Dubai Business Events (a record number) and the entity

won

75 of them

Dubai Food Festival is now in its third year

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 031

Kxxyxyxyyxyxyxyxyxyxyx is also expected to gain momentum in 2016 through more xyxyxyxyyxyxyxyxyxyxyx segment-specific offerings, such as culture and heritage attractions in the form of the Dubai Historical District project, in addition to continued focus on enhancing the business environment that underscores Dubai’s pursuit of becoming the number one destination for travel, business and events,” explains Almarri.

To accommodate the increasing number of visitors, Dubai’s hotel inventory – which numbered more than 98,000 keys at the end of 2015 – needs to be expanded to between 140,000 and 160,000 keys and diversified to not only offer the luxury accommodation for which Dubai is already well known, but also mid-market and budget options to appeal to different types of visitosrs.

“In addition, as a key part of Dubai’s value proposition, our goal is to consistently deliver the highest standard of service across hospitality, catering, events, attractions and infrastructure,” says Almarri.

“To that end, there is a heavy focus on training visitorfacing staff, enhancing the customer service experience and monitoring the satisfaction levels of tourists.”

“Our aim is to continue to build advocacy, create more reasons to revisit and deliver even greater value for repeat travellers; therefore, our investments are based on better analytics to understand our core segments from these countries, becoming very customised in communicating propositions that are relevant for them, encouraging longer stays, and ultimately generating greater economic value per tourist through 2016 and beyond.

Dubai has developed a long list of world-class attractions

DIVERSIFICATION STRATEGY PAYS DIVIDENDS In recent years, Dubai has focused its tourism strategy on tapping into new international source markets.

“We witnessed a strong increase in visitors from 15 out of 20 of our top source markets in 2015," says Almarri.

Arrivals from China, India and KSA increased 29%, 26% and 19% respectively year on year, positioning them as the fastest growing sources of visitors within Dubai's top 10 performing markets, he explains.

“Key markets such as the UK, US, and Germany also showed steady growth following continued outreach to

Dubai Tourism's ultimate goal is make Dubai the world’s number one family holiday destination

“We witnessed a strong increase in visitors from 15 out of 20 of our top source markets in 2015” 2015 HIGHLIGHTS • Record visitor numbers despite challenging macro-economic conditions.

• New Dubai Tourism office opened in South Korea following a 10% increase in visitors from the country in 2014.

• Dubai Tourism rolled out a global brand campaign designed to attract the fast-growing mass affluent leisure and business segments.

2016 SO FAR • Boosted the consumer events calendar and launched the Dubai Comedy Festival.

• Emirates expanded its network to 150 destinations, with the addition of six new passenger destinations and three cargo-only destinations, carrying more than 51.3 million passengers.

032 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

• Dubai's low-cost carrier, flydubai, launched 18 new destinations and increased capacity on routes across the airline’s network, driving a 25% increase in passenger numbers to 9.04 million.

• The 2014-2015 cruise season saw a 15% season-on-season increase in ship calls and a 42% increase in cruise tourists.

• A new partnership has been forged between Dubai Tourism and Italian destination marketing agency Interface Tourism in Milan, supporting Dubai’s plan to increase Italian visitor numbers.

• XYoga Dubai, a festival celebrating body and mind, was inaugurated in February.

• The 2015/16 cruise season has seen Royal Caribbean

resume operations in Dubai and Aida, Costa, MSC and TUI Cruises deploy additional or larger ships homeporting in Dubai.

• Thomson Cruises will become the first UK-based cruise line to homeport in Dubai (and the Middle East region) in 2017.

Dubai is a city of “endless possibilities”, says Dubai Tourism

attract the markets’ returning and potential visitor base.

“Of course, the GCC, Western Europe and the Subcontinent have been our traditional strongholds and continue to deliver more than a third of our tourism traffic,” he continues. “These markets will always be a critical priority as there is already a proven credibility of the Dubai destination offering.

“We have invested heavily in Asia, increasing our marketing initiatives in established markets such as China, but also developing relatively untapped markets such as South Korea. Eastern Europe is another focus as we work to capture the growing disposable income across the region, facilitated by increased airlift and the recent easing of UAE visa regulations for citizens of a number of Eastern European nations.”

Almarri notes how positive growth in visitor numbers across stalwart markets and emerging countries in 2015 helped to offset a 25% decline in travellers from the consolidated regions like Russia, CIS and emerging Central Europe and a 6.3% slump in arrivals from Australasia.

“While the devaluation of the Russian rouble resulted in a worldwide fall in the number of Russian overseas travellers, Dubai was able to offset this decline with increases in hotel guests from the high-consumption markets across China, APAC and Africa as well as mature travel markets such as the UK, Western Europe and Scandinavia in Nothern Europe, for example,” he says.

“It’s also important to stress that despite a sluggish economy and a strong US Dollar constraining Dubai’s competitiveness, Western Europe remained the second highest regional contributor to visitor volumes, bringing in nearly three million tourists, reflecting a solid 6.1% yearon-year growth.”

THE 2016 AGENDA Looking ahead, Dubai Tourism’s 2016 growth agenda remains in-sync with the 2020 strategic plan, says Almarri.

“Yet the tourism industry is dynamic and agility is critical to our success, so we have to keep our finger on the pulse of all our key markets,” he acknowledges.

“Forward-looking trends are taken into account as we continually review quarterly targets and strategies and continually make investment decisions, which collectively inform our marketing approach.”

This year Dubai Tourism will continue to “leverage increasing airlift, streamlined visa policies and a broad destination appeal that offers something for all travel segments every time they come to Dubai”, says Alamarri.

“Finally, our focus continues to be firmly fixed on growing the volume of visitor arrivals, encouraging visitors to extend their stay and increasing tourist spend – collectively delivering economic value and driving the GDP impact of Dubai’s tourism industry,” he concludes.

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 033

EXPO

20 20

A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME EVENT

034 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau, tells the ATM Yearbook 2016 about her vision to entertain, educate, intrigue and inspire visitors to the biggest event in the UAE’s history

B

etween October 2020 and April 2021, Dubai aims to welcome 25 million visitors, international and domestic, to its World Expo.

On a 4.4-square-kilometre site, close to three international airports, the organisers are working to provide visitors with the chance to see spectacular architecture, experience global culture, examine thoughtful and thought-provoking exhibitions, get hands-on with the latest innovations and technologies and sample food from every corner of the globe.

Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, charged with leading the delivery of this immense project, aims to stage a unique and unforgettable global event that draws people to Dubai so that they can be a part of the “I was there moment of the 21st century”, as she puts it.

We caught up with Her Excellency to get an update on how plans for the mega event are progressing.

Q: What progress did Expo make in 2015?

A: We made good progress in 2015. In November, we formally registered Dubai as Host City for 2020. That was a ringing endorsement by the members of the governing body of the plans we have been developing since winning the bid in 2013. During 2015 we also built-up our highly experienced team from the UAE and around the world, and worked hard to finalise our masterplan and delivery strategy. With that underway, the exciting work of building the event and the experience can now begin.

The gated exhibition zone will cover 200 hectares

Q: Did Milan, as a recent Expo host, inspire you and help with your preparations for 2020?

A: The team visited Milan a number of times, and on each occasion we were struck by the sheer number of people inspired to visit the Expo. They were clearly excited by what they experienced. It was an important

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 035

“We want to put on an Expo that entertains, educates, intrigues and inspires those who visit” The six-month Expo is expected to attract 25 million visitors

reminder that in 2015 – and in 2020 – people always prefer unique and tangible experiences.

That was an important insight, and one that remains central to our thinking. People want direct, personal connections – with new ideas and technologies. Nothing beats the experience of being there, or meeting with others. We want to put on an Expo that entertains, educates, intrigues and inspires those who visit.

More than that, we want to enthral and amaze our guests, and send them away with a sense of wonder.

That’s something on which we are very focussed. So, we are working with experts to design an experience that will wow our visitors when they come in 2020.

Q: Can you provide an update on the Expo site and the work already underway?

A: Work is already underway on the site. Rough grading is largely complete, and infrastructure will start to go into place in the latter half of this year. Our main focus in 2016 is on design. We are filling in the details of the masterplan, working with architects and others so that the structures we build contribute to the exciting and immersive experience we want visitors to receive. The main construction phase will be from 2017 to 2019, after which we will begin testing the event ahead of the Expo Opening Ceremony on October 20, 2020.

We are also determined to put on a great show for all the family. Our theme is Connecting Minds, Creating the Future. This means we have to combine the insights and ideas of everyone, rather than a select few. The nations and organisations that take part in Expo, and the millions who visit, will be able to explore the power of connections across the spheres of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability – our three sub-themes – through a range of interesting, engaging and entertaining journeys around the pavilions and the wider Expo. We hope our guests will depart with a newfound sense of wonder about the world and their role in its future.

Q: What about the related infrastructure – metro extension, hotels, and so on?

036 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

A: The city already has fantastic infrastructure in place: two international airports (and a third if you count Abu Dhabi, which is around 30 minutes from the Expo site), a modern road network, a metro system, as well as a highly developed and vibrant hospitality sector.

Expo will be the centrepiece of Dubai between October 2020 and April 2021; a unique, once-in-a-lifetime event – but it will be just one of the many factors, including the UAE’s Golden Jubilee, that will attract an anticipated 20 million international visitors to the city in 2020.

It’s important to recognise that our investment in additional transport infrastructure and the completion of new hotels is all happening in time for 2020, but not just because of the Expo. It’s part of Dubai’s and the UAE’s continuing development. The Expo is just a piece in the jigsaw that our leaders are expertly putting together.

Q: What international interest has Dubai’s Expo received to date?

A: Because we’re committed to hosting an inclusive global event, we hope that more than 180 countries will participate, including many that have never attended a World Expo. To make this happen we will ensure that for the first time, each country that comes to Dubai in 2020 will have a national pavilion of its own.

We are only at the early stages of discussing participation with countries and companies around the world, but there is clearly an appetite to know more

Each Expo zone will be themed

“The Expo is just a piece in the jigsaw that our leaders are expertly putting together”

DAriorum aut maion re volor vendandis dolupta turitat eniam doluptas que cum nam volupta

r sit, cum m, archilit a qui nos

and to be involved. For example, we were recently approached by a broadcaster that wanted to incorporate Expo into a programme they were making on Dubai.

They have strong memories of previous Expos and are very interested in ours. We want to capitalise on this, and are already working on plans and partnerships to build on this interest, and to work with the travel industry to bring people to visit when the event begins.

Q: What most excites you about World Expo 2020?

A: We are excited about the idea that for a few short months Dubai, will be putting on an event where millions of people from all countries and every walk of life will be able to come together, glimpse the wonders of the future, and return home excited and hopeful about the opportunities on offer.

We’re bringing the Expo to this region – the Middle East, Africa and South Asia – for the very first time, so many of the inhabitants of this part of the world will finally get to visit an Expo that is close to home, and where they get the chance to tell their story to the world.

It will be an inclusive World Expo in the truest sense.

We are creating an event that will leave a lasting, meaningful legacy. I am most excited about the power of this global event to live up to its theme: Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, by creating links between people and ideas that have the potential to make the future better, every day from now to the period of the Expo itself, and beyond. With just under five years until the event closes in April 2021, our planning is already focussed on providing long-term benefits for participants and visitors, for the UAE’s prosperity and reputation, for business, for tourism, for knowledge creation and for Dubai itself. I am hugely grateful for the opportunity to be involved in making this compelling vision a reality.

Q: What is your message to those reading this interview, and considering visiting Expo in 2020?

A: It’s going to be an amazing, one-off experience, and everyone is invited. We can’t wait to welcome them.

“We are creating an event that will leave a lasting, meaningful legacy”

THE VENUE World Expo 2020 will be located on a 438-hectare site that includes a dedicated gated 200-hectare Expo area and a surrounding residential, hospitality and logistics zone.

At the core of the Expo 2020 Dubai masterplan for the gated Expo area, are three distinct zones, each dedicated to one of the sub-themes of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability, which will converge at the central Al Wasl Plaza, the figurative and literal heart of Expo 2020.

The flagship UAE Pavilion will feature prominently in addition to a Welcome Pavilion and an Innovation Pavilion near the North Entrance surrounding the central plaza; and three Souks - one at the heart of each Theme Zone - which will showcase smaller pavilions surrounded by the larger country pavilions on the outer rings ensuring maximum visibility and footfall for all participants. Each themed zone will also have one feature Entertainment Venue and a specialised Theme Pavilion.

EXPO 2020 IN NUMBERS

438 200 hectares

hectares

the Expo site

the gated exhibition zone

300,000 Expo site capacity

153,000 expected average weekday attendance

75,000 Expo visitor arrivals

by Dubai Metro

25

pta turitat eniam, archilit doluptas que cum nam volupta qui nos

million

250

70%

the number of Expo participants anticipated

total visitors expected

of visitors with originate from overseas

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 037

THIRTY YEARS

YOUNG 038 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, takes stock of the carrier’s accomplishments in 2015, the year it celebrated its 30th anniversary

E

mirates marked yet another year of growth in 2015, underscored by standout milestones across its fleet, network, and customer experience initiatives.

The airline carried more than 51.3 million passengers, up 9% on 2014, and operated more than 186,000 flights in total, while 26 new aircraft were added to its fleet in the year that marked its 30th anniversary.

With the addition of 15 A380s, 10 Boeing 777-300ERs and 1 Boeing 777 Freighter, which rounded off the year with 246 aircraft in service, Emirates will retire 26 aircraft in 2016.

It’s all part of the carrier’s commitment to flying a younger, modern and environmentallyfriendly fleet that provides customers with a superior level of comfort and safety.

By the end of 2015, Emirates had expanded its network to 150 destinations while the number of cities served by its flagship A380 aircraft increased to 36.

The airline announced several new services

too, including the longest non-stop flight in the world, Dubai to Panama City, at 17 hours and 35 minutes.

Emirates also remained the world’s most valuable airline brand in 2015.

Its value grew 21% year-on-year to a staggering US$6.6 billion, according to The Brand Finance Global 500 report.

Here, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, talks through the carrier’s 30th-year highlights and reveals his thoughts on what developments the next three decades could bring.

Q: Emirates celebrated its 30th year in operation in 2015. Given you were there from the very start, what did this milestone mean to you personally?

A: Our 30th anniversary was a milestone for the airline. In 30 years, Emirates has not only become one of the largest commercial airlines in the world, but I think we have

“We believe there is still great potential for the airline and Dubai to grow even further” ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 039

Emirates’ family-friendly Economy Class service

also dramatically influenced the global air transport industry. We demonstrated that things can be done differently, profitably, and for the benefit of the customer, whether it was introducing product innovations like enclosed private suites, showers, bars and free Wi-Fi into mainstream commercial aviation, working with suppliers to advance new aviation technologies, or building an efficient worldclass transport hub that connects Dubai to the world and the world through Dubai. We have achieved quite a bit in a relatively short span of time, but we are not done yet, there is more to come.

Q: What other key milestones did the airline mark in 2015?

A: Emirates’ rapid growth has reflected that of Dubai’s. In 2015, we flew 51.3 million passengers on 240 aircraft. During the year, we also launched services to six new destinations: Bali, Multan, Orlando, Mashhad, Bologna, and Sabiha Gokcen. In 2016, we will launch services to more new cities including Yinchuan and Zhengzhou in China, Cebu and Clark in the Philippines, Yangon in Myanmar, and Hanoi, Vietnam. Today, Emirates is the largest airline by international traffic, serving more than 150 cities across 80 countries. Each new flight we add to our network, whether a new route or an additional service, exponentially expands the flight combinations between cities that we can offer our customers.

Last year we also marked the delivery of our 150th Boeing 777, the backbone of our expanding fleet. That was part of a bumper delivery of four aircraft in one day, which

040 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

“In 30 years, Emirates has not only become one of the largest commercial airlines in the world, but I think we have also dramatically influenced the global air transport industry” included two Boeing 777-300ERs, one Boeing 777 Freighter and one A380. On the fleet front, we also marked the first delivery of the world’s first two-class A380, with the capacity to carry 615 passengers at any one time.

Our brand reach also expanded with initiatives that included our new partnership with the FA Cup, the launch of our highly anticipated Jennifer Aniston TV commercial, our Benfica ‘safety’ video, and our Emirates A380 and Jetman Dubai formation flight, which focused the global spotlight on Emirates and Dubai yet again.

Q: What was your personal highlight in terms of the airline’s achievements?

A: For me, it’s always gratifying to see the airline continue grow and be successful.

Growth not only in terms of size, but also capability. To stay ahead of our competitors Emirates now operates more than 240 aircraft

IN NUMBERS

In 2015 Emirates flew

51.3m

240

passengers on

Serving more than

150 cities

Served 57 MILLION MEALS on its flights departing Dubai and handled 35 MILLION pieces of baggage in Dubai alone

aircraft

across

80

countries

Operating

i Travell

3,600 flights

ng 824 m

on average per week and more than

illion kilometres around the g

It took delivery of its 150TH BOEING 777

186,00 in total

l o b e*

*the equivalent of more than 1,000 trips to the moon and back

And the world’s 1st two-class A380, with the capacity to CARRY 615 PASSENGERS at one time 26 NEW AIRCRAFT were added to its fleet - 15 A380s, 10 Boeing 777-300ERs and 1 Boeing 777 Freighter

36 cities served by the A380

$9.2b

deal with Rolls-Royce for Trent 900 engines

20m

invested in in-flight connectivity systems

The brand was worth

$6.6b

up 21% year on year

(Source: Emirates)

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 041

The Jennifer Anniston TV ad campaign was a huge success

“I am proud of where we are today, excited by the prospects of tomorrow, and hope that in the next 30 years we will continue to be a leader in the industry” and to continue delivering even better products and services to our customers, we need to innovate and be efficient. That is why I strongly believe in investing in people and technology.

Q: What have been the biggest challenges and opportunities for Emirates during this period and how have you adapted your strategy accordingly?

A: It was not an easy ride in 2015, and we’ve had to navigate through the difficulties of plummeting fuel prices that were for us a double-edged sword. Although it significantly lowered our operating costs, it also hit business and consumer confidence in many economies dependent on oil revenues. Globally, the strong US dollar against other major currencies has also eroded our profitability across the organisation.

In spite of increased economic pressure around the globe in 2015, we grew in terms of capacity, capability and global reach.

Our strategy remains unchanged – focusing on the organic growth of our network and fleet, connecting city pairs that propel the engines of business and support tourism opportunities in the markets we serve, all while keeping our customers at the heart of what we do every day.

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Regional unrest continues to interrupt services to key markets in the Middle East and elsewhere. Protectionism in the US was also a hot topic in 2015, sparking much debate with wide-ranging campaigns waged against us.

We have made our case, and have made it clear that we do not receive subsidies and play the game like everyone else.

I am confident we will make strides in spite of external difficulties, as we have always done. We will continue to work hard to stay ahead, and our investments put us in a strong position to embrace the future and all of the possibilities and challenges that come with it.

Q: What has been the impact of the Jennifer Anniston ad campaign and how has this helped you achieve your goal for Emirates to become much more than an airline, but a global lifestyle brand?

A: We invest strategically in building our brand and it is reflected in everything we do.

We have differentiated the Emirates brand, not only through our marketing and sponsorships initiatives, but also through our competitive combination of quality products and services, and technology-driven customer experience concepts that our teams deliver everyday, both on the ground and on board.

The Jennifer Aniston TV ad campaign was

The A380 First Class private suite

a big success for us. People loved it, talked about it and shared it with their friends on social media. We are always looking at ways to produce innovative and interesting content that our customers and fans can connect and engage with. The way in which people consume content and ads may have changed with technology, but the fundamentals remain the same – people are excited by things that they can relate to, find interesting, entertaining, or emotive. When you have strong communities across your social media platforms and your content inspires them to share it, then it makes for a great combination.

Q: What’s next for Emirates?

A: We believe there is still great potential for the airline and Dubai to grow even further, and we are planning ahead to ensure we are well-positioned to support and maximise

these growth opportunities. This year we will continue to grow our fleet and network with 36 aircraft deliveries and six new destinations announced. We are also moving ahead with an enterprise-wide strategy to place data at the heart of the organisation, which will in turn, transform Emirates into a leading customercentric, technology driven airline. This transformation strategy will help us to reinvent business processes and we will see its benefits cascade into every area of our organisation over the next five years.

Q: What would you like to see Emirates achieve over the next 30 years?

A: As we continue to grow as an airline, I would like us to maintain a laser focus on our customer proposition. Ultimately, it is our customers who will determine our success – by voting through their wallets and Emirates Cabin Crew got Benfica fans cheering with a tonguein-cheek safety demo

2015 HIGHLIGHTS STRATEGIC FLEET INVESTMENT • 26 new aircraft were added to the fleet, comprising 15 A380s, 10 Boeing 777-300ERs, and 1 Boeing 777 Freighter, rounding off the year with 246 aircraft in service.

• Marked its 150th Emirates 777 delivery milestone, as part of a triple delivery of two Boeing 777-300ERs and one Boeing 777 Freighter in one day in September. An Airbus A380 was also part of that bumper delivery, strengthening Emirates’ position as the world’s largest operator of both the A380 and Boeing 777.

• Introduced the world’s first two-class configured A380 at the Dubai Airshow in November.

The new superjumbo carries 615 passengers.

CONNECTING THE WORLD TO, AND THROUGH, DUBAI • Expanded its network to 150 destinations with the addition of six new passenger destinations: Bali, Multan, Orlando, Mashhad, Bologna and Sabiha Gokcen in Istanbul.

• Announced plans to launch services to Panama City, beginning February 1, 2016.

The new service is the longest non-stop flight in the world (17 hours 35 minutes) and the airline’s first gateway destination in Central America.

• Expanded the number of • New amenity kits for its First cities served by its flagship and Business Class customers A380 aircraft to 36. New serlaunched in October in collabvices to Perth, Dusseldorf, Madrid oration with the luxury Italian and Copenhagen. brand Bvlgari.

• For families with young children, Emirates released its newest range of toys and activity packs in November - Fly With Me Animals, and Fly With Me Lonely Planet Kids activity bags.

ENHANCING THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE • More than four million passengers connected to Wi-Fi on board.

• Rolled out its newest generation in-flight entertainment (IFE) system on its newly delivered Boeing 777-300ER in August, and Airbus A380 aircraft in November, featuring the largest in-seat screens in First and Economy Class.

• New lounge facilities in Tokyo Narita and Los Angeles International airports, taking the total number globally to 38.

• New mobile Apps for Android and Apple Watch designed to complement the popular Emirates iPhone app.

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 043

• Mobile site launched in several languages including Arabic, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Russian, Chinese, Turkish, Greek, Italian, Korean and Polish.

ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION • Announced a historic $9.2 billion (€8.7 billion) deal with Rolls-Royce for Trent 900 engines to power 50 of its A380 aircraft, and a long-term TotalCare package. The deal was the largest ever for Rolls-Royce.

• Signed a $16 billion OnPoint solution agreement with GE Aviation in November for the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of the GE9X engines that will power the airline’s fleet of 150 Boeing 777X aircraft.

• Contributed €6.8 billion to the economies of EU countries in 2013 and 2014, supporting more than 85,000 jobs, according to Frontier Economics.

• Emirates’ operations contributed more than $848 million annually to India’s GDP, supporting more than 86,000 Indian jobs and generating almost $1.7 billion in Foreign Exchange Earnings, revealed an economic impact study by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) in India, released in November.

• Airline’s brand value grew more than 21% to $6.6 billion in 2015, according to The Brand Finance Global 500 report.

SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES & PASSIONS • Became the Lead Partner of The FA Cup, now called The Emirates FA Cup, until 2018.

• Announced a three-year, AED 25 million agreement with the Arabian Gulf League to become the Official Partner and Airline.

• Extended its sponsorship of

Benfica when it became shirt sponsor. Later in the year, Emirates Cabin Crew got Benfica fans cheering with a tongue-in-cheek ‘safety demonstration’ on how to show support for the club, in an initiative that won hearts and became viral on social media.

• Elevated its partnership with the ATP to become the Premier Partner of the ATP World Tour from 2016. The five-year agreement represented the biggest sponsorship deal in the history of the ATP.

044 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

• Emirates’ flagship A380 and Jetman Dubai took to the skies for an extraordinary formation flight over some of Dubai’s key landmarks in a celebration of aviation that also went viral on social media.

• Teamed up with United for Wildlife, a global collaboration that unites the efforts of the world’s leading wildlife charities, in the fight against the • Launched its BeThere camillegal wildlife trade. The airline paign in May showcasing its emblazoned two of its flagship very own “globalista” employees, A380 aircraft with special who each travelled to different decals featuring endangered cities over six months, documentanimal species, to raise global ing their experience, and bringing awareness on the issue. to life the airline’s destinations • Signed up to sponsor ‘The through their own unique Last Wilderness of the UAE’, story-telling lens and passions for a documentary series that will food, sports, music, fashion and feature the United Arab Emirates’ adventure. remarkably rich biodiversity, • Unveiled its highly-anticipated TV commercial featuring

recommending us to their friends and family.

I am proud of where we are today, excited by the prospects of tomorrow, and hope that in the next 30 years we will continue to be a leader in the industry.

Q: How do you see the airline industry evolving over that period of time and what role will Emirates play?

A: The global aviation industry transports more than three billion passengers and 50 million tonnes of cargo each year, supporting more than 57 million jobs and $2.2 trillion in economic activity. We believe air travel has a big future, but only if everyone involved in this sector – the industry, governments, regulators and local communities – work together in the long-term interests of all stakeholders Emirates will continue to play an active role in the industry to find solutions to our common issues, ranging from innovation, safety and security, to environmental sustainability and infrastructure.

Hollywood actress, director and producer Jennifer Aniston, to great acclaim in October.

Emirates’ flagship A380 and Jetman Dubai took to the skies for an extraordinary formation flight

which is scheduled to launch in late 2016.

S PLE APPROACH PR E LOCATIONS T E HOTELS

At TIME Hotels, our simple approach to hospitality means that you can always expect to receive the warmest welcome straight from the heart and an uncomplicated yet professional service delivery.

Whether for business or leisure, short-stay or long stay, we currently have four different product brands represented across a growing portfolio of properties. To find out more about our present and future prime locations, visit www.timehotels.ae

www.timehotels.ae

The Rising B

ased in Dubai and established in 2004, Seven Tides International is a privately-owned international holding company specialising in the hospitality and real estate sectors.

The company boasts a varied portfolio of landmark hospitality acquisitions and commercial buildings, from hotels and residential towers to multi-use complexes, all located in major cities such as London and Dubai.

The Seven Tides portfolio includes the flagship DUKES London Hotel in Mayfair, London, and Anantara The Palm Resort & Residences, Mövenpick Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, Mövenpick Deira, and the popular West 14th restaurant on Palm Jumeirah, all in Dubai. The company is also poised to open the DUKES Dubai hotel in Q4, 2016.

Here, Seven Tides CEO Abdulla bin Sulayem shares details of the firm’s latest venture – a new hospitality division.

046 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

Abdulla bin Sulayem, CEO, Seven Tides, reveals the company’s ambitious plans for its brand new hospitality division

Tide

Q: Why is it the right time to launch Seven Tides Hospitality?

Seven Tides International has been operating since 2004, so the decision to launch a dedicated hospitality division was a logical move for us. It clearly delineates our hospitality portfolio from other investments.

Over the last decade we have been immersed in the industry, interacting with major hotel operators, and this has given us exposure and insight into all aspects of the hospitality sector.

It has also given us confidence in our product portfolio and our capabilities in this regard when it comes to operating our own hotels.

Q: What properties will the company be managing and where?

Anantara The Palm Resort & Residences is a Seven Tides property

Seven Tides already has a diverse portfolio of hospitality projects and properties and we are constantly evaluating new opportunities in various markets and considering different models.

We will focus on the development of projects with character in prime locations and all of our new ventures, whether hotels or restaurants, will be owned and operated by Seven Tides Hospitality.

Q: Given the ME market is highly competitive, what will make Seven Tides Hospitality different to other hospitality firms?

Seven Tides believes in taking a personal approach to hospitality, which is reflected in our hand-selected portfolio of exclusive properties and commitment to delivering world-class service with a genuinely warm and personable touch, supported

by a commitment to quality. When people enter a Seven Tides-owned property, it should feel different to other properties.

Standing out among our peers is our number one priority in today’s challenging market.

We are also focused on introducing one-of-akind luxury hospitality brands to the Middle East and other key markets under the Seven Tides Hospitality banner. Our DUKES Dubai property, for example, which is set to open in Q4, 2016, will bring quintessential English charm and bespoke hospitality to the region.

Q: How will you guarantee return on investment for your partners?

Both of our Palm Jumeirah residential projects benefit from their location in a unique luxury-led

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 047

“While we are primarily luxury focused, we would consider developing mid-market brands if they were a fit for Seven Tides in terms of quality” island community. Anantara has the added value of being backed by a renowned global hospitality brand and DUKES is positioned as a quintessentially ‘Best of British’ lifestyle experience.

This is being recognised by the investment community, particularly from within the GCC, as a sound portfolio opportunity.

With prices starting from AED1.8 million (US$490,000), the DUKES Dubai collection of 227 studio and one-bedroom apartments range in size from 376 to 882 square feet, and have a guaranteed ROI of 10% for five years.

The units are being sold on a freehold, fully furnished, investment-only basis and marketed as part of the hotel’s managed rental scheme.

Another added bonus is that for the first five years, investors are exempt from service charges, maintenance fees and utility bills.

Our Anantara Residences project, which comprises North and South buildings, also comes with a three-year ROI guarantee of 10% (which is paid quarterly). With a starting price of AED1.3 million ($354,000), this development comprises 120 studios, 192 two-bedroom units, 236 one-bedroom apartments and 16 bespoke penthouses, as well as 60 hotel rooms.

Q: What potential is there to open and manage more properties in the ME region and in what sectors?

We have historically focused on the luxury end of the market, but with the Middle East hospitality sector already saturated with five-star properties, which is why we are introducing DUKES Dubai – a luxury hotel with a distinctive USP due to its ‘Best of British’ positioning – we recognise there is a huge gap for three- or four-star brands.

Across the region, in all key markets, there is a need to add significant room stock at the more affordable end of the spectrum, even at two-star

048 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

DUKES Dubai

level. While we are primarily luxury focused, we would consider developing mid-market brands if they were a fit for Seven Tides in terms of quality – both from a design and service perspective.

In fact, we are already considering opportunities in the three-star bracket as we have a number of existing assets with the potential to be converted to quality-led three-star properties in the future that we will manage.

We foresee significant potential moving forward, but it is a question of timing.

Q: How will you be marketing and promoting Seven Tides Hospitality and who are your target markets in this respect?

Our mid-term plans include expanding our hospitality sector presence in Europe and looking at opportunities in cities other than London where we’ve enjoyed huge success with DUKES. But that’s not to say that we aren’t also considering a second London hote; it is a market that represents sound investment potential in the long term, especially in the hospitality sector.

In terms of our marketing strategy, we will be using multi-channel opportunities to promote Seven Tides Hospitality, and this covers everything from traditional print channels to digital, radio, outdoor and public relations.

DUKES DUBAI Seven Tides’ newest upscale project, DUKES Dubai, is located on the trunk of the Palm Jumeirah and features a five-star hotel and residences.

It’s the first international property for the DUKES Collection brand, which has its flagship property in London.

“With this launch we are bringing quintessential British charm and style to the UAE and blending it with cosmopolitan luxury to create a unique residence and hotel situated in There the heart are 301 of Dubai’s most desirable island community, rooms and suites Palm Jumeirah,” says Seven Tides CEO Abdulla bin Sulayem.

The 273-room hotel will feature a private beach, an indoor pool, and an outdoor infinity pool, plus a state-of-the-art gym, along with a number of restaurants.

Guests can choose from Great British Restaurant (GBR) serving modern British brasserie-style cuisine; a traditional fish and chips café located on the promenade overlooking the Dubai Marina and JBR; a top-floor Asian restaurant with stunning views over the Palm; DUKES Bar for signature cocktails; the Champagne Lounge for a traditional afternoon tea or light-dining experience; and the al fresco Cigar and Coffee Lounge.

There’s also an executive lounge, private business suites and conference rooms.

ABU DHABI dhcc.ae | 800 Health

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 049

DWC’s planned capacity is 240 million passengers annually

A HUB OF DISTINCTION From record passenger traffic in 2015 and a new capacity-enhancing concourse launched this year, to new innovative customer experiences, Dubai Airports continues to push the boundaries

DWC already has a capacity of more than one millions tonnes

050 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

D

ubai Airports, which operates Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum International – Dubai World Central (DWC), has cemented Dubai’s status as one of the world’s leading aviation hubs over the past 12 months.

From achieving record passenger traffic to rolling out new innovative customer experiences, the organisation has once again raised the bar, demonstrating Dubai’s growing omnipresence as a geographical connection point for travellers from all four corners of the globe. Here, the ATM Yearbook 2016 outlines some of Dubai Airports’ major milestones as the entity continues to forge ahead with ambitious expansion plans for a city with two hubs that combined can now handle 100 million passengers annually.

WORLD’S NUMBER ONE HUB DXB retained its position as the world’s number one hub for international passengers by registering annual traffic of just over 78 million in 2015.

Boosted by the growth of some 100 airlines that connect the airport to more than 240 destinations around the world, most notably Emirates and flydubai, annual passenger traffic at DXB surged 10.7% to reach a record 78,014,838 passengers in 2015 compared to 70,473,893 in 2014.

The airport ended 2015 on a high note, with December passenger numbers hitting 7,053,243, up 8.5% on 6,498,573 in December 2014 and taking the average monthly traffic for the year to a record high of 6.5 million.

It was also the second time in the year after August when monthly traffic exceeded the seven million mark.

DXB welcomed several new airlines in 2015 including Air Canada from Toronto, Eurowings from Amsterdam and China Southern from Wuhan.

Meanwhile the ongoing network expansion of Emirates and flydubai added 12 new passenger destinations to the list of the routes DXB serves.

India retained its position as Dubai’s single largest destination country in 2015 with 10.4 million passengers, up 17% year on year. In second place was the UK with 5.68 million passengers (+6%) followed closely by Saudi Arabia at 5.47 million (+12%).

In terms of destination cities served by DXB, Doha retained the top slot with 2,782,600 passengers (+18%) followed closely by London with 2,659,602 (+1%) and Mumbai with 2,214,221 (+14%).

As a result of Emirates’ network expansion to North America, this region reported the strongest growth at 25% followed the GCC (+15%) and Asia (+12%).

“It’s another banner year for Dubai International where we broke records, engaged and entertained our customers in new ways, and retained our position as the world’s number one international hub,” says Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths.

CONCOURSE D BOOSTS CAPACITY In February this year, Dubai Airports boosted the annual capacity of DXB from 75 million to 90 million passengers annually with the opening of Concourse D. It was the result of a $1.2 billion investment designed to enhance the passenger experience and increase capacity.

“We continue to invest in the development of topflight infrastructure to augment service levels for our international airlines and their customers while providing the capacity needed to meet growing demand,” says HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Airports; President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; and Chairman and CEO of Emirates Group.

“Concourse D has been designed with the customer at its heart. Shorter walking distances, more comfortable seating areas, more choice in lounges and a world-class retail and F&B offering are sure to impress and delight our passengers and our airline partners.”

The opening of Concourse D followed months of

“To see Sheikh Rashid’s vision of creating an international hub at Al Maktoum International mature into a major regional hub is tremendously gratifying”

–

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman, Dubai Airports.

intensive testing and a successful operational trial involving 2,000 members of the public.

Two airlines operated from Concourse D on day one – British Airways and Royal Jordanian – with the remainder phasing in operations in the weeks to follow.

“Aside from its many customer-centric features, Concourse D continues our legacy of providing timely capacity,” explains Griffiths. “We project 85 million passengers will visit Dubai International this year.

With the addition of Concourse D, the airport is getting both bigger and better.”

The concourse is linked to the newly renovated Terminal 1 by a dedicated train.

It also brings a number of world-renowned F&B concepts to Dubai and the region for the first time, including a casual dining concept The Kitchen, by renowned celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck.

Dubai Airports has also introduced the first Pret a Manger casual dining outlet in any Middle Eastern airport.

The new concourse features wellbeing concepts such as the already-popular ‘SnoozeCubes’, as well as nine lounges – five airline lounges, a new Al Majlis lounge, two Dubai International Hotel lounges and a Marhaba VIP lounge.

DWC’S FIVE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central (DWC) celebrated its fifth anniversary in June, having firmly established itself among the top 20 busiest international cargo hubs and earning a reputation as an efficient and convenient

BIG NUMBERS

78m

passengers at DXB in 2015

10.4m

of these were from India

5.68m from the UK

90m

passenger capacity at DXB as of February 2016

85m

passengers projected to visit DXB this year

$1.2b

invested in Concourse D

100

airlines connect DXB to more than

240

destinations worldwide

$32b

plan to expand DWC to cater to

240m

passengers annually

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 051

“It’s another banner year for Dubai International where we broke records, engaged and entertained our customers in new ways, and retained our position as the world’s number one international hub” – Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports

Royal Suite master bedroom

DXB BECOMES WORLD’S LARGEST STAGE

passenger airport. DWC already has a capacity of more than one million tonnes of cargo, with the ultimate goal of expanding this to 16 million tonnes over the next two decades. The airport managed 824,932 tonnes for the full year 2014, representing a compounded annual growth rate of 276%.

Driving this growth was the decision in May 2014 to relocate all dedicated cargo operators from DXB to DWC, including Emirates SkyCargo.

Passenger numbers have also increased since the passenger terminal opened in 2013.

More than 800,000 passengers used the facility in 2014.

Last year Dubai Airports revealed plans to expand the passenger terminal to a capacity of 26 million passengers, with construction on the project well underway and slated for completion next year (2017).

However, the long-term plan is to take capacity to 240 million passengers annually under the $32 billion DWC expansion plan announced in 2014, which will transform DWC into the world’s biggest airport.

When completed in the mid-2020s, DWC will have five runways, four plus-shaped concourses and parking for more than 400 aircraft.

“To see Sheikh Rashid’s vision of creating an international hub at Al Maktoum International mature into a major regional hub is tremendously gratifying,” says His Highness Sheikh Ahmed.

“This is an achievement worth celebrating as well as an ideal moment to look forward and grasp the opportunity to cement the airport’s position as the world’s leading airport.”

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The new Concourse D takes DXB’s capacity to 90 million passengers annually

flydubai launched operations from DWC in October 2015

In November 2015, Dubai Airports launched an initiative designed to connect the world through music – musicDXB.It saw DXB become the world’s largest stage, hosting a number of pop-up shows from local and international bands. musicDXB was launched by the world’s number one recording artist, Katy Perry, who performed at the Dubai Airshow Gala Dinner on November 10.

The following day, the UK’s new swing kings, Jack Pack,

gave a performance at DXB, and in the weeks to follow, several UAE bands took to the stage as part of Dubai Airports’ vision to nurture local talent.

“Much like Dubai International, music connects people from all walks of life, all ages and all cultures around the globe,” says Griffiths.

“We believe the two work together in absolute harmony to delight our customers in the airport and across our social media platforms.”

DWTC REPORTS RECORD 2015 Visitor numbers top 2.74 million, with trade delegates and exhibitors witnessing double-digit growth

Downtown Dubai

Gulfood 2015 attracted a record 84,642 visitors from 170 countries

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DWTC Convention Gate

T

he Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) witnessed a stellar year in 2015 with visitor numbers hitting a record 2.74 million, up 12% on 2014.

The number of exhibiting companies increased 17% year on year, which His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Board of the recently-established Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTCA), believes cemented Dubai's status a major player in the global Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) industry.

“Our 2015 results are not just a show of outstanding performance, but more importantly, reflect the maturity of the DWTC portfolio in being able to deliver doubledigit growth with such consistency across its various business lines,” he says.

“Supported by a prudent long-term expansion strategy and the strategic diversification of the event calendar, the DWTC business has steadily grown in terms of the number of events staged, venue occupancy rates, visitation quality and volumes, and in enhancing Dubai’s international appeal for exhibiting corporates and trade delegates.”

His Highness adds: “Today, thanks to the impeccable reputation built over the years as a world-leader in the global exhibitions industry, DWTC is widely recognised as the most conducive international platform for businesses from the east and west to access and service emerging markets in Africa and the wider region.”

AN ACTION-PACKED CALENDAR In 2015, DWTC rolled out an extensive and varied events calendar covering strategic industry sectors aligned to Dubai’s economic diversification priorities.

Last year saw 396 trade events hosted at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) including 104 mega-events that attracted 53,547 exhibitors from 185 countries.

With international participation at almost 41% across its entire events portfolio, DWTC contributed an incremental 1,066,865 global visitors to Dubai’s business tourism figures.

The primary international source markets for visitors included Saudi Arabia, India, United Kingdom, Pakistan, China, Qatar, Oman, Iran, Jordan and Egypt.

“The performance results clearly reflect the resilience of our diversified calendar, catering for various event types across a broad set of industry sectors that has allowed DWTC to deliver strong international traffic growth from key source markets,” says DWTCA Director General His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri.

“Building on our core strategic fundamentals of delivering a commerce platform for the world to do business with the wider region, we have focused our efforts on the next phase of DWTC’s evolution.

“During 2015 we launched several medium- to long-term initiatives focused on customer experience enhancement, with technology and innovation at the heart of powering future growth opportunities.

“Over the next three years our priorities are aligned

to the economic diversification focus of the UAE and Dubai, so that DWTC sustainably drives long-term returns for the MICE industry and consequently builds its contribution to our GDP.”

DIVERSIFICATION, SCALE AND EXPANSION The DWTC venue reported high occupancy levels as it further boosted its events calendar to incorporate new exhibitions, international conferences and consumer and live events.

It staged 27 new shows including eight exhibitions and 19 associations and conferences, many of which showcased or discussed current trends such as the Digital Health & Medical Technology Conference and Internet of Things.

“The sectors we cover within our calendar have always been very closely aligned with the industries the government of Dubai seeks to invest in and develop over the medium to long term.

“Over the years we have steadily worked on compressing lead times to attract the right profile for our shows, curate the content, and build the scale to attract quality participation, so that today, even the newest events in the calendar have the relevance and gravitas to drive thought leadership and global debate within their sectors,” explains Almarri.

“Optimal scale is a critical success factor as we review our portfolio performance, as it is a self-fulfilling cycle for attracting the largest international exhibitors and the biggest regional buyers, ultimately driving trade

TOP VISITOR SOURCE MARKETS • • • • • • • • • •

Saudi Arabia India United Kingdom Pakistan China Qatar Oman Iran Jordan Egypt

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 055

The Dubai Motor Show 2015

“DWTC is widely recognised as the most conducive international platform for businesses from the east and west to access and service emerging markets in Africa and the wider region” 2015 IN NUMBERS

2.74m

visitors, up 12% on 2014

17%

increase in number of exhibiting companies

396

trade events hosted at DICEC, including 104 mega-events

53,547

exhibitors from 185 countries

41%

international participation Contributed

1,066,865

global visitors to Dubai's business tourism figures

27

new shows

056 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

volumes at the shows and higher returns on event investment for all our customers.”

Eighty of the top-tier exhibitions reached a threshold scale of 25,000 attendees in average traffic per event during 2015, and all of DWTC’s anchor megaevents uniformly experienced year-on-year growth in visitor and exhibitor volumes, reflecting very strong confidence in growth prospects for their respective global sectors, from healthcare, security and food, to travel, technology, and construction.

Notable mentions include Arab Health, which saw a 5% uplift over 2014 with more than 140,000 delegates; Gulfood, which attracted a record 84,642 visitors from 170 countries and 4,800 exhibitors from 156 countries; Arabian Travel Market, which witnessed a 22% spike in exhibitors and an unprecedented 34% increase in visitor numbers; Gitex Technology Week, which brought together more than 146,000 industry professionals and more than 4,200 suppliers from 144 countries; and the Big 5, which delivered 3,104 exhibiting companies from 67 countries.

To keep pace with demand and to provide more customised solutions for specialist events, DICEC’s capacity and facilities were expanded in 2015.

The Zabeel Hall extension comprising three halls that opened in the last quarter of 2015, added 15,500 square metres in covered exhibition space to the venue, taking the total to 121,984 square metres.

This expansion will support 2016 growth expectations, says Almarri.

2016 AND BEYOND The 2015 performance figures reinforce DWTC’s reputation as a global venue operator that hosts and delivers world-class mega-events across a wide range of growth industries and segments.

“DWTC’s [future] growth will focus on expanding global commercial opportunities that support the UAE’s strategic imperatives for further economic diversification across core sectors such as ICT, healthcare, food, bio-technology, travel and tourism, retail, and logistics,” confirms Almarri.

“At the core of all these growth drivers are three fundamental requirements.

“We need to demonstrate unprecedented agility; sustain our creativity in order to stay ahead of the curve; and keep a real-time pulse on the market, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We also need the operational ability to respond dynamically.”

Almarri adds: “We have been privileged to have had the lasting confidence and support from the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister, Ruler of Dubai.

“DWTC will strive to remain at the forefront of innovation, continuing to stimulate growth across all key pillars for Dubai’s 2021 Plan, setting a benchmark for governmental and public-private partnerships.”

‫حيـــاكـــم في‬

‫البحــريــن‬

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Wonderful Indonesia

The Road to

Wellness

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DHCC’S 2015 HIGHLIGHTS • Increased clinical offerings by 28% • Increased specialties by 68% • Increased number of licensed healthcare professionals by 20% • Unveiled operational sectors for investment and education • Implemented new health insurance law, new pharmacy regulation within the free zone • Signed memoranda of understanding with UAE Ministry of Health, Mediclinic Middle East • Successfully concluded collaboration with TECOM Group, a member of Dubai Holding • Released findings of Patient Satisfaction Survey 2014 to 2015 • Announced joint venture to develop integrated community Al Fursan in Phase 2 • Opened Swiss International Scientific School as part of Phase 2 • Organised the 1st UAE Organ Transplant Summit • Maintained 94% occupancy at DHCC’s main buildings • Released medical tourism patient case

I Rendering of thge Phase 2 expansion at Dubai Healthcare City

How Phase 2 of the Dubai Healthcare City project will help position the entity and the destination as a global holistic care specialist

Bader Saeed Hareb, Chief Executive Officer - Investment Sector, Dubai Healthcare City

n March last year, the President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, launched the AED3 billion to AED5 billion (US$817million to $1.36 billion) second phase of the Dubai Healthcare City project, a development spanning an area of some 22 million square feet at Al Jadaf, parallel to Al Garhoud Bridge.

Since then, several exciting components of this project have been revealed, including a dynamic working, residential and recreation environment, overlooking the historic Dubai Creek known as Al Fursan.

In addition, earlier this year, a wellness concept designed to enhance holistic care for residents and visitors alike, was unveiled – a project known as Worldcare Wellness Village.

It’s all part of Dubai Healthcare City’s drive to strengthen DHCC’s position as a health and wellness hub, and to enhance the city’s status as a medical tourism destination par excellence.

Here, Bader Saeed Hareb, Chief Executive Officer – Investment Sector, Dubai Healthcare City, who is responsible for driving sustainable growth within the free zone, explains the Phase 2 expansion’s significance.

Q: Tell us about Phase2?

A: Phase 2 represents Dubai Healthcare City’s expansion into the wellness sector, completing the continuum of care.

Occupying 22 million square feet, located along Dubai

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 59

e

“Phase 2 will drive the growth of our wellness and medical tourism sector, bringing together unique wellness concepts and specialised services for both residents and visitors�

Komodo National Park

Phase 2 rendering of Dubai Healthcare City expansion

2015 IN NUMBERS Phase 2 DHC expansion will span

22,000,000 34 countries

2

ft

were added to DHC's licensing framework, taking the total to 63 countries

250 events were held with more than

96

15,000 60 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

%

occupancy maintained at DHC's main buildings

participants at Mohammed Bin Rashid Academic Medical Centre

Creek, Phase 2 will drive the growth of our wellness and medical tourism sector, bringing together unique wellness concepts and specialised services for both residents and visitors. We will introduce for the first time in the region, unique water-facing rehabilitation and wellness offerings to cater to all age groups including the older adult population, ensuring our patients are healthy, both physically and mentally. The calm and relaxing waterfront setting, conducive to health and recuperation, will rival other such offerings around the world.

Q: What framework is in place to drive expansion?

A: As a free zone we believe in providing the necessary framework such as facility establishment and licensing, to attract healthcare leaders and top names.

We are building on our achievements in Phase 1 by establishing strategic partnerships in Phase 2.

As enablers, we create the right environment to achieve our vision to become a location of choice for quality healthcare and an integrated centre of excellence for clinical and wellness services.

Q: What details can you share about some of the Phase 2 projects?

A: Al Fursan is conceptualised as an integrated community, comprising premium apartments, serviced residences, four- and five-star hotels, and retail and leisure features, and is spread over approximately 2.9 million square feet. Al Fursan is a joint venture with Nshama, a private developer of smart integrated communities.

Phase 2’s prime waterfront location on Dubai Creek

PHASE 2 PROJECTS AL FURSAN Dubai Healthcare City Authority announced a joint venture with Nshama to establish an integrated community named Al Fursan, comprising premium apartments, serviced residences, four- and five-star hotels, and retail and leisure features, spread over approximately 2.9 million square feet of Dubai Healthcare City’s Phase 2 expansion project.

THE SWISS INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC SCHOOL IN DUBAI (SISD) The Swiss International Scientific School in Dubai (SISD), Dubai’s first ever private school to offer multilingual education in English, French, German, Italian and Arabic and a specialised curriculum with a strong scientific focus for secondary students, opened its doors to 270 students in its new campus in Dubai Healthcare City Phase 2. Classes currently run from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 6. Grades 7 to 12 will be added in the following years. The campus is also the Middle East’s first low-energy building awarded with the region’s first MINERGIE Certification.

Our academic partner in Phase 2 is the Swiss International Scientific School Dubai, the first private school to offer multi-lingual curricula with a scientific focus.

The school’s primary school, including kindergarten, is operational for the academic year 2015 to 2016, while the secondary school, which caters to students up to grade 12, will be operational in phases.

The 67,845-square-metre campus is also the Middle East’s first low-energy building in the education space, consuming one third of the energy of standard buildings across the region.

The school was awarded with the region’s first MINERGIE Certification, an accolade that is specific to low-energy buildings. In addition, Marriott Hotel Apartments is also operational.

Q: How will Phase 2 drive the expansion of Dubai's medical tourism sector?

A: We believe medical tourism is an all-encompassing concept that includes wellness tourism and any other branches that promote or support health.

The wellness concept is a growth area of medical tourism as people increasingly combine holidays with holistic and wellbeing requirements. We are working towards driving the trend of preventative care.

WORLDCARE WELLNESS VILLAGE Strategically located on the waterfront, the WorldCare Wellness Village will occupy an area equivalent to roughly the size of 16 football fields, and is estimated to be significantly larger in scale and offerings to current wellness properties in Europe and the US. Tapping into the growing demand of people looking for evidence-based and holistic care, the wellness concept is driven by US-based WorldCare International and developed by the Dubai-based MAG Group.

WorldCare is renowned for its online medical consultation service that digitally connects millions of members worldwide with more than 20,000 specialists at world-class medical centres.

The WorldCare Wellness Village will be anchored by a 100,000-square-feet Wellness Centre that will focus on prevention and management of diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes and other physical conditions.

Q: What were your main achievements in 2015?

A: Our year-on-year figures demonstrate our commitment to positioning Dubai Healthcare City free zone as a health and wellness destination.

In this patient-centered value chain, we are strengthening our offerings and working with our stakeholders for long-term growth.

We feel a deep responsibility to ensure our patients, healthcare professionals, partners and investors are together creating tangible value for the communities we serve. Our strategy is to develop unique concepts that ensure long-term sustainability, creating a health and wellness destination that improves quality of life and a sense of community.

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THE NEW LOOK General Manager Grant Ruddiman reveals how a US$100 million refurbishment programme has transformed this landmark Dubai property

K

empinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates has just completed one of the Middle East region’s biggest hotel renovations to date at an estimated cost of AED370 million (US$100 million).

It was part of the prestigious ‘Evolution 2015’ project, spearheaded by owner Majid Al Futtaim, which also saw the iconic Mall of the Emirates extended and enhanced to the tune of AED1 billion ($272 million).

In a move that has reimagined the Kempinski Hotel Mall of Emirates as a destination, the refurbishment has spanned all rooms, suites and public areas, including the pool decks, and has also witnessed some exciting new additions, from innovative F&B concepts to exclusive chalets and cabanas.

Here, the property’s General Manager, Grant Ruddiman, explains some of the renovation highlights.

Q: Why was it necessary to conduct a full refurbishment of the property?

A: Typically, hotels conduct refurbishments every five to eight years, depending on occupancy and activity levels, or the need to change an outlet concept, for example. Luxury hotels, particularly in the Middle East, are expected to maintain the highest product and service standards, including the latest technological amenities. The Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates celebrates its 10th Anniversary this April, which

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The lobby

Deluxe Room

KEMPINSKI HOTEL Mall of the Emirates coincides with the completion of a two-year full refurbishment programme, unveiling a revitalised and refreshed hotel with wonderful new facilities and outlets.

Q: What have been the standout features of this renovation programme?

A: This has to be our new interior décor, which encapsulates both the brand identity of the Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, as well as the heritage and culture of the region.

Located in the heart of the city, adjacent to Dubai’s main highway, Sheikh Zayed Road, the hotel offers an escape from the bustle typical of a modern city.

Across the lobby, rooms and leisure facilities we have used sophisticated cool white, grey and metallic colours, complemented by earthy and natural tones. They are further enhanced by the subtle geometric patterns that are true to Middle Eastern design.

We have also introduced three new dining outlets. In 2013 we opened Salero Tapas & Bodega, a Spanish restaurant fusing traditional food-sharing platters with a modern sommelier twist in a charming ambiance. In November 2015, we launched a Levantine dining experience with Olea, offering authentic food from the Levant region in dazzling tableside presentations, as well as an exciting new nightspot with NOIR, a provocative lounge and cocktail bar.

Finally, and unique to our hotel, are the Aspen Chalets, which boast views of the ski slopes of Ski Dubai, part of the Mall of the Emirates. The new-look Aspen Chalets offer an unparalleled level of personalised service and comfort.

DESIGN CUES Guestroom interiors: ice blues, silver and crystal, coupled with warm and textural neutrals, exuding a timeless elegance.

Décor: Modern, luxurious, residential.

Crystal light fittings: Used throughout to create the “glisten of falling icicles”.

Bathrooms: Marble walls and floors.

Aspen by Kempinski café: References Ski Dubai motifs such as crystal light fixtures (frozen ice), polished metal finishes (falling ice) and the wall of stone (reminiscent of freshly laid snow).

Original art collection: Regional artists showcased.

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Executive Tower Suite Terrace

“The Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates celebrates its 10th Anniversary this April, which coincides with the completion of a two-year full refurbishment programme, unveiling a revitalised and refreshed hotel with wonderful new facilities and outlets”

Aspen-inspired design cues

64 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

Q: What source markets did you have in mind when renovating the property and how did this translate to some of the new features added?

A: Over the past few years we have seen consistent support from our key feeder markets and we’ve taken into account feedback from these guests when rolling out new design features, amenities and F&B concepts. The wider Porte Cochere outside the hotel entrance now comprises five lanes of traffic in order to provide an uninterrupted and seamless arrival and departure

experience, which then leads into our enhanced open-plan lobby lounge and café, Aspen.

Additional facilities include our two dedicated 16-seater boardrooms, two new restaurants, Olea and Salero, and our NOIR lounge and cocktail bar. We have 393 well-appointed rooms and suites, including our Aspen Chalets, and wrapped together, we offer a great variety of room types, appealing to our diverse customer base. We’re There are 301 confident that our regular guests will welcome rooms and suites the refurbishment, while they are also assured that the high standards of service, quality and standards have been further enhanced.

Q: Tell us more about the new Aspen Chalets; to whom will they appeal most?

A: We developed the Aspen Chalets with a certain guest in mind; someone who enjoys the full facilities of a five-star hotel in the heart of the city, but also appreciates a certain level of exclusivity and seclusion within a boutique hotel environment. The Aspen Chalets are designed as a hotel-within-a-hotel. They have a separate discreet entrance and are serviced by a team of dedicated staff including our hotel butlers. The views from the chalets that face the ski slope are unparalleled in this region, so once inside, you could be mistaken for being in the snowy slopes of Colorado or the Alps.

The all-new Aspen Chalets

T

he highlight of Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates’ grand refurbishment is the new Aspen Chalets, completed in January, which bring Aspen’s winter and summer sophistication to Dubai for the first time.

The 15 inviting Aspen Ski Chalets boast all the comforts of a ski lodge and offer spectacular views of the wintery slopes of Ski Dubai. With a palette of dark brown and white, the Aspen Chalets are rustic and refined. The authentic alpine design incorporates wooden beams and flooring, modern antler features, fur throw pillows and a stone fireplace.

The Aspen Chalets are described as an exclusive hotel within a hotel. Luxuries include in-room checkin, limousine service, dedicated butler service, special in-room dining menu and daily amenities to reflect the seasons, luxury vanities, and iPad-controlled technology and lighting.

The five Pool Cabanas exude the class of Aspen summer, featuring a neutral colour palette, comfortable tan furniture, white decking and fluid in-room designs to reflect flowing water. Private terraces ensure the utmost guest privacy and offer calming views overlooking the swimming pool.

Presidential Suite Living-Dining Room

CHALET AND CABANA OPTIONS • Four three-bedroom chalets (228 sqm), all featuring four-poster beds • A two-bedroom chalet (150 sqm) • Six duplex ski chalets (76 sqm) • Four king bed ski chalets (45 sqm) • Five pool chalets (59 sqm)

Q: How has the refurbishment helped to enhance the property’s profile and improve its market competitiveness?

A: Competition within the five-star hotel market in the Middle East is intense, particularly in Dubai, given the number of new hotels opening each year. Despite this we remain popular and at the forefront of the industry, and by revitalising our product and facilities, we will continue to grow our market share.

Q: What do you hope will be the outcome of this refurbishment and what feedback and results has the renovation generated so far?

A: We have been very pleased with the positive feedback received from our loyal customers and casual guests visiting the hotel, all of whom have appreciated the upgrade. Guests staying with us for the first time have also shared extremely positive feedback, which is the ultimate compliment.

NEW TECH • A full renovation of the network infrastructure for computers; • The planned release by March 2016 of a mobile app; • The Installation of digital newspapers and integrated controls on in-room iPads, as well as on the mobile app, once launched; • The installation of the latest AV services and technology in meeting rooms.

Q: What’s next for the Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates?

A: We continue to examine ways in which we can exceed guest expectations.

Customer needs and aspirations are evolving, so we always look at what new innovative products and services we can introduce to enhance their comfort and satisfaction.

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Exploring new

Downtown Dubai

Horizons

Emaar Hospitality Group is diversifying its portfolio to meet demand for new lifestyle experiences, as well as playing a key role in the development of Dubai’s exciting evolution, reveals the firm’s Corporate Director of Operations, Chris Newman

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E

maar Hospitality Group witnessed an “exciting growth phase” in 2015 and continues to build on this momentum in 2016, says the Dubai-based firm’s Corporate Director of Operations, Chris Newman.

“The most significant achievement over the past 12 months has been our geographic expansion,” he confirms. “We are expanding our footprint and recently saw significant success in establishing new management agreements to take our hotel brands – The Address Hotels + Resorts and Vida Hotels and Resorts – to new geographies such as Turkey, Egypt and Bahrain.

“This is significant for us as it marks the evolution of a Dubai-based home-grown company into an international hospitality provider.”

But at the same time, Emaar Hospitality Group’s

dedication to Dubai is “unwavering”, Newman stresses.

“This is our home market and we are a strong partner in the development of the city’s hospitality sector,” he says.

“Not surprisingly, our occupancy levels for the past year were an impressive 86%, which was higher than industry average.”

Boosting its Dubai portfolio with new hotels and serviced residences under both the Address and Vida brands is the group’s current focus.

Later this year, the newest Address-branded property, The Address Boulevard Dubai, will open its doors in Downtown Dubai.

Emaar Hospitality Group is also broadening its offering to cater to new market trends and opportunities, says Newman, given “Dubai has become a hub for business and leisure, but there is a significant shortage of value lifestyle hotels”.

“We are addressing that niche with our new Rove Hotels brand with the first property, Rove Downtown Dubai, opening shortly,” he says.

The first few months of 2016 have been “hectic” for the expanding hospitality firm, Newman notes.

Not only has the group been preparing to roll out new hospitality concepts and properties, but it has also developed a new customer experience, ‘U By Emaar.’

“It is not a conventional loyalty programme, but is focused on delivering added value through four tiers of rewards,” he reveals.

“This is our home market and we are a strong partner in the development of the city’s hospitality sector”

Rove at The Park restaurant terrace

THE EVOLUTION OF A BRAND, AND A CITY Over the next year, Emaar Hospitality Group will focus on its development pipeline in Dubai, with a number of new Address, Vida and Rove hotels planned.

“We have a busy schedule lined up for 2016 including the launch of our first Rove Hotel property,” says Newman, “and what could be more exciting than creating a brand from scratch and introducing it to the market?” He says the group will also further expand its reach globally, in order to diversify its guest profile.

“But I think the most significant aspect of our growth strategy in the days ahead will be transformation within our organisation,” Newman continues.

“We are introducing new technologies to enhance guest service; creating new culinary concepts; promoting a culture of sustainability to optimise the use of resources; and strengthening the skills of our team through training and development.”

Emaar Hospitality Group is also excited about the upcoming launch of Dubai Opera, the city’s first-of-itskind multi-format events venue.

“Dubai Opera is going to be a stunning addition to the city’s skyline,” says Newman. “It will also be a

The Address Boulevard Dubai

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“Dubai has become a hub for business and leisure, but there is a significant shortage of value lifestyle hotels”

Vida Downtown Dubai

THE PORTFOLIO THE ADDRESS HOTELS + RESORTS Current • • • •

The Palace Downtown Dubai The Address Dubai Mall The Address Dubai Marina The Address Montgomerie Dubai

Coming soon • • • • • • • •

The Address Boulevard Dubai The Address Downtown Dubai The Address Marassi Al Bahrain The Address Centenary City Abuja The Address Marassi Golf Resort + Spa, Egypt The Address Sky View Dubai The Address Fountain Views Dubai (I, II & III) The Address Istanbul

068 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

VIDA HOTELS & RESORTS Current

cultural hub, bringing some amazing performances to the city. We will have some refreshing hospitality concepts at the venue, so stay tuned.”

The launch of new venues and hotels pioneered by Emaar Hospitality Group and its parent company, Emaar Properties, are integral to Dubai Tourism’s goal to diversify its offering to attract a broader range of regional and international guests.

“All of our hotel brands have distinctive niches,” Newman confirms.

Royalnew Suitegeneration master bedroom “Vida Hotels and Resorts are for the of travellers who are tech-savvy, connected and interested in local culture. Vida hotels offer guests an exceptional social and cultural experience.

“Rove Hotels are value lifestyle hotels. They are all centrally located and their USP is affordability.

“Dubai Tourism is focused on strengthening all sectors of tourism, and Rove and Vida will fulfil two distinctive segments. Rove is particularly relevant in that it addresses the industry white space for affordable lifestyle hotels. Together, these properties will contribute to achieving the Dubai Tourism Vision 2021 of welcoming more than 20 million annual visitors by the turn of the decade.”

He adds: “We do not create brands for the sake of it. If there is a market opportunity that fits with our strategy, we will look into new hotel concepts.”

• Vida Downtown Dubai • Manzil Downtown Dubai

Coming soon • Vida Marassi Al Bahrain • Vida The Hills Dubai • Vida Townsquare Dubai

ROVE HOTELS Coming soon • • • • • • •

Rove Downtown Dubai Rove Port Saeed Rove Oud Metha Rove Al Jafiliya Rove Dubai Marina Rove at the Park Rove Satwa (previously Wasl)

Manzil Downtown Dubai

AN UNSTOPPABLE TRAILBLAZER Omer Kaddouri, CEO & President of Rotana Hotels, explains how the Abu Dhabi-based hospitality management firm, which opened its first hotel some 26 years ago, continues to cement its position as a market leader, while expanding its footprint into new regions with high growth potential Omer Kaddouri

ROTANA’S 2015 MILESTONES Rotana consolidated its leading position in the region in 2015 while venturing boldly into several new locations, despite challenging market conditions.

Last year we opened our 13th hotel – Capital Centre Arjaan by Rotana – in our home market Abu Dhabi, where the Rotana journey began more than two decades ago when we opened our first property, Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi, in 1993.

In Bahrain we opened Downtown Rotana Manama in December – the third property in the kingdom and our second five-star hotel in Manama – which cemented our status as the leading hotel operator in the country.

We are now the largest player in Doha too having recently opened our third property in the city – the five-star City Centre Rotana Doha.

Last year also saw Rotana make its debut in the Turkish market with the opening of two properties in Istanbul – Burgu Arjaan by Rotana and Tango Arjaan by Rotana – followed by a third property, Dalga Residences by Rotana, which we opened early in 2016.

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GCC DOMINANCE It is interesting to witness how we’ve been able to strengthen our dominant presence in the region over the past year. From Abu Dhabi and Dubai to KSA, Bahrain and Qatar, Rotana is the number one player in each of these markets, which more than anything, illustrates the reputation and trust Rotana’s five brands command among tourists visiting the region from all over the globe.

We currently operate 46 hotels in the GCC; that’s a stupendously sizeable portfolio to have for any player in such a relatively small geographic location. We have no intention to take our foot off the pedal and are determined to keep building our presence in the region, even as we explore opportunities to enter new geographic areas with a view to managing more than 100 hotels in the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and Eastern Europe by 2020.

Burgu Arjaan by Rotana – the company marked its debut in ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 071 Turkey last year

Capital Centre Rotana opens in Q4 this year

CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES AND STRATEGIES 2015 was a year of challenges for the hospitality industry, mainly due to the drop in oil prices and the decline in value of the Ruble and Euro. The devaluation of the Ruble has had a major impact on spending by tourists from Russia, which has traditionally been a key source market for some GCC hospitality markets, particularly the UAE. At the same time, significant unexpected business emerged from Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, is somewhat making up for the shortfall in tourist arrivals from countries such as Russia.

Rotana was able to overcome these challenges thanks to a sound strategy combined with an increase in intra-regional travel. The GCC, in fact, proved to be one of our main source markets in 2015.

TOP TRENDS 2015: GCC TRAVEL BOOM I would say the most notable and encouraging development in 2015, which has continued in 2016, is the steady rise in intra-regional (GCC) travel, which has played a crucial role in helping the region’s hotel industry withstand the impact of falling tourist arrivals from other key markets.

The GCC represents the largest outbound and inbound travel market in the region for Rotana, both in terms of volume and value. Currently, 37% of Rotana's room nights and 40% of Rotana's room revenue are generated from the GCC region, representing year-on-year growth of 8%.

The outlook for the GCC tourism sector in general is bright, despite the challenges that persist.

A combination of factors such as increased infrastructure spending by GCC governments, the continuing rise in intra-regional travel, and the rapid emergence of cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Riyadh and Doha as prominent MICE destinations, will drive the growth of the hospitality industry in 2016.

With the region preparing to host major international events such as the World Expo 2020 in Dubai and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, this will also positively influence tourism demand going forward.

2016 EXPANSION DRIVE Rotana is currently in the midst of an aggressive expansion drive and we are set to open several new hotels in key markets across the region, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.

KSA: We will be opening five new hotels in KSA this year, including four ‘Centro by Rotana’ properties, our affordable lifestyle brand. Located in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al-Khobar, these hotels will open up more than 1,000 jobs in the Saudi market.

Rotana will debut in Africa in 2016 with the Kin Plaza Arjaan by Rotana Kinshasa

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UAE: In the UAE, Rotana will open nine new hotels over the next five years – four in Abu Dhabi and five in Dubai.

Five of these will be upscale ‘Rotana Hotels & Resorts’ properties; three will be ‘Arjaan Hotel Apartments by

ROTANA IN NUMBERS

53

Hotels & Resorts across

19 cities

under

5

brands

100 hotels in the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and Eastern Europe by 2020

44

of these will be in the UAE

Rotana’ branded; and one property will be a Centro by Rotana. Together, these hotels will add 3,598 keys to our existing 9,584-strong room count in the UAE, and will take the total number of Rotana properties in the country to 44 by 2020.

Qatar: Rotana will open three new hotels in Qatar before the end of 2018, consolidating our leadership in this market and adding 845 rooms to take Rotana’s total inventory in the country to 1,876 keys.

37%

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of room nights and

40%

room revenue generated by the GCC region

11%

of business from Germany

1,289 keys planned for Africa

“We have no intention to take our foot off the pedal and are determined to keep building our presence in the region”

New for 2016: In 2016 we will open our first property in the Democratic Republic of Congo, plus new openings are also planned in Iraq, Jordan and Turkey this year.

Source markets to watch: Germany has been a key source market for Rotana and we are looking to capitalise on increased guest numbers from the country. Our business from Germany contributes to 11% of the entire business across all our properties in all cities and 16% in the UAE – a spike of 13% compared to 2014.

With the UAE increasingly being viewed by German tourists as a value-for-money destination, these figures are expected to grow higher this year as our diverse range of properties, particularly our beach resorts, continue to cater to their leisure needs. Also, a large number of German tourists look for cultural experiences to enhance their travels, and in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in particular we have a lot to offer in this respect. Our properties in Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah are also major draws for tourists from Germany.

Rotana will open three hotels in Qatar this year including Centro Capital Doha

EXPANSION INTO AFRICA While Rotana has several new openings lined up for the year ahead, the one we are most looking forward to is the opening of our first property in Africa – Kin Plaza Arjaan

by Rotana in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Developed with corporate guests and families in mind, the hotel will have 101 fully-furnished hotel apartments, four outstanding dining venues, a fitness and wellness club, and five fully-equipped meeting rooms.

Africa will be a focus market for Rotana moving forward, and we are very keen to expand our pipeline in

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ALL EYES ON IRAN Rotana has a thirst for setting new hospitality standards in emerging markets and in 2015, revealed plans to make its mark in Iran in the wake of the US lifting sanctions on the country.

The company signed management agreements for four properties in a market drastically underserved by hotels – two in Tehran (opening in 2018)

and two in Mashad (opening in 2017).

The two in Tehran will be built adjacent to one another on top of a brand new mall, offering a combined inventory of more than 400 keys.

The two hotels in Iran’s major pilgrimage city, Mashad, will be located around 1km from one another – one will be attached to another brand new

mall and the other in an “excellent location” boasting a “very modern design” that’s “completely new to Mashad”, says Kaddouri.

“Iran has the potential to be one of our biggest growth markets if things pan out as everyone hopes they will, politically and thereafter, economically,” he continues.

“As one of the first new hotel players on the ground, opening four iconic hotels simultaneously and introducing a brand new modern product that no one in Iran has seen before, we will get to know the market well and spot opportunities for our other brands.

“I’d like to think we had 10 or more hotels open in Iran by 2025.”

“Rotana today is the result of a shared vision and many years of loyalty, dedication and hard work.

Knowing who we are and what we are capable of, is of great value” C

the continent. The African hospitality market is vastly underserved and has tremendous potential for growth. Rotana currently has a number of projects under various stages of development across Africa including in Marrakech, Luanda, Nouakchott, Dar es Salaam and Lagos. These hotels will add a further 1,289 keys to our existing room count. We are also in discussions to venture into several other African cities, such as Kampala, Maputo, Monrovia, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Lusaka, Dakar and various locations in South Africa.

M

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CM

MY

CY

CMY

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WHAT SETS ROTANA APART FROM ITS COMPETITORS?

Capital Centre Arjaan by Rotana opened last year – Rotana’s 13th hotel in Abu Dhabi

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Rotana has grown to be the region’s largest hospitality management company, and a brand that is widely recognised and much admired.

Rotana today is the result of a shared vision and many years of loyalty, dedication and hard work. Knowing who we are and what we are capable of, is of great value. This solid foundation allows us to move forward with confidence, knowing that our future is assured.

Rotana’s product offering is exceptionally strong. Our properties are in the right locations and our level of service, much sought after.

Guests know what to expect when staying at any of our properties: international quality standards complemented with traditional Arabian hospitality. We have worked hard to gain the trust of our guests in such a competitive region where most of the international chains were established two or three decades before we entered the market.

The ‘success spice’ of Rotana was a combination of strategic planning and sound financial control, sophisticated human resource capabilities and reliable technical services support.

The formula was flavoured with innovative food and beverage management and aggressive sales and marketing.

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TIME Hotels CEO Mohamed Awadalla

A COMPANY WITH A CONSCIENCE 76 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

Balancing portfolio growth focused on budgetconscious travellers with the development of progressive CSR and technology strategies is all in a day’s work for the forward-thinking TIME Hotels CEO Mohamed Awadalla TIME Oak Hotel and Suites What major achievements has TIME Hotels celebrated over the past 12 months?

We have achieved a number of memorable milestones, from the opening of a third TIME-branded residence in Abu Dhabi – the Meera TIME Residence – which reflects the growing demand for residence-style accommodation in the city and the success of the TIME brand, to the expansion of our senior management team.

A number of new hospitality experts have come on board, including Nabil Samuel, VP Human Resources; Roddy Gordon, VP Sales & Marketing; Dushan Gunarathna, Director of Revenue and E-Distribution; Ghassan Farhat, Hotel Manager, TIME Ruby Hotel Apartments Sharjah; and Kamal Abou Fares, Director of Marketing & Communications.

We also received two high-profile accolades, with TIME Oak Hotel & Suites and TIME Grand Plaza Hotel receiving the official ‘snail of approval’ from the Slow Food Dubai movement in September 2015. It marks the first time Middle East hotels have been recognised as slow food pioneers.

Last October, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry awarded us a ‘CSR Label 2015’ under its annual programme – we were the only hospitality company in the emirate to be recognised – and in December we launched a new dedicated CSR website called ‘Tomorrow’s World’, which keeps hotel guests up-to-date with our activities and contribution towards building a responsible and sustainable business community.

What have been the biggest The upcoming Zakher TIME challenges Residence, and opportunities Abu for your Dhabi company during this period and how have you adapted your strategy accordingly?

The hotel pipeline is an ongoing challenge in terms of an increasingly competitive and diversified market. Obviously, as more hotels open, we, and other hotel groups, face oversupply issues. With this comes increased competition and the possibility that more room stock and more competitive rates will drive down overall ADRs. To address this problem, the approach TIME Hotels has taken since we launched in 2012 has been to offer a portfolio of properties that deliver quality-led facilities and services covering both cost-efficient and higher-end options.

Q: What key industry trends did you witness in 2015 and how did they impact your business?

The main trend impacting the industry is the rise in the number of budget-conscious travellers, especially given the continued and forecasted low oil price. Corporate travellers are increasingly looking to switch from five-star properties

MENA PROPERTY UPDATE Current properties • TIME Crystal Hotel Apartments – 100 apartments, Tecom Al Barsha, Dubai

• Zakher TIME Residence – 68 Abu Dhabi • TIME Oak Villas – 34 villas, Al Barsha, Dubai

• TIME Grand Plaza Hotel – 232 rooms, Al Qusais, Dubai

• TIME Oak Residences – 182 residences, TECOM

• TIME Oak Hotel & Suites – 216 rooms, Al Barsha, Dubai

Upcoming properties

• TIME Opal Hotel Apartments – 48 apartments, Al Barsha, Dubai

• TIME Rako Hotel – Doha, Qatar – 2016

• TIME Topaz Hotel Apartments – 64 apartments Al Barsha, Dubai

• TIME Express Hotel – Al Jaddaf, Dubai – 2017

• TIME Ruby Hotel Apartments, – 145 apartments, Sharjah

• TIME Royal Hotel & Spa, Dubai – 2017

• Pearl TIME Residence – 72 apartments, Abu Dhabi

Target number of properties

• Meera TIME Residence – 312 apartments, Abu Dhabi

• 16 hotels, hotel apartments and residences by 2017

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“Corporate travellers are increasingly looking to switch to mid-scale hotels and hotel apartments when travelling to the Middle East for business”

The new Meera TIME Residence in Abu Dhabi

2015 HIGHLIGHTS JANUARY

OCTOBER

Opens the 312-room Meera TIME Residences in Abu Dhabi.

Recognised as the only hospitality industry company to be given a Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry ‘CSR Label 2015’, while Time Oak Hotel and Suites in TECOM launches the Time Hotels Dubai Waiters Race – the city’s first-ever racing competition for waiting staff.

APRIL Becomes a member of the Engage Dubai Programme.

MAY Receives Sustainability Leader Award from Green Globe.

JUNE Partners with energy services company Smart4Power to implement Aircosaver technology that cuts electricity bill by AED 222,000 across UAE properties.

SEPTEMBER TIME Oak Hotel & Suites and TIME Grand Plaza receives official ‘snail of approval’ from Slow Food Dubai, becoming the first Middle East property to be recognised as a pioneer of the 20-year-old international slow food movement.

DECEMBER Launches a new dedicated CSR website called ‘Tomorrow’s World’.

JANUARY 2016 Opens its first non-hotel retail product – O’Learys – a sportsthemed restaurant for families and sports fans located in Fujairah Mall.

and resorts to mid-scale hotels and hotel apartments when travelling to the Middle East for business. A second trend is linked to the development of sustainable communities and economies, with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategies becoming an integral element of every hotel group’s operational blueprint.

CSR adopters are looking to play a much more dynamic role in the communities in which they operate, as well as to engender higher levels of guest loyalty.

This is also linked to the global movement to become more environmentally cautious and aware. At TIME Hotels, this has been fundamental to our business strategy since day one, which is why we recently launched the ‘Tomorrow’s

078 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

There are 301 rooms and suites

World’ website, which is dedicated to profiling our CSR activities (www.tomorrowsworld.ae).

Q: What are your key goals for 2016?

Continued portfolio expansion is our primary goal. We currently operate 11 properties in the region and will grow this to 13 hotels, hotel apartments and residences by 2016.

We are also considering our strategy for new market entry into destinations where TIME does not currently have a presence, such as Oman and Saudi Arabia.

In Dubai where we are headquartered, the rapid evolution of the emirate’s infrastructure and hospitality industry demand that we keep pace and this is reflected in our adoption of

new technology. For example, we are already using Cloud services to help support new hotel openings. We are currently in phase one of the process, which will see us migrate key services to Cloud technology.

Q: What new markets are you pursuing in 2016 and why?

The GCC countries are our top feeder market, with guests attracted to TIME Hotels’ family-friendly facilities, competitive room rates and dry hotel environment. Russian and German guests rank next in our top performing segments and are influenced by great product delivery complemented by attractive room rates and overall value for money.

ATM YEARBOOK

2016

ABU DHABI

ABU DHABI

CAPITAL GAINS Mubarak Al Nuaimi, Director Promotions & Overseas Offices, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), explains how the diversification of the emirate’s tourism offering to include world-class sporting, family and business events, cultural landmarks and icons, and a brand new cruise terminal, is pulling in the crowds

A

bu Dhabi’s hotels and hotel apartments recorded a fifth consecutive record-breaking year in 2015, with an 18% year-on-year increase in guest arrivals, which eclipsed targets and set the bar for a strong performance in 2016, according to Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).

Guest arrivals in 2015 rose to 4,105,846 over the previous year’s 3,494,063. Guest nights also saw a double-digit increase of 17%, escalating to 12,243,096 in 2015 from the previous annual record of 10,463,137.

Total hotel revenues jumped 5% from AED6.28 billion to AED6.62 billion and room revenues accounted for AED3.49 billion of the total, representing a 7% boost compared to 2015 figures and suggesting a healthy relationship in market supply and demand.

080 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

The hotel occupancy rate increased 1% to 75.4% from the previous 74.9%.

“Nine out of the top 10 visiting nationalities posted double-digit guest arrival growth rates,” confirms Mubarak Al Nuaimi, Director Promotions & Overseas Offices, TCA Abu Dhabi.

“Domestic visitors, who now comprise more than onethird of total hotel guests, achieved a 20% growth rate for the second year in a row with 1,379,589 arrivals in 2015.

Arrivals also corresponded with guest night growth, with the UAE besting its previous 2,639,751 guest nights with 3,788,032 in 2015 – a market-leading 43% increase.”

India continued to stamp its authority as the top overseas source market by country in 2015, following-up on a stellar performance in 2014 to hit 280,020 guest arrivals from the previous 231,702 – a 21% year-on-year increase.

Abu Dhabi’s guest arrivals shot up to more than 4.1 million in 2015

China also made great strides, delivering an unprecedented 177,198 guest arrivals, up 47% year on year and for the first time, usurping Germany as one of top source markets for Abu Dhabi.

The UK remained the largest European source market in 2015, ranking third and rising by 14% to 231,337 guest arrivals from a previous 203,788.

Germany, which dropped from third to seventh place in the rankings, posted an 8% decrease in average length of stay, despite a 7% rise in guest arrivals from 138,604 to 148,177. Similarly, guests from Italy rose 26% from 55,619 to 70,298 in 2015, but faced a decrease in the average length of stay by 11%, from 4.31 nights to 3.83.

France, Ireland, and the Netherlands – the remainder of the European contingent in the top 25 – followed similar trends.

The United States generated double-digit growth, with a 25% year-on-year increase in guest arrivals, rising from 123,196 in 2014 to 154,126 in 2015.

It also generated the longest average length of stay of any nationality at 4.50 nights.

South Africa, meanwhile, rose through the ranks, surpassing 18,359 arrivals in 2014 with 26,147 in 2015 following the opening of the TCA Abu Dhabi office in Johannesburg.

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, sustained its momentum as the leading GCC nation for tourism business. posting a 21% growth in guest arrivals.

“All three regions across the emirate achieved positive gains in total revenue, with increased arrivals offsetting decreases in the average length of stay, highlighting the effectiveness of the global Abu Dhabi marketing campaign,” says Al Nuaimi.

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Leveraging Abu Dhabi’s rich cultural offering is part of the emirate's tourism development strategy

2016 GOALS Visitor numbers: Abu Dhabi achieved record visitor numbers, guest nights and revenues in 2015. The emirate reported more than 4.1 million guests, up from 3.5 million in 2014. The destination is targeting 4.5 million guest nights in 2016.

Strategic focus: TCA Abu Dhabi will place greater emphasis on six specific markets it believes offer strong growth potential: the UK, Germany, Australia, India, China and the GCC region.

More joint marketing promotions: to extend length of stay and boost hotel occupancy rates.

A YEAR OF MULTIPLE TRIUMPHS

Abu Dhabi is targeting the family market

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Robust industry performance figures aside, Abu Dhabi celebrated a number of additional achievements in 2015.

In June, the emirate made global headlines when the TCA Abu Dhabi-backed ocean racing team, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (ADOR), triumphed in the Volvo Ocean Race, the round-the-world yachting challenge that is considered the pinnacle of offshore sailing.

After nine months of racing around the world in the longest and toughest endurance race on the planet, ADOR secured overall victory and several VOR records, celebrating at the finish line in Gothenburg, Sweden.

“As well as the incredible victory in the Volvo Ocean Race, we also hosted the usual world-class sports events, such as another record-breaking Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit, and the ever-popular HSBC Abu Dhabi Golf Championship,” says Al Nuaimi. “On the back of these, we were awarded ‘World's Leading Sports Tourism Destination’ at the World Travel Awards.”

Away from sport, TCA Abu Dhabi focused on aggressively promoting its heritage offerings.

“Events celebrating our unique culture included the annual Qasr al Hosn Festival, which has grown to become one of the capital’s most anticipated events, as well as the opening of the Qasr al Muwaiji museum in Al Ain, the birthplace of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE,” explains Al Nuaimi.

“We had several additions inducted into UNESCO’s

2015 IN NUMBERS

4.1

m

12.24m 3.7m

guest arrivals, up 18% on 2014

231,337

Kxxyxyxyyxyxyxyxyxyxyx xyxyxyxyyxyxyxyxyxyxyx

guest nights from the UAE, (+43%)

guest nights, (+17%)

guest arrivals from the UK (+14%)

280,020

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity too, including Majlis, Gahwa, Al Razfa, Al Ayala, Falconry, Al Taghrooda and Al Sadu, which are all brought together in a series of activities, performances and displays at the annual Traditional Handicrafts Festival held at Al Ain’s historic Souq Al Qattara.”

guest arrivals from India (+21%)

AED

6.62 billion in hotel revenues, (+ 5%)

“Nine out of the top 10 visiting nationalities posted double-digit guest arrival growth rates [in 2015]”

NICHE MARKET FOCUS Several high-growth-potential sectors were targeted in 2015, including halal and family travellers, but particular attention was given to the opening of the new cruise terminal, says Al Nuaimi.

“Significantly, home porting was secured for both MSC Cruises and AIDA vessels,” he stresses.

And to grow the MICE sector, Abu Dhabi hosted (in early 2016), the first ever Abu Dhabi Aviation & Aerospace Week, an event that gathered together six key aviationthemed events, including the Global Aerospace Summit, the Abu Dhabi Air Expo, the Middle East Aviation Career Exhibition & Conference, the Red Bull Air Race, the Unmanned System Exhibition (UMEX) and the Simulation Conference and Exhibition.

The event attracted thousands of senior executives and business leaders and representatives from international military forces, to Abu Dhabi for the seven-day event.

“Last year we also established several industry development committees to encourage greater stakeholder involvement in our [business event] bid development process,” explains Al Nuaimi.

“In addition, we developed a programme of ‘champions’ for sectors of the emirate’s increasingly diversified economy that have been identified as areas of priority for conference, association and corporate travel activity.”

TOP SIX TARGETS In 2016, TCA Abu Dhabi will be focusing on six key geographical source markets – the UK, China, India, Germany, Australia and the GCC region – with a view to further boosting visitor numbers from each.

“We work closely with our colleagues at Etihad Airways to identify opportunities linked to the opening of new

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 083

PROJECT FOCUS •

The new Midfield Terminal Building at Abu Dhabi Airport will expand capacity to 30 million passengers when it opens in 2017.

•

Louvre Abu Dhabi will garner international prominence to Abu Dhabi’s status as a leading cultural tourism destination when it opens this year.

•

The new Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal will be the cornerstone of Abu Dhabi’s plan to become a regional hub for Arabian Gulf cruise tourism.

Louvre Abu Dhabi

•

New hotel openings, including the Four Seasons on Al Maryah Island, the Marriott Downtown, Millennium’s Bab Al Qasr, Grand Hyatt Emirates Pearl, and the Andalus Al Seef Resort and Spa

by Jannah Hotels, are all set to open in 2016, contributing to an additional 3,000 new hotel rooms coming online this year.

•

World-class events such as the Abu Dhabi Etihad Airways Formula 1 Grand Prix and HSBC Golf Championship, will strengthen awareness of Abu Dhabi as a leading sports tourism destination.

“Our plans for this year include leveraging large infrastructure developments such as the new cruise terminal at Zayed Port” routes,” says Al Nuaimi. “Etihad recently launched a new route to Rabat, Morocco, and we will take a look at this as-yet-untapped market as the year progresses.

“Last year our national airline launched its first ever route to Scotland with daily flights to Edinburgh. Hong Kong and Brisbane were also added to the network relatively recently, so we are sure to look at boosting travel from these destinations – and any other opportunities that arise – throughout 2016.”

Building on initiatives designed to encourage leisure visitors to stay for longer are also high on the agenda Al Nuaimi stresses, noting events such as the Abu Dhabi Summer Season and Abu Dhabi Food Festival, which run over extended periods, are part of this strategy.

LEVERAGING THE INFRASTRUCTURE BOOM “Our plans for this year include leveraging large infrastructure developments such as the new cruise terminal at Zayed Port; the opening of some stunning new hotels; promoting the world-class entertainment that we are hosting here; and also showcasing our credentials as a business destination of distinction,” Al Nuaimi summarises. “The incredible new Bab Al Qasr Hotel will open, adding a stunning new icon to the

084 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

city’s skyline, as well as the city hosting some of the world’s best classical musicians during our Abu Dhabi Classics season.

“In addition to the Abu Dhabi Summer Season, upcoming events will include the annual Abu Dhabi Food Festival, which this year, for the first time, will team-up with SIAL, the world’s foremost catering-themed exhibition; it’s a mouth-watering prospect to look forward to in December.

“We will also retain our regular, top-level events including the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, the Qasr Al Hosn Festival, the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon and the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, amongst many others.”

TCA Abu Dhabi will also be promoting several new attractions including the new ‘Flying Aces’ roller-coaster at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, as well as Qasr al Muwaiji, a new museum and exhibition space in Al Ain and the birthplace of UAE President HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan.

“There will be some exciting projects on Yas Island that will be announced soon, as well as the opening of the new Abu Dhabi Airport Midfield Terminal, which will boost the capacity for incoming air traffic – and passengers – considerably,” continues Al Nuaimi.

“We also have plans to open new shopping malls on Maryah Island, a ‘mega mall’ on Reem Island, which will include the world’s largest ski slope, and to improve Al Ain’s UNESCO visitor experiences.”

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ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 085

DESTINATION

YAS ISLAND

The Oberoi, Dubai, opened in June 2013

Yas Island celebrated a remarkable year in 2015, marked by record visitor numbers, sell-out events and the ongoing expansion of one of the region’s most unique and vibrant entertainment hubs, says Miral CEO Mohamed Al Zaabi 086 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

TOP 2015 HIGHLIGHTS 2015 was a year of celebration for Yas Island. We started the expansion plan for Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, had a series of sellout events at du Arena, and hosted another successful year of the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The island saw an exponential rise in visitor numbers to 25 million, with Yas Mall a major contributor. More than 18 million people visited the 370-store mall in 2015, bringing the total number of visitors since it opened in November 2014 to more than 20 million, which represents a remarkable milestone.

The Grand Prix was sold-out, attracting 60,000 spectators from across the world, who not only enjoyed the four-day event, but visited the island’s many attractions.

An aerial view of Yas Island

FERRARI WORLD ABU DHABI EXPANSION We started a three-year expansion project at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi in 2014.

It encompasses the opening of seven new rides and attractions with a view to increasing the park’s overall capacity by 40%.

In 2015 we started the construction of Flying Aces, the world’s steepest and fastest cable lift at 51 degrees and 30 kilometres per hour, and the world’s tallest inverted loop, climbing 52 metres.

In May 2015, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi launched the Ferrari Driving Experience giving guests the chance to The hotel features 252 rooms and suites drive a Ferrari California.

The attraction, which allows for three visitors per car, includes a thrilling 25-minute drive around Yas Island, accompanied by a Ferrari-trained driver.

Later in the year during the F1 season, the Karting Academy opened its doors at the theme park, an attraction offering 12 electric-powered go-karts with a maximum speed of 80 km/h that run along a 290-metre indoor track.

The Junior Training Camp has also been enhanced to include more adventurous activities for children above the age of three.

Our on-going expansion plans will see the theme park launch a number of new rides this year including Benno’s The open-kitchen cooking concept at Umai Great Race, which opened in March (2016).

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“Creating riveting experiences is at the heart of what we do and we continue to innovate and inspire our partners to design memorable experiences” Yas Waterworld

GLOBAL APPEAL Yas Island is an exciting and well-located business, leisure and entertainment destination that offers a robust calendar of events, Abu Dhabi’s largest shopping mall, two first-of-their-kind theme parks, a marina, beach club, the Middle East’s only ‘links’ golf course at Yas Links, and more than 100 cafés and restaurants.

The island has helped to reinforce Abu Dhabi’s position as a world-class tourism destination, offering memorable experiences that cannot be found anywhere else in the region.

CONSTANT EVOLUTION The rise of Yas Island has been nothing short of remarkable. Since the project to develop the island was initiated in 2006, the dream has turned into a reality, and Yas Island will continue to evolve as a world-class destination on which to live, work and play.

We have always, and will continue to, work in partnership with business and government entities to orchestrate outstanding and competitive tourism products and visitor experiences.

Today, Yas Island is only 30-40% complete, which is indicative of the destination’s massive potential. We have plans for new attractions at every one of our assets in order to build on the

088 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

FAST FACTS Ferrari World Abu Dhabi •

The world’s first Ferrari-branded theme park and boasts the world’s fastest roller coaster.

•

The park recently launched Flying Aces, the first bi-plane themed coaster that breaks new world records; world’s tallest loop at 52 metres (170ft), and world’s steepest and fastest inclined cable lift (inclined at 51 degrees, with an acceleration of 30 km/h).

Yas Waterworld •

An iconic Emirati-themed mega waterpark with 45 rides, slides and attractions.

Yas Links •

The island’s award-winning 18-hole golf course is ranked the 24th best in the world outside of the USA and is the only true Links course in the Middle East.

Yas Marina Circuit •

Hosts the annual Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the race season's finale.

The Oberoi, Dubai has been branded 'a business hotel with a difference' The Karting Academy at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi

successes of the island. Creating riveting experiences is at the heart of what we do and we will continue to innovate and to inspire our partners to design memorable attractions and experiences.

WHAT WILL THE YAS ISLAND OF THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE? The development of the island seeks to provide a wider selection of experiences for varying tastes, appealing to every type of tourist, all within a few minutes of one another.

As Abu Dhabi’s creator of destinations, Miral envisions Yas Island to become the catalyst that unites people and places, through unique, immersive and exciting experiences.

Our ambition for Yas Island is to create an environment that promotes the growth and development of the business, leisure and entertainment industry in Abu Dhabi.

There are a number of developments due to be announced at Arabian Travel Market 2016.

Plans are currently in place to develop the remaining plots on the island to increase the number of attractions. Development of residential and commercial properties is also underway.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi

MIRAL’S ‘INNOVATION LAB’ INITIATIVE The Innovation Lab is part of a long-term programme led by Miral, focused on developing Yas Island as a next-generation tourism destination. Our ambitions for Yas Island are to create a place that people cannot experience anywhere else in the world.

It's an ongoing process requiring us to create, share and refine ideas that we can bring to life to delight visitors and residents.

We have always looked to work with the world's leading innovators and thinkers to help shape and deliver our vision.

The Innovation Lab is a great example of how we are really able to unlock creativity from great minds around the world.

A number of the proposed ideas, if implemented, would be world-firsts, and would position Yas Island as a destination offering unique and spectacular experiences.

We are proud to be able to do so much here in Abu Dhabi, demonstrating our capabilities to the world.

Yas Marina •

Yas Marina boasts 227 berths and seven bars and restaurants.

YAS, FOR YOUR ‘BLEISURE’

•

It is amongst the top 10 marinas in the world for super yachts. This was mentioned in Yachting Pages, which is renowned as the world's leading super yacht directory.

Global demand for combined business and leisure (‘bleisure’) tourism has increased over the last few years and Yas Island, a true innovator, has always been one step ahead of its industry peers in this respect.

From inception, this trend was recognised and implemented and some of the first assets to open were our hotels, which catered to business tourism and our theme parks, which enticed thrill seekers.

The development of the region calls for business people to travel around the GCC and we are seeing an increase in the number of spouses and children who come along for the ride.

We are strengthening our offerings for both the leisure and business visitor to appeal to corporate travellers and their families.

The possibilities of creating unconventional and inspiring MICE opportunities are virtually endless on Yas Island.

We are working to bolster the island’s already impressive selection of meeting spaces at Yas Marina Circuit and du Forum so that we can continue to cater to demand.

Yas Beach •

Was recently expanded and is the only beach on the island, equipped with a DJ booth, infinity pool, restaurants, bar, shops and five private chalets.

Yas venues •

MAD on Yas Island is the largest nightlife indoor venue in the UAE.

•

du Arena, the island’s open-air live entertainment venue, has a 25,000-person capacity.

•

du Forum hosts live, indoor events and can hold 4,500 guests.

Yas Mall •

Boasts 370 stores, more than 60 cafes and restaurants and a 20-screen Vox cinema.

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Redefining air travel Wonderful Indonesia

90 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

Reimagining the air passenger experience has paid dividends for Etihad Airways, says President & CEO James Hogan

James Hogan

I

n 2015, Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, carried 17.4 million passengers, representing a 17% increase on 2014 figures.

More than 75% of passengers travelling to and from Abu Dhabi International Airport flew with Etihad and when taking into account the airline’s equity partner airlines, the contribution was 84%.

The airline also rolled out six additional destinations, introduced the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to its fleet, and deployed its new A380 superjumbos on routes including Sydney, New York and a second daily service to London Heathrow Airport.

Etihad also expanded its codeshare and equity partnerships, which delivered more than five million passengers onto the carrier's flights, marking a year-on-year increase of 43%.

In June 2015, the airline launched a new codeshare agreement with Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). Etihad Airways also expanded its existing codeshare agreements with Air Serbia, American Airlines, flynas, Jet Airways, Korean Air, NIKI and S7 Airlines.

The carrier now offers a combined passenger and cargo network of nearly 600 destinations through its 197 interline and 49 codeshare partnerships.

Etihad was also recognised for its innovative products and services with a multitude of accolades and here, President & CEO, James Hogan, explains how re-creating the passenger experience is setting the airline apart from its competitors.

Q: What were Etihad Airways’ headline achievements in 2015?

A: Etihad Airways celebrated a truly remarkable year, marked by a number of milestones of which we are extremely proud.

One of the highlights was being named Airline of the Year by the prestigious aviation industry magazine Air Transport World. The award signified recognition of our successful and robust business strategy and the investment in our employees whose dedication and commitment have helped chart Etihad Airways on its journey to become the world’s best airline.

Expanding our A380 network saw our revolutionary three-room suite, ‘The Residence’, being introduced to more markets. The A380 was deployed on a second daily London Heathrow rotation from Abu Dhabi, and introduced on the New York and Sydney routes. We also announced plans to serve Mumbai and Melbourne with the A380 in 2016.

The Lobby is a social area located on the Upper Deck of the A380, between First and Business Class

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e

The A380’s Business Studio

The A380’s First Class Suite line-up

Q: What was your personal highlight of 2015?

A: It is difficult to choose one particular highlight, but Etihad Airways being named Airline of the Year by Air Transport World has to be the icing on the cake.

I am extremely proud that our business has continued to excel in the challenging global economic climate in which we operate.

Our success is completely attributable to the dedication of the 27,000-plus employees within the2 Etihad Airways group Phase rendering of around the world who have shown in Dubai immense Healthcarededication City their continued pursuit of our goal to beexpansion the very best.

Our service levels are second to none and it is the drive, energy and commitment of our people that keeps us ahead of our competitors.

2015 IN NUMBERS

17.4

million

passengers

94,000 467,000,000

flights km

covering

75

%

of passengers carried at Abu Dhabi International

6

new destinations

121 5.8 aircraft with an average age of

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Last year, we inducted the first five of our 71 Boeing 787 Dreamliners on order into our network, serving Singapore, Brisbane, Washington DC and Zurich. Last year also marked further expansion of our passenger routes to six destinations: Kolkata, Madrid, Edinburgh, Entebbe, Hong Kong and Dar es Salaam.

Although 2015 was a successful year for our airline, with more than 17 million passengers carried to and through our Abu Dhabi hub, we are committed to continuing to find innovative ways to further improve our business and the high levels of service on which we pride ourselves.

As well as continuing to grow our networks organically, we are also committed to developing strong commercial partnerships. In June 2015, Darwin Airline, trading as Etihad Regional, became the latest addition to the Etihad Airways equity partner network.

yrs

Q: What role is Etihad Airways playing in raising the profile of Abu Dhabi?

A: Last year, Etihad Airways signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), and also with Miral Asset Management (Miral), which oversees the development and management of a range of hospitality, sports, entertainment, retail and leisure destinations on Yas Island. The two MOUs serve to further promote the global appeal of Abu Dhabi as a year-round tourist, business and cultural destination.

As the national airline, we continue to foster mutuallybeneficial relationships with the leading drivers of growth and progress in Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE. In the 12 short years since Etihad Airways was launched, both the airline and the emirate have witnessed a spectacular transformation, excelling in service and hospitality. The growth of Etihad Airways is inextricably linked to the continued success of Abu Dhabi as a leading destination on the world stage.

We have launched a number of campaigns in the past year to further increase the number of visitors travelling to Abu Dhabi from key markets. Our ‘Abu Dhabi: Sunshine Guaranteed: or your next holiday for free’ campaign was aimed at attracting more UK travellers to visit our home city during the summer months. Abu Dhabi is already a thriving and cosmopolitan tourism hub and has a considerable amount to offer every type of visitor.

Q: What were the biggest challenges and opportunities in 2015 and how did you adapt your strategy accordingly?

A: It was a challenging year for the airline and travel industry due to the global economic downturn and ongoing crises in parts of the Middle East.

However, it was also a year of great opportunities during which our focus on innovation helped us to maintain the highest standards in guest experience and to offer a greater range of products and services than ever before.

By continuing to develop our offering alongside our partner airlines we have been able to provide more flexibility in our approach to business and largely to overcome the economic and political challenges the industry faced in 2015. Although there has been a reduction in fuel prices, which may be good for the aviation industry, this has led to noticeable slowdown in many of the world’s largest economies. Travel is still a luxury for most people and we know that to ensure we continue to be the carrier of choice for our guests, we must offer value and the highest service standards.

Q: What’s next for Etihad Airways?

A: We entered 2016 with confidence as a stronger, more dynamic airline that will support the evolution of Abu Dhabi as a global aviation and tourism hub.

We continue to face challenges, not least the protectionist attitude of the major American and European legacy carriers, but pursue a pro-competitive approach, bringing more choices to travellers and reimagining the landscape of modern aviation.

Q: What will be the biggest aviation trend in 2016?

A: As certain parts of the world continue to be affected by the economic downturn and political instability, airlines must find innovative ways to stimulate travel Improving products and services and investing in customer service is key to securing customer loyalty.

This will encourage people to invest in their holidays and their travel experiences.

In order to remain competitive, while offering optimum routes and travel options to customers, airlines must develop mutually beneficial and rewarding partnerships.

Travellers are no longer prepared to endure numerous stopovers or connections. At Etihad Airways, we are always considering new strategic partnerships and route and network options that will enable us to offer direct or one-stop services to our guests across the world, helping to make us the airline of choice.

Q: What’s your long-term vision for Etihad?

A: To continue building a profitable and sustainable airline, which provides the very best in guest experience and remains number one for consumer choice.

Q: How do you see the airline industry evolving over the next decade and what role will Etihad Airways play?

A: Airlines will continue to invest in more fuel-efficient aircraft as the industry explores innovative ways to become

2015 HIGHLIGHTS APRIL

Finalises Darwin Airline investment: Obtains regulatory approval from Switzerland’s Federal Office of Civil Aviation, FOCA, to finalise a 33.3% stake in the Swiss regional carrier.

Introduces second daily A380 service to London Heathrow: Facilitates passenger traffic on the high demand route.

JUNE

Darwin Airline joins equity partner network: Trading as Etihad Regional it joins airber-

lin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Jet Airways and Virgin Australia.

Starts daily Dreamliner flights to Brisbane: Direct flight replaces daily one-stop service via Singapore.

AUGUST

Launches daily Dreamliner services to Singapore: State-of-the-art aircraft with ground-breaking First Suites, Business Studios and Economy Smart Seats, is hailed the “most customised aircraft in the sky”, by Etihad.

NOVEMBER

Announces the addition of Mumbai to its A380 network: Effective on May 1, 2016, the aircraft is being deployed on one of three daily flights to the city. It also marks Etihad Airways’ fourth A380 gateway from Abu Dhabi, after London, Sydney and New York, with Melbourne becoming an A380 route from June 1.

DECEMBER

Launches A380 service to New York: Aircraft deployed on one of the two daily services operating to the US city.

“The growth of Etihad Airways is inextricably linked to the continued success of Abu Dhabi as a leading destination on the world stage”

more eco friendly. We will see a further consumer shift towards Gulf airlines, largely due to their strategic location and commitment and investment in customer service. Technology will play an even greater role in the travel experience, with mobile and tablet apps allowing guests to book flights, check-in, reserve tours and much more in a quicker and more accessible manner.

New technology has also been integral in transforming the customer service industry. Guests are no longer prepared to wait 24 hours for their queries and questions to be answered: responses are expected in real time, and issues are expected to be resolved instantly.

Technology will also transform the in-flight experience, with guests expecting a tailored and customised service on multi-platforms.

Etihad Airways is dedicated to redefining the flying experience and is always looking at ways to enhance its extensive product and service offering to ensure a truly holistic approach to travel.

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner joined the Etihad fleet in 2015

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 093

TERMINAL

GAINS

The MTB will open on December 2, 2017, the overall capacity 94 | increasing ATM YEARBOOK 2016of AUH to 45 million passengers annually

Abu Dhabi Airports witnessed a record breaking year as passenger numbers hit new heights and work progressed on the state-of-the-art Midfield Terminal Building, says Chairman H.E. Ali Majed Al Mansoori

A

bu Dhabi Airports witnessed a “record breaking year on many levels”, says its upbeat chairman, His Excellency Ali Majed Al Mansoori.

“We have won awards, recorded our highest-ever passenger traffic and Duty Free sales, and achieved significant construction milestones on the Midfield Terminal Complex (MTC),” he explains.

In March 2015, Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) won the prestigious Skytrax Award for ‘Best Airport Staff in the Middle East’ for the second year in a row at the World Airport Awards ceremony in Paris.

“This follows us winning ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ for three years in a row; in 2012, 2013, and 2014,” says Al Mansoori.

“We were also rated as a Skytrax four-star airport for the second year, placing us amongst leading airports worldwide.”

In the same month, several facilities were enhanced at AUH’s Terminal 1, as part of the ongoing Capacity Enhancement Program (CEP) designed to manage the increasing growth in passenger numbers ahead of the opening of the Midfield Terminal Complex (MTC).

The overall approach to this phase of the CEP has been to reconfigure passenger flows into and through Terminal 1, increasing the airport’s capacity and enhancing the passenger experience.

The changes have included the installation of 350 metres of new walkways thatResidenAbu directly link the The upcoming Zakher TIME passenger Dhabi arrival gates to the immigration halls and the transfer screening facilities; the opening of nine new Code E aircraft stands to accommodate the increasing number of wide-bodied aircraft; and the introduction of 16 state-of-the-art X-ray screening machines, capable of processing 2,000 transfer passengers per hour, further accelerating passenger movement and reducing waiting times, and enabling transfer passengers arriving at Terminal 1 to proceed directly to Terminal 3 without the need for further screening.

TRAFFIC AND DUTY FREE BOOST “One of our biggest milestones of 2015 was crossing the two-million-passengers-a-month mark for the first time in AUH’s history, in July, August, September and December, with the busiest month being August when 2,254,809 passengers used the

airport,” says Al Mansoori. “A large proportion of the increase in traffic can be attributed to the strong performance of Etihad Airways, which serves 116 passenger and cargo destinations around the world. The national airline of the UAE carried 17.4 million passengers in 2015, 18.4% more than in 2014.

“Last year we also welcomed three new airlines, with Flynas, Sudan Airways and South African Airlines beginning operations from AUH.” The increased traffic at the airport led to Abu Dhabi Duty Free delivering record sales in 2015, representing 10.3% growth on 2014.

“This was an excellent achievement, particularly considering the volatility in exchange rates, the decline in the Russian economy and the Chinese austerity drive,” notes Al Mansoori.

“Our commercial team works very closely with DFS to maximise every bit of extra space. We continually review the available ranges to ensure every square metre is as productive as possible, and adapt

2015 HIGHLIGHTS MARCH AUH wins prestigious Skytrax Award for ‘Best Airport Staff in the Middle East’ for the second year in a row, plus several facilities are enhanced at Terminal 1, as part of the ongoing Capacity Enhancement Program (CEP).

JULY AUH passes the two-millionpassengers-a-month mark for the first time in the airport’s history. It crossed this threshold again in August, September and December.

AUGUST The busiest month at AUH with 2,254,809 passengers using the airport.

Abu Dhabi International witnessed a record year in 2015

SEPTEMBER Abu Dhabi Airports starts de-propping the curved roof of the MTB.

NOVEMBER The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility at AUH won the Abu Dhabi Award for Excellence in Government Performance 2015 for the best Cross-Entities Excellence Project.

DECEMBER The first three of 106 passenger boarding bridges were installed at the MTB, plus Aer Rianta International and Lagardere Capital were awarded Duty Free contracts for the new terminal.

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 095

Abu Dhabi Duty Free delivered record sales in 2015

and other industries get a boost from the additional number of people visiting the UAE.”

AN AEROTROPOLIS IN THE MAKING

products on offer to market changes, and customer preferences, facilitating continuous growth.”

Abu Dhabi ended the year by awarding Duty Free contracts for the Midfield Terminal Building (MTB) to two of the world’s most innovative retail operators – Aer Rianta International and Lagardere Capital. The former will design and operate Duty Free space dedicated to perfumes and cosmetics, skincare, sunglasses and jewellery, and the latter will oversee the tobacco, confectionery, and fine foods categories.

MTB UPDATE

“Our vision is to be the world’s leading airports group, and everything we do is focused on this ambition”

"Significant advances were made on the construction of the MTC in 2015,” reveals Al Mansoori.

“In September we began de-propping the curved roof of the Midfield Terminal Building (MTB), which is the centrepiece of the complex.”

In the first of nine de-props, a team of 45 specialists, with 60 hydraulic jacks, systematically removed 30 temporary supports used for constructing the roof element, in one of the most complex engineering feats of this multi-billion-dollar infrastructure project. The intricate process of de-propping all of these arches will be finished by the middle of this year.

In December, the first three of 106 passenger boarding bridges were installed at the MTB. These state-of-the-art bridges have been constructed with glass walls to allow passengers to appreciate the unique architecture of the terminal building as they board and disembark their flight.

The same month, ground was broken on the MTB fire station, an advanced 12,000-square-metre facility designed to ensure the highest level of emergency readiness, in line with optimum safety and security standards.

“Our aim is to be able to respond to fires in less

than four minutes and to get to an emergency in any area in which aircraft movements take place, in less than two minutes,” says Al Mansoori.

At the end of 2015, 70% of the MTC project was complete and the MTB project is on track to officially open on December 2, 2017.

MTB is destined to become the primary gateway for airlines operating to Abu Dhabi, and the future home of Etihad Airways. It will boast a capacity of 30 million passengers annually when completed.

“Even before the MTC is opened it is having a tremendous impact on the emirate’s economy, creating employment opportunities in a number of sectors from construction to airport operations,” says Al Mansoori.

“When it does open, the MTC will increase the overall capacity of Abu Dhabi International Airport to 45 million passengers a year. The expanded world-class facilities will not only attract more transit travellers, but also more leisure and business tourism to the emirate. Extra staff will be employed by Abu Dhabi Airports to service this iconic new terminal building, and jobs will be created across the emirate as the tourism sector

096 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

As Abu Dhabi Airports enters an era of unparalleled transformation, with the iconic MTB nearing completion, the emirate is becoming known as a leading international aviation and business hub, according to Al Mansoori.

The growth in passenger and cargo traffic that AUH has witnessed over the last few years triggered the development of Abu Dhabi Airport Business City (ADABC), an ‘aerotropolis’ featuring a Logistics Park, Business Park and Business Centre, he notes.

“It is set to become one of the key commercial hubs in the region for businesses looking to take advantage of the economic benefits and unparalleled global connectivity,” he says.

“ADABC aims to encourage foreign direct investment and will include recreational, retail and lifestyle districts. It supports the drive to position the emirate as an international hub for aviation, logistics, and technology, by capitalising on its economic strength and strategic location, and offering a unique product that is efficient, convenient, and cost competitive.”

All ADABC tenants have access to a full spectrum of integrated services, including company registration, licensing, leasing, and rapid visa processing. They will also receive duty and tax exemptions, 100% foreign ownership, and the ability to repatriate capital and profits.

The Business Centre provides fully furnished and serviced executive offices in a facility that is designed with the flexibility to accommodate individual and corporate clients.

It offers executive offices, flexi-desks, dedicated desks, meeting rooms, administrative support There are 301 facilities and other business services rooms and amenities, and suites in a fully networked IT environment.

2030 VISION In March this year, Abu Dhabi Airports celebrated its 10th anniversary, which marked a time for reflection and to look ahead to future goals, remarks Al Mansoori.

“Our vision is to be the world’s leading airports group, and everything we do is focused on this ambition,” he says.

“Aviation and aerospace are among the key growth sectors identified by the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030. We are committed to supporting this vision with all of our initiatives. Our goals are to always to grow our business commercially, deliver our projects, improve our processes and maintain high standards, all while delivering a world-class experience to our passengers.”

An enviable location and stunning architecture make this new luxury urban resort in Abu Dhabi city a must visit The hotel’s signature Japanese restaurant

098 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

O

ne of the most hotly anticipated properties to open in the UAE this year is the Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences Emirates Pearl, an elegant five-star property offering 324 rooms, 36 suites, eight opulent penthouses, a Presidential Suite and a palatial Royal Suite.

It’s set to become one of the most lavish and sophisticated hotels in Abu Dhabi – a contemporary urban resort located in the prestigious West Corniche area of the city, overlooking the Arabian Gulf and close to the airport, CBD, shopping districts and nearby islands including Yas and Saadiyat.

This circular hotel is already achieving landmark status, recognisable for its unique architectural spiral design.

Stand-out facilities include the Grand Club Lounge on the 26th floor, affording panoramic views of the city’s skyline, as well as eight restaurants and bars, a private beach, two private-viewing cinemas, an extensive spa, plus a wine-tasting room and more than 4,600 square metres of meeting space.

The Residences at Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi also offers 60 full-service one- and two-bedroom apartments.

The impressive lobby atrium

GRAND HYATT ABU DHABI HOTEL & RESIDENCES EMIRATES PEARL FIVE MINUTES WITH… Q: What makes this property stand out from the crowd in Abu Dhabi?

A: The Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Residences boasts extraordinary architecture, luxurious rooms and an awe-inspiring location on Abu Dhabi’s Corniche, providing unparalleled views of the Arabian Sea. Just a 35-minute drive from the international airport, the property has 428 rooms, seven eclectic restaurants, an extensive spa area, two private cinemas and 4,600 square metres of ballroom space. These factors combined make for a stunning hotel in a sought-after destination.

Q: What’s the guest profile?

A: Our key target markets for business and leisure tourism are the GCC and Europe, although we have seen increased demand from the US. Our market mix is seasonal and our current focus, working closely alongside our partners, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) and Etihad Airways, is to grow existing markets and attract new ones to the destination to the benefit of all stakeholders. We are targeting corporate and

Stuart Deeson, General Manager, Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences Emirates Pearl

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 099

The Pearl Lounge terrace

The ballroom

leisure travel and where possible, encouraging clients to combine both.

Q: What role is Abu Dhabi playing in shaping the future tourism landscape?

A: Abu Dhabi has developed tourism attractions that provide quality family fun and cultural experiences and continues to develop more. The imminent opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi is one example of new world-class facilities set to enhance the destination’s already rich offering. Others include the world famous Formula 1 Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island; the magnificent Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque; stunning beaches; and diverse island experiences. Add to the mix great infrastructure and a rich cultural heritage, and Abu Dhabi is the perfect leisure destination.

Q: Do you think Abu Dhabi is positioned as a luxury destination?

A: Abu Dhabi is already one of the most sought-after destinations in the world to visit. It has established a reputation as a luxury destination that provides exceptional value in terms of the quality of products and experiences it offers, matched by service excellence and the genuine warmth of the Arabian hospitality.

100 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

“The Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Residences boasts extraordinary architecture, luxurious rooms and a stunning location on Abu Dhabi’s Corniche” AT A GLANCE • 428 rooms, including 324 spacious king and twin rooms, 8 penthouses, 36 luxury suites including a Presidential and Royal Suite, plus 60 full-service one- and two-bedroom apartments.

• Eight international dining options featuring outdoor terraces, including Japanese, Italian, steak house and international buffet.

There’s also a wine bar with cigar lounge and the Pearl Lounge.

• Spectacular Grand Club™ Lounge with panoramic views.

• 13 flexible meeting rooms, all with private terraces and natural daylight.

• Extensive spa covering 2,740 square metres with 11 treatment rooms including Hammam, sauna, steam-bath, barber shop, beauty salon and relaxation room.

• 2 self-contained boardrooms, each for up to 12 guests.

• Two outdoor pools and two sundecks overlooking the Corniche and the Arabian Gulf.

• A 970-square-metre ballroom with private reception area, pre-function space and VIP lounge, which can be divided into two separate event spaces.

• Dynamic Techno Gym, which includes an outdoor terrace and outdoor fitness training equipment offering spectacular views across the seascape to Coconut Island

• Large outdoor terraces suitable for private dining or intimate events.

• Private beach • Two cinemas

ATM YEARBOOK

2016

ABU DHABI NORTHERN EMIRATES ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 0101

2021

VISION His Excellency Khalid Jassim Al Midfa, Director General, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), outlines the entity’s new blueprint for tourism industry development, the Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021 Downtown Dubai

F1H2O Powerboat World Championship, Grand Prix of Sharjah

102 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

T

he 2015 launch of the Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021 by Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), set out a definitive roadmap for the emirate’s tourism industry.

The vision aims to attract up to 10 million tourists to Sharjah by 2021, serving as a platform to unite stakeholder efforts, initiatives and tourism programmes with this goal in mind.

It also ensures tourism plays a prominent role in the emirate’s economic development going forward.

One of the first initiatives to be rolled out under the new tourism blueprint was the ‘Marhabtein’ training programme, which has helped improve efficiencies through “collaborative action and promoting Sharjah as a destination with world-class tourism facilities and capabilities”, explains SCTDA Director General His Excellency Khalid Jassim Al Midfa.

“We also activated our ‘Innovative Tourism Approach’ as a key pillar of the Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021, which aims to improve the tourist experience through the provision of innovative solutions,” he says.

In 2015, SCTDA distributed Interactive Touch Screens (ITS) in all four- and five-star hotels, as well as at luxury hotel apartments across the emirate.

“We also announced new smart services, most notably the ‘m Class’ smart hotel classification and the ‘Sharjah’

Sharjah aims to attract 10 million tourists by 2021

Mobile App in seven languages, to enhance the tourism experience in Sharjah,” adds Al Midfa.

PROJECT UPDATE Sharjah also made rapid strides with the launch of some “outstanding projects”, he notes, citing the the AED 80 million (US$22 million) Al Noor Island project in Sharjah’s Khalid Lagoon as one significant development.

The attraction has emerged as a major family tourism destination since it opened in December 2015, .

Al Montazah Park, a 126,000-square-metre waterthemed park, opened its doors too, as well as new hospitality developments including Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort & Spa, the emirate’s latest and most extensive beach resort.

In addition, Al Khan Beach opened as the first public beach in Sharjah, featuring multiple facilities and activities designed to suit both beach-sport enthusiasts and sunlounging guests, and in December, the emirate hosted the F1H2O Powerboat World Championship – Grand Prix of Sharjah Championship for the first time as part of the popular Sharjah Water Festival.

“With a continued focus on the environment, Sharjah also saw some new additions to its eco-tourism products including a new wetlands centre in Wasit and additional educational centres on the east coast

including the birds of prey centre at Kalba and Al Hefayah,” says Al Midfa.

“The Mleiha project was another exciting addition, which not only encourages an interest in archeology, but combines this with upbeat dune buggy experiences around fossil rock, camel rock and saddle rock.”

New highly-anticipated projects set to launch in 2016 include the Al Bait Heritage Hotel and further developments on Sir Bu Nair Islands, he adds.

“These initiatives and new projects have helped position Sharjah as a world-class tourist destination for the entire family and a major cultural tourism centre for visitors from the region and around the world,” Al Midfa continues. “Sharjah is an exciting tourism destination and is proud of its offerings that are unique to the emirate.

“The new products ensure that any visit to Sharjah will be fun and more importantly, memorable.”

He adds: “Tourists visiting Sharjah experience an authentic Arabian atmosphere, which is rare to find in some of the Gulf ’s ultra-modern cities.

Visitors get the chance to enjoy the emirate’s natural beauty and participate in outdoor activities at mangroves,mountains and wadis.

“Sharjah also offers a family atmosphere and worldclass facilities, as well as beaches on two coasts.”

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Dune buggy experiences are available at Mleiha

2015 HOTEL GUEST NUMBERS BY SOURCE MARKET OMAN up 8% to

109,806 106,964

8%

SAUDI ARABIA up 6% to

6%

INDIA up 23% to

23

%

75,231

18

EGYPT UP 18% to

78

CHINA up 78% to

%

%

104 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

33,879

30,802

“Tourists visiting Sharjah experience an authentic Arabian atmosphere, which is rare to find in some of the Gulf’s ultramodern cities” GOALS FOR 2016 AND BEYOND Sharjah’s top tourism source markets include the Gulf countries, particularly Oman and Saudi Arabia, but the destination has been witnessing strong increases in visitor numbers from China, India and Egypt, reveals Al Midfa.

“Europe and Russia are also prominent source markets and in 2016 we are looking to attract more tourists from some of the major European cities in countries such as Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Poland,” he says. Some of the the Commonwealth of Independent States, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia, are also on the radar, he adds.

Al Midfa stresses that Sharjah has the most diversified economy in the region, with no single sector contributing more than 20% of the emirate’s GDP, but with the launch of Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021, SCTDA aims to maximise the economic impact of a tourism industry with immense growth potential.

ANANTARA UNVEILS TWO NEW RESORTS MID-2016 Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort in the north east of Oman and Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara in the southern province of Dhofar will offer indigenous experiences for guests looking for authentic luxury in settings of dramatic natural beauty.

LIFE IS A JOURNEY. Visit anantara.com

CAMBODIA



CHINA



INDONESIA  MALDIVES  MOZAMBIQUE  QATAR UNITED ARAB EMIRATES  VIETNAM  ZAMBIA



SRI LANKA



THAILAND

The king of conservation Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), explains how the entity’s successful travel and leisure division is pioneering several one-of-a-kind tourism projects that aim to preserve Sharjah’s historical and natural attributes

106 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

Al Majaz Waterfront

The iconic Katara Towers project

T

he Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) is the developer of many ambitious mixed-use projects, which collectively aim to promote Sharjah as a hub for art, leisure, business, culture, archaeology and eco-tourism.

In 2015, the entity’s travel and leisure division either completed or launched several new developments and reported strong progress on the construction of many more.

In December, Shurooq announced the completion of phase one of the Mleiha archaeological and eco-tourism project, a new destination designed to attract nature and heritage lovers.

“It allowed us to explore various investment opportunities and attract a diverse range of business partners who contributed significantly in making this project one of the largest historical attractions in the world,” reveals Shurooq CEO Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal.

The same month, Al Noor Island on Sharjah’s Khalid Lagoon opened to the public, offering art and leisure facilities for all the family.

The Butterfly House is the island’s main attraction, home to more than 500 butterflies that are imported on a weekly basis.

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“As a home-grown brand, the Murwab Hotel Group ethos is to maintain its strong ties to Qatari heritage and Arabic hospitality” “Adding to Sharjah’s portfolio of high-end tourism projects such as Al Noor Island, Heart of Sharjah, Flag Island, Al Majaz Waterfront and Al Qasba, this year we have successfully distinguished the emirate as one of the world’s most distinctive archaeological and eco-tourism destinations for both business and leisure,” says Al Sarkal.

“These destinations are continuously attracting new tourism and hospitality investments and our objective is to develop high-level tourist and leisure projects that help achieve social, cultural, environmental and economic development, in line with the Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021.”

Boosting business tourism is also on Shurooq’s radar,

Kxxyxyxyyxyxyxyxyxyxyx confirms Al Sarkal, given it plays a “significant role in the xyxyxyxyyxyxyxyxyxyxyx growth of the UAE’s travel sector”.

“Sharjah’s business facilities have proven to be sustainable, profitable and SME-friendly, thus attracting new global prospects to visit and explore the emirate,” he says.

The company also recently established a new real estate firm, Omran Properties, in partnership with Dubai-based Emaar Properties and Abu Dhabi-based Eagle Hills, which will “definitely create new investment opportunities for business tourism”, he adds.

Al Sarkal says Shurooq’s portfolio of diverse developments has helped to boost Sharjah’s contribution to the growth of the UAE’s tourism and travel industry.

“Shurooq has successfully positioned Sharjah as one of the most sustainable economies in the world, with a positive ‘sustainable’ credit rating by Moody’s and S&P,” he notes. “Our development processes have positively positioned Sharjah as the most diversified economy in Royaland Suite master bedroom the region. Our ports, free zones, leisure eco-tourism projects have allowed international investors, local and global SMEs and global trade partners to see Sharjah as a strategic market for their foreign investments.

“Sharjah’s current and future tourism and business-tobusiness projects have all contributed significantly and respectively to Sharjah’s GDP, as well as created new opportunities in the emirate’s job market.”

Al Noor Island opened in December

108 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

2015 HIGHLIGHTS MAY 2015 Sharjah and Ajman strengthen tourism partnership Shurooq and the Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD) sign a strategic agreement to strengthen their collaborative efforts to promote all tourism and cultural landmarks and historic sites in Ajman and Sharjah. Shurooq’s City Sightseeing Sharjah bus tour also expands its services to Ajman.

JULY 2015 Ambitious plans for Al Hisn Island are revealed Sharjah's Ruler, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, reveals Shurooq will transform Al Hisn Island into a leisure and entertainment destination. Overlooking the Gulf of Oman, this project, located on a reclaimed island, will feature a water canal, a host of restaurants and cafés, a movie theatre, children’s playgrounds and other amenities.

DECEMBER 2015 Mleiha archaeological and eco-tourism project update Shurooq provides a development update on one of Sharjah’s largest and most sustainable eco-tourism projects,

Mleiha, a new destination designed to attract nature and heritage lovers. It also features the Mleiha Archaeological Centre, located near Umm Al Nar Tomb, which will provide information on the history of the area.

Al Qasba is one of Sharjah’s leading family destinations

Al Noor Island opens to the public Al Noor Island, located on the Khalid Lagoon in Sharjah’s Al Majaz area, opens to the public, featuring The Literature Pavilion, The Butterfly House and Café, OVO Art Sculpture, a children’s playground, a maze garden, a pedestrian bridge, a diverse variety of plants, art sculptures, music, interesting light displays, artificial grass illuminations and the Pontoon and Seaside stage.

Work on Al Hafiya Picnic Park in Kalba is completed Work on Al Hafiya Picnic Park, part of Shurooq’s ambitious Kalba eco-tourism project, is completed and opens to the public. It features children’s playgrounds, an observation platform for viewing animals in the protected area, a ticketing office, an administration building, and separate prayer facilities for men and women. Future additions will include a barbecue area and a fast food and beverages kiosk.

2015 IN NUMBERS Value of Sharjah’s travel and tourism market (AED)

ECO-TOURISM FOCUS

1.4b 1.63b 6.2%

increase in demand for hotel rooms in Sharjah predicted for 2016

40%

of hotel apartment guests are from Europe

32% of hotel guests are from GCC

2b

Mleiha archaeological and eco-tourism project

250m

minimum to be invested

117

annual growth rate in revenue at Al Qasba in 2015 – it made nearly 2.5 times as much revenue as it did in 2012

%

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the UAE and Ruler of Sharjah, has earmarked Sharjah’s Eastern Region as an area where niche tourism-focused projects should be developed.

Shurooq’s response to this directive has been to develop two unique eco-tourism projects at Mleiha and Kalba, with a view to positioning Sharjah as “the first and largest archaeological and environmental tourist destination in the UAE”.

“The development of this tourism segment has produced new investment opportunities in Sharjah and attracted significant support from various government entities and international archaeological centres and authorities,” reveals Al Sarkal.

“To date, the Mleiha archaeological and eco-tourism project is one of the largest tourism and archaeological developments in the UAE, and the largest of its kind in the Central Region.”

The Mleiha and Kalba eco-tourism projects are two of many developments designed to reduce environmental deterioration, conserve biodiversity and restore and

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PROJECT FOCUS PHASE 1 MLEIHA ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ECO-TOURISM PROJECT January 2016 saw the launch of the first phase of the Mleiha archaeological and eco-tourism project, one of the most important tourist and archaeological developments in the UAE. At least AED 250 million is being pumped into the project, which will cement the emirate as a leader in eco and archaeological tourism. Work on the second phase of the project is scheduled to start soon and will include the 450-kilometre-square Mleiha National Desert Park, built in collaboration with the Sharjah Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA), and an observatory, created in cooperation with the Sharjah Centre for Astronomy and Space Sciences.

AL NOOR ISLAND Al Noor Island, which opened in December, is Sharjah’s latest tourism and leisure project and covers an area of 45,470 square metres on the Khalid Lagoon in the Al Majaz area. It features The Literature Pavilion, The Butterfly House and Café, OVO Art Sculpture, a children’s playground, a maze garden, a pedestrian bridge, a diverse variety of plants, art sculptures, music, interesting light displays, artificial grass illuminations and the Pontoon and Seaside stage. The Butterfly House is the island’s main attraction and has an ornamentally-perforated shadow roof. The house will consistently contain around 500 butterflies imported weekly.

HEART OF SHARJAH The Heart of Sharjah, the region’s biggest heritage project to date, sets out to restore key traditional areas of Sharjah and seeks to reflect life in the 1950s and ‘60s and is scheduled for completion in 2025. Work on the first of five phases is already underway and Shurooq has established a joint committee, comprising representatives from leading governmental and private bodies, to oversee its implementation. Situated just five minutes from the city's Corniche and 10 minutes from the Sharjah International Airport, The Heart of Sharjah will feature a diverse range of commercial, cultural and residential projects including a boutique hotel, restaurants, retail outlets, art galleries, traditional and contemporary markets, archaeological sites, museums, play areas and commercial offices. Many of these will be housed in renovated or ancient houses.

AL MONTAZAH AMUSEMENT AND WATER PARK Al Montazah Amusement and Water Park covers an area of more than 126,000 square metres and attracts more than one million visitors annually. It includes a first-of-its-kind water-themed park, an amusement park, as well as recreational spaces and play areas dedicated to children. The Green Park includes areas and venues dedicated to hosting entertainment and social events, as well as a number of world-class restaurants, cafés, a boating lake, and a mosque. The third section is a leisure park covering 50,000 square metres, offering a variety of

electronic games for all ages, as well as kart racing, two mini football playgrounds, sports areas and an events venue.

AL QASBA Al Qasba is Sharjah’s premier tourism, cultural, business and entertainment landmark spanning a one-kilometre manmade canal, and is home to the region’s renowned Eye of the Emirates, a 60-metre-high Ferris wheel. Pedestrian bridges criss-cross the canal and boats take visitors to the adjoining Khalid and Al Khan Lagoons. Al Qasba also features the state-of-the-art Masrah Al Qasbah, a 250-seat theatre, which hosts a plethora of events, including artistic, musical, film, theatrical, and poetry performances, as well as conferences and summits on a regular basis.

AL MAJAZ WATERFRONT Al Majaz Waterfront is one of Sharjah’s most popular destinations for tourists and residents and offers a range of events and activities throughout the year. Kids enjoy the splash park, miniature golf and play areas while their parents can use the jogging track, take a private boat cruise or simply enjoy a quality dining experience.

KALBA ECO-TOURISM PROJECT One of the largest eco-tourism projects in the region, Kalba is designed to reduce environmental deterioration resulting from killing animals and the destruction of plants. It also aims to conserve biodiversity and restore and protect some extinct species.

protect some extinct species. “They also mark the debut of the UAE’s eco-tourism sector,” adds Al Sarkal.

A FAMILY FOCUS Shurooq’s mandate is to develop an “authentic familyfriendly Arabic tourist destination” that offers unique ecotourism projects, luxury resorts and cruise experiences, to name but a few.

“We see a tremendous opportunity to customise hospitality offerings to meet the needs of a large number of GCC families and visitors to Sharjah,” says Al Sarkal.

“This important segment could be better served and

110 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

The Butterfly House is the main attraction on Al Noor Island

plans are already underway for more five-star family attractions such as the huge waterfront development, Al Mamzar Peninsula, with landscaped beaches, play parks, restaurants and cafes, as well as the Kalba ecotourism project.”

Shurooq is also developing The Chedi Khorfakkan at the Al Jabal Resort, which is inspired by the region’s traditional architecture and way of life, as well as the Al Khan Village Hotel, part of the Al Khan traditional fishing village redevelopment.

Other family-friendly attractions of note include the Al Hisn Mall Dibba, which repurposes an historic landmark to create a brand new retail offering, as well as “waterfront

“Our aim is for Sharjah to become one of the world’s leading destinations for medical, business, leisure, archaeological and eco-tourism” Kxxyxyxyyxyxyxyxyxyxyx xyxyxyxyyxyxyxyxyxyxyx

developments such as Al Qasba, Al Majaz Waterfront and Al Layyah Marina”.

TAILOR MADE TOURISM Al Sarkal predicts that the 'tailor-made tourism’ concept will become more important in 2016, particularly as far as halal- and family-friendly offerings are concerned.

“With nearly 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, the potential is huge, and we are looking to capitalise on this by creating authentic Arab destinations that appeal to the family and wider Middle Eastern market,” he says.

“Many of our attractions are designed with this in mind,

with our Heart of Sharjah project, for example, including traditional marketplaces, archaeological sites, museums, as well as a boutique hotel, restaurants, shops and art galleries.

The project aims to reflect the city as it was in the 1950s and ‘60s, which has an appeal of its own.

“All of Sharjah’s attractions are halal, which is a good selling point, plus we offer the added advantage of ensuring a safe, peaceful and empathetic experience for visitors.”

Looking ahead, Al Sarkal is clear about Sharjah’s ultimate goal.

“Our aim is for Sharjah to become one of the world’s leading destinations for medical, business, leisure, archaeological and eco-tourism,” he concludes.

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 111

Sincerely Emirati

Ajman’s warm hospitality, natural assets and brand new attractions are gaining visitor and investor recognition, helping to put the destination on the world tourism map, says Faisal Al Nuaimi, General Manager, Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD)

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Q: What have been the ATDD’s major achievements in 2015 and why?

For the last 12 months, the Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD) focused on increasing awareness of the emirate locally and globally. We have been very active in promoting the different tourist destinations and activities on offer in Ajman by using social and print media to engage our target audiences.

Our goal is to attract of five million visitors annually by 2021, so we are working with government and private entities to promote Ajman to achieve this.

We have opened several new hotels, motels and resorts, as well as natural attractions including Al-Zorah protectorate, Al-Rashidiya Park, Al-Hilue Park and Ajman big Corniche, which is considered one of the most important beaches in the UAE given it covers a large area and affords that great views of the Arabian Gulf.

Ajman’s stunning Corniche

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 113

Ajman Marina

2015 IN NUMBERS

359m

AED

in tourism revenues, up 19% y-o-y

509,658 guests

1,392,406 guest nights

60%

average hotel occupancy

514

AED

RAK offers average hotel room rate authentic Arabian experiences average hotel apartment occupancy

68%

132,455

guests

93,510 GCC guests

89,133

guests from Africa and Asia

36

hotel establishments

3,354

hotel rooms and units

5,074 beds

(Source: ATDD)

114 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

Q: How have these achievements helped you to raise the profile of Ajman as an up-and-coming tourism destination?

Under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Humaid Bin Rashid Al-Nuaimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the Union and Ruler of Ajman, the emirate has achieved steady economic growth. The Ajman ruling family and the governing bodies have worked together to promote tourism and encourage investment in order to transform the emirate into a leisure destination.

Through our promotional efforts and partnerships with entities that have helped us to achieve our goal, we are now visible at local and global travel and tourism shows.

Our presence in our key target markets such as China, Germany, London and the GCC has also helped create awareness about Ajman. Now, people know Ajman as a destination, not just another UAE emirate.

Q: What can you tell us about Ajman’s new brand identity and how it will position the emirate as a destination where visitors can experience true Emirati hospitality?

The new brand aims to enhance Ajman’s status as a tourism and investment destination and the word ‘Ajman’ has been written using a blend of English and Arabic to highlight the fact we welcome all nationalities.

The strategy behind the new brand is to promote Ajman’s key selling points such as its quality-driven hospitality offering and its free zone and port.

This perfectly aligns with the vision of Ajman 2021, which aims to make Ajman a happy society, create a green economy, distinguish its government and to embrace the Spirit of the Union.

“Our goal is to reach the target of five million visitors annually by 2021, so we are working with government and private entities to promote Ajman to achieve this”

Ajman closed 2015 with 36 hotel establishments

Our brand positioning is ‘Sincerely Emirati’, which highlights the exceptional hospitality of the people of Ajman. Here, we celebrate life together, guests are warmly welcomed, and sincere generosity is evidenced in everyday life. It is the genuine welcoming nature of our people that give Ajman a true sense of place.

Q: What current and upcoming tourism attractions support and convey this message?

One of the most important tourism landmarks of which Ajman is very proud is the Ajman Museum.

It is home valuable artefacts that tell the story of the emirate’s social and commercial history. It provides today’s generation of residents and visitors with insight into how their ancestors lived.

Q: What progress are you making with boosting tourism numbers and diversifying your appeal to reach new source markets?

Ajman has made noticeable progress with tourism developments that support the entry of foreign tourism into the emirate.

We have been focusing on attracting tourists from all over the world from markets including China, Europe (in particular, the UK), plus the UAE and wider GCC. We are present at major travel and tourism exhibitions such as ITB Berlin, Arabian Travel Market and World Travel Market to promote the destination and we are also considering participating in regional road shows to raise awareness in different cities around the GCC.

The tiny enclave of Masfout in the Hajjar Mountains

Ajman is a modern city

Q: What new tourism-related infrastructure projects will further boost Ajman’s tourism credentials?

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 115

Ajman Museum

Ajman's coastline is pristine and unspoiled

Ajman’s new brand identity

“Our brand positioning is ‘Sincerely Emirati’, which highlights the exceptional hospitality of the people of Ajman”

116 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

There are several projects completed, under way or being studied. One involves building the first community of hotel apartments while we are researching tourist transportation.

We are also running a large festival of dates (Liwa) as the emirate is a major exporter of this indigenous fruit.

Q: What role will your recently-inked partnership with Ajman Economic Development Department play in helping to develop the emirate’s tourism industry?

One of our goals when creating a new destination brand was to attract investors to Ajman because we work with government departments that can support their business ventures in the emirate. Our partnership with Ajman Economic Development Department is designed to support, promote and develop campaigns that will contribute to the vision

of Ajman 2021 and the long-term economic prosperity of the emirate.

Q: What do you predict will be the biggest regional travel industry trend or change in 2016?

The growth potential of the Indian, Asian and Chinese tourism markets. We will focus on targeting this segment because it has great potential, particularly as visitors from these countries tend to visit in groups.

With confidence I can say Ajman will be one of the most important tourism destinations in 2016, locally and globally, because we offer the right ingredients: a sunny climate, safety and security, a family atmosphere, reasonable prices and Arabian hospitality. I guess those selling points are good enough to elevate Ajman and the UAE to the status of leading global tourism destination.

Authentic Bassata Desert Camp – one of RAK’s back-tonature tourism experiences

Haitham Mattar, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, reveals how the destination has been rebranded and repositioned in a bid to boost annual arrivals to a potential three million by 2025 118 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

V

isitor numbers to Ras Al Khaimah reached 740,383 in 2015, up 6% year on year, consolidating the emirate’s position as an up-andcoming tourism destination Katara Hospitality CEO with unique cultural, historical and natural attributes.

Hamad Al-Mulla Key source markets for Ras Al Khaimah were the neighbouring UAE emirates, which accounted for 47% of all visitors, while tourism from India and the UK soared 80% and 24.7% respectively year on year.

In a bid to reach its tourism target of one million visitors by 2018, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (TDA) has rolled out a rebranding strategy. It positions Ras Al Khaimah as a destination that offers much more than sun, sea and sand.

Following in-depth market research into

Arabia what today’s tourists seek to achieve from their travel experience, Ras Al Khaimah TDA CEO Haitham Mattar has orchestrated a clear blueprint for tourism growth, promoting Ras Al Khaimah for its culture, heritage, nature and its adventure-based pursuits.

Ras Al Khaimah boasts a rich history, dating back 5,000 years, showcased by an array of archaeological sites.

This is complemented by breathtaking natural vistas, from golden sand beaches, awe-inspiring terracotta dunes and a green belt of date palms to Jebel Jais, the highest mountain in the UAE. “It is our priority to enhance destination awareness and demonstrate RAK’s diverse natural assets to a global audience, positioning Ras Al Khaimah as a world-class destination of choice for authentic Arabian culture and

experiences,” says Mattar. Ras Al Khaimah TDA also plans to diversify its portfolio of hotel and resorts, increase air routes to and from the destination via Europe, restore historical sites, and enhance its digital platforms with the introduction of new apps and services for visitors.

THE RAK RE-BRAND Ras Al Khaimah’s re-branding campaign, launched earlier this year, initially focused on attracting more visitors from the UK, which is its second biggest source market in Europe after Germany. The destination attracted 35,000 UK arrivals in 2015, but Mattar says its potential has been “untapped” to date.

“The UK has taken over Russia in terms of our top source markets,” he confirms. “The UAE

gets one million visitors from the UK each year, so for us the headroom for growth is tremendous, whether we piggy back off the visitors to other emirates or generate brand new traffic ourselves.”

Ras Al Khaimah’s new brand identity is designed to emphasise the importance of Ras Al Khaimah’s heritage, which is of growing interest to European visitors seeking cultural experiences.

It brings together a modern take on calligraphy and a contemporary watch tower emblem to reflect Arabian heritage and authenticity This new brand identity is being supported by consumer and trade advertising, joint marketing initiatives with key trade partners, and a social media campaign designed to “bring the destination to life”.

“We are confident our new campaign will raise awareness about Ras Al Khaimah, drive

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 119

RAS AL KHAIMAH’S TOURISM STRATEGY This includes a new brand identity and positioning for Ras Al Khaimah. The core pillars of the marketing strategy focus on ‘Arabian Heritage’, ‘Active in Nature’ and ‘Luxury Indulgence’. The campaign’s new tagline is ‘beyond the journey’. It’s a key facet of Ras Al Khaimah TDA’s vision to attract one million visitors to the emirate by the end of 2018.

This vision sets out a strategic roadmap for Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism sector, encouraging growth and diversification across the accommodation portfolio, its tourism offering for both business and leisure travellers, the events sector and supporting infrastructure, as well as investment in destination marketing campaigns.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND NICHE MARKETS RAK’s USPs include its unique topography and stunning natural landscape. Ras Al Khaimah TDA’s plan is to further develop and enhance the emirate’s products and assets to target the following leisure segments: cultural explorers, active adventurers and wellness seekers. The strategy will target cruise and MICE tourism, in particular meetings and incentives.

inbound tourism to our emirate, and help to forge even more strategic partnerships with media and tour operators,” says Mattar.

AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES

RAK offers authentic Arabian experiences

He describes Ras Al Khaimah as a “beach resort destination that offers a connection to Arabian authenticity and delivers an experience that enables you to understand the culture and heritage”.

“It allows you to connect with yourself and nature. It’s a serene and peaceful environment,” he adds.

Ras Al Khaimah’s natural assets are the main point of differentiation, continues Mattar.

“We have the highest mountains in the UAE and even hot springs with remedial qualities, plus virgin beaches and open sea,” he says.

“Ras Al Khaimah is also the richest of the emirates in terms of archaeological sites and is the most populous with UAE nationals.”

Many of the destination’s historical buildings are currently being brought back to life with a view to attracting more culture-based tourism.

Jazirah Al Hamrah is one heritage site under development, with forts, mosques and souks being restored and a new boutique hotel planned.

And with adventure tourism in mind – a growing niche market RAK TDA’s market research identified as ripe for development – the entity has initiated several mountainbased projects such as a tourist viewing platform; a five-star desert camp; and the longest zip line and Via Ferrata route in the region.

IMPROVED AIR LINKS Just a 45-minute drive from the world’s biggest airport in the world for international passenger traffic, Dubai International (DXB), Ras Al Khaimah is a well-connected tourism destination.

But Ras Al Khaimah International, which is currently

2015 HIGHLIGHTS APRIL 2015:

Q3/Q4 2015:

Q3/Q4 2015:

Q3/Q4 2015:

OCTOBER 2015:

His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, appointed Haitham Mattar as CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority. He is charged with spearheading the destination's growth and development to boost the tourism sector’s performance and further increase its contribution to the emirate’s GDP.

The largest ever consumer research study for Ras Al Khaimah was undertaken in Germany, the UK, India, Russia, the UAE, Saudi and other GCC countries. The research is being used to understand the motivations and drivers of outbound tourism in these markets and to identify the opportunities for product development and investment to appeal to these markets.

This involved extensive situational and competitor analysis.

A detailed study and analysis of outbound tourism growth was undertaken to understand the potential for Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism industry with key source markets in Europe, India, Russia and the UAE identified. Business from emerging markets such as the GCC, China, Eastern Europe and CIS is also being targeted.

In Q3/Q4, Ras Al Khaimah TDA conducted an extensive study to understand China’s potential as a source market for tourism to the emirate.

China is currently the largest outbound market in the world and the authority is focused on getting a better understanding of Chinese tourists’ needs and expectations.

Ras Al Khaimah TDA and Air Arabia launched a two-day intensive campaign in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to promote direct air links from each to Ras Al Khaimah Airport and to increase awareness of the destination. The road show involved a series of destination workshops, press conferences, meetings and engagement dinners with prominent tourism industry professionals.

CEO appointment

TNS research

120 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

McKinsey report

China research and market development

Air Arabia KSA partnership

being expanded, is a hub in its own right, and on February 2, Qatar Airways started non-stop services to the airport.

The carrier flies an A320 to the emirate four times weekly, connecting Ras Al Khaimah to its network of more than 170 destinations globally via its Doha hub.

It’s the result of a strategic partnership between Ras Al Khaimah TDA and Qatar Airways that aims to tap into high-growth-potential tourism markets globally, in particular, the UK. The new Qatar Airways service allows travellers from London Heathrow, Manchester, Edinburgh and Birmingham to fly to Ras Al Khaimah via Doha.

“Our partnership with Qatar Airways is a major milestone for us as it will strengthen Ras Al Khaimah’s connections with existing source markets, increase our emirate’s reach to international travellers, and enhance the flexibility of visitors to travel to and from the destination,” confirms Mattar.

“We are running dual marketing campaigns with Qatar Airways to promote Ras Al Khaimah in core source

NOVEMBER 2015: New charter flight agreements forged

Ras Al Khaimah TDA signed charter flight agreements with two leading European tour operators – FTI Group (Germany) and Kurban Tours (Poland) – which now bring in eight additional flights into Ras Al Khaimah each week, seven from Germany and one from Poland. The joint initiative highlights increasing demand for flights to the emirate from potential visitors from both countries, with Germany being the second largest source market for the emirate and a focus for growth.

FEBRUARY 2016:

Qatar Airways flights launched to RAK Qatar Airways launched direct flights from Doha on February 2, 2016, as a result of growing demand for more capacity in and out of the emirate.

It means that RAK is now officially connected to 170 destinations across the globe, with connecting routes to the emirate via Doha also set to be introduced from both Poland and Germany.

RAK is promoting its natural assets

“By 2025 we expect to be able to host up to 20,000 guests at 20 world-class hotels on Al Marjan Island, which will certainly strengthen Ras Al Khaimah’s position as a premier tourism destination” FEBRUARY 2016:

FEBRUARY 2016:

MARCH 2016:

Ras Al Khaimah TDA undertook a MICE study in partnership with consultancy firm INHOCO, which audited the emirate’s MICE infrastructure and identified opportunities for development. A workshop was completed in February with DMCs and industry experts to look at developing new MICE-focused programmes.

Haitham Mattar, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah TDA, completed a successful sales mission to China where his delegation met with key travel industry players in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou to forge strategic partnerships to promote Ras Al Khaimah as the destination of choice in these markets.

Ras Al Khaimah TDA revealed its new brand identity, which aims to reposition the destination in line with its tourism vision and revised strategy for growth, with the ambition of attracting one million visitors by 2018. Highlighting Ras Al Khaimah’s key strengths, the rebrand focuses on the emirate’s natural assets, its luxury proposition, its range of activities for different types of travellers, and its authentic Arabian heritage offering.

MICE study

China visit

New brand launch

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 121

Luxury beach resorts are a key selling point for RAK markets. “In the UK where we are targeting 46,000 visitors this year (in 2016), Qatar Airways will play a major role in driving this increase, as will our partnerships with other carriers flying to Dubai such as Emirates, flydubai, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.”

SPREADING THE RISK But it’s not just the UK that’s on Ras Al Khaimah’s radar.

The destination has set the wheels in motion to deliver stronger growth from other stalwart markets including India and Germany, while tapping into new sources of tourism business including China and Scandinavia.

“Diversifying our portfolio has allowed us to offset a decline in Russian arrivals as a result of the devalued Rouble,” reveals Mattar.

“It has also enabled us to grow a lot faster than any destination around us.”

Ras Al Khaimah’s hotel market delivered occupancy growth of 8% in 2015, while average room rates increased 7% year on year.

This compared favourably to some competing destinations where supply growth outstripped demand in the hotel market.

Mattar says Ras Al Khaimah TDA will continue to activate markets it deems have high growth potential, including Turkey, Indonesia.

Mexico and Brazil.

“Those are markets that have shown growth into Dubai so we feel it could be an opportunity for us,” he says.

THE PLAN AHEAD

“Our main goal for 2016 is to increase inbound tourism to Ras Al Khaimah from international markets with the aim of attracting 850,000 visitors compared to 740,000 in 2015,” says Mattar. The next goal will be to hit the one million visitor mark by 2018, he continues.

“To do so we are planning to use every opportunity to demonstrate that our emirate is rich in culture, heritage, nature, adventure and traditions. Our strategies include promoting our re-branding campaign, forging more partnerships with leading hoteliers and airlines, and working with companies to create tour packages and charter flights with stopovers in Ras Al Khaimah PROJECTS AND PIPELINES to attract more visitors.”

Over the next two years, Ras Al Khaimah aims to The longer-term vision considers Ras Al expand its hotel inventory by 2,000 rooms.

Khaimah’s potential to attract 2.9 to 3 million “This will include the 250-room Anantara visitors by 2025.

Mina Al Arab, which opens in 2018, and a 300“That will require between 20,000 and 25,000 room Marriott resort, expected to open in 2019,” rooms compared to the 5,000 we have today,” confirms Mattar. says Mattar.

Al Marjan Island – a major tourism and real “But RAK is fertile ground for investment. estate project located in the heart of Ras Al We have a single A rating by Standard & Poor’s Khaimah – is also under ongoing development.

(S&P) and Fitch, which demonstrates that we This man-made archipelago, comprising four have a strong economy; reasonable interest rates coral-shaped islands, features luxury resorts, on loans; and our rate of tourism growth was 6% in 2015, above the global average of 3-4% hotels, beach clubs and breathtaking beaches.

(UNWTO). It demonstrates that return on “By 2025 we expect to be able to host up to investment could be quicker in Ras Al Khaimah 20,000 guests at 20 world-class hotels on Al than in other destinations.

Marjan Island, which will certainly strengthen “Managing demand and supply will be critical Ras Al Khaimah’s position as a premier tourism and that’s a big part of our strategy – to ensure destination,” says Mattar. investors feel safe. As we grow inventory we will RAK TDA is also opening a brand new bring in a diverse variety of hotel brands that convention and exhibition centre on Al Marjan, cater to the different audiences and bring to life with the capacity for 1,000 people, which the our key attractions.” entity will manage.

122 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

PROJECT FOCUS Al Marjan Island Al Marjan Island, which was built in 2013, is Ras Al Khaimah’s major tourism and real estate project offering four individual islands (Treasure, Breeze, Dream and View) and a range of five-star hotels, spas and restaurants. It is expected to be home to 20 hotels by 2025 and will play a key role in attracting the one million visitors targeted by the end of 2018.

Anantara Mina Al Arab Ras Al Khaimah Resort The 225-room Anantara Mina Al Arab Ras Al Khaimah Resort, which is expected to open in 2018, will feature Maldivian-style water villas. The project will include residential, hospitality and retail components. The new property will be situated in a secluded area, boasting its own private beach and overlooking an eco-reserve that is lined with mangroves.

Al Jazirah Al Hamra A feasibility study has been completed for Al Jazirah Al Hamra to restore the traditional pearling village. The aim is to make it accessible for visitors to learn more about the rich maritime heritage of Ras Al Khaimah and the strong trading links between the emirate and the rest of the world. Work is already underway on the project, which will include a traditional souq and access to the pearl merchant’s house, fort, mosque and bride’s mosque. Some of the traditional houses will be restored and converted into heritage suites, part of a unique boutique hotel built in traditional architectural style.

ATM YEARBOOK

2016

ABU DHABI

QATAR

QATAR TOURISM AUTHORITY:

The QTA outlines its major milestones from 2015 to 2016 and reveals the new and upcoming projects set to enhance Qatar’s status as a distinguished tourism destination

A YEAR IN REVIEW MAY 2015

JUNE 2015

Tourism Ministers head to Doha Doha hosted the first meeting between Undersecretaries to Tourism Ministers and Chairpersons of Tourism Authorities in the Gulf Co-operation Council.

The officials gathered in Doha to set action plans to support the development of tourism in the Gulf on the first day of their meeting, Their Excellencies focused on exploring mechanisms to enhance intra-GCC tourism, while building on the success of the Cruise Arabia Alliance, a regional collaboration that is strengthening the Gulf ’s position as a cruise destination.

DECC opens its doors QTA appointed ELAN Qatar and Fira Barcelona to manage and operate the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC), the highly-anticipated business events facility that opened in the heart of Doha’s financial district. Constructed by Qatari Diar across an area spanning more than 90,000 square metres, the facility incorporates five vast pillar-free halls, each of which can accommodate approximately 3,500 delegates.

DECC is a few minutes away from both the Corniche waterfront and many of Qatar’s five-star hotels. DECC hosted its first event in November 2015.

124 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

The iconic Katara The Pearl Qatar Towers project

The Museum of Islamic Art Park

The Doha skyline

JULY 2015

AUGUST 2015

Eid Al-Fitr Festival attracts thousands The five-day Eid Al-Fitr Festival 2015 brought in crowds of thousands to venues across Qatar including malls, museums and sports arenas.

It’s one of several festivals organised by the QTA and its partners to showcase Qatar as a family destination and in the long-term, increase the number of visitors and tourists to the country by building a sustainable and diverse calendar of events and festivals.

H1 visitor numbers increase 7% QTA’s Mid-Year Tourism Performance Report for 2015 showed an expanding tourist accommodation sector and a 7% increase in the number of foreign visitors received in the first half of 2015 compared to the same period of 2014.

Data on hotel performance showed continued demand growth in the sector and in overall occupancy rates compared to 2014, even with the addition of 1,400 new rooms since the start of 2015. In the same month, His Excellency Ahmed bin Nasser Al Mahrizi, Omani Minister of Tourism, handed QTA the award for ‘Best Arab Government Tourism Authority’ in 2015, in recognition of its contribution to the development of the Arab tourism landscape.

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 125

QATAR PROJECT UPDATE Msheireb Museums As part of the ongoing redevelopment of the nation’s downtown Msheireb district, four historical buildings have been restored into museums that chart the changing face of Qatar.

The Msheireb Museums are situated in the first phase of what will eventually be the Heritage Quarter of Msheireb Properties, a development spanning 310,000 square metres.

Since the cultural project was first announced in 2011, four historical buildings – Bin Jelmood House, Company House, Mohamed bin Jassim House and Radwani House – have been restored on the site by teams of local and international experts.

Materials that retain the spirit and building techniques of the original structure have been used in the restoration process.

(Opened in 2015) Mall of Qatar When complete, Mall of Qatar, which is size of 50 football pitches, will be the nation’s largest mall. It will offer visitors a wide selection of major international brands, more than 500 stores, at least 100 food and beverage outlets, a five-star hotel (part of the Curio Collection by Hilton), and an impressive array of unique

entertainment experiences, including the largest IMAX Royal Suite master bedroom Laser 3D projection system in the world. The mall’s 19-screen Cinema City complex will include seven VIP screens on three levels, a 10-lane bowling alley, and an in-theatre gourmet food service. The Family Entertainment Complex will offer 16,500 square metres of multi-level entertainment for children and adults, featuring KidzMondo, an impressive scaled-down miniature city. Mall of Qatar will also feature mall-wide live entertainment and the first professional live theatre in a mall with theatrical sound and lighting.

(Scheduled to open in 2016) Al Hazm shopping mall A new Italian-inspired luxury shopping centre designed to attract the region’s wealthiest residents and visitors opened in early 2016.

The QR3 billion (US$823 million) Al Hazm project, developed by Al Emadi Enterprises, is located near Al Markhiya, and is targeting the type of customers who go to Milan or Paris to shop.

More than 15 architects have been hired to model the mall on Italy’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle II, one of the world’s oldest shopping precincts, which is housed in a 19th century double arcade in Milan.

(Opened in 2016)

Megapolis Megapolis is an urban entertainment centre situated in The Pearl-Qatar. It is the home of an indoor golf simulator, a bowling alley, a billiards room, a gaming arcade (complete with the latest PS4 and Xbox consoles), action zone and more.

Megapolis also offers many state-of-the-art simulators, allowing visitors to experience the exhilaration of flying an F16 fighter jet and an F1 racing car. The centre is home to four karaoke rooms, wired with the latest technology, including three-way speaker systems, 600-watt four-channel karaoke mixing amplifiers and wireless microphones.

(Opened in 2016) Anantara Banana Island This luxe, alcohol-free resort is set on a private island overlooking Hamad International Airport. The Doha Corniche is a 25-minute boat ride away. Bright, oceanthemed rooms offer sea-view balconies or terraces.

The resort is also home to two- and three-bedroom villas. It has eight restaurants offering Italian, Thai, Arabic and international cuisine; a lagoon pool, surf pool and a kids' pool with slides; a spa, putting course and a tennis court; plus bowling and water sports.

(Opened in 2015) Salwa Beach Resort Salwa Beach Resort is set to become one of the Middle East's premiere destination beach resorts, located on three million square metres of prime coastline in the southwest corner of Qatar less than 100 kilometres from Doha.

With sweeping views of the Arabian Gulf, this ambitious 362-key property will feature a wide range of remarkable facilities, including three kilometres of private beach, a luxury marina and yacht club, a themed water park, a dive centre, cinemas, a shopping mall, an Arabian village, a 2,800-square-metre spa, a health club, and much more.

(Scheduled to open in 2016)

Doha’s new luxury Al Hazm shopping mall

SEPTEMBER 2015

OCTOBER 2015

Qatar wins right to host WTD 2017 celebrations Qatar won the right to host the official World Tourism Day (WTD) 2017 celebrations, which will be held under the theme, ‘Sustainable Tourism – a Tool for Development’.

The announcement was made following a vote of the 21st UNWTO General Assembly, held in the Colombian city of Medellin. Celebrated annually on September 27, WTD is the biggest international event in tourism. Its purpose is to foster awareness among the global community of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic value.

Inaugural handicrafts event and second tourism ministers meeting The First Annual GCC Handicrafts Exhibition opened its doors to visitors in October, under the theme ‘Woven with the Thread of Heritage’ and under the patronage of GCC ministers of tourism. The five-day exhibition took place on the side lines of the Second GCC Tourism Ministerial Meeting, which produced several significant outcomes, including the announcement of a Manama, Bahrain as the Gulf Capital of Tourism for 2016.

126 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

The new, hotly-anticipated Doha Covention & Exhibition Centre (DECC) staged its first event in November 2015 Kxxyxyxyyxyxyxyxyxyxyx xyxyxyxyyxyxyxyxyxyxyx

Kxxyxyxyyxyxyxyxyxyxyx xyxyxyxyyxyxyxyxyxyxyx

NOVEMBER 2015

DECEMBER 2015

QTA unveils new destination brand and business events sub-brand Marking a new milestone on its journey towards achieving its vision for 2030, QTA unveiled the Qatar Destination Brand, enhancing and accelerating efforts to promote the nation abroad. The brand was unveiled to global audiences at World Travel Market (WTM) in London, the world’s most highly attended global expo for all-things tourism, ensuring maximum exposure. Later in the month, QTA unveiled the first of several sub-brands, Qatar Business Events, at IBTM Barcelona. November also witnessed the docking of the first ship to arrive in Doha’s port as part of the Cruise Arabia Alliance.

Qatar hosts Seatrade Middle East Cruise Forum for the first time The Seatrade Middle East Cruise Forum took place in Doha. Forum host, the QTA, revealed Qatar expects a three-fold increase in cruise passengers next season.

Thirty cruise ships carrying up to 50,000 passengers will call into Doha between October 2016 and April 2017, up from the eight calls scheduled this season.

At the forum, Bahrain became the latest country to confirm its commitment to the Cruise Arabia Alliance, which now includes membership from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Qatar and Oman.

The Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC)

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 127

WHAT’S NEW FOR 2016-2017?

THE QTA OUTLINES ITS KEY PRIORITIES FOR THE YEAR AHEAD Developing the cruise tourism sector As travellers learn about the new and unique experiences the Gulf region offers versus tradition cruise markets like the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, Qatar is emerging as an up-and-coming cruise tourism.

act as a one-stop-shop for event planners and professional conference organisers around the world looking for venues and supporting services for their events.

QTA’s strategy is to triple the number of business visitors to the destination by 2020 and is working closely with the local MICE industry to promote Qatar, providing key players with training on successful bidding tactics and supporting their participation at international trade shows.

Expanding international representation

In 2016, the QTA is ramping up its efforts to develop this sector by capitalising on the New Doha Port, and is working with government officials to better facilitate entry for cruise visitors.

QTA is expanding its European footprint by opening a representative office in Milan, reaching out to travellers and tour operators in Italy, which is one of the Gulf state’s fastest growing source markets for visitors.

The New Doha Port will enable Qatar to receive larger ships (above 220 metres) thanks to the opening of a temporary cruise terminal. QTA plans to welcome five further cruise ships during the upcoming six-month cruise season, creating a new dimension to the tourist experience in Qatar.

It’s the QTA’s fourth office in Europe and its sixth worldwide. It joins an international network currently covering the UK, France, Germany, the GCC markets and South East Asia. QTA will continue working to expand Qatar’s representation abroad, with planned office openings in Turkey and the US coming soon.

In addition, The Old Doha Port Renewal Project will begin in 2016, transforming the Old Port into a permanent cruise terminal and a destination in its own right.

QTA is also working with Cruise Arabia Alliance partners to attract more international cruise lines to the Gulf.

Developing the Business Events sector Following the launch of the Qatar Business Events brand in November 2015, this year will witness the roll-out of a campaign across MICE and mainstream media to position Qatar as the premium destination for business events.

In addition, QTA is working to launch the Qatar Business Events guide, which will

JANUARY 2016 QTA launches new hotel classification system and QBIC start-up initiative The QTA released a new hotel grading and classification system, which aims to make hotel ratings more fair and transparent. It was developed in collaboration with industry experts and local hospitality stakeholders.

QBIC Tourism, Qatar’s first specialised incubator for tourism start-ups, also launched officially in January, following a soft-launch period that witnessed the incubation of nine start-ups in the field of tourism. QBIC Tourism, guided by QTA, is a specialised incubator that enables entrepreneurs to develop products and services that enhance the Qatar tourism experience. It provides them

128 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

Extending the festival offering QTA is ramping up its efforts to expand the scope and variety of signature events such as the Qatar International Food Festival. Following the successful 2015 edition of this event, which attracted an estimated 170,000 visitors, QTA has collaborated with partners and co-organiser Qatar Airways to extend the festival to new locations, including Pearl-Qatar and Katara Cultural Village, in addition to the original venue at the Museum of Islamic Art Park. Qatar’s growing calendar of festivals and events, which also includes Qatar Summer Festival and Eid Celebrations in Qatar, is a key part of the country’s strategy to grow and diversify its tourism offerings in partnership with the private sector.

with unique business development tools and access to insight and guidance from QTA decision-makers.

FEBRUARY 2016 Tourism industry promotes healthy living QTA finalised agreements with 47 members of the hospitality industry to offer Qatar’s residents and visitors health packages as the country celebrated National Sport Day on Tuesday 9 February. The initiative, the result of discussions between QTA and all of the country’s four- and five- star hotels, involved providing residents with free gym access, offers on gym membership (up to 50% off), healthy brunch buffets, free gym classes, and special room packages including bed and healthy breakfast.

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130 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

Going places

together That’s the fitting tagline of Qatar Airways’ new branding campaign as the airline forges ahead with fleet and network expansion from its strategically-located Doha hub

Qatar Airways’ new ‘Going Places Together’ campaign

atar Airways witnessed another busy year in 2015 as it continued to expand its modern fleet, enhance its on-board experience and add yet more accolades to its rapidly expanding trophy cabinet.

The year got off to a momentous start when the Doha-based carrier inaugurated the A350 into its fleet, operating the first commercial service of the aircraft on January 15 on the Doha-Frankfurt route.

Qatar Airways was the launch customer of this new-generation aircraft and to date remains the world’s largest operator of the A350 with seven now in operation. The aircraft was rolled out on services to Singapore, Munich and Philadelphia during 2015 and a charter flight to New York in December made Qatar Airways the first airline to fly the A350 to three continents – Europe, Asia and the US. Qatar Airways also took delivery of its 25th Boeing Dreamliner in 2015, which it flew directly to the Dubai Airshow in November, while the company’s private jet division, Qatar Executive, received its first Gulfstream G650ER – the world’s largest and Qatar Airways GCEO His fastest business jet, which can fly direct from the Excellency Akbar Al Baker ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 131

Qatar Airways inaugurated the A350 into its fleet in January 2015

Middle East to North America. This was the first of 30 of the new market-leading business jets to be delivered to the airline as it looks to grow this division of the business.

in the first month alone across all of Qatar Airways’ social media platforms. This followed a major digital milestone in September when Qatar Airways became the world’s first airline to pass the 10-million-fan mark on Facebook.

NEW ON-BOARD EXPERIENCES As part of the airline’s ongoing efforts to improve the customer experience, a new enhanced on-board entertainment system, Oryx ONE, was unveiled in April last year, expanding entertainment options to more than 2,000 TV programmes, movies, games and music tracks.

The system also brought Wi-Fi and GSM connectivity to passengers flying on B787, A350, A380, A319 and some A320 and A330 aircraft.

Qatar Airways revamped its in-flight safety video last year too, grabbing passenger attention with star performances from FC Barcelona’s leading players Messi, Suarez, Neymar, Pique, Rakitic and Mascherano.

A refreshing break from standard industry safety videos, the fun four-minute guide to safety on board features Suarez taking to the pitch in a life vest and Pique demonstrating the ‘brace position’ as Neymar takes a free kick.

The video, which was launched in December, went viral on social media, attracting more than 40 million viewers

CARGO EXPANSION In October, Qatar Airways Cargo became the third largest international cargo airline in the world, according to IATA’s international FTK figures.

This is a major achievement for the airline given it has risen through the ranks from 16th place five years ago.

Qatar Airways Cargo boasts an expanding fleet of six Airbus 330s, eight Boeing 777s and one Boeing 747, and has grown its network of freighter destinations to become a leading player in the global air cargo industry at a time when other airlines are decreasing or even ceasing their cargo activity.

The airline plans to acquire further aircraft, growing to 17 freighters by 2017 and will increase its cargo capacity at its hub, Hamad International, by building a second cargo terminal by 2018, increasing capacity from 1.4 million to 4.4 million tonnes annually, with the potential to grow to 7 million tonnes.

2015 HIGHLIGHTS JANUARY

APRIL

JUNE

SEPTEMBER

First commercial service of Airbus A350 – Doha to Frankfurt

Launches new enhanced onboard entertainment system, Oryx ONE

Wins top aviation accolades at the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards

Becomes world’s first airline to pass the 10-million-fan mark on Facebook

132 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

“Even though we receive on average one new aircraft every 10 days, it is not enough to sustain the pace of growth we would prefer for the airline”

Qatar Airways will launch services to Adelaide, Australia, on May 2, 2016.

IN NUMBERS More than

GOING PLACES To round off another stellar year, Qatar Airways launched a new global brand campaign entitled ‘Going Places Together,’ with new outdoor advertising debuting in Doha and the global premiere taking place at a press conference in New York.

“The campaign focuses on offering our passengers the opportunity to explore and discover new destinations, together with us, as we put the power of the journey back at the heart of every travel experience,” explains Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker. Going Places Together has taken the Qatar name to a global audience of more than 20 million, he adds, reinforcing the airline’s status as a brand ambassador for Qatar as a destination.

Campaigns, fleet expansion and passenger experience aside, the most thrilling moment for Al Baker in 2015 was when Qatar Airways was named Skytrax Airline of the Year for the third time.

“It is a remarkable achievement for any airline to win this highly contested accolade even once, but to win it three times is an honour of which I am extremely proud,” he says. “Despite this success, we will not rest. We will continue to grow and innovate until Qatar Airways is

150 destinations

26m

175

passengers aircraft

with an average age of under 5 years

More than

320 on order worth

Kxxyxyxyyxyxyxyxyxyxyx xyxyxyxyyxyxyxyxyxyxyx

A new aircraft delivered every

10 days

70

$

billion

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

Qatar Airways Cargo becomes third largest international cargo airline in the world

25th Boeing Dreamliner joins the fleet

Introduces new safety video featuring FC Barcelona players Private jet division Qatar Executive takes delivery of its first Gulfstream G650ER Launches new global brand campaign – ‘Going Places Together’

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 133

Qatar Airways operates more than175 aircraft

“We are a progressive airline with deep roots in our traditional Arabian hospitality culture, and when we combine those attributes with the will to be the best, nothing can stop us” NEW DESTINATIONS IN 2016 • Los Angeles

• Sydney

• Boston

• Birmingham

• Ras Al Khaimah

• Adelaide

• Atlanta

• Yerevan

named Airline of the Year for a fourth and fifth time.”

Qatar Airways also won Best Business Class Airline Seat and Best Airline in the Middle East at the Skytrax World Airline Awards in June 2015, which Al Baker says demonstrates the airline’s commitment to providing passengers with the “ultimate in-flight experience”.

THE GROWTH TRAJECTORY By the end of 2015, Qatar Airways flew to more than 150 destinations served by 175 aircraft and carried 26 million passengers, but Al Baker is hungry for more – much more.

“One of our biggest on-going challenges in recent years is the problem taking delivery of enough new aircraft to service the rate of expansion we would like to see on our network,” he reveals.

“Even though we receive on average one new aircraft every 10 days, it is not enough to sustain the pace of growth we would prefer for the airline.

With upcoming deliveries of further Boeing 777s, A350s and A380s, we expect our fleet to grow to more than 200 aircraft by the end of 2016.”

He says the US is a “big focus” for the carrier this year, with services to Los Angeles and Boston already launched and the A350 rolled out on the Philadelphia route and on the new double-daily service to New York. Qatar Airways’ inaugural flight to Atlanta is scheduled for June.

Australia is an “important market” too, according to Al

134 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

Baker. The carrier launched services to Sydney in March and will become the first airline to fly an A350 to Australia when it launches its daily flights to Adelaide on May 2, he notes.

Al Baker’s long-term plan for the airline is very straightforward: “Our vision is driven by the vision of His Highness, Sheikh the Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, who has given us a very simple goal, which is to take our national airline to the top – to be the best airline offering the highest levels of service in the sky,” Al Baker explains.

“This is a very clear and simple objective that we work towards every day in everything that we do.”

Al Baker predicts more consolidation in the airline industry over the next decade, with more strategic partnerships strengthening the ability of airlines to take their passengers further and to destinations that they could not otherwise offer.

“For Qatar Airways, it means more opportunity to take advantage of our geography,” he says.

“Doha is within six hours of 80% of the world’s population, making Hamad International Airport a perfectly-positioned hub for the majority of global travellers.

"We will also continue to lead the industry in terms of latest-technology to improve airplane operations, on-board comfort and the customers’ desire to remain connected in the air.

He adds: “We are a progressive airline with deep roots in our traditional Arabian hospitality culture, and when we combine those attributes with the will to be the best, nothing can stop us.”

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136 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

The iconic Katara Towers project

Shaping Qatar’s brand identity Katara Hospitality maintained its position as a leading developer of unrivalled luxury hotels in 2015, explains the firm’s Chief Executive Officer, Hamad Abdulla Al-Mulla

Katara Hospitality CEO Hamad Al-Mulla

atar-based Katara Hospitality, which has forged a reputation as a leading global hotel developer, owner and operator, expanded its portfolio to 34 properties in 2015, surpassing its goal of 30 properties by 2016.

“This feat was achieved a full two years ahead of schedule by combining key iconic acquisitions with the reopening of world-class hospitality gems in remarkable travel destinations,” explains Katara Hospitality CEO, Hamad Abdulla Al-Mulla.

In 2015, Katara Hospitality opened Excelsior Gallia, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Milan, and soft opened the legendary Royal Savoy Lausanne, a Murwab Hotel.

“Both properties had recently undergone a meticulous renovation and redesign, with the aim of restoring the rich heritage and historic

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 137

Katara Towers is a mixed-use development in Lusail City

Royal Suite master bedroom

“As a home-grown brand, the Murwab Hotel Group ethos is to maintain its strong ties to Qatari heritage and Arabic hospitality” landmark status of both before reopening,” explains Al-Mulla.The company further strengthened its presence in the Italian market with the acquisition of Westin Excelsior Rome from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Inc. and also launched the Murwab Hotel Group – a standalone operating arm, which manages a collection of international upscale boutique hotels and brands.

“As a home-grown brand, the Murwab Hotel Group ethos is to maintain its strong ties to Qatari heritage and Arabic hospitality,” says Al-Mulla.

“This achievement marked the start of a new era and signaled our continued quest for growth in new markets as the company leverages decades of experience in the luxury hospitality sector.”

Hospitality and Lifestyle Awards ceremony in Bali last September, an accolade Al-Mulla says is testimony to the company’s commitment to developing iconic luxury hotel properties in key travel markets.

To cap the year off, the company scooped three esteemed awards at the December edition of the World Travel Awards held in El Jadida, Morocco, where it was named World’s Leading Hospitality Company for the third year running; bagged the World’s Leading Hotel Suite award for the Katara Suite at the recently reopened Excelsior Hotel Gallia, Milan; and won the coveted World’s Leading Landmark Hotel award for The Peninsula Paris, Katara Hospitality’s flagship property in the French capital.

DIVERSIFICATION STRATEGY GLOBAL RECOGNITION Katara Hospitality’s commitment to excellence was recognised by a swathe of noteworthy awards in 2015.

At the 2015 World Travel Awards hosted in Dubai last May, the company was named the Middle East’s Leading Hospitality Development Company for the second consecutive year and the Middle East’s Leading Tourism Development Project for the iconic Katara Towers development, which is expected to open in 2018 in Doha’s Lusail City Marina District.

Katara Hospitality also clinched the prestigious Remarkable & Exceptional Achievement in the Luxury Hospitality Industry award at the Seven Stars Luxury

138 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

Al-Mulla acknowledges the current global economic climate, characterised by low oil prices and shifts in global stock and commodity prices, coupled with a rise in security risks, has presented challenges for the hospitality industry.

In addition, the growing number of hotel chains pursuing a low-cost strategy, adding budget hotels to their portfolio, has created “significant competition for the luxury hospitality sector”, he says.

As a result, Katara Hospitality plans to diversify its portfolio, adding hospitality solutions that cater to the preferences of Millennial travellers, Al-Mulla notes.

“The Millennial traveller values accessibility, connectivity and experiences, and part of our strategy involves

Raffles Singapore

BIG NUMBERS

34

hotels in 12 countries across 3 continents

9

hotels in Qatar with 1,985 keys

16

international properties with 3,257 keys

7,177 keys in total

11

hotels under development

9

hotels in Qatar with 1,985 keys

The Westin Excelsior Rome

60

Goal of 60 hotels by 2026

reinvesting in technology with a focus on features designed to engage guests and to create a bespoke experience during their stay at our properties,” adds Al-Mulla.

Royal Suite living room

INVESTMENT PLANS

The Peninsula Paris

While strategic international expansion is a top priority for Katara Hospitality, the company is also focusing on reinvesting in its current property portfolio by conducting upgrades and renovations.

In Qatar, Sealine Beach Resort and The Ritz-Carlton Doha are undergoing significant renovation work and will reveal “redefined luxurious offerings”, when completed, says Al-Mulla.

Owned by Katara Hospitality and managed by Murwab Hotel Group, Sealine Beach Resort’s extensive enhancements, scheduled for completion this year, include an entirely new wing with an additional 20 villas and room upgrades to appeal to local and international family holidaymakers in a resort-style setting.

As the quintessential showcase of exquisite Arabian hospitality, The Ritz-Carlton Doha’s property-wide renovations will unveil fully transformed guestrooms, a modernised spa and VIP club lounge.

This two-phase refurbishment, coined ‘the re-imagination project’, is expected to be completed by mid-2017.

Meanwhile, a number of brand new developments are in full swing, reveals Al-Mulla.

Simaisma, a Murwab Resort, recently opened its doors,

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 139

Kxxyxyxyyxyxyxyxyxyxyx xyxyxyxyyxyxyxyxyxyxyx

“Our success has been built on 45 years of strategic planning, hard work and commitment to Qatar’s hospitality landscape” PROPERTY LOCATIONS • Doha

• Bern

• Rome

• Tangier

• London

• Lausanne

• Madrid

• Sharm El Sheikh

• Paris

• Lucerne

• Amsterdam

• Hua Hin

• Cannes

• Milan

• Frankfurt

• Singapore

unveiling a “unique coastal haven designed to exceed the expectations of local and international holidaymakers seeking a seaside retreat”.

Work also continues on the architecturally-striking Katara Towers development, located in the Lusail Marina District.

This is an ambitious project aligned to Katara Hospitality’s vision to create a portfolio featuring some of the world’s most iconic hospitality properties.

Lusail City is an extension of Qatar’s capital, Doha, and Katara Towers is set to be the the new district’s landmark building when it opens in 2018.

It’s part of a mixed-use complex boasting a raft of leisure and business components.

Beyond Qatar, Europe is the lynchpin of Katara Hospitality’s international expansion programme.

“Our European and MENA region presence continues to be strong, with The Bürgenstock Resort in Lake Lucerne Switzerland and the Tazi Palace in Tangier, Morocco, currently both under development and expected to open in 2017,” says Al-Mulla.

“These and other projects and acquisitions pipelined are indicative of our organisation’s ambitions to meet the target of 60 properties across the globe by 2026.”

140 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

RAISING QATAR’S PROFILE Katara Hospitality’s growth strategy is aligned to the Qatar National Vision 2030, which aims to foster the country’s economic, social, human and environmental development.

As Qatar’s “flagship hospitality company”, Al-Mulla says Katara Hospitality plays a key role in raising the profile of Qatar as a “world-class business and tourism destination”, as well as “presenting the hospitality industry as an attractive career choice in our home market”.

“Our success has been built on 45 years of strategic planning, hard work and commitment to Qatar’s hospitality landscape,” he says.

“Katara Hospitality is renowned for its commitment to the growth of the local hospitality sector and continues to be at the forefront of development initiatives contributing to the country’s tourism sector.

"With inspired property design and superior service standards, Katara Hospitality sets homegrown luxury standards with global appeal.”

Al-Mulla says mega projects such as Lusail City and Katara Towers are helping to cement a “brand legacy” for Qatar, while making a significant contribution to the country’s longterm economic growth.

ATM YEARBOOK

2016

ABU DHABI

SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA’S EVENT HORIZONS

T

he tourism in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2015 witnessed significant development and prosperity under the support and guidance of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz (May Allah Protect Him), and in light of the issuance of a large number of resolutions by the state aimed at preserving and rehabilitating both tourism and the national heritage.

“The state provides ongoing support to the tourism sector and is a major economic force that enables it to play an important role in provincial development and creating jobs for local citizens,” confirms Hamad Al Sheikh, Vice President for Marketing and Programs, Saudi Commission for Tourism & National Heritage (SCTH).

“In this respect, the Kingdom has issued a number of important resolutions to improve tourism services, and promote investment in the field of tourism and heritage.”

ECONOMIC BENEFITS In 2015, domestic and inbound (internal) tourism trips reached 66 million compared to 55.4 million in 2014, generating spend of more than SR118 billion (US$31.5 billion), according to the SCTH. The direct contribution of tourism to GDP reached more than SR85.5 billion ($22.8 billion) or 3.5% of total GDP, driven by 57,279 facilities that spanned a number of tourism sectors including accommodation, restaurants and cafes, transportation, entertainment, travel agencies and tour operators, Al Sheikh reveals.

“The number of direct job opportunities created in the Kingdom’s tourism sector at the end of last year reached 883,000 and is expected to increase to 1.2 million by 2020,” he says. “Tourism is currently the second largest economic

142 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

sector in the Kingdom in terms of the Saudisation of jobs, with a growth rate exceeding 28% in 2015.”

There are now 290 tourism companies licensed by SCTH and their investments are worth SR170 million ($45.33 million) annually, he adds.

Al Sheikh also reveals that tourism event revenues exceeded SR11 billion ($2.93 billion) in 2015, generated by more than 300 festivals. They were attended by 11.7 million event goers (up 15% on 2014 visitor numbers) who spent 30% more than last year.

More than SR100 million ($26.67 million) was ploughed into these tourism events by the 130-plus companies and organisations engaged in this sector, he notes.

The SCTH is encouraging Saudis to celebrate and explore their heritage

The Kingdom’s thriving events and festivals scene is one of the key sectors driving record tourism numbers, reveals Hamad Al Sheikh, Vice President for Marketing and Programs, Saudi Commission for Tourism & National Heritage (SCTH) “The economic return of tourism events will reach SR15 billion ($4 billion) over the next two years, especially in light of the notable rise in events staged, their increased diversity and the strong turnout anticipated,” adds Al Sheikh.

ACCOMMODATION GAINS Al Sheikh also reveals how the SCTH has grown the Kingdom’s accommodation sector over the past few years and in 2015, the number of hotels and furnished apartments reached the 5,868 mark. There were 281,563 hotel rooms and 165,040 furnished apartment rooms.

He stresses how the number of international hotel companies involved in the Saudi market rose from five to 25

after shifting the accommodation sector’s responsibility to the SCTH and subsequently, classification, regulation and monitoring initiatives were enforced.

KSA’s accommodation sector workforce reached 122,000 employees at the end of 2015, 31.3% of which were Saudi nationals. Given the steady growth in hotel investment the Kingdom is witnessing, Al Sheikh anticipates more than SR139 billion ($37.1 billion) will be pumped into hotel projects across all categories by 2020.

“The new version of requirements for hotel and furnished apartment classification were approved and are in accordance with the latest architectural and engineering standards in tourism investment,” Al Sheikh adds.

SCTH has also started to receive requests for loans from

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 143

“The economic return of tourism events will reach SR15 billion ($4 billion) over the next two years”

Jeddah Corniche

investors who wish to benefit from the lending programme for tourism and hospitality projects initiated by SCTH in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, he reveals.

A FOCUS ON HERITAGE SCTH, in collaboration with Technical, and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC), has established a number of specialised colleges focusing on specific areas of tourism One area of focus is Saudi Arabia’s heritage and in 2015, the entity launched the ‘Live Saudi Arabia’ programme in partnership with a number of public and private authorities “The programme aims to improve citizens’ sense of belonging to their homeland, encouraging different groups within society, particularly the youth, to recognise their history and the multitude of heritage sites across the country,” explains Al Sheikh.

“In its first phase the programme aims to enable one million students to visit tourism and heritage sites Kingdom-wide”.

To reinforce the heritage message, several Saudia aircraft were adorned with historical and cultural landmarks in 2015, Al Sheikh adds.

Last year the SCTH also launched the ‘Tourism strategic routes development project’, designed to help private authorities develop services and facilities on notable tourism routes. The commission also established a number of Saudi Tourism associations including the Saudi Accommodation Facilities Association, Saudi Tourist Guide Association, and Saudi Travel and Tourism Association, providing a formal framework for these key growth sectors of the industry.

PROMOTIONAL TACTICS In a bid to further develop domestic tourism, the SCTH ran a number of media and marketing campaigns during spring, summer, Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha and the National Day holidays in 2015, which promoted major tourism destinations across the Kingdom.

144 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

This was supported with printed material distributed through Tourism Information Centers inside major airports and mega shopping malls across the Kingdom.

These campaigns focused on raising awareness of holiday season events, hotel and furnished apartments offers, and useful services such as the Tourism Contact Center Toll Free number (19988), E-calendar events (www.saudievents. sa) and Saudi Tourism smartphone apps and social media channels, explains Al Sheikh.

He says campaigns and tourism offers, in addition to regular educational campaigns across mass and social media, will encourage Saudis, expatriates and GCC visitors to discover the “richness and diversity of the Kingdom’s tourism potential”.

2015 IN NUMBERS

66m

domestic and inbound (internal) tourism trips 290 SCTH-licensed tourism companies with investments of

170m

SR

($45.33 million)

11b

SR

($2.93 billion) in tourism event revenues

100m

SR

($26.67 million) invested in tourism events

Tourism generated

18b

(US$31.5 billion) in spend Tourism contributed

85.5b

SR

($22.8 billion) to GDP More than

300

festivals attended by 11.7 million event goers

5,868hotels hotels and furnished apartments

(Source: SCTH)

ATM YEARBOOK

2016

ABU DHABI

BAHRAIN

A NEW DAWN FOR

BAHRAIN

The Kingdom is investing in infrastructure, targeting new source markets, and launching its first tourism brand at this year’s Arabian Travel Market, in a bid to broaden its appeal, reveals Sheikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, CEO of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority 146 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

B

ahrain has a longstanding reputation as a hub for regional tourism.

With a history and culture that dates back thousands of years, a thriving hotel and restaurant scene, and a variety of leisure activities from shopping to water sports on offer, the Kingdom has long attracted large numbers of tourists from around the Middle East and is now looking to broaden its appeal.

Bahrain’s tourism offering is therefore undergoing a renaissance, with more funds being ploughed into products, infrastructure and positioning.

The government recently launched the new Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority with a view to growing the number of inbound GCC tourists, both nationals and expats, as well as new visitors from key source markets within a shorthaul flight distance.

The authority has also focused its attention on enhancing classification and regulatory standards for the tourism and hospitality industry.

Over the last 12 months, extensive work has also been undertaken to develop a refreshed and better articulated tourism brand and proposition for Bahrain.

The Economic Development Board, in conjunction with the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority, will therefore be launching Bahrain’s first tourism brand at this year’s Arabian Travel Market.

The Kingdom’s renewed focus on tourism is already paying dividends, with the destination attracting 11.6 million visitors in 2015, up more than 11% on the previous year. This is a very significant number, particularly in a country with a population of just over one million people, notes Sheikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, CEO of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority.

“Boasting 33 islands, a cosmopolitan capital city, an attractive liberal lifestyle and a rich history and culture, Bahrain has a lot to offer international visitors,” he says.

“Situated on the ancient Silk Road, Bahrain has been trading with the world for thousands of years. Those that have visited and inhabited Bahrain throughout the ages have left their mark on the Kingdom’s culture and values, and contributed to building a society that is open, warm and very welcoming to foreign visitors.”

Bahrain’s tourism sector is expected to continue to experience steady growth.

In 2014, the industry contributed US$700 million to Bahrain’s economy, and the Kingdom’s tourism market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.8%, reaching $1 billion by 2020.

Tourism revenues reached $604 million in 2014 and are expected to grow at a CAGR of 16% to reach $1.5 billion in 2020. In 2014, Bahrain’s tourism sector was the highest direct contributor to GDP of any economy in the Gulf.

“Driven by an increase in visitor arrivals, the hotels and restaurants sector grew by 4.1% between 2013 and 2014. This trend is expected to continue,” says Sheikh Khaled.

Bahrain’s new tourism-focused Diyar Al Muharraq district

SECTORS ON THE UP Visitors from Saudi Arabia continue to be a key driver of growth for Bahrain’s tourism industry. That said, Bahrain is also focusing on attracting more visitors from around the world, especially from the other GCC countries, India, and Europe.

Arrivals from these markets to Bahrain have been steadily increasing every year, notes Sheikh Khaled.

Bahrain’s tourism community is actively reaching out to regional and international markets to build relationships with tour operators and to showcase Bahrain’s attractions, history and culture, leisure facilities and the Kingdom’s worldclass hotels and conference facilities.

“For example, the tourism community recently visited India as part of a series of tourism roadshows designed to promote the Kingdom to potential visitors, tour operators, and event management companies,” says Sheikh Khaled.

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Bahrain Museum

“Tourism is a fast-growing sector and a key strategic focus for the country” “Other roadshows are planned throughout the rest of the year.” Bahrain is also gaining notoriety as one of the top regional hubs for conferences, attracting large numbers of corporate and MICE visitors to the destination. It already hosts a number of leading conferences including the World Islamic Banking Conference and the International Institute for Strategic Studies Manama Dialogue.

Consumer-focused event themes range from visual and performing arts to education, sport and lifestyle.

In February 2016, Bahrain’s Spring of Culture Festival, one of the biggest festivals in the Gulf, marked its 11th year. The event involves artists from all over the world and this year featured a headline performance by multiplatinum singer-songwriter Seal.

The Formula 1, an established sporting event on the Bahrain calendar, attracted almost 90,000 visitors in 2015, while earlier this year, another stalwart, the Bahrain International Airshow attracted a record 30,000 visitors during the public and trade days. Other prominent local events include Jewelry Arabia, an exhibition which continues to attract thousands of local and regional visitors, and the annual Bahrain international Book Fair, which will be held this year at the Bahrain National Museum.

INFRASTRUCTURE BOOM Bahrain is investing heavily in tourism and transportation infrastructure with a current pipeline of projects valued at more than $30 billion.

Long-term plans include constructing a second road and

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rail causeway to Saudi Arabia, developing an integrated intra-regional rail network, and modernising Bahrain International Airport to expand its capacity to 14 million passengers annually.

A number of major hotel projects are also currently under construction in Bahrain. For example, Mumtalakat, the Bahrain sovereign wealth fund, in partnership with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, plans to build a one-millionsquare-metre resort. Luxury hotel brand One & Only is also set to open a new high-end resort in the Seef area in the north west of the island featuring 150 luxury guest rooms, suites and villas, a private beach front, dining and retail facilities, and a Givenchy Spa. A variety of exciting new tourism-related projects have been earmarked for the Bahrain Bay area too, which is located on Manama’s northern most coastline.

Bahrain Bay is already home to the 273-room Four Seasons Hotel and two addition five-star properties are being developed in the bay.

In addition, the Avenues, a retail and leisure development valued more than $50 million, is being built along the narrow stretch of water near Bahrain Bay. It is set to be completed in 2017 and will include waterfront restaurants and cafés, retail outlets, a souk, an indoor market, movie theatres, arcades and a public park.

Another area under rapid development is the $3.2 billion tourism-focused Diyar Al Muharraq district in the north east. It’s already home to Dragon City and will soon feature hotels operated by Emaar Hospitality Group under the Address and Vida brands.

“Boasting 33 islands, a cosmopolitan capital city, an attractive liberal lifestyle and a rich history and culture, Bahrain has a lot to offer international visitors”

IN NUMBERS

11.6m

visitors in 2015, up 11% on 2014 “As Bahrain's tourism proposition continues to grow, new exciting attractions are poised to take the offering to a whole new level,” Sheikh Khaled stresses. “From spectacular hotels bringing incredible event spaces, to exclusive lifestyle and retail concepts, new high-end beach resorts, and picture-perfect island retreats, Bahrain is on track to welcome an increasing number of visitors.”

Tourism will contribute

1b

to Bahrain’s economy by 2020

LONG-TERM VISION “Tourism is a fast-growing sector and a key strategic focus for the country,” continues Sheikh Khaled. “Our priority is to secure focused and sustainable investment across the entire tourism ecosystem, which will create high-quality jobs for Bahrainis. Through a host of new transport and tourism infrastructure investments, as well as a new tourism brand and value proposition, we believe that we will continue to attract more visitors to Bahrain.”

The government aims to increase the tourism industry’s contribution to Bahrain's GDP and recent surveys indicate this strategy is proving a success. The World Travel and Tourism Council’s 2015 Bahrain report reveals the tourism industry contributed 10.3% of Bahrain’s total GDP in 2014 and this is forecast to rise 4.9% per annum.

Bahrain’s tourism sector’s workforce is expected to reach approximately 50,000 employees by 2020, says the WTTC.

Bahrain International Airport will undergo expansion

and will generate revenues of

1.5b 30b

worth of tourism and transport projects pipelined (Source: Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority)

2015 HIGHLIGHTS • Two new destination management companies (DMCs) launched - @Bahrain and Visit Bahrain.

• A number of major new hotel projects came to fruition, including the Four Seasons, ART Rotana and Downtown Rotana, which opened to the public.

• Bahrain International Airport announced it would be expanding, a project that will see the airport

increase its annual capacity to 14 million passengers.

• Construction continued on ‘The Avenues’, a large retail and leisure development located in the centre of Manama. The project is due for completion in 2017 and will include waterfront restaurants, an indoor market, gym and movie theatres.

• The Bahrain Dragon City opened to the public. The large Chinese-themed shopping mall hosts more than

500 Chinese businesses.

• Shop Bahrain, a nation-wide 30-day festival offered consumers and international visitors a number of promotional offers and raffles, and injected more than BD11 million (US$29 million) into the economy.

• Bahrain hosted its first annual Ironman Championship and more than 1,100 local, regional and international triathletes competed for the title.

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WE EXPECT DESTINATIONS TO CONTINUE TO SHIFT THEIR MARKETING APPROACH TO FOCUS LESS ON PRODUCTS AND MORE ON EXPERIENCES — HIS HIGHNESS SHEIKH AHMED BIN SAEED AL MAKTOUM, — H.E. HELAL SAEED ALMARRI, CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE, EMIRATES AIRLINE & GROUP DIRECTOR GENERAL, DUBAI TOURISM

ATM YEARBOOK

2016

ABU DHABI

OMAN

Beauty in diversity

Oman has made a name for itself as a world-class destination that offers culture, nature, adventure, a rich maritime heritage, and much more, atttracting strong growth in visitor numbers, according to Oman Tourism

T

Salim Al Mamari, Director General, Oman Tourism

he tourism industry is one of Oman’s key economic drivers and in 2015, visitor numbers jumped 17.7% year on year to more than 2.62 million, excluding cruise ship arrivals.

The number of GCC visitors alone increased 25% to just over one million.

“Overall tourist visits have nearly tripled since 2005 and Oman’s hospitality and services industry has grown in tandem with increasing demand,” confirms Oman Tourism Director General, Salim Al Mamari. “The number of licensed hotels in the Sultanate rose 7% to 318 last year, while the number of hotel rooms increased 8%.”

The robust sector performance figures reflect Oman’s timeless appeal, with the Sultanate boasting arguably one of the most diverse tourism offerings in the world, according to Al Mamari.

“We offer a tremendous range of opportunities for

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leisure, adventure, honeymoon and luxury holidays,” he says. “Visitors can enjoy varied experiences that range from dolphin watching, scuba diving and visiting UNESCO World Heritage sites, to world-class ballet and opera performances at the Royal Opera House Muscat and travelling to enjoy unspoiled beaches, deserts and extraordinarily mountain environments.”

MARITIME HERITAGE REVISITED Investing in Oman’s maritime heritage has been integral to the Omani government’s strategy for tourism sector development. The Sultanate has a seafaring legacy that dates back hundreds of years and is, of course, the mystical home of Sindbad the Sailor.

Today, through entities such as Oman Sail, the destination’s maritime history has been revived and the

Sultanate is a regular destination on the sailing circuit.

Theasiconic Katara Oman’s international reputation a centre for sailing Towers excellence was also recently boosted whenproject it hosted the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series (in 2016) and last year was home to the Laser Radial Women’s World Championship and Extreme Sailing Series 2015.

Oman Sail is also running exciting sailing and water sports programmes for thousands of young Omani men and women.

“We work very closely with our travel trade partners in the UAE to develop unique holiday packages and offers that showcase our rich maritime heritage and other elements of Oman’s unique tourism offer,” says Al Mamari. “Establishing a range of bespoke and tailored packages will strengthen Oman’s position as a luxury destination and reinforce the government’s push to encourage sailing among young Omanis.”

PROJECTS FOCUS Cruise tourism is also on the rise given the increase in the number of ships visiting both Salalah and Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat, with the latter currently being transformed into a dedicated tourism port.

“The waterfront development around the port will involve planned investments of around OMR500 million (US$1.3 billion) and is expected to provide about 19,000 direct and indirect jobs,” says Al Mamari.

Meanwhile, several resorts are under development in locations across the Sultanate, including Muscat, Salalah, Al-Buraimi, Jabal Al-Akhdar, Halaniyat Islands, Al Khairan, and Showimeiah.

In addition, around 39 mega tourism projects are in various stages of design, construction or tendering, he reveals. They include the Oman Exhibition and Convention Centre, Wadi Bani Habib and the Al Hoota Cave redevelopment, Duqm frontier town, and the Ras al Hadd development.

“Work on the first stage of OMR250 million ($650 million) Ras Al Hadd tourism project will start soon – an

Oman is famed for its turtles and stunning diving spots

area famous internationally as a turtle nesting site of international significance,” Al Mamari explains. “The emphasis is on archaeology, conservation and nature, which distinguishes us from our neighbours.”

Funds are also being ploughed into airport infrastructure and phase one of the new Muscat International Airport, currently under development, will take capacity to 12 million passengers annually, with further expansion increasing this number to 48 million.

Meanwhile, the opening of the new airport in Salalah last year is giving the Dhofar region in the south of Oman another tourism boost.

LUXURY FOR ALL The UAE and Saudi Arabia continue to prove strong source markets for Oman, reveals Al Mamari, “but internationally, we are focused on emerging economies such as India and China, which have a booming middle class with rising disposable incomes. The potential to tap into India's thriving weddings market is strong too”.

“The number of tourists to Oman from India and China grew by about 17% in 2015. Meanwhile we continue to target travellers seeking adventure, outdoor and luxury experiences from Europe, North America and Australasia.”

Al Mamari adds: “As part of our long-term tourism strategy, we are looking to showcase Oman’s culture, history and amazingly varied landscape to different traveller segments – Millennials, free independent travellers, empty nesters, business travellers and honeymooners.

“We are also exploring spa and wellness offers with leading international luxury hotels in Oman such as the Al Bustan Palace, Six Senses Zighy Bay, Alila Jabal Akhdar and The Chedi Muscat.”

A SUSTAINABLE MODEL Tourism has been identified as a cornerstone for economic growth and development and is a vital part of the Oman’s long-term development strategy.

A warm Omani welcome awaits

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PROJECT FOCUS • The inauguration of the new Muscat International Airport (late 2016-2017), the largest airport in Oman. Phase one will take capacity to12 million passengers annually. Further expansion will boost this figure to 48 million.

• The Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre, opening in 2016, is set to become an iconic landmark for the Sultanate of Oman and is perfectly suited to

host international, regional and national conventions, exhibitions and business events.

• Madinat Al Irfan Urban Development city is a large project that will create a new downtown area for the Muscat capital district and will set the model for planning modern cities across the Sultanate, paving the way for socio-economic growth.

• Mina Sultan Qaboos Waterfront aims to become the region’s leading waterfront destination, transforming Port Sultan Qaboos into a tourist district encompassing traditional Omani heritage and modern technology.

• New hotel openings to include two new Anantara properties and a new Four Seasons in Salalah.

2015 HIGHLIGHTS

“We offer a tremendous range of opportunities for leisure, adventure, honeymoon and luxury holidays”

The lush green Salalah landscape

JANUARY 2015 Nizwa was named Capital of Islamic Culture of 2015 Renowned for its ancient history, which is both culturally and spiritually rich, the city was selected to represent the Asian region. It has also played a vital role in the prosperity of the scientific movement in the Sultanate and the building of a strong Islamic civilisation in the country.

JUNE 2015 The inauguration of Salalah airport, Oman’s second gateway city, was given a major boost by the new airport opening, which is expected to help drive tourism to the area. Boasting state-of-theart facilities and equipment, phase one of the new airport will serve more than million travellers a year. The latest air navigation technology has been implemented at the airport.

Oman’s Snake Canyon

DECEMBER 2015 The sector, worth about OMR724 million ($1.88 billion) at the end of 2014, is expected to contribute 5% of GDP by 2020, compared to 2% currently.

“In addition to increasing its contribution to Oman’s economy, our long-term strategy is to create many thousands of jobs and ensure that sustainable tourism remains a key part of the Sultanate’s agenda,” says Al Mamari. “We constantly strive to do something unique and different for our tourists.”

The Ministry of Tourism recently launched a campaign to boost visitor numbers in the summer months, which focused on bringing more tourists to some of the cooler places in Oman, such as the Dhofar region.

More than 160,000 tourists visited the mountains of Al Jabal Akhdar in 2015, nearly half of which were overseas visitors, reveals Al Mamari.

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Popular diving spot Bandar Khayran “We are working with local tour operators to come up with all-inclusive packages and will promote these destinations in international markets,” he adds.

In 2016, Oman aims to capitalise on current travel trends, focusing on demand from three distinct groups of visitors: individuals and adventure travellers; regional travellers combining business with pleasure; and the independent female traveller.

“Given the safe, welcoming environment of Oman, it is the perfect location for both solo travellers and families,” Al Mamari concludes.

The opening of the National Museum of Oman in Muscat The venue plays host to the first Museum Education Centre in the Sultanate and the first facilities for the preventive conservation of holdings and collectables of Omani heritage.

Record tourism numbers The number of tourists to Oman reached a record high of 2,617,269 in 2015, according to the National Centre for Statistics and Information, up 11% year on year. The GCC is the Sultanate's biggest source market with residents from these countries accounting for 1,061,969 visitors.

S

ix Senses Zighy Bay has established a reputation as one of the Middle East’s most private, subtlety-luxurious and eco-friendly resorts.

Nestled in a secluded bay on Oman’s northern Musandam Peninsular, this indigenous village-style retreat boasts dramatic mountains on one side and the sandy beach of Zighy Bay on the other, as well as its own marina.

It’s known for its specialised wellness programmes, dining experiences and a range of unique destinationinspired activities, not to mention its

commitment to sustainability and support of social community initiatives.

Here, Jad Frem, Director of Sales & Marketing at Six Senses Zighy Bay, explains why the resort is well and truly one of a kind.

Q: How would you describe the property to someone who has never visited?

A: Six Senses Zighy Bay redefines the expression ‘remote yet accessible’, and strives to create unique memories. It’s a unique indigenous resort that reconnects people with themselves, others and the world around them.

Jad Frem, Director of Sales & Marketing, Six Senses Zighy Bay

Q: What makes the arrival experience so special?

A: There are three breathtaking arrival experiences from which to choose. Guests can paraglide into the resort from the top of the mountain, guided by our resident professional paraglider; make an entrance by speedboat at our marina from a neighbouring bay port; or simply take a chauffeur-driven four-wheel drive vehicle through the mountains on a scenic trip to remember.

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OMAN’S BAY OF PLENTY

Six Senses Zighy Bay is a sparkling gem nestled in Northern Oman’s rugged terrain, offering understated luxury, privacy and a chance for guests to re-connect with the simple things in life

Six Senses Zighy Bay is located on the northern Musandam Peninsula in the Sultanate of Oman

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The paragliding arrival experience

“Six Senses Zighy Bay redefines the expression ‘remote yet accessible’, and strives to create unique memories” The Private Reserve

ZIGHY BAY'S TOP SELLING POINTS • Indigenous location • Privacy of the premises

• Unique guest experiences – the paragliding arrival

• Six Senses Spa – a pioneer in wellness concepts

• A sustainable resort with true community spirit

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Q: Can you talk us through the elements of the resort that give the property a sense of place?

A: The 82 carefully-arranged villas are located in private walled enclaves and each feature their own pool. Strategically nestled in sandy laneways in a village-style setting, Zighy Bay’s accommodation offers guests space and privacy.

The resort also boasts a Private Reserve, Beit Musandam, comprising three buildings designed to reflect traditional Omani architecture. This reserve, which has its own entrance, offers four bedrooms, separate living and dining facilities, a private spa suite, gym, yoga studio, 17-metre infinity pool, wine cellar, staff quarters and a live-in butler.

Q: How has Six Senses Zighy Bay's offering evolved since its inception?

A: We offer innovative dining experiences in unique settings such as our wine cellar or our signature restaurant, Sense on the Edge, which offers breathtaking views. We’ve also introduced the Six Senses Spa brand’s new ‘Integrated Wellness Programme’, which brings together the latest technology and in-house expertise to craft personalised wellness and nutritional programmes for guests.

Q: What type of guests does the property attract and why?

A: We attract guests seeking unique leisure, adventure and wellness experiences. Six Senses presents a range of one-off and indigenous activities, from dhow cruises to rock

Six Senses Zighy Bay boasts 1.6km of sandy beach

ZIGHY BAY IN NUMBERS

33,500

trees are planted throughout the resort.

The resident professional paraglider has accompanied

11,800

passengers on paragliding experiences

1.6km of sandy beach

Six Senses Spa has organised

2,290 yoga classes

40,050 spa treatments have been performed at the Six Senses Spa

The Sense on the Edge dining experience climbing, and appeals to travellers looking for privacy in a destination comparable to no other. Six Senses is also a world-renowned pioneer in wellness concepts and our Six Senses Spa wellness programmes and visiting practitioners are a huge draw card.

Q: What new markets are you pursuing for business development?

A: China, given the growing number of travellers from the Republic visiting this region and Brazil, which is now wellconnected by air to the Gulf.

Q: Zighy Bay is known for its commitment to sustainability – how important is this aspect of your offering to your guests?

A: Six Senses Zighy Bay's ongoing social commitments include supporting Dibba Girl's School, Sharjah Charity International and Sukarina bin Al Husain School.

We not only make donations and provide services to these charities, but our resort hosts are heavily involved in the social activities of each.

The resort also has a very active environmental programme, following the universal ‘green’ commitments of the Six Senses group.

We also ‘give back’ by purchasing fish from local fishermen, which not only supports this industry, but guarantees the freshness of the product. Today’s travellers value environmental and social responsibility initiatives and

so a destination that shares their vision and passion, like Zighy Bay, is a good match.

Q: What plans do you have to enhance the property in 2016?

A: This year we’ll be adding a new salt-water pool bar, carrying out a small refurbishment, and will also introduce additional activities like bungee trampolining.

Q: What role does the resort play in raising the profile of Oman as a tourism destination?

A: We promote Six Senses Zighy Bay as part of the Sultanate of Oman through all communication channels and the resort always takes part in campaigns organised

by Oman’s Ministry of Tourism that aim to highlight this beautiful destination.

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INTRODUCING…

AL BALEED RESORT SALALAH

BY ANANTARA

General Manager James Hewitson explains the unique features of Anantara’s new property in the Sultanate of Oman’s lush green Al Dhofar region.

WHY SALALAH?

JAMES HEWITSON General Manager, Al Baleed Resort by Anantara

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Salalah is one of the most popular destinations in Oman for GCC and European tourists seeking a break away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Nestled in the southern region of Oman, Salalah has the benefit of the annual Indian monsoon, which is locally known as the ‘Khareef ’ season, and runs from early June to mid September, transforming the countryside into a veritable garden with tumbling waterfalls and meandering streams.

Oman Tourism is planning to invest heavily in Salalah and the expansion of Salalah Airport is part of its strategy to further develop the area as a tourist destination.

The recently-opened terminal has boosted capacity one million passengers annually. Future phased expansion will take this figure to six million passengers annually.

Pool Villa bedroom

AT A GLANCE • First pool villa accommodation in Salalah • First Hammam in Salalah • Adjacent to the Al Baleed UNESCO archaeological site

UNIQUE SELLING POINTS Location: Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara is the only luxury villa resort in Salalah. Boasting a design inspired by Omani fortresses, the resort is set between a scenic beach and freshwater lagoon and is adjacent to Al Baleed Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also conveniently located, just 10km from the city centre and 15km from the airport.

One-of-a-kind accommodation: The resort has 11 room categories comprising 40 Premier and Deluxe Rooms alongside eight one-bedroom Villas, and 88 one-, two- and threebedroom Pool Villas. Each accommodation option provides views of the Arabian Sea, lagoon or picturesque gardens.

The spacious Pool Villas are the first of their kind in Salalah and feature separate living areas, outdoor terraces, private temperature-controlled swimming pools and a personalised butler service.

For leisure: The Anantara Spa will feature a hammam and offer a range of Anantara’s signature spa treatments using local ingredients and techniques. Activities on offer range from water sports to tennis, and the dedicated children’s and teens’ club will feature an outdoor splash area and the latest game console equipment, while offering a host of fun and creative activities.

Culinary experiences: Will include Al Mina (Middle Eastern), Mekong (signature Asian), and Sakalan (all-day dining).

Sightseeing: Guests have direct access to the beach, while the resort is only a boat ride away, across the lagoon, from the city’s renowned Botanical Garden and the Al Baleed Museum of Frankincense. The resort also puts guests in close proximity to the Al Baleed UNESCO archaeological sites, the Citadel, City Wall and Grand Mosque.

themselves into the local history, culture and landscape. Culture aficionados can take part in historical and heritage tours; water lovers can enjoy scuba diving and an array of water sports; foodies can participate in cookery classes; and spa lovers can indulge in the first hamman in Salalah. We are aiming to target guests from Oman and neighbouring GCC countries, as well as international guests looking for an authentic Arabic experience.

The opening of Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara puts Dhofar firmly on the map for international travellers.

It is considered as a major milestone in the tourism sector, supporting the local economy on a long-term, sustainable basis.

COMMUNITY SPIRIT The resort team’s goal is to provide long-term employment and development opportunities for the residents of Dhofar.

Anantara is also working closely with the Omani Government and Omani tourism colleges to recruit Omani citizens as part of its Omanisation efforts. We are also selecting Omani candidates from Dhofar to spend one month in Thailand training in our resorts to get some international exposure in the hospitality industry and we will continue to do this on a long-term basis.

The Pool Villas introduce a new accommodation concept to Salalah

GUEST PROFILE The resort is an ideal option for tourists looking to explore Oman’s stunning natural landscape and heritage sites. Guests can take part in an array of bespoke cultural activities, each led by a dedicated guru. A range of tailor-made, authentic experiences have been designed to allow guests to immerse

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INTRODUCING‌

ANANTARA AL JABAL AL AKHDAR Meet Darren Darwin, General Manager of Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar, one of the highest resorts in the world.

WHY AL JABAL AL AKHDAR? When we decided to enter the Oman market we wanted to target areas that were untouched; somewhere without a five-star hotel, in a unique location, that was aligned to Anantara's brand ethos. With this in mind, Al Jabal Al Akhdar felt like the best place to launch the first Anantara property in Oman.

DARREN DARWIN General Manager, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar

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UNIQUE SELLING POINTS Perched at 2,000 metres above sea level, the

resort will be the highest five-star resort in the Middle East and one of the highest resorts in the world.

I believe that what makes us unique is our luxury offering and our indigenous products and experiences, combined with the vast array of both activities and local spa treatments we have on offer.

We have taken the time to understand our location and the local culture and we truly believe guests will experience this in everything we offer, from the food, to the products used in the spa.

As well as being home to the first hammam in Oman, the resort will also play host a vast range of activities, from mountain biking to hiking and stargazing to sunrise yoga, all led by a local

AT A GLANCE • Highest five-star resort in the Middle East, 2,000 metres about sea level • First Hamman in Oman • Dining by Design at scenic lookout point • Activities range from biking and hiking to stargazing and sunrise yoga

Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar is the highest five-star resort in the Middle East

expert. We will also have a kids' and teens' club, plus six restaurants and lounges from which to choose, serving a mixture of both Omani and international cuisine.

Furthermore, Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana once sought out the mountains’ breathtaking heights by helicopter, alighting to revel in the scenic views.

We offer a scenic lookout point at the resort where Princess Diana apparently stood.

It is here that we will offer a signature Anantara experience called ‘Dining By Design’ for our guests.

GUEST PROFILE At first our focus will be to attract the GCC

market. Due to the high altitude, the resort enjoys cool temperatures throughout the year, allowing guests to escape the heat experienced in the rest of the GCC during the summer months and to participate in the resort and mountain activities that we will offer.

I believe our unique offering will attract a range of guests.

For example, we believe our six dining outlets, as well as our Dining By Design concept, will attract the foodies of the world.

We also have a terrific spa and a fantastic wellness offering as part of our Balance Wellness programme.

From sunrise yoga to our raw juice bar, we hope to entice the lifestyle crowd, especially from the UAE and European markets.

COMMUNITY SPIRIT We are working very closely with the local villages in Al Jabal Al Akhdar to ensure they benefit from the hotel opening in July 2016.

Once the resort is open, we will introduce the Friday Souk, where we will transform the resort courtyard into a traditional market to support local vendors and share their craft.

We will also be working closely with the local rose water distilleries during the prime season to arrange trips for guests within the resort.

Finally, we have employed a number of locals to help us prepare for the launch, who have been assisting with everything from creating furnishings (paintings, pottery etc) to supporting with landscaping.

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SHANGRI-LA marks 10 years in Muscat

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One of Oman’s leading luxury resorts, the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2016

O

n February 26 this year, (2016), Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa in Muscat celebrated its 10th anniversary.

This stunning resort, tucked away in a secluded cove along the Omani capital’s rugged coastline, was three years in the making before it opened its doors in 2006, to much acclaim.

Featuring 640 rooms, the resort doubled the total room inventory available in Muscat at the time.

It was, and remains, Muscat’s largest resort in terms of both size and facilities available.

During the construction of Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, materials were shipped to the site by sea because the road leading to the property was still being built.

The resort complex was designed to be self-contained, boasting its own independent location, including its own desalination plant and backup generators. The construction work was so extensive that on occasions, more than 3,000 workers could be found on site each day.

When creating the concept of Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, its architects and designers followed traditional themes to produce an experience that alluded to Oman’s rich cultural heritage.

The ancient castles, palaces, cities, towns and mud brick villages that embody the Sultanate’s

unique regional identity were the main focus and inspiration for the resort.

Today, these themes remain evident throughout the property in its opulent decor and style.

OMAN’S FIRST TURTLE RANGER Since time immemorial, sea turtles have been making their way onto Oman’s beaches to lay their eggs.

To ensure these rare and endangered creatures experience minimum disruption during their annual pilgrimage, the resort appointed the Sultanate’s, and Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts' first-ever hotel turtle ranger, Mohammed Al Hassini. Since the resort’s opening, Al Hassini, who was also Shangri-La’s first turtle ranger, has helped 50,000 turtle hatchlings (from just over 1,000 nests) make their way to the ocean.

During the design and construction of the resort it was important to preserve this environment for the turtles, so after careful consideration, the resort was designed to ensure all lighting at night was directed away from the shores so as not to impact on the nesting turtles.

ECONOMIC IMPACT Shangri-La Muscat has always been a key contributor to Oman’s tourism sector and has

provided jobs for more than 5,500 people since opening in 2006. More than 145 members of staff from the original team originally recruited still work at the property today.

At the time of opening, 1,200 palm trees were planted in the grounds of the resort for every member of staff employed, and these palms still line the backdrop of the resort today.

The property has also been an ambassador for the Sultanate’s Omanisation efforts by providing jobs for the local community.

It has employed nearly 2,000 Omani colleagues since opening, all of whom have a dedication and passion for training and developing their skills for future careers, according to Mark Kirk, Area Manager and Hotel General Manager at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa. Having forged a strong partnership with the National Hospitality Institute in Wadi Al Kabir, Shangri-La Muscat has helped many young Omanis forge a career in hospitality after completing their training and education.

In addition to the direct employment Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa has provided in Muscat, third parties such as taxi drivers, partner-operated cars and tour guides have all benefited from the opening of the resort, says Kirk.

It is estimated that on average, the resort

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THE RESORT IN NUMBERS

2006 opening

3

years to build On occasions,

3,000

receives more than 85,350 independent transports per year, which since opening has generated revenue for more than 850,000 contributors to Muscat’s tourism industry.

CSR INITIATIVES Over the last 10 years, Corporate Social Responsibility has been a growing focus at the resort and the team and management have supported more than 1,900 CSR projects, ranging from beach clean-up exercises, fundraising and water distribution to redeveloping entire homes and schools for the local community.

“As a pioneer staff member since 2006, I am personally very proud to be here 10 years

after opening the resort,” says Kirk. “From the moment I arrived, I fell in love with Oman.”

“I spent a short time working in Dubai and when I returned to Muscat, it was just like coming home.”

He continues: “There are many achievements the resort has accomplished over the past 10 years and we are all very proud and excited to be celebrating this milestone anniversary. We have always maintained our Shangri-La values of hospitality from the heart, and we can truly say our hearts lie in Muscat”.

Since 2006, Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa has welcomed more than 2,781,365 guests to the resort from all over the world.

“We look forward to another 10 years of developing tourism in Oman, says Kirk.”

workers

on site at one time

1,200

Turtle Beach host numerous events

palm trees

planted to represent each member of staff

2,000 Omani employees since opening

More than 2,000 Omanis have worked at the resort since 2006

2.78m guests since 2006

640

rooms and suites

1,900 CSR projects

“We have a dedication and passion for training and developing skills for future careers”

FIVE MINUTES WITH… Q: What has the resort achieved during its 10 years in operation?

Over the past decade, Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa has achieved many milestones of which we are proud, starting with the moment we opened our doors and doubled the room inventory in Muscat. The resort has also been an ambassador in supporting jobs for the local community, employing nearly 2,000 Omani colleagues since 2006. We have a dedication and passion for training and developing skills for future careers, which has been evident in the 5,500 members of staff that have been employed here over the years. We have also supported more than 1,900 CSR projects, while our turtle ranger has helped more than 50,000 turtle hatchlings (from just over 1,000 nests) make their way to the ocean.

Q: How has the resort helped to put Muscat and Oman on the global tourism and MICE map?

As the largest resort in Muscat, Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa has been instrumental in developing global tourism to Oman. Since opening the resort has

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Mark Kirk, Area Manager and Hotel General Manager at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Muscat

‘The GCC has become a source market for Oman throughout the year, when previously this would be a seasonal trend” had more than 1.4 million rooms occupied, bringing approximately 1.1 million international visitors to the Sultanate. The resort was also the very first venue in Muscat to achieve a breakthrough in terms of attracting the destination wedding market and in 2014, hosted the first, and largest, Indian wedding in Oman. The versatility of the resort as a MICE destination has led to a unique offering being presented in a unique location, which has gained exposure in the global market not just for Shangri-La Muscat, but Oman as a destination.

Q: What are your plans to evolve the resort over the next 10 years?

The resort is constantly evolving as guest needs constantly change. We recently opened a new Eco Centre to showcase all of the environmental activities we offer and will be launching new wedding initiatives over the coming months. In addition, we are launching an exciting new MICE incentive called the ‘Events Collection’, which is being rolled out across the Shangri-La group. This will focus on bespoke event experiences and will offer unique rewards to both companies and individuals booking MICE events at the resort.

Q: Why is the resort so popular and what trends are you noticing in terms of guest profile and top source market – and how has this changed over the last 10 years?

Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa is a unique destination within a destination. With three properties we have the advantage of being able to focus on our guests and their needs whether that is a family looking for a fun filled holiday, a couple seeking exploration and adventure or someone looking to relax in a refined luxurious sanctuary – there really is something for everyone here.

Over the past 10 years we have seen source markets grow and expand, predominantly with guests from markets such as the UK, Germany, France and Switzerland showing steady year-on-year growth. Another key observation in more recent years is that the GCC has become a source market for Oman throughout the year, when previously this would be a seasonal trend, with this guest demographic travelling only in the summer months. We are now seeing more Eastern European markets develop, as well as Asia, India and Russia.

Q: How is the resort celebrating the 10-year anniversary?

The 10-year anniversary celebrations started in February with a variety of special offers, including rooms for only OMR 10 (US$26). We also hosted a staff appreciation event in March, attended by more than 700 employees. This involved an evening of entertainment showcasing our 2015 achievements and also gave special recognition to the 145 members of staff that were working at the resort when it opened in 2006 who are still with us today. The offers and celebrations will continue throughout this milestone year for Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa.

Al Husn

AT A GLANCE Overview A three-hotel luxury resort set across 124 acres and located on the bay (‘barr’) against a dramatic mountainous backdrop and fronting the Sea of Oman.

Location Approximately 45 minutes from Muscat International Airport and only 20 minutes away from downtown Muscat.

Three hotels, one destination The property comprises the exclusive Al Husn (The Castle), Al Bandar (The Town) and the family-oriented Al Waha (The Oasis) hotels. All 640 rooms and suites overlook the Sea of Oman.

Al Husn The exclusive Al Husn hotel is inspired by the historic architecture of Omani forts.

It offers a highly personalised service and the ultimate experience for discerning guests. Situated on a headland, Al Husn provides spectacular views of the coastline and the resort. It offers 180 rooms and suites and five F&B outlets.

Al Bandar Al Bandar’s architecture is inspired by old Muscat, featuring buildings of varying heights and ornate balconies. The deluxe property offers 198 guestrooms, each with a balcony or terrace with views of the garden, sea or swimming pool. There are eight F&B outlets, 11 meeting rooms and the 1,008-square-metre Barr Al Jissah Ballroom. Al Bandar’s dominant feature is its large, unconventionally shaped swimming pool, providing access to the 500-metre Lazy River, which gives guests an unusual method to travel between Al Bandar and Al Waha.

Al Waha The architecture of Al Waha is traditional Dhofari, from the southern region of Oman. It comprises 262 guestrooms across five categories, all with sea-facing views. With families in mind, Al Waha features the Cool Zone, a club for children up to the age of 10. There’s a main pool, a toddler pool with a rubber-cushioned floor and a separate pool shaped like a water mushroom for older children.

F&B choice The three hotels share 22 food and beverage outlets that offer a mix of dining options, from poolside snacks to specialty restaurants. Each of the main restaurants serves a unique cuisine, such as Lebanese, Moroccan, Italian, Middle Eastern, Indian, Asian and South American.

Outdoor events venue The Omani Heritage Village and the Al Midan Amphitheatre, with seating for 1,000 people, is a unique venue. Many musical, theatrical and cultural events unfold on its stage, enthralling guests and visitors under the canopy of bright stars that blaze in the Arabian sky. It’s also ideal for private and corporate functions, festivals and weddings.

Spa and recreation • Six freshwater swimming pools within the entire resort complex • Health Club and CHI, The Spa • Four tennis courts • Children’s facilities include Splashpad, GameZ, Mini Golf, Cool Zone and Adventure Zone • Marina and dive centre • A full-time turtle ranger who looks after the giant turtles that lay eggs on the hotel beaches and oversees their hatchlings • Water sports: diving, kayaking and snorkelling • Al Mazaar Souk with retail stores and Omani Heritage Village

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HALAL-FRIENDLY TRAVEL IS A LIFESTYLE, A CHOICE OF FREE-WILL TO DISCOVER IN A WAY THAT IS COMFORTABLE TO THE TRAVELLER — NABEEL SHARIFF, FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, SERENDIPITY TAILORMADE

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ABU DHABI HALAL

TOURISM ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 169

The rise of

ISLAMIC TOURISM M

uslims are expected to account for 26.5% of the world’s population by 2030.

The majority live in countries with fast-growing economies such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey and the Gulf states, which are holding greater sway over the global economy. Consumer wealth in these countries is also growing rapidly.

In 2013, Muslim consumers spent more than US$2 trillion on food and lifestyle products and this figure is expected to reach a staggering $3.7 trillion by 2019, according to the Global Islamic Economy 2014-2015 report by Thomson Reuters and DinarStandard.

Faith is increasingly influencing the purchasing decisions of Muslim consumers as they search for products and services that take into account their religious beliefs. This has been illustrated over the last decade by the accelerated growth of the Islamic banking and halal food and lifestyle sectors. The typical Muslim consumer is now younger, educated and with a larger disposable income, which has led to an increased propensity to travel.

The MasterCard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2015 study found the global Muslim travel sector was worth $145 billion in 2014, with 108 million Muslim travellers representing 10% of the entire travel economy.

This is forecast to grow to 150 million visitors by 2020 and 11% of the market with an expenditure projected to grow to $200 billion.

HALAL HOTSPOTS The UAE, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia are the countries most often cited as leading halal tourism destinations because they offer family-friendly accommodation, food and other facilities that adhere to Islamic principles.

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How savvy destinations and companies around the globe are targeting the lucrative Muslim travel market, which is predicted to be worth more than $200 billion by 2019

The list of criteria Muslim travellers and families seek include halal-certified restaurants, prayer facilities, separate male and female facilities including spas, pools and beaches and at hotels, an alcohol-free environment with appropriate family music and entertainment. Hotel rooms should also offer prayer mats and signs (Kiblats) pointing to Mecca.

The GMTI 2015 index ranks Malaysia the most halal-friendly tourism destination in the world of all Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries with a score of 83.8.

It is the fifth year in a row that Malaysia has ranked number one having topped the previous rankings produced by CrescentRating since 2011.

Malaysia was followed by Turkey (73.8), the UAE (72.1), Saudi Arabia (71.3) and Qatar (68.2) respectively.

In terms of non-Organisation of Islamic Cooperation countries, Singapore ranked the most halal-friendly tourism destination, followed by Thailand, the UK and South Africa respectively.

The index ranks destinations on a scale of 0 to 100 according to a number of criteria with 40% weighted towards number of Muslim visitor arrivals, safety and its family-friendly credentials and another 40% focusing on Muslim-friendly facilities, accommodation, food and services. The remaining 20% takes into account Muslim travel market awareness and ease of communication.

Evening view of crystal mosque in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

AN ATM FOCUS Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE), the organiser of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), has recognised the growing importance of the global halal travel sector and at this year’s show features a seminar discussing what steps the tourism industry can take to better cater to Muslim travellers. Speakers include Mr Zulkifly MD Said, Director General, Islamic Tourism Centre, Ministry of Tourism & Culture Malaysia; Chris Nader, Vice President – Development, Shaza Hotels; Nabeel Shariff, Founder & Director of UK-based Serendipity Tailormade; Bader Ahli – Manager Government Travel & Local Affairs, dnata Travel; and Faeez Fadhlillah, CEO & CoFounder of Tripfez, Salam Standard and Lagisatu.

Zulkifly will discuss what makes Malaysia the number one destination globally for Muslim travellers, who account for 20.7% of all arrivals to the country each year, while Nader will explain how Shaza Hotels is developing its halal-friendly offering.

Ahli will reveal how dnata is catering to Muslim travellers having introduced a range of tours and services dedicated to this market at the end of last year.

The ‘Holidays Tailored for You’ programme offers Muslim holidaymakers packages that allow them to practice their faith easily at several destinations.

Fadhlillah will explain how his new online hotel reference and booking tools are meeting Muslim market demand.

Salam Standard provides detailed information about Muslimfriendly hotels around the world, with properties ranked against a number of criteria.

Tripfez is an Online Travel Agent (OTA) dedicated to Muslim travellers, allowing them to browse and book more than 200,000 properties, at least 10,000 of which are Salam Standard-certified.

Shariff will reveal why luxury halal-friendly tours are in hot demand and how they should be crafted.

“At Serendipity Tailormade and Luxury Halal Travel we believe halalfriendly travel is a lifestyle, a choice of free-will to discover in a way that is comfortable to the traveller,” he says.

“The halal-friendly elements are implied; they are part of the product and based on our own research and the experience of the destination is one of the most important elements of their holiday.”

LOMBOK THE ISLAND OF 1,000 MOSQUES Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism has identified Islamic tourism as a high-growth niche market it is keen to develop given the country’s dominant Muslim population and its plethora of halal-friendly facilities and services, from restaurants and accommodation to spas and dedicated halal tours.

The picturesque island of Lombok, located in the West Nusa Tenggara province and a neighbour to wellknown Bali, is fast gaining a reputation as a halal destination given its Islamic heritage, from places of worship to shrines dedicated to ancient Muslim preachers.

Already being promoted as the ‘island of 1,000 mosques’, Lombok’s authorities recently unveiled plans to build a number of amenities to appeal to Muslim visitors, including a sizeable Islamic centre that will be home to a mosque, hotel and a study facility.

Specially trained tour guides are also being appointed to help Muslim visitors locate nearby mosques at prayer time, while Lombok’s hotel industry is being encouraged to gain Shariah certification – a benchmarking system that mirrors many star rating programmes already in place for conventional hotels.

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Wonderful Indonesia

172 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

INDONESIA embraces the world H.E. Arief Yahya, Minister of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia explains how ‘Wonderful Indonesia’s’ diverse offering appeals to a truly global crowd, including a growing number of Middle East visitors seeking spa, shopping and halal-friendly holidays

T

he Indonesian Government has identified tourism as a sector vital to the country’s economic growth and in 2015, rolled out a number of initiatives to drive its development, from new relaxed visa regulations and progressive tourism policies to infrastructure enhancements and destination-awareness campaigns.

The government allocated almost US$200 million to support tourism promotion last year, which covered a wide range of themes including marine, shopping and Islamic or ‘halal-friendly’ tourism. It allowed Indonesia to develop business from non-traditional medium- and long-haul regions like Northern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa and as a result, countries including Bahrain,

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 173

Komodo National Park

Kuwait, Oman and Egypt are now on the ministry’s radar.

This strategy has been supported by the government’s new visa-free policy, applicable to 90 countries globally, including nine in MENA – Qatar, UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, KSA, Jordan, Lebanon and Morocco.

A HALAL-FRIENDLY DESTINATION The Middle East is a key growth market for Indonesia, explains H.E. Arief Yahya, Minister of Tourism for the Republic of Indonesia.

“Our focus is to increase awareness about Indonesia amongst Middle Eastern travellers,” he says.

“We are positioning Indonesia as a tourist destination that offers a diverse range of products and we are promoting special cruise, spa, and golf packages in particular.”

Home to more than 200 Muslims and a raft of halalfriendly facilities, Indonesia is considered a world leading Islamic tourism destination, which is an obvious draw card for Middle East tourists, says Yahya.

“Indonesia is the best place for Muslim travellers to enjoy various experiences with the reassurance of halal preferences and services,” he confirms.

“For example, Bali, the most well-known Indonesian tourist destination in the world, has many hotels that can

174 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

“Indonesia is the best place for Muslim travellers to enjoy various experiences with the reassurance of halal preferences and services” accommodate Muslim tourists and their families. While they are enjoying the beauty of Bali’s nature and culture, they still have a place to pray and to eat halal food.”

Indonesia offers a wide range of halal-friendly hotels, restaurants, tours and spas and is developing destination branding campaigns to promote these credentials in markets like the Middle East.

“Halal-friendly hotels provide standardised and certified services and facilities for Muslims to conduct their religious rituals, such as prayer equipment, the direction of qibla in each room, scheduled prayer times, the guarantee of halal food and other necessities for their comfort,” says Yahya.

“Restaurants are halal-certified to ensure no forbidden food or beverages are served and halal tour planning

TOP SELLING POINTS INDONESIA HAS EVERYTHING Mountains, valleys, forests, plantations, beaches, and marine life.

AFFORDABLE Hotel accommodation or rental villas to suit all budgets, from low-cost to five-star. Groups and families are well catered to.

FANTASTIC SHOPPING EXPERIENCES From international malls to traditional markets.

DIVERSE HALAL FOOD OFFERING Indonesia boasts a range of traditional and modern cuisine with most dishes made according to the halal tradition with halal ingredients.

LARGEST MUSLIM COUNTRY IN THE WORLD Home to more than 200 million Muslims plus halal food and facilities, mosques, azans, and kiblah signs in every hotel room.

HIGH FREQUENCY OF FLIGHTS AND SEAT CAPACITY FROM THE MIDDLE EAST Direct flights to Jakarta and Bali with connections to other cities. In 2014, Indonesia offered 1,911,382 available seats for Middle East travellers.

HALAL SPA CONCEPTS Indonesia's traditional and international spas use halal ingredients and offer segregated facilities for men and women.

MULTIPLE EXPERIENCES FOR MIDDLE EAST TRAVELLERS Family: Dunia Fantasi (Jakarta), Taman Safari (Bogor), Water Parks (Jakarta, Bali, Yogyakarta), Transworld (Bandung) and The Jungle (Bogor).

Business and MICE: Bogor, Bandung, Jakarta, Surabaya and Medan.

Honeymoon: Bali and Lombok.

FAMILY FRIENDLY AND TOLERANT Indonesians respect all cultures and religions. It’s a warm and friendly tourist destination.

MARITIME AND CRUISE TOURISM Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo has earmarked the maritime sector as an area for economic development given the country spans some 17,000 islands. The Ministry of Tourism has therefore focused on promoting its marine and cruise tourism offering and the government has introduced a one-day permit policy for every cruise ship entering Indonesia to encourage more cruise firms to visit the country.

INFRASTRUCTURE BOOST Indonesia has given the green light to a number of infrastructure development programmes that will positively impact the tourism industry. They include a new high-speed train line between the cities of Jakarta and Bandung and 125 new airports that will facilitate more inter-island flights in the future.

Halal tour packages: During Ramadan or Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha,to Aceh, Jawa Barat and Jakarta.

EDUCATIONAL TOURISM PRODUCTS Taman Pintar (Yogyakarta), Taman Matahari (Bogor) and Tsunami Tourism (Banda Aceh).

GROWING INTEREST FROM THE MIDDLE EAST TRAVEL MARKET International tourist arrivals from the Middle East to Indonesia doubled in just two years, from 100,000 in 2012 to 201,723 in 2014. The target is for 2015 and 2016 is 250,000 and 300,000 respectively.

FREE VISAS FOR 90 COUNTRIES Includes Qatar, UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, KSA, Jordan, Lebanon and Morocco.

NEW AND IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE Enhancements to airports, roads and bridges to support tourism industry growth.

HALAL-FRIENDLY FACILITIES, SERVICES AND TOURISM PACKAGES Indonesia is promoting its halal-friendly credentials across its hotel, restaurant, tour and spa offering and is considered one of the world’s leading Islamic tourism destinations.

is standardised, in particular for corporate travel. Each sightseeing trip offers the freedom to pray with prayer facilities provided at tourist spots.”

Yahya flags up Indonesia’s unique halal spa offering too, with services and treatments administered in accordance with Islamic standards. Facilities and therapists are genderspecific and all therapy products are halal-certified.

“Indonesia also has many interesting tourist attractions for Muslim families such as Dunia Fantasi in Jakarta; Taman Safari in Bogor; water parks in major cities like Jakarta, Bali and Yogyakarta; Transworld in Bandung; and the jungle in Bogor,” adds Yahya.

Special interest groups are also well-catered for, from cycling, diving, water sports and paragliding for sports enthusiasts to medical and wellness facilities for spa goers, cruise, boat and nature tours for adventure seekers, and markets and malls for shopaholics.

“Indonesia has everything for Middle Eastern tourists: sun, shopping, beaches, luxury resorts, top quality spas, unique wildlife, cultural richness, natural beauty, and family-friendly facilities,” says Yahya.

With this diverse offering in mind, the Ministry of Tourism continues to use the ‘Wonderful Indonesia’ tagline in its promotional efforts, positioning Indonesia as a “wishlist country for world travellers”.

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“In 2016 we are expanding our promotional activities beyond the UAE and KSA to include Oman, Egypt, Kuwait and Qatar”

Bali rice terrace

2016 STRATEGY Until recently, Indonesia focused its marketing efforts on major source markets such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Australia, but building on the diversification strategy the Ministry of Tourism spearheaded in 2015, it is now targeting tourism business from 15 key countries, including some in the Middle East.

From January to November 2015, Middle East arrivals to Indonesia reached 169,335, the majority of which were from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE and Bahrain.

This represents a 6.55% increase on 158,924 arrivals reported during the same period in 2014.

“Although the number is still low, we believe the Middle Eastern markets are very promising,” says Yahya.

“Therefore, in 2016, we are expanding our promotional activities beyond the UAE and KSA to include Oman, Egypt, Kuwait and Qatar. We consider this as an opportunity to introduce Indonesia as a world-known destination for all tourists from all countries, including those in the Gulf.”

He hopes the awareness drive will boost arrivals from the Middle East to 300,000 by the end of 2016.

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INDONESIA IN NUMBERS The largest archipelago in the world with

13,000 islands Free visa policy for

250M 200M 90 people and 1,128 tribes

countries including 9 in the Middle East

Muslims

10.41M 8.5 $1,190

On average they stayed for

foreign arrivals in 2015

days

and spent

per person per visit

ATM YEARBOOK

2016

ABU DHABI INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

PIPELINE PLANS2016 Leading hotel operators provide an update on their regional footprint and their goals for future expansion

178 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

ibis Dubai One Central, Dubai

DUSIT INTERNATIONAL 5 PROPERTIES, 1,496 KEYS IN MENA

• COMING SOON: 7 properties, 1,661 keys.

• TARGET: 12 new hotels within the next 3-5 years.

• NEW FOR 2016: dusitD2 Kenz Dubai with 235 keys.

• DID YOU KNOW? The 350-key dusitD2 Palm

Mall Muscat, scheduled for completion in 2017, will be located within the mixed-use Palm Mall development, featuring unique attractions including Oman’s first snow village and the Sultanate’s largest aquarium. dusitD2 Palm Mall Muscat

ACCORHOTELS MIDDLE EAST 74 PROPERTIES, 19,437 KEYS IN MENA

• BRANDS: Sofitel, Pullman, Majilis Grand Mercure, Novotel, Mercure, Adagio, Ibis, ibis Styles.

• COMING SOON: 52 properties, 13,611 keys.

• NEW BRAND: 2 M Gallery properties are in the pipeline.

• TARGET: More than 33,000 new rooms in operation over the next 3 years.

• 2015 OPENINGS: 9 properties, 2,200 rooms: UAE (4), Iran (2), KSA (1), Bahrain (1) and Egypt (1).

• NEW FOR 2016: 4 properties to date (2 UAE, 2 KSA) spanning 1,864 keys, including the largest ibis hotel in the region – ibis Dubai One Central, Dubai.

• DID YOU KNOW: AccorHotels became the first international hotel group top operate in Iran in 2015, opening two hotels in Tehran in Q4 – ibis IKIA (196 rooms) and Novotel IKIA (296 rooms).

Rove Downtown Dubai

ROVE HOTELS Emaar Hospitality Group will debut its mid-market Rove Hotels brand this year when Rove Downtown Dubai opens its doors. The group describes the brand as a “global traveller’s basecamp” that “transcends mid-market norms”. “Rove offers a hospitality experience that celebrates the city's cultural diversity and modern outlook in understated, authentic and casual elegance. Here, technology is an extension of the lifestyle and efficiency is paramount," it says.

IBIS STYLES JUMEIRAH DUBAI AccorHotels introduced the ibis Styles brand to the Middle East in 2015 with the opening of the 191-key ibis Styles Jumeirah in August. The ibis Styles brand is distinctive for its all-inclusive package, which includes the room, breakfast buffet, high-speed Wi-Fi internet access and a host of other little extras. A second ibis Styles property opened in Dubai in February 2016; the 251-key ibis Styles Dragon Mart.

Ibis Styles Dragon Mart sports lounge

EMAAR HOSPITALITY GROUP 6 PROPERTIES, 1,060 KEYS IN MENA

• COMING SOON: 18 properties, 4,306 keys.

• TARGET: 18+ new properties across the UAE, Turkey, Egypt, Bahrain and Abuja • NEW FOR 2016: Rove Downtown Dubai, The Address Boulevard Dubai and The Address Residences Boulevard Dubai.

• DID YOU KNOW? The 421-room Rove Downtown will be located within walking distance of The Dubai Mall. Its interior design will reflect Dubai’s heritage, but with a unique modern twist.

Rove Downtown Dubai F&B concept

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FRHI HOTELS & RESORTS 17 PROPERTIES IN MENA • • • •

BRANDS: Fairmont (13), Raffles (3), Swissôtel (1).

COMING SOON: 11 properties.

BRANDS: Fairmont (11), Raffles 2), Swissôtel (5).

TARGET: 11+ new properties by 2020 across the MEA region.

• 2015 OPENINGS: The 252-room Fairmont Ajman.

• NEW FOR 2016: Fairmont Fujairah, Fairmont Amman, Fairmont Marina Resort, Abu Dhabi, Fairmont Riyadh, Business Gate.

• DID YOU KNOW? FRHI has 5 new Swissôtel hotels pipelined for the region. The last to open will be Swissôtel Katameyah Cairo in 2020.

FAIRMONT MARINA RESORT ABU DHABI Fairmont Marina Resort Abu Dhabi will open in 2017, featuring 563 rooms, 249 branded residences, 9 restaurants, some 12,500 square metres of meeting space, and Fairmont’s signature Willow Stream Spa.

Fairmont Marina Resort Abu Dhabi

Swissôtel Katameyah Cairo

HILTON WORLDWIDE

THE UNBOUND COLLECTION BY HYATT

77 PROPERTIES, 22,575 KEYS IN MEA AND 39 PROPERTIES, 11,350 KEYS IN MENA • COMING SOON: 99 properties, 29,283 keys in MEA. and 61 properties, 19,671 in MENA. • TARGET: 99+ properties in total.

• 2015 OPENINGS: Dubai (3), KSA (2), Egypt (1), Doha (1).

• NEW FOR 2016: Morocco (1), KSA (1), Doha (1), Jordan (1).

• DID YOU KNOW? In January, Hilton Worldwide unveiled Tru by Hilton, a brand that is “simplified, spirited and grounded in value”, filling a void in the underserved mid-scale category in the US and Canada. There are 102 hotels signed and an additional 30 hotels in various stages of approval in cities across North America.

The 285-room Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa opens in Q4, 2016.

The Driskill Hotel in Austin Texas from The Unbound Collection

MID-MARKET FOCUS Hilton Worldwide is taking huge steps to meet demand for mid-market hotel options, illustrated by the UAE launch of Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton by Hilton in 2015. In Q4, 2015, three Hilton Garden Inn hotels opened in Dubai, joining two Hilton Garden Inn properties in Saudi Arabia.

In April 2015, the company announced the arrival of Hampton by Hilton to the Middle East, with the largest property for the brand anywhere in the world, Hampton by Hilton Dubai Al Qusais (420 rooms).

Hyatt Place Dubai opened in 2015

HYATT HOTELS

12 PROPERTIES, 4,000 KEYS ACROSS THE GCC • BRANDS: Grand Hyatt (3), Park Hyatt (3), Hyatt Regency (3), Hyatt Place Hyatt Capital Gate (1).

Curio – A(2), Collection

by Hilton

180 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016 Hilton Garden Inn Dubai Al Mina

The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, launched this year, is a global collection of properties offering a unique independent-stay experience. The collection will include a portfolio of new and existing upper-upscale and luxury properties including historic urban gems, contemporary trend-setters, boutique hotels, resorts, and more, each with their own individual brand identities.

• COMING SOON: 9 properties, more than 1,600 keys, across KSA (6), UAE (2) and Doha (1).

• TARGET: More than 21 properties GCC wide.

• 2015 OPENINGS: 2: Grand Hyatt Muscat and Hyatt Place Dubai.

• NEW FOR 2016: Grand Hyatt Emirates Pearl, Abu Dhabi, and Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya.

• DID YOU KNOW? Hyatt will open 6 properties in Saudi Arabia over the next two years; 2 in Riyadh, 2 in Jeddah and 2 in Mecca, spanning 900 keys. It willGarden take the portfolio to 8 properties.

Hilton Inngroup’s Dubai AlKSA Muraqabat

JUMEIRAH GROUP InterContinental Dubai Marina

22 PROPERTIES, 5,586 KEYS WORLDWIDE • BRANDS: Jumeirah and soon, VENU. • COMING SOON: 26 properties, with 18 already under construction.

• TARGET: More than 48 worldwide.

• 2015 OPENINGS: Jumeirah Bodrum Palace Hotel with 135 keys.

• NEW FOR 2016: The 430-key Jumeirah Al Naseem, Dubai.

• DID YOU KNOW: The name ‘Al Naseem’, which means a gentle wind or sea breeze in Arabic, reflects the location of the hotel on the shoreline of the Arabian Gulf.

IHG

78 PROPERTIES, 23,300 KEYS IN THE MIDDLE EAST • BRANDS: InterContinental Hotels & Resorts (25), Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts (19), Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts (25), Holiday Inn Express (4), Staybridge Suites (3).

• COMING SOON: 25 hotels, 9,658 keys across the UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain.

• TARGET: At least 25 new properties.

• 2015 OPENINGS: 3 properties: 2 in KSA and 1 in Dubai.

• DID YOU KNOW? The 150-room InterContinental Dubai Marina is home to celebrity chef Jason Atherton’s first restaurant in the UAE, Marina Social.

Jumeirah Al Naseem

The new private deck

NEW ADDITION TO THE BURJ A new ‘luxury lifestyle facility’ at the Burj Al Arab, due to open in Q2, 2016, has been developed using state-of-the-art environmental technology, design, manufacturing expertise and marine installation mastery, a combination which has never before been attempted. It’s a 10,000-square-metre private luxury deck that will fan 100 metres out into the Arabian Gulf and accommodate 32 cabanas, 400 sun loungers, one fresh water pool (612 square metres), one salt water pool (828 square metres), a restaurant and a bar.

LOUVRE HOTELS GROUP

49 PROPERTIES, MORE THAN 7,158 KEYS IN MENA • COMING SOON: 10 properties, 1,400 keys.

• TARGET: 8-10 hotels to open per year in MENA between now and 2020, with a target portfolio of more than 95 hotels.

• NEW FOR 2016: KSA (5), UAE (2), Lebanon (2), Qatar (1), across three brand: Golden Tulip, Tulip Inn and Royal Tulip brands.

• DID YOU KNOW? The 195-key Golden Tulip Doha will open in Q2, 2016, featuring state-of-the-art meetings facilities and a dedicated Executive Lounge.

A standard guest room a The Golden Tulip Doha

NEW MIDSCALE BRANDS Louvre Hotels plans to introduce new mid-scale brands to the region by 2018. They include Kyriad and the group’s core budget brands, Campanile and Premier Classe. Louvre Hotels Group is targeting a portfolio of more than 95 hotels (15,000 keys) in operation by 2020 across its six brands, with at least 20 properties in the budget sector alone.

The Campanile product

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Courtyard by Marriott Olaya Riyadh opens this year.

KEMPINSKI HOTELS

20 PROPERTIES, 5,064 KEYS IN MEA • COMING SOON: 3 properties, 651 keys.

• TARGET: 3+ new properties.

• NEW FOR 2016: 3 properties in Al Khobar, Beirut and Muscat.

• DID YOU KNOW? Kempinski Hotel, The Wave Muscat, will open in Q4, 2016, featuring more than 300 rooms, including 40 suites and 77 apartments. Two exclusive presidential suites will feature a private pool connected to the beach.

Kempinski Hotel, The Wave Muscat

ME by Meliá Dubai

MARRIOTT HOTELS & RESORTS

49 PROPERTIES, 15,209 KEYS IN MENA • BRANDS: Ritz-Carlton (10), JW Marriott (4), Autograph Collection (1), Renaissance Hotels (3), Marriott Hotels (18), Marriott Executive Apartments (5), Residence Inn by Marriott (3), Courtyard by Marriott (5).

• COMING SOON: 69 properties, 14,884 keys.

• BRANDS: Ritz-Carlton (6), JW Marriott (8), Autograph Collection (3), Renaissance Hotels (2), Marriott Hotels (12), Marriott Executive Apartments (6), Residence Inn by Marriott (11), Courtyard by Marriott (17), Bulgari (2), EDITION (2).

• TARGET: More than 69 properties.

• NEW FOR 2016: 17 properties spanning 2,951 keys opening in MEA, with five under the acquired Protea brand.

• DID YOU KNOW? The Ritz-Carlton Jeddah, opening this year, will be the brand’s second property in the Saudi city. It will feature 224 rooms and suites plus a staggering 63,356 square metres of meeting and events space.

MARRIOTT IN ALGERIA The Constantine Marriott Hotel recently opened its doors in Algeria with 180 rooms and suites.

Key features of the luxury property, which is 7km from Mohamed Boudiaf International Airport, include a Saray Spa, an indoor and outdoor pool, extensive meeting facilities, plus several F&B outlets including Arab-Mediterranean restaurant Qasar and Italian restaurant Jannah.

MELIA HOTELS INTERNATIONAL

5 PROPERTIES, 1,607 KEYS, IN THE MIDDLE EAST • COMING SOON: 8 properties, 1,516 keys.

• TARGET: 8+ new properties by 2019.

• NEW FOR 2016: Sol House Taghazout, Morocco, with 81 bungalows.

• DID YOU KNOW? ME by Meliá Dubai will open in the striking 95-metre-high Opus building in the Burj Khalifa District next year, boasting Michelin-star restaurants and exterior and interior designs by renowned architect, the late Zaha Hadid.

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Curio – A Collection by Hilton ME by Meliá Dubai

Hilton Garden Inn Dubai Al Muraqabat Jumeirah Bodrum Palace Constantine Marriott Hotel

ibis Dubai One Central, Dubai

MILLENNIUM & COPTHORNE MEA 23 PROPERTIES, AROUND 7,000 KEYS, IN MEA • COMING SOON: 30 properties, 12,242 keys.

• TARGET: To open 100 hotels by 2020.

• NEW FOR 2016: 9 properties, 3,890 keys.

• DID YOU KNOW? 21 of the group’s upcoming properties are planned for KSA.

The upcoming Millennium Hotel & Apartments Jeddah

MINOR HOTEL GROUP

10 PROPERTIES, 1,243 ROOMS IN MENA

Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort

• • • •

BRANDS: 7 Anantara, 1 PER AQUUM and 2 Oaks.

COMING SOON: 8 properties, 1,801 keys.

BRANDS: 7 Anantara, 1 AVANI. NEW FOR 2016: Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort (115 keys) and Al Baleed Resort – Salalah by Anantara (128 keys), both in Oman.

• DID YOU KNOW? MHG will open at least 6 more properties before between 2017 and 2020 including and Anantara Mina Al Arab Ras Al Khaimah Resort (225), Anantara Dubai Creek Hotel (290), Anantara Durrat Al Bahrain Resort (220), Anantara Tozeur Resort, Tunisia (93), Anantara Al Houara Tangier Resort (230) and AVANI Deira Dubai Hotel (500).

DUBAI DOUBLE

MÖVENPICK HOTELS & RESORTS

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has two new properties pipelined for Dubai - the Mövenpick Hotel Apartments Downtown Dubai, opening in 2017, and Mövenpick Hotel Dubai Media City, opening in 2018.

Mövenpick Hotel Apartments Downtown Dubai

27 PROPERTIES, 7,914 KEYS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

• 2015 OPENINGS: 2 properties: Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul Golden Horn, Turkey and Mövenpick Hotel Riyadh.

• COMING SOON: 8 new properties, 2,024 keys across KSA (5), Dubai (2) and Iraq (1).

• TARGET: 42 properties by 2020.

• NEW FOR 2016: The 230-key Mövenpick Hotel City Star Jeddah.

• DID YOU KNOW? Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is a market leader in Jeddah where it will operate five properties by 2018.

Venu Bluewaters Island

The 285-room Dead Sea Resort & opens in Q4, 2

The 230-key Mövenpick Hotel City Star Jeddah

Hyatt Place Dubai opened in 2015

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FIVE HOTELS FOR KSA Rotana will open five new properties in Saudi Arabia in 2016: Rosh Rayhaan by Rotana, Riyadh(Q2), Centro Shaheen, Jeddah (Q3), Centro Waha, Riyadh (Q4), Centro Olaya, Riyadh (Q4) and Centro Corniche, Al Khobar (Q4).

Tango Arjaan by Rotana, Istanbul, Maltepe, Turkey, opened in 2015

ROTANA

53 PROPERTIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST • NOW: 53 properties in the Middle East.

• BRANDS: Rotana Hotels & Resorts, Centro Hotels by Rotana, Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts by Rotana, Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana and The Residences

by Rotana.

• TARGET: 100 hotels in the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and Eastern Europe in total by 2020.

• 2015 OPENINGS: Burgu Arjaan by Rotana, Istanbul,

Maltepe, Turkey, Tango Arjaan by Rotana, Istanbul, Maltepe, Turkey, and Capital Centre Arjaan by Rotana, Abu Dhabi.

• NEW FOR 2016: 12 new properties across Bahrain (1), Doha (1), Jordan (1), Congo, Africa (1), Saudi Arabia (5), Turkey (1), Abu Dhabi (1), Iraq (1).

• DID YOU KNOW? Rotana will open its first property in Africa this year – the 101-key Kin Plaza Arjaan by

Centro Corniche Al Khobar Rotana in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rotana currently has a number of projects under various stages of development across Africa including in Marrakech, Luanda, Nouakchott, Dar es Salaam and Lagos, adding a further 1,289 keys to its room count.

The 372-room Westin Doha Hotel & Spa

10 BRAND MILESTONE In April 2015, Starwood launched its 10th brand and second collection of independent hotels, Tribute Portfolio, which features exceptional independent hotels around the globe. From boutique resorts to urban destination properties, guests can experience outstanding upper upscale hotels with an “indie spirit”.

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STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS 72 PROPERTIES, 21,800 KEYS IN MENA

• BRANDS: Sheraton, Le Meridien, Westin, Regis, HyattStPlace Dubai opened inAloft, 2015 The Luxury Collection, Four Points by Sheraton, W Hotels.

• 2015 OPENINGS: 6 across Iraq (1), the UAE (2), Lebanon (1), Algeria (1) and Egypt (1).

• COMING SOON: 43 properties, 12,660 keys.

• TARGET: More than 115 properties region wide.

• NEW FOR 2016: 6 properties: Westin Doha Hotel & Spa,

W Dubai – A Habtoor City, Westin Dubai – Al Habtoor City, Aloft Riyadh, Aloft Dahran, and Aloft Al Ain. • DID YOU KNOW? The 372-room Westin Doha Hotel & Spa, will be the first-ever Westin branded property to open in Qatar while The Four Points by Sheraton Oran (Algeria) and The Westin Soma Bay Golf Resort & Spa (Egypt), which opened in 2015, marked brand entriesGarden for each Hilton Inncountry.

Dubai Al Muraqabat

PARAMOUNT HOTELS & RESORTS (PHR) InterContinental Dubai Marina

• COMING SOON: 8 properties.

• TARGET: 23 properties by 2024.

2016 Damac Villas by Paramount Hotels & Resorts Dubai (Q4) 163 villas, managed by Damac Maison

TIME HOTELS

11 PROPERTIES, 1,473 KEYS IN MENA • • • •

COMING SOON: 3 properties; 2 in Dubai, 1 in Doha.

TARGET: 16 hotels, hotel apartments and residences in total by 2016-2017.

NEW FOR 2016: TIME Rako Hotel – Doha, Qatar.

DID YOU KNOW? Meera TIME Residences opened in January 2015 on Abu Dhabi’s Corniche with 39 studios, 195 one-bedroom apartments and 78 two-bedroom apartments.

TIME Rako Hotel - Doha

2017 Damac Tower by Paramount Hotels & Resorts Riyadh (Q2) 439 serviced residences, managed by Damac Maison Paramount Residences Doha, The Pearl (Q3) 192 serviced residences, managed by PHR

The recently opened Hormuz Grand Hotel Muscat

Damac Towers by Paramount Hotels & Resorts Dubai (Q4) 843 keys, managed by PHR 1,140 serviced residences, managed by Damac Maison 2018 Paramount Hotel Dubai, Jumeirah Waterfront 429 keys, managed by PHR Paramount Resort Boao (Q4) 508 keys, managed by PHR 2019 Paramount Hotel Dubai, Downtown (Q2) 534 keys, managed by PHR 340 serviced residences with those in the rental pool managed by PHR

THE REZIDOR HOTEL GROUP 37 PROPERTIES, 8,417 KEYS IN MENA

• BRANDS: Radisson Blu, Park Inn by Radisson and Quorvus Collection.

• COMING SOON: 30 properties, 7,994 keys.

• TARGET: 40 new hotels by 2020: 20 Park Inn by Radisson: 13 Radisson Blu; 5 Radisson Red; and 2 Quorvus Collection.

• 2015 OPENINGS: 6 properties across the UAE (2), Saudi Arabia (3) and Oman (1).

RADISSON BLU HOTEL SOHAR

• NEW FOR 2016 The 179-key Radisson Blu Hotel, Sohar - the only beachfront address in the heart of the Batinah capital in Oman’s Northern Province.

• DID YOU KNOW: The 231-key Hormuz Grand Muscat became the latest addition to Carlson Rezidor’s Quorvus Collection, a new generation of expertly curated luxury hotels, when it opened in 2015.

Paramount Resort Langkawi 214 rooms, suites and villas, managed

by PHR Damac Towers by Paramount Hotels & Resorts Dubai: the lobby

Radisson Blu Hotel Sohar

Opening in 2016, Radisson Blu Hotel, Sohar, is the only beachfront address in the heart of the Batinah capital in the Northern Province of Oman. It is 12km from the industrial port and 5km from the business district and offers 179 rooms and suites.

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MEGA PROJECTS

The ultimate list of the region’s most important tourism development and infrastructure projects

DUBAI OPENING IN 2016…

Dubai Opera This 2,000-seat venue is the centerpiece of Emaar’s new arts and culture precinct in Downtown Dubai, which will also feature hotels, a retail plaza and a waterfront promenade.

Dubai Frame Rising to a height of 150 metres, this iconic window frame shaped attraction in Dubai’s Zabeel Park, which is being built to the tune of $43.5 million, will include a 93-metre-long suspended glassfloored viewing platform boasting views of Old Dubai on one side and New Dubai on the other.

Dubai Ferris Wheel The world’s largest Ferris Wheel at 210 metres high

is taking shape on the $1.6 billion Bluewaters Island development off the Jumeirah coast. It will include 48 luxury capsules capable of holding 1,400 visitors.

Dubai Parks & Resorts When it opens in October 2016, this $2.8 billion mega attraction, the largest multi-themed destination in Dubai, will feature three distinct theme parks – motiongate, Legoland and Bollywood Parks – as well as the Riverpark retail, dining and entertainment precinct.

IMG Worlds of Adventure The world’s largest indoor theme park covering 1.5 million square feet at Dubailand will feature four themed zones including Marvel, Cartoon Network, Lost Valley – Dinosaur Adventure, and IMG Boulevard.

Dubai Safari Covering an area of almost 400 hectares, the park, some 80 times larger than the existing Dubai Zoo, will comprise a safari village, Arabian village, Asian village, African village, children’s zoo, butterfly park and botanical garden.

Dubai Water Canal Described as a modern and unique commercial and tourist destination, the $545 million Dubai Water Canal project based around a 3.2-kilometre-long canal that links Dubai Creek in Business Bay to the Arabian Sea, will feature a sand beach, a marina for private boats, waterbuses, and three pedestrian bridges linking Jumeirah Beach Walk with Safa Park Walk.

Damac Towers by Paramount

Bollywood Parks Dubai

HOT PROPERTY The line-up of most hotly-anticipated 2016 hotel openings includes: • The Damac Towers by Paramount Hotels & Resorts Dubai complex; • Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai on the new Pearl Jumeirah development; • Four Seasons Hotel DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre); • The $1billion Viceroy Dubai Palm Jumeirah; • Marina 101 tower – the second-tallest building in Dubai at 426.5 metres, which will house the Middle East’s first Hard Rock Hotel; • The $700 million Madinat Jumeirah Phase 4, will features the 430-room Jumeirah Al Naseem Hotel; • Time Royal Hotel Dubai – a medical tourism focused property in Dubai Healthcare City.

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Al Maktoum International

OFF THE WALL – ANYONE FOR UNDERWATER TENNIS? Polish architect Krzysztof Kotala has ‘served up’ plans to build an underwater tennis court in Dubai and is looking for investors to turn his dream into reality. The owner of 8 + 8 Concept Studio in Warsaw says Dubai is the “perfect” place

to build this complex where fish would swim above and around the court, visible through the huge curved glass roof.

However, experts have warned this could distract both the players and the spectators.

COMING SOON…..

Al Maktoum International, Dubai World Central (DWC) Dubai’s massive new aviation hub will feature five runways and accommodate more than 200 million passengers annually when fully operational in the mid-2020s.

Mohammed Bin Rashid City The biggest of Dubai’s planned city-within-a-city developments, the $10 billion Mohammed Bin Rashid City (MBR City), scheduled for completion in 2022, will feature the world’s largest artificial beach, a 14-kilometre boardwalk, a large water park, a Universal Studios theme park, 100 hotels, the world’s largest swimming pool (covering 40 acres), one of the world’s largest malls, and a golf course.

Al Habtoor City This $3billion mini metropolis, part of the Dubai Water Canal project, will open next year featuring the Middle East’s first standalone theatre, the world’s first Bentley Café and three five-star hotels.

20th Century Fox World, Dubai The world’s first Fox-branded resort will open in Dubai in 2018 featuring unique attractions, rides and retail outlets designed to bring to life the studio’s iconic film and television franchises, from Ice Age and Rio to Titanic and Planet of the Apes. They’ll be a Fox-branded resort too.

Dubai World Expo site The Expo 2020 Dubai master plan has been conceived as a spatial manifestation of the event’s theme 'Connecting Minds, Creating the Future' – and the 438-hectare site for this extravaganza will include a dedicated 300-hectare Expo area and a surrounding residential, hospitality and logistics zone.

Dubai Trade Centre District (DTCD)

Dubai Metro extension The 14.5km-long Route 2020, which is an extension of Dubai Metro’s Red Line, will branch out from Nakheel Harbour and Tower station to the Expo 2020 site near Al Maktoum International Airport.

Dubai Trade Centre District (DTCD) Phase two of this 146,000-square-metre development located between Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre (DICEC) and Emirates Towers is underway.

Mall of the World Part of the world’s first temperature-controlled city, the centre will stake its claim as the world’s largest shopping mall. The $6.8 billion project will also boast the world’s largest theme park, a covered street-shopping concept and more than 100 hotels.

Meydan One A 711-metre-high tower, a mall with a retractable roof, indoor ski slope, the biggest dancing fountains in the world, a 100-berth marina and the world’s highest 360-degree observation deck (at 655 metres) and sky restaurant (675 metres) are highlights of this five-million-square-metre development.

Al Habtoor City

Deira Islands Four offshore islands covering 23.5 kilometres of coastline and offering 8.5 kilometres of beaches will feature a marina, Dubai’s new Night Souq, Deira Mall, plus the Deira Islands Towers and Boulevard residential, retail and leisure components.

Al Mamzar Beachfront One of the latest mega developments announced for Dubai is the $2.72 billion Al Mamzar Beachfront project, a new tourism destination featuring hotels, retail outlets and 3.5 kilometres of walking tracks around the 53-hectare Al Mamzar Lake.

Aladdin City The Aladdin City project in the middle of Dubai Creek, inspired by the well-known tales of Aladdin and Sinbad, will feature three towers, comprising commercial and hotel space.

Dubai Creek Harbour This six-tower district, which is three times the size of Downtown Dubai, will boast the world’s tallest twin towers, a sphere-shaped restaurant, plus 22 hotels and eight million square feet of retail space.

Jewel of the Creek The $816 million Jewel of the Creek project is massive mixed-use waterfront complex, with key features including two luxury hotels, a convention centre, marina, retail outlets plus shops and restaurants. It will be completed in Q1, 2017.

Museum of the Future Launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the $200 million Museum of the Future will house some of the world’s latest inventions in a circular-shaped building.

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The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi

Saadiyat Island

ABU DHABI Midfield Terminal Building (MTB) The MTB, which will be the largest singular building in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, and one of the region’s most architecturally impressive, environmentallyfriendly and innovative structures, is the centerpiece of Abu Dhabi Airports’ multi-billion-dollar capital investment programme, designed to create additional capacity to handle the increase in passenger traffic at Abu Dhabi International. The project is expected to be 70% complete by the end 2015, and once the MTB is operational, overall airport capacity will increase to 45 million passengers per year.

Saadiyat Island More than $28 billion-worth of projects on Saadiyat Island will be completed by 2018 across the three districts under construction: Saadiyat Cultural District, which will soon be home to three world-class museums - Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi (2017) - plus a new Performing Arts Centre and a leisure, dining and entertainment hub, The District; Saadiyat Beach District, with five-star beach resorts; and Saadiyat Marina District, the island’s commercial centre.

Reem Island More than 10,000 hotels rooms are factored into the new masterplan for Abu Dhabi’s Reem Island, which is currently under development. The island’s three master developers – Tamouh, Reem Investments and Aldar Properties – also have plans for new retail, medical and commercial facilities.

Al Raha Beach Al Raha Beach is a mixed-use development located

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close to Yas Island that comprises reclaimed land along the coast with a series of canals and islands interlinked by boulevards that create a unique waterfront community stretching over 20 kilometres. Development plans include a public tram line, water taxi stations and new residential and commercial components.

Reem Mall The $1 billion Reem Mall project on Reem Island will be home to one of the world’s biggest indoor snow play attractions, as well as 450 stores including 85 F&B outlets. Construction work on the 6.1 million-squarefoot retail development started earlier this year.

World Desert Oasis, Al Ain This 10-million-square-metre wildlife park will offer an African safari experience as well as featuring botanical gardens and an amphitheatre. It will be one of the many zones within the Zoo and Aquarium Public Institution of Al Ain Park.

Abu Dhabi New Souk A new market is currently under development in the Khor Al Maqta area on the shores of Abu Dhabi island Creek.

Al Maryah Central Al Maryah Island will soon be home to another shopping, dining and entertainment destination, Al Maryah Central.

This facility will be linked to the existing mall, The Galleria, and will house more exclusive stores, including American department stores Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s.

Al Ain International Airport: As part of a long-term strategy to boost capacity, Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) plans to double the size of the departure lounge and check-in area.

Yas Island beach club A high-end beach club is set to be developed on Yas Island, and will include a restaurant and swimming pools, as well as more casual areas for swimmers on Yas Beach.

Midfield Terminal Building (MTB)

SIR BANI YAS ISLAND Enhancements planned for eco-tourism hotspot Sir Bani Yas Island include the redevelopment of the airport to enable charter aircraft to land on the island, Hilton as wellCapital as upgrades Grand, to seaplane and boat terminals.

The Abu Dhabi island started receiving small cruise ships for the first time in November 2015. Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) plans to develop a three- or four-star hotel on Sir Bani Yas Island, complementing the existing five-star Anantara property.

Hamad International Airport OFF THE WALL – THE AMPHIBIOUS 1000 Plans are afoot to build a semi-submerged extravagant coastal resort to the tune $500 million. The Amphibious 1000, which will be built in the middle of a marine reserve, is designed by the Italian firm Giancarlo Zema Design Group, and will feature both land and sea developments including four giant hotels with underwater rooms that resemble super-yachts. There will also be 80 ‘jellyfish’ self-contained floating suites, each with four floors and an underwater ‘aquarium lounge.

QATAR Lusail City Set for completion in 2019, Lusail City is Qatar’s biggest megaproject currently under development.

In addition to residential precincts, it will house entertainment, sports and leisure facilities. Highlights include a light rail network, water taxi transportation system and a cycle and pedestrian network.

Katara Towers, Lusail City Located in the marina district of Lusail City, Katara Towers will incorporate two curved tower structures housing a five- and five-star deluxe hotel and luxury apartments. It will also feature a man-made beachfront island; leisure and watersports facilities; F&B outlets; and water parks when it opens in 2017.

New cruise terminal A new cruise port has been proposed for Doha as part of a proposed Falcon of Doha tourism project in the heart of Qatar’s capital. The master plan for the new ‘destination-within-adestination’ includes a state-of-the-art cruise port.

Katara Towers, Lusail City

Hamad International Airport expansion A new drop-off area for premium passengers, wide concourse with more natural light and a connection to Doha Metro are enhancements being considered as plans get underway to double the size of HIA’s main terminal by 2020. The plethora of features planned for the northern area new 45,000-square-metre facility include a museum, spa, children’s play area, garden, library, gym and outdoor dining and lounges.

Barwa Al Khor The mixed-use development comprises residences, two hotels, a marina, golf course and shopping malls. It will be completed in 2025.

Qatar Integrated Rail plan This ambitious project includes 400kms of mainline rail, which will be connected to the planned GCC rail network, plus the metro project with five lines covering 260km.

Pearl Qatar The man-made island near West Bay Doha’s business district is scheduled for completion in 2017, with the first phase housing the world’s longest waterfront luxury retail walkway – the 3.5-km pedestrian walkway ‘La Croisette’. Fronted by a marina, it will be home to international hospitality brands and boutiques.

World Cup stadiums Eight stadia will be built, down from an original 12, after construction budgets were revised.

Most will seat 40,000 to 60,000 spectators. Lusail Stadium, which is already completed, will host the opening match and the World Cup final. It will have a maximum capacity of 82,250.

HOTEL UPDATE Around $5.7 billion is being ploughed into new hotels and restaurants in the lead up to FIFA World Cup 2022 and more than 41 new properties spanning 11,600 rooms are already pipelined, according to TOPHOTELPROJECTS. They include: • Steigenberger Hotel Doha (200)

• Mondrian Hotel (270) • Shaza Doha (180)

• Centara Grand West Bay Hotel (360)

• Sillks Hotel & Spa (100)

• Zalal Wellness Destination Spa (125)

• Nikki Beach Resort & Spa, The Pearl (47)

• The Amphibious 1000 (80)

• Planet Hollywood Hotel (300)

• Le Meridien (350) • Wyndham Garden (153) • Park Hyatt Msheireb Downtown (187)

• Silver Pearl Hotel (1,000)

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OMAN MUSCAT

Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC) OCEC is being promoted as a “world-class” conferences and exhibitions venue and will feature a two tiered-seat auditoria with 3,200 seats and 450 seats respectively, five separate exhibition halls, two ballrooms and a precinct area housing three hotels. It will open for business in phases between now and 2017.

Muscat International Airport A three-phase expansion project is underway that will boost the airport’s capacity to 48 million passengers annually. Expansion measures include a new $1.8 billion passenger terminal complex and a second runway capable of handling the Airbus super jumbo, the A380. Phase one, which is under construction and due for completion this year, will boost capacity to 12 million passengers annually. The terminal building will cover 344,995 square metres with facilities including 96 check-in counters plus a 90-room airside hotel.

Waterfront development at Port Sultan Qaboos This $1.3 billion project around Sultan Qaboos will span some 451,000 square metres and include hotels and a large residential area based around the marina.

Muscat International Airport

Majarat Oman Oman’s biggest indoor theme park, located at Al Sawadi Beach Resort, will be completed by 2017. Built to the tune of $120 million it will cater to up to 3,000 visitors daily.

SALALAH Salalah International Airport The New Salalah International Airport has already opened its doors catering to one million passengers annually, but the on-going phased development project, being executed over three stages, will ramp up annual capacity to two, four and six million passengers respectively.

Salalah Beach A new development covering 15.6 million square metres that will offer two 18-hole PGA golf courses, a 200-berth marina and marina town, five five-star hotels and smaller boutique properties.

As Sodah Island This eco-friendly resort by Muriya will include the upscale boutique property Maisons Cheval Blanc with 32 chalets. It will be operated by LVHM Hotel Management, an entity of the Moёt Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) group.

AT A GLANCE • Regional airports: New airports at Sohar and Duqm opened recently with expansion work ongoing, while airports at Adam and Ras Al Hadd are planned.

• New budget airline: Muscat National Development and Investment Co (MNDIC) has revealed plans to establish Oman’s first low-cost carrier.

• Ras al Hadd development: An ambitious eco-themed development that includes a wildlife preservation and observation park, marine life park, and a heritage village.

• Al Baleed Resort: A landscaped resort featuring hotels and hotel chalets, plus dining, leisure and MICE facilities.

OCEC auditorium

• Madinat Al Irfan: A new urban development featuring residential zones, retail centres, hotels, tourist attractions and recreation facilities on a site covering some 7.4 million square metres.

• The Wave Muscat: Four hotels and a retail development are currently under development here.

• Saraya Bandar Jissah: The 2.2-million-square-metre development will include two hotels and is scheduled to open in 2017.

• Jebel Sifah: This 6.2 million-square-metre development will include an 18-hole PGA golf course, 84-berth marina and Crowne Plaza Ras Al Khaimah marina town, six five-star hotels and a marina boutique hotel.

• City Walk Muscat: Located in the capital’s Central Business District, this development will feature five-star hotels, retail outlets, cafes and restaurants.

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King Abdullah Financial District Metro Station

SAUDI ARABIA King Khaled International Airport (KKIA) Two terminals are to be redesigned, upgraded and expanded while other areas of the airport are to be demolished and refurbished by 2019.

Passengers will be catered to at the new terminal 5, which was completed at the end of 2015. A new $31.9 million airport hotel is also being built, which will include up to 350 rooms, plus a spa.

Jeddah Tower

Jabal Omar Jabal Omar Development was set up to invest Marsa Malaz $3.2 billion in projects located at the holy city of Kempinski Mecca where it is headquartered. The company will invest the capital in 40 residential towers to accommodate 160,000 Islamic pilgrims, and a prayer area for 200,000 worshippers. The project involves constructing two five-star hotels with 935 rooms, and six three-star hotels comprising 1,255 rooms.

King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) Jeddah’s upgraded airport is expected to be open by mid-2017. The $93 million makeover will double the daily flight count to 1,000 and increase passenger capacity from 28 million to 45 million by 2020.

King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) Considered one of KSA’s most ambitious megaprojects, KAFD in Riyadh will house dozens of financial institutions, at least one hotel and a convention centre.

Al-Ahsa project Several tourism projects have been announced for Al-Ahsa in Saudi’s Eastern Province, with investment opportunities identified at Al-Uqair beach. Hotels, restaurants, malls and tourismfocused events are all part of the plan.

Jeddah Tower Jeddah Tower, formerly Kingdom Tower, is slated to become the world's highest skyscraper when it is erected in 2020. At a planned height of 3,280 feet, the new tower will knock Dubai’s Burj Khalifa from its perch as the world’s tallest building at 2,716 feet. It will be the centerpiece of the $20 billion Jeddah Economic City project.

Heart of Jeddah Located on the city’s old airport site, the precinct will feature several hotels and hotel apartments, a convention centre, plus residential and commercial components.

Haramain High Speed Railway This megaproject will link the Holy Cities of Mecca and Madinah via Jeddah and KAEC.

Riyadh Metro The capital’s new metro system, which is being built at a cost of more than $22 billion, will feature four rail lines criss-crossing the Saudi capital.

Line 1 will run north to south across Riyadh from Olaya to Batha Corridor and Line 2 will run east to west along King Abdullah Road.

NEW CITIES King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) Located 100km north of Jeddah on the Red Sea coast, KAEC will cover 168 square kilometres and span industrial, business and financial districts, a waterfront resort area, an education zone, as well as its signature project, King Abdullah Port (KAP). The city will boast a new $1 billion international airport and 25,000 hotel rooms across 120 properties.

Knowledge Economic City (KEC) This $6.9 billion project dubbed the “new economic gateway to Madinah”, is located just five kilometres from the holy mosque and will include a 20-storey hospitality development that houses a hotel, serviced apartments, conference facilities and office space.

King Abdullah Pilgrim City Located on the Jeddah-Mecca highway, this new smart city is designed to improve facilities for visitors performing Haj and Umrah. It will include several hotels and furnished apartments to help accommodate 200,000 additional visitors each pilgrimage.

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A number of tourism developments are planned for Kuwait

KUWAIT Kuwait International Airport (KIA) The redeveloped airport will feature a new passenger terminal that will boost capacity from six million passengers to 13 million annually with the first phase completed by 2016. Later phase developments will take this figure to 25 million passengers by 2025.

Madinat Al-Hareer (Silk City) This $77 billion development is due for completion in 2030. Divided into four zones, Silk City will cover an area of 250 square kilometres.

Burj Mubarak al-Kabir At 1,001 metres high, this tower will be the centerpiece of the Madinat Al-Hareer project. Set to be one of the world’s tallest buildings when completed, Burj Mubarak al-Kabir will feature triple-decker elevators and seven vertically-stacked 30-storey neighbourhoods.

Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre The construction of this $416 million 13-hectare cultural district is now underway, with four world-class museums being constructed that are dedicated to space, natural history, science and Islamic heritage, all connected by a shaded street area. The Space Museum will include a 130-seat planetarium and will treat visitors to an immersive reconstruction of the International Space Station.

Jaber Al Ahmad City Olympic Village A 25,000-seat stadium, three games halls, a swimming complex, field and track training facilities, an Olympic Flame Tower and a mosque are just some of the

192 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

facilities planned for the Kuwait Olympic Village development at Jaber Al Ahmad City, with the total complex covering some 2.67 million square feet.

Kuwait Metro System When completed, the network will cover more than 160 kilometres and include 69 stations.

Kuwait National Rail Road System This integrated rail network will cover an area of 511 kilometres.

Boubyan Island: This deserted island will house a major commercial transportation hub and tourism facilities.

Failaka Island Kuwait’s Partnership Technical Bureau plans to develop new resorts, recreational facilities and a marina on the island.

MALL MANIA

Marsa Malaz Kempinski

The Avenues The expansion of Kuwait’s mega retail complex, The Avenues, will be completed in Q1, 2018, and will include a raft of new districts including Arcadia, The Grand Plaza, The Forum, Electra and The Cinema, as well as a four- and five-star hotel.

The $900 million expansion, which will also see current districts expanded, will bring the total cost of The Avenues project to $2 billion.

360 MALL The massive expansion of 360 MALL, which is deemed Kuwait’s iconic shopping destination, is underway, the focal point of which is the new state-of-the-art Sheikh Jaber Al Abdullah Al Sabah International Tennis Complex, designed to put the country on the world’s professional tennis map. The super-sized mall, with more shops, entertainment and sports facilities, a new hotel, plus the tennis complex, are expected to be completed by early 2019.

360 MALL

The new Four Seasons hotel is the architectural highlight of Bahrain Bay

BAHRAIN Bahrain International Airport The $815 million expansion of Bahrain International Airport will comprise seven key projects including a new passenger terminal, 24 air bridges, new arrival and departure lounges and airport ‘aprons’ where planes are parked, unloaded and re-fuelled. The plan is to increase capacity from four to 17 million passengers annually when the project is completed in Q1, 2019.

Bahrain Bay On-going developments worth $2.5 billion in Bahrain Bay include the newly opened Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay. A Wyndham-branded property plus The Avenues Mall are also planned for this new tourism district in North Manama.

HERITAGE PROJECTS • Reviving the Bahrain Hotel • New Regional Centre of World Heritage • Restoration of Souq Al-Qaysareya • Al Khalifa library • Al-Khamis Mosque Guest Centre Bahrain is transforming its islands into tourism developments

Marassi Al Bahrain This new mixed-use waterfront project will include a cruise terminal, several hotels and restaurants and a traditional souq, as well as shopping, leisure and entertainment components, all located in Bahrain’s new Diyar Al Muharraq district.

Amwaj Islands $1.5 billion has been invested in Amwaj Islands, with tourism-focused developments recently completed or under construction including the Amwaj ART Rotana Hotel, Al Marsa Floating City, Sealoft Hotel, Dragon Hotel, plus a medical island.

Reef Islands This $1.2 billion project, set for completion in 2020, will include a marina and yacht club, spa village and parks and aquariums, as well as hotel accommodation.

Dilmunia Described as a “modern concept of Garden of Eden” that promotes healthy and sustainable living, Dilmunia will include residential, commercial, retail, medical and wellness and leisure components. Construction starts this year.

Durrat Al-Bahrain This $6 billion resort island off the south coast of Bahrain, features a marina, golf courses and hotels.

Hawar Islands Plans to transform Bahrain’s Hawar Islands into a new tourist destination were unveiled last year. The master plan also takes into account the need to conserve land and marine wildlife.

Riffa Views This revived $797 million project will include a Colin Montgomery-designed championship golf course, a school, sports academies, retail shops and restaurants.

The Northern Heyrat Preserve Work is now underway on this project, which is pegged to be one of the world’s biggest offshore preservation sites and worth more than $200 billion to Bahrain’s economy. Described as the

first project of its kind in the Arab world, the preserve will protect four natural pearling sites.

Al Jazayer Beach Real estate firm Edamah is transforming Al Jazayer Beach into a prime tourism destination with new developments planned including the 215-key Fairmont Al Jazayer Resort, which is slated to open in 2018.

Bahrain’s Pearl Route A $27 million project to renovate one of Bahrain’s oldest neighbourhoods and preserve evidence of the kingdom’s pearl diving industry is underway.

The Pearl Project will see a 2km stretch of old Muharraq, where pearl traders lived and worked, brought back to life.

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 193

Issam Abdul Rahim Kazim

H.E. Marwan Al Sarkal

Ali Abu Monassar

Hamad Abdulla Al-Mulla

Amine E. Moukarzel

Abdulla bin Sulayem

Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Corporation for Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DCTCM)

CEO, Sharjah Investment & Development Authority (Shurooq)

Owner & Chairman, The Vision Destination Management Company

Chief Executive Officer, Katara Hospitality

President, Louvre Hotels Group MENA

CEO, Seven Tides

“As the region's leading event for the travel industry and media, the importance of Arabian Travel Market cannot be overstated. The event presents the opportunity to highlight Dubai’s growing destination offering together with Dubai stakeholders, strengthen existing partnerships and build new ones, and ultimately take us a step closer towards realising our tourism vision.”

“A trade show like ATM is an exceptional platform that allows us to share and establish new ventures with key business leaders and industry experts, effectively developing Sharjah’s growing economy and tourism industry.”

“I have been part of Arabian Travel Market since its inception and have witnessed its growth over the past 23 years. It has also enabled The Vision, which is the official ground handler for the show, to grow too.

We consider ATM an asset; the event is our majilis; a place to meet, learn and share. Welcoming delegates to Dubai for ATM provides us with the opportunity to demonstrate the values and world-class standards of this multi-ethnic and vibrant city.”

“ATM continues to create a valuable meeting platform for Katara Hospitality and a real point of focus for continued and future collaboration with our partners, stakeholders and the wider hospitality industry.”

“Arabian Travel Market provides a great platform for travel and tourism industry players to showcase their company activities and news. It has become the event of choice for travel industry experts, participants and enthusiasts, all gathering under one roof as they seek to expand their network reach. This is further complemented by Dubai’s strong foothold as a leading destination.

ATM has evolved from a regional exhibition to a major international forum that stimulates tourism trade.”

“ATM brings together travel industry professionals from every region and sector.

It is a fixture on our annual calendar of international trade shows and a fantastic mouthpiece and showcase for our industry and the region. The show also unlocks inbound and outbound tourism business potential and fosters discussion between senior market influencers regionally and internationally.”

#MYATMSTORY 194 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016 2015

Mohamed Awadalla

Omer Kaddouri

Yigit Sezgin

Bastien Blanc

Toufic Tamim

Alfredo Gonzalez

CEO, TIME Hotels

President & CEO, Rotana

Global Director of Sales Middle East and Turkey, The Rezidor Hotel Group

Vice President Sales & Marketing, Middle East, Africa and India, FRHI Hotels & Resorts

Vice President Sales and Marketing, Middle East and South Asia, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts

Vice President, VISIT FLORIDA

“Arabian Travel Market is a forum for our industry to share experiences, ideas and work together to shape the region’s future hospitality and tourism landscape.”

“For hospitality players in the region looking to network with travel trade partners from around the world, there really is no better, more important platform than ATM. It’s where we go to meet with our partners and customers, build new relationships, consolidate existing ones, and make important business announcements.”

“ATM is the industry’s leading travel and tourism exhibition dedicated to unlocking business potential in the Middle East.

Uniting key market players from six continents, the show produces four days of highly productive meetings and social networking opportunities with key business partners.”

“ATM offers a great platform to showcase our existing and upcoming hotels to trade professionals, investors and developers.

It also presents a unique opportunity for us to see the hotel developments that are taking shape worldwide, while providing insight into airline and technology advances that are transforming the hospitality business in this region and globally.”

“Arabian Travel Market is an ideal platform for us to showcase and promote our properties and new services. It provides an excellent opportunity to connect and meet travel and trade visitors from around the world and we always look forward to being part of the show and sharing in its success.”

“ATM provides us with the opportunity to get more involved with the Middle East market.

Given the increase in airlift to Florida fron the region, particularly with the new Emirates flight from Dubai to Orlando, ATM gives us the chance to meet the companies filling these seats.

It would be almost impossible to meet with all of these entities individually.”

Industry figureheads reveal what Arabian Travel Market means to them and the travel firms they represent

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 195

TREND WATCH

The region’s leading authorities on travel, tourism and hospitality reveal their market predictions for 2016 and beyond

196 | ATM YEARBOOK 2015 2016

DEMAND FOR SMART TRAVEL “We expect destinations to continue to shift their marketing approach to focus less on products and more on experiences. To that end, user-generated content will play an increasingly prominent role in the creation and promotion of customised experiences. We also expect technology to continue to change the way people travel, influencing their decision-making process across the entire travel ecosystem, from intermediaries, to the marketplace, airlines and hotels. Demand for ‘smart’ travel services will also increase across both the leisure and business segments. Dubai is well placed to meet this demand, given the emirate’s numerous smart city initiatives.”

H.E. Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism

HOLISTIC EXPERIENCES “The whole concept of travel is changing and our brand is evolving with this trend. Travellers want a more exclusive and personalised experience that is tailored to their specific needs. They will choose an airline that can offer them a holistic experience that is seamless, from the moment they book to the moment they land. The quality of the journey is becoming as important as the quality of the destination.”

His Excellency Akbar Al Baker, Group Chief Executive, Qatar Airways

A BALANCING ACT “The Middle East has always demonstrated resilience and tenacity in the face of adversity and in 2015, despite local and global challenges, the region sold its highest number of rooms – 67 million – an 81% increase on 2006 figures. We are now entering one of the most challenging periods for years with low oil prices forcing countries to ‘balance the books’ and cutback spending and the impact on the hotel industry is yet unknown. STR’s pipeline database suggests the number of new hotels opening in the region could increase by as much as 50% over the next few years and so it is crucial the industry gets the balance between supply and demand right.”

Philip Wooller, Area Director, Middle East and Africa, STR

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MASS-MARKET SHIFT “The key development in the Middle East and North Africa travel markets over the coming year will likely be a shift amongst mass-market middle-class travellers from borderline luxury hotels and trips to mid-market experiences. Previously, this type of traveller has sought aspirational, entry-level luxury, but with the global economic pull-back, we have seen them turn their attention to destinations, experiences and accommodation that offer better value for money. This could manifest itself in heavier reliance on the new sharing economy where companies such as Airbnb, Uber and EatWith win appeal with offerings that meet and sometimes surpass the quality of a more traditional offerings, often at considerable savings.”

Scott Booth, Head of Travel and Tourism Research, YouGov

EARLIER BOOKINGS “The Middle East market has traditionally booked late with average lead times of three to four weeks and this has proved challenging because availability this close out is limited. However, the market is starting to recognise that booking earlier means more choice, more availability and best available fares and, as a result, lead in times are increasing to up to a year. As Crystal Cruises’ brand recognition grows within the market and more people choose to cruise with us, I believe this is a booking trend that will continue. Additionally, increased understanding of the wide range of onboard facilities, including those dedicated to families, will only support this trend.”

Helen Beck, Vice President, International Sales & Marketing, Crystal Cruises

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SIGNATURE SAILING

“The holiday travel trend is slowly shifting from visiting popular destinations to experiencing unique places. Vacationers want to experience different cultures, food and activities and to create unforgettable memories. That’s why Celebrity Cruises keeps adding new destinations to its itineraries and offers ‘Signature sailing’, where unique events and experiences are part of the schedule. We are also witnessing increased demand for adventure travel experiences from younger cruisers. They also want connectivity and most major cruise ships now provide improved internet access at sea.”

Lakshmi Durai, CEO, Travel Matrix, the ME representative for Celebrity Cruises

SMART MERCHANDISING

“The trend towards airline merchandising will continue as more carriers recognise the enhanced revenue opportunities offered by new distribution options, which allow for a full and rich content retailing experience to the travel agency and corporate channels. The content, devices through which it is sold, and the airline needs regarding content, have all evolved. Airlines want to more effectively control how their flights and ancillaries are visually presented and described on travel agency screens.”

Rabih Saab, President & Managing Director, Europe, Middle East, Africa and South Asia, Travelport

THE RISE OF TRAVEL INTELLIGENCE “We have identified the growing importance of big data management, cloud-based solutions travel intelligence, personalisation, user-generated content and improved connectivity, as well as a greater role for merchandising in the travel provider’s offering. In 2016, Amadeus R&D will focus on ultra-high availability, which is essential in today’s travel and tourism industry. For this we are developing cloud-based platforms. Another major trend is ‘travel 360’; we wish to offer consistent, comprehensive and real-time data. It is important that this data is then adapted to meet customer needs and that tools are built around them. For this, it is necessary to know how to manage a lot of data and to implement ‘Travel Intelligence’ solutions.”

Antoine Medawar, Vice President, Amadeus MENA

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A MORE BALANCED HOTEL MIX “From a development perspective, Starwood is seeing a shift from primarily upper-upscale hotels to a more balanced mix, with strong demand for our luxury and mid-market brands across the Middle East. Together, these brands represent more than 50% of our pipeline for the region. Our mid-market brands – led by Aloft – will quadruple their portfolio in the region over the next five years. Also, digital technology continues to change the way we connect with guests, creating a relationship with them that goes beyond their stay at the hotel. Mobile and digital technologies enable personalisation and Starwood is leading in this area with digital, mobile and wearable technologies that improve the guest experience and boost loyalty.”

Guido de Wilde, Senior Vice President, Regional Director, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Middle Eastm

ABU DHABI RISES “Abu Dhabi has become increasingly competitive as a regional and international destination in recent years. This has been most clearly visible in a growing events schedule, higher arrivals numbers, and new additions in terms of dining, shopping and theme park attractions. Reporting the highest hotel occupancy rates on record in 2015, the emirate is proving itself capable of drawing in local, regional and international visitors in spite of some challenging political and economic circumstances in key source markets.”

Mohamed Al Zaabi, CEO, Miral

FAMILY TOURISM BOOM “Family tourism is emerging as a focal area in the regional travel and tourism sector, which is why SCTDA has identified this market as a key pillar in the Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021. Reflecting the growing importance of family tourism, hotels in Sharjah report 100% occupancy when the schools in the Gulf countries close for vacation.With year-round activities and festivals showcasing the best of Arabic culture and heritage, Sharjah will remain a favourite location for families to relax in a peaceful and secure atmosphere any time of the year.”

His Excellency Khalid Jassim Al Midfa, Director General, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA)

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MULTISENSORY EXPERIENCES GENUINE ARABIAN CONNECTIONS “For many tourists, simply seeing the sights is no longer enough; instead, it’s all about experiencing the essence of a destination by fully connecting with its history, people and customs.

Fortunately, Ras Al Khaimah is the ideal destination for genuine Arabian experiences and culture.”

Haitham Mattar, Head of Tourism, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority

“At Dubai Parks and Resorts we are very excited at what the future holds for the theme parks and entertainment industry. Moving forward, the experience will not be confined to rides, which has always been the biggest attraction, but with the influx of technology, we will see the use of simulations, virtual reality and smart technology solutions such as RFID wristbands enabling cashless payments. With the goal of providing a once-in-a-lifetime experience, theme parks will slowly migrate towards A more interactive and multi-sensory way of delivering experiences. There will also be a conscious move towards more environmentally greener and energy-efficient theme parks. As the region’s largest theme park, we are honoured to put Dubai on the world map as a world-class entertainment destination.”

Raed Kajoor Al Nuaimi, CEO, Dubai Parks and Resorts

MORE MODERN HOTEL EXPERIENCES “Today’s travellers are increasingly seeking and expecting easier and more modern hotel experiences – from searching and booking, to checking in and out.

As such, technologically-advanced hotel systems are an absolute must in order to cater to this demand, which will only increase in the ‘always mobile’ world in which we live. Two recent initiatives, launched solely to make our guests’ lives easier, are our Digital Key and our global ‘Stop Clicking Around’ campaign. Our Digital Key gives frequent guests the option to bypass the hotel check-in counter and access their rooms, as well as any other area of the hotel that requires a key, directly via the Hilton HHonors app. The ‘Stop Clicking Around’ campaign educates travellers on the benefits they receive when booking directly with Hilton and of being an HHonors member; one being the ability to check-in and choose your own room from a digital floor plan.”

Rudi Jagersbacher, President, Hilton Worldwide Middle East & Africa

DIFFERENTIATED LIFESTYLE OFFERINGS “The main trend we are honing in on is continued demand for mid-scale and economy hotels across the Middle East. This works in AccorHotels’ favour as we are the worldwide market leader in these segments. We will continue to deliver a quality offering for every price range, particularly through the development of more ibis and Novotel-branded hotels, in addition to Adagio aparthotels, our brand for extended stay. We are also witnessing a greater interest in differentiated ‘lifestyle’ offerings across the full market spectrum, from economy to luxury. For this reason, we are expanding our ibis Styles network to cater to budget-conscious travellers looking for a trendy hotel experience, and have launched Majlis Grand Mercure ‘glocal’ hotels combining our global know-how with the local Arab culture. This brand is developed under the Grand Mercure umbrella in the upscale five-star segment.”

Olivier Granet, Managing Director & Chief Operating Officer, AccorHotels Middle East

THE AGE OF I “Having recently released our 2016 Trends Report, Meaningful Membership: Transforming Membership in the Age of I, we see an increasing demand from consumers to belong to a like-minded community, sharing opinions and insight as they connect around their experience of a brand. In doing so they also want to maintain their individuality, amounting to what is being termed the “The Age of I” – a desire from consumers to maximise both inclusiveness and individuality.

Brands must manage this challenge and make memberships meaningful for consumers by creating Membership Communities. To do this, we need to recognise the universal need of the community as well as, through personalisation, what resonates with individual members – their likes and dislikes, what they need and when they need it.”

James Britchford, , Vice President of Sales & Marketing, India, Middle East & Africa, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) 202 | ATM YEARBOOK 2016

MERGERS, OTAS & SECURITY FOCUS “Large hotel management companies have recently merged, while unexpected competitors such as Airbnb and short-term rental websites have made their mark. These aspects will certainly influence our industry in the coming months and years, as we may see other mergers taking place in the future. OTAs such as Expedia and Priceline have been on a shopping spree over the past year and the trend will continue. It is also worth monitoring Google’s huge presence and constant development in the metasearch arena and TripAdvisor’s entrance to the OTA world with its newly rolled-out Instant Booking feature. Another topic receiving attention in the hospitality industry is safety and security.

Amidst the unfortunate incidents regionally and globally, hotels will be working towards evaluating their safety and security measures.”

Andreas Mattmüller, Chief Operating Officer Middle East & South Asia, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts

PERSONALISATION BECOMES THE NORM, AUTHENTICITY IS KEY “One of the key trends we expect to see in 2016 as personalisation becomes the norm, is the search for authenticity. Sophisticated travellers are increasingly choosing iconic products in unique locations that define the destination and are able to tell a story. These properties often used to be run as independent hotels, but often lacked visibility or service quality. Some hotel operators have seen the opportunity by adapting to the model and accordingly, we have launched the Quorvus Collection as an endorsement brand to regroup similar unique properties and with the objective of securing 20 hotels by 2020. With Quorvus Collection we aim to cater for the growing segment of consumers looking for an experience with the authenticity that only an independent hotel can deliver, while having the reassurance of a trusted brand behind it.”

Mark Willis, Area Vice President Middle East & Turkey, The Rezidor Hotel Group

MILLENNIALS & SERVICED RESIDENCES RULE “The rise of the Millennials demographic is a trend we already see, which we are addressing through the introduction of our new hotel brands. Guests are seeking tangible value and the hospitality sector must meet this challenge. We also see increased demand for serviced residences, which is one of our core strengths as we manage a number of Address-branded properties in this category. In fact, this is a differentiating strength of Emaar Hospitality Group.”

Chris Newman, Corporate Director of Operations, Emaar Hospitality Group

ATM YEARBOOK 2016 | 203

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