Manafez Dubai | November December 2016 by Nadd Al Shiba PR & Event Management

Issued by the General Directorate of Residency & Foreigners Affairs-Dubai

GDRFA celebrates the UAE 45th National day

UAE to lead Middle East passenger growth

www.manafezdubai.com

Issue 28 November - December

2016

IATA's New Distribution Capability to transform travel industry

Angela Gittens: Reduce crowding and queueing

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Risk Management important across all organisationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

A new procedure that enables applicants complete their submissions without visiting any of GDRFAD centers

Ensuring the welfare and happiness of customers

You will receive an SMS from GDRFAD confirming receipt of your application. Visit the Typing Center that suits your needs in terms of proximity and quality of services.

Submit and receive your applications with convenience Your journey starts and ends at the same place. Visit the closest typing center to you to submit and complete your application without visiting any of GDRFAD centers.

You can also use and apply through the mobile app and enquire about all necessary documents by selecting the user guide.

For clarifications, get in touch with us at:

Engineered and powered by

Available on app stores. Search for GDRFAD or scan the QR code

You will receive a second SMS from GDRFAD about completing your application and confirming your delivery location.

Welcome Message

A remarkable achievement

he opening of the Dubai Water Canal project by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, is an achievement we are all proud of. Built at a cost of AED 2 billion, the 3-kilometer long canal ushers in a new era for tourism sector in Dubai and is expected to attract millions of tourists from different parts of the world. The canal is a step forward to realising the vision of Sheikh Mohammed to make the UAE a model in terms of innovation and it is an initiative which is unusual and innovative in every way. The project has come to reality only as our visionary leader foresees manifold rise in tourism in the coming years and with a view to tap into the immense opportunities offered by tourism, this decision has been taken at the right time without delay, which has increased its attraction even more. The reason I speak about this is that it presents before us, at the GDRFA Dubai, challenges to effectively deal with the rise in number of tourists in Dubai and enhance the image of the emirate on the global tourism map, as we expect the number of tourists to Dubai to reach 20 million by 2020.

to the UAE through Dubai a memorable one they can cherish for a long time. In line with this vision the GDRFA Dubai will continue to strive toward excellence. One of the initiatives in our journey to excellence is the launch of the facility of using Emirates ID at airports, a step that has been appreciated by all users as they will be able to complete the procedures in a record time of less than 10-15 seconds. My dear colleagues, each day in our country brings in new opportunities, we see new projects launched which will provide numerous growth avenues to all. I would hence, ask each of you to put more efforts and be a role model for excellence in our services. I am fully confident that we can achieve this.

We are committed to providing the best services to our visitors and make their visit

| Manafez Dubai | November - December 2016 | 1

GDRFA Message

GDRFA

in History

October 1971 Pursuant to an order promulgated by the then Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, two departments were established: Central Immigration Department and Ports and Borders Department October 1972 The two departments were merged with the UAE’s Ministry of Interior and Federal Law No. 17 concerning the naturalization and passports was promulgated. 1973 Federal Law No. (6) concerning Immigration and Residency was promulgated as the first law regulating the entry and residency of expatriates in United Arab Emirates. 1977 The two departments were merged and the new Department shifted to a building in the ministries complex 1982 The Administration shifted to the present building during the tenure of Colonel Mohammad Al-Ghaith 2003 The building was completely refurbished during the tenure of Brigadier General Saeed Bin Belaila 1999 Naturalization and Residency Administration, Dubai, established a branch at Hatta Fort 1995 Jebel Ali Port branch was inaugurated

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Our Vision: To have the UAE as one of the most secure and safest countries in the world.

Our Mission (MOI):

To work efficiently and effectively towards enhancing the quality of life in the UAE community by providing security, traffic, reform, residency services and ensuring safety of lives and properties.

Our Mission (GDRFA):

For the happiness of the people, we offer excellent and fast naturalization, residence and ports services.

Our Values:       

Justice Team-Work Excellence courtesy Integrity Loyalty Social responsibility

Strategic objectives:  Promote safety and security.  Promote public confidence in the effectiveness of services provided.  Optimal use of intelligence.  Ensure all administrative services are provided based on quality, efficiency and transparency standards.

To communicate with GDRFA: Location: Aljaffilya - Bur Dubai PO Box : UAE – Dubai 4333 Email: amer@dnrd.ae Toll Free Number: 04 3139999 - 8005111 Working Hours: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM GDRFA-Dubai http:// www.dnrd.ae Dubai Airport Freezone http://www.dafz.ae Dubai Public Prosecution http://www.dxbpp.gov.ae Dubai Municipality https://www.dm.gov.ae

Department of Economic Development http://www.dubaided.gov.ae Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing http://www.dubaitourism.ae Land and Property Department http://www.dubailand.gov.ae

Contents

GDRFA News GDRFA Photographs by: Abdulrahman Abdullah Sanjeev Kochan

GDRFA celebrates the UAE 45th National day

UAE News

Monthly newsletter issued by GDRFA-Dubai

Taqdeer Award winners honoured

Honorary President Major General Mohammed Ahmed Almarri Director General

General Supervision Major General Obaid Muhair Bin Suroor Deputy Director General

P 14 Record number of economies carried out business reforms in past year: World Bank

General Coordinator Major Khalid Al Rahma Editorial Consultant Ghassan Suleiman Creative Manager Mohammed Al Jarouf Executive Editor Shveta Pathak

Strategic Technology Partner of GDRFA-Dubai

Official Courier

P 24 Self-service security checkpoint eGates at Princess Juliana Airport

Advertise with us Content, Production, Marketing & Advertising Nadd Al Shiba PR and Event Management Phone: + 9714 2566707 Fax: + 9714 2566704 Website www.naddalshiba.com Email info@naddalshiba.com

P 42 | Manafez Dubai | November - December 2016 | 3

GDRFA News

GDRFA celebrates the UAE 45th National day

he General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners' Affairs in Dubai, GDRFA-Dubai, began celebrated the UAE 45th National day with great fervour. Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, GDRFA-Dubai Director-General and Major General Obaid Muhair bin Surour, GDRFA-Dubai Deputy Director General,and GDRFA officials and staff members participated in the celebrations at the GDRFA Headquarters. AL Marri said the UAE has shown the world that with good efforts one can achieve miracles. "Our country symbolises nationalism and advancement," he said. The general public and visitors to the GDRFA headquarters also participated in the celebrations and congratulated the UAE on the occasion of the National Day.ď&#x201A;&#x2026; 4 | Manafez Dubai | November - December 2016 |

GDRFA

News

Amer service users increase by 30 per cent A

MER Contact Centre, an interactive communication channel of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA-Dubai) which provides information on several issues, has hit 900,000 calls since the beginning of this year, recording a 29 per cent increase from corresponding period last year.

through distinguished and modern dynamic ways, and it is available 24 hours and 7 days a week.”

to 908,568 in the same period this year, an increase of 208,243 representing 29.7 per cent.

“Amer” offers a platform for the public to advance complaints, suggestions, inquiries, smart management services; updating mobile number, “Amer” car request as well as residential affairs.

Al Marri said Amer contributes to preserving security, order and protecting the rights and liberties of the clients in addition to enhancing more transparency, confidentiality and work efficiency.

According to a Gulf Today report, clients of GDRFA-Dubai have been using Amer Service’s various platforms: E-chat, email, mobile and landline telephone numbers.

People within the country can call toll-free number: 8005111 or 097143139999 when the inquirer is from outside the UAE. These are in addition to the e-mail amer@dnrd. ae, E-chat and the website: amer.ae.

“This service provides the customers with all information and required fees that are related to the administration services. Also it takes all the complaints from the call center for example, any complain on an employee in different branches and general complaints,” the report quoted Al Marri as saying. 

Maj. Gen. Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General GDRFA Dubai, said Amer service “aims at providing best services for clients

According to the report, last year’s callers from January to end of October were 700,325 which increased

GDRFA opens special counter for martyrs families

he General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA-Dubai) has established a counter at its headquarters in Jafiliya to serve only families and relatives of UAE martyrs, according to a report in The Gulf Today. The counter was opened on the eve of Martys’ Day, which falls on Nov.30, by the Director General of GDRFA-Dubai, Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, in the presence of his deputy, Major General Obaid Mohair Ben Surour.

“This move aims to strengthen solidarity for the UAE community as espoused by its leadership,” said General Al Marri. “We are also particularly answering the call of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi who appealed for taking extra care of the families of the martyrs saying that this brings meaning to what they stood for and adds value to their answer to the national call.” He added; “We are indeed proud of the martyrs and we are happy to open this counter to

serve their families because they sacrificed the most valuable thing they had – life – to keep the flag of the United Arab Emirates up,” he said. The United Arab Emirates holds the Commemoration Day or Martyrs’ Day annually in recognition of the sacrifices and dedication of Emirati martyrs who have given their lives in the UAE and abroad in the field of civil, military and humanitarian service, the report added. 

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GDRFA News

GDRFA Dubai organises Risk Forum

‘Risk Management important across all organisations’

he General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai recommended proper risk management programs across all institutions during the recently held Risk Forum Middle East.

The forum was held under the theme; ‘Risk Management Strategies. The participants highlighted the importance of having proper risk management in organisations and spoke about topics ranging from enterprise

risk management, cyber risk, strategic risk management and more. The forum was organised for the second year by the GDRFA-Dubai in collaboration with the US-based Risk and Insurance Management Society.

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Achievements

Major General Mohammed Al Marri, Director General, GDRFA Dubai said: “Success and achievements are not free from challenges and risks. Dubai and the UAE are an important part of the world and we are not immune to the risks just

GDRFA

as all the other big countries are.â&#x20AC;? He said the GDRFA took the initiative to hold this forum, with a view to provide an integrated scientific platform to raise awareness about risk management strategies in various sectors.

Strategies

Ali Al Muwaijei, Senior Vice President of Corporate Support at Dubai South, that the initiative to hold this forum reflects there is an awareness of the importance and mature risk management in the region and there are practices and strategies in practice, which can be shared with experts from different countries participating in the forum.

He added that risk management is not new to the government bodies here.

Best results

Julie Pemberton, President, American Risk Organisation, said that the UAE in general and Dubai, have excellent capabilities in risk management. She said she observed a lot of risk management strategies that can to manage risk more accurately. Abdul Ghaffar Setareh, Chief Risk Officer of Zain Group., said each organisation should be prepared to deal with risks that could arise in its environment, by forming dedicated risk management teams. At the same time, while risks could

News

vary form one sector to the other and could be higher for some organisations compared to others, but irrespective of that, every organisation needs to have a clear strategy to deal with risks. Abdul Ghaffar pointed out that the UAE has succeeded in developing awareness among workers in the institutions and society about the importance of dealing with risks and crisis, and has created examples that have been appreciated for the effectiveness in the way they were dealt with. For example the fire incident on New Year eve in which the fire was brought under control in record time and the evacuation of the building and surrounding area is an example of proper planning and effective handling of the risk. Sami Al Dakkak, Professor of Business Ethics, Abu Dhabi University, said UAE and Dubai have proven its ability to manage risk by carrying out well-thought out plans and implementing them within the scheduled time frame. He said work ethic is an essential requirement in risk management has become prominent among government bodies. ď&#x201A;&#x2026;

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GDRFA News

GDRFA Dubai launches 12 new high-tech services

GDRFA Dubai marks successful participation in GITEX Technology Week

he General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) has announced activating the use of Emirates ID for the Smart Gate system at Dubai International Airport.

The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai marked a successful participation in the recently concluded 36th GITEX Technology Week,

held in Dubai World Trade Centre from October 16-20. The GDRFA Dubai showcased its innovative technology projects and

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smart digital innovations, which are contributing to enhancing the quality of services offered, increase the effectiveness and speeden operations during the five-day technol-

GDRFA

ogy week, which is one of the most influential technology events worldwide, attracting a diverse audience of IT professionals from across government and private sectors. Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General, GDRFA Dubai, announced the launch of 12 new high-tech services by the department. Visitors to the GDRFA Dubai stand were given a closer look at these newest services aimed at simplifying procedures, providing hassle free processes to citizens, residents and visitors in the UAE in line with our leadership’s vision to bring happiness for all. Major General Al Marri said GITEX is an effective platform for the GDRFA Dubai to showcase its initiatives, which are in line with the UAE’s vision toward achieving excellence. He said the GDRFA’s annual participation in the technology week aims to contribute to the

directives of our leadership to be the most innovative in the world.

ceptional service reached by the administration.

He added that GITEX Technology Week is an important annual opportunity for various government institutions to meet on a common platform and display innovative concepts and distinct initiatives that represent an added value to serve the community, and a platform to meet the most important decision-makers in various fields to build smart government services, save time and efforts and ensure happiness for all.

Major Khalid bin Mediya, Deputy Assistant of Director General for Smart Services, said that the participation in the exhibition allows access to the latest and smart e-services, and display the latest smart projects and initiatives.

He said the exhibition provides valuable opportunity to learn about the latest technological advancements as large number of companies from across the world participate in this important event. Dubai has been showcasing its innovative projects and services every year at the exhibition. He added that the exhibition presents a real opportunity to inform all segments of the community and visitors on the size of the qualitative progress, and ex-

News

In addition, the GDRFA Dubai also promoted the Apple Watch app, selfservice, Eye of Dubai app, eGate service and Amer operation app. The department’s participation in the GITEX technology week highlighted its commitment to Dubai’s smart city transformation. This year’s edition of GITEX Technology Week 2016 attracted a large number of visitors, ICT professionals and high executives from different service and federal government sectors, in addition to numerous companies that showed their solutions and technology throughout the five-day event. 

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GDRFA News

GDRFA signs deal with Samsung

he General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs — Dubai (GDRFA) and Samsung signed a deal last week aiming to enhance further innovation. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for mutual cooperation will explore business opportunities of mutual interest. The MoU was signed last week by Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, director of GDRFA, and Byoung Shik Lee, president, Samsung SDS MEA. The agreement will start at the Innovation and Creative Centre at GDRFA-Dubai by brainstorming

in order to develop creative ideas among staff. The Samsung delegation toured dif-

ferent departments at GDRFA and Byoung expressed his admiration of the unique and swift services offered by the GDRFA to the public. 

Al Manaar Forum highlights visually impaired people’s capabilities

he General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA-Dubai) recently organised the Al Manaar Forum for the seventh year to highlight the capabilities of visually impaired people and ways to support them, according to The Gulf Today. The forum was attended by senior officials, academics and people who are visually impaired. Major General Obaid Muhair Bin Surour, Deputy Director general of GDRFA-Dubai said that the objectives of the forum included educating the UAE community to deal with visually impaired people rightfully, highlighting the capabilities and accomplishments of the

individuals with visual impairment. GDRFA-Dubai has 20 employees with special needs. Major General Bin Surour said that the GDRFA-Dubai is working in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who approved a law aimed at protecting the rights of the differently-abled and bringing about cooperation among all concerned authorities in Dubai to provide health care services, therapeutic services, habitation and rehabilitation for people with special needs. This in addition to providing educational opportunities similar to their peers’.

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Major General Bin Surour added that the GDRFA wants to ensure that it employees people with special needs to work hand in hand with other employees. The Al Manaar Forum was named after Manaar Al Hamadi, a visually impaired GDRFA staff member. Manaar created the “Al Manaar Forum”, in 2010 as an annual event for the visually impaired, with the support of GDRFA. “Through Al Manaar forum, my goal is to facilitate the integration of the visually impaired in the society, make the community know how they can be more receptive to the visually impaired and avail of their potential,” she said. 

Our

Message

Successful initiatives

evelopment and innovation have become an integral part of the work culture of the GDRFA employees in our journey to greater heights in order to further enhance the image of our country and our borders. In line with this vision, we recently collaborated with the Emirates Identity Authority and implemented the new project under which we are providing the facility of using Emirates ID at eGates to clear passport control procedures for travelers at all terminals of Dubai International Airport. The activation of this eGate service has been highly appreciated by the passengers as they can finish the procedures within a record 1015 seconds, which is less than half the time it took them earlier. Over the past few days, more than 250,000 have used this facility at the 127 eGates at the Dubai International Airport and we expect this number to rise further as more Emirates ID holders realise the convenience it offers and makes travelling through the Dubai International Airport easier and faster.

Emirates ID Authority and GDRFA Dubai, who with their hard work and dedication, helped complete the project within the target timeframe. This will help us effectively handle the record growth in number of passengers every year expected by the Dubai Airports, estimated to be more than 83 million by the end of this year and over 100 million by 2020. The achievement makes us proud and has taken us a step ahead on the road to realising the vision of our wise leadership of making the UAE a hub of excellence and innovation of everything that would make people's lives easier and happier.

This highly advanced service is the first of its kind in the region's airports and will further enhance the reputation of Dubai International Airport as well as ensure happiness and comfort of the passengers, while, at the same time, enhancing the level of approved security procedures. This achievement would not have been possible without the great support provided by the Emirates Identity Authority and expertise of the team that supervised this project. I would like to congratulate the team, which includes representatives of the

Major General Obaid Muhair bin Suroor Deputy Director General GDRFA-Dubai

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Cover Story

Travellers can enjoy a hassle-free booking of air tickets, plan itinerary, hotel booking, local travel, pre-order dining, shopping,all in ‘One Order’

IATA's New Distribution Capability to transform travel industry

he travel industry is in for a major transformation with the introduction of New Distribution Capability (NDC) standard by International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade association that represents the world’s airlines.

NDC will enable the travel industry to totally change the way air products are retailed to corporations, leisure and business travellers. With NDC, travellers can enjoy a hassle-free booking of air tickets, plan itinerary, seat reservation, hotel booking, local travel, amusements, pre-order dining, shopping, partying and a lot more while on a travel, all at cheaper competitive prices. They are also able to make changes to flight itineraries such date and time changes and cabin upgrades. NDC will transform communications between airlines and the travel buying community by addressing the industry’s current distribution limitations around product differentiation, time to market, access to full and rich content and the transparency of the shopping experience. The NDC Standard enables the travel industry to transform the way air products are retailed to corporations, leisure and business travellers, by addressing the industry’s current distribution limitations. Airlines, travel management companies, online travel agencies, corporate buyers, global distribution

systems and other technology players contribute to the NDC Standard. Through a collaborative approach, participants ensure that the supporting schemas are functional and can be used by all regardless of business focus, geographic location, size, target markets and individual commercial policies. NDC is a bold, broad-based initiative intended to modernize the way airline products are distributed.

To address the complexity of contemporary air travel, IATA has spearheaded the development of the NDC standard. A particular emphasis of NDC is its ability to help third-party airline distribution channels, such as retail and online travel agencies, travel management companies (TMCs), and Metasearch (price comparison) engines, receive more detailed airline content from airlines. In turn, the indirect channels can

Who will benefit how Travellers will no longer need to juggle between reference numbers and documents. With a single reference number they will be easily recognised by all service providers. Travel agents will be able to follow an identical process to book flights and products from all airlines, regardless of the airline’s business model or technology capability. This will expedite the service they provide, and will increase productivity. Airlines will no longer need to resort to timely and expensive reconcilia-

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tion exercises between different references. This consolidation will help airlines to streamline their reservation management and financial processes, remove dependencies on industry specific accounting solutions and simplift interline delivey and accounting. Technology vendors will be able to take advantage of the latest technologies and methods provided by Order Management System. Legacy formats and corresponding messages will evolve to standardised orders and flexible XML and JSON messaging.

Cover

Story

The ‘One Order’ concept NDC is a ‘One Order’ concept of a single customer order record, holding all data elements obtained and required for order fulfilment across the air travel cycle - such as customer data, order items, payment and billing information, fulfilment data and status. offer their customers richer, more engaging digital flight shopping experiences. The Capability is a travel industrysupported program (NDC Program) for the development and market adoption of a new, XML-based data transmission standard (NDC Standard). The NDC Standard is open to any third party, intermediary, IT provider or non-IATA member, to implement and use. An industry standard will facilitate a more efficient airline distribution system, thereby benefitting airlines, agents, GDSs, IT providers and travel start-ups. Structured around seven distribution-related functions, the NDC Standard provides the opportunity to address the end-to-end airline distribution process, e.g. shopping, booking etc., and to deliver enhanced customer experiences.

Early birds

Airlines and travel companies are fast signing up. At least 90 airlines are expected to be using the new standard by 2020. Dubai-based flydubai has become the first airline to

receive the NDC Level 3 Certification. The latest development from British Airways’ roll-out of NDC is set to benefit the corporate travel community and significantly move the programme forward. British Airways NDC programme has enabled connected parties to book published fares on British Airways and partner carriers. The changes will enable any corporation with a British Airways contract and access to an NDC-enabled system to gain full access to their deal, including holding a booking, paying at a later date, cancelling their itinerary, and adding ancillaries such as seat reservations and preorder catering. Other recent NDC developments from the airline have included the ability to pre-book additional luggage, advise the airline of catering requests (pre-order in Club World and First, pre-paid enhanced meal options in World Traveller and World Traveller Plus and special meal orders), add Executive Club and On Business numbers to bookings and pay British Airways via IATA’s Billing and Settlement Plan. 

‘One Order’ will result in the gradual disappearance of multiple reservation records as well as e-ticket/EMD concepts to be replaced by a single reference travel document. A new standardized and ex pandable reference will becom e the single access point for c ustomer orders by third parties ( interline partners, distribution ch annels, ground handling agents and airport staff, among others). One process: ‘One Order’ will facilitate produc t delivery and settlement between airlines and their partners with o ne simplified and standardized or der management process. All pa rties will follow a single process to service customers throughout their entire product purchase and delivery experience. ‘One Order’ will enable ‘network airlines’ and ‘low-cost carriers’ to interact and provide combined services to customers. Through a new s treamlined process, both airline communities will be able to manage customers in a seamless and ho mogeneous manner despite hav ing different business models and operational environments.

| Manafez Dubai | November - December 2016 | 13

UAE News

Taqdeer Award winners honoured

aqdeer Award, launched under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, honoured 42 construction companies and workers at a special honouring ceremony held at the Dubai World Trade Centre recently.

The ceremony was attended by decision-makers and leaders from local and international government bodies, labour organisations and private companies. Taqdeer Award is the world’s first points-based award programme aimed at setting international benchmarks in labour welfare and honouring excellence. The winners were honoured by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation. Hussein Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality and President of the Judging Committee,said: “On behalf of the award Judging committee, I would like to thank His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, for his strong support

and guidance for this award, which has encouraged companies to set exemplary international standards in labour practices. The judging committee has worked diligently to achieve the desired goals of this award. Within a short time of about 10 months only, Taqdeer Award has helped companies achieve a lot and created an everlasting impact and this is just the beginning.” Major General Obaid Muhair Bin Suroor, Deputy Director General of General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai and Chairman of Taqdeer Award, said: “It is a moment of great pleasure for us that Taqdeer Award has encouraged and led construction companies in Dubai to set exemplary standards in labour welfare. Construction sector is vital to Dubai’s economy and employs over

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500,000 workers, each of whom play an important role in Dubai’s journey to excellence. This award will go a long way in enhancing relationship between employers and employees, in line with the vision of our leadership to ensure happiness and welfare of all and realising Dubai’s vision of becoming one of the world’s best places to work and live. The award has received global appreciation and I would like to congratulate the winning companies for setting international benchmarks in labour welfare practices and the workers who have given their best and shown excellence at workplace, which sets an example for others to follow. I would also like to thank the team of Taqdeer Award, the Judging Committee members, assessors and others who have worked hard at every stage of this award to make it a suc-

UAE News

cess. We believe this award has set an example for other countries to follow.” Obaid added: “We are now ready to launch the next phase of the award in which we expect to have participation from atleast 100 companies. Our goal is to encourage companies across all sectors to set such benchmarks as Dubai, guided by its visionary leadership, is continuously working toward attaining excellence.” Taqdeer Award reflects Dubai’s serious efforts toward enhancing employer-employee relationship and aims to enhance awareness among

labourers about their rights and duties, encouraging workers to contribute their best, while setting international benchmarks in labour welfare practices. Dr. Mohammed Al Zarooni, Director General, Dubai Airport Freezone Authority DAFZA, said: “Dr. Mohammed Al Zarooni, Director General, Dubai Airport Freezone Authority – DAFZA and Vice President and CEO of Dubai Silicon Oasis, said: “The Taqdeer Award sends out a clear message that Dubai does not just encourage excellence in labour welfare practices but amply rewards it as well.

We thank H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum for championing this honorable initiative and for assuring responsible organizations that their concern for their employees will always have a fair return. Appreciating, recognising and supporting the workforce is integral to the fulfillment of Dubai’s ambitions; this award will serve as a constant reminder that freezones’ workforce are important partners for growth as we all strive for a better and brighter future.” The ceremony was led by renowned media personality George Kordahi.

Following are the names of the winners: Winners of 5-star rating

Winners of 4-star rating

Winners of 3-star rating

United Engineering )Construction Limited (UNEC

Habtoor Leighton Group

Amana Steel Buildings Contracting Company LLC

BK Gulf Sobha Engineering and Contracting LLC DUTCO BALFOUR DEATTY Arabtec The companies that received 5 and 4-star ratings will enjoy priority in government projects and the top ratings will give companies a com-

Aroma International Building Contracting LLC

Emirates Sands

ESEC International Contracting Al Nasr Contracting Company LLC Al Futtaim Carrillion Al JIHAN FOUR HORIZON GENERAL CONTRACTING LLC petitive advantage in bidding for international contracts. In its first phase, the award targeted construction sector and will eventually be

extended to other sectors. There are around 282 companies in this sector in Dubai, providing jobs for more than 500,000 workers. 

| Manafez Dubai | November - December 2016 | 15

UAE News

Emiratis to get visa on arrival in Ukraine

mirati citizens who want to visit Ukraine will now be able to get 15-day entry visas on arrival, the Ukrainian Consulate General has announced. Emiratis travelling to Ukraine will no longer need entry visas as they can get entry visas at Kiev Zhuliany Airport and Kiev Boryspil Airport and Odessa airport, Gulf News reported. Dr Oleksandr Balanutsa, Consul General of Ukraine, said a visa section has been set up at these three airports to facilitate the issuance of entry visas for Emiratis. 

Abu Dhabi Airport signs MoU for Seychelles International Airport development

bu Dhabi Airports is set to redevelop an airport in Seychelles after the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Seychelles Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Transport. Under the agreement, Abu Dhabi Airports, which operates airports in the UAE capital, is going to help fund the development of an inter-

national airport on the island of Mahe. Joel Morgan, Seychelles’ Minister of Foreign Affairs and Transport, said once the redevelopment is complete, he expected to see a 10 per cent increase annually in the number of UAE visitors to Seychelles. He added that the deal with Abu Dhabi Airports “represents a ma-

16 | Manafez Dubai | November - December 2016 |

jor milestone in the development of aviation in Seychelles”. Morgan also said the memorandum signifies the growing opportunities for investments in Seychelles, and that there will be other areas of cooperation with the UAE in sectors that include renewable energy. Ali Majid Al Mansouri, chairman of Abu Dhabi Airports, said, “As the Seychelles grows in popularity as a holiday destination for UAE tourists and visitors from around the world, the need to keep up with the demand and expectations of the travel market has never been more important. Our aim is to help to deliver an updated passenger terminal operating to the highest international standards.” 

UAE News

UAE visa issuance centre opens in New Delhi

new overseas consular section and visa issuance centre for UAE visas was opened in New Delhi. The consular services section will ease the issuance of Emirati visas for Indians and residents of India, which will facilitate the entry of Indian workers to the UAE. This is the sixth overseas centre opened by the UAE abroad. It will speed up and accelerate entry procedures via e-gates at UAE entry points. The centre was opened by Mohammad Mir Abdullah Al Raisi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Najeeb Jung, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, and other Emirati and Indian officials were present. The centre adopts the highest internationally acclaimed techniques in providing its services and issuing visas to achieve customer satisfaction. Indians who want to work in the UAE can submit their documents, biometric screening and

medical certificates issued by accredited health authorities to obtain UAE visas. The centre will verify the authenticity of passports and medical certificates, and analyse biometric screenings, such as retinal scans, fingerprints and face prints. This will help make sure that people entering are free of contagious diseases, which will in turn save the country the cost of recruiting, quarantine and deportation. Al Raisi expressed his appreciation

of the efforts and constructive role played by the Indian government in bolstering relations between UAE and India, which are now witnessing developments in various areas. He pointed out that procedures in the centre are in line with leading global practices for issuing visas. For his part, Jung said that the centre marks an important achievement in the field of strengthening bilateral relations. ď&#x201A;&#x2026;

First Biometrics Middle East conference in Dubai

mirates ID Authority, Dubai Airports and Abu Dhabi Airports Company to attend the Biometrics event this December. The 2-day conference will bring together key stakeholders to discuss strategies and new technologies for using biometrics, including improving processing time of travelers without compro-

mising on homeland security, reducing fraud cases at banks, improving immigration control and detecting criminal activity, and more. Experts from Emirates ID Authority; Dubai Airports; Abu Dhabi International Airport; Oman Airports; ictQatar; Dubai School of Govern-

ment; Border Guards, Saudi Arabia; Emirates NBD, UAE; Customs & Free Zone Authority, UAE; Arab Bank, Jordan and many more will discuss the latest innovations and advancements in biometrics and what is being implemented here in the region in order to improve security resilience. ď&#x201A;&#x2026;

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YOUR HAPPINES IS OUR FOCUS

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| Manafez Dubai | April 2016 | 13

SERVICES |

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Middle East News

US custom clearance facility at Saudi airports

he United States will reportedly soon set up customs and border protection pre-clearing facilities at Riyadh and Jeddahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s international airports to process passengers before they arrive in the country.

According to a report in the Okaz newspaper, e facilities will allow passengers to undertake all immigration, customs and agriculture inspections before departure. Abu Dhabi International was the first airport in the Gulf region to establish a CBP office. Having cleared CBP, guests can checkthrough their baggage to their final destination in the US. More than 1 million passengers are reported to have used the facility. When they arrive, they are treated as domestic passengers, meaning they will save time connecting to other flights or on to their final destination. The CBP allows those traveling to the US, Canada, and

38 other countries. Immigration, customs and security clearance procedures for arrival to the United States can be completed at AUH through the pre-clearance facility in Terminal 3. Passengers traveling to New York, Washington, Dallas, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles on flights operated by the national carrier, Etihad Airways, can take advantage of this unique service, and avoid lengthy queues upon arrival in the US. The facility is the first of its kind in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, and one of the few worldwide. The implementation of the preclearance facility has brought about a number of key benefits,

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including the introduction of the most advanced baggage screening technology which meets United States TSA security standards, allowing air travellers who connect onto a US domestic flight to have their baggage checked through from Abu Dhabi to their final destination. The system is one of the latest airport technologies available, and highlights the importance of using enhanced software to ensure a smoother and more efficient passenger journey. The service saves a lot of time as it typically requires less than 60 seconds to complete the clearance. ď&#x201A;&#x2026;

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Middle East News

Middle East passengers happy to spend on ancillary services

iddle East airline passengers would happily spend an extra US $33 per journey to personalize their travel experience with onboard food & beverage, fast track security, priority check-in and extra checked luggage topping their shopping list, according to a new global survey. The survey of travellers across 20 countries in six regions was carried out by global travel technology company Sabre Corporation. It reveals that Middle East travellers currently spend US $58 on ancillaries per journey but are willing to go up to US $91 per journey for a more personalized experience. “It’s clear that while there are regional differences in ancillary pref-

erences, 80 percent of all travellers spend on air extras, representing a significant revenue opportunity for airlines,” said Dino Gelmetti , vice president EMEA, airline solutions, Sabre.

preferred by most travellers to plan and book travel, human interaction still plays a significant role in some countries with 37 per cent of Middle East travellers preferring the help of a consultant.

The survey, ‘Personalisation And The Regional Traveller’ canvassed travellers over 18 years of age who have all flown in the past year. It revealed that while technology is

The study also reveals differences in the time it takes travellers around the world to book trips with only 3 per cent of Middle East travellers planning more than a month ahead. 

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International News

Record number of economies carried out business reforms in past year: World Bank

record 137 economies around the world have adopted key reforms that make it easier to start and operate small and medium-sized businesses, says Doing Business 2017: Equal Opportunity for All, the World Bank Group’s annual report on the ease of doing business. The Middle East and North Africa region saw the most reforms implemented in the past year since 2009, with 35 reforms in 15 of the region’s 20 economies. The UAE and Bahrain were among the world’s top 10 improvers. The new report finds that developing countries carried out more than 75 percent of the 283 reforms in the past year, with Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for over one-quarter of all reforms.

In its global country rankings of business efficiency, Doing Business 2017 awarded its coveted top spot to New Zealand, Singapore ranks second, followed by Denmark; Hong Kong SAR, China; Republic of Korea; Norway; United Kingdom; United States; Sweden; and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The report cites research that demonstrates that better performance in Doing Business is, on average, associated with lower levels of income inequality, thereby reducing poverty and boosting shared prosperity.

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“Simple rules that are easy to follow are a sign that a government treats its citizens with respect. They yield direct economic benefits – more entrepreneurship; more market opportunities for women; more adherence to the rule of law,” said Paul Romer, World Bank Chief Economist and Senior Vice President. “But we should also remember that being treated with respect is something that people value for its own sake and that a government that fails

International News

to treat its citizens this way will lose its ability to lead.” Doing Business data points to continued successes in the ease of doing business worldwide, as governments increasingly take up key business reforms. Starting a new business now takes an average of 21 days worldwide, compared with 46 days 10 years ago. Paying taxes in the Philippines involved 48 payments 10 years ago, compared to 28 now and in Rwanda, the time to register a property transfer has dropped from 370 days a decade ago to 12 days now. The report also features expansions to the Paying Taxes indicator, to cover post-filing processes, such as tax refunds, tax audits and administrative tax appeals, to better understand the overall tax environment. Since 2004, when Doing Business started, a total of 443 reforms have been recorded under the Paying Taxes indicator, the

second highest number of reforms, with 46 reforms implemented in the past year. However, easing the requirements for Starting a Business is, by far, the most common area for reform. “Government policy plays a huge role in the daily operations of domestic small and medium-sized firms and onerous regulation can divert the energies of entrepreneurs away from developing their businesses or innovating. This is why we collect the Doing Business data, to encourage regulation that is designed to be smart, efficient, accessible, and simple,” said Augusto Lopez-Claros, Director of the World Bank’s Global Indicators Group, which produces the report. By region, East Asia and the Pacific is home to two of the world’s top 10

ranked economies, Singapore and Hong Kong SAR, China, and two of the top 10 improvers, Brunei Darussalam and Indonesia. The pace of reforms picked up significantly in the past year, with the region’s economies implementing a total of 45 reforms to improve the ease of doing business. The Europe and Central Asia region was also a major reformer during the past year, with Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Serbia amongst the world’s top 10 improvers. In South Asia, five of the region’s eight economies implemented a total of 11 reforms in the past year, compared with nine the previous year. Pakistan, which was among the world’s top 10 improvers, implemented several reforms this past year, as did India and Sri Lanka. The bulk of the business reform activity in the region was aimed at facilitating cross-border trade. 

Japan to start face-matching of foreign visitors at entry points T he Justice Ministry said that on Monday it will start matching faces of foreign visitors against images of international terrorists, according to a report in Japan Times. The program is part of anti-terrorism measures being put in place ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The face checks will be conducted at immigration gates in 156 ports and airports across the country for all non-Japanese except children under 16, diplomats and special permanent residents.

Deportation or other measures will be taken against people whose faces match those of terrorists on the list. The ministry has been sharing data on facial images of terrorists with security authorities in other countries and Interpol. The data are updated constantly.

The ministry has been collecting photographs of foreign visitors’ faces at immigration control points since 2007. But it has so far only checked them against people

who have been deported from Japan. The program is based on a comprehensive set of anti-terrorism measures adopted by the government in May 2015. 

| Manafez ManafezDubai Dubai|| November November - December 2016 | 25

In Focus

Passenger growth to double over 20 years

UAE to lead Middle East growth

he draft negotiating text for CORSIA, published on 2 September 2016, broadly aligns with the aviation industry’s call for a mandatory global carbon offset scheme as a tool to help manage the industry’s emissions as it pursues its goal of carbon-neutral growth.

United Arab Emirates (UAE) will lead the Middle East growth in number of air travelers and witness over 6.3 per cent annual growth, according to latest estimates by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

the 3.8 billion air travelers in 2016. The prediction is based on a 3.7 per cent annual Compound Average Growth Rate (CAGR) noted in the release of the latest update to the association’s 20-Year Air Passenger Forecast.

IATA expects 7.2 billion passengers to travel in 2035, a near doubling of

The Middle East is estimated to record a strong annual growth of 5 per

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cent and see an extra 258 million passengers a year on routes to, from and within the region by 2035. The UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia will all enjoy strong growth of 6.3 per cent, 4.7 per cent, and 4.1 per cent respectively. The total market size will be 414 million passengers, according to IATA. 

In Focus

“People want to fly. Demand for air travel over the next two decades is set to double. Enabling people and nations to trade, explore, and share the benefits of innovation and economic prosperity makes our world a better place,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

Eastward shift, developing market focus

The forecast for passenger growth confirms that the biggest driver of demand will be the Asia-Pacific region. It is expected to be the source of more than half the new passengers over the next 20 years. China will displace the US as the world’s largest aviation market (defined by traffic to, from and within the country) around 2029. India will displace the UK for third place in 2026, while Indonesia enters the top ten at the expense of Italy. Growth will also increasingly be driven within developing markets. Over the past decade the developing world’s share of total passenger traffic has risen from 24 per cent to nearly 40 per cent, and this trend is set to continue.

Risks, Challenges and Opportunities

The 20-year forecast puts forward three scenarios. The central scenario foresees a doubling of passengers with a 3.7 per cent annual CAGR. If trade liberalization gathers pace, demand could triple the 2015 level. Conversely, if the current trend towards trade protectionism gathers strength, growth could cool to 2.5 per cent annual CAGR which would see passenger numbers reach 5.8 billion by 2035. The growth will put pressure on infrastructure that is already struggling to cope with demand. “Runways, terminals, security and baggage systems, air traffic control, and a whole raft of other elements need to be expanded to be ready for the growing number of flyers. It cannot be done by the industry alone. Planning for change requires governments, communities and the industry working together in partnership,” said de Juniac. Whatever scenario is eventually realized, the industry will also need to be able to grow sustainably. Earlier this month

Middle East market size estimated to reach 414 million by 2035 airlines supported the establishment of a Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). This landmark agreement—the first among governments to manage the emissions growth of an entire global industrial sector—aims to cap net emissions with carbon neutral growth from 2020. “Aviation is at the forefront of industries in managing its carbon footprint. Along with offsetting emissions through CORSIA, airlines are working with partners in industry and government to advance technology, improve operations and generate more efficiencies in infrastructure,” said de Juniac.

Regional growth

The Middle East will grow strongly (5.0 per cent) and will see an extra 258 million passengers a year on routes to, from and within the region by 2035. The UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia will all enjoy strong growth of 6.3 per cent, 4.7 per cent, and 4.1 per cent respectively. Routes to, from and within Asia-Pacific will see an extra 1.8 billion annual passengers by 2035, at an annual average growth rate of 4.7 per cent will be the second-highest, behind the Middle East. According to IATA, while the North American region will grow by 2.8 per cent annually Europe will have the slowest growth rate, 2.5 per cent, adding an additional 570 million passengers a year. 

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Exclusive Interview

Angela Gittens, Director General of Airport Council International (ACI).

Reduce crowding and queueing

irports Council International (ACI) has a different way of approaching security screening in a more riskbased manner. In an exclusive interview with Manafez Dubai, Angela Gittens, Director General of ACI, says airports need an approach that aims at reducing crowding and queueing. Excerpts from the interview: What are the downsides of increasing passenger movements at the airports as far as security is concerned? We cannot approach the security screening regimen the way we have now because large queues and crowds are always the targets of attackers. ACI has a different way of approaching security screening in a more risk-based manner, that is, we look at the risk profile on a technological perspective to make the process better and more secure. We are looking at those countries that have introduced risk-based measures like the US which has different levels of screening. What are pitfalls of creating checkpoints outside the airport terminals? What we are currently witnessing are attacks on crowds and thus require an approach that aims to reduce crowding and queuing. That

is why we are totally opposed to the introduction of a measure that creates more queues, such as additional screening at the terminal perimeter. The crowds outside are easy targets for terrorists, going by some of the past incidents, because the terrorists know who are their targets, whether at airports or shopping malls. What airports should do is to move people more quickly through the systems so that they (the attackers) do not have our passengers and employees as targets. By screening passengers at terminal entrances you are actually making people a target. There is no place for them to hide or run and they are stuck. We do not encourage screening at the terminal entrance. That’s not the place to have people standing with their baggage. You have a more difficult situation if people need to run or scatter and have luggage to fall over.

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Screening points inside the terminal should be efficient and have better equipment that are very reliable and fast so that people can move quickly. Different airports are testing different equipment. There are several airports doing remote screening. What are the evolving aviation security risks you foresee? Cyber criminals. That’s why we have taken a special interest in cyber security and have directed that the organisation establish “stronger IT security for a stronger airport community.” In fact, in 2014, ACI World created a Cybersecurity Taskforce with the objective of developing a comprehensive cyber security programme. Composed of airport representatives from across the world, the taskforce has been instrumental in creating a focused approach to airport cyber security. The Smart Security project on which ACI is currently working in association with

Exclusive Interview

IATA is aiming to make the checkpoint process faster, more efficient and customer-friendly with the overall goal of eliminating crowds and queuing before the security checkpoint. What are the salient features of the Global Security Guidelines of ICAO? Well, we want a common approach to landside security. We recognise that governments get under pressure every time an incident happens and people say the government should have done something about it. So we tell a lot of governments that they be careful as when you solve one problem, you create another. We were particularly warning about landside security that does not move the screening terminal to the terminal entrance. There should be camera systems, security personnel who are trained in behaviour detection, good communication system so that airport personnel are trained as to what to watch out for and when to alert security professionals.

Is it advisable is to outsource passenger, luggage and freight security checking and security guard duties? The guidelines and standards are the same whether it is conducted by your direct employees or the contractorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; employees. What is the role of the aviation regulatory bodies in strengthening security procedures? One of the biggest things is capacity building. There are standards and recommended practices. The question is whether they are being followed. We have a training programme and we work with airports to look at what they are doing and what the gaps might be. What are the technological advances? There are machines that can detect plastic weaponry, dangerous liquids and sophisticated items. The issue with some of them is that can they be done reliably? The idea of these is for the passenger not to have to take the allowed items out of their

bags. We do not want the passenger to have to take the computer or bottles out of their bags. We can quickly and reliably detect the items if they stayed in the bags. We do not want the passengers take off their shoes. There are equipments that can detect if something is in the shoes. We must now figure out how best to share information and data without compromising it. In this approach, technology will play a major role. One example is the ability to share information between all processes in an airport, which is vital to implementing risk based measures. We must now focus on the facilitation of all of these projects, activities and technologies in order to help people move through the airport faster â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or not even be in the system. For example, the printing of boarding passes and bag tags at home, saves queuing at the airport allowing the passenger to move straight through to the security checkpoint. ď&#x201A;&#x2026;

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Special Report

Smart security, real time interaction, one identity to enhance passenger experience

Transforming the passenger journey

he International Air Transport Association (IATA) laid out a transformative vision for air travel that will enable aviation to successfully accommodate a near doubling in demand for air travel over the next two decades.

According to IATA’s latest passenger forecast, some 7.2 billion air trips will take place in 2035, up from 3.8 billion in 2016. “My dream journey through the airport would offer security processes that are both effective and convenient, constant communication that makes me aware of changes to my journey or opportunities nearby, and a more efficient way of identifying myself to the airline, security staff and border management,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO. Speaking at the World Passenger Symposium in Dubai, de Juniac said that the roadmap to turn this dream into reality is being developed through IATA’s Simplifying the Business (StB) program. StB looks over the passenger experience from an end-to-end perspective across all processes, from shopping for travel, to the airport experience, to arriving at the destination, with a special focus on transformation. Programs under the StB umbrella include: Smart Security, a joint initiative with Airports Council International (ACI) to make airport security

checkpoints more efficient and less intrusive. It is making inroads in Europe and the first US airport—Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport— just joined the program.

Real-Time Interaction aims to provide customers with trusted, accurate real-time information from all travel service providers throughout their journey.

The New Distribution Capability (NDC), which will change how consumers shop for air travel by enabling travel agents to have access

One Identity is a visionary concept that would allow an air traveler to assert their identity just once, eliminating repetitive ID checks at security, border control and the gate.

to products and services currently available only on airline websites owing to technology limitations. Already 26 airlines have implemented a part of the NDC standard. ONE Order will build on the capabilities of NDC to enable airlines to replace the multiple rigid and paperbased booking and ticketing records by combining the contents into a single and flexible order record. It will eliminate the need for passengers to juggle different reference numbers and documents along their journeys.

De Juniac called for air transport stakeholders to work together and embrace speed and innovation to meet the challenges of growth and rising passenger expectations. “How do we move these concepts forward? The answer is in partnerships. Even as we implement today’s great ideas, we need to be looking for the next innovation that will make air travel even more compelling to the potential traveler. And we should be prepared to face a future where the cycle of innovation is continuously accelerating.” De Juniac warned, however, that “no matter how much or how quickly we innovate our processes, there is no getting around the need to be both smart and quick in growing airport and airspace capacity.” 

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Customer Service

Four out of five customers prefer that human customer service interactions remain a part of customer service

Human interaction critical for customers

usinesses are responding to the increasing digital world by offering their customers new ways of engaging with them.

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Customer Service

However, most consumers worldwide choose using the phone (24%) or going in-store (23%) as their primary way to interact with brands or service providers, according to a latest study of more than 24,000 customers in 12 countries. The research, by Verint® Systems Inc., with support from Opinium Research LLC, and research and advisory firm IDC, identifies a tipping point between digital and traditional customer service. In terms of preferred digital customer service channels, 22% of consumers want access to an online account, 14% want the ability to communicate with a customer service agent via email, and 9% cited that they prefer to connect using mobile apps. In terms of leading customers on a digital journey, speed, insight and desired outcomes are the biggest factors. Over two-thirds (67%) state that customer service online and via mobile devices should be faster, more intuitive and better able to serve their needs.

Complexity Drives the Tipping Point

Consumers engage with brands and service providers for multiple reasons, and their channels of choice, whether digital or traditional, are quite often determined by the complexity of their requests. In fact, this Digital Tipping Point research reveals that when consumers have a simple customer service request or inquiry, the phone is the most popular option for (22%), while email and SMS come in second place (19% each). However, as customer service requests become complex, reliance on

human interaction increases. More than one third of customers prefer to go in-store (34%) for complex inquiries, while another third prefer to connect by phone (33%). The closest digital channel for complex customer service situations is email, but only 7% of consumers opt for this channel. The research also highlights that consumers are more likely to behave favorably towards brands following instances of good customer service in-store or on the phone. A quarter of respondents would give a positive review, and almost one fifth (18%) would renew products or services, even if they aren’t the least expensive option. This compares to 21% of those who would write a positive review and just 13% who would renew products or services following good customer service on digital channels.

What Do Businesses Say?

Alongside the consumer research, Verint also ran comparative research with businesses, asking 1,019 organizations worldwide about the digital and traditional customer service channels they are prioritizing and investing in. In contrast to customers’ preferred options, these businesses reported they

are investing least in traditional channels, such as the phone or in-store. When exploring attitudes towards service channels, almost seven in 10 consumers (68%) believe that they are more likely to negotiate a better deal in person rather than online. However, only 47% of businesses surveyed offer the availability to speak to someone in-store, relying on other methods of communication with customers such as web chat and email. Businesses also acknowledged that digital customer service needs to improve, with 91% agreeing that customer service online and via mobile devices should be faster, more intuitive and better able to serve customer needs. “This study represents a call-to-action for businesses to better understand their customers’ engagement preferences in order to better serve them,” says Mary Wardley, vice president, enterprise applications and CRM software, IDC. “There continues to be much discussion about the rise of digital and proliferation of mobile. However, as this research shows, human contact is still critical for consumers, increasing the stakes for businesses to strike the right balance in order to effectively service and retain customers, influence sales, and heighten engagement and loyalty.” 

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Health

Plan your day to fitness F

itness experts recommend planning a healthy day to make sure you stay fit even amid a busy schedule. This broad guideline will help you get rid of excuses that keep you away from including a workout and eating well in your day.

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Health

Drink two cups of water soon as you wake up. Not only will it keep you hydrated, this habit will rid you of toxins and give a healthy and energetic start to your day ahead. A 30-minute cardiovascular exercise before you start your day will will bring down elevated morning cortisol levels and burn excess fat. Research has shown that people burn upto 20 per cent more fat when they exercise in the morning on an empty stomach. Have a healthy breakfast within an hour of waking up. In a blender, combine a whey protein isolate or vegan protein powder, one tablespoon natural almond butter (or coconut oil), 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed, 1/2 cup of frozen berries, and water. Turn it into a power smoothie by adding one of these: lecithin, cinnamon, greens powder, or unsweetened cocoa powder. If you need to, skip the berries and put it in a shaker cup and drink it during

the day. Consume your nutrient essentials, such as a high-quality multivitamin, a vitamin D supplement, and capsules of omega-3 fish oils. This combo will help to reduce inflammation, boost immunity, lower blood pressure and ensure optimal health. During your day: Pack two snacks and lunch to work daily. Make sure sure you eat every 3 hours to keep your metabolism in good shape. Eating regularly will also help you avoid blood sugar spikes and lows that can affect your mood and energy. Keep a big bottle for water on your desk and fill it each morning, keeping in mind that you should finish it by the end of the day. Fill a thermos or a nice teapot with hot water, put in three or four green tea bags and let it steep. Drink the tea throughout the day in addition to your water. Have your dinner two hours before bed to promote uninterrupted sleep. Your plate should include lots of fi-

brous carbohydrates, made up of onethird salad and one-third veggies. The other third should be your protein. Your fats may fall on top of your carbohydrate selections (as an olive oil or salad dressing, for instance) or be consumed within your protein selections. Spend some time alone, even if it is just 15 minutes, to breathe deeply, meditate, ponder, review your goals, or write in a journal to wind down before bed and collect your thoughts. Designate this time as your time daily. Aim to get to bed before 11pm, sleeping in a darkened room for optimal recovery and to maximize the release of melatonin. Most sleep experts agree that seven to eight hours a night is optimal. Try this schedule, and see if it works for you. ď&#x201A;&#x2026; (Source: http://www.chatelaine.com)

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New Technology

IDC FutureScape predicts 40% of IT projects will create new digital services

10 most important shifts in IT organisations before 2020

lobal ICT research and consulting firm International Data Corporation (IDC) has laid out the ten most important shifts that will happen in IT organizations over the next 36 months and will guide senior IT executives in the formation of their three-year strategic IT plans. To help CIOs and IT executives successfully lead their organisations through the accelerating process of digital transformation, IDC unveiled its latest IDC FutureScape predictions at

the monthly CIOMajlis meeting in Dubai. Addressing the tenth CIOMajlis held at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, Olivier Schaller, As-

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sociate Vice President for IDCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s IT Executive Programs, offered guidance on managing the impact of these predictions on IT investment priorities and implementation strategies.

New Technology

CIOMajlis, an initiative by Smartworld, an Etisalat and Dubai South joint venture company, aims to contribute to realising the vision of the National Innovative Strategy with the goal of making the UAE the world’s most innovative country by 2021. Abdulqader Obaid Ali, Chief Executive Officer, Smartworld, said: “I believe it is a great initiative of CIOMajlis to do benchmarking. Companies are beginning to feel more comfortable with each other and it is very necessary where they can start sharing their information. I think the time is right now because we need to find a benchmark. It is truly a measure to see where you are compared to the rest and find to improve yourselves. This is the whole purpose of the CIO Majlis.” Titled ‘IDC FutureScape: Worldwide CIO Agenda 2017 Predictions’, the 10 predictions are: • By 2019, 40 per cent of IT projects will create new digital services and revenue streams that monetize data; • Lack of vision, credibility, or ability to influence will keep 40 per cent of CIOs from attaining leadership roles in enterprise DX (digital transformation) by 2017; • By 2019, 75 per cent of CIOs will recognize the limitations of traditional IT and embrace a leadership approach that embodies a virtuous cycle of innovation

(Leading in 3D); • By 2021, one third of CEOs and COOs of Fortune 2000 companies will have spent at least five years of their career in a technology leadership role; • By 2018, 45 per cent of CIOs will focus on platformization using DevOps for rapid development, cost reduction, and enterprise agility; • By 2017, 80 per cent of CIOs will drive global risk portfolios that enable adaptive responses to security, compliance, business, or catastrophic threats; and • By 2019, 40 per cent of digital transformation initiatives will be supported by Cognitive/AI capabilities, providing critical insights for new operating and monetization models; • By 2018, 65% of IT organizations will create new customer-facing and ecosystem-facing services to meet the business DX needs; • By 2018, 40 per cent of CIOs will advance DX initiatives by building organizational linkages with line of business (LOB) technology teams and across IT organizational silos, empowering changes in thinking, culture, and practices; and • By 2019, 80 per cent of bimodal IT organizations will accumulate a crippling

technical debt resulting in spiralling complexity, costs, and lost credibility. Waseq Ahsan, Director, IDC Executive Programs, in his presentation, proposed a pilot project in collaboration with CIO efforts to test and trial metric collection and develop a set of benchmarks and fine tune the process before rolling it out across the UAE and the wider region. Ahmed Al Mulla, Chairman of CIOMajlis, who is also Senior Vice President, Corporate Services, Emirates Global Aluminium, said: “Today all companies in the GCC region want to do benchmarking. They don’t have reference data. All managements are looking for this. Even the companies that are doing the benchmarking or doing service are actually international companies. To do it through CIOMajlis, which comprises local companies, we will first of all have more credibility. Companies are not looking for thousands of data, they look for a few data that are relevant to their industry. Companies come and say are we are spending enough on security or too much on security.” On the IDC predictions, he said: “One of the issues in IT is that technology gets replaced very fast. Technology predictions help us to be aligned with new technology and trends. My advice to CIOs is that you be aligned with others, because the situation is ‘innovate or die’. 

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New Technology

Efficient bag tracking implies more savings for airlines, certainty for passengers

Real-time tracking of bags to save air transport industry $3 billion

he global deployment of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, which can accurately track passengersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; baggage in real time across key points in the journey, can enable the air transport industry to save more than US$3 billion over the next seven years. The highly accurate tracking rates of RFID technology could reduce the number of mishandled bags by up to 25 per cent by 2022, providing a major saving for airlines and delivering more certainty for passengers, global IT provider SITA

and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) revealed at the IATA World Passenger Symposium held in Dubai. In particular, RFID will address mishandling during transfer from

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one flight to another, and ensure that airports, airlines and ground handlers are able to keep track of bags at every step of the journey and ensure the right bag is loaded onto the correct flight. The technology also supports IATAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Reso-

New Technology

lution 753 that requires by 2018 airlines keep track of every item of baggage from start to finish. The deployment of RFID would build on the already significant savings delivered by the smart use of technology for baggage management. Jim Peters, Chief Technology Officer at SITA, said: “The airline industry is on the brink of a revolution in baggage tracking. Deploying RFID globally will increase accuracy and reduce mishandling rates. This is a win-win situation – passengers will be happier, operations will run smoother and airlines will save billions of dollars.” Andrew Price, Head of Global Baggage Operations at IATA said: “Over the past few years we have seen more work to help airlines introduce and reap the benefits of RFID technology through better oversight of their baggage operations.

in RFID to further improve our baggage handling rates and improve the customer experience. RFID technology provides us with more data and more precise tracking information throughout the baggage journey.” The SITA/IATA business case shows that the improvements in handling rates do not come at a great cost. RFID capabilities can be deployed for as little US$0.1 per passenger on average while generating expected savings of more than US$0.2 per passenger. With some big airlines and airports already introducing RFID technology, combined with the fact that it is compatible with existing barcode technology, adoption of RFID across all airports could provide a positive return for airlines, both in cost savings and passenger satisfaction. SITA’s and IATA’s assumptions are

According to the SITA Baggage Report 2016, technology has helped reduce the number of mishandled bags by 50 per cent from a record 46.9 million mishandled bags in 2007, saving the industry US$ 22.4 billion. This improvement comes despite a sharp rise in passenger numbers over the same period. based on RFID being deployed in 722 airports (representing 95 per cent of passenger numbers globally) over a six-year period between 2016 and 2021 while the savings are calculated over seven years to 2022. The figures for 2016 take into account the RFID infrastructure already deployed or about to be deployed at multiple induction points on the baggage journey. 

This has included trials and of course the Delta Air Lines implementation. The advances in the technology and the immense benefits it brings to the airline industry has prompted IATA to revisit and fully explore the benefits of RFID today.” Initial deployments of RFID by airlines, such as Delta Air Lines, show a 99 percent success rate for tracking bags, helping further reduce the number of mishandled bags. David Hosford, manager of baggage performance strategy at Delta Air Lines said: “We are investing | Manafez Dubai | November - December 2016 | 41

New Technology

Self-service security checkpoint eGates at Princess Juliana Airport

Airports put IT investments for security on high priority Self-service security checkpoint eGates at Princess Juliana Airport

int Maarten Airport, also known as Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), is implementing an integrated passenger experience program to streamline identification processes and enhance passenger flow.

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New Technology

The project, a joint initiative by SXM Airport and the Immigration and Border Protection Services, a department within the Ministry of Justice of Sint Maarten, will modernise airport processes and improve the customer experience at SXM Airport. The first milestone of the comprehensive program has been completed with the installment of six self-service security checkpoint eGates for departing travelers. The eGates, integrated with the common-use infrastructure of the airport, offer a very fast security control procedure, validating the authenticity of the boarding pass and confirming the passengerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eligibility to enter the restricted area on the day of travel for all airlines operating on the island. SXM, together with Vision-Box, have designed a modernized passenger experience across the whole airport, covering both arrivals and departures. The security checkpoint eGates are expediting eligibility control from landside to airside and the latest generation of ABC eGates will soon be ready for exit emigration procedures. Passengers will be able to automatically authenticate their passport and have a photo taken, to be matched to the one stored on the passportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chip. Upon successful authentication, the passenger will cross the border and proceed through the airport security screening. In turn, passengers arriving at the island will be able to use self-service Automated Immigration Control Kiosks. ď&#x201A;&#x2026; | Manafez Dubai | November - December 2016 | 43

New Technology

According to the latest Airport IT Trends Survey by SITA, there is a stronger focus on IT investments for passenger and airport security among airports worldwide. The survey shows that over 50 per cent airports rated IT investments for passenger and airport security a high priority, up from 37 per cent last year.

Philippines immigration deploys face recognition systems Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration (BI) will deploy a facial recognition system that connects to the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) as part of its ongoing initiative to strengthen border security and to prevent undesirable foreign nationals from entering the country, according to a report by The Daily Tribune. According to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, the project will photograph all arriving and departing passengers when

being processed at the immigration counters of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

in 28 different languages and dialects, including Cantonese, Mandarin, English and Japanese.

China deploys robots with In the event that the robots are unfacial recognition as cusable to solve a specific issue, the toms officers robots will be linked to their cusChina Customs has deployed 10 intelligent robots with facial recognition capabilities to serve as Custom Officers at three different ports in Guangdong Province, China.

The robots, which are named Xiao Hai, mark the batch to be deployed in the cities of Gongbei, Zhongshan and Hengqin, according to media reports. Equipped with facial recognition technology, the robots are capable of detecting individuals who are acting suspiciously, in addition to walking, speaking, listening and learning. The robots use a specialised customs dataset to answer questions

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tomer service line in the future, said customs officials.

China deployed another robot called Anbot for security purposes last month at the Shenzhen airport in Guangdong province. Anbot makes “round-the-clock patrols” throughout the airport’s departure hall in Terminal 3.

Airports invest more toward security According to the SITA survey, for many airports, the investment focus has shifted to security in the wake of heightened regional tensions, some of which directly target air travel. While investment in passenger processing technology still ranks the number one priority for airports, it has

New Technology

dropped from 73 per cent in 2015 to 59 per cent this year as security rises in priority. Matthys Serfontein, SITA Vice President, Airport Solutions, said: “The technology trends at airports reflect the changing world. Investments to support passenger and airport security are up while the increasing demands of the connected traveler for self-service and mobile services are also being met. “This year we see a shift where airports are also looking to technology to generate non-aeronautical revenue. By 2019, 84 per cent hope to make money by enabling the purchase of airport services through their mobile app. And there is also a clear trend to provide hybrid public Wi-Fi services that combine the convenience of limited free Wi-Fi with commercial offerings. Over the next three years the proportion of airports planning to offer unrestricted free Wi-Fi will drop from 74 per cent to 54 per cent. This change is mainly driven by airports in North America and the Middle East.”

project related to mobile services and 74 per cent trialing or piloting context-aware and location-based technology in the next five years. Using kiosks for services beyond check-in and bag drop to generate revenue will also appear at the world’s airports. Today a very small number of airports have kiosks that allow passengers to download digital content, such as the latest films, before they board the flight but by 2019, 30 per cent plan to do so. By that time 42 per cent also expect to have kiosks that enable sales transactions. SITA’s research takes a look further into the airport’s digital transformation exploring areas such as wearables, biometrics, robotics and context-aware services and

how airports plan to use these innovative technologies over the next five to ten years. In the light of the increased focus on security it is not surprising that interest in biometric technology, which supports fast and secure passenger processing, is high. More than one third of airports will invest in single biometric travel token projects in the next five years jumping to the majority (52 per cent) within the decade. These findings are from the 13th annual SITA Airport IT Trends and reflect the views of more than 225 airports who together manage 36 per cent of the global traffic or 2.3 billion passengers. This year 50 per cent of survey respondents came from airports within the Top 100 in terms of revenue. 

The survey shows that self-service and mobile dominate the airport landscape. This year for the first time SITA’s research indicates the majority of airports worldwide provide self-service check-in for both passengers and bags. Looking ahead self-service will continue to dominate with two-thirds of airports planning major IT investments in this area. The growing influence of mobile is also evident with nearly every airport worldwide (90 per cent) undertaking either a major program or a trial | Manafez Dubai | November - December 2016 | 45

Tourism

Lonely Planet has revealed winners of its best cities to travel in 2017

Plan your travel for 2017 Bordeaux, France

They used to call her the ‘Sleeping Beauty’, but – though she’s hit the snooze button a few times – Bordeaux is now wide awake and ready for action. The new LGV SudOuest line, due for completion in mid- 2017, connects the city with Europe’s high- speed train network and cuts travel time from Paris to just two hours. Its timing is perfect. The recently opened Cité du Vin continues the impressive redevelopment of the Garonne riverfront with a state-of-the-art wine-lovers’ experience, and the city’s gastronomic revolution keeps building on its own success. She’s going to skip breakfast: all aboard for Bordeaux’ grande bouffe!

Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town’s deceptively laid-back folk have been working hard to add cultural and culinary cred to the Mother City’s famous natural charms, cementing its reputation as an African city with a global outlook. Local gastronomy is as impressive as Table Mountain’s flat-topped

mass, with historic wine estates in every direction, hip markets selling the fruits of the Cape’s fertile terrain, and inventive restaurants winning global plaudits. The art and design scene will be given a boost in September by the opening of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA), the world’s largest museum of contemporary African art and a post-industrial architectural marvel occupying a century-old grain silo.

Los Angeles, USA

Despite its reputation as a land of celebrities, health fanatics and allaround superficiality, LA has been

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gaining steam as a cultural destination while becoming more accessible than ever. The 2016 Metro expansion has made getting from Downtown to Santa Monica and everywhere in between much easier; city initiative Car Free LA helps tourists navigate without wheels; and almost 50 new hotels are in the works. This isn’t just a beach town, either; it’s a commerce capital, where movie producers and finance types mingle over sashimi and kale salads. East Coasters are moving here in droves for the sunshine and a more sustainable lifestyle.

Tourism

Merida, Mexico

Mérida’s cultural offering is like no other on the Yucatán Peninsula (sorry, Cancún, you’ve got pretty beaches, but party culture doesn’t count). On any given day you’ll find a dizzying array of live music, art shows and dance performances, and the booming culinary scene is hotter than a Habanero pepper. This year Mérida has been designated the American Capital of Culture, meaning visitors can expect a ginormous cultural extravaganza as organisers stage a series of large-scale events throughout 2017. And here’s the kicker: the so-called White City ranks among the safest places in Mexico nowadays.

Pistoia, Italy

People sometimes refer to Pistoia as ‘little Florence’ for its concentration of art and architecture. And yet, despite its charms, this Tuscan town

sees just a fraction of Florence’s tourists. That’s set to change in 2017, when the city will take its turn as Italy’s Capital of Culture. Pistoia earned the title in recognition of its impressive cultural credentials and devotion to grass-roots ideas and local entrepreneurship. In return, the award offers the city an opportunity to showcase an alternative side to Tuscany: one that eschews grandslam sights in favour of thriving small towns full of personality and dynamic, living culture.

is what helps the Portuguese capital remain a bargain, long may it continue. Add the weakness of the euro, and the city looks like an unbeatable deal. Should you need more persuasion, though, consider the museums: from Egyptian artefacts at Museu Calouste Gulbenkian to pop art at Museu Colecção Berardo, Lisbon groans with them, but the appetite appears unsated: a museum devoted to the history of Judaism in Portugal is coming to the Alfama district in 2017.

Lisbon, Portugal

Moscow, Russia

It’s got sights, culture and cuisine, yet Lisbon’s rarely mentioned alongside southern European heavyweights such as Barcelona or Rome. If this mystifying lack of recognition

Russia may not have revealed all its Revolution-centennial plans, but it’s as clear as a crenellated Kremlin façade that there will be radical changes in Moscow. The city will host football matches in the 2017 Confederations Cup and the 2018 FIFA World Cup, so the race is on to bring an inkling of the ultra-modern to a metropolis renowned for bombastic architecture. The new Ramenskoye Airport and a new metro line will mean an all-time high in the city’s connectivity, and Moscow will gain a blockbuster attraction in the Polytechnic Museum and Educational Centre, relocated to a dramatic building in the Vorobyovy Gory hills. 

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