TTG november/december 2016

T TG NO R DIC

No 361

November / December 201 6

| November / December

Travel Trade Gazette

THE COFFERS ARE FULL AT DFDS www.erv.dk

NORWEGIAN DARES WHERE OTHERS HESITATE

A1 7 2_09.16

Husk rejseforsikringen – og vær tryg på vinterferien.

DANISH TRAVEL AWARDS: NEWS AND PHOTOS

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No361

CONTENTS

Alfabetica Travel Agencies

CONTENT www.billund-airport.dk/ om-lufthavnen/check-in-billund

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Page 6

Around the World

Page 8

The treasury is bulging at DFDS

Page 12

New leisure destination: Rwanda

Page16

A flexible organization is key to Norwegian’s success

Page18

Ejvind Olesen on the need for common sense

Page 20

Smaller airlines are worth a detour

Page 24-41 All the news from Danish Travel Award

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Page 42

The Danish Minister of Trade and Growth on the new tourism strategy

Page 44

The future of travel

www.visitbritain.com

www.standby.dk www.standbynews.com

www.visitdenmark.com

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Volcanic wines attract tourists to Sicily

Page 50

Hamburg is hip

Page 53

Unoccupied cabins on the Baltic

www.godominicanrepublic.com

www.bahn.com

www.udviklingfyn.dk

Recruitment Travel Trade

www.greenland.com

www.gotoasia.no

ACCORD

www.bcdtravel.fi

www.galileo.dk

www.kronerejser.dk

www.procon.dk

www.mangaard-travel.dk

travelize.com AllaBussresor.se AllaTemaresor.se

www.visitsweden.com denmark@visitsweden.com

www.norskrejsebureau.dk

www.travelport.dk www.travelport.se

www.rb-seniorklub.dk

www.worldspan.com

CYAN

MAGENTA

JAUNE

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CLIENT + QUALITÉ*

CARRÉ NOIR - 82, bd des Batignolles - 75017 Paris - FRANCE / Tél. : +33 (0)1 53 42 35 35 / Fax : +33 (0)1 42 94 06 78 / Web : www.carrenoir.com

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www.usarejser.dk

Travel Technology

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On the town & People

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www.discoverireland.com

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Want to be a partner?

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www.germany.travel

www.unikkemoedesteder.dk

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www.visitaland.com www.visitaland.com/se

www.datacon.dk/travel

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Stand By is issued six times per year and distributed as paid subscription in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, The Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland to travel agents, tour operators, airline offices tourist agencies, foreign tourist representatives, tourist bus companies, and all of the major industries in Scandinavia. Stand By bears no responsibility for unsolicited editorial material

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www.bcdtravel.no

TONS RECOMMANDÉS (4)

A NOUS RETOURNER SIGNÉE AVEC VOTRE ACCORD OU VOS CORRECTIONS

PRODUCTION

Tourist Boards - Information

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www.bcdtravel.se

www.spain.info

www.tourismthailand.se

CRÉATION

www.topflight.no

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www.visitnorway.com

www.tahiti-tourisme.dk

www.berning-leonhardt.com

JFB

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www.bcdtravel.dk

www.dolphind.com www.flightscanner.biz

www.spain.info

MINEFI MIN_11_0000_RdVFrance_Q Date le 22/06/2011

Page 57

www.visitmalta.com

Business & Leisure

Rail Travel

www.centrum-personale.dk

Page 46

www.visitfinland.se www.visitfinland.com

Is YOUR company missing?

Contact STAND BY on phone: + 45 7025 9700 or e-mail: sales@standby.dk

Absalon Hotel Adina Aalborg Lufthavn Alsie Express Air France Air Greenland Amadeus Scandinavia Arp-Hansen Hotel Group Arthur Hotels Austrian Auto Europe Avis Baltic Stand By BCD Travel Berning & Leonhardt Billund Lufthavn Blue Lagoon Bonnier Responsmedier British Airways British Midland Airways Brussels Int. Travel Service Cabin Hotel Cathay Pacific Airways Celebrity Cruises Centrum Personale A/S Check-in Billund Cimber Air Cirkusbygningen Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers Copenhagen Airport Danish Air Transport Datacon A/S Destination Destination Fyn DB Bahn DBTA DFDS Seaways Dolphin FlightScanner Dominican Republic Estonian Air Europcar Europæiska Reseförsäkringar Europæiske Rejseforsikring Finnair First Hotel FlyNordic Franske turistkontor Færgen Galileo GoToAsia Gouda Rejseforsikring Hadler DMC Head aHead Helnan International Hotels Herning Messer, Rejsemesse Hertz Hotel Føroyar Hotel Hafnia Hotel Tórshavn Hungarian National Tourist Office Hurtigruten Icelandair Icelandic Tourist Board Irland Turisme Jet Time A/S Kelly KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Krone Rejser LOT Polish Airlines Malta Tourism Mangaard Travel Group Meliâ Meridien National Car Norges Varemesse, Reiseliv Norsk Rejsebureau ProCon Solution RejserNu.dk Rejsebranchens Seniorklub Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Qatar Airways SAS Scandi International DMC Scandic Hotels Scandlines Sixt Small Danish Hotels Smyril Line Spanske turistkontor SRF Svenska Resebyrånföreningen Stand By Tahiti Tourisme TAP Portugal Team Benns Thailand Tourist Thomascookairlines Topflight AS Travelize Travelport Travel Proffesionals Travel Club Tysk Turist Information USA Rejser Vienna Tourist Board Virgin Atlantic VisitBritain VisitDenmark VisitFinland VisitGreenland.com VisitNorway VisitNordsjælland VisitSweden Wimdu Worldspan Ålands Turistinformation

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No360

INTRO

Managing Director Stig Thygesen

A CELEBRATION AND A POSITIVE TREND The annual travel business party in Denmark, the Danish Travel Awards, took place on 5 October – a gathering of happy award recipients and party-minded nominees and participants whose good cheer remained unaffected by their colleagues’ statuettes. It’s a party and a tribute to employees in the business as well as recognition of their efforts in 2016. We have an extensive report on the festivities on pages 24-41.

The business is continually developing, but much remains the same. Nominees in the various categories (the three companies with the most votes) were largely the same as in previous years. This is only natural, given that the companies’ size and degree of knowledge is key when the various panels cast their votes. SAS was once again the winner of all four prizes for air transport.

Copenhagen office: Vester Farimagsgade 2, kontor 1013-1015, DK-1606 Copenhagen V. Tel: +(45) 70 25 97 00 Fax: +(45) 70 25 97 01 standby@standby.dk www.standby.dk Managing director: Stig Thygesen / stig@standby.dk

Success in the business And there was good reason for celebration and congratulations, because after the impressive results of 2015 the positive trend has continued for large sections of the industry.

Danish hotels doubled their aggregate financial results in 2015 compared to 2014 and the advances continued into 2016 – driven by, among other things, large conferences where capacity, infrastructure and the responsiveness of employees earned top marks in the organisers’ benchmarking.

The trend is the same in Sweden, with growth of more than 10% in overnight stays – in contrast to Norway, where 4% growth was primarily due to a decline in business travel in the wake of the oil industry crisis.

Travel agencies have experienced the same progress percentages, which have hopefully continued throughout 2016 in spite of the warm summer. Travel agency nominees were the same as in previous years: Spies, Star Tour and Bravo Tours, with Star Tour (Tui) as this year’s winner.

Happy New Year Let’s hope that the positive tendencies continue into 2017, because it doesn’t look like there will be much help to be had from the politicians – not until declarations of intent have been transformed into real policies. We have an interview with Danish Minister of Trade and Growth Troels Lund Poulsen on page 42.

We’re only in the middle of November – probably the most lacklustre month of the year, when most of us are buried in budget work. But since Christmas decorations have already appeared in most of the shops, I will take this opportunity to wish all our readers and advertisers a Happy New Year that is marked by growth.

Managing Editor: Kitt Andersen / kitt@standby.dk Senior Editor: Ejvind Olesen / ejv@mail.dk Journalist: Henrik Baumgarten / hb@takeoff.dk Journalist: Flemming Juul / flemming@juul.dk C

Sales and advertising:

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Tel: +(45) 70 25 97 00 Y

Fax: +(45) 70 25 97 01 CM

sales@standby.dk Trine Christensen / trine@standby.dk

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Gitte Nielsen / gitte@standby.dk

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Layout: Kenneth Nannberg / kenneth@standby.dk CMY

Print: Tryknet Publisher: Scandinavian Travel Media ApS.

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Stockholm Office: Manager Christian Jahn christian@ttgnordic.com tel. +46 70-644 45 45

Vilnius office: Journalist: Howard Jarvis howard@ttgnordic.com

Our next issue will appear on 1 February 2017, where the theme will be travel management and MICE & hotels.

ttgnordic.com tlf. +370 79267

CONTACT US CALL US OR WRITE AN EMAIL if you have a good story about airlines, hotels, cruise, car rental, travel agencies, MICE or travel technology you want to share with the industry.

Editor in Chief Kitt Andersen, kitt@standby.dk, tel. +45 30 23 91 03 Senoir Editor Ejvind Olesen, ejv@mail.dk, tel. +45 45 86 21 49 Journalist Henrik Baumgarten, hb@takeoff.dk, tel. +45 20 93 28 48 Manager Christian Jahn, christian@ttgnordic.com tel. +46 70-644 45 45Journaiist Howard Jarvis, howard@ttgnordic.com tel. +370 79267

Cover photo: Preben Pathuel

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No361

AROUND THE WORLD

CHAMPAGNE LOUNGE FOR BUSINESS CUSTOMERS Dubai International Airport has now finished a larger upgrade of its business lounge. US$11 million was thrown into the project, with more luxury and pampering in among other things a champagne lounge with Moët & Chandon in the glasses and canapés on the plates, a barista lounge where Costa Coffee’s baristas provide freshly brewed coffee, and a Health Hub in cooperation with Voss Wa-

ter for passengers who prefer a healthier alternative with fruit juices, sandwiches, wraps and salads.

The makeover took two years and the new Business Class Lounge is about 1,000 square metres with room for up to 1,500 guests. Also the children’s area and the spa have had a facelift. Emirates is expecting to get a sports bar and a cocktail bar soon too.

KA

A VERY INDIVIDUAL HOTEL CONCEPT

Airbus has delivered its 10,000th aircraft, a state-of-the-art A350XWB for Singapore Airlines – an airline that has been loyal Airbus customer since 1979 and was first to fly the A380.

The European manufacturer’s first plane was a long-haul A300B2, delivered to Air France on 10 May 1974.

In 1983, it launched the long-haul A310 with a new forward-facing flight deck for two-pilot flights as airlines eliminated the role of the flight engineer. The first A310 went to Swiss Air and still flies today as a freighter for FedEx. The first Airbus short-haul A320 was launched in 1984, setting new technology and passenger comfort standards that still endure today.

From a rate of half an aircraft a month in the 1970s, Airbus now produces more than 600 aircraft per year and plans to deliver its next 10,000th plane in 10 years’ time. MG

Photo: A. Doumenjou / master films

Claes Anerud with last year’s harvest.

At The Winery in Stockholm, not only can you check in and pay using a system much like the check-in machines at airports, you can also serve yourself at an automated wine bar.

Wine is the theme of the hotel, which among other things produces 7,500 bottles of its own wine each year. Room telephones have been replaced with an app where you can also see menus, reserve a table, order room service and activities and receive new offers.

“The response has been mostly positive,” hotel manager Claes Anerud tells TTG Nordic. “We have mobile phones on hand for anyone who may have lost their own. Alcatel-Lucent developed the app in cooperation with Telecom Norden and Tele Office and Mobile Interaction, and there’s a lot of interest from hotels .”

Next on the agenda could be replacing door keys with the individual and unique heart rhythm of each guest.

AIRBUS DELIVERS ITS 10,000TH PLANE

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med Star Alliance.

OPLEV EN NY FLYVENDE

FORNEMMELSE OMBORD PÅ DEN NYE FINNAIR AIRBUS A350 Finnair er første flyselskab i Europa som flyver den nye Airbus A350 XWB. Oplev en ny flyvende fornemmelse på A350.finnair.com

Finnair flyver til alle de større byer i Asien og over 60 destinationer i Europa.

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No361

INTERVIEW

DFDS CEO:

OUR PASSENGER TRAFFIC IS HERE TO STAY The coffers are full at CEO Niels Smedegaard’s 150-year-old shipping company. A renewal of the fleet is on the horizon, and the UK may provide new opportunities after Brexit.

But Copenhagen-Oslo is untouchable.

By Ejvind Olesen Photo: Preben Pathuel

Twenty-eight years ago, Niels Smedegaard, now 54, started out in the finance department of SAS in Stockholm. There were good times with Jan Carlzon at the helm. The travel business got into his blood and has been there ever since.

Along the way, he became finance manager at SAS Service Partner, which was an independent company within the airline. Group President Ivar Samren noticed his talent, which led to six years in Switzerland in the Gate Gourmet Group, where he became CFO, followed by six years in Atlanta where he was CEO for e-gatematrix before being brought home – again by Samren , now chairman of the board at DFDS. Niels Smedegaard became chief executive of the shipping company, which needed new blood and fresh ideas. Not least because of the financial

crisis that was closing in. That was 10 years ago, and it is hardly an overstatement to say that he has become one of the golden boys of the Danish business community. Especially after a dramatic 2015, which turned into a year that once again showed a bottom-line profit of over a billion Danish kroner.

20% passenger traffic We met him on a sunny afternoon at the end of October in his glass-fronted office with a fascinating view of the building boom going on in the Nordhavn district. As expected, he was wearing a jacket and tie – despite his recent statement that he’d have to get used to company employees who go to work in jeans and open-collar shirts.

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WHO’S WHO

NIELS SMEDEGAARD, AGED 54 • Holds a master’s degree in business administration • 1988 to 1994: several positions at SAS, including CFO and CEO at SAS Catering. From 1994, finance manager at Swissair in Zürich. Named CFO at Swissair subsidiary Gate Gourmet in 1995 • 2000 to 2006: managing director of e-gatematrix in Atlanta, USA • Thereafter CEO at DFDS, headquartered in Copenhagen • Married to Helle Smedegaard.

The couple have three children (properly pictured in the executive office) • Leisure interests: Exercising, running, skiing Member of the Danish business organization The Network, together with such top executives as former Vestas CEO Ditlev Engel and former Tryg chief executive Stine Bosse

There is no question that the Shipping Division is the best source of income. But what is the actual distribution in terms of passenger transport on the ferry routes Copenhagen-Oslo and Amsterdam-Harwich, where you now have four vessels in operation?

“For DFDS as a whole, it is 80% freight and 20% passenger traffic. For the two routes you mentioned, more than 90% are passengers.”

So the travel business – passenger transport – is secondary at DFDS? “Not at all. It’s an important part of our history, and after the financial crisis it is again showing marked growth. I estimate we’ve gone from DKK 25 million to DKK

200 million on the passenger side. It’s not that easy to separate this from freight. Passengers also bring cars. And Calais-Dover is operational again after all the unrest in the French unions. The crossing takes just an hour and a half. It’s a different type of passenger transport, with a whole lot of cars. Over a million lorries, which I think is quite impressive in itself.

“We are still focusing on our passenger vessels as venues for courses and conferences arranged by travel agencies and businesses.

“Today we are much more than simple transportation. We attach great importance to creating on-board experiences for our customers.”

Scandinavian success The Copenhagen-Oslo route is close to Danish hearts. For a while you were thinking of selling it off, but now you say it’s here to stay?

“Yes, we’re very happy with it now. The passenger load is good, and at the edges of the summer season we have seen more and more international passengers, not least from China. We also have the right mix of Norwegian and Danish families, business inclusive meetings and convention tourism. We would like to have higher ticket prices, but we mustn’t become so expensive that families can’t keep up. I really think we can call it both a historic and a Nordic success.”

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No361

INTERVIEW

What about the delights of tax-free shopping, once Norway becomes part of the EU? “Of course, it plays an important role for our earnings, even though prices in Denmark have been harmonised with the on-board products. But Norway is something else again. That’s why Norwegians are the customers with the most

SUCCESSFUL RESULTS 2015 was a record year for DFDS, with an organic sales growth of 7%.

Returns on invested capital: 13.7%.

Sales increased by 5% to DKK 13.5 billion.

In 2016, sales are expected to increase by another 6%.

Expected results: between DKK 2.1 and DKK 2.3 billion.

Net sales increased from DKK 12.7 to DKK 13.4 billion from 2014 to 2015. During the same period, net results rose from DKK 435 million to DKK 1.011 billion. The company has about 6,000 employees.

buying power. Actually, we sell more in the way of brand-name products and cosmetics than we do cigarettes. The price differences are still considerable in Norway compared to the levels aboard our ships.”

Salami, please – but no cucumbers.

Why don’t you sell cucumbers to the Norwegians?

“During a skiing trip to Norway I did notice the price of cucumbers. But I think the Norwegians should be allowed to work this out for themselves. We won’t get involved, although we do sell salami.”

Will you have more on-board casinos like the one on Pearl?

“No. We keep up with technological developments. As it is today, it’s so complicated, and the regulatory aspect so labour-intensive, that we have no plans for further expansion. We’ll stick with the casino on Pearl, but no more than that for now.”

Sweden will not return Will we once again see a call in Sweden on the Oslo route?

“No, but we do have a good number of Swedish passengers who board in Copenhagen. Southern Sweden is a very good market. The call at Helsingborg

”

It’s very dangerous to live on the strength of past exploits.

When I came to DFDS, I was told that the company was bigger than Mærsk in the 1930s.”

was too expensive and time-consuming, seen in relation to the volume of passengers and freight.”

And will we never see the return of Esbjerg-Harwich?

“On this route, we were greatly pressured by low-cost companies, and by the fact that the passenger volume was much too small. The one may be the result of the other, but 80,000 passengers a year was not enough. We need at least twice as many in order to make a profit.

And then there was the disappearance of tax-free sales.”

That could return after Brexit?

“Of course we still don’t know about that. It might bring new possibilities, also with regard to our two routes to England from Amsterdam and Calais.”

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QUOTES BY

Niels Smedegaard, CEO of DFDS: We’ve employed many people who wear shorts and sandals and are quite different from those of us who wear a tie at the office. For many years I didn’t exactly think that wearing jeans was super, but I’ve begun to understand that the world doesn’t work that way anymore.”

“We’ve experienced rapid growth that has doubled the size of DFDS and brought the company into a leading position as one of the most profitable shipping companies in the Danish transport business.”

“In Switzerland I learned the value of humility as a manager; in the US I learned the importance of getting things done and achieving results. In Denmark I learned the value of drawing employees into the process.”

“Systems may appear in the transport business that come between us and the customers.

Other businesses have already discovered this with Momondo and Airbnb.”

“If you have satisfied employees, then you most likely also have a satisfactory bottom line.”

“We have an extremely solid treasury. We have fantastic relationship with our banks. It’s not the financial aspect that keeps us awake at night. It’s more about finding the right opportunities.”

Under the gun Speaking of Calais, have things calmed down after last summer’s unrest, and has it become a reasonable investment?

During the conflict with the French labour unions you made some tough and rather uncharacteristic statements.

For example: ‘The union is exercising a kind of terrorism. We have offered to hire 200 sailors, but it makes no sense for us to negotiate while we’re under the gun.’

“Yes, the two ferries Rodin and Berlioz

have both been reconditioned. Eurotunnel has pulled out of the ferry market. We have an acceptable operation, and the traffic is impressive. Just think, there are over a million lorries a year on this route.”

Visions for the future Normally, my next question would be the top story in this article, but I’ve chosen to save it for last. Do you have any visions for the future? The coffers are bulging, and have been for a long time. The Oslo ferries are 22 and 27 years old. What gives?

“We will wait another year or yearand-a-half before we make a decision.

As I see it today, we have three choices. We can renew the old ships and spend up to DKK 700 million on that project. We can buy used tonnage and refurbish it – on a cruise ship we’d need a car deck. Or we can order new ships.

“The last choice is wildly expensive, and the shipyards that build passenger vessels have long waiting lists. It’s a different situation for other shipyards, which have lost at least 25% of their order intake. We saw this when we invited tenders for two large ro-ro ships with room for 450 lorries. These have now been ordered from China for delivery in 2019. A very large investment.”

After 10 years with DFDS you have broken your own job rhythm of six years in each place.

“One shouldn’t think of oneself as something extraordinary. It’s very dangerous to live on the strength of past exploits. When I came to DFDS, I was told that the company was bigger than Mærsk in the 1930s.

“Facing the challenges we have today, I am prepared to help solve them.

After that, we’ll just have to see what happens.”

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No361

LEISURE

By Ole Egholm

Most remember Rwanda for the tragic genocide of 1994, when a million people lost their lives. But the president of the country has done much to change this image – and mountain gorillas are helping him.

Rwanda lies in central Africa and is probably best remembered for the horrifying genocide that took place there in 1994. A million people – one-seventh of the entire population – were slaughtered in just 100 days.

But Rwanda is also known for something else: its mountain gorillas, of which there are nearly 500 in the mountains between Rwanda, DR Congo and Uganda.

Rwanda has recovered with impressive speed since the genocide, and the country’s tourism authorities are now working on getting the world to remember the country for its mountain gorillas instead of the genocide.

Rwanda is trying to bring itself into the same ’category’ as Kenya and Tanzania rather than more chaotic countries like DR Congo and Burundi, which in terms of per capita GNP rank 196th and 195th among the 198 countries in the world, according to a CIA list. In other words, Rwanda neighbours two of the world’s poorest and most chaotic nations.

Rwanda’s per capita GNP is 1,800 dollars a year – twice as much as DR Congo and Burundi and also more than Gambia (number 182 on the list), to which Spies arranges charter travel. Rwanda is still ‘only’ number 177 on the list and has yet to overtake Uganda (172), Tanzania (160) or Kenya (157). But progress is being made.

100 days of butchery As a visitor in Rwanda, it is a ’must’ to visit at least one of the 250 genocide memorials that have been set up around the country in memory of the dead. Most of the memorials are placed on top of mass graves. The largest of them is the Kigali Genocide Memorial, built upon a gravesite where 250,000 Rwandans lie.

The genocide began when Rwanda’s president was killed in a plane that was shot down on 6 April 1994. The next day it began, and in just 100 days the terrorist

DESTINATION:

RWANDA organisation Interahamwe had killed almost a million people. The goal was to murder all Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

After 100 days of butchery, forces from the resistance group RPF were at last able to drive out the murderers.

As we may have seen with today’s IS, many of those responsible for the genocide transformed themselves into

refugees, and in the aftermath it has been difficult to discover who did what.

The country was in ruins.

Democracy in Rwanda?

RPF resistance leader Paul Kagame became the de facto leader of the country in 1994 and today he is still president. This could sound like a typical African solution

A list of names showing some of those killed during the genocide of 1994.

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Foto Brian Holm Otte

that is bound to end badly. But he has a clear vision of how to lead the country towards the goal of bringing Rwanda to a ‘middle-income condition’ by 2020, and he is making progress.

Rwanda’s average growth since the genocide has been impressive, and many estimate it at about 8% a year. And this is something a visitor will notice: one of the focus areas is keeping the country clean! Most developing countries are characterised by mountains of garbage, filth on the wayside and a lack of public sewer services. Rwanda is clean. Another focus area is equality of the sexes. For example, 64% of the members of Parliament are women.

The ultimate power, however, still rests with a man. He is also focusing on such critical areas as education, infrastructure and, most importantly, good governance. Not particularly African, but as a visitor we can see the results. Everyone we met had knowledge of how income is distributed. Police and soldiers (of whom we saw a great many, especially along the DR Congo border) are friendly and forthcoming. We saw no beggars, and even the guides never mentioned gratuities – in

Group participants, from left: David Taghipour, Resecentrumgruppen, Stockholm, Henriette Aass, Hvitserk Reiser, Oslo, Ole Egholm, Gertrude Majyambere, Rwanda Development Board, Mikael Skibby Rasmussen, Kilroy Odense, Shahzia Ebrahim-Manji, Twiga Tours, Costa Baltatziz, Akilles Travel Malmø, Helle Lydum Pedersen, Brussels Airlines, Brian Holm Otte, Inter Travel, Daniel Pellegrini, Kenneth Karskov, Rahim Manji, owner of Twiga Tours, and finally, Everest himself, the driver known as the silverback of the team. In the background one of the five volcano craters in the national park can be seen.

stark contrast to what I have experienced in a great many other places.

Most important of all, Rwanda has entirely abolished the question of whether one is a Hutu or a Tutsi. Everyone is Rwandan, and that is what matters. Paul Kagame has actually brought the country a long way forward, and the process seems set to continue.

State-run gorilla visits The gorillas in Parc National des Volcans, which lies in north-eastern Rwanda and is bordered by DR Congo and Uganda, is by far the country’s biggest attraction.

Tourists can enter the 125 sq km Rwandan section, which contains a total of 18 gorilla tribes. Ten of these may be visited for one hour a day by a maximum of eight tourists.

The entire setup is run by the national

government and costs US$750 per person. Not a cheap expedition. It lasts for a morning, and the most fascinating aspect of it is that the trip is sold out almost every single day of the year.

These simple gorilla permits contribute US$60,000 to Rwanda – per day! There seems to be total transparency with regard to this income, of which about 10% goes to the local area to guard against intruders such as poachers and farmers who want to start cultivating national park land.

A unique experience Very early in the morning, three armed rangers enter the park to find the gorillas.

These rangers took leave of the same gorillas at around 4 p.m. on the previous day, after the tribe had bedded down for the night. In this way, the rangers know 13

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No361

LEISURE

View over Lake Kivu. From left Mikael Skibby Rasmussen, Kilroy Odense, the hotel manager at Kivu Lodge and Ole Egholm.

RWANDA AS A TOURIST DESTINATION

where to start looking for the group in the morning. By radio, they lead us and our guide to where the gorillas are. Despite the enormous size of the park, we met the gorillas just two hours after we left the parking area.

Gorillas are peaceful animals. They are generally vegetarian and are fairly lazy.

When they feel safe, they have absolutely no cause for concern. The rules actually state that we must keep a distance of five to seven metres, but the guides let us get closer. The gorillas themselves can choose to get closer to us – and if that happens, it’s essential to make a great show of humility by looking down at the ground. And we must not, under any circumstances, make a run for it.

We met our gorilla tribe in the middle of its morning siesta. The guides make soothing noises to show the gorillas that we’re just a nice bunch of people with no

ill intentions. The gorillas had no doubt got the message long before.

Exactly one hour later, it’s goodbye to the gorillas and time to go back. The party’s over, Christmas is done, the packages unwrapped.

The whole gorilla package is a huge adventure that also includes meeting the locals with their children in the fields and seeing the fascinating natural surroundings in the national park. A great deal of the vegetation here consists of giant hogweed-like plants as tall as a man, so clothing must be properly protective. In leaving the park I felt I had experienced something entirely unique from the depths of Africa.

Stand By was invited to Rwanda in collaboration with Brussels Airlines, the Rwanda Development Board, Twiga Tours, 3Bhotels and the Kigali Serena Hotel.

LAKE KIVU Rwanda lies in the middle of Africa, 1,400 kilometres from the nearest ocean. But the country is lucky enough to share huge Lake Kivu with Congo. The lake is at an altitude of 1,460 metres, about the same level as in the capital city of Kigali.

The trip to Lake Kivu was sometimes pretty bumpy, but we got a good impression of how Rwanda on the one hand (in Kigali) is civilised and orderly, while on the other hand (outside Kigali) the country is the essence of Africa. After sunset it is pitch black in every village along the roads. But the country is also incredibly lush and beautiful, its terrain hilly and green. The country is also very densely populated, with 445 inhabitants per square kilometre (compared to just 133 in Denmark), and there are many people everywhere, with the exception of the three national parks.

It was a magical experience waking up in our very own resort on the shores of Lake Kivu, which in many ways showed a delightful side to Africa.

Lake Kivu is easily worth visiting for a couple of days, during which you can take your own sweet time enjoying the area and the many wonderful sights.

Climate Rwanda’s lowest altitude is 950 metres, and most of the country lies at an altitude of one-and-a-half kilometres. This creates a wonderfully comfortable climate with year-round temperatures of between 15 and 25 degrees. The country is just two degrees south of the Equator and therefore has basically no summer or winter season.

Vaccinations You still need to be vaccinated against yellow fever and hepatitis, and malaria pills are recommended.

Despite our close encounters with Mother Nature, we met no mosquitoes.

Population As in many African countries, the inhabitants are delightful and smiling, and there are basically no beggars . It is said that one can move about freely day and night without worry in Rwanda, including Kigali, and this seems to be true.

Language Rwandans speak good English, which in 2008 replaced French as the country’s first foreign language.

Visas Visas are still required for travel to Rwanda but can be obtained online (applications must be sent before the trip begins; allow a turnaround time of three days). The price is US$30, to be paid at point of entry.

In contrast to a great many other places, it’s no problem to pay with your credit card.

The travel We traveled with Brussels Airlines that has five flights weekly from Copenhagen. Outbound via Entebbe in Uganda and direct on return.

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No361

AIRLINES

WHERE NORWEGIAN DARES 1 Text & Photo Jan Ohlsson

Norwegian today is a global operator, with traffic flying all around the world. It is in fact the only low-cost carrier that has truly succeeded in doing this. That demands a transparent and flexible organisation which enjoys problem solving.

Norwegian is a big customer for Boeing.

When the decision was to be made on the internal design of the Dreamliner, a score of Boeing bosses paid careful attention to Norwegian’s large delegation.

“I think we were six people. They were a little surprised. We looked around. In the afternoon they asked cautiously how many weeks it would take us when we arrived home in Norway to decide. We said that we’d seen everything we needed and could make the decision straight away.”

This is Asgeir Nyseth, close confidant of CEO Björn Kjos in Norwegian’s group of leaders, talking to TTG Nordic in Seattle.

In 2016, he was appointed operations manager and formerly played a key role in establishing Norwegian International and Norwegian UK. The story speaks volumes about Norwegian’s transparent organisation and fast, flexible style of decision making.

At Norwegian it’s felt that there is too much talk about the battle between SAS

and Norwegian. Kjos often says that SAS is the best competitor it could have. With 250 aircraft on order and 150 options, Norwegian has outgrown Scandinavia, spreading its risk with a global strategy.

The biggest growth at the moment is in Spain and the UK. New long-haul bases are being built in Buenos Aires, Barcelona, Paris and London. Norwegian also flies domestically in Spain, has three Boeing 737-800s as charter traffic in the US and is already looking at routes like Cape Town.

We have to fly across Russia Norwegian should open low-cost routes to North America and Asia, but everything seems to be focused on the USA, why is that?

“We have to fly across Russia but the under old aviation agreements only SAS is permitted to do this. So Russia says no.

At the same time, the SAS countries are giving several Russian airlines the rights to fly across Scandinavia but will not help us with a joint proposal for negotiations.

The Russians on their side think that if we allow Norway to negotiate alone, we could get flight permits that way. But that is not enough. So investment in Asia is put on hold, as is the price competition that would follow, and SAS is protected.”

If the state sold its shares in SAS, what would that mean?

ASGEIR NYSETH & NORWEGIAN Asgeir Nyseth comes from Tromsø, was formerly head of Norwegian’s long-distance business, and on the basis of a technical education received in the Norwegian Air Force he later became head of Airtransport A/S, a large helicopter and aircraft business. He is more-or-less constantly on the move.

In 2016, Norwegian was delivered 17 new Boeing 737-800s. In 2017, it will get no fewer than nine Dreamliners out of a total of 42 ordered. Last year, for example, 400,000 Scandinavians flew Norwegian to Scandinavia, providing the countries with their greatest tourism incomes.

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1 Nyseth, right, with crew ready to deliver an aircraft to Oslo.

2 The Boeing 787-9 has bowed wings, which can increase five metres in height thanks to soft carbon fibres.

Asgeir Nyseth in the sample room, where the airline selects its seats and kitchen equipment.

2

3

“It would most likely open the possibilities for renegotiations of the deal and conditions of equal competition, giving lower prices. I don’t feel that SAS today is fulfilling the conditions of the framework. With its headquarters in Sweden, overseas Thai as a partner, it ought to be able to get flight permits from Sweden to Asia. If Björn Kjos buys a proportion of the Norwegian state’s stake, maybe discussions could begin...”

You also have issues with flying permits to the USA? “We will. We fulfil all the criteria for Open Skies. It is the trade lobby and airlines in the US that want to keep their wages and prices up. We can continue to fly as we do, but it’s more expensive for us.”

allows more traffic, and greater earnings for Norway and Sweden. We have no interest in Copenhagen, and SAS are anti, to protect their main business hub.”

You spoke of partnership with two other low-costs, but AirAsia X chose to work with easyJet from Gatwick, which is your main base in the UK, is that right?

“That’s correct, but we are still negotiating with Ryanair. The problem is that we have different IT platforms, but both sides are working on a solution. It won’t lead to alliances as we known them today, but passengers will be able to change planes on one ticket with checked-in bags. We are open to more of these partnerships.

They will come.”

Stockholm midway between US and Asia At the same time, the US is open to allowing Oslo Gardemoen and Stockholm Arlanda prior approval for travellers to the US. What do you think of that?

“That would give passengers great advantages. I was myself based in Ireland when we started Norwegian International and often travelled to the US with prior approval from there. It was very simple.

Travellers would rather clear the time-consuming customs and visa processes before their flight, thereby allowing them to take earlier internal US flights. Prior approval

Long-haul to new destinations In 2017, Norwegian will be the first airline in Europe with the new Boeing 737-8MAX and will then be able to open long-haul routes to smaller destinations. MAX is ideal, for example, between Gothenburg, Bergen or Manchester and Boston.

“Once we get the first 30 larger Airbus A321 NeoLR, we have an extra hour’s flying range, which means we can for example fly to India or even further into the USA.” On many domestic routes in the north, the Boeing 737-800 with its 189 seats is too big. Have you considered a smaller aircraft type for basic traffic?

3 Hidden talent. Asgeir Nyseth is an expert at folding paper roses. Here he is pictured with stewardess Susanne Björklund, who’s based in London.

“No, we would rather fly some tours with empty seats. A new type of aircraft would be too expensive. We tried using a sub-contractor in Denmark, Wings of Bornholm. But we would rather use our own aircraft, with the service and wi-fi our customers are used to, even though we see SAS laying more and more traffic over on others.”

You have been criticised for forcing pilots to give in by using recruitment agencies.

“We pay well, in line with other airline companies and in line with the pay and tax levels found in the countries where we operate. Now we recruit more in the Nordics. Many of them will be working overseas.”

Last summer you had to rent planes because of a shortage of pilots?

“That was a planning mistake, which we admit to and take responsibility for. The wet-lease of other aircraft is very expensive, but we could not allow customers to suffer.”

While SAS sold all other shares than flight operations, do you have shares which constantly increase in value?

“Yes, we own 20%, the maximum allowed, in Norwegian Bank, and the share price has increased considerably. It’s a hidden asset, linked to our bonus system.”

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No361

COMMENTS

By Ejvind Olesen

LET’S BRING BACK SOME COMMON SENSE For unstable souls, it’s all too easy to whip up an atmosphere of fear at airports and on planes, just as quickly as sending an email, using a phone or leaving an old cardboard box in a corner. But who will take the political responsibility?

A 33-year-old war veteran with serious mental health issues was jailed last month for spreading numerous bomb threats across the country. Police evacuated a shopping centre and airports in Roskilde and Tirstrup, but when the incidents spread to hospitals and Copenhagen Airport, the police finally called a halt and refrained from issuing further warnings. This rarely happens.

Once again, there would have been

a groundless evacuation. This is just what the idiotic perpetrators hope to accomplish, after which they can lean back and watch the reactions of police and the media. It’s so easy to exploit fear. But as far as I know, it has never happened in Scandinavia that a warning was issued and then followed up with an act of terror. The crime is kept secret – and then it happens! Just as it did in Copenhagen, with several victims this year.

Who will take responsibility?

Punishment is harsh if the perpetrator is found, but the risk of getting away with it is considerable. The above-mentioned war veteran did not get away with it. But if the police and the entire population could just learn to take things easier, it

would be a much better cure. Serious and planned acts of terror must be stopped ahead of time. That’s what the police and the Danish Security and Intelligence Service are for. If it were only a question of raising the alarm and getting people out of an area, then many businesses could do it themselves. The policemen I know are willing to change course but ask themselves at the same time: “Who will take political responsibility if something goes wrong?”

From intent to reality In other countries there are many examples of false alarms, but there have also been cases that could be regarded as less than serious. An example is the terrorist Islamist Richard Reed, who was

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aboard an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami a few days before Christmas 2001. He was stopped by a passenger who saw him fiddling with a lighter near his shoes, and the plane landed in Boston. Reed was convicted of trying to blow up the plane and sentenced to 110 years in a harsh US prison.

”

Are you willing to take the responsibility?”

Actually, I think I am.

Only I’ll never get the chance, and a lot of people are glad of that.

But was there really an explosive? And if so, would he have dared to do the deed ? Why didn’t he go out to the lavatory and detonate the explosive there?

We still feel the consequences of this incident at most airports, where we have to remove our shoes when going through security.

When three young and confused terror

suspects got together in a basement outside London and made plans to blow up several planes at Heathrow with the help of a liquid – which they thankfully never did – they were jailed and convicted. And that’s why we can’t take any liquids through security, despite the fact that any chemical engineer knows it’s possible to make explosives with liquids.

This was also well known before the story of the trio outside London.

Who will take responsibility?

There are also examples where it’s hard to decide whether to laugh or cry. When a passenger on an American Airlines flight some 3,000 miles out of Sydney en route to LA discovered a piece of toilet paper on which the word BOB was written, he called a stewardess who alerted the captain. They agreed that the message could mean Bomb On Board.

The plane turned around and returned to Sydney. Passengers were delayed for 24 hours and the airline was billed for millions.

Lives were saved. Only it turned out that a bored little boy had been sitting

SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS Den bedste vej til det sydlige Afrika.

on the toilet and had simply decided to pass the time by writing his name on the paper!

We continue to be frightened. And as my nearest and dearest tell me: “Are you willing to take the responsibility?”

Actually, I think I am. Only I’ll never get the chance, and a lot of people are glad of that.

But let us at least bring some common sense into the conversation and let the police spend a bit more time thinking things over. Things are bound to sort themselves out.

flysaa.com

South African Airways tilbyder 28 ugentlige afgange fra København og Billund via vores gateways i Frankfurt, München og London til Johannesburg, med smidige forbindelser videre i Sydafrika samt til bl.a. Mozambique og Zambia.

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No361

AIRLINES

Aegean

Air serbia

AIRLINES WITH A LITTLE EXTRA Air Baltic

Ukraina International

Royal Jordanian EgyptAir

Aeroflot

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By Jan Ohlsson

Increasingly, airlines are competing on service at the business-class level and are trying to resemble low-cost airlines in economy class as much as possible. But there are shining exceptions, often among smaller airlines.

One with a long service tradition that has been a model for Emirates among others, is Royal Jordanian, which still serves warm food and drinks even in economy class in a very modern fleet.

“We are part of oneworld, and Nordic passengers primarily access the airline from Berlin, Vienna or London,” says Gisle Dueland, the newly appointed Norwegian-Swedish head of sales, marketing and product design in Amman.

“We would like to develop more traffic from Amman, with one of the world’s safest airlines via a quiet corner of the Levant, which is a Western Europe in the Middle East.

Rumours say that Amman might get non-stop traffic to the Nordic region?

“I can only say that Royal Jordanian is looking at Copenhagen from next summer, partly because we have so much traffic to Iraq and many Iraqis live in southern Sweden. But we have an interesting route network, both Bangkok and Tel Aviv for example. By then, our new low-cost airline Royal Wings will start flying to Aqaba from Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm this summer.”

Greek punctuality, no strikes Greece’s Aegean Airlines is another high-class airline that has found itself left out of the headlines. The level of service in business class is brilliant and is still very good in economy class. Friendly, welcoming, frequently Greek food and a high level of Greek wines.

Throughout Greece’s financial crisis Aegean expanded, opening new routes, has been profitable and never had a

strike day. The route network continues toward Cyprus and the Middle East, with a familiar atmosphere and a stable organisation. Aegean is part of the Star Alliance.

When the former Yugoslavian JAT finally had only Serbia left, the odds for bankruptcy were high and the planes were very old. Then Etihad went in and the tide has turned. Air Serbia is yet another example of an airline with enthusiastic and proud service, the country’s food and wine are served even in economy class and they have a growing route network.

They are flying with Airbus A319s and a few A330s.

One of Europe’s most innovative Combining young and fresh service with punctuality and an innovative approach characterise airBaltic. Here you have a business class that is able to serve a three-course meal and a drink during a one-hour propeller flight.

Riga is a comfortable and cosy hub, especially from the north. airBaltic is a leader in digital customer support, has started its own taxi company and runs its own shuttle buses.

Starting next year, it will be replacing its aging Boeing 737-300s with several Bombardier CS-300s, which will give airBaltic new opportunities for longer routes and service. The regional traffic operates with almost jet-fast Bombardier Q-400s.

There is something that unites these four airlines. They have had stubborn leaders and loyal staff and they have fought in fierce headwinds. In order to succeed in countries where having an airline is not obvious requires a little bit extra for the customer.

A fifth member of this category that often gets high service marks, including serving champagne in economy, is Luxembourg’s Luxair.

Price is another factor to look at. Airlines

struggling with restructuring or wrestling with too much capacity may have to cut prices. That’s why the Polish airline LOT is worth an extra search. Now it is also expanding with new routes.

This is also true of Ukraine International, which wants to fill its long-distance routes with Boeing 767s from Kiev to countries like Thailand and China. But now it also flies on to, for example, Israel and Cyprus with modern Boeing 737-800s and Embraer 190s.

EgyptAir betting big EgyptAir has been beaten up badly.

Now it is changing things around with a big gamble and will order 60-70 new aircraft this year and will focus hard on Cairo as its hub with new routes to Europe, Asia and Africa. First out will be eight new Boeing 737-800s. It is market share that they will be purchasing with lower prices. At the same time, tourists need to return to Egypt.

Among the long-haul airlines there are several, somewhat unknown carriers with excellent service reputations. But they often require a connecting flight.

Virgin Atlantic from London is of course not that difficult to reach. Jet Airways, with decent connections from India across Asia, has moved its European hub from Brussels to Amsterdam, with a continued reputation for good service.

Malaysia Airlines is once again flying an A380 from London, with difficulty in filling it. Another airline with a generally sound reputation for friendly service is Air Mongolia, which flies from Berlin and Frankfurt to Mongolia but also continues on to Japan and South Korea. It flies Boeing 767-300s, one of which is less than four years old.

Aeroflot wants to be best In autumn 2016, Aeroflot was awarded the accolade Best Airline in Europe by 21

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No361

AIRLINES

Business Traveller Awards. It has been given four stars by Skytrax. The ambition is to be the first in Europe with five stars and to rank in the top 20 globally in 2020.

That they want to take Turkish Airlines’ position as the company with Europe’s best service is clear.

“In business class there is never a middle seat, on long-haul flights there are ‘lie-flat’ seats, and genuine champagne and XO cognac are served if it is desired,” explains Johan Magnus Eriksson, regional sales manager at Aeroflot for Scandinavia and Finland tells TTG Nordic.

Business class is also available in Europe and the same configuration is found on domestic flights. Premium economy also

has service developed by international chefs and gets high marks, including from Skytrax. It has also received awards for the level of service and the new uniforms.

The food is free in economy class on flights within Europe, but on most of the flights within Europe and a number of longer flights to warmer destinations, no alcohol is served at all.

“This is a security decision we have taken,” Johan Magnus Eriksson explains.

“And it has undeniably led to many appreciating the opportunity to sleep on board, and families with children and older people are particularly satisfied.”

Aeroflot has two daily flights from the Nordic capitals, three from Helsinki. The

aircraft fleet has an average age of 4.1 years.

“In Copenhagen we have almost reached maximum capacity, so we will see what we can do there. The route to Asia is usually the shortest.”

When it comes to travelling to Africa, Ethiopia Airlines currently has the largest route network and the most stable economy, which has led to a modern long-haul fleet. Ethiopia flies from Stockholm Arlanda and is a member of the Star Alliance.

Among other unique companies for those who hate stopovers, Swiss subsidiary Edelweiss will soon fly Zurich-Honolulu non-stop with an Airbus A340-300.

M

m l LOT RELEASES THE BRAKES

LOT

S n s t

By Jan Ohlsson

Poland’s LOT is beginning to feel hope.

After countless cutbacks and big losses, it must now win or disappear. Now it is expanding its routes and number of aircraft at a rapid pace, in anticipation and hope that Air China will step in and buy 49% of the company.

In early 2017, LOT will receive 15 new Boeing 737-800s, several of which or all will be the MAX version.

“Thanks to favourable contracts and quick delivery we can now begin our expansion, and we are aiming towards Central Asia and more European traffic,” says CEO Rafal Milczarski.

“By 2020, we will also have 16 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in our fleet.”

The turnaround comes under the threat of the gallows. LOT has long been hard pressed and several CEOs have come and gone, just like the Polish governments, several of which wanted to retain state majority ownership, thereby hindering modernisation.

Air China wants a Warsaw hub Most recently it has been Air China, also a Star Alliance member, which has been negotiating over a 49% ownership and is also opening a new Warsaw-Beijing route four times a week. It need not be

mentioned that SAS could have been an alternative to Air China, something that has certainly been looked at.

The price war is extensive in Europe but is especially fierce in Eastern Europe, where Ryanair and Wizzair are now fighting tooth and nail to gain the upper hand, driving prices down.

Currently, LOT is said to be near the bottom, with only 43 aircraft, most of which are ERJ 179/175/190s, small regional aircraft, and the only European planes are three antiquated Boeing 737-400s.

But by 2020 it will have 70 aircraft. The focus on long distances could also be competition for SAS.

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A MEMORABLE NIGHT AT DTA The winners of the 19 Danish Travel Awards this year gather for a group photo.

By Henrik Baumgarten Photo: Michael Stub

At the start of October, the 22nd annual Danish Travel Awards were presented.

This year 19 awards were given – two more than last year.

In a party mood, more than 300 guests from right across the travel industry turned up at Cirkusbygningen in Copenhagen for the Danish Travel Awards.

Once again it proved to be an ideal venue. DTA is held each year in the Danish capital, the only two exceptions being at Billund Airport, the latest in 2014 on the occasion of the airport’s 50th anniversary.

This year, 19 prizes were awarded.

The DTA committee again shuffled the categories around a bit. This meant the return of three hotel categories, as there had been several years ago: best hotel in and outside Copenhagen and now also best hotel chain. One of the more recent awards, Best Incoming and Events Bureau, was split into two: Best Business Events Bureau and Best Meetings & Group Travel.

Winners were found by the analysis institute A&B Analyse asking its ‘Denmark panel’ (the consumers) as well as representatives from the travel industry in the form of subscribers to the StandBy.dk newsletter.

A total of 2,000 consumers and travel professionals took part in the survey.

Read more about this on page xx and how the winners are found.

Another new addition was the decision to hold an SMS ballot among the DTA’s guests, during the evening at Cirkusbygningen, to vote for Denmark’s best domestic air company.

This was won by SAS, who actually cleared the table in all four air transport awards. In general there were many repeats winners – all-in-all 11 taking home their DTA awards for the second year running.

Yet another first at this year’s DTA was that the largest travel management concern, the Danish Business Travel Association, chose to present its own Recognition Award at Cirkusbygningen.

Entertainment too The Danish Travel Awards were in two parts, during which the awards were presented. The guests got a welcome drink in the foyer before the doors opened to the main event.

The first course was served and an entertaining number from Cirkusbygningen’s current dinner show, Flashback,

was enjoyed on stage. This year, three numbers from the show, which runs until June next year, were performed. In all there will be about 125 performances at the 130-year-old building, for more than 75,000 guests.

During the first half, the awards for transport – car hire, ship companies and airlines – were given out, and after a break came the rest.

On the big screen the guests could see the top three in each category. The compere, Cecilie Beck from TV2 news, also named them, but in alphabetical order so that no one in the hall could tell who the winner would be.

Ticket prices Normally two people are invited to the Danish Travel Awards from each travel agency, airline, hotel, car hire, etc., and as the committee decided this year to set a price per head of DKK 295, the remainder of the costs of the lavish awards were covered by the sponsors.

This year, it was possible for guests to invite other people, such as employees, suppliers and customers, at a cost of DKK 850 per head.

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By Henrik Baumgarten Photo: Michael Stub

Marlene Sønderhaug, conference & event manager at Cirkusbygningen, together with Jørgen Christensen, general manager of Small Danish Hotels.

Qatar Airways is ready for DTA. From left: Loai Jajjoka, country manager Pia Lind, Mimi Roemhild, Lisa-Ann Bilde, Christina Borring, Karin Ipsen and Pernille Aarup.

Foto: Preben Pathuel

Suzette Fugl (left), who has previously worked in the hotel business and is now a management consultant for the municipality of Copenhagen, is shown here with Jette Schjøtt, head of sales at Nordic Choice Hotels, Jan Vendelbo, managing director at Spies, and Tina Berning of the recruiting agency Berning & Leonhardt.

Airline managers Per Carøe of Kenya Airways (left), Patrick Menzies of South African Airways, and Maciej Graczyk of Polish Star Alliance member LOT.

Managing Director of the Wallmans Circus Building (Cirkusbygningen) Dorthe Fryd Ekelin (left), shown here with SAS public relations manager Mariam Skovfoged and Torben Andersen, public relations manager at Spies and Thomas Cook Airlines.

Fernando Oberreuter of TALAviation (left), together with Ingolf Pedersen, general manager of Novia Consulting, Raul Castro Cano, head of the Spanish State Tourist Office in Denmark, and its public relations manager, Fortuna Isabel Lehnsdal.

HORESTA chairman Jens Zimmer Christensen (left), with Allan Agerholm, CEO of the Bella Center group BCHG and chairman of the board of VisitDenmark. Also pictured is VisitDenmark’s CEO Jan Olsen and group chief executive Dorte Krak of the Arp-Hansen hotel chain.

A welcoming drink was served in the foyer. From left: Frederik Eisig, key account manager at Aller Media, Gitte Søndergaard, commercial director at Bravo Tours, Katharina Kjøge, travel journalist at Aller, and Bravo Tours CEO Peder Hornshøj. Foto: Preben Pathuel

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THEY WON THE DANISH TRAVEL AWARDS 2016

Here are the winners of the Danish Travel Awards 2016

Best Car Hire Company:

Best Passenger Line with traffic from overseas to Denmark:

1. Avis 2. Hertz 3. Europcar

1. DFDS 2. Scandlines 3. Stena Line

Best Cruise line with ships of fewer than 1,000 passengers.

Best Cruise Line with ships of more than 1,000 passengers:

Best Charter Flights Company:

1. Hutigruten 2. Crystal Cruises 3. Silversea Cruises

1. Royal Caribbean 2. Norwegian Cruise Line 3. Celebrity Cruises

1. SAS 2. Norwegian 3. Thomas Cook Airlines

Best Domestic Airline:

Best European Airline:

Best Overseas Airline:

1. SAS 2. Norwegian 3. Alsie Express 4. Danish Air Transport

1. SAS 2. Norwegian 3. Lufthansa

1. SAS 2. Emirates 3. Singapore Airlines

Best Business Events Bureau:

Best Meetings and Group Travel:

Best Charter Arrangers:

1. Kuoni 2. Copenhagen Event Company 3. DMC

1. Nyhavn Travel Groups, Events and Incentives 1. Star Tours 2. CWT Meetings and Events 2. Spies 3. American Express Meetings 3. Bravo Tours and Events

Best Holiday Travel Bureau:

Best Business Travel Bureau:

Best Hotel in the Capital:

2. Albatross Travel 3. Kilroy

1. CWT 2. BCD Travel 3. American Express Global Business Travel

1. AC by Marriott Hotel Bella Sky Copenhagen 2. Hotel Axel Guldsmeden 3. Tivoli Hotel & Congress Centre

Best Hotel outside the Capital:

Best Hotel Chain:

Best Foreign Tourist Bureau in Denmark:

1. Radisson Blu Scandinavia Aarhus 2. Hotel Vejlefjord 3. Ruth’s Hotel Skagen

1. Arp-Hansen

1. Spain

Best Travel Country in Europe:

Best Travel Country outside Europe:

1. Spain 2. Italy 3. Greece

1. USA 2. Thailand 3 Australia

Travel Trade votes Consumer votes

Chosen by ballot at this year’s DTA awards

1. FDM Travel

2. Guldsmeden Hotels 3. Radisson Blu

2. Germany 3. Norway

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M A N G E TA K Royal CaribbeanÂŽ er en stolt vinder af en Danish Travel Award - som bedste krydstogtsrederi 2016.

Vi takker alle rejsebureauer og samarbejdspartnere for et fantastisk samarbejde!

royalcaribbean.dk 29

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At the table of co-sponsor Avis Car Rentals were (from left) Christina Nielsen, Jakob Sams, Martin Lohmann Eggertsen and Lars Dissing.

Falck Global Assistance was among the DTA sponsors, arriving with the team pictured here.

In front from left: Eda Özdemir (account manager), Juan Carlos Cortiletti (head of global network), Kenneth B Hansen (account manager), Daniel Hummel (managing director), Brian Schou (team manager claims) and Charlotte Korsgaard Dupont (team manager medical).

Standing from left: Jørgen Pedersen (country manager Denmark), Christina Bengtsson (global sales manager EMEA), Jan Madsen (global operations director) and Sune J. Pedersen (head of assistance Denmark).

WITHOUT SPONSORS THERE ARE NO DANISH TRAVEL AWARDS. THIS YEAR THEY WERE:

The Spanish hotel chain Melia were among the sponsors for DTA – sitting from left at Melia’s table are: Raul Castro Cano and Fortuna Isabel Lehnsdal from The Spanish State’s Tourism Office, Turespaña, Gazooly Rahman from Melia, Elisabeth Hornsyld representing GEA Process Engineering, Roger Bradley, Melia, Maria Diaz Gonzales, also Turespaña, plus Rene Wedelheim from CWT. And standing from left: Natasha Maraj from Melia and colleagues from BCD Meetings- & Events, Annette Paludan and Charlotte Bosch.

Among other things, Stand By owner Lars Thuesen (left) is the principal shareholder of Jet Time. Denmark’s largest airline is an excellent customer at places like Billund Airport, which was one of the sponsors of the evening’s event. Also pictured here is the airport’s head of marketing, Jesper Klausholm, along with its CEO Kjeld Zacho Jørgensen and its head of operations René Høgh Jensen.

At the table of co-sponsor Avis Car Rentals were (from left) Christina Nielsen, Jakob Sams, Martin Lohmann Eggertsen and Lars Dissing.

Travelport was once again among the DTA sponsors and also invited a few good business partners. In front from left: Jan Lockhart of NG Travel Group, Rene Schaufuss of Primera Group, Hans-Henrik Mørck of VR Travels, Jes Johansen of Travelport, Thomas Tinglev of USA Tours, and Hans Krag Morild of FDM Travel. Standing from left: Jette Kongensgaard, Travelport, Morten Lysdal Damgaard, Unitas Rejser, and Peter Cramon of Travelport.

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and

HOW THE WINNERS ARE FOUND

The winners of the Danish Travel Awards are determined through two channels.

The institute for analysis A&B Analyse asked its ‘Denmark panel’, of which 1,240 replied. This panel was representative of the general public, evenly distributed between age, education, income, location, etc.

A&B also sent the questionnaire to

the recipients of StandBy.dk’s newsletter – this gave 840 replies from the travel industry.

In some categories only the consumer votes counted, in other cases only the votes of the travel trade – and other cases where votes were divided equally between consumers and the professionals. You can see an overview in the list of winners.

As a new addition to the Danish Travel

Awards this year, the 300 participants had to decide the winner of one of the categories, Best Domestic Flight Company in Denmark.

The participants received a text from Trippus Events Solutions and were able to choose between Alsie Express, Danish Air Transport, Norwegian and SAS. On the big screen the participants could see the results – that SAS won over Norwegian, Alsie and DAT.

KUONI DESTINATION MANAGEMENT

– VINDER AF DANISH TRAVEL AWARDS 2016

Ved dette års store Danish Travel Awards 2016 i Cirkusbygningen, vandt Kuoni Destination Management prisen for bedste Business Event bureau. Der er vi super stolte af og vil gerne takke alle vores kollegaer og samarbejdspartnere i den danske rejsebranche, der valgte på denne måde at honorere os for den indsats vi har gjort i de seneste år for

at sikre større og mere spændende events til Danmark.

Succes forpligter og vi vil gøre alt for at fortsætte vores bestræbelser på, at gøre en forskel til gavn for alle vores danske og udenlandske kunder, for vores samarbejdspartnere og for vores dygtige medarbejdere.

TUSIND TAK

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The Committee for the Danish Travel Awards consists mostly of the chairmen of nine large established concerns in the Danish travel trade.

The committee meets several times during the year, usually in the run-up to the Danish Travel Awards. At these meetings, discussed for example are the year’s categories, any alterations or adjustments to be made at the next DTA and generally how the get-together can be improved.

After the awards, the committee meets again to evaluate constructively the last arrangements.

The committee consists of, in alphabetical order, Anne Mette Berg, General Manager of the Danish Business Travel Association, Per Carøe, Chairman, BARD (Board of Airline Representatives Denmark), Stig Caspersen, Chairman, ANTOR (overseas tourist offices in Denmark), Jens Zimmer Christensen, Chairman, HORESTA (Association of Hotel and Restaurant Employers), Henrik Dyhr, Chairman, MPI (Meeting Professionals International), Ole Egholm, owner, Dansk

COMMITTEE FOR THE DANISH TRAVEL AWARDS DTA Committee with this year’s DTAs, front from left: Per Carøe, Anne Mette Berg, Lars Thuesen, Anne-Vibeke Isaksen and Stig Caspersen. Behind from left: Henrik Baumgarten, Ole Egholm, Jesper Ewald, Henrik Specht, Stig Thygesen, Jens Zimmer Christensen and Henrik Dyhr.

Photo: Michael Stub.

Brancheanalyse, Jesper Ewald, formerly chairman, now representing the Danish Travel Agents & Tour Operators Association, Anne-Vibeke Isaksen, Chairman, Danish Travel Writers, and Henrik Specht, Director, RiD (Danish Travel Organisers).

From Stand By, the members are Lars Thuesen, owner of Scandinavian Travel Media (publisher of Stand By) and committee Chairman Stig Thygesen,

who is also Administrative Director of Scandinavian Travel Media, and Henrik Baumgarten, journalist with Scandinavian Travel Media.

The association Pacific Asia Travel Association Denmark (PATA) is also on the committee but has yet to appoint a replacement for Karin Gert Nielsen, who stepped down as chairman earlier in the year.

FOR 4. ÅR I TRÆK VANDT CWT PRISEN FOR ÅRETS BEDSTE FORRETNINGSREJSEBUREAU 2015

2014

2013

2016

TUSIND TAK FOR TILLIDEN! Årets Bedste Forretningsrejsebureau

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DBTA ALSO HANDS OUT AWARDS AT DTA As a new addition to the Danish Travel Award, Denmark’s largest association for travel managers and their suppliers, Danish Business Travel Association, presented their recognition award at the arrangement in Circusbygningen.

This award went this year to travel manager Thomas Spange Carlsen from the Icopal-concern, which delivers building products for the protection of buildings and constructions. Thomas Spange Carlsen was awarded the prize because as the DBTA management put it: “Thomas manages to help DBTA members to understand that procurement and travel management can go hand in hand. Thomas has also shown that buyers can be serious but at the same time fun partners and he is also a fantastic networker, who willingly shares his knowledge with the association’s members”.

The two other nominees were Karin Birkmose, travel manager in Dong Energy Oil & Gas and Johnny Thorsen from Concur/ SAP. Earlier the recognition award was given at the association’s annual meeting. The

award recognises persons, companies or groups, who have made a considerable difference to the business travel sector. ”We had the idea of presenting the recognition award at the DTA last year. A number of DBTA’s board sat at the same table in the Circus Building and noted how little focus DTA had towards business travel, apart from Best Business Travel Agency. After all DBTA’s 35 members make purchases in excess of 10 billion kroner annually,” said DBTA’s General Manager Anne Mette Berg to Stand By, and adds: “We presented the idea of giving out the recognition award at the DTA to stand By’s Director, Stig Thygesen, who agreed it was a good idea.”

Alle medlemmer af DBTA kunne indstille kandidater til Anerkendelsesprisen. Der kom 14 forslag – DBTA’s bestyrelse valgte tre som nominerede og stemte om vinderen.

DBTA’s intention by moving the presentation of the recognition award to the DTA was to show, that many of the associations members do a great deal to promote travelling as a business traveler, and that the award will make this more apparent. HB

Travel manager of Icopal, Thomas Spange Carlsen, became this year’s recipient of DBTA’s Recognition award. It was presented on the stage of the Circus Building by DBTA’s General Manager, Anne Mette Berg, on the left, and the association Foreman Line Hein, who works as ”Head of International Network” in the alarm center of SOS International in Copenhagen.

Photo: Michael Stub.

TAK FOR TILLIDEN! STAR TOUR - VINDER AF BEDSTE CHARTERARRANGØR

Tusind tak til alle som har rejst med os og stemt på os.

Vi arbejder med at levere nye rejsedrømme til jer året rundt.

Star Tour skifter navn - nu hedder vi TUI. Og vi vil arbejde hårdt for fortsat at have branchens mest tilfredse kunder.

Vi ser frem til byde jer velkommen til tui.dk i det nye rejseår i 2017.

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Air Berlin’s head of sales in Denmark, Lina Nordlander (left), with Lina Blom, client manager at Finnair, and Jesper Vissing Laursen, who this year left the sales department at Air Berlin to become Nordic representative for the German hotel reservation service HRS.. Foto: Preben Pathuel

Arp-Hansen won the Best Hotel Chain award, and several of its hotel managers were at the DTA. From left: Lars Pallisgaard and Jep Friis Egefjord, managers of their respective Wake Up hotels, Jakob Ellermann, manager of the Tivoli Hotel & Congress Centre, Dorte Krak, group managing director, Peter Borup, general manager of both the Copenhagen Strand and the Gentofte Hotel, and Signe Larsen Vazquez, head of the 71 Nyhavn Hotel.

Malina Lebrecht Hye, head of development of the BC Hospitality Group, which includes the Bella Center, is shown here with newly retired head of sales at Stand By, Villi Karup Rasmussen.

Director Lars Thuesen, who among other things is the owner of Stand By’s parent company, Scandinavian Travel Media, welcomes guests at this year’s Danish Travel Awards ceremony.

From left and closest to the camera: Nicki Olsen and Claus Jensen, both of MyCruise.dk, Anne-Vibeke Isaksen, president of Danish Travel Journalists, and Ronnie Krogh, head of sales at Khyber International.

Across from them are colleagues from the cruise ship companies Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara, Jacob Kock Plinius, Henrik Berqvist, Klaus Tøth and Betina Otzen. Foto: Preben Pathuel

The Polish strongmen of Duo Creative presented an impressive show of strength. They are also part of the current dinner show, Flashback, at Cirkusbygningen

Graphic artist Kenneth Nannberg of Stand By was in charge of the giant screen’s visual effects at the DTA event. He is shown here in the control area along with Cirkusbygningen technicians (from left) Erik Carnemalm, Magnus Högkvist and Niklas Berggren.

The Danish Business Travel Association at DTA (front row from left): Karin Birkmose of DONG Energy (nominated for the DBTA’s Recognition Award), her husband Kim Hyttel, travel manager Thomas Spange Carlsen of the Icopal Group (winner of the Recognition Award), deputy DBTA board member Helle Jakobsen, business account manager at Air France KLM, and Jens Liltorp, head of Novo Nordisk’s travel management department. In the second row (from left) are DBTA general manager Anne Mette Berg, board members Jeppe Mühlhausen, managing director of the Hotel Alexandra in Copenhagen, and Anja Mihoubi, head of sales at Ezector Solutions, together with DBTA chairman of the board Line Hein, head of the international network medical division at the emergency services centre SOS International.

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med Star Alliance.

During the Danish Travel Awards event, three acts from the Cirkusbygningen dinner show Flashback were performed. This photo is from the act ‘Latin’. Photo: John Resborn.

The new Nordic head of sales at Europæiske Rejseforsikring, Bjørn Cronquist, is shown here with (from left) Pernille Kaarde, key account manager at Europæiske, and Helle Sand of Centrum Personale. Foto: Preben Pathuel

Part of the team behind Stand By and the Danish Travel Awards are shown here (from left): Trine Christensen of the sales department, Kenneth Nannberg, graphic artist, Gitte Nielsen of the sales department, and Henrik Baumgarten, journalist.

Henrik Therkelsen (left) is managing director of Air Alsie, which among other things is responsible for the Alsie Express flights between Sønderborg and Copenhagen.

Niels Henrik Hansen, former head of sales at SAS, is a member of Alsie’s board of directors, while Lone Koch is CEO. Per Markussen (right) came from a top position at the business travel agency BCD Travel to become head of sales at the car rental company Enterprise.

Foto: Preben Pathuel

The SAS team at Cirkusbygningen. From left: Lars Sandahl Sørensen, Susy Lærke Sparre, Nete Christiansen, Line Schou, Mariam Skovfoged, Lars Andersen and Michael Hansen.

Many of those who could not be present at Cirkusbygningen waited excitedly to hear about the winners of the various categories.

Relating the latest news on their cell phones are René Schaufuss (shown from behind) of Primera Travel Group, and Jan Lockhart, managing director of the Danish NG Travel Group, which encompasses USA Tours, Beach Tours and African Spirit.

General Manager at the German National Tourist Office in Copenhagen Bo Schou Lauridsen together with Peggy Gallert, VisitBerlin that arranges Home Opera in private apartments in Berlin. The woman behind the concept is the Danish mezzosoprano Hetna Regitze Bruun.

There was jubilation at Bella Center’s BC Hospitality Group, owner of the Bella Sky Hotel, which won the DTA Award for best hotel in Greater Copenhagen. Seated: CEO of the Bella Center group BCHC, Allan Agerholm, together with Lebrecht Hye, head of development. Behind them, Ejvind Olesen of Stand By offers his congratulations. Foto: Preben Pathuel

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Lars Dissing, Head of Avis Car Rentals Denmark and Scandinavian Commercial Director, with the DTA award for Best Car Hire Company.

Kevin Helsinghof, DFDS Chief in Denmark, awarded for Best Passenger Company between Denmark and overseas.

Press officer in Denmark Mariam Skovfoged with the prize for Best Charter Flights Company. SAS brought three stewardesses in earlier uniforms, from left: Line Schou, Nete Christiansen, Susy Lærke Sparre.

Best Meetings & Group Travel recognises the finest in group travel and events. Tom Petersen of NYhavn received the award.

Star Tour won for Best Charter Arranger, with Sales and National Manager Gorm Petersen collecting the award.

Best Hotel outside the capital went again to Radisson Blu Scandinavia in Aarhus, the General Manager Nino Rosenlund taking the award home to Jutland.

Best Hotel Chain with at least two hotels in Denmark was won this year by Copenhagen’s largest hotel group Arp Hansen.

Concern Manager Dorte Krak collected the award.

Norway’s Hurtigruten was awarded Best Cruise Company with ships of less than 1,000 passengers. Received by Marketing Manager Jakob Trampe Boch.

National Manager for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines , Jacob Kock Plinius, picked up the award for Best Cruise Ship Company with ships of over 1,000 passengers.

Lars Wigelstorp Andersen, Director at SAS for public affairs and infrastructure, with the award for Best Domestic Company – chosen by ballot at the award venue.

SAS Sales Manager in Denmark Michael Hansen accepted the award for Best European Air Company.

SAS Director for Operations Lars Sandahl Sørense with the prize for Best Overseas Air Company.

New categories this year, Best Business Events Bureau (best incoming arranger) went to Kuoni. Mads Salling, Manager of Kuoni’s congress section, collected the award.

The DTA for the Best Holiday Travel Bureau of the Year ended up again at FDM Travel, with new Director Anders Iversen collecting the award.

Best Business Travel Bureau went again to Carlson Wagonlit Travel, whose Director Torben Rodenberg was also on stage this year.

The prize for Best Hotel in the capital went to AC Hotel Bella Sky Copenhagen, with its 812 rooms. It belongs to Bella Center’s BC Hospitality Group, whose Concern Manager Allan Agerholm said thank you.

Raúl Castro Cano, Manager of Spain’s Tourist Bureau in Denmark, came on stage twice – first for Best Foreign Tourist Bureau in Denmark and again as Spain won Best Travel Country in Europe.

The USA won again as Best Country for Tourists outside Europe. Karin Gert Nielsen, Director of, among other things, the Discover America Committee, expressed thanks for the award.

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med Star Alliance.

TAK, TAK, TAK, TAK … IGEN

DSTE BE

DSTE BE

DSTE BE

DSTE BE

CHARTER FLYSELSKAB

INDENRIGS FLYSELSKAB

EUROPÆISKE FLYSELSKAB

OVERSØISKE FLYSELSKAB

2016

2016

2016

2016

SAS VINDER FIRE PRISER VED DANISH TRAVEL AWARDS – FOR ANDET ÅR I TRÆK Ved Danish Travel Awards 2016 løb SAS med prisen som både bedste indenrigsflyselskab, bedste europæiske flyselskab, bedste oversøiske flyselskab og bedste charterflyselskab. Det er vi utrolig glade for og stolte over. Det er et bevis på, at vores daglige stræben efter at gøre en forskel rent faktisk også gør det. Tak til vores dygtige medarbejdere – og tusind tak til alle jer, der stemte.

Vi håber, at vi med nye fly og opgraderede kabiner fortsat vil leve op til jeres forventninger.

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DD

VINDER VINDER AF: AF:

BEDSTE BEDSTEMEETINGS MEETINGS&&GROUP GROUPTRAVEL TRAVEL2016 2016

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nyhavn.dk/erhverv nyhavn.dk/erhverv

tlf.: tlf.:3333181884845050

DANMARKS DANMARKSBEDSTE. BEDSTE.

TAK! TAK!

VIVIFINDER FINDERDET, DET,DUDUIKKE IKKEFINDER FINDER

Nyhavn Nyhavn Rejser Rejser Groups, Groups, Events Events && Incentives Incentives sender sender hvert hvert årår140 140grupper grupperpåpårejser rejsermed medunikt uniktogogskræddersyet skræddersyet indhold. indhold.

Heldigvis Heldigvis fortæller fortæller dede bagefter bagefter vidt vidt ogog bredt bredt om om rejserne rejserne tiltilandre andreend endos. os.Om Omoplevelser, oplevelser,dedealdrig aldrighavde havdefundet fundet selv. selv.Om Omtæt tætdialog, dialog,god godservice, service,gode godefaciliteter faciliteter......Og Og såsåvidere. videre.

Derfor Derforblev blevvivivinder vinderafafDanish DanishTravel TravelAward Award2016 2016som som Danmarks Danmarksbedste bedsterejsebureau rejsebureaui kategorien i kategorienMeetings Meetings& & Group GroupTravel.

Travel.

Tak Tak tiltil alle alle i branchen, i branchen, der der aldeles aldeles uselvisk uselvisk stemte stemte påpå os. os.

I er I erdadaDanmarks Danmarksbedste bedstekollegaer. kollegaer.

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SAS press officer Mariam Skovfoged receives the award for best charter company from Cecilie Beck.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAID

By Henrik Baumgarten Photo: Michael Stub

When the winners come onstage they receive their statuettes and diplomas, after which the compere Cecilie Beck asks a few questions.

Here’s what some of the winners said: “I believe we won again mainly due to our being focused on the customer but also our large global brand name,” said Lars Dissing after being handed the award for Avis Car Rentals.

The national head of DFDS Seaways, Kevin Helsinghof, said the company was up against strong competition. He was particularly pleased that DFDS was able to win the award while celebrating its 150th anniversary.

“The Danish market is going well,” said the marketing manager for Hurtigruten, Jakob Trampe Boch, as he received the award for best company with vessels of less than 1,000 passengers.

Best atmosphere on a charter flight “This air transport award is the most fun, because there’s always a great atmosphere when flying with charter guests. Isn’t that right?” asked SAS’s press officer, Mariam Skovfoged, to three of the airline’s stewardesses also onstage, who nodded in agreement.

SAS Sales Manager for Denmark Michael Hansen said thank you for the award for best European air company.

“We are up against clever competition, and I see this award as recognition of our battles in a tough market.”

SAS Chief Operating Officer Lars Sandahl Sørensen owed the honour of the award for best overseas air company to adoration from the customers.

“But they are also on top of us. We get compliments – but when it goes wrong we also get thoroughly told off,” he said.

“Thanks to the employees” A new award this year was Best Business Events Bureau, for the best incoming arranger. Mads Salling, head of Kuoni’s congress department, said he believed Kuoni won to a large extent thanks to its good employees.

“We are up against strong opponents – but also have good partnerships with, among others, Wonderful Copenhagen when it comes to selling Copenhagen as a venue for overseas congress organisers.

Another new category was Best Meetings & Group Travel, for group trips and events. First place went to Nyhavn Travel Groups, Events and Incentives. Section leader Tom Pedersen said he was in “sharp company, among the giants of the industry.”

“The eight staff members in our department have good morale and fighting spirit – and we have produced solid growth,” he opined, adding that more than 15% of Nyhavn Travel’s turnover came from his area. The bureau is owned by Aller Leisure.

Trump will not affect the desire to travel As for best travel agency, it was FDM Travel that repeated its DTA success of last

SAS Chief Operating Officer Lars Sandahl Sørensen gratefully receives the award for best overseas air company. Cecilie Beck’s assistant Josephine Mygind is ready with the actual awards.

year. The agency is the biggest in Denmark when it comes to travel to the USA. But the new director, Anders Iversen, said when replying to the question of whether a presidential victory for Donald Trump would affect the US as a travel destination, he could not imagine it would affect the desire to travel there.

The ‘best hotel’ awards at the DTA were back to the ‘normal’ categories this year.

Best hotel in the capital went to Bella Center’s Bella Sky. BC Hospitality Group’s business chief Allan Agerholm received the award on behalf of Denmark’s largest hotel. BCHG has three hotels. “Any more on the way?” asked Cecilie Beck. “Well, if the opportunity arises,” was the reply.

“It’s huge winning a DTA,” said business manager Dorte Krak from Arp-Hansen, best hotel chain in Denmark with at least two hotels.

“Now you just need a 5-star hotel, is there one on the way?” asked Cecilie Beck.

“Many others are good at 5-star hotels,” replied Dorte Krak.

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SMAG ÅRETS BØF

PÅ OSLOBÅDEN

Nyretap, onglet, hanger steak, oksekødets grimme ælling. Årets Bøf er en relativ ukendt udskæring med mange navne.

Ikke desto mindre er det noget af det møreste og mest velsmagende stykke oksekød, du kan få.

Kåringen af Årets Bøf fandt sted på Oslobåden den 6. oktober, og fra den 15. november er den på menukortet i Explorers Steakhouse.

KØBENHAVN � OSLO DFDS.DK 41

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No361

TOURISM

“THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A GREATER FOCUS ON THE TOURIST TRADE” ”I think it is unfortunate that Horesta seem so down in the mouth and have not apparently understood the strategy,”says Danish Business and Growth Minister Troels Lund Poulsen to the criticism concerning the new strategi for tourism.

By Jan Aagaard Photo: Jens Astrup

The Danish government has launched a new and ambitious strategy for tourism. Although the branch as a whole welcomes the move, there are some critical voices. Stand By asked the minister for business and growth, Troels Lund Poulsen, to comment on these criticisms.

Denmark must receive a third more tourists over the next ten years, tourist trade turnover should increase by 45 billion kroner, and tourists should be more satisfied with their Danish holiday experience. This is the ambition behind the government’s new tourism strategy.

The strategy recognises tourism as Denmark’s most important business, creating 115,000 full-time jobs nationwide. It’s also a business that has experienced growth in recent years and has the potential to continue growing in the future.

But there are several challenges ahead, as the tourists in Denmark seem to be less satisfied these days.

“Although the last few years have gone well for Danish tourism, it has gone better for some of our rivals and Denmark has lost some of its market share during this time,” Business and Growth

Minister Troels Lund Poulsen (V) told Stand By. What do you see as the greatest challenge to Danish tourism?

“It’s about taking advantage of the growth in global tourism so we get the slice of the action we deserve. Particularly within the area of coastal tourism, we are not getting the share of the market that we should. There is a need to strengthen the development of the destinations, drawing attention to the attractions.”

The strategy calls for an increase in cooperation between the public and private sectors, how do you see that becoming a reality? ”It can happen through greater public/private partnerships. We have seen for instance, how Realdania have got together with a string of municipalities on projects, which will raise the standards in selected coastal towns, thereby strengthening tourism,” says the minister.

He also points out that the new national parks should be able to attract more tourists, if only we can develop these areas.

“There is great potential for example in the mudflats, which have attracted a good deal of international attention. Here, there is an opportunity for private foundations to enter into

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R

med Star Alliance.

a partnership model which includes cultural as well as natural assets and their possibilities.”

Better framework The tourist trade worked out the strategy through the National Forum for Tourism, and it was generally welcomed by the industry when it was presented at the end of September. There were some critics, however, from among others the organisation Horesta, which asked for financial backing as well as better conditions.

Is the government prepared to offer the trade better conditions? ”I think it is unfortunate that Horesta seem so down in the mouth and have not apparently understood the strategy.

One chooses to ignore the many initiatives already lined up to improve conditions, for example the removal of the PSO tariff, the easing of electricity tariffs for fun parks and the combined financing of innovative projects. We have also come to a political agreement to improve planning laws, which will, in turn, benefit tourism,” Troels Lund Poulsen said, drawing attention to the government’s focus on the tourism branch.

“The branch has never had so much attention as it has right now. I do not believe I’ve heard of a minister who prioritises this branch as much as I do.

I don’t expect gratitude, but I do feel that the branch should recognise the fact that the tourist trade is now more than ever regarded as an independent trade, which is of great importance to Denmark.”

The new strategy for tourism has also met with criticism from Wonderful Copenhagen and VisitAarhus, which would like to see the bigger cities included more in the strategy. These two organisations point out that it is after all the cities that have been the driving force for tourism in recent years.

What is your reaction to the criticism of the strategy from the bigger cities?

“It seems to me to be something of a ritual dance. The government has introduced several initiatives for tourism in the cities, not least regarding Chinese

tourists. But the strategy is based on the fact that Copenhagen and Aarhus have been enriched with a remarkable growth in tourism in recent years. We have not forgotten the larger cities and are for example working on a new strategy for air transport, which should bring more routes to Copenhagen and therefore more tourists,” Troels Lund Poulsen said.

”

I do not believe I’ve heard of a minister who prioritises this branch as much as I do.”

Denmark is expensive In the strategy for tourism it is stated in black and white that “Denmark is an expensive place to go on holiday”, and that tourists are less satisfied with Denmark than with its neighbouring countries when it comes to price in relation to quality.

“There is a need to strengthen the tourist trade’s ability to deliver satisfactory quality for their money to visitors,” is the comment.

How does the strategy propose to help the competitiveness of Danish tourism?

“We can never compete pricewise with countries such as Greece and Spain. But we can improve the conditions for our tourist industry so that it is possible to reduce prices. At the same time we can develop new possibilities within for example outdoor and bicycle holidays, which give good experiences without overstretching tourists’ budgets.”

Airbnb are welcome One way for tourists to save while on holiday in Denmark is by renting rooms and apartments via services like Airbnb.

But the hotel industry is very critical towards Airbnb, saying it creates unfair conditions, and in some cities such as Berlin and Amsterdam the authorities are attempting to restrict or even ban it.

What is the government’s position regarding Airbnb?

“One should be grateful for services like Airbnb, because they are not taking from anyone. On the contrary, they are making the cake bigger. One reason for the record upswing in Danish tourism during the last few years is the variety we have to offer. I do not believe that Airbnb is taking market share from the hotels, because Airbnb offers something else, and attracts tourists who would otherwise not have come to Denmark,” the minister says.

“We are at the same time aware that there must be fair competition. There must be a limit to how much one may rent out before paying tax and we must not allow a new grey area to be created in the market through renting to tourists.”

FIVE AREAS OF FOCUS The new strategy for tourism contains a series of initiatives that should ensure the development and growth of tourism throughout the whole of Denmark. These initiatives are aimed at five strategic areas: • More effective marketing focusing on relevant target groups • Better accessibility, internet and signposting • A better tourist experience in Denmark • Modern planning laws and an increased capacity for tourism • Competitiveness and conditions

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S

å skete det igen!

2 flotte placeringer til vores Guldsmeden Hotels ved Travel Awards 2016!

Og vi rækker en kæmpe-tak til alle I skønne mennesker i denne branche – vi holder mindst ligeså meget af jer, som I holder af os.

Dette skal fejres! Vær med i vores konkurrence: weekend for 2 i hjertet af København, Manon les Suites!

Manon les Suites åbner til foråret 2017 - et stenkast fra søerne, med rummelige suiter indrettet i Guldsmeden Hotels smukke og varme signature stil.

Nyd udsigten samt den gode øko-mad og drikke på vores rooftop Jungle Club…

Dyk ned i Junglefish, den frodige indendørs pool...

Og hvis I har nydt livets goder lidt for meget, kan I få aflad i Jungle Gym, byens cooleste nye fitness-rum!

Vinderen bliver trukket inden jul, så deltag i konkurrencen via Guldsmeden Hotels´ facebook-side – du kunne være den heldige, der kom hjem med en ekstra pakke at lægge under juletræet…

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med Star Alliance.

TOURISM

HOLIDAYS WITH A PURPOSE

By Mette Damgaard Petersen

Our everyday lifestyle significantly influences how we spend our holidays. A new report from the European Travel Commission has looked into global trends and examined how they affect our travel behaviour. Here are five theories.

SMARTPHONES BOOST SPONTANEITY The demand for flexible and customised travel offers with genuine and engaging experiences is expected to increase.

Tourists still have a great appetite for adventure and surprises but are at the same time very conscious about the prestige that lies in controlling all facets of life. Paradoxically, the smartphone’s possibilities for control through social media, user reviews and personal recommendations, which come across as original and trustworthy, contributes to tourists becoming more spontaneous.

HOLIDAYS WITH A PURPOSE The consumers no longer merely perform at work, and the ideal of a healthy and active free time naturally reflects on holiday behaviour too. Travels motivated by meaningful, creative or educational activities are therefore expected to have high demand. The holiday itself is no

longer enough, but a means to achieve development and social prestige. The sheer relaxation holiday is still popular, though, provided it takes care of your health by de-stressing or mindfulness.

The desire to be able to make healthy choices is growing, both when it comes to meals and the selection of activities for relaxation and training.

BRANDING THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA Tourists are communicating visually more and more, so experiences with particularly photogenic qualities are sought after. At the same time, there is a tendency towards a greater awareness of the value that tourists’ recommendations have for companies. The use of social media should therefore be made easy, natural and attractive. Companies will also to a greater degree applaud entrepreneurship, crowdsourcing and user-driven innovation, as this correlates with consumers’ fascination with authenticity, involvement and spontaneity.

GREATER EXPECTATIONS OF PERSONAL SERVICE Tourists will increasingly become more used to self-service and robots in situations where personal service does not

provide any added value, but these cannot yet replace personal contact when it comes to emotional responses, such as complaints, uncertainty, etc. The tourists’ expectations of what personal service must provide will increase and be elevated to a special or exclusive experience. The further development of service technologies will attempt to make digital interaction and conversation more intuitive and flexible.

DIGITAL DETOX – NO THANKS Modern technology also creates a longing for a ‘digital detox’, with time for quiet and being fully present, but few tourists are willing to completely do without their mobile phones on holiday so a purely digital detox will in time become literally unimaginable. Different services based on the kinds of places the user visits will send push messages with targeted information and offers, all depending on where the user is located. In time this function will be able to predict the user’s preferences, and software that makes it possible to register the user’s energy levels and emotional status will contribute to making these services even more intelligent, relevant and attractive.

Source: Visitdenmark

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A DAY AT THE OFFICE

VOLCANIC WINES

Text and photo by Kitt Andersen

In-Italia & Hideaways Founded: They are owned by Signatours Travel A/S. In-Italia is Danish and was founded in 1999, while Hideaways is Swedish and was founded in 2012. Lars Henriksen, former co-owner of Kulturrejser Europa and PortugalBureauet, is director and co-owner of Signatours Travel.

Specialty of In-Italia: “Personalise your holiday”. Employees are intimately acquainted with every nook and cranny of the country, including overnight accommodation.

Leisure holidays only. Planning can encompass the entire holiday or just parts of it. There are many loyal customers who return year after year. Has over 1,600 hotel contracts.

Specialty of Hideaways: “Stay charming”. Hotels and holiday residences have both charm and quality. Accommodation can be basic but all of it is off the beaten path or has some unique quality. All provide good service, ambiance and something unique. In southern Europe alone there are over 600 hideaways.

It’s not just sun, sand and swimming that attract tourists to Sicily. Delicious food and especially a growing interest in the wines of Etna have contributed to a heightened interest in this southern Italian island.

Some people love Tuscany and Piemonte; others adore Rome and Capri.

Farther south, or as far as you can go in this elongated country , many of the houses are in disrepair and the street sweeper may not have paid a visit today or even yesterday. But the charm of the country and the people shine through like the sun, which in the middle of September certainly outshines its Nordic cousins.

Numbers from Istat (National Institute of Statistics) show that from 2009 to 2015 the number of tourists increased by almost a million to reach a total of 14.5 million. Specifically in Catania, which lies at the foot of Mount Etna, the number of foreign visitors has risen from 400,000 to 900,000, and if you include Italian tourists Catania has around two million visitors a year.

And it’s not just the temperature and the many hours of sunshine that bring both Scandinavian and other travellers to Sicily. The food and the wine have become important parameters in planning a vacation.

In Sicily, it’s especially the extremely mineral-rich earth in the highlands around Etna which have in recent years given tourists another excellent reason to

visit this active volcano, which in itself is always worth seeing.

This soil helps bring forth some particularly good wines that are enchanting the tourists – and this is not some kind of marketing stunt. Wine critics are also impressed. Among other things they describe the best vintages from the mineral-rich earth around Etna as a Pinot Noir with a Barolo structure.

Growing interest There is good reason to actively use this recognition to attract more tourists.

That’s why Isnart (National Institute for Tourism Research), in cooperation with Catania’s Chamber of Commerce and Italian Food XP, have invited representatives from travel agencies and a number of food and wine importers on a tour of Etna, Taormina and Catania. Among the Danes invited was contract manager Flemming Handberg of In-Italia & Hideaways; another was product manager for groups Lonny Ulberg Lind of Risskov Travel Partner. Both are seeing increased interest in Sicily.

“We have growing demand for Sicily and for southern Italy in general. I don’t have any statistics but I can see we are getting more enquiries from people who have chosen Sicily as their destination – especially groups of seniors and business groups,” says Lonny Ulberg Lind.

“I think this is because most of them have already visited Tuscany, Rome and the Amalfi coast, so now they are looking for new Italian destinations with

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Sicily: five tips from Flemming and Lonny Transportation: Always rent a car. There is so much to see in Sicily, but you won’t be able to see it all in a single holiday.

You’ll have to come back. more to offer than the traditional places – destinations that give visitors the chance to experience a more unspoiled Italy,” she adds.

When she later toured the island on her own she not only experienced the distances, the hotels and the places, she also got an idea for a new tour with a Danish tour guide.

New contracts For Flemming Handberg, contract manager for In-Italia & Hideaways, the trip also had some fine results that were enhanced by his own research on the island a couple of days before the scheduled fam-trip.

“I always get something out of these trips, even though I may not find many of the good collaborators I’m looking for at workshops like these. About 80% of them might be out of scope, but once in a while I strike gold – and I get to see an area and build up a good network that I might contact again a year-and-a-half later in an entirely different context,” he says.

On this particular trip he was in touch with 40 to 50 hotels and personally visited around 25 of them in the last three days before the workshop. All in all, he brought home 15 new contracts. But he also gets turned down sometimes by people who cannot or do not want to deal with being a part of Signatours’ hotel management system. For the agencies, having this system is a prerequisite for collaboration.

“Our customers look elsewhere if they don’t get an immediate answer when they go online to book such things as overnight stays for their holiday. Therefore we provide the necessary technical solution and help them get hooked up to our system. But not everyone is ready to take that step.”

Risskov Travel Partner Founded: Risskov Rejser began in Aarhus in 1992, moved to Randers five years later after taking over a travel agency, and in 2005 purchased Riskov Rejser, which was known as an expert on the USA/Canada.

In 2008, all activities were combined under a common name and logo and today the agency has 35 employees. Managing director is Annelise Dam Larsen.

Specialty: The core competence is tours with Danish guides. Specialists in Australia, New Zealand and North America plus group travel everywhere in the world for businesses, organisations and large families.

Avoid: The north-eastern part of the island around Taormina. There are far too many tourists, and Giardini Naxos is not particularly charming.

Season: Not many are aware of the fact that the season is very long in Sicily.

Many hotels and restaurants remain open well into October and November.

Must-taste: Sicily has a wonderful cuisine, including lots of fish, but both Flemming and Lonny recommend the cannoli – a classic Sicilian dessert with a sweet, creamy ricotta filling.

Attractions: Etna is in a class of its own, but a tour guide is recommended.

The south-eastern baroque towns are incredibly beautiful, and for history buffs there is the Temple Valley at Agrigento.

Cefalu, with its 15,000 inhabitants, offers a combination of genuine Italian ambiance, a sandy beach, nightlife and lovely views of the sea. And in Castellammare del Golfo you can experience a charming, traditional downtown area where most of the inhabitants are Sicilians rather than tourists. This is one of the great attractions of the smaller Sicilian towns.

ETNA

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No361

DBTA

FOCUS ON THE TRAVELLER Amadeus CEO in Scandinavia Jesper Söderström drew an overview of the chain of distribution before and now at the yearly Amadeus Corporate Travel Network Meeting.

By Anne Mette Berg General Manager, Danish Business Travel Association

There are lots of opportunities and new technologies on the horizon that can support the entire business travel process. But it’s also important to involve users in the development of these new possibilities.

Members of the DBTA were invited in October to the annual Amadeus Corporate Travel Network Meeting, which this time was entitled “Shaping the future of travel together”. The two-day meeting was held in Copenhagen, bringing together travel buyers, business travel agencies and a number of Amadeus experts, each with a specific area of expertise.

Many topics were on the table, but the overall theme was the traveller and personalization.

Travel managers and buyers would very much like to see more interconnected technology and systems which provide the traveller with effective, efficient service when booking and making changes to a trip, but which also keep travellers informed of flight cancellations or roadworks along a given route. Travel buyers also want to shape technology in ways that can adjust content to suit a company while also influencing and supporting the traveller.

One-click travel booking Amadeus and business travel agencies want to provide services before, during and after a trip. Online tools for booking

and changing the journey are a matter of course; this is an area where development work is constantly moving towards more accessible and intuitive forms of online booking.

A good example of this came from Microsoft, which in cooperation with Amadeus developed a system for booking directly via Outlook. This is a function that Amadeus quickly made available to other customers. For the traveller, it’s as easy as setting up a meeting. Outlook knows where you are going and who you will meet, so it only takes a few clicks to book the journey.

”

We encourage all suppliers to engage in a more open and inclusive innovation process.

Business travel agencies are now focusing on the traveller’s profile, approval of the journey and travel expenses, data security and the delivery of data to the customer.

More personalization Travel service suppliers, airlines, airports, hotels, etc., are all talking about personalizing and differentiating products.

There’s always something new on the way, and at the moment it’s the airlines who have come the farthest in enabling travellers to choose only what is needed – for example a seat reservation, baggage, lounge access, etc.

Hotel chains are also in full swing with personalization and are making increasing use of social media to communicate directly with the guest. Airports have come a long way too with personalization – not least Copenhagen Airport, which is also collaborating with Amadeus to achieve better passenger experiences, mobility and coordinated information across all systems.

More user involvement The question is whether personalization and business travel programs are suited to each other.

The conclusion at the meeting was that, in the DBTA’s view, it is of course possible if EVERYONE works together! There are plenty of possibilities, and new technology is on the way that can support the entire process from end to end. The meeting participants agreed on the need for greater focus on cooperation among all parties, and that technology must be adapted to suit customer needs while also supporting suppliers’ products. At the moment, travel buyers are waiting to see where they stand in relation to Amadeus’ new Cytric online booking.

We encourage all suppliers to engage in a more open and inclusive innovation process when developing specific new products and services. Members of the DBTA are ready to participate !

Danish Business Travel Association has around 120 members, including around 40 travel managers, while the others are suppliers for the travel industry – e.g. airlines, hotels, car rental, travel tech firms and more.

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No361

LEISURE

HAMBURG HAS IT ALL The area around Alster Lake in the heart of Hamburg is a hive of activity. The lake offers sailing sports, kayaking and stand-up paddling – and the vessels on the lake are only allowed to use white sails. Along the western shores is a well-to-do suburb with fashionable turnof-the-century mansions.

Text and photos: Mette Damgaard Petersen and Presse/Hamburg Marketing GmbH

Just now, Hamburg is trending on the big-city barometers. It provides experiences like the historical warehouse district as well as the hip HafenCity, a flower of modern-day urban development. And don’t forget idyllic Alster Lake.

With 2,500 bridges to its name, Hamburg has more of these structures than Amsterdam, Venice and London put together. A maritime atmosphere pervades the city – especially around the port, known as the ‘gateway to the world’.

The port is the second-biggest in Europe, handling 10 million containers a year and teeming with life. Ultramodern cruise ships, old-fashioned sailing vessels and cargo ships from around the world are constantly arriving or departing.

The warehouse district of Speicherstadt is the largest of its kind in the world, with hundreds of centuries-old brick warehouses. Their massive, metre-thick walls still house coffees, teas, spices and tobacco and the area is now protected as part of the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Another interesting area is the office district, built in the characteristic, functional style of the 1920s and 1930s. One of the attractions here is the concentration of tradition-rich German media, home to some of the country’s leading publications.

Ambitious urban development Historical areas are one thing. But Ham-

burg is also a melting pot of trendsetting and sustainable urban development.

Construction is constantly underway, with a growth plan calling for a thousand new apartments a year.

The city has a well-to-do atmosphere, and its citizens contribute to society as a matter of course in the form of urban development investments. In the exciting new HafenCity neighbourhood, for example, the vision is to transform Hamburg’s harbour into an extension of the inner city where quality, creativity and sustainability are paramount.

A great many investors, entrepreneurs, designers and architects are creating 40,000 jobs and 5,500 homes for 12,000 residents. Future residents participate by purchasing land and designing their own buildings, while HafenCity, under the auspices of the Municipality of Hamburg, promotes the process in a so-called joint building venture.

Of course, HafenCity also has cultural offerings, and the magnificent Elphilharmonie concert hall, although not yet completed, has already become a proud landmark for the area. By the time the structure is ready in 2017 it will have been 10 years in the making. Its original budget was €70 million but has ended up at a dizzying €800 million.

gourmet cooks whip up all sorts of delicacies. Enjoy, for example, lunch at the German celebrity TV cook Tim Mälzer’s restaurant Bullerei.

It’s a hip eatery in the trendy Schanze neighbourhood, located in a once-decaying factory building. Now it has a dynamic atmosphere created by young locals and hipster types who like to hang out on the large terrace with its rustic wooden benches and parasols, surrounded by tall trees and a buzz of talk, laughter and clatter of knives and forks.

Bullerei serves excellent, popular food.

Among other things, it offers an unbelievably tasty Bolognese prepared with pulled veal so tender it virtually melts on the tongue. Other dishes include a risotto with almond splinters and pasta with grilled salmon.

Another commendable spot with a perfect location directly on the waterfront in HafenCity is the restaurant Strauchs Falco. It has a cozy ambiance with long rustic tables and a view to the kitchen – really worth a visit. Scrumptious delicacies are created in a modern fusion of traditional Mediterranean dishes and a twist of oriental inspiration. The grilled lobster tails with mango-lime chutney, for example, are truly mouth-watering.

World-class gastronomy Hamburg can also offer a myriad of culinary adventures in its countless, top-notch restaurants, where dedicated

World’s third-largest musical city Hamburg boasts more than 50 museums and 313 theatres, concert halls, vaudevilles and small, ‘artsy’ venues. The city

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The HafenCity area will expand the inner city of Hamburg by 40%. Completion is expected in 2025. Left is the Strauchs Falco Restaurant.

CCH HAMBURG TRADE FAIR AND CONVENTION CENTRE Congress Centre Hamburg (CCH) is centrally located and easily accessible by public transport. Up to 250 events take place there every year. Apart from national and international conventions, it is a venue for concerts, exhibitions and events. Its 23 multipurpose halls, 12,500 seats and 10,000sqm exhibition space ensure good facilities for successful events. can also pride itself on being the world’s third-largest musical city, after New York and London. A great many world-famous musicals have been successfully performed here, for example Cats, which had a 15-year run, and Disney’s The Lion King.

Among the many exhibits and attractions the city has to offer is the Bucerius Art Forum, located next to the City Hall.

Every year it offers four rotating exhibitions with works dating from antiquity to the present. And if you’re in a seafaring mood, the International Maritime Museum is a perfect destination. It contains the world’s biggest private collection, including 26,000 model ships and 5,000 paintings.

If your appetite runs to shopping there are also lots of opportunities. With more than 13,000 shops, Hamburg has everything your heart desires in the way of modern fashion boutiques and fashionable shopping centres. Choose from among 135 shoe shops, for example, including Europe’s largest. No wonder the whole world is attracted to Hamburg.

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LUXURY TRAVEL

QUALITY AND CLASSIC ELEGANCE

By Mette Damgaard Petersen Photo: Park Hyatt Hamburg

In the heart of Hamburg, amid the lively pedestrian streets and cultural attractions, lies the five-star Park Hyatt Hamburg.

It’s located in a former office building and looks anything but flashy – but inside, it exudes luxury.

Park Hyatt Hamburg

How much

This five-star luxury hotel is tastefully decorated in a sophisticated Italian style. It is housed in a former office building, the Levantehaus, a brick edifice built in the characteristic design of the city.

The Apples Restaurant & Bar serves traditional local specialties with a modern twist based on seasonal ingredients. In summer, guests are served in the charming inner courtyard at the centre of the building.

Room rates range from DKK 1,380 for a standard single up to DKK 7,720 for an executive suite. The presidential suite costs DKK 21,000.

Where The Park Hyatt is centrally located on the famous Moenckebergstraße, just a stone’s throw from Hamburg’s central train station and City Hall. A shopping street and restaurants are within walking distance.

How From Copenhagen’s central train station it’s about a five-hour train ride direct to Hamburg Central Station. It takes about 50 minutes to fly to Hamburg, and a taxi to the hotel takes about 20 minutes.

How many The hotel has 252 comfortable 45m2 rooms plus 21 luxurious 54m2 suites. The presidential suite is 220m2, where it’s possible to entertain up to 30 people at small, exclusive parties. Mick Jagger, Christina Aguilera and Adele are among the celebrities who have stayed in the presidential suite, and Lionel Richie is said to have composed a famous song at its piano. For longer stays, the hotel also offers apartments ranging from 45m2 to 195m2 in size and including all hotel services.

Meetings The hotel has nine well-appointed 42m2 meeting rooms and a private dining room. The city’s many media houses often hold their board meetings there.

Activities The Park Hyatt offers cocktail and chocolate courses. In the luxury Club Olympus Spa, with its well-equipped 1,000m2 fitness centre and pool, guests can recharge their batteries in the sauna and steam rooms. Yoga and pilates instruction is included in the cost of a room.

Advantages Central location, elegant and timeless design, comfortable and well-suited to both business and pleasure. In spite of its central location, the hotel is very quiet. The sound insulation is so effective that even with the pulsating heart of the city just outside the window, the only noticeable sound in the room is the quiet purr of the air conditioner.

Disadvantages No obvious disadvantages – unless you’re looking for green surroundings, which this city hotel cannot offer. hamburg.park.hyatt.com

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med Star Alliance.

CRUISE

EVEN MORE CABINS TO FILL ON THE BALTIC Moby Line has almost as colourful ships as Tallink.

By Jan Ohlsson

Russia’s St. Peter Line is partnering with Italy’s Moby Line to gain momentum in the cruise traffic across the Baltic, which has been hard hit by the fact that fewer Russians can afford to travel abroad.

In 2010, St. Peter Line launched its ferry services, first St. Petersburg-Helsinki and the following year to Stockholm on Princess Maria, formerly Siljafärjan Finlandia (built in 1980 with room for 1,750 passengers), and then Princess Anastasia, built as Olympia for Viking Line in 1986, with room for 2,500 passengers.

It was not a success, despite the 72hour visa waiver. The line stops for a day in Tallinn and another day in Helsinki on the way home from either of the departure cities.

Russian tourism has fallen by 50%, which is why the Cyprus-registered St. Peter Line sold a large stake and the two vessels, respectively for €22 million and €15 million, to Moby Line. One of the ships will be moved to the Mediterranean.

Expansion plan “Don’t look at it as a sale but rather a

collaboration between two operators,” says St. Peter Line’s Sergei Kotenyoc in an interview. “We will introduce a new concept in the autumn where Italian tourists will be offered four-day cruises on the Baltic. If all goes well we intend to order up to six new ships in 2017, not just for the Baltic but also to the Black Sea and the Far East in collaboration with Moby Line.”

This can be interpreted as St. Peter Line wanting to transition from being a ferry line to a cruise line. Viking Line and Silja also take many Russian tourists on the faster route from Turku or Helsinki, which of course has a high-speed rail link to St. Petersburg. Moby Line operates ferries from Italy to France and has a total of 68 vessels.

However, St. Peter Line may find it difficult to compete for Italian tourists with MSC and Costa Cruises, which also call into the three capitals of the Gulf of Finland.

The Baltic’s biggest cruise ship, Silja Europa, was built in 1986 with room for more than 3,000 passengers and was never intended to return from her time as a hotel ship in Australia.

When she returned last year anyway she was thrown into the Helsinki-Tallinn route, but the welcome was cool. Now Tallink is investing SEK 160 million to renovate 1,000 cabins and create five new restaurants and bars as well as new conference areas.

She is expensive to run, but with just one trip per day at the lowest speed, which means three-and-a-half hours at sea instead of two, it is still a bit of a floating hotel. She will be returned to service during the Christmas weekend, when Tallink-Silja once again offers a daily service on the Riga-Stockholm route, with help from Romantika, built in 2001, and the current Isabelle, built in 1988.

Older ferries, new life The trend now is to keep older vessels for longer. Both Silja and Viking have renovated their ageing Helsinki ships. Low fuel prices and even lower resale values are the reasons why.

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PATA

A LOOK AT THE FUTURE On November 30, PATA Denmark will be peering into the future of the travel business. Experts from Google, Momondo and Travelport, as well as a futurologist, will present their views. And PATA Denmark’s website has a new look.

c i d r o N G T T f o e u s s i t x e 7 1 0 2 Th e n h t 1 y r a u r b e f d e h s i is publ

FOR ADVERTISING Please call +45 70 25 97 00 or write to sales@ttgnordic.com

WE ARE FOCUSING ON MICE & HOTELS AND TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

Deadline is january 6th 54

You can also advertise for your new staff members at ttgnordic.com

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By Claus Vestergaard Pedersen Chairman, PATA Denmark

The Danish humourist Storm P once said that “predictions are difficult – especially about the future.” Even so, PATA will be doing just that on November 30. We have invited experts from Google, Momondo and Travelport to give their views on the future of the travel business.

Where is the travel business headed, and what kind of innovations and improvements will we see? Will the business be taken over by new players? Will there be room for the ‘old’ travel agencies? Or will Google and the new social media take over?

We will try to get some answers to these and other questions.

With the explosive technological growth and with a travel sector whose distribution channels are challenged, where will the business be in 2020?

Fifteen years ago, the Sunday papers were full of travel agency ads, and very few consumers ‘packaged’ their own holidays. Nor did business travellers consider looking at airlines’ flight plans.

That’s what travel agencies were for.

Today it’s more or less the other way around. Consumers are not afraid to put together their own drive-it-yourself holiday in the US, right down to booking their own flights, hotels, cars, etc. For business travel agencies, it’s more the rule than the exception to be challenged by customers who believe they have found a cheaper or better ticket online.

We are seeing OTAs and other search services capture market share. Airlines are considering whether a global distribution system (GDS) should be their primary distribution channel and seek to sell as much as possible through their own platforms. IATA has its NDC (New Distribution Capability) to optimise direct sales to the customer and offer a number of extra services.

But where will it all end? Does the travel business have a future, and can it survive with the slogan ‘we are the experts’?

These are also some of the questions

we’d like to hear answered during the panel discussion.

In September, I attended the big PATA Travel Mart in the Indonesian capital Jakarta. It was a good opportunity to network with other PATA divisions and with suppliers we wouldn’t ordinarily meet.

During that short time I had 25 great meetings with suppliers, PATA colleagues and others. We were able to make new contacts for our Worldwide Workshop and also communicate that PATA can, in exchange for payment, arrange such events as workshops in Denmark for visiting tourist boards, etc. And by the way, we have just updated and modernised our website, PATA.dk. You can of course also find news about us on our Facebook page.

PATA er en forkortelse for Pacific Asia Travel Association; se mere på: PATA.org eller PATA.dk - PATA Danmark er en af 43 nationale PATA-foreninger.

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MPI

USE EVENTS TO PROFILE YOUR BUSINESS Ulrika Mårtensson (far left), Chairman of MPI Denmark and communications manager of meetings and congresses at Wonderful Copenhagen, took part in an expert panel and was moderator of the workshop ‘The #BeeSustain Challenge’.

By Anne Marie Barsøe

Both a product launch and a conference can be unique platforms to show what your company stands for – especially if it has a green profile. Yet even large international brands that work consciously with sustainability do not always go green when organising their own events. That’s a missed opportunity, says MIP Denmark’s chairman.

The Sustainable Brands Conference, which was recently held in Copenhagen, brings together the world’s leading brands around CSR and sustainability.

The conduct of the conference itself is a good example of how to host a green meeting. But only a few of the companies represented organise their own events in a sustainable manner.

This contrasts with the results of a survey conducted among some of the participants. It shows that the majority do not organise green events, even though more than 80% use events to represent what their company stands for. At the same time, 70% believe it’s problematic if their events are seen as “non-sustainable”.

The global association Meeting Professionals International (MPI), which works to professionalise the meetings and events industry, was represented at two seminars on how green meetings can be used to strengthen a brand.

Ulrika Mårtensson, chairman of MPI Denmark and communications manager for meetings and congresses at Wonderful Copenhagen, took part in an expert panel and was moderator of the workshop ‘The #BeeSustain Challenge’.

She says: “I have participated in countless events with a green or sustainable theme that were held in a non-sustainable manner. This leaves participants with an unclear perception of the brand’s commitment and profile. The Sustainable Brands Conference is held as a sustainable event, but all of the conference attendees I spoke to – who are responsible for CSR and sustainability for leading global brands – looked distant when I asked them about whether their events are held in a sustainable manner.”

She continues: “As a communicator, I find it obvious that brands which do dedicated work with CSR and sustainability

organise their own actions at all types of events, from product launches to internal and external conferences. An event is a unique possibility to engage stakeholders and build brand reputation.”

Get a sample of the many surveys, guides and reports produced by MPI about sustainable events at www.mpiweb.org/portal/csr. As a member, you have free access to all material.

MPI is for anyone working with meetings, events, seminars and courses. MPI Denmark offers about ten seminars and network meetings a year, with domestic speakers and speakers from abroad.

Read more about what membership can do for you at www.mpidenmark.dk.

MPI Denmark with its 190 members is Europe’s largest branch, offering around 10 annual training seminars and network meetings in Denmark, with both local and international speakers. As a member you have access to MPI’s international activities, offers and network. www.mpidenmark.dk

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MID ATLANTIC COMING UP

The Icelandair Mid-Atlantic Tradeshow will take place in Reykjavik, Iceland for the 25th time in January 26-29 2017.

EVENTS

The Icelandair Mid-Atlantic Tradeshow has during its time proved to be the ideal setting for travel industry professionals from around the globe to meet, work together and exchange ideas.

Conveniently located in Iceland, midway between Europe and North America, buyers have the opportunity to work with premium suppliers from Iceland, Europe, USA and Canada.

Icelandair‘s route network and the tourism industry in Iceland historically go hand in hand and are enjoying a great growth rate.

This relaxed environment of the Tradeshow allows participants to interact in multiple programs and dinner parties as they strive to develop their business relationships.These programs have proven to be a great success in strengthening the ties between thousands of travel professionals.Utilizing feedback from previous years, the many travel partners involved work to ensure that your experience in Iceland surpasses any expectations. Preregistration is open until 02 December on the website www.icelandair.com/midatlantic.

SAS CELEBRATES NEW US ROUTE

RIVER RAFTING I UGANDA

SAS åbnede i september sin nyeste daglige helårsrute fra Oslo og København til Miami, dets 11. rute til USA. SAS’ langruter har ca. 30 pct. af selskabets passagerer.

SAS har tidligere meddelt, at man øger antallet af afgange fra København til Shanghai og San Francisco; fra Stockholm til New York og Chicago samt fra Oslo til New York. I alt pumper SAS i år yderligere 330.000 flysæder ind på sine oversøiske destinationer. Åbningen af ruten til Miami blev markeret ved sammenkomst for SAS storkunder blandt rejsebureauer og firmakunder på Scandinavia-hotellet i København.

HB

The Ugandan Embassy headed by Ambassador Zaake Wanume Kibedi hosted a seminar at the Scandic Copenhagen, where participants were told about the many attractions the country has to offer. These include river rafting, lush natural beauty, a warm climate (even in the rainy season) and spa resorts positioned for gorilla trekking.

Today’s visitors to Uganda are mostly British, German and American, but with the help of this seminar Uganda clearly hopes to increase Scandinavia’s knowledge of the country’s outstanding qualities.

Ed.

Attending the opening of the Miami route at Copenhagen Airport the same morning were Airport Director Thomas Woldbye (left) and SAS Group Manager of Operations Lars Sandahl Sørensen (clad in a tasteful ‘Miami shirt’).

Pictured at the SAS reception are (from left) Ole Høgh, Danish sales manager at Carlson Rezidor, Michael Hansen, Danish sales manager at SAS, and Leif Eddy Iversen, manager of outbound sales at Avis Car Rentals.

In mid-September, Miami and SAS also co-hosted workshops at the Hard Rock Café in Copenhagen, where exhibitors stood ready to talk about overnighting and entertainment in the area. From left are Lars Andreasen, account manager at SAS, Judith Patrón-Fernandez, director of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Johnny Gardsäter, sales & marketing director of Our Man in Scandinavia.

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EVENTS

MORE BUT SMALLER TRAVEL FAIRS IN FUTURE Four fairs, one of which is B to C, will be organised by Martin Ahlberg and the team at Fin-S in 2017, the first of them in March.

The final fair this autumn was held for the fifth time at Casino Cosmopol in Stockholm, with around 50 exhibitors and 650 visitors over four successful hours.

“We can never know where the synergies are, so there is a need for face-to-face meetings, and not only with those who are likeminded,” says Ahlberg.

“The TUR fair became too regulated. Now there will be more, but smaller, travel fairs.”

Fin-S is collaborating with Matka, Skålklubben and the blogger network Travel Massive. Next year, it will have additional competition from the magazine RES as a trade show organiser.

Emma Mollberg from first-time exhibitor South Africa being visited

by Elín Jónsdóttir and Elín Óskarsdóttir from the Icelandic Embassy.

Martin Ahlberg rocking out with several others at the Stockholm Travel Show 2017.

Martin Ahlberg with Marko Persson from Serbia.

Benoit Chollet, director of Atout France in the Nordic and Baltic countries, together with Air France KLM Marketing Manager Kirsten Kromann-Larsen, at the exclusive Midnight in France event at the French Embassy. Photo: Lior Zilberstein

CHAMPAGNE DINNER AT THE EMBASSY Atout France and French Ambassador Franҫois Zimeray invited French luxury hotels and destinations, luxury travel bureaus, MICE event bureaus and travel managers to a workshop at the French Embassy in Copenhagen.

Afterwards was a dinner created by French Chef Pierre Sang who has two restaurants in Paris, accompanied by Laurant-Perrier champagne.

The luxury industry has experienced growth in recent years, and in July three more hotels were awarded the status of Palace Hotels.

This distinction is given only to the finest 5-star hotels, of which there are now 19 in France. Among the exhibitors were Air France, Calvados Boulard, Côte d’Azur Tourisme and Deauville Tourism.

KA

WINE AND WORLD CUP IN HÉRAULT

Left, marketing and communications assistant Anne Schmidt, who lives in Montpellier and works for Hérault Tourism. In the middle, wine merchant Karlin Nielsen, who in 1971 opened up in Holte, which 10 years later became the Holte Wine Warehouse. Karlin presented wines from the region. Right, communications and marketing director Jean-Franҫois Pouget from Hérault Tourism.

In January, three matches in the final of the Handball World Cup take place in the arena at Montpellier. To mark the occasion, Atout France invited Communications and Marketing Director Jean Franҫois Pouget from Hérault Tourism to tell more about the area. As in many other places, wine is reckoned to be the great attraction for tourists. Formerly it was better known for quantity rather than quality, but that has changed of late. There are many small producers with a wealth of expertise, and furthermore it is one of the areas that has the most women producing wines.

KA

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TRAVEL TRADE HELPS INDIAN STREET CHILDREN For the second consecutive year, the five-star Copenhagen Marriott Hotel was the main sponsor of the LittleBigHelp charity gala, held for the seventh time in 2016 to benefit vulnerable women and children in the slums of the Indian city of Kolkata.

Ticket sales, donations and an auction at the sold-out event in October netted DKK 1.3 million. Each of the 300 guests in the crowded ballroom had purchased tickets at DKK 1,250 apiece. All food and drink was sponsored, and entertainers performed free of charge.

Danish TV2 studio host Jes Dorph-Petersen served as emcee for the fifth time, and the auctioneer was once again sales director Kasper Nielsen of Bruun Rasmussen Art Auctions. Items at the

Guests at the Marriott gala included (from left) auctioneer Kasper Nielsen, Lisbeth Johansen, Jes Dorph-Petersen and CEO Allan Agerholm of BC Hospitality Group, of which the Marriott hotel is a part. Photo: Wilfred Gachau Photography.

auction included artwork, jewellery, designer furniture and a Kurt Westergaard drawing that sold for DKK 40,000 kroner.

The travel industry pitched in with donations from AC Hotel Bella Sky, Air France, Brøchner Hotels, C&C Travel, DFDS, Guldsmeden Hotels, Hotel d’Angleterre, Hotel Skt. Petri, Copenhagen

Airport, Nordic Seaplanes (the hydroplane route between Aarhus and Copenhagen), Scandic Hotels, Small Danish Hotels and Strömma (the canal boats in Copenhagen Harbour).

LittleBigHelp founder Lisbeth Johansen is the former head of sales at Hilton Copenhagen Airport.

SEYCHELLES ROADSHOW

From left: Stine Smil and Hakan Nart, both from Turkish Airlines marketing, and Trine Overgaard Air Canada reservations manager.

COMET CLUB AND TURKISH AIRLINES The Comet Club invited the travel trade to a lecture at the Hard Rock Café on the successful marketing strategy of Turkish Airlines, and Stine Smil and Hankan Nart from Turkish Airlines’ marketing section revealed how the company had expanded from 1933 to the present day.

The company was the first to make a deal with among others UEFA about marketing including Manchester United and Barcelona, but Danish tennis star Caroline Wozniacki has also been their face to the world.

The latest campaign with Ben Affleck from Batman vs Superman – Dawn of Justice was so effective that many called to book tickets to non-existent Gotham City.

The Seychelles presentation took place at Nimb in Tivoli. From left: Morten Balk, national manager for Emirates, Pia Klitten Sørensen, director of target tourism, Christian Sunn, Seychelles sales and project manager MICE with Travellink.

The Seychelles tourist office and partners started their roadshow in Copenhagen on September 26, after which they travelled to Oslo, Helsinki, Stockholm and Gothenburg. The Seychelles consists of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean off the Tanzanian coast, north of Madagascar. With a year-round temperature of around 29 degrees, the Eastern States are in their own words the perfect place to do anything – or nothing. Here you can find shopping, sun, sand and sea, underwater diving, fishing and diverse sports activities. There’s no need for vaccinations or visas, and the islands are home to unique flora and fauna. Emirates flies daily from Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm via Dubai.

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EVENTS

RECORD TRAVEL FAIR ATTENDANCE Attendance at Kvalitetsrejser, Copenhagen’s only travel fair, rose from last year’s 15,000 to more than 17,000 at this year’s event, held at Øksnehallen at the end of October. The 13th annual fair was hosted by the travel magazine Vagabond. HB

AVIS AND BUDGET PARTY

Aeroflot was one of the few airlines represented at Øksnehallen.

Pictured are two stewardesses, with a beachcomber from the Israeli stand and Vagabond editor-in-chief Christina Adamsen. On the right is Asger Domino, owner of Stjernegaard Travel and chairman of the board of the Association of Danish Travel Agents.

On Friday September 16, an array of brand new Porsches from the Avis Prestige Fleet stood ready to welcome more than 350 delighted employees, customers and business partners at the annual autumn party arranged by Avis and Budget Car Rentals.

This year the party took place at the Canteen in Valby, and as usual it was a bang-up affair with great food and an open bar. Entertainment was provided by top Danish names such as L.I.G.A., Vild Smith, TopGunn and Suspekt. The next autumn party has already been set for Friday September 15, 2017.

WALLMANS REWARDS THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY In September, Wallmans invited 600 hotel, incoming, event and travel agency employees to a partner gala at Wallmans Cirkusbygningen in Copenhagen, where seven prizes were awarded during the new dinner show Flashback. The show will run until June 2017 and is expected to be performed 125 times for a total of 76,000 guests.

At the special evening performance, Cirkusbygningen presented its awards to partners who had made extraordinary efforts during the 2015/2016 season. The award categories were: Best incoming/travel agency of the year: DMC. The award is given to the bureau that delivers the most guests to Cirkusbygningen during the season.

Upcoming partner of the year: Club Matas, said to be the largest membership club in Denmark.

Best hotel of the year: The Square. The award goes to the hotel that books the most guests at Cirkusbygningen.

Customer Care award: Dorthe Breum of The Square. The award goes to the best-prepared salesperson with a constant focus on Cirkusbygningen.

Event of the year at Cirkusbygningen:

Arranged by the Copenhagen Event Company.

Agency of the year: Crone & Co. The Puzzle Prize: VisitDenmark. Given to the operator “that goes above and beyond”. VisitDenmark was rewarded for having helped make 2016 the best-ever

year for conferences in Copenhagen. The 101,000 conference guests generated an estimated 400,000 overnight stays in Copenhagen and a total turnover of around DKK 1.2 million.

HB

Winners of this year’s partner awards at Wallmans in Cirkusbygningen. Shown in the red dress is Marlene Sønderhaug, conference & event manager at Cirkusbygningen.

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GIANT HOTEL IN DENMARK

NORDIC SALES CHIEF FOR EUROPÆISKE A vacant key position at the Europæiske travel insurance company has finally been filled by Bjørn Cronquist, whose background includes eight years at Microsoft.

Most recently he worked as head of sales for Boxer TV in Denmark, where he helped to quadruple its customer base within just a few years. Competitors will have their work cut out for them if he can do the same at Europæiske.

(Photo: Preben Pathuel)

FEMALE AIR FREIGHT CHIEF AT CPH Marianne Juul is the new Air Cargo Manager at CPH, which operates Copenhagen Airport. She comes from a position at Jet Time, where from 2012 she worked to develop that airline’s cargo business.

A growing percentage of freight from CPH is transported on passenger planes – the so-called ‘belly cargo’. Last year it accounted for just under 40% of the airport’s total air freight.

Belly cargo is an important part of the business, especially for long-haul international airline routes. Air freight can account for up to 20% of the turnover on a number of passenger routes.

Copenhagen Airport also uses ordinary cargo planes from companies that include China Cargo Airlines, DHL, Emirates Sky Cargo, Etihad Cargo, FedEx and Singapore Airlines Cargo.

the Hotel Australia in Vejle, which has been remodelled to accommodate 156 rooms.

CabInn already has four hotels in Copenhagen and one each in Esbjerg, Odense, Aarhus and Aalborg. It has increased its capacity in Aarhus to 430 rooms, and in Esbjerg the chain has added 70 rooms to

an existing 150. CabInn has also received an offer to open in Billund.

Last year, CabInn had 800,000 guests – a 100,000 increase. Niels Fennet tells Stand By that the chain’s turnover was around DKK 300 million, with a profit of about DKK 100 million.

HB

NEW JOB FOR NYGAARD FROM SCANDIC TO A NEW CONCEPT After a year with Star Tour, a wellknown Danish travel business personality quit his job in the spring to become vice president of a large Nordic hotel chain. Now he has once again changed jobs to become commercial director at the Danish company Goodwings.

“I went to the tour operator TUI a year-and-a-half ago, but after a large organisational change I didn’t get the same commercial level,” the 42-yearold Klaus Johansen tells Stand By. He was brought into his job at the Scandic hotel chain this past spring with the title of vice president, group & international sales.

In 2011, Klaus Johansen quit after three years as director of one of Denmark’s biggest business travel agencies, American Express, to become commercial director at TUI. “I didn’t intend to change again so soon. But a chance like this – to become part of a start-up company – was too exciting to turn down,” he says.

The Goodwings business model means that when customers (private and corporate) book a hotel via Goodwings, they do so for the same price they would a competitor, for example Booking.com. But instead of keeping the standard commission, Goodwings shares it with the customer, which can then donate it to one of Goodwings’ 13 NGO partners.

No361

An additional 520 apartment hotel rooms will next year be added to the CabInn Metro in Ørestad. The DKK 350 million project will be built next to the existing 708-room hotel, bringing the total to 1,258 rooms and making it the biggest hotel complex in Scandinavia measured by number of rooms.

CabInn’s owner, Niels Fennet, has other construction plans too. In three years’ time, the chain’s ninth hotel will stand across from the Tivoli Hotel & Congress Centre.

This will be a 1,200-room facility valued at DKK 900 million.

Most recently, CabInn has taken over

The two hotel managers at CabInn Metro in Ørestad, Signe Poser (left) and Eda Durnal, with CabInn owner Niels Fennet at the topping-out ceremony at CabInn Village.

JOBS

Jesper Nygaard, a real bundle of energy in the Danish travel business, has become product and marketing manager at Bike Denmark/Ruby Rejser.

The former head of tourism for the municipality of Sorø will now represent Jutland-based Bike Denmark in eastern Denmark. Jesper Nygaard has broad knowledge of Danish tourism as well as experience of travel agencies outside Denmark. His background also includes positions as head of sales for both Take Off and Stand By.

VISITDENMARK REGIONAL MANAGER FOR GERMANY The previous marketing manager at VisitDenmark in Germany, Mads Schreiner, has been named the new regional manager for the important German market. He took over his new position on October 1.

Mads Schreiner replaces Lars Ramme Nielsen, who left to become sales director at DanCenter and Danland, which provide 8,000 vacation homes and 28 vacation centres in Scandinavia and northern Germany.

Mads Schreiner has a graduate diploma (HD) in marketing and has been with VisitDenmark for eight years, the past four as head of marketing in Hamburg.

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PARTNERS

Airlines www.jet-time.dk

www.airfrance.com/dk www.airfrance.com/se

www.klm.com

www.cph.dk

www.trafikstyrelsen.dk

www.sixt.dk

www.adina.eu

Fairs, Travel Trade

www.wimdu.dk

Incoming Tours & Excursions www.arthurhotels.dk

Associations www.airgreenland.gl

www.alsieexpress.dk

www.lot.com

www.messe.no/reiseliv

www.arp-hansen.dk

www.brussels-international.be www.euromic.com

www.smalldanishhotels.dk

www.scandi.de www.hotelonlineRES.biz

Ferries & Cruises www.sas.dk

www.dbta.dk

Insurance www.austrian.com

www.sun-air.dk

www.srf-org.se

www.celebrity.com

www.firsthotels.com

Attractions www.ba.com

DANMARK www.dfds.dk

www.flytap.com/Danmark

www.hotelforoyar.fo

www.erv.dk

www.eckerolinjen.se

www.helnan.info

www.erv.se

www.faergen.dk

www.hafnia.fo

www.gouda.dk

SVERIGE www.flybmi.com

www.thomascookairlines.dk

www.bluelagoon.com

Car Rentals & Limousines www.cxagents.com

www.newsagentlive.com

MICE

www.dat.dk

www.estonian-air.com

www.finnair.dk

www.icelandair.dk www.icelandair.se www.icelandair.no

www.iberia.com

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Airports and handling

www.aal.dk/

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www.hurtigruten.com

www.avis.dk www.avis.se www.avis.no

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www.europcar.dk www.europcar.com

www.scandlines.dk

www.royalcaribbean.com

www.melia.com

www.lemeridien.com

www.hoteltorshavn.fo

Hotels

www.hca-airport.dk

www.hertzdk.dk

www.nationalcar.dk

www.cirkusbygningen.dk

www.hadlerdmc.com

Publications

Conferences & Courses www.bll.dk

Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Events/ Exhibitions

www.scandichotels.dk

www.absalon-hotel.dk

www.transhotel.com

www.bonnierrespons.dk

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CONTENTS

Alfabetica Travel Agencies

CONTENT www.billund-airport.dk/ om-lufthavnen/check-in-billund

12

20

Page 6

Around the World

Page 8

The treasury is bulging at DFDS

Page 12

New leisure destination: Rwanda

Page16

A flexible organization is key to Norwegian’s success

Page18

Ejvind Olesen on the need for common sense

Page 20

Smaller airlines are worth a detour

Page 24-41 All the news from Danish Travel Award

06

Page 42

The Danish Minister of Trade and Growth on the new tourism strategy

Page 44

The future of travel

www.visitbritain.com

www.standby.dk www.standbynews.com

www.visitdenmark.com

46

50

Volcanic wines attract tourists to Sicily

Page 50

Hamburg is hip

Page 53

Unoccupied cabins on the Baltic

www.godominicanrepublic.com

www.bahn.com

www.udviklingfyn.dk

Recruitment Travel Trade

www.greenland.com

www.gotoasia.no

ACCORD

www.bcdtravel.fi

www.galileo.dk

www.kronerejser.dk

www.procon.dk

www.mangaard-travel.dk

travelize.com AllaBussresor.se AllaTemaresor.se

www.visitsweden.com denmark@visitsweden.com

www.norskrejsebureau.dk

www.travelport.dk www.travelport.se

www.rb-seniorklub.dk

www.worldspan.com

CYAN

MAGENTA

JAUNE

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7

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CLIENT + QUALITÉ*

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Travel Technology

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CONSULTANT

On the town & People

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Want to be a partner?

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www.germany.travel

www.unikkemoedesteder.dk

www.amadeus.com/sca

www.visitaland.com www.visitaland.com/se

www.datacon.dk/travel

53

Stand By is issued six times per year and distributed as paid subscription in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, The Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland to travel agents, tour operators, airline offices tourist agencies, foreign tourist representatives, tourist bus companies, and all of the major industries in Scandinavia. Stand By bears no responsibility for unsolicited editorial material

02-63 SE Indhold_Web Dir.indd 1

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TONS RECOMMANDÉS (4)

A NOUS RETOURNER SIGNÉE AVEC VOTRE ACCORD OU VOS CORRECTIONS

PRODUCTION

Tourist Boards - Information

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MINEFI MIN_11_0000_RdVFrance_Q Date le 22/06/2011

Page 57

www.visitmalta.com

Business & Leisure

Rail Travel

www.centrum-personale.dk

Page 46

www.visitfinland.se www.visitfinland.com

Is YOUR company missing?

Contact STAND BY on phone: + 45 7025 9700 or e-mail: sales@standby.dk

Absalon Hotel Adina Aalborg Lufthavn Alsie Express Air France Air Greenland Amadeus Scandinavia Arp-Hansen Hotel Group Arthur Hotels Austrian Auto Europe Avis Baltic Stand By BCD Travel Berning & Leonhardt Billund Lufthavn Blue Lagoon Bonnier Responsmedier British Airways British Midland Airways Brussels Int. Travel Service Cabin Hotel Cathay Pacific Airways Celebrity Cruises Centrum Personale A/S Check-in Billund Cimber Air Cirkusbygningen Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers Copenhagen Airport Danish Air Transport Datacon A/S Destination Destination Fyn DB Bahn DBTA DFDS Seaways Dolphin FlightScanner Dominican Republic Estonian Air Europcar Europæiska Reseförsäkringar Europæiske Rejseforsikring Finnair First Hotel FlyNordic Franske turistkontor Færgen Galileo GoToAsia Gouda Rejseforsikring Hadler DMC Head aHead Helnan International Hotels Herning Messer, Rejsemesse Hertz Hotel Føroyar Hotel Hafnia Hotel Tórshavn Hungarian National Tourist Office Hurtigruten Icelandair Icelandic Tourist Board Irland Turisme Jet Time A/S Kelly KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Krone Rejser LOT Polish Airlines Malta Tourism Mangaard Travel Group Meliâ Meridien National Car Norges Varemesse, Reiseliv Norsk Rejsebureau ProCon Solution RejserNu.dk Rejsebranchens Seniorklub Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Qatar Airways SAS Scandi International DMC Scandic Hotels Scandlines Sixt Small Danish Hotels Smyril Line Spanske turistkontor SRF Svenska Resebyrånföreningen Stand By Tahiti Tourisme TAP Portugal Team Benns Thailand Tourist Thomascookairlines Topflight AS Travelize Travelport Travel Proffesionals Travel Club Tysk Turist Information USA Rejser Vienna Tourist Board Virgin Atlantic VisitBritain VisitDenmark VisitFinland VisitGreenland.com VisitNorway VisitNordsjælland VisitSweden Wimdu Worldspan Ålands Turistinformation

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T TG NO R DIC

No 361

November / December 201 6

| November / December

Travel Trade Gazette

THE COFFERS ARE FULL AT DFDS www.erv.dk

NORWEGIAN DARES WHERE OTHERS HESITATE

A1 7 2_09.16

Husk rejseforsikringen – og vær tryg på vinterferien.

DANISH TRAVEL AWARDS: NEWS AND PHOTOS

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