Travel Bulletin Middle East (Feb-March 2018)

February/March 2018 Issue 7

s u c o F d n Bra

Germany – The Culinary Showcase

e r u t a e F Special Destination Marketing:

Are you VR Ready?

y r o t S r e v Co

Women

Power

Inspiring Change

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Editor’s Note

SIGNATURE MEDIA FZ LLE P. O. Box 49784, Dubai, UAE Tel: 04 2698011/3795678 Email: info@signaturemediame.com Exclusive Sales Agent Signature Media LLC P.O. Box 49784, Dubai, UAE Publisher: Jason Verhoven jason@signaturemediame.com Sales Manager: Sunil Ross sunil@signaturemediame.com Managing Editor: Charmaine Fernz charmaine@signaturemediame.com Art Director: B Raveendran ravi@signaturemediame.com Production Manager: Roy Varghese roy@signaturemediame.com

Printed by United Printing Press (UPP) – Abu Dhabi Distributed by Tawseel Distribution & Logistics – Dubai

Contributor’s opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher or editor and while every precaution has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this handbook is accurate and timely, no liability is accepted by them for errors or omissions, however caused.

Articles and information contained in this publication are the copyright of Signature Media FZ LLE & SIGNATURE MEDIA LLC and cannot be reproduced in any form without written permission.

Lead the change The month of February is synonymous with love and a special focus on women. With this in mind, the quote by Helen Keller that comes to mind which encompasses our latest issue is“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.”

This statement is so factual in very sense and is the essence of our cover story on Women Power.

There are several stories of women making a difference to businesses but this change is slow. The women in our cover story talk about some pertinent issues and one common factor among women who are married is doing the balancing act – personal and professional. This is such a vital point because several organisations talk about women empowerment but how many companies actually offer such benefits? Women today are certainly being given more opportunity in terms of growth and career advancements but this comes at a cost. In my view, it is the women in today’s businesses who are leading the change in so many ways – forward thinking, innovative and a sheer thirst for achievement.

With a focus on change, we also touch up on another pertinent issues of advancing technologies in the travel and the adoption of virtual reality. This concept is yet in its nascent stages though widely addressed. We look at how VR concept can actually change the way travel is sold. The main reason being travel is all about experiences and VR offers travellers that ‘try-before-you-buy’ in-destination experience.

In a nutshell, all we can say is just like women of today are leading the change in every vertical, we are of the opinion that VR will lead the change in the way a consumers buy their next holiday!!!

Charmaine Fernz Managing Editor charmaine@signaturemediame.com

TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 3

Contents

16 Women Power Cover Story

Inspiring Change

06

NEWS An update on latest happening across the region and internationally

40

32

International Tourism Overview

Airline Talk

42

Oman Air:

35

Tourism Tracker

Keeping track of the latest

Consistent Growth with Focus

trends in the industry

46

Special Feature

Trending

F&B Tracker A round-up of the new F&B

Destination Marketing:

outlets around town

Are you VR Ready?

48

Click Preview of events

50

Appointments New promotions, positions

44

Brand Focus Germany – The Culinary Showcase 4 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

and assignments

52

Celeb Watch Get an insight into the latest celebrity happenings

News Etihad expands services to Nigeria

Thrifty Car Rental expands its Dubai presence Thrifty Car Rental has opened its new car rental facility inside the Terminal 3 at Dubai International. The new outlet will cater to both residents and visitors to UAE and will be the second counter for Thrifty Car Rental in the terminal.

The company has a wide network and extensive fleet offering short and long term

car rental options. Thrifty Car Rental is also accessible at 52 locations across the UAE. The new outlet will be open 24x7.

“As the region continues to grow and develop, it is important, we come up with measures to be able to meet demands of increasing tourist numbers,”concludes Rahul Singh, Managing Director of Thrifty Car Rental.

Seabourn unveils its art collection on board Seabourn Ovation Seabourn’s newest vessel - Seabourn Ovation will soon showcase its new world-class art collection when it launches this spring.

Designer Adam D Tihany’s team from ArtLink curated, collected and is working to place over 1,600 artworks by nearly 120 artists on-board Seabourn Ovation when it debuts in May. Sourced on five continents, the artworks and craftworks on board the ship are windows to the world’s different climate zones, its flora, fauna and habitat, and imaginary travelers’ personal impressions of the world we encounter as we travel.

Richard Meadows, president of Seabourn said:“We’ve worked with Adam and the ArtLink team to bring a large collection of sophisticated, fresh pieces together to give anyone who travels on Seabourn Ovation a reason to wander the ship and appreciate these works.”

The art collection on Seabourn Ovation will include a glass piece by Luciano Vistosi, named ‘Warrior The Second’. The piece, a Murano 6 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

glass sculpture created in 1991 of polished and hammered lagoon green crystal, will be featured on Deck 4 at the base of The Atrium. A second Vistosi sculpture is featured in the same spot on Seabourn Encore.

The Grill by Thomas Keller is inspired by the classic American restaurant of yesteryear.

ArtLink’s curatorial team hand selected black and white photographs from the 1960’s to don the walls of The Grill and match the spirit of the venue. The photographs capture a forgotten era of elegance and glamour by American icons Eve Arnold, William Helburn and Alexander Liberman. The photographs are accompanied by two original lithographs by American abstract expressionist Frank Stella. The lithography of Frank Stella represents a practice where the picture-is-object rather than a representation of a larger theme or idea. Similarly, the candid nature of the photographs produced by Arnold, Helburn and Liberman depict instances that are quite literally exactly as they seem.

Etihad Airways announced two additional weekly flights on the Abu Dhabi–Lagos route, making it a daily service.

The new flights which commence on 1 May 2018 will operate on Tuesday and Thursday. The route will continue to be operated by a two-class Airbus A330, with 22 Business Class and 240 in Economy seats.

Mohammad Al Bulooki, Etihad Airways Executive Vice President Commercial, said: “Nigeria is an important market for us. Since launching the Lagos route in July 2012, the airline has carried almost 600,000 passengers between Abu Dhabi International Airport and Nigeria.”

As the trading centre of Africa and home to 21 million people, Lagos is a regional hub for many multinational companies. The additional flights will support trade links between Nigeria, the UAE and beyond. Key exports from Nigeria include leather goods and food items, while imports comprise consumer and fashion goods from the Middle East and Far East.

Dadabhai Travel eyes expansion with Sabre Dadabhai Travel has renewed an exclusive agreement with Sabre Corporation. The company has been using Sabre technology exclusively for more than 10 years, which has helped expand its presence in the Middle East.

The TMC now plans to broaden its offerings to customers across other markets in the AsiaPacific (APAC) region.

Roshan Mendis, Sabre Travel Network Senior Vice President, EMEA and APAC said: “The Company now has a clear roadmap and is rapidly expanding into a number of areas of the Middle East. With Sabre’s substantial network in the region, we are best-placed to help the company scale and expand through the latest technology and consultancy.”

In the past three years, Dadabhai Travel has increased its footprint across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries opening several new offices across the UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing its total to 17 bases across the region.

“Sabre’s solutions in areas such as mobile, personalization and data have helped us achieve our ambitious expansion plans and fulfil increasing traveller expectations over the past decade,”said Aziz Gilitwala, managing director Dadabhai Travel.

Sabre’s travel marketplace plays an important role in facilitating marketing

and sale of airfares, hotel rooms, rental cars, rail tickets and other types of travel to more than 425,000 travel agents and thousands of corporations who use it to shop, book and manage travel. It is one of the world’s largest marketplaces, processing over US$120 billion in estimated travel spend each year.

Celebrity Cruises launches Celebrity Edge Come November 2018, Celebrity Cruises will launch Celebrity Edge, a revolutionary new ship which will change the concept of cruises. This new ship will be able to carry 2,900 guests with some unique features. Celebrity Edge will be the first of four vessels from the Edge Class, showcasing the world-first Magic Carpet, Destination Gateway, Rooftop Garden and seamless cabins with open air access.

The Magic Carpet is an outward-facing vision, which is an engineering feat is the world’s first cantilevered, floating platform that reaches heights of 13 stories above sea level.

It also has seating, a full bar, and space for live music performances. The restaurant moves vertically between the decks of the ship, providing a new experience when stopping on each deck, and views on every surface of the ship.

The Resort Deck includes everything from an asymmetrical outward-facing pool deck to a jogging track and a new Rooftop Garden. The Edge Stateroom with Infinite Veranda has an entire living space that transforms into a veranda with the touch of a button. This two-story residence offers direct access to The Retreat Sundeck, pool, bar and an exclusive area for Suite Class guests.

Jumeirah announces Zabeel House

by JumeirahTM – The Greens Jumeirah Group will operate a new hotel in Dubai under its Zabeel House by Jumeirah brand, having recently signed a management agreement with The Onyx for Development.

The hotel to be known as Zabeel House by Jumeirah – The Greens is scheduled to open in quarter four 2018 and will offer 210 guest rooms, two restaurants, terrace dining around the pool area, conference and business facilities, as well as a gym and spa treatment rooms.

Jumeirah Group has five signed hotel management agreements in place for Zabeel House by Jumeirah and will be making a series of announcements in early 2018. Jumeirah currently operates 19 Jumeirah hotels already in operation in Europe, the Middle East and Asia under its Stay Different luxury hotel brand.

TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 7

News Emirates rolls out its new marketing campaign Emirates launched its new marketing campaign to promote travel on its economy class. The latest advertisement feature a series of characters who try to wrangle a seat upgrade at an unnamed airline’s check-in counter. Each spot ends with the ultimate tip for travellers:“Don’t upgrade your seat, upgrade your airline. Fly Emirates.”

Seasoned with a liberal dose of humour, the scripts tap into the

Azerbaijan focuses on ‘El.Mira Beauty Tours’ for the GCC market The Representative Office of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan in GCC, Atlantis Holidays, has revealed that they will assimilate the aspect of beauty through ‘ElMira Beauty Tours’. The tours will be included in their promotions to reinforce the GCC markets’ knowledge of Azerbaijan and its tourist attractions.

The tours are aimed at exploring the GCC beauty market, to further expand tourism and beauty exchanges between Azerbaijan and GCC. “The representative office strives for great advancement

of Azerbaijan Tourism by 2022 and establishing the country into a favorite tourist destination among GCC Nationals.

We want to show Azerbaijan as a modern, affluent, strong, culturally advanced and harmonious country,”said Rashid Al Noori, Chairman of the Office.

El.Mira Beauty tours is a cosmetic tour product by El.Mira Beauty Line - a Cosmetic and Beauty Clinic in Azerbaijan.

The main divisions of the beauty Clinic include Center for cosmetology, SPA-zone, Fitness club and Beauty salon.

flyadeal to add Abha in February 2018 flyadeal will soon add Abha to its growing route network. The new destination will be the airline’s fifth destination from Jeddah and third from Riyadh, after having launched flights to Dammam, Qassim and Jazan in its first three months of commencing operations.

The new destination is made possible with the arrival of the fifth brand new A320 aircraft, Al-Kawkab (The Star). The new flights will be connected to both Jeddah and Riyadh from 1 February 2018, with two daily flights between the cities.

Chairman of flyadeal, HE Eng Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser said:“flyadeal has focused on providing service, flexibility and convenience. With opening of the Abha route, we connect travellers point to point within the Kingdom with a new low fare service. In the months ahead, we look forward to even further expansion both domestically and internationally.”

The fares will start from SAR 98 between Abha and Jeddah and from SAR 108 between Abha and Riyadh, each way. The fly fare includes cabin baggage allowance of 10 kg and does not include hold baggage.

8 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

anecdotes about what people might say or do when they ask for an upgrade - from name-dropping and flattery to other more creative endeavours.

Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand, said:“In today’s environment, where others are stripping amenities from their cabins and shrinking legroom, we believe travellers can relate to the desperate lengths that some people might go to, in order to get their seat upgraded.”

The campaign was created by Y&R London and directed by ‘Jones’ (AKA Michael Woodward and Maximilian Baron). It will be run worldwide throughout 2018 in Emirates’ key markets including: the US, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, UK, France, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Hungary, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Canada and the Pan Arab region.

Copthorne Hotel Dubai witnesses robust MICE growth Copthorne Hotel Dubai is witnessing robust growth in its meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector, with a 12% increase in bookings in 2017.

To accelerate further growth and receive a bigger share of this growing segment, the hotel plans to offer tailor-made and flexible packages for business and leisure travellers. The hotel will also look at participating in trade shows to identify trends that influence the industry as well as look at a change in strategy for the sales team.

In addition, the hotel will also upgrade its leisure facilities.

Glenn Nobbs, General Manager, said “MICE is a very promising segment of business, thus, a lot of efforts and policies have been put in place. The segment is a major contributor to Dubai’s GDP, so targeting this segment

is always an important part of our strategy. It draws significant revenue for the hotel and also contributes towards high profile exposure.”

According to International Meetings Statistics Report, the growth rate of the MICE industry in Dubai is expected to pass US$1.39 billion and will increase by seven percent each year until 2020.

Reports from DWTC indicated that in 2016, the hub reported 11% year-on-year footfall increase, attracting attendance from 185 countries with 51,711 exhibiting companies, of which nearly 70% were foreign exhibitors.

Punctuality on the cards for Etihad Airways Etihad Airways posted its best operational on-time performance (OTP) results since 2009. In 2017, the airline recorded network punctuality of 82% for flight departures and 86% for arrivals – results that place the airline as one of the most reliable airlines in the world for 2017. OTP for departures at the airline’s Abu Dhabi hub was 79%, and 89% for arrivals.

Overall, Etihad Airways, which has experienced considerable growth in the last decade, improved its network departure punctuality in 2017 by three percentage points over the previous year.

Richard Hill, Chief Operations Officer, Etihad Airways, said:“The number of passengers carried annually increased from the previous year, with more than 18.6 million air travellers flying with Etihad Airways in 2017.”

GSHA expects continued Indian visitors influx to Dubai Golden Sands Hotel Apartments (GSHA) witnessed an increase of 10% in visitor’s arrival from India in 2017 and is expecting to double the growth this year.

The property hopes to continue to attract and get a bigger share of this market through an aggressive marketing campaign and participation in trade shows such as SATTE. A team from Golden Sands Hotel Apartments led by General Manager Mohammed Khoori will look to build business relations and partnership with top decision makers, travel agents and tour operators serving the Indian market.

“SATTE is looking at attracting over 20,000 attendees this year.

In this light, we would like to connect, grow and learn from our partners and meet with potential clients to discuss a possible collaboration,” said Khoori.

TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 9

News Turkish Airlines charts out 2018 targets

4th edition of Shop Bahrain gets underway The fourth edition of the Bahrain Shopping Festival ‘Shop Bahrain’ got underway under the patronage of the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, HE Zayed Bin Rashid Al Zayani.

The inauguration was held in the presence of the chief executive officer of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), HE Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa,‘Shop Bahrain’ organizing committee, representatives from the BTEA and Shop Bahrain’s partners.

The fourth edition of the festival is organized by the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) in cooperation with partners from the public and private sectors such as Tamkeen, VIVA Bahrain, YK Al Moayyed and Gulf Air. The Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, HE Zayed Bin Rashid Al

Zayani said:“The new edition aims to showcase the Kingdom’s three main sectors: tourism, retail, and food.

Furthermore, the festival also aims to promote the Kingdom as an accessible family destination.”

Elaborating further, Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, CEO of BTEA said: “Hosting this event comes in-line with BTEA’s long term strategy‘Ours.Yours’that contributes to the Kingdom’s Economic Vision 2030. The event is also part of BTEA’s on-going efforts towards strengthening the tourism sector, supporting the Kingdom’s sustainable development plans, as well as uplifting its position among the neighboring countries.”

The festival is a family-oriented event which featured a wide range of activities, live performances, and carnival games, an outdoor market and sumptuous cuisine.

IntercityHotel expands into Saudi Arabia The IntercityHotel brand is continuing its expansion on the Arabian Peninsula.

The IntercityHotel Riyadh Malaz will open for business before end of the year. This represents the company’s first move into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

IntercityHotel’s contractual partner is East Consulting Engineering Center.

The IntercityHotel Riyadh Malaz will be a new build project that will accommodate a total of 86 rooms including four suites. The hotel’s food and beverage offerings will comprise a restaurant and lounge, as well as several conference rooms for business travellers.

Sporting facilities will include a gym and a roof-top pool.

Ahmed M Alabdulkarim, owner and founder of the East Consulting Engineering Center said:“This move 10 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

reflects growth in hotel investments that is taking place in Saudi Arabia and aims to tap into the overall tourism potential in general and by Riyadh in particular.

It also aligns with the country’s ‘Vision 2030’ plan to diversify into various economic sectors including tourism and hospitality. This is expected to drive a new era of national growth.”

Deutsche Hospitality already has a presence in the region in the form of the Steigenberger Hotel Business Bay in Dubai and the IntercityHotel Salalah in Oman. This latest contractual agreement brings the number of IntercityHotels being developed on the Arabian Peninsula to four. Alongside Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, another project in Dubai and two further locations in Muscat and Nizwa in Oman.

Post wrapping up a successful 2017, Turkish Airlines has now set its targets for 2018 as the carrier will move its hub to the third airport of Istanbul.

According to the non-consolidated 2018 budget that was approved by the Board of Directors under the presidency of M İlker Aycı, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee of Turkish Airlines, the guidance regarding the Incorporation’s targets and expectations for the year 2018 are that total number of passengers carried is targeted to reach 74 million including 33 million on domestic routes, 41 million on international routes.

While passenger load factor is expected to be in the band of 79% and 80%, total Available Seat Kilometers (ASK) will approximately reach to 183 billion with an increase of between five to six percent compared to 2017. Capacity (ASK) increase is expected to be 10% in Turkey, nine percent in Middle East, six percent in Europe, six percent in Far East, four percent in America and three percent in the African regions.

As per the financial development which is unconsolidated, in 2018, jet fuel consumption is expected to increase by nine percent compared to 2017. Average jet fuel (including fuel hedge) is expected to be US$ 633 per ton in 2018. The Incorporation is targeting to generate US$ 11.8 billion of sales revenue. Cost per available seat kilometer (CASK), excluding fuel is expected to increase by between three to five percent. Unconsolidated EBITDAR margin is targeted to be between 21% and 22%, whereas consolidated EBITDAR margin is targeted to be in the band of 23% and 24%.

Aloft Palm Jumeirah debuts in Dubai

RAKTDA targets Nordic markets The Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) has increased its focus on the Nordic markets. The tourism authority made its first appearance at the MATKA Travel Fair in Helsinki, which featured more than 80 countries and 900 exhibitors.

The tourism authority was the only Middle East destination to be featured in the show and brought to life the authentic and nature based Arabian experience for Nordic holidaymakers. Four co-exhibitors joined RAKTDA - Knight Tours, Royal Gulf Tourism,

Hilton Hotels Ras Al Khaimah and Dubai Parks and Resorts.

Haitham Mattar, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority said:“The Nordics is a very important region for us and we have seen significant growth in visitor numbers from the region over last couple of years. We are further investing in the Nordic markets with opening of a RAKTDA representative office in Nordics this year and we look forward to welcoming more visitors from the Nordic countries in 2018 and beyond.”

DTCM joins forces with Huawei CBG Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and Huawei Consumer Business Group (CBG) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to unite efforts in positioning Dubai as a destination of choice for tourists from Middle East, Africa, and China.

The MoU was signed by Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Tourism and Gene Jiao, President of HUAWEI CBG, Middle East & Africa to support the strategic tie up between DTCM and Huawei CBG to various activities.

As per the MoU, HUAWEI will work with DTCM to create awareness of Dubai’s local culture and heritage across Middle East, Africa, and China. Huawei will share Dubai Tourism information, images, videos, events information, online booking/ services, with travellers (tourists, businessmen, residents) to provide a seamless online experience in Dubai.

Gene Jiao, President of HUAWEI CBG, Middle East & Africa said:“At Huawei, we

share the same vision as that of Dubai- to continuously innovate. This partnership will help redefine a traveller’s experience in Dubai with cutting-edge technology.” Through this collaboration, users will also get access to Dubai images from DTCM photo bank as online themes, screen locks gallery on Huawei devices.

Further, DTCM and Huawei will develop builtin features in Huawei EMUI OS which will help tourists to explore Dubai in a smarter way.

Marriott International announced the opening of the design-led Aloft Palm Jumeirah. This is the first Aloft to open in Dubai.

The new property offers a lifestyle experience with its tech-forward approach, social experiences and modern style that is different by design. Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International said: “In the UAE alone, the brand will double its portfolio in the next three years with five new openings.”

Designed for the hyperconnected, ‘always on’ global travellers, Aloft Palm Jumeirah offers 206 guestrooms with high ceilings and views over the Arabian Gulf.

The additional features include six dining and social spaces, which include East & Seaboard Restaurant – the hotel’s all day dining venue, Afterdeck Lounge for its lounge beats over beverages and snacks and the Aloft brand’s signature W XYZSM Bar and Re:mix Lounge. The Re:fuelSM

by Aloft is the brand’s signature 24/7 grab and go venue which offers light meals, mix-and-match munchies, healthy bites, beverages and more.

The hotel will also launch a unique Mexican-themed cantina and cocktail lounge, Luchador, which will host live events on its expansive rooftop. There is also the 24-hour Re:charge fitness center and Splash pool – an infinity pool and the Camp Aloft which is a bedin-a-bag and special treats for kids.

FROM ORIENTAL TO OCCIDENTAL Centara has been expanding across Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean and now sees its much anticipated arrival in the Middle East. The group’s unique take on Thai hospitality will be introduced first in the brand new Centara Muscat Hotel, opening in the heart of the city’s booming business district on 1st May, and that will be followed shortly after by the opening of the five-star Centara Grand Hotel Doha in October, set in the city’s West Bay Area.

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News

Minor Hotels foray into Lebanon Minor Hotels will debut its Oaks brand in Lebanon later this year. The group signed a management agreement with Allied Investment Group to operate Oaks Beirut.

Scheduled to launch in mid-2018, the 110-key hotel will be located in Sodeco, a commercial area of Beirut. Previously operating as Hotel de Ville Beirut, the hotel is currently closed for a full refurbishment and will re-launch as Oaks.

Bringing Oaks’ smart simplicity to Lebanon, the property will feature a selection of guest rooms and suites, with facilities including an all-day dining restaurant, a Lounge Bar & café, a rooftop pool and bar, plus conference facilities.

Oaks Hotels & Resorts growing portfolio currently comprises 56 properties across five countries – Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, India and the United Arab Emirates, with more than 6,000 guest rooms under its management.

Minor Hotels currently operates two Oaks properties in the UAE – the 165room Oaks Liwa Heights in Dubai and the 54-room Oaks Liwa Executive Suites in Abu Dhabi. In total across the Middle East region Minor Hotels operates 13 properties across four of its brands – Anantara, AVANI, Tivoli and Oaks – and has a further strong pipeline in the region across these four brands.

Safeen Tourism takes on Celebrity Cruises

technology. As pioneers in the cruise industry, we look forward to launching our most innovative ship yet, Celebrity Edge, by end of this year.”

Celebrity Cruises’ recently refreshed ship: Celebrity Constellation is operational during the winter season from the Arabian Gulf, departing from the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal at Zayed Port to numerous destinations in the Arabian Sea. With options of 12-day to 15-day cruises, the sailings include Dubai and Muscat, continuing the journey to India including Mumbai, Goa and Kochi.

Safeen Tourism which has been representing Royal Caribbean International and Azamara Club Cruises will add Celebrity Cruises to its portfolio.

The representation will be under Safeen Tourism LLC which operates as Royal Caribbean Arabia.

Mohamed Saeed, General Manager, Royal Caribbean Arabia said: “Celebrity Cruises is known for its smart integration of luxury with latest 12 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

Emirates boosts A380 fleet with US$ 16 billion deal Pic caption - HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group inks an agreement with John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer Customers, Airbus Commercial Aircraft in Dubai Emirates announced a US$ 16 billion (AED 58.7 billion) deal for 36 additional Airbus A380 aircraft, with 20 firm orders and 16 options. The airline’s A380 fleet operates both GE and Rolls-Royce engines, and is evaluating engine options for its latest A380 order.

The additional Airbus A380s will be delivered to Emirates from 2020 onwards.

Together with the airline’s 101-strong A380 fleet and its current order backlog for 41 aircraft, this new order brings Emirates’ commitment to the A380 programme to 178 aircraft, worth over US$ 60 billion.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said: “This deal reflects Emirates’ confidence in shaping the future, and its commitment to advancing Dubai’s vision to grow further as a world-class destination and aviation hub.”

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer Customers, Airbus Commercial Aircraft at the airline’s headquarters in Dubai.

Sheikh Ahmed said: “Some of the new A380s we’ve just ordered will be used as fleet replacements. This order will provide stability to the A380 production line. We will continue to work closely with Airbus to further enhance the aircraft and on-board product.”

The airline Group is by far the largest Airbus A380 operator with 101 A380s in service today.

News

International

Airbnb launches a flexible payment option Airbnb in a bid to make group travel seamless is offering guests a flexible payment option – pay less up front.

Guests can now easily split payments with friends or family.

Prior to this initiative, Airbnb guests paid for 100% of the trip at the time of booking. With the new option, guests can pay for part of the trip at the time of booking – a 50% deposit in most cases – and pay the rest closer to check-in date.

In the testing of ‘pay less up front’, the company saw a clear demand for more convenient payments: Given the option of paying less up front, 40% of guests chose to do so, and opted for higher-value bookings on the whole. It was also found that the new initiative encourages bookings further in advance: Compared with ordinary bookings, the Pay Less Up Front payment option led to bookings with nearly double the lead time, helping hosts to secure and manage bookings more easily.

The new payment option is available on all platforms of iOS, Android, mobile web, and desktop.

Conrad Hotels open in Bengaluru Conrad Hotels & Resorts announced a further expansion in India with the opening of Conrad Bengaluru. The new property is owned by Prestige Group and managed by Hilton.

“The timely arrival of Conrad Bengaluru in India demonstrates Conrad Hotels & Resorts’ commitment to growing the brand’s presence in the country, complementing its sister property Conrad Pune,”said Daniel Welk, Vice President of operations, luxury and lifestyle, Asia Pacific, Hilton.

The property features 285guestrooms including 21 suites, along with five dining and bar experiences, a full-service spa and salon, event space, a 24-hour fitness center and an outdoor temperature–controlled infinity pool as well as a kids’ pool.

Conrad Bengaluru caters well for the business community with 17,000 square feet of space including a 7,610-squarefeet Grand Ballroom, a junior ballroom,

six meeting rooms and a boardroom. The meetings and events spaces feature private conference facility entrance and prefunction areas.

The five food and beverage outlets range from Caraway Kitchen which offers global cuisine with four open concept kitchens that take culinary inspirations from India, Italy, Americas and East Asia.

Tiamo offers Mediterranean flavors made with simple quality ingredients in a stylish al fresco atmosphere. Mikusu celebrates the culinary cultures and artistry from Japan, China and Thailand. Indian Durbar pays homage to Indian recipes and flavors.

And finally, the Lobby Brew features an extensive beverage menu and have tapas and finger foods throughout the day.

Available at the concierge, the hotel offers a curated collection of one, three and five-hour itineraries that features a view into sights, sounds, flavors and other experiences of Bengaluru.

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News

International

Tourism from China to GCC markets predicted to grow at 21% by 2021

Banyan Tree debuts in Malaysia Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of Malaysia’s first Banyan Tree resort - Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur. The new property is scheduled to open in June 2018.

Occupying the top seven floors of Banyan Tree Signatures Pavilion Kuala Lumpur building, Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur will offer 55 rooms and suites.

Most of the rooms and suites overlook the Petronas Twin Towers and Kuala Lumpur Tower.

The urban resort hosts four dining venues. The French-inspired bakery at the Arrival Lobby – Bake by Banyan Tree, sky high afternoon tea and wine lounge on the 53rd Floor – Altitude, the steakhouse on the 58th floor – Horizon

Grill and the highest hotel rooftop bar in the city centre on the 59th Floor – Vertigo.

For the corporate, there are a range of facilities which includes three fully equipped boardrooms, an open-air pool and a gym. The Banyan Tree Spa offers blend of ancient health and beauty practices which have been passed down from generation to generation.

The massage treatments are based on a ‘high-touch, low-tech’ approach that celebrates human touch and use of natural herbs and spices. The spa boasts four couples’ spa suites with one of which is equipped with Banyan Tree Spa’s signature innovation – the Rainmist therapy.

Meliá Hotels International announce INNSIDE Liverpool

Meliá Hotels International announced the newest addition to its UK portfolio.

INNSIDE Liverpool will be the company’s first hotel in Liverpool, and join four properties already operated in the UK by the brand – ME London, Meliá White House, INNSIDE Manchester and the upcoming INNSIDE Newcastle.

INNSIDE by Meliá caters to both business and leisure travel. The new property will help the brand consolidate 14 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

its presence in the UK following success of INNSIDE Manchester. The hotel will open in 2019, with 200 rooms, fitness facilities and meeting spaces, as well as a rooftop restaurant.

Gabriel Escarrer, Vice Chairman and CEO, Meliá Hotels International, said: “Of all of our brands, INNSIDE by Meliá has had the strongest growth over the past five years due to its international appeal. This has attracted investors and hotel owners from all over the world.”

Recent statistics released by Colliers International reported that Chinese arrivals to the GCC will increase 21% to 2021, rising to 2.5 million visitors annually. The data further predicts that Saudi Arabia will experience the highest proportionate increase in arrivals from China, up 35% on 2016 figures. The UAE will follow at 20%, with Oman at 12% and Bahrain and Kuwait at seven percent respectively.

GCC countries currently attract 1.9% of China’s total outbound market, up from 1.3% in 2012, however positive trends are expected to continue as 154 million Chinese tourists prepare to go abroad in 2018 and a predicted 244 million follow in 2022.

Keen to capitalize on this growing number, figures from ATM 2017 show that number of delegates, exhibitors, and attendees interested in doing business with China had increased 63% on the previous year, with the number of delegates arriving from China, up 28%.

Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director, ATM, said:“The outbound Chinese market represents a vast, untapped pool of affluent and adventurous travellers and the GCC has been a destination of choice for years. Owing to its many business opportunities and a new generation of leisure attractions, figures show the GCC is poised to further capitalize on these trends over coming years.”

The Colliers data follows four years of steady growth in Chinese arrivals to the GCC, spurred by the business, leisure, and religious tourism sectors. Further supporting this drive, over recent years, regional brands including airlines, hotels, and tourism bodies have opened representative offices across China.

Every year, almost 15,000 Chinese Muslims visit the two Holy Cities, and that number will increase as China’s Muslim population grows to account for 2.1% of the total population by 2030.

Strengthening these ties, in 2017 Saudi Arabia loaned Arab artifacts from the pre-historic, pre-Islamic and Islamic periods to Chinese museums, further enhancing Chinese awareness of Arab culture.

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COVER STORY

Power Women

Inspiring Change

16 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

COVER STORY

The role of women in the travel and hospitality industry has been constantly evolving over the years.

Charmaine Fernz in this issues talks to 15 prominent women who share their views on ‘women power’, the challenges and the need for a more equal gender opportunity….

T

he best quote that describes our cover story this month is by Marie Curie – “We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.”

We cover 15 strong, confident and inspirational women from different spheres of the travel and hospitality industry, who have grabbed success and claimed their fair share. They share their journey in life, the perils of being a women in a male-dominated atmosphere, challenges and most importantly, the factors which have propelled them to the positions they are currently. Life has not been easy for each and every one of them but it is the sheer determination to succeed that made all the difference.

TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 17

COVER STORY

Althea Ayoub, Vice President of Stella Di Mare How in your view has the role of women in the travel / hospitality industry evolved over the years? What has been the catalyst for growth?

The role of women in the travel and hospitality industry has drastically evolved over the years, with more women taking up positions within this industry. Women possess leadership characteristics that enable us to authorise organizational change by providing a vision and inspiring a sense of purpose to other women.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? Why?

The biggest challenge faced is working with different cultures, many of who have certain and varying views on women in such an industry.

This has, at times, made it difficult to work with them because of their background, understanding and expectations on the role of a young woman within the travel / hospitality industry.

What is that one quality of your industry you really love? Why?

This industry opens doors to the world. The travel and hospitality industry in every country is important for its growth and development. It is due to this important factor, I think, it can be the key to discovering new cultures, countries and new people.

Do you think the travel/hospitality industry is male-dominated? If not, why would you disagree?

Anne Scott, General Manager of W Dubai – The Palm How has the role of women in the travel / hospitality industry evolved over the years? What has been the catalyst for growth?

There have been smart, dynamic women leaders in travel for years – but I see a rise in the level of senior leadership roles. Previously, I observed a predominance of female leaders in sales, marketing, public relations – and I now I am thrilled to see more and more women as General Managers in hotels and Vice President in the corporate structure. It’s no longer an unexpected feature to have a female GM at the helm of a luxury hotel.

18 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

In my view, it was previously maledominated, but, is changing and evolving because women are now more dominant in the work force. Women are using more of a feminine-masculine behaviour approach to higher roles, and are starting to succeed in an out-dated maleorientated work force.

How according to you is the travel/ hospitality evolving for the future?

The travel and hospitality sector is certainly evolving and becoming more technologically advanced. This is important in order to meet customer’s fast growing expectations, and to keep up with the way that the world is changing on a daily basis.

The current cadre of female GMs are now the role-models for the next generation of women GMs …so it becomes a selfperpetuating process. Speaking personally, when I got my first GMs position with Starwood 10 years ago, it was part of a transfer to Asia Pacific. I was one of only five female GMs in the whole division, which had over 300+ hotels at that time. The welcome and support that I was given by the other female GMs was fabulous. As well, at a Senior VP level, women leaders in the divisional offices were even more giving in their mentorship and insider guidance. Fellow female leaders cheering on, promoting and encouraging every step of the way.

An initiative by W Hotels called ‘What She Said’ also helps inspire

COVER STORY

Blossom D’Souza, Director Sales & Marketing, 1001 Arabian Connections How has the role of women in the travel / hospitality industry evolved over the years? What has been the catalyst for growth?

There is a growing trend of women taking up senior roles within the hospitality and travel roles, which is also being recognized. Women today are more empowered by education and an advanced society, which makes them even more confident and willing to take risks. Today’s women have also realized that there is a need to go beyond the role of just a ‘home maker’.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? Why?

I truly believe in this statement - Great challenges can mean great achievements but they can also mean great failures! From my perspective, the recent global financial situation had an impact on one and all in one way or the other. This made us as a company, rework our strategies, implement cost control measures and ensure we successfully rode out the difficult phase. This in turn, resulted in a significantly healthier bottom line than pre-crisis.

What is that one quality of your industry you really love? Why?

The travel and hospitality industry presents a

female empowerment in our company and locally. Launched in 2016, it’s a global speaker series featuring inspirational women from world of fashion, music, technology, media and more. W invites and provides incredible women, at the top of their game, a stage in which to share their personal stories at a W Hotels around the world. Events are free and open to the public. Post the talk, participants are free to network. We’re already working on our ‘What She Said’ event for W Dubai – The Palm.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career and why?

Moving from London to northern Thailand to open my first hotel, as a first time GM. I was so far out of my comfort zone - culturally,

huge opportunity for growth. It amazes me to see that even after 16 years of working in the hospitality representation business, there is still room for ample growth. For me, each day brings on new challenges, measures and skill to handle and adapt in every situation.

Do you think the travel/hospitality industry is male-dominated? If not, why would you disagree?

In the last couple of years, it has been a refreshing change to see more and more women take on senior positions. This is not just restricted to operations or marketing but women are also being considered for senior corporate / management roles. As mentioned before, women with the right education and a strong desire for growth can find plentiful opportunities. It is all about the attitude of taking the role and proving your mettle.

How according to you is the travel/ hospitality evolving for the future?

It is undoubtedly that technology is shaping the way the industry is moving ahead. Today’s travellers want more personalised services which means companies need to go that extra length to understand their customers.

The new millennial generation is all about experiential travel in one form or the other and there is also a huge impact of social media. These aspects are actually changing the way companies look to market their product in the coming years.

geographically and technically.

Pre-openings are a challenge at the best of times, but three weeks after opening, all the airports in Thailand closed due to political protests and business levels ‘fell off a cliff’. It was a huge challenge to ramp up business again – as well as to keep the team inspired, engaged and fired up.

immediately how bruised and battered the coral was at our beach. It turned out that the coral reef had been damaged in the Boxing Day Tsunami of 2006.

With the help of a local Marine Biologist, we created a coral conservation program for guests and associates.

What is that one quality of your industry you really love and why?

Do you think the travel/ hospitality industry is maledominated? If not, why would you disagree?

Creating fabulous customer experiences is my passion. If delighting guests doesn’t float your boat, then ask yourself what you’re doing in the hospitality business. Customers no longer accept normal, predictable or mass-market programming.

When I was the new GM at a resort in Malaysia, I noticed

I want to say no, however at senior levels of our business all the evidence would show that there is a higher ratio of male leadership. Recently I was at a General Manager’s meeting.

There was a break in the agenda, and when the corporate and regional colleagues moved on, I suddenly realized that there were

only three women left in a room of 50+ GMs. I’m glad to see the trend shifting and I love the way female GMs are so supportive to each other and to the next generation of women leaders.

How do you believe the travel/ hospitality industry is evolving for the future?

Technology is transforming the way that we do business. Aside from all the channel and distribution tech-changes, social media makes us focus on experiential aspects.

Guests no longer post about what they have…but about what they did. Innovative and unique designs, Instagrammable venues, funky fitness activities, dynamic food presentations, crazy dining rituals are now the price of entry, if you want your hotel to be current and interesting.

TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 19

Debrah Dhugga, Managing Director, DUKES London and DUKES Dubai How has the role of women in the travel / hospitality industry evolved over the years?

What has been the catalyst for growth?

The travel/hospitality industry is a sector which has always evolved and continues to do so even today, with technology accelerating growth. Today, more women are choosing careers within the industry which is a unique opportunity, because, it’s no longer a question of convincing women that hospitality is a good career choice. Today, it is more about offering training and support to explore their talent potential.

There are many catalysts for growth such as many women today are career-focused and determined to secure their future. For example, women opt to pursue their career before starting a family. Flexible working hours and practices have further helped recruit and retain talented women, as does a career advancement programme based purely on performance and ability.

Most of all, it is providing women with a role model, somebody that has already smashed the glass ceiling. And finally, if women are determined, work hard, listen and learn, there is absolutely nothing that can stop them from reaching their career goals.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? Why?

There have been many challenges during my career but none that have been insurmountable. My background is sales and marketing, which means that there was always a challenge, travelling, long hours and of course, the stress in hitting my targets, on top of which, I was looking after two young children at that time.

Building a brand and positioning it correctly is never easy. Although more of a rational than emotional person, I have still had to learn not to take things to heart. In business, I always try to let my head rule my heart. I accept that at times you may face criticism, but always have confidence in your own ability and believe that hard work and talent combined will get positive results. I also learned to accept compliments graciously, it is very important.

What is that one quality of your industry you really love? Why?

There are many, but if I had to choose one, it would be sincere social skills, after all, we are in the people business. Without guests we don’t have a business. What I love most about the industry is the people we meet - from our trade partners to in-house guests and even members of the local community – to my team. It’s a very hands-on job with a lot 20 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

of long hours, but it is a fascinating industry.

No two days are ever the same which is what makes it even more interesting, stimulating and a rewarding career. Providing solutions to resolve operational issues or a situation one of our guests maybe facing, in a sincere and professional manner is quite simply the best part of my day.

How according to you is the travel/ hospitality evolving for the future?

The travel industry is evolving incredibly fast today and I believe that there are four elements driving this evolution - technology, innovation, corporate responsibility and sustainability.

As a product, hotels are already getting very intelligent, with a whole range of smart features. Travellers today are very tech-savvy

and it is important that the industry is aligned to the latest technology, making the guest experience as efficient as possible. Using this array of technology to give your property a competitive edge will be key.

It is also very important that hotels behave responsibly. We are after all businesses and as such we should be socially aware, treat our stakeholders ethically, engage with the local community and operate in an environmentally-friendly way.

But coming back to technology, it is frightening at times to think what might happen in the future, if hotels copy Amazon’s new supermarket which has no check out desks.

As mentioned earlier, the hotel sector is a people business, we are social beings and I don’t think that any amount of automation can replace human nature.

COVER STORY

Deepa Rajesh, Head of Sales, Holidays & Business Development, Cozmo Travel How has the role of women in the travel / hospitality industry evolved over the years? What has been the catalyst for growth?

The role of women in our Industry is definitely evolving and will keep improving in times to come. Currently, two thirds of the global hospitality workforce comprise of women and in the next five-years, we may see a paradigm shift.

From a global perspective, women in hospitality make up close to 70% of the total workforce and undertake all work in informal hospitality sector but hold less than 20% of general management roles and below five percent at the board level, thus statistically showing that even though majority of the hospitality industry’s workforce is female, women are still under-represented in senior positions and management roles.

The catalyst has been WOMEN themselves with encouragement of various important family and non-family members in their lives. The fact that women are extremely hard working and take on so many dual roles (being natural multi-taskers) within their homes and at their work place is the main reason for their growth. Even the older generation mind-set has slowly changed where they believe that continuous education is more important than merely earning a living. Women are continuously fighting against social stigmas and various day-to-day challenges.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? Why?

The biggest challenge I have faced and still do, is maintaining a work-life balance. The industry itself and the Middle East market where I have spent over two decades is so demanding that if reasonable success needs to be achieved on the career side, then this challenge is something that is going to be faced from time to time although now, I must say that this has more-or-less become my way life.

Secondly, career opportunities beyond a certain level within an organisation in a woman’s career life is limited. Men have better access to professional development and career growth opportunities than women. We are automatically believed to be weaker and are seldom given preference - be it any new opportunity like business startup’s or major projects within organisations.

What is that one quality of your industry you really love? Why?

The learning curve that our industry keeps giving us is simple amazing. Every single

day teaches us something new and our existing skills are sharpened. With time, we become expert communicators, learn to work as a team, become technically sound and flexible.

Do you think the travel/hospitality industry is male-dominated? If not, why would you disagree?

It would be more appropriate to say that the Industry is dominated by women (as mentioned above) but gender at the management levels are dominated by men.

However, times are slowly proving to change within every industry.

While, there is no precise comparative data available to determine how travel stacks up to other industries, when it comes to equal pay and status for female workers,

it is clear that it's a sector of the economy that presents distinct challenges as well as opportunities for women. This issue prevails within every industry although close to 70% of the workforce in our industry comprises of women and yet, the higher we go, the less women we see up there. This definitely provides us with a unique opportunity as well as a challenge.

Women are the dominant consumers and sellers of travel - where within every household the ultimate decision-maker be it a holiday destination or convincing clients to travel to a certain destination is statically seen to be women and yet their numbers aren't reflected in the highest decisionmaking positions in the industry.

How according to you is the travel/ hospitality evolving for the future?

As I begin answering this particular session, I have a smile on my face - I started my career in the industry when I was 19 (22 years ago) and back then, we issued manual-hand written tickets which later became electronic on the consultant level, PTA’s for SOTO and other transactions. On the operations and finance side – MCO to VMPD to have documents issued, hand written debit/ credit notes to automation through systems like RAPID and now Etravel or similar.

Several technological inventions for an effective sales team within organizations like Sales Force, CRM and many other tools have been introduced. We will for sure see a lot more technological innovations and improvements in the years to come.

Clearly, Technology has taken over the future of the Industry at every stage within a short span. When we look at the history of travel technology and review trends in the types of technologies created during the four key stages, we see a shift from supplier centric technologies to consumer centric technologies. In the beginning, the goal was to make supply available. Once available, the goal was to get it that availability in the hands of those who controlled access to customers, the travel agents.

The technological advancements that are taking place at lightning speed poses both an opportunity and a challenge to the current travel industry. It is a simple case of ‘Shape Up or Ship Out’ and being very much aware of this, we at Cozmo Travel, are very fortunate to have a CEO who understands value of technology within the industry.

He not only supports us but also pushes all of us to integrate and adopt technology within each internal department which then eventually filters down to the retail level, ultimately benefitting both the company and the consumer.

TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 21

COVER STORY

After all, there is no switch which I can flick that could take me from one mode to another.

What is that one quality of your industry you really love? Why?

Hadil Alkhatib, Co-Founder, The Roost Rotisserie How has the role of women in the travel / hospitality industry evolved over the years? What has been the catalyst for growth?

I believe that role of women across all industries has evolved with more of us not only taking a more leadership-based position, but rather an entrepreneurial one. This has helped us to shape our own future as individuals and as family members.

The catalyst for this is recognition that, while, yes we have the ability to multi-task plus a whole host of other typically mentioned qualities, women have a certain flair for creativity that is very much needed in business today.

This is essential if one is to remain ahead of the game – not so much thinking outside the box - but rather changing the box in its entirety.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? Why?

Becoming a mother has been somewhat a game changer, I would say, because I had to realign my priorities overnight to dedicate time for my newborn at the time and develop skills that were completely foreign to me, which were essential for the well-being of my child. This resulted in me having to give up a full time successful career which is difficult for a career-driven individual like me.

22 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

The human resource side of me loves the idea that food and beverage is an ever-evolving industry and through The Roost Rotisserie, we are creating job opportunities and adding to the dynamic landscape of Dubai and its food and beverage sector. The woman and parent side of me is looking forward to shaping the experience which The Roost Rotisserie will bring to our customers who will be diverse in nature from young professionals to families and children.

The business is homegrown; run by my husband, a UAE National born and raised in Dubai, and myself, a Jordanian National born and raised in Abu Dhabi; and being parents ourselves, we will ensure that our local knowledge and our open and honest approach to our creations will be central to all we do.

Do you think the travel/hospitality industry is male-dominated? If not, why would you disagree?

Yes and one of the many reasons has to do with demanding working hours and shift-system which could prove difficult, when women are looking at growing their family and becoming mothers, thus requiring them to change their priorities as mentioned earlier.

How according to you is the travel/ hospitality evolving for the future?

I believe that over time, people are looking more for real value for money. It is not simply about getting the cheapest product as that might come at a compromise to quality.

On the contrary, it is not simply about spending more as again that might not result in higher quality and may not prove to be sustainable.

Hence why when it comes to us at The Roost Rotisserie for example, we like to consider ourselves as offering affordable luxury. Good quality food, prepared openly and honestly at reasonable prices. Yes, we are a business and yes, we have to be commercially viable, however, we need to be weary of the level of pricing and reconsider the level of returns, we expect from our business thus making our products attainable to all who desire it.

Lakshmi Durai, Chief Executive Officer, Travel Matrix How has the role of women in the travel / hospitality industry evolved over the years? What has been the catalyst for growth?

We have been seeing an increase in number of women in travel industry over the years. While there is no specific data available to determine how the travel industry compares to other industries, when it comes to female participation, it’s self-evident that this industry has lot of opportunities for women. According to some global statistics, over 60% of the workers in travel industry are women.

However, we see very few of them at the senior level, which more or less reflects the situation in other industries as well.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? Why?

In the early stages, it was a challenge to promote outbound cruises in this nascent and developing market. There was lack of

COVER STORY

awareness about cruising, since there was no ship sailing in the Gulf. We had to sell out of ‘catalogues’ which was a severe limitation to make prospective customers to perceive the cruise offerings. However, over a period of time, when cruise ships started sailing in the Gulf waters, we got a chance to showcase the ships to travel trade partners and consumers that gave them better insights into the cruise.

It was sort of starting from scratch all along and we had to ‘educate’ the travel community on cruise as a leisure travel product. Hence, creating market awareness to cruise itself was slow but it eventually achieved a steady growth.

What is that one quality of your industry you really love? Why?

The uniqueness of our industry is the art of convincing a prospective vacationer about cruising as a wonderful experience that one should feel and enjoy. The newness of cruising as a travel product to this region gave us the novel experience of selling a ‘dream’. We had to work towards kindling the interest in minds of the vacationer about what would be like about cruising. We quite often succeeded in this and that was an immense pleasure every time we closed a deal, particularly, when it is a large group.

Do you think the travel/hospitality industry is male-dominated? If not, why would you disagree?

I tend to agree with this assertion. Albeit, the women participation has been growing in this industry in a remarkable manner, yet, the board room participation is limited. You still see the senior management team has lopsided gender representation. The times are changing but at a slow pace.

How according to you is the travel/ hospitality evolving for the future?

The charm of leisure travel would never die.

It might take a temporary beating on and off, but the interest of the public would always be alive and kicking. The UAE’s second largest economic driver is tourism. The ever-present infrastructure development that the UAE Government focuses is a reassurance for the inbound travel industry to only grow and not just sustain. The higher growth levels anticipated in the Gulf region in the near term, compared to global average growth, will ensure better economic prospects to the citizens and residents of the Gulf region. It would be bright start after a fairy long spell of subdued growth. Therefore, the future is certainly promising when it comes to travel industry. Hospitality in the domestic market, might have a different story to tell for various reasons, but that is not going to have any dent in the prospects for travel.

24 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

Lissy Donald, Managing Director, Compass International How has the role of women in the travel / hospitality industry evolved over the years? What has been the catalyst for growth?

Today, the number of women travelers have increased significantly and so have, number of women in the work force.

Earlier, women were doing more officecentric/clerical work in the industry but today, they are out in the field, bidding and obtaining business, they are travelling and escorting groups globally and are also in many more decision making positions than they were in earlier. Education has been the biggest catalyst in revising the roles along with support of the families and the government especially in the UAE. What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? Why?

As most of my fellow working women would agree, my biggest challenge has been trying to strike the work-life balance.

I remember a time, when my superior asked me to report for duty when my first born was less than four months old, when I expressed my inability to do so because my babysitter ditched me, he told me to do whatever it took but there was no compromising with demands of work place. I have seen how challenging it can be to choose between home and work, especially for women, but at the end of it all, the thrill of being able to break the glass ceiling is unparalleled.

What is that one quality of your industry you really love? Why?

I enjoy being able to serve, guide and give direction. There is also the opportunity to meet, explore and learn from different cultures across the globe. Just the sheer thought of being able to instantly connect to people with same interests as you and share ideas is most exhilarating. The travel industry is uniquely open and appealing to everyone, regardless of background.

There’s nothing else like it for bringing people together and introducing people to new countries, cultures and ways of life.

Do you think the travel/hospitality industry is male-dominated? If not, why would you disagree?

I have been in the travel industry for more than three decades. As I progressed in my career, I noticed how many less women were there in the room. Despite large number of women who make up the travel and tourism workforce, overall, they receive smaller pay packets than their male counterparts across almost all levels of the

industry. Women are clearly the dominant consumers and sellers of travel, and yet, their numbers aren’t reflected in the highest decision-making positions in the industry, in my mind that is male domination.

How according to you is the travel/ hospitality evolving for the future?

Today, tourism demands a shift of mind-set towards customization and experiential travel. People are moving away from scripted trips - they want to build their own trip, meet locals and have transformational experiences. I see the days of the traditional destinations and itinerary short-lived, as in industry, we are discovering new destinations and experiences and that is where the creativity and passion sets in.

We at Compass create itineraries that are customized to educational, corporate, and family or honeymoon demands. A true travel professional is like a mother who cooks for her children, she not only knows what the child enjoys but also knows what is best for him.

‫رفاهية‬ ‫طبيعية‬ .‫غير مكتشفة بعد‬

Luxuriant Natural Undiscovered

‫إنها تايوان‬

Taiwan!

!‫إن تايوان هي عنوان للطبيعة في أبهى حلة‬ ‫ كرز مزدهر‬،‫شواطئ لم يمسها أي خلل‬ .‫وأودية رائعة‬ .‫ ومزاراتها التاريخية‬،‫ ومناظرها الساحلية‬،‫ كذلك شواطئها‬،‫“إن تايوان بلد جمالها أخاذ‬ ‫ ويمكنك التسوق حتى‬،‫في تايوان يمكنك استكشاف حياة حضارية سريعة ومشغولة‬ ”.‫ وتناول مأكوالت مذهلة أو االسترخاء في الينابيع الطبيعية الحارة‬،‫التعب‬

Taiwan is nature at its best!

Unspoiled beaches, cherry blossoms and stunning valleys...

Eastbound tourism LLC

taiwan tourism bureau, representative office in uaE: Near Burj Khalifa, P.O. Box 114551, Dubai, UAE taiwan tourism bureau, singapore office: 30 Raffles Place, Cheveron House #10-01, Singapore 048622

s.zaidi@ttbrep.ae

www.taiwan.net.tw

Connect with us!

“Taiwan is an astounding country of beauty, culture, beaches, coastal scenery, historic shrines where you can explore buzzing urban city life, shop till you drop, eat amazing food or relax in natural hot springs”

COVER STORY

Maggie Bootsman, General Manager UAE, Travel Counsellors How has the role of women in the travel / hospitality industry evolved over the years?

What has been the catalyst for growth?

I think it is just fabulous to see so many women working at a senior level. Previously, generations saw the male being the breadwinner and women had to leave the workforce to have a family. With a shift in mind-set, and the ability to return to the workforce after having a child, women were able to retain their position and then climb the corporate ladder rather than start again.

Maternity leave was a revolution that allowed this to happen. In the UAE, many are lucky to have help at home with their children so they can continue to work.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? Why?

I think my move to Dubai was quite difficult.

In Australia, I was known well and highly regarded by my peers and colleagues in the industry. When I arrived in Dubai that was not the case and with all of the qualifications, experience and knowledge for some roles I applied for I got the impression that I was perhaps too old to enter into the industry here. There was a glass-ceiling based on age not because I was a woman.

Travel Counsellors did not take my age into consideration to them my vast experience in the industry was an advantage.

What is that one quality of your industry you really love? Why?

Every day is so different. I have never been

Nadege Noblet, Exhibition Manager, Arabian Travel Market (ATM) How has the role of women in the travel / hospitality industry evolved over the years? What has been the catalyst for growth?

In today’s travel/hospitality industry, there are more women than ever working within the sector, with an increasing number of these females working in senior level/decision making positions. If we look at this decade in comparison to the last, women are more empowered now, which is another factor driving change in the industry. There is also an increase in the number of solo female travellers and it 26 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

in a role where I have been bored. It is challenging and exciting and I am learning something new every day – especially in my role as General Manager here. Learning the industry in Dubai also adds a whole new layer of diversity.

Do you think the travel/hospitality industry is male-dominated? If not, why would you disagree?

When I joined the industry, I believe that was the case at a senior management level.

I don’t believe that is the situation anymore.

As a female, I have never felt discriminated against – I have been successful because of my passion and experience. One difficult thing for women is if they want to have a family then it can be difficult to juggle demands of a highly challenging role and raising a family.

How according to you is the travel/ hospitality evolving for the future?

The digital world is exciting and something, we should truly embrace and not be afraid of however each company needs to ensure that it remains pertinent in the current climate.

We need to be fluid and able to change as the need arises. People will always want to travel – the joy of experiencing a new destination and that untouched region is just wonderful and that is what will keep the travel and hospitality sectors going.

From a booking perspective – the key thing is having someone you can trust and build a relationship with and who knows exactly what you want and delivers that perfect experience or dream.

COVER STORY

Manju Manchanda, Director, Venture Planet

crop up in no time based on clients’ requirement. You also get a chance to travel and see different cultures across the globe. There is something for everyone.

How has the role of women in the travel / hospitality industry evolved over the years? What has been the catalyst for growth?

The UAE has made significant progress in its own way to empower women in the workforce across various sectors. Travel of course is one of the major sectors. Women have also been bridging the gender gap in the travel industry as they have capacity to multitasking. This works well in a travel jon where a lot of multi-skills are required in planning and executing a travel plan for any individual client/ agent. Today’s clients are more demanding and are looking for different experiences beyond brochures.

As women, we understand technology and believe in not just service quality in prompt delivery. This helps us to have productive plans and improve our services thereby keeping up with client/agents requirement to stay ahead of competition.

The best catalyst in my view has been to get out of a comfort zone and work for the need of clients/agents. This motivates us to perform better wherein the end result is growth for both the individual and company.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? Why?

Honestly speaking, I have been fortunate enough as the travel industry accepted me and helped me grow. I was blessed to work with some reputed companies during my tenure.

Yes, I did face a few challenges – mainly the

is important that the industry keeps up with this change in the market.

The industry is becoming more open with career progression is merited on competence rather than gender – this has been a huge catalyst for growth in recent years. With education becoming more accessible, an increasing number of women are entering the travel/hospitality industry and progressing to senior level positions.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? Why?

Working styles differ greatly between Europe and the Middle East. Being able to find a common ground and a way both

Do you think the travel/hospitality industry is male-dominated? If not, why would you disagree?

We do see lot of women in the travel industry across various positions, but, very few in managerial positions. This is due to low salaries being offered to them compared to men, traveling also stops them from applying for senior positions. The common language used in the industry is also not very appealing to women either. In my opinion two factors which make women good managers are their inclination to avoid risk and experience in a caring capacity.

How according to you is the travel/ hospitality evolving for the future?

old mind-set of few individuals who were stuck with old school thought and did not feel the need to change.

What is that one quality of your industry you really love? Why?

The travel industry very dynamic and flourishing. No matter what happens travel always has a demand and new destinations

markets can work efficiently and effectively together has been one of the biggest challenges I have faced in my career to date.

In the Middle East, face to face meetings with local authorities and key partners are extremely important, particularly in this industry.

What is that one quality of your industry you really love? Why?

For me, having the chance to meet with various professionals from across the sector, sharing different experiences, discussing strategy and evaluating the changes taking place in the industry is an aspect of my job that I particularly love. Discussing the challenges the industry is facing and how we can overcome/

Travel and tourism is one of the world’s fastest-growing sectors. Each year, global travellers are emerged from both from developed and new markets, many with rising disposable incomes and a newfound ability to experience the world.

Consumer spending, airline competition, corporate demand, new experiences and adventures will help give that much needed impetus to the travel business in future.

We also need to realise that every segment has its own hurdles, but if we overcome that, driving innovation and exploring new possibilities around travel experience are some of the challenges that transcend this sector.

provide solutions to them and in some cases, become facilitators in brokering relationships within the sector and beyond, is another area of the job that I find really interesting.

Do you think the travel/ hospitality industry is maledominated? If not, why would you disagree?

That may have been the case, but the gender balance has changed significantly over the past decade, with many women now occupying senior management positions in public relations and marketing, human resource (HR), housekeeping, front office, logistics, guest relations, customer service as well as travel consultancy and management.

How according to you is the travel/hospitality evolving for the future?

Like many other industries, ours is being revolutionised by technology, whether that’s mobile applications, automation or smart gadgets in hotels. Technology is driving the way consumers’book flights, hire cars or reserve hotel rooms, the way they choose a restaurant, organise tours, or even the way they hail a taxi.

To compete effectively, industry players will not only have to stay abreast of the latest technological advances, they will have to innovate. In my opinion that is how the industry will evolve, innovative technology providing solutions, not necessarily to resolve issues, but to enhance and to make a far more efficient customer experience.

TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 27

COVER STORY

Neelu Singh, Chief Executive Officer, ezeego1

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? Why?

How has the role of women in the travel / hospitality industry evolved over the years?

What has been the catalyst for growth?

I have been privileged to have met really supportive people in the industry. I have so much gratitude for all the people, who have been significantly instrumental in making me what I am today and helped me overcome challenges. I have always felt there is nothing that one cannot overcome and with supportive people, challenges are easy to handle. I also believe every opportunity comes with its share of challenges and how you make it work in your favour defines you!

I entered the industry when relatively few women worked for travel and hospitality and even fewer held important leadership roles.

Today, women make up nearly half of the workforce in the industry and I feel fortunate to have been a part of this evolution. I feel universally, women experience great pressure to work hard to prove themselves in the workplace. They often receive differential treatment, reinforcing the stereotypical view of being inferior and less important than men, resulting in not being offered challenging opportunities and not being part of important organizational issues. However, companies cannot ignore for too long that women bring a different approach to the business and have an important role to play at every level.

Technology has become the great equalizer in our generation. Women have the tools, and the will, to lead and succeed.

More and more women are entering industries and running it, some of the very same sectors we might not have seen women enter into in past generations.

What is that one quality of your industry you really love? Why?

What I really love about this industry is its ability to constantly reinvent the idea of discovery and catering to different travel perceptions and needs. The travel industry has become even more significant than before for people travelling for memorable experiences, and being a part of this industry is rewarding.

Do you think the travel/hospitality industry is male-dominated? If not, why would you disagree?

If you had asked me this 20 years ago, I would say yes. Today, it is different, women are at par with men. The line that divided men and

Paula De Keijzer, Senior Director Market Management, Middle East Africa, Greece & Turkey, Expedia Inc

For anyone wanting to work internationally, I would highly recommend working in different regions of the world. That said, the world itself if becoming a lot more international so even if you are working in London or Dubai, you are being exposed to lots of different cultures and backgrounds – which wasn’t necessarily the case 20 years ago.

How has the role of women in the travel / hospitality industry evolved over the years?

What has been the catalyst for growth?

In many cases we see that it is the women in the family, today, who make decision as to when and where the family should travel. I also believe that women can often share more ideas when it comes to creating personal experiences in the world of travel. Today, we are looking for more special and unique experiences – it’s not just about the product, and it is women who are driving this.

I think the whole travel world has become more attractive because there are more people who can travel now than 10 or 20 years ago – it’s accessible to more and more people and in turn that could mean it has become more accessible to more women.

What is that one quality of your industry you really love? Why?

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? Why?

I wouldn’t call it a challenge, I would call it an opportunity. I have worked in so many countries, I think I’m now in country number 13 (UAE), which has given me the opportunity to adjust to the different cultures and backgrounds of people a lot quicker than if you were just working in one geographic region.

28 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

I’ve worked in Europe and the US, but I’ve also worked in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan which were still very male-dominated, masculinedriven cultures and this has helped me to learn and adjust. It’s also helped me to be able to present myself anywhere in the world.

One of my first ever jobs was working in a beautiful mansion house at a small highend restaurant in the Netherlands. It was surrounded by gardens and people would come, have a drink of sherry at the bar and then be led upstairs to the restaurant which served excellent food and wine. I worked behind the bar. I served the sherry! It was just an eye opener for me in how to be hospitable.

I was able to watch and work with people who loved to travel, enjoyed staying in hotels, eating great meals – this is a passion that we share in our industry.

It was here I learnt that it is the small things that make an impact on people. I have also known from a very young age that I wanted to be in the service industry and be a part of the world of experiences and travel.

But I was 22 before I got on my first plane – that’s another story!

COVER STORY

women earlier is getting blurred in our industry. Gender bias is becoming a thing of the past as the industry has realised that women do a better job as their emotional quotients are higher than men. I feel women are inherently more intuitive, which makes their output that much better. They can also handle crisis situations more efficiently than men. All in all, I feel women have a great calibre to effortlessly excel in any industry and no one can take that away.

How according to you is the travel/hospitality evolving for the future?

The Indian travel industry as a whole is undergoing a period of evolution with various stakeholders coming together and realising the country’s potential to rise in the tourism industry.

Both Domestic and Outbound Tourism in India are displaying an impressive growth year-onyear despite many factors. Factors influencing the growth are predominantly the spike in spending capacity, infrastructure upgrade, and simplified travel documentation for both domestic and inbound.

With a prediction of becoming the third largest aviation market by 2025, India is set to surpass countries including the UK, Japan, Germany and Australia. Despite the slowdown in the past, the hotel industry has picked up volume with hotels recording over 65% occupancy in 2016-17 for the first time since 2007. The development of midscale and budget hotels is also going to fuel growth in demand from the leisure segment and will continue to see a spurt during holidays and extended weekends.

Do you think the travel/hospitality industry is maledominated? If not, why would you disagree?

If you look at the number of CEOs at hotel and hospitality companies, I think it can still be male dominated.

According to a recent article looking into how women in the travel industry are tackling gender discrimination, it says that at Amadeus 20% of the senior management team comprises of women; at Disney it is 14%; at Delta 11%; and at Hilton just eight percent, just a few examples. So it is clearly something we need to work on.

At Expedia we are working very proactively on this and recent company-wide research showed that overall, 52% of Expedia employees worldwide in 2016 were women and women held 33% of Expedia’s leadership positions, where leadership is defined as executive-, senior- and manager-level positions. Additionally, in 2015, 32% of all leadership hires were women compared with 29% in 2014.

How according to you is the travel/hospitality evolving for the future?

We are moving from mass tourism back to a more personalized approach and experiences. They no longer want to do those group excursions but are looking for private excursions. More people are able to afford this nowadays.

The role of technology is also constantly evolving. The way that we book travel today is completely different to how we booked it five years ago. People need to embrace advancing technologies. This is becoming all part and parcel of your daily life – the pace of technology and innovation is constant and very fast.

Rania Rahme, Director of Sales and Marketing, Al Raha Beach Hotel How has the role of women in the travel / hospitality industry evolved over the years? What has been the catalyst for growth?

It is unlikely, that there will ever come a time, when gender in the workplace will not matter.

Regardless of culture, historical context, or social circumstance, the competition between both genders will always exist. Women when undertaking any role always feel the need to excel in order to prove success and achievement.

This is done in a bid to eliminate competition. While this element of diversity has the potential to enrich workplace interactions and improve organizational outcomes, having said that women have evolved a lot over the years, in which, they introduced fresh ideas to the work place. This is not just restricted to the hospitality industry, but across every industry.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? Why?

One of the main challenges are when you are placed in a situation where the system do work however based on old strategies. In this situation, one needs to diversify certain ideas or replace them with

new ways of doing business in order to prove that the ideas work better, yet faced with reactions, where your request would be denied from higher management based on old school of thoughts.

What is that one quality of your industry you really love? Why?

Competition. This is the main cause of improving and striving to be a top brand despite all aspects.

Do you think the travel/hospitality industry is male-dominated? If not, why would you disagree?

As brand owners maybe yes due to percentages of both genders in the field. However as per managerial and staff positions I would not say it’s dominated by male employees.

How according to you is the travel/hospitality evolving for the future?

The travel and hospitality industries are one of the ancient trades which is constantly evolving. In my opinion, there will always be a high demand for travel and hospitality in one way or the other. The prime concern is that evolution is for the betterment of the industry. One cannot but deny that even today, the travel and hospitality sector is the fastest growing in any given market.

TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 29

COVER STORY

Sunita Gomes, Senior Commercial Director, Hertz Middle East, Turkey and Africa How has the role of women in the travel / hospitality industry evolved over the years?

What has been the catalyst for growth?

Within the hospitality industry, it is now well documented that women make majority of travel purchasing decisions, while female business travellers are a fast-growing segment. It goes without saying that women play a significant role in the sector. However, within the travel and hospitality industry – globally as well as in the region - the more senior you go, the less women there are.

The growing recognition of the role women play in the industry has started to see the tide turn and it stands to reason that companies that are diverse in their leadership, are well-positioned to better serve this segment of travellers. It would be prudent to note that today, two of the four major car rental companies in the world have female CEOs Hertz Global Holdings - Kathy Marinello and Enterprise Holdings - Pamela Nicholson.

With over half of those working in travel being women, travel and hospitality already has a very strong female workforce, providing a unique opportunity to get women up the ladder and into the C-suite.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? Why?

Let’s be clear – all companies, including travel and hospitality companies, are full of talented, and fabulous women. Also, female college graduates have outnumbered males for decades. Still one contributing factor to the biggest challenge (I and) women face is that men tend to be promoted based on potential while women are promoted based on promises and KPIs and delivered results, a phenomenon wonderfully captured in studies

by McKinsey and Catalyst that were covered in Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In. There are implicit biases and assumptions on the part of hiring managers that women weren’t gunning for the C-suite, or would soon leave to start a family.

What is that one quality of your industry you really love? Why?

Opportunity! The biggest perk is technologydriven opportunity, opportunities to travel far and wide, multi-cultural mentorships as well as incredible friendships in the workplace.

Most of all you have to have access to an environment that fosters that.

30 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

Do you think the travel/hospitality industry is male-dominated? If not, why would you disagree?

The travel industry today is neither male nor female dominated: it is increasingly and will continue to be technology dominated. The rise of technology and digital marketing has severely disrupted the industry. Traditional travel distribution in which TMCs played a dominant role has and will continue to be revolutionised with online travel agencies, aggregators and direct distribution through websites. The next big wave: artificial intelligence in travel How according to you is the travel/ hospitality evolving for the future?

Technology is transforming every phase of travel and hospitality – from renting a car, to unlocking its door or upgrading seamlessly and without fuss.

The disruption – and opportunity - that digitisation is bringing to today’s travel and tourism industry will require new skills and a shift in strategies. The Middle East travel and tourism industry is well positioned to

benefit from advances in technology – smartphone penetration in the GCC is amongst the highest in the world, and digital trends are readily adapted by a young, tech savvy population - the highest % of under 25s the region has ever seen.

From influencing traveling decisions, to booking journeys to collecting feedback and improving delivery of products and services – this new digital age affects the entire value chain of the travel and tourism industry. As such, a transformation in strategy within the region’s industry will be required to thrive in this new era in order to be relevant to customers’ travel journeys, particularly in catering to the travelenthusiastic millennial generation.

As well as embracing this new digital era, the Middle East industry will have to effectively navigate the multi-faceted demand shift driven by generational and demographic changes between the traditionally-catered to Generation Z and the frequently-travelling Millennial.

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There will also be an expansion of the fleet. In February, Oman Air will take delivery of our new 737 MAX. This is part of a fleet and network expansion programme, which will see the airline operate up to 62 aircraft to around 60 destinations by 2022 What marketing strategies are being adopted to boost awareness of the airline? How does the airline look to work with the trade?

Oman Air runs a programme of incentives and initiatives to boost awareness and to work more closely with the trade. We understand that trade partners are one of the most vital strategic partners towards achieving premium and overall revenue from respective markets.

Trade hence plays a pivotal role in contributing to Oman Air’s revenue and in Dubai & NE, we have contracted with key TMCS and other

Oman Air:

Consistent Growth with Focus Shahzad Naqvi, Country ManagerDubai & Northern Emirates, Oman Air talks to Charmaine Fernz on a consistent performance approach by the airline and plans that lie ahead for 2018….

32 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

Overview of 2017 in terms of performance, market growth and expansion?

The last year was continued growth for Oman Air. Against a backdrop of ongoing worldwide economic uncertainty and political volatility, we continued to expand and grow passenger numbers.

Simultaneously, it has also been a stellar year as we were presented with a multitude of awards and accolades from renowned organisations around the globe, including four World Travel Awards.

How is Oman Air looking to strengthen its position in 2018?

This year, we have great opportunity to further develop our Muscat hub, with opening of the new international terminal at Muscat Airport. This new terminal will have the capacity to handle 12 million passengers per year, as well as accommodate the world’s largest aircraft - Airbus A380. Additionally, the new terminal will have a runway capable of enabling independent parallel operations. By offering an ultramodern airport, which will benefit both the airline and guests, I am confident that we will see an increase in tourism, business as well as cargo traffic.

AIRLINE TALK

travel agents by signing an incentive deal with set revenue targets in line with budget to achieve in 2018.

Last year, we celebrated our 24th anniversary with the launch of a social media competition.

Followers were encouraged to share a special experience they had with Oman Air for the chance to win enough miles to purchase a return economy class flight to any destination on Oman Air’s network. Oman Air also celebrated Renaissance Day in July by hosting an exciting Facebook photo competition whereby the airline encouraged its followers to share a photo of their festivities via the Oman Air Facebook page using the hashtag #OmanRenaissanceJoy. The three lucky winners got to enjoy prizes offered from Shangri-la Resort Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa.

Our marketing department works hard to raise the profile of Oman Air in overseas markets and works closely with the Ministry of Tourism on raising awareness of Oman through global marketing campaigns.

To ensure that we continue to be known for our customer service, last year also saw the roll out of new call centres in Gurgaon (New Delhi) in India, Bucharest in Romania and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

What key expansions are lined up – new routes, boost in frequencies and number of aircraft?

We will be adding three destinations to our rapidly expanding network this year – Istanbul, Turkey, Casablanca, Morocco and Moscow, Russia.

While operations to the first two will commence in June/July respectively, Moscow will start from October.

As mentioned earlier, February will also have delivery of our first Boeing 737 Max aircraft. The remaining 30 Max aircraft on order will be delivered over the next five years.

We are also planning to introduce more Dreamliners to our fleet in the next few years and by 2022, Oman Air’s total fleet size is expected to be around 62 aircraft.

Last year, we also announced a free sale code share agreement with Royal Jordanian Airlines on flights between Jordan and Beirut and signed a codeshare agreement with Malaysia Airlines. Following these latest partnerships, the airline now has codeshare agreements with Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Sri Lankan Airlines, KLM, Garuda Airlines, Thai Airways, Saudia and Kenyan Airways, offering travellers better connectivity and increased choice.

TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 33

AIRLINE TALK

What technological innovations are being deployed for 2018 and beyond?

Oman Air is devoted to using only the most innovative technology. This ranges from modern aircraft to our booking systems. The new Boeing 737 MAX which combines fuel efficiency and passenger comfort on long-haul routes features the latest inflight technology with Thales inflight information. Building on the 10-year relationship with Thales, the 737 MAX will be equipped with the advanced AVANT IFE System. Business Class passengers will experience the largest screens provided on a single aisle aircraft and Thales’s unique passenger interface will enable Business and Economy passengers to access an exhaustive list of entertainment and informative features. Further product upgrades and developments will also be rolled out throughout the year to ensure seamless passenger experience.

How has the Middle East fared in terms of numbers?

There is no doubt that the Middle East is a crowded market place but by increasing

34 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

number of flights, particularly on domestic routes, we are managing to maintain and grow our market share. Undoubtedly, the last year has been a very strong year overall and specially in UAE. It continues to trend very positively with the role that Oman Air plays in bridging gaps in the region and enabling passengers to not only travel within the region but beyond too far east and Europe on its network.

How does the airline looking at working closely with the Tourism Board to promote the destination?

We already works extremely closely with the Oman Tourism Board, and this relationship will continue in this year. Oman continues to grow in popularity as a holiday destination and last year saw a record number of visitors visit the Sultanate. The Ministry of Tourism has been focussed on raising awareness through their global marketing campaigns, including a series of high profile roadshows around the world.

Both Oman and Oman Air are at a pivotal point in their development. Through a clear vision, the airline and the destination are maintaining Oman’s strong cultural identity and heritage while developing at a swift rate to meet demands of a growing international audience of both business and leisure customers. In an increasingly competitive international marketplace, it is this cultural identity that really sets us apart.

We are also working with the Ministry to develop the MICE sector which has also been identified as a key area of future growth. This has recently received a significant boost with the recent opening of the Oman Convention Centre in Muscat that in addition to exhibition halls and conference facilities will have four new hotels providing 1100 new rooms in the capital raising the profile of Oman and Oman Air to an international business audience.

SPECIAL FEATURE

Destination Marketing:

Are you VR Ready?

There has been so much talked about Virtual Reality (VR) and how it is being adopted into different streams. We present a brief synopsis of the EyeforTravel report on ‘Does Virtual Reality have a place in Travel’ while Charmaine Fernz talks to tourism boards to understand how best this new technological advancement is being approached to provide an impetus to businesses. ….

T

he buzzword going around most travel companies is all about ‘experiences’ or more specifically ‘experiential travel’. However, are travel companies or travel professionals really giving customers a true destination experience? The industry still depends primarily on brochures or maybe even websites. This is juxtaposed with advancing technologies which are encompassing practically every industry and tourism is no exception.

In fact, it is the travel and tourism industry which actually sells ‘experiences’ or dreams.

So what does the Virtual Reality (VR) experience offer? Developing completely immersive experiences is the ultimate goal of the VR industry.

Today, VR is evolving video content into 360-degree experiences that can be accessed on very low-cost VR equipment – a smart-phone and Google Cardboard can deliver a surprisingly realistic 3D experience to the user. More sophisticated hardware and software can improve these images, but cost and a low installed user base will need to improve before more brands make the substantial investments needed to further evolve VR. Despite the small market currently, the travel industry should be a key driver of VR technology for commercial use, especially as it has always been an early adopter of new technologies. Offering customers novel ways of researching a destination will continue to grow in popularity. Currently, VR is in early adopter mode with high relative costs. However, the next three to five years should see overall costs reduce to move VR into the mainstream, allowing more brands, including those right across the travel sector, to leverage the technology in their businesses.

TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 35

SPECIAL FEATURE

New Experiences It is not only in store where VR has promotional uses; being able to demonstrate a service with VR technology is a focus for many businesses across travel and tourism, with airlines in particular keen to experiment with VR for marketing purposes. Passengers at Terminal 8 of JFK Airport in New York could get an introduction to VR with an initiative from American and Westfeld Airlines as part of Facebook’s Virtual Reality Roadshow.“Travelers are having an absolute blast participating in such a fascinating and enjoyable virtual reality experience,” said American Airlines Managing Director, Mike McKanna.“We’re always on the lookout for new ways to entertain travellers, and taking part in Facebook’s virtual reality tour was too good to pass up.”

Qantas have been developing VR apps for the past two years, which enable potential visitors to 36 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

experience Hamilton Island, Sydney and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

The VR content has been created for all VR platforms, from Google Cardboard to Oculus Rift.

The level of investment being made illustrates that travel brands can see the long-term potential that VR could have for their overall profitability.

Outside of the airlines an innovative approach is also possible once the traveller has arrived at the destination to enhance their experience. French company Timescope has begun installing units in Paris that can transport users to different time periods or experiences in the city.

The Timescope units, which are mounted to the ground, can give users a 360 degree view of Paris in 1628 for the one mounted next to the Seine, another shows the Bastille in 1416 and 1798, and another at Charles de Gaulle Airport a variety of experiences in France. Its early days but it

is a small demonstration of the possibilities for enhancing tourists’ experiences, which can be extended and made more immersive when large numbers of consumers have smartphone devices.

The Hospitality Focus Hotels are also getting in on the VR act. Several leading chains are offering VR technologies to either enhance their services or communicate their brand values.

At the moment, many of these initiatives are novel ideas using VR technology to speak to their curious clients. Still on a learning curve, the hotel sector does offer an indication of how VR could offer a practical proposition, which the tourism industry could leverage.

Best Western Hotels and Resorts have also been lever-aging the burgeoning VR technology. Guests now have an immersive 360-degree look into all of the company’s North American hotels.

Through the Best Western Virtual

SPECIAL FEATURE

Reality Experience, guests are now able to view a virtual reality tour of nearly 2,000 properties. These videos are reinventing how guests view hotels and choose where to stay. Best Western is the first major company of its size and scale to utilize this cutting-edge technology in this way, setting a new industry standard for how virtual reality can be used to enhance the consumer journey. Guests can access the videos from Best Western’s YouTube channel – BestwesternTV. Theme parks are also using VR to enhance their rides. Alton Towers Resort, for instance, is now using VR to augment its rides. Galactica is the world’s first roller-coaster entirely customized for the full VR experience, transforming riders into astronauts and plunging them into outer space with a G force more powerful than a real rocket launch according to the company.

Theme parks have often harnessed new technologies to enhance the experiences of their patrons. For the

tourism industry, the innovations at Alton Towers could serve the wider travel community, as more of the public will be exposed to VR technologies through the ride and become more comfortable with the experience.

Gaining an advantage from wider public understanding and acceptance of VR outside of early adopters can be seen in many other industries: In sport, to launch the new Merrell Capra hiking shoe, Framestore worked with agency Hill Holliday to design a virtual reality world in which the capabilities of the kit were showcased in extreme scenarios – the kind of landscapes that would really speak to Merrell’s thrill-seeking, outdoor-loving audience. And in the automotive sector, Audi created the A5 VR driving experience.

More exposure to VR in other sectors should only benefit travel and tourism, as it will feed consumers’ curiosity about how VR could enhance their travel experiences.

Moving Ahead For the travel industry, VR continues to be a new technology to explore. Technology savvy travel brands have always experimented with the latest technology to ensure they speak to their customers. VR however, could offer a shift in how consumers access tourism and its allied services.

Currently VR is in its infancy.

The high level of investment that is needed by consumers to purchase dedicated VR hardware places this technology firmly in the early adopter category.

However, VR does seem to be developing a two-stream approach to its development: One stream is typified by Oculus Rift; the second stream is defined by Samsung’s Gear VR, Google’s Cardboard and, more recently, Daydream. From a consumer’s point of view, VR is currently a curiosity that defines how much they are willing to invest in gaining the experiences on offer.

TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 37

SPECIAL FEATURE

INDUSTRY RESPONSES

Department of Culture & Tourism – Abu Dhabi Has Abu Dhabi Tourism adopted the concept of virtual reality into its any of its marketing initiatives?

The Department of Culture & Tourism – Abu Dhabi has adopted the concept of virtual reality in 2016. The destination introduced 360 degree videos into the online promotional strategies, particularly targeting YouTube and Facebook users. Last year, a number of virtual reality experiences were developed that were utilised at events, exhibitions and international roadshows.

The tourism authority has developed its own Abu Dhabi VR application that utilises Oculus Rift hardware (gaming PC, sensor and integrated headsets/headphones) in conjunction with a number of dedicated and custom-produced videos that highlight and promote various regions, locations and themes within Abu Dhabi. An enhanced 4D version of the VR app is also developed that has been integrated into a custom-built dune buggy incorporating extra sensory elements, such as movement and vibration in the seat and steering wheel of the buggy.

And finally, the ‘Abu Dhabi’ mobile app has a dedicated VR section called ‘Abu Dhabi 360’ that lets users view the VR videos using Samsung Gear VR, Google Cardboard viewer etc.

Which markets has this campaign been promoted?

The 360 degree videos have been promoted on social media and YouTube in all key markets such as GCC, UK, Germany, India, KSA and UAE. We also run dedicated mobile app install campaigns on social media and across Google in India, KSA, UAE, Germany, Italy, UK, France and USA. The physical VR activations (standard VR and 4D VR) have been used in events, exhibitions and roadshows in UAE, KSA, UK, Germany and India Has the campaign being launched in the Middle East? If yes, what has been the response? If No, why?

The campaign has been launched in primarily KSA and UAE – both online and physical activations.

Online reaction to 360 videos has been very favourable with high levels of engagement. Reaction to the VR activations at events in UAE and KSA has also been very positive 38 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

with both the standard VR and 4D VR generating a great buzz.

What has been the benefits of adopting this new technology?

This new technology is super immersive and adds an extra dimension to traditional online and

with Discovery Channel, producing a promotional material about Sharm El Sheikh, this campaign is live until March 2018. Virtual reality is also used on our website www.egypt. travel, showcasing the varied tourist destinations such as the Pyramids, Sphinx, White desert, Wadi Hetan among the many others. We also use Virtual Reality headsets and eyewear during participation in international trade fairs. We also have our own virtual reality application (visit Egypt) uploaded on Google play and App store.

Finally, a game has been developed titled ‘A trip inside the pyramid’.

Which markets has this campaign been promoted?

The Virtual Reality campaign run with Discovery channel has been promoted in the following countries - UK, Germany, Italy, Poland, Netherland, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, and Southeast European countries.

Despite the small market currently, the travel industry should be a key driver of VR technology for commercial use, especially as it has always been an early adopter of new technologies.

offline promotional methods. It is now possible to virtually bring the user to the emirate of Abu Dhabi and expose them to the sights and sounds of all the different regions and attractions.

By providing a much richer and more immersive experience, we have been able to really enhance potential visitors’ perceptions of the emirate.

What new innovative and technologically advanced initiatives are being adopted to promote the destination?

We have developed other innovative activations, such as interactive touch screen tables that allow users to explore the emirate, build customisable itineraries and automatically generate personalized videos based on individual elements of the user’s selection. There are also technological advanced features introduced in the mobile apps, including wearable tech and chatbots.

Hisham El Demery, chairman, Egyptian Tourism Promotion Board Has Egypt Tourism adopted the concept of virtual reality into any of its marketing initiatives?

Egypt Tourism has adopted virtual reality in many marketing initiatives.

The destination adopted the VR experience in a campaign executed

What have been the benefits of adopting this new technology?

The benefits of adopting this new technology is that it is the perfect way of bringing possible experiences to life. This technology enables the user (tourist) to interact with a location or attraction they might consider visiting, which in turn increase the appetite for Egypt.

We certainly feel Virtual Reality leaves a more lasting impression than a brochure or advert and finally, it generates pleasant emotions towards the destination.

What new innovative and technologically advanced initiatives are being adopted to promote the destination?

We have adopted multi screening across several European countries. For example, in Germany and Italy, when an Egypt Tourism Ad is on television and the target audience see it, in milliseconds, it will appear on their smart devices again thereby increasing the interaction rate with the ad.

While in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden and Denmark, when there is an Egypt Tourism advertisement on the competition and it is viewed by the target audience, in milliseconds it will appear on their smart devices again. And finally, in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden and Denmark,

SPECIAL FEATURE

when there is a weather travel show on TV and the target audience see, in milliseconds, the advertisement will appear on smart devices again.

We have also used smart target and retargeting through Geographical location. For example, in the UK, during World Travel Market (WTM), we targeted travel professionals at the WTM location and retargeted them at UK Airports. Subsequently, in Germany and Italy, we target tourists and locals in tourist attractions, travel agency offices as well as retarget them in hotels and homes.

Shahrin Mokhtar, Director Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board – Dubai Tourism Malaysia has not yet adopted the concept of Virtual Reality (VR), although, we do plan to incorporate this new technology in our future promotional activities. In fact, one of our strategies moving forward is to optimize use of the latest information technology to create a fresh and exciting approach in promotion, publicity and advertising.

We believe in the value and benefits of using digital technology but also understand the high-cost involved and as such will have to be prudent in balancing between investment made and the expected returns.

Robert Gröblacher, Director Middle East, Austria National Tourist Office Has Austrian Tourism adopted the concept of virtual reality into its any of its marketing initiatives?

Yes, we have adopted the Virtual Reality technology mainly as a concept of promoting the country via Video-Marketing in the sense of 360-degress videos that can be used with Augmented Reality devices so that you can acutally experience a holiday in Austria (like for example skiing, hiking, a boat trip on the Danube River or other things.).

Also certain – mainly highly exclusive - hotels use this technology to give potential customers an overview on the rooms.

Austria in other markets (not in GCC) is very well-known for its skiing holidays. In the famous skiing destination ‘Ski Amade’ in the west of Austria, guests can rent smart skiing googles with augmented reality features. While one is skiing you are guided on the directions, altitude, speed and weather forecast among the many other features.

Has the campaign being launched in the Middle East? If yes, what has been the response? If No, why?

The 360-degree-videos are

available in the Middle East as well and we show them to the branch and end-customers during our road shows or B2C events.

What has been the benefits of adopting this new technology?

It is a way of experimenting with a technology that is still in its beginnings. When you adopt early to those trends it gives you a technical advantage to those destinations that start later.

Has the adoption resulted in a growth in tourist numbers?

This is - like with most B2C marketing activities – always difficult to say and evaluate. Our goal as Austrian National Tourist Office is to bring the country as a holiday country in the focus of potential guests. We are not involved with actual bookings.

What new innovative and technologically advanced initiatives are being adopted to promote the destination?

We also produce destination guides via apps. Mobility is also a big topic in the nature holiday destinations. To avoid too much traffic in the alpine villages, there are e-mobility solutions invented so that you does not have to use their car during the holiday. For example e-Bikes, e-Taxis and even e-Prams for little children etc.

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Source: Highlight – World Tourism (UNWTO), July 2017

International Tourism

Forecasts R

ecent statistics reported by the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer state that international tourist arrivals grew by a remarkable seven percent in 2017 to reach a total of 1,322 million. This strong momentum is expected to continue in 2018 at a rate of four to five percent.

Based on data reported by destinations around the world, this is well above the sustained and consistent trend of four percent or higher growth since 2010 and represents strongest results in seven years.

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The UNWTO World Tourism Barometer provides an overview of international tourism in 2017 and what lies ahead for 2018‌

Led by Mediterranean destinations, Europe recorded extraordinary results for such a large and rather mature region, with eight percent more international arrivals than in 2016. Africa consolidated its 2016 rebound with an eight percent increase. Asia and the Pacific recorded six percent growth, the Middle East at five percent and the Americas at three percent.

Results were partly shaped by the global economic upswing and robust outbound demand from many traditional and emerging source markets, particularly a rebound in tourism spending from

TOURISM TRACKER

Brazil and the Russian Federation after a few years of declines.

“International travel continues to grow strongly, consolidating the tourism sector as a key driver in economic development. As the third export sector in the world, tourism is essential for job creation and prosperity of communities around the world,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.“Yet, as we continue to grow, we must work closer together to ensure this growth benefits every member of every host community, and is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals”.

Growth to continue in 2018 The current strong momentum is expected to continue in 2018, though at a more sustainable pace after eight years of steady expansion following the 2009 economic and financial crisis.

Based on current trends, economic prospects and the outlook by the UNWTO Panel of Experts, UNWTO projects international tourist arrivals worldwide to grow at a rate of four to five percent in 2018. This

The strong momentum in international tourist arrivals is expected to continue in

2018 at a rate of

4-5%

is somewhat above the 3.8% average increase projected for the period 2010-2020 by UNWTO in its Tourism Towards 2030 long-term forecast. Europe and the Americas are both expected to grow by 3.5%-4.5%, Asia and the Pacific by five to six percent, Africa by five to seven percent and the Middle East by four to six percent.

Regional Performance International tourist arrivals in Europe reached 671 million in 2017, a eight percent increase following a comparatively weaker 2016. Growth was driven by the extraordinary results in Southern and Mediterranean Europe (+13%). Western Europe by seven percent, Northern Europe and Central and Eastern Europe (both by five percent) also recorded robust growth.

Asia and the Pacific at six percent recorded 324 million international tourist arrivals in 2017. Arrivals in South Asia grew by 10%, in South-East Asia by eight percent and in Oceania by seven percent. Arrivals to North-East Asia increased by three percent.

The Americas at three percent welcomed 207 million international tourist arrivals in 2017, with most destinations enjoying positive results. South America at seven percent led growth, followed by Central America and the Caribbean (both at four percent), with the latter showing clear signs of recovery in the aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria. In North America at two percent, robust results in Mexico and Canada contrasted with a decrease in the United States, the region’s largest destination.

Based on available data for Africa, growth in 2017 is estimated at eight percent.

The region consolidated its 2016 rebound and reached a record 62 million international arrivals. North Africa enjoyed a strong recovery with arrivals growing by 13%, while in Sub-Saharan Africa arrivals increased by five percent.

The Middle East at five percent received 58 million international tourist arrivals in 2017 with sustained growth in some destinations and a strong recovery in others.

Source: Highlight – World Tourism (UNWTO), July 2017

TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 41

Wego lists 2018 Travel Trends

T

four-hour flight to nearby destinations such as Goa, India or Tbilisi, Georgia. Globally, an estimated 60% of Wego users look for one-night or two-night stays.

Responsible Tourism: Today’s travellers prefer travel and hospitality service providers who embed green or eco-friendly practices into their operations. Best ethical destinations include: Panama, Dominica, Tonga, Mongolia, and Uruguay.

Culinary Holidays: Increasing numbers of travellers are following their food fantasies, combining the attractions of a new destination with experiential and culinary delights. The options range from trying out a Michelin-starred restaurant or a celebrity chef or singular dining experience or simply sampling ethnic food traditions or street food at its source. According to the World Food Travel Association, 75% of leisure travellers visit destinations because of local food-based activities.

Short Leisure Trips: Weekends are the perfect opportunity to take a three- to

Cold Locales: The thought of escaping to a cosy log-house or watch the stunning

he New Year rings in with it many questions about the year ahead…where to go, with who, when, how do I fly, how long a vacation can I take? The list is endless be it for families, singles or even business travellers. WEGO has listed its travel predictions for 2018. These insights are curated by Wego’s travel experts, based on careful analysis of data collated from its 10 million visitors per month across Wego websites and mobile app.

Northern Lights in Iceland, Alaska or Antarctica continues to surge in popularity. This preference for freezingcold locales is primarily because travellers are looking to dive into new, exotic cultures and adventures.

Luxury backpacking or ‘glamping’: For those who wish to go backpacking, but do not want to give up on the luxurious amenities of a five-star hotel – try ‘glamping’. It’s the most comfortable way to experience the adventures of an Indian desert or African jungle.

Solo trips: Young travellers could pick a solo-trip to an Indonesian island or culture-soaked streets of Cuba: to see the world on their own terms, or even find like-minded people.

Cultural hunt: There is no better way to experience and understand new cultures than by visiting museums. Some of the recent big draws in the museum circuit have been: Louvre Abu Dhabi, Oman Opera House and Museum MACAN in Jakarta.

Bleisure: Mix work and play on every business trip as more city hotels offer full leisure facilities such as swimming pool and spa services. This works best for employees who travel for work on long weekends, and even take their families with them.

Off-the-beaten-track destinations: Forget the traditional locations of Paris, Vienna, and New York; and say hello to lesser-known and exotic destinations. Think: bird watching in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, or camping out by the gorgeous lakes of Slovenia.

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TRENDING

Ramada Ajman’s Organic Urban Farm Iftikhar Hamdani, Cluster General Manager, Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman, Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman, Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche in conversation with Charmaine Fernz talks about the new trend of being green, healthy and organic Could you highlight some key aspect about the Urban Farm?

Ramada Ajman’s urban farm measures 430 square metres and was converted from the hotel’s parking space. The activity aimed to highlight the importance of sustainability among heads and staff of the hotel. With constant activity during the winter months, the property has ruled out any plans of expansion. However, Ramada Ajman is looking into ways to incorporate organic farming across its sister properties in Ajman – Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman and the new Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche.

Is the produce only being used at the properties or sold commercially? Which other properties use the produce?

The produce from Ramada Ajman’s urban farm is used solely at its in-house kitchen. Ramada Ajman still has its supplier of fruits, herbs and vegetables

as the farm is not enough to supply its entire kitchen operations.

machine, which converts organic waste from its kitchen, with no added chemicals.

Which seasonal vegetables / fruits are grown at the Urban farm?

What other innovative green initiatives are being undertaken by the hotel?

The farm grows different herbs and vegetables including cucumber, eggplants, radishes, tomatoes, rocket and mint leaves, coriander, and chilli peppers, among others.

Ramada Ajman is the first among hotels in the UAE for its Zero Landfill Project. This project aims to achieve zero waste disposal into the landfill. With the help of recycling, and an in-house compost machine, the hotel was able to reduce its landfill waste disposal by 90%. We also have an IMC Waste Station machine, an innovative food waste macerator and dewatering unit, which increase efficiency in its waste management scheme. It also has its own reverse osmosis plant which recycles the hotel’s waste water by 60%. In addition to these initiatives, the property continues to take part in various eco-activities and participate in various forums to share its sustainable initiatives and raise awareness.

Are there plans to go beyond seasonal vegetables/fruits?

Given the weather in the UAE, it is challenging to grow crops all-year round. The crops are planted at the start of winter, and harvested throughout the cooler months.

How do you ensure that the produce is free from any chemicals or strong elements?

The hotel has a dedicated team who looks after the farm. The fertilisers used in the farm are from the hotel’s own compost

TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 43

Germany –

The Culinary Showcase Sigrid de Mazieres, Director – Gulf countries, German National Tourist Office (GNTO) – Gulf Countries talks to Charmaine Fernz about the growing popularity of Germany as a tourist destination, key initiatives lined up for 2018 and the importance of the GCC region….

44 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

T

he German National Tourist Office (GNTO) has kicked off the New Year with a keen focus on its central annual campaign under the umbrella term ‘Culinary Germany’.

The campaign also focusing on the GCC countries will promote ‘Destination Germany’. As de Mazieres explains: “We are looking forward to highlight the variety of German food and drink and take travellers on a culinary journey filled with travel memories. The ‘Culinary Germany’ theme will lie at the heart of all our GCCwide cross-media marketing activities, which aims at raising Germany’s profile as an attractive year-round destination.”

The campaign will focus on traditional dishes from Germany’s 16 federal states, to Michelin-starred cuisine as well as the international and innovative menus in the cosmopolitan cities like Hamburg, Frankfurt, Cologne, Munich or Berlin.

Cuisines from different rural regions such as the Black Forest (including the centre of haute cuisine Baiersbronn with eight Michelin Stars) to the internationally renowned restaurants of major cities will be in focus with the ultimate aim to take visitors on a fascinating foodie landscape.

The well-known beer and bratwurst are an integral part of the country’s festivals and public holidays but are just one small part of the entire gamut. Germany as a destination has over 30 foodie scenic routes, 13 wine growing regions and more than 290 Michelin-starred and gourmet restaurants. There are also many restaurants where halal food is served.

Statistical Growth The destination has had a positive tourism track record, wherein for the seventh consecutive year, the number of visitors to Germany touched more than 80 million overnight stays. These numbers are international visitors being registered for the first time in 2016. Even further, visitor numbers recorded during the first 10 months of 2017 as per the Federal Statistical Office, state that there were 72.4 million international overnight stays in accommodation establishments with at least 10 beds.

For GCC travellers too, Germany is a very popular destination with 673,132 arrivals in 2016 and 2,039,837 overnight stays with key drivers being culture and nature, shopping and medical tourism.

The GCC is also one of the top 20 source markets for Germany and the third largest non-European source market, after China and USA. In 2016, Germany ranked on top position among GCC travellers, even before UK, Turkey and France. The GCC travelling public is very important in regard to spending as well as length of stay. GCC travellers tend to stay 11 nights on average spending around Euro 4,683 per person and trip – when calculated they spend comparatively more than other international travel audiences. Germany also remains a very popular destination for medical tourism, which results in longer stays with family members for medical treatments.

The Authority is positive about attracting more GCC travellers to Germany after demand slightly softened in 2017. The

BRAND FOCUS

central focus theme on ‘Culinary Germany’ has a strong appeal to a wide range of travellers and is expected to steadily boost tourism numbers.

Looking to the future, the German National Tourist Board forecast 3.6 million overnight stays until 2030 from the GCC region.

Market Focus Looking at the prominence of some markets in the region as against the others. The UAE has been on the forefront of inbound travel to Germany, followed by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, where there is great potential. The strategy at this point is to continue to focus geographically on GCC key regions and to tap into fairly untapped customer segments such as the GCC millennial tourists.

Keeping the target audience in mind, GNTO would like highlight that Southern Germany, and particularly Munich has traditionally been the hot spot for most GCC travellers. However, the aim going forward is to showcase the variety Germany has to offer, be it natural landscapes of the diversity of the North Sea Coast with its quaint North Frisian islands, the Thuringian countryside with its famous Wartburg castle or the less explored cities like Dusseldorf, Dresden, Leipzig, Hanover and Stuttgart.

Another interesting fact to be highlighted is that with growing number of tourists from the GCC in the past years many hotels, restaurants and healthcare clinics are wellequipped to receive Arab travellers. Some hotels have even started to train their staff to be aware of specific travel requirements or even employ Arabic-speaking staff, who are familiar with the Muslim culture and

traditions. To further accommodate Arab travellers many hotels even offer the Quran and prayer rugs on demand. As mentioned before, there are also quite a few restaurants serving halal food in many German cities and many shops and supermarket also offer Halal products.

Promotion Strategy The GNTO has a strong line-up of different events and educational initiatives in the pipeline for this year. With constant effort from the GNTO office in the region, strong ties have been established with the travel trade in the GCC region over the years, but, it is important to ensure continuous visibility especially in view of tough competition. The tourism authority plans to have a stronger presence at the forthcoming Arabian Travel Market (ATM) coupled with roadshows and other activities. This ensures that travel agents, tour operators and other industry professionals are kept updated with the latest happenings in ‘Destination Germany’.

In keeping with the overall theme, special events and attractions will be held all through the year showcasing Germany’s food landscape. All marketing activities within the GCC region will also focus on the central theme “Culinary Germany”in order to lure travellers to the country and make them experience the destination by tasting its flavours. Apart from social media and PR activities to boost awareness within the target market, GNTO is planning a GCC roadshow in October and a range of other marketing activities targeting the travel trade, social influencers and the end consumer.

TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 45

F&B TRACKER

The Italian Flair - Scalini

Dubai welcomed Scalini, the Italian restaurant and bar from London. The new food and beverage outlet opened its doors to diners at the Four Seasons Jumeirah. The new restaurant offers guests authentic food with a unique twist.

Chef Monserrato Marini with 30 years of excellence in wholesome Italian dining showcases some traditional favourites, a selection of fresh seafood and indulgent desserts as well as hand-crafted beverages.

Scalini is a 130-seat restaurant and bar. Some of the signature dishes include Spaghetti Lobster, Grilled Langoustines,Veal Milanese, Risotto di Mare and Tiramisu. There is a selection of homemade pasta, classic recipes prepared with a contemporary twist and the pasta prepared in the Parmigiana cheese wheel, banana flambés, homemade desserts and sorbets are all made in front of diners.

The House of Negroni

The House of Negroni launched its Dubai Chapter with its first pop-up Negroni experience at BB, Dubai’s restaurant and bar. The Negroni is a classic drink enjoyed before meals and has been on top of the cocktail list for the last 100 years.

Guests who understand the personality of this ruby red Italian charmer can attend masterclasses, culinary concepts and social experiences over three tiers of BB. This Italian aperitif consists of equal parts of Gin,Vermouth and Campari and has been enjoyed by poets, artists, fashionistas, movie stars for over 100 years.

The classes inform people about the history, origins and quirks of the

Café Bateel’s kids menu

Negroni and introduce them to the unique brands, experiences, fashion, art, design and principles that are associated with the Negroni lifestyle.

There is also a collaboration with industry leaders in fields of cooking, art, music, design, architecture, bartending and more to bring unique Negroni inspired activations to life.

Address Montgomerie reopens Nineteen Address Montgomerie opened its newly renovated restaurant - Nineteen. Chef De Cuisine of Nineteen, Giuliano Berta, brings to

46 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

the menu a fresh new Mediterranean concept. The menu will feature dishes such as Roasted Hokkaido Scallops, Fresh Greek and Summer Salads, Ocean Beef Tenderloin and traditional Tira Misu. There is also the social aspect of sharing food platters.

The restaurant can accommodate 130 guests indoors and on the terrace. It is open from Monday to Saturday for dinner while Thursday, Friday and Saturdays will host both afternoon brunch and dinner with live entertainment inclusive of food and beverage packages.

Café Bateel launched their new kids menu. The new menu has been created with the little ones in mind, adding a little bit of fun.

The breakfast is available throughout the day, featuring favourites such as, Eggs any style served with sautéed potatoes and crispy turkey bacon, or the option of pancakes, served with fresh berries, maple syrup and whipped cream.

There is also the Belgian Waffles, with fresh berries, chocolate sauce and raspberry coulis. On a healthy note, youngsters can also choose the Crunchy Granola served with fresh fruit yoghurt.

The main course includes tender Beef Fillet served with homemade mashed potatoes, Grilled Chicken Breast served with seasoned sautéed potatoes, or a twist on a classic mac and cheese, Café Bateel also offers the Pasta Gratin, ovenbaked pasta topped with a creamy cheese sauce.

Dessert options includes Vanilla Cheesecake, with berries and Bateel’s classic Date Shake turns mini with homemade vanilla ice cream blended with milk and Bateel’s own Rhutab dates.

The new kid’s menu will be available exclusively at the following Café Bateels: Arabian Ranches, JBR, Marina Walk, Media City, Mirdif City Centre, Park Place, Ras Al Khaimah, The Dubai Mall, Town Centre, Nation Towers, The Galleria,Yas Mall.

Global Vil Record forlage bags a Guinness the ‘Larges orld Global Village t Cup of hW achieved a G ot Tea’ uinness World for preparing Record th

e ‘Largest Cu title p of hot Tea in surpassed th the World’. It e earlier reco rd set last year fo tea in the wor r the biggest ld in Shanghai cup of . The tea cup meters, a top has a height inner diameter of 3.66 of 1.42 meter ruler for the vo s. The height lume of 5000 of the liters in the cu The preparatio p was 3.66 m n took 120 ch et ers. ef s several hour 5000 liters of s to make the Karak tea that w as guests at Glo served free to bal Village at over 50,000 an average se each of their rving of 100 cups. ml in

rsary Anniverations for celeb aterworld ng Yas Wrworld is celebrati

Yas Wate ersary. Since a anniv wcases its fifth ark sho p atic e u th q , 2013 med a irati-the as m Y E f e o u ests uniq park. Gu 2 re 8 3 tu y n e jo v n ad got to e e d rl th o r n ove Waterw itional fu Night, d d a f o days adies years. L d past five Neon Nights an st, Springfe oktacular were Spo mily Dana’s ark’s fa of the P that saw w fe a t jus ents ment ev park on entertain e to turn th guests re rn visits. retu several

48 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

Dubai Safari welcomes IAAPA delegates Dubai Safari hosted 150 delegates to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA)’s EMEA Winter Forum 2018.

The park was among the list of top attractions on IAAPA’s EDUTours, which is designed to provide professionals from across the world in leisure, attractions, tourism and entertainment businesses deeper insights into the latest market trends and new destination developments.

CLICK

A Round the World Trip by Etihad employee Senior Etihad Airways executive, Andrew Fisher embarked on a journey of a lifetime when he attempted to break the world record by flying around the globe in the shortest time frame on scheduled flights, and with fewest number of sectors. Fisher, who works as the airline’s Vice President Fleet Planning saved three hours off the current record of over 55 hours by completing the journey in only four sectors. His flight path began in the early hours of Sunday morning in Shanghai, taking him to Auckland, Buenos Aires and Amsterdam before returning to the Chinese city.

Maldives Tourism welcomes its first visitor for 2018 Maldives tourism officials rung in the New Year welcoming the destination’s first visitor of 2018. Georgina Holbrook, a British national arrived with her family on flydubai flight at Velana International Airport and was welcomed by officials of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), together with the Ministry of Tourism, Maldives Airports Company (MACL) and representatives of Maldives Tourism industry. Haris Mohamed, Acting Managing Director of MMPRC awarded Holbrook with a congratulatory certificate and a special gift representing the traditional Maldivian culture and tourism.

Furthermore, she was given a complimentary holiday package for seven nights including internal transfers, sponsored by Furaveri Island Resort which was presented by Hussain Hilmy, Chief Financial Officer of Furaveri Island Resort.

an ased for Taiw Lanterns rele leval 2018 Lantern Festi the Dog in the Chinese zodiac, a beag

Year of n Festival was To celebrate the the 2018 Lanter r fo rn te es of lan ld with iconic imag inspired handhe also decorated e ar s rn 2-11 te m lan fro e l will be held unveiled. Th e annual festiva th e in total er t wh ou ty, ed un nd Chiayi Co terns will be ha lan 0 00 m 0, 10 t ou i Bus Station fro March 2018. Ab rnment and Chiay ve go ty ek un we Co i y 0 ever in front of Chiay total will be 2,00 arch 2018. The s.

16 Feb to 11 M ay nd d Su on Saturdays an day and 5,000

TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 49

APPOINTMENTS

FIRST ROW (L-R): Director of Sales Amjad Audat, Director of Marketing; Zein Talhouni, Director of Finance; Mohammad Abu Qubo, Executive Assistant; Manager/Rooms Pedro Rodriguez; General Manager Esra Parin; Director of Engineering Mohammad Qudsieh and Director of Revenue Management Adriana Borcean.

SECOND ROW: Executive Assistant Manager / Beverage & Food Khalid Bseiso and Director of Human Resources Mona Batache.

The W Amman Leadership Team W Hotels has appointed Esra Parin as General Manager of W Amman ahead of its debut in Jordan later this year. Parin brings more than 20 years of hospitality experience which includes leadership positions with brands such as Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts and The Ritz-Carlton across the Middle East and Europe. Parin joins her team which includes Mohammad Abu Qubo, Director of Finance, who was previously with Sheraton Amman where he held a number of positions across B&F, Front Office and Finance; Adriana Borcean, Director of Revenue Management who joins W Amman from Bali where she was the Director of Revenue Management for The Westin Resort Nusa Dua; Mona Batache, Director of Human Resources who joins the team from the Dead Sea Marriott Resort where she was a part of the Human Resources team since 2008.

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Amjad Audat, Director of Sales, was previously Cluster Director of Sales for Jordan Marriott Hotels before joining W Amman’s pre-opening team in 2017. Zein Talhouni, Director of Marketing, worked in the marketing team for the Four Seasons Hotel Amman and the Royal Film Commission. Mohammed Qudsieh, Director of Engineering started his career in hospitality in 2005 and worked with hotel chains such as Hilton and Movenpick before joining W Amman. Pedro Rodriguez Madrigal, Executive Assistant Manager – Rooms joins the W Amman team from Sheraton Grand Doha where he was Director of Rooms. And finally, Khalid Bseiso, Executive Assistant Manager – B&F worked with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts on five regional openings before joining W Amman.

Andrew Torre – VISA Andrew Torre has been appointed Regional President for its Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMEA) region for VISA, based in Dubai. Torre, who previously led Visa’s Sub-Saharan Africa business, will now oversee all of Visa’s operations in more than 90 countries across CEMEA and report to Visa’s global president, Ryan McInerney. Torre will also sit on Visa’s global Operating Committee. He has deep experience across the markets that comprise Visa’s CEMEA region.

Nader Namah Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham JBR Nader Namah has been appointed food and beverage manager at Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham JBR. Namah has more than 15 years of hospitality experience in the Middle East region spanning from Syria, Lebanon, and UAE. In his role, he will lead the overall operations of the hotel’s dining outlets namely Flavours, Pan Asia, Coffee Zone, and Pool Bar; plus the hotel’s meeting and event spaces.

Before joining Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham JBR, he was the food and beverage manager at Wadi Adventure Al Ain. He also worked in various Middle Eastern hotel brands including City Seasons Hotels, Rihab and Burjuman Rotana, and Coral Hotels.

Peeush Chawla - Danat Jebel Dhanna Resort

Yasmine Farouk – Hilton Abu Dhabi

Paul White - Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts Global

Chef Peeush Chawla has been appointed Executive Chef at Danat Jebel Dhanna Resort. He is known for his cooking styles as well as innovative and fine food concepts.

He brings his extensive professional experience from hospitality brands and restaurants including Taj and Oberoi in Mumbai, W resorts and luxury brand Per Aquum Huvafenfushi in Maldives, Sheraton Hotel Sharjah, KOI Japanese Restaurant by TDIC Abu Dhabi, and Saadiyat Beach Club.

Yasmine Farouk has been appointed as Cluster Director of Human Resources at Hilton Abu Dhabi. She has been given the responsibility of managing operations of the Human Resources Division for Hilton Abu Dhabi and Hilton Al Ain. Farouk brings with her nearly 20 years of experience in implementing human resource strategies to the two properties, Yasmine has the added advantage of having extensive HR knowledge and in-depth understanding of the hospitality industry.

Mark Powers - Etihad Aviation Group

Thomas Willms Steigenberger Hotels AG

Melanie Bryant Travelport

Mark Powers has been appointed Group Chief Financial Officer at Etihad Aviation Group (EAG). In his new role, Powers will be responsible for the finance function across the Abu Dhabibased Groups’ five divisions, which comprise UAE national airline Etihad Airways, Etihad Airways Engineering, Etihad Airport Services, Hala Group and Airline Equity Partners. He brings with him significant industry experience, having held senior leadership roles at major airlines including JetBlue, where he most recently held the position of Chief Financial Officer. Powers will report directly to Mr Douglas. Ricky Thirion, who has been Interim Group Chief Financial Officer, will resume his position as Group Treasurer.

The Supervisory Board of Steigenberger Hotels AG has appointed Thomas Willms as spokesperson of the Management Board (CEO). Willms, who joined the company as Chief Operating Officer in June 2017, will take up his new position with immediate effect.

He will retain overall operational responsibility for all three hotel brands – Steigenberger Hotels and Resorts, Jaz in the City and IntercityHotel.

Sales and Marketing, E-Business, Revenue Management, Strategy, Future Openings and Franchise, Corporate Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility will all also still fall within his remit.

Melanie Bryant has been appointed Client Delivery Executive for the EMEA at Travelport. Melanie joined Travelport from Emirates Airlines, where she was Head of Business Technology, Service Delivery and Emirates Airport Services.

In the role, she was responsible for development and implementation of the airline’s business IT strategy and accountable for the management of a large strategic investment portfolio. At Travelport, Melanie reports into Rabih Saab, President and Managing Director of Travelport, EMEA.

Paul White has been appointed President, Residential at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts to support the company’s growing residential business. Reporting to the President of Portfolio Management and Owner Relations, Michael A Crawford. This newly created global role is focused exclusively on the company’s existing residential properties and more than 30 projects currently in advanced stages of development, including working with owner partners to develop, design and market residential projects.

TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 51

CELEB WATCH

The 16th Dubai Jazz Festival 2018

D

ubai is gearing up for the 16th edition of the Emirates Airline Dubai Jazz Festival 2018. The final line up of celebrity artists include Grammy award winning Duran Duran, John Legend and Ricky Martin who would be setting the stage ablaze with their performances at the festival. The festival is scheduled to take place from 21-23 February 2018 at the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre.

The other power-packed performances are that of masters of Jazz - Renegade Brass

Band, China Moses, and Poncho Sanchez.

Renegade Brass Band have established themselves as a premiere hip-hop brass band outfit and have played alongside artists including De La Soul, Grandmaster Flash, Public Enemy and Busta Rhymes, and at festivals including Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party, Soundwave Croatia and Boomtown.

China Moses released her first single ‘Time’ at the age of 16. She has worked and performed with renowned names

like Guru, DJ Mehdi, Karriem Riggins, Meshell Ndegeocello, Anthony Marshall, sound engineer Bob Power and pianist Raphaël Lemonnier. Poncho Sanchez has been musically influenced by prominent figures of Latin Jazz, conga drummer and composer Chano Pozo and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, Poncho Sanchez has joined forces multi-Grammy winning trumpeter Terence Blanchard to pay tribute to the two in his previous albums.

Angélique Kidjo premieres ‘Remain in Light’

Myriam Fares performs at Global Village

One of Africa’s greatest living female vocalists and performers Angélique Kidjo will perform her interpreted version of Talking Head’s ground-breaking album, ‘Remain in Light’ in the UAE for the first time. Her debut show at the Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) will be ideal for all audiences, including Talking Heads fans, world music lovers, culture aficionados, and of course ardent supporters of Kidjo herself. The show takes place after the opening at Carnegie Hall in New York City, to which received rapturous acclaim, as did follow-up concerts at Lincoln Center and the Bonnaroo Festival. Kidjo has a dynamic on-stage presence who has collaborated with artists ranging as diverse as Alecia Keys, Santana, Youssou Ndour, Kronos Quartet, Peter Gabriel, Bono, Amadou & Mariam and many others.

Myriam Fares, the popular Lebanese pop artists performed live on the Main Cultural Stage at Global Village. An accomplished singer, dancer and entertainer, Myriam has released five albums to date and boasts hits in three main Arabic dialects - Lebanese, Egyptian and Khaleeji. She has a penchant for creatively mixing music genres and her music videos serve as vehicles that demonstrate her acting skills.

She is known for her imaginative style of entertainment, her outlandish choice of wardrobe and expressive dance style and is compared with Colombian pop star Shakira.

52 TRAVEL BULLETIN MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

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