Travel Weekly Day 2 2010

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Winners The Future of Travel

worldtravelawards.com

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History World Travel Awards Honouring excellence in travel & tourism worldwide since 1994

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1994 Hollywood

1995 New York

1996 Las Vegas

1997 New York

1998 Bahamas

1999 London

2000 Jamaica

2001 Malaysia

2002 St Lucia

2003 New York

2007

2008

Abu Dhabi New York Newcastle Bangalore Turks & Caicos

Durban Sydney Shanghai Orlando Poprad Rio de Janeiro Dubai Turks & Caicos

2004 Barbados

2005 London

2009 Dubai Durban Riviera Maya Obidos London

2010 Dubai Johannesburg Antalya Delhi Jamaica London

2006 Turks and Caicos

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“ The Oscars of the Travel Industry”

About Us World Travel Awards

Wall Street Journal

The World Travel Awards acknowledges and celebrates those organisations that have made the greatest contribution to the global tourism and travel industry. It also recognises those brands that are driving the industry to greater heights and innovation in travel.

Celebrating its 17th anniversary this year, the awards has grown into a truly global search for the very best travel and tourism brands, with the winners from the five regional ceremonies progressing to the World Travel Awards Grand Final in London on 7 November.

Last year, 183,000 travel professionals registered to vote and participate in the prestigious World Travel Awards programme – a phenomenal 10% rise in registrations compared to the year before.

This record number is conclusive evidence that World Travel Awards has become the “Oscars” of the global travel industry.

Graham E. Cooke, Founder and President, World Travel Awards, said: “World Travel Awards is a unique benchmark for industry quality and business excellence in every region and sector.”

“The increase in registered voters, despite a global recession, demonstrates the vital role of performance delivery in a challenging and highly competitive marketplace,” he added.

This level of accountability makes the World Travel Awards one of the highest accolades in the travel business and is why the award ceremony is broadcast by BBC World News and other networks to over 254 million households worldwide and attended by the industry’s global decision makers.

evolved, expanding the number of awards as the industry has grown. There are now over 1,000 different categories – an understandable number seeing how the industry has diversified and given the fact that there were over 3,600 different nominees last year.

And as confidence returns to the global economy, the World Travel Awards will be there to reward those travel and tourism players that spearhead the recovery.

For the tourism trade, winning a World Travel Award is more than an award – it is an endorsement from the thousands of professionals from around the globe, as well as a gold seal to the consumer of travel excellence guaranteed.

The World Travel Awards has continuously

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Biggest winners and losers of the downturn It’s been a couple of very fast and furious years for travel and tourism. But it has also been a period for travel’s true leaders to demonstrate their strength in the face of adversity. Here’s our pick of the biggest winners of the downturn… and also the biggest casualties.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Biggest Winners Johannesburg, South Africa

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

If the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be remembered for one thing, it will be South Africa coming of age as a tourist destination, with Joburg – “The City of Gold” – serving as its economic and sporting heart.

Even a sharp global downturn has failed to dampen Brazil’s booming economy, and its tourism industry in particular has emerged tougher than ever.

Football fever in the build up to the tournament helped South Africa, and Joburg in particular, helped mitigate the effects of the global downturn.

More importantly it is the lasting legacy that is expected to sustain the momentum beyond 2010.

Joburg’s personal legacy includes a diverse range of graded accommodation stock, world-class sporting and conferencing facilities, improving infrastructure including the new Gautrain. But more than its state-of-the-art facilities it was the warmth and hospitality of the locals than won the hearts of the fans and the players; and that in travel and tourism is priceless.

After years of heavy investment but perennial underachievement, Brazil is finally coming good and is now seeing a new middle class rising up from poverty, just as in China and India. This is fuelling a surge in domestic tourism as Brazilians set about exploring their vast nation.

International tourism too is on a roll, with foreign spending 15 percent higher in the first half of the year, and 165 percent up compared to 2003.

The country’s biggest tourist draw, Rio de Janeiro, is currently riding the quest of a sporting wave, having bagged the rights to host the world’s two biggest tournaments back to back – the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.

The infrastructure upgrades in preparation for the sporting mega-events will undoubtedly make Cidade Maravilhosa (the Marvellous City) even more accessible to all.

And there’s even more outside of the sporting arenas – the carnival in Rio, Sugar Loaf Mountain, Christ Redeemer, Tijuca National Park, as well as the beautiful beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana.

Besides the millions of visitors attracted to its vast array of natural and cultural attractions, a different type of tourist has been increasingly attracted to Rio in the last few years: the business traveller. The city is emerging as one of the great business centres in Brazil, being constantly chosen to host local and international conferences and meetings.

Antalya, Turkey Whilst the global downturn hit Europe’s traditional beach destinations hard, Turkey has emerged stronger than ever. The tourism jewel of Antalya epitomises what Turkey does best – by combining a rich, welcoming local culture with superb hospitality facilities, sun-kissed beaches and value for money outside the Eurozone, it has created a winning formula that now attracts visitors from the world over, come boom or bust.

Meanwhile Istanbul – with its sublime architecture and waterside setting – has all the ingredients for an unrivalled city break experience, and offers a unique fusion of European and Asian cultures. This year the city is also revelling in the spotlight as the European Capital of Culture.

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Antalya, Turkey

Etihad Airways The downturn has been particularly harsh on aviation. The legacy carriers have been eating heavily into their cash reserves, whilst those with less have bitten the dust.

But one particular airline has managed to rise above the parapet by offering unparalleled service and a raft of new launches, based at a hub in arguably the world’s most exciting new tourism hotspot, Abu Dhabi.

Led by James Hogan, Etihad Airways recorded its best first half performance in its seven-year history, with double-digit increases in both passenger and cargo traffic. It also became the first Middle Eastern airline to operate a service to Tokyo, with the launch of a five weekly non-stop flights to the Japanese capital. It also launched non-stop services to Baghdad and Erbil, and unveiled plans to start flying to the South Korean capital Seoul in December.

destination continues to raise market share. In the first six months of the year, it posted a 3.6 percent rise in international arrivals, and comes despite the civil disturbances in spring.

Leading the surge is Jamaica’s largest hospitality brand, Sandals Resorts. From its humble beginnings in Montego Bay, the group’s mission to redefine all-inclusive luxury has seen it flourish into a multibillion-dollar business, with 14 resorts spanning the Caribbean.

Whilst others have reined in their budgets, Sandals boldly goes onwards and upwards. New projects include the first ever over-the-water suites in St Lucia. Whilst in February it raised the luxury stake in the Bahamas with the opening of the Sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma.

Sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas

Abu Dhabi, UAE Abu Dhabi’s rise to tourism superstardom over the past decade has been nothing short of phenomenal, and despite the slowdown virtually everywhere in the world, the emirate remains on target to attract 2.3 million hotel guests a year by 2012.

The foundation strategy of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority has been to utilise the power of sport to spread its name globally. Last year’s inaugural F1 Grand Prix catapulted Abu Dhabi onto the international stage, and was televised in more than 180 countries and reached 600 million viewers.

This year’s race is expected to be even bigger.

Sandals also works tirelessly to get the travel agents on side. Chairman Butch Stewart says: “We are the travel agents best friend. We have a love affair with the travel agents, it’s been going on for 30 years out there.”

Grand Prix visitors this year also have an added attraction, with the opening of the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi – the largest indoor theme park on the planet, featuring the world’s fastest rollercoaster, Formula Rossa, which emulates the feel of an F1 ride, travelling at speeds of up to 150 mph in under five seconds.

In association with the Jamaica Tourist Board, Sandals has hosted over 2,000 from the UK over the last 12 months, and 500 from the US during September and October alone.

In May, Abu Dhabi became the Official Destination Partner of English Premier League side Manchester City Football Club, reaching a TV viewership of over two billion.

Sandals Resorts International Jamaica has proved the rock of Caribbean tourism. Whilst many islands across the region have suffered a slump in arrivals, the luxury Etihad Airways

In July ADTA exhibited at the inaugural World Sport Destination Expo in Johannesburg. The landmark event took place alongside the final week of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and saw key buyers, influencers and media met face to face with the destinations leading the field the dynamic $600 billion a year sport tourism industry.

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Biggest winners and losers of the downturn Continued from page 13 Biggest Losers

Compañía Mexicana de Avación

Silverjet

British Airways

pulled on the group’s credit facilities.

Launched in 2007, Silverjet set out with bold and noble intention of rending good all that appeared wrong with the flying experience – most notably doing away with the cattle herding of economy class, and offsetting the carbon footprint.

As every CEO will know, but few will ever admit, the biggest asset you can have in a downturn is not a smart business brain but a very large piggy bank.

Speculation of strife began spreading when XL was forced to scrap its winter Caribbean holidays.

Bookmaker Paddy Power took so many bets on XL Airways going bust that it closed the book. Even when the odds were down to 4/6, punters were scrambling to place bets of hundreds of pounds.

For under a grand, passengers could rock up to their own private terminal at London Luton Airport, fly in an all-business class jet to New York, and enjoy all the same frills over again on the return leg.

The price even included a mandatory carbon offsetting contribution, as part of Silverjet’s remit to being “the world’s first carbon neutral airline”.

The New York service was following by a London to Dubai launch in November 2007, the height of the emirate’s gold rush days. Other long-haul routes were lined up as both business and leisure travellers alike couldn’t get enough of BA premium service for Ryanair prices.

But launching airlines is about as risky and cashhungry as business ventures get, and soon the fledging carrier was calling on investors for more.

Despite desperate attempts by its charismatic CEO Lawrence Hunt to secure funding from the Middle East and Ireland, Silverjet went under in May 2008, with the loss of 420 jobs and a handful of businessmen stranded abroad.

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British Airways in particular has been leaning rather heavily on its reserves as it navigates through the current downturn, racking up nearly £1 billion of pre-tax losses over the past two years.

The biggest drain has been collapse of its premium market – the up-the-front seats traditionally shored up the rest of the company come boom or bust. Add to that a bitter dispute with trade unions over cabin crew working conditions, severe market erosion from Ryanair and easyJet, as well as the closure of airspace in May due to the Icelandic ash cloud.

But it’s not all doom and gloom for everyone at the world’s favourite airline. Chief Executive Willie Walsh landed a £1million-plus share bonus to top up his £743,000 annual salary. Nice work if you can land it.

XL Leisure On the surface, XL Leisure appeared to be one of the travel success stories of the Noughties. Born out of Excel Airways, it rapidly grew into the UK’s third largest tour operator on the back of cheap funding from Iceland and a booming travel economy in Europe. But as the banks began to feel the first recessionary squeeze, the plug was soon

The prophecy became self-fulfilling on 12 September 2008 – known as the “Black Friday of Travel” – when some 60,000 customers were left high and dry abroad, plus another 25,000 back home had their holiday plans wiped.

Mexicana Recessions can be harsh, but throw in a pandemic and trying to stay in business borders on the impossible. That was the case for Mexicana Airways, Mexico’s national carrier, which ceased operations in August 2010 after crumbling with debts in excess of $800 million.

Mexicana – or Compañía Mexicana de Aviación to give its full title – was the world’s third oldest airline. It prided itself on its flawless service, flying 220 routes to 65 destinations including London, Madrid, Chicago and cities in Central and South America. It also joined the oneworld alliance in November 2009.

However Mexicana suffered from a dramatic fall in the number of holidaymakers visiting Mexico following last year’s swine flu outbreak.

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Despite implementing savings of some £500 million, its operating costs continued to run too high. Mexicana claimed that its pilots were earning up to 50 per cent more than the average wage paid by airlines in the US and its flight attendants 32 percent more than the US average.

Meanwhile plans to sack about 1,000 flight attendants to enable a takeover by a Mexican investment group were blocked by the government, and a new management team conceded that the airline’s financial troubles were too dire to continue operating. Its low-cost subsidiaries Click and Link also ceased operations.

However executives are bidding to return Mexicana to the skies by shedding half the workforce. The slimmed down carrier would operate 30 aircraft on 23 routes, six of them domestic and 17 international, mostly to the US and Canada.

British Airways

Clarence Hotel, Dublin When it comes to charity mugging, there is no one more skilled than rock god Bono – his ONE charity, for example, recently gave only £118,000 to good causes despite receiving nearly £10 million in donations.

But in the brutal world of luxury hospitality, the U2 frontman is discovering that raising revPAR can be somewhat tougher than strong-arming global leaders and little old ladies.

At Dublin’s Clarence Hotel, which he co-owns with bandmate The Edge, pre-tax losses rose by more than 50 percent in 2009 to €1.64 million, following a €1 million loss in 2008.

The accounts, which are personally signed off by Bono and The Edge, show that last year its turnover slumped 34 percent to €3.3 million.

The directors’ report states that Bono and The Edge, who bought the 48-room hotel in 1992, “plan to take the necessary measures to improve operating performance through cost efficiencies as well as continued focus on marketing”.

Two years ago, Bono and The Edge secured planning permission for a €150 million extension to the hotel. However this is now “on hold”.

The Clarence has attracted many celebrities over the years. Earlier this year, singer Rihanna, who was in Dublin to perform, posed for photos with fans outside the hotel where she was staying.

Clarence Hotel, Dublin

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Joburg – Africa’s business capital As the epicentre of the FIFA 2010 World Cup, Johannesburg proved its world-class sporting capabilities. But the City of Gold is far from resting on its laurels, as it continues to establish itself as the business capital of Africa.

After its hugely successful hosting of the FIFA 2010 World Cup, the city of Johannesburg is setting up the pace yet again.

hotels, adding to a host of infrastructure upgrades that are helping to transform Joburg into a model of urban living.

The City of Gold’s ambitious plans for sustaining the goodwill and momentum of the tournament include focussing on its fast-growing reputation as the business capital of Africa.

Lindiwe Kwele, Chief Executive, Johannesburg Tourism Company, sees business tourism as fundamental to the city’s future.

In the past 24 months alone, it has opened 19 new

She says: “Business tourism is the key driver for our tourism growth and development. Joburg has

made huge strides over the past two years and offers excellent potential for investment.”

Joburg is also riding the crest of a leisure tourism wave, following its role as the epicentre of the FIFA 2010 World Cup, which has given its industry not only something to celebrate but also a strong legacy to build upon.

This sentiment is supported by a preliminary Grant Thornton study, which points out that Johannesburg is likely to have had the highest impact from the World Cup. While hosting the lion’s share (some 32 percent) of World Cup fixtures and activities, Joburg certainly pulled out all the stops to give visitors the experience of a lifetime.

With consumer spending by overseas visitors reaching record highs, the local hospitality industry has reaped the benefits of its hard work and investments over the past few years, with extraordinary occupancies and patronage during the World Cup period.

Grant Thornton statistics indicate occupancies ranging from 86.8 percent in the Sandton CBD, to 83.5 percent in the Greater Johannesburg area, and 79.0 percent at ORT.

French soccer legend Patrick Viera with the Miss World finalists at a reception at the new SAS Radisson Blu Gauteng during the FIFA 2010 World Cup.

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The tour guides with JTC chief Lindiwe Kwele and her team at the inaugural World Sport Destination Expo.

The data still needs to be fully analysed in order to attain accurate figures (as per the CoJ 2010 Economic Impact Assessment results), but early indications point to one million visitors to Joburg during this time – comprising domestic, continental and international guests.

One of the chief architects of the World Cup success has been the Johannesburg Tourism Company (JTC), which is dedicated to promoting tourism growth in Johannesburg.

During the tournament, the JTC served as the crucial link between sport and tourism, and promoted Johannesburg as a business, sports, events, lifestyle and leisure destination both locally and internationally. Its main vehicle was its “Joburg Rocks” campaign, which highlighted the city’s many tourism attractions beyond the 90minute football matches.

The inclusion of youth in tours of their own township promises to leave a lasting legacy that will improve pride and perceptions about Alexandra Township as a tourist destination, not only to outsiders, but to them as residents as well.

consolidated Joburg’s position as trading hub of the region and continent. This will increase opportunities for investment in budget hotel accommodation, as well as increasing leisure expenditure/share of wallet.

Joburg’s World Cup readiness and legacy initiatives included youth development, enhancing tourism service standards, information dissemination, signage and workforce skills.

On a broader macroeconomic scale, the City now boasts increased hospitality and tourism products, an integrated public transport network, worldclass transport infrastructure upgrades, better connectivity – as well as extensive positive media attention.

The location of two major stadia in the City positions Joburg favourably as a pre-eminent destination for sports tourism and mega-events.

One of the great success stories to emerge from the 2010 FIFA World Cup has been the Rea Vaya – Johannesburg’s new rapid bus system that whisks fans from points across the city to games at two host stadiums, Soccer City and Ellis Park.

The Grant Thornton presentation includes the African Response Survey, which indicates that 96 percent of World Cup visitors to South Africa said that they would possibly return to the country, while 92 percent would recommend the country to friends and family as a holiday destination.

Meanwhile the launch of the Gautrain has exceeded expectations – initial estimates for usage were between 3,000-6,000 people a day, but current figures indicate approximately 13,000 on weekdays and 20,000 at weekends.

While supporting and leveraging SAT initiatives to ensure the return of visitors, as well as attracting new visitors (diversifying overseas source markets), Johannesburg Tourism Company has

Aside from youth development, and fostering an unprecedented interest in the country, one of the most valuable and precious legacies is certainly the unifying effect this mega-event has had on the

nation and the individual spirit.

The nation is aiming to build on this renewed sense of pride and patriotism, as well as the sense of anticipation for tackling all the challenges which lie ahead – and which will lead to even greater heights for South Africa and its cities as major global players.

Sport is integral to making new opportunities. The nation has been bold in creating opportunities in the hosting of global mega-events. But now the challenge is to ensure that its superb stadiums are utilized to their full potential, so South Africa is positioning itself as a hub of sport tourism.

During this year’s World Cup, Johannesburg took a lead by hosting the first exhibition dedicated to showcasing the $600 billion a year sport tourism industry.

Staged at the Sandton Convention Centre, World Sport Destination Expo featured 400 exhibitors from 22 locations worldwide and some 50,000 visitors. From Abu Dhabi to Rio de Janeiro the world’s leading destinations engaged in five days of top-level debate, interaction and the tabling of lucrative future business deals.

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St Regis Osaka

St Regis Bahia Beach Puerto Rico

Four Seasons Resort Vail

Luxury sector shines as recession recedes The luxury hotel sector – like its guests – has been less affected by the global economic downturn than expected.

Although some major projects have been put on hold – Four Seasons’ Barbados development and Six Senses’ in North East Brazil, for example – for many hotels it has been business as usual.

kids receiving a welcome pack on arrival and numerous family activities on offer. It is attached to a golf course and has spa and tennis facilities, as well as 40 villas and estate homes.

Ritz-Carlton has had two exciting hotel openings this year, The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong (its second hotel in Pudong) and The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles.

Most of the top brands are targeting China as the big new area of expansion in the next few years, with a number of openings planned in cities across the country.

“We wish to thank the community and our staff for their patience during this challenging period for the Resort and the island,” said Andrew Humphries, regional vice president and general manager.

The big news in the UK has been the re-opening of the Four Seasons Park Lane, which opens on December 15th.

Earlier this year the group opened a property in Beirut, and has plans to open more hotels in the Middle East.

It also launched a new concept this year, RitzCarlton Reserve in Krabi, Thailand. "Reserve" is a brand extension and those properties are focusing exclusively on the ultra luxury traveller who prefers just villas and suites in secluded, exotic destinations.

The Park Lane property has been closed for two years as an estimated £100m refurbishment sees a 10th floor and a rooftop spa put in place.

Jane Burnell, Four Seasons’ regional vice president of sales for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said the main growth for the group would come from this region, and pinpointed Amman and Damascus.

All 192 rooms and suites have been completely refurbished and the hotel will have a new bar and a new Italian restaurant, Amaranto.

December 15 is a significant day for the group with two further openings also planned: one in Vail, Colorado and one in Nevis.

The Four Seasons Resort Vail is located in the heart of Vail village, and includes a spa, outdoor heated pool, and a number of fine restaurants. It also has an emphasis on family, with dog sledding, ice skating and horse-drawn carriage rides.

Four Seasons Resort Nevis is another re-opening, closed for two years following the devastating impact of Hurricane Omar.

The 196-room resort is also aimed at families, with

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The group’s Marrakech hotel is due to open early next year; Abu Dhabi in 2013 and Luxor the same year.

Doha, Qatar, will get a second Four Seasons property and even Kuwait City is on the drawing board.

Future properties are planned in Costa Rica, Oman, Thailand and Phuket, Thailand.

The group launched its first guest loyalty program Ritz-Carlton Rewards - on September 15, and appointed Hervé Humler as new president and chief operating officer on September 1.

Ritz-Carlton will be opening the world's tallest hotel in Hong Kong in March 2011, following two earlier openings in Toronto (January 2011) and at the Dubai International Financial Centre (December 2011).

Russia is also a key expansion area.

Marriott’s other luxury brand, Renaissance, opened the 128-room Malmo Hotel, in Sweden, in January.

Burnell said: “The Russian traveller loves Four Seasons resorts, so we thought it important to open in their source market too and are on track to open hotels in Moscow and St Petersburg soon.”

The brand features cutting-edge design and top restaurants, including the Malmo’s Rosen Bar & Dining which fuses local cuisine with Spanish cooking.

Two new hotels will open in China, in Hangzhou and Guangzhou, later this year, followed by a further nine properties.

“This is an exciting time for the Renaissance brand and for our guests who are discovering fabulous new design, local flavors in beverage and food, and

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Banyan Tree Al Wadi

Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai, Pudong

discoveries around every corner,” said Tina Edmundson, senior vice president lifestyle brands and Renaissance operations.

“We are thrilled to be in Scandinavia which has always been known for cutting-edge design and warm hospitality.”

Starwood debuted its luxury St Regis brand in Japan on October 1, in Osaka.

The hotel also marks the 20th property for the brand and is the first luxury hotel to open in Osaka in more than 13 years.

The 27-storey, 160-room hotel is located in the heart of Midosuji Avenue, and has two fine dining restaurants, a bar, meeting and function space for up to 160 guests, a business centre, beauty salon, exercise room and shop.

November will see St Regis open in Bahia Beach, Puerto Rico – its first resort in the Caribbean.

Situated on a former coconut plantation between the El Yunque rainforest and Espiritu Santo River, the 483-acre resort will feature chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s restaurant Fern, a 10,000 square foot Remède Spa and a golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. The 139 rooms include 35 suites with private terraces and 25 private St. Regis Estate Homes.

The St. Regis Lhasa Resort also opens in November.

It will be the first international luxury resort in Tibet.

Located 3,680 metres above sea level, and situated in the famous ancient Barkhor area, the resort is a few minutes away from the holy Potala Palace.

It has 150 rooms and villas and 12 suites including the Presidential Suite, as well as world-class restaurants, bars, an exclusive Iridium Spa, ballroom and state-of-the-art meeting space.

The group will open three new hotels next year, in Bangkok, in January, Doha, in May and Mauritius in June.

The Doha Hotel will be located on the beachfront in the West Bay area of the city, and will be comprised

of two reflecting towers and 18 bungalows. The two “reflecting” towers, each consisting of 14 floors, will have 328 ocean front guest rooms comprised 246 rooms and 82 suites, a 1,200 square metre spa and a fitness centre.

Four Seasons Resort Nevis

The group is also opening new beach villas at Al Wadi, in the United Arab Emirates and a new Riad in its Angsana Riads Collection, Marrakech in January next year.

Boutique The 174-room Mauritius property will be on the south-western side of the island, on Le Morne Beach.

Conrad Hotels has a large number of properties planned over the next few years, including Sanya Haitang Bay, in China, which opens in December and four next year, in Koh Samui, Thailand, Palacio Da Quinta, in Portugal, its first property in New York in the heart of the financial district at Vesey Street; and in Dubai.

Two Conrads are due to open in China in 2012; one in Seoul and another in Fiji. The Conrad Bimini Resort & Casino opens in The Bahamas in 2013, along with Bangalore, Ubud, in Indonesia and two in China, in Beijing and Guangzhou; and Mumbai in 2014.

Banyan Tree has had a busy year this year with new resorts opening in the Middle East, Koh Samui and Bali, and also new villas and a kids club in Phuket.

The Bali property opened in January and has the largest infinity pools in Bali as well as a spa.

It is situated 70 metres above sea level on the clifftop of the island’s southernmost peninsula, and has 73 pool villas set in their own landscaped garden with a private infinity pool, marble bathroom with sunken baths, and a Balinese balé (outdoor pavilion).

Banyan Tree Al Wadi opened the same month, in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, and is the first luxury desert resort in the emirates to have an all-pool villa concept. Asian-inspired hydrotherapy spa facilities, an 18-hole golf course, a private beach club, as well as a dedicated nature reserve within the resort grounds are also on offer.

Meanwhile, boutique chain Amanresorts also continues its worldwide expansion with the opening of a new resort in Sveti Stefan, a tiny island off the coast of Montenegro.

The resort will have just 50 cottages and suites, a spa and three new restaurants along the two kilometres of coastline including the pink sandy beaches of Sveti Stefan, Milocer Beach and the renowned Queen's Beach.

Adrian Zecha, founder of Amanresorts, said: "I have always been attracted to the natural beauty and elegant coastline of Montenegro and it is a privilege to breathe new life into such storied properties as Villa Milocer and the island of Sveti Stefan."

Three of the group's recent launches have involved the sensitive restoration of historic properties.

These include Aman at Summer Palace, located adjacent to the famed UNESCO World Heritage Site in Beijing; Amantaka, situated in the heart of Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Laos; and Amanfayun, Amanresorts' second China property on the outskirts of Hangzhou in a traditional village setting.

"All the work was constantly monitored and inspected by the relevant historical departments in each country and the utmost respect and faithfulness was shown in keeping with the original elements," explains Zecha.

Aman is also opening a new 500 square foot spa with five treatment rooms at the Connaught Hotel in Mayfair, London.

The Koh Samui property is the group’s third in Thailand and opened in July. It has 78 spacious pool villas, a number of top restaurants and Koh Samui’s first hydrotherapy Spa, The Rainforest.

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Why you must have a mobile strategy in place for 2011…

Staying connected with travellers on the move has become one of the industry’s key objectives as the mobile web goes mass market.

As mobile web becomes key to the marketing mix, Nick Salter from World Mobi outlines the key elements for developing a solid strategy.

Over the past 15 years most businesses have switched their marketing budgets from paper based brochures to desktop websites. The move to mobile is now set to become the biggest shift in the way information is accessed since the Internet revolution commenced.

The rapid growth in web-enabled mobile phone ownership means that mobile search will soon become the primary way in which we access information on the Internet. Desktop search will remain important, but the majority of searches will be performed by users-on-the-go via a mobile device.

There are nearly five times as many mobile devices as there are desktop and laptop PC’s and by 2011 around 85% of these will be able to access the mobile web.

So, you’ve recognised that sooner or later you are going to have to develop a mobile web strategy.

How then, should you go about it?

1 Start by taking a look at your own desktop website on a mobile phone. How long does it take to load? How easy is it to navigate? How quickly can you find the information you need?

What does the user experience say about your brand?

2 Don’t assume that because your website looks OK on one make of phone it’ll be fine on all types. Check the iPhone, iPad, Nokia, Android, Blackberry…and the latest Windows Phone. You need the site to look good and work smoothly across all types of mobile device.

3 Don’t spend all your money on flashy iPhone apps. You’ll look great to the small percentage of iPhone users but you’ll be excluding all the other handset users. Of course you could also build apps for all the other platforms…but that could get expensive and complex to maintain.

Find out how you can leverage the mobile web across every device.

4 A mobile web site is not just a smaller version of your desktop site. Too many pictures and your site will take forever to load. And touch screen mobiles are navigated in a very different way to mouse driven PC’s. Think of the user experience and what sort of information a useron-the-go might need to get quickly.

5 Remember the mobile is also a communications tool. Leverage its power by adding in functionality - such as click to call - so users can jump seamlessly from reading about you on your mobile site to talking to you on the phone.

6 Build your site with users-on-the–go in mind.

Ensure you have content on your mobile site that will attract visitors after they’ve arrived, not just at the trip planning stage. Sticky content that is useful to the traveller on the move means your brand stays front-of-mind for longer.

7 Ensure you have a strategy that works across both desktop and mobile channels. Do you want to update them separately or together?

Do you have a content management solution that you can adapt in house or do you need a partner that can do all the updating for you?

8 Don’t do nothing. Your future customers are already searching out your brand on their mobile phones whether you like it or not and they’re making judgements based on what they find. Don’t give them the opportunity to search out a more mobile-friendly option. Make sure they’re getting an experience that’ll keep them coming back.

World Mobi are the leaders in travel and tourism mobile strategy and mobile web development. For more information, email nick.salter@world.mobi.

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