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OMAN AIR CELEBRATED NAIROBI TAKE-OFF
UAE AIRPORTS FORECAST PASSENGER GROWTH
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15 APRIL 2017 ISSUE 388
TIME HOTELS TO ADD NEW PROPERTIES
ACCOMMODATION10
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RendezvousAgents
International
TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS
15 APRIL 20172
MARKET UPDATE www.traveltradeweekly.travel
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Mary Kammitsi [email protected]
JOURNALISTS Ellen Petty Maria Sabova
CONTRIBUTORS Panayiotis Karanicholas Anna Spyrou Dominique Christou
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UAE Airports Forecast Passenger Growth
In 2016, Middle Eastern carriers reported the strongest annual traffic growth for the fifth year run-ning. Revenue passenger kilometres grew 11.8 percent, whilst a capacity growth of 13.7 percent exceeded demand. Meanwhile average load factor fell 1.3 percentage points to 74.7 percent.
Airports across the region are expected to increase capacity 10.1 percent this year, with major carriers and hubs projected to host an additional 258 million passengers a year by 2035, as forecasted by IATA.
Sharjah Aims to Reach Record Investment Numbers
Invest in Sharjah, the foreign direct investment division operating under the government of Sharjah, has revealed that the emirate’s total foreign direct investment is expected to exceed a record AED1 billion (USD272 million) by the end of this year.
Representing a 15 percent year-on-year growth from the AED912 million (USD248.35 million) generated in 2016, the anticipated figure demonstrates the emirate’s focus on encouraging overseas businesses to establish and expand their assets in the destination.
Mohammed Juma Al Musharrkh, director, Invest in Sharjah, described the expected figures as a milestone, reflecting the emirate’s full openness towards the global business community. He further revealed that the tourism and travel sector is expected to reach the value of over AED5 billion (USD1.36 billion) by 2019.
Despite sluggish global market challenges, the UAE is forecast to lead the Middle East's passenger growth this year, with an annual increase of more than 6.3 percent according to estimates from the International Air Transport Asso-ciation (IATA).
Sharjah
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WEEKLY NEWSwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
Omran to Create a Footprint in Sharjah
T he initiatives include the Maryam Island, a mixed-use development located be-tween Al Khan Lagoon and Al Mamzar peninsula, the Al Khan Village Resort hos-pitality project, and Kalba Waterfront Mall. The company, which was established
in 2016 through a strategic partnership between Sharjah Investment & Development Authority (Shurooq), Emaar Properties and Eagle Hills, is slated to launch the projects later this year.
Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO, Shurooq, enthused, “Sharjah is experiencing new demands for services and lifestyles as it evolves even further into a family-friendly and business-friendly destination.”
Omran Properties, a Sharjah-based real estate developer, has recently announced its plans to launch three new projects in Sharjah worth AED2.47 billion (USD670 million).
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Flourishing Indian Market in GCC
M ajor tourism hotspots in the GCC are experiencing a surge in Indian visitors, re-flected by growing figures in 2016.
Considered as one of biggest future inbound markets alongside China, India was the top performing source of arrivals in 2016 for both Dubai and Abu Dhabi with 1.8 million and 323,388 visitors, respectively, representing 15 percent year-on-year increase in Abu Dhabi and a 12.5 percent boost in Dubai. Oman welcomed 299,568 Indian tourists in 2016, which contributed to a 60 percent growth of the segment over the last five years.
The market is expected to grow further this year due to opening of the Bollywood Theme Park at Dubai Parks and Resorts and additional promotional activities, such as Ara-bian Travel Market, which will highlight the region to Indian travellers.
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dnata has enhanced its flight services in Brazil to now include the Airbus A380.
The Emirates Group division launched the aircraft at Guarulhos International Airport in Sao Paulo in April. dnata is expected to handle more than 300,000 pieces of baggage and 4,000 tonnes of cargo on Emir-ates’ flights annually.
Ricardo Morrison, CEO, Brazil, dnata, stated, “This is a particularly significant win for us and we are proud to welcome Emirates and its iconic double-decker into the dnata family in Brazil. It is a testament to the invest-ments we have made and recognition of our provision of quality service and safety, as well as our infrastruc-ture and systems throughout Brazil.” H otelbeds Group unveiled its plans to connect to InterConti-
nental Hotels Group’s (IHG) central reservation system, giving Hotelbeds Group access to the hotel giant’s 12 brands.
Designed to improve distribution of IHG’s properties and increase sales from all source markets, the new agreement has a strong focus on wholesale and retail distribution. Rates, inventory and availability will be fully controlled by hotels and transmitted in real-time via IHG’s booking system to Hotelbeds Group's distribution network active across more than 120 markets.
Commenting on the agreement, Andrew Rubinacci, senior vice president, IHG, stated, “This is a landmark deal for us and helps further our wholesale strategy by moving towards dynamic pricing and away from property based static rate agreements.”
dnata Handles Latin America’s First A380 Service
Hotelbeds and IHG Team Up
Bin Ham Group and Travelport Announce Partnership
According to the new agreement, Bin Ham Group, comprising of Bin Ham Traveling & Tourism Agency, Al Aman Traveling & Tourism and Al Ain Express, will leverage Travel-port’s travel commerce platform to gain access to the fares and ancillaries of approxi-
mately 400 of the world’s leading airlines. Commenting on the new agreement, Matthew Powell, managing director, Travelport, not-
ed, “This new partnership with Bin Ham Travel & Tourism Agency, […] is a great testimony to how our industry-leading travel commerce platform is supporting the needs of our customers across the region as they target growth in their businesses.”
In order to provide travellers with more travel options, Travelport celebrated a new long-term partnership with Bin Ham Group on March 22.
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WEEKLY NEWSwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
Aldar Properties to Expand across Abu Dhabi
As part of its strategy to boost its recurring revenue, Al-dar Properties has recently unveiled plans to launch four new projects on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island and Reem Island.
The developer will construct a four-star hotel and a retail park on Yas Island alongside a four-star hotel on Reem Island and 600 mid-market homes in its Shams neighbourhood. All projects are scheduled to start construction later this year and are set to be completed during 2019 and 2020.
Commenting on the investment, H.E. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, CEO, Aldar Properties, noted, “The investments we are making meet our twin objectives of providing the market with the right products at the right time, whilst increasing our ability to grow long term recurring revenues.”
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Under the slogan Visit UAE and as a part of a UAE del-egation, the Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD) participated in a promotional road show in Bei-
jing and Shanghai on March 27 – 28. Through this opportunity, ATDD explored the best prac-
tices in tourism marketing, promoted tourist attractions in the emirate and the country, and reinforced cooperation and communication with Chinese, regional and international tour operators.
H.E. Faisal Al Nuaimi, general manager, ATDD, confirmed that through a series of meetings with tourism officials, the or-ganisation consolidated tourist ties between the destinations and encouraged the influx of Chinese visitors to the region.
Ajman Showcased in China
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Emirates’ Branded Fares on Amadeus
Emirates has therefore enhanced its status in what is said to be the world’s largest and most diverse travel community. Joining 52 other airlines in the Amadeus Airline Fare Families, the carrier now benefits from increased
branding, differentiation and upsell opportunities on its travel offers. Amadeus-connected travel agents can now better serve their customers by proposing the fares that best match traveller needs.
Emirates’ Saver, Flex and Flex Plus branded fares for both its economy and business cabins are now available through the
Amadeus distribution channel.
Sabre Helps Business Travellers
to Get There
After conducting research sessions re-garding its online booking offering, Sabre has redesigned its GetThere on-
line management solution, offering customers a modernised travel experience while giving them the opportunity to make smarter in-poli-cy booking decisions.
Designed to handle the most complex travel itineraries while remaining simple and intuitive for both travellers and travel manag-ers, the online tool empowers Sabre’s custom-ers to make self-service options and delivers an optimal search, shop and book experience whether on mobile or desktop.
Wade Jones, interim president, Sabre Trav-el Network, commented, “Our new traveller-centric design in GetThere puts the user first with new mobile capabilities and relevant con-tent that is essential for a smarter travel pro-gramme.”
Travelport Enriches MisterFly Experience
I n March, Travelport and MisterFly, a French online travel agen-cy, announced the online integration of their innovative mer-chandising technology systems.Through the travel commerce platform, MisterFly will take
advantage of Travelport’s Universal API, which is used to con-nect to its own merchandising technology, content and brand-ing. This technology displays airlines’ branded fares and ancillary content in a graphically visual way.
Over 200 airlines across the globe, including Air France, uti-lise Travelport’s platform, which delivers consumer ready con-tent, deeper understanding of the airlines’ offerings, and is said to offer more upsell revenue opportunities to the travel agent community.
TravelClick Optimised its Media Campaign
I n a bid to empower media campaign managers to more ef-fectively driving direct booking revenue for its hotel clients, TravelClick has recently launched media intelligence plat-
form. The platform integrates proprietary data to ensure the best-
informed decisions are made about how to spend and allocate budgets in order to optimise media campaigns, offering cus-tomers up to a 77 percent higher conversion rate.
Adarsh Rangaswamy, corporate director, digital marketing, Millennium Hotels and Resorts, commented, “The combination of TravelClick’s data usage with digital campaign management has really helped us to go beyond traditional digital campaign management. This ultimately allowed us to get a clearer picture of how we are doing versus the market and competition and adjust our strategies accordingly when needed.”
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Sharjah’s Inbound Chinese Tourism
at a High
A ccording to new figures released by Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Devel-opment Authority (SCTDA), more than
86,000 Chinese visitors stayed in Sharjah hotels in 2016 compared with 53,000 during 2015, making China the emirate’s sixth largest inbound tourism market.
China already serves as the emirate’s fastest growing source market, with hospitality establish-ments recording a 63 percent increase in visitors from the country in 2016.
The UAE’s recent move to introduce visa-on-arrival for travellers from China is expected to further boost tourism numbers this year. This co-incides with SCDTA’s active marketing campaign to attract more visitors from China which has included opening a representative office in the Asian country, recruiting Chinese staff and adding a Chinese language website to Sharjah’s tourism portal, among other initiatives.
F errari World Abu Dhabi officially launched its highly-anticipated rollercoast-er Turbo Track.
The latest addition to the amusement park promises riders a heart-pounding glimpse into the world of Ferrari test drivers, offering the sensation of zero gravity. Major structural changes were implemented to accommodate the venue's third new attraction in the last 12 months.
Jesse Vargas, general manager, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, enthused, “Turbo Track is not just a rollercoaster; it is an experience that combines the passion root-ed in Ferrari’s traditions and values, with the excitement of a unique thrill ride. Fer-rari World Abu Dhabi is going to be the location for mega rollercoaster enthusiasts all over the world.”
Ferrari Turbo Track Invites Thrill-Seekers
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Deutsche Hospitality Boosts Oman Portfolio
The 120-key property, part of a major governmental development project to enhance the city’s infrastructure, will boast event spaces, a spa with gym area, a swimming pool, a restaurant and a bar and will be operated via a manage-
ment agreement with Nizwa Integrated Real Estate Company.Following the recent contract for a property in Muscat, currently under develop-
ment and scheduled to launch in 2020, the newest addition will extend the com-pany’s footprint in Oman to three addresses.
Pursuing its course of expansion, Deutsche Hospitality has signed a second agreement in Oman for a three-star IntercityHotel, slated to open in Nizwa by 2019.
Rotana to Steer RSG’s Development
The Tower One Step
Closer to Completion
Rezidor Exbands Istanbul
Portfolio
Rotana signed an agreement with RSG International on March 26, for a new five-star hotel and serviced apart-
ment project in Dubai, located in Sufouh Gardens on Sheikh Zayed Road.
Named Sabah Rotana, the 54-storey, 534-room property is scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2020 and will feature an array of facilities, including seven dining outlets, meeting rooms, a wellness lounge and an ultra-modern gym.
While noting that the address has been designed to meet the demands of modern travellers with a focus on comfort and flex-ibility, Nasser Al Nowais, chairman, Rotana, said, “The project continues Rotana’s strat-egy of centrally locating its properties in prime city areas in order for guests to enjoy greater convenience and easy accessibility.”
Istanbul
S et to open in the following months, Park Inn by Radisson Asia Istanbul Kavacik will increase Rezidor Hotel
Group’s portfolio in Turkey to 24 hotels, as the company’s fifth Park Inn by Radisson-branded property in Istanbul.
Located in the middle of a vibrant busi-ness district, the 110-key address will en-able guest to easily visit the city’s attrac-tions as well as being in close proximity to the Trans European Motorway and Istanbul Atatürk Airport.
Elie Younes, executive vice president, Rezidor Hotel Group, commented, "[...] We believe in the long-term prospects of Tur-key and welcome our existing and new partners to grow with us a world-class port-folio of brands of hotels and resorts across the country.”
T he pile foundations for Emaar Properties’ Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour have been
completed.Expected to be finished by 2020,
in time for Expo 2020, the iconic tower is expected to add significant economic value to Dubai’s Creek Harbour where the developer has un-veiled a series of residential projects.
The new project will house a boutique hotel, vertical gardens, a 360-degree observation platform, restaurants and function hall spaces.
Designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, the tower features what is said to be a world first, with the pile tested to a load of over 36,000 tonnes, a demonstration of strength and security.
Dubai Creek Harbour Project Area
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A ldar Properties has awarded its main contract for Mayan, a luxury residential development located on Yas Island, to Ghantoot Group, which is said to be one of the leading con-
struction companies in the region.The contracts, totalling AED500 million (USD135.9 million), will
cover the construction of five eleven-storey buildings comprising of 512 units, 19 of which will be luxury beach villas overlooking the is-land’s shoreline.
Commenting on how the planned development follows high de-mand, Talal Al Dhiyebi, chief development officer, Aldar Properties, noted, "[…] Mayan offers a world-class living experience that will add to the available amenities in the surrounding area. Since we launched [the residential development] last year, we have seen strong interest and we expect this to continue."
Aldar Teams up with Ghantoot
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M inor Hotels has announced the develop-ment of its first address under the AVANI brand in Ras Al Khaimah, the AVANI Al Mar-
jan Island Ras Al Khaimah Resort, scheduled to open in late 2019 and marking the operator’s second hospital-ity project in the emirate.
Located on Al Marjan’s View Island and boasting 225 keys, the address will offer a selection of king, twin and disabled access guestrooms along with suites and the brand’s signature living space. Guests can enjoy all day dining and poolside restaurants, meeting and event facilities with a capacity of 200 people, a kids’ club and a spa, along with outdoor swimming pool and beach front access.
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AVANI to Debut in Ras Al Khaimah
I n order to promote Qatar’s intangible cultural heritage and sup-port the country’s tourism diversification strategy, Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels participated in Qatar International Food Festival
(QIFF) for the fourth consecutive year.Held on March 29 — April 06, QIFF was said to be one of the larg-
est international food and beverage events, offering foodies the op-portunity to come together in celebration of the country’s increas-ingly diverse culinary offering.
Speaking ahead of the event, Hafidh Al Busaidy, cluster general manager, Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels, enthused, “The success we achieved during last year’s participation has encouraged us to be part of the 8th edition of the QIFF. Our six participating restaurants will offer an opportunity to all QIFF [attendees] to taste the most delicious [...] dishes [...].”
Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels Promotes Heritage
QIFF 2016
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Ibis Styles Manama Announced
Fairmont Pyramids Slated to Open 2022
I n partnership with international hospitality chain AccorHotels, Action Hotels has unveiled plans to develop the second ibis Styles-branded property in Bahrain, ibis Styles Manama Diplo-
matic Area.In line with Action Hotels’ expansion strategy of adding 5,000
rooms by 2020, the new establishment will be located in the heart of Manama’s main government, diplomatic and financial district. The address will constitute a unique offering, enhancing Bahrain’s under-developed economy segment and providing visitors with a modern, lifestyle hotel experience.
Alain Debare, CEO, Action Hotels, noted, “Bahrain is an impor-tant market for Action Hotels as we continue to address the grow-ing demand for affordable, high quality economy and midscale hotels backed by internationally renowned brands.”
A ccorHotels has revealed a hotel management agreement with Arabia Group for a new property, Fairmont Pyramids Hotel & Residences, slated to
open in 2022 in 6th of October City.Located in close proximity to the Pyramids of Giza,
the 20-storey address will boast 250 guestrooms and 200 branded residences. Forming the highest tower of the area, the property will cover the majority of the hospitality component within the upcoming Madinat A’Shamss de-velopment, a mixed-use project spanning over 56ha.
Frank Naboulsi, regional vice president, Fairmont Nile City, said, “We look forward to playing an integral role in re-energising the country’s tourism infrastructure. The destination has demonstrated positive growth over the past few years which has also increased the appeal of in-ternational hospitality brands.”
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New Properties TIME HOTELS HAS ANNOUNCED ITS STRATEGY TO ADD 10 NEW PROPERTIES TO ITS MIDDLE EASTERN PORTFOLIO BY THE LAST QUARTER OF 2018.
T he properties will be unveiled at Arabian Travel Market (ATM), on April 24 – 27, where exist-ing and new brands in key territories within the region will be showcased. The company is set to extend its footprint in the UAE with Ajman and Fujairah, followed by Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
The new additions will join TIME Hotels’ existing portfolio of seven properties, taking the tally to 17 addresses in the Middle East.
Mohamed Awadalla, CEO, TIME Hotels, commented on the growth plans, “Our current pipeline of hotels and residences meet the demands of multiple markets by offering a high-quality stay across all our brand portfolio.”
TIME Hotels to Add
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Air Arabia Enhances Links to Turkey
D ue to be operated three times weekly, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from Sharjah International Airport, the seasonal non-stop route will compliment the car-rier’s existing services to Istanbul.
“Trabzon provides travellers with a unique opportunity to experience Turkey’s coastal re-gion and witness the history behind one of the oldest trading ports in the country. The new route is a testament to Air Arabia’s commitment to providing affordable holiday destinations to passengers travelling from the UAE,” said, Adel Al Ali, group CEO, Air Arabia.
The airline currently serves 125 destinations across the globe, from five hubs across the Middle East and North Africa.
Air Arabia has announced Trabzon Airport as the latest addition to its Turkish network, with services set to commence on June 23.
Kuwait Airways New Summer
Schedule
O n March 26, Kuwait Airways officially launched its sum-mer schedule, boosting
the frequency of flights to Middle Eastern destinations by nearly 42 percent.
The number of flights to Dubai will now rise to seven times a week, while services to Bahrain, Doha, Bei-rut and Istanbul will increase to sev-en, six, five and three times weekly, respectively. The carrier has also add-ed an additional service each week to Amman, Najaf, Muscat and Tehran.
The additional itineraries will enable more convenient travel for both Kuwaitis and travellers across the Middle East planning a trip to Kuwait.
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www.traveltradeweekly.travelWEEKLY NEWS AIR
Nile Air has announced the increase in the number of services to Saudi Arabia, with the launch of flights to Ha’il Regional Airport.
The itinerary will be operated three times weekly from Cairo International Airport. Due to take off on June 15, the in-augural flight will coincide with the start of the summer travel season.
The additional service will supplement the carrier’s con-nections between the countries, set to grow to a total of 14 scheduled routes, enabling a boost in both leisure and busi-ness travel between the destinations.
O n March 26, Air France welcomed the summer sea-son by adding Marrakech and Porto to its global portfolio.
The airline connects Paris to Marrakech on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, while Porto will be served on Tues-days, Thursdays and Saturdays, with both routes operated by an Airbus A320.
The new summer offer is part of Air France-KLM’s offen-sive strategy within its Trust Together project, which aims to combine its growing fleet with a more rational use to en-able the group to serve new destinations in Europe during the peak summer travel period.
Nile Air to Serve Ha’il
Air France Added Two Summer Routes
In order to meet an ever increasing demand for cybersecurity in the aviation industry, Airbus and SITA have launched Security Operations Center Service, a new incident detection service.
Aiming to provide airlines, airports and other air transport industry stakeholders with information about unusual cyber activity that may impact their businesses, the centre provides appropriate containment and remedial action ensuring that a company’s digital assets are safe from attack.
Barbara Dalibard, CEO, SITA, commented, “As an industry we need to move faster in devel-oping new cybersecurity solutions that mitigate the risk of ever-changing threats. […] We can facilitate innovation and information-sharing through services such as the Security Operations Center Service, providing solutions our customers demand and need.”
Airbus and SITA Promote Proactive Cybersecurity
Porto
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Oman Air inaugurated its first flight on the newly launched, four times weekly service to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi on March 28.
Operated with a Boeing 737-800 and representing the carrier’s first schedule to Kenya, the service will enable easy onward travel to the airline’s destinations for customers from Kenya as well as helping to strengthen the links between the countries.
Abdulrahman Al Busaidy, deputy CEO, Oman Air, said, “The launch of this route is a signifi-cant milestone for Oman Air and is in direct response to customer demand. […] We are confi-dent that this latest expansion by Oman Air will help develop growing relations between both countries and also increase tourism […].”
Oman Air Celebrated Nairobi Take-Off
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Q atar Airways Cargo recently inaugurated its first freighter service to the Cambodian city of Phnom Penh.
The Airbus A330 freighter operating on the route between Doha and Phnom Penh can transport over 60 tonnes of cargo capacity either way once a week.
Noting that this marks the fifth freighter destination launched this year, Ulrich Ogiermann, chief officer, cargo, Qatar Airways, said, “[…] We have observed substantial migration of man-ufacturing trade from China to Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia and Vietnam. Leveraging our extensive network of more than 70 cities in Africa, Europe and the Americas, we are in the lead to provide our customers in the Southeast Asia region adequate capacity, flexibility and world-class air freight solutions via our state-of-the-art Doha hub.”
Qatar Airways Cargo Serves Phnom Penh
O man Air will start its new daily flight between Muscat and Manchester on May 01, the latest move in the airline’s dynamic programme of fleet and network ex-
pansion. This service will be operated with an Airbus A330-200 and
joins the carrier's double daily flight to London Heathrow, mak-ing Manchester the only airport outside of London to have di-rect flights to Muscat.
Paul Gregorowitsch, CEO, Oman Air, commented, “[The ex-pansion] demonstrates our commitment to developing Oman Air’s global network and in particular catering for the growing demand for our award winning product and in-flight service.”
Oman Air to Fly Direct to Manchester
Emirates Boosts Bali Frequency
E mirates has announced the introduction of its sec-ond daily service from Dubai International to Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport, scheduled to
take-off on July 02.Responding to the growing demand for trips to Bali,
demonstrated by the destination welcoming nearly five million arrivals in 2016, the additional service will offer travellers more convenience and connectivity options. The schedule will be operated with a Boeing 777-300ER in a two-class configuration and will enable a seamless connection to a number of destinations across Europe, along with further domestic links to the cities of Sura-baya, Makassar and Lombok.
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I n an attempt to offer more travel options to both leisure and business travellers, Tunisair has recently announced plans to increase the frequency on its Beirut and Montreal routes. Effective from June 19, the Tunis to Beirut schedule will run
four times weekly. In addition, three weekly flights will be oper-ated between Tunis and Montreal, starting June 26.
First established in 1948, Tunisair offers scheduled interna-tional itineraries to a selection of European, African and Mid-dle Eastern destinations. The implementation of more frequent flights from Tunis to both Beirut and Montreal aims to further boost its connectivity and contribute to the airline’s expansion.
Tunisair to Enhance Beirut and Montreal Services
Oman Air Celebrated Direct Flight to Calicut
O n March 27, Oman Air launched its direct flights from Salalah to Calicut,
operated with a Boeing 737-800. Furthermore, the airline has
increased frequency to five of it’s key Indian destinations including Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad and Calicut, now three times dai-ly, while Lucknow will be served twice daily.
Paul Gregorowitsch, CEO, Oman Air, who was present at the cake-cutting ceremony at Salalah International Airport, commented, “Our valued guests who want to travel between Salalah and Cali-cut can now enjoy shorter flights as they do not have to transfer at Muscat International Airport.”
Etihad Fulfills High Demand
E tihad Airways has started operating a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on the Abu Dhabi
– Amman route, as part of its daily schedules between the two capi-tals.
The new two-class Dreamliner features 299 seats, representing a 65 percent capacity increase on the route.
Peter Baumgartner, CEO, Eti-had Airways, said, “Since launch-ing flights between Abu Dhabi and Amman 13 years ago, we have ex-perienced huge growth and have enjoyed strong demand from both business and leisure travellers.”
He further added, “The deci-sion to upgrade to the Boeing 787 reflects the importance of the Jor-danian market to Etihad Airways, and the sustained development of economic relations between the two countries.”
E mirates has announced the triple deployment of Airbus A380s, launched on the same day on itineraries from Dubai Interna-tional to Tokyo, Casablanca and São Paulo.
The replacement of the Boeing 777 aircraft with the flagship three-class double-decker jet on all three routes positions the carrier as the first airline to operate scheduled A380 services in Latin America and North Africa.
The upgauge of the aircraft marks the 10 year of the company’s operations in Brazil. Meanwhile, the reintroduction of an A380 on its Dubai – Tokyo itinerary, with increased capacity, came in response to a healthy demand for the service.
Emirates Inaugurated Three Extra A380 Routes
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TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What do travellers expect when booking a hotel?
MELISSA GAY: Travellers increasingly expect agents to offer personalised guid-ance and a unique hotel experience. They want to be treated as individuals and receive recommendations that reflect their own tastes and preferences.
Customers looking to book a hotel are faced with an overwhelming amount of options compared to booking a flight and their decisions are much more emotional and driven by personal preference, as the final choice is so integral to the enjoyment of the whole trip.
They weigh up a large list of pros and cons about everything from food and
MELISSA GAY
Q & A
with
MANAGER, LAND AND SEA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, SABRE
IN A WORLD WITH MORE ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS THAN EVER BEFORE, MELISSA GAY, MANAGER, LAND
AND SEA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, SABRE, EXPLAINS HOW AGENTS CAN
ENSURE THEY OFFER TRAVELLERS THE RIGHT HOTEL CHOICE.
TMCs know the importance of large hotel chains in delivering a consistent, convenient and quality experience, but some business travellers want to stretch out and try boutique, tailored accom-modation as well. The percentage of leisure trips with a business component jumped to 17 percent in 2016, com-pared to 14 percent in 2015, according to Travel Weekly's 2016 Consumer Trends report.
Millennials blur their work and life boundaries and their behaviour has a growing impact on the hotel business. Under 30s travel 4.7 times per year on business, versus 3.6 times per year among those aged 30-45, and 4.2 times per year among 46-65-year-olds. They also take more leisure trips, at 4.2 trips a year, versus 2.9 for 31-45-year-olds and 3.2 for 46 – 65-year-olds.
TMCs need to get under the skin of this cohort – and do not forget they make up a sizeable chunk of your own employees too, so understanding their likes and dislikes will be extremely help-ful.
Travellers head to agents that offer the widest array of accommodation and can surface what they are looking for quickly and easily. The TMC that serves solutions at speed thanks to having a breadth of content in one place and an efficient workflow will satisfy the customer and also free up agents to be more productive, rather than tying them up searching in multiple places for a suitable hotel solution.
Booking everything within a single system also means no time is wasted adding passive bookings to the Passen-ger Name Record – and there is no risk of passenger information being lost. A corporate will be able to keep track of employees’ whereabouts and carry out its duty of care in case of a crisis.
All in all, TMCs that can meet emerg-ing trends with fast, efficient and person-alised services will stand out and differen-tiate themselves from the competition.
drink to excursions before making a ho-tel booking.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How can travel agents help customers choose accommodation?
MELISSA GAY: Knowing as much as possible about a potential customer’s likes and dislikes means an agent can guide customers through all the rel-evant options – and relevancy is the key word. With such information, they can send timely messages via the cus-tomer’s preferred channel – be it direct mail, social or email.
To meet customer expectations, agents need a shop window with eve-rything available in one place together with rich content that will help the agent find the right product to recom-mend. Assets such as 360 degree video, strong imagery and customer reviews are key levers in decision-making. Lei-sure travellers ranked photos and price high as factors helping them make a hotel booking for a leisure break in a recent Sabre Twitter poll, compared to location for business travellers. Travel management companies (TMC) are specialists and keep their finger on the pulse of emerging travel trends – but the ‘secret sauce’ that delivers success is being able to deliver on these trends with the aid of technology.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What are the latest trends to hit the travel industry?
MELISSA GAY: Two key overlapping trends illustrate the importance of un-derstanding the customer and tailor-ing recommendations - the rise of the bleisure trip and the expectations mil-lennials bring to their workplace and holidays.
Bleisure bookings are gaining ground as time-pressed business trav-ellers look to extend work trips and explore surrounding leisure options.
15 APRIL 2017
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WEEKLY NEWS INTERNATIONALwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
Walk for a Cause 2016
L aunched in April, Best Western Tokyo Nishikasai Grande became the compa-ny’s third hotel in the Japanese capital,
joining Best Western Rembrandt Hotel Tokyo Machida and Best Western Tokyo Nishikasai.
Suitable for both corporate and leisure travellers, the new address is located between Tokyo Disneyland and the central districts of Marunouchi and Ginza. The property features 105 rooms, a 24-hour business centre and a sig-nature restaurant.
Olivier Berrivin, managing director, inter-national operations, Asia, Best Western, com-mented, “With international visitor arrivals to Japan expected to soar to 40 million by the end of the decade, and Tokyo hosting the 2019 Rug-by World Cup and 2020 Summer Olympics, the country is on the verge of an unprecedented tourism boom.”
H yatt Hotels and MNC Land have signed an agreement for Jakarta’s first Park Hyatt hotel, slated to open
in 2018.The hotel will be positioned within the
top 20 floors of the 37-storey MNC Media Tower. Featuring five premium food and beverage outlets, Park Hyatt Jakarta will bring world-class dining and entertainment options to the city, joining four existing Hy-att-branded hotels in Indonesia.
Hary Tanoesoedibjo, CEO, MNC Group, commented, “We are confident that Park Hyatt Jakarta, along with the other fa-cilities in MNC Media Tower, will deliver on this promise and once again cement MNC Land’s reputation as a world-class devel-oper.”
M arriott International’s expe-riential hotel brand entered London’s hospitality scene
with its flagship property, Moxy London Excel.
Characterised by a vibrant, playful design and approachable service, the 164-key address boasts spirit of a bou-tique hotel, inviting travellers to expe-rience its contemporary lobby with a library as well as a living room and 24/7 food and beverage offerings in a smart self-service concept. A meeting room and a gym are also available for the guests.
Vicki Poulos, global brand director, Moxy Hotels, expressed, “Moxy Hotels is on a mission to reinvent traditional hospitality with lively communal spac-es and an energetic crew that helps fun hunting guests enjoy themselves whether at work or play.”
I nterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the signing of Holiday Inn Warsaw West Station, to be developed as
the first venue with franchisees VHM Hotel Management.
Featuring 217 revitalised guestrooms, an open lobby with a merged restaurant, bar and lounge area, the address will also boast round-the-clock dining and zoned areas for entertainment. The new property will join the brand’s network of 291 European ad-dresses with another 35 in the pipeline.
Miguel Martins, director, development, Poland, IHG, said, “We are pleased to be able to announce another milestone in IHG’s ex-pansion across Poland together with VHM Hotel Management. The Holiday Inn brand is undergoing an exciting transformation so this is a brilliant time for such partnership.”
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Best Western Welcomed Third Tokyo Hotel
Park Hyatt to Enter Jakarta in 2018
Moxy Hotels by Marriott Debuts in London
Holiday Inn Grows in Poland
15 APRIL 201718
TRAVEL CHANNELS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
Etihad Aviation Group held its fifth annual Walk for a Cause event at Um Al Emarat Park in March, under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Shamsa bint Hamdan bin Moham-ed Al Nahyan.
The event aimed to mark the empowerment of women in the UAE and abroad, including global edu-cation projects in Indonesia.
Attendees could also participate in a number of initiatives including wellness screenings, fitness class-es as well as enjoy a dedicated spaces such as an arts and crafts area, organic food corner, beauty zone, kids corner along with live classical entertainment.
As part of Airbus’ goal of having more than 30 percent women among its employees, the company has organised three events to promote aero-nautical industry careers to female secondary school students, encourag-ing the diversification of career orientations.
On March 24, Airbus organised Elles du Futur in partnership with Tou-louse Education Authority, offering 80 students a tour of the production site and talks with female employees.
Furthermore, on March 31, the company took part in Féminisons les métiers de l’aéronautique, in partnership with Airemploi, whereby female Airbus sponsors pre-sented their work and discussed their careers.
On the theme of diversity, the third initiative was an interactive exhibition based on employee testimonials, combining photos and augmented reality.
Ahalia Medical Group has recently signed an agreement with Sharjah Healthcare City (SHCC) to set up a 100-bed general hospital in SHCC.
SHCC was formed in 2012 with the objective to transform and en-hance the regional healthcare service industry and establish Sharjah as the most sought after destination for healthcare services. Planned to be
one of the largest centres of its kind in the Middle East, the new development covers an area of 205ha and will be in close proximity to Sharjah International Airport.
Marking its debut in the emirate, Ahalia Medical Group currently operates numer-ous facilities across the UAE.
In support of the national Year of Giving, Abu Dhabi Air-ports organised The Giving Race in collaboration with the Spartan Race at Al-Ghazal Golf Club on March 31.
Open to Abu Dhabi government and semi-gov-ernment entities, the event was held in partnership
with Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and Abu Dhabi Sports Council.
Abu Dhabi Airports put together a team building event for government employees and their families, which consisted of activities such as mud, water, sand and fire jumps.
There was also a children’s race to encourage the next generation to step away from their electronic devices and benefit from the positive effect of sport activities on their health and self-confidence.
Walk For a Cause with Etihad
Airbus Promotes Career Diversity
Ahalia Medical Group to Open Sharjah Hospital
The Giving Race at the Finish Line
Take a Shot!
Share with us the latest images of your activities and let your colleagues know
what you have been up to.
Send your photos to [email protected] Because a picture is worth a thousand
words...
Abdulla Al Hashimi, divisional senior vice president, Emirates Group Security, left, hosted Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, commander in chief,
Dubai Police
Bab Al Qasr Hotel organised its first annual blood donation in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Blood Bank of Sheikh Khalifa Medical City managed by Cleveland Clinic
Muscat Hills Golf & Country Club hosted the second ladies Interclub tournament
Children learnt about the importance of protecting their environment at the fifth Spring Desert Park Initiative organised by Sharjah’s Environment and Protected
Areas Authority
Qatar Airways Cargo flew 50 European horses to Nebraska Longines FEI World
Cup Jumping and FEI World Cup Dressage Finals
In collaboration with Association of Friends of the National Cancer Institute, InterContinental
Cairo Citystars, Holiday Inn Cairo – Citystars and Staybridge Suites Cairo – Citystars held a blood
donation campaign
15 APRIL 2017 19
PHOTO ALBUMwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
15 APRIL 201720
NEWS & EVENTS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
Taste of Peru
in Abu Dhabi
dmg events Now Present
in Qatar
The Dining Collection at The Galleria on Al Maryah Island has welcomed a new exotic addition to its
portfolio, a world-class restaurant COYA.
Serving contemporary Peru-vian cuisine with a Latin American flair, the culinary venue is ready to impress the guests with distinctive dishes. Being a home to a colour-ful Pisco lounge and library, it also promises the visitors a multi-di-mensional dining experience with a DJ on the decks, creating a mod-ern, up-tempo atmosphere.
The restaurant is expected to enhance The Dining Collection’s reputation of featuring well-bal-anced chef and restaurateur led concepts boasting high regional credentials.
To support the growth of the country’s exhibition industry, dmg events inau-gurated an office in Qatar.
From the new base, the compa-ny will launch and adapt its estab-lished events to achieve a rapid roll out of well-known brands in its core construction portfolio to the Qatari market.
The debut event on the sched-ule is the interior design exhibition, INDEX, taking place at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center on November 13 – 15, followed by the arrival of Building Services Qatar in February, 2018, which will bring four event brands under one ban-ner, namely Middle East Concrete, Windows Doors and Facades Expo, HVACR Expo and Community Man-agement Week.
IMEX
Frankfurt, GermanyMay 16 – 18www.imex-frankfurt.comA one-stop shop for meetings, events and incentive travel programmes where more than 3,500 exhibitors are expected to showcase their offerings.
ARABIAN TRAVEL MARKET
Dubai, UAEApril 24 – 27arabiantravelmarket.wtm.comOne of the leading international tourism events within the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals.
WORLD TRAVEL MARKET AFRICA
Cape TownApril 19 – 21 www.africa.wtm.comNearly 5,000 travel industry professionals are expected to attend one of the leading business-to-business exhibitions for the inbound and outbound Africa tourism market.
EVENTS
