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LOUVRE HOTELS TO ADD 40 MENA PROPERTIES
RJ REAPS BENEFITS OF SUCCESSFUL STRATEGY
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30 APRIL 2016 ISSUE 338
NEW LOW-COST CARRIER FOR SAUDI ARABIA
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MANAGING EDITOR
Mary Kammitsi [email protected]
ASSISTANT EDITORMaria Kazeli
SENIOR JOURNALISTRita Kasziba
JOURNALIST
Pauline Shahabian CONTRIBUTOR
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PRESS Maria Demetriadou Inna Armeanu
DESIGN & LAYOUTElena Stylianou
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DIRECTORS Andreas Constantinides Mary Kammitsi
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RJ REAPS BENEFITS OF SUCCESSFUL STRATEGY
JAZEERA AIRWAYS: STEADY UPWARD PATH
Royal Jordanian Airlines (RJ) achieved a net profit of JOD21 million (USD29.5 million) in 2015, as operational expenses decreased 22 percent year-on-year.
Jazeera Airways’ shareholders approved a board proposal for the distribution of a cash dividend of KWD3 million (USD9.9 million), equivalent to 15 percent of the share’s nominal value, for 2015.
As Suleiman Al-Hafez, chairman, RJ, noted during the company’s annual meeting, 2015 marked the beginning of the airline’s transformation process built on a four-year busi-ness plan.
Al-Hafez cited the fierce competition as a reason that prompted RJ to lower ticket prices, further explaining that declining fuel costs helped offset part of the losses incurred fol-lowing the reduction in fares.
As he highlighted, the national carrier contributes about three percent of the country's GDP, exceeding the input of other key sectors.
According to Marwan Boodai, chairman, Jazeera Airways, the year marked a period of trans-formation as the management readjusted capital to match the carrier’s size, issued record shareholder payouts and settled all debts.
“The company is now debt-free, has over KWD30.9 million (USD102 million) in cash and operates a growing, profitable business; the balance sheet has never been as strong as it is today,” re-vealed Boodai.
In 2015, Jazeera Airways registered a net profit of KWD15.4 million (USD51 million), welcomed 4.5 percent more passengers than in 2014, while on-time performance stood at 94.3 percent.
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Hospitality Remains a Focus for Emaar
“The shopping malls business will gain further traction with the launch of a dedicated Re-tail District in Dubai Creek Harbour and the expansion of The Dubai Mall […], while our hospitality business will see the ambitious launch of several new hotels and serviced
residences in Dubai and other international markets under our three hotel brands including the newly launched value lifestyle Rove Hotels,” commented Mohamed Alabbar, chairman, Emaar Prop-erties, during the company’s annual general meeting.
Alabbar expects this to be a significant growth year as new benchmarks are being set with the opening of Dubai Opera and the development of The Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour, a master-plannned community that will further energise the city by welcoming visitors from around the world.
Emaar Properties declared its commitment to further strengthening the company’s shopping malls, retail, as well as the hospitality and leisure businesses.
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SCTDA Targets Chinese Segment
S harjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) held a China Tourism Forum for UAE-based des-tination marketing companies to promote the emirate as
an attractive choice for Asian visitors.With presentations from Sharjah Investment and Develop-
ment Authority, Sharjah Museums Department and Sharjah’s En-vironment and Protected Areas Authority, the event allowed the destination to showcase its latest products.
Sharjah offers visitors from China diverse attractions ranging from culture and heritage to nature, entertainment and shop-ping, commented Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, chairman, SCTDA.
“The emirate recorded an impressive growth of 126 percent in the number of tourists from China in 2014, and achieved a fur-ther growth of 45 percent in 2015,” added Al Midfa.
Participants in the forum
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30 APRIL 2016
Amman Hoteliers Slash Costs
T he Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan conducted successful road shows and gala dinners in Qatar and in Kuwait.The initiative was aimed at strengthening relations between the country and the GCC states by further developing coop-
eration in the fields of travel and tourism with the ultimate goal of establishing Azerbaijan as a tourist destination of choice for regional travellers.
Speaking of the GCC countries’ importance, Abulfas Garayev, culture and tourism minister, Azerbaijan, said, “The government of Azerbaijan has lifted advance visa requirement for citizens of the GCC countries, as well as Japan, Malaysia, China, South Korea and Singapore. Now visas are given upon arrival for GCC nationals. This is a milestone in our relationship with these countries.”
S eychelles Tourism Board Middle East Office par-ticipated in the recently-concluded Riyadh Travel Show, which welcomed nearly 20,000 visitors
including VIPs, travel industry professionals and media representatives.
Saudi Arabia is considered one of the most signifi-cant source markets for the Indian Ocean country, thus, the tourism board attended the event to connect with consumers, touch base with trade partners, and explore lucrative business opportunities by establishing new partnerships.
“In the six years we have joined Riyadh Travel Show, we always get a pleasing result and it is always a great support for us to carry out our mission and attain our goal as we receive a great support from Saudi Arabia through the inquiries and bookings obtained,” said Ahmed Fathal-lah, regional manager, Seychelles Tourism Board Middle East Office.
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M alta Tourism Authority, in collaboration with Kuwait’s embassy on the island and Turkish Airlines, hosted a number of journalists from
the Arab country.The familirisation trip allowed members of the
press to visit some of the main historical sites and tourist attractions on the Maltese Islands and attend meetings with public entities and other professional organisations.
Paul Bugeja, CEO, Malta Tourism Authority, de-scribed Kuwait as an untapped market, adding that in recent times, a number of articles have been published, promoting Malta as a tourist destination, a place to learn English and potentially pursue tertiary education, and nonetheless as a lucrative choice for foreign investment.
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Azerbaijan Presented in Qatar and Kuwait
Seychelles to Boost Saudi Market Share
Malta to Open Up Kuwaiti Market
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Over 2,000 Tourists at Egypt’s Safaga Port
Safaga Port, located on the Read Sea coast 53km south of Hurghada, wel-comed 2,198 travellers of various nationalities.
The cruise tourists arrived from Aqaba aboard TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff and from Salalah on Silversea Cruises’ Silver Whisper.
The two groups travelled to Egypt in order to visit monuments in Luxor and Aswan and were greeted at the port’s new arrival lounges for the regular in-spection and customs procedures before continuing their journey on air-con-ditioned buses.
SCTH: Saudi Industry Saw Success
Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) recently published a booklet entitled The
success stories in Saudi tourism, which docu-ments the efforts and achievements of the authority.
H.R.H. Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Ab-dul Aziz, president, SCTH, stated that the publication represents a realistic qualitative evidence for the Saudi sector in recent years.
“While this book highlights the success stories of individual experiences, it also brings out the whole national experience offered through the diverse experiences of Saudi citizens […]. The institutional action reflects our concept of partnership, and our conviction that partnership will lead to individual success,” he added.RAK Properties will release the second phase of the Bermuda Villas at its
flagship Mina Al Arab waterfront community.Located along Ras Al Khaimah’s beach, the residential complex was
launched in 2014 and is set for completion later this year.The project will comprise 157 two- to six-bedroom villas and townhouses
with coastline views, featuring a private beach, separate swimming pools for ladies, gents and children, dedicated children’s playground, multipurpose court and expansive green turf areas.
Suggesting that the first batch of Bermuda Villas was warmly welcomed, Mohamed Sultan Al Qadi, managing director, RAK Properties, highlighted how the overall development complements the emirate’s focus on promoting its rich natural environment and enhances its touristic and investment appeal.
Bermuda Villas Up for Sale
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Mall of Qatar Taps Into
Eating Trends
New Cinematic
Experience in Bahrain
A s it prepares for its Au-gust opening, Mall of Qatar remains steadfast
in its commitment to bring some of the world’s foremost food and beverage brands under one roof.
More than 100 dining outlets will be gathered at the centre with 30 percent of them being new entrants in Qatar.
A selection of restaurants and the food pavilion have strategically been located overlooking the Oasis that will feature live shows.
“At Mall of Qatar we actively thought about what Qatar needed and then designed and re-de-signed our space to excite, thrill, and engage […]. We thought about the choices our visitors would want and we believe we have catered to all tastes within the food pavilion,” stated Rony Mourani, general man-ager, Mall of Qatar.
B ahrain Cinema Com-pany invited mem-bers of the local
media to inaugurate a new six-screen Cineplex in Riffa’s Wadi Al Sail Mall.
Part of the company’s extensive expansion plans in the Kingdom, the 724-seat facility, which encom-passes the latest in tech-nological advancements in the global entertainment industry, has increased the entity’s total investment in Bahrain by BHD2 million (USD5.3 million).
As Esam Abdulla Fakhro, chairman, Bahrain Cinema Company, revealed, a new 138-seater Rendezvous res-taurant will also soon open at the mall offering a premium continental cuisine buffet.
World’s Most Famous Cartoons Come to Yas Island
Situated on Yas Island next to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld, the development will include the world’s only Warner Bros. branded hotel alongside an extensive theme park.
With construction already underway and rides in production, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi is expected to drive Yas Island’s annual visitor tally from 25 million in 2015 to 30 million in 2018.
The USD1 billion venture is set to further boost the UAE’s appeal as an international destination, suggested Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman, Miral, hinting that the company has many more projects in the pipeline.
A Warner Bros. themed destination is set to open in Abu Dhabi in 2018, Miral and Warner Bros. announced.
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Louvre Hotels to Add 40 MENA Properties
According to Rami Moukarzel, vice president, development and acquisitions, MENA, Louvre Hotels Group, the growth will be led by two of the company’s fastest-growing brands, Première Classe and Campanile.
Suggesting a firm focus on primary, secondary and even tertiary cities in markets such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman and Qatar, Moukarzel said, “[We have] a formidable footprint in MENA, managing 60 hotels and more than 8,000 guestrooms and our ex-perience and presence in the region has ensured we understand better the needs and dynamics of diverse regional markets.”
Louvre Hotels Group is to expand its presence in the region by opening 40 budget and economy establishments over the next five years.
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Park Regis to Debut in Saudi Arabia
StayWell Hospitality Group plans open its first Park Regis properties in Saudi Arabia in the second quar-ter of 2018.
Joining the brand’s international portfolio which spreads across the UAE, Australia, Singapore, India, Indonesia and the UK, the two Mecca establishments will boast 286 and 344 rooms, respectively.
“The hotels are to open in time for the 2018 Hajj and will welcome guests for the annual Islamic pilgrim-age to Mecca […]. We are looking forward to both hotels complementing our existing Park Regis Kris Kin and our upcoming Park Regis Business Bay hotel, located in Dubai,” said Simon Wan, CEO, StayWell Hospital-ity Group, revealing that the Sydney-based company is actively looking for further opportunities to expand its Middle East network.
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S ome 151,654 rooms are under contract in the Middle East according to STR Global’s March pipeline report, equal to a 40.9 percent year-on-year increase.
The subcontinent has 80,423 keys under construction, 42.7 percent more than in March 2015.
Among the main markets in the Middle East, Mecca reported the largest number of rooms in the making with 21,056 units in 13 hotels, whereas Dubai, Riyadh and Doha all had more than 5,000 keys in the pipeline in March.
On the African continent, 671,585 units are expected to come online in the near future.
Middle East Boosts Room Inventory
Abu Dhabi Hotel Market Grows
S TR Global’s preliminary March data for Abu Dhabi indicated a significant improvement in both demand as well as occupancy.
The emirate witnessed year-on-year increases in supply and demand, at 3.2 and 7.3 percent, re-spectively, leading to a four percent rise in occu-pancy to 83.3 percent.
Nevertheless, the notable increase in interest proofed to be insufficient to stop average daily rate (ADR) declining 4.9 percent to AED515.70 (USD140) and RevPAR falling 1.1 percent to AED429.4 (USD116.8).
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Tolip Hotels Introduces Cairo Property
Grand Excelsior Takes Over Deira Property
Riu Tikida Beach Reemerges
T olip Hotels & Resorts launched TOLIP El Narges Resort & Spa, the company’s fifth address in Cairo and 10th in Egypt.
Featuring 125 rooms and suites, the property boasts a décor that blends contemporary modern design with elegant chic touches.
Holiday-makers can enjoy the hotel’s restaurants, pool bar, spa and health club while those on business can take advantage of three conference rooms and the personalised Meetings Planner service which helps tailor-make any event.
Grand Excelsior Hotels and Resorts, a subsidiary of Mohammad Omar Bin Haider Holding Group, assumed the man-agement of Sheraton Deira Hotel which continues to operate as Grand Excelsior Hotel, Deira.
The establishment joins three other properties under the Grand Excelsior brand, all of which are situated in Bur Dubai, Al Barsha and Sharjah.
The renamed 229-room hotel boasts a convenient location in the heart of Deira, just a few minutes’ drive from Dubai International, close to shopping malls, historic attractions and key business venues. Highlights of the property include con-ference and meeting venues for up to 500 persons, a health club and a rooftop swimming pool.
A fter a complete renovation, Hotel Riu Tikida Beach reopened its doors in Agadir. Owned by Tikida Group and managed by RIU Hotels & Resorts, the four-star property maintains its all-inclusive
concept and exclusively caters to guests aged 18 and over. The hotel features 254 redesigned rooms with lavatories having been remodelled into walk-in showers with the use of
high-quality materials. Keeping up with modern trends, all units offer now Wi-Fi connection and flat screen TVs. Moreover, both the main buffet area Le Caroubier, as well as the Moroccan restaurant Le Mogador have undergone
a makeover and welcome guests nightly by reservation only. The Casablanca lounge also boasts a new look just like the outdoor spaces.
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Azizi Forays into Hospitality
A zizi Developments marked its entry into Dubai’s hotel sector with the launch of its first serviced residences
which is to be run and managed by Candace Hotel and Resorts.
Construction on the AED460 million (USD125.3 million) Candace, which is located at Al Furjan community and will encompass two towers, has begun and the project is scheduled to be delivered in the third quarter of 2017.
The group expects to launch over 2,000 units of serviced residences by December with future developments planned for the emirate’s Healthcare City, Palm Islands and Al Furjan.
Explaining the decision to enter the hos-pitality market, Farhad Azizi, CEO, Azizi De-velopments, said that with 20 million tourists expected by 2020, a host of investment op-portunities open up and property buyers can have exceptional returns.
Manama Welcomes Ramada Amwaj
R amada Hotel & Suites Amwaj Islands has officially opened its doors in Bahrain.
Featuring 162 rooms and suites, the property is within walk-ing distance of Amwaj Marina and Amwaj Lagoon, and only a few min-utes’ drive from Bahrain International Airport, offering convenient ac-cess to both the leisure and business districts of Manama.
Guests can enjoy Moroccan, oriental and international delicacies, as the hotel boasts an array of food and beverage outlets, and as for leisure and business facilities, a state-of-the-art gym, free high-speed Internet access, a business centre and event spaces for conferences or social occasions are available.
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H ilton Worldwide plans to introduce Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) in autumn 2017.
Located in one of the Middle East’s leading gate-ways for capital and investment, the 247-room prop-erty will form part of a mixed-use residential, retail and office space development.
Commending the role DIFC plays in the world of international investment by utilising its strategic location between East and West and its world-class trading framework, Carlos Khneisser, vice president, development, Middle East and North Africa, Hilton Worldwide, said, “As an iconic luxury brand originat-ing from New York, another centre of global finance, I am delighted that we will welcome Waldorf Astoria to this international hub.”
K uzu Group appointed Jumeirah Group to op-erate a mixed-use development in Istanbul’s Ataköy district.
Scheduled to open in 2019, the USD450 million Sea Pearl project will include a 202-room luxury hotel and 62 private residences – some with five bedrooms – all of which will fly the Jumeirah flag.
Other highlights will include a conference hall, a 2,873m2 VIP Club, business centre, sports complex, and a wellness and spa facility.
As Özen Kuzu, CEO, Kuzu Group, explained, despite being connected to the city’s historic centre, the urban resort will exude a sense of peace and tranquillity.
Waldorf Astoria to Open in DIFC
Jumeirah Bags Turkish Megaproject
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Saudi Arabia
SAUDIA AIRLINES ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH OF A NEW SUBSIDIARY THAT WILL OPERATE IN THE LOW-COST SEGMENT. S cheduled to commence services in mid-2017, flyadeal
is owned by the Kingdom’s national carrier, however, it will be run independently by its own management which will outline the carrier’s strategic plans and goals.
The new airline’s main hub will be based in Jeddah.
Emirates: Seven Million Travellers to the Region
E mirates carried over seven million people to and from the Mid-dle East and North Africa across its network in 2015.
In light of its growing customer base in the region, the Dubai-based carrier is offering travellers Arabic cuisine, entertainment and culture, as well as a variety of thoughtful product and services, all designed with local preferences in mind.
“To ensure the best experience onboard, we work hard to source content that is relevant to our passengers who come from back-grounds on six continents,” confirmed Patrick Brannelly, divisional vice president, customer experience, Emirates.
Emirates has been serving MENA since 1985 and today it covers 18 regional gateways on 345 weekly flights from Dubai.
NEW LOW-COST CARRIER FOR
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M ahan Air has significantly en-hanced its operations to Europe, offering the travelling public
more options to Moscow as well as Kiev.In addition, the Iranian airline is prepar-
ing to establish direct links to several coun-tries on the continent over the summer. Af-ter boosting its presence in Eastern Europe, the carrier is now preparing to start flying to Copenhagen on June 20, and Tehran will be also connected to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport in the same month.
Mahan Air Expands European Offering
After a hiatus of more than four years, Czech Airlines is relaunching services between Prague and Beirut.
As of June 21, the carrier will operate two week-ly flights onboard a two-class Airbus A319.
In support of the route, the carrier renewed its partner-ship with Transas, which will now continue as its general sales agent in Lebanon.
“Beirut itself and its vicinity, for example the nearby cit-ies of Byblos and Baalbek, has also a lot to offer tourists from the Czech Republic, Western and Northern Europe thanks to their rich history, beautiful sights, unique atmosphere, exceptional cuisine and stunning beaches on the Mediter-ranean Sea shore,” said Ján Tóth, director of commerce and marketing, Czech Airlines.
New Prague – Beirut Link by Czech Airlines
Gulf Air Boosts Gassim Service
Qatar Airways Increases Salalah Offering
Gulf Air has further enhanced its opera-tions to Saudi Arabia with increased fre-quencies to Gassim.
Travellers now benefit from daily flights be-tween Bahrain and Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Regional Airport, the airline’s third Saudi gateway which has received a boost in services over the past three months. In response to strong demand, the carrier operates 32 weekly frequencies to Ri-yadh and four daily options to Jeddah.
The development not only helps Gulf Air meet passenger requirements but also creates im-proved links for travellers connecting to onwards routes across the globe, said Ahmed Janahi, act-ing chief commercial officer, Gulf Air.
Q atar Airways will be operating an extra 10 weekly flights from Doha to Salalah between June 01 – September 30, to meet the increased demand during the popular Khareef season.
For four months, a total of 21 weekly services will be available between the cities.
“Salalah is the ideal getaway in the summer months. Its unique climate, especially during the cooler Khareef season, provides a welcome respite from the soaring heat the rest of the region experiences between June and September,” commented Ishfaq Jalal, vice president, GCC, Levant, Iran, Iraq and Yemen, Qatar Airways.
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Over Six Million Travellers at Abu Dhabi Airport
Aircraft movements rose to 42,204, which translates into a 1.5 percent boost over the same period in 2015, and the top five destinations from the airfield included Bangkok, London Heathrow, Jeddah, Doha and Delhi.
The results reflect the emirate’s rising status as a global transportation hub, said Ahmad Al Haddabi, chief operations officer, Abu Dhabi Airports.
He also gave emphasis to new initiatives that aim to enhance the traveller experience, saying, “With the [March] launch of the Smart Travel initiative, that allows passengers to check-in and move through immigration and security interacting only with cutting-edge technology, we are ensuring that the growing number of passengers using Abu Dhabi International Airport spend less time in queues and more time enjoying our airport’s world-class facilities.”
In the first quarter of the year, Abu Dhabi International Airport welcomed 6.04 million passengers, registering a 9.5 percent year-on-year increase.
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TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: The recent drop in oil prices has led to a decline in corporate business demand. How much has this trend affected Abu Dhabi and the hotel? Are you now focussing more on the leisure segment?
SANJAY KUMAR: Both factors have impacted the business flow significantly and to improve the hotel’s position in the market, we have come up with special packages and promotions to attract local and international leisure markets alike.
We now focus on establishing Tilal Liwa Hotel as an ideal affordable de-sert destination for frequent individual travellers and leisure groups by intro-ducing packages complete with romantic arrangements, desert activities like quad biking, dune bashing and [similar options] that all will enjoy, as well as all-inclusive packages for meetings and conferences with team building ac-
SANJAY KUMAR
Q & A
with
REVENUE MANAGER, TILAL LIWA HOTEL
IS ABU DHABI READY TO TURN TO THE LEISURE MARKET OR WILL THE UAE
CAPITAL REMAIN A PRIMARILY BUSINESS DESTINATION? SANJAY KUMAR, REVENUE MANAGER, TILAL LIWA HOTEL, ABU DHABI
CONTRIBUTES HIS OWN INSIGHTS.
tivities, meeting facilities boasting the latest technology, and enticing coffee breaks and banquets.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Would you promote a 50/50 distribution of corporate and leisure guests at the property? What are the advantages of each segment? SANJAY KUMAR: The distribution al-ways depends on the market demand. Having corporate guests always has the most advantages as this is an ef-fective way of building good business relationships locally and helps spread brand awareness in the country. Lei-sure guests on the other hand are good for promoting the hotel abroad.
As the capital and the biggest emir-ate of the UAE, Abu Dhabi homes the most unforgettable variety of experi-ences. Travellers can enjoy the serenity of the sunrise in the desert, be one with the nature, enjoy extravagant hotels and restaurants, up their adrenaline levels in theme parks, become famil-iar with the local Emirati culture, or simply take pleasure in walking by the bay watching the sunset. In Abu Dhabi, there is always a lot more to do, mak-ing it a really good leisure destination. The UAE as a destination has [received
Tilal Liwa Hotel
numerous distinctions] showing how brilliant the result can be when mind, passion and effort are put together.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Several at-tractions are coming up on Saadiyat Island and many more are already on offer on Yas Island. Could these projects signal a shift towards lei-sure tourism? SANJAY KUMAR: These attractions are definitely to balance out the losses we are having from the corporate seg-ment, however, [it does not mean a complete] shift towards leisure. I be-lieve it is just a phase and the country will eventually stand up from the cur-rent situation.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: With a num-ber of luxury hotels coming up, is Abu Dhabi moving away from its business-oriented image towards a more high-end focussed offering?
SANJAY KUMAR: The emirate will al-ways be a business destination but I am very positive that these luxury hotels and resorts will just add to the ever-growing luxury and leisure des-tinations of the UAE, giving us a good position in the market.
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P ropelled by robust passenger and cargo revenues and lower operating expenses, Cebu Pacific Air recorded a net income of USD95.4 million in 2015, a year-on-year
growth of 414 percent.The company’s total revenues also climbed 8.7 percent to
USD112 million.“Our passengers now number over 125 million since our
inception, a testament to our commitment in enabling [eve-ryone] to fly, through our extensive and most affordable flight network,” said JR Mantaring, vice president, corporate affairs, Cebu Pacific Air.
In 2015, the Philippine airline carried 18.4 million passengers.
A ir Astana passengers will soon be able to ex-perience broadband in-flight connectivity fol-lowing an agreement signed by the carrier and
air transport IT provider, Rockwell Collins.From September onwards, Internet access will be
available on personal computers, tablets and smart-phones, as Kazakhstan’s flag airline will install the asso-ciated Inmarsat Global Xpress high-speed connectivity system on its Boeing 767 fleet.
Jeff Standerski, senior vice president, information management services, Rockwell Collins, commented, “Air Astana’s passengers will soon experience what only a handful of others around the world will – the fastest and most reliable in-flight connectivity avail-able. For Air Astana, this service offers the opportunity to develop new offerings that go far beyond what’s possible today.”
B est Western Hotels & Resorts inked a management agreement for four Best Western Plus properties in Thailand's Pattaya and Hua Hin, totalling 4,150
keys. Three of the ventures are hailed as the largest pro-jects in the company’s international portfolio.
Best Western Hotels & Resorts simultaneously an-nounced its first two Vīb hotels in the Asian country, which are expected to open in Bangkok in 2017 and 2018.
With the worldwide rollout of new logoed signs distin-guishing its seven individual brands, this is a monumental year for the company, said Ron Pohl, senior vice president, brand management, Best Western Hotels & Resorts. Pa
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Cebu’s Profit Climbs 414 Percent
Air Astana: Broadband Onboard
Best Western Spreads across Thailand
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WEEKLY NEWS INTERNATIONAL www.traveltradeweekly.travel
C onstruction on New Zealand International Conven-tion Centre (NZICC) is progressing well, with the ven-ue expected to open in mid-2019.
Located in the very heart of Auckland, the USD330 mil-lion facility is set to become a global hub of innovation and knowledge exchange. The centre will boasts large flexible functional spaces, including meeting areas and locations for a wide range of events, a convention capacity for 3,150 and modern options for one-off events for up to 4,000 people.
“A unique aspect of the NZICC journey so far, which we are very proud of, is our partnerships with several local New Zealand companies who are demonstrating innovative, fresh ways of looking at things,” said Simon Jamieson, general manager, NZICC.
M inor Hotel Group in collaboration with GP Group and Top Travel & Tours is develop-ing Oaks Bodhgaya in northeast India.
Slated to open later this year, the USD6.7 million project will feature 78 units, a restaurant, a confer-ence hall, a terrace with meditation area and land-scaped gardens. A second phase is expected to add a further 60 keys.
Dillip Rajakarier, CEO, Minor Hotel Group, com-mented, “Religious tourism is a huge market and rep-resents a great opportunity and Oaks Bodhgaya will be well placed to capitalise on this when it becomes the first Oaks in India upon opening towards the end of the year.”
S tarwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide’s Le Méridien is set to debut in Dania Beach, Fort Lauderdale, in 2017.
Following a comprehensive USD30 million reno-vation and conversion of an existing building, the 245-room property will welcome guests as Le Méridien Fort Lauderdale Airport. As a result of the meticulous overhaul, the new ad-dress will boast a transformed arrival experience with a glass curtain wall façade, upgrades to the porte-cochere, floor-to-ceiling windows in rooms and suites, two redesigned restau-rants and the brand’s signature Latitude Bar.
The announcement comes on the heels of extensive brand growth in North America over the last 18 months in Charlotte, Chicago, Columbus, New Orleans, Tampa and Indi-anapolis.
S heraton Hotels & Resorts announced the completion of the USD120 million renovation of Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel.
The two-year refurbishment project included the full over-haul of all 1,372 rooms and suites, as well as the expansion of function spaces and the restoration of the property’s meet-ing room. All units feature new carpeting, vinyl, drapery, case goods, desks, chairs and flat screen TVs, while bedside tables come equipped with electrical sockets to charge devices.
“This renovation underscores our focus on continuously en-hancing our portfolio, as well as evolving the guest experience to deliver an effortless travel experience for our guests,” com-mented Bob Jacobs, vice president, brand management, North America, Sheraton, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.
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NZICC Coming in 2019
Oaks Bodhgaya to Open in India
Le Méridien to Enter Fort Lauderdale
Sheraton Centre Toronto Reintroduced
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WHO’S MOVED www.traveltradeweekly.travel
30 APRIL 2016
TAREK MOURAD has taken over as general manager at Fairmont Amman.In his new role, Mourad will oversee all pre-opening op-erations and strategic plan-ning ahead of the property’s launch later this year.He brings over 33 years of hospitality experience to the post with previous positions including several hotel and general manager roles with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.Most recently, Mourad served as general manager of Raf-fles Istanbul which opened its doors in 2014.
ELIE SALIBA has been promot-ed to corporate vice president of loyalty at Rotana.A 16-year veteran of the hospi-tality industry, Saliba has been closely associated with Rotana Rewards, the company’s loyalty scheme, since 2004. He was first was loyalty programme manag-er and later assumed the title of director of loyalty and partner-ships. In his new role, Saliba will lead the hotelier’s effort aimed at driving membership growth for Rotana Rewards and devel-oping long-term strategies to support organisational goals. In addition to overseeing the strategic development and implementation of the loyalty scheme, targeted direct mail programmes and other cus-tomer retention methods, Sali-ba will be also working with key partners to develop and launch campaigns to enhance cus-tomer satisfaction and improve devotion.
TODD CILANO has been named general manager of Four Seasons Hotel Doha and regional vice president for the company’s establishments in Mauritius, Seychelles, Johannes-burg and Tanzania.Cilano makes the move to Qa-tar from Four Seasons Resort Mauritius, where he served as general manager with additional responsibilities as regional vice president.Having been with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts since 1995, Cilano brings a wealth of luxury hospitality and management expertise to Doha, along with a strong understanding of the re-gion which he gained during this tenures in Alexandria and Riyadh.Throughout his 21-year career, he has worked in eight different countries.
Mourad brings over 33 years of hospitality
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TRAVEL TALK www.traveltradeweekly.travel
CHAIRMAN, EMAAR PROPERTIES
AREA DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES, AFRICA, INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP
“With a world-class line-up of performances in the open-ing year itself, Dubai Opera is defining its credentials as the cultural hub of the region. The diversity of events that the multi-format venue showcases places our city on par with the cultural capitals of the world, welcoming art lovers from all over to our city. From hosting legendary names in perform-ing arts to exceptional artists who have won rave interna-tional reviews, Dubai Opera’s calendar of events raises the bar for the cultural scene in Dubai.”
“[The best employer award from the Egyptian Chamber of Human Resources Manage-ment] is a great recognition of the workplace culture we have built at InterContinental Hotels Group Citystars since the pre-opening in 2003. Over the past 13 years, we have worked hard to create a sup-portive and flexible culture to achieve our goal to create great hotel guests love. That culture has contributed to the success and growth of our hotel.”
Dubai Opera’s calendar of events raises the bar
We have worked hard to create a supportive and flexible culture
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HEAD, OMAN CONVENTION BUREAU
“Establishing the Oman Convention Bureau […] is a milestone towards building a foundation and achieving our objectives in the MICE tourism sector. We will be working as a specialised team to enhance this sector and regulate the processes, and use various external chan-nels to promote MICE inter-nationally. The bureau also aims to maintain a healthy atmosphere that supports all institutions and organisa-tions working in the sector to host events and promote the Sultanate.”
We will be working as a specialised team to enhance this sector
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TRAVEL TALK IS YOUR SPACE – this is a casual forum for travel industry professionals to discuss current issues and share stories. We want to hear from you, so send your comments, questions, frustrations and observations to
CHAIRMAN, ROTANA
“Rotana is working hard to be a major player in the global tour-ism sector [...]. Going forward, we have extensive expansion plans for Africa and Europe and we have recently success-fully opened our first hotel in Istanbul. […] With the current launch, the total number of hotels managed by Rotana has gone up to 101 hotels – 56 of them are fully operating and 45 are under construction. Ro-tana currently employs around 14,000 employees, and this number will reach 29,000 once work on all under-construction hotels is completed.”
Rotana currently employs around 14,000 employees
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When and how did you get involved in the tourism industry?It was back in 2011. Now we focus on or-ganising medical trips for Saudi princes and important government officials from the Arab countries and we have done so for a famous Chinese actress too.
What is the most frequently asked question that your company receives from customers?“How much does a treatment cost in Switzerland?“
AGENT’S INSIGHT
Michel Louis
General director
Premium Swiss Medical Services
Switzerland
www.premiumswissmedical.com
COMPANY:
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AGENT CORNER www.traveltradeweekly.travel
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What are the must-visits and must-dos in Switzerland that no one should miss?In Geneva, there are the United Nations offices, Geneva Lake, the Cathedral and the old town, and watch shopping is a must. Also do not forget the lake side in Montreux, the chocolate factories, the panoramic train, Lucerne. Every-one should take a Zurich city tour, visit Mount Pilatus, Mount Titlis, Mount Rigi, The Matterhorn in Zermatt, the Schilt-horn and Interlaken.
Which destination is on your bucket list?The whole of Switzerland, France, Italy, Germany and Austria.
30 APRIL 201622
TRAVEL CHANNELS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
On the occasion of World Heritage Day, Al Ain Palace Museum showcased the heritage of the UAE through a variety of activities.
In line with this year’s theme, The Heritage of Sports, participating organisations designed
a programme that emphasised the significance of physical agility in human history, with a myriad of events giving the public an insight into the country’s traditional sports.
Among more, the showcases gave visitors the oppor-tunity to explore camel racing, falconry as well as hunting with salukis.
As part of its commitment to support the UAE’s youth development programme, Etihad Airways promoted career opportunities for Emiratis in the fields of en-gineering and flight operations at the recently-held Think Science.
Combining fun and hands-on experiences, the Emirates Foundation-or-ganised annual event aims to develop further interest in the discipline.
Salah Al Farajalla, senior vice president, security and national pilot development, Etihad Airways, commented, “We hope that […] our talented young Emirati men and women will improve their understanding of science and technology, be encouraged to continue their studies in science, and consider careers in science, engineering and technology – perhaps in the exciting world of aviation with Etihad Airways.”
Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATTD) signed a memorandum of mutual cooperation with Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) to support the company’s ongoing environment protection and sustainable development campaign.
As Hamad Al Matrooshi, director of strategy and performance office, ATTD, noted, the industry plays a key role in raising awareness of safeguarding the environment and creating a green economy is also part of Ajman’s Vision 2021.
“Some hotels in Ajman are now employing ways to protect the environment in terms of waste management and by partnering with EEG we hope to further improve the process and encourage other hoteliers to do the same,” Al Matrooshi added.
Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, chairman, Al Habtoor Group, contributed AED105,750 (USD28,500) to Dubai-based organisation Awqaf & Minors Affairs Foundation to purchase a bus for the Family Village.
The community provides home for up to 120 orphans and the vehicle will be used to transport children from the village which features 16 villas, a fully-equipped nursery, a kindergarten and a medical facility.
Al Habtoor said, “This donation stems from our belief in the important role that the private institutions must play in society. The Family Village is the first of its kind in the world, and sets the example for others to follow. I hope that others will do what they can to help people less fortunate than themselves.”
AL AIN MUSEUM CELEBRATES
WORLD HERITAGE DAY
ETIHAD ENGAGES WITH EMIRATI YOUTH
AJMAN TOURISM PROMOTES ECO-CONSCIOUSNESS
AL HABTOOR DONATES TO DUBAI CHARITY
Al Ain Palace Museum
Al Habtoor (right) hands the donation
Think Science
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Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts‘ regional team ready to meet existing partners and
establish new relationshipsVisual tours at the Dubai stand
Travelport‘s stand was hard to missMalaysia brought some colours
to the event
Emaar Hospitality presented its portfolio
H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, CEO, Emirates, (centre) visited the company's Infinite Possibilities stand
Qatar also had a strong presence at the show
30 APRIL 2016 23
PHOTO ALBUMwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
ARABIAN TRAVEL MARKET (ATM) 2016 special edition
30 APRIL 201624
NEWS & EVENTS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
ILTM ASIA
Shanghai, ChinaMay 30 – June 02www.iltm.comAn invitation-only event, where travel agents and advisors from across Asia meet the world’s very best luxury travel experiences.
TURKEY & NEIGHBOURS HOTEL INVESTMENT CONFERENCE
Istanbul, TurkeyMay 31 – June 01www.cathic.comNow in its sixth year, this programme for the hotel investment community gathers over 1,000 delegates from across the globe.
WTM CONNECT ASIA
Penang, MalaysiaMay 18 – 20www.wtmconnectasia.comA new show bringing together suppliers of southeast Asia and outbound Chinese, southeast Asian and international hosted buyers.
THE MEETINGS SHOW
London, UKJune 14 – 16www.themeetingsshow.comA premier gathering for the UK inbound and outbound conference industry, organised by meeting professionals for meeting professionals.
EVENTSEgyptian Projects on
Display
dmg Expands in North Africa
Cityscape Egypt concluded yet another successful edi-tion in Cairo, having host-ed over 90 exhibitors and
thousands of visitors.As Khaled Abbas, housing and
technical affairs assistant minister, Egypt, noted, current investments in the country’s real estate market exceed EGP200 billion (USD22 bil-lion), with many of these upcom-ing projects having been show-cased during the four days of the event.
Madaar Development present-ed its luxury waterfront district, AZHA Ain Sokhna, while Capital Group Properties unveiled Albu-rouj, a five million square metre integrated community. Almoez Holding Group also showcased a range of ventures, including Con-tinental Sharm in Nabq Bay, an all-inclusive residential tourism resort and a five-star hotel.
dmg events Middle East, Asia & Af-rica is launching two of its most appealing brands in North Africa, where the region is experiencing
a notable surge in demand for knowl-edge, inspiration and products in the construction and interior design sectors.
The company collaborated with Elan Expo, a provider of professional organ-iser services for leading international trade shows, to launch INDEX North Af-rica, a dedicated show for the interiors, décor and design market, scheduled to take place in December in Casablanca.
Geo-adapting its programmes, the company will also introduce The Big 5 Construct North Africa catering the area’s booming economy which is ex-pected to grow four to five percent by 2020. The event will debut in April 2017 in the same Moroccan city.
