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A DDP PUBLICATION Pages: 16Vol. XI No. 1; January 2015

‘Meeting pods’ at ibtm arabia ..................................................................................03IndiGo on Cloud 10..................................................................................................08One month, one property ........................................................................................10

The year 2014 was anexcellent year for bothAl Bustan Rotana and

Al Murooj Rotana Dubai inachieving targets in revenue,

guest satisfaction and colleague engagement.

“For 2015, we have ahighly positive forecast, yetwe are anticipating chal-lenges just like any other five-star properties in the city.

However, we have plannedour approach and are readyto overcome them. We areoptimistic that we will furtherstrengthen the position of AlBustan Rotana and Al MuroojRotana as key five star hotelsof Rotana in Dubai,” com-

mented Hussein Hachem,Cluster General Manager, AlBustan Rotana Dubai and AlMurooj Rotana Dubai.

Over the last severalyears, Dubai has made itsmark as a prime tourism hub

not only in the Middle East,but internationally and theinternational campaigns pro-moting the city have beenvery strategic. “With the citywinning the bid for Expo 2020and with all the huge prepara-tions underway, it is obviously

setting key hospitality trendsas early as now and we woulddefinitely see the influx ofinbound travellers, both from the business and leisuresegments,” he added.

speaks to travel industry veterans in the Middle East to know their achievements of 2014 and to share their progressive plans for the year 2015.

A bright start to the year aheadSU S M I TA GH O S H

Contd. on page 2

JW Marriott is The Best Hotel in ME

(L-R): Sona Rawal, Director of Sales, JW Marriott, Dubai; Dr. Lalit K Panwar, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism; Sardar Sohan SinghThandal, Tourism Minister of Punjab; Amita Motwani, Mrs. India International 2013; Gareth Cummings, Director of Sales and Marketing,JW Marriott, Dubai and SanJeet, Director, DDP Group at India Travel Awards organised in Crown Plaza Greater Noida in India.

India Travel Awards

Indian tourism celebrated the achievements of those behind the

travel and tourism industry at the maiden edition of India Travel Awards –North, held on December 20, 2014 atCrown Plaza Greater Noida. Theawards were graced by Sardar SohanSingh Thandal, Tourism Minister ofPunjab & Dr. Lalit K Panwar, Secretary,Ministry of Tourism along with a list of distinguished personalities.

JW Marriott, Deira, Dubai was awarded The Best Hotel of the

Middle East. Gareth Cummings,Director of Sales and Marketing, JW Marriott, Dubai and Sona Rawal,Director of Sales, JW Marriott, Dubai were presented with Maya on this occasion. Earlier, the India TravelAwards has recognised the travelindustry players in the South, West and East India. DDP Group will also be launching Emirate TravelAwards in the Middle East to recognisethe efforts of the travel industry in the region.

AGENTS2 TRAVTALK J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5

Of late corporates arecutting cost, though holidaypackages’ demand is rising.Travel trips from Asia rose 8per cent in first 8 months of2014 which is double the glob-al growth. In 2015, Asian citi-zens will undertake aboveaverage trip.

“Online bookings aregrowing and bookings madeby travel agents are decliningand this trend will continue in2015 as well. Airlines will con-tinue with their policy ofbypassing travel agents andoffering better deals directly tocustomers through theironline portals,” assertedArshad Munir, GeneralManager, SATA. “Travel tradewill have to rely more on holi-days and corporate travel.Though the current oil price isbeing at the lowest trend since2009, yet it does not promisewell for corporate sector in the

short term. We are expectingregional holidays to haverobust growth in 2015.”

“The momentum of YasIsland as a destination helpedour hotels achieve double digit

growth in RevPar. I expecteven more growth in 2015,largely in part to the opening

of Abu Dhabi's largest shop-ping destination, Yas Mall, thecontinued popularity of Yas

Island's theme parks, and theever expanding array of mar-quee events held on theIsland,” explained ThierryPerrot, Area GeneralManager, InterContinentalHotels Group.

Yas Mall has had atremendous impact alreadyand its strength as a shoppingdestination will continue togrow and impact demand onYas Island. Etihad Airwaysgrowth has been massive; withtheir projected 50 per centincrease in connections anddestinations, and growing listof routes and markets surelyensures that Yas Island andAbu Dhabi Emirate will seeincreases in air travellers. The airport expansion is a clear indicator that Abu Dhabi is a destination on agrowth trajectory.

“Online booking tools,travel websites, etc. will

Contd. from page 1

Expo 2020 is the major keyfor an overall positive trend.

There are a lot of new projectscoming up in Dubai. Thegrowth in property and con-struction sectors will producehuge demand for new workers.It is expected that Expo will cre-ate 275,000 to 300,000 newjobs in UAE. Tourism/hospitalityand construction sectors areexpected to create highestnumber of jobs in UAE. Theimpact of travel and tourism will be significant.

“The inbound tourismhelps in growing the business-es for most of the trades inUAE and in return outbound isgrowing day by day. The year2015 is just a preparation and2016 onwards, a muchstronger impact is anticipated,”informed Nasir Jamal Khan,CEO, Al Naboodah Travel.

The infrastructure andfacilities in Dubai are gettingbetter and larger in operationservice. A total of 140 new

hotels are expected to open inDubai 2016. The hotel apart-ments’ room capacity isexpected to grow from 82000rooms at present to approxi-mately 164000. Airline indus-try is also expected to benefit.

“We forecast a tremen-dous inbound traffic, 20 millionvisitors are expected per yearup to 2020.The inboundtourism helps in growing thebusiness for most of the tradein UAE, consequently out-bound travel is growing day by day. 2015 will be theyear of initial preparation,much stronger and positiveimpact is expected 2016onward,” he added.

The new attractionsinclude, Crocodile Park, fishmarket, traditional souks,museums, Miniature Park anda Palm Park. There are fourdifferent segments whileassessing the business of AlNaboodah in 2014 if com-pared to 2013. BSP is oneindicator and then Low CostCarrier (LCC) which is notincluded in BSP that’s anotherindicator and then airlines’direct sale which is not includ-ed in BSP the tourism sectorinbound and outbound. If allput together, the growth is notless than 20 per cent, expect-ing more business in 2015.

Al Naboodah Travel looks ahead to incorporate paymentgateway with their online system by Q1, 2015. talksto the CEO of the company to know more about its future plans and strategies.

Inbound pushes business

SU S M I TA GH O S H

The congress was held inRas Al Khaimah from Dec

8-12, 2014, bringing in 60agents from Kazakhstan. Theevent focused on the effortsand initiatives of Natalie Toursbringing in tourists fromKazakhstan into the UAE.

Natalie Tours has carveda niche as one of the leadingtour operators into the UAE, bringing around two million tourists from Russiaand the CIS states over thepast decade.

“After the success of theprevious edition, anothermeet was in order. With the

continuous support and guid-ance that we’ve been receiv-ing from Alpha Tours, we areconfident that tourism in UAEwill go from strength tostrength,” said VladimirVorobiev, President ofNatalie Tours.

According to reports, theUAE tourism market is expect-ed to grow further over thenext three to five years, drivenby strong air connectivity andthe diversification of its offer-ing. In Dubai, hotel guestarrivals have been growing ata compound annual growthrate (CAGR) of 8 per centbetween 2009 and 2013. InAbu Dhabi, Fujairah and RasAl Khaimah, guest arrivals

have had a CAGR of 15 percent, 18 per cent and 39 percent, respectively, during thesame period. While AbuDhabi’s tourism sector is driv-en by the corporate andMICE, the Emirate is diversi-fying its tourism demand base by focusing on the leisure segment

Adnan Aridi, ManagingDirector of Alpha Tours waspleased with the turnout. “Ourassociation with Natalie Tourshas really helped us under-stand what this growing mar-ket needs to get the next level.The meets have been veryfruitful and this is only thebeginning of a great chapterUAE tourism”, he said.

In alliance with Ras Al Khaimah Tourism DevelopmentAuthority (TDA), Alpha Tours held its second congressrecently, in association with Natalie Tours again. Thesuccess of the previous congress led to this edition.

Alpha meets Natalie again

TT BU R E AUNasir Jamal KhanCEOAl Naboodah Travel

2015 will be theyear of initialpreparation,much strongerand positiveimpact isexpected for the year 2016

Delegates meet at the congress in Ras Al Khaimah

Travel trade will have to rely more on holidays and corporatetravel this year

For 2015, we have a positive forecastand we are optimistic of furtherstrengthening our position

Hussein HachemCluster General ManagerAl Bustan Rotana Dubai and Al Murooj Rotana Dubai

Arshad MunirGeneral ManagerSATA

I expect moregrowth, largely inpart to the openingof Yas Mall, AbuDhabi's largestshopping point

Thierry PerrotArea General ManagerInterContinental Hotels Group

Tourism is one of thekey global economicand social driversand plays a big rolein the economicprogress

HE Khalid Jasim Al MidfaDirector General, SharjahCommerce and TourismDevelopment Authority

Positivity among the travel trade for 2015

Contd. on page 3

EXHIBITIONS J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 TRAVTALK 3

An all-inclusive solution isthe new meeting pod

package, which provides noadditional stand costs, freightor build up costs. The pricealso includes access to 9 net-working opportunities, a diaryof up to 30 mutually matchedappointments, entrance to theibtm arabia KnowledgeForum, part of the ‘DiscoverDay’ and catering throughoutthe entire event.

“Our innovative designgives both exhibitors and

Hosted Buyers the environ-ment they need to undertakebusiness meetings and that’s

the focus of ibtm arabia 2015.The all-encompassing solu-tion is a design that allows thecustomisation of an exhibitor’scorporate branding, all donein advance of their arrivalonsite. One price, no hassleand exhibitors arrive fresh forthe beginning of their busyschedule. It will include some30 appointments over thecourse of the event,” said Lois Wilcox, ExhibitionManager, ibtm arabia.

ibtm arabia expects tomatch mutually over 6,000pre-scheduled appointmentsbetween exhibitors andHosted Buyers on a 1-1 ratio that includes both regional and international buyers and suppliers.

“The new concept is aresult of feedback receivedfrom key industry stakehold-

ers including those from theprivate and public sectors, aswell as other professionalMICE organisations. It highlights the need to focus on time and resourcespurely on business meetings,knowledge and networking,”added Wilcox.

ibtm arabia has unveiled the design impression of its exhibitor ‘Meeting Pods’ for the transformation of the region’s MICE event. For the firsttime, it’s taking place at The St. Regis Hotel Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi from Feb 10-12, 2015

‘Meeting Pods’ at ibtm arabia

TT BU R E AU

Lois WilcoxExhibition Manageribtm arabia

The all-encompassing solution is a design that allows the customisation of an exhibitor’s corporate branding, all done in advance of their arrival onsite

� The new concept is aresult of feedbackreceived from keyindustry stakeholdersincluding those from theprivate and publicsectors, as well as otherprofessional

� An all-inclusive solutionis the new meeting podpackage, which providesno additional standcosts, freight or build up costs

New Concept

Travel trade sings happynotes for New Year

continue to impact travellersbuying decisions. And let's not forget Abu Dhabi's expandingreputation as a MICE destination; this will continueto bring visitors to the Island for an experienceunlike any other. And the opening of The Louvre onSaddiyaat Island in late 2015is going to be a crown jewel and absolute travel destination,” he added.

HE Khalid Jasim AlMidfa, Director General,Sharjah Commerce andTourism DevelopmentAuthority highlighted the suc-cessful growth of the tourismsector in the Emirate over thepast few years.

Referring to 2014’s 9 percent growth in the tourism and hospitality sectors, Al Midfa emphasised the need for tourism infrastructure and facilities to keep pace withthe growing demand, providing the best possible,world-class services andamenities to Sharjah’s

guests for a perfect touristic experience.

The SCTDA DirectorGeneral pointed out thattourism plays a critical role inthe economic progress ofnations. Al Midfa said thattourism now contributes asmuch as 8.5 per cent toSharjah’s GDP.

The Sharjah TourismAdvisory Committee, chairedby HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa,Director General, SharjahCommerce and TourismDevelopment Authority, heldits first meeting recently atthe Sharjah Chamber ofCommerce and Industry todiscuss the latest develop-ments and achievements inthe tourism sector, amidst thechallenges and massivegrowth faced by the industryin ME and globally.

This meeting is the firststep in the development ofconsolidated plans and strategies, leading to a new era of growth in theEmirate’s tourism sector, he emphasised.

Contd. from page 2

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U74899DL1989PTC038620

There are plenty reasons to cheer for in theMiddle East as it unwinds the year 2014;

The Middle East aviation sector continues tofly high registering strong growth; thehospitality sector has been shining and amultiple-entry visa system for cruise tourists inthe UAE is likely to give further fillip to tourism.

The latest data from the IATA shows thatMiddle Eastern carriers once again recordeddouble-digit increases, mounting 13 per cent.

On the hospitality front, Abu Dhabi's 156hotels and hotel apartments reported thatmonths from January-September 2014 havebeen the most successful ones ever so in termsof guest arrivals, guest nights, occupancy andrevenue. As per Abu Dhabi Tourism and CultureAuthority figures, from the beginning of 2014to the end of September, 2,498,672 guestschecked into the emirate's accommodation, a26 per cent year-on-year increase.

In the first half of 2014, Dubai hotelswelcomed over 5.8 million tourists, the highestnumber on record. Interestingly, this wasachieved despite a reduction of flights throughDubai International Airport due to upgradingof the runways, with strong growth beingrecorded from many key source markets,including China, Brazil, Australia and manyEuropean countries.

It is not just Abu Dhabi and Dubai. TheSharjah Commerce and Tourism DevelopmentAuthority reported that during the first half of2014, the number of visitors to the emiratereached one million, a 15 per cent increaseover the same period in 2013.

In Ras Al Khaimah, the opening of newhotels has helped cope with the increase invisitors from the emirate's top five sourcemarkets, led by the rest of the UAE, followed byGermany, Russia, the UK and India. A total of330,048 visitors arrived in the first half of 2014.

A multiple-entry visa system for cruisetourists in the UAE, introduced earlier this year,is expected boost ship calls by 16 per cent andpassenger numbers by 7 per cent next season.

Overall, there is every reason for thetourism industry to look forward to a vibrant,result-oriented new year.

3 cheers for tourism

EDITORIAL

All through the year, wehave numerous festivi-

ties and celebrations that wewould like everyone, mostespecially our visitors fromthe GCC and the rest ofMiddle East region to enjoyand experience.

JANUARY

In January, there arenumerous parades and eventshappening throughout thecountry that will give our visi-tors an extensive look on ourexquisite traditions that isunique and vibrant with theentire amazing backdrop thatis Thailand. This time of theyear is also perfect for peoplewho would like to start theiryear fresh and revitalized, asThailand is home of numerousworld class spa resorts andclinics that will surely make youface the new year with moreenergy and vibrancy.

FEBRUARY

February is a month tocelebrate Chinese New Year.For centuries, China andThailand has forged a lastingkinship through our shared his-tory and descendants of themainland China, who havebecome a prevalent part ofThai society nowadays. And forthe month of love, we celebratealong with the annual celebra-tion of the Lunar New Year. Forthis month, both Thailand andChina will jointly celebrate theauspicious occasion of the60th anniversary of HRHPrincess Maha ChakriSirindhorn, revered as “TheBest International Friend ofChina,” with spectacular per-formances from China andnumerous festivals right on thestreet in the heart of Bangkok’sChinatown.

MARCH

March is Muay Thaimonth. Known as fast, furious

and frightening sport, MuayThai is truly a one-of-a-kindmartial art where literally allbody parts are used asweapon to fight the opponent.The first record of Muay Thaiis dated as far as half a mil-lennium ago. Since then, theart of Thai boxing has beenpassed down from masters tostudents. It was only until laterin the 19th century that thesport found its way to interna-tional fame.

Also this month,Thailand will arrange a grandWai kru ceremony right at thebirthplace of the art master inthe Ayutthaya Historical Park.Practitioners all over the world(as well as visitors) are invitedto join in this once in a lifetimeexperience in commemora-tion of the art and the grand-master of Muay Thai.

APRIL

In Thailand, April is syn-onymous to wet, as this monthwe celebrate the Songkran fes-tival or Thai New Year. Repeattravelers to Thailand are notnew to this tradition, watersplashing on the streets amidstthe summer heat. Many peopleconnote Thai New Year as justthrowing water celebration butin fact there is a deeperessence behind it. It is all about Harmony, bringing people all together as one big happy family and sharing the fun altogether.

MAY

May is about Music.Each year, we light up stagesafter stages and bring hun-dreds of thousands of audi-ences to their feet. In 2015,Hua Hin will take its turn tohost the Thailand MusicFestival where headliners aswell as up and coming artistswill share to throw one of themost explosive and extrava-gant shows together while

enjoying Thailand’s top beachdestination as your backdrop.

JUNE

The year will never becomplete without June as thisis the month of Thailand GrandSale. Thailand is known as theone of the best shopping des-tinations in the world and welive up to expectation of ourvisitors. Shopaholics can enjoynumerous offers from majorcredit cards as several uniqueand privilege discounts arebeing offered during this time.So make sure that you havesave a room for shopping!

JULY

While the ASEANEconomic Community (AEC)is on the pipeline, Thailand willinitiate AEC Folk MusicFestival in July as we believethat music is the vehicle thathelps us form a strong bondacross 10 different cultures.

AUGUST

This month, we welcomeeveryone to join us in a celebration aestheticalexchange where music from allover the region is broughttogether in one place inThailand. Thailand is popularfor the smooth silk produceand August is the month to payhomage to this wonderfulblessing as we celebrate theQueen of Silk Festival. Youcould never ever leaveThailand without trying our dishes.

SEPTEMBER

In September, we will celebrate ThailandInternational Food Festivalwhere number of Thai andinternational chefs will cometogether in one spectacularculinary journey where livedemonstrations and gastro-nomic creations await you!

OCTOBER

October is TTT: ThailandTime Trial season which will beheld in the provinces of ChiangMai and Lamphun. A thrillingride awaits all participants insearch for the King of the Hill.

NOVEMBER

You have never been toThailand unless you have cel-ebrated the Loy Krathong fes-tival which is held annually inNovember. For more that cen-turies now, the full moon nightof November is the nightwhere Loy Krathong festival iscelebrated. It represents thebond between the traditionalThai way of life and the river which is the bloodline ofthe country.

DECEMBER

Before end of the yearDecember, we celebrate ourNational Day and the KingsBirthday which makes every-body in the country in festivemood with the sound of HisMajesty’s blues on back-ground, it’s the perfect way toreflect and be ready for anoth-er year ahead.

2015 is the best time toDiscover Thainess so I wouldlike to invite everyone to visit Thailand and discover it for yourself.

Tourism Authority of Thailand launched a new campaign, Discover Thainess, for2015 offering the foreigners the essence of ‘Thainess’ through the Thai way oflife, Thai culture and Thai experiences. This distinctive character of ‘Thainess’draws tourists to explore and share their experiences with local Thai communities.

Discover Thainess in 2015

Chalermsak SuranantDirector, Tourism Authority ofThailand, Middle East office

AVIATION J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 TRAVTALK 5

Providing regular sched-uled services to various

European cities and tourist attractions, the NIKI Airlines has instigated its firstregular service to Abu Dhabi in partnership withEtihad Airways.

The new flight serviceoperational at Abu DhabiInternational will provideflights between Abu Dhabiand Vienna arriving in AUH at19:50 and departing at 02:40.The Austrian airline is the sev-enth airline to enroll the Etihadpartners programme. EtihadAirways has placed its ‘EY’code on the service as part ofa codeshare agreement withNIKI and connects the flightswith leading destinationsacross its network in theMiddle East, Africa, India,North and South Asia and Australia.

The partners pro-gramme launched in October2014 differentiates itself fromcomparable predecessors by

offering more comprehensiveairline alliance presentingbenefits beyond pure commercial cooperation,including network and frequent flyer alignment.

Ahmad Al Haddabi,Chief Operations Officer atAbu Dhabi Airports said, “AbuDhabi Airport is pleased to

welcome NIKI Airline to thecapital as part of our commit-ment to offering more routeswhile strengthening our links

with major European cities.This new service is aimed at passengers travel-ling both for business as well as for leisure.

The timings are gearedtowards making convenientconnections in Abu Dhabi foronward points in the Gulf,Asia and Australia. This

agreement serves to reinforceAUH’s position as an interna-tional aviation hub and AbuDhabi Airport looks forward tooffering its world-class services to yet another strategic airline partner.”

This service marks thefirst long haul for NIKI Airlineand the debut of its businessclass offering. This codesharealliance will also allow EtihadAirways a more direct accessto the route plying betweenVienna and Abu Dhabi creat-ing the distinct possibility offollow up route links to otherdestinations across the net-work operated by NIKI Airline.

Characterised by a low cost, full service method of dealing with clientele,NIKI Airlines, a subsidiary of Air Berlin and headquartered at the ViennaInternational Airport, holds true to its tag line – ‘The passenger comes first’

ADIA greets first NIKI flight

TT BU R E AU

� This service marks thefirst long haul for NIKIAirline and the debut ofits business classoffering

And the 1st Service

Abu Dhabi Airport is pleased to welcome NIKI Airline to the capital as part of ourcommitment to offering more routes while strengthening our links with majorEuropean cities

Ahmad Al HaddabiChief Operations Officer, Abu Dhabi Airports

Rotana, the leadinghotel managementcompany in the MiddleEast, Africa, South Asia and EasternEurope, has beenrecognized for itscontinuous effor ts andsuccess by attaining aspecial achievementaward for the World’sLeading Business Hotel Brand at theWorld Travel Awards,the premier globalawards event thatpromotes excellence inthe travel and tourismindustry. Fur thermore, the Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi has brought home top honors at the event, taking the World’s Leading Corporate Resor t title. The awards were announced recently at a black-tie gala event in the paradise island of Anguilla in the Caribbean.

Rotana awarded at the‘Travel Oscars’ Grand Final

Abu Dhabi’s 156 hotelsand hotel apartments are nudging closer to theEmirate’s 3.1 million guest target for this year withfigures just released by Abu Dhabi Tourism &

Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) showing2,838,842 guests checked into the destination in the first10 months of this year – 25 per cent uplift on the sameperiod in 2013.

Abu Dhabi hotels report 20% increase in guest nights

(L-R) Omer Kaddouri, President & CEO. RightMr. Greg Alan, Area Vice President - AbuDhabi, Al Ain and Salalah

CRUISES6 TRAVTALK J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5

Oceania Cruises' 1,250-guest Marina debuted in

January 2011 and her sistership, Riviera, debuted in May2012. They join their sisterships Regatta, Insignia andNautica in offering the finestcuisine at sea, warm and personalised service and a destination experience thatis second to none.

“Oceania Insignia will visitDubai in Sep 2015 offering a20 days cruise to Singapore.Oceania Cruises has nowincluded Dubai to their yearly

cruise calendar as Dubai andthe UAE has grown in immi-nence for its hospitable culture,architecture, luxurious hotels,shopping malls, outstanding

facilities for outdoor activitiesand sport around the world,”informed Ashley Noronha,Managing Director, Best OrbitTravel & Leisure Services.

As the leader in destina-tion cruising, Oceania Cruisessails to more than 330 portsaround the globe. Itinerariesare unique in that they call onthe perfect mix of must-seemarquee and boutique, ports. “Multiple overnight callsafford an in-depth, enrichingdestination experience and allow travellers toimmerse themselves in thecuisine, culture and history ofthe ports we visit,” he furtherstated. Oceania Cruisesformed in 2002 by luxu-ry cruise industryveterans is theworld’s largestupper premiumcruise line.

Oceania Nautica recently visited Dubai and Abu Dhabiwhere travel agents were taken on a guided tour of thenumerous up-market facilities on board and later hostedto a 6 star 5 course sit-down lunch with beverages.

ME charms agents

TT BU R E AU

Oceania Cruises has included Dubai to theiryearly cruise calendar as Dubai and theUAE has grown in imminence for itshospitable culture, architecture, hotels,shopping malls and sport around the world

Dubai Cruise Tourism, partof Dubai Tourism, is set

for a busy season, with atotal of 110 cruise ship callscarrying more than 381,000passengers arriving overnext seven months. The num-ber of cruise lovers is set torise by 19 per cent on the2013/2014 season. Itexplains an additional 60,000sea-travellers will embark,disembark or transit at MinaRashid, Dubai.

Dubai Tourism forecastsfurther growth for the cruisesector. It’s spurred by theupcoming opening of an addi-

tional new 27,000 m2terminal at MinaRashid later this sea-

son and the newcost effectiveMultiple Entry UAE

visa implementation for thecruise tourists.

Hamad bin Mejren,Executive Director, Dubai

Tourism commented, “We areset to record significantgrowth in ship calls and in thenumber of cruise lovers. Weare expanding our facilitieswith the opening of a new ter-minal and with the availabilityof new multiple-entry UAEcruise visa, ensure anincreasingly attractive desti-nation, Dubai.”

“We have growth targetsfor cruise as part of our DubaiTourism Vision for 2020 as we

With the arrival of the Rotterdam recently, Dubai’s cruiseseason got a boost. In Nov 2014, Mina Rashid havewelcomed 11 ship calls carrying over 39,954 passengers andcrew with nine of the 11 vessels staying overnight in Dubai.

Cruise lovers tally up 19%

TT BU R E AU

We are expanding our facilities with theopening of a new terminal and with theavailability of new multiple-entry UAEcruise visa, ensure an increasinglyattractive destination, Dubai

The Ministry of Tourism,Oman, reported 18 per

cent increase in cruise pas-

sengers for 2014. Accordingto Khalid Al Zadjali, Directorof Tourism Events, Oman’sMinistry of Tourism and hostof the Forum, “In 2013, 115ships called into Oman, a fig-ure that is set to increase sig-nificantly over the comingthree years.”

For high level discus-sions to debate the future ofcruising in the region, present

were the executives fromCosta, Crystal Cruises,Cunard, Holland AmericaLine, MSC Cruises, NobleCaledonia, P&O Cruises,

Princess Cruises, RoyalCaribbean International,Seabourn, Silversea, and TUICruises along with GCC gov-ernment representatives fromthe ports and tourism sectors.

“Oman is an essentialpart of TUI Cruises' MiddleEast itineraries,” commentedTine Oelmann, Director PortOperations, Shorex andGround Handling. “Both

Muscat and Khasab offer passengers a different experience after the cityscapesof the UAE. In Oman, they canfind heritage, culture and

nature, highlighting the diversity of this region. ” TUICruises' Mein Schiff 2 is currently operating its second Middle East wintercruise program incorporatingseven day butterfly cruises outof Dubai and the Germanbrand is set to return again in2015/16. Plans were alsounveiled to deploy a 3rd

ship, Mein Schiff 3 to the regionfor 2016/17.

The plans for the formation of a long-term tourism strategywere revealed at The Seatrade Middle East Cruise Forumin Muscat, Oman by HE Maitha Al Mahrooqi,undersecretary at Oman's Ministry of Tourism.

115 ships call on Oman

TT BU R E AU

Maitha Al Mahrooqi, undersecretary at Oman's Ministry of Tourism (fourth from left) at the event

Ashley NoronhaManaging DirectorBest Orbit Travel & Leisure Services

Hamad bin MejrenExecutive DirectorDubai Tourism

Contd. on page 10

NTO J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 TRAVTALK 7

Dubai welcomed thelargest ever tourism

industry Mega FAM trip com-prising travel operators, wed-ding planners, MICE opera-tors, niche segment special-ists and media experts repre-senting 16 cities across Indiafrom December 6-9, 2014.

Hosted by Dubai’sDepartment of Tourism and Commerce Marketing

(DTCM), the Mega FAMwhich included 440 representatives of the travelindustry partners, aimed toprovide Dubai’s Indian tradepartners with a first-handexperience of all that Dubaihas to offer as a business andleisure destination. “This FAMtrip was a huge success, we were pleased to be able to welcome and host such a large group from India,which is one of our key source markets.

In fact, in the first sixmonths of 2014, Indiahad been our secondtop source marketand saw tremendousgrowth.

It continues to be a keyfocus for us and roadshows toIndia and FAM trips such asthese are a great way toensure our partners in themarket remain up-to-date witheverything going on in Dubai– the first-hand experience isalso the ideal way to driveenthusiasm for the destination.

In addition, this was avaluable exercise for ourstakeholders in Dubai whothrough face-to-face meetingsand networking sessions wereable to exchange informationand ideas which will provebeneficial as we furtherstrengthen business relation-ships with our partners inIndia,” said Issam Kazim,CEO, DTCM.

As India is one of Dubai’s biggest source markets, DTCMhosted the largest ever FAM for the Indian travel industry.

Largest ever FAM to Dubai

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Since the induction of directflight between Dubai and

Glasgow by Emirates Airlinesten years ago, the number ofvisitors from the Emirate andthe Middle East has gone up.Presently, it is flying twicedaily. It has further resultedQatar Airways to fly five daysa week from Doha toEdinburgh and furthermoreEtihad Airways setting up its services from next year onwards.

The number of visitorsfrom Qatar has gone up 33per cent from a comparableperiod in 2013. Now ScottishDevelopment International islooking ahead to Saudi mar-ket and also is in the processof headhunting an F&B (Foodand Beverage) specialist forthe region.

Tom Marchbanks,Middle East Regional Manager,Scottish Development

International in this regardinformed, "Scotland has estab-lished itself as a primary desti-nation for high-end tourists fromthe Arab world, offering its

authenticity, excellent hospitalityand diverse experiences. Thisenthusiasm into direct invest-ment in the hospitality sectorfrom the Gulf region is clearlyreflected in our latest figures."

The Middle East region isrecognised as being the fastgrowing market with valuableopportunities for Scottishorganisations and their interna-tional growth plans. “Inresponse to demand, ScottishDevelopment International(SDI) opened a Middle Eastoffice, in the British Embassy,Dubai in January 2010. “Therole of the office is two-fold -Trade and Inward Investment.Since four years, SDI in the MEhas supported numerous TradeMissions who have visited theregion and helped setting uptheir offices here,” elucidatedMarchbanks. Scottish hotelsrank themselves as secondbest out of 13 competitivenations when it comes to totalinvestment returns in theleased hotel sector.

The Scottish travel industry is directly tapping the Middle East clientele base. reports...

Scotland taps ME market

SU S M I TA GH O S H

Scotland hasestablished itselfas a primarydestination forhigh-end touristsfrom the Arab world

Tom MarchbanksMiddle East Regional ManagerScottish Development International

AVIATION8 TRAVTALK J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5

Effective December 15,2014, IndiGo introduced a

new daily non-stop flightbetween Dubai and

Bengaluru and a new dailynon-stop flight between Dubaiand Kozhikode from January2, 2015. Kozhikode will be the 32nd domestic and37th overall destination in the IndiGo network.

IndiGo will see bothbusiness and leisure travellerstravelling to and fromKozhikode and Bengaluru.The airlines cater to varioussegments, providing maxi-mum connectivity from across

the country and Middle-Easton its network.

Aditya Ghosh,President, IndiGo said, “2014has been a landmark year forus, winning Airbus ExcellenceAward-the first for an Indianairline. We placed our firmorder of 250 A-320, inductingour 100th aircraft. We are

delighted about adding newconnections from Dubai. Thenew international flights fromDubai to Kozhikode, our 37thdestination and Bengaluru aretestimony of our commitmentto the business and leisure

travellers.” “Dubai has alwaysbeen an important part of ourdestination network and our 8daily flights from the city is theacknowledgment to the goodprospect for both inbound andoutbound business andleisure travellers besides thestudents and young workingprofessionals belonging to theregions,” Ghosh added.

IndiGo announces the addition of daily non-stop flightsfrom Dubai to Kozhikode and Bengaluru. Now, IndiGo willoffer a total of ten daily non-stop flights to eight Indiancities with a capacity of 12,600 weekly seats.

IndiGo on Cloud 10

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Dallas/Fort WorthInternational Airport

welcomed Etihad Airways and its new service from Abu Dhabi with traditional‘shower of affection’ watercannon salute from theAirport’s Department of Public Safety.

Unique about the serv-ice from Abu Dhabi to DFW isthat arriving passengers canbe pre-screened by USCustoms and Border

Protection (CBP) beforeboarding their flight in AbuDhabi. Abu Dhabi is one of thefew airports outside theUnited States to offer anonsite US CBP facility.

“Etihad Airways ispleased to introduceDallas/Fort Worth as our sixthdestination served within the

United States,” said JamesHogan, President and ChiefExecutive Officer of EtihadAirways. “We appreciate the

Scheduled to start from April 16, 2015, Etihad Airwayswill offer direct services between Abu Dhabi and Dallas/FortWorth International Airport with Boeing 777-200LR aircraft.

Abu Dhabi-Dallas direct

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Aditya GhoshPresidentIndiGo

Dubai has always been an important part of our destination network and our8 daily flights from the city is theacknowledgment to the good prospect forboth inbound and outbound business With more than US$ 320 million in

total trade last year with the UAE just throughDFW, the new route opens the door for additionaleconomic opportunity for North Texas

Sean DonohueCEO of DFW Airport

We appreciate thesupport from theDFW InternationalAirport, which led toour plannedincrease infrequency to includenonstop dailyflights, beginningApril 2015Contd. on page 11

James HoganPresident and Chief Executive OfficerEtihad Airways

HOTELS1 0 TRAVTALK J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5

To communicate the impor-tance of recycling and

proper waste disposal, espe-cially to the younger genera-tion, Ramada Hotel andSuites Ajman recently gave atour and a brief lecture about the zero landfill projectto students from Al ManarIman School.

Iftikhar Hamdani,General Manager, RamadaAjman, who pioneered theenvironmental initiatives, com-mented, “Our team aims toreach out and impart ourknowledge on proper wastemanagement, not just inAjman, but also in otherEmirates. We hope thatthrough these initiatives, wecan motivate both public and private entities to join us in our efforts in protectingthe environment for the future generations.”

Ajman also hosted anumber of site visits in its

compost and recycling centre,as well as in the urban farm,to various groups includingrepresentatives from DubaiMunicipality, international vis-itors from Prague, CzechRepublic, teachers from UmmSuqeim Model School and

Green Hope UAE volunteers,among others.

Hamdani is also taking part as a speaker

in several sustainability conferences to share thehotel’s green initiatives. He was one of the speakers in the recent Hospitality

Expansion ME Congress; his conferences in 2014include World Food Day, Hotel Show’s VisionConference 2014, HotelierME’s Sustainability Summitand the inaugural UAE Green Festival.

Ramada Hotel and Suites Ajman beefs up green initiatives through a seriesof awareness programmes on waste management. It has been imparted todifferent sectors like schools, government entities and private companies.

Geared up for green initiatives

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Iftikhar HamdaniGeneral ManagerRamada Ajman

We hope that through these initiatives, we can motivate both public and privateentities to join us in our efforts inprotecting the environment for the future generations

People being made aware on green initiatives

After almost a yearof renovation andan investment ofover AED100m byowner Majid AlFuttaim, PullmanDubai Deira CityCentre hotel will be opening and re-launching their refurbishedcosmopolitan residences this month -providing guests with a distinguishedresidential address to call their own.The Pullman Dubai City CentreResidences proposes chic andcomfortable living; offering a range of layouts to cater to all needs withstudios, one bedroom and 2 bedroom apartments, plus an added optionof connecting rooms to create up to 4 bedroom apartments. Pullmanresidences also facilitate to those guests with reduced mobility.

The hotel chain is moving ina new direction now by

bringing the convenience ofusing a social media app tomake and confirm bookings at any of hotel group’s properties worldwide.

Tarek Lotfy, RegionalRevenue Director, GoldenTulip MENA elaborated onwhat sets the hotel groupapart from its contemporaries.“The Facebook page for thegroup also has a reservationengine which allows gueststhe convenience of staying upto date with the group’s activ-ities while having the option ofmaking their bookings on thesame page,” he commented.“The mobile app provided toguests also presents further

utility. It can act as an alternatekey to open a room besidesthe app also allows food reser-vations and other relevantbookings and services.”

In the future, the group ishoping to add another featureof convenience which will allowguests to have a detailed lookat the room they booked. Thehotel which has posted a 23per cent increase from a com-parable period in 2013 is opti-mistically expecting to have anover 50 per cent increase inoccupancy rates in 2015. Inone of the biggest deals in thefield of tourism for this year wasto sign with Djoser Hotel man-agement. It was agreed tochange the hotel's name toNarmer Golden Tulip instead ofDjoser for a period of ten years,renewable for two terms.

The Golden Tulip is the 8th largest hotel group in the worldwith over 230 properties in 42 nations. The group isplanning to furthermore unveil a property a month untilthe regional properties exceed 70 in 2015.

One month, one property

Cruising high on seas

SU S M I TA GH O S H

Local and internationalaward winning hospitality

super stars shone bright at the gala dinner ceremony

hosted at the Bay Hotel’smajestic Rotunda in CampsBay, Cape Town, alongsideleading hoteliers from around the globe.

“We are so pleased tohave our hotel recognised inthis prestigious award,” saidGeorge Demitry, GeneralManager, City SeasonsMuscat. “The 334-room

hotel, that opened its doorssome four years ago, is located in the heart of the commercial districts andis a true milestone to

the country’s business accomplishments.” “We arevery proud of such achieve-ment. With an excellent serv-ice delivery, offers and qualityas well as attention to details,City Seasons Muscat is theflagship of the City Seasonsproperties. It has perfectlyled the role since its openingthat are cornerstone to thevision of what great hotelsshould be all about,”announced Sheikh AhmedMussallem Bin Ham, VicePresident, City SeasonsHotels. “City SeasonsMuscat is leading the way of where we want to see all our hotels in all theircategories. Winning theaward of Luxury City Hotel is the proof that we are on the right track,” added Bin Ham.

City Season Muscat Hotel, represented by their GeneralManager, George Demitry, became the winner of the LuxuryCity Hotel category for 2014. The 8th annual World Luxury Hotel Awards was celebrated in South Africa.

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The Facebook pagefor the group has areservation enginewhich allows gueststhe convenience ofstaying up to datewith the group’sactivities

Tarek LotfyRegional Revenue DirectorGolden Tulip MENA

aim to become the world’sleading destination for familytourism. Not only are weactively seeking to increasethe volume of cruise travellersfrom the traditional sourcemarkets of North America andWestern Europe, but we arealso looking to attract first timeglobal cruise travellers fromChina and the Far East, aswell as India and the sub-con-tinent. There is a real opportu-nity to grow intra-regionalcruise tourism with our GCC

neighbours, expect to wel-come 450,000 annual cruisetourists by 2016 and to record continued, sustainablegrowth into 2020 and beyond.” This season, thenumber of vessels usingDubai Cruise Terminal as theirhome port increases to six andthese vessels are expected tomake a total of 83 trips in com-parison to 63 trips in2013/2014 season. DubaiResidency and NationalizationDepartment confirmed that fol-lowing an initial announce-ment in August,

Contd. from page 6

The New Pullman DubaiCity Centre Residences

With an excellent service delivery and quality as well as attention to details, City Seasons Muscat is the flagshipof the City Seasons properties

George DemitryGeneral Manager, City Seasons Muscat

World Luxury Hotel Awards

TECHNOLOGY J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 TRAVTALK 1 1

Destinia offers 24-hourbooking, 365 days a year

and innovative servicesincluding a Google glassreservation app, bitcoin pay-ment and a soon to be

launched ‘payment on deliv-ery’ facility, in December 2014.

Destinia.com anticipatesannual double digit growthduring the next three years

with ambitions to become theleading online travel agency inthe Middle East by 2017.

Destinia.com has expe-rienced increase in sales of 46per cent in 2013 in the MiddleEast, representing 20 per cent

of the company’s overallsales. During 2014,Destina.com has witnessedfurther double digit growthfrom the Middle East’s salesfurther increasing by 120 per

cent and expects the MENAregion to represent around 30per cent of the company’soverall sales in the next threeyears. “E-commerce is agrowing industry in the MiddleEast,” commented AmudaGoueli, CEO and Co-Founder, Destinia.com, “TheMiddle East market is experi-encing considerable growthand is estimated to reach fif-

teen billion dollars in 2015,according to PayPal. Moremoney is spent on travel thanon any other online purchasein the region and there ispresently no strong localonline travel agency.”

Destina.com was thefirst international travel web-site in the market to offer itswebpages in Arabic in 2007.“The Middle East market isvery discerning and keen toembrace new technology.Destinia has launched ‘payfrom home’ system inDecember 2014, sparked bystatistics showing that almost80 per cent of local buyersprefer a ‘cash on delivery’ pay-ment method. Clients makereservations online, a couriervisits their homes and uses anapp to record payment of theinvoice, after which the sys-tem sends out a reservation

voucher via email. It’s easy,convenient and secured,” confirmed Goueli.

Presently Destinia.com isfirming up agreements withlocal tour operators to offerproducts and services that aremore suited to local tastes andalso form alliances with region-al travel agencies as techno-logical partners under theOnline Travel brand name.Online Travel is the sister com-pany which offers theDestinia.com technology to tra-ditional travel agencies to offeran online service.

Destinia.com, one of Europe’s online travel agencies, has re-launched in the Middle East with63 million website users in 2013 with a bespoke service for discerning GCC-based travellers.A new sales office in Dubai in January 2014 was opened. It’s their second launch in the Middle East following Cairo office in November 2007.

International flavour, local taste Opening doorsto better biz

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Amuda GoueliCEO and Co-FounderDestinia.com

The Middle East market is very discerningand keen to embrace new technology.Destinia has launched ‘pay from home’system in December 2014, sparked bystatistics showing that almost 80 per centof local buyers prefer a ‘cash on delivery’payment method

� Destinia.com is firmingup agreements with localtour operators to offerproducts and servicesthat are more suited tolocal tastes

Strategies

strong response and supportreceived from the DFWInternational Airport and thecommunities of Dallas andFort Worth, which led to ourplanned increase in frequencyto include nonstop dailyflights, beginning April 2015.”

“With more than US$320 million in total trade lastyear with the UAE just throughDFW, the new route opens thedoor for additional economicopportunity for North Texasand it will also open newavenues of tourism and cultur-al exchange that benefit ourcustomers,” said SeanDonohue, CEO of DFWAirport. “We are pleased toadd another international des-tination and carrier to DFWAirport’s growing internationalbusiness connecting morethan 50 destinations aroundthe world.” On internationalexpansion spree, DFW had added 18 new internationaldestinations in the past four years. With the addition of the new Etihad service,DFW now hosts 23 airlines and 55 direct interna-tional destinations.

Contd. from page 8

FAMILY ALBUM1 2 TRAVTALK J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5

India makes travel simpler with ETAUnion Home Minister & Tourism Minister, Government of India, launched landmark Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVOA)enabled with Electronic Travel Authorization Scheme (ETA) recently. The TVoA enabled with ETA Scheme willfacilitate nationals of 43 countries to travel to India for tourism for 30 days. The facility will be available at 9 internationalairports in the country. It will encourage people to travel with short-term planning, while travelling to other countriesand bring family members while on business visits.

DESTINATION1 4 TRAVTALK J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5

With a climatefavouring year-round sportsand leisure,

Shahdag ranges from winterlows of -20°C to pleasantsummer evenings of 20°C. Itis an incomparable locationfor one of the world’s largestnational parks, and within it,one of the region’s largest skiresorts. Breathtakingly beau-tiful, a haven hidden fromtime, Shahdag is an experi-ence not soon forgotten.

HOTELS &ACCOMMODATION

Set in the spectacularscenery of the ShahdagNational park, and surround-ed by stunning mountainviews the Shahdag MountianResort offers a wide range of

contemporary accommoda-tion that can be enjoyed byeveryone. Each establishmenthas its own unique appealand charm and offers a varietyof modern, stylish rooms andsuites for you to choose from.

ZIRVE HOTEL: Lift Base,Hotel Zirve is a contemporarythree star+ hotel specificallydesigned for ski lovers and

active travellers. It is an ideal base from which to enjoy themagnificent ShahdagMountain Resort.

GAYA RESIDENCES:Providing highly adapt-able accommodation,families can staytogether but still enjoyseparate rooms.

SHAHDAG HOTEL &SPA: It is the first con-temporary Azeri moun-tain lodge. Designed tooffer a modern feel while at the same time respectingthe local culture, ShahdagHotel & Spa offers guests a level of service equal to any luxury hotel anywhere in the world.

PIK PALACE SHAHDAG:Pik Palace Shahdag is a premier luxury destination in Shahdag Mountain Resort, located 230 kilome-tres North from Baku. Set amid majestic mountains, the hotel offers 167 oversized bedrooms andsuites that provide maximum comfort for couplesand families.

SPORTS & LEISURE: TheShahdag Mountain Resort willoffer guests a seemingly end-less list of thrilling sports andleisure activities all year round.From children to adults, fromnovices to pros, the Shahdag

Mountain Resortpromises to deliverunforgettable excite-ment and entertain-ment, all set againsta backdrop of stun-ning natural beautyand invigoratingmountain air.

WINTER SPORTS: Thereis a choice of 19 ski slopessuitable for different experience levels, withexciting snowboarding,snow jet skiing and iceskating facilities.

SUMMER SPORTS:There is an endless varietyof adventure and outdooractivities, from canoeing,climbing and parachutingto horse riding, trekking,mountain biking and golf.

RESTAURANTS: Here, atthe Shahdag MountainResort, we have somethingfor everyone. Whether it's aquick cup of coffee or aromantic dinner for two, a fresh fruitbreakfast or a family feast ourrestaurants and bars areready and waiting to cater for your every need. Our restaurants and bars can be found in each of ourhotels. For more informationtake a look at the individualhotels for an overview ofwhat's on offer.

GULF REGIONA new paradise for tourists

OFFERS & PACKAGES of Shahdag Mountain resorts:

Shahdag Mountain Resorts have something for everyone. Upon arrival, enjoy some of the local delicaciesawaiting you in your upgraded Superior Room.

Relax and recharge your energy for a one, two, or three-night stay in one of our spacious rooms overlooking thebreathtaking views of the Shahdag Mountain Resort.

Wake up to a generous buffet breakfast before stoppingoff at our Ski and hire shop where you will find our friendly staffready to help you choose from our wide range of equipment.

Your ski pass will give you access to over 19 ski slopesfrom beginners to expert - there is something for everyone.

After a long day on the slopes why not indulge yoursenses at Ovdan’s Spa. Relax in the sauna or steam bath,Hamman hydrothermal circuit or indoor pool, the choice isyours. A chance to unwind in total luxury. On your departuredate, check out time is at 16:00.

The following offers and packages include all of theabove plus the following experiences:

PURE SKIYour Pure Ski package includes your ski pass giving

you access to more than 19 ski slopes

FULLY EQUIPPED SKIINGOur Fully Equipped package includes your ski pass and

equipment hire.

THE ULTIMATE SKI EXPERIENCEThe Ultimate Ski Experience package includes your

ski pass, equipment hire and a private ski instructor to give you one to one tuition.

Across the centuries, the north-east corner of Azerbaijan has served as thegateway between Europe and the Middle East. Here, in the shadow of themajestic Caucasus Mountains, hides untold natural beauty. Pristine glaciersand deep ravines, stunning mountain lakes and canyons, and an ecologicaltreasure trove of plants and animals. This is Shahdag in all its splendour.

MOVEMENTS J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 TRAVTALK 1 5

India and DubaiNick Parker has been appointed Country Head – India and Middle East for Virgin Atlantic. Nick has been with Virgin Atlantic for over a decade from where he brings a depth of commercial and sales based experience. Prior to this recent appointment, Parker was the Regional Manager for the Caribbean with Virgin.

Etihad Airways Abu DhabiEtihad Airways has announced the appointment of Shane O’Hareas its Senior Vice President, Marketing. O’Hare brings an unrivalled

mix of experience in airline marketing andmanagement, having held a range of seniorexecutive positions in the Gulf and inter-nationally. Most recently, he served as thePresident and Chief Executive Officer ofRoyal Jet, the largest private jet companyin the Middle East. Over a seven year peri-

od, O’Hare helped develop Royal Jet intoone of the most successful private jet brands

in the world. Prior to that, he held senior marketing roles at Gulf Air,Star Alliance and Ansett.

Etihad Guest Abu Dhabi Yasser Al Yousuf, an Emirati national, has been appointed as thenew Managing Director for Etihad Guest, Etihad Airways’ award-

winning loyalty programme and its partnersAir Serbia, Air Seychelles and EtihadRegional. Effective immediately, Yasserassumes the role at a time of rapidgrowth in the business as Etihad Guestcontinues to evolve into a broad-based

lifestyle programme. Etihad Guest is one of the existing programmes

within Etihad Airways’ new loyalty business, Global

Habtoor Grand Beach Resort & Spa DubaiThe Habtoor Grand Beach Resort & Spa, the Al Habtoor Group’sflagship five-star luxury beach resort in the Dubai Marina, has

appointed Khalid Saeed as Hotel Manager.Khalid has more than 15 years of experiencein the UAE’s hospitality industry, havingspent his entire career with the Al HabtoorGroup across its portfolio of properties.Saeed was previously the General Managerof the Metropolitan Hotel Deira, a position

he held for almost three years. Khalid has experience in all aspects of

hotel operations, and is fluentin Arabic and English.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts Hong KongSteven Taylor will join Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts as ChiefMarketing Officer(CMO) on January 5, 2015. He will be based in

the group’s corporate office in Hong Kong andreport to Greg Dogan, Shangri-La Presidentand CEO. In his role as CMO, Taylor will oversee all functions across Shangri-La’sSales and Marketing Division, including revenue management, sales, digital marketing, brand communications, loyaltyand partner marketing, customer

insights and relationship management,reservations and distribution and

corporate communications.

Novotel Dubai Al Barsha DubaiFour-star luxury hotel Novotel Dubai Al Barsha has confirmed theappointment of a new Hotel Director, Souffian Zaeraoui. Bringing

with him a vast experience in hospitality, thehotel is excited about this new addition tothe team. Souffian Zaeraoui’s associationwith the Accor group started in 2007 whenhe joined the Novotel Cardiff Centre asFood and Beverages services Manager.

In 2009, he joined the Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel rooms department and also

the integrated IMHI programme, whichis a two-year MBA in Hospitality

Management from ESSECBusiness School in Paris.

Shangri-La Abu DhabiShangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi, Shangri-La Residencesand Traders Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi recently welcomedNicolas Villemin as Director of Sales andMarketing. Villemin joins the Qaryat Al Bericomplex with 15 years of extensive hospitality experience gained in the Middle East, France and Brazil. Previously,he was Director of Business Developmentat a luxury resort in Dubai Villemin is ofFrench-Canadian origin and holds diplomasin business administration from the University of Maryland and Swiss hotelmanagement from Hotel InstituteMontreux in Switzerland.

DubaiTerry Smith – Manager Sales, Middle East, Virgin Atlantic Airways‘Virgin Atlantic Airways has appointed Terry Smith as Managerof Sales for the Middle East. Smith will bebased in Dubai and will support anddeliver on Virgin Atlantic’s sales strat-egy for the UAE and GCC markets.Having worked Virgin Atlantic for twelveyears, Smith has worked across the UKand European sales structure, most recently managing the EuropeanOffline team.

Business tourism currentlyaccounts 20 per cent of

Dubai’s tourism sector, with experts projecting it willdouble in 2012-2020, in linewith the overall tourism growthrate. A recent survey by the International Congress and Convention Associationshowed that the number of

associations, conferencesand meetings in the MiddleEast has trebled over the past 10 years.

“The business-leisuresplit at properties in primebusiness locations like Sheikh Zayed Road is

50/50. Offering a concept thatanticipates the commonneeds of the business travellermakes a lot of sense operationally as well, enhanc-ing the guest experience,” said Karim Nahas, GeneralManager, Rose Rayhaan by Rotana.

Guests booking anyClub Rotana rooms or

suites will also enjoy complimentary access to a Club Rotana Lounge from 7am-11pm. Besidesaccess to the lounge, hotel guests who book Club Rotana accommodationwill enjoy Club Rotana privileges aimed at boosting convenience andenabling business travellers to hit the ground running.

“We are confident that thelaunch of the new ClubRotana will enhance ourguests’ experience and further strengthen the posi-tioning of the propertyamongst its competitors inDubai,” concluded Nahas.

Catering to the needs of the business traveller, Club Rotana offering was launched recently byRose Rayhaan by Rotana, property of Rotana’s alcohol-free Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts brand.

TT BU R E AUKarim NahasGeneral ManagerRose Rayhaan by Rotana

Offering a concept that anticipates thecommon needs of the business travellermakes a lot of sense operationally aswell, enhancing the guest experience

Biz travellers’ club by Rotana

Virgin Atlantic Airways

Hawthorn Suites DubaiOsman Nasir takes the role of Director of Sales and MarketingHawthorn Suites. He will lead the Sales and Marketing department

in setting and achieving targets to maximiserevenue, and directing corporate sales andmarketing strategies to compete in themarket. He will also be responsible instrengthening relationship with thehotel’s existing partners and generatingbusiness leads on both local and inter-

national scale. Nasir boasts 16 yearsof hospitality sales experi-ence in Dubai. He was for-merly affiliated with DusitResidence Dubai Marina.

NEWS1 6 TRAVTALK J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5

The enhanced infrastruc-ture and customer service

investments cementTravelport’s presence andcommitment to the travelindustry in Turkey, where thecompany has been operatingfor 20 years. It also respondsdirectly to the continuedgrowth of the country’s travelsector – Turkey’s total travelexpenditure exceeded US$29 billion in 2013, accordingto Timetric, the leading globalbusiness information service.

The new investmentswill deliver a range of benefitsfor Travelport customers inTurkey including technology,products and customer serv-ices. This will be backed by alocal support team andTravelport consultants to helpfast-track growth for business

and leisure travel, online travelagencies (OTAs), travel man-agement companies (TMCs),and consolidators.

Rabih Saab, Presidentand Managing Director,Africa, Levant, Middle Eastand South Asia, Travelportcommented, “Turkey remainsone of our key geographicalsectors. As one of the fastest

growing and most tech-savvyof the Middle Easteconomies, we are verypleased to further enhanceour presence here. Thisinvestment underlines ourcontinued commitment in supporting the regional travel

industry with our latest products and solutions, com-bined with our in-depthknowledge of the sector and our global reach.”

“I am grateful to TurkishAirlines for their support as

our distributor, help grow our business here for the past two decades. Our two companies will continueto work closely to benefit the travelling public in the region and beyond,” further stated Saab.

Ibrahim Koyman hasbeen appointed to head upthe new distributor operations.Based in Istanbul, Koymanwill oversee the company’sbusiness development strategy as well as the day-to-day operations.

The company has announced a series of new investments in the growing Turkishtravel industry on Dec 17, 2014. With the announcement, new offices distributingTravelport’s Galileo and Worldspan products and services have opened inIstanbul, taking over from the current Travelport operator, Turkish Airlines.

Travelport invests in Turkey

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Rabih SaabPresident and Managing DirectorAfrica, Levant, Middle East and South Asia,Travelport

This investment underlines our continued commitment in supporting theregional travel industry with our latestproducts and solutions, combined withour in-depth knowledge of the sector andour global reach

Gateway, an online hotelbooking engine providingMiddle East agents with B2Bbooking solutions and dedicat­ed customer care and support,has announced that contractswith UAE travel agencieshave increased 105% betweenApril and Oct 2014, comparedto the same period in the pre­vious year. Gateway alsointroduced its new technology‘application programminginterface’ (API) in the MiddleEast, which offers extendedfunctionality for travel agents.

Gateway’s Hotel API allowstravel agents, who alreadyhave their own booking sys­tem, to easily integrateGateway’s wide portfolio of200,000 unique hotels. Thesehotels can then be booked,modified and cancelled withintheir own booking interface.The new API also offers anoffline data component, whichhas been added to provide atreasure trove of hotel infor­mation, including a detailedhotel description, pictures,facilities, etc.

Gateway launches hotelbooking technology in ME

Located in the heart of theWaldorf Astoria Dubai PalmJumeirah with sea views of the Dubai skyline and Palm Jumeirah, the RoyalSuite provides guests with theultimate luxury of privacy. A sprawling 1567m², includ­ing balconies and indoorareas, the sanctuary takes thegrand title of largest suite in

Dubai. The journey begins asguests arrive in a classicchauffeured Bentley or land­ing their private helicopter onthe seaside helipad. Guests aregreeted by the PersonalConcierge, a key attribute ofTrue Waldorf Service andescorted to the private lift,located in the exclusive VIP arrival area.

Waldorf Astoria Dubai PalmJumeirah’s Royal Suite

The figures are a part of alarger study done by

the global research firmOxford Economics as a follow up to a similar report in 2011. His Highness

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed AlMaktoum, Chairman andChief Executive of EmiratesAirline and Group, Chairmanof Dubai Airports andPresident of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority eluci-dates on the drastic growthshown by the aviation

and tourism industry of theGulf nation.

Aviation in the last halfcentury has shown substantialgrowth, a trend Dubai and therest of Emirates has beenparty to. As stated by His

Highness“47 yearsago, in 1967, the world'sairlines transported lessthan 300 million passengersannually. Today, airlines servean estimated 3.3 billion pas-sengers. What's more, the 31airline members of AACO are

playing a bigger role in world air traffic than everbefore. According to figuresfrom Airbus, in less than 10years between 2003 and2013, the number of passen-gers carried by airlines inMiddle East and NorthAfrica has increased by more than 300 per cent.”“Previously, European airportswere the default hubs for trav-ellers flying Eastto West, or Northto South. Today,more and more

travellersare flying via hubs in ourregion as we can offer betterconnection times and a bettertravel experience. This hugeshift in global aviation is a suc-

cessstory for us. As individual air-

lines and together with ourhome countries, we havemade the world sit up andnotice," Sheikh Ahmed furtherinformed. This statement is

backed up by the OxfordEconomic report which affirmsin 2013 a passenger goingthrough Dubai Internationalairport could catch connectingflights to 81 per cent of theworld’s cities. This is naturallynot simply applicable to pas-senger transport.

The overall economicimpact of both aviation andtourism related activities willrise to US$53.1 billion in2020. To facilitate this growth,infrastructure is alreadymoved into place. It includesan increase in airport capac-ity which encompassesexpansion of airspace, air-field, stands and terminalareas to allow DubaiInternational to accommo-date 60 per cent more air-craft stands by 2015 andserve 90 million passengers

by 2018. By 2020, DubaiInternational is estimated toreceive 126.5 million passen-gers, almost 30 per centhigher than its original 2010assessments.

Other Gulf Nations andthe Middle East at large areattempting to follow Dubai’sexample to use aviation andtourism as an economy driver.The airlines are also expectedto face some challenges likeaero politics, global econom-ics, etc. But His HighnessSheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed AlMaktoum is confident thatprospects for Arab carriers arebright as they continue tocompete commercially whileworking together through plat-forms like AACO (Arab AirCarriers Organisation) to con-front issues of common inter-est collectively.

Since establishment in the 1950, the aviation industry in Dubai has come a long way. Today, roughly, 90,000 flightsper quarter are availed to nearly 18 million passengers using the Dubai International Airport. With the World Expo set to take stage in Dubai in 2020, conservative estimates stake 37.5 per cent of Dubai’s GDP by the aforementioned year to just aviation and related services.

Aviation to drive 37% of Dubai economy

TT BU R E AU

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al MaktoumChairman and Chief Executive of EmiratesAirline and Group, Chairman of DubaiAirports and President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority

Between 2003 and 2013, the number ofpassengers carried by airlines in ME andNorth Africa has increased bymore than 300 per cent