Market Update 2Accommodation News 4International 9Air Travel News 10Travel Tips 15Travel Talk 16Who’s Moved 18Rendezvous 19Events 20

Middle East and North Africa Edition

MAY 8 , 2010 ISSUE 26 www.traveltradeweekly.travel

9

YEMEN TOURISMYemen is looking for foreign investors tobankroll a range of new initiatives that thegovernment has approved to stimulatethe tourism industry.

US airlines Continental and United haveagreed the terms of a merger which isexpected to be finalised by the end of thisyear, making the new company the largestairline in the world.

In This Issue

ClassificationUPGRADE 5

UNITED CONTINENTAL

Tourism Authorities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai areplanning to rework their classification systems torecognise hotels that surpass the five star rating.

3

A ccording to Bradley Holliday,senior manager for theTourism Hospitality andLeisure Industry group atDeloitte Middle East, losses

experienced throughout the region were bestinterpreted as a market correction, rather thana crash.He noted that recession in the primary feedermarkets for the Middle East in 2009 coincidedwith an influx of new supply, leading to anecessary recalibration of revenues.“One thing all this has led to is a strongconvergence of RevPAR across the entireMiddle East, with values in a range between

USD120 and USD170,” hecontinued.“Although this is normalbehaviour in a recessionarymarket, it is a new phenomenonfor the region.”Holliday said that the outlook forthe region looked increasinglypositive, with growth apparent in

both the airline industry and tourist arrivals.However, he observed that many of thesearrivals would be transit passengers and theindustry would need to work at convertingthem into revenue producing visitors.“Tourist arrivals continue to grow in 2010 andthe challenge now for the industry is to convertthe transit passengers into bed nights – to getthem out of the airports and into the localhotels,” he said.“The growth of low cost carriers is helping inthis respect, though this brings with it a lowerpotential average daily room rate for hoteliers.”

MAY 8, 20102

COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=UAE (AED) Dirham 3.67Egypt (EGP) Pound 5.57Saudi Arabia (SAR) Riyal 3.75Lebanon (LBP) Pound 1501Bahrain (BHD) Dinar 0.37Jordan ( JOD) Dinar 0.70Syria (SYP) Pound 46.2Kuwait (KWD) Dinar 0.28Qatar (QAR) Riyal 3.64Oman (OMR) Rial 0.38Tunisia (TND) Dinar 1.45Morocco (MAD) Dirham 8.58Iran (IRR) Riyal 9903Yemen (YER) Rial 206.75Algeria (DZD) Dinar 73.89Libya (LID) Dinar 1.30

MENA Exchange RatesAccurate as of 5/5/2010Currencies shown in red are fixed against the US Dollar

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLYDeputy EditorLaura Warne

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Middle Eastern Declines Were Market Adjustment, Analysts SayRecovery outlooks for the Middle Eastern tourism industry are strong, despite anecessary downward adjustment, Deloitte analysts have said.

Kanoo Travel Signs Joint Venture with Al Sulaimi in OmanMiddle Eastern travel management company Kanoo Travel will partner with AlSulaimi Group to further its operation in Oman. Sunil De Souza, Kanoo Travel’s regional travel manager for the UAE and Oman,said the joint venture would strengthen Kanoo’s presence in the Gulf region.“Through this partnership, Kanoo Travel will have the access to global brands,products, systems, technology and proven international expertise to enable us tooffer better services than other multi-national agencies in Oman,” he said.“These features, together with our existing global network and support will allowour regional partners such as Al Sulaimi Group to collaborate on larger national,regional and international accounts, which demand the highest standards ofglobal travel management services and regional coverage.”Abdul Kareem, who has worked for Kanoo Travel for 13 years, has beenappointed as the travel manager for Kanoo’s operations in Oman.

3MAY 8, 2010

Omar Babelgheith,Deputy Minister ofTourism Developmentin Yemen, said the planwould see six major

tourism developments built in the nextfive years, with a total value ofapproximately USD1 billion.“Each project is worth USD150 to 250million, which will contribute to supportYemen as one of the main destinations ofthe world,” he said.The large scale developments include theMidi Coast project on Doyma Island andAl Mark Island projects on the Red Seacoast, as well as projects on the IndianOcean at Ras Al Araa-Khour near Aden,at Dabdad and at Jasolit.

Babelgheith said a USD78 million schemecovering small to mid scale developmentswas being pursued independently of themajor projects.“Complementing these large scaleschemes is another major projectcomprising 44 other small to mediumprojects all across the Republic, includingthree star hotels of international standardsand a variety of resorts: from mountainresorts, stone resorts, mud house resortsand first class restaurants,” he said.According to Babelgheith, developmentwas being pursued in the light of thegrowing importance of tourism to theYemeni economy.“Tourism revenue reached to USD903million in 2009, a two percent increase

compared to 2008,” he said.“We are buoyed by the news that duringthis year's first quarter, we have witnessedan increase of over six percent in the totalnumber of international visitorscompared to the same period last year.”Babelgheith said Yemen would continue topursue tourism investment and wasestablishing a hotel and hospitalityacademy to complement the plannedincrease in hotel inventories.“Tourism is vital to the future of oureconomy, especially in the area of jobcreation,” he said.“Therefore, we are committed toexpanding our tourism infrastructurethrough the development of theseexciting new projects.”

Yemen Calls for Investors in USD1 Billion Tourism SchemeYemen Tourism Promotion Board has issued an invitation to investors as part of an ambitious plan aimed atencouraging tourism to the country.

MAY 8, 20104

ACCOMMODATION NEWS

Emaar Signs Management Agreement with Southern SunEmaar Hospitality Group has signed an agreement with Southern Sun Hotels Middle East for themanagement of future four star hotels in the region.

The master agreementwill see Southern Sunoperate at least twoupcoming Emaarhotels, in addition to

their current stewardship of the AlManzil and Qamardeen hotels in Dubai.According to Richard Weilers,managing director of Southern SunOffshore, the success of theseproperties prompted the ongoingcollaboration.“The signing of the master agreementwith Emaar Hospitality Group reveals

the quality of the relationship built withthe owners of Al Manzil andQamardeen Hotels and theirconfidence in our operationalcapabilities – which have been ablydemonstrated through the success ofthese two flagship properties,” he said.Southern Sun’s upcoming 17 storey, 350room Abu Dhabi property will be thefirst hotel to open under the newagreement.The hotel is due for launch in 2012,followed by a hotel in Jeddah, SaudiArabia, in December of that year.

W Brand Signs First Hotel in UAE

(L –R) Neil George, vice president acquisitions and development, StarwoodMEA; Roeland Vos, president, Starwood EAME; George Papagrigorakis,

board director of Belbadi and managing director of Bateen Wharf Properties;Guide De Wilde, vice president, Starwood Middle East; and Bart Carnahan,

senior vice president acquisitions and development, Starwood EAME

Starwood has signed a management deal for the first Wbranded property in the UAE.W Abu Dhabi will feature 350 rooms and is scheduled toopen in 2013.The hotel is being built by Belbadi as part of a rejuvenationof Abu Dhabi’s Al Bateen Wharf by Abu Dhabi’s TourismDevelopment and Investment Company (TDIC).Lee Tabler, CEO of TDIC, said the Al Bateen project wasintegral to Abu Dhabi’s tourism development.“Tradition, heritage and prime location within the city makeAl Bateen Wharf an important part of our hospitality growthstrategy for supporting Abu Dhabi as it becomes aninternational tourism destination,” he said.

Richard Weilers

5MAY 8, 2010

ACCOMMODATION NEWS

Accor plans a majorexpansion in the Middle Eastover the next two years.Two previously absent Accorbrands will be introduced tothe region and 17 new hotelshave been scheduled to openby the end of 2012.Accor’s upscale PullmanHotels and Resorts brandwill open its first MiddleEastern property in thesecond half of 2010 at Mallof the Emirates in Dubai.The hotel will offer 481rooms, including 91 suites.Accor has also declaredintentions to introduce themid-stay, serviced apartmentAdagio City Aparthotelbrand, with a property in AbuDhabi set to open this year.The Adagio conceptcurrently operates onlywithin Europe, operating

three star servicedapartments aimed at mid-stay guests.Other hotels will be spreadbetween Bahrain, Kuwait,UAE and Saudi Arabia.According to ChristopheLandais, managing directorof Accor Hospitality MiddleEast, Accor plans to serviceall market segments with theupcoming properties.“Accor is confident that thenext two years will again belandmark years for the groupin terms of development,with a target of five newhotels to be inaugurated in2010, six in 2011 andanother six in 2012,” he said.“Accor’s ambitious target setsa new record in number ofopenings which will enhanceour regional network,” hesaid.

A bu Dhabi TourismAuthority (ADTA) willintroduce a newclassification system forhotels, including a

category above the current five starmaximum and guidelines forenvironmentally friendly development.Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan,chairman of ADTA said Emirates Palace wasan example of a property eligible for the newclassification.New classifications for restaurants and desertcamps are also being developed and will belaunched in early 2011, Al Nayhan said.

According to Al Nayhan, green developmentguidelines will begin pilot testing within thenext two weeks and will ultimately beincorporated into the new classificationsystem.“Our aim is to ensure Abu Dhabi’s hospitalityindustry is on a par with the world’s greenesthotels as we continue our mission to delivera sustainable tourism sector,” he said.The system is divided between guidelines forexisting or new hotels and includes theregion’s first mandatory ecologicalperformance minimums.However, Al Nayhan emphasised theachievability of requirements – pointing out

that most hotels could comply by reformingtheir operational practices.“The great thing about these targets is thathotels can go a long way towards achievingthese through operational excellence and theauthority is working with the industry tohelp them adopt measures which willachieve the required results,” he said.Dubai’s Department for Tourism andCommerce Marketing has also announcedplans to introduce a new rating system fortop tier hotels at the end of the year.The Dubai model will see five star hotelsdivided into three levels: silver, gold andplatinum.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Launch New Hotel Classification Systems - Beyond Five Star

Accor Announces Expansion

MAY 8, 20106

Travelport Links UAE to European LCCs

Arabian Travel Market Tops 2009 Figures on First DayOverall visitor numbers at Arabian Travel Market’s (ATM’s) opening day were up by one percent comparedto 2009 figures and four percent compared to 2008.

Mark Walsh, groupexhibition directorat Reed TravelExhibitions, saidthis was a clear

indication of industry recovery. Quality visitors (hosted delegates andBuyers Club members) rose by more thanthree percent and VIPs, includingministers and dignitaries, rose by 12percent compared to 2009 figures. Hosted buyers this year includedrepresentatives from leisure, golf andMICE sectors, as well as major globalcompanies such as Expedia, AmericanExpress and lastminute.com.

“For us, it is extremely positive that thequality of visitor continues to increase,meaning there is a genuine desire on theshow floor to pursue tangible businessavenues – a critical component of whatATM is all about,” said Walsh.“I think the most promising element to

take out of these numbers is that there isa strong desire by the industry as a wholeto actively seek out opportunities toincrease business revenue streams, discussand debate our future growth steps andcontinue to forge ahead despite anychallenges they may face.”

ATM 2010

Global distributionsystem (GDS) providerTravelport announced atATM that it wouldintroduce its low cost airsolution to UAE travelagents.Available on Travelport’sGalileo platform, thesolution will includecontent from the followinglow cost carriers: easyJet,Norwegian, kulula, Wind Jetand bmibaby.Travelport is also indiscussions with several lowcost carriers within theMiddle East.The solution has been undertrial in Europe for the past12 months; according toTravelport, European agentshave reported improved

efficiency compared tobooking via the internet,which takes four timeslonger.Rabih Saab, vice presidentof the Middle East forTravelport, said the newsolution was unique in thatit gave agents the ability tobook low cost carrier andtraditional airline flights inthe same passenger namerecord. “With the growingimportance of the low costsector and the subsequentdemands of our agencycustomers to have low costair content on the GDS, weare delighted to be able tomake this additional lowcost carrier contentavailable,” said Saab.

MAY 8, 20108

Arabian Adventures Projects 20 Percent Growth in 2010Arabian Adventures anticipates a 20 percent growth in business volume over the course of 2010, a figure thatcontrasts positively to projections made by the company earlier in the year.

Cyprus Strengthens Middle East TiesCypriot tourism officials are seeking to strengthen ties withthe Middle East, piggy backing on increased interest fromthe region.According to Antonis Paschalides, Cyprus' Minister of Trade,Commerce and Tourism, although Cyprus is technicallyEuropean, its relationship with the Middle East is strong.“Cyprus lies at the crossroads of three continents, where eastmeets west,” he said.He pointed to growing numbers of Middle Eastern visitorsas evidence of the importance of the region to Cyprus.“Tourism arrivals to Cyprus from the Middle East rose by9.5 percent from January to March 2010 year on year,denoting strong growth,” he said.Cyprus is seeking to increase its attractiveness to MiddleEastern tourists further by encouraging luxury developmentsin Nicosia, the nation’s capital.Qatari Diar has recently engaged in an equal investment jointventure with the Cypriot government for the developmentof state owned land near the centre of the city.Paschalides said tourism accounted for approximately 11percent of the GDP of Cyprus and listed golfing, luxuryhotels, cuisine, and natural beauty as its most importantattractions.

I n a February interview withTravel Trade Weekly, FredericBardin, senior vice president ofthe Emirates owned company,said Arabian Adventures would

target 10 to 15 annual percent growthover the coming decade and beyond.However, speaking at Arabian TravelMarket (ATM), Bardin indicated thatimproved outlooks for UAE feedermarkets had prompted more optimisticprojections by the group.“We believe the tourism sector willrebound substantially this year, particularlyin terms of tour operator business andtraditional holidaymakers,” he said.

“Consequently we expect to see a steadyincrease in demand throughout 2010 asthe UAE continues to recover.”He said growth would come from bothestablished markets such as the US andWestern Europe, but also from emergingsources such as Korea and Japan.Arabian Adventures has expanded thescope of its fleet to better facilitate theexpected increase in demand.Where the company had previouslyoperated a fleet of coaches, buses and fourwheel drives, but leased private cars forcustomers through third party suppliers,Arabian Adventures will now run its ownlimousine service.

According to Arabian Adventures, theaddition of a 16 strong fleet of private carswill allow 70 percent of private car transfersand tours to be operated internally.

Frederic Bardin

A ccording to figuresfrom the airlines,Continental andUnited serve morethan 144 million

passengers per year together, flying to 370destinations in 59 countries across the US,Asia, Europe, South America, Africa andthe Middle East.Combined benefits of the merger havebeen projected by the airlines to reachbetween USD1 and 1.2 billion annuallyby 2013, including up to USD900 millionin incremental annual revenues.Total costs of implementing the mergerhave been estimated at USD1.2 billion,spread over three years.The combined company is also expectedto realise between USD200 million andUSD300 million of net cost synergies by2013.The United name will be used for thecombined brand, which will be based in

Chicago but will maintain offices inHouston, which will also serve as itslargest hub.Glenn Tilton, chairman, president andCEO of UAL Corp (United Airlines’holding company), will serve as nonexecutive chairman of the combined

company until at least the end of 2012.Jeff Smisek, chairman, president and chiefexecutive officer of Continental, willbecome CEO of the new United.The combined carrier will continue to flyto all destinations currently served by theseparate carriers.

Continental & United to Merge into World’s Largest AirlineUS airlines Continental and United have agreed the terms of a merger which is expected to be finalised by theend of this year.

9MAY 8, 2010

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

(L-R) Glen Tilton and Jeff Smisek

MAY 8, 201010

AIR TRAVEL NEWS

New flydubai Services to Luxor and Kabul Launch in MayLow cost carrier flydubai will launch two new routes in mid-May. Flights to Kabul in Afghanistan will beginon May 17, followed by a new service to Luxor in Egypt on May 19.

Saudia Private Aviation Boosts VIPCharter Fleet with Falcon 7X

The new flights will bringflydubai’s network to 17destinations worldwide,according to Ghaith alGhaith, CEO of the airline.

“These routes are a combination of thetwo different types of destinations wewere set up to serve – those which havevery few direct links to the UAE and thosewhich are already popular routes butwould benefit from having an additionallow cost option,” he said.“Kabul is going through a very turbulenttime, but providing air links on a quality

airline flying the newest, safest aircraft inthe industry will ensure the brave peopleworking to secure and develop thecountry will have a safe, comfortable andaffordable travel option.”The Dubai-Kabul service will operate fivetimes per week and the Dubai-Luxorservice will operate three times per week. According to Ghaith, flydubai will alsolaunch a new route to Karachi, Pakistan,seeking to take advantage of the expatriatetrade to that city.“There are currently more than 700,000expatriates from Pakistan working in the

UAE and an extra opportunity for themto travel back home has to be good news,”he said.“We are in the business of bringing morepeople together more often and we cansee the Karachi route being a very busyone indeed.”

flydubai aircraft

Saudia Private Aviation(SPA), the business aviationunit of Saudi Arabian Airlines,has received a boost to its fleet,with delivery of the first of fourFalcon 7X tri-jets.The delivery marks the firstFalcon 7X aircraft in SaudiArabia.SPA will roll out the newaircraft for VIP charter flightswithin the Middle East andfurther afield.The aircraft has a rangesufficient for it to connect tocities such as New York, Tokyoor Rio De Janeiro from SaudiArabia.Wajdi Abdullah Al-Idrissi, vicepresident of royal and VIPaffairs, said the Falcon 7X wascarefully chosen to suit SPA’sclientele.

“It is a unique plane that can flynonstop for over 11 hours anddoes not require a long runway,which saves valuable time bybeing able to land at lowertraffic airports,” he said.

(L-R) Khalid Almolhim, directorgeneral of Saudi Arabian Airlines

with John Rosanvallon, president ofDassault Falcon Jet

11MAY 8, 2010

AIR TRAVEL NEWS

Safi Airways Unveils Rebranding and Fleet Renewal PlanAfghanistan’s Safi Airways has revamped its fleet with new corporate branding and will add two AirbusA320s to boost capacity on its Dubai-Kabul route.

R ahim Safi, chairman ofthe airline, said Safi hadbeen making a smalloperational profit forseveral months.

“We have worked hard to achieve theturnaround for Safi Airways during 2009and we have achieved our goal,” he said.“Looking forward, we see the need to putnewer aircraft into service so we willintroduce the A320s to our fleet as of lateJune 2010.“This will enable us to improve passengerconvenience and utilise the crew and

maintenance commonality advantages ofhaving an A320/A340 fleet.”A comprehensive overhaul programmehas been planned for the airline’s currentBoeing 737 fleet, which will continueoperation on charter and ACMI sales, aswell as during peak periods.Claus Fischer, chief commercial officer forSafi, said that despite the new fleetadditions, the airline would continue toseek partnerships with other airlines. “Our clear goal is code-sharing,” saidFischer.“Our interline agreements with major

airlines like Emirates, Lufthansa, UnitedAirlines and Qatar Airways have helpedestablish Safi as Afghanistan’s premierairline.“We are also putting a lot of effort intoGDS distribution, which makes bookingflights to Kabul much easier fromanywhere in the world.”

The online travel portalwill allow UAEcustomers to bookflights and hotels, saidHrush Bhatt, founder

of Cleartrip.“With e-commerce in Dubai set to hitUSD36 billion by the end of 2010,the UAE customer is demandingmore choices in online travel andCleartrip is launching a completelylocalised UAE product to meet thisdemand,” said Bhatt.“This is a mature, internet savvymarket with over 60 percent internet

penetration. We believe that our best-of-breed products will revolutionisethe way the UAE books travel online.”In addition to providing bookings forlegacy carriers, Cleartrip’s UAEportal will offer global bookings forlow cost carriers, such as Air Arabia,Air India Express and Tiger Airways.

MAY 8, 201012

Indian Online Travel Company Plans to Revolutionise UAE IndustryCleartrip, an Indian online travel company, has launched a new website to serve the UAE market.

Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority(ADTA) will partner with AbuDhabi National ExhibitionsCompany (ADNEC) to boostentertainment events in theemirate, following thesuccessful launch of AbuDhabi Hall at ADNEC. The new facility canaccommodate up to 6,000seated and 8,000 standing andhas already scheduled anumber of acts, ranging frominternational musicians todance performances andchildren’s events. Ahmed Hussein, deputydirector general of ADTA, saidthe new Abu Dhabi Hallprovided the leverage neededto attract big-name acts.“There is an insatiable demandfor a multi-purpose eventsarena of this calibre to meet theinterest previously shown by

event organisers,” he said.“The catalysing of leisure andentertainment events is a keyADTA strategy as it serves bothto enrich the visitor andresident experience whilestrengthening our destinationappeal to our neighbouringGCC markets.”ADTA and ADNEC areencouraging event promotersto submit unique and viableentertainment event concepts,which will be evaluated forfinancial and non-financialsupport.The partnership will bepromoted internationallythrough ADNEC’s new BoxOffice ticketing facility, whichreaches more than 35,000travel agents in Europe, NorthAmerica and Australasia, aswell as 25,000 entertainmentindustry promoters worldwide.

Hrush Bhatt

The UAE customer is demanding more choices

in online travel

ADTA and ADNEC Call For Inputfrom Event Promoters

MAY 8, 201014

CAR RENTAL NEWS

Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group has relocated two carrental counters to the Skypark facility at Abu DhabiInternational Airport. The group is hoping to capitalise on an expected 10percent increase in traffic through the airport oversummer, said Sam Eltibi, executive director of DollarThrifty for MENA and Asia Pacific. “It is a fantastic opportunity to have both Dollar andThrifty brands at theairport, as we benefitfrom the tourismboom in the emirate,”said Eltibi.“The strategiclocation of theSkypark facility willenable us to servevisitors fromterminals one andthree at the AbuDhabi InternationalAirport.”Dollar Thriftycurrently has 50outlets in the UAE,with a fleet of morethan 17,550 vehicles.

Hertz Partners with Oman Air Frequent Flyers

C ar rental company Hertz will providespecial offers to members of OmanAir’s Sindbad Frequent FlyerProgramme as part of a newpartnership with the airline.

Michel Taride, president of Hertz International, said thepartnership would take effect from June. “As one of the region’s fastest growing airlines, OmanAir has a dynamic growth strategy which aligns directlywith Hertz’s ambitions for the region,” said Taride.“With business synergies that include best-in-classservice and value for money, we’re confident that thepartnership will not only meet but exceed ourcustomers’ expectations.” (L-R) Michel Taride, president of Hertz International with Abdulrazaq Alraisi,

general manager of worldwide sales for Oman Air

Alamo Rent A Car Launched in UAEAlamo Rent A Car has boosted its Middle Eastern operations,launching its first services in the UAE.The company, which already has operations in Jordan, Morocco,Egypt and Tunisia, has opened four offices in the UAE, spreadbetween Dubai and Abu Dhabi.A dedicated website and call centre have been established toaccompany the launch.Alamo’s new offices are located at the main international airportsin both cities, as well as in the downtown areas of each.According to Guy Coghlan, managing director for Alamo’sMiddle Eastern division, the UAE represents a strategic marketfor the company’s expansion into the Middle East.“This is both because it is an incredibly important inboundtourist destination, but also because we know that UAE residentswant to be able to access a car rental service that has localknowledge and global reach,” he said.Alamo boasts nearly 9,000 locations across 90 countries and hasbeen operating for more than 30 years.The company focuses primarily on the leisure rental market.

Dollar Thrifty Moves into Skypark

Sam Eltibi

15MAY 8, 2010

Halal Help: New Rating System Targets Islamic TourismHalal-friendly travel is tipped to be one of the industry’s fastest growing market segments, according to FazalBahardeen, CEO of Singapore-based company Crescentrating.

Bahardeen cited the evergrowing religious tourismindustry and anincreasingly affluent Arabpopulation under 21 years

of age as signs that halal concerns wouldbe front of mind for a wide range oftravellers in the near future. “We are seeing massive growth within thismarket segment and it was something weneeded to be part of,” he said.As a result, Crescentrating, a company thatprovides halal-friendly products andservices, has developed a ratings system thathas been picked up by a number of hotelswithin the Middle East, Asia and beyond.The rating system can be used as a quickguide for travel agents who are booking

travel for Islamic clients. The system rates hotels from one to seven– one being the lowest and seven beingthe highest.

The criteria for rating includes:n Prayer-related facilitiesn Kibla direction in roomsn Serving of halal foodn Respect for the month of Ramadann Washroom facilities suitable for Muslimsn Alcohol-free

“A six-rated hotel facility is one that serveshalal food and does not serve alcohol atall,” explained Bahardeen.“Those that have been given a one-ratingare those whose personnel are at the very

least trained to provide all the necessaryinformation to halal-conscious guests.”Six-rated hotels have already been namedin Saudi Arabia and South Africa. Otherproperties have been rated in the UAE,Qatar, Bahrain and further afield in China,Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.Crescentrating plans to roll out its ratingsfor restaurants, shopping malls and themeparks in the future.

Crescentrating at ATM

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 editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel

MAY 8, 201016

Michael ScullyManaging Director, Seven Tides [announcing his new family resort concept, Firstand Foremost – a partnership with Leading Family Hotels and Resorts]“We are the first hotel management group with our own market segment that canstimulate real inbound tourism growth in the region. Our hotels operate at 92 percentoccupancy, with over 60 percent coming from existing Leading Family Hotels andResorts clientele, who book directly through our website. This is why we are confidentof attracting new visitors to Dubai, giving real growth and benefiting the economy, whileoffering very favourable returns for hotel owners. We have already spoken to a numberof investors and the feedback we have received is very positive, thus we hope to makean announcement in the near future about our first property in the Middle East.”

We hope to make an announcement in the near futureabout our first property in the Middle East

Eric CocherCEO of Media Pro Middle East [on sports tourism]“There are basically three areas [of sports tourism], including event visiting,participation sport and nostalgia. The latter is probably the smallest market, butattracts people who want to come along after an event, such as the Olympics or abaseball match, to see where it all happened, to visit the venues around the city, theassociated museums and so on. Event watchers don’t just include those fans whoturn up to watch the event at the venue, but also who watch it on TV anywhere inthe world. For instance, the Dubai racing attracts a relatively small number of livespectators, but it is watched by some 60,000 to 80,000 people on TV. Of course, itis the active supporters of events that you want to attract to your hotels. In general,it is the females in the family who decide where to go on holiday – the men choosetheir sport, but the women decide on the details.”

It is the females inthe family who

decide where to goon holiday Etihad Airways, principal sponsor

of Abu Dhabi's Grand Prix

Emirates, FIFA WorldCup partner

Michael Scully

Hotel Alpenrose, a Leading Family Hotels and Resorts property

MAY 8, 2010 17

Ferrari WorldOpening Date AnnouncedFerrari World Abu Dhabi will openon October 28 this year, developersof the upcoming theme park haverevealed.The opening has been scheduled inclose proximity to the second AbuDhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix,preceding the event by three weeks.Also unveiled was one of the park’skey attractions – the world’s fastestroller coaster, named Formula Rossa.The park will include 20 rides in totalupon completion, including anotherroller coaster and a water ridemodelled on the interior of a Ferrariengine.Abu Dhabi’s Aldar has developed thepark, which Mohammed al Mubarak,chief commercial officer of thecompany, claimed would become animportant attraction for both leisureand business tourism to the emirate.“Signature projects like this areanother element of our commitmentand contribution to Plan Abu Dhabi2030, by delivering attractions thatfurther enhance the Emirate’scredentials as an inspiring place tolive and visit,” he said.

Amadeus Launches New Booking ToolTravel technology and distribution system provider Amadeus has announced its newAmadeus Agency Internet Engine (e-Power) Corporate Edition, designed for travelagencies in the Middle East. The system can be used to book flights, hotels and car rentals, combining business andleisure focussed features into a single system.Antoine Medawar, vice president of Amadeus Middle East and North Africa, said thenew tool was specifically aimed at the region’s large corporate entities.“The Middle East is a region with a large expatriate population and for many companiesissuing an annual family vacation travel ticket requires an internal approval process,”he explained.“E-Power Corporate Edition is a booking engine that supports reservations foremployees and their dependents along with profile creation.”

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi

MAY 8, 201018

Geert BovenGlobal distribution system (GDS) providerAmadeus has appointed Geert Boven asmanaging director for Amadeus Gulf. Boven willoversee Amadeus’ operations in the UAE, Omanand Bahrain. Boven previously worked at EtihadAirways as executive vice president of customerservices and airport operations. He has morethan 30 years of experience in aviation andtravel, having previously worked with KLM andMartinair Holland.

Gina CostaCar rental brand Hertz hasappointed Gina Costa ascommercial director for theMiddle East and Africa. Hertzopened its first regionalcorporate office for the regionin Dubai in 2009, with plans tocontinue expansion in theMiddle East and Africa. Costahas worked in the travel andtourism industry for 18 years,having previously held seniorroles with Hertz in Europe andAustralia. She also worked inthe airline industry, with thenow defunct airline AnsettAustralia. In her new role, Costawill lead a support team for the11 Hertz franchisees in theMiddle East and 23 in Africa;these franchisees currentlyoperate 66 outlets in the MiddleEast and 161 in Africa.

Michael KothInterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) hasappointed Michael Koth as the new generalmanager of Semiramis InterContinentalCairo, Egypt. Koth has more than 30 yearsof experience in the hospitality industrywith IHG. He has previously worked as ageneral manager on several otherproperties across Germany, Greece,Hungary and Qatar.

Bassam Abdullatif Al MosaEtihad Airways has appointed Bassam Abdullatif Al Mosa as vice president of corporateinvestments and subsidiaries. Al Mosa will manage investment projects for the airline, as wellas seeking new strategic investments. He also holds key positions in a number of Etihadsubsidiaries, including chairman of the board of Airline Services Centre, board director ofAmadeus Gulf and board director of Aldar Etihad Investments Property. He has spent threeyears working with Etihad’s corporate finance team. Previously, Al Mosa held senior roles atAbu Dhabi Free Zone and Dophin Energy Limited. He holds a bachelor of finance and masterdegree of public administration.

Kifah M MelhemSafir International Hotel, Kuwait, has appointed KifaM Melhem as general manager. Melhem previouslyworked for Ramada International in Muscat. Heholds a bachelor of science in business administrationand has completed further study in leadership andstrategic management. During his 20 year career,Melhem has held several management positions atinternational hotel chains, including Hyatt,Starwood, Coral International and Wyndham. In hisnew role, Melhem will focus on developing andimplementing new business strategies to revitaliseSafir International Hotel.

Geert BovenGina Costa

Kifah M Melhem

Michael Koth

Bassam Abdullatif Al Mosa

19MAY 8, 2010

Q&A with Taleb RifaiTravel Trade Weekly presents an exclusive interview with Taleb Rifai, secretary general of the World TourismOrganisation (UNWTO).

Travel Trade Weekly: Could youplease tell me about the mission of theUNWTO?Taleb Rifai: The UNWTO is essentiallyan intergovernmental agency under theumbrella of the UN; and so, in a broadersense, our mission involves the pursuitunity, development and world peace andall the other objectives of the UN.However, as an agency specialising intourism we are expected to provide globalleadership to the industry.We also provide technical assistance andhelp to our member states.We are less political than the main bodyof the UN, are more about trying tochampion the causes of the industry andto give the industry a political voice.We are unique in the UN system in thatwe have what we call affiliate members,who are participants from the privatesector; all major tourism operators aremembers with us.We see our mission as providingleadership to the industry, not just thepublic sector.For instance, we would never work out apolicy document with a member statewithout full partnership with the privatesector.So, we do find ourselves sometimes atodds, but so much as the main UN.

Travel Trade Weekly: Is there aconflict of interests when it comes toprofit driven companies influencingpublic policies that might have non-fiscal criteria for success?Taleb Rifai: In a way, the whole worldhas come together in realising that thepublic good is important to everyone andthat the economy requires everyone’sinput to function healthily.This is particularly true in our sector,

where tourism has often come to be seenas the private sector’s responsibility, butwe are trying to get governments moreinvolved.

Travel Trade Weekly: What or whereis the main focus of your work?Taleb Rifai: All regions need us indifferent ways. If you divide the world,simplistically, into developed andemerging markets, one hand or the other,then we do different work with each.We dedicate most of our efforts toemerging destinations, where our helpmight be needed to assess potential,develop assets and improve quality andperformance.However, the tourism sector in developedcountries has different needs; there themarket is mature and saturated, but theyneed our help to be innovative, to becomesmarter, to maintain their position.They also need our political work, to getthe industry recognised as part of thepolitical agendas in these places.The tourism sector is often left more orless on its own, without strong publicsector support, or national policies.We have done a lot of work developingnational tourism policies, and I could runthrough quite a list of countries where thishas been very successful; there is China,Vietnam, Maldives and at least a dozen inAfrica.We have also helped many countriesaround the world with updating theirlegislation in regards to tourism.

Travel Trade Weekly: Do you offerthe same policy advice to all countries– is there a UNWTO model fortourism development?Taleb Rifai: We are very uncomfortablewith straightjacket approaches, so we

tailor our missions to the needs of thepeople wherever we are working.Our only overriding objective is to be trueto the principles of sustainability.We have twelve indicators of sustainabilitythat we use as a reference, and whateverour intervention looks like, it must be trueto these principles.

Travel Trade Weekly: What shouldbe the main priority in the MiddleEast, when it comes to developing thetourism sector?Taleb Rifai: The Middle East needs towork harder at repositioning its brand andimage. Egypt has done this very well,despite occasional incidents, as haveMorocco, Tunisia, Jordan and evenLebanon in recent times.We need to do more to demonstrate thevisitability of the area, and encouragemovement between countries.If people could travel more easily betweencountries it would have a huge impact –no regions are succeeding withoutallowing more fluid movements.

Taleb Rifai

MAY 8, 201020

EventsHOTEC Middle EastMuscat, Oman, May 7-10 (www.mcleaneventsinternational.com/events/HotecMiddleEast2010)Business to business meetings forum for hotel owners,developers and operators to meet with suppliers.

China Hotel Investment ConferenceShanghai, China, May 12- 14 (www.chinahotelconference.com)Conference focusing on hotel investment in China.

Food and Hotel ArabiaJeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 16-18Meeting of professionals from the Saudi food and hospitalityindustries.

Oman Travel MarketMuscat, Oman, May 17-19 (www.oite.com/otm/2010)Exhibition for the promotion of Oman to as an internationaldestination.

Travel World ExpoKuwait City, Kuwait, May 19-20Exhibition for domestic, regional and international tourismenterprises.

The Hotel ShowDubai, UAE, May 18-20 (www.thehotelshow.com)Exhibition for hoteliers and suppliers to the hotel industry.

IMEXFrankfurt, Germany, May 25-7 (www.imex-frankfurt.com)Major international exhibition for the meetings and eventsindustry.

Global Travel and Tourism SummitBeijing, China, May 25- 27 (www.globaltraveltourism.com)High level gathering of travel industry chairs and CEOs.

Dubai Summer SurprisesDubai Events and PromotionsEstablishment has prepared the 2010edition of Dubai Summer Surprises(DSS), which is expected to draw touristsfrom around the region to boost businessduring the summer months. Kicking off on June 17, the event will rununtil August 7, offering shopping, familyentertainment and prizes. Laila Suhail, CEO for Dubai Events andPromotions Establishment, said the eventwould include Modhesh World, an indoorentertainment venue that attracted500,000 visitors during DSS 2009.“Dubai Summer Surprises marks itsthirteenth edition this year and comes

after more than a decade of welcomingand entertaining millions of visitors fromacross the world,” said Suhail.“The event has come a long way in itsstrive towards positioning Dubai as aleading summer destination and everyyear the vital economic sectors in Dubaireap the fruits of DSS in the form ofenhanced business.“We are looking forward to further elevatethe benefits of our summer extravaganzatowards all stake holders and attract moretourists from the region and the world thisyear.”Suhail added that airlines, hotels,government departments and private

organisations had co-operated to provideattractive travel and accommodationpackages to encourage tourists to attendthe event.

Dubai SummerSurprises