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Middle East and North Africa Edition

AUGUST 7, 2010 ISSUE 39 www.traveltradeweekly.travel

4

2PREMIER INNDohaland and Premier Inn will bringPremier Inn’s limited service hotel brandto Qatar, under a new joint venture.

in This issue

6

ROTANA SALE

Shuaa Partners, the private equity arm ofShuaa Capital, has sold its entire stake inRotana Hotel Management Corporationto Rotana chairman, Nasser Al Nowais.

MetroCheCk-in

Emirates has introduced self service kiosks at anumber of Dubai Metro stations, allowing

customers to check-in before they reach the airport.

S huaa Partners invested in Rotanain 2006, in order to fund the hotelcompany’s rapid expansion. Shuaa has since played an activerole in Rotana’s development,

participating on its board of directors andretaining Rotana to manage and operateseveral of Shuaa’s properties in Saudi Arabia. Rotana is also an anchor investor in ShuaaHospitality Fund I; however, this latesttransaction will not impact the relationship ofRotana and Shuaa’s various funds. While details of the sale remain confidential,Jamil Brair, director at Shuaa Partners, said the

investment had been profitable.“Our investment in Rotana hasgenerated a very healthy returnboth in terms of exit price as wellas from dividend distributions

over the period of investment,” said Brair. “Shuaa Partners Fund I has had a great trackrecord and remains a top performer. We havenow exited three of the five fund investments,all at excellent rates of return.”Nasser Al Nowais praised Rotana’s relationshipwith Shuaa and flagged future growth for theRotana brand. “We are very grateful for the support that Shuaaprovided us over the last four years, especiallywith their establishment of two funds that willaccelerate the roll-out of Rotana hotels,” said AlNowais.“Looking ahead, we continue to strive toachieve measured growth and realisticexpansion throughout the Middle East,bringing our expertise to future hotels,convention centres, serviced apartments andprime resorts.”

AUGUST 7, 20102

COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=UAE (AED) Dirham 3.69Egypt (EGP) Pound 5.68Saudi Arabia (SAR) Riyal 3.75Lebanon (LBP) Pound 1501Bahrain (BHD) Dinar 0.37Jordan ( JOD) Dinar 0.70Syria (SYP) Pound 46.6Kuwait (KWD) Dinar 0.29Qatar (QAR) Riyal 3.64Oman (OMR) Rial 0.38Tunisia (TND) Dinar 1.44Morocco (MAD) Dirham 8.44Iran (IRR) Riyal 10,003Yemen (YER) Rial 240.25Algeria (DZD) Dinar 73.62Libya (LYD) Dinar 1.26

MENA Exchange RatesAccurate as of 4/8/2010Currencies shown in red are fixed against the US Dollar

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLYDeputy EditorLaura Warne

JournalistLouis Dillon Savage

Design & LayoutElina Pericleous

Sales & MarketingMarianna TsiamasEvelina Hadjigeorgiou

DirectorsAndreas ConstantinidesMary Kammitsi

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Saudi Arabia’s travel industry hasdemonstrated consistent growth inrecent years; a trend which a majorindustry player says will continue.The tourism industry in Saudi Arabiahas grown at a rate of 10 percent peryear over the past five years, accordingto Al Tayyar Travel, one of thekingdom’s largest travel and touroperators.Ali Tijani, group vice president of AlTayyar Travel Group, said the rate ofgrowth had been even higher in thepast two years and that tourism wasbecoming increasingly important toSaudi Arabia’s economy.“Saudi Arabia's inbound tourism hasincreased 11 percent over the past twoyears and is expected to reach

SR101.3 billion (USD27.01 billion)in 2020,” he said.”The travel industry and tourism alsocontributed by 7.2 percent of the GDPof the kingdom, or about SR102billion (USD27.19 billion) last year.”According to Al Tayyar, growth hasbeen driven by increases in bothcorporate travel and religiouspilgrimages.Tijani said the industry’s strongperformance was expected to continue.“The industry is expected to createbetween 1.5 and 2.3 million new jobsby 2020, owing to a rise in thepopularity of the kingdom the growthrate of corporate travellers and touristsis estimated to increase from fivepercent to 6.5 percent by 2014,” he said.

Consistent Tourism Growth in Saudi Will Continue, According to Al Tayyar Travel

Shuaa Partners Sells Rotana StakeShuaa Partners, the private equity arm of Shuaa Capital, has sold its entirestake in Rotana Hotel Management Corporation to chairmanof Rotana, NasserAl Nowais.

3AUGUST 7, 2010

Three Middle Eastern Sites Added to UNESCO ListTwo Sites in Iran and one Saudi Arabia have been addedto the UNESCO world heritage list at the 34th session ofthe World Heritage Committee, held recently in Brazil.At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah, Saudi Arabia has beenincluded for its unique architecture and significance to thecurrent ruling family of the kingdom.At-Turaif was the original seat of the Saud dynasty and issituated northwest of the current capital of Riyadh. The city was founded in the fifteenth century and preservesthe Najdi architectural style, which is unique to the centralArabian Peninsula.It was the capital of the house of Saud in the eighteenthcentury, becoming the epicentre of the Wahhabi reformmovement.In Iran, the Sheikh Safi al-din Khānegāh and ShrineEnsemble in Ardabil and the Tabriz Historic BazaarComplex have both been added to the list.The Arbadil shrine complex was founded in the sixteenthcentury as a Sufi spiritual retreat. It follows a traditionalIranian style, providing a well preserved example ofmedieval Islamic architecture.The Tabriz Bazaar was one of the most historicallyimportant stops on the Silk Road trading route and hasbeen famous since the thirteenth century.According to UNESCO, it is one of the most completeexamples of the traditional commercial and cultural systemof Iran.The locations were designated as cultural heritage sites,reflecting their outstanding position in the world culturallandscape.Outside the Middle East, a further 18 additions were madeto the list, ranging from convict sites in Australia toprehistoric rock art sites in Portugal.According to UNESCO, world heritage status can play animportant role in attracting tourists to a destination.The next meeting of the world heritage committee will beheld in Bahrain, in 2011.

UAE Citizens to Get Visas on Arrival in New ZealandEmirati nationals are now able to visit the south pacific nationof New Zealand without a pre-arranged visa.According to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visas will stillbe required, but can be obtained at the airport upon arrival inthe country.The new visas will allow Emiratis to visit New Zealand for aperiod of three months, during which time they will beauthorised to work in the country.According to the ministry, the new rules apply to all kinds ofUAE passports, including diplomatic, official and ordinarypassports.

New Zealand

Tabriz Carpet Bazaar

AUGUST 7, 20104

- Accommodation

Dohaland and Premier inn Launch Joint VentureDohaland and Premier Inn will bring Premier Inn’s limited service hotel brand to Qatar, under a new joint venture.

Dubai based Jumeirah Group hassigned a deal with Egyptian group PalmHills Developments (PHD) to managea new five star resort on the Red Sea inEgypt.The 250 room Jumeirah Gamsha Bay

Resort will be located in PHD’s PalmGamsha mixed use development, whichincludes more than 20 man-madeislands. Hiking, golf, diving, desert safaris andarchaeological sites are all expected to be

strong drawcards for tourists to Egypt. The resort will be Jumeirah’s firstmanagement agreement in Egypt,bringing the total number of Jumeirahproperties in operation or underdevelopment to 48 globally.

Revenues for four and five star hotels inQatar over the first half of this year haveexceeded figures from the same period in2008 and 2009.In addition, Qatar Tourism Authority(QTA) has noted a rise of two points inthe occupancy rate of the hotel sector inthe country.Occupancy rates reached 61 percent inthe first half of 2010; Ahmed Al Nuaimi,chairman of QTA, described therecovery as slow and cautious. He added that the increase in occupancy

had not been adversely affected by theintroduction of several new hotels intothe market and the resulting expansionof hotel capacity.“QTA has developed short termpromotional plans to attract touriststargeted in the current circumstances aswell as to address changes at the globaltourism level,” said Al Nuaimi. “We are focusing on the type of touristto target for the future, not only bynumber but also including the length ofstay and amount of money they spend.”

Finally, Al Nuaimi said 42 hotel facilitieswere set to open by the end of 2010, witha capacity of approximately 6731 roomsand 1573 hotel units.

T he first project underthis partnership willbe a 200 room hotel inDoha Education City. Dohaland Hospitality,

a company mandated to bring uniquehotel brands to Qatar, will administerthe joint venture. Abdul Aziz Al-Emadi, CEO ofDohaland Hospitality, was confident ofsuccess.“We believe there is current need in themarket for quality budget hotels inDoha; our partnership with a globallyrecognised brand such as Premier Innwill address this segment in the market,”he said.“Our long term strategy at DohalandHospitality is to provide a diversifiedoffering and cater to different segments

without compromising the quality ofthe product or experience.“We expect to be in a position toannounce further additions to the evergrowing Dohaland Hospitality portfolioin the near future.”Darroch Crawford, managing director ofPremier Inn in the Middle East, said thepartnership lent further weight to thecompany’s commitment to the region.“The offering we propose, with the pricebracket it includes, allows us to beaccessible to a wider and largely un-serviced segment of the market,” saidCrawford.“We have three hotels already open inDubai and two more underdevelopment in Abu Dhabi.”Premier Inn is a UK owned companywith nearly 600 hotels worldwide.

Qatar Accommodation Sector Sees Cautious Recovery in 2010

Jumeirah Signs on to Manage First Egyptian Resort

Doha

We expect to be in aposition to announce

further additions to theever growing Dohaland

Hospitality portfolio in thenear future

The Education City, Doha

mailto:sales@traveltradeweekly.travel

AUGUST 7, 20106

- Air Travel

Emirates has introduced its selfservice kiosks into a number ofDubai Metro stations, allowingcustomers to check-in beforethey reach the airport.The kiosks have been installed inthe Burj Khalifa, Financial Cityand Mall of the Emiratesstations.Passengers can check-in, selectseats and print boarding passesat the station; however, theamount of luggage that can be

transported on the metro isrestricted.Roads and Transport Authority(RTA) regulations state thatpassengers are allowed to carryup to two luggage pieces each onthe metro, provided the firstpiece does not exceed the sizespecification of 81cm in width,58cm in height and 30cm indepth; and the second is notlarger than 55cm in width, 38cmin height and 20cm in depth.

etihad and Musanada Partnership Deal SignedEtihad Airways has partnered with the Abu Dhabi government’s general services provider, Musanada, whichwill see the two collaborate on providing travel to government employees.

Musanada alreadyprovides bothbusiness and leisuretravel services togovernment agents;

the new partnership will integrate Etihad’sproducts into Musanada’s serviceplatform.The arrangement will also see Etihad workwith Musanada to create a streamlinedgovernment travel policy.

James Hogan, CEO of Etihad, saidcollaboration was important to maintaineffectiveness in the face of rapid growth.“As Abu Dhabi continues to grow, it ismore and more important that entitieswork together to build strategicpartnerships that benefit the emirate,” hesaid.“Through our new partnership withMusanada, Etihad will offer superiortravel solutions to government employees,

reinforcing our support of thegovernment of Abu Dhabi, as well asstrengthening our position as the nationalcarrier,” he said.Mohamed Al Fahed Al Muhairi, CEO ofMusanada, said the collaboration wouldstrengthen Abu Dhabi’s governmenttravel policy, which he called the best inthe world.“Musanada’s Travel Service Management’smission is to provide a world class travelservice that optimises the financial andservice related benefits for the governmentof Abu Dhabi,” he said.“This travel service delivers a solutionwhich is fully aligned to the Abu Dhabi2030 vision and outmatches any othergovernment solution currently availableglobally.”

Emirates Launches Check-in Kiosks in Metro Stations

Emirates self-service check-in kiosk at Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall metro station

As Abu Dhabi continues to grow, it is more and more important that

entities work together tobuild strategic partnerships

that benefit the emirate(L-R) James Hogan with Mohamed Al Muhairi

T he new routes includeEthiopia’s capital, AddisAbaba, which will belaunched on December6; Basra in Iraq from

October 31; and Isfahan in Iran fromOctober 31. Samer Majali, CEO of Gulf Air, said thenew routes were part of a strategy toidentify and serve niche markets, creatingcity links between these destinations andGulf Air’s hub city, Bahrain.“While none of the Gulf carriers areserving Aden and Basra at present, citieslike Addis Ababa and Isafahan areunexplored markets,” he said.

“By launching these destinations we are notonly enabling the people and businesses ofthese countries to connect to one of thefastest growing economies, but alsoreinforcing our position as the undisputedleader in connecting the Middle East region."The new winter schedule reflects one ofthe main objectives of our new strategy -to serve every regional capital with at least

a double-daily service and generate a newmarket of travellers, who wish to conducttheir business in the region and returnhome the same day.”Gulf Air has launched services to 11 newdestinations over the past 13 months;during this time the airline also suspendedfour routes that were no longercommercially viable.

7AUGUST 7, 2010

- Air Travel

Gulf Air’s expansion Strategy inspires Three new RoutesGulf Air has announced three new destinations to be rolled out as part of its winter schedule, along with itspreviously announced upcoming services to Colombo and Aden.

While none of the Gulfcarriers are serving Aden

and Basra at present,cities like Addis Ababa

and Isafahan areunexplored markets

Samer Majalis

The new law represents acrackdown on the practice ofsubletting accommodationzoned for permanentresidency to tourists and

other visitors.According to local media, the bill bans therental of any non-hotel apartment for aperiod of less than 30 days.Primary targets of the legislation include bedand breakfasts and unlicensed hostels.Of particular concern are thoseestablishments that have occupied singleroom occupancy housing projects, intendedto provide cheap accommodation for poorresidents.David A Paterson, Governor of New York,said the changes would not affect visitors, butwould prevent the commercial exploitationof affordable housing.“This new law fixes problems caused byillegal hotels and improves quality of life in

traditionalresidentialapartmentbuildings,

while also meeting the needs of visitors,” hesaid.Michael R Bloomberg, Mayor of New York,said the bill allow the city to take actionagainst illegal hotels.“When housing designated for permanentoccupancy is illegally converted into a hotel,unsafe conditions are created, the residentialcharacter of city neighbourhoods is harmedand the supply of much needed units ofhousing is depleted,” he said.“The bill provides a clear definition of whatconstitutes transient and permanentoccupancy, which will allow city agencies toissue summonses and initiate otherenforcement actions against illegal hotels.”The bill contains allowances for roommatesand houseguests; giving permanentresidents, but not owners, the right toaccommodate visitors on a short term basis.According to various NYC media outlets, thebill has drawn criticism from workers in andowners of the establishments.Some claim they will lose their jobs if forcedto close and that budget travellers will bedeterred from visiting the city.

AUGUST 7, 20108

- International

new York City Cracks Down on illegal hotelsThe state of New York in the US has banned short-term apartment rentalswithin New York City (NYC), citing concerns for health, security and thedepletion of affordable housing.

Singapore Passes TourismMilestone with One Million Visitors in July

In July 2010, Singapore recordedone million visitors in a singlemonth for the first time ever; adevelopment which authoritiessay is a significant milestone.Jason Ong, area director in theMiddle East and Africa forSingapore Tourism Board (STB),said recent increases of interestfrom the Middle East hadcontributed to the result.“July has traditionally been a peakperiod to Singapore for travellersfrom the Middle East and I wouldlike to thank Middle East travellersfor contributing to this historicachievement,” he said.Year on year, the number of MiddleEastern visitors to Singaporeincreased by 23.2 percent in thefirst six months, compared to2009; visitor numbers from allsegments increased by 22.6percent.Leong Yue Kheong, assistant chiefexecutive of international groupsfor STB, said she expected interestto remain strong.

New York

This new law fixes problems caused by illegal hotels and

improves quality of life in traditional residential

apartment buildings, while alsomeeting the needs of visitors

AUGUST 7, 201010

Agent’s insightName: A Hamid AljabriPosition: Managing DirectorCompany: Byblos Tourism and Travel AgencyLocation: Syria

Jordan Tourism Board LaunchesOnline AcademyJordan Tourism Board has added online training coursesto its website, with the goal of educating travel agents sellingJordan as a destination.Called Visit Jordan Training Academy, the system allowstravel agents worldwide to log on and receive certificationfor completing courses on Jordan’s attractions.

STA Travel and Kanoo Partner toTarget Middle Eastern Youth TravelKanoo Travel and STA travel have revealed apartnership agreement that will see the two collaboratein Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.The agreement will expand STA’s presence in the MiddleEast by allowing existing Kanoo outlets to offer STAservices.According to Kanoo, the youth and student market inthe region is growing, driving demand for youth focusedtravel options.STA is the largest youth and student travel agent in theworld, with 400 branches across 60 countries. Mark Moss, general manager, global partners for STA,said Kanoo Travel was selected based on its marketposition.“Kanoo Travel is the market leader in the Middle Eastand we are very excited about this new partnershipwhich we are confident will be a great success, deliveringnew products and travel opportunities to students andyoung people in the region,” he said.

Who are your best customers?We are an incoming travel agency primarily and our main market isTurkish travellers, but we do receive people from other countries,whether directly or indirectly. We have a growing UK market and acouple of Dutch tour operators that we deal with, as well as otheragencies in eastern Europe. We also have correspondence with peoplein Russia, but we have not started dealing with this market yet.

What advice would you give to a young travel agentbeginning their career?They have to work very, very hard and grow their knowledge aboutdifferent markets and destinations. Knowledge is the first and mostimportant factor. Also, don’t rush after the penny – the penny willcome to you when the time is right. Doing your job properly is thebest way to be successful and make money.

When is the best time to visit your destination?Everybody comes to Syria during mid-September to the end ofOctober, or mid-March to the end of May. However, I would advisepeople to come during other periods of the year, when the rates arelower. Any other month really – June, July and August, orNovember through to March. Space is easier to find at this timeand the weather is often still pleasant for travellers.

Where is your most popular destination (outside of Syria)?We have a lot of sales to the Far East, as well as Lebanon and Dubai.Dubai is a highly demanded destination for both business andleisure. Europe is our high yield destination, because the peoplewho travel to Europe are more likely to choose the more expensiveproducts.

Why is travel important?Firstly, it is a change to your daily routine and a means of learning.It furthers your education while providing leisure. You could learna lot by travelling, seeing new places, meeting new people andtasting different food. Travel adds to your human experience andyour quality of life.

Travel adds to your human experience and your quality of life

We are very excited about this new partnership which we are

confident will be a great success

Petra, Jordan

11AUGUST 7, 2010

Be Adventurous: Stay off the Beaten TrackMany regions within the Middle East and North Africa are racing to develop themselves as tourismdestinations, while struggling with a lack of development.

Converted palace hotels area popular feature of MiddleEastern travel, with the soon tobe renovated Sofitel WinterPalace in Egypt offering aprime example.The UK has caught onto thetrend and is now marketing itsown brand of courtly luxury toMiddle Eastern visitors.Carol Maddison, manager inthe UAE for VisitBritain, saidthe kingdom’s castles offer anirresistible blend of luxury andhistory.“Britain is blessed with manycastles, often in stunning

locations, all full of history,”she said.She said that the UK washome to castles with optionsranging from basic to luxurysuites.“Many now offeraccommodation; castle hotels,bed and breakfast or selfcatering where you can rentyour own castle and live like aking; the choice is yours.”

H owever, in a regionrich in both naturaland cultural heritage,adventure tourism canprovide an

opportunity to attract tourists, with minimalinvestment.A US study of key global source markets hasfound that adventure tourism offers greatopportunities for developing destinationsand is a much more significant segment thanpreviously thought.Dr Kristin Lamoureux, director of theInternational Institute of Tourism Studies atGeorge Washington University, said thestudy showed that the potential of adventure

tourism had been underestimated.“Instead of being seen as a small, nichemarket, the study shows that adventuretourism is a sizable market with the potentialfor significant economic growthopportunities,” she said.The study found that the adventure travelindustry was worth more than USD89billion per year worldwide and comprisedaround a quarter of all outbound travellersfrom the US, Europe and South America.Lamoureux said the segment could becomea revenue stream for undevelopeddestinations, while providing an incentive forconservation.“Adventure tourism often relies heavily on

the natural and cultural resources adestination already has to offer,” she said.“For many developing destinations withoutthe resources to build infrastructure,adventure tourism is a realistic alternativeand provides a strong argument forpreserving a destination's resources.”

You can rent your own castle and

live like a king

Amberley Castle

Stay For a Knight in UK Castles

Instead of being seen as a small, niche market, thestudy shows that adventuretourism is a sizable market

with the potential forsignificant economic growth

opportunities

AUGUST 7, 201012

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

Peter HillCEO, Oman Air“As we found when Oman Air introducedin-flight mobile and Wi-Fi connectivity,customers value the chance to stay intouch, be entertained, update their socialmedia and work whilst travelling. OmanAir and an increasing number of otherairlines have taken great steps forwardwithin the area of in-flight entertainmentand connectivity (IFEC) and one of themajor challenges for the future will behow we match the pace of technologicalchange. I look forward to discussing withcolleagues the opportunities andchallenges that lie ahead.”

Customers value the chance to stay in touch, beentertained, update their

social media and workwhilst travelling

Peter Hill

Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al NahyanChairman, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA)“Abu Dhabi and ADTA have come relatively late to the international tourism sceneyet being late to market does not equate to being behind the market. Indeed, theissue of sustainability gives us a chance to surge ahead and demonstrate that whenwe talk of economic, social and environmental benefits, we do not view them inisolation, but more of an essential trio that when each is judged alongside another,can bring benefits extending well beyond the industry’s immediate community.Sustainability is an issue to be practised by all, for the benefit of all.”

Nasser LootahCEO, Al Jawhara Group of Hotels and Lootah Hotel Management"We are very happy to be the first hotel in the world to be given the highest ratingof seven by Crescentrating. As a pioneer in Islamic hospitality, we have been settingbenchmarking trends in Shariah-compliant service offerings and are committed tostrengthening Dubai's position as a leader in the sector through Jawhara's threedecades of expertise.”

As a pioneer in Islamic hospitality, we have been setting benchmarking trends

in Shariah-compliant service

Being late to market does not equate to being behind the market

Abu Dhabi

AUGUST 7, 201014

Karim NaffahThe Rocco Forte Collection hasappointed Karim Naffah as managingdirector. Naffah has acted as a consultantto the company since July, 2009, andassisted with the group’s refinancing. Theappointment was designed to allow thecompany’s founder, Sir Rocco Forte, todevote more time to expansion of thebusiness. Naffar has more than 18 years ofexperience in strategy and finance withinthe leisure and hospitality industry.

Suzanne AfanehAs part of a major cabinet restructure, Jordanian Prime Minister Samir Rifai hasappointed Suzanne Afaneh as Minister of Tourism and Antiquities. Afaneh replacesthe former minister, Maha Khatib. Afaneh is a former anchor and channel directorat Jordan Television and head of the communications department at Zain TelecomCompany in Jordan.

Peter FrenchRaffles Dubai has appointed Peter Frenchas general manager. French has more than40 years of international hospitalityexperience. His previous roles haveincluded general manager of TheSukothai in Bangkok, The Carlyle in NewYork and Grosvenor House in London.Most recently, he led the renovation andrepositioning of Mandarin Oriental’sflagship hotel in Hong Kong.

Barry BrownEtihad has appointed Barry Brown asvice president for Australasia. Brown hasmore than 23 years of experience in theairline industry. He previously workedas chief commercial officer with OmanAir and has held similar positions withSriLankan Airlines and HazeltonAirlines in Australia. In his new role,Brown will be responsible for Emirates’commercial operations in Australia andNew Zealand. With 70 flights per weekbetween Dubai and Australia, the routeis Emirates’ third largest market.

Thomas SwiecaRezidor Hotel Group has appointedThomas Swieca as general manager ofRadisson Blu Resort, El Quseir.Swieca has more than 25 years in thehospitality industry, joining Rezidorin 2005 as general manager for theopening of Radisson SAS MediaHarbour Hotel in Dusseldorf,Germany. He holds a diploma fromHotel School WIFA in Germany.

Karim Naffah

Peter FrenchBarry Brown

Thomas Swieca

Travel Trade Weekly: When was theHilton Abu Dhabi property openedand what changes has it faced sincethen?Jan Moenkedieck: Hilton Abu Dhabiwas the first international hotel in AbuDhabi, opened in March 1973 under thepatronage of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan AlNahyan. Hilton Abu Dhabi has doubled in sizesince the opening; an additional wing wasadded in 1994. Hilton Abu Dhabi has witnessed theincredible development of Abu Dhabiover the last 40 years.

Travel Trade Weekly:Can you tell usabout the recent renovations?Jan Moenkedieck: The rooms, suitesand other facilities such as our lobby havebeen given a boost according to thenewest standards. Those main facilities are to deliver acontemporary luxury with a refinedArabian sense of place. The renovation of 50 percent of the roomsand suites in the hotel is to be completedby September 2010 with the intention toupgrade the remaining rooms over thecourse of 2011. This will becomplemented by renovations of some ofour restaurants, bars, meeting andconference facilities with exciting andnew concepts.

Travel Trade Weekly: How does thehotel compete with the increasingnumber of properties in Abu Dhabi -does it have a particular marketniche?Jan Moenkedieck: Hilton Abu Dhabihas been a cornerstone of hospitality inAbu Dhabi for nearly 40 years.

Thanks to our strategic location, the hotelmostly withstands the competitivepressure of hotels that are located outsidethe heart of the city. Our regular clientele, consisting ofcorporate, leisure and government entitieskeep us busy the whole year round. Having the largest and most popularbeach club in town on the stunningcorniche, some of the most vibrant diningand entertainment in the city, make thehotel a destination by itself.

Travel Trade Weekly: How has thegrowth of Abu Dhabi as a destination,including new attractions and events,affected the hotel?Jan Moenkedieck: First and foremostthe development of the F1 Grand Prixin Abu Dhabi has been anoverwhelming success both regionallyand internationally. Major exhibitions and conventions heldin Abu Dhabi saw hotels fully bookedduring key business periods over the lastyears. Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority’s buzzingcultural calendar has further added a verypositive positioning of the emirate thatpositively affected the business levels ofour hotel rooms, leisure, dining andentertainment facilities.

Travel Trade Weekly: Are there anychallenges that you face currently?Jan Moenkedieck: Abu Dhabi as adestination is going through a change ofgrowth. This brings the usual challenges andpositive growing pain when running acomplex business that touches so manysectors, people and stakeholders alike.

Travel Trade Weekly: Similarly, arethere any developments/initiativesthat you think would improve thetourism industry in Abu Dhabi?Jan Moenkedieck:A great example of adevelopment that will boost the tourismindustry in Abu Dhabi is the developmentof Sadiyaat and Yas islands. Those willfurther profile Abu Dhabi’s leisure marketswith its unspoilt beaches, renownedmuseums and exciting attractions.

15AUGUST 7, 2010

Q&A with Jan MoenkedieckHilton Abu Dhabi, one of the emirate’s oldest international hotels, is currently undergoing major renovationsto bring it up to contemporary standards. General manager Jan Moenkedieck spoke to Travel Trade Weeklyabout the changing face of tourism in Abu Dhabi and the effect it is having on the hotel industry.

Jan MoenkedieckThe development of the F1 Grand Prix inAbu Dhabi has been an

overwhelming successboth regionally and

internationally

Hilton Abu Dhabi was the first international

hotel in Abu Dhabi, openedin March 1973

AUGUST 7, 201016

eventsMedical Tourism and Global Healthcare ConferenceLos Angeles, US, September 22-24 (www.medicaltourismconference.com)Forum for the global medical and wellbeing tourism industry.

Outdoor Adventure DubaiDubai, UAE, October 8-10(www.outdooradventuredubai.com)Adventure sports, outdoor clubs, equipment specialists andholiday destinations.

GITEX Technology WeekDubai, UAE, October 17-21 (www.gitex.com)Technology solutions for hotels, businesses and consumers.

Hotex Fair SyriaDamascus, Syria, October 19-22 (www.hotexfair.com)Fair for Arabic and foreign companies in tourism and travel,including hotels, restaurants and equipment suppliers.

World Travel MarketLondon, UK, November 8-11 (www.wtmlondon.com)Global event for the travel industry – four day business tobusiness event promoting a range of destinations and industrysectors to international travel professionals.

World Green Tourism Abu DhabiAbu Dhabi, UAE, November 22-24 (www.worldgreentourism.ae)Inaugural eco-tourism exhibition, featuring tourismauthorities, urban city planners, hotels and resorts, propertydevelopers, airlines, tour operators, green product suppliers,universities, museums and heritage site organisations.

Blossom JapanTokyo, Japan, January 18-21,2011 (www.blossomjapan.com)A new invitation-only luxury travel exhibition focusing on theJapanese market.

Organisers of the Barcelona based globalmeetings and events exhibition, EIBTM,have launched a new exhibitor initiative,EIBTM Stand Awards 2010. Categories include: best stand designoverall; best stand design – shell scheme;best stand for doing business; best standpersonnel; best stand feature/attraction;most innovative stand within technologyand event services village; sustainability;and hosted buyer voted best stand.The awards are open to all EIBTMexhibitors and will be judged onNovember 30 - the opening day of theexhibition. Judging will be undertaken by an

independent panel, chaired by Rob Allenof TRO Group; the sustainability awardwill be judged by Organise This Ltd. The hosted buyer award will beannounced on the final day of EIBTM –hosted buyers will be encouraged to votefor their favourite stand throughout theexhibition.Graeme Barnett, exhibition director forEIBTM, said the awards were expected tobecome a permanent fixture at futureEIBTM events.“These awards have been set up inrecognition of the importance stands andstand personnel play in the success ofachieving return on investment at

EIBTM,” he said.“Exhibitors who invest substantial timeand budgets in our event deserve toreceive recognition for their design andmarketing efforts.”EIBTM 2010 will be held in Barcelona,Spain, between November 30 andDecember 2.

EIBTM 2010 Launches New Stand Award Programme for Exhibitors

Exhibitors who invest substantial time

and budgets in ourevent deserve to

receive recognition