1. travel
2. transports
3. air travel
4. airlines

A DDP PUBLICATION
Pages: 20
ddppl.com
TravTalkMiddleEast.com
Vol. X No. 12; December 2014
Indians travelling to Sharjah up by 41% ..................................................................03
‘Discovery Day’ from IBTM Arabia ..........................................................................05
Jet strengthens Gulf-India bond ..............................................................................10
Sharjah: Capital of Arab Tourism
The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) was recently in London with exciting award
announcement and new technology launch. SCTDA had introduced the user-friendly Interactive Touchscreen
and the new tourism portal, sharjahmydestination.ae, which attracted attention at the London exhibition.
S U S M I TA G H O S H
gious Award based on its
tourism diversity, culture,
leisure, the environment, culture, family, educational activities and opportunities.
T
he Tourism Board had
participated in the
World Travel Market for
the twelfth consecutive year
in London from Nov 3-6,
2014. The 330-square
metre Sharjah pavilion
showcased the best of
Sharjah's tourism, including
its heritage, festivals and
tourist attractions at the
International
Exhibition
Centre, ExCel, in London.
Led by Mohamed Ali
Al Noman, Chairman,
Sharjah Commerce and
Tourism
Development
Authority, the Sharjah delegation to WTM 2014 included
representation from the main
stakeholders of the tourism
industry in Sharjah including
Sharjah
International
Airport Authority, Sharjah
Environment and Protected
Areas (EPAA), Sharjah
Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq),
Coral
Beach
Resort
Mohamed Ali Al Noman
Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and
Tourism Development Authority
WTM is the
perfect platform
and opportunity
to showcase
Sharjah in all its
diversity
Sharjah, Sharjah Museums
Department and Universal
Travels & Tourism.
Al Noman explained
that the World Travel Market
is widely recognised as the
leading travel and tourism
Khalid Jasim Al Midfa
Ali Salim Al Midfa
Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer
Director General, Sharjah
Commerce and Tourism
Development Authority
Chairman
Sharjah Airport Authority
COO
Shurooq
We are working
to bolster
Sharjah’s
position in the
global tourism
market
exhibition in the world. "This
is the perfect platform and
opportunity to showcase
Sharjah in all its diversity,
especially as it is the natural
introduction to Sharjah
Capital of Arab Tourism
for 2015. The WTM
WTM is an
important platform
to showcase the
Sharjah
International
Airport services
always
provides
an
excellent opportunity to
connect with the other
international destinations
and tourism companies
to exchange experiences
and to do business," informed
Al Noman.
WTM is an ideal
platform for
Shurooq to
showcase its rich
portfolio of tourism
projects
The Emirate of Sharjah
was awarded as the Capital of
Arab Tourism Award for 2015
at the 15th session of The
Arab Council of Tourism ministers in Cairo. Sharjah was
chosen for the honor as it met
all the criteria for this presti-
The Sharjah stand at
the WTM London exhibition
had attracted considerable
attention of the travel and
tourism industry, leaders of
tourism in the UK and delegates from international destinations. On Day Two of the
London exhibition, Noman,
and Khalid Jasim Al Midfa,
Director General, Sharjah
Commerce and Tourism
Development Authority welcomed Abdulrahman Al
Mutaiwee, UAE Ambassador
to the United Kingdom and
other officials from the UAE
embassy to the Sharjah
stand. The SCTDA officials
held meetings and talks with
senior officials and leading
figures of the industry which
included David Scowsill,
President & CEO, World
Travel and Tourism Council.
Contd. on page 2
2
COVER STORY
TRAVTALK D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4
WTM displays Sharjah’s grandeur
Contd. from page 1
The meeting with
Scowsill highlighted the growth
and development of Sharjah’s
distinct tourism product with
focus on the special tourism
activities, events and cultural
festivals hosted by the emirate
throughout the year. They both
exchanged experiences and
ideas about tourism promotion
and cooperation.
The Sharjah stand handled 52 meetings from high
profile travel journalists and
trade members. The trade
was looking to develop new
charter and package holidays
into the Emirate. Further discussions revolved around
driving awareness through
the travel industry with the
development of online travel
agents training programs that
can be rolled out in key
generating regions.
Speaking on the occasion, Midfa underscored the
significance of these regular
meetings with leading players
of the international travel and
tourism industry saying that
they offer an important opportunity to highlight Sharjah’s
tourism presenting capitalizing on its strengths and successes as a diverse tourism
and cultural destination.
Al Midfa noted his satisfaction at the success and the
positive response that the emirate of Sharjah has been
receiving at the WTM London
exhibition, especially from the
crucial European tourism markets, which have registered
steady growth in recent years.
Sharjah received more than
409,585 European tourists in
the first 6 months, registering
a remarkable 17 per cent
increase over the same period
last year when the emirate
received 349,670 tourists.
Al Midfa emphasised,
“We are working and pushing
for constant growth and development of the tourism sector
in the Emirate with the help of
integrated strategies to bolster
Sharjah’s position in the global tourism market, particularly
in view of the number of international awards and titles that
the Emirate has earned in
recent times.”
Based around its five
key pillars - City, Leisure,
Heritage, Education and the
Coast, the Emirate is strategically investing in new developments influencing its international and cultural appeal. It
includes large-scale hotel
investment and introduction of
international
hospitality
brands, urban regeneration
projects featuring 'The Heart
of Sharjah' and The Al Majaz
Island project alongside the
expansion of Sharjah's international airport.
The year 2015 will see
yet another cultural calendar
of new events, joining the
Emirate's spectacular Light
Festival, Sharjah Water
Festival, F1 Grand Prix and
Sharjah
Biennial
and
International Book Fair held
in November 2014.
The 33rd edition of the
Sharjah International Book
Fair (SIBF) kicked off on Nov
5, 2014 for the third consecutive year. A number of famous
of renowned and influential
figures in discussions.”
SIBF always seeks to
develop its activities and
utilise new means and
advanced technologies in the
dissemination of culture,
encouraging interaction and
networking with educators. It’s
possible through various
channels of communication,
which would help enrich the
The social networking platform saw
considerable interest by visitors in the last two
years and also received wide coverage on
social networking sites due to the engagement
of influential figures in discussions
UAE’s cultural and social
scene and promote dialogue
among users of these sites
and channels. The Sharjah
Investment and Development
Authority (Shurooq)’s participation in the event under the
umbrella
of
Sharjah
Commerce and Tourism
Development
Authority
(SCTDA) is in line with the
Authority’s ambitious strategy
to promote Sharjah as a leading investment and tourist
destination in the region
and the world.
“WTM is an ideal platform for Shurooq to showcase
its rich portfolio of tourism
projects, like The Heart of
Sharjah, Al Majaz Waterfront,
Al Qasba, Al Montazah
Amusement and Water Park,
Al Bait Hotel and many more.
Our participation also aimed
at promoting new investment
opportunities related to the
tourism and travel sector in
Sharjah, strengthening economic cooperation with participating delegations from all
over the world while promoting growth opportunities
available in the Emirate. We
have also discussed investment opportunities with our
counterparts in London,” Al
Qaseer clarified.
Commenting
on
Shurooq’s participation in
Ali Salim Al Midfa,
Chairman, Sharjah Airport
Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri
Director of Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF)
social media activists spoke
about their experience and
how they use social networking sites to express their
issues and promote their
products, in addition to discussing significant social and
cultural topics.
Ahmed bin Rakkad Al
Ameri, Director of Sharjah
International Book Fair
(SIBF), said, “The social networking platform saw considerable interest by visitors in
the last two years and also
received extensive coverage
on social networking sites and
media due to the engagement
WTM 2014, Ahmed Obaid Al
Qaseer, COO, Shurooq, stated, “As travel and leisure have
been identified as a very
important area of focus in
Shurooq’s overall strategy, the
World Travel Market, is a
must attend business-tobusiness event for us. It brings
together travel professionals
from a diverse variety of destinations and industry sectors
from across the world. It provides us a unique opportunity
to meet, network, negotiate
and conduct business with the
most important agencies, corporations, and entities in this
sector on a global level.”
Authority mentioned, “We, at
Sharjah Airport Authority, have
participated in the WTM 2014
under the SCTDA umbrella,
along with key tour operators
and hoteliers in Sharjah. WTM
is an important promotional
and ideal platform to showcase the Sharjah International
Airport’s services and facilities
to the various international
and major travel, tourism, airlines and destination management companies. This event
attracts the leading European
tour operators and other
tourism industry players”.
He added, “This is the
13th consecutive year we
have participated the event in
London, aiming to promote
Sharjah as a vivid tourist destination and Sharjah international Airport as a gate way
to Sharjah in particular and
the UAE in general. We are
confident that these efforts
would support our goal
of economic development
for Sharjah and motivate us
to work even harder for
the sustainable growth of
Sharjah economy.”
SCTDA wrapped up a
successful participation in the
premier WTM 2014. To showcase Sharjah’s tourism product in major exhibitions in
Europe like ITB Berlin and the
WTM London in the growing
European tourism market
interest in the Emirate is what
the Authority is keen about.
Sharjah showcases the best of its tourism
The 330-square metre Sharjah pavilion in WTM 2014 aimed to portray a glimpse
of life in the Emirate. It highlighted the new opportunities for international markets and
also showed how it can be a destination for business and pleasure.
INTERVIEW
DECEMBER 2014
TRAVTALK
3
Indians travelling to Sharjah up by 41%
In recent years, Sharjah Tourism has emerged as a big tourist destination.
catches up with
Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Director General, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority to know
more about their plans. A few excerpts…
DEEPA SETHI FROM LONDON
How is Sharjah being
Q
portrayed and
promoted to the world
and India specifically as a
tourist destination?
Sharjah is a city of culture and
education. We have a very well diversified economy and tourism plays a big
role in our GDP. We have seen a phenomenal growth from different markets
worldwide. Recently, Sharjah had a
roadshow in India in 5 cities and it
received an unparalleled response.
One of our airlines, Air Arabia flies to
13 cities in India to and from Sharjah.
The number of Indian visitors
increased by 41 per cent in 2013,
have more than 50 per cent of museums in Sharjah. For example, the Al
Mahatta Airport Museum, which was
the first airport of the country that
opened in 1932, is now a museum
and you can see an old aircraft here.
You can also see a control tower and
videos and black and white films of aircraft landing in the Emirate in 1932.
tre for the leopard and today we have
more than 34 Arabian leopards. The
Arabian leopard is one of the most
beautiful animals in the Arabian
Peninsula. We have declared many
areas as protected areas and we
play a big role in sustainability
and protecting the eco sys-
tries. I think China today
has already become the
number one outbound
market
interna-
shows and characters from all around
the world and then a session in
between which talks about the
importance of water through
animation or a cartoon,
which really gets into childrens’ hearts.
tem. We have also launched many
awareness campaigns. Further, a lot
of information is being passed to our
new generation to really get the bigger
picture and the importance of having
a sustainable eco-system.
tionally. Six months back, we received
one group from China for a day’s trip
with 16000 people. They filled up our
museums; we facilitated their visit very
well with their tour operator. They were
actually staying in Dubai and they
explored Sharjah.
So it’s very authentic, it’s different. The
cost is the same for the flight within
India or to Sharjah, may be even less.
I think Sharjah is very accessible to
India with Air Arabia flying to13 destinations and with three daily flights on
Qatar Airways. We also have other
Indian airlines like SpiceJet and IndiGo
which fly to Sharjah.
Is the Maritime
Museum a part of
Q
Sharjah’s Sustainable
Tourism and Environment
Protection plan?
The maritime museum focusses
heavily on showcasing species from
the region. These are not imported
species from South Africa or America
Is Sharjah upgrading
its airport for the
Q
international tourists?
Sharjah International Airport
as compared to 2012, that is a
big increase.
How is India as an
outbound market?
Q
We’ve seen changes in the outbound market from India and we have
figures from Indian associations like
TAAI and TAFI that show phenomenal
growth in the outbound tourism sector.
In 2013, the numbers were almost
123,000 hotel guests to Sharjah from
India. This comes up as an interesting
opportunity to get the maximum number of Indian visitors and hotel guests
to Sharjah. Of course, besides hotel
guests, we also have day visitors who
come to see our offerings. They generally stay in neighbouring Emirates,
as you know proximity plays a very
big role. In the United Arab Emirates,
you can drive from Abu Dhabi, Dubai
etc in 2-3 hours, unlike India where
you have to fly 3-4 hours between one
city and another. This is really
an advantage for us.
or Australia, but species from the
region, so the visitor can get information about the region. The maritime
museum is a big aquarium beautifully
designed and it has all different kinds
of species. I will tell you a story about
His Highness’ achievements. His
Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin
Mohammed Al Qasimi, the Ruler of
Sharjah, and his concern for protecting
the environment and making it
a better place for our children and the generations
to come. There was an
Arabian leopard, which
was going to become
extinct some years ago
and His Highness decided
to create a breeding cen-
Last year, we had almost
8.5 million passengers flying
through Sharjah airport. We don’t
only get tourists, but we also
receive visitors, families, business
travellers and transit travellers, who
visit Sharjah for different purposes.
Sharjah Airport is very passenger
friendly and it’s not too huge.
Are India and China
becoming very
Q
important for Sharjah?
in Sharjah, you will see that
special unique Islamic architecture
which really gives the visitor the feeling
that it is different.
Dubai? What is it they will
find in Sharjah and not in
Dubai?
like to show to the
world?
Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Director General, Sharjah Tourism
Which section of
visitors are you
Q
targeting; the middle
class or the upper middle
class?
Sharjah is looking at the upper
middle class passengers. We have different categories of hotels. We have
108 hotels ranging from one star to
We’ve seen changes in the outbound market from
India. In 2013, the numbers were almost 123,000
hotel guests to Sharjah from India. This comes up as
an interesting opportunity to get the maximum
number of Indian visitors and hotel guests to Sharjah
How do we
encourage a visitor to
Q
fly to Sharjah rather than
Do you have
something special in
Q
Sharjah that you would
Of course, we have more
than 20 museums in Sharjah and
each one is unique. These 20
museums comprise more than 50
per cent of museums in the whole
country, it’s not wrong to say that we
China is the fastest growing market in the world and
we have identified India and
China as the highest
potential markets for
Sharjah. China and India
are rich in culture and
countries with rich culture
appreciate culture of
other
coun-
India still is very different
because it is very close to us. So
rather than travelling from Mumbai
to Kerala or Chennai, travellers fly
the same distance to come to
Sharjah. Here, they get to see a
different culture, activities, festivals
and events that we host. Sharjah
2015, being the capital of Arab
tourism, has a very busy calendar for
tourism. So if you’re walking anywhere
Sharjah is a safe family destination. It has activities that are
designed and tailor-made to suit
families. Women have no fear
about their safety. Even in our
events and festivals, we focus on
infotainment, where the child, even
parents get to learn something while
being entertained. For example, we
have a water festival in which we have
five star and apartments ranging
from basic standard to deluxe.
The prices are very competitive and
the Tourism Authority regularly monitors the service standards regularly.
So the experience that our visitors
will get is unbeatable. If they have
big families, they can use the hotel
apartments, but if they are just a couple, then we have five-star hotels at
very good rates.
In Focus
N Sharjah is looking at the upper
middle class travellers
N The prices are very competitive
and the Tourism Authority regularly
monitors the service standards
regularly
GUEST COLUMN
The next stage of growth begins
EDITORIAL
The first week of November signalled the start of Oman Air’s next phase
of ambitious expansion. On Nov 6, the latest addition to our fleet, a
brand-new Boeing B737-800, landed at Muscat International Airport to
the delight of everyone at the airline.
Winter tourism
gathers steam
inter and Christmas are seasons of great
activity and excitement for the tourism
industry. The build-up to the peak travel period
is already here. Figures do not lie, after all. the
latest data from the International Air Transport
Association (IATA) indicate that the number of
passengers travelling with Middle East carriers
surged in September by 15.8 per cent,
compared to a year earlier, adding vigour to
the upbeat mood.
W
The September global average was up 5.3
per cent year-on-year, down on August’s 6.3
per cent increase. There is little doubt that
airlines in the Gulf sector benefit from an
increase in export orders that support
business-related premium travel.
The Tourism Activation Authority (TAA) too
has specified that inbound tourism from the
UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan grew by 400
per cent in the last three months.
On the hospitality front, Abu Dhabi's 156
hotels and hotel apartments have reported that
the period from January to September 2014
has been the most successful in terms of guest
arrivals, guest nights, occupancy and revenue.
The Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture
Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) has made it known
that from the beginning of 2014 to September
end, 2,498,672 guests checked into the
emirate's accommodation, a 26 per cent yearon-year increase. Hotel revenues climbed to
US$1.16 billion, which is 15 per cent growth on
last year with room revenues reaching 16 per
cent to US$591 million.
Talk of winter and the tourism industry in the
Gulf sector cruises its way to joy. The new multientry UAE visit visa for cruise tourists has made
it much easier for expatriate families as well as
overseas visitors to cruise in the Arabian Gulf.
The Abu Dhabi Ports Company expects to
receive nearly 25 per cent more cruise ships
and 16 per cent additional passengers to
visit the capital this season compared with
last year. The industry thus has several
reasons to feel jubilant. With winter here, the
positive outlook does offer as much comfort
as a cozy blanket. Right?
Publisher
Director
Editor
Assistant Editor (ME)
Desk Editor
Design
Business Development Manager
Manager Advertising
Sales & Admin Assistant
Circulation Manager
Manager Production
U74899DL1989PTC038620
: SanJeet
: Sumeera Bahl
: Deepa Sethi
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: Archana Sharma
: Nityanand Misra
: Crisna De Guzman
: Geetika Pathak
: Eric Gomez
: Ashok Rana
: Anil Kharbanda
he aircraft joins our existing fleet of 17 Boeing
B737s, seven Airbus A330s,
four Embraer E175s and
two ATR42s. While we
already operate a large
number of B737s, the new
addition certainly does not
mean business as usual! In
fact, not only is the new aircraft the first step in the
expansion of our fleet, it is
also the first to offer our newlydesigned Business Class and
Economy Class cabins,
together with a brand-new,
state-of-the-art inflight entertainment system.
T
The new Business
Class cabin offers 12 seats,
designed by Recaro and fitted
in a 2-2 configuration. Each
seat features electric backrest/seat bottom, leg rest and
seat depth controls, a 10.6inch video screen, PC power
outlet, reading light and literature pocket. The Economy
Class cabin offers 150 seats,
designed
by
Zodiac
Aerospace with a 30-inch
pitch. Each features a high
seat back pivot, articulating
bottom pan and energy
absorbing leg system. In
addition, passengers will
enjoy a 10.6-inch, seatbackmounted LCD inflight entertainment (IFE) screen and IFE
handset, as well as a bi-fold,
sliding tray table.
To complement the outstanding comfort and amenity
of the new cabins and seats,
Oman Air has fitted the
very latest IFE technology.
The Thales AVANT in-seat
audio video on demand
(AVOD) system offers a vast
range of movies, music,
games and information.
We currently offer 10
daily flights to Muscat from
UAE and, from Jan 1, 2015,
to Manila and Jakarta, adding
much-welcomed South East
Asian destinations to our current list of 45 European, South
Asian, South East Asian,
Middle East and GCC destinations. The Manila service
will be launched on Dec 2,
and the Jakarta flight will start
on Dec 12, ensuring that
friends and families can be
reunited for the holiday season, tourists can make the
most of their seasonal breaks
We currently offer 10 daily flights to
Muscat from UAE; and from Jan 1, 2015,
we will be increasing the number of
return flights we operate between Salalah
and Dubai from four to seven per week
we will be increasing the number of return flights we operate between Salalah and
Dubai from four to seven per
week. From the same date,
we will also be increasing the
number of flights we offer
from Muscat to Frankfurt,
Munich and Zurich, so that
we offer daily services and we
will increase our frequencies
to Milan and Medina to six
flights per week.
Even sooner than these
changes, however, we will be
launching flights from Muscat
Middle East at the World
Travel Awards, Best Staff
Service Middle East at the
World Airline Awards, and the
Readers’ Choice Award at the
Saveur Travel Cuisine Awards.
When you add Oman Air’s
exquisite Business Class and
First Class lounges at Muscat
International Airport, complimentary chauffeur driven airport transfers for our First and
Business class passengers at
selected destinations across
our network and highly competitive prices for flights
throughout our network, you
can see why Oman Air was
named as a high-ranking
Official Four Star Airline by
independent airline quality
specialists Skytrax.
and business travellers can be
well established ready for a
New Year start.
The arrival of our new
B737 will be followed over the
next three years or so by the
delivery of further 23 aircraft
– 14 more B737s, three
Airbus A330s and six Boeing
B787 Dreamliners.
Just this year, Oman Air
has been presented with Best
Business Class Airline Middle East and Best
Economy Class Airline –
Shahzad Naqvi
Country Manager- UAE
Oman Air
ADAC’s EOI for Fujairah airport expansion
Abu Dhabi Airports
Company (ADAC) PJSC,
wholly owned by the Abu
Dhabi Government, has invited
companies
to
submit
prequalification bids for the
grading and enabling works at
Al Fujairah International
airport in UAE.
In May 2014, Abu Dhabi
Airports (ADA) and Fujairah
Airport announced in a joint
statement that they signed a
memorandum of cooperation
(MoC) to develop an airport
development master plan for
the Fujairah International
Airport , which comprises an
expansion program to enhance
the terminal.
Through the agreement,
ADA will assist Fujairah
Offices:
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Airport in compiling a
list of proposed component
projects and manage third­party
project team such as
design consultants and
construction
contractors.
Currently, ADAC is working on
construction of the US$2.94 bil­
lion (10.8 billion dirhams)
Midfield Terminal Complex
(MTC) at Abu Dhabi
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International Airport in order to
accommodate the anticipated
30 million annual passengers
by 2017.
Separately, Ajman also
approved the final plans
and designs for the $571 mil­
lion (AED 2.1 billion) new
Ajman International Airport
project, which will be
opened in 2018.
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EXHIBITIONS
DECEMBER 2014
‘Discovery Day’ from IBTM Arabia
In partnership with TCA Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau, IBTM Arabia is now the
only opportunity in the region for Middle East MICE suppliers to meet the qualified VIP
international planners and buyers. Close to 50 per cent of the meeting pods have already been
reserved in this first-of-its-kind Abu Dhabi based event, taking place from Feb 10-12, 2015.
TT B U R E AU
he reservations have
been accepted in the
Hosted Buyer programme
from Europe, Asia Pacific,
Africa, North America,
South America and the
Middle East.
T
The key difference for
IBTM Arabia over other
events in the region is the
guarantee that every exhibitor
will have a pre-scheduled
diary of up to 30 mutuallymatched
appointments,
access to 9 networking oppor-
tunities and the IBTM Arabia
Knowledge Forum, part of
the Discovery Day.
perfect platform for the
regions’ suppliers. With 2.5
days of back-to-back, face-toface meetings, teamed with
networking and socialising at
exclusive events, it makes for
the perfect winning combination,” said Lois Wilcox, Event
Director IBTM Arabia.
A ‘Discovery Day’ is
planned to give Hosted
Buyers the opportunity to see
what’s new for the industry
in Abu Dhabi, along with a
half-day Knowledge Forum for
all attendees.
“Recent reports in the
region suggest that the MICE
infrastructure and facilities
have expanded significantly
and that the number of international association meetings
Recent reports suggest that the MICE
infrastructure/facilities have expanded
significantly and that the number of
international association meetings in the
ME has trebled since the last 10 years
Lois Wilcox
Event Director
IBTM Arabia
in the Middle East has trebled
since the last 10 years. The
focus of GCC economies on
education, healthcare and
MICE activities, supported by
the aviation sector, have
fueled
this
growth.
Accordingly, there is lot of
competition for companies
looking to win business from
international meeting planners. So IBTM Arabia is the
“Being the first MICE
event of the calendar year in
the region and the first touchpoint for potential buyers looking for business with their
2015/16 budgets, we are
delighted by the support we
received for the industry’s new
event style and the acknowledgement from both regional
and international suppliers of
the difference it will make to a
company’s business development opportunity. We already
have the support of the local
and regional private sector
and of course the successful
history of GIBTM from which
we have created IBTM
Arabia,” added Wilcox.
With the single focus on
a full diary of appointments,
networking between buyers
and exhibitors and everyone
together for the duration of the
event, IBTM Arabia is
not a traditional trade-show,
but an intimate environment
dedicated to creating a community of professionals from
both sides of the industry
brought together to meet,
learn and connect.
Coming Up
N A ‘Discovery Day’ has
been planned to give
Hosted Buyers the
opportunity to see
what’s new for the
industry in Abu Dhabi
TRAVTALK
5
Abu Dhabi
is UK’s
travel agents
choice
Abu Dhabi has won the
‘Destination of the Year’
award for the ‘City’ category
in the UK’s Travel Agents
Choice Awards. “These
awards carry special significance in the British travel
industry because they are
the only travel honours
entirely nominated and
voted for by travel retailers,” said Nabeel Zarouni,
Country Manager UK, Abu
Dhabi Tourism & Culture
Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).
“This accolade comes as
Abu Dhabi recorded, in the
first nine months of this
year, a 25 per cent increase
on hotel guests from the UK,
compared to the same period last year. The UK is currently our second largest
overseas producer of hotel
guests and we envisage
building on this further
when Etihad Airways, the
national carrier of the
United Arab Emirates,
begins daily services from
Edinburgh to Abu Dhabi
International. “We are
grateful for this vote
of confidence by the UK
travel trade.”
6
HOTELS
TRAVTALK D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4
Masai Mara showcased
to UAE travel agents
‘Agents integral to our sales’
Despite the increased competition among luxury properties, Jumeirah at
Etihad Towers continues to maintain a leading position in Abu Dhabi. Till
October 2014, the total room nights of the hotels increased by over 15%.
TT B U R E AU
he hotel foresees 2015 as
an opportunity to further
build on its different achievements. “The travel agents are
an integral part of our sales
strategy and network. We
understand the level of trust
an agent has with their client
T
“While internet and
mobile booking channels continue to increase, Jumeirah at
Etihad Towers maintains the
importance of travel agent
sales,” he further stated.
The hotel is the recipient
of the most culinary awards
and accolades within the
The travel agents are an integral part of
our sales strategy and network. We
understand the level of trust an agent has
with their client and their reputation for
suggesting the best holiday
On Oct 27, 2014, Kenya Airways - Dubai has organised a FAM
trip to Kenya on the First Dreamliner for nine top travel agencies
from UAE. The whole idea was to have top agents enjoy and experience
the First Dreamliner flight which has amazing features and get an
experience of the nature’s beauty and the wild life reserve in Masai Mara.
The agents were very excited about the trip and they got familiar
with both Business and economy class and to have their product
knowledge bettered to increase sales.
and their reputation for suggesting the best holiday and
travel options. By recognising
this special relationship, we
ensure that level of trust and
expectation continues as their
clients visit us,” asserted
Stefan Fuchs, General
Manager, Jumeirah at Etihad
Towers, Abu Dhabi.
family and friends. The property encourages guests from
the GCC to combine special
Jumeirah GCC Winter
Breaks. It offers GCC residents an exclusive 10 per cent
off as best available rate and
a host of additional complimentary benefits.
UAE, hence pride to be a
gourmet hub of creation and
innovation. It is a strong supporter of not only promoting
them but the Emirate as well.
“Naturally we partner
extensively and work very
closely with organisations like
Abu Dhabi Tourism and
Stefan Fuchs
General Manager
Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi
Culture Authority, Abu Dhabi
Convention Bureau and
Etihad Airways and so on,
continue to develop and
expand these relationships
further,”
revealed
the
General Manager.
The hotel has introduced special promotions for
Winter or Christmas.
Christmas will see many
restaurants creating special
menus to be enjoyed with
For those planning to
stay prior to Dec 20, 2014,
they are offered additional values with the ‘Winter in the
City’ stay. It offers 20 per cent
off as the best available rate
and 20 per cent off at the
restaurants in addition to
other benefits.
More Value
N For those planning to
stay prior to Dec 20,
2014, they are offered
additional values with
the ‘Winter in the
City’ stay
8
TRAVTALK D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4
FAMILY ALBUM
Know India@Oman, Qatar & Kuwait
India Tourism, Dubai along with Embassy of India in Oman, Qatar and Kuwait respectively organised
‘Know India Seminars’ recently in their countries. Scores of local tour operators and prominent personalities
were present there, promoting India in these three different countries.
TECHNOLOGY
DECEMBER 2014
e-travel management solutions
TRAVTALK
9
Charting growth
The key points are solid Q3
A five-year extended agreement equips Majan International, with performance and year-on-year growth
Amadeus’ Gulf e-commerce solutions. To service corporate clients, Amadeus continues. The net revenue is up by
Gulf will continue to provide it with ‘e-Travel Management’ solutions.
3% and Adjusted EBITDA by 4%.
TT B U R E AU
partnership will significantly
improve our footprint in
Oman,” he asserted.
he tool ensures compliance with the clients’ corporate policies, increases
booking efficiency, and
reduces implementation and
maintenance time.
T
To
help
Majan
International deliver roundthe-clock customer service,
Amadeus will offer access to
its e-commerce solutions like
web services and the mobile
traveller tool. The Amadeus
Mobile Traveller allows agents
to plan and book trips in realtime, while its web services
serve as a single window,
accessing rich air content and
non-air content.
“Our recently released
report ‘Shaping the Future of
Travel in the Gulf Cooperation
Council (GCC): Big Travel
Effects’ indicates that Oman’s
Shahas Haneef, General Manager, Majan International Agencies Travel &
Tourism and Graham Nichols, Managing Director, Amadeus Gulf
beaches are already luring
tourists from across the
globe,” informed Graham
Nichols, Managing Director,
Amadeus Gulf. “The region
expects 1.6 million cruise
tourists by 2020 and
2.1 million by 2030.”
“Amadeus has built a
strong partnership with Majan
over a span of 10 years and
we are glad to continue building on this relationship. Our
new solutions will help support Majan’s key focus of
improving customer relationship, providing seamless
services on various platforms.
Amadeus is committed to
offer comprehensive travel
solutions to its long-time
partners and we are
confident
that
this
Shahas Haneef, GM,
Majan International Agencies
Travel & Tourism, said, “Our
strong partnership with
Amadeus has given us a competitive advantage, and helps
us deliver quality service levels. With innovative products
and solutions, we are shaping
the future of travel in
conjunction with Amadeus.”
Rich Features
N The Amadeus Mobile
Traveller allows agents
to plan and book trips in
real-time, while its
web services serve
as a single window,
accessing rich air
content and non-air
content
TT B U R E AU
his ground breaking
technology is the first for
the industry and has made
real the ability for the 76 carriers who have so far signed
up for our Rich Content and
Branding capabilities. To display and sell their full range of
products and services to both
corporate and leisure travellers who book through travel
agencies, is similar to the
way in which these airlines
sell through their direct
channels,”
commented
Gordon Wilson, President
and CEO of Travelport. “This
all bodes well for the future
and we are committed to
invest in our platform.”
“T
The key points are solid
Q3 performance and year-onyear growth continues. The
Net revenue is up by 3 per
cent and Adjusted EBITDA by
Gordon Wilson
President and CEO
Travelport
4 per cent. Beyond Air revenue increases by 14 per cent
year-on-year in Q3 driven by
hospitality and payments.
The fourth quarter has
started positively and in
line with the expectations,
and conversions of recent
customer wins remain on
track. Guidance for full
year 2014 Adjusted EBITDA
is US$538 million –
US$540 million.
10
AVIATION
TRAVTALK D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4
Jet strengthens Gulf-India bond
Further growing the international network between India and the Gulf, Jet Airways has enhanced its flight connectivity.
The airline has launched its inaugural direct flight from Dubai to Kochi to complement the existing daily direct flights
from Dubai to Mumbai, Mangalore and Delhi.
TT B U R E AU
This new flight further enhances our
services already on offer from Dammam,
Doha, Kuwait (via Abu Dhabi) and
Muscat to Kochi
ubai is linked with five
flights to Mumbai, one
flight to Mangalore and two
services with Delhi. This
makes Jet Airways the
largest Indian operator
between India and Dubai.
D
The launch event was
held at Dubai International
Airport Terminal 1, attended
by senior management of
various travel agencies
from across Dubai and
Northern Emirates, officials
from Dubai Airports, dnata
Shakir Kantawala
Vice President, Gulf, Middle East & North Africa, Jet Airways
The first guests Mr and Mrs Balan cutting the ribbon, along with Abdul Rahim (dnata, Airport Services), Lieutenant
Fahad Saeed Shumele (Dubai Police Terminal 1), Shakir Kantawala (VP-Middle East & North Africa / Jet Airways),
Aldrin Kenneth (Area Manager-Dubai & Northern Emirates / Jet Airways), Sanjay Lobato (Airport Manager Dubai / Jet
Airways) and other Jet Airways officials.
Connecting Dubai and Kochi with daily
direct services, Jet Airways can expect a
healthy growth in flight bookings on this
high demand route
Aldrin Kenneth
Area Manager, Dubai & Northern Emirates, Jet Airways
Dubai. Along with our partner
Etihad Airways, we now offer
five daily flight options
between UAE and Kochi. This
new flight further enhances
"The new service will
prove to be much in demand
for tourism, trade and for connecting family and friends,” he
added. Aldrin Kenneth, Area
Kochi at 1800 hrs (LT).
The
incoming
flight
departed Kochi International
Airport at 0830 hrs (LT) to
arrive in Dubai at 1140
hrs (LT). These day-time flight
timings will suit many travellers who prefer to travel
during the day.
The cake-cutting ceremony at the VIP Al-Majlis Lounge at Terminal 1, Dubai International Airport
Airport Operations
Jet Airways.
and
Cramer Ball, CEO, Jet
Airways expressed, "Our
expanded
network
is
complemented by ongoing
enhancements
to
our
onboard products and servic-
es to offer a guest experience
at par with the service
offering of the best airlines in
the world."
The Jet Airways flight
took off from Dubai
International Airport at 1240
hrs (local time) to arrive at
The new flight will cater
not only to the growing number of Indian expatriates, but
also boost tourism and trade
between the two cities,
bringing traffic to and from
India. The airline will deploy its
next-generation Boeing 737800 aircraft on the route, offer-
ing twin configuration of
Premiere and Economy class.
"With this new service,
we now offer flight options to
Kochi from each of the three
major airports in UAE, like
Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and now
our services already on offer
from Dammam, Doha, Kuwait
(via Abu Dhabi) and Muscat to
Kochi connecting India,”
asserted Shakir Kantawala,
Vice
President,
Gulf,
Middle East & North Africa,
Jet Airways.
Manager, Dubai & Northern
Emirates, Jet Airways, commented, "Connecting Dubai
with Kochi with daily direct
services, Jet Airways can
expect a healthy growth in
flight bookings on this high
demand route."
130,000 fliers in 1st year B-787 service to Nairobi
With rapid expanding network and affordable fares, Kenya Airways has recently started operating the
Pegasus Airlines has celebrated its second year of flights B-787 Dreamliner on its Dubai-Nairobi route. Presently
to Dubai after launching the route on Oct 18, 2012.
the airline has the youngest fleet in Africa.
TT B U R E AU
ince launching flights to
Dubai, Pegasus Airlines
has flown over 130,000
guests on the route. During
2014, most guests flying to
Dubai and back in transit travelled from Sweden (Arlanda),
France (Paris) and Denmark
(Copenhagen). Güliz Öztürk,
Pegasus Airlines’ Chief
Commercial Officer, commented, “Our Dubai route now
runs five times a week and in
the near future, we aim to
increase our flight frequency
to run a daily scheduled
service to Dubai. With
Istanbul’s favorable location
ling to and from Sweden,
France and Denmark. Under
the auspices of low-cost
model, we’re offering our
guests affordable, on-time
flights with the newest aircrafts. As of November, we
have a fleet of 54 aircraft
with an average age of
only 4.76 years.”
S
Güliz Öztürk
Chief Commercial Officer
Pegasus Airlines
forming a natural bridge
between continents, 60 per
cent of guests flying from
Istanbul to Dubai are connecting guests, with most travel-
Flights from Dubai to
Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen, the
flight departs at 05:25 on
Mondays,
Wednesdays,
Thursdays, Fridays and
Saturdays, returning at
21:55
on
Tuesdays,
Wednesdays, Thursdays,
Fridays and Sundays.
S U S M I TA G H O S H
member of the Sky Team
Alliance, Kenya Airways
presently has 42 aircraft
flying to 65 destinations
worldwide, 38 of which
are in Africa; and carries over
three million passengers
annually. It continues to modernise its fleet with the most
modern aircraft which
includes
the
flagship
B787 Dreamliners.
A
“We were fortunate to
receive our sixth Dreamliner
which has a configuration of
30 Business Class and 204
Economy Class seats to oper-
ate on the Nairobi-Dubai route
in Oct 2014.
With the B-787
in service on
this strategic
route of Kenya
Airways, we expect a
tremendous growth
in the passenger
numbers from the
Gulf region,”
explained Dileep Nair,
Country Sales Manager UAE, Kenya Airways.
The daily flight (KQ311)
complements both Business
and Leisure travellers, flying
Dileep Nair
Country Sales Manager - UAE
Kenya Airways
at 2.35 AM from Dubai and
arriving at 6.40 AM in Nairobi.
The return flight (KQ 310) is
conveniently scheduled on the
same day at 7 PM.
FAMILY ALBUM
DECEMBER 2014
TRAVTALK
11
WTM 2014 ends on a prominent note
World Travel Market 2014, in its 35th year, opened its doors to almost 52,000 delegates. Organised at
ExCeL, London, it’s the must-attend four-day B2B exhibition, which takes place every November for the
worldwide travel and tourism industry.
12
NEWS
TRAVTALK D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4
Suba Hotel adopts room
automation system
In line with Athens International Airport figures, the number of UAE arrivals
to Athens shot up by 27 per cent between January and September, 2014;
compared to the same period in 2013.
Suba Hotel, Dubai’s four­
star hotel, has enabled room
automation system through an
iPad, which enables control­
ling room lighting, television
and every modern conven­
ience at the touch of a screen.
Wajeed Bagwan, General
Manager of Suba Hotel Dubai
said, “Suba Hotel, one of the
first few four star hotels in
Dubai to introduce room
automation system through an
iPad, emphasises clearly on
increasing guest experiences
and satisfaction levels. This is
a step further in extending
modern technology keeping in
mind the convenience of each
Athens’ UAE arrivals up by 27%
TT B U R E AU
Wajeed Bagwan
General Manager
Suba Hotel Dubai
and every guest visiting us,
making it a memorable expe­
rience. Our occupancy has
increased from 30 percent to
over 90 percent, post Eid in a
span of just seven weeks.”
The in­room iPad tech­
nology is currently functional
in all of the 92 tastefully­
appointed rooms and suites
which provide guests, with
satellite TVs, high­speed Wi­
Fi internet and calling for
room service. Other features
include extended stays, luxu­
rious bedding and down pil­
lows to ensure a perfect stay
every night. The suites
also have high class facilities
such as private jacuzzis
and rain showers.
All-inclusive concept
flights on the route, to meet
growing demand.
reece is an easily accessible short-haul destination that offers a diverse array
of holiday options; from a cityand-shopping break in Athens
at any time of the year, to
island-hopping by yacht at the
height of summer.
G
Greece is moving forward and experiencing a
gradual economic revival
spurred by creativity and
entrepreneurship.
Direct
flights from Abu Dhabi to
Athens have boosted tourism
to Greece in recent years,
with Etihad Airways carrying
over 400,000 passengers
between the two cities
since 2009.
Arrivals from Abu Dhabi
were particularly strong in
2014 as Etihad Airways and
codeshare partner Aegean
Airlines both invested in direct
Figures released by The
Bank of Greece indicate that
Greece welcomed 10.5 million foreign visitors in the
seven months from January to
July, generating a 14 per cent
increase in travel receipts to
6.68 billion euros.
Iossif Parsalis
Managing Director
Marketing Greece
The Greek
capital has
made an
impressive
rebound and the
latest figures for
Greece, overall,
are a cause for
real optimism
Strong growth in international visitors to Greece came
from the United States, up
28.5 per cent with 293,000
visitors, and from France,
up 19.4 per cent during the
first seven months of 2014,
compared to the same
period last year.
The Greek Tourism
Confederation
expects
2014 arrivals to reach a new
record of 21.5 million, including cruise passengers, up
from the total 20.1 million travellers who chose to visit
Greece in 2013. Direct
tourism
earnings
are
anticipated to total 14 billion
Euros, up from 12.2 billion
Euros in 2013.
Iossif
Parsalis,
Managing Director, Marketing
Greece, said, “The tourism
industry in Greece has seen
healthy growth in recent
years, while noting that
Athens, as a standalone
destination, had experienced
some
difficulties. The
Greek capital, in particular,
has made an impressive
rebound and the latest figures
for Greece, overall, are a
cause for real optimism.”
Marketing
Greece
is here to highlight lesserknown destinations along
with popular destinations
in addition to the many
and varied attractions and
experiences that travellers
can now enjoy.
Arabian Gulf booming with cruise
Rixos Bab Al Bahr is the second
addition of the Turkish hospitality Cruise Arabia has embarked on its third annual GCC roadshow with events
in Jeddah and Riyadh. The roadshow has visited three cities in KSA - Jeddah,
chain Rixos Hotels in the UAE.
Riyadh, Al Khobbar as well as Kuwait.
TT B U R E AU
ts ‘all-inclusive’ concept says
that the guest pays once and
enjoys unlimited food and
I
Haytham Omar
General Manager
Rixos Bab Al Bahr, RAK
access to the leisure facilities
throughout the stay. Rixos
Bab Al Bahr has now added
the Family Weekend Getaway
Package to its holiday experience. It offers guests stay for
2 nights in Family Suite on ‘allinclusive’ services and dinner
for the family. The added benefit of late check-out ensures
the convenience is main-
tained. The hotel has achieved
its target revenue ahead of
time just eight months after it
opened its doors.
“We have experienced a
fabulous flow of visitors from
the top four target markets,
welcoming 35 per cent from
the Russian Federation, 20
per cent from Germany, 15
per cent from the UAE and 10
per cent from the UK. We
expect a huge volume of visitors from the Eastern
European market soon,”
asserted Haytham Omar,
General Manager, Rixos Bab
Al Bahr, RAK. “We have partnered with leading tour operators from our key source
markets and potential business zones across the globe.
Our travel partners have been
extremely supportive and we
will continue to work towards
mutual growth. “We are
delighted to be at the right
place at the right time with the
right product and the concept,”
he confided.
TT B U R E AU
ruise Arabia is the collaborative initiative formed
by Oman’s Ministry of
Tourism, Abu Dhabi Tourism
& Culture Authority (TCA
Abu Dhabi) and Dubai’s
Department of Tourism
and Commerce Marketing
(DTCM) to promote the
Arabian
Gulf
as
a
cruise destination.
C
The tourism authority
partners met hundreds of
local tour operators and travel
agents over four-day, four-city
roadshow. On the roadshow,
the Cruise Arabia partners
also had joined representatives from three leading
cruise companies – Costa,
MSC Cruises and Royal
Caribbean International.
“This roadshow is
designed to help build awareness on cruise tourism, famil-
iarise travel professionals with
cruise itineraries in the
Arabian Gulf, and ultimately
drive an increase in the number of GCC tourists opting for
sionals,” informed Hamad
Mohammed bin Mejren,
Executive Director, Business
Tourism, DTCM. “Earlier
this year, the new multi-entry
(L-R): Ahmed Saeed, Royal Caribbean Cruise; Khalid Al Zadjali, Ministry of
Tourism - Oman Government; Hamad bin Majren, DTCM - Dubai Government;
Saeed Al Dhaheri, Abu Dhabi TCA and Khalid Warsi from MSC Cruises
cruises in the region. At
present,
a
significant
number of GCC travellers
are not fully aware of the
many attractions of cruise
holidays. This roadshow, now in its
third year, helps to
educate and inform
travel trade profes-
UAE visit visa for cruise
tourists was announced.
Our forecasts for this year
are already up – in Dubai,
we will welcome a total of
110 ship calls carrying
around
381,500
passengers
in
comparison to
93 ship calls carry-
ing 320,000 passengers
last year.”
Sultan Al Dhaheri,
Acting Executive Director
Tourism, Abu Dhabi Tourism
& Culture Authority, commented, “We are taking the cruise
industry’s expanding Arabian
Gulf cruise itineraries to
the GCC market to raise
awareness and demand for
this exciting product. Cruise
ships will suit the regional
consumer, whether national
or expatriate.”
Khalid Al Zadjali,
Director, Tourism Events,
Oman Ministry of Tourism,
said, “We are excited to
be a part of Cruise Arabia’s
series of road shows, which
aim to position the Arabian
Gulf as a premier cruise
destination. In 2013, a total
of over 177,000 cruise
passengers visited the
Oman Sultanate.”
14
HOTELS
TRAVTALK D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4
For the love of heritage When loyalty wins stays
Tilal Liwa Hotel, known as the Empty Quarter, has
welcomed spectators to the 2nd Baynounah Camel
Festival, a camel beauty contest that highlights the
preservation and protection of local heritage.
TT B U R E AU
he Baynounah Camel
Festival is now in its second year and is open exclusively for Emirati entrants for
the categories of Asayel
(locals) and Majahim (darkskinned camels).
T
Huge crowd of visitors
and residents have flocked
the event which was organised in Al Gharbia Western
Khaled Sharabassy
General Manager
Tilal Liwa Hotel
The Baynounah Camel Festival is an
important event that we support as the
festival highlights the vital role of Emiratis
in preserving the local heritage
Region at Madinat Zayed from
Nov 8 to 14, a precursor to Al
Dhafra Festival.
Khaled Sharabassy,
General Manager, informed,
“The Baynounah Camel
Festival is an important event
that we support as the festival
highlights the vital role of
Emiratis in preserving the
local heritage. During the festival, the community ties are
strengthened, thus giving the
younger generation an
opportunity to witness the rich
traditions of this country.
There were several activities
scheduled
during
the
festival so we always invite
everyone to visit and
enjoy the Bedouin environment. It was a busy and exciting week for both tourists
and residents to discover the
different aspects of local
lifestyle, particularly the passion for camels.”
With a nice weather, it is
also the perfect time to
explore the region and experience desert adventure. Tilal
Liwa Hotel is offering desert
activities like camel trekking,
kite flying, bicycling and
sand boarding. For dining
options, the hotel has several
Food and Beverage Outlets
offering a selection of
contemporary and traditional
cuisine. Al Badiya Restaurant,
the all-day dining restaurant,
serves international and local
dishes from a vibrant open
kitchen. Al Liwan with its
garden setting around the
infinity pool provides a
more relaxing ambience.
Camel Festival
N During the festival, the
community ties are
strengthened,
thus
giving the younger
generation
an
opportunity to witness
the rich traditions of this
country.
N There were several
activities scheduled
during the festival so we
always invite everyone
to visit and enjoy the
Bedouin environment.
City Plus is the recently launched loyalty programme by
City Seasons Hotels for members to increase their points
by referring their friends. With every signed referral,
member sees his points increase by 5,000.
TT B U R E AU
aunched in April 2014, the
Loyalty programme has
seen a great uptake from
guests, whereby the loyalty
card offers up to 50 per
cent discount on food & beverage bills in all the restaurants across the chain, as well
as a discount of 15 per cent
on the best available room
rate of the day.
early check in and airport
transfer. The present City
Seasons portfolio includes 6
properties of which Royal
Rose Abu Dhabi, the first 5star hotel of the group that has
recently opened in the capital.
L
“The implementation
of City Plus has seen
an incredible success with
members adding up daily
Mohamed Al Aamri
Managing Director
City Seasons Hotels
Moreover, the accumulated points transfer in
vouchers can be used
The implementation of City Plus
has seen an incredible success
with members adding up daily in
all the six properties
in all the six properties,’
said Mohamed Al Aamri,
Managing Director, City
Seasons Hotels. “Other
than strengthening our
network, interest for the
freebies and extra discounts
has helped establish City
Seasons as a steady
chain that takes its
guests seriously.”
for meals and stays in any of
City Seasons Hotels in UAE
and Muscat. Joining the loyalty program, City Plus members can enjoy a free night’s
stay at any of the City
Seasons hotels, including
Royal Rose Abu Dhabi. The
membership also entitles
holder to other benefits like
free upgrade, late checkout /
Training on the programme launch and implementation has been held in all
the properties. Internal competitions and incentive
schemes have been in place
to encourage employees, and
explain City Plus to their
guests. This whole exercise
was a full-fledged success
with over 500 members
gathered in five months.
About City Plus
N The
present
City
Seasons
portfolio
includes 6 properties of
which Royal Rose Abu
Dhabi, the first 5-star
hotel of the group that
has recently opened in
the capital
N Joining the loyalty
program, City Plus
members can enjoy
a free night’s stay at
any of the City
Seasons hotels
A special relation with agents
Danat Al Ain Resort participates in all the major travel and hospitality trade shows, along with the travel trade,
to expand the footprint to high-growth markets globally as a hotel and the destination together.
TT B U R E AU
e have just introduced
the following special
winter promotions in the mar-
“W
The travel agents play a very important
role to increase the business of the
property and hence we work closely with
all major travel agents in UAE
ket - Christmas Getaway
which offers 1 night stay for 2
adults and 2 kids inclusive of
Christmas brunch, Festive
Season promotion with 1 night
facilities for conferences,
meetings and special events.
The Pearl Ballroom is the
biggest ballroom in Al Ain,
which can accommodate
up to 1,000 people in
theatre style or 600 delegates
for gala events.
stay for 2 adults and 2 kids
inclusive of breakfast and
complimentary internet. Body
& Soul Health Club Festive
Season Promotion that
gets 25 per cent discount
for 1 year membership,”
informed Ahmed Margoushy,
General Manager, Danat
Al Ain Resort.
Ahmed Margoushy
General Manager
Danat Al Ain Resort
Located in the Eastern
region of Abu Dhabi, the
resort is 75-minute drive
from Dubai and 90 minutes
drive from the capital. This
resort also features extensive
The travel agents play a
very important role to
increase the business of the
property and hence they work
very closely with all the major
travel agents in UAE. The
resort participates in all the
major travel & hospitality
trade shows along with the
travel trade to expand the footprint to high growth market
globally as a hotel and the
destination together.
other GCC countries for
leisure business.
“We frequently organise
the familiarisation trips
to educate the travel trade
regarding the garden city and
Danat Al Ain Resort which
enable us to strengthen our
relationship and market
share,” he added.
What’s the USP?
Looking at the high
demand of the recreation
membership, the resort
extends the gym facilities with
brand new equipment. The
key markets generally are
UAE and Oman from where
the guests pour in followed by
N Located in the Eastern
region of Abu Dhabi, the
resort is 75-minute drive
from Dubai and 90
minutes drive from the
capital.
N This resort also features
extensive facilities for
conferences, meetings
and special events
N The Pearl Ballroom is the
biggest ballroom in Al
Ain,
which
can
accommodate up to
1,000
people
in
theatre style
FAMILY ALBUM
DECEMBER 2014
TRAVTALK
15
An evening with a difference
A graceful get-together was hosted by
over a dinner invitation on November 4, in London. Partnered by
The Shaftesbury Hotels London, Think Hotels, Park Grand London Hotels and Lama Tours, it was an elegant
gathering of appreciation for the travel and tourism industry of Middle East, India and worldwide.
16
TRAVTALK D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4
FAMILY ALBUM
ITB Asia: Meeting the world in 3 days
ITB Asia 2014, held in Singapore, emphasised attendees ability to “meet the world” in three days covering
the leisure, corporate and MICE travel.
Savouring aquatic delights
Al Ghurair Rayhaan and Al Ghurair Arjaan by Rotana, welcomed the last quarter of 2014 inviting press and
bloggers with an enticing seafood promotion at Shayan, the Persian specialty restaurant.
HOTELS
DECEMBER 2014
TRAVTALK
17
3 new properties for Citymax
Citymax Hotels is presently building three new properties in the UAE - located in Al Barsha and Business Bay in
Dubai and another in Ras Al Khaimah, all in varying stages of construction and scheduled for completion by 2016.
TT B U R E AU
his will increase the total
number of rooms from
1200 to about 2000 within the
next 3 years, with further prop-
“T
Presently 50% of the business originates
from East Europe and South Asia. In
future, the hotels will receive travellers
from around the world
erties close to finalisation of
lease agreements in Abu
Dhabi and Fujairah,” informed
Russel GH Sharpe, COO,
Hotel Division, Citymax Hotels
sistently high occupancy rates
in 2014.
Landmark
Hospitality.
“Our business model is
well established and we
continue this model of offering
4 star facilities at 3 star
rates in central locations
for the three hotels in our current pipeline.
Dubai’s hotels welcomed more than 5.8 million
Over the past couple of
years, Citymax Hotels has
seen a steady flow of tourists
from South Asia, the Far East,
the GCC and Eastern Europe.
Russel GH Sharpe
COO, Hotel Division
Citymax Hotels Landmark Hospitality
tourists in the first half of 2014,
the highest number of visitors
ever achieved in the first six
months of the year. Citymax
Hotels have also enjoyed con-
“Presently 50 per cent of
the business originates from
East Europe and South Asia,
which is expected to continue.
In future, the hotels will
receive travellers from worldwide,” informed Sharpe.
The travel agents are
essential partners to hotels
and are the major contributing
factor towards the leisure
business. With the cooperation of the travel agents
Citymax Hotels have a positive outlook in 2015.
To meet the target of 20
million visitors by 2020,
Dubai has to start catering to
guests on a tighter
budget. Among 10 million
additional visitors, the
majority will not have the
budget to stay in upscale
hotels. There will inevitably
be a large number of consumers with no need for
frills like budget travellers,
low-cost business travellers
and economy transit passen-
gers. Consequently, mid-market hotel development is currently high on the agenda for
both government and private
sector alike. And Citymax
Hotels are witnessing a
development frenzy of
mid-market hotels.
Future Trends
N To meet the target of 20
million visitors by 2020,
Dubai has to start
catering to guests on a
tighter budget
N Among 10 million
additional visitors, the
majority will not have
the budget to stay in
upscale hotels
GLOBO for Global Village Grab & Go@Pullman
The 19th season of the Global Village is packed with
an array of new events and special attractions.
Opened on November 6, it has an expanded line-up of
cultural shows and entertainment.
S U S M I TA G H O S H
Al Remal Pit, Illumination
World, 3D Haunted House
and Heritage Village. With 31
pavilions and more than
70 countries represented
from every continent, Global
Village is more ‘global’
every year, with the
addition of Cambodia, Iraq
and The Americas,” he added.
his season sees the
launch of the firstever mascot of Global
Village - GLOBO.
T
The event has delivered
more entertainment shows
than ever before with many
procedures being performed
for the first time in the Middle
East. Wall Kings, Vertical
Drummers, Comedy Car
Show, FMX show, Lords of
Lightening, Mirror Man are
among others. Guests enjoying Streetmosphere, The
Covent Garden Street
Ahmad Hussain bin Essa
Chief Operating Officer
Global Village
157 days of world-class
attractions, more than 12,000
cultural and entertainment
shows, 20 music concerts,
dining, shopping and family
fun for the visitors from the
UAE, the region and around
the world.”
“This is the first time we
have signed up with the
hotels and tour operators
like the Alpha Tours, Lama
Tours and The Big Bus to help
bring visitors. There were
5 million visitors and 1.7
billion business transactions
last year, and we are
anticipating far more this
season,” he further informed.
“We have different campaigns for locals and visitors.
The special attractions this
year
are
Prehistoric
Oceanarium, Animals Land,
Every ticket-holder will
be a winner this season as
they will be given a Scratch
and Win voucher with guaranteed prizes.
This is the first time we have signed with
the tour operators like Alpha Tours, Lama
Tours and The Big Bus, to help bring
visitors. There were 5 million visitors and
1.7 billion business transactions last year
Festival, Thrill Shows and the
regular fun-packed and
colourful parades, coupled
with fireworks.
Ahmad Hussain bin
Essa, Chief Operating Officer,
Global Village, informed, “The
19th Season is experiencing
The new attractions and
entertainment will strengthen
the park’s importance,
help the growth of tourism in
Dubai and support the
Emirate’s
ambition
to
attract over 20 million visitors
by the year 2020.
The Pullman Dubai Deira City Centre Hotel has planned
to open and re-launch their refurbished cosmopolitan
residences after almost a year of renovation with an
investment of over AED 100m by Majid Al Futtaim.
TT B U R E AU
t will provide guests with a
distinguished residential
address and the same level of
services and qualities as they
would while staying in Accor’s
Pullman hotel located next
door. Laurent Chaudet,
General Manager, Pullman
Dubai
City
Centre
Residences, describes it
best by saying, “Pullman
Residences offers cosmopolitan living in the convenience
of the City Centre Mall where
our guests will experience
shopping and easy access to
the business hub of the city.
We welcome our guests
at the residences in a new
chic contemporary design
highlighting our brand culture
and appreciation of artistic
creativity in art.”
Pullman Dubai Deira
City Centre Residences
exudes simplicity with colourful accents throughout a contemporary interior design. It
offers cosmopolitan living that
guests expect when staying in
such a centrally located area.
I
Laurent Chaudet
General Manager
Pullman Dubai City Centre Residences
Pullman
Residences offers
cosmopolitan
living in the
convenience of
the City Centre
Mall
For guests who are on a
tight schedule, Pullman has
launched a new ‘Grab & Go’
concept at their ‘One Stop’
shop in the lobby where guests
can enjoy a quick bite on the
go. Moreover, Pullman stocks
the pantry with all their guests’
grocery requirements offering
unlimited convenience to
their residents. Furthermore,
Pullman Dubai Deira City
Centre Residences recommends their leisure, fitness
and entertainment facilities for
the lifestyle conscious.
156 Abu Dhabi hotels see 26% growth
Abu Dhabi’s 156 hotels and
hotel apartments have reported
their best nine months yet in
terms of guest arrivals, guest
nights, occupancy and revenue.
Figures just released by TCA
Abu Dhabi show that from
January to September end,
2,498,672 guests checked into
the emirate’s accommodation
– a 26 per cent year­on­year
increase. The arrivals delivered
7,502,924 guest nights, which
was up 21 per cent on the same
period last year. Hotel revenues
climbed to AED 4,268 billion
(US $1.16 billion). India
remains the emirate’s most pro­
ductive overseas market with
162,394 Indians checking into
Abu Dhabi’s accommodations.
18
MOVEMENTS
TRAVTALK D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4
Royal Jet
Intercontinental Abu Dhabi
HMH
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Abu Dhabi
Al Khobar
Royal Jet has officially announced the appointment of W. Patrick
Gordon MAS, as Acting President and Chief Executive Officer.
Captain Gordon has been serving as advisor to Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mubarak Al
Nahyan for the past 15 years. With vast
experience in the aviation industry, his
previous tenures included managerial
and advisory posts in Aviation
Operations, Training & Safety in UAE,
KSA & USA. Captain Gordon is an
Airline Transport Pilot in both
airplanes and helicopters.
InterContinental Abu Dhabi has announced the appointment of
Ivor Prestwood as General Manager at InterContinental Abu Dhabi.
Prestwood brings with him over 39 years
of experience in the hospitality industry.
Prestwood’s hospitality career began
with IHG in 1974, where he has held
his first positions in the company
at InterContinental London Hyde
Park. Since then he held a number
of managerial positions across key
hotels with IHG like, InterContinental
Manila,
InterContinental
Sydney,
InterContinental Oman.
HMH - Hospitality Management Holdings has appointed Michel
Mandrea as the New General Manager of Coral Al Khobar Hotel
located in the Eastern Province of Saudi
Arabia. Having worked in the Middle East
for 22 years, he is familiar with the
region's business and cultural landscape
and will prove instrumental in taking
Coral Al Khobar Hotel to greater success. Michel makes the move to Coral
Al Khobar Hotel from Golden Tulip Resort
Dana Bay in KSA where he served as the
GM. Mandrea holds a bachelor of
business administration with a
major in hotel and restaurant management.
IHG
Singapore
Dubai
Singapore
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the appointment of Deborah Woollard as Vice President (VP) of Human
Resources for the Asia, Middle East &
Africa (AMEA) region. Woolard is
responsible for shaping and delivering human resources strategies to
support the company's business
plans and objectives in the region.
In her role, she will lead the company's talent management programme to identify, recruit and
retain key talent.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has appointed Adeline Ng as
Vice President of Strategy for Asia, Middle East & Africa (AMEA).
As head of strategy, Adeline will lead the
strategic agenda for IHG in AMEA by
evaluating market dynamics and identifying emerging growth opportunities.
Adeline was most recently with
US-based The WhiteWave Foods
Company. Her experience also
includes positions with global consulting
firms McKinsey & Company and
Innosight, as well as the
Supreme Court of Singapore.
Nick Barton, formerly Chief Commercial Officer for IHG's Greater
China region, has been appointed as the CCO for AMEA.
Barton’s career with IHG spans nearly
10 years. He was previously based
in the company's headquarters in
Denham, overseeing the marketing
and communications team for the
Europe region before moving to
Shanghai, China for five years. He has
relocated to Singapore to lead the
group’s sales and marketing functions in the region.
ART Rotana Amwaj Islands
Millennium Airport Hotel
Hawthorn Suites and Ramada Downtown
Bahrain
Dubai
Dubai
ART Rotana Amwaj Islands has welcomed on board Joe Batshoun
as its new General Manager. Batshoun has been heading the preopening team of ART Rotana and is responsible for the overall running and efficient
operation of the art-inspired property.
A veteran in the hospitality industry, he
brings over 25 years of experience
working in three different continents.
Batshoun opened Yas Island Rotana &
Centro Yas Island Abu Dhabi in 2009 and
was instrumental in the successful operation of these 2 properties.
Millennium Airport Hotel, announced the appointment of
Rania Helal as new Marketing Manager for the hotel. A Journalism
and Mass Communications graduate
with 15 years’ experience in the
advertising industry and broadcast
media business development
in her native Egypt, Helal
relocated to the UAE in 2012,
joining Hyatt International
Hotels in a key marketing
communications role.
Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham and Ramada Downtown Dubai
announced the appointment of Abigail Bautista as Cluster Marketing
Manager for the two hotels. In her role,
Bautista is responsible in the development
and implementation of marketing strategies to reinforce the positioning of the
hotels in their respective markets. She
will also lead the creation of marketing
tools, including the advertising and
media plans. As Cluster Marketing
Manager, she is tasked to prepare and
maximise the marketing budget,
and coordinate with various
departments including sales
and food & beverage.
TravTips-TCI bond turns one
TravTips, a Gold Circle Partner of Thomas Cook India (TCI), completes one year of operations
in the UAE market. Within 3 months, it was appointed by TCI as its franchisee partner for Dubai.
S U S M I TA G H O S H
s Far East, especially the
6-day
package
to
Singapore and Malaysia, is
the most popular region during winter, TravTips has
launched TCI Winter Group
Tours to Far East. It starts
from 5 days to 11 days, and
Australia and New Zealand up
to 20 days. The packages are
A
valid till March 2015.
Escorted Group Tours is a
niche segment market which
is popular among the Asian
community living in the Gulf.
The unique offering is the
choice of vegetarian meals in
all scheduled group tours.
“We have found out that
Escorted Group Tours market
is growing year-on-year.
Today, travel partners and customers have
started relating to TravTips Travel as a
franchisee partner of TCI in Dubai, where
they can reach the dedicated team
Today, travel partners and
customers have started relating to TravTips Travel as a
franchisee partner of TCI in
Dubai where they can reach
the dedicated team,” said
Suraj Mainat, Managing
Director TravTips Travel and
Tourism. “We have plans to
introduce specific targetted
marketing activities through
print and electronic media as
far as TCI is concerned.”
Ensuring the packages commissionable to the travel partners, TravTips had launched
‘All-Inclusive Budget Mini
Europe’
packages
for
Summer 2015. “Soon, we will
be entering into B2B online
Suraj Mainat
Managing Director
TravTips Travel and Tourism
space, allow the travel agents
to search, compare and book
flights and hotels in one platform,” concluded Mainat.