BTN - ITB 2009 Day 2

ITB Berlin Special Edition Thursday 12 March 2009 www.breakingtravelnews.com

SandalsInterviewBTN meets with AdamStewart CEO page 4

In a bold move for sports tourism, the world’sfirst-ever 100m beach sprint is to be held inJamaica. The initiative, fully supported byJamaica’s incredible Olympic Champion, UsainBolt, aims to highlight the welcoming spirit ofJamaica as a leading lifestyle travel destinationand a country of sporting excellence.

“The World Beach Sprint is an invitation tounlock the mystery of Jamaican speed and toexperience our country,” said The Hon. EdmundBartlett. “We want people to see andexperience Jamaica and to learn about our‘Sprint Factory’.”

South Africa is also a nation that is a leader insports tourism. It is hosting a mouthwateringselection of sporting action between now andthe FIFA 2010 World Cup.

This summer, the British Lions rugby team tourSouth Africa, playing at Cape Town’s NewlandsRugby Stadium on June 13 against WesternProvince, and again on June 23 against theEmerging Springboks. Closely followed by theFIFA Confederation Cup being held from 14-28June 2009, as a prelude to the 2010 FIFAWorld Cup.

The draw was held on 22 November 2008 atthe Sandton Convention Centre inJohannesburg. The opening match will beplayed at Ellis Park Stadium/Coca-Cola Park inJohannesburg. Later in the year, England’scricketers will arrive on their winter tour, facingSouth Africa at Cape Town’s Newlands CricketStadium in the third one-day international onNovember 27 and the third Test from January3-7. But, perhaps saving its best sporting eventfor last, next summer the city will play host tothe 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The sporting frenzy is helping propel thenation’s economy. It is investing over ¤1bn inthe construction of five new stadiums for theWorld Cup (Mbombela, Peter Mokaba, NelsonMandela Bay, Durban and Cape Town). Furtherinvestment is being made in upgrading anotherfive venues (Soccer City, Ellis Park, LoftusVersfeld, Free State and Royal Bafokeng).This is being accompanied by huge hospitalitydevelopment. The private sector is investinghundreds of millions of euros in refurbishingexisting hotels and building new hotels acrossthe country. One of the most exciting is the Oneand Only, Cape Town that is scheduled to openfor business in April this year.

Coinciding with the World Cup is the inauguralWorld Travel Expo – the first global exhibitionthat combines Sport and Tourism under oneroof to highlight the opportunities surroundingthis multi-billion dollar industry. World TravelExpo will for the very first time showcase thepivotal importance of the sports travel andtourism industry to a global audience at theheart of one of the most important and bestattended events that the world will ever stage.

The world's most sought after destinations,resorts, specialist tour and event organisers,corporate business planners and elite buyerswill meet to conduct business in a unique eventco-located alongside the 2010 FIFA World Cupin Johannesburg South Africa. World TravelExpo is a must attend event for thosecompanies involved in the travel and tourismmarket-place and those interested in assuminga market share in the US$600 billion a yearsports tourism industry.

Sports tourismleaves lastinglegacy

INSIDE: WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS 2009 SELF NOMINATION OPEN NOW Turn to Page 9

Abu Dhabi

builds a sustainablefuture page 5

FortunecookiePostive Predictions page 8

EuropcarInterviewBTN meets Jehan de Thé page 92

S P E C I A L R E P O R T

www.worldtravelawards.comwww.fifa.comwww.worldtravelexpo2010.com

Sports tourism is a multi-billiondollar business, and its growth isproving resilient to the globaldownturn. The economies of cities,regions and even countries aroundthe world are increasingly reliant onthe visiting golfer or the travellingfootball, rugby, athletics or cricketsupporter. In some countries, sportcan account for as much as 25percent of all tourism receipts.

Berlin GERMANY

ITB_DAY2_PP1-PP8_PRINT.qxd 3/3/09 6:16 pm

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Where businessbecomes a pleasure


Hall 7.1 b, Auditorium LondonITB Hospitality Day

10:30 - 11:30Who is the Eco-Guest? Profile of aFuture Customer.

11:45 - 12:15Ask Mr. X / Your Chance to AskQuestions about TalentManagement.

12:30 - 14:00ITB Hospitality Day Hotspot: HotelIndustry - Quo Vadis? The GlobalCEO Panel.

14:15 - 15:15Residences: Hotel or Real Estate -Which is more advantageous?

15:30 - 16:30Integrated Resorts. An evolutiontowards sustainability.

16:45 - 17:45How to React to the EconomicDownturn.

Hall 7.1a Auditorium New York 1

10:15-12:30Tourism in Latin America: Chancesin the Crisis - Specialisation andQuality: Key issues for tourism inMexico and Latin America?

12:45 - 14:15Progress in Tourism Research:Financial Crisispresentations and a paneldiscussion of the ramifications ofthe financial crisis will be highlightedand precise answers will bediscussed.

14:30 - 15:30Turkey Forum: Investment inTourism Destinations in Times of theFinancial CrisisFinance and the Turkish tourismindustry discuss their investmentstrategies

15:45 - 17:30Aktion:Africa Forum: 2010 FIFA World Cup:Tourism Development in Southern Africa

The neighboring countries ofNamibia, Botswana, Zambia, Angolaand Zimbabwe are developingtransborder national parks topromote tourism as an economicfactor

Hall 7.1 a, Auditorium New York 2

11:00 - 18:00ITB Corporate Social ResponsibilityDayTop keynote speakers present theirvisions of CSR.

Hall 7.3, Auditorium Europe

10:15 - 19:35PhoCusWright@ITB: Expanding E-Travel Across Europe

Hall 7.3, Auditorium Berlin

10:30 - 17:15ITB Experts' Forum Wellness

1 Northumberland AvenueTrafalgar SquareLondonWC2N 5BWUnited KingdomTel: +44 (0) 20 7925 0000Fax: +44 (0) 20 7925 2552www.breakingtravelnews.com

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Chairman, CEO: Graham CookeExecutive Vice President: Manon HanSenior Vice President: David FalconGroup Vice President: Kevin TaylorGlobal Directors: Sion Rapson, Chris Frost, KhalilEl-Mouelhy, Max MillerEditor: Anton StrackWriters: Mary Aziz, Adam Coulter, Chris Whitfield,Cristina OnodiMarketing Manager: Kate BrewerHead of Photography: Mark HakanssonVideo Producer: Gareth MorrisDesign: Nomad Graphique

View the video interviews on YouTubewww.youtube.com/breakingtravelnews

ITB Schedule – Day2

www.breakingtravelnews.com 3


www.breakingtravelnews.com4

BTN: What are you up to at ITB2009?

AS: We are very proud toannounce that SandalsWhitehouse European Village andSpa will be hosting the WorldTravel Awards 2009 and as alwayswe have a number of new andexciting projects to talk about.

BTN: Sandals is the pioneer ofall-inclusive and also LuxuryIncluded‚, and voted “World’sLeading All Inclusive” by theWorld Travel Awards. Whatinitiatives are you developingnow that will ensure you remainleader in the all-inclusiveconcept?

AS: We have plans in place for‘Over the Water’ Suites and acompletely new all-suite GreekVillage at Sandals Grande SaintLucian. Our plans are for non-invasive suites that will work with

nature to create stunning andoriginal accommodation forguests.We have been trying to find a wayto satisfy the hard to please teenmarket. Beaches Resorts hasintroduced new Xbox 360®gaming centres, Club Liquid -aqua-themed teen dance clubs,Scratch DJ Academy, Trenchtownthe cool teen hangout, teen spaand much more.

BTN: You are opening a newwaterpark this month at BeachesTurks & Caicos.What can we expect?

AS: We have spent approximately$125 million on the new ItalianVillage expansion. The expandedPirate’s Island Water Park is45,000 square feet, has seven newslides, a SurfStream® simulator,creating a surf-able wave forsurfing and boogie boarding and isone of only four in the world.

There is a 650 foot lazy river and abeached pirate ship.

BTN: Which of your projectsexcite you most and why?

AS: We are constantly evolving anddeveloping the brand and so everyproject we introduce excites me.Our company’s philosophy ofgiving the guest more than he orshe expects keeps us constantlysearching for new ways to blowour guests away, with ways ofsatisfying all age groups. TheSandals Foundation, thecompany’s philanthropic arm, issomething that I am hugelypassionate and excited about.

BTN: Can you reveal a little moreabout Sandals Lifestyle?

AS: The Sandals LifestyleCollection is a new brand of homefurnishings, clothing, jewellery andisland foods. The concept is totake a piece of our resorts dailylifestyle home. We’re also mostexcited about the launch of anexclusive Sandals Resort diamondthis September.

BTN: How do you ensure tourismbenefits the whole communityrather than merely those at the top?

AS: From the conception ofSandals in 1981 we felt it our dutyto give back to the communities inwhich we operate. We have aresponsibility to our teammembers and we can affect thefamilies of the very people whowork for us.

The Sandals Foundation providesits guests and key corporatepartners, with an opportunity toget more involved by makingdonations. The Foundation focuseson three key areas: education,community and environmentalissues. We actively participate inmore than 200 communityoutreach programs around theCaribbean.

BTN: How are you able to run abrand both responsibly andprofitably?

AS: The future of our planet shouldbe at the forefront of all our mindsand we hope our guests feel thesame way. Each resort has acoveted Green Globe certificationfor environmental stewardship,complete with a dedicatedenvironmental manager. In fact,Sandals Negril just became thefirst and only resort in the world toachieve Green Globe Platinumcertification. I think whether or nota company acts responsibly hasbegun to become a deciding factorin consumer buying habits and sowe hope we will have the support

of consumer when choosing aresort for their holiday.

BTN: Sandals has seen off manyprevious downturns. How doesthis “perfect storm” downturncompare with those past andwhat is Sandals strategy to see itthrough?

AS: 2009 has actually beensurprisingly positive in terms ofsales. We have introduced variousoffers in order to entice customersand have also created agentincentive schemes to help drivesales. The general public does notwant to abandon their holidayplans but will instead lean towardsoptions that enable them to curbspending once on holiday. I thinkwith our Luxury Included‚ offeringwe are in a very good position tofill that gap.

BTN: Do green initiatives feartaking second place ascompanies worldwide fight forsurvival?

AS: We have never put it secondand we will never will. In truth, it isone of the easiest programs forcompanies to cut. We can notignore the impact we are havingon our environment, so I hopebusinesses will keep sustainabilityat front of mind.

BTN: What can the travelindustry collectively do tobecome more sustainable?

AS: Last year we heavily investedin next generation technology andresearch in to sustainable energyand we share all that we learn withthe industry. If the industry as awhole grouped together andcollectively invested money intonew technologies we would get alot further faster.

BTN: Where do you see as yournew markets?

AS: With our new Lifestyle rangewe will be tapping into the generalconsumer goods market. We’relooking to expand to new markets,including Japan, China and Russia.

BTN: How would you like thebrand to evolve?

AS: With the Foundation andLifestyle range, we now havevarious offshoots to the mainSandals brand and I’m lookingforward the brand become evenmore rounded. Although we willalways be, a Caribbean companyat heart, we’re potentially lookingat other regions. We’re alwayslooking to reinvent ourselves.

Since taking up the reigns at Sandals in November2006, Adam Stewart has forged a reputation as anactive, progressive and level-headed leader, despitehis youth (he’s just turned 28).

Adam was raised in Jamaica and graduated fromFlorida International University’s HospitalityManagement Program before implementing hisknowledge in various departments within SandalsResorts. Prior to becoming CEO, he was director ofresort product, responsible for all on-propertyoperations and revenues.

Adam Stewart CEO, Sandals ResortsInternational

www.sandals.com

SPECIAL INTERVIEW


Abu Dhabi builds asustainable future

Whilst Dubai has been grabbing all theheadlines, its neighbour Abu Dhabi has beenbuilding a future based on sustainable growth.Adam Coulter explains why it’s a classic case ofthe hare and tortoise.


It was at the Business TravelShow Dubai, last October, that Ifirst heard the phrase “insulatedbut not isolated,” referring to howthe economic downturn hittingthe rest of the world would affectthe emirate.

The people I spoke to at the show– representatives from BA, QatarAirways, various hotel groups andCarlson Wagonlit Travel amongthem – all agreed that Dubaiwould ride out this economicstorm – with lower growth ratesperhaps but still positive ones.

Well, the world has changed quitea lot in the past four months and,to be fair to them, who wouldhave guessed how far and howfast the economy would plunge.

Property prices have halved,construction on many projectshas simply stopped, the stockmarket has crashed, touristnumbers have fallen (45% ofrooms in Dubai are filled withEuropean visitors – 15% from theUK alone) and the weakeningpound means that the UAE is nowa third more expensive for UKvisitors than it was in October.

This has led to an exodus ofworkers from all sectors –property, commercial, financial –who make up some 90% of thepopulation. I have a friend who

lives in Dubai who told me thestrangest thing is being able todrive everywhere on near-emptyroads (Dubai has long beeninfamous for its traffic jams).

Last month, oil-rich neighbourAbu Dhabi – long in the shadow ofits garish cousin – was forced tothe ride to the rescue with a $20billion bailout. Time will tellwhether this means it willstrengthen its hold on Dubai bydemanding ownership of variousDubai companies, but what it willdo is make Dubai think twicebefore it embarks on such abuilding frenzy again.

A recent Deloitte hotels reportrevealed both emirates shared theleague table for the highestoccupancy, average room ratesand revPAR in the region. But ifyou dig a bit deeper it’s herewhere the similarities end: revPARin Dubai grew less than 1% in2008. In Abu Dhabi it grew by anastonishing 46% while occupancylevels rose to 81.5% – one of thehighest in the Middle East and afull three percentage pointshigher than Dubai (admittedlyDubai has a lot more hotels thatAbu Dhabi).

Commentators might sense acertain amount of shadenfraudehere. Dubai has been so caughtup in its building frenzy that it

seemed virtually invincible. Butwhile Dubai was busy shoutingabout the biggest this and thetallest that Abu Dhabi has beenquietly laying plans for asustainable future.

And some of those plans are verygrand indeed. They include twobuildings which will establish AbuDhabi as a world class centres forthe arts – a Guggenheim Museumand a Louvre.

These plans also includedeveloping a number of AbuDhabi’s 200 (natural islands), intovariously, a nature reserve, aluxury resort, and a whole newdistrict of Abu Dhabi housing150,000 people and includingcommercial, residential, leisureand tourism facilities.

Abu Dhabi is also hosting the finalround of the 2009 F1 season andhas built a track and an entirehotel and marina complex onanother island.

So the moral here? Nothing new –it’s the old tortoise and the harefable: “Slowly does it every time.”


Mobile isn’t that new a technology, but it is starting to make its presence felt in travel. According toGerry Samuels at Mobile Travel Technologies one-in-ten mobile phone owners are using theirdevices for travel-related services. And with more mobiles coming into use every day – particularlyin emerging markets - this cannot but be a massive part of travel moving forward.

The modern traveller wants tohave experiences built aroundtheir personal needs. The hotelindustry recognises that it mustgo further in its adoption of socialnetworking. User reviews exposethe truth of a hotel’s brand sincecustomers often use their peergroup as the main source ofinformation. Hotels are nowchallenged with maintaining highstandards and meeting theexpectations of customers whohave done a significant amount ofresearch before they travel.

The sector needs to accept thepower of reviews and thetransparency they create andensure high standards to meet theheightened expectations of futurewell-researched customers.The more demanding customer of

the future will want to engage witha hotel across all touch pointswhere appropriate. Hotels willneed to capture and store moredata, yet access to it must befaster and more targeted in orderto personalise the guestexperience.

The mobile channel will be ofincreasing importance goingforward with hotel companiesneeding to integrate the mobileplatform with existing propertyand content managementsystems.

As distribution, channel andcontent management becomesmore complex, ensuring tightintegration between these coressystems will become an evenhigher priority for hotels.

Applications, databases andnetworks must integrate moreeasily with each other and third-party systems to facilitatecollaborations with partners.

The growing importance of themobile channel is clear. Althoughthe use of smaller devices forbooking is not yet commonplace,it is anticipated the technologyplatforms used by hospitalitycompanies must support andenable all user interactions tointegrate in the future, from phoneto fax to PC to PDA to mobile.

Hospitality industry is undergoinga period of unprecedented changeand will continue to transform.Customers are changing;technology is changing; marketsare changing. Yet this is also a

period of unparalleled opportunityand we remain committed toremaining at the forefront ofunderstanding what travellersneed and demand, both now andinto the future. By understandingthese key business drivers wehope to deliver the technologythat will make these hopes cometrue and will support the hoteliersto stay competitive in a rapidlychanging world.

Mobile Hospitality


According to Nielsen, mobile internetextends the audience reach of manyleading internet sites by an average of13% over PC traffic alone. That meansinvesting in a mobile web site is likelyto increase the overall audience size.


VLMdirect.com is a far-reachinghotel-focused website is with aground-breaking system for hotelbooking – where travellers dealwith the hotels directly.Hard work is paying off for theentrepreneurial team thatdeveloped the Website, whichalready provides a catalogue ofover 66,000 properties in over160 countries and territoriesacross the globe. The crew haveambitious plans to grow thebusiness further, with another40,000 properties earmarked forthe site.

“Once completed VLMdirect.comwill have the biggestaccommodation database in theworld,” says Kelly Footit, DirectorVLMdirect.

“We are not just including thehotel chains but all independenthotels as well, many of which arepreferred by individual travellers.New destinations are alsoconstantly being researched andadded to the listings.”

The VLMdirect.com model isdifferent from its competitors inthat it is not involved in anytransaction at the point ofbooking a room. Travellers payfees directly to the property andthey make their ownarrangements. The site providesdetails such as telephone, fax,website, facilities and visualsabout hotels so that potentialguests can make their ownchoices and decisions.

The business model involvescharging properties who want toput more than just their basicdetails on the website, such asrich media including streamingvideo, IPIX 360 visuals andphotos.

InterContinental Hotels Group(IHG) has stopped doing businesswith different booking portalsover the fact that the portal had acertain amount of rooms beingsold at the agreed rate. Oncethose rooms were sold thewebsite was showing as the hotelwas sold out. As a direct result ofthis IHG set up their own directbooking system.

This has led IHG to see onlinebookings increase on its websites,including Holiday Inn and otherbrands, from 78 percent of totalonline sales to 85 percent. Othermajor hotel chains are followingsuit with direct booking systems.Also many hotels have pricingagreements with the travel portalsites, so consumers are not likelyto find a lower rate than at thehotel's official site. While othersportals now check real-timeinventory.

It is not just hotels. Booking directis a trend that has gripped theindustry over the last few years.The airlines were first to stoppaying commissions to travelagents and focus on their onlineofferings allowing clients to bookdirect. EasyJet was one of thefirst to pioneer direct bookingresulting in cheaper fares for thecustomer. Most airlines havefollowed suit proving that thisformula works and in turnincreases profitability.

“We are looking to be theencyclopaedia of accommodationon the Internet, the Craig’s List orthe Yellow Pages for the travel andhotel industry worldwide. There’snever been anything quite thiscomprehensive before. It willempower people and give themthe choice to book what theywant whether it’s an Italiantraveller looking for a hotel inIndonesia or a Chinese personbooking in Cuba,” says Footit.

www.vlmdirect.com

According to the Travel Industry Associationof America, in the U.S. more than 64 millionpeople bought or reserved an airline ticket,hotel room, rental car or package tour onlineduring 2008 – up nearly 20 million from2007. And each leisure traveller spends morethan $1,000 online.

VLMdirect.com – your window onto the world




2009 will be remembered as a tough year forall industries. But while the challengingeconomic climate may be bad news for thehigh street, smart travel companies arerealising that increased investment in digitalchannels can power them through the ‘credit crunch’.

Digital projects can reduce business costs and managementoverheads because the web is a very cost effective channel for sales,marketing and customer service. It’s time to invest in more efficientways of working and exploit the web’s many advantages over costlybricks and mortar and call centres.

To give you one example, National Rail Enquiries(www.nationalrail.co.uk) is the most telephoned number in Britain, with140 million customer contacts per year. Enquiries that are dealt withvia call centres cost NRE 57 euro cents per customer contact. In orderto make business efficiencies – and for travellers’ convenience – NREwanted to drive more enquirers online.

NRE developed a virtual agent, “Ask LISA”, to handle timetable andother rail travel enquiries via its website. LISA now handles 300,000enquiries per month with 90% accuracy (a higher rate than NRE’s off-shore human call centres!). Enquiries handled by Lisa cost NRE just.04 euro cents per customer contact. So by investing in a digitalchannel, NRE has made a considerable cost saving, reducing thenumber of customer contacts it handles over the phone by 30%.

Smart businesses will power through the credit crunch by investing inlarger and more strategic web projects like these.

Many of the predictions that have been made about the comingfinancial year are steeped in doom and gloom. However, at FortuneCookie we believe that the constraints of a more challenging financialclimate provide the perfect conditions for digital innovation to thrive.

www.fortunecookie.co.uk

Positive predictions

Travel companies will attract and retain new customers by usingthe web by getting to know them better to give them what theywant. Online marketing and communications campaigns will bebetter targeted and better financed; hot areas for developmentwill be geo-tagging, smarter deals with users’ existing socialnetworks and credit-crunch busting ‘voucher clubs’.

User experience will live and breathe the brand: enjoyment, trustand sales come from offering a great mix of information,interactivity and desktop/iphone platform flexibility. Userexperience budgets will double as companies realise thatexperience is everything. In particular, rail and car rentalcompanies will evolve their digital platforms to become far more experience led.

Relationships with existing visitors and customers will bestrengthened and deepened throughout the year – retention isthe new conversion.

The shift of marketing and communication spend towards digitalwill gain even more momentum and smart travel companies willspend at least 50% of their entire marketing budgets online.

Smart companies will evolve their key performance indicatorsfrom tracking online conversion rates to what it is really all about – profit.

Natural search budgets will exceed paid search.

There will be an even bigger push to secure direct relationshipsand affiliates will see margins squeezed.

There will be an explosion of useful, relevant, contextual mobileweb applications.

Continuous monitoring, analysis and optimisation, segmentationand behavioural targeting will become the norm.

We will all start to interact with web content by touching it.

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Here’s a list of our positivepredictions for 2009/10:

Join Fortune Cookie’s Managing Director Justin Cookewhen he and other leading online travel experts take partin an Executive Roundtable: ‘From Thought to Finish:Implementation Realities in a Digital World’.

As part of ‘PhocusWright@ITB: Expanding E-Travel AcrossEurope’ the roundtable takes place on Thursday 12 Marchat 1pm, Hall 7.3, Auditorium Europe.


Is your company truly exceptional or merely average?

Stand up and be counted...

Self Nomination for the 2009 World Travel Awards OPEN NOW

www.worldtravelawards.com

WWOORRLLDD TTRRAAVVEELL AAWWAARRDDSS 22000099

BTN_WTA_COMMON_V2 2/3/09 4:04 pm

www.worldtravelawards.com www.worldtravelawards.com

The all important Winners will be unveiledin a series of landmark Gala Ceremonies. World Travel Awards have now announced the dates when the leadingindustry bodies, government representatives and the world’s media willgather to discover who has been voted the very best of the best.

World Travel Awards Africa Ceremony10th May, Durban ICC, South Africa

Around the Worldin 7 Ceremonies

World Travel Awards Middle East Ceremony4th May, Dubai, UAE

World Travel Awards Europe Ceremony – 17th October, Marriott Praia D'El Rey Golf & Beach Resort, Lisbon, Portugal

World Travel Awards North & Central America Ceremony September, Hacienda Tres Rios, Yucatan



“With a host of exciting new partnership deals and a global mediacampaign reaching in excess of 270 million in place, our 2009 Touris set to be our best yet. Over the past 15 years, our objective hasbeen to identify and reward excellence, and are honoured to berecognised as 'the Oscars of the travel industry'.”Graham E Cooke, President and Founder of World Travel Awards

World Travel Awards South America Ceremony October, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

World Travel Awards Asia, Australasia & Indian Ocean Ceremony October, Singapore

World Travel Awards Grand Final – December, Jamaica

For ticket information, please go to: www.worldtravelawards.comOr contact [email protected]



Dubai, UAE – 4th May 2009

Dubai will be the extraordinary location of thisyear's World Travel Awards Middle East Ceremonyon Monday 4th May 2009.

More than 500 Middle East travel and tourismcompanies and organisations from across theregion, representing every industry sector will befighting for their chance to be recognised by the‘Oscars’ of the travel industry.

Dubai epitomises the great Arabian tourist dream.Just twenty years ago it was a sleepy fishingcommunity but under the direction of the rulingMaktoum family it has been transformed into theplayground of the Middle East. The scale andambition of landmark projects currently underwayis so breathtaking that you wouldn’t bet againstthis booming emirate becoming one of the mostimportant places on earth.

Dubai is constantly building its infrastructure oftransport facilities, schools, hospitals, tourismdevelopments and other amenities in the restlessand relentless pursuit of a society for tomorrow.The booming emirate is an unbelievably exciting

and rapidly-changing place that has got the travelworld talking. It seems everyone who’s anyonenow has an interest there. The tourism statisticsspeak for themselves. Occupancy rates for four andfive star hotels almost 90%, and the number ofhotel guest trebling over the past decade.

A remarkable urban landscape, Dubai is home toiconic structures, with more in the pipeline. TheBurj Al Arab – World Travel Awards Leading Hotel2008 - is possibly the classic symbol of Dubai; aninspiring feat of architecture rising out of the sand,and a sight that should be seen (and stayed in) tobe believed.

Tickets to World Travel Awards events are alwayshighly in demand therefore early booking is alwaysrecommended.

To secure your seats for this fantastic event, pleasecontact our events team using the details below:

Email: [email protected]: +44 (0)207 925 0000

World Travel Awards 2009 Middle East Ceremony

"We are seeking inspirational winners who command total respect ineverything they do, from customer experience to exceeding businessperformance. Nothing could therefore be more appropriate this yearthan taking the awards to Dubai"Graham E Cooke, President and Founder of World Travel Awards



"One only has to look at the size of the event, and thecalibre of the other award winners, to appreciate howprestigious the World Travel Awards is.”Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman, Nakheel



Middle East Nominations

"This region is asupreme example ofhow to hold your nerveand act short term,when necessary, butalways with longer-termbenefits and a soundbusiness strategyuppermost."Graham E Cooke, President and Founderof World Travel Awards

“Etihad is proud to be nominated by the World Travel Awards for thesecond year in a row. Last year’s double win for ‘world’s leadingflatbed seat’ and ‘world’s leading travel television commercial’recognized Etihad’s commitment to excellence and to building greaterawareness of our brand across key markets.”James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ Chief Executive

Middle East’s Leading Hotel 2008 – Burj Al Arab, Dubai

Is your company truly exceptional or merely average?Stand up and be counted...



The World Travel Awards serve to acknowledge,reward and celebrate the enormous achievementsto be found in all sectors of the global travelindustry. As the industry’s highest accolade, therehas never been a more valuable time todemonstrate the pursuit of excellence and to win aWorld Travel Award. The industry urges thosecompanies or organisations who considerthemselves to be leading examples of travel andtourism excellence to enter 2009’s World TravelAwards Programme.

The simple online process could not be easier.

Every successful World Travel Awards Finalist willhave their achievements show-cased throughout2009.

They will then be presented before a global votingaudience of over 167,000 travel and tourismprofessionals and media from around the worldwho will decide the ultimate Winners.

This level of transparency and accountability iswhat has made the World Travel AwardsProgramme so special.

For your opportunity to be recognized in thisglobal area of travel excellence in 2009, simplydownload an application form and submit viaemail or post.

A 2009 Nomination Form is available to downloadfrom www.worldtravelawards.com

Nomination submission deadlines will beapproximately one month prior to the regionalawards ceremony. The closing date for the MiddleEast Ceremony being held on 4th May 2009 inDubai is 3rd April 2009.

RotanaWinner - Middle East's Leading Hotel Brand 2008

Emirates Palace, Abu DhabiWinner - Abu Dhabi's Leading Hotel 2008

The Chedi Muscat, OmanFinalist - Middle East's Leading Hotel 2008

Safar Travel & Tourism Finalist - Middle East Leading Travel Agency


Email: Web: Phone:+44 (0) 20 7925 0000

But what if they don’t need to?

ask-theworld.com

Visit our featured client Etihad Airways at www.etihadairways.com and click on ‘Ask’ to view one of our Virtual Assistants at work. Email: [email protected]

Phone: +44 (0) 20 7925 0000

Contact Virtual World Internet to discuss how we can help produce and deliver video, virtual tours, and image galleries of your hotel or resort to your online visitors.

Virtual World Internet designs, develops, hosts, and markets high value visual content for the travel and tourism sector with a proven track record of delivering world class solutions to our clients.

Swissotel Nai Lert Park Bangkokwww.virtual-nailertpark.com

Grosvenor House Dubaiwww.virtual-grosvenorhouse.com

The Monarch Dubaiwww.virtual-monarch.com


Email: [email protected]: +44 (0) 20 7925 0000

Contact Virtual World Internet to discuss how we can help produce and deliver video, virtual tours, and image galleries of your hotel or resort to your online visitors.

Virtual World Internet designs, develops, hosts, and markets high value visual content for the travel and tourism sector with a proven track record of delivering world class solutions to our clients.

Swissotel Nai Lert Park Bangkokwww.virtual-nailertpark.com

Grosvenor House Dubaiwww.virtual-grosvenorhouse.com

The Monarch Dubaiwww.virtual-monarch.com


Middle Easthotel operatorstorms ahead

with plans to develop 67 properties by 2012

United Arab Emirates, February 2009 - Rotana, theleading hotel management company in the Middle East

and North Africa, has announced the expansion of itsportfolio to 67 properties to open by 2012.


“Year after year, Rotana is gainingstrength and positioning itself as aleader in the industry within theregion. This is part of our strategicaim to have a property located inevery key city in the Middle Eastand North Africa and this goal isbeing steadily achieved throughcareful long-term planning andtimely action. The new propertieswill not only expand our portfolioin the United Arab Emirates, Jordanand Qatar but will also introduceRotana into new markets such asCairo, Oman, Iraq and SaudiArabia” said Selim El Zyr, President& CEO Rotana.

Rotana has already signedmanagement contracts and someof these properties are now underconstruction or development. Forthe next four years, Rotana willopen 10 hotels per year. The planis right. The strategy is there. Theexecution and know-how arethere. The objective is clear. Rotanais positive that as long as thecompany is able to manage growthin an efficient way, then there is

the scope to take up furtherproperties.

Rotana has signed a joint venturewith Orascom and SHUAA tomanage five Centro by Rotanaproperties in Egypt. Furthermore, amanagement agreement has beensigned with Jiwar Real EstateManagement & MarketingCompany to manage the firstproperty in Saudi Arabia, Al MarwaRayhaan in Makkah, which willopen in the second quarter of2009. Most recently, SHUAACapital Saudi Arabia, cjsc (SCSA),the Saudi Arabian subsidiary ofSHUAA Capital psc, announcedthe signing of a master agreementwith Rotana to develop

17 four & five-star hotels andresorts in addition to hotelapartments across the Kingdom ofSaudi Arabia comprising 5,500 rooms.

Only this year, Rotana is fortifyingits position as Dubai’s leadinghotel operator with the opening of

another two properties, includingthe world’s tallest hotel. Over thenext couple of months, opening ofRose Rotana and Amwaj Rotana,along with the newly openedArjaan Dubai Media City andMedia Rotana, will add to thecompany’s eight existing propertiesin the emirate.

Rotana currently manages morehotels in Dubai & the NorthernEmirates than any other singleoperator and the scheduledopenings will increase thecompany’s stronghold further. Asfor the rest of the region,hereunder is a breakdown of theupcoming properties which willopen in 2009:

Abu DhabiCentro Yas Island – 2009Yas Island Rotana – 2009Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan – 2009Park Rotana – 2009Park Arjaan - 2009Tourist Club Arjaan – 2009

BeirutRaouche Rotana – 2009

DohaCity Centre Rotana – 2009

DubaiRose Rotana – 2009Amwaj Rotana - 2009

LatakiaAfamia Rotana Resort – 2009

MakkahAl Marwa Rayhaan – 2009

The Rotana brand is driven bypassion, personal warmth, and thedelivery of consistent qualitystandards, combined with a keenunderstanding of regional markets,commitment to research, andsignificant investment in systemsand people. Development of thebrand is rigorously planned andmeticulously managed across alloperations - simultaneouslyevoking confidence and trustamong property owners, andcreating satisfying experiences for corporate and leisure travellers alike.

P.O. Box: 43500, Abu Dhabi, UAE. T: +971 (0)2 644 4412, F: +971 (0)2 644 4413, [email protected] rotana.com



ICC Durban, South AfricaSunday 10th May 2009

South Africa is set to be in sparkling form as theWorld Travel Awards Africa Ceremony, inpartnership with the International ConventionCentre, Durban, is held on Sunday 10th May 2009.

Attended by 400 VIP’s and leading industryfigures, this event is set to be an outstandingsuccess and a testament to the extraordinaryinnovation and diversity that is seen in the Africantourism industry.

The International Convention Centre Durban (ICC)is one of the most advanced conference facilitiesin the world. Flexibility and versatility are keyfactors in the design of this state-of-the-arttechnology-driven centre.

It is a purpose-built, fully air-conditioned centrewith three convention halls that are interlinked butseparate. Moveable walls allow for a number ofdifferent venue configurations. Alternatively thehalls can be opened up to form one large venuewith seating for 5000 delegates or 7000m squaredof column free floor space. Together with its sistervenue, the Durban Exhibition Centre, the ICC can

double its capacity to accommodate 10 000conference delegates. The centres can functionindependently or as two halves of one whole. Thisis achieved by closing Walnut Road, a brick-pavedconcourse between the two centres, to provideeasy access for delegates. Little wonder then that ICC Durban is where Africaand the world meet.

ICC Durban has been voted Africa's LeadingConference Centre for six consecutive years byWorld Travel Awards and in 2004 was also rankedas one of the top ten conference centres in theworld by AIPC. Its proven track record is unrivalledin Africa.




World Travel Awards 2009 Africa Ceremony

“The ICC is a state-of-the-art world class conference centre and perfectfor such a prestigious ceremony for African travel and tourism. We havebeen delighted with not only the facilities, but also with the wonderfulsupport from the ICC staff. Indaba is the greatest occasion to coincideour event with.”Graham E Cooke, President and Founder of World Travel Awards



"It is very significant and auspicious that the World TravelAwards, 'the Oscars of the Travel Industry', has chosen tohost its Africa awards here."His Majesty King Zwelithini Goodwill kaBhekuzulu



Africa Nominations“The ICC Durban, its staff and stakeholders are elated by this coup asthe event is one of the most illustrious awards events in the industry.This is not just a coup for Durban, but for South Africa and Africa as acontinent.”Miller Matola , Chief Executive Officer, ICC

“We hope that the winners set a supreme standard of professionalismin Africa with excellent examples of creativity and business acumenthat can stimulate others to also raise their performance and theirprofile, not only within the African industry but worldwide.”Graham E Cooke, President and Founder of World Travel Awards

Africa’s Leading Hotel 2008 – Mount Nelson Hotel, South Africa











Nomination submission deadlines will beapproximately one month prior to the regionalawards ceremony. The closing date for the AfricaCeremony being held on 10th May 2009 at ICCDurban, South Africa is 10th April 2009.

Saxon Boutique Hotel & Spa, South AfricaWinner - Africa's Leading Boutique Hotel 2008

Cape Grace, South AfricaWinner - South Africa's Leading Hotel 2008

South African AirwaysWinner - Africa's Leading Airline 2008

Cape TownWinner - Africa's Leading Destination 2008


rotana.com

Abu Dhabi’s Leading BeachResort

Middle East’s Leading HotelBrand

Middle East’s LeadingFamily Resort

Dubai’s Leading MeetingsHotel

Abu Dhabi’s LeadingBusiness Hotel


www.worldtravelawards.com w

Praia D’El Rey Golf & Beach Resort, LisbonSaturday 17th October 2009

This year's star studded Europe Awards Ceremonywill be held at the Marriott Praia D'El Rey Golf &Beach Resort on Portugal's gorgeous and ruggedSilver Coast just outside of Lisbon on Saturday17th September.

Praia D’El Rey Golf & Beach Resort is a multi-awardwinning resort ranging across 230 hectares (600acres), on the beautiful shoreline of Portugal’sSilver Coast, less than one hour from Lisbon.

Located in the beautiful and historic Oeste (orWest) region near Obidos, Marriott Praia D’El ReyGolf & Beach Resort sets the standard foraccommodation in this region and was the firstfive-star resort to be built here.

Guests can enjoy remarkable views of the oceanand of the 18-hole championship golf course. Becooled by Atlantic winds as they lounge on aprivate balcony, or spend a relaxing afternoon inone of the luxury suites.

Over the last 10 years, Marriott Praia D'El Rey Golf& Beach Resort has established itself as the pre-eminent resort in the region with facilitiesincluding a luxury 5 Star Marriott Hotel with arelaxing and beautiful Spa, award winning golfcourse and leading sports and children's facilities.




World Travel Awards 2009 Europe Ceremony

“Recognised as the hallmark of travel excellence, the World TravelAwards acknowledges the leading travel products across the globe. Theregional award ceremonies recognise winners in their own territory andcelebrate both individuals and companies setting new boundaries intravel and tourism.”Graham E Cooke, President and Founder of World Travel Awards



“A wonderful evening, the attendance was great, theorganisation excellent, the momentum perfect.”Pierre Ferchaud, President & General Manager, Hotel Le Bristol, Paris



Europe Nominations“We are proud that our strategy is recognised by the TravelIndustry. This motivates us to maintain the highest servicequality throughout the world.”Jehan de Thé, Global Marketing Director at Europcar International.

Europe’s Leading Hotel 2008 – Hotel Le Bristol Paris, France











The deadline for nomination submissions will beFriday 26th June

Hotel Ritz Paris, FranceFinalist - Europe's Leading Hotel 2008

The Dorchester, EnglandFinalist - Europe's Leading Hotel 2008

Hotel Cipriani, ItalyFinalist - Europe's Leading Hotel 2008

EuropcarWinner - Europe's Leading Car Hire 2008


With stunning and endless views of rolling waves, white sandybeaches and romantic pine forests, the Praia D'El Rey Marriott Golf& Beach Resort is truly heaven sent. Conveniently located only 45minutes drive north of the country's capital Lisbon, you will findyourself in beautiful and historic countryside steeped in localtradition.

The hotel boasts 179 deluxe rooms, including 9 suites, all withprivate terraces or balconies offering unique views of either theAtlantic Ocean or the beautiful championship golf course. All guestrooms have been designed to the highest specification and areelegantly furnished and spacious.

Praia D'El Rey Marriott is dedicated to providing you with a sense oftotal wellbeing. A state of the art fitness centre is available for yourworkout and includes an indoor heated pool, jacuzzi and steambath. Also available is the Atlantic Coast SPA where you can choosea relaxing or invigorating massage, beauty treatments such asfacials, manicures and pedicures, or try exotic body polishing,hydrotherapy and reflexology.

Praia D'El Rey offers without a doubt one of the most stunning golfcourses in Europe. Ranked 80th in the world by Golf WorldMagazine, the course is set alongside a craggy coastline andamongst extensive pine forests and undulating dunes. The par 72championship course is a challenging mixture of seaside links andparkland holes offering the golfer a unique playing experience.

Whatever your idea of perfect relaxation may be, the Praia D'El ReyMarriott is ideally located to offer you a superb choice of activitiesand leisure pursuits. During summer you can also enjoy our beachfacilities and a wide range of water sports activities.

Take advantage of your trip to Praia D'El Rey Marriott to explorenature at its best. Take a hiking trip in the surrounding hills or gocanoeing in the Óbidos lagoon, considered to be the most beautifullagoon in Portugal. Praia D'El Rey is just minutes away from thebeautiful medieval citadel of Óbidos, a World Heritage site.

www.marriott.com/lisdr www.praia-del-rey.comPhone: 351-262-905100 • Fax: 351-262-905101 • Email: [email protected] D'El Rey Marriott Golf & Beach Resort • Av. D. Inês de Castro, 1 • 2510-451 Óbidos, Portugal

Imagine breathtaking views of majestic unspoiled coastline, the challenge ofa world ranked award-winning championship golf course and the unbridledluxury, style and elegance of a fabulous five-star hotel. Enter the exclusiveworld of Praia D'El Rey Marriott Golf & Beach Resort, specifically designedwith one purpose in mind - your enjoyment.


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Welcome home.Zurich Airport has once again been named Europe’s Leading Airport by the World Travel Awards, making 2008 the fifth year in a row.As the gateway to the European Alps, Zurich offers you the best service: connecting you to 120 destinations, allowing you to quicklyreach the city center, and providing you with convenient connections to all Swiss cities and bordering countries. www.zurich-airport.com


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Rio de Janeiro. 20th October 2009

Rio de Janeiro will be the fantastic location of thisyear's World Travel Awards South AmericaCeremony on 20th October 2009.

Travel and tourism companies and organisationsfrom across the region, representing every industrysector will be fighting for their chance to berecognised by the ‘Oscars’ of the travel industry. Rio de Janeiro is the second major city of Brazil,behind Sao Paolo, and is one of the mostspectacular places on the planet. Even well-travelled individuals will love what this destinationhas to offer. Commonly known as just Rio, the cityis nicknamed "The Marvellous City". It is famousfor its spectacular natural setting, its Carnivalcelebrations, samba and other music as well asstunning beaches. The most well known andrecognised landmark of Rio is the giant statue of

Jesus, known as Christ the Redeemer, atopCorcovado Mountain, which has recently beennamed one of the New Seven Wonders of theWorld.Rio is packed with bars and restaurants for everytaste and budget just waiting to be discovered.And the nightlife is as legendary as the city'sCarnival!Tickets to World Travel Awards events are alwayshighly in demand therefore early booking is alwaysrecommended.



World Travel Awards 2009 South America Ceremony

“Congratulations! The event is so fabulous.”Teresa Zhou, Feature Director, World Traveller Media



South America Nominations“The winners named in the World Travel Awards South AmericaCeremony will be companies that take a balanced view, concentratingon customer engagement and on-going product innovation, whilecontinuing to scrutinize costs and yield. We hope that in a small way,World Travel Awards will be able to make a contribution to helping theSouth American industry to continue to develop in a manner that makesthe rest of the world sit up and take notice.”Graham E Cooke, President and Founder of World Travel Awards

South America’s Leading Hotel 2008 – Copacabana Palace, Brazil






Every successful World Travel Awards Finalist willhave their achievements show-cased throughout 2009.



For your opportunity to be recognized in this globalarea of travel excellence in 2009, simply downloadan application form and submit via email or post.



Grand Hyatt Santiago, ChileFinalist - South America's Leading Hotel 2008

Hotel Oro Verde Guayaquil, EcuadorWinner - Ecuador's Leading Hotel 2008

Kiaroa Eco-Luxury Resort, BrazilWinner - Brazil's Leading Boutique Hotel 2008

Alvear Palace Hotel, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaWinner - Argentina's Leading Hotel 2008


Gold sponsors

Hotel, Tourism and Leisure


BTN_WTA_COMMON_PRINT 3/3/09 12:29 pm

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PROUD HOSTS OF 2009 WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS

Nestled in a 326-acre pristine nature park in the Riviera Maya, México, Hacienda Tres Ríos is a brand new eco-luxury 273-suite resort 30 minutes south of Cancún’s airport. Its exclusive Endless Luxury All-inclusive Plan defies expectations with the combination of Nature, Culture and Experience. Visit us at the Riviera Maya Stand: HALL 3.1 / 211www.haciendatresr ios.com

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March 13, 2009, 2:45 pm,

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Yucatan Holidays launches this spring to become one of the leading promoters of the incredible destinations in the Yucatán Peninsula. Its mission is to create unforgettable moments through the combination of sustainable tourism and the promotion of Mexican culture. www.yucatanholidays.com



World Travel Awards are coming to Mexico tounveil who international travel agents and industryprofessionals have voted the region’s topoperators and destinations in the industry.

Recognised by Wall Street Journal as theinternational travel industry "Oscars", the WorldTravel Awards is the world’s only global awards ofits kind, honouring world class products ofexceptional quality and value.

The World Travel Awards North & Central AmericaCeremony is sponsored by Yucatan Holidays, oneof the leading promoters of the incredibledestinations in the Yucatán Peninsula. Its missionis to create unforgettable moments through thecombination of sustainable tourism and thepromotion of Mexican culture.

The prestigious ceremony will be held on Monday7th September at Hacienda Tres Ríos Resort, Spa &Nature Park nestled in a 326-acre pristine naturepark in the Riviera Maya, México.

Hacienda Tres Ríos is a luxury Caribbean resort justforty five minutes south of Cancún’s InternationalAirport. Here México’s present joins its past andMexican and Mayan traditions converge to createtruly unique experiences.

Opened in November 2008, Hacienda Tres Ríos isthe first resort of five at Tres Ríos. Hacienda TresRíos Resort boasts 273 suites using nativematerials and featuring breathtaking views of thetranquil turquoise Caribbean Sea. Hacienda TresRíos is at the forefront of sustainable tourismdevelopment, creating amazing guest experienceswhile protecting the region’s natural beauty andculture.




World Travel Awards 2009 North & Central AmericaCeremony

“The World Travel Awards Ceremony is a fantastic event and a greatnetworking opportunity for the travel industry…it makes sense to profilewith a high profile and well-connected event like WTA.”Zina Neophytou, Travel Distribution Account Director, BBC World Group

Hacienda Tres Ríos Resort, Spa & NaturePark, Yucatan. September 2009. Date TBA



“The over riding objective of the World Travel Awards is to encourageand stimulate business excellence within the international travel andtourism industry. There is no doubt that this will be a glitzy andexciting evening in Yucatan, but at the same time there will be avery serious purpose behind the event with importance to manyNorth & Central American businesses.”Graham E. Cooke, President and Founder of the World Travel Awards



North & Central AmericaNominations

North America’s Leading Hotel 2008 – The St. Regis Hotel New York, USA


“Winners of the World Travel Awards North and Central AmericaCeremony are very special brands, dedicated to being the best in aspectof the customer experience. Their success here at a country-wide andglobal level means they will further improve their international profile aswell as reach out to new customers.”Graham E Cooke, President and Founder of World Travel Awards











Trump International Hotel & Tower, New York, USAFinalist - North America’s Leading Hotel 2008

Jumeirah Essex House, New York, USAWinner - New York's Leading Business Hotel 2008

AVISWinner - North America's Leading Car Hire 2008

Mandarin Oriental Miami, Florida, USAWinner - Florida's Leading Spa Resort 2008


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Hilton Beijing Wangfujing8 Wangfujing East Street, Dongcheng, Beijing, China, 100006Tel: +86(0) 10 5812 8888 Fax: +86(0) 10 5812 8886

Discover Hilton Beijing Wangfujing. Your door to exciting business opportunities, world-class shopping, dining, entertainment, rejuvenation and culture, delivered with the renowned Hilton service offering bespoke amenities and intimate indulgences.

The best way to embrace the mystique of Beijing, with its bewitching natural beauty, historical sights and the inherent grace and hospitality of its people, is from Hilton Beijing Wangfujing. Situated in the heart of Wangfujing Street, one of Beijing’s most prestigious locations, the hotel is in close proximity to the major corporate, cultural and commercial centers of Beijing and a short walk from many major tourist and shopping attractions. This intimate, lifestyle hotel - featuring 255 of the largest guest rooms in the city, including 58 suites, four distinctively designed restaurants and lounges, state-of-the-art meeting facilities and a tranquil spa - invites you to immerse yourself in the various wonders this fascinating city has to offer.

Combining style with practicality, the guest rooms are amongst the largest in the city, starting at a comfortable 50 square metres, featuring tastefully decorated interiors with thoughtful touches like aquatic in-room companions, spacious walk-in closets, highly sophisticated in-room technology such as iPod® docking stations, 42 inch LCD televisions and DVD players. Enjoy deep soaking tubs to melt away the day before sinking into the pleasure of the best beds in the world.

For meeting and function venues with an enlightening mix of innovation and comfort, why not think outside of the bulb and turn us on. You are in good hands with our state-of-the-art equipment, delectable selections of international specialties and undivided attention by our professional staff.

The artistic touches are profoundly portrayed in the hotel’s dining experience with four dramatically styled restaurants and lounges. And you don’t have to be an epicurean to enjoy the distinctive cuisine accentuating exquisite flavors, unique produce and innovative menus, reflective of the hotel’s desire to bring a new level of experience to the Beijing dining scene.

When you are exhausted from the day’s work, why not visit our Spa and let your muscles relax and unwind while you uplift the spirits of your mind and body. Pamper yourself with a wide range of wellness rituals, using the beneficial properties of the traditional Chinese remedies, elixirs and essential oils. Our treatments will help you restore, rejuvenate, and refresh your body, enhance circulation and energy flow, leaving you totally rebalanced, so that you are ready for the next big day!

Remember your favorite vacation where you wished the time would come to a halt. Then, imagine the same scenery with cheerful staff who calls you by your name at your service in every corner you turn. It’s all possible here. Everyone here at the Hilton Beijing Wangfujing is delighted to transport you to a life that feels like a continual holiday whether you are here on business, rediscovering Beijing or enjoying a spontaneous getaway, you will love every minute of it.



Singapore is set to be in sparkling form as theWinners of the Australasia, Asia & Indian OceanWorld Travel Awards are announced on 24thOctober 2009.

Attended by VIP’s and leading industry figures,this event is set to be an outstanding success anda testament to the extraordinary innovation anddiversity that is seen in the tourism industry.

Singapore is one of the most enjoyable cities inSoutheast Asia. As you zoom in from one of theworld's best airports along the lushly tree-shadedexpressway or on the zippy MRT train line, you'llquickly realise this is no traffic-snarled Bangkok.And as you stroll through the fashion emporiumsof Orchard Rd, poke around antique shops inChinatown or take a walk around one of thedozens of beautiful city parks.

Singapore is a popular travel destination, makingtourism one of its largest industries. About 9.7million tourists visited Singapore in 2006. To

attract more tourists, the government decided tolegalise gambling and to allow two casino resortsto be developed at Marina South and Sentosa in2005. To compete with regional rivals like HongKong, Tokyo and Shanghai, the government hasannounced that the city area would betransformed into a more exciting place by lightingup the civic and commercial buildings. Cuisine hasalso been heavily promoted as an attraction fortourists, with the Singapore Food Festival in Julyorganised annually to celebrate Singapore'scuisine.

Singapore's soul is alive and well - and it is unique. Tickets to World Travel Awards events are alwayshighly in demand therefore early booking is alwaysrecommended.



World Travel Awards 2009 Asia, Australasia & IndianOcean Ceremony

“A wonderful evening, well organized and well run. Congratulations!”Anita Chan MBA, VP Development Asia Pacific, Small Luxury Hotels of the World

Singapore. October 2009. Date TBA.



Asia, Australasia & IndianOcean Nominations


“Since the World TravelAwards began 15 yearsago, worried consumershave increasingly relied onthe winning line-up to givethem peace of mind andhelp them make informedchoices from a bewilderingchoice of products. Itmeans that the winnerscan benefit commerciallyas well as seeing anincrease in brand profile,” Graham E Cooke, President and Founderof World Travel Awards

“The awareness of hospitality through your event has risen here in Shanghaiand beyond, which is very beneficial for the tourism industry in China. Youhave brought top international flair to China, which we are very grateful forand will support to best of our capabilities now and always.”Jan Büttgen, General Manager, Hospitality Services, 88Xintiandi, Shui On Development Limited

Asia's Leading Business Hotel 2008 – Pan Pacific Singapore











The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, IndiaWinner - India's Leading Suite 2008

Banyan Tree Hotels & ResortsWinner - Indian Ocean's Leading Hotel Brand 2008

One&Only Le Saint Geran, MauritiusWinner - Mauritius' Leading Spa Resort 2008

Cathay PacificWinner - Asia's Leading Airline 2008


PpacificFPFC.fh9 18/2/09 5:58am Page 1

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WHAT ALSO COUNTSIS WHO’S LISTENING...At the foremost gathering of world leaders in Travel & Tourism we focus on who’s listeningas well as who’s speaking. The Summit brings Chairs and CEOs of the world’s top Travel &Tourism companies together with leaders of government and journalists from across the world.Global leaders will discuss the theme ‘Real Partnerships – Energising Economies’ in Brazil.

For further information on the Summit visit www.globaltraveltourism.com

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The final of the renowned World Travel Awards –described by the Wall Street Journal as the ‘Oscars’of the travel industry – takes place at SandalsWhitehouse European Village & Spa in Jamaica on30th October 2009.

Senior travel industry management worldwide willbe travelling to Jamaica for the star-spangled awardpresentation, culmination of the 2009 Grand Tourof regional ceremonies stopping in Middle East,South Africa, Yucatan, Portugal, Brazil andSingapore.

The newest resort in the Sandals group, SandalsWhitehouse European Village & Spa is ideallylocated on the pristine shores of Jamaica’suncharted south-west coast. Two miles of beachesand secret coves and 50 acres of well-tendedgardens enfold the resort, which is itself surroundedby a 500 acre nature reserve. The resort comprisesthere charming villages, themed in Dutch, Frenchand Italian styles, set around an Italian Piazza. Theresort offers stunning beachfront rooms, a choice ofà la carte restaurants, from white-glove dining tobarefoot elegance; all premium brand wine andspirits, including an exclusive partnership withCalifornia's legendary Beringer Vineyards; luxurious

accommodations in a range of categories;unrivalled watersports including the Caribbean'slargest PADI certification program; Butler Service fortruly indulgent pampering; Preston Bailey SignatureWeddingMoons® and signature Red Lane® Spas,with services and treatments inspired by the region.The 360 all-oceanview rooms and suites boastviews that will capture your imagination. Even withall the wonderful activities on offer, you’ll bereluctant to tear yourself away!

Sandals Resorts has set the industry standard forthe luxury included vacation and has been votedthe Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand at the WorldTravel Awards for 14 years in a row, and World'sLeading All-Inclusive Company for 12 years in arow.




World Travel Awards 2009 World & CaribbeanCeremony

"This is the big one and the eyes of the world will be on Jamaica to findout exactly who has claimed the travel industry’s highest accolades”Graham E Cooke, President and Founder of World Travel Awards

Sandals Whitehouse European Village &Spa, Jamaica. 30th October 2009



“These are very important awards… We look forward to these awardsand work hard to make sure that we are here again... We make surethat we stay ahead of the crowd so that nobody takes it away.”Gordon "Butch" Stewart, Chairman of Sandals Resort – Bahamas' Leading Resort, Cuba's Leading Resort,World's Most Romantic Resort, World’s Leading Family All Inclusive



World Nominations

"Nothing can comparewith winning one of theWorld Travel Awards, it’squite simply the highestaccolade any locationor travel company canever hope to achieveand says more aboutthem than anybrochure cancommunicate, anypicture can mirror, anypersonal testimonialcan express."

Graham E Cooke, President and Founderof World Travel Awards

“The WTA are one of the most prestigious awards for the travelindustry and our hotel has been recognized on seven occasionspreviously, we look forward to another successful year in 2009’”Patrick Griffin. Regional Managing Director Orient-Express Hotels, Australia

World’s Leading Hotel 2008 – Burj Al Arab, Dubai












Etihad AirwaysWinner - World's Leading First Class 2008

Shamwari Game Reserve, South AfricaWinner - World's Leading Safari & Game Reserve 2008

Cap Juluca, AnguillaWinner - Anguilla's Leading Resort 2008

Sandals Resorts International WinnerWinner - Caribbean's Leading Hotel Brand 2008


Crafted for families, no other resorts in the

world offer more than Beaches Luxury

Included® Resorts.

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ANNOUNCING THE NEW ITALIAN VILLAGE AT BEACHES TURKS AND CAICOS

Sandals has a long established reputation

as a premier resort chain in the Caribbean,

dedicated to choice, style, service and

uncompromising standards. Champions of

innovation and change, Sandals’ exclusive

resorts set the industry standard for excellence

in the Caribbean, and indeed the world.

In years gone by, Sandals was the first Caribbean

hotel to use jacuzzis, the first to offer satellite

television service, the first to introduce swim-up

pool bars and the first to guarantee that every room

is fitted with a king-size bed and a hair dryer. Now in

our 27th successful year, Sandals luxurious offering

includes up to 11 speciality a la carte restaurants

serving gourmet cuisine, coupled with white-

gloved service and quality pouring wines produced

exclusively by Beringer vineyards. Inspiring suites

continue the theme of opulence, becoming more

luxurious with each passing year, including a unique

partnership with the Guild of Professional English

Butlers that allows guests the ultimate in relaxation

and indulgence. The latest luxurious unveilings

include Millionaire Suites with 180 degree

uninterrupted views of the Caribbean Sea, private

plunge pools and expansive sun decks, as well as

unique Swim Up River Suites with romantic private

river entrance; and coming soon, the Caribbean’s

first overwater bungalows.

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LUXURY INCLUDEDFOR TWO PEOPLE IN LOVE


Sandals has a long established reputation

as a premier resort chain in the Caribbean,

dedicated to choice, style, service and

uncompromising standards. Champions of

innovation and change, Sandals’ exclusive

resorts set the industry standard for excellence

in the Caribbean, and indeed the world.

In years gone by, Sandals was the first Caribbean

hotel to use jacuzzis, the first to offer satellite

television service, the first to introduce swim-up

pool bars and the first to guarantee that every room

is fitted with a king-size bed and a hair dryer. Now in

our 27th successful year, Sandals luxurious offering

includes up to 11 speciality a la carte restaurants

serving gourmet cuisine, coupled with white-

gloved service and quality pouring wines produced

exclusively by Beringer vineyards. Inspiring suites

continue the theme of opulence, becoming more

luxurious with each passing year, including a unique

partnership with the Guild of Professional English

Butlers that allows guests the ultimate in relaxation

and indulgence. The latest luxurious unveilings

include Millionaire Suites with 180 degree

uninterrupted views of the Caribbean Sea, private

plunge pools and expansive sun decks, as well as

unique Swim Up River Suites with romantic private

river entrance; and coming soon, the Caribbean’s

first overwater bungalows.

At Sandals, more than you ever expected is just

the beginning.

www.sandals.co.uk

JAMAICA ANTIGUA ST.LUCIA BAHAMAS

W W W . S A N D A L S . C O . U K

LUXURY INCLUDEDFOR TWO PEOPLE IN LOVE


The world's most sought after destinations, resorts, specialist

tour and event organisers, corporate business planners and

elite buyers will meet to conduct business in a unique event

co-located alongside the 2010 FIFA World Cup in

Johannesburg South Africa.

World Travel Expo is a must attend event for those

companies involved in the travel and tourism market-place

and those interested in assuming a market share in the

US$600 billion a year sports tourism industry.

World Travel Expo will for the very firsttime showcase the pivotal importanceof the travel and tourism industry to aglobal audience at the heart of one ofthe most important and best attendedevents that the world will ever stage.

www.worldtravelexpo2010.com



Built in 1727 to be Jaipur’s firstpalace, it serves as an unrivalledspecimen of the Pink City’s charmand mystique. The fortified walls,gold-leaf walls, historic artefactsand beautiful courtyards borderon the spiritual.

Princess Jayendra Kumari,descendent of the Maharaja,converted the Raj into anexquisite luxury hotel in 1996. Theoutcome is rather special, andseamlessly blends the palace’soriginal features with state-of-the-art facilities. The hotel has sincewon plaudits across thehospitality industry, includingbeing voted “World’s LeadingHeritage Hotel” at the 2008 WorldTravel Awards Grand Final.

Many of the 29 rooms and suitesare furnished with rare artefactsand priceless antique furniture,while hand-painted frescos andbreathtaking crystal chandeliersfeature throughout.

Used by the ruler himself, theDurbar Mahal Suite apartment isfit for modern day maharajas, andindeed a favourite of dignitariesacross the world. After taking inthe sweeping views of Jaipur cityand the Aravali mountains, stepinside the double-heightreception room and marvel at thevaulted ceilings, gold-leafedpainted walls, Stucco work, andgold and silver furniture.

A sleeping chamber for theThakur Sahib comes completewith overhanging Jharokas fromwhere the Maharaja used to givehis public addresses. Find theprivate passage connecting thedifferent pavilions and theZenana. The suite even features aprivate museum displaying theOld Throne and Bolsters of TheThakur Sahib.

The hotel has one of the biggestcrystal chandeliers in India and abeautiful antique crockerymuseum with a collection ofaround 200 years old antiquecrockery used by the royalty,including the Maharaja of Jaipurand Maharani of Jaipur.

The Palace also has the picturesof the famous people who havevisited, dined or stayed here,including Sawai Jai Singh,Maharani Gayatri Devi, LordMountbatten, Maharaja ManSingh, Rawal Sangram Singh ofthe Samode Palace, AmitabhBacchan, Fredrick Forsyth andElaine Page, as well as many otherfamous Kings and Queens andvarious dignitaries belonging tothe Royal Families all over theworld.

To make your stay even moreadventurous and luxurious try outthe spa, Ayurvedic and Kerelamassages, beauty and herbaltreatments to rejuvenate yourmind, body and soul. The hotelalso runs elephant and camelsafaris to the Amber Fort everymorning to see the historical sitesof Jaipur.

The pink city of Jaipur is knownfor many historical places like theHawa Mahal, the Jantar Mantar,the City Palace, the Amber Fort,the Rambagh Palace, the JaiMahal, the Albert Hall Museum, aswell as many other forts, palaces,castles, and haveli's with very richheritage and architecture.

Further informationThe Raj Palace – Jorawer SinghGate, Amer Road, JAIPURT: 91 (0) 141 2634077

A former home of the Maharaja, the gloriousRaj Palace oozes a palatial opulence that makesit more than a luxury hotel.

Luxury meetshistory at Raj Palace

www.rajpalace.com



Included in the $500,000renovated and upgraded CocoSpa is a wide selection of state-of-the-art Cybex exerciseequipment. These feature both anAerobic Exercise Room and anarea featuring the very latest instrength machines. Cybex, longregarded as the “Rolls Royce” ofspa equipment, sent experttechnicians to Tobago to overseethe installation of the newequipment.

The new spa has already beenhighly acclaimed by the manyrepeat guests staying at theResort. Mr. Brian Hadley, a seventime visitor to the resort, said:“Every year Coco Reef providesnew amenities for its guests. Thenew exercise equipment is truly afabulous upgrade to the Resort’sfacilities.”

General Manager Eric Feniet said:“Our repeat guests who make upover 47% of the Resort’s clienteleexpect and deserve to see that wecontinually upgrade and invest in

the property's facilities. The newlyopened Spa is a further indicationof our commitment to thisendeavour”.

John Jefferis, J.P., the owner ofCoco Reef Resorts Ltd, said: “Evenduring these less than buoyanttimes we will continue with ourcompany’s policy to make thenecessary capital investments inorder to meet the continuallyincreasing expectations of ourmost cherished customers. InBermuda we are currentlyconstructing a 4,000 square feetFine Art Gallery which will openon 1 May 2009. The development,which is estimated to cost inexcess of six million dollars, willadd a new and unique amenity toour Bermuda Resort.”

Jefferis added: “In today’sincreasingly competitive tourismmarket those hotel propertiesthat do not make significantinvestment and innovation in theirfacilities and services will not besustainable.”

The Coco Spa offers a new SpaMenu which includes: Signaturetreatments such as Lessons inLove Massage, Morning Glory,Black Mud Body Wrap, facialtherapies, body treatments,massage therapies and a varietyof Salon services.

Coco Reef Resort & Spa – Tobagois considered one of the mostspectacular resorts in theCaribbean. Located along thesouthwest coast of Tobago, thehotel is set at the end of a RoyalPalm lined driveway in 10 acres ofbeautifully manicured tropicalgarden with its own private whitesand beach. It offers luxuriousaccommodation in 135 rooms,suites and villas, memorablecuisine and outstanding serviceall enhanced with a feeling of trueTobagonian hospitality.

Tobago is an island of uniquebeauty, with breathtakingrainforests, fascinating historicalsites and unrivalled beaches.

Coco Reef Resort & Spa is dreamof John Jefferis who spent threeyears researching and developinghis vision of paradise, culminatingin the official opening on 1January 1996.

Over a decade on and it isregarded as Tobago’s premierbeachfront hotel, sitting on tenacres of tropical gardens. Itprovides the ultimate Caribbeanvacation in a casually elegantsetting. The fruits of thecombination of hard work and itsbeautiful setting were rewarded atthe 2008 World Travel AwardsGrand Final, when Coco ReefResort & Spa was voted“Caribbean’s Leading Hotel”.

Reservations: 868 639 8571Fax: 868 639 8574Email: [email protected]

The Coco Reef Resort & Spa – Tobago, voted“Caribbean’s Leading Hotel” at the 2008 WorldTravel Awards, has just become even betterfollowing a major renovation of its spa facility.

Coco Reef Tobagoopens paradise spa

www.cocoreef.com



BTN: What can we expect fromthis year’s AHIC?

JW: AHIC is now into its fifthsuccessful year. We have workedhard to bring differentperspectives and fresh faces toAHIC. We have some outstandingspeakers and I’m very excitedabout the panel sessions whichreflect the current investmentenvironment. I believe that thoseparticipating will be much morecandid than in previous years andwith panels you never know wherethe discussion is going to go! Pluswith audience questions youalways get insight on the ‘toughtopics’.

Due to the current economicenvironment, I sincerely believethat this AHIC will be one of themost interesting and importantwe have had to date. The currentenvironment has been welcomedby a lot of people as a chance toseparate the serious players fromthe cowboys.

BTN: What is the inspirationbehind this year’s theme?

JW: Our inspiration is alwaysgathered directly from the hotelinvestment industry, and we havea fabulous advisory board whichsteers the programme. To behonest we changed the themethree times this year! As unhappyas it makes our web designers itdemonstrates our dedication toproviding content that reflects the

needs of the hotel investmentindustry

We are at a stage where people,who have previously been pricedout of the market, have a chanceto get back into the game. While itmay seem that there is littlescope for growth that is not reallythe case.

BTN: How are preparationsgoing?

JW: Good! From my side most ofthe hard work is out of the way.We have put together an excellentprogramme and speaking faculty.At the moment we are workingwith The Address and Jumeirahon what promise to be fantasticreceptions on the 2nd and 3rd ofMay. The AHIC receptions are anamazing networking opportunityplus always lots of fun!

BTN: Which speakers areyou looking forward most to hearing?

We have also brought together anexcellent panel to kick off theconference with some of the mostbrilliant minds in their fieldincluding: Dr. Henry Azzam CEOof Middle East and North Africa,Deutsche Bank; Steve Rushmore,founder of HVS and Arthur DeHaast, Global CEO of Jones LangLaSalle Hotels. We also haveCEOs from around the worldincluding Eric Danziger ofWyndham Hotel Group; Kurt

Ritter of The Rezidor Hotel Group;and Ed Fuller of Marriott to namebut a few.

We also have numerous industryleaders from the regionparticipating in the conferenceand a selection of participantsinclude: HRH Prince Sultan BinSalman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud;President & Chairman of theBoard of Saudi Commission forTourism & Antiquities (SCTA); HESultan Bin SulayemChairman,Dubai World; and HE Mubarak AlMuhairi, Director General of theAbu Dhabi Tourism Authority.

BTN: What was the highlight oflast year’s event?

JW: There were many! Last yearwe had plenty of owners from theregion participating. For example,we had a session, strictly withowners, who provided us with aninsight on their views of thehospitality industry. Later thatafternoon, the hotel industrycaptains joined a panel andreflected on what was said in theearlier owner’s session anddiscuss their perspective.

The India Summit was certainly ahighlight. For the first time, AHIChosted a half day summit on 3rdMay which was a fantasticopportunity to learn aboutinvestment opportunities in Indiaand personally meet projectdevelopers and investors.

BTN: The global economicclimate is rather different nowcompared to last year. What candelegates learn about navigatingthrough the economic storm byattending?

JW: Compared to last year,particularly in this region, we seemany investors are in a bit of aholding pattern waiting to seehow things will play out over thenext few months. There is a greatdeal of rumour and conjecture butnot a great deal of facts floatingaround at the moment.

That is why AHIC is really moreimportant than ever this year as itgives the industry a chance toreally come together and discusswhat is actually going on andhappening on the ground.

We have put together sessions topool industry knowledge andprovide practical take aways ongetting through the economicdownturn. Sessions such as:Survival Of The Fittest?, KeyIngredients For Developing ASuccessful Project In TurbulentTimes and Structuring ASuccessful Deal To Get TheMoney are all examples.

BTN: What’s the thinking behindthis year’s Summit focussing onSaudi Arabia?

JW: The Saudi Summit is new toAHIC this year. The Kingdomholds a great deal of promise, nowmore than ever, and this Summitwill provide details on investmentopportunities and a strategy forgrowth.

BTN: What improvements/changes are you making to thisyear’s event?

JW: We always try to build on thesuccess of the previous year.Content is always key but thisyear we really have worked hardto make sure it is right on themoney. As of December last yearBench Events has had an office inDubai which has given us on theground insight. I think this hasassisted in our effort to reach outto local players and get themmore involved.

Also, for the first time we arelaunching the ‘AHIC InvestmentDen’. Based on the TV show the‘Dragon’s Den’ we have invitedsome of the most excitingprojects in the world to come andpresent in front of our expert lineup of judges.

Jonathan Worsley co-organiser of the Arabian HotelInvestment Conference (AHIC)and Chairman, Bench Events

Jonathan Worsley is responsible forlaunching and co-organising the ArabianHotel Investment Conference, which takesplace on 2-4 May 2009 at MadinatJumeirah, Dubai. BTN met Jonathan to findabout what he has planned for this year’sAHIC and why the current climate presentsan ideal opportunity to “separate theserious players from the cowboys”.


18/03/09 - 21/03/09

MITTMoscow International Travel &Tourism (MITT).www.mitt.ru/en

24/03/09 - 26/03/09

CATHIECentral America Tourism HotelInvestment Exchange (CATHIE) www.cathieconference.com

26/03/09 - 27/03/09

British Travel TradeFairThe Best of Britain & Ireland TravelTrade Forum (formerly the BritishTravel Trade Fairwww.britainandirelandevent.co.uk

31/03/09 - 02/04/09

GIBTMGulf Incentive Business Travel andMeetings Exhibition (GIBTM)www.gibtm.com

01/04/09 - 02/04/09

Travel DistributionSummit Asiahttp://events.eyefortravel.com/tdsasia/conference

09/04/09 - 11/04/09

World Travel Fairwww.worldtravelfair.com.cn

14/04/09 - 16/04/09

The 13th AnnualCaribbean Hotel & TourismInvestmentConferencewww.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com

22/04/09 - 23/04/09

Visit Scotland Expowww.visitscotlandexpo.com

30/04/09 - 04/05/09

Mexico Showcase &Travel Expowww.mexico-showcase.com

02/05/09 - 04/05/09

AHICThe 5th Arabian Hotel InvestmentConference (AHIC) www.arabianconference.com

04/05/09

World Travel AwardsMiddle EastCeremony Dubai,UAEwww.worldtravelawards.com/

05/05/09 - 08/05/09

Arabian TravelMarketwww.arabiantravelmarket.com

09/05/09 - 12/05

Indaba 2009 www.indaba-southafrica.co.za

10/05/09

World Travel AwardsAfrica CeremonyICC Durban, SouthAfricawww.worldtravelawards.com

15/05/09 - 19/05/09

WTTC GlobalTourism Summitwww.globaltraveltourism.com/

16/05/09 - 21/05/09

PowWowwww.tia.org/powwow/index.html

31/05/09 - 03/05/09

IATA/AGMwww.iata.org/events/agm

11/06/09 - 14/06/09

ITEK Hong Kongwww.itehk.com/ITEHK

13/06/09 - 19/06/09Australian TourismExchangewww.tourism.australia.com

15/06/09 - 18/06/09

ALTMAsia Luxury Travel Market (ALTM) www.altm.com.c

Sept- TBA

World Travel AwardsNorth & CentralAmerica Ceremony,Hacienda Tres Rios,Yucatanwww.worldtravelawards.com

08/09/09

CIBTMwww.cibtm.travel

13/09/09-15/09/09

The Trade Showwww.thetradeshow.org

20/09/09-22/09/09

HICAHospitality Investment ConferenceAfrica (HICA)www.hica.co.za

22/09/09-25/09/09

PATA Travel Mart2009www.pata.org

17/10/09

World Travel Awards European Ceremonywww.worldtravelawards.com

18/10/09-25/10/09

ABAVwww.abav.com.br

21/10/09-23/10/09

ITB Asia 2009www.itb-asia.com

October

World Travel AwardsSouth AmericaCeremony, Riowww.worldtravelawards.com

October

World Travel AwardsAsia, Australasia &Indian OceanCeremonywww.worldtravelawards.com

30/10/09

World Travel Awards2009 Grand TourFinal. Jamaicawww.worldtravelawards.com

09/11/09-12/11/09

World Travel Marketwww.wtmlondon.com

07/12/09-10/12/09

ILTMwww.iltm.net


What’s on... March

May

June

September

October

November

December

April



Ask-theworld.com is a websitethat delivers information for thetravel and tourism sector. It isusing a Lingubot service which isthe actual virtual, interactiveassistant capable of holdingconversations with web users inreal time. Lingubots are unique intheir ability to understand thecontext of questions, which inturn enables them to emulatehuman conversation – a featurethat’s unique in the world ofnatural language solutions.Lingubots are easy to implementand manage and do not requireany technical or programmingskills. Over the past five years asuite of tools have beendeveloped that manage the entireauthoring process: from databaseaccess and management totesting.

Lingubots are based entirely onopen systems, and integrate

seamlessly with the currenttechnology platforms. The sameprinciple applies to the userinterface. It could be a verysimple, static image. Or it couldbe a branded, animatedcharacter.

Virtual Assistants are ideal for thetravel industry.

Clients who have used virtualassistant technology includemajor players in banking andpublishing including Lloyds TSBand BBC and within the travelsector Etihad has become theleader in adopting virtualassistant technology.

The new feature that Etihad hasimplemented has consumers tofind answers to their questionswithout worrying about the hassleof a calling centre. According

Companies can place the ask-theworld.com program into theirwebsites where users can enter aquestion to a virtual assistant.ask-theworld.com is a preview ofthe next step for hospitalityproviders such as hotels, airlines,and car rental companies topersonalize their online offeringsand deliver meaningfulinformation for travellers.

Hospitality companies can tailortheir online representative toreflect their company forexample: Etihad Airways haveused the ask-theworld.complatform to create an airlinestewardess in their classic airlinestewardess uniform.

Virtual Assistants are currentlyprocessing about two milliontransactions a month within theUK (with an average accuracyrating of over 90%).

Consumers these days have frustration with call centres. With the rise ofbroadband people are turning to the internet for their questions. Virtual assistantsallow us to ask questions 24/7 on their own schedule. For the travel industry thisoffers an opportunity to save on costs associated with customer service basedquestions. Clients typically receive 30 percent reduction in emails and 25 percentreduction in call centre costs.

Far-reaching websiteenters market

For more information, please visit

www.ask-theworld.com



BTN: What brings you to ITB2009?

JdT: Europcar has been attendingITB since 1974, so there’s a longhistory between ITB and Europcar! ITB is the key meeting point forthe tourism industry, in fact thelargest of its kind. And it is at ITBthat Europcar’s worldwide networkmeets every year in a single placefor several days. This gatheringserves as a high level introductionforum where many valuableexchanges are initiated, and aboveall gives Europcar the wonderfulopportunity to meet our businesspartners and develop futuresynergies.

BTN: What initiatives areEuropcar developing now thatwill ensure you remain the carrental leader in sustainability?

JdT: As the European leader,Europcar has decided to take asystematic approach tosustainable development andmeasures the effectiveness of itsinitiatives in a transparent manner.The development and certificationof the Europcar Green Charter arepart of this innovative approach.

In this respect, our initiatives covera number of important areas:• A green fleet respecting and

anticipating the most recentstandards of CO2 emission.

• The implementation of waterrecycling or hydrocarbonseparator units in order tocomply with the environmentaland safety requirements. Forinstance, in corporate countries,main stations are alreadyequipped with cCar wWashrecycling.

• Europcar has also implementeda supplier listing policy takinginto account environmental,safety, health and ethicalcommitments: the utilisation ofnon toxic products for thevehicles preparation must beapplied according to thissupplier listing policy.

• A programme to reduce paperfor both our customers andemployees with our paperlessconcept, e-voucher and e-invoicing.

• we have signed a partnershipwith Climate Care to offer ourcustomers carbon offsettingopportunities.

BTN: What is the key to runninga company both responsibly andprofitably?

JdT: The key stands in theawareness that our company hasboth an economical and socialpart to play.

Europcar conveys to itsemployees, customers andbusiness partners that renting acar does not mean renting at anycost. We can rent cars in a waythat is adaptable to people’s needsin terms of mobility while beingrespectful of the environment atthe same time.

BTN: Do green initiatives feartaking second place during thedownturn?

JdT: A recent European study ontransport and mobility analysedEurope’s habits and behaviourregarding transportation. Thestudy shows that the environmentcomes far behind price andsecurity in consumers’ concerns.

So you are right to say that there isa risk. However, we feel thatEuropcar is not susceptible. Withthe certification of our GreenCharter, we are committed tosustainable development for theyears to come. It is our objective tohighlight the tight link existingbetween transport and ecology.

BTN: What can the travelindustry do collectively tobecome more sustainable?

JdT: Travel sector players shouldraise their voice and act asexamples. Environment is the rawmaterial of tourism: If we don’tprotect our planet, no one willeither travel or drive on it!

As far as Europcar is concerned,internal processes favouring theeco-citizen behaviour ofemployees and suppliers havebeen implemented. Additionally,Europcar focuses on a fleet withthe least harmful effects (electrichybrid, etc). The reduction of CO2emission is promoted and thisinformation is now available oninternet as well as the carbonoffsetting programme withClimate Care.

BTN: How does this “perfectstorm” downturn compare withthose past and what isEuropcar’s strategy to see youthrough it?

JdT: We are proud of ourperformance to date and we havemade tremendous progress in2008, but this is no time to becomplacent.

We have further reinforced therevenue enhancement initiatives

we undertook last year, across allcountries and segments. We haveaccelerated the adjustment of ourfleet to lower demand, andstrengthened our actions toimprove operating flexibility andefficiency, as well as fleet andnetwork productivity. Thanks tothese measures, we expect tocome out stronger from thedownturn.

BTN: And how will the global carrental market change as a resultof the downturn?

JdT: The economic and industryenvironment has becomeincreasingly difficult in the pastfew months and demand hasweakened, creating newchallenges, such as longer holdingperiod for the vehicles.

Customer and business partnerexpectations towards price andsustainable development areraised everyday confirmingEuropcar’s strategy is going in theright direction. It is howeverdifficult to make predictions on thescope of these changes. More thanever, it is important to focus on ourfundamentals.

BTN: What and where do you seeas your new markets?

JdT: We have made five majoracquisitions since May 2006.There are of course manyopportunities of growth but goingforward, our main focus is onorganic growth and leveraging ofour current network.

Jehan de Thé is the GlobalMarketing Director ofEuropcar. After attending theEuropean Business School inParis, Madrid and London, hefirst joined Europcar Francein 1990 as InternationalMarket Manager. His otherroles include CommercialDirector, Holiday AutosFrance and Director of theCar Program for ExpediaEurope, where he launchedthe Expedia international carproduct turning it in aprofitable business.

BTN talks to Europcar’s Jehan de Thé

SPECIAL INTERVIEW


BTN - ITB 2009 Day 2

Documents

Transcript of BTN - ITB 2009 Day 2