UPDATETrade

1June 2019

June 2019 Volume IV Issue XII Pages 32

The rise of trend-augmented hospitalityLobby of progression

A faith-aligned trip Halal-friendly destinations

Trade

PUBLISHER & CEO Varun Malhotra varun@versatilemedia.in

DIRECTOR Pranav Khullar pranav@versatilemedia.in

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Gagneet Kaur

ASST. EDITOR Sayanti Halder

REPORTERKritika Dua

REPORTER & MARKETING ANALYST Lokesh Tuli

AGM SALES & MARKETING (MUMBAI) Aarti Rajkhewa

MARKETING EXECUTIVEBhavini Srivastava

CONSULTANT Anindya Malhotra, Jitin Mann

ART DIRECTOR Rakesh Kumar

ACCOUNTS Chandan Kumar Jha, Swati Jauhari

ADMIN HEAD R Prem Lata

EXECUTIVE-CIRCULATION Hari Puri, Raja Rari

Head Office:TravelScapes Middle EastF.Z.E.,SM-Office- A1-303F

Versatile Media- 207, Satya Mansion, Commercial Complex, Ranjeet Nagar, New Delhi-110008Contact: 011-45530380/83 varun@versatilemedia.in, web: www.travelscapesonline.com

All information in TravelScapes is derived from sources we consider reliable. It is passed on to our readers without any responsibility on our part. Opinions/views expressed by third parties in abstract or interviews are not necessarily shared by us. Material appearing in the magazine cannot be reproduced in whole or in part(s)without prior permis-sion. The publisher reserves the right to refuse, withdraw or otherwise deal with all advertisements without explanation. All advertisements must comply with the Indian Advertisement Code. The publisher will not be liable for any loss caused by any delay in publication, error or failure of advertisement to appear.

Owner and published by: Varun Malhotra, Publisher, Editor, 207, Satya Mansion, Commercial Complex, Ranjeet Nagar, New Delhi-110008 and printed on his behalf at Acme Tradex India Pvt Ltd, B70, Sector 80, Phase II, Noida.

ContentsCOVER STORY .................................8LOBBY OF PROGRESSIONTHE RISE OF TREND-AUGMENTED HOSPITALITYThe hospitality industry is ever evolving in every aspect one may imagine. People all over the world are increasingly seeking new and exciting experiences and Middle Eastern travellers are also taking a whiff of experimental services and amenities. This fact can’t be denied that we live in the age of awareness wherein everyone is in tune with what’s newest and the hottest trends and advancements. The hospitality experts in the Middle East shared their thoughts with TS ME about the surfacing trends that will be the game changers in the Middle Eastern hospitality industry in 2019 and beyond along with their vision for the region’s future

In Conversation.............................18“Our emphasis would be on the tourists who add value to travel”

Kristof Mate, Director of Business Development, Hungarian Tourism Agency,

REGULARS

Trade ........................................... 4Hospitality ................................. 14Aviation ..................................... 16What’s On .................................. 20Appointments ........................... 30

Dear readers,

For our June issue, we check-in into the hospitality segment and observe the growth graph of this ever evolving sector. We pinpoint the major hospitality trends in the Middle East region’s hotel industry to look out for. There are some new developments positioned towards changing lifestyle and technology, green offerings and initiatives, increased focus on health and wellness as well as midscale properties among others. The hotels are opening up to newer ideas and significantly upgrading the current facilities. The evident boom in this segment is also due to the relentless effort and support by the respective governments in the region and the various measures they undertake to increase the influx of tourists. We also got in touch with the hospitality experts in ME to comprehend their foresight for this industry.

The Middle Eastern travellers are slowly waking up to the myriad of travel opportunities beyond the region without crossing the boundaries of faith, tradition and culture. Various countries are

also upping their game and are providing an appealing mélange of Halal-related restaurants and cafes, prayer areas, private beaches, separate spa areas for men and women to attract Muslim tourists. In this issue, we give you a glimpse of the Halal-friendly destinations these wanderers are exploring which are admired by many. Read our 'Around the World' section to find out more about this.

Also, you may read about the informative whereabouts of the prosperous market of the Middle East through our enlightening pages of reliable content. Furthermore, this issue brings news and reports about trade, special insights on hospitality, regional as well as aviation, outbound market and technology and the latest in tourism in the Middle East.

We value your feedback and suggestions, so please do write to us on varun@versatilemedia.in

Happy Reading!

spoke with TravelScapes Middle East about the significance of potential markets for the country wherein he shares Hungary has recorded a surge in travellers from the Middle East

Hotel Feature ................................22HABTOOR PALACE DUBAIAN OPULENT OASIS DECKED IN LUXURYHailed as an idyllic city escape within the city, embark on a unique journey with Habtoor Palace Dubai replete with Arabian hospitality

Around the World .........................26A FAITH-ALIGNED TRIP HALAL-FRIENDLY DESTINATIONS

4 June 2019

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Al Madina Real Estate Company, one of the largest property developers in Oman,

is planning to start construction work on the first phase of its proposed USD one billion integrated tourism complex (ITC) project in Quriyat within the next two months, said a report. Spread over a sprawling 1.3-million-sq-m area, the Quriyat ITC project comprises a golf course, a number of freehold residential units, a water park and three-star hotels. The construction work is set to start soon on the project, a senior official said in a recent report.

"This will be the first integrated tourism complex project to come up in the east of Muscat," remarked CEO Engineer Abdul Rahman Barham.

Frankfurt, the second most frequented city in Germany by GCC tourists, is promoting

its myriad of tourist attractions, shopping facilities, cultural festivals and medical clinics to attract holidaymakers from the Gulf during the forthcoming Eid Al-Fitr holiday and the summer season. In 2018, Frankfurt experienced an increase of four per cent in overnight stays from the Gulf region compared to 2017, with visitors increasingly staying for longer. It is due to Frankfurt’s increasingly rich tourism portfolio, an increase in new sightseeing highlights, its geographical location to undertake day-trips to nearby attractions and its convenient infrastructure. The city has significantly ramped up its tourism portfolio in the last decade and acts as much more than just a gateway to Germany.

The Global DMC Network by JTB Group announces Dubai roadshow

Al Madina to start work on Oman tourism project

Frankfurt beckons GCC Eid holidaymakers

International tourist arrivals to ME up eight pc in Q1International tourist arrivals to the Middle

East continued to grow, with the region experiencing an eight per cent growth in arrivals in the first three months of the year, new data showed. According to the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer from the World Tourism Organisation, the Middle East reported the strongest growth among the regions, followed by Asia Pacific (up six per cent), Europe and Africa (up four per cent) and the Americas (up three per cent). “International tourism continues to perform strongly worldwide fuelled by a positive economy, increased air capacity and visa facilitation”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili. “Growth in arrivals is easing slightly after two years of exceptional results but the sector continues to outpace the global rate of economic growth.” Europe

reported solid growth, led by destinations in Southern and Mediterranean Europe and Central and Eastern Europe (both up five per cent). Growth in Africa was driven by the ongoing recovery in North Africa (up 11 per cent). In the Americas, the Caribbean (up 17 per cent) rebounded strongly after weak results in 2018, following the impact of hurricanes Irma and Maria in late 2017. In Asia and the Pacific, results for the first three months showed a six per cent increase led by North-East Asia (up nine per cent) and a very solid performance from the Chinese market. He stresses, “We need to continue investing in innovation, digital transformation and education so that we can harness the many benefits tourism can bring while at the same time mitigating its impact on the environment and society with better management of tourism flows.”

The Global DMC Network by JTB Group, a worldwide collection of 12 destination

management companies (DMCs), has organised a roadshow in Dubai on June 19. The roadshow, which is the group's first in Dubai, aims to introduce the company's international services to travel agencies based in the UAE. Approximately 150 agents will be invited to participate in sessions with four DMCs: Global Marketing & Travel, Inc., a Japan specialist; Tour East – CSO, an Asia Pacific travel specialist; Europamundo Vacaciones, a seat-in-coach tour operator serving Europe, China, Korea and Japan and Tumlare Destination Management, a Europe specialist serving Western Europe and Scandinavian destinations such as Sweden and Finland. Outbound travel from the UAE has increased sustainably over the past few years. According to Euromonitor International, the number of trips worth over USD 11.3 billion were made in 2018 and are expected to increase to USD 12.6 billion by 2020.

Many of these trips are to destinations such as Thailand in the Asia Pacific region and the UK, France and Spain in Western Europe. However, previously unvisited destinations such as Sweden, South Korea and Japan are becoming more popular among visitors. Abrar Uppal, Senior Manager, Global Marketing– Global DMC Network by JTB Group, JTB.

Corp said, “The UAE is a relatively new market for the Global DMC Network by JTB Group’s DMCs. Many of the destinations provided by the group are relatively new areas but they are slowly gaining traction in terms of the number of passengers visiting from this market. Now is a good time to showcase these long-haul destinations for potential clients to discover more, which with the high number of direct flights from Dubai to the rest of the world, means that they are in a prime position to take advantage of this opportunity.”

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5June 2019

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that Lufthansa

Group’s Chief Executive Officer, Carsten Spohr has assumed his duties as Chairman of the IATA Board of Governors (BoG) for a one-year term effective from the conclusion of the 75th IATA Annual General Meeting in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Spohr is the 78th chair of the IATA BoG. He has served on the BoG since May 2014. Spohr succeeds Qatar Airways group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker, who will continue to serve on the BoG. “I’m honoured and excited to take on this role at this important time for our industry. We face a number of challenges, including growing protectionism, high taxes and trade wars. Probably the greatest challenge of all is sustainability,” he adds.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched a new circular

marine line served by Dubai Ferry starting from Sheikh Zayed Road Station. The service, which will run on a trial base, aims to explore tourist attractions and increase the marine tourism amongst visitors, citizens and residents. “The new line is launched as a test-run on a route starting from Sheikh Zayed Road Station on Dubai Water Canal. It passes through Burj Khalifa, Festival City, Dubai Creek, Old Souq, Al Seef, Spice Souq, La Mer (Jumeirah) and back to Sheikh Zayed Road Station. The launch of this line is part of RTA’s efforts to enhance the tourist profile of these areas, which have an attractive array of captivating urban landmarks,” said Mohammed Abu Baker Al Hashimi, Director of Marine Transport at RTA’s Public Transport Agency.

Saudi Arabia rolls out an initiative to enhance pilgrimage experience

Carsten Spohr named new IATA board Chairman

Dubai RTA launches marine transport lineTurkey rises in popularity as a

shopping destinationThe number of foreign tourists visiting

Turkey rose significantly in 2018 (to 39.4 million), driving international spend to an all-time high, partly due to the country’s growing popularity as a shopping destination. According to recent reports, the Turkish city of Istanbul was ranked eighth in the world for international spend, accruing USD 16.3 billion in visitor exports, ahead even of other popular European destinations such as London, Paris, Barcelona and Amsterdam.

A significant spike has been reported in the number of international tourists — particularly tourists from neighbouring Arab Countries — travelling into Turkey to shop, especially for high-end designer and luxury brands. According to recent estimates, foreign tourists held a notable share in the turnover of shopping centres in Turkey last year: shopping

with foreign cards amounted to TL 26.3 billion (USD 4.5 billion) in 2018, representing an increase of 76 per cent year-on-year. "This increase in foreign tourist spend within Turkey has also resulted in growth for the nation’s retail sector. Travellers can enjoy greater value for their money in Turkey when compared to other popular destinations around the world across a wide spectrum of goods and services," noted Salih Ozer, attaché of Culture and Information, Turkey to the UAE. The 2018 research also shows that leisure travellers primarily drove the tourism sector in Turkey with 87 per cent spending generated by leisure visitors and 13 per cent from business travellers. The sector is also strongly weighted towards international travel: 61 per cent of the spending came from international travellers and 39 per cent from domestic travel.

Under the auspices of the custodian of the two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin

Abdulaziz and with the follow-up of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has officially launched the ‘Enriching Hajj & Umrah Experience’ programme, one of the most important Vision 2030 initiatives. With the ambitious objective of reaching 30 million Umrah visitors annually by 2030, the programme’s mission is to achieve a quantum leap in every service provided to visitors of Saudi Arabia, whether coming for Hajj, Umrah

or simply to experience the unparalleled Islamic and national heritage in the Kingdom. The programme’s strategy is to provide ‘Spiritual fulfilment and memorable experience, at the fingertips of all Muslims globally’.

“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia takes its responsibility of hosting the two holiest sites for all Muslims with the utmost care and devotion. Everyone in the kingdom considers it an honour to serve our visitors,” said Dr Muhammad Saleh bin Taher Benten, Chairman of the programme’s committee.

6 June 2019

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Gulf hospitality operators looking to increase their share of the growing Halal

tourism market should diversify and digitise their offerings to suit younger generations of Muslim travellers, according to experts speaking at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2019. With the GDP impact of Muslim travel in the Middle East on course to hit USD 36 billion by 2020 – up from USD 30.5 billion in 2017, according to a report– Halal tourism represents a lucrative prospect for GCC hospitality brands. The segment is expected to create 1.2 million regional direct and indirect jobs by next year.

Representatives from Wego, DinarStandard, Shaza Hotels, Tripfez, Serendipity Tailormade, Mosafer C by Ummah Collaboration, holidayme, Orange County Visitors Association, Cape Town

Tourism and Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) explored ways to tap into the growing segment of Gen Z and millennial travellers at the Global Halal Tourism Summit 2019, which took place on ATM’s Global Stage.

Mamoun Hmedan, Managing Director – MENA and India, Wego said, “There are new destinations popping up out of nowhere. Developers are building properties from scratch, with Halal-friendly offerings that are designed to appeal to younger generations of Muslim travellers.” Approximately 41 per cent of Muslim travellers’ global outbound spending comes from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, according to figures released in a report. The Middle East’s total outbound spend is projected to grow to USD 72 billion by 2020.

Travel, tourism and hospitality professionals from around the world

will have an opportunity to explore the next generation of industry innovations at the Middle East’s first ever edition of Travel Forward, which will take place alongside Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2020. The travel and hospitality innovation event will connect buyers and suppliers from across the Middle East and beyond, enabling delegates to try out the

latest industry tools and take advantage of technologies that could boost efficiency and improve the customer experience. The event will cover the full spectrum of industry tools, from emerging innovations such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and machine learning, to existing systems such as booking engines, business management software and end-user technology.

Dubai World Central (DWC) saw its passenger numbers drop 2.3 per cent year-

on-year in the first quarter of 2019 to 326,680, with the airport citing fluctuation in charter operations as the reason for the dip.

The top regions that witnessed heavy passenger traffic from Dubai during the first three months of the year was Russia, which accounted for nearly 50 per cent of the traffic at DWC during Q1 with 167,934 passengers. Other major destination countries included Germany (71,162 passengers), Romania (21,097

passengers) and Hungary (12,044 passengers). Some of DWC’s top destination cities during the quarter were Moscow (89,856 passengers), Bucharest (17,113 passengers) and Dusseldorf (12,387 passengers). A total of 7,899 flights took off or landed at DWC during Q1- a 3.2 per cent dip year-on-year. DWC moved a total of 43,114 tonnes of freight in Q1, a year-on-year decline of 9.3 per cent.

Passenger volumes at DWC are expected to spike in the second quarter as a direct result of a number of international airlines starting

operations there following the closure of one of Dubai International’s two runways for a major refurbishment from April 16 to May 30. The 45-day period is a great opportunity for DWC to showcase its newly expanded facilities that can now accommodate up to 26.5 million passengers, the airport said in a statement. DWC is served by 11 passenger airlines which operate an average of 146 weekly flights to 31 international destinations. It is also home to 18 cargo operators that fly to as many as 45 cities around the world.

40 pc of Muslim travellers' spending comes from UAE and Saudi

ATM to launch inaugural ME edition of Travel Forward in 2020

DWC passenger numbers dip 2.3 pc in Q1

Azerbaijan welcomed global football fans to enjoy the final of Europe’s second-biggest

club football tournament, the UEFA Europa League, at the Baku Olympic Stadium on May 29. The match saw two English teams, Arsenal and Chelsea, battling it out for European glory, attracting excitement from their fans around Europe and the world. After hosting a series of successful high-profile sporting events over the last few years, including the European Games, the Islamic Games and the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix this April, Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, was well placed to accommodate a large influx of visitors for this important game.

Besides watching the game, Azerbaijan hopes to tempt spectators to explore the country’s many offerings of outdoor pursuits and high-energy activities to ‘Take Another Look’ at all it has to offer. As one of the safest family-friendly destinations in the region, the country is blessed with endless natural beauty, modern architectural wonders and remnants of rich medieval history.

Azerbaijan welcomes influx of football fans

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8 June 2019

LOOKING AHEAD

By Kritika Dua

The rise of trend-augmented hospitalityLobby of progression

Cover Story

MAC THOMSON, CEO, MMIS LLC

Growing focus on the mid-range market: The mid-range properties are increasing and the prime focus is on the mid-market. Moving ahead, hospitality to be less volatile having a high return characteristic and the market would be growing further as investors discover mid-range investments deliver better returns. Moreover, corporate budget cuts and lower development costs along with higher operating margins are expected to emerge, with time. Source markets are also expected to change and alter based on demands. Prime focus on the core essentials: The major necessity of the era is trained staff and what is better, training your staff and seeing them move on to other businesses or not training your staff and having them stay? The most important people in our industry are

those walking out the door and those people looking after them. There is no simple decision that will improvise the business 100 per cent. Instead, there are normally 100 decisions that improve the business; one per cent each time. By one belief system that the hospitality industry can sustain the crisis of employee retention is, ‘do not promise more than you can deliver and then deliver more than you promise.Needs have changed: The new reality of lower hotel rates suggests that the industry in the region has matured enough to optimise its costing and needs to enter a new marketing cycle. Rates are ought to improve but not this year. At the same time, budget cuts are here to stay for a profit-yielding process. RevPAR will continue to decline in 2019 although more hotel keys are coming online.

The hospitality industry is ever evolving in every aspect one may imagine. The Middle East is indeed an area the world should watch out for. There is always a room for growth in terms of enhancement of the services a hotel has to offer, accompanied by constant changes in design, operations and technology in the hospitality sector. People all over the world are increasingly seeking new and exciting experiences and Middle Eastern travellers are also taking a whiff

of experimental services and amenities. This fact can’t be denied that we live in the age of awareness wherein everyone is in tune with what’s newest and the hottest trends and advancements. That’s why it becomes crucial to stay up-to-date with the trends of the market. The hotels try to implement as many as possible, changing and updating themselves with the changing times and the varying and evolving guest needs. A chain of new challenges and innovations has taken in place

these recent years, that includes developments in technology, data security, affordable luxury, focus on well-being of guests, sustainability and more, and are expected to influence the hospitality business in near future. The hospitality experts in the Middle East shared their thoughts with TSME about the surfacing trends that will be the game changers in the Middle Eastern hospitality industry in 2019 and beyond along with their vision for the region’s future

The industry needs to settle down into a planned cycle of development, without the extreme surges in supply. With the expected increase of more than 34,600 keys by 2021, the industry will not return to the high average room rates of pre-2015. The industry needs to focus on developing new markets. Today’s tourists are budget conscious and would rather spend money on seeing and experiencing the country they are visiting, rather than staying in an expensive hotel room and visiting the local mall. Improvements in the style and cost of construction will see hotels being built at reduced costs, leading to more competitive rates for the hotel guest, growing tourist numbers, more tourists visiting, better returns for hotel owners. New technologies are being introduced to reduce the cost of construction and make the industry more competitive. Some regional markets have seen the value of hotels drop by 50 per cent since 2015. To succeed, we need to build better and smarter.

9June 2019

LOOKING AHEAD

LOOKING AHEAD

Cover Story

KEVORK DALDELIAN, Chief Operation Officer, Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA

Upscale and mid-scale properties: Middle East hospitality sector continues to mature from its existing provision of luxury, branded hotels and owner-operated accommodation, the need for more upscale and midscale developments reaching international standards is expected to increase to meet the demands of a wider spectrum of visitors. More lifestyle and midscale segment properties have entered the market with new concepts of innovative accommodation solutions offering community spaces that increase guests’ interactions. Health and wellness concepts: Health and wellness are playing an increasingly bigger role today, where hospitality must amend its offerings to adapt to this trend. F&B element and concepts are to be revisited to meet the guests’ changing needs as well as spa and

gym business approach to offer distinctive wellness programs for the guests. Introduction of Sub-Brands: Millennium brand has firmly established itself as one of the fastest growing hotel management companies in the region and we have envisioned a great potential in the hospitality industry that inspired us to introduce an array of distinct brands to the region, serving different market segments over the last twenty years. Our brand continues to play a significant role in the growth of the Middle East hospitality sector.

We are very optimistic about the hospitality industry’s growth in the years to come, particularly on the upsurge in revenue. We are expecting the ADR and RevPAR to pick up leading to, during, and after the Expo 2020. The UAE government has always been effective in designing and implementing various initiatives to support the hospitality and tourism industry, including offering visa-on-arrival for certain nationalities and improving the tourism infrastructure.

Middle East region provides noteworthy opportunities for hoteliers to satisfy the increasing demand for quality and value services especially with the anticipated growth in visitor numbers prompted by ease in visa regulations in the Gulf countries. The number of tech-savvy travellers using mobile apps and websites is expected to grow and this requires the hospitality sector to ensure that their offerings are user-friendly and up-to-date. Business travellers have more expectations in terms of high-quality tech equipment and knowledgeable support staff at business meetings and conferences. Health and wellness are also playing an increasingly important role today and hotels should be able to adapt to this trend and provide distinctive wellness programs that could be adapted to satisfy various needs of their patrons.

IFTIKHAR HAMDANI, Cluster General Manager, Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Ajman, Ramada by Wyndham Beach Hotel Ajman, and Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche Occupancy and RevPAR: 2019 will continue to be a challenging year due to the increasing room inventory in the UAE. In spite of the increase in the occupancy levels in the Middle East, the average daily rate and RevPAR continues to witness a decline. However, the hoteliers are placing high hopes towards the second half of 2019, leading up to 2020 due to upcoming World Expo 2020. Millennial travellers: Millennial travellers continue to play a big role in the hospitality scene. They have a different set of preferences and demands including experiential travel, adventure and eco-tourism and are interested in having more local experiences. The tech-savvy generation is also heavily influenced by social media when it comes to their destination of choice. Thus, the hospitality industry has been continuously creating and revamping various offers to cater to the needs of this group. Mid-scale options: The UAE has welcomed a handful of both local and international mid-scale brands and

is expecting to embrace more of these in the future, as travellers, especially the millennials, tend to be more cost-conscious when it comes to their travel budgets. They would rather spend money on experiences rather than booking an expensive hotel. Thus, hoteliers tend to offer value-added experiences when creating a stay package. Technology and AI: Technological advancements, including artificial intelligence, continues to enrich the field of hospitality. While interpersonal communication will always be integral in the industry, we expect to see more and more automated functions in hotels. Sustainability: With the amplification on the conversation regarding responsible tourism, more hotels will be incorporating sustainability initiatives throughout their operations. Some brands have already ceased the use of single-use plastic products such as straw and water bottles, we are expecting more eco-friendly solutions and initiatives from the hospitality industry.

10 June 2019

Cover Story

FRANÇOIS GALOISY, General Manager, Radisson Blu Martinez Hotel, Beirut

HAYTHAM OMAR, General Manager, Rose Rayhaan by Rotana

Entrepreneurship and innovation: The vision and attitude of Generation Z are moving to the highest level, the profile and needs are determined based upon new technology and social experiences. The hospitality industry is building a new innovation strategy, fast service, tech implementation and urban hotel profile. Innovation is not about creating a new line, the same service is shaped differently to meet the expectation of the busy and demanding modern travellers.Big Data and digital transformation: What we are hearing now is exceeding the limits of human intelligence. Digital transformation is not connected only to social media and websites but Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data are occupying 80 per cent of the business to anticipate the needs of guests. Learning machine, chatbots are the future of hospitality as marketing and communication tools. In

the Big Data era, GDPR is the most vital change in data privacy regulation in 2020.Food and Beverage developments: Local food, vegan and vegetarian supplies, brain food and healthy habits are the results of the introduction of new food and beverage concepts. Customers are seeking new eating habits to delight their senses. Sustainability concerns: We believe in driving business ethically and want to be responsible for the planet, people and community. Our plan is continuously growing in Responsible Business, nowadays, guests are more involved with green brands and social responsibility strategy is a key to establish a strong connection between the property and the guest.Guest experience: Radisson Blu provides a series of key elements to offer guests a unique value proposition and enhance the guest experience.

Technology: Technology plays a major role in shaping almost every industry and has increased the expectations and demands of the guests to the next level. Apps that allow travellers to make their own booking and payments have reduced human interactions, which are less common and when they take place, they are considered valuable. Social networks has led to more transparency and, overall, to an improved quality of the services provided by hospitality companies. OTAs have altered distribution channels and have taken value away from hoteliers from all segments. They have built solid relations with travellers and hoteliers must pay to get access to these customers leading to a thinner profit margin.Increased number of hotels: The increasing number of hotels around the world has given an invitation to healthy competition leading to introduction of new ideas and also forcing the existing players to be innovative. But it also pressurises the RevPAR

which is affected due to lower ADR and occupancy. Infinite dining options: F&B being one of the major contributors in the hotel industry has been suffering primarily due to an availability of large number of dining venues. The top metropolitan cities are filled with numerous options for guests to choose from. It is highly likely for guests to dine outside the hotel unless they opt for room service. The F&B outlets within the hotel industry have broaden their scope and are no longer restricted to in-house guests but also target customers living close by. Mergers and acquisitions: From mega-mergers to niche acquisitions, consolidation is recalibrating the balance of power in the hotel industry as established operators get bigger and smaller brands seek new ways to differentiate themselves. Today’s hotel operators are increasingly looking to diversify their offerings with concepts such as serviced apartments, boutique chains and branching out into new countries.

LOOKING AHEAD

LOOKING AHEAD

2019 is a challenging year and the upcoming ones will be more exciting than we expect, guests are not the same since the 60’s, they became more involved with brands and choose the products wisely. Our strategy is to maintain our guest experience and provide them with innovative services. As for the two next years, our concerns turn towards new technology implementation as AI to anticipate customers’ needs; it should make its steps in guest experience. It is more of a joint future that emerges between man and machine.

The next three to five years are crucial as we will see an increase in development in the Middle East particularly within the United Arab Emirates and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. UAE is already considered a safe-haven because of its magnificent location and tourist attraction. With Expo 2020 coming home, Dubai will be splurged with tourists in need of accommodation as 71 per cent of the 25 million visitors expected to visit Expo 2020 will be non-domestic visitors. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, has massive new opportunities to cater to its 2030 vision, following recent reforms and the relaxation of visa regulations. Saudi Arabia is expected to expand its hotel and resort inventory and had announced a series of leisure projects including Six Flags theme park in Riyadh by 2021. With the above development and more to follow in other Middle Eastern countries including but not limited to Egypt, Qatar and North Africa. We will witness a healthier industry in the next two to five years resulting in an immense competition where the owners and operators will be required to have a better understanding to deal with the situation at that time.

HAYTHAM OMAR, General Manager, Rose Rayhaan by Rotana

12 June 2019

ESLAM FOUAD, Director of Marketing, Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay

LIEZL MEIER, Director of Sales & Marketing, InterContinental Regency Bahrain

Adapting luxury brand management: Luxury brands need to find a way to balance between legacy and modernity. Creating unique experiences: Millennials are looking for unique experiences rather than things. They are seeking local, authentic experiences. Balancing traditional and digital way of doing

business: We should extend the same level of exceptional service online as we do offline. Personalisation and human touch: Personalised service and human touch will remain the key to luxury and for creating unforgettable experiences.

Personalised experience and well-being of the guest: Travellers these days are always on the lookout for a more personalised service. We are always striving to create new ways to better serve our guests. Lifestyle is a key to factor in terms of hospitality and properties must consider this to better serve their guests. In recent years, several people have adopted a health-conscious lifestyle and it has become crucial for hotels to offer healthier options. We will definitely see more properties entering this market in the foreseeable future. Environmental sustainability: Travellers and hoteliers are becoming more environmentally conscious. There has been an increasing drive towards lowering our carbon footprint. The IHG Corporate Responsibility team has developed a “Green Engage Agenda” initiative and Intercontinental Regency Bahrain was awarded with “Level Four” certification. We feel that sustainability will be a key trend in the upcoming years.Government initiatives: In-line with Bahrain’s 2030 Economic vision, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions

Authority aspires to boost the tourism sector in the nation’s economy. Their strategic goals are to increase the contribution of tourism in the GDP, develop unique tourism products and experiences, enhance the institutional and legislative frame of work that supports the tourism industry, guarantee constant development of the tourism industry based on a sound sustainable infrastructure and social and cultural practices and enhance the base of support to host MICE actitvities. This assures us that the government will help with stimulating the hospitality sector for the upcoming years. Meta-search: According to recent a study,“Nearly two-thirds of independent properties now receive direct bookings from meta-search and almost 90 per cent intend to maintain or increase their use of meta-search for visibility and bookings in the future”. The research study also concluded that Meta-search’s one of the most effective marketing channel available. This is a telltale sign that online marketing is making another shift in its approach and we must adapt with the times.

LOOKING AHEAD

LOOKING AHEAD

The hospitality industry is expected to witness further growth in the region. Different countries in the region are focusing on increasing their share in both transient and MICE business. Case in point, Dubai is hosting Expo 2020, Bahrain is strongly promoting the destination for leisure and groups business, Egypt is showing a healthy recovery and Oman is one of the uprising new leisure destinations.

The Middle East is bound to see tremendous growth in tourism/hospitality in the years to come. This will be due to the GCC countries' committed cooperation to bring more tourists to the region. Almost all of the GCC countries are in-line with the same vision for their respected nations which is to further diversify their economies and become less dependent on oil. Hospitality is seen as a great way to initiate that diversification. The BTEA has supported hospitality in Bahrain since its inception and will continue to do so for the upcoming years, as well. Saudi Arabia has made transcendent strides in its efforts to develop the hospitality sector. We’ve seen the inaugural Balloon festival in AL-Ula at the end of last year, which drew crowds from all over the region and beyond. Al-Ula is just one of the historically significant areas in Saudi that the country wants to see develop further. KSA will start to accommodate a lot more tourists since the relaxation of visa regulations. It’s safe to say that the future of hospitality in the Middle East will be brighter than ever. Through many initiatives driven by the Middle East, our constant corporate following is likely to continue as well.

Cover Story

14 June 2019

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced plans to expand its luxury portfolio by the

end of 2020, with new openings scheduled across the Middle East and Asia Pacific. The expansion includes the anticipated opening of Grand Hyatt Al Khobar, marking the first Grand Hyatt branded hotel in the kingdom, set to open in late 2019, as well the opening of Andaz Dubai The Palm in the UAE later this year. By the end of 2020, Hyatt Hotels will announce the opening of the Alila Hinu Bay in Oman and a Grand Hyatt in Kuwait.

In the Asia Pacific region, Hyatt plans to open 21 new luxury hotels and resorts by the end of 2020. This expansion comprise seven Park Hyatt branded properties, six hotels each under the Grand Hyatt and Andaz brands and two Alila branded resorts, boosting Hyatt’s luxury portfolio in the region by more than 25 per cent.

“As we expand our resort, lifestyle and wellbeing offerings, we will better cater to today’s increasingly diverse luxury

travellers who seek greater personalisation, whether they are travelling for business or leisure,” said Carina Chorengel, Senior VP, Commercial, Asia Pacific, Hyatt. With this expansion, seven Park Hyatt hotels are expected to open in under two years –a significant milestone for Hyatt, which adds an average of one Park Hyatt property per year. The Andaz brand, known to offer immersive cultural experiences, is set to double its footprint in Asia Pacific with new openings in major cities such as Seoul, Dubai and Shenzhen, alongside resort destinations such as Bali, as well as Sanya and Xiamen in China. Set to join the World of Hyatt loyalty program later this year following its integration into the Hyatt portfolio in 2018, the Alila brand will add two resorts in Malaysia and Oman next year. These resorts will bring the brand’s contemporary expressions of century-old traditions, authentic experiences and sustainable mindset closer to more travellers.

Global hospitality chain Blazon Hotels has unveiled its latest hotel in the UAE with

the opening of The Grayton Hotel in Bur Dubai. Nestled within the heart of the vibrant urban district of Al Mankhool – Dubai, Grayton is a boutique four-star hotel retreat, catering to discerning business travellers and those seeking to discover an alternative local leisure experience.

The modern hotel features 96 spacious and elegantly designed rooms and suites, a

rooftop pool for adults and children, serene spa and a well-equipped health and fitness centre. It also offers exceptional dining experiences, from fine dining at the Indian Restaurant Bukhara, to European flavour at Citrus O2, with delight of drinks & snacks from G & T Lounge & Bar to poolside Zanzibar Skylounge Bar & BBQ. A meeting and events room, spanning 80 sq. m, offers the perfect venue for conferences, trainings and meetings.

Hyatt announces new hotel openings in ME and Asia Pacific

Blazon Hotels opens boutique property in Dubai

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is rapidly expanding its presence in the Middle

East and Africa, announcing the signing of three new hotels with Ithra. Unveiling details of the upcoming properties, Panos Loupasis, VP Development Middle East, Eurasia and Africa, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts said, "The new hotels will include a new Wyndham and the UAE's first Days Inn and Super 8 branded hotels. The properties are expected to open between 2020 and 2021." Wyndham currently has 9,200 hotels under 20 brands in over 80 countries; 10 of these brands are presently in the Middle East and Africa with 57 hotels representing roughly 11,000 rooms. The Ramada brand is the most predominant in this region, accounting for 32 of the 57 hotels, Loupasis noted. "The strategy when we entered this market was to enter with our core brand and since then, we have introduced other brands like the two upper midscale Tryp by Wyndham in Dubai (Barsha Heights) and Wyndham Garden Inn in Manama Bahrain."

Grand Millennium Dubai, the five-star property of Millennium Hotels & Resorts,

located in Barsha Heights, has announced the launch of its very own app Grand Millennium Dubai. Designed to address the needs of the guests' pre, during and post-arrival at the hotel, the app offers 'Special App Only' discounts and provides information on the hotel’s amenities and the surrounding area.

Grand Millennium Dubai app allows guests and visitors to directly contact the hotel for on-spot reservations for a room, dining or spa treatments. The app also features a city-guide to keep visitors informed of the latest happenings in the city including events, entertainment and shopping fiesta. An image gallery offers a 360-degree view of the spaces at the hotel. Oussama Chalak, General Manager, Grand Millennium Dubai said, “We are sure the launch of this app will revolutionise the hotel stay experience for our guests.”

Wyndham Hotels signs three new properties in Dubai

Grand Millennium Dubai announces mobile app

UPDATEHospitality

15June 2019

The hospitality sector across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) continues

to thrive, with the region reporting growth in demand and supply during the first three months of the year, a new report showed. Egypt emerged as the top performer for Q1 2019, reporting significant growth in occupancy and rates during the first three months. The coastal cities started the year with strong performance, experiencing double-digit improvements in occupancy and average daily rate (ADR) over the previous year. Alexandria was the standout market in Q1 2019, with a 10 per cent growth in occupancy and 27 per cent growth in ADR, showed a Colliers report on hotels in the MENA region. The Egyptian hotel market continues to improve with the return of key international markets and a growing regional demand from MENA markets.

The positive performance exhibited in key Egyptian markets has resulted in improved investor confidence. Brands such as Rixos and Steigenberger are expected to operate multiple properties in resort locations along the Red Sea.

The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations returns to Egypt and is expected to attract an estimated 50,000 tourists in June and July. Combined with a returning international market, 2019 is expected to be another year of positive hotel

performance.In Saudi Arabia, the Dammam/Khobar

market experienced an 11 per cent increase in occupancy in Q1 2019 compared to the same period last year. This is partially due to growing corporate demand from the oil industry, the report showed.

Moreover, approximately 2,100 keys opened over the last year in Riyadh. The largest contributor is the 866-key Hilton Riyadh Hotel and Residences which opened in Q1 2019. New supply and macroeconomic conditions in traditional source markets have placed a consistent downward pressure on rates in the Saudi market, which was evident in Q1 2019.

Hotels in the Middle East reported mixed performance results in April,

while hotels in Africa posted growth across the three key performance metrics, according to data from STR - a leading market research firm. Occupancy levels in the Middle East moved up 4.1 per cent to 74.6 per cent but Average Daily Rate (ADR) declined 7.1 per cent to USD 148.28, with Revenue per available room (RevPAR) dropping 3.3 per cent to USD 110.62.

In Amman, occupancy rates were recorded at 72.7 per cent in April, a 7.7 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2018. ADR was up 1.2 per cent to JOD 100.21 (USD 141.3) while RevPAR moved

up 9.1 per cent to JOD 72.81 (USD 102.6). The occupancy and RevPAR levels were the highest for an April in Amman since 2014. Demand (up 7.7 per cent) was driven by the Amman Jazz Festival (April 19 to 23), the 11th Amman Contemporary Dance Festival (April 6 to 20) and the Brazilian Food Festival (April 24 to 27).

In Africa, occupancy rates climbed up 0.8 per cent to 62.1 per cent, with ADR also jumping 8.1 per cent to USD 116.18. RevPAR was also up 9.0 per cent to USD 72.15. In Cape Town, occupancy was up 8.5 per cent to 62.2 per cent, pushing ADR up 8.2 per cent to ZAR1, 631.71 (USD 113.4). RevPAR increased significantly by 17.3 per cent to ZAR1, 014.60 (USD 70.5).

Hotels in Oman saw their total revenues rise up in the first three

months of the year, with three- to five-star hotels reporting RO 71 million (USD 183.8 million) up 10.4 per cent compared to RO 64.6 million (USD 167.2 million) registered for the corresponding period in 2018, new data showed. Hotel occupancy rates, however, fell by 2.3 per cent to reach 68.4 per cent at the end of March 2019 against 70.1 per cent for the same period of 2018, according to figures released by Oman's National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

Meanwhile, the total number of guests in Omani hotels showed a significant increase of 11.3 per cent in the three-month period of 2019, reaching 483,995, from 435,033 guests for the same period of 2018.

Among the different nationalities, Europeans topped the list with the maximum number of visitors at 214,457. This was followed by Omani guests, which stood at 118,220 and Asian tourists at 54,266. In the case of American, Arab and African visitors, the numbers went up by 2.3 per cent, 9.9 per cent and 0.4 per cent to reach 17,460; 18,709 and 3,170 guests, respectively. However, there was a drop in the number of GCC and Oceanian guests by 13.5 per cent and 4.2 per cent, reaching 39,547 and 4,685 guests, respectively. Omani hotels received 1.49 million guests and generated a total revenue of RO 214.1 million (USD 554.3 million) in 2018.

Egypt hospitality market top performer in MENA

ME hotels see mixed performance in April; Africa results positive

Oman hotel revenues up 10.4 pc in first three months

UPDATEHospitality

16 June 2019

UPDATE

Dubai Air Navigation Services (dans) has signed a strategic new leasing agreement with the Dubai Aviation City Corporation (DACC)

to establish its first training facility within Al Maktoum International Airport. The agreement was signed by Mohammed A. Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) and CEO of dans and Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of DACC, in the presence of Suzan Al Anani, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) and Ibrahim Ahli, Deputy CEO, dans.

Once fully established, the new dans’ Training Facility will offer a diverse portfolio of training courses that address all technical, operational and theoretical subject matters in the field of Air Traffic Management (ATM). The facility primarily focuses on creating a global training hub from within Dubai that has the capacity to train individuals who are already experienced in the air traffic movements (ATM) sector and are keen towards further enhancing and developing their operational aptitude and skills, in addition to individuals who are looking to start a career in ATM. Ahli said, “In line with the economic vision set for Dubai and in alignment with our dedication to support the vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, VP and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to ‘connecting minds to build a better future,’ the launch of the new dans’ Training Facility will mark a very crucial and unparalleled milestone in the history of the UAE’s ATM sector."

Turkish Airlines has announced that it will open two new passenger lounges for Business Class, Miles & Smiles Elite Plus & Elite, Star

Alliance Gold and Corporate Club passengers at its new home base - Istanbul Airport. There are currently three lounges: the Turkish Airlines Business Lounge, Miles & Smiles Lounge and Domestic Lounge. The Exclusive Lounge and Arrival Lounge are planned to open in summer this year.

The Turkish Airlines Business Lounge has an approximate area of over 60,000 sq. ft., seats 765 guests and features 13 private suites with showers. Turkish Airlines also designed a 130 sq. ft. museum in there, collaborating with the arts and cultural institution Istanbul Modern.

The Turkish Airlines Domestic Lounge is accessible through a special entrance gate located outside the terminal so passengers can complete check-in procedures and transfer directly to the aircraft via buses. Lounge amenities include comfortable couches, Turkish cuisine, a large children’s play area, media wall with multiple TV screens and a prayer room.

Aviation training academy to open at Al Maktoum airport

Turkish Airlines opens two lounges at Istanbul Airport

Saudi Arabia's Neom airport, part of the USD 500-billion futuristic city Neom, has been awarded the 'commercial facility'

classification by aviation industry body International Air Transport Association (IATA), a report said. Neom Bay Airport is the latest addition to the kingdom's 35 hubs. Its airport code registered with the International Civil Aviation Organisation is OENN, said a recent news report. The airport, which is gearing up for its launch, will commence flights between Neom and Riyadh, it said. On January 10 this year, the airport welcomed two flights by Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia). The maiden flights, carrying 130 employees of Neom, landed at the newly-built airport, the report said.

Bahrain national carrier Gulf Air will be upgrading its aircraft scheduled to operate to Baku on May 29 in a move to facilitate

and ease the travel of football fans flying out to Azerbaijan to watch the UEFA Europa League Cup Final. The airline will operate its flagship Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to allow more fans to travel and watch the big game between the two English giants - Arsenal and Chelsea.

With 26 seats in Falcon Gold and 256 in Economy Class seats, the state-of-the-art Dreamliner will be operated for the first time on the Bahrain-Baku route to cater to the increasing demand from football fans around the Gulf Air’s network. Gulf Air’s CEO Krešimir Kucko said, “The commercial team at Gulf Air is very responsive to events and happenings around our expanding network. When the demand forecast showed an increase, we managed to upgrade the operating aircraft on May 29 to our new Dreamliner. The B787-9 has much more capacity than the regular scheduled aircraft to Baku and we are happy to offer this opportunity to all football fans of Arsenal and Chelsea." The airline operates five weekly flights between Bahrain International Airport and Baku's Heydar Aliyev International Airport.

Saudi's Neom airport gets commercial classification

Gulf Air to deploy Dreamliner to Baku for UEFA final

Aviation

UPDATE

17June 2019

Oman Air has started commencing direct flights to Egyptian city Alexandria from May 31, making it the airline’s 53rd destination in its expanding global network. Alexandria, Egypt’s second-largest city is a major economic and industrial centre of the country. With its 30 km coastline extending along the Mediterranean Sea, coupled with its magnificent ambience and rich cultural heritage, Alexandria is also a popular tourist destination.

Oman Air’s CEO Abdulaziz

Al-Raisi said, “Commencement of direct services into Alexandria will allow Oman Air to further expand trade ties between our two countries and drive growth in tourism numbers in both directions. Oman shares an excellent bilateral relation with Egypt and this new route will further strengthen it. We are confident that the sizeable Egyptian diaspora in Oman will find the addition of this second destination to Egypt, a welcomed addition to our expanding network."

Etihad Airways is operating flights between Al Ain and

Jeddah during the last 10 days of Ramadan to facilitate travel to Saudi Arabia for the performance of the Islamic pilgrimage, Umrah, Abu Dhabi Airports announced. Commencing on May 26 and continuing till June 4, Etihad Airways operate daily flights from Al Ain International Airport to King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah.

Ahmed Al Shamisi, Acting

COO, Abu Dhabi Airports said, “Ramadan is a blessed time of the year and we are delighted to be able to support our customer’s performance of Umrah by adding a daily flight to Jeddah from Al Ain International Airport during the last 10 days of Ramadan. We are continually working to enhance our services and offerings, and together with Etihad Airways we look forward to sharing the spirit of Ramadan with those travelling for Umrah.”

Airport International Group, the Jordanian company responsible for the operation of Queen Alia International Airport, has announced

that it will be hosting the CAPA Middle East & Africa Aviation Summit in 2020 for the first time in Jordan. The summit is one of the several events organised around the globe by CAPA - Centre for Aviation. The announcement was made during this year’s Summit, which was held in Dubai in April. Scheduled to take place next March, the acclaimed event will convene industry leaders, renowned experts and key stakeholders who will address current and future trends, opportunities and challenges emerging within the Middle East and Africa. Presenting a powerful platform for the exchange of unique insights and business prospects, the 2020 CAPA Middle East & Africa Aviation Summit will help position Jordan as a prime host of prominent events within today’s highly dynamic local, regional and international aviation arenas. In addition, the summit will actively contribute to the development of the local tourism sector by promoting the kingdom’s historical and natural sites, vibrant culture and warm hospitality. “We are excited to be hosting the CAPA Middle East & Africa Aviation Summit next year, which will be an opportune time for aviation stakeholders from around the world to gather in Jordan and come up with new ideas and solutions to elevate the overall air travel experience within our region,” commented Kjeld Binger, Airport International Group CEO.

Emirates has announced that its mobile app is now available in Arabic, bringing the

total number of languages supported to 19. The Emirates app currently receives an average of 600,000 monthly downloads and allows users to search, book and manage their flights as well as their Emirates Skywards accounts. Emirates is the only airline globally to have its mobile app available in 19 languages, including Arabic, English, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, Czech, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil and Portugal), Polish, Russian, Spanish, Thai and Turkish.

In recent years, the airline has been using analytical and customer behaviour insights to constantly improve its digital channels. Last financial year, a quarter of all ticket sales were made on its web and mobile channels and over 40 per cent of customers checked-in online for their flights. “We have worked very hard to ensure our customers enjoy the same high-quality Emirates experience in the digital world as they do when enjoying our award-winning physical product and service. Our app has become a useful travel companion for more than 1.5 million travellers a month and it ensures

a seamless customer journey on the go. We will continue to invest in mobile to provide an enjoyable customer experience and to make our customers’ travel journey as seamless as possible,” said Alex Knigge, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand (Digital). Earlier this year, the Emirates app was enhanced with new technology allowing customers to create bespoke playlists of their inflight entertainment ahead of their travels and sync it to their seats once on board, providing a world-class travel experience.

Oman Air to fly direct to Alexandria from May 31

Etihad launches special Al Ain-Jeddah flights for Ramadan

Airport International Group to host key aviation summit

Emirates launches mobile app in Arabic

Aviation

18 June 2019

In Conversation

Striking architecture, majestic castles, dynamic folk art, thermal spas and the most fantastic backdrops are some of Hungary's major drawing cards. While Budapest, the glittering capital, is by far the country's biggest tourist draw, there are myriad of places in Hungary that evoke a strong sense of history and tradition at every turn. During the last few years, Hungary has become more and more popular among the tourists and the tourism sector has risen to a proportion where the country is witnessing double-digit growth from its key source markets. And as outlined by Mate, the country is now increasingly turning its focus towards other potential markets such as the Middle East and India after noticing positive signs of growth.

“Being a 1000-year old country, Hungary offers a perfect mélange of heritage, history, amazing food and architecture. We are positioned in the heart of Europe but still a very exclusive destination. The places to visit in Hungary are fast-turning as one of the most popular choices in Eastern Europe into happening tourist destinations, Budapest being one of them. One of our very strong unique selling points includes the unique bath complexes generally formed with thermal water which today acts as a tourist magnet fascinating travellers from all parts of the world. Apart from this, gastronomy also is a prominent element of Hungarian culture. We have numerous Michelin star restaurants which is a key point for the ones considering the gastronomical journeys. In fact, other than Hungarian cuisine, you’re sure to find a lot of restaurants serving Indian and Halal food in Budapest. One of our national foods is Goulash which is very similar to the Indian curry. There are a hordes of activities that interest both the Indian and Middle Eastern travellers as we see steady growth from these feeder markets and are sure to see the surge in the coming years,” Mate shares.

Continuing further while highlighting that

a marketing push is expected to encourage the ongoing growth of the visitors from both these potential markets, he adds, “Both these markets have been growing and have increasingly become important to Hungary over the last couple of years and while we see positive signs in terms of growing numbers, we expect to see this trend continuing even in the year ahead. We, at The Hungarian Tourism Agency, have laid out proactive strategies of engaging with the regional travel trade and have been increasingly focusing towards promoting Hungary’s rich tourism offerings which is excitingly, well-received by the travellers from both these markets. Our key focus this year would be on promoting Budapest and its rich offerings as it’s a stronger brand in itself when compared to Hungary. We already have been witnessing a double-digit growth year-on-year from the

major source markets such as the US, London and China. I do believe by now, we understand the needs of different markets and are keeping ourselves on toes to make sure we cater to the tourist requirements.”

However, Mate strongly believes that the idea of tourism should be shifted from overcrowded tourist attractions to niche tourism experiences and feels that quality should prevail over quantity. Instead of attracting busloads of tourists, he is rather keen on tourists who are willing to stay for long, see more of Hungary. Hoping to refocus on attracting what they call ‘quality tourists’, Mate asserts, “It’s the quality of the visitors that we’re looking at. Thus our emphasis would be on the tourists who add value to travel and would be interested in exploring Hungary for a longer period of time which eventually will increase the length of stays.”

On the sidelines of Arabian Travel Market 2019, Kristof Mate – Director of Business Development, Hungarian Tourism Agency, spoke with TravelScapes Middle East about the

significance of potential markets for the country wherein he shares that Hungary has recorded a surge in travellers from the Middle East. Mate while pointing out ‘quality matters over quantity’ in the tourism equation, accentuates that Hungary, aligning with this idea, plans on welcoming

the quality tourists who are keen to extend their length of stay

“Our emphasis would be on the tourists who add value to travel”

By Gagneet Kaur

20 June 2019

UPDATEWhat's on

Leading global players from tourism-related businesses such as travel agencies, airlines,

lodges, hotels and destination management companies (DMCs) will be showcasing their services and products at the inaugural Gulf Travel and Tourism Forum being held in Bahrain. The event is being organised from October 23 to 25 at the Gulf Convention Centre under the patronage of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA).

A first-of-its-kind event in the kingdom, the forum is being held in co-ordination with the Action Leaders for Women Advancement (Alwane). It will be managed by Worksmart for Events Management. The three-day event will also host a cluster of outstanding speakers to deliver

a quality knowledge-sharing platform in the conference. It will allow visitors to gain a better understanding of local tourism destinations, products, said the organisers. The forum aims to provide a platform for Bahraini’s hospitality industry to promote and market their products and services to all involved in the industry, including the public.

According to the organisers, the event’s primary objective is to promote Bahrain as one of the top MICE destinations in the region. On the sidelines of the forum, a number of activities will be held that reflects Bahraini’s hospitality, in addition to a series of workshops and discussions related to the tourism sector, it stated.

Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) made a colourful impression

at Arabian Travel Market in Dubai last month as it looked to build on the 31 million visitors it welcomed in 2018, an 8.7 per cent increase year-on-year.

JNTO’s stand was decked in real cherry blossoms to highlight its Spring colours and year-round seasonal appeal while luxury and authenticity are other key promotional messages. Sport is set to be another major inbound magnet with the Rugby World Cup coming up later this year and Tokyo hosting the 2020 Olympic Games, meaning the Japanese government is in buoyant mood, targeting 40 million

visitors next year. Executive Vice President Tsutomu Shimura said while the majority of its visitors are from neighbouring Asian countries (24.34 million), it is keen to attract more affluent, long-haul visitors. JNTO has a strong global presence through its 21 overseas offices. That will soon rise to 22, as JNTO will be entering the Middle East market with an office in Dubai, which is due to open before the Expo, and it plans to open a representative office this summer.

“The market research we conducted last year shows the Middle East, especially the UAE, is a potentially lucrative market with positive impressions of Japan,” he said.

Bahrain gears up for debut travel, tourism forum

Japan to open tourism office in Dubai

Al Mouj Golf has cemented its place as one of the finest golf courses in the

Middle East after placing second in National Club Golfer’s Top 25 Golf Courses in the Middle East rankings, one of the UK’s leading publications.

This placed Al Mouj Golf in Muscat, Oman, ahead of even more established golf courses in the region, including The Majlis at Emirates Golf Club, Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Jumeirah Earth and Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, further showcasing Oman’s potential to continue growing as a golfing destination. Host venue to the European Tour’s Oman Open, the links venue received significant acclaim at this year’s tournament from players and golf fans alike for its spectacular design, which sweeps along the Indian Ocean and affords breath-taking views of Muscat and the Hajar Mountains.

Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS), Dubai’s annual summer festival, returns to the

city starting June 21 until August 3, bringing residents and tourists an exciting six-week line-up of sales, promotions and events. Organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), the 22nd edition of DSS will offer an array of summer deals across the city’s shopping outlets, attractions, hotel staycations and family entertainment. There will be a variety of returning favourites such as Modhesh World, Deal of the Day, live concerts and many more. The festival will also offer new elements set to excite residents and tourists alike.

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) said, “There is always great anticipation and excitement among the city’s residents and visitors for Dubai Summer Surprises, so we are very pleased to reveal this edition’s dates. We welcome and encourage everyone to experience all that Dubai has to offer during the summer months.”

Oman's Al Mouj Golf course ranked second best in ME

Dubai Summer Surprises to kick off on June 21

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22 June 2019

HABTOOR PALACE DUBAIHailed as an idyllic city escape within the city, embark on a unique journey with Habtoor Palace Dubai replete with Arabian hospitality. Here guests are spoiled for choice with 52 suites, 22 restaurants and lounges, three swimming pools and two signature spas among other astounding amenities and splendid servicesBy Kritika Dua

LOCATION:A regal retreat located on the banks of the Dubai Water Canal, Habtoor Palace Dubai is Dubai’s first-ever integrated urban resort. Situated at an enviable location, the hotel is just a 20-minute drive from Dubai International Airport and a 40-minute drive from Al Maktoum International Airport. It is simply minutes away from city’s key attractions, locales of Downtown and Uptown Dubai, business districts of Business Bay and Dubai International Financial Centre. Habtoor Palace quaintly sits alongside two other hotels, three high-rise residential towers, as well as the city’s first amphitheatre water show La Perle by Dragone. It’s a riveting acrobatics show and the area’s biggest attraction.

An opulent oasis decked in luxury

Hotel Feature

23June 2019

GRAND GATHERINGS, EVENTS AND CELEBRATIONS:Create and build unforgettable memories at the regal Habtoor Palace Dubai emanating palatial style. Spread across an 800-square meter space, Habtoor Ballroom offers guests an opportunity to celebrate their auspicious occasions and celebrations in style. Wedding parties take place in its regal façade and the lobby’s sweeping double staircase has been a backdrop for many beautiful brides. The hotel provides an exclusive majlis-styled seating area adjacent to the ballroom, making it a perfect choice for social gatherings such as weddings and anniversaries. Defining stature and sophistication, Habtoor Ballroom promises meetings with style and character for individuals of influence. Spread across the ground floor and second level, the seven meeting rooms including a boardroom, amiably accommodates executive round table meetings.

OPULENT LIVING SPACES:Wake up to a world beyond expectations, Habtoor Palace Dubai is home to 52 opulent suites. The hotel is built in a Beaux Arts style. Discover the bespoke Bentley Suite or Sir Winston Churchill Suite—the only of their kind in the Middle East. Choose from 234 guestrooms, there is a children’s pool and access to a kids’ club at a connecting property. The impressive interiors of the hotel present a bright, airy ambience with immaculate details, from chic chandeliers to the most extravagant furnishings. Born out of a need to fulfil every guest’s desire, the butler service is extended to all guests. There are two accessible rooms for wheelchair users.

UNWINDING THE ‘SILKY’ WAY:Rare & Refined are the words that best describe the spa experience at Habtoor Palace Dubai. Unravel a spectrum of experiences the moment you enter the mystical and uplifting world of Silk Spa, where moments of tranquility await. Nestled within the luxurious serenity of the hammam rooms, the Silk Spa is renowned for its exfoliating and detoxifying treatments. Indulge in calming and healing treatments featuring separate male and female areas, six distinctive treatment rooms and relaxation lounges, return with a state of bliss with truly energised body and soft skin. Besides the 24-hour fully-equipped Fitness Centre and two rooftop swimming pools, there is an indoor tennis academy as well. Bicycles are available for those wishing to transverse the canal’s seven-mile cycle path.

Hotel Feature

24 June 2019

Report

A review of the latest hotel performance indicators, outlook and insights on the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) hotel market, focusing on the emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates of Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Fujairah, as extracted from a recent paper presented by Talal Yousif, Director of HVS Global Hospitality Services, suggests a positive growth trend in occupancy in the next five years, on the back of government-led tourism initiatives to further diversify and consolidate tourism offerings and the anticipated demand growth and spillover effects from the World Expo 2020.

As the UAE continues on a path of sustained economic growth and real estate development, the country is facing challenges, with the recent economic stagnation and the imbalance between supply and demand. However, opportunities have also emerged related to the diversification and momentum growth of its key source markets (India, Saudi Arabia, UK, China, Oman, Russia, USA, Germany, Pakistan and the Philippines), the build-up to the World Expo 2020 and the expansion of Dubai’s hotel offering landscape into the growing mid-scale category. Another issue worth mentioning is the tourism-related taxes and fees including the five per cent Value Added Tax (VAT), introduced by local authorities in 2018, which may potentially hinder the competitiveness of Dubai and the UAE in general and the overall performance of hotels across the country in the long term. Indeed, in an effort to boost tourism and encourage investment, the Department of Culture and Tourism– Abu Dhabi (DCTA) has recently announced that the overall tourism and municipality fees for hotels in Abu Dhabi would be reduced from 10 per cent to 5.5 per cent (tourism fee down from six per cent to 3.5 per cent and municipality fee down from four per cent to two per cent).

According to the latest statistics from the Dubai Tourism Commerce & Marketing (DTCM), Dubai welcomed 15.92 million overnight visitors in 2018, marking a new high, supported by momentum y-o-y growth across its key source markets with Russia (+28 per cent), China (+12 per cent), France (+17 per cent) and Germany (+12 per cent) leading the way. Looking at the historical trends of key hotel performance indicators, along with the analysis of supply and demand dynamics, major infrastructure and tourism-related developments and geopolitical and economic

shifts in the market, the report can derive insights related to achieved occupancy, ADR and RevPAR across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates.

OCCUPANCYDubai demonstrated the strongest occupancy performance in the UAE, attributable to the diversity of its demand generators targeting all market segments, which minimises its seasonality.

Occupancy levels have remained firmly in the high 70 per cent levels for the past three years, with the government of Dubai implementing proactive policies to stimulate demand growth by relaxing UAE visa regulations for key source markets, such as Russia and China.

Due to its higher dependency on corporate demand, Abu Dhabi occupancy underperformed compared to the country average from 2010 to 2012 and then recorded steady growth to reach 76 per cent in 2015, before declining over the last three years. Since 2014, both Abu Dhabi and Dubai have become internal competitors with the Northern Emirates, notably in the growing ‘staycation’ segment. The Northern Emirates have remained below the country average since 2014, due to the variance in the maturity level of tourism infrastructure across these emirates, as well as the number of tourism arrivals; however, a positive growth trend has been registered since 2016.

ADRDubai achieved an ADR of USD 201 for the 10-year period 2009 to 2018, followed by Abu Dhabi (USD 165) and the Northern Emirates (USD 114). All three markets gave their strongest

performance in 2008, due to the robust economic growth levels recorded before the global economic recession and financial crisis in 2009.

An upward trend in ADR was observed in Dubai from 2011 to 2014 with four consecutive years of growth, in contrast with a declining trend in Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates. Ras Al Khaimah remains the top ADR performer among the Northern Emirates, driven by the successful execution of its tourism strategy and distinct resort offering on Marjan Island. RAK has also consistently outperformed Abu Dhabi in ADR performance over the last five years, except in 2017. While all three markets have been on a declining trend since 2014, Dubai rebounded in 2018, with 12 per cent y-o-y growth in ADR, while the Northern Emirates’ ADR levels seem to have bottomed out.

RevPARThe UAE 10-year average RevPAR was USD 97 during the 2009 to 2018 period. From 2013 and onwards, RevPAR has declined across all markets, due to several factors including but not limited to, strong new hotel supply growth outpacing demand growth, resulting in rate pressure. Other contributors include drop in oil prices, currency devaluation against the US dollar in key source markets which has led to a shift in target markets and pricing sensitivity patterns. After three years of decline, Dubai RevPAR recovered in 2018, with the strong rebound in ADR performance as occupancy levels remained stable. Abu Dhabi’s declining RevPAR trend in the last three years (-32 per cent from 2015 to 2018) is due to hotel oversupply and limited demand growth.

UAE hotel marketOPENING NEW DOORS OF

The WorldAROUND

A faith-aligned trip

By Kritika Dua

Travel lends you the opportune moment as well as a perfect excuse to step out of your comfort zone to explore, indulge and

grow! There are quite a few destinations that you can travel to without treading out of the traditions and take pleasure in

their gastronomic Halal delights, gaze at the awe-inspiring landscapes and visit the magnificent mosques among others and return with fascinating experiences and stories to share.

Stroll through these Halal-friendly cities to fuel your wanderlust

Halal-friendly destinations

27June 2019

Penang, Malaysia

Antalya, Turkey

Malaysia is renowned for its rich cultural heritage, ranging from the wonderful cuisines to a vast variety of annual festivals, to immemorial architecture, rural crafts and profuse natural beauty. The country presents a remarkable fusion of gastronomy, immaculate hospitality and a multicultural or multi-ethnic population. It has one of the most versatile Halal food scenes in the world, from street food to high-end restaurants comprising varying cuisines. There are also many mosques and various other exciting attractions to explore in Malaysia. Langkawi and the Genting Highlands are among the couple of places that should be a part of your itinerary on your next trip to Malaysia. While in Penang, travellers can stay in Hotel Jen Penang, The Wembley, Eastern & Oriental Hotel, Bayview Hotel Georgetown among other hotels with Halal amenities and facilities.

Turkey is beyond fairy chimneys, bazaars and the Blue Mosque. The cuisine is filled with rich flavours, colourful spices and pleasing aromas and is definitely something the travellers shouldn’t miss! Turkey has a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites to its credit as well. Antalya offers an outwardly escape when you’re in this bi-continental country. This resort city has a harbour filled with yachts and beaches surrounded by several female-friendly resorts, making it gain a reputation amongst the perfect Muslim-friendly destinations for female travellers. Bask in the sun’s glory, laze around or enjoy some quiet and peaceful time at the private beaches. Also, indulge in a spa at the traditional Turkish hammams. For a dose of history and culture pay a visit to Yivli Minare or Alaaddin Mosque (with the fluted minaret)! Adenya Hotel and Resort, Adin Beach Hotel, Selge Beach Resort and Spa and Ramada Plaza are some of the great halal-friendly accommodation options in Antalya.

The WorldAROUND

28 June 2019

Osaka, Japan

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Taipei, Taiwan

Japan's Islamic history is relatively brief in comparison to other countries but it is quickly gaining a name for itself in the most Muslim-friendly holiday destinations. There are over 60 mosques in the country, such as the Kobe Mosque which was built in 1935 and is also the first mosque in Japan. There are prayer rooms in major airports, quite a few Halal restaurants or at least special Muslim-friendly menus, prayer areas in public places as well as the qibla marked in hotel rooms. The port town of Osaka is a mélange of modernity and traditions that is highlighted at sights: Osaka Castle, old Shinto shrines, shopping in trendy malls, exploring futuristic buildings and dining at halal-friendly restaurants. Some of the hotels with the Halal amenities include Richmond Hotel Namba Daikokucho, Sheraton Miyako Hotel Osaka, Hilton Osaka and Namba Dotombori Hotel.

The Indonesian archipelago is a collection of nearly 17,500 islands. The country, steeped in history and natural beauty, is also home to many mosques and also has a plethora of facilities for Halal travellers, the reason it's a favoured destination. Yogyakarta or Jogja is also affectionately called the soul of Indonesia. There are several memorials, monuments and museums dotted across the city that have been dedicated to the history and culture of the area. Here you catch one of the entertaining traditional shadow puppet shows at night. For some retail therapy head to the dynamic Jalan Malioboro neighbourhood. The Phoenix Yogyakarta Mgallery by Sofitel, Sheraton Mustika Yogyakarta Resort and Spa, Eastparc Hotel Yogyakarta and Santika Premiere Jogja are among the Halal-friendly stay options.

Famed for centuries as Ilha Formosa (Beautiful Isle), Taiwan has a bit of everything: towering sea cliffs, marble-walled gorges, tropical forests, scenic mountains and classic hiking trails to capture the tourist eyeballs. Taiwan continues to welcome more Muslim travellers than ever before owing to the increasing Halal-certified eateries and prayer facilities that appeal to the Halal-conscious travellers. Taipei is often denoted as ‘a city of smiles’ and there’s an array of facilities for Muslim travellers to ensure a contented visit. Taipei is brimmed with culture and its famed night markets never fail to lure the travellers. If you need a comfortable place to rest with the required amenities after an exploration spree then Taipei has some of the best halal-friendly hotels: The Sherwood Taipei, Green World Hotel – Zhonghua, Mandarin Oriental Taipei and Taipei Marriott Hotel.

The WorldAROUND

TSME_APRIL-2019.indd 7 4/23/2019 11:54:36 AM

TSME_APRIL-2019.indd 7 4/23/2019 11:54:36 AM

30 June 2019

Appointments

SERGIO AMODEORadisson Hotel Group has named Sergio Amodeo as Chief Financial Officer of Radisson Hospitality for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and member of the Global Steering Committee for Radisson Hotel Group, effective June 1. Amodeo joins Radisson Hotel Group from TeamSystem Group where he was CFO since 2015. During his time there, he supervised the sale of the group from one private equity fund to another.

CRAIG BRUCE Rotana Hotel Management Corporation appoints Craig Bruce as General Manager of Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi. In this role, Bruce will be responsible for overseeing the 879-unit luxury complex, managing its large operation and maintaining the unparalleled service and quality the hotel and its 14 restaurants are known for. Bruce joined Rotana’s flagship property from his previous post as Cluster General Manager of Yas Island Rotana, Centro Yas Island and Hala Arjaan by Rotana.

KEVIN LAWLESS Danat Hotels and Resorts, a division of National Corporation for Tourism & Hotels, has appointed Kevin Lawless as General Manager of Danat Al Ain Resort. Lawless joined the Danat Hotels & Resorts Group in 2010 as Assistant Director of Sales and Marketing at Al Raha Beach Hotel, working his way up to General Manager of Danat Jebel Dhanna Resort and Dhafra Beach Hotel prior to this new role.

SHAMIA ABDUL AZIZ Sofitel Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa appoints Shamia Abdul Aziz as Assistant Director of Marketing, PR and Communications. Abdul Aziz will be responsible for developing all marketing and communications strategies, executing local and global marketing campaigns and continue to build a solid corporate brand. She has over 18 years of experience in Sales and Marketing in the fields of hospitality, airline, theme parks and attraction, events and exhibitions and real estate in Dubai.

JAVIER PARDO Avani Hotels & Resorts has appointed Javier Pardo as Vice President of Operations for Avani Hotels & Resorts. Pardo reports directly to Robert Kunkler, Chief Operating Officer of Minor Hotels and is based at the regional office in Bangkok, which will further strengthen Avani’s presence and resources in this key market. He will be overseeing the operational excellence and financial performance for the brand and will also be leading new brand initiatives.

STUART BIRKWOOD Radisson RED Dubai Silicon Oasis has appointed Stuart Birkwood as General Manager. Before joining Radisson Hotel Group, Birkwood held numerous positions in the hospitality industry, for the last 11 years he has been based in the Middle East. His most recent roles were Cluster General Manager with Marriott in Dubai and General Manager roles with Starwood in Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia. This is his first position within Radisson Hotel Group.

KHALID BSEISO Marriot International Hotels Group has appointed Khalid Bseiso as Hotel Manager of The St. Regis Hotel Amman, Jordan, who will be responsible for managing the hotel team and overall hotel objectives to deliver an outstanding guest experience. Bseiso comes with over 20 years of experience in hospitality, specifically in Food and Beverage (F&B) and his competent expertise and specialty in luxury hotels are the main basis to appointing him.

ATHAR BAIG Ramada by Wyndham Downtown Dubai has appointed Athar Baig as Assistant Director of Sales. Baig brings in 15 years of hotel sales experience in Dubai. Before joining Ramada by Wyndham Downtown Dubai, he was a Senior Sales Manager at Holiday Inn Al Barsha. Baig served as revenue and reservations manager at the property before taking on the sales role. He was also previously associated with Metropolitan Hotel and Habtoor Grand Resort and Spa.

Y O U R E X T R A O R D I N A R Y S T O R Y

visitabudhabi.ae

Louvre Abu Dhabi#InAbuDhabi

AS LIGHT RAINS DOWN

UPON CENTURIES

OF INSPIRATION

you step back through gal ler ies

of t ime in a universal museum

stretching over the sea.

You are moved by the story

of humanity under a f loat ing

dome of l ight where there

is no end to art in s ight .