Travel Trade Weekly Issue 132
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19 MAY 2012 ISSUE 132
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Travel Trade Monthly Middle East & North Africa contains informative destination features, interviews with key industry figures and in-depth analyses of issues related to the travel and tourism industry within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Transcript of Travel Trade Weekly Issue 132
Warwick Debuts in Jordan 8
Warwick International Hotels has opened two hotels in Jordan, marking the company’s debut in
the Kingdom.
19 MAY 2012 ISSUE 132
08
14
Swiss-Belhotel: Regional Expansion
Qatar Airways Commences Flights to Croatia
Swiss-Belhotel International is to significantly expand its presence in the Middle East.
Qatar Airways celebrates the addition of its 30th European destination, Zagreb.
IN THIS ISSUEMARKET UPDATE
WEEKLY NEWS
ACCOMMODATION
AIR NEWS
WHO'S MOVED
TRAVEL TALK
AGENT'S CORNER
TRAVEL CHANNELS
RENDEZVOUS
NEWS & EVENTS
04
05
06
14
19
20
21
22
23
24
4 MARKET UPDATE
19 MAY 2012
UAE (AED)
Egypt (EGP)
Saudi Arabia (SAR)
Lebanon (LBP)
Bahrain (BHD)
Jordan (JOD)
Syria (SYP)
Kuwait (KWD)
Qatar (QAR)
Oman (OMR)
Tunisia (TND)
Morocco (MAD)
Iran (IRR)
Yemen (YER)
Algeria (DZD)
Libya (LYD)
Dirham
Pound
Riyal
Pound
Dinar
Dinar
Pound
Dinar
Riyal
Rial
Dinar
Dirham
Riyal
Rial
Dinar
Dinar
3.67
6.04
3.75
1,505.50
0.37
0.71
63.05
0.28
3.64
0.38
1.58
8.70
12,270.00
213.32
75.37
1.26
Accurate as of
17/05/2012Currencies shown in red are fixed against the US Dollar
MENA EXCHANGE RATES
Jazeera Airways: Record Q1 Earnings
STR Global: MEA Performs Well in MarchData compiled by STR Global has revealed that the Middle East and Africa region's hospitality sector recorded positive performance results in March.
During the specified month, the entire region’s occupancy rates jumped 14.6 percent to reach 65.1 percent while its average daily rate increased 3.3 percent to earn USD175.33 and RevPAR rose 18.4 percent to gain USD114.07.
Highlights among the region’s key markets for March included a year-on-year rise in occupancy levels in Manama of 112.1 percent to reach 45.1 percent, said to be the highest reported increase in that met-ric, followed by Cairo with a 96.9 percent growth to achieve 45.7 percent occupancy, and Amman, rising 54.6 percent to result in 80.9 percent.
Additionally, Manama’s RevPAR propelled 143.1 percent to USD97.96, while Cairo's figures flourished by 81.3 percent reaching USD49.26. Meanwhile, with an increase of 54.7 percent Amman's Rev-PAR was USD118.81, while Beirut rose 42.1 percent to USD122.83.
D espite the global and regional challenges, the group’s net profit showed a robust 17.8 percent in-crease over the corresponding peri-od in 2011, while, operating revenue
reached KWD12.7 million (USD45.7 million), up 11.8 percent, and operating profit rose 25.5 per-cent to KWD2.3 million (USD8.3 million). Aver-age yield grew 20.7 percent over Q1 2011.
“This is the first time in our history that we record seven straight quarters of profitabil-ity,” highlighted Marwan Boodai, chairman, Jazeera Airways Group. “Our strong perfor-mance clearly demonstrates the agility of the company’s business model, which continues to perform in the wake of increasing fuel costs and political turmoil in Syria.”
In line with the encouraging development of the Kuwaiti economy, the company’s outlook for the full year remains positive.
Jazeera Airways Group closed the first quarter (Q1) of the year with a record net profit of KWD1.2 million (USD4.3 million), marking its seventh consecutive profitable quarter since Q3 2010.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY
MANAGING EDITOR
Mary Kammitsi [email protected]
JOURNALISTS
Stefanie Saghbini Rita Kasziba
Dominique Christou
SALES & MARKETING
Maria Demetriadou Brighite Ess
Katerina Dalal
DESIGN & LAYOUT
Elena Stylianou
DIRECTORS
Andreas Constantinides Mary Kammitsi
HEADQUARTERS
T.T.W. Travel Trade Weekly LTD P.O. Box 25255, Nicosia, 1308, Cyprus
Tel: +357 22 021607, Fax: +357 22 210466
WEBSITE
www.traveltradeweekly.travel
EMAILS
[email protected] [email protected]
COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=
5WEEKLY NEWS
19 MAY 2012
Big Bus Tours Enters OmanBig Bus Tours has announced the launch of its latest service, which, in partnership with Travel Point Oman, will provide visitors with an introduction to Oman's capital city.
Customers will be shown all the sites of Muscat, from the his-toric Muttrah Souk to the waters of the Gulf of Oman, panoramic mountain views, and traditional forts and palaces. The service will commence with a two-hour tour of the capital, departing at
intervals throughout each day from Muttrah Souk, with a dedi-cated tour guide available to provide commentary on valuable historical information and an insight into the ways and workings of the city. According to Mike Lees, general manager, Big Bus Tours, Dubai, this new service will provide the growing numbers of tourists in this destination with a great opportunity to discover the city and its history.
STR Global: Sau-di Arabia Outper-forms GCC Peers
The Saudi Arabian hospitality industry recorded solid gains in RevPAR for the first quarter (Q1) of the year, while other markets reported mixed results, based on data compiled by STR Global.
Following mostly positive 2011 year-end performance levels, Jeddah, Al Khobar, and Dubai continued to experience notable RevPAR improvements with a 30.8 percent, 18 percent, and 17.6 percent rise respec-tively. Jeddah is said to be the star performer as the city also benefitted from demand growth of 17.3 percent, while Al Khobar’s occupancy levels increased 13.4 percent versus the correspond-ing period in 2011, to reach 57.3 percent. Dubai, in the meantime, witnessed an 8.2 percent oc-cupancy growth to reach 86.6 percent.
Furthermore, performance levels in other major regional markets such as Manama, Ku-wait, Muscat, Doha, Riyadh, and Abu Dhabi, were affected by constant supply growth outpac-ing demand thus resulting in declining occupancy.
6 WEEKLY NEWS
19 MAY 2012
Accor Expands in Algeria
HMH Reveals Three New Hotels
Accor has reaffirmed its commitment to Algeria with the inauguration of Novotel Constantine and ibis Constantine.
The properties share a brand new purpose-built build-ing in the heart of the third largest city of Algeria, nick-named the ‘City of Suspended Bridges’. The establishment features 117 Novotel and 172 ibis rooms, as well as bars, restaurants, a fitness centre, and meeting rooms.
Sébastien Mary, director of operations, Algeria and Tu-nisia, Accor, commented, “The buzz around the ibis brand is spreading across the country, and will of course be en-hanced by the deployment of the ibis megabrand project before the end of this year as well as by the construction of another Novotel/ibis combo with 240 rooms in Setif in summer 2013.”
Hospitality Management Hold- ings (HMH) has introduced three new properties to its portfolio; two in the UAE and one in Oman.
Conveniently located in Dei-ra Corniche, EWA Deira Dubai features 76 rooms and suites while EWA Hotel Ajman offers 72 one-bedroom apartments along with 36 two-bedroom apartments. EWA Mahdha Ho-tel, Oman, designed in resort-style and situated in the heart of the mountains, provides guests with 48 rooms.
“EWA is a fantastic brand of-fering the right mix of facilities and services,” said Michel Noblet, president, HMH. “The mid-mar-ket accommodations remain a niche segment with very limited supply against significant de-mand. Of the vast supply of hotel accommodation of 210,000 ho-tel rooms in the Middle East re-gion, the budget range accounts for a meager 3,000 rooms, while mid-scale a mere 11 percent thus offering massive opportu-nities. Our strategy is to expand more in this lucrative sector that holds an enormous potential for growth.”
Accommodation
8 WEEKLY NEWS
19 MAY 2012
Warwick Debuts in Jordan
Swiss-Belhotel: Regional Expansion
Warwick International Hotels has opened two hotels in Jordan, marking the company’s debut in the Kingdom.
Representing the newest resort on the shores of the Dead Sea, Winter Valley Warwick Resort & Spa boasts 160 rooms and suites, three restaurants, a pool bar, kids club, and a spa. Having begun opera-tions on the same day, the five-star Warwick II Palazzo
Hotel and Suites is situated in the heart of the capital city and features 78 units, including 24 suites, an Ital-ian restaurant, a sky bar, a wine and cigar bar, swim-ming pool, and a fully-equipped gym.
Further strengthening the company’s presence in the region, Warwick Pangea Beach Resort and Spa in Leb-anon is scheduled to welcome its first guests on May 25.
Swiss-Belhotel International is to significantly expand its pres-ence in the Middle East with the addition of four new properties to its regional portfolio.
Reinforcing its trust in the continued economic growth of Oman, the company is to unveil a 32-room boutique property, The Beach Bay Ho-tel by Swiss-Belhotel Muscat, as well as the 95-room Swiss-Belexpress Muscat in the first quarter of 2013.
Marking the group’s foray into Saudi Arabia, Swiss-Bel-resort & Spa Sharma in the emerging region of Tabuk, is being developed in phases; the first of which includes the main hotel building, expected to be launched later this year.
Completing the quartet, Swiss-Belhotel Erbil, Iraq, a 108-key town centre property is also due to welcome its first guests in 2013.
Based on the success of the company’s operating properties in Kuwait and Qatar, the Middle East represents a focal point for its future expansion, empha-sised Gavin Faull, president, Swiss-Belhotel International.
Accommodation
Warwick II Palazzo Hotel and Suites
10 WEEKLY NEWS
19 MAY 2012
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Expands in the Middle East
Southern Sun to Open in Abu Dhabi
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide’s 100 top global ex-ecutives recently met in Dubai for the company’s annual lead-ership conference, marking the first time the event was held in the Middle East, and underscoring the importance of the region as one of the hotel group’s fastest growing markets.
In another bold move to emphasise the company’s approach to cultivating a more global culture, the group recently announced that it will relocate its US-based head-quarters to the Middle East in 2013 for a month-long mana-gerial endeavour. With this move, the team will delve into the company’s extensive operations throughout the Middle East, meeting with regional customers, partners, developers and owners, while also touring new properties.
In addition, the hotel group has outlined plans to unveil another five new properties in Dubai by 2017, debuting the W and St. Regis brands in the emirate.
Southern Sun Middle East is to launch a new prop-erty in Abu Dhabi in mid-2013 with the aim of catering to business and leisure travellers alike.
Occupying a prime location in the business dis-trict of the UAE capital, the four-star hotel will provide guests with an array of facilities, including restaurants, a reflection pond, a roof-top gym, and pool deck.
The African hospitality group’s announcement comes five years after the launch of its two flagship properties in Downtown Dubai, namely Southern Sun Al Mazil and Qamardeen Hotels, which have both established successful positions as deluxe four-star hotels.
Founded in 1969, Southern Sun Hotels has now over four decades of experience in providing hospi-tality to its guests, boasting an extensive portfolio in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia, Seychelles, Tan-zania, and Mozambique.
Accommodation
11WEEKLY NEWS
19 MAY 2012
Accommodation
TIME to Manage Egyptian Resort
Paramount Pictures Enters Hospitality
Following a century of success on the silver screen, Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC) is to make its debut in the hospitality industry and bring Hollywood glamour to the Middle East.
Already in active development by PHR LLC, which secured an exclusive, long-term agreement with Para-mount Licensing, the licensing division of PPC, the pro-ject is aimed at establishing a chain of Paramount-brand-ed hotels and resorts around the world, including Oman, Qatar, and the UAE, in the region.
The new brand envisions to deliver the ultimate in ‘star-treatment’ for guests with studio-inspired entertain-ment and other world-class amenities.
“Our goal is to deliver on the expectations of the brand with experiences that are ‘unmissable, unforgettable, and unmistakable,’” said Thomas van Vliet, CEO, PHR LLC.
TIME Hotels Management has secured the management contract for an Egyptian Nile resort with plans to upgrade it to a deluxe four-star status.
Under the terms of the deal, the 79-room boutique hotel will forthwith operate under the name TIME Tuthotel and will soon undergo a complete refurbishment that will take its total inventory to 161 rooms. The property, which oversees the River Nile, is expected to be fully-operational by the end of the year.
“Located in Luxor, away from the noise and chaos of Egypt’s big cities, TIME Tuthotel will offer leisure travellers a tranquil retreat with stunning views of ‘the great river’,” Mo-hamed Awadalla, area vice president, TIME Hotels Manage-ment, commented, adding that the property’s location will allow guests to participate in various activities, including Nile cruises, as well as Luxor and Kaman temple day-trips.
12 WEEKLY NEWS Accommodation
19 MAY 2012
Cristal Hotels and Resorts: Three New Hotels
Steigenberger to Sail across the Nile
Cristal Hotels and Resorts is to expand its network with the open-ing of three new hotels this summer.
The company, which already operates two properties in Abu Dhabi, will soon debut in Lebanon, Iraq, and Union of Comoros, an-nounced Peter Blackburn, president, Cristal Hotels and Resorts.
Located in the centre of Zahle, 45km from Beirut, the landmark Cristal Grand Hotel Kadri will offer 83 rooms and suites while Cristal
Canyon Hotel, located just 10 minutes from Erbil International Air-port, Iraq, will comprise 93 rooms and suites.
Marking the company’s debut outside the region, Cristal Itsan-dra Beach Hotel, Union of Comoros, will be situated on a rocky out-crop upon a sandy beach, and is set to feature 36 rooms and chalets. All three properties will provide facilities to cater to both corporate and leisure guests.
In an unprecedented attempt, Steigenberger Hotel Group is to begin operating three luxury cruise ships on the River Nile and Lake Nasser, Egypt, as of October.
The cruise ships Steigenberg-er Minerva and Steigenberger Legacy will operate on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan in three-, four-, and seven-night itineraries, while the Omar El Khayam will operate on Lake Nasser between Aswan and Abu Simbel in three- and four-night cruises. All three luxury vessels, which have recently been con-structed, offer passenegrs some 80 cabins, including suites, a range of restaurants, and swim-ming pools.
In co-operation with the Cai-ro-based company Travcotels, which operates 20 cruise ships, making it the largest cruise pro-vider in Egypt, the new ships will enable the Frankfurt-based Steigenberger Hotels to supple-ment the range of hospitality venues it provides in the North African country where it al-ready has four five-star hotels in Hurghada, Luxor, and El Gouna.
14 WEEKLY NEWS Air News
19 MAY 2012
Jet Airways Boosts its UAE Connectivity
Qatar Airways Commences Flights to Zagreb
Etihad Airways Expands Ethiopia and India Networks
Jet Airways has enhanced its operations to the UAE, through the introduction of a fourth daily service be-tween Mumbai and Dubai.
Having commenced operations on May 18, this new service complements the three flights already being operated by Jet Airways on the Mumbai-Dubai route, as well as the daily direct services to Dubai from Chennai, Delhi, and Hyderabad.
According to Sudheer Raghavan, chief commercial officer, Jet Airways, the airline has already established itself as a prestigious brand in the intensely competi-tive Indo-Gulf sector, in a relatively short period of time, on accord of the warmth of its service and quality of its in-flight product. “The new flight will also help in con-necting our guests flying in from Tier II and III cities fol-lowing an increased demand due to the flow of tourist and business traffic to and from Dubai,” he concluded.
Qatar Airways has celebrated the launch of its 30th Eu-ropean destination with daily scheduled flights to the Croatian capital, Zagreb.
Addressing guests at the inaugural ceremony, Akbar Al Baker, CEO, Qatar Airways, said he was de-lighted to celebrate Qatar Airways’ long-awaited arrival into Croatia. “Our new daily air link between my home city of Doha and Zagreb is further testament to Qatar Airways’ commitment to expanding our presence in Europe. Over the past 18 months we have grown our footprint significantly in Europe, and I am very pleased to say that today Zagreb becomes Qatar Airways’ 30th destination on the continent, 114th overall worldwide, and the first route linking Croatia with the Gulf.”
Further commenting on the launch, Tonči Peović, general manager, Zagreb Airport, added, “We are happy and proud that Zagreb has became part of the network of destinations of Qatar Airways. The carrier is one of the leading airlines in the world, a welcome partner to every airport, and we see their arrival as the confirmation that our airport is on the right course of development.”
Etihad Airways is set to add Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, and Ahmedabad, India, to its rapidly growing network, as of November, commencing with five-weekly flights and daily services respectively.
In 2013, the UAE-based airline will serve the Ethio-pian city daily which, together with the introduction of Ahmedabad, will expand Etihad Airways’ reach to 86 pas-senger and cargo destinations around the world. The new service to Ahmedabad will offer nearly 1,000 seats a week into the Guajarati city and the November launch will coin-cide with the beginning of the peak travel season in India.
James Hogan, president, Etihad Airways, comment-ed, “Addis Ababa and Ahmedabad are economic cen-tres in their respective countries and daily flights to Abu Dhabi will build greater ties with the UAE’s capital as it continues to invest in world-class development projects and attract business and leisure travellers.”
16 WEEKLY NEWS Air News
19 MAY 2012
Etihad Airways and Royal Air Maroc Establish Partnership
Emirates Intensifies its Commit-ment to Saudi Arabia
Etihad Airways has announced a reciprocal frequent flyer agreement with codeshare partner Royal Air Maroc.
The partnership will allow Etihad Guest members to earn and redeem Etihad Guest Miles when flying on Royal Air Maroc to an additional 74 destinations in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and North America. Members of the Royal Air Maroc Safar Frequent Flyer programme will also be able to earn and redeem Safar Flyer Miles on Etihad Airways flights.
Both Peter Baumgartner, chief commercial officer, Etihad Airways, and Abderrafia Zouiten, deputy execu-tive officer, Royal Air Maroc, expressed delight for this joint effort which will offer a plethora of opportunities to loyal guests and more ways in which to earn and burn miles, simultaneously strengthening the joint will of both carriers to extend the cooperation field, as Zouiten highlighted.
Saudi Arabia will receive a 12 percent boost in Emirates’ ser-vices this year, as the airline increases its commitment to the country with Jeddah and Riyadh benefitting from the added flights as of June 1 and August 1 respectively.
Three extra services to Riyadh together with four addi-tional frequencies to Jeddah are set to offer passengers an increased capacity of 1,722 seats in each direction per week.
Commenting on the airline’s loyalty to the Kingdom, Ahmed Khoory, senior vice president, commercial operations, Gulf, Middle East, and Iran, Emirates, said, “Emirates has ambi-tious growth plans in Saudi Arabia and these added frequen-cies are an integral part of our long-term strategy. The domes-tic growth within Saudi Arabia is staggering. Over 31 percent of all construction projects within the Middle East are in progress within the Kingdom and this 12 percent capacity increase will enable Emirates to capitalise on this growth, whilst supporting the country’s burgeoning economic development.”
17WEEKLY NEWSAir News
19 MAY 2012
EGYPTAIR Offers New Product
Air Arabia Launches Flights to Taif
Virgin Atlantic Adds Daily Service
EGYPTAIR has introduced its newest product, EGYPTAIR Holidays, helping customers to discover the attractions of the North African country.
According to Hossam Kamal, chair-man, EGYPTAIR Holding Company, EGYPTAIR Holidays is one of the key pro-jects adopted by the company in a bid to promote tourism to the country, and it offers a wide range of programmes for customers to choose from.
Air Arabia is to introduce week-ly services to Taif, Saudi Arabia, from the carrier’s primary hub in Sharjah, UAE, as of June 2.
Highlighting, in particular, the business opportunities in the kingdom, Adel Ali, group CEO, Air Arabia, commented, “Given the strong economies and the commercial demand for air travel between the two countries, we are confident that the new service will offer our customers a new option for af-fordable air travel and a great connectivity to the wider MENA region.”
Virgin Atlantic Airways has announced a fourth daily service between London Heathrow Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City, providing a seamless connection with its Dubai route.
Commencing on October 28, the service will allow connecting passengers greater flexibility to change onto other flights including to Delhi, Accra, and nu-merous African destinations. Comment-ing on the latest addition, Brad West, country manager, UAE, Virgin Atlantic, said, “The introduction of this fourth daily service offers passengers a smooth journey from Dubai to London Heathrow and across the Atlantic to New York.”
Lufthansa: 30 Years in CyprusThis year marks Lufthansa’s 30-year anniversary since it first launched non-stop flights to the coastal city of Larn-aca, Cyprus. To celebrate three decades of success, the German airline recently organised a party dedicated to its highly-esteemed customers and partners, at the Hilton Park Hotel, Nicosia.
According to Carsten Schaeffer, vice president, sales and services, Southeast Europe, Africa and Middle East, Lufthan-sa, Cyprus has long been a haven of stability, both politically and economically, and has been a reliable attribute to the airline’s results since it first landed on the island in 1982.
Throughout 2011, the German airline carried nearly 117,360 passengers to and from the Mediterranean island
and according to Patrick Borg Hedley, general man-ager, Cyprus, Lufthansa, the outlook for the current year remains positive. “For the summer, an increase in the number of passenger book-ings has already been regis-tered compared to 2011, of incoming as well as outgo-ing passengers,” he said.
Paulo Yoshikawa, general manager, Greece and Cyprus (left), Patrick Borg Hedley,
Carsten Schaeffer
EGYPTAIR
19WHO'S MOVED
19 MAY 2012
Rami Serhal
Jabir Ali
Mark Kirk
Rami Serhal has been ap-pointed executive assistant manager at Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi Yas Island, UAE. Serhal joined InterConti-nental Hotels Group (IHG) in 2000 as chief concierge for InterContinental Ho-tel, Phoenicia. During his 12 years with IHG, he has shown great dedication to
the success of the company and the properties which led him to his most recent position as front office man-ager at InterContinental Abu Dhabi. Serhal now looks forward to continuing his success-ful career with yet another brand and hotel within the IHG family.
Jabir Ali has been named country manager for Abu Dhabi at Gulf Air. With an aviation career spanning over two decades, Ali brings a wealth of experi-ence to his new role. He has previously worked at a num-ber of locations through-out Asia and the Middle East, and has an in-depth
knowledge of the UAE as well as the regional market. During his extensive career he has also covered various management roles within Bahrain's Gulf Air, having previously served as sales manager for the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, prior to his relocation to the UAE capital.
Mark Kirk has been named general manager of Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, Oman. Kirk returns to the Sultan-ate after having worked in the same position at Shangri La’s Boracay Resort and Spa in the Philippines. Previously, he was also a member of the pre-opening team of his current prop-erty as resident manager between 2005 and 2007, before moving to the UAE to take on the general man-
ager role at Traders Hotel, Dubai, a position he held until 2009. Kirk, whose foundation is in the culinary arts and food and beverage, boasts 30 years of experience in the hotel in-dustry, started his career in London. He has later held various po-sitions in Scotland, France, Thailand, Malaysia, China, the Philippines, as well as Taipei before transferring to the Middle East to continue his career.
20 TRAVEL TALK
19 MAY 2012
Walid Al-Awa
“We are delighted to be voted as the “Best En-vironmental Hotel” [at the MENA Travel Awards 2012] by seasoned luxury and business travellers. The award is a clear endorsement of the superior green values we have adapted in the hotel, strong commitment to a long term plan to saving energy and reducing the carbon footprint, and excellent service standards of Tamani Hotel Marina.”
General manager, Tamani Hotel Marina.
General manager, Ramada Sharjah.
“Winning the [Best Deluxe Hotel Apartment award at the Sharjah Tourism Excellence Awards] is a testament to the efforts of the whole team. Our unwavering commitment to providing a great and consistent service as well as our inno-vative promotions have allowed us to enjoy high occupancy rates throughout the year so this is just icing on the cake.”
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Tamas Fazekas
21AGENT'S CORNER
19 MAY 2012
Travelport Strengthens Ties with easyJet
Travelport and easyJet have signed a new agreement which is set to further grow the presence of the UK’s larg-est airline on the company’s global distribution systems (GDS).
The revised plan, built on the two entities’ initial agree-ment signed in 2007, brings the airline’s content to all Gali-leo-connected agency customers and Travelport Universal API users, and offers enhanced functionality that improves the booking process for agents.
Commenting on the advanced services, Andrew Hodg-es, director of sales, distribution and business, easyJet, said, “Travelport’s extensive global footprint provides us with an efficient distribution channel for distributing our popular low-fares, including the Flexi fare, especially to the managed corporate travel market.” Will Owen Hughes, senior airline director, Middle East and Africa, Travelport, added, “This revised agreement extends the scope of the distribution we are able to provide easyJet as we harness our technology investment to facilitate the sale of airline products and meet their changing needs.”
AGENT'S INSIGHT
NAME: Steve Byrne
POSITION: CEO
COMPANY: Travel Counsellors
LOCATION: UK
WEB: www.travelcounsellors.co.uk
Tamas Fazekas
Who are you?I am the CEO of Travel Counsellors. I have worked in the travel industry for over 10 years and believe passionately in businesses being there to change people’s lives for the better and in putting clients at the heart of everything we do.
Having recently launched our seventh international division in Dubai, Travel Counsellors offers the opportunity for experienced, customer service-focused professionals to run their own leisure and corporate travel business from their home office. Each indi-vidual agent, known as a travel counsellor, is supported by award-winning technology and a team of over 200 full time office staff who handle all administration, allowing them to concentrate on what they love doing best – providing the upmost care for their customers. What is your favourite thing about working in the travel industry? The opportunity to meet and work with fantastic people, and ex-perience a wealth of different countries and cultures. When is the best time to visit the UK? The spring and summer months from April to August see the most sunshine. However, if you do get caught in a rain shower there is still plenty to do. Britain is packed with historic monuments, royal palaces, and some of the world's top museums.
Where would you like to travel to for your next holiday?It has to be Italy for the food, culture, and scenery and California for the family as my daughters are convinced they will bump into a movie star. Why should people come to you for travel advice?Travel Counsellors’ customers benefit from having their own person-al travel counsellor who takes pride in getting to know their clients and providing them with the highest possible levels of service and taking care of all their travel requirements, down to the last detail.
22 TRAVEL CHANNELS
19 MAY 2012
IATA: Global Traffic ResultsKorea Sings Its Own Praises
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced the global traffic results for March showing that total passenger demand rose 7.6 percent.
International air travel grew 9.6 percent compared to the corresponding month in 2011, while capacity climbed five percent, resulting in a load factor of 77.7 percent, up 3.2 percentage points.
European airlines recorded the strongest traffic growth among the major regions with demand up 8.8 percent year-on-year on a 4.1 percent increase in capacity, while load fac-tor rose to 78.5 percent.
Furthermore, Middle East airlines demand jumped 20.9 percent on a 12.4 percent rise in capacity, propelling load factors to 78.7 percent, while African airlines reported a 14.3 percent rise in traffic and a 10.7 percent increase in capacity, resulting in a load factor of 64.8 percent.
Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), Dubai, participated at this year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM) with a larger presence than 2011.
Showcasing its products at the ATM for the 10th consecutive year, KTO's professionals, including tour operators, hoteliers, and gov-ernment officials from provinces across Korea, had the opportunity to meet and interact with other fellow tourism trade experts.
In 2011, Korea welcomed some 10 million tourists, versus ap-proximately 8.8 million in 2010. Seunghyun Hwang, regional di-rector, Dubai office, KTO, attributed these satisfying figures to the ongoing VISITKOREA campaign 2010-2012, and expects to accom-plish the authority’s objective of receiving more than 10 million tourists before the end of the campaign.
Moreover, GCC tourist arrivals in 2011 increased 48.9 percent from 2010, with Saudi arrivals to the country having recorded a growth of 87.2 percent. Meanwhile, travellers from the UAE rose 21.5 percent and Kuwaiti visitors were up 20.3 percent.
23RENDEZVOUS
19 MAY 2012
Q & A with Stefan ViardStaying true to its name and core values, The Address Dubai Mall has established itself as a hotel offering much more than just accommodation. Stefan Viard, hotel manager, The Address Dubai Mall, talks about creating impeccable experiences and the destination’s ever-changing face.
Travel Trade Weekly: The hotel was earlier awarded the ‘Middle East’s Leading Shop-ping Destination Hotel’ at the World Travel Awards 2011. How do you uphold these standards?
Stefan Viard: The Address Dubai Mall focuses on a distinct strategy that sets its standards apart, including location, service, and provid-ing tangible guest benefits.
We are linked directly to The Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping and entertain-ment destination, and centrally situated in Downtown Dubai. This provides the unpar-alleled advantage of being part of one of Dubai’s most vibrant lifestyle destinations, described as ‘The Centre of Now,’ for all our visitors. Being comfortably located in the midst of the city’s most upbeat tourist land-marks, further allows us to set our benchmark in terms of location advantage.
Our second pillar, service, is of utmost importance, as it is the most crucial quality of our guest approach. At The Address Dubai Mall we ensure that our service standards sur-pass the highest customer expectations.
The final, and the benchmark, of our en-tire strategy is the focus to provide our visitors with tangible guest benefits. As a property under The Address Hotels + Resorts group, we understand how important it is to provide true value for our guests.
Travel Trade Weekly: What do you believe makes The Address Dubai Mall unique?
Stefan Viard: At every mode, we continue to en-hance and develop the services offered by The Address Dubai Mall, to ensure that we remain at
Dubai. Of late, we see significant interest from Chinese tourists too.
Travel Trade Weekly: Based on your experi-ence, what do travellers typically look for when staying at such prestigious hotels?
Stefan Viard: Personally, we believe that the one thing that any kind of traveller looks for, whether they are staying at a luxury hotel or a resort, is the unparalleled sense of comfort that every vacation is supposed to bring with it. However, with luxury hotels, the average scale of comfort is not enough. When staying at a prestigious hotel, guests expect a 'home-away-from-home' experience, which is what the ma-jority of hotels continuously endeavour to do.
Travel Trade Weekly: What are your expec-tations for the remainder of the year?
Stefan Viard: Dubai has firmly established itself as the ultimate tourist destination, be it in the Middle East, or in the world. With inter-est and curiosity in experiencing what the city has to offer tourists rising, we are confident that Dubai will continue to draw in visitors from all walks of life, and from cities across the globe. This is reflected in trade statistics: Dubai, in 2011, welcomed more than 9.3 mil-lion visitors, and Dubai International recorded about 51 million passenger arrivals.
Bearing that in mind, our main expectation for the remainder of the year is to continue to underscore The Address Dubai Mall’s credentials as a provider of world-class hospitality and lei-sure services. Building on this, we will continue to strive to enhance our brand name among guests from established and emerging markets.
Stefan ViardHotel manager, The Address Dubai Mall
the forefront of the hospitality industry. From the food and beverage options to
the services, we strive day-in and day-out to ensure that we can customise each individu-al’s experience at the hotel.
We provide a vast array of service packag-es to visitors interested in a recreational life-style, to those who choose to spend their va-cation in the divine retail offerings of Dubai.
At The Address Dubai Mall, we provide a one-stop-shop experience, offering guests everything under one roof.
Travel Trade Weekly: What are the prop-erty’s top source markets?
Stefan Viard: The hotel’s main feeder mar-kets spread from the GCC, to the Indian sub-continent, and Europe, and this reflects the demographic trends of the tourism sector of
24 NEWS & EVENTS
19 MAY 2012
EVENTS
Made in Korea Expo (MIK)Abu Dhabi, UAE, May 21, 2012(www.mikexhibtion.com)The only exhibition in the MENA region to showcase Korea and its entire splendor, opening up a plethora of new opportunities and possibilities.
Airport ShowDubai, UAE, May 22 – 24, 2012(www.theairportshow.com)A vital link to the region's industry, providing industry insights and expertise covering all aspects of airport construction and operations.
IMEXFrankfurt, Germany, May 22 – 24, 2012 (www.imex-frankfurt.com)The show where the global meetings industry continues to do busi-ness while maximising connections and networking opportunities.
International Travel Expo (ITE) Hong Kong, June 14 – 17, 2012(www.itehk.com)A travel fair with impressive profiles of international exhibitors, buy-ers, and regional trade visitors.
Beijing International Tourism Expo (BITE) Beijing, China, June 15 – 17, 2012(www.bitechina.com.cn)A tourism event that showcases destinations, tourism attractions, travel packages, products, and services.
The Americas Meetings & Events Exhibitions (AIBTM)Baltimore, US, June 19 – 21, 2012(www.aibtm.com)A leading exhibition for the meetings and events industry, bringing to-gether professionals from all around the world.
China Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition (CIBTM)Beijing, China, September 12 – 14, 2012 (www.cibtm.com)China’s leading meetings, incentives, and business travel show providing the ultimate platform for the world’s top suppliers to the MICE industry.
PATA Travel Mart Manila, Philippines, September 25 – 28, 2012(www.pata.org/events/pata-travel-mart-2012)Asia Pacific’s premier travel trade show offering networking and con-tracting opportunities for hundreds of international buyers and sellers.
COTTM 2012: Bigger and Better than 2011
DTCM Unveils New Hotel Classifica-tion Checklists
China Outbound Travel & Tourism Market (COTTM) 2012, which recently took place in Bei-jing, saw 275 exhibitors from 60 different countries showcase their destinations and travel services to more than 4,000 leading outbound tour operators from across the country.
COTTM 2012 welcomed brand new destina-tions such as Armenia, Cameroon, Ecuador, Monte-negro, Serbia, Nepal, Seychelles, and the Solomon Islands. Furthermore, a number of destinations made a welcome return to COTTM such as Bang-ladesh, Bulgaria, Dubai, Ethiopia, and Iran, demon-strating the global reach of the show.
In order to meet the demand for luxury travel, COTTM 2012 launched the Luxury Travel Show-case, which proved to be an ideal way for qualified visitors to instantly find high-end travel services and discover more about what luxury travel has to offer the Chinese outbound market.
As part of the new Classification Scheme, the Dubai De-partment of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has announced the soft launch of the new Hotel Classification Checklists for all categories.
Jointly developed by DTCM and the emirate’s tourism indus-try, the classification framework was designed to meet all con-sumer needs and facilitate further marketing of the destination, explained Majid Al Marri, director of classification, DTCM.
The Classification Scheme and the checklists in particular are set to increase the emirate’s guest accommodation port-folio and encourage diversity in line with the international standards. The framework was developed by undertaking a number of steps and the initiative includes the introduction of new categories of accommodation and grading levels, au-tomation of a new grading process, the launch of overnight assessments as well as self assessment processes and a des-ignator programme, as well as the introduction of the Accolo-date Programme, a new customer care centre, and a classifica-tion software.
