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IHG TO ADD 25 REGIONAL HOTELS WATER ATTRACTION COMES TO DUBAI 11 04 14 MAY 2016 ISSUE 340 ROTANA: 18 NEW HOTELS BY 2017 ACCOMMODATION 10 08 22 24 Agents Travel Channels News & Events
IHG TO ADD 25 REGIONAL HOTELS
WATER ATTRACTION COMES TO DUBAI
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ROTANA: 18 NEW HOTELS BY 2017
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AgentsTravel ChannelsNews & Events
TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS
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MANAGING EDITOR
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ASSISTANT EDITORMaria Kazeli
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Pauline Shahabian CONTRIBUTOR
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DAMAC ENCOURAGES HOSPITALITY INVESTMENTS
PALESTINE HOSPITALITY SECTOR STRUGGLES
Luxury real estate developer, DAMAC Properties is now providing increased opportunities for private investors to tap into Dubai’s growing hospitality sector.
A total of 484,394 guests stayed in hotels in the West Bank in 2015, with 30 percent of them coming from European Union countries.
The initiatives come as the company gears up to create and deliver more than 13,000 keys by 2021 to add to its existing portfolio of 2,000 plus units.
Ziad El Chaar, managing director, DAMAC Properties, said, “[We are] making it very possible for individual investors to own a hotel room in a prime location, with title
deed, and reap a significant return on investment in the world’s fastest growing property invest-ment market.”
The company recently launched for sale freehold hotel rooms within AYKON City to be man-aged by AYKON Hotels & Resorts.
Based on data released by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, overall visitor figures de-clined 21 percent compared to 2014. Consequently, average occupancy dropped 11 percent to 23 percent.
The survey took into consideration 112 properties with 6,791 rooms and 15,059 beds in the West Bank.
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14 MAY 2016
Water Attraction Comes to Dubai
B oasting 450 performances per year in a 1,300-seat tailor-made theatre, La Perle will fea-ture a cast of 65 world-class artists performing water and aerial feats with the assistance of 70 specialised technicians.
“Al Habtoor Group is leading the way to herald a new era of theatrical entertainment for Dubai and secure the city as not just a tourist destination but an epicentre for unique world-class theatre similar to Las Vegas and Macau,” enthused Mohammed Al Habtoor, CEO, Al Hab-toor Group, developer of the attraction.
La Perle, a new fixture created and produced by cultural artistic company Dragone, will make its debut in the heart of Dubai’s Al Habtoor
City late this year as the region’s first permanent aqua-based show.
Demand for Cooling Services
Rises in Dubai
E mpower, one of the world’s largest district cooling services providers revealed that Dubai’s
hotel industry makes up 12 percent of its total portfolio and the figure is ex-pected to surge even higher given the volume of upcoming projects in sup-port of the emirate’s plan to welcome 20 million tourists by 2020.
“Demand for district cooling is also increasing simultaneously and Empower is committed to supporting Dubai’s future growth by upgrading our existing plants and developing a number of new ones. […] District cooling is considered an ideal environ-mental and cost-effective solution for providing reliable cooling services to hotel stayers,” said Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO, Empower.
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WEEKLY NEWS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
TDIC Assigns Mamsha Al Saadiyat Construction
Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) awarded the main construction contract for Mamsha Al Saadiyat, the first residential development within
Saadiyat Cultural District, to a joint venture between San Jose Contracting and Pivot Engineering & General Contracting.
Valued at AED1.25 billion (USD340 million), the 1.4km mixed-use beachfront project is scheduled to be delivered in the second half of 2018 and will offer residents a beach-inspired lifestyle as well as easy access to diverse retail, dining and entertainment features.
As Miguel Angel Bravo, country manager, San Jose Con-tracting, noted Mamsha Al Saadiyat will create a vibrant com-munity that will meet the demand of both residents as well as leisure visitors.
Morocco: Over 1.7 Million Overnights from the UK
Some 660,000 travellers visited Morocco from the UK in 2015, marking a five percent year-on-year increase and leading to over 1.7 million guest nights.
To further boost arrivals from the European country, the Moroccan National Tourist Office (MNTO) is once again having a strong presence in specialist media. Keen to continue the pro-motion of the North African destination as an ideal location for meetings, exhibitions, conferences and incentives, MNTO will also showcase the best of Morocco at the upcoming The Meet-ings Show in London between June 14 – 16. Occupying a stand of 27m2, which is 50 percent bigger than in 2015, 10 exhibitors, including Royal Air Maroc, will present their offerings.
Mamsha Al Saadiyat
A jman Tourism Development Department (ATDD) unveiled a brand-new webpage designed as a comprehensive, one-stop gateway for travellers looking to explore and discover
the emirate as a business, family and leisure destination.Available in both English and Arabic, the site was created to meet
the needs of millennial visitors by allowing easy navigation and fea-turing striking photos of key attractions of Ajman.
Sheikh Abdulaziz Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, chairman, ATDD, said, “The [...] new website is part of our concerted efforts to put Ajman on the map [...]. This project supports the government of Ajman’s strate-gic objective which is to promote Ajman as a tourism and investment destination.”
Ajman Boasts New Website
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Al Tayyar to Redefine Online Experience
I n light of the positive outlook, the Saudi company plans to make a multimillion dollar investment push into the online space.
“In addition to our investments in existing online players in various segments, we have established tajawal to become our online and mobile focussed technology hub. Not only do we regard tajawal as an additional line of business contributing to our top as well as bottom line results, we also aim to shape the future of the home-grown travel industry in the Middle East,” said Abdullah Bin Nasser Aldawood, CEO, Al Tayyar Travel Group.
Al Tayyar Travel Group’s online travel platform for airlines and hotels, tajawal, exceeded sales targets by 30 percent in its first four months,
and the figure is to reach USD1 billion in less than five years.
Agents Get a Glimpse of the
Future
Top travel agencies from the Mid-dle East were given a sneak peek into the sector’s future at Sabre’s
event in the UK, which provided partici-pants with a unique view of top technol-ogy trends and the company’s latest in-novations.
The initiative also allowed agencies to share their opinion and address their main challenges, for example how to create a more seamless and personalised experience for travellers, and how to ap-peal to increasingly tech-savvy tourists.
“Studies prove that travellers are using their mobile devices before, dur-ing and after their trip. […] It is the right time for Middle East travel companies to embrace this,” said Daniel Naoumovitch, CEO, Sabre Travel Network Middle East.
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WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION www.traveltradeweekly.travel
by 2017IN A MOVE THAT WILL SEE 4,354 KEYS ADDED TO THE COMPANY’S EXISTING INVENTORY, ROTANA AIMS TO OPEN 18 PROPERTIES THIS YEAR AND IN 2017 IN MAJOR MARKETS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA AND EUROPE.
N ew Rotana projects to launch in the specific timeframe include five hotels in Saudi Arabia, four in the UAE and two each in Iraq and Turkey. The hotelier will also introduce additional addresses in Jordan, Iran and the Democratic Republic of Congo, in addition to completing the extension work on The Cove Rotana Resort in Ras Al Khaimah.
Omer Kaddouri, CEO, Rotana, said, “Our robust development pipeline for the next two years, which includes a number of properties in markets outside the GCC, brings us closer towards achieving our goal to expand globally.”
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ROTANA: 18 NEW HOTELS
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WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATIONwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)’s Middle Eastern footprint is set to grow more than 40 percent with 25 new properties coming up in the next three to five years.
“With around 9,658 rooms in the pipeline, we are in a good position to support the commercial and tourism industries across the region, specifically at midmarket level, which is a key area of focus for GCC countries,” explained Pascal Gauvin, chief operating officer, India, Middle East and Africa, IHG.
As Gauvin noted, with Abu Dhabi and Dubai remaining highly attractive locations for corporate travellers, MICE business has been one of IHG’s strongest segments, thus, the company’s focus on this area in the mid to long-term.
Emaar Hospitality Group announced its expan-sion plans with 35 new hotels and serviced residences set to open under its three flagship
brands, The Address Hotels + Resorts, Vida Hotels and Resorts and Rove Hotels, in Dubai, Fujairah, Saudi Ara-bia, Bahrain, Egypt and Turkey.
Among the highlights of the company’s growth strategy is the roll-out of the contemporary midscale Rove Hotels brand, with the first property, the 420-room Rove Downtown Dubai opening this month.
“In just eight years since our inception, we have developed three compelling hotel brands with dis-tinctive niches. Today, we are taking our home-grown expertise to international markets and newer geogra-phies,” said Chris Newman, corporate director, opera-tions, Emaar Hospitality Group.
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Tamani Marina unveiled a series of redesign and renovation works to the property’s rooms to satisfy the needs of business travellers by providing enhanced comfort and distinctive ser-
vices.As Walid Al-Awa, general manager, Tamani Marina, revealed, a
stronger demand for luxury hotel apartments has raised occupancy rates to record levels.
“The redesign conducted by Tamani contributes to meet the de-mands of guests and provides them with greater convenience and luxury,” he said, adding that customers will also be invited to enjoy a refreshed restaurant.
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IHG to Add 25 Regional Hotels
Emaar: 35 New Accommodation Projects
Tamani Marina Receives Retouch
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WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATION www.traveltradeweekly.travel
Preparations are in full swing for the upcoming opening of Ro-tana’s second property in Saudi Arabia.
Set to welcome its first guests before the end of May, Rosh Rayhaan by Rotana, Riyadh will boast a contemporary design in its 236 rooms and suites which will spread over eight floors, ranging from classic to royal units.
Pierre Zayoun, general manager, Rosh Rayhaan by Rotana, said, “We are confident that we are going to attract the most distinguished clientele, as well as residents of the Kingdom’s capital who come to enjoy the fine dining for which Rotana is renowned.”
Aside luxurious restaurants and lounges, the five-star property will also feature multifunctional venues, including nine meeting rooms and a spacious ballroom.
Riyadh to Welcome Rosh Rayhaan
In line with its strategic goal to bring around 1,700 high-end rooms to the Sultanate within the next four years, Tameer Investment revealed plans for the company’s third Omani
property.Scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2019, the five-
star Shaza Muscat will feature 250 rooms, 150 hotel apart-ments, a number of specialty restaurants and other amenities.
The hotel will be part of a large mix-used development comprising two levels of retail, event and function space, as well as a plethora of entertainment areas and an exclusive central plaza.
New Shaza Hotel Coming Up in Muscat
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Signing of Shaza Muscat at Arabian Travel Market
Swiss-Belhotel Enters Egypt
Swiss-Belhotel International signed a deal with Marseilia Group to man-age a four-star property in Alexan-
dria, marking the company’s foray into Egypt.
Part of a mixed-use complex in a prime location overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, Swiss-Belhotel Marseilia will open in 2018, offering more than 200 rooms and apartments, over 500 residential units and a host of culinary and retail options.
“Egypt and this stunning historical location on the Mediterranean Sea are a very strong fit for the Swiss-Belhotel In-ternational brand and we look forward to bringing our distinct blend of profession-alism, passion and international standards to the destination,” said Gavin Faull, chair-man, Swiss-Belhotel International.
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WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATIONwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
The Middle East continues to be an in-creasingly important segment for ONYX Hospitality Group with the region now
ranking as the Thai company’s third largest source market globally after Asia and Europe.
In 2015, properties flying the ONYX flag witnessed a 17 percent year-on-year surge in guest arrivals from the area with Arab travellers now accounting for over 10 percent of the to-tal occupancy across ONYX Hospitality Group’s establishments in Asia Pacific and the Indian Ocean. The most popular destinations for Mid-dle Eastern customers include Bangkok, Doha and Kandy.
ONYX Appeals to Arabs
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Fresh Gloria Hotel in the UAE
Gloria Downtown Hotel Abu Dhabi has been un-veiled, becoming the third property in the UAE under the Gloria Hotels & Resorts umbrella.
Nestled in the centre of the city, the four-star prop-erty combines comfort and entertainment, comple-mented by a variety of restaurants, a spa and a gym.
Ahmed Hassib, general manager, Gloria Downtown Hotel Abu Dhabi, said, “We are delighted to announce a new Gloria Hotel in the city of Abu Dhabi, providing an extra 156 rooms in the heart of the capital. […] The sup-port we have received keeps us motivated to continue our growth within the GCC.”
Gloria Downtown Hotel Abu Dhabi
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WEEKLY NEWS AIR www.traveltradeweekly.travel
Emirates Enhances Travel Agent Connectivity
The API is an innovative direct connect solution which allows distribution partners to directly con-nect to the carrier’s host reservation system thereby benefitting from access to availability, pricing, shopping and ticketing. In addition, it also facilitates ancillary sales, including excess baggage,
visas as well as chauffer services.“The new capabilities will allow Emirates to extend the already rich Emirates online brand to travel re-
tailers and ease integration into their own trading platforms. This is an important step in for us in enhanc-ing our already strong mobile and business-to-consumer strategy and will allow us to collaborate more effectively with those in the travel industry,” said Paul Starrs, senior vice president, global sales, Emirates.
E tihad Cargo enhanced its Middle Eastern reach by adding an extra freighter frequency to Kuwait and
introducing a new twice-weekly service to Muscat.
As David Kerr, vice president, Etihad Cargo, noted the company, which now offers 11 weekly flights across the Middle East, is already eyeing future opportuni-ties as the region remains the focal point in the division’s strategy.
Over the last year, the cargo depart-ment has been growing into South Amer-ica, Africa and Asia and to support the development two new freighters were added to the fleet this year.
Emirates launched its own online application programme interface (API) to foster stronger business-to-business relations.
Qatar Airways Lounge Unveiled
in Dubai
Etihad Cargo Boosts Regional
Network
Aviation Forum Brings Experts
to Dubai
More than 40 renowned international avia-tion leaders and ex-
perts shared their professional insights, experiences and future perspectives on the industry and its challenges during the fourth edition of the Global Airport Leaders’ Forum in Dubai in mid-May.
The forum witnessed brain-storming sessions on key issues such as open skies policies, oil price volatility, how the indus-try will develop over the next decade, next generation passen-gers, safety and security issues, strategies to enhance passenger capacity, market overcrowding as well as new project reviews and opportunities, among more.
F irst and business class pas-sengers and Privilege Club platinum, gold and silver
members can now enjoy extra comfort and additional perks at Qatar Airways’ newly-launched luxurious premium lounge at Dubai International.
A modern and sophisticated space where travellers can relax and rejuvenate before their jour-ney, the new offering features private family areas, shower facili-ties, spacious seating areas and an international cuisine buffet.
As Akbar Al Baker, group CEO, Qatar Airways, explained, by con-tinuing to evolve the experience provided to travellers, the air-line stays ahead of the curve and stands out from its peers.
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WEEKLY NEWS AIR www.traveltradeweekly.travel
Emirates Backs Indian Ocean Destinations
Emirates renewed its support to Mauritius and the Seychelles by extending the individ-ual global marketing agreements with the tourism authorities of the two countries.
The Indian Ocean islands remain highly important destinations for the company as in the 2015-16 financial year the airline carried over 500,000 passengers to and from the two countries, revealed Orhan Abbas, senior vice president, commercial operations, Africa, Emirates.
“We will develop a series of joint activities together with the tourism boards aiming to increase the visibility of the destinations with our clients,” he added.
The joint activities will include attendance of tourism trade shows and fairs, trade famil-iarisation trips, product presentations and workshops, amongst others.
Etihad Brings Out New App
Etihad Airways launched a mo-bile application for iPhone, enabling guests to organise
and manage their journey with even greater ease.
The software allows passengers to check in for flights by using their phone to scan their passport page, or pay for tickets by simply scanning their credit card.
“We strive to provide innovative solutions that ensure our guests en-joy a seamless world-class service. We are confident that our guests will be delighted with the speed of the app, its ease of use and its considerable functionality. Regular travellers will also appreciate the ability to organise their journey on the go,” commented on the new offering Peter Baum-gartner, CEO, Etihad Airways.
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RENDEZVOUSwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How important is the corporate segment to your business?
FADI MHEISEN: The business travel segment has a significant importance and impact on the business stability and represents more than 35 percent of the business mix. We consider the corporate segment and business travellers as business partners. Dammam is in the centre of Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province linking Al Khobar, Dhahran and Al Hassa, and is a short distance from Ras Tan-nura where new oil projects are taking place, thus, more corporate and business travellers need hospitality service hosts.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: In a nutshell, what do business travellers expect
FADI MHEISEN
Q & A
with
HOTEL MANAGER, PARK INN BY RADISSON DAMMAM
WITH DAMMAM REMAINING A BUSTLING BUSINESS DESTINATION, FADI MHEISEN,
HOTEL MANAGER, PARK INN BY RADISSON DAMMAM, EXPLAINS WHAT CORPORATE GUESTS ANTICIPATE FROM THEIR STAY.
titude and approach is vital to the guest experience and it is something we do very well.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Do you see any other type of travellers at the ho-tel, such as leisure guests and families?
FADI MHEISEN: While Park Inn by Radisson Dammam is very much a business hotel during the week, at the weekend it is also a popular choice for leisure guests, particularly for families,
who like to stay with us because of our location on the Corniche close to shop-ping and leisure facilities.
from their hotel experience?
FADI MHEISEN: We consider corporate and business travellers as our expert guests because they visit many hotels and travel to many countries and this means that they experience different styles of hospitality. In my experience, they generally prefer an uncomplicated yet personalised service that effectively meets their needs and provides a home away from home experience.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What types of services or facilities do you offer to help these guests maxim-ise their time and make their stay more efficient as well as pleasant?
FADI MHEISEN: At Park Inn by Radisson Dammam, we offer a choice of beautifully designed spacious rooms along with a host of essen-tial services such as a fully equipped gym, a [variety] of dining options, a full ser-vice laundry and the all-important free high-speed Internet. What is also very well received is the spa, as our business guests like to switch off and enjoy our massage services when they are travelling.
In addition, and prob-ably more importantly, it is the service that we provide that keeps guests com-ing back again and again. The team’s at-
Park Inn by Radisson Dammam
Park Inn by Radisson Dammam
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WEEKLY NEWS INTERNATIONAL www.traveltradeweekly.travel
L ausanne Tourism signed a global sales agreement with dnata at the recently-held Arabian Travel Market (ATM).
The organisation used the event to promote the Swiss city as an attractive destination for tour-ism, leisure as well as business.
As Walter Loser, project manager, GCC, Laus-anne Tourism, noted, the deal is expected to bring in more visitors from the all-important Gulf region.
In a bid to further boost Lausanne’s recog-nition, the tourism body signed multiple other agreements with regional tourism and travel com-panies in Dubai.
T ravelport hosted its annual Travel Industry Workshop in Windhoek, Na-mibia.
The event, which also included an exhibi-tion, attracted prominent leaders of the coun-try’s travel industry, providing them with the opportunity to connect, interact and discuss the sector’s present and future.
During the forum, Travelport’s team showcased the company’s innovative prod-ucts while well-known conference speaker and sales trainer Shelley Walters, who special-ises in sales and persuasion skills, gave a lec-ture on the future role of travel agents.
As Robyn Christie, country manager, South Africa, Travelport, noted, such events bring significant value to the local travel agencies community.
I n response to the growing demand for the sustainable brand, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide plans to significantly ex-pand its Element Hotels portfolio in North America.In a bid to more than double its footprint in the region over the
next three years, Element will open another 22 properties across the US and Canada by 2018, including debuts in Philadelphia, Charles-ton and Nashville.
Over the past 12 months, projects flying the Element flag have been already launched in Boston, Miami, Fargo, Bozeman, Basalt, and Vancouver.
Brian McGuinness, global brand leader, specialty select brands, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, said that sustainability is no longer optional but a requirement for a growing number of travellers.
Lausanne to Lure Arab Travellers
Travelport Puts Namibia in the Spotlight
Element Gains Momentum in North America
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14 MAY 2016
DIRECTOR OF AIRPORT SHOW, MIDDLE EAST, REED EXHIBITIONS
MANAGING DIRECTOR, DAMAC PROPERTIES
“The international participa-tion in this edition of the Air-port Show [was] the largest ever and it clearly reflects the growing interest of global avi-ation players in the booming Middle East aviation industry. A larger international represen-tation also adds value to the Airport Show where regional participants, who are keen on exploring cutting-edge tech-nologies, which [were] offered by international exhibitors, get an opportunity to acquire the best to meet the current and future needs for exceptional aviation infrastructure.”
“With DAMAC Properties’ hospitality brands [AYKON Hotels & Resorts, DAMAC Maison Royale, DAMAC Mai-son and DAMAC Maison De Ville], we cater to seasoned travellers who are looking for premium hotel accom-modation. Realising that one size does not fit all, our hos-pitality offering spans the range from high-end luxury suites with bespoke services for discerning travellers to hotel apartments with extra room and convenient kitchen facilities for families who de-mand luxury but are more price-conscious.”
A larger international representation also adds value
We cater to seasoned travellers
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“Our new premium economy cabin has become a real hit in the Gulf region and show-casing it to a larger audience attending the Arabian Travel Market [was] a great way to commence celebrating Luf-thansa’s 40th anniversary of service to Dubai. Lufthansa’s role as an industry leader among European carriers serving Dubai is a testament of our unwavering commit-ment to connect our custom-ers in the UAE not only with Germany, but hundreds of destinations across the vast Lufthansa network [...].”
Our new premium economy cabin has become a real hit
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TRAVEL TALK IS YOUR SPACE – this is a casual forum for travel industry professionals to discuss current issues and share stories.
We want to hear from you, so send your comments, questions, frustrations and observations to [email protected]
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TAREQ DERBAS has been ap-pointed area general manager for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide’s Middle East prop-erties.In his capacity, Derbas will be in charge of the Lebanese, Syr-ian, Pakistani, Iranian and Iraqi markets. Aside his new duties, he will also continue as the general manager of The St. Regis Doha staying true to his philosophy of total commitment to provide every guest with a flawless and bespoke experience.A seasoned hotelier with more than 25 years of international experience, prior to his current position Derbas has held sen-ior executive positions with some of the world’s finest lux-ury hotels brands, including the Four Seasons hotels in Am-man and Riyadh as well as Burj Al Arab Jumeirah in Dubai.
LAYLA HOWES has been named sales manager at Me-dia One Hotel, Dubai.Howes started as a chef in Royal Air Force in the UK and has taken part in extensive training on basic military skills. She then continued to develop her skills in both the retail and the recruitment sectors across the country.In 2009, Howes relocated to UAE to work with Etihad Air-ways as food and beverage manager in charge of the high level delivery of the customer experience to the company’s premium clients. Utilising her skills in sales, she also worked with other corporate compa-nies in the UAE.Howes’ broad knowledge and experience are set to be strong assets in securing in-creased business volumes for the hotel.
ANDREW LINDLEY has taken over as group finance director for Action Hotels and will join the company’s senior man-agement team on June 01.Lindley has more than 20 years of experience in senior finance positions in the UK where he began his career in the hospitality industry with the Forte Group and subse-quently continued at Mac-Donald Hotels before moving to the UAE. He previously also worked as vice president of fi-nance for the Africa region at Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, looking after a portfolio of 25 properties across the conti-nent as well as the cruise op-erations in Egypt. Lindley is a chartered manage-ment accountant and holds a bachelor degree in accounting and economics from Reading University in the UK.
MALIKA KHALED ZAROUR is the new spa manager at Kem-pinski Hotel Ajman.Zarour, who has a total of 13 years of experience in the spa industry, started her career in 2003 in Jordan, after graduat-ing from Ibn Khaldoun Univer-sity in Algeria with a business management diploma.Her ability to thrive combined with a passion-driven attitude towards the tourism and hos-pitality industry quickly aided Zarour on her career path, tak-ing her to Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea, where she held several positions for nine years. Prior to joining Kempinski Ho-tel Ajman, Zarour was in charge of Premedion Health Club in Oman, where she worked as assistant general manager, spearheading the entire opera-tions, from sales and marketing to the reception.
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When and how did you get involved in the tourism industry?It has been an interesting journey that has taken me from hotel school and managing a nightclub in India, to the greener pastures of Ireland where I worked at an 11th century castle in my first concierge post. I came of age as a concierge heading up the department at Atlantis The Palm with 35 colleagues reporting to me, before becoming a founding team member of the world’s first luxury digital concierge company.
What are the most important attrib-utes of a good travel agent?Great attitude and great connections; if you have both of these along with a dash of creativity, anything is possible. These days we have so many packages and add-ons available, but despite the wealth of choice, clients do not always receive the level of consultation they deserve to get the most from their experiences. That is what myself and my team take pride in ensuring; a personalised service that avoids a one-size fits all approach.
What is the most frequently asked question your company receives?We have most of the UAE’s best expe-riences available on our e-commerce platform, so when someone calls or gets in touch through live chat, it is of-ten to arrange something bespoke.
What are the must-visits and must-dos in the UAE? A desert trip as this is the foundation of all that you see in the UAE. How-ever, with temperatures soaring, sights should turn to the city. A trip to At The Top is a must – the world’s highest view-ing platform in the tallest building, Burj Khalifa – or if your budget can stretch to it, a helicopter tour will provide an ex-perience and memory of a lifetime.
Which destination is on your bucket list?when the time comes and my daughter is older I would love to take the family on a roadtrip down the us west coast.
AGENT’S INSIGHT
Ankur Bagga
Vice president, concierge services
myconcierge /NPI Media
UAE
www.myconcierge.com
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TRAVEL CHANNELS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
To grow the community of Responsible Business enthusiasts beyond its properties, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group launched a digital tree at this year’s Arabian Travel Market.
The dynamic tree was populated by social media images enabling it to grow as images were added using the hashtag
#GrowOurTree. Inge Huijbrechts, vice president, responsible business, Carlson Rezidor
Hotel Group, shed light on another green project, saying, “A key focus for us is our Meetings Minus Carbon by Club Carlson for Planners initiative, a unique and free service for meeting planners which is managed through Carlson Rezidor’s partner, Carbon Footprint. It is the first and only global loyalty programme which offsets the estimated carbon footprint of every meeting or event held at a Carlson Rezidor property.”
Etihad Airways revealed the trailer of its virtual reality film featur-ing Academy Award-winning actress Nicole Kidman.
The footage, which marks the first time a Hollywood actor has starred in a virtual reality video, is hailed as a major accom-plishment for the airline as it allows viewers to experience its
Airbus A380 and The Residence by Etihad concept.“The […] film is the latest example of Etihad Airways’ ongoing commit-
ment to adopting cutting-edge digital technologies to reimagine the way we engage with our guests and how we communicate our innovations,” said Peter Baumgartner, chief commercial officer, Etihad Airways.
Cairo Marriott Hotel in partnership with EGYPTAIR rolled out Men Tani Ala Masr, a digital melting pot of heartfelt stories and memo-ries of Egypt shared by real people from around the world.
The campaign gathers and tells contributors’ tales through social media, inviting people to participate and share their nar-
ratives through words, photos or videos.Heba Issa, director of marketing and sales, Cairo Marriot Hotel, said,
“Even though Egypt has faced a lot of security issues recently, the room sales figures we get from the Gulf market continue to blossom. Cairo Marri-ott Hotel, located in the upscale district of Zamalek, is […] the ideal hotel to launch such a campaign as the property itself embodies the memories and tales of its visitors. For more than a century, the hotel has been a chronicle of the cultural, social and political life of Cairo and Egypt.”
CARLSON REZIDOR REAFFIRMS
ECO CHARACTER
ETIHAD DIVES INTO VIRTUAL REALITY
CAIRO MARRIOTT EVOKES MEMORIES
The # GrowOurTree project
Nicole Kidman
Cairo Marriott Hotel
Take a Shot!
Share with us the latest images of your activities and let your colleagues know
what you have been up to.
Send your photos to [email protected] Because a picture is worth a thousand
words...Dora The Explorer visited Emirates Park Zoo and Resort to promote her Pirate
Adventures show
Tilal Liwa Hotel held tree planting activities to support a sustainable future for all
Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana organised an event to raise awareness of the importance of recycling
Oryx Rotana Doha received two titles at the FACT Dining Awards Doha Novotel Fujairah and Al Diar School celebrated Earth Day by planting a tree
Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman teamed up with Pakistan Association Dubai and Pakistan Youth Forum for a beach clean-up
at Al Mamzar Beach Club in Dubai
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NEWS & EVENTS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
ILTM ASIA
Shanghai, ChinaMay 30 – June 02www.iltm.comAn invitation-only event, where travel agents and advisors from across Asia meet the world’s very best luxury travel experiences.
TURKEY & NEIGHBOURS HOTEL INVESTMENT CONFERENCE
Istanbul, TurkeyMay 31 – June 01www.cathic.comNow in its sixth year, this programme for the hotel investment community gathers over 1,000 delegates from across the globe.
WTM CONNECT ASIA
Penang, MalaysiaMay 18 – 20www.wtmconnectasia.comA new show bringing together suppliers of southeast Asia with outbound Chinese, southeast Asian and international hosted buyers.
THE MEETINGS SHOW
London, UKJune 14 – 16www.themeetingsshow.comA premier gathering for the UK inbound and outbound conference industry, organised by meeting professionals for meeting professionals.
EVENTSHIA to Host ACI Assembly
Abu Dhabi to Stage Seatrade
Middle East
Hamad International Air-port (HIA) is to welcome the 12th Airport Council International (ACI) Asia
Pacific Regional Assembly Confer-ence and Exhibition in 2017.
Hailed as one of the most im-portant aviation events, the pro-gramme will bring together spe-cialised experts and airports and industry partners to address major issues affecting the sector.
Badr Mohammed Al Meer, chief operating officer, HIA, commented, “Together with ACI Asia Pacific, we will be providing the platform for industry leaders to come together to discuss trends and challenges, as well as propose ideas that will make a real difference to the future of aviation.”
Leading cruise line executives will be heading to Abu Dhabi this December for the Seatrade Middle East Cruise Forum.
Organised and managed by Seatrade, planners of cruise industry events worldwide, and brought to the city by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), accord-ing to Saeed Al Dhaheri, cruise sector and city tour development manager, TCA Abu Dhabi, the event reflects the giant strides taken in recent years to develop the emirate’s cruise tourism appeal.
He added, “We are immensely proud of the significant progress we have made in the three years since our last hosting of the event. Abu Dhabi now boasts a permanent cruise terminal which serves as a home port-ing venue for cruise lines, and has added the region’s first beach stopo-ver on Arabian Gulf cruise itineraries.”
