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Market Update 2 Accommodation News 4 International News 8 Air Travel News 10 Cruising News 12 Travel Tips 15 Travel Talk 16 Who’s Moved 18 Rendezvous 19 Events 20 Middle East and North Aica Edition MAY 15 , 2010 ISSUE 27 www.traveltradeweekly.travel 11 ASH CLOUD Dust from the Eyjagallajökull volcano had its frst direct impact on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in the last week, closing airports as far south as Morocco. Gulf Air is seeking to reduce its workforce and has offered voluntary redundancy to its staff from Bahrain and other states that have previously held stakes in the airline. In is Issue Gulf CRUISING 12 VOLUNTARY REDUNDANCIES e frst Cruise Forum Middle East has been held in Bahrain, prompting discussions on port facilities, tour excursions and multi entry visas. A working party of sea port officials has now been formed to investigate a potential pan-Gulf cruise association to boost the industry in the region. 3
MAY 15 , 2010 ISSUE 27 www.traveltradeweekly.travel
11
ASH CLOUDDust from the Eyjafjallajökull volcanohad its first direct impact on the MiddleEast and North Africa (MENA) region inthe last week, closing airports as far southas Morocco.
Gulf Air is seeking to reduce its workforceand has offered voluntary redundancy toits staff from Bahrain and other states thathave previously held stakes in the airline.
In This Issue
GulfCRUISING 12
VOLUNTARY REDUNDANCIES
The first Cruise Forum Middle East has been heldin Bahrain, prompting discussions on port
facilities, tour excursions and multi entry visas. Aworking party of sea port officials has now been
formed to investigate a potential pan-Gulf cruiseassociation to boost the industry in the region.
believe that in the modern day itis imperative that owners are ableto get out of contracts with nonperforming operators,” Scully saidduring a panel at the recent
Arabian Hotels Investment Conference.“Previous contracts gave the operator the upperhand in negotiations and [hotels] performeddue to the economy rather than the [operators’]expertise.“In today’s climate they do not necessarily havethe database of clients or sales expertise toachieve the maximum from those hotels and
owners must therefore be in aposition to move to experts in aparticular market segment,whether it be business or leisure,which I believe is now becomingfar more defined.”Scully said operators would beheld far more accountable forreturns on investment in anenvironment where capitalraising was difficult and loancommitments held priority. “Owners usually take all of therisk on a project, by investingheavily not only into their
properties, but also in the form of seed capital,while many operators may not have invested atall,” he said.Scully added that operators should invest moreinto bringing new customers to their hotels – acost that was often borne largely by tourismboards and airlines.“This relationship must be more equitable, if thetraditional relationship between owners andoperators is to be sustainable,” he said.
Calls for Flexible Contracts to HoldOperators Accountable for ROI
UAE Drags Down RevPAR for IHGInterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has blamed weakness in the UAEmarket for declining revPAR across the Middle East.Although the company’s Europe, Middle East and Africa division reportedoverall positive growth of 0.2 percent, revPAR in the Middle East alone fell by6.8 percent.According to IHG’s first quarter report, softness in UAE business wasaccountable for the region-wide decline, despite the resilience of Saudi Arabianand Egyptian markets.
Michael Scully, managing director of hospitality at Seven Tides has called for moreflexibility in contracts between hotel owners and operators, while adding that thedifficulty in raising capital is putting ever more pressure on properties to perform.
Michael Scully
I
3MAY 15, 2010
Eyjafjallajökull Volcanic Ash Disruptions ReachNorth Africa, with Moroccan ClosuresDust from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano had its first direct impact on the Middle East and North Africa(MENA) region in the last week, closing airports as far south as Morocco.
E yjafjallajökull islocated in the northernEuropean nation ofIceland, although fewintervening countries
were affected, with the exception ofSpain and Portugal.No other MENA countries wereaffected, but airports in Turkey werealso closed, after the cloud looped overthe Mediterranean. The ash cloud reached Morocco onMay 11, affecting airports includingTangier, Casablanca, Tetouan,
Essaouira, Rabat, Agadir andGuelmim.Services returned to normal on theevening of May 12.The same volcano caused widespreaddisruption in April when its eruptionprompted the closure of airports acrossthe UK and Europe.According to Eurocontrol, theEuropean Union’s central air trafficcontrol agency, the cloud remains inplace over the Atlantic Ocean, causingoccasional problems for trans-Atlanticflights.
MAY 15, 20104
ACCOMMODATION NEWS
T he company hasdeclared plans tooperate at least 15hotels in the region bythe end of 2015.
Chanin Donavanik, CEO of DusitInternational, said the company’s fourexisting hotels in the region had averagedoccupancies of 70 percent in 2009 and heexpected the figures to improve in 2010.“The Middle East is a strategicallyimportant market for Dusit as the regionremains one of the world’s leaders in traveland tourism,” he said.
“The success of our expansion into theMiddle East will help pave the way forDusit’s future expansion in the rest of theworld and provide the impetus to pursuenew growth opportunities in other markets.”Octavio Gamarra, senior vice president of thecompany, said several Dusit properties wereready to open in the Middle East in the nearfuture.According to Gamarra, an increased profilein the Middle East had been accompaniedby boosted interest from regional travellerson the company’s home soil.“Last year we experienced record
increases of Middle East arrivals into ourThai hotels in destinations such as Phuket,Pattaya, Bangkok and Chiang Mai, wherethe family groups soared,” he said.Gamarra said the hotels had activelypursued Middle Eastern travellers, withmenus revised to cater to halal tastes andmarketing materials translated into Arabic.Dusit aims to open hotels and resorts inAbu Dhabi, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia,Bahrain, Oman and Qatar within threeyears, with a management agreementalready signed for the Dusit Thani Jeddahin Saudi Arabia.
Marriot Signs First Algerian PropertyMarriot International hassigned its first hotelmanagement contract inAlgeria.Located in Tlemcen, thecapital of Algeria’s provinceof the same name, the hotelwill be operated under theRenaissance brand.The property is owned bySociete d’Investissment Hotelierand is scheduled to open inJanuary 2011.According to Marriott, uponopening the hotel will be thefirst of international standardin the city.Ed Fuller, president andmanaging director ofinternational lodging forMarriott International, saidthe move into Algeria hadbeen prompted by marketrecovery in the Middle East.“We are seeing pockets of
resurgence throughout theregion both in terms of newhotel development and inoccupancies,” he said.“We expect to experiencegathering strength when weopen a stunning Renaissancehotel in Tlemcen and abeautiful, luxurious JWMarriott hotel in Tripoli: bothwill be our first properties intheir respective countries.”
Ed Fuller
Dusit Pursues Inbound and Outbound Middle Eastern Travel MarketsThai hospitality heavyweight, Dusit Thani, has named the Middle East is a priority market for the company,in terms of future development and as a source market for properties in Thailand.
5MAY 15, 2010
ACCOMMODATION NEWS
Hyatt Flags Major Expansion in India and GCCHyatt Hotels Corporation has picked the GCC and South Asia as regions of developmental focus for thecompany in the coming five years.
T wo properties are preparing for launch in AbuDhabi, along with three in India.Abu Dhabi hotels include Hyatt at CapitalCentre, attached to the city’s exhibition centre,and Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island.
According to Hyatt, the Saadiyat island property will be the firstresort style Park Hyatt in the Middle East.Hyatt also plans to introduce its brands into 15 new marketsacross India within the next five years, including Bangalore,Hyberbad, Chennai, Pune, Kolkata, Mumbai, Gurgaon, Indore,Lucknow, Mangalore, Mundra, Mysore, Visag and other selectmarkets.The new developments in India will be divided between Hyatt’svarious brands, ranging from business focused Hyatt Placeproperties to the luxury Grand Hyatt chain.
Hospitality supply in theemirate of Sharjah is set toincrease by 75 percent by2014, according to SheikhSultan Bin Ahmed AlQassimi, chairman ofSharjah Commerce andTourism DevelopmentAuthority (SCTDA).“SCTDA statistics show thatthe emirate of Sharjah ispreparing for 33 new hotelfacilities by 2014, with thetotal number of hotelfacilities in the emiratereaching 143, comparing to110 in the emirate currently,”he said.“With 7,387 hotel roomsexpected to be added, thenumber of the hotel roomsin the emirate will reach15,141, compared to thecurrent number of 8,727.”
New facilities will be dividedbetween hotels and hotelapartments, with 19 of theformer and 14 of the latter.Five star properties willaccount for 14 of the 19hotels, or 3,550 of theplanned 4,225 rooms.
Sharjah Anticipates Surge in Hotel Supply
Sheikh Sultan Al Qassimi
Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi
A ccording to SingaporeTourism Board (STB),seven percent more SaudiArabian travellers visitedthe country in 2009 than
in the previous year.The country has also reported a sixpercent jump in the number of visitors
from Qatar and the STB has predictedongoing growth.Jason Ong, area director for the MiddleEast and Africa for STB, said Singaporewas undergoing changes to its tourismbrand which had aligned with theinterests of Middle Eastern travellers.“Singapore is undergoing a spectacular
tourism transformation, cementing itsposition as a must-visit destination forfamilies, highly mobile individuals,honeymooners and business visitors,” hesaid.“Singapore offers Middle Eastern visitorsa wide-range of travel experiences, fromhigh-end indulgences, enchanting beachholidays and luxury shopping, combinedwith amenities that meet the Sauditravellers’ religious needs.”Two new multibillion dollar resortdevelopments, including a UniversalStudios theme park, were named by STBas major potential draws for MiddleEastern tourism.
Singapore Adjusts Image to Attract Middle EastSingapore is targeting Middle Eastern tourists, following a spike in interest from the region.
MAY 15, 20106
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
To find out more and to make your business booking, please call +971 4 705 4277 or email [email protected] for hotels in Dubai, Fujairah, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah.
For Abu Dhabi and Al Ain hotels, please call +971 2 697 9107 or email [email protected].
Singapore is undergoing a spectaculartourism transformation,
cementing its position as a must-visit destination
for families, highly mobile individuals,honeymooners and
business visitors
Marina Bay Sky Park
MAY 15, 20108
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
The May 11 launchbrought industry groupstogether with BrianSimpson, chairman ofthe European
Parliament’s Committee on Transportand Tourism, for the first time.The charter sets out a code of best practicefor welcoming and managing touristgroups; it was designed to address severallogistical issues and to encouragecollaboration between government andindustry.According to figures by the WorldTourism Organisation (UNWTO),
Europe’s share of global tourism declinedfrom 60 percent of the global total in 1990to 53 percent in 2008. Tom Jenkins, executive director of ETOA,said that the charter aimed to correctnegative attitudes towards group tourism.“Groups represent all that is good abouttourism,” said Jenkins.“They are sustainable socially,economically and environmentally, butthey are not always well regarded and theyare not always well treated.“That is caused by misperceptions andthis charter is the start of a dialogue thatshould dispel misunderstandings.”
Yves Mannaerts, vice chairman of IRU,added that coach tourism was the cleanesttravel option and that tourists travellingby coach spend 40 percent more at theirdestinations than other tourists.“Promoting group tourism by coach istherefore a commendable goal from apublic interest point of view,” saidMannaerts.“However, to realise the full potential ofcoach tourism, local authorities, coachoperators, businesses and touristattractions must work in partnership andprovide conditions in which coach travelcan prosper.”
Responding to the spread of unbundled charges beyond the lowcost carrier sector, travel buyers have formed a coalition to supportan international, industry wide technology standard for thedistribution of airline ancillary services.The group includes major GDS providers Amadeus, Sabre andTravelport, as well as a number of airlines and major online andtraditional travel agencies.Among the developments called for in the group’s manifesto wasthe adoption of standard technology to allow seamless integrationbetween disparate distribution systems, as well as commonmessaging standards, which would allow direct GDS contentmanagement by airlines.American Express Business Travel, BCD Travel, Carlson WagonlitTravel, Despegar, Expedia, Egencia, HRG, Opodo, Orbitz, Orbitzfor Business, Travelocity, Travelocity Business, Amadeus, SabreTravel Network and Travelport have agreed to supporttechnological standards.Philippe Chérèque, commercial executive vice president forAmadeus, said the changes, if adopted, would benefit everystage of the travel value chain.The GDSs plan to provide corporations and travel agenciesthe ability to shop, book and fulfil airline ancillary services totravellers by late 2010.
Industry Coalition Calls for NewStandards for Ancillary Distribution
European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) has launched its Charter for Successful Tourism, inconjunction with European Cities Marketing (ECM) and International Road Transport Union (IRU).
European Charter Links Industry with Government on Group Tourism
9MAY 15, 2010
Thai Airways Celebrates 50 YearsThai Airways has celebrated its fiftieth anniversary with a re-creation of its first flight from Bangkok to Hong Kong.Manan Boonyachai, general manager Middle East for ThaiAirways, said that the airline had played a vital role in thedevelopment of Thailand’s economy since its inaugural flightin 1960. “At that time, few could have visualised that, by 2010, Thaiwould have a fleet of 84 jetliners and carry almost 20 millionpassengers and 500,000 tonnes of air cargo annually,’ saidBoonyachai. Future developments for the company include a majorincrease in equity to boost Thai Airways’ financial strength;recent efforts to reduce costs will continue. The airline has also signed an agreement with InternationalAir Transport Association (IATA) to provide passengers withthe opportunity to offset carbon generated from their flights.
UK based Durham TeesValley Airport Limited,part of Peel AirportsGroup, has won aCourt of Appeal case
against low cost carrier bmibaby forbreach of contract.Legal experts have predicted the case willhave a significant impact on futurecommercial contracts, particularly in theaviation industry.Bmibaby signed an agreement withDurham Tees Valley Airport in 2004,which required the airline to base andoperate two aircraft at the airport for aperiod of 10 years. However, in 2006 bmibaby withdrew
both aircraft, redeploying them at otherUK airports, and subsequently cancelledall services without agreeing terms of itsdeparture.In 2009, a High Court judge ruled that thecontract was too uncertain to awarddamages to the airport. However, a Court of Appeal senior panelhas now sided with the airport,confirming that bmibaby was in breach ofcontract. The panel ruled that the measure ofdamages awarded should be the amountthe airport would have received had theairline continued to operate normalservices for the remaining eight years of itscontract; if the two parties cannot agree on
the level of damages, the court willdetermine the sum in a further hearing.Hugh Lang, group airports director forPeel Airports Group, said the group hadbeen pursuing this action for the pastthree and a half years. “The action of bmibaby in withdrawingtheir services was totally avoidable andwhile we found it regrettable to sue ourformer airline partner they had left us withno alternative,” said Lang.Neil Pakey, deputy chief executive for PeelAirports Group added that the companybelieved this was the first time a UKairport company had ever taken an airlineto court over its failure to operate servicesfrom that airport.
UK Case Could Change Future of Aviation Contracts
Thai Airways
MAY 15, 201010
AIR TRAVEL NEWS
ADAC Prepares for Private AviationBoom in Middle EastAbu Dhabi Airport Company (ADAC) has predicted thatprivate aviation in the Middle East and Africa will morethan double over the next decade, prompting a strategicexpansion by the company.Already, private aviation appears to be increasing in AbuDhabi, with Al Bateen Executive Airport (ABEA) reportinga 30 percent year on year increase in traffic for the firstquarter of 2010.ADAC, operator of ABEA, predicts that the number ofprivate aircraft in the region will grow from 530 in 2009 toup to 1,180 in 2018.The highest concentration of these jets is currently found inthe UAE, followed by Saudi Arabia.ADAC is carrying out a multi-million dollar upgrade ofABEA in anticipation of increased demand.Renovations will include all aspects of the facility’soperations, including upgrades of its airfield, hangar andaviation support facilities; the re-modelling of its passengerfacilities; the construction of a hotel; and an expansion ofboth parking and retail facilities.
Alitalia Links Amman and RomeItalian national carrier Alitalia will recommence flights toAmman in Jordan from Rome, Italy on June 10.Alessandro Amadeo, area manager for the Middle East atAlitalia, said Jordan represented a strategic destination forthe airline within the Middle East.Flights will operate four times a week between Amman andRome.Fabio Campitelli, general manager of Alitalia Jordan, saidthe flights were part of a new Alitalia, with a renewedstrategy and vision.He said the airline would be counting on the support of localtravel agents to ensure success.
Emirates Adds Iraq to NetworkEmirates will begin its first flights to Iraq on July 1, operatinginto the nation’s capital, Baghdad.According to Emirates, Iraq is the only Middle Eastern countryto which the airline does not already operate.Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, CEO of Emirates, said theroute had been launched in response to signs of recovery in Iraq.“There is a high proportion of traffic heading both in and out ofIraq and we are in the right position to capitalise on thisdemand,” he said.Emirates has projected that the passenger mix travelling in andout of Iraq will come from a variety of sources, with the majorityexpected to be industry and government personnel. The construction, telecommunications and oil sectors areexpected to make up three of the largest industry segments.
Air Arabia Strengthens European NetworkAir Arabia has linked another European destination to itsCasablanca hub, with flights to Malaga, Spain set tocommence on June 14.Roundtrip flights will operate three times weekly between thetwo cities.The route will be Air Arabia’s second route linking Casablancato Spain, with flights to Barcelona already operational.
Gulf Air was founded in1940 by a British pilot,and was subsequentlypurchased by a cartelconsisting of Bahrain,
Oman, Abu Dhabi and Qatar.According to Samer Majali, CEO of GulfAir, the offer is part of a company widecost reduction programme.“A key part of our strategy is to review allcost elements of the business that have animpact on its sustainability andprofitability,” he said.“This includes personnel related costs:offering a voluntary redundancy scheme(VRS) was one of the suggestions putforward by employees and employeerepresentatives to address this issue.”Majali said although the redundancyscheme is targeted at Bahrainis, plans forthe Bahrainisation of Gulf Air’s workforcehad not been changed.“Notwithstanding the VRS scheme, we
are actively moving on employing moreBahrainis,” he said.“I am proud to say that today 82 percentof non-flight crew positions in Bahrain areheld by Bahrainis, while our overallBahrainisation level has reached 54percent.”
Eligible employees will receive fourmonths’ salary, as well as one month’ssalary for every year of employment withthe carrier.Staff will also continue to receive medicalbenefits until the end of March 2011 andstaff travel privileges until the end of 2010.
11MAY 15, 2010
AIR TRAVEL NEWS
Gulf Air Seeks to Cut Costs and JobsGulf Air is seeking to reduce its workforce and has offered voluntary redundancy to its staff from Bahrain andother states that have previously held stakes in the airline.
SamerMajali
A key part of our strategy is to review all cost elementsof the business that have animpact on its sustainability
and profitability
MAY 15, 201012
Gulf Needs More Ports to Attract Cruise LinesThe Middle Eastern cruise industry suffers from homogeneous tour excursions and a dearth of ports, a meetingof industry players has concluded.
CRUISING NEWS
The findings were made atthe inaugural CruiseForum Middle East, heldin Manama, Bahrain andorganised by Seatrade
Middle East in partnership with Bahrain’sGeneral Organisation of Sea Ports(GOP).According to Seatrade, only Oman andDubai currently offer dedicated cruisingfacilities and although Qatar and Jordanhave cruise terminals on the drawingboard, these projects are not expected toopen before 2013.Steve Riester, vice president of revenue
management and itinerary planning atNorwegian Cruise Lines, said theshortage of ports was a major factorkeeping his company out of the region.“We need lots of port options in closeproximity and we also look closely atsourcing guests from the local markets, sowe need to be able to get people to theship easily,” he said.
Tine Oelmann, head of port operations,shore excursions and ground handling atTUI Cruises, seconded the sentiment.“You will not get more ships if you don’tdiversify your hub offering,” he said.Andreas Stylianapolous, executive vicepresident of Navigator Travel and TouristServices, said Gulf destinations needed towork on differentiating themselves, tomake cruising the region more attractive.“The Gulf is a mystery of sand, desert,cuisine, culture and music,” he said.“Each country has something differentbut you need to differentiate what youhave from your neighbour,” he said.
You will not get more ships if you
don’t diversify yourhub offering
13MAY 15, 2010
Royal Caribbean 50 Percent Ahead onGuest Bookings for Middle East
CRUISING NEWS
Steps Taken to Establish Gulf Cruising Association and Address Multi Entry VisasA working party of sea port officials from around the Gulfhas been formed to address calls for greater regional co-operation in the cruise sector.An absence of multi entry visas in the region has been pickedas one of the major issues requiring intergovernmentalattention.The party is tasked with determining the objectives andstructure of a potential pan-Gulf cruise association, whichwould work towards the betterment in the cruise industry inthe region. Dubai, Oman and Bahrain ports and tourism organisationsare involved in the party, supported by Seatrade Middle Eastand Laurent Monsaingeon, former president of Medcruise.Hassan Ali Al Majed, director general of Bahrain’s GeneralOrganisation of Sea Ports (GOP) will chair the party, withDr Heba Al Aziz, executive director of tourism at theMinistry of Tourism Bahrain, acting as secretary.Chris Hayman, chairman of Seatrade, said Gulf states neededto work together if cruising in the region was to becomeviable.According Awadh Al Ketbi, representative of Costa Cruisesin the Middle East, visa expenses are one major issue for thecruise industry that required co-operation.He pointed out that the nature of cruising requiredpassengers to leave and re-enter some countries in the Gulfseveral times, which led to mounting entry visa costs.He noted that some itineraries required at least three entryvisas to the UAE alone, as passengers travelled to Dubai,UAE; Muscat, Oman; Fujairah, UAE; Bahrain; and back toDubai. “Taking USD100 as a benchmark per person and multiplythat by four for a family and you can see how the costs mountup,” said Al Ketbi.Though many countries enjoy visa free entry to Gulf states,Seatrade reported that the issue affected approximately 30percent of passengers over the recent winter cruising season.Majed expressed his faith in the ability of the Gulf states towork together to resolve the issue.“In the GCC we resolve many issues such as security-relatedones,” he said.“Why can’t we overcome the multi entry visa issue?”
Royal Caribbean has named itstop sales agents in the MiddleEast, after early results showed astrong increase in bookingsthroughout the first quarter ofthe year. Transworld Travel in Bahrainwas awarded by the cruise linefor the best regional salesperformance in 2009; SallyYousef of Egypt’s Travco Travelwas named as Royal Caribbean’scruise sales agent of the year forthe region.Abdulaziz Al Oshban,managing director of SafeenTourism, Royal Caribbean’srepresentative in the Middle
East, said 2009 figures showedthe beginning of strongregional growth in cruisepassengers compared to 2008.“Our key markets of Bahrain,UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwaithave performed well once againand it is very encouraging thatsome of our emerging markets,such as Lebanon and Jordan,record triple digit growthcompared to the previous year,”he said.“And the outlook for 2010 isprosperous – in just four monthswe are already 50 percent aheadon our guest volume comparedto the same time last year.”
A bu Dhabi TourismAuthority (ADTA)has launched atraining workshop tothat end, in
collaboration with Hong KongPolytechnic University and Abu DhabiTravel and Tourism Agencies Council.The drive to educate agents on the needs
of Chinese tourists is a response toincreased interest in the UAE fromChinese travellers since the country wasapproved as a destination by the Chinesegovernment in 2009.Paul Ram Prakash, industry professionaldevelopment manager for ADTA, said theimpact had been impressive.“The figures speak for themselves,” he
said. “In the first quarter of this year Chinesehotel guests in Abu Dhabi rose 28 percenton the same period last year, rising to4,460. “With better understanding of the uniquerequirements of Chinese and Asianguests, we are confident we will have acompetitive edge on which to furtherbuild.”Similarly, Jeffrey Xu, managing director ofthe China Incentive Business Travel andMeetings (CIBTM) exhibition, flaggedincreased interest in the Middle East as adestination for conferences and events.“The Chinese are increasingly signpostingthe region for meetings and events as wellas a tourist destination,” he told TravelTrade Weekly.Xu noted that several Middle Easterndestinations would participate in CIBTMlater this year and said governmentpromotion had stimulated Chinesedemand for destinations in the region.
MAY 15, 201014
ADTA Urges Agents to Adapt to Asian TastesAbu Dhabi’s travel agents have been urged to educate themselves on the shifting environment of internationaltravel to better capitalise on business from emerging source markets, particularly China.
The Chinese areincreasingly signpostingthe region for meetingsand events as well as a tourist destination
Safe as Houses: Best Practice for Hotel SecuritySince the assassination of Hamas leader, Mahmoud al Mabhouh, in a Dubai hotel, guest security has been afront and centre issue for the Middle Eastern travel industry.
A ccording to RayTinston, sales directorof The Hotel Show,there has been a rushon security and
surveillance equipment following theincident, in which Israeli agents wereimplicated by Dubai’s network of securitycameras.“Working with the co-operation of thepolice, hotels in Dubai in particular arespending a lot on major upgrades ofalready extensive security systems, insome cases almost doubling the numberof cameras,” he said.Tinston said security installationcompanies had reported increases in
business of up to 40 percent since theincident and said he knew one hotelthat had installed as many as 200 newcameras.However, he said that old fashionedsecurity was not enough in a world whereinnovative threats continue to emerge.“Security cameras in the lobby or publicareas and coded access control cards forelevators and rooms alone are not enoughin today’s world,” he said.
Best PracticeTinston counselled going beyond basicmeasures and keeping up with the trendsin security hardware.“Investment in active security systems
that include video surveillance, accesscontrol, intrusion detection systems andX-ray machines at hotel main entrancesis high in the UAE and other Gulfcountries compared with many regions,”he said.However, although sophisticatedmachines have their place, Tinton saidthat people were the defining factor of anysecurity system.“The human element is another criticallyimportant area in hotel security,” he said.“There needs to be a clear and effectivelink between what the security equipmentis monitoring and security personnel withthe proper training in how to protectguests and assets in real time.”
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]
MAY 15, 201016
Chris HaymanChairman, Seatrade“Unlike in commercial shipping yourneighbour is not your competitor, butan ally; cruise provides an opportunityto work together for mutual benefits.”
Your neighbour is notyour competitor
Greg WebbPresident, Sabre Travel Network“Everyone wants a healthy travel industry andit’s clear that ancillary sales have beensuccessful in helping airlines increase revenues.But this revenue success for airlines has comewith a number of challenges for consumers,travel agencies and even the airlines. We intendto solve these issues so the real value of travelcan be experienced by everyone.”
This revenue success for airlines has come with
a number of challenges
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-MaktoumCEO, Emirates Group
“It has been an exceptional yearof continued profitability againsta backdrop of the worst globalrecession in generations. The firsthalf of the financial year however,was extremely challenging as theworld continued to grapple withthe economic crisis. Ourpioneering spirit and ability toadapt in adverse conditionshelped us to push through thisharsh economic climate with anextremely strong performance inthe latter part of the year. Timeand time again Emirates hasweathered adversity. We haveoperated through regionalconflict, SARS, the Asian
economic collapse and most recently the global recession. Our 21 percentincrease in passenger numbers from last year [2009] is an incredible resultand has helped to cushion us from the effects of lower yields. This increasein passenger numbers is attributable not only to our position at the centre ofthe new Silk Road between East and West, but also to our commitment inincreasing our network and service standards, during a time where manycompetitors were doing the opposite.”
Time and time again Emirates has weathered adversity
Accor Hospitality has appointed SophieStabile as chief financial officer. In hernew role, Stabile will be responsible forinvestor relations, cash managementand tax affairs, in addition to her currentduties, which include supervising theinternational financial departments,financial control, internal audit, groupholding company and financial backoffice departments. Stabile succeedsOlivier Poirot, who co-led Accor’s
transformation plan, ahead of itsdemerger. Stabile is a graduate of ÉcoleSupérieure de Gestion et Finances andpreviously worked with DeloitteTouche Tohmatsu before joining Accorin 1999. Accor has also appointed a newexecutive vice president of strategy, assetmanagement, mergers and acquisitions.Marc Vieilledent will take on thisposition; he will be responsible for
implementing the transformation ofAccor’s business model. Keyresponsibilities include managing thegroup’s asset ownership structures,disposing of non-strategic assets andsupporting expansion. Vieilledent is agraduate of École Supérieure deCommerce de Paris business school andis a chartered accountant. He began hiscareer at PricewaterhouseCoopers andjoined Accor in 1997.
Accor Hospitality
George AounMarriott has appointed GeorgeAoun as multi-property generalmanager of JW Marriott Kuwait,Courtyard by Marriott Kuwait andAraya Ballroom. Aoun waspreviously general manager of JWMarriott Kuwait, where he hasworked since 2004. He has alsoworked with InterContinentalHotels throughout the Middle Eastat several properties in Saudi Arabia,Lebanon and Qatar.
City Seasons
Dylan Aniff has been appointed as generalmanager of two City Seasons properties inDubai. With 34 years in the industry, Aniffwill oversee City Seasons Hotel Dubai andCity Seasons Suites Dubai. Aniff began hiscareer in Sri Lanka as a management traineewith the Oberoi Goup. He later worked forHoliday Inn and Taj Hotels, before moving toDubai in 1988 to join Al Khaleej Goup ofHotels. He joined City Seasons Suites Dubaiin 2009.
Aniff succeeds Issam Nizam as generalmanager of City Seasons Hotel Dubai.Nizam has moved to Abu Dhabi, takingthe role of general manager at CitySeasons Al Hamra Hotel. Nizam hasworked in the hospitality industry for21 years, spending the majority of hiscareer so far in the US with Holiday Innand Le Méridien. Nizam moved to theUAE in 2007, where he joined theMetropolitan Hotel. In his new role,Nizam will oversee the completerefurbishment of the City Seasons AlHamra Hotel, which is expected to becompleted by the end of 2010.
Dylan Aniff
Issam NizamGeorge Aoun
19MAY 15, 2010
Q&A with Wolfi MalikWolfi Malik is the general manager of the recently opened Dusit Princess City Centre Dubai. His proactivestance on helping passengers stranded in Dubai during the recent volcano crisis, caused a surge in positiveresponses across prominent social networking sites around the world. Although the hotel is just five monthsold, is now listed in the top 30 hotels in Dubai (out of a total of 378 hotels) on review site Tripadvisor. Maliktalks to Travel Trade Weekly about the service culture that fuels his hotel’s popularity.
Travel Trade Weekly: Tell me aboutyour response to the volcano crisis,which has led to your recent rise inpopularity.Wolfi Malik: We had a call fromsomebody telling us that there were 3,500passengers stuck at the DubaiInternational Aiport, so I called upEmirates and offered to take their firstclass passengers to our hotel. They said they wouldn’t send their firstclass or business class passengers to a fourstar hotel, but they might consider someof their economy passengers. I told them I would refund their money ifany of their passengers weren’t happy withthe service at our hotel.We ended up with about 65 to 70passengers, who stayed with us for severaldays while their flights were continuallycancelled. I have been around the world and insituations like this many people takeadvantage of people who are stranded – Ididn’t want that. I offered them free transport to thebeaches and the malls; free internet;public access computers for people whodid not have laptops; and we changed thebuffet menus to cater to what peoplewanted.It was a humanitarian effort – we had noplans to use this as a public relationsexercise – and then they gave us this verygood rating and it just made us glow.
Travel Trade Weekly: How have youfound the general response to the hotelduring its first five months of opening?Wolfi Malik: The response has been
excellent – even our competitors havecome over and have admired our hotel. In the first quarter of 2010, we had 72percent occupancy and we expectapproximately the same for the secondquarter. The market is tight, but compared toothers we are going well. In summer we will have a lot of groupsand expect 70 to 80 percent occupancy –rates will be down, but that is typical ofsummer in Dubai.
Travel Trade Weekly: How does theDusit Princess differ to other Dusitproperties in Dubai? Wolfi Malik: Every Dusit has its ownmarket niche – the Dusit Thani is a fivestar deluxe property; it is closer to Dubai’sfinancial district and it charges premiumrates. We have our serviced apartments atMarina and behind Mall of the Emiratesthat service the market for longer stays. As the first Princess in Dubai, people areblown away by the value for money thatthey receive over here. Although it is afour star and I was told I had to think in afour star state of mind, I have excelled inthe service department and we are
providing five star service here. We have the most dynamite team that youcould have. My staff turnover is onepercent and other people in the industrydon’t believe that, but it isn’t bragging;that’s simply the truth.
Travel Trade Weekly: Why wasDubai chosen as the location for thefirst Princess hotel outside ofThailand? Are there further hotelsplanned in the region?Wolfi Malik: People used to chooseLondon, Paris or Tokyo – I think Dubaihas that same calibre now and it shares theAsian culture of service that our Thaiheritage has. There are quite a few otherproperties planned – four in India overthe next two years, plus properties inOman, Qatar, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi. In the next five years, we hope to have fiveto ten more hotels in the Middle East.
My staff turnover isone percent and otherpeople in the industry
don’t believe that, but itisn’t bragging; that’s
simply the truth
Wolfi Malik
Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA)has expanded its third annual festival -Summer in Abu Dhabi. The six-week event is designed to attract agreater number of GCC visitors to AbuDhabi. Eight venues in Abu Dhabi and Al Ainhave joined the festival and ADTA hasenlisted industry stakeholders to provideone-for-one visitor deals. The festival will run between June 24 andAugust 5.Dayne Lim, product developmentdirector at ADTA, said the festival wouldbe the biggest summer event in AbuDhabi’s history.“It’s a strong pitch to families within theGCC to come and spend time in AbuDhabi where they’ll be guaranteedfantastic value and awesomeentertainment,” said Lim. The programme includes plans for
indigenous cultural performances,cooking classes, competitions, workshopsand entertainment acts. Incentives for guests will include free airseats for children, complimentary roomnights, meal deals, discounted attractionsand free tours. Participating malls are also offeringspecial retail promotions. “Our aim is to attract an additional 25,000hotel guests to the emirate during thisfestival period, which would be a 15percent increase on last year,” said Lim. “At the same time, we want visitors to staylonger and immerse themselves in AbuDhabi’s varied experiences. “We will be taking our message out to theGCC in a dedicated regional road showlater this month [May] and meeting boththe media and trade there to engage themin this campaign.”Lim added that although the UK is the
largest international market for AbuDhabi, the GCC was arguably theemirate’s most important market, due toits proximity, ease of accessibility andgeneral travel propensity. “We have a much stronger tourismproposition now in terms of infrastructureand leisure product offerings and believethe timing is right for us to market ourselvesmore tangibly in the region,” he said.
MAY 15, 201020
EventsFood and Hotel ArabiaJeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 16-18Meeting of professionals from the Saudi food and hospitalityindustries.
Oman Travel MarketMuscat, Oman, May 17-19 (www.oite.com/otm/2010)Exhibition for the promotion of Oman to as an internationaldestination.Travel World ExpoKuwait City, Kuwait, May 19-20Exhibition for domestic, regional and international tourismenterprises.
The Hotel ShowDubai, UAE, May 18-20 (www.thehotelshow.com)Exhibition for hoteliers and suppliers to the hotel industry.
IMEXFrankfurt, Germany, May 25-7 (www.imex-frankfurt.com)Major international exhibition for the meetings and eventsindustry.
Global Travel and Tourism SummitBeijing, China, May 25- 27 (www.globaltraveltourism.com)High level gathering of travel industry chairs and CEOs.
Six Week Summer in Abu Dhabi Festival Targets GCC Families
