ONSITE: CHINA

MARKET UPDATE 2INVESTIGATION: Travel Bookings 3VISIT: Tunisia 6EXPLORE: Palestine 9ONSITE: China 12TOUR: Switzerland 14TRAVEL TALK 16TRAVEL CHANNELS 17LONG HAUL: Indian Ocean 18EXCLUSIVE: Solo Travel 21WHO’S MOVED 22RENDEZVOUS 23NEWS & EVENTS 24

INVESTIGATION: TRAVEL BOOKINGS

AUGUST 2011 ISSUE 22

VISIT: TunisiaVISIT: Tunisia

Middle East and North Africa Edition

www.traveltradeweekly.travel

Along with cutting-edge technology gainingground in our daily lives, travel booking methodsand applications are developing at such a rapidpace that telephones almost seem obsolete.

Following more than two decades of isolation,China has swung its doors wide open to takepride in its inimitable fusion of a 4,000 year-old history and cutting-edge innovations.Today, China is one of the most talked aboutcountries in the tourism industry, where theGreat Wall is the only barrier remaining to therest of the world.

In This Issue

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33

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The recent Tunisian revolution greatly undermined the nation’stourism industry, on which its economy is reliant. In its aftermath,

Travel Trade Monthly examines how the UNTWO and Tunisia’stourism stakeholders are working together to enable the country to

look forward to a bright future.

August 2011, Issue 22

Designed to sustain the sector’s steadygrowth with the aviation infrastructure’sdevelopment, the ample project hasbeen advocated by H. H. SheikhMohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoun,

vice president and prime minister, UAE, and ruler of Dubai.The plan, which will further facilitate Dubai’s economicexpansion and is expected to generate 22 percent of totalemployment and 32 percent of the emirate’s GDP by 2020. In response to a 10 year traffic forecast for DubaiInternational (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC),that indicates an average annual growth rate of 7.2percent and 6.7 percent respectively, the programme willboost the capacity at DXB from 60 million to 90 millionpassengers per year by 2018. The strategy, which also includes aggressive expansionplans for airspace, airfield, aircraft stands and terminalareas, will optimise investment, deliver timely capacityand create a robust revenue stream. It will, in the long-

term, also fuel the development of DWC.Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman,Dubai Airports and president, Dubai CivilAviation Authority, elaborated on the project.“By 2020, 98.5 million passengers will passthrough our airports. The fleets and networksof Emirates and flydubai will growconsiderably to accommodate traffic and

capture market share. Similarly, our infrastructure mustexpand to enable this growth and facilitate the trade,tourism and commerce that in turn will support theprosperity of Dubai.”As part of the programme, airspace expansion plans willfocus on optimising runway capacity and implementingefficient systems and processes in order to accommodatethe gradually growing aircraft movements. In accordance with airspace’s evolution, the ground willalso be expanded with additional areas such as terminalfloors. In addition, Dubai Airports will upgrade its baggagesystems and increase cargo capacity. Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports, commented thatthe programme will balance demand with capacity. “Our plan effectively responds to the need toaccommodate rapid traffic growth with timely, efficientand high quality infrastructure. It recognises the need tomatch capacity with service quality. It augments ourability to provide quick and easy transfers that effectivelysolidify Dubai’s status as a hub that connects the world.And it optimises cash flow to fund future development.”

AUGUST 20112

COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=UAE (AED) Dirham 3.67Egypt (EGP) Pound 5.97Saudi Arabia (SAR) Riyal 3.75Lebanon (LBP) Pound 1,514.49Bahrain (BHD) Dinar 0.37Jordan ( JOD) Dinar 0.71Syria (SYP) Pound 47.38Kuwait (KWD) Dinar 0.27Qatar (QAR) Riyal 3.64Oman (OMR) Rial 0.38Tunisia (TND) Dinar 1.36Morocco (MAD) Dirham 7.82Iran (IRR) Riyal 10,551.80Yemen (YER) Rial 213,75Algeria (DZD) Dinar 72.77Libya (LYD) Dinar 1.20

MENA Exchange RatesAccurate as of 27/7/2011Currencies shown in red are fixed against the US Dollar

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Duncan MacRaeMarianna Keen

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Sales & MarketingMaria Demetriadou

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DirectorsAndreas Constantinides

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Dubai’s Aviation Expansion PlanGets Green LightDubai’s aviation industry is to receive a strong boost, after the emirate’s USD7.8 billion airportand airspace expansion programme was endorsed.

Jazeera Airways: Retained Leading Position Jazeera Airways has secured its leading market-share position on most of the routes it operates forthe 23rd consecutive month, according to the airline’s latest monthly report.Based on data from Kuwait’s Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGCA), Jazeera Airways carried90,530 passengers in May, of which 24,354 flew between Kuwait and the Levant region, 25,706between Kuwait and Egypt, 36,615 between Kuwait and other Gulf countries, and 3,853 betweenKuwait and other destinations. The report indicates that Jazeera Airways secured its number one position in market-share in mostroutes since July 2009. The airline retained its number one operator position between Kuwait andfour cities in Egypt (Kuwait-Alexandria: 48 percent; Kuwait-Assiut: 77 percent; Kuwait-Luxor: 93percent; Kuwait-Sohag: 45 percent), Kuwait and Amman (36 percent) as well as Kuwait andDamascus (49 percent). Jazeera Airways also remained the leading Kuwaiti operator between Kuwaitand Dubai (19 percent), Kuwait and Bahrain (20 percent) as well as Kuwait and Beirut (38 percent).As the only airline operating between Kuwait and Aleppo and Kuwait and Deir Ezzor, Jazeera Airwaysgrabbed 100 percent market share on these routes. The report does not include the Kuwait-Jeddah and Kuwait-Riyadh routes, where the airline haslower seat-allocation restrictions compared to other Kuwaiti airlines. It features, however, the Kuwait-Cairo route, launched on May 18, on which the carrier possessed an 11 percent market-share duringits two-week operation.

Our plan effectively responds to the need to accommodate rapidtraffic growth with timely, efficient

and high quality infrastructure

3AUGUST 2011

- Travel Bookings

Due to the personal approachduring the travel sales process,many travellers still prefer thetraditional way of reservingtheir travel and opt for booking

with the assistance of a travel agent. Bookings,however, have started to migrate from offline toonline and, moreover, from desktop to mobile.A report, released by travel industry researchauthority PhoCusWright, predicts that by the endof 2012 travellers will book one third of the world’stravel sales online and that online leisure andunmanaged business travel bookings is forecastedto surpass USD313 billion at that time. Based on the report, the US and Europerepresent more than three quarters of all onlinesales with a likely upward trend in onlinebookings in the emerging markets of Asia Pacificand Latin America. The combined share forEurope and the US is predicted to drop to 73percent in 2012, and continue to fall thereafter. Lorraine Sileo, vice president research,PhoCusWright, elaborated on the forecast.“As online penetration growth in the moremature US and European travel markets slows,travel companies are looking to the Asia-Pacificand Latin America regions for the next pot ofgold. In these emerging markets, macro-economic gains, increased travel and growingtechnology adoption will continue to fuelsignificant growth in online bookings.”Google has gone even further by predicting thateight percent of mobile users will be bookingtravel from their smartphones by 2012.According to Google Travel, it is foreseen thattravellers using offline methods to organise theirtrips go directly to using their advanced mobiledevices. eMarketer notes that as this yearprogresses, 50 percent of all new internetconnections worldwide are being established viamobile devices. Furthermore 19.5 percent of allhotel queries have already been implemented bymobile devices, further accelerating mobilebookings which have increased at a rapid pace inpast years: from USD20 million in 2008 toUSD200 million in 2010. Euromonitor International’s report at the WorldTravel Market 2010 suggests that online traveland tourism will experience solid growth, driven

by fast improvements, particularly in the MiddleEast and Africa. Based on the study, air is likelyto remain the most robust online categoryglobally. It made up around 10 percent of valuesales in 2010 in the Middle East and Africa, andis predicted to experience a 13 percentcompound annual growth in the region between2010 and 2015, while online hotel sales in theregion are projected to increase by 12 percentover the five-year period. One of the Middle East’s leading airlines, nasair,already receives a significant rate of bookingsonline, noted Simon Stewart, CEO.“There are two basic forms; indirect and directmarketing, and there’s an LCC principle wherebydirect marketing is the way to go. Really we aregetting all the bookings done through the websiteand we are running about 40 percent direct.”

A survey, carried out by hotelbook.com hasconcluded that one in five travellers book theirholidays just five days before departure, hopingthat they could score better deals. However,most of them are likely to reserve their airplaneticket in advance to secure the date and the bestprice. Interesting statistics from travel websiteExpedia show Monday to be the most popularday for managing trips, with 16 percent of

bookings on Expedia sites being made on thefirst day of the week, between 7-9 pm. Travellers,however, do not tend to spend any time withreservations at the end of the week: only one in10 books on Saturdays, and Sundays are evenmore quiet.

Going onlineEgypt-based expert, Hazem Poncho, director ofplanning, National Travel Service, has no doubtabout hi-tech’s conquest. “Even though I fully agree with these forecasts,there are still some markets that will prefer to godirectly to the retailer’s office and see the personwho will book them the trip as this reflects somekind of guarantee.”Despite the widespread usage of hi-tech devices,technology is unlikely to spell the end for travelagents. “They will take the majority of businessbut, for sure, the real agents will have a share ofthe tourism market. However, maybe this sharewill shrink during the coming years,” concludedthe expert.

TransformationTechnology provider Amadeus’ recently releasedreport indicates that mobile technology willultimately change the way airlines and passengersinteract. Entitled, ‘The always-connected traveller: Howmobile will transform the future of air travel’ theglobal report indentifies how mobile functionalityand applications are likely to be used by carriers tobetter serve the rapidly growing number of hi-techusing passengers.

The Evolution of BookingAlong with cutting-edge technology gaining ground in our daily lives, travel booking methods and applications are developingat such a rapid pace that telephones almost seem obsolete. Travel Trade Monthly investigates whether or not technology couldspell the end for travel agents.

Rita Kasziba writes

There are two basic forms;indirect and direct marketing,and there’s an LCC principle

whereby direct marketing is the way to go

AUGUST 20114

- Travel Bookings

n

Whilst mobile services are still emerging in thetravel industry and in the airlines’ offerings inparticular, travellers expect, demand and adapt tothem at a rapid pace. Based on the report, 16percent of the 2,978 travellers surveyed worldwideuse their smartphones to book trips. The rate is evenhigher amongst the 18-35 age groups (18 percent),and frequent travellers tend to take it as aconvenient way with 33 percent of them using theirsmartphones when managing travel. Julia Sattel, vice president airline IT, Amadeus,remarked on the mobile services’ ground gaining. “Mobile continues to shake-up how companiesinteract with and meet the needs of customers. Itprovides travellers with a personal, always-connected device that offers unlimited potentialto transform how people travel. The challenge forthe industry is to deliver an intuitive andcompelling mobile user experience and servicesthat help travellers get the information they wantand buy the things they need.”

Amadeus strives to continuously break theboundaries of online travel technologies. As partof the developments, the company has recentlylaunched an intuitive search solution for onlinetravel agents. Amadeus Extreme Search was designed torevolutionise the way consumers browse.According to PhoCusWright’s report, 40 percentof European travellers start planning their trip

without having a desired destination in mind,and 80 percent of travellers carry out onlineresearch when managing their trips. Therefore,Amadeus Extreme Search enables andencourages travellers to ask open questions inreal time, saving them from observing thepotential destinations one by one. Johan Elwin, director of business development,European Travel Interactive (eTRAVELi),commented on how the solution is a reflectionof travellers’ attitudes.“The ability to inspire the traveller to searcheasily in the same way they think, with qualitycontent, gives us a considerable competitive edgeand serves the interest of today’s traveller.”Travelport, the broad-based business servicescompany and a provider of critical transactionprocessing solutions, revealed that more thanhalf of business customers now use mobiletechnology to find and book their hotel. RahibSaab, managing director and president forMiddle East and Africa, Travelport, commentedon the evolution of travel bookings. “The online trend is firmly established and is setto continue well into the future. Along with that,travel bookings are increasingly being madeonline both in business-to-consumer, andbusiness-to-business capacity. Travelport is at theforefront of enabling online travel bookings byproviding a range of B2B solutions and supportthat empower travel agencies, OTAs, corporates,TMCs and developers to expand online.”Beijing-based travel company, Trekiz, strives tochange the way people see the world and the waythey manage their trips. Yanfeng Wang, technicaldevelopment manager, elaborates on the company.

“The Trekiz platform is the only real-time multi-destination trip planning and booking tool forcreating and booking customised itineraries,combining travel ‘components’, includingactivities, flights, hotels and so on. It utilisesresources from a wide range of partners so youritinerary can be as unique as possible, makingthings much more convenient and actually fun.”Trekiz aims to extend its global reach and establishpartnerships, particularly in the Middle East andAfrica. “Through Trekiz, travellers can experiencemany more destinations and activities outside thetypical limited set of ‘mainstream’ packages.Currently there are more than 600 activities all

across China on offer,” added Yuechun Liu, seniorbusiness development manager.Charles Yang, global market businessdevelopment manager, Trekiz, elaborated ontheir penetrations in the Middle East region.“We are relatively new to this important marketregion. Our plan is to establish mutuallybeneficial partnerships with hotels, local touroperators and travel agencies as well as othertravel related service providers. We would like tooffer MENA customers our widely varied andtop quality China tours at good prices. Also, wewould be more than happy to send customersfrom China into the MENA. It’s our goal topromote travel to and from the MENA region,and bring local citizens and travellers fromaround the world closer together.”

Plenty of room for growthHotels also strive to surprise travellers with new,cutting-edge technologies. InterContinentalHotels Group (IHG) has recently joined theever-enhancing lists of lodging companiesapplying cutting-edge technology by launchingiPhone booking apps for each of its seven brands.The new addition to IHG’s offerings allowscustomers to browse, check rates, book hotelrooms or cancel their reservation. Over the lastyear, IHG experienced nearly 1,000 percentincrease in room night bookings from mobiledevices, and in the first five months of the year,the company has already surpassed the totalnumber of room night bookings of 2010. Mostof these guests book their stay for the same or thefollowing night. The new application will furtheraccommodate this rapidly expanding new trend,noted Michael Menis, vice president, web andinteractive marketing, IHG.“We are continuing to build on our mobilestrategy by making our brands more accessibleto today’s travellers who seek solutions that assistthem through every step of the travel planningprocess. Our initial iPhone efforts were targetedat our Priority Club Rewards program, currentlytotalling 58 million members.”

The online trend is firmly established

and is set to continue well into the future

Mobile continues to shake-up how companies

interact with and meet the needs of customers

AUGUST 20116

- Tunisia

The Jasmine Revolution in Tunisiaback in January led to theoverthrowing of president ZineEl Abidine Ben Ali, and markedthe dawn of a new political era.

That dawn, whilst bringing about renewedconfidence and enthusiasm for the futureamongst the Tunisian people, has also brought agreat deal of uncertainty with it.Although the government has been overthrownand an interim government is attempting tosteady the ship in the short-term, a newgovernment is not expected to be elected untilOctober, and almost 100 newly formed politicalparties are in the running.The nation’s travel and tourism sector hascertainly not remained untouched by thedestabilisation and doubt.Mehdi Houas, Tunisia’s interim minister fortourism, estimates that the number of touristsvisiting the country this year will drop to 3.5million, compared to the 7 million visitors in 2010.With that, the tourism industry’s turnover isexpected to fall to TND1.8 billion (USD1.3billion), compared to the TND3.5 billion(USD2.5 billion) it generated in 2010, accordingto Houas.“It’s terrible for the economy as a whole becauseit is 50 percent of our foreign trade. We lost a lot,especially when compared with what we shouldhave had.”Samer Slim, general manager, Le Royal Hotels &Resorts, Hammamet, commented on why manytourists have been put off visiting the country.“This year’s political unrest in Tunisia has seenits tourism industry suffer significantly, creatinga lack of confidence for tourists to travel. People

feel that it is still too early to set foot into thecountry as they expect further conflicts,especially since we still await a new government.People, at present, have many other options and,therefore, do not need to travel to North Africa.They are considering safer destinations, availablefor similar prices, such as Spain and Turkey.”Christian Antoine, district director resorts forNorth Africa, Egypt and Jordan, Rezidor,commented that he has also noticed the hugelynegative impact the unrest has had on tourism.“Since January this year, the tourism industry inTunisia has registered an important decrease. Itcould, maybe, be one of the worst seasons that thecountry has ever had. Flight capacity has been cut.

A lot of tour operators have cancelled or reducedtheir programs and demand on local andneighbouring markets is not really at its strongest.”In late January, immediately following theJasmine Revolution, credit rating agency Fitchcut this year’s growth forecast for Tunisia fromfive percent to two percent. The company statedthat the political unrest would hit the tourismsector hardest.“That is a crisis for this country of 10 millionpeople,” Slim explained. “Because the tourism

sector employs about 400,000 Tunisians, andhundreds of thousands more live indirectly from it.”Slim indicated that the sector’s prospects havenot significantly improved since the protestscame to an end. “It has not developed much sincethe unrest. It is still suffering across the countryand in the region itself. Numbers have remainedlow. Nonetheless, the interim government haslaunched the ‘I love Tunisia, the place to be…Now’ campaign in order to attract people back tothe country. In the meantime, tour operatorshave significantly slashed their prices.”

New Marketing DriveTunisia’s tourism authority has embarked on anew, and somewhat controversial, marketingcampaign in order to lure foreign travellers back.The new marketing campaign was introduced atthis year’s ITB in Berlin, which took place inMarch. At the launch, Mohamed Laribi, regionalcommissioner for Hammamet, Office of NationalTourism, noted that he hoped that the tourismsector would make a quick recovery.“Now is the time to visit the new Tunisia. Cometo Tunisia after the revolution. Come to see thenew Tunisia, a modern Tunisia. It is useless to sayin six or eight months we will be back to where wewere. It is a matter of first steps. First, we need toknow it is safe for tourists. It is important that ourcommercial partners understand the situation. We

Tourism Will Blossom Following Jasmine RevolutionThe recent Tunisian revolution greatly undermined the nation’s tourism industry, on which its economy is reliant. In its aftermath,Travel Trade Monthly examines how the UNTWO and Tunisia’s tourism stakeholders are working together to enable thecountry to look forward to a bright future.

Duncan MacRae writes

Tunisia in BriefCapital: TunisCurrency: Tunisian dinar (TND)Language: Arabic

The government has beeninvesting heavily in variousmarketing and promotion

campaigns targeted at traditional, as well as new,

source markets

Djerba

Port el Kantaoui

hope as many tourists as possible come, butprobably this summer will not be like lastsummer.”The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)has also offered support to the country, signing anagreement with the Tunisian government that willresult in the organisation offering policy guidance,marketing and training for the nation’s workforce.Taleb Rifai, secretary-general, UNWTO,commented that the partnership will help toencourage international tourists to return toTunisia in the short-term, and support theimproved competitiveness of the destination inthe medium-term.“International tourists are gradually returning toTunisia. UNWTO will be providing Tunisia withtechnical support and assistance to sustainablyreinforce this tourism recovery, the country’sprincipal sources of income, jobs and development.”UNWTO will offer Tunisia up-to-date marketintelligence, tourism movements and trends, aswell as guidance on policy tourism. Local officialswill be trained on the latest tools and strategiesavailable to reposition Tunisia among the world’sleading destinations. UNWTO will also assessthe country’s tourism education needs, linkingTunisian tourism institutions with UNWTOcertified universities around the world.Rifai believes that the Tunisian Government isworking hard to help revive the tourism sectorbut thinks that more needs to be done toreassure tourists.“Tunisia is facing what we call a crisis ofperception and this is naturally an issue whichwill take some time to recover. Tunisia’s tourismsector is functioning as usual and we expect tosee demand recover towards the end of the year.The government has been making excellent workin terms of marketing and promotion and thiswill surely pay off in the short term.”In the current situation, the biggest priority fortourism authorities is to reassure travellers thatit is safe to visit Tunisia.

Difficult CircumstancesThe government has been investing heavily invarious marketing and promotion campaignstargeted at traditional, as well as new, sourcemarkets. Further measures being taken includeincentives, familiarisation and press trips, publicrelation campaigns and special promotions.There is a key message and that is that tourism inTunisia is fully open for business and that peopleare eager to welcome tourists back.Slim and Antoine feel that their companies havebeen doing their best in extremely difficultcircumstances to encourage travellers to visit

Tunisia. Antoine noted that Rezidor is adoptinga ‘business as usual’ approach. “We have kept our marketing plan as it is. We didnot cut our promotion budget. We are keepingquality of service and trying to prepare for theupcoming season.”Le Royal Hotels & Resorts, Hammamet, hasalso been attempting to reassure would-bevisitors that the country is safe again.“We have been sending reassuring confirmationsto tour operators that the area is safe and touristsshould not hesitate in choosing Tunisia as aholiday destination. Prices have been tweaked inorder to adapt to the circumstances but we haveremained at a respectable level in order to keepthe hotel’s standard and prestige,” added Slim.Those working in Tunisia’s tourism industry arenot short on ideas regarding how to encouragegrowth and development of the sector again, butthe general consensus is that it will require aunified effort.As far as Slim is concerned, the governmentshould invest more money on advertising, whilethe country’s tourism offices abroad need towork harder to promote Tunisia under a unifiedstrategy.Antoine feels that the government and tourismauthority need to come up with new ways ofselling the nation as a tourism destination toforeigners.“The government needs to support hoteliers andtravel agencies, and better communicate what thecountry has to offer. It really needs to developnew ways to position Tunisia as a destination.”

Tour operators and hoteliers have their parts toplay too, Antoine added. “Tour operators needto promote the country better, keep charterprograms and do more familiarisation trips.Hoteliers need to keep and improve their qualityof service and maintain their hotels, maintain anormal price policy. They also need to keep holdof their employees and train them better.”Rezidor already has plans to expand its presencein the country, with a Park Inn and Radisson Bluin Hammamet in the pipeline, along with aRadisson Blu in Sousse.“In the short-term, the situation is unclear, andwe will still have some difficult months ahead ofus. But it is sure that in the long-term tourism in

Tunisia will improve and business opportunitieswill grow,” Antoine explained.Middle Eastern travellers have tended to shyaway from Tunisia as a holiday destination,instead seeking a different type of climate toexperience on their trips abroad. “Once visa restrictions are eased, and with theright kind of promotion, we could see an increasein this segment. Travellers from the Middle Eastwould have a great impact on Tunisia’s tourismindustry if they decide to travel here. The incomegenerated by the country would open doors tonew infrastructure and business since they havehigh purchasing power. Lebanon, Egypt andTurkey are increasingly attracting travellers fromthe region, and there’s no reason why Tunisiacan’t compete as well,” added Slim.UNWTO’s Rifai is adamant that a full recoveryfor Tunisia’s tourism industry is only a matter oftime and he is encouraging stakeholders withinthe sector to do their bit to help improve thesituation.“In order to fully recover, Tunisia shouldcontinue to invest in the area of communicationand promotion to restore market confidence andstimulate tourism demand. Promotional trips fortour operators and travel agents, and particularlyfor the media from key source markets, can alsobe effective in showcasing Tunisia’s readiness forbusiness. Tunisia has the full support ofUNWTO as its tourism sector begins to recoverand contribute once more to the economic andsocial wellbeing of the country.”

7AUGUST 2011

- Tunisia

n

Tour operators need topromote the country better,

keep charter programs and domore familiarisation trips

Djerba market

Tataouine

AUGUST 20118

- Palestine

A ccording to the Ministry ofTourism and Antiquities,tourism’s contribution toPalestinian GDP in 2010 wasthe highest since the

establishment of the Palestinian authority. MajedIshaq, marketing director of the ministry,highlights the growth experienced in theunstable industry. “Tourism in Palestine is verymuch related to political issues. When we havestability as we have in last two years, we will havemore tourists coming to our areas. We used to getthree percent of our revenues from tourism, nowwe are getting seven percent. But even so, we arestill very afraid because we know that things canchange quickly.”What helped to revive Palestine’s tourism industrybetween 2006-2010 is private sector re-investmentinto the sector of close to USD300 million,commented Ishaq, including new hotels andupgrades, recreational parks, resorts, restaurants,cultural centres, and new transportation fleets.With the industry currently looking positive,prime minister Salem Fayyad announced a planthat includes boosting tourism in the West Bankand to having all institutions needed to run andfinance a state operational by the middle of thisyear. With application for membership to the UNplanned for September, the region anxiously liesin wait and the tourism industry continues in itsupheaval despite restrictions.“Over the last two years, we have intensified ourmarketing and promotional activities locally,regionally and internationally. One of the mainactivities is participation in key internationaltourism exhibitions and fairs,” emphasised Ishaq.The ministry has organised Palestine’sparticipation at more than twenty internationalshows in traditional and new markets, includingthe UK, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Poland,Turkey, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, Canada and theUS. “Tourism Fairs give Palestine the chance topromote Palestine as an independent tourismdestination with equal opportunity,” added Ishaq.Palestine also participated in a tourism festivalheld in Foz do Iguacu, Brazil, in June. Ibrahim Al-Zabin, Palestine’s ambassador to Brazil,discussed with energy officials the possibility oftraining Palestinians in the field of energy, and

invited specialists in water and energy to visitPalestine in the next few months. According to Khouloud Daibes, minister oftourism, the main source of tourism is religious,although areas of environmental and culturaltourism are gaining popularity. In addition to the Ministry of Tourism andAntiquities, non-govermental organisations(NGOs), including Open Bethlehem and theAlternative Tourism Group (ATG) promotetourism to the West Bank.

Bethlehem Since 2000, the travel market collapsed by morethan 90 percent in Bethlehem, although the markethas since been drastically revived, according toOpen Bethlehem. The tourist market to Bethlehemhas increased by an average of 10 percent a yearsince then, with a sharp 45 percent increase in 2010from the previous year. According to the statistics,in 2010, there were 1.45 million visitors toBethlehem with 600,000 staying overnight, 68percent of which were from Europe. Russia, Italy and Poland are the top three sourcemarkets for foreign visitors to Palestine,including for overnight stays, although othertraditional markets are growing and visitornumbers from new markets such as Indonesia,India and Brazil have increased, added Ishaq.Open Bethlehem has made efforts to increasetourism while improving people’s understandingof the situation in the Israeli controlled territory,commented Cathy Lloyd, a volunteer with theNGO. “We hope to achieve a sense of reality forthose who visit the town so that they mayunderstand both the history and the present daydifficulties that are faced by Bethlehemites livingunder occupation.”

Lloyd suggests that the media has long shapedpublic perception of the situation in Palestinianterritory, but this is gradually changing, thanksto exposure from independent groups. “Visitorsare constantly surprised by the reality that is notcommunicated in the media. There has been amassive groundswell of change of opinion in theUK public in the last 10 years about Palestine andlife under occupation, spread by peace groupsand other groups such as Open Bethlehem,which has filtered through to British media.”Although tourism has improved, there remains thechallenge of retaining tourists for overnight stays.“Overall in recent years, approximately just 10percent of international Christian pilgrim visitorsto Bethlehem will stay overnight,” commentedLloyd. “Influencers include religious affiliation aswell as the availability of cheap accommodation,while international marketing from Israel willaffect perceptions,” she added. The lack ofinternational investment by commercial travelagents, who have to plan six months ahead andoften feel that buying up rooms in Palestine offershigh risks, is also a restriction.“There are seasonal variations of course, withpacked hotels over the Christian festivities ofChristmas and Easter, and often at other timeshotel occupancy is down to 20 percent or under,”commented Lloyd, pointing out that Christianpilgrims make up over 50 percent of visitors who

Palestine in BriefAdministrative Centres: Ramallah, GazaLanguage: ArabicAccepted currencies: US Dollar (USD),Jordanian Dinar ( JOD), New Israeli Sheqel(NIS) and in Gaza, Egyptian Pound (EGP)

A Spiritual and Political JourneyPilgrimages, cultural visits and alternative tourism to Palestine have increased, in part due to changing international perceptionsof the territory under occupation. With an application to the UN for state acceptance hoped to improve tourism further, TravelTrade Monthly explores progress in the region’s turbulent industry.

Marianna Keen writes

Monastery in Jericho

9AUGUST 2011

- Palestine

stay in Bethlehem. “The Quartet [an entityinvolved in mediating the peace process in theIsraeli-Palestinian conflict], with Tony Blair asits envoy, has been involved in both pursuinginternational investment as well as negotiationswith Israel, to allow more freedom at Bethlehemcheckpoints,” she added.

HotelsWith the long term tourism market looking moreoptimistic, hotel developments and renovationsare underway. “Today, there are just over 6,000rooms across the country. There are also severalnew hotels under various stages of planning anddevelopment with a combined additional 1,500rooms. The overall goal of the industry is todouble the number of rooms to around 10,000in the next five to 10 years,” Ishaq reported.Growth for existing hotels, however, has beenaffected by the impact of recent events in theMENA region, highlighted Nuha Abu Saada, salessupervisor, Jacir Palace InterContinentalBethlehem. “Most reservations and groups cancelled theirtrips in the first half of 2011. A gradual recoveryis taking place in the second half.” The hotelattracts nationals from around the world,including Russians, Italians, Germans,Philippinos, Greeks, Poles and Koreans, inaddition to the local market. Since guestnumbers have increased, the hotel has madeimprovements, opened new outlets and hirednew staff. Saada suggests that the currentnumber of accommodation establishments inBethlehem is 32, with close to 3,000 rooms.The Grand Park Hotel in Ramallah is currentlyunder complete renovation, including theaddition of more meeting rooms, with reopeningexpected for November. Business tourism in thearea is strong and there are also leisure guests,commented Hayel Handouli, director of sales.“In Ramallah, you have a lot of political andbusiness meetings and NGOs whom conduct alot of workshops. Ramallah city is a business cityand not a real tourism city like Bethlehem, butit’s the only city that has a real night life whereyou can find many nationalities and especiallyEuropeans.” The main target markets for thehotel are Palestinians living in Israel and

businessmen, he highlighted, adding that thehotel’s room occupancy reached 35 percent in2010, up nine percent from 2009. EverythingHandouli commented, will be connected to theIsraeli-Palestinian conflict and whether Palestineachieves statehood at the UN General Assembly.

A recent addition to the political capital isMövenpick Hotel Ramallah, the first internationalfive-star hotel to the city, which opened its doorsat the end of 2010. Mai Takrouri, marketingcoordinator, is delighted that the hotel has alreadyenjoyed much success. “Whilst the hotel is mainlyused by politicians, diplomats and internationalbusiness travellers during week days, we are veryhappy to see the increasing number of local andregional leisure tourism over the weekends,including many families.“Occupancy rates as well as RevPAR are showinga very positive trend and we are most satisfiedwith the current forward bookings.”

Alternative TourismAlternative tourism in Palestine ranges fromnature trips to participating in solidarity groups.One aim of ATG is to immerse tourists into thereality of Palestine’s situation and to the injusticethat is felt, explained Rami Kassis, executivedirector of the NGO. “Our focus is on‘encounters’. In other words, our whole intent isto get the visitor and the visited to meet oncommon ground and engage with eachother.Really, what distinguishes ATG frommainstream tour operators is that there is ajustice dimension to all our programmed tours.”Among the packages and tours it operates, theorganisation offers something for any group orindividual seeking a rich experience of Palestine,and these are aimed at instilling a deep sense ofreality. “Palestinians live under occupation andthat is an important dimension of our being as

people. Our encounters introduce visitors to thisharsh reality. Those who seek a mixture ofadventure and reality take treks into distantvillages and meet the Palestinian in thosesettings.”Like other organisations in the travel andtourism industry, ATG has recorded a rise invisitors as well as a change in prominentmarkets. Whilst Europe and North Americahave been the origin of most visitors in the past,there are now increasing numbers coming fromparts of Asia, including Korea, Philippines andIndia; Africa, notably Nigeria and LatinAmerica, particularly for pilgrimages. “Onecould say that the so called pilgrim market is thebig one today,” added Kassis.ATG has thus launched the Pilgrimages forTransformation (PIFT) initiative, which tries toexploit demand by linking institutions andproviding visitors with a profound experience,which hopes to change minds. “The justice toursthat link travellers to people, NGOs, civil societygroups, ecumenical and church groups, youthassociations, peace movements in Israel,progressive Jewish peace advocates in Israel, arethe ones which give people an understanding ofthe true facts as well as what are possible lastingsolutions,” Kassis emphasised. He adds that by providing this unbiased outlook,disinformation can be mitigated. “The way inwhich the Israel travel industry operates, mosttravellers never even get a slight glimpse of theconflict in its real dimensions. At best, they get apropaganda talk.”

Occupation TourismAs well as promoting interfaith cooperation,ATG provides opportunities to work with Israeliand Palestinian solidarity groups. Organisationshave to be careful, however, to retain sufficientrespect and social responsibility in what has beentermed occupation tourism, since some activistscommitted to the struggle can be antagonisedwhen surrounded by tourists. There is also anobvious danger posed during protests.Roy Wagner, an Israeli activist regularly attendingthe Bil'in protest, marching to the separation wallin support of villagers, told the Guardiannewspaper that despite his reservations he wouldrather such tourists did continue to show up atBil'in, since they would hopefully leave morecommitted to the struggle; however, given therisks, he thinks visitors should undergo full andproper preparatory training beforehand. Thereare few of these kinds of tourists and they aretypically already sensitised to some degree to thePalestinian situation.

Over the last two years, we have intensified our

marketing and promotionalactivities locally, regionally

and internationally

Dome of the Rock

NablusMarket

“Our travellers are encouraged to take updevelopment issues in Palestine and tocontribute to developing the Palestinianeconomy, to assist in the furtherance of a mature,vigilant and alert civil society,” added Kassis.

ArrivalTourists to Palestinian territories arrive overland.Ishaq explains that tourists coming throughJordan have to cross over Allenby Bridge orSheikh Hussein Bridge, both controlled by theIsraelis and the Jordanians. Through Israel theycome via Ben-Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, andothers arrive from the Taba crossing point withEgypt, which is under Israeli control.“We now have plans ready in the PalestinianAuthority for a national airport in the area ofJericho in the Jordan Valley as part of our planstowards building the institutions of the futurePalestinian state of Palestine, but the realisationof such project depends on the developments inthe political process,” added Ishaq.Currently, ATG does not host visits to Gaza.Foreigners have not been allowed to cross in andout of Gaza unless they have a special permitwhich can only be arranged through theirembassy. “We all look eagerly forward to the daywhen the blockade of Gaza is lifted. There ismuch to see by way of history and even more byway of current reality,” Kassis highlighted.

Heritage SitesThe wealth of cultural and natural heritage is animportant resource for the development ofPalestine and the sustainability of both theterritory’s economy and identity. However,Palestine is not yet a state party to the WorldHeritage Convention. “Bethlehem cannot beregistered as a World Heritage Site because itdoesn’t fulfill the criteria of being in a recognisedstate,” remarked Lloyd.

In light of the Palestinian bid for statehoodrecognition at the UN, Israel and Palestine arecompeting to claim cultural heritage sites in theWest Bank. Both are investing in excavation anddevelopment, as well as in branding sites as theirown. Rules on who owns cultural property andwho can make changes to or profit from heritagesites are unclear and cooperation has beendiscouraged by the void, it has been suggested.“I do not see Israeli-Palestinian partnershipstowards the conservation of sites,” remarkedKassis. “In case Jerusalem becomes a unified cityduring final status solutions, then there will be acase for promoting joint management of sites.”

“As far as the cooperation between Palestinianand Israeli Ministry of Tourism is concerned, wecan say that the joint technical committeeestablished after Oslo and Paris protocol is facingproblems because the Israeli counterpart isclaiming that the framework of cooperation is nolonger acceptable. Israel is taking illegal actionsand measures to confiscate, renovate andpromote tourist and archeological sites withinthe West Bank,” Ishaq adds.When prime minister Salem Fayyad launchedthe Palestinian two-year state-building plan in2009, the goal was to develop infrastructure,including upgrading the Ministry of Antiquitiesand Tourism and creating sustainable tourism atheritage sites. Although cooperation still looksominous, developments have taken place.“The Ministry of Tourism has been actively

renovating and restoring key sites such asHisham’s Palace and Tell Al-Sultan in Jericho.Tell Balata site development is also underwayand includes developing paths, a small museum,and an information centre. Several new museumsare also being developed, including theSamaritan Museum in cooperation withUNESCO, Dura near Hebron, Al-Bad inBethlehem, and the Al Riwaya Museum inBethlehem’s Peace Centre,” explained Ishaq.The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities alsoannounced that last year Jericho marked 10,000years as the oldest residential spot in the historyof human civilization, thus a government planaims to unleash the untapped potential of the city.The project also aims to strengthen the historical,natural, and cultural ties between Jericho and theJordan Valley and involves key socio-economicsectors with a strong focus on tourism, agriculture,infrastructure, and community development.Attendance at cultural celebrations acrossPalestine is suggested to enrich the visitorexperience. Other programmes launched by theministry include biking, hiking and birdwatching opportunities. The overall message tothe global travel industry, indicated Ishaq, is thatPalestine is safe, with rich offerings andhospitable people, where tour operators areready to handle groups in a professional way,with competitive prices. The ministry calls allinternational tour operators to not only promotethe holy land under Israel, but also to includePalestine, achieving just tourism in the region.There is still a wide scope for improvement inPalestine’s tourism market which counts onpublic and private sector contribution andmainly on their cooperation. “While proactivemarketing and promotion are needed tocommunicate what Palestine has to offer, theseneed to be part of a more holistic developmentalplan which includes issues such as policy andregulatory reform, institutional building,developing the actual infrastructure to supportthe sector, and public/private partnerships,”suggested Ishaq. This will rely very much on apeace deal between Israel and Palestine or withnegotiations failing, the attainment of UNrecognition of a Palestinian state on all of theWest Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.

AUGUST 201110

- Palestine

n

The Ministry

of Tourismhas beenactively

renovatingand restoring

key sites

Hisham’s Palace

The justice tours that linktravellers to people are the ones

which give people anunderstanding of the true facts

as well as what are possiblelasting solutions

11AUGUST 2011

- China

M ajor reforms in thelate 1970s, extensiveconstruction andimposing developmentsacross the country,

colossal improvements in services and thegradually rising middle class, have driven China’stourism industry into an era of prosperity forboth inbound and outbound traffic. China’sinstrumental role is well demonstrated in theInternational Air Transport Association’s (IATA)forecast, which indicates that by 2014, 3.3 billionpeople will be travelling by air (an increase of 800million from 2.5 billion in 2009) with theimpressive growth driven by China. Of thehundreds of millions of new travellers, 360million (45 percent) are expected to travel onAsia Pacific routes and, of those, an estimated214 million will be associated with China, with181 million domestic and 33 millioninternational travellers. Thus, China emerges asthe fastest growing market for internationaltravellers with a rate of 10.8 percent, and it islikely to seize second position after the US (671million) in terms of domestic passenger volumewith 181 million additional travellers, reaching atotal of 379 million.According to the World Tourism Organization’s(UNWTO) World Tourism Barometer, Chinagrabbed the position of the third most visitedcountry, toppling Spain off the top performer’spodium. Taleb Rifai, secretary general,UNWTO, predicts that China will retain itsposition in a long run.“It is clear that the strong players of Asia aregoing to continue to be strong players, not onlyChina, but particularly in China. The world ischanging, the geopolitics of the world ischanging, the centres of gravity are changing andwe can’t expect tourism to be away from that.”

Outbound marketDriven by the flourishing economy, the risingmiddle class and a pent-up demand to explore therest of the world, China turned into a majoroutbound tourism market, with all parts of theworld, including the Middle East, willing tocapitalise on it. According to the Government ofDubai, in the first quarter of this year, China

became the eighth largest source market forDubai, with more than 52,000 Chinese visiting it. To further foster the existing relationshipbetween the regions, Sharjah Commerce andTourism Development Authority (SCTDA),participated in the annual Beijing InternationalTourism Expo 2011 (BITE). The emirateexperienced a sudden upsurge in Asian andChinese tourist interest in past years, where in2010 the number of Chinese visitors to Sharjahincreased by 248 percent, from 8,231 to 28,608. H. E. Mohamed A. Al Noman, director general,SCTDA, remarked on the Chinese outboundmarket’s significance.“Every year, we have been trying to make ourpresence at Beijing Expo a focal point, in orderto attract Chinese tourists to Sharjah, and we areextremely optimistic of the benefit of theopenness and dynamism of Chinese trade andtourism markets on the tremendous potentialincrease in the tourist inflow to Sharjah.”

Inbound marketAccording to the China National Tourist Office’sannual report for 2010, with more than fourmillion arrivals (up 27.49 percent), Korearepresented the major generating market,followed by Japan with 3.7 million visitors (up12.47 percent) and Russia with 2.4 million (up35.99 percent).Tang Dynasty Travel, one of China’s mostrenowned travel agencies and operators ofinbound tours, has experienced a massive

increase in bookings from all around the world. “China has been proved as a great attraction toall kinds of tourist,” said Fanny Zhang, marketingdepartment.“ Our customers are majorly from theUS, European countries, Canada and Australia.Based on almost 20 years of experience, wefound that priority is given to history and culture,natural scenery and ethnic groups and folklore.”To further increase the number of internationalvisitors and better serve them, China has steadilyimproved its tourism related services.“Nowadays, most of the young generation candeal with very simple daily communication inEnglish. Generally speaking, big cities, likeBeijing and Shanghai, or tourist cities, like Guilin,are better compared with inland parts of China.”Charles Yang, global market businessdevelopment manager, Trekiz, a Web 3.0 onlinetravel company based in Beijing, remarked on theincreasing number of visitors from MENA. “In terms of the inbound travel market, the fivecountries that provide the bulk of inboundtravellers are the US, Korea, Japan, Russia andMalaysia, however we see a growing trend formore and more people from MENA coming toexplore the land’s beauty, cultures, history andbooming business.”

Tourism Boom - Made in China Following more than two decades of isolation, China has swung its doors wide open to take pride in its inimitable fusion of a4,000 year-old history and cutting-edge innovations. Today, China is one of the most talked about countries in the tourismindustry, where the Great Wall is the only barrier remaining to the rest of the world.

Rita Kasziba writes

China in BriefCapital: BeijingCurrency: Chinese Yuan (CNY)Language: Mandarin

Shanghai

AUGUST 201112

AirlinesThe massive improvement in both internationaland domestic transportation and airline traffichas been vital to China’s tourism boom. Travelfrom the Middle East to the Asian countrybecame convenient with Qatar Airways andEmirates alike, operating services to Beijing,Shanghai and Guangzhou.Etihad Airways has recently announced theaddition of Chengdu to its route map, effectivefrom December 15. The new route, which will beserved four times a week, will provide the firstlink between the UAE and Sichuan province.James Hogen, CEO, Etihad, remarked on theincreasing importance and potential of theChinese market. “This will further stimulate the growth ofcommerce and trade between the UAE andChina, already the UAE’s third largest tradingpartner. With the purchasing power of theChinese consumer rising in synch with annualGDP growth of 7.5 percent up until 2030, theChinese travel market has enormous latentpotential. We will continue to work together tostrengthen ties between the UAE and China andhelp forge strong, new links between thecommunities at both ends of the route.”The next step in Etihad’s Chinese expansion willbe daily non-stop, return services between AbuDhabi and Shanghai, subject to governmentapproval. Scheduled to commence on March 1,2012, Shanghai would mark the airline’s 70thdestination.Air China, which in 2010, carried 60 milliondomestic and international passengers with anaverage load factor of 80 percent, operates flightsto Dubai and Kuwait. The Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific offersscheduled flights to a number of destinations inthe Middle East including Bahrain; Jeddah andRiyadh as well as Dubai and Abu Dhabi,with thelatter having joined the carrier’s route map in Junethis year. Ivan Chu, chief operating officer, CathayPacific, elaborated on the new route.“Cathay Pacific is committed to the Middle East,having served this ever-growing market for morethan 30 years. The new Abu Dhabi service, our

fifth destination in the region, will enabletravellers here to enjoy great connectivity CathayPacific offers via the Hong Kong hub to ourextensive network in Asia, Australia and China.”H. E. Sheikha Lubna bint Khaled bin Sultan AlQasimi, Minister for Foreign Trade, UAE,commented that the additional service will furthercement the existing ties between the two countries.“While China is already the UAE’s second mostimportant trade partner, the strengthening ofcooperation in trade between the UAE and HongKong shall further serve to enhance the trade andeconomic ties between the UAE and China.”

HotelsThe increasing potential of the Chinese marketencourages a range of hotel chains to consolidatetheir presence in the Asian country. This year,Guangzhou’s accommodation offering enhanceswith Sheraton, Westin, Hilton, Marriott and Whotels opening there. In addition, Aloft, FourPoints, Hyatt, InterContinental, The Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis are all expected to expandtheir Chinese-portfolio across the country withinthe next few months and years. In 2010, Starwood Hotels in gateway citiesaround the world experienced double and tripledigit growth in the number of Chinese guests.The company has recently rolled out StarwoodPersonalised Travel, a dedicated programme ofinitiatives designed to better serve the increasingnumber of Chinese guests. Debuting in 19Starwood hotels in key cities around the world,the project will offer Chinese visitors an array ofbenefits. The launch of the programme coincideswith the relocation of the company’s entiresenior leadership to the Asian country.The developments turn Starwood into the largestoperator of high-end hotels in China, noted Fritsvan Paasschen, president and CEO, StarwoodHotels & Resorts. “As Chinese travellers begin to travel beyondtheir borders, they, like their Westerncounterparts, will gravitate to the hotel brandsthey know from home, and with Starwood’sleading footprint in China, this gives us a greatadvantage. Just as our hotels in China have

historically catered to American and Europeantravellers with familiar amenities from home,now our hotels globally will provide the sameservices to Chinese travellers.”In the next two years, half of all new Starwoodhotels, slated to open in China, will fly theSheraton flag, out of which seven are scheduledto open before the end of September this year.Summer openings include the second Sheratonbranded property in Beijing and in Xian and thefirst in Chongqing, Yantai, Guangzhou,Zhenjiang, Wanning and Hangzhou. The newadditions to the brand’s portfolio will bring thenumber of Sheraton properties in China to 42,moving the company towards its goal of operating100 hotels in China by the end of 2012. Hoyt Harper, global brand leader, SheratonHotels & Resorts, elaborated on the expansion.“The remarkable success of Sheraton in Chinacontinues to drive Starwood’s growth and widenits position as the country’s leading operator offour and five-star hotels. Sheraton is focused onmeeting the needs of Chinese travellers withinChina, as well as across our portfolio of morethan 400 hotels around the world.”Marriott International has recently opened its firstdedicated global reservation, sales and customercare centre in the city of Guangzhou. The facilitymarks another significant step in the company’sstrategy in greater China, noted L. Kaye Dengel,senior vice president of global sales and customercare. “Marriott International is committed toChina and to serving our ever-increasing numberof Chinese guests in a location that offers animpressive labor talent at a great value. With morethan 50 hotels in China, and at least another 100in some form of planning, China is a cruciallyimportant market to us – and is now by far oursecond biggest market anywhere in the world.”Another renowned international brand, Accor,has enhanced its Sofitel portfolio of China to 20with the opening of Sofitel Guangzhou Sunrich.As the first French luxury hotel in the city, the493-room property set to bring peerless style toGuangzhou’s scene.RCI, part of the Wyndham Worldwide family ofbrands, has recently announced a new resortaffiliation with Huangshan Grandview ResortsHotel. The company strives to further cement itspresence in the Chinese market with the resort,which forms part of a mixed-use development,noted Adrian Lee, managing director, RCI.“This stunning resort is a remarkable addition tothe collection of our diverse portfolio ofdestinations we offer to our members worldwide,and a continuous effort to expand our footprintin China.”

- China

Great Wall of China Hangzhou, Westlake

n

13AUGUST 2011

- Switzerland

This year, for the second yearrunning, Switzerland took prideof place in the top spot in theWorld Economic Forum’s(WEF) Travel and Tourism

Competitiveness rankings.It is no mean feat when being compared andcontrasted to 138 other countries across theglobe. The ranking results were published inWEF’s report in March, in which theorganisation heaped praise on the country forwhat it can offer as a touristic destination.In order to rank the 139 nations, WEF examines14 different categories relating to travel andtourism competitiveness, which, in turn, consistof a number of other sub-categories.Switzerland’s only disappointment was pricecompetitiveness, but it scored impressively in theoverwhelming majority of all other aspects.Andrea Scherz, general manager, Gstaad Palace,feels the country offers value for money. “Aboveall, it’s the quality of service and the tourisminfrastructure that makes the difference in thecountry. In Switzerland, travellers get value formoney. What is also appreciated is theeconomical and political stability and especiallyin the mountain regions, there is an unparalleledlevel of security.”

Hotel chain Hyatt, which has had a presence inSwitzerland for a number of years, is far fromsurprised that the country’s tourism sector wasrated so highly overall, according to Kurt Straub,general manager, Park Hyatt Zurich.“Switzerland’s image and variety as a destinationin regards to safety, nature, economic stability,world renowned resorts, just to name a few,creates an aspiration within leisure and businesstravellers alike. Furthermore SwitzerlandTourism’s innovative sales and marketing actionssupport this uniqueness within the tourismindustry.”As well as being an attractive leisure tourismdestination, Switzerland is also regarded as animportant business travel hub, with a number ofinternational exhibitions and conferences held inthe country every year.The Swiss tourism authority, SwitzerlandTourism, has been particularly focusing its effortson attracting Middle Eastern travellers for thepast nine years. In 2001, the country registered217,000 Gulf visitors, up 15 percent from 2000.This figure has risen year-on-year, which isattributed to a major promotion and marketingdrive, suggested Jörg Peter Krebs, directorIMEA, Switzerland Tourism.“Overall, hotel overnights in Switzerland havegrown by 3.4 percent over the past 10 years(2000-2010). However, what has markedlychanged is the impressive increase in hotelovernights of guests coming from the Gulfcountries (+123.3 percent over the past 10 years).Currently, overnight stays of guests coming fromthe Euro Zone are also decreasing due to theeffects of the weak Euro against the Swiss Franc,while overnights of tourists coming from India,

the Gulf countries, China and Russia continue toshow a strong growth.”

Dubai OfficeIt was in 2002 that Switzerland Tourism openedan office at the Dubai headquarters of SWISSInternational Air Lines, offering tour operatorsand travel agents promotional and supportservices for Arabian tourists, as well as theregion’s large expatriate community.At the time of its opening, Jamal Kleibo,representative, Switzerland Tourism, noted thatthey were marketing Switzerland as the numberone destination of choice among GCC residents. “We’re targeting travel agents across the region forboth leisure and corporate business, and haveproduced a number of brochures highlightingdifferent aspects of this spectacular country.Switzerland offers a wealth of incentives frombeautiful scenery, warm hospitality, excellent hotelaccommodation, efficient transport system andsecurity, to world renowned private schools,health and wellness centres and, of course,luxurious shopping.

Swiss Keen to Attract Middle Eastern TouristsSwitzerland is officially the world’s number one country when it comes to tourism competitiveness and it has already recordedimpressive visitor figures this year. Now, it has set its sights on the Middle Eastern market to help bolster its tourism sector, asTravel Trade Monthly discovers.

Duncan MacRae writes

Switzerland in BriefCapital: BernCurrency: Swiss Franc (CHF) Language: German

Above all, it’s the quality of service and the tourism

infrastructure that makes thedifference in the country

Zurich

Swiss alps

It offers the perfect climate to escape from theregion’s hot summer months, while also a havenfor winter sporting enthusiasts.”Since then, Switzerland has stepped up its effortsto endear itself to the GCC, with the help offamiliarisation trips for travel agents, touroperators and members of the media. In 2010, it also embarked on a promotional touraround Saudi Arabia, with participation fromrepresentatives of luxurious hotels and touristicsites.The organisation has largely been concentratingon family tourism programmes, which have beenmade available to travel agents throughout theKingdom.These have been prepared in Arabic and includedetails about the array of touristic sites that canbe visited in the country and discounts available.Hyatt’s Straub commented that Middle Easternguests do have a high impact on the Swiss tourismsector, particularly in certain destinations, such asGeneva and, more recently, Zurich. “The travel habits have changed and peopleexplore different destinations within Switzerlandinstead of staying in one area for the entire trip.Park Hyatt Zurich being one of Zurich’s leadinghotels is focusing on strong relationshipmanagement and extended services withoutlosing its Swiss identity.”

Importance of GCCGstaad Palace also recognises the importance ofGulf travellers to Switzerland, according toScherz.“These tourists are important for us as theyrepresent about three to four percent of ourbusiness. They regularly book higher categoriesof rooms and are good spenders in the hotel. Wecontinuously participate at trade shows in theMiddle East and our director of sales conductssales calls in these areas.”While the Swiss tourism authority has beenworking tirelessly to encourage GCC travellersto visit the country, airlines have been workingequally as hard to make sure the nation is easilyaccessible and the demand for flights can be met.SWISS International Air Lines operates dailyflights to Switzerland from Muscat, Oman, viaDubai, UAE. It also offers daily flights fromCairo, Egypt, to Zurich.Myriam Ziesack, media officer, SWISSInternational Air Lines, comments that the carrierhas kept a keen eye on the supply and demand forflights from the Middle East region, and cannotsee this demand decreasing anytime soon.“We constantly monitor all markets for possibleopportunities but do not see any major changes

in the near future. Switzerland has always beenvery popular as a summer destination forcustomers from the UAE and Oman and wedon’t expect this to change. Many local Emiratiseven have apartments or houses in Switzerland.”If anything, Emirates expects the demand forflights from the GCC to Switzerland to continueto increase. The carrier has been flying to thecountry since 1991 and there are currently threedaily connections between its Dubai hub andSwitzerland. The airline flies to Zurich twice perday and to Geneva once per day, according toCarmel Bonello, spokesperson, Emirates Airways.“Zurich is one of our top destinations in Europeand we see great potential in Switzerland as a

whole. Exactly for this reason, we startedoperating our new service to Geneva on June 1.We are constantly assessing the Swiss market. Ifwe see further potential for growth, we will actaccordingly.”Flights to Switzerland are particularly popularwith visitors from certain countries within theGCC region, Bonello noted.“These routes are especially popular with high-premium visitors from Middle Eastern countries,such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait.Switzerland is a hugely popular destination forwinter sports as well as summer relaxation.Consequently, the flights are usually very wellbooked.”

AUGUST 201114

- Switzerland

n

Switzerlandhas alwaysbeen verypopular

as a summer

destinationfor

customersfrom the

UAE and

Oman andwe don’t

expect this tochange

Chateau de Chillon Castle, Montreux Swiss Alps

AUGUST 201116

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 fromyou, so send your comments, questions, frustrations and observations to editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel

Mohammed Sultan Al OwaisUAE Ambassador to India

“The UAE has invested an estimated USD6 billion in India and 1.8 millionIndian expatriates make their livelihoods and careers here in the UAE. Thesefigures show the strength of the relationship between our two nations andthe addition of more direct, quality, affordable flights will help to enhancethat relationship for the benefit of both countries.”

Paolo DeRenzisRegional Commercial Manager, British Airways

“With the increase in traffic from the Middle East we have some of the bestprices going at the moment. British Airways customers will experience ourworld-class products and services, all at great value for money.”

Patrick BrannellyVice President Corporate Communications Product, Emirates

“As a global airline serving 113 destinations on five continents, ourpassengers are as diverseand unique as our routes.Emirates strives to makeour service the mostcomfortable andentertaining in the world.This year’s Skytrax‘World's Best AirlineInflight Entertainment’award once againunderlines our relentlesscommitment to providingthe best inflightentertainment in the airoffering more content, inmore languages andultimately more choice,than ever before.”

Thomas van VlietVice President Operations and Development, Swiss-Belhotel International, Middle East

“Our expansion in this region [Saudi Arabia],including our latest developments in Iraq andKazakhstan, are all coordinated and managedfrom our regional office in Dubai and in linewith the volume of this expansion, we havealready and will further adapt our operatingstructure in Dubai, and at future hotels in SaudiArabia. The staffing ratios will be in line withindustry standard for Saudi Arabia with theright local and expatriate employee mix.”

The UAE has invested an estimated USD6 billion in India and 1.8 million

Indian expatriates make their livelihoodsand careers here in the UAE

Emirates strives to make our service the most comfortable and entertaining

in the world

British Airwayscustomers willexperience our

world-classproducts andservices, all atgreat value for

money

Our expansion in this region [Saudi Arabia],including our latest developments in Iraq and

Kazakhstan, are all coordinated andmanaged from our regional office in Dubai

Patrick Brannelly

Mohammed Sultan Al Owais

Paolo DeRenzis

Thomasvan Vliet

17AUGUST 2011

Middle Eastern Culture and Heritage RecognisedA total of 25 sites have made their way onto the World Heritage List this summer, bringing the number of such historic sites to 936.

These sites, scattered around theglobe, are recognised as being ofgreat cultural significance andare all afforded protection that itis hoped will preserve them for

many generations to come.Of the 25 newcomers, three are located in theMiddle East, in Iran, Syria and the UAE.The Persian Garden in Iran is a property thatincludes nine gardens in as many provinces.

According to United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO),they exemplify the diversity of the Persian gardendesigns that evolved and adapted to differentclimatic conditions, while retaining their roots inthe times of Cyrus the Great, sixth century BC.The gardens are always divided into foursections, representing earth, plants, sky andwater, with the water playing an important rolein both irrigation and ornamentation.These gardens are also thought to haveinfluenced the art of garden design in countriesas far off as India and Spain.The ancient villages of northern Syria were alsodeemed worthy of recognition and preservation.UNESCO noted that the 40 villages grouped ineight parks in the north-west of the countryprovide remarkable testimony to rural life in thelate Antiquity and during the Byzantine period.The settlements date from the first to seventhcenturies and were all abandoned in the eight to10th centuries. They feature well preserved landscapes andarchitectural remnants, including those ofdwellings, pagan temples, churches, cisterns andbathhouses.The villages are said to illustrate the transitionfrom the ancient pagan world of the RomanEmpire to Byzantine Christianity.The UAE may be more renowned for the glitz and

glamour of Dubai, but its cultural sites of Al Ainhave now been added to the World Heritage List.As far as UNESCO is concerned, Hafit, Hili,Bidaa Bint Saud and Osases in the UAEconstitute a serial property that testifies tosedentary human occupation of a desert regionsince the Neolithic period with vestiges of manyprehistoric cultures.Hili received particular recognition for featuringone of the oldest examples of the sophisticatedaflaj irrigation system, which dates back to theIron Age.Notable additions to the list based elsewhere inthe world include the Kenyan Lake System in theGreat Rift Valley, and Senegal’s Saloum Delta,where fishing has sustained human life for morethan two millennia.

Palmyra, Syria

n

Kenyan Lake, Great Rift Valley

Al Ain

AUGUST 201118

- Maldives

The Maldives’ tourism overall islooking more promising, withPresident Mohamed Nasheedestimating that tourism receiptsare worth approximately

USD2.5 billion. The industry has strengthenedand, as a result, the islands are attracting moretravellers in search of tranquility and warm service.Current hotels in the Maldives confirm a rise inMENA tourist numbers. Magdalena Rungaldier,marketing manager, Baros Maldives, commentedon prominent markets. “So far in 2011, UK andGermany are our strongest markets. We haverecently decided to focus more efforts on theMENA region. The main reason for this beingthe Maldives’ close proximity to this region,excellent flight connectivity on world classcarriers, high proliferation of affluent inhabitantswith expandable income and interest in our kindof resort and the luxury experience that we offer.” Recent renovations to Baros Maldives include thefirst resort eco-dive centre in the Maldives, whichbegan operation at the end of 2010. In addition,the hotel engages in further environmental focus.“We have entered into a number of greeninitiatives in order to make our resort moreenvironmentally friendly, such as: recycling of allgrey water; installation of led light systems; andall chemicals used for cleaning are biodegradable,to name a few,” highlighted Rungaldier.

Attracting ToursimEconomic reforms proposed by the governmentto strengthen the country’s economy haverestricted investment by some players in thetravel and tourism industry.Maldives Tourism Promotion Board hasannounced that its budget is very limited for theyear. Aminath Hudha, senior marketing officer,highlighted methods taken to promote tourismfrom the MENA region. “We will be focusing onthe usual promotional activities such asparticipation in Arabian Travel Market andorganising of press trips from the [MENA]region. There is huge growth from Saudi Arabiaover the years. Hence, we are trying to focus onthese emerging markets.”Concerning the organisation’s overall tourismstrategy, Hudha added: “We are trying to rebrand

the destination as our current branding has beenthere for over 10 years and the product of theMaldives has changed. The main focus is tochange the image that Maldives is a destinationfor only honeymooners and beach lovers. Ifeverything goes as planned we hope to launch thenew brand next year.”A new strategy may include an increasedspotlight on culture. Baros Maldives this yearopened the Maldivian lounge which seeks to givevisitors a sense of Maldivian culture and identity.Included is the best collection in the world ofancient maps of the islands.Along with brand changes, Maldives Chamber ofCommerce and Industry has suggested that largebusiness groups across the world are enhancingtrade relations with Maldives, with investorsfrom the Middle East on the increase.

A Middle Eastern TouchJumeirah Group opened its first resort, JumeirahDhevanafushi, in the Maldives in May, located inthe Gaafu Alifu Atoll, 400km south of the capitalcity of Malé. Another UAE-based company, MubadalaDevelopment Company, has revealed that it willopen the luxury Viceroy Maldives resort onSeptember 1. The joint venture between Mubadalaand Maldives-based luxury hotel developer, EoNResorts, brings the new property to the 17-acreVagaru Island in Lhaviyani Atoll of the Maldives.Hani Lashin, general manager, Dubai’s JauharaGroup, has suggested that given that the Maldivesis a 100 percent Muslim country, the fact that noIslamic resort exists in the country is surprising.The group hopes to develop an Islamic resort inthe Maldives, which would offer privacy for both

sexes in compliance with Islamic Shari’a and itwould not offer alcohol or pork. It is suggestedthat the resort will be completed by late 2013 orearly 2014.Other international developments in theMaldives include the first Hyatt hotel on theislands, Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa, whichopened on April 1. It is the first resort in theMaldives to follow Earth Check certificationstandards for construction and operations.Anantara opened its third property in theMaldives, Anantara Kihavah Villas, on the BaaAtoll. The five-star resort, with Green Globecertification, is located on the secludedKihavah Huravalhi, a 35-minute seaplane ridefrom Malé.

AirAirlines have long flown from MENA to theMaldives. Rula Tadros, corporate communications,Emirates, reported that flight numbers have recentlyrisen temporarily. “Up to November 2010, Emiratesoperated 19 services a week between Dubai and theMaldives. This was increased to 21 a week inNovember 2010 and will continue through thiswinter through to March 2012.”With innovative investments underway, and achange in tourism strategy from the MaldivesTourism Promotion Board on the horizon, targetingnew tourists, including the emerging MENAmarket, the islands look underway to improvingtheir global tourism status and overall economy.

Uniting MENA and the MaldivesWith the Maldives being a Muslim country, it has long attracted visitors from the MENA region, however this market hasfailed to be highly capitalised on. With recent developments indicating improvements, Travel Trade Monthly looks at whatthe islands anticipate offering their Arab visitors.

Marianna Keen writes

Maldives in BriefCapital: MaléCurrency: Maldives Rufiyaa (MVR)Language: Dhivehi

Maldives

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19AUGUST 2011

- Seychelles

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Crystal blue waters lapping whitesandy beaches, and strikingflora and fauna have longenticed visitors to theSeychelles, and the islands’

tourism industry continues to focus on itstranquil and romantic image. The destination’seconomy relies strongly on the travel and tourismindustry, suggests the World Travel and TourismCouncil (WTTC) Seychelles Report. It isestimated that the industry’s total contributionto GDP, including its wider economic impacts,will rise by 4.1 percent per annum fromSCR7,481.0 million (USD613 million and 57.6percent of GDP) this year to SCR11,149.7million(USD914 million and 58.3 percent) by 2021. Line Mancienne, public relations coordinator,Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) expressed herdelight in the destination’s increasing appeal. “Theroyal honeymoon in Seychelles has given theislands a great deal of exposure.” Prince Williamand Kate Middleton spent 10 days on the eco-luxury retreat North Island.“Seychelles will continue to refine its romanticproducts and promote the islands as the best venuefor romance on the planet,” added Mancienne. The Seychelles Tourism Board is increasinglyrecognising that Middle Easterners, too, areinterested in nature and tranquility, particularlywhen paired with luxury.

AirlinesFlight options between MENA and theSeychelles are improving. “The Seychelles hasseveral international cooperation agreements,including air service agreements with countriesfrom the MENA region and it’s very keen toincrease trade, tourism and cultural exchangeswith them. Soon we will have Etihad Airwaysserving Seychelles to become the third airlinefrom the Middle East,” observed Mancienne.Etihad Airways recently announced it will debutservices to Seychelles International Airport inMahé with four return services per week fromAbu Dhabi, effective from November 2.Kelsey Paquin, manager corporatecommunications, Etihad Airways, commentedon the decision. “The Seychelles has a strong and

growing appeal as a premium leisure destination,with increasing numbers of UAE residents andEuropean travellers holidaying there.” Emirates also has expansion plans for flights tothe Seychelles, highlighted Rula Tadros,Emirates group corporate communications. “Bythe end of this year, Emirates will have doubledthe number of flights on this route to reach 14flights a week. In 2010, we intensified ourmarketing drive and the response we received hasgreatly motivated us to go for the double-daily.Since the launch of Emirates’ service to thearchipelago in 2005, the number of tourists fromRussia and Asia has doubled. It must be notedthat the demand for the Seychelles on ournetwork has always been there, but there was theproblem of shortage of rooms. We are witnessinginvestment in the tourism sector of the Seychellesand this augers well for the future,” added Tadros.

Agents and HotelsEmirates Holidays and the STB teamed up toboost tourist traffic to the Seychelles this year,with the ‘Be Smart, Be Carnaval' programme.Travel agents from the UAE, Saudi Arabia,Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan,Russia, Cyprus, Greece and Turkey were invitedto keep track of their bookings to the Seychellesfrom June 15 to January 31, 2012, and the fourtop performing travel agents will be sent to theSeychelles Carnaval International de Victoria in2012. The countries which have been selected aresaid to constitute new markets with highpotential for the archipelago. “These types ofcultural exchanges are expected to increase,”remarked Mancienne.Increased investment in the Seychelles hasincluded the opening of new accommodation.

Kempinski announced it will open KempinskiSeychelles Resort, Mahé island, in October,featuring 173 rooms and suites.Recent additions include Raffles PraslinSeychelles Resort, which opened in February;and Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa,which opened in March. Elaine Reed, corporatecommunications for Middle East and Africa,Hilton Worldwide, remarked on expandingmarkets. We are increasingly seeing more touristsfrom Russia and, because of the direct flights fromDubai airport, we are seeing more guests from theUAE and the wider GCC.”STB has also noted that tourism from theMENA region is expected to rise. “Althoughvisitors from MENA account for only about fivepercent of total visitors to Seychelles, it is one ofthe fastest growing tourism markets for theSeychelles. In 2010, visitors from the regionrecorded a 40 percent growth. The Seychelles istrying to diversify its tourism markets so that weare not too dependent on Europe,” highlightedMancienne. Banyan Tree Seychelles noted anincrease in visitors from the Middle East andAfrica as well as Asia and Europe. Strategy for the future of the islands’ tourismindustry will be marked out in a ‘green paper’ ofthe Seychelles Master Plan for Tourism, followingPresident James Michel’s call for STB to be thedrivers of the islands’ tourism brand. Suggestionsfor the tourism plan, which is expected to bepublished at the end of November, are urged.

Eco-luxury in the SeychellesThe Seychelles archipelago is reputed for being one of the most romantic locations on earth, and the Duke and Duchess ofCambridge’s recent honeymoon there has raised its profile even further. While they reap rewards in this sector, industry playersare beginning to look towards emerging markets, and with MENA visitors representing one of the fastest growing markets,Travel Trade Monthly takes a look at what the islands have to offer.

Marianna Keen writes

Seychelles in BriefCapital: VictoriaCurrency: Seychelles rupee (SCR)Language: Creole, English, French

Seychelles

AUGUST 201120

- Mauritius

The total contribution of theindustry to the island’s GDP,including its wider economicimpacts, is forecast to rise by 6.4percent per year from MUR101.5

billion (USD3.6 billion, amounting to 31.7 percentof GDP) this year to MUR188.6 billion (USD6.6billion and 39.8 percent) by 2021, according to theWorld Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC)Mauritius report released in February. Mauritius’ tourism success appears to emanatefrom diverse sectors. It is a popular place to getmarried and take a honeymoon, thanks to itsstunning scenery, warm tropical climate and thewarm hospitality of the Mauritian people.Adhering to this tranquil and relaxing vibe, spaand wellbeing tourism is another prime sector,sponsored by international leading brands suchas Clarins, Givenchy and Shisheido. Thecompetitive nature of the market has resulted ina range of pampering treatments and state-of-the-art health and beauty facilities. Furthering thewellness focus, medical tourism has also grown,ranging from cosmetic surgery to dentistry.

Diverse MarketsMauritius has not ignored its diverse terrain andhas successfully tapped into the adventuretourism market, with more reserves and domainsbeginning to open up to tourists. The north isfamous for watersports, while the east of theisland is wilder and less developed, offeringscenic treks and the south-east is known for itshigh cliffs. Other activities include canyoning,horseriding and scuba diving. A main ‘green’attraction is the Black River Gorges NationalPark, which extends over 16,680 acres.With a plethora of activities and superiorfacilities on offer, the island is an idealdestination for luxury MICE tourism, highlightsthe Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority.With its bilingual population, business friendlyatmosphere, new five-star accommodationoptions as well as a diversified mix of hotels andbrands, the Indian Ocean's largest conventioncentre and simplified visa entry facilities, theisland easily caters for big incentive groups aswell as corporate hospitality needs.Air Mauritius, which operates daily flights from

worldwide destinations, has embarked on aninitiative that offers additional features to MICEbuyers, seeking to promote the sector’s travel toMauritius. Offerings include competitive groupfares, helicopter sightseeing, ‘heli-lunches’ or‘heli-golf ’ excursions at preferential group ratesand free carriage of golf clubs, up to 23kg per bag.Emirates has helped to sustain tourism to theisland in other ways, suggested Rula Tadros,Emirates group corporate communications. “We have supported the island in difficult timeswithout decreasing the number of flights. In fact,we increased frequencies in 2009, amidst thecrisis. It is known that Emirates has greatlycontributed to developing new markets, such asRussia and other Eastern European countries.Mauritius is an important destination forEmirates. The Dubai-Mauritius route is a popularand successful one with a load factor of morethan 85 percent. We started our operations to theisland in 2002 with four weekly flights and overthe years, we have gradually increased thefrequencies to nine weekly flights.”

AccommodationAccommodation in Mauritius ranges fromcharming villas right through to luxury resorts,to appeal to all visitor types. Major hotel groupsinclude Accor, Apavou Hotels, Club Med,Constance Hotels, Starwood Hotels & Resorts,Sun Resorts, Veranda Resorts and One&OnlyResorts, while tax incentives offered by thegovernment have helped to attract furtherreputable international hotel chains such as FourSeasons, Hilton, InterContinental, Le Meridien,and Sofitel.Despite an apparent increase in MENA visitorsto the island, not all of the increasing number

of hotels are enjoying high occupancy from thismarket. Mövenpick Resort & Spa Mauritius hasreceived low numbers from this region due tolack of secure relationships, suggestedGeraldine Bajee, sales and marketing managerof the hotel. “[Yield is] very poor in this market. We try todeal with new collaboration in order to securevolume in this market. The Indian market hasproved to be the main visitor for our resort dueto heavy efforts to create awareness for ourproduct. However, the French market remainsour best market island wise.” This suggests thatmore cooperation from both Mauritian andMENA tourism players is required to strengthentourism ties and facilitate more widespreadexploitation of the region’s travellers.

StrategyThe Ministry of Tourism and Leisure is focusingon emerging markets such as India, China andRussia, with the objective of minimising adverseeffects from the euro crisis and external shocks.In order to promote the island, Nando Bodha,Minister of Tourism, also unveiled a securitycampaign that may include new legislation,which aims to protect the one millon touristsexpected this year from crime. With Mauritiusclearly appealing to a wide spectrum of travellers,with an expanding flight network, tourism fromthroughout the world looks set to expand inaccordance with forecasts from the WTTC.

A Multi-Faceted MauritiusMauritius offers a unique opportunity for guests to combine leisure, wellness and healthcare in a single trip, as well as offeringother tourism focuses, increasing visitor sectors. Travel Trade Monthly examines the diversity in the destination’s tourism andhow this appeals to international markets.

Mauritius in BriefCapital: Port LouisCurrency: Mauritian rupee (MUR)Language: English

Mauritius

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21AUGUST 2011

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- Solo Travel

Travelling solo is one of the mostrewarding yet challengingexperiences with plenty of prosand cons to consider. One canchoose to book a single ticket to

enjoy the ultimate freedom of making everydecision based on one’s own senses and beliefswhile others have no other option due to havingto consider a partner. Often, however, many solotravellers go on their own not only to reach a newstate of mind, but to carry out projects or gainwork experience, noted Tina Zorman, director,Eternal Yemen, a travel and tour operator. “There are many single travellers, slightly moremale then female. Many of them are single malebackpackers, either photographers or freelancejournalists. However, in Yemen there are notmany very young individual travellers or couplesunder the age of 30, as the country is relativelyexpensive for travelling. Both, male and femalebackpackers and students in particular, rarely seekpackage deals, as they want to spend as lessmoney as possible.”While remote destinations and exclusive resortsoffer the ideal locations for a family holiday orhoneymoon, solo travellers tend to opt forcentrally situated hotels, where instead of atranquil haven they can easily discover thedestination and blend in with the locals. Althoughbeing a rewarding experience, travelling alonemeans there is no one to watch your back. “Travelling on your own in Yemen is quitedifferent from doing it in other countries,” addedZorman. “First of all you cannot just start yourtravel immediately, but you first have to obtain

the travel permit that is issued by tourist policeupon the approximate plan of your travel. Someregions cannot be visited individually and usuallytravellers skip those regions, or they rent a car forjust few days. Another disadvantage is thatYemen does not have very developed bus system,there are no trains in Yemen and in some placesthe roads are still very bad.”As groups are too often lost in conversation, oneoften fails to discover what the place really has tooffer. Therefore, many of those choosing toescape the four corners and the daily routine, optfor going it alone to shatter this invisible shieldhoisted up when travelling in a group. Theyprefer to take in all that the destination has tooffer by mingling with locals and other travellers.Many often start their journey by looking fortravel companions and in the last couple of yearsseveral websites have been launched in responseto the growing demand for partnering withsomeone for travel.

Travelinlove.com provides a meeting platform forthose who would rather start their trip with a newcompanion, and acts as an information sourcewith comprehensive reviews about an array ofdestinations, noted Stefan Alt, project manager.“The destinations are diverse as our users varyholiday plans and itineraries. The list includeswell-known countries like Spain and exotic places

like, for example, Tadzhikistan. So far our mostpopular destinations, according to the number oftravel plans, are Turkey and Egypt.” Besides finding a travel partner, these kinds ofwebsites also help solo travellers to get all theinformation they need to best adapt to thedestination’s culture and customs. “In general, it is good to have self-confidence andnot to be overbearing. In some countries it ismaybe useful to wear apparel adapted to thecountry. You also have to keep in mind that youhave to look after yourself, so it is advisable notto take expensive valuables with you. The averageage of our users is about 35 and 60 percent ofthem are men while the remaining 40 percent arewomen,” added Alt.

Solo Woman in the Middle EastTravelling solo is always challenging, especiallywhen a woman decides to take a plunge into theunknown in the Middle East. To experience themagic of travelling solo, one must consider the factthat differences between certain parts of the regionexist, noted Zorman, a seasoned traveller herself. “I think there are quite some differences forwomen travelling solo among different Arabcountries. Many times, the girls complain aboutreceiving ‘too much’ of boys’ or merchants’attention in countries like Egypt or Morocco.Well, the case is different in Yemen. Yemen is avery safe country in many senses. There arealmost no pickpockets or thieves; the chances ofbeing the victim of kidnapping or terrorist attackare almost non-existent, although there is somuch talking about this. Women receive all thepossible help and kindness from the men andwomen.”

Solo but Not Lonely – Going it Alone!Booking for one person and having only a suitcase or backpack for company is a way of travelling which is fast gaining popularity.However, one is never really alone when travelling. In fact, travelling solo provides the experience of the ultimate self-indulgence,when one can take in every sight, sound and smell with unfiltered prejudices. For various reasons, more and more travellers optfor being captain of their own destiny and travel solo.

Rita Kasziba writes

In general, it is good to have self-confidence and

not to be overbearing

AUGUST 201122

Catherine McNabbCatherine McNabb has joined Dusit International asvice president sales and marketing. McNabb has beentasked with driving the sales and marketing initiativesglobally for the brands in Dusit’s portfolio, whichincludes Dusit Thani, Dusit Princess and dusitD2.McNabb, who has had a long and successful 22-yearcareer in the tourism and hospitality industry, bringsextensive cross-cultural management expertise withinboth the public and private sectors and solidcommercial acumen to the role. Previously, she heldpositions with Tourism Toronto, Four Seasons Hotelsand Resorts, New World Hotels and Fairmont Hotelsand Resorts. During her five-year tenure with theSingapore Tourism Board she was instrumental in anumber of key projects, including the co-creation ofITB Asia, Wildlife Asia Film Festival and Championsof the Earth/Business 4 the Environment. She alsospearheaded the commercial development of theinaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010.

Henning FriesHenning Fries has been promoted to regional vice president, UAE for Fairmont Hotels &Resorts. In his new role, Fries will spearhead the operation of all properties in the FairmontUAE portfolio and he will also be responsible for the hotels under development, includingFairmont Fujairah. Fries will continue his work as general manager of Fairmont Bab AlBahr, the hotel, which, under his leadership since 2010, has already gainedacknowledgment. With a career spanning over 25 years across four continents, Fries bringsa wealth of experience to his new role. Prior to joining Fairmont, he held various executivepositions with leading hotel companies, including Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, MandarinOriental Hotel Group and InterContinental Hotels Group. From 1987 onwards he workedin food and beverage roles at Fairmont Empress, Fairmont Royal York and FairmontChâteau Laurier. He then continued as a consultant for hotels and hospitality relatedenterprises before rejoining the operational side of the industry as regional director, UAERefad Hotels & Resorts, and general manager, Monarch Dubai.

Stefan BuchsStefan Buchs has been appointed as vice presidenthotel operations, Europe, Middle East and Africa(EMEA) at Banyan Tree. Based in London, Buchsis in charge of supervising all existing hoteloperations and upcoming developments in theregion as well as in the Seychelles and Mauritius.He has also been tasked with developing the group’sEMEA business through new opportunities inaccordance with Banyan Tree’s global expansionplan. Buchs brings a wide range of experience to therole, having previously held positions at large-scalepremier properties with deluxe facilities and spas inEurope. Most recently he worked as vice presidentof CHI Hotels & Resorts, a high-end hotelmanagement company and the exclusive operatorand developer for the luxury Corinthia brand.

Pep LozanoPep Lozano has been appointed as generalmanager of The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi,Grand Canal. In his new role the Spanishhotelier is in charge of all operations and salesactivities, as well as guest and employeeengagement, at the 532-room hotel, which isdue to open at the end of the year. Mostrecently he held the general manager positionof The Ritz-Carlton Doha for two years. Hebegan his career at Hotel Arts in Barcelona, aRitz-Carlton managed property, in variousfood and beverage roles. In 2000, he movedto the US to work as director of food andbeverage in the opening phase of The Ritz-Carlton Washington DC Lozano thenreturned to Spain where he held the generalmanager position of Hotel Arts and then ofAbama Golf & Spa Resort, Tenerife, anotherRitz-Carlton managed property. A Ritz-Carlton veteran, Lozano played vital roles inthe opening of several properties of thecompany around the world.

Henning Fries

Catherine McNabbPep Lozano

Stefan Buchs

Travel Trade Monthly: When was TravelSheikh established? Hani Dahlan: Travel Sheikh is a project thathas been under development by Dahlan Tours &Travel for the past two and a half years. We justlaunched it in July.

Travel Trade Monthly: What spurred thelaunch of the company? Has it beenprompted by existing booking trends in theME? Do you think the online booking trendis set to rise? Hani Dahlan: The travel industry, like manyothers, is shifting to the digital era. We, in theMiddle East region, have taken some time tomake this shift to online commerce due to manyobstacles with the infrastructure of internetconnections and payment gateways. At Dahlan,we decided to take the initiative even though itmeans we must also educate the public aboutbooking travel online and the safety andconvenience of it all by introducingwww.travelsheikh.com. During the past few years, we have noticed thatboth walk-in and corporate clients have beenincreasingly using international online portals.However, it started with the simplicity ofchecking the rate online and then contactingtheir travel agent to book the same. Recently, ithas evolved into actual online sales and theagents therefore lose business. The online travelbusiness is the future of travel bookings globally,so if travel agencies aren't set to go online thenthey won't have a sustainable business model.

Travel Trade Monthly: For what type ofproduct do you expect demand for yourservices will be higher? Hani Dahlan: It is difficult to project whichservice will generate more demand as there is nobasis for reference since we are the first website

of its kind. Travelsheikh.com features flights,hotels, car rentals, transportation and muchmore with the most competitive prices. A yearfrom now, we will be able to understand theonline booking patterns of the Middle Easternconsumer.

Travel Trade Monthly: What do you thinkTravel Sheikh, with online travel bookingplatform, will bring to both the business andleisure sectors visiting Jordan and the rest ofthe Middle East? Hani Dahlan: Travelsheikh.com wasestablished, and will always be based, in Jordan,yet we cover the whole world. Therefore wetarget both inbound travel to the Middle Eastand outbound travel from the Middle East. Ouraim is to be the first choice for travellers visitingthe Middle East and Jordan so they can get a realsense of what to expect and what this region hasto offer. Our main target now is to make onlinetravel booking simple and easy and provide aplatform for all our colleagues in the travelindustry to be visible online.

Travel Trade Monthly: What new,sophisticated travel technologies will thecompany adopt? Hani Dahlan: We continuously shift ourbusiness model to accommodate technologicaladvances, hence the inception oftravelsheikh.com. Since we already have the mostupdated software and secure payment gateway,we will now focus on the convenience ofcustomising travel packages and vacations. Theidea is to make it a fun process rather than a rigidbusiness deal.

Travel Trade Monthly: What does TravelSheikh foresee for the future, with regards tothe company and its strategy as well as forJordan? Hani Dahlan: We are hoping and are preparingfor the unknown as we can’t foresee the futurewith the lack of data on online travel patterns. Westrive to position the region and be more visiblein the international market, as progressivemembers of the online travel community.

Travel Trade Monthly: How will TravelSheikh secure collaborative relationshipswith travel operators across the MiddleEast? Hani Dahlan: We welcome all travel suppliersto become Travel Sheikh suppliers and wealready work with many across the region. Beingan online portal which caters to both B2B(www.trasys.dahlan.com) and B2C(www.travelsheikh.com), we are confident thatwe can achieve a collaborative effort in theindustry and make these portals successful. Withthe concept and model we are working on, wemust cooperate with all suppliers, in order toproperly serve all customers. Basically, we areeverybody’s online sales channel. May the oneswith the best rates and best level of quality yieldthe most sales!

23AUGUST 2011

Q & A with Hani DahlanWith travel booking trends evolving along with technological advancements, travel industry players have had to continuallyadapt. Hani Dahlan, general manager, UNIGLOBE Dahlan Tours & Travel, explains to Travel Trade Monthly why helaunched the online portal, TravelSheikh.com, the first of its kind in the Middle East, and how it is hoped to retain asustainable business model.

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The idea is to make it a fun process rather than

a rigid business deal

If travel agencies aren't set to go online then

they won't have a sustainable business model

Hani Dahlan

AUGUST 201124

China Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings ExhibitionBeijing, China, August 30-September 1, 2011 (www.cibtm.com)A leading event for the meetings, incentives, business travel and eventsindustry in China and Asia.

PATA Travel MartNew Delhi, India, September 6-9, 2011 (www.pata.org)Asia Pacific’s premier travel trade show with networking and contractingopportunities.

Top Resa, International French Travel MarketParis, France, September 20-23, 2011 (www.iftm.fr)An international travel and tourism trade fair for networking, doing business,innovating and keeping abreast of market developments.

The World Youth and Student Travel ConferencePalau, Spain, September 20-23, 2011(www.wystc.org)An event for organisations that serve today’s young people who travel. Itprovides an opportunity for attendees to pursue innovative partnerships,develop creative marketing and distribution channels and access new markets.

Cityscape DubaiDubai, UAE, September 26-29, 2011 (www.cityscape.ae)A B2B networking exhibition and conference for emerging real estatemarkets globally.

Kazakhstan International Tourism ExhibitionAstana, Kazakhstan, September 27-29, 2011www.leisure.kzThe eighth Kazakhstan International Tourism Exhibition in Astana catersfor both the B2B and B2C markets and features a vibrant mix of inboundand outbound destinations.

CIS Travel MarketSt. Petersburg, Russia, October 12-14, 2011(www.restec.ru)An event focusing on the CIS countries with airlines, tour operators, travelagencies, accommodation providers and tourist associations.

ITB AsiaSuntec, Singapore, October 19-21, 2011(www.itb-asia.com)An event where international exhibitors, Asia Pacific’s leading companiesand emerging enterprises meet top buyers.

Oman Developments Will Boost the Nation’s TourismOman will open new national attractions, along with a recordnumber of leisure and travel properties this year, in an effortto bolster its tourism and hospitality sectors.In the past few months, about 1,400 new hotel rooms and theRoyal Opera House Muscat have been opened. Muscat-Khasab routes from Oman’s National Ferry Company havealso been extended. Salem Al Mamari, director general of tourism promotions,Ministry of Tourism Oman, commented on the developments.“The launch of new resorts and hotels will be welcomedevelopments as demand can be very overwhelming duringpeak seasons. We also need to broaden the base of mid-rangeand budget hotels as this segment is attracting more patrons.” Meanwhile, construction on Oman’s Convention andExhibition Centre is on track for a late 2013 opening. Thefacility includes a 3,000-seat plenary, 25,000m2 of exhibitionspace and four hotels with a total of 1,000 rooms.

World Travel Market to Focus on BRIC Economies This year’s World Travel Market (WTM)in November will focus on the world’s BRICeconomies, with its first-ever dedicatedheadline session on the travel and tourismpotential of Brazil, Russia India and China.WTM 2010 highlighted the tourismdevelopment in the BRIC nations in itsinaugural World Travel Market 2010Industry Report.

The study, which polled 1,300 WTM exhibitors and buyers from the Meridian Club,as well as 1,000 UK holidaymakers, found that almost half of the industries believethe BRIC economies will provide one of the biggest growth opportunities of the nextfive years.Simon Press, exhibition director, WTM, commented that these economies willbecome increasingly influential in the coming years. “The BRIC economies will play an ever-increasing role in the future of the travel andtourism industry. The desire by the people of these countries to travel abroad as wellthe growing interest from tourists to visit these countries means they will be at theforefront of decisions made by the industry’s leading organisations.”