Middle East and North Africa Edition

OCTOBER 8, 2011 ISSUE 100 www.traveltradeweekly.travel

October 8, Issue 100

Market Update 2Weekly News 4Accommodation 6Air Travel News 8International 10Who’s Moved 11Travel Talk 12Agents’ Corner 13Travel Channels 14Rendezvous 15Events 16

Monthly visitor arrivals reached a historichigh in Hong Kong after surpassing fourmillion in August.

In This Issue

22BEIRUT REVEALS LUXURYHOTELAl Shegrey Group KAS Investment hasrevealed a new addition to Beirut’s luxuryaccommodation offering, with the softopening of Le Dix.

66

HONG KONG MAKES HISTORY

OCTOBER 8, 20112

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLYManaging Editor

Mary Kammitsimary@traveltradeweekly.travel

JournalistsRita Kasziba

Marianna KeenDominique Christou

Design & LayoutElina Pericleous

Sales & MarketingMaria Demetriadou

Brighite EssDominique Tennant

DirectorsAndreas Constantinides

Mary Kammitsi

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COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=UAE (AED) Dirham 3.67Egypt (EGP) Pound 5.96Saudi Arabia (SAR) Riyal 3.75Lebanon (LBP) Pound 1,503.00Bahrain (BHD) Dinar 0.37Jordan ( JOD) Dinar 0.71Syria (SYP) Pound 49.70Kuwait (KWD) Dinar 0.28Qatar (QAR) Riyal 3.64Oman (OMR) Rial 0.38Tunisia (TND) Dinar 1.44Morocco (MAD) Dirham 8.40Iran (IRR) Riyal 10,641.05Yemen (YER) Rial 213.25Algeria (DZD) Dinar 74.12Libya (LYD) Dinar 1.24

MENA Exchange RatesAccurate as of 5/10/2011Currencies shown in red are fixed against the US Dollar

ExecuJet Aviation Group has reported a growth in aircraft sales since thebeginning of the year. Figures show that its deliveries involving new and pre-owned aircraft increased by almost 100 percent with a sales revenue of 90 percent.ExecuJet has aircraft sales operating in six regions, with wide-bodied and longrange aircraft being the most requested category. Andrew Hoy, managingdirector, ExecuJet Aviation Group Trading, commented on the increase indelivery figures.“We have never been busier, margins are growing and the amount of aircraft weare working with is expanding.”The current price point for smaller jets, a rate that ExecuJet gradually increasedowing to demand, has encouraged serious buyers to purchase these aircraft.“In spite of market uncertainty, businesses are still operating and need to movetheir executives around. The trend by scheduled airlines to reduce frequencies androutes has resulted in a growing need for business aviation options.”

ExecuJet Aviation Group’s Sales Increase

Hong Kong Makes HistoryMonthly visitor arrivals reached a historic high in Hong Kong after surpassingfour million in August, based on data released by the Hong Kong TourismBoard (HKTB).

W ith arrivals reaching 4,065,761 and year-on-year growth amounting to 17.7 per-cent, Hong Kong achieved a new record,gaining pace from the previous hit inJuly. James Tien, chairman, HKTB,

commented on the impresive results.“We are encouraged by the tourism performance in August.Summer has always been a peak season for travel among short-haul visitors. Following a historic high of 3.8 million arrivals inJuly, this is the second month in a row that arrivals set a newmonthly record.”Driven by an impressive summer performance, visitor arrivals for the first eight months amountedto 27,236,330, up 16.2 percent over the corresponding period in 2010. “Overall, during the summer period from June to August, we welcomed a total of 10,940,371 ar-rivals, 18.8 percent more than in the corresponding period in 2010. Both Mainland China andSoutheast Asia achieved outstanding performance, mainly because of the favourable economicclimate and appreciation of currencies in these markets. In addition, the local travel trade also

proactively launched timely promotions to make the best of the business opportu-nities arising from the peak travel season,” added Tien. Visitor arrivals from Europe, Africa and the Middle East (EMEA) in August totalled172.862, representing an increase of 2.8 percent over the same month in 2010. Between January and August, Hong Kong received a total of 1,397,917 travellersfrom the EMEA region, up 1.3 percent over the comparable period in 2010. Mainland China,which generated 2.91 million arrivals in the first eight months, isexpected to drive Hong Kong’s tourism industry.

Hong Kong

OCTOBER 8, 20114

Millenium & Copthorne Middle East and North Africa isto embark on a corporate restructure and penetrate thebroader African market. The organisation, which owns and manages more than 120hotels across 20 countries, has already indentified expansionopportunities for its extensive portfolio of brands in SouthAfrica and other key markets across the continent. Ali HamadLakhraim Alzaabi, CEO, Millennium & Copthorne MiddleEast and Africa, elaborated on the expansion. “We see tremendous opportunity in Africa. There are manykey markets underserved by quality hotels offeringinternational standards and value in every class to guests, aswell as solid returns to owners. There is also significantbilateral trade between the Middle East and many Africancountries.” The hotel group’s MENA division, which will incorporate allof Africa, strives to achieve fast growth on the continent with40 signed agreements in the pipeline and a growing portfolioof brands for the market, which includes Grand Millennium,Millennium, Copthorne, Kingsgate and the recentlylaunched exclusive destination brand Biltmore.

The developer’s stand atthe exhibition, whichwas dedicated to emerg-ing real estate markets,reflected its strategic

focus on taking the luxury experience to awhole new level, noted Niall McLoughlin,senior vice president, Damac Properties.“Damac Properties is one of the mosthighly regarded developers in the region,with a proven track record of deliveringhigh quality, luxury properties to the mar-ket. Through our partnership with VersaceHome in Beirut and Jeddah, we have set anew benchmark for luxury residential development in the region.”Damac also used the event to introduce anew luxury apartment management serv-

ice, Damac Suites and Spa, which was es-tablished to cater to the growing demandfor serviced premises. The new companywill oversee Damac Properties’ first serv-iced apartment development, the 49-storey Burjside Boulevard, located in theexclusive Dubai Downtown, opposite theDubai Mall. “Damac Suites and Spa will provide acomprehensive list of services for resi-dents, spanning from state of-the-art spatreatments, housekeeping, concierge serv-ices, chauffeur driven cars and private jetand yacht charter.” Damac Suites and Spa will be an inde-pendently run subsidiary of Damac, andwill offer services such as housekeeping,personalised butler and chef services.

Damac Unveils New Serviced Apartment Offering Independent developer, Damac Properties, has showcased its award-winning luxury development portfolioand introduced a new luxury apartment management service at Cityscape Global 2011.

Millenium & Copthorne MENA toEncompass Africa

Burjside Boulevard

OCTOBER 8, 20116

- Accommodation

The four-star Mafraq Hotel, originally opened in 1996, waspurchased by The National Investor (TNI) in 2007 and isnow set to be re-launched this November after a two-yearre-build project.The USD50 million overhaul of the property has taken the121-room hotel to 250 rooms. Rob Rowell, vice presidentof real estate, TNI, commented on the re-launch. “Being TNI’s first major foray into the hospitality sector wewere tempted to lean on established brands to manage theoperations. However, after careful consideration and the es-tablishment of our own track record in operations, we de-cided to continue to leverage the Mafraq name to highlightthe uniqueness of the property and strengthen its own in-dependent brand.”The re-built property incorporates a 5,000m2 green court-yard around the pool, dividing the building into differentwings. One of these, which is dedicated to meeting and ban-quet facilities, features a ballroom, two meeting rooms andan executive lounge. The hotel also boasts a fitness zone, achildren’s swimming pool and playground, massage facili-ties, grooming salons, tennis, badminton and squash courtsand five food and beverage outlets.

The hotel boasts an ideallocation in the heart of Lebanon’s capital city,near the historic RaoucheRock and just a seven-

minute drive from the airport. With its deluxe interior design and per-sonalised services, Le Dix represents oneof the region’s most prestigious proper-ties. Abdulkader . Hankir, chief operatingofficer, KAS Investment Hospitality Divi-sion, elaborated on the soft launch. “We invite presidents, ministers, ambas-sadors and businessmen from all over theworld to visit Le Dix and have a look atone of the most luxurious hotels in theArabic region.”Le Dix, which has been built at a cost of

Beirut Reveals Luxury HotelAl Shegrey Group KAS Investment has revealed a new addition to Beirut’s luxury accommodation offering,with the soft opening of Le Dix.

more than USD25 million, houses fourtypes of suites, including 10 high-end seaview suites, each spread out on a separatefloor to ensure ultimate privacy.

We invite presidents, ministers, ambassadors andbusinessmen from all over

the world

The master bedroom suites, each withfully equipped kitchens, state-of-the-arttechnology, furnished terraces and bal-conies overlooking the sea, offer a con-venient stay that is suitable for discerningbusiness and leisure travellers. Besides24-hour butler service, Le Dix offers freelimousine transport from the airport,

where guests are escorted to the VIPlounge, to ensure a unique experience.

Le Dix

Mafraq Hotel Returns After Facelift

OCTOBER 8, 20118

- Air News

Royal Jordanian Airlines (RJ) plansto offer more flights between Jordanand Africa, boosting tourism in Westand East Africa. The first service toLagos, Nigeria is scheduled to com-mence at the end of November.Studies conducted by RJ proved that itis also feasible to launch flight routes toAccra, Ghana; Nairobi, Kenya andAddis Ababa, Ethiopia. RJ aims to havethese cities on its route map in the near future. Hussein Dabbas, CEO, RJ, commented

on the four additional flights to RJ’s ex-isting 59 global destinations, emphasis-ing that connecting Amman with theseAfrican cities is bound to attract largenumbers of tourists to the Kingdom,particularly Muslim pilgrims who wishto continue their flights to Mecca andMedina, in Saudi Arabia, and Christianswho visit Jordan to see the holy sites. The step will enhance Jordan’s positionas a gateway to the Middle East and abase which connects this region to therest of the world.

The additional services, to be operated by Airbus A320 and A330aircraft, will provide both business and leisure travellers with moreoptions and improved connection opportunities from Etihad’s AbuDhabi hub to a range of destinations across the airline’s expandingnetwork. The frequency increase also reinforces the great importance

Etihad places on the route linking the two Arabian capitals, noted James Hogan, CEO. “Saudi Arabia is a key market for Etihad, and Riyadh has always been an importantstrategic destination for the airline. These changes allow us to strengthen our positionwithin the GCC network. We are grateful to the UAE General Civil Aviation Authorityand the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority for their support, which has enabled us to addthe extra flights.” Etihad commenced services to Riyadh in December 2004, and also operates 13 flightsper week to Jeddah and Dammam.

Emirates is to introduce two addi-tional flights to its current nine between Dubai and Mauritius, inorder to enhance the growing num-ber of tourists visiting the island. Majid Al Mualla, senior vice presi-dent, commercial operations, Emi-rates, West Asia and Indian Ocean,commented on the additional flights. “Our decision to introduce theseextra flights is the result of our long-term partnership with the island. Wewish to thank the government ofMauritius for its trust in Emirates.”November 4 will be the launch datefor Emirates’ 10th weekly service fol-lowed by its 11 weekly flight com-mencing on December 6.“Emirates will work hand in hand withthe Ministry of Tourism and the Mau-ritius Tourism Promotion Authorityto develop marketing campaigns topromote Mauritius across our strongglobal network,” added Al Mualla.With the additional flights, Emirates of-fers more travel options and better con-nectivity for the growing number ofGCC based tourists visiting Mauritius.

Emirates Boosts Mauritius Tourismwith Extra Flights

Etihad Boosts Riyadh FlightsEtihad Airways is to substantially raise frequency to Riyadh from dailyservices to 13 flights a week from October 30.

Royal Jordanian Airlines Takes On Africa

Etihad Airways

Emirates Airlines

9OCTOBER 8, 2011

- Air News

W ith the introduc-tion of the win-ter timetable,Lufthansa willoffer six weekly

non-stop flights between the Qatari capital and the German city. The elimina-tion of the intermediate landing in SaudiArabia shortens the journey time. Peter Pollak, general manager, UAE, anddirector, Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq,Lufthansa, expressed his delight at the announcement. “Qatar is one of the most dynamic growthmarkets in the Gulf region and it has longbeen on our wish list to bring a non-stopLufthansa service to the Doha-Frankfurtroute. We are pleased to offer the superior

Lufthansa Launches Non-Stop Doha FlightsLufthansa German Airlines is to upgrade its Doha-Frankfurt service to a non-stop operation, dropping theexisting stopover in Riyadh, effective from October 30.

travel comfort of a six weekly non-stopflight to our customers soon.”

The service, which will be operated by anAirbus A330/A340 aircraft, enables in-creased options for onward connectionsto the airline’s expanding network, notedRanda El Massry, sales manager for Qatar.“We are delighted to see enhanced serv-ices for our customers. We trust the newservice will be welcomed by business andleisure travellers alike, who will now havean even more efficient access toLufthansa's Frankfurt gateway with flightsto over 200 destinations, among them 21non-stop services to the US.”To further boost traffic between thecountries, Lufthansa has recently laun-ched its ‘Doha Winter Special’ campaign,promoting flights from Doha to an arrayof destinations in Europe.

Qatar is one of the most dynamic

growth markets in the Gulf region

Lufthansa

flydubai has launched the first Middle Eastern airline directflights to three Ukrainian cities. Now offering flights to Kiev,Kharkiv and Donetsk, flydubai adds to its existing 44 flightdestinations. The introduction of these flights to Ukraine will be an ad-vantage for UAE football fans travelling to the country forthe upcoming UEFA Euro 2012.Boris Kolesnikov, chairman, UEFA Euro 2012, commentedon the routes. “Our infrastructure development for UEFAEuro 2012 is well underway and includes heavy investmentin aviation to accommodate the increased traffic expectedduring the games and beyond. Attracting quality airlines isthe key to our strategy and we are delighted to welcome fly-dubai today.” The new flight routes were celebrated at each city’s internationalairport where flydubai and Ukraine state officials were present.Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO, flydubai, expressed his delight inthe new direct services. “This is an historic week for flydubai and illustrates the scaleof our ambition to expand into emerging markets, as well asour firm commitment to Ukraine.” ‘

flydubai Direct to Ukraine

Bulgaria has been introduced to Qatar’s flight route mapadding to the airline’s Eastern European service portfolio,which already includes Bucharest and Budapest. The flights,which operate four times weekly between Doha and Sofia viaBucharest, will offer easy access to business travellers as wellas holiday-makers. Akbar Al Baker, CEO, Qatar Airways,commented on the additional route.“Direct Qatar Airways flights from Sofia to Doha and beyondwill give Bulgarian businesses and tourists the ideal gatewayinto key markets of eastbound destinations that we serve, offering convenient connections to numerous destinations,including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, India, Thailand, China andAustralia.”Sofia was Qatar Airways’ fifth European route to commencethis year. The airline has since further expanded its Europeanroute by launching flights to Oslo, Norway.“It has been a conscious decision to open up routes in centralEastern Europe, with the latest addition of Bulgaria demon-strating our commitment to the region which we strongly be-lieve has great potential and will remain an important part ofQatar Airways’ growth strategy going forward,” added Al Baker.

Qatar Airways Expands its EasternEuropean Flight Route

OCTOBER 8, 201110

- International

Wyndham Hotel Group has signed an agreement to debutin Turkey, with the opening of Wyndham Petek Istanbul. Due to open in 2012, the 21-storey, 306-room hotel will beconveniently located only 7km from Atatürk InternationalAirport, Istanbul. The five-star hotel will include a choiceof 24 suites and 40 extended-stay apartments as well as aspa, a fitness centre, and indoor pool and four treatmentrooms. 13 meeting rooms will also be offered for confer-ences and events. Guest will benefit from the hotel’s com-plimentary transfers to and from the airport. Eric Danziger, president, Wyndham Hotel Group, com-mented on the agreement. “Istanbul is a rapidly developing, vibrant city that serves ashome to a growing number of companies as well as a risingnumber of international travellers. The addition of this firstWyndham hotel in Turkey will not only help solidify ourpresence in this important market, but will also serve as ashining example of the high quality and personalised serv-ice associated with the Wyndham name around the world.”

Set to open on October 15,MEMA will provide a first ofits kind experience, showcas-ing Asian maritime history.MEMA, which will be held

in an iconic steel and glass ship hull at theRWS waterfront, will harbour over 400rare objects, with it’s highlight being theJewel of Muscat, a replica of a ninth cen-tury Arab dhow that was a gift from theSultanate of Oman to the government andpeople of the Republic of Singapore. As Singapore’s tourism grows, MEMA willserve as an impressive attraction for Gulf

Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa Presents aUnique Adventure through Asian Maritime Singapore is to house the Maritime Experiential Museum and Aquarium (MEMA) at Resorts WorldSentosa (RWS), a development recounting the history behind the growth of sea trade between Asia and the Middle East.

visitors. Jason Ong, area director, MiddleEast and Africa, Singapore Tourism Board,commented on Singapore’s new asset.

“Singapore’s tourism offering is con-stantly evolving and maturing to appealto an increasingly global audience, to in-clude discerning Middle East-based visi-tors looking for cultural enrichment inaddition to entertainment. We believeGulf travellers, in particular, will get a realthrill from visiting MEMA because of itsfocus on the historic role that the MiddleEast played in the early global trade.”RWS have set out to continue this attrac-

tion with the development of two morehotels, a marine life park and a destina-tion spa. “MEMA together with RWS’ upcomingattractions such as Universal Studio Sin-gapore’s Transformers the Ride and otherquality developments like Gardens by theBay and the world’s first River Safari, willadd vibrancy to the city’s evolvingtourism landscape. Visitors can look for-ward to a richer and more differentiatedexperience in Singapore, thereby enhanc-ing our value proposition as a destinationchoice”, concluded Ong.

Istanbul to Be Home to First Wyndham Hotel in Turkey

11OCTOBER 8, 2011

Richard Scoble has beennamed general managerof JW Marriott Dubai.Scoble, a 35-year indus-try veteran, brings solidexpertise and extensiveexperience in managingdiverse hotel operationsto the flagship property.As general manager, hehas been tasked withoverseeing the landmarkhotel’s operations andmanagement. He will

also be instrumental in leading staff in maintaining high serv-ice standards, and bringing the overall hotel experience tothe highest level possible. Scoble has gained vast managerialexperience in the UK with Trusthouse Forte, Moat HouseHotels and Swallow Hotels. He then joined Whitbread be-fore moving on to Marriott.

Panos Panagis has been appointed general manager of TheDiplomat Radisson Blu Residence and Spa, Bahrain. Panagishas over 20 years of experience in a number of managementpositions, which include locations in Switzerland, the UK,Germany and Africa.He began his careerin the early 1990s,with various intern-ships, before movingto hotels in centralLondon and laterjoining Le MeridienHotels & Resorts.Prior to taking on hisfirst Middle East as-signment, he workedas general manager ofEko Hotels & Suitesin Lagos, Nigeria.

Peter French has been appointed by Raffles Hotels & Re-sorts as regional vice president, Europe, Middle East andAfrica (EMEA). French, who also holds the general managerposition at Raffles Dubai, will oversee the operation of LeRoyal Monceau-Raffles Paris and Raffles Praslin Seychellesas well as the new Raffles hotels under development inEMEA. He carries a wealth of international luxury experi-ence and in-depth background in operations, sales and mar-keting, human resources and finance, re-development,repositioning and transition. His previous roles include gen-

eral manager and vice presidentof operations and developmentfor Mandarin Oriental HotelsGroup, general manager ofMadarin Oriental Hong Kongand similar positions in a rangeof other prestigious hotels, in-cluding The Sukothai inBangkok, The Carlyle in NewYork and Grosvenor HouseHotel in London.

Richard Scoble Panos Panagis

Peter French

Richard Scoble

Panos Panagis

Peter French

OCTOBER 8, 201112

Travel Talk is your space – this is a casual forum for travel industryprofessionals to discuss current issues and share stories. We want tohear from you, so send your comments, questions, frustrations andobservations to editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel

“Travellers in the region are incred-ibly fashion and bargain savvy, andone of the best times for those seek-ing sales is the Christmas period.Some of the world’s most beautifuland bustling cities provide some ofthe best shopping experiences, offer-ing visitors a combination of cultureand heritage, as well as the chance to

pick up some great luxury items.Although many shoppers look abroad, the UAE in itself is awonderful shopping destination, with all the world’s most fa-mous and sought-after brands and boutiques located within itsmany huge malls.”

“The launch of services to Rome, our second destinationin Italy, will mark an important milestone for Gulf Air. Italywill become the first European country to boast of GulfAir’s services to two of its most prominent cities, namelyMilan and now Rome,reinforcing the airline’scommitment to Europeanexpansion. This new serv-ice will offer passengers inthe northern and south-ern central region of Italyaccess to the largest net-work of flights in theMiddle East as well as theregion’s most efficienthub.”

Kapil AggarwalDirector of sales and marketing, Hyatt International, Southwest Asia.

Kapil Aggarwal

Karim Makhlouf Chief commercial officer, Gulf Air.

Karim MakhloufAlthough many shoppers look abroad, the UAEin itself is a wonderful shopping destination

This new service will offer passengers in thenorthern and southern central region of

Italy access to the largest network of flights in the Middle East

Sabre Travel network, the global travel technology company, ispoised to open the world’s first business to business (B2B) appli-cation centre dedicated to the travel industry. The Sabre Red App Centre will represent the first of its kind to con-nect travel buyers, including travel agencies, travel managementcompanies and leisure operators, with third party developers. Greg Webb, president, Sabre Travel Network, elaborated on the lat-est innovative solution in Sabre’s repertoire. “The Sabre Red App Centre will open up a new world of possibil-ities for the travel industry and bring endless opportunities for cre-ative and original applications to be brought to the market quickly.Our agency customers will be able to improve their business anddeliver enhanced services for travellers by tapping into the collec-tive creativity of Red App developers from all over the world.”The Red App Centre, accessorised with Sabre-certified Red Apps,will be connected to the Sabre Red Workspace to empower travelbuyers to easily shop for a wide range of applications and deploythose down to the individual user. Upon launch, developers will be able to connect with more than 155,000 Sabre Red Workspace users in more than 116 countries.

13OCTOBER 8, 2011

Name: Cybelle MoutranKurbanPosition: Managing directorCompany: Escape TravelConsultantLocation: Lebanon

Agent’s Insight

Who are you?I have always been fond of travel and always aimed tomake a career out of it. I developed a great interest in lux-ury travel and realised that there is a niche in Lebanonfor it. This is how the idea of a boutique travel agencycame along in 2008 and Escape was born.

What is your favourite thing about working in thetravel industry?I am in the office but never stop travelling and dreaming.It is a thrill to discover new destinations, new addressesand insiders’ tips. I like the fact that it's an ever evolvingmarket with trends and novelties.Every client is a new challenge; I have to understand theirinterests and style and match it with impeccable service.

When is the best time to visit Lebanon?We are blessed with four seasons, each offering a widearray of activities so it all depends on one's interests. Inthe summer you can enjoy beautiful beaches and in thewinter, you can ski, snowboard and ski-doo in any of ourstations offering world-class facilities. Fall and spring sea-sons are very pleasant because of the mild weather andthe beauty of the natural landscape.

Where would you like to travel to for your next holiday?Latin America has a serious spell on me. Everything at-tracts me from its nature, its culture, its music to its people'sjoie de vivre. Peru is next on my list with a special eager-ness to discover Machu Picchu and beyond. Other placeslike Cuba and Vietnam sound very appealing to me too.

Why should people come to you for travel advice?We promote luxury travel, the essence of which is doingthings to your own taste, at your own pace. We create tai-lor-made trips that are defined by your very own interests.

Sabre to Launch First B2B App Centre

OCTOBER 8, 201114

For the first time ever, QatarTourism Authority (QTA) hosted adelegation of 40 influential MICE ex-perts in Doha. The programme,which commenced on September29th, included presentations from ex-perts on Qatar tourism and the hos-pitality sector. Qatar was showcased through a pro-gramme of activities which have beendeveloped by QTA in collaborationwith FVW, Germany’s leadingtourism industry publication. All ofQatar’s attractions and luxury hotelsas well as the New Doha InternationalAirport (NDIA) were highlighted.Ahmed Al Nuami, chairman, QTA,commented on the hosting of the del-egation. “This is our first workshop and visitof this kind and we are greatly heart-ened by the response from these hos-pitality professionals. Germany andindeed Europe is an important mar-ket for Qatar. We have excellent tiesbetween the two countries and asteady flow of visitors each way.”The event included a one day work-shop, presentations on NDIA and dis-cussions on improving MICEbusiness from the key market of Ger-many. Sales advice and tips were givenby German experts. The presentationstapped into details about Qatar’s fu-ture tourism developments includingnew hotels and other infrastructure.“The announcement of our winningthe right to host the 2022 FIFAWorld Cup put us on the map and wehave seen a remarkable amount of in-terest in what we can offer visitorsand business travellers,” elaborated Al Nuami.

The Association’s new industry profit expectation totals USD6.9 billion,up from USD4 billion projected in June. IATA, however, emphasisedthat despite the improvements, profitability at these levels is still weakconsidering the aviation industry’s total revenues of USD594 billion.In spite of the developments, the industry is better to prepare for an

even more challenging period, noted Tony Tyler, CEO, IATA. “Airlines are going to make a little more money in 2011 than we thought. That is goodnews. Given the strong headwinds of high oil prices and economic uncertainty, re-maining in the black is a great achievement. But we should keep the improvement inperspective. The USD2.9 billion bottom line improvement is equal to about a half apercent of revenue,. and the margin is a mere 1.2 percent. Airlines are competing in avery tough environment and 2012 will be even more difficult.”In its first look at 2012, IATA is predicting profits to decline to USD4.9 billion on revenuesof USD632 billion for a net margin of 0.8 percent. The forecast is built around global pro-jected GDP growth of 2.5 percent this year dropping to 2.4 percent in 2012. IATA’s forecast highlights for this year shows that passenger demand has been strongerthan anticipated. As of July, passenger volume increased over six percent on previous levels. The report highlights that Middle East carriers are the second largest beneficiary ofthe growth in passenger demand (after Europe). IATA now expects the region’s airlinesto record USD800 million, up from only USD100 million projected in June. Despitethe political upheaval, passenger traffic grew by 8.3 percent compared with a capacityincrease of nine percent in the first seven months of the year.

Qatar Tourism Authority Hosts MICE Experts

IATA: Promising Present,Gloomy FutureThe International Air Transport Association (IATA) upgraded its industryprofit expectations, but warns about an even tougher environment.

Travel Trade Weekly: For what reasondid Accor decide to rebrand all sea-sons and Etap Hotel under the ibismega-brand?

Christophe Landais: It was perceivedthat the economy segment in Accor,which has got three brands, is a large con-tributor to the result. If you take eachbrand individually, you have ibis, whichprovides about 920 rooms, in 20 hotels;Etap, which has about 350 and all seasons,which has about 130. How it has beenperceived is that each brand, individually,will benefit from synergy, to create a big-ger network base. ibis is one of the leading economy brandsin terms of awareness and in terms ofstyle. We had all seasons, which was quitesimilar to ibis but a non-standardisedproduct and was designed to capture ex-isting hotels which are perhaps familyowned, with a small amount of rooms,and adopt these on a franchise basis. So,bringing all seasons under the ibis hat,under ibis styles, will certainly allowAccor to speed up development on a fran-chise basis.

Travel Trade Weekly: Will Accor alsorebrand hotels in other segments, put-ting them under one key-stone brand?

Christophe Landais: We don’t knowyet. Some projects will be launched foreach brand. Sofitel was repositioned onthe luxury segment in 2007, and that willcarry on as the international brand in thatsegment. With the repositioning of Sofitelthere arose a gap between midscale andluxury. This is where Pullman came. Atthe moment there are about 50 hotels

worldwide and the group will further de-velop it. We also have Mercure, which isone of the largest networks of midscalehotels in the world. We think the projectwill be to further develop Mercure to becompletely adaptive to culture and the en-vironment. And then you have Novotel,which should remain the leading brand inthe midscale segment, becoming more in-novative and more creative

Travel Trade Weekly: Do you thinkthat for Dubai, midscale and upscalebrands are more suitable? Do youthink Pullman will grow throughoutthe Middle East or mostly in Dubai?

Christophe Landais: I think Pullman isgrowing throughout the Middle East. Wehave one opening in Dubai in 2012, oneopening in Doha and also existing proj-ects in Riyadh and Jeddah. But it is a dif-ferent market; the upscale hotels aretargeting the international traveller andthe economy brands are targeting morethe domestic market. We plan to have,within the next five to six years, at least be-tween 10 to 16 Pullman hotels, but cer-tainly we have a new opportunity nowwith the ibis style, tofurther develop theeconomy lodging .

Travel Trade Weekly:Are midscale andupscale brands alsoinvolved in theEarth Check certifi-cation programme?

ChristopheLandais: It is a

commitment that the entire network willundergo Earth Check procedures in thenext two years. At the moment, what we arefocusing on economy and midscale brands.

Travel Trade Weekly: The economysegment appears to be growing in theMiddle East. Do you think this willalso spread to Mecca, adding toAccor’s strong Sofitel presence there?

Christophe Landais: I think it can. Theland is very, very expensive, so I guess, yes,in certain areas of Mecca we can developibis. It might not be in the first circle, butfurther away where you have someunbranded hotels.

15OCTOBER 8, 2011

Q & A with Christophe LandaisIn the continually transforming hospitality market, companies are required to adapt their strategies accordinglyand even introduce new concepts. Christophe Landais, managing director, Middle East, Accor, tells Travel Trade Weekly about the hotel operator’s rebranding decision as well as upcoming plans in the region.

Christophe Landais

OCTOBER 8, 201116

EventsCIS Travel MarketSt. Petersburg, Russia, October 12-14, 2011(www.restec.ru)An event focusing on CIS countries, attended by airlines, touroperators, travel agencies, accommodation providers andtourist associations.

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

World Travel MarketLondon, UK, November 7-10, 2011(www.wtmlondon.com)Leading global event for the travel industry, presenting adiverse range of destination and industry sectors, providingan opportunity to meet, network, negotiate and conductbusiness.

Dubai AirshowDubai, UAE, November 13-17, 2011(www.dubaiairshow.aero)The foremost aerospace event in the Middle East, whichconsistently delivers key buyers and decision makers.

International Golf Travel Market Antalya, Turkey, November 14-17, 2011(www.igtm.co.uk)The premier event for the golf travel industry with pre-scheduledappointments, networking opportunities and industry updates.

PhiloxeniaThessaloniki, Greece, November 18-21, 2011(www.philoxenia.travel)The expo, now in its 27th year, aims at promoting tourism inSoutheastern Europe and the Mediterranean. It acts as aninternational meeting point for professionals activated indifferent sectors of the tourism industry.

Urban Tails Pet Resort, the world’s first seven-star propertyfor four-legged guests has opened its doors in Dubai.The pet resort, located in Dubai Investment Park, boasts luxurysuites, landscaped gardens and a wide range of amenities,custom built for dogs and cats, elaborated Elspeth Moore,manager of the resort. “Dogs have a raw deal in Dubai with little opportunity tosocialise or play with other dogs. Urban Tails Pet Resort is fullyair conditioned with all suites and play areas offering a speciallydesigned layout to reduce noise level and minimise stress. Withhygiene being of utmost importance, we can guarantee that all our facilities and individual suites are cleaned on anongoing basis. To level up guest satisfaction, Urban Tails offers an array ofamenities and services, including grooming and training, indoorand outdoor gym, swimming pool, doggie boot camp, petboutique and pet limo. In the suites, plasma TV screens andrelaxation music ensure the ultimate indulgence.

Abu Dhabi International Airport: 14 Percent RiseAbu Dhabi International Airport’s passenger volumecontinued to climb in August, according to data released byAbu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC). In August, a total of 1.09 million travellers passed throughthe airport’s terminals, representing an increase of 14 percentover the corresponding month in 2010. James Bennett, CEO,ADAC, commented on the performcance. “The continuous increase of Abu Dhabi InternationalAirport’s passenger traffic goes in parallel with the growth thatthe emirate is witnessing in trade, industry and tourism. Upto August, we have welcomed 8,000,000 passengers throughour airport, providing efficient and high-quality services.”The top five routes from the airport during the month ofAugust included London, Jeddah, Doha, Bangkok andManila.

Dubai Reveals Luxury Pet Resort