Middle East and North Africa Edition

JUne 18, 2011 issUe 84 www.traveltradeweekly.travel

June 18, Issue 84

Market Update 2Weekly News 3Accommodation News 5Air Travel News 7International News 10Who’s Moved 11Travel Talk 12Agents’ Corner 13Travel Channels 14Rendezvous 15Events 16

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Doha International Airport (DIA) is preparing to open its newTerminal B, dedicated to foreign airlines, by the end of June.

deal Closed foR laRgesTnew YoRk hoTel This YeaRThe consortium comprising theinternational developer ifa hotels &Resorts, kuwait Real estate Companyand United investments Portugal hasclosed a financing and acquisition dealvalued at Usd315 million for a YoTelnew York property.

In This Issue

22The RiTz-CaRlTon To add PRoPeRTiesa global expansion and developmentinitiative by The Ritz-Carlton hotelCompany is expected to bring the totalnumber of properties in the company’sportfolio to more than 100 by 2016.

55

New Departures Terminalat Doha International Airport

The slash in profit outlookrepresents a fall of 54 percentcompared with the Usd8.6billion profit forecast releasedin March. on expected

revenues of Usd598 billion, a Usd4 billionprofit equates to a 0.7 percent margin.giovanni Bisignani, director general and Ceo,iaTa, commented on the unique combinationof phenomena that have affected profits.“natural disasters in Japan, unrest in the Middleeast and north africa, plus the sharp rise in oilprices have slashed industry profit expectations.That we are making any money at all in a yearwith this combination of unprecedented shocksis a result of a very fragile balance. The

efficiency gains of the last decadeand the strengthening globaleconomic environment arebalancing the high price of fuel.But with a dismal 0.7 percentmargin, there is little buffer leftagainst further shocks.”The cost of fuel is the main cause

of reduced profitability. The average oil price forthis year is now expected to be Usd110 perbarrel, according to Brent Crude. Consideringestimates that 50 percent of the industry’s fuelrequirement is hedged at 2010 price levels, theindustry’s 2011 fuel bill will rise by Usd10billion to Usd176 billion. fuel is nowestimated to comprise 30 percent of airlinecosts—significantly more than the 13 percentof costs recorded in 2001.figures suggest that Middle eastern carriers willdeliver a Usd100 million profit, down from theUsd900 million in 2010. Political unrest in partsof the region is decreasing demand. The majorairlines in the region, however, are expected tocontinue to win market share on long-haulmarkets, flying passengers via Middle easternhubs. nonetheless, high fuel costs will weakendemand and asset utilisation will be underdownward pressure. iaTa’s forecast for continued – albeit lower –airline profits, is dependant on a strongeconomy to generate sufficient revenues topartially offset higher fuel costs.

JUne 18, 20112

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY

Managing EditorMary kammitsi

mary@traveltradeweekly.travelJournalistsRita kasziba

duncan MacRaeMarianna keen

Design & Layoutelina Pericleous

Sales & Marketingdimitris ThomaidisMaria demetriadou

Directorsandreas Constantinides

Mary kammitsi

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nicosia 1308 CyprusTel: +35722820888fax: +35722318958

Websitewww.traveltradeweekly.travel

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COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=Uae (aed) dirham 3.67egypt (egP) Pound 5.94saudi arabia (saR) Riyal 3.75lebanon (lBP) Pound 1,512Bahrain (Bhd) dinar 0.37Jordan ( Jod) dinar 0.71syria (sYP) Pound 47.42kuwait (kwd) dinar 0.27Qatar (QaR) Riyal 3.64oman (oMR) Rial 0.38Tunisia (Tnd) dinar 1.38Morocco (Mad) dirham 7.96iran (iRR) Riyal 11,478Yemen (YeR) Rial 213.25algeria (dzd) dinar 71.86libya (lYd) dinar 1.21

MENA Exchange RatesAccurate as of 16/6/2011Currencies shown in red are fixed against the Us dollar

Airline Industry 2011 Profit OutlookSlashed to USD4 Billion Reports IATAThe International Air Transport Association (IATA) further downgraded its2011 airline industry profit forecast to USD4 billion, following high oil prices,natural disasters and widespread political unrest.

Financing and Acquisition Deal Closed forLargest New York Hotel This YearThe consortium comprising the international developer ifa hotels & Resorts(ifa hR), kuwait Real estate Company (kReC) and United investments Portugal(UiP) has closed a financing and acquisition deal valued at Usd315 million for aYoTel new York property. The transaction for the largest hotel to open in newYork this year marks the second major funding deal for ifa hR in six months.The move is a significant development in tough times, commented Talal Jassim al-Bahar, vice chairman and Ceo, ifa hR. “This is the second funding transactionwe have closed in the last six months. securing these deals – both with foreignlenders – goes to show that despite tough market conditions, the right project inthe right location with the right sponsor will attract the necessary capital.” The 669-room YoTel welcomed its first guests on June 3. for ifa hR, theopening of YoTel new York marks a major milestone in its investment in thebrand. as the first site outside of an airport and the largest YoTel by far, its designwill act as a blueprint for future city centre locations.

3JUne 18, 2011

Abu Dhabi: Ocean Race at the New ‘Village’A gigantic ‘Destination Village’ is to be built on the Abu Dhabi Corniche breakwater ahead of the anticipatedVolvo Ocean Race taking place over the new year.

a ccording to the abudhabi Tourism authority(adTa), which is behindthe awaited two-weekprogrammes, the uniquely

designed 55,000m2 development will beadjacent to heritage Village offering scenicviews to abu dhabi’s skyline. Tourism development & investmentCompany (TdiC) has been tasked tomanage the investment, which will serveas host of the two-week fleet stop-overthat is expected to attract thousands offans from around the globe. after dredging the determined section ofthe Corniche lagoon, it will allow theentry of 4.5m keeled state-of-the-art raceyachts and will also feature permanentyacht pontoons. infrastructure work is

slated for completion this september,when a temporary structure willcommence the operation. The final phaseof the development, including theinstallation of more than 130 pieces ofVolvo ocean Race team gear and variouscontainers, is due for december. h.e. Mubarak al Muhairi, director general,adTa, and managing director, TdiC,commented that the investment furtherdrives abu dhabi’s long-term intention.“This will ensure that our hosting leaves alasting legacy for the emirate and will alsoboost our long-term ambitions to berecognised as a compelling winter sailingand watersport destination.”The eight-football-pitches-sized ‘destinationVillage’ will be open free-of-charge to thepublic between december 30 and January

14. within this period adTa expectsmore than 100,000 visitors who will enjoya wide range of activities andentertainment facilities, includingexhibitions, various shows, simulators, agame zone, food and beverage outlets anda number of shops. The authority hasbeen working closely with internationaltour operators, hotels and airlines tocreate attractive new Year-Volvo oceanRace packages, added al Muhairi.“it will be the place to be at the beginningof 2012 and will be marked by asensational new Year’s eve celebration. itwill also allow visitors to connect with ourrich maritime heritage as well as thehistory of the Volvo ocean Race and todiscover more about sailing as a healthypastime and sport.”

Malaysia Airlines has been unanimously elected as a oneworld member designate bythe chief executives of the alliance’s member airlines.a formal alliance membership agreement will soon be completed, with the airlineexpected to make its first flight as a oneworld member towards the end of 2012.when the carrier becomes part of oneworld, its customers will gain access to thealliance’s global network, which covers almost 950 destinations in 150 countries,served by a combined fleet of more than 2,600 aircraft. Malaysia airlines intends to develop bilateral links with a number of oneworld’sestablished partners. it already code-shares with oneworld partners Cathay Pacificand Royal Jordanian.Tengku azmil aziz, managing director and Ceo, Malaysia airlines, noted that withthe world airline industry increasingly focused on alliances, his airline has carriedout careful analysis of the options now available to it. “The time is clearly right forour company to join one of the global airline groups, and oneworld is clearly the

best option for us. as a companyhighly focused on quality service, weare immensely proud to have beeninvited to join the highest qualityalliance with the best airline partnersoffering a global network that bestcomplements our own. we lookforward to completing all joiningrequirements as soon as possible.”

Rotana has announced the opening ofits new outbound sales offices in China,india and Russia. The additions increase the hotelmanagement company’s portfolio to 12offices with a presence in Uae, egypt,kuwait, Qatar, saudi arabia, lebanon,sudan, Uk and germany.omer kaddouri, executive vicepresident and chief operating officer,Rotana, commented that China, indiaand Russia are key feeder markets forthe company.“it is important for us to grow the Rotanabrand and stature in these respectivemarkets. The objective is to increase ourmarket share whether business or leisureoutbound travellers to all Rotanaproperties. The main responsibilities ofthese new offices will be to promote,market and sell our properties basedoutside of their physical location.”

Malaysian Airline Joins Global Alliance Rotana Opens Offices in BRIC Nations

T he strategic plan, whichwill amount to morethan a Usd2 billioninvestment by owners,will involve adding 36

hotels and residential projects to touristdestinations across the world, includingMorocco, Mexico, egypt andthe Us.in the first quarter of this year, thecompany already opened iconicproperties, including The Ritz-Carlton, hong kong - the world’shighest hotel – and The Ritz-Carlton, dubai internationalfinancial Centre. By the end ofthe year, hotels including TheRitz-Carlton, Riyadh; The Ritz-Carlton abu dhabi grand Canal,and The Ritz-Carlton Residencesin Toronto and singapore arescheduled to open. in 2012, a record number ofanticipated new openings will

follow and an expansion of The Ritz-Carlton, dubai, will take place. in addition, the third Bulgari brandedhotel is slated to open in london, joiningtwo other locations in Milan and Bali.By 2013, The Ritz-Carlton plans to be onthe map at destinations including aruba;

dorado Beach, Puerto Rico; Quy nhon,Vietnam; Panama City, Panama andCairo, egypt. in 2015, a second location will be openedin Cairo at Palm hills and The Ritz-Carlton, Qingdao green Town will debutin China.

5JUne 18, 2011

- Accommodation

The Ritz-Carlton to Add Properties A global expansion and development initiative by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is expected to bring thetotal number of properties in the company’s portfolio to more than 100 by 2016.

Starwood to Open TwoHotels in Saudi ArabiaStarwood Hotels & ResortsWorldwide will expand itspresence in saudi arabia withthe opening of two new hotels,adding more than 450 rooms tothe city of Medina.The 297-room sheratonMedina hotel and the 178-room four Points by sheratonMedina, owned by saudiBrothers Commercial, are bothscheduled to open in the fourthquarter of 2012.situated in the heart of theholy City, both hotels are only150m from the Prophet’sMosque.

The advanced Check-insystem international(aCsi) will makepassengers’ online self-service experience in

reservation, booking, e-ticketing and webcheck-in procedures much easier.it will offer customers value addedservices, such as automatic flow ofseat preferences, special servicerequest, travel document

information and onward journey details.Jassim haji, acting director, iT, gulf air,noted that travellers have become very timeconscious and demand faster check-in anddeparture procedures. “in response to this, the new aCsi system

is the latest offering to our customers.This fully integrated and automatedsolution provides a faster, moresimplistic passenger check-in process,delivering a seamless travel experience tocustomers.”

7JUne 18, 2011

- Air Travel

Air Arabia Egypt has launcheddirect services to Riyadh anddammam in saudi arabia fromBurj al arab internationalairport, alexandria. The airline commenced flightsto Riyadh on June 9, and hadits inaugural flight to dammamon June 11.ak nizar, head of commercial,air arabia group, wasdelighted to announce the newroutes. “air arabia egypt nowserves the kingdom of saudiarabia with five weekly flights,offering travellers between thetwo countries a new option forair travel. we are confident thenew services between Riyadh,dammam and alexandria willoffer customers great value formoney to travel between the twocities as well as contribute to thegrowth of travel and tourismbetween the two countries.”

Gulf Air Introduces Check-in and DepartureServices SystemGulf Air has implemented a new online solution that offers end-to-end check-in and departure services.

New Routes Launched

JUne 18, 20118

- Air Travel

More than thirtyairlines will operateservices from the2,000m2 newterminus, which is

developed on the premises of the formerarrivals terminal. Terminal B will includean enlarged 600m2 immigration hall with10 counters and three e-gates to preventlong queues and ensure seamless andhassle-free passport clearance formalities.akbar al Baker, Ceo, Qatar airways,highlighted the reasons for the revamp.“after the opening of the new stand-alonedoha arrivals terminal last december, we

are now pleased to inaugurate the newdepartures terminals as the latest step inthe infrastructure improvements tohandle the increased influx of passengersthrough the airport.” The check-in area of the existing terminal,renamed Terminal a, will be usedexclusively for Qatar airways, whichcontinues to expand at a rapid pace.Terminal a forms part of the multi-million dollar dia re-development planthat will also see further boarding gatesbeing introduced and the oryx loungeundergo a significant revamp. The major airport upgrade will facilitate

the increased passenger traffic throughdoha international airport until the state-of-the-art new doha internationalairport (ndia) opens in 2012.as part of the dia infrastructuredevelopment project, there will be newexterior roadway signage directingpassengers to the two airport terminals.The terminal opening is the latest in a lineof recent developments to dia, whichwill deal with the growing number ofbusiness and leisure travellers emergingdue to Qatar’s thriving economy fuelledby multi-billion dollar projects, and alsothe approaching 2022 fifa world Cup.

New Departures Terminal at Doha InternationalAirport to Open This MonthDoha International Airport (DIA) is preparing to open its new Terminal B, dedicated to foreign airlines, bythe end of June.

Royal Jordanian (RJ) inaugurated its direct, regular servicebetween amman and Berlin, marking its third route betweenJordan and germany.once airberlin joins the oneworld airline alliance, set for early2012, RJ passengers will be able to continue their flightsbeyond Berlin on the european continent. The new Berlin Brandenburg international (BBi) airport willbe operative weeks after the german carrier becomes amember in the alliance. in mid-2012, airberlin is bound tomove to the new airport and, as a consequence, RJ will alsooperate from there.

Etihad Airways has expanded its portfolio of preferredpartners by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)with abu dhabi-based helicopter charter service, falconaviation services.operating from al Bateen executive airport, the helicoptercharter provider is ideally located for quick transfers from theetihad terminal at abu dhabi international airport to a widerange of destinations within the Uae.The agreement between the two companies will enable gueststo access a personalised service beyond etihad’s extensivenetwork.

Etihad Partners with Helicopter Firm

Royal Jordanian Launches Flights to Berlin

JUne 18, 201110

- International

Holiday Inn Express San DiegoAirport - Old Town OpensInterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) opened the Holiday InnExpress San Diego Airport – Old Town on June 2 after a USD2million conversion.

T he new hotelincludes featuresin keeping withthe Usd1 billionholiday inn

relaunch initiated in 2007, whichaims to create a more contemporarybrand image as part of the drive toincrease quality and consistencyacross the global portfolio. Yasminezaya, general manager, holiday innexpress san diego airport – oldTown, elaborated on the refurbishment. “More than Usd2 million wasinvested to completely refresh the guest rooms with new furniture, bedding,carpet, lighting and bathrooms.” The hotel comprises of 123 guest roomsincluding seven suites with jacuzzis.guests at the hotel, located a short distance from the Convention Centre,northrop gruman, lockheed Martin and the old Town, will experience acomfortable and smart environment with innovative upgrades to ensure aproductive stay while travelling for business or leisure. innovations includethe smart roast coffee, which is served at the breakfast bar and the simplysmartshower, which incorporates a proprietary stay smart kohler showerhead. Business travellers will be provided with large desks with ergonomic chairs,free high-speed internet access and free local phone and toll-free calls to theUs and Canada.

Hilton Hotels & Resorts Expands to 78th Country withOpening of Hilton MalaboHilton Hotels & Resorts increased its globalportfolio to 78 countries, as it announced theopening of its first hotel in equatorial guinea.hilton Malabo was developed followingequatorial guinea’s emergence as a businessdestination and its increasing need for full servicehotels. The property is conveniently situatedbetween the capital city, Malabo, and theinternational airport. The move highlights hilton’s desire to tap intoemerging markets across the globe, suggests davehorton, global head, hilton hotels & Resorts.“The opening of hilton Malabo continues ourcommitment to growth in this region and ourfocus on leading in emerging markets worldwide.we are committed to unlocking the potential ofthis ever-growing region and the opening of ournew property underlines hilton's commitment togrowth on the continent.”hilton Malabo marks the second new countryentered by hilton in three days. The companydeputed namibia with the opening of hiltonwindhoek, on May 28.

The opening of Hilton Malabocontinues our commitment

to growth in this region and ourfocus on leading in emerging

markets worldwide

Hilton Malabo

11JUne 18, 2011

Miguel serra has joined safi airways as director of groundoperations and operations control centre (oCC). serra,having been in the industry for more than 22 years, bringssolid expertise to his new role. Previously he worked in lagos,Barcelona, Us, Palma de Mallorca and ireland with a numberof carriers, including arik air, Vueling airlines, futurainternational airways and lTeinternational airways. in his newposition he will be in charge ofaircraft operations as well as flightdispatchers including themaintenance of all departmentmanuals. he will also beresponsible for quality audits,recruitment, training and systemimplementation.

Oliver Kesseleroliver kesseler has been appointed as director of operations athilton dubai Jumeirah Residence. kesseler, having held varioussenior positions with hilton in the last13 years, brings invaluable experienceto his new role, in which he will beresponsible for the successful launchof the hotel, scheduled to open laterthis year. he moves to dubai fromBulgaria where he worked as directorof operations at hilton sofia for morethan two years.

Omar Mustafaomar Mustafa has been promoted to area director of finance andbusiness support, Jordan and Palestine, at interContinentalhotels group (ihg). Mustafa has been with ihg for more than12 years, and has held various managerial positions across theMiddle east, includingin amman, Riyadh,Jeddah, Manama anddubai. Most recently heworked as director offinance and businesssupport at Crowne Plazahotel, dubai. in his newrole he will lead thefinancial and businesssupport teams of all ihgproperties in Jordan andPalestine by using hisvast expertise and stronganalytical, organisationaland problem solvingskills.

Tim MillerTim Miller has been appointed as senior vice president andmanaging director of ediTion hotels, Marriott’s luxurylifestyle brand. he has been tasked to set the brand’s strategyand oversee operations while working closely with Marriott’sdevelopment team to indentify further expansion options forthe brand. Miller, acknowledged in the industry as the creatorand redeveloper of a number of brands in the luxury lifestyle

area, brings vast expertise to therole. Besides consulting for variousbrands, including ediTion,Balducci’s and Carnival Cruises, heheld the Ceo position at Crunch,worked as chief branding officerand general manager for Morganshotel group and was president ofalden hotels. Tim Miller

Miguel Serra

Miguel Serra

Omar Mustafa Oliver Kesseler

JUne 18, 201112

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

Omer KaddouriChief operating officer, Rotana

“we are excited about the upcoming opening of our 15th Rotanaproperty in dubai (Q3 2011) which we are certain will meet thedemands of guests seeking contemporary accommodation, convenienceand paramount comfort. The total number of 7,888 rooms managed byRotana in the Uae only confirms Rotana’s strong dedication to deliveringpremium hospitality and services, thus providing guests with the ultimatechoice for a complete accommodation experience.”

Stefan PichlerCEO, Jazeera Airways

“our induction into iaTa comes during a milestoneyear for Jazeera airways. This included the airline’sreturn to sustainable profitability for the last threeconsecutive quarters in-a-row and a continued leadin market share on most of our routes for the secondyear in-a-row. Joining iaTa is a privilege thatcouldn't have come at a better time and we lookforward to experiencing the benefits of joining it.”

The total number of 7,888rooms managed by Rotana in

the UAE only confirmsRotana’s strong dedication to

delivering premiumhospitality and services

Joining IATAis a privilegethat couldn'thave come at a better time

Stefan PichlerOmer Kaddouri

13JUne 18, 2011

Who are you?i have been with al Rostamani group as group chief marketingofficer since 2008 and assumed the additional responsibility ofgeneral manager of al Rostamani Travel and holidays earlierthis year. Prior to that, i was the Ceo of saatchi & saatchi inthe Middle east. al Rostamani Travel and holidays has been aprovider of a wide range of travel services for 32 years. Besidesthe corporate travel division, we also have a strong leisuredivision for renowned holiday brands including disneyland inParis and hong kong, Club Med, Thomas Cook nRi, Raileurope, swiss Travel system, globus Cosmos and sri lankanholidays. in addition, we have an inbound division whichfocuses on local travel.

What is your favourite thing about working in the travelindustry?Travel is all about making people happy, putting a smile ontheir face. it is such a dynamic and exciting field that you neverexperience a dull moment. working in the travel industrymakes me feel proud and self-fulfilled.

When is the best time to visit the UAE?The emirates has become an ‘around the year’ destination.with a multitude of events, experiences, exhibitions andconcerts, there is always something to do here.

Where would you like to travel to for your next holiday?i went on a great trip across europe last year starting atdisneyland Paris and onwards to switzerland via Rail europe.as for this year i am looking into travelling to the far east.

Why should people come to you for travel advice?at al Rostamani Travel and holidays we put people first. Thetravel industry by nature is a service industry that is all aboutpeople and making them happy. in addition to the travellers, ourpeople are the main assets of the company. we look after themas they look after the brand - they are the brand. in addition, theextensive staff experience (570 years in total), the strong andreliable brand name and the core values: commitment, care andvision, are the main reasons why first timers and regularcustomers continue to come to us for travel advice.

Name: Vik NaiduPosition: General ManagerCompany: Al Rostamani Travel

and HolidaysLocation: UAE

Agent’s Insight Go Vacation Thailand Chooses Illusions OnlineTravel technology provider Illusions Online has signed a deal todeliver a complete end-to-end solution for go Vacation Thailand,one of asia’s largest destination management companies (dMCs).The dubai-based company provides enterprise solutions for touroperators and dMCs worldwide. once implemented, thetechnology will be rolled out to go Vacation’s subsidiaries inindonesia and sri lanka in 2012. Christoph Mueller, managing director, go Vacation Thailand,The Rewe group, commented. “we have a sister company fromthe group, which is also a very large dMC based in the Us callednew world Travel and it has been using illusions successfully forthe past year-and-a-half so it makes sense for us to use it too.”illusions has already delivered the go Vacation system that willautomate and integrate every aspect of its business including productmanagement, hotel/services contracting, packages and back-to-backseries, client profiles and tariff rules, a booking engine, client andsupplier documentation, accounts receivables and accounts payables,CRM, logistics and planning modules, as well as internet bookingengines for clients to purchase the entire product range online.

Vik Naidu

JUne 18, 201114

discussions took placeduring an official visitfrom UnwTosecretary general, TalebRifai, and President

and Ceo of the world Travel & TourismCouncil (wTTC), david scowsill, to thecountry. also present at the meeting werethe prime minister, essam sharaf and theminister of tourism, Mounir fakhriabdel-nour, as well as other public andprivate tourism representatives.as the leading foreign exchange earnerand provider of one in every seven jobs,sharaf stressed that tourism is a crucialfactor in egypt’s economic recovery.abdel-nour confirmed the strategic

importance of tourism for the country’srevival. “international tourists are slowlybeginning to return to egypt. The sectoris a lifeline for our economy and in 2010accounted for 11.5 percent of our gdPand Usd13 billion in revenues. we counton UnwTo and wTTC for the rightadvice and support.”

scowsill highlighted the importance ofclose collaboration between global publicand private tourism players, along with theneed to clearly communicate the stability

in the country. “egyptian tourism hasrecovered quickly from setbacks in the past,and it is good to see that visitors are nowcoming back. given the current difficultiesin the region, it is important for theindustry to get a clear message out that thenew egypt is stable and open for business.” Rifai underscored the importance ofbacking from the internationalcommunity to egypt, both politically andfinancially, as expressed by the recentannouncements of the g8 and the worldBank to commit substantial funds for thecountry. “egypt is not only the leadingtourism destination in the region, but alsoa central piece for its political andeconomic stability.”

Tourism a Key Component of Egypt’s TransitionCommitment from the international tourism community to support Egypt’s tourism sector was expressed asa key component of the country’s transition at a meeting in Cairo, attended by top officials.

International tourists are slowly beginning to return to Egypt

15JUne 18, 2011

Q & A with Amine MoukarzelOvercoming constraints, including political unrest and frequent disinformation in media, has been a commonchallenge for hotel companies operating in the MENA region, yet many are succeeding to flourish. AmineMoukarzel, senior vice president and managing director, Golden Tulip Hotels, Suites & Resorts MENA,elaborates on the chain’s expansion in the region and the necessary attributes for success.

Travel Trade Weekly: What was thereasoning behind taking over theKhatt Springs property in Ras AlKhaimah (RAK)? Amine Moukarzel: we have presencethroughout the emirates; however we didnot have a golden Tulip flagship in thearea. we therefore expressed an interest tothe owners (the government owns theproperty) and we identified together whatthe government would reciprocate so thatwe can compliment each other with theproperty. The government neededmanagement and international exposure,so we won the opportunity to acquire thehotel from the beginning of this year.

Travel Trade Weekly: Are there anyfurther developments with GoldenTulip in RAK?Amine Moukarzel: after the success wewitnessed in dubai, sharjah and abudhabi, RAk is one of the ‘looking forward’emirates. i do not like to call it emergingas it is a pretty strong emirate now. i thinkthe development of RAk, its internationalhotels, airport, RAk airways and the rolefrom the leaders in business will allcontribute to the emirate, and for our hotelthis represents a strong platform.

Travel Trade Weekly: Whatdevelopments do you have in otherparts of the UAE and in the rest of theMiddle East?Amine Moukarzel: abu dhabi remainsan important place for hospitalitydevelopment. we have a hotel underconstruction in abu dhabi and we have onehotel under contract waiting for finance. iwouldn’t say dubai is today a city to develop;we have a successful hotel and franchise andwhenever there are lots of hotels, there is

pressure. we now have a contract to developa five-star resort with the golden Tulip, closeto the business bay area, so this is the nextdevelopment that we have in the Uae.

Travel Trade Weekly: How many hotelopenings do you forecast for 2011? Amine Moukarzel: one hotel everymonth in the Middle east and northafrica. The strength that we brought to thetable in Tunis, by adding three hotels – onein the city and two in the resort – makes upseven branded hotels in Tunis alone. wehave a contract now, which we will sign, forthe most stunning, luxurious five star hotelin africa (in Tunis). i foresee that by 2015we will have 14 hotels in saudi arabia. wedoubled our portfolio from six hotels in2008 to 12 properties in 2011 and now iam adding two more hotels. we would like to be in Qatar and we arein discussions with owners so we’ll waitand see; however there are propagandaand hostilities that are helping nobody.we have to make the best of the time andovercome these constraints.

Travel Trade Weekly: Do you need tobe present in every country?Amine Moukarzel: obviously you needto be in every country. You need to bemotivated to be in the destination, and alsoit is very important to spread your brandstrength and your brand equity. it is not onlyowners that are hungry for brands; we arehungrier for owners. The venture has to bea win- win situation. what is important inthe road map of the brand is localisation,and this is where we are strong on our map- mainly in saudi arabia. The key issue isdefinitely to appreciate the capabilities of thehotels, conserve these capabilities andcompliment your hotels’ success.

Travel Trade Weekly: Is thereanything that differentiates theGolden Tulip from other brands thatyou’d like to talk about?Amine Moukarzel: i think our businessis a promise and an experience – not onlyto the customer but also to thedevelopment. what differentiates us fromothers i think is that each hotel has its ownuniqueness and way of presenting itself atthe table. also, as the market is big andstill growing, you need more brands.

Travel Trade Weekly: Do you have anychallenges in the Middle East?Amine Moukarzel: You always wake upwith new challenges and new opportunities.we have 47 hotels in operation. My aim is bynext year to reach 60 hotels. what i think isof great importance in development is tohave the local distributors of specificationhotels working with us as hotel chains, notagainst us. The other development ofimportance i think is to ensure that we haveregulations of visas to compliment ourdevelopment. The tourism industry is thenumber one employer of the world andwe contribute to nationalisation.

Amine Moukarzel

JUne 18, 201116

EventsCITY FAIR The European Cities Travel Workshop London, UK, June 20, 2011(www.cityfair.travel)a one day event of pre-scheduled appointments dedicated tothe sector of city tourism.

AIBTMBaltimore, US, June 21-23, 2011(www.aibtm.com)a Us event for the business travel and meetings industry.

China Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings ExhibitionBeijing, China, August 30-September 1, 2011 (www.cibtm.com)a leading event for the meetings, incentives, business traveland events industry 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 andcontracting opportunities.

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

Cityscape DubaiDubai, UAE, September 26-29, 2011 (www.cityscape.ae)a business-to-business networking exhibition and conferencefor emerging real estate markets globally.

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

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

The Commune of Venice has agreed to impose a hotel bedtax announced the european Tour operators association(eToa).following a meeting between mayors of the Veneto region,held on June 8, the Commune of Venice announced that thecity will introduce an accommodation tax similar to thatproposed in florence, both effective from July 1.The cost will be eUR1 per person, per night, per star category,for up to a maximum of five nights, with a lower tariffanticipated in the low season (november to february). fourand five star hotels on the mainland and smaller islands willbe charged less.Residents of Venice, children under ten years old, hostels,communal accommodation, coach drivers and guidestravelling with groups will be exempt from the tax.a recent estimate suggests the tax will bring the city eUR20million, which, it is claimed, will be used in infrastructuredevelopment and preservation of cultural monuments.

Venice Accommodation Tax Proposed Dubai Tourism Decision Makers Think GreenDubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing(dTCM) has held a ‘Think green’ themed workshop involving morethan 150 key decision-makers in dubai’s hotel and tourism industry.The workshop, held on world environment day, aimed to educatethe representatives of the hotels and tour operators about internationalbest practices and help them to reduce their carbon footprint.The workshop began with a keynote speech by shaikha ebrahim alMuttawa, director for business development, dTCM, and alsochairperson of the dubai green Tourism awards Committee.al Muttawa described the workshop as a culmination of the desireexpressed by the hoteliers to help spread green awareness. Theworkshop participants were also divided into smaller green groups,such as green chiefs, green food and beverage managers and greentechnical managers, who were encouraged to come up with ideas onwaste reduction and energy efficiency themes in hotels.Majid al Marri, deputy chairman, dubai green Tourism awardsCommittee 2011, noted that more than 100 applications have beensubmitted for the second cycle of the awards this year. “This is a proofthat the hoteliers are taking greater interest in the green initiatives.”