1 JULY 2017 ISSUE 399

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MÖVENPICK TO ADD ANOTHER EGYPTIAN RESORT

159,711 ROOMS UNDER CONTRACT IN MIDDLE EAST

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1 JULY 2017 ISSUE 399

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TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS

1 JULY 20172

MARKET UPDATE www.traveltradeweekly.travel

MANAGING EDITOR

Mary Kammitsi mary@traveltradeweekly.travel

SENIOR JOURNALIST Ellen Petty

JOURNALISTS Maria Sabova Panayiotis Karanicholas Anna Spyrou

CONTRIBUTORDominique Christou

DESIGN & LAYOUTElena Stylianou

WEB & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Savvas Kammitsis

DIRECTORS Andreas Constantinides Mary Kammitsi

HEADQUARTERS

T.T.W. Travel Trade Weekly LTD P.O. Box 25255, Nicosia 1308 Cyprus Tel: +357 22 021607, Fax: +357 22 103670

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WORLDWIDE REPRESENTATIVES

Representative for North, South & Central America, and the Caribbean: Neil Strickland GlobeTM Tel: +19542969515, neil@globetm.com

Representative for Indian subcontinent: Faredoon Kuka RMA Media

Tel: +912229253735, kuka@rmamedia.com

Representative for UK & Ireland and Scandinavia: David Simpson Simpson Media Tel: +447900885456, david@simpson-media.com

Bahrain (BHD)

Jordan (JOD)

Oman (OMR)

Qatar (QAR)

Saudi Arabia (SAR)

UAE (AED)

Algeria (DZD)

Egypt (EGP)

Iran (IRR)

Iraq (IQD)

Kuwait (KWD)

Lebanon (LBP)

Libya (LYD)

Morocco (MAD)

Syria (SYP)

Tunisia (TND)

Yemen (YER)

Dinar

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Rial

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Riyal

Dirham

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Pound

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23.6.2017as ofMENA EXCHANGE RATES

Moreover, the number of units in the construction phase rose 15.5 percent compared to May 2016, with a total of 93,984 rooms in 302 properties.

In terms of keys, Saudi Arabia led the growth with 40,145 rooms in 95 projects, followed by the UAE with 32,604 beds in 116 developments and Qatar with 9,147 units in 37 upcom-

ing hotels.Meanwhile, during the month under review, 58,501 rooms in 318 projects were under contract in

Africa, with Egypt reporting 4,775 keys in 14 developments.

KHC Attains Stake in Careem

159,711 Rooms Under Contract in Middle East

Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) has acquired a seven percent stake in Careem through a secondary share purchase as well as participating in the latest Primary Round E-1 Capital Raise, amounting to a transaction value of USD62 million.

As one of the largest holders of preferred shares, KHC will also have a seat on Careem’s board of directors.

Noting that this is a continuation of the group’s strategy of investing in new technologies,Talal Ibrahim Al Maiman, CEO, KHC, commented, “As the leading ride hailing company in

the region, and positioned with excellent growth prospects, Careem sets an example for regional busi-nesses by providing employment opportunities to locals and developing talent.”

STR’s May 2017 Pipeline Report revealed that 159,711 keys in 581 hotel projects were under contract in the Middle East, a 3.8 percent year-on-year increase in the number of rooms in the construction or planning stages.

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WEEKLY NEWSwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

Global Tourism Leads Job Supply

Comparing travel and tourism with eight other sectors across 27 countries in six regions, the study re-vealed that in 2016, the sector directly supported 108 million jobs and 292 million in total, demonstrat-ing its jobs creating power and overtaking industries such as banking, mining, chemicals manufactur-

ing and financial services.David Scowsill, CEO, WTTC, commented that the study offers a clear picture of the strength of the industry

which supports one in 10 jobs and contributes 10.2 percent to global GDP.

A ldar Properties has progressed with its master planned community on Reem Island, where the developer is con-tinuing the works on multiple facilities, further shaping

what is said to become one of the most attractive destinations in Abu Dhabi.

Focussed on lifestyle driven amenities and residential pro-jects in the location, the company has successfully opened the 2.4km canal and welcomed the beach’s first visitors during the inaugural Reem Weekend. Meanwhile, the construction of the Reem Central Park has also progressed, on track with the sched-uled opening in 2018.

While confirming the rapid pace of the development, H.E Mo-hamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, CEO, Aldar Properties, highlighted the location’s appeal to investors with 60 percent of the master plan’s plots in various stages of construction.

Aldar on Track with Reem Island’s Developments

According to World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) WTTC Benchmarking Report 2017, the global travel and tourism industry employs twice as many individuals as the financial sector, and

five times more than the chemicals manufacturing industry.

Al-Diriyah’s Al Seraiha Mosque Inaugurated

Following extensive renovations, Al Seraiha Mosque in historic Al-Diriyah was officially reopened during a ceremony on June 11, under the patronage of H.R.H.

Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, president, Saudi Com-mission for Tourism & National Heritage (SCTH).

The occasion marked the progress of SCTH’s national Historical Mosques Caring Program, which aims to restore 34 mosques as part of the Historic Al Diriyah project, conduct-ed in cooperation with partners and philanthropic donors. The restoration and preservation of mosques is a govern-ment priority, with similar projects set to be extended to numerous locations across the region.

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WEEKLY NEWS CRUISING www.traveltradeweekly.travel

1 JULY 2017

MSC Cruises Welcomes MSC Meraviglia

With capacity for 5,714 passengers, the liner has been designed to operate in all sea-sons and is able to call in most of the world’s ports. The vessel commenced its first itinerary on June 11, sailing from Genoa.

Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman, MSC Cruises, commented, “[MSC Meraviglia] repre-sents the first realisation of our long-term vision for further significant growth, which, in its first phase, culminated with MSC Cruises becoming two years ago the number one cruise brand across all of Europe, while on its way to further global growth.”

On May 31, MSC Cruises celebrated the delivery of MSC Meraviglia, hailed as the biggest ship ever built by a European ship owner.

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Costa Cruises and the City of Turin have partnered to create a unique experience for guests on Costa's flagship, Costa Dia-dema. Commencing June 10, voyagers took a discovery tour

of Turin in Italy, which has been extended to every Saturday during the summer season.

Passengers can embark on one of four select tourist attractions, in-cluding retail and dining opportunities within the historic city centre.

Giuseppe Carino, vice president, guest experience and onboard sales, Costa Cruises, said, "These new tours have been designed to accommodate various different interests in a single experience, in order to attract the largest number of people. These trips are also an excellent tourism promotion opportunity for the city, given that many Costa Diadema passengers come from abroad, France and Spain in particular."

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WEEKLY NEWS AIRPORTSwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

Beirut Hub Sees Drop in Arrivals

I n addition, aircraft movements registered a year-on-year decline of 3.8 percent with 5,453 commercial flights taking place in May.

Located only 9km from the city centre in the southern suburbs of Beirut, the gate-way is the only operational commercial airport in the country and the main port of entry into the country along with the Port of Beirut.

According to data provided by CAPA – Centre for Aviation, passenger traffic, in May at Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport showed a drop

of 2.8 percent compared to the same month in 2016, while the amount of cargo handled by the airport rose 4.7 percent to 8,904 tonnes.

Kuwait Airport Recorded

Positive February

Kuwait International Airport handled 935,031 passen-gers in February, an 11.9

percent climb compared to the same month in 2016.

During the month under re-view, the hub welcomed 931,216 international travellers, a 12.1 per-cent year-on-year increase. The freight division also registered a growth of 7.5 percent over the same month in 2016, with 16,522 tonnes of transported cargo.

Despite the overall decline of aircraft movements, down 1.3 percent compared to February 2016, international take-offs and landings marked a 1.3 percent in-crease. Be

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WEEKLY NEWS AGENTS www.traveltradeweekly.travel

TUI Group Concluded Travelopia Sale

Following completion of all required regulatory approvals granted by relevant authorities, the transaction of the entity, comprising a collection of more than 50 specialist travel brands, has been successfully com-pleted.

TUI Group provides comprehensive travel services from a single source to some 20 million customers, with a portfolio boasting tour operator brands and 1,600 travel agencies in Europe, five European tour operator air-lines with approximately 150 medium- and long-haul aircraft, more than 300 group-branded hotels and resorts, along with a network of cruise ships.

As part of its transformation into an integrated tourism group, TUI Group has confirmed the completion of the disposal of Travelopia, first announced in February, to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts for

an enterprise value of EUR369 million (USD412.8 million).

Thomas Cook Northern Europe has announced the implementation of ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Mobile Ac-

cess at its concept hotel Ocean Beach Club in Crete, enabling guests to use their smart phones to access the rooms.

Following a successful trial period, the property’s guests are now able to avoid check-in queues and get to the room in-stantly thanks to an application with imple-mented mobile key technology, available for both iOS and Android.

Jonas Carlson Almqvist, senior web de-veloper, Thomas Cook Northern Europe, en-thused, “All it takes is a smart phone and an app. Guests can open their door and start their holiday straight away. We […] look for-ward to seeing [the technology’s] success in enhancing overall experiences for guests at the hotel.”

Restorando, Latin America-based online restaurant reservation platform, has re-cently announced plans to integrate its restaurant network into TripAdvisor’s desktop website, mobile website and mobile app experiences.

Through this integration, TripAdvisor will facilitate reservations for diners in seven Latin American countries including Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Uruguay, enabling consumers browsing TripAdvisor’s restaurant listings the option to reserve a table online at thousands of popular restaurants in the region.

Commenting on the new partnership, Frank Martin, CEO, Restorando, stated, “[...] We strongly believe local restaurateurs and the food they serve are among the best things our region has to offer. Enabling this connection is in our core mission.”

TripAdvisor Partners with Restorando

Thomas Cook Brings Mobile Keys

to Crete

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WEEKLY NEWS AIRwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

Following high demand for more connections between Bahrain International Airport and Tbilisi Interna-tional Airport during the first week of operations, Gulf Air launched two additional flights on June 23 and June 25.

The three times weekly service linking Bahrain and Georgia took off on June 22.Speaking ahead of the route's inaugural flight, Ali Mohammed Al Khalifa, senior manager, network plan-

ning, Gulf Air pinpointed, “It is highly encouraging to see such positive demand on our newest route, prior to the launch of our maiden flight! [...] I am optimistic that this route will be a success and will appeal to our travellers from across the GCC and MENA region.”

Gulf Air Adds Extra Flights to Tbilisi

Dubai Airshow Evolves to Reflect New Trends

Among others, the show will boast a space pavilion and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) summit, including conference sessions with industry leading experts, a flying display and the UAV exhibition zone. Furthermore, this year’s edition will see an introduction

of the cargo zone, along with the return of Airport Solutions Dubai occasion, bringing together the entire airports and aviation buying chain.

Michele van Akelijen, managing director, F&E Aerospace, said, “[…] The response we have received has demonstrated that the market clearly has a need for these [innovations], and we are expecting all of our new features to be extremely busy at the Dubai Airshow 2017.”

In the midst of preparations, Dubai Airshow has unveiled innovative features in line with the emergence of new market sectors.

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Mövenpick to Add Another Egyptian Resort

R epresenting the brand’s second property in the destination, the new integrated beach and golf resort will boast views of a world-class 18-hole golf course, while offering guests five dining outlets, 1,000m² of meeting and event spaces, a large swimming pool

and extensive spa and fitness facilities. Confirming that Egypt represents one of the company’s key growth markets, Andrew

Langdon, chief development officer, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, said that signing of the new property also consolidates the group’s status as a the region’s hospitality leader.

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is cementing its stronghold in Egypt by signing an agreement with Galalah Co. For Touristic Investments to manage 214-key Mövenpick Hotel El Ein Bay in El Sokhna,

set to open in 2020.

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Rove Hotels Invests in MICE

R ove Hotels, owned and managed by Emaar Hospitality Group (EHG), has recently launched its fourth property in Dubai, with a special focus on the fast-growing MICE tourism sector.

Located next to Dubai World Trade Centre and only 10 minutes away from Dubai Inter-national, Rove Trade Centre, will feature 270 rooms and will also appeal to leisure travellers offering an easy access to Dubai’s tourism attractions and retail destinations.

Olivier Harnisch, CEO, EHG, revealed, “[…] Rove Trade Centre, like all other operating Rove Hotels, also brings a unique positioning to the market. Dubai’s MICE sector is report-ing robust growth, and with the preparations of Expo 2020 gaining momentum, the city is welcoming business professionals who are discerning yet value conscious [...].”Ro

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WEEKLY NEWS ACCOMMODATIONwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

TIME Hotels Implements Aladdin

T IME Hotels has recently adopted SGE UAE’s Aladdin software, a cloud-based system that will fully control

and manage all maintenance work done throughout the hotelier’s portfolio.

The engineering processes solution helps define and dedicate manpower and resources, advising on maintenance dead-lines as well as areas that are covered by warranty in order to contact particular ven-dors. It also monitors electricity and water consumption.

Gaetan Lavoie, corporate director, tech-nical services, TIME Hotels, stated, “In Alad-din, we have found a software system capa-ble of controlling all the daily basic internal and external requests, tagging and keeping a strong focus on the lifecycle of our proper-ties. We are also now able to determine the most sustainable and cost-effective way to run our properties.”

P ark Inn by Radisson, the midscale hotel brand of Carl-son Rezidor Hotel Group, has recently launched a new address in Mecca, strengthening the group’s presence

in Saudi Arabia.Featuring 459 rooms and suites, Park Inn by Radisson

Makkah Al Naseem is located close to Al Rajhi Mosque, the second largest in the city. Among other amenities, the prop-erty offers separate male and female gyms equipped with the latest fitness equipment as well as spacious meeting rooms.

Saad Ghosheh, general manager, Park Inn by Radisson Makkah Al Naseem, pinpointed, “Our great location allows our guests to experience the many pilgrimage sites in the holy city. Our experienced and passionate team are here to ensure all of our guests have a memorable stay.”

Park Inn by Radisson Debuts in Mecca

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INTERNATIONAL: AUSTRALIA www.traveltradeweekly.travel

I n an effort to meet the needs of the grow-ing number of Chinese visitors to Australia’s Northern Territory, Tourism NT, has recently

launched a Mandarin-speaking tour guide train-ing programme.

Following the inaugural course in April, a second round of training took place in June as a result of the high demand. The intensive train-ing programme included a one-day workshop at Charles Darwin University and two days of training in Kakadu National Park.

The initiative is part of Northern Territory’s China Ready Industry Programme, a AUD5 mil-lion (USD3.8 million) investment over two years to boost Chinese visitor numbers, in line with Tourism Vision 2020, aiming to attract 30,000 annual visitors from China by 2020.

T ourism Research Australia’s Interna-tional Visitor Survey confirmed Tas-mania’s status as the country’s fast-

est growing tourism destination with a 16 percent increase in international visitors to a record breaking 250,300 arrivals in the 12 months to March, the highest growth rate of all territories and above the nationwide aver-age of nine percent.

During the period under review, the island state also recorded a 21 percent in-crease in tourism spending to AUD424 mil-lion (USD322.5 million), while visitor nights soared nine percent to 3.62 million. China demonstrated the strongest growth, up 35 percent, followed by the UK, the US and Hong Kong.

The positive figures have been attributed to the government’s achievements in sup-porting the sector through AUD18 million (USD13.69 million) of marketing investments.

T he latest International Visitor Survey released by Tourism Re-search Australia shows that 953,800 international travellers visited Western Australia in the year ending in March, soar-

ing 9.1 percent year-on-year.The leisure sector marked the highest growth, with the num-

ber of overseas holidaymakers rising 17.7 percent year-to-date. During the reviewed period, the region also recorded 7.9 percent higher tourism spending, which reached AUD2.4 billion (USD1.82 billion).

Gwyn Dolphin, CEO, Tourism Western Australia, noted, “Attract-ing 71,700 more holidaymakers from overseas […] shows that the focus on promoting Perth as a holiday destination is seeing returns. Our marketing activity is firmly targeted on this sector as more hotel rooms come online and new tourism attractions open up.”

S outh Australian Tourism Com-mission has announced that tourism expenditure in the

state reached a historic AUD1.1 billion (USD835.6 million) in the 12 months to March, a 12 percent year-to-date jump.

A record 436,000 international travellers visited the state during the reviewed period, of which Chinese tour-ists led the growth with a 48 percent increase in visitors numbers, reaching 50,000 arrivals who spent a total of AUD315 million (USD239.3 million). The Indian source market also soared 30 percent, with 130 percent climb in ex-penditure to a record high AUD41 mil-lion (USD31.1 million).

Leon Bignell, minister for tourism, Australia, commented, “These results are absolutely fantastic and show we are delivering on our promise to attract more visitors and tourism dollars into South Australia.”Kaka

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Northern Territory Targets Chinese Visitors

Tasmania Celebrates Record Tourist Influx

Western Australia Attracted More Visitors

Boom in South Australia Tourism

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INTERNATIONAL: AMERICASwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

Marriott’s The Wick to Enter

Hudson

California Receives First Home2 Suites

Country Inn & Suites Enters

Texas

I n partnership with Redburn Development, Marriott International announced the sign-ing of The Wick as part of its Tribute Portfo-

lio, the company’s newest brand of independ-ent hotels around the world.

The adaptive reuse building was built ini-tially as a candle and soap manufacturing facil-ity and will undergo a meticulous transforma-tion before opening as a full service boutique hotel later this year.

With 55 guestrooms, including seven suites, the property will draw upon the build-ing’s heritage both externally and internally, with details that evoke the spirit of Hudson and honour its industrial candle-making his-tory. An intimate and residential lobby bar and lounge will also be featured, along with a con-ference room and a rooftop event space cater-ing to travellers and local residents.

C ountry Inns & Suites By Carl-son announced the opening of Country Inn & Suites By Carlson,

New Braunfels, Texas, which is expected to appeal to both business and leisure travellers.

The newly constructed hotel fea-tures the brand’s latest design, which includes modern interiors, stylish fur-nishings and 74 spacious guestrooms and suites.

Guests can benefit from an array of local entertainment in close proximity to the property, including Schlitterbahn Waterparks & Resorts, Texas Ski Ranch, as well as a variety of shops and restau-rants at New Braunfels Square, while many large companies are in a short radius.

H ome2 Suites by Hilton Livermore has been announced as the brand’s first California-based property, featuring

108 suites and a range of value, technology-focussed and eco-conscious amenities.

Hailed as one of the strongest states in the US for tourism, the property complements the Californian travel industry with each accom-modation boasting fully equipped kitchens and modular furniture, providing guests the flexibility to customise each suite to their pref-erence.

Adrian Kurre, global head, Home2 Suites by Hilton, commented, “Our brand will allow Livermore-area visitors to gain a truly unique experience with our convenient location, com-fortable suites, and unique amenities and ser-vices, and we are excited to bring a fresh, new extended-stay concept to the Golden State.”

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www.traveltradeweekly.travelINTERNATIONAL: AMERICAS

D elta Air Lines has inaugurated a new daily nonstop service between Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta Inter-national Airport and Seoul Incheon Airport.

While complementing the existing Korean Air’s sched-ule between the hubs and boosting the cargo capacity between the destinations, the new itinerary enables pas-sengers to enjoy more nonstop options to and from Asia, while taking advantage of the features and amenities of the three-class configuration Boeing 777-200 aircraft, such as personal in-flight entertainment available on demand and satellite-based Wi-Fi with power ports at every seat, among others.

United Airlines announced the in-crease of services on routes connect-ing mainland US and Hawaii from

December 20.The carrier will enhance flights from its

hubs in Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco to Hawaii, while continuing to operate its daily nonstop service to Honolulu from Newark, Washington, D.C., along with Pacific island Guam and Tokyo.

“As we celebrate our 70th anniversary in Hawaii this year, [the] announcement carries a very special significance for our customers,” said Jake Cefolia, vice president, sales, United Airlines.

He further stated that customers have asked for more ways to get to Hawaii, and by adding these flights, Hawaii is more accessi-ble than ever.

S an Francisco International Airport has reopened Runway 28L, completing its schedule of weekend closures a week ahead of the original project plan.

A fresh new asphalt pavement surface has been provided for what is said to be the second longest runway at the hub, equivalent to paving four lanes of an interstate highway over a distance exceed-ing 16km.

The rehabilitation works included the installation of new long-lasting LED centreline lights, as well as taxiway enhancements in a bid to improve operational efficiency. Remaining works, such as taxiway paving, grooving, electrical wiring, and paint striping, will occur overnight until the end of July, and therefore is not expected to have an operational impact.

S outhwest Florida International Airport registered 1,032,783 pas-sengers in April, a 14.7 percent

year-on-year jump, marking the strongest April in the airport’s 34-year history and reinforcing its position as one of the top 50 busiest US hubs.

During the month under review, air-craft take-offs and landings increased 13.6 percent over 2016, while air freight grew 1.2 percent with some 1,134 tonnes of cargo transported. Contributing to the successful figures, Southwest Airlines car-ried 265,761 carried passengers, followed by Delta Air Lines with 179,415 travellers and American Airlines that served 128,641 tourists.Del

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Delta Touches Down in Seoul

United Airlines Boosts Hawaii Routes

San Francisco Airport Revamps Runway

Record April Traffic at Southwest Florida

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INTERNATIONAL: AFRICAwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

FNB and NAS to Manage Maputo

Hub Lounge

RwandAir Increases

Fleet

Park Inn by Radisson Kigali Opens its Doors

First National Bank (FNB) has partnered with National Aviation Services (NAS) to operate a new departure lounge at Mo-

zambique’s Maputo International Airport (MIA) for the next five years, with the option of an additional five year renewal option.

The 250m2 lounge can cater to 80 FNB platinum card holders, airline and corporate clients.

Hassan El Houry, Group, CEO, NAS, said, “With increasing foreign investments into Mozambique, offering world class facilities at the airport is of utmost importance. We are pleased to be working with FNB and look for-ward to extending our expertise and high lev-els of service to the new departures lounge at the Maputo International Airport.”

With MIA added to its network, NAS oper-ates 31 airport lounges across 12 countries.

T he Rezidor Hotel Group an-nounced its fifth hotel in East Af-rica, Park Inn by Radisson Kigali in

Rwanda.The 161-key property is located with-

in walking distance of the city centre and just under 12km from the capital’s airport.

“We are excited about the positive feedback received from owners and cus-tomers on the Park Inn by Radisson brand in Africa, and look forward to growing our presence in the mid-scale hotel segment across Africa,” disclosed Marc Descrozaille, area vice president, Africa and Indian Ocean, The Rezidor Hotel Group.

The opening brings the group’s Af-rican and Indian Ocean portfolio to 36 hotels, with an excess of 16,600 rooms, in operation and under development.

A fter signing a lease agreement with Aircraft Lease Corporation, Rwan-dAir recently received its second

Boeing 737-800 Next Generation, bringing its fleet to a total of 12 aircraft.

Equipped with in-flight connectivity on a line-fit programme, including Wi-Fi, the jet is configured in a dual class cabin, seat-ing 16 passengers in business class and 138 in economy. RwandAir is counting on the modern aircraft to improve its seat capac-ity and competitiveness around the globe.

Commenting on the possibilities de-riving with the new acquisition, Chance Ndagano, CEO, RwandAir, revealed, “[The aircraft] comes to enable new connections on the continent and beyond, as the airline continues to foster economic exchange be-tween Rwanda and the rest of the world.”

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INTERNATIONAL: ASIA www.traveltradeweekly.travel

Pattaya to Welcome Best

Western Premier

B est Western Hotels & Resorts and Habitat Group have recently cel-ebrated the start of construction

on the upcoming Best Western Premier Bayphere Pattaya, a joint development project in Na Jomtien, Pattaya.

Once completed in 2018, the 174-room property will feature an array of amenities including an infinity-edged swimming pool, cabanas and a busi-ness centre.

Commenting on the opening, Ol-ivier Berrivin, managing director, inter-national operations, Asia, Best Western Hotels & Resorts, stated, “Best Western Premier Bayphere Pattaya is an excep-tional project that will fulfil the grow-ing need for a high-quality, interna-tional-standard accommodation on Thailand’s eastern seaboard – one of Asia’s most up-and-coming resort des-tinations.”

T o celebrate China’s National Tourism Day, Shanghai Disney Resort revealed that Shanghai Disneyland recently welcomed its 10 millionth guest, marking

a historic milestone which was reached in just under 11 months of its grand opening in June 2016.

Philippe Gas, general manager, Shanghai Disney Re-sort, extended his gratitude in light of the achievement, commenting, “The resort’s rapidly growing popularity and extremely high levels of guest satisfaction add to our con-fidence in the growing demand for our attractions and en-tertainment, and the overall development of China’s tour-ism industry.”

W ith the aim of facilitating seamless connectivity be-tween India and Mexico via European gateways, Jet Airways and Aeroméxico signed a memorandum

of understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the International Air Transport Association Annual General Meeting in Cancun.

As part of the agreement, both airlines will codeshare on services between India and Mexico via common European hubs in London, Paris and Amsterdam.

Commenting on the MoU, Andres Conesa, CEO, Aeroméxi-co, revealed, “This achievement is a manifest of our will to con-tinuously offer new flight destinations to our passengers. Also, by connecting with an important country as India, Aeroméxico creates new cultural bonds and tourism exchange between both nations.”Sh

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Shanghai Disney Resort Welcomed 10 Millionth Guest

Jet Airways and Aeroméxico Join Forces

Cebu Pacific Bolsters its

Fleet

C ebu Pacific, a Filipino low-cost carrier, has placed an order with Airbus for seven Airbus A321ceo

aircrafts, in order to meet its strong ongo-ing growth on both its domestic and re-gional network.

The latest contract comes in addition to an existing order for 32 A321neo jets, set to join the airline’s fleet in 2018.

Lance Gokongwei, president, Cebu Pacific, said, “The aircraft will enable us to increase capacity on popular routes, while at the same time benefiting from the lowest operating costs in this size cat-egory. This will mean more low fares for more customers flying across our domes-tic and regional network.”

I n light of China’s booming tourism in-dustry, which has seen unprecedented development in recent years and is

forecasted to account for 8.6 percent of the world’s international arrivals by 2020, Dusit International has signed a strategic partnership with Dossen International Group to operate and develop DusitPrin-cess-branded resorts and residences in the country.

In line with the hospitality brand’s strategy for sustainable and profitable growth, including extensive expansion in China, Dossen aims to sign at least 40 DusitPrincess properties in major leisure destinations throughout the country, within the next five years, 27 of which are expected to open before 2022.

Dusit and Dossen to Sign 40 Chinese

Hotels

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TRAVEL TALKwww.traveltradeweekly.travel

CEO, ROYAL JORDANIAN AIRLINES

“ […] We are firm believers in the importance of the service delivery experience, the soft product, and we aim to put a smile on every passenger’s face. At Royal Jordanian we believe that every seat has a story and our aim is to ensure that all our guests experi-ence a more entertaining and travel friendly experience throughout their journey, and that their travels with us are a lot of fun, which will help lower any travel-related stress a guest may experi-ence.”

[…] We aim to put a smile on every passenger’s face […]”

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TRAVEL TALK IS YOUR SPACE – this is a casual forum for travel industry professionals to discuss current issues and share stories.

We want to hear from you, so send your comments, questions, frustrations and observations to editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel

CHAIRMAN, SWISS-BELHOTEL INTERNATIONAL

PRESIDENT, EMIRATES

SECRETARY-GENERAL, WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION

“It is the perfect time for us to enter Kuwait when the country is evolving into a multifaceted destination with the develop-ment of diverse attractions for both corporate and leisure visitors. This has significantly pushed the demand for qual-ity hotels and represents a brilliant opportunity for Swiss-Belhotel International to grow our footprint in the country. We are confident both Swiss-Belboutique Bneid Al Gar and Swiss-Belresidences Al Sharq will add tremendous value to our growing presence in the re-gion while further strengthen-ing our international portfolio.”

“Our products and services across cabin classes are contin-ually improved and enhanced. But what our customers will see on Emirates’ new [Boeing] 777s starting from November, will be a much bigger revamp that takes our onboard ex-perience to the next level. All cabins will sport a totally fresh new look. We are excited to showcase the results of years of planning and development invested into our new First Class offering, and our overall Emirates 777 experience.”

“The International Year [of Sus-tainable Tourism for Develop-ment] is a unique opportunity to promote common action and enhance the power of tourism to build a better world. We thank Samoa for leading the initiative for the adoption of the United Nations resolu-tion declaring the Internation-al Year and for its sustained, exemplary contribution in pro-moting the value of our sector towards the achievement of the 2030 Development Agen-da, particularly for the Small Islands Developing States.”

It is the perfect time for us to enter Kuwait […]

[Emirates First Class will] take onboard experience to the next level [...]

The International Year is a unique opportunity to [...] enhance the power of tourism [...]

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TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Among so many Mediterranean countries to con-sider for a family holiday, what do you believe differentiates Malta from other destinations?

CARLO MICALLEF: Attractions [...], the welcoming, friendly and safe environ-ment are our strongest attributes for a pleasant family holiday. On top [of this], parents will have the peace of mind that the islands [Malta, Gozo and Comino]

CARLO MICALLEF

Q & A

with

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, MALTA TOURISM AUTHORITY

WITH THE SUMMER HOLIDAY SEASON TAKING OFF, MALTA IS WELL PREPARED TO WELCOME VACATIONERS WITH ITS

ATTRACTIVE OFFERINGS. CARLO MICALLEF, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, MALTA TOURISM AUTHORITY, REVEALS WHY

MALTA IS NOT JUST A SUN, SAND AND SEA HOTSPOT, AND HOW THE DESTINATION

ADDS VALUE TO FAMILY HOLIDAYS.

the European Capital of Culture.TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Relating to such rich offerings, has the destina-tion already been discovered by fam-ilies from the MENA region? Are there any promotional initiatives reaching out to this region?

CARLO MICALLEF: We estimate that tourists from the MENA region were close to 10 percent of total arrivals in 2016, based on the feedback from the hotels reporting that the family travel from the MENA region is higher than the overall average across the markets. Our efforts to attract families extend to all regions we are active in. However, the promotional budgets are more di-rected to regions with direct airline con-nectivity, which is even more important for those travelling with small children. In the MENA region we are generally limited to direct flights from Dubai and Tunisia, where we are targeting the higher end of the market through co-operation with local incoming agen-cies, along with organising press trips for journalists from the region. We are currently reviewing our setup to give more attention to this important region and we are hoping to welcome many more media representatives to help us promote the destination through the personal experience of these influenc-ers, who through their pens, keyboards and cameras are in a better position to reach the desired audience and share their experiences.

enjoy an excellent health system and [it is] easy to communicate as English is widely spoken, as well as other lan-guages.

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What does Malta Tourism Authority highlight when promoting Malta as an ideal family holiday haven?

CARLO MICALLEF: The Maltese islands boast various attractions, whether nat-ural, historical or modern, family friend-ly hotels and restaurants and relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. Therefore, it is not only sun, sand, sea and a water sports location but the destination of-fers the added value with a variety of options for all to enjoy. Whether visiting a natural attraction, a mysterious tem-ple, a medieval city, one of many cul-tural events, an educational experience centre or other attractions and venues, parents can have their mind at rest that their children will have all the enter-tainment they can wish for! There are a lot of other outdoor activities as well, therefore meeting the challenge of the most energetic young guests. And all this within very short distances, there-fore making the most of the holiday time and ensuring a great value return for one’s time and savings.

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: In your view, what are the family-friendly attrac-tions not to be missed when visiting Malta? Are there are any new pro-jects to look forward to?

CARLO MICALLEF: There are many at-tractions for children of all ages, such as Malta 5D Show, Sweethaven Village [Popeye], the Malta National Aquarium, the Playmobil fun park, the Malta Fal-conart Centre, the Limestone Heritage, St Agatha’s Crypt and Catacombs and St Paul’s Catacombs. Older children will en-joy these mysterious caverns and many other cultural and historical attractions, as well as activities such as a boat trip to the Blue Grotto, snorkeling around the coast or visiting a megalithic temple. One can also enjoy the local culture by joining one of the many village celebra-tions or other events. Our latest addition [to attractions] is the Esplora interactive science centre which is very educational yet an entertaining experience for both children and parents to enjoy. Many other events and activities are being planned in the run-up to the Valletta 2018, since 2018 our capital city will be

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Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) has recently imported 288 wild animals from South Africa into Sharjah, bringing the emirate’s vision of what is said to be the largest safari park outside Africa closer to reality.

The first phase of the project was launched in 2007, as part of Sharjah’s effort to protect natural ecosystems and biodiversity, while in 2016, EPAA received approval to begin the second phase of the park. Upon comple-tion the 14km2 Seih Al Bardi Park will offer a sustainable tourism destination contributing to wildlife conserva-tion efforts, and will accommodate up to 50,000 animals. The plan also forms part of a comprehensive strategy to turn the Al Dhaid area into a tourism destination, while expanding Sharjah’s endangered wildlife breeding pro-grammes.

Nedbank Swaziland's Imvelo MTB Classic mountain biking race has successfully concluded its annual edition in Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary on June 03, confirm-ing its status as one of the region’s most recognised sport and community events.

Aside from gathering challenge-seeking male and female bikers, the event also regularly helps to raise funds for the local community and conservation pro-

jects of the Big Game Parks, a national pioneering eco-tourism destination with three natural parks and reserves. Over the years, the organisation has assisted rural schools with water sup-ply, clean-up campaigns and maintenance of buildings, among other initiatives, and com-pleted a spring-water project in 2013, which benefits the entire Hlabazonkhe community.

The final match of the second Sharjah Ramadan Football Championship 2017 con-cluded, with Al Embrator crowned as the champions after beating Al Jawareh with a score of 4-1.

The two-week tournament, held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, crown prince, Sharjah, saw the winners lift

the tournament trophy in front of a hall full of spectators at the Sharjah Sports Club follow-ing their victory.

Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, chairman, Sharjah Media Council, presented the award to the triumphant team.

Airbus is celebrating 10 years of precision and reliabil-ity of its TerraSAR-X satellite, operating in orbit and providing radar imagery to a wide variety of scientific and commercial users.

Designed to operate for five years only, the satel-lite circumnavigates the globe at a height of 514km and is able to produce nonstop high-resolution images in all weather condi-tions.

While mentioning that the good condition of the satellite will enable to use its service for few more years, Eckard Settelmeyer, head, earth observation, navigation and science, Germany, Air-bus, further revealed, “TerraSAR-X has not only achieved double its service life, having orbited the Earth 55,459 times and travelled 2.4 billion kilometres, all while boasting 99.9 percent availability, it has also delivered an outstanding performance.”

Swaziland Bike Race Contributed to Communities

Sharjah Ramadan Football Winners Crowned

Airbus’ Satellite Doubled its Service Life

Seih Al Bardi Park Closer to Completion

Gazella Subgutturosa at Seih Al Bardi Park

TerraSAR-X satellite image of Las Vegas

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On the occasion of World Environment Day and on the back of its energy efficiency agenda, Emirates showcased its environmentally-friendly aircraft dry wash technique, said to significantly reduce daily water consumption.

Instead of the traditional ways using pressurised water, the centre has mastered the innovative washing method requiring minimum water to clean the aircraft's external surfaces, instrumental to keeping the jets aero-dynamic and fuel-efficient, while saving 11 million litres of water annually. The technique involves applying a liquid cleaning product, which is then removed with a microfiber fabric, leaving the airplanes clean and pol-ished for a longer period. A crew of 15 staff and around 12 hours is needed to clean an Airbus A380 while Boeing 777 requires about nine hours.

Aiming to restore severely threatened species, African Parks, a non-profit organisa-tion managing protected areas on behalf of governments across Africa, has re-cently transported four cheetahs from South Africa to Malawi’s Liwonde National Park, in collaboration with Endangered Wildlife Trust and Malawi Department of National Parks and Wildlife.

The animals made their journey by air thanks to Ulendo Airlink and Robin Pope Safaris. Eradicated from 90 percent of their range in Africa, cheetahs are listed as vulnerable with as few as 6,700 estimated to remain in the wild. Their reintroduction forms part of the collective vision of African Parks and the Malawian government to restore the country’s biotopes while also creating highly-valued assets for the country and its people.

Tejar Dubai, an entrepreneurial development programme of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has launched SWOT Specialized Professional Institute, a new training division in Dubai’s Garhoud area, specialising in aviation, logistics, and cargo safety education.

Representing the 28th commercial project of the unit, the centre will offer training designed for young Emirati’s to develop information technology and language skills required in the industry, thus creating the opportunity to increase the youth’s employment potential while contributing to Dubai’s economic growth, as revealed by H.E. Hisham Al Shi-rawi, head, selection committee panel, Tejar Dubai. He also unveiled the ambition to build the centre’s reputation as a national pioneer training provider with a global reach.

Following two-year collaboration with Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park, the Northern Territory government and Anangu, an aboriginal Australian tribe, Uluru has been added to Google Street

View, enabling people around the world to learn about Australia’s massive sandstone monolith.

In order to adequately tell the cultural and spiritual story of the 348m high ancient rock, Google used the Story Spheres platform to add immersive audio stories and songs of Anangu, Uluru’s traditional owners. The imagery enables tourists around the world to take a virtual trip online and better plan a future holiday to the Northern Territory.

Malawi Promotes Wildlife Conservation

Tejar Dubai to Fill Education Gap

Google Adds Uluru to Street View

Emirates Demonstrates Eco-Friendly

Methods

Uluru

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Ramada Downtown Dubai reached out to the community by handing out Iftar meals to

labourers and cab drivers.

Nasser Al Salmi, CEO, Gulf Air with the carrier's renewed IOSA Audit Registry

ibis Style Jumeira hosted an Iftar for families of children with special needs at its Street Café restaurant

Qatar Airways celebrates multiple accolades received at 2017 Skytrax Awards, including the World's Best Airline

Media One Hotel celebrated success at the Leaders in Hospitality Awards 2017, winning as Leading Hotel Team and Rising Star

22ND UNWTO GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Chengdu, ChinaSeptember 04 – 09 World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) annual meeting will bring together tourism officials and private sector leaders.

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NEWS & EVENTS www.traveltradeweekly.travel

UNWTO and CENFOTUR Join

Forces

ADNEC’s Online Portal Goes Live

Cenfotur - Tourism Training Center (CENFOTUR) has re-cently signed an agreement with the World Tourism Or-

ganization (UNWTO) to develop Talent Development- Key for Destination Com-petitiveness report.

The joint initiative is part of the UN-WTO Knowledge Network that aims at advancing knowledge in talent devel-opment in the tourism sector.

Focussing on Latin America and Peru, the report will offer an extensive analysis of the significance of capac-ity buildings as a determining factor in the success of tourism destinations. The publication will also feature a list of best practices in talent development in tourism, providing useful information for tourism leaders interested in imple-menting policies to foster talent devel-opment and increase the competive-ness of their destinations.

Abu Dhabi National Exhibi-tions Company (ADNEC) has recently launched Exhibitor Service Centre (ESC), an on-

line platform offering exhibitors the ability to order and pay for services related to their events.

Incorporating the latest technol-ogy to provide efficiency and comfort, the service is also secured to ensure the highest safety of user data. It currently offers 141 services in seven categories with more to come online in future.

Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, group CEO, ADNEC, revealed, “[…] We see ESC as a vital platform in assisting us to increase the efficiency of our ser-vice delivery, while consistently ex-ceeding customer expectations. We are confident that the portal will sup-port our [aim] of becoming a venue of choice for international events and exhibitors.”

THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TOURISM AND BUSINESS

Lucerne, SwitzerlandAugust 31 – September 01 The second edition of the event will see the presentation of research related to the tourism and hospitality sectors.

OTDYKH LEISURE

Moscow, RussiaSeptember 20 – 23 www.tourismexpo.ruThe 23rd edition of the exhibition will be held alongside its events focussing on MICE, luxury as well as medical tourism, spa and health.

IFTM TOP RESA

Paris, FranceSeptember 26 – 29 www.iftm.frMore than 31,000 trade visitors are expected to attend the multi-target event with dedicated programmes for the leisure, business and MICE sectors.

EVENTS