fresh, daily, up-to-date travel news weekly-issue... · hotelogix and amazon tutored indian...
TRANSCRIPT
5 AUGUST 2017 ISSUE 404
traveltradedaily.com
We are at your service with fresh, daily, up-to-date travel news
Add your business today! 2 months FREE
directoryoffers.traveltradedaily.com
Go higher !
AIRLINES RELY ON ANCILLARY REVENUE
TOURISM IN SAUDI ARABIA SOARED
11
02
5 AUGUST 2017 ISSUE 404
SHUROOQ INCREASES AL BADAYER OASIS INVESTMENT
GENERAL08
06
03
12
TechnologyAirports
International
TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS
5 AUGUST 20172
MARKET UPDATE www.traveltradeweekly.travel
MANAGING EDITOR
Mary Kammitsi [email protected]
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
WEBSITEwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
EMAILS [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
WORLDWIDE REPRESENTATIVES
Representative for North, South & Central America, and the Caribbean: Neil Strickland GlobeTM Tel: +19542969515, [email protected]
Representative for Indian subcontinent: Faredoon Kuka RMA Media
Tel: +912229253735, [email protected]
Representative for UK & Ireland and Scandinavia: David Simpson Simpson Media Tel: +447900885456, [email protected]
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
Dinar
Rial
Rial
Riyal
Dirham
Dinar
Pound
Rial
Dinar
Dinar
Pound
Dinar
Dirham
Pound
Dinar
Rial
0.37
0.71
0.39
3.64
3.75
3.67
108.42
17.85
32,761.49
1,164.10
0.30
1,506.62
1.34
9.43
515.49
2.38
250.26
COUNTRY CURRENCY USD1=
3.8.2017as ofMENA EXCHANGE RATES
The number of domestic trips during the reviewed period rose 2.3 percent to 47.5 million, while the value of domestic spending stood at SAR44.9 billion (USD11.97 billion).
Total tourism investment in the Kingdom exceeded SAR151 billion (USD40.26 billion) during the year under review. Moreover, since the start of SCTH supervision of the accommodation sec-
tor, the number of properties soared from 1,402 in 2009 to 6,527 by the end of 2016, while the number of tour operators climbed from 10 in 2002 to 566.
Over 41,500 Aircraft Movements in Northern Emirates and Dubai
Tourism in Saudi Arabia Soared
In June, a total of 41,589 aircraft movements were recorded in Dubai and the Northern Emirates airspace, as revealed by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Dubai Air Navigations Services.
Al Maktoum International Airport registered a total of 2,665 movements in the month under review, an increase of 14.1 percent over June 2016 with a daily average of 73 take-offs and landings. More specifically, the hub saw 921 arrivals and 933 departures.
Meanwhile, Dubai International recorded a total of 31,243 movements, consisting of 15,491 ar-rivals and 15,515 departures, with a daily average of 1,041 movements.
In 2016, tourism revenue in Saudi Arabia reached SAR166.8 billion (USD44.47 billion), a growth rate of seven percent over 2015, as revealed by Saudi Commis-sion for Tourism & National Heritage (SCTH).
Dub
ai In
tern
atio
nal
5 AUGUST 2017 3
WEEKLY NEWS AIRPORTSwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
Bahrain Airport Completed Maintenance
C onducted in early morning hours each day between April 25 – May 06, the maintenance included concrete joint seal repairs, rubber and paint removal, asphalt repairs, airfield remarking, surveying, runway friction testing, weeds removal, and airfield ground lighting.
Abdulla Janahi, chief development and technical officer, BAC, commented, “We carry out these main-tenance works twice a year to ensure that airport operations continue at an optimal level as the safety of aircraft is our highest priority.”
Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) has concluded its most recent airfield maintenance works at Bahrain International Airport, which are carried out every six months in coordination with Civil
Aviation Affairs, Gulf Air and other partners.
Bahr
ain
Inte
rnat
iona
l Airp
ort
S harjah Airport Authority signed two commercial agreements with Gama Support Services which will lead to the construction of a new AED110 million (USD29.9 million) private jet terminal at Shar-
jah International Airport.The partnership also grants Gama Support Services the rights to
manage ground handling processes at the new facility. Set to strengthen the emirate’s aviation sector, the project is being designed in accordance with international standards to ensure maximum convenience for jet travellers.
H.E Ali Salim Al Midfa, chairman, Sharjah Airport Authority, said, “Our new partnership with Gama will add to our ability to provide the highest level of services to our customers in the private and business jet industry. The new project will allow the owners to travel in a luxurious and con-venient manner […].”
Sharjah Airport to Feature Jet Terminal
Rendering of the private jet terminal
4
WEEKLY NEWS AGENTS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
5 AUGUST 2017
A iming to increase awareness on the importance of natu-ral resources while making nature conservation a prior-ity in the school curriculum, TUI Care Foundation and Se-
fapane Community Development Fund collaboratively launched EcoKidz programme to educate children in disadvantaged areas around Kruger National Park on environmental conservation.
Thomas Ellerbeck, chairman, board of trustees, TUI Care Foun-dation, highlighted, “Since its establishment, TUI Care Foundation has acknowledged education to be a cornerstone for sustainable development. An empowered youth is not only crucial to fight unemployment, but it also opens a path towards an ecologically responsible generation. To support future ambassadors for South Africa’s nature and wildlife is a great opportunity to help preserve the spectacular natural environment of this country.”
TUI Care Delivers Lessons on Conservation
Sojern Unveiled UK and French Travel Trends
S ojern’s Destination Report: A Focus on France and the Unit-ed Kingdom revealed that the US, Cuba and Iceland have fallen in popularity among travellers from the two coun-
tries this summer, while trips to Sri Lanka have become more sought after.
Amongst French holidaymakers, Senegal has risen 11 plac-es in terms of popularity, while the biggest rising destinations for British tourists are Athens, Corfu, Crete, and Dubrovnik, as more travellers look to explore the filming location of Game of Thrones.
Tunis and Istanbul have regained popularity for French jet-setters, while Paris is also welcoming the return of strong levels of tourism.
Sojern also found that European travellers prefer short trips to both France and the UK, which are planned well in advance.
Paris
Sabre Tests Intelligent Travel Technology
I nitially being tested with two travel agencies and their clients, the trial period aims to evaluate the chatbot’s ability to offer travellers self-service solutions for the most common requests such as changing an existing flight reservation. The company fur-
ther plans to design the prototype which will enable travellers to directly shop, book and engage with hoteliers through the most common messaging platforms, such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Twitter, and SMS.
In partnership with Microsoft, Sabre has announced the development of an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot set to add intelligent and conversational features to its applications, in a bid to
enhance customer service and interaction through smart technology.
5 AUGUST 2017 5
WEEKLY NEWS AGENTSwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
Travelport Partners with Sudanese Travel Agent
T ravelport has announced a new agree-ment with Sudanese travel agent Euro Africa Services, a subsidiary of Euro Africa
Travel, enabling over 500 local agents to choose within a wide range of airlines, hotels, train and car from the platform.
Connected agents can now search beyond rate and availability, responding quickly to cus-tomers’ personalised needs.
Highlighting the expected positive out-comes of the partnership, Liban Warsame, CEO, Euro Africa Services revealed, “We look forward to introducing this innovative way of connecting a world of travel choice to the Sudanese agents’ community to grow their online and offline travel business. Travelport’s unrivalled content will help agents to drive their performance and allow them to offer customers a broader range of content more efficiently.”
Amadeus Voice Hits 1,500 Subscriptions
A madeus Gulf has recently announced that 1,500 travel agents around the GCC region have subscribed to Amadeus Voice, a highly interactive tool de-signed to address the needs of travel industry professionals.
Using push technology to send relevant data updates, the application provides easy access to daily industry news along with product updates and announcements.
Commenting on the company’s success, Graham Nichols, managing director, Amadeus Gulf, explained, “[…] Having worked closely with members of the travel industry in the region, Amadeus Gulf understands what they need to make their job easier day to day, and Amadeus Voice is the ideal addition to the suite of solutions we offer for the travel sector.”
5 AUGUST 20176
WEEKLY NEWS TECHNOLOGY www.traveltradeweekly.travel
Hotelogix and Amazon Tutored Indian Hoteliers
D esigned exclusively for hoteliers to learn about the latest technology, which is instrumental for maximis-ing revenues, the events provided the opportunity to learn from industry experts sharing best practices in utilising the right technology to gain a competitive advantage. Hoteliers were also taught on how to
run establishments profitably through understanding the security and reliability of the tools, along with online booking trends, distribution strategies and next generation technologies.
With a goal to help Indian hoteliers face growing competition from global brands, Hotelogix and Amazon Web Services delivered workshops on the benefits of cloud technology in Bangalore,
Mumbai and New Delhi throughout July.
I n a bid to develop innovative solutions that will en-hance the travel experience, Marriott International has recently partnered with Accenture Interactive
and 1776, to launch Travel Experience Incubator, a new programme designed to discover and foster startups working on innovative technologies and solutions.
Aiming to increase customer connectedness, the programme will develop, validate, and test travel solu-tions using data and technology.
Drawing on its deep experience in the hospitality business, the company will support the initiative with its data-rich knowledge of customers as well as men-tors from its executive team to coach the startups.
Accenture Interactive has proven experience working with the startup community in creating inno-vative enterprise technologies using an open innova-tion approach.
Marriott Launches Travel Experience
Incubator
IATA to Enhance Baggage Tracking
Live Chats to Empower Hoteliers
I nternational Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airlines for America have announced launching of a year-long global campaign related to baggage tracking in a bid to reduce mishandled bags and to increase baggage operation efficiency.While less than 0.43 percent of the four billion bags carried by airlines annually do not
arrive to their owners, the carriers committed to improve baggage tracking by June 2018 through the campaign, which will see various regional workshops for travellers and key air companies.
“ […] Over the last decade we have reduced mishandled baggage by 54 percent with im-proved processes. The next step is to realise the full benefits of baggage tracking to further improve performance,” said Andrew Price, global head, baggage, IATA.
I n an effort to increase hoteliers’ direct booking while also minimising online travel agents' contribution, Lodging Interactive is highlighting the growing value in live chat services such as its product CoMMingle, which was launched in 2016.The company identified that automated chat bots are not as impactful as was first pre-
dicted, and as consumers expect rapid response time, live chat services are seen as impor-tant to ensure high levels of customer service.
DJ Vallauri, president, Lodging Interactive, revealed, “The progression towards live chat services for hotels is natural and expected. […] Live chat empowers the consumer to control the time and place of their choosing to get questions answered; no waiting on telephone hold or 24 to 48 hours for an email reply.”
5 AUGUST 2017 7
WEEKLY NEWSwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
UNWTO Delivers Lessons on Crisis Management
Aiming to provide its member states from Africa, the US and Europe an opportunity to exchange views and experiences on various crisis situations, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in collaboration
with UNWTO Themis Foundation, has recently launched a three-day training course on crisis communication.
Taking place at UNWTO’s headquarters in Andorra, the Practicum on Crisis Communications course welcomed 15 member states and included a revision of the different types of crisis that may affect tourism destinations, focussing on natural disasters, financial collapses, other incidents or pandemics, as well as recommended communications methodologies for different phases of a crisis. Taking place every year, the course aims to build resilience in tourism destinations by creating capacity to develop and implement crisis communi-cation strategies.
SCTH Launches Marketing Council
I n line with National Transformation Pro-gram 2020, Saudi Commission for Tourism & National Heritage (SCTH) has imple-
mented Tourism Marketing Council, in part-nership with the private sector to manage tourism marketing services.
Falling under the first phase of the nation-al programme, SCTH latest efforts, including 13 approved projects so far, aim to promote and develop the marketing resources of do-mestic tourism in the kingdom, ultimately in-tegrating the principles of Saudi Vision 2030.
Fu’ad Al Shabrami, director, Tourism Marketing Council, SCTH, explained that the council will also contribute in reducing the SCTH’s marketing expenses by financing its operations through a tourist fee applied for each hotel night for the favour of the organi-sation and its development activities, thus supporting efficient spending of governmen-tal funds.
5 AUGUST 20178
WEEKLY NEWS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
Oasis InvestmentSHARJAH INVESTMENT & DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (SHUROOQ) HAS RECENTLY UNVEILED PLANS TO INCREASE ITS INVESTMENT INTO AL BADAYER OASIS FROM AED45 MILLION (USD12.25 MILLION) TO AED60 MILLION (USD16.33 MILLION), WHICH WILL FUND THE ADDITION OF TWO NEW BUILDINGS FEATURING NEW FACILITIES SUCH AS DORMITORIES AND A GYM.
A lready an extremely popular destination for adventurers, adrena-line junkies and petrol-heads, Al Badayer Oasis is expected to at-tract both local and foreign visitors with enhanced leisure offer-ings.
Commenting on the upcoming developments, H.E. Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO, Shurooq, explained, “[…] Our remit is to ensure that this important project has an array of recreational amenities, state-of-the-art facilities and premium services to promote tourism in Sharjah in general and in its middle region in particular.”
Shurooq Increases Al Badayer
Al Badayer Oasis rendering
Jeju Island Welcomed Surge in UAE Travellers
During a promotional event held at JW Mar-riott Marquis Hotel Dubai, representatives from Jeju Tourism Organization revealed
that the number of Emirati tourists visiting South Korea’s Jeju Island during the first half of the year (H1) increased 20 percent over the corresponding period in 2016.
Moreover, the number of visitors from the Mid-dle East surpassed 10,277 during H1, a year-on-year jump of 7.4 percent. The destination aims to further appeal with the provision of a prayer room and Halal-friendly dining.
[…] The UAE and South Korea have enjoyed strong ties over the years and we are more than happy to welcome them as guests and visitors to our famous Jeju Island,” revealed Seongtae Jeon, vice governor, administrative affairs, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province.
BTEA Discussed Manama Souq’s Future
During a meeting held at Bahrain International Exhibi-tion & Convention Centre on July 17, representatives of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA)
and Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry Old Markets Committee analysed the development project of the old Ma-nama souq.
The occasion enabled the parties to discuss the national plan of turning the site into a major tourist and commercial destination in Bahrain, in line with international standards. The project aims at enhancing and revitalising its premises, while taking into consideration the needs of visitors and business owners. The representatives also discussed the appointment of a specialised department to supervise the souq as well as details related to its amenities and services.
Mee
ting
at B
ahra
in In
tern
atio
nal
Exhi
bitio
n &
Con
vent
ion
Cent
re
Jeju
isla
nd
5 AUGUST 2017 9
WEEKLY NEWS ACC0MMODATIONwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
AccorHotels to Debut Swissôtel Brand in UAE
Located within Deira with the access to the renowned Al Ghurair Centre, Al Ghurair Hotel and Al Ghurair Living will feature 428 guest rooms and suites and 192 ser-viced apartments, respectively, which will see a soft refurbishment scheduled for
completion by the end of the year as a part of the transition. Guests and residents can enjoy an array of dining options at the property’s three restaurant and lounges, along with fully-equipped meeting spaces and rejuvenation facilities such as outdoor swim-ming pool, spa and health club.
T he Rezidor Hotel Group maintained its growth in the second quarter of this year, with eight new hotel openings and four
new signings, representing 1,397 keys and 1,666 rooms, respectively.
“While we continue our focus on asset light strategy in emerging markets, we are currently re-viewing our approach and will launch an adjusted expansion plan in the coming months that is tai-lored to the current business environment and investment cycle,” said Elie Younes, executive vice president, The Rezidor Hotel Group.
Meanwhile, development continues at a brisk pace with more than 100 hotels and 26,000 rooms in the pipeline across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Rezidor Continues to Expand
Following an agreement with Al Ghurair Group, AccorHotels is set to transform the group’s landmark Dubai property into its Swissôtel and Swissôtel Living addresses, marking
the brands' entry to the UAE.
Jumeirah Presents Royalty Suites
Renowned hotel operator Jumeirah Hotels & Re-sorts created a list of its most luxurious residences to inspire discerning travellers.
The selection of opulent holiday living includes 38 exclusive Royal Residences at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, clustered around a lagoon pool amidst tropical gardens, and the Royal Suite at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah spanning across two floors and boasting unprecedented comfort and luxury with a private cinema, full-size Jacuzzi, and butler service. Furthermore, the hotelier highlighted Malakiya Villas of Madinat Jumeirah inspired by tradition-al summer Arab houses offering spacious opulence and seclusion including a private access to the souk, while the Maldivian 3,500m² Royal Residence at Jumeirah Vittaveli also invites affluent guests to experience its amenities such as private spa pavilion.
Al G
hura
ir H
otel
Youn
es
Jum
eira
h Za
beel
Sar
ay
5 AUGUST 201710
WEEKLY NEWS AIR www.traveltradeweekly.travel
Turkish Airlines Introduces Phuket Service
M arking the carrier's 300th destination, the direct flights to Phuket are being operated four times weekly on Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Commenting on the launch, Bilal Eksi, CEO, Turkish Airlines, enthused, “Turkish Airlines is excited to be bringing more value and connectivity to its passengers through its ever expanding network. As an award-winning airline that invites people to explore the beauties of our world, it was a natural choice for us to decide on Phuket as our next destination.”
Pursuing its robust expansion in Southeast Asia, Turkish Airlines launched a new service to Phuket from Istanbul Atatürk Airport on July 17.
Qatar Airways Celebrated First
Skopje Flight
Etihad Deployed Dreamliner to
Beirut
Aiming to serve more pas-sengers on its daily Abu Dhabi International Airport
and Beirut–Rafic Hariri Internation-al Airport schedule, Etihad Airways launched its inaugural Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flight, increasing the capacity between the destinations.
Commenting on the occasion, Mohammad Al Bulooki, executive vice president, commercial, Eti-had Airways, revealed, “Beirut was the first international destination served by Etihad Airways in 2003 and it is fitting that we introduce the state-of-the-art 787 Dreamlin-er to this key market [...]. The new two-class 787-9 provides an in-crease of 125 seats per flight, with 4,186 weekly seats now offered in both directions. This reflects the strong demand to Lebanon from Abu Dhabi and the entire UAE, where a large Lebanese expatriate community resides.”
C ommencing on August 08, the Emirate’s service from Dubai International to Sudan’s Khartoum International Airport will be in-
creased from five to seven weekly flights.To be operated on Tuesdays and Sundays with
Boeing 777, the extra links will offer 700 additional seats each way per week, as well as enhanced cargo capacity by up to 18 tonnes per flight.
“Emirates’ decision to commit two additional scheduled flights a week is a clear indication of customer demand for our award-winning products and services. Our expanded schedule will provide customers with greater flexibility in their travel plans […],“ said Orhan Abbas, senior vice presi-dent, commercial operations, Africa, Emirates.
Emirates to Serve Sudan
Daily
Phuk
et
Q atar Airways has inaugu-rated its new nonstop ser-vice from Hamad Interna-
tional Airport to Skopje Alexander the Great Airport, marking the next step in its Eastern Europe expan-sion.
Honouring the launch of the four times weekly direct link oper-ated with an Airbus A320, VIP del-egates from Doha were welcomed to the Macedonian capital in a tra-ditional style with salt and bread.
Alp Er Tunga Ersoy, general manager, Skopje Alexander the Great Airport, said, “[…] Doha will be a very attractive new destination for Macedonian citizens, for both leisure and business, connecting them with 150 additional destina-tions across the world.”
As part of its network expan-sion, the carrier is also launching new services to Prague and Kyiv in August.
5 AUGUST 2017 11
WEEKLY NEWS AIRwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
flydubai Extends Collaboration
with AAR
f lydubai has announced a new long-term agreement with AAR, extend-ing the provision of comprehensive
flight-hour component support to the low-cost carrier’s new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
The partnership represents a further step towards the airline’s preparation for the delivery of 100 of the aircraft type by 2023. Hailed as the first customer of the jets in the region, the airline will enable AAR to utilise its extensive global sup-ply chain network, including a new parts warehouse in Dubai.
During the signing ceremony, David Storch, CEO, AAR, commented, “We have been supporting flydubai’s current fleet since September 2016, and it is a privilege to be entrusted with this new opportunity.”
Airlines Rely on Ancillary Revenue
I n a CarTrawler-sponsored study titled 2016 Top 10 Airline Ancillary Revenue Rankings, carried out by IdeaWorksCompany, it was revealed that the total value of the top 10 airlines’ ancillary revenue exceeded USD28 billion.In 2007, this figure was USD2.1 billion, indicating the growing importance
and reliance on ancillary revenue.The majority of the top 10 rankings earned their place on the list thanks to
contributions from frequent flyer programmes, with the exception of Ryanair and easyJet who rely on optional extras such as baggage, flexible fares and cred-it card fees, among other revenue streams.
Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines and Allegiant Air were listed as the three car-riers to report ancillary revenue as more than 40 percent of the total income.
5 AUGUST 201712
F lorida East Coast Industries has announced its new real estate brand Park-Line, which will debut in 2018 with a 290-unit tower in
West Palm Beach, followed by two towers with 816 keys at MiamiCentral in 2019.
In partnership with Lincoln Property Compa-ny, the project will offer multi-family residences for lease. Upon completion, the mixed-used com-plex will feature a poolside lounge, open air cross training course, yoga lawn and fitness centre, along with private cabanas with outdoor grills, a public event space and other retail and dining outlets, complemented by a new Brightline train service.
“Park-Line residences are designed for people on the move who want to live and travel smarter,” said Daniel Quintana, vice president, develop-ment, Florida East Coast Industries.
A ccording to STR, during the period June 25 – July 01, RevPAR throughout the Canadian hotel industry soared
16.4 percent to CAD128.53 (USD99.88).Moreover, success was observed in two
other key performance metrics, average daily rate (ADR) jumped 11 percent year-on-year to CAD173.58 (USD134.89), while occupancy rose 4.8 percent to 74 percent.
Among the provinces, Manitoba saw the largest year-over-year increases in occu-pancy, up 24.7 percent to 73.6 percent and RevPAR, which increased 26.5 percent to CAD86.72 (USD67.30).
Meanwhile, Ontario posted the week’s largest rise in ADR, up 18.1 percent to CAD175.76 (USD 136.37) and the second-highest uplift in RevPAR, which surged 24.9 percent to CAD138.61 (USD 107.52).
Florida East Coast to Reinvent Urban Living
Surge in RevPAR at Canadian Hotels
Rend
erin
g of
Par
k-Li
ne M
iam
i
Cana
da
Third Hyatt Regency Opened
in Seattle
Successful Week
for US Hotels
Kimpton to Launch Canadian
Property
Hyatt Regency Lake Washington at Se-attle’s Southport has recently opened, marking the brand’s third hotel in the
Seattle area.Said to be the only waterfront address in
close proximity to Seattle-Tacoma Interna-tional Airport, the property features 347 state-of-the-art guestrooms, indoor and outdoor event space, alongside a wide range of restau-rants including a lakeside kitchen and bar, and tranquil health and wellness offerings.
Rusty Middleton, general manager, Hy-att Regency Lake Washington at Seattle's Southport, revealed, “[…] As part of the Hyatt Regency family, we take pride in connecting travellers to what matters most to them, in-cluding […] the simple pleasure of enjoying a coffee on our lakefront terrace after a peaceful night’s rest.”
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants has an-nounced a new addition to its North American network, a four-star bou-
tique property in Bloor-Yorkville in Toronto, slated to open in 2018.
Owned and developed by InnVest Hotels, the 189-key address will be located within a revitalised 13-storey building, converted from the current Holiday Inn Toronto Bloor-Yorkville. Guests will be able to take advan-tage of 186m² of ground level meeting space, a leased restaurant and bar, along with a fit-ness centre, complimentary public bicycles and yoga mats in every room, among other amenities.
Mike DeFrino, CEO, Kimpton Hotels & Res-taurants, said, “We are looking forward to en-tering the Canadian market and introducing our unique heartfelt service to Toronto.”
During the week June 25 – July 01, the US hotel industry posted positive year-on-year results including a 6.8
percent jump in RevPAR to USD94.80, as re-vealed by STR.
Moreover, hoteliers also reported a 3.8 percent increase in occupancy to 74.2 percent, while average daily rate (ADR) rose 2.8 percent to USD127.75.
Among the top 25 markets, Minneapolis-Saint Paul achieved the largest rise in occupan-cy, up 17.1 percent to 84.4 percent, and Rev-PAR which soared 28.5 percent to USD109.20, along with a 9.7 percent climb in ADR to USD129.38.
Meanwhile, Chicago, Washington D.C., Bos-ton and Seattle also saw exceptional increases in RevPAR, up 22.9 percent, 21.3 percent, 16.9 percent and 16.3 percent, correspondingly.
INTERNATIONAL: AMERICAS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
5 AUGUST 2017 13
INTERNATIONAL: AMERICASwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
New York Hub Joins Forces with
dnata
Antigua and Barbuda Hosted Tourism Meeting
Rooms Under Contract Decline in Central and South America
J FKIAT, the company that operates Ter-minal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport, has recently signed an agree-
ment for dnata to provide ground handling services at the terminal.
Since August 01, dnata has been coordi-nating ground handling for a number of air-lines including Etihad Airways, Volaris and Air Serbia and is investing USD3 million for infra-structure and resources, creating more than 100 new jobs.
Commenting on the partnership, Gert-Jan de Graaff, CEO, JFKIAT, highlighted, “Terminal 4 is continuously enhancing its operations in order to improve passenger satisfaction. With more than 21 million passengers each year, we are confident that this new partnership with dnata will further excellent services for our airline customers [...].”
A ccording to STR’s June 2017 Pipeline Report, the Central and South America region has
58,925 rooms in 378 hotel projects un-der contract, representing an 11.2 per-cent decrease in keys compared to June 2016.
The upper upscale segment ac-counted for the largest number of units, some 22.8 percent with 13,418 keys, while room categories saw declines.
Meanwhile, during the month un-der review, there were 28,103 units in 175 projects in the construction phase, down two percent year-on-year. Of these, upscale markets featured the largest portion of keys in construction with 6,913 rooms, marking a 24.6 jump over June 2016.
D uring an event hosted by Antigua and Barbuda Tourist Office, tourism officials and marketing directors presented up-
dated action plans and exchanged information on the potential of the sector with members of Anti-gua Hotels & Tourist Association.
The meeting was held at the Antigua and Bar-buda Hospitality Training Institute and addressed airlift and related concerns while also focussing on the stay-over projections for the remainder of this year and 2018.
Asot Michael, tourism economic development Investment and energy working minister, Antigua and Barbuda, revealed, “[…] With our local and in-ternational stakeholders, and taking into consid-eration their expertise and experience, we have al-ready begun to develop new and creative strategies allowing us to be more competitive and grow visi-tor arrivals and revenues to the wider destination.”
I n the context of celebrating 20 years of service to Italy, United Airlines has unveiled plans to expand its seasonal New York – Rome service
to a year-round itinerary, beginning on Novem-ber 09 and lasting until March 07, 2018.
Serving Italy since 1997, the American carrier has connected more than 7.6 million customers on nearly 42,000 flights between the countries.
Commenting on the occasion, Marcel Fuchs, vice president, Atlantic sales, United Airlines, stated, “[…] Our service to Rome is timed per-fectly for customers making connections from more than 75 cities around the US and Latin America and it offers our Italian customers an-other convenient way to see New York or con-nect to other destinations throughout the US.”
I n June, Delta Air Lines reported a consolidated pas-senger unit revenue increase of 2.5 percent year-on-year.Furthermore, revenue passenger kilometres across
its international and domestic network jumped 2.8 per-cent, while available seat kilometres grew 1.8 percent compared to June 2016. The carrier achieved a load fac-tor of 8.5 percent, a 0.8 percentage point rise, and main-line completion factor of 99.9 percent. The company’s on-time performance stood at 82.8 percent during the month under review. In terms of freight, the amount of cargo carried soared 16.3 percent over the correspond-ing month in 2016.
United Celebrates 20 Years of Operations to Italy
Successful June for Delta
Rom
e
5 AUGUST 201714
INTERNATIONAL: ASIA PACIFIC www.traveltradeweekly.travel
Princess Cruises’ New Liner Sets Sail from China
Thailand Travel Mart Plus Concluded with
Success
Asia Pacific Hotel Pipeline Continues
to Grow
P rincess Cruises, part of Carnival Cor-poration, has announced that its new luxury vessel Majestic Princess ar-
rived in Shanghai to commence its maiden season.
Tailor-made for the Chinese market, the ship will offer the company’s renowned ser-vice and unparalleled onboard experiences, including Michelin-star dining, one of the largest duty-free shopping areas at the sea, immersive musical and cinematic pro-grammes, along with other entertainment and attractions for adults and children alike.
Jan Swartz, group president, Princess Cruises, expressed that as an outcome of 50 years of experience, the vessel is set to re-define luxury cruising while demonstrating an ideal fusion of east and west concepts of international cruise vacations.
I n June, 612,210 rooms in 2,767 hotel developments were under contract in the Asia Pacific region, as revealed in
STR’s June 2017 Pipeline Report, marking a 6.2 percent increase in keys year-on-year.
Moreover, the region reported that the 270,976 units in 1,183 hotel projects were in construction during the month under review, an 8.5 percent jump over June 2016.
Among chain scale segments, the up-scale sector accounted for the largest por-tion of rooms under contract, 25.9 percent with 158,312 rooms, and in construction with 96,246 units, representing 25.6 per-cent. Accounting for 25.5 percent with 69,068 keys, upper upscale was the only other segment to represent 20 percent or more of rooms in construction.
T he Tourism Authority of Thailand, in co-operation with industry partners, the Thai tourism industry, hosted Thailand Travel
Mart Plus 2017 at Chiang Mai International Exhi-bition and Convention Centre on June 14 – 16.
This year’s programme was planned to en-sure maximum time for networking, trade and business talks among the 400 sellers from Thai-land and the Greater Mekong subregion along with 350 quality international buyers from over 60 countries worldwide. Additionally, the show emphasised the Thai tourism campaign Amaz-ing Thailand, Discover Amazing Stories: The Unique Thai Local Experiences, highlighting authentic ex-periences that travellers can participate in.
As hotels and resorts comprised the largest proportion of sellers, they recorded the highest value of business, an estimated THB1.05 billion (USD 30.1 million).
5 AUGUST 2017 15
INTERNATIONAL: ASIA PACIFICwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
D usit Thani Bangkok, the flagship hotel of Thailand-based Dusit International, has announced that it will cease opera-
tions on April 16, 2018, ending a 48-year run as a landmark of pioneering design in the capital, while a new version of the hotel is set to open as part of a mixed-use development in 2022.
Aiming to commemorate the hotel’s rich hospitality heritage and celebrate its status as one of Bangkok’s legendary hotels, the property is arranging a series of special events and pro-motions designed to thank its loyal guests and customers. One of the highlights is the Wedding Memories promotion whereby couples who had their wedding reception at the property can en-joy a complimentary three-course set lunch or dinner at the hotel.
T he new Crowne Plaza Christchurch has opened on New Zealand’s South Island, hailed as one of the
largest upscale hotels in the region and the brand’s return to the city.
Expected to boost the destination’s business and leisure tourism, the 204-key property fuses history and modernity, re-flected in its dining and meetings spaces. This includes the Market Place restaurant, which echoes the original name of nearby Victoria Square, while Café 1851 commem-orates the building’s inauguration date.
Reinier Eulink, general manager, Crowne Plaza Christchurch, enthused, “We tip our hat to the former Crowne Plaza, as it was an important part of the Christch-urch city centre landscape for many years, but we are taking it to the next level with our new-look hotel.”
Dusit Thani Bangkok to Close After 48 Years
Crowne Plaza Returned to Christchurch
Dus
it Th
ani B
angk
ok
Crow
ne P
laza
Chr
istc
hurc
h
New Delhi Welcomes Holiday
Club Stores
ANA InterContinental Beppu to Debut
The Ascott Be-comes Quest’s Ma-
jor Shareholder
T he travel group Cox & Kings has an-nounced the opening of four Holiday Club stores at high-end shopping out-
lets in New Delhi, offering an array of experi-ential holiday options for local clientele.
Complementing the existing sales points across the city, the new venues will give cus-tomers an opportunity for detailed trip plan-ning towards creating customised domestic and international holiday packages.
During an inauguration event at the MGF Metropolitan Mall, Karan Anand, head, rela-tionships, Cox & Kings, said, “Delhi is one of our key markets and these concept stores will provide the customers with a unique shop-ping experience. […] Our presence in these high-end shopping hubs will broaden our point of sales for people to enjoy the Cox & Kings experience.”
O n track with its vision to become one of the largest serviced residence pro-vider in Australasia, The Ascott has
announced the acquisition of an additional 60 percent of Quest Apartment Hotels for AUD180 million (USD136.84 million).
The transaction has increased the com-pany’s total share to 80 percent and boosted its current real estate portfolio to 67,000 units across 507 properties with some 11,000 extra keys, bringing the firm closer to its ambitious target of reaching 80,000 keys by 2020.
Commenting on the deal, Lee Chee Koon, CEO, The Ascott, said, “[…] Besides entrench-ing Ascott’s presence in the developed and stable market of Australia, we will be able to capitalise on the established Quest brand and its highly scalable business format franchise systems and know-how […].”
S cheduled to open in 2019, ANA Inter-Continental Beppu Resort & Spa will mark InterContinental Hotels & Re-
sorts’ first onsen retreat, offering a traditional Japanese wellness experience.
Situated on 8.2ha of land overlooking the city and bay, the new address will be devel-oped by Tokyo Century Corporation.
Featuring a public bath, spa and pool, as well as a fitness centre, restaurants and bars, the 89-key property will feature common and private onsen baths supplied with water from a local hot spring.
Shunichi Asada, CEO, Tokyo Century Corporation, explained, “[…] Through the ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa development, our aim is to to contribute to Beppu’s ambition to be a world-class interna-tional tourist destination.”
16
RENDEZVOUS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
DAN BENZAQUEN
Q & A
with
GENERAL MANAGER, MÖVENPICK RESORT & SPA TALA BAY AQABA
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE POSITIVE MOMENTUM IN JORDAN’S TOURISM INDUSTRY, HOTELIERS ARE PAYING
HIGHER ATTENTION TO MICE TRAVELLERS. DAN BENZAQUEN, GENERAL MANAGER, MÖVENPICK RESORT & SPA TALA BAY
AQABA, EXPLAINS HOW A LEISURE RESORT IS ABLE TO CATER FOR BUSINESS
TRAVELLERS.
cluding Wi-Fi connection in the entire resort and WhatsApp services are avail-able for all the guests. [...]
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What are the most common expectations of the MICE guests when staying at the resort? Do your guests mix business with leisure activities?
DAN BENZAQUEN: Connectivity is very important for MICE travellers. Not only do they require good Internet connec-tion during their functions, most corpo-rate travellers also work in their rooms after the meeting. Catering and service should be efficient, as well. It is good to have some surprises but the very basic clients’ requirements should be met. Currently, corporate clients are mixing business with leisure. Most corporate function requests include the weekends as their preferred period of stay. In that manner, they engage in leisure activities after conducting their business agenda.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What are the latest common efforts in the public and private sectors to promote Jor-dan and Aqaba as an ideal MICE des-tination?
DAN BENZAQUEN: The Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) and Aqaba Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) work closely with airlines and resorts to come up with reasonable prices to attract guests. This makes Aqaba competitive not only for leisure guests, but also for corporate clients coming from abroad. As part of Aqaba, Mövenpick Resort & Spa Tala Bay Aqaba highly supports such initiatives. Likewise, we always make sure that the resort is represented well in travel trades. [...].
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How do you foresee the development of the busi-ness tourism in Jordan and the posi-tion of Aqaba in the months to come?
DAN BENZAQUEN: We see growth of business tourism in Jordan in general and Aqaba in particular. With more in-ternational hotel brands opening soon, more international direct flights available and more frequent flights from Amman, Aqaba is becoming a more established tourism hub. Being the only open sea-port, Aqaba not only houses some big companies in Jordan, but also provides better accessibility, hence more opportu-nities for business tourism to boom. [...].
Mövenpick Resort & Spa Tala Bay Aqaba is also a preferred choice within the cor-porate sector – whether as a temporary home-base or for holding corporate events. Both leisure and business facili-ties are available in the resort. For busi-ness travellers seeking venues to hold meetings and conferences, we can ac-commodate up to 300 people in our ballroom. We also offer alternative op-tions outdoors, which feature lush gar-dens, an amphitheatre and the beach. The most number of guests we accom-modated in our garden was 900 people on banquet-style seating for an incen-tive dinner hosted by a corporate client. TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How would you summarise the first quarter (Q1) of this year in relation to the business segment and what are the projec-tions for upcoming months?
DAN BENZAQUEN: Q1 was a little chal-lenging but April’s performance was fantastic, which closes the gap with our rolling budget. [...] We had several corporate meetings during the previ-ous months and most of the corporate guests came back with their families for a leisure stay. It is good to know that these clients thought of Mövenpick Re-sort & Spa Tala Bay Aqaba even beyond their work. The coming months look healthy, except [...] the winter season. Historically, [this period is] challenging for properties based in Aqaba.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Given the resort’s reputation as a leisure desti-nation, what facilities and features of the property would you highlight to business travellers?
DAN BENZAQUEN: What makes the resort unique and ideal [for the seg-ment] is that MICE travellers can choose to have their functions either indoor or outdoor depending on the number of attendees and purpose of event. For instance, our ballroom, which can ac-commodate 300 people, can be your venue in the morning with our Salam meeting room and several restaurant outlets serving as breakout rooms. At night, our pool, garden or beach areas can be your venue for your corporate dinner. We have a beautiful resort area and we are offering that to MICE travel-lers, too. Onsite, a dedicated meetings and events team will make sure that you are attended well. State-of-the-art information technology equipment in-
5 AUGUST 2017
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: With the rising importance of the business travel segment for Jordan tourism, how is your property positioned to cater for the niche?
DAN BENZAQUEN: Business travellers are an important market source for Möv-enpick Resort & Spa Tala Bay Aqaba. Whilst we are known to be a leisure resort,
5 AUGUST 2017 17
TRAVEL CHANNELSwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
In a bid to support the country’s dairy demand, Qatar Airways Cargo has recently transported 330 Holstein cows from Europe to Qatar on board a Boeing 777 freighter.
Upon arrival at Hamad International Airport, the cattle were carefully and efficiently transferred to Balad-na Farm. The cargo carrier has been appointed to charter more than 20 cattle shipments from Europe, the US and Australia in the next few weeks.
Commenting on the occasion, Ulrich Ogiermann, CEO, Qatar Airways Cargo, revealed, “[…] We are truly a part of history, helping launch the country’s newest in-dustry, producing dairy products to meet local demand. The cattle charters involve a great deal of skill and coor-dination to ensure the flight from the points of origin to Doha was smooth and safe […].”
As part of Abu Dhabi Summer Season, Masha and the Bear, a popular ani-mated television series inspired by a Russian fairy tale, will be coming to Abu Dhabi, giving families the opportunity to enjoy a theatrical display with 30 ice-skaters, dancers and acrobats.
Coming to the UAE for the very first time, Masha and the Bear On Ice merges theatre, musical arts and figure skating.
Organised by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, in partnership with MBC Group, Alchemy Project, YAK Events, Summit Events and Oberoi Middle East Event, Abu Dhabi Summer Season is running from July 20 – August 20, bringing an exciting array of family-friendly shows and activities for residents and visitors of all ages to enjoy.
Airbus Foundation and Thai Airways joined forces to organise a goodwill flight, loaded with school supplies for underprivileged children in three provinces of southern Thailand.
Supported by Aviation Without Borders, the good-will flight took off from Airbus’ headquarters in Toulouse on July 14 to Bangkok. Children from the International School of Toulouse also got involved, helping to pack the 1,000 kits and oversee the Airbus A350-900 aircraft being loaded at the Airbus Delivery Centre. This is the fifth goodwill flight to Thai region organised by the com-panies. In the past, medical equipment and supplies, as well as children’s gifts had been transported on A380 and A330 aircraft.
Masha and the Bear to Come to Abu Dhabi
Airbus and Thai Airways Support Children in Need
Qatar Airways to Boost Dairy Industry
Masha and the Bear
International School of Toulouse students at Airbus headquarters
5 AUGUST 201718
TRAVEL CHANNELS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
Boeing Global Services has released its 2017 Pi-lot and Technician Outlook study, projecting the demand for more than 1.2 million pilots and technicians as well as some 800,000 cabin staff members over the next 20 years, reflecting the
growth of the global commercial aviation industry.According to the findings, the Asia Pacific region
demonstrates the highest future demand for crew, fol-lowed by Europe and North America. The outlook also shows a 4.6 percent decrease in the need for airline main-tenance technicians over 2016’s estimation, driven by the reduction in maintenance hours required on Boeing 737 MAX models, while demand for pilots soared 3.2 percent compared to 2016’s forecast.
On the back of approaching 2017-2018 Premier League football season, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) and Manchester City Football Club have launched a new season-long campaign Extraordinary City Story.
The initiative kicks-off with a competition offering the club’s supporters a chance to win attractive prizes throughout the season by sharing their most extraordi-nary memory of being a fan using #ExtraordinaryCityStory.
Sultan Al Dhaheri, acting executive director, tourism, TCA Abu Dhabi, enthused, “As official destination partner of Manchester City Football Club, this activity gives fans from across the world the chance to win a fantastic trip to the UAE capital to experience our extraordinary city and also to watch the stars of Manchester City in action.”
As an ambassador of Emirati children’s literature, The UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) participated for the first time at Hong Kong Book Fair 2017 on July 19 – 25.
Taking advantage of the event, which in 2016 attracted more than one million visitors, the delega-tion showcased a selection of titles published under Books – Made in UAE project, as well as created exhibitions and instal-lations highlighting the UAE’s literary heritage, local customs and traditions.
During the event, Marwa Al Aqroubi, president, execu-tive board, UAEBBY, commented, “The UAEBBY will continue attending global cultural forums and we are delighted on this occasion to engage directly with our audience through the platform of the Hong Kong Book Fair.”
TCA Abu Dhabi Prepares for Premier League
UAEBBY Introduced Emirati Literature to Hong Kong
Boeing Forecasts High Demand
for Staff
Hong Kong Book Fair 2017, UAEBBY
5 AUGUST 2017 19
PHOTO ALBUMwww.traveltradeweekly.travel
Take a Shot!
Share with us the latest images of your activities and let your colleagues know
what you have been up to.
Send your photos to [email protected] Because a picture is worth a thousand
words...
Shaesta Waiz, founder, Dreams Soar, left, took part in a Boeing 777 simulator challenge in Dubai with Bakhita Al Muheiri, first officer, Emirates, to
champion the importance of women’s contributions to aviation
Armani Hotel Dubai acquired its first Green Globe certification
Al Bustan Centre and Residence recognises employees’ outstanding performance
Al Hamra Golf Club celebrated its 10th anniversary
22ND UNWTO GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Chengdu, ChinaSeptember 04 – 09 World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) annual meeting will bring together tourism officials and private sector leaders.
5 AUGUST 201720
NEWS & EVENTS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
IBTM World Prepares for 30th
Anniversary
Jeddah Summer Festival to Boost
Retail Sector
In order to celebrate its 30th an-niversary edition, IBTM World un-veiled a series of new initiatives and elements. Taking place in Barcelona on No-
vember 28 – 30, this year’s edition will feature globally renowned key-note speakers, enhanced technology awards, topical panel sessions and en-gaging networking events, along with the rollout of an enhanced hosted buy-er programme.
Kerry Prince, portfolio director, IBTM, revealed, “IBTM has always looked at ways to innovate through every as-pect of our business to ensure that we remain ahead of the curve in terms of our offer and that we continue to deliv-er the very best service for our custom-ers. Testament to the event’s relevance and impact in the sector is the fact that it continues to grow year-on-year.”
On the occasion of the month-long Jeddah Summer festival, which began on July 09, Jed-dah Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (JCCI) expects more than 50,000 visitors daily with spending set to reach some SAR2 billion (USD533.29 million).
The 19th version of the tourist and shopping event boasts a rich pro-gramme including new innovations, such as attractive prizes and promotion-al electronic vouchers for participants from the Red Sea Mall.
Mohamed Iqbal Alawi, chairman, shopping centres committee, JCCI, said, “Last year Saudi Arabia increased its retail sales by 6.4 percent reaching up to SAR361.14 billion (USD96.3 billion) […]. Accordingly, we are expecting an increase of three to four percent at least on this year, due to variety of events.”
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