EXCLUSIVE: SPORTS TRAVEL

MARKET UPDATE 2INVESTIGATION: Air Security 3VISIT: Kuwait 6EXPLORE: Oman 10ONSITE: Philippines 13TOUR: Sweden 15LONG HAUL: Canada 17TRAVEL TALK 18TRAVEL CHANNELS 19EXCLUSIVE: Sports Travel 20WHO’S MOVED 22RENDEZVOUS 23NEWS & EVENTS 24

LONG HAUL: CANADA

OCTOBER 2011 ISSUE 24

VISIT: KuwaitVISIT: Kuwait

Middle East and North Africa Edition

www.traveltradeweekly.travel

By promoting exceptional experiences andcreating a stronger brand image for thedestination, Canada is to penetrate internationalmarkets and further leverage the elevatedinterest in the country.

Sport and tourism are integrated components ofglobal culture, which have helped to bringpeople together and enhance tolerance, whilealso providing additional social, economic andpolitical effects.

In This Issue

66

1717

2020

Kuwait has experienced a lack of tourists, despitedevelopments in infrastructure and new projects.

Displaced tourism is, however, helping to stimulateits discovery as a diverse travel destination.

October 2011, Issue 24

W ith a steep surge of 39 percent inguest numbers and a 35 percentrise in guest nights, the emirateachieved its best ever hotelperformance levels for the

month of July. The 189,486 guests at the hotel and hotelapartments, accounted for 507,612 guest nights andpushed occupancy levels up nine percent, to 65 percent.Overall revenue increased by six percent and totalledAED271 million (USD74.2 million). Intensive interest from the Arab world, in particular fromneighbouring countries, and extensive promotionalcampaigns drove the growth. Lawrence Franklin,strategy and policy director, Abu Dhabi TourismAuthority (ADTA), commented on the performance. “The regional upsurge could likely be attributed to GCCtravellers opting to spend time in a destination theyassociate with safety for their families, and with more ofthem choosing to holiday in July, ahead of the holymonth of Ramadan, when they wish to be at home withtheir families.” The destination also benefitted fromtactical product and promotional activities.“We are also benefitting from increased awareness of Abu

Dhabi’s offering resulting from greaterproduct packaging in conjunction withstakeholders. These have all been supportedby the destination’s increased competitivenesswith average room rates down 15 percent onJuly 2010 to AED372.55 (USD102).”Visitors from the GCC, excluding UAE,

accounted for 19,828, representing an increase of 98percent over July 2010. Guest volume from the widerArab market rose by 44 percent to 22,383, while Europeand Asia grew by 28 percent compared with thecorresponding month in 2010. GCC travellerscontributed to the surge with 39,087 guest nights, andArab nationals with 54,190 nights, up by 124 percentand 33 percent respectively. “There is no doubt that the GCC is proving to bereceptive to Abu Dhabi’s expanding tourism and eventsproposition. ADTA and its stakeholders will look tofurther grow region at returns via additional marketinginitiatives,” added Franklin.

In the coming months Abu Dhabi will see the openingof a range of new hotels and resorts as well as a numberof highly anticipated events. “It is action all the way over the coming months whichwe anticipate will see us achieve this years stretch targetof two million hotel guests, a rise of 10.5 percent on2010, and leave us well placed to begin 2012 on a high,”commented Franklin.

Abu Dhabi Records Best JulyAbu Dhabi’s hospitality industry has registered record hotel guest figures in July, influenced bytraffic from the wider Arab region.

OCTOBER 20112

COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=UAE (AED) Dirham 3.67Egypt (EGP) Pound 5.97Saudi Arabia (SAR) Riyal 3.75Lebanon (LBP) Pound 1,507.5Bahrain (BHD) Dinar 0.37Jordan ( JOD) Dinar 0.71Syria (SYP) Pound 49.00Kuwait (KWD) Dinar 0.28Qatar (QAR) Riyal 3.64Oman (OMR) Rial 0.38Tunisia (TND) Dinar 1.43Morocco (MAD) Dirham 8.29Iran (IRR) Riyal 10,778Yemen (YER) Rial 214.25Algeria (DZD) Dinar 74.60Libya (LYD) Dinar 1.24

MENA Exchange RatesAccurate as of 27/9/2011Currencies shown in red are fixed against the US Dollar

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLYManaging Editor

Mary Kammitsimary@traveltradeweekly.travel

JournalistsRita Kasziba

Marianna KeenDominique Christou

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Sales & MarketingMaria Demetriadou

Brighite EssDominique Tennant

DirectorsAndreas Constantinides

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Airline share prices have lost one quarter of their value so far this year, while profits declined 60percent, according to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) latest Airlines FinancialMonitor. Amid the fragile economic conditions, financial markets have cut their valuations of airlines byaround one-quarter since the beginning of the year. IATA predicts that as the financial environmentgloom rises, airlines are likely to face further challenges and be affected more than most sectors. Second quarter (Q2) financial reports further deepened concerns. Whilst the airline industrygenerally earns 80 percent of profits in Q2 and Q3, with net profits totalling USD1.8 billion, airlinesrecorded a steep decline of 60 percent so far, this year. However, despite the widespreaddeterioration in profits, European airlines improved against the volcanic ash impactedcorresponding period in 2010. Although jet fuel prices are slowly dropping, they are still around 50 percent higher than in 2010,and Japan’s nuclear outages and the absence of Libyan oil could aggravate airlines’ vulnerability. On a positive note, air travel was signalling an upward at a five to six percent pace in July,contributing to a 5.9 percent year-on-year growth, while air freight volumes continued to stagnate. Despite demand softening, fleet capacity had been rising ahead of demand and airlines managedto sustain passenger load factors.

There is no doubt that the GCC is proving to be receptive to Abu Dhabi’s

expanding tourism and events proposition

IATA: Airlines Lost Quarter of Value

The 10th anniversary of September11, 2001 terrorist attacks onNew York, which kicked off theaviation industry’s most challen-ging decade, has once again

thrown new light upon the urging questions ofair security. With the International Air TransportAssociation (IATA) calling for new concepts andpressing for improvements in checkpoints atairports, the industry has been prompted toboost and modernise air security. Tony Tyler, CEO, IATA, commented on theanniversary and indentified major lessons insecurity over the last decade. “On September 11, 2001, anyone associated withaviation knew that the industry would never bethe same. What we did not know was how resilientthe industry would be in the aftermath of thetragedy or the direction in which it would change.Governments must coordinate the developmentand deployment of security measures to ensureharmonised global standards and eliminateoverlapping and redundant requirements amongnations. Governments are obliged to foot the billfor security threats which are national challengesin the same manner as they would do in any othersector. Airlines and their passengers currently paya security bill that had ballooned to USD7.4billion by 2010.”Securing the air, however, is a matter ofcooperation, according to Tyler. “Passengersshould and do play an important role in helpingkeep air travel safe. Vigilance and cooperationwith authorities are crucial.” Despite all endeavours, a certain risk does andwill always remain.“We must accept that there is no such thing as100 percent risk-free security. Governmentsmust focus on the probable and not all that ispossible and avoid policies driven by knee-jerkreactions,” emphasised Tyler.

Securing the Middle EastSecurity, often identified as the Achilles heel of theaviation industry, represents a particularly crucialissue in the MENA region. According to theMiddle East Airport Security Market AssessmentReport, it is expected that spending in this sector

is to increase from AED127.7 million (USD24.7million) in 2009 to AED212 million (USD57.7million) by 2015. The study also indicates that theregion currently accounts for 14.4 percent of theglobal critical infrastructure protection market. Along with the UAE’s growing importance asan international hub, the aviation sector’sspending has gradually increased. Based onresearch findings from leading consultants Frostand Sullivan, the Emirates’ airport securityspending in 2009 totalled AED31.6 million(USD8.6 million), accounting for as much as 23percent of the total Middle East expenditure inthis sector.

Looking ForwardIn a move to reduce the existing risks and threats,

IATA has recently unveiled the first mock-up ofthe ‘Checkpoint of the Future’, which has beendesigned to enhance security while reducingqueues, using intelligence-driven risk-basedmeasures. It is part of IATA’s commitment tosecure aviation. “We will never permit a trade-off between securityand passenger convenience. Security is far tooimportant. However, we can leverage technologyand operating knowledge to enhance securitywhile improving the passenger experience. That isthe focus of our ‘Checkpoint of the Future’project,” emphasised Flint Perry, head of corporatecommunications, the Americas, IATA.IATA’s much anticipated ‘Checkpoint of theFuture’ project is to herald a new era by enhancingthe level of security while reducing queues.

3OCTOBER 2011

- Air Security

Checkpoint of the FutureWith intensive new airport constructions and expansions currently underway across the region, improving air security is integral.Securing the air and preventing any losses, while at the same time sparing the billions of passengers from hassle, surely challengesthe aviation industry. Travel Trade Monthly investigates the latest security trends and identifies the fine line between beingvigilent and over-cautious.

Rita Kasziba writes

We mustaccept thatthere is no

such thing as100 percent

risk-freesecurity.

Governmentsmust focus

on theprobable

and not allthat is

possible andavoid policies

driven byknee-jerkreaction

“The IATA ‘Checkpoint of the Future’ offers avision for how airport security can be made moreeffective and convenient for passengers. For thiswe need a risk-based approach to security. It isimportant to emphasise that the checkpointconcept is not about racial or ethnic profiling nordoes it in any way impinge on privacy rights andprivacy laws. It is about using informationalready provided to government authorities forpurposes of customs and immigration.”The ‘Checkpoint of the Future’ combines twoelements: classification of passengers through riskassessment, and advanced screening technology.Passengers approaching the checkpoint will bedirected to one of three lanes, depending on theinformation scanned from their passport orticket.

Level of Measures The consistent improvement of air security hasbeen often hampered by concerns. Whileorganisations, airports and airlines have beensteadily investing in security developments,passengers often complain about hassle and longqueues. Being aware of concerns, IATA, strivesto bridge the gap.

“We believe it will take five to seven years to fullyrealise IATA’s vision of the ‘Checkpoint of theFuture’. However, there are things we can do inthe next two to three years that will help improvethe passenger experience and reduce the hasslefactor. For example, the risk-assessment ofpassengers is ready to be brought into operation.Several countries are already preparing their own‘known traveller’ projects for launch. Some of thetechnology to lessen the hassle factor is availabletoday (or will be shortly), for example shoescanning machines so that shoes do not need tobe removed,” explained IATA’s Perry, who alsotouched upon the burning question of airsecurity in the Middle East.“Realistically, there are different levels of threatsand we cannot take a one-size-fits-all approachto dealing with them. With new airports andrapid expansion and upgrade of existing airports,the Middle East should lead the industry inequipping airports with modern securityequipment and implement industry initiatives.”

Leading the IndustryIn a move to guide security measures, the GulfCentre for Aviation Studies (GCAS), the

training arm of Abu Dhabi Airports Company(ADAC), earlier this year launched the firstICAO Aviation Security Crisis Managementprogramme to train senior professionals on theimplementation of the latest methodologies insecurity regulations. The project aims to improveand maintain the highest standards in regionalairports and seaports, in line with theinternational laws and regulations stated by theInternational Civil Aviation Organization(ICAO). Sultan bin Yaqoob Al Zaabi, executive director,The Higher Committee of the UAE’s CivilSeaport and Airport security, elaborated on theinitiative. “Enforcing the highest levels ofsecurity on increasingly busy airports andseaports demands constant assessment andevaluation. This is especially true for the UAE asit expands into a major export, re-export andtransition hub for goods and people alike.”Dubai International Airport (DIA) has won awardsin recognisation of the quality of services provided,including security checks. Considering that DIA isprojected to become the world’s busiest airport,continuously improving security aspects is vital. Inan attempt to maintain high standards, DubaiAirports and Dubai Police signed a Memorandumof Understanding (MoU) to further cement thefive-decade long partnership between the twoentities. Certain methods, however, raise concerns.“As the terrorist threat has evolved a number ofgovernments have determined that the use ofwhole body scanners is a necessary part of thescreening process, with an alternative being bodypat-downs,” added IATA’s Perry.“However, IATA believes that privacy concernsassociated with the use of body image scannersare a significant issue for travellers everywhereand we do not support the use of them forprimary screening. In addition to the privacyconcerns, they are too slow, and because theycannot always distinguish dangerous objectsfrom innocent ones, a pat-down is frequentlyneeded as well, further delaying the process withadditional invasion of privacy. Recent changesto imaging software are somewhat addressingprivacy concerns, but IATA believes that themachines are still too slow and unreliable for useas a primary method of screening.”

OCTOBER 20114

- Air Security

n

The Middle

East shouldlead theindustry

in equippingairports

with modernsecurity

equipment

In March this year, the Travel andTourism Competitiveness Report,released by World Economic Forum(WEF) ranked Kuwait an overall 95th of135 countries worldwide. Despite unrest

across the Arab world having discouragedtourism to the region, the country’s ranking as12th in MENA for its travel and tourismcompetitiveness, just above Syria, and two placesbelow Egypt, suggested that other issues were atthe helm of its lacking industry.According to Euromonitor International, theinbound travel market in Kuwait is small, withonly 554,000 arrivals in 2010, the majority ofwhich were for business travel. Spending onlyshort periods in the country, these visitors havespent little on leisure and entertainment, and

Kuwait’s travel and tourism infrastructure hasremained underdeveloped compared to itsregional counterparts.The country ranked 31st in the WEF report withregard to safety and security, suggesting large-scale unrest is not forecasted, however, theresearch suggests that tourism has not kept pacewith development in Kuwait, with tourismcompetitiveness standing over 30 places lowerthan its human development index ranking,along with countries such as Libya and Iran. The four year National Development Plan(NDP), introduced in 2010 to revive and boostthe country’s economy, as well as to diversify itaway from a dependence on oil, was anticipatedto reactivate some delayed projects and bringnew supply to the travel accommodation market,

in addition to adding more tourist attractions,according to Euromonitor International research.Recent analysis by MKG Hospitality suggests thattourism has increased in recent months, perhapsin response to the NDP, as well as regionalinstability. It found that the GCC, except forBahrain, experienced strong growth just beforeRamadan, with Kuwait accommodation recordingexceptional RevPAR growth at almost 23 percent– rebounding from a drop in the correspondingperiod of 2010. This was fuelled by a nine percentrise in occupancy rate and a 4.5 percent increasein average daily rate. The significant rise inoccupancy is considered to be a consequence ofdisplaced leisure tourism following continuedunrest in some parts of the Arab world. Kuwait’stourism market, which has long been businessfocused, is now attracting more diverse attentionand flourishing. Reports from the accommodation marketsuggest that the majority of this shifted tourismhas come from the the domestic market as wellas the wider region, while business tourism hasalso increased.

HotelsKhadija Meftah, public relations andcommunications executive, Mövenpick Hotel &Resort Al Bida’a Kuwait, noted the change invisitor markets.

OCTOBER 20116

- Kuwait

Kuwait in BriefCapital: Kuwait CityLanguage: ArabicCurrency: Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD)

Kuwait’s Tourism Sprouts Following Arab SpringEndorsed as a cosmopolitan and modern travel destination, demonstrating rich heritage and tradition, Kuwait has experienceda lack of tourists, despite developments in infrastructure and new projects. Displaced tourism is, however, helping to stimulateits discovery as a diverse travel destination, as Travel Trade Monthly discovers.

Marianna Keen writes

Due to recent eventswhich havetaken placethroughoutthe MiddleEast, leisure

travellers,especiallyKuwaitis

and Saudis,spent their

holiday this year in

Kuwait

Kuwait City

“Kuwait is not a leisure destination; most of ourbusiness is coming through government groups,sports groups or other business travellers fromdifferent countries in the world. But due torecent events which have taken place throughoutthe Middle East, leisure travellers, especiallyKuwaitis and Saudis, spent their holiday this yearin Kuwait, to avoid the risk of going to otherplaces, such as Lebanon and Syria, which led toa steady increase in occupancy throughout theyear. There has also been a huge increase inbusiness travel guests this year. After whathappened in Bahrain, most of the companieshave moved their offices to Kuwait, especiallybanks and telecommunications.”A rise in developments is increasing corporatetravel to the country further, remarked Meftah,suggesting that, following industry reportsearlier this year, signs of improvement areemerging. “Kuwait is going through majordevelopments and big projects are planned forthe near future, that is why we see manycompanies bringing experts from outsideKuwait, and to be able to cater to the market’sneeds, we recently launched Al Bida’aresidences, which are perfect for people coming

to Kuwait on short or long-term contracts.”Another new accommodation option is MagicIce World, which incorporates an ice exhibitionand ice bar and restaurant, offering visitors aunique experience, expressed Odd Roar Olsen,general manager, Lofoten Trading Turizm.“Customers can experience all the concepts ofice at one place. It will be made out of ice and itwill be a totally new experience that thecostumer will never forget. The rooms willchange every month so that every time there is anew room. It will be the first in the world tocombine all this concepts, and is a must see whenit opens.”

Kuwait was chosen for the development becauseit is seen as a growing metropolis in the MiddleEast, according to Olsen. Lofoten Trading, aNorwegian company, is currently seeking apartner or investor from the Middle East torealise the Magic World Project, since it brokeits agreement with Turk Kapital, so no startingdate or location for the development has yetbeen settled.Although new hotel developments are few,accommodation options across the country haveundertaken development and renovation toimprove their product and remain competitive,with an apparent rise in tourist numbers from thebusiness as well as the leisure segment now setto benefit from this.With Kuwait’s travel industry long having beenreliant on business travellers, Radisson BluHotel Kuwait has focused on corporate visitorsand MICE, suggested Odile De Groot, revenuemanager of the hotel, which is currentlyundergoing major renovation. “Kuwait’s main segment is business related withvery little generating from leisure. Our hotelfeatures the Al Hashemi II Grand Ballroom,which has been noted by the Guinness Book ofWorld Records as the largest wooden dhow inthe world.” The hotel’s guest rooms are closedand due to open in September 2012. Followingredevelopment, the hotel will feature 194 rooms,including 50 business class rooms, six juniorsuites, 23 executive suites, and one presidentialsuite. There will also be a 360m2 ballroom.Also in Kuwait city, Swiss-Belhotel Plaza Kuwaitis being gradually refurbished in order to bettertarget business clientele, commented AliHaddad, general manager. “The owning company has decided to make theproduct more contemporary. That suits thebusiness travellers because of our geographicallocation.” Along with renovations, a newexecutive lounge has been added on the 19thfloor and new meeting facilities will be added onthe ninth floor, with the entire project expectedto be complete by the first quarter of 2012.

OCTOBER 20118

- Kuwait

TEL: +965 22230030 / 25719000 FAX: +965 22244972 Address: P.O Box 707 Salmiya 22000 KuwaitEmail: reservations@marinahotel.com Web: www.marinahotel.com

HOTEL SERVICES� Airport Meet & Greet Service� Complimentary Shuttle to and from Kuwait

International Airport� Concierge service� Car Hire Service� Exclusive Ladies Hair Salon� Fully Equipped Business Centre� Gift Shop� Guest Relations� Laundry Service� Free Internet Wi- Fi throughout the property� Audio/Video Conferencing Facility

LEISURE FACILITIES� 3 outdoor Swimming Pools and Jacuzzi� Access to the Marina’s breathtaking beach� Fully equipped Gymnasium� Squash court with coach � Jacuzzi and Sauna� Body Massage Therapies & Anti-Stress treatments� Separate female and male spa

Welcome to Marina Hotel Kuwait

��������������������� ����������������������

������������������ ��������������������

DINING FACILITIES� Atlantis: Embarked on the sea, this stunningrestaurant offers delectable array ofMediterranean food, open for lunch and dinner.

� Six Palms: Covered atrium lounge, thespacious Six Palms restaurant serves buffetbreakfast.

� Lobby Lounge: Serves a variety of Tea andCoffee as well as delightful snacks throughoutthe day.

� Waves Pool Bar: Nestled in the heart of thepool, overlooking the coastline, it offers a varietyof refreshing cocktails, snacks and a choice ofhealthy food.

Ballroom, Meeting & Banquet Facilities cateringto groups from 6 to 750 persons. For more information and reservation call: +965 22230030 or email: reservations@marinahotel.com

Kuwait is goingthroughmajor

developmentsand big

projects areplanned for

the nearfuture

Kuwait city

“2011 has been a prosperous year, having seen a68 percent increase on its occupancy and 32percent on revenue compared with 2010,” addedHaddad, signifying correspondence with growthindicated by recent MKG Hospitality figures.Meftah remarked that occupancy at MövenpickHotel & Resort Al Bid’a Kuwait has also adheredto this strong growth trend. “We have noticed a significant increase inbusiness and revenue since January. We haveachieved an increase of 70.2 percent in terms ofoccupancy, compared with 2010, and an increaseof 70.6 percent in terms of revenue.”

RegulationsAlthough an increase in inbound tourism isindicated, further international leisure travel maybe deterred by current convention in Kuwait.With regards to the regulatory framework fortravel and tourism, the WEF report rankedKuwait 127th in the world for its policy rules andregulations, which includes openness of bilateralair service agreements, suggesting areas whereimprovements can be made. “Most bookings are done through local siteoffices due to entry visa restrictions for certainnationalities,” commented Radisson Blu’s DeGroot. Concerns have risen since reports were madethat some commercial visit visas had beensuspended over fears that rising numbers ofexpats were using them to enter the country,before transferring them to work permits tosecure residency. Also critical to improvingtourism to Kuwait is its air transportation sector.In addition to lacking air services agreements,recent months have brought some negativedevelopments in the industry, according toEuromonitor International. This includes theceased operation of Wataniya Airways, due to itsfinancial troubles. Meanwhile, Jazeera Airways was driven out of itsDubai hub due to the launch of flydubai, andnational carrier Kuwait Airways is being forced

to privatise in an attempt to withstand thegrowing competition, with this year set to be apivotal year.Rafik Boghdady, vice president sales, JazeeraAirways suggested that political and socialinstability in the region had a minimal effect onoverall demand on routes in the region. “We successfully navigated our way through theunrest seen in the first half of 2011 by adaptingcapacity offered to some destinations. Someroutes did see a drop in demand, while at thesame time other routes picked up as travellersdiverted their destinations. For example, while

demand to Damascus was dropping due to theunrest, we also saw demand increase to alreadypopular destinations such as Dubai and Amman.Our 2011 performance so far has been verypositive, especially when compared to the firsthalf of 2010. Since then we have implementedseveral business enhancement measures to turn-around the business. 2011 has been a milestoneyear for Jazeera Airways so far, despite all theunrest events in our region. Commercially andfinancially we are performing exceptionally well,registering record quarterly profits in everyquarter since third quarter of 2010 and higherload factors than in previous periods as well.”There is not yet a tourism authority in Kuwaitpushing the promotion of Kuwait as a tourismdestination; inbound traffic from the widerinternational market reflects this. Although therise in some visitor markets is positive, there isno certainty in the industry’s future given theinstability across the region. Kuwait’s travel andtourism industry may retain interest and gainfurther demand by focusing on unique leisureand entertainment developments as well asrestructuring its policy, rules and regulationsrelating to the industry.

9OCTOBER 2011

- Kuwait

2011has been

a milestoneyear forJazeera

Airways sofar, despite

all the unrest eventsin our region.Commercially

andfinancially

we areperforming

exceptionallywell

n

Kuwait City Marina

Oman is often perceived as aniche destination for wealthyholidaymakers, however thechanging travel and tourismenvironment, including the

shrinking of travel budgets due to the continuedimpacts of the global economic downturn,combined with a growing number of low-costcarriers (LCCs), has influenced modifications,suggests Euromonitor International. An overview of Oman’s travel and tourismindustry, released by the world leader in strategyresearch for consumer markets in May, indicatesthat Oman has become more accessible totourists looking for cheaper travel, and significantdevelopments in the country’s infrastructure arelikely to continue.2010 saw inbound tourist arrivals recoverstrongly and the future looked very bright forOman, however, unrest in the Arab world thisyear, prompted Euromonitor International andother industry analysts to revise its growthprospects for the country. It seems more stablethan many other states in the region, however,having only experienced minimal unrest. TheTravel and Tourism Economic Impact Report

2011 for Oman, released by the World Travel andTourism Council (WTTC) in February, forecaststhat the total contribution of travel and tourismto GDP, including its wider economic impacts,will rise by 5.5 percent per year, fromOMR1,698.6 million (USD4,411.3 million),representing 6.8 percent of GDP in 2011, toOMR2,906.1 million (USD7,547.1 million),which represents 7.7 percent by 2021. In 2010, the Omani Government announced itsfifth consecutive five-year strategic plan for thedevelopment of travel and tourism in the Gulfstate, which it is optimistic it can achieve. Thisforms part of its Vision 2020 scheme, whichprojects a six-fold increase in inbound touristarrivals by 2020. Strategy surrounding this hasaltered due to new threats and opportunitieswithin the industry, and the Ministry of Tourismcontinues to promote all tourism sectors andattract new markets, in partnership with keyprivate sector players, such as Oman Air.

Expanding MarketsGrowing popularity for low-cost carriers in theregion, including Air Arabia, flydubai and nasair,has resulted in more demand for cheap travel

and tourism choices in final destinations thanever before and this is partly being achieved inOman by adding a more extensive range oflower-priced accommodation options.Christophe Landais, managing director MiddleEast, Accor, expressed the group’s wide-spanning plans for Oman in the future, includingbudget, midscale and upscale brands. “We are under discussion to develop Pullman,some Novotel and some Mercure; probably alsoibis’s in Muscat, Salalah and other cities. I thinkits going to be more of a long-term plan.”The industry is expanding some travel sectors,while incorporating budget options. The countryis further exploiting its diverse landscape,including the expansive Arabian Desert, thesoaring Hajar Mountains, incredible oases andexotic beaches, by offering more adventuretourism options. This is being encouraged withdevelopments including desert camping sitessuch as Al Areesh Camp, and the emergence ofspecialist adventure travel retailers such asNomadic Adventures, suggests EuromonitorInternational. Cultural desert camps offeringwadi bashing, and safari tour groups offering totake visitors to the best areas for mountaintrekking, climbing, caving and other outdooractivities, are growing in popularity, manyproviding family options and a low prices.

OCTOBER 201110

- Oman

Oman in BriefCapital: MuscatLanguage: ArabicCurrency: Omani Rial (OMR)

Embracing Durability and Change Followingthe Tourism LullOman’s travel and tourism market has experienced strong growth, but recent macroeconomic factors have provoked it to alterits strategy. Travel Trade Monthly investigates the country’s growing accessibility to budget travellers, as well as its furtherdiversification.

Marianna Keen writes

After the turmoil

in the Arab worldthere was a lull in

the marketbut it

did not makea huge dent inOman

Al Zufla Mosque in Seeb

Gap Adventures will introduce an Oman tour for2012, informed Timothy Chan, public relationsspecialist, suggesting that the country has a uniqueoffering. “[Oman] ranks as one of the region’smost relaxed places, with centuries of tradition andample room for adventure, ancient spice-tradingports, secluded wadis, busy souks and homestaysand camping amid pristine desert sands.”Musandam Sea Adventure Travel & Tourism,which offers trekking, mountain safaris to JebelHarim and cruises on traditional dhow, amongother activities, has, however, seen a decrease inbusiness due to regulations, commented AzizaKartoubi, sales and marketing manager. “Theincreased cost of Oman visa affected our businessa lot, with a reduction of 50 percent comparedwith the past years. Global Economic problemsalso affected the tourism sector. Americantourists are not coming as before.” The groupprocures most of its business from the Europeanmarket, while it offers transfers between the UAEand Oman for those staying in the emirates.Adventure tourism is growing, commented Mariede Peyrecave, sales and marketing director,Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre. “Adventuretourism in Oman will hold its own and stabilise inthe next season. The ability to catch business fromother destinations will depend on us retaining theuniqueness and raw feeling which this type ofclient is looking for, and being cost competitiveand providing a top safe service. The countryneeds to manage and balance infrastructuredevelopment with its environmental sustainabilityfor each area.”In an effort to attract increasingly budget awaretravellers and raise visitor numbers, the companyhas done its best to reduce costs. “Many trips arenow set on specific days so guests can join others,we hope this will create volume and reduce costsso that we can attract a more local market with awider appeal to other market sectors like singletravellers or families,” added Peyrecave.A decrease in visitor numbers, whether due to visacosts, the global economic downturn or unrest inthe Middle East, were noted in hotels this year.Sharon Beigel, director of communications,Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, shared the

hotel’s experiences and optimism.“Arrivals went down after the unrest in variousbusinesses and areas in the country. We receiveda significant number of cancellations for a fewweeks, but fortunately not for a long period oftime. Because Oman has a reputation of being safeand having the friendliest, hospitable people in theregion, it continues to attract leisure travellers.”Although WTTCs analysis suggests that leisuretravel spending (inbound and domestic) willgenerate 63.6 percent of direct travel and tourismGDP for this year, compared with a significantlylower 36.4 percent for business travel spending,it appears that some hotels have been able to relyon business even in challenging times.

“This year, there has been an increase in free andindependent traveller (FIT) business availing fromspecial rates and promotions while there has beena slight decrease in wholesale business. Groupbusiness (MICE) shows a considerable increasecompared to previous years,” added Beigel.The four-star Majan Hotel in Muscat saw a dipin arrivals following instability in the region,although business tourism has remained strong,remarked Rajesh Mani, director of sales andmarketing. “After the turmoil in the Arab worldthere was a lull in the market but it did not makea huge dent in Oman as there were not any issueshere like in Tunisia and Syria. The corporatevisitors on business were continuing to come andcompanies having contracts with petroleumcompanies or oil field offshore riggs had theircontracts and their manpower put up in hotels.” Renovation in Majan Hotel has just been

completed and work on an exclusive executivelounge is now commencing, in an aim to furtherexpand business from the corporate sector. “We did see a diminish in the German, Austrianand French markets, with a few groups gettingcancelled, but presently, the coming seasonlooks great. In comparison with 2010, we havebeen doing really well,” added Mani.Oman’s business tourism sector is set to expandfollowing the development of the USD1millionOman Conference and Exhibition Centre inMuscat. Due to open in 2014, it is poised tobecome the largest MICE venue in Oman.The travel market in Salalah has been steady dueto its dependence on the domestic market,suggested Ahmed El Meligui, director of salesand marketing, Salalah Marriott Resort. “Themarket for Salalah is very stable, as throughoutthe year we depend on the local Omani marketand during the Khareef on the GCC marketprimarily. Again this year, our biggest customerbase during the monsoon came from SaudiArabia, Kuwait and UAE, followed by Bahrain.”The annual Khareef festival, held from July toSeptember, is a main cultural attraction inSalalah, and many hotels run at full occupancy atthis time.“For the European market, the new season willshow if the turmoils have an effect. We have notreceived any cancellations yet,” added Meligui.The resort from Marriott, which opened in March2010, has experienced a successful year comparedto its debut year, elaborated Meligui. “In comparison with 2010, this year was a moresuccessful year, occupancy rates were increasedand average daily rates were nearly doubled.”

Awaited DevelopmentsA championship golf course designed by golfinglegend Greg Norman will open as part of TheWave development in Muscat this December,with an aim to position Oman as an internationalgolfing destination and further develop the sportamongst local enthusiasts.

11OCTOBER 2011

- Oman

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Muscat

Because Oman has areputation of being safe and having the

friendliest, hospitable people in the region, it continues to attract leisure travellers

Nakhal fort

OCTOBER 201112

n

- Oman

According to Muriya, a key tourism developer inOman, Salalah Beach will also offer two 18-holePGA golf courses as well as 15.6 million m2 offreehold villas and apartments, various prestigioushotel brands, including Club Med, Rotana andMövenpick Hotels & Resorts, a 200 berth Marinaand diverse restaurants and cafes. The ongoing, grand projects of Jebel Sifah andDunes in Muscat and Blue City in Al Sawaadi arealso depended upon to expand Oman’s leisureand accommodation offering.The first of five hotels to be incorporated into the6.2 million m2 Jebel Sifah project was the four-star, 55-room Sifawy Boutique Hotel, whichopened to the public on September 16. It isOman’s first integrated tourism complex (ITC)hotel, which includes a marina, surrounded bycommercial facilities and shops. Low buildingdensity, with only 25 percent of the project’sland being built up, will leave the majority ofspace available for visitors to commune withnature, which is central to Jebel Sifah, accordingto Muriya, which is handling the project. Otherhotel brands expected to join the beach front atJebel Sifah include Four Seasons Hotels &Resorts, Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, AngsanaResorts & Spas, and Missoni Hotel.Adding to the country’s long-standing luxuryoffering, Absolute Hotel Services Group hassigned a management contract for EastinResidences Muscat, Oman, which is scheduledto open late this year, introducing the brand tothe Middle East. Accor will no longer developSofitel Muscat Resort & Spa as part of its growthplans in Oman, confirmed Landais. “The Sofitel is not anymore on the map. Therewere some construction plans that were notgiven as they were on the path of the airport.”However, the group looks forward to fulfillingthe capacity for economy and mid-scale hotelsin Oman, including with its ibis mega-brand.

PromotionThe 2011 Muscat Festival, organised by MuscatMunicipality and held in February, celebratedOman’s traditional arts and heritage while

providing exciting activities. It hosted the secondTour of Oman, with an aim to draw internationalattention, showcase Oman’s infrastructure, helppromote foreign investment in Oman andinvigorate tourism, trade and economic activity,suggest organisers.Putting it in a better position to globally promoteupcoming tourism developments, the Ministryof Tourism in Oman recently joined theInternational Council of Tourism Partners as analliance member.

Furthermore, the heads of the Ministry ofTourism’s international offices from the UK,Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium,Russia, the GCC, India and Australia met in Omanon August 13 to 18, for strategy and travel trademeetings. While the European market and GCCstates accounted for the vast majority of theestimated two million visitors to Oman in 2010,Russia, India and Australia are consideredpromising source markets, with further promotionsto be carried out there.

AirMany airlines provide flights to Oman, althoughsome services were reduced following decreaseddemand because of turmoil in the region.Abdulrazaq Al Raisi, chief communicationsofficer, Oman Air, elaborated that this fall indemand was only temporary. “Many airlines inthe region that rely significantly on leisure traffichave reported drops in passenger numbers, butthe picture for Oman Air is a little more complex.We did see a fall in leisure travellers when thepolitical unrest first began, but when it becameapparent that Oman remained stable andpeaceful, those numbers began to increase oncemore. Oman air also carries many businesstravellers and ex-patriot workers who fly betweenthe sultanate and their home countries. Thesevalued customers continued to fly with us.”The national airline of Oman looks, for this year,to be continuing the growth trend experiencedin 2010. “Oman Air had a very good year in2010, as far as passenger numbers are concernedand we saw year on year growth of 38 percent,which was significantly higher than the globalaverage. So far, Oman Air appears to becontinuing that trend this year and once again

we have seen a considerable increase in thevolume of passengers travelling with us. Duringthe first six months of 2011, we have recorded anincrease of 24 percent compared to last year”,added Al Raisi.With popularity of Oman as a holidaydestination spreading to new markets, the airlineis also continually opening up new routes. “Wehave no intention of halting our growth and weexpect to be unveiling new services to Zurich,Switzerland, and the Russian capital of Moscowlater this year.” Oman Air recently made a joint ventureagreement with Bahwan Travel Agencies,resulting in the formation of Oman Air HolidaysLLC, which will promote inbound tourism toOman as well as outbound travel to destinationsserved by the national carrier’s network.International Air Transport Association(IATA) data for the year ending June 2011signifies good news for Oman, indicating thattotal passenger arrivals to Muscat InternationalAirport increased to 2.23 million, a 15 percenton 2010.Muscat International Airport and Salalah Airportare expanding to accommodate an increase inpassenger traffic. When complete, they will beset to receive 48 million and 10 millionpassengers respectively per annum. Arrivals atOman’s key ports are also growing, with Muscatalone reporting over 90 cruise ship visits for the2010 -2011 season. Also part of the rapidexpansion plan from Oman AirportsManagement Company (OAMC), four newregional airports are expected to open forbusiness by 2014.Continued growth looks to be positive in Oman,with the country relying strongly on itscontinued security and stability to retain interestand demand from travellers worldwide.Although regulations appear to be deterringsome travellers, the emergence of new visitormarkets and the opening up of diverse travelsectors, while heritage is preserved, look set toovercome threats within the industry and expandOman’s travel and tourism market.

When it became apparent that Oman remained stableand peaceful, those numbersbegan to increase once more

I n 2010, the Philippines made history afterregistering a record number of visitors.Francisco Lardizabal, head of teamMiddle East, Philippine Department ofTourism (DoT), commented on the

results and the source markets that contributed tothis performance. “More tourists trooped to the Philippines asvisitor arrivals reached an all-time high of 3.52million, surpassing the 3.3 million target earlierset by the DoT. East Asians, especially SouthKoreans, accounted for 44.4 percent of the totalvisitor count, regaining the number one positionamong the major source markets. The US rankedsecond, followed by Japan and China.”According to Lardizabal, improved eco-nomic conditions in major markets,progressive expansion of the region’s low-cost carriers, and the internationalcommunity’s increasing confidence in thePhilippines, have significantly contributedto sustaining the increase in visitor volume. Attributable to continuous gains in keymarkets, the Philippines has been graduallyapproaching target arrivals for this year, andrecorded 1.91 million visitors in the first sixmonths, up 12 percent over the corres-ponding period in 2010. At this rate, thecountry is now looking to outperform figuresregistered in 2010 and hit, if not surpass, the3.74 target.Improving infrastructure and upgradingservices are pivotal to fulfill the setobjectives. “The Philippines lacks accom-modation in major destinations like Cebuand Bohol. Airport facilities requireimprovement in major destinations

including Manila. More roads need to bedeveloped although the government is workingon this concern,” added Lardizabal.Recently appointed acting tourism secretary,Ramon Jimenez, has, however, no concernsregarding the marketing of the country and aimsto double visitor numbers within the next fiveyears. In spite of restrictive travel advisories onthe Philippines, the floating traffic proves that itis still an appealing and safe destination.“You don’t get 3.5 million to 3.6 million visitorsif you are the most feared country in the world,”emphasised Jimenez.While existing problems such as crime still raise aconcern, selling the Philippines is a matter of

positioning and marketing. “You can go to a city inanother country where the hotel is beautiful, butthe service is horrendous. In spite of the pollutionand dirt, this is a probably one of the most dynamiccities in the world,” commented Jimenez.In a move to penetrate international markets,DoT is now to create a new slogan and strategy,and include social networking sites in itsmarketing campaign.

13OCTOBER 2011

- Philippines

Philippines in BriefCapital: ManilaCurrency: Peso (PHP)Language: Filipino, English

Revealing the World’s Best Kept SecretFollowing a record breaking year, the Philippines now strives to step out of its Asian counterparts’ shadow. Driven by a revisedstrategy and progressive promotion campaigns, Travel Trade Monthly explores how the country is keen to reveal the ‘world’sbest kept secret’ by reaching out to a broader audience, including the Arab world.

Rita Kasziba writes

Manila Bay

OCTOBER 201114

- Philippines

“I cannot make Palawan more beautiful thanwhat it is now, but the gap is transforming peopleinto excited tourism units. Imagine if everyonewould just blog on what is beautiful in thecountry,” added Jimenez.Despite the burning question of uniting theindustry, indentifying proper marketing tools isalso crucial if the Philippines is to catch up withits Asian counterparts, and while the country hasbeen gradually improving, it still falls behind itscompetitors, such as Malaysia, which received24.6 million tourists in 2010. This raises thequestion as to whether the Philippines is laggingbehind due to poor branding. Attracting investment from developed economiesis vital to progression, and foreign businesschambers have long been pressing the govern-ment to lift the existing restrictions on foreignownership over resorts and other tourist facilities. The Philippine Travel Agencies Association(PTAA), however, has rejected proposalsallowing foreigners to gain full ownership,explained Aileen Clemente, president, PTAA. “We do not need to follow the examples of ourneighbours in the region. Allowing foreigners toown properties and to have a majority stake willlead to uncontrolled development in the country’stourism industry. Philippine companies have thesame capabilities as their foreign counterparts andthey have a better understanding of what isneeded to be done.”The organisation therefore presses for keepingthe 40 percent restriction and urges properincentives for local firms and measures thatwould sustain the industry’s growth.Penetrating international markets, including theMENA, forms part of the strategy, especiallywhen considering that the Philippines has notyet fully taken advantage of the Arab market. “Tourism arrivals from Middle East countriestotalled 29,460 from January to July this year, ahefty 16.92 percent increase from the sameperiod in 2010,” commented DoT’s Lardizabal.“The main challenges include the relatively strictvisa and entry policies and procedures fornationals of Middle East countries that do notbelong to GCC countries, the lack of halal-certified food establishments, especially inprovincial areas, and the limited awareness andinformation about the Philippines in the MiddleEast. The lack of promotional materials andcollaterals in Arabic, as well as the lack of tourpackages from the Middle East to thePhilippines, further add to the challenges.”The country’s negative image, raising concernabout safety and security, the lack of airconnections between the Philippines and the

Middle East, and the high air fare (compared toother tourism destinations in Southeast Asia onthe existing services) also explain the relatively lowMiddle East visitor number to the Philippines. “The Philippines has been absent from tourismpromotions in the Middle East region for quitesome time. It was only in 2008 that thePhilippines returned to promoting itself in theregion and this has since caused an increase intourist arrivals. Plans for the next few monthsinclude advertisements in partnership with theprivate sector, participation in Middle East travelfairs, execution of familiarisation tours anddevelopment of new promotional materialsproduced specifically for the Middle East market.We just hope that the Arab travellers willdiscover and try the Philippines as their newdestination and that we are now more than readyto welcome them with the renowned Filipinobrand of hospitality,” added Lardizabal

AirlinesEmirates and Etihad operate services to thecapital city of Manila, while Qatar Airways alsooffers flights to Cebu. James Hogan, CEO,Etihad Airways, commented on the airline’sservices. “The Philippines is one of the world’s best keptsecrets and has enormous appeal as a holidaydestination for travellers from the Middle Eastand Europe. Etihad is committed to doing morewith the Philippines Government and its tourismboard to grow the economic benefits of tourismto the country and our business.”The national flag carrier, Philippine Airlines(PAL), currently offers flights to Abu Dhabi,Dubai, Bahrain and Doha. Despite resuming along-awaited service to Riyadh in 2010, the carriersoon cancelled the route in April this year (fiveyears after first dropping it in 2006). Constantlosses and the steadily low load factors on theroute put an end to the operations. Nikki Gozon,vice president of operations, PAL, commented on

the challenges of the route.“It was a difficult route to sell because we areonly allowed to fly three specific aircraftregistries, one particular Boeing 747 and twoAirbus 330s. It becomes an operationalnightmare because we only use these specificaircraft into the city. When one airplane is down,we cannot change what aircraft to use.”

HotelsFairmont is to open a 300-key property, FairmontMakati, in 2012, whereas Tune Hotels plans tolaunch a range of properties in the coming years.Cymantha Sothiar, communications, groupsCEO’s office, Tune Hotels, commented on thefuture strategy of the group for the destination. “According to our plan, six Tune Hotels are toopen in the Philippines next year (2012). Ourfirst Tune Hotel in the Philippines will open inAngeles City, Pampanga in Q1 2012, with 165rooms. Three will be in Manila: Ermita (Q12012, 167 rooms), Makati (Q2 2012, 213 rooms)and Ortigas (Q4 2012, 250 rooms). Elsewhere,Cebu Island (150 rooms) is slated for opening inQ1 2012 while Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao (150rooms) will open in Q4 2012. 2012 will be a verybusy year for Tune Hotels in the Philippines.”The company caters to both domestic andinternational travellers, including those from theArab world. “We have already been receiving a small, butsteady stream of guests from MENA at ourexisting hotels in Malaysia, Bali in Indonesia andEngland, and we are sure our hotels in thePhilippines will be great, affordable options forour guests. Tune Hotels will work closely with thetourism authorities to promote the Philippines asa favourite destination, that is halal-friendly, toMiddle East and North African tourists.”

Mount Mayon Legazpi City, Luzon Islands Manila skyline

Imagine if everyone would just blog on what

is beautiful in the country

n

Based on data from Tillväxtverket,the Swedish agency for economicand regional growth, the totaltravel and tourism consumption in2010 increased by 3.2 percent,

making up 2.9 percent of Sweden’s total GDP. The total number of nights spent amounted tomore than 52.4 million, an increase of 2.7percent compared with 2009. Nights from travellers outside of Europe grewby 15.5 percent, however, from them, only theUS ranked among the top 10 largest foreignmarkets. Sweden’s success lies in its elaborate tourismstrategy, noted Thomas Bruhl, CEO, VisitSweden,the organisation that promotes the brand ofSweden and Swedish destinations and experiencesinternationally. “Sweden is not competing with the large holidaydestinations but we are creating a niche as amodern country with a strong connection tonature and tradition.”A recent survey by the organisation found thatexotic nature experiences in combination with amodern lifestyle are the main draw cards ofSweden. Despite the country’s rising profile, the MiddleEast remains an untapped market, noted SusanneStübs, research coordinator, VisitSweden.“The Middle Eastern market, with its highpotential, is up to now not a prioritised marketof VisitSweden but cooperation occurs withthe Council for the Promotion of Sweden, theMinistry for Foreign Affairs, the SwedishInstitute, Invest in Sweden Agency, the SwedishTrade Council, the Ministry of Industry,Employment and Communications and VisitSweden.”

The CapitalThe capital city of Stockholm, often known as‘Venice of the North’, has long been consideredas one of Scandinavia’s political, cultural andeconomic focal points. Driven by extensivemarketing activities and promotions, Stockholmhas grown into a lucrative city for both leisureand business travellers, commented Ann-Charlotte Jönssen, public relations manager,Stockholm Visitors Board.

“In 2010 we had over 10 million bed nights, anincrease of 41 percent since 2000, and six percentcompared to 2009. In the first six months of theyear the city received more than 4.5 millionvisitors; two-thirds of them, domestic and one-third international.”While the largest international markets remainGermany, the UK, the US and Norway, visitornumbers from the MENA region remain low. “In order to attract visitors, a destination needsthree things: attractivity, accessibility and efficientmarketing. We have chosen seven prioritymarkets, additional secondary markets, andmarkets we are observing. Our primary focus isaccessibility, attracting more direct flights fromand to the Middle East,” added Jönssen.“Our primary target group is the global traveller.Stockholm is not a primary city, but when you

have been to Paris, London and New York, youare eager to do something different.”Considering the heavy investments andimprovements expected over the coming years,travel and tourism is to be the catalyst in thecountry’s development over the next decade.Given the fact that the World Travel and TourismCouncil predicts the industry’s total contributionto GDP to increase from SEK193.7 billion(USD29.2 billion) this year to SEK305.4 billion(USD46.2 billion) by 2021, the industry isforecasted to drive investments and job creation.

15OCTOBER 2011

- Sweden

The Capital of Scandinavia Claims its TitleAs one of the fastest growing sectors, tourism is integral to Sweden’s social and economic development. With its innovativeinfrastructure and stable economy, the country is well positioned to lure travellers and investors alike. Despite far outstrippingits Nordic counterparts, Sweden is yet to tap into the vast market of the Arab world.

Rita Kasziba writes

Sweden in BriefCapital: StockholmCurrency: Swedish Kronor (SEK)Language: Swedish

Sweden is not

competingwith the

largeholiday

destinationsbut we are

creating a niche as a moderncountry

with a strong

connectionto nature

andtradition

In fact, WTTC predicts industry related invest-ments to grow from a total of SEK17.3 billion(USD2.6 billion) this year to SEK22.9 billion(USD3.5 billion) by 2011, whilst the number ofjobs supported by the industry is to rise from266,000 this year to 352,000 by 2021.

AirlinesBridging links between two parts of the world,Qatar Airways commenced direct flights toStockholm in 2007, marking the airline’s debutin Scandinavia and representing the first MiddleEast carrier to serve the Nordic region. The routehas fast proved to be popular, prompting theairline to increase capacity and expand it to adaily service in 2010. Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) boasts an extensivenetwork, yet does not operate direct flights to theMiddle East. Anders Lindström, public relationsdirector, explained the lack of services withstrategic and geographical reasons. “Even though SAS aims to offer an extensivenetwork, many of the destinations in the MiddleEast and Africa are better served via our partnerswho also have a better geographical situation forserving destinations going south. Scandinavia orthe Nordic region is better placed to serve the USand Asian destinations from a geographical pointof view.”The improvement of economic prospects in theNordic region resulted in improved traffic volume. “Our load factors improved strongest on Swedishdomestic and intercontinental routes during2010, increasing by about five points. This wasgenerally driven by the improving economicsituation, above all in Sweden, in the second halfof 2010,” added Lindström. Growth in the remainder of the year is predictedto continue at a stronger pace than initiallyexpected. “The Scandinavian and Swedish markets are very

competitive. The total capacity increase during2011 is expected to be around 10 percent, wellabove long term averages. SAS has managed toimprove its profitability during 2011 despite thesechallenging markets, through significant costreductions, and it had the highest EBT-margin ofthe three major Nordic carriers during the first halfof the year,” explained Lindström.

HotelsAccording to trivago Hotel Price Index (tHPI),while some of the most popular cities in thecontinent witnessed a slight dip, Scandinavia,and Sweden’s industry in particular, enjoyedfairly good prices during the summer peak seasonin July. Going against the European trend oflower fees and figures, hotel rates in Swedenincreased by 10 percent and by seven percent inStockholm, making the city one of the mostexpensive capitals in Europe in terms ofaccommodation prices.Swedish hotel chain, Scandic, continues toexpand at a rapid pace, and has recently openedits latest property, Scandic Victoria Tower, thetallest hotel in the Nordic region. The companywill soon cut the ribbon at a new hotel, uponopening Scandic Grand Central on October 1.Martina Tengwall, public relations manager,

Scandic Grand Central commented on theupcoming property. “Scandic is the largest hotel chain in the Nordicregion with 160 hotels, so our guest will mainlycome from these countries, although we expectmore international travellers at Scandic GrandCentral than at other Scandic hotels on themarket. Therefore, we have also worked harderto create awareness of the hotel in theinternational arena. Other markets that webelieve will be of primary interest are the UK andGermany.”The company has also set its sights on the Arabmarket. “We are expanding at a rapid pace andhave many new hotels in the pipeline for thecoming years. Within the next year we will openno less than seven new hotels. Our home marketis Nothern Europe but we are also looking foropportunities all over Europe. It is not very likelythat we will have a hotel in the Middle East in thenear future, not because of lack of interest in thatmarket but rather lack of resources to launch ahotel chain and brand in a new market.”Radisson Blu is also to enhance its Swedishportfolio with Radisson Blu Hotel, Uppsalascheduled to open in May 2012, and RadissonBlu Hotel Gothenburg in early 2013. One of the most outstanding highlights of thecountry, the ‘world’s coolest hotel’ attracts a largenumber of visitors each year, commentedCamilla Bondereva, press relations manager,Icehotel AB. “We will open on December 3 andthe winter season will last until April 21. Thesummer season starts the first week in June andgoes on until the end of August. Our mainforeign markets are the UK, Germany, France,the Netherlands and the US, but we havereceived guests from all over the world. Thenumber of Russian guests has steadily increased,as well as Chinese. We are also visited by peoplefrom Australia, the Middle East and many otherparts of the world. Therefore, we are interestedin the Middle East market, but at the moment wedo not have any agents in this region.”

OCTOBER 201116

- Sweden

n

Stockholm Stockholm

Stockholm is not a

primary city,but when youhave been to

Paris, Londonand New

York, you areeager to dosomethingdifferent

17OCTOBER 2011

n

- Canada

I n 2010, Canada received 15.9 millioninternational visitors, up two percentsince 2009, driven by the US leisuretravel sector, which accounted for 63percent of the overall inbound figure.

By generating more than CAD74.1 billion(USD75.2 billion), the industry contributed twopercent to the country’s GDP, and provided610,600 jobs. The vigorous promotional campaigns, reachingout to a broader audience and creating awarenessin emerging markets, have paid rich dividends,noted Michele McKenzie, CEO, CanadaTourism Commission (CTC). “Canada’s international brand ‘Canada. Keepexploring’, developed and managed by the CTC,made great strides and yielded significant resultsin 2010. The success of our brand is creating globalawareness of Canada as a destination, it is one ofthe main reasons that FutureBrand ranked Canadaas the number one country brand in 2010.”

Signature ExperiencesIn a move to better market Canada and make itstand out in a fiercely competitive tourismmarketplace, CTC created a Signature ExperiencesCollection. The innovative marketing campaigntargets high-spending international travellerscraving a unique and exotic experience. Maxime Bernier, minister of state, commented onthe approach. “By highlighting unique Canadianexperiences abroad, this ground-breaking initiativewill encourage the world to visit Canada. It willincrease our share of international visitors andgenerate greater revenues for Canadian businesses.”Frontiers North Adventures is one of the 48 tourismenterprises included in the collection. By widening the eyes of the tourism world andluring more visitors, Canada sets high goals.“Tourism is one of the fastest growing economicsectors in the world and it has become a very highstakes game and one in which countries arecompeting to win, and Canada is competing towin,” stated McKenzie.

AirlinesEtihad Airways’ service to Toronto, currentlyoperating three times a week, has fast provenpopular. Peter Baumgartner, chief commercial

officer, Etihad, commented on the service. “Canada was our first North American route andwe have enjoyed tremendous success sincelaunching services to Toronto in 2005. Etihadhas carried more than 330,000 passengers to andfrom Toronto since 2007, including 100,000 in2010. The load factor over the last 12 months hasbeen consistently over 80 percent.”James Hogan, CEO, Etihad Airways, has earlierthis year outlined plans to increase capacity onthe route. “There are 384 weekly long and ultralong haul flights into Toronto every week. Etihadflies just three of them, less than one percent.Etihad is a friend to Canada and we want to be aconnector to Canada.” Emirates debuted in Canada in October 2007, whileQatar Airways launched flights to Montreal in Julythis year. Akbar Al Baker, CEO, Qatar Airways,commented on the route. “By entering Canada,Qatar Airways is giving the travelling public morechoice and more options they fully deserve. But withonly three flights a week to Montreal, we areconstrained by the limited capacity.”Air Canada and Middle East Airlines launchedcodeshare services in the summer of 2010,covering flights between Canada and Lebanon viaGeneva and London, Heathrow. In addition, theCanadian airline codeshares with bmi to Beirut.Isabelle Arthur, manager media relations andcommunity investments, Air Canada, commentedon the alliance. “Air Canada has been expandingcoverage of the Middle East and Africa region withStar Alliance and joint venture partners Lufthansa,Brussels Airlines, bmi and United/Continental. Byconnecting to one of our Star partners, Air Canadapassengers can fly to and from several Middle Eastand African destinations.”

HotelsStarwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is toconsolidate its position in the Canadian marketwith the opening of a range of new propertiesover the coming years. These include ElementVancouver Metrotown, which upon opening in2014, will mark the eco-chic boutique brand’sdebut in Canada. Brian McGuinness, senior vice president,Specialty Select Brands, Starwood, commentedon the upcoming properties. “Our specialty select brands play to the nextgeneration of travellers in diverse global markets.Canada is no exception. Not only has Four Pointsproved to be a runaway hit in Canada, but aloft isalso picking up its pace.”Following Shangri-La’s successful foray intoCanada with the opening of Shangri-La Vancouverin 2009, the company is now to launch its secondproperty, the 202-room luxury Shangri-La HotelToronto, slated to open in August 2012. The largest city in Canada attracts a wide rangeof hotel chains, noted Michele Simpson,manager, media relations, Tourism Toronto. “This year, Trump Toronto will also open itsdoors, for the very first time in Canada. Also anew Four Seasons is slated to open in 2012. “The year 2010 established a new record fortourism in Toronto as the number of hotel roomnights sold crossed 8.93 million, and Torontoreceived approximately 80,000 visitors from theMiddle East,” added Simpson.

Canada Keeps on ExploringBy promoting exceptional experiences and creating a stronger brand image for the destination, Canada is to penetrateinternational markets and further leverage the elevated interest in the country. Innovative marketing activities and the promotionof high quality tourism earned Canada the title of the best country brand.

Rita Kasziba writes

Canada in BriefCapital: OttawaCurrency: Canadian Dollar (CAD)Languages: English, French

Banff National Park, Canada

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

OCTOBER 201118

Bernie EcclestoneCEO, Formula One Group.

“The Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has been an immensesuccess for Etihad, Abu Dhabi and for Formula One, bringing the airline anddestination to an estimate worldwide audience of more than 500 million FormulaOne fans. The influx of visitors travelling to Abu Dhabi also brings a directeconomic benefit, with over 20,000 people pouring into the UAE for the event,representing 10’s of millions of dollars for the local tourism industry.”

Amr Hamed Hotel manager, Liwa Executive Suites, Abu Dhabi.

“Since opening, we have enjoyed a constant stream of business.Executives looking for high-end accommodation options thatoffer them all the comforts of home have been drawn to LiwaExecutive Suites managed by Coral Hotels & Resorts. Movingforward, we are very confident of improved results as we headtowards the end of the year, with occupancy levels set to reach ashigh as 95 percent during peak periods such as the Formula One.”

Akbar Al Baker CEO, Qatar Airways.“We operate in one of the most competitive anddynamic markets. Winning this award [BestAirline in the Middle East and Africa, 2011Business Traveller Asia Pacific Awards] among thetremendous amount of competition out there is anhonourable achievement and continues tohighlight the importance of continuing to invest inproducts and services to ensure travellers have anexperience to remember. Yet again Qatar Airwayshas demonstrated that it continues to make itspresence felt and be increasingly recognised for thehigh levels of service that the airline is renownedfor worldwide in the 14 short years in operation.This has been an excellent year for Qatar Airways.”

Toufic TamimVice president sales and marketing,Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, Middle East.

“Business travellers want to concentrate onmaking their trip a success. They don’t want thedetail of extras, they simply want to knoweverything that they need is included as part oftheir stay. Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts hasalways understood the key elements thatenhance a successful business trip, a convenientlocation, efficient meeting and conferencefacilities and dedicated business services. Withthe Business Bundle package we have gone onestage further to provide corporate travellerswith a genuine executive boost.”

The Formula One Etihad Airways Abu DhabiGrand Prix has been an immense success for Etihad,

Abu Dhabi and for Formula One

Since opening, we have enjoyed a constant stream of business

Yet again Qatar Airways has demonstrated that it

continues to make its presence felt and be increasingly recognised

for the high levels of service

With the Business Bundlepackage we have gone one

stage further to providecorporate travellers with a genuine executive boost

Amr Hamed

Toufic Tamim

Akbar Al Baker

Bernie Ecclestone

19OCTOBER 2011

T he poll outlined the prioritiesand most desired destinationsof those travelling with kidsand found that 88 percent ofrespondents have a dream trip

they would take if money was no object. Ofthose, the majority (60 percent) defined anauthentic, local experience as top antecedence,while 40 percent stated that having the bestservice possible comes first. Eileen Ogintz, family travel expert and authorTravelocity, elaborated on the results. “It is telling that families who travel withchildren are more likely to have dream trips inmind than those who don't travel with kids.They want to show children the world and knowtravel is the most wonderful gift you can give ayoung person. What families may not realise istheir travel dreams are far more attainable thanthey may think.”In terms of dream destinations, most of the

families would pick Europe (27 percent), followedby Hawaii (25 percent) and the Mediterranean(nine percent).The first choice with regards to the type of tripparents would like to take their kids on was a tour

of a foreign city (37 percent). Relaxing on a beachcame second (22 percent), and cruise trips third(18 percent), while visiting a theme park (12percent) or seeing exotic wildlife (11 percent)proved to be popular options as well.

Europe Named Family Dream DestinationFamilies travelling with children seek an authentic experience and would like to visit Europe, revealed the latest survey of Travelocity.

According to the latest results from World Tourism Organisation(UNWTO), international tourism grew by 4.5 percent in the first half ofthe year, suggesting that despite challenges, international tourismcontinues to consolidate the return to growth initiated in 2010.The total number of arrivals reached 440 million, 19 million more than inthe same period in 2010, amounting to a new record. The increase followson from a 6.6 percent increase in 2010.An increase of 4.3 percent growth has persevered in developed countries,closing in on emerging economies which registered a 4.8 percent increase.This reduced gap reflects the decreases in international traffic to theMiddle East and North Africa, as well as a slight slowdown in the growthof some Asian destinations following a very strong 2010.All regions showed positive trends with the exception of the Middle East(-11 percent) and North Africa (-13 percent). Results were better thanexpected in Europe (+6 percent), boosted somewhat by temporaryredistribution of travel following unrest in the MENA region, as well asby the recovery of Northern Europe (+7 percent) and Central and EasternEurope (+9 percent), and rising popularity of Southern andMediterranean Europe (+7 percent). Sub-Saharan Africa (+9 percent)also continued to demonstrate growth, while figures for the Americas (+6percent) were slightly above average, despite strong results for SouthAmerica (+15 percent). Asia and the Pacific (+5 percent) recorded acomparatively slower pace. Results indicate that destinations such asEgypt, Tunisia and Japan are seeing a recovery in demand.Growth in the remainder of this year is expected to soften somewhat asrecent months have brought increased uncertainty.

UNWTO Reports Healthy InternationalTourism Growth in this Years First Half

Rome

T he World Tourism Organisation(UNWTO) recognises thatsports tourism is now a rapidlyexpanding market and thatinterest in sport, especially elite

sporting events, has grown at a phenomenal rate. A country’s readiness to host a major sportingevent sends a message that it is politically stable,socially prosperous, and developing an imagewhich is particularly sought after in the MiddleEast, in light of the Arab Spring. Since procuring the 2022 FIFA World Cup,Qatar applied to host the ceremonial first leg ofthe 2016 Tour De France, despite being on adifferent continent. Starting the event in theMiddle East would pose logistical and meteo-rological challenges, with intense heat shaping

the event, however such issues have not deterredambitions. Qatar Airways was the official airline for thisyear’s Tour de France, forging promotional, aswell as cultural ties between the two entities.According to Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA),Qatar has for some time now been recognised asa sporting destination, hosting internationalevents and championships in tennis, golf andMotoGP, with world class facilities such as theKhalifah tennis stadium, Aspire Zone and Losailrace track strengthening its standing in thissector. The country hosted the 2011 AFC AsianCup finals as well as the Qatar ExxonMobil Open2011 tennis tournament in the beginning of thisyear, spurring occupancy rates, which in Januaryregistered at 74 percent.

The increase in projects due to the upcoming2022 FIFA World Cup will be pivotal for theindustry, remarked Fabien Chesnais, generalmanager, Mövenpick Hotel Doha. “Qatar’s development and marketing exposure isdefinitely benefiting all hotels in Qatar, and alsothe line-up of projects in the run up to the WorldCup is quite impressive, and every year businessis getting better.”Oman too has attempted to cash in on thepopularity of the Tour de France, by hosting itsown tour, the Tour of Oman, which was held forthe second time this year, in February.The Asian Beach Games, held in Oman inDecember 2010, attracted worldwide interest andhelped boost infrastructure developments.There are different situations to keep in mind withregards to tourism originating from sports events,suggested Dayne Lim, product developmentdirector, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA). “It is important to understand the differencebetween sports events that bring spectators tothe emirate, for example the Formula One EtihadAirways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.” Abu Dhabi has a world-class calendar of elitesporting events, these include the European PGATour sanctioned Abu Dhabi HSBC GolfChampionship, to be held in January 2012, andthe Abu Dhabi International Triathlon, which willtake place in March 2012.“We are currently undertaking a feasibility studyto examine the construction of a multi-purposeindoor events arena that is capable of hosting awide spectrum of major international events,”Lim added. Investment in sport has been a keystrategy to help Abu Dhabi reach its target of 2.3million hotel guests a year by 2012. “The biggest addition to our sports eventscalendar this year comes on New Year’s Eve,when the emirate will welcome the Volvo OceanRace fleet for the third stop of the nine month,round the world sailing race,” enthused Lim. The Middle East’s rapidly expanding involvementin the international and regional sports eventscene looks to have a positive effect on worldwideperceptions of the region, as well as on partici-pating countries’ tourism industries and overalldevelopment.

OCTOBER 201120

- Sports Travel

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Spectator Sports Help to Revive the Middle EastSport and tourism are integrated components of global culture, which have helped to bring people together and enhancetolerance, while also providing additional social, economic and political effects. Travel Trade Monthly looks at the sport tourismmarket in the Middle East and how the expanding sector is aiding development and building bridges.

Marianna Keen writes

The biggest

addition to oursports events

calendar this yearcomes on

New Year’sEve, when

the emiratewill welcome

the VolvoOcean Race

fleet

OCTOBER 201122

Khaled Amer Khaled Amer has been appointed director of sales and marketing atSheraton Khalidiya Hotel, Abu Dhabi. Amer has fifteen years of workexperience in the hospitality industry, including sales, management andbusiness development. He has previously held various managerial,operations management and sales positions at a number of hotel chainsand at several properties of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. Inaddition, he has extensive knowledge of international conventions andgala function management as well as broad quality and standards skills.Amer holds a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from the SuezCanal University, Egypt, and a diploma in travel and tours service fromthe American University in Cairo, Egypt.

Roddy GordonRoddy Gordon has joined the expanding Rosewood Hotels &Resorts team as director of marketing of Rosewood Abu Dhabi,scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2012. With a careerspanning over 23 years, Gordon, a strategic sales and marketingprofessional, brings extensive knowledge, with emphasis on thepremium hotel and service sector, to the role. He has gained experi-ence in various posi-tions with HyattInternational in multi-ple locations, includ-ing Chicago, HongKong, London, Dubai,Seoul and Auckland.In the last three years,he worked as vicepresident of sales andmarketing at TamaniHotels and Resorts,Dubai. Gordon holds a BAin hotel, catering andinstitutional admin-istration from RobertGordon’s University,Scotland.

Salim ToumaSalim Touma has been appointed general manager of Coral Boutique Hotel Apartments, Dubai. Touma, whobrings more than 16 years of experience to his role, has been tasked with overseeing the overall commercialoperations and management of the property. He began his career with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) in1996, where he gained experience in various managerial positions in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Oman. He,thereafter, moved to Dubai as director of revenue management at Dusit Thani Dubai. Prior to taking on his currentposition, he worked as group vice president, sales and revenue management at Hospitality Management Holding’scorporate headquarters. In addition to his extensive knowledge and in-depth financial and operational skills, Touma holds a number ofcertificates in management leadership and training.

Martin van KanMartin van Kan has been named general manager of Fairmont Palm Jumeirah,scheduled to open in autumn 2012. With a career spanning over 25 years, theseasoned hotelier brings extensive operational expertise and strong strategicvision to the role. Having previously held various executive positions withinleading hotel companies, he has gained experience in multiple destinationsaround the world. During his 10- year tenure with InterContinental Hotels Group(IHG), he worked in various countries, including China, Lebanon, UAE, Qatarand Oman, while during his nine years with Hyatt International, he was based inthe Philippines, Indonesia,South Korea and Nepal. Most recently he worked forIHG as director of operations,Oman, and general manager ofAl Bustan Palace InterConti-nental Muscat, which he ledto several achievements inbusiness performance and en-vironmental and communityrelations. He is a graduate ofthe Ecole Hôtelièr Les Roches,in Switzerland. As generalmanager, van Kan will be incharge of the opening and sub-sequent performance as wellas day-to-day operations of theproperty.

Khaled Amer

Roddy Gordon

Salim Touma

Martin van Kan

Travel Trade Monthly: Congratulations onyour appointment as general manager ofSamaya Hotel Deira. What short-and-long-term plans do you have in place to stimulatethe hotel’s development and consolidate itspresence in the market, in order to attractguests?Fouad Bizri: Thank you. We are planning toupdate our facilities and services by renovatingour presidential suites as well as by adding amassage centre. We are also looking into enteringnew markets.

Travel Trade Monthly: What is your mainsource market, considering that SamayaHotel Deira is a dry hotel? Fouad Bizri: Our main source markets are Iran,China and the GCC, and recently we begantargeting the CIS market.

Travel Trade Monthly: With its ideallocation near the airport and Dubai’sfinancial and shopping centres, the hoteloffers an ideal base for business travellers.Considering this, are you planning to targeta new customer profile or sector? Also, howdo you plan to increase the number of leisuretravellers in the hotel? Fouad Bizri: As you have mentioned we areideally located in the business sector of the cityand we are even a short distance from some ofthe popular malls and some famous attractionsin the city. We have started targeting the CISmarket and we are using different marketingtools to attract more guests to the hotel, above allwith our rates, which are competitive comparedwith other five-star properties in our area.

Travel Trade Monthly: While politicalunrest in the region is still shaping somecountries’ hospitality industries, makingrecovery a sluggish process, the UAE’saverage key hotel performance indicators

have revealed positive figures. How did theturmoil affect Samaya Hotel Deira’sperformance in the summer and duringRamadan and Eid?Fouad Bizri: We have noticed since thebeginning of this year that our hotel occupancyhas increased compared to last year’s performanceduring the same period.

Travel Trade Monthly: In a highlycompetitive environment as the UAE, whereall international hotel chains are presentwith a variety of properties, a bespoke brandname might bring a large volume of businessin. Samaya Hotels and Resorts is, however,a relative newly established company. Howdo you ensure high occupancy amid thecompetition, and how do you plan toenhance the brand’s reputation?Fouad Bizri: To be frank with you, it is alwaysdifficult to enhance the brand of a rather newplayer in the market. Our strength is investmentin a professional team in the hospitality field.

Also, we are using e-marketing as well astraditional media to enhance Samaya hotel’sreputation and its branding as a five-star, dryhotel. Over the last few years, we have drawn inrepeat business and increasing loyalty fromguests who enjoy staying with us.

23OCTOBER 2011

Q & A with Fouad BizriFor many players in the Middle East’s hospitality industry, new strategies have been called for, following unrest in the region.Fouad Bizri, newly appointed general manager of Samaya Hotel Deira discusses with Travel Trade Monthly how he plans tostimulate the hotel’s performance so that the relatively new brand’s reputation may be enhanced.

n

Fouad Bizri

We are using differentmarketing tools to attractmore guests to the hotel

It isalways

difficult toenhance

the brandof a rathernew player

in themarket

We have started targeting the CIS market and

we are using differentmarketing tools to attractmore guests to the hotel, above all with our rates

OCTOBER 201124

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

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

World Travel MarketLondon, UK, November 7-10, 2011(www.wtmlondon.com)Leading global event for the travel industry, presenting a diverse rangeof destination and industry sectors, providing an opportunity to meet,network, negotiate and conduct business.

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

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Enhanced Handling for Perishable Cargo with ADAC New Cargo TerminalAbu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), hasannounced that phase one of the new cargoterminal for handling perishable goods has beencompleted. This new facility is located at AbuDhabi International Airport and will improve thehandling capabilities of Abu Dhabi CargoCompany (ADCC). The new 6,000m2 facility isspecifically designed to hold two bulk roomswith storage available for products such as meatand fruit with a separate area for palletised cargo.A laboratory is also present whereby Abu DhabiFood Control Authority (ADFCA) will be ableto sample food. Each facility caters to theregulations of International Air TransportAssociation’s Perishable Cargo.This state-of-the-art facility will significantlyimprove the handling capabilities of ADCC as itwill allow cargo customers the freedom to safely

transport a wider variety of cargo, includingimportant items such as medical and biologicalsamples. ADAC will work closely with theADFCA to guarantee that all of the perishablegoods transported through ADCC align with

safety and security regulations.By the end of this year, the second phase of thefacility is to be completed and will aim to amplifymeat handling shipments which will be followedby certain guidelines set out by the ADFCA.

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

PhiloxeniaThessaloniki, Greece, November 18-21, 2011(www.philoxenia.travel)The expo, now in its 27th year, aims at promoting tourism in SoutheasternEurope and the Mediterranean. It acts as an international meeting pointfor professionals activated in different sectors of the tourism industry.

EIBTMBarcelona, Spain, November 29 – December 1, 2011(www.eibtm.com)Leading global event for the meetings and events industry, which gathersmore than 14,200 professionals for three days.

World Green TourismAbu Dhabi, UAE, December 5-7, 2011(www.worldgreentourism.com)An event that is supported by the ADTA and the EAD, and the only onein the region dedicated to the promotion of sustainable tourism.

Abu Dhabi Cargo Company