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Middle East and North Africa Edition

FEBRUARY 12, 2011 ISSUE 66

88

6

44LIBYA MARRIOTTThe first Marriott hotel in Libya, JWMarriott Tripoli, will open in the nation’scapital on February 15.

In This Issue

JORDAN CONCERNSJordan’s tourism promoters have hit backat negative press, voicing concerns thatassociation with unrest in Egypt couldharm tourism to the country.

www.traveltradeweekly.travel

ADTA Strategy

Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has revealed itsambitious plans for developing tourism in the emirate,

focusing on golf, cruising, culture, education and events.

The commission has entered anagreement with NCBC Capitalwhich will see the latterprovide advice on theformation of the new Al Ogair

Development company.Al Ogair Development Company will beresponsible for developing a range of tourismsites and attractions in the Eastern Province ofSaudi Arabia.Prince Sultan Bin Salman Bin Abdul Aziz,president of SCTA, said the project was a highpriority, despite having experienced delays.“Al Ogair development project is one of theleading national projects and we hope to reach

in the next stage the provision of

joint tourism investment options to both publicand private sectors,” he said.“This project was delayed for various reasons, butnow we are working in collaboration with theMinistry of Municipal and Rural Affairs(MOMRA), the site owner and the GeneralInvestment Fund to accelerate its implementation.”NCBC was selected as advisor through aprocess of public bidding.Bin Abdul Aziz said increased governmentsupport was a crucial factor in getting theproject off the ground.“The decision of the Council of Ministers in 2010,to support the activities of SCTA, and provide thenecessary financial resources is an important stepto stimulate tourism investment,” he said.

NCBC to Advise on Tourism Development in Al Ogair, Saudi ArabiaThe Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) has secured afinancial advisor to oversee the formation of a new tourism development entity.

FEBRUARY 12, 20112

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLYManaging Editor

Mary Kammitsi

Deputy EditorLouis Dillon Savage

JournalistRita Kasziba

Design & LayoutElina Pericleous

Sales & MarketingDimitris Thomaidis

DirectorsAndreas Constantinides

Mary Kammitsi

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Nicosia 1308 CyprusTel: +35722820888Fax: +35722318958

Websitewww.traveltradeweekly.travel

Emailsinfo@traveltradeweekly.travel

editorial@traveltradeweekly.travelsales@traveltradeweekly.travel

COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=UAE (AED) Dirham 3.67Egypt (EGP) Pound 5.88Saudi Arabia (SAR) Riyal 3.75Lebanon (LBP) Pound 1508.05Bahrain (BHD) Dinar 0.37Jordan ( JOD) Dinar 0.71Syria (SYP) Pound 46.98Kuwait (KWD) Dinar 0.28Qatar (QAR) Riyal 3.64Oman (OMR) Rial 0.38Tunisia (TND) Dinar 1.42Morocco (MAD) Dirham 8.23Iran (IRR) Riyal 10,340Yemen (YER) Rial 214.73Algeria (DZD) Dinar 73.1Libya (LYD) Dinar 1.24

MENA Exchange RatesAccurate as of 10/2/2011Currencies shown in red are fixed against the US Dollar

Global distribution system (GDS) provider Travelport has entered theAlgerian market, launching a local subsidiary called Travelport Algeria.The company will distribute the company’s two GDS platforms, Galileo andWorldspan, within the North African country.Lotfi Skander, former head of rival Amadeus Algeria, has been named as generalmanager.He said the entrance of Travelport would improve the choices available to agentsin the country.“This new partnership with Travelport means that travel agents in the countrywill now have far greater choice when it comes to selecting a GDS provider andI firmly believe that they will be as excited by the Travelport offering as I am; Ithink this is great news for the local travel industry,” he said.Marc Meehan, managing director in Africa for Travelport, said the moverepresents a step forward for the company’s regional activities.

“This new partnership marks an important milestone for Travelport as we furtherstrengthen our presence and provide increased localised support to our travelagency customers in this region,” he said.“Travelport Algeria will be better placed to work more closely with the localtravel industry and introduce exciting new and innovative products and servicesto travel agents in the region.”

Travelport Founds Algerian Subsidiary

Travel agents in the country will now have far greater choice

FEBRUARY 12, 20114

ATM Interest Reflects Region-Wide Tourism FocusEconomic diversification is driving tourism growth in the Middle East, according to the organisers of ArabianTravel Market.

Jordan’s tourism sector could take a hitfrom widespread unrest in the MiddleEast and North Africa, according toJordan Tourism Board ( JTB).The country has experienced streetdemonstrations and protests calling forconstitutional reform in the monarchicalcountry.Jordan’s king dismissed his primeminister and cabinet in early Februaryand promised to initiate reforms.JTB released a statement emphasisingthat Jordan remains a safe destination,despite having been associated with

more severe unrest in Egypt and Tunisia.Nayef Al-Fayez, managing director ofJTB, criticised news coverage linkingprotests in Jordan to those elsewhere.“Any such link or characterisation is notobjective, is certainly unfair, and doesgreat injustice to everything that Jordanstands for,” he said.“Tourists from all over the world continueto enjoy Jordan’s countless and pricelesstreasures, as well as its unique andinternationally renowned hospitality.”Muhannad Malhas, a spokesperson forJordan Inbound Tour Operators

Association ( JITOA), said Jordan hasbeen used as an evacuation point fortour groups escaping upheavals in othercountries.Similarly, according to Malhas, a numberof tours intended for other MiddleEastern destinations have beenredirected to Jordan as a safer alternative.Nevertheless officials have expressedconcern over the possible impact ofunrest on tourism to the region andJordan’s Ministry of Tourism hasannounced a campaign to addresspotential misconceptions.

R eed Travel Exhibitions,organisers of the event,have reported increasedinterest in the lead up totheir 2011 show in March.

Space booked at the exhibition by Syria,Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar rose by11.8 percent, 7.5 percent, 3.8 percent and3.6 percent respectively compared to2010. Reed cited figures from around the Gulfindicating a focus on tourism as a meansof diversifying away from reliance on oiland gas.Mark Walsh, group exhibition director ofReed Travel Exhibitions, said SaudiArabia, the region’s largest economy, wasa good example.“Saudi Arabia is keen to diversify itseconomy,” he said.“Revenue from hydrocarbon exportscurrently accounts for 45 percent of Saudigross domestic product (GDP).”Similarly, Walsh said bullishness amongregional aviation players demonstrated aregion-wide drive to diversify.“Regionally, billions of dollars are being

invested in tourism infrastructure – GulfAir, Qatar Airways, Etihad and Emiratesare all aggressively expanding orreviewing spending on their fleets andidentifying new destinations, diversifyingtheir economies, at a time when oil pricesseem destined to settle comfortably aboveUSD100 per barrel,” he said.

The success of the region at attracting so-called mega events is also set to increasetourism in the Middle East.Walsh shared market research figuresindicating the expected impact of theQatar-hosted FIFA World Cup 2022.“According to consultancy firm GrantThornton, around 373,000 fans visitedSouth Africa for the recent 2010 FIFAWorld Cup alone,” he said.“In Qatar's case, at least twice as manypeople again will be needed during theplanning and preparation stages to

develop the stadia, hotels, power andtransport infrastructure.”The World Tourism Organisation haspredicted an average of 6.7 percent growthin tourism arrivals for the Middle East upuntil 2020 and the region showedincreases in major hospitality performancemeasures in 2010.

Jordan Tourism Officials Hit Back at Bad Press, Express Concerns Over Impact

Mark Walsh

Regionally, billions ofdollars are being investedin tourism infrastructure

FEBRUARY 12, 20116

MMI Travel and Omega World Travel have formed apartnership to supply US government agencies in the UAE.Omega travel is one of the largest travel agencies in the USand one of only two companies in the Middle East authorisedto hold US government and military travel contracts.According to a joint statement from the companies, thepartnership has been established to extend the reach ofservices provided and meet demand for travel by US officials.Goran Gligorovic, managing director of Omega, said theMiddle East is the focus of expansion plans for the company.“The GCC is one of the key expansion markets for OmegaWorld Travel,” he said.“Our partnership with MMI Travel will greatly increase ourcapabilities in this region and Omega is looking forward to asuccessful relationship and an enhanced offering for ourclients.”Mayank Dhingra, general manager of MMI, said hiscompany’s local knowledge would benefit the partnership.“As a specialised travel operator in the GCC, MMI has theflexibility to tailor its products to meet the uniquerequirements of its clients, whether this is in the area ofbanking, finance or overseas government entities,” he said.

ADTA Unveils 2011 Tourism Development StrategyAbu Dhabi will concentrate on developing and marketing its cruise, golf, educational, events and culturalsegments in 2011, according to the emirate’s tourism authority.

MMI and Omega to Partner on Government Contracts

Mubarak Al Muhairi,director general ofAbu Dhabi TourismAuthority (ADTA),revealed the plan at

the authority’s Annual Industry Forum.“We will invest in these sectors andaddress all components of the value chain,extending a range of incentives to ourpartners and tour operators worldwide,”he said. “These are all segments where we now havesignificant resources, the product to satisfydemand and to differentiate ourselves.” ADTA has also increased its target for thenumber of hotel guests in the emiratethis year.

Two million guests is the new benchmark,an increase of 100,000 on 2010 numbers.Al Muhairi said 2011 will provechallenging, but that he believes AbuDhabi will be able to meet its goals.“Our destination rose superbly to thechallenge in 2010 and we believe we cando it again,” he said.“We have our work cut out for us withanother 4,000 plus rooms, in bothbusiness and leisure hotels and resorts,due on line this year adding to our existingroom stock of 18,844.”New source markets are also beingtargeted as part of Abu Dhabi’s strategy,with ADTA boosting its presence in keylocations.

“We have representation on the ground inMoscow and are finalising a dedicatedoffice there, while offices will open inManhattan, New York and Jeddah, SaudiArabia by the end of the first quarter,” AlMuhairi said.

Mubarak Al Muhairi

FEBRUARY 12, 20118

- Accommodation

Marriott International Takes First Step into LibyaThe first Marriott hotel in Libya, JW Marriott Tripoli, will open in the nation’s capital on February 15.

Ibis Hits 900 with New Moroccan HotelIbis Tanger City Centre in Tangier, Morocco marks the ninehundredth property operating under the Ibis brandworldwide and Accor’s hundredth hotel in Africa.The property opened on January 31 amid fireworks andfanfare.Ibis was launched in 1974 in France and has spread steadilysince then.Yann Calliere, CEO of Accor, said Ibis will continue to growrapidly. “Ibis will continue to expand at a rate of around 70 new hotelopenings a year,” he said.“The opening of this Ibis hotel in Tangier is also an importantlandmark for the group since it is Accor’s hundredth hotel inAfrica.”

The new hotel is the sixteenth Ibis Accor has opened inMorocco since the brand was introduced in 1997.According to Accor, the brand now represents 50 percent oftheir operations in the country.

The property will offer370 rooms, 38 suites andthree restaurants.According to GeraldMoutte, general manager

of the property, the process of launchingthe hotel has been challenging but hebelieves the property will performstrongly.Moutte said the property faces littlecompetition in the country, as one of theonly five star properties from a majorinternational brand.“Opening a hotel like this in Libya is achallenge, but also a great opportunity,”he said.“Libya has been a closed country for a longtime but is now beginning to open up.”

Moutte explained that visa issues hadplagued the hotel, a common problem forthe tourism industry in the highlybureaucratic country.

He said the hotel would target businesstravellers and locals to compensate for therelatively low traffic of leisure visitors.“Local people have been waiting for thishotel, which is something of a landmarkin Tripoli,” he said.“I know they are eager to try our outlets

and our ballroom for weddings, which willbe the largest in the city when we open.”Moutte said Libya still has a long way tocome, but that progress continues inopening the country for greater tourismopportunities.Tourism attractions within Libya include anumber of well-preserved ancient Romansites and a range of natural features.

JW Marriott Tripoli

Opening a hotel like this in Libya is a

challenge, but also a great opportunity

Ibis will continue to expand at a rate of around 70 new hotel

openings a year

The company has announcedplans for 28 propertiesregion-wide, with the firstto go online in 2014.That property will be

located in Jebel Ali, Dubai, UAE and operateunder the company’s flagshipbusiness brand, Zinc Edge.The company will focus itsdevelopment in Dubai, aimingfor eight hotels in that city alongwith its regional operationalheadquarters.Other properties planned includetwo in Qatar, three in Saudi Arabia,two in Bahrain, one in Lebanon,two in Oman, four in Egypt, two inSyria and four in Morocco.The hotels will be spread betweenZinc | Invision’s seven brands,which range from boutique urbanconcept Zinc City, to the eco andculture focused Zinc Journey.

Jean Marc LaFosse, vice presidentof development in Malaysia,Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore,Middle East and Africa for thecompany, said rapid growth wasplanned to take advantage of arecovering market in Dubai.“We are looking at phoenix-likegrowth over the next few years,”he said.“Recent tourism reports have shownthat Dubai's five star hotel market isslowly recovering and the revenueper available room (RevPAR) is also

increasing – allowing us a perfect time to comein and leverage our presence in the area.“Offering both a five star hotel and mid-tierhotel to different travellers allows theopportunity for Zinc | Invision Hospitalityto package itself as a brand that is friendly

for all travellers.”Zinc | Invision is a joint venture betweenThai company Invision Hospitality andCinovision | CG, a Singapore basedsubsidiary of Nepalese conglomerateChaudhary Group.

9FEBRUARY 12, 2011

- Accommodation

Major New Contender Hits MENA HospitalityNewly formed Asian company Zinc | Invision Hospitality will invest USD180 million launching its hotelbrands in the Middle East and North Africa.

We are looking at phoenix-likegrowth over the next few years

Pending regulatory approval,the codeshare flights will goon sale from the end ofFebruary.For Etihad, the agreement

opens a range of destinations within NewZealand, including the cities of Auckland,Wellington and Christchurch.Customer loyalty schemes operated byboth airlines will be integrated, allowingtravellers to earn points on either carrier.James Hogan, CEO of Etihad, confirmedthe partnership was part of a widerstrategy for growth in the region.“This new codeshare illustrates Etihad’sgrowing ambitions in the Asia Pacificregion,” he said.

“It opens up five key destinations in NewZealand that we have been eager to offerour customers for a long time and we arecertain the connections and seamlessflight experience offered by Etihad andAir New Zealand will appeal to businessand leisure travellers.”Rob Fyfe, CEO of Air New Zealand, saidcollaborating with Etihad would give hisairline better access to long hauldestinations and funnel traffic to its short-distance routes.“This arrangement with Etihad Airwaysfurther extends connectivity options forour customers through to Europe aswell as providing opportunities tofurther grow passenger numbers for our

trans-Tasman and domestic services,”he said.Etihad has already established an extensivecodeshare agreement with Virgin Blue andV Australia, in which Air New Zealandrecently acquired a 14.99 percent stake.

Etihad’s agreement with V Australia hasbeen subject to complaints from Qantas,Australia’s national airline.

FEBRUARY 12, 201110

- Air Travel

Etihad and Air New Zealand Initiate CodeshareEtihad has signed a codeshare agreement with Air New Zealand, further entrenching itself in the Australasianaviation market.

Gulf Air Unveils Portable In-Flight SystemsGulf Air has introduced portable media players as a new in-flight entertainment option for its premium class passengers.The handheld units have been produced by US CompanyDigecor and offer more than 1,500 movies in a variety oflanguages.Samer Majali, CEO of Gulf Air, said the players were part of along term, large scale plan to update the carrier’s in-flightentertainment.“We have embarked on a complete overhaul of our onboardproducts and services offering to our customers,” he said.“The portable entertainment solution from Digecor is just thebeginning of a major revamp of our total onboardentertainment and business support services that we will startintroducing across our fleet from early next year.”

This new codeshareillustrates Etihad’s

growing ambitions in theAsia Pacific region

We have embarked on a completeoverhaul of our onboard products

EAG will manage and operate a Hawker 800XP business jetwhich has been specially converted to an air ambulanceconfiguration on behalf of RMSI.Robert Lamb, CEO of RMSI, said the service aimed tointroduce international standards into the medical evacuation

sector in the Middle East.“Choosing Dubai as our regional hub and global HQ was a relatively easy task,given the emirate's status as an aviation hub and a trusted medical centre ofexcellence,” he said.

“We are delighted to be working with Empire Aviation Groupas our aviation partner because of their regional expertise andknowledge, and more specifically because EAG executivedirector Paras Dhamecha gained air ambulance flightexperience in the US and, as our aim is to match the standardsof US and European operators, this experience is veryvaluable.”According to RMSI, typical services include rapid response forpatients requiring urgent evacuation from areas such as Iraqand Afghanistan.Patients include non-government organisation (NGO)employees, defence or security personnel, or constructionworkers requiring evacuation to a point of stabilisation ortreatment in Dubai.

11FEBRUARY 12, 2011

- Air Travel

New Air Ambulance ServiceTakes Flight from DubaiBusiness jet operator Empire Aviation Group (EAG) has partneredwith RMSI, an international airborne medical provider based inDubai, to launch a new medical evacuation service in the Middle East.

The Abu Dhabi police force has launched anairport security awareness campaign with thesupport of Abu Dhabi Marine OperatingCompany (ADMA-OPCO).The initiative, named the Offshore AviationSecurity Awareness Campaign, is aimed atminimising violations of airport securitymeasures by educating travellers in theirimpact.Ali Rashid Al-Jarwan, CEO of ADMA-OPCO,said the campaign seeks to demonstrate thewide reaching effects of security breaches.“The initiative sheds light on the impact ofairport security on our national economy,particularly the oil and gas sector and how therevenues of our companies as well as our

country can be affected when security measuresare weak or not in place,” he said.The campaign involves training workshops,brochures, educational videos and airportprojection screens displaying maps of theislands and oil sites in Abu Dhabi. Traveller help desks have also been installed inpassenger terminals at Abu Dhabi Airport aspart of the campaign.

Passenger Security EducationCampaign Launched in Abu Dhabi

Choosing Dubai as our regional hub andglobal HQ was a relatively easy task, given the

Emirate's status as an aviation hub and atrusted medical centre of excellence

The initiative sheds light on the impact of airport security

on our national economy

Hawker 800XP

Since the election of a Liberal-Democrat / Conservativecoalition in May 2010, UKtourism offices – both withinthe country and around the

world – have experienced major cutbacksand restructuring.Prassad Shirke, travel trade executive ofVisitBritain’s Dubai office, said a smallerbudget has forced the agency to rethink itsapproach to marketing in the Middle East.Shirke confirmed that VisitBritain wouldnot participate in Arabian Travel Marketfor the second consecutive year in 2011;a decision he attributed directly toreduced funding.

“There has been a tremendous cutdown inour budget and ATM is a very expensiveevent,” he said.In response to the loss of its advertisingbudget VisitBritain has adopted analternative strategy of direct outreach tothe Middle Eastern travel trade.“We have no more budget for advertising,so there will be much more below the lineactivity,” Shirke said.The agency staged a series of workshopsin the past week, connecting UAE-basedtravel agents to travel suppliers from theUK, flown in for the occasion.Chris Foy, head of VisitBritain’s 2012Olympic Games Unit, said the workshops

were an effective way of promoting theupcoming event.

“The workshops were a fantasticopportunity for us to discuss both thehighlights and the concerns of UAE travelagents ahead of the 2012 Olympic andParalympic Games,” he said.The cutbacks come in the context offalling visitor numbers from the MiddleEast to the UK, according to Shirke.

FEBRUARY 12, 201112

- International

VisitBritain Adopts New Strategy in Middle EastCutbacks in public spending by the UK government have forced a new promotional strategy for VisitBritain,the country’s tourism promotion body.

We have no more budgetfor advertising, so there will

be much more below theline activity

The new national carrier of Sénégal, Sénégal Airlines, hascommenced operations following the delivery of its first twoaircraft.The carrier has been launched as a private sector replacementfor the country’s former national airline, the now-defunct AirSénégal International.Sénégal Airlines is 64 percent privately owned, with theremaining 36 percent divided between various governmententities.Initial routes offered by the airline are Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire;Bamako, Mali; Banjul, Gambia; Conakry, Guinea;Nouakchott, Mauritania; and Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.The connections will be operated with two leased Airbus A320aircraft in a two class (business and economy) configuration.The airline’s launch date has been repeatedly delayed, withflights initially scheduled for the first quarter of 2010.Emirates Airline and the government of Sénégal providedsupport for the development and launch of the new carrier.

Sénégal Airlines Takes Off with Six Routes

13FEBRUARY 12, 2011

- International

Starwood Confirms Six New W Hotels in 2011Starwood’s design-focused W Hotels brand is preparing to open six new properties around the world this year.

W London – Leicester SquareT he hotels include WSt Petersburg, inRussia, to open inMarch; W London –Leicester Square in

the UK (February); W Taipei, inTaiwan (February); W Retreat & SpaBali – Seminyak, in Indonesia (March);W Paris – Opéra, in France(December); and W Guangzhou inChina (December).Eva Ziegler, global brand leader for WHotels, said the properties weredesigned using ideas taken from theirlocations.“Design has always been an integral partof the W brand,” she said.“As W continues to transform into a

global powerhouse, we have evolved ourdesign approach to include contextualinsights that lead to locally relevantdesigns bound together by W’s DNA.”

For example, the St Petersburg propertywas inspired by Russia’s famous FabergéEggs, while the Guangzhou hotel took itscues from the Kesi Tapestries producedin the region in ancient times.W London – Leicester Square is to be cladin colour changing glass, which will shiftto reflect the time of day or events inLondon.

Design has always been an integral part

of the W brand

FEBRUARY 12, 201114

Name: Rama KhoulaniPosition: Travel Agent

Who are you?My name is Rama Khoulani and I work for one of Syria`s leadingtour operators, Jasmin Tours. The company is based in the capital,Damascus and run by the owner and managing director, ZakwanHalabi. We have more than 15 years experience bringing touriststo Syria, Jordan and Lebanon from all over the world by offeringthem classic or tailor-made programmes based on their interest. What is your favorite thing about working in the travelindustry?What I like the most is the direct contact with the clients fromdifferent nations and cultures. It’s a privilege to get to knowpeople from all around the world, from Europe to America andAsia to Australia and to understand their wishes, satisfy theirneeds, then get the feedback and hear their experiences.When is the best time to visit the country?The diversity that Syria offers in terms of sights and events makesthe country a year-round destination. However based on ourexperience many of the holidaymakers, especially from Europe,prefer countries with a mild summer to spend their vacationduring the hottest period of the year. Where would you like to travel to for your next holiday?Spain or Malaysia. I`ve been interested in the Spanish culture forquite a long time, and I can`t wait to discover the country.However I`ve heard so much about Malaysia and the recentdevelopments in the country, that I believe it could be a trulymemorable holiday. Why should people come to you for travel advice?Our agency looks after its clients from arrival to departure byarranging the flight, the accommodation and their programs withtrusted and experienced guides during their whole holiday.

Company: Jasmin ToursLocation: Syria

First Class of Tour Guides Graduate from Training SchemeSharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority(SCTDA) has finished its first training campaign for touroperators in the emirate.Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qassimi, chairman of SCTDA,explained the process undertaken by tour guides enrolled inthe initiative.“During the first advanced training programme, tourist guideswere provided with the latest information and updates on thetourism sector in the emirate,” he said.“In addition, field visits to various important tourism sites inthe Emirate - including museums, commercial outlets,archaeological sites, etcetera - were organized to increaseawareness and identification of the Sharjah tourism productand the SCTDA's role in developing and strengtheningrelationships with all related authorities.”He said the scheme was part of a plan to improve tourismservices.

“The initiative comes as the Authority seeks to enhance thequality of tourism packages on offer and to develop the tourismsector as one of the best in the world, given the rich heritageand numerous tourism attractions in the emirate,” he said.According to a statement from SCTDA, the trainingprogramme will be made mandatory for all tour guides in thenear future and will require all operators to be certified underthe scheme.

Agent’s Insight Blue Souq, Sharjah

Field visits to various important tourism sites in the

Emirate were organized to increaseawareness and identification of the

Sharjah tourism product

15FEBRUARY 12, 2011

Gerald MoutteGerald Moutte has been named to lead the pre-opening teamof Marriott’s first hotel in Libya, the JW Marriott Tripoli.His previous roles have included the general manager forCourtyard by MarriottKuwait City and ArrayaBallroom, Kuwait; andgeneral manager at theRenaissance Sharm ElSheikh Golden View BeachResort, Egypt. Hailing originally fromFrance, Moutte willoversee all aspects of pre-opening as generalmanager of the property.

Mohamed El NomanMohamed El Noman has been appointed as the new countrymanager for Sudan for Etihad Airways. Prior to joiningEtihad, El Noman held the position of sales manager at

Emirates Airline andworked as salespromotion manager forGulf Air’s general salesagent in Sudan. Overall,El Noman has 14 years ofcommercial aviationexperience in Sudan.

Eric De NeefEric De Neef is Rezidor’s new vice president for the ParkInn by Radisson brand worldwide.De Neef moved into the position from the role of managingdirector for Accor’s All Seasons, Mercure and M Gallery

Hotels brands.Eric is a graduate in HotelManagement from CERIA– IPIAT in Brussels,Belgium and speaksFrench, Dutch, English andGerman. His previous rolesin the hospitality industryinclude director of NovotelBrugge Zuid; and generalmanager of Sofitel BrusselsToison d’Or Hotel.

Ram GuptaRam Gupta has taken over as director of revenue management atSheraton Dubai Creek Hotel and Towers.His prior experience in the UAE includes positions with LeMéridien Abu Dhabi and Residences by Le Méridien, UAE.He started out with Hyatt Regency Delhi and The Regent Mumbaiwhere he became theassistant front officemanager before pursuingcareer growth withIntercontinental TheGrand Mumbai.Gupta holds a diplomain Hotel Managementfrom the Institute ofHotel Management,India, followed by anExecutive Master’s inBusiness Administrationfrom HTW Chur inSwitzerland.

Ram Gupta

Eric De Neef

Gerald Moutte

MohamedEl Noman

FEBRUARY 12, 201116

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

Matteo StefanelExecutive Director, Abraaj Capital“We'd like to commend the team at Art Marine for creatinga truly unique network of destinations that will allow theregion's yacht owners to come and discover yachting.Moreover, we are proud to welcome Zighy Marina'sexclusive hideaway as the latest addition to the company'syachting lifestyle offering.”

We are proud to welcome ZighyMarina's exclusive hideaway

Jean Marc LaFosseVice president of development in the Middle East andAfrica, Zinc | Invision Hospitality“We are confident that our new line of hotel brands under theZinc | Invision Hospitality banner will be widely received bytoday’s generation of travellers and tourists - be it those whocan afford a five star hotel stay, a mid-tier hotel stay or atraveller’s hotel stay. Presenting different options to differentcustomers is part of our commitment to answer to the demandsof hotel customers. Rest assured, we will continue to do thisby coming up with well-designed hotels coupled with ablytrained staff and personnel – living up to our reputation ofintroducing cutting edge concepts in hotels, spas, resorts andresidences.”

Kurt RitterCEO, Rezidor Hospitality“Hotel Missoni Kuwait is a fantastic addition to the Rezidor'sgrowing portfolio across the Middle East and a key property in thisimportant region. The hotel will strengthen our presence in theMiddle East and reinforce our position as one of the leadinginternational hotel groups. A combination of design, lifestyle andtechnology will bring a truly new and authentic travel experience– as soon as you walk through the doors, you'll know it's Missoni.”

Hotel MissoniKuwait is a fantasticaddition to

the Rezidor'sgrowing

portfolio acrossthe Middle East

Presentingdifferent

options to different

customers ispart of our

commitmentto answer tothe demands

of hotelcustomers Jean Marc Lafosse

Kurt Ritter

Travel Trade Weekly: Can you tell usa little about who you are and whatyou do?Jose Mariano: The company is Zero 2Infinity and we see ourselves as purveyorsof elevation.The service of getting human beingsuplifted – both physically and in aspiritual sense.We are an earth-space company, we are atourism company, we are space tourismcompany and even a green tech companybecause we are zero impact. You could call us a lot of things, but welike to think of ourselves as an elevationcompany.Our first product is called Bloon, which isa near-space ship capable of taking people– common people, not necessarily trainedpeople – to the edge of our planet.At altitudes where the view is very nice,where you can see the blue of the earth andthe black sky in daytime and the curvatureof the earth can be seen very clearly.

Travel Trade Weekly: Do you seeyourself as competing with otheremerging space tourism operators?Jose Mariano: Not really. As I said, wesee ourselves as purveyors of elevation. Forus, the fact that the whole experience haszero environmental impact is as importantas altitude. That our experience is slow andcalm and allows for reflection is also veryimportant: no rocket can offer that.The view is very similar, but theexperience is otherwise totally different.Space tourism is such a new market that itis limited by the systems that are

developed rather than by the demand.The demand is very clear but it is stilluncertain which systems will be able tomeet it. This is what has allowed theRussians to command the market the waythey do now.

Travel Trade Weekly: When will yoube ready to launch?Jose Mariano: We expect somewhere in2013; that is the target. However I prefer to give a range ofsomewhere between 2013 and 2015.Space projects have a very complexcertification process, which is notnecessarily within the company’s control,so delays can happen.On our side, all our projects are on track,but I don’t want to make any commitments.

Travel Trade Weekly: How accessiblewill your product be? Jose Mariano: We have plans to open anumber of bases, and there will be around100 flights per year from each base.The aim is to have bases around the worldin places where the view will be good, inplaces of particular beauty. Also, we are looking for places with goodweather, to make sure all our launch andretrieval operations are streamlined.Also, places that are well connected, withflights for customers to access the bases.Each flight will carry four payingcustomers and two pilots.The cost will be EUR110,000(USD150,200) per person. Ourdevelopment costs are much moremanageable than any platform with a rocket.

We are offering a similar experiencewithout the added investment.When you go up, you stay at the cruisingaltitude for two hours, so the time islonger and the cost per minute is muchlower than a parabolic flight, like on arocket that might go up and down inseven minutes.

Travel Trade Weekly: Have youconsidered operations in the MiddleEast?Jose Mariano: Very much so. I see it asclearly something in our future – probablyfor our second base after our one here inSpain.The Middle East has good weather, a variedlandscape and good first class flightconnections, so all the ingredients are there.Also, most of the funding for spacetourism comes from the Middle East. Notfor us yet, but we are talking to people. Soit is really a natural place for somethinglike this.I would not put forward a locationwithout getting solid commitments fromlocal partners, but even though I am nota Muslim myself I can imagine that flyingover the holy cities of Saudi Arabia wouldbe very exciting for many people.

FEBRUARY 12, 201118

Q and A with Jose MarianoJose Mariano is the mind behind space tourism company Zero 2 Infinity. Travel Trade Weekly pulled hishead out of the clouds to talk about his upcoming near-space travel product.

Most of the funding for space tourism comes

from the Middle East

Flying over the holy cities of Saudi Arabiawould be very exciting

Jose Mariano

Hogan said pragmatism and flexibility werecrucial for all businesses and recommendedmaking the most of business realities.“For companies to survive they need tofocus less on how unfair they perceive the

world to be, and more on how to adapt to take advantage ofemerging opportunities and changing operating conditions,” hesaid.He also emphasised the importance of not just customerservice, but genuine customer dialogue when it comes tomaking business choices.“We concentrate on providing our customers with the verybest products and service, both on the ground and in the air,”he said.“We listened to our customers, which is why Etihad hasbecome increasingly popular with both the corporate andbusiness traveller.”

19FEBRUARY 12, 2011

Business Advice from James Hogan, CEO of Etihad AirwaysIn a few short years, Etihad has grown into one of the Middle East’s leading airlines. Speaking at the recentCarlson Wagonlit Travel Conference, James Hogan, CEO of the carrier, shared some of his secrets for success.

Forcompaniesto survive

they need tofocus less on how

unfair theyperceive

the world to be

James Hogan

Arab Health, a major healthcaretradeshow based in Dubai, is reachingbeyond the Middle East with the launchof a sister exhibition for the Africanhealthcare market.Organised by the Institute forInternational Research Middle East andAsia (IIR), Africa Health will be held forthe first time from May 9 to May 11 thisyear.Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec, SouthAfrica has been chosen as the venue forthe inaugural event.Simon Page, divisional director of IRR,said Africa Health will be modelled on theArab Health exhibition.“Continuing in the tradition of theextremely successful Arab HealthExhibition and Congress that saw morethan 65,000 visitors from over 100

countries descend on Dubai in January,this new show is set to enhance privatesector investment and to provide aplatform for the world’s leadingmanufacturers, wholesalers anddistributors to meet the medicalcommunity from the southern Africanregion and beyond,” he said.

He said increased public sector supporthas helped healthcare to grow in Africa.“Active government  support inrecent years means a continued focus onhealthcare expansion  and Africa

Health  will attract thousands ofhealthcare professionals, exhibitingcompanies and speakers from around theworld to its doors,” he said.According to IRR, the African healthcareindustry remains heavily reliant onimported equipment, making thecontinent an ideal location for a tradeshow of this kind.

FEBRUARY 12, 201120

EventsMiddle East Exclusive 2011Dubai, UAE, February 20-22, 2011(www.middleeastexclusive.com)Luxury brand and travel retail exhibition.

EventopediaAmman, Jordan, February 22-23, 2011 (www.eventsunlimited.com.jo)Conference covering the A to Z of events management, aimedat encouraging Jordan’s MICE market.

Gulfood Exhibition 2011Dubai, UAE, February 27-March 2, 2011 (www.gulfood.com)International exhibition for the food, drink and hospitality markets.

ITBBerlin, Germany, March 9-13, 2011(www.messe-berlin.de)One of the world’s major travel and tourism exhibitions for allaspects of the travel industry.

GIBTMAbu Dhabi, UAE, March 28-30, 2011 (www.gibtm.com)International event for the business travel and meetings industryin the Gulf and Middle East region.

China Outbound Travel and Tourism MarketBeijing, China, April 13-15, 2011 (www.cottm.com)Dedicated business to business event targeting the growingmarket for outbound travel from China.

Arab Health Branches Into Africa with New Regional Exhibition

Active government support in recent years

means a continued focus on healthcare expansion

Arab Health 2010