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EGYPT WELCOMES EIGHTH DEUTSCHE HOSPITALITY HOTEL
UNWTO: 956 MILLION TRAVELLERS IN NINE MONTHS
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19 NOVEMBER 2016 ISSUE 367
ROTANA: 16 HOTELS IN 2017
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TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS
19 NOVEMBER 20162
MARKET UPDATE www.traveltradeweekly.travel
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110.86
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213.30
2.29
250.05
COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=
18.11.2016as ofMENA EXCHANGE RATES
UNWTO: 956 MILLION TRAVELLERS IN NINE MONTHS
SABRE: REVENUE INCREASE IN Q3
Some 956 million international tourists travelled the world between January and September, revealed the World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) latest World Tourism Barometer.
Global technology company Sabre reported positive results for the third quarter (Q3), leading to a year-on-year revenue boost of 6.9 percent.
The figure is 34 million higher than in the same period in 2015, equal to a four percent year-on-year surge.
Available data for the Middle East points to a six percent decrease in arrivals, though results vary greatly. Statistics started to gradually improve in the second half of the year in both North
Africa and the Middle East.As Taleb Rifai, director general, UNWTO, noted, no destination is immune to risks, thus, industry
stakeholders need to increase cooperation in addressing global threats.
Airline and hospitality solutions revenue improved 19.8 percent, and the company’s travel net-work also managed to grow its global share and achieve increased bookings in all regions.
Commenting on the figures, Tom Klein, CEO, Sabre, said, “With new agency conversions and some improvement in the macro-environment at travel network and continued momen-
tum in airline and hospitality solutions, we have the pieces in place to expect strong consolidated rev-enue and earnings growth in the fourth quarter, setting us up well as we look toward 2017.”
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SCTDA Targets European Visitors
SCTDA also launched a MICE publication to assist with planning as well as a dedi-cated destination toolkit to strengthen its commitment to attracting 10 million travellers by 2021.
Participating for the 14th year, delegates highlighted the emirate’s calendar of events, while Sharjah Investment and Development Authority exhibited the Mleiha archaeological project and promoted Sharjah as a family and cultural destination.
In line with its efforts to achieve a 16 percent increase in arrivals from Europe, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism
Development Authority (SCTDA) attended World Travel Market (WTM) London to showcase its offerings.
Significant Changes for the Industry
The rise of an emerging middle class will define and transform the travel and tourism industry in the Middle East and
North Africa over the next decade, according to Visa.
Speaking at the Visa Travel & Payment Trends Seminar in Dubai, Richard Lung, senior director, Visa, identified three key global trends that will shape the industry between now and 2025; a new travelling class, increased digital connectivity and an ageing population.
By 2025, annual spending on global cross-border travel will reach USD1.5 trillion, from the current USD1.1 trillion, driven by a rising volume of middle income families.
Visa estimates that the MENA region will see the number of annual outbound trips rise from 42 million during this year to 65 million by 2025. This may, in turn, lead to regional outbound travel spend increasing annually by 3.6 percent, from USD77 billion to USD110 billion by 2025.
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Bad weather, natural disasters and strike actions cost the travel industry up to an estimated USD60 billion annually, equating to some eight percent of global industry rev-
enues, according to a new report on flight disruption.Shaping the Future of Airline Disruption Management, written
by airline IT consultancy, T2RL, and commissioned by Amadeus, also finds that disruption spreads virally throughout the travel ecosystem; the knock-on impact of planes and crews not arriv-ing as intended means highly optimised networks see further cancellations and delays often from a relatively minor initial problem.
“Disruption management is one of the most significant op-erational challenges our airline customers face,” stressed Julia Sattel, global head, airline IT, Amadeus.
Natural Causes Cost USD60 Billion
Grand Egyptian Museum Expected
in 2018
Currently under development, Grand Egyptian Museum, set on an area of 480ha in Giza, is due
to be partially unveiled in May 2018.To further strengthen the destina-
tion’s cultural credentials, Sherif Ismail, prime minister, Egypt, announced the decision to establish a Grand Egyptian Museum general authority, which will be affiliated with the state’s antiquities ministry.
The complex will further support the development of tourism in the re-gion, with the aim of attracting more visitors seeking to learn about the coun-try’s rich history. Just 2km from the pyra-mids, the offering will complement the local UNESCO Cultural Heritage Sites in its proximity.
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T he owner, developer, operator and franchisor of branded hotels, easyHo-tel, has partnered with MAN Investments, a UAE-owned commercial and investment group, to develop easyHotel properties in the Middle East.
The partnership comes amid an increased focus on budget accommodation establishments in the region and particularly in Dubai.
“We expect the partnership to drive rapid growth for the easyHotel brand in the Middle East that should deliver further shareholder value,” commented Guy Parsons, CEO, easyHotel. “The partnership will greatly improve brand awareness in the Middle East, giving us a platform to consider further opportunities in the region.”
MAN Investments has already secured land and properties which will accom-modate the 2017 openings. The first hotel will be a 300-key development in Bur Dubai.
easyHotel to Expand in Middle East
Arabian Courtyard Opens Chinese Restaurant
L ocated in the heart of the an-cient cultural district and dip-lomatic enclosure of Dubai,
Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa has launched its new Chinese Dynasty Restaurant.
With its traditional reminiscent of the historical bund area on Shang-hai Riverside, the outlet features three private dining rooms overlook-ing Dubai Museum and Dubai Creek.
The restaurant offers a variety of Szechuan and Cantonese dishes cre-ated by the hotel’s chefs.Ch
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in 2017AS PART OF ITS AMBITIOUS PLAN TO OPERATE 100 HOTELS BY 2020 AND CONTINUING ITS STRATEGIC GROWTH MOMENTUM, ROTANA IS EXPECTING TO OPEN 16 NEW ADDRESSES IN 2017.
T he projects, including five offerings in the UAE, four in Saudi Arabia and the group’s debut in Muscat, will see a further 3,756 keys added to the company’s repertoire. By the end of 2017, the total number of properties
in the Rotana portfolio is set to reach 75, amounting to 19,450 rooms. Additionally, 2017 will also see the exten-sion of The Cove Rotana Resort in Ras Al Khaimah.
After being highlighted as a key growth market, the company also has a number of hotels under devel-opment across Africa, demonstrating its emphasis on building a continent-wide presence.
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Deutsche Hospitality has inaugurated Steigenberger Coraya Beach in Marsa Alam, continuing the group’s international growth and further consolidating its presence in the North African country.
Set on a private beach, the five-star property boasts 354 rooms and suites set within extensive gardens. Sports-oriented guests can enjoy a range of ac-tivities, including tennis, squash, beach volleyball and fitness training. More-over, a Hammam, steam bath and sauna are also available as well as three pools. The resort features a range of food and beverage outlets as well as a theatre offering evening entertainment.
The latest addition brings the total number of properties operated by the German group in Egypt to eight, complemented by three Nile river vessels.
Egypt Welcomes Eighth Deutsche Hospitality Hotel
Best Western Hotels & Resorts held its annual convention and recapped various ac-
complishments from the past seven decades.
Joined by approximately 2,600 colleagues, David Kong, CEO, Best Western Hotels & Resorts, led the celebration and discussed the company’s development.
“We are challenging ourselves to soar to new heights, reach new destinations and achieve things that were once considered to be impossible,” said Kong.
The company is already 50 per-cent complete in its reimagined brand identity to help define its offerings and broaden the appeal with a contemporary, energetic and relevant look.
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Muscat Welcomes British Airways
T he addition of the new direct route is a significant step towards OAMC’s strategic goal of placing the Sultanate’s airports amongst the top 20 airfields in the world by 2020.
Aiman bin Ahmed Al-Hosni, CEO, OAMC, confirmed that the UK is attracting a large number of business people, investors and young Omanis completing their studies in the European country, all of whom frequently travel between Muscat and London. The addi-tion of direct services to the UK capital is of great benefit to travellers from both countries.
Q atar Airways’ first daily regularly-scheduled Airbus A350 service landed at London’s Heathrow Airport at the end of October.
To mark the occasion, the Middle Eastern airline’s fol-lowers on social media were able to view a live tour of the interior cabin of the Airbus A350 while on the ground in the UK capital.
Akbar Al Baker, group CEO, Qatar Airways, said, “The Qa-tar Airways Airbus A350 is one of the most advanced aircraft in our fleet […]. It is only right that such an aircraft serves one of our six daily scheduled flights from Doha to London, a route further strengthened by our continued partnership with British Airways.”
Qatar Airways Deploys A350 to London
Oman Airports Management Company (OAMC) celebrated the arrival of British Airways’ inaugural London – Muscat flight.
Johannesburg Greets Etihad Dreamliner
E tihad Airways’ Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner touched down in Johannesburg after its inaugural flight from Abu Dhabi.
As Peter Baumgartner, CEO, Etihad Airways, ex-plained, the decision to upgrade to the popular aircraft on the South African route was to meet the needs of growing numbers of business and leisure passengers travelling between Abu Dhabi and the African destina-tion.
“Today’s modern traveller is constantly searching for comfort, innovation and convenience, and we aim to provide the highest standard of hospitality and techno-logical advancements to make any journey a memorable one,” noted Baumgartner.
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Qatar Airways Partners with Air Botswana
Turkish Airlines Launches Seychelles Services
A codeshare partnership offering Qatar-based travellers enhanced ac-cess to three key destinations in Botswana has been realised between the flag carriers of the two countries.
In terms of the deal, Qatar Airways customers will benefit from double-daily connections to the cities of Gaborone, Francistown and Maun via the air-line’s South African gateway in Johannesburg.
Akbar Al Baker, group CEO, Qatar Airways, commented, “Our new code-share agreement with Air Botswana will offer even greater opportunities for passengers from across our global network […] to take advantage of exclusive leisure experiences.”
Gulf Air Boasts Sialkot
Operations
G ulf Air is set to increase its direct Sialkot service from two to four weekly fre-
quencies, effective from December 01.
Catering to over 3.5 million Pakistani nationals residing in the GCC, the Bahraini carrier has been providing direct air services be-tween Pakistan and the Kingdom since 1960. In 2015, the airline in-troduced direct flights to the cities of Multan and Faisalabad, bringing its country-wide network to seven locations.
Commenting on the upcoming upgrade, Ahmed Janahi, chief com-mercial officer, Gulf Air, said, “We are always looking to satisfy the high demand to and from Pakistan and cater to passenger needs across the Gulf Air network.”
W ith the airline’s inaugural flight landing at Mahé International Airport, Turkish Airlines has added a tourist favourite, Seychelles, to its global route
map.Ahmet Olmuştur, chief marketing officer, Turkish Airlines,
said, “Like Turkish Airlines, Seychelles goes out of its way to put a stamp on quality in everything that it provides as a des-tination. It is [a great addition] to our network, which current-ly has the biggest number of destinations [...].”
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Monarch Halts Sharm El Sheikh
Flights
M onarch has indefinitely can-celled all services and holi-day bookings to Sharm El
Sheikh, from the UK.In light of the government’s travel
ban to the Egyptian airport, the carrier has terminated its winter schedules and will not include the destination in its summer 2017 programme.
As Andrew Swaffield, group CEO, Monarch, explained, if the airfield reo-pens to UK flights in the future, the air-line will assess whether to initiate new routes to the destination.
In previous years, some 700,000 Britons visited the resort town annu-ally.
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Emirates Aviation University has announced the in-troduction of a new executive masters programme in aviation management in collaboration with Cov-
entry University in the UK.Launching in January 2017, the curriculum was de-
signed for students who plan to pursue a career in avia-tion management or want to transition from an opera-tional role into a general management position.
Professionals enrolled in the programme will benefit from the dynamic structure as the course is set to be de-livered in both Dubai and the UK.
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Emirates Aviation University Collaborates with UK
Royal Jordanian Airlines (RJ) and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) in Jordan reached a partnership agreement whereby the airline’s frequent flyers, Royal Plus members, get the chance to
obtain free miles against the money they spend at IHG properties. In terms of the deal, guests staying at InterContinental Resort
Aqaba, Crowne Plaza Hotel Amman, Crowne Plaza Resort Dead Sea, Holiday Inn Resort Dead Sea and Holiday Inn Amman will now benefit from a range of perks.
To get the free miles, RJ’s frequent flyers only need to use their Royal Plus cards at the reception counter upon checking in at the ho-tel, ordering at restaurants and cafés or taking advantage of the prop-erties’ spas, gyms and other facilities.
RJ and IHG Join Forces
Oman Air welcomed the 500,000th loyal customer to its fre-quent flyer programme.
The airline greeted the renowned actress Fakhria Khamis Al Ajami at its head office, where the new member received a compli-mentary gold tier membership of Sindbad, which allows her to enjoy a bouquet of exclusive benefits such as extra baggage allowance, busi-ness class lounge access, in-flight duty free discount, priority check in, bonus Sindbad miles and more.
Paul Gregorowitsch, CEO, Oman Air, commented, “We are delight-ed to have reached 500,000 members. Celebrating this milestone is a great achievement for us and is a reflection of the airline’s commit-ment to service to rewarding and forming genuine connections with our customers.”
Sindbad: Half a Million Members
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S et to unveil its second property in the Chinese city, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts is gearing up for the
December launch of Songbei Shangri-La, Harbin.
Designed with the needs of modern travellers in mind, the property will feature 33 executive serviced apartments, food and beverage outlets, meeting facilities, a spa, indoor swimming pool and a fitness centre.
“Our intentions are to deliver rich and unique experiences that not only embrace the vibrancy of the fabled city of ice, but also the hospitality of the Shangri-La brand from the arrival experience through to service details, culinary inspiration and our luxuri-ous living spaces,” said Tyson Wang, general manager, Songbei Shangri-La, Harbin.
I nterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) celebrated the inauguration of Holiday Inn Osaka Namba.
Located in the heart of the city, the brand’s fifth address in Japan features 314 rooms.
Hans Heijligers, head of Japan, IHG, said, “With a tourism boom in Japan, and especially in Osaka, over the last few years, we have also seen a shift in the trav-elling patterns of international travellers who are now more interested in local experiences than just visiting world famous places or shopping. Travellers can find a variety of local experiences, such as sampling local deli-cacies and exploring the back streets that are unique to Japan, right here in Osaka.”
C hoice Hotels International has signed an agreement with franchise partner Villa Developers & Investments to
develop a new Cambria hotel & suites in San Jose, California.
The 11-storey, 173-room hotel is expected to open in 2018, and will boast 1,800m2 of meeting space, and indoor pool, fitness cen-tre, and a roof-top restaurant and lounge.
Janis Cannon, senior vice president, up-scale brands, Choice Hotels International, said, “San Jose is known for being in the heart of the booming tech industry in California, making it an ideal match for Cambria hotels & suites and our guests in the Bay Area.”
A VANI Pattaya Resort & Spa launched in one of Thailand’s popular beach resort destinations, Pattaya Beach.
The 298-room property offers meeting rooms, a bar, café restaurant, plus the The Pantry, a dedicated zone where guests are able to eat, grab a quick bite or stock up their mini bars.
Another features of the resort include a spa, a 650m2 pool, Jacuzzi and a fitness cen-tre. Daily exercise classes include yoga, Pilates and Muay Thai boxing.
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Harbin to Welcome Shangri-La Hotel
IHG Grows Japanese Footprint
Silicon Valley to Welcome Choice Project
Pattaya Beach Welcomes AVANI Property
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WHO’S MOVED www.traveltradeweekly.travel
DORIS GREIF has been ap-pointed senior vice president of operations in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia at Jumeirah Group.With more than three dec-ades of experience, Greif has held a number of senior positions at the company since joining it in 1999. Her previous role was regional vice president of Europe and general manager of Jumeirah Frankfurt.From 2008, Greif was the chief operating officer of city op-erations at DIFC Investments before returning to Jumeirah Group in 2010, where she successfully led operation of Jumeirah at Etihad Towers as general manager.
SAYED TAYOUN is the new area director of sales and mar-keting of InterContinental Ho-tels Group (IHG)’s properties in Dubai Festival City. With 15 years of hotelier expe-rience and an extensive com-mercial background, Tayoun originally started his career in Beirut and has held several leadership roles with IHG in the region. Previously, Tayoun was heading the sales and marketing activities for the IHG portfolio in Abu Dhabi, based at the Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi Yas Island. In recent years, Tayoun has re-ceived various recognitions and awards, most recently IHG’s commercial leader of the year in India, Middle East and Africa. In his capacity, he will focus on leading the Dubai Festival City properties in their marketing and sales business strategies.
STEVE ALLEN has been named divisional senior vice president of UAE airport op-erations at dnata.After 15 years of experience at British Airways, Allen joined the Dubai-based company in 2008 as vice president of op-erations, where he was instru-mental in the successful de-velopment of the One dnata Strategy. In 2011, he decided to move to performance management as senior vice president; a position which saw him lead several major change pro-grammes for the group, in-cluding the ongoing design of phase two of Dubai World Central. In addition to being part of the Emirates Group Innova-tion Board, Allen currently serves as a board member at Transguard and Plafond.
ANNIE TURNELL has been chosen as public relations and communications manager at The St. Regis Abu Dhabi.Turnell joins the property from Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi, where she handled communi-cations during the property’s opening stage. Prior to that, she was responsible for a num-ber of hospitality clients as a senior account manager at Toh Public Relations. With a focus on the luxury segment, Tur-nells key accounts included JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, Jumeirah Restaurant Group Dubai and Alila Jabal Akhdar.In her new role, Turnell will lead the hotel’s strategic pub-lic relations, marketing and digital communications.
Turnell will head all communications endeavous
Greif initially joined Jumeirah Group in 1999
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TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How has business been in the past months?
LISBETH BENESKI: This year has proven a challenging and engaging year. The global economic market, as well as its impact on our local market meant that our team needed to be proactive and resilient. Because of the commercial and
LISBETH BENESKI
Q & A
with
DIRECTOR, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS, BEACH ROTANA ABU DHABI
WITH A NUMBER OF UPCOMING DEVELOPMENTS ON SAADIYAT ISLAND, INCLUDING THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED
LOUVRE ABU DHABI, IT IS AN EXCITING TIME FOR THE EMIRATE’S CULTURAL SCENE.
LISBETH BENESKI, DIRECTOR, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS, BEACH ROTANA ABU DHABI DISCUSSES HOW BOTH THE
PROPERTY AND ABU DHABI STRIVE TO SHOWCASE LOCAL HERITAGE AND
CULTURAL CREDENTIALS.
will be extraordinary] – and coming museum attractions will shift the cul-tural tourism spotlight to Abu Dhabi. I have seen the arts scene grow yearly; and the new arts district, Warehour421 is outstanding. The annual Abu Dhabi Art event is a must-do. The yearly Abu Dhabi Festival brings global art and mu-sic, [while] Abu Dhabi Classics brings performances from the world’s bright-est and most talented musicians. One is truly spoilt for choice. Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority has been wonderful in supporting, encouraging and grow-ing festivals such as those, and assuredly more will come as the Louvre and Saadi-yat Island Cultural District open. TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How can Abu Dhabi continue to develop as a cul-tural hotspot?
LISBETH BENESKI: I am honoured to be a part of this growing, dynamic smart city. Abu Dhabi is taking a close look at every touchpoint and opportunity to ensure that its visitors have a memo-rable experience. Awareness of all that makes Abu Dhabi so unique will indeed drive more visitors, and the plethora of outstanding events is a major attraction. Abu Dhabi is a sophisticated destination with natural charm and its strengths grow year over year. Smart, eco-friendly transportation and easy access will be important, as will ensuring that unique and bespoke opportunities and experi-ences remain a focus. Saadiyat Island is a win-win for the emirate and the coun-try; it will forever change our landscape. I believe the Masdar City development will continue to gain interest, and cer-tainly Yas Island is a destination on its own. Abu Dhabi, in less time than peo-ple think, will be a top global city des-tination [...]. This city has the elegance, intelligence, tourism product, and all the opportunity in the world; it will just take some time. I am dedicated to seeing it become as I foresee it.
leadership teams’ planning and care-fully executed strategies, we have been able to maintain and retain business despite falling room rates, demand and increased competition. [...]
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: How impor-tant is it for Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi to showcase local culture and heritage?
LISBETH BENESKI: Cultural tourism continues to grow, and our research has shown that guests are hungry for more authentic and real experiences. As one of the iconic hotels in Abu Dhabi, and the flagship of the hometown hotel company, Rotana, we take our cultural heritage seriously. We look for small and meaningful ways to inject the tradi-tional Arabic hospitality into everyday things, including our guest arrival expe-rience, informative books and historical photo displays, coffee and tea menus, Arabic spices and flavours infused in our food and beverage offerings and even experiential packages with local heritage opportunities. In 2017, we will continue to expand our offerings and [improve] the guest experience with educational and informative guides during their pre-arrival periods in order to enhance their experience.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: What does Abu Dhabi offer over other destina-tions in the region?
LISBETH BENESKI: [...] From the charm of Qasr Al Hosn to the modernity of the new skyline, there is so much culturally for visitors to see and experience. A trip to the Heritage Village is a great start-ing point, as is the cultural foundation at Qasr Al Hosn. The Grand Mosque is of course the crown jewel, but I also guide guests towards the Mother of Our Na-tion Park, a boat trip or kayak among the mangroves, and if possible, a city tour from a Seawings plane. [...]
The addition of the Louvre – [which
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Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi
When and how did you get involved in the tourism industry?I started working in the tourism indus-try in 1984, after being a student of the faculty of foreign languages at the uni-versity. At that time I was a part-time English speaking guide at Intourist in Khabarovsk. What are the most important attrib-utes of a good travel agent/tour op-erator?The knowledge of tourist products, quality of service as well as the ability to listen and understand clients’ wishes and expectations.
What is the most frequently asked question that your company receives from customers?Where to go for a holiday?
What are the must-visits and must-dos in Russia that nobody should miss? I think it is good to visit St Petersburg, a historical city, and Russian Far East with its beautiful nature.
Which destinations are on your buck-et-list?Georgia and Portugal.
AGENT’S INSIGHT
Natalia Ezerskaya
Director
Mandarin Travel Company
Khabarovsk, Russia
www.mandarin-travel.com
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Etihad Airways has further enhanced its digital offering with the introduction of a new mobile application for Android smart-phones, enabling passengers to manage their journeys with even greater ease.
The user-friendly app provides comprehensive trip management capabilities and gives customers the information they need in a way that suits them. Us-ers can now organise their journeys directly on their phones, and manage bookings, check in, secure their boarding pass, stay up-to-date on their flight’s status and view their Etihad Guest miles balance, among other functions.
Digitally savvy clients want more from their travel agents than just a website or an application, revealed the World Tourism Market (WTM) Global Trends Report, compiled in association with Euromonitor International.
The concept of clicks and mortar has now moved on, thus, agents need to think in terms of merging their physical and digital presence to thrive on what is
known as the physital economy.Caroline Bremner, head of travel, Euromonitor International, said, “Travel agents who
think that having a website or app means they are meeting the needs of today’s travellers are four years behind the times.”
Travel agents are advised to consider virtual reality as a way to bridge the gap between the traditional face-to-face experience of visiting a high street agent and the expectations of today’s customers.
Amadeus, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Ministry of Tour-ism of Kenya have signed an agreement to provide youth and women of un-derprivileged communities with access to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in travel and tourism.
The pilot programme, to be launched in Kenya before the end of 2017, will include training for locals through Amadeus customers, and the initiative is expected to be replicated in countries around the world.
Taleb Rifai, secretary general, UNWTO, said, “Tourism is not only a catalyst for develop-ment but also for inclusion. Though in most regions women make up the majority of the tourism workforce, they tend to be concentrated in the lowest paid and lowest status jobs, and perform a large amount of unpaid work in family tourism businesses. We, thus, need to work together to ensure women can access better jobs in tourism.”
For the remainder of the 2016/2017 La Liga football season that will end on May 21, 2017, Royal Jor-danian Airlines (RJ) will be the main sponsor of Club Deportivo
Leganés.The carrier will boost its visibility in the
European and international markets with its sponsorship of the Spanish football team.
Suleiman Obeidat, CEO, RJ, said, “Our sponsorship will draw the global attention to Jordan and Royal Jordanian that is leading the air transportation in the Levant region. Royal Jordanian has endeavored, at national level, to promote tourism to Jordan.”
ETIHAD LAUNCHES ANDROID APP
THE NEED TO KEEP UP WITH TECHNOLOGY
WORKING TOGETHER FOR EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN
RJ SPONSORS SPANISH FOOTBALL CLUB
RJ and Club Deportivo Leganés representatives
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Danat Al Ain Resort supported the first car show in Al Ain CityChef André Gerrits (centre) won at Etihad Airways’
Taste of Abu Dhabi competition
UAE Flag Day programmes in Ajman
Ajman Tourism Development Department sponsored the 4th Gulf Business Women Forum
Four Points by Sheraton, Dubai is launching Sky High Tea in partnership
with Fujifilm ME
19 NOVEMBER 2016 19
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19 NOVEMBER 201620
NEWS & EVENTS www.traveltradeweekly.travel
Dubai Maritime Week Gets an
Upgrade
Omran Hosts Annual ISCA Conference
The popular Dubai Maritime Week, which was held be-tween October 30 – Novem-ber 03, has been renamed to
UAE Maritime Week.The week-long programme aimed
at mainstreaming the successful experi-ence of enhancing the competitiveness of Dubai as one of the most important worldwide maritime destination.
Held at the sidelines of the event, the Dubai Maritime Summit revolved around international cooperation in related technology and innovation, the need to reinforce maritime arbitration and investments in human resources for the sector’s further advancement.
The third edition of the gathering at-tracted over 350 exhibitors from interna-tional companies and more than 7,000 visitors comprising local, regional and global experts and marine specialists.
This year’s conference of the International Show Caves Association (ISCA) was hosted at Oman’s re-
nowned Al Hoota Cave.More than 40 international
delegates were welcomed to the event, with the incentive of promot-ing proper management to ensure conservation and preservation of the cave as well as for the safety of guests in the enjoyment of show caves.
Brad Wuest, president, ISCA, commented, “The Al Hoota Cave is important as it was the first show cave to be opening in the Middle East, and its recent reopening fol-lowing Omran’s work with the Oman Ministry of Tourism to create a sus-tainable cave experience supports the aims and objectives of ISCA.”
HOTELIER SUMMIT
December 07 – 09Dubai, UAEwww.ide-global.comHoteliers from across the UAE and Saudi Arabia will share knowledge and ideas.
3RD ANNUAL SOUTHERN AFRICA WOMEN IN TOURISM CONFERENCE
Johannesburg, South AfricaNovember 28 – 30The event will see the launch of the Southern Africa Women in Tourism project, which aims to encourage and support women working in the industry.
EVENTS
ITB BERLIN
March 08 – 12, 2017Berlin, Germanywww.itb-berlin.deOne of the most important annual events where leading industry stakeholders meet, network and conduct business.