world travel awards supplements - abta wtm 2010 day 4

Winners

worldtravelawards.com

The Future of Travel

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HistoryWorld Travel AwardsHonouring excellence in travel & tourismworldwide since 1994

1994 Hollywood 1995 New York 1996 Las Vegas 1997 New York 1998 Bahamas

1999 London 2000 Jamaica 2001 Malaysia 2002 St Lucia 2003 New York

2004 Barbados 2005 London 2006 Turks and Caicos

2007Abu DhabiNew YorkNewcastleBangalore

Turks & Caicos

2008DurbanSydney

ShanghaiOrlandoPoprad

Rio de JaneiroDubai

Turks & Caicos

2009Dubai

DurbanRiviera Maya

ObidosLondon

2010Dubai

JohannesburgAntalya

DelhiJamaicaLondon

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The World Travel Awards acknowledges and celebrates those organisationsthat have made the greatest contribution to the global tourism and travelindustry. It also recognises those brands that are driving the industry togreater heights and innovation in travel.

Celebrating its 17th anniversary this year, theawards has grown into a truly global search forthe very best travel and tourism brands, with thewinners from the five regional ceremonies pro-gressing to the World Travel Awards Grand Finalin London on 7 November.

Last year, 183,000 travel professionals registeredto vote and participate in the prestigious WorldTravel Awards programme – a phenomenal 10%rise in registrations compared to the year before.

This record number is conclusive evidence thatWorld Travel Awards has become the “Oscars” ofthe global travel industry.

Graham E. Cooke, Founder and President, WorldTravel Awards, said: “World Travel Awards is aunique benchmark for industry quality and busi-ness excellence in every region and sector.”

“The increase in registered voters, despite aglobal recession, demonstrates the vital role ofperformance delivery in a challenging and highlycompetitive marketplace,” he added.

This level of accountability makes the WorldTravel Awards one of the highest accolades inthe travel business and is why the award cere-mony is broadcast by BBC World News and othernetworks to over 254 million households world-wide and attended by the industry’s global deci-sion makers.

For the tourism trade, winning a World TravelAward is more than an award – it is an endorse-ment from the thousands of professionals fromaround the globe, as well as a gold seal to theconsumer of travel excellence guaranteed.

The World Travel Awards has continuouslyevolved, expanding the number of awards as theindustry has grown. There are now over 1,000different categories – an understandable numberseeing how the industry has diversified and giventhe fact that there were over 3,600 differentnominees last year.

And as confidence returns to the global econ-omy, the World Travel Awards will be there to re-ward those travel and tourism players thatspearhead the recovery.

The Oscars of theTravel Industry”

Wall Street Journal

“About UsWorld Travel Awards

Visit our VIP Lounge at WTM, South Gallery Level 2, Suite 33 • worldtravelawards.com


Visit our VIP Lounge at WTM, South Gallery Level 2, Suite 33


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Fares and schedules correct at time of going to press (25 October 2010), and subject to availability and change without notice.


The Oberoi, Gurgaon, in Delhi’s National CapitalRegion, is an urban sanctuary set over nine lushacres of landscaped greens and soothing waterbodies. The resort also promises to offer theOberoi’s trademark service and the best ofmodern amenities that led the group to do sowell at the World Travel Awards 2010 Asia &Australasia Ceremony in Delhi on 14 October.

The unique experience begins the moment youenter the property, up the winding drivewaylined with trees, giving you a sense of a quainthill retreat in the middle of the city. The lobby orthe main reception area is set in a magnificentglass edifice, called the ‘jewel box’, whichoverlooks the vast reflecting pool in the centreof the hotel.

To the East lies the linear residential block,deliberately designed so that each of the 202rooms and suites enjoys panoramic views ofthe landscaped greens, swimming pool andreflecting pool, enhancing the visualexperience. The West is flanked by the 50,000square foot retail arcade – a haven forshopaholics.

The rooms at the Oberoi Gurgaon start at anexpansive 620 square feet, offering amongstthe largest accommodation in a city hotel. Eachroom features a walk-in closet, a fully-equippedworkstation and separate seating areas.Handpicked Indian paintings and traditionalIndian silver threadwork (Zardosi) add to thecontemporary elegance.

But the big surprise lies in the bathrooms. Eachhas a large picture window offering views of thegardens or the water bodies, while letting innatural light. True to the Oberoi philosophy ofluxury, the elements of space, height and lightare key to the design and interiors of the rooms.

The Oberoi Gurgaon boasts three suites with22-metre cantilevered private outdoor heatedpools with decks. A round-the-clock butlerservice delivered by professionals trained underRobert Watson from The Guild of ProfessionalEnglish Butlers, ensures a personalizedexperience.

The hotel has one of the largest world cuisinerestaurants in the country, more like a culinarytheatre, with live show kitchens offering Italian,Japanese, Chinese and Indian cuisine.

The hotel also has an exclusive indoor CigarLounge, the first in the country. The extensivemeeting and banqueting facilities canaccommodate up to 1,000 guests while thebusiness centre is an ideal place for smallerboard meetings. And if the meetings and workleave you exhausted, the Olympic size outdoorheated pool or the 24-hour spa will rejuvenateyou in no time. However, if retail therapy is yourthing, there are 13 international boutiques inthe vast retail arcade to indulge in.

Providing a magnificent setting, unrivalledfacilities and gourmet dining combined with thedistinctive Oberoi personalised service, TheOberoi, Gurgaon is the perfect address forbusiness and leisure travellers who are onlycontent with the best.

Hot on the heels of its victory at the World Travel Awards where it wasvoted “Asia’s Leading Hotel Brand”, India’s Oberoi Hotels and Resortshas unveiled a new destination that will open in January 2011.

Oberoi unveils new destination



Trident Gurgaon offers all the facilities you’dexpect in a business hotel, plus many youwouldn’t. Seven lush acres of gardens, domes,reflecting water bodies, courtyards andwalkways lend a resort-like, serene aura. Butone look at the regular guest list will throw upnames like Dell’s Founder, Michael Dell,American Express Chairman, Ken Chenault andPepsi Head honcho, Indra Nooyi. The hotel hasalso hosted international global boards likeFidelity and Deutsche Bank.

The surprises of Trident start from the momentyou enter its grand porch. The warm greeting ofthe waiting staff makes you wonder if they havebeen standing there just for you. As you areescorted under the first grand dome, a vastreflecting pool reveals itself. And if you come inthe night, the serene pool turns into a dramatictheatre with water and large fire torchesshooting from within. The interplay of waterand fire continues inside and is a key element inthe design.

The well-appointed 136 rooms and suites of thehotel are set at the rear, away from the publicareas, ensuring more privacy and quiet for theguests. Each room has large picture windowsthat look out to the reflecting pools or thegardens and let in natural light. The rooms areall equipped with the latest amenities andelegantly furnished, keeping in mind the higheststandards of comfort and convenience for theguests.

The gourmet experience at the hotel offers anall-day dining restaurant called ‘Cilantro’, whichhas been described by leading food writers asserving the best pizzas in town. ‘Saffron’, theIndian restaurant, offers a large repertoire ofculinary wonders from several regions of thecountry. The Japanese restaurant, Konomimakes an ideal setting for power lunches withsushi, sashimis and custom-made bento boxes,while the Bar is great for leisurely after dinnerdrinks.

The hotel’s spa by Angsana, with trainedIndonesian therapists, offers a menu that isbound to rejuvenate your senses and wellbeing.

It’s not just the design and décor, but theattention to detail in the service by the well-trained staff that makes the experience trulyunique. The magical surroundings may leaveyou mesmerized but it’s the gracious andcaring service that makes so many guestsreturn to the Trident.

Imagine an out-of-this-world retreat, right in the middle of oneof the world’s busiest cities. Just voted “Asia’s Leading LuxuryHotel” and “Asia’s Leading Hotel” for the second successiveyear by the World Travel Awards, Trident Gurgaon is located inthe business district of Delhi’s National Capital Region, withineasy distance of the new international airport.

Asia’s leader in luxury


You launched in April 2009 – how has yourfirst year and a half in operation been?I’m delighted to say we’ve made great stridesin our first year and a half. In March welaunched the first Strategic Framework forTourism in England in ten years. This wascreated from an intense period of collaborationwith the industry and was launched with theirendorsement. The key objectives of theframework are: to increase England’s share ofglobal markets; offer visitors compellingdestinations of distinction, improve visitorconnectivity and spread best practise. We arecurrently working on action plans to addressseaside resorts, rural tourism, sustainability,business tourism as well as a new nationalmarketing strategy and an Olympics strategy.

How do you work in partnership withVisitBritain to shape national tourismstrategy?VisitEngland promotes England to thedomestic market and to mature internationalmarkets such as Western Europe and NorthAmerica. The organisation represents thevarious compelling destinations of England andworks hand in hand with the industry tomaximize the industry’s best prospects forsustained growth. We work closely withVisitBritain to maximise marketingopportunities internationally especially in theemerging markets such as the BRIC countries.We will also be working with VisitBritain tomaximise the many potential benefits that the

London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Gamesoffer the country.

How will the closure of regionaldevelopment agencies change the way youoperate?We are working with the Tourism Minister toprovide solutions that will ensure tourism issupported throughout the country once theregional development agencies close.

London has just played host to the WorldTravel Awards Grand Final for the secondyear in a row. What is the significance ofhosting such a prestigious travel industryevent in the capital?London has long been recognised as a fantastichost to internationally-acclaimed events. Thefact that the travel industry has beencelebrated in London on the eve of World TravelMarket has been both timely and significant indemonstrating the global importanceof this industry.

London was voted “World’s LeadingDestination” at the World Travel Awards2010 Grand Final for the second yearrunning. What do you think the city hasdone to win such praise from both thetravel trade and the travel consumer? London is without a doubt one of the world’smost vibrant, exciting and beautiful cities,adored by both visitors and Londoners alike.Not only is the capital a captivating destination

in its own right, but it acts a vital gateway to therest of England allowing visitors to travel out ofthe city centre and experience our villages,coastline, countryside and local traditions andevents. It is fitting that the city to host the 2012Olympic and Paralympic Games should bepraised in this way and justly deserves theaward.

Sport tourism is proving a big cash cow forEngland. Do you have any specific policy fordeveloping this sector?Sports tourism offers England a greatopportunity. We obviously have the London2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games coming upbut in addition to that we have a whole decadeof sport ahead. England’s ability to host world-class sporting events such as the Rugby Unionand Rugby League World Cups, key tennis,athletics and equestrian events and, fingerscrossed, the FIFA World Cup in 2018 help toattract those visitors who will travel the worldfor their sport. In addition we have recentlylaunched specific quality assessment schemesfor the Premier League football stadia andracecourses around England which are touristattractions in their own right, as well assporting venues and provide visitors with agreat day out.

Which source markets offer you thegreatest potential?From an international perspective, the BRICcountries offer exciting potential for us which

JAMES BERRESFORD

Visit EnglandLaunched in April 2009, VisitEngland is responsible for steeringthe nation’s tourism strategy. Chief Executive, James Berresfordexplains his strategies to raise market share.


VisitBritain focuses on on our behalf. However,last year we had our best year in terms ofleisure tourism from the domestic market. I stillbelieve the domestic market offers hugepotential for us. Last year certainly helped toshowcase England as a holiday destination tomany people who wouldn’t have usually takena break at home, and this has provided us withan excellent foundation from which to forgefurther growth.

How do you think David Cameron’s newstance on tourism will help England? Andwhich areas of policy need improvement?It was very encouraging to see the PrimeMinister give a speech on tourism within hisfirst hundred days in office. Tourism in thiscountry will benefit from the support ofgovernment at this level. A crucial developmentis that both the Prime Minister and the TourismMinister, John Penrose, clearly understand thattourism crosses over many governmentdepartments from transport to business. TheMinister is working on his tourism strategywhich amongst other things will tackle issuesaffecting tourism across Whitehall and will belaunched at the end of the year.

How do you see England as a destinationevolving over the next decade?I really believe that tourism in England has

made great strides in terms of quality andvalue for money over the past decade. We’veseen a renaissance in domestic tourism and arenewed appreciation by Brits especially ofEngland as a holiday destination.

Tourism is a hugely important economic driverand is one of but a few sectors that if properlysupported can offer real growth potential.England in particular is a remarkabledestination and a real powerhouse in UKtourism. It alone represents 84 per cent of thetotal UK tourism value, is worth £97 billion, andsupports in excess of 2 million jobs.

VisitEngland launched the first StrategicFramework for Tourism in England in ten yearsin March. This strategy will support theindustry in meeting its potential to grow 5percent annually, over ten years, creating anadditional 225,000 jobs and increasing tourismspend by £50 billion.

As the tourist board for England we arecommitted to growing domestic andinternational tourism and to meeting thegovernment’s goal to see the country rise upthe league tables once again as one of the mostdesirable destinations in the world.

Which areas of improvement does thecountry need to make to improve marketshare?We have some areas around the country thatoffer an outstanding product however wecannot stand still. There are clearly areas thatneed to be improved. We’ve got to ensure thatthe welcome we offer is of the highest standardand consistent across the country.

Which of your plans, developments andinitiatives do you think have the mostpotential and why?The basis for our future lies within the StrategicFramework for Tourism in England. This is ourblueprint for growing the industry. It has thebuy-in and commitment from the industry, hasbeen recently praised by the Tourism Ministerand will ensure that the industry can meet itspotential to grow 5 percent year-on-year overthe next ten years.



What’s the difference between a great hoteland an iconic hotel? This is the eternal questionof luxury hospitality.

It might be said that there is no overridingingredient, rather a series of factors that blendseamlessly to create more than just a stay butan ever-lasting experience.

At Italy’s Furore Inn Resort & Spa that quest todissect every aspect of the customerexperience has turned it into one of the world’smost romantic boutique hotels, and a placethat leaves an indelible mark on those that stay.The popularity of the hotel has led to it beingvoting “Italy’s Leading Boutique Hotel” by theWorld Travel Awards.

From the warmth of the welcome to thegourmet cuisine, general manager AlfonsoImperato sets about with an almost evangelicalmanner to provide his guests with anexperience they will never forget.

But perhaps the most overwhelming feature isFurore’s setting. Built into a cliff side thatplunges down from the peaks of Monti Lattari,the Furore affords thousand-mile views acrossthe sparkling waters of the Med and the islandof Capri. Even the most diehard of cynic will bebowled over by the romance of thisotherworldly paradise.

The tiny fishing hamlet of Furore echoes theItaly of old – a timeless world of ancient lemongroves and vineyards, where the soothingsilence of nature is only ever broken by thesound of distant church bells.

The lie of the land here is so steep that thehotel, like all original houses in the hamlet, hasbeen built into the terraces on the side of themountain. This also means that everything is inreverse – the car park and entrance are on thetop floor, you take a lift down to reception, thenthe bedrooms laid out in lower terraces.

Reflecting the sun and sea, the rooms andsuites are decorated in pristine white andshades of blue, each with a private terrace andstunning sea views. With nothing but the gentlebreeze and the sound of the sea to disturb you,

there is a real sense of peace and tranquillity.

The Furore’s crowing glory is La VolpePescatrice – its gourmet restaurant with anoutdoor terrace from where you can gaze inawe at the changing colours of the Med, whilsttucking into some of the finest food you will findanywhere in Italy.

The mornings are particularly special, and ifyou awake to catch the sun rise you feel likeyou’re the only person in the world. It’s nosurprise that over the centuries, numerousEuropean artists have called Furore and thesurrounding villages home. It is almost like anopen air museum with its own ghosts whorange from Ullisses and the Saracens toMagnani and Rossellini.

Furore – a base for discovery

Furore also serves as an ideal base to explorethis remarkable area. The historic towns ofAmalfi, Positano, Ravello and the whole Amalficoast are only a few kilometres away by car.

Perched high in the hills above Amalfi, the townis Ravello is perhaps the jewel of the coastline.Wagner, DH Lawrence and Virginia Wolf allsought artistic inspiration by living here, whilsttoday the lush gardens and breathtaking viewsare the best in the world, according to formerresident Gore Vidal.

Alternatively, from Furore, head up to mountain.After you brave a few nerve-tingling hairpinturns and cross the mountain pass, the scenerychanges dramatically from lush sub-tropical totemperate alpine. From here it’s about an hourto the biggest tourist draw of the region –Pompeii, Europe’s most compellingarchaeological site. It’s also worth spending aday climbing to Vesuvius.

Surrounded by olive groves and vineyards andoverlooking the Mediterranean, Furore Inn Resort& Spa is a paradise hideaway steeped in theromance of ancient Italy.

Furore in full glory


Fuore Inn Resort & Spa – with unforgettable views across the Med

The Olympic pool

The infinity pool – Furore Inn Resort & Spa

The good life - an integral part of the Furore experience


At ITB Berlin in April, you wanted toeducate your travel partners about thecontinuing evolution of facilities at HalfMoon. What are you hoping to achieve atWTM in November?Half Moon is a unique and dynamic product,both in its layout and amenities. As a result, oureffort is always to educate and engage ourpartners so that they are better able topromote Half Moon to their clients. It willcontinue to be our mission at November’sWTM. We hope to meet with new partners anddiscuss with our existing partners thosefeatures and amenities we’ve added since wemet them last year.

How did the relaunch of your websiteprogress?Our new website was launched in August toexcellent reviews. Our new website featuresuser-friendly interface with streaming specials

and promotions to attract user attention. Realtime update capability ensures that we arepresenting the most current information onHalf Moon. Our travel agents now have asimplified travel agent portal that allows themto access the latest training modules and travelagent-specific information. We also added anew booking engine with easy-to-viewpackages and room descriptions to streamlinethe booking process. Additionally, the websitecarries a smart phone optimised version withquick links to resort information and mobilebooking capabilities.

Airlift to Jamaica has improvedconsiderably this year. How is thisreshaping your business and how youoperate?Limited airlift has always been a barrier togrowth for destinations such as Jamaica. Withnew scheduled and charter operations from the

UK and Europe, the destination and resortssuch as Half Moon are better poised to reap thebenefits that such accessibility affords.

Do you see air lift improvements leading toa growth in multi-destination trips to theCaribbean?The charter services that offer multi-destination stops in their itinerary can providean opportunity for growth with this type oftravel. However, the connections inter-island toMontego Bay are not as frequent for us to seegrowth from scheduled carriers in this type ofmulti-destination holiday.

You have been planning a new landmarkluxury villa development, The Colony at HalfMoon. When do you envisage breakingground on this?In light of the soft real estate market globally,the Colony project will resume when the market

Despite its status as one of the world’s legendary paradisegetaways, Jamaica’s Half Moon remains determined toupgrade and develop its facilities, including constructing anew line of suites and a 68,000 square foot spa. HalfMoon’s Managing Director, Richard Whitfield, shares hisup-coming plans.

RICHARD WHITFIELD

Jamaica’s paradisegetaway



becomes buoyant and interests ininvestment/vacation properties regainsstrength.

Have you noticed any pick up in the marketover the past 12 months?It is apparent that bookings windows remainshortened, even from long-haul destinationssuch as the UK/Europe. Nevertheless, allindicators point to improved performance forthe coming year.

What trends do you see emerging inJamaica’s tourism sector?With the new Montego Bay Convention Centreslated to open in January 2011 attractingmeetings and convention business to thedestination will be of even greater importance.Supported by the well-established resorts inclose proximity to the convention centre,Jamaica will be well positioned to attract agreater share of this business.

You won World Travel Awards for“Caribbean’s Leading Conference Hotel”,“Jamaica’s Leading Resort” and “Jamaica’s

Leading Golf Resort” in 2009. How has this helped on a both a consumer and trade level?To be singled out as the leading conferencehotel in the Caribbean as well as Jamaica’sLeading Resort and Golf Resort is anachievement we hold in high regard. Itdemonstrates our commitment to delivernothing but the best service to all our guestsand affirms that our partners in the industryrecognise our efforts to remain the best.

You were voted “Jamaica’s Leading GolfResort” and “Jamaica’s Leading SpaResort” at the World Travel Awards TheAmericas Ceremony in October. What haveyou done over the past year to merit thesenominations?Our mission at Half Moon is to exceed ourguests’ expectations. This means continuouslyworking to improve our product and services.Winning an award one year is not an indicatorfor us that we have arrived at a destination.Rather, it signals to us that we have to workeven harder to demonstrate why we haveearned such a designation. This year, we added

an exclusive teen-activity centre, an officiallylicensed Spinning studio and a new authenticEnglish pub.

Which of your plans, developments andinitiatives do you think have the mostpotential and why?Fern Tree, The Spa at Half Moon remains one ofour hallmark developments. The concept,design and attributes of Fern Tree, being a trulyauthentic Jamaican spa created around theholistic healing traditions and remedies ofgenerations of Jamaicans, make Fern Tree asingular spa experience. Spa continues to growin importance when travellers are selecting aresort. The unique experience that Fern Treeprovides will help to set Half Moon apart fromthe competition.


“We are fortunate that, in Jamaica, we havean island with incredible natural beauty,convenient air access, superior hotelproduct, and a huge range of fantasticattractions that holidaymakers want tocontinue to enjoy,” he said.

But just what can visitors to Jamaicaexpect over the coming year?

New Hotels in Jamaica

Among the most exciting developments inrecent months has been The Palmyra - A SolísResort & Spa. Located in the exclusiveJamaican enclave of Rose Hall in Montego Bay,the property has announced the Sabal PalmTower, the first of its hotel and residentialtowers, is open and in full operation for unitowners - as well as select hotel guests.

“With the completion of this milestone, ThePalmyra is looking forward to sharing the Solísexperience with our first guests, weddings,events and corporate meetings,” said generalmanager Lester Scott.

According to Scott, the second tower, SilverPalm, will be open and fully operational by the

end of 2011, providing the resort with morethan 200 ocean view rooms and guest suites.As planned, all accommodations have beendesigned with ultra high-end features anddesign touches – from marble countertops inthe bathrooms, to flat screen televisions in theliving areas, along with Bosch appliances in thesuite kitchens.

Further along the north coast of the island, TheJewel Dunn’s River Beach Resort & Spaopened its doors in September 2010 aftercomplete renovation. New room designs,improved technology and enhanced poolfurniture have all been included in the work,allowing the property to regain its status as oneof the leading resorts on the tropical island.

Minutes from Dunn’s River Falls, The Jewel isthe perfect romantic getaway for couples,honeymooners and weddings. Overlooking theCaribbean Sea, the resort is all-inclusive, andfeatures six restaurants, five bars, twoswimming pools, tennis courts, a nine-holeexecutive golf course, an updated fitnesscentre and a stunning European spa. The 250fully refurbished rooms also offer a variety ofviews from mountain, to garden, to pool andsea.

The Jewel will also offer a pool concierge topamper and surprise guests throughout theday with refreshing fruit skewers, eucalyptus-infused facial mist, and ice-cold face towels.The pool concierges will greet the guests onlounge chairs around the pools and even swimright up to guests on floats with the samerefreshing service.

In a slightly different sector, but no lessexciting, is the Holiday Inn SunSpree ResortMontego Bay. The property is looking betterthan ever after an extensive refurbishment for2010, with the décor and interiors having beenrefreshed and the inviting front entrance andlobby completely remodelled. The chicrestaurants and bars offer tasty new treats inluxurious and idyllic surroundings just metresfrom the beach.

The new children’s nursery is a great additionfor parents who want to relax during the day,while the guest rooms have been upgradedand enhanced to feature brand new flat screen TVs.

Sandals Resorts has also been making wavesahead of the winter season – dropping itsRoyal Plantation Collection in favour of a

Jamaica has been among the first Caribbean destinations to truly recover fromthe worldwide slowdown in the tourism sector. Visitor numbers are steadilyincreasing, with optimism returning to the market alongside the holidaymakers.With a number of high profile projects scheduled to open ahead of the 2011holiday season, tourism minister Ed Bartlett is also in buoyant mood.

Blossoming Jamaicareturns to world stage

Sandals Royal Plantation Sandals Royal Plantation


unified product offering. Re-launched asSandals Resorts, the Royal Plantationproperties will help the brand achieve itsoverall strategic plan to elevate the SandalsResorts ‘Luxury Included’ experience.

As founder Gordon “Butch” Stewart explained:“When we introduced the Royal Plantationbrand in 2000, it allowed us to acquireproperties, talent and practices that have nowbecome part of the Sandals Resorts LuxuryIncluded experience.

“Our reasons for a second brand no longerexist. Sandals Resorts defines luxury within ourcompany. We are confident in our product andfeel now is the time to bring the familytogether,” he added.

Sandals has also been celebrating recently,having been recognised by the World TravelAwards as a leading operator in Jamaica.Following a gala ceremony in October, thebrand walked off with the title of Jamaica'sLeading Resort – for Sandals Whitehouse

European Village & Spa – and the prestigiousprize for Caribbean's Leading Hotel Brand.

Around the Island

But it is not just hotels which have beeninvesting in Jamaica, with the cruise sectoralso witnessing a resurgence.

At the forefront of developments is a new portterminal under construction on Jamaica’sNorth Coast in the historic port of Falmouth,which is due for completion at the end of 2010.The port – which has been designed to feel likean old style Caribbean town - is expecting tohost the Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seasearly in 2011, while the 5,400-passenger Oasisof the Seas and Allure of the Seas will begincalling in March 2011.

For the business traveller, the Montego BayConvention Centre is set to open in January.First on the agenda is the CaribbeanMarketplace, which will to attract industryexperts and journalists from across the world.

Hosted by the Caribbean Hotel & TourismAssociation, the event will welcome top rankingexecutives from a host of sectors – includinghotels, attractions, destination managementcompanies, restaurants and tourist boards – todo business in what is set to become a leadingMICE destination in the Caribbean.

Finally, back with hotels, Goldeneye - theexclusive resort where Ian Fleming penned 13of his James Bond novels - is reopening afterextensive refurbishment. Operated by IslandOutpost, the property reopened on 10/10/10with guests offered a new range of villas —including the three-bedroom Fleming Villa. Alsoon offer are four other villas, specificallydesigned for indoor-outdoor living, and aselection of one and two-bedroom beachcottages.

Dedicated fans of the destination might alsolike to know the villas at Goldeneye are also for sale..


Goldeneye The Palmyra - A Solis Resort & Spa

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With the impact of the financial crisis still echoing aroundthe global aviation industry, Air India has been one of therare success stories. While former competitors – includingMexicana and Japan Airlines – have battled bankruptcy ininternational courts, the airline has emerged a flyingambassador for its burgeoning homeland.

The Jewel of Asia:

Air India


As India continues to emerge as a worldsuperpower, so Air India is growing into its placeas a global aviation leader. Based in New Delhi,the airline is now a truly global enterpriseoffering a network of 52 internationaldestinations stretching from North America toEurope, Asia and the Gulf. Passengers can flyanywhere from Singapore, to Nairobi,Amsterdam and Washington. At home thenetwork covers 64 destinations, including far-flung areas of the north-east, Ladakh, Andamanand the Nicobar Islands.

But, while its unrivalled catalogue ofdestinations has allowed the airline to developan ever increasing global presence, Air India isperhaps best known for its ceaselesscommitment to self-improvement.

The recent introduction of B777-200LR, B777-300ER, and B737-800 aircraft from Boeing andA320, A321 and A319s from Airbus into thefleet is a case in point, enabling Air India to offerits discerning passengers an ever superiorproduct.

New Departures

Firstly, following the introduction of state-of-the-art B777-200LRs, Air India took theopportunity to offer a new non-stop daily flightto New York.

Departing from either Delhi or Mumbai, theflights offer passengers convenient departureand arrival times, seamless connectivity frommajor metros, comfortable seats, spaciouscabins, mood lighting and a variety of food andbeverages.

All onward westbound flights – to Chicago,Newark, Frankfurt, London, Toronto and Paris -are then operated with new B777s, while AirIndia also uses the aircraft for services to Tokyo,Osaka, Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore and Dubai.

The new winter schedule will also see two morenon-stop flights added, with travellers now ableto head uninterrupted from Delhi to Chicagoand Toronto. The departures will also beoperated with B777 aircraft.

The First Class on the B777s is the epitome ofluxury and exclusivity, where each seat can betransformed into a fully horizontal 77-inch flatbed. The Executive Class cabin, too, is spaciousand has comfortable seats. In turn, theEconomy Class seat is ergonomically designedfor comfort during a long-haul flight.

The new generation Airbus A320 aircraft –comprising the A321, A320 and A319 – have allalso been introduced into Air India’s fleet,enabling the airline upgraded its services toneighbouring countries. Short-haul flights toKatmandu, Kabul and Istanbul are now evenmore comfortable.

Air India’s low cost subsidiary, Air India Expresshas a single aircraft fleet of the new generationB737-800 aircraft. Offering passengerscomfortable aircraft, convenient departuretimes and low cost travel, Express servicesencompass 14 international destinations in theGulf and south-east Asia from 13 Indian cities.

A wide variety of in-flight entertainmentcovering different genres of audio-visualcontent in a number of languages – includingEnglish and Hindi – has also been included in allflight plans. Regional language films, musicvideos and popular television sitcoms are allincluded to make travel as relaxing andenjoyable on Air India flights, both domesticand international, as possible.

The arrival of these new planes takes thepresent operational fleet of the airline to 135aircraft, with the carrier becoming more thanjust an airline. Today Air India is a multi-facetedaviation company with state-of-the-art in-

house infrastructure for maintenance, repair,operations, ground handling and cargo.

Air India as a Trusted Brand

It is also being recognised as such by industryinsiders. Over the years, consumers have votedfor Air India across various consumer surveysand helped it win several prestigious awards,with this success now being repeated in theprofessional environment.

The most recent – and indeed most prestigious– of these awards was recognition from theprestigious World Travel Awards, where theairline scooped the prize for India’s LeadingAirline at the 2010 Asia & Australasia galaceremony.

Holiday Package Experience

But with all these new domestic andinternational opportunities on offer, where arepassengers choosing to fly?

With their wealth and international standingincreasing over the last few years urban Indianstravelling like never before, with Air Indiaoffering of a wide choice of attractive holidaypackages to destinations in India and abroad tomeet the growing demand.

Be it the beaches, hill resorts, national parks,historical places or places of pilgrimage, AirIndia Holidays covers them all. Over 500package options covering over 120 cities in 23Indian states and nine internationaldestinations are on offer, making it one of themost comprehensive holiday packages on offer in India.

There are package options to suit every budget,ranging from three-star to five-star deluxeaccommodation. In many cases, the packagecost is within the normal published full airfare,



thus making it a very attractive deal especiallyfor the budget traveller.

These holiday packages are on sale at Air Indiabooking offices, approved travel agents andalso through a dedicated website. As such theyare accessible to a variety of internationalconsumers, boosting demand.

The new state-of-the-art Terminal 3 at IndiraGandhi International Airport, Delhi, was alsointroduced in July this year – offering Air Indiatravellers a further incentive to fly. Air Indiabecame the first airline to start operatinginternational flights out of the new terminalafter the launch, with domestic operationsfollowing in late October.

Furthermore, Air India plans to make Delhi itshub in the near future, taking advantage of thebenefits that the new integrated terminal willoffer passengers.

Attractive Schemes

But what of those who already fly with theairline?

Air India has repeatedly stated rewarding theloyalty of its passengers has become a priority,with a number of attractive schemes offeredaround the year – including the current LUCKY7. This promotion will see any individualtravelling seven times from Delhi on Air India’sdomestic or international services beforeNovember 14th receive an economy classreturn ticket to any destination on Air India’sdomestic network out of Delhi.

It is incentives like this which have bolstered theairline’s position in India. As new routes and theintroduction of new aircraft woo new travellers,

rewarding those who already fly with the airlineensures passengers return time-and-again.

More conventional, but no less rewarding is Flying Returns.

The frequent flyer Programme of Air India isrecognised as one of the best in the industryhaving recently been restructured to make itmore attractive. Mileage accruals andredemptions have been recast to align withindustry norms and offer a better earn-burnratio. Members also have the advantage ofavailing the benefits of the frequent fliersprogramme with Singapore Airlines, with whomAir India has a partnership.

Air India and Sports

Popularity among the Indian public as alsobeen boosted in recent years as Air India playeda stellar role in the promotion of sportspersonsacross the country, with some of the finestathletes in various disciplines on its rolls.

Today it is a matter of pride for the airline thatsome of India’s best sportsmen and women indisciplines across the spectrum of sportingexcellent – including hockey, cricket, chess,shooting, carrom, kabaddi, badminton andswimming – are Air Indian ambassadors.

Perhaps most important to Air India is thenational sport of hockey. Nearly half the Indianmen’s hockey team for the recentCommonwealth Games in Delhi was made upof Air India players, with Prabodh Tirkey, ArjunHalappa, Shivendra Singh, Gurbaj Singh,Vikram Pillay, Adrian D’Souza, and V.S.Vinayaamong those offered support.

Star Alliance

Back in the skies and the national carrier hasbeen invited to join Star Alliance, the leadingglobal alliance of 23 top international carriers.Air India will take its seat at the top table ofglobal aviation during March 2011, joiningUnited Airlines, Continental Airlines, Air Canadaand Air China in the largest aviation alliance.

Once the airline becomes a member, Air Indiapassengers will enjoy enormous benefits,including seamless transfers while travellingacross the world, more frequent flyer mileagepoints, code sharing leading to a wider choiceof flights and access to lounge facilitiesworldwide.

The Star Alliance network offers 21,200 dailyflights to 1172 destinations in 181 countries.

As India takes its place on the world stage –challenging the established order alongsideChina, Brazil and Russia – it will need an airlineof global repute. Luckily for its leaders, Air Indiais already one step ahead.


Whilst the burning question Europe’s tourismindustry was asking last year was when wewould see the green shoots of recovery, thisyear it has turned to which nations are emerging fastest.

In the United Nation’s World TouristBarometer, international tourist arrivals inEurope grew the slowest globally in the firsthalf of 2010 – just 2 percent higher comparedwith 14 percent in Asia and the Pacific, 20percent in the Middle East, 7 percent in Africaand 7 percent in the Americas. But within theEuropean Union positive signs of a recoveryare emerging, led by Germany, the region’seconomic engine and its largest travelconsumer.

Germany spluttered badly during the slump inworld trade. And when the Germans startedreigning in their travel expenditure, popularoutbound markets such as the Spanishcostas and the Greek islands rapidly felt thesqueeze.

But the country is once again firing on allcylinders. GDP grew by 2.2 percent (anannualised rate of close to 9 percent) in the

three months to the end of June, well aboveeven the most optimistic of forecasts andrepresenting its strongest since reunificationalmost two decades ago.

The German revival is being felt across thecontinent. Spain, Germany’s largest outboundmarket, has finally turned a corner after beingone of the tourism economy’s hardest hit bythe global downturn.

Overnight stays by international arrivals roseby 11 percent in July this year, compared tothe same time in 2009, according to officialfigures from Spain’s National StatisticsInstitute. The Spanish revival was also helpedby renewed confidence in the UK, its secondlargest source market.

The country has also been seeking an unlikelyally in China. At a recent meeting betweenSpanish Prime Minister José Luis RodriguezZapatero and his Chinese counterpart WenJiabao, the two nations agreed to collaborateon a number of economic fronts, includingtourism.

Initiatives will include policies that make it

easier for Chinese to obtain travel visas fortravel to Spain and other European countries.The heads noted that events such as Spain’svictory in the FIFA World Cup and theShanghai World Expo 2010 – where theSpanish pavilion is one of the most visited –have piqued Chinese citizens’ interest invisiting.

Madrid’s goal in the short term is to triple thenumber of 90,000 Chinese tourists who visitSpain each year. Zapatero said he wasworking on a new plan that promotes Spanishcultural and ecotourism destinations ratherthan the traditional model of sun, sea andsand.

For now, Spain ranks behind France, Germanyand Britain as a favoured destination forChinese travellers heading to Europe, thoughthe Iberian nation is the world’s number twotourist destination overall.

Meanwhile, Spain’s great European tourismrival, France, has been attempting to woo theArabian tourism dollar and encouragestrengthening political, economic and culturalties. This summer the French police deployed

It’s a been a tough year for tourism across Europe, but withGermany, the economic powerhouse of the continent, firing on allcylinders again, the outlook for the likes of Spain and Greece islooking considerably rosier than 12 months ago.

FOCUS ON

Europe


officers with foreign-language skills –including Arabic – to key tourist locationsduring busy holiday periods.

But it remains to be seen what impact theFrench government’s ban on face-coveringgarments in public will have on the willingnessof Muslims to visit the country.

The UK too is pushing hard to lure the Arabiantraveller. In May VisitBritain launched abusiness-to-business travel trade event,Destination Britain & Ireland, in Dubai, withmore than 200 key companies and travelindustry specialists attending.

And its efforts seem to be working. Inboundtourists from Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia andthe United Arab Emirates rose 9 percent year-on-year in 2009, and accounted for 1.7percent of all visitors to the UK.

VisitBritain said Gulf tourists were particularlyattracted to the UK by the opportunity toshop for fashion and luxury goods notavailable at home, and to watch PremierLeague football. Britain’s reputation as a safe,well-organised country, with polite,approachable people and low levels of theftwere also key pulling factors.

Other positive factors included Britain’stemperate climate, in contrast with theaverage 45ºC summers in, say, Saudi Arabia.In Greece, tourism receipts have dropped by

nearly a quarter in the past two years, withstrikes and civil unrest denting a sectoralready hit by the global crisis. The strength ofthe Euro has also proved counterproductive,with Greece losing share to non-Eurozoneneighbouring destinations Turkey and Croatia.

Greece relies on its sun-drenched beachesand historic monuments for nearly a fifth ofits economy and a recovery in tourism iscrucial as the country struggles to recoverfrom a debt crisis and its worst recession in36 years. Spending by international touristsfell to €2.8 billion in the six months to June,down 11.9 percent year-on-year and 23.3percent over two years, according to GreekCentral Bank.

Revenues were hit particularly hard in Junefollowing the death of three bank employeesduring anti-government protests in May, at atime when almost daily strikes were leavingtourists stranded at airports and harbours.

It has upped value-added tax to 23 percent this year as part of an austerity driveaimed at pulling the country out of its debtcrisis.

But Greece appears to have turned a cornerover the summer. In July tourist arrivalsnarrowed to 1.3 percent from a 6 percent dropin May. August arrivals came in marginallyhigher than last year.

Whilst Greece has been one of the highestprofile victims of the downturn, its neighbourTurkey has emerged as one of the stars.

As our travel patterns have shifted to moreadventurous pastures, mid-haul has becomethe new short-haul. The likes of Istanbul offeran entirely different experience yet are only anhour or two further than traditional city breakEuropean destinations.

The shift to mid-haul has also sparked a boomin tourism across the country. Take Antalya –a sleepy ancient city that has beentransformed into the country’s main holidayresort, complete with palm-lined boulevards,glitzy marina and summer home to affluentGermans and British.

This city also epitomises what Turkey doesbest – by combining a rich, welcoming localculture with superb hospitality facilities, sun-kissed beaches and value for money, it hascreated a winning formula that now attractsvisitors from the world over, come boom or bust.



Staying connected with travellers on the move has become one ofthe industry’s key objectives as the mobile web goes mass market.As mobile web becomes key to the marketing mix, Nick Salter fromWorld Mobi outlines the key elements for developing a solid strategy.

Why you must havea mobile strategy inplace for 2011…

Over the past 15 years most businesses haveswitched their marketing budgets from paperbased brochures to desktop websites. Themove to mobile is now set to become thebiggest shift in the way information is ac-cessed since the Internet revolution com-menced.

The rapid growth in web-enabled mobilephone ownership means that mobile searchwill soon become the primary way in which weaccess information on the Internet. Desktopsearch will remain important, but the majorityof searches will be performed by users-on-the-go via a mobile device.

There are nearly five times as many mobiledevices as there are desktop and laptop PC’sand by 2011 around 85% of these will be ableto access the mobile web.

So, you’ve recognised that sooner or later youare going to have to develop a mobile webstrategy. How then, should you go about it?

1 Start by taking a look at your own desktopwebsite on a mobile phone. How long doesit take to load? How easy is it to navigate?How quickly can you find the informationyou need? What does the user experiencesay about your brand?

2 Don’t assume that because your websitelooks OK on one make of phone it’ll be fineon all types. Check the iPhone, iPad, Nokia,Android, Blackberry…and the latest Win-dows Phone. You need the site to look goodand work smoothly across all types of mo-bile device.

3 Don’t spend all your money on flashyiPhone apps. You’ll look great to the smallpercentage of iPhone users but you’ll beexcluding all the other handset users. Ofcourse you could also build apps for all theother platforms…but that could get expen-sive and complex to maintain. Find out howyou can leverage the mobile web acrossevery device.

4 A mobile web site is not just a smaller ver-sion of your desktop site. Too many pic-tures and your site will take forever to load.And touch screen mobiles are navigated ina very different way to mouse driven PC’s.Think of the user experience and what sortof information a user-on-the-go might needto get quickly.

5 Remember the mobile is also a communi-cations tool. Leverage its power by addingin functionality - such as click to call - sousers can jump seamlessly from readingabout you on your mobile site to talking toyou on the phone.

6 Build your site with users-on-the–go inmind. Ensure you have content on yourmobile site that will attract visitors afterthey’ve arrived, not just at the trip planningstage. Sticky content that is useful to thetraveller on the move means your brandstays front-of-mind for longer.

7 Ensure you have a strategy that worksacross both desktop and mobile channels.Do you want to update them separately ortogether? Do you have a content manage-ment solution that you can adapt in houseor do you need a partner that can do all theupdating for you?

8 Don’t do nothing. Your future customersare already searching out your brand ontheir mobile phones whether you like it ornot and they’re making judgements basedon what they find. Don’t give them the op-portunity to search out a more mobile-friendly option. Make sure they’re gettingan experience that’ll keep them comingback.

World Mobi are the leaders in travel andtourism mobile strategy and mobile web de-velopment. For more information, [email protected].

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