All is not lost for Iraq tourism

By Kadum Wailli
Bombings, conflicts and deaths are not the only ones making headlines out of war-torn Iraq. It turns out that efforts are being made to revive the country’s once flourishing tourism industry.

BAGHDAD, Iraq (eTN) – European and Arabs companies have submitted proposals to build an airport on the road between Najaf and Karbala, which are the holy cities located south of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.

Recent reports indicate that nine Arab and foreign companies made offers to compete for the building of an airport worth of US$3 billion between the two most important holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, 100 kilometers south of Baghdad.

"Nine companies from Kuwait, Italy, France, Turkey and Belgium made offers through Iraqi companies according to the investment law for the establishment of the new international airport in Karbala, costing US$3 billion,” said the chairman of the Reconstruction Committee in the city, Mr. Falah Al-Hasnanwi. "All offers will be studied by Iraqi experts, and it is expected to proceed next year."

Al-Hasnanwi added: "The airport will be implemented on an area of 220 acres .Tests were conducted in the region and received OK according to the international specifications.”

The construction is scheduled to take about three years to complete.

Kerbala and Najaf cities are holy cities that bring ten of thousands of pilgrims from Iran , Europe and Gulf area each year.

In another development, the official spokesman of Najaf governorate announced the signing of understanding memoranda between Najaf governorate and the US-based commercial manufacturer Boeing.

"During the visit of the delegation of the American Boeing Company to Najaf International Airport last Thursday, and meeting with the governor of Najaf, Ashraf gAsaad, and chairman of the committee implementing the Airport of Imam Ali, Abdul Hussein Abtan, there were discussions about ways of providing technical and informational by Boeing,” Ahmed Abdul Hussein Deibel said. “In addition to exchanging experiences and holding training courses for the working cadres in this area and the possibility of making a partnership contract to operate the airport, when is achieved, and provide it with airplanes."

He added, "Boeing promised to make frequent visits and sign understanding memoranda between the two sides."

The Boeing delegation visited the site of Imam Ali Airport and briefed on the work carried out at the airport of internal roads, the helicopters airstrip, aircraft parking plaza and the rest of the work executed.

Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi-based Rotana Hotels said on Tuesday it would develop a $55 million five-star property in Erbil in Iraq’s Kurdish region, which has largely been spared the violence affecting the rest of the country.

Rotana, which has 25 hotels across the Middle East, will compete for a growing hospitality business with the Erbil International Hotel; the city's only other five-star property, where a standard twin room costs around $300 a night.

"This is part of our strategic aim to have a property located in every key city in the Middle East," Rotana president Selim el-Zyr said in a statement.

The semi-autonomous Kurdish Regional Government is trying to encourage investors to develop Erbil's hotel infrastructure and turn the city into an entry point to Iraq for foreign businesses.

The Ministry of Tourism last month said three or four times the current numbers of hotels were needed.

The city's international airport handled about 170,000 passengers in 2006 and the regional government is building a new airport to handle 1.5 million, according to the London-based Kurdistan Development Corporation.

Austrian Airlines became the first European carrier to resume scheduled flights to Iraq last year when it began twice-weekly services to Erbil from Vienna.

Rotana's 205 room Erbil property, scheduled to open in 2009, is owned by Lebanese holding company Malia although potential investors are “still welcome,” according to president Jacques Sarraf.

*With input from local media.

Cathay Pacific To Wait On Next-Generation Planes

Reuters-Cathay Pacific Airways will wait at least another two years before ordering any of the new wide-body planes offered by Boeing and Airbus, its chief executive said, despite the promise of cutting fuel costs and predictions of a surge in Asian air travel.

Hong Kong's flagship airline, which is the third-biggest in Asia, is in no hurry to make a decision and is happy to avoid the hassles experienced by rival Asian carriers of being the first to fly such revolutionary aircraft.

"If you are one of the early customers, you can be almost certain that it's going to go wrong," Tony Tyler, Cathay's chief executive said. Airbus's A380 superjumbo, the largest commercial plane in the skies, entered service only last week after two years' delay, while Boeing just announced a six month delay in producing its new 787 Dreamliner.

Given the inevitable teething problems, Cathay is shying away from billion dollar commitments for new planes that won't be delivered for five years or more.

"I don't think we are comfortable ordering that far ahead on a new aircraft type," said Tyler, who took over as Cathay CEO in July. "I don't think we'll be making a decision on any of these aircraft for at least two years."

Cathay has a mix of large Airbus and Boeing jets in its 110-strong wide-body fleet, and is taking delivery of another 23 Boeing 777s over the next four years or so to cope with expected growth in traffic to Hong Kong and China.

Airbus's A380, which made its maiden commercial flight for Singapore Airlines last week, is not an option for Cathay right now.

"In our current fleet and network, it doesn't make as much sense as getting more 777-300ERs," said Tyler, referring to Boeing's extended range mini-jumbo, which seats about 385 people, fewer than the 500 or more that the double-decker A380 can accommodate.

"All our financial modeling shows that we are better off offering more frequency with a very efficient aircraft like the 777 than simply adding more capacity to an existing frequency, which is what we would be doing if we introduced the A380," he said.

Cathay is also wary of being an early customer on an unproven commercial plane. "We want to see that aircraft (the A380) in operation for a bit first," said Tyler. "It's no fun being an early customer."

Singapore Airlines, which is Asia's largest carrier, had to wait longer than expected for its first A380 after wiring problems pushed the schedule back.

In the last month, Boeing has been telling its first 787 customers -- led by Japan's All Nippon Airways -- that they will have to wait at least six months more than planned as it wrestles with out-of-sequence work and a shortage of bolts.

Despite his caution over the A380, Tyler said that if Airbus stretched the plane to fit more passengers, or increased its take-off weight to extend its range, Cathay might buy.

"Either of those options would make it more economic and more competitive from our point of view," said Tyler, who wants a bigger plane which can carry more cargo and is more suited to very long trans-Pacific routes.

Airbus has mentioned a stretched version of the A380, but there are no plans to build it yet.

Tyler said Cathay was also interested in Boeing's 787 and Airbus's A350 XWB -- the new generation of mid-sized, long range, carbon-composite planes -- but gave no estimate of when a decision would be reached.

"That promises to be quite an interesting bit of work, to look at both those aircraft," he said. Cathay would be interested in the stretched 787-10 version of the Boeing plane, Tyler said, which Boeing has been considering but has not yet committed to build.

Cathay is keeping its eye on the market for new planes as air travel through its Hong Kong hub -- from which it serves mainland China destinations -- is set to grow dramatically over the next few years, spurred by the Beijing Olympics next summer.

Although Cathay's capacity is set to grow only about 3 percent this year, new planes in its fleet will help produce a year-on-year increase of about 12 percent next year, said Tyler.

"All carriers from around the world are increasing their frequency into the mainland (of China)," said Tyler. "Even in the face of increased direct competition, I'm still very confident of our ability to carry our fair share -- or more than our fair share -- of traffic."

AIRPORT NEWS

Iran switches terminals for international flights

From Sunday (November 4) all foreign airlines working in Iran will operate from the new Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKIA) located 30km (20 miles) south of Tehran, instead of the severely-overloaded city-centre Mehrabad airport. Air France, Austrian Airlines, British Midland and Lufthansa have all confirmed that their flights will utilise IKIA, which has been ready for international flights since 2004 but has been hardly used thanks to a series of ‘issues.’

When IKIA – named after the Islamic republic’s revolutionary leader – first opened three years ago, the Revolutionary Guard moved to shut it down. They objected to the involvement of a Turkish-led consortium in the project which, they said, had business dealings with Israel. The Revolutionary Guard claimed the link posed a threat to national security. Later, the airport was re-opened but suffered a number of subsequent closures over various issues.
However, the final switch of major airlines to IKIA seems likely to go ahead. Following the move, the long-established and somewhat ‘tired’ Mehrabad airport – located within the Iranian capital limits – will be almost exclusively used for domestic flights.

L&T wins Indian contract

Engineering and Construction company Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has been given the master contract for the redevelopment of Mumbai airport, the largest airport hub in India.
The contract is for the reconstruction of the domestic and international airport building as well as the air-side redevelopment of the Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA). This includes the runway and a new integrated cargo complex among others. The project will redevelop the airport section by section, while operations continue. The rebuilding is reportedly to be among the most complex infrastructure projects being undertaken around the world.
L&T is expected to carry out most of the work on its own, except for some technical contracts like baggage handling, electrical and certain mechanical work which may be sub-contracted to domain experts.
The master plan, yet to be approved by the government, has been designed to expand and upgrade the infrastructure anticipating 40 million passengers per year. International and domestic terminals will be merged into one terminal building at the current international building and the current domestic terminal will be converted to a dedicated cargo terminal.

100 not out for Edinburgh

Edinburgh Airport has announced that, for the first time, the number of destinations it serves has reached the century mark. Over the past ten months, the addition of 29 new routes has helped the airport reach this total.
This summer, the airport became Scotland’s busiest, overtaking Glasgow, and with 8.9 million passengers each year it is one of the fastest growing hubs. This figure is double the number of passengers who used the airport ten years ago.
David Johnston, managing director of the airport, says, “These links are hugely important for our leisure passengers who tell us they want to be able to fly direct from their local airport, as well as for incoming visitors and business travellers. We will continue to grow, investing in new facilities to meet passenger demand. Next year, we plan to spend £42 million on terminal development, new aircraft stands and on airfield facilities.”

Residents oppose Siena expansion

Aeroporto di Siena SpA is planning to transform the small private airport of Ampugnano, just outside Siena, into an international airport. Galaxy, the investment company that has won the contract to become the airport’s major shareholder, is proposing to extend the runway and to increase passengers from 13,000 a year to 220,000 in 2012, and 490,000 in 2020.
Valerio Bellamoli, the chief operating officer, said that as the airport is intended for tourists, and Galaxy is conscious of preserving the beauty of the surrounding countryside. He said the airport will be small, and he pointed out that Pisa, the main airport used currently for Siena, has three million passengers annually.
But many locals are doubtful and an anti-airport committee has been established, with villages around Siena full of placards protesting against the plan. Inhabitants fear the unspoilt countryside will lay below the roar of Boeing 737s. The committee claims that, to be financially viable, the airport would be so big that it would have an impact similar to that of a vast industrial area. It says an improved rail link with Pisa is a better alternative.

Paxport launches sales platform for tour operators and leisure airlines

The launch of PaxRelax, a web based platform that will allow both airlines and tour operators to sell services such as choice of seats, catering, excess and/or special baggage was announced by Paxport. Launching customer, Thomas Cook Northern Europe will offer the service to its customers in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.

Hans Borg, Flight Planning and Contracting Manager for Thomas Cook Northern Europe states; “Our customers now expect to be able to make their own choice of services regardless of which airline they are flying with. PaxRelax makes it possible for us to meet the customer expectations without having to involve ourselves in all the complicated operational issues around flying a plane.”

Paxport Sales Manager Orjan Persson explains; “PaxRelax was developed according to the market and specifically Thomas Cook NE requirements. It is an open platform that will allow both tour operators and airlines to generate extra revenue. The product is now launched in Scandinavia, but there is already a considerable interest from both tour operators and airlines from the European continent and the UK. Because of the open structure the product is suitable for any market with an airline and/or tour operator structure.”

Enhancing the UN intiative for analliance of civilizations

The UNWTO ‘Conference on Tourism, Religions and Dialogue of Cultures’ taking place in Cordoba, Spain, underscores tourism’s potential to advance intercultural dialogue. “Tourists and visitors can become the connecting thread between cultures, bring economic development to remote or depressed regions, and reduce prejudice, distrust and hostility”, said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in a special message delivered at the opening of the event.

Mr. Ban Ki-moon endorsed this first ever initiative and said “I strongly support the work of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, our most recent specialized agency, to promote peace and mutual understanding through the responsible and sustainable development of tourism. I commend UNWTO’s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, which includes guidelines for reaching that goal.”

In an opening message, his Excellency Mr. Jorge Sampaio, High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations of the UN said that “This meeting could not have been convened at a more relevant time, given the current state of the world. From all directions, we are confronted with rising intolerance, a shift toward increasingly hostile attitudes, and global instability. From a sustainable development viewpoint, an appropriate management of tourism should tend to reinforce its role as a powerful means to promote dialogue and understanding worldwide as well as to help consolidating stability and peace.”

UNWTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli said that “tourism is much more than just an economic matter. It shares with the great religions its environmental, social, ethical and cultural content. Tourism and religions share the use of the same cultural heritage built up in a complex relationship that is both constructive and conflictive at the same time.”

Convened by UNWTO with the support of the Government of Spain, this first ever Conference on this issue brings together around 300 participants from over 80 countries, including public and private stakeholders, the academic community and religious leaders from all faiths.

The three-day international event concludes on 31 October after having addressed the interrelations between tourism and religions from three different but complementary angles:

• Dialogue of civilizations
• Religious tourism; and
• Sustainability of religious tourism destinations.

DOT gives quick release to fire victims in California

The immediate release of $1 million in emergency relief funds to California will help pay for urgent repairs to roads and bridges damaged by wildfires, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters announced. “We’re making this down payment because the last thing local officials should have to worry about is how to pay for needed road repairs,” said Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters.

“We’re taking uncertainty and delay out of the equation when it comes to repairing the state’s damaged highways.”

Peters said the $1 million quick release was intended to help California address repairs that need immediate attention, such as damaged or destroyed guardrails, signs or traffic signals, and to get essential sections of the highway system working again until the state completes a full assessment of the damage.

The FHWA’s emergency relief program provides funds to states for the repair or reconstruction of federal-aid highways damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events. The program typically works on a reimbursable basis.

"Transportation is key for communities to get back up and running again after a natural disaster,” said FHWA Administrator J. Richard Capka.

Nearly half of all business travelers are afraid of flying

Fear of flying is normally associated with in-experienced travellers, but around 40% of regular, business travellers are similarly affected and British companies are not doing enough to help their employees. The claim comes from Flyingwithoutfear.com, a self help website providing free videos; audio files, blogs and other information to keep people overcome this problem. Ironically – or perhaps usefully - flyingwithoutfear.com is run by a pilot - Captain Keith Godfrey.

Captain Godfrey explains: “anxiety when travelling means business people are not performing at their best, although this is just the tip of the iceberg. Fear of flying can have a damaging effect on the traveller’s family too, either before a trip, or by transferring the far to children. Then there is the effect on the traveller’s self esteem and sense of guilt.”

Flyingwithoutfear.com helps first time and nervous travellers by enabling them to sample the sounds of take off, to watch footage of planes in flight, and to download information podcasts. “What we do is to dispel the myths about flying and to provide a friendly and supportive environment,” says Captain Godfrey.

“The new Corporate Manslaughter Act means that companies are responsible for their employees’ well-being. Flying remains one of the safest means of transport, but duty of care should mean helping travellers to fight what is, for many, a fact of life but one which can be overcome,” he concluded.

Singapore to showcase landmark tourism projects at WTM

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is attending World Travel Market (WTM), to showcase its 2008 landmark tourism projects and update the industry on its latest developments which are building on Singapore’s standing as a global city with buzz and vibrancy, brimming with diverse entertainment and lifestyle options.

In September 2008, subject to final safety approvals, Singapore will host the world’s first ever Formula One night race which will also be the first ever Formula One street race in Asia. The FIA gave the green light on Wednesday for Singapore to be the first country in the world to host the first night race in Formula One history.

Set against the backdrop of downtown Singapore, spectators will get a close-up view of the garden city as the circuit winds past historic landmarks such as the Singapore City Hall and The Fullerton Hotel, and modern buildings at Marina Bay, such as the Esplanade. Organisers are predicting the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix will be perhaps the most spectacular event in the history of the Grand Prix, and is expected to attract more than 80,000 spectators, of which up to 40 per cent will be visitors from all corners of the globe. Track action will be part of a whole package of entertainment and events which will make the GP an amazing two week-long festival of fun, high octane action across the island.

Opening in March 2008, the much anticipated Singapore Flyer will be Singapore’s most visible attraction offering visitors a breathtaking, unobstructed radial view stretching to 45km in circumference out over the South China Sea.

It will be the world’s highest observation wheel at 165 metres above ground, the height of a 42-storey building (by comparison the London Eye, is 135 metres above the ground). It will also offer an array of public facilities including a central atrium with a recreated Asian rainforest, outdoor amphitheatre, alfresco dining promenade running along the seafront, and offer high accessibility by train, bus, car and even boat.

Ms Divya Panickar Area Director for North and West Europe says: “2008 is a very exciting time for Singapore with visitors invited to take part in the spectacular Formula One™ Singapore Grand Prix in September - the first ever night race in Formula One™ history - as well as experience a selection of new luxury boutique hotels, bars, restaurants and attractions in the city. These exciting developments are a reflection of how the island-state is redefining itself into a vibrant, must-visit destination offering an array of world-class, unique and culturally-rich experiences.”

With record visitor arrivals expected for 2007, visitors to Singapore from the UK and Europe are a major contributing factor to Singapore’s continued success story.

Ms Panickar continued: “As Singapore accelerates the pace of its innovation, we are excited to be attending this year’s WTM to inform the travel industry of our current and future developments. At WTM it is essential that we strengthen and build our relationships with key operators as well as make new contacts in the emerging markets within Europe to further drive growth. We welcomed over 1.2 million visitors in 2006 from Europe, a record high and a significant increase of 7.5% over 2005 and 5.1% over 2004. This year we anticipate that the UK and European markets will once again out-perform their all time high, if our growth rate remains stable for the rest of the year.”

European visitor figures for January to August 2007 are up 6.2% year-on-year at more than 847,000 visitors. While UK visitors increased by 3.5% over the same period in 2006 with a record 333,000 visitors. Most other European markets are doing particularly well.

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) set itself ambitious targets for 2007 - to achieve £4.5 billion in tourism receipts (TR) and attract 10.2 million visitor arrivals (VA). These targets are in line with achieving the STB’s long-term targets of £10.4 billion in tourism receipts (S$30 billion) by 2015. The Board is confident the visitor arrival targets will be met.

To catapult growth in visitor arrivals and to cater for consumers’ demands for new and unique experiences, Singapore is redefining itself as a vibrant global city resonating with energy and excitement. In the last year alone there has been an explosion of new hotels, bars, restaurants and spas and cultural attractions opening:

Hotels

The influx of new boutique and luxury hotels and resorts has continued this year with new offerings such as boutique hotels Naumi Hotel and The Link Hotel in Tiong Bahru. The Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa is a £20 million hill-top resort in the centre of Sentosa, Singapore’s premier island resort, which opened in September. Due to open in late 2007, the new boutique resort, with 125 rooms, will be built with the conservation of two colonial-era buildings. The St. Regis Singapore will also open in November 2007.

New Developments

Singapore’s new large-scale investments including the new developments in the Marina Bay area, including the Singapore Flyer and Gardens by the Bay, the two Integrated Resorts: The Marina Bay Sands™ and Resorts World at Sentosa, the rejuvenation of Orchard Road and the Sentosa harbourfront will help it to realise its tourism potential. Each will be critical in helping it to reach its aggressive Tourism 2015 tourism receipts target of £10.1 billion (S$30 billion).

Dnata establishes strong presence at first ever business travel show in Dubai

Dnata Travel Services is exhibiting this year in the first ever 'Business Travel Show' in the region, under the patronage of HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the Chairman & Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group.

The UK's leading business travel event is being held in Dubai for the first time ever at the Madinat Arena. The show, running from the 29-30 October 2007, will serve the needs of all those who book or buy business travel for their organisation in the Middle East.

A new exhibition in this region, the event will offer opportunities to develop contacts with the world's leading business travel providers, and participate in educational seminars delivered by industry experts and travel buyers.

Iain Andrew, Divisional Senior Vice President Dnata Travel Services, said: “The decision to sponsor and exhibit was taken to position ourselves as the leading travel management in this region. It's also an opportunity for us to showcase our corporate products and services to the right audience both in the regional and international travel industry. Dnata is a one-stop-shop for all travel requirements - we were one of the first travel companies to set up in Dubai, we have now established our presence in other parts of the region such as Kuwait, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and soon in Oman and Qatar, and we feel it’s important to show our support to the industry by supporting the show.”

Mr. Andrew added: “The travel industry in Dubai is thriving and the city is without doubt an exciting destination with a huge amount of potential. In saying that, there is a definite need to educate and increase knowledge in this fast growing market.”

Dnata Travel Services covers 70 square meters of area and showcases the organisations corporate travel products and services. The participating divisions are: Dnata Corporate Travel, Dnata Government Travel, Dnata Travel UAE, KSA and Kuwait, Dnata World of Events, Dnata Contact Centre with its 24 hour service, Hogg Robinson Group (UAE) Gulf Ventures and MMI Travel.

The Dubai Business Travel Show will feature numerous exhibitors and a seminar programme comprising of eight educational sessions. These will run on each of those days teaching delegates the benefits of establishing travel management policies.

US Airways seeks Bogota Charlotte service

US Airways said it would apply for daily service between its hub in Charlotte, N.C., and Bogota, Colombia when the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) begins selecting carriers for 21 new flights to the South American nation.

"We applaud the Department of Transportation's success in securing new frequencies between the U.S. and Colombia," said Doug Parker, US Airways chairman and CEO. "Colombia is a very attractive market for US Airways and fits perfectly into our commitment to grow our international service.

"As a rapidly growing city with a vibrant economy Charlotte is primed for international expansion. With current service to 24 destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean, expanding our reach to South America is a logical step."

Details such as schedule, equipment and start date will be announced when the DOT institutes a carrier selection process.

"We have always received exceptional support in Charlotte from the management at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, elected officials, the business community and our loyal customers. We look forward to working together as we secure the necessary DOT approval for the new service," concluded Parker.

"Charlotte is a natural fit for a new international route to Bogota, as we both are growing centers of banking, international finance, commerce, energy, and engineering. I am delighted that US Airways has chosen to make Charlotte a gateway for its first South American expansion," said Charlotte Mayor Patrick McCrory.

Tiger Airways roars into Newcastle Airport

Tiger Airways has selected Newcastle Airport as its only New South Wales destination. Twice daily flights to Melbourne are scheduled to commence on 18 January 2008. Newcastle Airport, CEO, Paul Hughes said the announcement is a vote of confidence for the Airport and the region.

“The benefits of a new airline to the region are numerous; it will provide competition to the existing airlines servicing the airport, boost local tourism and provide local employment opportunities. The Airport is a committed driver of tourism to the region and already significantly contributes to the local economy. The announcement is a great achievement for Newcastle Airport, with inbound tourism benefits sure to provide further economic growth in the area,” said Paul.

This announcement will provide an additional 5,000 seats on the Newcastle-Melbourne route each week and increases the number of daily flights from seven to nine.

“The additional flights will create more choice and opportunity for the people of the Newcastle, Mid North Coast, Upper Hunter, Central Coast and surrounding regions. The airport has found that people will often travel to Sydney as Newcastle doesn’t have a flight time that suits them. Newcastle is now in a position to offer frequency to one destination that is comparable to some of Australia’s major airports. I would like to welcome Tiger Airways onboard as a contributor to Newcastle Airport’s future aviation growth and am confident the region will embrace the benefits the new airline and new services bring.”

Newcastle Airport joins a suite of Australian airports who are already in the Tiger ambush including Melbourne, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Rockhampton, Mackay, Launceston, Perth, Alice Springs and Darwin.

Movenpick Hotels & Resorts moves forward with Abu Dhabi expansion

Having announced its decision to carry out an exclusive project on Al Reem Island in September, Movenpick Hotels & Resorts has now signed an exclusive partnership agreement with ALDAR Properties calling for the development of three additional first class hotels in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

One management agreement has already been concluded for a modern 500-room luxury hotel on Yas Island that is supposed to open its doors in 2010.

“Thanks to our agreement with ALDAR Properties, we have a great opportunity to further establish Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts in the emirate of Abu Dhabi,” stated Andreas Mattmüller, Senior Vice President Middle East and Asia Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts. “The hotel planned for Yas Island will be in a prime location for entertainment, shopping as well as relaxation, and represents an ideal inaugural project for this long term partnership.”

The two other hotels are currently in the planning stages.

“We’re looking forward to a successful long term relationship with Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts,” says Ron Barrott, CEO of ALDAR Properties. “This partnership highlights and strengthens our strategic intention of cooperating at exceptional locations with this internationally recognised hospitality brand, as well as our goal of positioning Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates as world class destinations.”

“ALDAR Properties is the right partner for us when it comes to moving forward with, on one hand, our expansion in the United Arab Emirates and Abu Dhabi in particular, and on the other, the realisation of high quality hotel projects,” comments Jean Gabriel Pérès, President and CEO of Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.

Kurdish problem takes toll on Turkey's tourism

Turkey's troubles with Kurdish separatists and its proximity to the Iraq war have hit its travel and tourism market hard, a devastating blow to a country which depends heavily on an influx of foreign money. It is a trend the country, which straddles Asia and Europe both physically and culturally, is planning to reverse this year. "$8 million was spent last year to advertise Turkish tourism," said Hasan Zongur, Director of the Turkish Cultural and Tourism office in the US. "[The situation] is getting better, but after 9/11, tourism numbers dropped. For this year, it is getting better. This is mainly because of our public relations activities and promotional campaigns carried out in the US market and in the South American countries and Canada."

According to Business Monitor International (BMI), everything from terrorist attacks in Turkey to the war in Lebanon and a bird flu outbreak kept tourism numbers low in 2006 - 6.2 per cent lower year-on-year than in 2005.

"In line with the fall in foreign tourist arrivals, international tourist receipts declined in 2006 by around four per cent year-on-year to $18.6 billion. This followed a near 15 per cent year-on-year rise in international tourist receipts in the previous year," said BMI's third quarter report on Turkish tourism.

"While the country has repeatedly seen annual increases in the number of visitors of 10 per cent 15 per cent over the past 15 years, there have been several significant reversals in growth, such as during the 1991 Gulf War, which saw arrivals fall by more than 20 per cent, and the 2003 Gulf War."

But despite a rocky recent past, the future of Turkish tourism looks promising. The country has the eighth-highest tourism receipts in the world and is benefiting from a steadily strong euro, which gives it an advantage over rival destinations such as Greece.

Arrivals

BMI reported that the number of foreign arrivals reached almost 9.7 million between January and June 2007, an increase of almost 17 per cent of 2006's weak numbers. "Although BMI had anticipated a recovery in the tourism market in 2007, recent data are even stronger than expected," the report said.

Those are the kinds of numbers Turkey needs, considering the economic importance of its tourism market.

The travel and tourism market is expected to generate $62.6 billion in econ-omic activity this year, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. It also accounts for one in very 14.6 per cent of jobs - about 1.56 million in 2007.

Zongur said Turkey is looking to branch out into areas of tourism new to the country that boasts relics from the Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman empires.

"Now we are developing our health tourism facilities," he said. "We also have great facilities for conferences." BMI expects Turkey's medical tourism sector to increasingly draw patients from Europe and the Middle East, but also named golf tourism as a likely growth area.

The writer is a freelance journalist based in Alaska, USA.

Emirates IPO will be well received

Dubai: An Emirates initial public offering (IPO) would be welcome news for the market, although the company does not need to raise cash by selling shares, officials said.

"Emirates has more than Dh11 billion cash flow to finance future acquisitions, so it does not need an IPO to support the expansion," a source closed to Emirates told Gulf News.

The airline, which reported a Dh3.09 billion net profits during the last financial year ending March 2007 on Dh29.83 revenues, has Dh37 billion exposure to the financial institutions while its current orderbook stands at Dh110 billion.

"We have raised Dh44.77 billion to finance fleet expansion over the last ten years. Of this, over $2.28 billion equivalent has been in the form of bonds, including a sukuk for $550 million," an Emirates spokesperson told Gulf News.

"As of the March 2007 year end, Emirates' bank borrowing stood at Dh1,071 million [of which Dh951.6 million was long term]. Total debt to equity ratio was 103 per cent."

The markets would respond positively to the IPO, officials say. "Emirates is the most successful airline in the Arab world. It would generate a lot of interest in the market," Robert Ziegler, principal at A.T. Kearney (UAE) Limited, said. "It would be well received by the financial institutions. Other regional airlines would see it positively."

Mohammad Yasin, managing director of Shuaa Capital, said, "It will be one of the most sought after IPOs and will be attractive to international institutional investors. Both DP World and Emirates are great companies to subscribe to and I think this is good for the market."

An Emirates IPO would also silence its critics who accuse it of getting subsidies. "I think it's fair to say that this move [if it were to happen] might be considered an attempt to rebut the allegations that the airline's success is the result of unfair subsidies," said Dr. Andreas Knorr, a Germany-based aviation expert.

French Hotels the winners of the Rugby World Cup

Confirming MKG Hospitality’s observations after the first week of competition, the “Rugby World Cup” effect on the French hotel industry is clear. Since the beginning of the year, the industry has shown major growth, MKG Hospitality estimates that this event could result in an additional revenue of between 100 and 150 million euros.

On match days, the RevPAR in French host cities was increased by 37.5%, with a clear impact on hotel occupancy rates. The results registered during the quarter-final in Marseille and the semi-final in Paris were among the highest of the competition. The increase in room rates, controlled by the reservation center Mondiresa, remained moderate in comparison with previous sports events, such as the Football World Cup in Germany.

Popular success: the Rugby World Cup fills up the hotels

Despite the disappointment linked to the performance of the French team, the Rugby World Cup was a major success, as much in hotels as in the stadiums. As MKG Hospitality’s daily tracking indicators revealed, hoteliers in France won their competition. The kickoff began with a 43.6% increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) in France for the opening match of France against Argentina. Performance indicators for establishments in French cities showed increasingly positive results throughout the months of September and October. Over the whole of the competition (except weekends and the final match), the hotel industry in host cities registered an average increase in RevPAR of 37.5% on match nights. Thanks to the number of supporters attending from all over the world and the media, the frequency of establishments also showed a major increase compared with the previous year (+11.3 points).

This influx of clientele enabled hoteliers to increase their average rates, however, the inflation remained moderate. The average rate increased by an average of 20.3% in host cities. The Football World Cup in Germany finished with an increase of nearly 40% in average rates on the whole of the hotel industry in the country during the month of June 2006. Controlled by the reservation center Mondiresa, French hoteliers proved that moderation in rate policy means a win-win situation for all.

Heightened activity on weekends in provincial cities

Since the majority of matches were on weekends, the World Cup created an increase in activity in a number of provincial metropoles where hotels are often less frequented on weekends. Nantes, Montpellier, Bordeaux, and Toulouse all showed high occupancy rates. Nantes, at full capacity on September 22 for the England–Samoa match, also saw revenue per room increase by 234.4%. Similarly, September 23 in Montpellier with the Australia–Fiji match resulted in 159.5% increase in RevPAR. In these cities, the hotel supply is less developed than in major cities like Paris, Lyon or Marseille. The influx of tourists and supporters translated in an inflation of performance indicators even stronger than elsewhere.

Matches during the week, often considered to be of less importance since the teams were considered to have less of a chance (such as Japan-Fiji or Romania-Portugal), had a weaker but yet significant impact on hotels. In Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux or Toulouse, supporters and journalists added to the “business” clientele who traditionally stay in these establishments during months of less economic activity. The results showed that these establishments were at a record 100% occupancy on match nights.

Paris and Marseille, champions of the competition

Paris and Marseille, the two cities which hosted the most matches, benefited most from the competition – especially during elimination matches. Marseille, which hosted two quarter-finals, showed major increases during the weekend of October 6-7. During this weekend, Mondiresa fixed a minimum of 2 nights stay for each reservation. In Paris, because of an influx of British tourist but also thanks to many New Zealanders and Australian supporters who had bet on their teams’ presence in the final, those trying to find a room on the night of the semi-final France–England found it nearly impossible due to a frequency rate of 98% and an average rate above 230 euros.

The observations during practically the whole of the competition confirm the estimation of an additional revenue of between 100 and 150 million euros for hotel establishments in host cities.

After the Rugby World Cup, the fall season continues to show promise for the French hotel industry. Since the beginning of the year, hotel performance indicators show significant progression. Upcoming revenue-generating events which traditionally come with an increased demand for housing, such as the salon Batimat in November, justify the optimism the industry holds for the end of the year. The increase in RevPAR over the whole of 2007 should be between 8% and 10%, as predicted at the beginning of the year by the specialised consultant firm MKG Hospitality.

New global convention alliance has energy focus

The formation of an Energy Cities Alliance between three leading convention bureaux and a convention centre was announced at the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) conference in Pattaya today (30 October 2007). The founding alliance partners are: Aberdeen Convention Bureau, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, Calgary TELUS Convention Centre and Perth Convention Bureau.

In creating the strategic marketing alliance, the partners are aiming to obtain a competitive edge in the international marketplace, particularly in the field of energy-related conferences.

A key focus of the alliance is the exchange of sales leads, to be known as the Energy Transfer Advantage that also incorporates a support package for conference organisers.

The major benefits available to planners include lobbying and marketing support within the partner destinations to maximize delegate registrations for their conferences.

A special branding has been established to position the alliance as a group sharing common goals and aspiring to world’s best practice as convention destinations.

Announcing the initiative, the Perth Convention Bureau’s Director of Corporate Services, Christine McLean, said strategic alliances are the way of the future.

She said: “Given today’s competitive environment, it is becoming increasingly evident of the need to develop strategic alliances that enable the partners to leverage their collective knowledge and skills to give them a marketing edge.”

“It is a critical advantage to the participating partners to be able to exchange leads on conferences and assist each other in the securing of these. The ultimate aim is for associations and corporates around the world to recognise our cities as being dynamic leaders with a clear vision for the future, offering clients access to a network of like minded destinations who can assist in delivering high caliber and successful conferences. While the common link that has brought us together is the fact that we are centres for thriving energy industries, the scope of our alliance will extend beyond energy-related conferences.”

A major element of the alliance is a dedicated website that will provide planners with access to the collective support package with links to the partners’ websites.

Ms Jacky Selway, Manager of the Aberdeen Convention Bureau, said her organisation had ‘enthusiastically embraced’ the concept of the alliance when it was mooted.

She added: “Energy Cities Alliance is an exciting forward thinking initiative and I am delighted that Aberdeen Convention Bureau is a partner. I look forward immensely to working in partnership with our international colleagues in raising the profile of our destinations and delivering successful high calibre conferences.”

Mr Ahmed Hussein, Deputy Director General Tourism Operations with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, said that his organisation was “excited to be part of this Alliance with some of the leading, dynamic and most respected meetings industry destinations in the world”.

He added: “Business Tourism is one of the key areas of growth and opportunity that Abu Dhabi intends to capitalise on and we are delighted that our Energy Alliance partners share this same vision, optimism and commitment. We look forward to working closely with them, to sharing with our clients the opportunity to tap into our joint energy and vibrancy, to delivering best practice and to a great future.”

Ms Marcia Lyons, General Manager of the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, welcoming the Alliance, said: “What attracted us to the Energy Cities Alliance was the uniqueness of the partnership. One common factor each of us has is a powerful and dynamic energy industry.”

“To take this a step further into our tourism, meetings and conventions sectors is a great strategic move forward. Everyone will benefit from the sales leads, to public relations and destination awareness of our cities. I know our team at the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre is anxious to get things rolling.”

Europe awards the ten best rural tourist destinations

Vice President Gunter Verheugen awarded the "European Destinations of Excellence" (EDEN) to the ten best emerging rural destinations at the European Annual Tourism Forum in Portugal on 26th of October. The aim of EDEN is twofold: to draw attention to the value, diversity and shared characteristics of European tourist destinations and to promote destinations where commercial success goes hand in hand with social, cultural and environmental sustainability. It also creates awareness of Europe’s tourist diversity and quality, besides promoting Europe as the foremost tourism destination in the world.

Commission Vice-President Gunter Verheugen, responsible for enterprise and industry policy, said: “The EDEN Project supports European tourism and enhances the visibility of several non traditional destinations. It is a platform for the exchange of good practices at European level while rewarding sustainable forms of tourism and successful business models. It will contribute to creating new and upgrading existing jobs.”

Ten countries participated in the EDEN Awards, for which national juries made the selections. Next year seven additional Member States of the EU (Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, France, Lithuania, Spain and Romania) and Turkey will participate in the EDEN Awards. The ten winning destinations of excellence in 2007 are:

Austria: Pielachtal, Dirndl is the valley’s trademark

The Pielachtal is a valley in the Alpine foothills of the province of Lower Austria. Its culture, nature, way of life, handicrafts and specialty foods are combined to form a network of innovative offers. The Dirndl, or Cornel, popularly known as a cherry, is cultivated as the valley’s “trademark”.

Belgium: Durbuy, the smallest city of the world

The community Durbuy is situated in Wallonia in the Ardennes, and consists of 40 small villages. Durbuy is registered as "city" since the Middle Ages for its efficient justice and trade organization. Thus the old town of Durbuy became "the smallest city of the world".

Croatia: Sveti Martin na Muri, preserved natural heritage

The district of Sveti Martin na Muri is located in the North, close to the tri-border with Slovenia and Hungary, where the River Mura enters the territory of Croatia. The destination has been profiled as a rural as well as a spa destination. It has a thermal spring of medicinal water and is the largest and one of the most beautiful spas in Croatia.

Cyprus: Troodos, A relaxing break away from cosmopolitan coastal resorts

Troodos has five distinct regions, grouped around Mount Olympus. The area offers an abundance of things to do and see: walking or cycling through forest nature trails, attending local village festivals, experiencing the local traditional cuisine and discovering the cultural treasures of UNESCO World Heritage sites are among the main pursuits.

Greece: Florina, Conciliating tourism and rural environment

The region of Florina is located in Northern Greece in West Macedonia. Geographically, it consists of mountainous and semi mountainous areas and lowlands. The mountains of Varnoutas, Vernon and Voras contain the ski centre and European Alpine routes whose peaks reach out to the fertile valleys and the six lakes of Prespes.

Hungary: Orseg, Characteristic landscape in harmony with nature

The Orseg region is located in the most western corner of Hungary. The unique landscape is characterized by a variety of natural beauties: hills and valleys, deciduous and coniferous woodlands, green hayfields, moors, springs and streams. Besides these beauties, the unchanged folk traditions and customs, traditional crafts and the products of self-sufficient farming and lifestyle also attract visitors.

Ireland: Clonakilty District, amenities of natural beauty

The Clonakilty District is situated on the coast in South West Ireland. There are many amenities of natural beauty which are easily accessed. In addition to an abundance of activities on land and sea, music sessions and fresh local produce there are also a full range of heritage sites, galleries, pubs, walking routes and fishing points.

Italy: Specchia, Tradition meets innovation

Specchia is located in Southern Italy (Province of Lecce, Puglia Region). It is a site of great natural and cultural value and an important centre for the rural economy in the region. Specchia is a shining example of a place where tradition meets innovation. For example, there is the Protonobilissimo castle, which dates back to the XV century, as well as a public access Centre for advanced digital services.

Latvia: Kuldiga, The Latvian Venice

Kuldiga town in the Kurzeme region with its historical part and Valley of the River Venta is known as “The Latvian Venice”. Its tourism recourses are based on its historical and cultural heritage and the Venta River which is one of the largest and most picturesque rivers of Latvia. “Ventas Rumba” is the widest waterfall in Europe (240m).

Malta: Nadur, Scenic beauty which are unique and rather rare

Nadur is situated on the easternmost hill of the island of Gozo, Malta's sister-island. Fresh fruit such as apples, peaches, pears, plums, oranges, lemons and melons from the fields of Nadur are distributed around Malta and Gozo. Nadur also has a plenty of cultural heritage and offers a number of areas of scenic beauty which are unique and rather rare.

New worldwide partnership to reduce global warming

A coalition of European countries, U.S. states, Canadian provinces, New Zealand and Norway has yesterday (29 October 2007) in Lisbon, Portugal announced the formation of the International Carbon Action Partnership (www.ICAPCarbonAction.com) to fight global warming.

ICAP will provide an international forum in which governments and public authorities adopting mandatory greenhouse gas emissions cap and trade systems will share experiences and best practices on the design of emissions trading schemes. This cooperation will ensure that the programs are more compatible and are able to work together as the foundation of a global carbon market. Such a market will boost demand for low-carbon products and services, promote innovation, and allow cost effective reductions so as to allow swift and ambitious global reductions in global warming emissions.

The ground-breaking international and interregional agreement was signed yesterday (29 October 2007) by U.S. and Canadian members of the Western Climate Initiative, northeastern U.S. members of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, as well as European members including the United Kingdom, Germany, Portugal, France, the Netherlands, and the European Commission. New Zealand and Norway joined on behalf of their emissions trading programs.

Leaders attending the summit included: President Jose Socrates, Council of the European Union and Prime Minister of Portugal; European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso; Governor Jon Corzine, New Jersey; Governor Eliot Spitzer, New York and Premier Gordon Campbell, British Columbia. Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California, participated with video messages.

ICAP will open lines of communication for sharing valuable information, such as research, effective policy initiatives, lessons learned and new developments. By working together to establish similar design principles, ICAP partners are ensuring that future market systems, in conjunction with regulation in the form of enforceable caps, will boost worldwide demand for low-carbon products and services, provide a larger market for innovators, and achieve global emissions reductions at the swiftest pace and lowest cost possible. The new partnership supports the current ongoing efforts undertaken under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which all ICAP members agree has a central role in fighting global warming.

Global warming is a problem that requires a global solution. ICAP will facilitate such a global solution by:

• Rigorously and accurately monitoring, reporting and verifying emissions and working to determine reliable sources appropriate for inclusion in a globally linked program.
• Encouraging common approaches and furthering partners/ability to link together to expand the global carbon market, helping to prevent leakage.
• Creating a clear price incentive to innovate, develop and use clean technologies.
• Encouraging private investors to chose low carbon projects and technologies, generating the flow of money needed to support a shift to a low-carbon future.
• Providing flexible compliance mechanisms that ensure reliable reductions at the fastest pace and lowest cost.

AIRPORT NEWS

Copenhagen Airport passes 2 million mark

Copenhagen Airport has increased its passenger throughput during the first nine months of the year by 2.5% to 16.3 million passengers. The number rose by 1.4% in September to almost 2 million. Scheduled traffic increased by 0.8% in September while charter traffic went up 5.8%.

The outlook for the rest of the year is a bit uncertain since SAS Airlines has decided to withdraw Dash 8 operations permanently following some near-crashes. The airport says it is working hard with SAS to minimise any disruptions this may cause for passengers. However, it is most likely that the cancellations will affect the airport’s traffic performance for the last quarter.
With regard to its terminal operations, the airport has put in use a new central security checkpoint this summer that significantly improved passenger screening time, as 98% of all passengers were being screened within 10 minutes. Furthermore, the airport’s sale per passenger increased due to the opening of a new duty free shop.
As of October 2007 passengers travelling to and from the Danish capital can use a Metro connection to more conveniently travel between Copenhagen’s city centre and the airport. The new airport station is above ground with access from Terminal 3. It is expected that the daily throughput at the Metro station will be around 6,500 passengers by 2010.
The new Metro connection will make Copenhagen one of the most accessible airports in the world, the Danish believe. “We have the Øresund bridge, the motorway, regional and intercity trains and, from 2007, also a Metro service directly to the airport,” said Mogens Kornbo, vice-president with Copenhagen Airports.

Steady growth for Prague Airport

Over 1.2 million passengers travelled via Prague Airport in September, a year-on-year increase of 4.8%. Most passengers flew internationally, while the airport handled just over 11,000 domestic passengers. As the airport handled 9.4 million passengers during the first nine months of the year, it is well on track to exceed last year’s total throughput of 11.6 million passengers.
Prague airport forecasts a seat capacity increase of 13% per cent for the upcoming winter season. Higher frequencies of flights and the deployment of higher capacity aircraft will contribute to this increase. The winter timetable will also see three carriers commencing scheduled services to Prague. Ryanair will fly seven times a week between the Czech capital and Dublin while Iberia of Spain will fly every working day between Prague and Madrid. Cimber Air will operate a daily flight to Copenhagen.
As of October 28, Prague airport designated Terminal 2 exclusively for Schengen flights. Although passport control continues until the end of the winter season, non-Schengen flights will be handled at Terminal 1 in the future.
To facilitate the increasing number of passengers flying via Prague, the airport opened Terminal 2 in early 2006. This terminal has been designed so that its capacity can be progressively increased with the addition of further boarding bridges and the construction of new handling piers (Pier D, and if necessary Pier E). The airport development study envisages an annual capacity of 20 million passengers in the future.

Official Libo opening

According to a Libo County official, the Libo Airport will officially start operation on November 5th after getting approval from the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China.
The total investment in the airport is RMB396.36 million (US$ 52.85 million). The construction work started in August 2003 and the airport is designed to handle 220,000 passengers annually.
It has a 2,300m long, 45m wide runway which is able to serve Boeing 737 series planes. The whole Libo airport project passed its final inspection in August this year and is now fully ready for operation before the opening of the Second Guizhou Tourist Summit to be held in South of GuiZhou Province (Qiannan) in November.
Shenzhen Airport Co., Ltd. has signed an agreement with the government of Qiannan Autonomous Prefecture in Guizhou Province on purchasing the 100% stake in the Airport.

New security measures at Abu Dhabi

New aviation security measures will be implemented at Abu Dhabi International Airport beginning on 1 November 1, 2007. The new measures, which apply for flights departing from Terminals 1 and 1A, including passengers transiting at these terminals, restrict the amount of liquids, aerosols and gels that passengers can carry onboard in their hand luggage. The new measures are in line with guidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the directives of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
The new security measures have already been implemented at Terminal 2. The Airport Operations Department described the implementation as generally smooth. “Traffic flow was smooth, and all flights left on time, thanks to the collective efforts of all organizations operating at the airport” it said in a statement.
To aid passengers, the airport will deploy airport ambassadors at both terminals to assist with queries, and information panels will be set up in different locations to remind passengers of the new restrictions.

Sacramento celebrates 40 years

As the airport celebrated its 40th anniversary last week, officials looked ahead to the next forty years. They are going to make some big changes to the airport.
County and airport officials plan to take down aging Terminal B and will build a new one that will sit in the middle of where terminals A and B are now. There will be a new hotel for the structure as well as a new Starbucks near the gates.
The biggest changes include an automated people mover and an above ground train that should make it easier for passengers to travel in between the terminals and parking areas.
Terminal A is also getting a few new restaurants and shops, including Brooks Brothers and a Quiznos.

Poll shows worst airports

Heathrow’s reputation took a further knock yesterday when it was voted the world’s joint least favourite airport. It shared the title with Chicago in a survey of 2,500 travellers by the travel organisation TripAdvisor. The poll asked respondents to rate 36 airports in terms of how easy they were to navigate, cleanliness of their lavatories and the quality of their parking facilities.
TripAdvisor’s findings echoed the criticisms of Heathrow voiced by political and business leaders over the past year, who said the airport shamed London. News of the airport’s poor placing emerged as American Airlines started a New York service from Stansted while British Airways continued its search for continental slots for transatlantic flights.
Passengers have frequently faced delays of up to an hour to negotiate security and check-in queues before reaching their planes. Getting into the country has often been just as bad with new scanning equipment doubling the time needed to process passports.
Slots at Heathrow remain in demand however and other airlines, such as Continental, plan on using the airport for transatlantic flights. However, at the same time, the open skies agreement between the European Union and the US will make it possible for airlines to operate from airports outside their home base. British Airways has earmarked a number of continental airports for potential transatlantic flights, including Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt, Milan and Madrid. A spokesman for BA said the move was not a vote of no confidence in Heathrow, but a desire to take advantage of the business opportunities offered by open skies, which comes into force next March.
Other poor performers in the poll included New York’s JFK, Atlanta Hartsfield and Los Angeles International. They were followed by Miami, New York’s LaGuardia and Paris Charles de Gaulle.

Chinese outbound travelers like to travel in comfort

Chinese tourists from the three key cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou like to travel in comfort when they travel overseas, according to a report released by The Nielsen Company. The Nielsen China Outbound Travel Monitor 2007 found more than one third of Chinese outbound travelers choose to stay in four-star hotels, with a further 10 percent opting for five-star luxury accommodation when heading overseas.

A preview of the Nielsen China Outbound Travel Monitor was launched recently at the PATA Travel Mart in Bali, Indonesia. Conducted in October 2007 via a combination of telephone and online interviews, the Nielsen Travel Monitor provides insight into Chinese travelers from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The Nielsen Travel Monitor highlights Chinese travelers' behaviour, attitudes and opinions towards various destinations, and provides insight into decision making processes, information sourcing, booking choices, accommodation and more – across both leisure and business travel. Findings of a further 23 cities throughout China will be released in early 2008.

The comprehensive Nielsen research study has been conducted in partnership with PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association).

According to the Nielsen China Outbound Travel Monitor 2007, Chinese outbound travelers spent an average close to US$3,000 per trip per person (including expenses prior to the trip, such as prepaid packages, airfares and accommodation). Travelers to Europe were the biggest spenders, splashing out an average US$5,253 per trip, while travelers to Asia spent just a bit more than a third the amount of those Europe-bound, outlaying US$1,904 a head, with the exception of those headed to Hong Kong and Macau, where the average spend was US$2,185, reflecting these destinations’ status as shopping and entertainment meccas.

“Asia remains the most popular destination for Chinese travellers because of the region’s proximity; however, trips to Europe and America are increasing rapidly in numbers, particularly when it comes to business travel,” commented Dr. Grace Pan, head of Travel & Leisure Research for The Nielsen Company, China.
“We also found that while mass-market travellers focus on budget travel, there is a fast-emerging affluent market segment prepared to indulge themselves in luxury travel.”

With China now supplying millions of visitors to overseas destinations, operators in destination countries will need to shape their strategies accordingly, to cater to this unique and high potential group of ‘customers’, and benefit from the growing opportunities presented by Chinese tourists.

“Chinese consumers are becoming increasingly sophisticated and the travel industry needs to monitor changes and trends in their travel preferences, attitudes and perceptions towards various destinations,” Dr. Pan said. “While Chinese travelers appear to seek comfort, they are also becoming wise and well-prepared as they plan their trips leveraging all the information available to them on the Internet.”

Historic night race for F1 Singapore grand prix receives approval

The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has granted approval*, via the Singapore Motor Sports Council, for the FORMULA ONETM Singapore Grand Prix to hold the first night race in the sport’s history.

Mr Lim Neo Chian, Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board said: "The in-principle approval by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) for Singapore to host a night race is yet another positive step in our preparations to present to the world a truly unique Formula OneTM race. Subject to final safety approvals, FORMULA ONETM fans worldwide will be able to enjoy a race experience like no other in Singapore from next year - a dramatic night street race set against our beautiful city skyline."

“We are well on our way to creating history – with two positive lighting tests under our belt, we are on track to delivering the first night-race in Formula Onetm history,” commented Mr Colin Syn, Deputy Chairman of Singapore GP.

The electric night-time atmosphere will deliver a different perspective for FORMULA ONETM fans around the globe. The later start time will also ensure maximum exposure of the race to the important European television markets.

“Given that one of our objectives is to showcase Singapore to FORMULA ONETM fans around the world, our late start-time will help us achieve this. The stunning city skyline backdrop will be an added bonus” added Mr Syn.

Gulf Air Expands Cooperation with Saudi Arabian Airlines

Responding to increasing demand and to provide enhanced customer service as part of its new network strategy, Gulf Air has extended its cooperation with Saudi Arabian Airlines by operating two weekly non-stop code-shared flights on the Dammam-Katmandu route.

Served by Airbus A340-300 aircraft, the flights will, for the first time, link King Fahad International Airport in Dammam with non-stop services with the Capital of Nepal. These two flights are part of the existing successful code-share arrangement with the national carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia effective from Gulf Air’s winter 2007/2008 schedule.

In addition to above code-share arrangement, Saudi Arabian Airlines has added its code on the Gulf Air-operated two flights on Riyadh-Bahrain–Bangkok route as well as on the two flights on Riyadh-Bahrain-Katmandu route. Moreover, Gulf Air and Saudi Arabian Airlines have a comprehensive code-share arrangement, which covers all flights and routes between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“Saudi Arabian Airlines is a very important and key strategic partner to Gulf Air,” says Acting Executive Vice President Network Hashim Mahmood.

“This code-share agreement will further improve and enhance our services to our customers. The expansion is part of our new network strategy and I am very pleased we can begin to see results so quickly.”

Gulf Air introduced a complete revamped flight schedule beginning July 2007, which was received very positively by the trade and the customers. Gulf Air plans to continue this success story for the winter 2007/2008 schedule and onwards. The Gulf Air new network offers as many as 588 flights every week in the Middle East with more non-stop flights than any other Middle Eastern airline.

“This new agreement means that travelers will have more travel options throughout the week to and from Katmandu. With these two non-stop services to Katmandu we are bringing the total number of Gulf Air frequencies to 11 per week making Gulf Air to be one of the dominant players serving the highly sought- after Kathmandu market,” concludes Mr. Mahmood.

Airasia enters Laos market

AirAsia has placed another flight to its ASEAN network with Vientiane. The airline has carried over 40 million passengers to date, grown from a 2-aircraft fleet to 62 today and now, the final ASEAN country has given the airline the approval to enter the city as part of the airline’s extensive route network – all within the grasp of six years in operation. The airline is set to commence its inaugural flight into the capital of Laos on 1 December 2007.

AirAsia will start with three (3) direct flights per week to Vientiane from LCC Terminal, Kuala Lumpur using its new Airbus aircraft. Situated on the Mekong river, Vientiane is an unassuming city reachable within two hours and 35 minutes flight from Kuala Lumpur.

Kathleen Tan, Regional Head of Commercial, AirAsia, said, “There is a latent demand for this route to be established from the first day we started the airline, and now to see us launching direct flights to Vientiane is like a missing jigsaw puzzle to be fitted into the AirAsia chapter. We are now a truly ASEAN airline, covering all the 10 countries serving over 80 routes within the region.”

“We strongly believe that our amazing low fares will help to stimulate travel in Laos and its surrounding areas especially tapping the backpacking travelers looking for an adventurous trail through Indochina and Thailand. We are also very happy to be able to serve the Malaysians working in Laos who have been very excited with our announcement. We trust our entry into Laos will further strengthen our position as the preferred airline of the region in enabling more people to fly,” added Kathleen.

Air France KLM highlights expansion in the Gulf region

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Air France are participating in the Business Travel show these coming 2 days at the Madinat Arena, Madinat Jumeirah Conference Centre in Dubai. At this occasion, both airlines are taking the opportunity to highlight their added frequencies from UAE with their winter schedule which has already started.

KLM will have 4 more weekly frequencies and a total of 14 weekly flights from Dubai to Amsterdam this winter until 29th March 2008. All flights are operated by a Boeing 777-200ER.

Air France will have 1 added weekly frequency from Dubai to Paris from 30th October 2007 and a total of 13 weekly flights from Dubai to Paris Charles de Gaulle until 29th March 2008. All flights are operated by a Boeing 777-200ER and an Airbus A330-200.

Air France and KLM combinable product offers 4 daily flights from Dubai to Paris or Amsterdam and 1 daily flight from Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam connecting to 728 destinations worldwide with the Skyteam network.

Air France and KLM will have a total of 79 flights from the region to their respective Hubs in Paris and Amsterdam from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Tehran.

KLM has announced the launch of the route Muscat – Amsterdam from 3rd December with 5 weekly frequencies. The flights will be operated using an A330-200 aircraft and will be transiting via Kuwait.

“We are proud to resume service to Muscat and at this occasion we will thank our frequent flyer members with a double miles promotion in Economy Class and triple miles promotion in Business Class between Muscat and Amsterdam until 31st March 2008” says Mr. A.M. Vasudevan, Commercial Manager for Air France KLM - Northwest Airlines in Oman & Yemen.

Royal Jet sings new aircraft management deal

Royal Jet has sealed another aircraft management deal to operate a luxury long-range Gulfstream GIVSP on behalf of a GCC national owner. “The GIVSP will have considerable appeal with its ability to accomplish flights of up to 5,000 nautical miles making it a time-saving option for travel from the Gulf to many European destinations, such as Abu Dhabi to London” said Shane O’Hare, President and CEO, Royal Jet.

“We believe Royal Jet will have significant impact in the aircraft management sector with further negotiations currently under way with individual owners. We intend to devote serious effort and resources to ensuring Royal Jet becomes the preferred operator for private owners.”

The GIVSP, which is powered by Rolls Royce engines, can carry up to nine passengers in a VIP configuration and is serviced by two pilots and two of Royal Jet’s highly trained cabin crew and can carry up to 18 standard suitcases.

Aircraft management is one of Royal Jet’s five product lines, the others being VIP charter, the Royal Med aeromedical evacuation service, Guest Flight Control Centre and FBO operations for executive aircraft landing in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

The GIVSP is the third major addition to the Royal Jet fleet in as many months. In August the company, which is the Middle East’s largest private jet operator with a 16% market share, took delivery of its fifth Boeing business jet.

Royal Jet is the largest operator of BBJs in the world. One month later the Abu Dhabi-headquartered operator launched the region’s most cost-effective Learjet service with a newly-acquired two twin-engined Learjet 35 offering inter-regional, point-to-point travel.

“Fleet expansion is paying dividends with demand for the BBJ in particular increasing long haul utilisation. From a previous average of four charters each quarter we are currently averaging four a month,” explained O’Hare. “We are now flying clients to a variety of long haul destinations such as the USA and Swaziland.”

Fleet expansion is part of Royal Jet’s ongoing development plan which is targeting 25% growth this year on its 2006 performance.

Qatar Airways Introduces New Fare Structure For Passengers Buying Tickets In Qatar

Doha, QATAR - Qatar Airways has unveiled a new fare structure giving passengers who buy tickets in Qatar with more choice, greater flexibility and excellent value for money.

Effective November 1 when the new ex-Doha fares go on sale, customers will be able to take advantage of a wider range of easy to understand fares that let the customer choose according to what they value - price, schedules or flexibility.

They are also designed to help customers better plan their travel arrangements and avoid the disappointment of trying to book during busy travel periods.

The three-tier structure is broken down into new Flexi-Value, Standard Value and Super Value fares for passengers travelling on business or leisure.

From Flexi-Value full flexibility fares allowing passengers to change their date of travel or obtain a refund without charge, to Super Value advance purchase fares where tickets are bought well ahead of the travel date, the new structure promises to appeal to a wider customer base.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said the revamped fare structure was much-needed to give customers more choice and flexibility, but more importantly, greater value for money.

"In today's highly competitive aviation industry, passengers are more demanding and airlines are becoming more responsive to their needs," he said.

"Apart from product innovation, high service levels and having a modern, reliable fleet of aircraft which are the cornerstone of Qatar Airways' drive forward as one of the best airlines in the skies today, we cannot afford to ignore our fare structure.

"Qatar Airways has developed a new fare structure which we believe offers great value, is easy to understand for the consumer and meets the needs of all our customer segments, whether they travel on business, leisure or in groups."

The new fares will be available through Qatar Airways' ticket offices, travel agents and on our website - www.qatarairways.com - the fastest way to book your flights.

Members of Qatar Airways - award-winning Privilege Club loyalty programme, who book the new fares online at www.qatarairways.com between 1 November 2007 and 31 December 2007, will earn a bonus of 1,000 Qmiles.

Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of 58 all-Airbus aircraft to 79 destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Far East, Indian subcontinent and North America. The highlight of Qatar Airways' 2007 expansion has been the launch of flights to New York (Newark) and Washington DC - the airline's first move into the North American market.

Emirates Launches Ahmedabad and Toronto services

DUBAI, U.A.E., 29th October 2007 - Emirates Airline today launched two new non-stop services: a six-a-week service to Ahmedabad, India, and a thrice-weekly service to Toronto, Canada – marking a simultaneous expansion of its global route network eastwards and westwards from Dubai.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, travelled on the inaugural flight to Toronto, together with VIP guests HE Sara Hradecky, Canadian Ambassador in the UAE; and HE Hassan Al Suwaidi, UAE Ambassador in Canada.

Sheikh Ahmed also leads a delegation of senior Emirates executives to Toronto, comprising: Ghaith Al Ghaith, Executive Vice President Commercial Operations Worldwide; Ali Mubarak Al Soori, Divisional Senior Vice President Chairman's Office, Facilities, Projects Management and Procurement and Logistics (Non-Airline); Mike Simon, Divisional Senior Vice President Corporate Communications; and Peter Sedgeley, Senior Vice President Cargo Commercial Operations.

Representing Emirates on the airline's first flight to Ahmedabad were: Nabil Sultan, Senior Vice President Commercial Operations - Gulf Middle East and Iran; and Salem Obaidalla Vice President Commercial Operations - West Asia and Indian Ocean.

The Dubai-Toronto service heralds Emirates’ second destination in North America after New York; while the Ahmedabad service represents Emirates’ ninth gateway in India, strengthening the airline’s connections between Dubai and the subcontinent.

Sheikh Ahmed said: “Emirates is delighted to launch the keenly-anticipated flights to Ahmedabad and Toronto today, bringing to fruition many months of work preparing for the start of services to both cities. We are glad to be able to grow our route network, thus expanding the number of travel options available to our customers around the world.

“We are confident that both new Emirates services will be well-received by our customers, and we hope that the two new air connections forged today will be the harbinger of even closer ties for Dubai with Canada and India in the coming years.”

On its Dubai-Toronto route, Emirates will operate its long-haul Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, offering 12 First Class, 42 Business Class and 304 Economy Class seats, with on-demand personal entertainment in all classes.

To Ahmedabad, Emirates will operate a three-class configured Airbus A330-200 offering 12 First, 42 Business and 183 Economy Class seats, and its Boeing 777-200 in a two-class configuration, offering 42 Business and 304 Economy Class seats. Both offer industry-leading comforts including ergonomically designed seats, and personal entertainment systems in all classes.

With the launch of flights to Ahmedabad and Toronto, Emirates Airline now serves 87 passenger destinations across six continents. Its global route network currently spans 97 cities in 61 countries including cargo-only destinations. This year, Emirates has introduced passenger services to Venice, Newcastle and Sao Paulo, and it will soon start services to Houston in December.

DUBAI, U.A.E., 28th October 2007 – Starting today, Emirates, one of the fastest-growing international carriers will introduce an additional daily flight to Mumbai, offering passengers a second morning departure to India’s commercial hub and boosting the weekly service to 28 flights per week.

The Dubai-based airline has been steadily building up its presence in India owing to escalating demand for air travel triggered by the country’s burgeoning economy. Earlier this year, Emirates enhanced its existing 19-flights-per-week Mumbai service with the launch of two additional frequencies, taking the weekly total to 21 flights.

The airline also commenced a double-daily service to Chennai, and added three additional flights each to Cochin and Hyderabad.

Emirates flight EK 506, an Airbus A330 aircraft offering 12 First, 42 Business and 183 Economy class seats, and 17 tonnes of cargo capacity per week per direction, will depart Dubai at 09:30 hours every day of the week, touching down at Mumbai at 13:45 hours.

Return flight EK 507 will take off from Mumbai at 15:15 hours and arrive in Dubai at 17:00 hours.

The fourth daily service expands the current morning, afternoon and late night departures from Dubai to Mumbai.

Salem Obaidalla, Emirates Vice President, Commercial Operations West Asia & Indian Ocean said: “The growth of Emirates services to and from Mumbai has been market-driven. At every stage the increases we have introduced have been matched by higher and higher passenger levels and we are delighted to now offer our customers the convenience of this additional frequency.”

“The fourth daily flight will improve connectivity between the two commerce and trade hubs, and provide travellers with more flexible options. I am confident the new service will receive a rousing welcome from our passengers and travel trade partners.”

Emirates currently operates 92 flights per week to eight Indian gateways – Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kolkata and Bangalore. The airline will strengthen its Indian footprint with the launch of six flights per week to Ahmedabad, effective 29th October.

Air France Strike Continues After Weekend Of Chaos

Cabin crew members at Air France said they would continue with a strike that brought misery to thousands of travelers at Paris airports over the weekend.

The company said it expected "major costs" as a result of the dispute.

"The cost is very important," Air France Chief Operating Officer Pierre-Henri Gourgeon told French TV station LCI. He added there were no precise estimates at the moment for what the financial cost might be.

A joint statement by various trade unions representing more than 60 percent of Air France flight attendants said the strike would go on until midnight, local time, on October 29.

The strike began on October 25. The dispute centers on renegotiating a framework agreement on salaries and working conditions that is due to expire at the end of 2007.

The situation became serious enough for the French government to intervene over the weekend.

Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau issued a statement demanding a speedy resolution to the affair and Bussereau himself went to Paris Orly Airport on Sunday to assess the situation.

"I have come to see how the passengers are getting on," he told TV reporters at the airport.

The strike has affected between 30 and 40 percent of flights, causing major disruption at airports with many French families due to leave for school half-term holidays.

Talks between management and trade union members broke down over the weekend. Air France reiterated it was open to further negotiations and the airline has warned that the strike could have an adverse financial impact on the company.

Air France said it operated around 65 percent of flights on Saturday. It expected to operate more than 60 percent of flights on Sunday and at least 70 percent of flights on Monday.

It said it had run 71 percent of flights on Sunday morning.

Air France is part of the Air France KLM group, the world's largest airline by revenue. The French state holds around 18 percent of the Air France KLM share capital.