5 NOVEMBER 2016 ISSUE 365 13 AIR 05 SAUDIGULF AIRLINES TAKES OFF DUBAI CRUISE SEASON KICKS OFF 13 05 Cruising RAS AL KHAIMAH TO WELCOME THE RITZ-CARLTON 10 Technology 19 Rendezvous MARKET UPDATE www.traveltradeweekly.travel TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS MANAGING EDITOR Mary Kammitsi [email protected] BOEING FORECASTS ASSISTANT EDITOR Rita Kasziba CARGO GROWTH JOURNALISTS Ellen Petty Natalie James CONTRIBUTORS Ana Mladenovic Dominique Christou SALES & SALES SUPPORT Maria Demetriadou Magda Christou Raluca Apostolescu DESIGN & LAYOUT Elena Stylianou WEB & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Savvas Kammitsis Air cargo traffic is expected to increase at an annual rate of 4.2 percent DIRECTORS Andreas Constantinides over the next 20 years, driven by markets linked to Asia. Mary Kammitsi HEADQUARTERS T.T.W. Travel Trade Weekly LTD ccording to Boeing, in order to meet demand, some 930 new and 1,440 converted freighters P.O. Box 25255, Nicosia 1308 Cyprus will be needed by 2035, meaning a 70 percent surge. Tel: +357 22 021607, Fax: +357 22 103670 Boeing projects the e-commerce market to be one of the primary factors driving this WEBSITE growth, reaching a value of USD3.6 trillion by 2020. www.traveltradeweekly.travel A According to the report, dedicated freighters still carry more than half of air cargo traffic and remain EMAILS [email protected] the leading capacity providers. [email protected] [email protected] WORLDWIDE REPRESENTATIVES Representative for North, South & Central America, and the Caribbean: Neil Strickland GlobeTM BRIGHT PROSPECTS Tel: +19542969515 [email protected] FOR RIYADH Representative for Indian subcontinent: Faredoon Kuka RMA Media Tel: +912229253735 [email protected] Representative for UK & Ireland and Scandinavia: David Simpson Simpson Media Tel: +447900885456 [email protected] MENA EXCHANGE RATES Riyadh as of 5.11.2016 COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD= Bahrain (BHD) Dinar 0.37 Jordan (JOD) Dinar 0.71 Oman (OMR) Rial 0.39 Qatar (QAR) Rial 3.64 Reinforcing its reputation as a rising business and tourism hub, Riyadh has Saudi Arabia (SAR) Riyal 3.75 been named the sixth fastest developing travel destination in the world in the UAE (AED) Dirham 3.67 Algeria (DZD) Dinar 109.81 Mastercard Global Destinations Cities Index. Egypt (EGP) Pound 15.26 Iran (IRR) Rial 31,808.32 ith a compound annual growth rate of 16.45 percent, the Saudi capital is one of four cities Iraq (IQD) Dinar 1,163.75 Kuwait (KWD) Dinar 0.30 from Middle East and Africa to find a place in top 20 with at least one million overnight Lebanon (LBP) Pound 1,509.39 visitors during this year, along with Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Libya (LYD) Dinar 1.40 W Riyadh was also listed as the second most popular location in the region, with the Morocco (MAD) Dirham 9.79 destination projected to register 4.59 million visitors by year-end. Syria (SYP) Pound 213.30 “Riyadh has consistently clocked high growth rates in international visitor arrivals over the past Tunisia (TND) Dinar 2.23 many years,” pinpointed Raghav Prasad, general manager, Gulf countries, Mastercard. Yemen (YER) Rial 249.85 2 5 NOVEMBER 2016 WEEKLY NEWS HOTEL PERFORMANCE www.traveltradeweekly.travel HotStats has published its MENA Chain Hotel Market Review for Profit Declines in Beirut roperties in the Lebanese destination suffered a August highlighting a 15.2 percent decline in profit per room, as RevPAR challenging environment P fell 13.6 percent, continuing the recent downward trajectory of both revenue and profit. for properties in Abu RevPAR at the city’s hotels plummeted 42 percent year-on-year, contributing to a 96.4 percent drop in profit Dhabi, Beirut and Doha, per room Whilst accommodation establishments in the capital with hoteliers cutting have managed to maintain volume this year, it has been at the expense of rate, which in August reduced 12.7 percent costs in an effort to year-on-year. Despite costs savings, as a result of the drop in reve- maintain revenue. nue, year-to-date profit per room was down 17.9 percent to USD31.64. ARR Continues to Fall in Doha Doha Abu Dhabi Compensates for Revenue Drop otels in the UAE capital recorded a two percent year- eclining for the 24th consecutive month, hoteliers on-year increase in profit per room in August as man- in Doha recorded an 11.9 percent year-on-year de- H agements slashed payroll by 11.3 percent and saved D crease in achieved ARR. 8.5 percent in overheads on a per available room basis, in a The 17.1 percent drop in rates in the 12 months to bid to offset the 9.2 percent decline in total revenue. August was a result of declines in the majority of market The fall in total RevPAR in the month under review was segments, including a 35 percent fall in group tours, a 17.6 primarily due to a 7.8 percent drop in RevPAR, as hoteliers percent weakening in corporate and a 10.9 percent reduc- registered negative changes in both room occupancy, down tion in leisure business. 1.6 percentage points, and achieved average room rate (ARR) Cost saving measures proved to be insufficient to which descended 5.6 percent. offset a 17.8 percent dive in operating profit per room in Despite the two percent year-on-year growth this month, August, with profit per room falling 20.4 percent in the 12 profit per room was recorded at just USD16.72 in August. months to August. 4 5 NOVEMBER 2016 www.traveltradeweekly.travel WEEKLY NEWS CRUISING Ultra-Modern Ship Crosses Dubai Cruise Season Suez Canal Kicks Off enting Dream, a state-of-the- art passenger ship, transited G the Suez Canal en route to the southeastern Asia region. The southbound vessel, whose pas- sage came as part of its maiden voy- age which started in mid-August, was greeted by a high-level delegation of the Suez Canal Authority. Representa- tives boarded the highly advanced ship The 2016/2017 Dubai cruise season has officially begun, as tourists and bestowed the captain with the honorary shield of the New Suez Canal from around the globe seek some winter sun. who, in turn, expressed appreciation for the project which serves global trade movements. ollowing on from great success in the 2015/2016 run, whereby the number of passen- gers grew 19 percent and the volume of ship calls soared 24 percent year-on-year, two F new operators are debuting in the region. Both Norwegian Cruise Line and Thomson Cruises will make their maiden calls to Dubai during the term. As the first-ever UK-based line to home port in the emirate, Thomson Cruises Dubai Genting Dream is expected to bring 25,000 tourists to the city through 12 calls at the port. 5 NOVEMBER 2016 5 WEEKLY NEWS www.traveltradeweekly.travel Greek Deputy South America to Minister Meets Foster UAE Relations Dubai Delegates lena Kountoura, deputy econ- omy and tourism minister, Paraguay E Greece, met with key political and institutional figures of economy and tourism in Dubai. The dialogues focussed on the Paraguay and the Dominican Republic see tremendous opportunity positive results of efforts aimed at to strengthen bilateral ties with Dubai and the UAE, especially in further developing tourism rela- tions and direct air links, thus, con- key sectors, including tourism. tributing to an anticipated increase in traffic between the destinations. In a meeting with H.E. Sultan Bin s Angel Barchini, ambassador to Qatar, Para- business opportunities between Latin America and the Saeed Al Mansouri, minister of econ- guay, pinpointed, the South American country Middle East. omy, UAE, Kountoura reaffirmed the A exports USD40 million worth of products to the “In these volatile economic times, investors look Mediterranean country’s commit- UAE on an annual basis. for countries and regions that provide stability, proven ment to foster bilateral relations in The comments came in the lead-up to the Global growth and investment-friendly policies. Latin America the area of tourism and confirmed Business Forum on Latin America, which will be held be- checks all the above boxes […],” said H.E. Hamad Bua- Greece’s participation in Expo 2020 tween November 09 – 10, in Dubai. mim, president, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and in Dubai. The forum seeks to explore new investment and Industry. 6 5 NOVEMBER 2016 WEEKLY NEWS TECHNOLOGY www.traveltradeweekly.travel Gate Avenue at DIFC SCTH Holds Tourism Underway Seminars Avenue at DIFC at Avenue he new urban premium lifestyle, cul- Digital rendition of Gate of Gate rendition Digital tural and entertainment development T at the heart of Dubai International Fi- nancial Centre (DIFC), Gate Avenue at DIFC, is scheduled for completion by the end of 2017. n line with its efforts to promote the sector’s staff capabilities and quality The AED1 billion (USD272.3 million) pro- services, the Saudi Commission for Tourism & National Heritage (SCTH), ject, DIFC’s largest to date, will include over I represented by the National Center for Tourism Human Resources Devel- 200 dining, boutique, retail and entertainment opment (Takamul), held a training and educational programme under the options, as well as an iconic new mosque. title Quality in tourism services for citizens. “Gate Avenue at DIFC will connect our vi- The event falls under Takamul’s development, rehabilitation and educa- brant and dynamic community of over 21,000 tional initiatives dedicated to operators and employees in the industry. A professionals, as well as residents and visitors, series of similar endeavours will be implemented during the current year in one central location,” explained Nabil Alkin- in a number of cities and municipalities and in various segments of tourism Saudi Arabia di, executive vice president, property develop- and national heritage.