2 DECEMBER 2017 ISSUE 421 Enjoy the feastive season with up-to-date travel trade daily news traveltradedaily.com Think smart, take action! directoryoffers.traveltradedaily.com • maximise your business exposure • drive traffic directly to your company's website • promote your special offers and packages • expand your customer database • target market those who are looking to buy • create your own 'mini website' in an already established readership base Add your business today! For FREE 2 DECEMBER 2017 ISSUE 421 05 TOURISM DEVELOPMENT OMRAN TO REVIVE NIZWA FORT ACCORHOTELS EXPANDS AIR ARABIA TO LEASE SIX 08 NOVOTEL IN OMAN 11 AIRBUS A321 MARKET UPDATE www.traveltradeweekly.travel TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS MANAGING EDITOR THE EMIRATES GROUP REPORTS STEADY GROWTH Mary Kammitsi [email protected] The Emirates Group has announced its half-year (H1) performance for its financial PRESS Efi Rousi Maria Constantinou year 2017–2018 which demonstrates steady revenue growth and a rebound on profit- CONTRIBUTOR ability compared to the corresponding period in 2016. Dominique Christou DESIGN & LAYOUT Elena Stylianou WEB & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Savvas Kammitsis DIRECTORS Andreas Constantinides Mary Kammitsi HEADQUARTERS T.T.W. Travel Trade Weekly LTD P.O. Box 25255, Nicosia 1308 Cyprus Tel: +357 22 021607, Fax: +357 22 103670 WEBSITE www.traveltradeweekly.travel EMAILS [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] WORLDWIDE REPRESENTATIVES Representative for North, South & Central America, and the Caribbean: Neil Strickland GlobeTM Tel: +19542969515, [email protected] he group’s revenue was AED49.4 billion (USD13.5 billion) for the first six months of its financial year, up six per- Representative for Indian subcontinent: cent from AED46.5 billion (USD12.7 billion) during H1 in 2016. Meanwhile profitability rebounded after a low, Faredoon Kuka RMA Media with the group reporting net profit of AED 2.3 billion (USD 631 million), up 77 percent. This result was driven by Tel: +912229253735, [email protected] capacity optimisation and efficiency initiatives across the company, steady business growth, and a more favour- T Representative for UK & Ireland and able foreign exchange situation compared to the same period in 2016. Scandinavia: David Simpson Simpson Media Tel: +447900885456, [email protected] BOEING PRESENTED CURRENT MARKET OUTLOOK AT DUBAI AIRSHOW MENA EXCHANGE RATES Boeing presented its Current Market Outlook for this year during the as of 1.12.2017 Dubai Airshow and revealed that airlines in the Middle East will need COUNTRY CURRENCY USD1= 3,350 new airplanes over the next 20 years, valued at an estimated Bahrain (BHD) Dinar 0.37 USD730 billion. Jordan (JOD) Dinar 0.71 Oman (OMR) Rial 0.39 Qatar (QAR) Rial 3.64 nternationally, Boeing has forecasted long-term Saudi Arabia (SAR) Riyal 3.75 demand for 41,030 new airplanes, valued at USD6.1 UAE (AED) Dirham 3.67 trillion aiming to stimulate growth in emerging Algeria (DZD) Dinar 114.93 markets. Egypt (EGP) Pound 17.68 I "Traffic growth in the Middle East is expected to Iran (IRR) Rial 35,273.27 grow at 5.6 percent annually during the next 20 years," Iraq (IQD) Dinar 1,184.07 Kuwait (KWD) Dinar 0.30 said Randy Tinseth, vice president, marketing, Boeing. Lebanon (LBP) Pound 1,510.67 "The fact that 85 percent of the world's population Libya (LYD) Dinar 1.36 lives within an eight-hour flight of the Arabian Gulf Morocco (MAD) Dirham 9.38 [...] allows carriers in the Middle East to channel traffic Syria (SYP) Pound 514.99 through their hubs and offer one-stop service between Tunisia (TND) Dinar 2.489 many cities." Yemen (YER) Rial 250.32 2 2 DECEMBER 2017 www.traveltradeweekly.travel AGENTS GBTA Foundation MENA Aerospace Reveals Research Enter Hala Bahrain new research released by the Partnership GBTA Foundation, revealed A that small and mid-sized com- panies are more likely to allow busi- ness travellers to use non-transparent MENA Aerospace has payment methods such as personal credit cards or cash advances. signed an agreement When looking at usage of cor- with Hala Bahrain for porate credit cards, Central Travel Accounts and virtual cards adoption passenger handling is consistent regardless of company services at a newly size, showing these methods are ac- revamped, terminal ENA Aerospace delivers distinctive cessible for a variety of companies. capabilities in handling aircraft in This years’ Business Travel Pay- building for travellers and around hangars, using Mototok ments Study, revealed corporate flying in and out of electric tugs, in line with cutting edge credit card use remains widespread Bahrain International international standards. Hala Bahrain with nine of 10 travel programmes Mwill ensure seamless transfers for passengers and using them. While corporate cards Airport. crew arriving on private, government, business and are almost universal; more than half corporate or chartered flights with services for pas- of travel programmes report using senger transportation, passenger handling, and virtual payments. luggage handling. RoomIt by CWT Partners with AITO Investigates Expedia Affiliate TUI Academy to Educate Young- Online Hotel sters on Tourism Booking Sites UI Care Foundation and Plan s of October 27, the Association of International have teamed Independent Tour Operators (AITO) T up to bring education and A welcomed the investigation, un- employment opportunities in tour- dertaken by the Competition & Markets ism to young people in the Domini- Authority (CMA) into the trading practices can Republic. Together, the two or- of the online hotel booking sites. ganisations have launched the TUI Derek Moore, chairman, AITO, high- Academy. lighted how these sites have seen growth Through this initiative 150 dis- over the last five years and explained that advantaged youngsters will receive CMA’s investigation will interrelat behav- CWT To Go app a one-year training course prepar- iour, and will be submitting its members’ ing them for work in the field of views on how their big-company trading tourism, including an internship practices affect both enterprises and con- oomIt by CWT, the hotel distribution division of Carlson Wagonlit at Blue Diamond resorts where, sumers. Travel, announced a new agreement with Expedia Affiliate Net- among other things, they will be “Such online hotel booking sites, R work (EAN), aiming to make rates and availabilities for EAN supply coached by experienced practition- largely controlled by American interests, available to RoomIt and CWT clients, giving travellers access to 197,000 ers. Furthermore, a top-up educa- have seen exponential growth over the properties including 36,000 unique properties across the globe. tional programme will be offered last five years. They now control virtu- EAN supply will be available globally offline, through theCWT To as well as certificates from INFOTEP, ally the entire market in hotel reserva- Go mobile application, through the RoomIt online booking tool, and on the official Dominican institute for tions, and it is estimated that 80 percent major online booking tools. vocational training. To support their of all hotel bookings in Europe are made “CWT is committed to giving our clients the most options with the first steps in the tourism industry, through online hotel booking sites. It most competitive rates in the most places around the world. Adding TUI Academy graduates are given seems that many online brands across Eu- EAN to our available supply is making a significant investment to pro- working contracts of at least six rope are in fact now owned by just two or vide a better experience and stronger service for our travellers,” said months in duration. three of the main US-controlled players,” Scott Brennan, president, RoomIt by CWT. further indicated Moore. 2 DECEMBER 2017 3 WEEKLY NEWS www.traveltradeweekly.travel Bulgari Marina, Dubai EU and Egypt Sea Dubai Unveils Strengthen New Anchoring Cooperation Areas he European Union (EU) adopted a multiannual T framework defining the pri- orities for the financial and techni- cal cooperation with Egypt from To further this year until 2020, with a focus enhance Dubai’s on youth and women. competitiveness in Following the assumption of partnership priorities with Egypt a bid to make it a in July this year, the EU took on the global destination for Single Support Framework (SSF) setting priorities and financial al- recreational marine ea Dubai will establish clear and definitive location in key strategic areas of tourism, the Dubai frameworks for recreational marine craft li- bilateral cooperation with the Maritime City Authority censing regulations and mechanisms in the country. emirate. Johannes Hahn, commissioner, has launched the As part of the first phase of Sea Dubai im- policy and enlargement negotia- Splementation, the Burj Al Arab Area has been officially tions, European Neighbourhood, first services of the designated as new berth where recreational yachts and signed a memorandum of under- proactive Sea Dubai luxurious boats can anchor, and marine leisure activities standing on the EU SSF with the initiative. can be held, while the Jumana West Marina, or Bulgari Egyptian authorities. Marina, will be the dedicated anchoring area for small- medium-sized yachts and 100 m vessels. The latter has a maximum capacity of five vessels. Overtourism Expo 2020 and UNIDO Support SDGs Discussions at WTM xpo 2020 Dubai is to work with United Nations (UN) as sharing knowledge, thought leadership and co-hosting body UNIDO to promote entrepreneurship and in- events. E vestment around the world to help realise the UN’s The SDGs were agreed by the UN in 2015 and aim to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The two organisa- end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for inisters of tourism from 60 tions signed a memorandum of understanding that will all. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved by 2030, countries and leaders from lead to UNIDO and Expo 2020 Dubai working together on such as eradicating extreme poverty or reducing premature M private sector companies some of the targets for 2030 by exploring initiatives such mortality from noncommunicable diseases by a third.