L-R: Akbar Al-Bakar, CEO of Qatar Airways along with minister Alain St Ange, Seychelles minister of tourism and culture

This was the first opportunity for minister Alain St Ange and CEO of Qatar Airways to discuss what was seen as challenges facing Qatar Airways on their seven weekly flights to Seychelles.

Minister Alain St Ange was accompanied by Elsia Grandcourt, CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board and Mohamed Al Geziry of Mohamed Al Geziry Consultancy, representatives of the Seychelles Tourism Board in Dubai assured Al-Bakar that the Seychelles Tourism Board looks at promoting their seven weekly flights to Seychelles.

Corinthia Hotel Khartoum taps into the business and corporate segment

Corinthia Hotel Khartoum general manager Nicholas Borg explains: “Over 55% of our visitors are already originating from the Middle East and GCC countries. We are also noticing a marked increase in trade between the region and Sudan. In this regard, we are fully aware of the importance of attracting ever more business from these markets.”

The hotel boasts a selection of room types ranging from deluxe rooms to executive rooms and suites and the fully serviced – executive lounge.  The meeting and conference facility of the hotel can accommodate up to 1200 guests. In addition, the hotel offers spa and health club facilities along with its list of food and beverage options.

Dubai Chamber forays into Africa

The office is in line with the new strategy of exploring untapped markets, especially under the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE vice-president and prime minister and ruler of Dubai, which emphasise on enhancing bilateral ties with African countries.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by HE Yakob Yala, Ethiopian minister of state for trade, HE Dr Yousif Al Sabri, UAE ambassador to Ethiopia, and Amb Tekleab Aregawi and head of Dubai Chamber Representative Office in Ethiopia among others.

This new office will open up a gate of opportunities for Dubai businesses and their competitiveness to reach out to the entire African continent while facilitating Ethiopian businesses to use Dubai as a gateway for Ethiopian exports in the GCC and the Middle East region, South East Asia and Europe.

Highlighting mutual areas of interest, director general of Dubai Chamber added that Dubai investors will benefit from investing in Ethiopia’s hospitality, tourism, agriculture, telecom and construction, sectors while the Ethiopian businesses will get all information. It will also lead to a strong two-way trade between Dubai businesses and their Ethiopian counterparts.

South African Airways

The national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways has announced it will be partnering with South African Airways (SAA) in a deal that will increase the networks of both carriers.

Etihad Airways will be adding 10 cities in Africa to its roster while SAA will be codesharing on 12 Etihad flights to destinations including Abu Dhabi. Both will be exploring the opportunities joint training opportunities and procurement opportunities.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ president and chief executive officer, said: “This impressive, multilayered partnership will enable Etihad Airways and SAA to achieve significant goals in several different global markets as well as collaborate on a number of key commercial initiatives.

“This strategy, of working closely with partner airlines to serve secondary cities in a market, has been highly successful for Etihad Airways around the world and we look forward to build upon our already strong relationship with the team at SAA to extend our footprint in the strategically critical African market.”

There will also be an agreement in place for passengers to redeem frequent flyer miles on either carrier.

Nico Bezuidenhout, SAA’s acting chief executive officer, said: “This extensive commercial agreement will enable SAA to access the vast majority of Etihad Airways global markets. We are pleased to build upon the commercial areas of the agreement which are fundamental to a modern airline partnership.”

Dudu Myeni, SAA’s acting Chairperson, said: “This partnership provides SAA customers with vital, instantaneous, and seamless access to 12 key destinations in the Middle East and beyond. It will also broaden SAA’s network through alliances and strategic partnerships, which, is our long term view.”

The two carries are expected to collectively carry around 20 million passengers this year.

Egyptian Minister of Tourism Hisham Zazou, Chairman of Rixos Hotels Fettah Tamince and guests

Rixos Hotels celebrated its further expansion into Egypt, building on its entry point at Sharm El Sheikh in October 2012.  

The Turkish hospitality chain announced it would expand thanks to collaborations with a number of investors, in various projects across the county, including in the capital Cairo.

The launch event included a talk from the Egyptian Minister of Tourism, Hisham Zazou, and appearances by Egyptian actresses Yussra and Nelly Karim.

Tamince, chairman of Rixos Hotels, said: “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to expand our brand in one of the world’s most recognised and desired travel destinations.

“We are still finalising a number of projects and they all promise to offer spectacular services for all of those seeking to explore or revisit”.

Rixos Hotels’ existing property in Sharm El Sheikh consists of three resorts, one boutique hotel and 80 villas, the biggest spa centre in Sharm El Sheik and a total of 2,576 rooms.

Kenya Airways connects from ADIA

The three flights a week are planned for Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The new route will use B737-800 aircraft offering 145 seats divided between business and economy classes.

Eng Ahmad Al Haddabi, chief operations officer of ADAC said: “The new route will allow for increased trade, travel and connectivity between two economies in two important regions. The new route will also further enable AUH to act as the Middle East’s gateway to Africa.”

Elaborating further Abraham Joseph, area manager Middle East, India and Pakistan for Kenya Airways, said: “I am sure this will give our customers a wider choice of connectivity between the Middle East and Africa. With Etihad Airways’ code share partnership, we can even cater to customers from other parts of the world looking to come to Africa.”

Qatar Airways announces expansion across three continents

Addis Ababa will be launched on 18 September, followed a month later by Clark International Airport in the Philippines from 28 October.

Effective 1 March 2014, the airline will connect Philadelphia. In addition, Qatar Airways is significantly increasing capacity to Pakistan where it currently operates 17 flights each week across four cities of Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar.

Beginning next month from 1 June, the airline will step up frequency to Pakistan by 60% to 28 flights each week – Karachi up from daily to double daily; Lahore from four to seven flights a week; and Peshawar securing an additional flight to three services each week.

Qatar Airways’ chief executive officer, Akbar Al Baker said: “Our three new routes show we have faith in expanding our operations across different continents. This year has certainly been the year of growth in the Middle East with five of our eight scheduled route launches in the region alone. Philadelphia is one of the major hubs of the soon-to-be-merged American Airlines/US Airways and will provide Qatar Airways’ customers with onward connections to over 100 cities.”

He further added: “Joining the oneworld global alliance later this year will also present tremendous travel options and benefits to our passengers and to those of partner carriers in the alliance.”

Ritz Carlton announces Morocco property

Herve Humler, president and chief operating officer, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company said: “The heritage of Rabat, a world heritage city by UNESCO, combined with the unique location within a golf estate, will provide an incredibly appealing proposition for the affluent global traveller.”

The resort offer 100-guest rooms, 15 one-bedroom suites and five two-bedroom suite villas expected to appeal to dignitaries and government delegations from around the world. Further properties currently under construction in North Africa include The Ritz-Carlton, Tunis, Carthage, a resort featuring 129-suites and Morocco a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Tamuda Bay, an exclusive upscale resort featuring a 98-luxury room hotel with 35 pool villa suites, a beach club and an 18-hole Nicklaus design golf course.

Front row (from left): Pascal Gauvin, chief operating officer for India, Middle East, Africa, IHG; Jacques M d’Unienville, chief executive officer, Omnicane Limited. Second row (from left): Tarras Ettl, vice president development Middle East & Africa, IHG; Joel Bruneau, head of property development, Omincane; Paul Logan, senior vice president development, Asia, Middle East & Africa, IHG

This is a response to the need for a hotel at the airport driven by ongoing growth of the tourism market in Mauritius. The country has seen a three-fold increase in passenger traffic since 1990. The new hotel will cater to increased passenger traffic through Mauritius Airport as it continues to expand into a global business, leisure and tourism hub.

Jacques Marrier d’Unienville, chief executive officer, Omnicane Limited said: “With a new terminal at Mauritius Airport in the pipeline, the need for an airport hotel has never been greater.”

The 20-year licence agreement will see IHG redevelop the three acres site. Sustainable design initiatives in the hotel will include taking advantage of natural ventilation in the living areas as well as the use of low-e glazing to reduce air conditioning loads.

Pascal Gauvin, IHG’s chief operating officer, for India, Middle East and Africa said: “Mauritius is continuing to see an increase in visitor numbers and with that, an increased demand for a range of accommodation options. With Holiday Inn, we are responding to this demand by catering to the mid-scale market.”

The hotel will offer 131 standard and nine executive rooms along with a gym, a spa, a bar lounge and terrace, a swimming pool, restaurant as well as five meeting rooms and a large banqueting room.

Middle East and Africa hotel occupancy performance for March 2013

During first-quarter 2013, the Middle East/Africa region’s occupancy rose 5.9% to 64.3%, its ADR was up 3.1% to US$179.10 and its RevPAR increased 9.2% to US$115.20.

“The region reported positive performance growth during the first quarter of the year”, said Elizabeth Winkle, managing director of STR Global. “Southern Africa was the only exception, reporting negative RevPAR growth during the first quarter. This is mostly due to a reduction in ADR of nearly 5.0%. Northern African, though showing double-digit occupancy growth, is still reporting actual occupancy levels of below 50.0%”.

Highlights among the region’s key markets for March 2013 include Muscat rose to 18.0% in occupancy to 83.1%, reporting the largest increase. Doha followed with a 13.2-% increase to 70.2%. Amman witnessed a -17.7% to 64.7% while Beirut was -17.2% to 52.6% reporting the largest occupancy decreases. However, Amman achieved the largest ADR increase, rising 12.7% to US$166.44, followed by Dubai with a 11.5% increase to US$294.00. Beirut fell 21.4% in ADR to US$151.76, reporting the largest decrease.

Four markets experienced double-digit RevPAR increases which included Muscat (+27.8% to US$211.14); Dubai (+14.2% to US$257.63); Doha (+12.4% to US$158.23); and Lagos (+10.0% to US$204.19). Finally, Beirut fell 34.9% in RevPAR to US$79.89, posting the largest decrease.