FEATURE GULF STATES
Tourism Update INSIDE ROTANA
Rotana’s
co-founder, president and chief executive officer, Selim El Zyr
has been awarded the title of Hospitality CEO of the Year at the 2011 CEO Middle East Awards. This achievement recognises the
group’s on-going success in the Middle East and the step-by-step strategy which has been ingeniously applied to Rotana's expansion by El Zyr since the group opened. The awards reflect the success of businesses across the Middle East and Africa and honour CEOs for their efforts in innovative business development and business excellence across the region. El Zyr began his hospitality
career as chief steward at the Waldorf in New York and then spent 12 years with Hilton International before establishing a leading fast food chain in the Lebanon. He moved to Abu Dhabi in 1988 working for Abu Dhabi National Hotels and co-founded Rotana, the first Middle Eastern hotel management company, in 1992. The group currently holds an impressive portfolio of 70 properties across the Middle East and Africa and with his extensive managerial expertise, El Zyr has been spreading Rotana’s trademark and making it an iconic hospitality institution known in every city within the region. Among El Zyr’s concepts are the
All Suites properties (rebranded to Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana) and the Centro Hotels by Rotana: an affordable business hotel brand. He also launched Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts, the alcohol-free chain of hotels by Rotana. El Zyr has also overseen the
introduction of an award-winning loyalty programme, an exclusive club concept and the 'Zen the Spa at Rotana’ facilities.
www.rotana.com
34 November 2011 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
to the women there about their
religion; I would really recommend putting time aside for a cultural experience.”
Getting There Gulf Air, Bahrain’s national carrier took delivery of its first A330-200 aircraft in October, retrofitted with a new Panasonic entertainment system. The ‘Sky Hub’, offers passengers full internet access, mobile phone services and, for the first time in the world, a live television service onboard. The system is being rolled out across the fleet. The live TV option means travellers can
now watch sporting events or news as it happens. The system can also be used with personal devices for email and surfing the web and allows mobile phones to be used to call, text and email. Gulf Air operates two daily flights
between London Heathrow and Bahrain and has Middle East connections beyond. Qatar Airways has taken delivery of
a new Boeing – the 100th aircraft in its fleet. The Boeing 777-200LR was handed over to the Doha-based carrier in October and reflects the dramatic level of growth to the region. Qatar Airways now operates 27 Boeing 777 wide body long-haul aircraft, together with a mix of Airbus A320 Family jets, A330s and A340s. The airline was named Airline of the Year 2011 in the annual Skytrax passenger survey. Qatar Airport opened Terminal B, a dedicated departures facility
for foreign airlines in June. Etihad Airways has launched
numerous new routes this year and has increased frequencies on a number of existing routes including from Manchester. It reports online sales in July, 2011, were up 71 percent on the previous year. It has announced it will provide onboard wireless internet on selected European routes before the end of the year. It will have two aircraft with operational onboard internet by December, and five aircraft by March,
2012.Three of these will include the Airbus A330-300s, which operate between Abu Dhabi and London. Emirates increased its services out of Manchester in June from daily to 10 times a week and will begin daily flights from Dublin from January 9 2012, marking its first route to the Republic of Ireland. An Airbus A330-200 will be deployed on the route offering First, Business and Economy classes. Oman Air has introduced the new Airbus A330 aircraft to its fleet in the last 18 months, with state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and full mobile phone and wi-fi connectivity. It was awarded Best In-flight Connectivity & Communications, at the Passenger Choice Awards organised by the Airline Passenger Experience Association. Oman Air has also introduced new
From left: Abu Dhabi skyline and the Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi
Embraer E175 regional jets and expanded its regional routes. It has aso opened new Business Class and First Class lounges at Muscat International. It also offers door-to-door First Class and Business Class limousine services, and has a lounge-to-aircraft limousine service at Muscat.
Where to book it ITC CLASSICS - 01244 355 550
www.itcclassics.co.uk Is offering a Dubai deal whereby clients stay five nights and pay for four, get complimentary half board and an extra 15 per cent off room rates. Prices from £1,489pp at the Palace Superior Deluxe Room including return economy flights and private transfers.
PREMIER HOLIDAYS - 08444 937 777
www.trade.premierholidays.co.uk Features a three-night break at the Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi starting from £799 pp for a three- night break in May 2012.
VIRGIN HOLIDAYS
www.vhols4agents.co.uk Features three nights in Ras Al Khaimah and Dubai, including scheduled flights with Virgin Atlantic, B&B and transfers from £649pp based on departures December 1-6, 2011.
Who flies there: BRITISH AIRWAYS - 0870 850 9850
www.britishairways.com EMIRATES - 0870 243 2222
www.emirates.com ETIHAD AIRWAYS - 0870 241 7121
www.etihadairways.com GULF AIR - 0844 493 1717
www.gulfair.com OMAN AIR - 08444 822 309
www.oman-air.com QATAR AIRWAYS - 020 7399 2597
www.qatarairways.com VIRGIN ATLANTIC - 0844 209 7310
www.virgin-atlantic.com •
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