news to use TOP STORIES MIDDLE EAST
SELIM EL ZYR Chief Executive Offi cer Rotana Hotels
What are the latest travel trends in the Middle East? Smart travel. This is the new philosophy ruling the tourism and hospitality sectors in the Middle East and Africa. This concept has transformed travel from being a feature exclusive to the elite to becoming much more accessible. Travellers want their basic needs met with exceptional service yet at reasonable prices.
How is Rotana responding to this? Budget hotels have to meet the need of business and leisure travellers and families. Rotana launched its revolutionary new hotel concept, 'Centro Hotels by Rotana', in 2005 to offer the ultimate solution for smart travellers on an affordable budget, who don’t want to compromise on style or quality.
Describe the Centro brand Centro is expressed through its contemporary architecture and unique living spaces, which embody the personality of an executive hotel, combining style, warmth and convenience through its amenities. They are in convenient locations within the heart of the city and are equipped with the latest technology, amidst a comfortable and seamless atmosphere at reasonable, well- thought-of prices.
Where are the properties? Rotana operates four ‘Centro’ brand hotels in the United Arab Emirates with over 1050 rooms between Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. In the past year, Rotana opened two Centro hotels, 'Centro Sharjah' and 'Centro Al Manhal Abu Dhabi'.
What's next? Rotana plans on opening Centro Capital Centre in Abu Dhabi this year and a further 25 ‘Centro Hotels by Rotana’ properties across the Middle East & Africa by 2014 maintaining the brand as a unique outside- the-box solution for the mid-tier market.
Virgin surveys Brits
RESEARCH released to mark the opening of the 100th Virgin Holidays retail store shows that despite the economic climate jet-setting Brits will still enjoy an average of two holidays a year and jet off on 114 exotic holidays between the ages of 18-75. The study of 2,000 Brits found that 228 books will be read, 456 ice-creams will be eaten and 2,394 alcoholic drinks will be sipped. Researchers also found that Brits will
enjoy one holiday romance, meet 228 new people and make 114 life- changing decisions. To remember their trips, they'll take 13,566 photos in a lifetime and 1,482 minutes of video. The stats show the average adult will travel 281,466 miles over their lifetime!
www.virginholidays.co.uk
H&J adds US inns Wendy Wu pushes late sales
WENDY WU Tours has launched an aggressive late offer campaign with discounts of up to £1000 per couple available on selected October tours. The 16-day Wonders of China tour, for example, is now priced from £2190pp (down from £2690) including the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors, Shanghai and Guilin for a river cruise along the Li River and Three Gorges on a Yangtze River Cruise. The Asia specialist operator has also launched its 2013 brochures with 11 new tours to China, eight new tours to Indochina and three new tours to India, Sri Lanka and Nepal among its 600
IN BRIEF
UK rep for New Star The New Star Beach Resort on Chaweng Noi Beach in Koh Samui, Thailand is now represented in the UK by Missendene Marketing. The boutique resort consists of 74 units including deluxe rooms, cottages, and villas. More information available from
dennis@rsouk.demon.co.uk.
www.newstarresort.com
10 October 2012 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
Christchurch gets an Ibis Ibis Christchurch has become the first city centre hotel to re-open since the 2011 earthquake hit New Zealand's South Island city. The hotel has undergone major remedial work and renovation of all 155 rooms and public areas. Accor's Novotel Christchurch is due to re-open mid-2013.
www.ibishotel.com
Air Niugini expands its network Air Niugini has added an additional service from Singapore to Port Moresby, PNG each Wednesday which brings the frequency to five times per week. Additionally there is a new route from Cebu in the Philippines. For further information: vjoyce@flight
directors.com.
www.airniugini.co.uk
departures in 18 different countries. Customers can now pick from over 70
short stays, which can be pulled together with flights and transfers in a more flexible way to attract business from more independent travellers. Among the new product for winter 2013 is an 11- day private programme, offering visitors the chance to experience the highlights of China on a Private Rail Experience. Starting in Beijing, clients take in all the key highlights and from Xi’an, board the overnight train to Shanghai before connecting by train to Hong Kong.
www.wendywutours.co.uk
HAYES & JARVIS has expanded its New England selection with a collection of character inns in Massachusetts added to its new USA & Canada brochure.
The 2012-2014 brochure features more hotels, in New York in response to demand, plus landmark LA hotels and luxury Pacific Coast Highway resorts.
www.hayesandjarvis.com/agents
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68