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NEWS


LUXURY LODGES TO OPEN ON SIR BANI YAS ISLAND


Two new luxury lodges will open this year on Sir Bani Yas Island in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi. Al Yamm and Al Sahel Lodges


by Anantara join Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara to provide three unique experienc- es in one destination, surround- ed by beaches and wildlife. Built by Abu Dhabi devel-


oper TDIC, Al Sahel Lodge will comprise 30 luxury villas, each with private plunge pools, set on 4,100 hectares in the Arabian Wildlife Park. Surrounded by lush grass savannah, the villas overlook natural landscape and salt-dome hilltops, giving guests a rare glimpse of grazing sand gazelles, the elusive mountain gazelle and Arabian oryx. Al Sahel Lodge will have one dining and one buffet restau- rant, a lounge pool bar and cocktail bar. Al Yamm Lodge will feature


30 luxury villas, 15 of which are surrounded by natural sandy beaches on the eastern shores of the island. The remaining 15 villas will be set among mangrove forests, overlooking a saltwater lagoon that is home to


flamingoes. Al Yamm Lodge has a library, small shop, one dining and one buffet restaurant, a lounge and pool bar and busi- ness centre. David Garner, area direc-


tor of sales and marketing for Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas in Abu Dhabi, said the lodges would bring two new experi- ences to the island, making it a one-of-a-kind destination in the Arabian Gulf “Guests will have the oppor-


tunity to stay in their own private villa with the choice of a seafront or a safari experience,


and enjoy a unique taste of Arabian hospitality.” In addition to the lodge


retreats, the island is undergo- ing further development with the launch of the Desert Islands Conference Centre, a watersports centre and the Sir Bani Yas Equestrian Centre, also set to open later this year. The conference centre will


have capacity for 340 guests and will feature a ballroom, pre- assembly area, eight breakout rooms, a reception lobby, sea- facing courtyard, business centre and prayer rooms.


UAE Ambassador of Chile Jean-Paul Tarud K


The Chilean Tourism Board (Turis- mo Chile) is targeting the Middle East as a key growth market, exhibiting at this week’s Arabian Travel Market with Argentina. With Qatar Airways now oper-


ating flights to nearby South American destinations such as Sao Paulo in Brazil and Buenos Aires in Argentina and Emirates Airline serving Sao Paulo with plans to extend these services to Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires, Chile says the time is right to capture the imagina- tion of Middle East travellers. “This region [the Middle East]


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MÖVENPICK OFFERS DEIRA'S FIRST NEW FIVE-STAR FOR A DECADE


Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is reminding delegates that the first new five-star Deira hotel to be built in more than a decade has opened its doors. The Mövenpick Hotel Deira


is located at the heart of Old Dubai's early commercial district on the north side of the city's arterial waterway, Dubai Creek. General manager Michael


Nugent said the 216-room prop- erty had filled the gap for afford- able upscale accommodation in Deira – a property long sought- after by seasoned Dubai travel- lers and inquisitive shoppers, as well as business executives. “While the greater Dubai has


been on a building boom, Deira's five-star hospitality sector has been somewhat still and we have filled in the gap to bring new spir- it to this heritage area,” he said. “It is through the Creek that


Dubai is able to attribute much of its success as the commercial hub of the United Arab Emir- ates and much of early Dubai's infrastructure grew up on the banks of the Creek, creeping inland to the south and north.” The sea water channel, a brisk 15-minute walk from the hotel, is a main estuary of the Arabian


Gulf and gives access to some of the world's major shipping lanes. Nugent noted that Deira is


also home to many of Dubai's destination highlights making it a great rendezvous for inquisi- tive holidaymakers, destina- tion travellers and shoppers. Within easy reach of the


Mövenpick Hotel Deira are Dubai's original world-renowned Spice Souk and Gold Souk. “Golfers will also find the


appeal of Deira, with five clubs on our doorstep,” enthused Nugent. There are two golf courses


within easy reach of the property – The Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club and the Al Badia Golf Club. In addition, the “south bank


golf clubs” – Emirates, Montgom-


erie and Els – are less than 25 minutes away, added Nugent. For shoppers, many malls


are also close by including Dubai Festival Centre, Deira City Centre and Al Ghurair Centre. “We also give you a beach.


Our private beach club Oceana Beach Club and New York- influenced grill and bar, West 14th


, are located on The Palm


Jumeirah. The hotel bus shuttles to and from the beachside rest and relaxation haven throughout the day,” concluded Nugent. The Mövenpick Hotel


Deira, a Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts property in partner- ship with Seven Tides, has two restaurants, a bar, a rooftop swimming pool and a gym.


has new potential for Chile and we have had a good reaction to the destination at this week’s show,” said Turismo Chile’s spokesperson Carolina Bugmann. “We now have good airlift into


South America from the Middle East and we hope that airlines like Emirates and Qatar Airways will consider flying to Chile. “However, from destinations


like Sao Paulo we do have eight connecting flights to Chile daily.” Turismo Chile aims to “present


the principal experiences Chile offers within its land of contrast”


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EMIRATES PRESIDENT PAYS TRIBUTE TO HANS HAENSEL


Emirates president Tim Clark has paid tribute to Hans Haen- sel who sadly passed away on Sunday evening (May 1), follow- ing a long battle with cancer. Hans, who was the divisional


senior vice president for Emir- ates’ destination and leisure management division, was well known, respected and loved by the region’s travel and tourism industry. "Hans Haensel was a stalwart


in the global leisure industry and his foresight and pioneering spirit towards the development of tourism in Dubai, is the rich legacy he leaves behind,” Clark said. “We at Emirates profoundly


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feel his loss. For more than 20 years he has been our friend and colleague and his contri-


butions towards building the company's leisure division are immeasurable." Hans, who started his career


as a rep for a tour operator in Spain, was instrumental in developing Emirates Holidays,


Arabian Adventures and Emir- ates Hotels & Resorts. He was fiercely passionate


about the travel industry, but once revealed that when he was a child, his ambition was to be a postman as he loved the children’s TV programme Postman Pat. “Other than that, if I had


to choose a career for my next life, I would like to do exactly what I am doing now,” he told the travel press. Paying tribute to Hans and his


contribution to the industry, the Emirates Group has created a small memorial at its stand at this week’s Arabian Travel Market. The Arabian Travel Market


Hans Haensel


show daily team would like to express their sincere condolences to Hans Haensel’s family and to the Emirates Group for their loss.


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at this week’s show, “from the driest desert on earth to Andean peaks, as well as Easter Island – the most remote island of the world”, according to Turismo Chile project manager Jessica Canelo. “Chile is a destination that


offers a modern and sophis- ticated tourism infrastruc- ture, award-winning wines and cuisine and world-class ski resorts,” she added. Chile’s tourism business


has made a miraculous recov- ery from the February 2010 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck just off the coast of the city


CHILE EYES REGION AS KEY GROWTH MARKET


of Concepcion, around 300km south of the capital Santiago. The earthquake and subse-


quent tsunami killed more than 500 people, injuring and displacing many thousands more and causing up to US$30 billion worth of damage. Sterling efforts to rebuild


the tourism industry have been recognised at this week’s Arabian Travel Market with Chile receiving the New Frontiers Award 2011. “We are proud and very


honoured that our efforts have been recognised by the tourism industry,” said Chilean Ambas- sador Jean-Paul Tarud K. “Our country was hurt by


a major cataclysm but we have managed to rebuild 80 percent of our tourism infra- structure within a year.” He said Chile fully sympa-


thised with the people of Japan following the earthquake that struck the nation earlier this year. “I hope they will be consid-


ered for next year’s New Frontiers Awards,” he added.


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