Istanbul, Turkey November 2011: The outlook of the Turkish tourism industry is more buoyant than ever, with an increasing number of international and local hotel companies investing in the sector, said Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of Bench Events, co-organiser of the Central Asia and Turkey Hotel Investment Conference (CATHIC), to be held in Istanbul from February 6-8 2012.

“It is the ideal time to invest in Turkey’s hospitality sector with international tourist arrivals expected reach 33 million by 2012[1]. Indeed, more than 1.4[2] million Arab visitors are recorded so far this year.”

Figures reveal that the tourism sector is currently contributing 11 per cent year on year economic growth, with Istanbul seeing a 30 per cent increase in tourist revenue for 2011. Worsley noted that this sets the pace for Turkey to achieve its goal of welcoming 70 million tourist arrivals by 2023 - the 100th Anniversary of the Republic.

Meanwhile, Mehmet Önkal, Managing Partner, BDO Hospitality Consulting in Turkey warned that investment in the sector is crucial.

“One of the key drivers of sustainable development is the consistent flow of investment and Turkey is lucky as it does not face the same challenges with financing as other markets.  There does however need to be a more strategic drive that appreciates the needs of the market, as well as recognition of the unique requirements of a hotel development, as opposed to other asset classes.”

Önkal said that Turkey is at the beginning of a property boom and that investors and stakeholders have yet to fully identify and utilise the investment opportunities presented by the tourism and hospitality sector, proven to be a catalyst for economic growth.

Worsley said that the upcoming CATHIC will address both the opportunities and challenges, specifically those related to the availability of capital. “We will be joined by representatives from major Turkish banks and will discuss hotel financing structures and lending criteria, as well as issues involved in ensuring properties provide long term return on investment for owners”.

The conference programme includes speakers with knowledge and expertise in regional and international hotel development, finance, hotel branding and operations, plus sessions giving perspectives from industry analysts.

Key speakers at CATHIC 2012 include Cevdet Akcay, Chief Economist, Yapi Kredi Bank; Denis Hennequin, President & CEO, Accor SA; Eric Danziger, President & Chief Executive Officer, Wyndham Hotel Group; Angela Brav, Chief Executive Officer – Europe, IHG; Kurt Ritter, President & CEO, The Rezidor Hotel Group; Atilla Ozturk,  CEO & Board Member, ASTAY; Serdar Bilgili, Chairman, Bilgili Holding; Simon Vincent, President - Europe, Hilton Worldwide; Roeland Vos, President EAME, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide; and Lado Sakvarelidze, Chief Financial Officer, Redix.

In addition to the conference programme, CATHIC offers various networking opportunities, as well as an exhibition.  Delegates will have ample opportunity to meet other participants, discuss opportunities and to do business.

Arabian Travel Market (ATM) and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) have revealed that Middle East Tourism Ministers will, for the first time, come together at ATM 2012 for a special session that will focus on driving the region’s tourism agenda.

Scheduled to take place on 30 April, the first day of the show, the high profile forum will pick up on feedback from regional tourism leaders, which highlighted increased co-operation and the expansion of tourism products as key drivers for future tourism growth.

“The ongoing changes in the Middle East and North Africa bring enormous opportunities,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

“Rule of law and democracy will empower local communities, opening the door for these to be better engaged in the process of tourism development. There will surely be a more transparent business environment, increased support for smaller businesses as well as stronger regional integration and cooperation,” he continued.

“Our decision to invite the region’s tourism ministers was spurred not only by the wave of positive sentiment felt across the industry as the first signs of post Arab Spring democracy have emerged, but by the points raised at the UNWTO/ATM session at the WTM,” remarked Mark Walsh, Group Exhibition Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions.

Misperception was highlighted as one of the most pressing challenges, with participants stressing that the Middle East should not be viewed as a single block, but rather as different countries with different realities and definitions.

For Egypt, where tourism numbers this year are expected to have fallen by between 20 and 25 per cent compared to 2010, Minister of Tourism, HE Mounir Fakhri Abdel-Nour, said the country was committed to tourism as an industry which contributed 12 per cent to national GDP.

“In order to execute our development plans, we need to diversify source markets as well as add new products such as rehabilitation and wellness tourism, desert and adventure tourism,” he said.

According to UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai, despite the setback in visitor arrival figures due to the ongoing events of the Arab Spring, with a nine per cent decrease in tourism growth in the Middle East year-to-date, the UNWTO was forecasting the resumption of growth in the medium and long term.

“Tourism in the Middle East and Africa has been a success story – rising from just 18 million visitors in 1990 to more than 70 million last year. Looking to the future, we believe that this figure will grow to 195 million visitors by 2030, with the new political climate bringing tourism closer to the people as well as creating a healthier business environment and fostering regional integration which is an important element to promote sustainable tourism,” he said.

“We expect that the UNWTO and ATM forum will have a significant and positive effect on regional collaboration to sustain growth in the travel and tourism sector here,” added Reed Travel Exhibitions’ Walsh.

Bringing the panel session to an end, Rifai concluded: “The Arab Spring has had an effect on the whole world of travel, and while we are passing through difficult times, they are also exciting times as tourism is the oil that never runs out.”

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Gulf-based travelers to the United Kingdom believe its image overseas has improved significantly over the last year, driven by better perceptions of British culture, its people, and its appeal as a tourist destination, according to findings released by its tourism board.

Carol Maddison, Manager United Arab Emirates, VisitBritain, said: “Particularly encouraging from these findings is the news that emerging markets rank the UK very highly as an aspirational destination. It is our ambition to attract an additional four million overseas visitors over the next four years, and that will mean turning these positive perceptions here in the Gulf into measureable visits.”

Published in the latest Anholt-GFK Roper Nation Brands Index (NBI), the UK now overtakes France on the overall rankings to become the third most admired country globally, positioning itself as one of the strongest and most well-rounded nations in the world.

The results reveal that the UK – now one place higher than it was in 2010 - is also one of the few countries to feature in the top six slots within each of the six brand measurements that the NBI analyzes annually.

Britain’s enhanced standing on the world stage has been buoyed by respondents’ views on it as a tourist destination, particularly because of the appeal of its rich historic landmarks and vibrant city life. It has also improved its aspirational appeal for overseas markets with visitors more likely to make the journey to the UK if money were no object.

Along with these gains, the UK has also enjoyed success for the third consecutive year in being seen as an interesting and exciting place for contemporary culture, jumping up two spots to fourth place with music, films, art, literature, and sports all areas strongly associated with the British.

Welcoming the latest findings, Chief Executive of VisitBritain Sandie Dawe said:

“This year’s NBI report provides yet another insightful score-card for the UK. It shows that the overwhelming perception of Britain is positive and that our image is improving significantly in many of the countries in which we operate around the world.”

After last year’s successful promotional tour “Dallal fi Almania” (”Feel Good in Germany”), the German National Tourist Office (GNTO), the local affiliate of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) in Dubai, addressed the GCC travel industry and media with a road show, which, in 2011 is particularly focussing on wellness and medical tourism. The final stop of the road show concluded on 27th of this month in Dubai and involved a series of workshops held by institutional, medical and tourism representatives as well as specialised doctors, coming from Germany.

The staged activities included discussions, exchanges as well as one-to-one workshop sessions, which also provided extensive networking opportunities to the participants. The road show, organized in partnership with Lufthansa, finds its grounds in a GNTB’s recent study, confirming that wellness, health and medical tourism places Germany among the favourite destinations of GCC and other international travellers. Given the increasing relevance of the health and wellness sector for Germany’s tourism, the GNTB also decided to dedicate an important part of its 2011 marketing campaign to this theme.

Having registered in 2010 a total number of 968,336 overnight stays from Gulf Arabs, which marked an impressive increase of 26.4% as compared to the data of previous year, the key importance of the Arabian Gulf market for the German tourist industry is fully consolidated. Germany places itself as the second most visited European country out of the Arabian Gulf region.

Excellent flight connections, high-quality infrastructures and hospitality services specifically targeted to visitors coming from GCC countries, have built up over the years Germany’s reputation as preferred destination for inbound tourism from the Arabian Gulf. GNTO always aims at further strengthening the international reputation of the German vibrant towns and cities, which are a mix of cultural richness and an eventful life. Nevertheless, also the diversified natural scenery, the abundance of greenery and the several shopping opportunities are particularly important when presenting in this region the main features of tourism to Germany.

“With this itinerant promotional tool, we aimed at combining and highlighting in the Arabian Gulf the traditional as well as the innovative pillars of the German travel industry” said Antje Roeding-Boudier, Director of the Marketing and Sales Office for the Gulf Countries at GNTO. “Germany’s healthcare system benefits from its unrivalled reputation abroad, thanks to its highly trained doctors and medical staff, the excellent medical infrastructure and the great offer in diagnostics” she explained.

The workshops showcased to the local travel industry, media, as well as medical experts and doctors initiatives aimed at becoming further acquainted with the needs of visitors from GCC countries, constantly growing in number. During the road show, Germany’s representatives, including many medical specialists, provided pertinent information about their respective areas, with the aim of engaging the travel industry from the Arabian Gulf countries. The dialogue between the German participants and their audience resulted in great enthusiasm on both sides and confirmed the effectiveness of the road show as strategic promotional tool.

GNTO has embarked on a strategy of engaging the GCC travel industry directly in the region through various activities. Therefore, continuous efforts to boost the positive image of Germany as an attractive destination for wellness, health and medical tourism have been staged at the most important trade fairs and workshops worldwide such as the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), taking place in Dubai every year.

In order to ensure the utmost service to its GCC visitors, the GNTB focused on producing specialised informative material in Arabic. This involved especially the realisation in the Arabic version of a print brochure entitled ‘Medical tourism – You’ll be well looked after in Germany’ which provides information for international patients as well as on traditional touristic highlights. Moreover, a special page, available both in English and Arabic and dedicated to health related tourism in Germany, can be found at the GNTB newly designed website www.germany.travel, under the section ‘Specials’.

Justin Francis

Abu Dhabi, 19 July, 2011: The inclusion of Al Ain – Abu Dhabi emirate’s second city and its heritage heartland – on the UNESCO World Heritage List represents a huge opportunity for responsible tourism in the UAE to flourish, with the country’s ‘Oasis City’ at the forefront, an industry expert says.

“As the first UAE site to be included on the UNESCO World Heritage list, a great responsibility comes with having what is now recognised as one of the world’s greatest and most important cultural treasures”, said Justin Francis, co-founder of the pioneering travel website, responsibletravel.com.

“It will be thrust into the spotlight as a remarkable place to visit, and all eyes will be watching to see how it is being conserved for future generations. I encourage the UAE to embrace this responsibility and benefit from a huge opportunity for responsible tourism in the country to flourish, with Al Ain at the forefront”.

Francis will spotlight current consumer trends in travel related to responsible tourism when he joins an international line-up of speakers at the second World Green Tourism conference taking place at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from December 5-7.

“For the UAE, as in other countries in the Middle East, if there is a real desire from organisations, tourism providers and opinion formers, a lot can be achieved,” said Francis.

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“I am excited to be attending World Green Tourism, particularly on the back of the Al Ain announcement, and look forward seeing firsthand how responsible tourism is developing there, as well as sharing the benefit of our experience at responsibletravel.com”.

In 2001, inspired by a village elder on a visit to Kawaza village in Zambia, Francis wrote his MSc dissertation on establishing a portal for responsible travel. He launched responsibletravel.com a year later as “the first business in the world to talk about responsible travel and tourism.”

His backers included the late Dame Anita Roddick, environmental campaigner and founder of The Body Shop. His UK-based organisation has since worked with hundreds of tourism businesses to screen them for the site, and help them improve their policies.

In 2004, Francis founded the world’s largest award scheme for responsible holidays, the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards. Since its inception in 2004 more than 11,000 nominations have been received from the public, highlighting the importance of the way consumer trends impact the future direction of the tourism industry.

Francis also devised successful campaigns to persuade travel giants Thomson Holidays, Thomas Cook and MyTravel to publish policies for responsible tourism.

Organised by Streamline Marketing Group, World Green Tourism, the first commercial conference and exhibition specifically for the sustainable tourism sector, is hosted by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.

Francis says Jordan and Oman lead the way in the Middle East for the development of responsible tourism and are model examples for other countries in the region to follow. “Jordan has made great strides forward in terms of its commitment to responsible tourism”, Francis said.

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“We’ve worked closely with the country in developing a guide to Jordan and it has a wealth of local stories to tell, and is embracing them. Similarly, Oman has a commendable approach to embracing responsible tourism, and has been working to promote that for a number of years”.

The commitment to preserving the natural and cultural heritage in the region has been highlighted recently with Jordan’s Wadi Rum and the ancient villages of Northern Syria also being granted world heritage status by UNESCO. Wadi Rum has joined three other sites in Jordan - Petra, Quseir Amra and Um er-Rasas - on the list.

As with most Middle East countries, tourism is a crucial element to economic growth in Jordan and Oman. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the direct contribution from tourism to Jordan’s GDP for 2011 is expected to reach nearly US$2.5 billion, (8.3 per cent of GDP), and generate 130,000 jobs. An influx of nearly 4.5 million tourists is expected to visit the country in 2011.

The expected contribution from travel and tourism to Oman’s GDP for 2011 is US$1.9 billion (three per cent of GDP), generating 35,000 jobs directly (3.2 per cent of total employment). The country is expected to attract 1.2 million international tourists.

Among the other high profile speaker at the World Green Tourism conference is H.H. Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Nuaimi, the Environment Advisor for Ajman Government, most commonly referred to as ‘The Green Sheikh’. The event is held under the patronage of H.H.Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, ADTA’s Chairman. To be involved as participant, sponsor, delegate or visitor can email call Thea Skelton on thea@worldgreentourism.com / +971 4 447 5357.

Jennifer Seif

World Green Tourism conference in Abu Dhabi to hear how South Africa averted mass tourism pitfalls

Abu Dhabi, 26 June, 2011: The Middle East can learn valuable lessons from South Africa to help avoid mass tourism pitfalls en route to economic growth as a responsible tourism destination, an industry expert says.

Jennifer Seif, Executive Director of Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA), says high resource consumption, and competition over natural resources, are common challenges to the Middle East’s and South Africa’s tourism industries.

An equally important issue for both in the development of sustainable tourism is the need to find workable models for community-based tourism and effective partnerships between the public, private and civil society sectors, she adds.

Seif will spotlight lessons learnt in South Africa when she addresses the second World Green Tourism conference at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from December 5-7.

The FTTSA, a non-profit organisation, has pioneered the world’s first tourism Fair Trade labeling initiative to give consumers environmentally and socially responsible travel options. FTTSA certifies tourist accommodation, activities and attractions in South Africa against a standard comprised of labour, socio-economic, management and environmental criteria.

The fair trade label attracts ethically minded travellers who choose tourism providers that deliver travel experiences shown to be good for people and the planet.

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The organisation has begun certifying packaged travel to South Africa, and hopes the model can be adopted internationally, including the Middle East.

At World Green Tourism Seif will outline to regional hospitality leaders, tour operators, government and NGO representatives how the initiative can benefit long-term tourism competitiveness and sustainability, contributing positively to the ‘triple bottom line’- economically, environmentally, and socio-culturally.

“South Africa can learn from best practice in the Middle East, and vice versa,” said Seif. “South Africa’s successful hosting of the FIFA 2010 World Cup may provide inspiration to Qatar 2022 and to the hosting of other future mega events in both the Middle East and Africa. I will present Fair Trade Travel as a tool for destination management and marketing and show how Fair Trade labelling can contribute to tourism competitiveness at both firm and destination level.” 

Like the Middle East, South Africa wants to boost its share of the global tourism market, which in 2008 stood at just 1.3 per cent. International tourism arrivals in the republic have more than trebled since the advent of democracy, reaching 8.1 million in 2010 compared to 3 million in 1992, in the process creating over one million jobs and overtaking gold exports for foreign currency earnings.

Tourism’s contribution to South Africa’s GDP of US$354 billion rose from 2.7 per cent to 7.9 per cent in 2009-2010. According to the country’s draft National Tourism Sector Strategy 2011, South Africa aims to be ranked in the world’s top 20 destinations by 2020 with 15 million arrivals.

“But tourism growth carries costs, especially rapid growth,” says Seif. “Travel and tourism stresses the environment and can create social and other problems that damage destinations and communities, to the detriment of the poor. 

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“Research by advocacy organisations in Europe and elsewhere shows that labor standards in tourism are amongst the worst in the world, and that human rights challenges are on the rise linked to competition over natural resources like land, water and energy.

“If these undersides of the industry are not reformed, and if the people whose land, labor, culture and natural resources are used for tourism activities do not benefit meaningfully from the sector, then sustainable development objectives will not be achieved.” 

Organised by Streamline Marketing Group, World Green Tourism, the first commercial conference and exhibition specifically for the sustainable tourism sector, is hosted by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.

Among the other high profile conference speakers is H.H. Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Nuaimi, the Environment Advisor for Ajman Government, most commonly referred to as ‘The Green Sheikh’.

World Green Tourism is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, ADTA’s Chairman. To be involved as participant, sponsor, delegate or visitor can email call Thea Skelton on thea@worldgreentourism.com / +971 4 447 5357.

Al Qasba

All-inclusive destination records nearly a quarter of a million visitors in first half of the year as Ramadan festival gets underway this month

Sharjah, August 17, 2010:  Now celebrating the sixth anniversary of the Ramadaniat Al Qasba festival, officials at Sharjah’s premier entertainment destination Al Qasba have revealed high attendance number pushing almost a quarter of a million visitors in just the first six months of 2010.  One of the leading cultural destinations in the Emirate of Sharjah, the company’s mix of leisure attractions and business facilities has proven to be an attractive combination not only for UAE residents but a growing tourism industry in the Emirate.

Situated in the centre of “new Sharjah”, location has become a key factor in driving places like Al Qasba to diversify their offerings to attract a combination of leisure and business visitors in 2010.  “Here families can find a lively evening’s entertainment, friends can share in five-star international cuisine, and business people can take advantage of stylishly sophisticated conference facilities all within a single picturesque setting,” says Hazem Sawaf, Sales and Marketing Director at Al Qasba Development Authority.

A number of events have made this an especially rewarding year for Al Qasba, including a community walkathon to support the children of Palestine, an Earth Hour event supporting energy conservation, and the recently concluded ‘Scream for Your Team’ event held during the FIFA World Cup this year.

According to the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), the Sharjah tourism industry has maintained a steady growth as the number of tourists and hotel occupancy rate rose in the first half of the year. 

“As Sharjah’s popularity increases, we have worked diligently to offer leisure and business customers not only excellent amenities, but a combination of attractions unlike any other available in the Emirate,” adds Sawaf.

The venue has proven widely popular with people of all ages with notable attractions such as the Etisalat Eye of the Emirates—the largest Ferris wheel in the Middle East having alone drawn almost 40,000 visitors during the first half of the year.  Other cultural ventures include traditional Abra boat rides along the Sharjah’s waterfront, with creatives also getting a flush of inspiration at the Maraya Art Centre, presenting three distinct galleries and a number of monthly workshops and lectures. Plenty of cafes and restaurants also line the Al Qasba waterfront, offering guests everything from European bistros to relaxed Arabian coffeehouses. 

Inspired by the success of the first six months, the Sharjah destination is determined to bring even more action to the latter half of 2010 as the Holy Month of Ramadan kicks of this week.

“This is typically one of our busiest times of the year as people across the region seek to capture a glimpse of the past while exploring the many wonders of contemporary Islamic society.”  We are especially thrilled this year to be extending Ramadaniat Al Qasba under the collective Sharjah Ramadan Festival, supporting the time-honoured values and traditions associated with Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr,” concluded Sawaf.

Giving visitors the chance to walk away with something special this Ramadan, Al Qasba is sponsoring a series of giveaway promotions for all visitors spending AED 100 or more at any of Al Qasba’s facilities.  Through the Scratch & Win campaign, customers will be able to take home any number of fantastic prizes including Al Qasba Value Vouchers, free attraction tickets, and or course instant prizes.

Additional information about the seasonal and permanent activities at Al Qasba can be found online at www.alqasba.ae
 

Sector to generate SAR 239 billion in revenues through 2019

February 6, 2010

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) travel and tourism sector has helped maintain solid national economic growth amidst the protracted global financial crisis. The Saudi tourism market generates around SAR 52 billion in annual revenues, with export earnings from international travelers and tourism services expected to bring in SAR 239 billion towards 2019.

Despite being one of the 22 highest inbound markets in the world, the Kingdom aims at fully developing the potential of its tourism sector. Several trade events are already being lined up to encourage regional and international investors and exhibitors to explore the numerous prospects available within the thriving Saudi travel and tourism market. The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), the national authority responsible for the planning and development of domestic tourism, will lead government efforts to promote more inbound travel in 2010 by organizing the 3rd Saudi Travel and Tourism Investment Market (STTIM).

“As the largest economy in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia has the necessary resources to expand travel and tourism as major income generators. There are still numerous development opportunities available in areas such as Al-Wajh, Assir, Al Qassim, and Hail, to name a few. One of the government’s priorities is to increase the regional and global visibility of the Kingdom’s tourism and hospitality offerings. The SCTA’s annual STTIM is an excellent platform to achieve this goal,” said Mohammed Al Hussaini, Deputy General Manager, Riyadh Exhibitions Company.

The KSA’s inbound tourism has increased 11 per cent over the past two years. Travel and tourism combined to contribute 7.2 per cent or around SAR 102 billion of the Kingdom’s GDP last year. The sector’s employment contribution is expected to increase from 590,000 jobs in 2009 or 7.3 per cent of the national workforce to 922,000 jobs or 9.4 per cent of employment by 2019.

To be held under the patronage of H.R.H. Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, Governor of Riyadh, the latest edition of STTIM will be held from March 28 to April 1, 2010 / Rabi Al-Tani 12 to 16, 1431 H at the Riyadh International Exhibition Centre. Attendees to Saudi Arabia’s main business-to-business and business-to-consumer travel and tourism event will learn more about the latest local industry trends, best practices and opportunities within the Exhibition Centre’s 15,000 SQM of indoor exhibition space.

Ms Heba Al Ghais Al Mansoori, Middle East Director, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau

Calls by international cruise vessels to Sri Lanka are on the rise in the post-war era with an increasing number of cruise liners including Sri Lanka as a port of call in their itineraries according to the Middle East Office of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. Read the full story

Top Tourism, Government Officials Comprise Council Members

His Excellency Abdel Rahman Bin Mohamed Al Owais, UAE Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development and Chairman of the National Council of Tourism and Antiquities (NCTA) Read the full story