TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE

Amgad Hassoun - Chairman of Flash Tour

TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE THIRD PAGE 3

Jeddah Tourism Show: Tunisia and Egypt sign a

«The gateway for tourism» joint tourism agreement
T to the generations, and the definition of
he Minister of Tourism
Zuhair Garrana and his
Tunisian counterpart, Salim
the citizen Saudi diversity of domestic
Tlatli had Signed an agreement
tourism, and is characterized by areas of
on tourism cooperation between
archaeological, historical, religious, and
the two countries.
to highlight the most important tourism
Signing was attended by
services in the Kingdom, and contribute
Chairman of the Tourism
to the development of tourism and to
Promotion Authority Amr
highlight the latest developments in
Ezabi and Chairman of the
the service sector, tourism, and attract
Tourism Development Engineer
a large number of tourists entering
Khaled Makhlouf, Chairman
and international, as well as provide
of the Egyptian Federation of

H
an opportunity for tourism companies
H Prince Khalid Al Faisal bin Abdul Chambers of Tourism Ahmed
and travel promotion of programs and
Aziz, Emir of Makkah approved to El Nahas and heads of chambers
their tourism offers, and to highlight the
establish the first Jeddah exhibition for and the leaders of the Ministry
tourism industry.
tourism and travel during the period of Tourism, and the delegation of leaders of the Tunisian Ministry of
Maya Halfawy, The organizer of the
from 14 to 17 next Moharam under Tourism and Tunisian Ambassador to Egypt Mongi Badawi.
exhibition said that Jeddah Tourism
the slogan «The gateway for tourism,» Mr. Garranah - on the sidelines of the signing of the Convention - said
and travel Exhibition aimed to the
with the participation of more than 200 that the high end of the Egyptian tourism this year will increase at a rate
institutions and promotion bodies and
exhibitors on an area of about 4800 ranging between 19 and 20% from last year.
companies and tourist agencies, hotels,
square meters. «The ministry is tracking the electoral program of President Mubarak,
airlines and all relevant sectors, and
The exhibition, sponsored by the which aims to reach in 2011 to 14 million tourists and 140 million nights
that their participation comes within
General Authority for Tourism and and 5.1 million and $ 240 thousand hotel rooms» he said.
the framework of their interest and
Antiquities in cooperation with the He added too that the challenges faced by the tourism sector had
support is limited to domestic tourism,
Chamber of Commerce and Industry affected the development of tourism in Egypt, pointing out that the end
and workers in this important sector,
in Jeddah and the Jeddah Municipality of 2009 we came to 12.5 million tourists, despite a decrease from the
indicating that the exhibition includes
to promote tourism and promote it, and previous year by 2.3% and achieved 123 million for the night and more
presentations of the largest travel
instilling a culture of domestic tourism than 200 thousand rooms.
companies in the Middle East.

Edfu: The Fifth «Sound & Light» project is now open

35 million pounds investment costs of Sound and Light show in Edfu
product and an outstanding
center for radiation culture
and tourism in the south of
Upper Egypt and the support
of tourism activities and
cultural and historical sites in
Egypt, expressing civilizations
multiple of Egypt and offers 6
languages: German, Spanish,
French, English and Italian,
in addition to Arabic.
In the pyramid area, The
Sound&Light shows now
are in development with the
Ali Abdulaziz Essam Abdul Hadi latest methods to introduce

T he largest project of
«Sound & Light» was
opened recently in the
Temple of Horus in Edfu in
a major celebration of Misr
Company for «Sound &
Light» and Cinema under
the Chairmanship of Major
General Essam Abdul-Hadi.
The celebration was attended
by many important figures
in the fields of tourism and
cultural.
This project is the fifth
project of «Sound & Light»
shows after the company
plans to make new offers in
new areas.
The Temple of Edfu, is
considering one of the most
beautiful Egyptian temples,
which is characterized by the
magnitude of the building
and the splendor is the temple
on the West Bank of the River
Nile.
This project was Established
to create a sound and light
project in the temple city
of the god Horus of Edfu,
investment costs of up to
about 35 million pounds,
almost.
The project includes a large
stage to receive the 1000
scenes and equipped with the
latest technology and audio-
visual effects.
 This project at Edfu city
aims to provide tourism
advanced technological
techniques of modern sound
and light which tells the story
of sphinx guarding the city
of the dead for five thousand
years.
In Karnak temple, the
Sound&Light shows had been
completed its development
last year with updated devices
that drop large images and
lighting, which are used
in high-tech world, known
as the (led) as well as the
development of sound effects.
And the fourth draft of the
light and sound projects,
which began with the
beginning of the twenty-
first century and a sequel to
the march of the company›s
successful and more tourist
attractions, the company
is implementing a project
sound and light temples of
Abu Simbel built by King
Ramses II more than three
thousand years is the purpose
of the global tourism after
the UNESCO rescued from
drowning and tells the
romantic story between the
great beauty of Ramses and
Nefertari, and the story of
war and the throne.
«During the next year, the
largest city of Sound&Light
will be born in Hurghada on
approximately 43 thousand
square meters including
samples for all ancient
Egyptian cities.
The company has allowed
for the first time booking
tickets and secure e-property
deal with the banks via its
new website
http://www.soundandlight.
com.eg.» said General Essam.
He added that all this efforts
comes in the light of the plan
adopted by the expert on
tourism Mr. Ali Abdul Aziz,
Chairman of the Holding
Company for Tourism, Hotels
and Cinema, which aims
to interest tourisms next to
Egypt in all tourist areas and
archaeological sites.
4 HOT NEWS TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE HOT NEWS 5

Another successful year
for the Flash Group
2 H
010 is slowly coming to an end and it
was another successful year for the Flash
Group.
In general the year has been a good one for all
of us, as well as, for our partners working with
us in Egypt. We have achieved a fair increase
in total number of clients visiting Egypt, which
also created an increase in revenue. Through
this success we once again have managed to
be “Number Two” in the annual statistic of
Egyptian tourism companies in Egypt.
The Flash Group was able to achieve these
results through the amazing effort and
commitment that our International partners
have shown us by choosing Egypt as one of their
main destinations. Some of them being Cosmos
in the UK Market, Schauinsland and the FTI
Group in the German market, Promovacance
in the French Market and Phone & Go in the
Italian Market. Furthermore, we would like to
welcome our new groups from USA/Canada,
Hilton Worldwide Appoints ‫ ‏‬albaa Group to attend WTM London to promote its
B
New Area President Unique Resorts in S‎ harm El Sheikh and Marsa Alam‎
Arabesque and the M/S Emely). ilton Worldwide
announced that Rudi 160 rooms, Kahramana
‎ catering, Laundry and ‎Coffee ‫‏‬It is worth mentioning that
Flash International Hotels & Cruises have
Jagersbacher will become Beach Resort in Marsa Alam Shop .  ‎ Balbaa Group for Hotels &
successfully launched the “Sea Magic” a 5
Area President, Operations, (Red Sea) with 178 rooms, ‫‏‬Also The Newly Awaited Resorts has a number o‎ f New
star All Inclusive Resort in SSH, which was
Middle East and Africa, for ‎Kahramana Garden Resort in Laguna Residence which is Projects such as  the Laguna
formally known as Pyramisa Sharm. In
the hospitality company, Marsa Alam (Red Sea) with 97 due to be in operation ‎as of Residence project in Sharm
addition, an additional 657 units are being
effective January 1, 2011. rooms and ‎Calimera Habiba March 2011 with its 276 Units 276 units between V ‎illas
added to the already operating Magic Stella
Jagersbacher will replace Beach Resort in Marsa Alam followed by the Boutique and Apartments with the
Resort in Makadi. Mr. Magdy Takla and
Jean-Paul Herzog, who will (Red Sea) with 334 rooms Hotel in ‎ addition to a New concept of  Flat Apartment
his team are moving from project to project
retire from Hilton Worldwide ‎and suites in addition to the Resort near Marina Hamata Services which is a‎ new
in order to support the growth of the Flash
at the end of the year after 40 Marina Hamata which was consists of 400 rooms due ‎to concept in Sharm to open by
Group.
years of service. opened last year and‎50 Hotel open by late 2012.  ‎ March 2011 followed by the
With the increased business volume we are
Ian Carter, President, Apartments in Palm Project   Boutique ‎ Hotel and  other
proud to have increased our management
Global Operations and in Dubai  ‫‏‬Mr. Saad Attia, Corporate projects under construction
team and would like to extend a warm welcome
Development, said, “Jean-Paul has been an important part ‫‏‬Eng. Ahmed Balbaa, Director of Sales & Marketing and due to open within
to Mrs. Samar Eskander who is joining us to
of the success of our company for the last four decades Chairman of Balbaa Group and Board Member in Balbaa the ‎ coming 2 years such as
manage the newly created Japanese market
and we wish him well in his retirement. We are delighted who will head the Group›s Group, ‎ attending WTM to Kahramana Marsa Matrouh
and will be working together with her
that someone of Rudi’s talent, depth of experience and Team in WTM said about
‎ promote the Sharm and the to open summer 2012 and
Assistant Mr. Saito from Japan. Also, due to
knowledge of the market will be stepping into the role. the new Marina in Hamata Marsa Alam destinations, a ‎ New Resort near Marina
the additional cruise capacities for the coming
I am confident that he will build upon Jean-Paul’s legacy «It is located 107km ‎ South ‎said that all the Resorts have Hamata  400 rooms due to
winter season 20102011/ we are now holding ‫‏‬Eng. Ahmed Balbaa Mr. Saad Attia
of accomplishments in the Middle East and Africa as we of Marsa Alam giving access a good image now in most of open by late ‎‎2012‎
the full capacity of 11 Nile cruise boats, and
advance our business in the region in the years to come.” to famous diving locations the International ‎ Markets ‫‏‬The Group›s total

and we are delighted to see that our new office
in Montreal is already starting to show signs
of positive results.
In the coming years, we at Flash Group wish
to increase our worldwide presence through
offering our serves and products in new and
unexplored markets. We have already started
to see some signs of such expansions through
the signed agreement with JTB who is located
in Japan and will become our partner in the
Japanese Market. We were able to obtain JTB
because of our Nile cruise boats that feature
the necessary bathroom facilities, which
were requested by Japanese travelers. With
that said we are now able to offer a choice
of 4 Nile Cruise boats with bath tubs (Magic
M/S Carole, the Magic M/S Karine, the M/S
B
therefore we have appointed Mr. Assem Abdel
Jagersbacher is currently Area Vice President for albaa Group will attend ‫‏‬It owns and Manages 6 such as ‎Rocky Island, Saint after the strong market plan investment is LE 1.4 Billion
Raouf as Operation Manager for Cruises
operations in the Benelux, Nordic and Italy. He joined the the WTM in London Hotels and Resorts in Sharm John’s Reef and Zabaegad which was executed during with 2700 employees under
Flash Tour.
company in 1974 after holding senior leadership positions November 2010 to continue El Sheikh and Marsa ‎Alam: Island, enabling divers to the last ‎Four years.‎‎»Our the umbrella of Balbaa
‎
The winter season 201011/ has just started a
at the Savoy and Claridges in London. ‎promoting its unique Services Kahramana Hotel in Naama ‎fully explore the South of the professional Marketing Group.‎
few days ago and the forecasts for the coming
He was appointed to General Manager positions in and Facilities of B&G Bay (Sharm) with 126 rooms Red Sea discovering some of and Sales team are focusing ‫‏‬Eng. Ahmed Balbaa is
6 months are looking very promising. We hope
flagship properties such as the Langham Hilton and the ‫‏‬Hotels and Resorts in ‎Sharm which has ‎started a complete the richest ‎varieties of corals in all international B ‎ ig known to be the Honorary
that we are able to keep up the good work and
Park Lane Hilton followed by Vice President roles in El Sheikh and Marsa Alam. Renovation program and and marina life, in addition Tourism Events in addition President of Masa Alam
together with all our foreign partners we can
London and Dubai. He is also a founding member of the Balbaa Group one of the due to be finished by the end to provide all boats with a to arranging and executing city, for being the pioneer
‎
have another busy, challenging and successful
Hilton in the Community Foundation, which is a grant- leading ‎ investors in tourism of F ‎ebruary 2011, Laguna complete services such as
‎ Sports and ‎ Cultural Events of tourism development in
winter season.
making organization that fundraises throughout Hilton in Egypt, consists of 6 joint Vista Beach Resort in Nabq Fuel supply, Water supply, to let the whole market know Marsa Alam and the ‎ First
Flash Group hopes that everybody will enjoy
Worldwide properties in Europe to support disadvantaged stock companies working Bay (Sharm) with 366 ‎rooms, 5 meter Deep Harbor B ‎ asin, about our Resorts and enjoy Investor to build a hotel in
this year WTM, and that you will have an
children and young people. in ‎ Tourist Investment and Laguna Vista Garden Resort Harbormaster control, ‎our special care and attention this unique area.‎
interesting
Jagersbacher will remain in his current post until he Development projects. ‎ in Nabq Bay (Sharm) with Supermarket, Shopping, to our valuable guests”
and fun stay
in London. assumes the new position as Area President, Operations,
Middle East and Africa on January 1, 2011.

Thomas Cook Chooses Baron Sharm for its Annual Meeting

B eing one of the most
prominent tour operators
in the world, Thomas Cook
carefully chooses the location
of its Annual Meeting. And
because of its reputation as
a luxury Resort offering the
highest standards of service,
Baron Resort Sharm El Sheikh
has been selected to be this
spot. As part of the meeting,
a number of eminent figures
stayed at the Resort including
Mr. Manny Fontenla, Chief
Executive Officer of Thomas
Cook Group, under whose
umbrella are Thomas Cook
UK, Germany, Belgium,
Scandinavia, France, and
others, in addition to Condor
Airlines, owning a large
aviation fleet comprising 92
aircrafts.
As the travel highlight
event of the year, both HE
Minister of Tourism and HE
Red Sea Governor attended,
accompanied by a front
line delegation including
international travel figures,
and Mr. Hossam Al Shaer,
Chairman of Bright Sky,
Thomas Cook’s agent in
Egypt, in addition to 130
owners and general managers
of 5-star hotels in Egypt and
the region.
The delegations were
welcomed by Mr. Sherif
Shahein, Vice President of
Baron Hotels & Resorts Egypt,
and Mr. Ahmed Khaled, Area
General Manager of Baron
Hotels & Resorts – Red Sea,
who escorted the guests in a
tour of the Resort grounds.
As part of Thomas Cook
Board Members Meeting
at Baron Resort Sharm El
Photos shows Mr. Sherif Shahein with HE Minister of Tourism, Mr. Pete Constanti, Mr. Fontenla, Mr. Amre Elezaby.
Sheikh, an introductory
seminar took place at been to and the best ever in Baron Palace Sahl Hasheesh It is worth mentioning that
the main ballroom of the terms of standard of service. in 2011 and the other three the Resort has just witnessed
adjacent sister Hotel Baron As part of the meeting projects to follow afterwards. the completion of a set of
Palms Resort Sharm El itinerary, Mr. Fontenla and Guests were impressed with renovations worth LE 12
Sheikh, in the attendance of Mr. Sherif Shahein shared the Resort nestled in a unique million including its culinary
all guests where Mr. Fontenla a one-on-one breakfast get spot in the aqua oasis of Ras range of Italian, Indian and
gave a speech praising Baron together when they had a Nasrani Bay and extending on main restaurant as well as the
Resort Sharm El Sheikh and thorough discussion on the 600m of private sandy beach beach bar & lounge, lobby
describing it as one of the current joint business as well and also comprising state- and a number of facilities.
most beautiful Hotels he has as the upcoming opening of of-the-art MICE facilities.
TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE HOTEL NEWS 7

Award for the 13th consecutive year Yousry Ali - New General Manager at
the Radisson BLU Hotel, Alexandria

M arko Hytonen the

Area Vice President
for the Rezidor Hotel Group
– Middle East had the
pleasure of announcing the
appointment of Mr. Yousry
Ali as the new General
Manager at the Radisson
Blu Hotel, Alexandria.
This appointment
is considered to be a
remarkable addition to the
hotel management, after a
wealth of experience with
greatest hotel chains namely, The Hyatt Corporation &
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts. Mr. Ali says that “Coming
to the Beautiful Pearl of the Mediterranean, Alexandria

M r. Amgad Hassoun Chairman of Flash Tour receiving for the 13th consecutive year the 2nd
place award from H.E the Egyptian Minister of Tourism HE. Mr. Zoheir Garanah at the
World Tourism Day 2010”. Shown Mr. Ahmed Al Nahas, the Chairman of the Egyptian Tourism
honors itself to create a different environment, and as a
Capital of Arab Tourism for 2010, Alexandria is a very
potential addition to the Egyptian Catalogue for both
Chambers during the Tourism day. business & leisure tourism”.

An Ideal Gateway At Sheraton Sheraton Montazah joins the

“Check Out For Children”
Dreamland Hotel & Conference Center initiative

Sheraton Montazah Hotel has lately joined the check –

out for children program recently launched by Starwood

S
heraton Dreamland Hotel is located 30 km from Downtown Cairo in the 6th of October City,
and overlooking one of the finest theme parks in Egypt and the Middle East which makes a
great base for Leisure and Business travellers.
The hotel consists of 166 pleasantly furnished guest rooms and suites overlooking the pool or
the landscape gardens and are equipped with all modern-day amenities. Sheraton Dreamland
Hotel offers a variety of restaurants and bars offering an exquisite culinary experience. To tone
up body as well as mind, indulge in a massage or a workout at the hotel›s popular Fitness Center.
While Sheraton Dreamland Hotel & Conference Center is ideal for families as well as for
couples, it is also a perfect spot for businessmen as it encompasses fully equipped meeting rooms
to host discrete private meetings or large conferences & seminars.
PALACE OF DREAMS:
Cairo 5 Star Hotel Offers a Royal Experience
Hotels & Resorts Egypt under the auspices of Ministry of
Social Solidarity.
The aim of the initiative is to support the UNICEF in Egypt
favor of the homeless and at risk children by adding one
US Dollar to customer’s room bill upon check-out. This
contribution will be done only on a voluntary basis while
collected donations will be forwarded to UNICEF Egypt
for the homeless and at risk children’s rehabilitation and
enhancement projects.
Photo shows Ayman Thabet, Ambassador of the check-out
of children project explaining the program to one of the
lady guests upon her check-in.
Ayman says we’re proud that we’re one of the leading
Egypt Hotels in the amount collected and thanks to our
supportive guests, who could make it happen.

S tyle and sophistication, plus the magical quality of history and

heritage give the Cairo Marriott Hotel a unique place in the
fabric of the city. Tourist Establishments» agree to
The nineteenth century Gezira Palace sits proudly between the establish a site on «Facebook»

T
hotel’s two modern towers, which offer stunning views as the Nile
flows past Zamalek Island. The magical 5 star hotel in Cairo is he board of the Chamber of tourist Establishments
currently being upgraded with a multi-million dollar two-year of the Egyptian Federation of Chambers of Tourism
renovation program. approved on the proposal for the establishment an
An oasis in the midst of Cairo, this downtown hotel features six acres information center site of the Chamber on Facebook to
of lush and verdant gardens. Business travelers and conference- view its achievements.
goers drawn to accommodations in Cairo will find the Cairo Marriott The Council also approved the technical offer submitted
offers the ideal location to match its unrivalled facilities. for the replacement of the style and the way they
Inside, the hotel Gezira Palace houses Cairo meeting rooms, splendid banquet halls, and communicate with members through e-mail and faxes to a
conference facilities comprising seventeen multi-purpose rooms. The Aida Ballroom can hold «sms» for the provision of the cost of time and effort, to be
up to 1,000 people and has simultaneous translation facilities. The Salon Vert and Salon Royal sent a circular to all the tourist Establishments through out
offer the perfect setting for receptions and dinners, while Salon Eugenie can be utilized for their mobile phones.
exclusive private dining in royal settings. In photo, Mr. Richard Zeolla - hotel General Manager.
TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE HOTEL NEWS 9

‫‏‬Ms. Margaret Fung ‫‏‬at InterContinental 212 thousand hotel rooms

Cairo Citystars
D irector General of the World Health
Organization Ms. Margaret Fung
stayed at InterContinental Cairo Citystars
on her recent visit to Egypt.
‫‏‬Ms. Margaret chose to stay at the hotel
during the 57th Session of the WHO Regional
Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean
where decisions on a range of crucial health
issues were reviewed and taken.
‫‏‬Upon her arrival to InterContinental Cairo
Citystars, Ms. Margaret was welcomed by
Thierry Perrot the General Manager of
the hotel & Area General Manager of IHG
Citystars.
‫‏‬On her departure, she commanded the
hotel on the warm welcome and great service
she ‫‏‬received during her stay at the hotel.
under Construction
A hmed Attia, First Undersecretary of the Ministry of Tourism
for the hotel industry, said that the ministry has completed
the inventory of hotel capacity under construction, which will
be 667 hotel facility, with 212 thousand and 690 rooms.
He said that these hotels will enter service successively in the
next five years to provide one million jobs in this sector, by 5
individuals per room directly and indirectly, by pointing out
that the rooms under construction investments amount to 20
billion pounds, and the completion of which will close the hotel
capacity than half of the million rooms intervention by Egypt a
new phase of competition at the level of international tourism.
Despite the increase in hotel capacity with the start of the
tourist season this winter the first of October to 221 thousand
and 331 rooms, including 1000 rooms means the entry of new
service for the first time. He said that this room increasing will
cope with rising numbers of tourists from various traditional
markets and new ones.

Rezidor GSO in Dubai

launches MICE package

T he Rezidor Hotel Group – one of the fastest

growing hotel companies worldwide –
announces the launch of Blu meetings EXTRA,
a dedicated meetings package offered through
its Global Sales Office in Dubai.
Blu meetings EXTRA; available at 23
Radisson Blu hotels across Europe and the
Middle East, provides MICE clients with a
range of extra benefits for all bookings taking
place at participating hotels throughout 2010.
Officially launched at GIBTM in Abu Dhabi
– the only event of its kind for the MICE
industry in the Middle East region– the Blu
meetings EXTRA package includes: special
early booking discounts, complimentary rooms,
coffee breaks, equipment and internet access,
as well as a range of additional extra’s from
a dedicated booking page and sales team, to
100% guest satisfaction guarantee. In addition,
Rezidor is offering override commissions to its
travel partners and Goldpoint rewards to its
meeting planners as a super bonus.
Speaking of the launch Yigit Sezgin, Global
Director of Sales & Marketing said ”Meetings
and events groups are a crucial segment for us
and in these challenging times it is essential to
be competitive. We wanted to create something
that rewarded our clients by offering them a
number of extra benefits to add value while at
the same time utilizing our extensive portfolio
of hotels to find the right fit for all of our clients
needs” adding that ”our dedicated sales teams
will be heavily promoting this package in key
markets of Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,
Turkey and the UAE and we will of course
be cross promoting the package through the
participating hotels which creates a very
healthy reach.”
In addition, the participating hotels have
commited to donate 1% of total revenue
generated from the package to the World
Childhood Foundation, the charity organisation
that Rezidor has supported since early 2007.
With an ever expanding Radisson Blu
portfolio of over 55,000 rooms and 235 hotels
in operation or under development in Europe,
the Middle East and Africa; Blu meetings Extra
includes 23 carefully selected hotels in key
cities including: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Istanbul,
London, Moscow, Paris, Riyadh and Rome.
10 IMEX 2011 TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE

American buyers see positive The 3rd Arab

trends in face-to-face meetings International E-tourism &
‘cautious optimism’ about the re-
turn of meetings and incentives
cess of 2000 buyers – because
our partners and intermediaries
E-marketingConference

market, according to a recent
poll taken by the IMEX Group
following its Frankfurt trade
show. A further nine percent said
that they are ‘very optimistic.’
The poll was conducted among
200 North American buyers and
suppliers in June 2010, follow-
ing the conclusion of IMEX in
Frankfurt, which took place May
25-27, 2010.
The poll results are good news
for the U.K. based IMEX Group,
have a renewed confidence in fu-
ture growth. This represents an
increase of more than 30 percent
on our initial launch figure. Our
survey findings are also in line
with other recent global and US
industry reports which suggests
that this new found confidence
is not just about mood but about
real business volumes.”
The poll also revealed that Ca-
nadian planners are even more
optimistic. While one in five
T
he 3rd Arab
International
E-Tourism & E-marketing
Conference, organized by the
International Organization
of the E-Tourism Industry
(IOETI), in partner with The
Egyptian Tourism Authority,
under the patronage of
The Egyptian Minister
of Tourism (Mr. Zohier

M
eetings Industry Snapshot:
Planners Express ‘Cau-
tious Optimism’ IMEX Frank-
furt exit poll reveals American
buyers see positive trends in face-
to-face meetings
A little over half (54%) of meet-
ings industry specialists in the
U.S. and Canada have expressed
MAHMOUD MOKHTAR: NEW CHIEF OPERATING
OFFICER FOR NEW HOTEL DIVISION
which will launch its first annual
IMEX America exhibition, Octo-
ber 11-13, 2011, in Las Vegas, at
the Sands Expo at the Venetian/
Palazzo Hotel.
Ray Bloom, Chairman of the
IMEX Group comments, “We re-
cently declared an increase in the
hosted buyer program for IMEX
America – we now expect in ex-
(21%) U.S. planners doubt the
meetings market is in recovery,
Canadian buyers are generally
convinced that already it is ‘busi-
ness as usual,’ suggesting that
the sector has rebounded faster
because their economy and fi-
nancial systems were hit less se-
verely.
Garana) and The Egyptian
Minister of Communication
& Information Technology
(Dr. Tarek Kamel) along with the International University
(Modul University). This Year the Conference will be headed
by Mr. Elhamy El Zyatt the Tourism Legend. The conference
will be held in Luxor, Egypt on December 13th-16th, 2010.
The Conference offers a unique forum for academics,
industry, destination managers, marketers and government
representatives to explore the future of ICTs in Tourism
through researches, seminars, workshops and dynamic
dialogues.
The 3rd e-Tourism/e-Marketing Conference will bring

A
bdul Latif Jameel Real Estate Investment
Company Ltd. announced the appointment
of its Chief Operating Officer for the new hotel
division, Mahmoud Mokhtar, who will drive the
company’s growth aspiration in the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region.
“Mahmoud comes with an extensive hotel
operations expertise and a commercial global
vision of the hotel industry and the Middle
East market. The company is delighted to have
Mahmoud lead the hotel division team and
become the driving force behind the company’s
goal of creating and building the first Saudi-
cultured hotel brand”. Said Mohannad H.
Mohanna, Chief Executive Officer, Abdul Latif
Jameel Real Estate Investment Company Ltd.
Mokhtar will commence his plans with the
company by building a Saudi-originating hotel
brand and culture.
“The company’s strategy for the hotel division is
aimed at introducing to the world a new concept
of hotel management based on the Saudi genuine
and professional hospitality. We aim to build our
presence in the Kingdom first and my role will
be to ensure that this is achieved based on a solid
strategy, a relevant brand and strong presence.
This will nurture the Saudi culture, promote the
Saudi dream, create new job opportunities in the
Kingdom as well as contribute to the wellbeing of
the community”. Mokhtar said.
“We have a number of openings lined up for the
next two years, phase one will open during the
second half of 2011, with a 1,778 rooms four-star
hotel in Mekkah. The hotel will be our flagship,
owned and managed by the company. There are
also three upcoming projects with a total of 9,000
hotel rooms in Mekkah, based on a mid-market
full service hotel concept, with food courts and
residential apartments.” Mokhtar added.
Mokhtar has 23 highly distinguished years
of Middle Eastern and International hotel
experience with multinational hotel chains.
together international experts in all aspects of Information
and Communication Technologies in Travel and Tourism.
The tracks are designed in a way that enables maximum
exchange of information and interaction. The conference will
concentrate on disruptive technologies, cloud computing and
cultural heritage. It will attract more than 20 international
trade speakers & professors over 4 days and more than
250 participants. Moreover, it is promising a fantastic
environment for serious debate and great social interaction.
As a matter of fact, ICT-enabled dynamic challenges for
Travel and Tourism to cover both technology and business.
There will be plenty for local and national government
agencies to consider as well. Issues discussed cover a wide
range of cutting-edge challenges as we will be focusing on the
newest most vital trends this year:
Mobile applications in relation to e-tourism/ e-marketing.
Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Marketing
Social medial : Facebook, twitter, msn, Google etc ...
The workshop presents and debates state-of-the-art research
and industry case studies on the application of information
and communications technologies to travel and tourism.
Doctoral students at all stages are encouraged to participate.
The workshop is focusing on practical and methodological
issues and research results of participating experts.
The conference includes a lot of professional Speakers under
the care of IOETI’s President Dr. Yehia Abu El Hassan like:
Prof. Jamie Murphy, Prof. Karl Wober, Paul Berney, Russell
Buckley,Tom Bowman…etc.

SAUDI NATIONAL WINS MIDDLE EAST HOSPITALITY AWARD

A Saudi national has been awarded a prestigious hospitality
industry honour in the annual Hotelier Middle East
Awards.
Nasser Al Reefy, Restaurant Manager at Rosewood Corniche,
the Kingdom’s premier hotel, won the Outlet Manager of the
Year award for his work in running the hotel’s celebrated Asian
restaurants Ginza I Chome and Noodles, both of which offer
exemplary levels of quality cuisine, service and atmosphere
and enjoy expansive views of the Red Sea.
“Under Nasser’s management, our Asian restaurants are now
considered the premier dining destinations in Jeddah and he
continues to act as a figurehead of our successful Saudisation
policy to develop and nurture local talent,” said Hans-Peter
Leitzke, Managing Director of Rosewood Corniche.
“We receive consistently positive feedback from our patrons
and staff about Nasser’s performance in the hotel and we
believe his hard work and commitment had a direct correlation
to Rosewood Corniche being awarded Saudi Arabia’s Leading
Hotel in consecutive years in 2009 and 2010. His win in
the Hotelier Middle East awards is a just recognition of his
dedication, hard work and guest relations”.
In the three years that Rosewood Corniche has been
operating, Noodles has become a firm favourite among family
diners in the Kingdom.
12 TRAVEL NEWS TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE

Rezidor announces Ashraf Naguib

Award of Excellence for the as GM of Radisson Blu Hotel
Oasis Hotel Cairo Egypt T he Rezidor Hotel Group – one
of the fastest growing hotel
companies worldwide – announces
Ashraf Naguib as the new General
Manager of the Radisson Blu Hotel,
Cairo Heliopolis.
Naguib, an Egyptian/French
national; has an impressive 25 years
experience in the hospitality industry,
including 10 years as a General
Manager.
Having started his career as a
Management Trainee at Heliopolis
Sheraton Hotel in Cairo in 1985,
Naguib went on to hold a number
of managerial roles at various
international hotel companies Manager of the Radisson Blu Hotel,
including: Sheraton, Movenpick, Alexandria – his most recent position.
Windsor Hotels and Iberotel. Marko Hytonen, Area Vice
Naguib joined Rezidor in 2003 as President Rezidor Hotel Group said
General Manager of the Radisson “Ashraf has an extremely impressive
SAS Resort, Taba. He was then industry background; his knowledge

T
appointed General Manager of the
he Chairman & Managing Director of the Oasis Hotel, Cairo, Egypt, Mr. Iberotel Club Fanara in Sharm el
Basil Moughrabieh; received an award of Excellence certificate by the Sheikh before taking up the position
Minister of Tourism, Mr. Zoheir Garranah on the occasion of the World Tourism of General Manager of the Iberotel
Day on 27th of September 2010. The Oasis Hotel is awarded this certificate as Grand Sharm in Sharm el Sheikh in
the best first class hotel for the 8th time. 2004. In January 2006, Naguib joined
The photo shows The Oasis Hotel Chairman & Managing Director, Mr. Basil Real State Investment & Tourism
Moughrabieh receiving the award from his Excellency Minister of Tourism, Development as President of Hotels
Mr. Zoheir Garranah & Mr. Ahmed Al Nahas. Division for the Red Sea. He rejoined
Rezidor in August 2008 as General
of the Egyptian market is second to
none and his strong dedication to
service excellence, make him the
ideal choice to have at our flagship
hotel in Cairo”
Naguib is a graduate of the Egyptian
Hotels and Tourism Institute and has
served as a consultant for the Institute
of Management Development at the
American University in Cairo.

Horof Group: A new ideology

H orof Group for Tourist and
Entertainment Projects was
established in 2004 in order to provide
Tourism and Hotel Sector with a new
ideology as the Group is concerned with
Projects Since their being Proposed till
their opening and operation through
the different divisions of the company
which prepare economic & market
feasibility studies of the Projects so as
to ensure their successful operation.
‫‏‬Besides, Horof Group is a pioneer
company in the field of organizing
the relationship between the owning
companies of projects (tourist, hotel,
entertainment…..etc)
‫‏‬And the management of these
projects through the experienced team work of the Group that carries out co-
ordination, supervision and monitoring activities for the owning companies in
order to achieve the utmost benefits and effectiveness for the management of
these projects and to ensure making the best use of the available capabilities of
each project.
‫‏‬The company provides also the owning companies with the specialized reports
through which the managements of the companies can obtain all data and
indicators that are related to the projects and that will help in taking sound
decision and ensure administrating the projects on the basis of the successful and
unique methods. This can be achieved through the general rules and principles
of the company as such rules and principles are considered the basis of the
company›s success. The company›s rules and principles include: Confidentiality
of clients› information.
Providing the employees with continuous training in order to supply them with
the highest levels of knowledge.
Team work is the key for achievement.
Continuous updating of the different reports, data and ideas of clients.
Miracles are missions that need hard work to achieve.
Continuous monitoring of the most recent technological developments and
providing clients with them.
Managing Director: Ahmed Kira
14 AVIATION TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE

Lufthansa German Airlines,

growing steadily in the Gulf
Mr. Stefan Loecherbach
Frankfurt route to a daily
flight in September last year,
up from four flights per week
- less than four years after its
market entry.
Other recent Lufthansa
schedule enhancements in
the Gulf include the year-
round deployment of a
widebody Airbus A340600-
aircraft on the Dubai-Munich
route - launched in spring
2010, and the upgrade of
the Abu Dhabi-Frankfurt
service to six weekly nonstop
flights. Muscat too has seen
an increase in flights and is
to Lufthansa’s Frankfurt
gateway, with onward
connections to more than 200
destinations worldwide.”
Lufthansa currently serves
nine destinations in the
Gulf - Abu Dhabi, Bahrain,
Dammam, Doha, Dubai,
Jeddah, Kuwait, Muscat and
Riyadh. Further destinations
served in the Middle East
include Beirut, Amman,
Sana’a Tehran, and Erbil
Iraq.
Lufthansa flies to more
than 100 destinations in
Europe and provides flexible

L ufthansa German
Airlines has steadily
increased its presence in the
Gulf region over recent years.
In April 2010, Lufthansa
launched three weekly flights
from Riyadh to Munich to
complement the existing
daily flights from Riyadh
to Frankfurt. Lufthansa
now serves the Saudi cities
of Riyadh, Jeddah and
Dammam with 20 flights a
week, offering unparalleled
choice of travel and flexibility
for passengers to and from
the Kingdom.
Lufthansa has been making
its presence felt in the Gulf,
adopting a step-by-step
growth programme designed
to meet increased market
demand. In addition to its
recent increases in Saudi
Arabian services, Lufthansa
stepped up its scheduled
service on the Bahrain-
now connected to Frankfurt
six times a week via Abu
Dhabi, and since spring 2009,
Kuwait-Frankfurt operations
have recorded increased
capacity on the daily service.
This means that more
travellers than ever across
the region are now enjoying
the greater flexibility and
convenience provided by links
to Lufthansa’s Frankfurt hub,
one of the world’s leading
gateways for air travel.
Mr. Stefan Loecherbach,
Lufthansa’s director for
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and
Yemen, said: “This year’s
schedule enhancement on
our services for Saudi Arabia
has been very well received
by the market. Customer
feedback indicates that we are
satisfying a real and growing
need from local businesses
and private individuals alike
by providing more links
travel options to more than
200 destinations worldwide
via its hubs in Frankfurt
and Munich. Customers
can fly to 21 destinations
in North America nonstop
from Frankfurt or Munich.
Many more are served in
cooperation with code share
partners United Airlines and
Continental Airlines and with
Lufthansa’s affiliate JetBlue, zones, a modern shower area Class lounges.
in which it holds a 15.6 per on the lower level is one of the Choosing to fly with
cent equity stake. Welcome Lounge’s exclusive Lufthansa also means being
On arriving at Frankfurt, features. Its 28 high-end able to enjoy the many
Lufthansa Business Class showers allow passengers to benefits of Miles & More.
passengers and status relax and prepare for the day Founded by Lufthansa’s in
customers can look forward ahead. A concierge is on hand 1993, Miles & More today
to relaxing at Lufthansa’s to allocate shower facilities counts more than 15 million
exclusive Welcome Lounge. and coordinate customer members, making it Europe’s
The facility, which opened in wishes, including an ironing largest and most successful
January 2009, is geared to the service for HON Circle frequent flyer program. It has
needs of travellers arriving on members, First Class guests since been joined by a number
long-haul flights. In addition and Senators. Passengers of Lufthansa’s European
to a comprehensive breakfast with onward connections can partner airlines, including
and snack buffet, served choose from a number of First affiliates SWISS, Austrian
in comfort areas and quiet Class, Senator and Business Airlines and Brussels Airlines.

This modern-day grand hotel combines warm colors and modern works of art

C ontemporary art, high-class natural materials and

a home-like ambience are characteristic of Grand
Hyatt Berlin.
This modern-day grand hotel combines warm colors
and modern works of art in an atmosphere of sheer
elegance that can be enjoyed in the meeting venues
designed by Tony Chi with personal notes and a home-
like atmosphere, the restaurants mesa, Vox and Tizian,
and the spacious, classy rooms.
Located on the top floor of the hotel, Club Olympus
Fitness Centre and Spa offers picture-perfect views of
Berlin, REN and Aveda treatments, a wide variety of
massages, a large pool, cutting-edge fitness equipment,
a sauna, steam room, solarium and whirlpool. Fred Huerst is General
The Grand Club has the additional benefits of privacy Manager and Area Vice
and personalized service. President Central Europe.
TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE AVIATION 17

BRITISH AIRWAYS INTRODUCES NEW BOEING 777 -300 ER

B ritish Airways is the first
UK airline to take delivery
of the long range Boeing 777-
entertainment systems providing customers with 50 per cent
more choice on movies and doubling the range of TV and
music options.”
300ER. “We will add two more B777300-s by the end of this year,
The state-of-the art aircraft, and three more by early 2012. All these new aircraft generate
is longer, quieter and more fuel significantly less CO2 emissions per seat than their predecessors
efficient than its predecessors and reinforce British Airways’ commitment to reduce its
and showcases the future face of British Airways. carbon footprint.”
It features an all-new interior including new World Traveller When it goes into service later this year, the 297 seat aircraft
and new World Traveller Plus cabins and a new in-flight will offer a four class configuration including First, Club
entertainment system.It will feature more than 230 TV World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller.
programmes, 70 films and 400 CDs, plug and play technology, “As our operations around the world continue to achieve the
as well as 60 per cent bigger high-resolution screens. very highest standards and our customers are showing their Mervat Alfy, Country Commercial
Willie Walsh, British Airways’ chief executive, said: “Our first appreciation, we recognize the importance of adapting to the Manager for British Airways in
Boeing 777300-ER aircraft reflects our continued commitment needs of our clients,” said Mervat Alfy, Country Commercial Egypt
to deliver the best travel experience to customers. Manager for British Airways in Egypt. “British Airways is
“It is the aircraft first to be fitted out with our new World excited to offer our award-winning services at an excellent More details can be found at
Traveller and World Traveller Plus cabins, with new in-flight value for our premium travellers.”
46473_CW_FLATBED_275x205:Layout 1 16/10/08 12:33 Page 1
www.ba.com.

Emirates increases
flights between Cairo
and Dubai

CLUB RULES

SLEEPING
ON THE
E mirates, one of the world›s fastest
growing airlines, is to increase its
services between Cairo and Dubai in
CLUB
PREMISES
response to a growing demand for air
travel and cargo. Two additional flights
will be added to the route from 31
October.

IS ABSOLUTELY
The new services will operate every
Wednesday and Sunday, taking the total
number of weekly flights on the route to
thirteen.
EK 928, the extra Dubai-bound flight,

ENCOURAGED
will depart Cairo every Wednesday and
Sunday at 12:15, arriving in Dubai at
17:45. The return service, EK927, will
depart Dubai at 08:50 and arrive in
Cairo at 10:55. Our fully-flat bed is 25% wider and
“We decided to increase our flights more spacious around the shoulders.
between Cairo and Dubai in light of Which makes it easier to turn over in.
the growing demand for passenger
So you’ll have no problem getting to
and cargo services between Egypt and
the UAE,” said Khalid Al Serkal, area sleep, but find waking up just as hard.

manager for Emirates Egypt. Discover more about Club World

He continued: “We are strongly business class at ba.com/clubrules
committed to serving the Egyptian
market and we are sure that our
modern facilities and high quality
services will help to further strengthen
trade and tourism ties between Egypt
and Emirates’ global network of over
100 destinations. We are also pleased
that the two extra flights will provide
Egyptian travellers with additional
choice and convenience when choosing
flights to best suit their needs.” Rolling out across the fleet.
18 INTERNATIONAL HOTELS TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE

The InterContinental Genève occupies a prestigious address

in the centre of the city’s exclusive diplomatic district.
T he
Genève
InterContinental
occupies
prestigious address in the
a
centre of the city’s exclusive
diplomatic district. This
clean-lined 18-storey hotel is
surrounded by parkland and
offers views of Lake Geneva
and the Alps beyond.
The hotel is located a
10-minute drive from the
famous Rue du Rhone, the
city’s most upscale shopping
street.
The Old Town, Ariana
Museum and Botanical
Gardens are all close by, as
are International Red Cross
and Red Crescent Museum
and the United Nations Office.
The hotel’s 334 guestrooms
include 102 luxuriously
appointed suites. All elegantly
furnished in a classic style
and featuring the latest
modern comforts, many of
the rooms look onto the lake
and mountains. The spacious
suites can be extended
through interconnecting
rooms, making them ideal
for families or large groups.
The dramatic and luxurious
Grand Royal Suites on
the penthouse floor has
panoramic views of Mont
Blanc.
The contemporary Woods
restaurant offers seasonal
specialities in a nature-
inspired setting.
Featuring one of Geneva’s
finest Sunday Brunches, the Michel Perret - General Manager Lobby Extirior
Woods restaurant is the place
to be for a mouth-watering Mediterranean fare, bar and simple and refined ambiance. relaxation and well-being.
selection of local and seasonal lounge poolside, a veritable Enjoy our traditionally As well as including yourself
produce. oasis featuring a rainbow of savoured “mezze” with from the large menu of health
You can also relax in the summer cocktails and light, soothing background music. & beauty treatments, you can
cosy ambiance of the library- imaginative fare. Enhance your relaxation by tone up and re-energise in
style lounge, Les Nations. Lounge Concept with an candlelight and get a taste of the state-of-the-art 24-hour
Relax in the 20 metre elegant atmosphere for a chic variety of flavoured “shishas” fitness centre which also has a
heated outdoor pool, open evening. and fruit cocktail. hammam and sauna.
May-September, with its Poolside opens daily The Clarins Institute & Day
restaurant-featuring light between 9h00 to 23h00 with a Spa is a space dedicated to

Park Hyatt Hamburg : AN EXTRAORDINARY PLACE

designers’ striving to create a home away from home for the guests.
The hotel’s elegant combines the old with the new, featuring both
antique and contemporary furnishing and fittings.
Among the art pieces in the hotel are original pictures of Matthias
Meyer, Sylvia Göbel, Puck Steinbrecher, Nadjy Holland and Adi
Holzer. Original photographic art including “Das Spargelbündel“
by Ulrich Tielmann and “Zeitungs-Bücher“ by Gerhard Winkler
can be found in the corridors of the hotel, the Club Lounge as well
as the Presidential Suite. Signed graphics of international artists
decorate suites and apartments. A special edition of “graphic”
consisting of four original flower- photos of the US photographer
Ohringer can be found in the rooms along with two of the former
Tashi Takang Hamburg painters Horst Jansen with “Birkenwald” and “Lemmy’s
General Manager Park Hyatt Hamburg Blume”.
The room design resembles the one of Asian Hyatt hotels,

T
he Park Hyatt Hamburg
is located on the
M ö n c k e b e r g s t r a ß e
in the historic Levantehaus
– a former office building
dating back to 1912. In more
recent times the building
was occupied by Philips and
before that a “Kontorhaus”,
a warehouse mostly used by
companies trading with South
Asia – Levante - meaning the
„Land of the rising sun“.
Since April 15th, 1998 the building hosts the Park Hyatt Hamburg.
Warm colours, natural woods and antique furniture combined
with modern art and the latest communication technology in the
bedrooms and function areas creates a feeling of “home away from
home“.
Originally designed in 1912 by Franz Bach and Carl Bensel
(Hamburg), the renovations of the brick house began in 1997.
Architects of the “new“ Levantehaus are Sidell Gibson, Schäfer &
Partner (Berlin), Ockelmann and Rottgardt & Partner (Hamburg)
who built an arcade on the ground and first floor with a variety of
restaurants and shops.
Hirsch, Bedner & Associates, Atlanta (USA) are the interior
designers of the hotel. Design and style of the hotel portray the
especially the ones in Japan: elegant and simplistic. The bathrooms
are at least 11sqm featuring a `wet` area with sand stone walls, a
bath and a separate shower which consists of a rain shower as well
as a handheld shower. Instead of the regular sink, a large white
bowl on a counter of black granite reminds of “Grandma’s-times“.
The italian company “Interna“ built the room furnishings, the
Park Lounge and Apples restaurant with materials of “Jack Lenor
Larsen“, New York.
The 1000sqm fitness area “Club Olympus“ of the Park Hyatt
Hamburg is the design highlight of the hotel. Old tiles from the
original building have been integrated in the pool, steambath and
the sauna. The spacious arrangements and mainly dark green
colours and warm high-grade timber of the beauty centre, the
aerobic and fitness- studio help create a relaxing atmosphere.

T R AV E L W O R L D M A G A Z I N E
The Arab Travel Magazine since 1990
Publisher: Eman Shaaban Chief Editor: Abouelwafa Badour
Head office: Travel World Publications - England a.badour@yahoo.com
Cairo office: 7 Abdalla Taher st. Nasr City, Cairo - Egypt Tel. & Fax: +202 274 35 13 & +202 6715 794
Saudi Arabia: P.O. Box 118799 Jeddah 21312 Saudi Arabia Tel. +966 55 686 1916
E.mail: travelworld@bluewin.ch
November 2010 WTM - London
TRAVEL WORLD MAGAZINE