Business Traveller Middle East articles from July 2009

Business Traveller Middle East archives from July 2009

Mystery of Air France crash still unsolved.(Upfront)
July 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Many travellers have been left anxious about the flight safety after the unexplained tragedy of the Air France 447 flight which went down on 1 June, killing all 228 passengers and crew on board. At the moment, experts...

Etisalat expands international roaming.(Upfront)(Brief article)
July 1, 2009... UAE mobile phone provider has expanded the international roaming coverage available to its customers by developing further partnership networks around the world, bringing the total number to 520 telecommunication companies. The extended network...

Hotels charging for internet access put themselves at disadvantage.(Upfront)
July 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A survey by Reuters Synovate has found that 47 per cent of hotel guests now make sure that hotels cater to their technology needs before booking. "The now critical importance of online technology has been underlined...

Hyatt launches mobile service.(Upfront)
July 1, 2009... Hyatt Hotels & Resorts has announced a new 'Hyatt Mobile' service. It allows guests to find and book hotels, view special offers, check and modify reservations, access travel tips from the Hyatt travel community, view maps and directions to...

IATA increases loss forecast for 2009 to $9 billion.(Upfront)
July 1, 2009... IATA, the international body representing the airline industry, has revised its forecast for 2009 from $4.7 billion (reported in March) to $9 billion, reflecting the sharp decline in market conditions for airlines. This new figure represents a...

Is Four Seasons pulling out of Dubai?(Upfront)(Brief article)
July 1, 2009... The UAE rumour mill has fired up regarding the future of Canadian hotel chain Four Seasons in the country after it emerged that the construction of its first 400-room property has been called off. Adding fuel to the fire, it was announced that...

Anantara Resorts.(Hotel news update)
July 1, 2009... Thai company Anantara Resorts has announced plans to manage two five-star resorts in Morocco. Located in Marrakech and Essaouira, the spa resorts will mark the company's first foray into Africa.

Park Hyatt.(Hotel news update)(Brief article)
July 1, 2009... Park Hyatt has opened its doors in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in the Hyatt brand's first opening in the country. Set on the corniche in 2.5 acres of gardens, the property overlooks the Red Sea and King Fahd fountain and is just a short distance from...

Sofitel.(Hotel news update)
July 1, 2009... Sofitel will open new hotels across the Middle East and China, adding five properties to the French brand's global portfolio. The chain is already set to open a hotel in Dubai this summer with the launching of the Jumeirah Beach premises.

Rezidor.(Hotel news update)(Brief article)
July 1, 2009... Rezidor has announced a 204 room hotel in Marrakech. The Radisson Blu hotel will open in 2011 and is the company's third under development in Morocco, adding to existing projects in Tangier and Saidia. The brand is also to open a 322-room...

Kempinski Hotels.(Hotel news update)
July 1, 2009... Kempinski Hotels has joined forces with Raison D'Etre to develop a spa brand for the Kempinski portfolio in reaction to the shift from the perception of the spa as a relaxing indulgence to a function of holistic well-being. The brand intends to...

Rotana.(Hotel news update)
July 1, 2009... Rotana has completed the soft opening of a resort in Latakia, Syria. It is the company's first five-star opening in the country and brings 246 rooms to the local portfolio. Although not city-based, the hotel offers plenty of meeting and...

Suitehotel.(Hotel news update)(Brief article)
July 1, 2009... The first Suitehotel, operated by Accor, has opened in the Middle East. Located next to Dubai's Mall of the Emirates, the property consists solely of suites--two for those with special needs--in addition to all the standard hotel facilities....

ibis.(Hotel news update)
July 1, 2009... Economy brand ibis has opened in Dubai at the Mall of the Emirates. For business travellers, the hotel is strategically close to key business hubs and leisure facilities while providing all the basic facilities required--WiFi in public areas,...

Starwood.(Hotel news update)
July 1, 2009... Starwood has announced an expansion in Islamabad, Pakistan with plans to open two Sheraton hotels between 2012 and 2013. The projects will add to Starwood's existing presence in the country, which is currently limited to one Sheraton hotel in...

Courtyard by Marriott.(Hotel news update)
July 1, 2009... Courtyard by Marriott has opened in Pune, India bringing 153 new rooms to the city. Intended to be in the moderately priced bracket, the hotel brings guests all the standard business amenities, such as high-speed WiFi, limo service, laundry...

Essque Hotels.(Hotel news update)
July 1, 2009... UAE-based Essque Hotels has signed its first management contract in Africa with a 40-room, 9 villa property in Zanzibar, Tanzania. It is a partnership with Italian hotel development company Maisha Ltd and is scheduled to be operational by 2010....

Hotel Missoni.(Hotel news update)
July 1, 2009... Hotel Missoni is to open in Cape Town next year ahead of the FIFA World Cup. It is the fourth hotel that Rezidor has announced as part of the partnership with the Italian fashion house, with other properties in Scotland, Kuwait and Oman. The...

Best Western.(Hotel news update)
July 1, 2009... Best Western is set to open its first hotel in the Maldives this September, taking over a property that is currently undergoing extensive rebranding. 56 palm-thatched chalets each have a sea-facing veranda in the resort that stands on its own...

IHG.(InterContinental Hotels Group )(Brief article)
July 1, 2009... IHG has officially opened a property in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania with the introduction of Holiday Inn. The 124-room hotel is located in the financial district of the city, 20 minutes by car from the airport and port. It is the first of 13 hotels...

Safi Airways.(Airline news update)
July 1, 2009... Safi Airways has inaugurated its route between Abu Dhabi and Kabul with twice weekly flights from the UAE to Afghanistan. The airline already runs flights from Kabul to Dubai, Sharjah and Kuwait. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Virgin Atlantic.(Airline news update)
July 1, 2009... Virgin Atlantic--which in June celebrated its 25th anniversary--has reported year end profits of $111.5m despite the global downturn and high oil prices during 2008. Owner, Richard Branson, was also reported to have urged government ministers...

Wataniya Airways.(Airline news update)
July 1, 2009... Kuwait-based premium airline, Wataniya Airways, has launched flights from Kuwait to Sharm El Sheikh, Damascus and Amman in response to Kuwaiti traveller preferences. The company already operates flights to Dubai, Cairo, Beirut and Bahrain and...

Oman Air.(Airline news update)(Brief article)
July 1, 2009... Oman Air has instated a new check in time to increase efficiency and to provide a better service to customers. The carrier now closes check in counters one hour before the scheduled departure time of flights and boarding gates just 15 minutes...

Clearsky--Tyrolean Jet Services (CST).(Airline news update)(Brief article)
July 1, 2009... Clearsky--Tyrolean Jet Services (CST) has announced plans to offer executive jet air services in the Middle East. The company, a joint venture between Austrian company Tyrolean Jet Services and GCC-based Clear Sky, will open its first operation...

SriLankan Airlines.(Airline news update)
July 1, 2009... SriLankan Airlines has been offering transit customers the opportunity to stop over in the country with hotel deals (including airport transfers) from $10 per person per night, attempting in the process to boost the country's tourism figures....

British Airways.(Airline news update)
July 1, 2009... British Airways has controversially asked 30,000 of its staff to volunteer for between one week and one month of unpaid leave or work, effectively inviting staff to put themselves forward to work for free. CEO Willie Walsh has led by example,...

Elite Aviation.(Airline news update)
July 1, 2009... The UAE has welcomed its first direct flight to Berlin with the introduction of a route from Abu Dhabi to the German capital, a service operated by Abu Dhabi based Elite Aviation in conjunction with Blue Wings. Tire companies will also run...

Corporate aircraft charter company, Air Partner, has launched its latest product, JetCard, in the Middle East.(Airline news update)
July 1, 2009... Corporate aircraft charter company, Air Partner, has launched its latest product, JetCard, in the Middle East. Purchasing the card (minimum payment $166,400 for 25 flying hours) allows clients to charge aircraft charters by the hour to a credit...

Swiss International Airlines.(Airline news update)
July 1, 2009... Swiss International Airlines has brought the latest addition to its fleet, the new A330-300 aircraft, to Dubai. The aircraft comes fitted with the latest seating innovations, including an adjustable air cushion--allowing passengers to select the...

Emirates.(Airline news update)(Brief article)
July 1, 2009... Emirates has simultaneously launched two new routes for its A380 jumbos with flights to Bangkok and Toronto. The airline will provide an A380 service daily from Dubai to the Thai capital and three times a week to Toronto. The Emirates plane is...

Jet Airways business class.(TRIED & TESTED)
July 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FLIGHT CHECK--DUBAI-MUMBAI CHECK-IN Jet use Dubai Airport's Terminal 1 building so check-in is found in the standard ranks of desks. The business and first class desks were quiet and efficient but I would have liked...

Intercontinental Malta.(TRIED & TESTED)
July 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOTEL CHECK--ST JULIAN'S, MALTA WHERE IS IT? Malta is a small archipelago in the middle of the Mediterranean--just a little more than 300 square kilometres. So to say that the InterCon is only 12 km from the airport...

The Paul.(TRIED & TESTED)
July 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOTEL CHECK--BANGALORE, INDIA WHERE IS IT? India's software hub, Bangalore, in Karnataka boasts many upscale hotels on its arterial M G Road, but few in Domlur, an emerging business district with its own smattering...

Crowne Plaza Salalah.(TRIED & TESTED)
July 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOTEL CHECK--SALALAH, OMAN WHERE IS IT? The Crowne Plaza is right on the beach in Salalah, the back garden of the Middle East. Come summer, khareef rains--the tail end of the Indian monsoon--drench the area and turn...

Hilton Salalah.(TRIED & TESTED)
July 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOTEL CHECK--SALALAH, OMAN WHERE IS IT? Right on the beachfront, the Hilton resort does everything that its resort title promises, with landscaped gardens, a series of swimming pools and stretch of sandy beach for...

Al Murooj Rotana.(TRIED & TESTED)
July 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOTEL CHECK--DUBAI, UAE WHERE IS IT? The Murooj Rotana is located off Sheikh Zayed Road. The property is adjacent to Dubai International Financial Centre and a 10-minute drive from the airport. It is also...

Evason Ma'in Hot Springs.(TRIED & TESTED)
July 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOTEL CHECK--MA'IN, JORDAN WHERE IS IT? An Olympic stone's throw from the Dead Sea, less than an hour from Amman's Queen Alia Airport and 264 metres below sea level. WHAT'S IT LIKE? Evason Ma'in bears all the Six...

In the field: the early bird catches the worm, as they say. but when 'first' in business means working in a conflict zone, what is it like for those on the ground?(BUSINESS)
July 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For most multinational executives, the trip overseas starts in the club lounge with a glass of fizz and a final check of the emails. But there are those for whom going to work means stepping...

Joie de vivre: the Lebanese may have endured more than their share of civil conflict, but they have always weathered the discord with dignity and an undaunted party spirit. Laura Collacott visits the Paris of the east to uncover the highlights.(LEBANON)
July 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Lebanese patch is hot property. It has, at various points in its history, been ruled by the Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Ottomans and French. The list reads like a roll...

Hot Maroc: Morocco is a modern treasure trove of a tourist destination. With the help of local experts Boutique Souk, we have whittled down some of the highlights for those without the time or patience to meander around.(MARRAKECH)
July 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With its strong Arab-Moorish heritage and European influences, Morocco manages to attract...

Starry, starry bite: Business Traveller Middle East looks into exactly what the Michelin-star rating system mean for diners.(RESTAURANTS)
July 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] We all know the broad restaurant spectrum. At bottom are the shwarma stands and two dollar curry houses; floating to the top are the Ivy, El Bulli and friends. But the mass in-between is where...

Ask Alex: Alex McWhirter answers your travel queries.
July 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] QUESTION: Why is it that Europe, and the UK in particular, is awash with dozens of charter airlines of various sizes while the US has hardly any? USA3000, Omni and Ryan are the only ones I'm aware of and these are very...

Athens: if you're interested in the ancient world, Greece is the place for you. Zarina Khan goes on a whistle-stop tour of the capital and its cultural institutions, from the Acropolis to spanakopita.(4 HOURS IN ...)
July 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [1] ACROPOLIS No trip to Athens is complete without a visit to the Acropolis. It is perhaps Greece's most iconic ruin and Greeks like to say the structure of the...

Megabytes: make light work of taking your computer on the road with one of these slender, all-singing laptops.(ESSENTIALS)(Website list)
July 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] $2,466 LENOVO X301 WWW.LENOVO.COM Designed for the roaming professional, this laptop rounds up all the essential components that business types need-DVD burner, solid state storage, and 13" widescreen. It...

Win a weekend stay in Muscat: we invite you to discover the beauty of Oman and the cultural city of Muscat at the stunning Grand Hyatt Muscat.(Grand Hyatt Muscat )
July 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Grand Hyatt Muscat is an opulent city-resort set in the heart of the city's diplomatic area, along the sandy Shatti Al Qurum beach. The hotel's 280 rooms and suites are spacious and elegantly furnished. All rooms offer...

The origin of love.(GREAT ESCAPE)
July 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you drive along the Cyprus coast, on the old Paphos-Limmasol road, you might spot a tacky little sign out of the corner of your eye, pointing to Aphrodite's birthplace. It's worth a stop. Rising out of the azure...