Business Traveller Middle East articles from March 2008

Business Traveller Middle East archives from March 2008

Eos to compete on lucrative Dubai-London flight route.(UP front)(Eos Airlines Inc.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... Eos is set to follow rival Silverjet by launching all-business class services between Dubai and London from 6 July. Its fleet of 757s is configured for just 48 passengers and contain 6'6" fully horizontal flatbed suites. The carrier will fly...

Technology is key focus of Hotel Show 2008.(UP front)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Technologies designed to provide hotel guests with all the comfort and convenience of their home and office environments are to be showcased at a special arena during the Hotel Show 2008, taking place in Dubai from...

First UAE Copthorne opens its doors in downtown Dubai.(UP front)(Millennium Hotels and Resorts)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Millennium Hotels & Resorts has opened the first Copthorne Hotel in the UAE in Dubai's Port Saeed, Delta district. Close to Delta City Centre shopping mall, and 10 minutes from Dubai International Airport, the...

Ritz-Carlton brand will launch in UAE capital.(UP front)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Ritz-Carlton has teamed up with Aldar Properties to develop a 160-room resort on Coconut Island in Abu Dhabi. The property, which will contain 30 suites and deluxe villas, is scheduled to open by 2011. ...

Best Western looks to the Middle East for growth.(UP front)(Best Western International Inc. teams up with Zainal Mohebi Group)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... Best Western International has teamed up with the UAE's Zainal Mohebi Group with a view to cornering the region's mid-market by opening new hotels in the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar as part of an Dhs2 billion ($544...

Emirates spearheads Heathrow baggage trial.(UP front)
March 1, 2008... Emirates has teamed up with airport operator BAA and Dubai International Airport to install RFID (radio frequency identification) readers at key points at Heathrow Airport to monitor passengers' baggage. The success of the XR480 system,...

Vice Versa card offers flexibility to frequent travellers.(UP front)
March 1, 2008... Executive visitors to Dubai can earn cash rewards on their business expenses with the new Vice Versa Gold card, which is accepted at 275 partner outlets. Cashback rewards of 20 per cent are available on purchases made with the card, which is...

Empire Aviation Group builds private charter business.(UP front)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dubai-based private aviation company Empire Aviation Group (EAG) is rapidly building its Hawker business jet fleet as private aircraft sales and charter demand in the region continue to develop strongly. The...

Hyatt develops Middle East property network.(UP front)
March 1, 2008... Hyatt Hotels is opening the Grand Hyatt Doha, Park Hyatt Istanbul and Park Hyatt Jeddah this year, adding 400 rooms to its Middle Eastern network. The Doha property (pictured below) will open first this spring, followed by Istanbul in the...

Etihad gears up for Beijing service.(UP front)
March 1, 2008... Etihad Airways will begin its four-times-a-week service between Abu Dhabi and Beijing from 30 March, marking the airline's first destination in China and the eighth in Asia-Pacific. The route will be served by a two-class Airbus A330-200...

UAE telecoms provider offers hotel wifi solution.(UP front)
March 1, 2008... Hotel guests in the UAE will no longer have to carry prepaid cards for internet access during their stay thanks to a new solution from local telecoms provider Etisalat. The company has launched a dedicated wifi solution for the UAE...

The Holiday Inn Dubai Al Barsha, near Mall of the Emirates, is now open for business.(HOTEL UPDATE)
March 1, 2008... The Holiday Inn Dubai Al Barsha, near Mall of the Emirates, is now open for business. The property contains 310 rooms, including wifi-enabled suites, 95 studios, and one and two-bed apartments. Corporate quests can make use of conference...

The 311-room Holiday Inn Cairo Citystars has officially opened and all rooms are equipped with the latest technology, featuring flat LCD TV screens and direct-dial IP telephone systems.(HOTEL UPDATE)
March 1, 2008... The 311-room Holiday Inn Cairo Citystars has officially opened and all rooms are equipped with the latest technology, featuring flat LCD TV screens and direct-dial IP telephone systems. Four banquet and meeting rooms, a 24-hour business...

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts is to open a 540-room property, The InterContinental Doha West Bay, Qatar, by March 2009.(HOTEL UPDATE)
March 1, 2008... InterContinental Hotels & Resorts is to open a 540-room property, The InterContinental Doha West Bay, Qatar, by March 2009. The 60-storey tower will comprise hotel rooms and serviced apartments and contain a modern conference centre, club...

The Kempinski Hotel Jeddah, the chain's first property in the Kingdom, is scheduled to open on the Corniche in winter 2010.(HOTEL UPDATE)
March 1, 2008... The Kempinski Hotel Jeddah, the chain's first property in the Kingdom, is scheduled to open on the Corniche in winter 2010. The 240-metre tower will contain 321 rooms, 250 of which will be luxury rooms and suites. A 1,000sqm ballroom will be...

The Radisson SAS Resort, El Quseir in Egypt has achieved the Green Globe Benchmarked Bronze status.(HOTEL UPDATE)
March 1, 2008... The Radisson SAS Resort, El Quseir in Egypt has achieved the Green Globe Benchmarked Bronze status, the industry's worldwide certification programme for environmental standards.

Air Arabia.(TRAVEL NEWS UPDATE)(Air Arabia launched www.flyyeti. com with Yeti Airlines)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Air Arabia has launched www.flyyeti. com, a joint venture with Yeti Airlines, providing further indication of the low-cost carrier's international ambitions. Based in Kathmandu, flights have started to Sharjah and...

Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group.(TRAVEL NEWS UPDATE)
March 1, 2008... Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group has teamed up with Egypt's Abou Ghali Group--which owns a fleet close to 1,000 vehicles--and Morocco's largest limousine service company, Majestic Limousines, as it steps up its regional profile. Three new...

Singapore.(TRAVEL NEWS UPDATE)
March 1, 2008... Singapore has appointed two new visa-processing agencies in Dubai, VSA Versatile Service Agency and Uranus Travel & Tours, in a bid to keep up with demand--UAE outbound business to the Lion City is up 19 per cent annually. Web-based...

Anantara Resorts.(TRAVEL NEWS UPDATE)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Asia-Pacific's Anantara Resorts has won the management contracts for the boutique 64-room Desert Islands Resort & Spa--the centrepiece of the Sir Bani Yas Island experience--and the Anantara Qasr AI Sareb retreat...

Dubai Sports City.(TRAVEL NEWS UPDATE)
March 1, 2008... Golfers can now ply their skills on the new 18-hole course in Dubai Sports City, which has been designed by Ernie Els. The 7,538-yard links course will be accompanied by a 5,574sqm Mediterranean-style clubhouse, currently under construction,...

Qatar Airways.(TRAVEL NEWS UPDATE)
March 1, 2008... Qatar Airways has increased its Doha-Berlin services from four-times-a-week to daily, and the route continues to be operated by two-class Airbus A319s with eight seats in business class. From 31 March, the airline will commence flights...

Jazeera Airways.(TRAVEL NEWS UPDATE)
March 1, 2008... Jazeera Airways is kitting out its aircraft with technology enabling passengers to use their mobiles and Blackberries, and access emails, from 2009. The airline, which handled 1.2 million passengers last year, operates six Airbus A320s, all...

The Dubai World Trade Centre.(TRAVEL NEWS UPDATE)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) is looking to showcase more global trade shows in 2008, after its busiest year ever in 2007. Preliminary trends indicate encouraging growth prospects across DWTC businesses in...

The Bonnington Tower Hotel and Residence Dubai.(TRAVEL NEWS UPDATE)
March 1, 2008... The Bonnington Tower Hotel and Residence Dubai will open in autumn 2008 and is the first Middle East project of the UK-based Bonnington Group. This five-star hotel will offer guests 208 luxurious rooms and suites as well as 272 serviced...

Starwood Hotels & Resorts.(TRAVEL NEWS UPDATE)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Starwood Hotels & Resorts is to debut a St Regis hotel in Bahrain, following the recent announcement of new St Regis properties in Doha, Qatar and Cairo, Egypt. The St Regis Bahrain will be located on a reclaimed...

Austrian Airlines.(TRAVEL NEWS UPDATE)
March 1, 2008... Austrian Airlines will resume flights to Erbil, Iraq from 2 April onwards. The situation in the region is still being continuously monitored in cooperation with the security authorities, enabling the company to act without delay in the event...

Swiss-Belhotel.(TRAVEL NEWS UPDATE)(Swiss-Belhotel Al Qurm to build a new hotel in Middle East region)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... Swiss-Belhotel is to develop its seventh hotel in the Middle East region, the Swiss-Belhotel Al Qurm, Oman. Located in Muscat, the new property will be a multi-purpose hotel complex comprising two towers. Tower 1 features a 179-room,...

Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria: hotel check--Egypt.(TRIED & tested)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] WHAT'S IT LIKE? This brand new 35-storey property ranks as the tallest building in the city and is located on the historic site of the former San Stefano hotel. Designed by French architect Pierre Yves Rochon in a...

InterContinental Park Lane: hotel check--London, UK.(TRIED & tested)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] WHAT'S IT LIKE? A $76 million facelift in 2006 positioned the InterContinental Park Lane as the flagship for the global brand. The refurbishment incorporates a quality of timeless English elegance, subtly extended...

Radisson SAS Media City: hotel check--Dubai.(TRIED & tested)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHAT'S IT LIKE? The Radisson SAS Media City is the newest of three Radisson hotels in the UAE, the other two being the Radisson SAS Dubai Deira Creek (formerly an Intercontinental), and the Radisson SAS Resort in...

Four Seasons Resort Jimbaran Bay: hotel check--Bali.(TRIED & tested)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHAT'S IT LIKE? The epitome of luxury accommodation, this award-winning resort spans some 35 acres of lush tropical gardens trimmed with an immaculate sandy beach. Paying homage to the best of Balinese design, the...

One & Only Le Saint Geran: hotel check--Mauritius.(TRIED & tested)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHAT'S IT LIKE? Those I mentioned it to and who knew anything about Mauritius said I was staying in the best resort on the island. Le Saint Geran has been around a while--it first opened in 1975 so its reputation...

JAL premium economy: flight check--London-Tokyo.(TRIED & tested)(Japan Airlines Company Ltd.)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BACKGROUND Japan Airlines introduced its premium economy service on 1 December, with the London-Tokyo route being the first to see the new seating. Since 21 December, the airline has been offering the product daily...

Winning streak: when the Kingdom of Bahrain first accepted the opportunity to host the Formula 1 Grand Prix four years ago, it took to the project with great gusto. Since then the bijou Kingdom has progressed beyond all recognition.(BAHRAIN)(Cover story)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Like most of the Gulf States, Bahrain is changing at a dramatic rate. The first time I touched down there, 15 years ago now, the Kingdom had a definite charm about it, but it certainly wouldn't have been considered...

Home from home: as serviced apartments continue to sweep the region, which brands will most strike a chord with long-stay corporate guests and how will each one attempt to differentiate its hospitality product? Dominic Ellis investigates an industry within an industry.(LONG-STAY ACCOMMODATION)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Not content with staying in five-star hotels, more of us want to live in them. There's a boom underway with serviced apartments and hybrid hotel-residences targeting the increasing armies of executives seeking a...

Arabian influence: since the 1990s, the Sukhumvit tourist district in Bangkok has turned into a virtual colony of Middle East-based businesses, or Thai companies catering to Middle East interests, especially those located in the Gulf. Keith Mundy explores the area that has become known as the Thai capital's 'Little Arabia'.(THAILAND)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Arabic signs everywhere, men in long white robes, shawarma meat roasting on spits, shisha-smoking parlours, Egyptian and Lebanese restaurants from which waft delicious smells, Arab pop music on the stereo, Al...

The great offenders: it may seem trivial, but each country has its own--at times baffling--social protocol that visitors need to observe. Brian Johnston offers a few tips to help you avoid social mishaps on your next work trip.(BUSINESS ETIQUETTE)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Remember this at your next international business meeting: whistling indoor is to be avoided in Malaysia, while blowing your nose is a no-no in Japan. On the other hand, constant sniffing will drive your European...

Best rooms in the house: Macau's hotel inventory has received a massive boost in the past few months, thanks to mega-hospitality developments. Margie T Logarta zeroes in on the city's most stylish suites.(MACAU HOTELS)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE ROYAL CROWN TOWERS WHAT'S IT LIKE? A separate entrance ensures guests a sense of exclusivity. The hotel lobby is located on the 38th floor of the block. Interiors by renowned designer Peter Remedios,...

Can you hear me now? When it comes to business phones, choosing how we communicate can be overwhelming. Luckily, Mark Prigg knows what to shout about.
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With phones now coming in every shape and size, finding a good, reliable handset is tougher than ever. There's everything from DVD-quality video to cameras to take into account, as well as finding something that...

The Vietnam vibe: when the World Trade Organisation accepted Vietnam as its 150th member in 2006, it marked the start of a new era for the socialist republic. Thin Lei Win Elkin meets the foreign entrepreneurs who are riding the wave of prosperity in Ho Chi Minh City.(VIETNAM)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's two o'clock on a rainy Sunday afternoon, and Jim and Kylie Cawood are getting ready for their monthly wine-tasting session. "Where are the bottles of Rocky Gully 2005?" Jim asks his staff. Kylie, a former...

At a premium: will 2008 be the tipping point for premium economy.(PREMIUM ECONOMY)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's 15 years since I first sampled premium economy, a class pitched midway between economy and business. I was flying with Taiwanese airline Eva Air (on the Gatwick-Vienna Bangkok route) and I was mightily...

Patients without boarders: it is now cheaper and easier than ever before for patients to receive good-quality healthcare abroad, but how is this medical tourism affecting the host nations?(FIT TO FLY)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As frequent business travellers, comfortable in most places in the world, it might not come as a surprise that people look abroad for medical treatment. Global travelling has never been easier--never have there...

Ask Alex: Alex McWhirter answers your travel queries.(Column)
March 1, 2008... Q I am a frequent traveller and hold elite FFP (frequent flyer programme) membership with several carriers but none of these belong to the Skyteam alliance. As I planned to book a flight to Hong Kong with Northwest (a Skyteam member) I...

One for the road: Nick Cooper previews the newest Lincoln sedan to hit the streets of the Middle East.(EXECUTIVE MOTORING)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Following the strong sales performance of its sister vehicle, the Zephyr, in North America the introduction of the new Lincoln MKZ to the Gulf region is being heralded as great news for the discerning luxury sedan...

4 hours in ... Doha: from traditional Arab markets and ultra-modern shopping malls to the latest jet lag treatments, Methil Renuka finds plenty of ways to relax in the Qatari capital.
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [1] DOHA CITY CENTRE Navigating Doha independently can be hard as there is no public transport. Taxis can be hailed from the roadside, but it's easy to get stranded in a pedestrian unfriendly area where it's...

The passage of time: watchmaking and Geneva go hand in hand. Tom Otley takes time out to visit the Patek Philippe Museum and comes face to face with several centuries of dazzling craftsmanship and artistry.(WHAT TO BUY)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Patek Philippe Museum is a treasure chest of jewellery, fine art and, of course, watches. Opened in 2001, it quickly became a must-see for visitors to Geneva, and its internationally important collection became...

Present perfect: looking for some hip gifts to present to an associate on your next business trip? Here are some ideas that just might clinch the deal.(Corporate gifts)
March 1, 2008... Porsche Don't own a Porsche? You can at least own a Porsche accessory. The Porsche Design Driver's Selection features a range of premium sportswear, luggage, and jewellery. Businessmen will like the sporty yet elegant cufflinks from the...

Win a stay at a luxury hotel in Dubai: enjoy the glitzy attractions of Sheikh Zayed Road by winning two nights at the Al Murooj Rotana Hotel & Suites in Dubai.(Competition)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Al Murooj Rotana Hotel & Suites is equipped with every facility to meet the demands of discerning business travellers in Dubai. Ideally located along the bustling Sheikh Zayed Road close to the Dubai International...

Coastal attraction: Turkey's Aegean coast is a treasure trove of historical sites and dazzling landscapes, says Brian Johnston, who travels from Ephesus to Antalya along its shoreline.(GREAT escape)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The waters are blue as a hip cocktail, beaches sprawl indolently between rocky headlands and mountains pose in the background, studded with melancholy ruins. These are the main attractions of Turkey's Aegean coast,...