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  • News: Strong trading buoys TUI Travel in UK

    TUI Travel has reported a nine per cent increase in bookings at its UK operations as poor winter weather drives Brits to book holidays earlier.

    TUI also reported higher margins on those holidays that have been booked, with momentum also carried into the summer time.

    In total, unique holiday bookings within the UK, Nordics and Germany increased by 15, 12 and nine per cent year-on-year respectively for summer 2013 when put next to last year.

    Peter Long, chief executive of TUI Travel PLC, commented: “We have a transparent roadmap for growth built upon a deep understanding of our industry and customers.

    “Our strong operational performance over winter means we shall deliver reduced winter losses.

    “This very strong trading has continued into summer 2013, leaving us well placed to attain a whole-year performance towards the higher end of our growth targets.”

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  • Jerusalem gears up for International Tourism Summit

    Leading lights of the travel and tourism industry will descend on Jerusalem, Israel later this month for the Jerusalem International Tourism Summit, in an effort to place a focus on ‘The New Era of Tourism’.

    This year a different emphasis should be put on Urban Tourism in addition to Innovative Technologies on the earth of tourism and travel.

    Global leaders, academics and experts inside the field of hospitality will conduct panels discussing quite a lot of issues affecting the tourism industry and a different event will think about technology in tourism, including tourism-related apps.

    Tourism professionals should be invited to have interaction with colleagues, demonstrate their groundbreaking technologies, expand their international business relations and discover new opportunities throughout the industry on the event, so that you can happen on May 28th-29th.

    Some of the most topics to be discussed will include: The way forward for Tourism, a personal Public Partnership; Planning Models for Urban Tourism; Follow the Asian Success Story; Adaptation to the Passengers within the Aviation World; Sport and concrete Tourism; Hotel Development in Cities; The Smartphone Revolution and concrete Tourism Development

    Speakers confirmed for the development include: minister Uzi Landau, Ministry of Tourism of the State of Israel; Sheldon Adelson, chairman, Las Vegas Sands Corporation; Michael Leven, president, Las Vegas Sands Corporation; Renzo Iorio, chief executive officer, Accor Italy; and Moshe Lion, chairman of the Jerusalem Development Authority.

    Shmuel Tzuriel, chief executive, Israel Hotel Association; Alison Copus, vice chairman marketing, TripAdvisor for business; Hugh Aitken, UK commercial manager, easyJet; Eric Leopold, director passenger, IATA; and Jonathan Meiri, chief executive, SuperFly can be speaking on the event,

    The Second Jerusalem International Tourism Summit is supported by the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Tourism, the Jerusalem Municipality and the Jerusalem Development Authority in cooperation with the Hebrew University and the ICC Jerusalem – International Convention Center.

    Jerusalem is home to a few world-class museums, including the Israel Museum housing the Dead Sea scrolls, and the Tower of David Museum.

    Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust Museum and Memorial is likewise located in Jerusalem.

    The destination, Israel’s most visited city attracting 3.5 million international visitors 2012, also showcases stunning architecture, starting from beautiful churches, monasteries and shrines from the Roman, Byzantine and Crusader times.

    For additional information at the event head over to the official website.

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  • JA Resorts & Hotels prepares to open first overseas resort

    JA Resorts & Hotels, the UAE-based hospitality group, is gearing up for the grand opening of its first overseas property within the third quarter of 2013.

    Enchanted Island Resort, a personal ten-villa luxury beach retreat within the Seychelles is because of open its exclusive resort facilities for guests in autumn.

    The resort features just ten private villas on an island in the midst of a countrywide Marine Park and will be booked on anyone or exclusive basis.

    The five-star luxury boutique island resort is home to 8 one-bedroom Private Pool Villas and two two-bedroom Enchanted Signature Villas, designed to mirror the island’s traditional Creole-Seychellois architecture.

    Each villa incorporates a private infinity pool, walkway to the beach, deck, outdoor rain shower, French bathtub, four-poster king size bed, LED screen with satellite channels, DVD player, iPod docking station and complimentary Wi-Fi internet access.

    Bounty Restaurant overlooks the resort’s main swimming pool and caters for guests with contemporary international and Creole cuisine, while Castaway Bar offers a whole lot of cocktails and aperitifs.

    In-villa dining and personal gourmet experiences at the beach also are on offer. Guests may enjoy complimentary use of snorkelling equipment and kayaks.

    David Thomson, Chief Operating Officer of JA Resorts & Hotels, said: “We are delighted to open this stunning resort and it makes for a powerful portfolio addition, our first outside Dubai.”

    “While it’s been a mild and extensive process to get to this stage, we were keen to help in making a very special product and disturb as little of the unique island flora as possible,” he added.

    Serena Spa manages the spa that overlooks the Indian Ocean from its elevated position at the island. Inclusive of an ‘Adam & Eve’ couple treatment suite, two other individual treatment pavilions each have their very own private steam room, shower and terrace.

    Serena Spa treatments, yoga, access to a gymnasium and other holistic therapies are offered.

    The island is owned by Enchanted Ventures and it’s possible to exclusively rent your entire island for as much as 24 guests. On this instance it’s also possible to deal with children below 12 years, that’s normally not permitted.

    Eric Laurent, General Manager, says: “Enchanted Island Resort offers an exemplary experience of genuine island hospitality that our guests will remember long once they have departed.”

    Enchanted Island Resort is found on a five-acre tropical island in the course of a chosen National Marine Park, as regards to neighbouring islands Sainte Anne, Moyenne, Long and Cerf.

    After a 10-minute drive from the Seychelles International Airport, a fifteen-minute motorboat ride takes guests from the principle island Mahé, to the resort’s private jetty. The Seychelles Islands is a favoured destination for honeymooners and nature lovers because of its tropical beaches, transparent turquoise waters and colourful marine life.

    JA Resorts & Hotels manage an inspiring portfolio of properties across Dubai including the newly extended, all suite Palm Tree Court, the award-winning Jebel Ali Hotel and the deluxe hotel apartments of Oasis Beach Tower.

    The company will even welcome a four-star beachfront property to the portfolio as Ocean View Hotel prepares to open.

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  • News: Accor brings Adagio brand to UK with Liverpool opening

    Hotel giant Accor is launching the Adagio aparthotels inside the UK, with the primary property opening in Liverpool today.

    Located within the heart of the town, on the subject of the Albert Dock, the Liverpool Adagio will offer for extended stays, 126 modern and spacious apartments, all with fully equipped kitchens and access to hotel services.

    Thomas Dubaere, managing director, Accor UK & Ireland said: “The launch of Adagio is another significant step for Accor as we keep growing our network and strengthen our brand portfolio within the UK.

    “Accor invests in key strategically located cities. Liverpool is a wonderful city with lots on offer for business and leisure guests and the hole of this aparthotel is proof of Accor’s expansion around the UK and never just within the Capital.”

    Adagio Aparthotels already operates 90 aparthotels in a number European cities including Berlin, Bordeaux, Brussels, Geneva, Marseille, Monaco, Munich, Paris, Rome, Strasbourg and Vienna.

    By 2016 yet another 60 aparthotels will open worldwide.

    Vangelis Porikis, Adagio director Central & Northern Europe, added: “The Adagio network is growing rapidly internationally and we’re excited to open the 1st one within the UK with Accor.

    “Located in Liverpool’s iconic Lewis Building that is on the heart of the town.”

    Adagio Aparthotels is a three way partnership between Accor and Pierre & Vacances, the ecu leader in local tourism and holiday apartment rentals.

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  • News: GIBTM: Annual MICE jamboree involves a detailed in Abu Dhabi

    GIBTM 2013 will close today on a high note having attracted a record choice of buyers from the company meetings sector because the booming Gulf economies attract corporate travellers, trade delegations and other business groups.

    The seventh edition of the show saw triple the selection of corporate meetings buyers in attendance, this year accounting for 35 per cent of all hosted buyers attending the show, in comparison to 11 per cent from the company sector in 2012.

    The total number hosted buyers was evenly split between the center East, Europe and Asia Pacific, with first-timers attending from key growth markets for the center East including Australia, South Africa and Azerbaijan.

    “According to plain & Poor’s latest forecast, GDP growth in the Gulf economies will reach 4.6 per cent in 2013, valuing the GCC economy at $1.5 trillion, which compares very favourably with many flatling western economies, facing prolonged austerity and sluggish growth,” said GIBTM exhibition manager Lois Hall.

    “As a consequence the region is obviously attracting progressively more meetings, incentives and business travellers, especially from key regional and international trading partners.

    “We have also witnessed a pointy increase inside the variety of overseas destinations, seeking to attract meetings and incentive groups from the center East,” added Hall.

    In addition to the hike in corporate meetings buyers on the show, the variety of decision-makers from the possibly-lucrative international associations sector attending GIBTM greater than trebled in size.

    With all eyes on China as a gigantic growth marketplace for meetings business for the center East, GIBTM brought in a delegation of ten influential buyers to the show including first-time visitor to the UAE, Jeffery Huang, vice secretary-general and associate researcher on the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Services.

    “This is an excellent platform for us to discover partners in potential conference destinations,” he said.

    “I will now consider the center East for our world congress in 2017. This typically involves a two-day conference and 3 to 5 days of leisure for our delegates so i’m gazing combining a couple of destinations, including the UAE, Oman and Qatar.”

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