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Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship 2011

Westwood Ho! World Number One Charts Course For Major Abu Dhabi Success

The world’s number one golfer, England’s Lee Westwood, sets course for major success at this week’s new-look Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, as he takes on the event’s strongest-ever line-up.

Running 20-23 January at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, this year’s £1.69 million tournament boasts all four current 2010 Major champions – Phil Mickelson, Louis Oosthuizen, Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymner, the current Abu Dhabi champion – as well as double champion, Paul Casey.

Taking time out from the sweeping greens of the championship’s National Course, the six superstars joined newly-appointed European Ryder Cup captain, Jose Maria Olazabal, for a sail with the emirate’s Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team, which will compete in the 2011/12 Volvo Ocean Race which stops in Abu Dhabi next New Year’s day.

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For further information on Abu Dhabi call 020 7201 6400, see www.visitabudhabi.ae,  or e-mail uk@adta.ae

Mövenpick is planning to make its Hotel Ramallah in Palestine, which it hopes to make a cultural and architectural landmark, offering several culinary options in its urban location in the heart of Ramallah. Mövenpick Hotel Ramallah is the city’s only modern five-star hotel and its 171 rooms include 10 Junior Suites, eight Diplomatic Suites and two Presidential Suites.

The hotel is situated in the diplomatic Almasyoun quarter, just minutes from the city center’s shopping and entertainment venues.

Tailored to both business and leisure travelers, the property will offer 20 suites of different categories.

A heated large swimming pool with a barbeque restaurant and gymnasium are also available.

The hotel will offer several dining experiences under one roof, from formal to casual dining. The Allegro will introduce Italian cuisine to Ramallah under the guidance of the hotel’s own Italian chef.

The hotel will also feature the Al Riwaq all-day restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows and an outdoor patio overlooking the pool, the city’s newest see-and-be-seen social destination.

The Newz bar also serves as a meeting destination with indoor and outdoor casual dining areas. Meanwhile the Sparkles lounge will make its mark as a ground-breaking cigar bar in Ramallah and will cater ideally to businessmen and women, or casual crowds.

The hotel will also include the Yabus Ballroom, with 660 square meters of column-free space equipped with technology and luxurious décor. Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, an upscale hotel management company with over 12,000 employees, is represented through over 90 hotels existing or under construction in 27 countries with a concentration on its core markets in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Dubai, U.A.E – Underlining their relentless commitment to offering the best inflight entertainment in the air, Emirates has won the ‘World’s Best Airline Inflight Entertainment’ award for the sixth year running at the 2010 Skytrax World Airline Awards.

Emirates faced stiff competition from other leading airlines to win the accolade at the 2010 Skytrax World Airline Awards which took place in Hamburg on 20th May, 2010.

In an extremely competitive marketplace where many airlines are spending significant sums in their inflight entertainment (IFE) products, Emirates has maintained its leadership position by concentrating on technical innovation and quality content. Since developing ice (information, communications and entertainment), its ground-breaking audio and video-on-demand system, in late 2003, Emirates has continually improved and expanded its IFE offering and has become the benchmark for all other airlines.

Patrick Brannelly, Emirates’ Vice President Corporate Communications (Product, Publishing, Digital & Events), who received the award, said: “When we won this prestigious award for the fifth time in a row last year we knew that we could not rest on our laurels, and we immediately focused on improving ice even further. We’re thrilled that so many Emirates passengers have recognised this by voting for us.”

ice, which is available on over 80 per cent of the Emirates fleet, offers a staggering choice of up to 1200 channels of entertainment including 230 movies from around the world.

In 2009-2010 Emirates selected movies from over 15 countries that were available in over 20 languages, as well as many with the option to choose Closed Captions for the hard of hearing, still a first in the airline industry.

Since becoming the first airline in the world to install TVs on every seat, on every aircraft in 1992,

Emirates has made significant investments to offer the widest range of entertainment to passengers.

Edward Plaisted, Skytrax Chairman said: “Emirates continues to excel in this category, and yet again are a repeat winner of the Best Airline Inflight Entertainment Award.

This aspect of the travel experience gains in importance each year as customers become more demanding, and Emirates are clearly matching these expectations to have been voted the world’s best by passengers.”

The awards follow a 10 month survey between July 2009 and April 2010 of 17.9 million air travellers from over 100 different nationalities.

The survey measures over 38 different items of customer satisfaction for each airline’s product and service standards.

Hotel expects to boost sales by 10 per cent in 2010 through new sales and marketing partnership with Preferred Hotel Group

April 1, 2010

Cristal Hotel and Resorts, a luxury hospitality company, has announced that it has signed a partnership agreement with Preferred Hotel Group (PHG), a global sales and marketing conglomerate, in a move that will significantly expand Cristal Hotel’s global market presence and boost sales by an estimated 10 per cent in 2010.

The agreement also makes Cristal Hotel and Resorts the first Middle East hotel to become a member of Sterling Hotels, as part of the Sterling Design category, which is a worldwide collection of fashionable, affordable hotels that appeal to both business and leisure travellers.

The partnership agreement was signed on the sidelines of Cristal Hotel and Resorts’ participation in the Gulf Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM) that was held recently in Abu Dhabi.

Cristal Hotel and Resorts has revealed that it intends to leverage PHG’s 28 international sales offices, over 60 dedicated industry sales specialists and more than 300 major corporate accounts worldwide to cultivate new markets and broaden its target audience.

Furthermore, Cristal Hotel and Resorts disclosed that both parties have agreed to expand the partnership with upcoming projects.

Peter Blackburn, CEO of Cristal Hotels & Resorts, said: “The partnership with PHG provides greater leverage for Cristal Hotel and Resorts to sustain our market expansion program.

Being the first in the Middle East to be recognised as a Sterling Design Hotel will also greatly enhance our reputation as a world-class hotel destination, which is crucial in an increasingly competitive market environment. We are confident that the partnership will deliver immediate results, as we forecast an increase in sales of up to 10 per cent this year.”

John Ueberroth Chairman and CEO Preferred Hotel Group, said: “Cristal Hotel and Resorts exemplifies the ideals of the Sterling Design Hotel, which focus on modern and contemporary style, distinct architecture, bold interiors and state-of-the-art technology.

oreover, through this partnership, PHG will help enhance the business performance of Cristal Hotel by providing support in branding, global sales and marketing, and integrated reservation services, which are all designed to increase revenues and reduce overall costs.”

Cristal Hotel and Resorts has emerged as one of the top business hotel destinations in Abu Dhabi despite opening just under a year ago.

Cristal Hotel Abu Dhabi features 192 luxuriously appointed and spacious rooms, complemented by a complete range of business facilities and world-class customer service standards.

Priority Pass, the world’s leading independent airport lounge programme, announces the addition of six new lounges in the Middle East to its worldwide portfolio, making it even more attractive to frequent travellers in the region.

The addition of five new lounges in Saudi Arabia, covering Damman, Jeddah and Riyadh, as well as another in Abu Dhabi, means that coverage is even more comprehensive in the region.

Members of Priority Pass can use any of the lounges in the programme whenever they travel, regardless of which airline or which class of travel they are flying.

For members in the Middle East, this means that virtually all major city airports in the region have lounges available for their use, together with over 600 lounges at airports throughout the world.

Priority Pass now includes the following lounges in the Middle East:

Bahrain Bahrain Dilmun Lounge

Jordan Amman Crown Lounge

Kuwait Kuwait Kuwait Airways Lounge
Pearl Lounge

Lebanon Beirut Cedar Lounge

Oman Muscat Oman Air Lounge

Qatar Doha The Oryx Lounge

Saudi Arabia Damman Al-Fursan Golden Lounge New for 2010
Jeddah North Terminal First Class Lounge
South Terminal Al-Fursan Golden Lounge New for 2010
Al-Fursan Golden Lounge New for 2010
Riyadh Terminal 1 First Class Lounge
Terminal 2 Al-Fursan Golden Lounge New for 2010
Terminal 3 Al-Fursan Golden Lounge New for 2010

UAE Abu Dhabi Main Terminal Al Ghazal Lounge
Airport Hotel Lounge
Dana Lounge New for 2010
Terminal 2 Al Ghazal Lounge
Dubai Terminal 1 Dubai International Business Class Lounge
Marhaba Lounge
Terminal 3 Marhaba Lounge
Sharjah First and Business Class Lounge

Soukalin Ghosh, responsible for Priority Pass business development and marketing in the region, commented, “Priority Pass has an outstanding selection of lounges across the Middle East, and adding six more for 2010 makes it an even more comprehensive selection,”

“Priority Pass membership is not only attractive to individual frequent flyers, but also to banks, telecom companies and others who wish to offer a powerful and highly-valued incentive to attract new customers to premium products, and to build loyalty among existing customer base.”

(Dubai, United Arab Emirates –The Image Maker, a United Arab Emirates headquartered, business development company has announced EmiratesRevealed.com in honour of the seven Rulers of the Emirates and the President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the incredible achievements of the nation.

The new interactive online photography portal is the largest photo and video interactive portal ever created that is dedicated to images of the United Arab Emirates.

The announcement coincides with UAE National Day on 2 December. EmiratesRevealed.com forms part of a global trilogy comprising Emirates Revealed – The TV documentary being produced by the prestigious Discovery Channel and Emirates Revealed – The Book, all launching in 2010.

The brainchild of Ms Yasmeen Stewart, Chief Executive Officer, The Image Maker, EmiratesRevealed.com provides a user-friendly site where visitors can both download and upload images and participate in chat forums with instant sharing of these images.

“The site was created out of exhaustive research on what communicates best on a global level. Images and film speak a thousand words and cross all cultural boundaries,” said Ms Stewart.

According Ms Stewart, the site is intended for use by both consumers and professionals.

“The aim is to stimulate the economy of the UAE with this site. First, by showing the diversity of the country by covering all seven Emirates. Further, the site is broken down into all areas of life in the UAE from culture to the UAE global charity vision.” she explained.

Advertising agencies and marketing professionals experience day to day challenges locating high quality images for the development of campaigns and branding. EmiratesRevealed.com simplifies the process, offering a wide selection of only the highest quality images all in one place.

This unique interactive ecommerce portal has been designed to showcase the culturally rich and diverse United Arab Emirates, its extraordinary standard of living and lifestyle, as well as its rapid economic development which promises a future even more exciting and dynamic than its past.

Visitors to the site will be immersed in the visual panorama of the Emirates. Whether a traveler, planning to visit the Emirates who is researching online to get a feel for the destination, a student sourcing images for an assignment or an advertising agency, EmiratesRevealed.com is poised to become the most recognized image library on the UAE globally.

“We are including images of not only Dubai but all of the Emirates equally. There is a focus on the everyday life of the people and as well as art, architecture, history, famous landmarks and cultural events.”

On launch (slated for 31 March 2010) EmiratesRevealed.com will be the most comprehensive collection of images made available at the click of a mouse.

“We are also promoting local talent on the site with direct links to the local photographers, developers and government agencies responsible for the work in the images and footage.” said Ms Stewart.

EmiratesRevealed.com is actively utilizing social viral media as a platform to drive awareness, with links to social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

“Search engine optimization is a crucial part of our roll out plan, ensuring a high ranking when users search for the UAE or UAE-related topics; when you use Google search or any other search engine all the UAE images will cover the page. Through this project we aim to introduce an accurate image of the UAE to a global audience, both media and individuals, making the UAE a vision of inspiration in the new Middle East.” she added.

EmiratesRevealed.com has teamed up with industry leaders such as Corbis and local representatives Graph East.

Awarded European Wellness Certificates

Prestigious certifications guarantee best quality in spa and wellness and in more than 800 other areas of hotel operation

Hamra Hotels and Resorts has announced that Al Hamra Beach Resort and Khatt Springs Hotel & SPA have been awarded the European Wellness Certificates after successfully passing a rigorous audit by the European Audit Institute Wellness & SPA SCE (EAWS) – the only awarding body in Europe that offers a Wellness Quality Certificate with a seal and guarantee of a publicly certified and sworn expert for wellness concepts and wellness facilities.

Al Hamra Beach Resort and Khatt Springs Hotel & SPA are the first hotels in the UAE to receive such distinctions.

Al Hamra Beach Resort was awarded the Golf & SPA Europe Certificate, while Khatt Springs Hotel & SPA applied for two categories – Wellness & SPA Europe Certificate and Medical SPA Europe Certificate – and successfully fulfilled the requirements for both.

The European Wellness Certificate guarantees the best quality not only for spa and wellness but for all facilities of the hotel as the audit process includes more than 800 criteria covering different sectors of the hotel.

Michael El Nayal, Member of the Board, Hamra Hotels and Resorts said, “The stamp of approval from the European Audit Institute Wellness & SPA reaffirms our strong commitment to deliver the highest quality in terms of service and hotel facilities. We will continue to identify new ways to further raise the bar of excellence in the hospitality sector and ensure a consistently enjoyable and memorable experience for all our guests.”

“Moreover, this certification will provide a significant boost to the continuing efforts of the Hamra Hotels and Resorts team to attract a greater number of tourists from high-potential markets all over the world. We recently succeeded in opening a new charter flight from Copenhagen to Ras Al Khaimah in line with our goal of establishing the emirate as a premier global wellness destination,” added El Nayal.

Founded by hotel and wellness experts from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, EAWS offers the Wellness Europe Certificate in three categories: Wellness & SPA Europe Certificate, Golf & SPA Europe Certificate and Medical SPA Europe Certificate. Aside from the quality of spa and wellness service, the certification also takes into account other facets of the hotel, including the range of its healthy food and beverage products, value-added offerings for outdoor and nature activities and even cultural events held within the hotel or in the surrounding area.

Hamra Hotels and Resorts was established in 1996 with a mission to develop and operate unique hotels and resorts in Ras Al Khaimah and the United Arab Emirates. It has today grown to become one of the leading hotel developers and operators in the region, with new hotel projects soon to be launched in Africa, Asia and Europe.

Dubai, UAE – The world’s largest and fastest growing major international airport terminal will mark its first anniversary on October 14 in true Dubai-style with special discount offers from Dubai Duty Free, give-aways and contests celebrating 12 months of seamless operations and double-digit traffic growth.

The festivities are part of a three-day birthday celebration that will involve thousands of passengers and aviation staff.

Dubai International Emirates Terminal 3 first opened its doors on October 14, 2008 for the exclusive use of Emirates Airline. The airport was opened in four phases to ensure a smooth operational transition and the convenience and comfort of customers. Some 8,000 volunteers were involved in operational trials conducted to test processes and equipment.

It was a strategy that resulted in a glitch-free opening, garnered international praise and led to several awards.

HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, and Chairman of Dubai Airports said:

“The growth and development of Dubai city and its airport are closely linked. Emirates Terminal 3 has played a central role in supporting Dubai’s economic progress, and has bolstered the city’s image as an emerging global aviation hub. It is something the aviation community, the city and the Emirate can be proud of.”

“Emirates Terminal 3’s unmitigated success has given it iconic status in the industry.

It has clearly become a symbol of Dubai’s aviation success story,” added Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports. “The next phase of its development, Concourse 3, will build on that reputation by offering the world’s first dedicated A380 airside facility when it is completed at the end of 2012.”

During its first year of operations, Emirates Terminal 3 has handled more than 96,000 flight departures and arrivals and over 16.1 million passengers, 1.32 million of who have enjoyed the variety of facilities available through Marhaba services and Emirates First and Business Class Lounges. More than 18.7 million pieces of luggage have been processed by the baggage system, which is one of the longest and deepest of underground systems in the world.

Not only is Emirates Terminal 3 an operational marvel, it is a visual feast. Emirates Terminal 3 was designed by world-renowned French architect Paul Andreu.

Its elegantly curved steel and glass façade and its bright interiors have set new standards in airport design.

Terminal 3 was also designed for optimum travelling comfort. The underground terminal is located beneath the taxiways and aprons effectively bringing it closer to the boarding gates.

The terminal is the world’s largest yet its unique design coupled with state-of-the-art people transportation solutions such as travelators effectively shorten the distance from kerbside to the aircraft. The recent opening of the Emirates Terminal 3 Metro station also makes it more easily accessible from the city.

“Terminal 3 has become an intrinsic part of Emirates’ operations.

As an international airline connecting passengers from six continents, a significant part of the travel experience we offer our customers is the journey through our hub in Dubai. Emirates Terminal 3′s opening provided much-needed space for our growing operations.

It also meant that we could expand and enhance our Airport Services and lounge product.

The feedback from our customers on Emirates Terminal 3 has been tremendously positive,” said Mohammed Mattar, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Airport Services.

“We are proud to contribute to the ongoing success of Emirates Terminal 3 which is not only our home and hub, but also a testament to Dubai’s progressive approach to development and hospitality. We are working in close collaboration with Dubai Airports and look forward to making our customers’ journey through Dubai even more enjoyable in the future.”

The retail experience at the terminal is also garnering international recognition. Dubai Duty Free, which operates 8,000 square metres of retail space in Terminal 3, has noted that 55% of its total business is derived from T3 passengers. The operation, which reported sales of US$1.1 billion in 2008 making it the largest single duty free operation in the world, is expecting to end this year with a 4% increase in sales.

“We are delighted with the duty free operation in Terminal 3 as it has added a whole new dimension to our retail offer at Dubai International.

The feedback from our customers has been very positive over the past year and we will continue to look at ways to enhance the overall retail experience,” said Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director, Dubai Duty Free.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and its new destination sensation brand, Aloft Hotels, announced the opening of Aloft Abu Dhabi, the first Aloft hotel to open in the Middle East and the only hotel in the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Ten years after Starwood Hotels and Resorts shook up the hotel industry with the launch of W Hotels, the innovative hotel giant has again reinvented hotel design with the debut of its newest brand, Aloft Hotels.

Featuring loft-like guest rooms, a bar scene in the open lobby, an urban-inspired grab-and go café and industrial design elements throughout,

Aloft delivers urban-influenced, modern and vibrant design at an affordable price point.

The debut of Aloft Abu Dhabi highlights the strategic international expansion of the Aloft brand.

Aloft Abu Dhabi introduces style at a steal to the region with 408 loft-like rooms, accessible technology and a vibrant, social atmosphere.

Aloft offers atmospheric public spaces where guests can mix and mingle, read the paper, work on laptops, play a game of pool or grab a drink with friends at the re:mix communal lobby area and w xyz bar.

The re:charge fitness center and splash pool give travelers options to de-stress and re-energize, while re:fuel by Aloft offers sweet, savory and healthy food, snacks and beverages to grab and go, 24 hours a day.

First-time visitors to Aloft will immediately understand that Aloft is different from any other hotel experience. Guests are greeted by special features and visually distinctive iconic structures on the exterior, including a colorful, sloping signature carport cover and building roof-line, and colorful glowing linear light sources on the building facade inspired by the notion of travel and motion.

Aloft guest rooms feature the brand’s signature ceilings of nearly three meters high, oversized windows and an ultra-comfortable bed, as well as roomy walk-in showers and bath amenities created by Bliss Spa.

Each Aloft room is equipped with complimentary wireless Internet access and a one-stop connectivity solution for multiple electronic gadgetry all linked to a 42-inch flat-panel, HDTV-ready television, making it a combination high-tech office and entertainment center in one.

The new hotel is linked directly to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC), a micro-city consisting of premium office towers, luxury hotels and residences, restaurants, shopping and a marina. The hotel will even provide guests direct access to the soon-to-open Re:lax@12 rooftop bar, Mai Restaurant and Bar and Dine Restaurant — all located on site. Ideally positioned right next to the Capital Centre district, Aloft Abu Dhabi is close to numerous embassies and corporate offices, 20 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi and 15 minutes from Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Rotana introduces its modern, stylish and affordable business hotel brand

Rotana, the leading hotel management company in the Middle East and North Africa, has announced the opening of the first two ‘Centro Hotels by Rotana’ in October 2009 – Centro Yas Island in Abu Dhabi and Centro Barsha in Dubai.

Centro Yas Island, Abu Dhabi adjoins with the Yas Island Rotana hotel, allowing guests to share both hotels’ deluxe facilities.

The three-star property comprises 259 rooms and is centrally located within the southern district of the spectacular Yas Island, just a few moments away from the Formula 1 Race Track and The Links Golf Course.

Centro Barsha, Dubai is conveniently located close to the business districts of Media City and Internet City. The three-star hotel features 246 rooms and is also in close proximity to the commercial areas of Sheikh Zayed road and the Dubai Financial Centre.

“We are extremely thrilled about the opening of the first two properties under our exciting new ‘Centro Hotels by Rotana’ brand, which will certainly meet the demands of a new generation of traveller, seeking finesse and functionality at reasonable rates,” commented Selim El Zyr, President & CEO of Rotana.

Conceived by Rotana and designed by LWD, ‘Centro Hotels by Rotana’ signals the start of a bold new genre of hospitality. Centro is a contemporary concept that brings a young, fresh and dynamic environment to low cost business travel.

Business travel and accommodation for the budget conscious executive is an increasingly important market in the Middle East and the ‘Centro Hotels by Rotana’ concept is specifically designed to cater to this rapidly expanding market. Appealing to large corporate entities, small and medium business owners, and individual travellers, ‘Centro Hotels by Rotana’ is stylish, chic and affordable business hotel brand.

“We are redefining the conventional concept of economical comfort and offering affordable superior class accommodation and hospitality” comments El Zyr.

Centro Yas Island Abu Dhabi and Centro Barsha Dubai will feature amenities specifically geared to the needs of the travelling executive including well appointed executive centre, meeting rooms, gymnasium and a swimming pool. This is in addition to ‘C.Taste’ restaurant, ‘C.Mondo’ beverage and snack bar and ‘C.Deli’, an innovative deli take-away concept.

Rotana is working towards the opening of 25 ‘Centro Hotels by Rotana’ properties across the Middle East by 2014, introducing a unique out-of-the-box solution for the mid-tier market.

For more information, go to www.rotana.com