Travel and Tourism

A Ramadan focus from the perspective of the hospitality sector. Phil Blizzard looks at the preparations of the important fast-breaking Iftar meal and talks to Hussein Hachem, GM, Al Bustan Rotana Hotel, Dubai about the significance and importance of their offerings.

A distinctive Turkish flavour to this edition of TravelWise with Phil Blizzard visiting the Ottoman inspired Jumeirah Zabeel Saray on Palm Jumeirah, Dubai. To complement this location the featured destination is Turkey as seen from the perspective of the Turkish Tourism Board.

TravelWise with Phil Blizzard at the new Jumeirah Zabeel Saray hotel on Palm Jumeirah, Dubai looking at the latest travel news, including announcements at the Paris Air Show, new routes from Qatar Airways and Emirates, along with innovations for smoother summer travel. Travel Talk with an industry expert from the Holiday Shop looks at the introduction of package holidays out of the region, 140 years after the first from Thomas Cook.

Emirates have launched their smart phone boarding pass service to all passengers who utilise their on-line check-in facility for flights out of Dubai. Phil Blizzard armed with a smart phone visits Emirates Terminal 3 for a hi-tech check-in with Don Surrendra, Manager Airport Services Product Development, Emirates.

In the global top 20 destination cities by visitor arrivals, Dubai is now ranked 9th, with an anticipated 7.9 million arrivals during 2011. Phil Blizzard reviews the findings of the MasterCard Insight of Global Destination Cities with Professor Yuwa Hedrick-Wong, Global Economic Advisor, MasterCard Worldwide. The report shows London is still the top city, Paris is second with Barcelona and Istanbul showing strong growth in Europe and Kuala Lumpur in Asia. One big surprise is the high volume of passenger traffic out of Dubai to Kabul, which is greater than London. The report also looks at the expenditure by visitors and in this aspect, despite being known as a shopper's paradise, Dubai ranks only 18th in the global top 20.

TravelWise at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai where the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico is our featured destination. Talking about the attractions, which range from Mayan Temples to golfing, with a sprinkling of shopping and mouth watering cuisine, found in this colourful part of Mexico is Lizzie Cole, Marketing Director, Riviera Maya. We also provide advice for travellers wishing to visit this part of Central America.

TravelWise with Phil Blizzard at the Arabian Travel Market, Dubai looking at the latest travel news, including the record breaking profits for the Emirates Group, along with route expansions by Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways. Travel Talk features industry experts from Visit Britain talking about the boost to UK tourism following the royal wedding and ahead of next year's Olympic Games.

With an aggressive development pipeline in the Mena region Millennium Hotels will expand from 12 properties to 52 over the next three years and will see the company becoming the largest international hotel operator in Iraq. Phil Blizzard talks to Michael Marshall, VP - Sales & Marketing, Middle East & North Africa, Millennium Hotels & Resorts about their key developments, as well as the introduction of the ultra luxury Biltmore Hotel brand into the region.

Embracing the new world of social media and how an iconic luxury brand such as The Ritz-Carlton navigates this space is the focus of this interview. Phil Blizzard talks to Chris Gabaldon, Vice President, Global Sales & Marketing, The Ritz Carlton Hotels about the value of digital and new media today and also on the topic of brand overcrowding within hospitality groups.

The Arabian Hotel Investment Conference 2011 took the theme of 'Changing Gears' with the focus being on the direction of the region's industry over the next decade. Phil Blizzard talks to Jonathan Worsley, Chairman, The Bench, co-organisers with MEED Events. He also talks about the winners of the key awards at this years conference as well as the new events which are aimed at hotel investment opportunities in the African markets.

Sofitel the luxury hospitality sector within the Accor Group are becoming lighter with the selling off of hotel properties to become purely a management organisation, as Sami Nasser, VP, Sofitel, MENA explains to Phil Blizzard. At the AHIC he also talks about their development pipeline and the reason for introducing two new brands of luxury hotels - Sofitel Legend and Sofitel So.

The Arabian Travel Market in Dubai has openned showing strong signs of growth in the various sectors of the tourism and hospitality industry. Phil Blizzard reports from the Dubai International Convention Centre where the ATM has attracted over 2300 exhibitors from 69 countries for this B2B event.

Inbound tourism and inbound investment were the key topics of discussion with Phil Blizzard talking to Tarik Senhaji, Chairman, Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference. With strong ties to the GCC region prospects look positive for the Kingdom, despite the recent terrorist attack in Marrakech. The Chairman also talks about the key elements in their 10 year plan leading to their 2020 Vision.

The signing of the Waldorf Astoria in Ras Al Khaima is perhaps the jewel in the crown of Hilton Worldwide in their expansion across the region. Rudy Jagersbacher, President, MEA Hilton Worldwide talks to Phil Blizzard at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference about their development pipeline and also the impact of the regional uprisings and in particularly Cairo.

Travelwise at Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa with Phil Blizzard features the award-winning beach resort in Dubai that is celebrating its 30th year anniversary. The remarkable lush green gardens, palm-lined private beach, 9-hole golf course and 5-star hotel accommodation overlooking the Arabian Gulf are indeed enticing tourists to stay in this exquisite holiday haven.