Travel and Tourism

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.

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.

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.

In a frank interview with Phil Blizzard Samy Mahmoud, Undersecretary Head of International Tourism, Egyptian Tourism Authority provides an overview of the current state of the tourism industry which is down by 80% across Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. The Red Sea Resorts have also seen a significant drop in tourists with a decrease of between 30% and 40%. Infrastructure development is being funded by the private financial sector, with significant inward investment for the industry coming from the Gulf countries.

TravelWise with Phil Blizzard onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise liner looking at the latest travel news which includes airline development across the region and the impact of high oil prices, Dubai World Central opens to passenger aircraft and the first hotel for Dubai's Financial District. In Travel Talk a look at Dubai as an important hub for the growing cruise industry with Helen Beck, an expert from this tourism sector.

The state of the hospitality industry in 2011, along with project development, is the focus of part 2 of the discussion with Mike Scully, MD, Seven Tides and Guy Epsom, Director of Business Development, Movenpick Resorts & Hotels in this hospitality special from the Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, Dubai. The prospect of the large Far East market is seen as a driving force to increased occupancy, however revpar is not likely to rise due to the large volume of rooms coming into the market.

Mike Scully, MD, Seven Tides and Guy Epsom, Director of Business Development, Movenpick Resorts & Hotels discuss with Phil Blizzard the hotel owner and hotel management relationship, in part one of this hospitality special from the Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, Dubai. Also what is expected by an owner during the opening period of a new hotel and how the operating company in this case delivered.