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Emirates launch smart phone boarding card

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.
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United Arab Emirates: Monday, June 13 - 2011 at 13:10
Prof Yuwa Hedrick-Wong, Global Economic Advisor, MasterCard Worldwide talks to AME Info

Dubai ranks 9th in Global Top 20 destination cities

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.
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United Arab Emirates: Tuesday, June 07 - 2011 at 12:47
 Michael Marshall, VP - Sales & Marketing, Middle East & North Africa, Millennium Hotels & Resorts talks to AME Info

Millennium Hotels to open ultra luxury Biltmore Hotel in Abu Dhabi

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.
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United Arab Emirates: Monday, May 16 - 2011 at 10:22
Chris Gabaldon, Vice President, Global Sales & Marketing, The Ritz Carlton Hotels

Ritz Carlton Hotels embracing social media

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.
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United Arab Emirates: Tuesday, May 10 - 2011 at 13:57

AHIC changes gear and moves onto Africa

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.
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United Arab Emirates: Thursday, May 05 - 2011 at 09:25
Sami Nasser, VP, Sofitel, MENA talking to Phil Blizzard at the AHIC

Sofitel introduce new luxury brands - Legend and So

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.
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United Arab Emirates: Thursday, May 05 - 2011 at 09:10

Strong growth is the forecast as the Arabian Travel Market opens in Dubai

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.
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United Arab Emirates: Tuesday, May 03 - 2011 at 22:29
Tarik Senhaji, Chairman, Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development  talks to AME Info at AHIC, Dubai

Morocco looks to Gulf Sovereign Wealth Funds for tourism development

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.
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United Arab Emirates: Monday, May 02 - 2011 at 17:18

Hilton Worldwide rapid expansion across Middle East & Africa

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.
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United Arab Emirates: Monday, May 02 - 2011 at 11:59

Egypt Tourism under a dark cloud as arrivals drop 80%

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.
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United Arab Emirates: Monday, April 04 - 2011 at 10:18

TravelWise pt 1 - Regional travel news and the growing cruise sector

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.
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United Arab Emirates: Tuesday, March 15 - 2011 at 12:35

Ritz-Carlton launches first hotel at Dubai International Financial Centre

Luxury hospitality brand Ritz-Carlton has the accolade of being the first hotel to open within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Phil Blizzard was greeted at this luxury business hotel by Lothar Quarz, GM, The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC to talk about their positioning in the financial district and within the broader hospitality market.
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United Arab Emirates: Wednesday, March 09 - 2011 at 12:52
Mike Scully, MD, Seven Tides and Guy Epsom, Director of Business Development, Movenpick Resorts & Hotels and Phil Blizzard in this hospitality special from the Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, Dubai.

Dubai hospitality experts discuss prospects for 2011 pt 2

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.
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United Arab Emirates: Wednesday, January 12 - 2011 at 13:57
Mike Scully, MD, Seven Tides and Guy Epsom, Director of Business Development, Movenpick Resorts & Hotels

Dubai hospitality experts discuss prospects for 2011 pt 1

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.
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United Arab Emirates: Tuesday, January 11 - 2011 at 14:57
The Pool at The Banyan Tree Beach Club Al Wadi Ras al Khaimah

Banyan Tree opens on the beach at Ras al Khaimah

The first beach resort in the Middle East to be operated by international luxury hospitality brand The Banyan Tree has opened in the UAE's northern emirate of Ras al Khaimah. Phil Blizzard talks to Karrim Irrgang, Operations Manager, Banyan Tree Al Wadi Beach Club about the resort which consists of 32 luxury villas with their own private pool.
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United Arab Emirates: Thursday, January 06 - 2011 at 09:41