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Jordan's tourism revenues rise in H1
Jordan's tourism revenues climbed 1.9% in the first six months of this year, and the total number of visitors to the Kingdom rose by 3%, Jordan Times has reported. Central Bank of Jordan figures show that the tourism sector had generated JD847m in revenues between January and June of 2009, compared with JD831m during the same period last year. Number of tourists from Arab countries represented over 25% of the total number of visitors, an 8% increase from last year, while the number of European and American tourists had declined by 10% and 7% respectively.
Limitless to build hotels in Ethiopia
Dubai-based developer Limitless has received a licence to build hotels in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, MEED has reported. The Addis Ababa City government has given the company a licence to build hotels and other business-related activities in the Kirkos district, with a total investment value of $294m.
Dubai hotels take hardest hit in region in H1, says survey
A new study by STR Global has revealed that Dubai hotels saw the biggest falls in revenue in the region in the first half of 2009. Occupancy rates in Dubai fell 12.9% compared to the year-earlier period, and RevPAR plunged 35%. However, Abu Dhabi was a positive performer, with a RevPAR growth of 3.2% in the period.
Indian travel agent conference to be held in Dubai
Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Travel Agents Association of India for the hosting of the annual conference of India's travel trade body in Dubai from September 29 to October 2. The conference will contribute extensively in promoting and marketing Dubai in India which has been showing signs of strong growth, TAAI President Rajinder Rai said.
Jumeirah to manage resort in China
Dubai luxury hotelier Jumeirah Group has said it has been appointed by Hong Kong's Agile Property Holdings to manage the Jumeirah Qing Shui Bay Resort in China, Reuters has reported. The resort will comprise a 250-room hotel and 50 private villas, and is expected to open in 2013. This will be Jumeirah's fourth management agreement in China after Shanghai, Guangshou and Macau, the group said.
Saudi hotels to be classified by year end, says SCTA
The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities has said that final classification of hotels will be announced by the end of 2009, the Saudi Gazette has reported. SCTA has started specifying the class of each hotel according to the new criteria based on the stars system implemented worldwide. A grace period has been given to all hotels to rectify their situations or accept their new classifications. SCTA has also started executing the same plan for evaluation and classification of furnished apartments since April.
Armani hotel launch delayed
Viviana Giussani, a spokeswoman for Armani fashion house in Italy, has said that the Dubai Armani Hotel 'is not opening in September but later, anyway by the end of 2009,' The National has reported. The Armani Hotel Dubai opening 'has simply been moved to a new date but this decision has nothing to do with delays or any kind of problem,' she said. The hotel, which occupies the levels between the concourse and the eighth floor, and levels 38 and 39 of the world's tallest tower, is a joint project between Emaar Properties and the designer Giorgio Armani, who had personally designed the 160 rooms. It will also have a nightclub called the Armani Privé, a spa, an Armani Dolci confectionery store and an Armani Galleria.
IHG to promote geotourism
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts Group has announced its partnership with the National Geogrpahic Society to include global geotourism initiatives among InterContinental Associates and guests worldwide. The partnership would entail responsible business workshops for more than 60,000 InterContinental associates worldwide. InterContinental and National Geogrpahic are also set to establish a responsible business advisory board.
Dubai festival boosts tourism figures
Dubai Naturalization and Residency Department (DNRD) has said that the number of visitor from Gulf countries has seen a 36.5% increase during the first half of Dubai Summer Surprise. 'Omani nationals are by far the largest in number, followed by Kuwaitis, Saudis, Bahrainis and Qataris. But by the early days of July the number of Saudis has increased to a large extent,' the DNRD has said.
'Dusit Princess' to open in Dubai
Bangkok-based Dusit International has announced it is planning for a soft opening of its Dusit Princess City Centre Dubai, the first Dusit Princess hotel outside of Thailand. The management contract was signed with Dubai-based Sharaf Group in December 2008 and construction work is now nearing completion. Five minutes walk from Deira City Centre shopping mall the four-star property features 120 rooms and suites, meeting rooms, and an all day dining restaurant.
Tourism within Mideast to grow in 2009, says report
A new report by the World Tourism Organization says tourism within Arab countries is expected to rise between 2 to 6% this year as residents, wary of the new H1N1 flu and looking to save money during the financial crisis, opt to travel within the region. The number of tourists visiting Jordan is not expected to decline this year, with more than half of the total 4.8 million Arab tourists planning to spend their holidays there in 2009, while an estimated 2 million tourists, mostly Arabs, are expected to visit Lebanon, the report said.
Saudi tourism to get SR41m boost
The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) has approved contracts worth SR41.1m for a variety of schemes to promote tourism and improve tourist services in the second half of 2009, the Saudi Gazette has reported. The schemes include the introduction of technological support at the SCTA, museum and archaeological site maintenance work in Al-Jouf, the Northern Border province and the southern region, and consultancy work for the school of tourism education project. Other contracts involve surveys to acquire information and data on tourist facilities and accommodation in the kingdom, as well as the status of hotel investment and related opportunities.
Sodic to open Angsana Egypt resort
Egypt's Sixth of October Development and Investment (Sodic) has announced that it has signed a deal to build an Angsana resort near Cairo with an estimated investment of $17.9m. The resort would include a 100-room hotel, a spa and clubhouse, and would cover more than 31,000 sqm in the high-end Allegria development west of Cairo. The resort is due to open in 2012 and would be managed by Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts, a Sodic spokeswoman has said.
Dubai to host aquatics championship
Beating off competition from Hamburg and Moscow, Dubai has won the bid to host the 2013 world aquatics championships, Reuters has reported. The championships feature swimming, open water swimming, synchronized swimming, water polo and diving.
Fursan inks Travelport deal
Saudi-based travel agency Fursan Travel has signed an agreement with Travelport for its Galileo GDS system. The new, multi-year contract will give all of the agency's Galileo subscribers access to an array of travel solutions and training services, along with a full range of fares available through the booking platform.
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