JEDDAH, 11 February 2006 — Jeddah InterContinental is organizing a Turkish food festival at its Al Ferdaus restaurant from today. The event, which ends on Feb. 16, will feature varied delights of the Turkish gastronomy. “Turkish dishes are rich in flavor and spices, which will be prepared by our Turkish chefs,” a senior executive of the hotel said.
Gulf Air Reports Strong Rise in Passenger Traffic
BAHRAIN, 11 February 2006 — Gulf Air, which has reported a strong increase in passenger traffic through its hubs in Bahrain and Muscat during 2005, has expanded its existing code-share agreement with American Airlines (AA), whereby AA will code-share on two more GF destinations — Kuwait and Doha via Bahrain. “This agreement is significant for both the airlines as we were able to build on the successful reimplementation of the AA code-share agreement at the end of 2004,” says Gulf Air Vice President Network Fareed Al Alawi. Gulf Air Holidays, a division of Gulf Air that offers hassle-free holiday packages to travelers, has re-launched its website with a completely new look and more detailed content. Visitors to the site will now be able to find the latest offers and events from Gulf Air Holidays, according to Gulf Air’s Business units Vice President Ali Murtada. The airline has also announced a new three-year strategic plan that makes provision for significant investment in key areas of the business to deliver sustained growth over the long term.
Le Gulf Meridien Upgrades Services
ALKHOBAR, 11 February 2006 — Le Gulf Meridien Hotel-Alkhobar’s high speed Internet went live recently, which is a new addition to its facilities. “It’s not just in the rooms however as conference and banqueting have been enhanced with wireless connectivity,” hotel Deputy General Manager Yahya Kotub said. The first phase of the upgrade of the hotel’s deluxe rooms has also commenced. “Clearly our focus is to ensure that the product is kept in the best possible condition and that new initiatives are developed to ensure we exceed guest expectations,” he added.
Emirates Expands Operation
DUBAI, 11 February 2006 — Emirates has launched services to Abidjan, capital of Ivory Coast, the airline’s 79th destination on its global network and third gateway in the West African region after Lagos and Accra. In advance of the launch of its services to the German city of Hamburg on March 1, the airline introduced itself to the city with a series of media and travel trade briefings recently. The airline will offer services to the Danish capital of Copenhagen from Oct. 3, its first passenger service into Scandinavia.