GEANT AT GARDENIA MALL
French retail chain Geant opened its new hypermarket today at the Gardenia Mall on Makkah Road, next to SAPTCO bus stand, where more than 60,000 products were displayed for sale on the opening day. It is also running a launch promotion with amazing offers for customers. The new Geant outlet has 34 checkout counters to facilitate fast-track check-in and checkouts. The new store will also sell a large number of products and services like groceries, bakery & butchery, textiles, fashion wear, shoes, jewelries, electronics, sports goods, household items & accessories, cosmetics, perfumes and much more. Geant store receives between 1,200 to 1,500 customers of different nationalities on a daily basis.” The customers are mainly Saudi and expatriate families, single men and women including housewives and children of all age groups.
RED TAG IN AL-HASSA
AL-HASSA — Red Tag, a new family fashion and home store opened at the Othaim Mall, Al Hassa, yesterday. This is the first RedTag to open its doors in the Eastern Province and the fourth across the Kingdom. The first store was opened in the Kingdom in July 2006 at Rimal Center, in Riyadh. The layout of the new 16,000 square foot store has been designed to meet the latest retailing standards and includes a coffee shop where customers can enjoy a free cup of coffee while they are shopping. The new Red Tag fashion range includes exciting value offers for the entire family from the newborn baby range, children to adult men’s and ladies casual and smart wear.
AL-SHOHADA HOTEL
Since taken over by Al-Khozama Management Company (AKMC), Al- Shohada Hotel Makkah has been demonstrating a high level of hospitality service especially to the guests of God who recently performed Haj. It extended a warm welcome to the pilgrims with a wet towel, Zamzam, Arabic coffee, dates, cookies, candies, etc. Each pilgrim received an “AKMC Haj travel kit’ containing a portable umbrella, a praying mat, a pair of slippers, a torchlight, a magnifier, a multifunction container, an emergency portable mobile charger, a hand sanitizer, a notepad and pen, and a dental kit in a hand bag, which had in its divider a Qur’an and Jamarat stones. Pilgrims said the hotel has raised its hospitality service to a higher level, said hotel General Manager Sameh El- Nashar.
TETRA PAK TOUR
Tetra Pak Arabia, in partnership with its customers Saudia, SunTop, Luna and Rainbow-Jamjoom, recently hosted students at its Jeddah factory to witness the production of six-layered Tetra Pak cartons used for packaging of long-life milk, juices and tomato paste. Over 250 students, from Jeddah schools comprising Al-Waha International, Tihama, Al-Ikhaa Al-Islamiyah, Taibah, Al-Majd Al- Ahliyah and Jeel Al-Fahad Al- Ahliyah, took part in the educational tour where they had the chance to witness the production of recyclable Tetra Pak beverage cartons. “The factory tour provides an enjoyable and educational opportunity to children to witness the production of beverage cartons and how the packaging material protects the delicious taste and nutritional value of their favorite products. The school visit program has been running for several years now and we’ve had very positive feedback from the schools and the children,” said Martin Fejk, marketing and product management director, Tetra Pak Arabia.
RENAULT LAUNCHED
Zahid Tractor, the exclusive dealer of Renault in the Kingdom, together with Renault-GCC, launched 2008 Renault through a new integrated marketing philosophy, “Ooh La La.” The top European/French brand is now introduced through a cool and trendy integrated concept that aims to capture the aspiration of today’s upbeat lifestyle of Saudi youth. “The philosophy behind ‘Ooh La La,’ describes the soul of Renault and anything that relates to it,” Yousuf Khaja, Renault franchise manager at Zahid Tractor, said. “Ooh La La” in French means (cool), therefore everything Renault offers in the Kingdom is Ooh La La. Khaja added that Renault customers would enjoy a wide spectrum of new offers and services that could be felt as soon as they entered a Renault showroom or a service center. “Renault now has extended the warranty on our cars to three years or 100,000 km, whichever comes first.
AUDI REAPS AWARDS
The German premium car manufacturer Audi won a streak of awards last year, starting with the “Manufacturer of the Year” award presented by Car Middle East magazine and was followed by the Audi R8 being voted “Car of the Show” at the 9th International Middle East Motor Show with an earthquake vote of more than 10,000 voters. At the most coveted awards of the region, the Autocar Middle East Awards held at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Audi had already collected the “Premium Luxury Car of the Year” trophy for the Audi S6 and was celebrating the category win of the of the “Peoples Choice” Award “Best Car of the Year” for the Audi R8 as well as the category win of the R8 as “Exotic Car of the Year” when the overall winner the Car of the Year was announced: the Audi R8. After three days of testing the independent judges had determined the R8 as the overall winner with 1086 of 1295 possible points covering the areas of handling, safety, ergonomics and driving pleasure among others.
PARK HYATT
Hyatt Hotels is opening three key properties in the Middle East — Park Hyatt Jeddah, Grand Hyatt Doha and Park Hyatt Istanbul. Park Hyatt Jeddah, set to open in late 2008, will be the first exquisite boutique style hotel in the Kingdom. As part of a stunning multi-faceted complex that includes the current equestrian club, a future Marina, a large convention and banqueting complex, and a therapy center, the hotel will also be the “first property in Jeddah to offer an unrestricted access to the seafront.” This project is described as an impressive engineering feat that reclaimed an expanse of prime waterfront property from the Red Sea, while retaining the delicate balance of the surrounding marine life. With nine Hyatt properties in full operation throughout the region, the opening of the additional three hotels will add over 400 rooms across three countries - “positioning Hyatt as one of the leading hotel operators in the Middle East,” Thierry Bertin, Middle East area director of marketing, Hyatt International Hotels and Resorts, said. Grand Hyatt Doha is set to open in spring 2008, followed by Park Hyatt Istanbul in the summer of 2008 and Park Hyatt Jeddah toward late 2008.
JAZEERA AIRWAYS
Jazeera Airways has announced delivery of a brand new Airbus A320, bringing the low-fare airline’s fleet size to six A320 aircraft. The delivery follows the airline’s rapid growth over the last two years including the development of the airline’s second hub in Dubai and the launch of 25 non-stop routes in its first two-years of operations. The aircraft is one of the new generation of Airbus A320s, modeled on the improved interior of the brand new super jumbo — the Airbus A380, and incorporates wider overhead storage, a wider cabin feel and improvements in the cabin’s design, making the aircraft even quieter for travelers. The aircraft is the sixth of a firm order with Airbus for 40 new A320s placed at the 2007 Le Bourget Paris Air Show.