DUBAI: Booking a flight on the move has just become much easier with Emirates launching ‘Mobile Emirates.com’. Emirates customers, around the globe, now have the option of booking their flight from the palm of their hand — through their phone’s mobile browser — giving them the freedom to book a getaway anytime, anywhere. Designed to work with over 3,000 mobile devices, Mobile Emirates.com has been optimized to ensure that travelers can easily and efficiently access the emirates.com website, through their mobile phones. The new sophisticated functionality ensures that the Emirates website is downloaded in the appropriate format for each specific mobile device, allowing customers to perform a multitude of tasks including booking and managing a flight, mobile check-in, searching flight schedules and status, and even checking the in-flight amenities available on a specific flight.

DUBAI: According to a new study, cash expenditure in the GCC hospitality industry is set to reach more than $1.17 billion this year. This is despite a tumultuous global economy with major developed economies recording budget deficits and colossal sovereign debt. Dubai-based research company Proleads conducted the study for The Hotel Show, a Middle East trade event for the hospitality and leisure sector, which ended at the Dubai World Trade Centre last weekend after a three-day run. The figures show estimated cash expenditure this year on hotel projects under construction across the GCC will top $1.17 billion. The bulk of that spending power is in the UAE at $463.8 million. Oman will eclipse Saudi Arabia this year spending $269.2 million as opposed to the Kingdom’s $245.5 million, although that will not prevail beyond 2010. Qatar then leads the rest of the GCC with an estimated spend of $100.3 million, followed by Bahrain with $65.3 million and Kuwait with $31.7 million. Ray Tinston, sales director, The Hotel Show, said: “At a time when the US and Europe are preparing stringent austerity measures to reduce their budget deficits and repay billions in loans, the Middle East region is powering ahead.”

 JEDDAH: Lufthansa has unveiled its new, “world’s quietest,” First Class, as it accepted delivery of its first Airbus A380 in Frankfurt, Germany. The new First Class experience has been developed in close collaboration with Lufthansa passengers. More than 2,000 surveys and 10 workshops were conducted during development phases, with travelers actively involved in the implementation of the concept, assessing the seats and integrating their suggestions and comments into final designs. From the research, Lufthansa identified ‘a quiet and peaceful atmosphere’ as one of the most important needs of its First Class customers. As a result, sound-absorbing curtains have been developed and installed to partition off the rest of the cabin, while special sound-insulating material in the aircraft’s outer skin and sound-absorbing carpeting blocks footstep noise, ensuring the world’s quietest First Class cabin.

JEDDAH: While football fans around the world continue the countdown to South Africa’s FIFA World Cup, Saudi Arabia’s leading hotel is offering guests a world-class package to catch all the action. Guests are invited to book a suite, a room or even a private dining venue at the luxury hotel to experience every second of the world’s greatest football tournament in ultimate style. Anyone who books a room or suite during the tournament will go forward to win a weekend stay for two in one of Rosewood Corniche’s distinguished suites. The ultimate VIP experience, the duplex Royal Suite at Rosewood Corniche features a private cinema, the ideal spot to entertain friends and watch the games, as well as an expansive salon lounge and Jacuzzi with impressive views of Jeddah and the Red Sea. For the football fan, experiencing the World Cup in one of the most luxurious suites in the Middle East will be a highlight of the year.

RIYADH: Hotel Al Khozama, A Rosewood Hotel was the venue for the first British and Irish food festival, when Prince Andrew, the Duke of York opened it recently. The embassies of Britain and Ireland supported the event. The Duke of York, and the British and Irish diplomats were among the prominent personalities present together with the management of Al Khozama Management Company (AKMC), the owning company of Hotel Al Khozama, and Rosewood Hotels in Riyadh, the operating company of Al Faisaliah Hotel and Hotel Al Khozama. Hussein Hatata, AKMC’s VP hospitality, Peter Finamore, MD, Rosewood Hotels in Riyadh, and Erik Huyer, Hotel Al Khozama manager and senior management of AKMC and Rosewood Hotels in Riyadh, received the guests. The bagpipe music played at the opening by Gevin Moffat who visited especially for the event added to the charm of the occasion. The ambiance and decoration at the hotel reflected British and Irish images, flags and fine cuisine. A backdrop had a painting of Buckingham Palace, Stonehenge and Irish scenery. “Mini” cars and London cabs were displayed at the venue.