MAKKAH: Movenpick Hotel & Residence Hajar Tower Makkah has announced the completion plan of the remaining 797 new rooms by this year to cater to growing Haj tourists. Within the new capacity, the property will offer dedicated rooms with an exclusive view of the Ka’aba and Haram. The additional rooms will bring the hotel’s operational capacity to 1,200 rooms by mid-August. The exclusive Ka’aba and Haram-view rooms will have all facilities and amenities necessary for prayer and worship. In addition to the magnificent views of the Haram Court, the rooms have a direct view of the King Abdul Aziz Gate. All rooms within the residence section will be interconnected and are targeted toward families and large groups.
 

JEDDAH: Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA) took delivery of its first Boeing 777-200ER, which landed at Brunei International Airport recently. The airline CEO Robert Yang along with members of RBA’s senior management received the aircraft on arrival. This is the first of six Boeing 777-200ER aircraft that RBA is leasing from Singapore Airlines. The remaining aircraft are scheduled to be delivered between June and September. RBA’s Boeing 777-200ERs have 30 Business Class seats that are ergonomically designed to offer a relaxing space. The Business Class seat deploys into an inclined full-length flatbed, which, along with a plush duvet and larger pillow, are designed to offer passengers peaceful sleep throughout their journey. In the Economy Class cabin, there are 255 seats with a 33-inch seat pitch. Economy Class passengers may also recline their seats at the touch of a button. All seats will be equipped with personal screens featuring the SkyShow system that offers passengers a number of entertainment options throughout their flight.
 

JEDDAH: Airlines of the Lufthansa Passenger Airline Group have again reached top rankings at this year’s World Airline Awards by Skytrax. Lufthansa and Swiss International Air Lines as well as their respective hub airports in Munich, Germany and Zurich, Switzerland were voted best across several categories by passengers from over 100 countries. Lufthansa was awarded Best Airline in Europe, taking over the prize from family member SWISS, which won the title last year. SWISS in return ranked number one in the staff service excellence category, followed by Austrian Airlines, another member of the Lufthansa Group. 
 

JEDDAH: London-based ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises has announced a new ‘Sell to Sail’ incentive program that offers travel agents the opportunity to earn their own free cruise when they make three new bookings on any upcoming 2010 voyages. The bookings must be made, and deposits received, till Oct. 1. “This is a great opportunity for Agents to boost their sales in a difficult economic climate and receive a generous personal reward in the process,” said Trudy Redfern, Silversea’s MD for the UK and Ireland. “Furthermore, it offers our travel agent partners the prospect of experiencing the Silversea product first-hand and to differentiate between the other brands in the marketplace.” Agents who qualify must submit a redemption form by Oct. 1 and take their cruise on or before March 31, 2011. The redemption form and complete program details are available from the Silversea Sales team by e-mailing [email protected].
 

JEDDAH: Royal Jet, which has now been operational in Saudi Arabia for one year, has said that its strong relationship with Arabasco has enabled it to establish a significant presence in the Kingdom in a relatively short time. “We remain on an upward growth plan, while all the time remaining committed to introducing new initiatives to add value to our stakeholders,” said Royal Jet’s Regional Director Monther Al Humaynee. From Arabasco’s key hubs in Madinah, Riyadh, Jeddah, and Yanbu, Royal Jet offers private jet charter, as well as domestic and international travel from Saudi Arabia. “This month Royal Jet will be taking delivery of its sixth Boeing Business Jet, reinforcing its position as the largest operator in the world of this type of aircraft. This new aircraft, with 22 seats, two generously proportioned lounges, a private office and stateroom with bathroom and shower, gives the feel of a small boutique hotel making it extremely comfortable with lots of living space for families too. With the addition of the new aircraft, Royal Jet now offers its customers a ‘home away from home’, Hymaynee added.
 

RIYADH: The Address Hotels + Resorts, the five star premium hotel brand owned and managed by Emaar Hospitality Group, has expanded its digital portfolio with a new Arabic website. The user-friendly site, already live, provides details of the hotels within the Address portfolio and their special offerings in English and Arabic to cater to the increasing number of bookings coming in from the Middle East. More than 50 percent of the website traffic comes from the GCC already. With increased Internet penetration in the region, the need for Arabic content is even more significant. The bilingual website will help audiences keep up with the latest trends, make easy reservations and allow them to explore the various options that the Address hotels provide.