JEDDAH, 5 March 2005 — Qatar Airways, which operates a regular flight schedule between Saudi Arabia and Doha, has announced that Tunis and Algiers are being added to its growing network effective May 2. The airline will operate three fights a week nonstop between its operational hub of the capital of Qatar and the Tunisian capital and will continue onto the Algerian capital. “The addition of Tunis and Algiers will strengthen the airline’s presence in the North African market where it already serves Cairo, Luxor, Khartoum, Tripoli and Casablanca from Doha,” said Akbar Al Baker, chief executive officer of Qatar Airways. “Major exports out of Algeria are oil and gas, so there is a lot of synergy between Qatar and Algeria. And Tunisia has a thriving tourism industry as well as strong commercial opportunities which make this route an extremely viable for the award-winning airline with a modern all-Airbus fleet of 39 aircraft,” he said. It plans to double its fleet following a $5.1 billion order for 34 additional Airbus jets. The launch of the two destinations follows the start of scheduled flights between Doha and Osaka on March 31. Athens will become the airline’s 63rd destination when nonstop flights are launched to Greece on June 15.
Abu Dhabi Nominated as New Holiday ‘Hot Spot’
ABU DHABI, 5 March 2005 — Luxury hotels that already existing and coming up rapidly have boosted Abu Dhabi’s appeal as a preferred tourist destination worldwide. Reflecting the trend toward the new in holiday experiences, European and other travelers seeking something different are increasingly looking at this destination. Nominated in its ‘Hot Stuff 2005’ listings by the UK’s Sunday Times newspaper, the UAE capital is set for a boom in 2005, according to Claude Kaiser, general manager of the newly established five-star Al Raha Beach Hotel. “Abu Dhabi is hitting the headlines for all the right reasons. We’ve all the sun, sea and sand of other regional destinations but with a new twist. Abu Dhabi can offer a relaxed atmosphere and real gateway environment with golf and deep-sea fishing to spas, desert sands and every ‘shop until you drop’ opportunity,” he said. The first deluxe boutique resort in the region, Al Raha Beach has 110 oversized rooms plus 24 beachside chalets and enjoys a prime location on the Al Raha Corniche, close by the Abu Dhabi Golf Club and the international airport. The hotel is operated by Danat Hotels & Resorts, the umbrella for National Corporation for Tourism & Hotels.
Preparations Under Way for Arabian Travel Mart
DUBAI, 5 March 2005 — Preparations are in full swing for Arabian Travel Market 2005 (ATM), scheduled at the Dubai World Trade Center from May 3-6. The annual mart is described as the fastest growing event in the portfolio of Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE), a subsidiary of Reed Exhibitions (RX). ATM recently beat over 400 international trade show titles to take the ‘Reed Exhibition of the Year’ award for the second time running and has been an ‘incredible success’ for both the group and the travel industry, according to RX Chief Executive Alastair Gornall. “The exhibition industry is focused toward providing value for money, and that’s something ATM certainly achieves,” he said, adding that the Middle East, and Dubai in particular, is a massive and growing market for the exhibitions industry. Meanwhile, Dubai Radio Network has signed as official radio broadcaster at ATM 2005, bringing the show over the airwaves to Dubai audiences.
Lufthansa Adds Three New Destinations
JEDDAH, 5 March 2005 — Washington, Hyderabad and Port Harcourt are among the new destinations included in Lufthansa’s summer timetable. With these, the German airline will operate to 177 destinations in 73 countries, ‘from A for Abu Dhabi to Z for Zurich,’ totaling 12,700 flights a week, an airline spokesman said. New services include three flights a week from Frankfurt to India’s southern city of Hyderabad and three other weekly flights to Nigeria’s Port Harcourt, and a daily flight from Munich to Washington. Passengers bound for Canton can fly nonstop from Frankfurt in future. Together with code-share partners, almost 24,500 flights will be offered worldwide to 375 destinations in 93 countries. In comparison with the previous year, the capacity will thus be increased by 1.5 percent. In long-haul traffic, 2.4 percent more seat-kilometer will be offered. The summer timetable will be valid from March 27 to Oct. 29. Also, as of April 7, Lufthansa will offer daily flights form Frankfurt to Lagos (Nigeria) and then on to Accra (Ghana). The airline will fly nonstop from Frankfurt to Addis Ababa three times a week in summer. Up to now the flights were routed via Jeddah. As a result, travelers to the Ethiopian capital will reach their destination two hours earlier.
Air Arabia Appoints New Manager in Kuwait
JEDDAH, 5 March 2005 — Sonal Sharma newly heads the Kuwait management of Air Arabia, the Sharjah government-owned low-cost airline that flies four days a week to Dammam and two days a week to Riyadh and Jeddah. From his experience with KLM in India and Kuwait from 1997 to 2003, Sharma has filled various roles in customer service, sales and capacity management and from 2003 until early this year he worked as sales manager for National Aviation Services — working out of Kuwait International Airport. “Sharma is a young, dynamic professional with a proven track record and his regional insights will be essential to enhancing our product and services,” Air Arabia’s Head of Sales A.K. Nizar said. “As its regional strength covers 11 countries and 15 destinations, this is an exciting time to join Air Arabia. The low-cost airline model is still in is infancy within the Arab region and applying the industry and regional knowledge that I have accumulated over the years is an exciting prospect,” Sharma said. Air Arabia currently operates from Sharjah 10 times a week to Alexandria; daily to Bahrain, Beirut, Colombo, Doha and Muscat; five days a week to Damascus and Kuwait; three days a week to Khartoum and Aleppo; and two days a week to Sana’a and Assiut.
