Top Industry leaders to discuss hospitality trends at Hotelier Summit Middle East 2017

DUBAI - Qatar is aiming high as it attempts to take full advantage of its economic potential. A report by IMF stated that the GCC economies will collectively grow by 2.3 per cent in 2017, up from 1.8 per cent in 2016. However Qatar’s economic growth is put at 3.6 per cent between 2016 -2018. Qatar’s notable advancement is a combination of factors; with the hospitality industry leading the game. In wake of the recent upsurge, the 11th edition of the Hotelier Summit Middle East will be held in Qatar from May 17th - 18th 2017.

The Hotelier Summit Middle East unites the world’s hospitality experts and industry innovators to discuss key trends governing the sector, whilst identifying solutions to address industry challenges. The summit has lined up an impressive list of experts to speak on current important topics surrounding the burgeoning industry. Some of the key topics of discussion are:

• The cultural influence in the design approach of hotels in the Middle East
• Development of luxury star hotels vs. development of boutique hotels
• Creation of MICE friendly hotels
• Zero energy hotels
• Personalisation at hotels - is human touch still important or can technology handle the entire scope
• New hotel business models and much more

“The Hotelier Summit Middle East is more than just an industry event. It is a dynamic forum packed with thought leadership sessions over a period of two days. The Summit is dedicated to supporting hoteliers and their need to learn about technology trends and address industry challenges, and this year’s programme does just that, indisputably making it the best edition ever,” said Ganesh Babu, Director at IDE, organisers of the Hotelier Summit Middle East.

In addition to the above, other topics to be discussed at the summit include diversification and staffing trends, affordable and quality accommodation, importance of security, smart developments and artificial intelligence.

The event is a recognised knowledge platform of international standard for hospitality industry with an objective to bring together the top executives and decision makers from the industry, innovative solution providers and stalwarts to discuss acute issues and business challenges currently facing the sector in the region. It aims to provide plenty of practical knowledge with sessions addressing the latest and most recent developments in the hospitality industry. 

“The Hotelier Summit Middle East intends to open new channels for exchanging knowledge, successful experiences and best practices with leaders of the regional and international hospitality sector. While the summit will enable participants to identify new mechanisms for optimising available opportunities, it will also offer innovative approaches to the stakeholders for planning, developing and managing the business. We are confident that the extensive discussions and positive best practices and insights shared at the Summit will lead to effective partnerships that will boost the growth of the industry,” concluded Babu.

The Hotelier Summit Middle East will offer more than 80 companies a unique combination of top-notch hospitality technology education, led by industry peers and experts. The event aims to foster a dialogue and build sustainable networks in the GCC’s hospitality sector, as well as create a competitive environment for businesses. The agenda is incorporated with numerous networking opportunities that give participants essential time to build targeted connections and exchange information.

Both the 2015 and 2016 editions of the Hotelier Summit witnessed large participation, making them a huge success. The 2017 edition of the summit is on course to attract over 400 industry experts from all over the globe, making this initiative the ideal B2B solutions platform for the Middle East hospitality industry.

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IATA urgent calls for alternatives to large electronic restrictions

MONTREAL - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called on governments to urgently find alternatives to recently announced measures by the United States and the United Kingdom to restrict the carry-on of large electronic items on certain flights departing the Middle East and North Africa.

The Case for Alternative Measures

"The current measures are not an acceptable long-term solution to whatever threat they are trying to mitigate. Even in the short term it is difficult to understand their effectiveness. And the commercial distortions they create are severe. We call on governments to work with the industry to find a way to keep flying secure without separating passengers from their personal electronics," said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

De Juniac made this demand in a speech to the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations in which he highlighted the need to maintain public confidence in the security of the global aviation industry which safely and security operates an average 100,000 flights a day.

"With the measures now in place, our passengers and member airlines are asking valid questions. Why don’t the US and the UK have a common list of airports? How can laptops be secure in the cabin on some flights and not others, including flights departing from the same airport? And surely there must be a way to screen electronic equipment effectively? The current situation is not acceptable and will not maintain the all-important confidence of the industry or of travelers. We must find a better way. And Governments must act quickly," said de Juniac.

IATA Calls for Better Coordination and Information Sharing

IATA also expressed frustration at the process used by governments to put in place the security measures which was woefully lacking. "The industry came together quickly to implement the new requirements. That was a challenge because there was no prior consultation and little coordination by governments," said de Juniac.

IATA has long called for better information sharing and coordination on security measures among governments and with the industry.

"While governments have the primary responsibility for security, we share the priority of keeping passengers, crew and aircraft secure. To do that effectively intelligence is king. And it needs to be shared amongst governments and with the industry. It’s the only way to stop terrorists before they get near an airport, let alone aircraft," de Juniac.

Moreover, cooperation between industry and governments yields a better result. "Airlines don’t want access to state secrets. But if airlines understand the outcome governments want, they can help with the operational experience to deliver that result effectively and efficiently," said de Juniac.

International Cooperation

Challenges to aviation security were highlighted in Resolution 2309 of the UN Security Council which tasked the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to develop a Global Aviation Security Plan (GASeP). "The need for such a plan has been made very clear by wide gaps in the measures taken by governments in recent days. States need to lend their full support to ICAO in developing GASeP quickly. And even before that can be achieved, there is an early opportunity to make a real improvement to international cooperation on security. In May ICAO member states will consider amendments to Annex 17 of the Chicago convention that would require information sharing. The security experience of recent years should compel States to support this," said de Juniac.

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ICAO/EASA Forum results in improved African collaboration.

MONTREAL – ICAO and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), building on their common interest in the evolution of the ICAO and global framework for regional mechanisms to support State aviation safety oversight, achieved landmark progress last week as they co-hosted hundreds of officials for a special joint Global Forum on Regional Safety Oversight Organizations in Africa.

1. Hosted in Ezulwini, with the generous support and hospitality of the Kingdom of Swaziland, the ICAO-EASA event endorsed a proposal for a new global aviation safety oversight framework, while making significant progress on key objectives to improve the cooperation and efficiency of Regional Safety Oversight Organizations (RSOOs) – both globally and in ICAO’s Africa and Indian Ocean (AFI) Region.
   RSOOs are an integral aspect of global aviation safety, and provide a very effective mechanism for regional groups of States to pool their resources and benefit from economies of scale to resolve their safety oversight deficiencies.
   Importantly, a special Ministerial event held in conjunction with the Forum also led to the signing of a formal Declaration on how African States will work to refine their collaborative efforts and improve aviation safety oversight continent-wide. The regional Ministerial Declaration endorsed the newly-proposed global oversight system, an action plan to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of RSOOs, and a new cooperative platform to facilitate the agreed evolution in regional collaboration.
   During the opening of the Ministerial session, ICAO Council President Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu stressed to Ministers that the events of the past week had represented a major milestone in the evolution of Regional Safety Oversight Organizations for civil aviation safety. He also noted that current and future aviation growth would strongly support the realization of the African Union’s regional safety targets, and especially its goal to drive inclusive growth, sustainable development, and the accelerated integration of African economies. 
   “Africa is one of the fastest growing air transport markets in the world today, and its expanding aviation connectivity is delivering very positive impacts on local tourism and trade,” President Aliu highlighted. “The presence of government Ministers at this meeting has helped to ensure these commitments will be treated seriously and sustainably, and we have been very encouraged that our shared objectives for collaborative AFI Region safety oversight have now been formalized through their official Declaration.”
   Some 200 participants from 48 States and 32 International Organizations attended the ICAO-EASA event in Swaziland, with 13 Ministers attending the Ministerial portion from Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Swaziland, Equatorial Guinea, Congo, DRC, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Sao Tome and Principe, Lesotho, Mauritania, and South Africa.
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EGCOA launch new Vision 2020 resources: ‘Forever: Golf that Lasts’ .

Forever, the 6th F of Vision 2020, looks at sustainability – exploring what sustainable golf actually is, why it’s important to clubs as businesses and how they can gain the advantages which sustainable operations can bring.

The Vision 2020 project was unveiled by the EGCOA and its members in 2014 in response to a negative growth in the sport in Europe. Its inception and continued development is the result of extensive collaboration and consultation across the industry to identify the key-opportunities for clubs. This new Forever topic adds to the current offerings: Friendship; Flexibility; Family; Fun and Fore Health. Vision 2020 provides a platform for golf businesses to explore these 6 key opportunity and find the answers and inspiration to grow the game. Future section focuses on golf’s positive value to people and planet.

“We’re delighted to launch this new section to the growing resources in the Vision 2020 platform” said Lodewijk Klootwijk, CEO of the EGCOA “Sustainability is core to the continued success of the sport. The EGCOA recognises the importance of looking to the future not only for golf as a whole but for individual clubs, who are facing uncertain and pressured times. The information and resources available on the Vision 2020 platform highlight the economic benefits sustainable operations can bring to clubs. It also directs clubs to practical resources, such as golf’s bespoke OnCourse sustainability platform, to take positive action and uncover and enhance their social and environmental value and realise the benefits for all. We thank GEO and our members for their support in putting this informative and useful resource together.”

GEO (Golf Environment Organization), is the non-profit dedicated to supporting the international golf industry. Jonathan Smith, CEO at GEO said: “We are proud to have worked with the EGCOA on this project. The new page provides relevant information to inspire and enable club owners and managers to unlock their positive value for people and planet, and to strengthen their club for now and for the future. The resources highlight some of the great work that’s already going on and the economic and social benefits clubs are already seeing. We hope this will inspire others to take action and also share their successes and progress. We look forward to continuing to work with the EGCOA and their members as golf continues to show leadership in this important area.”

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Checkfront and Expedia team up to streamline booking process for Tours and Activities

VICTORIA - Checkfront Inc, a leading provider of online booking solutions, announced an integration with Expedia Local Expert (LX) to provide Expedia travelers with access to real-time availability. Users can now connect their Checkfront supply with Expedia, giving them access to the largest full-service online travel company's global reach.

"Last year, a common theme among tour and activity providers was how to leverage distribution channels to grow their business," said Jason Morehouse, CEO of Checkfront. "We knew that giving our customers access to the Expedia ecosystem would help them scale their business. Expedia is so much more than just a distribution channel, they also provide powerful marketing programs to support tour and activities operators in expanding their reach and finding their customers at every stage of the buying cycle."

All booking information gathered through Expedia LX is instantaneously synced in Checkfront, including traveler information, booking details and sales metrics. When a traveler completes a booking through Expedia LX, availability in Checkfront is updated automatically, eliminating any chance of double or overbooking.

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