New passenger record in Berlin / For the first time, more than 26 million passengers

The strong growth continues: shortly before the turn of the year, the 26-millionth passenger was welcomed today at Berlin’s airports. Paola Mora was just about to fly with airberlin from Berlin Tegel to New York JFK to cele-brate her birthday and spend New Year’s Eve there when she checked in as the 26-millionth passenger. To celebrate the occasion, airberlin is giving the 25-year-old a USA flight voucher for two people. Last year’s mark of 25.3 million passengers has thus been surpassed by a clear margin. At the same time, Berlin’s airports are growing more strongly than the market for the eleventh time in succession.

“26 million passengers in Berlin is a new record. With its Schönefeld and Tegel airports, Berlin is the only major air transport location in Germany to experience passenger growth of around four per cent this year,” says Hartmut Mehdorn, CEO of Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH.

“Berlin Tegel Airport is airberlin’s home. Our first flight took off here in 1979, and we have our largest international hub here. The keen interest of passengers here in Berlin shows the appeal of this air transport location and the necessity for swift expansion of the airport infrastructure,” says Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, CEO of airberlin.

airberlin will be continuing to increase its flight frequency to the USA in the 2014 summer flight schedule. In May 2014, the airline will offer the successful Berlin Tegel to New York JFK route ten times a week non-stop and the Berlin Tegel to Chicago connection daily non-stop

Aeroflot announces traffic statistics for November and 11M 2013

Highlights

Aeroflot standalone

• Aeroflot (the “Company”) passenger traffic reached 1.7 million passengers in November 2013, up 17.8% vs. November 2012.  This brought the Company’s total passenger traffic for 11M 2013 to 19.3 million, up 18.5% year-on-year;
• Passenger turnover growth accelerated in November 2013, up 14.8% year-on-year to 4.7 billion revenue passenger kilometres, while growth for the 11M period of 2013 was up 19.7% compared to 11M 2012;
• Passenger load factor in November 2013 remained in line with levels in November 2012 and amounted to 75.8%;
• Aeroflot has added new aircraft to its fleet in 2013, including eight Airbus A320, three Airbus A321, two Boeing 737-800 and four Boeing 777, which also contributed to an increase in capacity of 14.5% in November 2013 vs. November 2012. 

Aeroflot Group:

• Aeroflot Group’s (the “Group”) passenger traffic for November 2013 was 2.4 million passengers, up 12.6% from November 2012; the Group’s total passenger traffic for 11M 2013 reached 29.1 million, up 14.3% year-on-year;
• The Group’s passenger turnover growth in November 2013 was 6.4% year-on-year, reaching 6.4 billion revenue passenger kilometres for the month, and passenger turnover was up 14.9% year-on-year for the 11M period;
• Aeroflot Group’s passenger load factor declined slightly in November 2013 to 75.6%, down 0.4 pp from November 2012. This was due to capacity additions at Group subsidiaries Orenair and Rossiya outstripping growth in passenger turnover.

Other highlights:

• Aeroflot suspended operations of its cargo plane fleet in 2013, switching to belly cargo operations.  This was the main factor driving the 22.6% decline in tonnes of cargo carried in November 2013 from November 2012;

The tables below provide key operating results for Aeroflot and Aeroflot Group.

Aeroflot standalone

	November 2013	November 2012	Change	11M 2013	11M 2012	Change
Passengers carried (000s)	1,664.3	1,413.0	17.8%	19,272.2	16,262.5	18.5%
Revenue seat km (mln)	4,749.1	4,137.2	14.8%	55,536.9	46,393.0	19.7%
Available seat km (mln)	6,268.6	5,476.1	14.5%	70,054.0	59,256.4	18.2%
Passenger load factor	75.8%	75.6%	0.2pp	79.3%	78.3%	1.0pp
Cargo + mail carried (tonnes)	14,223.9	18,026.0	(21.1%)	161,649.3	177,794.4	(9.1%)
Revenue cargo ton kilometres (mln)	493.7	480.3	2.8%	5,850.8	5,210.9	12.3%
Available cargo ton kilometres (mln)	773.7	762.8	1.4%	9,058.7	8,136.7	11.3%
Revenue load factor	63.8%	63.0%	0.8pp	64.6%	64.0%	0.6pp

Aeroflot Group traffic figures

	November 2013	November 2012	Change	11M 2013	11M 2012	Change
Passengers carried (000s)	2,364.5	2,100.4	12.6%	29,074.1	25,427.7	14.3%
Of which international	1,254.3	1,223.9	2.5%	16,181.5	14,816.7	9.2%
Of which domestic	1,110.2	876.5	26.7%	12,892.6	10,611.0	21.5%
Revenue seat km (mln)	6,363.2	5,979.4	6.4%	79,020.9	68,769.2	14.9%
Of which international	4,181.3	4,201.2	(0.5%)	52,060.9	46,313.9	12.4%
Of which domestic	2,181.9	1,778.2	22.7%	26,960.0	22,455.3	20.1%
Available seat km (mln)	8,411.7	7,866.2	6.9%	100,474.1	87,593.5	14.7%
Of which international	5,462.4	5,401.8	1.1%	65,929.5	58,424.9	12.8%
Of which domestic	2,949.3	2,464.4	19.7%	34,544.6	29,168.6	18.4%
Passenger load factor	75.6%	76.0%	(0.4pp)	78.6%	78.5%	0.1pp
Of which international	76.5%	77.8%	(1.3pp)	79.0%	79.3%	(0.3pp)
Of which domestic	74.0%	72.2%	1.8pp	78.0%	77.0%	1.0pp
Cargo + mail carried (tonnes)	16,262.7	20,363.3	(20.1%)	187,575.5	204,812.9	(8.4%)
Of which international	8,987.9	14,245.3	(36.9%)	112,680.2	141,081.9	(20.1%)
Of which domestic	7,274.8	6,118.0	18.9%	74,895.3	63,731.0	17.5%
Revenue cargo ton kilometres (mln)	643.1	652.7	(1.5%)	8,032.1	7,305.6	9.9%
Of which international	418.4	468.6	(10.7%)	5,304.6	5,021.1	5.6%
Of which domestic	224.7	184.1	22.1%	2,727.5	2,284.5	19.4%
Available cargo tonne kilometres (mln)	1,006.0	1,018.6	(1.2%)	12,361.2	11,151.1	10.9%
Of which international	655.4	720.3	(9.0%)	8,202.9	7,660.8	7.1%
Of which domestic	350.6	298.3	17.5%	4,158.3	3,490.3	19.1%
Revenue load factor	63.9%	64.1%	(0.2pp)	65.0%	65.5%	(0.5pp)
Of which international	63.8%	65.1%	(1.3pp)	64.7%	65.5%	(0.8pp)
Of which domestic	64.1%	61.7%	2.4pp	65.6%	65.5%	0.1pp

JW Marriott Atlanta Buckhead to Include Hypoallergenic Rooms

ATLANTA—PURE Solutions, a provider of allergy-friendly hotel rooms, will install 18 new rooms at the JW Marriott Atlanta Buckhead here.  

“The JW Marriott brand provides a strong emphasis on health and wellness, from locally sourced and organic cuisine to our state-of-the-art fitness center,” stated JW Marriott Atlanta Buckhead General Manager Mike Giamundo. “We believe PURE Rooms will enhance that experience for visitors to Buckhead.”

PURE Rooms are treated according to a patented seven-step process that kills and protects against 98-100% of viruses, bacteria and other harmful surface and airborne irritants. PURE technology creates a hypoallergenic environment that is more comfortable for asthma and allergy-sufferers.

Brian Brault, CEO of PURE Solutions, said he anticipates his company’s hypoallergenic rooms will prove successful at the JW Marriott Atlanta Buckhead. “Travel to a different city or another part of the country can be especially difficult for allergy-sufferers. The JW Marriott has gained a distinct advantage over area hotels by offering these rooms to its guests,” he said.

The JW Marriott Atlanta Buckhead is connected to the Lennox Square Mall and in close proximity to the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, the Fernbank Museum and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.

Miami Beach Most Expensive U.S. Destination for New Year’s Eve

NEW YORK—Miami Beach is the most expensive U.S. destination for New Year’s Eve, according to the latest survey from CheapHotels.org, which compared 30 major U.S. destinations based on the cost of their lodging.

For each destination, the survey established the minimum amount visitors will have to spend on Dec. 31 to stay overnight in a double room. Only such hotels rated three stars or higher and those located close to the city center/beach were considered. With a rate of $360 for the most affordable room, Miami Beach leads the list.

The survey reveals that Florida’s main beach destination is more expensive than New York City. Indeed, the Big Apple ranks second most expensive on the survey at a nightly rate of $354. Coming in third most expensive is South Carolina's seaport city of Charleston. In Florida's other top tourist destination, Orlando, travelers can find a double room from $101 per night. Only Indianapolis ($100) and Salt Lake City ($79) are even more affordable to spend New Year’s Eve.

The following table shows the 10 most expensive destinations in the United States for New Year’s Eve. The rates shown reflect the price for the cheapest available double room (minimum: three-star hotel) on Dec. 31.

1. Miami Beach $360

2. New York City $354

3. Charleston, SC $339

4. Honolulu $295

5. Nashville, TN $239

6. Atlantic City, NJ $234

7. Denver $229

8. Los Angeles $228

9. San Francisco $219

10. Las Vegas $215

La Quinta Files Confidentially for IPO

DALLAS—La Quinta Holdings Inc. has confidentially submitted a draft registration statement on Form S-1 to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) relating to the proposed initial public offering of its common stock.

The number of shares of common stock to be sold and the price range for the proposed offering has not yet been determined.

The initial public offering is expected to commence after the SEC completes its review process, subject to market and other conditions.

Fairfield Inn & Suites To Open in Missouri

WENTZVILLE, MO—The 90-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott is scheduled to open Dec. 31. Located at 130 Crossroads South Drive, the Fairfield Inn & Suites Wentzville will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by Midas Hospitality of St. Louis, MO. Located 28 miles from Lambert St. Louis International Airport, the hotel offers guests access to The Meadows, Ozzie Smith Sports Complex and Cedar Lake Cellars. Rates begin at $109 per night.

“We are pleased to introduce Fairfield Inn & Suites hotels in the Wentzville area,” said Shruti Buckley, VP and global brand manager, Fairfield Inn & Suites. “This hotel offers quality accommodations at an affordable price to business and leisure travelers. We look forward to welcoming guests and providing the friendly service that sets Fairfield Inn & Suites apart.”

The Fairfield Inn & Suites public space features a contemporary design that is both flexible and functional. The open and bright lobby welcomes guests with a vibrant color palette of greens, blues and oranges. Rooms and suites offer separate living, working and sleeping areas and have televisions, microwaves and mini fridges. The living area provides a well-lit work area, ergonomic chair and entertainment area with a second television.

Complimentary hot breakfast is available each morning in the lobby area. Other hotel amenities include an indoor swimming pool, an exercise room, valet laundry service, complimentary WiFi, as well as fax and copy services. The hotel also offers 575 sq. ft. of space to accommodate functions of up to 40 people.

Vdara and ESPA Partner to Create New Spa Experience in Las Vegas

Vdara Hotel & Spa and ESPA, the globally recognized spa industry leader, are joining forces to create an elevated spa experience unlike any other in Las Vegas – ESPA at Vdara. 

The partnership between the lavish skincare brand and the luxuriously chic all-suite hotel will produce an exclusive spa experience unlike any other on the West Coast. ESPA boasts an impeccable reputation for creating premium spas found only within the world’s most elite resorts, including One & Only, Ritz-Carlton, Bvlgari and The Peninsula.

ESPA at Vdara will become ESPA’s first branded spa on the West Coast and only the third in the United States alongside Acqualina Spa by ESPA in Miami and ESPA at The Joule in Dallas. Additionally, the revered brand offers an array of exceptional treatments that can be found in 350 spas throughout 55 countries.

“ESPA and Vdara share similar ideologies in embracing the healing power of nature in a sustainable fashion as well as offering guests an impeccable level of service in a luxurious atmosphere,” said Mary Giuliano, general manager of Vdara Hotel & Spa. “Forming this partnership allows Vdara to set a new standard for excellence in the spa community and offer our guests a superior spa.”

Susan Harmsworth MBE, Founder and CEO of ESPA said, “We are delighted to be partnering with Vdara to launch ESPA at Vdara. ESPA brings 30 years of spa heritage and knowledge, spa operations and training expertise to this beautiful property and are thrilled be launching our first branded spa on the West Coast.”

Aligning with Vdara’s commitment to sustainability, ESPA’s results-driven, natural product line includes skin and body care. ESPA products are derived from a selection of natural ingredients that include ethically sourced marine and botanical naturals to yield immediate, visible results while producing long-term skin benefits. All ESPA products are created in their own UK-based factory which is accredited as one of the best natural manufacturers in Europe. ESPA’s award-winning products will be available for purchase in the retail area.

Vdara’s 18,000-square-foot, two-level haven features 11 treatment rooms with three distinct relaxation lounges, a co-ed meditation room, sauna, eucalyptus steam rooms, hot plunges and heated lounge chairs. In addition to the pre-existing salon, fitness center and smoothie bar, which have contributed to Vdara’s recent Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star rating, this opulent destination will continue to promote holistic health and overall well-being for its guests.

Slovenian city of Bled to host international tourism marketing event

From 13 to 14 March 2014 the Slovenian city of Bled will host the already fourth international conference on creative and strategic marketing in tourism, Travel Zoom. 

More than 20 of the "hottest" Slovenian and foreign experts coming from tourism, marketing, advertising and IT will share their marketing tips and recipes for success in tourism. Delegates attending the upcoming Travel Zoom will be able to attend several workshops offering an active learning experience.

The fourth Travel Zoom will bring new trends, ideas and solutions for tourism and will help advance the delegates skills to turn them to “the icons” of tourism. The 2014 Travel Zoom stage will host Hans Petter Aalmo from Visit Norway, Joseph Fratangelo, presenting the world’s largest travel sight Tripadvisor and Gloria Molins, founder and CEO Trip4Real, global community marketplace that connects travellers seeking authentic, quality experiences with local experts who offer unique activities to do. Extraordinary tourism and destination campaign will be presented by agencies: Valontaire from Stockholm, Circus Marketing from Mexico, Four Werbeagentur from Switzerland and others. The focus of the programme will be on the interactive workshops where delegates will be able to learn how to creatively use the newest marketing tools. Travel Zoom programme will include workshops for direct marketing, digital marketing (Lea Stanković from communis DDB Serbia), content marketing (Milica Cetinić from Jasno&Glasno, Croatia), advertising (Mayer McCann Slovenia), social media (Damjan Planinc from interactive.agency Mediaservices d.o.o., Slovenia) and a workshops teaching delegates how to change a unique selling proposition into a unique emotional proposition (Andrej Pompe from Formitas, Slovenia).

The educational program will be accompanied by competition. Public Agency SPIRIT Slovenia and the international conference Travel Zoom are for the second year in the row inviting local, regional and national tourist destinations, tourism operators and marketing agencies to submit their campaigns for the Golden Zoom 2014. An international jury comprised of international experts will select and award the most creative, strategically sophisticated and effective tourism campaigns. The winners will be announced on 13 March 2014 at Travel Zoom award ceremony.

Delegates can register for the conference on-line. More information available on www.travel-zoom.si

Sharjah Keen to Tap Booming Luxury Cruise Tourism Opportunities

Sharjah is increasingly featuring high on the itineraries of international luxury cruise operators, thanks to its strategic location and reputation as a complete tourism destination. 

Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Director General, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority said that Sharjah looked forward to the arrival of international luxury cruise tourists in the Emirate and is committed to extending all possible help and services to visiting ships and passengers.

On December 17, 2013 luxury cruise ship Costa Fortuna arrived in Khorfakkan Port with around 2,700 people onboard. Following a plaque exchange ceremony on board the Costa Fortuna, Al Midfa said that the past few years have seen an extraordinary surge in luxury cruise industry’s interest and presence in the Emirate with major European and other international luxury cruise-liners making Sharjah a regular port of call on their international itinerary.

He urged the tourism and hospitality industry partners in the Emirate to tap these booming opportunities in order to contribute to the economy. 

Costa Fortuna is owned by an Italian cruise shipping company with headquarters in Genoa. The ship will be making three calls to Port Khorfakkan during this cruise season, before sailing to Dubai.

Jordan invests in MICE tourism

Jordan has identified the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sector, as one of the key high-value niche markets that will further fuel the growth of its tourism industry. 

Around 10 to 15% of all visitors to Jordan are MICE related, claims the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB), which offers an enviable mix of attractions, from the ancient city of Petra to modern hotels and convention centres, has invested millions in the development of tourism-related infrastructure designed to elevate its appeal still further. 

In order to increase this percentage, the JTB has increased its level of participation at this year at Gulf Incentives, Business, Travel and Meetings (GIBTM), which takes place at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from 24-26 March 2014.

The JTB will provide GIBTM’s Hosted Buyers with an insight into business and meetings facilities offered in Jordan, by hosting a familiarisation trip after the 2014 event to showcase the country’s unique MICE-focused attractions and services.

“MICE business is extremely important for Jordan, and the kingdom enjoys a reputation as a host for high profile events of global significance such as the World Economic Forum, which has taken place here no less than seven times,” said Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat, Managing Director, Jordan Tourism Board.

“Jordan is a wonderfully diverse country offering a range of breathtaking attractions to cater to all segments of the MICE market, from incentive trips involving dune bashing in Wadi Rum or exploring ancient Petra, to big association meetings hosted at one of the country’s modern conference facilities in Amman or the Dead Sea,” said GIBTM Exhibition Manager Lois Hall.

“The Kingdom has realised the potential of the meetings industry to drive still further its tourism growth and in addition to making sound infrastructure investments, it is enhancing its presence at GIBTM, which is the region’s premier platform for sourcing significant and high value MICE business.”

Jordan has also been quick to invest in its transport infrastructure, with the recent opening of the brand new state-of-the-art terminal at Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport, helping to secure the Jordanian capital’s position as the preferred aviation hub for the Levant region.

Built at an estimated cost of US$750 million, the terminal allows the airport to grow by 6% per annum over the next 25 years by increasing capacity from 3.5 million to 12 million passengers annually by 2030.

Tourism is an essential component of the Jordanian economy, representing around 14% of the country’s GDP. The sector has rebounded in 2012 in spectacular fashion following the impact of the Arab Spring, generating $3.5 billion in tourism revenues, up 15.3% or $3 billion in 2011, according to the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ).

“The uniqueness of the kingdom and its diversified attractions are supported by a well-developed infrastructure and a community of creative and highly skilled DMCs who consistently deliver once-in-a-lifetime experiences, helping position Jordan as a preferred MICE destination,” said Arabiyat.

Arab nationals fuelled the growth in tourism numbers, with income generated by regional visitors rocketing 47.1% year on year. Jordan’s venue highlights include the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre (KHBTCC) managed by Hilton at the Dead Sea, which stages many high-profile global events and has been home to the Middle East edition of the World Economic Forum (WEF) since 2003.

In the capital, the three-in-one complex, Zara Expo Amman, includes the 316-room Grand Hyatt Amman hotel with 2,500 square metres of meeting and conference facilities; the residential Hyatt Tower; and retail destination, the Zara Centre. The Expo’s three exhibition halls cover 3,000 square metres plus there’s a 300-seat conference auditorium.

In addition to the post-event familiarisation initiative, GIBTM 2014 which takes place at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from 24-26 March, will also include Business Travel @ GIBTM featuring specialist exhibitors within the Business Travel Zone, a dedicated Business Travel Knowledge programme and exclusive networking opportunities for this specific sector.

The 2014 show will also feature the first-ever GIBTM-hosted ‘Market Focus on Asia’ event along with a dedicated Asia Pavilion; and the sourceme Pavilion, in partnership with Nicholas Publishing InternationaI (NPI), which will showcase the region’s leading event service suppliers.