The iconic Jumeirah Emirates Towers was voted fourth best Overseas Business Hotel worldwide, whilst sister resort, Madinat Jumeirah, was voted tenth in the same category, clearly demonstrating the value of Jumeirah Group’s brand promise to STAY DIFFERENT.

Jumeirah Carlton Tower was voted Best Business Hotel in the UK due to its stunningly convenient Knightsbridge location and wide array of business services available to guests.

The culmination of Condé Nast Readers’ Travel Awards, the World’s Top 100, which includes hotels, countries, spas, airlines, cruise lines, spas, airports and tour operators, saw Jumeirah Carlton Tower listed at Number 50 and Jumeirah Emirates Towers at Number 82, which is indicative of the Group’s commitment to guest satisfaction and exceeding expectations.

Guy Crawford, Chief Executive Officer for Jumeirah, commented: ‘As a young and rapidly expanding international luxury hospitality company, Jumeirah is proud to have been awarded this array of prestigious titles by Condé Nast’s distinctive readers. Our presence at these awards truly demonstrates our continued commitment to STAY DIFFERENT and we would like to thank readers for their support and recognition, and our colleagues for their continued hard work and dedication to surpass guest expectations.’

Both Dollar and Thrifty are kicking off the new relationship by offering 1,000 bonus miles on rentals of any car type rented for three days or longer.

The bonus offer is available from August 20, 2008 through December 31, 2008 when consumers make an advance reservation using promotional code EK1K.

The 1,000 bonus miles are in addition to the regular award structures of Emirates with Dollar and Thrifty, available at all Dollar and Thrifty locations worldwide:

- Dollar Rent A Car:
• 500 miles per transaction on rentals of 29 days or less.
• 1,000 miles per transaction on rentals of 30 days or more.

- Thrifty Car Rental:
• 500 miles per transaction for rentals outside of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• For rentals in the UAE, Thrifty will award 500 miles on rentals of 1-2 days in length; 750 miles for rentals of 3-4 days; and 1,000 miles for rentals of five days or more.

‘Emirates Airline has a reputation for providing an excellent quality of product at a great value for consumers, as do the Dollar and Thrifty brands,’ said Brian Carpenter, Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Advertising, Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc.

‘This new relationship will be beneficial to consumers who enjoy traveling to some of the world’s greatest destinations – and enjoy a great value at the same time,’ he added.

Capping a hugely successful summer, a record 20,721 passengers flew with Etihad on Friday 1 August making it the airline’s busiest day.

The summer months also saw Etihad flights operate at an average of 83% full, an increase of 46% on the same period from the year before.

Etihad has now flown more than four million passengers across its network of 48 destinations so far in 2008, indicating that the airline is well on track to achieve its target of carrying six million passengers by the end of the year.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ chief executive, said: ‘The summer has been a great success with more than 1.6 million passengers flying with Etihad Airways.’

‘Whilst June, July and August are traditionally the busiest months of the year for most airlines, the record number of passengers who flew with us underlines the considerable impact Etihad is having on the aviation industry,’ Hogan added.

Etihad’s flights to Asia services turned in a particularly strong performance during the summer with seat factors averaging 81%. Passenger loads in the business cabin averaged 83% for the Kuala Lumpur service and 79% for the Bangkok route.

Within Europe, London Heathrow exceeded loads of 91% and Munich 88%. Flights to Brussels, Dublin, Manchester and Paris all achieved average seat factors of more than 80% in the economy cabin.

Routes in the Middle East performed well also during the summer including Cairo and Damascus, achieving overall average seat factors of 80%.

Mr Hogan added: ‘As ever, we are grateful for the support we continue to receive from Abu Dhabi Airports Company, Abu Dhabi Airport Services and the Department of Transport, whose close cooperation has paved the way for Etihad to extend its global network still further, with the launch of new services to Kazakhstan and Russia in the coming months.’

Etihad introduced three new destinations in August to the Indian cities of Kozhikode and Chennai as well as the Belarus capital city, Minsk. Etihad will launch in December non-stop flights from its Abu Dhabi base to Almaty in Kazakhstan and the Russian capital, Moscow.

Etihad will also boost its flying programme to Australia in October, with an increase to its existing daily service to Sydney to 11 flights per week. The same month will also see Etihad add a third daily flight to London Heathrow, the world’s busiest international airport.

These properties added to the four sites already secured thus far in Dubai at Dubai Investments Park (Now Open), Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai International Airport and Dubai Al Jadaf and in Abu Dhabi, at Capital Centre, demonstrates that Premier Inn are serious about achieving their objectives of operating 6000+ rooms across the GCC by 2012.

Darroch Crawford, Managing Director of Premier Inn in the Middle East said: ‘We are delighted to add these two excellent sites in the northern emirates to our portfolio. It is our aim to provide high quality, low cost accommodation throughout the region, offering customers a value for money which is unprecedented in the region. We hope to announce further sites soon in Fujairah, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Doha and throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.’

In Ras Al Khaimah the hotel will be located on the corner of Bridge Road and Bin Dahir Road near the Creek and will boast 232 rooms. The property in Umm Al Qawain will be situated on the Ajman/Ras Al Khaimah Road and comprise some 186 rooms, all of the same high standard that the Premier Inn brand has become associated with.
Premier Inn Hotels LLC is a joint venture between Premier Inn, the UK’s largest and most successful hotel brand, with 38,000 rooms across 550 hotels and the Emirates Group.

Derek Swan, SVP of Emirates Corporate Development said, ‘Following the successful opening of the first Premier Inn property in Dubai Investments Park it’s clear that there is a big market for low cost accommodation in the hospitality sector so we were keen to move on with our plans and secure more sites and offer a ‘value’ hotel model to as many people as possible across the region.’

Premier Inn’s hotels in Dubai, its first international properties outside of the UK, are operated under a joint venture between the Emirates Group and Whitbread Plc.

Within the bank’s first few months of operations, the establishment of the relationship marks Al Hilal’s entry into the Islamic banking sector as a major player, setting itself up for a significant contributing role in the UAE economy.

Mohamed Jamil Berro, CEO, Al Hilal Bank said: ‘We are pleased to announce our partnership with Etihad Airways. Having cemented our relationship with a company that is already known for its progressive and industry-changing practices, we feel it particularly appropriate that Etihad Airways is one of our first airline customers.’

‘This agreement is an ideal step forward on our path to become a critical player in the growth and economic development of the UAE,’ continued Berro.

Al Hilal Bank has already established itself as a key player in the local financial sector and has partnered with a number of strategically significant institutions and government bodies within the UAE.

James Hogan, chief executive officer of Etihad Airways, said: ‘These are exciting times for Etihad as the airline continues to grow and establish itself on the global stage. It is, however, equally important for us to develop and nurture strong relationships in the local market, especially with partners which share our vision and objectives in Abu Dhabi.’

‘We have every confidence that our corporate banking agreement with Al Hilal will meet our financial objectives and we look forward to working with the bank in developing our Sharia’a compliant banking activities, especially in the area of finance and investments.’

In its initial stages of operation, Al Hilal Bank has broken new ground in creating a more approachable service offering than what has been traditionally available in the market, while maintaining Sharia’a compliance.

An example of the bank’s fresh new take on banking is the company’s innovative format for consumer interaction, the Financial Mall.

By providing Al Hilal patrons a holistic atmosphere where customers can not only bank but engage in a specialized experience catered to their individual needs, Al Hilal has set a new standard in the banking sector.

With this unique infrastructure in place, Al Hilal expects to enjoy enormous success very quickly.

With its innovative approach to Islamic finance, customer service and location, it has already captured the imagination of customers and soon foresees growth beyond the national boundaries of the UAE.

‘Next Stop South Africa’ is a comprehensive holiday and destination guide which has been designed to meet the requirements of the discerning traveller from the Middle East. The edition is available in English and Arabic and a copy will also be made available to view on SAA’s website.

The brochure is self contained with all required information on South Africa, including Travel Tips and suggested itineraries. Anyone wishing to explore the South African kaleidoscope of history, culture, and scenic beauty will find their dream vacation among the array of itineraries presented in this brochure.

Options to tailor packages to cater to people’s budget, number of days, properties as well as interest are also available. Highlights of some of the programs in the brochure include city breaks and day tours featuring all major cities and attractions, long and short breaks keeping family’s in mind, self-drive packages, itineraries involving Golf, Luxury rail travel, MICE, Wellness packages, to name a few.

Commenting during the launch function of the brochure Ms. Agnes Nyamande Pitso, South African Consulate General in Dubai, indicated that there is clear evidence that South Africa is gaining in popularity as a tourist destination within the GCC. The Mission has seen the number of UAE nationals visiting South Africa for tourism and business purposes increasing by 123% from June/ July 2007 to same period in 2008. This is indicative of the growing recognition of the huge potential that the country offers. The Next Stop South Africa holiday brochure will therefore play an important role in providing further useful information to a market that is hungry to explore this destination.

Rajendran Vellapalath, Manager Middle East, South African Airways said: ‘We’re extremely excited in introducing this ‘Next Stop South Africa’ brochure for the holiday makers in Middle East. A great deal of research and effort went into creating this unique offering. We realized that there is a demand among the consumers in Middle East for a product featuring a single destination, which wasn’t served adequately.’

It is not just a new catalogue, it is a brochure which anybody interested in visiting this Rainbow Nation, will want to read and refer to. From itineraries ranging from a minimum of four days to 17 days, this brochure has everything that a traveller needs to plan an ideal holiday in South Africa. In order to make decisions even easier for our customers, other than the tailor-made options available the brochure has introduced a ‘Don’t Miss it’ list of attractions.

The brochure is designed to resemble a miniature of what South Africa as a destination has to offer and encourages travellers to contact our offices or the nearest travel agent to explore more options through tailor made packages and make their next stop in South Africa’, said Rajendran during the brochure launch function.

SAA currently has code share agreements with Emirates on its three times a day flights to Johannesburg, on its daily flights to Cape Town from Dubai, with Egypt Air on its daily flights from Cairo to Johannesburg and with Saudi Arabian Airlines on its weekly two flights from Jeddah to Johannesburg.

SAA today carries more than seven million passengers a year on a route network that serves 34 cities in 26 countries. SAA’s unrivalled network, featuring connections to more than 20 destinations within South Africa, and more than 20 cities across the rest of the continent, make the airline the savvy traveller’s ‘gateway to Africa’.

Cityscape USA is a two-day networking exhibit and three-day conference that attracts the world’s top institutional investors, real estate developers, governmental and developmental authorities, leading architects, and other senior professionals in the real estate industry.

The event, which will take place at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City on September 9-12, will mark TDIC’s first venture into the U.S. market

TDIC, the name behind the Saadiyat Island Cultural District destination, which is projected to be the world’s largest single concentration of premier cultural institutions including the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Museum, will be looking to spark American investment interests.

‘We currently have strong investor response from the local market in Abu Dhabi and believe the time is now right to take our compelling propositions onto the world stage,’ said Lee Tabler, Chief Executive Officer of TDIC.

‘We are looking to open up an intercontinental dialogue which will put our expanding portfolio of tourism and urban renewal projects at the forefront of institutional investor planning.’

Launched less than three years ago, TDIC is currently planning, or developing, no less than 80 projects throughout Abu Dhabi – the largest of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Abu Dhabi city is the country’s capital and the seat of Federal government.

‘Abu Dhabi is committed to evolving into an international destination of distinction. The emirate has huge natural assets which can assist in this aim, including 200 natural islands and 700 kilometres of shoreline,’ said Tabler. ‘It is a greatly anticipated destination where progress is being achieved in a measured manner – guided by strong underlying principles of cultural and environmental respect that are reflected throughout TDIC developments.’

Over the past two years, Abu Dhabi has earned a string of international accolades, which have set it apart from other emerging destinations. The UAE capital was recently named ‘A World Winning City In The Making’ in the 2008 Jones Lang LaSalle ‘Emerging World Class Cities’ report while Saadiyat Island was named on of the world’s ‘Top Ten Emerging Trendy Destinations’ in a Wall Street Journal poll of international travel scouts. In a report on real estate within the Arabian Gulf, investment bank Morgan Stanley recently predicted prices in Abu Dhabi would rise by 25% by 2010.

‘Abu Dhabi can make a convincing case for institutional investors because it has long-term economic sustainability, is pursuing well-thought-out infrastructure investment and has clear government direction and strong governance,’ said Tabler. ‘We believe we will leave New York having piqued considerable interest among our target audience and with the foundations of an ongoing dialogue that we will actively pursue moving forward.’

TDIC officials will be on hand at Cityscape New York to meet potential investors, developers, professional service industry executives and members of the media during the Exhibition on September 10-11.

The creation of Light Group Dubai marks a crucial step in the transfer of The Light Group’s distinct know-how and concepts to the GCC region and follows the joint venture partnership between the two companies in February 2008. The move strategically complements the vision of the UAE to be not only a premier global destination but to provide unique experiences to residents and visitors.

The launch of Light Group Dubai follows the opening last month of the highly anticipated Yellowtail Sushi restaurant located at Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas – the Light Group’s fifth restaurant and it’s first since partnering with Zabeel Capital.

Zabeel Capital Managing Director Jbran Rahal said: ‘In 1H08 the Middle East enjoyed the highest hotel room occupancy and average room rates globally at 74.3% and US$181 respectively. Combine this with the fact that more people than ever are visiting the region and airport expansion and development worth $43bn is now underway in the Gulf and the future is very bright for the region’s hospitality industry.’

‘The Middle East has experienced double-digit revPAR growth consistently for the last four years and analysts have predicted that 2008 will bring the same level of growth, despite the global economic turmoil, with the UAE remaining the regional hospitality and leisure frontrunner. The need for distinction and diversity in this industry is greater than ever before and that is exactly what Light Group Dubai will offer.’

As part of the initial plans Light Group Dubai will introduce some of the company’s tried and tested dining and entertainment concepts from Las Vegas, namely The Bank and Fix. Both of the original outlets are located at the prestigious Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas and bring a distinct offering; from the luxurious to the contemporary the venues will provide a new level of hospitality to Dubai’s nightlife. Light Group Dubai’s management will be made up of seasoned hospitality professionals from both the United States and UAE, allowing the company to merge the relevant expertise and knowledge.

Andy Masi, Chief Executive Officer, Light Group commented ‘The launch of Light Group Dubai is not only significant because it marks an important milestone in our partnership with Zabeel Investments, it is also our first foray outside of the United States into what we see as one of the most dynamic hospitality markets globally. Our partnership and shared commitment with Zabeel Investments to creating distinct, high-end concepts is the driver behind our move to the UAE, and the launch of the Yellowtail Sushi Restaurant in Las Vegas.’

The partnership unites the experience and innovation of the Las Vegas-based Light Group with the ambition and expertise of Dubai-based Zabeel Investments, delivering a distinct offering to both the US and UAE hospitality and entertainment sectors as well as markets further afield.

Zabeel Capital Managing Director Jbran Rahal concluded: ‘When embarking on this partnership we highlighted that it would play a fundamental role in the development of the hospitality industry in the GCC and we are now delivering on that promise. The Light Group has opened and managed some of the most popular F&B and entertainment venues in the last couple of years in the US and the Dubai operation has a remit to bring world-class boutique dining and entertainment venues to the region.’

Aiming to be a global leader in luxury, travel, tourism and lifestyle; Saraya will provide a comprehensive, complete and holistic travel and tourism experience through its different mixed-use destinations, as well as its complimentary services available by air, sea and land.

‘As we are celebrating our third year anniversary, Saraya aims at being a global leader in luxury travel and tourism that looks to integrate with peoples’ lifestyles seamlessly offering them a chance to truly escape; to relax; to be able to discover and to obtain peace of mind.’ said Mr. Ali Kolaghassi, Vice Chairman and CEO Saraya Holdings.

With six emerging destinations; Saraya Aqaba-Jordan, Saraya Islands-UAE, Saraya Dead Sea-Jordan, Saraya Bandar Jissah-Oman, Saraya Aktau-Kazakhstan, and Saraya Sochi- Russia; that provide a variety of facilities including premium hotels, retail space, entertainment, leisure and sport facilities, conference center and offices, as well as superb residential units, which preserve natural environments and echo local cultures, Saraya now opens the doors wide for a host of services.

Saraya has already announced two of its elite services Saraya Skies and Saraya Realty.

Saraya Skies is a private jet charter operation, which will render its services to customers visiting the various Saraya destinations and around the world.

Saraya realty is the exclusive property sale, and re-sale arm of all Saraya’s luxurious destinations.

Saraya will continue to grow by offering more luxurious destinations and introducing elite services; offering all Saraya customers an effortless and un-matched experience.

After an extensive case study, first about the company’s goals and objective and finally with its vast market, Hawyia had come up with a unique logo design that will definitely bring out the company’s activities and highlight its character in providing fulfilling service.

Discussed by Hawyia Manager Yousuf Lootah, Dubai Link Tours’ logo design features an arc that represents the image of the sun and at the same time completes the picture of a happy face.

Multicolor fancy font is used for the company name to give the feeling of coolness and tourism highlights which is the main business of the company.

The capital letter ‘L’ gives details to the image and com¬pletes the overall look of the logo.

‘This logotype was made to be uniquely for Dubai Link Tours as its design directly displays satisfaction, enjoyment, travel and relaxation that are the feelings and outcome that the company would like its clients to gain from their quality service,’ Mr. Lootah further added.

Mr. Lootah explained that the main objective of the team is to position Dubai Link Tours in the forefront of its industry through the projected advantage of its identity given by Hawyia.

Because Hawyia had given Dubai Link Tours a friendly and appealing identity, Mr. Lootah is certain that it will get the confidence and trust of more clients.

Dubai Link Tours is an establishing company that is ready to take the lead in its industry because of its quality service at reasonable rates.

The company is projected to gain positive remarks from all of its clients because of the outstanding satisfaction that it provides.

Hawyia, an independent division of ContinentAd, has been a distinguished logo design specialist because of creating unique artworks and granting quality services to its clients.