Emirates On The Road And In The Air In Africa

Emirates is hitting the road in Africa to lift the profile of its expansion plans on the continent.

Events will be held in South Africa and Angola, countries where Emirates is launching new routes this year. Flights to Durban start on October 1st, while services to the Angolan capital of Luanda begin on October 25th.

The main thrust of the road show activities comes from Emirates Holidays, the tour operating arm of Emirates, whose road show will cover more than a dozen towns and cities across South Africa between July 22nd and August 23rd.

Emirates Holidays, equipped with its 2009/10 brochure, A World of Choice, will be promoting its 120 destinations in key shopping malls and briefing travel agents throughout the country.

The Emirates’ Holidays road show kicked off in Durban on July 22nd and takes in places such as Umhlanga, Pietermaritzburg, Port Elizabeth, Knysna, George, Cape Town, Polokwane and Bloemfontein, before wrapping up in Johannesburg a month later.

Despite the world’s economic difficulties, the tour operating arm of Emirates has experienced an increase in year on year sales and South Africa is one of the strongest performing markets, both inbound and outbound. The launch of daily flights to Durban will supplement a daily service into Cape Town and a triple daily into Johannesburg.

John Felix, Senior Vice President, Emirates Holidays, said: "South Africa is one of our top revenue markets and its important for us to get out there and reinforce our brand presence. It’s also an opportunity for us to relationship build, make new contacts and fine-tune our products based on market feedback so we can ensure that our customers are getting the very best service and value for money. A road show of this size is particularly significant in these tougher economic times and very much demonstrates our commitment to the industry, our partners and our clients."

On the airline side, the final touches are being put to plans to bring together more than 1,000 travel industry representatives for a major road show event in Durban on July 27th. The high-profile gathering will generate the usual Emirates’ buzz, introducing the airline to the coastal city alongside top entertainment, ahead of the first flight from Dubai on October 1st.

Meanwhile, to the northwest in Angola, Emirates is working on a launch event in Luanda, which will celebrate the arrival of the carrier in the Angolan capital on October 25th. Top travel industry figures, business partners and senior government officials are expected to attend to mark the three flights a week service.

Nigel Page, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Americas & Africa, said: "Africa has played an increasing role in the expansion of Emirates since we launched flights to Cairo back in 1986. With its burgeoning commercial activity and rapid development, we look forward to further exciting work on the continent, while at the same time playing our part in supporting Africa’s economic growth."

Emirates SkyCargo will provide assistance on both routes with the belly hold of passenger aircraft being used to transport a range of mostly consumer commodities in and out of the trade-rich continent.

The carrier has been gradually strengthening its services across Africa. In February this year, Emirates went double daily to Lagos, while the Nairobi route will be boosted with an extra weekly flight from August 1st. On the same day, daily flights to Tunis and Tripoli become de-linked.

In all, 16 passenger and cargo destinations are currently served in Africa. They are: Abidjan, Accra, Addis Ababa, Cairo, Cape Town, Casablanca, Dar es Salaam, Eldoret, Entebbe, Johannesburg, Khartoum, Lagos, Lilongwe, Nairobi, Tripoli and Tunis.

Mr Page added: "It’s highly significant that Africa is the only continent where Emirates has announced new routes for this year, despite the challenging industry conditions. We also have around 4,000 Africans amongst the 140 or so nationalities employed across the Emirates Group."

Since establishing itself as an airline in 1985, Emirates has mushroomed into a major player on the international travel and tourism stage. More than 50 brands now make up the Emirates Group including Emirates Holidays, Emirates SkyCargo, Emirates Hotels & Resorts, Skywards and Dnata.

DP World To Open New Terminal In Vietnam on October 1, 2009

Global marine terminal operator DP World has set October 1st, 2009 as the date of the official inauguration of its state-of-the-art Saigon Premier Container Terminal (SPCT). A joint venture between DP World and Vietnam’s IPC, SPCT is located on the Soai Rap River 15 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City. SPCT will further establish Ho Chi Minh City as the country’s main commercial hub.

The region’s second fastest growing economy, Vietnam has seen an average annual growth of 7.1 percent since 2000. While Ho Chi Minh City is currently served by various port facilities along the Dong Nai and Saigon rivers, several terminals on the Saigon River are slated for progressive closure over the next several years. Proximate to Ho Chi Minh City’s industrial hinterland, SPCT will handle cargo that currently moves through these ports, while attracting new volumes.

Peter Wong, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Asia Region, said:
"SPCT is strategically placed to service not only Ho Chi Minh City but also the surrounding industrial zone."

Glen Hilton, Vice President & Managing Director, DP World SE Asia Region, said: “With 500 metres of wharf and five cranes in Phase I, SPCT can easily handle the largest vessels currently calling at Ho Chi Minh City. Dredging of the Soai Rap River to 9.5 metres, completed by the end of 2010, will cut two hours off current steaming time and double the size of alongside vessels to 5,000 TEU.”

Etisalat And Nokia Announce Joint Offering To Provide The Ultimate Internet Experience On The Nokia N97

Etisalat and Nokia today announced a joint offering to encourage consumers to explore the Internet experience on the Nokia N97. With the purchase of the N97, consumers will get 1GB data for one month free from Etisalat. Once consumers have finished the free trial, they can opt to continue with the same package at 195 AED per month, or subscribe to Etisalat’s other data packages, as per their usage needs.

The Nokia N97 is Nokia’s first device to feature a customized home screen, which can be personalized with a range of widgets which bring live information directly to the device. These widgets include key social networking destinations like Facebook and Hi5, news services like the Associated Press, Bloomberg and Reuters, as well as shopping and weather information. The Nokia N97 is the first device to ship with the Ovi Store, which offers easy access to applications, games, videos, podcasts, productivity tools, web and location-based services, and much more. Ovi Store has paid and free content from a range of global and local content providers and developers, including Paramount Pictures, Facebook and Qik, as well as a selection of Twitter applications.

“Etisalat’s robust 3G network and crystal clear voice clarity complements technologically advanced devices like Nokia N97 to provide a truly unparalleled mobile internet experience to our customers. With the one month free 1GB data package that we are offering with Nokia’s N97, our aim is to enable users to explore the full Internet experience from downloading applications, to video streaming, to email and browsing, on this fantastic device, ”said Mr. Essa Al Haddad, Chief Marketing Officer, Etisalat.

“The Nokia N97 is an important step towards our vision of delivering a highly personalized Internet experience,” said Bahar Tabakoglu, Head of Marketing, Nokia, Lower Gulf. “Fuelled by a multitude of music, maps, games, media and applications via Ovi, the Nokia N97 transforms the Internet into an experience that’s completely tailored to the tastes and interests of its owner. With the Etisalat offer, people will have the chance to fully explore and enjoy this experience.”

The Tiger Woods Dubai Marks Key Milestone on Construction of ’Fresh Water’ Lakes

The Tiger Woods Dubai today announced construction work is 50 per cent complete on over 3.3 million sq feet of purified, fresh water lakes.The lakes form the central component of The Tiger Woods Dubai’s water features and state-of-the-art irrigation system, which will be unique to the region in its use of technology.The water utilised on The Tiger Woods Dubai is sourced from Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE) water and waste water produced on site, which then undergoes an extensive refining process via reverse osmosis (RO) to create a clean water source for the lakes and irrigation system. The first of its kind for a golf course in the region, the treated water will ensure that both golfers and residents are able to enjoy crystal clear lakes and water features, all of which will be completely free from odour and pests that often surround TSE lakes.To help design and build the system, The Tiger Woods Dubai has employed Aqua Agronomic Solutions Incorporated (AASI), a leading US-based irrigation systems designer. Instrumental in designing the water features at eight of the 10 top-ranked courses within the US, AASI has been enlisted at Al Ruwaya Golf Club to ensure the system employed is of the highest quality possible.Abdulla Al Gurg, Executive Director, The Tiger Woods Dubai, said: “We are proud to share this important milestone. The lakes and irrigation system are an important detail in ensuring that the playing experience at Al Ruwaya Golf Club is unmatched, and the overall environment of The Tiger Woods Dubai is one of lushness and tranquillity. The attention to detail that has been put into the design of the system is consistent to the level of craftsmanship present in all aspects of the course. Excellence, quality, and integrity will continue to characterize our work on all elements of The Tiger Woods Dubai.”The lakes will serve more than just an aesthetic role on the development. The purified water that is fed into each of the three major lake systems will be channelled through a series of streams, until finally being drawn out for use as irrigation water for the golf course and surrounding landscaping. All of the lakes are fully equalized and lined to prevent any seepage or escape of water. Additionally, harvested rain water at the site and storm water caught by the golf course’s drainage system will be fed into the lakes, ensuring maximum efficiency of the irrigation system for the development.Keeping pace with the work on the lakes are other individual elements at The Tiger Woods Dubai development, contributing to the overall progress of the project.The 55 hectare plant nursery at the massive golf community already boasts over 60 acres of grass – the equivalent of nine holes – and houses over 6,000 trees and a wide variety of shrubs.Located at Dubailand, the world’s most ambitious leisure, tourism and entertainment destination, The Tiger Woods Dubai is fast taking shape as an exclusive golf community encompassing 22 palaces, 75 mansions, and 100 luxury villas and community service facilities.
 

Du Celebrates Al Isra Wal Miraj With Special Rates On 19th July

To mark the occasion of Al Isra Wal Miraj, du is offering its mobile and fixed customers off-peak rates for international calls, as well as special rates for text messages, on Sunday, 19th July 2009.

Customers will enjoy off-peak calling rates to international destinations for the entire day. In addition, du is offering subscribers a special rate of 15 fils for national SMS and 45 fils for international SMS anytime on 19th July 2009.

“At du, we are always striving to ‘add life to life.’ Offering preferred rates on Al Isra Wal Miraj is the perfect way to help our customers celebrate with family and friends,” said Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du. “Connecting with loved ones is so important on special holidays and we are delighted that we can contribute, in a modest way, to the joy of this occasion.”

For more information on du’s products and services, customers can visit any of the 32 du shops or kiosks, 3000+ authorized du dealers, or the du e-shop at www.du.ae.

RTA Dubai: No Parking Fees during Al Isra’a Wal Mi’aaj Holiday on Sunday

It was announced by Roads & Transport Authority (Traffic & Roads Agency) that parking spaces in all paid parking zones in the emirate of Dubai will be free on Sunday 19 July 2009 to mark the celebrations of Al Isra’a Wal Mi’raaj Holiday.Adel Mohamed Al Marzouqi Director of Right of Way Dept, Acting Director of Parking Dept at RTA’s Traffic & Roads Agency, confirmed that parking of vehicles in the parking spaces of the RTA will be free of charge only on Sunday 19 July 2009; which is an official holiday to all government, semi-government organizations and private companies across the nation.“This step comes as part of RTA’s efforts to provide every means of comfort & smooth mobility to inhabitants and visitors of Dubai during holidays and events. It demonstrates the ongoing care of the RTA for various social cross-sections and the sense of responsibility towards residents & visitors of the emirate. No doubt it is a practical gesture reflecting the vision of the RTA to provide safe & smooth transport for all through providing convenient and smooth mobility to motorists during holidays and religious events” said Al Marzouqi.In the meantime, RTA calls upon the public, particularly motorists in the emirate of Dubai, to ensure optimum utilization of these parking spaces; as they are part of the infrastructure that have been provided to serve citizens, residents, visitors and tourists in the first place. Motorists are also requested not to park their vehicles on pavements, nor at the back of other vehicles; as such a practice will be subject to fines, as provided for in the applicable rules.On this occasion; which is celebrated by Arabs & Moslems alike all over the world, RTA would wish to extend best greetings and wishes to Arab & Moslem worlds, and pray to God Almighty to bring them prosperity & success.
  

Weil Gotshal’s Dubai Office Advises Showtime/Orbit on Pay-TV Mega-Merger

DUBAI, UAE, July 15/PRNewswire/ — The Dubai office of Weil, Gotshal & Manges has advised KIPCO and Showtime Arabia in one of the largest cross-border mergers in the UAE region. The KIPCO Group is one of the largest diversified holding companies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), with consolidated assets of US$ 19 billion.

Satellite broadcast company, Showtime Arabia, and Orbit Group, a member of the Riyadh-based Mawarid Group, have merged to create the leading pay-TV platform in the MENA region. "When such a consolidation takes place, it is a kind of defining moment in terms of TV entertainment," said Marc-Antoined’Halluin, the chief executive of the new business.

Partner Mark Soundy, assisted by associate Natalie Gray, led the Weil Gotshal Dubai office team, with support from partner Peter King and associates Alicia Speake and Elizabeth Todd.

Mark Soundy said, "We are delighted to have been involved in one of this year’s landmark MENA transactions. This deal demonstrates the region’s growing appetite for ever more sophisticated M&A skills."

Joe Tortorici, Managing Partner of the Dubai office and Middle East operations said, "Our Middle East initiative has got off to a very nice start this year, with a handful of major transactions in the region now under our belt and a few more in the pipeline".

DLA Piper assisted KIPCO with local due diligence. Linklaters advised Mawarid Group. Credit Suisse acted as exclusive financial advisor on the merger.

Dubai Knowledge Village Corporate Research Centre Launches Three Surveys On Economic Crisis

Dubai Knowledge Village (DKV), a member of TECOM Investments, today announced the DKV Corporate Research Centre has launched three surveys, in alliance with its business partners, on how organisations are coping with the economic downturn.

The initiative is part of the DKV Corporate Research Centre’s continuing endeavour to offer economic and market data for the benefit of UAE-based businesses.

DKV’s business partners Third Eye FZ LLC, Dynamic Learning FZ LLC and Hewitt Associates will organise surveys on Keeping your Customers…When it Matters!, Total Compensation Measurement™, and Emotional Intelligence Survey in the Middle East.

Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Executive Director, Dubai Knowledge Village and Dubai International Academic City, said: “For many organisations in the GCC, this is probably their first experience of a severe business downturn. We would like to know how the managements of these organizations have reacted to the financial crisis from diverse perspectives. The key findings of the research will help the region’s senior management from the corporate sector to take effective measures for tackling some of the challenges thrown up by the current economic scenario.”

The ‘Keeping your Customers…When it Matters!’ survey focuses on customer retention. Analysing how well companies in the region are addressing challenges for retaining profitable customers, the survey explores whether organizations recognize the value of customers and have put in place initiatives that will identify profitable accounts in their customer base. It will additionally determine the exact value of their profitable customers, and how well companies are aligning their resources to deliver better value to these customers.

Total Compensation Measurement™ is one of Hewitt’s most comprehensive worldwide compensation research programmes. With nearly 30 years of experience, it serves more than 7,000 organizations in over 40 international markets. The study has been launched in the UAE for the first time this year and has already seen an overwhelming response from organizations including some of the biggest conglomerates and key players across sectors. It has registered more than 120 participants so far in the UAE.

The Emotional Intelligence Survey in the Middle East focuses on how business leaders in the Middle East match up to the global population in terms of emotional intelligence. An online questionnaire has been submitted to more than 5,000 leaders in the region to find the answer to this question.

The DKV Corporate Research Centre is an initiative by DKV Partner Development Management, focusing on research in the areas of business and corporate related issues whilst offering market data to serve the UAE business community.

Hasan Makansi, Head of Partner Development for Dubai Knowledge Village and Dubai International Academic City, said: “DKV Corporate Research Centre is a joint effort with its own pool of talent in addition to business partners’ wealth of knowledge and expertise in research and consultancy. Dubai Knowledge Village supports and nurtures the business community by providing significant data analysis and a corporate research bank.”

Previous studies by DKV Corporate Research Centre include ‘Business Leadership in the UAE’ conducted in partnership with The Core Group; ‘CEO Mobility’ in partnership with Stanton Chase, and the ‘Best Employer Survey’ in partnership with Hewitt.

Launched in 2003, Dubai Knowledge Village aims to consolidate the status of the emirate as a global destination for human resource management and learning excellence. It is a unique hub that offers the right investment opportunities in human capital empowerment, skills development and enhancement.

The free zone cluster has evolved into an effective catalyst for training and learning for the entire MENA region, hosting a large number of HR training and development centres, management consultancies and e-learning providers.

Etisalat 1GB Mobile Internet data package free on purchase of HTC TOUCH DIAMOND2

HTC Corporation, a global leader in mobile phone innovation and design, has partnered with UAE’s leading telecom service provider Etisalat to offer a month of free 1GB Mobile Internet data package on purchase of the newly launched HTC Touch Diamond2 . The offer is valid till 30th September 2009, for both Etisalat prepaid and postpaid subscribers. The offer is available through all the major HTC and Etisalat retailers across the UAE. After the one month period, the monthly rates for the 1GB package will be AED 195.The device, which is the next step in the evolution of the highly successful HTC Touch Diamond, integrates innovative simplicity with unique style and an intuitive interface, to personalize the communication and mobile Internet experience.The HTC Touch Diamond2 utilizes HTC’s latest TouchFLO™ 3D interface. TouchFLO™ 3D has been more deeply integrated into a customized version of Windows Mobile 6.1 to deliver more consistency throughout Windows Mobile applications and menus.Vishnu Vardhan, Executive Director, HTC Middle East and North Africa said, “The new HTC Touch Diamond2 is one of the latest breakthrough models HTC has introduced into the market that successfully creates a unique synergy between cutting-edge technology and a user friendly interface. The result is an enhanced user experience and a more people-centric approach in communication.Moreover, our strategic partnership with Etisalat also allows us to showcase the new Push Internet Technology of the Touch Diamond2; providing faster downloading and hassle-free web page rendering. This new innovation defines the future of mobility, which is information at the tip of your fingertips,” added Vardhan.
Mr. Khalifa Al Shamsi, Vice President, Consumer Marketing, Etisalat, said, “Etisalat’s robust 3G network and crystal clear voice clarity complements technologically advanced devices like HTC Touch Diamond2 to provide a truly unparalled mobile experience to our customers. Our partnership with HTC enables us to get closer to our goals of offering innovative and modern services that will help position the UAE as a global communications hub of the future, while providing the benefits of convenience, coverage and additional value to our customers. .”The HTC Touch Diamond2 is the first device that can easily be upgraded to Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional. With fifty-percent better battery life, faster processor, a five mega-pixel auto focus camera, expandable memory, gravity sensor and an ambient light sensor, the Touch Diamond2 brings the most sophisticated capabilities to a broad consumer audience looking for the benefits of a smartphone without sacrificing size, looks or functionality. The device also includes an FM Radio and a new touch sensitive zoom bar for even faster zooming of Web pages, emails, text messages, photos or documents.
 

Dubai Electricity And Water Authority Hosts Awareness Workshops On Energy Conservation At Modesh World

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) today announced it is marking its sixth consecutive participation at the annual Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) extravaganza through leveraging its presence at Modhesh World to educate the general public on the importance of energy conservation.

DEWA’s announcement comes as part of its aggressive endeavour to help widen public awareness on reducing power consumption levels and the various modes that could be adopted to minimise electricity charges.

Through hosting a series of activities, including workshops, DEWA particularly aims to target the younger generation and instill in them the importance of caring for the environment. DEWA is also offering tips and guidelines to its consumers, both residents and companies, on ways to decrease their energy consumption.

Abdullah Al Hajri, Acting Executive Vice President – Customer Services, said: “Raising the awareness of our communities on the imperative need for energy conservation in Dubai is paramount to DEWA’s philosophy, and we intend to utilize all our resources to make residents aware of this extremely important activity. Our participation at Modhesh World is a testament to our efforts to ensure that our young generation is educated not only on the reasons for preserving our natural wealth, but are also provided with practical means on ways to do so. We believe there are many small steps that an individual can take to impact a concrete and positive change on the environment.”

Engineer Amal Koshak, Senior Manager – Demand and Tariff Management, DEWA, said: “We have tailored our presence at Modesh World this year to make it more informative. While in the past we focused purely on entertaining our visitors, this year we have added an educational element as part of our ambition to demonstrate the value of the environment and why it must be protected. We are also using our presence to thank all the individuals and organizations that have participated in the various energy conservation initiatives we have held recently.”

DEWA’s more recent ‘Best Consumer’ campaign rewarded 13 home consumers with cash prizes amounting to AED22,000, for reducing individual water and electricity consumption. The ‘Conservation for a Better Tomorrow’ campaign, which aimed to encourage Dubai students, schools and universities to decrease their energy consumption, helped participating institutions minimize the use of water by nearly 42 per cent.