serenity-issue-9

1 • serenity incentives 2014
INCENTIVES
EXPLORE:
BEHOLD
THE
ARTISAN
impressions
A s e r e n e l e s s o n i n s e l l i n g l u x u r y t r a v e l i n t h e M i d d l e E a s t
Dispelling
the MythS
Destination
delights
VENUES OF
EXCELLENCE
ISSUE9

5 • Welcome and Credits
6 • Essential News
What exciting news is currently rocking the
luxury tourism industry?
10 • Explore: INCENTIVES
We unpick the threads that weave the
incentives niche together
14 • RENDEZVOUS
Richard Branson talks risks and rewards
with Emily Millett
16 • INSIGHTS
An interview with the Manager of Meetings,
Incentives and Events, Arabian Adventures
18 • Destination Delights
The what, where, when and why of the region's
top incentives offerings
22 • Venues of Excellence
Explore our directory of outstanding
incentives venues
24 • THE LUXURY GURU
Words of wisdom from Lorre White
26 • Enrichment Zone
Leading luxury agents give an insight into the
international image of the Middle East
28 • Behold the Artisan
Eric Walters, Director, Hud Hud Travels depicts
the allure of luxury camping
30 • dispelling the myths
Industry experts suggest that rumours should
be taken with a pinch of salt
32 • Impressions
Tried and tested reviews from the region's
most luxurious hotels
38 • INNOVATIVE ITINERARIES
An ideal high-end incentive itinerary tour by
The Vision Destination Management
40 • MELTS UPDATE
Latest news straight from MELTS' headquarters
contents
serenity incentives 2014 • 3

welcome
he General Manager
wants motivational
team-building exercises;
the Financial Officer
wants a Return On his
hefty Investment; the
staff want to feel appreciated, rewarded
and pampered. Everyone wants to learn
something new, feel the authentic and
experience the exotic and unknown.
The team from Europe wants a conti-
nental breakfast, the China office wants
green tea during the coffee breaks,
the Americans want ketchup with their
lunch, and the nationals want the Halal
option at dinner. That’s a lot of requests
for one incentive group, but the luxury
suppliers across the Middle East region
are prepped and ready to deliver the
goods, offering up a wealth of crea-
tive ideas to ensure every need is met,
and the ever-coveted ‘wow’ factor
is achieved.
Creating a balance between the multi-
tude of requirements that undoubtedly
arise when organising an incentives trip,
is an art that the Middle East is quickly
mastering. With its wealth of uniquely
diverse activities, its excellent, top-qual-
ity facilities and services, and its ability
to cater to cultures hailing from all four
corners of the globe, the region is swiftly
becoming a force to be reckoned with on
the incentives tourism scene.
How about luxury desert camping on
Oman’s secluded and untouched beach-
es one day, and an exclusive group sea
plane tour over the urban metropolis
that is Dubai the next? Perhaps you
would like a themed gala dinner on the
banks of the Nile, or maybe an outdoor
meeting in the inspiring surroundings of
the desert? You name it and the Middle
East can provide it, and you can guaran-
tee it will be gift wrapped in the authen-
tic packaging of genuinely warm Arabic
hospitality.
In this issue of Serenity, together with
industry experts from within and out-
side the region, we uncover some of the
trends strutting down the incentives cat-
walks this season and guide you through
what this region can offer in terms of
five-star facilities, venues, activities and
services for incentives groups.
So turn the page, enjoy the ride – and
like any good journey – we hope you
are inspired, educated, enriched and
entertained.
T The Middle
East is prepped
and ready to
deliver the
goods
Emily Millett
Communications
Specialist
General Manager – Events
& Communications
Alexandra North
ANorth@ttgmena.com
General Manager –
Publishing & Sales
Tony Fields
TFields@ttgmena.com
Creative Director
Ioanna Pattichi
IPattichi@ttgmena.com
Communications Specialist
Emily Millett
EMillett@ttgmena.com
Assistant Events Coordinator
Bernhard Senkerik
BSenkerik@ttgmena.com
Account Manager
Samer Alkhaldi
SAlkhaldi@ttgmena.com
International Partner Manager
Elaine Hockley
EHockley@ttgmena.com
E-Commerce Manager
Panayiotis Philippou
PPhilippou@ttgmena.com
E-Commerce Executive
Constantinos Voniatis
PA to the GM Publishing
& Sales
Marina Drakou
UK Business Development
Manager
Christiana Drakou
Chief Finance Officer
Costas Miaoulis
Chairman
Andreas Drakou
Contact Us
Nietzsche Street
Ria Court 9, 1st Floor
CY6028 Larnaca, Cyprus
T: +357 24803000
www.meltshow.com

essential news
BOOSTING DESTINATION POTENTIAL
Bahrain’s high-end luxury
hospitality portfolio is about
to get bigger and better with
the upcoming introduction
of the destination’s first
One&Only resort in Seef, on
the northwestern coast of
the Gulf country.
Developed and operated by
Kerzner International Hold-
ings and Sevens Holding, the
new property is set to begin
welcoming guests by 2016.
The property will cater to
both business and leisure
guests, with some 150 luxuri-
ous guest rooms and suites,
as well as villas and estates,
world-class dining and retail
options, a One&Only Spa, an
enviable private beachfront,
extensive meeting facilities
as well as easy accessibility
to the airport.
ir Bani Yas Island, located 100km southwest of Abu Dhabi, is
set to see a boost in the promotion of its international leisure
and MICE opportunities, as travel and tourism professionals
claim the nature-based legacy destination can play a key role in
increasing visitor lengths-of-stay for the emirate.
The area’s wildlife, heritage and adventure experiences have
been dubbed as powerful tools to lift awareness of the emirate’s diversity,
while the activities and facilities available to incentives groups allow Abu
Dhabi to think outside the box in relation to its MICE product, with the wild-
life and adventure activities shedding new light on team-building options.
Turkish Airlines has fur-
ther expanded its network
into Africa with the intro-
duction of flights to As-
mara in Eritrea. The new
service operates three days
a week from Istanbul and
brings the airline’s portfo-
lio in Africa up to 27.
Dubai’s hotels welcomed more
than 5.8 million tourists in the
first half of 2014. The statis-
tics, released by Dubai’s De-
partment of Tourism and Com-
merce Marketing (DTCM), show
increases across key indicators
including hotel establishment
guests, hotel and hotel apart-
ment room revenues, F&B rev-
enue and average length of stay.
Conrad Hotels & Resorts has
added a new Conrad Meet-
ings function to the Conrad
Concierge mobile app. Meet-
ing and event planners are
now able to research hotel
capabilities across all 23
Conrad properties worldwide
from their smartphone or
tablet. The app also provides
a direct line to the in-house
event manager.
The long awaited Raffles Istan-
bul officially opened its doors
to guests on September 1. Of-
fering 132 guestrooms and 49
suites, the hotel also provides a
choice of F&B outlets, as well
as a luxury spa and an inspi-
rational choice of space for
private, and business events.
In brief...
S
DEFINING
ULTRA LUXURY

In a bid to further build on the is-
land’s success within the incentives
sector, this year has seen the launch
of a new hospitality package scheme
for corporate conference and incen-
tive trip organisers, by the Cyprus
Tourism Organisation (CTO).
As part of the new scheme, groups
of up to 50 delegates will be greeted
on arrival at the airport by the CTO
airport offices’ ‘Meet & Assist Servic-
es’. They will also receive a bespoke
information pack containing essential
travel information to be used during
their stay on the island, as well as a
locally-sourced gift. For groups of 50
or more, each delegate will also re-
ceive a €25 hospitality voucher, to be
redeemed on F&B throughout their
stay in Cyprus.
BUILDING ON SUCCESS
As the incentives industry
gets ever more creative in its
attempts to guarantee memo-
rable experiences, Fairmont
Dubai has jumped on the band-
wagon, re-launching its unique
Noire at Fairmont dining in the
dark concept.
Following the success of the
F&B offering last year, the
hotel is now bringing back the
pitch-black dining room and
the waiters with night vision
goggles, re-introducing the
idea that by removing the abil-
ity to see, the other senses will
be heightened.
The space can also be hired
out for private events and
exclusive incentives groups of
up to 30 persons.
DINING IN
THE DARK Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al
Beri, Abu Dhabi, has launched
a Press Reader app to facilitate
guest communication.
Commenting on the develop-
ment, Tamer Refaat, Director of
Sales, Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat
Al Beri, Abu Dhabi, said: “Re-
cently, we have launched the
PressReader, a unique app that
allows our guests to download
their favourite international
newspapers onto their smart
phones and tablets, thus reduc-
ing the need for printed copies
to go to waste on a daily basis.”
GETTING
HIGH-TECH
CREATING
ADDED DRAMA
Sofitel Legend Old Cataract As-
wan has increased its allure as
an incentives destination, with
the launch of themed events
for corporate groups.
From chic to opulent, this wide
variety of themes has been
introduced in an attempt to make
gala dinners or incentive events a
fantastic and fanciful experience.
“We created the new theme
nights programme for Incen-
tives in order to retain incentive
business throughout the whole
year,” said Lamia Assem, Director
of Marketing, Sofitel Legend Old
Cataract Aswan, Sofitel Winter
Palace Luxor and Pavillon Winter
Luxor. “Current trends, fashions
and demands are themes like:
Pharoahs night and Bedouin
night. We are always looking for
unique new things to offer to our
clientele. Our clients are looking
for the best of the best in service,
rates and food and beverage.”

A modern day
fleet makeover
essential news
Known for its affinity with Dubai’s vibrant contemporary art-scene, The Ritz-
Carlton, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is now bringing some
additional artistry to its MICE offerings, with a range of new and creative,
art-inspired menus, as well as two new meetings spaces.
Created by the luxury hotel’s Executive Banquet Chef and Executive Pastry
Chef, the new menus – known as the ‘Artistry Collection’ – offer a choice
of three creative menus for guests wishing to offer their clients and staff
something over and above the traditional ‘coffee break’ during an incen-
tive gathering, meeting or conference. All the food is crafted by hand, and
presented in creative ways, designed to engage, inspire and wow.
THE ARTISTRY OF INCENTIVES
Having your head in the clouds may not be such a bad
thing for incentives, as long as the clouds in question are
those caressing the tips of the stunning Al Hajjar moun-
tain range, the home of the Alila Jabal Akhdar hotel.
Now providing guests with attractive corporate packages
for boutique meetings and incentives, the property caters
to the more intimate requirements.
For the day delegate, Alila Jabal Akhdar serves a palate
pleasing lunch, morning and afternoon refreshments,
complimentary Wi-Fi and access to the state-of-the-art
boardroom which seats up to 12 delegates.
A separate offer has been designed for 24 hour stay
delegates on a single and double occupancy basis.
Guests are offered dinner, overnight accommodation in a
Mountain View Suite, breakfast, lunch and refreshments,
complimentary Wi-Fi and access to the boardroom.
RAISE YOUR BOARD TO HIGHER LEVELS
In line with a strategic plan to
modernise its fleet of long-range
aircraft, Royal Jordanian (RJ) has
welcomed the first of five new Boe-
ing 787 Dreamliners set to join the
airline by the end of the year.
The 787s will pave the way for RJ
to step into a significant new era,
and will push the national carrier
forward in terms of onboard ser-
vices and route network, enhancing
its competitiveness at regional and
international levels.
The 787 offers more luxury and
comfort on long-range flights, with
larger windows, more legroom, LED
mood lighting, bigger overhead
bins, lower cabin altitude and en-
hanced ventilation systems.

the incentives industry functions
in a continuously flowing cycle;
what goes out in investment,
comes back in motivation, loyalty
and performance. This balance
keeps the niche turning, evolving
and picking up pace on its path to
success. By Emily Millett
Harmony
in balance
explore

he art of incentives lies in creating the perfect balance
— a balance between what clients want to achieve, and
what participants want to experience; between satisfying
diverse cultural tastes and requirements, as delegates
from around the world come together under one roof; a
balance between business and pleasure, education and
indulgence, and safety and excitement. And as the use
of social media descends on the industry with increas-
ing speed, how can incentives providers create a balance
between catering to the plugged-in technology addicts,
and the collective craving to get back to basics.
“From client testimonials that we receive, the most ef-
fective incentives programmes have a powerful result,
energising delegates, opening minds to new ways of
seeing and doing, and forging new alliances,” said Janet
Abrahams, Cluster Director of Sales, Marketing, Revenue
and Reservations, Phoenicia Hotel Beirut. “Removing
the environment and structure of a company, bringing
teams face-to-face who communicate remotely, providing
a chance to try new creative challenges, and step away
from the office routine, gives the freedom and fun that
promotes positive energy and results.”
Figures from IPK International's annual World Travel
Monitor review show that the incentives industry is on
the rise, accounting for 61 percent of total MICE business
in 2013. And as incentives groups help drive revenue and
increase footfall across the Middle East, it seems that
dedicating time and energy into this corner, is an idea
worth investing in.
The ROI is very favourable… Perhaps the first
balancing act that incentives insiders need to perfect, is
ensuring that while participants have an enjoyable and
rewarding time, those approving the budget see a Return
on Investment (ROI).
Samir Tabbah, CEO, Desert Gate, explained: “An incentive
is usually a large investment, so we need to make sure
that the ROI is very favourable. Whether it is with our
brand engagement, our new innovative experiences, our
premium service levels or our negotiated benefits in ho-
tels, we know that guests who have been on incentives to
our region with Desert Gate will definitely go home more
motivated and aligned with their companies.”
According to Tabbah, Desert Gate is currently prepar-
ing new excursions and products for the upcoming high
season. With offices in the UAE and Qatar, the premium
Destination Management Company is now also open-
ing another hub in Oman, giving partners the option to
experience an altogether different destination, while also
responding to the growing request for twin- or multiple-
destination incentives tours.
Hold on to traditions, while being in touch with
trends… The trend to visit multiple places is a trend
that the Middle East can take great advantage of. With
such a rich diversity of cultures and traditions co-ex-
isting side by side, the region is in a position to supply
an intriguing and unique balance between history and
modernity.
Pairing destinations such as Oman and Dubai encapsu-
lates this concept. On one side, the vibrant fast-paced
metropolis of Dubai shows off the Middle East’s contem-
porary urban dynamism, and offers modern day pursuits
such as shopping, nightlife or fine dining. In turn, the
natural beauty and cautiously conscious development of
Oman gives visitors an insight into real Arabia, showcas-
ing ancient cultures, traditions and unspoilt landscapes.
This trend also incorporates the quest for authentic trav-
el experiences; for encountering the new, the exotic and
the unknown. To fulfil this need, the incentives industry
is continuously on the lookout for emerging destinations.
“The MICE segment continues to strive to find new
destinations that can guarantee the level of service
and expertise expected, combined with fresh authentic
experiences that spark the imagination for an innovative
programme that ensures memorable experiences,” com-
mented Abrahams. “Lebanon has an enviable position in
the region as a first choice destination for MICE and over
the last year we have seen a growth from new geograph-
ic sources such as India. Our clients want to do more
with their programme, such as holding events in outdoor
venues. With the diversity of mountains and beaches and
with a long summer Mediterranean climate, we are the
ideal choice. They want a mixture of experiences, so the
sophisticated luxury lifestyle with authentic traditional
and historical venues ensures Phoenicia and Lebanon
are a winning combination.”
The search for an authentic experience has catapulted
up the list of priorities for incentives groups, as the
desire to genuinely feel a country shifts from tourist
focused experiences, to more locally inspired feelings.
“The incentive travel market is growing; and our well-
The MICE segment
continues to strive
to find new
destinations
T

travelled incentive guests want to experience the cities
they go to as locals,” said Tarek Mourad, General Man-
ager, Raffles Istanbul. “Being real and authentic has
significant impact on the success of the incentives sec-
tor. Our location is an advantage too, as today’s travel-
lers want to be a part of the city and instead of being
tourists, they want to mingle with locals. It is of vital
importance to hold on to the roots and traditions that
bring out the authenticity while being contemporary and
in touch with trends of the day."
Another modern-day trend that is fast infiltrating the
niche, is the use of social media and technology, with lo-
gistical apps being introduced in the planning phase, and
online sharing sites facilitating communication.
“The growth of social media into the experience (onsite
as well as within pre- and post-event communications)
is one of the biggest developments in the incentives in-
dustry,” commented Tabbah. “In fact, over 60 percent of
planners are using social media in this fashion. About a
third of planners reported integrating gaming techniques
and virtual elements into their programmes as well.”
Clients are looking for safety and excitement…
The leaps and bounds with which social media is pro-
gressing, is also helping to achieve a balance between
the need to offer both safety and security, as well as
adventure and excitement. While the region’s potential
for luxury incentives with an added twist of excitement
are plentiful, often what stands in the way is a lack of
understanding on the safety of the area.
Siting Egypt as an example of how technology and online
platforms can help a destination distance itself from
negative publicity, Lamia Assem, Director of Marketing,
Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Aswan, Sofitel Winter Palace
Luxor and Pavillon Winter Luxor, explained: “High tech-
nology and online social bookings are developing every
day, and as Egypt has been having a hard time in terms
of travel and tourism for three years now, we need to
start thinking outside the box in order to offer the most
updated technology.”
Providing possible solutions to the safety questions, Tab-
beh continued: “The tourism boards and DMCs in the re-
gion make great efforts to clarify this misconception. The
region will be host to some major events like the World
Expo and FIFA World Cup, and this will be very beneficial
over the coming years, enhancing brand visibility and
awareness in the build up to these events.”
Elsewhere, the balance of safety and excitement can be
demonstrated by particular activities which thrive on the
adrenalin pumping potential of their offerings.
Taking incentives groups out on hydro-plane city tours,
Seawings relies on this desire for excitement, as Mithu
Agarwal, Commercial Sales Manager, Seawings, ex-
plained: “Clients are looking for safety and excitement.
The balance of these two factors will bring more incen-
tive guests to Dubai. Incentive guests search for destina-
tions that offer safety, stability and unique experiences
that cannot be enjoyed anywhere else. Seawings Sea-
plane Tours responds perfectly to these requests, being
the only seaplane tour operator in the region, and with a
major focus on safety. The Seawings tour offers memo-
rable, once-in-a-lifetime experiences that add the ‘wow’
factor to an incentive group itinerary. Taking off from
water and seeing Dubai from the sky is not an experience
everyone gets the opportunity to enjoy.”
Even if your service already provides the coveted ‘wow’
factor, it is still imperative in this evolving industry to
keep moving forward, presenting new and unique alter-
natives to the adventure hungry marketplace.
Having recently unveiled its latest MICE winter rates for
tours and charter flights, especially designed to incen-
tivise guests to book in advance and in larger quantities,
Seawings will also be starting the new season with the
launch of an exclusive new route to the World Islands.
“Seawings' guests will be among the first to experience
the World Islands and watch the state-of-the-art develop-
ment first-hand. The World Islands are expected to be
the new incentive venue,” commented Agarwal.
explore
International markets
have a growing interest in
the Gulf and are aware of
the luxury on offer

Meetings, city tours and educational trips… The
incentives market bases its success on the balance of
business and pleasure. The ideal experience is one which
rewards and motivates, but also teaches attendees some-
thing new and conducive to better business.
“Companies like to achieve a balance between rewarding
their attendees as well as having them come out with
educational information. To achieve this, we split the
requests between meetings, city tours and educational
trips,” said Chris El Khoury, Executive Assistant Manager,
Sales and Marketing, Mövenpick Hotel Ibn Battuta Gate.
“The focus is achieving the objectives, having fun, learn-
ing something new, and conveying the organiser’s vision.
We support incentive programmes to achieve these
objectives by aiding them in organising trips, functions,
visas and much more, such as themed healthy coffee
breaks, and personalised menus.”
According to El Khoury, Mövenpick Hotel Ibn Battuta
Gate Dubai is a complete destination for incentive groups
as the hotel is attached to Ibn Battuta Shopping Mall. It
is also only 250m away from the Dubai Metro and has
its own private beach club on the Palm Jumeirah where
different activities are organised. With one of the big-
gest lobbies in Dubai the hotel can accommodate gala
dinners, activities, cocktail receptions and even meetings
for up to 3,000 people.
Also providing an ideal setting for both business and
pleasure, Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi
offers a choice of lifestyle experiences and diverse meet-
ing products, services and facilities such as a spa, five
outdoor pools, a health club, a beach and the Souk.
Tamer Refaat, Director of Sales, Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat
Al Beri, Abu Dhabi, commented: “The complex also
boasts conference and meeting facilities and is ten-min-
utes from the airport, five minutes from the golf course
and ADNEC and 15 minutes from the city centre. The
balance of educating and pampering is critical for acquir-
ing the full focus of the guests during the incentive trip.
Hence the aim of organising incentive programmes is to
appreciate, motivate and increase team work.”
High end incentives travellers today want the whole
package. They want destinations, venues, activities
and accommodation that can seamlessly provide
a one stop shop, fulfilling all their needs in one fell
swoop of ingenious incentives creativity. They want
to be wowed, but they also want results. Offering the
height of luxury, a wealth of unique and alternative
activities, and boasting the facilities to cater to a
variety of diverse business needs, the Middle East is
exotic, exciting, safe, tradional, modern and culturally
invigorating all at once. The region has what it takes
to take incentive groups to the next level of motiva-
tional, educational, rewarding success.
The balance of educating
and pampering is critical
for acquiring the full
focus of the guests

ou are known as
Dr. Yes at Virgin.
How has this
mantra impacted
the development
of the brand?
Life is a lot more fun if you say yes.
At Virgin we are not afraid to say yes
and have had tremendous successes
taking on established companies
in industries that needed shaking
up. Risk and reward are attached at
the hip so it is important to not be
completely risk averse when starting
a business. The key is to get good
people around you who can help you
work out the risks that are worth go-
ing after and the ones that aren’t.
The Virgin name has become ubiq-
uitous in the travel industry. How
important is good branding when it
comes to luxury travel and why?
A strong brand that differentiates
you from the competition is very
important in any competitive indus-
try. The most important thing to get
right is the product or service you
are offering. Branding is important
for attracting customers in the first
place but the service you provide will
determine whether they choose to
use your company again. In a com-
petitive industry like the luxury travel
sector, customer retention is just as
important as customer acquisition.
If you offer your customers great
value-for-money and a high quality
service your company will grow and
your brand will strengthen organical-
ly. Your brand will become associated
with great service and happy custom-
ers will recommend your company to
friends and family – free marketing!
Social media is now a valuable tool
to leverage brand awareness. As a
high profile CEO who does his own
tweets, posts and updates, how
important is this medium for brand
exposure, and what tips can you
share with professionals looking to
up their social media ante?
Social media has changed the way
we communicate with each other
and the way brands communicate
with customers. As customers are
more mobile and digital, consuming
content and buying products online,
it is increasingly important to have
a strong digital footprint. One of the
most important elements to a suc-
cessful digital voice is authenticity.
You can’t force a great social media
presence; it is something that grows
naturally from posting frequent and
honest content. Don’t try to be some-
thing that you aren’t or it won’t work.
How has the luxury travel market
evolved over the past 10–20 years;
how has Virgin Group adapted to
new trends and developments?
There are more exotic and adven-
turous holidays available now than
10–20 years ago. Locations that were
very isolated are now open to cus-
tomers – you can even go to Antarc-
tica now if you want! Virgin Holidays
has partnered with Hip Hotels to
Y
Richard Branson, CEO, Virgin Group talks to
emily millett about how taking risks and re-
warding staff can propel tourism businesses
to intergalactic realms of success.
rendezvous

offer holidays to more unique loca-
tions around the world. Virgin Lim-
ited Edition has developed a portfolio
in Africa, Morocco and Switzerland to
compliment Necker Island. All of our
properties try to be as environmen-
tally friendly as possible. We gener-
ate 75 percent of Necker Island’s
energy from renewable sources.
Virgin Group is leading the travel
industry into space. What is the
latest news from Virgin Galactic?
Virgin Galactic is making great
progress. I am so excited every time
the team update me and inform me
we are a step closer to commercial
launch. I normally would say that
starting a business isn’t rocket sci-
ence but in Galactic’s case it is!
Virgin Galactic will be a once in a life
time trip that offers the chance to
travel into space and back. The actual
flight is around two and a half hours
but the whole experience lasts five
days including training and medical
examinations. I think we are a while
away from space hotels, but Virgin
Galactic is the start of a new exciting
industry – space tourism – that could
one day see us taking people to the
Moon or Mars for a holiday.
Where did your famous philan-
thropic streak originate from?
I never went into business to make
money. My first venture, Student
magazine, was started to give young
people a voice on issues they were
passionate about such as the Viet-
nam War. I have always believed that
business can be a force for good and
went into business to try and improve
industries that were not offering
what consumers wanted.
You pride yourself on your ability
to hire the right people. How impor-
tant are Incentives in maintaining
team spirit and staff motivation?
It is very important to reward employ-
ees for all of their hard work. I am a
big advocate of the work hard, play
hard philosophy and we are constant-
ly putting on parties or outings for
our people. One of my highlights each
year is our Stars of the Year event.
Each year, every Virgin company puts
forward an employee who has been
nominated as exceptional by his or
her peers. At the end of the year,
these Stars of the Year join my family
and I for a very over the top party
that is full of fun and excitement.
Having been in business since the
1960’s, what has been your biggest
challenge along the way?
We have had many challenges at
Virgin. One in particular comes to
mind - Virgin Atlantic Airways. We
started the business in 1984 and
almost all my colleagues at Virgin
said I was completely mad to go into
the airline business. The newspapers
said calling an airline Virgin was mad.
The company is now worth over £2
billion, it has fantastic people working
for it and every time I see a Virgin tail
fin, I feel genuinely proud of the hard
work we put in to change the airline
business for the better.
As an adventure enthusiast and a
passionate traveller, what do you
specifically look for or require from
your travel experiences?
I have been very fortunate to have
visited some of the most beautiful
places in the world and experienced
both fantastic travel experiences and
poor ones. People want to be treated
like rock stars when they travel and
experience something different and
memorable. If you are in the busi-
ness of organising travel experiences,
a high quality of service is a must.
Many operators offer travel to the
same destinations so the experience
in how your customers get there
becomes very important.
I always love visiting Virgin Limited
Edition’s properties. The service
they offer customers is exceptional
and there is such a variety of unique
travel experiences on offer.
Do you still listen to Tubular Bells?
Tubular Bells is an iconic song that
is a major part of Virgin’s history. I
still get goosebumps remembering
Mike Oldfield perform at the Royal
Albert Hall all those years ago. To
this day it is one of the best concerts
I have ever been to. Mike has made
some fantastic songs but my all time
favourite is Ommadawn!
It is very important to
reward employees for
all of their hard work.
I am a big advocate
of the work hard, play
hard philosophy

16a • serenity incentives 2014
s thinking outside the
box becomes more
important, how are
you staying ahead of
the game?
The incentives industry
is driven by unique, tailor made individual
experiences that will motivate and inspire.
Every client has different objectives, budg-
ets, demographics and travel history, which
means that each incentive programme has
to deliver a specific and exclusive experi-
ence that is relevant to the company and
the participants.
We work closely with agencies to ensure
that we have a strong sense of what the
core objective of the incentive is, so we
can offer something that is relevant but
exciting to the clients. Most clients want to
leave Dubai with a sense of the history and
culture, and we try to achieve this in a very
personalised way.
We have a team that works on new products
and ensures that we are well ahead with
market innovations. We also have the ability
to create and benchmark our own products.
What kind of companies opt for the more
adventurous incentives programmes, and
who are your main feeder markets?
We haven’t noticed specific industries
opting for active and adventurous pro-
grammes, it tends to be based more on
nationality, and age. For example groups
from Australia, South America and South
Africa tend to choose programmes featur-
ing activities in the desert, or at one of the
many attractions here. As such, Arabian Ad-
ventures has developed a full product range
focusing on action and adventure.
What are the benefits of alternative, out-
side the boardroom incentives?
Keeping incentives interesting and engaging
is always a challenge, especially when there
is a requirement to capture and experience
as much of the destination as possible. In
the past we have created ways for guests
to meet in memorable venues, such as an
open air boardroom in the middle of the
desert, bringing the boardroom to a more
motivating setting. To balance the meetings,
Arabian Adventures has also organised a
number of interesting team building experi-
ences including a race around Dubai where
the group was split into teams and had to
work together to answer questions and
solve puzzles and challenges.
Companies want to get the most out of their
incentives attendees when on a trip and
maintaining a balance of fun and work is
the best way to do this. It provides a perfect
platform to work as a team, in an interactive
way whilst learning about the destination.
The key driving factor for most sales incen-
tives is to motivate and inspire, and offering
experiences that these guests cannot do in
any other destination is key.
A
ORGANISING EVENTS FOR GROUPS OF ANYWHERE
BETWEEN 10 TO 20,000 PEOPLE, JUSTINE
THOMAS-BUTLER, MANAGER – MEETINGS,
INCENTIVES AND EVENTS, ARABIAN ADVENTURES
EXPLAINS THE CHALLENGES OF KEEPING
INCENTIVES BOTH INTERESTING AND ENGAGING.
TAILOR MADE
EXPERIENCES
insights
Companies
want to get
the most
out of their
incentives
attendees

16b • serenity incentives 2014
ORGANISING EVENTS FOR GROUPS OF ANYWHERE
BETWEEN 10 TO 20,000 PEOPLE, JUSTINE
THOMAS-BUTLER, MANAGER – MEETINGS,
INCENTIVES AND EVENTS, ARABIAN ADVENTURES
EXPLAINS THE CHALLENGES OF KEEPING
INCENTIVES BOTH INTERESTING AND ENGAGING.
TAILOR MADE
EXPERIENCES
insights
Companies
want to get
the most
out of their
incentives
attendees
How does the planning and execution
of incentives programmes differ depend-
ing on the size of the group?
The core foundation of event management
for any group is in principle the same. You
need to win the business, negotiate, con-
tract, select, book and brief no matter what
the size of the event is.
Having recently completed an incentive for
14,500 guests, a lot more time was spent
planning and preparing than it would have
for a smaller group. The logictics of a group
that size was a huge task, as well as putting
contingency plans in place to ensure that
the infrastructure and resources were in
place to deliver the highest calibre of event.
We are lucky in that Dubai has a seemingly
endless selection of the biggest venues, ac-
tivities, attractions and products that allows
us to have the flexibility of choice when
preparing itineraries, whether the group is
for 10 or 20,000 guests, meaning there are
no limits.
What are your most favoured Dubai-
based Arabian Adventure incentives and
what you think makes them so popular?
At Arabian Adventures each incentive pro-
gramme is individually created for the cli-
ent, finding the best activities for their spe-
cific requirements. When requested, we do
incorporate a range of cultural experiences
which can include a visit to the Sheikh Mo-
hammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
where guests can learn about local Emirati
culture, history, food and Islam.
Another popular option is a visit to the
Dubai Desert and Conservation Reserve,
where Arabian Adventures operates four
desert camps. This is a good way to gain a
sense of how Dubai was, just a few years
ago. Guests have the opportunity to learn
about the Bedouin way of life, see an Ara-
bian Oryx in its natural habitat and a range
of local flora and fauna. Our drivers take
guests through the dunes to see a desert
sunset, ride a camel, have a henna tat-
too, see a belly dance performance, hold a
falcon, dine on Arabic cuisine and star gaze
with an astronomer who can talk about
how the Bedouins used to navigate through
the desert using the stars. All of this in one
evening is a truly memorable experience.
How does Dubai stand out as a top incen-
tives destination?
Dubai has many redeeming features which
helps it stand out as a top incentive desti-
nation including accessibility thanks to the
Emirates route network, year-round sun-
shine, over 75,000 hotel and apartments,
strong infrastructure making it easy to
navigate and conduct business, interesting
landmarks and attractions, including the
largest building in the world and the largest
shopping mall in the world and access to a
significant range of pre and post holidays
following the event.

destination delights
Sitting in the eastern Mediterra-
nean, Cyprus is the closest Euro-
pean destination to the Middle East
making it an ideal place to meet.
A warm and moderate climate,
natural beauty, legendary history,
and splendid food and wine make
Cyprus a perfect host for endless
incentives activities.
Local Diversity
Nicosia – Let’s meet: The capital of
Cyprus, Nicosia is a popular incen-
tives choice that can offer many
business-oriented properties, cos-
mopolitan dining, good shopping
and bustling nightlife.
Larnaca – Relax: Larnaca is home
to the main airport and the longest
palm-lined seafront promenade on
the island, with a choice of lively
restaurants and cafes. The moun-
tainous area around Larnaca is dot-
ted with charming villages, where
small incentives groups can stay in
traditional houses.
Limassol – Unfold: The country’s
second city is changing quickly.
There are many upgraded luxury
hotels, excellent restaurants and
lovely sea promenades. Limassol
has a busy nightlife scene and is
also the centre of winemaking in
Cyprus. The foothills of the Troodos
mountains lie north of the city,
whilst to the west are many historic
sites where prestigious events can
be organised.
Paphos (Pafos) – Explore: A popu-
lar resort destination in western
Cyprus, with an archaeological leg-
acy that has placed the whole town
on the UNESCO World Heritage
List. Visitors to Paphos can enjoy
the scenic harbour with its medi-
eval castle. The area has numerous
cultural and natural surprises that
offer an abundance of options for
incentives activities. Paphos also
boasts four amazing golf courses.
Ammochostos – Sand and sea:
Agia Napa, the summer’s liveliest
resort turns into a peaceful venue
for meetings in shoulder months.
A variety of team-building activi-
ties can take place on the splendid
white sandy beaches. Some of the
island’s best snorkelling and diving
areas can be found in the secluded
coves and rocky outcrops of the
eastern peninsula national forest
park. Protaras also boasts some
of the best golden sandy beaches
on the island and is known for its
many windmills.
Unique Activities
Events in ancient sites: Local sites
of cultural and historical interest
can be used to host unique events
and activities.
Cypriot cooking lessons: Groups
can bond over Mediterranean
gastronomy classes, and lessons in
traditional Cypriot specialities.
Grape picking for wine: Promote
team spirit working collectively to
create something together – this
can be achieved through activities
such as grape picking.
Rose water distillation: Get to
know your colleagues by sharing an
educational experience like making
traditional rose water.
Sunset cruises: Reward your team
with an indulgent luxury sunset
cruise.
Horse riding: Take your incentives
group out of the boardroom and
into a saddle with a horse riding
tour.
Cycling: For an active incentives
idea, try a group cycling tour to
benefit from the wonders of nature.
Diving: Learning a new skill such as
scuba diving can be a great way for
a team to come together.
Themed itineraries: Enjoy one of
the island’s many themed itinerar-
ies such as cultural, religious, rural,
wine routes or nature trails, and
many other activities based on the
local everyday life.
(The above have been recommended
by Nicoletta Paphitou, Tourist Officer,
Cyprus Tourism Organisation)
Accommodation
Elysium Cyprus: Enjoying uninter-
rupted views of the Mediterranean
Sea, this luxury five-star property
has been designed in a palatial
style, and boasts a plethora of pos-
sibilities for incentives travellers,
including an opulent spa and a num-
ber of high-end dining options.
Londa Beach Hotel: Its unique
status as an ideal hotel for both
business and leisure makes Londa
Beach Hotel a great option for in-
centives trips. The five-star service
is based on a personal approach
meaning that all manner of needs
and requests can be met.
Columbia Beach Resort Pissouri:
This stunning venue provides the
backdrop for a variety of differ-
ent events and occasions includ-
ing large and small stay corporate
incentives groups.
The Royal Apollonia: This newly
renovated luxury five-star hotel
nestles directly on a quiet beach
in the cosmopolitan city of Limas-
sol. The property has a number of
spaces for incentives groups to host
activities and workshops.
PSCALE ACCOMMODATION, UNIQUE ACTIVITIES, BESPOKE experiences. WITH SUCH A
WEALTH OF CHOICE, CREATING THE IDEAL LUXURY Incentive TRAVEL ITINERARY CAN
BE ARDUOUS. HERE iS THE CREAM OF THE CROP TO HELP YOU ON YOUR WAY.U
Capital: Nicosia
Currency: Euro (EUR)
National Carrier:
Cyprus Airways
Dialling Code: +357
CYPRUS

COUNTRY: Egypt
Currency: Egyptian Pound
(EGP)
National Carrier:
EGYPTAIR
Dialling Code: +20
Located near the Eastern Desert
south of the Sinai, Egypt’s Red Sea
Riviera boasts a variety of incen-
tives opportunities as rich and di-
verse as the marine life that teems
in the underwater world beneath
its waves. The year-round sunshine
makes the area an ideal destination
for a multitude of outdoor activities
such as diving, underwater fishing,
snorkelling and camping. The desti-
nation's popularity means there are
now a plethora of high-end luxury
hospitality options, many of which
offer fully-equipped meeting, con-
ference and incentives facilities.
Local Diversity
Sharm El Sheikh: One of the most
popular and busier destinations on
the Red Sea, Sharm El Sheikh offers
an impressive number of high-end
international hotels as well as a
wide variety of extreme sports such
as sky diving or parachuting from a
helicopter.
Hurghada: Home to the world’s
largest aqua-culture museum,
Hurghada is a sure choice for a
wealth of diverse water-based
activities. Its pleasant climate also
makes it a popular option for group
incentive camping trips.
El Gouna: Located between a
mountain range and crystal blue
sea dotted with countless intercon-
nected islands and beautiful tur-
quoise lagoons, El Gouna is also a
top location for golf incentives and
boasts numerous luxurious beach-
front resorts and an endless range
of water activities.
Marsa Alam: Since the opening
of its own international airport in
2001, Marsa Alam has been gain-
ing momentum as a rising star of
the Red Sea Riviera, becoming a
sought after destination for water
sports. Boasting attractive coral,
its diving sights are amongst the
best in the area.
Dahab: Less built up than some of
its high-rise, neighbours, Dahab is
a charming fishing village where
visitors can connect with friendly lo-
cals, and enjoy fantastic scuba and
free diving opportunities.
Soma Bay: A well-established
luxury destination, Soma Bay has
become known as a golfing mecca.
Sahl Hasheesh: Located some
18km south of Hurghada Interna-
tional Airport, the Sahl Hasheesh
resort community is a 4,100 hectare
year-round development. The area
is attracting high-end luxury tour-
ism and its beautiful beach is one
the longest stretches of swimmable
bays on the Egyptian Red Sea coast.
Safaga: Said to be one of the best
locations in the world for curing
psoriasis, Safaga is a well-known
therapeutic destination, becoming
popular for its medical and wellness
tourism offerings.
Accommodation
Baron Palace Resort Sahl
Hasheesh: Ideally located in the
heart of Sahl Hasheesh Bay, this
luxury hotel offers premium con-
ference facilities including a multi-
purpose MICE complex with tailored
programmes and catering facilities.
Creative gastronomy combined with
an idyllic location allows for a wide
range of incentives possibilities.
Meeting rooms cater for up to 700
guests with a professional team on
hand to assist.
Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay: Intro-
ducing luxurious European service
combined with Egyptian hospitality
at one of the premier holiday des-
tinations on Egypt’s Red Sea coast,
this hotel offers a unique location to
host business meetings, events or
special incentives. Activities range
from the comfortable and practical,
to the luxurious and pampering.
Rixos Sharm El Sheikh: Offering
695 rooms, ten restaurants, bars, a
spa and numerous entertainment
and sports facilities, meeting halls
and more, Rixos Sharm El Sheikh
provides excellent services for
meetings, seminars, workshops and
special events and organisations.
Agora Meeting Hall has a capacity
for 200 people and is equipped with
cutting edge technology.
La Résidence des Cascades Soma
Bay: Located within the year-round
resort destination of Soma Bay on
Egypt’s Red Sea Riviera, La Rési-
dence des Cascades has a number
of exciting and unique activities to
tempt the incentives tourist. These
include a championship golf course,
a high-end The Cascades Spa &
Thalasso centre, and a plethora of
water sports possibilities.
InterContinental Taba Heights:
Overlooking the Gulf of Aqaba, the
resort offers a spectacular setting
for a conference or incentives trip,
and boasts the largest event space
in the Taba area. The resort offers
year-round water sports, golf, the
largest spa in Taba Heights, ten-
nis courts and a tempting range of
restaurants and bars.
Four Seasons Sham El Sheikh:
On a hillside overlooking one of the
warmest seas in the world, Four
Seasons Resort Sharm El Sheikh is
a top luxury hotel offering adven-
turous outdoor incentives activi-
ties such as snorkelling and scuba
diving, gastronomic delights, as
well as corporate facilities in a fully
equipped business centre.
Unique Activities
Swim with dolphins: Dolphins live
in large numbers along the coast,
but the Samadai Reef near Hurgha-
da is one of the best places to swim
with these creatures in the wild.
Kite Surfing: Some of the best
places for this exhilerating sport are
Soma Bay, Safaga and El Gouna.
Visit the ancient city of Luxor:
The many temples and historic
monuments that make up this an-
cient city are only a couple of hours
drive inland from the Red Sea coast.
Red Sea - Egypt

COUNTRY: UAE
Currency: Emirati Dirham
(AED)
AREA: 1,684m2
Dialling Code: +971
destination delights
Ras Al Khaimah has a unique land-
scape composed of desert, moun-
tains and over 65km of natural
coastline with crystal clear water
and white sandy beaches. For this
reason Ras Al Khaimah is an ideal
environment for outdoor activities
varying from outdoor sports, natu-
ral reserve tours, gourmet culinary
experiences to pampering spa treat-
ments and beach activities.
Unique Activities
Water sports: Ras Al Khaimah
offers the ideal location for scuba
diving, snorkelling, sailing and water
skiing. Kayaking in the mangroves is
also among the unique experiences
that Ras Al Khaimah offers.
Al Hamra Marina & Royal Yacht Club
is an ideal destination for all water
sports enthusiasts. The Marina of-
fers great fine dining experiences
and charter boat trips.
Royal Yacht Club in Al Hamra
Marina is the meeting point of the
marine lovers in Ras Al Khaimah.
Desert: The desert of Ras Al
Khaimah offers its visitors a day
ﬁlled with excitement and adven-
tures which can either be organised
by private adventure companies or
by the resorts concierge. The first
Bedouin-style desert camp in Ras
Al Khaimah, Bedouin Oasis Desert
Camp offers its visitors a step back
in time with authentic architecture
made from goat hair.
Bassata Desert Village offers the
full desert experience with a variety
of traditional Arabic activities such
as belly dancers, falcon shows,
henna painting and camel and
horseback riding.
Horseback riding: Ras Al Khaimah
Country Club introduces the Arabic
heritage of horseback riding with
lessons available for both individual
and incentives groups.
History: Ras Al Khaimah National
Museum was built during the emir-
ate’s invasion by Persians in the
18th century, and was also the
surrounding sand dunes and majes-
tic Al Hajjar Mountains or sail the
high seas of the Arabian Gulf.
Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort &
Spa: Located in the Al Maareedh
area the hotel is surrounded by
a number of facilities such as the
Tower Links Golf Club, making it a
great choice for golf based incen-
tives. Also nearby is the RAK Free
Trade Zone, and Ras Al Khaimah
International Airport.
Rixos Bab Al Bahr: This hotel is
equipped with cutting edge tech-
nologies, visual and audio equip-
ment, Internet access and excellent
services provided by expert teams
for the most prestigious events and
organisations. The ‘all-inclusive’
concept offers complete value for
money where guests pay once and
enjoy unlimited food and beverage
services throughout their stay.
Cove Rotana Resort: The tradition-
al charm of The Cove Rotana Resort
embraces the uniqueness of the
Arabian culture. The hotel is located
on an idyllic water inlet on the Ras
Al Khaimah beachfront overlook-
ing the Arabian Gulf with 600m of
pristine beach.
Transport
Ras Al Khaimah's hotels have excel-
lent concierge services that can
tailor individual or group transport
to each group’s need whether it is
shuttle bus, limo, yacht or helicop-
ter transfer. Seawings hydroplanes
offer transfers from Dubai, as well
as 45-minute aerial sightseeing
tours to see some of the emirates’
most iconic landmarks.
Prince of the Sea offers visitors a
variety of sailing trips around the
coast of Ras Al Khaimah.
(The above have been recommended by
Steven Rice, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Tour-
ism Development Authority)
RAS AL KHAIMAH
home to royal family until 1964. The
museum includes a number of local
ancient monuments and an intrigu-
ing collection of archaeological and
ethnological artefacts.
Dhayah Fort was originally built
as military castle back in the 16th
century, on a mountain overlooking
the Gulf. The Fort has a strategic
location which provides outstanding
views of Ras Al Khaimah.
Jazirat Al Hamra Abandoned
Coastal Village was occupied since
the 16th
century and abandoned
nearly 40 years ago.
In the Sky: Al Jazirah Aviation Club
has a micro-light aircraft as well as
powered parachutes for its visi-
tors to enjoy scenic views of Ras Al
Khaimah.
Accommodation
Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah:
With its spectacular interior, spa-
cious rooms, lavish amenities and
fantastic views of the Arabian Sea,
Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah
is becoming a prime attraction
for luxury seekers from the UAE,
GCC and internationally. The hotel
also offers six flexible meeting and
events spaces.
Banyan Tree Al Wadi: Amid
stretches of desert sand in tranquil
Wadi Khadeja, an oasis of peace
awaits at Banyan Tree Al Wadi.
The luxury desert resort offers
one of the most diverse selec-
tions of activities in the region,
from breath taking adventures to
exciting group events. A team of
highly-experienced event planners,
offering specially-tailored packages,
strive to make any incentives event
a memorable one.
Banyan Tree Ras Al Khaimah
Beach: Sun-kissed shores of pow-
dery sands and cool azure waters,
rush to greet you at the Banyan
Tree Ras Al Khaimah Beach. This
exclusive all-pool villa resort pos-
sesses all the elements of an idyllic
beach retreat, and offers a myriad
of activities to ensure an incen-
tives programme with a difference.
Guests and groups can explore the

Due to great emphasis being placed
on the importance of preserving
Oman’s cultural heritage, the des-
tination now offers a distinct taste
of traditional old Arabia, setting it
apart from other hot spots in the
region. This authentic character,
combined with outstanding natural
beauty lends itself to a variety of
alternative incentives options, and
indeed Oman’s incentives activities,
services and facilities are amongst
the most unique and rewarding in
the region.
Unique Activities
Oman offers easy access to an
abundance of different activities
to meet the needs of a variety of
diverse interests. Sea and sand
lovers can avail of white sandy
beaches and golden dunes. Hiking
enthusiasts will be captivated by
the mountainous regions, wadis and
lagoons. Oman is also a rich desti-
nation for cultural tourism and is
home to a plethora of castles, forts
and museums.
Desert camping: Oman’s unique
natural beauty makes it an ideal
spot for exploring wild and remote
landscapes, and a number of luxury
camping providers such as Hud Hud
Travels can create bespoke tailor-
made group luxury camping trips.
Water sports: With over 2,800km
of coastline, Oman boasts a range
of water sports opportunities from
scuba diving and snorkelling, to sail-
ing or windsurfing.
Wadi bashing: Experience the thrill
of riding through the wadis and
dunes in a purpose built 4x4.
Accommodation
Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah
Resort and Spa: Made up of three
different properties, the hotel has
a wealth of amenities, services
and F&B options to facilitate an
incentives group. The conference
and meeting facilities feature
audio-visual equipment and light-
Muscat showcases rich and diverse
artistic creations from Oman, the
region, and the world; provides a
space for culture and socioeco-
nomic development reflections and
actions; inspires audiences and
nurtures creativity with innovative
programs; fosters cultural vitality
and unleashes talent; promotes
cultural tourism; and puts cultural
diplomacy into practice.
Bait Al Zubair Museum: Bait Al
Zubair is a private museum that
opened its wooden doors to the
public in 1998. It is totally funded
by its founders, the Zubair family
and displays the family’s collec-
tion of Omani artefacts, which is
considered to be the finest that
is privately owned. The museum
can also cater to incentives groups
looking for a unique location for an
authentic gala dinner.
Al Hoota Cave: Estimated to be
over 2 million years old, Al Hoota
Cave is located at the foot of Jabal
Shams, in the Al Hamra district. It
is the first and only show cave in
the Gulf area, which is accessible
to the general public. Following
an incentives tour of the caves,
groups can also enjoy the caves
Zajal Restaurant, one of the most
famous in the area, serving Leba-
nese, Omani and International cui-
sine, providing a relaxed and warm
atmosphere with both indoor and
outdoor unique sitting areas.
Transport
Muscat International Airport is the
hub of all aviation activity in Oman
and is also the home of the desti-
nation’s national carrier Oman Air.
Oman also recently soft opened its
new airport in Muscat. This facility
will be open by 2015. A new airport
is also set to open in Salalah by the
end of next year.
OMAN
ing support. The pillar-less Barr Al
Jissah Ballroom seats 700 guests,
and there are also seven additional
meeting rooms.
Al Bustan Palace, A Ritz-Carlton
Hotel: Tucked away between the
rugged Al Hajjar mountain range
and the Sea of Oman, Al Bustan
Palace, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel is a
beachfront retreat that offers a
pristine stretch of private beach,
three distinctive restaurants, and
a wealth of activities for incentives
groups such as kayak safaris and
group fitness activities.
Alila Jabal Akhdar Oman: Jabal
Akhdar is part of the Al Hajjar
mountain range. Perched here
2,000m above sea level, Alila Jabal
Akhdar is the perfect base for
exploring the region’s magnificent
landscape of rugged, untouched
beauty while experiencing the
height of sumptuous comfort. The
premises offers alternative options
such as mountain trekking.
Salalah Rotana Resort: The five-
star resort is set along the shores of
the Indian Ocean with the famous
Salalah Beach just in front of it.
Offering 400 splendid rooms and
suites that are built around lagoons,
water features and manmade
canals, the hotel also features a
number of individual experiences
tailored for groups to discover Sala-
lah and the Dhofar region.
InterContinental Muscat Hotel:
Set in lush palm gardens, this five-
star resort is located in the heart of
the city's residential, government
and diplomatic quarter. The hotel's
Palm Beach Club offers six floodlit
tennis courts, a 25m olympic size
pool, a leisure pool, a fully equipped
gym, sauna, Jacuzzi and easy ac-
cess to the beach. Local sites of
interest include the Grand Mosque
and Amouage Perfume Factory.
Inspiring Venues
Royal Opera House Muscat: Royal
Opera House Muscat is the leading
arts and culture organisation in the
Sultanate of Oman. The multidisci-
plinary work of Royal Opera House
Capital: Muscat
Currency: Omani Rial (OMR)
National Carrier:
Oman Air
Dialling Code: +968

venues of excellence
POINTING A SPOTLIGHT AT SOME OF THE MIDDLE EAST’S MOST OUTSTANDING VENUES
OF EXCELLENCE FOR THE INCENTIVES TRAVELLER, SERENITY HAS COMBED THE REGION
TO BRING YOU THIS SELECTION OF THE TOP ACCOMODATION OPTIONS, GUARaNTEED TO
IMPRESS THE MOST ELITE AND DISCERNING OF GROUPS.
LOCATION HOTEL contact details Overview

Egypt JW Marriott Hotel Cairo marriott.com The award-winning JW Marriott Hotel Cairo
Ring Road, Mirage City, provides a combination of relaxed elegance
11757 Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt and personalised service. Located seven
P.O. Box 427 minutes from Cairo International Airport,
T: +20224115588 the hotel consists of 439 luxurious gues-
trooms, a championship golf course, 12
international dining options and a spa.
QATAR La Cigale Hotel lacigalehotel.com This striking high-design hotel offers a styl-
60 Suhaim Bin Hamad Street, ish yet relaxing haven. A member of The
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LOCATION HOTEL contact details Overview

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Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, offers quality hospitality and unrivalled
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Hotel & Resort Sheikh Humaid Bin Rashid on a private beach, with captivating views
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P.O. Box 24665 comfort, service and beauty for all five
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a Doha business meeting in a soaring out-
door tent. Here, anything is possible.

voice of an expert
s the keynote
speaker for the
Middle East
Luxury Travel
Show’s first edi-
tion, to be held in
Doha in February 2015, Lorre White
is set to impart her wisdom and
share her wealth of experience as a
luxury marketing consultant with the
event's elite participants.
Her long-established and well-honed
media persona is a perfect example
of her expertise in the luxury mar-
keting arena, and as a regular blog-
ger and social media user, Lorre’s
international status as The Luxury
Guru is ever-widening.
You are known as ‘the blogger to
the super rich’. How and why did
you start blogging?
I started blogging in 2004/05 when
I was on the team for a consulting
project for NetJets/Marquis Jets, as
the head of their global marketing
and sales department for their Boe-
ing Business Jet (BBJ) programme.
At the time, their BBJ, which com-
mercially seats 200, was configured
for 18 people with three marble
bathrooms and two bedrooms. I was
looking after NetJets wealthiest cli-
ents. Although they had great finan-
cial resources, they often asked me
where to go, where to stay, where to
eat, which international events were
the most fun, and where the hot par-
ties were. Basically they wanted the
inside scoop, as they do not like to
travel as tourists. They need to know
they will be on the right side of the
velvet rope.
These are people that can afford
every luxury, and have an insatiable
desire for more information regard-
ing all aspects of the luxury sector.
Luxury is fun, and these people can
afford to live fully exhilarated lives.
As a luxury marketing consultant,
I get information about the newest
luxury products and where to buy
them first, so I just started
blogging as a way to better serve my
NetJets clients, and stay in touch
with them after my project was
completed.
From there it just grew by word of
mouth to their peers, and through
my new consulting clients, and inter-
national media work.
As the global media became aware
of who many of my blog followers
were, they started wanting me to ap-
pear on TV and radio to speak about
different luxuries to their audiences.
As this aspect of my media work
grew, the networks needed a place
to find information about items I
covered in my posts, so I added this
to my luxury blog. Each time I was
at the network, it was on a different
subject – yachts, perfumes, travel.
Blogging and my other media work,
gives me access to a worldwide plat-
form from which to speak to a very
powerful global group that are the
shapers of the world.
How does targeting the Ultra High
Net Worth (UHNW) differ from at-
tracting the main stream market?
A
HAVING ESTABLISHED A UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP WITH
SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST ULTRA HIGH NET WORTH
INDIVIDUALS AS THEIR TRUSTED LUXURY LIFESTYLE
GURU, LORRE WHITE KNOWS HOW TO REACH THIS TOP
TIER NICHE. HERE SHE EXPLAINS THE IMPORTANCE OF
A PERSONAL APPROACH TO LUXURY MARKETING.
THE RIGHT SIDE OF
THE VELVET ROPES

Trust is a very important factor in
reaching the UHNW. Many of them
know me personally, or I was recom-
mended by one of their peers. My
consistency of blogging material
has proven reliable. The trust factor
really goes back to the time factor.
They do not want to waste their time
on travel, stay in a hotel, eat in a res-
taurant or shop at stores that were
recommended by someone whose
perception of luxury may not match
their own. I have worked extensively
in the luxury sector for over two
decades as an international luxury
marketing expert. My followers trust
me not to waste their time. Also,
I have had several luxury brands
recommend that their employees
follow my work, as it serves as an
educational source for them to learn
from, and see what is relevant to
their potential clients.
I also share luxury industry articles
from other sources that are of inter-
est to my fan base. They know that I
only post articles that actually have
something relevant to say. This saves
them time. Because of my luxury
marketing training I know how to
reach the UHNW and I have an in-
depth knowledge of what they want,
so it is not really surprising that
it has grown organically. In luxury
marketing it is about who your net-
work consists of, not how many. One
person that can afford your product
or service is more valuable than a
million that cannot. My content stays
true to my specific demographic and
has now for a decade.
Can luxury companies hire you to
introduce their product or service
to your UHNW fan base?
Yes, appropriate brands can pur-
chase a feature story or interview.
Not every business, product, service
or person qualifies. I maintain a very
exclusive fan base by never abusing
their time. If a subject is not deemed
of interest to my readers, a posting
will not be made.
As the only internationally recog-
nised luxury media personality, my
work is also followed by the global
luxury media. Often my posts and
feature articles get republished into
luxury magazines globally. When
Rolls-Royce chose me to do their
first personal interview with their
global CEO, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, it
got republished in print and online,
multiple times in many countries!
When I wrote a feature on Steve
Case, founder, AOL Virginia Winery, it
got picked up and reprinted in a UK
Luxury magazine giving the Virginia
wine industry their first international
media exposure. That is bang for
your buck. I do not just have individ-
uals that follow my work, but a whole
host of global businesses and luxury
media that does too; that gives me a
very large exponential reach.
Why is it important to court the
rich travellers?
According to Forbes, last year UH-
NWs spent over $4 billion on adven-
ture travel. This particular segment,
which includes the private jet and
super yacht travellers, has a much
larger positive financial impact on
the local economy.
By some estimates the UHNW
families have over $50 trillion in Net
Worth which is about three times
the amount of the US deficit. Simply
put, they have the money to spend,
and travel is one of the many ways
they like to spend it.
Luxuries that provide an educa-
tional and emotional component are
fast growing, and travel offers this.
Destinations can increase incoming
UHNW travel by promoting annual
local events and creating new ones
focusing on the areas of interest for
this niche market, such as music,
gastronomy, regattas, exotic cars,
watches or prestigious sports such
as polo or golf.
The next step is to make sure that
people who this UHNW group rec-
ognise, and more importantly trust,
promote and attend these events to
give them faster credibility.
It is the person making the recom-
mendations who really is paramount
when guiding sales to the UHNW.
This small yet powerful niche are
not as easily swayed as the mass
market because they know their
expectations are higher than most.
Luxuries that provide
an educational and
emotional component
are fast growing, and
travel offers this

enrichment zone
• What does the India-
based incentive traveller
want right now, and can
the Middle East provide
for these requirements?
Today, Indians are mature
travellers, with the money
to travel in style. The Indian
market is now combining
business with leisure, and
travelling to destinations
such as Turkey, Jordan, Iran
and Yemen to enjoy the
various cultures.
Creativity and person-
alisation of service is very
important for the Indian
market. The Indian traveller
wants club rooms, suites,
spas, fine dining,
bars, theatre and
entertainment.
• How much
interest is
there in the
Middle East
from In-
dian incentives
travellers and
what luxury selling
points attracts them?
The Middle East is a chang-
ing market and is already
catering very well to the
Indian markets.
Certain countries are very
popular such as Jordan,
Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon,
Iran, the UAE and Oman as
they have excellent hotels
for the high-end traveller, in
fact some of the hotels in
the Middle East are beyond
imagination in terms of
what venues and what kind
of infrastructure they have.
We have seen that the UAE,
Oman, Qatar and Bahrain
are proving to be popular
destinations for long week-
end incentives trips ranging
from between three to four
nights. Mostly these groups
like to stay in luxury villas.
• What do you think the
Middle Eastern tourism
industry could do to help
you to overcome obsta-
cles you face in selling
these destinations?
If airlines created packages
together with high branded
hotels for two or three
nights it would add great
value to the region for the
Indian market.
• What do In-
dian incentives
travellers look
for in terms
of business
needs and
leisure re-
quirements?
For business
travel the Indian
market need room
service, a gym, Wi-Fi
and complimentary break-
fast. They also look out for
special rates, upgrades or
promotions such as, when
you stay for three nights,
the fourth night is free.
Incentives trips are increas-
ingly including family mem-
bers, and when the family
is with them, they look to
pay a little extra to allow the
children access to facilities
such as airport lounges.
They also look for add-ons
that can help to increase
the convenience of their
incentives trip such as early
check-in and late check-out
or airport transfers.
EEMAA MAKHIJA, MANAGING DI-
RECTOR, TRAVEL VOYAGES ex-
plains what is important to the
wealthy travelling indian in-
centives market and how the middle
east can fulfill these requests.
S
JOE CHO, DIRECTOR, TM THAI MAR-
KETING COMPANY REVEALS WHAT
THE KOREAN MARKET WANTs AND
HOW THE MIDDLE EAST CAN TARGET
THIS LUCRATIVE MARKET.
• What do your Incentives clients look
for when they are booking incentives
trips abroad, and what kind of activities
do they want to partake in?
The incentives tourists from Korea don’t
like to change flights when they are travel-
ling. They will always show a preference for
direct routes without any connections, as
opposed to destinations where they have
to change flights.
They are also really looking for new des-
tinations they haven’t been to before as
they don’t like to return to the same area.
In terms of activities during the trip, usu-
ally we do a welcome dinner and farewell
dinner for the groups together with the ho-
tels. We also organise excursions for them.
We offer them a selection of around three
various excursions and activities and they
then have the opportunity to select and
join whichever activity they want.
The Korean market in particular is not in-
terested in organising team building activi-
ties. They prefer to relax individually, and
go on excursions, and then have dinners
together. Most Koreans like water sports
such as boat trips, snorkelling, beaches
and some adventure activities. Most of our
incentives groups only use five-star ac-
commodation.
• How interested are your clients in the
Middle East as a potential incentives
tourism region and how can the various

enrichment zone
• What does the India-
based incentive traveller
want right now, and can
the Middle East provide
for these requirements?
Today, Indians are mature
travellers, with the money
to travel in style. The Indian
market is now combining
business with leisure, and
travelling to destinations
such as Turkey, Jordan, Iran
and Yemen to enjoy the
various cultures.
Creativity and person-
alisation of service is very
important for the Indian
market. The Indian traveller
wants club rooms, suites,
spas, fine dining,
bars, theatre and
entertainment.
• How much
interest is
there in the
Middle East
from In-
dian incentives
travellers and
what luxury selling
points attracts them?
The Middle East is a chang-
ing market and is already
catering very well to the
Indian markets.
Certain countries are very
popular such as Jordan,
Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon,
Iran, the UAE and Oman as
they have excellent hotels
for the high-end traveller, in
fact some of the hotels in
the Middle East are beyond
imagination in terms of
what venues and what kind
of infrastructure they have.
We have seen that the UAE,
Oman, Qatar and Bahrain
are proving to be popular
destinations for long week-
end incentives trips ranging
from between three to four
nights. Mostly these groups
like to stay in luxury villas.
• What do you think the
Middle Eastern tourism
industry could do to help
you to overcome obsta-
cles you face in selling
these destinations?
If airlines created packages
together with high branded
hotels for two or three
nights it would add great
value to the region for the
Indian market.
• What do In-
dian incentives
travellers look
for in terms
of business
needs and
leisure re-
quirements?
For business
travel the Indian
market need room
service, a gym, Wi-Fi
and complimentary break-
fast. They also look out for
special rates, upgrades or
promotions such as, when
you stay for three nights,
the fourth night is free.
Incentives trips are increas-
ingly including family mem-
bers, and when the family
is with them, they look to
pay a little extra to allow the
children access to facilities
such as airport lounges.
They also look for add-ons
that can help to increase
the convenience of their
incentives trip such as early
check-in and late check-out
or airport transfers.
EEMAA MAKHIJA, MANAGING DI-
RECTOR, TRAVEL VOYAGES ex-
plains what is important to the
wealthy travelling indian in-
centives market and how the middle
east can fulfill these requests.
S
destinations in the area further pro-
mote their offerings to your market?
Our clients are interested in the Middle
East, but it hasn’t really been introduced
to Korea yet as an incentives option.
Now is a good time to start promoting the
region because Korea is currently looking
for new destinations, as the travelling pub-
lic and incentives organisers are growing
bored with the familiar ones.
The Korean market likes the beach and
so if there are good direct flights to the
Middle East, the Koreans will come for this
alone. However they need to be more edu-
cated about this region as at the moment
they don’t even know that the region has
good beaches and they don’t know much
about the beach resorts available. They
think of the Middle East as solely a busi-
ness destination with city hotels, or as a
stopover destination.
• Social media is becoming increasingly
important in the incentives tourism in-
dustry. Do you use these tools and how
effective do you find them?
We use social media a lot to market our
partner hotels and destinations.
The Asian market – and Korea especially
– are influenced by celebrity culture so we
introduce new properties and venues via
popular figures. We send them to hotels or
to new countries and they then promote
their travels over their own networks.
Similarly, Korea has a lot of entertainment
shows on television which are really popu-
lar throughout the country. When we show
a new destination on these shows, after-
wards these destinations become popular
amongst Korean travellers.

• What can Abu Dhabi offer the luxury incentives seeker and
what do clients specifically want to do in the destination?
Luxury incentives in Abu Dhabi work well because the destination
has the high-end facilities. Abu Dhabi is an ideal incentives destina-
tion as everything the client may require is available to excellent
high standards. We offer both conference and boardroom-style
incentives, as well as activities and adventure incentives. We can
also arrange incentives which follow different themes.
Participants want to experiences something different such as sand
dune driving, desert 4x4 safaris, yachting or sea fishing. Another
popular activity is tented camps. This may not sound luxury but
there are five-star tented hotels in the desert that are traditional
Offering regional LUXURY INCENTIVES, JOHN
KAILATH, MANAGER, VIP HOLIDAYS, OMEIR TRAVEL
shares his EXPERTise on DESTINATION DIVERSITY.
• What are the current trends,
fashions and demands within
the incentives market, and
what influences these changes?
The increase in the economy has
opened up the demand for travel,
networking, exhibitions, meetings
and events to attract customers, in-
crease market share, and showcase
latest products and services.
At BCD M&I, we are seeing an up-
ward trend in the number of events
and the average number of attend-
ees per meeting over the last year.
However we are also seeing a trend
of shorter lead-time.
There has been less and less talk
about budget constraints, however,
the increase in meeting sizes is
resulting in an increase of prices.
Hotels and conference centres are
naturally holding their preferences
for larger conferences bringing in
greater revenues. Hence the need
for greater lead time is becoming
increasingly essential.
From gathering attendee registra-
tions to announcing programme
agendas to collecting feedback
surveys, meetings are becoming
increasingly technology assisted.
Mobile Apps have brought new
dimension to meetings. Apps down-
loaded on smart phones and iPads
are helping reduce printed materi-
als and making way for increased
green meetings.
We stay current with meeting tools
in order to keep ahead with the
increased adoption of technology
in events. We respond to
SANJAY GANDASI, OP-
ERATIONS MANAGER –
ASIA PACIFIC, BCD M&I,
REVEALS HOW THE DE-
MAND AND THE BUDGET
FOR INCENTIVES TOUR-
ISM IS GROWING FAST.
KEI SATO, GLOBAL
BUSINESS MANAGER,
STAR HOLIDAY MART
shows how luxury
tourism and incen-
tives tours can
work hand in hand.
serenity incentives 2014 • 27a
• What luxuries are your incentives cli-
ents currently requesting?
Our clients specifically ask for luxury accom-
modation in top five-star hotels, they also
like to be treated to large-scale, prestigious
gala dinners in interesting venues such as
museums and parks.
• Do luxury and incentives work togeth-
er, and can the Middle East provide for
the high-end incentives seeker?
I think luxury can certainly be applied to the
incentives niche as the participants want to
experience something special. Our clients
want their groups to feel rewarded and
incentivised. The Middle East has what it
takes. Dubai airport is now an international
hub making it a convenient meeting place
due to a large number of connections. Inter-
nationally there is a feeling that the Middle
East is a high-end destination. People see
Dubai and Abu Dhabi and think everything is
gorgeous and high-tech.

KEI SATO, GLOBAL
BUSINESS MANAGER,
STAR HOLIDAY MART
shows how luxury
tourism and incen-
tives tours can
work hand in hand.
serenity incentives 2014 • 27b
changes with strategic initiatives.
Factors such as economy, innova-
tion in the market place, growth of
an organisation, change in market
strategies, or even shorter lead-
time influence the way meetings
are operated. Growth has created
tremendous competition in the
market. In order to stay ahead,
companies are giving significant
importance to their marketing
strategies and brand awareness.
• Do your clients travel to the
Middle East for incentives, and
what are their top concerns?
Generally the UAE is an emerging
market for meetings and events in
the Middle East, with Dubai taking
the lead and Abu Dhabi being the
second favourite. These destina-
tions offer authentic experiences,
interesting cultural traditions and
state-of-the-art meeting infrastruc-
ture. We anticipate the demand to
host conferences and events in this
region to increase substantially in
upcoming years, driven by busi-
ness, market expectations and
participant demands.
While some of the destinations in
the region provide great flexibility
and infrastructure for meetings,
there are significant challenges
if one wants to go off the beaten
path. Negative events in parts of
the region have affected some
potential meeting destinations.
In these challenging times a forum
to discuss the opportunities in the
region and to debate the direction
the region takes to move forward
is crucial. More and more industry
trade shows/summits, showcasing
travel friendly policies, infrastruc-
ture and resource strength of the
region, successful case studies and
best practices applicable for the
region would help clear the uncer-
tainty in the mind of a participant.
facilities offering a taste of authentic Abu Dhabi, and still main-
tain the luxurious element. It is very important for our clients to
get an authentic idea of the destination. We are seeing a trend for
people becoming more creative with their packages. They want
full itineraries with a wide variety of different options.
• How popular is Abu Dhabi as an inbound destination from
markets outside the Middle East?
Abu Dhabi is a growing destination for this kind of tourism from
markets coming from outside the Middle East. Our packages are
attracting people from Europe and the US, as more and more
clients see, and become aware of the sophistication of the destina-
tion, as well as its status as a new and extremely organised and
hyper-active city where you can find everything. Abu Dhabi has a
very good international image as there are no restrictions; they
are financially solid, modern and safe.
• How aware are your clients of the
Middle East and its incentives potential,
and how can the region better its image?
Our Asian clients do not ask us about the
Middle East very often because we do not
have an office or a network there yet.
Some of the countries in the area are not
safe and still have some political issues
and this is confusing for our clients. Many
of them only know about the Middle East
through what they see and hear on the
news. There are also some clients of ours
who do not know much about the diversity
of the region, and think of the area as just
the UAE and nothing else.
In order to market themselves better and
educate international markets, the tourism
boards should do road shows around Asia to
further educate people on what else there
is over and above the UAE. Show the region
from the point of view of the tourist, show
us what the countries have to offer, show us
there is more then what we see in the news.

Hud Hud Travels operates in an alternative niche of the incentives
industry. In your experience, who is it that seeks this genre of incen-
tives programme, and where do these groups come from?
We find that it is normally brand-focused companies that are the most
thoughtful in terms of designing their incentive trips, wanting to make
sure that each trip is exceptional and not just another cut and paste from
last year. Such companies are still primarily coming from Europe.
Have you noticed a rise in outbound incentives tours, with companies
moving away from home and taking delegates outside the country?
We haven’t really noticed such a trend. It seems there are those who plan
exceptional incentives and those that don’t. I don’t think it is a question of
whether incentives take place in the home country or elsewhere, but more
importantly how much thought has gone in to matching the agenda to
those involved and the overall goal of the incentive trip.
How aware do you think the international incentives buyers are about
the potential of the Middle East in general, and Oman specifically?
I imagine that the potential for incentive trips in the Middle East has not
yet been realised internationally when compared to the likes of South
Africa. The responsibility for raising the profile of a destination and its
incentive potential should be shared by the national tourism office, agents
selling the destination and operators in the destination. In particular, op-
erators need to contextualise the potential and talk about specific oppor-
tunities that can be easily understood by the market rather than talking
platitudes about generic attributes.
What do you think it is that draws incentives groups to Oman?
The draw to Oman should be the vast and varied open spaces but it is only
since Oman Air has expanded its network to include significant European
and Asian routes that the logistical side of large incentives has been
achievable in Oman. Hud Hud fits well into this by being able to facilitate
events in the most remote parts of the country with an exceptional degree
of luxury and an entirely customised programme.
behold the artisan
ERIC WALTERS, DIRECTOR,
HUD HUD TRAVELS HOSTS
LUXURY INCENTIVES in
THE WILD AND REMOTE
CORNERS OF OMAN’S STUN-
NING and untouched
LANDSCAPE. HERE, ERIC
TELLS US WHY UNIQUE
IDEAS WORK BETTER THAN
COPY PASTE TOURS.

behold the artisan
ERIC WALTERS, DIRECTOR,
HUD HUD TRAVELS HOSTS
LUXURY INCENTIVES in
THE WILD AND REMOTE
CORNERS OF OMAN’S STUN-
NING and untouched
LANDSCAPE. HERE, ERIC
TELLS US WHY UNIQUE
IDEAS WORK BETTER THAN
COPY PASTE TOURS.
Hud Hud Travels manages to create a balance between pampering
guests and also challenging and educating them. How importance is
this balance to the success of the incentives market?
To those that want to look after their guests or clients well but also make
their incentives trip a memorable experience, the combination of a high
level of comfort in an inhospitable environment is an enticing way of
achieving this. For example, taking a group of executives from a Dutch oil
and gas company into the desert, carrying out survival exercises led by
military personnel and leading them to believe that this was the set up for
the night was a great way of taking them out of their comfort zone. The
night ended with them being led to a proper Hud Hud camp with excellent
food and hot showers. This was totally unexpected, very much appreciated
and unforgettable.
What are the benefits of this outdoor, adventure-based incentives
concept in comparison to the more traditional programmes?
Arranging a trip that takes more organisation and thought than a pure
hotel stay says a lot about our client and how they regard those for whom
this is an incentive. Aside from being a great experience, it also shows that
those for whom the incentive is organised are greatly appreciated.
Can you give us an example of how a company has seen positive re-
sults following a Hud Hud Travels incentives programme?
It is very hard to quantify what is mostly a qualitative ‘feeling’ that the
incentive was a success. It requires clear objectives of the incentive before
it takes place to be able to look back and consider how successful it was.
One example is of a two day trip that we organised a few years back for
the local entity of a global bank. The heads of sections were invited by the
CEO to spend a few days doing various energetic team-building exercises
as a way of saying thank you for their performance, but also with the
expressed objective of getting the teams to work more closely together
across departments. I know that this was a resounding success because
even though some of the participants have since moved on in their ca-
reers, they still remember the experience warmly today.

dispelling the myths
AS THE INCENTIVES NICHE GETS MORE AND MORE CREATIVE IN ITS OFFERINGS, MOVING
ACTIVITIES OUT OF THE BOARDROOM AND INTO THE CITY OR EVEN THE WILDERNESS OF
NATURE, THE MIDDLE EAST IS SEIZING ITS OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW OFF ITS PLETHORA OF
ASSETS. HERE, INCENTIVES INSIDERS REVEAL SOME OF THE SECRETS OF THE INDUSTRY,
AND UNPICK THE MISCONCEPTIONS THAT HOLD IT BACK.
Group Spending
Local incentives groups
from companies within
the Middle East region
are usually made up of
smaller groups of be-
tween 30 – 40 people,
however they tend to
spend more money on
their accommodation,
transport and activities.
On the other hand the
Asian groups are bigger
in numbers of partici-
pants, but they usually
have smaller budgets.
Kei Sato, Global Business
Manager, Star Holiday
Mart
Going Camping
Destinations with flex-
ibility to offer sporting,
offsite or teambuilding
options are more suc-
cessful in today’s market
than a conventional hotel
offering only rooms and
meeting spaces. Today’s
meeting space is far from
what a meeting space
used to be five years ago.
The focus is to provide
greater networking and
teambuilding opportuni-
ties, and it is no surprise
seeing delegates assem-
bled around a campfire
instead of a boardroom.
Sanjay Gandasi, Op-
erations Manager – Asia
Pacific, BCD M&I
Emphasising Safety
International markets
are showing a growing
interest in the Gulf region,
and are well aware of the
luxury and opulence on
offer. These travellers are
curious to experience this
level of hospitality. Clear
understanding of how
safe the destination is
has to be emphasised, as
unfortunately sometimes
there is a lack of informa-
tion that leads to hesi-
tance to explore the area.
The tourism boards and
the DMCs in the region
make great efforts to
clarify this misconception.
Samir Tabbah, CEO,
Desert Gate
Alternative
Transport
Seawings, a hydroplane,
offers transfers from
Dubai to Ras Al Khaimah
as well as 45-minute aer-
ial sightseeing tours to
see some of the emirates’
most iconic landmarks in-
cluding the Hajjar Moun-
tains and coastal areas.
Ras Al Khaimah hotels
have excellent concierge
services that are ready to
tailor individual or group
transport to each group's
needs. This could be with
a shuttle bus, limo, yacht
or helicopter.
Steven Rice, CEO, Ras Al
Khaimah Tourism Devel-
opment Authority
East meets West
We are looking at in-
creasing our focus on
the incentives market
in the coming months.
Cyprus is in a great posi-
tion geographically to
cater to large companies
who have offices in both
Europe and the Middle
East as it is located right
in between these two
continents, so teams from
both offices can come
and meet in the middle in
Cyprus.
Demetris Rotsides,
Operations Manager,
The Royal Apollonia
Investment
Opportunities
The Egyptian Ministry of
Tourism is working on a
number of projects as
there is good demand
for Egypt now that many
countries have removed
their warnings. Benefits
of this include offering
investment opportunities,
return of charter flights
to certain destinations
and improving and creat-
ing new destinations such
as the North coast and
Ein El Sokhna.
Lamia Assem, Director of
Marketing, Sofitel Legend
Old Cataract Aswan, Sofi-
tel Winter Palace Luxor,
Pavillon Winter Luxor

Georgios A Str., Potamos Germasogeias 4048,
Limassol, 3608, Cyprus
T: +357 25 50 88 00
theroyalapollonia.com
impressions
A soft breeze dances around the bottom of the white
linen drapes, teasing me with fleeting glimpses of the
sunbathed blue horizon where the sea gradually fades
out to meet the sky.
I’m lying back on the crispest of clean white sheets,
head resting on pillows that are cloud-like in their per-
fect softness. I can’t remember the last time I felt this
luxuriously comfortable and relaxed.
In fact, the whole ambience of this newly refurbished ho-
tel is very much that of a high-end leisure beach resort,
all elements working together in harmony to ensure
rest, relaxation, pampering and indulgence. The plethora
of facilities available at the hotel seduce visitors out of
the hustle and bustle of their everyday reality, and lull
them into a vacation-induced state of total repose.
Downstairs aromatic scents waft up from the opulent
Royal Spa where guests can indulge in an authentic
Dead Sea simulation experience in The Royal Spa Cli-
matological Dead Sea Room that reproduces the unique
healing properties of the Dead Sea. Temptingly exotic
treatments range from Thai massages, to Hot Candle
therapies, and once guests are done being rubbed,
pummelled, scrubbed and soaked, they can also enjoy
a steam room, sauna and – for the more active visitor, a
fully-equipped fitness centre.
Tennis courts, a beautiful turquoise swimming pool
complete with a swim-up pool bar and a selection of
excellent F&B outlets round off the leisure options, yet
while The Royal Apollonia is catering to this side of
the industry with such proficiency, the property is also
gearing up to increase its corporate quota.
The business centre and conference rooms are sched-
uled to soon become the last parts of the hotel to
undergo renovation and as with everything else at the
five-star hotel, I am sure that once complete, these
facilities will provide not only practicality, but also style,
comfort and luxury.
Although my room at The Royal Apollonia was not
designed for business guests – there is no desk so to
speak, and the Wi-Fi is not complimentary – the clean,
light, minimalist design reflected the simple yet com-
forting hospitality of the Mediterranean, the bathroom
included my very own Jacuzzi-style jet stream bath and
rain shower, and I desperately wanted to take the beau-
tifully blossoming bright pink orchids home with me.
The Royal Apollonia Limassol Emily Millett

Khor Al Maqta, P.O. Box 128881, ABU DHABI, UAE
T: +971 2 509 8888
shangri-la.com/abudhabi/shangrila
brought to you by serenity
Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri Tony Fields
Although I was only staying at Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat
Al Beri, Abu Dhabi for two nights, the luxury hotel, and
its highly professional and genuinely friendly staff im-
pressed me from the offset.
The property has a huge selection of facilities available
for both leisure and corporate guests. And while I rel-
ished the chance to test the fully Technogym-equipped
fitness centre, I would have loved to have also tried out
the training pool, and savoured the exotic flavours at the
many dining outlets.
However, true to the brand’s ‘hospitality from the heart’
form, and displaying an almost intuitive knowledge of
exactly what I needed from my stay, the staff at the hotel
put me in a Horizon Room on the executive floor, which
entitled me to full use of the Horizon Floor, where break-
fast, drinks and snacks were available all day. This service
was extremely convenient and made my stay even more
stress-free. The staff working at the Horizon Club really
went the extra mile to personalise the service, remem-
bering my special green tea order every time I visited.
This above and beyond style of hospitality made me feel
special and is the true mark of a luxury supplier. Horizon
Room guests can also avail of late check-out.
While, Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi offers
conference and function rooms that are fully-equipped
with the latest state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment
and can cater to both small and medium-sized events,
the overall feeling of the hotel is very much geared to-
wards the high-end leisure market.
A sprawling infinity pool overlooks Abu Dhabi’s creek,
and offers magnificent views of The Sheikh Zayed Grand
Mosque. Guests can also enjoy the long stretch of private
beach, or indulge in one of the relaxing healing treat-
ments at CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La.
In keeping with the roots of the Shangri-La Hotel and
Resorts brand, the Asian atmosphere that permeates
throughout the hotel – in both its aesthetics and its per-
sonnel – works harmoniously to create a very peaceful
environment, conducive to business travel as well as rest
and relaxation.
Facilitating convenient movement throughout the emir-
ate for both business and leisure guests, Shangri-La
Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi is located very close to
the airport, and within easy driving distance to ADNEC,
Yas Island and the Abu Dhabi Corniche.

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