Airlines & airports Jazeera flies to Assiut JAZEERA Airways, Kuwait's low-budget carrier, has started flights to Assiut in Upper Egypt three times a week. "For the first time people will benefit from 24-hour online booking, online payment, and online seat reservations, in addition to all year-round low fares starting at $35," said Badr Al-Mershed of Jazeera Airways. Assiut, known for its historical, cultural and tourist sites, is the airline's third destination in Egypt, the other two being Alexandria and Luxor. Frequent flyer system selected EGYPTAIR has signed an agreement with HITIT Computer Services to use the Crane Frequent Flyer System to enhance its loyalty programme. The software will enable the airline to improve customer service and create a solid foundation for its EgyptAir Loyalty Programme. It was selected because of its versatility and user friendliness. New Arab cuisine launched EGYPT, a time honoured melting pot for cultures, is once again the meeting ground of the Occident and the Orient. On 2 November, Cairo has seen exclusive West-East dialogue, this time, on the dining table; Lufthansa German Airlines, true to its long-standing traditions in the Middle East, and celebrating almost 50 years in Egypt, has presented the New Arabian Cuisine to the Egyptian media, in preparation for its offering it later to its First and Business Class passengers. Providing a healthy model for culture dialogue on a fresh culinary front, Germany's top cook, Ingo Maass, and his Egyptian counterpart, Amgad Zaki joined hands in developing the New Arabian Cuisine, a unique fusion of the finest ingredients and flavours of the Near and Middle East together with the refined arts of the European cooking. "The cuisine is exclusively created to be served on board all Lufthansa's Middle Eastern outbound flights plus around 40 destinations in Europe and Maghreb," noted Peter Emmerich, Lufthansa regional director of passenger sales. Hotels Only for kids THE GRAND Rotana Resort & Spa recently announced the opening of the first Rotana "Kids Café" at the resort premises in Sharm El-Sheikh. The Kids Café is a supervised outlet exclusively for children between 4-12, It is opened daily from 12.00 to 17.00. The café is located on the beach front adjacent to the Palm's Bar offering an open-air, shaded safe space on a soft green grass ground. With the launch of the Kids Café, the Grand Rotana Resort & Spa is becoming more and more a dedicated children's resort. Parents now can relax on the 450 metres of beach, pamper themselves at Zen spa and enjoy a rejuvenating spa experience or simply have a delicious meal at the Palm's Bar while their kids are a few metres away. For only LE40/$7, children can choose whatever they like from their own café's special "Eat all what you can" menu with its diverse assortments, including the delicious Baby Bay Burger, the Captain's Cooks Fish Fingers, Chicken Nuggets, the Barbie candy flues, soft drinks and their favourite ice- cream. The café offers a full afternoon programme that includes games, meals, and arts and crafts, in addition to a variety of recreational and educational activities that compliment activities already existing at the Grand Rotana's "Kids Club". "We strive to be a child-dedicated resort to realise the Grand Rotana's mission statement of being a resort offering the safest, most innovative, varied and most caring of children's activities and facilities in the region," Karim El-Ghazzawi, the resort's general manager said. "We understand the needs of families. If the children are having a good time, this usually means the parents are, too." Best four-star hotel in Cairo NOVOTEL 6th October was awarded "Best four-star hotel in Greater Cairo" during a ceremony marking World Tourism Day. Galal El-Safti, the hotel general manager, received the award from Minister of Tourism Zoheir Garanah. Novotel 6th October is recognised for the unique quality of its products, services and meetings facilities that exceeds guest expectations, all in a friendly environment. The 195-room hotel was officially opened in May 2005 and includes 17 suites, a fitness centre and outdoor heated pool surrounded by fabulous gardens. It also caters for conference and meeting market requirements by providing unique facilities considered the best of its kind in product, services and value for money. Final phase of renovations INTERCONTINENTAL Hotels Group has announced the start of the final phase of a multi-million renovation project at the iconic Semiramis InterContinental hotel at the heart of Cairo's city centre. New additions to public areas will enhance the stylish improvements made in previous phases, while maintaining a delicate balance of luxury offerings and authentic "in the know" experiences that InterContinental Hotels and Resorts is known for. World-leading designers Tonychi and Associate have devised a concept for the new-look property which will integrate the essence of ancient Egyptian culture blended with contemporary international design. A sense of grandeur will be achieved through a complete upgrade of the main lobby and reception areas, while the Tea Garden and Night and Day Restaurant will be subject to an overhaul designed to create two unique dining venues in the city. While the Tea Garden has been redesigned around a central fountain to incorporate a new tea and beverage gallery and an integrated entertainment zone, The Grill, covering 700 square metres, will include a new wine cellar, private dining rooms, a central oven grill and an open kitchen. This final stage of renovation follows the earlier upgrade of the hotel's Club InterContinental lounge, the upscale brand's exclusive facility for discerning travellers, as well as the Executive Club floors and the Cleopatra ballroom, which was given a stunning new look by famous French designer Pierre Yves Rochon. Once completed, the refreshed public areas and dining options will perfectly complement the top-of-the-range facilities for both business and leisure travellers who return to the property for its superior service and extensive state-of-the-art business facilities. Mena House top 10 MENA House Oberoi Hotel in Giza was chosen by Travelers magazine, one of the most popular tourist magazines worldwide, one of the top 10 hotels in a survey conducted by the magazine for travellers to the Middle East, Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands. According to tourist officials, the selection of Mena House is an achievement for Egyptian tourism especially in the hotel sector which proves that the standard of Egyptian hotels and the quality of services offered can compete with famous international hotel chains. Mena House was built by Khedive Ismail in 1869 to welcome Queen Eugene. Later, a British family bought the palace and transformed it into a hotel to receive a limited number of elite tourists: kings and queens who wanted to spend the New Year in Egypt. Charity tent in Cairo Sheraton... FOR the fourth consecutive year, Cairo Sheraton Hotel launched "A Smile of a Child" campaign under the sponsorship of MobiNil, Mansour Group, Orascom Telecom and Orbit. Seventy orphanages in Cairo and 35 distinguished schools participated in the campaign during the holy month of Ramadan. Through cultural activities, the campaign aims to shed light on disabled children and support their integration in society. Singers and other celebrities were keen to support the noble cause, including Nassir Shamma, Talaat Zein, Mustafa Amar, Shaza, Hamid El-Shairi, Mirna El-Mohandes, Dalia El-Beheiri. ... and Welad Misr tent in InterContinental Citystars INTERCONTINENTAL Citystars Hotel joined forces this Ramadan with Welad Misr Association headed by Mohamed El-Okda. Welad Misr Association set up a Ramadan Iftar tent in the Shooting Club in Doqqi throughout the month of Ramadan, feeding over 3,000 needy people. InterContinental Citystars supported Iftar meals at the Ramadan tent for four consecutive days. A team of the hotel's management and staff acted as supervisors and also entertained with games and storytelling. Singer Essam Karika and society figures participated in the Iftar. Certificate of appreciation in Safaga MINA VILLE Village in Safaga received a certificate of appreciation from the minister of tourism on the occasion of World Tourism Day for its efforts to promote tourism in Egypt. Mena Ville is the only hotel in Safaga, and only one of six hotels in the Red Sea governorate to receive the honorary certificate. Employees training IN AN ATTEMPT to upgrade the skills of its employees through continuous training, Sheraton Montazah Hotel in Alexandria recently held a training course for senior hotel staff and supervisors on how to motivate staff members to achieve better results. The course was given by Mohamed Gamal, director of training at the hotel, and was attended by a large group of supervisors and middle management staff members. Kazakhstan in Almaza THE ALMAZA Beach Resort in Marsa Matruh recently hosted an educational tour organised by the Kazakhstan Embassy. The tour included 40 people who visited the resort in Marsa Matruh. Group members saw one of the picturesque locations in Egypt with its amazing clear sea water as well as the services and activities available in the resort. New chef at Four Seasons GIANCARLO Gottardo has been appointed executive chef at the Four Seasons First Residence. Gottardo, an Italian, was formerly in Four Seasons Istanbul where he held the same position. Born in Sicily in 1969, Gottardo graduated from Art Design School in Varese, Italy and continued his education at the Culinary School in Milan. He started his apprenticeship in various reputable restaurants and hotels in Italy including the Grand Hotel Congress Leonardo Da Vinci in Milan from 1991 to 1994 and the Princess Hotel of Savoy from 1994 to 1995. In 1997 he decided to move to the US in order to experience new world cuisine and in 2003 returned to Europe, to Four Seasons Istanbul, where within a year he earned the title of "Best Executive Chef in Istanbul" by Time Out Magazine. The authenticity of chef Giancarlo's cooking is not only defined by the need to shape a distinctive cuisine through acknowledgment of his roots, and by providing personal attention to the comfort and hospitality of his guests, but by also searching out the highest quality ingredients. New Sharm appointment LUCA Allegri has been appointed general manager of Four Seasons Hotel Sharm El-Sheikh. Allegri's 20-year-career in the hospitality industry has taken him to Paris, Rome, London and New York. He received his professional education in Italy, his birthplace, and Cornell University in New York. Events Free diving in Hurghada IN DECEMBER, Hurghada, on the Red Sea, will host the World Free Diving Championship expected to attract thousands of travellers and diving fans from around the world. In his meeting with Yehia Mustafa, board chairman of the organising company, Minister of Tourism Zoheir Garanah stressed the importance of holding such international championships in Egypt and the media coverage accompanying it as an effective tool for promoting Egypt and attracting tourists. Garanah added that diving is one of the most important tourist trends in Egypt and that Egypt is considered one of the most famous diving destinations worldwide as a result of its enormous potential in the field. Mustafa said the championship, in Egypt for the first time, will be aired directly from the bottom of the sea. He added that the company has already prepared 30 second advertisements of diving in Egypt and Egyptian tourism in general. The company is also preparing booklets as well as CDs to be distributed to government offices and EgyptAir as well as tourist offices abroad.
