Airlines & airports New tickets STARTING next year, EgyptAir's IATA will stop distributing its usual paper tickets and will introduce the e- ticketing system. According to EgyptAir, the e-ticketing system is to help the company serve more clients from all over the world better and faster because it eliminates the long procedures taken to issue tickets. With this new system, EgyptAir will automatically track unused tickets and eliminate the need for physical documents. Twice its size MARSA Alam airport is expected to more than double its capacity within the next five years. The expansion plan, managed and financed by the M A Kharafi Group, includes lengthening runways to accommodate larger planes and adding new restaurants and shops inside the airport. Expanding the airport will upgrade its handling capacity from 600 to 1,200 passengers and from five to 10 scheduled flights per hour. Moreover, the terminal building's total area will increase from 6,000 square metres to 12,000 square metres. The plan is to be completed by the end of 2007. Currently Marsa Alam's terminal can handle 250,000 arrivals mostly from Germany, Switzerland, and the UK. It opened in November 2001. Empty seat STARTING the end of October, travelling in regional traffic with Lufthansa will be more comfortable. With the start of the winter flight timetable, on all flights with the Lufthansa Regional fleet the neighbouring seat in the Business Class will remain free. Thus, passengers will have considerably more freedom of movement and additional space which can be used for working and relaxing. The service, to be offered on all German domestic and European routes with respect to seat comfort, is unique in Europe. With its Lufthansa Regional service, Lufthansa offers its customers a comprehensive and high-quality programme of direct flights between many regional airports and optimal transfer connections to its Frankfurt and Munich hubs. In the course of its quality offensive, Lufthansa has been leaving the centre seats free on numerous aircraft in the Business Class since 2004. Guests thus enjoy additional space and greater privacy. With the regional fleet adding 12 Bombardier CRJ900s, Lufthansa CityLine will additionally be operating new aircraft with a contemporary, more modern cabin design and more comfortable seats with increased leg-room. Under the umbrella brand "Lufthansa Regional", Lufthansa cooperates with Air Dolomiti, Augsburg Airways, Lufthansa CityLine, Contact Air and Eurowings, in order to provide an optimal network in regional air traffic for Lufthansa customers. With Lufthansa Regional, passengers can reach 82 destinations, away from the major flows of traffic, quickly and comfortably. New route to Calgary BRITISH Airways will launch a new service from London Heathrow to Calgary in Canada starting December 2006. There will be five flights each week on a Boeing 777 to the city in the Canadian province of Alberta. "Calgary is an important business and leisure destination. Alberta has a growing oil and gas industry and Calgary is the gateway to the Canadian Rockies with a large number of holidaymakers visiting throughout the year," says Robert Boyle, British Airways' director of planning. In addition to this new route, the airline is launching an eighth daily service from London Heathrow to New York JFK on 1 December 2006 and increasing flights from London Heathrow to Sao Paulo in Brazil from seven to 10 each week on 3 December. "We offer a more comprehensive schedule between London and New York than any other airline with three flights each day from Heathrow to Newark in addition to our JFK services," Boyle said. "Brazil is an increasingly popular destination and we are adding extra capacity after air services talks between the British and Brazilian governments earlier this year approved more flights between the two countries." Hotels & resorts Celebrating Eid in Sharm El-Sheikh FOUR Seasons Resort Sharm El-Sheikh is preparing an exquisite programme for those who decide to spend the Eid vacation in their exclusive property. The resort's chefs have devised a range of menus designed to appeal to the most discerning of tastes and, alongside a range of international flavours are Arabic specialties, many unique to the Eid festivities. The last day of Ramadan is a day of anticipation at the celebrations ahead and in the resort's popular Arabesque Restaurant, a lavish Iftar buffet will continue until late in the evening, including traditional Middle Eastern mezzah and Oriental grilled lamb followed by typical and delicious desserts. While guests are indulging in various Oriental options, they will enjoy lively traditional Arabic music and a belly dancer. The resort's Italian restaurant, Il Frantoio, will extend its evening menu until midnight to ensure diners can celebrate the beginning of the Eid festivities in comfortable surrounds. In true Eid tradition, the resort will offer trays of traditional kahk -- cookies -- in each of its rooms on the first day of the holiday. This is the start of many complimentary gifts for guests to enjoy over the three-day celebration. A hearty breakfast will be served in Arabesque each morning of the holiday as well as a children's buffet. The first lunch of Eid will be marked with a gourmet extravaganza, international delights and delicious mouth watering sweets in the resort's Waha and Reef Grill restaurants. A recent innovation at the resort and of particular appeal during the festive period is the Asian Theme dinner on the second day. The experience takes place at Arabesque for an evening of typical Asian food served buffet style. During the Eid's last night, Four Seasons Resort Sharm El-Sheikh will offer a large selection of fresh seafood, cooked according to the guest's request, at its Waha restaurant. Throughout their stay, guests can explore the many leisure pursuits available within the resort, from basking on the beach to tennis, jogging or just relaxing by the pool. The more adventurous will discover world class diving facilities available through the resort's own dive centre, while those in search of a different type of escapism can be pampered in the luxurious surrounds of the spa. Information on the company and on Four Seasons Resort Sharm El-Sheikh can be accessed through the Four Seasons website at www.fourseasons.com. Ramadan delights TRAVELLERS might think that Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month, is a period of a lack of activities in Egypt's hotels and resorts. However, Ramadan, in particular has become a festive month for most hotels especially those located in Cairo where sumptuous Iftar and Sohour buffets offer mouth- watering delicacies throughout the month in addition to many activities taking place until dawn. It is a unique chance to experience a traditional Oriental atmosphere. The Ramses Hilton Hotel +202 577 7444 offers Iftar buffets at the Terrace Café Restaurant. As for Sohour guests may experience a traditional Ramadan evening at the Garden Court Café from popular beverages, delicious Ramadan specialties to the taste of typical Egyptian flavoured shisha. They can also bring their friends along and enjoy a relaxing evening, play backgammon, cards or dominos while listening to traditional Oriental music and lively Ramadan songs. A raffle will be held every Thursday and the winner will receive a valuable prize. For a more casual setting, guests can try the Rendez Vous Café located at the Hilton Shopping Galleria which offers truly delicious Egyptian specialties. At the InterContinental Citystars Cairo +202 480 0100 you can enjoy a wide selection of foods. In Esplanade café restaurant you will have a delicious Ramadan buffet for Iftar and a set menu for Sohour, offering exceptional Oriental cuisine and a variety of local specialties. Esplanade Lounge and Terrace opens daily with Oriental takht to entertain guests after Iftar till midnight. If you are a fan of Lebanese food, then Fayruz restaurant is the place. Fayruz offers traditional Lebanese mezzah, salads, main dishes and fresh bread skilfully prepared for Ramadan by Lebanese chef Bassam, with live Oriental takht daily. Al-Bustan is another outlet where you can enjoy Ramadan in an Oriental atmosphere. It offers daily, live entertainment while enjoying your favourite shisha. The poolside is also a nice experience with an extensive Oriental selection of Ramadan drinks and flavoured shisha. For outdoor dining, the Arcade and the Lounge could be a good choice. The Arcade, an open air outlet with air- conditioning, is offering the best dining experience in town in an inviting Ramadan ambiance with live entertainment. The Lounge, Cairo's first air-conditioned outside lounge, offers live entertainment daily. Zitouni at Four Seasons Nile Plaza +202 791 7000 offers extravagant Iftar buffets with a range of mouth watering Lebanese and Oriental specialties and delights. If you are looking for an outdoor outlet, the Pool Grill will offer family style Iftar which includes a variety of popular hot and cold mezzah, a choice of soups as well as a range of appetising main courses, traditional Ramadan drinks and a broad assortment of shisha flavours and daily, live entertainment. A new service is the poolside cabanas that accommodate up to six persons and can be rented for private Sohour gatherings with friends while enjoying a specially prepared menu and watching Ramadan programmes. Marriott awards CAIRO Marriott Hotel recently won the prestigious Al-Rameh silver award given by the Egyptian Advertising Association (IAA) for the best multimedia presentation for the hotel's historical facilities due to its creative approach and high production quality. The IAA selected Marriott's Aida ballroom to hold the Al-Rameh ceremony. Mandarin in Luxor IBEROTEL Luxor Hotel recently launched the first Mandarin Chinese restaurant in Luxor, the third in Egypt. A grand opening was attended by a high-profile delegation including the chairman of the standing committee of China. The Chinese restaurant features a set menu, à la carte as well as take-aways. "It is wonderful to finally have a presence in Luxor," said Bernard Tan Mandarin, managing director. "Many people have waited patiently for this moment. Now that we're finally open, we want to thank the Iberotel management for their constant encouragement. We hope to build on that enthusiasm. It really will become a part of the Luxor experience." The magic of dance ACCOR Group with its hotel brands Sofitel, Novotel and Mercure has sponsored the biggest Cuban cultural event to arrive in Egypt -- the Magic of Dance show by the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, under the direction of prima ballerina Alicia Alonso, one of the most outstanding personalities in the history of ballet. Egyptian audiences had the opportunity to watch spell- binding scenes from such classic ballets as Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Coppelia, Don Quiotte and Swan Lake. The Ballet Nacional de Cuba performed in the Cairo and Alexandria opera houses. Wedding of handicapped challengers SEMIRAMIS InterContinental recently sponsored the eighth collective wedding festival for handicapped challengers organised by the Association for Handicapped Challengers held in Tiba Ballroom. The event began with an address by Shahata Khamis, chairman of the association and was attended by prominent key political figures such as Osama El-Baz, Adel El-Shafie and Mohamed Abul-Kheir. Highlights of the evening were famous belly dancer Dina, singers Haitham Said, Hoda, Shiko, Ahmed El-Esawi, and DJ Ahmed Salama. Valuable prizes were distributed. New mission for Rotana KARIM El-Ghazzawi, general manager of the Grand Rotana Resort and Spa Sharm El-Sheikh, recently hosted an area management meeting aiming at forming a new position statement for the Grand Rotana Resort and Spa. The meeting gathered all executives, area management and department heads to contribute in the brainstorming workshop. The resort's policy entails offering to each and every guest a distinguished and memorable resort experience by constantly providing friendly yet professional service in a relaxed Arabian atmosphere. The resort vision is to be the leading five-star deluxe resort in Sharm El-Sheikh by the end of 2008. The meeting also highlighted the fact that the Grand Rotana will strive to capitalise on its unique product along with its unparalleled set of facilities to be the leader in providing a creative dining experience, the safest and most innovative of children's activities and facilities in the area in addition to the first ZEN Spa experience fully integrated to both resort guests and the local community by its diverse therapies and ambiance. Best employees at Sonesta IN KEEPING with its tradition of awarding hard working and exceptional employees, Sonesta Cairo Hotels and Casino chose Edmon Mourice from the front office department, Mohamed Abdel-Nabi from accounting, Samir Sayed from housekeeping and Roshedi Said from engineering as best employees for the month of August. New in Kuwait MÖVENPICK Hotels & Resorts announces the opening of a second property in Kuwait. A management agreement has just been signed with the owning company ALARGAN International Real Estate Co for the exclusive 308-room Mövenpick Resort & Residence Al-Bidaa Kuwait. The move is part of the Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts' strategic growth plans in the Middle East and signals their strong commitment to developing tourism in Kuwait. "Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts enjoys an excellent reputation in the Gulf region", says Khaled Al-Mashaan, chairman and managing director of ALARGAN International Real Estate Co. "We look forward to working together with the Swiss hotel group and are confident that Mövenpick's successful philosophy can be readily implemented at the Mövenpick Resort and Residence Al-Bidaa Kuwait." Scheduled to open at the end of the year the five-star hotel is located just 15 minutes from Kuwait International Airport in the city's prestigious Salmiah area. It covers 40,000 sqm with 308 rooms and suites including a presidential suite and 14 family villas. The hotel's particular strength will be the residence part of the complex which houses an extensive choice of studios, two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments designed to attract long-stay guests and serve as a weekend retreat for the domestic market. JAZ hotels to open in Sinai JAZ Hotels and Resorts recently announced the first new addition to its portfolio. Slated to open this month, the JAZ Mirabel Beach Resort will be the premiere JAZ property, complementing the brand's collection of luxurious hotels. Through its unrivalled location along a pristine stretch of beach just on Nabq Bay in Sharm El-Sheikh, south Sinai, the JAZ Mirabel Beach Resort will feature unobstructed Red Sea views for all guest rooms. An internationally renowned architecture firm is overseeing the design of the project, which will reflect a vibrant, modern spirit evocative of its surroundings. The resort, developed by Travco Group, will feature 645 guestrooms including a full-service spa, an amphitheater and a range of culinary restaurants and bars. "We are delighted to introduce this property to be the first JAZ Resort," said Hamed El-Chiati, chairman and CEO of Travco Group. "In addition to its location in one of the Red Sea's most highly coveted resort destinations, the JAZ Mirabel Beach Resort will offer the impeccable standard of service and comfortable surroundings that are the JAZ hallmark," he added. "This project represents the marriage of the outstanding JAZ Hotels and Resorts' innovative concepts with Egyptotel Group consisting of Iberotel and Sol Y Mar Hotels and Resorts," El-Chiati said. "We are pleased to be working together to create a special environment for discerning hotel guests and holiday travellers." Carefully crafted to appeal to discerning guests, the JAZ Hotels and Resorts brand was developed by a team of hospitality experts. The JAZ concept was designed to appeal to sophisticated travellers, combining a new sense of luxury with superior customer service. Each JAZ property will offer luxury accommodations with a true sense of discovery, and designs to showcase its distinct surroundings. JAZ Mirabel Beach Resort will be the brand's premiere beach property. Other JAZ Hotels and Resorts are currently planned for development in Hurghada, Marsa Matruh and other major travel destinations in Egypt. Events Show jumping in Alexandria THE EGYPTIAN International Show-Jumping Competition will be held in Alexandria from 3 to 19 November 2006 by the Egyptian Equestrian Federation under the supervision of the International Equestrian Federation. The competition will include three rounds held over three consecutive weekends. Top riders from more than 20 countries from the Arab League, and Europe will participate in the event and will compete to qualify for the World Cup held in Las Vegas in the US to be held in April 2007. The competition is organised under the auspices of Minister of Interior Habib El-Adli, and the National Sports Council under its president Hassan Sakr. The event will be held in Borg El Arab in Alexandria (King's Ranch), the location chosen by the International Equestrian Federation. It is the most suitable location as it meets all international and technical standards needed to hold such International events, said Abdel-Fattah Ragab, president of the Egyptian Equestrian Federation. For more information call +202 402 9265. News Pharaons International gears up BASED on its experience in handling rallies in wild desert terrain, Travco has been chosen by JVD International S R L, the organising company of the Pharaons International Cross Country Rally, as the official travel partner in the International Cross Country Rally 2006 to be held in Egypt from 3 to 9 October. Travco is actively engaged in the pre-event travel arrangements to ensure a smooth flow of all the contestants and accompanying delegations' travel related affairs. Three hundred participants, representing 10 countries are to start by first stage of the 2,800km long race near the Sphinx on 3 October pushing south to Bahariya. From there, the rally's second stage begins, heading to Dakhla. The rally's third stage is from Dakhla to Farafra and the fourth stage is from Farafra to Bahariya. From Bahariya, participants race to Siwa in the fifth stage and back to Bahariya again in the sixth stage, where they reach the rally's final stage and race back to Giza on 9 October at the finish line. This year, JVD International S R L enriches their fans experience with the extended drive in the Egyptian desert of high dunes, majestic canyons, extraordinary pinnacles of sand and soothing oases. Pharaons International Cross Country Rally 2006 is set to rediscover the mysterious land of Egypt throughout the seven stages ensuring the highest safety measures.
