Hotels & Resorts Art in Conrad AS ART and culture are powerful tools to attract elite clientele, Conrad Cairo has recently organised its first art gallery, an innovative new concept, wherein the hotel's top clients were invited to spend an evening in the Nile ballroom showcasing the artwork of three different artists from three different schools. The artists are Marlene Kramer, a Dutch artist who focusses on capturing the daily scenes of Egypt; Mohamed Youssef, an Egyptian artist who mixes reality with surrealism and Adel Sabet, an Egyptian artist from Assiut who mastered the art of illustrating palm trees and texture works from Egyptian folklore. The Beach wins award THE ELLIS and Association International Aquatic Safety Programme have recently awarded the JW Marriott Hotel in Cairo for the second time the Bronze Award for Service Excellence, for the outstanding lifeguard performance with regards to their rescue skills. Ellis & Associates international programme provides state-of-the-art rescue technology accompanied by lifeguard training to ensure the safety of hotel guests at the JW Marriott and visitors to the Beach. The lifeguard team at the JW Marriott completed six external audits in 2004 achieving more than 80 per cent on physical audit, skills tests and simulated rescue situations. "I am immensely proud of the team and their achievement with their excellent audit results. Their results are due to their daily devotion and dedication as professional lifeguards which they maintain through the weekly in service training and daily skills evaluations and internal audits," said Magdi Naguib, general manager of JW Marriott Hotel Cairo. The Beach is considered Cairo's most unique water park, with its scenic waterfalls, fountains, lagoons, wave pool and sandy beach. A wish comes true ELEVEN-year-old dennis Parlevliet from the Netherlands suffers from a severe skin disease, requiring that he stay wrapped in bandages, be permanently accompanied by a nurse, and stay in air-conditioned rooms all day and night. His life-long dream has been to see the Pyramids and other attractions in Egypt. Sheraton Cairo and the Netherlands, in coordination with the Make a Wish Foundation, made his dream come true where Sheraton Cairo invited Dennis, his family and his nurse to spend a week in Cairo. They were welcomed by the head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Zahi Hawass, who organised a special tour for Dennis in the Pyramids, Saqqara, the Egyptian Museum, Khan Al-Khalili, the Citadel and Mohamed Ali Mosque. This is Egypt's first collaboration with the Make a Wish Foundation. Cairo Sheraton is working to establish an affiliate office for the foundation in Egypt to help Egyptian children's wishes come true. New Manager for InterContinental Heliopolis FRANCE'S Thierry Perrot has been recently appointed general manager of the InterContinental Citystars Cairo. With a lifetime experience with the InterContinental Hotels Group, Perrot is a strong believer of the InterContinental Brand and brings hands-on know-how in senior management positions at exclusive InterContinental properties in countries including Korea, Indonesia, France, Kenya, UK and Switzerland. "After graduating from the Hotel School, CHF Besancon in France in 1981 I went into my first job at the Geneva InterContinental Hotel in Switzerland. For more than 20 years I have been working for different properties with InterContinental Hotels Group and am delighted to be part of this fascinating project and excited to be in Cairo -- a city that is old as time itself," said Perrot. Rochon creates Accor heaven WITH al-gezirah Hotel (previously Al-Gezirah Sheraton) now under renovation, and soon to fly Accor's Sofitel flag, renowned designer Pierre Yves Rochon has been engaged to add his inimitable touches to the project. As a matter of fact, he will add his final touches to the bedroom design, the first step on the way to creating both a paradise for business and leisure travellers. His designs will flow throughout the palatial interior and out onto the hotel's Nile banks. Pierre Yves Rochon's designs embrace modern Egyptian contemporary styles, coordinated with the culture, art, history, materials and environment of the unique location of the Nile. Five-star cooking... THE ART of cooking has now become one of the main concerns that most five-star hotels are keen to improve in order to attract more customers. From here comes the idea of the establishment of the Chain Des Rotisseur Association to encourage and evaluate hotels and restaurants distinguished in that field. Sheraton Montazah Hotel Alexandria hosted recently the members of the association to a gala dinner that was described by guests as outstanding in taste, garnishing, menu variety and setting. .... and Dutch culinary feast in Semiramis InterContinental UNDER the patronage of the office of the Agricultural Counselor Royal Netherlands Embassy and in cooperation with KLM Airlines, the Semiramis InterContinental hosted recently "The Dutch Culinary Feast" at the Grill. Hailing from "La Rive" restaurant at InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam, the two Michelin Stars Award winner Chef Edwin Kates presented his original creations using fine Dutch products such as Turbot, veal fillet, oyster, Old Dutch Master and Rembrandt cheeses. In the air Lufthansa and SWISS integration THE SUPERVISORY board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG and the board of directors of Swiss International Air Lines AG lately approved the business model jointly developed by both companies for the takeover and integration of SWISS into the Lufthansa Group. The Swiss Confederation, the Canton Zurich, and other large shareholders support the transaction. So far, a corresponding approval has been obtained from more than 80 per cent of SWISS's share capital. Lufthansa's Chairman and CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber and SWISS President and CEO Christoph Franz signed the Integration Agreement in Zurich. Lufthansa's Chairman and CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber emphasised the benefits of the integration for both airlines: "Lufthansa and SWISS, two world-renowned airlines with a strong sense of quality and service are joining forces. The most important aspect of the integration is that it will produce clear benefits for our customers. More destinations, better connections, comprehensive frequent-flyer programs and mutual lounge access enhance the attractiveness of both companies. The merger is not only good for Switzerland and Germany; it is also beneficial for our Star Alliance partners and strengthens the European aviation sector." Alamein airport inaugurated MINISTERS of aviation and tourism, General Ahmed Shafiq and Ahmed El-Maghrabi inaugurated recently the first private airport in Alamein on the North Coast in Marsa Matruh governorate. The inauguration ceremony started with the reception of the first charter flight to the airport on 21 March, 148 travellers coming from England through London-based tour operated Peltours Limited, a company established in 1920 and specialising in holidays to the Middle East. El-Maghrabi stressed that this event is the first nucleus of the state's strategy to develop tourism in the Northern Coast in order to put it on the tourist map. The investments of the first phase of the airport are roughly LE160 million whereas the investments in the area of Alamein are estimated to be LE190 million and include the Movenpick Hotel and Resort as well as Ghazala tourist village. From Gatwick to the Red Sea BRITISH Airways will start a schedule of direct flights to Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurgahda from 22 October 2005. The flights, operated by franchise partner GB Airways, will offer a service of three times a week from London Gatwick Airport to Sharm El-Sheikh and twice a week to Hurghada. These will be the frist direct scheduled services between the UK and the Red Sea Riviera. " We are delighted to start this unique service to the Red Sea resorts of Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada, which have become steadily more popular with British tourists over the years," said John Patterson, GB Airways managing director. All the Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada flights are operated by airbus aircraft with a choice of Club Europe and Euro Traveller cabins, with complimentary food and drinks served, and the seating equipped with more legroom than many other carriers. For travellers flying from the Red Sea resorts to Gatwick, the return fare starts at LE2,800. Budget flights between Munich and Cairo HAPAGFLY, a low-price German carrier, will start operation on Cairo-Munich route starting from May with a modern fleet of Boeing 737-800 that seats 189 passengers. There will be three weekly flights on Saturdays, Tuesdays and Thursdays with plans for increased frequency. "We fly to 58 destinations in nine countries, among them of course Egypt with Cairo, Sharm El-Sheikh, Hurghada, Luxor and Marsa Alam as departure airports. For the winter season, starting from November, we are planning to add another flight schedule on another day," said Uwe Mohr, head of Hapagfly for domestic and international sales. Although Hapagfly is a budget airline, it is a full service carrier. There are free meals and drinks on board, including advance ordering of special and children's menus, onboard entertainment with in- flight TV, magazines, radio programmes, a selection of daily newspapers and duty-free shopping in the clouds. For more information and bookings log on www.hapagfly.com
