ΔΙΕΘΝΗΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΗΛΕΚΤΡΟΝΙΚΗ ΕΦΗΜΕΡΙΔΑ ΠΟΙΚΙΛΗΣ ΥΛΗΣ - ΕΔΡΑ: ΑΘΗΝΑ

Ει βούλει καλώς ακούειν, μάθε καλώς λέγειν, μαθών δε καλώς λέγειν, πειρώ καλώς πράττειν, και ούτω καρπώση το καλώς ακούειν. (Επίκτητος)

(Αν θέλεις να σε επαινούν, μάθε πρώτα να λες καλά λόγια, και αφού μάθεις να λες καλά λόγια, να κάνεις καλές πράξεις, και τότε θα ακούς καλά λόγια για εσένα).

Τρίτη 28 Φεβρουαρίου 2017

Corporate apartment specialist TheSqua.re set for global expansion

Αποτέλεσμα εικόνας για www.thesqua.re
2017 is set to be a year of substantial growth for corporate apartment provider TheSqua.re. From Berlin to Boston, Sydney to San Francisco and a host of international offerings in between, the doom and gloom of recent political news hasn’t prevented TheSqua.re from planning new foundations around the world.
Throughout the year TheSqua.re intend to launch a new worldwide destination every month, giving business travellers easy access to new serviced accommodation everywhere from Washington to Singapore. Starting in February with a selection of signature four-star offerings across Berlin, as well as the launch of a new app, it’s safe to say that business is booming even in the wake of political change.
“In planning our next locations, we looked both at where demand already exists and at where we think we are likely to see it appear, given the changing economic climate post-Brexit and in the wake of US visa changes” said CEO Sid Narang. “Business hubs like Singapore and San Francisco were obvious choices, with many of our regular customers travelling to these places to work already. But with recent announcements regarding the movement of certain jobs from London into other European cities, it also made perfect sense to start looking at new choices on the continent.”
With a strong customer base in the financial services industry, TheSqua.re have been scouting out the best new options to back-up their already impressive EU portfolio of London, Paris and Dublin apartments. “After Berlin this month, Bangalore in March and San Francisco in April, we’re keen to ensure that this year’s new launches cater to the needs of our expanding client base.” Sid went on to say. “While there is still uncertainty around the exact impact of the Brexit vote, what we can say for sure is that business travel to a number of EU destinations is likely to grow substantially."
As part of their own growth the company have hired several new recruits, including a Digital Lead and Community Manager, and are keen to ensure that their new app provides easy-access to their community platform and city knowledgebase.
“With TheSqua.re app now available to download, and so many great new destinations coming soon,” Sid continued, “I’m very pleased to say that 2017 is set to be a fantastic year. The work of our new team and our expansion plans will add real value for new and existing customers, everywhere from the start of the research process to the day they check-out of their apartment.”
While the first half of the year sees launches mainly outside of the EU – including San Francisco, Washington and Boston in April, May and June – the soon-to-be-announced destination plans for later in the year are likely to include EU strongholds such as Luxembourg and Frankfurt. Local knowledge for every destination will be available on the move through TheSqua.re app, with community forums and insider help only a few clicks away.

UNWTO Secretary General attends Bahrain’s Spring of Cultures Festival

Αποτέλεσμα εικόνας για UNWTO Secretary General attends Bahrain Spring of Cultures Festival

This was an occasion to stress the importance of cultural preservation and the links between tourism and culture particularly in the scope of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017.

“2017, declared by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, is a unique opportunity to promote the value of tourism to in the preservation of our values, diversity and heritage. Tourism revives traditional activities and customs, empowers communities and nurtures pride within them, promoting cultural diversity and raising awareness of the value of heritage”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

On the occasion, Mr Rifai was presented with the advances in the development of the Path of Pearls, including the restoration of several traditional houses in Manama.

Bahrain island society developed an economic, cultural and social system that was based on a singular source of income, a natural product of incomparable beauty: the pearls of Bahrain. The unique story of pearling in Bahrain and its physical testimony in Muharraq is now listed by UNESCO as World Heritage site.

“I would like to commend the immense efforts of H.E. Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al-Khalifa in preserving and promoting culture in Bahrain and its relationship with tourism”, added Mr Rifai.

UNWTO has been long promoting the development of cultural tourism routes as a means to advance regional integration and economic development, namely through its long standing Silk Road Tourism Programme.

As part of Bahrain’s Spring of Cultures Festival, Mr Rifai also attended the Lebanese opera show “Antar and Abla” at the Bahrain National Theater.

In recognition of her contribution to the promotion of sustainable cultural tourism, UNWTO will designate H.E. Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammad Al-Khalifa as Special Ambassador for the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017 at a special ceremony at UNWTO Headquarters in Madrid on March 24, 2017.

Women entrepreneurs gathered in Istanbul

women vendors2017
Global leaders, governments and the private sector need to do more to ensure that women are enabled to participate in global trade. This was the shared message from speakers at the Women Vendors Exhibition and Forum (WVEF), which held in Istanbul. More than 400 participants from over 50 countries, representing governments, international organizations and the private sector, attended the event organized by the International Trade Centre (ITC) in collaboration with KAGIDER.
Launching the event Ms. Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya, Turkey’s Minister of Family and Social Policies, said: ‘Women of today are active in politics, business world and non-governmental organizations. Taking into account the economic, cultural and political developments, the presence of women in each area is making us happier and hopeful.
We value our women and want to see them more active in business. We have therefore put in place legal regulations and practices to support the inclusion of women in business and increase the employment rate of Turkish women. As Turkey aims to be among the world’s top 10 economies by 2023, increasing women’s participation in the economy is crucial,’ the minister said.
Ms. Arancha González, ITC Executive Director, said: 'ITC is extremely pleased to be hosting WVEF here in Istanbul in partnership with KAGIDER and to bring together these incredible women entrepreneurs from all over the world to make trade happen.
Female entrepreneurship is a powerful ingredient to help our economies grow. WVEF provides these women with the tools, knowledge and contacts to allow them to strike deals, enhance their competitiveness and trade across borders,’ Ms. González said.
Sanem Oktar, President of Kagider, said: ‘We need to step up support for women-owned enterprises and help them grow, innovate and internationalize. And we need to adopt and implement policies that better enable companies to source their goods and services from women-owned businesses.
At this WVEF we will grow our businesses by expanding into new markets, winning new customers, finding new financial resources, and making more business for women entrepreneurs from Turkey and beyond,’ Ms. Oktar said.
Mehmet Büyükekşi, president of the Turkish Exporters Assembly, said: ‘Women are running the family, leading the country and are the locomotive of society. In the past decade we have increased the participation of women in the workforce by 10 percentage points to 33%, but we are still lagging behind.
At the Turkish Exporters Assembly we are committed to supporting the effort to include more women in the workforce and boost the number of women entrepreneurs, who at the moment account for only 10% of the total number of entrepreneurs.’
In addition to roundtables focusing on finding solutions to challenges facing women in trade, several hundred business-to-business meetings will be held between vendors and buyers. More than 400 women-owned businesses and women entrepreneurs from Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America are attending the event. They will be meeting representatives from more than 50 prospective buyers, including Axa Insurance, Garanti Bank, IKEA, Microsoft, Deloitte and UPS, with a view to striking business deals.
The two-day event also features a series of inspirational sessions covering issues such as financing, attracting investors, contract negotiations and how to use data in decision-making.
WVEF is a flagship event of ITC’s SheTrades initiative, which aims to connect 1 million women entrepreneurs to market by 2020, and helps strengthen understanding of the seven global actions of the SheTrades initiative. Through interactive training sessions, women entrepreneurs are equipped to do business, enabling signatories to the SheTrades initiative to meet their commitments.
Previous editions of WVEF have been held in São Paulo, Brazil (2015), Kigali, Rwanda (2014), Mexico City, Mexico (2012), Istanbul, Turkey (2011) and Chongqing, China (2010).
For more information on WEDF 2016, please visit http://www.intracen.org/wvef and www.SheTrades.com

Major quake hits Japan, no fear of tsunami

Αποτέλεσμα εικόνας για Major quake hits Japan, no fear of tsunami

According to Japanese and US authorities, a 5.6-magnitude temblor struck northeastern Japan near the disaster-hit Fukushima nuclear plant on Tuesday but there was no fear of a tsunami.

The quake struck at a depth of 42.3 kilometres (26 miles) in the Pacific Ocean 34 kilometres east-northeast of the town of Namie, the US Geological Survey said.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said there was no risk of a tsunami from the quake, which caused some swaying in high-rise buildings in Tokyo.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries though some local service train services stopped, media reported. Tokyo Electric Power, operator of the Fukushima plant, said no abnormalities were detected.
 
A massive undersea quake on March 11, 2011 sent a tsunami barrelling into the northeast coast, leaving more than 18,500 people dead or missing and sending three reactors into meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant.


Japan sits at the junction of four tectonic plates and experiences a number of violent quakes every year.
 
In November, a powerful 6.9-magnitude quake sparked panic and triggered a one-metre (three-foot) tsunami that washed ashore at the Fukushima plant but caused no damage.

Exhibition industry posts first decline in 25 consecutive quarters

Αποτέλεσμα εικόνας για Exhibition industry posts first decline in 25 consecutive quarters
DALLAS – The Center for Industry Research (CEIR) reports that growth of the exhibition industry during the fourth quarter of 2016 declined. The performance of the industry, as measured by the CEIR Total Index, posted a first modest year-on-year decline of 0.4% (see Figure 1), after 25 consecutive quarters of year-on-year growth. The industry has underperformed the macroeconomy (see Figure 2).
Figure 1: Quarterly CEIR Total Index for the Overall Exhibition Industry, Year-on-Year Growth, 2011Q1-2016Q4

Figure 2: Quarterly CEIR Total Index for the Overall Exhibition Industry Vs. Quarterly Real GDP, Year-on-Year Growth, 2008Q1-2016Q4
"The decline was a temporal set back as economic fundamentals still point to moderate growth for the exhibition industry" said CEIR Economist Allen Shaw, Ph.D., Chief Economist for Global Economic Consulting Associates, Inc.
The decline occurred only in three sectors: Industrial/Heavy Machinery and Finished Business Inputs, Raw Materials and Science and Consumer Goods and Retail Trade. In sharp contrast, Building, Construction, Home & Repair, Communications and Information Technology, Food, and Sporting Goods, Travel, and Amusement all registered robust year-on-year gains.
All exhibition metrics in the fourth quarter posted negative year-on-year losses, except net square feet which gained 1.3% (Figures 3 and 4). Real revenues (nominal revenues adjusted for inflation) posted the largest decline of 1.8%, whereas exhibitors and attendees declined 0.8% and 0.6%, respectively.
Figure 3: Quarterly CEIR Metrics for the Overall Exhibition Industry, Year-on-Year Growth, 2016Q4
Figure 4: Quarterly CEIR Metrics for the Overall Exhibition Industry, Year-on-Year Growth, 2009-2016Q4

In 2016, the Total Index increased by 1.2%, compared to a 3.3% gain in 2015. Net square feet and real revenues had the strongest growth among the four metrics, both gaining 1.8% from 2015 (see Figure 5). Exhibitors rose 1.2%, whereas attendees were flat. Attendees during the last few years have been propelled by a strengthening job market (see Figure 6). In 2016, attendance broke its trending relationship with employment, which was primarily attributable to a substantial decline of 11.2% in Raw Materials and Science exhibition attendees. Low oil prices during 2016 took a toll on oil-related exhibitions. Had the number of attendees of Raw Materials and Science exhibitions stayed the same as a year ago, the growth of attendees for the overall exhibition would have been 1.2%. This, in turn, would have pushed the Total Index to 1.5%.
Figure 5: Annual CEIR Metrics for the Overall Exhibition Industry, Year-on-Year % Change, 2001-2016

Figure 6: CEIR Attendees vs. Nonfarm Payroll Employment

The exhibition performance varied substantially by industry in 2016. The best performing sectors were Food and Building, Construction, Home and Repair, which gained 5.8% and 5.2%, respectively (see Figure 7). On the other end of the spectrum, the weakest sector was Raw Materials and Science, in which the index declined by 7.3%. As mentioned previously, this sector has been plagued by weakness in oil prices that led to declining investment and production levels; however, prices and investment recently have begun to recover. The Industrial/Heavy Machinery and Finished Business Inputs sector registered the second largest decline of 4.5%, which could just be a correction after a whopping 11.0% jump in 2015.
Figure 7: Ranking of the CEIR Total Index by Sector, Year-on-Year % Change, 2016
“We are hopeful this is a temporary downturn and the industry will rebound in Q1 2017,” said CEIR Foundation CEO Cathy Breden, CMP, CAE. “We look forward to the release of the CEIR Index Report in early April which will provide an overall view of 2016 performance and a forecast for 2017-2019.”

Mauritius expects 20% rise in Indian visitor arrivals

Αποτέλεσμα εικόνας για Mauritius expects 20% rise in Indian visitor arrivals

Mauritius is looking at a 20% rise in Indian tourist arrivals in 2017 thanks to the five-city roadshows that the island nation has been hosting in the country with an aim to lure an increased number of tourists.

In the year 2016, the number of Indian tourist arrivals in Mauritius was 15% more as compared to the arrivals in the last year, according to the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MPTA) India Country Manager named Vivek Anand. He added that the country is targeting 1,00,000 tourists in 2017 that represents an increase of 20% over the visitor arrivals in 2016.


The tourists from Europe comprises 50% followed by Asian countries 20% of total tourists’ arrival to Mauritius, he feels.

Anand has also mentioned that India’s share in the tourist arrivals to Mauritius is around 7% and this figure has been growing steadily. He also thinks that it would be a wise idea to promote Mauritius as more than a beach destination. A large number of travellers are eager to travel to this island country since it is quite an affordable tourism locale.

Furthermore, Ananda had said that they have also been receiving a number of enquiries for Indian weddings.

In addition, movie producers have also started displaying fresh interest in shooting Bollywood films in Mauritius. Therefore, he specified that the main goal of the road show that would be conducted in India is to upgrade the travel sector and also enable them to establish ties with Mauritius suppliers. The road show would be hosted in Pune, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Nagpur from 27th February till 4th March.

Anand has also clarified that 50% of the Indian travellers visiting Mauritius belong to the western part. And, nearly 25% from the northern India, and 25% from southern India comprise the ones who are keen to travel to Mauritius.

Apart from being a hotspot for wedding and other activities, Mauritius is also quite renowned for golf as it has firmly established its place as a premier international golf destination over the last 10 years.

Mauritius is located  at a distance of nearly 2,000 kms away from the south-eastern part of the African coast and towards the eastern portion of Madagascar. Activities like submarine rides, seakarting, ziplining and skydiving are offered here, as revealed by Anand.

Mauritius provides visa on arrivals for Indian nationals for a maximum period of 60 days.

ATM to focus on $8.3 billion MENA wellness tourism sector

Αποτέλεσμα εικόνας για ATM to focus on wellness tourism

Arabian Travel Market to host Wellness Symposium - partnership between World Travel Market and Global Wellness Institute to underscore opportunities in multi-billion dollar regional industry

A Wellness Symposium, which will throw the spotlight on the $8.3 billion industry in the Middle East/North Africa (MENA), will be launched at Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which takes place at the Dubai World Trade Centre, 24-27 April.

A partnership between the World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio of events and the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), the symposium has been organised as part of a schedule of events in ATM’s Wellness Lounge.

It will also analyse MENA’s thriving domestic (4 million trips) and inbound (4.5 million trips) wellness tourism markets – as well as trends in outbound wellness tourism from the Middle East.
Εμφάνιση ellis-susie.jpg
ellis-susie

“Wellness travel is not only growing twice as fast as tourism overall, it’s evolving in bold new directions, both globally and across the Middle East. Our ongoing mission will be to bring together the top experts and latest research and trends in this travel space to ATM and WTM’s tens of thousands of attendees,” said Susie Ellis, chairman and CEO of the GWI.

The UAE leads the Middle Eastern wellness tourism market. With an average of 1.7 million wellness trips generating $2.7 billion annually, it accounts for 14% of the MENA spa market, according to research from Colliers Experiential Travel Series.

“The UAE is followed by Morocco (1.66 million trips), Tunisia (0.76 million trips) and Jordan (0.62 million trips). However, the growth in wellness tourism in MENA compared with overall tourism over the past five years is truly remarkable.

“For example, wellness trips in the UAE have grown by 17.9% during this period, while overall tourism has grown 8.1%. It’s a similar story with Morocco (14.7% versus 6.6%), Tunisia (9.4% versus 4.5%) and Jordan (12.8% versus 5.9%).”

Having already identified the demand for wellness, ATM launched a dedicated Wellness and Spa Lounge in 2016, connecting Middle East wellness and spa buyers with international suppliers.

Indeed, the Dubai hotel spa market experienced a 9% increase in the average number of treatments sold per day in H1 2016 compared to the same period in 2015 and 25 new hotel spas are expected to open this year, making a total of over 200 spas.

Designed as a hub for wellness and spa professionals, the lounge returns to this year’s event and will host two days of up to 35 pre-scheduled appointments with high calibre Middle Eastern buyers and up to 35 international wellness suppliers.

Exhibitors in this year’s Wellness and Spa Lounge include some of the most recognisable names in the industry from Italy, Switzerland France, Hungary, Canada, India and The Maldives, such as the Swiss Diamond Hotel, Lugano; L' Albereta, Lake Iseo, Brescia; Radisson Blu 1835 Hotel & Thalassa, Cannes and the Velaa Private Island Maldives.

After ATM, the partnership continues at WTM London – the leading global event for the travel industry (6-8 November 2017) – with a focus on the global wellness industry, which has grown to $3.72 trillion.

WTM London, which was responsible for £2.8 billion in agreed industry deals last year, will also host a dedicated Wellness Lounge facilitating deals in the wellness travel and tourism sector.


“WTM and ATM are two powerful travel industry events that attract more global travel professionals than any other,” added Ellis. 

Park Inn by Radisson hotel opens its fourth hotel in South Africa – in Polokwane

Park Inn by Radisson, the colorful and dynamic mid-market brand, announced the opening of its first property in Polokwane. The Park Inn by Radisson Polokwane is the ninth hotel in South Africa by The Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the fastest growing hotel companies in the world.
Located in Limpopo, the country’s northernmost province, the hotel’s proximity to the neighboring countries of Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland, as well as a convenient distance from Kruger National Park, make it the ideal regional gateway to South Africa.
“With the opening of the Park Inn by Radisson in Polokwane, our dynamic midscale brand is further establishing its global footprint,” commented Rezidor’s Area Vice President Marc Descrozaille“This is our fourth Park Inn by Radisson opening in the country, signalling our ambitions to grow the mid-market hotel segment in Africa.”
The hotel has 160 rooms with full-length windows to let in plenty of natural light and views to serene gardens. Park Inn by Radisson is only 9km from Polokwane International Airport and 3km from city center of the Limpopo capital. Other facilities include a bespoke Smart Meetings & Events concept in three versatile event rooms that can seat up to 100 delegates. Park Inn by Radisson offers free high-speed WiFi access throughout the hotel.
The new hotel’s all-day dining Live-Inn Room Restaurant provides a lively, welcoming experience to relish multicultural cuisine, incorporating the brand’s international flair with a unique African twist. In addition, the hotel also features an open plan bar that leads to the terrace and outdoor pool.
Nisha MacDougall, General Manager of Park Inn by Radisson Polokwane, said, “My team and I are proud to bring Park Inn by Radisson – a brand that adds colour to life – to Polokwane. We are looking forward to delivering a fresh, energetic and vibrant hospitality experience to our guests. We welcome the world to Polokwane to enjoy colorful moments and enjoy the best of South Africa.”

Al Bustan Centre & Residence participates in Dubai Cares’ 2017 Walk for Education

Αποτέλεσμα εικόνας για Al Bustan Centre & Residence participates in Dubai Cares’ 2017 Walk for Education

Al Bustan Centre & Residence, the popular hotel-apartment among tourists and businessmen in the heart of Dubai, took part in this year’s Walk for Education campaign organized by Dubai Cares on 17th February 2017.

As an integral part of the property’s Corporate Social Responsibility that focuses on promoting safe and accessible education for children, the enthusiastic representatives of Al Bustan Centre and Residence joined thousands of participants who gathered at Dubai Creek Park for the cause and engaged in a variety of entertainment for friends and families.

Dubai Cares is a philanthropic organization working to improve children’s access to quality primary education in developing countries. Walk for Education, the symbolic three kilometer walk underlines one of the challenges children face in acquiring quality education in developing countries where they have to walk an average of three kilometers every day in order to go to school.
Moussa El Hayek, Chief Operating Officer of Al Bustan Centre and Residence, said: “We are honored to be associated with such initiatives that will bring positive change in the lives of children around the world. Our participation at the Walk for Education comes under the CSR endeavor, which aims to work towards empowerment of not just our youth, but also of nations.”

Ascent Hospitality acquires 292 room Huntsville Marriott at the Space and Rocket Center


HUNTSVILLE, AL – Ascent Hospitality, a leading hotel management and development company based in Buford, GA announced that it has acquired the 292-room Huntsville Marriott at the Space and Rocket Center. Ascent will invest $10 million to modernize and renovate the property’s guest rooms, meeting rooms, public spaces, as well as the pool and lobby areas.
Located at 5 Tranquility Base, the hotel offers convenient access to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, including the Shuttle Park, Rocket Park and the Davidson Center for Space Exploration. The Huntsville Marriott at the Space and Rocket Center is just seven miles from Huntsville International Airport and is in close proximity to Huntsville Botanical Garden, the Von Braun Center, the EarlyWorks Family of Museums and the Huntsville Museum of Art.
Huntsville Marriott at the Space and Rocket Center
“We are thrilled to acquire the Huntsville Marriott at the Space and Rocket Center and add it to our growing portfolio of high-caliber hotels,” said John Tampa, president of Ascent Hospitality. “The Marriott brand is an excellent addition and we expect it to resonate with both business and leisure travelers.”
The hotel offers 13 meeting rooms with nearly 16,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space to accommodate up to 1,500 people. Other amenities include a fitness center, an indoor swimming pool, a heated outdoor swimming pool that is seasonal, and a complimentary airport shuttle. Business travelers can stay productive with complimentary Wi-Fi access in all public areas and a full-service business center. The Huntsville Marriott at the Space and Rocket Center features two on-site restaurants; The Great Room which is open for lunch and dinner, and offers food, beverages and a gathering place for colleagues and families, and Season’s which serves south-style breakfast daily.

TAT And Singapore Airlines Sign MOU To Boost Travel To Thailand

Αποτέλεσμα εικόνας για TAT And Singapore Airlines Sign MOU To Boost Travel To Thailand

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Singapore Airlines (SIA) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Tourism Cooperation to jointly promote travel to Thailand from priority markets including Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, said: “This MOU signing ceremony marks a major new drive on tourism cooperation between TAT and strategic partners in key source tourist markets from around the world, all of which are under the objective of promoting travel to Thailand. This MOU with Singapore Airlines in particular, will allow us to strategically attract more travellers from the four specific markets to enjoy the unique Thai local experiences here in Amazing Thailand.”

Effective from today until 31 March 2019, the MOU between TAT and SIA will cover a series of joint activities including brand advertising and promotional campaigns, tactical and digital marketing, familiarisation trips, joint roadshows and product development. The joint activities are expected to help boost visitor numbers from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Singapore to Thailand.

Mr. Yuthasak said, “Australia and New Zealand markets have long been important source markets for Thailand while the South Africa market has been growing in recent years, so this strategic MOU will certainly help boost visitor numbers to Thailand.”

SIA and its subsidiary SilkAir currently operate 89 flights per week to Thailand. SIA operates 35 weekly flights to Bangkok, while SilkAir operates 35 weekly flights to Phuket, 14 weekly flights to Koh Samui and five weekly flights to Chiang Mai.

Mr. Yuthasak added, “Singapore Airlines offers high-quality service and with their help under this mutually-beneficial MOU, we look forward to welcoming their passengers with impressive Thai hospitality.”

Mr. Goh Choon Phong, Singapore Airlines CEO, said, “We look forward to working with TAT on many exciting activities to promote Thailand as an attractive tourist and business destination to the world. Combined with Singapore Airlines’ wide global network and dedication to excellent customer service, we are confident we can increase visitor arrivals into Thailand.”

Aeroflot passenger traffic in January 2017 up 14.8%. Aeroflot Group passenger traffic up 15.4%

Αποτέλεσμα εικόνας για Aeroflot passenger traffic in January 2017 up 14.8%. Aeroflot Group passenger traffic up 15.4%

Aeroflot PJSC (Moscow Exchange ticker: AFLT) today announces operating results for Aeroflot Group (“the Group”) and Aeroflot – Russian Airlines (“the Company”) for January 2017.
Operating Highlights
In January 2017, Aeroflot Group carried 3.4 million passengers, up 15.4% year-on-year. Aeroflot airline carried 2.3 million passengers, a year-on-year increase of 14.8%.
Group and Company RPKs increased by 19.3% and 14.8% year-on-year, respectively. ASKs rose by 15.4% year-on-year for Aeroflot Group and by 11.7% for Aeroflot airline.
On domestic routes, Group passengers carried and RPKs grew by 8.0% and 10.1% year-on-year, respectively. ASKs grew by 13.6% year-on-year. Company passengers carried and RPKs on domestic routes were up 9.5% and 4.4% year-on-year, respectively. ASKs grew by 8.8%.

In January 2017, the number of passengers carried on the Group’s international routes increased by 25.6% year-on-year. RPKs increased by 25.6%, while capacity grew by 16.6%. The number of passengers carried by Aeroflot airline on international routes increased by 19.6%. RPKs increased by 20.0%, and ASKs by 13.0%. Growth in the international segment was driven by the stable macroeconomic situation, increased flight frequencies and the launch of flights to new international destinations, as well as the development of Rossiya’s charter programme and of Pobeda’s international route network.
As a result of these factors, the passenger load factor increased by 2.5 p.p. year-on-year to 76.6% for the Group and by 2.0 p.p. year-on-year to 76.0% for the Company.
Fleet Update
In January 2017, the Group added one Airbus A321, two Boeing 747 and one DHC 8-Q400. The Group fleet increased by four aircraft, bringing the fleet size to 293 aircraft (excluding one An-24 which was leased out) as of 31 January 2017.
Aeroflot airline added one Airbus A321 bringing the total fleet to 190 aircraft as of 31 January 2017.
Aeroflot Group Operating Results
 
January
2017
January
2016
Change
Passengers carried, thousand PAX
3,420.8
2,964.5
     15.4%
- international
1,558.6
1,240.7
     25.6%
- domestic
1,862.2
1,723.8
      8.0%
Revenue Passenger Kilometres, mln
9,090.6
7,623.0
19.3%
- international
5,659.3
4,505.6
     25.6%
- domestic
3,431.3
3,117.4
     10.1%
Available Seat Kilometres, mln
11,874.4
10,289.6
     15.4%
- international
7,223.9
6,195.8
     16.6%
- domestic
4,650.5
4,093.8
     13.6%
Passenger load factor, %
76.6%
74.1%
          2.5 p.p.
- international
78.3%
72.7%
          5.6 p.p.
- domestic
73.8%
76.1%
         (2.3 p.p.)
Cargo and mail carried, tonnes
16,819.7
10,803.8
     55.7%
- international
9,955.0
5,364.9
     85.6%
- domestic
6,864.7
5,438.9
     26.2%
Revenue Cargo Tonne Kilometres, mln
76.9
47.2
     62.9%
- international
49.6
25.7
     93.0%
- domestic
27.3
21.5
     27.0%
Revenue Tonne Kilometres, mln
895.0
733.3
     22.1%
- international
558.9
431.2
     29.6%
- domestic
336.1
302.1
     11.3%
Available Tonne Kilometres, mln
1,457.7
1,253.1
     16.3%
- international
892.7
775.9
     15.1%
- domestic
565.0
477.2
     18.4%
Revenue load factor, %
61.4%
58.5%
          2.9 p.p.
- international
62.6%
55.6%
          7.0 p.p.
- domestic
59.5%
63.3%
         (3.8 p.p.)
Revenue flights
27,604
25,582
       7.9%
- international
11,490
10,365
     10.9%
- domestic
16,114
15,217
      5.9%
Flight hours for fleet
76,333
69,408
     10.0%

Aeroflot – Russian Airlines Operating Results
 
January
2017
January
2016
Change
Passengers carried, thousand PAX
2,302.8
2,005.4
     14.8%
- international
1,269.9
1,062.0
     19.6%
- domestic
1,032.9
943.4
      9.5%
Revenue Passenger Kilometres, mln
6,694.3
5,831.9
14.8%
- international
4,674.4
3,896.9
     20.0%
- domestic
2,019.9
1,935.0
      4.4%
Available Seat Kilometres, mln
8,805.5
7,884.4
     11.7%
- international
6,107.1
5,404.2
     13.0%
- domestic
2,698.4
2,480.2
      8.8%
Passenger load factor, %
76.0%
74.0%
          2.0 p.p.
- international
76.5%
72.1%
          4.4 p.p.
- domestic
74.9%
78.0%
         (3.1 p.p.)
Cargo and mail carried, tonnes
14,391.3
9,498.2
     51.5%
- international
9,832.1
5,228.2
     88.1%
- domestic
4,559.2
4,270.0
      6.8%
Revenue Cargo Tonne Kilometres, mln
67.0
44.8
     49.6%
- international
49.2
25.4
     93.7%
- domestic
17.8
19.4
     (8.2%)
Revenue Tonne Kilometres, mln
669.5
569.7
     17.5%
- international
469.9
376.2
     24.9%
- domestic
199.6
193.5
      3.2%
Available Tonne Kilometres, mln
1,096.6
985.5
     11.3%
- international
769.8
678.9
     13.4%
- domestic
326.8
306.6
      6.6%
Revenue load factor, %
61.1%
57.8%
          3.3 p.p.
- international
61.0%
55.4%
          5.6 p.p.
- domestic
61.1%
63.1%
         (2.0 p.p.)
Revenue flights
18,496
16,988
       8.9%
- international
9,504
8,750
      8.6%
- domestic
8,992
8,238
      9.2%
Flight hours for fleet
54,671
50,011
       9.3%