Region firmly back in business at Arabian Travel Market 2012

Visitor numbers up 7-10% on 2011 figures with new impetus driven by regional industry performance and renewed B2B focus Wrapping up four days of travel trade business, Reed Travel Exhibitions, the organiser of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2012, which concludes today (3 May), reported a healthy increase in visitor numbers, driven by the show’s renewed B2B focus and buoyed by positive indicators from the region’s tourism sector. “The 2011 event attracted over 16,000 trade visitors and indicators for this year show an increase of between 7-10%,” said Mark Walsh, Portfolio Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions. The region's leading trade exhibition for travel industry professionals, the 19th edition of the show has also seen a significant rise in decision makers and influencers – up by 35% - from members of its buyers club, hosted delegates, regional and international speakers and hosted luxury travel buyers. “The initial figures from this year’s show are an endorsement of not only Arabian Travel Market’s continued relevance and structured focus to the regional travel market, but mirror the rebound in both confidence and business levels across the major industry sectors,” remarked Walsh. Independently ABC-audited, ATM 2012 also recorded a 7% increase in exhibitors for this year’s event ahead of the start of the show, with more than 21,000 square metres of floor space hosting over 2,400 exhibitors and 82 new companies. This increase was also reflected in its international reach with 54 national pavilions and 87 countries represented overall. “The business buzz is definitely back, the regional travel industry is in an exceptionally buoyant mood and participants are positive and confident. Our decision to reconfigure the floor plan to a more easily navigable and convenient format this year has also helped to facilitate busier appointment schedules,” said Walsh. Walsh’s comments were echoed by a wide variety of participants, both regional and international, inbound and outbound, right across the industry spectrum. “This is my second year as a visitor and the new layout is definitely easier to navigate. Our focus was the expanding opportunities in apartment accommodation, and I was very impressed to find an entire section dedicated to this,” said Cori Terblanche, Travel World, South Africa. “If we look solely at the European exhibitors for example, floor space has grown from last year and we have seen a surge in interest from destinations eager to attract the affluent Middle Eastern traveller,” added Walsh. Tamara Khalil, Group Director Marketing, Katara Hospitality, in Qatar, reinforced the renewed wave of business optimism. ”ATM was the right platform for us to launch our new corporate identity to the market. The show remains the prime vehicle for the regional industry to share its news, network with the key players and meet potential partners.” This sentiment was echoed by global exhibitors. US-based tour operator, and first time exhibitor, TeamAmerica CEO, Enzo Perretta, said: “ATM is the only way to go to reach the Middle East and Asian markets, and we’ve had four full days during which we’ve met the key players and decision makers in our target markets.” “ATM gives us access to high quality Middle Eastern contacts and allows us to conduct face-to-face business, which is highly valued by our regional clients,” added Ahmad Alkatib, Director, Travellanda UK. The newly introduced Technology Theatre, which ran throughout the four-day show, proved to be a major draw for industry professionals looking to capitalise on market opportunity through the implementation of groundbreaking technologies and new social media channels. “Not only have we signed a number of new contracts on site, but we have also concluded a number of significant partnership agreements that would not have otherwise been possible,” said Osama Abdulrahman, Manager of Dubai-based cheaperskies.com. “Being host hotel for this year’s ATM gave us invaluable face time with hosted buyers as well as the opportunity to introduce targeted top international travel writers and key members of the regional media to our property,” added Andrew Hughes, Director Sales & Marketing for the Mövenpick-managed Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel. “Looking ahead to 2013, re-bookings are already extremely positive and we will continue to develop the show’s offering to reflect regional opportunities as well as global industry trends. Next year ATM will be 20 years old and we are certainly in celebratory mood already,” concluded Walsh. Arabian Travel Market is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai. Now approaching its 20th year, the show has grown to become the largest showcase of its kind in the region and one of the biggest in the world. --- Ends --- For more information on Arabian Travel Market 2012, please log on to www.arabiantravelmarket.com About Arabian Travel Market Arabian Travel Market 2011 boasted more than 2,200 exhibitors and stand-sharers, from 69 countries. Arabian Travel Market is part of the Reed Travel Exhibitions’ portfolio, which includes 15 of the world’s leading travel industry events. For more information visit www.arabiantravelmarket.com Reed Travel Exhibitions Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) is the world’s leading provider of exhibitions in the travel and tourism industry. Its wide-ranging portfolio of events around the globe covers leisure travel, luxury travel, business travel and the meetings and incentives industry. The 13 events are; World Travel Market (WTM), Arabian Travel Market (ATM), International French Travel Market (IFTM), La Cumbre, International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM), International Luxury Travel Market Asia (ILTMA), Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) (owned by Melbourne Convention Visitors Bureau), Global Exhibition for Incentive, Business Travel, and Meetings (EIBTM), Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (GIBTM), Americas Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (AIBTM), China Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (CIBTM) and Business Travel Market. April 2013 will see RTE will launch World Travel Market Latin America in São Paulo. RTE is a business unit of Reed Exhibitions. In 2011, six million participants attended RE’s 500 events in 39 countries covering 44 industry sectors from aerospace and aviation to beauty and cosmetics to sports and recreation. Reed Exhibitions is owned by Reed Elsevier, the world’s leading provider of professional information and online workflow solutions. www.reedtravelexhibitions.com Reed Exhibitions The world's leading organiser of trade and consumer events running over 470 events in 37 countries. Reed Exhibitions excels in creating high profile, highly targeted business and consumer exhibitions and events to establish and maintain business relations, and generate new business. Reed Exhibitions network of offices and promoters extends to 65 countries. www.reedexpo.com Reed Elsevier Reed Elsevier is a world leading provider of professional information and online workflow solutions in the Science, Medical, Legal, Risk Information and Analytics, and Business sectors. Based in over 200 locations worldwide, they create authoritative content delivered through market leading brands, enabling their customers to find the essential data, analysis and commentary to support their decisions. www.reed-elsevier.com For more information, please contact: Nathalie Viselé Director Shamal Marketing Communications Dubai, United Arab Emirates Office: +971 4 3652711 I Direct : +971 4 3652712 I Mobile : +971 50 4576525 Fax:+971 4 4278703 E-mail: nathalie@smc-pr.com I Web site: www.smc-pr.com

اخر الاخبار

Katara Hospitality unveils new project in Lusail Marina District

Qatar-based hospitality giant announces plans for iconic luxury hotel to be constructed in the new urban district of Lusail. – Katara Hospitality, the international Qatar-based deluxe hospitality company, has unveiled their plans to construct what will undoubtedly become an iconic hospitality symbol of the 21st century – the Lusail Marina Iconic Development. Announcing their plans for the Qatar based property at this year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM), Hamad Abdulla Al Mulla, CEO, Katara Hospitality said: “This stunning structure matches our aspiration for Katara Hospitality to become one of the world’s most recognised hospitality brand identities. “With an architectural design inspired by the insignia of Qatar, the Lusail Marina Iconic Development’s spectacular architecture is set to become a leading hospitality landmark.” The iconic property, designed for five-star luxurious status, is set to hold approximately 800 units comprising hotel rooms, residence apartments, offices, recreational facilities, specialist boutiques and top-class restaurants. The breathtaking ‘crossed sword’ shape of the towers, which gracefully intertwine, replicates the Qatar seal and, integrated with landscaped gardens, rises from a podium giving the impression that the entire architectural complex is floating on the sea. Al Mulla added: “The modern aesthetic of the Lusail Marina Iconic Development complements the more traditional properties we have in our eclectic portfolio of hotels, which are great examples of classic architecture.” Aiming to be operational by 2016, the Lusail Marina Iconic Development will be constructed in the Marina district of Lusail – the latest planned urban centre in the Gulf State. Lusail is set to be located on the Gulf coast 15km north of Doha city centre and will eventually provide accommodation for up to 250,000 people. “Naturally, the Lusail Marina Towers will be ideally located for travelling football fans, officials and professionals as the Qatar Football World Cup arrives in a decade’s time. “And long after the dust of the world cup has settled, the property will be a perfect getaway for Middle East leisure travelers looking for luxury accommodation as Qatar’s landscape offers more for tourists every year,” remarked Al Mulla. - Ends - Photo Caption: Artist impression and photo of the Lusail Marina Iconic Development model unveiled at ATM. Notes to the Editor: A replica model of the Lusail Marina Towers is displayed on the Katara Hospitality stand at Arabian Travel Market, in Sheikh Saeed Hall 3, stand no. HC4230 About Katara Hospitality: Katara Hospitality currently owns five internationally branded hotels in Qatar: Sharq Village & Spa, The Ritz-Carlton Doha, Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel, Doha Marriott Hotel and Mövenpick Hotel Doha. Two Merweb branded hotels – the Merwebhotel Central Doha and Merwebhotel Al Sadd Doha – and a third, the Merwebhotel City Centre Doha, which is scheduled to open in 2013, complete the domestic portfolio. In addition, it also owns and manages the Sealine Beach Resort, one of Qatar’s favourite vacation spots. Katara Hospitality’s international portfolio currently includes the Raffles Hotel Singapore, Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris, Schweizerhof Hotel Bern and Renaissance Sharm El Sheikh Golden View Beach Resort in Egypt. International properties under development include Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne (opening 2014), Royal Savoy Lausanne (opening 2013), Gallia Hotel Milan (opening 2013), The Peninsula Hotel Paris (opening 2013), another five star luxury boutique hotel in Paris (opening 2013), Comoros Beach Resort (opening 2014), Tazi Palace Hotel Tangier (opening 2014). Katara Hospitality was formerly operated under the Qatar National Hotels Company (QNH) brand. Its new corporate identity was launched at Arabian Travel Market 2012. For media information, please contact: Nathalie Viselé Director - Shamal Marketing Communications Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel: +971 4 365 2711 Mobile: +971 50 457 6525 Email: nathalie@smc-pr.com Website: www.smc-pr.com OR Mihaela Tayar Communications Manager - Katara Hospitality Tel: +974 4423 7801 Mobile: +974 3366 3394 Fax: +974 4442 0477 Email: mihaela.tayar@katarahospitality.com Website: katarahospitality.com

اخر الاخبار

UNWTO chief forecasts bright future for regional tourism

With less than 8% of the world’s intake of tourists region has outstanding growth potential - co-operation, training and product diversification in focus at inaugural UNWTO & ATM regional tourism summit Despite events of the Arab Spring, and potential uncertainty in the wake of austerity measures in key source European markets, there is a bright future ahead for tourism in the Middle East and North Africa, according to a consensus of delegates at the first United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and Arabian Travel Market industry forum. The summit, which took place at Arabian Travel Market on Monday, is now set to become an annual fixture that brings together both government and private sector officials to seek common goals and mutual benefits from the promotion of travel in to the region. Speaking at the forum, UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, called the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region a “tourism success story in the first decade of the 21st century”, with the majority of markets already showing a strong rebound following the challenges of the last 12 months. Rifai also shared some insight into the regional situation and gave a positive prognosis for the future. “We are very impressed by the rate of recovery of some of the most affected countries in the region. Countries that were directly affected, like Egypt, Tunisia, Syria and Yemen, saw a downturn of 80 to 85% as political events unfolded, but minimised their losses considerably in 2011, closing the year down by 25 to 30%.” “The potential for growth is still excellent as we are starting from a low nominal base in the region. Even with 79 to 80 million tourist arrivals, the region has less than 8% of the world’s intake of tourists, which currently stands at almost one billion. The MENA region deserves much more,” he added. While UNWTO statistics recorded the loss of an estimated seven million tourists across the region last year, the organisation is projecting a seven per cent annual growth rate over the next 20 years with visitor totals hitting 195 million by 2030, up from 79 million in 2010. Setting an optimistic tone, Egypt’s Minister of Tourism, HE Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour said first quarter visitor figures indicated the country was on the right track to return to the level of 2010 numbers by the end of the year, following a downturn of 33% in 2011. Tarak Labib, Regional Director of Sales Egypt, Hilton Worldwide, said, “The local market was a saviour for our resorts, and we were already seeing business come back by the end of March/early April,” he said. Leanne Harwood, Vice President of Commercial for India, Middle East and Africa, InterContinental Hotel Group, took a more cautious stance, and noted that until “Egypt stops being on the front page, it’s difficult to see some stability but we’ve seen losses drop to 30% from 80%, so [the market is] definitely rebounding.” Jordan Tourist Board director, Dr Abdelrazzak Arabiyat proposed joint marketing and packages. “In order to capitalise on long haul markets, we believe we have to combine packages with neighbours to offer Dubai and Jordan, Egypt and Jordan, Oman and Jordan,” he said. His view was echoed by the minister of tourism for Oman, Her Excellency Maitha Al Mahrouqi who said, “Oman has its own elements, but we can work with others to package together, as well as increasing visa co-operation.” Looking ahead, Rifai identified certain destinations as ‘ones to watch’. “There are a number of attractive untouched destinations that need a lot of investment, such as Libya and Algeria. These are sleeping giants” he said. According to Reed Travel Exhibitions’ Portfolio Director, Mark Walsh, the summit was set to become an essential forum for regional issues facing the travel and tourism sector. “While every destination has its priorities and strategies, there is a common goal to promote the region and we are delighted at the level of participation in this inaugural event which demonstrates a will to work together at all levels,” he concluded. Photo 1: (from left to right) Richard Mortimer, Managing Director of Reed Travel Exhibitions, Taleb Rifai Secretary-General, UNWTO and HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, President and Chairman of the Board, Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities Photo 2: UNWTO Summit at Arabian Travel Market 2012. --- Ends --- For more information on Arabian Travel Market 2012, please log on to www.arabiantravelmarket.com About Arabian Travel Market Arabian Travel Market 2011 boasted more than 2,200 exhibitors and stand-sharers, from 69 countries. Arabian Travel Market is part of the Reed Travel Exhibitions’ portfolio, which includes 15 of the world’s leading travel industry events. For more information visit www.arabiantravelmarket.com Reed Travel Exhibitions Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) is the world’s leading provider of exhibitions in the travel and tourism industry. Its wide-ranging portfolio of events around the globe covers leisure travel, luxury travel, business travel and the meetings and incentives industry. The 13 events are; World Travel Market (WTM), Arabian Travel Market (ATM), International French Travel Market (IFTM), La Cumbre, International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM), International Luxury Travel Market Asia (ILTMA), Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) (owned by Melbourne Convention Visitors Bureau), Global Exhibition for Incentive, Business Travel, and Meetings (EIBTM), Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (GIBTM), Americas Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (AIBTM), China Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (CIBTM) and Business Travel Market. April 2013 will see RTE will launch World Travel Market Latin America in São Paulo. RTE is a business unit of Reed Exhibitions. In 2011, six million participants attended RE’s 500 events in 39 countries covering 44 industry sectors from aerospace and aviation to beauty and cosmetics to sports and recreation. Reed Exhibitions is owned by Reed Elsevier, the world’s leading provider of professional information and online workflow solutions. www.reedtravelexhibitions.com Reed Exhibitions The world's leading organiser of trade and consumer events running over 470 events in 37 countries. Reed Exhibitions excels in creating high profile, highly targeted business and consumer exhibitions and events to establish and maintain business relations, and generate new business. Reed Exhibitions network of offices and promoters extends to 65 countries. www.reedexpo.com Reed Elsevier Reed Elsevier is a world leading provider of professional information and online workflow solutions in the Science, Medical, Legal, Risk Information and Analytics, and Business sectors. Based in over 200 locations worldwide, they create authoritative content delivered through market leading brands, enabling their customers to find the essential data, analysis and commentary to support their decisions. www.reed-elsevier.com For more information, please contact: Nathalie Viselé Director Shamal Marketing Communications PO Box 502701 Office 106, Al Sufouh Tower Dubai Media City Dubai, United Arab Emirates Office: +971 4 3652711 I Direct : +971 4 3652712 I Mobile : +971 50 4576525 Fax:+971 4 4278703 E-mail: nathalie@smc-pr.com I Web site: www.smc-pr.com

اخر الاخبار

Low risk Dubai magnet for hotel investment says industry chief

Political stability, heavy investment in tourism infrastructure, integrated marketing strategy and solid growth prospects boost investor confidence in Dubai Speaking ahead of the annual Arabian Hotel Investment Conference 2012 (AHIC) which takes place in Dubai on 28-30 April, Michael Scully, Managing Director Hospitality at Dubai-based hotel developer and hospitality consultancy Seven Tides, will pinpoint how Dubai attracts hotel investors seeking a low risk investment landscape as well as a sustainable return on investments at a time when many economies are facing the real prospect of a recession. “Risk management is always at the forefront of investors’ minds and in that sense Dubai will continue to benefit from its reputation as a safe haven in a region affected by political change. Furthermore, heavy investment by the government into transport infrastructure, an integrated marketing strategy and sound growth prospects continue to cement Dubai’s position as the Middle East’s tourism hub,” commented Scully. According to the Dubai government, trade, transportation and tourism accounted for around 60% of Dubai’s GDP in 2011 and are considered the cornerstone of the emirate’s now economic strategy. In terms of transportation, Scully said risk-adverse hotel investors – coming mostly from Western Europe, Russia and the United States - would continue to be drawn by the emirate’s expansion plans for both its international airport and flagship carrier Emirates. Dubai International Airport is set to become the world’s busiest airport as it looks to increase its capacity to 90 million passengers by 2018 from around 60 million currently while Emirates continues to add new international routes. Complementing its investment in air transportation, Dubai added a second metro line last year to connect the city from east to west, which is a big draw with GCC visitors. Scully also highlighted the diversity of Dubai’s tourism sector as an added attraction for hotel investors. While Dubai offers the beach, sand and sun experience that has been effective in capturing Western demand, the emirate also boasts major sporting events, cultural tourism and a diverse retail experience at its numerous shopping malls. “The entertainment value of Dubai comes high on the list of any potential hotel investor. Tourists heading to Dubai can enjoy a number of attractions including two major water amusement parks, desert safaris and boat trips,” added Scully. Scully also recognised the role marketing has played in promoting Dubai: “Dubai’s marketing strategy is cohesive, sophisticated and above all effective, it gets the message across. Dubai has never been found wanting when it comes to self-promotion and this in itself breeds investor confidence.” Turning to regional investment outflow, Scully said Middle Eastern investors would continue to scout for low return trophy assets at below peak market values in Europe and the United States, where economies have been hit hard by the global downturn. “These investors generally have large cash reserves, can be egotistical and usually want greater visibility or a higher public profile,” he remarked. Gulf investors, flush with petrodollars from oil prices consistently hitting $120 plus, per barrel, have made a raft of hotel acquisitions in Europe recently. These include the purchase of the prestigious Carlton Hotel in Cannes on the French Riviera, which was sold for EUR450 million, Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris, while late last year Middle East investors spent some US$500 buying luxury hotels such as The Sanderson, St Martins Lane and the W Hotel in London. -Ends- About Seven Tides Based in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, privately-owned Seven Tides is an internationally oriented holding company established in 2004. Currently focusing on hospitality and real estate sectors, Seven Tides thinks progressively, works creatively, partners strategically and acts quickly. The result is a current portfolio of offerings from landmark hospitality acquisitions and commercial buildings to residential towers and multi-use complexes in the gateway cities of London and Dubai. Media Contact Jack Dulka Account Executive Shamal Marketing Communications Tel: +971 4 365 2711 Mob: +971 50 5529104 Email: jack@smc-pr.com

اخر الاخبار

Tourism, marketing and the convention center expansion

The San Diego City Council recently approved the latest addendum to the agreement between the City and the San Diego Convention Center. This is an important step in helping to grow jobs in our region. The expansion of the convention center will benefit our entire region. This decision was important for many reasons, but for our organizations and our members it was first and foremost about jobs. Jobs and the ability to access jobs is one of the top concerns of not just our organizations, but all San Diegans. The council’s action to authorize the transfer of the sales and marketing function from the Convention Center Corp. to a qualified third party, presumably the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau (ConVis), is a critical step in making sure the promised jobs and economic benefit are realized and that the revenue projections associated with the proposed convention center expansion will occur. In short, this is a win-win-win for all San Diegans. It’s a win for the city and taxpayers, because it will assure that the revenue projections will actually occur. “Heads in beds” is important not just to hotels, it is important to every San Diegan because our hospitality sector will pay a significant portion of the cost to expand the facility. The transient occupancy fee (TOT), sometimes called a room tax, goes directly into the general fund to pay for vital services like police, fire, libraries and parks in every San Diego neighborhood. Since its original construction in 1989, the convention center has utilized more than 12 million hotel room nights and created more than $400 million in tax revenue for the city of San Diego. It’s also a win for our current convention center employees because it will assure that the center’s use is maximized, thus providing a more stable flow of business for those who work there now. The expansion will also create new jobs at the convention center. It should be noted that the vast majority of the jobs at the convention center are union jobs, and they would be the primary beneficiaries of an expanded convention center with additional sustained business. Lastly, it’s also a win for our region’s economy. Hospitality and tourism is the third largest industry sector in San Diego, providing over 150,000 jobs. A more effective sales and marketing effort for the convention center will create more room nights in our hotels, more jobs at the convention center, and at hotels, restaurants, retailers, tourist attractions, cultural sites and hundreds of small businesses throughout San Diego. When all is considered, the expanded convention center will create 7,000 new permanent jobs and 4,000 temporary construction jobs. This project will have an estimated economic impact of $698 million on our region, and provide the city with an additional and ongoing $12.7 million in TOT and $800,000 in sales tax per year. The action approved by the City Council puts San Diego on the same competitive level with 80 percent of the municipalities across the country that use a third- party, nonprofit like ConVis for sales and marketing of their convention centers. The City Council’s action allows us to focus on the goal to book the convention center to full capacity and fill as many room nights as possible. Maximizing revenue generation will not only pay for the expanded facility – it will also bolster our economy, create jobs and provide much-needed revenue for essential city services, to the benefit of all San Diegans.

اخر الاخبار

An Interview with Carley Roney of TheKnot.com

It's not anywhere near a stretch of the imagination to understand just how crucial the weddings business is. The real quandary is what your property can do to cash in. So, rather than approach this from the hotelier's perspective, let's take the viewpoint of the bride and groom, and then you can make your own extrapolations. To get a good insider's perspective, I interviewed Carley Roney of www.TheKnot.com. While the bridal market, for the most part, tends to be highly localized, The Knot was one of the pioneers in terms of approaching the business on a national level by creating regional micro-sites with national sponsors/editorials. Their research suggests that that they are largest online resource for brides-to-be, with an impressive 8 out of 10 visiting this site. In the USA, just how big is the Wedding Market? How many couples were married in 2011? What was the average spend per wedding? What are the trends in costs, cost/allocations? The wedding industry is a $74 billion industry that includes honeymoon, registries, engagement ring and all things related to weddings. Each year we conduct a Real Weddings study and according to TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com 2010 Real Weddings Study, the national average wedding spend is $26,984. Here's the overall wedding spend breakdown: Category 2010 National Average Spend Overall Wedding (excluding honeymoon) $26,984 Ceremony Site $1,393 Reception Venue $12,124 Reception Band $3,081 Reception DJ $900 Photographer $2,320 Videographer $1,463 Wedding Gown $1,099 Florist/Décor $1,988 Wedding Cake $540 Ceremony Musicians $503 Wedding Day Transportation $667 Rehearsal Dinner $1,127 Engagement Ring $5,392 Everyone says weddings are recession proof. How has the economy influenced wedding and bridal spending? The bridal industry is recession resistant as brides will still spend money for their wedding no matter the state of the economy. Less than a third (31%) of brides said the economy affected their wedding budget - a decrease from 34% in 2009. However, when it does come to lowering the wedding budget, one successful cost-cutting tactic used by brides is to trim the number of wedding guests - 141 was the average in 2010, compared with 149 in 2009. Despite the decrease in wedding guests, wedding standards weren't affected, as the average wedding spend per guest remained the same as it was in 2009 at $194. Statistics say the average bride is older. What are the facts and how does this influence spending? And who is paying for these weddings? The average age of the bride in 2010 was 29, an increase from 2009 when the average age was 28. The average age of the groom in 2010 was 31, an increase from 2009 when the average age was 30. Because couples are older and more established in their careers, they're paying for more of the wedding. The couple paid for 42% of the wedding in 2010, while the bride's parents paid for 45% and the groom's paid for 12%. Everyone's contributing to overall spend, not just bride's parents anymore. When selecting a reception venue, what are the key factors that a bride looks for? How influential is the groom in the wedding location selection? What about parents? When choosing a venue, the first thing you want to ensure is that the room is large enough to accommodate the number of people on your guest list. It may look big enough when it's empty, but you won't get a good idea until it's filled with chairs, tables, a dance floor, food and drinks. Definitely ask to see photos of the space when it's set up for another wedding of equal size as yours. Light can also make or break the mood and the space. If you're marrying during the day, make sure your venue has plenty of windows. If it's an evening affair, make sure the room's not too dim. You also need ample outlets. Take a look around the room to make sure there are lots of outlets, especially if you've chosen a space that doesn't normally host weddings or events. Finally, good acoustics are a must. If the place has echoes, it could alter the sound of the band, or make it difficult for guests to hear speeches and even each other. A tile or wood floor, will amplify sounds, while a thick carpet tends to muffle them. Again, visit the space during an event so you can hear the room's sound quality yourself. The groom and parent's influence on the selection of the wedding reception varies with each couple. Some grooms are very involved in the planning process, while others will ask to have more of a say in the food or the honeymoon planning. If parents are paying for the wedding they may have more say in the decisions than if the couple is paying for it themselves. The factors that influence wedding reception location are: word of mouth, wedding shows, past experience, referrals, wedding shows, magazines, broadcast, and online. Can you comment on the importance of each? The power of word of mouth, referrals, magazines, broadcast and online promotions are very powerful. Never underestimate PR. When we launched, there was no expert in weddings or an easily recognized voice. So instead of focusing on advertising, we invested in PR. We believe that if you're doing things that are interesting enough, then people will talk about it. Essentially, PR was the first social media! On WeddingChannel.com we have WeddingChannel.com Reviews where brides can easily search and review more than 130,000 of the top wedding vendors and in turn, vendors can interact directly with brides. Vendors should encourage their brides to post reviews on WeddingChannel.com Reviews as well as check out other bride's tried and true reviews. Are destination weddings gaining in popularity, or are the bulk of receptions still local? Destination weddings rose the past two years, with an increase of 20% since 2008. In fact, approximately 1 in 4 couples considered their wedding a destination wedding in 2010. What new trends in weddings and wedding receptions are you seeing? A new trend for 2012 is the Ritzy Ranch Wedding. Picture a 200-year-old barn complete with long exposed-wood tables, large chandeliers and ambient lighting. For flowers, think lace-wrapped bouquets of wild roses, lilies of the valley, Queen Anne's lace and gardenias. Food includes delicate wild game like juniper-spiced venison, cider-braised pheasant and pan-roasted quail. Brides will be channeling the Old West with a rustic-elegant spin. The enchanting, whimsical trend is also big this year due to the buzzed about Snow White and The Huntsmen movie and its ilk. 2012 brides will be inspired to wear wedding gowns that are light and airy, but with a mysterious and sexy vibe. Vera Wang's stunning witchcraft-inspired 2012 wedding dresses will be the bride's first stop. For wedding décor, magical and fantasy settings will be big with brides opting for a woodsy vibe. Think soft, decadent bouquets filled with flowers like cabbage roses, peonies and dinner plate dahlias. Tell me more about appealing to the growing ethnic markets (within the USA). On Weddings.com, we have an entire collection of niche wedding-planning sites devoted to reaching these markets-Asian weddings, Indian weddings, Jewish weddings, Muslim weddings and many others. Each site features a collection of custom content, vendor listings, message boards and real weddings to offer inspiration. Beyond the US, we've expanded globally. In November 2010, we launched Ijie.com, a website that provides Western inspiration and local advice for weddings, relationships and pregnancy for the Chinese consumer. We also recently announced a partnership with SINA, one of the most trafficked news and lifestyle portals in China with 170 million daily unique visitors, in which we have a cobranded ‘Weddings' channel under the SINA E-ladies section. Not to mention, we also have a partnership with Youku, the largest video hosting site in China. What is your advice for a venue that wants to be totally wedding friendly? Having an attitude of ‘no request can't be met' is essential. The venue should answer emails and phone calls in a timely manner. As well, they should work with brides to reasonably negotiate within their budget and meet their needs. It's also advisable they have a presence wherever brides are (eg. on Facebook, Twitter, TheKnot.com, WeddingChannel.com, etc.).

اخر الاخبار

الحياة فى طوكيو بعد شهر من التسونامى

بعد مرور شهر على تسونامى اليابان وكم الخسائر المادية والبشرية التى تعرضت لها اليابان يقوم مراسل سواح اون لاين راديو برصد مناحى الحياة فى العاصمة اليابانية طوكيو

اخر الاخبار

اللة يمنح الجميع الرخمة

صدق اللة العظيم حين قال لنبية " وان سالك عبادى عنى فانى قريب "،تلك هى الحقيقة فاللة حين يمنح الحياة وانة بقادر على ان يقول للشىء كن فيكون ، وتلك قصة سيدة تحكى تجربتها

اخر الاخبار

لماذا تهرب الافكار؟

الافكار لااحد يعرف من اين تاتى هل هى يوحى بها ام ان الضمير ينتجها الا انة من الموكد انها تتوارد على الذهن الاانها زئبقية الشكل والتكوين سرعات ماتهرب وتصبح اثرا من بعد عين ، فهل من هناك وسيلة من منعها ان تهرب وخاصة حين تكون ابداعية وفريدة
هذا ما سوف نعرفة فى التقرير التالى

اخر الاخبار

التجهيزات الفندقية للمطابخ

ان متابعة كل جديد بما يتعلق بصناعة الضيافة يتطلب مواكبة المستجدات والمستحدث فى التجهيزات والمعدات الفندقية وخاصة فى المطابخ وهى الاكثر تطورا واستحدائا ليس فقط فى التجهيزات الكهربائية بل ايضا فى الادوات والافران وهذا ليس مقصورا فقط على الفنادق بل ايضا المنازل وهذا ما تعرض لة افتتاح احدث صالة عرض للمطابخ فى ايرلندا اخيرا ، وقد تحدث مدير تلك الصالة لسواح اون لاين راديو فى هذا اللقاء

اخر الاخبار

رسالة سوريا والحرية

 ان الطغاة ينتهجون نفس المنهج ويكررون نفس الاخطاء ،وكانة قد كتبعليهم ان يتبعون بعضهم البعض ، على الرغم من رؤيتهم ماحدث من الطغاة مثلهم ، فمثلما لم يتعلم مبارك من بن على كذلك لم يتعلم القذافى ولم يتعلم بشار الاسد ان عصورهم قد ولت ورحلت وانةان عليهم ان يجنبوا شعوبهم الالم وانفسهم المهانة ، فما يحدث فى سوريا وبمجابهتة بنفس الاسلوب ونفس الذرائع يدل على ان تكرار الخطا هو من سمات الاغنبياء وتلك رسالة تلقتها سواح اون لاين من سوريا فى احداث مدينة درعا

اخر الاخبار

مستقبل الاعلان العربى على الانترنت

على الرغم من المجهودات المبذولة الى دفع الافاق الى مجال الدعاية على الانترنت ،الا ان ضعف النسبة المئوية لتلك المساهمات مازالت متواضعة اذا ما قورنت بالنسبة المئوية لتلك الاعلانات فى العالم ، وربما يكون عدم الثقة الكافية فى مردودات لمعلن على الانترنت مقارنة بانواع الاعلان الاخرى امر يمكن تجاوزة الا ان مواصلة الطريق امرا لابد من


ويمكن فهم ذلك من تلك المقابلة

اخر الاخبار

مقابلة خاصة من داخل معرض اكسبو ويست

من خلال معرض اكسبوويست كونرويل
، قام سواح اون لاين راديو باجراء مقابلة مع المدير التنفيذى للمعرض فى استعراض كافة التجهيزات التى يقوم بها العارضيين والخاصة بصناعة الضيافة والصناعة


استمع الى المقابلة

اخر الاخبار