In Brief

Abu Dhabi National Hotels gains up
ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH) earned a net profit of Dh151.4 million ($41.22 million) during the first nine months of this year, up 19 per cent compared with the same period last year.

Its catering arm, ADNH Compass, has secured new contracts in Dubai, Sharjah, Egypt, Lebanon, Kuwait and Iraq.
“The hotels division results in the third quarter have clearly benefited from a more positive market trend. We see this continuing but we also see improving results from the fruition of various investments that will deliver for us in the future,” said director-general Peter Cardnell said in remarks published in the Gulf News.

DTCM campaign targets Manama
DUBAI: The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) aims to activate its tourism and business promotions in East European markets especially Greece.
The new plans were discussed at the Travel and Tourism Group meeting.
“There was a general feeling among the attendees too, that of late tourism and business interests and activities from East European market have shown an upward trend,” said an official.
DTCM director-general Khalid A bin Sulayem, who chaired the meeting at the World Trade Centre, said it had always been “our endeavor to expand Dubai’s horizon by discovering new markets”.
The participants at the meeting also revealed that incentive travels would increase between October 2003 and March 2004.

Emirates profits soar 51pc
DUBAI: Dubai’s Emirates airline has achieved record half-yearly profits of Dhs612 million ($167 million), 51 per cent up on the same period last year.
The airline said the record figures were thanks largely to a series of initiatives to upgrade customer service.
The results, based on unaudited financial figures, compare with net profits of Dh404.2 million ($110 million) last year. Higher passenger and cargo yields more than offset a small short-term fall in seat factors during the SARS outbreak and Iraq conflict, Emirates’ chairman, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, said.
Emirates’ Dh5.8 billion operating revenue for the half-year recorded a strong growth of 33 per cent compared to Dh4.3 billion during the same period last year.

Movenpick in deal for Jeddah hotel
JEDDAH: Mِvenpick Hotels and Resorts (MH&R) has signed management agreement for a second hotel in Jeddah, its third venture in Saudi Arabia.
The hotel in Jeddah is now part of the portfolio of the Swiss hotel chain.
The new Mِvenpick Hotel Jeddah is set to be established as the ideal business hotel, conveniently located in the city’s commercial and banking district, next to the offices of the Ministry of Interior, various shopping centers and a 10-minute drive from Jeddah International Airport.
The hotel project will feature 210 deluxe rooms inclusive of 18 executive suites with the opening phase available to welcome guests from early next year.