The Address Dubai Marina is one of the properties hosting the Hosted Buyers from the Business Travel Show. The Address Dubai Marina is one of the properties hosting the Hosted Buyers from the Business Travel Show.

Mandarin Oriental
Luxury hotel group Mandarin Oriental will be out in force at The Business Travel Show with representatives from properties in Europe, Asia and America all present at the event to chat to visitors about their business travel offerings.

Diana Banks, VP of sales and marketing, EMEA explains that the brand is strongly committed to targeting business from the Middle East: “Mandarin Oriental hotels have received a considerable increase in bookings for both business and leisure travel year-on-year from the GCC region, and we are showing our commitment to the GCC by investing resources in our increased presence in the region.

“Having seen an increase in room nights, average length of stay and spend in Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group from the Middle East region in 2010 over 2009 and 2008 we have a positive outlook for this region.”

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Royal Jet
Private Jet company, Royal Jet is introducing its new corporate recognition program – Royal Jet 100 Club – at the show.

“The 100 Club unlocks the benefits and advantages of private jet travel, offering corporates an immediate discount of five percent off our standard charter rates,” explains John Morgan, vice president commercial, Royal Jet. “Unlike many other private jet schemes, the 100 Club requires no upfront payment or commitment.”

Royal Jet will also be highlighting the recent additions to its fleet. It has added a sixth Boeing Business Jet, making it the world’s largest independent operator of this aircraft. “The jet offers a ‘home-away-from-home’ luxury for up to 18 guests including a stateroom complete with shower,” says Morgan.

Royal Jet has also added a brand new Lineage 1000 aircraft, (which it manages on behalf of the AI Habtoor Group). The Lineage 1000 is capable of carrying 19 passengers non-stop from the UAE to London or Singapore.

Morgan adds that Royal Jet is keen to push the ‘value-for-money’ message of private jet travel: “A recent study found that for any regional business trip involving several senior executives, a private jet will almost always be more cost effective than commercial airlines, when taking into account the value of wasted executive time. The Royal Jet 100 Club provides companies with a flexible and no risk way to harness the cost-effectiveness, flexibility and convenience of private jet travel.”

Empire Aviation Group
Empire Aviation Group (EAG) operates one of the region’s largest managed fleets of executive jets. EAG will be exhibiting at the show to introduce its new bespoke luxury travel division ‘Lifestyle@Empire’.

The service combines a charter jet service with an online hotel booking service provided by Booking.com, so private jet customers can search Booking.com’s database of 78,000 hotels in 76 countries at preferential rates. The service is available in 31 languages.

EAG has partnered with some of the world’s leading luxury hotels to promote jet-inclusive travel packages to destinations such as the Maldives; Jaipur; Mauritius; Sharm El Sheikh and Bali.

Hot Travel TThe Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) is in charge of organising the seminar programme this year. ACTE will be presenting a series of keynote sessions, seminars and roundtable debates designed to meet the needs of business travel buyers, bookers and managers in the GCC covering topics from technology to service fees.
These are our top pick seminar sessions:

Monday 25 October 12pm:
•10 ‘Must Have’ Features of a Travel Policy
This presentation will guide delegates through the top ten components required for an efficient, up-to-date and relevant travel policy.

Monday 25 October 2.45pm:
• Commissions versus Fees: Achieving transparency in the supply chain
This panel discussion will aim to investigate renumeration practices in the region and how these impact the corporate buyer, travel agent and airline sectors.

Monday 25 October 4pm:
• From Travel Agent to TMC – The Giant Leap
This session wil debate how agents can offer added value in a move towards becoming full- service TMCs.

Tuesday 26 October 12pm:
• Online systems and technological advancements: what generation are you?What are the different products out there and what are the challenges in their implementation?