Tag Archives: Paul Griffiths

Middle East Tourism Investment Summit will be two-fold organised by ITIC in partner-ship with ATM. The in-person summit will be held in Dubai on Wednesday 19 May and will be followed by a virtual summit on 27 May. The theme will be ‘Invest-Rebuild-Restart the tourism industry in the Middle East’. The Middle East is standing out as the region offering the most exciting tourism prospects following the Covid-19 vaccination campaigns that have been successfully rolled out. Taleb Rifai, Chairman of ITIC and former Secretary-General of UNWTO stated, “We are delighted to host in partnership with ATM our face-to-face Tourism Investment Summit after 18 months and to regroup industry leaders to discuss the investment opportu-nities, challenges, issues and the way forward for the future. “ For his part, Ibrahim Ayoub, ITIC’s Group CEO, expressed his confidence that the vaccination campaigns will contribute to the rapid restart of international flights. “Dubai has already set the example of the successful reopening of its airspace and country to foreign visitors. We expect that other countries especially in the Middle East which have properly managed the Covid-19 pandemic, to follow”, he added. “Their resilience needs to be commended.” Industry decision-makers such as Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports; Nicolas Mayer, Global Tourism Leader of PWC; Scott Livermore, Chief Economist of Oxford Economics, Middle East; H.E. Nayef Al-Fayez, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Jordan; HE Marwan Bin Jassim Al Sarkal, Executive Chairman Sharjah Investment and Development Authority; Raki Phillips, CEO Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority; H.E. Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director General, Ajman Tourism Development Department; Bastien Blanc, Managing Director, IHG Hotels & Resorts KSA; Marc Descrozaille, COO, Accor Hotels, India, Middle East & Africa; …

Dubai International (DXB) ended the first quarter of the year on a relatively positive note, registering a gradual but steady recovery in both customer numbers and cargo volumes. By the end of Q1 2021, DXB served 63% of the destinations in 89% of the countries on 74% of the airlines compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. Boosted by passenger numbers breaching the 2 million mark in March, DXB’s passenger volumes for the first quarter this year reached 5.75 million. This translates to a contraction of 67.8% compared to Q1 of 2020, which was largely unaffected by the pandemic-related suspension of operations by airlines and airports worldwide towards the end of March. India, which is traditionally a strong market for the UAE, retained its position as DXB’s top destination country with traffic for Q1 reaching 1,384,448 – propelled by top city destinations New Delhi and Mumbai. Pakistan was placed second with 454,294 customers, followed by Bangladesh (221,027 customers) and Russia (196,890 customers). Other destination countries of note include Egypt and Turkey. The top three cities were New Delhi (262,035 customers), Dhaka (178,593) closely followed by Addis Ababa (169,715 customers). Commenting on DXB’s Q1 performance, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports said, “Whilst passenger numbers for the first quarter remained significantly below the monthly volumes we handled before March 2020, in the context of the current global situation they are very encouraging and reflect the consolidation phase in our business recovery. Despite the ongoing challenges to air travel as the world continues to battle against the impact of the global pandemic, as an important hub, DXB will continue to play its role of enabling mobility and connectivity and contribute to the much …

Key industry leaders shared their comments on Dubai opening up the events sector over the past six months which has set an example to the world. It was no easy feat to handle as there are so many different areas both in the public and private sector partnered and followed through the tough times. Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports, summarised the city’s handling of the pandemic and the platform is created for a business events restart, “The leadership shown by the Dubai Government in managing the pandemic was outstanding and we maintained a very strong position against the pandemic right from day one. We expect to have a very strong rebound and we’re very grateful for the strength of leadership and collaboration we have seen across the sector that has enabled us to weather the pandemic probably better than any other nation.” Mohammad Al Hashimi, Vice President, Commercial Products Dubai, Emirates Airline, highlighted the dynamic approach the city has taken, “Visionary leadership and strong public-private sector collaboration have driven the successful re-start of travel and tourism operations. From airlines and airports to conference organisers and hoteliers, every partner in the Dubai ecosystem is working together to deliver strong visitor experiences and travel confidence. The results are quite evident in the data and the two recent big events that have taken place in Dubai. We are looking forward to the Arabian Travel Market in May, and a long list of events are set to be held from now to 1 October when we will see Expo 2020 go live.” Mark Willis, CEO Middle East & Africa, Accor, spoke about Dubai’s ability to deliver high levels of safety and exceptional visitor experiences: …

Dubai Airports welcomed the resumption of scheduled operations by foreign carriers at Dubai International (DXB). A total of 13 international airlines resumed scheduled flights this week as Dubai opened its skies and arms to tourists effective July 7. Airlines resuming operations at DXB include Air Blue, Air France, Cebu Pacific, EgyptAir, Ethiopian Airlines, Gulf Air, KLM, Lufthansa, Mahan Air, Middle East Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines, Philippine Airlines and Royal Jordanian with more expected to join later. In addition to foreign carriers, DXB-based Emirates airline and flydubai have boosted their schedules. “We have ensured everything is in place to welcome airlines from around the world back to Dubai as a growing number of bilateral agreements between countries conclude to facilitate the opening of borders and the gradual return of traffic,” said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. “Our ability to resume passenger operations has been enabled by the significant and early steps the UAE government took to tackle the threat of the spread of the virus, together with the robust health and safety measures in place at DXB, and the excellent advanced healthcare services available here in Dubai. We remain in close discussions with government officials and airlines to support the resumption of additional services as approvals are granted in the weeks and months ahead. The message is that we are ready to welcome visitors back to Dubai and we will do our utmost to take care of them whilst they are here” As services resume passengers are being advised to always confirm their terminal of departure and arrival with their airline prior to coming to the airport as some carriers may have temporarily changed terminals.

flydubai has begun welcoming tourists to Dubai following the lifting of flight restrictions that were put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On July 8, flydubai flight FZ 728 from Kiev’s Boryspil International Airport (KBP) arrived at Terminal 2, Dubai International (DXB) at 21:45. Onboard the flight were 07 Business Class passengers and 159 Economy Class passengers who were welcomed on arrival from representatives from the airline, Dubai Airports, Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM) and other key stakeholders. Amongst the passengers were 25 tourists who chose Dubai as their first holiday destination. Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer of flydubai, said, “As more airports around our network begin to lift flight restrictions, we look forward to seeing our network grow to 66 destinations over the summer period. We have been hard at work to redesign our passenger journey in order to minimise the risk of transmission of COVID-19. These efforts are aligned to the stringent public health and safety measures that are in place to ensure that visitors feel safe when they arrive in Dubai.” Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), said, “The overall destination experience is our top-most priority, and together with flydubai, are ensuring that the health and safety of visitors is present at every step of the travel process. As Dubai continues to feature as a must-visit destination, we want to assure our visitors that the city is safe and we are very excited to welcome international visitors back.” “All of the staff at Dubai Airports have been eagerly awaiting the restart of operations of our home-based airlines and therefore it is a welcome milestone to see people coming back …

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) held a virtual meeting with key aviation and hospitality partners to discuss current and post-pandemic strategies and joint initiatives aimed at ensuring the tourism industry’s gradual return to normalcy. The meeting also discussed global efforts to minimise the transmission of COVID-19 and precautionary measures deployed to safeguard the health of communities across the UAE. His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism, commented, “It must be emphasised that the health and safety of our residents and guests will always remain our top priority as we continue to work with the industry and our government partners not just during this critical period but beyond, to develop innovative approaches, real-time responses, and proactive yet prudent initiatives to ensure that Dubai remains at the forefront of the world’s leading destinations in line with our strategy.” Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said, “As health and hygiene standards will play an influential role in encouraging people to travel, we have put in place a set of health and safety protocols at our airports including all necessary quarantine arrangements and the implementation of sanitisation and disinfection measures to reassure tourists that Dubai is one of the safest destinations to visit. We will also continue to receive incoming flights from select destinations, operate cargo flights, as well as flights to repatriate expatriates and guests to their home destinations.” Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer at Emirates Airline, said, “Emirates commences passenger flights between Dubai and nine destinations from 21 May – London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Chicago, Toronto, Sydney and Melbourne, and we will also offer connections in Dubai for customers travelling between the UK and …

Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports confirmed that while the airport operator is taking appropriate measures to control costs, optimise liquidity, facilitate cargo and repatriation flights and prepare for a timely and proportionate activation of facilities and services at Dubai International (DXB) to support the resumption of scheduled traffic, the timing and the speed of air traffic recovery will ultimately depend on the development of a vaccine or treatment for COVID-19. “The COVID-19 pandemic is of a very different nature than any previous crisis in that it has affected supply, demand and health security and by extension the entire global economy,” said Griffiths. “We’re dealing with a monster here for which we clearly have to find a solution. Until there is a proven level of confidence medically that people can travel without fear of spreading or contracting the virus, the situation we find ourselves in is likely to continue.” “Until a medical solution is found, the industry will rely on bilateral agreements that enable the resumption of services. We will gradually start to see some confidence build between trusted countries where the governments have acted significantly enough and early enough to get the spread of the virus under control,” said Griffiths. “In the short term, until we get a medical and technical solution, we will have robust measures in place. And while we will all have to practice social distancing in the near term, the idea of social distancing as a permanent part of society would be so socially and economically destructive it would simply not be sustainable. We’re looking at an 18 month to two-year time frame but that is highly dependent upon the development of an effective treatment or …

Dubai International (DXB) retained its position as the world’s number one hub for international passengers for the sixth consecutive year with annual traffic for 2019 reaching 86.4 million – 6 million more than the nearest rival London Heathrow. The year was also exceptional for DXB in terms of customer service with shorter wait time, record-breaking baggage performance and new retail and food and beverage offerings. DXB welcomed a total of 86,396,757 for the full year of 2019 (-3.1 per cent) as numbers were affected by a series of challenges throughout the year, including a 45-day closure of the airport’s southern runway to enable its refurbishment, global market conditions, as well as the worldwide grounding of Boeing 737 Max aircraft. During the fourth quarter of 2019, DXB welcomed 21.9 million customers (1.3 per cent), taking the average monthly passenger numbers at the hub to 7.2 million for the year. The airport also breached the 8-million customer mark twice during the year (July and August). Expressing satisfaction with DXB’s performance in 2019, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said, “While customer numbers in 2019 were lower than the preceding year, the impact of the 45-day closure of the runway, the bankruptcy of Jet Airways, as well as the grounding of the Boeing’s 737 Max accounted for an estimated 3.2 million passengers over the course of the year, and indicate underlying growth at DXB.”

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group officially opened the 19th edition of Dubai Airport Show, the world’s largest airport exhibition. The three-day show took off with a grand opening with an impressive participation of 375 exhibitors from 60 countries. The exhibitors are showcasing more than 50 new technologies and innovative products over three days at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC). His Highness Sheikh Ahmed remarked, “With passenger numbers expected to continue their growth trajectory and drive airport expansion projects to accommodate the demand, the UAE’s aviation sector remains a key driver of our economic growth. The Airport Show, with all the co-located events, offers an ideal platform to the Middle East, Africa and South Asia’s aviation authorities, companies and individuals to come together and collaborate with international experts and leaders to improve global aviation.” The co-located events are Air Traffic Control (ATC) Forum, Airport Security Middle East, Global Airport Leaders Forum (GALF), Women in Aviation (WIA) General Assembly and CAPA Middle East & Africa Aviation Summit. Daniyal Qureshi, Group Exhibition Director at Reed Exhibitions Middle East, organisers of the Airport Show, said the show has been a clear sell-out, indicating the industry’s continuing vibrancy and investment potential for expanding facilities and new technologies at airports and the aviation industry in general. Delivering the Airport Keynote address at CAPA Aviation Summit, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports Corporation, said DWC is set to handle 240 million passengers with personalised experience in the future. “The hub model is the right and sustainable model, which is benefiting Dubai,” …

Dubai Airports confirmed operations teams at both airports are ‘good to go’ for the commencement of the 45-day long refurbishment of the southern runway at Dubai International (DXB). The runway is nearing the end of its design life and requires a complete upgrade to accommodate future traffic growth. “Planning and preparations have been underway for almost two years in close coordination with Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects, airlines, dnata, the regulator and a host of other service partners to make sure this massive project goes off without a hitch. We’re confident we are fully prepared and good to go for April 16. We are encouraging passengers to confirm their airport of departure before they set out to take their flights but otherwise they can expect smooth operations and great service ,” said Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports. The main visible difference for passengers will be a potential change in airports, although scheduling experts have optimised DXB’s one runway operation to the point where there will be only a 29% reduction in the number of available seats. Thanks to the additional capacity provided by DWC, the number of flights across the Dubai Airport system will see a reduction of just 19% and a seat reduction of just 20%. Many customers will get to experience the speed and convenience of Dubai’s second airport Dubai World Central (DWC) for the first time during the closure as it takes on additional traffic from affected scheduled, charter, cargo and general aviation operations. DWC will handle an average of 145 passenger flights per day operated during the period by airlines including flydubai, Wizz Air, Aeroflot, Indigo, SpiceJet, Gulf Air, Ukraine International Airlines, Ural Airlines, Nepal Airlines, Kuwait Airways …