Istanbul, Turkey February 2012: The CATHIC event in Istanbul began today with the WTTC’s Marketing Director Geoffrey Breeze outlining predictions for the Global Travel and Tourism industry over the next decade.

“In 2012 the global tourism industry provides 1 in 12 of all jobs, and accounts for nine per cent of global GDP. By 2022, we predict that this will change to 1 in 10 of all jobs worldwide, and 9.6per cent of GDP”, said Breeze.

He also predicted that by the end of 2012 one third of all worldwide travel sales will be made online. Turkey currently has the 7th largest online audience in Europe, with a 44 per cent penetration rate; Turks spend more time online than any other European country.

Issues affecting the Turkish tourism sector were addressed by Mehmet Ersoy, Chairman of Etstur, Haluk Kaya, Chairman of Bekay Property Partners and John Wilson, Executive Board Member of Dedeman Hotels & Resorts,

Ersoy said: “The Turkish government is working towards eliminating visa problems, developing more airports and extending existing ones.” He added that Istanbul’s role as a major hub will also be enhanced by a new airport which will open in 3 years’ time.

Kaya pointed out that there are two distinct tourism sectors in Turkey – all-inclusive resorts and city tourism. Istanbul has experienced a very fast growth of tourist arrivals, from just 2 million five years ago to 8 million in 2011. But this does not even compare with Prague. He predicts that Istanbul will welcome 15 million visitors by 2015. “So of course, everyone wants a hotel in Istanbul”.

Kaya also raised the issue of inclusive resorts which do not generate income or jobs for the local community. “Belek is a disaster. Not a single restaurant in the town even though there are more than 40 four and five star hotels”, he said. There is some investment now from Rixos hotels – but it is an important lesson for other resort locations, he added.

John Wilson added: “There is Istanbul and there is the rest. This is an extraordinarily dynamic marketplace and there is no sign of a slowing down in the growth in the Turkish tourism business. While we’re not immune from Europe’s troubles, I am not worried because Turkey’s unique geography means we can explore alternative and emerging markets to replace lower numbers from Europe’’.

The complexities of financing new hotel construction was explored in detail by Andrew Sangster, Editorial Director of Hotel Analyst Emerging Markets, in conversation with Puneet Chhatwal of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Carlton Ervin, Chief Development Officer for Marriott International, Ömer Isvan, President of Servotel Corporation and Peter Norman, SVP Development at Hyatt International.

Sangster posed the question of how much equity the large global hotel management companies were prepared to commit to emerging markets in general, and Turkey in particular.

For Servotel, Isvan said: “Here in Turkey there is a ‘footprint’ race between the hotel companies. Particularly in resort areas, the traditional management contracts are the norm in this market. The big global brands are reticent to introduce different equity models because they don’t want to set a precedent. However, some of the smaller chains are more aggressive and are embracing more creative financing deals.”

Norman said Hyatt has more asset investment than other global bands, with about 20 per cent of its portfolio in owned assets. “We believe that the bricks and the brains under one roof is good. You have to eat your own cooking sometimes, and as owners ourselves, we have the confidence of our other owners. In these more difficult times, we have to see what we can do to help owners get financing for projects, so we may look at joint ventures and ownership options in emerging markets on a case by case basis.”

Marriott’s approach is somewhat different according to Carlton Ervin. “We recently made two strategic acquisitions in Western Europe, to give our Edition brand a presence in key markets. But we do these with an eye to recycling this capital as soon as possible. We also tend to consider this option only in established markets, so while we never say never, we are not contemplating on buying assets in Turkey in the foreseeable future.”

The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has long experience of asset investment in this region, Chhatwal said: “We were first to do this in Istanbul 15 years ago, and we sold that asset recently. We also have experience in Tlbisi, Kievand St Petersburg. But Istanbul is not the place to invest these days, as the prices are too high.”

‘’But I think it is a good time for investing in mid-market hotels in secondary Turkish cities and we would certainly use our balance sheet for that purpose.” He added.

The final session of CATHIC 2012 was with Turkish hotel veteran Murat Dedeman, Chairman of Dedeman Hotels & Resorts International and President of Dedeman Holding who was presented with the CATHIC 2012 Leadership Award by Mehmet Önkal, Managing Partner at BDO Hospitality Consulting.

The award recognizes Dedeman’s forty-year contribution to the region’s tourism and hospitality sector.

An exhibition of sponsors runs alongside the conference, with more stands than the inaugural event in 2011. Sponsors for this year’s event are: Platinum sponsors: BDO Hospitality Consulting, Corinthia Hotels, Dedeman Hotels & Resorts International, Hilton Worldwide, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development (SMIT), Marmara Collection, Wyndham Hotel Group. Gold sponsors: Accor Hospitality, AECOM Design + Planning, Argentina National Institute of Tourism Promotion, Best Western International, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Horwath HTL, Hyatt International, IHG, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, Jumeirah Group, Marriott International, Inc., Orient-Express, Premier Inn, Rixos Hotels, Servotel Corporation, T&T Consulting, WATG.

The Central Asia & Turkey Hotel Investment Conference will run from February 6 -8, 2012 at Ceylan Intercontinental, Istanbul and is organised by Bench Events and Questex Media. Details can be found on www.cathic.com

-Ends-

Media Contact: Strategic Solutions, media@strategicsolutionsonline.com
Sarah Azad +97150 9803810, Sarah@strategicsolutionsonline.com

Japanese automaker Suzuki’s Kizashi has placed 5th in the Affordable Midsize Cars category of U.S. News’ ‘2012 Best Cars for the Money Awards.’ This once again reaffirms Suzuki’s industry leadership and commitment to excellence and further strengthens its position in the global markets, including the KSA. Kizashi was 5th out of the top 19 US, Japanese, Korean and German automobiles test-driven and reviewed by the Best Cars jury.

Maher Al Nabawi, Deputy General Manager of Suzuki Saudia, explained that the Kizashi is the first-ever full-size sedan designed by Suzuki, which is known more for its small and midsized automobiles. He added that the leading Japanese automaker intends to boost its standing in the Saudi, Arab and international markets through the growing reputation of its Kizashi model. The vehicle’s success, he said, reflects Suzuki’s ability to meet diverse market needs.

Al Nabawi also revealed that the full-size yet economic Suzuki Kizashi is widely popular in the KSA, the growing demand exceeding expectations and overwhelmingly contributing to increased Suzuki sales in the Kingdom. He noted that Kizashi targets buyers looking for a luxurious car at an affordable price.

Kizashi is powered by a 176-bhp, 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine and equipped with a CVT six-speed manual/automatic transmission that can automatically adjust to provide better fuel economy and enhanced performance. Kizashi’s standard features also include 18-inch aluminum tires, ABS, a leather interior, sunroof, cruise control, six airbags, automatic dual air conditioning, steering wheel volume controls, USB and CD/MP3 socket, a Remote Keyless Ignition (RKI) and Door Opening system, front and rear parking sensors, passenger seat memory and adjustment, HID headlights for better control and command flexibility, sporty wiper arms, lower front bumper, and chrome-framed fog lights. In addition the vehicle maintains a well-designed figure that differentiates it from other cars within its category.

Granite solves bandwidth and latency problems over distributed networks, but lower in the technology stack – at the block level – making it possible to deliver global storage and server infrastructure extended from the data center over the WAN. By adding file system intelligence to the block layer, it, among other things, parallelizes interactions between server and storage that were otherwise sequential. This innovation means that distributed data and servers can now reside in one place and the performance for users at the edge will not be impacted, all while eliminating up to 50% of the costs associated with managing distributed infrastructure.
Granite requires two components: Granite Core, a physical or virtual appliance in the data center, and Granite Edge, a service running on a Steelhead® EX in the branch office. By combining Steelhead EX + Granite, organizations can take advantage of greater consolidation and centralization with a powerful combination of WAN optimization, virtual services platform and innovative block-storage optimization. Alternatively, Granite Edge is available as a standalone appliance.

Availability
Granite is expected to be generally available this quarter.

The Chronograph was first created when Nicolas Rieussec patented his table watch for tracing a period of time using two rotating discs and a drop of ink to mark two points in time. Since then, the chronograph has seen an impressive development both in usage and application but also in functionality and watchmaking technology. With its very name derived from Greek “chronos” for time and “graphein” for writing, the chronograph complication is strongly associated with the soul and historical roots of Montblanc.

Visitors to “Writing Time – Two Centuries of Chronograph History” will be offered various insights into chronograph innovations. On display are watches, movements and dials from both Montblanc and the Musée International d’Horlogerie that showcase technological and creative developments over the years; some are recent models, and some date back over 200 years. An impressive timeline describes the history of chronograph inventions and highlights selected icons of chronograph history. Lastly, the multiple uses of chronographs are illustrated, with visual impressions of how chronograph development has changed: from horse racing to science and industrialisation, up to aviation and today’s world of luxury.

Joe Nahhas, Regional Director, Montblanc, said, “We are pleased to host the Chronograph History exhibition in Dubai as part of its 6 month global tour. Chronographs have played a huge role in the world of horology for years, serving diverse and significant functions; its roots remain close to our core philosophy, as Nicholas Rieussec’s chronograph was a combination of timepiece and writing instrument. It is an honour to tie up with the prestigious Musée International d’Horlogerie and be able to share our experience and know-how with the public.”

The “Writing Time – Two Centuries of Chronograph History” exhibition is located outside the Montblanc boutique, The Dubai Mall, near Bloomingdales. For more information, please call 04-434 0300.

**********

Press information

Sandra Schneider, Schneider PR

Tel: +971 4 3219033 / Mob: +971 50 5240120

Email: sandra@schneider-pr.net

About the Musée International d’Horlogerie, La Chaux-de-Fonds

The only museum of its kind in the world, the Musée International d’Horlogerie dynamically recounts the historic, artistic and scientific adventure of time measurement with over 4,500 collectors’ pieces ranging from the sun dial to the atomic clock. Founded in 1902, the Musée International d’Horlogerie is located in a building largely underground, which was opened in 1974. Over 4,500 items (clocks, watches, tools, machines and paintings) retrace man’s long quest for time. Rare 17th century watches, exceptionally fine 18th century clocks, 19th century watches outstanding for their complications and some of the most sophisticated 20th century watches are displayed in the elegant setting of the museum. The museum contains a first space devoted to the ancient times and a Restoration Centre where the public can watch craftsmen at work; a second space illustrating the techniques used in the manufacture of cases and movement and 20th century horological products; an area featuring scientific chronometry; and a section on tools and machine tools. In the park there is a carillon in the form of a giant sculpture, which comes alive every quarter of an hour and is coloured according to the seasons.

Alfalak Electronic Equipment & Supplies Co., a leading provider of technology-based end-to-end solutions in the Middle East, expects strong business growth in 2012 following the Saudi Government’s classification of the company as an official contractor for public projects. Alfalak can now bid on government projects covering general contracting, information technology and electronic security systems, and telecommunications.

Increased expenditures on ICT products and services in key Arab markets such as the KSA have enabled Alfalak to achieve sustained growth. Total ICT investments in the Kingdom alone are expected to reach SAR 50 billion by 2015. To support its growth plans, Alfalak will invest into its ongoing expansion program across the GCC region as well as in other high-growth markets.

Alfalak is also enhancing its capability to cater to the evolving requirements of its customers in the region by strengthening strategic partnerships with leading international IT companies such as HP; Imation; Genius; 3M; Adobe Creative; Lexmark; SAS; Oracle; Testhouse; Compuware; IBM; SERENA; Vanguard; Halcyon; PAV Data Systems; and Juniper Networks, to name a few. Alfalak provides corporate IT solutions integrating key technologies from its partners through a network of offices and specialized staff in the Gulf and Middle East regions, specifically in the KSA, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Sudan.

Ahmed Ashadawi, CEO and President, Al-Falak Electronic Equipment & Supplies Co, said: “Thanks to our inclusion as one of the Saudi Government’s official contractors, we are now on track to maintain our leading position in the region’s highly competitive ICT sector. This welcome development adds to the positive outcome of our expansion initiatives and gives use even more momentum to post another solid annual performance and achieve our growth targets for 2012. The growing investments in ICT in the Middle East will continue to drive our growth plans in the region, while we are likewise moving forward with our local and global expansion initiatives.”

Alongside its exceptional business performance, Alfalak has been demonstrating its strong commitment to corporate social responsibility through accomplishments such as the introduction or a corporate ‘green’ policy and support for charitable organizations such as Prince Sultan Rehabilitation Society for Disabled People, Saudi Cancer Society, Saudi Red Crescent Authority, Patients Friends Committee in the Eastern Province and Fatat Al Khaleej Association.

Alfalak has consistently been ranked by Arab News as one of the top 100 companies in Saudi Arabia. The company delivers enterprise IT solutions through a network of offices and trained technical personnel across the Middle East. Alfalak’s portfolio of business partnerships include leading solution and software providers, hardware and consumable manufacturers, business consultancy firms, and implementation specialists.

SMILE FC System Corporation to accelerate deployment of fuel cells for next generation of eco cars

(BUSINESS WIRE)– Intelligent Energy, the global clean power systems company, and the Suzuki Motor Corporation, have today announced the creation of a joint venture company called SMILE FC System Corporation, to develop and manufacture air-cooled fuel cell systems for a range of industry sectors. The joint venture also includes a non-exclusive license agreement that gives Suzuki access to Intelligent Energy’s class-leading fuel cell technology for its next generation of environmentally friendly fuel cell vehicles.

Under the terms of the contract, both companies will take a 50 percent stake in the joint venture. SMILE FC System Corporation will be led by Mr. Osamu Honda, Executive Vice President and representative director for Suzuki Motor Corporation, who will become President of the JV. SMILE FC System Corporation will be headquartered in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka, with operations initially based in Yokohama.

“Suzuki Motor Corporation has been developing fuel cell vehicles with Intelligent Energy since 2006, and this successful relationship has led to the formation of SMILE FC System Corporation,” explained Mr. Honda. “I believe that we can accelerate the commercialisation of fuel cell vehicles through this joint venture with Intelligent Energy.”

The agreement represents good value for both parties, enabling Suzuki cost-effective access to Intelligent Energy’s advanced fuel cell technology through partnering and licensing, thereby avoiding the higher costs associated with in-house development. Intelligent Energy will benefit from Suzuki’s production expertise and the emerging Japanese supply chain to jointly develop the next generation of automotive standard air-cooled fuel cell systems.

Phil Caldwell, newly appointed Board Member of SMILE FC System Corporation and Business Development Director at Intelligent Energy commented, “This joint venture is the latest exciting development in the successful relationship between Intelligent Energy and Suzuki, which has previously resulted in the Crosscage motorcycle and the Suzuki Burgman Fuel Cell Scooter. It is a big step towards the mass production of automotive fuel cell systems.” Equipped with Intelligent Energy’s air-cooled fuel cells, the Crosscage and Burgman motorcycles were exhibited at the 2007 and 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, and in 2011, the Fuel Cell Burgman Scooter became the world’s first fuel cell vehicle to achieve European Union Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA).

“Combining Intelligent Energy’s market-leading fuel cell system technology with Suzuki’s mass production capabilities and supply chain excellence will accelerate the deployment, long term scalability and applicability of fuel cells for the next generation of eco cars, and other market segments,” explained Dr Henri Winand, Chief Executive, Intelligent Energy. “This non-exclusive agreement with the Suzuki Motor Corporation also provides further validation of our ‘design once, deploy many times’ proprietary technology and mutually beneficial partnering business model.”

About SMILE FC System Corporation

SMILE FC System Corporation Board:

• Osamu Honda, President and Representative Director (and Executive Vice President and Representative Director of Suzuki Motor Corporation);
• Masataka Yamakawa, Vice President and Representative Director (and Representative Director, IE Japan Ltd);
• Ichizo Aoyama, Board Member (and Managing Director and Executive Director at Suzuki Motor Corporation);
• Phil Caldwell, Board Member (and Business Development Director at Intelligent Energy Ltd);
• Kunio Nakamura, Auditor (and Auditor at Suzuki Motor Corporation).

The ratio of capital contribution to SMILE FC System Corporation is as follows: SMC (50%), IEHP (50%).

The SMILE FC System Corporation HQ is located at 300, Takatsuka-cho, Minami-ku, Hamamatsu-city, Shizuoka. The place of business for the corporation is 2-1, Sakuranamiki, tuduki-ku, Yokohama-city, Kanagawa.

About Intelligent Energy

Intelligent Energy is a leading clean power systems company with a globally scalable business, operating in the motive, stationary power and consumer electronics sectors. Our proprietary fuel cell technologies are designed for the mass market products of some of the world’s leading companies. Intelligent Energy continues to accelerate the commercial introduction of its technologies into very large and growing markets based on sound yet cost effective operations and partnerships. Intelligent Energy’s successes include building the world’s first purpose built fuel cell motorbike, and with partner Suzuki, the first ever fuel cell vehicle to achieve European Union type approval. The company also supplied the system to Boeing which powered the world’s first manned fuel cell aircraft.

In addition to visiting Intelligent Energy, more information is available via Twitter, Youtube, Flickrand LinkedIn.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50158527&lang=en

Contacts

AxiCom PR for Intelligent Energy

James Kennedy

james.kennedy@axicom.com

+44 020 8392 4091