The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted a luncheon focused on the thriving tourism and hospitality sector in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday afternoon in Houston. Guests in attendance heard remarks from panelists hailing from key public and private sector organizations representing the U.A.E.?s hospitality and tourism sectors: Kershing Goh, Country Manager- Americas, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (Abu Dhabi TCA); Denise Harvill, Vice President of Central U.S.A., Etihad Airways; Skip Tiedemann, Sales Manager- Southern U.S.A., Emirates Airline; Seta Hana, Director of Global Sales- Central Region and Americas, Jumeirah Group; and Talal Kaissi, Chief of Staff of the U.A.E. Trade and Commercial Office, U.A.E. Embassy in Washington, D.C. The event took place amid the second day of the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC 2013) and brought together senior private sector and industry leaders from Houston and beyond, eager to learn more about the booming tourism initiatives undertaken by the U.A.E.
Danny Sebright, president of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council, provided welcome remarks, greeted visiting delegations from the U.A.E., panelists, and local travel executives in attendance, and moderated the panel discussion. In his opening comments, Sebright provided context on the vibrant tourism and hospitality sector in the U.A.E. based on his own frequent experiences traveling to the country.
Following his welcome remarks, Sebright introduced Goh, of the Abu Dhabi TCA, who provided guests with an overview of Abu Dhabi?s burgeoning tourism sector. Throughout her presentation, Goh highlighted Abu Dhabi?s emergence as a premier global travel destination, consistently ranked among the best trips in the world in annual reports by Conde Nast Traveler, Travel & Leisure, and Forbes magazine. Goh touched on the diverse hospitalityoptions in Abu Dhabi including the world-renowned Emirates Palace Hotel, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, and the Western region?s Qasr Al Sarab resort. She also gave guests an interactive look at the development of Saadiyat Island, poised to host the Zayed National Museum, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi ? the largest concentrated foreign collection of global landmarks.
After Goh?s remarks, guests heard from Etihad Airways? Denise Harvill who discussed the global carrier?s role as a catalyst in support of Abu Dhabi?s business development and economic growth under the Abu Dhabi Plan 2030 ? the emirate?s diversification strategy for the next 20 years. Harvill noted that Etihad Airways is currently celebrating its tenth year in service and is one of the world?s fastest growing airlines; planning to acquire 14 aircraft in 2013 alone, and 78 aircraft from 2014-2020. To conclude her presentation, Harvill pointed towards Etihad Airways? goal to carry 25 million passengers a year by 2020.
Harvill was followed by Emirates Airlines? Skip Tiedemann. During his comments, Tiedemann highlighted Emirates as the largest airline in the Middle East, operating over 2,500 flights per week to 122 cities in 74 countries across six continents. He noted that Emirates also boasts four of the world?s ten longest non-stop commercial flights from Dubai to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, and Houston; respectively. Tiedemann went on to discuss Emirates? strong global brand recognition and its significant sponsorship of a variety of global major league sports teams and sporting events.
Following Teidemann, Seta Hana briefed guests on the diverse offerings, in the U.A.E. and around the world, of the Jumeirah Group. During her presentation, Hana delved into the standards that set Jumeirah products apart from other luxury hotel chains, including base-level room square footage that rivals the capacity offered by other brands. Hana then provided an in-depth look at some of Jumeirah?s Dubai properties including the world-famous ?seven star? Burj Al-Arab, the Arabian-themed Madinat Jumeirah, the flagship Jumeirah Beach Hotel, the group?s newest hotel Zabeel Saray, and the business-friendly Jumeirah at Emirates Towers ? located in the center of Dubai?s Financial District. Hana also gave guests a look at Jumeirah Group?s recent expansion into the Abu Dhabi market with the recent opening of the Jumeirah at Etihad Towers.
Finally, guests were given an all-encompassing assessment of the U.A.E.?s tourism and hospitality push by Talal Kaissi, of the U.A.E. Embassy in Washington. Kaissi explained his role as a driver of the already flourishing bilateral trade and business relationship between the two nations, as well as the push to connect Americans and Emiratis on a more human level ? through hospitality and tourism. In his comments, Kaissi underscored the U.A.E.?s traditional focus on warmth and hospitality to visitors as the heart of Emirati culture.
Following the formal panel remarks, the floor was opened to the audience for a question and answer session. During the session, private and public sector representatives openly discussed developments in the U.A.E.?s tourism and hospitality sectors and how Houston can play a greater role.
On Wednesday morning, Sebright spoke at an exclusive Offshore Technology Conference (OTC 2013) Industry Briefing: ?Oil and Gas Policy and Opportunities for Trade and Investment in the United Arab Emirates? Oil and Gas Sector,? hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce?s International Trade Administration (ITA) and OTC 2013?s Board of Directors. Sebright was joined on the panel by Richard Westerdale from the Bureau of Energy Resources at the U.S. Department of State; Arafat Saleh al Yafei, Manager of CO2 & Nitrogen Development at Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC); Guy Tenant, Vice President-Southern Gulf at Halliburton; and Anthea Pitt, Executive Editor of Petroleum Economist. The event brought together representatives from the government of the U.A.E. and offshore industry representatives, as well as U.S. industry executives who gave an overview of company experiences doing business in the U.A.E.
In his remarks, Sebright discussed the U.A.E. as a vital link in the oil and gas global supply chain, leveraging its geographic location and proximity to international trading routes to play a central role in supplying natural resources to world markets all over the globe. Sebright also underscored how oil and gas revenue are actually fueling the U.A.E.?s sustainable economic diversification strategies, pushing to move the Emirates? away from an economy solely reliable on oil and gas and into a variety of profitable sectors, including renewable energy. Sebright also noted the dual role Abu Dhabi plays of both oil and gas capital and alternative energy incubator in the U.A.E., and increasingly for the broader Middle East. Sebright continued, discussing Abu Dhabi?s role as home to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) as well as MASDAR City, an urban development and commercial park boasting state-of-the-art clean technology and alternative energy-fueled infrastructure. Sebright went on to discuss Dubai and the five Northern Emirates? strategies to integrate into the industry supply chain before providing a comprehensive review of the U.A.E?s energy sector.
To underscore the U.A.E.?s keenness to boost energy sector-related infrastructure, Sebright provided guests with an in-depth look at future plans to link production and shipping via pipeline and the Etihad Rail Project ? a federal railway planned to begin operations shuttling sulphur and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the country?s oil fields to production facilities in Abu Dhabi?s Western Region and ports across the country, beginning in 2017.
Following his remarks on oil and natural gas, Sebright turned to solar and nuclear developments and planned initiatives amidst the U.A.E.?s diverse energy goals. He concluded by providing a look at the many opportunities for American companies looking to break into the market, citing competition for the upcoming contract to replace the 75-year onshore oil concessions agreement between the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and ExxonMobil, set to expire in 2014, as one example. Sebright?s remarks were followed by presentations prominent U.S. and U.A.E. public sector and private industry representatives aimed at promoting the U.A.E. as a destination for American exports and investment in the oil and gas sector.
Following the formal program, the floor was opened for a question and answer session in which private and public sector representatives openly discussed developments and challenges faced by American companies looking to break into the U.A.E.?s vast and diverse energy sector.
The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council, the ADNOC delegation, and many of the event attendees are in Houston this week for OTC 2013. For more information about the conference, visit: http://www.otcnet.org/2013/.
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