GEORGIA: Russia Flight Ban Causes Tourism Losses To Georgia.

Residents of the Georgian capital of Tbilisi working in the hospitality industry are upset by Russia’s decision to bar its airlines from flying to Georgia amid bilateral tensions, as tourism will decrease just as the high season begins.

"It has affected tourist flow. Russian citizens often visit. I cannot give you specific information on the number of Russian nationals who are currently living in our hotel. But there are a lot of them", a representative of one of Tbilisi hotels said.

Owners of restaurants and taxi drivers predicted a decrease in Russian tourism, as well.

"It is, of course, very bad. It is the beginning of the season. Tourism is economy, money and investment", they said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin suspended air traffic starting on 8 July, ordering that all Russian citizens currently in Georgia be returned.

Putin also instructed travel companies to remove package tours to Georgia for the ban period.

The Russian Association of Tour Operators said that there are currently some 5,000-7,000 Russians in Georgia on tours organized by travel companies, while up to three times more Russians are traveling on their own.

Putin’s decree was announced after violent protests erupted on Thursday in Tbilisi over the participation of a Russian delegation in an international parliamentary forum in country's capital.

They subsequently grew into an opposition rally with demonstrators calling on the government to step down.

At least 240 people were reportedly injured in the unrest, while around 300 people were detained.

Moscow has slammed the response of Georgian leadership during the international event and said it was outraged by the actions of the protesters.

The majority of people arriving in Georgia in early 2019 are Russians.

In the first quarter of 2019, 222,700 people arrived in Georgia from Russia, which is 21.4 percent of the total number of tourist arrivals. In comparison with the figure for 2018, this indicator has increased by 24.3 percent.

Such an increase in the number of Russians is taking place while the total number of visitors to the country has hardly grown.

In total, in the first quarter of 2019, Georgia was visited by a million foreign visitors, which is 1.7 percent more than the same period last year.

Of these, there were 900,000 tourists, those who stayed in the country for at least a day, this is just five percent more than last year.

In the first quarter of 2019, guests in the country spend about 1.2 billion lari about $437 million, which is 15.2 percent less than the same indicator for last year.

The average expenditure per visit decreased compared to last year by 16.1 percent and amounted to 889.7 lari about $323.

According to data released by the national statistics service, visitors spend the most money on food and drinks.


Tourism Observer

RUSSIA: Aeroflot Stops Flights To Georgia

Aeroflot completely stopped flights to Georgia starting from July 8 in accordance with President Vladimir Putin's decision to suspend traffic of Russian airlines to the neighbouring country, the airline company said.

"Starting from 8 July, 2019, Aeroflot completely suspends flights to Georgia. This measure has been taken in accordance with the Russian president's decree. From now on, the main efforts of Aeroflot will be aimed at returning Russian citizens from Georgia," the statement said.

According to Aeroflot, those passengers, whose flights are scheduled for 8 July or a later date, can change the departure for an earlier date without any additional payments or penalties, or return the full cost of tickets, thereby terminating the agreement on carriage.

​Ural Airlines has also suspended sales of tickets to Tbilisi starting from 8 July, a spokesperson for the company announced.

On Friday, President Vladimir Putin suspended the air traffic with Georgia, starting on 8 July, and ordered to ensure that all those currently traveling across Georgia be flown back. Moreover, he instructed travel companies not to sell package tours to Georgia for the ban period.

Commenting on the decision, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the measures are forced restrictions imposed by Russia to guarantee safety of Russian nationals in the light of extremist actions that are going on in Georgia.

The Russian Association of Tour Operators said that there are currently around 5,000 - 7,000 Russian tourists traveling to Georgia on tours organised by travel companies, while up to three times more Russians are traveling there on their own.

The decision followed protests in Georgia, which erupted on Thursday over the participation of a Russian delegation in an international parliamentary forum in Tbilisi.

They subsequently grew into an opposition rally with demonstrators calling on the government to step down. At least 240 people have been injured in the unrest, while around 300 people have been detained.

Moscow has slammed the actions of the Georgian leadership during the international event, with Peskov describing the unrest as a "Russophobic provocation."


Tourism Observer

SAUDI ARABIA: Flynas Commences Six New Routes From Saudi Arabia

Passengers Travelling out of Saudi Arabia over the summer period will have a host of new destinations to select from as low-cost airline Flynas is introducing new routes from across the country.

From June 13, the national airline will commence flights to six cities across Europe and Eurasia from four airports in the kingdom. While services will not start until June, booking is open now for any passengers wanting to plan ahead.

From Riyadh, two new direct flights to Georgia mean passengers can easily explore the Caucasus country.

The Black Sea resort and port city of Batumi is reachable in just three-and-a-half hours, while the capital of Tbilisi is only three hours and 45 minutes away.

Three new direct flights per week from Riyadh will be added servicing the Austrian city of Vienna, known for its beauty and architecture and reachable in less than six hours.

Azerbaijan’s Baku, Turkey’s Trabzon and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Sarajevo will also be reachable direct from Riyadh King Khalid International Airport.

In Jeddah, new summer destinations from Flynas include Vienna, Baku and Sarajevo and from Dammam, travellers will be able to fly direct to Tbilisi and Baku.

From the smaller Prince Nayer bin Abdulaziz International Airport, formerly Qassim international Airport, new direct routes to Trabzon and Baku will commence.


Tourism Observer

SAUDI ARABIA: Flynas To Buy Wide body Jets, Expand To Far East, West And Africa

Saudi Arabian low-cost carrier Flynas plans to operate wide-body aircraft for the first time in its 10-year history as part of a network expansion strategy that could see the airline service long-haul destinations such as Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Europe and Africa, its group chief executive said.

The airline is to commence talks with plane manufacturers Boeing and Airbus within the next two months with a view to placing a sizeable order for either Boeing 777s or Airbus A330s, plus Airbus’ long-range A321-ER neo, Bander Almohanna told The National on Monday.

We are starting now to study long-range A321-ER neos and wide-body jets, we’ll either go with A330 or B777, Mr Almohanna said.

We will launch in the next couple of months a campaign for wide-body jets, targeting destinations that cannot be reached by the existing equipment or fleet.

So this would be mainly the Far East – Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur –the far West, and Africa.

If a deal is reached, it is expected to be for a similar number of aircraft as Flynas’ order placed at the end of 2016 for 120 A320neos, which is due for delivery between the fourth quarter of 2018 and 2026 and intended to replace its outdated fleet of 30 aircraft, predominantly A320s.

We always think big, Mr Almohanna said at the ATM travel conference in Dubai.

Operating wide-body aircraft would be a wholly new strategy for the low-cost carrier as it seeks to grow its network in line with the kingdom’s plans to develop its nascent tourism sector.

The market size of Saudi Arabia is more than the airline so we are not competing with the national carrier Saudia, we are complementing it by trying to reach markets not served well by any Saudi airline, and to get people to come direct instead of through connecting traffic, Mr Almohanna said.

The discussions with Airbus and Boeing is a new project, he said, but our whole strategy is to get aligned with Vision 2030, which sets a target to attract 15 million pilgrims by 2020, and 30 million by 2030.

Those pilgrims will not be able to come in a convenient way without having an airline like Flynas pushing a strategy, frankly, to have wide-body aircraft and long-range 777-ER Max or the A321neo.

Pilgrims are only one segment of Flynas’ target market, he said.

Boeing’s under-development mid-size jet is another option.

Flynas, which is partly owned by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s Kingdom Holding, forecasts 10 per cent earnings growth this year after a flat 2016/17 due to sluggish conditions in the regional economy and the wider aviation industry, according to Mr Almohanna.

He said the market is starting to pick up.

The airline is targeting an increase in passenger numbers to 7.5 million in 2018 from 6.4 million in 2017, helped by an anticipated 5 per cent rise in Umrah and Haj pilgrims to the kingdom this year.

This summer it will launch five new destinations – Tbilisi in Georgia, Baku in Azebaijan, Vienna in Austria, Athens in Greece and Trabzon in Turkey. Flights will commence for sale this week.

To facilitate the network expansion, the carrier is in discussions with Airbus to fast-track a portion of its A320neo order, Mr Almohanna said.

He plans to add five new aircraft to Flynas’ fleet this year, including two A320s and three Boeing 737s.

We are negotiating with Airbus to advance more than what the slot has given to us, he said. “

We are also in talks with other lessors to maybe swap their slot with ours to accelerate the planned replacement and support our growth strategy.

Mr Almohanna declined to comment on the planned initial public offering of around 30 per cent of the company, reportedly targeted for early 2019.

The plans are still on the table, he said. Flynas was reported in February to have appointed Citigroup to advise on a potential IPO, alongside Morgan Stanley and NCB Capital.


Tourism Observer

ANGOLA: Luanda Is World’s Most Expensive City

The Angolan capital Luanda has knocked Hong Kong off the top spot in an annual survey by Mercer Consulting that ranks the cost of living for expatriate workers in world cities.

The survey found the cost of renting a two-bedroom apartment suitable for expatriates in Luanda was £4,800 ($6,055) per month, while a fast food hamburger meal priced at £11.50.

It was the second time in three years that Luanda topped the survey, which compares the costs of housing, transport and clothing in 209 cities.

While Luanda rose, all UK cities fell significantly in this year’s rankings which were released on Wednesday, with 30th-ranked London dropping 13 places from 2016.

The survey suggested that the country’s vote to leave the European Union had played a role in the drop by causing the value of sterling to fall.

Mercer found that a number of African cities continue to rank high in this year’s survey, reflecting high living costs and prices of goods for experts.

Luanda is followed by Victoria in the Seychelles (14th), N’Djamena in Chad (16th), and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (18th).

Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria, is ranked 29th and not among the top five African cities that are very expensive.

The Angolan capital Luanda has knocked Hong Kong off the top spot in an annual survey by Mercer Consulting that ranks the cost of living for expatriate workers in world cities.

The survey found the cost of renting a two-bedroom apartment suitable for expatriates in Luanda was £4,800 ($6,055) per month, while a fast food hamburger meal priced at £11.50.

It was the second time in three years that Luanda topped the survey, which compares the costs of housing, transport and clothing in 209 cities.

While Luanda rose, all UK cities fell significantly in this year’s rankings which were released on Wednesday, with 30th-ranked London dropping 13 places from 2016.

The survey suggested that the country’s vote to leave the European Union had played a role in the drop by causing the value of sterling to fall.

Mercer found that a number of African cities continue to rank high in this year’s survey, reflecting high living costs and prices of goods for experts.

Luanda is followed by Victoria in the Seychelles (14th), N’Djamena in Chad (16th), and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (18th).

Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria, is ranked 29th and not among the top five African cities that are very expensive.

World’s 10 most expensive cities

1. Luanda, Angola

2. Hong Kong, Hong Kong

3. Tokyo, Japan

4. Zurich, Switzerland

5. Singapore, Singapore

6. Seoul, South Korea

7. Geneva, Switzerland

8. Shanghai, China

9. New York City, US

10. Bern, Switzerland

World’s 10 least expensive cities

200. Minsk, Belarus

201. Karachi, Pakistan

202. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

203. Monterrey, Mexico

204. Tbilisi, Georgia

205. Blantyre, Malawi

206. Windhoek, Namibia

206. Skopje, Macedonia

208. Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

209. Tunis, Tunisia



Tourism Observer

AZERBAIJAN: Passenger Traffic At Heidar Aliyev Airport Baku Grows By 36%

Baku’s base airline AZAL was accountable for more than a half of all passenger traffic that passed through Baku in January through April (АZAL)
Passenger traffic through Heidar Aliyev airport in Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital, in the first four months of this year exceeded 1 million passengers.

In the period from January to April 2017 more than 1,062 million passengers flew from or to the capital of Azerbaijan, which is 36% above the same period last year.

The airport reported that over half of all passengers traveled by Azerbaijan’s national carrier, AZAL.

It was accountable for 594,000 passengers, including 158,000 served on domestic lines to Nakhichevan, Gyandzha and Gabala.

Baku Airport serves 28 airlines, including five low-cost carriers.

Cumulatively they carried 904,000 passengers on international routes, which makes up to 85% of the entire traffic for the period.

In the international segment AZAL generated almost half of the cumulative traffic (48.2%).

The most popular international destinations from Baku were Istanbul, Moscow, Dubai and Kyiv. About 62% of the entire international traffic traveled on these routes.

Other preferred destinations include Teheran, Tbilisi, Doha and St. Petersburg, accountable for 12% of traffic.

Last year Heydar Aliyev Airport handled the record 3.26 million passengers, up 8.7% on the previous year.

The share of international traffic was slightly less than now, 83.5%.

More of this traffic was served by AZAL (51.3%). The number of operators has remained the same.

The surge in passenger traffic was first recorded in the second half of the year.

In November the growth rate was 23% (231,000 passengers), and in October, 19% (265,000 passengers), 29% in September (365,000 passengers) and 27% in July (391,000 passengers).



Tourism Observer

BAHRAIN: Gulf Air Launches Flights To Tbilisi, Georgia

Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, launched its highly anticipated direct 3 weekly service to the Georgian capital Tbilisi.

Commenting on the launch of Gulf Air’s newest destination, Gulf Air Chief Executive Officer Mr. Maher Salman Al Musallam said: I am delighted Gulf Air is directly connecting Bahrain and Georgia and witnessing such high demand as we commence operations is a positive indication of what is to come.

I look forward to seeing passengers from across the GCC and MENA region fly with us, enjoying the Gulf Air product and service offering en-route to experiencing the diverse appeal of this destination.

Gulf Air’s direct 3 weekly flights between Bahrain and Georgia are supplemented by, this week and due to high passenger demand, two additional flights that will operate on 23rd and 25th June 2017.

Bahrain’s national carrier operates double daily flights or more to 10 regional cities, providing seamless connectivity for passengers travelling across its network via its efficient Bahrain International Airport hub.

Gulf Air tickets can be purchased via the airline’s official website gulfair.com, or any Gulf Air sales offices and approved travel agencies.

Gulf Air is the principal flag carrier of Bahrain. Headquartered in Muharraq,adjacent to Bahrain International Airport,the airline operates scheduled services to 41 destinations in 23 countries across Africa, Asia and Europe. Its main base is Bahrain International Airport.

In 1973 the governments of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Qatar, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the Sultanate of Oman agreed to purchase the BOAC Associated Companies holding in Gulf Aviation.The Foundation Treaty was signed on 1 January 1974 and gave each government a 25% shareholding in Gulf Aviation, which became a holding company. The operating company was now branded as Gulf Air and became the flag carrier for the four states.

With leased Lockheed L-1011 Tristar and Boeing 737 aircraft joining the fleet, by 1976 Gulf Air had expanded its route network to include Amman, Amsterdam, Athens, Baghdad, Bombay, Bangkok, Beirut, Cairo, Colombo, Delhi, Dhaka, Hong Kong, Jeddah, Karachi, Khartoum, Larnaca, Manila, Paris, Ras al-Khaimah and Sana'a.

The fleet comprised four Vickers VC10, three BAC One-Elevens, two Lockheed L-1011 Tristar 200s and five Boeing 737–200s. In 1978, the airline doubled the Tristar fleet to replace the VC10s. Meanwhile, the airline increased the Boeing 737 fleet to nine and phased out the One-Elevens.

The 1980s saw an increase in air travel and growth for Gulf Air. In 1981, Gulf Air became an IATA member, and in the following year became the first international airline to land at Riyadh. In 1985, Emirates, the startup national carrier of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, began operating, and would later become a major rival of Gulf Air.

In 1988, Boeing 767s joined the fleet, and the airline launched service to Frankfurt, Istanbul, Damascus, Dar es Salaam, Fujairah and Nairobi, and resumed service to Shiraz and Baghdad.

Gulf Air celebrated its 40th anniversary in 1990. The light-blue and peach Balenciaga-designed uniform was introduced. Services to Singapore, Sydney and Thiruvananthapuram were launched, Gulf Air thereby becoming the first Arab airline to fly to Australia.

Gulf Air added services to Johannesburg and Melbourne in 1992, becoming the first Arab airline to fly directly to these cities. In 1993, it opened a flight-simulator centre in Qatar, and introduced service to Casablanca, Entebbe, Jakarta, Kilimanjaro, Madras, Rome, San'a', Zanzibar and Zürich.

In May 1994, Gulf Air received its first Airbus A340-300. A no-smoking policy was established in 1998 on flights to Singapore and Australia, which was later extended through its whole network. In 1999, Gulf Air launched three new routes in northern Pakistan: Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar. It also took delivery of two out of six Airbus A330-200 aircraft, and introduced a new Balmain uniform.[The Gulf Air website opened in January 1997.

In 2000, the airline celebrated its 50th anniversary. It took delivery of the remaining Airbus A330-200 aircraft in June, and launched service to Milan.

In May 2002, James Hogan became President and CEO of Gulf Air and instigated a restructuring and turnaround programme in response to a drastic fall in profits and increasing debt. The Gulf Air board unanimously approved the three-year plan at an extraordinary general meeting held on 18 December.

1 August 2002 the State of Qatar announced intentions to withdraw from Gulf Air. The state remained a member state for a six-month period after announcing the intention to withdraw.

In 2003, Gulf Air introduced a new Landor Associates-designed livery and, in June, established Gulf Traveller, a subsidiary, all-economy, full-service airline. It also announced a sponsorship deal for the Bahrain Grand Prix through 2010, creating the Gulfair Bahrain Grand Prix, of which the first was staged in 2004. The airline also introduced daily flights to Athens and Sydney via Singapore on 23 November 2003.

In 2004, Gulf Air introduced direct flights between Dubai and London, Muscat and London, and a daily service between Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah. The airline carried a record 7.5 million passengers during that year.Gulf Air's sponsorship of the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix continued, with a record race crowd and a global TV audience. The airline announced a return to profit, with the best financial performance since 1997.

Despite a BD30 million (US$80 million) cost to the business through fuel price rises during the year, Gulf Air recorded a profit of BD1.5 million (US$4.0 million) in the calendar year to December 2004, on revenues up 23.8% to BD476.3 million (US$1.26 billion) (2003: BD 384.6 million / USD1,020.2 million). The results meant the airline out-performed the targets set under Project Falcon, the three-year restructuring plan approved by the Board in December 2002.

The owner states of Gulf Air at that time—the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the Sultanate of Oman—confirmed their support for further expansion of the airline through a new three-year strategic plan which would include re-equipment of the aircraft fleet and recapitalization of the business through private-sector financing. Gulf Air was also placed on the IOSA registry following its successful completion of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA).

The new summer schedule commencing 28 April 2006 saw the complete withdrawal from Abu Dhabi as a hub, following the decision on 13 September 2005 by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to withdraw from Gulf Air and establish its own airline, Etihad Airways.

Gulf Air changed its operations to a dual-hub basis between Bahrain and Muscat airports. The airline ran a series of advertisements in local newspapers, thanking Abu Dhabi for its contribution to Gulf Air.

As the national carrier for the United Arab Emirates for over 35 years, it has a large customer base located in Abu Dhabi. Gulf Air endeavoured to show continuing support for flights to Abu Dhabi from Bahrain and Muscat, connecting to the rest of the Gulf Air network, via advertisements placed in local newspapers.

James Hogan resigned as President and Chief Executive Officer as of 1 October 2006,subsequently becoming CEO at rival airline Etihad. Ahmed Al Hammadi was named acting chief executive officer, until Swiss national Andre Dose, the former chief executive officer of Crossair and Swiss International Air Lines, became CEO on 1 April 2007.

A few days later, Dose announced a BD310 million (USD825 million) restructuring plan. This included originating or terminating all flights in Bahrain; ceasing routes to Johannesburg, Dublin, Jakarta, Singapore, Hong Kong and Sydney; eliminating all Boeing 767s and Airbus A340-300s from the fleet; introducing the Airbus A321 in July 2007 and the Airbus A330-300 in 2009; and potentially terminating employment based on performance, and without regard for nationality.

This led to some employees applying for jobs in other airlines and, in less than a month, Gulf Air lost 500 persons from its workforce, prompting the airline to rule out mass layoffs as part of its recovery plan, except for performance reasons.

On 5 May 2007, the government of Bahrain claimed full ownership of the airline, as joint-owner Oman withdrew from the airline.Andre Dose resigned on 23 July 2007 and was replaced by Bjorn Naf. On 6 November 2007, Gulf Air started its third daily non-stop flight to London Heathrow Airport from Bahrain. On the same day, Gulf Air became fully owned by Bahrain.

The airline inaugurated services to Shanghai Pudong International Airport on 16 June 2008,the route was terminated on 25 December 2009. It also placed orders with Boeing for 24 787s and Airbus for 15 A320s and 20 A330s to upgrade its fleet.

The airline's last commercial Boeing 767 flight was on 29 May 2008. On 3 July 2008, Gulf Air was announced as the official sponsor of London association football club, Queens Park Rangers. The same year, Gulf Air signed a lease agreement for five aircraft with International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) as part of its growth and expansion strategy. The lease was for six years for two Airbus A319s and three Airbus A330-200s, due for delivery in March, April and May 2009.

In March 2009, Gulf Air signed a 42-month lease agreement with Jet Airways for four Boeing 777-300ERs, but the aircraft were returned to Jet Airways starting in September 2009. In May, Gulf Air inaugurated summer seasonal flights to Alexandria, Aleppo and Salalah. On 1 September 2009, Gulf Air resumed flights to Baghdad. Services to Najaf and Erbil began shortly afterward.

Starting June 2009, Gulf Air's Golden Falcon logo was seen on the streets of London, emblazoned on the side of the city's taxi cabs, as part a two-year marketing deal. Fifty Hackney Carriages were to be rolled out in full Gulf Air livery to promote the airline's flights from London Heathrow to Bahrain and beyond.

Later in June, the carrier announced the departure of CEO Bjorn Naf and the appointment of Samer Majali,who worked previously for Royal Jordanian as CEO effective 1 August 2009.

On 1 March 2010, Gulf Air launched its new "Falcon Gold" cabin, a single premium cabin that is aimed at offering higher standards of comfort for the standard premium price. As of August 2011, the new Flat Beds were installed on all aircraft except short-haul aircraft.

On 5 September 2011, Gulf Air appointed Dr. Jassim Haji as Director of Information Technology, reporting directly to the CEO of the airline.

In 2011, Gulf Air temporarily suspended flights to Iran, Iraq and Lebanon during the height of the Bahraini uprising. The airline originally was to resume service to Iran from November 2012, but cancelled the plan as it was unable to receive approval from the Iranian authorities. Flights to Iran resumed in March 2014.

In November 2012, Gulf Air phased out its last Airbus A340-300. At the end of November 2012, it was announced that Gulf Air CEO Samer Majali's resignation had been accepted by the Board of Directors. Majali left by the end of 2012, after serving the company for three years.Maher Salman Al Musallam was the acting CEO of Gulf Air until May 2016, when he was officially appointed to the role.

At the Bahrain Airshow in January 2016, Gulf Air ordered 17 A321neo and 12 A320neo aircraft for delivery from June 2018, and cancelled a commitment to acquire six A330-300 aircraft. In addition, the airline also announced an restructured order for 16 Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The new order of 16 Boeing 787-9 aircraft replaced an existing order for 16 of the smaller Boeing 787-8 aircraft.

Gulf Traveller was the all-economy full service subsidiary airline of Gulf Air. Its main base was Abu Dhabi International Airport.It was briefly relocated between Bahrain and Muscat airports after Abu Dhabi pulled out of the Gulf Air consortium in 2005, and in May 2007 Oman also pulled out of the group leaving Bahrain as sole owner of Gulf Air. Gulf Traveller has since been disbanded due to these changes.

In 2011, due largely to political unrest in the state of Bahrain, Gulf Air lost BHD95 million (USD250 million),and in 2012, the loss grew to BHD196 million (USD520 million).In response, a decision was taken in 2013 to implement a turnaround plan that involved reducing the airline's fleet, number of staff and number of destinations.

In subsequent years the losses reduced, and in 2015, the loss reported was BHD24.1 million (USD63.9 million), an 88% reduction from 2012.

Gulf Air sponsors events, of which the most prestigious is the Bahrain Grand Prix. This is usually the first or fourth race of the Formula One season, and is held in March or April. Gulf Air was also the first ever shirt sponsor of Chelsea F.C. in 1983 and 1984.More recently, it was shirt sponsor of Queens Park Rangers F.C. from 2008 to 2011. It also sponsors the Bahrain International Airshow

As of January 2017, Gulf Air flies to 41 international destinations in 23 countries across Africa, Asia and Europe from its hub at Bahrain International Airport.Gulf Air's own Falcon Gold lounge could be found at the airports of Bahrain, Dubai and London–Heathrow.

Gulf Air has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:

- American Airlines

- EgyptAir

- Pakistan International Airlines

- Royal Jordanian


23 September 1983: Gulf Air Flight 771 was a flight from Karachi, Pakistan to Qatar via Abu Dhabi. While the Boeing 737-200 was on approach to Abu Dhabi International Airport, a bomb exploded in the baggage compartment. The aircraft crashed in the desert near Mina Jebel Ali between Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE.

All seven crew members and 105 passengers died. Most of the fatalities were Pakistani nationals, many returning to jobs in the Gulf after spending the Eid ul-Adha holiday with their families in Pakistan. The bomb was apparently planted by the Abu Nidal Organization, to pressure the Gulf States to pay protection money to Nidal so as to avoid attacks on their soil.

23 August 2000: Gulf Air Flight 072 crashed into the Persian Gulf on approach to Bahrain International Airport from Cairo. The Airbus A320, with 143 passengers and crew on board, approached the landing at higher speeds than normal, and carried out an unusual low altitude orbit in an attempt to correct the approach.

The orbit was unsuccessful and a go-around was attempted. While carrying out a turning climb the aircraft entered a descent at 15 degrees nose down. The aircrew did not respond to repeated GPWS warnings and approximately one minute after starting the go-around the aircraft disappeared from radar screens.

All 143 passengers and crew, including 36 children, were killed in the accident.The accident investigation concluded that the primary cause of the crash was pilot error,including spatial disorientation, with a secondary factor being systemic organizational and oversight issues.

Flight 072 was the highest death toll of any accident involving an Airbus A320 at that time. It was subsequently surpassed by TAM Airlines Flight 3054, which crashed on 17 July 2007 with 199 fatalities.

On 29 August 2011: Gulf Air Flight 270, using an Airbus A320-214, from Bahrain to Cochin carrying 143 people, skidded off the runway on landing due to pilot error of loss of situational awareness during reduced visibility conditions. The weather was poor with heavy rain and strong winds. The aircraft was badly damaged with nose gear collapsed and seven passengers were injured. Some people were reported to have jumped from an emergency exit when the evacuation slide failed to deploy.

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ITALY: The Busiest Airport In Italy Is Malpensa

Sea Spa presented 2016 balance sheet data to the board of directors for their approval for the shareholders’ meeting on May 3. According to Sole 24 Ore, the company that manages the Milan airports of Linate and Malpensa, there is a consolidated net profit of the group at a record high of 93.6 million euro, up 11.7% on 2015.

EBITDA (Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) grew by 5.1% to 234.4 million, another new record high, while the net profit of the parent company Sea Spa amounted to 87.9 million, up 11.8%. These are particularly positive results as the majority shareholder, so that the City of Milan could receive a coupon over 40 million euros, up from the previous year of 34.

Passenger traffic showed growth rates of 3.1% compared to 2015. In the last two months of 2016, the increase was 11.9% compared to the same period last year, with Malpensa increased only by 15.3%.

A trend confirmed by the first months of 2017 was with Malpensa which has the highest growth rate in January and February with 929 mila passengers (+11.6%, equivalent to 2.8 million), double the national average of 5.1 stops %.

In 2016, Sea Spa has also invested 85.9 million euro for the restyling of the airport, and is now preparing a similar treatment for Linate, an operation expected to take place over many years, which will be divided into several stages and for which it has already been allocated a first allotment of 156 million euro.

Just weeks ahead of Ukraine International Airlines’ inaugural flight to Chernivtsi, Milan Bergamo Airport announces its new airline partner’s second service to the Ukraine, linking the Italian airport to its main hub at Kiev Boryspil.

Initially launching a twice-weekly service from 16 May, utilising its fleet of two-class configured 737-800s, the Ukrainian flag carrier will add a third flight from 4 June, before increasing to a daily service from 15 July.

Further diversifying Milan Bergamo’s range of carriers, Ukraine International Airlines’ new link will boost the airport’s onward connections via Kiev Boryspil.

While providing Bergamo’s catchment area with access to the airline’s domestic route network in the Ukraine to points including Kharkiv, Lviv and Odessa, as well as region flights to Yerevan, Tbilisi and Tel Aviv, the new flight will make significant long-haul connectivity to Bangkok, Beijing and Colombo available to Italian travelers.

Variety and connectivity are crucial to our growing airline portfolio and route network, and Ukraine International Airlines’ new services will open up a world of opportunity for our passengers.

We will continue to work extensively with the airline to ensure good connectivity to all destinations in the future, explains Giacomo Cattaneo, Director of Aviation, SACBO.

There is a notable Ukrainian community within the region, as well as strong industry and trade, and these important connections will inject new demand for travel and help boost Milan Bergamo’s network,added Cattaneo.

Over the years, Italy has been increasingly popular with our passengers from the Ukraine and beyond, noted Evgeniya Satskia, Corporate Press Secretary, Ukraine International Airlines.

We have been continuously working on enhancing flights to Italian cities and, due to our successful partnership with Milan Bergamo, we can now offer daily services to give our customers the chance to enjoy a vast selection of attractions in Bergamo and beyond, added Satskia.

Now boasting 16 carriers, and with 12 new routes still to commence in 2017, Milan Bergamo continues to experience solid growth. Recording over 8% passenger traffic growth in the first two months of the year, the new links to the Ukraine will further enhance the airport’s developments.

Milan Bergamo Airport is on course to continue the robust growth it witnessed last year, adding 14 new routes, resuming 11 seasonal links and welcoming two new airlines for the S17 timetable. Having recorded 7.2% passenger traffic increase in 2016, the expanding summer schedule further consolidates the gateway’s position as Italy’s third busiest airport in terms of annual passengers.

Kick-starting S17 by launching six new connections in the first week, the Italian airport welcomes a new link to Liverpool with Blue Air’s four times weekly service, as well as five of Ryanair’s seven new summer connections: Bordeaux, Edinburgh, Luxembourg, Naples, Oradea, Vigo and Vitoria, in addition to the carrier’s seasonal routes to Corfu, Ibiza, Kefalonia, Palma de Mallorca and Thessaloniki.

Continuing to diversify its growing airline portfolio Arkia Israeli Airlines and Ukraine International Airlines arrive at Milan Bergamo this summer. With both airlines adding unserved markets to Bergamo’s route network – Tel Aviv and Chernivsti respectively – the addition of these new carriers also further expands the airport’s growing roll call of serving airlines to 14 for S17.

Milan Bergamo’s new airlines and routes S17

Airline Destination Start Frequency

Ryanair Vigo 26 March Twice-weekly
Ryanair Edinburgh 27 March Five times weekly
Ryanair Luxembourg 27 March Four times weekly
Ryanair Oradea 29 March Twice-weekly
Ryanair Vitoria 29 March Twice-weekly
Blue Air Liverpool 31 March Four times weekly
Meridiana Olbia 28 April Up to daily (resumption)
Ukraine International Airlines (new) Chernivtsi 28 April Twice-weekly
Blue Air Constanta 30 April Twice-weekly (resumption)
Ryanair Naples 1 May Four times daily
Ryanair Bordeaux 1 May Four times weekly
Volotea Lampedusa 27 May Twice-weekly (resumption)
Volotea Pantelleria 27 May Twice-weekly (resumption)
Arkia Airlines (new) Tel Aviv 28 May Twice-weekly
Blu Express Lampedusa 28 May Three times weekly (resumption)
Meridiana Iraklion 3 June Weekly
Blu Express Rhodes 10 June Three times weekly (resumption)
Blue Air Iasi 15 June Three times weekly
Blu Express Santorini 22 June Twice-weekly (resumption)
Blu Express Zakynthos 22 June Twice-weekly (resumption)
Blu Express Pantelleria 23 June Twice-weekly (resumption)
Blu Express Skiathos 23 June Twice-weekly (resumption)
Blu Express Mykonos 25 June Twice-weekly (resumption)
Blu Express Preveza 13 July Twice-weekly
Wizz Air Varna 22 July Twice-weekly

Milan Bergamo’s passengers will benefit this summer from an increased long-haul connectivity available via Munich, following the establishment of a partnership between bmi regional and Condor. Resulting in a greater choice of connections across Condor’s long-haul route network at Munich, the Italian airport’s passengers will now be able to reach destinations such as Barbados, Cancun, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Las Vegas and Vancouver.

As well as enhanced connectivity via its airline partners, Milan Bergamo has announced the approval of a new train link from Milan Central Station directly to the airport terminal. With development plans now in place, Milan Bergamo will be able to offer a vital train connection to downtown Milan, further increasing the airport’s catchment area.

Commenting on Milan Bergamo’s summer developments, Emilio Bellingardi, General Director, SACBO, says: The busy start to our summer is just the beginning of another year of development and growth at Milan Bergamo.

He added: We’ve also experienced a significant increase in the use of our premium airport services, such as our VIP Lounge and Fast Track facilities, and our top priority is to ensure we offer our passengers a variety of airlines and an ever-expanding selection of destinations.

KAZAKHSTAN: Air Astana And Lufthansa Sign Codeshare Deal

Air Astana and Lufthansa have enhanced their cooperation with the signing of a codeshare agreement.

The codeshare agreement is valid on Air Astana’s flights between Astana and Frankfurt and Lufthansa’s flights from Frankfurt to Almaty and Astana.

The agreement allows for increased choice for the customers of both airlines. Passengers will now be able to choose from a combined total of 14 flights per week instead of the seven weekly flights between Kazakhstan and Germany by each carrier.

This is particularly convenient for connecting passengers, who now have the ability to choose the flight that suits their schedule best, with seamless connectivity.

Regardless of the operating carrier, passengers can fly a combination of Air Astana and Lufthansa services using the ticket and code of either of the two airlines.

I’m delighted that the longstanding co-operative relationship between Air Astana and Lufthansa is being further strengthened with the signing of the codeshare agreement.

Passengers flying from Almaty and Astana to Frankfurt can now enjoy a greater choice of flights to best suit their schedules and the convenience of simply using the ticket of either of the two airlines, said Peter Foster, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Astana.

This is a winning step for both airlines and their passengers flying between Kazakhstan and Germany.

Axel Hilgers, Senior Director Sales Russia, CIS & Israel, said: This code share agreement is great news for our customers as it makes Kazakhstan more accessible. Passengers of both Lufthansa and Air Astana will have a much greater choice in flight options.

Kazakhstan is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world and we highly welcome Air Astana as our new partner, and as the leading airline to and from Central Asia.

Besides improved connectivity of the combined network of the two airlines, customers will enjoy the seamless convenience of flying with a single ticket, using a single code of their airline that can provide through check in for both baggage and boarding pass/registration.

In order to provide an increased convenience for its passengers, Air Astana will move to Terminal 1 at Frankfurt Airport for ease of connectivity with Lufthansa and partner airline flights.

Meanwhile, Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s Skytrax award-winning national airline, returns to London Olympia with the announcement of a fifth weekly direct flight – on Sundays – from London Heathrow (LHR) to Kazakhstan’s capital city, Astana (TSE), effective 4th June 2017.

The new service departs T4 at 1715, arriving 0540 the following morning in Astana, a 6.25hr journey.

The return departs Astana at 1455hrs local time, arriving 1605hr the same day, a 7.10 flight.

The new service, conveniently timed ahead of the capital’s hosting of Expo 2017 (June 10th to September, 2017) complements existing departures to Astana on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Passengers flying direct with Air Astana, the only direct service between the two capitals, also benefit from seamless same-day connections to Kazakhstan’s second city Almaty and international destinations including Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan’s capital; Urumqi, northwest China; Tbilisi, Georgia; and the Russian cities of Novosibirsk and Yekaterinburg.

Air Astana offers a three class product aboard its comfortable Boeing 757 aircraft – 16 seats in business; 108 in economy and up to 12 innovative Economy Sleeper Seats, which afford more personal space and privacy with a guaranteed row of three seats in the front of the Economy class cabin.

Return fares start from £498 for Economy Class, £1,505 for an Economy Sleeper, and £1,968 for Business Class. Fares include all taxes and are valid for year round departures from London including the peak season.

ARMENIA: Alamo Expanding To Armenia And Georgia

Enterprise Holdings Inc. today announced its entrance into Armenia with new franchise partner TravelCar, as well as the partnership’s intention to soon operate in the nearby country of Georgia.

In the coming months, the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands will be available to customers in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, which also serves the country’s main international airport.

TravelCar is an Armenian-based car rental business with a strong reputation for delivering exceptional customer service throughout the region.

During the next 12 months, additional locations will be opened in Armenia, as well as ones in the neighboring country of Georgia to serve its capital, Tbilisi, and principal airport.

Enterprise and TravelCar are well aligned in that they are both committed to the highest standards of customer service, said Arsen Sukiasyan, General Manager and Co-Founder, TravelCar.

Both organizations are driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, and we look forward to continuing that same tradition of excellence as we grow throughout Armenia and Georgia.

The franchise partnership with TravelCar is part of Enterprise’s wider strategy to build a robust network of transportation services that deliver value, choice and outstanding customer service to business and leisure travelers around the globe.

Our growth in Europe and the Middle East is a reflection of the global reputation and strength of our brands,said Peter A. Smith, Vice President of Global Franchising at Enterprise Holdings.

This partnership in Armenia and Georgia is the latest example of our efforts to ensure our loyal leisure and corporate customers can enjoy the high quality customer service they have come to expect from Enterprise, National and Alamo no matter where they are traveling in the world.

During the last five years, Enterprise Holdings has rapidly expanded the presence of its three car rental brands in Europe and the Middle East.

In the beginning of 2012, Enterprise operated in just three European countries — the UK, Ireland and Germany.

Today, it is available in more than 40 countries throughout Europe and the Middle East.

Enterprise Holdings currently operates in more than 85 countries and territories worldwide.

History of Alamo Rent A Car

1974 Alamo Rent A Car opens four locations in Florida, pioneering the concept of Unlimited Free Mileage. Immediately carving its niche in the leisure car rental industry, Alamo focuses its mission on providing a fun, low-cost, high-value rental experience to family and leisure travelers. The brand quickly becomes one of the country’s largest vacation rental providers and the largest provider to international travelers visiting North America.

1982 To facilitate the increase in leisure travelers, Alamo constructs its first state-of-the-art rental plaza in Tampa, Fla. Rental plazas serve hundreds of customers per hour in a modern, ultra-spacious environment. More plazas follow in other major leisure destinations including Orlando, Fla., home of the world’s largest rental facility.

1985 Alamo introduces a new customized rental agreement the size of an airline ticket, and Instant Alamo Rent A Car, a program that stores a traveler’s individual rental information for instant reference.

1990 Alamo revolutionizes collision damage waivers by introducing the first-ever price and coverage option for all renters. Alamo creates three new consumer-driven optional collision damage waiver products in Florida, named Waiver Savers®, which provide customers with three choices of price and coverage options tailored to their needs.

1995 Alamo launches the industry’s first real-time Internet booking engine. Customers can visit Alamo.com to find locations, view rates and select their vehicle. Soon, Alamo.com expands to include a membership-services section and travel tools to find the weather, driving directions and fun activities for children to enjoy on their road trip.

1998 Alamo launches E-Process 2000, a group of technologically enhanced initiatives for tour operators, including electronic reservation links on the company’s website, voucher-less rental processing and electronic billing.

2002 Alamo announces a partnership with Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, making it the official rent a car company of the most frequented tourist attractions in North America.

2005 Alamo launches the industry’s first and only online check-in system.

2007 Alamo is acquired by the Taylor Family of St. Louis, which today also owns and operates Enterprise Holdings. Alamo earns Budget Travel magazine’s “Extra Mile Award” for its self-serve kiosks.

2011 Alamo launches a partnership with Japan Airlines (JAL) which allows members of JAL’s frequent flyer program to earn miles when renting from any participating Alamo location in the U.S. and Canada.

2012 A new Alamo branch in downtown Waikiki opens, adding to existing Alamo locations at the Honolulu International Airport, the Disney Aulani Resort & Spa and Waikiki Discovery Bay.

2013 Alamo expands its Latin American – Caribbean footprint, entering Uruguay.

Today Alamo’s commitment to the leisure travel market has fostered longstanding partnerships with the airline industry, travel destinations, travel agents and tour operators around the world.

Alamo’s operations have since expanded throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Latin America and Asia.

Alamo Rent A Car is operated by Enterprise Holdings Inc. – the largest car rental company in the world – through an integrated global network of regional subsidiaries and franchise locations. Enterprise Holdings also owns the Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand, which is known for its extensive network of locations, affordable rates and outstanding customer service.

Enterprise Car Sales is a service of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand. All Enterprise Car Sales customers receive the exceptional service that is a hallmark of the Enterprise brand.

This includes haggle-free pricing; Enterprise Car Sales clearly marks its no-haggle price on every vehicle and backs it up with a commitment to worry-free ownership. A free CARFAX® Vehicle History Report™ is available for every vehicle as well.

Plus, every vehicle has passed a rigorous inspection, inside and out, conducted by an ASE-certified technician.

With more than 130 locations nationwide, Enterprise Car Sales features more than 250 makes and models of high-quality, late-model used cars, trucks, vans and SUVs – most of which have been selected from Enterprise Holdings’ U.S. fleet of more than 1.1 million vehicles.*

QATAR: Qatar Airways Flying Nonstop To Tbilisi, Georgia From Hamad International Airport

Qatar Airways celebrated the launch of new direct flights from Doha to Tbilisi, increasing travel options to and from Georgia, while enhancing overall journey times.

Qatar Airways now operates four direct flights to Tbilisi from Doha’s Hamad International Airport, complementing the existing seven weekly flights that operate via Baku in Azerbaijan.

Operated by a Qatar Airways Airbus A320 aircraft, the new direct scheduled flight time of just over three hours from Doha sees overall journey times drop significantly across the airline’s global network to and from this increasingly popular tourist destination, complemented by seamless transfers through the airline’s global home and hub, Hamad International Airport, in the State of Qatar.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said we are delighted to celebrate the launch of direct flights to Tbilisi, offering Georgian citizens shorter journey times to more than 150 destinations around the world.

As both an economical and cultural hub, our new shorter flight times will attract many business and leisure passengers alike, while our tagged service via Baku will continue to offer a quick and efficient link between Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Qatar Airways also increased service to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, from a four to five weekly service on 15 December, with an additional frequency each week due to the popularity of the route which was first inaugurated in May 2016.

The Airbus A320 aircraft offers a two-class configuration of 12 seats in Business Class and 132 seats in Economy, featuring individual television screens providing all passengers in both cabins with the next generation interactive onboard entertainment system Oryx One with 3,000 different entertainment options.

Qatar Airways Business Class is widely recognized as an industry leader recently receiving two significant accolades at the 2016 Skytrax World Airline Awards, with passengers choosing Qatar Airways as the World’s Best Business Class and also Best Business Class Airline Lounge in the Middle East.

Qatar Airways is one of the fastest growing airlines in aviation history with a network of over 150 exciting destinations.

In 2016 travellers continued to see Qatar Airways expand its global reach, with services launched to Adelaide (Australia), Atlanta (USA), Birmingham (UK), Boston (USA), Los Angeles (USA), Marrakech (Morocco), Pisa (Italy), Ras Al Khaimah (UAE), Sydney (Australia), Windhoek (Namibia), Yerevan (Armenia), Krabi (Thailand) and the Seychelles.

GEORGIA: Radisson RED Chavchavadze Tbilisi Expected To Open Doors Mid-2019

The Rezidor Hotel Group is proud to announce the signing of the first Radisson RED in Georgia. The new build city center stand-alone hotel will be located in the heart of the city on Chavchavadze Street. The Radisson RED Chavchavadze, Tbilisi is expected to open its doors in mid-2019, and will feature 100 rooms.

Elie Younes, Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer of The Rezidor Hotel Group said: “Eastern Europe is a very promising market for travel and tourism, and Georgia has one of the fastest growing tourism rates in the region. We are delighted to further diversify our contemporary offer in Tbilisi and bring our award-winning lifestyle select brand Radisson RED to the city.

Radisson RED appeals to the ageless millennial mindset, is inspired by art, music and fashion, and breaks the traditional hotel model. We strongly believe that the Radisson RED Chavchavadze, Tbilisi will take the Georgian hospitality scene to a new level.”

“We are delighted and confident to partner with The Rezidor Hotel Group and to bring the first Radisson RED to Georgia. Rezidor is one of the strongest and most innovative hospitality leaders in EMEA. With the award-winning launch of Radisson RED in Brussels earlier this year, they have once again proven their capacity to operate successful brands and hotels internationally,” added George Gedevanishvili, Project Manager for LLC Commerce Group.

The Radisson RED Chavchavadze, Tbilisi will cater for business and leisure travelers and will feature a restaurant with an outdoor terrace and rooftop bar. The hotel will be ideally located in the prime city center, on one of the main avenues named after the writer Ilia Chavchavadze.

The Radisson RED Chavchavadze, Tbilisi will be managed and operated by The Rezidor Hotel Group.

BELARUS: Minsk Targets Riga And Tbilisi With Latest Tourism Campaign

Billboards promoting Minsk as a tourism destination will be installed in Riga and Tbilisi, BelTA learned from the Minsk information and tourism center. According to the center, the billboards in Latvia and Georgia will feature Minsk Arena, The Trinity Suburb, the so-called Minsk Gate and other iconic places of the Belarusian capital.

This will help advertise Minsk as a destination of choice for Latvians and Georgians. Posters advertising Riga and Tbilisi will be installed in Minsk streets.

Minsk has exchanged billboards with St. Petersburg. With the support of the St. Petersburg Tourism Committee and the Committee on Print Media and Liaison with the Media, ten billboards with Minsk landmarks have been installed in St. Petersburg to increase awareness of the Belarusian capital as a tourist destination. Minsk is Waiting for You billboards have been designed by the Minskreklama company.

BELARUS: Belarus Targets Riga And Tbilisi New Tourism Campaign

Billboards promoting Minsk as a tourism destination will be installed in Riga and Tbilisi, BelTA learned from the Minsk information and tourism center.

According to the center, the billboards in Latvia and Georgia will feature Minsk Arena, The Trinity Suburb, the so-called Minsk Gate and other iconic places of the Belarusian capital.

This will help advertise Minsk as a destination of choice for Latvians and Georgians. Posters advertising Riga and Tbilisi will be installed in Minsk streets. Minsk has exchanged billboards with St. Petersburg. With the support of the St.

Petersburg Tourism Committee and the Committee on Print Media and Liaison with the Media, ten billboards with Minsk landmarks have been installed in St. Petersburg to increase awareness of the Belarusian capital as a tourist destination.

Minsk is Waiting for You billboards have been designed by the Minskreklama company.

ARMENIA: Armenia Caucasus Senses

OVERVIEW

A perfect combination of two fascinating and friendly Caucasus countries of Armenia and Georgia both filled with ancient history and beautiful landscapes. Enjoy learning of their similarities and differences ranging from their influences, architecture, food and traditions whilst visiting the culturally significant sites.


PRICE


£869 per person


DATES

June 12 – June 22

July 03 – July 13

July 17 – July 27

July 31- August 10

August 14 – August 24

August 21 – August 31

September 04 – September 14

September 18 – September 28

October 02 – October 12

October 16 – October 26

November 06 – November 16


YOUR EXPERIENCE

Day 1: Departure from home country
Day 2 / Sat: Arrival - Yerevan city tour - Etchmiadzin - Zvartnots
Day 3: Yerevan - Garni - Geghard - Vernisage
Day 4: Yerevan - Khor Virap - Noravank - Yerevan
Day 5: Yerevan - Lake Sevan - Haghpat - Sadakhlo border - Tbilisi
Day 6: Tbilisi
Day 7: Tbilisi - Mtskheta - Gori - Kutais
Day 8: Kutaisi - Akhaltsikhe
Day 9: Akhaltsikhe - Vardzia - Paravani Lake - Tbilisi
Day 10: Free day for optional excursions
Day 11: Departure


ACCOMMODATION

Silachi Hotel in Yerevan or Artsakh Hotel

Sharden Hotel or KMM Hotel in Tbilisi



Upgrades options possible – please enquire



INCLUDES

4 x overnight in hotel in Yerevan

4 x overnight in hotel in Tbilisi

1 x overnight in guesthouse in Kutaisi

1 x overnight in guesthouse in Akhaltsikhe

Airport/hotel transfer Yerevan

All activities and entrance fees as per program

Catering half board: breakfast at the hotels + 1 lunch + 2 dinners

1 bottle of water per person per day

Transportation as per program in a comfortable A/C car/Minivan/Sprinter


EXCLUDES

Flights

Travel insurance

Meals except described

Armenia/Georgia visa fee, if applicable

Hotel/Airport transfer in Georgia (£24 per person)

Alcoholic beverages

Portage

Tips