Search results

European air transport policy, emerged through the confluence of case law and legislation, in four broad areas: liberalization, safety and security, greening, and the external policy. Following the implementation of the single market for air transport, policy shifted to liberalizing and regulating associated services and in recent years to greening, the external aviation policy, and safety and security. Inclusion of air transport in the Environmental Trading Scheme of the European Union exemplifies the European Commission’s proactive stand on bringing the industry in line with emission reduction trajectories of other industries. However, the bid to include flights to third countries in the trading scheme pushed the EU into a controversial position, causing the Commission to halt implementation and to give ICAO time to seek a global multilateral agreement. The chapter also discusses how the nationality clauses in air services agreements breached the Treaty of Rome, and a court ruling to that effect enabled the EC to extend EU liberalization policies beyond the European Union, resulting in the Common Aviation Area with EU fringe countries and the Open Aviation Area with the USA. Another important area of progress was aviation safety, where the EU region is unsurpassed in the world, yet the Commission has pushed the boundary even further, by establishing the European Safety Agency to oversee the European Aviation Safety Management System. Another important area of regulatory development was aviation security, a major focus after the woeful events in 2001, but increasingly under industry scrutiny on costs and effectiveness. The chapter concludes by arguing that in the coming decade, the EU will strive to strengthen its position as a global countervailing power, symbolized in air transport by a leadership position in environmental policy and international market liberalization, exemplified in the EU’s external aviation policy.

While the trade sector has long been the backbone of growth followed by real estate development in Dubai, the impact of reduced oil revenues in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has affected Dubai. GCC countries have identified innovation and transitioning to a knowledge-based economy as critical components of sustainable growth in the post-oil world. The purpose of this chapter is twofold: (1) to examine UAE’s competitiveness relative to four economies for which we can draw meaningful conclusions (Qatar, Singapore, Norway, and Switzerland) and (2) to integrate macro- and micro-level findings in an actionable framework. Using the composite Knowledge Economy Index (KEI) developed by the World Bank (2008, 2012), we conclude that UAE should prioritize three key areas to ­transition to a knowledge-based economy: the regulatory regime, innovation, and human capital. These findings are consistent with a recent study by the UAE Department of Economic Development/INSEAD, which highlights two areas that need addressing: “Creation” (knowledge creation) and “Anchoring” (institutional environment for innovation). We integrate these macro-level findings with research at the innovation ecosystem level (and particularly survey-based research completed by Wamda Research Lab) to propose a comprehensive action framework across all ecosystem stakeholders (i.e., government, entrepreneurs, academia, support ecosystem, and corporates). The action matrix allows individual stakeholders to drive corresponding actions and prioritize across short- and long-term initiatives.

The origin of perfumery can be traced back to the true cradle of human civilization and culture in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. The world’s first referenced chemist was a perfumer named Tapputi-Belatekallim who lived in Babylon more than 3,000 years ago. She used her intimate knowledge of chemistry to develop various formulations and techniques to revolutionize the process of perfumery creation. Similarly, Ajmal is one of the first companies in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to have pioneered the science and art of perfumery creation. This case study describes the inspiring journey of Ajmal Perfumes which began in the farms of a small village located in Hojai, Assam, to becoming a world-class perfumer with a global reach of over 45 countries. From “Farm to Flacon,” (Flacon a.k.a glass bottle) the company’s perfect control over their seamless value chain has enabled them to sustainably grow their business while maintaining high standards of quality. Their performance across five major dimensions (finance, market, processes, people, and corporate social responsibility [CSR]) is used to gauge their success. In this case analysis, the strategic framework behind the success of Ajmal Perfumes is captured. Transformational Leadership (TL), Customer Centricity (CC), Intrapreneurial Behavior (IB), Total Quality Management (TQM), Innovation Success (IS), Absorptive Capacity (AC), and CSR are identified as their key drivers of success. A critical review of existing literature related to success drivers was also undertaken that brought forward knowledge gaps and future areas of research in the domain of TQM and AC.

This chapter provides an overview of the internal airline market in the Maghreb and examines the determinants of intra-Maghreb air traffic flows. Most accounts of recent developments in the air transport markets in Africa have focused on the Continent as a whole and to some extent on Eastern and Southern African countries. Previous analysis of air transportation in the Maghreb has involved origins and destinations outside of the region. The analysis of domestic and intra-Maghreb traffic shows that the greatest share of traffic is concentrated on routes linking capital cities and commercial centers. Most intra-Maghreb flights are indirect, with some domestic and intraregional flights transferring through European airports. Here, a gravity equation is used to estimate the volume of traffic between Maghreb countries in relation to a wide set of factors. The results suggest that key determinants of air intra-Maghreb air traffic demand are generally in line with findings in other markets, including those involving GDP, fares, conflicts, visa openness, trade, and the quality of airline services.

The overall significance of tourism's role in the nation's holistic development is now a common phenomenon world over. That is why the Government of various countries are according top-most priority towards tourism development. The luxury tourism is that niche segment which is growing intense day by day and the craving of luxury traveller is uninfluenced by any economic turmoil or the crises. Tourism is now widely acknowledged as the strategic tool for economic diversification in the Sultanate of Oman. The Government is fully geared towards turning Oman into a prime luxury tourism destination by incorporating tourism in its vision 2040 strategy. The Government is actively tapping Oman's luxury tourism potential with improved tourism product development, increased projects funding, thoughtful marketing and brand promotion to reap benefits from tourism investments. Oman's unparalleled beauty, rich historic grandeur and authentic hospitality complement the desire of luxury travellers to seek unique quality and comfort, exclusivity and less ostentation. With the slogan ‘Beauty has an address’, the laudable effort of Oman has placed its tourism offering as an ideal upscale and luxury destination in the Middle East. The chapter explores the prospects of beautiful attractions and various services and facilities offered by Oman to qualify as a luxury destination. It also identifies the challenges faced by Oman in luxury tourism destination development.

The long-term trend of sustained growth of tourism travel and activities, that has characterised the last decades, was forced to an abrupt halt at the beginning of 2020. This was due to the regulations that restricted mobility and tourism activities in many countries as a response to the hazard to health caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the various possible scenarios proposed by the UNWTO and by other international organisations, the worst one characterised the decline of travel and tourism in 2020, with the exception of a short-lived increase in the summer months, mainly due to domestic tourism. This sector was the hardest hit by this pandemic emergency, requiring a response both by policy makers and by private organisations.

The present chapter provides a survey of the effects of the COVID-19 on the tourism market in the various world regions, pinpointing the similarities and heterogeneities among them. Moreover, it summarises the policy responses and the private schemes that have aimed at tackling this emergency. The analysis will consider both the initiatives related to travel and tourism demand and those addressed to the supply side of the market, assessing their likely long-term outcomes. Finally, it will discuss the future of tourism travel and the potential impact of COVID on that future.

The success of an organization that is operating in a volatile industry and in an increasingly uncertain external environment depends on various factors. Although existing literature mentions factors that could be considered as prerequisites of success for the continuity of business, there is limited research done specifically in the fuel/energy logistics industry within the context of United Arab Emirates. Using case study as a methodology, the present authors aim at understanding the growth model and strategic success factors of an energy logistics company, established in Dubai, the “Tristar Group.” With a presence in more than 21 countries, the group has over 22 years of history with 4 major service offerings under its portfolio. During its tenure, Tristar has achieved more than 70 awards and accolades, both regional and global in the field of corporate social responsibility (CSR), safety, quality, employee engagement, and strategic partnerships. The strategic drivers that have influenced the success of the organization include: responsible leadership and strategic agility, building a safety culture through strategic alliances, customer retention through service excellence, CSR and sustainability initiatives, employee empowerment & engagement, and enhanced service offerings through integrative growth strategy. In conclusion, the case study recommends the following future areas for research, namely, the impact of global scanning on corporate growth strategies, the types and nature of tools & interventions to be used for sustaining a safety led culture and the capabilities required for an organization to be resilient and anti-fragile.