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Viewed as a composite region, India and the Middle East might seem like strange bedfellows, says Colin Ellson. But if the subcontinent is colourful, brash and freewheeling, and Arabia controlled and strict in its religious adherence, in terms of doing business there is a common denominator – impressive export and investment opportunities.
By its very nature, India is a complex and challenging market, but with the second-fastest growing economy in the world, it cannot be ignored by UK companies seeking to expand. According to UK Trade & Investment, the country’s newly wealthy middle class is keen to acquire our much-respected consumer goods, while rich potential exists in sectors such as aerospace and pharmaceuticals, financial and legal services, oil and gas and water treatment. Similarly, the countries of the Middle East, which seem to have ridden out the global recession relatively well, are again ready to get down to business.
Saudi Arabia’s fast-growing economy, for example, is creating opportunities for both exporters and investors, and although Israel might be small, it is a remarkable success story for UK plc, with current bilateral trade of £2billion set to hit £3billion by 2015.
Getting to both regions to explore the potential is easy: there are direct flights from the UK to every country on the subcontinent except Nepal, and to everywhere in the Middle East with the exception of Yemen. Read on to find out more about getting to and staying in destinations throughout the region.
The Middle East
Bahrain – Manama
Despite its small size, the island in the Persian Gulf claims the fastest-growing economy in the Arab world. This is fuelled by oil and the banking and financial services sector. British Airways flies daily from London Heathrow to Bahrain, while Gulf Air offers a double-daily service. Lufthansa provides a daily departure from its Frankfurt base.
Israel – Tel Aviv
Israel’s second city is the country’s major commercial and business hub, and over the past 20 years has become a major player in high technology too. British Airways offers a double-daily service from Heathrow to Tel Aviv and El Al has 12 flights a week on the same route, plus three weekly departures from London Luton. Lufthansa flies twice-daily from Frankfurt and five times a week from Munich.
Jordan – Amman
The capital of Jordan is the business centre for the Levant and is home to growing sectors such as construction, banking and finance. Royal Jordanian Airlines and bmi both fly to Amman daily from Heathrow. Lufthansa and Air France provide the same frequency out of Frankfurt and Paris Charles De Gaulle respectively.
Kuwait – Kuwait City
Kuwait has the fifth-largest oil reserves in the world, with petroleum and petroleum products accounting for 95 per cent of export earnings. Other major industries include financial services. Kuwait Airways and British Airways fly daily direct from Heathrow to Kuwait City, with Gulf Air offering the same frequency via Bahrain. Lufthansa operates daily from Frankfurt, and KLM four times a week from Schiphol, while Qatar Airways has four services a day out of Doha. Alternatively, Gulf Air offers double daily departures from Heathrow via Bahrain.
Lebanon – Beirut
A thriving tourism industry, the banking sector and one of the largest seaports on the Eastern Mediterranean are the mainstays of the economy in the feisty capital of Lebanon. Middle East Airlines offers daily flights from Heathrow to Beirut, bmi operates ten a week, increasing to 14 on March 31. Lufthansa flies 12 times weekly from Frankfurt, and Air France ten times a week from Paris CDG.
Oman – Muscat
Centred on the attractive capital of Muscat, the vibrant Omani economy is dominated by oil production, plus trade with multinationals such as Toshiba, Subaru and Hewlett Packard. Both Oman Air and BA fly daily direct to Muscat from Heathrow, with Gulf Air providing the same frequency via Bahrain. Lufthansa serves the city once a day out of Frankfurt.
Qatar – Doha
Located on a desert peninsula, Qatar is moving away from dependence on oil and natural gas, aiming to make the chemicals, steel, banking and tourism sectors pillars of its economy. Qatar Airways offers five services a day from Heathrow to Doha, plus a daily flight from London Gatwick. British Airways flies daily, also from Heathrow, while Lufthansa provides a daily departure from Frankfurt.
Saudi Arabia – Riyadh
The capital of Saudi Arabia has developed over the years into a dynamic metropolis, becoming the country’s centre of power and its main commercial hub. From London Heathrow, bmi serves Riyadh daily, British Airways six times a week, and Saudi Arabian Airlines four times a week. Lufthansa and Air France offer daily services from Frankfurt and Paris CDG respectively.
Syria – Damascus
The Syrian capital’s economy is reliant on government activities, processed food and clothing, while the financial sector is currently being restructured. bmi flies daily from Heathrow to Damascus, while Syrian Arab Airlines flies three times a week. Continental departures are with Air France from Paris CDG, with four services weekly.
United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi
The capital of the UAE is one of the world’s largest producers of oil, although it is diversifying its economy via investment in tourism and financial services. Etihad flies to Abu Dhabi three times a day from Heathrow and daily from Manchester. BA has a daily departure from Heathrow. Lufthansa operates daily from Frankfurt, and KLM and Air France each offer five flights a week, flying from Schiphol and Paris CDG respectively.
United Arab Emirates – Dubai
The commercial centre of the UAE is celebrated for its cutting-edge development projects. Its economy was built on oil, but the emirate has become a major business and tourism destination. Emirates flies five times a day from Heathrow to Dubai, thrice daily from Gatwick, twice a day from Birmingham and Manchester, and daily from Newcastle and Glasgow. Also from Heathrow, BA offers 21 services a week, Virgin Atlantic and Royal Brunei daily frequencies, and Biman Bangladesh flies four times weekly. Alternatively, Lufthansa operates daily from Frankfurt and Munich, KLM 13 times a week out of Schiphol, and Air France daily from Paris CDG.
Yemen – Sana
Maintaining the fragile stability of the only republic on the Arabian Peninsula is seen as vital by Western leaders. It is 90 per cent dependent on oil exports, supplemented by hand-outs from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. With no direct flights to Sana now that Yemenia’s services from the UK have been suspended, alternatives include Gulf Air’s daily operation from Heathrow via Bahrain or Qatar Airways’ twice-daily departures from Doha.
The Indian Subcontinent
India – Ahmadabad
Once known as ‘The Manchester of the East’ for its thriving textiles industry, the city of Ahmadabad is spinning itself a reputation as a big player in the chemicals and IT industries. Air India flies daily from London Heathrow to Ahmadabad via Mumbai. From the Gulf region, Emirates offers ten services a week departing from Dubai, Qatar Airways flies daily out of Doha, and Etihad’s four flights a week from Abu Dhabi will increase to a daily frequency on March 27. Air France operates daily from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
India – Bangalore
Dubbed ‘The Silicon Valley of India’, the city accounts for around one-third of the country’s IT exports, and is home to aerospace, telecoms and biotechnology industries. British Airways flies daily from Heathrow to Bangalore. Emirates has 20 flights a week from Dubai, Qatar Airways offers a daily service out of Doha, and Oman Air operates frequently out of Muscat. Air France and Lufthansa fly daily, from Paris CDG and Frankfurt respectively.
India – Chennai
Known as Madras before independence, the city on the Bay of Bengal could be likened to Detroit before it ran out of gas. Some 30 per cent of India’s automobile industry is garaged here. British Airways operates to Chennai five times a week from Heathrow. Emirates flies thrice-daily from Dubai, and daily services are offered by Gulf Air from Bahrain, Qatar Airways from Doha, and Etihad from Abu Dhabi, with Oman Air offering a further alternative from Muscat. Lufthansa departs daily out of Frankfurt, and Air France flies twice-daily from Paris Charles de Gaulle.
India – Delhi
India’s seat of government, Delhi houses offices of the federal authority, whose procurement programmes are targeted by key local service industries, such as those involved in IT, telecoms, hotels, construction, health and banking. From London Heathrow, British Airways flies to Delhi twice-daily, and Air India, Jet Airways and Virgin Atlantic all provide daily services, also from Heathrow. Gulf Air operates daily flights from Bahrain to Delhi, Emirates provides four a day from Dubai, Qatar Airways flies twice a day out of Doha, and Etihad Airways operates once a day from Abu Dhabi. Alternatively, link up with Oman Air in Muscat. KLM departs Amsterdam Schiphol daily for Delhi, as does Air France from Paris Charles De Gaulle, with Lufthansa offering the same frequency to Delhi out of both Frankfurt and Munich.
India – Kolkata
Formerly Calcutta, the capital of West Bengal has undergone impressive rejuvenation, and is now Eastern India’s principal business, commercial and financial hub. Air India departs London Heathrow daily for Kolkata, flying via Delhi. Emirates offers 12 flights a week from Dubai, and Lufthansa has three services a week out of Frankfurt.
India – Mumbai
Site of the Bollywood film and TV studios, the former Bombay generates five per cent of national GDP, 25 per cent of industrial output, 40 per cent of maritime trade, and 70 per cent of capital transactions. British Airways and Jet Airways both fly from Heathrow to Mumbai twice daily, with Air India operating a daily service. Gulf Air flies from Bahrain daily, Emirates five times a day out of Dubai, while Qatar Airways and Etihad depart daily from Doha and Abu Dhabi respectively. Air France has daily flights from Paris CDG, and Lufthansa serves Mumbai daily from Frankfurt, five times a week from Munich.
Bangladesh – Dhaka
Producing the world’s finest muslin, the capital of Bangladesh has traditionally dressed the nation, with almost one million workers employed in the textiles and clothing industries. The Bangladeshi capital is also strong in the finance, banking, manufacturing and telecoms sectors. Biman Bangladesh flies from London Heathrow to Dhaka five times a week. Emirates serves the city 17 times a week from Dubai, Qatar Airways twice-daily from Doha, Etihad offers ten flights a week from Abu Dhabi, and Gulf Air has three services a week from Bahrain.
Nepal – Kathmandu
Tourism is said to be the third religion in the capital of Nepal after Hinduism and Buddhism, with more than 500,000 worshippers visiting the spectacular Himalayan scenery every year. Flights to Kathmandu are via the Gulf: Etihad has a daily service from Abu Dhabi and Qatar Airways flies three times a day from Doha. Alternatively, fly with Oman Air from Muscat or Pakistan International Airlines from Karachi.
Sri Lanka – Colombo
With the war against the Tamil Tigers ended over a year ago, Sri Lanka’s capital is focused on growing an economy underpinned by tourism, financial services and the chemicals industry. Sri Lankan Airlines departs Heathrow for Colombo 12 times a week. Emirates offers three flights a day from Dubai, Qatar Airways has a thrice-daily service from Doha, and Etihad flies four times a week from Abu Dhabi – or connect with Oman Air services in Muscat.
Buyers are spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodation in the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent for all the major hotel groups have a presence in the region, while more localised groups offer plenty of further options.
Accor Hotels
The French hotel group has some 4,100 hotels worldwide across 15 brands, including the upmarket Sofitel and Pullman, the mid-scale Novotel and Mercure, and the budget level Ibis chain. There are currently 36 Accor properties in the Middle East – with a host more under construction – and seven in India.
Hilton Worldwide
The leading global hospitality company operates 35 hotels in the Middle East, offering the Conrad, Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn brands. Focusing on key destinations, it has properties in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman. Following the end of its association with Oberoi in 2008, Hilton is rebuilding in India, planning 50 hotels by 2015. Meanwhile, flagship properties include the Hilton New Delhi Janakpuri.
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
In the Middle East, the upmarket group has three hotels in Dubai and one each in Doha and Muscat. Due in 2011 are two properties in Abu Dhabi, the Hyatt Capital Gate and Park Hyatt. Hyatt operates seven hotels on the Indian Subcontinent, including the Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Regency in Mumbai, plus further properties in Kolkata and Delhi, with another in Kathmandu, Nepal. Among hotels opening in 2011 is the Hyatt Regency Chennai.
InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG)
IHG offers 60 hotels in the Middle East, under the InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Staybridge Suites brands. The portfolio includes properties in Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. It plans to unveil 38 hotels in the region over the next four to five years. The group’s Indian properties include four InterContinentals, three Crowne Plazas and five Holiday Inns and rapid expansion is ongoing.
Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts
This small but exclusive group offers six properties in Dubai, including the iconic Burj Al Arab and new Meydan hotel by the horse-racing track. It plans to open the landmark Jumeirah Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi, this summer.
Leela Palaces Hotels & Resorts
A byword for luxury in India, Leela operates seven hotels, including the Leela Kempinski Mumbai, the Leela Palace Kempinski Bangalore, and the Leela Kempinski Gurgaon, Delhi. Among properties due to open soon is the Leela Palace Kempinski, New Delhi.
Millennium Hotels and Resorts
There are eight Millennium and Copthorne hotels in the Middle East, located in Kuwait, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha, operating under the Grand Millennium, Millennium, Copthorne and Kingsgate brands. The Millennium Resort Mussannah, Oman, opened at the end of 2010, and due in 2011 are the Millennium Executive Suites Abu Dhabi, the Millennium Plaza Dubai, and the Millennium Baba Al Qasr Abu Dhabi.
Oberoi Group
The Indian group operates 21 hotels and resorts under the luxury Oberoi and five-star Trident brands. These include the new Oberoi, Mumbai and Trident, Bandra Kurla, Mumbai. Due to open in early 2011 is the Oberoi, Gurgaon, New Delhi. In the Middle East, the company has hotels in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Oman.
Rotana Hotels & Resorts
Rotana’s portfolio includes 42 hotels throughout the Middle East. Located in major destinations such as Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, they are operated under the brand names Rotana Hotels & Resorts, Centro, Rayhaan and Arjaan (hotel apartments). There are further hotels under development in Bahrain, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Syria.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
The group has 52 hotels in the Middle East. Operating under the Aloft, Four Points by Sheraton, Le Meridien, Luxury Collection, Sheraton, W and Westin brand names, they are located in Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the UAE and Yemen. A further dozen properties are in the pipeline, including new openings this year.
Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces
One of Asia’s largest and most prestigious hotel groups, Taj has 67 properties in 42 locations across India, among them the newly restored Taj Mahal Palace flagship in Mumbai. This figure is set to expand significantly in 2011, with seven openings planned, while the stylish Vivanta brand was launched in September. The company is also active in the Middle East, and this year will unveil the Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, on the Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, and a golf resort in Doha.
THE CARBON COST
The table below shows the distance covered by a return flight between London and the destination, together with the approximate carbon emissions and the cost of offsetting it with The CarbonNeutral Company. See: www.carbonneutral.com
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