Prince Alwaleed, who established the Kingdom Hotel Investment Group, is recognised as a global player in the tourism sector and is noted for his astute investments.
He has substantial holdings in Four Seasons, Fairmont and Movenpick hotel groups, as well as diversified, successful ventures in banking, real estate, entertainment and broadcast-media, information technology, fashion retailing, supermarkets, agriculture, and the automotive industry.
The award was the result of voting across a panel of regional tourism leaders, and conference organiser Jonathan Worsley said: “Prince Alwaleed was the natural choice as the first recipient of our Lifetime Achievement. He has mixed studied investment opportunities around the world with a measured expansion plan in the Middle East, and is widely recognised as one of the most visionary leaders in Arabia.”
Kingdom has substantial developments underway, including Four Seasons hotels in Alexandria, Beirut, Damascus, Kuwait, Dubai and Doha (the latter opening in May), while Fairmont’s flag is due to be planted in Cairo, Abu Dhabi and The Palm, Dubai, and Movenpick also has extensive expansion plans covering Dubai, Libya, Lebanon and Egypt in particular.
Global names that form part of Prince Alwaleed’s investment portfolio are Disneyland Paris, Walt Disney Company, Saks Fifth Avenue, News Corporation Citigroup, Apple Computers, AOL Time/Warner, and Ford Motor Company.
A curtain raiser to the Arabian Travel Market, the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference at Madinat Jumeirah conference centre in Dubai is organised by CB Richard Ellis Hotels, the largest commercial real estate firm in the world, and MEED Conferences. Details of AHIC can be found on www.arabianconference.com.
Platinum sponsors are: IFA Hotels and Resorts; Nakheel Company LLC; Kingdom Hotel Investments and Rezidor SAS Hospitality.
Gold sponsors are: Arabian Travel Market; Deloitte; Dubai Festival City; Emirates; Fairmont Hotels & Resorts; Gullivers Travel Associates; HVS International; Interval International; Jones Lang LaSalle; Jumeirah International; InterContinental Hotels Group; Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts; Marriott International; Port Ghalib; Movenpick Hotels & Resorts; RCI Middle East; Octopus Travel; RSP Group; Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Strategic Solutions.
Media sponsors are: AME Info, CNBC Arabia, CNBC Europe, Global Hospitality Resources, HOTELS, Sleeper and TTN.
Supporters are: Dubai Convention Bureau, Emirates Academy of Hospitality; International Business Leaders Forum; International Hotel & Restaurant Association; TNS, Villeroy & Boch; Virtual World Internet ; the World Travel & Tourism Council and WOW Travels.
