Hospitality industry experts shared their insights on trends, opportunities and challenges ahead of the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference 2017 (AHIC), being held at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai from April 25 to 27, in a series of exclusive webinars.
Rotana made its long-awaited debut in Africa with the official opening of Kin Plaza Arjaan by Rotana in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The luxury five-star hotel was inaugurated by His Excellency the Governor of the city of Kinshasa, Mr. André Kimbuta Yongo, in the presence of prominent dignitaries and members of Rotana's senior management including Nasser Al Nowais, Chairman and Selim El Zyr, Vice Chairman.
The 270-room property designed in collaboration with Marcel Wanders is set to feature eight restaurants and bars, becoming Qatar's and the region's most luxurious lifestyle hospitality offering
It's a first! The Rezidor Hotel Group, known for its innovation in the hospitality industry and its iconic Radisson Blu® brand, introduces its first residence property in Dhahran, bringing Saudi Arabia to a new standard of excellence. With 92 stylish and sophisticated apartments, a restaurant and a gym, guests will find everything they need to feel at home at the Radisson Blu Residence, Dhahran. "We are delighted to open our first residences in Dhahran as we see the perfect opportunity to cater to the increasing demand from corporate and leisure guests looking for spacious and stylish serviced apartments on a short-, medium- or long-term basis. We are confident that the combination of high quality, serviced apartments and the globally recognized Radisson Blu brand will prove to be a compelling proposition and will be in popular demand," says Mark Willis, Area Vice President, Middle East & Turkey, The Rezidor Hotel Group.
Deutsche Hospitality is continuing on its path of expansion. The focus is both on tapping into new markets and on strengthening its brand presence at existing locations. In accordance with this strategy, the company has signed 14 contracts for new hotel on three continents over the past year. One particular milestone to mark the new year is the launching of the one hundredth hotel to operate under a Deutsche Hospitality brand.
Keynote speakers including Chris Nassetta, S ébastien Bazin and Pierre-Fr éd éric Roulot descend on Dubai to offer an international perspective on the dynamic Middle East hospitality industry
FORM Hotel, the upscale hotel brand in Smartotels Hospitality International's portfolio, launches today in the UAE. A pioneering "concept hotel" brand, FORM offers business and leisure travelers accessible premium hotel fundamentals with the flexibility of add-on service and amenity features in a technologically-advanced, design- forward and socially-responsible environment.
This year's Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC) will focus on diversification in the hospitality sector in response to the challenges faced by the region, according to the conclusions of a regional briefing in Doha in the run-up to the event.
Hotel investors, owners, consultants and operators alike share a positive outlook for the Middle East hospitality industry in 2017, with strong market fundamentals in place and attractive investment opportunities on the horizon.
Taba Hotel & Nelson Village and Cairo Pyramids Hotel Gizeh added to the group's portfolio / Now 99 hotels in operation
More than 300 industry leaders are to gather next week at the inaugural Iran Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference (IHTIC). H.E. Dr. Zahra Ahmadipour, Vice President - Head of Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO), will open the conference alongside Ahmad Jamali, General Director for Foreign Investment at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance. Two days of panel discussions and thought leadership presentations by leading industry experts will follow, along with a unique chance to hear political leaders' views first-hand and opportunities to network with prominent investors, developers and operators.According to the latest Euromonitor report "Travel in Iran", Iran is, without a doubt, the new up-and-coming tourism destination, and is likely to become the leading tourism market in the MENA region, provided that the infrastructure is able to develop and cope with changes. President Hassan Rouhani is determined to boost tourism and encourage foreign investment and the Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organisation is working on this hand in hand with local municipalities to attract more investors. An increasing number of investors are eyeing the opportunities in Iran, however, there are still regulatory and red tape hurdles in the process. Dr. Saeed Shirkavand, Deputy of Planning and Investment at Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO), will take to the stage next week to present investment opportunities in Iran.
Growing its footprint rapidly, Central Hotels, has announced aggressive expansion plans with 3 new hotels lined up for opening in Dubai in 2017. Unveiling the group's upcoming projects in The Palm and Business Bay, Mr Ahmad Ali Al Abdulla Alansaari, Chairman of Central Hotels, stated, "2017 is a very exciting year for us with three exceptional properties opening in quick succession. This massive expansion will double our existing inventory of rooms from 524 to 1220 keys and reflects our commitment to serve the needs of our guests with great value in iconic locations such as The Palm and Business Bay".
Iran is proving to be an increasingly popular destination with air travellers, experiencing growing passenger numbers from around the world – a trend that looks like continuing during 2017, according to a study by ForwardKeys, the leading travel intelligence analyst. Total international arrivals were up 18.3% last year, sustaining an upward path since 2013 (up 2.7%), 2014 (24.8%) and 2015 (12.7%). The pattern is reflected by a consistent year-on-year increase in total scheduled seats: 2014 (up 10.5%), 2015 (18.3%), 2016 (17.3%).
Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) today announced the opening of Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya, the first Hyatt Regency hotel to open in Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Developed by Mohammed A. Al-Swailem Co. for Commercial Investment, Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya is the third Hyatt-branded hotel to open in the KSA, joining Park Hyatt Jeddah Marina, Club and Spa and Hyatt Regency Makkah Jabal Omar.
R Hotels and Wyndham Hotel Group have announced an agreement to open the first Wyndham Garden in United Arab Emirates. Wyndham Garden is a hotel brand designed to make stays more carefree by focusing on what matters most to deliver stress-free, easy travel. The Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche is expected to open by Q4 2017.
Nikki Beach Worldwide announces that Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai, the fourth in the iconic brand’s global series of stylish beach and urban retreats, is set to open its doors this festive season., The opening of the new resort signals a significant milestone for the brand, following the launch of Nikki Beach Dubai Restaurant & Beach Club earlier this year.
Rotana, one of the leading hotel management companies in the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and Eastern Europe, today announced plans to open seven new hotels in Dubai, four hotels in the capital Abu Dhabi and one in Ras Al Khaimah by the end of 2020. Six of the upcoming properties will be five-star hotels, with the remaining properties comprising of a mix of four and three star hotels and hotel apartments.
Thailand-based hospitality company Dusit International has continued its global expansion by debuting its dusitD2 and DusitPrincess brands in the UAE and China, respectively.The openings are part of Dusit International's strategy to expand its portfolio of international hotels and deliver gracious, Thai-inspired hospitality to the world.
Dubai -- Jumeirah Al Naseem opens its doors on 1 December 2016, bringing a contemporary architectural twist to its sister properties within Madinat Jumeirah Resort, and a guest experience focused on a journey of discovery through the modern culture of Dubai.
Gearing up to boost its presence in Saudi Arabia, Swiss International proudly announces the arrival of its first 2 hotels in Riyadh. The chain will be entering the capital city with Swiss International Royal Hotel and Swiss Spirit Hotel & Suites Metropolitan contributing to 4 hotels of the brand in Saudi Arabia.