Accor Signs 1,015-Room Mercure Hotel in Dubai
AccorHotels is to rebrand a property on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai as the Mercure Dubai Barsha Heights Hotel Suites & Apartments.
Development
The Retreat Palm Dubai, Mgallery By Sofitel Set To Debut As Dubai's Leading Wellness Resort
AccorHotels, one of the fastest growing hospitality groups in the Middle East, today announced the signing of a new agreement with R Hotels, the hospitality management division of the business conglomerate R Holding, for one of the first MGallery hotels in the Middle East. The 255-room property is part of AccorHotels distinctive collection of contemporary and thought-provoking boutique hotels. Scheduled for soft opening in summer 2017, The Retreat Palm Dubai will promise travelers relaxation and tranquility within a natural retreat, with its architecture, design and services inspired by Serenity - one of the hallmarks indicative of the MGallery brand, a collection of boutique hotels both inspiring and individually styled where art de reservoir enhances local discovery and shapes memorable moments.Sami Nasser, Chief Operating Officer, Luxury Brands, AccorHotels Middle East said: Todays announcement in collaboration with our trusted partner - R Hotels, signals the much anticipated launch of our flagship MGallery in the United Arab Emirates. The hotel will soon bring a truly unique wellness hospitality experience to Dubai, building on the Emirates unique ability to expand its offering to attract visitors from around the globe. Sumair Tariq, Managing Director, R Hotels commented: Our group is excited to introduce the first of its kind holistic health and wellness resort in the UAE, located at the iconic Palm Jumeirah. We are happy to again collaborate with AccorHotels in bringing in a new luxury brand into the region. Catering to the growing demand for wellness tourism, we are confident that its distinctive concept will stand out within the regions competitive hospitality scene.Situated along the iconic coastline of Dubai Palm Jumeirahs East Crescent, offering beachfront access and spectacular skyline views, the resort will feature a world-class holistic wellness center, designed to answer to the demands of the todays burgeoning wellness tourism market. The 255-room upscale resort will offer a range of guestrooms and suites, as well as an array of wellness facilities including a gym, yoga room, tennis court and swimming pool. Guests will also enjoy access to world-class wellness consultants and wellbeing treatments, in addition to bespoke nutritional programs available across the hotels three food and beverage venues, which include a soon-to-be-revealed juice bar and dining concept. Offering parents peace of mind as they rejuvenate, the resort will also feature amenities and activities exclusively for children, including a fully-supervised indoor and outdoor play area, with special childrens entertainment. For corporate visitors eager to incorporate wellness into their business travel experiences, the resort will include 114 square meters of meeting space in what is a prime location nearby Dubais business hubs. As the UAE prepares to accommodate 20 million visitors by 2020, AccorHotels continues to see great potential in diversifying its broad mix of hotels across top tourist attractions in Dubai. With the wellness tourism market showing no signs of slowing, our luxury division is presented with a major opportunity to appeal to a fast-growing segment of guests placing wellness high on the priority list in their travel planning, concluded Nasser.The Retreat Palm Dubai, MGallery joins four other AccorHotels properties currently in operation and under-development on the Palm Jumeirah, strengthening the Groups varied portfolio offering across the globally-recognized tourist destination.
Viceroy Hotel Group Creates A Sensation With Grand Unveiling Of Viceroy Palm Jumeirah Dubai
This weekend, Viceroy Hotel Group (VHG) raised the curtains to unveil Viceroy Palm Jumeirah Dubai, a stunning beachfront resort at the center of Dubai's thriving hospitality landscape. Viceroy Palm Jumeirah Dubai is home to 477 rooms and suites, including 352 guestrooms, 85 suites and 40 hotel apartments located across 16 floors. Designed by Yabu Pushelberg and NAO Taniyama and Associates, this Icon Collection masterpiece showcases sweeping, unobstructed views of the surrounding city, from the Dubai Marina to the Burj Khalifa. The arrival of Viceroy in Dubai marks the modern luxury hospitality group's second foray into the UAE, bringing a fusion of California cool with Dubai sensation.
Hilton Expands Hotel Portfolio In Saudi Arabia
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today opens the doors of Hilton Makkah Convention Hotel. With majestic views overlooking the Sacred Mosque, Al Masjid al Haram, and the city's largest ballroom and convention centre, Hilton proudly welcomes Hilton Makkah Convention Hotel to its growing Middle Eastern portfolio
Frasers Hospitality expands in Middle East and Africa to tap into business and tourism growth
As part of its global growth strategy, Frasers Hospitality Group, a division of Frasers Centrepoint Limited, is expanding its global presence with eight new properties in the Middle East and Africa. The new properties will increase Frasers Hospitality Group's global footprint to more than 1,500 units across both regions.
Deutsche Hospitality signs agreement for an IntercityHotel in Nizwa, Oman
Deutsche Hospitality is robustly pursuing its course of expansion and has signed a further agreement for a hotel in Oman. A 120-room three-star IntercityHotel is scheduled to open in Nizwa by 2019. The hotel, which will offer event spaces, a spa complete with gym area, a swimming pool, a restaurant and a bar, will be operated via a management agreement. The contractual partner will be the Nizwa Integrated Real Estate Company ("NIREC"), Sultanate of Oman.
Mövenpick Signs Hotel & Apartments in Muscat, Oman
Mövenpick has signed a deal with the Civil Service Employees Pension Fund to operate its first property in Oman's capital city, Muscat. Part of a design-led upscale mixed-used development, the Mövenpick Hotel & Apartments Al Azaiba Muscat will capitalise on its prime location in Muscat's commercial hub, the Ghala District, adjacent to the Sultan Qaboos Highway and close to the new international airport and Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre.
Deutsche Hospitality expands its presence in Oman
Deutsche Hospitality is continuing on its course of expansion. Following the opening of the IntercityHotel Salalah in 2016, an agreement for a second hotel in Oman to be operated under the same brand has now been signed with Muscat National Development and Investment Company (ASAAS). An IntercityHotel will be developed at the heart of the capital city of Muscat by 2020. This is a move which will enable Deutsche Hospitality to strengthen the international presence of the brand, that is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The Omani Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Bin Nasser Al Mahrizi, attended the conclusion of the contract for this new project.
Hilton Expands Resort Portfolio With New Resort On Shores Of The Dead Sea
Hilton today announced the official opening of Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa. The opening marks the first Hilton Hotels & Resorts property in Jordan. Strategically located at the lowest point on Earth on the eastern shores of the Dead Sea, the 285-room contemporary hotel is an exclusive resort of choice for the discerning international and local traveler.
Staff turnover and strategies to combat
We recently launched a research study "The impacts of staff turnover on a hotel's Income Statement" which revealed that a 30% voluntary staff turnover rate could cause a potential loss of AED 8 million on the top-line and AED 6 million on the bottom-line. If your hotel is experiencing high number of departing staff, it would be advisable to take a step back to review your people strategy.
By Mariano Faz and Yung Dang
Al Bait Sharjah to open by end 2017
Al Bait Sharjah, the new luxury resort to be managed by General Hotel Management Ltd (GHM), is set to raise the bar for luxury hotel accommodation in the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) cultural city while adding interest and vibrance to the historic inner-city precinct in which it is situated, when it opens at the end of this year.
Central Hotels Gears Up for a Strong Presence at Arabian Travel Market
Central Hotels has confirmed its participation in Arabian Travel Market (ATM) taking place in Dubai from 24th to 27th April, 2017. Making the announcement, Mr Ahmad Ali Al Abdulla Alansaari, Chairman of Central Hotels, stated, "We are pleased to take part in ATM that is the region's leading travel fair and offers a fabulous platform to showcase our existing and upcoming hotels to both trade professionals as well as investors and developers. It also presents a unique opportunity to see the extensive developments taking shape world-wide in terms of hotels and related industries such as airlines, marketing and technology that are transforming our business."
Cristal Group Unveils Plans for Arabian Travel Market 2017
Cristal Group has several projects lined up for opening that will be unveiled at Arabian Travel Market 2017 (ATM). Confirming the group's participation at the exhibition from 24th to 27th April, Mr Kamal Fakhoury, CEO of Cristal Group, stated, "ATM is the Middle East's premium travel and tourism show, and offers us the perfect platform to not only promote our existing properties but launch our upcoming projects. GCC and the Levant region remain the main focus of our expansion strategy where we have some fantastic hotels in development that will be launched during ATM. In addition, we also have some strategic new announcements to share with the local and international travel trade."
TFG Asset Management reveals industry first insight into recruitment challenges facing Dubai hoteliers
In an industry first, hotel asset management specialist TFG Asset Management has revealed the financial impact of high staff turnover on Dubai's booming hotel industry.
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts expands further in Saudi Arabia with new project in Wa’ad Al Shamal City
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has announced that it has entered into a management agreement with Karan Gulf Services, for a new hotel within Saudi Arabia's Wa'ad Al Shamal industrial city. The 237-room hotel is planned as the largest hotel project within Wa'ad Al Shamal City, as well as the entire northern region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The city itself, located about 30 kilometres from Turaif is being developed by Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma'aden) and covers 450 square kilometres in Saudi Arabia's Northern Frontier. It will host approximately 100,000 residents. The city will tap into the region's significant phosphate reserves and will support and provide extensive opportunities to many upstream and downstream industries, which have already been anchored by major global players including Saudi Aramco, SABIC and SCECO. These companies will provide the infrastructure necessary to initiate the project and stimulate further activities relating to phosphate mining. The mineral industry is set to become the third pillar of the Kingdom's economy after oil and petrochemical, in line with the country's Vision 2030.Set to open in the second half of 2018, Mövenpick Hotel Wa'ad Al Shamal, whilst primarily targeting the corporate market, will also provide a resort feel. The property will offer three food and beverage outlets, extensive meeting and event space, male and female wellness areas as well as recreation facilities, designed to serve hotel guests, the community of Wa'ad Al Shamal and the northern region."We are proud to have been selected as the hotel operator for this fantastic project in the region" said Andreas Mattmüller, Chief Operating Officer, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, Middle East and South Asia. "We firmly support the government's vision of economic diversification. Considering the current lack of upscale accommodation, we see the development of this hotel as strategically important to the continued growth of the city. Furthermore, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts will be the first international upscale hotel in the northern region of Saudi Arabia and this new signing will consolidate our position as one of the strongest international hotel brands in the country and the Middle East."Abdulrahman bin Fahad bin Abdul Latif al Jabr, Managing Director of Karan Gulf Services stated, "We are extremely happy to be partnering with Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, in our quest to develop the northern region of the country and support the local communities. Together, we will provide approximately 100 employment opportunities to male and female Saudi Arabian nationals living close to the project. The development of this hotel will have much a wider and far-reaching positive economic impact in the northern region, and will act as a platform upon which other businesses can grow. We are also extremely grateful to Ma'aden for giving us the opportunity to develop this project in a city that is destined to change the economic profile of the entire country." Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts already operates 11 hotels in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Five more projects in the country will be launched in the next three years. They are Mövenpick Residences Al Khobar, Mövenpick Hotel & Apartments Al Tahlia Jeddah, Mövenpick Hotel Financial District Riyadh, Mövenpick Hotel Heraa Jeddah and Mövenpick Hotel Wa'ad Al Shamal.
Emaar Hospitality Group Unveils 'Address Boulevard': A City Lifestyle Resort in Downtown Dubai
Chris Newman, Chief Operating Officer of Emaar Hospitality Group, said: "Address Boulevard is another statement of our ambition to set new industry standards. It is uniquely positioned as a city lifestyle resort - which integrates all the romantic charm of a resort with the convenience, amenities and appeal of a city hotel."
The Impact of Staff Turnover on a Hotel’s Income Statement
In this white paper, TFG Asset Management in collaboration with the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management analyse the hospitality labour market in Dubai and identifies the main challenges facing operators in retaining elite staff. We have conducted extensive research to assess the impact of staff turnover on a hotel's profitability, and as a result, developed relevant strategies to mitigate such challenges.
Top 10 Catalysts For Change Impacting Middle East Hotels
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 debuts in Africa with the opening of Kin Plaza Arjaan by Rotana in the Democratic Republic of Congo
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.
sbe to open its first hotel in the Middle East
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