The tourism industry in Bahrain remains an important contributor to the country’s economy and employment, and the government is committed to supporting its growth and development in years to come despite the current shift in segmentation and increasing competition from neighboring countries.
As UAE recovers from COVID impact and retains its position as a global tourism destination, a performance analysis of the three main emirates for the years 2019 – 2022 is presented by HVS team along with key development trends and opportunities.
The Israel hotel market has demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of challenges and has successfully rebounded to the pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019. This article explores the hotel market performances and values in key Israeli locations in 2022.
HVS and the Abraham Accords Peace Institute analyse the affects of easier visa procedures on tourism growth and the subsequent increase in a country's GDP.
This year’s conference theme for the Future Hospitality Summit Saudi Arabia (FHS) is ‘Invest in Change’, highlighting the importance of the positive change that can be brought forward through the investment in time, intellect and expertise in the hospitality industry to keep up with changing times and trends to better shape the future of the industry. In the lead up to the event we asked a number of industry partners how they are investing in change.
Saudi Arabia is entering an entirely new tourism landscape with its Saudi Vision 2030 initiatives. With a strong economic outlook, a diversification of its economy, and significant governmental support, the hospitality and tourism markets across the Kingdom are expected to thrive over the next decade.
One of the eternal truths of hotel development is: Show me a city hosting a World Cup or an Olympics, and I’ll show you a more-than-healthy development pipeline.
In the lead up to the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Saudi Arabia, we asked a number of industry partners how they see the future of hospitality in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In the lead up to the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Saudi Arabia, we asked a number of industry partners how they see the future of hospitality in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In the lead up to the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Saudi Arabia, we asked a number of industry partners how they see the future of hospitality in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In the lead up to the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Saudi Arabia, we asked a number of industry partners how they see the future of hospitality in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Our last review of the Israel Hotel Market was published in the summer of 2020 when the world was immersed in huge uncertainty owing to the COVID-19 pandemic – many countries were in varying states of lockdown, travel was suspended for most and no-one was quite sure whether this was just a short-term inconvenience or something more serious. As I write this in February 2022, we are in an equally unprecedented situation as the Russian invasion of Ukraine unfolds in front of us, making the subject of recovery in the hotel sector less certain as across the world we hope and pray for a swift solution.
Traditionally reliant on religious tourism, as well as regional visitation, current projects underway in KSA include The Red Sea, Qiddiya, Amaala, Al Ula and NEOM, to name a few. These developments will become home to some of the largest mixed-use schemes and will undoubtedly encourage travel demand and transform the hospitality landscape and offering.
The restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic have severely hit every sector across the globe, and the hospitality industry is undeniably among the hardest hit. In Israel, strict lockdown measures were implemented in mid-March, forcing all except non-essential businesses to close, including most of the country's hotels.
Over the last few years, Saudi Arabia has put a lot of efforts to diversify its economy from oil. The kingdom's recent decision to release e-visas is surely set to have a positive long-term impact on its tourism market.
It's no secret that Jerusalem is one of the most politically charged cities in the world. Throughout the year, Israel's capital serves as a hub for countless weighty political talks, meetings, conventions and memorials. Just outside the gates of the Old City, an elite cluster of five-star hotels have become the defacto hosts for the hundreds of heads of state, members of royalty and dignitaries that descend on Jerusalem each year for political events and diplomatic efforts. Israel's Ministry of Tourism and its various international embassies work with each hotel to ensure that the load is distributed evenly, but over the years many have developed a propensity towards the award-winning David Citadel Hotel, in large part thanks to the personal touch of its longtime General Manager, the esteemed Rodney Sanders. With more than 40 years in hotel management, consultations and operations, Sanders knows better than anyone the delicate art and nuance involved with hosting officials of such significance.
Hotels in Israel saw another record performance in 2018 as the country experienced a lull in geo-political turmoil and a rise in incoming tourist numbers, according to our new report. Over the past few years, Israel has seen significant growth in its tourism sector. In 2017, the country welcomed well in excess of 3 million tourists for the first time in its history. In 2018, that number rose to 4.1 million, a year-on-year increase of more than 14%.
Hotel History: Shepheard's Hotel, Cairo, Egypt (1841). Shepheard's Hotel history goes back 178 years when it was originally built by Englishman Samuel Shepheard in Cairo. It was originally named the "Hotel des Anglais" (English Hotel). Shepheard co-owned the hotel with a Mr. Hill who was Mohammed Ali Pasha's head coachman. In 1845, Hill relinquished his interest in the hotel which Shepheard sold in 1861.
The 2nd annual HITEC Dubai, now the world's largest hospitality technology exposition and conference brand, recently came to a close on December 6th. This year's showcase garnered a great deal of anticipation from hospitality leaders, as the Middle East is fast becoming a favorite tourist destination to MICE and shopping travelers given its investment in airports and infrastructure and interest in hosting large-scale events. Dubai is expected to have 155,000 new rooms by 2020, with a further 10,000 plus rooms that need to undergo refurbishment prior to the Expo 2020 event. With Dubai being leveraged as a hotspot for massive industry growth and evolution, HITEC Dubai was created to provide Middle East buyers with access to top hospitality solution providers across the globe. Throughout the two-day expo, participants were expected to engage in a top-notch education program and witness the exciting debut of the latest (and greatest) in hospitality technology. Not only that but for the first time in Dubai, HFTP's expanding Entrepreneur20X (E20X) competition was introduced to give startups the opportunity to present their breakthrough business concepts to the industry.
Consider this: Iran, the cradle of the ancient Persian Empire, has great potential for tourism and hospitality but the development of these sectors in the country has been far from linear and that remains the case today, mainly due to geopolitics.