Dubai International Capital’s (‘DIC’) majority-owned Ishraq Gulf Real Estate Holding Company and IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), today announced the opening of the Holiday Inn Express Bahrain. With over 2,100 hotels worldwide, Holiday Inn Express is one of the fastest growing hotel brands in the world.
Park Regis Dubai announced the appointment of Mr Hussein Saad Hassan Sarhan as reservations and revenue manager. Sarhan, The Egyptian national was revenue manager of Royal International Hotel, Abu Dhabi before joining Park Regis, his responsibilitybeing to execute a revenue strategy to maximize hotel room revenue through effective pricing and inventory management. Sarhan moved to Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel & Resort in 2007, becoming reservations supervisor the following year at Sheraton Khalidiya Hotel in the capital, eventually taking over as reservations manager and acting revenue management executive.
Donald Bremner joined Jumeirah in 2006 as Director of Front Office Services for Jumeirah Essex House in New York. He then moved to Dubai where he worked as the Director of Development, and later as the Asset Manager for Longwing Asset Management, a subsidiary of Jumeirah Group. In 2011 he joined the pre-opening team for Jumeirah Creekside Hotel. Prior to joining the Jumeirah Group, Donald worked in a number of different positions such as Operations Analyst for Eastern USA and the Caribbean for Six Continents Hotels in New York. He has also worked for InterContinental in San Juan, Puerto Rico and The Barclay in New York.
Australian-born Frances Smith is a former Regional Human Resources Manager for the Mantra Group in Victoria and Tasmania, a position covering 12 hotels and 440 employees. Smith’s previous positions, meanwhile, included National Training Manager for Choice Hotels Australasia across 282 properties in Australia and New Zealand. She held key Human Resources posts at Jumeirah Emirates Towers and Jumeirah Beach Hotel in the UAE, and the Marriott and Intercontinental hotels in Sydney, Australia.
Hotels in Dubai saw a boost in profits and occupancy levels in June following increase in demand from domestic and regional travellers during the summer festival, according to the latest survey by TRI Hospitality Consulting. The HotStats survey, conducted in six Middle East and North African cities, said Dubai hotels continued their strong performance last month with a 9.2 per cent increase in average room rate.
Imran’s background includes over 19 years of hospitality and leisure experience covering both Rooms Division and Sales & Marketing functions, working across Europe, Middle East and Asia.
Ms. Patima, a Thai national, brings many years of experience in the hospitality industry in the UAE with an in-depth understanding of the key corporate markets of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and GCC market. Prior to joining Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel, Ms. Patima held the role of Assistant Director of Sales at Grand Millennium Al Wahda, Abu Dhabi.
Lebanese born Azar is the youngest hotel manager within the Jumeirah Group and comes from a hospitality background bringing to the table 17 years worth of experience. Previously Resident Manager at Jumeirah Beach Hotel, he leaves behind a successful track of achievements within the hotels & resorts of Jumeirah Group in Dubai since his joining in 2006.Azar's experience is reinforced with his studies of hospitality management holding a Degree from the American Hotel and Lodging Association from Michigan, and a Bachelor Degree from BCU university in Lebanon, which shall prove to be a high advantage throughout his current role at Mina A’ Salam in Madinat Jumeirah.
Steven Dowd has been appointed as Director of Finance for the new luxury property. His responsibilities will include managing the pre-opening stage, providing Financial Leadership, assisting in moving from pre-opening to operation, and establishing excellent working relationships with the hotel team and Owners. Steven has been working in Hospitality for over 28 years, starting his career in the UK in 1984. During the last 20 years Steven has worked in Cairo, Amman and Abu Dhabi and his experience covers the 5 star hotel market for both luxury hotels as well as larger operations.
As Director of Marketing for the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, John Farrelly is responsible for building awareness and sales for this future landmark of luxury.
Rupprecht Queitsch, a German national who has been working for Marriott globally since 1986, has had extensive experience in hospitality and will lead the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai's world-class team as General Manager.
Emaar Hospitality Group, the hospitality & leisure subsidiary of global property developer Emaar Properties PJSC, has acquired the management of Al Manzil and Qamardeen hotels, two key hospitality assets of Emaar, located in Downtown Dubai. The two hotels were earlier managed by Southern Sun Hotel Group. With Emaar Hospitality Group assuming the day-to-day operations of the two hotels, the Emaar subsidiary now has seven hotels in Dubai under its management including five Address Hotels + Resorts.
After three years sitting idle in Dubai's Port Rashid, the Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise liner is to be converted into a 300-room luxury hotel. The 70,327-ton, 1,791-passenger vessel was bought from Cunard for $100m five years ago by Istithmar, an investment company owned by the government of Dubai. Istithmar initially planned to refurbish the QE2 and showcase it as the main attraction in a maritime-themed development on Palm Jumeirah, but the plan was shelved in the wake of the financial crisis.
Jumeirah Group, the global luxury hospitality company and a member of Dubai Holding, announces the soft opening of its ninth Dubai based property, Jumeirah Creekside Hotel. Located at the heart of 'Old Dubai' and overlooking the Dubai Creek, the hotel is minutes away from the airport and within walking distance of some of Dubai's most important landmarks and shopping centres.
Emaar Hospitality Group, the hospitality and leisure subsidiary of Emaar Properties PJSC, has appointed Michael Sorgenfrey as General Manager of The Palace – The Old Town, the five star premium retreat located in Downtown Dubai. Mr Sorgenfrey has extensive international experience having worked for hotel chains in Turkey, Germany, Thailand, United Kingdom, and Croatia. He holds a Masters of Business Administration from the Reims Management School, after obtaining his F&B Management Certificate from Cornell University in New York.
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, in collaboration with UAE-based holding company Bright Start L.L.C., formally announced today their plans for a resort property in the heart of Jumeirah Beach. With a prime beach-front location and convenient access to the main commercial district on Sheikh Zayed Road, Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach is the most highly anticipated addition to Dubai's luxury hotel scene. Bright Start is developing the new resort property and has appointed H&H Investment and Development as the development manager.
Watch the surprised looks on the faces of guests at Grosvenor House Dubai as the hotel team joins a professional flash mob and get into the groove. Glittering against the skyline, the Grosvenor House is a landmark of unrivaled luxury complemented by breathtaking panoramic views of both the Arabian Gulf and the Dubai Marina. The first hotel on Dubai Marina, its two 45-storey tower offers 744 sophisticated rooms, suites, and apartments—setting new standards in hospitality.
Joining the Holiday Inn Dubai – Al Barsha as new General Manager is JS Anand, a seasoned hotelier who moves to the UAE from Canada where he was most recently General Manager with one of the Marriott brands in Toronto, a post he has held since June 2010. Hailing from India and having Canadian citizenship Mr Anand achieved a diploma in hotel management as well as Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Commerce certification before starting his career in hospitality as part of the opening team at the Goa Marriott, India, where he was appointed as Director of Sales & Marketing and worked also with brands like Oberoi & Leela.
German national Klingbeil started her hospitality career in Australia, before moving to Dubai to pursue PR and marketing. Galoisy said: “Having spent the last two years in Abu Dhabi as marketing manager for a hospitality, leisure and events institution, as well as working in Sharjah and Dubai in the tourism sector, Claudia’s market knowledge and extensive experience in the B2B marketing field will contribute nicely to the hotel’s already strong market presence.”
Abu Karaki joins the hotel with eight years of experience in the hospitality industry, starting his career in his home country of Jordan in the guest service department of a five-star property. He moved to the UAE in 2007 as a senior sales manager in Abu Dhabi, from which he moves. François Galoisy, general manager, said: “We are pleased to welcome Mohammed to our team and are confident that his knowledge and experience will strengthen our Sales team and bring new ideas and concepts on how to sell our facilities to our clients.”