Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts and Dubai-based real estate developer Nakheel have signed a letter of intent for Shangri-La to manage a 290-room hotel in The Palm Tower on Palm Jumeirah. The parties expect to sign a comprehensive hotel management agreement for the property in the coming weeks.
Hotels in Abu Dhabi maintained robust performance throughout the month of April, as occupancy saw the highest growth amongst the five cities observed in the MENA region, according to the latest data from HotStats and commented by TRI Hospitality Consulting Middle East.
InterContinental Hotels Group ( IHG ) announces the appointment of Michael Martin as General Manager of InterContinental Dubai Marina and Regional General Manager overseeing 10 hotels in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Michael brings with him more than 30 years' experience in the hospitality industry, out of which he has spent 22 years with IHG . He moves to the UAE from China where he lived for four years, first as Area General Manager in West Guangdong, and in the latter years as Area General Manager overseeing IHG operations across three brands in the Sichuan province. During his stint in China he opened two Crowne Plaza hotels and was responsible for the development of four other properties.
Dubai-based real estate development company Meraas Holding on Tuesday signed an agreement with Bulgari Hotels and Resorts to bring the luxury hospitality brand to Dubai. The Bulgari Hotel in Dubai will be the world’s fifth Bulgari Hotels and Resorts property and will follow in the footsteps of Milan, Bali, London, and Shanghai and is anticipated to open in 2015.
Kerzner International Holdings has announced that Brett Armitage, senior vice president, international sales and marketing will assume responsibility for the expanded territories of Europe, Middle East, Africa, CIS and The Americas.
A Filipino national, Jenny gained a BS in International Travel & Tourism Management from Philippines before moving to the UAE in 2006 to join Jumeirah.
Baidas brings with him a wealth of expertise as a result of 10 years’ experience within Marriott International. Starting his operations career in 1991 Saudi Arabia, he then went on to establish the hospitality and real estate consultancy department at BDO Bahrain Jawad Habib before rejoining Marriott in 2004 as Vice President Development officer. Earlier in his career he also spent four years in the Arthur Andersen Middle East real estate and hospitality division where he conducted advisory assignments for potential investments in twelve countries.
Bryson will have responsibility for the overall performance of Marriott International’s existing hotels and provide oversight for new build properties across the Middle East and North Africa. He will oversee the Area Vice President and Market Vice President positions and will be responsible for the development and implementation of regional strategies and initiatives, executing brand service strategies, and enhancing owner loyalty. Bryson has had a long and varied career with Marriott International, for over 20 years, spanning the United Kingdom, Africa, and Asia. His strong operations background and his emerging market experiences make him an ideal candidate for this role.
The Oberoi, Dubai, The Oberoi Group's first hotel in the UAE which opened in June 2013, has been named the at the Middle East's Leading Luxury City Hotel prestigious World Travel Awards and has also been voted Best New Business Hotel by readers of Business Traveller Middle East. The two awards follow the recent announcement that The Oberoi, Dubai was ranked number one hotel worldwide for service by ReviewPro.
He has been with the hotel for over 6 years, previously held the position of Director of Rooms, and before that he was appointed Director of Revenue at Grand Millennium Dubai. A Lebanese national who hold a Business degree from Computer International College in Beirut, and Career Development Certificate in Hotel Revenue Management from Cornell University. Mr. Chalak is multilingual and well experienced in cultural diversities. He has been in the hotel industry for over 15 years, starting his career with Hilton Hotels, and relocating within the Gulf region between UAE, Kuwait and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with international names in the hospitality world.
Capitalizing on the soaring demand for quality budget accommodation in the GCC, HMH - Hospitality Management Holdings announced today at Arabian Travel Market its foray into budget segment with ECOS Hotels. Unveiling the expansion plans for the 'no frills' brand, Laurent A. Voivenel, CEO, HMH, said, "We are eager to penetrate the largely untapped market for mid-scale and economy hotels in the region with ECOS Hotels that ties together a unique economical and ecological concept. To start with we have three different projects under consideration in the UAE and the first of these will be developed in Dubai. ECOS will serve as the ideal address for savvy budget conscious business and leisure travellers looking for quality in terms of basics such as a good bed, shower and breakfast".
TBOHolidays, one of the leading B2B online booking sites in the Middle East, has initiated two-way XML integration with eRevMax for smooth distribution connectivity to its growing client base.
JLL's Hotels & Hospitality Group, has released its 2014 Hotel Intelligence Report today for the Dubai Market at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC). The positive trend in tourism is expected to continue in coming years due to Dubai’s increasing global popularity as a destination backed by the government’s pro-tourism initiatives. Dubai is expected to retain its status as the UAE’s primary tourist hub by expanding its conferencing and business facilities, expanding leisure entertainment options and maintaining its regional retail dominance.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) and wasl Hospitality, a subsidiary of wasl Asset anagement, today announced the opening of Hyatt Place Dubai/Al Rigga, the first Hyatt Place hotel in the Middle East and the fourth Hyatt-branded hotel in Dubai.
From the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC) in Dubai, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announced it will open 35 hotels in the Middle East in the next three years, expanding its portfolio to over 80 hotels. Starwood will open seven new hotels in the Middle East this year, in both established and fast- growing markets such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iraq and Bahrain. With a current footprint of 46 hotels and more than 13,000 rooms, this diverse region is key to Starwood's global expansion strategy and continues to be one of the company's most rapidly growing markets.
Hospitality leaders said today at The Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC 2014), at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai, that The Middle East region generally and the GCC in particular remains one of the brighter points in the global economy.
International hotel and real estate developer IFA Hotels & Resorts (IFA HR) has joined forces with Kuwait-based Tijaria to launch their first-ever vacation club business. The announcement was made on the opening day of the 2014 Arabian Hotel Investment Conference. The USD$50million joint venture brings together two significant hospitality forces in the Middle East. IFA Hotels & Resorts' global holdings include properties ranging from the cutting-edge YOTEL brand to hotels and mixed-use developments operated by Fairmont, Mövenpick, Four Seasons and Sheraton. Tijaria's holdings include the stunning Hotel Missioni and Symphony Hotels in Kuwait.
The Egyptian national brings more than 18 years of UAE hospitality experience to his new role, having held senior sales and marketing positions with groups such as IHG, Time Hotels, and Rotana Hotels. Nabil joins the hotel during the final stages of its expansion – the property has already delivered 225 new rooms, bringing the total to 341 guest rooms. The hotel has also completed a new swimming pool terrace with event space for up to 1000 guests, new F&B outlets, a spa, and a new ballroom
Rolling out its expansion strategy at the Arabian Travel Market, HMH - Hospitality Management Holdings announced today that the group will continue to expand its footprint in the GCC. Laurent A. Voivenel, CEO, HMH, said, "By 2020 our aim is to have a hotel in every GCC country while doubling our portfolio in Dubai and we certainly believe it is achievable. Dubai's successful bid for World Expo 2020 is a massive stimulant for the entire (GCC) region's hospitality and meetings industry accelerating economic growth and development. The GCC's hospitality market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 8.1 per cent to $28.3 billion by 2016 compared to $19.2 billion in 2011. The Expo will deliver global exposure for the UAE and its tourism sector, including its world-class infrastructure. Therefore, being based in Dubai, it presents an unprecedented opportunity for our group and our various brands that we are eager to capitalize on."
Dubai based hotel chain, Auris Group has chosen Connect by eRevMax, a solution that will ensure real time two-way connectivity between the hotels and Online Travel Agencies, Metasearch Engines, Travel Agents and Corporate clients. Connect will effectively enable simultaneous bookings generated on all these channels directly to the individual hotels and update rates and rooms inventory automatically. This development comes at a time when the Auris Group is implementing a high level digital reputation and marketing strategy that will guarantee rate parity on all channels, market parity, digital visibility and availability. Connect will also reinforce visibility through multi-platform advertising on meta search engines which include Google Hotels, WeGo, Kayak, Trivago among others.