French national Jean-Francois Laurent has been appointed general manager of Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa which opens its doors on 15 September.
More than 5.5 million tourists visited Dubai in the first half of 2013, representing an 11.1 per cent year-on-year increase, indicating that Dubai is on the way to achieving its Tourism Vision for 2020. The first half visitor number results, released by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) today, show increases across all key indicators, including hotel establishment guests, hotel and hotel apartment revenues, room occupancy and average length of stay.
Jones began his career at Marriot 13 years ago as national sales manager in London. He then moved to the Hanbury Manor and Country Club as director of sales and marketing, as well as being director of sales and marketing at the JW Marriott Hotel Cairo in Egypt, before taking on his previous role as vice president within the hotel group's global sales organisation. Commenting on the appointment Marriott International president and managing director for MEA Alex Kyriakidis said: “Our company has witnessed unprecedented levels of growth in the last few months alone and with 45 new hotels due to join the regional portfolio by 2018, Neil has joined our team at a very exciting time. Not only will he be responsible for driving top line revenue for Marriott International brands, but also ensuring the strategic priorities of sales and marketing are aligned with Marriott International’s vision and priorities.”
Raffles Dubai have appointed Len Tobias as the hotel’s new director of sales for leisure, as well as making changes to the rest of the hotel’s Dubai based sales team. Raffles Dubai director of sales and marketing Sue Wheatley announced that Ahmed Adam is to become assistant director of sales for leisure, while Tamer Refaat will take on the role of assistant corporate director of sales.
MARCUS DUDLEY has been appointed executive assistant manager in charge of operations at Mövenpick Hotel Ibn Battuta Gate. In 2011 Marcus joined Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts as director of food & beverage at the Mövenpick Jumeirah Beach Hotel and has led the team to many F&B awards such as ‘Best Sports Bar Dubai’ and ‘Top Five Brunches in Dubai’.
With abundant international experience in both food & beverage operations and administration, David started his career at the Wald-und Schlosshotel Friedrichsruhe in Germany before reaching international recognition in Michelin Star restaurants. In 2006, David was appointed the Resort Beverage Manager at Madinat Jumeirah, before being promoted to F&B Manager of Mina A Salam and Souk Madinat Jumeirah in 2008. In 2009, David was transferred to The Meydan Hotel as Pre Opening Director of Food and Beverage.
With over ten years sales and marketing experience, Emmanuel has gained strong knowledge in both Meetings, Incentive, Convention and Events (MICE) sales, as well as Leisure Sales. Having worked in premium luxury hotels, including the Hilton London Metropole, as well as being Regional Director of Sales and Marketing for Concorde Hotels and Resorts in Paris, and most recently the Mazagan Beach Resort by Kerzner International (Morocco), Emmanuel brings with him a wealth of experience in Europe and the Middle East region.
Marc has worked at prestigious properties throughout the world including the Savoy in London, Dom Hotel Cologne, The Palace Hotel Gstaad, Beau Rivage Palace Lausanne and others throughout Switzerland, Germany and Austria as well as in Uzbekistan and on board several cruise liners including the Queen Elizabeth II. From 2002 onwards, Marc has amassed over nine years of regional experience as Deputy General Manager with Starwood Hotels & Resorts in the UAE.
Christophe Schnyder, a Swiss national, gained invaluable international experience working in renowned properties, such as The Waldorf Astoria and Peninsula Hotel in New York. Christophe was appointed Food and Beverage Manager in Kempinski's flagship hotel, Ciragan Palace in Istanbul, as well as The Amathus Beach Hotel in Cyprus before moving back to Switzerland as the Director of Food & Beverage and Conventions at the Monteux Palace. Having worked in the UAE for over ten years, his experience includes the preopening of the Burj Al Arab, where he later became Hotel Manager. Contributing to Jumeirah's group extension, he was then appointed General Manager of Al Qasr and Dar Al Masyaf, where he managed preopening of the 575 room hotel, located within the Madinat Jumeirah Resort. After a brief stint back home, Schnyder returned to Dubai and is now spearheading the opening of Sofitel's flagship property in the UAE.
Schneider, who brings 32 years of hospitality experience across Europe, Asia and the Middle East to the role, joins the Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach from the Magnifique Sofitel Mumbai, India where he spent three years as GM and led the team in the successful opening of the country’s first Sofitel hotel. Sofitel Middle East, Africa & Indian Ocean senior vice president of operations Sami Nasser said: “We are delighted to have Bernd overseeing the daily operations of this prominent beachfront property, whilst reinforcing the positioning of the Sofitel brand across the region. Having Bernd on board strengthens our regional team and our pursuit of targeted developments in key cities and major tourist destinations across the Middle East.”
Konstantin takes over from Alejandro Bernabe who is joining the Siam Kempinski Hotel in Bangkok as general manager. Konstantin spent the early years of his career with Hilton and Marriott in Germany and joined Kempinski in 1998 as Assistant Front Office Manager at the Kempinski Vier Jahrezeiten in Munich, Germany. His 15-year career with Kempinski has taken him around the world from Germany, Kuwait, UAE and Egypt to Bulgaria, Slovakia and Croatia.
Slim Zaiane has been appointed executive assistant manager for Al Bustan Rotana Dubai. He brings with him over 15 years experience in the hospitality industry particularly in Food & Beverage and Rooms Management. In his new role, his responsibilities include overseeing the hotel’s operations.
The head of one of the world’s largest hospitality groups has branded Dubai’s most grandiose hotels as “monstrous” and said he is not interested in building such properties. Eric Danziger said Wyndham Group, which has nearly 7400 hotels with 15 brands across the world, was planning to rapidly boost its presence in the Gulf, particularly in Dubai and Saudi Arabia, but he would not be lured by opulence, instead choosing to fill a gap in the middle and lower ends of the market.
The Oberoi Group announced the opening of The Oberoi,Dubaitoday. The Oberoi,Dubaiwill be the Group's first property in theUnited Arab Emirates. Located at The Oberoi Centre, The Oberoi is a contemporary luxury hotel that embodies height, light and space. The hotel overlooks the iconic Burj Khalifa and each of the 252 rooms and suites have floor to ceiling windows which afford spectacular views of the city's skyline. The hotel enjoys a central location and is a few minutes drive from downtownDubaiand the Dubai Mall.
Hotels in Abu Dhabi illustrated a 17.1% increase in Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) driven by a 16.7 percentage point growth in occupancy from the previous year, according to the latest HotStats survey of full service four and five star hotels by TRI Hospitality Consulting Middle East.
The new Residence Manager for Ascott Park Place Dubai, Mr Jabier Cid, is a native from Spain who has over 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry, working in countries such as Spain, Peru, Cuba, Maldives and the United Arab Emirates. Mr Jabier Cid holds a Masters in Tourism from the Uniactiva and is a graduate of Escuela de Administración de Empresas.
Before graduating in June from Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, a school in Dubai that is in academic association with the renowned École Hôtelière de Lausanne and part of the Jumeirah Group, Samuel Moult is busy filing applications to work in one of Jumeirah’s global hotels. He is hoping to get a placement in Dubai.
Burj Al Arab, the World's Most Luxurious Hotel, introduced today bespoke 24-carat gold iPads for its in-house guests. The exclusive launch makes Burj Al Arabthe first hotel in the world to offer the Interactive Customer Experience (ICE) software available on the 24-carat gold iPads.
Viceroy Hotel Group announces one of its most important portfolio additions to date with the 2017 opening of Viceroy Dubai, Palm Jumeirah. The $1 billion dollar endeavor marks the company's first venture into Dubai and its second in the United Arab Emirates alongside sister property Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi.
Vanessa Waldow has been appointed as the Director of Sales & Marketing at the Grand Millennium Dubai . Her last posting was at Melia Dubai Hotel where she spent two years managing the sales and marketing department since the launch of the property in Bur Dubai. She joined Hotel InterContinental Berlin on completion of her studies, focusing on convention and food and beverage business before moving overseas to Doha to become Sales Manager and later Senior Sales Manager at the Sheraton Doha Hotel & Resort.