After former seminar series around the topics of Simplifying Revenue and Demystifying Digital, the upcoming HSMAI UAE Series will be based around the importance of understanding what 'Big Data in Hospitality' is available at a global and regional level to Dubai's hoteliers, as well as identifying solutions on how to analyse existing data to improve their company performance.
Hoteliers around the world have planned luxury accommodations in the deep. A few modest underwater hotels already exist, but some of the most ambitious attempts may not make it past the blueprint stage. Dubai is arguably the luxury capital of the world, so it's hardly surprising that the United Arab Emirates wants to create the largest undersea hotel in the world.
Dubai unveiled its plans in 2012, and the above-water portion of the proposed Water Discus hotel looks like an opulent cluster of UFOs -- albeit with a sunbathing deck.
Dusit Thani Dubai welcomes Ms. Julia Alvaro as its new Director of Sales and Marketing. With 20 years of experience in the industry, Ms. Alvaro has spent numerous years in Dubai, having played an instrumental role in the opening of The Palace Old Town and Le Méridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort. Most recently, she was she was the Director of Sales and Marketing at Radisson Blu Media City.
Nader, who has more than 15 years of hospitality experience, first joined Starwood Hotels & Resorts in 1999 as assistant F&B manager at the Le Bristol Hotel in Beirut, Lebanon. Since then he has held various management positions in Lebanon, Egypt and Spain, with his previous position being general manager of the Hotel Maria Cristina, San Sebastian in Spain, which he joined in March 2008.
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Worldwide's luxury brand of landmark hotels, has announced the opening of Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, the brand's first hotel in the UAE and the 25th addition to the global Waldorf Astoria portfolio of 25 hotels and resorts, globally.
Kempinski Hotels has promoted Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates director of sales and marketing Nasser Fawzi to the new role of area director of sales for the Arabian Gulf.
French national Jean-Francois Laurent has been appointed general manager of Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa which opens its doors on 15 September.
The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi, has unveiled the resort’s flagship Royal Suite, the largest hotel suite in the United Arab Emirates. Spanning a lavish 2,100 square metres with four bedrooms, the duplex occupies the top two floors of the resort’s west wing and is priced at AED 130,000 per night.
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.
Monte-Carlo Beach Club on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island has appointed Bill Loveday as the new general manager.
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.
Heijden will oversee the hotel’s general operations, and along with the hotel’s executive team will assist the general manager in the current redevelopment project at the hotel.
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.
A Belarusian national, Emma has more than 12 years’ experience in hospitality industry. She started her career in hospitality in 2001 with Russian Tour Operator Mostravel in Antalya, Turkey. After two years she moved to Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt with the same company. In 2003, she transferred to Abu Dhabi and started her career in hotel industry as Senior Guest Relation Officer with Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, where she worked in Front Office and Sales departments and grew to Sales Manager position. In 2009 she joined pre-opening team of Rotana & Centro hotels on Yas Island as Director of Business Development. Early this year, she was appointed by Novotel & Adagio Al Bustan Abu Dhabi which is expected to open during summer 2013, and joined pre-opening team as Director of Sales & Marketing.
Early June 2013, Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi, a Kempinski hotel, named Holger Schroth as its new general manager. He replaced Bugra Berberoglu, who left his position to take up his new post as deputy vice president of Kempinski for the Middle East, Africa and Asia in Dubai.