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1,184 reports
July 11 - Citizens have objected to the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities' (SCTA) decision to allow hotels and furnished apartments to raise their prices by up to a half over the summer vacation. The SCTA said they would allow hotels and furnished apartments to hike prices by 30 per cent and 50 per cent respectively, from early July to late September. However, citizens say this adds an extra burden…
July 8 - A new breed of three-star budget hotel, the Centro Hotel by Rotana, beckons summer guests with low rates to experience what Rotana says is a five-star feel. “We launched the brand back in 2006 with the intention of creating a bold new genre, a lifestyle hotel brand offering finesse and functionality at reasonable prices,” said Omar Kaddouri, chief operating officer, Rotana. The Centro Barsha is…
July 1 - The Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), the main developer of tourism, cultural, and residential destinations in Abu Dhabi, has appointed Abu Dhabi-based Dhabi Contracting Establishment to build the first phase of Saadiyat Beach Apartments, which comprise 495 apartments. Set in the heart of a community on Saadiyat Beach, the properties, designed with Arabian and Mediterranean…
July 1 - The Rotana Hotel has opened its first property with direct beach access in Dubai at the Jumeirah Beach Residence. The hotel has 301 rooms all of which have sea views and are built in a contemporary style with Arabian influences woven throughout the common spaces. The interior design is light and in tune with its location by the sea. The hotel has several restaurants including the Horizon (with sea…
June 30 - Luxury hotels are the right brand fit for the Middle East and Asia region, according to a top executive at Marriott International, while lower-tier models work better in markets such as India and Brazil. Speaking to Emirates Business, Don Semmler, Executive Vice-President, Global Full Service Brands, Marriott International, said that it is unlikely select-service properties could ever outweigh…
June 30 - Abu Dhabi’s 116 licensed hotels and hotel apartments recorded a 14 percent increase in guests in May compared to the same month last year, accordingly to newly released Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) figures. Rising to 161,004, the May performance took the first five months of this year hotel guest total to 790,812, a 16 per cent increase over the same period last year. The performance…
June 30 - The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) launched a new classification system for furnished accommodation that they hope will encourage improved services. Prince Sultan bin Salman, chairman of the SCTA, said the purpose of classifying accommodation is to determine the level of services that they provide and balance the interests of investors and the people who use them. He added that…
June 29 - Strong demand growth is expected in Dubai hotels over the short to medium term, maintaining occupancy rates in the low to mid-70 percent level, according to Jones Lang LaSalle's (JLL) second quarter 2010 report. Nearly 14,000 additional rooms are due to be completed by the end of 2012 with the opening of major hotels such as the Ritz Carlton (DIFC), the Pullman (Mall of the Emirates) and the…
June 27 - The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group announced yesterday that it will manage a new luxury city centre hotel and serviced apartments in Qatar’s capital city, Doha. The property, which is being developed by DohaLand, is scheduled to open in 2014. Mandarin Oriental, Doha will be the Group's second hotel in the Middle East following its announcement earlier this year that it will open Mandarin Oriental, Abu…
June 26 - Saudis deliberately avoid destinations popular with tourists from the Kingdom, according to travel agents. With the summer vacation approaching, many Saudi families are choosing locations where the number of Saudi and Gulf tourists is very low. Once popular locations, like Cairo and Kuala Lumpur, are not favoured anymore by those from the Kingdom because of the increasing number of Saudi tourists…
June 26 - The Jumeirah Group has signed an agreement with Shanghai Zendai Himalayas Real Estate to manage the Venu Himalayas Hotel Shanghai. The hotel is scheduled to open in 2011 in the heart of the Pudong district of Shanghai . The Jumeirah Group announced its new contemporary lifestyle hotel brand, Venu, at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference in April 2010. A group spokesman said: "Guests of the…
June 24 - President Michel Suleiman and Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, Chairman of Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) inaugurated the Four Seasons Hotel in Beirut on Tuesday, June 22. The hotel is to be managed by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts with KHC holding a 47.5 per cent share in it. Prince Alwaleed saw the opening as promising for the Beirut tourism industry: "Our support for Lebanon on…
June 23 - Atlantis, The Palm, in Dubai has joined hands with Emirates Airline’s frequent flyer programme, Skywards. Guests at the Atlantis will earn miles across the resort and will be able to enjoy numerous other benefits. Guests in the hotel will receive one mile for each $1 spent when booking through the Atlantis website. As part of the summer promotional package, members will be able to earn triple…
June 23 - Bangkok’s Lebua Hotels & Resorts is holding talks with investors from the UAE to consider funding the group’s expansion plans around the world, said an official of the company. If the talks are successful, Lebua Hotels will form a joint venture company with the investor, said Deepak Ohri, Chief Executive of Lebua Hotels & Resorts. "We are currently in talks with Middle East investors - mainly…
June 23 - Representatives of the Elaf Group of Hotels from Saudi Arabia paid a visit to Bahrain to promote their Haj and Umrah services. Around 120 representatives of local travel agencies were present at a meeting organised by the Elaf Group in which the special hajj and umrah facilities were discussed. Talking about the visit, Ziyad Ahmed Bin Mahfouz, CEO, Elaf Group, said: "This visit is in line with…
June 22 - Riyadh is leading the hospitality market in Saudi Arabia, said a report released by real estate investment and advisory firm, Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL). According to the report, occupancy levels for good hotels went up to 69 per cent at the end of the second quarter this year. This is a 7 percent increase from last year’s occupancy rate of 62 percent. "Business and government travellers drive the…
Saturday, June 19 - Abu Dhabi based Cristal Hotels and Resorts is planning to build eight hotels in China as part of an expansion drive in Asia aimed at tapping markets in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and mainland China. The news comes as the hotel company takes part in the Asia Luxury Travel Market exhibition and conference in Shanghai to assess opportunities in the region. Cristal Hotels…
June 17 - The Hideaways Club, an international property investment fund, on Wednesday said that it is launching a new project for the GCC. Launched in 2007 by Mike Balfour, who was earlier the chairman of the world’s largest health club operation Fitness First, The Hideaways Club is now the largest club of its kind in Europe with more than 150 members and 27 solely-owned multi-million dollar luxury properties…
