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May 19 - The One & Only Palm resort will be opened on October 10 this year, it was learnt yesterday. The resort will open on the Palm Jumeirah Crescent where many such projects are currently underway. "We're confident that we'll meet the date. The completion from the outset was planned to be around this time. We have 1,700 workers on-site and experienced no delays," said Michael Payne, General Manager of the…
May 19 - The global financial meltdown has adversely affected the hotel rates in GCC states, said the organisers of The Hotel Show in Dubai that kicked off yesterday. "There are between 16,000 and 20,000 hotel rooms to enter the Dubai market by the end of the year, which will contribute to producing lower room rates and attracting more visitors to Dubai," said Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM)…
May 19 - Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, has opened its doors to the first occupants of its much-touted Armani Residences. "From 'History Rising,' to 'A Living Wonder,' Burj Khalifa has now truly come to life with the first residential community in the luxurious Armani Residences,” said Mr Ahmad Al Matrooshi, Managing Director, Emaar Properties, UAE. "Already, with the opening of Armani Hotel Dubai,…
M ay 18 - Real estate recovery will be immense in the MENA markets including Dubai, said a report released by Jones Lang Lasalle. According to details, the hotel investment market in the region is at “tipping point” with the sector moving from being development-led to investment-led this year. "2010 is expected to mark a new beginning for the MENA hotel market...the sector is showing signs of reawakening, which…
May 18 - The GCC states are set to spend over $1 billion on hotels this year, said the results of a study by Proleads. According to the details, the estimated amount to be spent on hotel projects under construction in 2010 will be more than $1.17 billion. The UAE will be spending the most amount of money in this regard -- $463.8 million. Oman will spend more than Saudi Arabia this year -- $269.2 million as…
May 15- The five-star Movenpick Resort and Spa, Dead Sea, and Movenpick Resort, Tala Bay, Aqaba, have gone solar as its investment company Zara Investment (Holding) Company is trying to cut down costs. In this regard, two large-scale hot water solutions have been planned for both hotels. This makes Zara the only company in the region that has properties with solar solutions. The two turnkey solar systems…
May 15 - Dubai may implement a new law that regulates the distribution of the 10 per cent service charge that hotels get from guests. The law is in the pipeline and being drawn up by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). "We are preparing a law explaining how to distribute the ten per cent service charges gross amount among the workers at the hotels and hotel apartments," said Suzan Odeh,…
May 14 - Online travel agency, Expedia Insiders' Select List, has deemed the Emirates Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi, as one of the best in the world. The hotel was selected from a list of 114,000 hotels and resorts based on more than one million traveller opinions on hotel reviews collected by Expedia. These were rated by Expedia employees. Talking about the award, Emirates Palace Director of Sales and Marketing…
Sunday, May 16 2010 - Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain held a quarterly awarding ceremony to honouring its best team members on delivering excellent service. Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain held an awarding ceremony on 10th May 2010 for its team members at Pool side garden. The programme highlights the honouring of team members completed five years of service with the company and Employee of the Month for January, February…
May 13- The upcoming Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel will be situated in ‘New Dubai’, it was learnt on Thursday. The area is along the emirate’s west coast comprising the Dubai Media City, Internet City, Knowledge Village (TECOM) and Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZ), among others. A residential complex will also be built in the next 24 months with a capacity of 100,000 people. The hotel will also be close to Dubai World…
May 12- The Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris owned by the Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), Saudi Arabia, has been named the best city hotel in the world, according to the Ultratravel magazine. Talking about the award, KHC Chairman Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, it is a “historical achievement.” George V's Le Cinq restaurant, owned by the acclaimed chef Philippe Legendre, was recently awarded its third Michelin…
May 12- The Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH) will announce a comprehensive plan in collaboration with the coordinating with the Abu Dhabi government, to bring in more tourists during the summer, said Saif Mohammad Al Hajri, Chairman of ADNH. "The company continues its commitment to implement the projects within the plan of the Government of Abu Dhabi for the development of the tourism sector in the emirate," he…
May 12 - A workshop designed for Abu Dhabi’s travel agents to help them understand and meet the challenges of their sector’s changing environment and capitalise on Asian and Chinese business opportunities will begin from tomorrow. The day-long workshop is being organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) with the patronage of Abu Dhabi Travel and Tourism Agencies Council (ATTAC) and the collaboration of…
May 12 - Fairmont Raffles Hotels International announced that the Fairmont Palm Jumeirah project may open in the fourth quarter of 2011. Speaking to journalists at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai last week, the group's Executive Vice-President for Operations, Middle East, North Africa and Asia Pacific, David Roberts, said: "Fairmont is still very much involved in ongoing discussions with the ownership…
May 11- European luxury hotel group Kempinski has announced that it will expand in the Middle East as well as establish itself in the Egyptian market. Kempinski’s first Middle East hotel opened in Ajman one year ago while its first property in Egypt will be the Kempinski Nile Hotel. Talking about the new venture, Reto Wittwer, Chief Executive Officer and President for Kempinski Hotels, said: “Cairo is a city…
May 11 - Hotel groups in Dubai are afraid that the recent euro crisis could have an adverse effect on occupancy levels as euro-zone tourists are hesitant to travel at this point. The euro fell to a 14-month low against the US dollar last week as the fallout from the Greek financial crisis extended throughout the largest source market for tourists visiting the Emirates. Making it expensive to use euros to buy…
May 10 - European luxury hotel operator Rocco Forte Collection is hoping to have about six to eight properties in its Middle East portfolio in the next five years, said, Ael Soukah, Rocco Forte Collection’s Director of Outbound Sales, Middle East. In this regard, the first property is slated to open in Abu Dhabi in October this year. "In the next two years, Rocco Forte Collection will have three hotels up and…
May 10 - The ATM Iberotel has opened one more hotel in Dubai called the Iberotel Emirates Grand Hotel. Ashraf Helmy, Area General Manger & Business Development Manager of Iberotel Hotels and Resorts, said: "We are extremely pleased to open a new hotel in Dubai which is the third one in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In 2007, we opened the first hotel property in UAE, Iberotel Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort right…
