New connections. Fresh perspectives. The travel developments to know.
1,184 reports
Iraq’s government run National Investment Commission (NIC) is seeking to attract $145 billion investment in the country’s hospitality sector over the next five years, with 22 percent of this investment coming from the UAE. Manager of the NIC’s Economic Department, Dr. Aifar Fahd, said “NIC plans to draw $500 billion into Iraq over the next five years, with 29 per cent of that attributed to the hospitality…
The Address Dubai Mall has launched a new fashion advisory service for its in-house guests – just in time for the Dubai Shopping Festival. General Manager for the hotel said because of its proximity to many fashion outlets at The Dubai Mall, “the personal fashion advisor for our guests will be a great value addition and fits with our philosophy of offering tangible guest benefits.” Olivier Heuchenne said the…
The Abu Dhabi investment company and UK hospitality developer, Range Hospitality, have partnered to develop a US $100 million (Dh367mm) five star hotel apartment project in Iraq. The development, which will be called The Range, will be located in the Iraqi pilgrimage city of Karbala and is expected to be complete in 2013. Range Hospitality will donate 20 percent of its profits from the project to Iraqi…
The opening of the 858 room Makkah Clock Royal Tower Hotel, expected in the third quarter of this year, presents unique challenges for its Canadian based developer, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts. Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter Makkah, which means that many Fairmont executives, including its president, can’t attend the grand opening of the hotel. The 477 meter tall hotel, which is being designed by the Saudi…
Market research company ProLeads Global revealed that the total value of hotel projects under construction across the GCC until 2013 is estimated to be $7 billion (Dh25.69 billion). UAE projects alone account for the biggest portion of this figure at $4.4 billion, followed by Saudi Arabia at $1.2 billion. Qatar hotel projects are valued at $620 million, Bahrain ($490 mm), Oman ($300mm), and Kuwait ($90…
Thomas Storey, President of Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, said the single biggest challenge facing Dubai’s hospitality industry is the collapse of its real estate industry. Mr. Storey said that when the property boom peaked it was the engine of Dubai’s economy, and hotels depended on customers to fill their rooms. Now that the real estate market has slumped they have few other alternatives. Mr. Storey…
Jebel Ali International Hotels will launch the exclusive 10 villa Round Island Resort on a small island in Seychelles in the third quarter of this year. This is the first foray overseas for the Dubai based company. The resort will be located on a 2 hectare resort in a national marine park on Mahe Island, 6.5 km east of the capital Victoria. Director of sales and marketing at Jebel Ali, Mariann Valero, said…
Emirates Airline’s strategy of sponsoring global sports events has helped bring the Louis Vuitton Classic to Dubai this November. The Louis Vuitton Classic is one of the sailing world’s most prestigious races, and is one of four in the Louis Vuitton Trophy’s 2010-2011 calendar. It is part of an effort to keep the America-Cup style racing alive while internal disputes in the oldest trophy in sports are…
A new 369 room, five star hotel at the Ibn Battuta Gate in Dubai is set to open this May. Construction work on the hotel is nearly complete, and the property will be handed over to its owner, Seven Tides, at the end of January for the final fitting out. The Swiss hotel group Movenpick Hotels and Resorts expects to open the hotel in May 2010. Managing Director for Seven Tides, Michael Scully said “Ibn…
Abu Dhabi has emerged as the top contender in the emirate to host the UAE’s first Club Med, beating out neighboring Dubai. Ras al Khaimah is also being considered. The French resort operator favors Abu Dhabi because of the wide availability of beachfront land, its environmental policies, and a tourism policy that emphasizes culture and nature. Club Med was once renowned for its mass marketed campaigns…
Qatar will significantly increase its hotel room offering in 2010 as it works towards becoming a major tourism destination. Chairman of the Qatar Tourism Authority, Ahmed Abdullah Al Noami, said Qatar is currently developing a strong tourism infrastructure and expects the tourism sector will contribute substantially to the country’s GDP within four or five years. Al Noaimi said eight new hotels will be built…
The Fairmont Hotels and Resorts group will open the Makkah Clock Royal Tower in Makkah next year, snatching the title for the world’s tallest tower from Rotana’s newly opened 333 meter tall Rose Rayhaan. The Makkah Clock Royal Tower is expected to open in the third quarter of 2010. The hotel will have 76 storeys and be 577 meters high, and will also house the Emaar Residences. The Fairmont hotel will be…
said Thursday it expects to see a recovery in the UAE’s tourism sector this year with arrival numbers increasing further in 2011. In its latest report on the country’s tourism prospects analysts said they are optimistic about the tourism sector in the long term despite the impact of the global economic downturn last year. The report explained that although it sees a “rather poor outlook for the UAE in the short…
Hamra Hotels & Resorts, a leading hotel developer in the region, announced the soft opening of their newest property, Acacia Hotel Ras Al Khaimah, was a success and received very positively in the market. Corporate and individual bookings for long and short term holiday stays are pouring in. General Manager for the Acacia Hotel, Hamra Hotels and Resorts, Sean Halliday, said the company is actively contacting…
The United Federation of Travel Agents Associations (UFTAA) is having discussions with Abu Dhabi about moving its headquarters to the capital, according to the Abu Dhabi Travel and Tourism Council (ATTAC). UFTAA is an influential international travel organization that has been based in Monaco for the past 20 years, and is in talks with ATTAC because Abu Dhabi will be a less costly arrangement. Both ATTAC and…
Kingdom Hotel Investments (KHI) opened its five star Four Seasons hotel in Beirut on Sunday. KHI has a controlling 38 percent stake in the 230 room hotel, which is expected to cost US$146 million (Dh536.25m). Beirut’s hotel industry has been growing quickly from depressed levels as the capital has become more politically stable. Hotel occupancy levels were 71.2 percent for the 11 months ending in November of…
French hospitality operator Club Med will launch its first Gulf resort in Oman. Club Med is known for its all inclusive packages. Oman based Muriya Tourism Development company signed an agreement yesterday with Club Med, although an opening date has not yet been set. The new luxury resort will be located in Salalah, on the southern coast of Oman. Senior vice president at Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels Middle…
حققت مجموعة فنادق ريزيدور نمواً أيجابياً بنسبة 5.2 في المئة في جميع عقاراته في الشرق الأوسط في العام الماضي. قال أحد كبار التنفيذيين في الشركة انه من المتوقع أن تصل ايرادات منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا (مينا) في عام 2010 ، 200 مليون دولار (Dh734 مليون درهم ). قال الرئيس التنفيذي للتطوير لمجموعة فنادق بروكسل انهم يخططون لاستثمار ما يقرب من 600 مليون دولار لزيادة عدد الفنادق في الشرق الاوسط من 25…
