Intercontinental Dubai Festival City sale and marketing director Christian Pertl said after many months of uncertainty, conference tourism and executive travel is increasing again. The hotel complex consists of the five star Intercontinental Hotel, Crown Plaza and Intercontinental Residence Suites, and has 1,026 rooms occupying 4,000 square meters of space. They had only modest sales the last few months that bottomed out, and now sales are picking up again.
Pertl said the complex “did not sack a single member” of its staff this year and now they are recruiting for another 200 people to handle the increased bookings. Pertl said “a healthy correction in the sector was necessary”. Pertl said they navigated the slower summer period not with steep discounts on room rates but by offering value added benefits like shopping vouchers, free stay and meals for kids, and free use of the golf course.
