Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Set To Open In Dubai In 2015

US luxury Beach club brand Nikki Beach will open a new property in Dubai in partnership with Meraas holding in autumn 2015.

The Operator was meant to originally launch The Pearl, Nikki Beach Resort & Spa in Qatar in Feb 2012. This announcement comes weeks after the brand had confirmed that it had cancelled plans to open its first property in Middle East on Doha’s The Pearl Qatar.

This will be the brand’s first property to open in the Middle East. The $100-million (Dh367 million) 5-star resort will be located on Palm Jumeirah.

The Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai will include 400 metres of white sandy beachfront, 61 branded residences, 132 units including 117 rooms and suites, 14 beach villas, one 1,350 sqm 3-bedroom ultimate beach villa, three restaurants, a VIP lounge, Nikki Spa by ESPA, Tone Fitness Centre and the brand's famous Beach Club.

The villas will feature private gardens and pools while all hotel rooms & suites will offer stunning views of the Persian Gulf and Dubai cityscape. The resort will also include 61 exclusive branded residences with a mix of 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom residences and townhouses and a breathtaking 850 square meters penthouse.

Nikki Beach Worldwide founder & owner Jack Penrod said “We have been waiting for the right time, location and partners to expand our brand in Dubai and after 10 years of waiting, I am happy to announce that we have finally found the perfect location and the perfect partners to open Nikki Beach in Dubai,”

Meeras Holding chief hospitality Officer Cherif Hosny commented: “In line with Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2020, Dubai needs to have close to 160,000 hotel rooms to host the targeted numbers of visitors anticipated by the year 2020. With this as a key driver, Meraas is expanding its portfolio in the hospitality industry, developing projects that will not only add to the number of rooms in Dubai but also bring in a new dimension of luxury and experience to the hospitality industry in the country.

Middle East/Africa Hotel Pipeline Grows in October

The Middle East/Africa region has reported 646 Hotels under contract totaling 151579 rooms, according to the October 2014 STR Global Construction Pipeline Report.

The report indicates an increase of nine hotels from the September Global Construction Pipeline Report, which reported that 637 hotels were under contract totaling 151,205 rooms.

The under contract data includes projects in construction, final planning and planning stages but it doesn’t include projects in the unconfirmed stage.

Among the chain scale segments, the upper upper scale segment accounted for the largest portion of rooms under contract (36.4 per cent) with 55,172 rooms.

Three other segments each account for more than 10 percent of rooms under contract: Luxury segment (18.9 with 28,628 rooms); the upscale segment (18.4% with 27,833 rooms); and the unaffiliated segment (14.1 % with 21,327 rooms)

The upper upper scale segment accounted for the largest portion of rooms in construction (37.4 percent) with 27,503 rooms, followed by the luxury segment (21.7 percent with 15,952 rooms) and the upscale segment (19.6 percent with 14,429 rooms)

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Accor Targets Over 30000 Rooms In Middle East By 2020

Accor HotelServices Middle East, one of the world's leading hospitality groups, announced its intention to double the size of its operations in the Middle East to over 30,000 rooms by 2020.

Sébastien Bazin, The Group's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer revealed the ambitious new target as the company celebrated reaching the major milestone of 100 hotels in operation (16,000 rooms) and approximately 9,000 rooms under development in the Middle East.

Mr. Bazin said, that "Our presence in the Middle East, which stretches back 35 years, has expanded significantly in response to the dynamic growth taking place in the region and reaching 100 hotels is a significant achievement.”

“Our commitment to double in size by 2020 is a bold statement of our confidence in the future of the region, the support of our partners who work closely with our experienced and localized teams here in our three offices in Dubai, Jeddah and Cairo, and the strength of our portfolio of brands that continue to deliver operational excellence and compelling returns."

He also explained the growth potential in the region by pointing out that there are on average only two rooms per 1000 inhabitants in the Middle East, compared to 10 and above in more matured markets.

Accor is seeing a rising demand for development of hotels across all segments, from luxury to economy, and that is why they have launched three new brands in the region, including Adagio serviced apartments, Majlis Grand Mercure and ibis Styles. Bazin also mentioned that they expect the growth to increase with improvement in infrastructure and delivery of key events in the region, Dubai’s Vision 2020 and 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and Saudi Arabia’s target to attract 20 million visitors to holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. 

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Ras Al Khaimah Hotel Revenue Up By 47% In Q3

The Tourism chief at Ras Al Khaimah announced recently that the hotel room revenue grew by 47 % in the third quarter of 2014 as the emirate is a popular destination among the tourists.

Last year the 1 million barrier was not broken until November, demonstrating the rocketing tourism growth being experienced by the Emirate, which has 65 kilometers of prime beach coastline.

Steven Rice, the CEO of RAK TDA said that “Our percentage growth in guest nights for the third quarter of 2014 compared to the same period last year was 72%, so extremely impressive.” He also mentioned that “We are also seeing significant increases in the number of people searching for Ras Al Khaimah in Google, in visits to our website, and in the levels of engagement via our social media presence. In addition, hotel room revenue increased in the third quarter of 2014 by 47% compared to last year."

RAK is a very popular emirate among the residents for a getaway during Eid and public holidays. The emirate attracted over 63,870 guest nights during 5 days of Eid Al Adha, domestic UAE travelers accounted for 32%, UK 12%, Russia 12% and Germany 10%.

According to data gathered from Smith Travel Research report, Ras Al Khaimah’s average daily room rate (ADR) was 19% higher than Abu Dhabi, which was supported by new openings on Al Marjan Island and Waldorf Astoria, which was Hilton luxury brands’ first property in the UAE.

Rice also commented on future prospects “Forward bookings are looking strong, interest in the emirate across multiple business sectors is on the rise and overall we expect the positive growth patterns experienced in Ras Al Khaimah to continue."

Earlier this year Ras Al Khaimah said it was launching a new tourism branding, pitching the emirate as a “world class leisure destination” and retreat from the urban cities such as Dubai. RAK TDA is considering building a mountain village and establishing mountain climbing and zip lining to attract tourists and to add to the list of activities.

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Marriott To Operate New Dubai Theme Park Hotel

Marriott International is to operate the new family centric hotel, Lapita, at Dubai Parks as part of the major theme park project in Dubai.

The Polynesian themed, Lapital Hotel will operate 503 keys under Marriott’s Autograph Collection and is due to open in 2016, in line with other developments. This hotel is Marriott’s first independent hotel collection in the Middle East.

The hotel is a key component of the Dubai Parks and Resorts which is strategically located in Jebel Ali, between Dubai and Abu Dhabi and is set to open in 2016 as part of the first phase of the project, which also features Bollywood Parks Dubai, Legoland Dubai and Motiongate Dubai. Dubai Parks and Resorts LLC, a Meraas Holding company is developing the project and began construction on the Hotel in February.

The Lapita hotel is named after the pre-historic Pacific Ocean people who were considered nautical experts and ancestors of the Polynesian race. It will draw inspiration from the exotic Polynesian tropical landscapes, featuring Polynesian flowers, lagoon-style pools, themed activities and dining options. An in-house entertainment component will serve as another key attraction and Lapita will also feature relaxation zones.

Alex Kyriakidis, president and MD of Marriott International, Middle East and Africa, said: “We are delighted to bring the much-anticipated Autograph Collection brand to the Middle East. We are confident that given the ambition, drive and commitment of our partners, Dubai Parks and Resorts will emerge as the premier theme park destination in the Middle East, and provide a perfect fit for our debut Autograph Collection hotel in the region.”

Accor Reaches 100 Hotels Milestone In Middle East

Accor Hotel Services Middle East has reached a major milestone of 100 Hotels in the Middle East with 66 operational Hotels and 34 more properties under development across 10 Middle Eastern countries ahead of its schedule of 2015. The Hotel group's regional network covers all segments of the hospitality market including luxury, upscale, mid-scale, economy with a total of approximately 24,500 keys. The Hotel group is one of the largest operators in the Middle East.

To mark the occasion, Accor has launched the ‘100 Unsung Heroes’ initiative to identify and recognize 100 employees from its regional operations who have made a significant contribution to the group’s success.

The 100 employees will each receive a cash prize, and the group will host a ceremony to donate 10,000 to the Red Crescent Society.

Sofitel, The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai

Christophe Landais, COO for Accor Hotel Services Middle East, said: “We are delighted to reach our target of 100 hotels in the Middle East. It is a great achievement made possible by the strength of our relationships with our regional partners and the fantastic commitment of our employees. I would like to thank them all for playing an important role in our shared success, and I’m especially proud of the fact that we achieved this major milestone ahead of our scheduled target date of 2015.”

As the regional market leader in economy and midscale segments, Accor is helping to meet the growing demand for 3 stars and 4 star Hotels in the Middle East region. Accor already has a number of properties under the Sofitel, Pullman and McGallery brands in the region and many more under development.

The COO, Christopher Landais, said that “the strategy of expanding aggressively through select development tailored to each market location, in partnership with leading regional investors has delivered outstanding results so far. He also added that “This success has been underpinned by the establishment of the Académie Accor Middle East in 2003, the first training academy of its kind in the region, which ensures the development of skills and advancement opportunities for our employees. Looking ahead, we see exciting opportunities to expand our portfolio of hotels across the region in the years to come."

637 Hotels Under Contract in MENA

The Middle East and Africa has 637 hotels under contract, with 151,205 rooms, according to STR Global’s September construction pipeline report.

139 hotels opened year to date, with 33,232 rooms in the region, according to the global research firm. It expects 82 hotels, with 18,538 hotels to open in the remainder of 2014.

The most rooms are planned to be added in the upper scale segment (5419 in 18 hotels), followed by the unaffiliated segment (4626 rooms in 22 hotels), the upscale segment (3,531 rooms in 13 hotels) and the luxury segment (3480 rooms in 150 hotels).

By 2015, 145 hotels, with 32,271 rooms are due to open in the region. The upper upscale segment is expecting to add the largest addition of rooms. i.e. 38 hotels with 12,516 rooms, followed by the luxury segment (26 hotels with 5,318 hotels) and the upper segment (31 hotels, with 5,024 rooms)

A number of hotels have opened in the UAE, in 2014, such as the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel and Residences in Al Barsha-Dubai, Sofitel Downtown and Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi downtown.

According to the data provided by the Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, more than 7000 rooms were added in Dubai since June last year bringing the total to number to 88,680 rooms across 634 properties.

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Hilton Eyes Gulf Cities To Launch New Hotel Brand

Hilton Worldwide has identified major cities across the Middle East including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Bahrain as possible homes for its lifestyle brand – Canopy by Hilton.

The company launched the brand last week at an event for owners and developers in Orlando, Florida, specifying how it would take the emphasis off design and target the leisure and business travelers.

The company has announced just one location outside the US, i.e. in London, and is also eyeing other opportunities elsewhere, including the Middle East.

According to Hilton Worldwide luxury & lifestyle brands global head John Vanderslice, “Canopy by Hilton is something our owners have told us they want from a Hilton brand. It is an  energising new hotel offering simple, guest-directed service, thoughtful local choices, and comfortable spaces, so guests simply feel better going forward.” 

John Vanderslice, said that Hilton has identified a number of prospects across the region to expand including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Bahrain, where there is a wealth of local flavor and culture which is suited to the brands offering. He also mentioned that Canopy by Hilton is an accessible lifestyle brand and that they could build a bigger and a brand than the competitors have in this segment.

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Theme Park Hotels: Key for MENA Regions Hospitality Market

Colliers International highlights potential to create micro-destinations and capture MICE market. As the region’s major cities compete to become leading global travel destinations, the theme parks and resorts are playing an important part in shaping the infrastructure and attracting family visitors. There are close to 45 attractions and water parks in the region according to a report by Colliers International, with plans for several more, including the world’s largest indoor theme park, which is coming up in the Mall of the World development in Dubai.

The report also found that, while the Middle East region doesn’t lack amusement and entertainment centers, the concept of having the hotels or lodging facilities close to the destination is still underdeveloped.

Traditionally, leisure attractions have been developed to support existing hotel resorts in the region, such as the Aquaventure water park in Atlantis and the Wild Wadi water park connected to the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. Such attractions enhance a guest’s experience at the resort and this in turn increases the length of stay in the specific resort.

There will be opportunity to have themed hotels in and near upcoming attractions in Dubai including IMG World of Adventure and Meraas Holding’s Dubai Parks and Resort’s project in Jebel Ali, which will include Motiongate Dubai, Bollywood Parks Dubai, and Legoland Dubai.  

However, with number of major theme parks in the region, the developers and investors should look to build hotels in and around these developments to support the destination and capitalize on the constant flow of tourists.

Filippo Sona, Head of Hotels at Colliers International MENA said that, “Having the visitors stay close to the vicinity can extend visitors stay and increase the tendency of repeat visits, which generates significantly larger returns than from the Theme parks alone.”  

According the Global Research, the theme park hotels located within the theme park trade at an average occupancy level of 2 to 10 percent higher than the city hotels. Although, the theme park hotels generally target the leisure and family guests, but these hotels also have the potential of attracting the MICE groups if they are segmented effectively.

The Report also recommended four guidelines for theme park hotel:

• Proximity and access: accessibility to the city centre will have a direct effect on the overall destination appeal.
• Avoid over-theming when unnecessary: Be flexible and use ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ theming to manage costs while creating destination’s signature experience.
• Don’t forget the MICE: Diversifying the segment mix broadens the destination’s appeal and can soften the impact of seasonality.
• Target regional tourists: Theme park demand is driven by regional and domestic tourists, and it is crucial to align the design, facilities and theme with the Middle Eastern preferences.

Filipo Sona added that “Globally theme Park demand is driven by leisure guests, especially families from the regional domestic markets. It is crucial to target them effectively. This means larger rooms and more of them, mid and upscale hotels rather than luxury, with the right, mix of F&B outlets and facilities that cater to the domestic tastes and preferences.”

The report stresses that creating a theme that has the maximum impact on guest experience and a minimal impact on the costs.

Filipo Sona concluded that “There is genuinely huge potential for theme park hotels in the region. By observing global theme park hotels and their success factors, we are confident that these developments can thrive in the region. However the real winners are that pick the right location and broaden their appeal just beyond the leisure guests and control costs by taking a flexible approach to theming. It’s only a matter of time before we truly see a world class destination in this segment in the Middle East.”

Luxury Designer Branded Hotels On The Rise In Dubai

The developers in the region have realized that there is nothing quite like the lure of luxury and are discovering that associating a prominent brand with a Hospitality and Real Estate project is a winning formula. While the region’s retail sector is closely associated with global luxury designer labels, the hospitality and Real Estate industry is catching up now.

According to Chibeb Ben Mahmoud, Executive Vice President and Head of Hotels and Hospitality Group Jones Lang La Salle, designer hotels have identified Dubai as an important market as the city strengthens its role as business and leisure hub.

The Armani Hotel, Dubai, flagship property of Armani Hotels and Resorts is the prime example of luxury branded hospitality in the region. The Armani Hotel recently celebrated its fourth anniversary following their successful strategy. 

According to Harmen de Jong, Partner – Development Consultancy at Knight Frank, Before the launch of Armani Hotel in 2010, Dubai’s Hotels were primarily segmented into branded full service, select-service and unbranded independent hotels. The segmentation was driven by demographics, i.e. age, disposable income, and ethnicity. However, operators in Dubai realized that there was a potential gap in the market, as the segmentation and demand was driven by popularity of boutique and lifestyle hotels elsewhere. The designer hotels provide more options to the guests travelling to this region and eventually create a competitive market.

The market is expected to be more competitive as more luxury designed hotels are scheduled to open in Dubai in the next few years.

Another designer brand, Bulgari, will be venturing into the Hospitality industry as it has signed a deal with a Dubai based real estate developer Meraas Holding to build a Bulgari hotel on Jumeirah Bay Island off the Jumeirah Beach Road in Dubai. This Hotel will be the world’s 5^th Bulgari Hotel and Resort property,  comprising 100 rooms and suites, along with 20 hotel villas spread over 1.7 million sq ft. The property will be designed by Italian architectural firm Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel and partners, and it will feature a marina and will have a mix of traditional and modern themes. The property will be sculpted into the shape of a Titanic horse.

Lamborghini is another designer brand is eyeing the emirate for its next hospitality venture. A Lamborghini hotel in Dubai is in the discussion phase at the moment. Other brands like Cavalli and Baccarat have also been in the talk for hotel projects but no formal announcements have been made yet.

In the meantime, Versace is well underway with the Palazzo Versace Hotel in the Culture Village District, scheduled to open end of next year. The Hotel will be the world’s second Palazzo Versace Hotel, comprising 215 luxurious hotel rooms and 169 one to six bedroom condominiums. Around 95 per cent of the condominiums have been sold and those who have bought them can use the Hotels’s adjoining facilities. The project is being developed by Enshaa, a local Real Estate development in Dubai. The prices of the condominium started at 2.5 million when they were launched initially, with an option to select from a fully furnished residence and personalized by Versace.

Another well known luxury designer, Fendi has tied up with local Real Estate developer Damac Properties for a first Fendi styled residence apartment designed by Fendi Casa in Dubai. Damac Rezidence will feature interiors designed by Fendi Casa, situated in Dubai Marina, comprising of 200 apartments housed on 43^rd and 84^th floor of Damac Heights, a luxury property for the style-savvy investors. Work is underway for this project and is expected to be completed in 2016.

Experts believe that growing interest of luxury brands is good news for Dubai. However, while the high standard required by the luxury brands will be a mechanism for further improvement and there could be obstacles along the way.

According to Jason Lewis, Founder and Managing Director of Limah Design Consultants, these designer brands are so well ingrained into the public mind with defined values, positions and styles, that designing new components to brand takes new consideration. Although rewarding, it is only through careful research and design exploration to uncover the brand essence and then communicate that in new forms.

While Challenges are inevitable in such monumental developments, will the projects eventually pay off in the long run?

Designer-branded Hotels are aligned with the perceived attributes of Dubai. In the Middle East, in general, as well as Dubai, Hotels have been tightly linked with the rest of the social and business community. Therefore, the success of these hotels depends on the extent to which these Hotels can position themselves in the social context that they operate and also on the service infrastructure. While there are many new hotels opening, there is no need to worry about an oversupply of the branded property, as these hotels remain a very limited group within the hospitality industry, said Chibeb Ben Mahmoud. 

Dubai has one of the largest concentrations of 5 star hotels of any major city in the world and one of the highest occupancy rates for hotel rooms.

What’s Trending In The Hospitality Industry In UAE

Technology, Cuisine and Sustainability are the three areas when it comes to trends driving hospitality in the UAE.

Technology: According to the research made available by The Hotel Show (Dubai), the online travel agency bookings from the Middle East region will reach $3 billion (Dh 11 billion) in 2014 and they represent 17 per cent of the total sales but only 12 percent of the potential market. These numbers will grow year on year with the increase in the number of room nights in the region. Hotels are investing in technology to increase direct bookings and also to manage guest expectations.

According to Kai Schukowski, Hotel Manager at Hotel Kempinski Ajman, technology is very important in today’s market in order to stay competitive and being on par with the latest technological sis extremely important. While, Annamarie Lambri, Associate professor of Architecture and Interior design at American University believes that today’s guests demand to receive updates and information in real time, including the use of social media, use of mobile applications and platforms to facilitate connections.

Cuisine: They say that Food is the way to a consumer’s heart. Friday brunches are very popular and considered as a social tradition for expat in UAE. According to Kai Schukowski, Hotel Manager at Hotel Kempinski Ajman, there is a variety of F&B concepts available but the guests are still hungry to explore unique experiences and it could be one of the deciding factors for a guest stay. Schukowski ties this trend to mass affluent, as sixty per cent of the hotels are five stars in Dubai compared to 30 per cent in London. People visit restaurants in hotels frequently in the region on a regular basis.

Sustainability: Hotels in the region are turning towards more sustainable initiatives as it brings along tremendous savings. It is also based on the guests’ demands and the government’s policy to encourage more greener hotels. According to Amelie Zegmout, Hopitality Program Ambassador, Emirates Green Building council, local deployment of sustainable hotel specific certification bodies like Green Key and Green Globe is certainly helpful. Most of the hotels build their own green initiative policies and reporting. While Annamarie Lambri, Associate Professor of Architecture and Interior design at American University, said that sustainability is one of the key trends in the industry as all hotels in the region need to follow criteria and regulations to respect energy efficiency.

A study conducted by professors at Cornell University to understand if there is an advantage to operate environment friendly hotels over traditional hotel, reveals that while guests are not willing to pay more to stay at a hotel that practices the green initiative, hotels that receive certificates such as Leadership in Energy and Environment al Design (LEED) by the US Green Building Council, are cheaper to operate and highly profitable.

GCC Hospitality Industry Set To Reach $35.9 Billion By 2018

The hospitality industry in GCC is forecast to grow from $22.8 billion (Dh83.7 billion) in 2013 to $35.9 billion by 2018 at an annual rater of 9.5 % according to a new report by investment bank, Alpen Capital.

The UAE’s Hospitality industry is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 10 per cent between 2013 and 2018.

Average Hotel occupancy rates in GCC are expected to be between 68 percent and 74 per cent between 2013 and 2018, while the average daily rate (ADR) is likely to be between $225 and $263 during the same period.

The growth of the industry in the region will be fuelled by the shift in global activity from East to West, a rise in leisure travel, higher demand for serviced apartments, a shift towards budget travel and quicker construction pipeline, said Sanjay Bhatia, Managing director of Alpen Capital.

The sector’s growth is also expected to be driven by increase in international tourist arrivals, and a stronger MICE segment among others, said Sameena Ahmad, managing director of Alpen Capital in the Middle East.

According to the report, Saudi Arabia is expected to continue its dominance as the largest market in terms of revenue, followed by the UAE.    

The GCC has made major investments in the airport infrastructure, with Al Maktoum International at Dubai World is undergoing a Dh 117.5 billion which is expected to begin by end of the year. The airport will be able to serve 120 million passengers within six to eight year.

Airports across the region are expected to handle as many as 250 million passengers by 2020, according to Reed Exhibitions, quoting a study.

However, as the GCC countries are set to boost their hotel room capacity in the run up to major events, they also face the challenge of sustaining the demands after the events take place. The region has made major investments in infrastructure for events like World Expo 2020 in Dubai. The six month long Exhibition will be the main driver of the hospitality industry in UAE, which is valued at 23 billion dollars according to the report. However, in Dubai the hotel room supply and demand could be balanced after Expo 2020.

Other challenge faced by the GCC region is competing with newer projects and attracting skilled labor force.

Sanjay Bhatia, also said that, the growth of the sector will be driven by supportive policy initiatives undertaken by GCC governments to enhance infrastructure; there by positively impacting the continued investor appetite for the region and tourism.

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Damac, Paramount Launch 1250-key Luxury Hotel in Dubai

Damac Properties continues to grow its partnership with its luxury partner Paramount Hotels & Resorts with 1250-key property confirmed for Downtown Dubai.

Paramount Hotel will be the fourth project by the partners in Dubai off Sheikh Zayed Road. The property is set to open in 2018.

Paramount Hotels & Resorts was established and registered in 2012 and has a long term, exclusive agreement with Paramount Licensing Inc., the licensing division of film studio Paramount Pictures Corporation, to establish a chain of Paramount branded hotels and resorts.

The new Hotel will integrate elements of Paramount Pictures movies through high tech media mapping and digital signage. The hotel will aim to showcase timeless elegance meets Californian lifestyle and Contemporary styling. The property will identify its own identity influenced by the local creative communities.

"The number of visitors to Dubai is set to double in the next six years and the Paramount Hotel Dubai, Downtown will support the growth with a high-end, theatrical and immersive experience for international tourists," said Ziad El Chaar, Managing Director, DAMAC Properties. "Our current projects under development with Paramount Hotels & Resorts have proved immensely popular and there is clearly a high demand for unique and luxurious hotel accommodation in Dubai."

The sales launch is planned for early next year, and the property will present an opportunity for investors to invest in Dubai’s booming market which is set to exceed by 20 million tourists in 2020. The hotel rooms will be available for investment during the build phase of the project allowing the investors to capitalize on revenue when the project opens.

Damac and Paramount are collaborating on a beach front hotel, Paramount Hotel, Jumeirah Waterfront, as well as Damac Villas by Paramount in Akoya development. While in Saudi Arabia, they are working on a serviced hotel apartment project, Damac Towers on King Fahd Road in Saudi Arabia.

Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah To Get New $1.5 billion Royal Atlantis Resort

Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has approved the construction of a new Resort on the Palm Jumeirah Island by the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD).

ICD unveiled a plan for a US $1.4 billion Royal Atlantis Resort and Residences with a design that is set to dominate the Palm skyline.

Located on the crescent of the Palm Jumeirah and next to Atlantis Resort, the Royal Atlantis Resort will stand 46 stories tall, consisting of 800 rooms, suites, 250 luxury hotel apartments, retail area, infinity pool and private gardens. The hotel which is scheduled to open by 2018 will be developed in association with Kerzner International and will also house recreational and entertainment facilities.

Sheikh Mohammed said that the resort will develop and diversify UAE’s economy.

The announcement of the second Atlantis Hotel comes after US Hotel Operator Marriott announces that it will take over the management of the Atlantis hotel in Bahamas from the end of 2014.

ICD bought a 46% stake in Kerzner International in April this year, while Istithmar World, a subsidiary of DP World owns another 25% stake. ICD is also developing another Atlantis hotel in Sanya, China, that will be the third largest resort in the World on 60 hectares.

Dubai’s largest Atlantis resort had the highest inventory of 1569 rooms when it opened in 2008 but it was replaced by JW Marriott Marquis this year with a room count of 1608.

Jumeirah Group Third Most Influential Brand In The UAE

Jumeirah Group, Etihad Airways, Emirates Airline, Emaar and Damac are ranked among the top 10 most influential brands in the UAE according to the rankings released by professional networking platform LinkedIn.

The rankings are based on engagement among LinkedIn’s total 313 million user base and are calculated by evaluating the communication and activities of the brands on LinkedIn.

UAE’s airlines and Hospitality brands have dominated the top 10 list. Jumeirah was ranked third just behind Etihad Airways and Emirate Airlines, in the first and second place respectively.

Emaar, another major hospitality and leisure brand in the Middle East, was ranked fifth, while Damac came in ninth.

Jacob Thomas, Marketing Solutions Lead at LinkedIn said “While LinkedIn offers brands unmatched opportunities to reach out and engage with their target audiences, any marketing effort needs constant and consistent measurement to ensure success”

“The brands we have identified in the UAE are leading among their peers in using LinkedIn's Marketing Solutions most effectively, and the make-up of the ranking shows that social media is a significant focus for brands in the UAE."

The rankings were released post the announcement of earlier this year of LinkedIn’s Content Marketing Score, a data driven resource giving brands insight into the engagement with paid and organic content on the platform.

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World’s Tallest Hotel Launches New Technology – Mobile Check In

Hotel guests can now check into JW Marriott Marquis from anywhere, anytime using their mobile application

JW Marriott Marquis has announced the launch of mobile Check-in and Check-out services which allows visitors to download a mobile application and have their room key arranged in advance on arrival.

The mobile application is user friendly as it allows Marriott rewards members to receive push notifications on their Apple iphones or Android devices after 4 pm of the day before their arrival alerting them that they can check-in. Post receipt of the push notification, the guests receive an automatic notifications when their room is ready, communicating in advance that the hotel is prepared for their arrival. As Member’s payment information Is stored within the member profiles, guest’s can simply walk up to the mobile check-in desk and collect their pre-arranged key. At the end of their stay, guests receive another notification alerting them mobile check out is available. Upon completion, guests will then be prompted to provide an email address where the bill will be sent, allowing them to bypass the front desk.

Bill Keffer, General Manager of the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai said “As a leading business hotel with a huge focus on the meetings incentives conferences and events sector (MICE), the majority of our guests are international travellers with demanding schedules therefore we are always looking for ways to make their lives easier. The introduction of the mobile check-in service allows visitors to save time and access their hotel room quicker than ever before. It also simplifies the process for our international guests as the application is available in English, French, Spanish, German and Mandarin reducing the chance of any language barrier. ”

The JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai strives to be a leader within the technology field and all rooms are equipped with modern technology, including LCD TV’s, ipods stations, high speed Wi-Fi, and a master room control tablet. The conferencing equipment at the hotel includes state of the art LCD screens, the biggest in Dubai, making them ideal for hosting large conferences and events.

Globally, the Marriott Mobile Check-in is available across ten additional brands – The Ritz Carlton, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, and Renaissance Hotels, Autograph collection, Courtyard, Springhill Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites, Residence Inn, TownPlace Suites and Marriott Executive apartments. The JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai joins a list of 1200 properties worldwide where the service is available.

To download the app please log onto http://mobileapp.marriott.com/. To register to become a Marriott Rewards member and take advantage of this service at please log onto http://www.marriott.com/rewards/rewards-program.mi

Burj Al Arab - Signature "Best of the Burj" Dream Experience

Jumeirah Group is rolling out an all inclusive “Best of the Burj” signature dream experience to celebrate 15 years of operations. 

The offer includes a luxurious suite, six course dinner and a signature spa experience. It commences with a pick up by a luxury chauffeur driven white Rolls Royce Phantom.

The package also includes a suite spanning 170 square meters over two floors with views of the Arabian Gulf and a culinary experience featuring the finest dishes at the signatureAl Mahara restaurant.

The experience is inclusive of a Burj Al Arab signature massage for him and her, blending the traditional shiatsu, Thai, Swedish and Balinese techniques at the hotel’s spa.

In addition to this, a full set of Hermes amenities for him and her are offered, along with a private butler and a daily in-suite breakfast dinning.

Prices for this package start from AED 5990 (US $1630).

Guests can book the experience by visiting Jumeirah.com, calling 04 3017400 or emailing BAAreservations@jumeirah.com

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Dubai Hotel Revenues In H1 Top $3billion

The hospitality industry in Dubai benefited from a record number of visitors in H1 and revenue at Hotels in Dubai hit AED12.47 billion (US$3.18 billion). The industry also experienced growth from emerging source markets.

According to figures from Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), the revenues, for hoteliers and hotel apartment operators was up 10.9% compared with the same period last year, with room revenue up 15.3% and F&B up by 3.8%.

During the first half of the year, a record number of guests checked in across all Hotel establishments with numbers reaching 5,828,449.

Total guest nights went up by 6.7% for hotels and 4.1% for hotel apartments, while the average length of stay increased with an average of 3.9 days. This was split out into 3.4 days at hotels and 5.7 days at hotel apartments.

His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, director-general of DTCM, said: “The figures for the first half of 2014 are encouraging and we continue to build on this growth to ensure a successful second half of the year.

“The figures show an increase in visitors from many of our key source markets – for example we are seeing strong growth from China, Brazil, Australia and many countries in Europe.

“The increase comes despite the reduction in flights due to the refurbishment and upgrading of the runways at Dubai International, which is testament to the work conducted by Dubai Airports and our industry partners in ensuring minimal disruption.” 

Saudi Arabia continued to be Dubai’s primary source market, while there was a huge influx of visitors China, up by 26 %. Dubai has added more than 7000 hotel rooms to its inventory up until the end of June, with the total reaching 88,680 across 634 establishments.

Picture courtesy: http://www.geolocation.ws/

Dubai Has One Of The Largest Concentrations Of 5 Star Hotels In The World

The New York Times said that Dubai has one of the largest base for 5 star Hotels in a long report released on Dubai on Tuesday, July 29^th. http://nyti.ms/1AIKUBc  

The hotel occupancy has remained above 80%, which is on par with London and New York, the paper reported.  “Dubai has one of the highest concentrations of five-star hotels of any major city in the world and one of the highest occupancy rates for hotel rooms,” said Chiheb Ben-Mahmoud, executive vice president and head of hotels and hospitality, Middle East and Africa at Jones Lang LaSalle. “Dubai is seen as trendy and dynamic, which is why designer hotels are now in line.”

Designer hotels are aiming to take a piece of the growing pie with luxury products, spa offerings and a keen attention to detail, according to the report. A Roberto Cavalli branded hotel is in the pipeline while the Palazzo Versace hotel is scheduled to open in 2015, it said. The Armani hotel in Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world opened in 2010 through a collaboration between Giorgio Armani and Emaar.

The paper reported that, several five star hotels have opened in many of the tourist hubs. “A drive along the Palm Jumeirah reveals newly paved paths leading to the luxurious entrances of the Waldorf-Astoria, Sofitel Dubai the Palm, Anantara Dubai the Palm and billboards for a coming W Hotel.”

“Like other hotels in the five-star segment, designer hotels have identified Dubai as an important market as the city strengthens its role as a business and leisure hub,” Ben-Mahmoud said. “But these fashion-branded hotels will only work as solid propositions, not a gimmick.”

According to research by consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle, international operators control about 68 percent of the 93,000 hotel rooms available in the city and a majority is in the five-star category. By 2016, more than 28,000 rooms will be added, mainly at the highest price point, where room rates are around $1,200 a night or as much as $10,000 for a suite, it said.

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Top 5 Must See Middle East Destinations During Eid Holidays

With Eid around the corner, residents have already started planning a short getaway to make the best of their Eid Break. Travel agents and tour companies have started advertising their all inclusive packages and flight deals on offer for the long weekend. Short haul regional destinations like Salalah are very popular during the Eid break but the availability of three airport terminals, wide range of flights, and Dubai’s global strategic location makes any destination  just a flight away for residents. Residents will be spoilt for choice during the long weekend with various options that suit all budgets from value holiday destinations to ultra luxury.   

Below are the top 5 regional destinations where residents can travel during Eid:

Amman, Jordan:

Amman is one of the fastest growing cities in the world with a unique blend of modern and ancient culture

• Flights: Fly Dubai, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Royal Jordanian, Qatar Airways, Air Arabia
• Weather:  Max - 27 degrees; Min - 19 degrees
• Flight time: 3 hours
• Budget: Ibis Amman 
• Luxury: Four Seasons Amman
• Sightseeing: Roman Theater, Cultural district, The Nymphaeum, Citadel with its Roman Temple of Herakles, 5^th Century Byzantine Church,  Ummayad Palace, Cantaloupe, Balad District, Nightlife, Shopping, and Souk Jara. 

Beirut, Lebanon:

Beirut is often referred to as the Paris of the Middle East. Its famous for its Nightlife, history and scenery.

• Flights: Fly Dubai, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Middle East Airlines, Air Arabia
• Weather:  Max - 30 degrees; Min - 23 degrees
• Flight time: 3 hours 20 mints
• Budget: Gefinor Rotana 
• Luxury: Phoenicia Hotel
• Sightseeing: Jumayzeh district - Famous for its nightlife, Zaytouna Bay, Ashrafeey eh, Riviera Beach Club, The Corniche, West Beirut, Solidere, Beirut Souks, Roman Baths, and Bliss Street.

Salalah, Oman:

Head to Oman’s second city to escape the summer heat and experience the cool temperature, lush green plant life, mountains, Leopards and Hyenas.

• Flights: Oman Air
• Weather:  Max - 29 degrees; Min - 25 degrees
• Flight time: 2 hours
• Budget: SalalahPlaza Hotel 
• Luxury: SalalahRotana Resort
• Sightseeing: Al Husn Souk, Museum of Franckincense Land, Marneef Cave, Salalah0 Gardens Mall, Wadi Darbat, Al Mughasyl beach, Water Springs at AinSahnawat, Greenery, Beaches, Waterfalls and wildlife.

Muscat, Oman:

The capital city of Oman with rich history, ancient forts, souks, and wadi’s all set against the mountain backdrop.

• Flights: Oman Air, Emirates, Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Etihad Airways
• Weather:  Max – 33 degrees; Min – 29 degrees
• Flight time: 1 hour; or 6 hours by car.
• Budget: Samara Hotel  
• Luxury: The Chedi Muscat
• Sightseeing and activities: Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Royal Opera House, Bayt Al Zubair, Sultan’s Armed Forces Museum, Ancient Mutrah Souk, Scuba diving, Snorkeling, Natural History Museum, Wadi Al Arbaeieen, Planetarium

Musandam, Oman:

Musandam is a picturesque region separated from the rest of Oman with its scenery being quite attractive to tourists.

• Travel:  2 hours by car
• Weather: Max - 43 deg. ; Min - 31 deg.
• Budget: Atana Khasab
• Luxury: Six Senses Zighy Bay 
• Sightseeing and activities: Oman Fjords, diving, Dolphin experience, Bimmah Sink hole, Dhow cruises, Snorkeling, Kayaking, and Water sport.

Picture credit: Creative Commons - http://nomadic-me.com,  Imbabah22 (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported), Jerash Jordan. Author Jan Smith. Licensed under the creative commons Attribution, http://www.omantripper.com, austinevans.