'The Hotel Show' - MENA region's Number One Hospitality Event Opens in Dubai

The 15^th edition of the Hotel Show, the premiere event for the trade and hospitality industry opens in Dubai on 28^th Sept 2014.

The three day event will attract over 600 participants suppliers of the latest products and leading global brands. The show brings together industry players from a range of services, including hospitality and leisure, design and restaurants, etc.

In 2013, 16,700 hotel and hospitality partners visited the show where deals worth almost $4 billion of business were sanctioned for the following 12 months.

The Hotel Show will feature conferences, awards, and unique networking opportunities for industry professionals.

“The Middle East is recognized as having some of the fastest growing economies in the world - with forecasts of up to 3 per cent growth before 2016 — and we are delighted to be able to offer real business opportunities to all who participate”, stated Christine Davidson, Event Director at The Hotel Show.”

The key highlight of the show is the Vision conference, where Issam Kazim, The Chief Executive of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Marketing (DCTCM) will deliver a key note speech. Other sessions of the conference will cover trends in the hospitality and leisure sector, the development and growth of mid market hotels, and interior designing trends.

Another feature of the show is International Village, where more than 300 international companies will be represented from more than 45 countries, including Austria, Belgium, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam and the UK.

Dubai ranked 5th most popular destination in the World

Dubai has been recognized as the 5th most popular city in the World according to Master Card Global Destination Cities Index released on 9th July 2014. London retained its position on number one for the third time in four years followed by Bangkok, Paris, Singapore and Dubai. Dubai was ranked ahead of New York and Istanbul - both of which were ranked higher last year. This index provides a ranking of the 132 most travelled cities from around the world.

The increasing popularity of Dubai is due to the increasing international travel due to the expanding middle class income, the innovation in travel and the availability of Dubai international airport as the Middle East airline hub. The Real Estate boom in the region has opened up the gateway for companies to set up their MENA headquarters in the emirate, which in turn has facilitated increasing business travel. Dubai’s global strategic location, investment friendly economy and rising infrastructure will play a great role in driving visitors to the emirate. Dubai is doing its best to attract both leisure and business tourists which has fuelled the need for more hotel rooms in the country.

According to the study, Dubai is projected to receive 12.47 million visitors, an increase of 7.5 percent since 2013. Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities in the world and is expected to overtake Paris and Singapore within 5 years. Dubai also generates more international visitor expenditure per resident than any other city. It was also ranked as the fourth air hub in the world by international connectivity. In fact, Dubai is only city among from Middle East and Africa to be ranked among the top ten air hubs lists.

The MasterCard index ranks cities based on the total international visitor’s arrivals and cross-border spending by a visitor in each of the 132 destination cities using custom made algorithms.

Picture credit: Copyright Jan Michael Pfeiffer (Creative Commons)

Travel tips during Ramadan

If you are planning on travelling to Middle East during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan then here are some tips for all visitors.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and Muslims worldwide observe this as a month of fasting, one of the five pillars of Islam. During this month Muslims refrain from consuming food, drinking liquids, smoking and refrain from other behavior which could be perceived as sinful. The Muslims fast for 15 hours that starts from dawn and ends at sunset. At Sunset, families gather for Iftar (A sumptuous meal that breaks the fast) followed by a meal, Suhoor (Pre fast meal). The working hours are reduced and everything slows down during the day. That being said, Ramadan is the time for generosity, kindness, Charity and extending a helping hand to the needy. 

Customs and culture:

It is illegal to eat, drink and smoke in public during the fasting hours, the daylight hours during Ramadan. There are serious implications (hefty fines and jail time) if someone is caught eating, drinking or smoking in public during the fasting hours. This law also applies to people travelling in cars, busses and public transport. The visitors are expected to dress moderately in malls and in public places. It’s simply a courtesy extended to fasting Muslims. For a list of do’s and dont’s during Ramadan please visit the SMCCU website for Ramadan Etiquette.  

Food and Drink:

Plan your day time meals in advance as Restaurants and cafes are closed during the day but Malls and Supermarkets operate during the regular day time hours with extended night time hours. Four and five star hotels have some facilities for the non-fasting guests. So, you can always order a take away meal but must find a private place to eat it. All eateries open up a few hours before Iftar and offer great deals on an all-inclusive buffet in Ramadan Tents.  The Ramadan tents in UAE are very popular places to spend time snacking, smoking shisha and playing games.  Non-Muslims are welcome to join Iftar and hang out in tents until wee hours. 

Bars and clubs:

During the holy month of Ramadan all live music performance will stop and bars will serve alcohol after 8 PM. Some Restaurants don’t serve alcohol in any of their outlets during Ramadan while most night clubs will remain closed until the end of the month.

Hotels, Tours and Transportation:

As working hours are reduced during the month of Ramadan, many venues operate with limited hours so book your tours and accommodation in advance to avoid disappointment. Ramadan can be a challenge for many visitors but it is also an opportunity to visit this region as Hotels drop their prices during this month. Various packages are available through tour operators and travel agents during Ramadan.

Shopping Malls:

Most of the shopping malls in UAE are open during the day with extended night time hours. To attract tourists, there are price reductions and discounts during Ramadan. So, don’t miss out on the deals and head to the Shopping malls after a good breakfast in the morning.