Hotel manager appointed for Al Aqah resort

Antaki has extensive experience in Middle East resorts having worked at Le Meridien Pyramids in Cairo before his first posting in the UAE, as director of rooms at the opening of Le Meridien Mina Seyahi in Dubai in 1998.

He then moved to a similar position at Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa in 2001, before taking over as acting general manager at Le Royal Meridien Chennai in India for six months, his last posting before the move to Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort.

Born in Egypt, he studied in Canada and the UK, working for hotel groups including Forte, Hilton and Crest prior to his transfer back to the Middle East.

A keen diver, Antaki is delighted with his appointment at the helm of Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort: "Many tourists, incentive and meeting organisers, and, of course, divers, are looking for new destinations, and I am certain that the east coast of the UAE and the emirate of Fujairah will become familiar names on the world tourism map in future."

Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, a joint venture between Emirates airline and the government of Fujairah, has 218 rooms and suites in a 20-storey stepped tower, and features the UAE's largest free-form swimming pool, a dedicated Penguin Village for children with its own pool, a Wellness Centre, tennis and squash courts, water sports and dive centre, and facilities for beach volleyball on its own 250-metre beach.

In addition, the hotel has three Royal Club executive floors, business centre, 400-capacity ballroom, three additional meeting rooms and a travel centre, as well as seven restaurants and lounges.