Dubai hotels supercharged as Dubai Shopping Festival 2008 approaches

With only a week left for DSF 2008 to begin, officials at various hotels in Dubai have expressed their satisfaction at getting confirmed hotel bookings, expecting the coming period to experience even a higher demand in the wake of the Christmas holidays, a high season for all hotels.

It is an established fact that the DSF today is a strong medium in revitalizing trade and tourism in the country, increasingly becoming the focal point of the hospitality industry in the Emirate, where hotels and restaurants are the best gainers.

Jumeirah

Being a local company, the Jumeirah group of hotels is laying special focus on the big annual bonanza, with the Madinat Jumeirah Stage to host several global theatre performances and fun activities for the whole family.

Maisaa Terkawi, of the Jumeirah Group, said the hotel "Will play host to many of DSF's exciting activities this year and offer considerable promotions on hotel rooms and restaurants", stressing that some of the group's hotels had been fully booked one month prior to the much-awaited event.

InterContinental

Tom Mayer, the Regional General Manager for InterContinental Hotel Projects in Dubai Festival City, has confirmed the official opening of three InterContinental hotels at Dubai Festival City in synchronization with DSF's launch.

"This is quite important for us, as we'd be part of the 13th anniversary of the great annual festivity and a strong contributor to the success of the hospitality sector in the Emirate," he said.

"The three hotels will bring in an additional 1000 serviced rooms to the hospitality arena in Dubai. A remarkable celebration marking the occasion will be held on January 17, one week prior to the official inauguration of the DSF, slated for January 24th," he said.

Murooj Rotana Hotel & Suites

Hussein Hashim, the General Manager of Al Murooj Rotana Hotel & Suites said, "The hotel is expected to secure full occupancy during the month-long event in accordance with the par excellence results achieved by the hotel in December which witnessed a cent per cent occupancy rate." He expected the occupancy rate to reach between 92 per cent and 95 per cent in January and February, noting that the hotel's guests are usually Europeans, most of who come through travel agencies working intensively during this peak period, and Arabs, especially from the Gulf states.

Taj Palace Dubai

"The fervent all-year activities hosted by Dubai have helped create new tourist seasons in the Emirate contrary to the scene in the past when there were only two seasons, one in the winter and the other in the summer," said Emad Tohami, the Public Relations & Communications Manager at the Taj Palace.

"Dubai has now become a focal point of attraction for tourists," he said, adding that Taj Palace will offer competitive room rates that are 30 per cent less than the original listing prices in addition to providing transportation facilities to several shopping centres, DSF venues and tourist zones, some of them for free and others at very affordable rates.