Le Meridien Al Aqah achieves an impressive average occupancy of 90 per cent during the summer of 2004

This is an increase of 10 per cent over the corresponding quarter last year.

Making this announcement, General Manager, Patrick Antaki, said, "This summer, in response to its growing popularity with families in the UAE and across the GCC, we launched innovative packages for the whole family to enjoy.

"The promotion contributed 40 per cent to the total hotel occupancy and was so successful that it had to be extended by a month due to the unprecedented demand. It also resulted in a marked rise in weekday occupancy. 46 per cent of the business generated for the month of August came from this package alone," added Mr. Antaki.

This year, over 90 per cent of rooms booked at the hotel were double occupancy highlighting the hotel's growing popularity as a family destination. Tourists who opt to visit the region as a family have now identified the UAE for more than just shopping and are choosing the East Coast for the perfect combination of relaxation and adventure coupled with state-of-the-art facilities that the Le Meridien Al Aqah provides.

With its idyllic and scenic surroundings, coupled with several world-class wellness, leisure and recreational facilities, including a beauty centre, diving and desert excursions, Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort represents one of the most ideal settings for both leisure and business travellers in the UAE.

All through the summer, the hotel registered 100 per cent occupancy levels during the weekends, and an average of 80 per cent occupancy during the weekdays. This summer, while a significant number of the hotel's guests were from the UAE - with national families forming a large part, the majority share inclined towards the international markets such as Germany, Austria, UK and Russia and other GCC countries.

Penguin Club for kids also launched special deals and activities for children between the ages of 4 and 12. A special club that plans fun-filled hourly activities for the kids presented a completely relaxed and stress-free vacation for guests who came to the resort with their children. "This added incentive was very well accepted by the guests and contributed further to the success of the promotion this summer," said Mr. Antaki.

"We also worked closely with our partners, Cleopatra Beauty Rooms and the Al Boom Diving Centre, in particular to offer guests this summer the best possible packages on spa treatments and dive packages," he added.

A property of the Emirates Group, Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort has provided a major thrust to the tourism sector in the East Coast of the UAE, and is located on a two kilometre sand beach, nestled between the Hajar Mountains and the Indian Ocean. Some of the hotel's state of the art facilities include a Wellness Centre featuring Cleopatra Beauty Rooms, Softouch Ayurvedic Centre, the Baywatch Village restaurant complex, four additional bars and restaurants and a professional diving centre run by Al Boom Marine.