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Jordan lifts India tourist visa restrictions
Jordan has said that visa restrictions on individual Indian nationals visiting the kingdom as tourists have been lifted. The decision came as move to promote tourism to the country and to support economic growth, the Jordan Tourism Board said. The decision is in line with a series of efforts to stimulate and boost the tourism sector in light of the current global economic crisis. Such efforts include the reduction of the sales tax on hotel rooms and plans to reduce electricity tariffs on hotels.
Survey: Long haul leisure travel to increase
According to YouGov Siraj's Travel Tracker survey, a research tool which tracks travel trends quarterly, long haul leisure trips are expected to make a comeback, after being drastically affected over the last year. A total of 31% of the respondents who have been holding back are now planning to travel in the future, the survey showed. Forty-six percent of respondents are planning to travel for business in the coming months, and 35% for leisure purposes, compared to only 24% of business and 19% of leisure travellers were planning to travel in January 2009.
Marriott launches corporate restructure
Arne Sorenson, president of Marriott International has said the company is undertaking a corporate restructure, according to Breaking Travel News website. The restructuring will see the company split into four autonomous divisions whilst bringing the formerly stand-alone Ritz-Carlton brand into its corporate offices. The move aims to decentralize power so that the regional presidents 'have the resources necessary to make decisions and so those decisions can be faster, more efficient, more local,' Sorenson said. Details of the plan still need to be finalized but "the number of jobs lost will not be very large," he noted.
Egypt tourism numbers down
The Egyptian ministry of tourism has said that the number of tourists visiting Egypt in the first ten months of 2009 dropped 4.5% compared to the same period last year, Reuters has reported. About 10.9 million tourists visited Egypt in the first ten months of this year, spending nearly 106.3 million room nights, the ministry said. The ministry expects total arrivals for the year to fall between two and three percent versus 2008, less than it had previously feared, a ministry spokeswoman said.
Five hotel openings planned by 2011 on Palm Jumeirah
Dubai-based developer, Nakheel has said that at least five hotels will open on Palm Jumeirah by 2011. There are plans for 30 hotels to be built on the Palm, although many have been delayed due to the economic crisis. This includes the postponement of the high-profile Trump Towers, which now has no firm date for when work will begin. "A number of hotels on Palm Jumeirah's crescent and trunk are currently under construction, including Fairmont Hotel & Residences, Royal Amwaj and Oceana's Movenpick Hotel. Ottoman Place on the crescent is due to open in the coming months with a number of hotels expected to open throughout the course of 2010," a company spokesperson told Emirates Business 24/7.
Al Barari eyes Western Region resort
Chairman of Dubai-based developer Al Barari, has said the company is eyeing the Western Region Municipality of Abu Dhabi for a "very private, exclusive resort", accessible only by an air strip, the National has reported. "I want to spend six months looking around the Western Region for the right place," Zaal Mohammed Zaal said. "It would be a real escapist resort in the desert."
IFA launches Dubai hotel shared ownership scheme
Kuwait-based IFA Hotels and Resorts has launched its second hotel condominium ownership product in the Middle East, within the five-star Fairmont Palm Jumeirah hotel in Dubai. The concept allows investors to buy a fully furnished, five-star branded hotel room within a rental pool system. It guarantees annual returns of 10% per year for the first five years, and a guaranteed buy back premium of 10% after five years from the hotel's opening. Additionally, owners can stay in the hotel for up to 30 days a year.
Sharp rise in tourist numbers to Lebanon
Tourism numbers in Lebanon have seen a sharp rise in the first 10 months of the year. The Lebanese tourism ministry has reported a 42.7% increase compared to the same period in 2008, adding that numbers are up 84% compared to the same period of 2007. More than 1.5 million tourists have visited Lebanon so far this year, with a record one million tourists landing in the country during July alone, the ministry said. The bulk have been expatriates or visitors from the Gulf region. The ministry hopes that by year end, some two million tourists will have visited the country.
Mövenpick opens Hajar Tower Makkah hotel
The Swiss Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts group has recently opened in Saudi Arabia the Mövenpick Hotel & Residence Hajar Tower Makkah, a part of the Abraj Al Bait complex and located directly on the Haram Court facing the King Abdul Aziz Gate. With 41 floors, the hotel has 1204 rooms and apartments. The hotel has a business centre and five dining options, catering to pilgrims and business travellers.
Rotana's Raouché Arjaan opens in Lebanon
Mena-based hotel management company Rotana has opened its third hotel in Lebanon, Raouché Arjaan by Rotana. The hotel has 176 studios and suites with state-of-the-art amenities and recreational facilities, including a rooftop swimming pool and a Bodylines Health and Fitness centre. The hotel will also have authentic Lebanese cuisine in its food and beverage offering, a terrace cafe overlooking Raouché Boulevard, and an all-day dining venue offering continental and traditional fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Hilton to open further Mecca hotels
Hilton Worldwide has announced plans to open more than one hotel in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, as more religious pilgrimages spur demand for accommodation in the kingdom, Bloomberg has reported. 'We don't have enough of a supply of hotel rooms,' Shuja Zaidi, Hilton's vice president of projects in Saudi Arabia. Jabal Omar Development Co., a real-estate developer in Mecca, is building 27 hotels with a combined 15,000 rooms, with the first to open in 2011.
Marriott expands its hotel footprint in Middle East
Marriott International has announced plans to open five hotels across the Middle East & Africa and establish a regional headquarters in Dubai, signalling its continued confidence in the long-term growth prospects for the hospitality industry in the region. The US-based hotel chain said today it plans to open two properties in Algeria, and one each in Ghana, Morocco, and Egypt. The hotels are scheduled to open under long-term management contracts over the next 36 months and represent the company's Marriott Hotels and Resorts and Marriott Executive Apartments brands.
Sharjah's tourism sector up 4% in Q3
The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority has said the emirate's tourism sector had experienced 4% growth in the third quarter of 2009, compared to the first quarter of this year. 'Sharjah will continue to establish tourism oriented projects and developments to attract tourists and investors, despite the global financial crisis. The first of these projects will be announced in Q1 2010,' Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qassimi, Chairman of SCTDA said.
Qatar's Faisal Holding to buy hotels
Qatar-based Al Faisal Holding is shifting its focus to the hospitality industry and plans to buy hotels in Europe, North America, and big Arab cities, Reuters has reported. The company is in talks with a number of parties and would 'definitely acquire hotels in a year', Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani told the news service. 'The plan for next five years is to have between 5-10 hotels in the medium-term,' he said.
Ramada to open its 12th hotel in Saudi
Ramada Worldwide has announced that it is continuing its expansion in Saudi Arabia with the signing of an agreement for the five-star, 700-room Ramada Plaza Makkah hotel. The property will be the third Ramada hotel in the Holy City and twelth overall in the kingdom.
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