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Anantara to open at Empty Quarter
Bangkok-based Anantara Hotel Group is set to open by the end of the year its five star hotel Qasr Al Sarab in the Rub Al Khali desert, also known as Arabia's Empty Quarter. Qasr Al Sarab is located in the Liwa Oasis in Abu Dhabi, set to offer 150 hotel rooms and 60 private villas.
Dubai hotel revenue rises in Q1
Marketing has revealed in a statement that Dubai's hotels accommodated 1.89 million tourists and generated Dhs4.26bn in revenues in Q1 2009, a 5% increase over the corresponding period in 2008. DTCM has also noted a rise in the number of operating hotels and hotel apartments to 519 in Q1 2009, from 475 during the corresponding period in 2008, in addition an increase of 17% in accommodation capacity to 40,864 rooms from the same period in 2008.
Qatar signs deal for new luxury hotel in Cuba
Qatari Diar and Cuba's Gran Caribe have signed an agreement to build a $75m 250-room luxury hotel and 60 luxury villas on Cuba's Cayo Largo Island. Construction of the project, which could expand to 450 rooms, will begin next year with the aim of opening in 2012.
UK tourism to Dubai down 7%
Ian Scott, the director of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing's (DTCM) office in the UK and Ireland has said the number of visitors to Dubai dropped 7% from about 210,000 in the first quarter of last year to just over 195,000 in the same quarter of this year, The National has reported. The DTCM is to launch a new advertising campaign and a new trade website is being developed.
Marriott to run Emirates' Park Towers hotel
Marriott International has been appointed operator of Emirates' Park Towers hotel in Dubai. The 1,614-room twin-tower hotel and apartments is being built close to the Business Bay district and once opened, will fall under the JW Marriott Marquis luxury brand. The first 807-room tower is scheduled to open in 2011, with the second tower being ready in 2013.
Nakheel Hotels 'focus on survival'
Joe Sita, Nakheel Hotels chief executive officer has told the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference that the company is not looking at making new investments this year in order to conserve cash in hand. 'This year is all about survival,' Sita said. 'We are not out in the market [for new investments]. We are preserving cash.'
Ramada to open two hotels in Middle East
Ramada Worldwide, a member of the Wyndahm Hotel Group, has announced plans to open two new hotels in the Middle East.
Sofitel opens UAE property
French luxury hotel chain Sofitel has launched its first property in the UAE. The Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach is scheduled to open in the summer, and will feature 438 sea-view rooms over 31 floors including 27 Sofitel suites, 12 Prestige suites and one Imperial suite.
Starwood to open 1,000th hotel this year
Starwood Hotels & Resorts will open its 1,000th hotel this year and break ground on many more despite the global economic downturn, Simon Turner, the company's chief development officer, told delegates at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference. He said the company plans to open up to 200 hotels over the next two years worldwide and has 20 hotels in the pipeline in the Middle East. The company also will open the the first W hotel in Washington DC within the next 60 days, said Joe Sita, CEO of Dubai-based Nakheel Hotels, which owns the hotel.
Landmark launches hotel division
Michael A Weyland, General Manager of Landmark Group's hotel division has said that the group plans to launch a new brand in the budget segment of three-star properties called Citymax Hotels. The group will start by opening two hotels in Dubai and one in Sharjah before the end of the year, at an expected cost of Dhs425m which it wants to recover during the first four years of operations. 'The three proposed hotels will have a total of 1,331 no-frills rooms, but will be equipped with all major amenities and more,' Weyland said.
Dubai World to open Zimbabwe reserve
A Dubai World official has confirmed that its African unit, Dubai World Africa, is developing the Bubye reserve in Zimbabwe, as part of plans to boost its investments in Africa. '[Africa] is a place where you can see growth... double-digit growth,' Dubai World Chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem told the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference.
Jumeirah Group says hotel occupancy remains high
Jumeirah Group is experiencing high occupancy levels at its hotels despite the economic downturn, but it has had to offer rate discounts at all its properties - with the exception of the Burj Al Arab in Dubai - to compete with companies that have slashed their rates, said Gerald Lawless, executive chairman of Jumeirah Group.
Saudi Arabia to publish tourism plan
Saudi Arabia is to focus on enterprise initiatives for small to medium-sized private sector companies and developing various tourist destinations and economic zones, in a tourism plan to be published by year end. Some 47 million tourists visited the country in 2008 and by 2020, visitor numbers are predicted to hit 88 million. The hotel and tourism sector will generate SR101bn by 2020, making it one of the largest non-oil growth areas of the economy, said Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities Chairman Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
TEC suffers non-operational losses
Kuwaiti Touristic Enterprises (TEC) had non-operational losses of KD811,700 due to global economic crisis and the subsequent sharp drop in investments by the company in 2008. Chairman and Managing Director Khalid Al-Ghanim, attributed the losses to implementing auditing standards, which led to unrealised losses of KD1.8m, as well as following government orders to raise employee salaries.
Dubai World, MGM push casino deal
Dubai World and MGM Mirage have agreed to finish building the $8.5bn Las Vegas entertainment complex CityCenter, after reaching agreement by nine lenders led by Bank of America to commit to all of a $1.8bn senior secured credit facility, The National has reported. MGM Mirage has also agreed to pay any completion costs that may exceed the $8.5bn budget.
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