News

Millennium Hotels and Resorts, Middle East and Africa continues its successful expansion strategy with the launch of Studio M Arabian Plaza. The first Studio M in the MENA region and the first property to be introduced under the Studio M collection recently opened its doors on the 1st of December 2018 in Dubai. Two more brand openings, Studio M Al Barsha and Studio M Muscat Shaden, are both due to open in 2019.

Studio M is a chic urban hotel brand that is part of the Millennium Hotels and Resorts global family, which includes The Biltmore Collection, Grand Millennium, Millennium Resorts, M Social, Millennium Place, Copthorne, M Hotel, Kingsgate and Millennium executive apartments. Studio M provides thoughtful, well-designed spaces with the cool factor combined with stylish, high-quality rooms and fuss-free technology. The standardized brand design, operational efficiency and lower development costs ensure an affordable price point, whilst its strong design aesthetic and nature mean that it is aligned with the millennial mindset as well as the young at heart.

Dubai based international entrepreneur and philanthropist Ghassan Aboud was awarded for “Excellence in International Business” at the 2018 Enterprise Agility Awards – Entrepreneur of the Year held at the Hilton Hotel, Habtoor City, Dubai on December 4^th 2018.

The annual event organized by BNC Publishing recognizes business leaders that have established themselves distinctly as industry innovators, made significant contributions to the regional business arena, and set the benchmark for enterprises operating across the region.

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Trident Limited and their UAE channel partners, Alia Mohammed Trading Company organised a networking conference for their UAE Business Associates and members of local media at the Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai.

Addressing the conference, Mr. Naveet Jindal, CEO (Sales & Marketing – Paper & Chemicals Business) of Trident Limited presented the meteoric rise of Trident from 1990. He stated,” Today the Trident Group is a USD 1 billion business conglomerate and a major global player in business segments: Yarn, Towel, Bed Sheets, Chemicals & Eco-Friendly Paper. They take pride in being the world’s largest Wheat-straw based Paper Mill”.

– Reduction in agro-residue
– Improved air quality
– Farmers have improved economic conditions
– Community building
In addition to these enlisted advantages of wheat straw paper, every 6 boxes of this paper used, saves one tree.

The UAE is a very important market for us and we appreciate the marketing initiatives of our channel partner Alia Mohammed Trading Company in promoting and developing Trident ECO FRIENDLY COPIER PAPER here. The focus on Trident’s premium products like Trident Digiprint (Digital Printing Paper) & Trident Spectra Bond (Premium Watermark Office Paper) was highlighted by Trident. Having a customer-centric approach, the company has achieved a reputation of being one of the prominent paper manufacturing companies in India with a presence in over 35 international markets.

Alia Mohammed Trading Company is a home grown business here in the UAE, having begun operations in 1981. They are the exclusive channel partners to Trident Limited for this market.
Over the past four decades, their strategy and thinking has been dynamic, and in line with Dubai’s Vision.

The government of UAE has launched the “Green Economy” initiative under the slogan: A green economy for sustainable development. Backed by their Vision 2021, the UAE aims to be a world leader and hub for green products and technology. Alia Mohammed Trading Company merges the mission of Trident Group with the Vision of the UAE Government.

Following the grand success of last year’s Arabic-inspired Christmas brunch at Al Diwaan and guests’ demand, Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa is launching a series of curated dinners for guests to enjoy a unique dining experience under the Arabian desert’s starry sky.

Set in a lush palm oasis, deep within Dubai’s magical dune and desert landscape of Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, the Bedouin-style resort promises blissful quiescence. The luxury desert hideaway is a short 50-minute drive from Dubai and instantly transports you to a haven of luxury and tranquility, courtesy the Bedouin inspired architecture, ultimate man-made comforts and desert trails, offering guests a true sense of desert adventure. Combining the fabled Bedouin way of life with traditional Emirati hospitality, guests at Al Maha can enjoy the ultimate dune dining experience on Friday, 26th October, 2018 with the extravagant Desert Moon Dinner.

Maintaining the hallmarks of the desert getaway’s luxury offerings, guests will arrive at the resort in a luxurious limo, to catch the majestic sunset with a signature bubbly. Upping the ante is the resort’s culinary team that has curated an extravagant buffet, post sundowner, with an array of offerings for starters and main course. Featuring an assortment of international favourites, live grill stations and decadent treats, guests can fully imbibe the desert ambience as gazelles and Arabian oryx wander freely. Foot tapping acoustics of the live Kanon band enjoyed with uninterrupted views of the infinite desert skyline, enables guests to enjoy a distinctive, Arabic-inspired al fresco experience at Al Maha.

“Nestled within a timeless oasis of the Arabian desert, Al Maha’s fabled charm is a nod to Bedouin heritage and distinctive culture of the desert environment. Following the success of last year’s Christmas brunch at Al Diwaan, our culinary team, starting 26th October, 2018, has curated a series of al fresco dinners that imbibe traditions of Emirati hospitality and the Bedouin way of life. Set amid the royal desert’s starry peacefulness, with live stations and foot tapping acoustics, we invite our guests to come and enjoy the ultimate dune dining experience at Al Maha,” says Patrick Antaki, Complex General Manager of Al Maha, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa and Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Fujairah.

Emaar Hospitality Group, a business of Emaar Properties and the Expo 2020 Dubai Official Hotel & Hospitality Partner, is offering global travellers and connoisseurs of fine living a taste of world cuisine with over 50 exceptional choices at the Group’s hotels and restaurants.

These are within 14 hotels under the Group’s three hotel brands – the premium luxury Address Hotels + Resorts; the upscale lifestyle Vida Hotels and Resorts and the contemporary midscale Rove Hotels – in Dubai as well as Al Alamein Hotel in Egypt. Global travellers can also explore the dining experiences offered at Armani Hotel Dubai and Armani Hotel Milan.

From international to authentic Japanese and traditional Arabic as well as fusion cuisine, the restaurants stand out for their exceptional location. Guests can revel in exotic cuisine at Burj Khalifa, the global icon, as well as at the outlets dotted across Downtown Dubai with views of The Dubai Fountain. They can dine at golf retreats or by the waterfront – whatever their choice, they have it with the trove of culinary offerings.

Explore At.mosphere, Burj Khalifa, a signature restaurant offering contemporary cuisine located on Level 122 of Burj Khalifa; La Serre, highlighted for it culinary innovation and French cuisine in Vida Downtown; Sean Connolly at Dubai Opera, which marks the regional debut of chef Sean Connolly; Toko, in Vida Downtown, for connoisseurs of Japanese cuisine; and Katana, set by Address Downtown, recreating the robata and sushi lounge on Los Angeles Sunset Strip. Guests have a selection of choices at Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, Arabian Ranches Golf Club and Dubai Marina Yacht Club.

Discover Argentine cuisine at Asado in Palace Downtown; Nezesaussi flavours in Manzil Downtown and Address Dubai Marina; Mediterranean delights at Nineteen in Address Montgomerie; and international dishes at The Daily restaurants in Rove Hotels. Not to miss are the Lounge and The Restaurant at Address Boulevard and Address Downtown while for Thai delights check into Thiptara in Palace Downtown.

Olivier Harnisch, CEO of Emaar Hospitality Group, said: “Our restaurants, set in exotic locations and steered by seasoned professionals, are curated to present exceptional culinary flavours. Our guests will be spoilt for choice highlighting our competencies in restaurant operations.”

Emaar Hospitality Group, the hospitality and leisure business of global developer Emaar Properties PJSC, is expected to create more than 5,300 jobs in the hospitality sector in the next five years across the UAE including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.

Significantly, the Group is focusing on hiring and nurturing the talents of UAE Nationals for jobs in the hospitality sector, and has put into place ambitious strategies and plans to drive Emiratisation across all functions within the Group. These goals will also be achieved through partnerships with key government entities and departments that support Emiratisation within the hospitality industry.

Aseem Kapoor, Corporate Director of Human Resources at Emaar Hospitality Group, said: “We are emerging as one of the largest providers of jobs in the hospitality sector in the UAE. With hospitality professionals from across the world working with us, we take pride in offering a world-class work environment that enables them to progress in their careers.

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Nakheel and Thai hotel group Centara Hotels & Resorts today cemented their AED500 million joint venture with a construction contract worth AED290.5 million to build a 601-room beachfront resort at Dubai’s Deira Islands.

The two entities have appointed Parkway International Contracting LLC to deliver Centara Deira Islands Beach Resort Dubai – Centara’s first in the UAE – which is set to open in Q4, 2020.

The contract, which takes Nakheel’s infrastructure and construction investment at Deira Islands to nearly AED8.8 billion so far, was signed in Dubai today at a ceremony led by Nakheel Chairman, Ali Rashid Lootah, and Suparat Chirathivat, Executive Vice President – Corporate Development, Central Group, parent company of Centara Hotels and Resorts and one of Thailand’s most prominent family-owned conglomerate holding companies.

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Laurent A. Voivenel, Senior Vice President, Operations and Development for the Middle East, Africa and India, Swiss-Belhotel International, unveiled the group’s expansion plans for the region at the Global General Managers’ Conference held in Jakarta, Indonesia, last week.

Laurent stated, “We have chalked out a very aggressive expansion strategy for the Middle East and Africa with 17% of our global portfolio of hotels comprising 3500 rooms centered in the region. Our goal is to have 20 hotels in operation and 10 under construction by 2021. Out of these five projects would be in Africa while the remaining will be in gateway cities across the Middle East with a significant presence in the GCC. Built on a heritage of passion and professionalism, our ultimate aim is to position Swiss-Belhotel International as the best alternative to blue chip companies offering superior returns, unbeatable value and unforgettable experiences.”

Commenting on the industry’s long-term economic outlook in the region, Laurent said: “Tourism performance in the main cities across the Middle East is expected to remain strong with the fruition of major infrastructure projects such as airport expansions, increased global connectivity and growth of low-cost carriers, new leisure attractions, enhanced business facilities and a year-long calendar of regional and international events.”

Swiss-Belhotel International was recently named by TOPHOTELPROJECTS among the top ten most active brands in Saudi Arabia. “KSA is a very significant market for us with 35% of our development pipeline concentrated in the Kingdom. In 2018 we have six new hotels opening in quick succession and out of these three are located in Saudi Arabia. Our success is testament to the relationships we have built with owners and investors in the region. With 14 well-established brands, we are well equipped to meet the needs of every segment of the market. This diversity of brands allows owners the flexibility to pick the right fit for their property.”

Emaar Hospitality Group, the hospitality and leisure business of global developer Emaar Properties, today announced that it has marked a historic milestone of 50 hotel projects in its portfolio, including 35 upcoming projects in the UAE and international markets, as well as 15 hotels and serviced residences that are operational in Dubai.

Announcing the breakthrough evolution of Dubai’s home-grown hospitality company, Olivier Harnisch, Chief Executive Officer of Emaar Hospitality Group, said that several new management agreements are being finalised to be potentially announced during the Arabian Travel Market 2018.

“Since 2007, we have been shaping a new identity and presence in the hospitality scene, and with three distinctive brands, we have now achieved a remarkable milestone in our growth journey of having a robust portfolio of 50 hospitality projects – both operational and upcoming – together offering more than 25,000 rooms and residences. While our primary footprint is the UAE and the Middle East and North Africa region, we are delighted by the response from owners and developers to our hotel concepts, and are expanding to new geographies,” said Harnisch.

Emaar Hospitality Group’s upcoming international projects are in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Turkey and The Maldives, with new destinations to be added shortly. In the UAE, the Group has expanded its presence from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. “Our ambition is to be one of the world’s most admired and trusted hospitality companies, and with Dubai evolving as a global tourism and business hub, we have earned remarkable brand recognition in global markets that power our onward journey,” said Harnisch.

Three brands, three experiences

With a focus on brand differentiation to drive deep customer personalisation, Emaar Hospitality Group has launched three hotel brands – the premium luxury Address Hotels + Resorts, the upscale lifestyle Vida Hotels and Resorts, and the contemporary midscale Rove Hotels, the latter developed as a joint venture between Emaar Properties and Meraas Holding.

Addressing the media at a press conference held during Arabian Travel Market, Harnisch said that each of the three brands has gained significant traction – and are fast-expanding their footprint to meet the fast needs and aspirations of a fast-changing tourist demographic, especially with a focus on the millennial travellers and new generation of entrepreneurs.

“Across the MENA region, there is a strong focus on economic diversification with tourism and hospitality serving as central pillars of the strategic vision outlined by governments. The UAE Vision 2021 and Saudi Vision 2030, for example, outline the important role that the hospitality sector plays in job creation and in diversifying non-oil revenues. Our strategy is to leverage the growth of the Middle East’s tourism sector, which grew 5 per cent in 2017, by strengthening the hospitality infrastructure and assuring visitors distinctive guest experiences through our hotel projects,” said Harnisch.

A focus on digitisation

The expansion of Emaar Hospitality Group is complemented through higher operational efficiency and a customer-first approach highlighted through an organisation-wide digital transformation strategy. In addition to working with tech-leaders such as Microsoft and Accenture, the Group has launched three digital initiatives that will set industry-firsts.

The first project focuses on bringing seamless service to the guest, ensuring they can check-in/check-out anytime, anywhere. The second leads to the transformation of hotel rooms as intelligent rooms that tunes itself to the preferences of the guest through machine learning and Artificial Intelligence. The third project draws on digital collaterals to free up space in guest rooms and public spaces whereby the Group will introduce digital storage and connected processes to create social spaces for better guest interaction and fun activities.

Exclusive showcase at ATM 2018

As of April 2018, Emaar Hospitality Group has 12 operational hotels in Dubai – five each under the Address and Rove brands and two by Vida. The development pipeline in the UAE includes 12 Address, nine Vida and four Rove hotels. Internationally, seven Address hotels are being developed in addition to three Vida properties and one Rove hotel.

Having won several international accolades and recognitions, the operational and upcoming properties of Emaar Hospitality Group are being showcased at its dedicated pavilion at the Arabian Travel Market to be held from April 22 to 25, 2018, at the Dubai International Convention Centre. Visit Emaar’s pavilion in Sheikh Saeed Hall, Stand HC0220.

Emaar Hospitality Group LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Emaar Properties PJSC, the Dubai-based global property developer, and manages Emaar’s hospitality and leisure projects globally.

Defining its competency in managing mixed-use property developments, Emaar Hospitality Group owns and manages a diversified portfolio of assets including hotels, serviced residences, golf clubs, polo club, marina and lifestyle dining restaurants.

His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, officially inaugurated Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2018 today, marking the start of the 25th edition of the show.

He was joined by Nick Pilbream, Divisional Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions, and other VIPs who embarked on a tour of the exhibition as the four-day industry showcase got underway.
This year’s show, which is taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 22-25 April 2018, has more than 400 main stand holders with representation from over 150 countries. With more than 40,000 visitors expected to attend, ATM 2018 will showcase over 2,500 exhibiting companies – of these, 100 will be making their show debut – and 65 national pavilions.

Celebrating its 25th year, ATM 2018 has adopted Responsible Tourism – including sustainable travel trends – as its main theme and this will be integrated across all show verticals and activities.

Arabian Travel Market (ATM) is the leading, international travel and tourism event in the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals. ATM 2017 attracted almost 40,000 industry professionals, agreeing deals worth US$2.5bn over the four days. The 24th edition of ATM showcased over 2,500 exhibiting companies across 12 halls at Dubai World Trade Centre, making it the largest ATM in its 24-year history. www.arabiantravelmarket.com Next event 22-25 April 2018 – Dubai.

Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events business, enhancing the power of face to face through data and digital tools at over 500 events a year, in more than 30 countries, attracting more than seven million participants. Reed Travel Exhibitions is the world’s leading travel and tourism event’s organiser with a growing portfolio of more than 22 international travel and tourism trade events in Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Our events are market leaders in their sectors, whether it is global and regional leisure travel trade events, or specialist events for meetings, incentives, conference, events (MICE) industry, business travel, luxury travel, travel technology as well as golf, spa and ski travel. We have over 35 years’ experience in organising world-leading travel exhibitions.