News

Marriott International (NASDAQ: MAR) today announced ambitious growth plans for its Middle East and Africa region following signings for more than 30 properties and over 5,000 rooms in the last 12 months. The signings put Marriott on track to increase its portfolio in the region to nearly 370 hotels – an increase of more than 50% over the next five years. This will amount to more than 80,000 rooms across 21 brands, including the introduction in the region of brands such as EDITION, Element and AC Hotels by Marriott.  Also in line with its development plans, the company and its property owners expect to add 30,000 new jobs across the region in the next five years.

Marriott International’s planned growth over the next five years underscores the substantial emphasis that regional governments are placing on growth and investment in the travel and tourism sector.  The company estimates that the 30 projects signed in the last 12 months will drive investment of about $1.8 billion by the property owners.

Read more

With its mantra of ‘think globally, act locally’ Steigenberger Hotel Business Bay has already started planning initiatives that will benefit the neighbouring community in Business Bay over Ramadan. After last year’s heartening outcome, the hotel is gearing up to host the Sharing Fridge concept once again.

Read more

Insta-travel is the new norm, as vacationers seek out the world’s most picture-perfect hotels and plan their trips around snapping the perfect ‘Gram. One in six* admit they chose a hotel based on its potential social media ‘brag-ability’, so to celebrate the most brag-worthy hotels in its portfolio, Hotels.com™ has revealed 10 of the most Instagrammable hotels around the world.

The recent Mobile Travel Tracker report from Hotels.com found that millennials are spending on average 80 minutes a day on social media while on vacation and two thirds are glued to Instagram, so it’s no surprise that capturing the perfect shot is high on travelers’ list.

Read more

A refreshing new hospitality experience that celebrates the inspired setting of its waterfront location opens doors today in Dubai Marina. Rove Dubai Marina, the fifth hotel in Dubai under the contemporary midscale Rove Hotels brand, will welcome its first guests – leisure and business – with its vibrant setting, central location and tech-savvy environment for the socially connected new generation.

Rove Dubai Marina brings a new hospitality choice to visitors to the city, with its stylish marina-front setting and is designed for the new generation traveller who recognises value, stays connected through technology and cherishes culturally-inspired surroundings. A differentiating factor of Rove Dubai Marina is its techno-hub, which creates lively social places for the connected generation.

A joint venture between Meraas and Emaar Properties PJSC, Rove Hotels currently has four operational hotels in key locations in Dubai – Rove Downtown, Rove City Centre, Rove Healthcare City and Rove Trade Centre. Several Rove Hotels are being planned in other locations within the city.

Read more

Atelier House Hospitality, an Altamarea Group subsidiary and full-service hospitality and asset management firm based in New York City, has announced the launch of its first Dubai office. Atelier House Hospitality- Dubai will provide the UAE market with world-class F&B expertise and brand access between the USA and the GCC. The firm is supported by a proven international track record including 17 successful restaurants worldwide in Hong Kong, Istanbul, London, New York and other parts of the United States.

Read more

Rove Hotels, a joint venture between Meraas and Emaar Properties PJSC, has announced that it has reached a landmark first hotel management agreement in the UAE, with Mada’in Properties PJSC, to operate Rove Mina Seyahi in the heart of Dubai Marina.

Read more

The average 300-room hotel in Dubai will be faced with a bill for AED2.45 million over the coming five years, as bandwidth capability is multiplied to meet rising guest demand, according to the latest data published ahead of Arabian Travel Market 2018, which takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre from April 22-25.

The figure, calculated by Colliers International, is based on the average guest now connecting up to three separate devices to a hotel’s WiFi during their stay, increasing the overall strain on existing bandwidth within each property.

Read more

Waterpark fans can splash into the weekend on Thursday, April 5th, 2018, with the launch of ‘Aquaventure After Dark’, a brand-new evening concept that will see Dubai and the Middle East’s number one waterpark open its doors at 7:30pm for moonlit fun set to the backdrop of a live DJ.

In partnership with Coca-Cola® and 104.8 Channel 4 radio and costing from just AED 95, Aquaventure will be lit up from 7:30pm – 11:30pm and will offer children and adults of all ages the chance to take on over 20 of Dubai and the Middle East’s scariest waterslides, whilst listening to the latest beats from DJ Shef Codes and Saif&Sound in three epic DJ zones.

Read more

Emaar Hospitality Group, the hospitality and leisure subsidiary of Emaar Properties PJSC, has expanded the portfolio of hotel projects under its upscale lifestyle hotel and serviced residences brand, Vida Hotels and Resorts, with the new Vida Za’abeel, set centrally in Zabeel, a mega-development by Emaar as a joint venture with Meraas.

Za’abeel is a mixed-use development in the heart of Dubai, overlooking the Zabeel Park, and will feature world-class residences, commercial offices, hotels and leisure attractions. Vida Za’abeel is at the heart of Za’abeel, with direct views of the Dubai Frame, the iconic new attraction in the city, as well as 360-degree vistas of the city including its famed landmarks, Burj Khalifa in Downtown Dubai, and the upcoming icon, Dubai Creek Tower in Dubai Creek Harbour.

Read more

Read more