Come, experience the Emirati warmth

The development of new attractions such as theme parks and specialty entertainment areas will continue to draw tourists to the UAE, experts say.

While residents across the UAE are bracing themselves for the heat in the long summer months, hoteliers are keeping their cool and focusing on tempting visitors with an array of family friendly holiday packages.
While many agree that the summer is a lean period for the UAE's hospitality industry, they are confident that the wide variety of new attractions that have cropped up in recent years will continue to attract a sizeable portion of regional and international tourists. Several operators and hospitality experts spoke to Khaleej Times about their plans for the summer ahead of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM 2017) event, which is expected to welcome over 2,600 exhibitors across 65 national pavilions. The event will also see the participation of 100 new exhibitors this year.
David Mansfield, area vice president of operations for Dubai hotels at Hyatt, said that he expects tourism in Dubai to rise overall this summer, and perform better than in 2016.
"Our summer strategy at Hyatt has always been robust, and this year will be no different. We look forward to offering our loyal individual and group guests the opportunity to enjoy world-class hotel and dining facilities at our six Hyatt hotels in Dubai at attractive rates with tempting value add-ons," he said. "At Hyatt, we have aligned our sales and marketing resources and leveraged our contacts and business partner associations to secure advance bookings for the summer of 2017. We have already been seeing a number of bookings coming in from countries such as India and China; and even Russia. Due to the challenging political climate in many parts of the world, Dubai has also become a holiday destination for the GCC countries as it offers exciting options for family vacations."
Mansfield also noted that Dubai is one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in the world with its constantly evolving offerings for visitors from the GCC and other countries. With the opening of new attractions such as theme parks and the development of specialty entertainment areas that will pull tourists in, he says that he is optimistic about the hospitality industry's growth in the coming years.
"It is important to note that hospitality revenues in the UAE are forecast to increase by 10.8 per cent annually from last year, to $9.8 billion by 2020, despite concerns over a slowdown this year in foreign visitor spending. This sector has been thriving in the UAE over the last five years and the country has enjoyed an impressive track record for its consistently high occupancy rates and sustained growth," he revealed.
Yasser El Sayed, hotel manager of Ramada Hotel & Suites Sharjah, which recently completed its renovation and earned a 4-star status, also pointed out that the UAE is already amongst the most sought after holiday destinations in the world. "All the ongoing projects in various Emirates, both in the hospitality and leisure/entertainment sectors, will only add to the attraction of the country. There is also the Expo 2020 event coming up, which will see an increase in business travelers. The UAE in general is stepping away from the 'luxurious' tag it has, not by compromising on quality, but by also catering to the mid-market sector with affordable accommodation strategies."
Hosni Abdelhadi, CEO of Carlton Hotel Management Company, noted an increase in inter-regional travel, and that travellers today desired more personalised experiences. The UAE, and Dubai in particular, he said have already achieved several major milestones in recent years. The Dubai brand has been successfully developed and has secured its place on the international tourist map, he informed.
"Occupancy levels across the emirates have remained stable: Dubai at 80 per cent, Abu Dhabi at 77 per cent, and Ras Al Khaimah at 72 per cent," he pointed out. "During 2016, Dubai had the highest revenue per available room at $200, and an occupancy of 80 per cent; this is a fantastic performance in comparison with all other global destinations. With the rapid addition of Dubai Parks and the development of new world class tourist attractions, I am confident that the UAE will continue to be one of the most influential leaders in the hotel sector."
He added: "The DTCM's initiatives and worldwide market activities have played a crucial role in developing and growing the UAE's tourism sector. Their focus has resulted in the contribution of travel and tourism to the UAE's gross domestic product to amount to approximately Dh134 billion. The UAE continues to be one of world's most competitive economy for travel and tourism and this is significant and vital to Carlton brand. The UAE is considered one of the most secure destinations with an outstanding hospitality and entertainment infrastructure. We are delighted to be part of this dynamic and fast growing market."
- rohma@khaleejtimes.com