Optimistic Gulf


ARABIAN TRAVEL MARKET - MAY 5-8 2014 SHOW REVIEW


The 21st Arabian Travel Market (May 5-8) attracted 23,000 delegates, a 10% rise on 2013. Jane Wilson reports on some key stories from the Middle East


Cruising on a wave WITH significant regional


infrastructure investment and the easing of visa regulations the cruise sector has bounced back. Bahrain has restarted its $80million


expenditure on projects at the Muharraq coastal site and King Fasial Corniche seafront (bahrain.com) while Oman (omantourism.gov.om) is planning a new 100-berth marina project as part of the Jebel Sifah development. In Aqaba, Jordan, phase one of the Marsa


Zayed project will be


completed in 2015. Mina Zayd Port in Abu


Dhabi (visitabudhabi.ae) is


developing a dedicated cruise terminal and Dubai’s Port Rashid (dubaitourism.ae) has been upgrading to accommodate seven vessels as part of its strategy to attract 450,000 cruise tourists by 2016.


"WE ARE ON TRACK FOR TARGETED GROWTH WITH OUR TOP OPERATORS SUCH AS VIRGIN AND


GOLD MEDAL" IAN SCOTT, DIRECTOR UK & IRELAND DUBAI DEPT. OF TOURISM


IN BRIEF New Middle East brands: Millennium


and Copthorne Hotels (MEA), currently with 17 hotels, launched a trio of new-to- region brands as part of


its planned


programme of expansion, with a target of 50 properties by 2017. Studio M, M Hotel, Millennium & Copthorne will address new and growing market segment needs. Millenniumhotels.co.uk


A new Destination: Destination Resorts and Hotels, (DRH), celebrated the opening of the first Els Club in Southeast Asia. The Els


Club Teluk Datai is an 18-hole


championship golf course in Langkawi. Another two championship golf courses will be located on the Desaru Coast, the region’s first luxury integrated destination in Johor, Malaysia Destinationhotels.com


Wire World zips to the UAE: The world’s largest outdoor man-made adventure park is to launch at Meydan by the Dubai racecourse. Covering a total of 25,000 sq ft, Wire World Meydan Adventure Park will be the first in a number of UAE initiatives. It will include zip wires and ropes around a circuit of 70 obstacles in trees, on poles and across rocks. Dubaitourism.ae


JA heading east: JA Resorts & Hotels


exhibited as an international luxury hotel chain for the first time, shifting its focus from Dubai-based properties to recent international investments in the Indian Ocean. The company introduced its second property in the Maldives, JA Manafaru, which offers 84 keys consisting of beach and water villas. jaresortshotels.com


A vision of the future


Five-star gets the regional lion's share


IN a region where luxury is standard, ATM introduced a luxury theme this year, reflecting the fact that 60% of hotels planned to be unveiled by 2019 are five-star properties, with the key growth markets of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Hilton launched the Waldorf Astoria


and Conrad brands in the UAE with a new Waldorf Astoria in Qatar opening next year.


five of


Meanwhile, Hilton is bringing all its brands to the region.


TRADE optimism following the


successful win for Expo2020 in Dubai was strongly in evidence at this year’s Arabian Travel Market, with Gulf tourism striving headlong to achieve ambitious targets in 2020 and beyond. The development of more luxurious


hotels and resorts, new brands to cater for broader markets, and air routes introducing global destinations added to the buoyant atmosphere at the Middle East’s showcase held in Dubai. As Dubai prepares for Expo2020 a budget allocation of US$1,729 has been confirmed for projects in the emirate in addition to current and planned projects.


Dubai’s Tourism Vision was launched announcing its aim to attract 20 million by 2020 to become the world’s most visited city, replacing London which currently holds the title with 16 million tourists last year. The newly-established DTCM affiliate, the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing


(DCTCM), will


focus on the international marketing and promotion of Dubai’s tourism to a growing global audience. A new logo was unveiled and a preview of an innovative website, part of a ‘digital ecosystem’ which will also include an app and social media platforms.


Christian Grage, Hilton Worldwide’s VP Operations, Arabian Peninsula, said: “In the Arabian Peninsula and Qatar the key trend has been on luxury accommodation but the mid- market has been neglected and needs


to catch up. We recently


opened a Doubletree in Dubai to add to two in Ras al Khaimah while The Hilton Garden Inn will be introduced next year.” hiltonworldwide.com


www.sellinglonghaul.com


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