Need to know Check out our round-up of newcomers to the
luxury scene across the Middle East region
Four Seasons is expanding its Middle East portfolio with the opening of its first property in Abu Dhabi in 2016 on Al Maryah island. The 200-room Abu Dhabi hotel follows group openings over the past year at Bahrain Bay and Dubai’s Jumeirah beach, which was its first property in the UAE. Four Seasons is also to open a second Dubai property at the International Finance Centre in 2016.
Lux and Oberoi are both due to open resorts in 2016 at the new Al Zorah beach and golf resort currently being built in the emirate of Ajman, north of Dubai and Sharjah. The development includes an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus.
Starwood has opened St Regis and W properties in Dubai’s Al Habtoor City. The same two brands will also make their debuts in Amman, Jordan, in 2016, while The Grand Hills resort in Broumana has become the Luxury Collection’s first property in Lebanon.
Oberoi Group is to manage two luxury properties in Qatar, which are both due to open in 2018 – a 250-room hotel in the West Bay area of Doha, and a 148-room property in Lusail, Doha.
Anantara is due to open two properties in Oman by the end of 2015. Anantara Salalah Resort in the south of the country will have 136 rooms and villas, while the 115- room Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort is perched 3,000 metres above sea level on the edge of a canyon in the Al Hajar mountains.
Royal Caribbean is making headway with regional cruises; UK passenger growth for sailings out of Dubai is up 126% for 2016. Splendour of the Seas offers suites with private balconies and personal concierge service.
Mondrian and Shangri-La are set to open new hotels in the Qatari capital Doha before the end of 2015. Mondrian Doha, which is located in the West Bay Lagoon district, will include 270 rooms and suites. The Shangri-La property is based in West Bay and will offer 270 rooms.
end of the year and they will sit alongside
Oman is to benefit from the new terminal at Muscat International Airport, which will initially have capacity for 12 million passengers when it opens in 2016. A new terminal at Salalah airport is also set to raise capacity to one million passengers per year.
Jumeirah and Rotana are due to open resorts on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat island from 2017. Jumeirah Saadiyat Island Resort will feature 294 rooms, including spa suites and private villas. Saadiyat Beach Resort, which will be operated by Rotana, will have 354 rooms and suites plus 13 private beach villas.
Dubai’s new attractions in 2016 include the 150-metre window-shaped observation platform Dubai Frame, plus the opening of Dubai Opera House & Opera District, Dubai Safari Park, IMG Worlds of Adventure and Dubai Parks and Resorts, which will feature Legoland Dubai.
52
TTGLUXURY.COM WINTER 2015 DESTINATIONS
recent debuts such as Anantara Doha Island Resort & Spa and Marsa Malaz Kempinski. The message is reaching the trade too, with operators such as Abercrombie & Kent and Gold Medal having increased their Qatar product in recent years. The Gulf state’s profile is already high owing
to its selection as host of the 2022 World Cup football tournament, but it has also been keen to promote its cultural attractions, which will be further boosted next year by the opening of the National Museum of Qatar. With new flights operated by Qatar Airways between Doha and Birmingham from March 2016, the Qatar Tourism Authority is already looking at how it can promote itself regionally in the UK, which is currently the biggest European source market with 97,481 visitors to the end of September. But in terms of numbers, of course, Dubai is
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86