p14-15 InDepth Dubai Dec11 9/12/09 19:53 Page 14
in-depth
ttglive.com
Special Report: Dubai
Travel agencies are reporting mixed success for Dubai hotels’
attempts to stimulate business, as the emirate carried out an
exclusive survey with TTG readers to find how it could better
service agents. Rupert Murray and Martin Ferguson report
Dubai discounts
could backfire
T
ravel agencies have Jo Gardiner, a Travel Counsellors
been bombarded with agent based in Oxford and one of
special offers and the agents who completed TTG’s
discounts for holidays Dubai survey, said she was facing
to Dubai – but fear customers a raft of cancellations by clients
will hold off until even better on low deposits because they
deals materialise. believed they would get a better
SURVEY RESULT.
Five-star hotels, including bargain later.
the recently opened Atlantis “Clients have cancelled with a
Agents spell
The Palm, have been contacting view to rebooking when prices
agents offering up to 50% off fall,” she said.
rates in a desperate attempt to sell inventory for “They will come down, so it’s probably right
out their Dubai
2010, as reported by TTG last week (pictured). for them, but it’s a pain for me.”
Luxury operator If Only contacted agents Gordon Metcalf of Ryedale Travel said he had
on Monday to tell them a seven-night stay at had to reassure clients about Dubai’s economy.
highs and lows
Atlantis, including Emirates flights, was £1,600 “We have been reassuring people, but as
cheaper than the previous week. a destination Dubai needs to make itself more
Agents were unanimous that the price reduc- appealing in terms of its prices and packages.” DUBAI’S TOURISM authority has
tions were good but some found that customers Siobahn McCoy of Anderson Business Travel turned to TTG readers to find out how
were delaying making bookings, believing prices said hotel rates were falling but air fares had it can best reach agents. More than
would fall further yet to follow suit so 450 readers took the opportunity to
in the new year.
Searching for a bargain: Searches for
price cuts were not yet get their views across to Dubai
Janet Whittingham,
hotels in Dubai have risen by 570% since
having a big impact. Tourism and Commerce Marketing UK
retail development
the state-backed company Dubai World’s
Ken McNab, & Ireland director Ian Scott’s office by
manager at St
debts sparked a financial crisis in the
managing director of filling in the online survey. Here he
Andrews Travel in
emirate, according to Hotels.com.
The Travel Company responds to the issues they raised:
Bolton, said: “One of
The website said that in the first half of
Edinburgh, said agents
our regular Dubai
2009, the average price of a five-star hotel
were in a strong Q1 Which market segments do you sell to?
clients admitted he
room in Dubai was £174 per night but this
position as suppliers Dubai has invested a great deal in promoting its
had seen deals online
will have dropped by 17% in January 2010
in Dubai would do variety, so Scott was pleased to see agents sell-
and told us he was
– equivalent to a £210 saving for a
“whatever it takes” to ing to singles, couples, honeymooners and fam-
going to wait for the
week-long stay.
retain market share. ilies, and pushing sport and wellbeing breaks.
price to fall further
Alison Couper, Hotels.com’s director of
“They don’t look at “I knew couples would come out on top
before booking.
communications, said: “Dubai is great
profit as we do. They’ll (91.6%) but it’s great to see families take the
“They recognise
value at the moment.
slash prices and wait second spot (81.7%),” he said. “We have some
what a good product
“There are some fantastic promotions
for the economy to re- work to do to push spa/wellbeing breaks (48.8%)
Dubai is and want to
from hoteliers in the city as they try to
cover. Consumers will further as the offering we have is world class,
obtain the best
attract customers.”
go for it if they could and also our extensive range of sporting
possible deal.” not afford it before.” occasions and activities breaks (44.7%).”
14 11.12.2009
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