16 News


ON TRACK FOR EXPO 2020 DUBAI As the event nears, a growing list of countries have announced their participation


France is one of the latest nations to confirm it will take part in Expo 2020 Dubai, joining a list that includes Italy and Greece. From its opening day on 20 October 2020 to


its close in April 2021, it is predicted Expo 2020 Dubai will receive approximately 25 million visi- tors, 70 percent of whom will come from outside of the UAE. More than 200 participants at the mega event will include nations, multilateral organisations and educational institutions. Welcoming France’s participation, HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of


Artist’s impression of Performance Park, Expo 2020


the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, said: “France, of course, has staged several Expos, including in 1889 when Gustave Eiffel’s famous tower was unveiled to the world. “That lasting mark on humankind is a hallmark


of World Expos and we are working hard here in the UAE to ensure that ours, the first to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, can be similarly impactful.” Three theme districts are to be created at the


expo site in Dubai South, which will be converted for mixed use after the event.


Held under the banner ‘Connecting Minds,


Creating the Future’, the site’s districts (named Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability after Expo 2020 Dubai’s three sub-themes) will reflect tradi- tional Dubai architecture and house up to 136 pavilions, hosting millions of visitors. Dubai-based Al Futtaim Carillion has been


announced as the main contractor for the US$600 million (AED2.2 billion) project. Ahmed Al Khatib, Vice President – Real


Estate at Expo 2020 Dubai has said that the contractor’s award marked an exciting step in


HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum welcomes France’s Expo participation


the growth of Dubai, both for the six months of the event itself and beyond. “We commenced the construction of the


infrastructure last year and are right on track with our plans. With the theme districts’ construction awarded, we are starting the main phase of build- ings and construction,” he said. He added: “It’s a big moment in the life of


this event. The theme districts will be a major part of the site, explored and enjoyed by many thousands of people daily during the six months of Expo 2020 Dubai.”


A giant dome has also been announced to


sit at the centre of the 4.38 square kilometre site. ——— Visit stand ME3140


The region’s soaring aviation hubs


INTERNATIONAL (HIA) 37.3 MILLION


HAMAD


PASSENGERS IN 2016 +


20.5% Elie Younes


REZIDOR PREPS TWO NEW RADISSON BLU HOTELS IN DUBAI


Rezidor Hotel Group (RHG) has announced its plan to open 17 hotels across the Middle East in 2017 and 100 hotels in the region by 2020. This year will see the opening of properties


including Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Waterfront, Radisson Blu Hotel, Ajman and Park Inn by Radis- son Hotel, Makkah Al Naseem in Saudi Arabia. In 2019, a pair of Radisson Blu hotels are


scheduled to open in Dubai’s International Media Production Zone (IMPZ) and Studio City. The 356-room IMPZ hotel will have two restaurants, a bar and meeting facilities. The 290-room Studio City hotel will have meeting facilities, restaurants and a nightclub. Elie Younes, RHG Executive Vice President


and Chief Development Officer, said: “We believe the brand promise – sophisticated and stylish – of Radisson Blu complements the needs of the media production industry at these two locations.” ——— Visit stand HC0730


INTERNATIONAL (MCT) 12 MILLION


MUSCAT


PASSENGERS IN 2016 +


17%


INTERNATIONAL(DXB) 83.6 MILLION


DUBAI


PASSENGERS IN 2016 +


PASSENGERS IN 2016 +


ABU DHABI (AUH) 24.5 MILLION


7.2% 5.1%


Mövenpick Resort Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah


Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is pressing on with its expansion plan for more than 100 properties worldwide. The company inked deals for 13 prop- erties in 2016, bringing its international develop- ment pipeline to 33 hotels. The new openings will see the brand debut in


locations including Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The Swiss hospitality firm already operates 83 hotels globally, and the new management contracts will add more than 9,000 extra keys to its inventory over the next four years, with all new properties set to open before 2021. In the Middle East, the Mövenpick Hotel Apartments Al Burj Business Bay, Dubai, and Mövenpick Hotel & Apartments Al Tahlia, Jeddah


are set to open in 2018. The 550-room Mövenpick Resort Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah has a planned 2019 opening date. Last year, the company appointed new CEO


Olivier Chavy, and unveiled a new logo and corpo- rate identity to better reflect its ‘Swissness’. “We entered 2017 building on our achieve-


ments with firm plans to further grow our port- folio,” said Chavy. “Our aim is to forge ahead with our devel-


opment plans, building on our sustainability successes and bringing our award-winning Swiss hospitality to new locations across the globe.” ——— Visit stand HC0630


MÖVENPICK FOCUSES ON GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT


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