8


News


TIME PUTS WOMEN FIRST AT ASMA HOTEL IN DUBAI


TIME Hotels Management has revealed plans to open a female-led hotel with dedicated floors and services for women travellers. TIME Asma Hotel will launch at the end of 2017 in Dubai’s Al Barsha district and is set to employ a team of mostly women led by general manager Ghada Mahgoub. “Usually in hotels there are 80 percent male


and 20 percent female staff, but we are aiming to have the opposite,” said Mahgoub. The hotel, which will welcome both male


INDONESIA TARGETS MIDDLE EAST VISITOR SPEND


Following double-digit growth in Middle East arrivals last year, Indonesia is looking to the MENA region to reach ambitious tourism targets. Last year, the country welcomed 12 million visitors from around the world, and aims to reach 15 million by the end of 2017. While South East Asian and Asia Pacific coun-


tries continue to be the major source markets for Indonesian tourism, visitors from the Middle East were up 16 percent compared to 2015, and also come out on top in spend and length of stay, Nia Niscaya, Director, Ministry of Tourism,


Republic of Indonesia, said: “At the moment, the Middle East market is relatively small for us but we are targeting the region for future growth. The average Middle East visitor spends double the amount of other tourists and stays longer.” Indonesia is ideally set up to cater to visi-


tors from the region, she continued: “At present, we rank fifth in the world for halal tourism. Our


population is 85 percent Muslim, so travellers don’t have to worry about finding halal food and services; it’s already part of Indonesia’s DNA.” The government has eased restrictions on


the movement of people from port to port and is investing in expanding its marine facilities. The world’s largest archipelago, Indonesia’s island- studded waters boast some of the most biodi- verse ecosystems in the ocean, with many diving destinations yet to be discovered. “There are more than 1,000 islands in the


Jakarta marine area alone and many people don’t know about the excellent diving opportunities there,” said Niscaya. The country is currently promoting some


of its lesser-known destinations including Lake Toba in Sumatra, the Jakarta marine area with its wealth of islands and culturally-rich Central Java. ——— Visit stand AS3250


SEVEN TIDES ANNOUNCES NEW HOTEL BRAND


SHUROOQ SHOWCASES NEW LUXURY DESERT RESORT FOR SHARJAH


Sharjah Investment and Development Author- ity (Shurooq) has unveiled plans for a five-star desert resort at Mleiha Archaeological and Eco- Tourism Project. The US$16.34 million (AED60 million) Mleiha


Desert Resort, revealed during yesterday’s show, will feature restaurants, a health club and swim- ming pool, while accommodation will consist of 45 villas, modelled on classical desert marquees, each of which boasts its own decking and private swimming pool. Shurooq and Qatari tourism company Al


Wanis have signed a MoU for the project, which is scheduled for completion by late 2019.


UAE-based hospitality firm Seven Tides has revealed plans to add a new hotel brand – Seven – to its burgeoning portfolio. The company also unveiled a four-star life-


style and hospitality development in Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai, which will include the new property under the Seven brand. With a total of 2,526 residential, office and


hotel units, one of the three towers will be home to the 921-key Seven hotel, while the remaining two will each feature residential apartments, with a select number of penthouses and villas. Seven Tides CEO Abdulla Bin Sulayem, said:


“Seven Tides has traditionally specialised in luxury living and extended stay. However, today we see many established travel trends going through significant change. One such trend is the increas- ing demand for mid-market hospitality brands


that are fun, informal, techno-trendy and, above all, offer a compelling value proposition. “We have a strong vision for Seven and will


be working with some of the industry’s biggest names as we continue to develop the concept. We have a firm idea on how the hotel will look and how guests should experience its different, defining, elements.” During the show, Bin Sulayem also shared


the latest update on plans to develop a resort on The World Islands. The project, located in the South American cluster, is set to offer space for 60 one- and two-bedroom villas and develop- ment is expected to be completed by Q2 2018. Bin Sulayem said: “We are bringing the para- dise of the Maldives right here to Dubai.” ——— Visit stand HC0260


HE Marwan Bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO,


Shurooq, said: “We aim to expand the scope of the emirate’s tourism sector, and the new resort has marked a milestone in our develop- ment efforts for the Mleiha Project.” Abdulaziz Al Amadi, Board Member of Al


Wanis, added: “The Mleiha Desert Resort is a unique opportunity that combines the luxury of a world-class destination with the history and heritage that is so important to all coun- tries around the region. It is the perfect fit for our company.” ——— Visit stand ME4150


and female guests, features 232 rooms, a gym, swimming pool, business centre and restaurants. There will be two floors reserved exclusively for women with other female-only services such as a dedicated check-in counter, exclusive park- ing spaces, guest relations and other enhanced in-room amenities. “The concept will provide career opportu- nities for more than 100 women, contributing


towards goals set out by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to increase the presence of women in the workplace,” said TIME Hotels CEO Mohamed Awadalla. “We see almost equal numbers of male and


female graduates leaving hospitality school, but fewer women enter the hotel workforce, which shows the industry must do more to attract and support female professionals and their aspira- tions for career development. “True to its name, the hotel will offer a unique


experience for women. This is a very exciting chapter in TIME Hotels’ history and we look forward to introducing a number of new destina- tions and concepts to the region over the coming months,” added Awadalla. ——— Visit stand HC1220


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