The most important news and announcements from the opening day of the region’s biggest travel event.
Luxury hotel chain to post significant expansion in the Middle East and enter new market of Qatar.
Increased services from aviation hubs like Dubai and Doha boost Salalah’s tourism.
Emirates and Intercontinental Hotel Group starred at the Business Traveller Middle East awards.
The emirate’s new tourism strategy is aimed at achieving that vision, says senior official.
Exhibitors are queuing up to promote themselves at the 20th edition of the ATM next week, as the region’s travel and tourism operators embrace the upturn.
The Wyndham Dubai Marina is expected to open within the next three years and will house 497 guest rooms.
President and CEO says plans to double the number of hotel rooms in Dubai is ‘100 per cent achievable’.
The emirate is likely to have more than 160,000 hotel rooms by the end of the decade.
Martin van Kan tells Alicia Buller about his rise from used plate collector to general manager of Dubai’s glitzy Fairmont Palm hotel.
The 370-room hotel marks the company’s eighth signed property in Saudi Arabia and follows recent agreements for JW Marriott hotels in Doha and Casablanca
The Taj project, which will be constructed by the Link Global Group, will be one of the focal points in the huge FCW development.
New small-scale property targets travellers seeking privacy and personalised services.
The upcoming theme park has already signed partnerships with Cartoon Network and Marvel.
Q1 2013 outshines the Q1 2012 figures in hospitality sector
But Group CEO confirms there will be no new Metropolitan Hotel on the three-hotel site
In regulated markets the division will team up with partners that have licensing expertise and knowledge, while in the unregulated markets it will seek exclusive GSA partners
New regional president is a 35-year Starwood veteran who most recently served as senior vice president and director of operations for Western Europe.
Despite an oversupply of hotel rooms in Doha, Four Seasons will open its second hotel in the city, says senior official.
Hotel group Starwood announces huge renovation plans as well as 10 new hotels to open this year.
Three more hotels are due to open on site, a five-star property, another four-star hotel and a three-star hotel and apartments.
The renovation will start on July 8 and is expected to take up to 10 months.
The country ranked 28th overall in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013.
Hoteliers benefited from the month-long Dubai Shopping Festival and high in-flows of tourists, particularly from Europe
Salman Haider, executive managing director of hotels at MAF, said work will start at the beginning of 2014.
The city is hoping that its upcoming $2 billion tourism development will attract investors and visitors from the Gulf region.
The hotel group is officially launching the world’s tallest hotel, the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, tonight.
Nationals from Britain, France, Japan and Hong Kong are among the dead after a gas explosion at 1,000 feet.
Twin projects near Istanbul target leisure travellers as operator seeks new revenue opportunities outside GCC
The emirate has announced plans to build a Dhs6 billion island project that will include the world’ largest ferris wheel.