At a meeting with the general managers of Marriott International hotels in Dubai, Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Tourism, referred to the critical support provided by Marriott in showcasing the city as a safe must-visit destination, further instilling confidence among global travellers.

 During the meeting, Kazim recapped the efforts made by stakeholders and partners like Marriott International to help bring about industry stabilisation, and also shared a positive industry overview underlined by the steady growth in international visitation and high occupancy levels in the first seven months of this year. He highlighted the fact that Dubai was ranked second globally ahead of London and Paris in terms of hotel occupancy with hotels enjoying 61 percent average occupancy levels from January - July.

 Kazim also emphasised the importance of leveraging all efforts to attract more international visitors, especially benefiting from the Expo 2020 Dubai and the UAE Golden Jubilee celebrations. With the hospitality sector employing a local and expatriate workforce that boasts unrivalled service excellence, Dubai Tourism also stressed the need for hotels to use the Dubai Way online platform created by the Dubai College of Tourism, which is aimed at ensuring that hotel staff impart standardised information and instructions and provide exceptional guest relations.

 Sundeep Walia, chief operating officer, Middle East, Marriortt International, said, “Under the guidance of its visionary and inspiring leaders and the efforts of Dubai Tourism, Dubai has done a remarkable job in building the confidence of travellers and continues to be one of the most sought-after destinations in the world.  The demand trends in Dubai have been positive and we have seen our hotels in this market perform particularly well over the past year.  We know that all signs show there is a huge pent-up demand for travel and we believe Dubai will continue to be a top destination for tourism, especially with the upcoming Expo 2020.  We are honored be a part of the growth of this amazing destination and remain committed to supporting the efforts of Dubai Tourism.”