destination weddings and honeymoons, as Virginie Dolz, owner, Virginie Wedding Planner, in Dubai, noted.

“From small boutique weddings to large luxury celebrations, we have the capability to offer something to suit most needs and budgets,” Mattar continued in agreement.

According to Saida El Massmoudi, director of weddings and events, Atlantis, The Palm, in Dubai nuptials and honeymoons is one of the most important segments at the hotel as the emirate has become a darling for hosting these sorts of celebrations for international guests.

In 2015, the property, which offers summer and spring wedding packages, enjoyed an increase in bookings with the key markets being the UAE, GCC, India and the UK.

“Other than providing special packages to our clients, we do promotions by participating in exhibitions, travelling to other countries such as India and introducing our hotel and our offers, we also use the social media efficiently in order to reach out to our potential markets, [...],” elaborated El Massmoudi, indicating the actions the property takes in order to fuel the segment’s contribution to the overall business.

Echoing El Massmoudi’s notion, Rami Serhal, general manager, Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi Yas Island, commented that revenue from weddings and honeymoons has risen steadily year after year, and the hotel aims to foster this growth by highlighting itself as a wedding destination.

The property, in partnership with 15 other major brands, launched the Wedding On Us campaign, reinforcing its commitment to the sector. Moreover, the hotel also recently hosted its first-ever wedding show.