ULRICH HOFFMEISTER, GENERAL MANAGER, JUMEIRA ROTANA EXPLAINS WHAT THE PROPERTY IS DOING IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE VISITORS TO COME BACK.
TRAVEL TRADE MENA: How successful was the first half (H1) of 2017 at Jumeira Rotana and how does this compare to the corresponding period in 2016?
ULRICH HOFFMEISTER: Jumeira Rotana has in 2017 completed a major renovation of all the facilities at the property.
As for such, the property has been transformed into a contemporary boutique style hotel, able to cater the different needs of today's travellers.
As the property has been under construction for the most part of 2016, we initially anticipated a growth of around 30 percent in volume after completion of works.
As it turned out, H1 exceeded our expectation while the first and second quarters of the year were closed with a volume growth in excess of 40 percent.
TRAVEL TRADE MENA: What are your clients' demographics and what are their expectations?
ULRICH HOFFMEISTER: As a hotel that is long and very well established in the Dubai market, we take much pride in the fact that we have a high percentage of repeating guests staying with us regularly.
These guests come from various countries and travel for both, business and leisure. There are no specific demographics that can be considered a general match however all these respective guests have mutual and common expectations.
They look for high levels of service, attractions and entertainment while value for money is becoming increasingly important alongside ultimately safety and security.
TRAVEL TRADE MENA: Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) identified increasing the number of repeat visits as one of the three key objectives in its Tourism Vision 2020. What is Rotana Jumeira doing to support this objective?
ULRICH HOFFMEISTER: Rotana Hotels as a major hotel operator with its very own roots in the UAE is very much supporting the initiatives of DTCM. As such, Rotana Hotels participates in all major trade shows internationally to showcase and advertise not only its properties, but also the destination. Additionally, our Global Sales Offices represent us and our initiatives constantly in various parts of the world. For the GCC markets, we constantly ensure our pan Arab media presence to encourage any traveller to visit us, and Dubai again and again.
Jumeira Rotana and Rotana Hotels as parent company have teamed up with various operators of major attractions in order facilitate accessibility to sites.
TRAVEL TRADE MENA: Why should travellers return for another trip to Dubai and what more can be done to promote repeat visits?
ULRICH HOFFMEISTER: Dubai as a destination that keeps on growing, adding new attractions and desirable points of interest constantly. The opening of Dubai Parks and Resorts, Dubai Water Canal and the construction start of Dubai Creek tower are just recent examples. Travellers are encouraged to return, simply because hardly anyone can claim to have seen it all. Constant maintenance and supervision of high service levels will equally ensure that the destination will remain in focus.
TRAVEL TRADE MENA: What are your priorities going forward?
ULRICH HOFFMEISTER: As the operator of a freshly renovated hotel, we maintain our focus on the ongoing and further establishment of our product in new and recent markets such as Eastern Europe, India, China as well as African countries. It is our aim to maintain highest standards of service and thus driving loyalty to the brand and our hotel. The installation and use of new technologies such as various new applications aim at facilitating any guests' booking process and stay.
