In 2022, international travel and tourism has continued to recover as the world reopens and COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Globally, international tourist arrivals increased by 130 percent in January 2022 compared to January 2021, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNTWO), and within the Middle East region, tourism now accounts for nearly nine percent of GDP.
The sustainable trends of green airlines, eco hospitality, sustainable attractions, locally sourced produce and forward-thinking government initiatives will represent key focuses at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023, which will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from May 01-04 next year.
Premier Inn MENA has appointed Eduard Jimenez as commercial director to drive revenue growth at the company’s expanding portfolio of hotels in the region.
Global Design Transformation of Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa
The transformation of Sheraton Hotels & Resorts – a global brand within Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of 30 extraordinary hotel brands – continues to gain momentum in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) with five redesigned properties exemplifying the modernised design concept: Sheraton Amsterdam Airport, Netherlands; Sheraton Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Sheraton Frankfurt Airport, Germany; Sheraton Grand Krakow, Poland; and Sheraton Djibouti, Djibouti. The refreshed hotels join the growing number of properties around the world displaying the brand’s design transformation, with nearly 50 hotels globally including four other properties in EMEA that are expected to be completed by year’s end.
|
According to Lodging Econometrics’ (LE) Construction Pipeline Trend Report for the Middle East, at the end of this year’s first quarter (Q1), the region’s hotel construction pipeline stands at 536 projects/138,915 rooms, unchanged by project counts and down nine percent by rooms year-over-year (YOY). The lean Revenue Management Software (RMS) provider, Atomize, witnesses exceptional demand in the Middle East as hoteliers look to boost their revenues and grow their market share as part of the industry’s post-pandemic recovery. Preferred Hotel Group - which operates independent hotel brand Preferred Hotels & Resorts, new sustainable hotel brand Beyond Green, and leading provider of consultancy services, PHG Consulting - is pleased to welcome Kirk McDonald as director of global sales and development in the Middle East. Business travel expenditure in the Middle East is forecast to rise by 32 percent this year, following a predicted 49 percent increase during 2021, according to a report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) published in November 2021. The Scenic Group, which includes Emerald Cruises and Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, has cemented its commitment to drive growth from GCC, encompassing Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. In a strategic move to reach out to new travel markets, and as the world becomes more accessible again, the West Hollywood Travel + Tourism Board has announced the opening of its first Middle East representative office in Dubai, UAE. |
