News & Stories

Abu Dhabi. UAE-based hotel management firm Rotana plans to venture outside the Middle East and North Africa, in a bid to seek growth after planting its flag in almost all major cities in the region, where it plans to boost its portfolio to 70 hotels by the end of 2012, the company’s chief executive officer told hospitalityInside.com in Dubai on the sideline of the "Arabian Hotel Investment Conference". While international resp. Western companies try to get a foot into the Middle East and Africa, Rotana as a local but still young player is heading for Asian markets and for Turkey.

London. TUI Travel plc. in London has now officially acquired Magic Life from TUI AG in Hanover, an Austrian child prodigy turned problem child for the Germans.

Parsipanny/Dubai. US-based Wyndham Hotel Group plans to open at least seven hotels in the Middle East and North Africa region over the next few years as the firm seeks to expand its foothold despite the ongoing unrest, Martin Armitstead, the firm’s Europe, Middle East and Africa senior vice-president for development told hospitalityInside.com. "We have an encouragingly healthy pipeline given what’s going on in some parts of the Middle East," Armitstead said in a recent interview in Dubai. But: Several projects are on hold or left to the owner's decision. Nevertheless, Wyndham plans to bring in several brands, especially its budget brand.

Frankfurt. The MICE business has rallied. Companies are absolutely ready to reach deeper into their pockets once more for events. But, according to a result in this year's IMEX in Frankfurt, the demands for the event programmes have changed seriously. With smart special offers, theme-specifically trained MICE staff and "guarantees", conference hotels are trying to retreat from the masses.

Brussels. The Rezidor Hotel Group plans to open 15 new hotels in the Middle East and some parts of Africa in the next three years to boost its existing portfolio of 27 hotels in the region as part of the firm’s aggressive plans to expand in emerging markets, the company’s chief executive officer Kurt Ritter recently told hospitalityInside.com in Dubai. He brushed aside the recent political upheaval, which has affected its hotel business in countries such as Libya, Bahrain and Egypt, saying the region has a long-term potential for growth. Current results are less encouraging: In the first quarter of 2011, the Middle East, Africa and other regions, which includes 12 Arab countries, was the worst performer out of the group’s four regions.

Frankfurt. The event industry is on the rise. The results of the "Meeting & Event Barometer" 2011, the annual survey of the events market in Germany, show: The optimism of the industry has returned. More events, more participants and larger budgets underline the fact that the worst of the economic crisis has long passed. Also in Europe, Germany is the favorite meeting destination. Most popular among German destinations are Bavaria and Berlin.

Dubai. Dubai is "out", Abu Dhabi "in" and Doha is "cool": The series of talks at the "Arabian Travel Market" in Dubai three weeks ago revealed the current trend. All partners discussed the market in Dubai very quickly but rather spoke of Abu Dhabi, the new economic and financial centre in the Emirates, and about Doha in the neighbouring country of Qatar, the city with tremendous plans - and of course, about the World Cup in 2022 at 50 degrees of heat that one wants to orchestrate as quite "cool" … Impressions of a new development that sees the three cities of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha as an engine of the future. The hotel industry is an indicator of the shift in the focus.

Zurich. In financial year 2010, Zurich's hoteliers generated five million overnight stays - an increase of 8.2% on the previous year. These figures are in line with results from the record year 2007. Nevertheless, the region is still not satisfied: By 2030, it is to be among the five best destinations in European city tourism. The demand for new hotels is on the up.

Palma/Shanghai. The Spanish hotel chain, Sol Meliá has concluded a cooperation with the Chinese hotel and travel group, Jin Jiang. The first twelve hotels with new Chinese-European concepts should start in May. Behind it, there stands the hope to also profit from the tourism boom in the gigantic empire of China. While the World Tourism Organization counts about 100 million Chinese foreign travellers by 2020, in the meantime, the Chinese government counts higher figures. This also has effects on the hotel market in Europe. How can this increasingly greater target group be satisfied? How will they want to live while travelling? Whoever wants a piece of the growth market in the Chinese European traveller must, in all instances, consider the cultural differences. A look at the joint venture.

Dubai. The buzz has returned to the trade fair: The 18th Arabian Travel Market, the leading tourism fair for the Middle East, gave the impression - on the second of the four day event at least - that the region was again on the way up. Conversations at the stands, however, revealed concern about the political and economic developments in Arab countries - as was seen at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference recently. The "Arabian Spring" has resulted in a massive slump for the hotel and tourism industry in many Arab countries. Few new hotels have opened recently in Dubai, and even the announcements of new openings are thin on the ground. Some plans have even been stopped altogether. Nevertheless, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and also Qatar seem set to benefit from the current instability in the Arab world, with Abu Dhabi and Qatar taking on the role formerly held by Dubai as the driver of growth. With 2,200 exhibitors from 69 countries, the ATM seemed busy as the previous year; at the close of editing the total number of visitors was not yet available - last year it was 22,000. The mood in 2011.