Category Archives: Hotels

Luxury ENVI Lodges announced plans to add a second property to its portfolio in Oman. ENVI Al Sifah is set to open in late 2025 and will be located on a preserved sandy beach where a lush wadi meets the Arabian Sea. It will feature 40 luxury sea-view tents created by Tenthouse Structures, each designed to withstand the coastal climate while providing natural ventilation to ensure guest comfort. This new eco-retreat, nestled on the pristine shores of Al Sifah, only an hour away from Muscat, promises an unparalleled beach experience, connecting guests with the beauty of the Omani coastline and its rich cultural heritage. The announcement comes just weeks after ENVI announced its entry into the Sultanate with mountain ecolodge ENVI Al Jabel Al Akhdar. The ecolodge, owned by a consortium of Omani investors, will include common facilities such as a restaurant serving seafood and locally sourced cuisine, a wellness centre, a swimming pool, a kids’ club, and an activities centre. Outdoor spaces will be available for fireside theme nights and will include an open-air beach cinema. Experiences curated at the ecolodge will connect guests to the Omani culture and include dhow restoration and cooking workshops. For relaxation, meditation and yoga sessions will be offered, while adventure enthusiasts will be able to enjoy kayaking, snorkelling, paddle boarding in the Gulf of Oman, hiking, and the opportunity to discover nearby Bandar Khayran, a hidden gem beach known for its breath-taking views and sustainable fishing. ENVI Lodges is committed to sustainable tourism and will implement eco-friendly practices, including renewable energy sources, water conservation, recycling, and waste management programmes. The company also aims to engage and support local communities, starting with the rehabilitation …

With TravTalkME as the media partner, the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International – Middle East (HSMAI ME) kicks off its sixth edition of  ROC Middle East Commercial Strategy Conference from 28 to 29, November 2023 to boost the Middle East’s hospitality sector. With the finest leading industry leaders under one roof, this year’s conference aims to take the Middle East hospitality sector to the next level where attendees can expand their network by connecting with trailblazers and peers, gain insights from seasoned professionals and learn about the latest trends and strategies. “The 6th annual ROC Middle East Commercial Strategy Conference is a unique gathering of industry pioneers, where competitors unite to shape the future and elevate their skills. It’s the pulse of innovation in the hotel industry, bringing together all the commercial thought leaders from sales, marketing, revenue management, distribution, hotel brands, and owner groups here in the region to share current and future trends. The conference will feature a range of topics, discussions, and best practices, led by world-class regional and international experts,” said Mona Faraj, Managing Director of the Middle East chapter of HSMAI. “This year’s ROC Middle East Commercial Strategy Conference is more than just an event; it is a catalyst for innovation and collaboration in the hospitality industry with global standards in mind. Here, we break down competitive barriers and come together as a community, committed to setting new standards of excellence and driving the future of hospitality forward,” added Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHBA, President and CEO, Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI). “We at Atomize are honored to be the Platinum Sponsor and delighted.” The 6th annual ROC Middle East Commercial Strategy …

Sofitel Dubai Downtown clinched the title as ‘Best luxury hotel’ at the sixth edition of the Arabian Travel Awards which took place recently. Caroline Trichet, General Manager – Sofitel Downtown Dubai shared, “Massive applause to the DDP team for flawlessly orchestrating the Arabian Travel Awards celebrating excellence in travel. Remarkable event!” To be awarded the Best Luxury Hotel accolade is a humbling testament to our commitment to the Art-de-recevoir, exceeding expectations and embodying the essence of “The French Way” hospitality excellence.  It’s a moment of immense pride and honor for the entire team. In Dubai’s dynamic hospitality scene, Sofitel Dubai Downtown will continue challenging the status quo & leading by example with / by pioneering digital innovation, sustainability, and environment-conscious experiences or simply by creating a warm home away from home. This award is a powerful motivator, inspiring us to raise our standards even higher in 2024. It fuels our passion for excellence and encourages continuous improvement in every aspect of our services.”  

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has established a hospitality education academy in Abu Dhabi, which will open in September 2024 to be managed and guided under the stewardship of Les Roches. The objective is to provide hospitality skills and academic knowledge to nurture homegrown talent in the UAE, GCC and Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Les Roches Global Hospitality’s first campus in the area will welcome its first students in September 2024. Founded in 1954 in Switzerland, Les Roches ranks fourth in the world’s higher education institutions for hospitality and leisure management (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2023). The hospitality education academy will be defined by its objective to attract UAE Nationals and regional talents to the industry. The academy aims to focus on the practices and values of the UAE within its curriculum. The programme and methodology seeks to support the hospitality sector by cultivating local talent with high quality education and skills needed for the industry’s future. The academy will feature a bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees. The curriculum includes a range of hospitality-related and practical skills certifications, across areas including hotel operations, travel, tourism, transport and entrepreneurship. His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “In line with our vision of inspiring journeys of creativity and discovery, the new academy will play a key role in ensuring the long-term sustainable growth of the hospitality industry overall, propelling future generations with a keen interest to reach their full potential. Accelerating high potential industries such as hospitality through collaboration and strategic partnerships will continue to contribute to Abu Dhabi’s growth as a dynamic and …

IHG Hotels & Resorts announced the signing of its first Vignette Collection hotel in Doha in partnership with Hospitality for Success H4S Hotels & Residences set to open by the end of Quarter 1, 2024. Velero Hotel Vignette Collection Doha Lusail is IHG’s fifth Vignette Collection hotel signing in the MEA region, following those in Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait. IHG continues to bring brands from its luxury & lifestyle portfolio to the region, offering its guests exceptional design, bespoke service and meaningful experiences. The Vignette Collection brand gives owners of world-class independent hotels the opportunity to retain their distinctive identity, while benefitting from IHG’s global scale and luxury and lifestyle expertise. Located at the heart of Lusail, Qatar’s second largest city, Velero Hotel Vignette Collection Doha Lusail will be part of a mixed-use development featuring an adjacent retail mall, welcoming guests seeking rich and varied experiences. True to the Vignette Collection brand, the hotel will blend exclusivity and grandeur with community and locality — evident in its architectural design and ornamented interiors. With 244 beautifully designed rooms, the hotel boasts a modern façade and structure. Alongside its adorned rooms, guests can enjoy three food-and-beverage outlets spanning various cuisines, and premium wellness facilities including a spa, gym, and swimming pool. Corporate travellers can also take advantage of the hotel’s sizeable meetings and events space catering to a range of professional needs.   Haitham Mattar, Managing Director – India, Middle East and Africa, IHG Hotels & Resorts, commented: “We are delighted to partner with Al Baladi Group to bring the first Vignette Collection hotel to Doha. The demands of travelers in the Middle East are ever evolving. There is a …

Mohamed Al Rais, Deputy Managing Director at Al Rais Travel highlighted UK and China has once again become the key source markets responsible for the growth of tourism in GCC.  According to the insights from Al Rais, Dubai’s reputation as a safe and secure destination and trusted brand has resulted in an uptick from key source markets. “Brand Dubai is trusted by people around the world. The country has rebounded incredibly well since COVID-19, with the latest figures for the first half of 2023 the best on record. As a travel company, our figures are very much representative of this. In terms of inbound markets, we’ve seen the top five markets shuffle to some extent, with Saudi dropping slightly and increases in British tourists. “The return of the Chinese market, which, despite only coming back in Q1 of this year, has already moved into a top five position,” said Mohamed Al Rais, Deputy Managing Director- at Al Rais Travel. These trends are certainly borne out by the latest figures released by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and no doubt experienced by ATM’s other partners, such as Emirates and IHG Hotels & Resorts. According to the latest statistics from DET, Dubai’s top source markets include India, which has seen a 44% increase between January and August 2023 compared to the same period last year; Saudia Arabia, which has seen a nominal 5% decrease during the same period; the UK, up 14%; and the Chinese market, which according to the data has witnessed a 309% jump in the first eight months of 2023 when compared to the same period in 2022. The tourism expert also believes Saudi Arabia and UAE, …

An iconic project worth USD 1.3 Billion is to be launched in Al Marjan Island Ras Al Khaimah with 300 key hotel and 524 residences by JW Marriott. The project will break ground by February 2024 and will open doors by end of 2026. The founders of WOW Resorts, Anwar Ali Aman and Bhupender ‘Bruce’ Patel, joined hands with representatives of Marriott International and the respected Arch. Abdulla Al Abdouli, Chief Executive Officer, Marjan. This exclusive collaboration marks the birth of the first JW Marriott-branded resort and residences on Al Marjan Island, poised to captivate over five million visitors annually, thereby enhancing the island’s stature on the world map of tourism and opulent living. Poised to be an architectural masterpiece on Al Marjan Island, this project is designed by celebrity Beverly Hills Architect Tony Ashai with Dubai based Lead Consultants Architecture Design Unit, ADU. Anticipated to open its doors towards the end of 2026, JW Marriott Al Marjan Island Resort & JW Marriott Residences Al Marjan Island herald WOW Resorts’ debut in the UAE’s Northern Emirates, a favoured destination for leisure and luxury. With a legacy of over two and a half decades crafting hospitality and real estate projects across North America, WOW Resorts are bringing yet another exemplar. The newly announced development promises to redefine the very essence of hospitality and residential opulence. Infused with bold design and premium experiences, for which the JW Marriott brand is celebrated, this new establishment is designed as an exquisite haven for both vacationers and those seeking the pinnacle of luxury resort living. This extraordinary property caters to aspiring homeowners, the discerning globetrotter of tomorrow, nature enthusiasts, and aficionados of aquatic sports. Comprising …

Golden Tulip Media Hotel walked away with two wins, one as Issam Slaimi General Manager with ‘Best Hospitality Professional’ and other as ‘Best 4 Star Executive Hotel’. “Being recognized as Best Hospitality Professional of the Arabian Travel Award is tremendous honour. I am grateful for this recognition in the travel industry. On behalf of our entire team at Golden Tulip Media Hotel we are thrilled to win the business award as “Best 4 star Executive Hotel ‘’ . It’s a testament to the unwavering commitment and hard work of our dedicated staff who constantly go above and beyond to deliver exceptional experiences, this recognition inspires us to strive for excellence and continuously improve our services.”

IHG Hotels & Resorts announced the signing of Holiday Inn & Suites Taif and Staybridge Suites Taif, in partnership with Al Jumaiah Group. Both properties are set to open in Q4 2025 in the Al Shafa, Taif, a relaxing destination located 2,500 meters above sea level and known for its historical sites, panoramic scenic views, pleasant weather, and fragrant rose gardens. The new resorts will play a vital role in supporting Taif’s growing hospitality scene and further cementing IHG’s commitment to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Taif, as of the 10 strategic destinations under Vision 2030, is playing a key role in contributing to achieving Saudi Arabia’s ambitions for the tourism and hospitality sector with substantial government investments in infrastructure and its emergence as a prominent tourism destination. With its all year round leisure demand appeal, the dual signing of IHG hotels will add 280 rooms, catering to the high demand for world-class hospitality offering in the city. Haitham Mattar, Managing Director – India, Middle East and Africa, IHG Hotels & Resorts, commented: “We are pleased to strenghten relationship with our existing partner, Al Jumaiah Group and bring two brands from our essential and suits offering to the beautiful city of Taif. Having opened first internationally branded hotel in Taif – InterContinental Taif decades ago, we are proud to continue to strenghen our footprint and bring new brands to the city as it grows into a prominent tourims destination in the country. He added: “Saudi Arabia is a priority market for IHG – the continuous growth of our global portfolio within the Kingdom reflects our unwavering commitment to the vision of the leadership of the country and emphasizes our dedication to …

BEONx announced that it has become the first Revenue Management System (RMS) to incorporate a dedicated module for tour operation. The BEONx Tour Operation Module innovatively enables resort accommodations to optimize tour operation distribution. Vacation hotels play a vital role in the travel industry and rely primarily on tour operators to drive bookings. However, effectively managing is difficult due to the diverse budgetary and strategic requirements of each tour operator contract requirement and other segments pricing strategies. For this reason, hoteliers struggle with the lack of a comprehensive revenue management tool, resulting in the loss of inventory control, the possibility of human error from manual processes, significant time consumption due to manual reports, and profit erosion as a result of a limited focus on Total Revenue and reliance on legacy systems. These obstacles hinder the industry’s effectiveness and profitability. Cayetana Fernández, VP of Product at BEONx, said: “We are thrilled to introduce the BEONx Tour Operation Module, a revolutionary solution designed to resolve the unique challenges vacation hotels face in optimizing due to their heavy reliance on tour operators. Resorts face challenges in optimising distribution and outperforming tour operation competitors. With our new BEONx Tour Operation Module, hotels will effectively manage its inventory by leveraging advanced systems and AI algorithms, empowering resorts to attract direct reservations, increasing efficiency, and achieving long-term profitability in the dynamic hospitality industry.” BEONx’s TourOperation Module is poised to revolutionise the way vacation hotels manage their tour operations. This innovative solution addresses the intricate challenges faced by vacation hotels in managing tour operators (TOs) efficiently and profitably.   Simplicity in complex revenue management: Intuitive tools to optimize room pricing across different outlets and points of sale, …