Expanding its footprint in the hospitality sector, Dubai-based The First Investor group, a subsidiary of Al Fardan Group, announced the purchase of the Carlton Downtown hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road. Formerly the Warwick Hotel, it is the third hotel to be operated by Carlton Hotel Management – a brand owned by The First Investor, and the ninth in the group’s collection of hotels. Commenting on the strategic investment, Hosni Abdelhadi, CEO of Carlton Hotel Management company stated, “The Carlton Downtown hotel is an exciting addition to our portfolio of hotels as we continue to expand our presence in the region. Our strategy is to invest in high-growth markets such as Dubai and this fantastic acquisition will reinforce our market position. We are confident that the Carlton Downtown hotel will prove to be a valuable asset for us and will generate superb financial returns for the company.” Located in close proximity to the World Trade Center, DIFC and Downtown Dubai, the 47-storey spectacular tower features 357 rooms (275 suites and 82 spacious rooms). Included in the hotel’s fabulous facilities are 7 restaurants and bars, 10 meeting rooms, a health club and spa. Carlton Downtown hotel is also home to Dubai’s highest open-air rooftop pool and bar with spectacular 360º views over the city. With a strong presence in real estate, hospitality, shipping, finance, retail, security, IT, food and beverage industries, The First Investor has a diverse portfolio. Over the last few years the company has emerged as a major player in the hospitality sector with a total investment of over AED 2.2 billion in various hotel projects. Hotels owned by the company include Carlton Downtown – Dubai, Carlton Palace Hotel – …

Ramada Hotel & Suites Sharjah has announced the completion of more than AED 25 million in extensive renovations and upgrades, creating an elevated 4-star guest experience across all 343 of its guest rooms and suites. Formerly the Ramada Sharjah, the hotel began renovations in June 2016 and now offers deluxe rooms and executive deluxe rooms, as well as one and two bedroom suites. Additional facilities, which were also upgraded as part of the renovations, include an executive lounge, six meeting and event venues with state-of-the-art audio visual capabilities, two restaurants, a gym and spa area, as well as an indoor pool and sun terrace. All newly renovated rooms offer an array of contemporary accommodation, including king and twin bedded deluxe rooms of 50 square metres with modern design and decor and a comfortable seating area with a flat-screen TV. One and two bedroom suites feature a well-appointed kitchen, which includes a refrigerator, oven and washing machine. All rooms and suites feature amenities of the highest quality to ensure a comfortable and memorable stay and are as spacious as 100m2. Dining options at the hotel include Zaafaran, which offers an international menu with a variety of dishes designed to cover all tastes; and the newly added Sunshine Café, which offers casual dining and serves hot and cold dishes in an easy light fare menu for visitors and guests to enjoy in a cosy seating area. “At Ramada, we’re focused on helping our guests sample the world and these renovations have enabled us to completely re-imagine the experiences we offer,” said Cluster General Manager Alper Can Bulcum. “Our new twin bedded rooms are a wonderful example. Ideal for short-stay, budget-minded travellers, these …

Turkish Airlines has added Kharkiv, as its 297th destination in 120 countries with the recently launched inaugural flight. By launching flights to Kharkiv, the global carrier demonstrates its permanent effort once again to further improve its expansion strategy without any cease. As of March 30, Kharkiv flights will be operated 4 times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. This figure will increase to 7 times per week as of May 30th 2017. Round trip fares are available from Istanbul to Kharkiv, the second largest city in Ukraine, starting from $109 (including taxes and fees). Additionally, for the first 6 months of operation to the new destination, there is a special offer for Miles&Smiles members, with a 25% reduction in the miles needed to redeem either award tickets or upgrades.

The Travel Agents’ Academy will return to Arabian Travel Market in 2017 with two half-day sessions on Thursday 27 April, at Dubai World Trade Centre. Beginning at 10am in Hall 1, scheduled topics for the free-to-attend 2017 programme include itinerary planning, sales training and destination briefings, with a networking break, refreshments and a course completion certificate for all delegates. Tackling one of the most pressing issues for travel agents, the first session will see Rohit Bassi, Managing Director of In Learning, return to ATM following an incredibly popular address at ATM 2016. This year, Bassi will discuss “Soul of Sales – The Nine Universal Principles” which includes how to teach travel agents how to build credibility and connection with clients; how to identify and offer solutions to clients; negotiation and management techniques; and to manage the transformation from sale to client relationship. Bassi, who established In Learning in 2011, is renowned for teaching a range of key business skills and is the only licensed trainer for Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway® in the UAE, which builds on the teachings of the self-development book written by Susan Jeffers.  He has previously consulted for Nielsen, Al Ghurair Iron & Steel, Emirates NBD, Bayt.com, DFS Logistics, Alshaya, Oracle, EMC, Emaar Hospitality, Harley-Davidson, HSBC and ADBC. Following on will be Sundar Vasudayen, Principle Consultant at TRS Consulting will share itinerary planning tips for well-travelled clients looking for something unique.   Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director, ATM, said: “The Travel Agents’ Academy at this year’s Arabian Travel Market is being held at a timely juncture in the role of travel agents. Travel trends analyst Skift noted how, a few years back, the digital …

AccorHotels announced the extensive conversion and rebranding of a former Sheikh Zayed Road landmark into the Mercure Dubai Barsha Heights Hotel Suites & Apartments. The property is currently undergoing the first of a two-phase comprehensive refurbishment and is anticipated to open under the Mercure brand on May 19, 2017. As part of the first phase, 120 hotel rooms will be renovated to fit Mercure brand dimensions by blending classic design with a modern and contemporary aesthetic. The second phase of renovations will focus on enhancing additional guestrooms and facilities to meet AccorHotels’ international standards and will elevate the hotel from a four star ranking to five stars in the form of hotel suites.  As a premium product, the apartments will be refreshed and reintroduced to the market. The renovation and refurbishment is anticipated for completion by the end of 2018. Upon opening, the 1,015 room hotel will be the largest Mercure property in AccorHotels’ global portfolio. Olivier Granet, Managing Director & Chief Operating Officer of AccorHotels Middle East and Africa (MEA), said: “We are delighted to enter into another high-profile agreement with our existing and trusted partner to further elevate the Mercure brand within the United Arab Emirates with the largest Mercure hotel in our global network. The project presents AccorHotels with an unrivalled opportunity to further expand our portfolio at an iconic business and leisure destination while cementing our presence across the growing midmarket segment within the region.” N.A. Aliyev, Board Director, commented: “We are thrilled to partner with AccorHotels to launch the world’s largest Mercure in Dubai. The Mercure Dubai Barsha Heights Hotel Suites & Apartments is an important hotel that we have established with the Group in …

Riyadh Travel Fair’s (RTF) 2017 edition drew to a close for the ninth consecutive year, at Prince Sultan Grand Hall, Al Faisaliah Hotel, Riyadh. The 2017 edition is the largest on record with an increase in both the number of exhibitors and visitor arrivals. 270 exhibitors were present representing 55 countries. Over 50 national and regional pavilions had a prominent presence with the show floor space as it increased by 10 per cent compared to the 2016 event. The fair was inaugurated by His Excellency Majid A. Al-Hokair, Chairman of the Committee for Tourism and Entertainment Riyadh Chamber and Chairman of Board Directors for Riyadh International Conference and Exhibition Center. The four day event became the focus of business networking opportunities, insightful seminar sessions, ministerial discussions and the recognition of 12 months of the tourism industry’s achievements. Bander’ Algryni, General Manager, ASAS Exhibitions, said: “The 2017 edition is the largest Riyadh Travel Fair to date thereby extending our prominence as the leading travel and tourism exhibition in the kingdom. More than 250 exhibitors from Tourism Boards, airlines, tour operators and hotels from more than 50 countries are present in the exhibition. “It’s been a year of growth not only for the tourism and hospitality industry in the Kingdom, but for RTF; and with Saudi nationals increasingly travelling overseas at a greater number year on year, the opportunities that the RTF provides for domestic and overseas destinations, hospitality service providers and other tourism related businesses, to directly meet with the kingdom’s leading travel professionals and travellers has never been more significant.” The Riyadh Travel Fair was open to both travel professionals and the general public looking for in-depth destination information and …

Star Alliance members Ethiopian Airlines and Singapore Airlines will expand their code-share agreement as of June 1, 2017, offering customers travelling between Africa and Asia seamless connectivity options. Ethiopian Airlines’ daily non-stop services to Singapore from Addis Ababa, due to be launched in June 2017, will be covered by the expanded code-share agreement. Under the expanded agreement, Ethiopian Airlines customers will be able to access multiple destinations in Australia, China, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Thailand and Vietnam across Singapore Airlines’ wide network. In turn, Singapore Airlines customers will enjoy access to Ethiopian Airlines’ vast intra-African network including countries like Botswana, Burkina Faso, Chad, Cote D’Ivoire, Kenya, Nigeria, Mozambique, The Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Girma Shiferaw, Acting Vice President, Strategic Planning and Alliances, remarked: “I wish to thank Singapore Airlines for the successful completion of this vital agreement. The two airlines will synergize their respective networks in Asia and Africa to offer customers the best connectivity options with one ticket and one single check-in at the first boarding airport. It will also play a critical role in enhancing investment, trade and tourism ties between a rising Africa, and a highly developed, innovative, and business-friendly Singapore.” Tan Kai Ping, Senior Vice President Marketing Planning, Singapore Airlines, said, “We are delighted with our expanded codeshare operations with Ethiopian Airlines. This significant expansion of our important partnership is in line with our ongoing effort to continuously expand our network reach and to offer customers more travel options and convenience when travelling between Africa, Asia and Southwest Pacific.” The airlines first began code sharing on each other’s flights to and from Dubai in 2011.  The expanded codeshare flights are …

Emirates announced the launch of a daily A380 service to Nice, gateway to the French Riviera and Provence. The daily A380 service will start on July 1, 2017, just in time for the beginning of the summer holiday season. After Paris, Nice becomes Emirates’ second destination in France to welcome the iconic double decker, further stimulating demand for travel to the region. As of July 1, EK77 will be operated by an A380, leaving Dubai at 0845hrs and arriving in Nice at 1340hrs, while EK78 will depart Nice at 1540hrs and arrive in Dubai at 0010hrs the next day (local times). Passengers travelling to or from the following cities will enjoy optimal A380 to A380 connections in Dubai: Auckland, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Seoul, Shanghai, Sydney, Taipei, Tokyo, and more. Nice is currently served with a daily flight operated by a Boeing 777-300ER. The deployment of an A380 represents a capacity increase of 44 per cent on the route. With 3633 weekly seats in each direction, Emirates will offer more seats to the Middle East and beyond than any other international airline, highlighting Nice’s importance as part of the airline‘s global network. Enabling an increase in passenger numbers will also result in additional tourism revenues for Nice and the wider region, which in turn will mean boosting the local economy and job creation.

AccorHotels has signed a new agreement with R Hotels for one of the first MGallery hotels in the Middle East. The 255-room The Retreat Palm Dubai, MGallery by Sofitel is part of AccorHotels’ distinctive collection of contemporary and thought-provoking boutique hotels. Scheduled for soft opening in summer 2017, The Retreat Palm Dubai is situated along the iconic coastline of Dubai Palm Jumeirah’s East Crescent, offering beachfront access and skyline views. The resort will feature a world-class holistic wellness center, designed to answer to the demands of the today’s burgeoning wellness tourism market. Sami Nasser, Chief Operating Officer, Luxury Brands, AccorHotels Middle East, said: “Today’s announcement in collaboration with our trusted partner – R Hotels, signals the much anticipated launch of our flagship MGallery in the United Arab Emirates. The hotel will soon bring a truly unique wellness hospitality experience to Dubai, building on the Emirate’s unique ability to expand its offering to attract visitors from around the globe.” Sumair Tariq, Managing Director, R Hotels, commented: “Our group is excited to introduce the first of its kind holistic health and wellness resort in the UAE, located at the iconic Palm Jumeirah. We are happy to again collaborate with AccorHotels in bringing in a new luxury brand into the region. Catering to the growing demand for wellness tourism, we are confident that its distinctive concept will stand out within the region’s competitive hospitality scene.” The 255-room upscale resort will offer a range of guestrooms and suites, as well as an array of wellness facilities including a gym, yoga room, tennis court and swimming pool. Guests will also enjoy access to world-class wellness consultants and wellbeing treatments, in addition to bespoke nutritional programs …

Hilton has signed a management agreement with Sharjah’s Al Marwan Group to open the emirate’s debut DoubleTree by Hilton property opposite Al Majaz Waterfront in the centre of the city. The $43 million (AED 158m) development will be called the DoubleTree by Hilton Sharjah Waterfront Hotel & Suites and will offer 254 suites and serviced apartments. The new hotel, which is expected to open in 2020, will be Hilton’s second property in the emirate after the Hilton Sharjah on the nearby Corniche Road. Sharjah offers visitors more than 100 hotels and hotel apartment properties and occupancy rates recently beat regional averages, growing by 5.5 percent during January compared to the same month in 2016 (according to global analyst STR). Some of the leading hotel groups in the world operate properties in Sharjah, including Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, GHM, Louvre Hotels Group, Premier Inn Hotels, Rotana Hotels and Resorts, Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, and Wyndham Worldwide Sharjah currently has a variety of new hotel and resort developments under development, including the construction of a new $100 million (AED 367m) art and culture themed 5-star luxury beachfront hotel and resort; a 4-star, 200-room Novotel located adjacent to Sharjah Expo; a 4-star Sheraton Four Points hotel; and an Aloft boutique hotel. In addition, Al Bait Hotel, a new 5-star hotel being built by Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) in the Heart of Sharjah, is expected to open later in 2017.