The Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) will debut in Dubai this September, bringing together the Middle East and Africa’s industry leaders for discussions, deals and insight on the continued growth of the region’s hospitality and tourism sectors. Hosted by Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts and co-organised by The Bench and MEED, FHS brings together the investment communities of the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC), Global Restaurant Investment Forum (GRIF) and AviaDev under one roof. Other conference tracks include Sustainability & Innovation, Startup Den and The Future of Human Capital. The three-day summit takes place at Madinat Jumeirah from 19 to 21 September 2022, uniting government leaders, hotel investors, owners, developers and operators to discuss the industry’s hot topics, set the scene for the future and network with elite players in their field. 50 leaders from some of the world’s most dynamic hospitality brands who have confirmed to speak include José Silva, CEO of Jumeirah Group Hotels & Resorts; Puneet Chhatwal, MD and CEO of Indian Hotels Company Limited; Dillip Rajakarier, Group CEO Minor Hotels; Guy Hutchinson, President and CEO at Rotana; Sandeep Walia, Chief Operations Officer at Marriott International; Khalid Anib, CEO of Abu Dhabi National Hotels; Marloes Knippenberg, CEO of Kerten Hospitality; Haitham Mattar, Managing Director MEA & South West Asia at IHG Hotels and Resorts; Dimitris Manikis, President EMEA at Wyndham Hotels, Jochem-Jan Sleiffer, President Middle East, Africa & Turkey at Hilton as well as Chris Newman Executive Director Hotel Development at Neom; Agnès Roquefort, Chief Development Officer at Accor and Elie Younes, Chief Development Officer at Radisson. Among the names representing the global food & beverage investment community – coming together on the first day of FHS for the …
Read More »Dubai to become the first destination with autonomous taxis and e-hail services
In implementation of the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council, to proceed with the partnership agreement signed between the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Cruise to operate Cruise autonomous vehicles to offer taxi and e-Hail services in Dubai. Cruise will start this month the operation of two Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles (EVs) to prepare digital maps for Cruise’s self-driving vehicles. The process is a prelude for the launch of the actual service by 2023 rendering Dubai the first city in the world to commercially operate Cruise self-driving vehicles outside America. The two Chevrolet Bolt EVs will be initially deployed on Jumeirah streets and driven by specialist drivers. Cruise’s technology uses a high-resolution map of the physical environment, which is created using specialised mapping vehicles equipped with a suite of sensors including LiDAR, camera, and others, and are driven throughout the city to collect data, which is then used to create and maintain a navigable map for autonomous vehicles (AVs). Cruise, General Motors’ majority-owned autonomous vehicle subsidiary, shares the same vision as GM that AVs can help lead to a safe, less congested future for all, delivering enormous benefits for society in the form of increased safety and access to transportation. These efforts will clearly advance General Motors’ vision of zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion. His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority, said: “Preparing digital maps is an essential step in the process of operating self-driving Cruise Origin vehicles, which will be deployed in limited numbers next year to offer taxi …
Read More »Hamdan bin Mohammed launches Dubai Metaverse Strategy
In line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, today launched the Dubai Metaverse Strategy that aims to turn Dubai into one the world’s top 10 metaverse economies as well as a global hub for the metaverse community. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed underscored the importance of consolidating Dubai’s status as a hub offering the most advanced ecosystem for the metaverse and as a frontrunner in adopting digital solutions globally, which reflects the ambitious vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for transforming the emirate into a global capital of advanced technologies, primarily artificial intelligence (AI) and Web3. The strategy aims to build on Dubai’s achievement of attracting more than 1,000 companies in the fields of blockchain and metaverse. It also promotes Dubai’s ambitions to support more than 40,000 virtual jobs by 2030. This would further boost Dubai’s economy and support the UAE government’s vision of increasing the number of blockchain companies by five times the present number. HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed said that Dubai is making great strides in enhancing its position as a global testbed for metaverse technology while investing judiciously in building capabilities and talent in creating the region’s most robust and largest ecosystem for the metaverse community. His Highness added that adopting new technologies will be a stepping stone in Dubai’s vision to use future technologies to create new work models in vital sectors and increase the metaverse’s impact on regional and …
Read More »Dubai promotes marine tourism in summer
With its world-class infrastructure and state-of-the-art facilities, picturesque coastline, luxury marinas and diverse destination experiences, Dubai has emerged as a leading marine leisure destination, providing residents and visitors the opportunity to enjoy a diverse range of sea-based activities and watersports to keep cool, unwind and explore this summer season. As Dubai’s enduring connection to the sea extends to the travel and tourism sector, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism takes a look at some of the city’s maritime and aquatic leisure offerings that people can experience during the summer months in Dubai. Residents and visitors alike can utilise the services of leisure travel companies which operate yacht tours from beautiful marinas in the city including Dubai Marina Yacht Club, Creek Marina Yacht Club, Dubai Harbour and Jaddaf Waterfront Marina. The high number of quality and safety assured yachting companies offer bespoke itineraries, the latest watersport experiences, along with state-of-the-art nautical equipment, for a safe and refreshing day at sea. Guests can enjoy a tailored yachting experience, with a wide variety of dining options provided and a full day of onboard entertainment, all set to the backdrop of the impressive Dubai skyline. Moreover, when embarking on a trip at sea, guests can be selective in their routes and choose from which port to hop onboard. The vast majority of routes offered by these travel firms will include incredible views of Dubai’s most iconic landmarks, including the Dubai Marina, the Burj Al Arab and Burj Khalifa, whilst extended itineraries include excursions to The World Islands. Alternatively, if guests wish to enjoy a more extensive experience, yachts are available to hire for longer, extended excursions. Amit Patel, Founder and Managing Director of Xclusive …
Read More »Hamdan bin Mohammed announces Dubai Metaverse Assembly at the Museum of the Future
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), announced the launch of the Dubai Metaverse Assembly, a global event bringing together regional and international experts in Dubai to shape the future of the metaverse and explore its promise and potential applications. The Dubai Metaverse Assembly, to be organised by the DFF on 28 and 29 September 2022 at the Museum of the Future and Emirates Towers, will explore how the revolutionary technology can be deployed across vital sectors to create a better future and quality of life for humanity. The assembly will host more than 300 global experts, policymakers, thought leaders, and decision-makers from more than 40 organisations. Delegates will participate in sessions and workshops to take a deep dive into the metaverse, understand its impact on humanity, discuss the potential of humanising its applications, and identify the best ways to leverage opportunities across strategic sectors of countries, governments, and companies. Estimates of the value of the metaverse market globally vary between $10 trillion and $30 trillion within 15 years, underscoring the massive potential of the new platform. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed said: “The metaverse is a promising digital world. We aim to harness this technology to enhance the quality of life in the UAE and across the globe.” His Highness Sheikh Hamdan highlighted that the Dubai Metaverse Assembly embodies the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for Dubai to become a global hub for innovation …
Read More »Dubai hotel bookings for FIFA on the rise
With FIFA 2022 a few months away, Dubai and Abu Dhabi seems the perfect hub to connect the fans to Doha. As airlines work on their special charter flights, hotels and agents from across the GCC are sorting out the bookings as they start rolling in. Nuran Kilani, Director of Sales and Marketing, The Tower Plaza Hotel, “Dubai being a cosmopolitan city, and we are blessed by being in a prime location with proximity to city touristic attractions and shopping spree so we are getting bookings from pretty much all countries like Brazil, Argentine, uk, Germany, france, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Israel, Egypt and many more. According to Qatar Tourism, there are just under 30,000 hotel rooms in Qatar. They has revealed that 80% of these rooms are already booked for FIFA players, referees, media and other official guests. A flight from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Doha takes a litter over one hour. About 1.5 million visitors are expected for the month-long tournament.” Jeannette Smit, Complex Director of Sales & Marketing, W Dubai – Mina Seyahi, Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Waterpark and The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina, shared “We’re seeing the most uptake from European countries such as UK, Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands being the most popular, while Serbia, South America, Brasil and Argentina are showing interest and we only expect this to increase over the coming months. We have three properties within our complex so we’re only taking reservations for W Dubai – Mina Seyahi, The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina and Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Waterpark. However with these three unique products we can …
Read More »Dubai retains its spot as the world’s top FDI destination for tourism
Dubai retained its top rank worldwide for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) into tourism in 2021. With AED6.4 billion ($1.7 billion) in FDI across 30 FDI projects during the year, Dubai ranked number one in FDI capital, projects, and job creation in the tourism sector in 2021, according to The Financial Times’ fDi Markets data, a leading global data source on crossborder greenfield FDI investments. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, credited the exceptional leadership and visionary policies of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for Dubai’s remarkable achievements and its status as the world’s leading tourism FDI destination in a challenging year for the sector globally. HH expressed his gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s farsighted vision for creating a resilient financial, economic, and social ecosystem that has set a template for others to emulate. Dubai has emerged as a key global economic hub and the world’s leading investment destination. Sheikh Hamdan said Dubai’s rank as the top FDI destination for tourism reaffirms the sector’s role as a key economic driver that offers international investors confidence and an exceptional opportunity for stable and sustainable returns. HH noted that Dubai’s enabling infrastructure, business-friendly policies, and flexible regulatory environment that kept pace with the needs of global investors would keep it at the forefront of the world’s FDI destinations. HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed said Dubai’s world-class infrastructure and exceptional services to investors reinforce its strategy to become the world’s best city to live in, work, and …
Read More »Dubai’s successful tourism recovery sees city welcoming 6.17 million international visitors from January to May 2022
Dubai’s successful tourism rebound continues to inspire global tourism recovery with the city welcoming 6.17 million international overnight visitors from January to May 2022, a 197 per cent year-on-year (YoY) increase from the same five-month period in 2021, which saw the destination attracting just over two million international travellers. The latest tourism data was revealed by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) at its first ‘City Briefing’ for 2022, a bi-annual event that provides an in-depth industry outlook to stakeholders and partners, and discusses future strategies to further reinforce the city’s position as a global hub for business, investment, talent and tourism. The event was attended by more than 1,200 key executives from across the tourism ecosystem including aviation, travel, hospitality and retail sectors. His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) commented: “The remarkable vision and leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, have always been an inspiration to us all, and this is reflected in the city’s continued success, as we focus on enhancing its position as a global hub for economy and tourism. We are building on the massive momentum generated by the hugely successful Expo 2020 to drive growth across all our tourism pillars from cultural to culinary experiences, while working towards achieving the ambitious goal of making Dubai the most visited destination and the city of the future that will be the best place in the world to live and work. “As we look ahead to the remainder of 2022 and beyond, we will harness the key elements that have ensured the industry’s …
Read More »Residence Inn by Marriott welcomes its largest and tallest Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road
Residence Inn by Marriott Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai announced the completion of the hotel’s rebranding as Residence Inn by Marriott following its renovation. Enjoying a prime location on Sheikh Zayed Road near the city’s key business and leisure attraction such as the Dubai International Financial Centre, Museum of the Future, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Emirates Towers, and World Trade Centre, it is the world’s largest and tallest hotel to join the Residence Inn by Marriott brand. With a global presence of over 870 hotels in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East and Central America, Residence Inn is the world leader of the longer stay lodging segment. The Residence Inn experience is designed for guests to travel the way they love to live by blending comfort with style in flexible and intuitive spaces. “I am proud to welcome guests to experience the world’s largest and tallest Residence Inn by Marriott and enjoy exceptional comfort and freedom that the brand is renowned for around the world,” said Khaled Saab, General Manager for Residence Inn by Marriott Sheikh Zayed Road. “Conveniently located merely 11 kilometres away from the Dubai International Airport, the Residence Inn by Marriott Sheikh Zayed Road offers guests more possibilities to live their way or wind down with redesigned spaces. In addition, being part of the Marriott Bonvoy Rewards Program unlocks for our guests a world of exclusive member benefits and extraordinary experiences including complimentary Wi-Fi, member-only rates, and points that take you places.” Featuring 430 modern residential rooms and suites, many of which boast impressive views of the Sheikh Zayed Road and Jumeirah coastline, Residence Inn by Marriott Sheikh Zayed Road offers travellers a ‘home-away-from-home’ experience with …
Read More »InterContinental Hotels & Resorts unveils limited-edition suites in collaboration with leading artist Claire Luxton
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has collaborated with acclaimed British artist Claire Luxton to unveil a series of fully immersive experiences at InterContinental London Park Lane, InterContinental New York Barclay and InterContinental Dubai Festival City. Bookable now through to mid-July, the experiences celebrate the joy of worldliness and the beauty of global travel as told through a Claire Luxton lens. The Claire Luxton Experience at InterContinental Dubai Festival City heroes a limited-edition suite which have been designed and curated by the artist and depict her interpretation of InterContinental Hotels & Resorts. Taking cues from her personal travels and inspirations, Luxton brings the brand to life through the natural flora and fauna signature to her artwork in combination with an array of sensory experiences, including a drawn bath and soundscape. Every detail and room accent across the suite has been transformed to reflect the artist’s style with features including bespoke artwork, lighting and soft furnishings, that represent InterContinental hotels in Japan and Southeast Asia, respectively. A drawn bath experience with a curated soundscape, aromas and florals enhances the stay for guests. Additional discoveries in the suite include a special playlist and coffee table books reflecting Luxton’s travels. Guests booking the suite at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City will also be offered a massage for two in the hotel’s luxury spa. Claire Luxton said: “I’m thrilled to partner with InterContinental Hotels & Resorts again, interpreting the brand’s story of worldliness. Global travel inspires my work, and I hope it shines through in every detail of the collaboration, from the foyer florals and the hotel team’s custom scarves to the drawn bath experience and the artworks themselves. Each flower and animal within my work …
Read More »