Tag Archives: General Manager

Rotana is working on its strategies to attract more visitors this Ramadan and beyond. Timur Ilgaz, Area Vice President – Dubai & Northern Emirates, Rotana Hotels & Resorts shared in an exclusive interview with TTME. What is your strategy for attracting visitors during Ramadan and the Eid holiday, particularly from Abu Dhabi and the GCC? Tailored Offerings: We design special packages that include iftar and suhoor experiences, showcasing a mix of traditional and contemporary cuisine, while ensuring the ambiance reflects the spirit of Ramadan. We also offer flexible booking options, ensuring guests can enjoy extended stays with exclusive rates. Emphasizing Cultural and Local Traditions: At Rotana, we prioritize integrating local culture and customs into our experiences. During Ramadan, we focus on promoting the values of generosity, family, and togetherness, which resonate with our guests. This can include activities such as traditional storytelling sessions, local music performances, and showcasing regional crafts. Exclusive Eid Celebrations: Eid is a time of joy and celebration, and we create memorable experiences for families and business travellers alike. From lavish Eid brunches to special events and entertainment, we ensure that our offerings are both exciting and culturally relevant. Community Engagement: We emphasize the importance of giving back, so we partner with charitable organizations to host events that support local communities, ensuring that our guests can participate in meaningful initiatives. Enhanced Customer Experience: Our focus is always on service excellence, so we ensure that staff are well-trained to cater to the specific needs of Ramadan and Eid guests. This includes offering special touches, such as pre-arrival communications and thoughtful amenities that enhance the guest experience. By delivering a balanced combination of cultural sensitivity, exclusive offers, and high-level …

The vibrant team from the Tower Plaza Hotel ushered in Christmas to the city of Dubai with a joyous group of choristers. General Manager Haitham Galal and his team had created a winter wonderland in the lobby with a massive gingerbread house. The lobby was tastefully decorated and the most significant was the ginger bread house made of real ginger bread accompanied by the skyline of Dubai displayed using gingerbread.  Once you see the amazing work of art and go close to it, you suddenly immerse into the world of gingerbread. It was a very interesting line up of events as the carols were sung by the staff at the Tower Plaza and the guests gathered around and enjoyed the festivities.  Christmas treats were served to all the guests both in- house and the invited guests. The kids around got the opportunity to have a word with the man of the season – Santa Clause on what they want for Christmas. It was a very interesting and exciting time for all the guests who had travelled from across different parts of the world to see the way festivities are done in Dubai.

Avani Ibn Battuta Dubai Hotel scheduled to welcome its first guests in November this year, has appointed Amer Ammar as General Manager. Ammar will oversee the upcoming launch and daily operations of the new 360-key Avani hotel. Having worked in the hospitality sector for over 25 years, Ammar, an original native of Jordan, began his career in 1994. In 2001, he moved to Dubai where he worked in various operational leadership roles for Taj Palace and Coral International. In 2007, he joined Al Ghurair Group as Hospitality Manager and set up the hospitality division for the Group. He became General Manager for the first time with the pre-opening team of Premier Inn Dubai Silicon Oasis in 2009. Between 2011 and 2015, Ammar was the General Manager at Premier Inn Abu Dhabi Capital Centre, and subsequently Cluster General Manager for Premier Inn Abu Dhabi hotels. His last assignment prior to joining Avani Hotels & Resorts was General Manager at Premier Inn Dubai Investments Park. Developed by Nakheel, Avani Ibn Battuta Dubai Hotel is strategically located adjacent to the recently-opened Ibn Battuta Metro Link connected to Ibn Battuta Mall. The 18-storey hotel will feature a pool, a gym, an all-day dining restaurant, a coffee shop and car parking.

Tracey Oliver has been named as the General Manager for The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert and Al Hamra Beach, three of the most important properties in Ras Al Khaimah. Joining in July 2019, Oliver brings with her a wealth of successes in leading luxury hotels. She previously managed leading hotels and resorts such as Hotel de la Paix in Thailand and Hotel de l’Opera MGallery Collection in Vietnam, after having worked as the Director of Operations at Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Puerto Rico. Starting her career as a management trainee at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner in Virginia in 1999, Oliver developed her leadership skills when she became part of the management team at The Ritz-Carlton in Palm Beach and South Beach in Florida. After working in numerous properties across the USA, and Asia, Oliver has now returned to The Ritz-Carlton, cultivating her knowledge of the brand and pursuing her passion for leadership and hospitality management. Oliver  says, “I am delighted to move to the Middle East region and join the ladies & gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert and Al Hamra Beach. Together, I am positive that we will create unforgettable memories for all our guests who stay at our stunning properties located at the Al Wadi Nature Reserve and on the Arabian Gulf.”

Dubai-based AA Al Moosa Enterprises has announced the rebranding of one of its four-star hotel properties located in a strategic area in Sharjah. Previously managed by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts under Ramada Hotel & Suites Sharjah, the property’s rebranding comes in line with AA Al Moosa Enterprises’ new strategy to strengthen its own local brand Golden Sands, which has been successfully present in the market for 30 years. Entering into force on July 1, 2019, the property’s new contract was signed during the opening of the Arabian Travel Market exhibition by Nayef Al Moosa, Director, ARENCO Real Estate, representing the owning company; and Mohammad Khoori, General Manager, Golden Sands Hotel Apartments. HE Khalid Al Midfa, Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, was present at the signing ceremony. He commented, “We are grateful to AA Al MOOSA for believing in Sharjah as an attractive tourism destination, and we are looking forward to support Golden Sands throughout its new venture.” “There is no doubt that the UAE hospitality industry is constantly evolving, therefore we must be flexible and adapt our strategies to meet the ever growing market needs,” Nayef Al Moosa said. “We maintain a friendly relationship with Wyndham, and are confident that Golden Sands management will achieve our aspirations for this property.” For his part, Khoori noted, “The emirate of Sharjah has recently witnessed a vast transformation in its tourism sector, and we are delighted to be here to support the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority’s vision for the emirate with a renowned local brand that is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.” He concluded, “We are extremely pleased to be selected by the owners to manage this fine …

Emirates Holidays, part of travel services provider dnata, is set to establish a local presence in Denmark and Sweden in Spring 2019. The new branch in Scandinavia will cater to Danish and Swedish travellers, offering them unique travel experiences. The operations will be based in Copenhagen and supported by a team of local travel experts. “We are pleased to be expanding the Emirates Holidays footprint to Denmark and Sweden. Both markets are very valuable to us and we look forward to giving travellers more options for a bespoke premium travel experience to Dubai,” said Kenneth Andersen, General Manager, Emirates Holidays Scandinavia. Emirates Holidays, which has been in operation for over 20 years and operates in 38 source markets globally, exclusively supports the Emirates Airline and offers fully inclusive premium leisure packages to Dubai and beyond. The core Emirates Holidays proposition is based around providing exceptional value premium holidays, through close relationships with key supplier partners, as well as delivering a clearly differentiated quality of service and expertise. Emirates Holidays Scandinavia are already established members of the Danish Travel Guarantee Fund and will apply to be part of the Swedish Travel Association and Danish Travel Association. The expansion of its network into Scandinavia will help to support further growth for its flagship destination, Dubai, which expects to receive over 20 million international visitors by 2020 when it hosting Expo 2020.  

Experience Hub, the trade and promotion arm of Yas Island Abu Dhabi, is participating at the ITB Berlin to further engage and strengthen relationships with the European travel market, while also expanding its network of partners from Europe. Yas Island is positioned to attract a growing number of visitors from across Europe with recent 2018 visitation numbers revealing an increase of 22 per cent in tourists from the United Kingdom, 10 per cent from Germany and a whopping 45 per cent from Russia. “Yas Island delivers a holiday experience unlike any other and that’s what we will showcase to industry leaders at ITB Berlin this year. With attractions that include award-winning theme parks, including the recently-opened Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi and a world-class motor sports facility like the Yas Marina Circuit, which is home to the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, alongside more than 160 restaurants and Yas Mall, we have a portfolio of entertainment attractions to provide unparalleled holiday packages in the UAE capital,” said Marina Cipriano, General Manager, Experience Hub.” Experience Hub is managed by expert travel professionals across a wide global network who continuously cultivate collaboration opportunities to source valuable insights into the preferences of travellers from Europe and beyond. Experience Hub’s B2B booking portal provides travel partners direct access to holiday packages and tickets to Yas Island attractions at exclusive rates, among other services, keeping them in the know about the latest experiences and opportunities to enrich their offering to their travellers. “With our dedicated teams in the UK, Germany, Russia and other international markets, we have found that travellers are keen to experience shopping, dining, culture and the outdoors. With that knowledge, we can …

AccorHotels has announced the soon-to-be-opened Grand Plaza Mövenpick Media City. As the first and only premium accommodation in Media City, within the upcoming Innovation Hub and in close proximity to Internet City, the hotel will appeal to professionals in search of connectivity and convenience, as well as the lifestyle requirements of leisure guests with opportunities to explore the vibrant urban city. Grand Plaza Mövenpick Media City features 235 guestrooms and suites starting in size from 46 square metres upwards to 94 square metres. The hotel also boasts a fully equipped convention centre, completely unprecedented for the area, with a resplendent ballroom that can cater upwards to 800 guests. Grand Plaza Mövenpick Media City is in close proximity to Sheikh Zayed Road, the longest road in the United Arab Emirates as well as Nakheel and Internet City metro stations, and business hubs such as Media City and Jebel Ali Free Zone. Guests will also enjoy the convenience of being close to the heart of the city’s commercial activity as well as renowned attractions such as the Mall of the Emirates and the Palm Jumeirah located just a short drive away. The property’s General Manager, Alfio Bernardini shares, “We are delighted to soon unveil the latest addition to the Mövenpick portfolio. Grand Plaza’s unique positioning, central location and exemplary facilities will serve to provide the best experiences for both business and leisure travellers. Every element of the property has been designed in line with our brand promise – ‘we make moments’.”

During a recent media tour, Christian Palacin, General Manager, Millennium Atria Business Bay announced that the hotel is set to welcome guests from February 14, 2019. Several members of the media had a sneak peek of the 347-room hotel apartments at the tour and were given a preview of the rooms, dining outlets and facilities including the infinity pool and gym located on the 25th floor. Millennium Atria Business Bay will offer studio, one-, two- and three-bedrooms, and duplex apartments that are designed by internationally-acclaimed interior design company YOO Studio. The 30-storey property is the first hospitality venture of Deyaar Development PJSC, a leading property development and real estate services company in the UAE. The opening will come in phases with the first six floors to open on February 14 and the rest in the next three months. Each apartment is fully furnished with views of the iconic Burj Khalifa, Dubai Stables or Dubai Water Canal. “We look forward to the opening of this property which is a nice addition to the Millennium brand in the UAE. The Millennium Atria Business Bay is an interesting product with an excellent location, good size of the apartment, unique design, top-class furnishing. We have been rated as a deluxe hotel apartment classification by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing,” noted Palacin.

The latest addition to Dubai’s hospitality inventory is the opening of 326-roomed Hilton Garden Inn Dubai Al Jadaf Culture Village. The hotel enjoys an ideal location between Dubai International Airport and Downtown Dubai and is just 100 meters from Al Jadaf Metro station with easy access to the Dubai Mall, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and other key destinations in the city. Al Jadaf is one of the most historically significant neighbourhood’s in Dubai as it was the first hub for traditional dhow vessel building and repairing – putting it at the heart of the city’s vital trade routes. It remains the last location where dhows are crafted and with significant investment is shaping up to be a truly unique tourist destination in the region. “I am delighted to be opening Dubai’s fourth Hilton Garden Inn in Al Jadaf. While staying at the beautifully designed hotel, guests can relax by the rooftop pool, work out at the fitness centre, dine at the restaurant or attend an event in one of the spacious meeting rooms. I look forward to welcoming guests to this exciting new property,” said Jose Luis Ruiz Arroyo, General Manager, Hilton Garden Inn Dubai Al Jadaf Culture Village.