Tag Archives: Managing Director

Emirates Palace has partnered with the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) to launch UAE’s premiere catering company–Emirates Palace Catering by Dubai World Trade Centre (EPC by DWTC). This joint venture is set to elevate the events and catering scene in the capital, offering the best in local and international cuisine. The collaboration will bring a fully integrated, turn-key catering enterprise, both for events at the hotel and off-site. Commenting on the partnership, His Excellency Sultan Dahi Al Hameeri, Managing Director, Emirates Palace Company Owners (EPCO) said, “The collaboration of two such distinguished brands is the answer to the capital’s demand for a catering concept that attends to the needs of our discerning local community and offers traditional cuisine. EPC by DWTC will strive for a level of luxury and distinction that is simply unprecedented in the region”. Mahir Julfar, Senior Vice President–Venue Services Management, DWTC said, “Our partnership with a celebrated brand like the Emirates Palace allows us to tap into the capital’s thriving culinary scene, showcasing our market-leading skills and offering guests events that are most memorable.”

Marriott International announced the opening of Aloft Palm Jumeirah, the first Aloft to open in Dubai. Located on the Eastern crescent of the Palm Jumeirah, the hotel offers 206 loft-inspired guestrooms with airy 9-foot-high ceilings and excellent views over the Arabian Gulf. All rooms feature the brand’s signature offerings, such as an ultra-comfortable plush bed, walk-in shower, Wi-Fi, 49-inch LCD TVs linked to a Plug & Play connectivity panel. Rooms are also equipped with SPG Keyless, the industry’s first truly mobile check-in system where guests can utilise their mobile phones as room keys. “We are thrilled to celebrate the opening of our first Aloft in Dubai, situated on one of the world’s most sought-after destinations – the Palm Jumeirah,” said Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. “We see a strong demand for Aloft properties in the region as the brand continues to redefine the traditional hotel experience with its vision and innovation.  In the UAE alone, the brand will double its portfolio in the next three years with five new openings,” he added.  

Noor Bank has collaborated with UB QFPay, the joint venture between Dubai-based United Brands (UBPAY) and China-based QFPay, to bring a new and innovative mobile payment solution to the UAE. The solution, a first-of-its-kind in the region, will enable tourists as well as overseas visitors to make payments at retail outlets in the UAE using multiple international mobile wallets from various markets. As part of its collaboration, Noor Bank will handle all transaction settlements for the solution while UB QFPay will allow retail outlets within the UAE to accept secure payments from tourists who wish to pay from their preferred mobile wallets for their purchases. John Iossifidis, CEO, Noor Bank said, “I am proud of the collaborative efforts between UB QFPay and our Global Transaction Services (GTS) team to introduce a new payment solution in the market. The solution will allow overseas visitors to use international mobile wallets for the purchase of goods and services in UAE, for the first time. This partnership is well aligned to the strategic focus of the bank on delivering an enhanced customer experience through digital transformation.” Ahmed Alrafi, Managing Director, UB QFPay said, “Chinese tourists are a huge segment for retailers in the UAE, who have focused on attracting more Chinese shoppers to their stores and UB QFPay makes them ‘China Ready’ by allowing Chinese tourists to pay with their preferred mode of payment.”

City Centre Ajman has been transformed into a regional mall with an investment of AED 643 million, which is part of Majid Al Futtaim’s announcement made in June 2016 to increase its total investment in the UAE by AED 30 billion by 2026, taking its total investment in the country to AED 48 billion. With a gross leasable area of 34,000 sqm, the mall brings 14 brands to Ajman for the first time. Fuad Mansoor Sharaf, Managing Director, Majid Al Futtaim Properties, Shopping Malls (UAE, Bahrain & Oman) stated, “We work very closely with the government authorities. This recent extension of this shopping centre was a plan working closely with the government with the numbers, market requirements, trends and future. With these new features, Ajman is making way for the development of tourism to the emirate. We have a dedicated taxi drop off and pick points and are working very closely with all the hotels in Ajman to ensure that their guests visit the city centre for a memorable retail tourism experience.” As Ajman tourism is focusing on luring more tourists to the emirate, Majid Al Futtaim is supporting the government’s initiative to ensure that tourists leave the emirate with unforgettable experiences.

Etihad Guest and Visa, the world’s leader in digital payments, have given 11 lucky members of Etihad Guest a New Year gift of one million Etihad Guest Miles each in a Miles Millionaire competition. Members of the airline’s loyalty programme who registered for the promotion and booked a flight with Etihad Airways using their Visa card before October 21, had the chance to win one of 11 one million Etihad Guest Miles prizes. Yasser al Yousef, Managing Director, Etihad Guest, congratulated the Miles Millionaire winners at a presentation ceremony at Etihad Airways’ head office in Abu Dhabi. He said, “We are delighted to have our members win these miles – giving them the opportunity to live the high life with Etihad Guest and Visa.” One million miles can buy a host of products, including seven Etihad Airways flights with a friend; or four iPhone 7s, four Go-Pros, four sets of Bose headphones or 87 grams of gold. Etihad Guest Miles can be used to purchase flights, upgrades and thousands of products from the online Reward Shop.

Ashwin Singh, Managing Director, Plus Point Hospitality organised ‘Travel Tuesday’, an ROI-driven networking event with Singapore Tourism Board and Singapore Airlines for corporates, MICE and travel trade decision makers. It was the first event that took place on October 17, 2017, at the Taj Hotel Dubai Business Bay. The event was divided in two parts- the first one included decision makers from the various Corporates and MICE organisers attended a presentation by the Singapore Tourism Board and Singapore Airlines where they received valuable information about the destination and the airline. The attendees stated that  it was a very good meeting point as they were able to obtain a lot information and it was a very personalised meeting with the two partners and they looked forward to another event in two months.

Travelport hosted a two-day conference to provide insight into emerging new trends in the market and future of the sector with AI technology at Shangri-La, Oman. Over 230 customers from 14 countries attended the event. Kathryn Wallington, Country Manager, UAE Travelport welcomed the guests and explained the interactive opportunities at the conference. In his opening remarks, Matthew Powell, Managing Director, Middle East and South Asia, Travelport explained that Travelport had transformed from a regular GDS to a travel commerce and distribution platform to enable more opportunities in their portfolio. He reiterated how their platform enabled travel providers and their evolving technologies to deliver relevant content for travel buyers and consumers. He also spoke of how the platform provided new tools and solutions to customers and created a frictionless path to work with speed and accuracy, automated operations and the latest B2B travel payments. He reiterated that there was an expected opportunity of $8.6 billion in mobile travel sales in Middle East and India by 2022.

Luxury Swiss hotel, part of Bürgenstock Hotels & Resort, is looking forward to welcoming first Middle East guests to the new five-star luxury Bürgenstock Hotel, in Switzerland, as it opened its doors. The newly-built hotel, with its modern architecture and contemporary design, boasts 102 rooms and suites and is sure to prove popular with travellers from the Middle East, with a particular emphasis on stunning luxury. In Switzerland, tourism from Gulf countries represents US$ 430 million.Amenities at the stunning hotel include the Spices Kitchen & Terrace, Bürgenstock Terrace, Lakeview Bar & Lounge, Lakeview Ballroom, Cigar Lounge, cinema and private dining and Sky Boutique. Further surrounding buildings inaugurated include the Grand Residence Suites, Panorama Residence Suites, Diamond Domes (event and tennis) and an outdoor tennis court. Bruno H. Schöpfer, Managing Director, Bürgenstock Selection, says, “We are delighted to welcome our first guests to the Bürgenstock Hotel. The hotel is perfect for travellers from the Middle East, with luxury at the very heart of everything we offer.”

Monika Palatková, Managing Director, Czech Tourism, has announced a partnership with VFS Global in order to enter the GCC market. She says, “We have been working closely with VFS Global in India since the end of 2016 and it has proven to be successful in establishing the Czech Republic as a tourist destination in India. I am pleased to announce the expansion of our cooperation into another strategic region, the Middle East. Today, we have entered into a contractual partnership, based on which VFS Global will implement several promotional activities focused on the leisure and MICE segments in the Middle East.” She added, “Prague, the beautiful capital city of the Czech Republic, is extremely popular with tourists but there is so much more this wonderful country has to offer the discerning Indian travellers. The central promotional theme of Czech Tourism in 2017 has been Baroque. The year 2018 will be a period of celebration for the Czech Republic because it marks 100 years from the establishment of the independent country; the main focus will be monuments, places and traditions related to this period.”

With an aim to add 250 rooms to the company’s UAE portfolio in 2020, Marriott International has entered an agreement with the Khamas Group of Investment LLC for a Courtyard by Marriott and Residence Inn by Marriott in Dubai’s upcoming Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC). The two hotels combined will further strengthen the company’s regional presence in the mid-market segment. Courtyard by Marriott JVC will offer 150 rooms and Residence Inn by Marriott JVC will add another 100 rooms to the upcoming development. The interconnected hotel complex will share facilities including food and beverage outlets, a health and leisure club with a swimming pool and meeting spaces. “We are excited to work with the Khamas Group to open a new Courtyard and Residence Inn in the up and coming JVC Development which is strategically located and in close proximity to the site of the World Expo in 2020. Not only does this agreement illustrate our commitment to growing Marriott International’s portfolio in the UAE but it also reinforces the demand for mid-market hotel development in the market,” said Jerome Briet, Vice President – Lodging Development, Middle East, Marriott International. Commenting on the signing, Bader Mohamed Yousuf Bukhamas, Chairman of Khamas Group of Investment Companies said, “We are happy to partner with the best operator, Marriott International and looking forward to the opening of the Hotel.” Pawan Kachroo, Managing Director of Khamas Hospitality added, “The Courtyard and Residence Inn are both internationally renowned brands that offer guests not only quality hotel and residence products and facilities but also a high level of service excellence. Along with exciting food and beverage concepts, we look forward to bringing a refreshing hospitality experience in the …