PREVIEW Ramada Downtown Dubai The Ramada Downtown Dubai will use the region’s major travel show as a platform to expand source markets and build awareness of the hotel’s prime location adjacent to the city’s biggest attractions including Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Mall, Dubai Fountains and Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard. With an inventory of 181 suites and a location within walking distance of the Dubai Mall, the hotel is already very popular with the GCC family market, while there was also growing interest from emerging markets: “We are in the process of sourcing new markets and diversifying our guest profile – our strategy is to target those visitors receptive to our core strength, an alcohol-free, family environment. Aside from countries such as Russia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brazil, we are looking at Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan where family group travel is popular,” said General Manager Samir Arora. In a bid to enhance its competitive position, the Ramada Downtown Dubai has begun an extensive refurbishment of interiors. The phased refreshment of public areas and room furnishings was scheduled for completion by early next year. “It will be done in stages, with minimal disruption to guests, and we will be taking this message to ATM to inform all travel agents and tour operators.” Hawthorn Suites By Wyndham Dubai, Jbr Management from the Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Dubai, JBR will be exhibiting on the Wyndham Hotel Group stand at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) to offer both regional and international travel trade an opportunity to learn more about the brand which has begun international expansion outside the United State with properties in Nigeria and now the Middle East. According to General Manager Wael El Behi, the Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Dubai, JBR is a new name to many travel professionals, but the brand concept is one that is ideally suited to both regional and international visitors to Dubai. “The mix of residential style living with superior hotel facilities appeals to family groups, such as those from the GCC and Indian sub-continent, as well as longer-stay travellers from farther afield who favour the independence inherent in the extended-stay brand,” he said.“Coupled with a location in JBR which is alive with an extension range of cafes, restaurants and increasing entertainment and shopping options, the Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Dubai, JBR will be a valuable addition to the beach-front hotel inventory in Dubai, and one we expect to be well received by the travel trade at ATM.”
Luxury Hotels Grou p Following the launch of a dedicated Middle East office earlier thi the Luxury Hotels Gr s year, oup is now expandin g its international rea member hotels also ch, with located in three coun tries in the Arabian Gu well as Turkey, Moroc lf, as co, South Africa and Zanzibar. It’s aiming to further promote its services to the regional trave Luxury Hotels Group l trade; offers ease of booking and access to a portf unique hotels in desti olio of nations popular with regional travellers. “According to the lat est STR Global resea rch, there are 504 ho the Middle East/Afric tels in a development pipeli ne, with the Upper Up segment accounting scale for the largest portio n of new rooms, at 34 cent, while luxury seg .4 per ment made up nearl y 20 per cent of the tot said Mark Jones, Vice al,” President of Luxury Hotels Group.“Whil of these hotels will be e many managed by internati onal brands, there is increasing trend for an independent operatio ns as new age travelle demand a unique ho rs spitality experience rat her than that offered worldwide brands. Fo by r these properties, Lu xury Hotels Group off the support, distributi ers all on and market pene tration to place them competitive footing wi on a th those global name s.” The Luxury Hotels Gr oup currently repres ents 126 properties acr three collections – Lu oss xury Hotels Collection , Luxury Boutique Collection and Luxu ry Residences Collecti on – and offers reserv sales, marketing and ations, PR, revenue manage ment and IT solution independent hotels. s for Through their global reach and market pre Luxury Hotels Group sences, enables hotels to rea ch a global audience cost-effective and eff in a icient manner.“Arab ian Travel Market pre ideal opportunity for sents an the travel trade to lea rn more about Luxury Group and how we Hotel can upgrade their pro duct portfolio and kn to win more client bu owledge siness.”
lowcostbeds Aiming to build on its successful launch in the Middle East at last year’s Arabian Travel Market, lowcostbeds will participate in this year’s event to boost its network of regional travel agents in a bid to foster greater growth in the region. Part of the lowcosttravel group, it celebrates 10 years of operation in 2014 and, according to Group Director of Sales, Paul Riches, global expansion has enabled the group to target sales of £1bn within two years. As a trade only bed bank, lowcostbeds operates via high speed XML with a combination of 52 integrated XMLs offering a response time for agents of less than 3.5 second and enabling them to offer real-time availability and rates to their customers. Response in the first year of trading in the region has been very positive, said Riches, and he looked forward to renewing contacts at ATM as well as updating the trade on the extent of the lowcostbeds inventory and its potential to reap rewards for agents looking for last minute reservations.
“With a trend towards late bookings out of the Middle East, the use of the lowcostbeds system to source availability and the best rates is invaluable in peak seasons such as the pre-Ramadan and school holiday periods.”
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