Tag Archives: exclusive
RAK prospers thanks to Dubai’s booming popularity
Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) is reaping the rewards from a slew of investment off the back of continuing interest in Dubai.Hotel occupancy rates in Dubai are rising all the time, with RAK mopping up some of the increasing spillover and because of this, the emirate has been targeted as an up and coming area, the National reports.Rudi Jagersbacher, president of Hilton Worldwide, Middle East and Africa, stated individuals hoping to stop over in Dubai frequently find they cannot get a room for the night.Because of this, they are forced to seek out secondary locations and RAK has been able to use this to its advantage and attract people and investment. For example, Hilton has unveiled plans to add a further 600 rooms in RAK in 2013 – over half of these will be at the Waldorf Astoria.Indeed, hotels throughout the northern emirates have reported a boost in their occupancy rates as Dubai struggles to meet the demand it faces. During the first quarter of the year, there was a 14 per cent increase in the number of overnight stays in RAK.At the moment around 75 per cent of the emirate's visitors are made up of people from Germany and the UK and so businesses will be keen to continue to tap into this market.Salem Sultan Al Qasimi, the vice chairman of RAK Airways, said there are plenty of reasons to be excited, adding: “RAK is eager to tap into the tourism market and expand its wings. We are expanding the airport and because there is great potential for tourism coming to the UAE we want to take part in that growth.”His views are echoed by Victor Louis, chief operating officer at RAK Tourism Development Authority, who is hoping 2013 will be a record-breaking year in terms of visitor numbers. He hopes the emirate is able to attract up to 1.2 million people over the course of the 12-month period. Continue reading
Hotels continue to benefit from Dubai’s growing popularity
Dubai is undoubtedly one of the most sought after holiday destinations on the planet and this is obviously great news for hotel owners.Around 66 million people are expected to land at Dubai International Airport throughout 2013, with many of these visitors staying in the city for a prolonged period.The emirate has also emerged as a global business hub in recent years, so hoteliers are inundated with corporate travellers too, especially when there is a major exhibition or conference being held.Global luxury hospitality company Jumeirah Group is one of many organisations to benefit from the UAE's booming popularity and bosses at the firm said that occupancy rates were up again in the first quarter of 2013.They confirmed that the average daily room rate across its global portfolio of hotels increased by nine per cent during the three-month period, while revenue per available room rose by an impressive 22 per cent.Although these figures were based on resorts all around the world, it is fair to say that Jumeirah's Dubai assets were a driving force behind this improved performance.Speaking at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference in Dubai, Gerald Lawless, president of the Jumeirah Group, said the first four months of 2013 have been a “tremendous success” for the organisation.”The Dubai hotels have truly benefited from the continuing attraction of Dubai as a prime holiday and business destination,” he remarked.A recent study by TRI Hospitality Consulting highlighted just how popular Dubai has become in recent years. It found that 89.8 per cent of hotel rooms across the city were full in March, which was up by 2.3 per cent when compared to the corresponding month in 2012.Revenue per available room increased by 11.8 per cent during the month, while average room rates rose by nine per cent.This just goes to show how lucrative the UAE's hospitality sector is at the moment and the situation is expected to improve even further in the coming years, which is great news for people who own hotels, apartments and villas in Dubai. Continue reading
Diego Maradona set for Dubai stay?
Diego Maradona could be set for an extended stay in the UAE after the Dubai Sports Council (DSC) revealed it is keen to continue working with the Argentine legend.The former Fifa World Cup winner accepted a role as a sporting ambassador in Dubai last year and his contract is due to expire this summer. Although the DSC has not officially offered Maradona a new deal, the organisation's secretary general Dr Ahmed Al Sharif told the National that the partnership has been fruitful and there is “absolutely nothing” to prevent the relationship from continuing.”We cannot deny that the legend has made his contribution at different levels and played the role required of him to the fullest. We have planned a few more things for next month where Maradona will play a big part, including a forum for academies,” he was quoted as saying.Maradona certainly appears to have plenty of options open to him, as a number of top clubs in Europe are rumoured to be interested in offering him a managerial role.The likes of Montpellier were said to be lining up a move for the ex-Barcelona and Napoli icon, although this has not been confirmed.It is unclear at this stage whether the 52-year-old wants to stay in Dubai, but comments made in recent interviews seem to suggest he is loving life in the Gulf.Indeed, he said in April that his life had been like a Formula 1 car before he moved to the Middle East and the move to Dubai has helped him to settle down a lot.He remarked: “I am now experiencing this wonderful tranquillity.”With beautiful beaches, excellent facilities, stunning buildings and gorgeous weather, it is easy to see why the footballing superstar has taken a shine to Dubai. He is not the only famous football personality to move to Dubai, as former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson recently became the technical director at Pro League club Al Nasr. Continue reading
