News

More than 238,167 Britons visited Abu Dhabi in 2016 and this year the emirate looks set to beat this, according to an official at Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.

“In the first nine months of 2017 we have already seen more than 173,103 British visitors check in to Abu Dhabi hotels – a 5 percent increase year on year, “said Nabeel Al Zarouni, UK and Ireland Country Manager, DCT, at a breakfast reception held on the sidelines of the now-running World Travel Market 2017 London.

The function was attended by a large number of UK industry professionals, tour operators, travel agency representatives and media people.

”We are joined on the stand this year by 40 co-exhibitors, representing 95 companies across Abu Dhabi, so please do say hello to them while you’re here,” he added.

”The UK market continues to be of huge importance to Abu Dhabi,” he said. “The UK is our third largest overseas market, and by far our biggest in Europe. Last year, more than 238,167 Brits visited Abu Dhabi and this year we look set to beat this. In the first nine months of 2017 we have already seen more than 173,103 British visitors check in to Abu Dhabi hotels – a 5 percent increase year on year.”

“This year we’ve run road shows in Edinburgh, Manchester, London and Dublin for 330 agents, in partnership with our national airline, Etihad Airways. We even had Tess Daly from Strictly Come Dancing join us in London to chair a panel discussion about Abu Dhabi, which was incredibly well received by those who attended. We have also hosted a hugely successful ‘mega fam’ for 36 agents, with groups flying in from London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Dublin. In total 55 agents visited the destination this year. We’ve also carried out 22 training sessions for 476 agents and secured Abu Dhabi’s place in 106 tour operator programmes.”

Launching this month will be a print, digital and broadcast advertising campaign, in partnership with Etihad Airways, which will see increased visibility for the destination through to March 2018. So hopefully during this time you will see greater interest in travelling to Abu Dhabi from consumers.

”Moving into 2018, the department plans to build and increase the great work that has taken place this year, further strengthening relations with the UK trade,” he noted.

In a bid to showcase authentic Emirati cuisine to its visitors, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) is set to roll-out the Emirati Cuisine & Hospitality Capacity Building Programme, where all 4 and 5 star hotels across the emirate will feature and promote Emirati culture through its cuisine.

The programme will establish a framework of regular training, monitoring and reviewing in order to ensure that Emirati culinary items are featured in food and beverage (F&B) outlets in the finest hotels and hotel apartments across the emirate. By collaborating with leading industry partners, TCA Abu Dhabi will train and accredit culinary employees with the fundamental skills required to prepare Emirati cuisine and reference the rich heritage that is paramount to its authenticity.

To maintain a consistent level of year-round engagement, TCA Abu Dhabi will also conduct competitions across participating hotels to identify the ‘Best Emirati Culinary Promotion Programme’ and the ‘Best Chef for Emirati Cuisine’.

Commenting on the initiative, HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Director General of TCA Abu Dhabi said, “Abu Dhabi is a melting pot of cultures and the authenticity of Emirati cuisine has been somewhat lost in the contemporary renditions of traditional cuisine. Through this programme, we strive to conserve and promote the emirate’s culture, history and traditions. A key to that is using our rich cuisine to ensure optimal engagement for visitors seeking fully immersive cultural experiences.”

Vida Hotels and Resorts, the upscale lifestyle hospitality brand for the new generation of business executives, entrepreneurs and leisure travellers by Emaar Hospitality Group, has signed a management agreement with Aldar Properties, Abu Dhabi’s leading listed property development, investment and management company, to operate a hotel within the developer’s master-planned community on Reem Island. The hotel and serviced residences are a core feature of Aldar’s Shams Marina project, a four-tower development announced in March this year as part of Aldar’s AED 3 billion investment programme, which overlooks the Arabian Sea.

The two Vida Beach Reem Island Abu Dhabi towers feature 262 spacious guestrooms and suites in addition to 192 serviced residences for short or extended stay and a range of world-class amenities including speciality restaurants, business centres, conference venues and wellness retreats, details of which will be announced in due course. The development also includes 329 marina residences spread across two towers. Construction will commence this year.

Envisaged as an upscale urban lifestyle resort set in a spectacular location, Vida Beach Reem Island Abu Dhabi and Vida Residences Beach Reem Island Abu Dhabi will be near a premium retail destination with a choice of dining and leisure options adding to the convenience of residents and guests. Located approximately 30 km from Abu Dhabi International Airport and 3 km from the city centre, the hotel is expected to be operational by 2020.

Jassem Saleh Busaibe, Chief Asset Management Officer, Aldar Properties, said: “We are delighted to partner with Emaar Hospitality Group in bringing Vida Hotels and Resorts to Abu Dhabi. This new project will add significantly to the character of Reem Island, and will be like nothing currently in existence in the city. This project not only falls within our destination development strategy, but will also add significantly to our asset management business. This agreement will really help to strengthen our master planned community on Reem Island, adding market leading amenities from which both residents and visitors alike will benefit.”

Olivier Harnisch, Chief Executive Officer of Emaar Hospitality Group, said: “The management contract to operate Vida Beach Reem Island Abu Dhabi is a significant milestone for Vida Hotels and Resorts, our contemporary upscale lifestyle brand that has defined its unique niche in the region’s hospitality sector. To be associated with such a prestigious development by Aldar Properties serves as a strong testament to the differentials that Vida Hotels and Resorts brings to the industry with its focus on creating smart urban hubs for a discerning clientele.”

He added: “The expansion to Abu Dhabi further highlights our strong competencies in undertaking mixed-use projects and delivering outstanding service. We will continue to explore growth opportunities in the UAE and beyond by delivering an exceptional hospitality experience focused on delivering warmth, simplicity and youthful vitality.”

Launched in 2013, Vida Hotels and Resorts operates hotels such as Vida Downtown in Dubai. Positioned as a lively and vibrant hub where inspiring minds can create, connect and come alive, its hotels are a stimulating environment where style meets convenience and interactivity. Additionally, Vida Hotels and Resorts has signed management contracts to operate hotels and serviced residences in Dubai, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Aldar Properties PJSC (‘Aldar’), Abu Dhabi’s leading listed property development, investment and management company, today announced that its hospitality portfolio has won an impressive 14 industry awards during the course of 2015 and 2016.

Aldar’s hospitality portfolio includes ten hotels, seven of which are located on the iconic Yas Island – reaffirming the destination’s position as a leading business, tourism and leisure hub in Abu Dhabi.

Showcasing cuisine from all corners of the globe, dining and lounge venues at Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi, Crowne Plaza & Centro by Rotana received certificates of excellence for consistently achieving outstanding traveller reviews on TripAdvisor, with a number of their restaurants named as favourites of the popular publications; What’s On Abu Dhabi, Fact Abu Dhabi and Time Out Abu Dhabi Awards. In addition, the Yas Viceroy secured 4th position in the Top 15 hotels in the Middle East by Conde Nast Travellers’ Readers’ Choice Awards 2015, a survey of more than 128,000 travellers.

The Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi has also recently launched The Kids’ Zone Generation V, a new entertainment facility consisting of a brightly coloured 335 square metre Kids’ Zone. Featuring a multitude of wall cut-outs and tunnels which interlink the different spaces, the new zone will include sound tubing, wall climbing, play stations, play houses, and a soft play area. Offering parents another form of entertainment for their children is the latest example of Aldar’s efforts to build Yas Island into a family destination, not only for visitors but also for residents, whose number will grow as Aldar’s projects on the island are completed.

Hala Arjaan, operated by Rotana, won the Best Luxury Serviced Apartments award by World Luxury Hotel Awards, one of the hospitality industry’s most prestigious annual awards. Yas Island’s Crowne Plaza and Staybridge Suites each received 8+ ratings on Booking.com and acclamation from the Holiday Check Awards 2016, the largest independent travel portal in German-speaking countries for best hotel in the UAE.

Demonstrating its commitment to environmental sustainability, Radisson Blu & Park Inn secured the largest global eco-label for tourism and leisure establishments, Green Key Award 15/16 by Emirates Green Building Council. A non-governmental, non-profit and independent program, Green Key is recognized by the World Tourism Organization and United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

Elsewhere in Abu Dhabi, Richard Bleakley, General Manager of Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Center Abu Dhabi, received individual recognition in the form of the Diamond General Manager of the Year award by Marriott International. He beat almost a thousand other aspiring Marriott candidates from around the world and was applauded for his outstanding leadership towards successfully establishing the first Marriott endorsed brand in Abu Dhabi. Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Center Abu Dhabi also received Marriott International’s Excellence in Delivering Guest Experience (EDGE) award for the MENA region.

Additionally, Courtyard by Marriott at WTCAD was recognised by the Hospitality Technology Awards for ‘best use of technology as marketing platform’ and its 5th Street Café was voted Fact Magazine’s Favourite Café in its 2016 Abu Dhabi Dining Awards.

Tilal Liwa, a 4-star resort located in Liwa, Abu Dhabi’s Western Region, received a number of awards including recognition from Abu Dhabi government authorities including Department of Transport, Management of H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Zayed Heritage Festival, Ministry of Interior, Al Gharbia Sports Club and GHQ of Civil Defence – Abu Dhabi for its warm hospitality and exciting leisure experience.

Jahed Rahman, Director – Hospitality & Leisure division, Aldar Properties PJSC, said: “The awards that Aldar has received for its hospitality and leisure division in the past year are a tribute to the hard work and dedication of our staff and our partners. Each of them strives to deliver the highest standards of service to guests and visitors at all times. Yas Island, and indeed Abu Dhabi, has become a popular location for tourists and residents alike and recognition from the industry in the form of these awards is a true testament to our commitment to providing new, innovative concepts and a first-class hospitality and leisure experience.”

MTV, the world’s premier youth entertainment brand and leading-edge Aloft Hotels, designed for the hyper connected global traveller, this week announced a partnership to create three new and exclusive MTV Live at Aloft Hotels music events featuring break-through artists at Aloft Abu Dhabi on 20th May, Aloft London Excel on 26th May and Aloft Munich on 9th June.

The partnership, brokered by Viacom Velocity International, the in-house integrated marketing team for Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) features two new platforms to support emerging artists: MTV PUSH FUTURES Live at Aloft Hotels and Club MTV Live at Aloft Hotels. Both will give fans access to rising global talent and the greatest night of dance music, respectively.

Aloft Hotels has put a spotlight on up-and-coming artists since the brand’s inception in 2008 with Live At Aloft Hotels, the signature ongoing music series offered at every one of the brand’s 100 plus hotels worldwide and MTV has a rich history of showcasing rising talent. Together they’re bringing the best of both worlds to Europe and the Middle East.

In London and Munich, MTV PUSH FUTURES Live at Aloft Hotels will feature acoustic performances from breakthrough stars Anne-Marie (Aloft London Excel) and Max Giesinger (Aloft Munich). Both intimate performances will take place at Aloft Hotels’ W XYZ bar, for approximately 150 invited music fans and competition winners.

Club MTV Live at Aloft Hotels will take place at Aloft Abu Dhabi’s vibrant rooftop, one of the UAE’s most popular party venues, and will feature a 60-minute DJ set from one of the world’s most exciting emerging electronic DJs, Jonas Blue, to an audience of around 2000 dance music fans.

“We are delighted to be partnering with Aloft Hotels whose vision of providing exciting and entertaining experiences to young fans is directly aligned to ours, through championing emerging talent and giving them a platform” said Lee Sears, Vice President of Viacom Velocity International. “MTV’s expertise lies in working with the hottest new talent, delivering live, unique music experiences for our fans and telling stories in a compelling and exciting way to our highly engaged and hyper-connected audiences. By working with targeted social influencers and leveraging our hugely popular social media platforms, we at Velocity International are able to deliver a seamless commercial campaign for our partner Aloft and a fantastic experience for music fans across both brands on all their favourite social channels,” added Sears.

“We are delighted to join forces with MTV to elevate the ‘Live at Aloft Hotels’ music series to new heights in Europe and the Middle East with innovative content that speaks to today’s hyper-connected millennials,” said Stephan Croix, Vice President of Marketing, Europe, Africa and Middle East. “Both brands are passionate about supporting emerging talent and live music and we are thrilled to present these three amazing ‘MTV Live at Aloft Hotels’ events.”

MTV will deploy the full might of its international network of top performing new media and social channels to amplify all three ‘MTV Live at Aloft Hotels’ events across the UK, Germany and the Middle East. Filmed content will be packaged into short-form clips and distributed across MTV’s social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat), including the first ever branded content on MTV’s international YouTube channel and co-branded vignettes created for Snapchat.

In addition, two on-air 60-second vignettes will run on MTV’s channels in the UK and Germany in June following the MTV PUSH FUTURES Live at Aloft Hotels events, helping to maximise audience engagement and drive fans towards the online content.

Having previously worked and toured with Rudimental, Essex star, Anne-Marie is ready to break out on her own. With a UK headline tour earlier this year and solo singles ‘Boy’ and ‘Do It Right’ under her belt, the three-time world karate champion is confirmed to perform at the London Greenwich event following a huge victory at MTV Brand New 2016 where she received the most votes in the competition ever.

After his debut “Laufen Lernen” (“Learn To Walk“), which Max Giesinger released on his own, the young artist comes back with his second album “Der Junge, der rennt” (“The Boy Who Runs”) and his unmistakable first hit single “80 Millionen”. When you listen carefully to the new album, you will discover a mid-twenty who enjoys playing with his new found creative voice. His songs convince with their dynamic diversity, carry you away and – if suitable – put you in a thoughtful mood. “Der Junge, der rennt” was released on April 8th via BMG.

Born and raised in London, Jonas Blue is taking the music industry by storm. From pop to classic dance music, as well as delving into elements of tropical house, Jonas is crafting a sound which fills the void that so many are craving on the music scene. His debut release ‘Fast Car’ was a global smash, reaching #1 in the UK, Germany, Sweden, Australia and New Zealand and the #1 spot on the US viral chart on Spotify.

Both MTV and Aloft Hotels have built a reputation for advocating and supporting emerging artists. Music and entertainment powerhouse MTV is the only global music player with coordinated local on-air and online teams, reaching millions of music fans every day. From large-scale live shows such as MTV Crashes and MTV Brand New in the UK to MTV World Stage and MTV Push, MTV is widely recognised as a youth destination for new music.

Known for its vibrant social scene and innovative global music programming, Aloft gives guests and music-loving locals free access to emerging artists as well as some of the hottest bands at WXYZ bars. For a complete and up-to-date list of all artists, locations and performance dates, please visit LiveAtAloftHotels.com and join the conversation @AloftHotels using #AloftLive.

Further details on ticketing and social competition giveaways will follow shortly.

Danat Hotels & Resorts, the hotels management division of National Corporation for Tourism and Hotels (NCT&H), announces its participation in this year’s edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the region’s leading travel and trade exhibition, to update industry partners and potential clients of the group’s ongoing and upcoming projects.

Danat Hotels & Resorts is proud to announce that Dhafra Beach Hotel will renovate its 100 rooms and additional 100 rooms will be added to its inventory. Danat Jebel Dhanna Resort will be expanding with 24 additional chalets, three restaurants and health club facilities.

Danat Residence Hotel Apartments also opened Al Multaqa Cafe and has completed its first anniversary of operation in March and the property is performing well in terms of occupancy.

Mr. Manoj Kanwal, Danat Operations Director, said: “We look forward to our participation in Arabian Travel Market this year to update regional and international travel trade professionals about the latest developments at Danat Hotels & Resorts. We have several announcements lined up and ATM provides an excellent venue to meet with partners to strengthen the relationship. We will also meet with key players to establish new partnership and introduce our amazing properties. We are confident that our presence at ATM will open more opportunities to sustain our growth in the coming years.”

During ATM, Ms. Rima Rawass, Group Marketing Manager, said “The group will promote its summer promotion featuring special packages valid across all of Danat Hotels & Resorts properties in Abu Dhabi. The summer campaign will target domestic tourism and will focus on activities and promotions that will appeal to UAE and GCC residents. The campaign will start on 1st May and ends on 31st of August.”

The summer promotion will also include special packages during the Holy month of Ramadan. With Ramadan falling on 6th or 7th of June, Danat Hotels & Resorts will prepare special Ramadan room packages that will include iftar or sohour with special rates for Ramadan nights events.

She added, “Arabian Travel Market is the ideal venue to update our valued partners of the latest developments across our properties. This year we will focus on promotions and activities that will cater to UAE and GCC residents in order to acquire a bigger share of the market. The UAE and GCC markets have always been our top feeder so we want to maintain and strengthen our presence here.”

“The 2015 edition of Arabian Travel Market was the biggest to date. The 22nd Edition was the most successful to date. ATM goes from strength to strength every year and we are going to meet travel agencies, DMC’s and tour operators for the leisure business/inbound to Abu Dhabi and discuss the rates that would offer to book them and to meet new TPI’s to broaden our online GDS’s channels,” added Rawass.

Danat Hotels & Resorts manages a portfolio of four and five star properties in Abu Dhabi namely Al Raha Beach Hotel, Danat Residence Hotel Apartments, Danat Jebel Dhanna Resort, Dhafra Beach Hotel, Tilal Liwa Hotel, Danat Al Ain Resort, Oryx Hotel, Green Mubazzarah Chalets and Century Hotel Apartments.

The stand of Danat Hotels & Resorts will be located at ME2210 during the four-day exhibition from April 25 to 28, 2016 at Dubai World Trade Center.

Jannah Hotels and Resorts is to start construction on a new five-star hotel that will make the reception check-in queue a thing of the past.

The UAE-based hotel developer and operator will break ground on its seventh hotel, Jannah Creek Dubai, a 152-room establishment that is scheduled to open in 2018 in the premium Creek area.

Jannah Creek Dubai will offer a multitude of innovative features, including a unique check-in experience with no sign of the usual time-consuming queues and document signing at a reception desk.

Instead, weary travellers arriving at the luxury hotel will be greeted by one of Jannah’s renowned Karim – the guest’s very own personal genie – who ho will carry out the check-in on a tablet device as he shows them to their room.

After enjoying their welcome drink, guests will be invited to use an ingenious QR code that, once scanned, will take them to a video that will introduce the features and amenities of the room and the hotel.

Nehme Imad Darwiche, Chief Executive Officer of Jannah Hotels and Resorts, said: As well as delivering a truly five-star product, Jannah Hotels and Resorts believes in embracing technology to provide an ultra-modern service that offers our guests more time to sit back, relax and enjoy their stay.

We wanted our guests experience to be as smooth and hassle-free as possible, right from the moment they arrive. What better way to eliminate the wait to check-in at reception than removing reception altogether?

Our Karim check-in service gives a personalized touch that is synonymous with Jannah’s ethos towards an exclusive customer experience.

The Karim service, a unique feature of the Jannah brand, is available 24 hours a day to provide personalized attention to each guest without intrusion.

The Karim service includes general assistance, such as wake-up calls followed by tea or coffee, arranging for medical pillows, and helping newcomers with anything from car purchases to finding a suitable school for their children.Â

Jannah Creek Dubai is a partnership between Jannah Hotels and Resorts and the Abu Dhabi-based Al Rubayeh Group.

HE Mohamed Bin Rubayeh Abed El Aziz Al Muheiri, Chairman of Al Rubayeh Group, said their latest property addition is an example of the partnership’s emphasis on innovative features that enhance guest experiences and aid environmental sustainability.

We are never shy of pushing the conceptual boundaries of what our hotels offer from a technological and service point of view, he said. And we spare no expense when it comes to installing smart systems that cut power consumption and ensure the sustainable development of Abu Dhabi in line with the overarching vision of the country’s leaders.

Jannah’s new smart hotel will follow the example of its 18-storey Jannah Burj Al Sarab in Abu Dhabi, which offers sustainable features such as applications that reduce power consumption inside its 318 rooms and suites, while solar boards on the roof generate power to warm bath water. In addition, laundry and sheets are transferred through pipes without the need to use elevators and consume power.

Jannah Burj Al Sarab also features the fastest Wi-Fi available at any hotel in the world. Its 1.2 Gigabit per second (Gbps) speed, putting it ahead of every other hotel to have tested its speed on the website www.hotelwifitest.com, which tests and rates Internet speeds available at hotels around the globe.

For reservations, call 00 971 (0) 2 652 6777 or 800-JANNAH (526624), or email book@jannah.ae

For more information on the hotel, visit www.jannah.ae