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5,700 hotel rooms to open in UAE this year

Dubai, March 16, 2010

Even as economic recovery remains uncertain, new hotels continue to open up in the Middle East with the UAE topping the list. The emirates has over 5,700 rooms coming to market this year, said an expert, citing data.

“While much of the recent attention has focused on the impact of the downturn on the hospitality sector, the UAE continues to be one of the world’s active areas for hotel openings,” said Maggie Moore, exhibition director of The Hotel Show.

A leading hospitality event in the Middle East region, the Hotel Show will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 18 to 20.

Moore pointed out that Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia too were witnessing increased activity in this field.  

The GCC is likely to see 48 new hotels with 14,178 rooms open in 2010, at an estimated cost of $7.3 billion, she said citing Dubai-based research company Proleads.

Facing up to this double-edged challenge, a panel of experts will discuss strategies for dealing with the global economic downturn at the Middle East's leading dedicated trade event for the hospitality and leisure sector.

The session on innovative management in challenging times will be part of The Seven Star Conference held on the sidelines of the upcoming Hotel Show.

“The Hotel Show provides a useful barometer for the industry on how equipment, materials and service suppliers, marketing and sales strategies are being affected by the uncertain economic climate,” said Moore.

She pointed out that the Saudi Arabian hospitality sector was set to grow in tandem with inbound travel on the up, both in terms of religious tourism and business visitors.

'It is forecast that there will be another 21 hotels with 7,000 hotel rooms in Saudi Arabia by 2013, 2,000 of which will open this year,' Moore added.

A total of 1,961 new hotel rooms are expected to be added to the Qatar hospitality market during this year, according to Proleads, with a total of 21 new hotels coming online by 2013. Last year the number of available hotel rooms in the country went up 25 per cent compared to the previous year.

“Existing hotels throughout the wider Middle East and North African region have been showing modest signs of recovery. Once economies start to pick-up steam and hotel occupancy rates begin to increase, hoteliers will quite rightly be in a cautiously optimistic mood,” she stated.

Now in its eleventh year, The Hotel Show is the Middle East’s most important event in the hospitality calendar hosting the latest products, services and technologies for the hotel, catering and leisure industries.

The Hotel Show is divided into four zones: Interiors & Design; Operating Equipment & Supplies; Security & Technology; and The Resort Experience, covering all things outdoor including furniture, accessories and design and includes Hotel Spa, an important sector with more than 60 per cent of all spa activity in the Middle East taking place in hotels.

High level seminar programmes - The Seven Star Conference and the Middle East Spa Summit - will be key highlights at the event which will run concurrently with FM Expo.-TradeArabia News Service




Tags: Hotel Show | Gulf | rooms |

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