Live from AHIC, Dubai: During a lavish lunch at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC) at the Madinat Jumeirah, 550 delegates gave a standing applause to HRH Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Chairman, Kingdom Hotel Investments during his presentation of the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference Lifetime Achievement Award.
HH Sheikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President Civil Aviation and Chairman of Emirates Airlines, who is patron at the AHIC presented the prince with the award which was a beautiful white china panther, donated by sponsors, Villeroy and Boch.
During the presentation, HRH Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s efforts were noted, which included substantial investments in Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Disneyland and Movenpick Hotels and Resorts.

The Prince, who is said to need only 5 hours sleep each night, is also an active investor in many charities.

Upon receiving the award, HRH Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s commented: “It is an honour to accept this award from this very respectable and reputable forum. In the heart of tourism is the hotel industry. We have four hotels in Dubai and we expect this figure to be double digits by the end of this decade with more hotels spreading all over the globe”. Referring to his Disneyland investment, Prince Al Waleed said: “I can assure you that this Mickey Mouse investment will do good and I will comment more on that when it does”.

The Prince then turned the spotlight away from himself and on to His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Emirates, revealing that he is very modest and praising him for having established and maintained Emirates as a world’s leading airline which European and US airlines aspire towards.
Event Director Jonathon Worsley commented: “Prince Alweed was the natural choice as the first recipient of our Lifetime Achievement Award. He has mixed studied investment opportunities around the world with a measured expansion plan in the Middle East.

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