Dubai Tourism News Page 65
Dubai expands into mid-tier as luxury market saturates
A new report from Jones Lang LaSalle has revealed almost half of the 3,600 new hotel rooms to enter the Dubai market in the final months of 2015 have a three-star or lower rating. The JLL report finds there was a supply of almost 65,000 hotel rooms in Dubai in the first quarter of 2015, 44 per cent of which are five-star rated.
Dubai International continues to welcome record passenger numbers
High volumes and steady growth continued at Dubai International in April with more than 6.5 million passengers passing through the airport, according to the monthly traffic report issued by operator Dubai Airports today. Passenger numbers rose 5.7 per cent to 6,510,653 up from 6,159,634 in April 2014.
Dubai continues to develop stature in international tourism
Dubai’s ongoing efforts to position itself as a premier leisure and business hub have resulted in growing visitor numbers to the city, as well as higher rankings on various global traveller and meeting indexes. This week, global payments giant MasterCard announced that Dubai has risen to fourth position out of 132 top destinations for international travellers in the MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index, behind London, Paris and Bangkok.
Four Seasons unveils plans for second Dubai property
Within months of the successful opening of its first hotel in Dubai on Jumeirah Beach Road, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts has announced the development of a second, complementary location in the heart of the city’s International Finance Centre. “Our entry into Dubai has been extremely well received by locals and global travellers alike, and we are very pleased to be able to offer them a second Four Seasons experience in the city,” said Allen Smith, president, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
Eastern European travellers drive up traffic at Dubai International
Dubai International experienced solid growth across all major markets in March 2015, lifting passenger traffic 7.2 per cent from the same month last year, according to the latest traffic report issued by operator Dubai Airports. Passenger traffic in March 2015 totalled 6,736,932 compared to the 6,285,868 passengers recorded in March last year, up 7.2 per cent from the year earlier.
Dubai Airports outlines Al Maktoum International expansion plans
Dubai Airports has confirmed that construction is expected to begin later this year on the expansion of Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central’s existing passenger terminal which will boost the current capacity of six million passengers a year to 26 million. As Dubai International nears its capacity limit due to the rapid growth of passenger traffic, DWC will play an increasingly important role in absorbing additional traffic.
AHIC 2015: Dubai World Central signs three new hotel partners
Dubai World Central has announced the signing of separate agreements that will see the development of three international hotels – Aloft, Studio M and Millennium – at DWC. The hotels are scheduled for completion between 2018 and 2019 and will collectively add 1,300 rooms to DWC’s hospitality offering.
Mövenpick reveals 2017 Dubai Media City debut
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has revealed plans to open its first property in Dubai Media City in 2017, a move that will capitalise on the vibrant business district’s fast-paced expansion. The 251-key Mövenpick Hotel Dubai Media City will stand adjacent to the US$1.23 billion ‘innovation hub’ announced by the Dubai Government last year – a new centre for communications and technology facilities that spans an area the size of two football pitches across DMC, Dubai Internet City and Knowledge Village.
Hope takes charge at Dubai Opera development
Emaar Properties has appointed Jasper Hope as chief executive of the Dubai Opera, the centre piece of the Opera District development in Downtown Dubai. Hope is an accomplished international professional with deep insights into the management of high-end cultural venues. He earlier held the position of chief operating officer at the Royal Albert Hall in London, one of the world’s leading cultural and entertainment facilities.
Dubai Airports to invest US$1.2bn in terminal expansion
Dubai Airports has confirmed that its US$ 1.2 billion investment in new and upgraded facilities for the over 110 international airlines that operate from Dubai International’s Terminals 1 and 2 will deliver a significantly enhanced customer experience when construction and testing is completed. Concourse D, when it opens later this year, will become the new US$517 million home to nearly 100 airlines that currently occupy Concourse C.
Dubai International remains global hub for Airbus A380 flights
In addition to laying claim to being the world’s busiest international airport, Dubai International was also the world’s leading hub for Airbus A380 operations in 2014, according to Dubai Airports’ 2014 Yearbook. The Yearbook reports that Dubai International had a total of 15,098 A380 flights to 39 destinations around the world during 2014. This is sharply up from the 10,608 A380 scheduled flights to 26 destinations recorded in the previous year.
Breaking Travel News interview: Jan Moenkedieck, general manager, Waldorf Astoria Palm Jumeirah
Breaking Travel News head of broadcast Phil Blizzard here talks to Jan Moenkedieck, general manager, Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah, as part of a new series of interviews with the leaders of the luxury hospitality sector in Dubai. He and Moenkedieck discuss the property’s first anniversary, the facilities of the resort, its market position and the Waldorf ‘image’.