Abu Dhabi has witnessed the opening of the Annual General Meeting of the Arab Air Carriers Organisation at Emirates Palace – the leading hotel in the region. The event was hosted by kind invitation of Etihad Airways, with the carrier represented by its chief executive James Hogan, who will take the position of chairman during the event.

HE Sultan Al Humairi, managing director of Emirates Palace Company, has confirmed Bugra Berberoglu will take over as the new general manager of Emirates Palace. He replaces Hans Olbertz who has left the property after three-and-a-half years to take up a position with Kempinski in Vienna.

Abu Dhabi’s legendary Emirates Palace has reinforced its standing as one of world’s great hotels by picking up no less than seven awards at the prestigious World Travel Awards 2011 Middle East Ceremony, which took place this week at the Armani Hotel Dubai.

As ITB Berlin opens, Emirates Palace is presenting its spring and summer holiday packages with the intent of attracting an influx of high-end vacationers to Abu Dhabi. The property – voted the World’s Leading Meetings & Conference Hotel by the World Travel Awards - will use the event to present its offering to more than 180,000 visitors.

Janet Abrahams, Executive Director of Sales & Marketing, Emirates Palace Janet Abrahams, Executive Director of Sales & Marketing, Emirates Palace

Emirates Palace has raised the luxury stakes in the Gulf even higher by unveiling an ATM that dispenses gold. The machine, which monitors the price of gold minute-by minute, offers bars weighing up to 10 grammes as well as coins.