The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has announced that there has been a huge response from the hotel establishments in the emirate for the new Hotel Classification Scheme with as many as 90 properties enrolling for the new system during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM-2012).

Mr. Majid Al Marri, DTCM Director of Classification, said senior representatives of about 180 hotels attended the 12 workshops that the department conducted during the four-day ATM-2012 in Dubai to update the hospitality industry professionals about the new hotel classification scheme designed to meet the expectations and needs of the tourism industry.

He said the department will continue to host more workshops to help this important and vital sector get benefitted from the new programme designed to raise the quality standards of the hospitality establishments in the emirate.

He added, “Dubai has experienced phenomenal growth in tourism product supply and visitors volume in its journey to become a leading global destination. The resulting increase in visitors’ awareness and visitation has driven unprecedented development of Dubai’s accommodation portfolio.”

DTCM launched a dedicated website www.classification.dubaitourism.ae for its new hotel classification programme launched at ATM-2012.

The new classification website was launched to provide information concerning the licensing and classification of guest establishments of all categories and ratings. Allowing easier access to information to investor and industry alike, the classification website will allow for direct submissions of all classification applications, completion of self-assessments and communication with DTCM.

DTCM has also conducted a series of presentations to the hotel industry which provided details concerning the new draft of the Industry Manual, new criteria checklists, and an overview of the entire classification scheme.

Highlighting the presentations has been details concerning the new Accolade programme. This is a first of its kind in the region programme that reward the outstanding achievement of hotels and resorts by awarding a Gold and Platinum level to qualifying 5 star establishments.

The new Classification website will streamline the application process for industry, offering a wide range of e-services to the industry, and providing a dedicated “Partner Page” for each establishment.

The department said the New Classification Scheme highlights the quality of Guest Accommodation in the emirate, strives to satisfy all consumers and promote retention, diversified Guest Accommodation options develops new investment opportunities and opens new consumer markets, provides transparent and detailed requirements for Guest Accommodation, in line with international practices.

DIAMONDLEASE bagged the prestigious 2012 Middle East & North Africa (MENA) Travel Award (Gold) being adjudged the “Best Car Rental Company (Local Brand)” in the Middle East & North Africa region. The company has won the prestigious award for the 7th time in a row.

In a glittering Award Ceremony at the Al Meydan Hotel on 2nd May 2012, DIAMONDLEASE L.L.C. was presented the trophy & certificate by CHA International, the organizers of the MENA Travel Awards.

MENA Travel Awards annually recognizes and reward companies in the Travel, Tourism & Hospitality industry for superior service. The objective is to stimulate the competitive spirit to reach higher levels of excellence and deliver better service to the end users in the region.

The judges are the immediate end-users/customers of the companies enrolling for the award. There are a minimum stipulated number of customer votes required for each enrolling company to qualify for evaluation.  The votes are consolidated through a special and professionally designed electronic program, which is independently audited, inspected, and evaluated by Price Waterhouse Cooper.
 

Bahrain’s national carrier, Gulf Air today officially inaugurated its Falcon Gold Lounge at Bahrain International Airport under the patronage of Her Excellency Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al-Khalifa, Minister of Culture.

The fully renovated lounge seamlessly integrates contemporary design and architecture with Arabian influences, creating an environment that combines peace and tranquillity with extensive modern-day business and catering facilities. For the first time, premium passengers have the added facilities of seven private sleeping rooms, a cigar lounge and shower rooms with hotel-style towels and luxury brand toiletries and amenities.

Passengers can stay connected with free Wi-Fi throughout the lounge, discreet power sockets at every seat and a business centre that includes PCs, fax machines and printers. For families the lounge offers a spacious family room with highly trained professional SkyNannies in attendance as well as a gaming room equipped with Xbox and PlayStation units.

The lounge upgrade is in-line with the airline’s service and product enhancement strategy both in the air and on the ground including the company’s aircraft which are either new or have been refurbished. The current fleet age is 5.2 years, one of the youngest in the region.

Gulf Air Chief Executive Officer Mr. Samer Majali said the that the upgraded-lounge was a further example of the airline’s commitment to investing in its hub, “Bahrain is our most important market so developing and improving our home-product is key. The new lounge is the latest in a series of service enhancements across our entire passenger value chain including the re-launch of our Sky Nanny Service, Sky Chef, online check in and a robust network connectivity in the Middle East.

“We believe in investing in our customers and, as we keep improving ourselves in our customer service on the ground, we will continue to add more features and facilities in the air as well, so that our premium customers enjoy a consistently enhanced experience throughout their journey” Mr. Majali concluded.

Gulf Air Chief Services Officer Mr. Marcus Bernhardt commented, “The revamp of the Bahrain Falcon Gold Lounge is part of an extensive lounge-renovation program across our network, which saw the inauguration last year of our new premium lounge in Terminal 4 at Heathrow International Airport in London, and will be preceded next year by the upgrading of our premium lounge in Dubai International Airport.”

The architectural design of the new 1720 sq.ft lounge gives a sense of space and freedom featuring well laid-out business, dining, lounging facilities and TV areas in addition to offering panoramic views of the runway through a high glass wall.

There are also separate prayer rooms and secure lockers for those who want to use these facilities. The private sleeping rooms boast comfortable beds with dimming light and the ‘do not disturb’ option to rest in complete privacy. The rooms are also equipped with hi definition TVs with wireless headphones.

The modern, self-service buffet area offers a wide variety of snacks and meals, including an Italian coffee corner offering the world famous Lavazza brand coffee varieties.

The lounge can accommodate up to 200 people and all Platinum, Gold and Silver card holding FFP members of Gulf Air, and premium class ticket holders of Gulf Air’s code-share partner airlines.

Katara Hospitality took advantage of the international platform provided by the prestigious tourism fair in Dubai to announce its new name and reveal its strategic international expansion plans.

“A clear vision and well defined objectives made the launch of Katara Hospitality a success at the global level”, says Hamad Abdulla Al-Mulla, the CEO of the company.

“However, we have been supported throughout this exercise by carefully selected partners that contributed to conveying the right message across a large audience”, he added.

Lambie-Nairn, an international branding consultancy, has been appointed to identify the brand strategy, name and identity and set the image standards. Lambie-Nairn has also produced the corporate film, website, corporate brochure and a high quality ‘coffee table’ style book, show-casing Katara Hospitality’s achievements and future plans.

Based in the UAE, Projex Event Services has designed and built the 200 square meters exhibition stand that reflects the brand personality and positioning, showcasing the brand values throughout the duration of the trade show in Dubai. Additionally, The Event Company has been appointed to implement daily events at the stand, adding flavour to the business-to-business event by creating daily themes largely enjoyed by the public and exhibitors. Shamal Marketing Communications was assigned as the Public Relations agency for the project, ensuring that the communication with the local, regional and international media was consistently streamlined.

Locally, Fortune Promoseven created a comprehensive and attractive advertising campaign that set the basis of future strategic communication, while Kenkaato FZE has been commissioned to create and implement innovative lighting shows on the façade of Katara Hospitality landmark properties in Doha to celebrate the birth of the company.

“The re-branding exercise was complex and challenging. We would like to thank our partners in this project for their dedication and ability to make things happen”, says Hamad Abdulla Al Mulla.

“Last but not least, I would also like to thank our partner hotels at home and abroad who supported us not only during the preparation stage but also during the exhibition, proudly stating their affiliation with Katara Hospitality”, Al Mulla concluded.

Liwa Executive Suites, managed by Coral Hotels & Resorts, which opened in Abu Dhabi in May 2010 will be celebrating its second anniversary after achieving an enviable 100% occupancy level during the World Ophthalmology Congress this February and following it up with an equally brilliant 96% occupancy last month.

The property enjoys the patronage of leading corporate clients such as ADNOC, Total, Freshfields, Northcroft, Siemens and AMEC, which favour it as the preferred accommodation option for their travelling executives, as well as local entities such as Al Mansoori, Liwa Trading and Abu Dhabi Grammar School.

“We’ve had a busy start to the year and have maintained the momentum till now, with little breathing space. May promises to be equally hectic, the packed calendar of major global events including the just-concluded ATM as well as Middle East Communications, Financial Technology Market and Shams Festival, among others”, says General Manager Amr Hamed.

“Our continuing success and high occupancy levels are in line with tourism developments in the capital. The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) estimates that we will receive 2.7 million hotel guests this year and appears to be on track to achieve this target. Last year, the number of hotel guest nights rose 22% to 6.3 million, and January witnessed a further 20% increase, accompanied by an 11% increase in revenues,” he adds.

According to Amr, the hotel’s key feeder markets have been Europe and the GCC countries - predominantly Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE - and it has earned itself the reputation of being the ideal choice for both corporate and leisure travellers seeking boutique hospitality. He points out that while the focus had been on the expansion of deluxe hotels in the UAE capital, demand for value-priced accommodation is spiralling from both business and leisure visitors.

“We have achieved a niche status, becoming the preferred option of executives looking for high-end accommodation that offers them home comforts. The thing is that many company executives wish to conduct their own business meetings on the sidelines of the shows they are attending. They also want to network after hours. So they find us an excellent base for their operations in Abu Dhabi,” Amr points out.

“In fact, we have identified these small meetings as a key growth area and have tailored our business strategy to encourage growth in this sector by citing our convenient location and offering attractive tailor-made accommodation options that meet the needs of our regular corporate clients and other guests,” he explains.

“Location is a prime advantage for Liwa Executive Suites. Being in the heart of the city, both business visitors and leisure guests wishing to discover the cultural, shopping and sightseeing appeal of Abu Dhabi find us the ideal place to stay,” adds Amr.

The first Coral hotel in the UAE capital, Liwa Executive Suites offers a convenient location next to the City Terminal in downtown Abu Dhabi, close to offices, malls and tourist attractions.

It features 54 spacious suites (18 Coral Club suites and 36 Deluxe suites) with separate living area, work desks and kitchen facilities, plus on-site conveniences such as a dedicated business centre, three meeting rooms that can cater for seminars or boardroom meetings for up to 50 people, fitness centre and roof-top pool, 24-hour restaurant and café, and 24-hour room service.

Italian restaurant APi CAE Gourmet will launch a campaign to get people across Abu Dhabi eating healthier bread. It begins with staff distributing 1,000 loaves of the chef’s freshly baked bread throughout the city.

That will be followed by a month-long run of activities - from school visits to question and answer sessions with the chef and free recipe giveaways.

APi CAE GOURMET’s bread is baked in line with traditional methods using slow-acting sourdough yeast that takes days to proof. It means the whole process takes much longer than methods used in mass production.

However, the bread is more naturally digestible in the stomach and stays fresher for longer due to the absence of synthetic yeast accelerants.

Traditional bread also contains less salt than most mass produced products.

Bread chef at APi CAE, Giovanni Staiano, says it’s important that people understand what really goes into making the bread.

“Bread forms the cornerstone of the diet in many cultures throughout the world and has done for many hundreds of years,” he said.

“In the desire to mass produce bread quickly, shortcuts have accelerated the bread-making process to the detriment of people’s wellbeing and general nutrition.

“At APi CAE our philosophy is about going back to basics on food. In our bread and dough we use sourdough yeast, which has for hundreds of years been the best way of making bread.

“The slow acting yeast needs days of nurturing and feeding in order to proof properly but the resulting bread is far healthier, much tastier and much longer lasting.

Gergana Konova, co-founder of APi CAE, said: “Bread is one of those food items which has become stigmatised recently for being unhealthy, but originally it formed the heart of a healthy meal.

“We want people to bake more at home and make more informed decisions about the type of bread they eat.”

Following the successful launch of the Clean the Desert initiative, Volkswagen, Siemens and Rotana will once again team up, this time turning their attention to a wildlife sanctuary and reserve at the last remaining natural beach in Dubai.

On Saturday 12 May the three companies will join teams of volunteers at Emirates Marine Environmental Group’s coastal sanctuary on the western border of Dubai, which is home to some of the region’s most endangered wildlife, including turtles.

The teams will spend several hours carefully cleaning the beach of algae, litter and other man-made debris, recycling it where possible and ensuring that the beach remains an optimum environment for its inhabitants.

The initiative is part of a series of environmental awareness campaigns that Volkswagen, Siemens and Rotana are leading in the hope they will highlight the importance of looking after the Middle East’s unique natural environments.

“The Clean the Beach initiative is as much about raising awareness as it is about going there and making it happen,” says Stefan Mecha, Managing Director of Volkswagen Middle East. “We believe that it is small, everyday actions that can bring about big changes in environmental responsibility and whether we’re cleaning the desert, the beaches or the mountains, we want to encourage people to consider how they might help protect our natural world on a daily basis.”

He added, “We’re pleased to again be partnering with Siemens and Rotana as the two companies share Volkswagen’s concern on these issues, and are also prepared to be proactive in addressing them.”

Erich Kaeser, CEO of Siemens Middle East, said, “Our participation in this campaign emphasises our commitment to helping raise public awareness of the need to be more environmentally conscious. The thoughtful disposal of waste is an important issue here in the region - especially if already endangered wildlife is to make a recovery - and through this initiative Siemens hopes to encourage cleaner and more wildlife-friendly beaches for the UAE. Initiatives like this also enable us, as individuals, to demonstrate how serious we are about our environment and about keeping it clean.”‬

‪”Siemens has been a pioneer of environmentally friendly technology in the region for many years, devoting resources to the development of sustainable technologies and also forging close relationships with key local partners such as Masdar,” he added.

“The UAE’s fragile ecosystems need protecting; waste material being disposed of in the desert, at sea and on our beaches is posing a genuine threat to some of the region’s most endangered wildlife, such as the Arabian Oryx and Sand Gazelles, as well as camels, sheep, goats and marine life,” said Thomas Tapken, Area Vice President, Rotana Dubai & Northern Emirates.

“We need to work hard to protect our beaches, deserts and mountains and Rotana, as part of its longstanding commitment to sustainable practices and environmental awareness, is proud to be involved in this crucial campaign,” he added.

The Emirates Marine Environmental Group works to protect endangered wildlife, actively participates in conservation efforts, advances research and promotes environmental education. It also aims to conserve fragile ecosystems for future generations by preserving the UAE’s unique biodiversity.

Enjoy amazing added value during summer stays starting from AED 990++

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (7th May 2012) – Atlantis, The Palm offers something for everyone in the family to enjoy this summer! Starting from only AED 990++ per room per night from 8 May to 30 September 2012, this sizzling summer rate also includes unlimited complimentary access to Aquaventure, a water playground of over 18 million litres of water, The Lost Chambers marine exhibit and preferential rates to swim with the dolphins at Dolphin Bay.  Kids will be stimulated and Mum and Dad can enjoy some alone time together thanks to the multitude of different dining, relaxation and entertainment experiences.

The Visa Family Fun package AED 1,595++ (valid 10 June to 30 September 2012) includes a one night stay in a Deluxe Room, AED 800 dinner voucher at a choice of three restaurants (Ronda Locatelli, Rostang, The French Brasserie or Levantine), breakfast for two adults and two children, a 2 for 1 treatment voucher at ShuiQi Spa & Fitness and an afternoon session at Kids Club for two children. Offer may be redeemed by presenting your VISA card.  Visit
http://www.atlantisthepalm.com/promotionpages/visa.aspx for more information.

The Lost Chambers, home to over 65,000 marine animals is holding a series of Family Fun Days over the Summer-4 May, 8 June and 7 September 2012 allowing families to discover the mysteries of the ocean and all-age activities together. ‘Shark Man’ Mike Rutzen is special guest on 4 May for exciting tales of the ocean. The events will offer educational experiences on marine animals, face-painting, games and competitions.  Hotel guests enjoy unlimited complimentary access to The Lost Chambers and UAE residents will receive a special rate during the summer of AED 75 for adults and AED 50 for children.  Guests to Family Fun Days can also enjoy an offer of one child free with each paying adult.

Slip and slide through the world of AQUAVENTURE, with unlimited complimentary access when staying at the resort to the region’s largest water park with extraordinary rides tidal waves and rapids, and the Mesopotamian-styled Ziggurat temple reaching over 30 metres into the sky and featuring seven heart-pumping water slides – two of which catapult riders through shark-filled lagoons; as a hotel guest and special UAE resident rate for adults of AED 140 and children AED 115 for non-hotel guests.  AQUAVENTURE is the ultimate place for fun and excitement!

Have a once in a lifetime experience at Dolphin Bay, where swimmers and non-swimmers have an opportunity to get up-close and personal with the dolphins through a range of interactions including Dolphin Encounter (Shallow Water) Dolphin Adventure (Deep Water) Royal Swim (Deep water special interaction) Dolphin Scuba Dive and Dolphin Photo Fun (for guests who don’t want to get in the water.)  Enjoy preferential rates for the Dolphin Encounter (shallow water interaction) experience as a hotel guest when the summer offer is booked, starting from AED 550 per person, from 6 May to 30 June 2012 and from AED 495 per person, from 1 July to 30 September 2012. Non hotel guests enjoy a summer rate of AED 595 per person including complimentary same day access to Aquaventure.

No matter what your children’s tastes and dietary requirements, the resort’s 20 restaurants cater for them, with special allergy-conscious menus and a variety of food from around the world from sushi to pizza.  Atlantis is home to three restaurants by world-renowned chefs, making the resort the culinary destination in Dubai – Nobu by Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, Ronda Locatelli – an Italian eatery by Michelin star chef Giorgio Locatelli with a central stone oven with fresh-baked pizzas and Rostang-The French Brasserie by Parisian two star Michelin chef Michel Rostang.  Families can also enjoy the variety available at the resort’s two interactive buffets, Saffron and Kaleidoscope.

Traditional Arabic restaurant Levantine continues its successful Lebanese Nights event every month, bringing a top leading celebrity to perform, plus Emirates NBD Visa cardholders also enjoy 25% discount off at all Atlantis dining experiences from 1 June to 30 September 2012.  For a casual dining experience The Burger Joint (TBJ) provides a fun and fast paced feel of a New York style burger joint.

ShuiQi Spa & Fitness provides a sublime range of exclusive treatments, bathing options, traditional and water therapy spa taster packages, awakening the senses in an awe-inspiring and serene water surrounding.  Relax & Revive Spa Sample Package: back, neck and shoulder massage + express facial; the Renew & Recover Spa Sample Package: back, neck and shoulder massage + lime blossom scalp massage + foot massage; and the Revitalize & Refresh Spa Sample Package: body scrub + body wrap. Each package is 60 minutes and priced at AED 495.

The Atlantis Kids Club (3 – 12 years) offers a daily supervised activity programme with ten action packed Summer Camps  focusing  on adventure, fun and exploration through group play.  Kids aged 8 to 12 years can participate in the 5-day Atlantis Aqua Camp and go behind-the-scenes to learn about the vast marine life living at Atlantis. This camp will be sure to entertain, inspire, and even let them try their hand at scuba diving with our Padi Certified Dive Centre. Atlantis Adventure Camp offers kids aged 3 to 12 years the chance to participate in the 5-day programme that will be filled with exciting activities!

For the youngest guests (children under 3), Atlantis, The Palm offers a full range of professional nannies equipped with endless activities to assist with in-room care.

Teens (ages 13 – 18 years old) will have an opportunity to escape to a fully supervised ‘No Kids or Adults’ environment at Club Rush. They can watch movies on the big screen, grab a snack or smoothie from the bar, make use of the latest games and consoles, stay connected in the internet lounge, or listen to the latest tunes while dancing the night away.

New this summer are the five AAA Summer Camps at Club Rush offering summer programmes and workshops. The Access All Areas camps will go behind the scenes and offer something for every teen; a great way to beat the heat and a chance to make new friends! Camp Aqua will involve all things water; Junior Lifeguard Training, Padi Dive Centre Experiences and Aquaventure visits allow teens to make a splash during the summer months.   Camp Adventure  is the chance to have Atlantis as your playground! Sports, photography and learning some DJ ‘spinning’ skills are just a few of the items on the agenda!

One can only fully experience Atlantis when they stay overnight and discover the many attractions, exciting activities and the superb dining options. Whatever experience you’re looking for, enjoy a truly memorable holiday at Atlantis, The Palm. 

To avoid disappointment, reserve your room early at atlantisthepalm.com or by calling +971 4 426 1000 and quote Atlantis Summer to enjoy the best of summer at Atlantis, The Palm. 

¹Please note that the AED 990 rate is for room only, per room, per night and does not include service and authority fees. Valid for stays from 8 May to 30 September 2012 only.

Both low and high resolution colour photography of Atlantis is available at news.atlantisthepalm.com.  If you are new user to this site, please complete the online registration to be granted access to the online newsroom.

The new outlet promises unique experience in the world of fine dining in UAE malls

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 5th May 2012: Al Dahleez Services Group, a leading restaurant chain and owner of many stand-alone eatery brands, has opened Al Khawali Restaurant in Al Ghazal Mall in Dubai, as part of the company’s expansion plans in the emirate.

Positioned as a unique fine dining destination in a shopping mall, the new restaurant offers a mixed menu of delicious and authentic cuisine to delight diners with mouth-watering delicacies.

Hamad Al Hareb, Chairman of Al Dahleez Services, said at the inauguration: “The new restaurant is a welcome addition to our restaurant chain, designed to offer delicious dishes and varied Arabic food with distinct flavors. The menu includes new dishes as well as hot starters and special drinks.”

Al Dahleez Services Group restaurant chain, one of the oldest in the UAE, believes in offering diners an ideal ambience, right from greeting at the reception and to serving top quality food and personalized service.

Al Hareb added: “We have taken great pains to design the décor of Al Khawali Restaurant, with the right shapes and colors, matching the standards of service, so that diners enjoy the ambience as they relish the food. The location has been wisely chosen taking into consideration proximity to public facilities and accessibility as well as connectivity to shopping in Al Ghazal Mall.

Al Dahleez Services Group strives to provide quality services to meet its customers’ requirements, taking into account the multi-cultural environment of the UAE.

The group owns eight signature restaurants serving authentic Arabic and international food, including Al Bandar, Kan Zaman, Al Dahleez Restaurant (Garhoud and JBR), Al Koufa, Al Makan and Al Merkaaz. 

Living up to its reputation for showcasing benchmark hotels and products, this year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM) was packed with surprises. Optimism reigned as the industry reported growth in demand and continued increase in RevPAR across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) highlighting stability and attractiveness of the region.

HMH staged its strong portfolio of 33 operational hotels and 16 upcoming properties across the Middle East and Africa during the four-day event. The group also launched its regional and global sales and marketing campaigns that are geared at maximizing revenue and profitability of the hotels while widening the brand appeal. A front-runner in the regional hospitality industry, HMH offers four unique brands namely Coral Hotels & Resorts, Corp Executive Hotels, EWA Hotel Apartments and ECOS Hotels catering to different segments of travellers from luxury to budget.

Michel Noblet, President & CEO, HMH, said, “This year’s ATM was notable for us as we seek to have a wider reach locally and globally. It has been a remarkable rebound for Dubai that is witnessing a return of business and leisure travellers. Improved hotel performance encourages us to look at new opportunities.”

“However”, he stress, “As the market fills up with new brands and more choices, quality service and standards are more than ever critical to a brand’s success and that’s the strength of our hotels. We ensure value for money and quality product and service irrespective of the segment we cater to. It is still a buyer’s market with the fight on for the best rate and amenities packages.The typical customer staying at any hotel today is looking for a great value and an enhanced-stay experience and that is guaranteed at every hotel under our banner.”

HMH - Hospitality Management Holdings has experienced tremendous growth since its inception in 2003 and has emerged as a key player in the Middle East hospitality sector. At the core of this rapid growth was an ambitious and winning strategy crafted around novel brands and products offering an alcohol-free safe environment, savvy marketing, cutting-edge technology and highly focused expansion plan.

Michel said, “Over the years we have established a solid reputation. Our primary objective today is to consolidate our business while continuing our strong development in the Middle East, Africa and Asia where we see enormous potential for growth. We are thrilled to debut in new destinations such as Iraq with a beautiful property like Coral Boutique Hotel Baghdad. All brands under HMH are uniquely positioned to compete in an evolving business environment where online and offline commerce is increasingly overlapping with new modes of driving business such as mobile bookings.”

The highlights of the show for the group included several major announcements including The Ajman Palace Dubai, the first major deluxe hotel development in Ajman for more than a decade, as well three other properties in UAE and Oman.

Michel said, “Our upcoming properties are absolutely stunning in terms of product and design and would greatly add to our brand appeal. As an industry we are extremely confident of a robust future and Arabian Travel Market is a brilliant platform in terms of development, exposure, networking and securing new business.”