Habtoor Hospitality to unveil new Corporate Identity and Expansion Plans at Arabian Travel Market 2005

Dubai-based Habtoor Hospitality, a leading hotel ownership and management company with an extensive property portfolio in the UAE and Lebanon, is to update its expansion plans for its Middle East hotels at the Arabian Travel Market 2005.

The owner and operator of Dubai’s Metropolitan hotels, a Jumeirah Beach resort and other properties in Beirut and the UK, Habtoor Hospitality will also launch its new corporate identity and reveal its newly designed corporate web site at the show, to be held from May 3-6 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

“This year will see the opening of two premier properties, one deluxe 442-room in Dubai and another five-star city centre hotel in the heart of Beirut,” said David Danby, Group Director of Marketing, Habtoor Hospitality. “A third property on Jumeirah Palm will be added by 2007.”

Plans include a multi-million dirham investment for the construction of two new towers next to the existing Metropolitan Resort & Beach Club, which will be rebranded to Habtoor Grand Resort & Spa upon completion this summer. The two towers will add a further 342 rooms to the company’s Dubai room capacity.

“With a choice of 14 restaurant and bar outlets, three pools and a state-of-the-art 950 square metre banqueting hall, the expanding resort will be a towering mark in the ever changing Jumeirah beach skyline,” said Danby.

“We are adding capacity into our Dubai property portfolio as we foresee major growth opportunities for the emirate’s incoming leisure market from Europe. Coupled with a significant increase from the region’s corporate segment and a higher number of international MICE visitors due to the booming conference and exhibition sectors, Dubai will continue to attract high end visitors.”

Habtoor Hospitality, which will have a 120 square metres stand at the ATM 2005, is one of more than 35 major local, regional and international hotel chains and hotel management groups which will participate at the show.

“The Middle East’s five-star and deluxe hospitality sector continues to expand in frantic fashion,” said Chris Chackal, Group Exhibitions Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions, (RTE), the organiser of the ATM.

“Projected at more than seven per cent, the region’s inbound tourism average annual growth rate by 2020 is the highest in the world and because of this we expect to see many major announcements from the hospitality industry at the show.”

RTE says it has already exceeded its target on the size of this year's ATM. Floor space now totals 15,732 sqm, the biggest in the event’s history.

Currently, exhibitors from 61 countries, including 52 national tourist boards have confirmed participation for the ATM 2005.

“Of these, at least 85 exhibitors will make their ATM debut introducing fresh products and services into the Middle East and further raising the number of new business opportunities for the show’s visitors,” said Chackal.

This year, entry fees from the ATM’s public session will be donated to the ‘Just A Drop’ charity to provide fresh water to communities ravaged by the December tsunami in Asia.

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