SHEIKH AHMED TO OPEN ANNUAL MEETING OF 150 LE MERIDIEN SENIOR MANAGEMENT

Niche market strategy to be reinforced; Musandam and RAK expansion possible

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum is scheduled to give the opening keynote address at the annual General Manager’s meeting of Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts, later this week. More than one hundred and fifty senior management from Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts worldwide are expected in Dubai to attend the event. It is the first time that it has been held in the region.

The five-day activity calendar extends over the weekend and is designed to give the team an in-depth view of Le Meridien’s forward strategy. According to group president and managing director, Bernard Lambert, this is to embrace a 60 per cent growth in three years taking the number of the brand’s properties worldwide to around 250.

Lambert is expected to reinforce the niche market strategy at the conference. The group currently operates 150 properties worldwide, many located in flagship destinations where Meridien’s entry has often led international chains. In India, for example, Le Meridien currently operates five hotels, with three opening in the past 18 months, making it the country’s largest international operator.

While in the UAE, where Le Meridien is already the largest international operator of beach rooms, the group is set to become the first global chain in Fujairah in 20 years. The 219-room Le Meridien Beach Resort Fujairah is scheduled to open in 2002.

Lambert also indicated that the group is actively looking in Musandam, Ras Al Khaimah and Khor Fakkan : "In addition to having a respected interested in developing resort properties in niche leisure destinations in the UAE, we are also actively looking around the region." He cited Salalah in Oman as another possibility.

"Our overriding goal is to seek flagship niche market entry in both leisure and city arenas. I expect the Middle East to play a key role in this growth as there are many untapped destinations with great potential. I would like to see Le Meridien have 50-60 properties in this region in five or six years," he said.

Continuing on expansion, Lambert said : "We never want to be a large hotel group but have clear aspirations to have a portfolio of around 450 hotels in both key and niche business and leisure destinations inside five years."

Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts currently operate 21 hotels in the Middle East and West Asia, with another 19 under construction or in final stages of contract.