Le Méridien confirms UAE tourist appeal

Travel trade reaction at the recently World Travel market in London has underscored the ongoing popularity of the UAE as a tourist destination, according to management from Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts, which operates seven properties in the country.

"We have already achieved occupancies of 90 and 100 per cent for our Dubai hotels during Ramadan, but it was encouraging that operators were also very enthusiastic about the potential for Le Méridien Al Aqah Beach Resort on the East Coast," said Russel Sharpe, regional vice president sales.

Already more than 100 UK and Irish tour operators are featuring Dubai in their current brochures, but Sharpe said there were encouraging signs that the market will grow even farther in 2003.

"We received a lot of interest from the Internet operators who are keen to feature Le Méridien hotels in their product inventory, and some agents specialising in long-haul travel are also expanding their stopover product for Dubai, contracting room stock to offer travellers an opportunity to break their journey here for a few days," he said.

With the UK making up nearly half the total of hotel guests from Europe, and more than 70 weekly flights between the country and Dubai, the country's travellers are growing in importance to the leisure sector here, he added, and Le Méridien has established a key role in this market.

"The brand is well-known with a variety of products - including Le Méridien in the city, Al Sondos Suites for long-stay and our two popular beach resorts, Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa and Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina - and this has enabled us to launch the East Coast as a new destination."

Le Méridien Al Aqah Beach Resort has already achieved 100 per cent occupancy for several periods in the first half of 2003, even before its opening in early December.

"The trade representatives we have taken to the site have fallen in love with both the location and the hotel, with many commenting they were reminded of Dubai in the infancy of its tourism development," said Sharpe.

Many operators are opting to feature two-centre packages, giving tourists the opportunity to stay for a few days in Dubai for its shopping and sporting attractions before taking the rest of their holiday on the East Coast.

"All the signs are that the leisure sector will continue to boom in the region," concluded Sharpe. "Le Méridien third quarter results here were very satisfactory, showing growth of around 80 per cent over 2001 - when all hotels in the region were suffering - and the reaction at World Travel Market proved that Dubai has matured as a product, to the extent that we can sell on with new destinations such as the East Coast."