Tag Archives: MICE

OYO Hotels & Homes welcomed over 100,000 guests from 78 countries across 14 properties and 20 homes in the UAE, since its launch in April last year. With this lease and full inventory control model, OYO currently manages 1,300 rooms within these properties in Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al-Khaimah and Fujairah and is set to touch 12,000 rooms by 2020. Since the first 9 months of its launch, the hotel chain has received guests from within the UAE, which accounted for 45.73 per cent of their guests and the remaining from countries such as India, Oman, Saudi Arabia, France, Russia, United States, Australia, Italy, Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mauritius and United Kingdom, among several other counties. OYO aims to grow its market share through its ‘Manchise’ business model — a unique business model that combines the best of management contract and franchise agreement. Through this model, OYO aims to grow its footprint within the two-, three- and four-star hotels in the UAE.  With nearly 15.8 million overnight visitors in 2017, Dubai retained its ranking as the fourth most visited city in the world for the fourth year in a row, according to Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index. Dubai was ahead of Singapore, followed by New York, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Istanbul, and Seoul. Manu Midha, Regional Head — Middle East, OYO Hotels & Homes, said, “OYO has now grown to become a preferred choice for several nationalities across the globe due to its ideal location, quality and also the price point. At the moment, we have touched around 78 countries and we are going to take this number higher due to the upcoming EXPO 2020. With 190 nations already signed up, we are confident that our …

Millenium Hotels has signed an agreement with Hotelbeds Group that grants all of the Hotelbeds Group brands (Hotelbeds, Bedsonline, Tourico Holidays and GTA) with direct real-time access to over 1.4 million of Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ annual room nights in more than 60 global business and leisure travel destinations. The pact will strengthen Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ distribution through Hotelbeds’ presence in more than 140 markets, spanning a wide range of channels including airlines, MiCE operators, point redemption schemes, retail travel agencies and tour operators representing over 60,000 travel distributors. Mark Redmond, Head – Global Chains, Hotelbeds Group, commented: “We are delighted to be connecting to Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ global hospitality offering. This will be a strong relationship in delivering special rates and availability across the MHR portfolio to our clients, while giving MHR access to higher-margin, niche segments of the travel market.” Also, Nayan Peshkar, Senior Vice President, Digital, Distribution and Revenue Strategy, Millennium Hotels and Resorts, said, “We are pleased to be working with Hotelbeds. This supports the Group’s wider distribution strategy of reducing reliance on static rate and room agreements in the leisure segment.”

One of the most important MiCE events in the emirate of Sharjah, this year’s Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) opened under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member, Supreme Council and Ruler, Sharjah. Now in its 37th year, the fair has attracted visitors from across the globe and is considered as the second-largest book fair in the world. This edition will be hosting more than 20 million books from 1.6 million titles, 80,000 of which are new titles, and 1,874 publishing houses from 77 countries. The event will be curating 1800 events and featuring 472 guests from around the world with 200 book signing ceremonies for authors from 19 countries. Japan is the Guest of Honour at this year’s edition in celebration of its cultural and creative achievements. SIBF will be organising more than 100 activities comprising 13 Japanese authors and creative artists. The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) announced the launch of its interactive blog during its participation at the SIBF, with an aim to encourage visitors and residents of Sharjah to share their positive experiences in the emirate. The blog provides an ideal platform to share memorable experiences of visits to the emirate’s tourism and entertainment sites. In a move to better engage audiences, SCTDA’s blog will run a contest encouraging participants to write articles on their views and personal experiences about Sharjah in 300 to 400 words. Participants must focus on one of the three main categories – Culture and Heritage; Food and Street Food and Adventures and submissions, and it can include photos and a video. The participants should submit their entries through the official website www.visitsharjah.com for …

The new five-star luxury destination Grand Millennium Business Bay has opened on the banks of the Dubai Water Canal. Scheduled for an official opening at the end of 2018 and all set to become a landmark in the vibrant district of Business Bay, the 251-room hotel will cater to a mix of leisure and business travellers, with plans for seven F&B venues, 11 fully equipped meeting rooms brimming with natural daylight, a 455 square metre ballroom to accommodate more than 600 guests, spa, health club and swimming pool. Currently in its soft opening phase, the facilities available for business include the Beau Rivage Bar, a casual European inspired café opening out onto the canal waterfront, The Podium, the international all-day-dining restaurant and the Lounge. Ziad El Hawi, General Manager of Grand Millennium Business Bay, comments, “Grand Millennium Business Bay offers all the modern comforts and state-of-the-art facilities to please any type of traveller – whether it’s tourists to Dubai; thanks to our close proximity to the airport and city’s iconic attractions or residents who will seek out our F&B outlets, MiCE and leisure facilities.”

Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) has announced that it is primed to host a very busy events season with its venues to be fully occupied by major local and international events before the end of this year, with more than 50 exhibitions and conferences across key sectors including culture, healthcare, leisure, lifestyle, and business. Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Group CEO of ADNEC, said, “ADNEC seeks to strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as the capital of business tourism sector in the region, by attracting major international events to the Emirate. We have completed all preparations needed to host more than 50 major and international events before the end of 2018, which is a confirmation of our success in this field. ADNEC’s workforce, led by a group of highly skilled professional national talents, have worked on developing a wide range of programs aimed at attracting exhibitors and international associations. The coming season will witness exhibitions and conferences hosted and organized for the first time, in accordance with the key sectors identified by the Abu Dhabi plan and the Emirate’s vision 2030.” Al Dhaheri noted ADNEC’s keenness to continue developing infrastructure for all its local and international venues, making all efforts needed to enhance customer satisfaction and exceed the expectations of events organizers and local and international visitors, while conforming to the highest international standards in this competitive sector. He also commended the efforts of the government and private sectors partners, especially the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism and the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau, as well as exhibition organisers and representatives of local and international professional associations.

The Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island Resort, a 641-Room Property opening in 2019, will be located in the Yas Bay, a 3-kilometre stretch that is anticipated to become one of the most iconic and vibrant waterfront destinations in the region. The resort’s facilities will include a multi-purpose conference centre, seven dining outlets and an innovative urban beach concept with an infinity pool suspended above the waters of the Arabian Gulf. The resort is also nearby the Yas Arena, a multi-purpose indoor arena designed to host large- and intimate-scale events, including sporting competitions, major cultural performances, concerts and MICE activities. B.R. Kiran, Chief Portfolio Officer of Miral said: “We are proud to announce our partnership with Hilton, which represents another milestone in our journey to establish Yas Island as a top global destination. The creation of a world-class family resort at the heart of Yas Bay, our iconic waterfront development, will provide visitors with a five-star opportunity to extend their leisure and business stays and enjoy the unique attractions and memorable experiences that only Yas Island can offer.”

Dubai has emerged as one of the top 10 destinations for international meetings, according to the latest edition of the International Meetings Statistics Report published last week by Union of International Associations (UIA). The report ranked 1157 cities globally based on the total number of international meetings that took place during the year. Previously ranked 14th in the 2015 edition, Dubai has moved up the list to claim the 10th spot, with a total of 180 meetings taking place in 2016, a 24% growth compared to 2015. Dubai is the only city in the Middle East and Africa to appear in the top 25 in the rankings, further underlining its status as the region’s number one destination for international meetings and conferences.

Expo Centre Sharjah has recorded a 7 per cent increase in the number of visitors coming to its exhibitions and events during the first quarter of 2017, in comparison to the number of visitors that came during the same period in 2016. According to the Expo Centre management, 302,474 people visited the Centre’s events, including 12 specialised exhibitions, in January, February and March. The meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry in the United Arab Emirates currently generates a total of $653 million (AED 2.4b) per year and is expected to continue growing at about 7 per cent per annum until 2020. Overall, the GCC’s MICE market is estimated to be worth some $1.3 billion (AED 4.8b) annually. Located on Al Taawun Street in the centre of Sharjah city, the Expo Centre now has 6 exhibition halls surrounding a central boulevard, with a combined gross exhibition area of 26,000 square metres (279,862 sq. ft.) indoors, plus a further 6,000 square metres (64,583 sq. ft.) of outdoor space. A 200-room Novotel Sharjah Expo is currently under construction adjacent to the expo site. Sharjah is also building a new 370,000 square metre (4 million sq. ft.) exhibition and conference centre in Al Tai district, near the intersection of Emirates Road and Mleiha Road. Expected to open in November, the new centre’s first major event is going to be this year’s edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (1-11 November).

Saudi Arabia aims to become the main destination for conferences and exhibitions in the Middle East by 2020. The Kingdom has announced ambitious plans to invest USD1.6 billion in its MICE tourism industry for the coming years to 2019, and several centres and venues will benefit from this financial boost. Backed by a growing number of modern facilities and government support, Makkah is set to become a new destination for the MICE tourism industry in Saudi Arabia, according to industry experts.  Traditionally seen as a site for religious travel, Makkah today is attracting a growing number of local companies and government authorities looking to combine their meeting and training requirements with Umrah pilgrimage. Conrad Makkah Jabal Omar, the first Conrad property opened by Hilton in Saudi Arabia earlier this year, has seen its MICE business grow steadily, driven by demand from pharmaceutical companies and government entities that tend to conduct their board and annual meetings, as well as training and development programs, over weekends in the Holy City. “There are several factors that contribute to the development of MICE tourism in Makkah, one of which is the growing supply of modern venues from new hotels that are opening in the market, equipped with the latest technology,” said Ismail Sirry, general manager of Conrad Makkah Jabal Omar. “Other factors include the improving infrastructure, companies’ desire to hold their meetings and trainings in nearby locations, and continuous government support.”  

The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has unveiled a Digital MICE strategy and online marketing plan highlighting the ‘Biz Thailand’ mobile application — an information gateway for MICE travellers. TCEB’s four key online marketing initiatives in 2016 include the enhancement of the innovative Thai MICE website at www.businesseventsthailand.com by providing comprehensive information on MICE products and services, available in eight languages, and the ‘Biz Thailand’ mobile application to seamlessly leverage the TCEB website user experience catering to target audiences across the globe; online marketing tools and digital sales kits including a blog, digital brochure, photo and video content, as well as infographics and digital sales kits. Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, President, TCEB, said, “This year TCEB continues to promote the readiness of Thailand’s MICE industry through a comprehensive Digital MICE marketing strategy, utilising online channels to support the bureau’s key marketing activities while aligning both traditional and digital activities in the same strategic direction, consistent with the government’s Digital Economy policy – driving growth for the MICE industry, while serving as an effective economic growth driver.”