MÖVENPICK Hotels and Resorts opened two properties in Dubai last year – the Mövenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach and the Ibn Battuta Gate – while its first launch this year was on January 1, 2011, with the opening of the Mövenpick Hotel Deira. Also coming on stream in 2011 will be the Mövenpick Hotel Riyadh and the Mövenpick Hotel & Residence Jumeirah Lakes Towers.
Toufic Tamim, vice president sales and marketing Middle East for Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts Management, said: “It has been an exciting year for us. Today our portfolio has 23 properties in the Middle East and we continue to focus on offering quality of service to our guests has helped us to ensure good business. We currently have 15 projects under development in the region and this is an indication of the demand for the Mövenpick brand, despite the global economic climate.”
Speaking on Mövenpick’s performance last year, Tamim said that while the corporate market has yet to reach 2008 levels, business is back and 2010 witnessed a 15-per-cent increase in the corporate segment across its hotels in the region, a trend he expects to continue this year.
“We anticipate strong upturn in corporate travel in 2011,” he said. “Our hotels are obtaining stable occupancies mainly in countries that have not been strongly affected by the global financial crisis, including Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar. Dubai has experienced a rather significant downturn in ARR with low occupancy during the summer months, however, the Ibn Battuta Gate, has achieved occupancies of 62 per cent in the first 12 weeks of opening up to the end of the year.”
Looking ahead, Tamim says the focus for 2011 will be on the opening of Mövenpick’s new properties in Dubai as well as securing its market share “for the long summer months ahead”.
The group will also roll out its new loyalty programme ‘Circle M’ across the GCC, offering guests special room rates and discounts on food and beverage offerings at all the Middle East properties.