New hotels opening across the UAE in 2012 are expected to provide a fillip to growth. According to benchmarking analysts STR Global, the UAE is leading the region in development projects with 21,238 rooms under development and tourism initiatives underway across all the emirates including Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah. Dubai alone has more than 13,300 hotel rooms in the construction pipeline while Abu Dhabi, the next largest market for hotel construction, has 5,298 rooms. Landmark properties around the country in 2012 include a new Fairmont Palm Jumeirah and the world’s tallest hotel, the JW Marriott Marquis in Dubai, and in Abu Dhabi, the first Ritz-Carlton property, a new St Regis hotel and the Anantara Eastern Mangroves.
CLARK KELLY