“This year is an important phase for Emaar Hospitality Group as we reshape our strategies to align with the changing landscape of the hospitality industry in the post-pandemic world, whilst expanding to key locations to further strengthen our presence within the region,” Mark Kirby, Head of Emaar Hospitality. “The travel and tourism industry has experienced remarkable recovery around the world. We’re already nearing some of the levels of occupancy as pre-pandemic times throughout our hotels.
“This region is all about relationships. It always has been, it always will be”
– Mark Kirby
“In Q1 of this year, our hotels have experienced high occupancy rates of more than 75 per cent, and we’re expecting to see an upward trend as we go forward.”
UAE EXPANSION
Emaar Hospitality will expand its footprint within prime locations in Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, and Dubai Creek Harbour, bringing key developments by Emaar Properties.
“Vida Dubai Mall will open in 2023; this will surely attract a high influx of tourists given its attractive location at The Dubai Mall, and Vida Dubai Marina will open its doors this year.
“Emaar Hospitality aims to lead the growing landscape of the Dubai Creek Harbour with its premium and luxury brands. We will be launching three new hotels. One is opening later this year, the Address Grand Creek Harbour, and in 2023, we will have the openings of The Palace Dubai Creek Harbour and the Vida Creek Beach.”
The Address Grand Creek Harbour will be a 62-storey skyscraper that will offer premium apartments, penthouses, and townhouses, boasting an incredible skyline of Dubai.
“Moving further afield and into other emirates, we have the Palace Beach Resort Fujairah that is ready to launch. This will be the second beachfront property for us in this location. It will offer 167 rooms and suites and will have contemporary architecture and Arabesque patterns.
“We now have more than 30 hotels with more than 5,000 rooms under Emaar Hospitality,” said Kirby.
REGIONAL REACH
Last year, Emaar Hospitality Group introduced its brands outside the UAE for the first time, with the launch of Address in Istanbul and Vida Marassi Al Bahrain.
“Our development pipeline in 2023 includes international destinations such as Egypt, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. Emaar Hospitality will launch the Address Beach Resort Bahrain in Q3 this year, the first of the Address brands in Bahrain, complementing our hotel the Vida Marassi Al Bahrain. In Egypt, will also be opening the Address Marassi Marina and Vida Marassi Marina in 2023, the latter will mark our first Vida property in the country.
“The opening of the Jabal Omar Address Makkah scheduled in 2023 will be a milestone achievement that allows our group to make its mark in Saudi Arabia, a vibrant upcoming market. The two towers of the hotel occupy a strategic location close to the Grand Mosque, and will offer 1,484 rooms, quite extensive. The property will feature a skybridge that overlooks the Grand Mosque and the praying area.”
The company’s expansion strategy into 2025 includes the opening of the Address Diriyah Gate in Saudi Arabia. Through a joint venture with Giorgio Armani, Emaar Hospitality Group will be managing the Armani brand in Saudi Arabia for the first time, another development within the Diriyah Gate complex.
With the imminent expansion, we ask Kirby if he saw his distribution strategy change over the pandemic and if the travel trade continue to be important. “This is always going to be the region where we work together and in collaboration to bring people on. This region is all about relationships. It always has been, it always will be. Will more people get comfortable booking online? Yes, we see that. About 70 per cent of business comes online, directly through our own channels but the relationship we have with that 70 per cent and the relationship we have with the rest of the market is just phenomenal.
“This year is all about networks and partnerships. A show like ATM only reinforces this and you see how people come back to the table and have opportunities to reconnect. This gives us a great platform to be able to showcase all our products; a big part of our segmentation is local partners in the region.”