Brand: Jumeirah
Spokesperson: Bill Walshe, chief marketing and business innovation officer for Jumeirah Group
Plans for 2007 and beyond?
Jumeirah will move ahead with its ambitious expansion plans in 2007 with the objective to operate 40 hotels and resorts by the end of 2009. Construction is currently well underway for a number of new Jumeirah hotels and resorts including the HanTang Jumeirah Shanghai, set to open in mid-2008 and the Jumeirah Phuket Private Island Resort, Thailand, scheduled for completion in late 2008, with 77 lavish villas with private beach, marina, yacht club and more. The Jumeirah Hotel at Beetham Tower, London, is currently being built on London’s South Riverbank and its planned observation deck will sit 45m higher than the London Eye.
Jumeirah is also expanding rapidly within the GCC region and has already announced that it has been appointed to manage the five-star luxury hotel at Jumeirah Dubai Towers in Doha, a five-star property that will feature 146 luxurious rooms and suites. Jumeirah will also manage the luxury hotels and theme park within the Saraya Aqaba development that is expected to transform the beachfront town of Aqaba, Jordan, into a world-class waterfront resort city.
Jumeirah Group has also announced its strategic alliance with Nakheel, the UAE’s leading property developer. The partnership will see Jumeirah assume complete operating and management responsibilities for Trump International Hotel & Tower, as well as the Jumeirah Shoreline Hotel & Yacht Club, both located on the Palm, Jumeirah.
In addition, there will be hotel development on The World, with details to be announced.
Jumeirah also has been selected to operate Aqua Dunya, an eight million sqft theme park resort located in the heart of Dubailand. In addition, Jumeirah has been appointed to manage Jumeirah Al Khor, in the heart of Dubai Healthcare City, overlooking Dubai Creek. It will feature 439 well-appointed luxury rooms and suites whilst the residential component of the project will feature 406 fully serviced apartments as well as two floors of special care units, equipped with the latest medical equipment and serviced by highly qualified medical staff – a first for the region.
The Jumeirah Business Bay Hotel in Dubai’s new commercial business district is set to open late 2007, with 312 rooms.
The Jumeirah Beach Club Resort & Spa, following closure for complete redevelopment, is expected to reopen with an increased number of suites in the last quarter of 2007.
Strategy in the face of competition?
Innovation is one of our core guiding principles at Jumeirah and with this commitment we are constantly striving for new and improved ways of doing business, of delighting & surprising the customer and to further enhance their experience with us.
At our hotels, whether in Dubai, London or New York, we will continue to deliver the unique and high standards of service and hospitality our guests have come to know from us ever since the opening of Jumeirah Beach Hotel in December 1997. Our core brand essence of ‘Stay Different’ is all about our customers’ desire to be recognised as individuals. True luxury is emotional, memorable and above all personal, and this is what we believe today’s sophisticated luxury traveller relates and responds to.
Bullish about 2007?
Yes, very much so. We will soon be completing yet another record year for Jumeirah and 2007 promises to be another strong and very exciting year for us at Jumeirah with hopefully more exciting news for Jumeirah when it comes to our expansion plans locally and internationally.
New source markets?
Jumeirah’s most important source markets currently are the UK, Germany, the GCC and CIS markets. We will also be looking at emerging markets including the USA, Japan, Asia Pacific, Russia and other countries in Europe such as Belgium, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.