One of the few international players looking beyond the UAE’s boom towns, Kempinski has announced a plan to have a hotel in each emirate.
TTN caught up Michael Henssler, Kempsinki regional director for the Gulf and general manager of Kempinski Mall of the Emirates to find out more. Excerpts:
Why seven hotels for seven emirates?
In reality there will be eight, as we are also looking at Al Ain. Each one of the emirates is distinctively different and each emirate has a potential to hold its own attractions as well as encourage corporate business. As the other emirates develop further, there is a need to cater to both business and leisure travellers, who are now regularly visiting these areas, by creating new and distinct accommodation that will in fact contribute to the growth and improvement of these same areas.
How far along are you on that plan?
We have three hotels up and running with Kempinski Hotel Ajman, Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi which opened two years ago and Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates which opened last year in Dubai. Additionally, we are currently negotiating with hotel developers in the other emirates and will disclose further information once we have confirmation of the same.
You’re already in Ajman, and Fujairah is booming, so of course you’re going there. But what potential do you see in Umm Al Quwain?
Umm Al Quwain, in my opinion, is the UAE’s own mini Maldives. Its uniquely positioned waterfront allows us to build alongside and into the lagoons with the potential to provide a completely new experience to vacationers.
The time has come for the UAE to diversify in terms of tourist destinations by moving away from the conventional destinations which are currently promoted and onto new destinations with different offers and attractions.