Mövenpick Middle East will open five new hotels in Dubai, UAE, by the end of 2010, bringing almost 1,700 new rooms to the market.
“Last year was The Address’ year, they opened the most new properties, but I think I can say this will be our year,” said vice president sales and marketing Middle East, Toufic Tamim.
The brand recently opened the, much anticipated, 294-room Mövenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach and August will see the launch of Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, located next to Dubai’s Ibn Battuta Mall, which has 400 rooms and suites and is entered through a magnificent 60-m-high, Moroccan-style gate.
In September the company will launch its new five-star business property located at the heart of the commercial district of Deira as well as the Residence at The Square, also in Deira.
And at the end of the year, November will see the opening of the Royal Amwaj Resort & Spa, a five-star, Asian-themed retreat on the crescent of the Palm Jumeirah, Dubai.
The property will have 293 rooms, a beach and individual water villas.
Tamin said: “All these projects were started four or five years ago which is why they are all coming to fruition now but we are not concerned about over supply for many reasons.
“The hotels will not compete with each other, Dubai is fragmented and for example the five-star property at The Palm is targeting the luxury market from Europe whereas we are looking at long-term and business use in Deira.
“Hotels in Dubai lost 15 per cent in 2009 but since 2010 occupancy has picked up. We are not reaching the levels of 2007/08, which were exceptional years, but we are back on a par with 2004/05 which were healthy years.
“Perhaps supply is slightly outgrowing demand but there has been an ease in new projects which means those that are coming online now are needed and I predict that by 2012 we will be back to supply matching demand.”
Commenting on regional trends he added: “2009 was the year for expansion in Saudi Arabia, 2010 is the year for Dubai and 2012 will be the year for openings in Abu Dhabi with new hotels planned.”
To keep up with the increasing portfolio, Mövenpick has significantly increased its sales force with additional staff in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Europe and Asia.