Best Western Hotels – the world’s largest hotel chain operating 4,000 properties across 80 countries – is planning to unveil new GCC and South Asian affiliates at Arabian Travel Market, the Middle East’s premier travel and tourism show to be held in Dubai this May.
The group, which currently operates properties in the UAE, Bahrain, Yemen and Muscat, is planning franchises for hotels in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Dubai, Fujairah and Qatar.
“New affiliates will be announced at Arabian Travel Market (ATM),” said Anand Gupta, CEO, Best Western South Asia, which is the master franchiser for the GCC. “The ATM has proved extremely beneficial enabling us to get inside designated territories with face-to-face meetings with prospective hoteliers. We believe the Middle East is one of the fastest-growing regions which is highly focused on tourism related activities.”
Best Western is among 42 hotel brands from 18 countries contracted to participate in Arabian Travel Market 2004, which will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 4 to 7.
“All the major international brands will be present this year along with individual properties ranging from the very high end luxury sector to the more affordable, family accommodation,” said Matt Thompson, Overseas Exhibition Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE), which organises ATM. “We anticipate a flurry of key development announcements at the show and have been given advance notice of the launch of a new luxury hotel brand by a Kuwait organisation.”
To date, exhibitors from 52 countries have signed on for ATM 2004, which is already 24 percent bigger in floor space than last year’s event.
ATM 2004 is expected to benefit from the staging just prior to the event of the 4th Global Travel & Tourism Summit in Doha, Qatar from May 1 to 3.