Tag Archives: Hospitality

CARE@TAJNESS –An Industry leading Initiative Launched at Taj Hotel

MUMBAI : Founded by Jamsetji Tata, Indian Hotels Company Limited’s (IHCL) iconic brand Taj was established in 1903 with the opening of The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai.

For over a century it is renowned for its world-class service of genuine warmth and sincere care. In today’s dynamic environment, with ever changing consumer behaviour and in keeping with its legacy of service excellence, India’s largest hospitality company sharpens its focus on customer experience with the introduction of Care@Tajness.

Mr. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL said, “Taj now in its 120th year, has been the custodian of Indian hospitality and the recent dual honour of Taj being rated as World’s Strongest Hotel Brand and India’s Strongest Brand across sectors is a testament to its journey of excellence.

Mr. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL said, “Taj now in its 120th year, has been the custodian of Indian hospitality and the recent dual honour of Taj being rated as World’s Strongest Hotel Brand and India’s Strongest Brand across sectors is a testament to its journey of excellence. With the rapidly evolving marketplace and keeping our guests at the heart of the business, IHCL continues to carry its glorious past to the consumer of the future by introducing Care@Tajness. A holistic approach to guest delight at the core of which lies the commitment and dedication of all our colleagues guided by the ethos of Tajness.”

Care@Tajness is addressing emerging trends of the new age traveller who seeks a balance between digital led service delivery and warmth of human connect, customised experiences and a seamless journey. The framework is designed around Re-engineering service standards, Re-imagining the offerings through innovation backed by a strong culture of Responsiveness. Guest experience will include a set of rituals built with a sense of place honouring the local culture unique to every hotel; be it reliving the bygone era at the Royal Palace in Jaipur or partaking in the lighting of a thousand lamps around a lagoon in Kumarakom. Taj’s legendary service known for its intuitiveness and high level of customisation will delight guests with curated magical moments.

This framework is enabled by a centralised customer contact hub that besides monitoring and responding to multi-channel feedback, also looks to listen, learn and leverage insights for product and service enhancement, i.e. Carecations for those who want to leave a light footprint when they travel or Woyage catering to the single lady traveller.

ameerul.hasan@thechangemakers.page

TIME Hotels announces Middle East expansion plans ahead of ATM 2022

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 27 April 2022: UAE-headquartered hospitality company TIME Hotels has outlined ambitious expansion plans to increase its portfolio by 40% to 21 properties throughout the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Sudan.

The UAE-based hospitality company will have a portfolio of 21 properties throughout the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Sudan by 2023

The announcement, which comes ahead of the company’s participation at next month’s Arabian Travel Market, which takes place from 9 – 12 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre, will see an additional six properties added to TIME Hotel’s portfolio, with developments in Fujairah, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and three in Egypt being showcased at the Middle East’s premier travel showcase.

Mohamed Awadalla, the co-founder and CEO of TIME Hotels, said: “Following the challenges of the last two years, we have seen unprecedented demand for additional rooms in key territories in the region. This, combined with our in-depth market research, has underscored the need for new, quality-driven, value accommodation.

“We have witnessed resounding success throughout the UAE, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, and we feel now is the time to expand for the company’s future success. With six new properties, totalling 781 keys, this is an important time for our expansion and growth both regionally and internationally.”

The company will outline its ambitious expansion plans next month during Arabian Travel Market 2022

As part of the company’s expansion plans, TIME Hotels will expand its offering in the UAE with the launch of the TIME Moonstone Hotel Apartments in Fujairah, located just 10 minutes from a host of amenities, including Fujairah Mall, City Centre Fujairah, and the Fujairah Corniche. The 91-key property, which is scheduled to open on 1 May 2022, will feature 13 one-bedroom and 78 two-bedroom apartments, an all-day dining restaurant, a gym, and saunas and steam rooms.

The company will also expand in Egypt with three new properties, including the 117-key Marina Hotel & Convention Centre on the North Coast, which is expected to open later in Q2 2022. The hotel will have three restaurants, including all-day dining, an Italian and O’Learys Sports Restaurant, as well as a rooftop lounge. Guests will have access to a range of spa facilities, a 750 sqm swimming pool and a gym. The hotel will also cater to the MICE market with a 700-person capacity convention centre.

The company will also expand in Egypt with three new properties, including the 117-key Marina Hotel & Convention Centre on the North Coast, which is expected to open later in Q2 2022.

TIME will also open the 201-key five-star TIME Coral Nuweiba Resorts located on the Red Sea. The resort features five restaurants and a range of amenities, including a private beach, pool, and kid’s facilities and will officially open under the TIME banner in Q3 2022.

The final property in Egypt is the TIME Nakheel Deluxe Apartments, located in the New Capital. The 216-key property is scheduled to open its doors in Q1 2023.

In Saudi Arabia, TIME has unveiled plans to open the 57-key TIME Express Al Olaya in the Saudi capital. The Riyadh property, which will target the budget-conscious traveller, will include a restaurant, a range of leisure amenities and a lively rooftop terrace with a shisha area and dining options.

Rounding out the new openings is TIME’s first foray into the Sudanese market with the TIME Ahlan Hotel Apartments in Khartoum. The 57-key property will be home to a coffee shop, meeting rooms, a rooftop terrace, a swimming pool, a gym, and a juice bar.

“This is an exciting time for the region’s tourism industry and offers a myriad of opportunities for TIME Hotels, not only with these openings but with others that will come further down the line. We have strategically developed a range of brands within our portfolio to offer our guests, whether corporate or leisure, exactly what they want and need from a holiday, business trip or short break,” concluded Awadalla.

TIME Hotels will be exhibiting on stand HC0620 during this year’s Arabian Travel Market.

For more information, please log onto https://www.timehotels.com/

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ameerul.hasan@thechangemakers.news

Calling all tourism and hospitality entrepreneurs! Pitch for up to $500,000 of investment at the first ever ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up Competition

Dubai, UAE – Up to fifteen start-ups from across the tourism and hospitality sector will be given the opportunity to pitch for up to half a million dollar of funding, thanks to a brand-new competition that will take place at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2022.

Taking place on the Travel Tech Stage at Arabian Travel Market 2022, the inaugural competition will give up to 15 start-ups from travel and transportation, hospitality tech, and experiences and attractions the opportunity to pitch to industry judges and investors

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME – Arabian Travel Market, which will be held at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 9-12 May 2022, said: “The ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up Competition offers an incredible opportunity for entrepreneurs from across the industry to pitch their business plans in front of our expert judges, not to mention a global audience of industry professionals and investors.

“In addition to pitching for up to $500,000 of investment at ATM 2022, the winning start-up will be given the chance to compete for a further $500,000 of funding on Tim Draper’s hugely popular television show, Meet the Drapers.”

The inaugural ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up Competition, which will take place on the ATM Travel Tech Stage on Tuesday 10 May 2022, will see 15 start-ups go head-to-head. Spanning the segments of travel and transportation, hospitality tech, and experiences and attractions, each pitch will last for five minutes and will be followed by a five-minute Q&A session with ATM’s panel of industry judges.

“The ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up Competition offers an incredible opportunity for entrepreneurs from across the industry to pitch their business

The overall winner will receive a minimum of $30,000 up to a maximum of $500,000 investment, a DASC Certificate and the chance to appear on Tim Draper’s TV show, Meet the Drapers, where they compete for another $500,000 while gaining access to a crowdfunding network of 12 million viewers. A further two runners up will receive the DASC Certificate only.

“The aim of the ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up Competition is to help intensify the race to a sustainable future for travel and tourism,” said Curtis. “In conjunction with AladdinB2B and Draper Associates, we will showcase technologies and innovations from the brightest minds in travel, transportation, hospitality, experiences and attractions.”

In addition to a place in the competition, each finalist will have the opportunity to invest in a pod located in ATM 2022’s start-up area; access to a booking and matchmaking platform powered by AladdinB2B and Draper VC, which can be used to arrange meetings with prospective investors; and global exposure through ATM Travel Tech’s various marketing platforms.

The competition’s panel of expert judges will also be on hand share their extensive start-up experience, offering tips on the most effective fundraising methods, the biggest challenges faced by new ventures, and the best channels to reach investors.

Each finalist will have the opportunity to invest in a pod located in ATM 2022’s start-up area; access to a booking and matchmaking platform powered by AladdinB2B and Draper VC

“Any start-ups that are interested in taking part can visit the ATM Travel Tech page to find out more about this exciting competition,” Curtis added.

Now in its 29th year and working in collaboration with the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) – formerly the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) – ATM show highlights in 2022 will include, among others, destination summits focused on the key source markets of Saudi Arabia and India.

Previously called Travel Forward, the revamped and rebranded ATM Travel Tech event will take place on the ATM Travel Tech Stage, hosting seminars, debates and presentations as well as the inaugural ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up Competition.

The dedicated ARIVALDubai@ATM forum, meanwhile, will cover current and future trends for tour operators and attractions, focusing on growing business through marketing, technology, distribution, thought leadership and executive-level connections.
ATM will once again play an integral role in Arabian Travel Week, a festival of events dedicated to enabling travel professionals from all over the world to collaborate and shape the recovery of the Middle East travel industry through exhibitions, conferences, breakfast briefings, awards, product launches and networking events.

The UAE remains one of the most Covid-secure countries on the planet, with consistently low case rates and robust measures to ensure tourists’ safety at every stage of their visit. Like its neighbouring emirates, Dubai is committed to maintaining the highest hygiene and safety standards. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has endorsed its pandemic management, awarding the city a ‘Safe Travels’ stamp.

In line with the UAE government’s forward-thinking transition to a four-and-a-half-day, Monday-to-Friday workweek, this year’s edition of ATM will commence on Monday 9 May.
For more news about ATM, please visit: https://hub.wtm.com/category/press/atm-press-releases/
If you’d like to learn more about ATM, visit wtm.com/atm/en-gb.html.

ameerul.hasan@thechangemakers.news

Dubai Tourism welcomes continued support of global hospitality partners

As Dubai further consolidates its strategic partnerships in the domestic and international markets in the post-pandemic period, Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has highlighted the pivotal role played by global hospitality partners in accelerating the city’s tourism recovery.

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has highlighted the pivotal role played by global hospitality partners in accelerating the city’s tourism recovery.

At a meeting with the General Managers of Marriott International hotels in Dubai, Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Tourism referred to the critical support provided by Marriott in showcasing the city as a safe must-visit destination, further instilling confidence among global travellers. During the meeting, Mr. Kazim recapped the efforts made by stakeholders and partners like Marriott International to help bring about industry stabilisation, and also shared a positive industry overview underlined by the steady growth in international visitation and high occupancy levels in the first seven months of 2021. He highlighted the fact that Dubai was ranked second globally ahead of London and Paris in terms of hotel occupancy with hotels enjoying 61% average occupancy levels from January – July 2021.

Mr. Kazim also emphasised the importance of leveraging all efforts to attract more international visitors, especially benefiting from the Expo 2020 Dubai and the UAE Golden Jubilee celebrations. With the hospitality sector employing a local and expatriate workforce that boasts unrivalled service excellence, Dubai Tourism also stressed the need for hotels to use the Dubai Way online platform created by the Dubai College of Tourism, which is aimed at ensuring that hotel staff impart standardised information and instructions and provide exceptional guest relations.

Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Tourism, commented: “The growing industry momentum is the result of a robust strategy that was developed to manage the pandemic under the visionary leadership and guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai. We are also heartened by the commitment of our stakeholders and partners like Marriott International to stay the course and convey to the world that Dubai remains open and safe for global travellers. We are proud of the enormous contribution hotels have made with their own strategies and initiatives in the true spirit of collaboration during these extraordinary circumstances, and we are also grateful to their support in ensuring that the industry enjoys continued success.”

Mr. Kazim also emphasised the importance of leveraging all efforts to attract more international visitors, especially benefiting from the Expo 2020 Dubai and the UAE Golden Jubilee celebrations

Sandeep Walia, Chief Operating Officer – Middle East, Marriott International said, “Under the guidance of its visionary and inspiring Leaders and the efforts of Dubai Tourism, Dubai has done a remarkable job in building the confidence of travellers and continues to be one of the most sought-after destinations in the world. The demand trends in Dubai have been positive and we’ve seen our hotels in this market perform particularly well over the past year. We know that all signs show there is a huge pent-up demand for travel and we believe Dubai will continue to be a top destination for tourism, especially with the upcoming Expo 2020. We are honored be a part of the growth of this amazing destination and remain committed to supporting the efforts of Dubai Tourism.

Dubai was one of the first cities globally to reopen its markets and businesses, and continues to stay open. This was achieved through a prudent and staggered approach to the reopening of sectors while ensuring strict compliance with globally benchmarked health and safety protocols. The UAE also has one of the world’s highest per capita vaccination rates.

Participants at the meeting were also provided a brief overview of the marketing initiatives launched by Dubai Tourism in international markets including the latest global campaign, Dubai Presents featuring Hollywood stars Jessica Alba and Zac Efron, which was screened at the meeting. Following the launch of the first two cinematic trailers, Spy Action and RomCom, the campaign generated over 200 million views.

ameerul.hasan@thechangemakers.news