Dubai: Emaar Properties PJSC and Meraas Holding have launched a new hotel brand — Dubai Inn — targeting the affordable travel segment.
The hotels will be located in several locations around the city, further supporting the Dubai Tourism Vision 2020 announced by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Announcing the hotel development strategy, Mohammad Al Abbar, chairman of Emaar Properties, said that the new hotels would create a new experience whose highlight is affordable elegance. “One of the key drivers to achieving the Dubai Tourism Vision 2020, to double the number of annual tourists to 20 million by the turn of the decade, is to offer a wider choice of affordable hotels that appeal to the new generation of travellers,” he said.
Abdullah Al Habbai, group chairman of Meraas Holding, said: “Dubai is focused on further strengthening its tourism sector, a key contributor to our economy.”
Today, 5-star hotel rooms account for nearly 62 per cent of the total branded hotel inventory in the city. In the supply pipeline of over 42,000 hotel rooms in Dubai, nearly 50 per cent are in the luxury and upper upscale segments.
Value-conscious
“The new generation of travellers is more discerning and value-conscious, and it is important that our hospitality sector reflect their needs,” he added. “There is tremendous potential in Dubai for growth in the affordable hotel sector. By creating a robust pipeline of affordable hotels under the Dubai Inn brand, we plan to attract more visitors to our city from fast-growing markets in the Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe and the wider Middle East,” said Al Abbar.
According to the Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing, the city hosted over 10 million tourists last year, while the Dubai International Airport welcomed more than 58 million passengers. Today, the world’s second busiest airport, Dubai is also one of the few global airline hubs providing non-stop connection to over 220 cities in six continents.
Emirates Airline, Dubai’s flagship carrier, links the city to over 133 destinations and carried 34 million passengers in 2012, highlighting the strong potential for Dubai’s tourism and hospitality sector. The growth prospects are further bolstered with the rising popularity of low-cost airlines, with ‘flydubai’ carrying over 5.1 million passengers last year and linking over 58 destinations.
