'Dubai is back' says Jumeirah chief

Jumeirah Group has reported high occupancies and increased revPARs at its Dubai hotels during the first four months of 2011, with this expected to continue throughout the year, according to executive chairman Gerald Lawless.

The Jumeirah hotels, which include Burj Al Arab and Emirates Towers, reported average occupancy of 85% during the four-month period and revPAR increases of 7% over the same period in 2010.

“I think the prediction overall will be close to, in revPAR, about 7-10% up for the year and we’re really enjoying a big uptake in our business since last November in Dubai,” Lawless told Hotelier yesterday at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference.

“Well before the current unrest in the region started, our business was really looking extremely solid and it’s really become even stronger since then,” he said.

“[Looking at] January alone, on rooms let in Dubai we rose by 44% over the previous year, and the previous year was not bad,” said Lawless.

“We really feel that Dubai is back as far as the tourism industry, more the hotel industry I would say is concerned. We’re seeing improvements across the board, especially in places like exhibitions and conferences,” he added.

The Jumeirah hotel reporting the biggest gains was Madinat Jumeirah, which saw revPAR rise by 12% and average room rate by 10% in the first four months of 2011, compared to the same period last year.

Jumeirah Group reported a 58% increase in net profits in 2010 compared to 2009.