03:15pm: We've just found out that Hyatt will open its second Hyatt Regency-branded property in Dubai. Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek will be a two tower property - two towers, 600 keys in total. Due to open in nine months, it will be located in Healthcare City area - which is in close proximity to Grand Hyatt. The brand has also announced: Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences - 368 rooms; 60 serviced apartments; Hyatt Regency Makkah - 657 guestrooms - 26 suites, and will be located within Jabal Omar development; Hyatt Regency Riyadh - 260 rooms; 40 suites.

03.10pm: Muscat Royal Opera House is looking to work with more tour operators. Why not go and say hello since this is their first ever time at ATM? You can find Director General Christina on the stand, which is part of the Oman Ministry of Tourism Stand.

03.00pm: As we've already reported today, Ayla Bawadi Hotel is set to open next month. We've just met with general manager Mohamed Soussan, who's told HotelierMiddleEast.com about plans to open a five-star property - Grand Ayla Hotel - later this year.

Story continues below
Advertisement

02.45pm: It promises to be a big few months for Tilal Liwa Hotel in Abu Dhabi, which is planning an extension which will bring in a raft of new facilities. Crucially, as general manager Ayman Ashor explained to us, it should take the desert resort up from its current 4* status to 5*.

02:30pm: Dubai-based hotel management company Global Hotels Management has signed a franchise agreement with Wyndham Hotel Group to introduce the Ramada hotel brand to Ras Al Khaimah.

02.20pm: Africa expansion is big on every hotelier’s list at ATM and no less with Rotana who have just announced their first Africa hotel in Tanzania with a Chinese owning company. Guy Hutchinson, COO, MEA, Rotana has said that future Africa expansion will be very much organic management agreements since the company isn’t ready yet for franchising agreements. He added that finding the right partner is crucial in Africa in particular.

02:10pm: We're raking in the exclusives today! Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach will feature 10 F&B outlets - five of which will be run by the hotel and another to be leased out. In-house concepts include a cocktail bar and tea lounge; an international restaurant called Suq, beachfront restaurant called Seafu, and an open air rooftop nightlife concept called Mercury Lounge. The five other outlets will be well known international outlets that are already present in the UAE. He couldn't reveal names at this point.

02:00pm: EXCLUSIVE: Hotelier just had a chat with Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach general manager Simon Casson, who revealed the brand is targeting an October 2014 opening.

01.45pm: Swiss-Belhotel International chairman and president Gavin Faull says the company will soon be ready to announce a deal that will see it take over the management of six properties in the Middle East. He's also tied up a deal with an "international school/university" which will see it set up a college hotel. Exciting times for the company, which in July will open its first Bahrain property.

01:30pm: Hotelier Middle East editor Louise Oakley has just met with Emaar Hospitality Group COO Philippe Zuber, and been privy to a location map of the first Dubai Inn. Planned for the Zabeel area, opposite Al Murooj Rotana and The Address Dubai Mall, this 'value' hotel is scheduled for completion in 2015. There are four hotels agreed so far in a joint venture between Meraas Holding and Emaar Properties, but Zuber says he expects the brand to grow quickly to 15 or 20 properties.

01.15pm: Hotelier just caught up with Mark Edleson, president of Alila Hotels & Resorts, a company which will make its Middle East debut on Friday with Alila Jabal Akhdar in Oman. Mark is meeting with developers tonight to discuss the possibility of a property in Saudi Arabia and tomorrow he will meet another developer to talk about a future Dubai project! Plans for a second Oman hotel are also underway with a Salalah hotel to hopefully be announced within the next six months. We've asked Mark to keep us in the loop so watch this space for more news.

01:10pm: Tripadvisor has just released its latest research into the fastest growing inbound travel markets showing interest in holiday destinations in the UAE. The top five markets are UK, UAE, Russia, US and India, all researching UAE accommodation on Tripsdvisor. The fastest growing market is Canada, showing 38% year on year growth.

01:00pm: One to One hotels are at ATM for the first time every - why not go and say hello to CEO Philipoe Harb and his team at stand HC5370? Philiippe has news of the company's latest opening in Morrocco - One to One Tarfia Hotel which opened its doors on May 1. The company has also introduced its new Elite brand and is eyeing new hotels - 3 in Thailand and one in Morrocco to open in the next two years...