DTCM director general headlines Hotelier GM Debate

Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) director general His Excellency Helal Almarri will take to the stage at the Hotelier Middle East Great GM Debate on September 2 to discuss Dubai tourism projects and targets.

During the forum, being held at Jumeirah Beach Hotel and set to attract 200 of the UAE’s top hotel general managers, Almarri will be interviewed live on stage by Hotelier Middle East editor Louise Oakley to provide exclusive insights into the plethora of initiatives currently being spearheaded by the tourism body.

Almarri said: “The Hotelier Middle East Great GM Debate is an ideal platform for hoteliers and the wider industry to come together and discuss developments and changes within the sector. DTCM’s involvement in this debate is key as the team continually strives to work closely with industry stakeholders to leverage our mutual efforts.

“Since the last conference there have been several major announcements and landmarks which will contribute to the growth of the industry – Dubai won the Expo 2020 bid; the first phase of Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central opened; a number of incentives and initiatives to speed up the development of hotels within Dubai have been announced; DTCM has introduced a new hotel classification system; and there have been continual enhancements to the destination offering," His Excellency added.

"The growth in hotel establishment guest figures that we’ve seen over the last 18 months is encouraging and together we are on the right track to meet our Tourism Vision for 2020 targets and make Dubai the most visited city in the world."

Delving further into the topics addressed by Almarri will be a panel session entitled Healthy Competition, which will see senior corporate hoteliers and GMs discuss the impact of Dubai’s evolving hospitality mix.

Speakers on this high profile panel, moderated by Viability director Guy Wilkinson, include Michael Martin, general manager & regional general manager, InterContinental Dubai Marina & Intercontinental Hotel Group, Klaus Assmann, general manager, Sofitel Downtown, David Thompson, chief operating officer, JA Resorts & Hotels and Carlos Khneisser, vice president - development, Hilton Worldwide Middle East.

Hotel general managers attend the Hotelier Middle East Great GM Debate for free. To register your attendance please contact: Amanda.elisha@itp.com