Dusit Thani, the first of the Thai hotel operators to enter the Dubai market over a decade ago, is planning on increasing its footprint in the GCC in the next 24 months.
Dusit International chief operating officer Boon Kwee Lim said: “In the GCC we are looking at five projects that will open in the next 24 months. The D2 Kenz will open in July in Dubai, the Dusit Thani Residences and suites in Doha perhaps second quarter 2017.”
“We will have our first property in Muscat, Oman – the D2, looking at late 2017, if not first quarter 2018. Then we are looking at another property in Doha – the D2 Sawa, in 2018. Then the D2 Abu Dhabi Manzil - also looking at an early 2018 opening,” the global head told Hotelier Middle East at the Arabian Travel Market last month.
He added: “In Saudi Arabia the Dusit Thani Jeddah, I believe in 2018 we will be ready to open the facility.”
Lim feels there is big opportunity to develop the upper midscale and midscale market. “I think it’s the market demand, there are a lot of luxury five-star products and this space is quite crowded. There is huge opportunity in the D2 brand, which is the four-star and mid-market space in this region.”
A decade on, Lim is relatively satisfied with the manner in which its Dubai hotel has performed. “We have been in Dubai for 15 years, we are relatively at peace with the performance of our Dubai property, considering that the market here has softened a little bit. In terms of volume we are still doing relatively well, there is a downward pressure on the rates.”
He added: “In Abu Dhabi I believe, we are trying to grow the corporate and government business. There’s tremendous new supply in the Abu Dhabi market, and we are sure demand will catch up.”
Lim stated that growth is going to be positive in the GCC and African region. “In terms of number of properties, in the next 24 to 36 months we will have quite an impression, especially in the GCC.”
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