Event preview: Hotel Show Dubai 2016

Welcome to the Hotel Show Dubai 2016

Gary Williams, event director, dmg events hospitality and leisure portfolio

This time last year there were 694 hotel projects in the Middle East and Africa pipeline. Today there are 882, forecast to bring more than 230,000 new hotel rooms to the market in the next five years. The portfolio of new properties is increasingly diverse and at the forefront of innovation, as this region continues to set new standards across star ratings, architecture, design, service, and other core elements of the hospitality mix.

2016 is an exciting year for Dubai with a projected 10,000 new hotel rooms, and brands entering the market for the first time including: W, Hard Rock, and Nikki Beach. As the UAE grows closer to becoming one of the world’s leading destinations for leisure and entertainment, the gates to Dubai Parks and Resorts and IMG Worlds of Adventure will open.

In 17 years, The Hotel Show Dubai has developed with the market, witnessing significant diversification and growth. Co-located event The Leisure Show entered the mix in 2013 to cater to the region’s growing leisure industry, and last year the events saw more than more than 30,000 attendees combined. New for 2016, Piscine Middle East, the region’s leading pool and spa event, will be co-located in partnership with GL events.

In sync with a leading industry trend, technology now represents 22% of The Hotel Show’s product mix, with international technology suppliers, the TecSec (Technology & Security) Summit, and new for 2016: Tec-Innovation Zone. Each year, exhibitor stands in this sector become more interactive. Through the construction of model hotel rooms, visitors can experience first-hand new methods of room automation and other technologies ‘live’ at the event.

The Hotel Show extends its global reach with new countries added to its ‘International Village’, now covering 46% of the show floor. Austria is new to the line-up for 2016, while Portugal is a country pavilion to watch.

The popular Vision Conference will return for its fourth edition with international experts sharing insights on themes including F&B, investment, lifestyle experiences, and UAE theme parks. Speakers this year include representatives from the brand-new W Dubai — Al Habtoor City and Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai, alongside Deloitte, TOPHOTELPROJECTS, and more.

Day one of the conference will include, for the first time, a certified training programme in partnership with Modul University Dubai on digital marketing. This topic was identified by you — the region’s hoteliers, as part of a survey we conducted to find out which topic would be of the most value to you in an external training course.

The Hotel Show Dubai is the ultimate platform to source everything needed to build, develop and maintain a hotel or restaurant in this region, network, and keep up-to-date with the latest industry trends. With strategic partners Dubai Tourism and official media partners Hotelier and Caterer, we invite you to join us in September at the largest and most exciting edition of The Hotel Show to date.

The Hotel Show 2016

The 17th edition of The Hotel Show to take place this year with reports revealing that 10,000 new hotel rooms will go live in Dubai throughout 2016

More than 30,000 hospitality industry professionals are forecast to attend the 17th edition of The Hotel Show Dubai and co-located events, The Leisure Show and Piscine Middle East. The events are expecting professionals from the global hospitality industry, heads of major hotels, leisure resorts, spas, theme parks, aquariums, shopping malls and more to attend.

More than 600 international exhibitors include major brand names, featuring: Bang & Olufsen; Stylis; RAK Porcelain; Hartmann Tresore; Simmons; Philips; Lutron; 1765 Gemini; dorma+kaba; King Koil; Raha Oman; Sandalyeci — and major product launches are anticipated this year as well.

Product sectors that will be covered span 360-degrees of the hospitality industry from interiors & design to technology.

All of this is in response to a growing hospitality industry, with 10,000 new hotel rooms reported to open in Dubai throughout 2016, according to the Dubai Hotel Market Overview prepared by JLL for The Hotel Show Dubai 2016. This report revealed that 621 new hotel rooms opened in Dubai during Q1 2016, and 9,400 additional rooms will be added to the market by the end of the year.

New properties in the coming months include: Lapita Hotel Dubai at Dubai Parks and Resorts; Hard Rock Hotel Dubai Marina; Jumeirah Al Naseem, Madinat Jumeirah; and Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai.

This news is also why, this year, there are two co-located events — The Leisure Show and Piscine Middle East. The spa market in the Middle East and Africa is valued at AED 11 billion this year (US $3 billion), according to a new report. The leisure market report prepared by Euromonitor International ahead of The Leisure Show 2016 and Piscine Middle East 2016 revealed that the UAE shares over 14% of this market with a value of AED 1.59 billion (US $435 million).

Rabia Yasmeen, research analyst at Euromonitor International, commented: “Hotel and resort spas are most common in this region. UAE hotels report 60% of total spa visitors are residents who are not otherwise staying on the property. Hotels are now leasing spaces for more spa related services as the demand increases.”

Yasmeen continued: “The trend towards health and wellness and medical tourism in this region is expanding. Health focused tourists usually spend more than 130% as compared to regular traveller as they seek such experiences as part of leisure activities.”

The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) has previously identified Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East and North Africa as the fastest growing spa markets in the world.

Euromonitor forecasts that the Middle East and Africa spa market will grow by 21.6% from 2015 until 2019. Spa openings across the region in 2016 include: Aurora Spa by Joelle at the Mövenpick Hotel Riyadh; Nikki Spa at the Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai; R Resort & Spa Palm Jumeirah; and The Oberoi, Marrakech.

On the first day of Piscine Middle East, a ‘Pool Vision’ contest will award “beautiful” residential, tourism and leisure pools, alongside the “most innovative” pools across the region. The Middle East Pool and Spa Awards (MEPSA) will return for its fourth edition with 17 award categories for 2016 including: Best Innovative Body Treatment (new for 2016); Best Signature Body Treatment; Best Hotel Spa; Best Beauty Salon; Best Aqua Leisure Venue; and more.

Previous MEPSA winners (2015) include: Banyan Tree Spa Al Wadi; The Spa at The Palace Downtown Dubai; Yas Waterworld, Abu Dhabi; SensAsia Urban Spa, Emirates Golf Club; Point Zero Flotation Centre; and La’mar Spa at Marjan Island Resort & Spa, Ras Al Khaimah.

Meet the speakers

We talk to some of the panellists and presenters of The Vision Conference, which is set to take place on September 18-19, 2016; they reveal what’s on top of their minds when it comes to hospitality in the region and what to expect from their panels

The Hotel Show’s Vision Conference is a forum for experts in the hospitality and leisure industry across the Middle East and Africa to present, discuss, and debate current trends. After a focused day one of the conference this year (September 17) where a digital marketing masterclass will take place in partnership with Modul University Dubai, across September 18-19, more than 50 international experts will present to thousands of delegates.

Sharing knowledge, best practice and vision on a diverse range of topics at the conference, key themes this year include updates on the market and consumer patterns and trends, new brands, new types of accommodation, ways to ensure maximum occupancy, funding for new projects or refurbishments, how to win future guests, F&B, HR & training, investments, and more.

The Hotel Show Dubai event director Gary Williams said: “This year’s Vision Conference will address future trends and emerging topics that will affect this industry as we grow closer to Dubai 2020. The programme will also address digital marketing in more detail than ever before, tourism infrastructure and theme parks, plus exceptional dining experiences to drive revenue.”

Kai Schukowski, general manager at the Kempinski Hotel Ajman and one of the Vision Conference speakers for 2016 added: “I believe it’s vital and always a privilege to participate in such conferences, to meet up with like-minded industry experts and to exchange thoughts, new ideas and best practices with a goal of further elevating and getting new ideas in order to reach the next level of the industry.”

Caroline List, international sales manager, Tophotelprojects

“Trends in the Middle East in terms of construction clearly are mixed-used facilities, buildings that combine hotels, entertainment venues, and shopping malls and additionally serviced apartments/residences. According to the latest Tophotelprojects hotel construction report, the top countries in this region with regards to the amount of hotel construction underway include: UAE (178 projects); Saudi Arabia (140 projects); and Morocco (56 projects). Countries witnessing significant growth include Oman (36 projects) and Nigeria (35 projects).”

Kai Schukowski, GM, Kempinski Hotel Ajman

TOPIC: The GM debate — ten ways to ensure maximum occupancy even during off-peak times

“The key point for occupancy is finding equilibrium between demand and supply. We have to find common ground, as the UAE market is growing rapidly and we have to find the way to keep up with the demand, and to make sure that we maximise the occupancy for the property itself. I believe the UAE and Middle East is seeing its ups and downs, but I see a buoyant market ahead, definitely with an upswing, despite the obvious challenges of Brexit. The European market and the CIS markets are slowly recovering and we see an upswing in that segment, in addition to the influx of the Asian market, which is also elevating performance.”

Phil Taylor, director, Team Leisure LLC

TOPIC: UAE theme park tourism: success factor insights from Gold Coast, Singapore, Orlando

“The Gold Coast, Singapore and Orlando in Florida are all successful leisure & tourism stories that are 50 years or more in the making. Yet the stories are different from each other, as is the nature of their success. The UAE is just about to take a huge step on to the world leisure stage with some 10–15 major leisure attractions due to open in 2016 and many more in the pipeline. This is the next big step in the UAE’s tourism strategy and the single biggest driver of growth in the hotel market for the next five years. The Gold Coast, Singapore and Orlando all offer lessons the UAE can benefit from and allow us to assess the UAE’s chances of success. If the UAE can achieve the same quality and success with its leisure attractions that define all of the successful initiatives that have got it to where it is today then there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that it can succeed in the next major step in its tourism strategy. After all, the UAE tourism story is at least 20 years old already and throughout that period it has delivered steady and impressive growth to date.”

Alexander Schneider, general manager, Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai

TOPIC: The next frontier: a look at the new hotel brands entering the market and their impact on the hospitality landscape

“When it fully opens to the public later this year, Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai will be the 13th permanent Nikki Beach location and its fourth hotel property to open worldwide. Moving into the hotel sector is a natural progression for the Nikki Beach brand which offers its customers not only a unique beach club experience, but also total immersion in a cool and relaxed lifestyle. Our brand is current and vibrant, influential, fashionable and artful — home to numerous designers, bloggers, social influencers attending events or photoshoots. We anticipate this momentum will continue with excellent entertainment, food and service.”

Terje Abrams, public relations manager, Kempinski Hotel Ajman

TOPIC: Get to the top fast: from concierge to GM

“During my three-year career in the United Arab Emirates, I have had the privilege to work in different positions at Kempinski Hotel Ajman. It’s all about the mindset of the person and hard work; you have to be passionate about what you are doing and strive for the greatest results. Never be satisfied with your achievements — always aim for better. In my case, it was a combination of hard work and the great trust of my superiors. There are a lot of people expecting to get a promotion after a year or two years in the same position, and I believe it’s becoming more and more of a ‘millennial challenge’. And if you still haven’t moved on up the career ladder even after eight years, it’s time to look at yourself and to see if you really are putting 110% of yourself into everything.”