Panel Discussion: Destination UAE Promoting the United Arab Emirates to the World. Panel Discussion: Destination UAE Promoting the United Arab Emirates to the World.

Despite being relatively new to the tourism game, the UAE has very quickly become the ultimate destination for travellers from across the globe, according to the hoteliers who came together to take part in the Hotelier Middle East Great GM Debate 2017.

But many noted that there is lack of co-operation between the Emirates to promote their neighbours and a united effort to promote the country as a whole would be ideal in building awareness for what’s on offer and bringing more guests over to this corner of the world. Hoteliers could be a key component in the cross promotion of destinations and their properties.

"Dubai is the great example of a destination with different phases. The first phase was to exist on the map with lots of five-star hotels and attract international travellers. The second phase is how to expand the number of visitors and the attractiveness of your destination. This is where you develop more three- and four-star hotels and as a destination you cover the different markets. At AccorHotels we've evolved in the market by not only purely focusing on on five-star development with the introduction of Mama Shelter to the region," said AccorHotels Middle East and Africa managing director and chief operating officer Olivier Granet. 

"But it's not only Dubai, it's the UAE as a whole. You have to build the other emirates as a destinaion as well make it part of the experience. I believe the opening of Louvre in Abu Dhabi will definitely want to make travellers that come to Dubai visit Abu Dhabi as well," Granet added. 

UAE hoteliers also believe that the hospitality market needs to broaden the hospitality market to more than just five-star hotels.

"Most visitors when they think of the UAE equate it with Dubai. We need to change that perception. It's not all sun, sand and sea. There's so much more to the UAE as a destination than just that and we need to show potential visitors how diverse we are as a country," said Emaar Hospitality Group CEO Olivier Harnisch.

Ignace Bauwens regional vice president, Middle East & Africa, Wyndham Hotel Group believes that hoteliers need to promote the UAE as a whole.

"The UAE is bigger than just Dubai. Yes we are lucky that Dubai connects it to the world but we have so much more. Fujairah gives us access to a different coast, Abu Dhabi to culture and the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, and we need to work with airlines and travel agents to promote the UAE as a destination," Bauwens added.

However Laurent A. Voivenel senior vice president operations & development Middle East, India & Africa, Swiss-Belhotel International thinks that it's easier said than done.

"One of the major issues nobody is talking about is connectivity. I'm not talking about the different hotel brands but the nightmare of going from one place to another in the UAE. Not everyone rents a car and it takes two hours to go to Abu Dhabi, three hours to Fujairah and 300 dirhams in a taxi. not everyone can afford that," Voivenel added. 

According to Voivenel, the hyperloop will change all of that.  He said: "Just 12 mins to get form Dubai to Abu Dhabi will be great when it happens but extending the metro to other emirates will bring additional customers as well. It doesn't matter that we have a lot to offer. Very few people move out of middle areas because it's difficult to move around."

The Hotelier Middle East Great GM Debate 2017 took place at Le Meridien Dubai Hotel and Conference Centre.

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