Fujairah is flying high
Plummeting rates and expectations of a quiet summer for Gulf tourism have raised concerns about the knock-on effect for smaller emirates such as Fujairah. But with a new tourism authority, upcoming hotels taking shape and a ‘can-do’ attitude from existing resorts, the destination is quietly wooing a range of markets. Kathi Everden reports
There’s a laid back atmosphere in Fujairah — maybe it’s something in the Indian Ocean waters. And this lassitude has at times extended to its tourism development, with grandiose plans inevitably dissipating into piecemeal projects that eke out the frustratingly slow process of establishing the emirate as a player in the global tourism stakes.
For 2009, this slow progress has for once been justified, as the current hotels ride out the recession without too much local competition to eat even farther into rate offerings. And, encouragingly, the government has upgraded its investment in tourism promotion with the summer launch of the Fujairah Tourism & Archaeological Authority (FTAA), taking over and augmenting the roles of the previous archaeology and heritage department and the Fujairah Tourism Bureau, the latter having become becalmed in the waters of exhibition participation and map production.
Already, FTAA director HE Saeed Abdullah Al Samahi has been talking to Sharjah tourism authorities about a co-operation strategy to initially boost domestic tourism (the enclave of Khor Fakkan on the Fujairah coast actually belongs to the emirate of Sharjah), with the establishment decree stipulating that the FTAA should “encourage, develop and regulate tourism in the emirate, and devise a tourism plan guided by internationally recognised standards”.
It’s a move welcomed by existing partners in the tourism industry — such as the hotels and resorts, who had previously had to virtually go it alone with their promotion strategy, outside of the regular WTM/ATM/ITB circuit.
The move is also timely, given the resorts slowly rising along the coast, completion of which in the next two years will give Fujairah a respectable roll-call of international names to widen its appeal and, more importantly, its recognition factor.
Al Aqah will see a 291-room InterContinental by end 2010 and a 320-room Radisson Blu scheduled for early 2011; there’s a 117-room Angsana planned along the coast; and the area is also location for the Mina Al Fajer development, comprising a marina, 60 villas and 80 apartments plus associated infrastructure and a 137-room Fairmont, again opening early 2011.
In Fujairah town, Ibis, Novotel and Rotana’s Arjaan will add to the room count within the year, emphasising the commercial expansion of the emirate in tandem with tourism projects, while Australian chain Rendezvous will debut in the Gulf next summer with a 217-room Rendezvous Fujairah.
“The emerging nature of the emirate and the quality of the hotel development led us to start (expansion) in Fujairah,” said senior vice president sales and marketing Michael Meade. “The hotel will be integrated in to the emirate’s largest mall and we will target corporate, government and online visitors.”
Meanwhile, existing hotels have refurbished and expanded to capitalise on increased business — Al Diar Siji recently opened its 79-unit hotel apartment property offering gym, pool, restaurant and business facilities, while Hilton has undergone a total refurbishment.
According to Siji sales and marketing director Shankar Bharadwaj, regional GCC business is holding up and corporate meetings is a growth area that should enable the hotel to maintain occupancies.
“The new hotel apartments also help fulfil the emerging needs of the market, and we are planning sequential marketing to tap in to all market segments,” he said.
Doyen of the pack, the Fujairah Hilton is reporting 90% occupancy for the first half of 2009, with leisure increasing as well as corporate business, according to Essam Abouda, regional vice president operations for Hilton Hotels. “Our priority is to reintroduce the new-look resort and showcase our updated business and leisure facilities to local and international markets,” he said.
“Even in the current downturn, we are enjoying healthy business as the only international resort within Fujairah city centre, with private beach and sea-views, and a perfect location for small meetings and team-building exercises — where companies can mix business with pleasure.”
It’s a philosophy that is equally applicable up the road at Al Aqah, where existing resorts are extending their product offering to counteract seasonality among prime European leisure markets.
“As the current year is quite challenging, we are trying to be as creative as possible and take a proactive approach to new business opportunities,” clarified JAL Hotel Fujairah general manager Christian Rainalter. “We are enlarging our platform in the international leisure segment to target new feeder markets, promoting a gourmet resort and adding 26 new suites that will be attractive for the regional family market — these will have one to three bedrooms.”
In addition, Rainalter noted that the opening of the JAL Tower Dubai early in 2010 would offer up potential for combination city and beach stays.
Rotana too is exploiting its regional network, promoting multiple-destination stays with sister hotels in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, according to Mrad El Khoury, general manager of the Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa. “We also capitalise on the Rotana loyalty club, offering upgrades, free spa treatments and so on for repeat guests, while other promotions are aiming at the local MICE market,” he said pointing to the potential for more GCC residents to holiday at home in the current economic climate.
For Le Méridien a tourism pioneer in Al Aqah, marketing has been key for fighting its corner both against regional competition and newcomers on the beach, but general manager Patrick Antaki is optimistic that Fujairah has the credentials to weather the recession and move on from its current ranking as a secondary destination.
“Fujairah is not yet on the map and we have to fight to get recognition still,” he said. “I welcome the move to form a proper tourism authority and with the new rooms, this will give us the impetus to develop as a tourist destination.”
While occupancies for 2009 are expected to average around 80%, Antaki said a conference facility would help all the hotels, as well as a cultural or heritage centre: “We need more meeting facilities so we can host more than one event at a time, although team-building events are a growing sector — but local leisure traffic is down to around 30% and we cannot rely on this since it is so seasonal.”
For the newcomers, Fairmont vice president for regional hotel sales Kent Cooper underlined the group’s ambition to tap all sectors to successfully launch a high-calibre hotel in an immature destination. “We anticipate a unique mix, predominantly leisure wholesale, given the natural splendour of Fujairah, followed by MICE and corporate — it is a viable alternative to Oman and a counterpart to city life in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.”
The upmarket appeal of Fairmont would also help to attract GCC clients looking for a luxury experience in a new destination, he added: “Fairmont Mina Al Fajer will attract a higher end clientele that may have overlooked Fujairah in the past.”
Summer specials
Rotana is offering an AED 400 (US $109) room rate during the week, rising to AED 550 ($150) at weekends valid until September 15 and inclusive of buffet breakfast, plus MICE packages from AED 655 ($178) per person in a single room, weekdays, inclusive of breakfast and lunch buffets, one free room per 15 booked, free cocktail reception and discounts on internet, spa treatments and team-building activities.
Le Meridien Al Aqah has a summer per person rate of AED 349 ($95) with breakfast and either lunch or dinner in the main Views restaurant. For Ramadan, the resort has a two-night stay package that rewards guests with a free night during the week, valid until September 20. Weekday access to the resort is available for GCC residents at AED 150 ($41) per person including lunch, rising to AED 199 ($54) on Fridays, with Kids Club access for children charged at AED 50 ($14) each.
Hotel JAL Fujairah Resort is running a range of programmes to boost business this summer offering spa, golf, family, diving and corporate breaks. The latter range from half-day meeting packages from AED 180 ($49) per delegate including lunch and coffee to full-day meetings with overnight accommodation from AED 770 ($210), with lunch, dinner, single occupancy rooms, breakfast and coffee breaks, or AED 1780 ($485) for the VIP treatment with suite accommodation and private transfers. Specialist breaks start at AED 790 ($215) per room for two adults and up to three kids, weekdays for the Family Packages, with breakfast, additional meal discounts and free swimming lessons for children, while a golf package starts from AED 635 ($173) with play at a course in Ras Al Khaimah, while Diving Discovery costs from AED 1450 ($395) with breakfast, dinner and diving session for two people while a Spa and Sushi programme costs from AED 1150 ($313) with breakfast, spa for two and dinner.
Al Diar Siji has rates from AED 499 ($135) with breakfast, while its apartments have a AED 599 ($163) price-tag and the Hilton is running the Hilton Extra Nights campaign, offering free nights for stays of three days or more.
Fujairah’s water world
The Al Aqah resorts offer daily boat, snorkelling and diving trips open to both residents and non-residents, with Al Boom operating exclusively at Le Meridien while Water World serves JAL Hotel, Miramar and Rotana. Trips to popular sites such as Snoopy Island are free to guests, and cost AED 120 ($33) for day visitors. Other activities include a sunset cruise with bubbly and snacks at AED 600 ($163) per person, a coastal tour for up to six people lasting from between one and six hours, priced at AED 450 ($122) for the boat hire per hour, or sport fishing with boat and equipment hire for AED 1350 ($368) per half day.
Fishy business
Le Meridien Al Aqah is host to the inaugural Fujairah Classic, held between October 15 and 17 and claimed to be the largest sport fishing event in the UAE. Competition packages are now available by contacting the hotel, and will include room, breakfast, daily return transfers to Fujairah Marina and entry to a gala dinner on October 17 at the resort.
Sea more in Fujairah
Dubai-based Seawings has extended its operations to Fujairah and currently offers a 30-minute aerial tour of the emirate’s coast and mountains, prices from AED 695 (US $189) per person or AED 590 ($160) for a child under 12 years. Also available is a Fujairah-Dubai scenic trip for AED 1195 ($325) with return road transport, while other summer promotions include a two-for-one offer valid until end September. www.seawings.ae