TravTalk Middle East Online Magazine
The two Rotana Resorts located in Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah witnessed an increased number of foreign visitors from Europe and East Europe apart from the staycations by local residents and expats during the past year. Mrad El Khoury, Cluster General Manager, Rotana Fujairah and Cove Rotana Ras Al Khaimah, shares some insights on the future.
TT Bureau
The two properties Cove Rotana and Rotana Fujairah witnessed business results and performance way above expectation due to the market coverage and targeted marketing and promotion strategies and guests need for getting out of the city’s crowd and away from their busy schedules.
When compared to 2015 it was better mainly because the European and East European markets productivity increased in the northern emirates so both properties became beneficiaries. Taking into consideration as well the increase of the local market increase of demands for the weekends, public holidays and festive period.
According to El Khoury, in order to maintain their position as leaders they always search for new feeder markets and increase their presence in the existing markets where they have strong partnerships. The two properties have their own unique selling points. For instance, Cove Rotana RAK is located a short distance from both RAK airport and Dubai airport within the proximity of RAK city and shopping area and away from the traffic and hustle and bustle of the city. It is rich in the green landscaping, two infinity pools, and plunge private pools in the 2 and 3 bedroom villas. The resort structure is unique in the UAE — a 600-metre beach with variety of activities and F&B outlets. It offers team building activities, has the only Mediterranean restaurant in RAK.
Fujairah has its own unique points — a very relaxant and family friendly hotel with an impressive awardwinning Zen; the SPA with 11 treatment rooms for relaxation. In addition the variety of water sports activities, motorised and non-motorised, a dedicated animation team, variety of fantastic sites for divers and fisherman with colonial style international F&B flair that suit all tastes and a huge kids club with fun activities.
Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah are destinations which receive both expats and locals apart from the foreign visitors. We asked Mrad the strategies lined up for this year to lure more travellers to both properties. “We are focusing to meet guest needs and expectations by introducing weekdays and weekend packages, festivity packages, summer packages including many other benefits that suit several tastes and budgets. Our tailor-made packages and activities suits most of our local and international markets demands and needs. Rotana in general have created the Rotana Escapes that have 5 to 6 different packages including night stays and food and beverage with activities in the hotels or the city itself, where guests can explore the culture of the city and experience the real meaning of hospitality,” he says.
These packages have witnessed an increase in the number of guests at the properties managed by the Rotana group. For both Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, local expats or residents from other emirates will spend between one or two nights during the weekend, whereas international guests will stay between 5 and 7 nights with the corporate meeting and incentives between 2 and 3 nights. The new search engines online and the traditional travel agents are still on a par when it comes to bookings. In these two properties there is a very good mix of bookings made online and offline too. Their regular guests book direct with the hotel or through online search engines whereas international travellers still book through an agent because they book a package including ticket, room, excursions, city tours, etc. Their continued participation in travel trade international events such as ITB, WTM and MITT Moscow due to the importance of these countries and the volume they produce into the UAE along with ATM here in Dubai ensures that they keep their branding business in full swing around the world. In terms of expansion for 2017, Cove is witnessing a new extension which includes a water park for family entertainment and leisure to be opened this year around the second quarter.
Technology plays a pivotal role in hospitality whether it is a hotel or a resort, Mrad says: “Technology is becoming a necessity and very useful especially as it is rapidly developing. The high-tech and new ways of communication keep you in direct communication and reach your client whenever you want and wherever the client is located. It keeps him updated with all new promotions, updates, and activities, packages the social media channels create a real interaction with the guest and give him the exact look and feel of the place. In both resorts, we are very active online and the Rotana mobile App is a friendly user which ease your bookings and stays in any of the Rotana properties in the MENA region.”
