Targeting 7000 room nights in ’17

Ibis Styles Jumeira Dubai is on a well-planned agenda to ensure more numbers from emerging markets like Mexico, Brazil, Spain, Korea, etc.

Shehara Rizly

Networking at international trade exhibitions is an essential part of the marketing calendar. Apart from the regular trade exhibitions, most hoteliers opt to also engage in roadshows and other events organised together with tourism boards. Muhammad Mujtaba Haider, Hotel Manager, Ibis Styles Jumeira Dubai, sheds light on the yearly plan in terms of trade exhibitions. He says, “We will be actively participating at EMITT (Istanbul, Turkey), AITF (Baku, Azerbaijan) and ATM (Dubai, UAE). We would like to penetrate the Turkish and Azerbaijan market aggressively because the length of stay is between 3 to 4 nights and the fact that they mostly move with families to spend vacations (looking for a hotel providing family atmosphere).”

Some of the new emerging markets focused this year by Ibis Styles Jumeira would be Mexico, Brazil, Spain, Korea, Iraq and Pakistan – both groups and FIT businesses. For 2017 we are confident to generate approximately 7000 room nights in total from these markets. In terms of trends for 2017, Haider stated that midscale hotels will have a considerable amount of business but 4 and 5 star hotels may just be looking at a rate war. Therefore hoteliers will push to maximize RevPAR rather than focusing ARR.

Dubai has recently reached 100,000-room inventory; elaborating on the strategies hoteliers in the region are employing, Haider says, “Firstly you need to control room cost (having minimum amenities in rooms/suites), next control manning, then introduction of ‘Help Yourself’ concept to guests (specifi- cally during breakfast time), lastly monitoring utility usage and controlling the same by providing training to staff.”

With online portals like Airbnb coming up, we asked Haider how hoteliers can ensure the market segment will still focus on the traditional hotel. “It is true that Airbnb have started aggressively and captured share of hotels but tourists will remain loyal to hotels specifically leisure and corporate segments.”