UAE Hotels Mark Chinese New Year as Demand Soars

By Louise Birchall

Hotels across the emirates are celebrating Chinese New Year (February 10), as the number of guests from China to the region continues to grow.

The Burj Al Arab is among those marking the Year of the Snake as it projects a huge red calligraphic serpent artwork on its sail-shaped exterior.

The luxury property has labelled China a "top destination" with guests from China making up 25% of its guest market in 2012.

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"On the evening of February 10, the hotel will host Chinese dignitaries and their families to witness the traditional lighting of the lion's eyes to initiate a series of traditional lion dances. To the accompaniment of the Chinese zither music, Chinese delicacies will be served from live cooking stations, while children's Chinese craft activities will entertain the youngest guests," a hotel spokesperson told Hotelier Middle East.

Other Dubai resorts have also welcomed significant numbers of Chinese guests, including the Madinat Jumeirah.

"China is an emerging market for Madinat Jumeirah, from which we've seen year-on-year growth. To recognise the needs of these guests, we conduct recruitment drives and currently have more than 40 Chinese nationals on board that work across the operations," said Mina A'Salam, Madinat Jumeirah hotel manager Azar Saliba.

"We work very closely with our partners based in China, and majority of the market demand comes from leisure travel, pre- and post-wedding mini-holidays for couples, with an upward trend for business travel," Saliba added.

The resort will be celebrating the Chinese New Year with the traditional lion dance in the lobby of Mina A'Salam, as well as live entertainment at its Zheng He's Cantonese restaurant.

Meanwhile, Mövenpick Hotel Ibn Battuta Gate Dubai is offering special promotions in its Shanghai Chic Cantonese restaurant.

The hotel has recorded a 25% increase in the number of guests from China in 2012 on 2011.

"This increase is mainly due to the higher demand for Dubai in the Chinese market as well as the hotel being much more established with tour operators and their representative counterparts in China. We keep seeing an increase in the demand for Dubai within the Chinese market and therefore expect an organic growth in this segment of 10% for the year 2013," the hotel's executive assistant manager Chris El Khoury told Hotelier Middle East.

To cater to increasing demand, Mövenpick Hotel Ibn Battuta Gate Dubai has employed a Chinese sales manager, Chinese-speaking staff and utilises its sales office in China.

"We also continually undertake marketing and PR activities with our Chinese partners, as well as participate in Chinese road shows in conjunction with DTCM on a yearly basis and we make sure visit our partners which are based in China regularly," said El Khoury.

"The UAE has become a leading leisure destination for the Chinese market mainly due to the marketing and road shows organised by the DTCM in China, the affordable flight and hotel rates, the high-end shopping facilities and of course the large number of diverse and cultural sightseeing opportunities," he added.

Source: HotelierMiddleEast.com

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