The Director-General of Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM)Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Khalid Ahmed bin Sulayem, said the campaign comes in the framework of promoting the emirate on all occasions and at all events throughout the year.

The campaign includes the eight major markets for DTCMDTCM: the United Kingdom, Germany, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, India, China, Japan and Australia.

The plan calls for a special pricing structure ranging from 40 to 60 per cent discount on room rates in addition to a 25 per cent reduction in the prices of food and beverage. This drive will run from January 10 until mid-February to coincide with the festival.

Several chains of hotels, though, chose to start offering discounted room rates even before the year ended.

Hamra Hotels & Resorts offered its exclusive corporate room rates at a discounted 40 to 60 per cent now for all room types, from as low as Dh450 to a high of Dh1,900 for single and between Dh450 and Dh1,900 for double. Originally, the rooms were priced between Dh1,700 and Dh3,000 a night for single and between Dh1,900 and Dh2,900 for double.

The same is true with Al Hamra Village Golf Resort, which now offering a single room for Dh250 up to Dh1,200 and a double for Dh300 up to Dh1,250 a night.

Khatt Springs Hotel and Spa is charging between Dh350 and Dh900 for a single room and between Dh400 and Dh950 for a double.

Earlier, Hilton Family of Hotels announced their latest room rate offers at 50 per cent discount on weekend breaks until the end of August 2009, for bookings made up to January 31, 2009. This includes 220 Hilton, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf-Astoria Collection, Doubletree by Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn Hotels across 45 countries.

More amazing offers from other hotels go with their hotel room cuts as the Dubai Shopping Festival draws near.

Hina Bakht, Vice-President, PMJ, Marketing Pro-Junction, said, "We have got some amazing offers lined up across all Coral Hotels in Dubai for the Dubai Shopping Festival. This means excellent value for money for our clients who can enjoy incredible rates all through this period. At the moment, all our properties in the city (Coral Deira, Dubai, Coral Boutique Villas, Al Barsha, Coral Boutique Hotel Apartments, Al Barsha) are running at a high occupancy. We are averaging between 80 to 95 per cent occupancy right up to the first week of January. It might drop a bit after that. We are certainly not immune to the global recession and the subsequent effect on business. However, being in the UAE we are still quite well placed since the UAE is an extremely resilient economy with a strong tourism infrastructure."

Iftikhar Hamdani Managing Director, Verona Resorts, Sharjah, said, "We have slashed 50 per cent charges on room rents. Starting from Dh300 for standard room to Dh400 for deluxe. Our restaurants, Marco Polo, Olivia and Splash are already offering 30 per cent cut in promotional campaign."

Iftikhar cites two reasons for the discounts: "Since we are launching our resort shortly we want to attract guests and because of the effects of global recession we are not getting the visitors as we had targeted."

A J Stephanie, spokesperson of Radisson SAS, Deira Creek, said "We are running promotions at all of our 11 restaurants and bars this festive season. Luckily, our hotel rooms are having 100 per cent occupancy, mainly by our guests coming from UK. We have special promotional programmes for children, which attracts local guest as well. As of now we are not hit by the recession."

Similarly, Michael Frances, Marketing and Communication Manager, Dusit Dubai, was quite optimistic about business picking up with the start of the new year.

"The last quarter of 2008 has seen slowdown in tourists coming in due to the impact of global financial crisis. Normally hotel occupancy rate stays around 70 to 80 per cent, but we witnessed around 50 to 60 per cent this season. We are carefully watching the market and will be coming up with more attractive packages."

Niel Rumbaoa, Director Communication, Shangri-La, Hotel Dubai, said, "We have not yet finalised the shopping festival promotional rates but already running various promotion this season."

lily@khaleejtimes.com

Lily B. Libo-on & Aneela Batool

© Khaleej Times 2009

 

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