Dubai - Readers of Business Traveller Middle East magazine voted Sheraton as Best Business Hotel chain in the Middle East; and, for the fifth consecutive year, voted Starwood Preferred Guest as Best Hotel Loyalty Programme during the magazine's annual award ceremony held in Dubai on the eve of Arabian Travel Market recently.
Business travellers also voted Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel as Best Business Hotel in Doha. Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel & Resort, Sheraton Bahrain Hotel & Towers, Sheraton Cairo Hotel Towers & Casino, Sheraton Kuwait Hotel & Towers and Sheraton Riyadh Hotel & Towers were all runners-up in their own cities.
The occasion coincides with the 19th Annual Freddie Awards where Starwood Preferred Guest was named Program of the Year in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific, one of the most prestigious honours in the travel industry. Starwood Preferred Guest took home more awards than any other hotel program including Program of the Year; Best Elite Level; Best Bonus Promotion; Best Award Redemption; Best Customer Service and Best Affinity Credit Card.
Known as the frequent travelers' answer to the Oscar and Emmy Awards, the Freddie Awards recognise the best loyalty programs in the world. The awards are voted on by frequent travelers around the world via an Internet survey sponsored by Inside Flyer magazine, giving those who travel most the opportunity to voice their opinions on favorite airlines, hotels and credit card loyalty programmes.
"We are very honoured to receive these awards, and realize that this recognition is yet another validation to our dedication to the service and brand promise we offer to our guests in the region", said Guido de Wilde, Vice President and Regional Director of Starwood Hotels in the Middle East.
"Sheraton was the first international brand to establish footprints in the region, with the opening of Sheraton Kuwait in 1966", added de Wilde. "Since its inception in 1999, Starwood Preferred Guest was designed to deliver the benefits most sought after by frequent travellers -- the ability to redeem free nights instantly anywhere anytime as long as a room is available, the richest elite level benefits, and world class customer service. We will continue to pursue our goal of exceeding client expectations and setting benchmarks in the way the travel industry does business", he concluded.
Last year, Sheraton launched its new brand positioning, centered on warm, comforting, connections . Sheraton's positioning is being brought to life at every stage of the guest experience, from a totally new look through its advertising campaign, website and collateral; to an array of new signature initiatives, including "warm welcome", "Sheraton Sweet Sleeper bed", "Link@Sheraton" and "Sheraton Breakfast" amongst others. Business Traveller Middle East magazine awards, which are voted for by readers, recognise excellence in travel in the region, and are celebrated annually around the Arabian Travel Market.
Sheraton, the largest brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc, has more than 394 hotels in 65 countries. Starwood Hotels & Resorts is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 850 properties in more than 95 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.
© The Peninsula 2007
