PHOTO
IHG's data shows that its properties in the Emirates remain saturated with travellers from Asia's largest markets
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – The UAE continues to be an increasingly important destination for travellers from both China and India, according to InterContinental Hotels Group® (IHG), one of the world’s leading global hotel companies. IHG’s data trends show that, the hotel market in the Emirates can expect to see an increase in inbound business from these two powerful markets throughout the year.
IHG’s data reporting shows that its business from Chinese travellers to the Middle East has jumped by 13.31% from 2015 to 2016, followed by an increase of over 24% YoY (Feb YTD). Dubai saw an increase of 3.3% points jump from last year while the Dead Sea, Jordan has gone up by 5% points.
The traffic IHG’s hotels have received from India also points to a growth in the UAE’s room nights, which has gone up by 24% YoY (Feb. YTD). While there has been a drop in room nights in Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Abu Dhabi have continued to grow, with 22% and 3% jumps respectively.
James Britchford, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, India, Middle East, Africa, IHG said: “We have seen some headwinds in the Middle East in the last year, however the region remains dynamic and fundamentals for the hotel industry here are strong, particularly in the UAE. From a mid- and long-term perspective, the major cities of the Middle East will continue to grow as business hubs and tourist destinations. We remain strong in our outlook towards the Middle East in general, while the UAE remains a key market for us.”
On the specific topic of Chinese and Indian travel trends, Mr. Britchford explained: “Ultimately, China and India represent the largest source of tourism markets in the world. We have seen an increase in MICE travel from China, particularly to the UAE, which has bolstered the need for growth across several of our brands. We are also seeing Chinese travellers engage in more long-haul travel, as well increased engagement with luxury hospitality. These trends are similar for Indian travellers as well.”
IHG also continues to nurture its existing brands in the region that cater to demand from both China and India, growing its luxury offering with InterContinental Hotels and Resorts and its business brand Crowne Plaza while expanding its mid-scale properties under the Holiday Inn brand family, in order to meet the growing demand from business travellers and tourists alike.
Visit IHG at the Arabian Travel Market in Sheikh Saeed Hall, stand number HC0550, taking place from April 24-27 2017 at the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre. IHG executives are also attending the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference, from April 25-27.
IHG currently operates over 280 hotels across five brands in Asia, Middle East & Africa (AMEA), including InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Hotel Indigo with a further 149 in the development pipeline due to open within the next three to five years.
-Ends-
About IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group):
IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton® Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo®, EVEN® Hotels, HUALUXE® Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®.
IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns nearly 5,200 hotels and 770,000 guest rooms in almost 100 countries, with nearly 1,500 hotels in its development pipeline. IHG also manages IHG® Rewards Club, the world’s first and largest hotel loyalty programme, with more than 100 million enrolled members worldwide.
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales. More than 350,000 people work across IHG’s hotels and corporate offices globally.
Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. For our latest news, visit: www.ihgplc.com/media and follow us on social media at: www.twitter.com/ihg, www.facebook.com/ihg and www.youtube.com/ihgplc.
Media Enquiries:
Parisa Chum
Communications Director IMEA
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)
Tel: +971-4-213-6067
Email: parisa.chum@ihg.com
Holly Wallace
Account Executive
Memac Ogilvy Public Relations
Tel: +971 4 305 0339
Email: holly.wallace@ogilvy.com
© Press Release 2017
