The Emirates Palace Hotel posted a phenomenal growth of 19 per cent occupancy in 2007 over 2006. The UAE premier hotel boasts of having doubled its bookings for leisure tourism last year.
The Emirates Palace has also bagged tens of prestigious international awards for its high quality services and as a host of an array of major world artistic and cultural events.
The iconic hotel is playing a vital role in establishing Abu Dhabi's stature as a capital of culture and a favorite tourism destination in the region.
Through hosting diverse cultural and artistic activities, the Emirates Palace has given a big boost to sports-cum-tourism movement like its sponsorship of the world most famous powerboat race - the Formula 1 - and the Abu Dhabi International Golf Championship.
In a short span of time, the majestic Emirates Palace, which bolstered its position as a feat landmark in Abu Dhabi, has become the leading player in the tourism and travel landscape in the region at large. The mammoth front beach resort has made a well-known name as organiser and host of world Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE).
Growth of Tourism Business : General Manager of Emirates Palace Hans Olberz said :''The Emirates Palace has recorded the highest occupancy rate in 2007. The number of guests were doubled, underlining the growing importance of the luxury hotel and its distinction worldwide.
''We expect this growth to gain greater momentum as our ambitious action plan for 2008 features wide-ranging promotional and marketing campaigns to reach out to as many tourism and travel companies, markets and the media organs. This will contribute to attract more holidaymakers from Europe and the Far East.
He continued :''The splendid hotel has made resounding success thanks to dedication shown by its professional staff who have put on great efforts to promote the top class services and strengths of the hotel during participation at exhibitions in Europe and the Arabian Gulf''.
Janet Abrahams, Director of Director of sales and Marketing Marketing, Emirates Palace, highly commended the crucial role the tourism and travel operators played in assisting the Hotel to strike the exceptional success.
''We have perfectly selected the companies and professionals representing us in important high-end markets. From our side, we have offered competitive packages to lure more tourists to stay at the Emirates Palace.
''Air bookings saw a marked growth last year buoyed by heavy streams of holidaymakers from all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Europe who chose to stay at the Emirates Palace during their vacation.
''The Emirates Palace management is committed to maintain prominent presence in all regional and international exhibitions to forge strong business relationship with tours operators specializing In elite and business tourism'', she affirmed.
World Awards for the Palace : In recognition of its superior hospitality services, the top rating hotel has swooped a series of global prizes and trophies. The Emirates Palace has for the second running year snatched three platinum prizes at the award-giving ceremony of the Middle East and North Africa Travel Awards 2007. The last evening of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2007 was a night of surprises and delights where over 600 of industry's leading companies gathered at in Dubai in May to celebrate the winners of the prestigious awards.
At the glamorous evening, the Emirates Palace was awarded three awards for categories of the Best Conference/Convention Hotel, Best 5 star Leisure Hotel and Best 5 star Business and Corporate Hotel.
Travel and tourism experts in MENA said the Emirates Palace winning of these coveted awards collectively and in one stroke consolidated its leading rank as one of the most luxury and opulence hotels in the region and the world alike. They added that these honors have stimulated the Hotel management to achieve more progress and success.
Nine Travel Awards at one Blow : In May, the Emirates Palace Hotel won nine awards at the annual gala of the 14th World Travel Awards for MENA, beating all its rivals in the region.
Among the top prizes, the Hotel was crowned as : Leading Conference Hotel, Leading Resort and Leading Suite.
On the UAE travel and tourism industry, the Emirates Palace has snatched a collection of awards as the Best Resort, Best Suite. In Abu Dhabi, the Emirates Palace was honored and recognized as the Best Hotel, Best Conference Hotel, Best Resort and Best Suite.
In a yet another remarkable achievement, the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences awarded in 2007 its coveted International Five Star Diamond Award to Emirates Palace, selecting the iconic resort above all others as the finest hotel in the Middle East.
The accolade followed a series of awards the Emirates Palace has obtained over the past years. The International Five Star Diamond is the latest in a series of global honors that the Kempinski-managed Emirates Palace has received recently, further cementing its status as the premiere luxury resort destination in the region.
''It is indeed an honour to be officially recognized by an esteemed organization such as the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences,'' Abrahams commented on the achievement.
''The high standards with which we operate and the distinctive luxury experience we offer to our guests transcends even the most premium hospitality offering," She said.
The New York-based luxury lifestyle reviewers cited Abu Dhabi?s iconic property for its dedication to excellence, and overall quality of hospitality, gastronomic offers and most importantly, service.
''These outstanding accomplishments enhance the representation of the hospitality industry worldwide and of Abu Dhabi's," said Vittorio Gai, International Manager of the Academy.
In the global travel and hospitality industry, the International Five Star Diamond award is the most prestigious emblem of achievement, an award many strive for, but few obtain. The decisions of the American Academy are based on whether the establishment demonstrates a commitment to excellence within its category and classification.
''Since the Emirates Palace was opened in 2005, we have been committed to provide our guests with the highest standard of quality and comfortable services. We have been striving to set new benchmarks for Luxurious facilities and amenities.
World Cultural Events : The Emirates Palace has hosted major cultural and artistic events that organised in an Arab capital for the first time in the Middle East. Top of these events, were the concert performed by the world pop star Justin Timberlake at the West Park of the Emirates Palace in December 2007.
Timberlake rocked the Emirates Palace grounds with his magnificent performance.
More than 15,500 music fans - most of them came from Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and other Arab and foreign countries - flocked to the Emirates Palace to to see and listen to the American pop star performing in the Middle East for the first time.
The concert, the last in his 19 months long world tour, which covered 60 countries, was the largest musical event ever seen by Abu Dhabi.
The pop star, who visited and performed in the UAE for the first time, said of Abu Dhabi ''It is an incredible place that is still growing and I'm sure the international music industry will grow with it. He added that he will put a good word for Abu Dhabi to his fellow pop stars.
He was also very impressed with the concert setting by the seaside, which he said reminded him of his hometown in Mississippi, Memphis.
By hosting the legendry concert, Abu Dhabi has carved a prominent place among the capitals of world in staging such premier musical events.
Yet,the spectacular performance by the ever-flamboyant Sir Elton John at the Emirates Palace on January 22,2008 has added an international dimension to artistic events organised by the Abu Dhabi's signature hotel.
Emirates Palace also broke ground for hosting last year the massive production of AIDA Monumental Opera on Fire in association with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority. The breathtaking musical event marked critical juncture in the Palace's cultural calendar given the fact that the opera is the largest theatrical work in the world.
Authors and critics said the world fantastic theatrical show was in itself a vital, influential contribution by the iconic luxury hotel and Abu Dhabi to fostering and promoting artistic and musical culture in the community.
Emirates Palace Joins Club of World's elite 100 Hotels : Emirates Palace, managed by Kempinski Hoteliers, landed a top spot in the world's 100 best luxury hotels in the Robb Report, the luxury lifestyle authority.
The recent international citation came on the heels of the Palace's triumphs at the World Travel Market, and a special commendation from Seven Stars and Stripes, another luxury lifestyle specialist.
Emirates Palace was chosen as the best in Abu Dhabi, and one of the 100 best in the world.
Adding another feather in its cap, Emirates Palace was voted to the 2007 Conde Nast Traveller's Gold List, the ultimate guide to the world's hotels that conform to the prestigious publication's Gold standard.
Emirates Palace joined an exclusive list of renowned properties all over the world that feature the best service, rooms, food, ambience and design, location and leisure facilities.
Emirates Palace General Manager said :'' The selection and listing of the Emirates Palace in the world's most reputed tourism and travel organisations and publications doesn't only recognise the world highest standards of luxury and amenities the Palace boasts of but also assists us to present the Palace and its exceptional services to the readers and tourism industry alike.
Situated on a 1.3 km stretch of private beach and surrounded by hectares of manicured lawns, Emirates Palace comprises 394 luxury rooms and suites and a variety of fine dining options.
The resort's leisure facilities include two intricately landscaped swimming pools, a spa, tennis courts, and two state of the art fitness centres. Emirates Palace houses the most luxurious and technologically advanced meeting facilities in the region which include an auditorium with 1,100 seats, a main ballroom that can accommodate up to 2500 guests, over 40 meeting rooms, a Media Centre and a Business Centre. (WAM)
Read more!
