A new report published by Euromonitor International for The Hotel Show and The Leisure Show Dubai 2015 reveals a positive future for UAE hotels with annual revenues forecast to reach $10.9 billion in 2019, almost doubling from the $5.9 billion figure recorded in 2013. Visitor attraction revenues are also forecast to double from $521 million recorded in 2013 to over $1.2 billion by 2019. In 2015, UAE hotel revenues are forecast to reach $7.3 billion, while visitor attraction revenues will hit $638 million. The new figures are released as The Hotel Show and The Leisure Show Dubai, the leading events for the hospitality and leisure industry in the Middle East and Africa, are set to open to over 18,000 professionals from the industry on Monday. It will run for three days at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Christine Davidson, Group Event Director of the dmg events hospitality portfolio including The Hotel Show and The Leisure Show said: “Euromonitor International's new report reveals that the UAE is leading the Middle East and North Africa for hotel room revenues, with over 3 times the amount recorded and forecast for Saudi Arabia and Egypt who follow. The UAE also currently leads the region for hotel construction to meet demand.” She said: “Saudi currently leads the market for visitor attractions, however, with $4.6 billion in revenues forecast for 2015 versus $638 million for the UAE. But with massive leisure development currently under way across the UAE including 5 theme parks, 3 major museums and 2 safari parks, its visitor attraction revenues are forecast to almost double to $1.2 billion by 2019. As more developments enter the pipeline, including last month's announcement of the record-breaking Meydan One project featuring the world's largest indoor ski slope, the UAE's future for leisure and entertainment tourism looks exceedingly good.” The Hotel Show and The Leisure Show Dubai 2015 have new features this year reflecting the region's evolving hospitality and leisure landscape. A new Technology and Security Summit, TecSec, opens with a keynote by NEC Global and talks from other major tech brands Google, Cisco, and Sabre. A new Design Theatre, by leading Italian architects WT Studio, features “Hotel as Opera by Simone Micheli”, an Italian architect renowned globally for futuristic hotel designs, plus a host of other names in international design. The Leisure Show's The Hub will open with Dubai Sports Council and follow with Technogym, Yas Waterworld, Fluidra Middle East and others with presentations and workshops on sports and fitness, pools, spas and theme parks in the region. From a diverse range of over 600 exhibitors representing the full scope of products and services needed to build, fit-out and maintain hotel and leisure facilities, major new product and brand launches from industry-leading companies have been revealed. The first “motorized luggage trolley” and “full body dryer” in the market are set to launch from companies arriving in Dubai from Belgium and Spain. One of the leading global interiors and contracting companies for hotel interiors and The Hotel Show's Interiors Partner for 2015, S&T, is unveiling a new brand and a unique design and build fit-out concept with an official unveiling on the second day of the event. K.S. Ravikumar, executive director — International Operations at S&T said: “The Hotel Show Dubai 2015 is a great networking platform and participating in it only supplements your existence in the industry. The hospitality industry is increasingly seeing the use of modern materials like glass, steel etc. while the use of wood and traditional finishes is getting confined to public areas. S&T with its global operations and expertise brings a wide array of innovative interior fit-out solutions. This year, we will be presenting a unique Design and Build concept by combining 3Ms i.e. Materials, Methods and Management to provide Turnkey Solutions with a difference. We are certain our unique concept will take the science of execution to the next level.” At The Leisure Show, REPs UAE launches new fitness programs that are described by its Director of Operations Catherine Hanson-Farid as “set to become a craze” in Dubai, with live demonstrations on the show floor including from bodyART by Robert Steinbacher, and DanceXtreme by Impact British Training Systems. X-Golf launches its state-of-the-art golf simulator systems to the Middle East and is offering prizes to visitors who manage to hit a ball “closest to the pin” including a golf bag supplied by X-Golf and rowing machine by RS Fitness. — SG
