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William E. Heinecke, billionaire Founder and Chairman of global hospitality group Minor International, sees plenty of reason for optimism in the travel markets. As his hotel company moves forward with a raft of Middle East openings, he’s betting on a steady and profitable period ahead.

- Claudine Coletti

Billionaire William E. Heinecke is a busy man. As I sit down to speak to the founder of Bangkok-headquartered hospitality, restaurant, and lifestyle company Minor International Pcl, he's between meetings at the Anantara Downtown Dubai, the latest hotel to be under Minor's management in the buzzing emirate. Having just landed from London that morning, Heinecke's next two days in the U.A.E. are packed. As he witnesses his industry recover post-pandemic, the hotelier is glad to be back on the road, keeping an eye out for new opportunities, while checking in on his already locked-in investments.

The high-rise luxury hotel where we meet in the heart of the city's downtown district rebranded from Oberoi to Anantara in July 2022, and is on the cusp of an extensive refurbishment. Anantara is Minor International's own hotel brand, and while this is Dubai's third Anantara, it's the brand's first city offering here the other two Anantaras being sprawling resorts on the Palm Jumeirah and the World Islands. For Heinecke though, there's little difference these days. "We see it now as bi-leisure," he explains. "People always think of the Anantara as a resort brand because we started in the Maldives and Phuket, and places like that, but in fact we try to do the same thing when we're in a city. And I haven't found any traveler yet that doesn't mind thinking they're in a resort even if they're there on business."