Pick & Mix

Big data and personalisation, mega projects and boutique, luxury and mid-market – this year’s travel week in Dubai had no end of contrasting themes.

- Dominic Ellis

Sometimes it’s hard to visualise the rapid changes occurring in the travel industry, but not so on the opening morning of the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference. ‘AHIC’ the robot glided onto the Madinat Jumeirah conference centre stage, accompanied by Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta, who skipped through brand development, digital key security and family – subjects that might be beyond AHIC’s vocabulary this year, but not for much longer.

The startling juxtapositions seemed apt in a week in which the travel industry continues to change at an electric, tech-oriented pace, while grappling with a range of more stubborn issues: ongoing rate, supply and economic pressures, unprecedented consolidation and macro political and security concerns.

Down the road, the mixed picture extended to the Arabian Travel Market. Upturn, downturn or anywhere in between, you can always count on the ATM halls to be busy; it remains the region’s WTM and ITB rolled into one. You might see less of the grand masterplan models of yesteryear although with Damac’s launch of the 2,000-room ‘Golfotel’ and 57-floor mixed-use Jannah Ras Al Khor Sharjah, clearly the penchant for OTT hasn’t disappeared completely, nor the desire to add yet more five-star units. The former rounded off the week by unveiling the 305-key DAMAC Maison Royale The Distinction, billed as an ‘ultra-luxury five star’ which will open in the Dubai Downtown district in June, and 250-key Damac Maison Bay, scheduled for May. There’s more five-star inventory from Hilton, too, which announced a second Curio Collection hotel in Dubai, in Business Bay, scheduled to open in 2019 – and it signed an LOI with Nakheel for a DoubleTree hotel and residences on Deira Islands (450 units).