(MENAFN- Arab Times) Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor was presented the budget for Habtoor Hotels for 2014. Henning Fries, Group Director, Habtoor Hotels presented the projections to the Al Habtoor Group Chairman at the Al Habtoor Group head office on Wednesday, Dec 11, 2013. Also present was Sultan Al Habtoor, President of Al Habtoor Motors and senior executives of the Al Habtoor Group, as well as key people from each of Group's hotels.
The Al Habtoor Group currently owns and operates three hotels in Dubai - Habtoor Grand Beach Resort and Spa, Metropolitan Palace Hotel and Metropolitan Hotel Deira. It also has two hotels in Lebanon - Hilton Beirut Metropolitan Palace and Hilton Beirut Habtoor Grand. In addition it has the historic Le Méridien Budapest, which is ideally located in the heart of Budapest a few steps from the River Danube.
The Group's hotel arm is expanding aggressively. It is about to open the luxury Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah, which will come into play early 2014. Al Habtoor called this project a "major milestone for the Group."
Henning Fries told the Group the hotels division saw a 12 per cent jump in overall revenue from existing properties, driven by both average rate and occupancy increases. He said momentum is expected to build even further in 2014. He said, "We are confident about the growth Dubai will experience in 2014 and beyond... We will see double digit increases in more areas, as there continues to be strong demand from established and new markets."
He added that the Hotels division is already making preparations for the Group's mega development, 'Al Habtoor City' - a mixed-use development which will combine ultra-luxury hotel living with 5-star residential ambiance. It will include three residential towers and three world-class hotel brands from Starwood - including the first-ever St Regis in Dubai, a flagship W and a new Westin, with more than 1,600 keys between them. Plus, it will have the added attraction of purpose built theatre and permanent Franco Dragone production.
Fries said, "Our properties outside the region continue to do well and will equally see further positive contributions to the profitability of the Group."
Al Habtoor added, "Dubai's economy is very strong, and since our successful bid to host Expo 2020 it will only get stronger. We have to be mobilized and ready to welcome the additional visitors. I want to ensure that we give each guest the quality of service they deserve. We want to ensure that once a guest has visited one of our properties, that they want to return."
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