DUBAI – Social Media has compounded the speed, intensity and volume of information reaching people on a daily basis. Today, it is not only the most favoured form of marketing but for some businesses it is the only way of communication. However, can social media alone do the magic?
Hina Bakht, Managing Director, EVOPS Marketing & PR, said, “Social Media is no doubt the way forward, especially for consumer-facing brands, but it must be combined with other forms of marketing to achieve the desired results. Social media is a tool that can be very effectively used in a plan and can even lead the pack depending on the nature of business, but it can’t do everything by itself. Moreover, in a corporate capacity, it only has certain uses.”
Hina is of the opinion that all marketing campaigns must be well integrated together. She stressed, “Social media will work better and achieve greater results when combined with other forms of marketing. This is mainly because digital channels are so merged and integrated together. As an ever-evolving landscape, PR is morphing into social media and social media is meshing into search. Digital marketing success requires multi-disciplinary approach – be it social media marketing, SEO, paid search, display advertising or above-the-line. What social media does best is it allows you to engage and interact with the target audience.”
Hina further added, “For brands to make any meaningful connection with their target audience, social and content marketing must convey complex information in an entertaining, informative and compliant manner. It won’t happen if you just posted shortened versions of media releases on Facebook or Instagram.”
About EVOPS Marketing & PR
EVOPS Marketing & PR is equipped with the latest technology and digital capability to provide businesses with the most comprehensive and innovative marketing solutions and strategies. With an integrated 360° marketing approach, the agency offers its high-profile clients bespoke, seamless and personalized service in an era of fast-paced, real-time smart marketing. Included in its services are marketing strategy consultancy, PR, social media, advertising, creative design, website and mobile app development, advertising and events management.
For more information visit www.evops-pr.comFor media contact:
Hina Bakht
Managing Director
EVOPS Marketing & PR
Mob: 00971 50 6975146
Tel: 00971 4 566 7355
Hina.bakht@evops-pr.comwww.evops-pr.com
Alpha Destination Management will be participating at ‘The Meetings Show’ at Olympia London from 27 to 29June, 2018 as a co-exhibitor at the Dubai Tourism stand. Mr. Abdullah Aridi, Director of Sales and Operation – MICE, Alpha Destination Management, said, “MICE is a very lucrative sector for us. Therefore, it is important for us to be present at The Meetings Show, a premier trade event in the UK market, which presents us a great opportunity to leverage our relations with both existing and new partners.”
MICE contribution to the total travel market is 54 per cent. Globally the MICE market, which includes around 400,000 conferences and exhibitions, is estimated at a size of US$280 $300 billion. The GCC’s MICE industry, valued at US$1.3 billion, is set to experience robust growth in the coming years, with the UAE, Oman and Saudi Arabia driving its expansion. Mr. Aridi, stressed, “The Middle East MICE Sector has no doubt come a long way in a very short space of time and is poised for continued growth. The UAE is the biggest and the most popular destination for MICE in the Middle East. At Alpha we are ideally placed to capitalise on this opportunity being the leading destination management company in the GCC and a pioneer in the tourism sector in the Arabian Gulf.”
Highlighting the reasons for the UAE’s growing significance as a pivotal MICE destination, Mr. Aridi, said, “Safety is a huge plus for the country with the emirates setting a great example in being one of the safest destinations in the world. Moreover, the exciting new developments coming up for Dubai Expo 2020 that are aimed at enhancing the infrastructure, business facilities, leisure attractions and connectivity will further boost and accelerate UAE’s global and regional positioning as a MICE destination. Geographically too the country enjoys a strategic location between the East and West with over 2/3 of the world’s population living within 8 hours flight from Dubai and 1/3 within 4 hours. The new visa policies that are meant to ease the travel process will also have an extremely positive impact on the sector.”
Elaborating on the specific requirements of MICE, Mr. Aridi stated, “Our approach to MICE has to be different than other segments and key to that is coming up with new ideas and curated packages. Excellence, innovation, personalization, flexibility, competitive pricing and value-added packages are essential to succeed in this demanding segment.MICE travel is not restricted to meetings and events only. These days we are increasingly witnessing demand for Bleisure Travel (Business + Leisure) among MICE travellers hence it is important that we focus on offering unique experiences in terms of adventure, entertainment, cuisines and culture.”
Alpha Destination Management will be present on Dubai Tourism Stand no. C400 at ‘The Meetings Show’ at Olympia London. Attending the exhibition from Alpha will be Mr. Abdullah Aridi – Director of Sales and Operation – MICE offering support and guidance to global business event organisers in planning international meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions in Dubai.
#AlphaTours #AlphaToursDubai #AlphaDMC #AlphaToursAe #FlyHighDubaiHelitours #Dubai #VisitDubai #Dxb #MyDubai #MeetYouAtTheShow #TheMeetingsShow #MICE #EventProfs
About Alpha Destination Management
Founded in 1996, by Mr. Ghassan Aridi and his partners, Alpha Destination Management is the leading destination management company and a pioneer in the tourism sector in the Arabian Gulf. Over the last two decades, the company has established itself as one of the most credible and reputed brands not only in the Gulf region but also in the international tourism industry. Controlling a significant market share of the lucrative tourism sector in the GCC, Alpha Destination Management is a market leader in the region with the largest annual turnover and wide network of international partners offering the highest levels of service and innovative and exciting experiences. Our extensive global and local knowledge and network, outstanding expertise and sound reputation is the key to success for us and all our partners.
For more information about Alpha Destination Management visit http://www.alphatoursdubai.comFor media contact:
Hina Bakht
Managing Director
EVOPS Marketing & PR
Mob: 00971 50 6975146
Tel: 00971 4 566 7355
Hina.bakht@evops-pr.comwww.evops-pr.com
The Bernstein Companies and its joint venture partner Boston Properties marked a significant milestone today as they broke ground on the future Marriott International headquarters and Marriott Hotel in downtown Bethesda, Maryland.
J.W. Marriott Jr., Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board of Marriott International, opened the ceremony by welcoming Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett and other public and private dignitaries to celebrate the first phase of construction of the company’s new headquarters.
“Montgomery County has been our home for more than 60 years and we take immense pride in this community and in the strong relationships we’ve developed here,” said J.W. Marriott Jr. “From our humble roots as a nine-stool root beer stand in downtown Washington, D.C. to a hospitality company known around the world, we look forward to many more years together as we create a new, 21st century home in downtown Bethesda.”
Marriott International President and Chief Executive Officer, Arne Sorenson, pushed Marriott’s move from its current suburban location to a walkable, transit-oriented environment.
“We are thrilled to be recommitting ourselves to Maryland and investing in Bethesda,” said Sorenson. “This location places Marriott in the heart of a vigorous, educated, and diverse community. We firmly believe downtown Bethesda is a vital economic engine with a very bright future and a great place to call home.”
Sorenson said the headquarters office building will be a cutting-edge, sustainable, workplace offering state-of-the-art technology, modern amenities, and easy access to a range of transportation options, including the Bethesda Metro Station less than two blocks away. With more than 785,000 square feet of office space to support approximately 3,500 associates, the headquarters building is designed to LEED GOLD standards, allowing an abundance of natural light, while providing new opportunities for flexible, collaborative workspaces. The campus will also offer Marriott associates a childcare center, a fitness center, and a cafeteria. In addition to the headquarters building, the location will also be home to a new Marriott Hotel, a 244-key, full-service property with more than 8,000 square feet of meeting and ballroom space. The hotel will also offer guests and the public access to a coffee shop, a roof-top bar and lounge and a contemporary neighborhood restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with the option of outdoor dining on a pedestrian plaza.
“For over 60 years, Marriott has shown such loyalty and commitment to the future of our state – infusing more than $430 million into our state economy,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “Today we are seeing even more proof, and a shining example, of the incredible progress we are making. Thank you to Bill Marriott, Arne Sorenson, and everyone involved in this project for your commitment and dedication to Montgomery County and the State of Maryland.”
Governor Hogan was joined at the celebratory event by other state and local officials, including Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, who led the local effort to keep Marriott in Montgomery County.
“I am thrilled that Marriott chose to celebrate its 90th year in business by selecting Montgomery County for its future headquarters,” said Leggett. “Today is a special day in the county’s economic life. With a clear target and a supremely coordinated bipartisan effort, much was achieved in keeping Marriott in Montgomery County, and success is shared. I may be leaving the scene soon, but I trust Marriott will call Montgomery home for 90 years to come.”
The Bernstein Companies and Boston Properties own the land and will jointly develop and own the Marriott International headquarters office building while The Bernstein Companies will build and own the adjacent hotel. Marriott will manage both the office building and the hotel. In December 2017, the developers received formal approval of the sketch, preliminary and site plans from the Montgomery County Planning Board. Demolition will begin in June 2018 and construction is scheduled to begin in July. In early 2022, the Marriott Hotel will open and Marriott International associates will move into their new headquarters office building by mid-2022.
“Today we celebrate the transformation of the land and property The Bernstein Companies has owned here for more than 30 years,” said Adam Bernstein, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Bernstein Companies. “We are excited to partner with Marriott International and Boston Properties to apply our joint expertise to this trophy development,” he added. “There are few corporations in the world of the stature of Marriott and we are honored, even after 85 years in the development industry, to participate in this new venture that continues Marriott’s legacy in Montgomery County.”
“Today is about persistence, progress, and great partners,” added Raymond Ritchey, Senior Executive Vice President at Boston Properties. “Marriott International set the standard, Montgomery County and Maryland provided the push, and the Bethesda community encouraged us to create something special here. We can’t wait to get started.”
As of 2017, Marriott International supported more than 10,000 jobs throughout Maryland, and approximately 6,100 in Montgomery County alone, making the company one of the county’s largest private employers.
According to an economic report, the project will have a considerable impact on Maryland’s economy, including $89 million in construction salaries over the next few years, $2.3 billion in business activities in its first year of operation, and up to $1.8 billion provided for local taxing districts over the next 20 years.
In honor of Marriott’s history, the company and the development team provided invited guests with commemorative root beer mugs filled with root beer. The company’s roots date back to 1927, when founders J. Willard Marriott and his wife, Alice, opened a small, nine-stool A&W Root Beer stand in Washington, D.C., which eventually became the Hot Shoppes restaurants enterprise, a public company in 1953 that grew to 56 restaurants. Marriott wouldn’t make its historic entry into the hotel business until 1957.
Since then, Marriott International has called Montgomery County home for more than 60 years and has resided in its current location on Fernwood Road since 1979. In that time, the company has grown exponentially and, with its acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts in September 2016, Marriott’s portfolio now includes 30 brands, with more than 6,500 properties located in 127 countries and territories, with more than 700,000 people wearing the Marriott badge around the world.
About The Bernstein Companies, Inc.
The Bernstein Companies, founded in 1933, is one of the oldest commercial real estate firms in Washington, DC. The privately-held company owns, manages, develops, and invests in a variety of commercial, residential, and hotel properties. The Bernstein Companies Hotel Division currently owns and operates hotels located in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Delaware and North Carolina. For more information, visit www.thebernsteincompanies.com.
About Boston Properties, Inc.
Boston Properties (BXP: NYSE) is a fully integrated real estate investment trust that develops, redevelops, acquires, manages, operates and owns a diverse portfolio of primarily Class A office space totaling 50.3 million square feet and consisting of 167 office properties (including eight properties under construction), six residential properties (including four properties under construction), five retail properties and one hotel. The Company is one of the largest owners and developers of Class A office properties in the United States, concentrated in five markets – Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.bostonproperties.com.
About Marriott International, Inc.
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 6,500 properties in 30 leading hotel brands spanning 127 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. For more information, visit www.marriott.com.
Media Contact:
Brendan McManus
Brendan.Mcmanus@marriott.com
For years, Merlyne Graves spent several hours every weekend reading text aloud and recording it for her students who struggled with reading.
Graves, a fourth-grade English language arts teacher at Garfield Preparatory Academy in Washington, D.C., would line up 10 unused iPods she borrowed from the school, then read and record the text her class would work on the following week. Her improvised method helped introduce struggling readers to the text, but it was time-consuming and limited.
That changed last December, when Graves got a Surface Pro and tapped into Microsoft’s online educator community. She discovered Microsoft Learning Tools, a set of free features created to help improve reading and writing, especially for people with learning disorders such as dyslexia and dysgraphia. Immersive Reader, the tools’ main feature, allows users to have content read aloud to them, change text size and background color, break words into syllables, increase space between letters, highlight one or more lines of text and highlight parts of speech.
Graves immediately knew she’d found exactly what her students needed. “I thought, ‘This is going to be so awesome for my kids who struggle,’” she said.
After just a few weeks of using Immersive Reader in her classroom, Graves noticed an improvement in her students’ reading. Struggling readers showed better fluency — reading quickly and accurately with proper expression — and stronger readers were able to focus on inferencing and higher-order thinking, she said.
“I’ve noticed a change in a lot of their reading,” she said. “It is definitely making a difference.”
That impact is being felt in classrooms around the U.S. and the world. More than 13 million people worldwide are using Learning Tools, up from 100,000 just a year ago. The tools are being used across applications and platforms in more than 40 languages. Their remarkable growth, from an employee hackathon project less than three years ago to a solution now used by millions of teachers and students worldwide, has surprised even their creators.
“What came out of it was, frankly, more than what we initially anticipated,” said Jeff Petty, Microsoft’s Windows accessibility program lead, who was part of the hackathon team. “We had high hopes, but I don’t think we thought this was going to be as big as it is.”
‘We had IP’One in five children in the U.S. have learning and attention issues such as dyslexia and attention deficit disorder, according to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, and up to 15 percent of Americans are thought to have dyslexia. Petty, who joined Microsoft in 2014, was looking for ways to improve accessibility in Windows and saw an untapped opportunity for reading assistance tools that could be built into Microsoft technologies. He reached out to Microsoft’s Advanced Reading Technologies team and consulted with the group’s researchers about what features would most help struggling readers.
“I just got fixated on the fact that people don’t talk about cognitive impairment a lot. They don’t talk about the fact that it’s hard for people to read and write,” Petty said. “And we had IP. We had brilliant concepts and technology that we weren’t leveraging that we could use to do more and to completely differentiate ourselves.”
Petty soon met Mike Tholfsen, principal product manager for Microsoft Education, and put together a team of more than a dozen people to work on a dyslexia-focused project for Microsoft’s 2015 company-wide hackathon. The team included engineers from Microsoft’s office in Vancouver, B.C., who had developed a prototype for a dyslexic mode in OneNote. The combined team created an extension for OneNote that offered text-formatting tools to make reading, writing and note-taking easier. The project won the hackathon, edging out more than 3,300 others.
At the time, Tholfsen was the product manager for OneNote Class Notebook, an app that allows teachers to collaborate with students and set up personalized workspaces in a combined digital notebook. He’d been talking with teachers and school leaders around the country and using their feedback to grow the app.
“I’m a huge fan of talking with teachers, meeting with teachers, bringing engineers to conferences to build empathy,” Tholfsen said.
Tholfsen took the same approach to building out the OneNote extension, using feedback from educators to improve the tools’ features. Originally, Immersive Reader was designed only with black and white backgrounds, but after teachers told Tholfsen that some students with Irlen syndrome — a disorder that impacts the brain’s ability to process visual information — preferred reading with backgrounds in specific colors, the design team incorporated the colors into Immersive Reader.
“That’s been one of our most popular features so far,” Tholfsen said.
‘How fast can you go?’
After Immersive Reader launched in January 2016, Tholfsen pushed to incorporate the functionality into as many apps, platforms and languages as possible, including OneNote Class Notebooks. His passion for Immersive Reader was furthered by the potential he saw for combining it with OneNote Class Notebooks into a sort of supercharged digital content hub.
“When you have a OneNote Class Notebook and you put content in there, and you distribute it to students and then they can use Immersive Reader in a Class Notebook, for me that’s like utopia,” he said. “And that’s the way a lot of teachers are experiencing it.”
Mike Tholfsen, right, consulted with teachers and school leaders and used their feedback to improve Immersive Reader.
Tholfsen’s efforts got support from Eran Megiddo, the Microsoft corporate vice president who oversees education products. The day of the hackathon win, Tholfsen recalled, Megiddo organized an impromptu celebration with cookies and drinks on Microsoft’s campus and in the midst of the festivities, approached him to talk about next steps.
“He came up and said, ‘What do you need, how fast can you go and how can I help?’” Tholfsen said. “Those are the best things you can hear from a VP.
“He helped support the project and he made space for us to finish it. There are a lot of hackathon projects that win, but sometimes the products don’t ship because there are too many other competing deliverables that the organization needs done first.”
‘Built in, not bolted on’
In the months prior to the tools’ launch, Tholfsen began inviting educators to Skype calls where he would demo Learning Tools and get their feedback. Lauren Pittman, a special education teacher at Holly Springs Elementary School in Canton, Georgia, didn’t know what to expect when she joined one of those calls. She’d tried numerous other education technologies but couldn’t find any with a reading assistance component. As Tholfsen talked about the hackathon project, then shared his screen and went through the features Learning Tools offered, Pittman started crying.
“I was blown away, because there aren’t a lot of people out there who create education tech that has a lot of accessibility features,” she said. “A lot of the technology is for the general education community, and then you kind of make it work for yourself. And this was completely specialized for a specific group of students who struggle with reading.”
Unlike other reading programs that are typically costly and can require schools to purchase individual licenses for each student, Immersive Reader is free and available across multiple platforms and applications, from Edge to Outlook and Word for Desktop, and Word and OneNote for Mac.
“It’s built in, not bolted on,” Petty said. “If you’re a school, this is available for every student. There’s no additional IT administration, and teachers don’t have to learn something special.”
Pittman now uses Immersive Reader daily in her classroom. The tools are a time-saver for her and give students more independence and control to personalize their learning experience. Children who previously sat and waited for her to read the text to them, or were separated into a group with other struggling readers, can now put on their headphones, access Immersive Reader and work at their own pace without their classmates knowing what they’re doing. They are able to participate in class in a way they previously couldn’t, Pittman said.
“A lot of these students have never been able to work with other students who work at grade level, because they couldn’t access the reading like the other students can,” she said. “They’re usually the student that you see kind of sitting back behind everyone else and watching, because they’re not able to work with the other students. Now they’re able to have that rich experience of working with others that they hadn’t been able to before.”
“When we see the impact these tools can have, it’s our responsibility and our duty to get them to as many people as possible.”
And since the tools are incorporated across platforms and apps, Tholfsen said, students don’t feel stigmatized by using them.
“If a student has to use special software that the teacher can’t quite configure, it can be stigmatizing and students can feel like they have less independence,” he said. “The kids love Immersive Reader because they feel like, ‘I’m just using Office now,’ or ‘I’m just using Windows.’ It’s just personalizing the software in a way that works for them.
“And there’s a cycle that happens. They use the technology and they gain some independence, and as they gain independence, they gain a little confidence,” Tholfsen said. “That little wheel starts rolling, and all of a sudden they’re learning to read.”
With Immersive Reader, Pittman said, reading comprehension among her students “has skyrocketed.” She mentions one boy who started the school year reading just 11 words correctly per minute. The student had trouble focusing on a line of text and dreaded having to read aloud to Pittman. After using Immersive Reader, the boy can now read 61 words a minute with few errors, Pittman said, and eagerly looks forward to library day each Thursday.
“Before, he would roll his eyes when it was library day, and now he’s like, ‘Don’t forget it’s Thursday and we’re going to the library. I finished my books and want to check out more,’” she said. “That’s the biggest transformation you see in these students — watching them fall in love with literature, with text.”
Immersive Reader has “completely transformed” her classroom, Pittman said. “If you were to see my classroom today versus what it was three and a half years ago, it is a completely different experience. I’ve been able to be more of a facilitator of my students’ learning rather than being the controller of their learning.”
The tools are being used in unexpected ways, evincing the inclusive design principle that when products are created for inclusivity, they benefit people universally. Megiddo used Immersive Reader’s line focus view and read-aloud function to help him review his daughter’s college entrance essays and ensure they flowed smoothly, and his younger daughter regularly uses the tool to gauge how her writing sounds when read aloud. A 76-year-old friend of Pittman’s grandmother, who never learned to read as a child, uses Immersive Reader to have books read aloud to her and has gained enough skill to read to her great-granddaughter. Law firms are even using the tools to help navigate dense legal documents.
“You have no idea how much this has impacted people’s lives — and not just students, but anybody who has struggled with a reading disability,” Pittman said.
Karrick Johnson, an 8-year old who lives in Renton, Washington, has dyslexia and struggled to learn to read. At school, he avoided reading in class and felt embarrassed and sad about his reading difficulties. Then a friend showed him how to use Immersive Reader. With the click of a key, he was able focus on a line of text at a time.
Immersive Reader was designed to help improve reading and writing, especially for people with learning disorders such as dyslexia and dysgraphia.
“You have no idea how much this has impacted people’s lives — and not just students, but anybody who has struggled with a reading disability.”
His parents soon noticed improvement — Karrick began labeling his drawings with the names of objects and reading signs around town. And in May, he made his mom a Mother’s Day card, thanking her for making him “yummy food” and for helping him learn to read. Newly confident in his abilities, Karrick now has an ambitious goal.
“I am going to read as many books as I can in the world,” he said.
There is also evidence that Immersive Reader can benefit a broad cross-section of readers, not just people with learning disabilities. A 2017 study of students across grade levels in Bellevue, Washington, found that reading comprehension increased 10 percent points on a nationally normed assessment among those who used Immersive Reader, and that the tools helped level the playing field for struggling readers. In recent visits to schools in New York City, Microsoft Education representatives noted that high-achieving students were using Immersive Reader to help them focus.
There are plans to continue expanding Learning Tools to other Microsoft products, and efforts are underway to add more features based on feedback from teachers, students and reading experts. As Megiddo sees it, making Learning Tools and Immersive Reader available as broadly as possible is core to Microsoft’s mission of enabling every person and planet on the organization to achieve more.
“When we see the impact these tools can have,” he said, “it’s our responsibility and our duty to get them to as many people as possible.”
The Abu Dhabi-based airline met all required standards – with the highest possible result of zero findings and zero observations – after the IOSA team examined more than 800 of the airline’s safety procedures and processes in detail.
IOSA seeks to ensure that airlines are compliant with safety requirements and recommended practices determined by IATA and is the most important examination of Etihad’s operations.
Richard Hill, Etihad Airways’ Chief Operations Officer, said: “Safety is Etihad’s number one priority and the IOSA results are testament to our all-encompassing safety culture.
“Our highly professional staff continue to implement, enhance and deliver the most exacting safety processes and procedures in everything we do.”
IOSA is mandatory for all IATA member airlines, reviewing standards in eight operational areas, including operations management, flight operations, cabin operations, maintenance, flight dispatch, ground and cargo operations and security.
Emirates is offering travellers who haven’t booked their holidays yet a chance to avail special fares during the summer to 60 destinations within its global network. The offer applies to bookings starting today until 5 July 2018 and applies for travel until 31 March 2019.
Economy Class passengers can enjoy fares to London starting from AED 2,125; to Bangkok starting at AED 2,295; to Mumbai starting at AED 1,095; to Auckland starting at AED 6,435; and to Newark starting at AED 3,975.
Business Class passengers can enjoy fares to London starting from AED 12,435; to Bangkok starting at AED 9,065; to Mumbai starting at AED 3,065; to Auckland starting at AED 16,395; and to Newark starting at AED 16,775.
Emirates Skywards members can also now pool up to 100% of Skywards Miles earned on Emirates flights with family members with ‘My Family’, allowing them to redeem rewards faster than before.
Passengers can also enjoy Emirates’ Home Check-in service which allows customers to check in for their flights from anywhere in Dubai. The service is available for customers across all classes travelling on Emirates flights and enables passengers to complete the security check and check-in, from the comfort of their home.
Travellers on Emirates flight will enjoy the airline’s award winning in-flight entertainment system with up to 3,500 channels, as well as regionally inspired meals on-board prepared by award-winning chefs.
For more information on Emirates, including how to book flights and a complete list of terms and conditions, visit www.emirates.ae, travel agent or through the local Emirates Sales Office. Terms & conditions apply.
Stay cool and save more this summer with Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai by participating in the group wide summer promotion launched by Millennium Hotels & Resorts across the Middle East. As part of the offer, travellers can enjoy up to 30% off on room bookings at the Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai. The promotion is valid for stays until 30th September 2018 and includes other key benefits such as complimentary high speed WiFi, as well as bonus points on My Millennium Rewards. Book on or before 15th September 2018 to avail the offer.
Mr. Simon Moore, General Manager of Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai, said, “Summer is a time for family travel and our special holiday offer is tailored to provide guests with the ultimate value. Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway, a family vacation, or a business trip, the Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai has all that you need. Take advantage of our superb summer package and enjoy a glorious celebration of the season with outstanding accommodation, dining and relaxation venues.”
For hotel marketing contact:
Sheryl Aquiatan
Assistant Marketing Manager
Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai
Mob: 00971 56 506 0983
Tel: 00971 4 702 8888
sheryl.aquiatan@millenniumhotels.comFor media contact:
Hina Bakht
Managing Director
EVOPS Marketing & PR
Mob: 00971 50 6975146
Tel: 00971 4 566 7355
Hina.bakht@evops-pr.comwww.evops-pr.comMillennium Hotels and Resorts, Middle East and Africa
Millennium Hotels and Resorts is a dynamic, global hotel company, which owns, asset manages and operates over 130 hotels worldwide. With almost 40,000 rooms and a portfolio of brands; including The Biltmore, Grand Millennium, Millennium, Millennium Place, M Hotel, Copthorne, Agarwood, Kingsgate, Millennium Executive Apartments and Studio M, that serve different market segments, representing quality and value in every class.
Currently operating 32 hotels in the Middle East and Africa, the Group has an extensive expansion strategy in place, with 40 hotels in the pipeline. Each property in the region is unique, catering to the varying tastes and needs of the international business and leisure traveller but with a consistent promise to provide a first class service and a rewarding experience for guests. Millennium Hotels and Resorts is committed to differentiating itself by embracing the true spirit of diverse traditions, with a sincere respect to historical heritage and local culture.
With the motto “More than Meets the Eye”, Millennium Hotels and Resorts is committed to a customer-centric philosophy and complete guest satisfaction.
For more information, please visit www.millenniumhotels.com
Luxury hotel units at Al Mahra Resort by Cristal can now be purchased in Bitcoin or similar digital currency. The beautiful 4-star luxury resort is the first hotel project in the Middle East to be available through crypto currency. Located in the heart of Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, the resort is being developed at an investment of AED 350 million and is expected to open by 2020.
Featuring 548 beautifully designed and furnished rooms, suites and villas equipped with the latest technology and all modern comforts, the property is offering buyers the opportunity to purchase the units under strata title. Onsite facilities at the stunning beach-front resort include a trendy lobby café, high-tech meeting rooms, all-day-dining restaurant, rooftop shisha lounge, wellness club, gym, spa for men and women, kids club, water sports facilities, an infinity pool and covered parking.
Al Mahra Resort by Cristal is owned by FAM Holding, a business conglomerate with diversified investments across the U.A.E. Dr. Faisal Ali Mousa Al Naqbi, Owner & Chairman of FAM Holding, stated, “Some of the biggest names worldwide are warming up to Cryptocurrency, therefore it is logical for us to offer people the opportunity to pay in bitcoin or similar currency rather than just fiat currency. Cryptocurrency has radically improved the transparency, speed and security of property transactions with smart contracts, hence it is really ground-breaking to do what we are doing. Of course, paying in bitcoin for this development is just an option. At the same time, we are very pleased to be working with the Cristal Group to open this resort. We believe that Cristal’s premium service and brand will add exceptional value to our property.”
The transactions for Al Mahra Resort by Cristal will be processed through cryptocurrency payments. So, property purchases can happen in minutes from anywhere in the world with the speed of sending an email with the security and credibility of blockchain technology.
Mr. Kamal Fakhoury, Chief Executive Officer at the Cristal Group, said, “We are delighted to expand our footprint in the UAE with a project like Al Mahra Resort by Cristal which will be an excellent addition to the destination. Ras Al Khaimah is known for its pristine beaches, marine life and relaxing views of the Arabian Gulf and is attracting local and international travellers in big numbers which is pushing the demand for quality hotels. It therefore holds tremendous potential for investors in the hospitality sector and opening to Cryptocurrency will leverage its appeal among investors.”
Available for purchase at Al Mahra Resort by Cristal are Superior Rooms, 1-Bedroom Luxury Suites, 2-Bedroom Luxury Suites and 3-Bedroom Luxury Villas and Suites, with prices starting from AED 532,000, AED 1123,900, AED 1,385,195 and AED 2,909,900 respectively. With flexible terms and 6-year payment plan, the project also offers a host of attractive benefits to buyers such as complimentary stay for 14 days in a year, VIP membership with exclusive discounts, and much more as well as guaranteed 8% return on investment for first 3 years.
For more information and bookings, please visit: www.almahra-resort.comAbout Fam Holding
FAM Holding is a conglomerate of business solutions across many industries having diversified investments in the region. Since the founding in early 2006, the company has been moving forward aggressively on many fronts to capitalise on substantial growth opportunities, to deliver and develop existing residential projects across the UAE, and to sharpen its business portfolio’s focus on its core businesses. The successful transactions done by the company allowed it to start its activity in Property development in 2014, starting with one project in Sharjah worth AED 54 million (USD 14.7 million) to close 2017 with ten projects worth AED 1.5 billion (USD 408.7 million).
The company has an ambitious plan to exceed the AED 5.7 billion (more than USD 1.5 billion) in 2020, as part of the economic progress expected to be witnessed by the country in that year.About Cristal Group
The Cristal Group was established in 2007 to deliver world class hospitality consultancy, technical services, asset management and brand management. Its vision is to be the premier business and leisure hotel operator in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The company boasts a superb portfolio of hotels and a strong development pipeline. For more information visit www.cristalhospitality.comFor media contact:
Hina Bakht
Managing Director
EVOPS Marketing & PR
Mob: 00971 50 6975146
Tel: 00971 4 566 7355
Hina.bakht@evops-pr.comwww.evops-pr.com
Travel season’s here and so is a lot of holiday inspo. Fcube collaborates with multi brand boutique – Maison Clad located at The Vida Downtown Hotel bringing you beautiful fabrics and prints incorporated in the seasons hottest styles of cropped dresses, midis, maxis and off shoulders. Each piece tells a story and is sourced from local talents around the world, we’re sure you’ll find a perfectly instagramable piece, be it for the beach or a cobbled stone street. Happy travels!
DUBAI – Swiss-Belhotel International has chalked out an aggressive expansion strategy for Africa. Making the announcement, Laurent A. Voivenel, Senior Vice President, Operations and Development for the Middle East, Africa and India for Swiss-Belhotel International, said, “Our goal is to have five hotels in Africa by 2021. We recently signed a management agreement with Zanzibar Crown Hotel and Resort Limited to operate the beautiful Swiss-Belresort Zanzibar that is expected to open for business in 2019. It will be among the few internationally branded resorts to operate in the island. In addition, we are in negotiation for some superb projects in various other parts of the continent.”
Talking about the huge potential Africa holds for the hospitality industry, Laurent stated, “Africa is an exciting market because it is still in its infancy and there is plenty of room for growth. The tourism industry has been strengthened by both domestic and inbound travellers. The increase in intra-Africa travel is of particular interest for the hospitality sector because at least four out of every 10 travellers in Africa are from within the region. There has also been signifact growth in visitors from China and India. At the same time we are seeing a shift from business travellers to leisure travellers. Around 69% of all travel spend in Africa last year was made by leisure travellers, with the remaining figure being business.”
Laurent further added, “Better connectivity, access to low-cost airlines, and more countries embracing visa-free travel within the region are some of the other major factors driving growth in the hotel industry across the continent. Moreover, there is a considerable shortage of quality mid-market hotels in Africa, and as the middle class grows, we are seeing higher demand for affordable accommodation that we at Swiss-Belhotel International are eager to capitalize on.”
Elaborating on the prevalent trends in the hospitality sector in Africa, Laurent stressed, “The traditional hospitality industry is changing in Africa. Both upward and downward trends are noticeable across the continent. More international brands have started entering the market and our aim is to position Swiss-Belhotel International as the best alternative to blue chip companies offering superior returns, unbeatable value and unforgettable experiences. Travellers, especially the millennial generation, are looking for experiences and hotels need to be more hands-on on creating these unique experiences for their guests. The industry needs to listen to consumers on where there are gaps and boost markets that need the growth.”
Africa’s hospitality sector remains resilient and is poised for further growth over the next five years. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) international tourist arrivals grew by a remarkable 8% in 2017 in Africa to reach a total of 62 million. Arrivals grew by 13% in North Africa, while Sub-Saharan Africa arrivals increased by 5%. This strong momentum is expected to continue in 2018. The hospitality industry contributed $165.6bn – or 7.8% – to Africa’s GDP in 2016 and this figure rose by 2.9% in 2017 as per figures released by World Travel & Tourism Council. Meanwhile, the number of planned hotel chain developments has doubled in Africa since 2009 from around 30,000 rooms in 144 hotels to 73,000 rooms in 417 hotels.
For further information visit http://www.swiss-belhotel.comFor media contact:
Hina Bakht
Managing Director
EVOPS Marketing & PR
Mob: 00971 50 6975146
Tel: 00971 4 566 7355
Hina.bakht@evops-pr.comwww.evops-pr.comAbout Swiss-Belhotel International
Swiss-Belhotel International currently manages a portfolio of more than 150* hotels, resorts and projects located in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Australia, New Zealand, Bulgaria, Georgia, Italy and Tanzania. Awarded Indonesia’s Leading Global Hotel Chain for six consecutive years, Swiss-Belhotel International is one of the world’s fastest-growing international hotel and hospitality management groups. The Group provides comprehensive and highly professional development and management services in all aspects of hotel, resort and serviced residences. Offices are located in Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, China, Europe, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam. www.swiss-behotel.com
