THI Syear’s Arabian Travel Market will provide a platform for Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the United Arab Emirates to promote their plans for new hotels coming on stream shortly.
The Jordan Tourism Board will announce plans for a 50% increase in the number of hotel beds to 35,000 while Syria will be updating delegates on the 157 private hotels and restaurants under construction around the country.
In Lebanon, Beirut is the focus of much hotel expansion following a major regeneration of the city centre.
The Hilton Beirut will open in 2001, while Radisson SAS is expected to announce plans for a hotel at the Dubai show.
On the Dubai stand, the focus will be on the impressive range of hotels opening this year, including Sun International’s 250-room Royal Mirage and the Arabian Tower at the Jumeirah Beach Resort.
There will also be news on the new terminal at Dubai International Airport, due to open next year, and on a cruise terminal, designed to position the emirate as the major cruise port of call in the Gulf.
Of the six other emirates that make up the UAE, only Fujairah and Sharjah will have tourist board representation.
Fujairah will be promoting the upgrade underway at the 90-room Al Diar Siji hotel, and Sharjah will market its Heritage Area.
There could also be news at Arabian Travel Market of a new tourism strategy to bind together the tiny northern emirates of Fujairah, Ajman, Ras El Khaimah and Umm Al Qaiwain in a joint marketing venture. This could strengthen the area’s promotion efforts.