Dubai's biggest new hotel hopes to benefit from a rebound in occupancy levels as many other planned projects remain stalled in construction.
The Dh1.8 billion (US$490.1 million) luxury Marriott hotel being built on Sheikh Zayed Road with more than 1,600 rooms will open half of them next year.
"A lot of projects have stopped," said Ed Fuller, the president and managing director for international lodging at Marriott. "And I think we'll be well positioned to take advantage of that transitional period. Dubai is going to continue to grow."
The twin-tower JW Marriott Marquis development is owned by Emirates Group and located next to the Metropolitan hotel.It will have 1,614 rooms.
Mr Fuller said there were definite signs of improvement in Dubai and the emirate's infrastructure would provide a steady stream of visitors.
"While it's had a huge hiccup, it is only a hiccup," he said. "It is not a permanent problem and you're already seeing the results of that right now.
"I think we're going to have a great year occupancy-wise this year … you have a number of different industries here with tourism leading."
Marriott's planned projects in Dubai, including a hotel in Motor City, have been affected by a slowdown in development.
"We have slowed down a lot of projects," Mr Fuller said. "We have not totally stopped any project in Dubai."
He said rates in Dubai were unlikely to return to their pre-crisis peaks.
"This market was super-heated to start with and so, will we ever see in the next two years the kind of rates that were here before? Probably not."
Globally, Mr Fuller believes it will take between two and three years for the industry to return to the performances of 2007, although strong growth in Asia makes that difficult to specify. Marriott expects its number of properties in the Middle East and Africa to more than double to 74 hotels over the next five years, despite "recent economic and political uncertainties" in the region.
Mr Fuller said he was optimistic the number could even reach 100 hotels and resorts over that period as development opportunities remained strong.
Other properties Marriott plans to open this year and next include a Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh, a Courtyard in Cairo and a property in Bahrain.
Mr Fuller said markets such as Egypt had previously bounced back quickly after events that had affected the industry and would probably do so again.
Marriott was forced to suspend operations at a JW Marriott hotel in Tripoli it had opened days before because of conflict there.
"We still have staff securing the hotel, and so as soon we feel it's appropriate and safe we will reopen the hotel," Mr Fuller said.
rbundhun@thenational.ae
The biog
Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists.
Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.
Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The Lost Letters of William Woolf
Helen Cullen, Graydon House
The%20specs
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
TO ALL THE BOYS: ALWAYS AND FOREVER
Directed by: Michael Fimognari
Starring: Lana Condor and Noah Centineo
Two stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Suggested picnic spots
Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Schedule:
Pakistan v Sri Lanka:
28 Sep-2 Oct, 1st Test, Abu Dhabi
6-10 Oct, 2nd Test (day-night), Dubai
13 Oct, 1st ODI, Dubai
16 Oct, 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi
18 Oct, 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi
20 Oct, 4th ODI, Sharjah
23 Oct, 5th ODI, Sharjah
26 Oct, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
27 Oct, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
29 Oct, 3rd T20I, Lahore
Abu Dhabi GP weekend schedule
Friday
First practice, 1pm
Second practice, 5pm
Saturday
Final practice, 2pm
Qualifying, 5pm
Sunday
Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps), 5.10pm
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
