IHG® also launches 5,000 square metre arena at InterContinental® Dubai Festival Cityfor hosting exhibitions, conferences and concerts
New Delhi, November 16, 2016: InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, and Al-Futtaim, one of UAE’s most progressive business houses, have signed an agreement for the management of the largest Holiday Inn® hotel in the UAE. The Holiday Inn Dubai Festival City will have 520 rooms and is set to open towards the end of 2017. The hotel will operate under a management agreement with Dubai Festival City Real Estate Development LLC owned by Al Futtaim, who also own InterContinental® Dubai Festival City, InterContinental® Residence Suites, Crowne Plaza® Dubai Festival City, and Al Badia Golf Club.
IHG and Al Futtaim have also launched an expansive 5,000 square metre arena located on the grounds of Al Badia residential area adjacent to the InterContinental Dubai Festival City and Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City. The new Festival Arena by InterContinental Dubai Festival City can cater to large events with a capacity of up to 5,000 people. With a private entrance and distinctively high ceilings, the arena can be customized to host any exhibition, conference, banquet, or trade show as well as social events such as a concert or festival.
Dubai Festival City is a well-established, mixed-use waterfront community comprising some of the finest retail, residential and commercial properties in Dubai. Holiday Inn Dubai Festival City joins the luxury InterContinental Dubai Festival City hotel and the business oriented Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City in the community. From the Club InterContinental lounge at InterContinental, to Kids Eat Free at Holiday Inn, all three IHG properties are intended to meet a broad range of uests’ needs.
Holiday Inn Dubai Festival City will connect directly to Dubai Festival City Mall which has a large variety of dining options and popular international retail outlets. With convenient road access to Dubai’s iconic landmarks and situated only two kilometres from Dubai International Airport, the hotel will cater to both business and leisure demand. Holiday Inn Dubai Festival City will feature a café and restaurant, a rooftop grill, health club, four meeting rooms and a conference centre with a capacity to seat 200 people.
Pascal Gauvin, Chief Operating Officer, IMEA, IHG said: “We’re thrilled to be expanding our partnership with an eminent corporation like Al-Futtaim and this new hotel compliments the existing luxury and upscale offerings at Dubai Festival City perfectly. This signing is pivotal to IHG’s growth plans in the region as there is growing demand for mid-market hotels in the UAE, especially in Dubai. With the Holiday Inn brand’s universal appeal and ability to consistently offer a reliable welcoming experience in over 70 countries around the world, it’s the perfect brand to meet this need. Moreover, we are excited about the launch of the Festival Arena by InterContinental Dubai Festival City, an impressive venue that can cater to a broad range of events in Dubai and will create new possibilities for unique events within the entertainment industry.”
Shantha de Silva, Head of South West Asia, InterContinental Hotels Group said: “Dubai is a key destination for Indian travellers visiting the city for both business and leisure. Over 467,000 Indians alone visited Dubai between January and March this year which was 17% higher than the same period last year according to Dubai Tourism[1]. Holiday Inn Dubai Festival City will offer guests from India a fantastic stay while they experience Dubai. Moreover, the new Festival Arena is a great venue for Indian guests looking to host a large scale destination wedding and Indian businesses looking to host international meetings and events.”
Chris O’Donnell, Group Director Al Futtaim Group Real Estate (AFGRE) said:“Following the major redevelopment and expansion of the Dubai Festival City Mall and the development of the Holiday Inn Dubai Festival City,we will be providing visitors and residents with a complete range of retail, business and leisure activities and wide ranging accommodation to guests and residents alike. This hotel marks our sixth project with IHG and with our collaboration thus far has resulted in great success; we are confident our continued partnership will be one the enablers of our growth ambition in the Middle East.”
IHG has nearly 1,200 Holiday Inn hotels open across the globe, and 260 hotels in the company’s global pipeline. In India, IHG operates 28 hotels across four of the company’s brands, InterContinental®,Crowne Plaza®,Holiday Inn® andHoliday Inn Express®, with a further 41 in the development pipeline.
* Figures as at 30th September2016.
Corporate Comm India(CCI Newswire)
