Hyatt drives in to Abu Dhabi
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With two properties set to debut in the UAE capital within 12 months, Hyatt is formulating sales strategies across the board to accommodate the varying attractions of both city and resort locations, according to Hyatt International VP Sales & Marketing for West Asia Thierry Bertin.”Hyatt at Capital Centre will be very modern, an iconic hotel of glass and beams with a lobby on the 18th floor with skylite atrium, and we will generate business from the surrounding area here, but the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi will be located on a nine kilometre beach on Sa’adiyat Island offering a spacious resort environment, but one that is just 18 minutes’ from the airport and near to downtown Abu Dhabi,” he said.As a ‘city resort’, the Park Hyatt offered both leisure and commercial attractions, he added. “It will be multi-functional as one of only six hotels on that beach with a golf course to the rear of the resort, and operators we have brought in have all been impressed with the site and the facilities.”One potential sector is golf tourism, with potential to sell Abu Dhabi and Dubai as an attractive joint package, said Bertin.”A golf product can be extended to seven days when golfers can play up to 10 rounds at different clubs from the Emirates, Dubai Creek, Montgomerie, Els and Niklaus courses to the Gary Player course on Sa’adiyat, the links course on Yas and more to come in Abu Dhabi.”It is almost on a par with Marbella now in terms of the variety of courses available to play,” he added.Bertin stressed that while Abu Dhabi as a destination had been designed with every element, what was needed was to inject a buzz to establish it as a ‘must-see’ city. “What should be addressed is how to bring in that element of glamour that will establish it and ignite interest.”Meanwhile, Hyatt is looking to Saudi Arabia and also India for expansion, with the Hyatt Regency Pune, Grand Hyatt Goa and the Hyatt Regency Chennai all opening on the sub-continent in 2010.Around one-quarter of Hyatt’s global pipeline of 120 properties are in India, including the first Hyatt Place outside of the US.Opportunities are also being sought for the select service brand in the Middle East, according to Bertin. “The product is the right fit and a natural brand to come in to the region - where it was all about the five-star market in the past, now we are seeing opportunities for residences as well as three- and four-star brands,” he said.
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