PARTICIPATING in the ITB Berlin under the Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing umbrella, a team from the Grand Millennium Dubai will be presenting a set of competitive leisure packages to the leading tour operators from Germany and elsewhere in Europe. Leading the team will be Director of Sales Ghassan Farhat. It will be the fifth time for the hotel to be in Berlin at the world's largest travel show, and he was confident of securing new business there, as well as reinforcing existing contacts and contracts, he said. “Figures show that the average length of stay of leisure visitors from the German market in Dubai is upwards of 10 days, this offers considerable potential and fits well with other corporate and short stay business that we enjoy at the Grand Millennium Dubai,” he noted. “DMCs have reported strong growth in meetings and events from Germany, as well as leisure travel, and the staging of ITB Berlin will enable us to get across the message that the Grand Millennium Dubai enjoys an excellent location in new Dubai, close to shopping malls, golf courses, beaches and other landmarks.” New for 2013, he said is the decision to implement a phased refurbishment of the apartment tower of the hotel which features 81 one-bedroom, 37 two-bedroom and 20 studio apartments. “For long-stay guests, this will offer a cost-effective alternative to full-service hotel rooms, without forsaking all amenities of a five-star property,” Farhat said. Located just off the Sheikh Zayed Road, the Grand Millennium is conveniently accessible from the Mall of the Emirates and the Ibn Battuta Mall, as well as within easy reach of the city's prime business and leisure attraction including the beach and golf courses. The 343-room five star hotel features a range of award-winning restaurants and bars, a beautiful rooftop pool, superb spa and health club with nine-treatment rooms, state-of-the-art meeting rooms, a magnificent ballroom and exceptional banquet facilities. — SG
