Renad Ghanem Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – Hyatt's ‘Round the Gulf' workshops tour commenced in Jeddah on April 5 at Park Hyatt Hotel and will continue in four cities, Riyadh, Kuwait, Doha and Abu Dhabi. It will conclude on April 9. Twenty five hotels from Hyatt hotels and resort from Middle East, Europe and Africa attended the event. The Saudi market is considered an important market to Hyatt hotels around the world because of the increasing numbers of Saudis travelers. Hyatt held two one-day workshop then, one in April and the other one last November. Hyatt hotels also have an effective participation in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai. Dubai is one of the top favorite destinations for Saudis, as it's a very important market to the UAE as well. Hyatt hotels opened on March 1 its new hotel, Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Towers, which had attracted many Saudi's in its first month. Nasri Abou Hassan, Sales Manager of Grand Hyatt Dubai and Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights, said in an interview with the Saudi Gazette that they have high expectations for the new Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Towers. “The opening of the hotel marked the vacation in Saudi Arabia. Our hotel was totally booked from Saudi tourists at that time when the hotel was only two weeks old,” said Nasri. “The hotel is located in middle of Dubai Healthcare City. It is very close to the airport and also close to Grand Hyatt Dubai hotel. It has a special decorations,” he said. The hotel is designed in a modern style. “The hotel includes 464 rooms and suites. It also includes two royal suites. The special thing about it is that 360 degrees view for each one,” he added. Nasri said “the hotel includes convention center with separate entrance. Despite that hotel is still new but Hyatt name is very well known to the customers. Many people like to try new things especially in Dubai and many also want to try our new hotel. Since its open till now, number of visitors exceeded our expectations.” Tareq Daoud, Regional Vice President, Global Sales, Middle East, said workshop witnessed participation from 25 of the Hyatt hotels from all around the world, from Middle East Europe, Asia and Africa. About the aim of workshops, Daoud said “we are approaching summer, the hotels usually market for the summer vacations. In the workshop, Hyatt hotels are marketing to their promotion.” Moreover, he said in the Middle East markets, Saudi market one of the most important markets for Hyatt hotels. “Saudi market is very active. We consider it as one of the important markets and it's very active on the number of bookings in Hyatt hotel.” About the new hotels and expectations, Daoud noted that beside the Hyatt hotels that they opened recently, there will be also more hotels to open in the near future. “In Hyatt hotel we recently open ‘Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights'. Also in March we opened ‘Park Hyatt Zanzibar', it's an amazing hotel, and it will cover the Africa area. Next month will witness the opening of very important hotel, Hyatt Regency Makkah. The hotel will includes 600 rooms in Jabal Omar area, in front of the Holy Mosque,” he said. Hyatt hotels plan to have more 11 new Hyatt hotels in Saudi around the next five years, in Jeddah, Riyadh and Makkah. — SG
