Emaar and Meraas Holding launch affordable hotel brand

Emaar Properties and Meraas Holding have launched a new hotel brand focused on the ‘affordable segment’ – Dubai Inn.

The new brand will boast hotels across Dubai, all “stylishly designed by Emaar to create a new hotel experience that will be highlighted by affordable elegance”, according to Mohamed Alabbar, chairman of Emaar Properties.

“One of the key drivers to achieving the Dubai Tourism Vision 2020, to double the number of annual tourists to 20 million by the turn of the decade, is to offer a wider choice of affordable hotels that appeal to the new generation of travellers,” he asserted.

Group chairman of Meraas Holding, Abdulla Al Habbai said Dubai “is focused on further strengthening its tourism sector”.

“Under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, as the city embarks on it ambitious tourism growth strategy, it is important to boost the hospitality sector with more affordable hotels to attract even larger numbers of tourists,” he continued.

“We will develop affordable hotels with Emaar, under the new brand, to catalyse the city’s hospitality sector.”

Alabbar added, “With two-thirds of the world population living within an eight-hour flight from Dubai, the city has tremendous tourism growth potential that must be leveraged through hospitality offerings that meet the requirements of the diverse and changing global traveller profile. Our strategy is to build elegantly designed, high quality affordable hotels in several key locations in the city that will encourage more visitors, particularly short-haul travellers or passengers in transit, for extended stays to explore our city.”

Today, five-star hotel rooms account for nearly 62% of the total branded hotel inventory in the city. In the future supply pipeline of over 42,000 hotel rooms in Dubai also, nearly 50% are in the luxury and upper upscale segments.

“The new generation of travellers is more discerning and value-conscious, and it is important that our hospitality sector reflect their needs,” Alabbar added. “There is tremendous potential in Dubai for growth in the affordable hotel sector. By creating a robust pipeline of affordable hotels under the Dubai Inn brand, we plan to attract more visitors to our city from the fast-growing markets in the Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe and the wider Middle East.

“These hotels will also meet the demands of the exhibition and conference sector of the city, which is witnessing unprecedented growth, led by Dubai’s status as a regional business hub and gateway to the wider Middle East and North Africa markets.”