You can now perform Umrah on a Saudi tourist visa

The cost of applying for an e-visa or a visa on arrival is 440 saudi riyals (around $117) plus VAT. People visiting Saudi Arabia on a tourism visa can now perform Umrah in the kingdom. In addition to that, women will not need to be accompanied by a male relative other than during the Haj season, according to a report by Saudi Gazette. The report also added that through this visa there won’t be a need for a sponsor. On Friday September 27, Saudi Arabia made history with the announcement that tourist visas will be available to citizens from 49 countries. The development is expected to create one million new jobs for the country by 2030. The tourist visa allows for a stay of up to three months per entry, with visitors able to spend up to 90 days per year in the country. The visa is valid for one year with multiple entries.

Third day of the exhibition, according to Hotel News Camera

Air Dresser; Samsung's new hotel product

Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort and Spa launches eco-friendly golf balls

This is the first time a resort is doing so in the emirate Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort and Spa has launched 100% biodegradable golf balls at the property. According to officials, the balls are ecological and made from renewable, non-toxic materials. They are also filled with fish food. Once the ball hits the water, the external layer biodegrades in less than 48 hours and releases the fish food. As part of Hilton’s ‘Travel with Purpose’ programme, the launch, which is a resort first in Ras Al Khaimah, is part of an ongoing initiative to preserve the environment.

Intercontinental Hotels Group to develop fourth Holiday Inn in Al Khobar, Saudi

The hospitality group has signed an agreement with real estate company RIKAZ Properties Intercontinental Hotels Group will be developing its fourth Holiday Inn hotel in Al Khobar — Holiday Inn Al Khobar King Fahd Road — after signing a management agreement with real estate company RIKAZ Properties. Expected to open in January 2021, the 140-key property will feature an outdoor pool, a lobby lounge, food & beverage outlets and a gymnasium. Speaking about the new property Pascal Gauvin, MD, India, Middle East & Africa, IHG said, “We are delighted to sign an agreement with RIKAZ Properties for Holiday Inn Al Khobar King Fahd Road and strengthen our mainstream offering in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We have a strong legacy in the Kingdom and are committed to leveraging the growth opportunities that Vision 2030 presents by expanding our presence across the country through our portfolio of global brands. With a number of recent signings in Saudi Arabia, across our brands such as Holiday Inn, voco and Crowne Plaza, we are growing our presence in key cities and gearing up to cater to the needs of diverse guest profiles expected to visit the country in the coming years.”Earlier this year the hospitality group signed two Holiday Inn properties in Madinah and Jeddah. “We are delighted to be partnering with IHG for our new venture. We have witnessed strong tourism figures and hotel occupancy rates in Saudi Arabia. Tourism is a focal point under the government’s vision 2030 - according to MAS (Tourism Research & Information Centre), the number of international trips made to Saudi Arabia is estimated to increase from 18 million in 2015 to 25.8 million in 2020. The Holiday Inn brand has an international appeal and we are confident that this latest hotel will perform successfully and cater to the increasing demand for midscale accommodation in the country,” said Khalid Al Gahtani, Chairman, RIKAZ Properties. IHG currently operates 92 hotels across 7 brands in the Middle East, including: InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites, voco and Six Senses Hotels Resorts with a further 41 in the development pipeline due to open within the next three to five years.

Nearly 200 hotels at design stage in the GCC

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading the field in the development of new hotels There are close to 200 hotels at the design stage in the GCC, according to statistics revealed by intelligence platform ProTenders. Data up to 1 July, 2019, shows there are 196 hotels at the design stage across the Gulf, insight from construction intelligence business ProTenders revealed. The total value of the GCC hotel market, which includes projects at the planning, design, tender and construction stage, is $501.8bn (AED1.8tn), sister publication Commercial Interior Design revealed. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading the field in the development of new hotels, as both countries continue to prioritise tourism as a means of supporting economic diversification. It was revealed in August that five hotel chains are due to be selected by the Qiddiya Investment Company as part of the hospitality offering of Saudi Arabia’s entertainment gigaproject Qiddiya. The announcement came when the company, a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, unveiled details of the Six Flags theme park that will be built in 2023. In the UAE, a significant number of hotels are being developed in the run-up to Expo 2020 Dubai, which opens its doors in approximately 13 months.

Address Fountain Views all set to open for business The property comprises 193 rooms

 Emaar Hospitality Group’s Address Fountain Views is all set to open for business, officials have announced. Bookings for the seventh Address hotel in Dubai, are open for stays from October 2019 onwards. Located in Downtown Dubai, the hotel has 193 guestrooms. peaking about the hotel, Chris Newman, chief operating officer of Emaar Hospitality Group, said: “Address Hotels + Resorts has raised the benchmark in service excellence. Our new addition – Address Fountain Views – assures the same personally enriching experience while defining its own individuality, which is the hallmark of every Address hotel.” He added that the property will appeal to both leisure and business visitors. Guests staying on the Club Rooms will be able to access the Club Lounge. The restaurant at the property interprets a luxury apartment and guests can choose from the dining room, the closet, a library or the outdoor terrace. The restaurant will serve authentic Mediterranean cuisine combined with Arabian inspired flavours.

Data mining

A process that employs a combination of machine learning, statistical analysis, modeling techniques, and information technology to discover hidden facts, previously unknown patterns of behavior, and trends. Companies can use this knowledge to make business decisions in their marketing, sales, customer service, production, credit, and finance activities more quickly more accurately, and with higher confidence. As a marketing tool, data mining is often used to study customers and their purchasing behavior in order to look for patterns that describe the behaviors and permit businesses to perform market segmentation in new ways. Through intelligent segmentation and response analysis data mining has helped companies to retain customers and to become more relevant, by designing products and services that meet the needs of customer ‘segments’ and to communicate with them more effectively. Moreover, data mining assists the improvement of customer relationships through profiling, profitability, value, and loyalty analysis.,

Radisson Hotel Group launches multi-brand global platform

The website will comprise all hotels within the group’s portfolio RADISSON Hotel Group has launched its new multi-brand and ‘mobile-first’ global website in several launguages. The new website comprises the group’s portfolio of more than 1,100 hotels across the world. The group will also launch the Radisson Hotels mobile application by the end of July 2019, officials said. Speaking about the platform, Radisson Hotel Group’s executive vice president and global chief commercial officer Eric De Neef said: “The launch of RadissonHotels.com is a key milestone on our journey towards the top. Having one single touchpoint for all our brands will strongly enhance the user experience and drive SEO value. RadissonHotels.com is a core commercial initiative of our five-year operating plan, which is transforming our business.” The platform showcases every property from across Radisson Hotel Group’s seven distinctive brands, including the Radisson Collection, Radisson RED, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson and Country Inn & Suites by Radisson – as well as the art’otel brand managed by the group’s strategic partner, PPHE Hotel Group.

Lightstone Raises $70 Million for Moxy East Village

National real estate investor and developer Lightstone completed its sixth round of EB-5 investment funding, raising $70 million for the development of the company’s 286-key Marriott Moxy hotel in Manhattan’s East Village. Fundraising is already underway for Miami’s 202-key Moxy South Beach and the 744-key Moxy Downtown Los Angeles—Lightstone’s largest EB-5 funding project. Moxy East Village is set to open this fall. Conceived by Rockwell Group as a vertical timeline, each floor of the hotel draws inspiration from a different era in East Village history. The property will have four new F&B concepts by TAO Group.

Kish Photo Festival by the topic of "Kish - New Look"

HREC Arranges Sale of Four Points by Sheraton in Newark

HREC Investment Advisors has arranged the sale of the 120-room Four Points by Sheraton Newark Christiana Wilmington located in Newark, Delaware. The firm exclusively represented the seller during the transaction. The marketing, negotiations, and final sale were led by Ketan Patel, managing director in HREC’s Washington D.C. office, and Andre Collins, an affiliate broker in Delaware. Located in Delaware’s most highly populated county, Newcastle County, the hotel is near companies headquartered in Newark, including W.L. Gore and Associates and JPMorgan. Other major demand generators in the immediate area include the University of Delaware, Denver Technology Park, White Clay Creek Park, Christiana Mall, Glasgow Regional Park, and the Newark Reservoir.