TTN

Danat takes over Al Ain resort

Share  
The renamed Danat Al Ain Resort

FOLLOWING a comprehensive rebranding, the Garden City’s former InterContinental Al Ain has been rebranded as Danat Al Ain Resort.

The 30-year-old property is owned by the National Corporation for Tourism and Hotels (NCT&H) and is the sixth to be managed by Danat Hotels and Resorts.

The venue is already a favourite for weekend getaways but the company is looking to further invest in the property in the near future and bring the hospitality level within the Garden City Al Ain to a new level. The resort features 216 rooms and suites, 22 villas, nine restaurants, coffee shop, night club, meeting rooms, fitness club, spa and outdoor pools.  General manager AHMED MARGOUSHY, spoke to TTN about increased competition and more luxury for the Garden City.

What can guests expect to see at the Danat Al Ain Resort?

After the successful rebranding process, guests will be impressed with the new level of services and hospitality. As a beginning we have not yet changed anything tangible that can be seen by the public, but the service and guest experience has been brought up to a higher level to please everyone and make every stay a memorable one.

Margoushy ... renovations coming

What are the future plans for the property?

Danat is known to be a luxurious brand that focuses mainly on guest comfort and providing the guest with a unique experience. As for Danat Al Ain Resort, there are a lot of future plans that involve different aspects such as renovating the entire resort. Our first main renovation will deal with our ballroom and that is happening very soon. We are aiming at bringing the hospitality level within the Garden City to a new level.

How has the property fared in terms of occupancies and revpar and what are forward bookings looking like?

After the rebrand, we maintained the same pricing strategy and we are so far performing in line with our 2011 forecasted revenues. We have a well-experienced sales and revenue team with vast knowledge of the market. We launched an introductory package in January 2011 which generated a lot of demand for our resort and improved our occupancy and market awareness for our newly branded hotel.

Who are your key source markets?

Our market is a mixture of nationalities: we have a great share of the UAE, GCC and corporate market in addition to the wide variety of tourists from different parts of the world. At Danat Al Ain Resort we combine between business and leisure. The facilities offered and the diversity in accommodation we have makes us a favourite venue.

Al Ain is known as the Garden City and is very much an oasis and a garden when compared to its neighbouring emirates. Therefore, Al Ain is still the favourite get away location for UAE residents and expats.

How much has tourism in Al Ain grown over the years?

With the growth of tourism in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Al Ain has enjoyed a fair share from that market with its touristic attractions and location close to Jebel Hafeet, Mubazara, the camel market, Al Ain Zoo etc.  On the other hand, Al Ain city still holds and cherishes all the tradition and culture which makes it a number one destination when you are touring around UAE.

Spacer