It entered into partnerships with banks, and entered into agreements with entertainment and tourism areas and airlines

Hotels that offer additional benefits to guests throughout the year

• Hotels that have entered into partnerships with tourist and artistic attractions such as the Museum of the Future.

  EPA

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Hotel officials confirmed that the intense competition stimulated the granting of additional benefits to guests at different times of the year and not in certain seasons, with the aim of raising hotel occupancy rates and enhancing loyalty among those guests.

They explained to «Emirates Today» that the most important of these advantages is the granting of free rooms in the case of large reservations, discounts that include meals, cleaning and ironing services, the use of gyms, free transportation to vital places for guests of large conferences and exhibitions, and raising the quality of simple services, at a time when contracted Hotels with banks for credit card holders issued by those banks to obtain discounts and benefits, as well as forging partnerships with recreational areas, tourist attractions and museums, enabling guests to visit them for free or at reduced prices, and partnerships with airlines that offer discounts through the boarding pass, in addition to Discounts for online booking.

It is noteworthy that, according to the latest available data, the number of hotel rooms in the UAE has exceeded 190,000 hotel rooms, in addition to thousands of hotel rooms under construction and development, the majority of which are in Dubai.

Tough competition

In detail, Osama Shrouf, Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Jannah Hotels and Resorts, said, "The fierce competition between hotels has made many of them keen to grant additional benefits to their guests at various times of the year, to raise occupancy rates throughout the entire year," noting that the state The UAE has succeeded in attracting the largest hotel management companies in the world.

Shroff added, "Among the most prominent of these additional benefits is the granting of free rooms for large reservations, discounts on the prices of meals, cleaning and ironing services, as well as free transportation to vital places in the city, such as nearby shopping centers and corniche areas, and exhibitions for guests participating in major conferences, exhibitions and events." To the effective impact of these benefits in increasing the number of guests, and raising occupancy levels throughout the year.

Shrouf pointed out that hotels raise the level of guest satisfaction with routine and daily services, such as: raising the level of cleanliness of rooms, speed of answering the phone, and immediate response to simple requests of guests, stressing that all of this is one of the things that hotels focus on, for their role in raising occupancy levels significantly.

Partnerships and facilities

For her part, Mona Aouni, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Accor Dubai Hotels, agreed that the fierce competition has stimulated hotels to offer many benefits and facilities to guests at different times of the year and not only in specific seasons.

Awni pointed out the cooperation of hotels with banks, in order for credit card holders issued by those banks to obtain discounts on accommodation and service prices, as well as the conclusion of partnerships with entertainment areas, archaeological and tourist attractions, and museums, led by the “Museum of the Future” and “Dubai Parks and Resorts.” "," Ferrari World Abu Dhabi ", and others, allowing guests to visit it for free or at reduced entry prices.

Awni stated that «there are hotels that have begun to conclude partnerships with airlines, which allow the use of the boarding pass, to obtain discounts in food and drink, and (spa) services in those hotels».

She emphasized that loyalty programs designed by hotels play an important role in choosing hotels over others, as they provide points that are used to obtain discounts on accommodation and hotel services.

Big numbers

In the same context, Radi Ali Baz, Director of Sales Department at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche Hotel, stressed the importance of increasing hotel occupancy rates throughout the year, pointing out that the fierce competition between hotels prompted them to provide additional benefits to guests.

He explained that «the advantages are concentrated especially in cases of reservations for large numbers, as hotels resort to granting free rooms, while providing free services such as: meals, coffee during the break, and the use of gyms».

He pointed to hotels that offer additional discounts on online booking, at a time when other hotels grant benefits to permanent guests, whether individuals or groups, to support loyalty, in addition to raising the commissions of online booking companies, to focus on highlighting the advantages of the hotel.

• Hotels aim to raise hotel occupancy rates and enhance "loyalty" among guests. 

Considering guest preferences

The head of the marketing and sales department at a hotel complex in Dubai, who preferred not to be named, said that «there is great competition between hotels to attract guests throughout the year, which made some of them resort to giving free rooms, especially if a large number of rooms are booked to participate in exhibitions and conferences. And parties, in addition to providing regular and free transportation to transport guests to the beaches, commercial shopping centers, and the airport, and reducing accommodation prices in some seasons, such as summer periods, and granting additional discounts when booking more than three nights, and hosting children for free.

And she stressed that «the needs and preferences of guests are taken into account when booking, as a means to raise the hotel occupancy rate, such as meeting requests for the provision of spacious family rooms, luxurious hotel suites, or rooms with a view of the sea, whatever their size».

She explained, "There are hotels that have focused their media campaigns in the recent period on social media, which have played a major role in choosing the hotel, with the publication of videos and pictures showing the advantages of the hotel and the nearby landmarks." 

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