Crowngate International officially broke ground on its $50 million project in the UAE -- the 225-key Avani Resort on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah. The ground-breaking ceremony, held on May 21, was attended by Abdullah Rashed Al Abdooli, managing director of Al Marjan Island LLC, and Haitham Mattar, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority. Set to be fully operational in the third quarter of 2019, the Avani managed resort will address the rapidly increasing demand for hotels in the affordable luxury category and is the first four-star project on Al Marjan Island.

This year’s Arabian Travel Market witnessed a 10 per cent increase in visitors from the GCC and a 7 per cent increase in international visitors. For the second year in succession, visitor numbers smashed through the 28,000 mark – the show saw a 71 per cent increase in visitors over the last five years.  More than 100 new exhibitors debuted at ATM 2017 and responsible tourism has been chosen as the key theme of the 2018 event.

After 17 years in operation, Flora Hospitality is updating its image, and redefining its brand quality tiers in preparation for the next chapter of its expansion. In addition to its existing 11 properties in operation across Dubai, Sharjah and India, the new pipeline includes four new properties in Dubai, doubling the company’s inventory from 1,415 to 3,000 rooms by 2020. Vela Flora will be the brand’s entry five-star luxury brand, with two new properties earmarked for Downtown Dubai and Deira Island Dubai.

The general manager of Crowne Plaza Hotel Bahrain, Gilles Nicolas confirmed the start of a comprehensive renovation at a demolition party. The renovation project will take place until December this year and will include a refreshed new look for 138 rooms with a new modern design and a brand new addition of the Club lounge in the lobby.

InterContinental Doha The City won the Best Business Hotel in Doha award for 2017 at the Business Traveller Middle East Awards in Dubai last month. The award was based on votes submitted by the readers of the regional edition of the industry magazine. Director of sales and marketing, Saheb Sadaghiani, collected the award on behalf of InterContinental Doha The City.

RSG International, UAE-based business group with interests in the property development, automotive and industrial equipment sectors, signed a management agreement with Rotana for a new four-star hotel in Dubai, at a prime location on Sheikh Zayed Road, Jebel Ali Central, next to UAE Exchange Metro Station. The project marks RSG International’s second collaboration with Rotana this year, following the launch of Sabah Rotana hotel in March 2017.

Stylish Japanese restaurant Katsuya by Starck opened doors at a new waterfront location in Madinat Jumeirah. Featuring the dynamic pairing of Master Chef Katsuya Uechi and design impresario Philippe Starck, Katsuya by Starck serves speciality cocktails, Robata grills, unique rolls and spectacular sushi and sashimi platters.

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has recruited a team of switched-on Generation Y (broadly defined as those born in the 1980s and 1990s) employees and entrepreneurs to closely collaborate with the hospitality firm’s executive team as it looks to glean fresh ideas on how to attract Millennial guests and talent. The company has hand-picked an ExCom–Y Committee – a team of 10 talented millennials, six of whom are from across the company and the remaining four are young business leaders brought in from locations across the globe to provide a balanced and international perspective. Millennials currently represent around one-third of the global population and Mövenpick has already had some success attracting Millennials, who account for more than 30 per cent of its total guests.