ATM: To capitalize on its supremacy in Halal-friendly and family travel

Family-centric travel is the official show theme for the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) this year that will take place in Dubai from May 4-7 and being a pioneer in the halal-friendly segment, it is one of the key strengths of HMH – Hospitality Management Holdings – who will have a strong presence at the exhibition.

Laurent A. Voivenel, CEO of HMH, said: “All our properties, no matter where these are located, offer a safe and family-friendly environment. Halal-friendly policy is part of our company’s culture and DNA and not simply a business decision. Having created the first and ‘still the only’ international alcohol-free chain of hotels, HMH is the region’s largest group to operate in the dry segment.

Therefore, we are uniquely positioned to capitalize on halal segment having been successful in penetrating it early. Over the years we have gathered an amazing experience both in terms of operations and market intelligence in the dry hotel segment that is one of our key strengths. Unlike other companies whose aim is to have a share of the pie by creating stand-alone dry brands or hotels, all brands under HMH are halal-friendly no matter where we operate. Our primary objective is to offer our customers a safe and healthy environment be it corporate or leisure travelers.”

Laurent added: “Middle East is one of the fastest growing tourism and hotel markets in the world. And halal-friendly hotels will continue to claim bigger market share in the region given the business opportunity and demand. Over the years HMH has established a superb reputation in terms of product consistency, quality and value for money. That is the reason why we have a high percentage of return customers who choose to stay with our brands because they know they will get the right value for the right price surrounded by the finest Arabic hospitality. Contrary to popular belief, a dry hotel can be as lively and vibrant as any hotel. One of our key segments is families and women travelers who feel a lot more at ease in our hotels.”

Elaborating on what visitors can expect this ATM at HMH stand, Laurent stressed: “We have got an outstanding stand location with an equally stunning design that is being customized to meet the unique needs of our various brands. We want our stand to be an experiential destination for our visitors where they can get a true feel of our hospitality. Visitors will be able to find us on stand HC 7230. In addition to showcasing our existing portfolio of hotels spread across 13 cities in MENA region, we will be promoting our upcoming hotels. 2015 is a very significant year for us as we have got 5 key openings coming up in quick succession. ATM is the perfect platform to introduce these to the global travel trade. In addition, we have got a number of other surprises lined up that will be unveiled during the show.”

Talking about the new openings, Laurent added: “The first hotel to open this year will be Coral Muscat Hotel & Apartments that will be our flagship property in Muscat. Soon we will have another spectacular opening with Coral Al Madina Hotel in KSA. The luxurious 5-star hotel featuring 400 plus rooms and suites has been conceived to be a prestigious address for discerning travelers to Madina and is superbly located just across the road overlooking the Holy Mosque. In addition, we have got Coral Beirut Concorde Hotel in Lebanon followed by two fabulous EWA properties in Sudan. EWA Khartoum Hotel & Apartments will be ready to welcome its guests by end of May 2015 followed by Ewa Port Sudan Hotel & Apartments in the last quarter of 2015.”