101 Years of Industry Experience Joins Dubai's Newest Hotels
SEPTEMBER 14, 2009 - M"ovenpick Hotels & Resorts announces five key appointments to its sales and marketing team for four new properties Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, Royal Amwaj Resort & Spa, Oceana Hotel & Spa and the M"ovenpick Hotel Deira in Dubai under the UAE-based holding company Seven Tides.
The sales team, which has more than 100 years of hospitality industry experience between them, is led by director of business development Guy Epsom who will also oversee revenue management, distribution, communications, PR and marketing. Epsom has many years of experience in the hotel business and his knowledge of the Middle East market spans over 25 years.
Director of sales - leisure Andrew Hughes oversees a team of four focusing on the local, regional and international leisure segment for the four properties. He is joined by Director of sales - travel Kirsty Danks-Brown. Looking after the corporate segment Chris El Khoury director of sales - corporate will be responsible for meetings and corporate business from the local, regional and international markets. Natalie Kurz, the director of sales - conventions will be responsible for events across the four properties.
"Faced with launching four uniquely different properties in a dynamic and challenging business environment, the clustered sales team will also boost efficiency and effectiveness, thereby increasing our competitive edge" said Epsom. "The cross-pollination of talent and managing a combined room inventory will generate greater synergy and leveraging of opportunities across all four properties"
The team, which also boasts more than 15 openings between them, will be responsible for increasing brand awareness and significantly growing the corporate, leisure and meeting business for the four-property portfolio.
The four properties, set to open next year, include the M"ovenpick Hotel Deira, a business hotel located in the heart of Deira, the Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel adjacent to the themed Ibn Battuta Mall, the Asian styled Royal Amwaj Resort & Spa located on the outer crescent of the Palm Jumeirah and the ultra-hip Oceana Hotel & Spa located on the trunk of the Palm Jumeirah.