Millennium Hotel Fujairah opens its doors

As the newest addition to Fujairah’s growing hospitality family, Millennium Hotel has opened its doors, Fujairah Observer asks a few questions of Nabil Khuzouz, General Manager of Millennium Hotel Fujairah. 

 

1. Do you feel Fujairah has the demand to sustain another business hotel opening?

Fujairah, like the rest of the UAE has evolved and developed significantly over the past few years, with tourism being a key driving force.  A recent report by Business Monitor International predicted that UAE tourism would cross the $20 billion mark in 2015 and would expand in 2015 with a 7.6 percent year on year growth. 

The increase in tourism to the UAE as a whole represents a growth market for Fujairah also as this in turn trickles down to our own tourism sector. According to the report “the outlook for the UAE’s tourism sector looks bright” and the year on year growth gives us comfort in the continued growth pattern in the UAE hotel industry. 

Fujairah is a destination with great potential for both leisure travellers but also business travellers with as it’s a major location for exporting oil and gas. The airport is due to expand to cater for an increase in tourism and business travellers and the municipality has also begun work on road improvements, building water barriers, ports and residential complexes and expanding heathcare facilities at the cost of Dh1.5bn.

Fujairah offers tourists some truly unique experiences with historic sites such as the Fujairah Fort, the Fujairah Museum, Al Hayl Castle and Al Bidiya mosque, the oldest known mosque in the UAE. In addition to our spectacular diving and watersports activities and mountainous terrain, we are confident that the increased demand will continue to match the growing Fujairah hotel industry.

Set against the picturesque Hajar Mountains and with direct access to Fujairah Mall, the city’s new prestigious retail district, we believe Millennium Hotel Fujairah offers a unique and convenient hotel option for both leisure and business travellers.

 

2. With the scale of the emirate, how open do you find other management teams to collaborating to bring more business to the region?

Millennium & Copthorne work closely with other management teams and hotel operators within the Emirate, as well as the Fujairah Tourism & Antiquities Authority and other UAE government and tourism bodies.  Fujairah has a small population and it’s important that we all work together to grow the industry and attract both international visitors and UAE residents alike. 

This strategy is consistent with all of our properties in the UAE and we believe that collaboration is key to the successful growth of the UAE tourism market in general. 

 

3. Do you think that developers are striking the right balance in terms of product offering, i.e. business, leisure, family, weekend tourists?

Fujairah provides both local and international tourists with an interesting and diverse product offering and this is highlighted through the variety of different packages on offer at hotels across the Emirate. 

Summer and GCC resident rates work particularly well in this market for local residents, whilst package options including transport work well for international guests and longer stay and added MICE options work well for our business guests.

To celebrate our opening, we currently have a special rate of 275AED per night including buffet breakfast, complimentary wi fi and a late check out (inclusive of tax and municipality fees).

In addition, we have our competitive Eat For Free package, offering guests who book a room over the summer a complimentary breakfast and lunch or dinner. We believe it’s a strong value proposition for larger families looking to book a getaway over the summer months. 

We cater towards business travellers with four meeting rooms, state-of-the-art technology and comprehensive business services. They will also benefit from the Executive Club lounge that offers an enhanced, personalised guest experience, with a wealth of exclusive amenities. 

 

4. What do you think Millennium Fujairah can bring to the East Coast now it’s open?

Millennium Fujairah’s location offers direct access to the Fujairah Mall, which is due to open in the upcoming months and will be the biggest mall in Fujairah. It will provide the East Coast with an attractive retail opportunity within close proximity and we believe the development of this area will benefit the whole of the East Coast in general.

East Coast residents will also benefit from Millennium Fujairah’s five different dining options, with a variety of flavours and styles to suit every taste from all-day dining at Al Rihal to a quick bite at Panero and drinks at View Pool Bar or Joe’s Bar. A signature Mediterranean restaurant is soon to be added to the extensive dining offering with its roots in Lebanese, Turkish, Greek, Italian and Spanish cuisine.   

Businesses looking for MICE facilities on the East Coast will also benefit as we offer four multifunctional and flexible meeting rooms with seating for up to 70 guests. 

 

5. What do you feel Fujairah is lacking in hospitality offerings?

In recent years, the hospitality offerings in Fujairah have increased significantly with the addition of new hotels and entertainment options and we believe that Millennium Fujairah fills a gap in the market and offers both business and leisure travellers a convenient and affordable hotel option for both short and long term stays.