Jumeirah Hotels has signed a direct connectivity partnership with MakeMyTrip to provide a booking channel for Indian consumers. Jumeirah Group has 11 hotels in the UAE and a presence across Europe, Middle East and Asia.
“India is currently the number one source market for Dubai. We see India as an emerging country for our Dubai hotels. India is one of our top source markets in London. We have been working with trade in India and we are forging a connection with MakeMyTrip. MMT’s reach in India goes above and beyond Tier 1 cities. Our partnership with MMT will help to increase brand awareness and gain new consumers,” Linda Lewis, Vice President, Global Sales Middle East and Asia Pacific, Jumeirah Group said. The Group is focusing on expanding and consolidating ties with the FITs and the luxury travel segment to reach out to a larger audience and gain a higher market share, she added.
The group recently organised a -city roadshow in India, in Mumbai and New Delhi to further strengthen its ties with the Indian travel trade. As the group is all set to open four new properties in 2017, it is aiming to tap the luxury segment from India. The group is offering discount on stay and free passes to Dubai Parks and Resorts, as well as other attractions under the umbrella of DXB Entertainments.
Lewis sees growth and potential in the Indian outbound luxury market. “F&B is very popular at the Burj Al Arab amongst the Indians. Indian travellers come to Dubai for shorter periods. In summer the length of stay extends with holidays in India. With all the new activities, we are looking to extend the length of stay. We are focusing on elevating our services to accommodate Indian travellers to make them feel at home.”
The group also has plans to open a property in Mumbai which is still at the development stage. When asked about the details Lewis said, “The plans to develop a property in Mumbai are still at the development stage. We don’t have any further update on the opening.”
Further speaking about the pipeline she said, “We will open a hotel in Abu Dhabi the Jumeirah Sadiyat Island and Jumeirah Bali in third quarter of 2018. We will open Jumeirah Muscat Bay in Oman by end 2018. We are also opening a property in Nanjing, China in Q2 2018.”
The major source markets for the group in Dubai has been Europe, Russia and domestic markets and wider GCC. India and China are both emerging markets.
