Global hospitality industry leaders anticipate Dubai to achieve a remarkable milestone by reaching 200,000 hotel rooms by the decade’s end, a forecast unveiled during the Dubai Skift Global Forum East conference.
Long-Term Strategies Fuelling Growth:
Sébastien Bazin, Group Chairman and CEO of Accor highlighted the strategic planning within Gulf countries, emphasizing that with their structured 5-7 year plans, the region’s robust tourism and hospitality expansion is making it a formidable player in the industry.
Bazin dismissed concerns about overcapacity, citing a well-structured tourism plan in the Gulf and Asia regions that ensures sustainable growth and avoids saturation within the hospitality sector.
Dubai’s Ascending Hotel Room Count:
Timothy Kelly, president of Atlantis Global, predicted that Dubai will outpace Las Vegas in hotel room numbers within the next few years due to the city’s burgeoning tourist influx and the establishment of new hotels.
Forecasts indicate that Dubai will soar past 160,000 rooms within 2-3 years, targeting close to 200,000 rooms by 2030.
Data from Dubai Tourism showcased a significant surge in hotel inventory, marking a six percent increase in 2022 compared to the previous year, signifying the emirate’s sustained growth in accommodations.
Dubai’s Unique Hospitality Landscape:
Kelly emphasized Dubai’s distinct approach to hospitality, where strong government support, robust infrastructure, and collaborative relationships foster an unparalleled environment for tourism and hotel development.
He underlined Dubai’s competitive edge, foreseeing challenges for other cities to match its growth trajectory given the multifaceted infrastructure requirements, skilled labor, and reputation.
Dubai’s Hospitality Frontier:
The Atlantis President hailed Dubai as one of the final frontiers of hospitality, attributing the emirate’s success to its unique blend of government support, strategic partnerships, and a thriving hospitality ecosystem.
He expressed confidence that Dubai’s exceptional growth trajectory will be challenging for other global destinations to replicate in the coming years.