Business travellers today are so mobile, so regularly, say hospitality executives, that they are increasingly seeking hotel properties which enable them to experience some element of leisure to help them maintain a harmonious balance in their lives.
Whether it be a spa treatment or an hour-long break in the sun by the pool, business travellers expect some leisure component to be a part of their hotel visit, says Gebhard Rainer, Managing Director of Hyatt International Europe, Africa & Middle East, ahead of next week’s Business Travel Show taking place in Dubai 29 and 30 October.
“At Hyatt, we have observed and acted on a few very noticeable trends among business travellers,” says Rainer. “The number of business travellers is increasing because global economic conditions are favourable; long-haul travel is expected to be completed quickly and without significant disturbance to the life of the traveller; and travellers have become accustomed to a hotel experience that facilitates business requirements without neglecting the needs of the human being.”
According to Rainer, the Middle East will remain a key growth market for Hyatt because of its high-occupancy rates, in addition to the leisure component that is easily incorporated into properties in the Middle East because of its yearlong temperate climate.
“The Middle East is a business traveller’s dream destination, with its predictable sunshine and focus on contemporary cuisine, and is a region that is well-suited to all Hyatt brands. Dubai, as an example, is the only city in all of Europe, Middle East, and Africa where Hyatt has all three of its premium brands on offer – Park Hyatt Dubai, Grand Hyatt Dubai, and Hyatt Regency Dubai,” Rainer adds.
The Business Travel Show Dubai will take place on 29 and 30 October at the Madinat Jumeirah Arena. It will be staged under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of the Emirates Airline Group and President of Dubai Department of Civil Aviation.
