Mid-range hotels carve out a spot in Dubai as new Novotel readies opening

The general manager of the upcoming Novotel Dubai Al Barsha Philippe Mountabin is confident that midscale hotels will soon become the dominant hospitality force in the Middle East.

Expected to open in Q2 2013, Accor’s four-star Novotel Dubai Al Barsha hotel will offer 465 rooms with 10 dedicated meeting rooms and four F&B outlets.

Speaking in a recent interview with Hotelier Middle East, Mountabin said that based on the success of the Novotel at Dubai World Trade Centre, there was room for a second property under the brand in Dubai.

“I believe that Novotel in Dubai is doing very well, and if we have decided to launch another Novotel onto the market it is because that we believe that the market can absorb it,” said Mountabin.

“Midscale is where I believe the bulk of the market is. For economy we are targeting a certain clientele, for the midscale you are talking about the majority of the world. It’s like an airplane, there’s business class/first class as your luxury hotels, economy is the midscale and your charter flights are your budget and economy hotels. Most plane travellers travel in economy just as they like to stay in midscale hotels,” said Mountabin.

In addition to his position at the Novotel Dubai Al Barsha, Mountabin is also the general manager of its sister economy property the ibis Al Barsha hotel, which reported occupancy of 86% in 2012, up 9% on 2011.

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