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Emirates gives up management of all its hotels but has maintained ownership of them (FILE)
Emirates, one of the fastest-growing airlines, is transferring management of most of its hotels to specialised companies so it will concentrate on its core business, a Dubai-based newspaper reported on Wednesday.
With the exception of a key resort in Australia, the Group has transferred management of its hotels to well-known tour and hospitality companies including its Al-Maha Desert Resort and JW Mariott hotel in Dubai, the Arabic language daily 'Al Bayan' said, quoting unnamed “informed” sources.
“Emirates has given up its management of all its hotels but has maintained its ownership of them….the only exception is Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa in Australia, which will remain under Emirates’ ownership and management.”
In a statement published online, Al-Maha confirmed that its management has been transferred to Starwood, a leading global hotel management firm.
“Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa in Dubai has joined Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. as the latest addition to its Luxury Collection portfolio,” it said.
“The resort will be renamed 'Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai', with Emirates retaining ownership of the resort and Starwood Hotels & Resorts overseeing the management of the property.”
'Al Bayan' said Mariott, another global hotel company, would manage Emirates Marina Hotel and Residence and the Dhtwo-billion JW Mariott in the emirate.
“These moves will provide greater flexibility to Emirates and enable it to concentrate on its core business as a global carrier,” the paper said.
Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa is located at the southern end of the Valley, at the foot of Mount Wolgan and Donkey Mountain--major landmarks at 877 and 995 metres above sea level respectively.
The resort, about 190 km from Sydney, is approximately 26 kilometres long, and varies in width from six or seven kilometres at its widest points before it narrows to a bottleneck of just one kilometre where the Wolgan River cuts a deep gorge through the sandstone.
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