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Read the latest hotel industry news from around the Middle East and Africa region.
Conflicts disrupt Middle Eastern travel
Concerns about widening conflict across the Middle East are causing some travel concerns, along with the Australian government issuing a "comprehensive travel alert" related to the risks of traveling across the region, Travel and Tour World reports.
“The ongoing conflict in Lebanon and the Occupied Palestinian Territories could lead to increased tensions in other locations in the Middle East,” the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade noted.
Abu Dhabi National Hotels to hold IPO for catering unit
Officials with Abu Dhabi National Hotels have announced they are planning an initial public offering for 40% of their catering business. ADNH Catering has over 18,000 staff members in the United Arab Emirates and 1,000 more in Saudi Arabia, Reuters reports.
"The Gulf has seen a flurry of IPOs in recent years as governments in countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE try to diversify their economies with ambitious reform plans that include deepening capital markets to attract investment," the news outlet reports.
More Chinese travelers want to go to Africa
China Daily reports there's a "rising trend of visiting Africa" among outbound Chinese travelers.
"Africa, with rich tourism resources, has attracted a substantial number of experienced travelers from China, particularly financially stable middle-aged individuals," the news outlet reports. "Those aged between 35 and 50 comprise more than a third of total Chinese visitors, said Tuniu Corp, a Nanjing, Jiangsu province-based online travel agency."
Signia to debut in Middle East
Hilton has announced plans for its Signia brand to enter Jordan, marking the first property for the brand in the Middle East and the first outside the U.S., Hotelier Middle East reports.
The 272-room property will have more than 5,000 square meters of meeting space.
“Signia is a brand that will do particularly well in this part of the world," said Guy Hutchinson, president of Hilton Middle East and Africa. "Early on, we had an opportunity to work with a partner in Jordan who had an existing hotel that they wanted to uplift into the luxury space. We found that the property met the benchmarks of Signia. So it was a great opportunity to launch the brand there, it was such a great fit with what we wanted to achieve in the city, especially being linked to a convention center and in a central location."