Tourism & Hospitality | Tuesday 5 May, 2015 2:18 am |

• Leading luxury hospitality group announces updates on Middle East portfolio at special
Four Seasons University event attended by senior spokespeople and GMs from 11 properties.
• Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar featured amongst Four Seasons top 10 guest markets globally in 2014.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts celebrated 15 years since it opened its first property in the Middle East at a special event held today at Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach.
The “Four Seasons University” was led by Christian Clerc, President - Hotel Operations, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and attended by General Managers from 11 global properties from across the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Asia Pacific. The Four Seasons University offered leading media and clients from the region an update on the robust Four Seasons MENA development pipeline as well as a peek behind the scenes into what goes into making a stay at any Four Seasons property around the world so special.
Attendees at the invitation-only event held on the eve of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) were given a rare glimpse into the back of house of the new Resort, led by line staff from the housekeeping, F&B and guest relations teams, in addition to a networking reception held in one of the Resort’s sumptuous suites.
“This year marks the return of Four Seasons to Arabian Travel Market and we have a strong commitment to the region, reflected in the large contingent of General Managers representing our international hotels and resorts. The GCC is a key geo source for our global portfolio – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar featured amongst our top 10 outbound guest markets in 2014. With the addition of two new properties in the GCC in Dubai and Bahrain over the past year we believe we have an even bigger opportunity to showcase the exceptional service offering and top-of-line Four Seasons product to our GCC customers and build even greater loyalty to the brand,” said Christian Clerc, President - Hotel Operations, Europe, Middle East and Africa.
Attendees at the event were presented with updates on the upcoming
Four Seasons properties in the Middle East, including two new GCC openings in 2016 –
Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island and Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya.
Further afield, the very first Four Seasons property in Tunisia is set to also open in 2016, bolstering the group’s growing presence in the Maghreb with an existing resort in Marrakech and a new hotel opening in Casablanca in 2015.
Other key upcoming properties of interest to the GCC traveller include the iconic Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel, which will be managed by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts as of May 8, 2015. The Hotel will offer guests the perfect complement to the ever-popular Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris and present something truly special to guests who have long waited for a Four Seasons experience on the Côte d’Azur.
Four Seasons will also have an iconic new presence in London in 2016, when the former Port of London Authority building will reopen as one of the most exclusive addresses in the British Capital at Ten Trinity Square. With 98 guestrooms and suites, the site of Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square will also include 41 private residences – Ten Trinity Square, The Residences at Four Seasons – as well as a private members' club.
“The Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region is a focus area for Four Seasons in the coming years and the GCC is playing a key role in expanding our footprint in a strategic growth market. In 2014 Four Seasons moved our EMEA Corporate Office from Geneva to Dubai which is testament to the important place this region is expected to occupy in the Four Seasons story. With a strong presence at ATM 2015, we expect to further strengthen our relationships with regional guests, corporate clients and travel trade stakeholders in the Middle East,” added Clerc.
ATM will take place this year from May 4-7, 2015 at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts will be exhibiting at Stand Number HC7170 and will feature a contingent of properties including Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, Four Seasons Hotel at Bahrain Bay, Four Seasons Hotel Doha, Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh, Four Seasons Hotel Amman, Four Seasons Hotel Beirut, Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria at San Stefano, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita,
Four Seasons Resort Seychelles and Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus, in addition to a spokesperson from Four Seasons Hotel Casablanca, set to open later this year.
-ENDS-


About Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is dedicated to perfecting the travel experience through continual innovation and the highest standards of hospitality. From elegant surroundings of the finest quality, to caring, highly personalized 24-hour service, Four Seasons embodies a true home away from home for those who know and appreciate the best. The deeply instilled Four Seasons culture is personified in its employees - people who share a single focus and are inspired to offer great service. Founded in 1960, Four Seasons continues to define the future of luxury hospitality with extraordinary imagination, unwavering commitment to the highest standards of quality, and the most genuine and customized service. Currently operating 94 hotels and residences in major city centres and resort destinations in 39 countries, and with more than 60 projects in development, Four Seasons consistently ranks among the world’s best hotels and most prestigious brands in reader polls, traveller reviews and industry awards. 2013 Accolades include 22 AAA Five Diamond Awards, 31 properties included on the Condé Nast Traveler Gold List, 17 spas recognized on the Condé Nast Traveler Top Spas list, 32 U.S. News & World Report Gold and Silver Badge Winners, three Travel + Leisure Social Media in Travel and Tourism (SMITTY) Awards, including Best Hotel Chain, 16 properties included in Robb Report’s Top 100 Hotels list and six Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards. For more information on Four Seasons, visit http://press.fourseasons.com and follow on Twitter @FourSeasonsPR