A quick roundup of global hospitality news.
CITIZENM’S FIRST IN IRELAND: citizenM has appointed construction and fit-out contractor Gilbert-Ash as the main contractor to develop the first citizenM hotel in Ireland — citizenM Dublin St Patrick’s. This is citizenM’s first property in Ireland. Molyneux House on Bride Street will be reimagined and transformed into a 245-room, nine-story hotel. The hotel will have a 24×7 canteenM serving breakfast, coffee, cocktails and grab-and-go food, an open-air art gallery, a terrace courtyard and four meeting rooms. Designed by Concrete Amsterdam, the project will start this month and will be completed by 2025. Currently, citizenM has 31 hotels in the U.K., North America, Europe and Asia and is actively looking for more opportunities in Dublin city center. citizenM Dublin St Patrick’s marks Gilbert-Ash’s second project with citizenM, following the completion of the modular construction of the London Victoria Station hotel.
MANDARIN ORIENTAL VENTURES INTO GREECE: Mandarin Oriental has made its entry into Greece with the opening of a beachfront resort at Costa Navarino, the sustainably-driven destination in Messenia at southwest Peloponnese. Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino was developed in partnership with TEMES, with Tombazis & Associates Architects and K-Studio leading the design. The resort offers 99 suites and villas with terraces and private pools, respectively, along with five dining outlets, a spa, a pool that moves from indoors to outdoors with bay views, a fitness center and a beach club. Guests can also access an 18-hole golf course with coastal views surrounding the resort and three more signature golf courses across the destination. Mandarin Oriental presently operates 37 hotels and nine residences in 25 countries.
NEW GENERAL MANAGER AT VOCO ST. DAVID’S: voco St. David’s, Cardiff, has appointed Konstantin Grimm as its new general manager. Most recently, Grimm served as hotel manager of Kimpton Clocktower. He will oversee all operations and manage the daily accomplishments of the 142-room hotel. voco St. David’s, Cardiff, recently reopened following a £300,000 ($381,141) renovation project, which saw enhancement to the hotel’s bar and restaurant.
DUBAI WELCOMES RECORD NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL VISITORS: Dubai has surpassed its pre-pandemic international visitation levels in the first half of 2023, with 20% YOY growth, according to data by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism. Dubai welcomed a record 8.55 million international overnight visitors in H1 2023 relative to 8.36 million tourists in H1 2019. Western Europe emerged as the biggest contributor to tourism arrivals, representing 20% of the total international visitation, while the GCC and MENA regions combined accounted for 28% of the regional share. South Asia contributed 17%; Russia, CIS and Eastern Europe combined contributed 14%, while North Asia and South East Asia contributed 8%. Dubai’s hotels outperformed 2019 levels across all hospitality metrics. The average hotel occupancy of 78% in H1 2023 ranks among the highest in the world. The average length of stay increased to 3.9 nights, up from 3.5 nights in H1 2019, while the total of 20.73 million occupied room nights in the first half represents a 12% YOY growth and a 32% jump from H1 2019.