Cristal Hotels and Resorts, a top hotel brand in the region, will showcase its new Cristal Salam Hotel that is set for launch in Abu Dhabi at an upcoming business travel and meeting expo in the UAE capital.

The Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM) will be held at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from March 28 to 30.

Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority has projected a 15 per cent growth in business related visitors to the emirate this year, increasing by 200,000 from last year to reach an estimated 1.5 million visitors.

ADTA figures also show that hotel performance in Abu Dhabi has already been impressive this year, with the number of guests checking into the 115 hotels and hotel apartments in the emirate rising 5 per cent in January this year, compared to the same month last year, to stand at 153,874.

Further, guest nights rose by 22 per cent to 476,502 while occupancy levels rose 9 percentage points to 66 per cent and the average length of stay increased to 3.10 nights from 2.68 in January 2010.

“Participating at GIBTM by being part of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority stand provides us the right platform to showcase the depth of our hospitality offerings, especially Cristal Hotel Abu Dhabi and the highly-anticipated Cristal Salam Hotel that is all set for launch,” said Peter Blackburn, CEO, Cristal Hotels and Resorts.

“We believe these are exciting times for the hospitality sector in the UAE, particularly for Abu Dhabi, given the recent growth predictions and the impressive rise in hotel occupancy rates, and Cristal Hotels and Resorts is geared up to fully capitalise on the market opportunities,” he added.

The soon-to-be-launched Cristal Salam Hotel in Abu Dhabi offers 112 rooms and suites and is equipped with a premium range of business and leisure amenities, a statement said. – TradeArabia News Service