Kempinski Hotels has announced impressive results for the first quarter from its expanding portfolio of hotels and managed residences in the Middle East.

During the first quarter, properties in UAE, Qatar and Bahrain exceeded forecasted occupancy levels, especially on weekends, reflecting the growth of intra-regional travel, said a statement.

Avsar Koc, regional director of sales Middle East & Africa, Kempinski Hotels, said: “In this region we’ve seen impressive growth already in the first quarter of 2012. Landmark properties such as Emirates Palace, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, and the newly opened Kempinski Hotel & Residences on Palm Jumeirah have been sold out most weekends since late 2011, and the majority of guests are coming from the GCC.  This speaks to the quality of our products and services as the hospitality market today offers many more choices than before.”

Operating in the Middle East since 1998, Kempinski properties located across the region now bring in 38 per cent of the company’s total revenues, he said. “With five new properties planned for the GCC alone, we are confident we will continue to see strong results from this region.”

The announcement was made during the Abu Dhabi leg of Kempinski’s annual Middle East Road Show, which this year also included Jeddah, Riyadh, Khobar, Bahrain, Doha and Kuwait. Seventeen international properties were showcased at the event with special travel packages for the upcoming summer travel season.

Globally, the Kempinski Group operates 72 hotels, with the Middle East region as one of the prime revenue drivers for the European luxury brand.

Koc added: “The Middle East remains one of the key feeder markets for our landmark hotels across Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as within the region. Our annual Middle East road show is a proven success. By bringing Kempinski representatives from around the world to showcase properties such as Le Mirador Kempinski Lake Geneva, Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, Kempinski Seychelles Resort, and our very own landmarks Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates and Emirates Palace, we are able to directly engage our customers.” – TradeArabia News Service