Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital’s premier five-star luxury city hotel, is gearing up to host hotel owners, investors, and industry leaders for an exclusive two-day networking and discussion forum at the seventh edition of the Gulf & Indian Ocean Hotel Investors’ Summit (Giohis).

Scheduled for March 4-5, 2024, the event gathers key players in the region's hospitality landscape to discuss trends, forge connections, and shape the future of the industry.

Organised by Hoftel, the world’s only global hotel owners’ alliance, Giohis boasts an impressive lineup of almost 100 speakers, including influential figures in hospitality real estate and top executives from leading international hotel companies.

Among the distinguished speakers are renowned industry leaders such as Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor International; Klaus Assmann, CEO of Aldar Hotels and Hospitality; Khalid Anib, CEO of Abu Dhabi National Hotels; Alison Grinnell, CEO of RAK Hospitality Holding; Eisa Al-Eisa, CEO of Munshaat Real Estate Projects; Marloes Knippenberg, CEO of Kerten Hospitality, Hannah Yulo-Luccini, CEO of Hotel 101 Global; Alastair Thomann, CEO of Generator; and Jameel Verjee, CEO of CityBlue Hotels. 

Other highly senior participants include Hassan Ahdab, COO of Dur Hotels; Javier Águila, President EMEA for Hyatt; Abbas Al Saleh, Chairman of Afyaa Holding, Suchad Chiaranussati, Founder of SC Capital, and Prateek Kumar, Senior Vice President, Dusit Hotels and Resorts.

Giohis will be a truly international event, with attendees registered from Australia, India, Kuwait, the Maldives, Mauritius, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, the UAE, the UK, and the USA.

“This summit presents a unique opportunity to engage with industry leaders, share insights, and explore collaborative opportunities that drive innovation and excellence in the hospitality sector. We are privileged to be a part of this impactful initiative and contribute to shaping the future of our industry,” said Prateek Kumar, Senior Vice President, Dusit Hotels and Resorts.

Simon Allison, CEO of hotel owners’ alliance Hoftel, said: “2023 continued the boom for tourism in the GCC but with some obvious headwinds in terms of geopolitical instability, high interest rates and rising operating costs. We will talk about the future – the rise in hotel transactions, new deal and operating structures, new F&B concepts, new destinations, and the impact of AI and new technology. There’s a lot to discuss.” – TradeArabia News Service