The Grand Hyatt Dubai, projected as the largest conference hotel solution in the Middle East as well as being the only city resort in the metropolis, is spearheading the movement to position Dubai as a leading global destination for conferences, conventions, incentives and meetings.

The hotel, due to be launched later this year, has declared it is committed to supporting the UAE government's emphasis on diversifying the economy and driving it towards the service sector.

The Grand Hyatt's facilities and services will complement the government's initiative to position Dubai as a travel destination, an effort that has already resulted in creating a welcoming environment, an adequate infrastructure and facilities for inbound visitors, says the hotel.

"Grand Hyatt's efforts aim to lead Dubai into being the most coveted association and convention destination in the Middle East, and thereafter, among international destinations, adding to the city's other distinctions gained in the region (business hub, sports capital, leisure destination, cruise stopover, shopping capital, cultural centre, etc)," its management said.

Grand Hyatt Dubai stresses several advantages that have identified the property as being unique in anticipation of its launch: its size, capacity and facilities; its position as a leisure and business destination; its position as a city resort; its being the first and only of its type in the region; its simultaneous appeal to a mix of various segments of domestic, regional and international audiences; its convenient location, and its support structure - Hyatt International and Hyatt Regency.

Highlights of the Grand Hyatt Dubai are its 64 rooms, a conference capability for 2,000 delegates, 4,340 sq m of space and 14 restaurants and bars. The hotel will cater to corporate markets, conferences, conventions and incentives tourists.

Leisure audiences will comprise international and regional tourists and cruise travellers as well as travellers in city breaks, stopovers and golf programmes.

"The Grand Hyatt sub-brand is a quality assurance to conference buyers that the quality of the hotel will reflect their customer's aspirations and international experience in significant convention markets and will be used to gauge and attract this lucrative but demanding segment to Dubai," the hotel said.

The hotel has commenced an intensive marketing campaign designed to attract various segments across the GCC, pan-Europe and the world, and simultaneously penetrate a number of markets: conferences, incentives, conventions, exhibitions, meetings and leisure. This is being achieved through advertising, direct marketing, telesales, public relations, frequent traveller programmes, international promotions and through the international Hyatt network.

It estimates that the market for regional conferences is growing at the rate of five per cent per annum, but is restricted because of 50- to 200-person seating facilities, and the regional exhibition market is growing at the rate of three per cent per annum. "The Grand Hyatt marketing effort has been in place for more than a year, unlocking opportunities and building a network of global conference buyers, and in the process, has tied up with more than 2,000 conference agencies and buyers across 12 countries," the hotel said.

The pre-opening team at Grand Hyatt is small but specialised, and has been working on this project since early 2001.

Peter Fulton is a veteran in the hospitality industry, having worked for 28 years in England, New Zealand, Scotland, Australia, Macao, Mexico, UAE and India. Fulton has worked with the Hyatt group since 1987, and is an authority on emerging markets and the new service economy.

Acclaimed as a 'global hotelier', he is ably supported in his present role by his marketing team, headed by Roddy Gordon, himself a specialist in market segmentation, delivery lead planning and the pre-opening of major projects.

This is Peter Fulton's first media interaction in the UAE.

Gordon was recruited from university to undergo operational training at the Hyatt Regency, Hong Kong, from where he got transferred to Hyatt's corporate office in Chicago, and thereafter, was promoted to marketing development manager - Hyatt Asia Pacific. In this position, he was responsible for managing the Asia pacific marketing programmes for 33 hotels across the division. He also led senior positions at the Hyatt property in Birmingham, UK, before he moved on to do brief stints at the leading UK-based conference and incentive agency, The Marketing Organisation, and later, Wineworld plc.

Gordon returned to the Hyatt fold in September 2000, when he was appointed director of marketing - pre-opening, at the Grand Hyatt Dubai.