Anyone who outsources people to participate in crime will also receive the same punishment, says Public Prosecution
In view of the anticipated demand from family and business guests, especially non-alcoholic, the Flora Group will invest Dh1 billion in new properties, including two new five-star hotels in Dubai, Mohammed Rafi, chief operating officer, Flora Hospitality, told Khaleej Times.
Flora Hospitality, which operates several existing non-alcoholic hotels in the UAE and India, will develop six new non-alcoholic properties, including the group's first five-star hotel in Dubai before Expo 2020, Rafi said. It was due to religious considerations that the Flora Group opened its first non-alcoholic property in Dubai - the Florida Hotel - with 64 rooms in the year 2000.
There is a strong demand from family and corporate guests from Europe, the Middle East, CIS countries and Africa for such hotels, Rafi said, adding that there is a misconception that a star hotel can be profitable only by serving alcohol.
"The food and beverage revenue can go up if alcohol is served in the hotel. We are compromising on that revenue and our focus is to provide good rooms," he added.
Special training
Staff members will be specially trained to meet the needs of family and business guests. Islamic banking professionals and businesswomen like to stay in properties that do not serve alcohol, Rafi pointed out.
"Our budget three-star hotels in Al Nasser Square, Deira, are frequented by such customers," Rafi added. "A number of family and business visitors to the UAE from the CIS, GCC and African countries are very particular about living in non-alcoholic properties. We found an opportunity in the segment in the early 2000s," he said.
The new non-alcohol properties under the Flora Group are a 315-room Flora Vela Downtown Dubai (ready by the last quarter of 2019), 438-room Flora Airport Hotel Terminal 3 (ready by Q1 2019), 228-room Flora Airport Hotel Terminal 1 (ready by Q4 2017), 450-room Flora Vela Deira Island Hotels (date to be announced), 60-room Flora Vythiri Resort in Kerala (Q2 2018) and Flora Beach Resort in Cherai, Kerala (12 rooms will be ready by Q1 2018).
Two months ago, the Group opened a non-alcoholic 110-room Sharjah International Airport Transit Hotel.
Vela Flora will be the Group's first two five-star properties in Dubai - in Downtown Dubai and Deira Islands.
- sathish@khaleejtimes.com
Anyone who outsources people to participate in crime will also receive the same punishment, says Public Prosecution
The measure would allow news broadcasters and publishers with fewer than 1,500 full-time workers to jointly negotiate ad rates — many of which face financial struggles
Every day, a single shot is fired to announce the end of fasting and the start of Iftar, and two shots are given to signal the beginning of Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr
A false message is being circulated on social and print media regarding recruitment for 20,000 posts of constable in RPF, says Ministry of Railways
Tourism board of South Indian state shares picture of couple holding hands and walking in Munnar
Sadai Banowan, which means women’s voice in Dari, is Afghanistan’s only women-run station; it has eight staff, six of them female
A series of tournaments are being held until April 2 — from football to volleyball, basketball, badminton, tug of war, and track and field
The former US president is expected to surrender to the authorities on Tuesday to face charges over a hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels