What are Sofitel's development projects in the Gulf States?
In September, we opened the Sofitel Jumeirah Beach, 438 rooms on the seafront, near the emirate's only open-air shopping centre. We will open three more hotels in 2010: Sofitel Barhain Zallaq Beach and Sofitel Abu Dhabi Capital Plaza. Then, in 2012, we will open Sofitel Dubai Sheikh Zayed Road on Dubai's main thoroughfare and Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Resort and Spa.
What has been the impact of the brand's move upmarket in the region?
The only hotel in the region - the City Center Dubai - has been reclassified under the Pullman brand, followed by the opening of the Sofitel Jumeirah Beach and its 40 suites overlooking the Persian Gulf. The hotel features a Club Millésime, a Butler service, five restaurants and a bar, an infinity pool, a Carita beauty salon, a SoFit fitness centre... All the new standards of service reflecting our difference in know-how and the art of French hospitality, together with the excellence of our gastronomy, will be the keystones of the Sofitel experience.
So Accor's ambitions in the region are not limited to entry-level and mid-range hotels?
The Accor group's objective is indeed to become the leader in the economy and mid-range segment, in particular with the Ibis and Novotel brands. But even if the luxury hotel sector in certain Gulf countries is beginning to saturate, this region is a major source market for Europe, and Sofitel has a duty to be there.
