32 hotels signed up – 10 to open in next 18 months
In addition to the 11 Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts currently operated by the Group, Jumeirah has 32 management agreements in place to run hotels in key locations across the world. The company expects to open at least 10 new hotels within the next 18 months including Jumeirah Frankfurt, Jumeirah Messilah Beach in Kuwait, two hotels in the Maldives, Jumeirah Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi, as well as properties in Al Ain, Dubai, Shanghai and others to be confirmed in the coming months.

Jumeirah Group reaffirms its growth strategy of having 60 hotels signed up by 2012. The company also feels confident that it will have 30 hotels open in 2013. A key element of the growth strategy has been the development of a second brand to complement the strengths of the Jumeirah brand.

New contemporary lifestyle brand named
Jumeirah Group is pleased to announce that the name of this new brand will be VENU Hotels. It will be a contemporary lifestyle hotel brand and it will be launched later in 2010 when the company confirms the locations of its first set of hotels. The Group is in advanced stages of negotiation with developers interested in opening VENU branded hotels in the Middle East, Northern Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia-Pacific. Further discussions with developers and investors will take place during the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference on 1-3 May 2010.

Executive Chairman Quote
Gerald Lawless, Executive Chairman of Jumeirah Group, said: “The high occupancy rates recorded at our hotels confirms that Dubai has maintained and consolidated its place as the preferred destination for discerning travellers. This, coupled with the robust performance of our business hotels in London and New York, gives us renewed confidence in rolling out our growth strategy and in confirming our plans to introduce a second brand later this year.  VENU Hotels will, when launched, fulfil a clear market need and one that is highly complementary to the Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts brand. We are looking forward to a busy and exciting period opening new hotels, attracting new guests and introducing a new hotel brand concept to the world. We very much appreciate the continuing support to our parent company Dubai Holding to achieve our objectives.”

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Note to Editors:

About Jumeirah Group
Jumeirah Group was founded in 1997 to become a hospitality industry leader through establishing a world class portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts. Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts are regarded as among the most luxurious and innovative in the world. The Dubai-based luxury hospitality company encompasses the world renowned Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Madinat Jumeirah and Jumeirah Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa in Dubai, the Jumeirah Carlton Tower and Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel in London and Jumeirah Essex House in New York.

The portfolio also includes Jumeirah Living, the Group’s luxury brand of serviced residences; Talise, its global spa brand; Jumeirah Restaurants, its dedicated restaurant division; Wild Wadi Waterpark; and The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, which offers specialised degree programmes in hospitality management. Sirius, Jumeirah’s recognition and rewards programme, offers members the ability to earn Sirius points every time they stay, dine or shop with Jumeirah.

Jumeirah Group has just unveiled VENU Hotels, its new contemporary lifestyle five-star hotel brand. VENU Hotels will be a collection of global destinations expressing the local soul for those who seek a sophisticated immersion in the destination.

Jumeirah Group Corporate Communications
Mia Hedman, Director of Corporate Communications
PO Box 214159 Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Telephone: +971-4-364-7947
Fax: +971-4-301-6655
E-mail: PR@jumeirah.com
Visit us at: www.jumeirah.com