Business | Aviation
Etihad to invest in hotel projects to boost tourism
Etihad Airways, the Abu Dhabi-based national carrier of the UAE, will invest in hotel projects to boost leisure and business travel to the UAE's capital city, said a senior official.
- By Saifur Rahman, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 November 23, 2005
Etihad Airways, the Abu Dhabi-based national carrier of the UAE, will invest in hotel projects to boost leisure and business travel to the UAE's capital city, said a senior official.
"About 10 hotels will be built in Abu Dhabi per year and in 10 years time, we will have 100 new hotels. In total we will add 10,000 hotel rooms.
The airline, which already has a holiday division to cater to the leisure travellers, is promoting various destinations across its network.
It is, however, not clear whether the airline will launch a new hotel management division.
The news comes at a time when Abu Dhabi is reshaping its tourism master plan inviting investors and developers to build tourism facilities.
Abu Dhabi currently has 8,000 hotel rooms.
In 2003, the government launched Etihad Airways and it has began a Dh25 billion redevelopment of its international airport.
"We are progressing well with the airport development plan," he said.
"Design for the second runway has just been finalised and will be tendered soon. The first phase of the airport will be ready in three years time."
Shaikh Nahyan said: "A 300-room hotel will be build at the Abu Dhabi International Airport, as part of the overall redevelopment plan."
"We will build the hotel and invite offers from international hotel operators to manage it. It will have 300 guestrooms and will serve international passengers," he said.
"Abu Dhabi Civil Aviation will own the hotel."
Airline aims to buy Gulf Air's stake in Gamco
Dubai: Etihad Airways, the Abu Dhabi-based national carrier of the UAE, is aiming to acquire Gulf Air's stake in Gulf Aircraft Maintenance Company (Gamco), said a senior official.
"We are in negotiations with Gulf Air on acquiring their 40 per cent stake in Gamco," Dr Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saif Al Nahyan.
He said the talks are at an early stage.
"We do not know if the Abu Dhabi government will secure the stake. We are also interested in it. However, nothing has been finalised," he said.
Gamco is 60 per cent owned by Abu Dhabi government and has been serving Gulf Air's fleet as a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility.
Abu Dhabi recently withdrew from Gulf Air, which was earlier equally owned by the governments of Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain.
In 2002, Qatar withdrew from the airline's board.
In 2003, Abu Dhabi launched Etihad and has been promoting the carrier as a national carrier of the country.
Etihad has been pursuing growth through expanding its fleet and network. Etihad's move to secure Gulf Air's stake in Gamco is a strategic one and will help the airline consolidate its business. It will help the airline to undertake in-house maintenance as well as save time and money.
Gamco has a profitable portfolio and offers a whole range of services to airlines. With Gamco, Etihad will have a readymade MRO facility to serve its fleet.
Dr. Nahyan said Etihad will carry 1.5 million passengers by the end of this year. "By the end of the next year, the airline wil
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