Abu Dhabi hotel raises vaccination funds for Unicef

More than Dh70,000 has been raised at an Abu Dhabi hotel by a unique fund raising campaign run in conjunction with Unicef.
Guests staying at the Sheraton Abu Dhabi have contributed the money by agreeing to have an extra $1 added to their hotel bill.
The Check Out For Children campaign has raised $5 million (Dh18.25 million) worldwide in the past five years at hotels in the Starwood chain.
Philip Stathkias, the hotel's Director of Finance, said that the objective of the campaign was to generate money to immunise children.
"The Check Out For Children campaign is a voluntary programme in which every guest checking out from the hotel pays $1 extra added to his bill," Stathkias said.
The $5 million will help 280,000 children by vaccinating them against six killer diseases - measles, tuberculosis, whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus and polio.
"But there are still three million children dying every year from diseases and the more money we raise the more protection we will give," Stathkias said.
Since Unicef has reached its Check Out For Children target, Stathkias said a new fundraising campaign will be launched at the Abu Dhabi Sheraton.
"In the Italian restaurant La Mama, the Mexican restaurant Al Sombrero, and the seafood restaurant in Liwa hall we will ask our lunch and dinner guests to add Dh5 to their bill as a donation.
"The theme of this campaign is 'Give Me Five'. Payment is optional for guests," he said.