Skift Take
Jumeirah’s big announcement at Dubai’s biggest tourism trade show is a rebrand.
Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts is now just “Jumeirah” as the state-owned hospitality brand undergoes a rebrand. Jumeirah announced this on Tuesday at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), Dubai’s biggest travel tradeshow.
Jumeriah has had 3 CEOs in 8 years with the most recent one exiting after just 15 months. But a new CEO will not be announced this week, as Jumeirah is opting to “stagger” its announcements. The brand is also not taking any interviews, Skift was told.
Jumeirah Rebranded Explained
The rebrand includes a new brand logo, and various hotels in the portfolio will be renamed. Hotels will also have their names start with “Jumeirah”. For example, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah is now “Jumeirah Burj Al Arab Dubai.”
The new Jumeirah facelift underpins the brand’s commitment to open more international hotels, which it has been trying for years.
Brand pillars are now as follows:
- Hotels and resorts
- Suites and villas
- Dining
- Wellbeing
Alex Lee, Jumeirah’s chief commercial officer said on Linkedin: “Twenty-five years on from the opening of one of the worlds most iconic luxury properties, Jumeirah Burj Al Arab, we look to the future of Jumeirah with an evolution of our brand, starting with an unveiling of our new identity.”
“Launched to coincide with Arabian Travel Market, our new identity is the first stage of our ambitious plan to redefine perspectives of luxury. This will set the stage for our brand as we move forward with our growth strategy to double the size of our portfolio over the next five years.”
A resort at the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia should open this year and a property in Geneva is set for next year. In Dubai, the Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab is planned to open before the end of 2024, described as ushering in a new design language for the group’s future hotels and completing the “trio” of hotels alongside Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach Hotel.
Jumeirah as a hospitality brand was born in 1997 with the opening of Jumeirah Beach Hotel and became part of Dubai Holding in 2004, Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum‘s own holding company.
Really No CEO Announcement?
Nope. Skift has heard from various sources both at ATM and Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) that Jumeirah might announce its CEO on June 1. For now, Thomas Meier remains interim CEO and COO.
Why Rebrand?
Maybe to create buzz… Maybe it’s so that Jumeirah would have some kind of announcement to make at ATM as it continues to mull over its future CEO.
By dropping “Hotels and Resorts” from its name, Jumeirah says it is now focusing on more than just hotels. The Dubai Holding-owned group already has a focus on branded residences, as well as restaurants across the UAE.
The idea is that Jumeirah is now a luxury brand across various sectors, not only hotels.
