Hospitality News
House of Pops Opens More UAE Stores
Healthy treats on a stick are now available at Dubai Festival City and Sharjah Rahmania Mall. The new openings underline the brand’s growing success, with the first stand-alone store in Sharjah.
House of Pops is marking the new year with a host of exciting new store openings – including its first in-mall kiosks and presence in Sharjah.
The brand’s instantly-recognisable brightly designed kiosks can now be found in Dubai Festival City Mall and in the Dubai Festival Plaza. The first House of Pops stand-alone store is in Rahmania Mall, Sharjah’s newest shopping and leisure community destination.
CEO Mazen Kanaan says: “We are constantly looking at ways to ensure our healthy treats reach as many people as possible. The Dubai Festival City area is always lively, and we are looking forward to serving people both inside the mall and at their homes since we will also be expanding our delivery services”
“Our Sharjah opening is extremely exciting for us. Rahmania Mall saw an impressive rise in visitor numbers in 2022, and we shouldn’t deny the good people of Sharjah the chance to enjoy one of our delicious pops in this lovely new neighbourhood destination. Our first Sharjah kiosk has been placed after a great many requests for one via our social media channels.”
Mazen says the Rahmania Mall is also a strategic location for better servicing of online orders in the Northern Emirates. The store is located in front of the mall’s anchor store, Sharjah Co-op, and is open from 10 am to 10 pm every day.
The Festival City Mall outlet – outside the Nike retail space – is also open from 10 am-10 pm, serving healthy fresh treats on a stick throughout the day. This latest investment in new outlets brings the number of kiosks, bikes and stores to 15 in the UAE, including Yas Mall. The ground-breaking ice pops and ice creams combine natural ingredients, hand-crafted recipes, sustainability and happiness in an unforgettable treat – the perfect festive gift. Each bar makes a satisfying, indulgent treat – without any added refined sugars, artificial fats, colourings or nasties.
House of Pops’ mission is to deliver healthier snacks in a region renowned for having a sweet tooth. Its ‘pops’ are full of natural fibre and made only with plant-based ingredients. The company’s philosophy is aligned with the UN’s SDG goals, including sustainability, good health for all, and minimal resource wastage.
Hospitality
Al Bustan Centre & Residence concludes successful participation at Arabian Travel Market 2026
Al Bustan Centre & Residence concluded a successful participation at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, where it connected with travel industry partners and explored new business opportunities across the GCC, Europe, CIS, Asia and other international markets.
During the exhibition, the established Dubai hotel apartment property held productive discussions with tour operators, destination management companies, travel agencies, corporate travel partners and international buyers. The meetings focused on building long-term partnerships that can generate sustainable, year-round business.

The property also highlighted the growing demand for accommodation that combines hotel services with the comfort, space and flexibility of a home. This trend is creating new opportunities across corporate accommodation, relocation, extended stays, family travel and group business.
Moussa El Hayek, Chief Operating Officer of Al Bustan Centre & Residence, said the positive response received during ATM reflected the travel industry’s continued confidence in Dubai as a global destination for tourism, business and long-term living.
“Our participation at Arabian Travel Market was highly productive and gave us an important opportunity to reconnect with existing partners while meeting new buyers and travel professionals from several international markets,” El Hayek said.
“Dubai continues to demonstrate that tourism growth is not only about increasing visitor numbers; it is about building a complete destination where people can visit, work, live and return. For hotel apartments such as Al Bustan Centre & Residence, that creates a strong opportunity to serve the evolving needs of today’s traveller.”
Dubai’s combination of tourism, business, lifestyle and residential opportunities has created a broad hospitality ecosystem. Travellers may initially visit for a holiday, meeting or event before returning for work, investment, relocation or a longer stay.
Al Bustan Centre & Residence differentiates itself by providing spacious accommodation, flexible short- and long-stay options, convenient connectivity and facilities that support guests’ everyday needs. The property continues to modernise and adapt its services in response to changing expectations.
Technology and sustainability were also central to the property’s discussions at ATM. Al Bustan believes digital solutions should simplify the guest experience and improve operational efficiency while preserving the personal service at the heart of hospitality.
The property recently received the Dubai Sustainable Tourism Stamp 2025 – Hotel Apartment Standard, awarded by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. The recognition reflects its ongoing commitment to responsible hospitality, supported by its long-standing collaboration with Emirates Environmental Group and participation in environmental initiatives.
“Sustainability must become part of everyday hotel operations rather than simply being treated as a marketing initiative,” El Hayek added.
Following ATM 2026, Al Bustan Centre & Residence will continue discussions with potential partners while strengthening its presence across traditional and emerging source markets.
“We look forward to building on the conversations held at ATM and developing practical, long-term collaborations that create value for our partners and support Dubai’s continued tourism growth,” El Hayek concluded.
Hospitality
Minor Hotels Signs Avani+ Hanoi in the Vietnamese Capital
Minor Hotels, a leading global hotel owner and operator, has signed a management agreement with Trading Construction Works Organization to operate Avani+ Hanoi, a 310-key hotel in Hanoi’s Bach Mai Ward.
Scheduled to open in 2028, the hotel forms part of a mixed-use precinct anchored by Hinode City, a new lifestyle mall, alongside 1,099 residential and serviced apartments. Located at the intersection of Minh Khai and Kim Nguu Street, the development benefits from a vibrant neighbourhood and convenient transportation links with the city’s Old Quarter a 10-minute drive away.
Avani+ Hanoi marks a continuation of Minor Hotels’ growth in Vietnam, where the group operates four properties under its Anantara and Avani brands – Anantara Hoi An Resort, Anantara Mui Ne Resort, Anantara Quy Nhon Villas and Avani Quy Nhon Resort – along with luxury train carriages, The Vietage by Anantarav. The signing extends the group’s footprint into one of Vietnam’s key metropolitan areas and establishes its first property in the nation’s capital of Hanoi.
The premium lifestyle hotel will bring the Avani brand’s distinctive design and energy to the city, with facilities including an indoor swimming pool and deck, a fitness centre, all-day dining and specialty restaurants along with meeting and function spaces. Avani+ Hanoi’s central location caters to corporate travellers, long-stay and leisure guests.
Avani+ Hanoi and the broader Hinode City mixed-use development are among the latest projects of the Trading Construction Works Organization, a diversified corporation with a presence across real estate, industrial manufacturing and energy sectors.
“This is our first branded hotel in a major Vietnamese city, and the central Bach Mai Ward is the right place to start. Avani+ Hanoi’s prime location gives us a genuine hub in the capital, with strong appeal to both business and leisure travellers seeking a wellconnected urban base.”
Omar Romero, Chief Development and Luxury Officer, Minor Hotels
“This agreement marks the beginning of a long-term partnership with Minor Hotels and reflects our shared vision of bringing international hospitality standards to Hinode City. We are confident that Avani+ Hanoi Hotel will set a new benchmark for premium hospitality in Hanoi while creating lasting value for guests, investors and the wider community.”
Vo Toan Cong, Chairman of Gerbera-II Hospitality One Member Company Limited, a subsidiary of Trading Construction Works Organization.
Hospitality
FUTURE HOSPITALITY SUMMIT HONOURS VISIONARY LEADERSHIP IN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY
Future Hospitality Summit – FHS World today announced the winners of this year’s FHS Awards, presented to exceptional leaders and visionaries in hospitality and tourism at FHS World, taking place from 29 September – 1 October at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai.
Representing unparalleled leadership, vision, achievement, excellence and innovation, the accolades will be presented by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman Dubai Holding, Dubai Airports, Emirates Group; President, DCAA, and patron of Future Hospitality Summit, at the FHS Awards ceremony on Tuesday, 29 September.
His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, receives the FHS Leadership Award, recognising his leadership in advancing the UAE’s economic diversification and elevating tourism and hospitality as strategic pillars of national growth, investment and global competitiveness.
Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline, is awarded the FHS Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his decades-long, extraordinary contribution to the global aviation and hospitality industry.
Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of The Bench, organiser of FHS World, said: “FHS Awards are reserved for the industry pioneers and leaders whose dedication and innovation have been – and continue to be – pivotal to the success of the Middle East’s tourism and hospitality industry. Following nominations from the FHS Advisory Board, we are delighted to name this year’s winners as His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri and Sir Tim Clark, two true visionaries who are respected globally for inspiring excellence and shaping the future of the industry.”
FHS Leadership Award: HE Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism
H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri was appointed UAE Minister of Economy in July 2020. Since then, he has advanced the country’s new economic model and elevated tourism as a core pillar of diversification and growth. In June 2025, the UAE Government renamed the Ministry of Economy as the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, with H.E. Bin Touq leading the expanded mandate through 2026. As Chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council, he has championed the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, integration across the seven emirates, public-private collaboration and a unified national tourism identity. He also led the UAE delegation at the 2025 UN Tourism General Assembly, where H.E. Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais was confirmed as Secretary-General for 2026–2029, the first woman and Emirati to lead UN Tourism.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Sir Tim Clark, President, Emirates Airline
As President Emirates Airline since 2003, Sir Tim Clark has driven Emirates’ rapid growth into the world’s largest international airline serving 130 cities on six continents via its hub in Dubai. He has also steered the airline through multiple challenges affecting the aviation industry, including a the Covid pandemic and, more recently, the impact of regional tensions.
Mr Clark has been in the civil aviation business for his entire professional career, joining British Caledonian in 1972, moving to Gulf Air in 1975 and to Dubai 1985, when he became a member of the founding team of Emirates as Head of Airline Planning.
His numerous awards include CAPA Airline Executive of the Year (2022) for his individual influence on the aviation industry, strategic thinking, and innovative direction for the growth of Emirates and the industry. A year later, Future Travel Experience presented him with its first-ever FTE Visionary Award in recognition of his influence in shaping the industry. He has also received Air Transport World’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
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