Hospitality
Revenue Management Transforming the Hospitality Market
 
																								
												
												
											Integrator Media had an exclusive interview with Ibrahim Saba, Principal Sales Director Middle East at IDeaS. He shared insightful perspectives on how IDeaS Revenue Solutions is revolutionizing the future of revenue management in the hospitality industry through advanced analytics, cutting-edge technology, and tailored solutions designed to meet the unique needs of the Middle Eastern market.
Could you please provide us with an overview of IDeaS Revenue Solutions and how the company is currently shaping the future of revenue management in the hospitality industry?
IDeaS provides intelligent, automated pricing and inventory decisions to help businesses achieve rapid revenue growth. Our revenue management software is trusted by over 30,000 hotels, meeting and event spaces, and parking facilities ranging from the most well-known brands to the independent owner. Providing key capabilities like advanced forecasting, confident pricing and automated revenue management decisions have enabled us to grow to have clients in over 158 countries and territories. IDeaS continually invests and innovates in technology and our thriving client relationships to shape the future of revenue management through impactful and meaningful solutions to the hospitality and travel industry.
What sets IDeaS apart from other revenue management solution providers in the Middle East, and what is your vision for the company’s future in the region?
IDeaS leverages cutting-edge analytics and machine learning algorithms to provide unparalleled demand forecasting and pricing recommendations that quickly adapt to changing market conditions, ensuring optimal revenue performance for hotels and other hospitality businesses. The Middle East and Africa (MEA) region represents one of the fastest-growing hospitality markets globally. We have been a trusted partner in the region for over 25 years, supporting both global and local hotels and resorts. Through our global expertise and local experience, we have been able to help our hotel partners drive strategic growth in the Middle East and Africa. Earlier this year we amplified our commitment to the region through the establishment of our office in the UAE to focus on meeting the region’s rapidly evolving needs. Our global and local knowledge helps us to truly understand the nuances of the MEA region and hotels’ unique business needs. Managed from our Dubai office, our vision is to provide impactful, tailored solutions that align with the region’s requirements and business practices.
Can you provide insights into how IDeaS Revenue Solutions specifically caters to the unique challenges faced by hospitality businesses in the Middle East region?
The Middle East is culturally diverse, and guest expectations can vary significantly. At IDeaS, we collaborate closely with clients to understand local preferences and norms, along with a deep consideration of the different hotel tiers and locations.
Our suite of products and solutions are tailored to the needs of hospitality operators big and small. With automated revenue management systems, tools for maximizing meetings and events opportunities, and practical business intelligence and operational forecasting software, IDeaS has a breadth of flexible solutions built to fit the needs of busy operators in this diverse market.
How does IDeaS stay abreast of the evolving needs and trends within the Middle Eastern hospitality market?
IDeaS invests in comprehensive market research to understand the unique dynamics of the Middle Eastern hospitality industry. We analyze data related to guest preferences, booking patterns, and regional demand fluctuations. Most importantly, though, we collaborate with local and regional hotel chains, industry associations, and technology partners. These partnerships provide valuable insights into market trends. By staying informed, we adapt our solutions to meet changing requirements.
With the growing importance of sustainability and responsible tourism practices, how does IDeaS incorporate these factors into its revenue management strategies for hospitality clients in the Middle East?
We see sustainability and responsible tourism as a very important goal. Not only in our own business practices, but as a key deliverable to our clients. We also see it as a way to uniquely invest in the creative use of our product features and capabilities. The effective forecasting and automation capabilities of our products have allowed organizations to find incredibly creative ways to contribute to their own efforts. For example, our revenue solutions can give insight to where their business is coming from or not, here, hotels can focus on sourcing business from closer markets to reduce the carbon footprint of air travel. In other cases, hotels can use our highly accurate demand forecasts to see the type of incoming business, tie them to operational forecasts to make more informed decisions on their hotel operations. This allows hoteliers to better plan, from housekeeping, room turn-over to food ordering. In addition, our cloud-based solutions are a more energy efficient way to handle data due to efficiencies of scale.
How does IDeaS leverage data analytics and technology to help hospitality businesses make informed decisions and optimize revenue streams in real-time?
IDeaS use a series of highly sophisticated self-learning algorithms to project future demand at a granular, room- or product-type level more accurately. By analyzing historical booking patterns, seasonality, events, and market trends, we provide revenue managers with actionable insights powered by machine learning and AI. With real-time dynamic pricing, the available rooms are optimally allocated. Our RMS also assists hotels in maximizing their channels and group bookings with effective controls. With advanced technology, we can also evaluate the impact of group reservations on overall revenue, balance group business with transient bookings, ultimately driving and maintaining hotels profitability.
Hospitality
The Square at Nad Al Sheba Gardens Returns for Season Two with More to Experience, Discover, and Enjoy.
 
														After captivating over 680,000 visitors in its first season, The Square at Nad Al Sheba Gardens reopens at the end of October, ushering in a new season of elevated experiences. The destination by Shamal Holding will celebrate its official inaugural evening on 31st October 2025, welcoming guests daily from 4 PM to 12 AM. The Square continues to evolve as a refined hub for gastronomy, culture, and connection, a destination that blends Dubai’s cosmopolitan energy with an inviting community spirit.
Launched in November 2024, The Square at Nad Al Sheba Gardens quickly became a go-to lifestyle destination, renowned for its homegrown dining concepts and vibrant social energy. Building on this success, Season Two will introduce an enriched line-up of elevated experiences, thoughtfully designed for Dubai’s outdoor season.
The destination’s creative theme celebrates the idea of more, not in scale but in quality, detail, and experience.
“The Square reflects one of the most exciting shifts in how people experience Dubai, a destination that celebrates the city’s dynamic spirit through its culture, cuisine, and community,” said Abdulla Binhabtoor, CEO at Shamal. “It’s more than a venue; it’s a destination that reflects Dubai’s modern and connected spirit. With Season Two, we are taking that experience further, transforming The Square from a place to visit into a place to truly belong”.
This season, The Square welcomes back beloved homegrown favourites including Public, Home Bakery, Omar Odali, Asma, Kokoro, and the kids’ Art’ Play area — each bringing a distinct flavour of Dubai’s creative spirit. Adding to this, an array of new culinary destinations will make their debut, elevating the venue’s gastronomic offering with Cipriani Dolci, SLRP Ramen & Rolls Bar, Maxzi – The Good Food Shop, and more.
Cipriani Dolci
Making its debut at The Square, Cipriani Dolci introduces a refined taste of Italian elegance in a relaxed yet sophisticated setting. Guests can indulge in timeless classics — from freshly baked pastries and artisanal coffees to the brand’s signature Cipriani dishes — all served with understated glamour.
SLRP Ramen & Rolls Bar
The bold and playful SLRP Ramen & Rolls Bar brings its signature fun-loving energy to The Square. Expect steaming ramen bowls, crisp handrolls, and vibrant Japanese-inspired bites, perfect for laid-back evenings under the stars.
Maxzi – The Good Food Shop
Celebrated for its commitment to quality, traceable ingredients and wholesome dining, Maxzi – The Good Food Shop joins The Square’s curated line-up, offering a fresh take on conscious cuisine that feels both nourishing and stylish.
Home Bakery Kitchen
A returning favourite, Home Bakery Kitchen unveils its exclusive hole-in-the-wall Milkshake & Hot Chocolate concept, serving indulgent shakes and rich, comforting hot chocolates — the perfect treat for cool Dubai evenings.
The destination itself has undergone a thoughtful refresh, introducing a more vibrant, experience-led layout. Visitors will enjoy enhanced infrastructure, including parking for over 550 cars, and new water features such as a tranquil koi pond, adding to the venue’s leisurely, resort-style ambience.
A dynamic calendar of live shows, cultural activations, and family-friendly events will ensure that no two visits are ever the same.
Staying true to its community-driven ethos, Shamal continues to champion local businesses, support inclusive spaces, and deliver high-quality, design-forward programming that appeals across generations. As Dubai enters its outdoor season, The Square reaffirms its place as the city’s must-visit open-air destination — where food, culture, and connection come together effortlessly under the open sky.
Hospitality
Sun Siyam Vilu Reef Marks 27th Anniversary with Culinary Showdown & Community Spirit
 
														Sun Siyam Vilu Reef the flagship property of Sun Siyam, is celebrating its 27th Anniversary with a week-long events centered on culinary and community engagement. The resort hosted comprehensive activities, including team building sports and competitive cooking judged by two Maldivian guest chefs, to showcase the talent of both its island team and students from F. Magoodhoo School on 25th and 26th of October.
The culinary competitions were judged by two prominent industry experts. Chef Fathimath Umar, who serves as the Secretariat of the Chef Guild Maldives and is a certified World Chef’s Judge in Culinary Arts and Pastry Arts, currently teaching Culinary Arts at Villa College and Chef Mariyam Shiuna, a WACS Continental Judge and Associate Lecturer at the Maldives National University.
Honoring the resort’s history and the incredible dedication of our team since 1998, this milestone anchors our legacy while setting the course for many more years of delivering the authentic Maldivian spirit to our cherished guests.
“Reaching the 27th anniversary reflects our dedication to service and extraordinary experiences,” said Resort Manager, Mr. Thoha Yoosuf. “By celebrating culinary talent, we not only honour the creativity and hard work of our team but also strengthen our bond with the local community through the shared language of food.”
The celebrations highlighted the resorts’ role in preserving community bonds and elevating Maldivian talent and traditions, defining 27 years of Maldivian Hospitality.
Hospitality
MENA Hospitality Market Value Set to Top US$487 Billion by 2032 Amid Unprecedented Tourism Expansion
 
														The value of MENA’s hospitality market is set to grow from US$310 billion in 2025 to more than US$487 billion by 2032, according to data released ahead of the Future Hospitality Summit – FHS World, Madinat Jumeirah Dubai, 27-29 October.
The travel and tourism sector is projected to contribute US$367 billion to the Middle East economy and support 7.7 million jobs this year, says the World Travel and Tourism Council. International visitor spending is expected to reach nearly US$194 billion, up nearly a quarter from 2019, pre-pandemic levels, with domestic spending forecast to hit US$113 billion.
As of Q2 2025, the Middle East’s hotel construction pipeline reached an all-time high of 650 projects with 161,574 rooms. At the end of June, 337 projects, with almost 86,500 rooms, were under construction, with 147 projects due to start by Q2 2026.
Saudi Arabia tops the Middle Eastern hotel construction chart, with more than 92,000 rooms across 342 projects. Next is Egypt with 127 projects and a record-high room count of over 28,000, followed by the UAE with 100 projects (25,470 rooms); Oman with 27 projects (4,709 keys) and Qatar with 16 projects (nearly 3,500 rooms).
The unprecedented hospitality, tourism and infrastructure expansion reinforces the region’s position as a global magnet for investment, say experts.
Amr El Nady, Head of Hotels & Hospitality MEA and Managing Director, Global Hotel Desk at Jones Lang Lasalle, said: “Saudi Arabia is targeting 150 million tourist arrivals annually by 2030, while Egypt aims for 30 million international visitors by 2028. Both nations are seeking to significantly increase tourism’s contribution to their GDP, with KSA targeting 10% and Egypt 15%. This strategic focus is driving substantial hospitality investment, with mega-projects like NEOM, The Red Sea Project, and AlUla in KSA, alongside Egypt’s New Administrative Capital, Ras Al Hekma, South Med and Red Sea developments.
“The surge in development creates opportunities for both major international hotel operators and boutique brands to diversify their portfolios by introducing new concepts ranging from ultra-luxury desert resorts to culturally immersive heritage properties. The diversification strategy allows operators to cater to evolving traveller preferences while supporting the countries’ objectives of transforming their economies through sustainable tourism growth and positioning themselves as premier global destinations.”
JLL added that liquidity in the hotel investment landscape remains remarkably robust, underpinned by resilient hotel trading performance and increasing tourist arrivals. Performance data shows year on year growth in terms occupancy and ADR metrics, reflecting the sector’s operational strength and market confidence.
Amr El Nady added: “This strong performance has significantly enhanced appetite from regional and international investors – from high-net-worth individuals to institutional players – all seeking high-yielding, income-generating hotel assets and mixed-use developments, particularly across the UAE market. The region’s investment appeal continues to attract diverse capital sources drawn to its strategic positioning and growth potential.
“Last year, JLL forecasted US$1.2 billion in Dubai hotel transactions, and current market activity indicates we are on track to exceed this milestone, further demonstrating sustained investor confidence.”
In the UAE, Dubai’s hospitality sector – which has around 10,000 new rooms on the way between now and 2027 – continues to deliver an outstanding performance, according to the hospitality division at leading real estate advisory group and property consultant, Cavendish Maxwell.
“Occupancy levels rose to 81% in H1 2025, an increase of 2.5% year-on-year,” said Vidhi Shah, Director, Head of Commercial Valuation at Cavendish Maxwell. “Meanwhile ADR across Dubai’s hotels and resorts reached US$159, up 4.7%. With its hospitality sector continuing to lead the way in setting new benchmarks in safety, inclusivity and connectivity, Dubai remains a premium, global destination for leisure and business travellers, in turn opening up a plethora of new investment opportunities.”
Oman is also increasingly becoming a hot spot for hospitality investment, with tourism expected to contribute 5% to GDP by 2030 and 10% by 2040 – and overtake transport and logistics to become the country’s second most important industry after hydrocarbons.
Oman is set to boost hotel room inventory by 25% by 2030, with 9,600 new keys on the way in the next five years, and 2,600 by the end of 2025, recent insight from Cavendish Maxwell shows. In H1 this year, more than 1.1 million guests checked in to 3-5 hotels, where revenues rose more than 18% to US$367 million. The strong performance led to almost 5% growth in hospitality employment, with 10,800 people now working in the industry.
The Middle East’s continued growth in tourism and hospitality is being further boosted by various government campaigns and initiatives across the region to encourage investment, international visits and business set up.
In KSA, upcoming global events like Expo 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2034 are boosting already strong demand for real estate, including project in the hospitality sector. In addition, from January 2026, foreigners will be able to purchase real estate assets in designated zones – a landmark development set to further deepen investor appetite.
Investment and real estate is a key track at FHS World, with more than 30 presentations, panel debates, workshops and one-to-one conversations covering everything from smart capital to sustainability and investment, cross border strategies to building global partnerships, investing in mixed-use projects and much more. Visit futurehospitality.com/world/agenda for subjects and speakers across the three-day programme.
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