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ALEPH HOSPITALITY STRENGTHENS GLOBAL LEADERSHIP AND REGIONAL PLATFORM AS IT TARGETS 100 HOTELS BY 2029

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Aleph Hospitality, the largest independent hotel management company in the Middle East and Africa, has further strengthened its leadership team and operating platform through regional offices as it enters a new phase of accelerated growth.

With more than 50 hotels in operation and over 30 properties in the pipeline across 23 countries and 39 cities, Aleph Hospitality continues to scale its capabilities to support owners and partners across the region. As part of this expansion, the company has appointed several senior leaders at its offices in Dubai and Casablanca.

Aline Barhouche has been appointed Chief HR Officer, leading the company’s people strategy across its growing portfolio. She oversees leadership development, talent management, culture, and governance while working closely with the executive team and hotel leadership to build strong leadership pipelines and support local teams. Aline brings 23 years of Human Resources experience across Oceania, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Estelle Chambost has moved into the position of Vice President, Learning & Development after ten years with the company. In her new role, she leads the strategy to build a strong learning culture across the organisation, focusing on developing future leaders and leveraging technology and partnerships to deliver scalable development programmes. Estelle has 27 years’ experience in hospitality and emerging leaders programmes.

Marc Matar joins as Vice President, Food & Beverage with a mandate to develop Aleph Hospitality’s F&B division into a key driver of growth and value creation. His focus includes innovation, operational excellence, and owner-focused profitability across Africa and the Middle East. Marc has 25 years of experience in food and beverage, operations, and strategy across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

As part of its strategy to build strong local leadership and operate closer to its hotels and owners, Aleph Hospitality has also begun rolling out new regional offices. In addition to the one already open in Riyadh, a new office is being set up in Casablanca, Morocco, with additional offices planned in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; Cape Town, South Africa; and Nairobi, Kenya.

Based in Casablanca and leading the company’s operations in North Africa, Abdellah Essonni has been appointed Regional Vice President for North Africa. With 35 years of experience in hospitality and real estate across four continents, Abdellah oversees the strategic, operational, and financial performance of the region’s portfolio, while driving market expansion, partnerships, and new management and franchise agreements. His appointment reflects Aleph Hospitality’s strategy of empowering experienced regional leaders with full accountability for performance, development and owner relationships.

Bani Haddad, Founder and Co-CEO of Aleph Hospitality said: “Our continued growth reflects the strength of our business model and the increasing demand from hotel owners for an experienced independent operator in the region. By strengthening our leadership team and expanding our regional presence, we are building the capabilities needed to support our next stage of growth and deliver long-term value for our owners.”

Having reached its long-standing goal of operating 50 hotels by 2025, Aleph Hospitality has now set a new milestone: operating 100 hotels by the end of 2029, reinforcing its position as the largest independent hotel management company in the Middle East and Africa.

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Hospitality

Qatar Airways Unveils Onboard Signature Music Created in Partnership with Award-Winning Composer Hans Zimmer

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Qatar Airways today unveiled its new onboard signature music, created in partnership with world-renowned composer Hans Zimmer.

Inspired by Qatar and its culture, Qatar Airways’ new onboard music brings a distinctive sound identity to the passenger experience through its collaboration with the iconic composition of Hans Zimmer. The music is also featured on the ‘Burgundy Symphony’ album, a bespoke five-track album that encapsulates the airline’s wider sound identity and signature sound elements.

The collaboration brings together Zimmer’s acclaimed cinematic storytelling and Qatar Airways’ commitment to delivering memorable experiences, creating a recognisable sound that reflects the emotions, moments and memories that define travel.

The launch was celebrated at Hans Zimmer’s highly-anticipated concert in Doha on 6 November, where audiences were given an exclusive first look at the story behind the collaboration through a specially created film on the creative process and inspiration behind Burgundy Symphony, alongside a preview of the music. Qatar Airways passengers can experience the new composition onboard from today.

The Burgundy Symphony album captures the rhythm of travel through five original tracks, each reflecting a different stage of the journey:

Dawn opens the collection with a sense of anticipation and possibility experienced when stepping beyond the daily routine and discovering new horizons.

Dusk reflects the tranquillity of flight as daylight fades and travellers are carried above the clouds beneath a sky illuminated by stars.

The Orchard introduces a restorative pause, inspired by moments of calm and reflection amidst the pace of everyday life. The inspiration for the composition is drawn from the sense of escape offered by the ORCHARD – one of Hamad International Airport’s most distinctive passenger experiences.

Homecoming reflects the quiet gift of returning home and the small but lasting ways travel enriches life. The track encapsulates the adventure continues beyond touchdown, with memories of places and skies keeping moments of wonder alive long after the journey ends.

An Ode to Qatar, concludes the album with a tribute to the nation’s rich heritage and forward-looking vision. The piece brings together a sense of history, culture, and ambition, reflecting a country where tradition and progress exist in harmony.

Following the unveiling, Burgundy Symphony is now available on the Qatar Airways YouTube channel, inviting audiences around the world to experience Hans Zimmer’s original compositions inspired by the journey of travel and the spirit of Qatar Airways.

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Hospitality

Coral Beach Resort Sharjah Wins Sustain Sharjah Award for Second Year Running

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Coral Beach Resort Sharjah has won the Sustain Sharjah award for Hotel Properties at the Sharjah International Travel and Tourism Forum 2026, organised by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA). This marks the resort’s second consecutive recognition under the initiative.

The accolade acknowledges the property’s progress at Level 2 of the programme’s Explorers journey, structured around four core pillars: Guest, Experience, Local, and Story. Across each pillar, the resort has prioritised measurable, practical measures that engage guests, support the surrounding community, and ensure transparent sustainability reporting.

Central to this achievement are three primary operational initiatives:

  • Onsite water bottling plant: Replaces single-use plastics with reusable glass bottles, eliminating approximately 300,672 plastic bottles annually.
  • Winnow AI food-waste system: Weighs and monitors kitchen waste in real time, enabling culinary teams to curb excess directly at source.
  • Onsite biodigester: Installed in 2026, making the property the first hotel in Sharjah to process organic waste entirely on site.

Commenting on the achievement, Iftikhar Hamdani, Area General Manager of Coral Beach Resort Sharjah, said: “Securing the Sustain Sharjah award for the second consecutive year is an honour for our entire team. Initiatives such as our water bottling plant, AI-driven waste monitoring, and onsite biodigester reflect our daily operational commitment—one shared with our guests, partners, and the local community. We thank the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority for this recognition and for their steady leadership in advancing sustainable tourism across the emirate.”

Coral Beach Resort Sharjah is a signatory to the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism and continues to align its operations with broader international climate targets.

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Hospitality

Qatar Airways Connects Doha to Caracas, Venezuela, and Bogotá, Colombia with First Flight

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Qatar Airways has inaugurated its new twice-weekly service connecting Doha with Caracas and Bogotá. The service represents a significant milestone for the airline, as Qatar Airways becomes the first Gulf carrier to serve Venezuela, and the first airline to operate nonstop services from the Middle East to both Bogotá and Caracas. The new route underscores the airline’s commitment to strengthening global connectivity for the region and is operated on Boeing 777-200LR aircraft.

Qatar Airways flights to Caracas (CCS) and Bogotá (BOG)

Qatar Airways’ flight schedule has been designed to provide smooth onward connections through Hamad International Airport to key markets including Australia, China, Japan, Lebanon, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates. This offers passengers greater flexibility and seamless transfer options across Qatar Airways’ global network of over 170 destinations.

Departing every Wednesday and Sunday:

Doha (DOH) to Bogotá (BOG) – Flight QR783: Departure 07:35; Arrival 16:25

Bogotá (BOG) to Caracas (CCS) – Flight QR783: Departure 17:55; Arrival 21:00

Caracas (CCS) to Doha (DOH) – Flight QR783: Departure 23:30; Arrival 20:35

The addition of Caracas and Bogotá marks the 16th and 17th destinations in the Americas served by Qatar Airways. The airline began serving South America in 2010 with its inaugural flight to Brazil’s São Paulo.

The airline has recently expanded its partnership with LATAM to include LATAM Airlines Colombia, offering travellers greater access to the region. Qatar Airways will place its code on LATAM-operated flights between Bogotá and key domestic destinations including Cartagena, Armenia, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Cali, Cúcuta, Ibagué, Leticia, Medellín, Montería, Neiva, Pereira, Pasto, Riohacha, San Andrés Island, Santa Marta, and Yopal.

Qatar Airways continues to strengthen global connectivity, serving more than 170 destinations this winter. Bookings can be made at qatarairways.com or through the airline’s mobile app.

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