JA The Resort has expanded its Jebel Ali footprint to approximately 2.2 million square metres following the addition of a sports and shooting club, as the hospitality group positions itself for expected tourism and residential growth in the wider area.
The company said its existing footprint of around 1.1 million square metres already included facilities such as a marina, golf course and equestrian activities, giving it scope to differentiate itself through experiences rather than relying primarily on hotel accommodation.
“As of yesterday when we added the sports and shooting club it gives us basically 2.2 million square meters,” Cluster General Manager René Egle said.
“So differentiation and a more experiential holiday is definitely something that is at the forefront now.”
The group expects the broader Jebel Ali area to develop significantly over the next five to six years as residential communities, tourism infrastructure and exhibitions increasingly move towards the district.
“I think four, five, six years down the road, I think Jebel Ali will be the center of tourism attractions and exhibitions because we know that exhibitions are also moving to that area,” Egle said.
JA The Resort expects the surrounding residential expansion to create additional local demand for its facilities.
The company is already in discussions over special offers that would allow residents of new developments to use resort amenities, the executive said.
The strategy comes as JA The Resort adapts to a shift in tourism demand following recent regional and aviation disruption.
“There was a slowdown,” Egle said, adding that traditional business was now “slowly coming back.”
The company has simultaneously increased its focus on staycations and is exploring new international source markets.
Asia is one area of focus, with JA The Resort recently translating its website into Chinese as it prepares for potential future growth from China.
The disruption has also prompted the company to reassess pricing and operating costs.
The executive said JA The Resort has examined the cost of opening and closing rooms to understand how aggressively it can price accommodation while still covering costs when traditional international demand is weaker.
“One of the learnings is that we have a little bit more flexibility when it comes to rates and how we structure the rates than maybe what we had before,” he said.
JA The Resort is also increasing its social media investment, including working with an agency for at least the next six to eight months and expanding its use of local influencers to reach the domestic market.
