No More ‘Ego Projects’ — Middle East Developers Now Want Mid-Market Hotels

When you think of Dubai, you probably picture the Burj Khalifa — the world's tallest building — super-luxury hotels, and its famous set of man-made islands.

Such projects were designed to put the emirate on the map and were driven more by "return on ego" than return on investment.

Now the city is switching gears. In its pursuit of becoming one of the top three international tourism destinations in the world, mass-market products are coming into focus.

"From a mid-market perspective, where Dubai continues to grow, we’re expecting staggering volumes," said Premier Inn Middle East managing director Simon Leigh at the Skift Global Forum East conference in Dubai. "Looking at the numbers [projected] by Dubai Airport, I think the market can still take on more volume. So from our perspective, mid-market plays into that, you need that mid-market offer. It’s important for the overall balance."