Hilton Wuhan Optics Valley is one of 150 hotels closed in China due to the Coronavirus epidemic. Courtesy Hilton
Hilton Wuhan Optics Valley is one of 150 hotels closed in China due to the Coronavirus epidemic. Courtesy Hilton
Hilton Wuhan Optics Valley is one of 150 hotels closed in China due to the Coronavirus epidemic. Courtesy Hilton
Hilton Wuhan Optics Valley is one of 150 hotels closed in China due to the Coronavirus epidemic. Courtesy Hilton

Coronavirus: Hilton closes 150 hotels in China


Hayley Skirka
  • English
  • Arabic

Hilton has closed approximately 150 of its hotels across China due to the coronavirus crisis.

The closure means there are temporarily 33,000 less hotel rooms available in China, according to Hilton CEO Christopher Nassetta.

"At this point, roughly 150 of our hotels in China totalling approximately 33,000 rooms are closed," confirmed Nassetta on Tuesday, February 11.

The announcement marks what is perhaps just the beginning of the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the hotel industry.

According to hotel data intelligence company STR, hotel occupancy declined 75 per cent across China from January 14 to January 26 this year.

Hilton is the first hotel company to make a public statement , but other hotels have also shut up shop. Skift reported that Best Western has closed hotels in China and IHG has shut public facilities in several of its hotels across the country.

Not only China

The Diamond Princess cruise ship is seen anchored at the Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama port. AFP
The Diamond Princess cruise ship is seen anchored at the Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama port. AFP

All sectors of the travel industry have been affected by the outbreak.

Other hotels in countries around the world have reported dips in occupancy levels due to the crisis and the restrictions in place for travelling to and from China. Major airlines, including Emirates, Etihad, American Airlines and British Airways have cancelled flights to and from China.

Cruise passengers have been quarantined on ships around Asia.

Economic impact

Tourism Economics said there could be seven to 25 million fewer Chinese departures in 2020 as a direct result of the virus.

As the single largest outbound travel market in the world, in terms of spending, China's travel and flight restrictions will also impact luxury goods brands as Chinese tourists stay home rather than travelling overseas for shopping sprees.

The destinations likely to be most affected are Hong Kong, Macao, Thailand, and Japan which accounted for just under 70 per cent of all mainland China outbound travel in 2019.

In the UAE, Chinese tourism numbers have been on the up in recent years. In 2019, Chinese visitors were the second and fourth highest ranked source markets for Abu Dhabi and Dubai, respectively said Colliers International.

See the latest updates on the coronavirus crisis here.

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Key facilities
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THE BIO: Mohammed Ashiq Ali

Proudest achievement: “I came to a new country and started this shop”

Favourite TV programme: the news

Favourite place in Dubai: Al Fahidi. “They started the metro in 2009 and I didn’t take it yet.”

Family: six sons in Dubai and a daughter in Faisalabad

 

Panipat

Director Ashutosh Gowariker

Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment

Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman

Rating 3 /stars

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Cricket World Cup League Two

Teams

Oman, UAE, Namibia

Al Amerat, Muscat

 

Results

Oman beat UAE by five wickets

UAE beat Namibia by eight runs

Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs

UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets

 

Fixtures

Saturday January 11 - UAE v Oman

Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia

Emiratisation at work

Emiratisation was introduced in the UAE more than 10 years ago

It aims to boost the number of citizens in the workforce particularly in the private sector.

Growing the number of Emiratis in the workplace will help the UAE reduce dependence on overseas workers

The Cabinet in December last year, approved a national fund for Emirati jobseekers and guaranteed citizens working in the private sector a comparable pension

President Sheikh Khalifa has described Emiratisation as “a true measure for success”.

During the UAE’s 48th National Day, Sheikh Khalifa named education, entrepreneurship, Emiratisation and space travel among cornerstones of national development

More than 80 per cent of Emiratis work in the federal or local government as per 2017 statistics

The Emiratisation programme includes the creation of 20,000 new jobs for UAE citizens

UAE citizens will be given priority in managerial positions in the government sphere

The purpose is to raise the contribution of UAE nationals in the job market and create a diverse workforce of citizens

The Specs

Engine 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 582bhp (542bhp in GTS model)

Torque: 730Nm

Price: Dh649,000 (Dh549,000 for GTS) 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets