Wyndham Hotels & Resorts hosted senior hospitality, tourism and real estate leaders at a cocktail reception held alongside FHS World Dubai 2026 at TRYP by Wyndham Dubai.
Photo caption: First image, from left: Rob Burns, Chief Executive Officer, The First Group; Mohammed Al Ahbabi, Director of Tourism Development, UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism; Dimitris Manikis, President, Europe, Middle East, Eurasia and Africa, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; Khalid Al Awar, Director – Business Stakeholders and Government Relations, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism; and Mohamad Haj Hassan, Market Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.
Second image: Members of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ Middle East and Africa team at the reception.
Dubai, UAE –Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s largest hotel franchising companies, welcomed senior representatives from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism, and leading hospitality and real estate organisations to a cocktail reception held ahead of FHS World Dubai 2026.
Hosted at TRYP by Wyndham Dubai on 28 September, the evening brought together government and tourism stakeholders, hotel owners, developers and consultants to connect and exchange perspectives on the continued development of the UAE’s hospitality sector.
Khalid Al Awar, Director – Business Stakeholders and Government Relations at DET, shared his perspective on Dubai’s hospitality outlook, while Mohammed Al Ahbabi, Director of Tourism Development at the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism, discussed the outlook for the country’s wider tourism sector.
Dimitris Manikis, President, Europe, Middle East, Eurasia and Africa at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, welcomed guests and provided an update on Wyndham’s growth and development in the UAE.
The reception was also attended by Barry Robinson, President and Managing Director, International Operations – Vacation Ownership at Travel + Leisure Co.; Rob Burns, Chief Executive Officer of The First Group; and Alison Grinnell, Group Chief Operating Officer of Marjan and Chief Executive Officer of Marjan Hospitality.
Featuring cocktails and live violin music, the evening offered an informal setting for members of Wyndham’s Middle East and Africa team to engage directly with public- and private-sector leaders. By bringing together government entities, tourism stakeholders, hotel operators, owners and developers ahead of FHS World Dubai 2026, the reception reinforced the importance of continued industry collaboration in supporting the UAE’s evolving hospitality landscape.
About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts:
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is one of the world’s largest hotel franchising company by the number of franchised properties, with approximately 8,400 hotels across approximately 100 countries on six continents. Through its network of over 873,000 franchised and affiliated rooms appealing to the everyday traveler, Wyndham commands a leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 25 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, ECHO Suites®, Registry Collection Hotels®, Trademark Collection® and Wyndham®. The Company’s award-winning Wyndham Rewards® loyalty program offers more than 126 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally
