Colm McLoughlin receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman & CEO of Dubai Duty Free, accepts his Lifetime Achievement Award from Gerald Lawless
Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice Chairman & CEO, Colm McLoughlin, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 8th Middle East Hospitality Awards (MEHA) held on September 18 at The Ritz Carlton, DIFC.
The 2018 recipient of the award, Gerald Lawless, former President & CEO of the Jumeriah Group and immediate-past chair of the World Travel and Trade Council, presented the award.
In conjunction with the 20th edition of The Hotel Show Dubai, and as part of the Middle East Design and Hospitality Week, the Middle East Hospitality Awards bring together the region’s leading hospitality professionals to recognize and celebrate the most outstanding properties, projects and people in the Middle East’s hospitality industry.
McLoughlin was awarded for his contribution, spanning over three decades, in shaping Dubai’s tourism, hospitality and retail sectors. Additionally, the award recognized his commitment to promoting Dubai globally through high-profile sponsorships of Dubai Duty Free.
Commenting on the award, McLoughlin said: “I am thrilled and delighted that I have been selected to receive this award. I attribute it absolutely and totally to our team of staff and the effort they make in making our business successful and of course to my chairman, HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who has been terrific support at Dubai Duty Free and our other operations since the beginning.”
Dubai Duty Free’s long-standing association with international sporting events such as the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in Dubai, Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh in Ireland and horse racing at Newbury and Ascot in the UK, have all been instrumental in promoting Dubai worldwide.
The EVC & CEO of the world-famous airport retailer said: “Like shopping malls, airlines and roadworks, the hotel industry is part and parcel of the system that is essential in promoting tourism and visitors to Dubai.” He attributes the exponential growth of Dubai and its hospitality sector to the “Dubai Government’s positive and definite attitude to make it work and make it the best in the world.”
Concurring with statistics from Ventures Onsite Hotels Marketing Report, he noted changes in the industry over the last (almost) forty years and added that the Dubai hotel room supply alone is expected to reach 132 000 this year, with the Emirate aiming to complete 160 000 hotel rooms by October 2020.
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