Emirates and Le Meridien competition winners announced

The New Year has started well for the winners of six exclusive holidays scooped in the global online competition staged by award-winning Emirates Airline and luxury hotel group, Le Meridien.

The four-month online competition targeted more than a million people from all five continents, but the 'star-prize' spotlight fell closer to home and landed on Ayman Fathallah from Dubai (in United Arab Emirates). 

Fathallah has selected Sydney as his holiday choice destination. He has received two first class Emirates tickets and five nights suite accommodation at Le Meridien Sydney. 

Steve Wheeler, Emirates' general manager - advertising, indicated that the infinite reach of cyberspace resulted in one of the most popular, widespread competition offerings that Emirates has been involved with to date.

"Virtually, anyone in the world with an online connection had the chance to win a holiday to any destination within the Emirates/Le Meridien global network. And we were not disappointed: entries were tracked from all four corners and five continents, with the winning entries from as far afield as Australia and UK."

Russel Sharpe, vice president, sales, Le Meridien Middle East and West Asia, pointed out that the online drive was key at a time when smart operators are looking 'out of the box' to grow brand awareness and business levels.

He said: "This on-line marketing imitative by Emirates and Le Meridien to promote in- and out-bound tourism, region-wide and beyond is a working example of successful complementary brand alliance - an essential strategy in brand and destination marketing.

"Thanks to the combined database of 500,000 members already signed up to Emirates Skywards frequent flyer programme and Le Meridien Moments, as well as a direct email campaign to 660,000 people, this competition targeted more than a million people."

The web-based promotion offered six holidays for 12 travellers to any destination in the world of Emirates and Le Meridien. Their joint network encompasses more than 100 hotels and resorts in more than 30 countries, with the spotlight falling on Nice (France), Koh Samui (Thailand), Sydney (Australia), Singapore, and London (UK) among others.

In addition, a six-week radio campaign on Emirates 2 FM, where Le Meridien hotels in the UAE offered star prize weekend breaks, as well as dinners at their top restaurant, saw the competition develop huge interest in the local market of the UAE.