SHEIKH AHMED PRESENTS LE MERIDIEN AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE TO DTCM

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum presented the Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts Commitment to Excellence Award to Dubai Tourism & Commerce Marketing yesterday (Wednesday November 22 2000).

Together with Bernard Lambert, president and managing director of the luxury, global hotel group, Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts, Sheikh Ahmed gave the award to DTCM’s director general, Khalid bin Sulayem as a mark of appreciation of the Department’s efforts in promoting Dubai, worldwide.

On the award and the Commitment to Excellence programme, Lambert said : "Le Meridien is committed to delivering high levels of service excellence and ensuring that we meet and exceed our guests expectations. We are delighted to recognise DTCM for their sustained efforts in ensuring that Dubai’s tourism & hospitality sector is world-class."

The Forte/Meridien global Commitment to Excellence programme took just two years to empower all 45,000 employees to ‘surprise and delight’ the customer using new ways of thinking and working.

Commitment to Excellence is an on-going pledge by Forte/Meridien, with the first three-year investment representing some US$20 million.

A beaming bin Sulayem, on accepting the award, said : "The DTCM's success in promoting Dubai is a tribute to the Department's hard working team, and the increased co-operation between the public and private sector.

"We're honoured to have our efforts recognised by industry professionals. I can say with confidence that the future of tourism in Dubai looks vibrant.

"We will continue to secure effective co-ordination between the public and private sector and supervise the strategic development of tourism in the emirate to make the Dubai tourism product the very best possible," he stressed.

Lambert is in Dubai hosting the group’s annual meeting of more than 175 general managers and senior executives. It is the twenty-third such meeting worldwide and the first time that it has been hosted in the region. Sheikh Ahmed was guest of honour and opened the conference with a keynote speech.