The most luxurious hotel in the world reduces staff

One of the most luxurious hotels in the world - «Atlantis» in Dubai - began firing its employees. Hotel «Atlantis», the opening of which took place in autumn 2008, is the most expensive tourist real estate in the world today. One and a half billion dollars was spent for its construction. Currently, the giant hotel feels an impact of the global financial crisis, which has slightly deteriorated the situation in the whole industry of luxury, including tourism.

Massive layoffs in «Atlantis» began five months after the loud party in honor of the opening of the hotel. 2 thousand guests were invited in Dubai, among who were celebrities, bankers and members of royal families. The opening of the hotel «Atlantis» cost its organizers 20 million of dollars and was marked by one of the biggest fireworks show in the world.

Hotel management company Kerzner International announced the first redundancies, which will affect 70 employees of «Atlantis» hotel in Dubai. At the very beginning the number of employees at «Atlantis» exceeded 1600 people, representing more than 40 countires. In the plans of «Atlantis» management was increasing of the staff in 2009 up to three and a half thousand people.

«Atlantis» - is not an only hotel in Dubai, which announced a reduction in the number of employees. The symbol of the United Arab Emirates, Burj Al Arab hotel, owned by hotel chain Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts, also reported on their plans to dismiss several dozens of servitorial staff.

The indexes of occupancy rate of hotel rooms, which reflect the financial standing in a particular hotel, in January 2009 were lover that the last year ones for luxury hotels in Dubai. According to the American consulting company, STR Global, reviewing the situation in the hospitality industry, the number of occupied rooms in the UAE luxury hotels dropped by 12% and amounted 68% of the luxury hotels room capacity.

It will be recalled that in November 2008 Kerzner International went to the length of massive layoffs in other famous «Atlantis» - hotel-resort, located in the Bahamas. At that time 800 people lost their jobs.