‘Hotels: luxury demands authenticity – Italia is the favourite destination in Europe’

Investments in Italia and projects in Venice, Umbria and Forte dei Marmi. And then mountain destinations and islands on the horizon. It is a wide-ranging account of the hospitality sector shared exclusively with *Il Sole 24 Ore* by Mohamed Alabbar, an Emirati businessman who founded Emaar Properties, a property development company involved in projects such as the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall, and who is also the founder of Eagle Hills, a private company which, amongst other things, boasts 95 hotels worldwide, four of which are currently in Italia.

For 15 years, I was responsible for managing around 900 shops. It was a journey that taught me to understand culture and which today shapes my vision of hospitality. I own around 95 hotels, operating in the luxury sector, both in cities and at seaside resorts, and I have a presence in around 20 countries. It is precisely the luxury sector that I would like to focus on – a sector that is growing by an average of 5–6 per cent a year, but which is undergoing a profound transformation.

I currently own a hotel in Umbria, in Forte dei Marmi, in Venice and in Milan. The hotel in Forte dei Marmi is closed for a complete refurbishment. In Milan, we have the Armani Hotel. We have also just acquired the Hôtel des Bains on the Lido in Venice. I am also looking at Italian mountain destinations, where the skiing experience – as well as the summer experience in certain resorts – is particularly appealing. I am seriously considering three hotels: unique properties that I would like people to come to appreciate once again.

If we look at the overall situation, the growth in tourism and the infrastructure, the country is heading in the right direction. But there is something even more important: its uniqueness. Italia is an open-air museum, but it is also the combination of its people, culture, landscapes, architecture, food and music that makes it all authentic. This is why the Italian market has a global reach.

We will work alongside the mayor and do everything that the local council allows us to do. The marina is a possibility, because it is such an iconic location. More and more people are buying beautiful properties, restoring them and rediscovering the value of that beach. When I look at the black-and-white photographs, I see the beauty, the history and the passion of days gone by. We want to bring that glamour back to life. That is also why I have invested in Forte dei Marmi.