Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has opened a regional sales office in Dubai,
managed by the director of sales for the Middle East, Walid Wafik, and
supported by sales manager, Claudia Kaiserseder. Reporting to the newly
promoted vice president of international sales, Austin Frost, Wafik's
mandate is to sell Shangri-La properties to the rapidly emerging outbound
market in the Middle East.

In making the announcement, Frost commented: "We are delighted to have the
expertise of a sales professional of Walid Wafik's calibre to sell and
promote Shangri-La and Traders hotels to this dynamic market. Our sales
activities in the Gulf over the last two years have already shown the
potential of this market for us. And as brand awareness will be increased
this year with the opening of two new hotels (the Shangri-la Hotel, Dubai,
which opened in July and the four-star Traders Hotel, Dubai, due to open in
October), the timing is right to develop further outbound business from the
region with an active sales presence on the ground."

The office is based in the spectacular new Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai.