The Oetker Collection, a European luxury hotels group, is hoping to lure UAE residents to its latest property, a private island in the Seychelles frequented by celebrities and the ultra-rich.
The group took over the management of Fregate Island Private this week from the owners, a consortium of German investors, and dispatched executives to Russia, London, Paris, Munich, New York, China and Dubai to publicise the property.
"We thought that it would make sense to make the announcement on the same day in what we believe are the key markets," said Alain Briere, the vice president of sales and marketing at Oetker Collection.
The 2.19 square kilometre island is the easternmost of the granitic inner islands of the Seychelles and home to the world's best beach, according to The Times, the British newspaper.
"There are seven beaches as part of the island and 16 villas, all with different facilities, pools and everything, so you always have the beach available for you," said Mr Briere. Renting the island does come at a substantial cost - about €400,000 (Dh1.94 million) a week. Alternatively, the villas, which all come with a dedicated butler, cost between €3,500 and €3,800 a night, full board.
People from the UAE made up the fifth-biggest group of tourists arriving in the Seychelles for the week ending July 14, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, with 7,030 visitors.
And Oetker Collection hopes that they will make up at least 10 per cent of hotel guests on Fregate, if not more. "There has been a 150 per cent increase in visitors [from the UAE] over 2010, so more than double in three years.
"The target for this year was 21,000 or 22,000 and the likelihood was it is going to reach 25,000. You are talking a substantial amount of people," said Mr Briere.
"Another aspect is that the clientele of the UAE likes privacy and when you are called Fregate Island Private it means that you seem to fall into the right expectation, privacy from the villas themselves. You have your private beach for privacy and if you rent the whole thing it is twice as private.
"Also, I think from here people know about the importance of greenery."
