Over artisanal hors d’oeuvres and candle-lit conversation at a VIP dinner hosted by the Atlantis team in Delhi on April 4, Kyp Charalambous, Sales Director, Atlantis Dubai, spoke exclusively to Travel Trade Journal. The intimate sit-down, organised for leading Indian travel-trade stakeholders, was designed to spark new alliances and deepen existing ones.
Atlantis The Palm, which opened 16 years ago with 1,500 rooms, put the brand on the global map. The sequel, Atlantis The Royal, added a bold new chapter: 795 keys, a sculptural façade on the crescent of Palm Jumeirah and a tier of bespoke accommodation that redefines resort living. “The Royal has brought a new facet to the brand, meticulous luxury and a level of service never seen anywhere in the world,” Charalambous said.
Among its headline products are 44 Sky Pool Villas, each offering more than 300 square metres of inside-out living space and a private infinity pool; these suites now rank among Dubai’s most sought-after expressions of contemporary Arabian hospitality.
Five Pillars Guiding the Guest Journey
Whether a guest checks into The Palm or The Royal, the experience is built on five pillars: stays, dining, experience, wellness and entertainment. Every capital outlay and every service upgrade is measured against those benchmarks. “They are at the core of everything we do and everything we will do in the future,” he noted.
Gastronomy at an Unrivalled Scale
Atlantis Dubai now houses more than 50 restaurants, bars and lounges, an unmatched collection under a single resort banner. Michelin-starred institutions such as Ossiano, Hakkasan, Nobu and soon Carbone (arriving from New York in Q4 2025) sit alongside buzzy newcomers such as FZN and Studio Frantzén.
‘A Home Away from Home’ for the Indian Market
India remains one of Atlantis Dubai’s top-performing feeder markets, and Charalambous was keen to underline the resort’s cultural and culinary readiness. With flight times of just two to three hours from the major metros, Dubai already scores on convenience. “India feels at home at Atlantis,” he said. “Many of our colleagues speak Indian languages, and guests find authentic flavours at every turn.”
The resort’s buffet venues, such as Kaleidoscope, Saffron, and Gastronomy, feature dedicated Indian counters and Jain-friendly dishes prepared by “authentic Indian chefs”, he emphasised. This comfort factor, paired with Dubai’s relaxed visa process, has translated into robust repeat business and strong length-of-stay metrics from the sub-continent.
Trade First! The Promise to Partners
“Our ambition,” Charalambous explained, “is to be the hotel company that agents choose to work with and not feel compelled to work with.” From lead generation through to conversion, Atlantis has designed its sales ecosystem to keep the trade front and centre. A Dubai-based sales team offers same-day turnaround for contracted partners, while dedicated revenue managers help agencies optimise inventory against seasonal demand curves.
“We are here to help the trade convert the business, to ensure our partners win,” he affirmed.
Global Booking Rewards
To formalise that partnership pledge, Atlantis recently launched Global Booking Rewards (GBR), a two-part portal built specifically for frontline sellers. The first component is an e-learning platform featuring bite-sized modules on product knowledge, itinerary design and upselling techniques, an essential tool for new-to-luxury counsellors. The second is a rewards engine, agents log every confirmed reservation and accrue points that can be redeemed for complimentary nights, dining credits, or experiential vouchers.
Hosted at the foot of their website under the ‘Travel Partners’ tab, GBR is open to any bona fide agency worldwide. “It’s an incentive programme where you record your bookings and get rewarded for them,” Charalambous explained. Early Indian adopters have reported sharper product recall, higher ADRs, and improved conversion ratios; a win-win in a value-conscious market.
Innovation as a Habit
Innovation, evolution, and creativity, the three words that surfaced repeatedly during the conversation with Charalambous, sounded far more than marketing slogans. They are operational mandates driving imminent updates: new water-park zones at Aquaventure, further partnerships with celebrity chefs, and an expanded wellness curriculum designed to capture the growing appetite for restorative travel. A recognisable flagship in Atlantis The Palm, a blockbuster sequel in Atlantis The Royal, and a commercial framework that not only welcomes but rewards agency collaboration. “Atlantis Dubai is the ever-evolving resort in an ever-evolving destination,” Charalambous concluded. “We will continue to invest, to listen and to deliver so that every time you send a guest, they return with expectations exceeded.”
