Premier Inn Middle East, Ibn Battuta Mall, Dubai. Crowd has been appointed as the paid media partner for Premier Inn Middle East, following a competitive pitch process. The appointment aims to mark a new chapter for the hospitality brand as it looks to accelerate its digital performance and drive more direct bookings across the UAE and Qatar.
Premier Inn ME, which operates as a joint venture between Emirates Group and Whitbread PLC, has not run digital campaigns for over three years, with the majority of its marketing activity being managed internally. Now, with refreshed commercial targets and ambitious plans for regional growth, the brand is investing in a comprehensive relaunch of its digital media strategy.
On this pitching process, Simon Leigh, Managing Director at Premier Inn Middle East said, “As we move into a new era of digital growth, we needed a partner who could balance creative thinking with commercial rigour. Crowd stood out for exactly that reason and we’re looking forward to working together to deliver a step-change in how we connect with our audiences and convert demand into direct bookings.”
The partnership will see Crowd lead the development and execution of paid media campaigns across performance, programmatic, and social channels.
The focus will be on high-impact, conversion-led activity designed to drive direct bookings and elevate Premier Inn ME’s digital performance to match best-in-class benchmarks from other markets, including the UK.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Premier Inn ME at such a pivotal moment in their digital journey,” said Tom Berne, Managing Director at Crowd on the appointment. “Having supported national tourism boards, airlines, and destination brands across the globe, we understand the nuances of travel behaviour and how to turn interest into action,” he said.
He added: “This account is an exciting opportunity to apply that expertise, combining performance marketing with strong storytelling to support Premier Inn’s next phase of growth in the region.”
Crowd claims that upcoming campaigns for Premier Inn ME will feature a blend of inbound and outbound tactics, crafted to raise awareness and maximise bookings across the brand’s portfolio in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. Activity will kick off in the coming months, targeting both regional residents and inbound travellers searching for affordable and trusted accommodation.
