One of Dubai’s most recognisable landmarks, Jumeirah Burj Al Arab, is entering a new chapter. Turkish hotelier Harun Dursun, who has led the opening and positioning of Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab over the past three years, has been appointed Managing Directorof the group’s flagship property, Jumeirah Burj Al Arab.
Widely regarded as one of the most iconic hotels in the world, with its distinctive sail- shaped architecture, Jumeirah Burj Al Arab is currently undergoing a carefully phased and thoughtful restoration programme, designed to safeguard its legacy for generations to
come. Scheduled to reopen in 2027 and Dursun’s leadership will play a pivotal role in shaping its future.
Looking back at your career journey – from Istanbul to leading one of Dubai’s most iconic hotels – which experience has shaped you the most?
I started my career in F&B as a restaurant manager at the Hyatt Regency in Istanbul in 1998, and it was at that point that hospitality really become my world. I went on to become Turkey’s first officially certified sommelier and was one of the founding members of the Turkish Sommeliers Association, which meant representing the country in European and world championships. During this period, I also thought a lot about what makes guest experiences distinctive and purposeful.
That grounding then stayed with me when I moved into general management. In 2010, I was appointed GM of the Park Hyatt Istanbul – Maçka Palas, which at the time made me the first Turkish general manager of a Park Hyatt anywhere. It was a historic property built in 1922, and running it meant learning to balance heritage with the expectations of a modern luxury guest.
If I had to pick one experience in career that stood out though, it would be the opening of Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab. It was in a different category entirely – the scale, the ambition, the complexity of launching a property with 300 rooms, 86 suites, 82 residences, a superyacht marina and 11 restaurants at the same time. We were building the team, getting the operation ready, establishing the culture we wanted for the hotel and bringing the guest experience to life. To then see Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab recognised in The World’s 50 Best Hotels within months of opening was a very special moment and a testament to the work the team had put in from the very beginning.
How have your experiences across global brands such as Hyatt, Mandarin Oriental and Jumeirah influenced your perspective on luxury hospitality?
I’ve been lucky enough to work with some incredible brands over the years. And what I’ve learned is that luxury means something different in every context. The way you approach it, the way you deliver it, the way guests experience it – and it’s never quite the same from one place to the other. So it’s really about being adaptable and looking at each new situation with fresh eyes. To understand the unique character of the brand, the property, the location – and then to curate an experience that brings all those elements together in a way that resonates with guests.
What did it mean for you, professionally, to lead a project from the ground up like Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab? Would you describe it as a turning point in your career?
Yes, without question. In preparing for the launch of Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab we had the opportunity to shape so much of the property’s identity from the very beginning. When you join an established hotel, there is already a culture, an operation and a way of doing things. Here, we were building all of that ourselves. We had to think about what kind of hotel we wanted Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab to be, how we wanted guests to feel when they arrived, how all the different parts of the property would work together and, just as importantly, what kind of team and culture we wanted behind it.
And with a property of this scale that consists of hotel, residences, marina and villas, you learn very quickly that you cannot do that alone. We brought together more than 1,400 colleagues from all over the world, and a big part of my role was making sure everyone understood what we were trying to create and then giving them the space to bring their own expertise to it. That is where it became a turning point for me professionally. You see very clearly how the decisions you make at the start end up defining the character of a hotel for years to come.
Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab quickly made it onto global “best hotels” lists (Top 20). What do you think this recognition represents?
It represents a strong endorsement of what we set out to create with Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab. To be recognised so soon after opening shows that the property is already resonating on a global level, and it reinforces its position as a flagship destination in Dubai’s evolving ultra-luxury landscape.
What was the core idea that set this project apart from other luxury hotels? Where do you think you truly made a difference?
At its core, Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab was about redefining what a luxury destination could be. We wanted to create a modern majlis – a place where hospitality, wellness, dining and cultural connection come together in a way that feels genuinely rooted in Arabian heritage. That is what we set out to build and that is what Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab is today. What I’m most proud of is how that experience came together. The team we built and the culture we established were all focused on one thing – giving the guest the freedom to experience the property in their own way, while making sure it never felt overwhelming or disconnected.
The hotel’s superyacht-inspired architecture creates a striking identity. In your view, how important is design in shaping a hotel’s narrative today?
I think it’s incredibly important because it shapes the way you experience a hotel. It creates the first impression, but more importantly, it influences how the place feels as you move through it.
Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab’s superyacht inspiration is very visible from the outside, but it carries through the whole experience. There is this constant connection to the sea, the architecture opens up different views and even the arrival has been designed to frame
Jumeirah Burj Al Arab in a very special way. For me, the best design gives a hotel a clear identity without really having to explain it. You feel where you are, you understand something about the character of the place and you keep discovering new layers as you
move through it. This is when design really becomes part of the experience.
You position Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab not just as a hotel, but as a lifestyle destination. How did this concept come to life?
The marina was the starting point. A superyacht marina is not a standard hotel facility and it changes the character of the whole property. It brings in a community of owners and visitors who are there for their own reasons, not because they are staying with us, and that gives the place an energy a hotel on its own would not have. From there it was about making sure every part of the property could be used in different ways. The residences gave us a permanent community. The waterfront promenade and the dining venues gave people from the city a reason to come without checking in. That mix is what makes it a destination rather than a hotel. People engage with it at different levels and for different reasons.
With your background in F&B, how has your experience influenced the culinary vision of the property?
Very directly. When you have spent years in restaurants, you think about food and drink as an experience in itself, and that was the starting point for the whole programme. The main thing was making sure each venue had a real reason to exist. With that many restaurants and bars, the risk is that they start to blur into each other. So each one needed its own identity, its own kitchen discipline and its own kind of guest. The Fore is a good example – it works as one grand space at breakfast and then becomes four distinct restaurants for lunch and dinner. It is not simple to operate, but it gives the guests range without repetition.
What are today’s travellers really seeking? How has the perception of luxury evolved in recent years?
Luxury has moved through several currencies over the past half-century – first material goods, then experiences, then, more recently, wellness and quiet discretion. What we see emerging now is connection. Guests are not short of access anymore. They are short of time. What they want is time that genuinely belongs to them, spent with the people they love and care about. For hospitality, this is not a marginal trend to accommodate but a return to something close to the industry’s original purpose – the art of hosting.
Having worked across different regions, how does cultural diversity influence the way you design guest experiences?
I have worked in Turkey, Jordan, the UK and now the UAE, and each market has given me a different perspective on how guests experience hospitality. You become very aware that expectations can vary – in how much interaction a guest wants, how they use a space, the level of privacy they prefer or simply the pace of the experience. Working across different countries teaches you not to make assumptions. You have to create an experience that feels intuitive to people from very different backgrounds.
A big part of that comes down to the team. When you have colleagues from different cultures and backgrounds, they bring different perspectives, different instincts and a better understanding of the guests we welcome every day. That makes the experience more thoughtful and, ultimately, more personal.
How would you define Jumeirah’s position within the global luxury hospitality landscape today? What sets the brand apart?
We are guided by the essence of luxury Arabian hospitality – a genuine expression of warmth and generosity that transcends traditional service. We see ourselves not merely as a place to stay, but as a majlis of global culture and connection. This positioning sets us apart in an increasingly commoditised luxury market and drives our vision to be the world’s most influential hospitality brand.
What does it mean to you personally to take on the leadership of an icon like Burj Al Arab?
Jumeirah Burj Al Arab is an icon and one of those rare properties that transcends the industry – people who have never set foot in Dubai know this building. It put the city on the global map when it opened in 1999, and it has shaped how the world thinks about luxury hospitality ever since. To be entrusted with that at such an important time in the hotel’s evolution is an absolute privilege and an incredible opportunity to steward a destination with such an extraordinary legacy.
After all these experiences, how would you define “true luxury” today?
My view of luxury is centred around personalisation, meaningful experiences, innovation, cultural connection and setting new standards rather than just traditional opulence. True luxury today is about thoughtfulness, emotional connections and authenticity rather than just material extravagance.
