Abu-Dhabi-based Rotana, a leading hotel management company in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, will embark on a $750 million investment plan to help the group maintain its position as the largest hotel brand in the region.
The hotel management group will open seven new hotels in 2012 including its first properties in Bahrain and Jordan and its second hotel in Qatar and will expand its portfolio in the UAE with four additional hotels. The expansion will see Rotana managing around 14,000 rooms across its properties by the end of 2012, and Rotana also expects a six per cent occupancy rate growth next year across its portfolio in the region when compared to 2011’s figures.
Selim El Zyr, president and CEO for Rotana, comments: “2011 has seen the hospitality industry in the Middle East and Africa registering positive growth, despite several challenging economic and political factors. We have properties in Syria and Egypt, and whilst we have been affected by the unrest in both countries, we are hoping that the political situation will soon settle down. Airlines from the UK and the traditional European feeder markets to Sharm and Hurghada are planning an increase to their flights as of December. We expect that as general business conditions improve in these countries and indeed right across the Middle East and Africa, so will the opportunities for hospitality, and Rotana is adding several new destinations to our offering – in Jordan, Oman and Bahrain.
“Despite the generally gloomy global outlook, Rotana is proud to be growing and expanding. We believe our growth is supported by our commitment to keep evolving our products in line with travel trends and guest preferences, and one of the key areas for growth that we are currently addressing is the mid-tier market, for which we developed the Centro Hotels by Rotana brand. Rotana will require more than 3,000 new employees to support its growth targets, a welcome development for an industry hit by substantial lay-offs as a result of the global downturn.”
Based on its deep understanding of current and future local market trends, Rotana is an early adopter and with the launch of the “Centro Hotels by Rotana” brand, the company today meets the needs of business travellers seeking a convenient location within the heart of the city to ensure ultimate ease while organizing and attending conferences, meetings and company events. With the opening of “Centro Capital Centre” this year, the company will raise the number of Centro rooms to 1,464 and the total number of Rotana rooms to over 14,000 by the end of the year, with further plans to open 25 ‘Centro Hotels by Rotana’ properties across the Middle East and Africa by 2014, introducing a unique outside-the-box solution for the mid-tier market.
The properties set to open this year include the Al Ghurair Rayhaan by Rotana, Dubai (Opening Q3 2012), Al Ghurair Arjaan by Rotana, Dubai (Opening Q3 2012), Boulevard Arjaan by Rotana, Jordan, (Opening Q1 2012), the Centro Capital Centre, Abu Dhabi (Opening Q2 of 2012), Capital Centre Rotana, Abu Dhabi (Opening Q3 of 2012), City Centre Rotana, Doha (Opening Q3 of 2012), Majestic Arjaan by Rotana and Bahrain (Opening Q4 2012).