THE Rotana group has many exciting new developments scheduled for 2011. The company’s investment in 2011 is expected to reach a staggering $800 million. Seven new properties will be added to the Rotana portfolio, out of which six are in the UAE and one in Doha.
2010 has been a challenging year, according to Selim El Zyr, president & CEO of Rotana. “We had to ensure that all our hotels meet and exceed our fair market share in revenues especially in the UAE where we operate 28 hotels. In order to do so, Rotana reached out to guests from new markets in Eastern Europe, South America, and Far East, like China and Malaysia and Hong Kong and this has proven beneficial. Furthermore, we invested more on marketing initiatives and advertising in order to be more aggressive in our approach to these markets,” he said.
He continued: “Lebanon, due to its current stability and commitment to renovation and progression, was the best-performing country in terms of tourism. The corporate business, which has always been the main focus for Rotana, saw a significant increase of 15 per cent in 2010 compared to 2009. Rotana saw an approximate percentage of corporate business of 80 per cent in Abu Dhabi, 50 per cent in Dubai and 57 per cent in Lebanon. With 12,515 rooms across all properties, we expect occupancy rates to increase by nine per cent in 2011.”
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El Zyr: the newly openedKhalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana in Abu Dhabi |
Looking ahead, the next four years will see Rotana open 10 hotels per year. “The plan is under full sail. The strategy is there. The execution and know-how are there. The objective is clear. We are positive that as long as we are able to manage growth in an efficient way, then there is the scope to take up further properties,” El Zyr said. “We are managing an ambitious expansion that will see our portfolio of operational properties increase from two in 1993 to more than 70 by 2012. Development of the Rotana brand is rigorously planned and meticulously managed across all operations. We are cautious on expanding strategically and efficiently. At this stage, the Middle East and Africa are our only focus areas for development, but one must never say ‘never’.”
A key developing market for Rotana has been Iraq, with the opening of the Erbil Rotana. “The opportunity arose when we were approached to manage two new five-star projects, one in the city of Erbil, located in the Iraqi Kurdistan region and opened in December 2010, and the other in Baghdad, located within the International Green Zone, which is the heavily guarded diplomatic/government area in central Baghdad,” he said.
Rotana, he added, continues to focus on the ever-changing nature of the industry based on new trends, which emerge following customer needs and expectations. From mobile bookings to sustainable development, it’s all about our guests’ changing requirements, El Zyr said.
The company is currently working on a new mobile application for its website which will be launched early 2011.