MARRIOTT International continues to remain extremely ambitious for the Middle East and Africa with plans to double its portfolio of hotels over the next five years. Following the retirement of Ed Fuller, president and managing director of International Lodging, in March 2012, Marriott has announced the appointment of Alex Kyriakidis who will head the group’s operations in the Middle East and Africa beginning January 2012. Kyriakidis is currently Deloitte’s global managing director for Tourism, Hospitality & Leisure.
The group currently operates 33 hotels in 10 countries and has approximately 40 hotels in the development pipeline for the region as well as new developments in sub-Saharan African markets. Kyriakidis will lead Marriott’s team in the MEA, one of the company’s four continental operating divisions overseeing all aspects of the division’s business activities, including operations, sales and marketing, finance and hotel development.
Speaking about his new role, Kyriakidis says: “First on my agenda will be getting to know my team across the 33 hotels, our owners and the government in those countries as a Marriott representative.
“What I have come to understand is the key role played by the government to spearhead the tourism development of their country and the Marriott brands in those countries.
“I strongly believe that in spite of the struggles the region has faced due to the global recessions and the Arab Spring, the Middle East and Africa is well-positioned for massive tourism growth in the coming years.”
Kyriakidis adds that with counties like Egypt, Libya, Syria, Iraq going through transformation, the role of the industry is extremely important. He adds, “Countries like Egypt were enjoying a contribution of 14 per cent to its GDP from tourism before the political unrest set in. My job as one of the leading hotel brands operating in the region will be to work with the Egyptian government and try to position it back on the tourism map. Even in countries like Iraq and Libya, there is going to be a massive rebuilding programme and I see some great opportunities for the tourism industry when the time comes.
“The rest of the African continent is like an open product. Countries rich in mineral wealth are attracting substantial investment from the global community, particularly the Chinese – who are investing in the infrastructure, which in turn means hotel rooms.”
With 40 hotels in the pipeline, Kyriakidis is not worried about oversupply, especially in the GCC market. He says: “If we go micro, the GCC is better protected economically than most countries of the world. Three countries in the Gulf – Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar – have huge ambitions in terms of investment in infrastructure and tourism and each for a different reason, be it the ever-increasing number of pilgrims who visit the kingdom, the 2020 World Cup in Qatar and the strong upward surges in tourism arrivals in the emirates.
”The power of the regional airlines Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways is also playing a key role in driving tourism growth in the Gulf countries.”
Marriott’s 40 announced properties are scheduled to open between now and 2017 and spread across the Middle East and Africa, with the big chunk of properties in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Algeria.