SELIM El Zyr, president and CEO of Rotana was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the recently concluded WTM Global Awards in London. The honour comes at a time when the hotel brand is growing and expanding like never before while El Zyr assures that there will be no easing in the hotel group’s aggressive growth strategy.
Speaking to TTN at World Travel Market in London, El Zyr said, “By the end of 2012, we will have opened the Centro Capital Centre – Abu Dhabi, Al Ghurair Arjaan by Rotana and Al Ghurair Rayhaan by Rotana in Dubai and Majestic Arjaan by Rotana, Bahrain. This growth will continue in 2013 when we will more than double our property openings as compared to 2012.”
The brand is also looking at new markets with hotel agreements signed in Turkey and Mauritania, West Africa as well as Salalah, scheduled to open doors in Quarter 2 2013.
Situated in Salalah in the Sultanate of Oman, the five-star Salalah Rotana Resort will offer guests 399 spacious guest rooms and 45 three and four-bedroom villas. The resort boasts a stunning private beach surrounded by lush green tropical gardens and a lagoon-style swimming pool that is overlooked by the pool bar and restaurant. The resort also has a lobby bar and café, all day dining area, specialty restaurant, a spa and four meeting rooms.
“Rotana has grown to become the largest hospitality management company in the Middle East and Africa region (MEA) and our brands are not only widely recognised, but also much admired across the region.”
The success of the Rotana brand lies in the diverse portfolio of hotels. From the ‘All Suites’ Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana to Centro Hotels by Rotana, a modern, stylish and affordable business hotel brand designed to cater to this rapidly expanding market and Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts by Rotana, the alcohol free brand, we have a product for every kind of traveller.
“Our properties are powered by a consistency in ‘getting it right’ the first time, every time.
It’s essential to stay ahead of the game. What is considered a luxury today becomes a necessity tomorrow, so for us it is about expecting these guest expectations that are constantly evolving, said El Zyr.
“The niche luxury market forms about 10-12 per cent of all travel market today. What is luxury in Erbil today maybe a mid-range hotel elsewhere in the world.”
Needless to say, the brand’s is ahead of the game when it comes to opening new properties in these less developed countries including Sudan and Mauretania.
“We opened the Al Salam Rotana Hotel in Khartoum in 2007 and the Erbil Rotana in February 2011. I think we are extremely fortunate to be in these markets. There is a tremendous need for these markets to be developed and I am sure that the opportunities will be grabbed by the brands that know the market,” added El Zyr.
Rotana has also signed a recent management agreement for a new 220-room hotel in Suleimaniyah Iraq.
“Ultimately our focus has been to have a property located in every country in the MEA. Additionally India is a market we are keen to develop as it offers so much potential. India is very similar to the region in the way we think and yet very different in how we do business. With our office in India, we are trying to understand how we can fit each of our brands in different cities. I see great potential for the Centro brand in India, where we will position it as a four-star hotel and not a budget brand.
“Africa is another emerging market where are currently in negotiation with several developers. We are also looking to open hotels in markets like Turkey and Iran. ”
“Our strategy is to cater to every category of traveller out there. I think the market demands more affordable accommodation. Initially the budget brands targeted key cities but you are seeing this change. Even traditional resort destinations are keen to tap into this segment.
“After all travel is no longer a luxury but a necessity. There will always be demand for clean and economical accommodation from travellers. This is definitely the way forward for travel,” added El Zyr.
El Zyr concluded, “As a company, we will continue to pursue new openings and opportunities in new and existing markets and seek fresh challenges and partners who share the same goals and aspirations as we do.”