For Rotana Hotels the year 2000 was a watermark year.
Rotana Hotels, Suites & Resorts opened its third new UAE hotel bringing the total to 14, two new properties in Egypt and one in Lebanon. Rotana Hotel Management Corporation Ltd. has become a force to be reckoned with within the hospitality industry in the Middle East. With the five new hotels, which constitutes a 40 per cent growth, successfully opened in the span of six months, Rotana now manages 17 properties throughout the Middle East. This year, the group will maintain much of the same momentum, as more hotel projects are already in the final stages of negotiation and development. According to Selim El Zyr, President-CEO: "Our ultimate goal is to have a Rotana managed property in all of the major Middle Eastern cities and that will be achieved within the next few years". A further development of this dynamic group is the introduction of resorts to its already extensive portfolio, thereby assisting the local governments with their vision to develop the Middle East as a leading leisure destination. Rotana has moved into resort development with the two newly opened resorts in Egypt, the Coral Beach Tiran in Sharm El Sheikh and the Coral Beach Al Arish. Continuing on this path of success is the expansion of the Rotana Hotel in Abu Dhabi and making its mark in the coastal emirate of Fujairah with the development of the Fujairah Rotana Resort. Negotiations are also under way for the development of a resort on the highly desirable Jumeirah Beach Front in Dubai. New developments are not only planned to meet the demand for new room nights but also contribute to the economic diversity of the Middle East. Despite previous successes, Chairman Nasser Al Nowais and El Zyr are not complacent. They and their team of dedicated professionals continue to strive to meet the demands of their guests, ensuring that staff members are trained to deliver to guests the special brand of Rotana hospitality and the finest standards within the Middle East. "Development is an ongoing process, to maintain competitive advancement one needs to work harder and smarter. We have opened new hotels in record time, now we have to consolidate, build and strengthen the brand further," El Zyr said. "Our management systems are under constant revision and development. We are also investing in cutting edge technology. "The recently launched interactive Rotana web site offers the visitor direct access to our reservation system allowing online reservations from the comfort of his desk top computer at home or office." In Abu Dhabi, two major extension projects and the completion of a third property involves an investment of Dh500 million ($136 million). On completion of the extensions at the Abu Dhabi Grand and Beach Rotana Hotel and the completion of the new Al Maha Rotana Suites, Rotana will have 30 per cent of the total 5-star rooms available in Abu Dhabi. The Beach Rotana Hotel is currently under going a Dh250 million expansion process. One hundred and ninety new sea facing rooms, together with five new executive floors and three Presidential Suites will be completed over the coming 18 months. The work, being carried out as part of the Abu Dhabi Trade Centre, will also see the addition of a new 1,400 square metres Grand Ballroom with capacity for 2,000 guests, an extremely elegant marble pre-function area and seven new meeting rooms. Three new international food and beverage outlets will compliment the existing outlets of the hotel, while the popular Trader Vic's Restaurant has been relocated to a new and larger location at the front of the existing Beach Rotana Hotel. The Dh120 million expansion program at the Abu Dhabi Grand will see the addition of a five-storey accommodation block taking the total number of rooms from 197 to 305. The Dh120 million new Al Maha Rotana Suites are currently under development and will be ready for occupation in mid 2002 and will have 290 suites and apartments, meeting rooms and restaurants.