Saudi Arabia key as Rotana doubles down on Mena plans

CEO CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC AS UAE GROUP EYES 120-HOTEL PORTFOLIO IN 3 YEARS

- BY DHANUSHA GOKULAN Chief Reporter

Abu Dhabi-headquartered Rotana Hotels Group has ambitious expansion plans for the UAE, the GCC, and the wider Middle East and Africa (Mena) markets while remaining cautiously optimistic about the global economy.

The hotel group currently has around 30 hotels in its pipeline, with an additional 10 to 15 under discussion, aiming to reach a portfolio of 120 hotels within the next two to three years, Philip Barnes, Rotana's CEO told Gulf News ahead of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM).

While the UAE remains a significant part of Rotana's operations, with approximately half of the group's current inventory based here, the primary focus for growth is shifting towards regional and continental opportunities.

Saudi Arabia in focus

Barnes said Saudi Arabia is probably the biggest development market for the hotel group at this point in time, “with the most number of opportunities and where we anticipate seeing the most coming through in the next 12 to 18 months.”

“We already have 11 hotels there [in Saudi Arabia]. We've got 11 more under development. I'd like to see us with greater penetration in Saudi Arabia because it's a very good market for us. We are a Middle East brand; that's where our roots come from,” said Barnes.