Rotana to invest $750mn in 2012 MEA pipeline

Rotana, the Abu Dhabi-based hotel management company, said in a statement it will invest US $750 million in seven new MEA hotel openings this year - less than predicted in 2011. 

In November, the firm said it would open eight hotels in the Middle East and Africa segment in 2012, however the opening of the Salalah Rotana Resort & Spa – Oman, anticipated for quarter four, has now been pushed back to 2013. 

The company will see its first hotel openings in Bahrain and Jordan, and second in Qatar. It will also open four hotels in the UAE, two in Abu Dhabi and two in Dubai, bringing its total room count to around 14,000.

Rotana president and CEO Selim El Zyr said: “Despite the generally gloomy global outlook, Rotana is proud to be growing and expanding. We believe our growth is supported by our commitment to keep evolving our products in line with travel trends and guest preferences, and one of the key areas for growth that we are currently addressing is the mid-tier market, for which we developed the Centro Hotels by Rotana brand.”

To support the brand’s growth target of a 6% occupancy rise among their portfolio in the region it expects to employ more than 3000 new employees.