IHG to open eight hotels in Middle East in 2012

InterContinental Hotels Group will be opening eight new hotels across six Middle East countries during 2012, the firm’s chief operating officer for India, Middle East and Africa, John Bamsey, told Hotelier.

New launches are planned for Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon and Bahrain.

“We have several openings due next year across six countries in the Middle East,” said Bamsey. “For example we’ll be expanding our presence in Qatar with InterContinental Doha The City and Crowne Plaza Doha The Business Park.

“In Saudi Arabia we will open two new hotels including our first Crowne Plaza in Medinah and our sixth hotel in Riyadh (Holiday Inn Riyadh Meydan) and in Jordan we are due to open the Crowne Plaza Dead Sea Resort,” he said.

The expansion will also include the introduction of some of IHG’s brands to new markets.

Bamsey continued: “We’ll also be introducing the InterContinental brand to Kuwait, the Staybridge Suites brand to Lebanon and the Holiday Inn Express brand to Bahrain and India.

He said portfolio growth was a priority for 2012.

“We will continue to focus on growth – increasing the number of hotels that our guests can choose from and introducing new brands to our markets. We currently operate across ten countries in the Middle East and assess each development opportunity as they arrive,” said Bamsey.

“In the short term the impact of the Arab Spring and instability in some markets is increasing our focus on Saudi Arabia where we are already the market leader, and emerging markets like India and African countries. In 2012 we will open our first hotel in Nigeria – the InterContinental Lagos and our first Holiday Inn Express in India. Early in 2012 we anticipate announcing the first Hotel Indigo due to open in the Middle East.

“Overall we have nearly 100 hotels in our development pipeline across India, Middle East and Africa due to open in the next three to five years.”

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