Jumeirah Group revealed its pipeline plans at its Madinat resort, the venue for the AHIC conference. Jumeirah Group revealed its pipeline plans at its Madinat resort, the venue for the AHIC conference.

Opening the doors of its debut Kuwait hotel yesterday, 7 May 2013, Jumeirah Group has revealed that its property pipeline is lined up to accelerate expansion.

According to figures revealed by president and CEO, Gerald Lawless, Jumeirah Group experienced rapid growth in 2012, increasing its hotels from 10 to 20 in just 12 months.

Currently the group boasts 5006 rooms, suites and residences, with 12 projects under construction and 18 in the pipeline, which have signed agreements with construction but are yet to start. “We are now in the UAE, the Maldives, China, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey and the UK,” Lawless confirmed.

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Along with Kuwait’s soft opening, the group will also launch its Azerbaijan property, which is in the final design stages, with a soft opening in 2013. “We hope that will be very soon,” Lawless said.

The CEO confirmed that the group still has firm plans in the pipeline for its Gantry Bay property in Egypt. “We are confident that situation will come around,” Lawless commented.

In addition, Jordan’s Saraya Aquaba property is well under construction and the group is starting foundation work on Marrakech, which is expected to open in three years.

Lawless revealed that the group’s Doha property is also “being discussed again”, although he would not reveal details of the plans, while in Muscat, Oman a planned property for the same owners of Saraya Aquaba is also in the pipeline.

Jumeirah Group is seriously eyeing the Saudi market with Lawless highlighting Makkah, Medina and Jeddah as key markets. “We aim to establish ourselves not only as a regional brand but an international brand and are in talks,” he added.

The company intends to start construction on Phase VI of its Madinat Jumeirah project in Dubai this summer, which will include a seven-storey hotel scheduled to open by the end of 2015.

Its property pipeline in Asia includes five properties in China and its Clearwater Bay property is well under construction according to Lawless. In  Bali foundations have begun for a new property, although the planned Bangkok, Thailand property is yet to start development.