Rotana Hotels area vice president for Dubai and Northern Emirates Thomas Tapken. Rotana Hotels area vice president for Dubai and Northern Emirates Thomas Tapken.

UAE based hotel brand Rotana Hotels is planning on opening eight new hotels every year in th3 Middle East, in order to hit its target of having 100 operational hotels in the region by 2020.

Having only opened its first property, the Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi, in 1993 Rotana Hotels has since grown into one of the largest operators in the region with a total of 47 properties.

Speaking during an exclusive interview with Hotelier Middle East, Rotana Hotels area vice president for Dubai & Northern Emirates Thomas Tapken Said: "The growth rate Rotana Hotels is having is tremendous. By 2020 we want to have 100 hotels; today we are 47 operating hotels.”

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Tapken also revealed that the hotel group is planning on achieving its target growing at a rate of eight new properties per year, as well as continuing to open hotels in new markets across the region.

“We are going into Jordan, we are going into Turkey and hopefully opening by the end of the year we will be in Salalah, Oman,” added Tapken.