US-based hotel chain Marriott International is set to sign a new partnership with Dubai’s Emirates Group and is already in talks to expand its recently acquired African-focused Protea Hotels brand into the Middle East, according to a senior executive.
Marriott already has a long standing partnership with Emirates, including managing the JW Marriott Marquis hotel in Dubai and providing hospitality for the carriers crew around the world, but the American hotelier is set to announce further ties with the group later this week.
“Emirates is a great partner with Marriott. The partnership is multi faceted,” said Alex Kyriakidis, president and managing director of Marriott International.
“On the one hand Marriott has the privilege of operating some of Emirates hotels, the JW Marriott Marquis and also the Marriott Harbour Suites in JBR... At the same time, Marriott is partnering Emirates on promoting Dubai with Emirates Airline and is also looking to partnerships with different parts of Emirates. You will hear about that later on this week when there will be an announcement,” he confirmed, without confirming the specific details
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On Sunday, Marriott announced six new hotels in Dubai and Saudi Arabia, as well as 14 in Africa, during the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC).
The first of the Dubai hotels is the 312-room Renaissance Dubai Downtown Hotel, which will be managed by RDK Tourism Investment, is scheduled to open in 2015.
Two more properties will open in the new outdoor lifestyle concept by Meraas Holding; Dubai Marriott Hotel Citywalk and Marriott Executive Apartments Dubai City Walk.
The company will boost its presence in Saudi Arabia in the extended stay segment, with the signing of Courtyard by Marriott Al Khobar and Residence Inn by Marriott Al Khobar.
The new hotels follow previously announced Residence Inn by Marriott Jazan, due to open in the fourth quarter of 2014, plus a new Marriott Hotel in Jeddah with 283 rooms, due to open in late 2016.
The eight new Africa hotels will be under the Protea Hotels brand, which Marriott finalised the purchase of last month.
Kyriakidis added the hotelier is also planning to launch the Protea brand into the Middle East.
“Protea has not become one of Marriott’s brands, it is number 19 in our portfolio. We can use Protea like we can use any one of our brands. We are looking to expand the Protea brands across Africa and the Middle East, it just depends where we go for here.
“It is hugely powerful or us as many cities today in the Middle East because of restrictions on existing brands.... Protea gives us another brand to be able to take to our owners and expand our footprint across the Middle East. Since announcing the deal was completed on April 1, already our developers have received enquiries from owners on Protea, African Pride and Fire and Ice. The owner community is engaged with us but it is too early.”
Protea Hotels currently has 126 properties in 10 African countries.
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