Jumeirah eyes India and UK hotel opportunities

Gerald Lawless, the group CEO and president of Jumeirah Group, has indicated that the company is exploring further opportunities for hotels in the UK and India.

The company currently operates three properties in the UK - Jumeirah Carlton Tower, Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel and Grosvenor House Apartments by Jumeirah Living – which are all located in London.

Meanwhile, in India it is already developing hotels in Mumbai and Goa.

Speaking to the London-based Telegraph, Lawless explained how the company may look further north in the UK for future developments.

“We would be very interested to see which other cities would sustain a Jumeirah hotel. Edinburgh would be very interesting for us and Manchester for sure.”

Regarding India, he also sounded an optimistic note about the potential for growth, especially following the election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is regarded as pro-business.

“We have really big hopes for the economic development in India. We have two hotels about to start construction, one in Mumbai and one in Goa, and we hope to get more,” he explained.

“Look at the very business friendly government that is in power at the moment and what it is doing to try to improve the economy of India and improve the wealth of its citizens. Like China it has a rising middle class and these people will increasingly want to travel.”