With 2014 a record year for The Rezidor Group’s growth, the operator is now scoping out opportunities for its two new brands and is powering ahead with a robust Saudi pipeline. There might be challenges ahead, but Mark Willis, SVP Middle East & Turkey, will carry on climbing
Having been in the Middle East now for 13 years with its core brands, upper upscale Radisson Blu and long-stay Park Inn, The Rezidor Group had a record year in 2014. Now with 32 hotels operational, Rezidor is considering opportunities for new brands announced last year, Radisson Red and Quorvus, and is working full steam ahead with its Saudi pipeline, having signed a master development agreement with local owner Al Hokair Group in October for 30 new hotels.
With the workload becoming increasingly heavy for the Middle East & Africa team, Rezidor’s sub-office in Johanasburg has begun transitioning into an area office and Mark Willis, senior vice president Middle East & Turkey will now focus solely on the Middle East, Turkey and North Africa (Egypt and Libya).
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“As of January this year I’m in the process of giving up Sub-Saharan Africa due to growth both there and in the Middle East,” the British national tells Hotelier Middle East during an interview at Radisson Blu Media City, Dubai.
“It was the right time to separate and our focus is very much on the continued growth of Africa. We’re fast approaching 60 hotels in the [Middle East] region and if you look at the pipeline it’s an ever-changing scenario as far as business development goes and new opportunities.”
The importance of the Middle East to Rezidor’s global portfolio is demonstrated by the fact that 40% of last year’s global signings were in this region, and a quarter of properties signed worldwide were in Saudi Arabia, which Willis admits is his main focus for growth in the Middle East. Currently there are eight operating hotels in the Kingdom and 16 in the pipeline across primary and secondary cities.
Referring to the strategy for Saudi Arabia, Willis comments: “We are not focused just on the key cities. It’s also the Eastern Province, Jizan which is not too far away from the border, we’ve got projects we’re looking at in Salamah, Jubail, Ta’if.
“These locations — although they’re considered secondary locations — it’s quite surprising when you actually go to them, the amount of building and construction that’s actually going on.
“We’re developing the brands across the Kingdom in line with that infrastructure development, so it’s really exciting.”
In October, the company signed a long-term development agreement with Saudi firm Al Hokair Group to develop and operate more than 30 properties across the kingdom. The deal covers both existing and new hotels, resorts and serviced apartments under the Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson brands, with the properties to open over the next 15-20 years.
“If you look at that partnership, I think it made a lot of sense,” comments Willis.
“You bring immediate local knowledge to the table, and with Sami Al Hokair [Al Hokair Group owner] you’ve got an entrepreneurial, commercial guy heading up the organisation.
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