JA Resorts plans two new hotels per year

JA Resorts & Hotels plans two new international hotels per year over five years, including additional properties in Dubai, COO David Thomson told Hotelier Middle East exclusively.

UAE-based JA Resorts & Hotels is engaged in a global expansion plan, which follows its first foray in to international markets with Enchanted Island Resort, which launched in December 2013, followed by JA Manafaru in November 2014.

“We are an old hotel company, but very much a new brand, first opening 33 years ago with the flagship JA Jebel Ali Beach Hotel and JA Hatta Fort Hotel – then growing to eight hospitality units all together in Dubai,” said JA Resorts & Hotels COO David Thomson.

The JA Jebel Ali Golf Resort is currently experiencing 40% repeat bookings, and across all JA hotels repeat business is at 27%, according to Thomson.

“We are finding that our guests will try our different properties – they understand that expectations are different amongst all our properties, but they know the bond we have with our guests and they know the level of care to expect from JA Resorts & Hotels,” added Thomson.

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JA Resorts & Hotels is also engaged in a variety of sustainability initiatives: “We started this years ago, and we now have two properties that are Green Globe certified, two Blue Flag certified beaches and we now also run a bio-garden – it’s not yet self-sufficient but it does supply a variety of herbs to our chefs and is a great talking point among our guests,” said Thomson.

“Being family friendly is also a key aspect of our brand, our staff are trained by worldwide kids, ensuring basic training is provided for everyone in contact with children, and those working in the children’s programmes are also crèche certified,” he added.

Last year the group announced the development of a premium tropical beach resort in Kathiraveli on the East Coast of Sri Lanka in partnership with the Gravity Resort Group (GRG).