Budget hotel brand targets GCC expansion

Ibis, Accor Hospitality's budget hotel brand, will open a new property in Dubai next month and has plans for four more hotels in the GCC region over the next two years, the company said on Monday.

The opening of the 280-room ibis Al Rigga in March will expand the ibis network to eight ibis hotels in the region but the company added that the Middle East was a key area for future expansion.

Christophe Landais, managing director, Accor Hospitality Middle East, said the region was "a primary growth market", adding that four more ibis hotels were under development in Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE in the next two years.

He added: “Accor is pleased to announce the opening of ibis Al Rigga next month. ibis is our best performing brand in the market today.

"The company is going forward with its strategic plans for 2010 and we believe that we are on the right track to continue building the ibis network.”

ibis Al Rigga joins the seven existing ibis hotels - ibis Amman, ibis Salmiya, ibis Muscat, ibis Dubai World Trade Centre, ibis Deira City Centre, ibis Al Barsha and ibis Dubai Mall of the Emirates.