AccorHotels, the world’s leading travel & lifestyle group, revealed that it has surpassed 100 hotels in operation across its Middle East portfolio, with the opening of 12 landmark properties in its economy, midscale, upscale and luxury segments thus far in 2017. The number of hotel openings this year exceeds the number of hotels opened by the Group in all of 2016, and has already established 2017 as a year of record growth.
AccorHotels’ Middle East current portfolio is spread across 11 countries, including United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and Iran.
This milestone was achieved as part of a major expansion strategy by AccorHotels Middle East in recent years. The Group announced plans last year to double its room count to 50,000 by 2020, and has already reached the 30,000 room mark to date.
Olivier Granet, Managing Director & Chief Operating Officer of AccorHotels Middle East and Africa, commented: “When I joined AccorHotels in the Middle East more than six years ago, we set a very ambitious objective to reach 100 hotels in operation. We were at the half way point at that time due to the solid foundation laid over the past 35 years in the region. Today, I am pleased to announce that with strong teamwork, we were able to achieve this milestone in record time.” He further added, “Our core values of ‘Feel Welcome’ and ‘Feel Valued’ are at the heart of everything we do at AccorHotels, and my genuine gratitude goes out to our teams that deliver memorable guest experiences across a wide spectrum of segments and brands.”
“We continue to build great momentum with the acquisition of Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel as well as our Group’s addition of innovative lifestyle brand and resort offerings, as seen in the Middle East by the opening of one hotel on average every month until the end of the year and two hotels a month from 2018 onwards. I am very confident that we will achieve 50,000 rooms in operation by 2020 based on performance, team engagement, guest satisfaction and successful long term relationships with owners.” concluded Granet.
Development Highlights
– 101 hotels in operation representing over 30,000 rooms
– 12 new hotels opening since the start of 2017, representing over 4,500 rooms
– 1 new hotel signed every two weeks with plans to open 1 hotel every month in 2017 and 2 hotels every month from 2018 onwards
– Largest hotel operator in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with over 9,500 rooms in operation, and plans for the portfolio to grow over 60 hotels
Brand Expansion Highlights
Signing of the largest Sofitel in the Middle East with the 598-room Sofitel Dubai Wafi
Opening of the largest Mercure hotel globally with the 1,019 rooms and apartments of Mercure Dubai Barsha Heights Hotel Suites & Apartments in the UAE
Signing of the first AccorHotels’ lifestyle brand – Mama Shelter – in the Middle East, with plans to debut in Dubai’s Business Bay
Signing of the first Swissôtel & Swissôtel Living in the UAE through the rebrand of Dubai’s most iconic properties, Al Ghurair Hotel and Al Ghurair
Living in addition to the expansion of the Swissôtel brand in Makkah with the opening of the 1,624 room Swissôtel Al Maqam
Entry of the first MGallery brand in the Middle East with The Retreat Palm Dubai, MGallery by Sofitel, set to open later this year
Surpassing 30 operational and pipeline Novotel properties in the Middle East, thereby securing the largest brand footprint for the Group in the region
Opening of the first ibis Styles hotels in Saudi Arabia and in Bahrain in response to greater demand for quality budget accommodation
Growth of Fairmont in the Middle East through the opening of two flagship properties – Fairmont Fujairah and Fairmont Amman – and the signing of hotels in Cairo and in the North Coast of Egypt
