Rotana Showcases Global Expansion Plans At ITB Berlin 2024

Rotana highlights its growing portfolio of brands and properties at ITB Berlin, the world’s leading travel trade show held in the German capital from 5 to 7 March 2024.

Celebrating over three decades of successful operations within the Middle East and beyond, Rotana is highlighting its ambitious vision, global expansion plans, and most sought-after properties across its portfolio of 74 operating hotels in the MENAT region for visitors from Europe, and particularly Germany. This includes the company’s leading regional destinations such as Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas, Beach Rotana, Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana in Abu Dhabi, Amwaj Rotana in Dubai, Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa and The Cove Rotana Resort, Ras Al Khaimah.

In line with Rotana’s target to strengthen its global footprint, the hospitality group has several market entries in the pipeline. Scheduled to open later this year, Centro New Malden and Centro Kingston will be Rotana’s first two properties in the United Kingdom. The properties form part of a wider agreement to develop up to 1,500 keys over multiple sites across the greater London region, all under the Centro brand.

Rotana will also be making its debut in the Algerian market in the early summer of this year, with the highly anticipated launch of Azure Rotana Thalasso & Resort. In Senegal, Rotana announced a new 150-key Arjaan Hotel Apartments in the bustling city of Dakar. The luxury Pontus Rotana Resort & Spa in Georgia will add 600 keys to Rotana’s diverse global portfolio when it opens in 2026. In addition, Rotana has also signed an initial deal for a five-star resort in the West African nation of Benin.

Regionally, Rotana is set to launch eight properties in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) over the next four years, doubling its key count in the country to over 4,400. This includes the rapid expansion of Edge by Rotana, with plans on track to reach a target of 30 operational Edge by Rotana properties in MENAT by 2027. The upcoming KSA portfolio will include four planned Edge by Rotana properties in Riyadh and an Edge by Rotana property in Al Baha. Further Rotana properties in KSA include Dar Rayhaan by Rotana in Al Khobar, and Al Manakha Rotana in Madinah, scheduled for opening in the next few months.

The vigorous regional pipeline for 2024 also includes Onyx Arjaan by Rotana in Manama, Bahrain, Bomonti Arjaan by Rotana in Istanbul, Türkiye, Riviera Rayhaan by Rotana in Doha, Qatar, and Luxor Rotana Resort in Egypt, as well as the opening of Bloom Arjaan by Rotana on Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi.

Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Rotana, Eddy Tannous said: “Rotana’s robust expansion plans in MENAT confirms our commitment to playing a leading role in the region’s hospitality sector, and we are excited to share these plans with visitors to ITB Berlin 2024. We are anticipating another successful year as interest in the MENAT region grows, driven primarily by inbound tourists from European countries such as Germany. As we embark on our expansion journey, creating more ‘Treasured Time’ for our guests and setting new benchmarks for the industry, we hope to welcome more tourists from Europe to our properties across the world.”

Rotana recently announced the appointment of Philip Barnes as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). With a rich history of leadership and a deep understanding of the global hospitality landscape, Barnes is poised to lead Rotana’s next chapter and build on growing its extensive pipeline across key markets.

Rotana currently operates 74 hotels in the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Türkiye, serving more than six million guests per year. Its portfolio currently spans 19,602 keys and six superlative brands, including an impressive 10,159 keys across 36 hotels in the UAE and 2,200 keys across eight hotels in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.