Carlson Rezidor plans Middle East growth for 2017 and beyond

The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group expects to open 17 hotels across the Middle East region this year.

The operator will add more than 3,000 rooms to its existing operating portfolio of 8,500 rooms in the Middle East. The hotel openings are concentrated across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, reinforcing its brand presence in prime locations across the GCC.

“2017 is the year of hotel openings and a very exciting period for the Group," Mark Willis, area VP, Middle East & Turkey, Rezidor Hotel Group said in a statement. "We are especially pleased to see the geographical spread of our growth across the region in key markets such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and also increase our brand presence across our entire portfolio.” The company is aiming to have 100 hotels and 20,000 rooms open by 2020, Willis added.

The hotel openings in the UAE will see Carlson Rezidor add almost 1,000 rooms to its operating portfolio, bringing the total to 13 hotels and 3,000 rooms in operation by the end of 2017. This includes the the opening of Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Waterfront, the group’s most prominent opening in Dubai in recent years. 

Another high-profile opening in the UAE is Park Inn by Radisson Hotel, Motor City, which is set to open by the third quarter of 2017 along the Dubai race track.

In Q3, Radisson Blu Residence, Silicon Oasis and Radisson Blu Hotel, Ajman are set to open. Further ahead, the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Canal View is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2018 and will be the sister property to the Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Waterfront.

With 30 hotels and more than 6,000 rooms open and in development in Saudi Arabia, the company is set to open its first hotel in Makkah (also known as Mecca) this year. The 462-room Park Inn by Radisson Hotel, Makkah Al Naseem is scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2017.  

Radisson Blu is set to open six hotels across Saudi Arabia, including the  Radisson Blu Residence, Dhahran. The Park Inn by Radisson brand will get five new hotels, including the Park Inn by Radisson Hotel, Makkah Al Naseem. The Group will also introduce the Park Inn by Radisson brand to Jeddah later this year.

In Egypt, Carlson Rezidor plans to open the Radisson Blu Hotel, Cairo Nasr City, a 298-room property located in the city’s largest district, in the fourth quarter of this year. 

Last year was another strong year for Carlson Rezidor in terms of growth and development signings, with 13 hotels and over 2,600 rooms signed in the Middle East. To support this growth, the regional team in Dubai and in Saudi Arabia was increased, while the regional office was also expanded.