Dubai: French hotel group Accor expects a 10-11 per cent revenue growth in the United Arab Emirates in 2014 over the previous year, according to its top executive.

“In 2015, we are targeting a [revenue] growth of 12-15 per cent,” Christophe Landais, Accor’s chief operating officer for the Middle East, said in a phone interview on Thursday.

With 66 operational hotels and 34 under development (which are due to open in two to three years), Accor has reached its target of 100 hotels in the Middle East.

“We haven’t finalised our next target [for 2020]. That will be announced in early November,” Landais said.

Accor operates hotels in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah and Al Ain. It has 15 hotels in Dubai, with five in the pipeline that are due to open between 2015 and 2017, including the Pullman Hotel in Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Adagio Premium Dubai Al Barsha, Ibis at the Dubai World Trade Centre District, Ibis Styles Business Bay and Ibis Styles Dragon Mart.

With a presence in some of Dubai’s sought-after locations, such as Downtown Dubai and Palm Jumeirah, Accor is looking at Dubai World Central (DWC) and Business Bay for new hotels. DWC will have two hotels — a 450-room Holiday Inn and a 250-room Staybridge Suites.

The group is also interested in operating upscale, mid-scale and economy hotels in Dubai Holding’s project, Mall of the World, which will be connected to 100 hotels.

“There is room for growth [in Dubai] for all market segments but the five-star upscale segment, which is already well-served, will progress less than the mid-scale segment,” Landais said.

With 11 of its 14 brands in the Middle East, the French hotel chain is still keen on bringing the luxury brand Sofitel So and budget brand Ibis Budget to Dubai, Landais said.

“Sofitel So is a trendy brand which will fit perfectly well with the lifestyle of Dubai. We are under discussions at the moment — hopefully within the next six months we will have finalised this development for Sofitel So,” he said.

It also expects to sign a management agreement for a hotel under Ibis Budget by next year.

However, Landais does not expect Sofitel Legend, the group’s collection of historic properties, to be introduced in Dubai.

“Dubai is a young city, so Sofitel Legend might not be for Dubai,” he said.