Dubai: Emaar Hospitality Group, a subsidiary of Dubai-based developer Emaar Properties, on Monday announced a new midscale hotel brand called Rove Hotels and revealed plans to open 35 new hotels and serviced residences in the UAE and international markets.

The new hotels will be launched under the new Rove Hotel brand, as well as the group’s other two brands, The Address Hotels and Resorts and Vida Hotels and Resorts.

The company plans to have 10 Rove-branded hotels with 2,660 rooms in Dubai by 2020, three of which are scheduled to open this year, Chris Newman, corporate director of operations at Emaar Hospitality Group, said at a press conference at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai. These include Rove Downtown Dubai, which is set to open in May, Rove Port Saeed and Rove Oud Metha.

Rove Hotels marks Emaar’s entry into the midscale segment. It joins luxury and upscale brands The Address Hotels and Resorts and Vida Hotels and Resorts.

Rove was developed as a joint venture between Emaar and Dubai-based Meraas Holding.

“It’s a contemporary midscale hotel brand addressing the growing needs and fast-developing segment of the value-conscious leisure and business traveller,” Newman said.

“Our aggressive development pipeline strategy, particularly in the midscale market, supports Dubai’s tourism vision for 2020 and Dubai Expo 2020,” he added.

The company also launched Rove Home, a serviced residences brand.

Other Rove properties in the pipeline include Rove Dubai Marina, Rove Al Jafiliya, Rove At The Park (adjacent to Dubai Parks and Resorts in Jebel Ali), Rove Satwa and Rove Home Satwa.

Newman hopes that the 35 hotels in the pipeline will open in the next four years.

Emaar said it will expand The Address Hotels and Resorts brand in the UAE and the region, including Egypt, Turkey and Bahrain.

The 196-room The Address Boulevard Dubai is expected to open in the fourth quarter of this year in Downtown Dubai. It will be housed on the lower levels of a 72-storey tower.

The UAE will also see The Address Sky View Dubai, The Address Fountain Views Dubai and The Address Fujairah Resorts and Spa.

It plans to open The Address Marassi Golf Resort and Spa and The Address Residences Marassi Golf Resort and Spa in Egypt; The Address Istanbul, The Address Residences Istanbul and The Address Residences Emaar Square in Turkey; and The Address Marassi Al Bahrain and The Address Residences Marassi Al Bahrain in Bahrain.

There are also plans to expand Vida Hotels, with additional properties in the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Emaar made headlines earlier this year when The Address Downtown Dubai hotel caught fire on New Year’s Eve. Newman said that the hotel, which is undergoing restoration works, will not reopen this year.

Emaar Hospitality Group’s revenue last year was Dh1.68 billion in 2015, Newman said, adding that hospitality and leisure accounts for 12 per cent of Emaar Properties’ total revenue.

Emaar Hospitality Group currently operates six hotels and three residences in the UAE. Hotel occupancy rates for the company were around 86 per cent in 2015, Newman said.