London: Abu Dhabi-based hotel chain Rotana will bring more than 10,000 new rooms under its management within five years as it aims to be the biggest hotelier and hotel employer in the Middle East.
The company currently manages 25 hotels in the region with an inventory of 5,539 rooms. It has signed contracts for 35 new hotels that will create 10,660 rooms, an official said.
"These developments will make us the largest hotel group in the Middle East in terms of the number of rooms and staff," chief operating officer Imad Elias told Gulf News.
The group employs about 7,000 people and aims to hire 12,000 staff over the next five years as new properties come into operation. With the expected signing of management contracts, Elias estimates the company will employ 35,000 people by the end of 2012.
He discounted fears of oversupply of hotel rooms in the region but said more budget hotels are required to cater to the growing number of visitors.
"Today the Middle East accounts for just five per of global tourism. With two-thirds of the world's archeological sites in the region, it can be increased to 10 per cent. We need more hotels," Elias said.
New brand
His company has entered the budget market with a new brand called Centro by Rotana. It has nine contracts signed for the budget brand. Four of these are in Abu Dhabi, two in Dubai, two in Sharjah and one in Oman.
"The first two Centros will open in 12 to 16 months in Dubai and Abu Dhabi," Elias said.
Among the upcoming hotel openings is a 300-metre tower comprising 480 luxury suites on Shaikh Zayed Road. Scheduled for opening in April, Elias said the Rose Rotana Suites will be the world's tallest tower of its kind.
