THE four star segment is the key focus in the Middle East region for Swiss-Belhotel International, which is targeting a portfolio of close to 100 hotels by 2012, according to its president.
The group has been expanding in the area starting with recent signing for the Beach Bay Hotel, a 32-room boutique property located in the Omani capital’s diplomatic quarter. It also recently signed up for the new Swiss-Belexpress Muscat, located in the central business district with 95 guestrooms. In Saudi, it has ventured into Tabuk with the Swiss-Belresort & Spa Sharma, which will be completed late 2013.
Its fourth project, the Swiss-Belhotel Erbil in northern Iraq, is a 108-key town centre property and is due to open in 2013.
“We are just reacting to what the market keeps demanding from us with almost 25 new hotel development projects in the Middle East and Asia Pacific,” Gavin Faull, chairman and president at Swiss-Belhotel International, told TTN. “We started off in Asia and have a big footprint in China. Five years ago, I came to the Middle East because I could see the movement of people – not just for tourism but also business and relationships. In this region, we are focused on the four star segment since that is a strong area and we have a solid brand.”
Swiss-Belhotel International currently manages the Swiss-Belhotel Plaza Kuwait and the Swiss-Belhotel Doha. It also operates six deluxe midscale resorts throughout Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam, among other properties.
“In 2012, we are looking at Dubai as well as the rest of UAE, three or four opportunities in Oman (we are on the shortlist of many developers) and Saudi Arabia (Riyadh and Tabuk),” said Faull. “We are also looking at new opportunities in Iraq, Yemen and Egypt. At the same time, we are interested in Jordan, which is a stable country. We are looking for a good spread in the Middle East,” he added.