At the Future Hospitality Summit in Dubai which concludes today, Marriott International announced plans to expand its Middle East footprint with the addition of over 20 properties and more than 5,000 rooms across the Middle East over the next 15 months.
Its current portfolio within the Middle East includes over 150 properties with more than 40,000 rooms across 21 brands, in 11 countries.
It said that its growth in the region “is fuelled by ongoing demand for its portfolio of hotel brands across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, and increased appetite from developers for conversions and adaptive reuse properties.”
In Saudi Arabia, Marriott will be opening properties in the Red Sea Project and Diriyah Gate, with six additional luxury properties slated to open in the kingdom by the end of 2023. The anticipated openings include the debut of the St. Regis and Edition hotel brands in the country and the introduction of the first Ritz-Carlton Reserve in the Middle East with the opening of Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in the Red Sea Project. Responding to what it says is a strong demand in Saudi for select service accommodation, it will also open a new Four Points by Sheraton in Riyadh and Courtyard by Marriott in Jubail which is expected to operational in 2023.
In Qatar, Marriott plans to nearly double its presence with 10 anticipated additions over the next 15 months, six of which are slated to be unveiled ahead of this year’s FIFA World Cup. It will include the debut of four brands – Edition Hotels, Delta Hotels by Marriott, Element Hotels, and Autograph Collection Hotels. The company also expects to open its second St. Regis hotel in Qatar later this year, The St. Regis Marsa Arabia Island, The Pearl.
In the UAE, Marriott said that it will further expand its portfolio of over 70 properties. It expects to cross the 50-property mark in Dubai alone this year, with upcoming additions of Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, Dubai; Delta Hotels by Marriott Green Community, Dubai; and Four Points by Sheraton Production City, Dubai.
In Kuwait, the St. Regis and Marriott Executive Apartments is expected to open by the end of 2023, while Marriott’s Aloft Hotels is also expected to debut in Oman.
Marriott says that while much of its growth in the region is through new-build developments, it continues to see an increase in conversion opportunities. There is also increased interest in the adaptive reuse space where developers are looking to convert existing buildings into hotel accommodations. Over 30 per cent of its anticipated property additions in the region by the end of 2023 are expected to come from conversions and adaptive reuse projects.
“As a company, we have developed a conversion-friendly platform that enables existing properties to quickly and cost-effectively access our world-class sales, distribution, and loyalty platforms to meet owner and guest demands,” said Chadi Hauch, regional vice president of development for Marriott International in the Middle East.
