Hyatt, IHG to Expand Middle Eastern Brands

By IvyLee Rosario

Park Hyatt Riyadh

Hyatt Hotels Corp. and InterContinental Hotels Group plan on expanding their Middle Eastern footprint. Hyatt has signed management agreements for 14 Hyatt-branded hotels across the Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Centric, Hyatt Place and Hyatt House brands. The company already has 14 branded hotels open in the Middle East and Gulf Cooperation Council and are expending to open the additional properties within the next few years.

The assets include the 275-key Park Hyatt Riyadh, 181-key Park Hyatt Doha, 261-key Grand Hyatt Kuwait, the 368-key Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and more.

“We believe the new agreements being announced today, along with the previously announced properties under development, demonstrate growing confidence among owners and developers in the strength of Hyatt-branded hotels in the Middle East and GCC,” said Peter Norman, senior vice president of development, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Southwest Asia, Hyatt, in prepared remarks.

IHG’s Crowne Plaza Muscat OCEC

IHG has signed for four new hotels in the Middle East and Africa, including Crowne Plaza Jeddah, InterContinental Doha Festival City, Staybridge Suites Lusail and the Holiday Inn Mutare. The company is also opening six new hotels across the GCC in 2017, including Crowne Plaza Muscat OCEC, InterContinental Fujairah Resort, Holiday Inn Doha – The Business Park, Holiday Inn Algiers Cheraga Tower and others.

The global brand continues to focus on key cities across the region, such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Riyadh, Doha and Cairo. IHG is also set to open its first resort within this brand umbrella with InterContinental Fujairah Resort later this year.

“While the increased focus on expanding our midscale brands – announced in 2016 – has become more pronounced with increasing demand for our Holiday Inn brand family, we have also begun exploring opportunities to expand within the emerging luxury/lifestyle segment in the region,” said Pascal Gauvin, COO – India, Middle East, Africa, IHG, in prepared remarks.

Images courtesy of Crowne Plaza Muscat OCEC & SOM