Dubai World Central gets 2 new hotels

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) on Wednesday announced signing of a franchise agreement with Abjar Hotels International for a new 450-room Holiday Inn Dubai World Central and 250-room Staybridge Suites Dubai World Central.

The two hotels will be located in Dubai World Central, on the main approach to the Al Maktoum International Airport, three minutes away from the current terminal.

Holiday Inn Dubai World Central will feature an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty restaurant, bar and meeting space. This will be the fifth Holiday Inn property to open in the UAE, offering travellers to the city an inviting, familiar environment where they can relax and enjoy themselves.

Located adjacent to the new Holiday Inn hotel, Staybridge Suites Dubai World Central will be the first franchised property under the brand in the Middle East. The new Staybridge Suites hotel joins a pipeline of two other Staybridge Suites properties set to open in the next three to five years across the UAE.

Rashed Bu Qara’a, COO of Dubai World Central, said: “DWC is pleased to open its doors to IHG as it expands its presence in the UAE. In line with the National Vision, DWC represents a dynamic plan of expansion and development. To meet the needs of the 25 million visitors for Expo 2020, 70% of which will be from overseas, as well as the 200 million passengers expected annually at Al Maktoum International Airport, we are proud to be able to offer our future hospitality partners the necessary infrastructure and facilities needed to remain at the forefront of this growth.”

Pascal Gauvin, Chief Operating Officer, India, Middle East & Africa, IHG, said: “Dubai is a key growth city for us in the Middle East and with the development of new infrastructure we see greater opportunities for us to build our brands' presence here. Dubai World Central is set to become a major commercial hub with immense potential for us to cater to the rise in business and leisure travel.”

Abjar Hotels International, the hospitality arm of the Almulla Group, currently has five IHG properties in its portfolio across two brands in Dubai.

IHG’s portfolio includes 17 hotels across five brands in the UAE: InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites. The company will open a further nine hotels in the next three to five years, including InterContinental Dubai Marina by next year and Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina by 2016.

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