Rotana to create 1,000 UAE jobs

Abu Dhabi-based Rotana Hotels is expected to create over 1,000 new jobs in the UAE by end of 2011, as it moves ahead with its expansion drive to open six new properties across the country by year-end.
 
Speaking with Emirates 24|7, COO Omer Kaddouri confirmed the news, saying the group’s aggressive expansion drive will naturally require manpower over the course of the openings.
 
“After the opening of Centro Sharjah, we have six new hotels targeted for 2011, across the UAE, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Al Ain. By year end, we will be adding 1,200 rooms or 33 hotels to the country’s landscape and a recruitment drive is a natural progression,” said Kaddouri. “Currently, we are looking at filling in 1,000 new jobs, and that number can only increase.”
 
Of the six hotel openings, three will be located in the capital, with Centro Al Manhal, Centro Capital Centre and Capital Centre Rotana, adding 953 rooms to Abu Dhabi. Al Ain will also get an addition with the 200-room Hili Rayhaan by Rotana.
 
“We are really excited about our hotel complex opening in Deira Dubai, during Q3, with the Al Khor Arjaan and Rayhaan, which will be part of the Al Ghurair Shopping Mall complex. This opening, alone, will add 621 rooms to Dubai,” said Kaddouri.
 
Last month Rotana announced investing $800 million in the brand, to fulfil the company’s vision to open a hotel in every major city across the Middle East.
 
“We aim to have a hotel in every major Middle Eastern city, and by 2014, we are confident to achieve that and add 9,000 new rooms to this region alone, while adding nearly 18,000 rooms globally,” said Kaddouri.
 
By 2014, Rotana is looking to have another 30 hotels in the pipeline and grow at an average of eight hotels a year. Of the Middle East cities targeted, Doha is the obvious choice and the group is looking to open a new hotel in Qatar in time for the World Cup 2022.
 
Regional strife
 
Kaddouri admitted that the problems in the region have affected their hotels in Egypt, Syria and Libya.
 
“Our resort in Sharm took a hit, which would have been running at 70 per cent to 80 per cent during the winter months but had dropped considerably during the riots,” said Kaddouri. “Similarly, Damascus usually operates at 90 per cent occupancy during this season and is now averaging between 40-50 per cent.”
 
Kaddouri, however, states that the regional strife has benefitted the UAE, namely Dubai with the flock of tourists finding their way here instead.
 
“After things flared in Egypt, Bahrain and Syria, people started flocking to Dubai and we recorded a 10 per cent occupancy increase this year, which can be attributed to it,” he said. 
 
Recent events have however hampered some expansion plans.
 
“We have hotels in Syria and Amman that are still going ahead,” said Kaddouri, “However, in Libya, our hotel, which was just starting to be built from the ground up and has been halted. We don’t think we’ll be seeing anything in Libya for a while.” said Kaddouri.

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