Hyatt to triple southwest Asia properties

Global hotel chain Hyatt will nearly triple its number of properties in southwest Asia over the next five years.

Mark Hoplamazian, the president and chief executive officer of Global Hyatt Corporation, one of the world’s premier hotel companies, has said the Middle East region offers key growth opportunities for the company.

“We believe the growth will only be sustained if we adhere to strict brand standards that continue to differentiate Hyatt hotels from others in the industry,” Hoplamazian said.

Hyatt operates more than 750 hotels and resorts in more than 45 countries, including eight in the Middle East, but it has aggressive regional expansion plans.

Global Hyatt Corporation in January opened a southwest Asia divisional office in Dubai to manage four existing properties in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and six in India, and 18 new projects in progress across the GCC and India and scheduled for completion from now until 2013.

Hyatt Chairman Thomas Pritzker – whose family founded the privately held Hyatt hospitality group about 50 years ago – also believes that there is growing international brand preference for Hyatt hotels.

“Hyatt has a long, rich history in the Middle East, and we expect our reputation for excellence in hospitality to grow significantly over the next five decades,” said Pritzker.

“One thing we know for certain is that the Hyatt brand resonates strongly with Middle East consumers travelling inside and outside the region.”

Hyatt, which first entered the region in 1980, has said it will conduct an international meeting of general managers in Dubai in mid-March. More than 400 general managers from around the world will meet to discuss, among other issues, adherence to the demanding brand standards of Hyatt.

Both Pritzker (pictured above, left) and Hoplamazian (above, right) are expected to be in attendance at the key international meeting.