Rotana aims for 1,000 rooms in capital

“Rotana’s strategic aim is to have a property in every key city in the Middle East and this goal is being steadily achieved through careful long-term planning and timely action,” he told Emirates Business. “We have a portfolio of 61 properties of which 24 are already running.”

The company’s inventory in the capital will be boosted by the opening of the Khalidiyah Rotana, the Park Rotana and properties under development on Saadiyat Island and at Capital Centre.

“In addition Rotana has recently signed a management agreement with Aldar Properties to develop four properties,” added Al Nowais.

“These include a 300-room Rotana hotel on Yas Island expected to open in 2009, a 250-room Centro by Rotana with an expected opening date of 2009, a 250-room five-star Rotana in Al Seef precinct of the Al Raha Beach development due to open in 2012 and a 165-unit serviced apartment property in Abu Dhabi.”

Earlier this year the National Investment Corporation and Rotana signed a partnership agreement for the management of a 600-room luxury property at Marina Abu Dhabi. The building on the Breakwater Island development will overlook the Corniche skyline.

Rotana is one of 190 international exhibitors taking part in the Gulf Business, Incentives, Travel and Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM). The three-day event, run by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (Adta), starts on April 8 at the National Exhibition Centre.

The exhibitors will represent the Gulf and Middle East region and the key Asian, Mediterranean and European markets.

The event’s organisers say the world business tourism industry is worth $672.5 billion (Dh2.5trn) annually and is a key sector for all leading destinations.

“We are very pleased that Abu Dhabi is hosting such an important exhibition as GIBTM, which will hugely assist tourism development,” added Al Nowais.