Tourism & Hospitality | Tuesday 22 March, 2016 5:38 am |

Heading into 2016, FRHI Hotels & Resorts (FRHI), the parent company of luxury and upscale hotel brands Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Raffles Hotels & Resorts and Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts is planning to expand and amplify its presence in the Middle East, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with the opening of four new properties.  

“Our pipeline growth in the MEAI and Saudi Arabia, in particular, remains a key focus for our world-leading luxury hotel brands,” said Sami Nasser, senior vice president, operations, Middle East, Africa and India for FRHI. “This region is among the fastest-growing for FRHI for both business and leisure travel as well as major events and the success has been built on our unwavering dedication to the highest standards of hospitality.”

“Since our debut in Saudi Arabia over five years ago with our multi-branded hotel complex in Makkah, our brands have been well positioned to appeal to both business and religious tourism in this increasing sophisticated travel market.The five new openings boost what is already an aggressive development plan to achieve our projected target of 50% growth over the next five years.”

 

FRHI properties set to open in 2016 and the beginning of 2017 include:

 

Fairmont Riyadh Business Gate- Saudi Arabia – Located just north of the city, Fairmont Riyadh, Business Gate will be part of a new mixed-use development project comprising the hotel, a convention centre with over 5,500 square meters (59,000 square feet) of meeting and function space, and commercial real estate space that will house multinational corporations as well as regional companies. The hotel will feature 303 spacious guestrooms, including Fairmont Gold, the brands ‘hotel within a hotel’ concept plus a selection of dining venues as well as spa and fitness facilities. 

 

Fairmont Amman- Jordan – FRHI’s first hotel in Jordan, this luxurious hotel will be situated next to the Fifth Circle in the heart of Amman, less than 30 minutes from the airport, adjacent to the Embassy District, the new Royal Jordanian headquarters, the Abdali Development, as well as the desirable residential community of Abdoun. The Fairmont Amman will feature 317 luxurious guestrooms and suites, including 17 serviced apartments and Fairmont Gold, the brands ‘hotel within a hotel’ concept. For corporate events, weddings and local galas, over 2,000 square meters (21,000 square feet) of function space, including an 800 square meter (8600 square feet) ballroom.

 

Fairmont Citystars Sharm el Sheikh- Egypt – To complement existing Fairmont properties in Cairo including Fairmont Nile City and Fairmont Heliopolis & Towers, FRHI has partnered with Citystars on an exceptional flagship project in Sharm el Sheikh, to include the Fairmont Citystars Sharm el Sheikh. Part of the first phase, including extensive retail and residential apartments, The Fairmont Citystars Sharm el Sheikh will include 413 guestrooms and 316 residences. The project, which will also consist of a Raffles and Swissôtel property, will be spread over 7.5 million square meters, including 22 km of white sandy beaches, an 18-hole Colin Montgomerie golf course and one of the largest and most spectacular lagoons in the world. An irresistible focal point, the Crystal Lagoon is 120,000 square meters of oasis surrounded by the desert used for recreation, swimming, and water sports. The Lagoon will create a beach paradise while adhering to energy efficient technologies and practices. 

 

Fairmont Fujairah- United Arab Emirates– Adding to the growing collection of Fairmont hotels in the UAE, the hotel is located on the east coast of the United Arab Emirates with sweeping views of the Gulf of Oman and lauded for its natural beauty set against the backdrop of the historic Hajar Mountains. The project will consist of 180 guestrooms, six restaurants and lounges, dedicated meeting facilities, a Willow Stream spa and a marina as well as 13 branded residences. 

 

Looking beyond 2017, FRHI has a number of hotel development projects underway in markets like China and Africa set to open over the next five years. The company remains focused on international expansion for all three brands with particular emphasis on key markets in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Openings include Swissotel Jeddah in 2017, Raffles Jeddah in 2018 and Swissôtel Al Khobar in 2020.