FRHI Hotels & Resorts to boost its Middle East portfolio

FRHI Hotels & Resorts (FRHI) has announced its intent to expand its presence in the Middle East, including Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with the opening of four new properties.

“Our pipeline growth in MEAI and Saudi Arabia, in particular, remains a key focus for our 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 too. 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 in Saudi Arabia. The property will be part of a new mixed-use development project comprising the hotel, a convention centre of meeting and function space and 303 guestrooms, including Fairmont Gold. Fairmont Amman will feature 317 luxurious guestrooms and suites, including 17 serviced apartments and Fairmont Gold. 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 including white sandy beaches, an 18-hole Colin Montgomerie golf course and one of the largest lagoons in the world. Finally, Fairmont Fujairah will consists of 180 guestrooms, six restaurants and lounges, 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.