Millennium To Open 11 Hotels Across The Gulf In 18 Months

Millennium & Copthorne Hotels is rolling out 11 hotels in the next 18 months, concentrating on Saudi Arabia and the UAE with four hotels apiece.

UAE properties include Millennium Executive Apartments Dubai Marina (due to open Q4 2014), the 677-key Bab Al Qasr Abu Dhabi (Q1 2015), Millennium Golf Resort Al Ain and Millennium Hotel Fujairah (both 2015).

The Saudi quartet will see three Millennium hotels in Tabouk, Hayel and Jizan and a Copthorne in Makkah.

Other new hotels include two hotels in Oman – Grand Millennium Hotel Muscat and Copthorne Falcon Hotel Muscat – and the Millennium Hotel & Convention Centre in Kuwait.

President and CEO Ali Hamad Lakhraim Alzaabi was particularly bullish about KSA’s prospects, saying at least 20 hotels in the Kingdom are under construction “and we’ll probably surpass 30”.

“We believe the UAE and KSA are the driving forces behind hotel expansion and development in our region,” he said.

The three-star Studio M was noticeable by its absence on the pipeline list, although they are earmarked for key Gulf cities.

The announcement was made on the opening day of the Gulf Incentives, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM) in Abu Dhabi.