Pictured: rendering of Radisson Riyadh Convention Center.

Radisson Hotel Group has outlined tenacious Middle Eastern expansion plans as it sets out to add over 5,000 keys to its portfolio in the next five years.

Its current regional system totals 77 hotels in operation and under development after two years of record-breaking signings and key developments.

Saudi and UAE focus

Radisson’s Middle East regional focus sees the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and United Arab Emirates (UAE) remaining its core markets. The group has ambitious plans to sign at least five hotels and open more than 1,000 keys within the next 12 months.

In the UAE, Radisson Hotel Group is set to open the 389-key Radisson Beach Resort Palm Jumeirah in Dubai this year, following the launch of Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah on Marjan Island earlier this year as the first Radisson Resort in the Middle East. As part of the group’s aim to strengthen its resort portfolio, the property will open its doors at West Beach, Palm Jumeirah, one of the most buzzing destinations in Dubai.

The most recent opening of Radisson Hotel Riyadh Airport marked the group’s first Radisson-branded property in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. June saw the opening of Mansard Riyadh, A Radisson Collection Hotel, which is the luxury lifestyle brand’s second hotel in the city. With a robust pipeline in place, the group now has over 25 hotels and serviced apartments in operation and under development in the Kingdom, including the upcoming openings of the 200-room Radisson Blu Hotel, Riyadh Convention and Exhibition Center, and Park Inn by Radisson hotels in Makkah’s Thakher City Development.

Aggressive growth

Elie Milky, Radisson’s vice president development for the Middle East, Pakistan, Cyprus and Greece, said: “2022 has been a fantastic year for signings and openings across the region, reiterating the aggressive growth and movement of the group, and we are on track for further developments in the months to come.

“We will be announcing more hotels with plans to open another 400 keys before the end of the year, closing the year with almost 1,000 keys signed and almost 1,500 keys opened across the GCC and Levant sub-regions. We also look forward to capitalising on our expanding development team across the Middle East and to the opening of our office in Riyadh, re-affirming our strategic shift on the Kingdom.”

Additional arrivals

In Jordan, Radisson signed the 178-room Radisson Blu Hotel, Amman Galleria Mall earlier this year, marking the group’s entry into another major capital city in the Middle East. With construction already underway, the hotel is scheduled to open by the summer of 2023.

Additionally, the hospitality group has announced its second brand in Kuwait with the signing of a Park Inn by Radisson Kuwait Hotel & Apartments, offering both hotel rooms and serviced apartments. The newly built property is scheduled to open at the end of 2023 and will consist of 250 keys. The recent signing of the 108-key Park Inn by Radisson Muscat Airport will also further solidify its presence in the Sultanate of Oman.

Doubling target

Elie Younes, executive vice president and global chief development officer, added: “After two record years in terms of signings, the Middle East remains a key focus for us this year and in the coming years. We remain committed to unlocking its potential with a solid and immediate pipeline to double our hotels in this area by 2026, including key signings and openings across KSA and UAE, with recent additions in Jordan, Oman and Kuwait. We would like to thank our business partners for their trust in our brands and teams as we look forward to continuing our exciting and rewarding journey.”

Radisson Hotel Group currently operates 52 properties in the Middle East with more than 11,000 keys. As leisure and business travel continues to thrive in the region, the international hospitality firm is working on 25 properties in the Middle East.

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