voco site to become IHG’s Sharjah debut

IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed its first hotel in the UAE’s Sharjah, in the form of a new voco site within a mixed use development.

The management agreement for voco Sharjah was inked with Sharjah Asset Management, the investment arm of the Government of Sharjah.

Prime position

As the first IHG hotel in the Emirate, the voco property aims to open in 2027. It will comprise 191 rooms, helping boost Sharjah’s offering as one of the top destinations in the region.

The hotel will be located in a prime position near the Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club on the Al Dhaid-Masafi Road, and will offer convenient access to Sharjah International Airport. As part of a masterplan encompassing retail spaces, offices, and SAM’s headquarters, the mixed use environment is expected to attract tourists, business, and corporate guests.

Bold identity

voco Sharjah will offer rooms and suites with a bold, distinctive identity, designed to provide guests with a comfortable and memorable experience.

The property will feature an all-day dining restaurant catering to the culinary preferences of guests, a state-of-the-art gym, and pool and spa facilities. The site will also house around 5,000 sq ft of versatile meeting spaces for conferences, events, and business gatherings.

Qualitative addition

Waleed Al Sayegh, CEO of Sharjah Asset Management, said: “We are pleased to partner with one of the world’s leading hotel companies to launch the voco hospitality brand in Sharjah.

“The new hotel will be a qualitative addition to the company’s portfolio in the hospitality sector and will add value to the overall tourism industry in the emirate, as Sharjah Asset Management diligently seeks to achieve its vision of promoting economic and social development and supporting and accelerating economic sustainability.”

Al Sayegh pointed out that through its extensive tourism offers, the Emirate of Sharjah has succeeded in strengthening its position on the regional tourism map, leading to an increasing demand for high-quality hospitality options.

Significant milestone

Haitham Mattar, MD, IHG Hotels & Resorts India, Middle East and Africa, added: “We are delighted to collaborate with our esteemed partner, Sharjah Asset Management, for IHG’s debut in the Emirates and bring our premium brand, voco, to the city. This milestone is significant as we are committed to expanding our presence in key regional markets, including the UAE.

“Sharjah is a fast-emerging tourist destination with its natural and manmade landscapes and diverse tourism offerings – we are delighted to enhance the experience of travellers visiting the Emirate by offering world-class hospitality through our well-loved brand, voco. The new voco Sharjah is a perfect fit for the market and is set to redefine hotel stays in the Emirate. We look forward to welcoming our domestic and international guests when we open the doors to this beautiful and unique hotel in 2027.”

Regional signing rise

Introduced in 2018, voco Hotels is IHG’s newest premium brand and on track to become the fastest-growing in the company’s history.

The brand has enjoyed rapid expansion with multiple signings across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia (EMEAA). The new voco Sharjah will complement several recent voco brand signings across the region, including the 123-key voco Beirut Central District, arriving in the Lebanese capital by the end of this year, plus two projects scheduled for 2026 completion, the 246-room voco Hotel and Suites Riyadh North in Saudi Arabia and voco West Cairo 205 Suites, bringing 140 keys to the Egyptian capital.

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