Oman will witness a line up of new developments from Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Middle East and Africa (MEA). The Group will open three new properties in Oman, starting with launch of a global brand first, the 115-key Millennium Executive Apartments property in Muscat, in Q1 2015.
Two further Millennium hotels will be added to portfolio in 2015 – Grand Millennium Hotel Muscat and Copthorne Hotel Muscat.
“This represents a double first for Millennium – our first footstep into Muscat and the global debut for our Millennium Executive Apartments brand. This is a new concept from the company designed to specifically address growing demand for serviced apartments in the region,” said Ali Hamad Lakhraim Alzaabi, president and CEO, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels MEA.
According to Price Waterhouse Coopers’ (PwC) May 2014 Middle East hotel forecast, Muscat hoteliers witnessed highest growth in revenue per available room in 2014 among the GCC countries at 6.6%, beating both Dubai and Doha, with PwC forecasting positive RevPAR outlook into 2015.
“Government and private sector investment is driving tourism industry growth opportunities in the Sultanate with the US$6.1 billion development of enhanced airport facilities, a new convention centre, and a healthy hotel pipeline. We believe that the country has potential to make its mark on the regional tourism map,” noted Alzaabi.
Under the government’s Vision 2020 plan, Oman is preparing to welcome 12 million visitors annually by 2020, which is a substantial increase on its 2.2 m visitors in 2013, and increase total room count to 20,000 units by the end of the decade.
The Grand Millennium is a Sharia-compliant property offering 328 rooms and suites, an all-day dining restaurant, specialty restaurant, tea lounge, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, health club with fitness centre, tennis courts and meeting facilities including a ballroom, seven meeting rooms, majlis and VIP room.
The three new Muscat properties join the 234-room Millennium Resort Mussanah. Currently, the Group operates 17 hotels in the Middle East with approximately 5,000 rooms across the UAE, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, Oman and Iraq. It aims to operate 50 properties by 2017, including 20 hotels in Saudi Arabia.
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