Full Speed Ahead

Marriott International CEO Arne Sorenson talks to Hotelier about losing the Al Habtoor City Hotels, opening 11 new hotels in the UAE and expansion plans for the mid-market sector

- Sarakshi Rai

US-headquartered Marriott International is “on track” to open 11 new hotels in the UAE this year alone, according to CEO Arne Sorenson.

Year-to-date, the company has added six new properties and is scheduled to add five more in the country, bringing its portfolio in the UAE to 59 properties and over 17,000 rooms across six emirates by the end of the year.

Two of the company’s openings this year feature regional brand debuts — the eco-conscious Element Hotels brand, which opened earlier this year in Dubai, and the Edition brand, which opened its doors on October 24 this year.

This year has been a milestone year for Marriott International in the UAE, with the company anticipating having added a total of 11 properties and over 2,600 rooms by the end of 2018.

The design-led Aloft Hotels made its debut in Dubai with four new openings: Aloft Palm Jumeirah, Aloft Me’aisam and Aloft City Centre Deira, all within the first half the year, and Aloft Dubai South in October.

The company launched its eco-conscious Element Hotels brand in the region with the opening of Element Me’aisam. The Ritz-Carlton brand opened its fifth property in the UAE — The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Hamra Beach.

The company also took over the operations of the Yas Island Hotel from Viceroy, which is scheduled to be flagged as a W Hotel early next year, marking the debut of the brand in Abu Dhabi.

Building off the momentum of the first nine months, the company is gearing up to open three more properties by the end of the year. These include the Courtyard by Marriott Al Barsha, Four Points by Sheraton Sharjah — which would be the company’s second property in Sharjah, and W Dubai — The Palm.