By Anton Constantinou
This July saw a visit to our London office from Rotana: a leading property partner with an international presence in Africa, Turkey and the Middle East.
In a discussion with the SilverDoor Apartments team, Amy Curtis, Key Account Manager for Rotana, had plenty to say about the provider’s future plans and growth as a business. She also let slip who her favourite SilverDoor staff member is.
Which geographical regions does Rotana specialise in?
Rotana Hotels is one of the leading hotel management companies in the Middle East, Africa and Turkey.
Where in the world do you hope to grow?
Africa is a market that we are focusing on in a big way. Rotana made its debut in Africa last year with the opening of the five-star Kin Plaza Arjaan property in Kinshasa, Congo, and we’re keen to extend our reach across the continent.
We currently have a number of projects underway in key cities including Marrakesh, Luanda, Dar es Salaam and Lagos. We see Africa as a region that offers tremendous opportunities for growth, and one that will play an integral part in our global growth strategy in the years to come.
Europe will also remain an important market for us from an expansion standpoint. Rotana has already made its European debut in Turkey, where we currently have two operating properties and two that will open over the coming months. Our focus now is to open hotels in key European cities, including Paris, Barcelona, Frankfurt, as well as the UK.
We understand that Roy Simes, your Area Director of Sales, is due to transfer to Abu Dhabi. How will that impact on you as an operator?
It will have a positive impact on Rotana as a partner to SilverDoor Apartments. Using his knowledge of the UK market, Roy will work with hotels in Abu Dubai to ensure they have a more in-depth understanding of SilverDoor’s clients and requirements.
What can we expect from Rotana in 2018?
As satisfying as the last 25 years have been, it’s the years ahead which excite us. Rotana has ambitions to emerge as a global hospitality player, and has outlined aggressive expansion plans both in the region and beyond. No less than 49 Rotana properties are currently under development in 26 cities in the Middle East, Africa and Turkey, with 16 of these properties scheduled to open before the end of 2018.
We have a growing presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), which is one of the fastest growing hospitality markets in the region. We already operate four hotels in the Kingdom, and are on course to increase our tally to seven hotels by the end of this year as four more properties - all under our lifestyle affordable brand, Centro - join Rotana’s hotel portfolio in KSA.
How active is Rotana on social media?
We have a dedicated marketing and communications team in our headquarters, and in each hotel to ensure that Rotana is well represented on all social media platforms. We always keep our followers updated on our exciting news.
Who is your favourite member of the SilverDoor Apartments team?
This is a very difficult question to answer as we have a good relationship with the whole team at SilverDoor Apartments. I couldn’t possible pick one person, but, recently Jamie Collinge has been working very hard on helping us secure a great booking in Abu Dhabi.
Quick fire questions
Beach honeymoon or adventure honeymoon? - Beach honeymoon
Early bird or night owl? - Night owl
Summer or winter? - Summer
Facebook or Instagram? - Instagram
