Starwood to open 40 new hotels in 5 years

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is to open 40 new hotels in the Middle East and North Africa over the next five years, in a bid to tap what it sees as growing demand for its products. The company, which owns brands such as the Westin and St Regis, plans to increase its existing portfolio of 70 hotels by 60 percent during the period, primarily with luxury and upscale properties. “Despite economic and political uncertainty in parts of the region, Starwood continues to see demand for growth of all of our brands across the Middle East and North Africa,” said president and CEO of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Frits van Paasschen. “MENA is key to Starwood’s global expansion strategy, representing our second largest growth market after China.  When you consider that the region has 35 metropolitan areas with a population of over one million, and many with a wealthy middle class, there’s huge long-term potential for internationally-branded luxury and upper-upscale hotels.” In the past 18 months, Starwood has debuted six new hotels throughout MENA and inked deals for 10 additional properties. Recent openings include the first Westin Resort and Spa in Abu Dhabi, the St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort and the St. Regis Doha - the brand’s debut in Qatar. Later this year Starwood will launch its second St. Regis in Abu Dhabi, making it the only city in world with two St. Regis hotels, as well as the Sheraton Medina and Four Points by Sheraton Medina – both in Saudi Arabia. It also announced plans to build a W Hotel in Dubai on The Palm Jumeirah, set to debut in 2016. The hotel will feature 283 guest rooms, including 102 suites, five WOW suites and two Extreme WOW or presidential suites. It will also offer exclusive W branded features such as the ‘W Lounge’, a ‘WET pool’, fitness centre ‘SWEAT’ and an ‘AWAY Spa’.