IHG set to expand in Abu Dhabi with Two New Hotels

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced the signing of two new hotels in Abu Dhabi which will mark the entry of a second InterContinental and second Holiday Inn property into the UAE capital.
A 20-year management agreement was signed with the National Corporation of Tourism and Hotels for InterContinental Abu Dhabi – Grand Marina. Located in close proximity to InterContinental Abu Dhabi, the new 184-key hotel will feature rooms and serviced apartments along with a range of exciting food and beverage and entertainment facilities. Due to open in 2016, the hotel will also have extensive meeting space catering for the ever growing Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions (MICE) market.
IHG also signed a management agreement with Pearl Azure Hotel Management LLC for the 257-key Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi Downtown, which will be a conversion of the current Sands Hotel in downtown Abu Dhabi. Featuring a restaurant, bar, pool, fitness centre and dedicated meeting space, the new hotel will undergo a refurbishment and open as a Holiday Inn by the end of 2014.
The National Corporation of Tourism and Hotels and Pearl Azure Hotel Management LLC already have three IHG properties in their portfolio across the UAE: InterContinental Abu Dhabi, Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi and Crowne Plaza Dubai. Along with these new signings comes a renewal of the management agreement for the existing InterContinental Abu Dhabi.
Pascal Gauvin, Chief Operating Officer, India, Middle East & Africa, IHG commented: “As the capital of the UAE and one of the fastest growing cities in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi is a key market for IHG and we see strong potential for all our brands here. Our Owners play an important role in our growth strategy and we are committed to building long-term relationships with them. We have had a long and successful partnership with the National Corporation of Tourism and Hotels and Pearl Azure Hotel Management LLC for nearly two decades now.”
Mohamed Mounib, Group Chief Executive Officer, National Corporation of Tourism and Hotels and Pearl Azure Hotel Management LLC commented: “We have been working with IHG for about 20 years now and the three properties we have under their management have seen steady growth and healthy returns over the years. With the growth in demand for midscale hotels in the UAE it is also a good time for us to add the Holiday Inn brand into our portfolio. We are very pleased to be extending our partnership with IHG to add two new hotels to Abu Dhabi, which puts us in a good position to cater to the growing number of business and leisure travellers in the city.”
Source: IHG