Mövenpick to operate first property in Muscat
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is to operate its first property in Oman’s capital, Mövenpick Hotel & Apartments Al Azaiba Muscat.
The move follows the signing of an agreement with the Civil Service Employees Pension Fund and is a key milestone in the Swiss hotel management company’s expansion in the Middle East.
The new property will feature 274 guestrooms and suites as well as 50 serviced apartments, with guests able to enjoy six dining outlets, a rooftop restaurant, a swimming pool, meeting and event space, a ballroom, a rooftop gym with spa, executive lounge and a residents’ lounge.
Andreas Mattmüller, chief operating officer, Middle East and Africa, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, said the new property would be a welcome addition to the company’s extensive portfolio of hotels in the Middle East.
He said: “With Muscat undergoing rapid development and significant funds being invested into major tourism infrastructure projects, the time is right to put the Mövenpick brand on the map in this important regional city.”
Mövenpick Hotel & Apartments Al Azaiba Muscat
Oman is considered a market brimming with potential for the hospitality sector, with some US $640 million ploughed into travel and tourism projects in 2015, or 3.1% of total investment, according to statistics from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
In 2016, the Sultanate was on track to receive more than 1.8 million international tourists – a figure expected to almost double to 3.34 million by 2026.
Amir Lababedi, Mövenpick’s vice president Development – Middle East and Africa, said: “Oman’s tourism industry is flourishing, and we are enormously encouraged by the government and private sector’s commitment to exploit its true potential.
“This management agreement consolidates Mövenpick’s position as one of the region’s leading hotel operators and marks another milestone in our strategy to maximise our exposure in every major Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) market.
“As we accelerate our regional expansion, signing management deals at a record pace, we will certainly be seeing more opportunities to grow our footprint in the Sultanate.”
