Marriott Targets More Than 80 Hotels in UAE by 2023

Marriott is set to open a further 5 properties in the UAE by year-end and has unveiled a robust development outlook for the next five years.

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 is scheduled to open in Abu Dhabi later this year.

The company plans to further enhance its footprint in the UAE with the addition of more than 20 new properties in the next five years, a development pipeline that could generate over 5,000 new jobs in the country.

“With a presence in the market that dates back over three decades, we have witnessed and been a part of the transformation of the UAE as one of the world’s most dynamic travel destinations,” said Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. “Our established and growing portfolio of hotels underscore the substantial demand for our brands in this market. We remain very optimistic about the UAE and continue to explore opportunities to further amplify our growth in the country through new deal signings and conversion opportunities.”

2018 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 year-end.

The design-led Aloft Hotels made its debut in Dubai with three new openings – Aloft Palm Jumeirah, Aloft Me’aisam and Aloft City Centre Deira (pictured) – all within the first half of the year. The company launched its eco-conscious Element Hotels brand in the region with the opening of Element Me’aisam. In the luxury space, the Ritz-Carlton brand opened its fifth property in the UAE – The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Hamra Beach in Ras Al Khaimah. The company also took over the operations of the Yas Island Hotel, 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 five more properties by the end of the year. These include the Courtyard by Marriott Al Barsha; Four Points by Sheraton Sharjah – the company’s second property in Sharjah; Aloft Dubai South – the first hotel to open in the Dubai South district; The Abu Dhabi Edition; and W Dubai – The Palm.

While the company’s development pipeline highlights solid growth for its upper-upscale and luxury portfolio, its select-service brands represent over 70% of the development pipeline for the UAE. The growth of its select-service portfolio, which features brands such as Courtyard by Marriott, Aloft Hotels, Element Hotels and Residence Inn by Marriott, is in line with the UAE government’s efforts to expand the mid-scale segment in the country.

Increased Demand for High-End, Branded Residences

Marriott International recently announced that its global branded residential portfolio is expected to grow by more than 70% in four years as consumers increasingly seek residences in communities that offer a convenient lifestyle, array of amenities and services while real estate developers seek to differentiate and elevate their products with trusted brands.

Across the Middle East and Africa, Marriott currently operates three branded residential properties, including the Bvlgari Residences in Dubai, and anticipates to more than double its residential portfolio in the region with eight projects scheduled to open by 2022.

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