Rotana, which already operates a portfolio of more than 100 hotels and resorts in the region, is working toward meeting the rise in demand and the evolving nature of the market through new construction and the incorporation of advanced systems designed to make the guest experience easier, more efficient and still more satisfying

Although Rotana operates top-rated hotels and resorts in cities such as Makkah, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Salalah, Beirut, Amman, Istanbul and Sharm El-Sheikh and it is in Saudi Arabia that the chain considers its potential for growth most significant.

“The hotel segment in the Kingdom is the largest in the Arab world,” explained Omer Kaddouri, president and CEO at Rotana. “We looked at the arrival of 88 million visitors to Saudi Arabia for religious tourism, leisure tourism and business activity between now and 2020.”

According to Kaddouri, Rotana expects to increase its share of the market through an expansion of its presence in the Kingdom’s major destinations. By 2017, Rotana will have opened the doors to six new hotels in Riyadh, Jeddah, Alkhobar and Dammam, making an additional 1,500 rooms and suites available to visitors.

Four of these properties fall under the Centro by Rotana brand, a new designation that meets the demands of all kinds of travelers on all types of budgets.

“These new properties are an important part of our plan to expand our presence in the Kingdom, but it also comprises another very important goal and that is to increase the percentage of Saudi employees in the hospitality industry. The Saudization goal for hotels in 40 percent, and our Doroub program aims to train Saudis for the more than 1,000 jobs that our expansion will create,” Kaddouri added.