Cristal Hotels & Resorts to unveil expansion strategy at the Arabian Travel Market

Abu Dhabi based Cristal Hotels & Resorts under the Cristal group will unveil its expansion plans at Arabian Travel Market next month. The group aims to triple its portfolio within two years, operating 13 hotels in the Middle East region by 2016 with a target of 50 properties within five years – thus doubling its previous goal of 25 hotels.

According to President & Chief Executive Officer Peter Blackburn, the show will enable Cristal Hotels& Resorts to update the regional and international travel trade on new developments at the group and showcase upcoming properties including the 5 stars, 95-room Cristal Erbil hotel opening in June and the recently-signed 198-room Cristal Grand Erbil, scheduled for launch in 2016.

“In just five years since we opened our first hotel in Abu Dhabi, we now operate in four countries – the UAE, Iraq, Lebanon and the Comoros in the Indian Ocean – and will debut in Saudi Arabia next year with two hotels in Riyadh, followed by a third property opening in Damman in 2015,” he said.

“In addition to the two new hotels in Erbil, Iraq, a major addition to our portfolio is the 84-room Cristal Grand Kadri at Zahle, Lebanon, a historic landmark hotel located just 45 minutes from Beirut that offers 84 rooms and suites as well as an array of leisure and business facilities including a pool, spa, and conference rooms.”

In other developments, Cristal Hotels& Resorts has recently signed an agreement with Delta Leisure Resorts (DLR) for West Africa’s first premium theme and wildlife resort, recognized as The Best Future Urban Development Project at the ‘Luxury Living’ Nigerian Urban Development Awards in March.

The project includes atheme park, luxury retail village, wild life safari park and two hotels, said Mr Kamal Fakhoury the Chief Operating Officer: “We are delighted to be involved in a project of this magnitude which breaks new ground in Nigeria, and we will be operating two hotels to cater for differing budgets and tastes –one a five-star, 250-room Cristal Grand Delta and the other a three-star 400-room Sterling Delta hotel.”

Cristal Hotels will be exhibiting on the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture stand at ATM, UAE2310.

Posted on www.godubai.com