Rotana, the leading hotel management company in the region with a portfolio of properties across the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and Eastern Europe, announced the signing of 10 new hotels in the UAE, Iran, Tanzania and Sudan during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2014. The new hotels are expected to open their doors before 2020.

Cementing its position as the largest hotel operator in the UAE, Rotana has signed five new hotels in Dubai, which will increase the companys total number of properties in the emirate to 20. The company is looking ahead to a 2017 opening in the busy Creek district of a 280 room combined in two hotels, a 2018 opening in Al Barsha of a 163 room property under the Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana brand, and a 528 room Hotel under the Rotana Hotels & Resort brand, combined with a 100 room property under the Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana in the Wafi area, also set to open by 2018. The new properties will bring Rotanas total number of rooms in the UAE to 13,518.

Dubai continues to be a focus market for us and with EXPO 2020 expected to further boost an already strong hospitality market, we plan on widening our footprint in the emirate. The new hotels will enable us to strengthen our market share in high demand areas, said Omer Kaddouri, President & CEO of Rotana.

Rotana also announced its plans to enter the Iranian market with four properties, all of which will be opened under the companys alcohol-free brand Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts by Rotana. The first two hotels are set to open in the city of Mashhad a 362 room hotel in 2017 followed by a 275 room hotel in 2018. In Tehran, Rotana will launch two further Rayhaan properties by 2018 a 5-star hotel will house 194 rooms and a 4-star hotel will include 210 rooms.

The new hotel signed in Sudan will mark the arrival of the second Rotana property in the Sudanese capital, following the Al Salam Rotana property in Khartoum. The hotel is set to open its doors by 2019 with 221 rooms. Rotana has also signed on a 249-room project in the Tanzanian capital Dar es Salaam.

The opening of these new hotels in these four markets falls in line with our strategic goal to operate 100 hotels by 2020. These are in addition to the properties announced earlier which will open in Turkey, Erbil, Jordan and Qatar. As the Middle Easts most successful homegrown hospitality brand, we believe we are well positioned to execute these expansion plans and to venture into new territories. Irans tourism industry is bouncing back, highlighting the tremendous potential it has within the hospitality sector. Considering the increasing international interest in Iran, we are anticipating an excellent response for our four debut projects in the country, added Kaddouri.

Every new hotel will feature a mix of accommodation choices coupled with Rotanas world-class standards of hospitality. From a multitude of modern conveniences and facilities, to superb F&B outlets and recreational amenities, all the new properties will retain Rotanas design framework and operational layout whilst catering to the specific needs of guests from the individual regions they operate in, he continued.