IHG Signs to Convert a Dubai Hotel to its voco Brand
Date: December 2018
Location: Located on the Sheikh Zayed Road, within 8 km of Dubai International Airport
Name: Currently Nassima Rotal Hotel to reopen 2019 as voco Dubai
No. of Keys: 471
Owner: ACICO Gulf Real Estate will re-brand it’s Nassima Royal Hotel for a spring 2019 relaunch, as it’s first voco hotel in the Middle East. The company also owns the Radisson Blu Fujairah.
IHG is looking for further conversions and new builds in the region, to grow the brand further. The Voco brand was revealed in mid 2018, and has already launched in Europe.
Globally, IHG launched voco™ in June 2018 to strengthen IHG’s offer in the $40 billion upscale segment, which is expected to grow by a further $20 billion by 2025.
Designed for both business the leisure travellers, the hotel offers rooms that overlook either the vibrant Sheikh Zayed Road, or the Beach.
Amenities include a business centre and 1000 sqm of meeting rooms as well as recreational facilities such as an outdoor swimming pool, a gymnasium, and a spa. The hotel also features multiple dining options including an all-day dining, the lobby bar, a pool bar and 3 restaurants.
Commenting on the landmark signing, Pascal Gauvin, Managing Director, India, Middle East & Africa, IHG, said: “IHG has identified significant growth opportunities in upscale hospitality and the signing of voco™ Dubai is a significant step in this direction.
We are excited to partner with the esteemed ACICO Gulf Real Estate, a subsidiary of ACICO Group to debut the brand in the Middle East and are confident that it will be a popular choice amongst travellers visiting Dubai.”
As such, we believe that the Emirate now requires a unique offering like voco™ to cater to mindful and self-determined audiences. voco™ combines the best of individual high-quality upscale hotels, with the best of IHG.
It’s a brand that forms the heart of a newly built hotel or celebrates what already makes an existing hotel successful. Most importantly, guests can enjoy the freshness of unique hotels under a name they can trust.
Ghassan Alkhaled, CEO and Vice Chairman of ACICO Group added: “We are proud to partner with IHG to open the first voco™ in the Middle East. Powered by the strength and scale of the IHG system and charm of the newly launched brand, we are confident that voco™ Dubai will be a great success and a preferred choice for business and leisure travellers looking for an upscale experience.”
IHG currently operates 88 hotels across 5 brands in the Middle East, including: InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites with a further 30 in the development pipeline due to open within the next three to five years**.
THPT Comment: Good move for ACICO. Surprised to hear that In the UAE alone, the unbranded accommodation market makes up 60% of the total hospitality sector.
First Seen: IHG website
The Hotel Property Team (THPT) are a small group of highly experienced business professionals. Between us, we provide a range of skills and experience which is directly relevant to those involved in the hotel property market.
For more information – Visit www.thpt.co.uk or email [email protected].