Minor Hotels exec talks Saudi expansion, Trojena resort
International hotel owner, operator and investor Minor
Hotels boasts more than 530 hotels in operation, with an upcoming Anantara resort slated to open in NEOM’s Trojena in Saudi Arabia. Amir Golbarg, Minor Hotels’ senior vice president for the Middle East, Africa & India, spoke to Arab News ahead of the Future Hospitality Summit in Riyadh, which runs from April 29-May
1, to shed light on why the hotel operator with a presence in 56 countries is keen to focus on Saudi
expansion.
“Minor Hotels has announced two future Anantara properties in Saudi Arabia – a hotel in Diriyah Gate in Riyadh and a resort in the mountains of Trojena in NEOM.
Our intention is to be part of each of Saudi Arabia’s megaprojects across a number of our brands,” he said, adding that “we’ll be announcing hotels under some of these brands soon.”
“There is huge untapped potential for the local market to travel and explore their own country, plus with the impressive megaprojects and infrastructure being developed, absolutely the interest from inbound international travelers into the country is also going to be huge,” he said. Cementing trust in their portfolio* of brand names also seems to be a key aim, with Golbarg saying: “Saudi Arabia is also key for us for outbound tourism, for destinations such as the Maldives and Europe, the latter where Anantara has significantly grown its footprint in the last few years … Our luxury Anantara brand has a strong brand awareness amongst Saudi travelers, hence we’ll definitely be able to capitalize on this.”
Minor Hotels’ portfolio includes Anantara, Avani, Oaks, Tivoli, NH Collection, NH Hotels, Elewana, Marriott, Four Seasons, St. Regis and Radisson Blu, among others.
When it comes to the upcoming property in the mountains of Trojena, which features elevation levels ranging from 1,500 to 2,600 meters above sea level, the executive addressed the challenges — and opportunities — involved. “There are certainly many challenges to overcome, including from an infrastructure, construction and engineering perspective, but … we are all confident that Trojena will be a unique yearround mountain destination … the 270-key Anantara resort will offer skiing in the winter months in the Gulf ’s first outdoor ski resort.”