Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts inks first Muscat hotel management contract

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has marked yet another milestone in its Middle East expansion strategy having inked an agreement with the Civil Service Employees Pension Fund to operate its first property in Oman’s capital city.

Part of a design-led upscale mixed-used development, Mövenpick Hotel & Apartments Al Azaiba Muscat will capitalize on its prime location in Muscat’s commercial hub, the Ghala District, adjacent to the Sultan Qaboos Highway and close to the new international airport and Oman Convention & Exhibition Center.

The property will feature 274 guest rooms and suites, and 50 serviced apartments. Standout facilities will include six market-oriented food and beverage outlets, a rooftop restaurant, swimming pool, meeting and event space, a ballroom, a rooftop gym with spa, executive lounge and a residents’ lounge.

“This new property will be a welcome addition to our already extensive portfolio of hotels in the Middle East,” said Andreas Mattmüller, COO, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, Middle East and Africa. “With Muscat undergoing rapid development and significant funds being invested into major tourism infrastructure projects, the time is right to put the Mövenpick brand on the map in this important regional city.”

Oman is considered a market brimming with opportunities for the hospitality sector, with some $640 million plowed into travel and tourism projects in 2015, or 3.1 percent of total investment, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) statistics revealed.

In 2016, Oman was on track to receive more than 1.8 million international tourists — a figure expected to almost double to 3.34 million by 2026. “Oman’s tourism industry is flourishing, and we are enormously encouraged by the government and private sector’s commitment to exploit its true potential,” said Amir Lababedi, vice president development — Middle East and Africa. “This management agreement consolidates Mövenpick’s position as one of the region’s leading hotel operators and marks another milestone in our strategy to maximize our exposure in every major GCC market.”

He added: “As we accelerate our regional expansion, signing management deals at a record pace, we will certainly be seeing more opportunities to grow our footprint in the Sultanate.”