May 5 – Hilton Worldwide has announced that it will have 21 new properties opening across Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by 2014, out of which four will be in the UAE. In this regard, Hilton’s upscale Doubletree hotel will be introduced at the end of this year, with the first one being in Ras Al Khaimah, said Andrew J Clough, Senior Vice-President Development, Middle East & Asia-Pacific. He also said that the Waldorf Astoria – another premium Hilton brand – could be introduced in the UAE. “We are very confident about our Doubletree brand, which can easily fit in the four- and five-star segment here,” Clough added. “We are looking at more opportunities in the UAE, but nothing has been signed yet.”
Meanwhile, other Hilton hotels scheduled to be opened in UAE include the 371-room Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Beach Residence (opening in 2011), the 559-room Conrad Dubai (2011) and the 400-room Hilton Mina Al Arab Resort, Ras Al Khaimah. “In five years, we plan to more than double our presence here,” said Clough, adding: “This means if we target 150 locations, then that is the number of hotels we can add.”
