Golden Tulip Hotels expands Middle East portfolio

The 200 room Al Bilad hotel in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - 5 star property - will become the Golden Tulip Al Bilad Hotel as per 1st March 2003. Through the same shareholders, a new 139 unit Tulip Inn Residence Carthage will be opened in June 2003, located directly in the same estate of the existing Golden Tulip Carthage Tunis. Furthermore, the intent for a new hotel and resort in Khasab, Oman has been signed, adding further 60 rooms to the portfolio by the third quarter of 2003, yet to mention that Golden Tulip is adding a new country making the brand represented in 51 countries.

The current Golden Tulip portfolio comprises 16 hotels throughout the Middle East and Africa, with destinations including Kuwait, Riyadh, Amman, Petra, aqaba, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Cairo.

"The Middle Eastern & African markets are extremely important for the Golden Tulip brand", states Hans Kennedie, chief executive officer and managing director of Golden Tulip. "The high level of inter Middle Eastern and African travel and business makes it imminent for Golden Tulip to have a hotel in all major cities of that region." continues Kennedie. "Through the new additions, we are one step closer to offering a pan-Middle Eastern network, providing Golden Tulip with a unique position compared to other hotel chains."

We continue our expension plan in this promising region franchising hotels, inns and resorts by getting closer to our owners and franchisees offering them our franchise services of a full fledge franchise as quoted by Mr Amine E. Moukarzel, vice president and managing director for the Middle East and Africa.