Gusto Restaurant and Al Shalal Beach Club now open on Palm Jumeirah

Notes and media contacts

IFA Hotels & Resorts is a leader in real estate development, specialising in premier integrated and mixed-use hotel and tourism resort projects throughout the Middle East, Europe, Africa, the Indian Ocean region, Asia and North America.

IFA Hotels & Resorts' activity in resort development began in the mid 80s with the acquisition and development of Pine Cliffs Resort in the Algarve, Portugal, through United Investments Portugal, which is part of the IFA Consortium.

The grandeur of Pine Cliffs provided the ideal environment for investment in the real estate sector as well as residential homes and resort living, and thus the consortium's link with the hospitality sector developed. Today, IFA Hotels & Resorts sets the international benchmark for the development of world class integrated real estate development.

A specialist in resort development, IFA Hotels & Resorts enjoys close links to premier hospitality operators such as Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, Kempinski Hotels and Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, appointed to manage properties around the world.

IFA Hotels & Resorts listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange in January 2006, with a market capitalisation of over US$ 1 billion. The company also listed on the South African JSE Limited (Johannesburg Stock Exchange) during 2006 with plans to list on other major exchanges in the future. In January 2007, the company invested in listed Thai developer Raimon Land.

Globally, IFA Hotels & Resorts has entered into strategic alliances and joint venture partnerships with leading companies such as Kingdom Hotel Investment Group (Saudi Arabia), Nakheel (UAE), United Investments Portugal, YOTEL (UK), a strategic alliance with RCI (part of the Cendant's Group), Tongaat Hulett Developments (South Africa), Boschendal Ltd (South Africa), Raimon Land (Thailand), Ohlthaver & List (Namibia), Indian Ocean Resorts (Seychelles)and most recently Related (United States).

IFA Hotels & Resorts' current portfolio consists of 40 projects in total, of which 23 are hotels, with a total of 17,000 keys. Assets under management are valued at US$ 10 billion.

The company is present in 14 markets across 4 continents: Kuwait, Dubai, Lebanon, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Portugal, France, South Africa, Zanzibar, Namibia, Seychelles, Thailand, Caribbean and New York, with plans to link its resorts to new parts of the globe. This will offer investors and tourists access to world class facilities through a network of hotels, residential resorts, vacation and residence club destinations.

IFA Hotels & Resorts' programme of brand acquisition and developer partnerships will continue into the future, illustrated by the ever growing strength of its product range: residences, hotels, resorts, hotel ownership, fractional ownership, vacation clubs, lifestyle membership clubs, yacht ownership clubs and jet ownership clubs.

This unique product range enables IFA Hotels & Resorts to continuously anticipate and deliver to the varying property investment and leisure requirements across the globe.

For further information, please contact:
Jumana Bississo
Account Director
Direct line: 04 365 8475