Hilton Worldwide has signed an agreement with Dead Sea Resorts Company (DSR) to manage Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa, its first property on the Dead Sea in Jordan, as well as the existing King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre.

The 285-room new-build waterfront resort located on the east coast of Jordan overlooking the Dead Sea (the lowest point on Earth), is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2013, said a statement from Hilton.

The resort is adjacent and linked to the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre, a state-of-the-art meetings facility famed for hosting the 2009 World Economic Forum on the Middle East. Hilton will start operating the convention centre soon, it added.

The spa is part of Emaar International Jordan’s Samarah Dead Sea Resort, an integrated community which, besides the hotel, will house 1,000 residences, retail and leisure facilities. The hotel’s location within this development is the North Rift, adjacent to a Wadi (a valley) on the Dead Sea waterfront.

“We are delighted to have signed this management agreement with Dead Sea Resorts for our first property on the Dead Sea. This stunning resort will truly complement our two hotels under construction in Amman and Aqaba,' said Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton Worldwide.

'Jordan is an important market for us in our regional development strategy, and we look forward to providing business and leisure travellers with group offers linking the three destinations,' he added.

Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa will feature seven food and beverage outlets including three restaurants (all-day dining, and two specialty outlets) and four bars. Leisure facilities include a health club, spa, outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts and a kids club.

In tandem with the company’s renowned Hilton Meetings product, the hotel will house two meeting rooms of 100 sq.m each, a business centre and Hilton Executive Lounge. With almost 5,000 sq m of meeting space and 23,000 sq m of built-up area spread over three stories comprising 27 meeting rooms, the Convention Centre is one of the largest in the region.

“Hilton offers travellers world-class resorts, and the Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa is an exciting addition to our leisure portfolio. By combining a prime location in an integrated community with signature Hilton style, amenities and services, we are creating a premium experience,” said Dave Horton, global head, Hilton Hotels brand.

“This resort will not only serve the region’s growing healthcare tourism sector, but will become a destination for the meetings segment as well,” he added.

Tourism is a vital sector of Jordan’s economy, with tourism related revenues representing approximately 14 per cent of the country’s GDP. International arrivals have been growing steadily, to over seven million tourists in 2008.

The Dead Sea has become a renowned destination for health and spa tourism thanks to the healing qualities of the sea’s minerals and hyper saline waters. Furthermore, the area’s biblical and archaeological sites attract religious travellers.

“We are delighted to have signed this management agreement with Hilton, the leaders in hospitality. As Jordan continues to witness a growth in tourism numbers, with the Dead Sea attracting health, religious and corporate business, this resort is destined for success,” said Said Darwazah, chairman of Dead Sea Resorts Company (DSR).

Hilton Worldwide has an impressive brand footprint in the Middle East and Africa with 44 hotels across 14 countries, and another 21 properties in the pipeline.

The company has two properties in Jordan under development – the 531-room Hilton Amman Jordan Gate which opens this year and the 346-room Hilton Tala Bay Aqaba set to open in the fourth quarter of 2011.-TradeArabia News Service