Muscat National Development & Investment Company (Asaas) has announced plans to build a four-star hotel and urban park, which will be managed and operated by Hilton Worldwide under the brand Hilton Garden Inn, said a report.

The facility, which will come up on a 16,000-sq-m area in the bustling region of Al Khuwair, is Asaas' second mega-project being launched this year, remarked Khalid Al Yahmadi, the chief executive of Asaas.

"The tourism sector in Oman is a key contributor to the economic growth of the country and has the potential to yield even greater returns aided by strategic investments within its supply chain," he stated.

Carlos Khneisser, vice-president of development, Middle East and North Africa for Hilton Worldwide, said:  "With a well-established tourism industry and historic reputation as a trading hub, Muscat is continuing to develop its infrastucture in response to steady increases in business and leisure arrivals."

"Oman welcomes almost 3.5 million visitors each year and with Muscat’s expanding airport capacity, as well as the expected opening of the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre this year, we look forward to supporting this growth and developing Hilton’s presence here," he added.  

John Greenleaf, global head, Hilton Garden Inn, said: "As we continue to expand our presence in the Middle East, travellers to Oman will soon be able to experience the very best in mid-market accommodation as we expand Hilton Garden Inn to the country."

"We have recently established the brand in the UAE and grown its presence in Saudi Arabia. With 16 hotels either trading or under development in the Middle East, our global footprint of 650 Hilton Garden Inn properties will continue to expand to include a growing list of exciting destinations," he added.

Hilton Worldwide has been operating in Oman since 1999, when it opened the upscale Hilton Salalah Resort, located in the south of the country.

Hilton Garden Inn has grown rapidly in the Middle East over the last 12 months, with properties now open at Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates; and Al Mina and Al Muraqabat as well as in Riyadh and Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.

Located on Dohat Al Adab Street, the seven-storey Hilton Garden Inn Muscat will be an architectural landmark, it said.

Respecting the surrounding area, the hotel design utilises elevation and section techniques to minimise close views into neighbouring buildings and will feature meeting spaces and a 24-hour business centre, stated the report.

Asaas said work has already started on the 232-room hotel which is due to welcome its first guests in 2019, it added.-TradeArabia News Service