The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has signed a management agreement with Emaar Hospitality Group to operate a lifestyle boutique hotel in the heart of Al Qasba.

Vida Al Qasba Sharjah, to be operated under Emaar Hospitality Group’s Vida Hotels and Resorts, will add yet another dimension to Shurooq’s tourism portfolio, together with some of the region’s most distinctive developments.

Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of Shurooq, and Olivier Harnisch, CEO of Emaar Hospitality Group, signed the management agreement in the presence of senior officials of both entities.

Featuring 100 rooms and suites, Vida Al Qasba Sharjah is positioned to meet the increasing demand for spacious and quality hotel rooms in Sharjah, meeting the requirements and expectations of discerning millennial travellers.

With a broad collection of properties, projects and developments including cultural and environmental tourism experiences set alongside Al Qasba’s canal, the new boutique hotel will diversify the emirate’s travel, leisure and hospitality.

Commenting on the deal, Al Sarkal said: "Sharjah’s tourism sector has recorded consistent growth with the number of hotel guests set to increase from 2.07 million in 2017 to over 3.16 million in the next two years. To meet the demand, it is important to strengthen the supply of quality hotels that meet the lifestyle aspirations of the visitors."

"We chose Emaar Hospitality Group’s Vida Hotels and Resorts to operate our boutique hotel in Al Qasba, led by its credentials in creating a refreshingly different experience for the new generation of travellers,"  stated Al Sarkal.

As per estimates, demand for hotel rooms in Sharjah has already outpaced supply, and the city will need to add more than 2,850 rooms by 2020 to meet the growth in visitor arrivals.

While the number of hotels is projected to increase at a CAGR of 3 percent from 2010-2020, the number of hotel rooms will increase 5 per cent year-on-year against a growth in hotel guest numbers of an average 15 per cent, he added.-TradeArabia News Service