Golden Tulip Hospitality Group has signed the management agreement for the largest hotel within its portfolio, the Golden Tulip Ajman.

The new four and five-star hotel will have 1,000 rooms, suites and apartments. The project has been divided into two phases.

Phase 1 of the project comprises 444 hotel suites and apartments spread in three towers, The Residence, The Suites and The Executive Apartments, each having a mixture of studios, 1-bedroom and connecting rooms. It is due to opnen in early 2008.

Phase 2 is a 550-room hotel with a revolving restaurant, the first of its kind in the emirate of Ajman. It is expected to open in the second quarter of 2009.

Ajman is the smallest member state of the United Arab Emirates, with an area of just 260 sq km. The hotel is located by the new “Hamidiya” flyover bridge and intersection, the new downtown of Ajman. It is 10 minutes away from the Sharjah International Airport and 25 minutes from Dubai International Airport.

Hans W R Kennedie, president and CEO of Golden Tulip Hospitality, explains: “Golden Tulip Ajman is a welcome addition to our expanding UAE portfolio. Tourism in Ajman is currently undergoing a major transformation and will soon become one of the region’s top business and leisure destinations. It’s important that Golden Tulip is part of this development.”

Amine E Moukarzel, senior vice-president, Middle East & Africa, at Golden Tulip Hospitality adds: “We thank our owners for having trusted in us such an opportunity. With this addition we have become a major contributor to hospitality, business and tourism in the UAE and Middle East in general”.

Fadi Salamoun, regional business development manager for Golden Tulip Hotels, Inns & Resorts, Mena, said: “We are very proud to acquire this beautiful landmark in Ajman, a city with great development potential. We look into this strategic move as to further strengthen our position as one of the leading chains in the region”.

On the leisure side, the property promises fun and recreation for visiting families and business traveler alike with several pools, a large gymnasium and fitness center, sauna, steam Jacuzzi, Restaurants and F&B Outlets, dedicated children play areas, shopping arcade and many more promising it guests lots of fun and an enjoyable stay.

With the addition of the Golden Tulip Ajman, the group's current hotel portfolio in the Middle East & Africa comprises 37 hotels with over 7,000 rooms in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, UAE and Yemen. It aims to reach 50 hotels, inns and resorts by 2010.

Golden Tulip Hospitality Group, with its head offices in Amersfoort, The Netherlands and Lausanne, Switzerland, is a worldwide hospitality company with more than 908 hotels, 81,000 rooms in more than 50 countries. -TradeArabia News Service