InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed a management agreement with Kingston Holdings International Limited to develop a new Holiday Inn & Suites in Dubai Business Bay.

The signing will complement IHG’s hotel pipeline in the area, which includes a Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza and an InterContinental Residences, and anchor the company’s position as one of the leading operators in the Business Bay area.

Expected to open in 2021, Holiday Inn & Suites Dubai Business Bay will be centrally located in Dubai’s commercial and lifestyle hub and in close proximity to major attractions such as Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall. With 350 rooms, the hotel will offer guests two restaurants and a ballroom as well as one floor of dedicated meeting rooms to cater for business travellers. It will form part of a mixed-use development that includes 400 residences and a small boutique shopping arcade.

Pascal Gauvin, chief operating officer, India, Middle East & Africa, IHG said: “We are delighted to have this opportunity to partner with Kingston Holdings International Limited to further expand our presence in Dubai, a city that continues to offer excellent growth opportunities for our hotels. Business Bay is the fastest growing district in Dubai and this signing is in line with our strategy to grow the well-recognised Holiday Inn brand in emerging epicentres.

He added: “Dubai is one of the most visited cities in the world and, as host of Expo 2020 and as a prospering leisure and business destination within the Gulf region, there are significant opportunities for us to cater to the expected rise in business and leisure travel. We look forward to welcoming guests at the Holiday Inn & Suites Dubai Business Bay in 2021.”

IHG currently has 80 hotels operating across five of the company’s brands in the Middle East region, including InterContinental Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, and Staybridge Suites with a further 27 in the development pipeline. - TradeArabia News Service