Oman Hotels and Tourism Company has signed an agreement with global hotel chain AccorHotels for the operation and management of Novotel Hotel, a four-star hotel in the Al Khuwair area, a report said.

The agreement was signed by Mohamed bin Abdullah Al Khonji, chairman of Oman Hotels and Tourism Company, and Olivier Garent, managing director and chief operation officer, Middle East and Africa, AccorHotels, reported Times of Oman.

Al Khonji said that it would be the first hotel in the company’s five-year plan project, unveiled in June, for 10 new three- and four-star hotels, which would be managed and operated according to the provisions of the Sharia Law.

Novotel Hotel will offer 220 spacious and luxurious rooms, meeting halls and a variety of other options and services at a total estimated cost of OMR13 million.

"We aim to offer more than 2,000 multipurpose hotel rooms by leveraging the state-of-the-art capabilities and specifications through partnerships with international companies and entities specialised in the field of hotel management," Al Khonji was quoted as saying in the report.

"Oman Hotels has invested in many projects in the past years, which have achieved remarkable success at all levels and satisfied all the parties and stakeholders concerned. This has motivated us to announce the launch and inauguration of new tourism projects that are expected to add value to our national economy and meet the growing needs of this sector in the future," Al-Khonji added.

Fred Vessali, CEO of Oman Hotels and Tourism Company, said: "The signing of Novotel Muscat is part of our five-year business plan to expand our hospitality portfolio to develop additional 10 new hotels in different parts of the Sultanate. This is primarily to achieve the economic diversification planned by the government and to provide opportunities for our local and regional travellers to experience the global hospitality services."