Qatar’s Katara Hospitality has announced plans to develop a new architectural icon for the capital Doha, the Lusail Marina Iconic Development, it was announced on Tuesday.
“With an architectural design inspired by the insignia of Qatar, the Lusail Marina Iconic Development’s spectacular architecture is set to become a leading hospitality landmark,” Hamad Abdulla Al Mulla, CEO of Katara Hospitality, said launching the project at this year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai.
The five-star property is set to hold approximately 800 units comprising hotel rooms, residence apartments, offices, recreational facilities, specialist boutiques and restaurants.
The project is aiming to be operational by 2016 and will be located in Lusail, a development 15km north of Doha city centre, which is set accommodate up to 250,000 people.
“Naturally, the Lusail Marina Towers will be ideally located for travelling football fans, officials and professionals as the Qatar Football World Cup arrives in a decade’s time. And long after the dust of the world cup has settled, the property will be a perfect getaway for Middle East leisure travelers looking for luxury accommodation as Qatar’s landscape offers more for tourists every year,” Al Mulla added.
The announcement came as the Qatar-based hotels company said it was aiming to more than double its portfolio of properties from 24 to 60 hotels by 2030.
The chairman of the newly-rebranded firm, formerly known as Qatar National Hotels Company, said that Katara will open six new hotels before 2016.
“We are looking at 220 countries,” said HE Sheikh Nawaf bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani. “You will see us spreading rapidly in the near future.”
When quizzed on how Katara would fund its growth strategy, Al Thani said the business was “cash rich” and initially planned to use its own capital.
A key part of Katara’s expansion will see the company open properties in Europe over the coming years.
The company says it will open three new hotels in 2013: the Royal Savoy Lausanne; the Gallia Hotel Milan; The Peninsula Hotel Paris, as well as a second Parisian location with a five-star hotel.
In 2014, it will open the Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, Tazi Palace in Tangier, Morroco - currently undergoing a multi-million dollar refurbishment - and a new-build project, the Comoros Beach Resort located in the Union of Comoros.
Earlier this year, Katara took over the ownership of two iconic Raffles properties in Singapore and Paris.
Business.com
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