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Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, has strengthened its foothold in the Middle
East by signing a management agreement with Al Rayan Tourism Development Company W.L.L. to operate a hotel in Doha, Qatar. The five-star,
35-storey Shangri-La Hotel, Doha will open prior to the Asian Games in 2006
with approximately 250 guest rooms and 60 apartments.
Centrally located in the commercial heart of Doha, the new hotel will be adjacent to one of the biggest shopping and entertainment complexes in the
world and connected to a large convention exhibition centre. It will feature
spacious rooms with wireless LAN and high-speed internet access, and a variety of restaurants, recreation and meeting facilities.
Commenting on the announcement, Giovanni Angelini, Shangri-La's chief
executive officer and managing director, said: 'The Shangri-La Hotel, Doha
reconfirms our commitment to expanding in the Middle East. Our target is to
build a regional presence of about eight to ten hotels, and we are delighted to
be opening a hotel in Doha in a prime location with such dedicated owners.'
H.E. Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al-Thani, chairman of Faisal Bin Qassim
Al-Thani & Sons Holding Company W.L.L., said: 'Having Shangri-La on board
is a major win for us. It reflects our focus on becoming a major force in the
hospitality industry.
'This is a reflection of the policy of His Highness, the Emir of Qatar
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and His Highness the Heir Apparent Sheikh
Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, which has been a key factor in the multi-industry
boom Qatar is now witnessing.'
Shangri-La's first hotel in the Middle East - the
Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai
opened in July 2003 and it will be quickly followed by the Traders Hotel, Dubai
which is expected to open in October this year. In 2005 the Shangri-La's
Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Muscat, Oman will open as one of the
group's spectacular new line of world-class destination resorts. |
