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ROTANA TO SHOWCASE GROWING PORTFOLIO
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Etihad And Marriott Build Mangrove Forest
Etihad Airways and Marriott International recently planted 12,000 mangrove trees to create the Etihad Marriott Mangrove Forest, spread across 150 square kilometres on Jubail Island along Abu Dhabi’s coastline
The airline’s collaboration with the hospitality group is part of the broader Etihad Forest initiative, which aims to plant 182,000 mangrove trees in 2023, before the programme expands to other destinations in which the airline operates.
Homegrown hospitality group Rotana is all set to highlight its expansive portfolio of hotels in and beyond the Middle East at ATM, with a special focus on new openings planned this year.
At the show last year, the group announced its hospitality brand Edge, which sees independent hotels utilising Rotana’s advanced management and commercial systems to substantially accelerate financial performance. In a short space of time since the launch, Dubai has witnessed the opening of three hotels under the brand.
Guy Hutchinson, President and CEO of Rotana, said: “It’s almost a year since we launched Edge at ATM 2022 and that’s been a great story for us. We have seen three properties – Arabian Park Dubai, Damac Hills 2 Hotel and Park Apartments Dubai – already open under Edge, and we have a pipeline of another six to eight properties growing very quickly. We also discussed getting up to 30 properties in five years and that target is well within our sights.
“Launching Edge at ATM 2022 was a highlight for us and it has become a very important brand in terms of fuelling our growth across the region.”
With its sights set on a successful year ahead, Hutchinson said that 2023 has already proved itself as another strong chapter in the company’s success, with further growth predicted, thanks to a series of new openings.
“The next chapter in our success story is just starting. 2023 is a foundational year and we are seeing rapid acceleration across the UAE and Saudi Arabia. So, we are expanding our business to match that growth.
“We have a number of hotels in the pipeline in Saudi Arabia. We have already established nine properties and are hoping to get up to at least 15 this year. We are also witnessing tremendous growth in Egypt and have a new hotel, Luxor Rotana, coming up this year.”
Set to open in Egypt’s historic city, the luxury five-star resort will begin welcoming business and leisure travellers in the last quarter of 2023. Nestled on the Nile river and offering stunning views, it will be in close proximity to the city’s major attractions, including ancient ruins, monuments, tombs and temples.
The year will also see Rotana marking its first foray into the Algerian market, with the opening of Azure Rotana Resort & Spa. Located in the port city of Oran, the new property will offer 185 rooms and suites, with a host of leisure facilities available for guests.
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Employees from Marriott International hotels in the UAE will continue to support preservation efforts of the forest while also monitoring the status of the mangroves through a dedicated app which includes educational information on the mangroves and the technology and processes used to help preserve its ecosystem
Globally, mangroves store approximately 6.4 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, almost four times more than other terrestrial forests. At a rate of just more than 12 kilograms a year, the average mangrove captures over 300 kilograms of carbon dioxide in its 25-year lifetime, helping to fight the effects of climate change, such as coral bleaching and coastline degradation, and supporting biodiversity and wildlife.
The Etihad Marriott Mangrove Forest initiative reinforces Etihad Airways and Marriott International’s commitment to sustainability and reducing their carbon footprints, while supporting the UAE’s wider sustainability efforts.
