Spain’s Barceló expands reach in Middle East and Turkey

Spain’s Barceló Hotel Group is intensifying its focus on the Middle East, Africa and Turkey this year with plans to invest more than $400 million as part of its global expansion strategy.

The move includes opening hotels in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Turkey.

The company will expand its portfolio in the Middle East by launching its first 195-key property in Manama, Bahrain, in the second half of 2024. In the UAE, the Occidental Al Jaddaf in Dubai will undergo a revamp under the ‘Barceló’ hotel brand in the fourth quarter of 2024.

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“The Mena region has rapidly grown in demand for international tourism, and our growth strategy will focus on key source markets,” said José Canals, Managing Director for Middle East, Asia, Mediterranean and North Africa at Barceló Hotel Group.

The company will expand its presence in Turkey, where it currently manages and operates Barceló Istanbul and Occidental Taksim in Istanbul, as well as Occidental Ankara. 

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In May 2024, it plans to open a fourth property with a five-star hotel under the Barceló brand in Cappadocia, as well as explore investment opportunities across Turkey’s urban travel destinations such as Izmir, Bursa, Konya, Antalya and Bodrum.

In Africa, Barceló Hotel Group will debut its Occidental Hotel & Resorts brand in Morocco with a 170-key four-star hotel in Tangier. Additionally, it will allocate over $85 million in acquisitions and refurbishments of two five-star hotels under its Royal Hideaway Hotels & Resorts and Barceló brands in Casablanca and Rabat, respectively. 

The group will also refurbish existing properties such as Barceló Fès Medina and Allegro Agadir in Morocco and reposition the Barceló Palmeraie in Marrakech.