New Rotana hotel to set precedent of Omanisation

Residents and tourists who visit Muscat’s first Rotana hotel can be expected to be greeted by well-trained and skilled Omani staff.

Located opposite Muscat’s new international airport, Sundus Rotana is scheduled to open in November, and the 215-room, four-star offering is set to offer yet another luxury destination for tourists visiting the Sultanate. “We have about 150 staff with us at present, and at full capacity, we expect to be at about 210 or 215 staff,” said Mark McCarthy, general manager for Sundus Rotana.

“Being a business hotel may be our business, but we welcome families in Oman as well, and look forward to having many of them in the future.”

“When we submitted our Omanisation plan to the Ministry, we sent them a breakdown of what positions and numbers would be Omanised, and that statistic was at about 25 per cent, but when we came into the market, we saw that there were plenty of young, talented, skilled and dedicated Omanis so it was very easy for us to increase that level to about 35 per cent, and we remain committed to keeping our targets in line with those of the ministries,” he added.

“We would also like our Omani staff to go to our other Rotana establishments in other countries, such as Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates, get some invaluable work experience there, and then come back here and share it to make staying with us a better experience,” explained McCarthy.

Outfitted with state-of-the-art rooms, a fitness centre complete with gym, swimming pool and spa, and extensive dining options, Sundus Rotana is the latest expansion by the well-known Rotana chain of hotels, which has made a name for itself across the Middle East. Rotana already has a resort in Salalah, and Muscat is to be their second operation in the country.

“Oman is a burgeoning tourism destination with tremendous potential to equally attract visitors, who are seeking nature and culture and business travellers thanks to the government’s long-term infrastructure investments and nurturing business environment,” added McCarthy.

Hospitality offering

“We are confident that Sundus Rotana will be an important addition to Oman’s hospitality offering,” he said.

“For years, we have been catering to the needs of global travellers seeking contemporary facilities and world-class service, transforming thousands into brand ambassadors thanks to the exceptional levels of satisfaction we deliver. We are excited and proud to offer our guests a new home in Muscat and look forward to creating treasured memories for them.”

“We see Omanisation as a very key priority from the get-go, and it remains an important part our identity,” he added.

“A hotel in Oman, I believe, is authentic when it is well and truly run by Omanis, and with the hospitality and friendliness they show, I believe it will make for a richer travel experience as well.”

With tourism being earmarked as one of the key areas for economic diversification and expansion under the Tanfeedh directives, Sundus Rotana is another in a new wave of hotels springing up in the Sultanate.

“We know that there are about four or five different competitors in this area alone, but we believe that although there is huge demand for hotels, that supply is still not being met,” said Akram Hamadeh, director of sales for Sundus Rotana.

“There is a huge potential for tourism in Oman, and people are quite keen to come here, so although there are quite a few hotels coming up in Oman, I believe this will be good for the country’s tourism future.”

“We at Rotana pride ourselves on our service, we are known for that as a brand, so we believe that this is what will keep us ahead of the curve when it comes to competitiveness,” he added

Source : timesofoman