Leading Omani firms Taameer Investment and Golden Group of Companies (GGC) are to build a chain of hotels across Muscat, Sohar and Salalah which will be managed by the UAE’s Rotana group.

Officials from the three firms signed the agreement in the presence of Oman’s Minister of Tourism Ahmed bin Nasser Al Mahrazi last month as part of the sultanate’s 45th National Day celebrations.

The agreement comes as a part of an ambitious strategy by GGC and Taameer Investment to expand and form partnerships in the hospitality sector with global operators in line with the steady growth witnessed by the sultanate over the past years.

The new hotels will offer a total of approximately 1,500 rooms and be built over the next five years in these major cities. They will include five-, four- and three-star hotels.

Sheikh Salim bin Ahmad Al Ghazali, the chairman of GGC and Taameer, said: “We are happy with this strategic alliance and signing of the agreement with Rotana Hotel Management Company, which reflects a roadmap for our hotel investments in hospitality, tourism and travel industries in the coming stage.”

Taameer CEO Suleiman bin Masood Al Harthi said that the deal with Rotana coincided with the official inauguration of the new international airport in Salalah and the completion of the main stages in the expansion of Muscat International Airport.

Both these developments are expected to create a qualitative leap in the number of flights coming into the sultanate, leading to increased demand for residences and hotel services, he pointed out.

Rotana chairman Nasser Al Nowais said the company was proud to have been chosen to manage these five properties in Oman.

Rotana currently manages a portfolio of over 100 properties throughout the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and Eastern Europe.