Muriya has started construction of a new 400-key branded five-star hotel in Hawana Salalah, its flagship destination in the Governorate of Dhofar.
The developer says this milestone, along with the planned opening of the first phase of the hotel in December 2020, reinforces its position as the largest private contributor to the development of four and five-star hotels in Oman.
The company says it is continuing with its strategy to meet the growing influx of European and regional tourists visiting Salalah, and creating long-term value for the tourism, real estate and leisure sectors.
“We closely and continuously collaborate with the Government of Oman and our partners at Omran to contribute to the long-term and sustainable 2040 vision of the sultanate for the tourism sector, which will be a major contributor to economic diversification, as well as direct and indirect job creation for Omanis.
Salalah in particular has manifested over the past six years that it possesses all the components of being an enticing and growing international tourist destination,” says Samih Sawiris, chairman of Muriya and of Orascom Development Holding (ODH) AG.
Sawiris adds, “Muriya’s investments have already reached $750m to date in Oman, and the addition of our new five-star luxury hotel to Hawana Salalah is a clear indication of our increasing commitment and plans for further investments in the sector. Once completed, the hotel complex will make Hawana Salalah the only destination in Oman that offers five unique hotel and lodging propositions across 1,500 luxury rooms.”
The hotel will offer 400 deluxe guestrooms and suites and is said to boast state-of-the-art architecture and interior designs; incorporating multiple themes throughout the property. Muriya states that the surrounding areas will feature landscaped areas in keeping with the native environment and will offer views of the ocean and the mountains.
The statement also said that the property will cover 105,000sqm of beachfront land overlooking the Indian Ocean, and is part of a complex featuring fine dining restaurants, bars, swimming pools, a recreational fitness and leisure club, meeting and conference facilities.
Sawiris elaborates, “The tourism sector is primarily an engine for economic growth and job creation, and Muriya has continuously spearheaded such growth, tying in hotel development into the already existing multitude of facilities within its destinations, including real estate offerings. We have also been attracting Foreign Direct Investment into the sultanate, where many of our hotel guests are increasingly investing in freehold properties. Muriya has succeeded in 2019 alone to deliver some 600 properties ahead of schedule across two destinations mostly to foreign investors. Equally important, Hawana Salalah has become a solid platform for SMEs to start and thrive their businesses, with its expanding number of residents, retail outlets and hotel rooms.”