23 October 2016

BY SHAHD ALHAMDAN

RIYADH — Four Seasons Hotel has announced it is expansions plans for 2017 in several new tourism destinations, after the success of multiple branches of the hotel in 2016 including, the opening of Four Seasons Jakarta as well as Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi.

During a media press conference that was held at Four Seasons Riyadh on Oct.19, it was announced that Four Seasons hotel is planning to officially launch its first branch in Kuwait during the first half of the year and another branch will be open in London in the same period.

According to the General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya, Didier Jardin, the hotel would include around 284 hotel rooms, including 67 suites and it is the first branch of Four Seasons in Kuwait. I t was mentioned during the conference that the hotel would have five restaurants and lounges.

Four Seasons Hotel Regional Vice President and General Manager Rami Sayess, in an interview with Saudi Gazette, said the company”s strategy of expansion is more about finding the right fit.

“Our plan is to be in every key market that four seasons need to be in, but it has to be in the right fit. So Kuwait is the big opening for us, and then we have a new hotel in London. Those are the two big ones that are happening in the first half of 2017, and in Seychelles we are opening a small resort. But when we say we are planning to be opening three branches, we may end up opening more. You know we are in different stages of discussions in different locations,” he said.

Sayess said that Four Seasons idea of expansion is more about finding the right location, finding the right partner, and opening at the right time in the right market. It is not just about having another hotel.

By opening Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square and in other countries, the Four Seasons Hotel is not only providing youth with golden opportunities to enter the hospitality market, but also it is giving the chance to old employees to develop their experiences and develop their skills through relocating and working in new branches of the Four Seasons.

It was announced during the conference that by Dec.1, Four Seasons will open it second branch in the Maldives, but this time it is a private island at Voavah, Baa Atoll, which is the world”s first exclusive-use UNESCO hideaway.

© The Saudi Gazette 2016