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May 20 2007

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New Crowne Plaza hotel to open in Sohar

MUSCAT -- Inter-Continental Hotels Group , the world's global hotel company, has reinforced its commitment to Oman as a thriving business and tourist destination by announcing the development of a third Crowne Plaza hotel in the burgeoning industrial city of Sohar. The hotel, developed by owners SAMCO Trading and Contracting, is located on a hilltop in close proximity to the industrial Port of Sohar, which was launched in 2002 and is set to become the economic backbone of Oman's diversification effort. Planned to open at the end of 2007, the 126-room Crowne Plaza Sohar will be the first internationally branded hotel in the area.

It will feature a diverse mix of food and beverage, leisure, commercial and service outlets, including a Mediterranean restaurant, a lobby-level patisserie, sports bar, poolside dining and a banquet hall catering for up to 400 guests. The extensive leisure facilities include a bowling alley with pool and snooker tables and a world-class health club with a fully equipped gym, steam room, sauna and massage facilities, tennis courts and an outdoor swimming pool.

Commercial services include boardrooms, meeting and training rooms furnished with state-of-the-art equipment. 800sqm of fully-serviced office space with separate entrance and car parking will also be available for lease. Tony Zamora, Director of Operations, InterContinental Hotels Group, Oman said, "With the addition of Crowne Plaza Sohar we will see the group's portfolio in the country rise to 1,300 rooms, this will allow us to offer a complementary choice of hotels in Oman, to cater for a diverse mix of business and leisure travellers.

While established global corporations and intra-regional travel remain key to the commercial success of the hotel, the Sohar property will also act as a vital facility and employer for the local community, further testament to the group's commitment towards Omanisation." Added Zamora, "The Sohar development is indicative of the high levels of industrial enterprise currently occurring in the country and we are proud to play a significant role in its success as a world-class leisure and business destination."

Salim Macki of SAMCO Trading and Contracting said: "The development of an established branded hotel such as Crowne Plaza is vital to meet the business needs of the Port of Sohar and local business community. The high standards that are inherent of the Crowne Plaza brand and its tailor-made facilities will prove integral to international business travellers and provide a welcome addition to the leisure activities of the local community." InterContinental Hotels Group plc of the UK is the world's largest hotel group by a number of rooms. InterContinental Hotels Group owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, over 3,600 hotels and 537,500 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world.