Taj Aims for 20 Hotels in Middle East Over 5 Years

Taj Hotels, India’s largest hospitality brand, is pursuing an expansion across the Middle East, but it’s moving slowly, according to Saurabh Tiwari, Area Director for the region.

“We are not in the business of flag planting,” Tiwari said. “We don’t want to be everywhere. We don’t want 250 hotels in the Middle East. We want to be in the right places.”

Taj currently operates three properties in Dubai, and is planning a portfolio of 20 hotels across the Middle East over the next five years, with a focus on the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and select GCC markets.

Saudi Arabia a Core Growth Market

Saudi Arabia sits at the heart of Taj’s regional growth strategy. “There is absolutely no risk in investing in Saudi Arabia, especially in key cities like Riyadh, Jeddah, AlUla, Al Khobar, and the Red Sea,”