When the U.S.-Iran war escalated in Q1 and led to disruptions and hotel cancellations across most Gulf markets, Minor Hotels focused on growth in safe havens in Oman and Africa, according to Amir Golbarg, the company’s COO for the Middle East and Africa.
The company opened Tivoli La Vie in Muscat at the end of March and Golbarg said existing properties in Salalah and Jabal Akhdar in Oman benefited from the diversion of regional travel away from more exposed markets.
Oman’s hotel sector is expanding rapidly. The country currently has 36,800 rooms and 3,300 more are expected by 2027, according to real estate consultancy Cavendish Maxwell.
Minor Hotels signed a joint venture in Egypt to manage 25 hotels and plans to increase this to more than 50 hotels. It will also expand in Morocco across Rabat, Marrakech, Agadir, and Casablanca ahead of the 2030 World Cup.
“Africa has seen an uplift in demand, both inbound and outbound. Last year
