RIYADH: Rotana Hotels is planning on more than doubling its workforce in Saudi Arabia to 5,000 staff as it expands its outlets to 15, the company’s CEO has told Arab News. Speaking on the sidelines of the Future Hospitality Summit in Riyadh, Philip Barnes highlighted the diverse nature of hotels in terms of size and staffing, indicating that the current portfolio in the Kingdom employs around 2,000 people. He said that between eight and nine hotels are under development and set to open within the next two to three years, and the firm has “a number of others coming.” Barnes expressed his desire to expand the company’s presence in various parts of Saudi Arabia, not just in the holy cities of Madinah and Makkah. Reflecting on the increase in workforce needed, he said: “I think you’d be looking at 4,000 to 5,000 people by the time we get to that 15 hotel. “It ranges between 200 to 300 people per property as we go forward depending on the size of the property.” Rotana is seeking opportunities across a broader range of locations within Saudi Arabia, and Barnes believes that being a UAE-based company gives it an insight into the tourism landscape that other firms may lack. “We see ourselves as being able to come into the Kingdom in a way that others can’t because we are recognized as that brand that is from the region. We can go into destinations that maybe aren’t the premier destinations as other people see them, everybody wants to be in Riyadh, everybody wants to be in Jeddah,” Barnes said. He added: “We have a lot of things happening, but we have further developments coming online in Egypt over the course of the next two years. We’ve got more coming on board in Qatar.” He also stated that the company is also exploring new territories, with recent moves into Pakistan, which Rotana views as a promising and emerging market Additionally, he further explained the group’s plans for expansion by exploring opportunities in Eastern Europe, though not on a large scale. Turkiye is also a focus, with two hotels opened in the past year and more development expected. “We’re also opening two hotels in London, not in central London. We’re opening one hotel in Kingston, which is a suburb of London, 20 minutes from downtown,” Barnes said. He continued: “I personally am hoping that that will then be a springboard into six or seven or eight other Centros around the UK in places like Liverpool or Leeds or, Manchester etc. because I see it as being a brand that has tremendous legs, and we"ve already got a number of those properties here in this part of the world.”