Preferred
Hotels & Resorts appoints Claudio Roscigno as regional director for Middle
East & North Africa; international hotelier to lead Preferred’s regional market
expansion
Preferred
Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest global provider of sales, marketing
and distribution services to independent luxury hotels, has announced the
appointment of international hotelier Claudio Roscigno to the position of
regional director, Middle East & North Africa, based out of the brand’s new
regional headquarters in Dubai.
With over 15 years of industry experience
and an international
pedigree that includes senior executive roles with Rosewood Hotels, Four
Seasons Hotels and InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Roscigno has developed front office and F&B operations and experienced
new hotel openings across three continents. In addition, he has held responsibility
for various regional sales office set-ups and headed-up specific task force management
projects.
“Claudio’s
well-rounded industry expertise and regional exposure in Beirut and Doha will
add a new dimension to our business as we grow our Dubai-based team and MENA
portfolio. The Middle East & North Africa region is pivotal in our growth
strategy, which is already on its own fast-track growth trajectory, with a
total of 91 hotels from 14 countries joining our portfolio in 2015,” said
Saurabh Rai, executive vice president, Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
Globally
in 2015, Preferred Hotels & Resorts generated more than US$ 1 billion in
revenues for its member hotels, a 15% improvement over the same reporting
period in 2014. This momentum has been a driving factor behind the dramatic
enhancement of the brand’s portfolio and presence in MENA over the past year,
with Preferred Hotels & Resorts finalising several high-profile
partnerships – both individual properties and global brands alike – in the past
12 months.
Among
its new, prominent partners in the region include the Nassima Royal Hotel in
Dubai, previously known as the Radisson Royal; Murwab Hotel Group, the recently
launched standalone hotel operating division by Qatar’s Katara Hospitality
group; Palazzo Versace, Dubai, which will celebrate its grand opening later
this year; and Paramount Hotels & Resorts, with its first hotel opening in
early 2017.
“I
am looking forward to maximising the opportunities and overcoming the
challenges that an exciting and demanding role like this will afford. The MENA
region is one of the fastest-growing luxury hotel markets in the world today
and my front office, sales and marketing experience will stand me in good stead,
as Preferred Hotels & Resorts continues to expand its regional footprint,”
said Roscigno.
On
top of ensuring
optimal revenue generation and exposure for existing Preferred Hotels &
Resorts properties in the region, in his new role, Claudio will be targeting Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia; Manama, Bahrain;
Abu Dhabi, UAE; Cairo, Egypt and Beirut, Lebanon as
part of the development plan.
For
more information on Preferred Hotels & Resorts, its member hotels,
programs, products, and services, visit www.PreferredHotels.com.
Photo caption 1: Claudio Roscigno, the new regional director,
Middle East & North Africa, Preferred
Hotels & Resorts will be based out of the group’s new regional
headquarters in Dubai