Spanish hotel chain to boost presence in Morocco

Spanish hotel chain, RIU Hotels & Resorts, will strengthen its presence in Morocco with the opening next year of three new hotels.

The ClubHotel Riu Tikida Dunas in Agadir.

The ClubHotel Riu Tikida Dunas in Agadir.

The chain, which already has two hotels in Agadir and one in Marrakech, will consolidate its presence in the Moroccan market with the opening of three other hotels in the same cities (two in Agadir and one in Marrakech). The new facilities will increase RIU’s accommodation capacity in Morocco to 1,776 rooms, the Spanish group said in a statement.

In Agadir, the group will open two hotels with a total capacity of 495 rooms – Riu Grand Palace Tikida Golf in May 2011 and Riu Palace Tikida Agadir in November 2011.

In Marrakech, the group will open the Riu Tikida Garden in May 2011 with a capacity of 255 rooms.

“Morocco is a fascinating country thanks to its rich culture, exotic traditions, magnificent scenery, beaches and cuisine, which makes of it a tourist destination that attracts thousands of tourists every year,” the group’s CEO said.

RIU has more than 100 hotels in 21 countries, which attract over 2.9 million guests a year. RIU is currently the world’s 28th ranked chain and the third largest in Spain by revenue and number of rooms.