Two new Ramada hotels will provide internationally branded
quality and convenience to religious tourists in Iraqi holy
city
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates,
April 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Wyndham Hotel Group today
announced plans for two new hotels in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf,
in a deal announced with Bukhamseen Group For Real Estate, Tourism,
General Trading & Contracting Company. Located just 800m from
the Imam Ali Holy Shrine, the third holiest site for the estimated
200 million followers of the Shia branch of Islam, the co-located
Ramada Plaza Najaf and Ramada Hotel & Suites
Najaf will cater to the needs of the booming religious tourism
industry in the city. The new four-star hotels will join the
existing Ramada Sulaymaniyah to become the second and third Wyndham
Hotel Group properties in Iraq.
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Millions of pilgrims visit the Imam Ali Holy Shrine each year,
with numbers expected to surge further when the expansion of the
nearby Al Najaf International Airport is complete. Dan Ruff, Wyndham Hotel Group's president and
managing director for EMEA, added: "Najaf is a thriving holy city,
with thousands of Shia Muslims from Iran and other areas of the region making the
pilgrimage to the Imam Ali every week. This growing number of
visitors seeks the quality accommodation which we offer under the
umbrella of our Ramada brand, as well as the convenience of being
located just 800m down the road from the sacred site. The
significant number of jobs these openings will create for local
people will help to boost the city's growing tourism industry even
further."
Located on Kahrabba Street, the Ramada Plaza Najaf will boast
225 rooms including 20 suites to suit differing needs and budgets
of visitors. Multiple meeting rooms including an 800sqm banquet
room can accommodate business or special occasion functions. Guests
can enjoy the luxury of leisure facilities, including both indoor
and outdoor pools, a fitness room and spa, before relaxing and
dining in a choice of two restaurants or an additional
lounge.
Connected to the Ramada Plaza, the Ramada Hotel & Suites
Najaf offers flexible accommodation in the form of 149 studios and
91 high-end one-bed apartments, providing an ideal space for
families and groups. Guests can make use of the leisure facilities
at the Ramada Plaza next door, as well as additional meeting space,
restaurant and lounge. Both properties are expected to open their
doors by mid-2018, creating an impressive 465 jobs for local
workers and helping to boost the growing local economy.
Developer Emad Bukhamseen added, "The signing of this deal with
Wyndham Hotel Group will allow us to fill a real gap in the market
in Najaf. The global reputation the Ramada brand enjoys is one of
quality and reassurance for the traveller, so it's a solid addition
to our portfolio." Emad Bukhamseen also added that,
"Environmentally-friendly building materials were used to suit the
local conditions, solar power technology will be used whenever
appropriate and most of the hot water for the property shall be
generated by a solar system. This multi-use complex also
hosts a commercial centre with a rentable area of 14,000 sq.m. to
enhance the experience of the hotel guests as well as the local
business community."
All Ramada hotels in the region participate in Wyndham
Rewards®, the simple-to-use, revolutionary loyalty
programme from Wyndham Hotel Group that offers members a generous
points earning structure along with a flat, free-night redemption
rate in 72 countries across the world – the first of its kind for a
major hotel rewards programme. To learn more or to join for free,
guests should visit www.wyndhamrewards.com.
About Wyndham Hotel Group
Wyndham Hotel Group is the world's largest hotel company based on
number of hotels and is one of three hospitality business units of
Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN). As both a leading hotel brand
franchisor and hotel management services provider, the company's
global portfolio consists of nearly 8,000 properties and
approximately 679,100 rooms in 73 countries under the following
brands: Dolce Hotels and Resorts®, Wyndham
Grand®, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts®, Wyndham
Garden® Hotels, TRYP by Wyndham®, Wingate by
Wyndham®, Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham®,
Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham®,
Ramada®, Baymont Inn & Suites®, Days
Inn®, Super 8®, Howard Johnson®,
Travelodge® and Knights Inn®. Wyndham
Rewards, the company's guest loyalty program, offers more than 45
million members the opportunity to earn and redeem points at
thousands of hotels across the world. For more information, visit
www.wyndhamworldwide.com.
About Ramada
Part of Wyndham Hotel Group, Ramada® is a global chain of nearly
840 midscale and upscale hotels. Most properties offer a wide-array
of services and amenities, including but not limited to high-speed
wireless Internet access, on-site restaurants, lounges, room
service, concierge service, meeting and banquet facilities and
business centers. Properties also offer travelers the
opportunity to earn and redeem points through Wyndham Rewards®, the
brand's guest loyalty program, which can be joined for free at
www.wyndhamrewards.com. Each Ramada hotel is independently owned
and operated, except for certain Ramada hotels outside of the U.S.
which are managed by an affiliate. Ramada Worldwide Inc. is a
subsidiary of Wyndham Hotel Group, LLC and parent company Wyndham
Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN). Reservations and information are
available by visiting www.ramada.com.
Wyndham Hotel Group is the world's largest hotel company based
on number of hotels, encompassing nearly 8,000 properties and
approximately 679,100 rooms in 73 countries. Additional information
is available at www.wyndhamworldwide.com. For more information
about hotel franchising opportunities
visit www.whgdevelopment.com.