ATHENS, GREECE—Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has continued to grow in the Mediterranean region, opening 11 new hotels to date this year. This momentum will continue in 2019, with anticipated openings in Cyprus and Crete—marking the company’s first hotels in each of these destinations.
Key destinations for growth across the Mediterranean:
Greece
In less than two years, the company’s portfolio has expanded to include seven hotels and more than 1,300 rooms in the country. This year, the company brought two firsts to this market, opening Dolce Attica Riviera, the first Dolce Hotels and Resorts by Wyndham hotel in Greece, and Wyndham Athens Residence, a first mixed-use hospitality development for the Greek market. An additional hotel in Crete, Wyndham’s first on a Greek island, is expected by 2019.
Turkey
Wyndham is the largest hotel company in Turkey, with 69 hotels across the country. This year new hotels have opened in Rize, Izmir, Hendek and Isparta, with plans to open six more hotels in Turkey before the end of this year. By 2020, Wyndham plans to have 100 operational hotels in Turkey.
Israel
Like Greece, Israel is a fast-growing market for the company. Its current presence is made up of five hotels, including two beach resorts in Hadera and Netanya with sea views, two hotels in Jerusalem and one in Nazareth.
Cyprus
Wyndham will enter the market in 2019, with an opening in a central location in Nicosia, the largest city on the island.
In addition, this year Wyndham Hotels & Resorts introduced the first Ramada by Wyndham in Portugal with Ramada by Wyndham Lisbon, which opened in September.
Addressing the Mediterranean Resort & Hotel Real Estate Forum here, Geoff Ballotti, president/CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts said: “Cities across the Mediterranean are growing rapidly, not only as destinations for leisure travelers, but also as new business centers and as locations for corporate meetings and events. Last year we introduced nine brands to 21 new markets around the world, including bringing our best-known midscale brand, Ramada, to Portugal and introducing our signature meetings and events brand, Dolce, in Greece. We will continue to seek out opportunities to introduce more of our brand portfolio to the region, and it is our aspiration to bring our first La Quinta hotel to Europe by the end of this year.”
