Latest news with #BWHHotels
Bloomberg
02-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
BWH Hotel CEO on Pricing, Brand Loyalty, Labor
BWH Hotels President and CEO Larry Cuculic discusses pricing, loyalty programs and labor market in an interview with Scarlet Fu on "Bloomberg Markets." (Source: Bloomberg)
Trade Arabia
20-05-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
BWH Hotels signs contracts for eight new hotels at FHS
BWH Hotels, a global hospitality network comprising WorldHotels, Best Western Hotels & Resorts, and SureStay Hotels, showcased its significant Middle East growth and commitment to Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 tourism plan at the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) 2025 in Riyadh. The company signed eight new hotels, including WorldHotels King Road in Jeddah, The Breeze Hotel in Al Khobar, Best Western Premier in Riyadh, Premier Madinah Hotel in Madinah, Best Western Centria Hotel in Riyadh, SureStay Plus in Madinah, SureStay Studio in Acacia Hotel, and SureStay Studio in Sweet Home Hotel. These landmark hotels join BWH Hotels' fast-growing portfolio in the region, which includes the WorldHotels Crafted Sunflower Resort, Aiden Shades Hotel, Best Western Plus Hotel in Makkah, and the Executive Residency Al by Best Western Shafa Hotel in Jeddah. Ron Pohl, President of International Operations for BWH Hotels and President of WorldHotels, headlined the TenX Leadership Talk with moderator and former BBC journalist Jessy El Murr. During the discussion Pohl shared insights on the critical role mid-scale and upscale hotels play in diversifying travel across the region, the importance of flexible brand architecture and industry trends surrounding technology and sustainability. 'The Middle East, and Saudi Arabia in particular, is a high-priority growth region for BWH Hotels. With Vision 2030 driving transformational investments in tourism, we see a significant opportunity to align with the Kingdom's goals,' said Pohl. 'With 19 hotels in the Middle East and 22 currently in the pipeline, we are embedding ourselves in the region's bright future.' -TradeArabia News Service
Syyaha
18-05-2025
- Business
- Syyaha
BWH® Hotels Significant Middle East Growth Stands Outat Arabian Travel Market Dubai 2025
BWH Hotels recently concluded a successful week of announcements at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) Dubai, showcasing the company's strategic direction in the Middle East, new hotel signings, and Media One Hotel, Dubai, a cutting-edge WorldHotels™ Crafted collection property. 'Presenting our substantial Middle East growth plans at this year's ATM was a proud moment for BWH Hotels,' said Wytze van den Berg, Vice President EMEA, BWH Hotels. 'With 18 hotels currently open and 20 more signed, we are well on our way to reaching 70 properties by the end of 2027. These signings showcase the growing demand for a trusted international hospitality brand, like BWH Hotels, that understands local nuance, designing each property to meet evolving traveler expectations while supporting local communities and development goals. We are deeply committed to shaping the future of hospitality in the area.' Prominent signing announcements at ATM included a WorldHotels Luxury collection hotel and a WorldHotels Residences property, both located in the new market of Batumi, Georgia, as well as a Best Western® Residence in Kutaisi, Georgia. The WorldHotels Luxury property, to be named Grand Life, will be developed in partnership with premier Georgian real estate developer European Village. Scheduled to open in 2027, the hotel will be the first luxury city hotel in Batumi and the ninth property in the WorldHotels Luxury collection. BWH Hotels also showcased one of its most dynamic WorldHotels Crafted collection properties—Media One Hotel, Dubai. This cutting-edge hotel is renowned for its bold design, sustainability initiatives, and immersive guest experiences. Media One Hotel has received accolades, including the WorldHotels Performance Excellence Award 2025, a Great Place to Work UAE 2025 certification, and is a Green Key Certified Hotel, further cementing its position as a standout destination in Dubai. Amid this rapid expansion, BWH Hotels is proud to partner with Almosafer International Travel & Tourism Company, one of Saudi Arabia's leading travel brands. This collaboration enhances Almosafer's access to BWH Hotels' global portfolio of 18 distinctive brands across more than 100 countries and territories, providing travelers with improved booking efficiency, availability, and competitive rates.
Arab News
11-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia adds over 1,000 hotel keys as summit opens with major deals
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's hospitality sector saw a boost on the opening day of the Future Hospitality Summit, with more than 1,000 new hotel keys announced across several high-profile agreements. Key signings on Sunday included new hotel developments in Jeddah, Madinah, and Qassim, underscoring sustained investor confidence in the Kingdom's ambitious tourism expansion plans. Among the notable announcements was BWH Hotels' partnership with Optimal Real Estate and Rsoukh Trading Co. to develop five new properties across Jeddah and Madinah. The move signals a major step forward in the group's regional expansion strategy. 'We signed five hotels between Jeddah and Madinah,' said Mujahid Pasha, director of development Middle East at BWH Hotels, in an interview with Arab News on the sidelines of the event. 'The partnership only brings five hotels, but these five hotels represent about 1,000 keys in total,' Pasha added. The centerpiece of BWH's announcement is a 540-room Best Western Premier property in Madinah, located just 600 meters from the Prophet's Mosque. 'This is one of the big hotels we just signed today,' said Pasha. 'We talk about an upper, upscale offering, which is our Best Western Premier brand.' Another highlight is a luxury WorldHotels Elite property on King Road in Jeddah — often referred to as the 'Golden Mile' due to its prime location. The development will include 215 guest rooms and approximately 300 office units as part of a broader mixed-use complex. 'WorldHotels is our luxury and high-end offering,' said Pasha. 'The King Road doesn't have any luxury offerings, so we wanted to use that brand.' Three additional hotels will be introduced under BWH's SureStay brand—its economy and midscale portfolio—including two SureStay Studios and one SureStay Hotel. 'These brands are not in the region as well. The first in the region will be in Saudi Arabia,' Pasha noted, confirming that two of the SureStay properties will be in Jeddah and one in Madinah. BWH Hotels, which operates 18 brands globally, is leveraging its diverse portfolio to target a broad range of travelers and budgets. In another development, Amsa Hospitality announced a new four-star hotel project in Qassim in collaboration with Alkayan Alarabi. The property will be located within the Al-Kayan Avenue mall on Al-Imam Al-Bukhari Road. 'This is a new hotel, newly developed, with 174 keys including suites, meeting rooms, gym, two restaurants, and a spa,' said Amsa CEO Muin Serhan. Designed to serve both business and leisure travelers, 'the hotel is currently under development and is expected to complete development by the end of this year with official operations expected later in the first quarter of next year,' Serhan added. Rounding out the day's announcements, IHG Hotels & Resorts and Ashaad Co. signed an agreement to develop three new hotels in Jeddah and Alkhobar, further adding to the Kingdom's growing hospitality portfolio. Beyond real estate deals, the summit spotlighted the industry's growing focus on talent development. Organizers launched the inaugural NextGen Investment Forum, aimed at addressing workforce challenges in the tourism and hospitality sectors. 'For the first time at FHS Saudi, we proudly introduce the NextGen Investment Forum, a new platform dedicated to addressing one of the most critical issues and urgent challenges in our history—investing in our people,' said Jonathan Worsley, chairman and CEO of The Bench, which organizes the hospitality event. Worsley emphasized the hospitality sector's global economic impact. 'Hospitality and tourism is a massive industry, a massive force in today's contribution to global gross domestic product,' he said. 'It's the world's third largest economic sector,' Worsley added, citing 357 million jobs worldwide and a $1.1 trillion contribution to global GDP. According to summit figures, the industry will require 100 million additional jobs over the next five years to meet rising demand. In Saudi Arabia alone, a $110 billion investment in the sector is set to deliver 362,000 hotel rooms by 2030. 'We need an additional 1 million jobs in the Kingdom by 2030,' Worsley stated. 'The foundations of sustainable growth must begin with education and training.' The NextGen forum aims to bridge the gap between education and industry by fostering dialogue on training, investment, and talent retention. 'We're bridging the gap between academia and what the industry needs—exploring funding and investment opportunities in hospitality education and enhancing the industry's appeal to retain talent and reduce turnover,' Worsley said. During a panel discussion on global tourism trends, Harry Theoharis, member of the Hellenic Parliament and candidate for secretary-general of the UN World Tourism Organization, praised Saudi Arabia's transformation. 'Saudi Arabia's tourist plans, if anything, are one of the biggest success stories,' he said. 'We've seen Saudi Arabia transform itself from a very specific and niche market of religious tourism, which was the staple of Saudi Arabia, to a very vibrant, very energetic, very young-oriented destination attuned to the wills of the young population,' Theoharis added. More than 1,000 global tourism leaders, investors, and operators have convened in Riyadh for the Future Hospitality Summit, held from May 11–13 at the Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah. Centered on the theme 'Where Vision Shapes Opportunity,' the event features panels, investment showcases, and strategic signings shaping the future of hospitality in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
Associated Press
12-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Unit4 Cloud Migration Growth Shows Strong Demand for SaaS ERP
Unit4 expands its services offering to support high demand for Cloud migrations LONDON, March 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Unit4, a leader in enterprise cloud applications for people-centric organizations, today announced significant milestones as it continues to innovate and serve its global customer base. These developments include notable progress in customer cloud migrations, the launch of a new tier of service offerings, and the welcoming of new executives into key leadership roles. Accelerating Cloud Migration Across Diverse Sectors Unit4 concluded FY24 with robust progress in cloud migrations, demonstrating its ability to deliver innovative technology to prominent organizations in multiple industries. These included: Boo Energi, a local energy company that owns, maintains and develops the power grid in Saltsjö-Boo offering electricity contracts and energy services across Sweden The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment, an awarding body in Northern Ireland, that develops and delivers qualifications, including GCSEs, AS, and A Levels, and provides curriculum support and assessments for schools The Carbon Trust, a global climate consultancy driven by the mission to accelerate the move to a decarbonized future. It has been pioneering decarbonization for more than 20 years for businesses, governments, and organizations across the world The University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), the largest higher education provider in the southwest of England with 39,000 students and 3,500 staff. It has strong industry networks and connections with over 1,000 employers Education Development Trust, an international not-for-profit organization working to improve education outcomes and transitions into work for people across the world SQA, the national accreditation and awarding body in Scotland. It develops, maintains, and continually improves a framework of qualifications gained at Scotland's schools, colleges, employers, and training providers BWH Hotels GB, part of the global BWH Hotels group, a leading hospitality organisation that champions independent hotels. With over 4,000 properties in more than 100 countries, BWH Hotels is home to 18 unique brands. Success4U Advanced Strengthens Service Portfolio Following the Success4U go-live announcement, Unit4 has been rapidly building out its Success4U catalogs, and to provide further flexibility for customers, it launched Success4U Advanced, part of Unit4's SaaS Engagement model. Success4U Advanced bridges the space between Essentials and Professional and is designed to provide an option for customers where their Unit4 solution is not mission critical and, consequently, they do not require elevated support provision. Customer live on Success4U include: Middlesbrough Council, the unitary authority covering the Borough of Middlesbrough, England Aston University, public University situated in Birmingham, England Welcoming New Executives Unit4 recently announced that previous CEO, Mike Ettling was leaving the business, and handing over the reins to our current CEO, Simon Paris, a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience in the technology industry. The transition ensures strong continuity for Unit4 by building on a proven strategy that has driven its evolution through a 'good to great' phase to become a leading vendor for SaaS ERP for services industries. Simon Paris, CEO, Unit4: 'I am joining Unit4 at an incredibly exciting time in the transition to Cloud-native applications. Especially in service-based industries, there has been significant pressure on growth, while nonprofits and public sector bodies continue to juggle the knotty challenge of balancing efficiency and investment in innovation. There is a real recognition among our customers that Cloud-based applications are the fundamental building blocks to provide them with the agility they need to modernize, thrive and drive innovation through AI.' The company also welcomed Vera Batyalova, VP, Partner Sales and Magdalena Teschemacher, Sales Director for APAC Region. Vera is responsible for the company's global partner ecosystem including strategic direction, commercial, implementation, product, and technology partnerships, as well as driving incremental revenue. Magdalena will drive strategic sales initiatives, revenue growth, and ensuring sustainable business expansion in Asia Pacific. Overseeing, both the APAC Prosoft business as well as global Unit4 products, she will focus on go-to-market plans, sales engagement, marketing, and competitive positioning to deliver top-tier cloud solutions and services. Strengthening Community Partnerships Unit4 continues to promote inclusion and growth through collaborations with educational and professional development organizations worldwide. In the last year, the company has been proud to work with the following organizations to provide career opportunities for young professional and underrepresented groups: Top Young 100 The Top Young 100 programme is an annual initiative dedicated to the best supply chain students in Poland. In 2024, we were delighted that the Top Young 100 student project team, who developed a procurement optimization solution for our Procurement team, was recognized in the Supply Chain Young Designer category at the Logistics, Transport and Production Gala. Generation Girl Generation Girl is an Indonesian nonprofit that equips young women with hard and soft skills through STEM-based programs to become future tech leaders. It inspires, educates, and provides hands-on experience through diverse programs that teach five foundational skills important for all leaders: problem-solving, critical thinking, confidence, communication, and compassion. Talenti Talenti is a digital platform based in Poland that empowers women in the recruitment process, connecting them with employers who understand the unique challenges they face in the job market. About Unit4 Unit4's next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions power many of the world's mid-market organizations, bringing together the capabilities of Financials, Procurement, Project Management, HR, and FP&A to share real-time information, and deliver greater insights to help organizations become more effective. By combining our mid-market expertise with a relentless focus on people, we've built flexible solutions to meet customers' unique and changing needs. Unit4 serves more than 4,700 customers globally across a number of sectors including professional services, nonprofit and public sector, with customers including Southampton City Council, Metro Vancouver, Buro Happold, Devoteam, Save the Children International, Global Green Growth Institute and Oxfam America. For further information visit
