Tourism & Hospitality | Monday 6 April, 2015 12:01 am |

Middle East, Dubai, 5 April, 2015 - Rocco Forte Hotels, the family of 10 luxury properties in key destinations across Europe, has witnessed increased revenue from the Middle East during the past fiscal year.

The Rocco Forte Hotel’s most important markets in the region for 2014 continued to be the Gulf states of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. The countries which showed the most significant growth in travellers were witnessed in Lebanon, Jordan, and Kuwait.

Echoing the results of 2013, the top three properties receiving the most business from the Middle East were The Charles Hotel (Munich), Hotel de Russie (Rome), and Brown’s Hotel (London). The properties which saw the most significant increase in visitors from the region were Verdura Resort (Sicily), Hotel Amigo (Brussels), and Hotel Savoy (Florence).

Commenting on the results, Sir Rocco Forte, Chairman & Chief Executive of the company said: “I am pleased to see that we are continuing to grow our business from the Middle East, where we have good relationships with a large number of customers who keep returning. We do our very best to ensure that our service to this market is personalised to the individual needs of each traveller.”

“We have recently announced major news of a strategic investment by Fondo Strategico Italiano Spa (FSI) with the aim of doubling the number of operating hotels in the collection in the next five years. Our next new property opening will be in Jeddah later this year, and we are thrilled that this will mark our return to the Middle East, an area with which we have a long-standing history.”

In November 2014, Rocco Forte Hotels announced a partnership with Fondo Strategico Italiano Spa (FSI) the Italian State-backed sovereign fund 80% controlled by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) and 20% by Bank of Italy. . FSI will inject £60m into Rocco Forte and Family Ltd (owner of Rocco Forte Hotels) in exchange for an equity stake of 23%, valuing the enlarged equity at £260m.

As a result of the deal, Rocco Forte Hotels is already at an advanced stage of discussion concerning a number of developments in Italy. . The group is also involved in a project in Shanghai, and it is exploring opportunities in New York, Paris, and Madrid.


Rocco Forte Hotels
Established by Sir Rocco Forte and sister, Olga Polizzi in 1996, Rocco Forte Hotels is a family of 10 individual hotels and resorts. All of the hotels are landmarks, both old and new, occupying magnificent buildings in exceptional locations. Led by a family who has been in hospitality for four generations, the hotels are united by their distinctive approach to service ensuring guests experience the best of the cities and surrounding areas.

Rocco Forte Hotels comprises: Hotel de Russie, Rome; Hotel Savoy, Florence; Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sicily; The Balmoral, Edinburgh; Brown’s Hotel, London; The Charles Hotel, Munich; Villa Kennedy, Frankfurt; Hotel de Rome, Berlin; Hotel Amigo, Brussels; Hotel Astoria, St Petersburg. Future opening: Jeddah

www.roccofortehotels.com