Hilton and Alshaya Group signed a master development agreement to launch and develop 70 Hampton by Hilton hotels in nine countries. The majority of these will be in the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey and Russia.

The first hotel is expected to open in Kuwait in 2021. With it, Alshaya Group will deliver 50 hotels in the next eight years, with another 20 in the development pipeline. This will significantly expand Hampton by Hilton’s presence in the region. Hampton by Hilton is the leading global hospitality brand in the focused service hotel category. It has nearly 2,500 hotels operating in 27 countries and territories around the world. This makes it the largest brand in Hilton’s portfolio.

“We are delighted to reach this exclusive agreement with Alshaya Group, strengthening our partnership and further expanding our global Hampton by Hilton portfolio,” said Chris Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton. “Alshaya has been an important partner, particularly as we celebrate 100 years of pioneering the hospitality industry this year, and we look forward to working together to introduce travellers to Hampton by Hilton in these high-growth destinations.”

“There is strong and growing demand for high quality accommodation in the region and we are excited by the potential of the Hampton by Hilton brand,” said Mohammed Alshaya, executive chairman of Alshaya Group. “This is an important new partnership for Alshaya, further diversifying our offer to consumers, and allowing us to replicate the global success of Hampton by Hilton in our operating markets.”