Mr Nasser Al Nowais, Chairman of Rotana, a hotel management company in the Middle East, Africa and Turkey, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2022. Al Nowais is the first individual to receive the notable award recognising legends of the hospitality industry who have made significant contributions to the region.
Co-founding Rotana in 1992, Al Nowais paved the way for the homegrown brand to become one of the top hospitality groups in the Middle East, raising the benchmark for other hospitality players worldwide. As Chairman, Al Nowais has played a crucial role in solidating Rotana’s award-winning positioning and carrying out the brand’s promise to provide ‘Treasured Time’ with an authentic approach to all its guests.
“I am humbled to be recognised by Business Traveller Middle East and receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, which is an honour for myself and all my colleagues at Rotana. This is a testimony to the years of hard work and continuous commitment to asserting Rotana as an international success,” said Al Nowais. “Since our first property launch in 1993 with Beach Rotana, we had one vision - to create a dynamic and leading group that raises the standards for Arabic hospitality. Today, I am proud to see the team flourish and continue driving our growth, delivering consistent quality standards driven by a passion for Treasured Time.”
Before Al Nowais formed Rotana, he served as the Chairman of Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH) for 14 years. During this period, he began his mission to build a level of Arabic-speaking professional hoteliers prepared to fulfill Abu Dhabi’s hospitality vision to be a top international business centre and tourist destination.
In addition to the Lifetime Achievement award, Rotana was awarded the sought-after title of ‘Best Hotel Brand in the Middle East’ for the sixth consecutive year. This honour acknowledges the group’s dedication to setting the standard for service excellence and providing positive experiences to travellers across the Middle East. Rotana also received ‘Best Business Hotel in Jordan’ for Amman Rotana, ‘Best Business Hotel in Bahrain’ for Downtown Rotana, while Gefinor Rotana was highly commended in the ‘Best Business Hotel in Lebanon’ category.
“We are proud to have won the Best Hotel Brand in the Middle East for the sixth consecutive year. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to the readers who have trusted our brand throughout the years,” said Guy Hutchinson, President & CEO of Rotana. “This recognition only demonstrates the extra mile the team goes to ensure an outstanding level of service. The hospitality industry is thriving, and we have great plans for the group as it continues to expand across the globe.”
