Beirut, February 2012: Smart travel. This is the new philosophy ruling the tourism and hospitality sectors in the Middle East and Africa. This concept has witnessed radical changes that have transformed travel from being a feature exclusive to the elite to becoming an accessible treat, ensuring the traveler�s basic needs are met with exceptional service yet reasonable prices.

The type of smart travel �budget hotels� has been providing naturally targets frequent travelers; travelers that hop onto a plane as others usually do a taxi.  Hence it tends to redefine travel in terms of economic sense and does not compromise on the quality of the stay or service. However, budget hotels are not limited to the budget-conscious business traveler, but are also commonly sought after tourists curious to discover the lands of the east, whether for desert expeditions, mountainous adventures or even new shopping experiences without sacrificing any comfort. Budget hotels also meet the needs of families looking for a convenient place to spend their holidays while they visit unique cultural cities that are rapidly growing and evolving.

Based on its deep understanding of current and future local market trends, �Rotana�, the leading hotel management company in the Middle East and Africa, is an early adopter and one of the first to keep the needs of a new generation of travelling executives in mind in addition to the needs of a region currently requiring this type of hotel concept which supports both tourism and business development. Hence, Rotana launched its revolutionary new hotel concept, �Centro Hotels by Rotana�, in 2005 which offers the ultimate solution for smart travelers on an affordable budget, who don�t want to compromise on style or quality.


  Centro Al Manhal            Centro Barsha Dubai              Centro Sharjah                    Centro Yas Island
  Abu Dhabi    

Although this concept might seem considerably new in the region, it is not very so in the United States of America and in Europe. The former introduced this notion in the sixties through a series of �motels� while the latter revised the concept and launched its own �budget hotels�. Perhaps the most important reason that led the Arab region to recently adopt this concept is the rise in the percentage of regional travel from one Arab country to the other with a significant decrease in travelers looking for five star accommodations, in addition to the launch of regional low-cost airlines which has made traveling the world even more accessible to everyone.
Selim El Zyr, Rotana�s Chief Executive Officer, says, �Through Centro we were able to present a revolutionary hotel concept that redefines budget accommodation and which does not compromise on quality at all. Thus Centro is expressed through its contemporary architecture and unique living spaces embodying the personality of an executive hotel while combining style, warmth and convenience through its amenities to guests.�

The "Centro Hotels by Rotana" brand meets the needs of business travellers seeking a convenient location within the heart of the city to ensure ultimate ease with establishing or attending conferences, meetings and company events. Centro provides business guests with an efficient environment equipped with the latest technology, amidst a comfortable and seamless atmosphere at reasonable, well-thought-of prices.

It is worth mentioning that today Rotana operates four �Centro� brand hotels in the United Arab Emirates with over one thousand and fifty rooms between Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. In just the past year, Rotana opened two Centro hotels, "Centro Sharjah" and "Centro Al Manhal Abu Dhabi".  "Centro Yas Island" was opened in Abu Dhabi in 2009 while "Centro Barsha" was opened in Dubai in 2010.

Rotana plans on opening "Centro Capital Centre� in Abu Dhabi in 2012, raising the number of Centro rooms to 1,464 and the total number of Rotana rooms to over 14 thousand by the end of the year, with further plans to open 25 �Centro Hotels by Rotana� properties across the Middle East & Africa by 2014, introducing a unique outside-the-box solution for the mid-tier market. 


  Centro Al Manhal Classic       Rooftop Swimming Pool            C.Mondo Bar               C.Taste all-dining restaurant
  Queen Room
 

"Centro Al Manhal Abu Dhabi" is the most recent budget hotel launched by "Rotana" in the capital city of the UAE. This hotel is also the second hotel under the Centro brand in Abu Dhabi and has the advantage of being perfectly situated just a few minutes from Abu Dhabi�s major avenues, main attractions and corporate houses, while combining style, warmth and convenience with a dash of creativity in all of its offerings.  
     

Several dining options are available to suit the needs of all guests at Centro Al Manhal including, �C.Taste�, an all-day dining restaurant offering buffets for breakfast, lunch and dinner, �C.Mondo� bar and �C.Deli�, an innovative 24-hour take-away dining concept that allows guests to enjoy great food and drinks in addition to the purchase of any items they may need during their stay for their convenience.

Concluding, El Zyr says, "In light of the major changes taking place in the travel and hospitality sectors in the region, the Centro brand was able to prove itself in a matter of a very short period of time. We have achieved the goals we had set and hoped for as the figures reflect the need for this concept by businessmen who have formed 65 percent of the total Centro guests in 2011. The remaining guests were comprised of families and tourists seeking a comfortable stay in the heart of the Emirates within a close distance to shopping and entertainment centres.� He continues, �This is the revolution that will redefine this sector in the next few years and further enhance the status of our cosmopolitan cities."

For more information about Centro Hotels by Rotana, visit: www.rotana.com/centrohotels
For more information about Rotana, visit: www.rotana.com