Agilysys, Inc., a leading global provider of hospitality software solutions that deliver High Return Hospitality, announced it is bringing its Agilysys Hospitality Cloud solutions to the Middle East. While Agilysys previously has cultivated customers in the region through its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) operations in the United Kingdom, the company now has hired Hussein Tawalbeh, an executive whose hospitality expertise comes through a 20-year career in the region, to lead Agilysys’ Middle East and North Africa (MENA) operations from Dubai UAE.
Dubai is on track to becoming the world’s most visited destination welcoming 7.1 million international overnight visitors as of June 2022, a 183% year-over-year increase. The hospitality sector across the Middle East is undergoing a dramatic transformation – particularly in the luxury, upper upscale and upscale sectors – that is expected to fuel growth over the next several years.
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A recent trend report by Lodging Econometrics notes that the construction pipeline for the Middle East at the end of the second quarter 2022 includes 545 projects comprising 140,055 rooms, with 72% of these projects in the top three chain scales – luxury, upper upscale, and upscale. Forecast data shows 114 hotel openings totaling 28,450 rooms expected in 2023 and 125 hotel openings accounting for 30,408 rooms expected in 2024.
“Dubai has taken a strategic approach to the hospitality industry, establishing a top-notch infrastructure and hosting world-renowned events to draw visitors from all over the world,” said Hussein Tawalbeh, Regional Director, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) for Agilysys. “Deepening Agilysys’ focus in the Middle East is a natural move as this region develops meaningful growth and exceptional hospitality experiences,” he added.
Mr. Tawalbeh’s hospitality experience in the Middle East includes leadership and management positions at global hospitality solution providers; and at in-region properties and management companies, including Radisson Blu; Kempenski Hotels and Autograph Collection.
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Agilysys debuted its marketing presence in the Middle East as a sponsor of The Hospitality Network’s The 2022 Stakeholder Conference (thehospitalitynetwork.com) held 18-21 October 2022.
Don DeMarinis, Agilysys Senior Vice President, noted, “We were impressed by the hospitality leaders and decision-makers with whom we met at the 2022 Stakeholders Conference. Those conversations have informed our approach to bringing our market-leading hospitality solutions to the Middle East. In addition, we are excited to add Hussein Tawalbeh’s meaningful hospitality knowledge and experience in the Middle East to our team as we help leading properties in the region to achieve High Return Hospitality,” he concluded.