Ramada Forms Joint Venture To Expand In Middle East

LONDON— Ramada International plans to expand its presence throughout the Middle East and North Africa after forming a joint venture with Toronto-based Global V Hospitality. The partnership allows Global V to franchise any of Ramadas brands to existing independent hotels, with the ultimate aim of securing 80 hotels within five years. The joint venture is slated to open 17 hotels this year, primarily located in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Egypt. Other countries targeted include Lebanon, Morocco, Algeria, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait. SOURCE: HVS International