Sir Rocco Forte, the veteran hotelier, is in negotiations over a number of projects in the Middle East as he seeks to expand his luxury chain outside Europe.

The Rocco Forte Collection (RF), which has 11 hotels and three new developments, is in talks about taking on management contracts for two hotels in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh and is bidding on a project in Dubai. Richard Power, RF’s brand managing director, said that the company was also looking at possible opportunities in Oman as part of its aim of tapping into the rapidly expanding economy of the region.

Mr Power said that many members of the region’s royal families already used RF’s European hotels and that last year the company had appointed a sales executive dealing specifically with Middle Eastern royalty. He said that despite the strong competition for management contracts, relative newcomers such as RF had an advantage over the big chains: “Middle Eastern countries are looking for new brands as most of the established guys are already there.”

The group is due to open hotels in Prague and Sicily next year and a golf resort in Marrakesh in 2009. It is also in protracted talks over a city centre project in Moscow and for the first time is actively seeking an entry to the New York market.

As a result of his widening ambitions, Sir Rocco, RF’s chairman and chief executive, will today announce the promotion of Moreno Occhiolini to chief operating officer. He has been with the company since 1998, running its hotels in continental Europe.

Sir Rocco, six of whose hotels are held in a joint venture with Bank of Scotland, is forecasting a jump in turnover from £120 million to £150 million in the year to the end of April 2008.

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