Kerten Hospitality signs 1,000 new keys amid rapid MENA expansion

Lifestyle hotelier Kerten Hospitality signed 1,000 new keys in January 2026, accelerating its expansion across the Middle East, Africa and other high-demand markets. The move follows a strong 2025 performance, driven by market entries and portfolio diversification. 

 

The group reported a 55% year-on-year increase in operating revenues and a 69% rise in gross operating profit (GOP), supported by new openings in Kuwait and Italy.

 

Building on this momentum, Kerten now manages a pipeline of more than 55 projects across 12 brands in the MENA and European regions, with six new properties set to open in Q1 2026, including developments in Egypt, Italy, France and Morocco. 

 

The Middle East and Africa (MENA) region remains central to Kerten’s development strategy, supported by strong government tourism initiatives, major infrastructure investments and rising demand for community-oriented lifestyle brands. Recent regional highlights include, Cloud 7 Al Murjan Island Resort in Dammam, The House Residence Azure in Zanzibar and the group’s market debut in Morocco with Cloud 7 Hotel Dersa Tetuàn and Casadora Resort by Cloud 7 Hotels.

 

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The group has also strengthened its senior leadership team with the appointments of Mina Anziani as Chief Operating Officer and Ramine Behnam as Chief Development Officer, two key roles aimed at supporting growth across Kerten’s expanding footprint.  

 

Reflecting on the progress, Marloes Knippenberg, CEO of Kerten Hospitality, said: “We are scaling faster than ever, entering new markets while delivering strong financial results. This is only the beginning, and we have a highly capable team in place to support our ambitious growth agenda.”

 

Across the GCC, Kerten currently operates five destinations across Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, with seven more hotels in the pipeline across the region, including two Cloud 7 Hotels in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. 

 

For more information, visit kertenhospitality.com