Dubai-based Jumeirah Group, the operator of luxury hotel chains across the world, is set to open nine new hotels this year, almost doubling its portfolio from 10 in 2010 to 19 by the end of 2011, its top official revealed.

Gerald Lawless, Executive Chairman of Jumeirah Group, said that the group saw a strong recovery in 2010 in terms of occupancy and room rates, and that the chain is all set to double its portfolio this year.

"We will open nine hotels in total, if everything goes well, in 2011, which will be very interesting because it will take us from about 10 hotels to 19 hotels," Lawless told HotelNewsNow.com in an interview.

"I think the look and feel of Jumeirah by the end of this year is going to be totally different than what it was at the beginning of the year if everything opens according to plan," Lawless added. "So far we've opened three [hotels in 2011]," he said. to plan," Lawless added. "So far we've opened three [hotels in 2011]," he said.