Staff Report
Dubai, UAE
Hilton, a global hospitality company, is on course to more than quadruple its presence in Saudi Arabia and reach 100 hotels trading and in the pipeline this year across its luxury, lifestyle, full service, and midscale brands. The announcement was accompanied by the debut of its latest premium economy brand, Spark by Hilton, with the first hotel to be developed in Makkah that will contribute to the 21,000+ rooms planned by Hilton in the Kingdom.
Hilton’s portfolio in the country consists of 14 brands trading and in the pipeline, in addition to multiple new signings. Hilton currently operates 20 hotels in the Kingdom, with another 77 properties in the pipeline, accounting for a quarter of branded hotel rooms under construction in the country – and reaffirming the company’s commitment to supporting Saudi Vision 2030 by delivering world-class hospitality experiences.
Guy Hutchinson, President, Middle East & Africa, Hilton, said, “Saudi Arabia is undergoing a remarkable transformation, and we are proud to be playing a leading role in it becoming a top global tourism destination. The Kingdom offers a unique blend of rich cultural heritage, natural landscapes, and modern lifestyle developments. Our diverse portfolio – spanning luxury and lifestyle, through to premium economy and midscale brands – will help broaden the appeal for today’s discerning travellers. In line with Saudi Vision 2030, our growing hotel pipeline is set to generate over 15,000 job opportunities, with a significant focus on employing Saudi nationals.”
Spark by Hilton Makkah Aziziyah, the hotel group’s latest venture, is a 329-key property which is set to open later this year. The hotel offers twin-bed and triple-bed guest rooms.
Located to the east of Masjid Al-Haram in Makkah’s Aziziyah district, near the religiously significant area of Mina, a key site during Hajj with direct train access to Arafat, the hotel is ideally situated to serve pilgrims. The site is surrounded by commercial outlets and hotels that cater to religious travellers year-round. Developed by Al Musbah Group, Spark by Hilton Makkah Aziziyah is one of several Hilton projects underway with the group across Makkah, Madinah, and Dammam.
Commenting on Hilton’s momentum in the Kingdom, Carlos Khneisser, Vice President, Development, Middle East & Africa, Hilton, said, “We are excited about reaching 100 hotels trading and in the pipeline in Saudi Arabia, as we continue to diversify our footprint and introduce more of our global brands across both established and emerging destinations. Our continued partnership with Al Musbah Group is testament to this growth and our commitment to supporting private sector development in the Saudi tourism industry. We are proud to have Al Musbah Group as part of our highly valued ownership community and to be working with them to introduce the region’s first Spark by Hilton in Makkah. With two-thirds of our pipeline in Saudi Arabia already under construction, we look forward to continuing our work with new and existing owners to deliver more hotels at all price points for guests across the Kingdom.”
Spark by Hilton adds to Hilton’s growing midscale presence across established and up-and-coming cities in the Kingdom, complementing existing brands such as Hampton by Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn, which together account for one-third of the company’s hotel pipeline.
Recent signings include Hampton by Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn properties in Jeddah, Jizan, and Abha, as well as at the NEOM Community site. In Makkah, Hilton is partnering with Umm Al Qura for Development and Construction Company to open the world’s largest Hilton Garden Inn, featuring 1,560 guest rooms.
Hilton has also partnered with Knowledge Economic City (KEC) to open the region’s first Home2 Suites by Hilton in the Middle East in Madinah, alongside properties under the Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton by Hilton brands.
Hilton continues to bolster its luxury presence across the Kingdom with brands like Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, LXR Hotels & Resorts, and Conrad Hotels & Resorts.
These include a multi-property agreement at The Avenues – Riyadh, the Kingdom’s largest mixed-use development which will be home to a Waldorf Astoria and a Conrad, as well as a Waldorf Astoria in Diriyah Gate – one of Saudi Arabia’s iconic giga-projects, and Madinah’s first Waldorf Astoria. The company has also partnered with Rua Al Madinah Holding to open three hotels in the holy city including a luxury property under the Conrad Hotels & Resorts brand, as well as with Dan Co, a PIF subsidiary, to open an LXR agritourism resort in Al Ahsa.
In line with the Kingdom’s vision to enhance its hospitality offering to include authentic and culturally inspired experiences, Hilton also continues to expand its lifestyle footprint with its Canopy by Hilton and Curio Collection by Hilton brands. Recent lifestyle signings include a Curio at the highly anticipated OSUS Eye project in Riyadh, two distinct Curio lifestyle resorts in Al Ahsa – an eco-resort and an adventure resort – as part of the company’s partnership with Dan Co, a Canopy in Abha as part of the city’s highly anticipated The Point development, and a Canopy at The Avenues – Riyadh.
Full service expansion also remains a priority under the company’s flagship Hilton Hotels & Resorts and DoubleTree by Hilton brands, including multiple properties in Riyadh, Jeddah, Madinah, and Jizan.
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