• Hilton on course to more than quadruple its presence in the Kingdom and reach 100 hotels trading and in the pipeline this year across its luxury, lifestyle, full service and midscale brands
• 1 in 4 branded hotel rooms under construction in Saudi Arabia carry a Hilton flag
• Debut of the premium economy brand Spark by Hilton in the Middle East with the signing of Spark by Hilton in Makkah
• Hilton’s hotel pipeline will create over 15,000 jobs across its properties in Saudi Arabia
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announces it is set to hit the milestone of 100 hotels trading and in the pipeline in Saudi Arabia this year – reaffirming its long-term commitment to growth across the Kingdom. The global hospitality company continues to introduce more of its award-winning brands to the country, with 14 brands trading and in the pipeline, and has announced multiple new signings with plans to add more than 21,000 rooms in locations across the country.
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.”
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.”
Launch of Spark by Hilton in Middle East & Africa
The new signing marks the debut of Hilton’s premium economy brand, Spark by Hilton, in the Middle East and Africa. Since its launch in 2023, Spark by Hilton has been at the forefront of innovation and is uniquely positioned to grow and scale quickly. Offering a simple, inspired design, comfortable guest rooms and a complimentary breakfast, the conversion-friendly, premium economy brand delivers reliable essentials and friendly service for every guest at an accessible price point.
Spark by Hilton Makkah Aziziyah
Spark by Hilton Makkah Aziziyah is set to open later this year, marking the brand’s debut in the MEA region. The 329-guest room property will offer 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.
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.
Ongoing Luxury, Lifestyle and Full Service Expansion
Hilton continues to bolster its luxury presence across the Kingdom with its iconic Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, LXR Hotels & Resorts, and Conrad Hotels & Resorts brands.
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 award-winning DoubleTree by Hilton brands, including multiple properties in Riyadh, Jeddah, Madinah and Jizan.
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.
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