EXHIBITOR NEWS
Swiss-Belhotel set for strong showing at this yearˇs ATM
Hilton to open 35 new hotels in Saudi Arabia in the next five years
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ilton Hotels & Resorts plans to significantly expand its footprint throughout the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia set to gain an additional 10,000 hotel rooms. The Kingdom will have the largest number of hotels in development within the region, with 35 new properties set to open in the next five years. “We’ve been operating in the Kingdom since 1992 and have grown very strong relationships with owners over that time. This has allowed us to grow to 11 hotels and notably to build a pipeline of 35 new hotels under development, which will add more than 10,000 new rooms in the coming 3-5 years,” said Carlos Khneisser, VP of Development, MENA for Hilton. “This represents our largest pipeline in the Middle East and the confidence we have in the strength of the market with increasing demand for business, leisure and religious tourism.” Religious tourism makes up the bulk of Saudi tourism, with more than two million visitors annually. However, business tourism has been growing at an increasing rate over the last three years, while the tourism sector as a whole has grown at a much faster rate than the wider economy. According to the Saudi Tourism Information and Research Centre, tourism revenues have risen from US$15.3 billion (SR57.3 billion) in 2004 to an estimated US$56.2 billion (SR211 billion) in 2018. Hilton has already confirmed three new additions to its Saudi pipeline in the shape of newly agreed projects with two different investment partners. A DoubleTree by Hilton Abha Al Murooj will be in partnership with Mazaya International Company for Real Estate Development and Investment, while Hilton Garden Inn Madinah and DoubleTree by Hilton Madinah are in partnership with Pan Kingdom Holdings. DoubleTree By Hilton Abha Al Murooj will be the first hotel by an international chain to open in the city of Abha and will have 156 rooms, while DoubleTree by Hilton Madinah will consist of 242 guestrooms and is expected to open in 2022. Visit stand: HC0830
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ATM PREVIEW 2019
With a number of new initiatives set to be unveiled at ATM, Swiss-Belhotel International is set to showcase the strength of its development pipeline. The company is set to open seven hotels this year alone, as well as introduce a number of new brands to the GCC, as it aims to strengthen its portfolio throughout the region. Laurent A. Voivenel, Senior Vice President, Operations and Development for the Middle East, Africa and India for Swiss-Belhotel International, said: “We are expanding quite aggressively in the GCC and 2019 holds immense strategic significance for us as we enter new destinations with new brands. “For the first time in the region, we have introduced brands such as Grand Swiss-Belresort, Swiss-Belsuites, SwissBelboutique and Swiss-Belinn. These developments are aimed at diversifying our offering in the region while meeting the growing demand for quality accommodation at affordable rates. “We look forward to keeping our momentum going with a strong participation in ATM 2019, where we will be showcasing our portfolio of existing and upcoming hotels. We will also be participating in the new initiatives at ATM this year and joining us on the occasion will be our key associates, owners as well as our partners.” Visit stand: HC0825
Laurent A. Voivenel