Hilton has signed three further hotels in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a continuation of its strategy to increase its portfolio across the country.
The operator has announced plans to open over 50 new hotels across ten of its brands in Saudi Arabia, with the latest of these signings including Conrad Hotels & Resorts' entry into the Saudi capital with 170-key Conrad Riyadh Laysen Valley – set to open in 2025 - as well as its signings in Abha, Hilton The Point Residences and Canopy by Hilton The Point, both due to open in 2026. Canopy by Hilton Port Jeddah, which will comprise 183 guest rooms and 55 residences, is also scheduled to open in 2028.
Hilton currently operates 16 hotels in Saudi Arabia, which is Hilton’s largest growth market in the EMEA region and where it plans to open over 50 additional hotels.
Why it matters
Interest in the Saudi hotel sector has continued to grow, with companies including Accor, IHG and Ennismore recently expressing fresh interest in the country and the Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Development Fund continuing to ink a slew of hotel development deals with companies including Radisson, Minor Hotels and Hyatt.
Tourism numbers in the country has also continued increase exponentially, with the Kingdom recording over 77 million domestic tourists in 2022 compared to 63.8 million the year before. The Tourism Development Fund aims to attract 100 million visitors by 2030 as part of its goal to transform Saudi Arabia into a global tourism hub.
Hilton’s – and others – increased interest and activity in the country’s burgeoning market indicate they are positioning themselves to take advantage of the Kingdom’s growing attractiveness to international travellers.
What they said
Carlos Khneisser, VP development, Middle East & Africa said: “Saudi Arabia’s rapid evolution continues to provide exciting growth opportunities for Hilton, and we’re working closely with our owners to introduce more award-winning hospitality brands in existing and new locations throughout the country. These latest signings are strong examples of our diversified growth in up-and-coming, large-scale developments such as Laysen Valley in Riyadh and our commitment to unlock tourism potential in the secondary cities.”