Hilton mulls to open nearly 100 hotels in Saudi Arabia in coming years: Official

Carlos Khneisser, Vice President of Development for Hilton

Carlos Khneisser, Vice President of Development for Hilton in the Middle East and Africa, said the company intends to open around 100 new hotels in Saudi Arabia in the coming years.

On the sidelines of the Future of Hospitality Summit, Khneisser told Argaam that there are 20 hotels in operation.

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Demand is strong and continues to rise in the Kingdom, especially in Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, and Madinah.

This prompted Hilton, as an international operator, to expand into the Saudi market, which is a major focus for the company compared to other countries in the region, Khneisser said.

He added that the company plans to expand and open new hotels under different brands in the secondary cities of Abha, Al-Ahsa, Tabuk and Hafar Al-Batin.

Attracting tourists is an essential part of the expansion and development strategy in the hospitality sector, Khneisser noted.