Hyatt Hotels Corporation has entered into a management agreement with Umm Alqura for development and construction of a Grand Hyatt branded hotel in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Located in close proximity to the Grand Mosque, the hotel will be an integral component of the King Abdul Aziz Road (KAAR) mixed-use urban development project, designed to support one of the fastest-growing religious tourism markets in the world.

“Saudi Arabia is one of Hyatt’s prime focus areas within the Middle East," said Ludwig Bouldoukian, regional vice president of development, Middle East and North Africa for Hyatt. “The country’s significant strides to boost tourism complements our own commitment to creating a pipeline in markets that matter most to guests and World of Hyatt members. Consequently, the opening of Grand Hyatt Makkah will strengthen the kingdom’s vision to attract more tourists and offer guests an elevated, luxury experience with plans to open further properties in the holy city in the near future.”
 
Slated to open in January 2025, Grand Hyatt Makkah will be the first Grand Hyatt hotel in the city and the second Grand Hyatt hotel in the kingdom, joining Grand Hyatt Al Khobar which is slated to open in 2020. The hotel is uniquely designed to celebrate iconic cultural facets and evoke a welcoming service to create exceptional moments for its guests. Grand Hyatt Makkah will feature interiors that integrate materials and artwork representing Islamic tradition, whilst maintaining the detailed design and luxurious services synonymous with the Grand Hyatt brand.

“Grand Hyatt Makkah represents a prestigious addition to the King Abdul Aziz Road project, which will contribute to our goal of better serving the needs of visitors and residents in Makkah,” said Yasser Abuateek, CEO of Umm Alqura for Development and Construction. “One of our key ambitions is also to add value to the local real estate market, and by introducing globally renowned brands we are making significant strides towards achieving this objective. We look forward to further exciting announcements as our project continues to move forward with enhancing Makkah’s transport and tourism infrastructure in support of Vision 2030, the kingdom’s inspiring roadmap for the future.”

“We are delighted to work with Umm Alqura on the first Grand Hyatt hotel in the holy city of Makkah,” said Peter Fulton, group president – Europe, Africa, Middle East and Southwest Asia, Hyatt. “Together, we hope to strive towards the Kingdom’s goal to attract more than 30 million tourists by 2030. Grand Hyatt Makkah is being designed to meet the unique needs of both visitors and pilgrims and is set to become its own captivating destination within this cultural and religious destination.” - TradeArabia News Service