HMH – Hospitality Management Holdings (HMH) says Saudi Arabia is central to its expansion strategy, with the group looking to double its existing portfolio of hotels in the country over the next five years.
HMH quoted industry reports that the tourism sector in Saudi Arabia relies heavily on religious tourism. Inbound tourism expenditure reached SAR58.5 billion (US$15.6 billion) in 2013, compared to SAR41.6 billion (US$11.1 billion) from domestic travel in the same year. Growing domestic and international tourist volumes are driving demand for quality accommodations in the country.
Speaking at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), Laurent Voivenel, CEO of HMH stated, “Saudi Arabia is a key growth market for us. Riyadh, Jeddah and Madina are the hubs of hotel investment in the country due to the high demand in the cities. Being a halal-friendly, alcohol-free international chain of hotels, HMH is the ideal choice for any hotel owner or investor with the same philosophy and principles. For us being halal-friendly is not simply a business decision but is part of our culture and DNA. This places us in a very advantageous position in the Kingdom.
"We are therefore, eager to capitalise on our expertise and in-depth understanding of the market and will be soon expanding our network to other key cities in KSA including Makka and Jeddah."
Voivenel said that the opening of the Coral Al Madina Hotel will be HMH's biggest and most prestigious opening of the year. "ATM is the perfect platform to introduce it to key players in the industry. The luxurious 5-star enjoys an unrivalled location just across the road overlooking the Al Masjid Al Nabawi Al Sharief (the Prophet’s Holy Mosque). The hotel is being developed to be the first ‘Smart’ hotel in Madina offering the most advanced technology including high-tech smart rooms," he said.
The countdown to the opening has already begun with the hotel in final stages of development. Featuring 400-plus rooms and suites, spread over 10 floors and five basements, Coral Al Madina Hotel is owned by Mobarak Hotels Group that has appointed Designs Company, specialised in providing integrated hotel solutions, to oversee their growth and expansion. All rooms offer convenience and luxury, coupled with views of the Holy Mosque.
Laurent stressed, “Each room at Coral Al Madina Hotel is thoughtfully equipped to meet the needs of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims and families."
The hotel also offers three restaurants and a lobby lounge, two meeting rooms with adaptable function spaces, a business centre, fully-equipped gym and spa, shopping arcade, private parking as well as helicopter landing site.
HMH began operations in KSA with Coral Al Khobar Hotel eight years ago followed by expansion in Riyadh, Jubail, Al Ahsa and most recently Madina. Laurent said,
Need background? Read the Suroor Asia blog post about HMH's partnerships in Al Madina Al Munawarrah.