Hotel to open in 2023

From left: Hisham Ebeid, senior executive, hospitality, Umm Al Qura, and Puneet Chhatwal, MD and CEO, The Indian Hotels Company.

The Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) has formed a partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Umm Al Qura Development and Construction Company for a hotel development in the King Abdul Aziz Road (KAAR) project.

The hotel, scheduled to open in January 2023, will have approximately 340 keys, banqueting facilities and several restaurants to serve all tastes.

It will also be in close proximity to commercial offices, retail stores and restaurants within KAAR project, one of the largest urban rejuvenation projects in the city of Makkah.

The proposed hotel is situated within walking distance of the Grand Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram), the main attraction for over 6 million pilgrims who visit the city each year.

Commenting on the signing of the patnership, Puneet Chhatwal, managing director and chief executive officer, IHCL, said, “We are bringing the first Taj hotel to Saudi Arabia. This is aligned to our strategy of a strong focus on global growth markets and to be present where our guests travel to.

“We are committed to expanding our presence in the MENA region,” he assured.

Commenting on the partnership, Eng. Mohammad Al Ganawi, chief executive officer of Umm Al Qura Development and Construction Company, said, “We look forward to working with them to bring the iconic Taj brand to the unique development project in Makkah.”

The hotel will be IHCL’s fourth venture in the MENA region, said the company in a statement of 17 April 2018.

The company manages Taj Dubai located in the Burj Khalifa downtown area. It will also open another two hotels in Dubai in the next twelve to eighteen months. fii-news.com