IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has signed two franchise agreements including Holiday Inn® Madinah King Abdulaziz Road with Loulouat Al Madinah Hospitality and Holiday Inn Jeddah Al Hamra with Al Hokair Group. The agreements were signed and announced at Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC) 2019 in Ras Al Khaimah.
The signings consolidate IHG’s strategy to expand its footprint across the kingdom, with its midscale offerings.
Holiday Inn Jeddah Al Hamra will feature 253 rooms and a host of facilities for business and leisure travellers including three food and beverage outlets, six meeting rooms, and a business centre. In addition, guests will be able to take advantage of recreational facilities such as the outdoor pool, a gymnasium and a spa.
Due to open in 2020, Holiday Inn Madinah King Abdulaziz Road will be strategically located near Al Haramain Railway Train Station and other major transport hubs. The 180-key hotel will feature 2,000 sqm of banqueting space for events and conventions, a business centre as well as a gym and two dining options. Given its location in the Holy City and close proximity to Knowledge Economic City, it is expected to attract both pilgrims and corporate travelers.
Commenting on the agreement, Pascal Gauvin, Managing Director, India, Middle East & Africa, IHG, said: “We are excited to leverage our experience of this market to bring more hospitality options to a broad range of travellers. Saudi Arabia remains a key strategic market for IHG in the Middle East, and we are proud to collaborate once again with our esteemed long-term partner, Al Hokair Group, and also to partner with Loulouat Al Madinah Hospitality for the first time. These signings demonstrate our commitment to Vision 2030 and the development of the rapidly evolving hospitality sector in the Kingdom.”
Omar Samara, CEO, Al Hokair Group commented: “IHG understands the market and has demonstrated its credentials to us as a strong partner. The tourism landscape in Saudi Arabia is changing, in line with Vision 2030, and offers unprecedented opportunities for the hospitality sector. This partnership will further diversify the type of hospitality offerings in both cities for international and domestic travelers alike.”
Sami Al Hokair, Managing Director, Loulouat Al Madinah Hospitality commented: “We are pleased to be partnering with an experienced, global hospitality company such as IHG to expand our footprint in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In line with Saudi Vision 2030, there will be an increase in the number of religious tourist arrivals in Madinah and this partnership will give us an opportunity to offer quality branded accommodation to our international and domestic guests. Holiday Inn is a brand known and preferred by travelers across the globe and we are confident the hotel will be a huge success when we open our doors in 2020."
Currently, IHG operates 91 hotels across 5 brands in the Middle East, including: InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn®, Holiday Inn Express® and Staybridge Suites® with a further 37 in the development pipeline due to open within the next three to five years.* IHG most recently debuted its upscale brand voco™ in the Middle East with the opening of voco Dubai.
*Figures as at 31 December 2018
