Saudi- SR 18 bn Makkah investments to create 24,000 more hotel rooms 

(MENAFN - Arab News) A recent Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) report shows the total number of hotel projects in Makkah has exceeded 100, of which several are about to be completed.

These projects will add more than 24,480 hotel rooms to the city. "The most significant are those of the Jabal Omar and Jabal Alka'abah projects that will be an important addition at the level of hospitality services for the Haram's (Grand Mosque) visitors," stated the report.

Salah bin Khaled Al-Bakheet, SCTA vice president for investment, said the projects will be implemented within the next two years. They are worth about SR18.3 billion.

He said that these projects come in line with the government's policy that aims to increase the number of pilgrims, adding that they will provide more options in terms of service and price and contribute in mitigating hotel seasonal price hikes.

The SR10 billion-worth Jabal Alka'abah project comprises a total space of 53,000 square meters. Its hotel towers will contain 8,500 rooms when it is finished in 2013. It is being carried out by the Abdul-Latif Jameel development company which is about to complete the project's first stage.
The hotel is part of the Anjum Makkah hotel series project.

The Jabal Omar project will be implemented by next Ramadan, he said, adding that it will include several 4 and 5-star hotels, for which contracts were signed with the Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Conrad and Hilton Suites companies.