Millennium Hotels & Resorts Middle East and Africa is driving the growth of the Saudi hospitality sector with its ambitious plan to open new hotels across the kingdom to add to its growing portfolio.

In its first phase, the plan includes the opening of six new hotels in Makkah, Madina, Tabouk, Jizan and Baha in addition to recently opened Millennium & Copthorne Makkah Al Naseem hotels.

The move reinforces the Millennium Hotels & Resorts portfolio and position in the kingdom’s hotel industry.

The expansion will initially create over 6,000 new jobs in the Saudi hospitality industry across various functions.

In line with the Saudi Vision 2030, which focuses on diversification of the economy, Millennium Hotels & Resorts foresee massive growth in the travel, tourism and hotel sector of Saudi Arabia.

Industry outlook records extensive visitor growth for the three key tourist demand pools: leisure, pilgrim and corporate visitors and thus accelerating the hotel requirements across the Kingdom.

Kevork Deldelian, chief operating officer of Millennium Hotels & Resorts Middle East and Africa, revealed: “We are fully committed to strategic expansion in Saudi Arabia, extending our reach across the entire Kingdom, with new hotels planned to open in various locations in the next two years.

“New properties are set to become key landmarks in different cities of the Saudi Arabia.”

He added: “The Millennium brand is deeply rooted in the Middle East and boast of a better understanding of the local culture and heritage.

“The Millennium brand portfolio includes dry and Sharia-compliant hotels, leisure resorts and business hotels, each tailored to meet the needs of its surrounding and source markets such as Saudi Arabia.”

To further strengthen its position in the Saudi market, Millennium Hotels & Resorts Middle East and Africa introduced TooMooH program earlier this year.

The program aims at increasing GCC citizens’ employment in the hospitality industry.

TooMooH works on boosting local talent in the hospitality industry of Saudi, Oman, Kuwait and the UAE.

The program has been successful at attracting national talents, enabling participants to be a driving force in the region’s sustainable economic development.

Interview

Breaking Travel News earlier this year caught up with Kevork Deldelian, chief operating officer for Millennium Hotels & Resorts in the Middle East and Africa.

Here he tells us about the Saudi expansion plans as well as his broader ambitions for the region.

More Information

Millennium Hotels & Resorts owns, asset manages and operates over 130 hotels worldwide, and is considered the World’s Leading Corporate Hotel Brand by World Travel Awards.

With almost 40,000 rooms globally, the company is present on nearly all the continents with a portfolio of brands, which serve different market segments.

Millennium Hotels & Resorts Middle East and Africa currently operates 42 hotels with almost 14,000 keys in addition to ten hotels are due to open in 2019 and 35 hotels in the pipeline across the region.

From a single property in Abu Dhabi, Millennium Hotels & Resorts Middle East and Africa has expanded into various neighbouring destinations and is now recognised as one of the fastest-growing regional hotel management companies.

Along the way, the company has cultivated partnerships with reputable and respected owners.