20 March 2017

Dubai, UAE - Al Khobar has emerged as the third top area for hotel development in Saudi Arabia this year according to a new report, demonstrating the growing market for leisure and business tourism across the Kingdom.
 
With 20 hotel projects underway, the city has overtaken long-term hub for religious tourism - Makkah (19 projects) - and now follows closely behind Jeddah (44 projects) and Riyadh (48 projects).
 
The new figures have been revealed as part of the 2017 Saudi Arabia Hotel Construction Overview report by TOPHOTELPROJECTS, prepared exclusively for The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia.
 
Hospitality experts in the region are attributing the surge in hotel development in Al Khobar, part of the third largest metropolitan area in the Kingdom, to the industry recognised potential of ‘secondary’ cities outside of Saudi Arabia’s key visitor destinations.
 
Filippo Sona, Head of Hotels – MENA at Colliers International, commented: “Outside the Kingdom’s major cities including Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah, there are around 22 smaller cities with huge potential for hospitality development of any kind.
 
“Al Khobar benefits from its location, with a steady stream of business travellers due to its port. A seaside location with beach resorts and directly on the border to Bahrain, it also welcomes savvy Bahraini tourists looking to explore what Saudi Arabia has to offer.”
 
Sona added: “Emerging destinations in Saudi Arabia also include Jubail, a key industrial city, and Al-Hasa, a green area well connected with Qatar and popular with domestic tourists.
 
“Major hotel brands including Novotel, Park Inn and Intercontinental are already placing these destinations on the global map. Occupancy rates are historically high across the country, tourism figures are on the increase and its some 27 million residents are travelling more than ever before. With 175,000 rooms in the market at present and several more hotels under construction, there is the potential to more than double the number of rooms in the Kingdom through the opportunities presented through these secondary cities.”
 
Business travellers are forecast to descend on Jeddah next month for the 5th edition of The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia, which sees 1000s of hospitality industry professionals each year.
 
Taking place over three days – 04-06th April 2017 – the event is co-located for the first time this year with Stone & Surface Saudi Arabia. For more information, or to register to attend the events for free, access: www.thehotelshowsaudiarabia.com
 
-Ends-

For more information and/or images please contact Heather Macpherson, Senior PR Manager, dmg events hospitality portfolio on +971 4 445 3749 or heathermacpherson@dmgeventsme.com 
 
The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia
Organised by MICE Arabia and co-organised by dmg events, The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia 2017 is part of the dmg events Middle East, Asia & Africa hospitality portfolio which includes: The Hotel Show Dubai, The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia, The Hotel Show Philippines, The Hotel Show Africa, The Leisure Show Dubai.
 
About dmg events
An international exhibition and publishing company, dmg events produces market-leading exhibitions and conferences for the global energy, construction, coatings, hospitality and interior design industries.
 
dmg events is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust plc (DMGT) an international portfolio of information, media and events businesses listed on the London stock exchange.
 
dmg events Middle East, Asia & Africa
Founded in 1989, dmg events has operated in the Middle East since 1995 and owns many leading brands including The Big 5 portfolio of construction events, INDEX – the Middle East’s largest event for the interior design industry and The Hotel Show, the longest running and most important event for the hospitality industry.

Headquartered in Dubai, UAE and with satellite offices in India, South Africa and the UK, dmg events Middle East, Asia & Africa organizes over 45 events across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, North America and Europe. For more information visit www.dmgeventsme.com 

About DMGT
DMGT manages a diverse, multinational portfolio of companies, with total revenues of almost £2bn, that provide businesses and consumers with compelling information, analysis, insight, events, news and entertainment.  DMGT is also a founding investor and the largest shareholder of Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC and ZPG Plc.

For more information visit:
www.dmgt.com

© Press Release 2017