• Home
• Travel & Tourism
• News Article

Hilton Worldwide Set to Triple Presence in Saudi Arabia and Hire 9,000 Team Members to Support Growth

Company Signs Six New Hotels as Part of the Jabal Omar Development in Makkah and Partners with the Prince Sultan College for Tourism and Business to Boost Recruitment

DUBAI, UAE - 18 May, 2011 - Hilton Worldwide is set to triple the number of hotels the company has in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), following the signing of six new properties in the holy city of Makkah. The new hotels form part of the Jabal Omar development, one of the largest hotel developments in the world, and brings the total number of hotels in the company's development pipeline in KSA to 12, a total of more than 6,000 rooms. This growth will require Hilton Worldwide to recruit 9,000 new Team Members over the next 3-4 years.

Overlooking the Grand Mosque in the centre of Makkah, the Jabal Omar development will help to meet the demands for a wider variety of accommodation from the rising number of pilgrims visiting Saudi Arabia every year. Hilton Worldwide will manage 30 percent of the rooms in the development, across six hotels - four Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties, including an all-suites hotel and a convention centre, a DoubleTree by Hilton and the first Conrad hotel in the country.

Conrad Makkah, Hilton Suites Makkah, Hilton Bab Makkah North, Hilton Bab Makkah South, Hilton Makkah Convention Hotel and DoubleTree by Hilton Makkah are scheduled to open in 2014. When all six hotels open, Saudi Arabia will become the first country across the Middle East and Africa to become home to all five brands the company offers in the region.

"In the next three years we will triple our presence in Saudi Arabia and have a total of nearly 5,000 rooms in Makkah alone," said Ian Carter, president, global operations and development, Hilton Worldwide . "There's no mistaking the potential for even further growth in the Kingdom and Jabal Omar is a great example of this. We are also seeing an increased interest from owners who are developing hotels in the secondary cities, and they are looking across our spectrum of brands to make the most of the booming market."

To support Hilton Worldwide 's growth in Saudi Arabia, the company will be recruiting 9,000 new Team Members. In line with Saudi law, a significant number of these Team Members will be Saudi nationals. To this end, the company has partnered with The Prince Sultan College for Tourism and Business (PSCJ) to develop a hospitality curriculum and qualification specific to Hilton Worldwide . The first class of students to embark on the programme will begin studying in September 2011.

"We've got a huge task ahead of us to recruit the number of people required for our upcoming hotels in the Kingdom. By partnering with The Prince Sultan College for Tourism and Business we hope to engage aspiring young Saudis to pursue a career in hospitality, and to work together to train the people we will need across our hotels," said Rudi Jagersbacher, area president, Middle East and Africa, Hilton Worldwide .

The company will also provide support to the six hotel schools to be set up by the Jabal Omar Development Company and the General Organisation for Technical Education and Vocational Training. These schools aim to train around 20,000 people over 10 years to work in the industry.

Saudi Arabia has seen an increasing number of religious and business travellers each year. As the site of the largest pilgrimage in the world - Makkah attracts millions of people from every corner of the world during the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Hilton Worldwide 's maiden property in the city - Makkah Hilton & Towers - has remained one of the key hotels in the city since it opened as the first international hotel in the holy city 17 years ago.

Hilton Worldwide currently operates six hotels across KSA and has a total of 12 hotels in the development pipeline in the country. The company has signed 10 management agreements to date this year and the total number of hotels in the development pipeline across Middle East and Africa now stands at 36.

JABAL OMAR HOTEL PROFILES:

Conrad Makkah

• Rooms: 496

• F&B outlets: 2 specialty, 1 all day dining and 1 lounge

• Event Space: 4 meeting rooms and 1 ballroom

• Other amenities: Health club

Hilton Suites Makkah

• Rooms: 516

• F&B outlets: 2 all day dining and 2 lounges

• Event Space: 2 meeting rooms and 1 function room

• Other amenities: Health club

Hilton Bab Makkah North

• Rooms: 865

• F&B outlets: 2 all day dining and 2 lounges

• Event Space: 2 meeting rooms and 1 ballroom

• Other amenities: Health club

Hilton Bab Makkah South

• Rooms: 865

• F&B outlets: 2 all day dining and 2 lounges

• Event Space: 2 meeting rooms and 1 ballroom

• Other amenities: Health club

Hilton Makkah Convention Hotel

• Rooms: 566

• F&B outlets: 1 specialty, 1 all day dining and 1 lounge

• Event Space: 2 function rooms and 1 ballroom

• Other amenities: Health club

DoubleTree by Hilton Makkah

• Rooms: 806

• F&B outlets: 2 specialty, 1 all day dining and 2 lounges

• Event Space: 2 meeting rooms

• Other amenities: Health club

-Ends-

About Hilton Worldwide
Hilton Worldwide is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 92 years, Hilton Worldwide has been offering business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its brands are comprised of more than 3,700 hotels and 610,000 rooms in 82 countries and include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts , DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®.

Hilton Worldwide currently operates 49 hotels and one convention centre in the Middle East & Africa, totalling to more than 15,000 rooms across 15 countries. There are 17 hotels in Egypt, one hotel and one convention centre in Jordan, ten hotels in the UAE, six in Saudi Arabia and one each in Oman and Kuwait, plus another 13 hotels in Africa and the Indian Ocean.

Hilton Worldwide has a signed development pipeline of an additional 36 properties across Middle East & Africa in the U.A.E, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Equatorial Guinea, Uganda, Namibia, Nigeria and Cape Verde.

For more information about the company, please visit www.hiltonworldwide.com and www.hiltondevelopment.com

The Hilton Reservations and Customer Care telephone numbers in the Middle East are as follows:

UAE - 8000 20000 11 Qatar - 800 20 222
KSA - 800 82000 10 Egypt - 19009
Bahrain - 8000 4058 Jordan - 00202 25805927
Kuwait - 222 56 200 Lebanon - 00202 25805928
Oman - 800 78 788 Syria - 00202 25805926

About Conrad Hotels & Resorts
CONRAD® HOTELS & RESORTS is Hilton Worldwide 's global luxury brand and the choice for today's modern, sophisticated traveler. By focusing on the individual, Conrad offers guests genuine and personalized experience and a world of style, service and connection. Each Conrad is a dynamic reflection of its city and culture, as well as a showcase for striking design and distinct surroundings. Across five continents, in the world's gateway cities and most sought-after resort destinations, Conrad invites each guest to enjoy The Luxury Of Being Yourself®. For information on Conrad, please visit www.conradhotels.com. Conrad Hotels & Resorts is one of Hilton Worldwide 's ten market-leading brands.

About Hilton Hotels & Resorts
The most recognized name in the industry, Hilton Hotels & Resorts stands as the stylish, forward thinking global leader in hospitality. From inaugural balls and Hollywood award galas to business events and days to remember, Hilton is where the world makes history, closes the deal, toasts special occasions and gets away from it all. The flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide continues to build upon its legacy of innovation by developing products and services to meet the needs of tomorrow's savvy global travelers while more than 144,000 Team Members shape experiences in which every guest feels cared for, valued and respected. Today, the Hilton Hotels & Resorts portfolio includes more than 540 hotels in 76 countries and the brand remains synonymous with "hotel." Access the latest Hilton news at www.hiltonglobalmediacenter.com or begin your journey at www.hilton.com. Social media users can engage with Hilton at www.twitter.com/hiltononline, www.facebook.com/hilton and www.youtube.com/hilton.

About DoubleTree by Hilton Hotels
With a fast-growing global collection of contemporary, upscale hotels in more than 250 gateway cities, metropolitan areas and vacation destinations across five continents, every little thing we do at DoubleTree by Hilton inspires us to create a rewarding experience for our hotel guests, our team members and the communities we proudly serve. Our hospitality begins with a warm chocolate chip cookie welcome upon arrival and continues with the award-winning Hilton HHonors® guest loyalty programme, an array of fine services and amenities and our longstanding CARE Culture tradition that empowers more than 60,000 team members to provide the special comforts and acts of kindness that make the traveller feel human again.

To make reservations at any DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, travelers may visit our brand website at www.doubletree.com. Social media users may connect with us at www.facebook.com/doubletree, www.twitter.com/doubletree and www.youtube.com/doubletreehotels.

© Press Release 2011