TRAVEL AND TOURISM

Saudi Ministry of Haj partners with OYO Hotels to further boost services for pilgrims

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Getty Images
Getty Images
OYO will provide the ministry access to OYOs technology suite, which includes OYO OS and Krypton technologies, to enable them to deliver an elevated hospitality experience in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.
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NEW DELHI/ RIYADH OYO Hotels, which is South Asia and India’s largest, one of China’s top five and world’s fastest growing chain of hotels, homes and spaces, announced its partnership with the Ministry of Haj and Umrah, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
 
As a part of this partnership, OYO will provide the ministry access to OYO’s technology suite, which includes OYO OS and Krypton technologies, to enable them to deliver an elevated hospitality experience in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.
 
With this initiative, the company has affirmed its commitment to support Saudi Arabia’s vision in 2030 to increase the number of Haj and Umrah pilgrims to 30 million annually, and leverage technology to help ensure that thousands of pilgrims have access to quality, affordable accommodations during their visit to the holy shrine.
 
The MoU was signed in the presence of Dr. Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten, Minister of Haj and Umrah and Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & Group CEO, OYO Hotels and Homes.

OYO’s signature OS technology suite is an operating system that will assist the Ministry in managing inventory, procurement, as well as, provide for express check-ins and check-outs in the accommodations under its purview.

The OS further offers apps for housekeeping and audits while introducing solutions for multiple accommodation management aspects like expense management, staff training and engagement along with performance management for the hotel staff. All these facets come together to deliver technology-driven efficiency for living spaces. Krypton is OYO’s mobile audit app that enables the timely audit of properties while assuring an excellent guest experience.

Under the MoU, OYO will work with the Ministry of Haj and Umrah in enhancing, implementing and auditing the aspirational standards for affordable and quality accommodations in existing buildings in the holy city of Makkah, through the use of technology and proprietary applications. In the process, OYO’s technology suite group aims to create over 3,000 local employment opportunities and upgrade over 15,000 rooms.

Ritesh Agarwal, Group CEO and Founder, OYO Hotels, said “we are proud and honored to have been selected by the Ministry of Haj and Umrah to provide our best-in-class technology solutions as part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s commendable efforts to implement their 2030 vision. By leveraging our hotel operating competencies in support of vision 2030 and harnessing OYO’s world-class OS and Krypton systems towards upgrading living spaces for pilgrims, we want to be a key partner to the Ministry in helping welcome 30 million Umrah and Haj pilgrims to the Kingdom and assuring a comfortable and peaceful stay as they journey to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.”

Governor of the General Investment Authority (SAGIA) Ibrahim bin Abdul Rahman Al-Omar added: “It is also noteworthy that OYO is one of the first Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and a SoftBank Vision Fund backed company to start operations successfully in Saudi Arabia, with the support of CrownPrince Muhammad Bin Salman, the Public Investment Fund and Saudi Arabia’s General Investment Authority (SAGIA). The company obtained its foreign investment license from SAGIA a few months ago and plans to invest $50 million in Saudi Arabia.”

Ziyad Al Ashaikh, Head of Saudi Arabia for Softbank Investment Advisors, said “in delivering on its mission to provide good quality accommodation at affordable prices, OYO has grown exponentially to become the largest hotel chain in South Asia. We are delighted to support the company in making its commitment to invest create beautiful and affordable living spaces, as well as, investing in long-term job creation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

Manu Midha, Region Head, OYO Hotels, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, said “we are honored and deeply thankful to the Ministry of Haj and Umrah for providing us with the opportunity to support Vision 2030 and manage quality accommodations for pilgrims to the holy cities.”

 

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