JEDDAH, 5 February — Hilton International, which owns three properties in the Kingdom, yesterday announced a massive plan for the expansion of investments in the region.
The international hotel chain will build four new hotels in major Saudi cities, Anthony Harris, Hilton International’s CEO, told a press conference at Jeddah Hilton.
"Today, I am proud to announce Hilton International’s long-term development plan that will expand our operations to new areas in the Kingdom and other GCC member states," Harris said.
The new hotels will be built in Riyadh, Dammam and elsewhere, he said.
The chain already owns properties in Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah.
The hotel executive added that the scale of expansion and the investment it entails reflect the group’s confidence in the regional market.
The move follows the enormous efforts being made by governments and business entities throughout the region to attract increasing numbers of business and leisure visitors from within the GCC and beyond.
Harris explained his group’s vision for the future in the face of a crisis in the hotel and travel industry in the aftermath of Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.
