JEDDAH, 2 March 2005 — A French international hotel chain has signed a management contract for a “magnificent and prestigious” hotel complex whose construction is in progress in Makkah. The Zam Zam Sofitel Grand Suites, now under construction, is claimed to be Makkah’s tallest tower overlooking the Holy Haram when ready for operations by September 2006.
Gerard Pelisson, founding co-chairman of Accor Group, signed the contract with its Kuwaiti partner Munshaat for managing the Zam Zam Sofitel Grand Suites, Accor’s top executives told a press conference here.
“The seven-tower hotel complex will be the tallest in terms of towers in the holy city, adjacent to the Holy Haram. It will include 1,240 luxury five-star suites and rooms to accommodate up to 5,828 guests on 34 floors,” Accor’s Managing Director for Middle East Christophe Landais told a press conference. Fourteen of the floors have been constructed so far.
Accor, which aims to be the biggest hotel group in the Kingdom and across the Middle East region, has initiated plans to establish a school each in Jeddah and Riyadh for training Saudis in the hospitality sector.
“The schools are projected to train 7,000 Saudis by 2015,” Dr. Abderahman Belgat, director general of Accor and general manager of Saudi French Company for Hotel Management, said.
“The collaboration in the hotel project clearly demonstrates the excellent relationship between France and Kuwait,” Pelisson said at the ceremony held in Kuwait.
“The Accor Group has the will, ambition and also means to support long-term tourism infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and the region as a whole, through education, professional training and support of local and national employees,” Pelisson said recalling his previous visits to the Kingdom.
In July 2003, Munshaat launched a bid proposal to major hotel operators, managed by Ernst & Young, for the Zam Zam Tower Project. In November 2003 Munshaat selected Accor as the preferred operating company. The two parties signed the “Heads of agreement” in Dubai on Oct. 6, 2004.
