JEDDAH: Jabal Omar Development Company (JODC) Tuesday signed agreements with three global hotel chains where they will manage and operate hotels serving pilgrims in the holy city of Makkah. Hilton Worldwide, Marriott International and Hyatt International will manage and operate 12 hotels being built by Jabal Omar Development Company, a project that involves a $5.5 billion investment by the Saudi developer. Hilton will manage six of the mainly five-star hotels and the Hyatt and Marriott three each. The project has been 20 years in the making and is expected to be completed in early 2014. The entire project, which includes the construction of 37 hotel towers of between 20 and 48 stories, provides accommodation for 45,000. At a signing ceremony in London, Ian Carter, president of global operations at Hilton, said the main opportunities in Saudi Arabia remained business travelers. “More and more tourism will be part of the mix. People will see opportunities to develop coastal towns and resorts. Right now we are focused on business travelers and the religious pilgrimage traveler.”
