Ziyad Bin MahfouzMAKKAH – The Elaf Group of Companies has announced the re-opening of its "Elaf Kinda Hotel," a 240 rooms and suites property, after the completion of a SR58 million renovation project. The reopening is part of the company's efforts to address the expected increase in the demand for more hotel rooms during this year's Haj and Umrah season, where an expected over three million tourists will be performing their pilgrimage. The Elaf Kinda Hotel, which is located in Makkah Al Mukarrama and just a few steps away from the King Abdul Aziz Gate, is being positioned to be a genuine contributor for pilgrims performing their rituals. Ziyad Bin Mahfouz, President, Elaf Group of Companies, said "the new elegant appeal of the Elaf Kinda Hotel aims to target religious travelers going on pilgrimage during the peak season of Haj and Umrah. We have invested a significant amount for hotel's renovation, which has been redesigned with new sections and facilities aimed at addressing all of our client's expectations and provide them with the best services while they perform their rituals and complete their pilgrimage. The reopened hotel and our other Elaf hotels in Makkah and Madinah have become strong contributors to the Kingdom's tourism industry, particularly across tourism for religious purposes." The Kingdom's tourism industry is currently undergoing restructuring efforts backed by strong government support, which includes project investments and the development of key tourism based facilities resulting in an increased level of hotel services and new investors in this area. According to statistics released by the Saudi Commission on Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), there are now a total of 574 licensed hotels and furnished apartments in Makkah, offering over 115,000 rooms under various classifications. The capacity of these units exceeds the 1.3 million pilgrims performing Umrah per month. "We are fully committed toward leveraging our market focus and extensive industry experience to provide our guests with the most comfortable experience during their stay with us. All of our Elaf hotels are known for their features like excellent location, the finest of amenities, convenient and world-class services that give you a 'home away from home' feeling and a highly skilled and friendly staff who are dedicated to serving guests. We will continue to be true to our promise of playing a significant role in the move to attract more growth for the tourism and hospitality sectors of the Kingdom in general and Holy cities in particular," Bin Mahfouz added. – SG
