Shuja Zaidi, general manager of Makkah Hilton and Towers in Saudi Arabia, has scooped the General Manager of the Year award at the Kingdom Hotel Expansion & World Investment Summit in Riyadh beating 25 other nominees from across the Middle East. Moreover, Hilton HHonors, the company's customer loyalty program, won three awards for Best Customer Service, Best Award Redemption and Best Award in Europe, Middle East & Africa in this year's Freddie Awards, where the public rates frequent airline and hotel guest loyalty programs. “Shuja has managed our largest and most profitable property in the region with 1,413 rooms since 2002. He balances creative strength with tactical knowledge, and leadership with team spirit. He is known for his consultative management technique, his mentoring of managerial talent for Hilton and his merit-based system of advancement. Last year, we also appointed him as vice president, Projects, Saudi Arabia, to support our development ambitions in the Kingdom,” said Jean-Paul Herzog, president, Hilton Hotels, Middle East and Africa. Commenting on the market situation and the impact of the economic crisis on Makkah, Shuja said “in 2008 there were almost 18 million visitors to the Kingdom with the majority of visitors performing pilgrimage and account for almost 50 percent of the total. Being the site of pilgrimage for the Muslim world, Saudi Arabia holds a unique position as travel destination and is also the most expensive real estate on the planet. That's why global investors are rushing to invest in the redevelopment of Makkah to make way for a high-rise metropolis complete with considerably improved facilities for the welfare of the pilgrims including a high-speed rail link for pilgrims.” “Latest figures show that Makkah is the least affected by the economic slow-down. Makkah's Hotels have posted a 32.7 percent growth in the first quarter of 2009 ranking it as one of the best performing hotel markets. Even the real estate sector is expected to be the least affected.” “It is estimated that pilgrims spend more than SR10 billion during Hajj alone and the n-flux of travelers with the ongoing expansion of the Holy Mosque is attracting increased interest from international hospitality chains. The distribution of the Kingdom's hotel rooms shows a heavy concentration around the Holy sites. More than 60 percent are located in the Makkah region and almost 10 percent are in Madina,” he added. The international hospitality chains inventory has been tightest for years, as pilgrims are increasingly demanding branded hotel experience as well as mid-range segments. One of the main objectives of the Jabal Omar's project is to provide 38 hotel towers ranging from super deluxe to budget categories, a proper convention facility to handle all Islamic related meeting and events to attract the untapped Islamic MICE market. The project will also create prayer areas for 78,000 worshippers and will be linked to the Grand Mosque's sound system and could be considered as an indirect expansion of the mosque.” The Kingdom has refrained from opening up to mass tourism and is developing the travel and hospitality industry at a pace and in a manner befitting the Islamic and Saudi characters. By 2014, Makkah would have an entirely new look representing a modern high-rise metropolis with an excellent network of tunnels, roads and bridges. It is understood from developers involved in the High-speed railway link that they have been commissioned to design 4 stations along a new SR20 billion high-speed railway link linking Makkah to Madina that will shuttle pilgrims between the two holy sites within 2 ½ hours, passing through Jeddah and King Abdullah Economic City. Major development projects in Makkah are worth more than SR300 billion and include the Kingdom Tower, Khozam Palace, King Abdul Aziz Highway, the Jabal Omar Project etc Zaidi has been a part of the Hilton Family for 17 years, and was selected as the winner for his work in increasing the hotel's commercial performance, while he was also recognized for his CSR commitments as an active board member of the Children Health & Education Foundation which operates and promotes mother and child healthcare systems in poor countries.
