InterContinental Group (IHG) announced its plans to open the largest Holiday Inn hotel in the world. The property will be open in accordance with management agreement with Al Majd Al Arabiah Company. The 5,154 guestroom hotel will be located in The Holy City of Makkah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and will start operating closer to the end of 2015.
The hotel guestrooms will be scattered across five towers. Holiday Inn Makkah Abraaj Al Tayseer will be located on the site of the popular accommodation for pilgrims called Abraaj Al Tayseer. The hotel will be open in several phases. The first phase will include the opening of nearly 1,650 guestrooms in two towers. They will be ready by the end of this year. Remaining 3500 guestrooms will be steadily added within next 3 years.
The need in such a hotel appeared due to increased number of pilgrims who visit Makkah every year. Haji visits grow every year and expected to more than double soon, from 2 million pilgrims in 2013 to 5 million pilgrims in 2025. Naturally, that requires improved infrastructure. Jeddah airport will be expanded as well and its capacity will be increased to 80 million passengers by 2035.
Holiday Inn Makkah Abraaj Al Tayseer will enjoy beneficial location just 900 metres away from the Grand Mosque. Guests of this hotel will surely enjoy wonderful views of the Grand Mosque from their guestroom windows. Every tower will have a restaurant with menus specially developed for guests who travel in groups. The two towers that are set to open this year will also include meeting space, fitness centre and a medical clinic.
IHG is well-represented on the market of Saudi Arabia. The company’s portfolio in the country includes 25 hotels with 5900 guestrooms in total across three brands: InterContinental, Holiday Inn, and Crowne Plaza. Globally, there are around 1200 Holiday Inn hotels around the world with extra 267 hotels coming in next 3 to 5 years.