The number of hotel rooms is forecast to double by 2018 in Jeddah, a gateway for pilgrims travelling to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia, according to a report.
The Jeddah Hotel Market Overview report, by JLL prepared ahead of The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia 2016 from May 17-19 that the current supply of 8,600 rooms (Q1 2016) in the city will double - with another 8,600 rooms forecast to be added to the market by 2018.
"With the growth figures of Jeddah doubling, it was a clear choice for Rocco Forte Hotel's development in the Middle East," Christian Renz, Vice President for Sales and Marketing for Rocco Forte Hotels said.
"Hotel occupancy rates in Jeddah are historically high," Christine Davidson, Group Event Director of the dmg events hospitality portfolio, said.
Saudi Arabia is an important market for developing business and leisure tourism as well as the dominant religious tourism sector.
Jeddah is a gateway for pilgrims travelling to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, while its coastal location makes it popular with domestic tourists.
AccorHotels Middle East own a significant margin of Jeddah's hotel portfolio with nearly 600 operational rooms in the market at present, set to increase to over 3,000 hotel rooms in the coming years.
"We are on track to have 50 operational hotels in the Kingdom with over 13,500 rooms. By 2020 we are quintupling our network in Jeddah with a fivefold increase from three existing hotels to 15," Olivier Granet, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of AccorHotels Middle East said.
