• HOTELS
Left and be- low: Pullman ZamZam Makkah: hotel proximity to holy sites is crucial to pilgrims
With more than 15,400 rooms operating and 8,000-plus in the pipeline, Accor is expanding its hotel presence across Makkah and Madinah Accor scales up in the Holy Cities A ccor is building on a substantial position of strength in Saudi Arabia’s Holy Cities, where it is already the largest international hospitality operator across Mak-
structures and for varying lengths of stay. More are also combining Makkah and Madinah within the same journey. For Accor, this places greater emphasis on having the right brand and product in the right location, with the operational capacity to deliver consistently at significant volume. There is also a particular responsibility attached to hospitality in the Holy Cities. Many pilgrims have planned their journey for years and are travelling with parents, children and extended family. Accessibility, movement between key locations, comfort, service and proximity to the holy sites all play an important role in the experience. “Pilgrimage remains central, but travellers are increasingly staying longer, visiting both Holy Cities and combining their journey with wider leisure experiences,” Accor says. “Our role is to help make that journey more connected from planning through to the hotel stay.” Large-scale projects including Masar
kah and Madinah. The group operates 15 hotels and more than 15,400 rooms across 10 brands, spanning luxury, premium, midscale and economy. That breadth allows it to cater to large international groups, multigeneration- al families, first-time Umrah visitors, premium travellers and repeat pilgrims with very differ- ent expectations. As Accor puts it: “Our scale gives us reach, but it is the diversity of our brand portfolio that gives us relevance.” A CHANGING PILGRIM PROFILE That diversity is becoming increasingly valuable as the pilgrimage market broadens. Umrah is driving more year-round demand, while guests are travelling from a wider range of markets, in different family and group
to meet rising and increasingly diverse pilgrimage demand
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