Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is continuing its expansion across Saudi Arabia with the signing of Hilton Dammam Airport, its first airport hotel in the country. The 273-key property will be completed in partnership with Al Musbah Group and Damman Airports Company (DACO).
Hilton Dammam Airport will offer guests spacious and contemporary accommodation with direct skywalk access to the terminal building at King Fahd International Airport, one of the busiest airports in Saudi Arabia which welcomes approximately 10 million passengers per year. The property is also ideally located for Dammam City Centre, as well as Dharan, Khobar, and nearby Bahrain.
King Fahd International Airport serves as a hub for Saudia Airlines, Aramco Aviation, and FlyNas, with flights to over 70 international destinations by over 50 airlines. It also operates a dedicated Saudi Aramco terminal and Oxford-authorized training centre, an aviation academy, and a large-scale cargo village.
Mohammed Al Hassani, CEO, Dammam Airports Company (DACO) expressed his pride in this agreement, and its positive impact for the future of passenger services at the airport, adding, “We are delighted to work with our partners Al Musbah Group and Hilton to develop this new Hilton hotel at the busy King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. We are confident the Al Musbah Group and Hilton partnership will be a great, long-term success.”
Hilton Dammam Airport will feature a combination of 273 guest rooms, junior suites, as well as larger one and two-bedroom suites. Featuring an all-day dining restaurant, complete with an outdoor terrace, a café, an outdoor pool with adjacent café, and fitness centres, the hotel will have a range of leisure facilities for guests to enjoy. Hilton Dammam Airport will also offer state-of-the-art meeting facilities for business travellers, including several meeting rooms and an executive lounge that caters for up to 90 people.
Mohammed Almusbahi, Director, Al Musbah Group, said: “We are delighted to partner with Hilton to open Hilton Dammam Airport. The modern, upscale property will serve passengers and crew passing through the busy King Fahd International Airport, as well as business and leisure travellers visiting the surrounding areas. The opening of the hotel also broadens our partnership of over 25 years at King Fahd International Airport, where we have lead concessions for travel retail, parking operations and technology, and food and beverage.”
Commenting on Hilton’s growth in Saudi Arabia, Carlos Khneisser, Vice President, Development, Middle East & Africa, said: “Saudi Arabia’s rapid evolution continues to provide exciting growth opportunities for Hilton, and we’re working with our owners to introduce more award-winning hospitality brands in locations throughout the country. This signing is another example of Hilton’s commitment to supporting the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia and to enabling growth in key destinations as well as up-and-coming, large-scale developments and secondary cities. Hilton has pioneered the airport hotel concept and we are thrilled to announce that this will be Hilton’s first airport hotel in the country.”
Hilton currently operates 16 hotels in the Kingdom with plans to open over 50 new hotels across 10 of its brands, making Saudi Arabia the company’s largest pipeline market in the EMEA region. Projects include the introduction of new brands such as LXR Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Embassy Suites by Hilton, and Hampton by Hilton. The company plans to grow its portfolio to more than 75 properties in the Kingdom over the coming years.
