RIYADH: Global hospitality group Marriott Hotels is set to double its presence in Saudi Arabia to cash in on an expected tourism boom in the Kingdom
In an exclusive interview with Arab News on the sidelines of the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh on Oct. 26, Muin Serhan, Marriott's cluster general manager in Riyadh, set out his firm’s aim to grow its presence in Saudi Arabia.
He also used the interview to talk up the eco-friendly nature of Marriott’s branch in the Saudi capital, and how the firm is committed to supporting and developing local talents.
Referring to expansion plans, Serhan said: “Marriott, of course, we have 37 hotels (in the Kingdom), the plan in the coming two years to three years we have another 37 hotels.”
He insisted that Saudi Arabia’s plans to launch a new airline, along with an easing of visa processing formalities will elevate the Kingdom’s place in the global tourism sector.
Discussing Marriott’s drive to hire local workers, Serhan said: “Currently, in the Marriott cluster, we have more than 1000 associates, and from that, we have 40 percent Saudi talents. So you can see the emphasis just only on one cluster…the emphasis for retaining and sustaining Saudi talent in the region.”
He also claimed the Riyadh hotel is the first in Saudi Arabia to install solar panels to generate electricity.
“We are regenerating the air inside our hotel. We are recycling our water. We are using solar panels to heat the water,” said Serhan, adding that the hotel generated 30 percent of the electricity it needed during the COVID-19 period through solar panels.
