Hilton’s Middle East expansion set to...

Visits to hotels in region double pre-pandemic levels

Hilton Hotels and Resorts is set to double its footprint in the Middle East, with 130 new properties and 35,000 new jobs in the pipeline.

The expansion from the company’s existing portfolio of 104 hotels aims to meet booming visitor numbers in the region.

“Our portfolio in the Middle East welcomed 2.2 million international guests in the first nine months of this year – more than double our pre-pandemic levels,” said Guy Hutchinson, Hilton President for the Middle East and Africa.

“The UAE, on its own, has seen a 50% growth in the number of hotels we operate now. We are just growing, doubling, quadrupling across the region. So, (the Middle East) is an environment that is just supercharging our industry across the board.

“The people pipeline is just as important as the physical pipeline. With our growth, we’re creating 30,000–35,000 jobs in the region."

Hutchinson, who took charge as MEA President of the hotel group last year, added: “This is a golden age of hospitality for the region, with the Middle East emerging as a global leader in both thought and product for our industry."

During the first nine months of 2024, Hilton’s Middle East and Africa properties recorded the company’s highest average daily rates and revenue per available room.

The hospitality group has benefitted from various regional public-private partnerships, including agreements with Dubai Tourism and Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Development Fund.

“Collaboration between public and private sectors is a hallmark of this region, and Dubai sets the gold standard,” Hutchinson said. “Our MoU (with Dubai Tourism) focuses on strengthening that relationship through marketing alignment and joint efforts to drive destination performance.”

“We have signed similar agreements in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, fostering a unified approach to growing tourism.”

About 25% of Hilton’s regional offerings in the pipeline are in the mid-market segment, which the hospitality juggernaut sees as a significant growth opportunity.

“Over the next 10 years, there will be a growth of five billion middle-class income households globally, all hungry for travel," he added. "Mid-market makes up 25% of our pipeline today, and it's growing fast."

For more information, visit www.hilton.com

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