As Rotana confirms a 10-property pipeline and a strategic MoU with the Saudi Tourism Authority, the group positions Saudi Arabia as its most active development market outside the UAE
Riyadh : Rotana, one of the leading hotel management companies in the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Türkiye, is reinforcing its long-term commitment to Saudi Arabia, the group’s second largest market after the UAE, with the confirmation of a 10-property development pipeline, representing 1,314 keys and a target of 23 hotels across the Kingdom by 2027.
Alongside this expansion, and on the sidelines of the Future Hospitality Summit, Rotana also signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding with the Saudi Tourism Authority. The agreement establishes a framework for co-marketing initiatives, destination campaigns and joint promotional efforts, alongside enhanced digital connectivity, loyalty programme synergies and coordinated global outreach to invite travellers worldwide to discover the Kingdom’s culture, heritage and modern hospitality offering.
Rotana’s Saudi Arabia footprint already spans 13 operating properties across Riyadh, Jeddah, Madinah, Makkah, Dammam, Al Khobar and Jubail, establishing the group across the Kingdom’s key commercial, religious and leisure corridors. The confirmed pipeline extends that reach further and into new territory: Edge by Rotana properties are set to open across multiple Riyadh neighbourhoods and in Jeddah’s historic Al Balad district, while Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana and Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts by Rotana will mark the brand’s entry into Al Baha, and Centro by Rotana will make its debut in Hail.
Across 10 properties and 1,314 keys, the pipeline reflects a deliberate expansion into the emerging destinations gaining momentum alongside the Kingdom’s established gateways, bringing Rotana’s total Saudi presence to 23 hotels by 2027.
Eddy Tannous, Chief Operating Officer, Rotana, said: “Saudi Arabia is Rotana’s fastest growing market, and one of the most important in our portfolio. The pipeline we are confirming today reflects both the strength of demand and the depth of our commitment to growing here in a way that creates lasting value for our partners, our guests and the destinations we operate in. Our agreement with the Saudi Tourism Authority is a natural extension of that commitment, and together we look forward to bringing the best of Saudi hospitality to travellers around the world.”
The announcement builds on the recent opening of Edge Riyadh Al Rabie, the first of seven properties to open under a strategic multi-hotel partnership with Memar Development & Investment Company and reflects the group’s confidence in a market that continues to evolve rapidly across business, leisure, domestic and religious travel.
Makram El Zyr, Corporate Vice President, Development, Rotana, said: “ Saudi Arabia is a market we have invested in consistently, and our pipeline of 23 hotels by 2027 reflects the depth of that conviction. The Memar partnership, which will see seven Edge by Rotana properties open across the Kingdom, is a strong example of the kind of long-term, multi-property collaboration that drives meaningful growth here. Each property in our pipeline is positioned with intention, whether in an established commercial hub or an emerging destination attracting a new wave of domestic travellers. This is a market that rewards serious commitment, and we are delivering on ours.”
The pipeline also includes the recently signed Centro Hail, developed in partnership with Alkhorayef Investment and Development Co. and the Tourism Development Fund. Located at the gateway to northern Saudi Arabia, Centro Hail will be the first property of its kind in the city, featuring innovative interiors, open social spaces and flexible co-working areas.
The signing reflects the expanding geography of Saudi Arabia’s hospitality opportunity. Beyond the established gateways of Riyadh and Jeddah, cities such as Hail are attracting growing investment and visitor interest, supported by government infrastructure programmes and the Kingdom’s broader push to develop new tourism destinations under Vision 2030. For Rotana, entering these markets now is both a signal of confidence and a strategic commitment to growing alongside the Kingdom’s evolving travel corridors.
A Pipeline Shaped by a Market in Motion
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism reported that the Kingdom welcomed an estimated 122 million visitors in 2025, generating total tourism spending of SAR 300 billion, as it advances toward the Vision 2030 target of 150 million annual visitors.
Domestic travel is a significant part of that story: in the first half of 2025 alone, domestic travellers accounted for 46.6 million of the Kingdom’s 60.9 million total visitors, averaging 18.6 nights per trip. That depth of domestic engagement is reshaping demand beyond the Kingdom’s traditional gateways, with cities such as Abha, Hail and Al Baha drawing a growing share of Saudi residents seeking leisure, heritage and nature-based experiences closer to home.
Saudi Arabia is Rotana’s most active development market outside the UAE, and the group’s expanding presence reflects both the scale of opportunity and the depth of its long-term commitment. As new cities, brands and properties take shape across the pipeline, Rotana’s growth in the Kingdom remains guided by its enduring promise of “Treasured Time.”
