Alex Kyriakidis President and Managing Director Middle East Africa Marriott International and Eng Gasem bin Abdul Ghani Al Maimani Chief Executive Officer, Taiba Holding

Marriott International has announced the signing of Sheraton Taiba Hotel, Madinah with Taiba Holding Company – marking the return of the Sheraton brand in the Holy City of Madinah.  Anticipated to open in 2023, Sheraton Taiba Hotel, Madinah will be a full on-strategy Sheraton and will reflect the brand’s new vision with its design and activations, use of technology and welcoming communal spaces.

“We are delighted to work with the Taiba Holding Company to open our first Sheraton in Madinah, which will represent the brand’s new identity offering guests a unique experience through enhanced services and designs while staying true to its legacy,” said Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International.  “Religious tourism represents a significant part of the Kingdom’s non-oil economy and will continue to play a key role as the government plans to attract 30 million pilgrims by 2030. As a result, we expect the demand for hotels in the Holy Cities to increase further in the coming years.”

“We remain committed to supporting the growth of the tourism and hospitality sector under the Saudi Vision 2030 and National Transformation Program 2020, with the purpose of enhancing the country’s economy and strengthening our presence in the Kingdom,” added Kyriakidis.

Commenting on the signing, Eng. Gasem bin Abdul Ghani Al Maimani, Chief Executive Officer, Taiba Holding said, “We are very happy to be working with Marriott International to bring the Sheraton brand back again in its new transformed shape to Madinah. We continue to join hands with experienced partners to add value to our shareholders and community by bringing iconic projects to life. This deal underscores this mission and our renewed focus on expanding Taiba’s real estate investment and development activities by leveraging our substantial land bank across the Kingdom to develop hotel properties that support the Kingdom’s economy, whilst delivering memorable experiences to Madinah’s regional and global guests.”

Sheraton Taiba Hotel, Madinah will comprise of 268 spacious and modern guest rooms.  Reflecting the new direction of the brand, the hotel will offer collaborative venues, technology enabled design, and three culinary concepts under Sheraton’s refreshed F&B philosophy.

The new aim of Sheraton is to reinforce its reputation as the world’s gathering place. In keeping with the new design direction, Sheraton Taiba Hotel, Madinah will have elements like the productivity table that will help transform the hotel lobby into a space that would make people want to eat, drink, hold meetings and linger.  he property will also introduce the ‘Community Manager’, who will deliver a unique digital experience exclusive to Sheraton.

Sheraton Taiba Hotel, Madinah will be situated in close proximity to the main entrance of the Masjid Al Nabawi Mosque and approximately 15km from the Prince Mohamed Bin Abdulaziz International Airport.

Sheraton is the most internationally distributed brand in the Marriott International portfolio, boasting nearly 450 hotels in over 72 countries and territories around the world.  The brand has been present in the Middle East for over 50 years and has built a strong legacy with guests, owners and local communities across the region.

Marriott International currently has a portfolio of 27 properties and over 8,000 rooms across nine cities in the Kingdom. The company expects to nearly double its presence in Saudi Arabia in the next five years.