Hotel giant Marriott has signed a number of new deals, firmly expanding its development pipeline across Saudi Arabia.
The moves support the vision of the Saudi authorities, to broaden the kingdom’s tourism offer across a broad range of projects around the country. From beachside resorts, to city hotels, mountain retreats and pilgrimage destinations, the scale of growth is substantial, backed by major investment backed by Saudi Arabia’s internal financial resources.
Major Growth in Pilgrimage Tourism
The latest addition to the Marriott pipeline in the country comes via investor Knowledge Economic City, which has launched a fund to support development of two hotels and 295 branded residential units in the holy city of Medina. Alibad Capital has been lined up to manage the fund.
The first phase of the Multaqa Hospitality Project in Medina will include two Marriott branded hotels. One of these will be a 288 room JW Marriott, while a second, larger hotel will have 327 rooms and will feature another Marriott brand over the door, details of which will be revealed later. The new hotels will answer a growing demand for accommodation in the pilgrimage destinations of Medina and Mecca. In just one holy week during May 2026, more than 1.7 million visitors arrived on pilgrimages.
These latest hotels join Marriott’s pipeline of more than 40 hotels across Saudi Arabia. The group has just opened W Riyadh KAFD, and has several more hotels due to open later in 2026. These include Le Meridien Tabuk and the Ritz-Carlton Amaala. In Jeddah, the Al Salam mixed use development is nearing completion, delivering two Marriott openings. A Delta branded hotel will have 181 rooms, while Marriott Executive Apartments Jeddah Al Salam will feature 100 luxury one, two and three bedroom apartments, designed for those planning longer stays.
Marriott also recently signed its first hotel in the country’s Asir region. The Westin Abha will have 464 rooms, and is expected to open in 2031. It will be developed by Manarat Al Dheyafah Company for Real Estate in what is considered to be Saudi Arabia’s premier mountain destination. Alongside regular hotel rooms, accommodation options will also include villas, chalets and extended‑stay apartments.
Multiple Partnerships Drive Growth
And in June 2026, Marriott signed a 10 hotel agreement with local Riyadh based investor Blacksand. The deal will deliver more than 1,300 hotel rooms over the next four years, across the country, under Marriott’s luxury, premium, select and extended-stay brands.
The spread will include additions to the St Regis, Moxy and Courtyard by Marriott brands; for those seeking longer stays, new Residence Inn and Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy projects are also promised. The first of the hotels, which are already in active planning, will open in Riyadh. “An agreement of this calibre is one that supports the shaping of the future of an already ambitious nation,” commented Omar Alabdullatif, Blacksand CEO. “We are proud to be there setting the benchmark for quality, experience, and long-term value.”
