As Saudi Arabia drives forward into the future by leaps and bounds across all sectors of its economy and all strata of society, its hotel industry joined in yet another celebration of firsts in the kingdom with the launch of Accor’s new Novotel Riyadh Sahafa, led by Hessa AlMazroa as its opening general manager. AlMazroa is the first woman to open a hotel as general manager in Saudi Arabia.
Accor already has 13 of its portfolio brands operating within the country and a total of 41 distinct properties. The new 232-room location in Riyadh’s Al Sahafa district is the Novotel brand’s ninth Saudi property. Accor also plans to add another 45 additional new hotels in Saudi Arabia by 2030, the company’s Middle East, Africa, and Asia CEO, Duncan O’Rourke, told Arab News.
Not only is this expansion of Accor’s portfolio in the kingdom in line with the goal of Saudi Vision 2030 to greatly expand its hospitality and tourism sectors, but fostering women in leadership roles within the industry is also apart of the same Vision 2030 plan.
“We are not only contributing to Saudi Arabia’s hospitality scene, but also setting a benchmark for inclusive excellence,” AlMazroa said. “By empowering Saudi women and nurturing potential talents, we are actively supporting the Saudization initiative.”
Accor has also partnered with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism and Education to launch an all-levels hospitality training program for Saudi nationals. Named Tamayyaz by Accor, the initiative aims to cultivate and support local talent within the tourism and hospitality industry by providing hands-on training and post-graduation employment opportunities within Accor’s network of hotels and resorts.
“Riyadh propels fifty percent of Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economy and aspires to be among the world’s top ten economies, with numerous mega-projects and initiatives underway. This growth trajectory is expected to influence Riyadh’s hotel industry significantly. I aim to contribute to this economic development through initiatives like talent development,” AlMazroa noted.
