Mumbai, April 17, 2018: In a major milestone, The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) the leading hospitality company in South Asia, today announced its foray into the Holy City of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, with a partnership with Umm Al Qura Development and Construction Company in the prestigious King Abdul Aziz Road (KAAR) project, one of the largest urban rejuvenation projects in the city of Makkah.

Commenting on the signing of this agreement, Mr. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) said, “We are honored to partner with Umm Al Qura Development and Construction Company in bringing the first Taj hotel to Saudi Arabia. This signing is aligned to our strategy of a strong focus on global growth markets and to be present where our guests travel to. We are committed to expanding our presence in the MENA region.”

This hotel will be IHCL’s fourth venture in the MENA region. The company manages Taj Dubai located in the Burj Khalifa downtown area. It will also open another two hotels in Dubai in the next twelve to eighteen months.

The proposed hotel is conveniently situated within walking distance of the Grand Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram), the main attraction for over 6 million pilgrims who visit the city each year. It will also be in close proximity to commercial offices, retail stores and restaurants within KAAR project. The hotel, scheduled to open in January 2023, will have approximately 340 keys, banqueting facilities and several restaurants to serve all tastes.

Commenting on the partnership, Eng. Mohammad Al Ganawi, Chief Executive Officer of Umm Al Qura Development and Construction Company said, “We are delighted to partner with The Indian Hotels Company Limited. We look forward to working with them to bring the iconic Taj brand to the unique development project in Makkah.”

As the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the site of his first revelation of the Quran, Makkah is the holiest city in the religion of Islam.

About Umm Al Qura (UAQ)
Umm Al Qura for Development & Construction Company is a joint stock company for the purpose of the development, construction and operation of King Abdul Aziz Road (KAAR) Project in the Holy City of Makkah. The company successfully finalized all the required regulatory procedures along with planning, technical, and engineering studies as well as the economic feasibility studies and development of the master plan. Infrastructure works have started for Roads, Bridges, Metro Tunnels and Metro Stations and it will be ready by fourth quarter of 2020. KAAR Project is considered as one of the most important development projects among other projects of an ambitious government program to be implemented in Makkah. These projects are aimed to achieve economic, social and urban development goals to contribute to better services for pilgrims and visitors to the Holy City with an area of approximately 1.2 million square meters.

About The Indian Hotels Company Limited
The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and its subsidiaries, bring together a group of brands and businesses that offer a fusion of warm Indian hospitality and world-class service.   Incorporated by the founder of the Tata Group, Jamsetji Tata, the Company opened its first hotel – the Taj Mahal Palace, in Bombay in 1903 and currently operates 145 hotels globally across 4 continents, 11 countries and 72 locations.

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) is amongst South Asia’s largest Indian hospitality company by market capitalization. It is primarily listed on the BSE and NSE.