JAKARTA – Asian hospitality operator Archipelago has joined forces with Knowledge Economic City, a prominent Saudi master developer, to establish a new hospitality management enterprise focused on Madinah’s expanding tourism market.

Knowledge Economic City operates as a publicly traded development company under Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority regulations, playing an active role in Madinah’s urban evolution and economic advancement.

Strategic Partnership Objectives

The collaboration encompasses multiple aims: creating a dedicated hospitality management entity, developing an original Saudi hotel brand, and delivering an inaugural project in Madinah as part of KEC’s wider hospitality sector expansion strategy across the Kingdom.

The joint venture demonstrates KEC’s dedication to reinforcing its status as a comprehensive investment platform through alliances with international industry leaders, while building scalable operational frameworks that generate sustainable economic returns.

Flagship Development Details

The newly formed company will function under consolidated operational oversight with explicit authority to manage and operate hotel properties and hospitality assets throughout KEC’s Madinah destinations, with potential future expansion to other Saudi locations.

The partnership’s debut project marks a significant development in the regional hospitality sector—a hotel featuring approximately 2,500 rooms, representing one of KEC’s largest hospitality assets and ranking among the most substantial new hotel projects entering the Saudi marketplace.

New Saudi Brand Launch

The development will serve as the inaugural property for a distinctly Saudi hotel brand, drawing inspiration from national character and Madinah’s cultural heritage.

Architects of the brand have structured it for scalability, enabling future expansion through franchise and management arrangements throughout Saudi Arabia, supporting broader diversification initiatives within the Kingdom’s hospitality industry.

Operational Framework

The project will implement a unified hotel management approach emphasizing operational excellence, asset optimization, and cultivation of Saudi talent across all hotel operation functions.

This model is designed to generate both direct and indirect employment opportunities within the sector, aligning with national workforce development priorities.

The partnership positions both organizations to capitalize on growing hospitality demand in Madinah while contributing to the Kingdom’s tourism infrastructure expansion under its economic transformation agenda.

Original Article:

Arab News. (2025, December 5). Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia 2026 countdown begins ahead of Jan. 3 start.  Retrieved from https://www.arabnews.com/node/2625049/sport