SHIFTING FOCUS

Sandeep Walia, Chief Operating Officer for the Middle East at Marriott International, one of the world's largest hotel operators, is amplifying the emphasis on luxury as Saudi Arabia takes center stage in the company's intensified focus on premium offerings.

- JAMILA GANDHI

This year marks a big Middle East milestone for Marriott International, one of the world’s biggest hotel operators, with one of its flagship high-end brands—St. Regis—due to make its debut in Saudi Arabia. The St. Regis Riyadh will welcome guests from September 2023, and The St. Regis Red Sea Resort will open its doors by the end of the year. For Sandeep Walia, Chief Operating Officer for the Middle East for Marriott International, the introduction of these properties is a strategic move to bolster its luxury offerings portfolio. “Moving people physically has never been easier, but moving them emotionally has never been more difficult,” he says. “In 2023, we announced an additional focus on luxury to drive our competitive advantage in this segment.” Both of the new hotels have been developed as part of the kingdom’s 28,000-square-kilometer Red Sea Development, an archipelago of more than 90 islands. Within the next year, Ummahat Island will also be home to Nujuma, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, which will be the brand’s first property in the Middle East.