Hotel industry in Makkah expected to boom in 2016 - Saudi Gazette

Published: 26 Nov 2015
MAKKAH — After a three-year lull, caused by the giant expansion projects of the Grand Mosque, hotel industry in the holy city is expected to pick up starting next year, according to the general manager of Movenpick Hotel and Residences Hajar Tower Makkah.
“The hospitality and hotel sector in Makkah is expected to flourish especially after the completion of the Grand Mosque’s expansion projects and the opening of the Umrah season throughout the year,” Adil Erfan said.
He told Saudi Gazette that the hotels in the central area around the Holy Haram, which overlook the outside plazas of the Grand Mosque, are expected to take the largest chunk of the cake because of their strategic location.
“These hotels offer high-class services to the customers and have ample job opportunities for the young Saudi men and women,” he added.......
read more:
Hotel industry in Makkah expected to boom in 2016 - Saudi Gazette

Meet Saudi hotel staff - Saudi Gazette

Published: 11 December 2015

Hotel staff dedicate themselves and 12 hours of their day to serving guests and being hospitable. They are unique and able to be patient the entire day. They put their family and social life at the back of their minds.
Hotel staff have great knowledge in communication and are able to problem solve. They are hospitality-oriented and overcome challenges by being outstanding hosts. They may have an MA or PhD. However, they are humble and down to earth. They care a lot about the quality of service and take the complaints of guests seriously. And they never complain about the long night shifts.

Indeed, working in a hotel in Saudi Arabia is more difficult than anywhere else. Saudi hotel staff have studied certain things, but whatever they studied or learned, they had to start at the bottom of the ladder and had to be willing to work in any department and cover absent colleagues.......

read more:

http://saudigazette.com.sa/saudi-arabia/meet-saudi-hotel-staff/

What about tourism in Saudi Arabia? Saudi Gazette newspaper

Published:  20 November 2015

Many people have recently been discussing the important and rapidly growing tourism industry in Saudi Arabia. The tourism sector which focuses primarily on religious tourism has suffered from opposition to the issuing of tourist visas.

Many countries including developing nations, such as those in Southern Africa, have shifted their interest to tourism. Several annual exhibitions in more than one country have been held to promote tourism and investments. These include the Travel and Tourism Exhibition that was held in Jeddah and Riyadh.

The role of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) has become more noticeable, especially with regard to providing jobs in the tourism sector and attracting those interested in the industry by providing an electronic website that links management facilities with job seekers. The commission has also financed men and women seeking tourism loans with up to SR1 million. In addition, the SCTA has been an active participant in international tourism with its president, Prince Sultan Bin Salman, attending conferences, with the most recent being the Conference for Tourism Ministers in Turkey. He has also developed many tourism opportunities.......

read more:

http://saudigazette.com.sa/saudi-arabia/what-about-tourism-in-saudi-arabia/

Umrah hotel booking through ‘Sijjil’ saves time and money | Arab News

Published: Sunday 29 November 2015

JEDDAH: Around 250,000 Umrah pilgrims have booked hotel rooms in Makkah and Madinah through the new “Sijjil” electronic system, Abdullah Qadi, deputy president of the National Committee for Haj and Umrah, has said.
Reserving hotel accommodation through the system, introduced by the Ministry of Haj, has resulted in savings of 10 to 15 percent for pilgrims, he was quoted as saying by local media on Saturday.
“The system also helps in solving the problems of hotels in Makkah. All the hotels and their rates are displayed for Umrah firms with the click of a button. The names of hotels, people responsible for reservation along with their mobile numbers and e-mails are all visible within seconds. Five stars hotels have also been added to the system,” said Qadi...........


read more:
Umrah hotel booking through ‘Sijjil’ saves time and money | Arab News

‘Tourism could replace oil’ as main source of revenue | Arab News

Published : Thursday 3 October 2015

 RIYADH: Tourism has the potential to replace crude oil as the primary source of revenue for Saudi Arabia, according to tourism industry experts.
Speaking during a panel discussion on the rapid growth of domestic tourism and its future, experts maintained that tourism and national heritage are the most qualified sectors to create a sea change in the national economy and "is characterized by the ability to create added value and a wider area for domestic investments.”
The discussion was organized by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH)............

 read more:
‘Tourism could replace oil’ as main source of revenue | Arab News

1.7 million jobs in tourism by 2020 | Arab News

Published: Monday- 3 August  2015

 RIYADH: A report of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage predicts the rate of growth in job opportunities in the country's tourism sector between 2010 and 2020 will be 10 percent a year as compared to a global growth rate of 2.5 percent for the same period.
The report pointed out that job opportunities in the tourism sector will reach 1.7 million by 2020, which is the same as the rates of direct and indirect jobs in the labor market for the tourism and other sectors that are related to, or that benefit from, tourism such as restaurants, transportation, building and constructing tourism facilities, gifts shops, service providers in tourist locations as well as other jobs that are generated from tourism.

read more:
1.7 million jobs in tourism by 2020 | Arab News

Five Job Skills Hospitality Employers Want to See

1- Building connections
2- Multitasking 
3- Attention to detail
4- Technical and language skills 
5- Flexibility 

read more.........