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Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Aboudi, CEO of Thakher Development Company, reaffirmed his confidence in the Vision 2030 goal of attracting 30 million Umrah pilgrims annually by 2030, or even before that.
“The government has made huge efforts and provided comprehensive support to achieve the objectives of Vision 2030, aiming to accommodate 30 million Umrah performers and 6 million pilgrims by 2030. I believe these numbers will be achieved before 2030, based on the current capabilities we see. Therefore, as real estate developers, we must align our strategies with this direction,” Al-Aboudi said.
Al-Aboudi made these remarks during his participation in a panel discussion at the second edition of the Manafea Forum. The event took place under the patronage of Madinah Gov. Prince Salman bin Sultan and was hosted by Prince Saud bin Khalid Al-Faisal, deputy governor of Madinah.
During the session, the CEO highlighted the importance of allowing non-Saudis to invest directly and for the long term in listed companies owning real estate in Makkah and Madinah, as well as through licensed funds. “This trend contributes positively to the real estate market and the Saudi economy at large, paving the way for significant investment returns in the hospitality sector by 2030, and opening new avenues for development and investment,” Al-Aboudi said.
He said that work on the Thakher Makkah project is progressing well, in line with the expectations of investors and visitors alike, including pilgrims and Umrah performers. He said that, as part of this initiative, eight four-star hotels and hotel apartments have been developed, which will be managed by international operators. These facilities boast more than 2,276 rooms and 7,000 beds, providing high-quality services designed to fulfill the diverse needs of all visitors.
Thakher Makkah contributes to Saudi Arabia’s ambitious vision, which aims to host 30 million Umrah performers and 6 million pilgrims by 2030. The project spans an area of more than 320,000 square meters. Upon completion, it will include about 100 land plots of various uses for hotels, residential, commercial, and service-related areas. Residential and hotel apartment units will be available in various categories, including for ownership.
Thaker Makkah will be home to some of the biggest names in global hospitality including The Radisson Hotel, Park Inn by Radisson, and Novotel Hotel, which will be the largest in the world in terms of the number of rooms.
The company is also involved in developing the old neighborhoods of Makkah in coordination with the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites to provide distinguished services to pilgrims.
