In an exclusive interview with TTN Middle East, the leadership team of Saudi-born Amsa Hospitality spoke about ambitious expansion plans, including taking Saudi hospitality to international shores.
Reasserting the group’s firm view on Saudi Vision 2030, Aamir Riaz, Chief Operating Officer, Amsa Hospitality, emphasized that plans were afoot. “We have signed a master development agreement with Accor to build and franchise 18 economy and mid-scale properties across the Kingdom in the business travel sector.”
In terms of preparedness and global vision, Laurent Cartier, Chief Research & Development Officer, reflected on the remarkable transformation of Saudi Arabia’s hospitality industry. “Fifteen years ago, hotel lobbies were mere check-in/check-out areas,” he said. “Today, they have evolved into vibrant social spaces with versatile ambiences that adapt throughout the day, and the group is poised to redefine Saudi hospitality globally.”
The Saudi-born hospitality group is set to launch the first international Saudi brand that celebrates the country’s culture and history worldwide. While details remain under wraps, the brand promises to stand out.
Cartier says: “We are very excited and ambitious about creating this new brand that is going to be the first international Saudi brand that will showcase the culture and history of Saudi around the world. We have a lot of key points that are going to make it stand out. It will be launched in Q4, 2024 and we will build its first hotel in Riyadh in 2025.”
Mohamad Mandili, Chief People Officer, discusses the Amsa Hospitality Academy–a vital initiative. Ranked eighth in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s “Great Place to Work,” Amsa is committed to training future Saudi hoteliers and general managers. By hiring locally in tier-two cities, they aim to create an authentic guest experience across their properties.
“We are building Amsa Hospitality Academy, in order to help and support initiatives coming from the Saudi Ministry of Tourism. We will have programmes such as ‘The future generation of Saudis and Saudi General Managers’. These programmes will be helpful to build talent for both our hotels in Saudi Arabia and internationally because who can be a better brand ambassador for our hotels than a Saudi? Our hotels will be in secondary cities and with this, we will hire from the local market to create that authentic experience.”
Speaking on sustainability, Malik Ali, Chief Financial Officer added, “We take sustainability seriously and that is a crucial part of our brand and will be included in our training academy as this is number one for us. In addition, we ensure our partners and suppliers also have sustainable practices. I believe, within the hospitality industry, we are one of the top companies worldwide taking care of the environment.”
Bandar Abdulmajeed, Chief Brand & Marketing Officer at Amsa Hospitality, shared their strategic involvement as Silver Sponsors at the Saudi Travel Market. “In terms of our marketing strategy, we are focusing on positioning Amsa Hospitality as a main player in the market. We have had a lot of success and achievements during the past year, with many awards, and have participated in different occasions and events. We are also planning more events, including our upcoming participation at Arabian Travel Market.”