Marriott International (NASDAQ: MAR) has signed a deal with Saudi Arabia’s OWN Real Estate to develop an Autograph Collection Hotel in Jeddah on Prince Sultan Road, the US hospitality group announced on May 5.
The property will form part of a mixed-use development integrating hospitality, residential apartments, Grade-A office space and lifestyle retail in a single destination, according to the announcement made on LinkedIn by Marriott regional executives.
Autograph Collection is one of Marriott’s distinctive brands, comprising independent hotels with individual design and character. The signing extends the brand’s footprint in the Kingdom as Saudi Arabia accelerates hotel development under Vision 2030, which targets 150mn visitors annually by 2030.
Jeddah, the Kingdom’s commercial hub on the Red Sea coast and the gateway to Mecca, is a focus for hotel investment as Saudi Arabia builds capacity for religious tourism, business travel and leisure visitors. Prince Sultan Road is one of the city’s main thoroughfares, lined with retail, dining and corporate developments.
OWN Real Estate is a Saudi developer focused on integrated property projects. Marriott did not disclose financial terms, the number of keys, the development timeline or an opening date.
The signing comes as international hotel groups continue to expand pipelines across the Gulf, with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar accounting for the bulk of new branded hotel rooms under construction in the region. Marriott operates multiple brands in Saudi Arabia, including Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, JW Marriott, Sheraton and Le Méridien.
Mixed-use schemes combining hotels with residential, office and retail components have become a preferred format for developers in major Saudi cities, allowing operators to capture multiple revenue streams from a single site.
“We’re pleased to announce the signing of an Autograph Collection Hotel in Jeddah with OWN Real Estate, bringing one of Marriott International’s most distinctive brands to a prime location on Prince Sultan Road,” Marriott said in the announcement, citing the partnership with Dina Alawadh and the OWN Real Estate team.
Middle East travel and tourism grew 5.3% in 2025, outpacing the global sector growth rate of 4.1%, with Saudi Arabia accounting for nearly half of the region’s contribution and posting the strongest performance, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). The data sets a high baseline ahead of the disruption triggered by the Iran war.
The Middle East tourism sector contributed $385.8bn to regional GDP in 2025 and supported 7.1mn jobs, the WTTC said in figures reported on April 27. International visitor spending across the region rose 5.2%, against a global average of 3.2%.