Tag Archives: madinah

Accor builds on strong development momentum in Saudi Arabia through partnership with Arbah Taiba to develop Novotel Madinah North

Accor  has signed an agreement with Madinah-based developer Arbah Taiba for Real Estate Development and Investment, to develop Novotel Madinah North. The new hotel will be located minutes from the iconic Al Masjid an-Nabawi and is scheduled to open in 2028. The collaboration draws on Arbah Taiba’s long-standing role in shaping Madinah’s urban development and Accor’s operating experience across Saudi Arabia. Together, the two groups will introduce a hotel that is accessible, modern, and designed to meet the diverse needs of travelers throughout the year. The signing ceremony in Madinah was attended by Islam Abdel Samad, Vice President, Development, Premium, Midscale & Economy, Middle East & Africa at Accor, and Abdulaziz Al Qfary, Chairman of Arbah Taiba. The agreement reaffirms their shared commitment to advancing Saudi Arabia’s religious, business and leisure tourism sectors in line with Vision 2030. As Madinah continues to experience rapid growth welcoming more than more than 3.7 million visitors in Q2 2025 alone, following 18 million visitors in 2024 the new Novotel address will directly address the rising accommodation demand by expanding quality options for pilgrims, business travelers and domestic guests. Islam Abdel Samad, Vice President, Development, Premium, Midscale & Economy, Middle East & Africa at Accor, said: ”This agreement strengthens Accor’s long-term strategy to deepen our presence across Saudi Arabia, particularly in the holy cities where demand for high-quality accommodation continues to accelerate. Our partnership with Arbah Taiba allows us to deliver a property that aligns with international standards while honoring the unique character and spiritual significance of Madinah.” Abdulaziz Al Qfary, Chairman, Arbah Taiba, said: “Arbah Taiba has long contributed to Madinah’s urban development and this partnership with Accor represents an important step in …

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flyadeal announces Madinah as the fourth base in KSA

flyadeal announced the Holy City of Madinah as its fourth and newest base in the Kingdom. Two aircraft will be permanently positioned at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport from 1 January 2026. flyadeal currently has operational bases in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. Domestic scheduled flights from Madinah will be launched to four cities across the Kingdom – the southwest coastal city of Jazan; Tabuk in the northwest; Al Hofuf in the country’s Eastern Province; and Abha in the southwestern mountainous region of Aseer province.  Sabiha Gökçen International Airport in Istanbul will become the second international destination to be introduced direct from Madinah, with plans for further expansion beyond Saudia Arabia over the next few months. The additional flights will increase flyadeal’s existing capacity from Madinah by 30 per cent to 84 scheduled domestic and international services a week. flyadeal’s current Madinah operations cover domestic services to Dammam and Riyadh, plus international flights to the Egyptian capital, Cairo. The carrier also operates year-round Umrah services from several countries direct to Madinah, north of the Saudi port city of Jeddah. Steven Greenway, flyadeal Chief Executive Officer, said: “With scale comes opportunities. flyadeal has progressively increased its fleet size to 43 which allows us to now position aircraft across principal cities including Madinah where passenger demand simply demands our resources to be spread out. Madinah was a natural addition as a base given its prominence as the second holiest city in the Islamic world that draws pilgrims from all parts of the globe throughout the year.” Almost 70 per cent of flyadeal’s 43-strong narrowbody fleet of Airbus A320s is based at King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh; 11 aircraft are positioned …

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