In doubling the number of its hotels Marriott will also create over 21,500 jobs RIYADH: Marriott International plans to double the number of its hotels in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Minister Ahmad Al-Khateeb announced today. In doubling the number of its hotels, Marriott will also create over 21,500 jobs that will support the Kingdom’s goal of 1 million new tourism jobs by 2030, Al-Khateeb said on his Twitter account. On Monday the Marriott Riyadh Diplomatic Quarter hotel confirmed the launch of the first ever electric vehicle charging station for commercial and residential use in the Kingdom. Marriott has been operating in the Kingdom for more than four decades, with its key hotel brands scattered across major cities. It is also one of the first global hotel brands who have signed a deal with The Red Sea Development Company to operate in the destination. The move comes as global tourism expects some recovery, after it was hit by COVID-19 which forced countries to implement lockdowns to contain the virus. The United Nations’ World Tourism Organization said vaccines and the reopening of borders are key drivers of the sector’s recovery. Early figures from the WTO showed the number of tourists reaching 54 million in July 2021, compared with only 34 million international arrivals in the same month last year. This recovery is evident in the region, where mass vaccination drives supported governments’ quick action to revitalize local economies. Saudi Arabia has particularly picked tourism as one of its key sectors in its goal to diversify its income sources away from oil, with many giga projects aimed at opening the Kingdom to foreign visitors.