RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Dur Hospitality Co. has purchased Makarem Al Nakheel Village & Resort for $80 million and plans to convert it into the first Rixos resort in Jeddah, said a top executive. In an interview with Arab News at the Future Hospitality Summit, Hassan Ahdab, president of hotel operations at Dur Hospitality, said that the all-inclusive resort will be open to visitors in one year. “We plan to have a grand opening of the Rixos Jeddah Resort by the mid or the third quarter of 2023,” said Ahdab. According to a press statement, the project will restyle and enhance all facilities, including 174 rooms, 73 furnished residential villas and two restaurants, among other amenities. The statement added that the resort would also feature vast green landscapes, sandy beaches with breathtaking views, a marina, and a plaza overlooking the Red Sea. The hospitality major has also roped in Accor to develop and manage the property. “We were the first in Saudi Arabia to own, operate, manage, franchise, and even create brands for hotels,” said Ahdab. The company was instrumental in bringing Marriott International into the Kingdom, the first Marriott outside the USA. “Our journey started by training and educating our people on the international standards while keeping the Saudi hospitality as part of the DNA of our services,” he said. He further said: “Dur Hospitality’s main investment is Makkah’s Makarem Ajyad Makkah Hotel. Makarem is a homegrown brand with international standards, but it still carries a lot of Islamic flavors that pilgrims can appreciate.”