Best Western International NEW

Phoenix, AZ – Best Western International has announced the opening of its first property in the Saudi Arabian Holy City of Makkah. Located in the cultural center of Makkah (also known as Mecca), just a few minutes’ drive from the Holy Mosque, the BEST WESTERN PLUS Bakkah Awan Hotel is perfectly situated for the millions of travelers visiting the city for the two annual pilgrimages, the Hajj and Umrah.

“Tourism in Saudi Arabia is booming. Religious and pilgrimage travel is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the industry, and Makkah is at its heart,” said Glenn de Souza, Best Western’s Vice President International Operations – Asia & the Middle East.

As a BEST WESTERN PLUS® property, the hotel features a range of upscale facilities including a restaurant, coffee shop, kid’s club and business center. There is also a shuttle bus service offering transfers to the Holy Mosque.

The hotel’s 152 rooms all come equipped with modern amenities such as cable television, coffee and tea making facilities, safes and refrigerators. Several adjoining rooms are available for larger groups and families, and as with all Best Western’s around the globe, free Internet is available throughout the property.

“Makkah receives more than 3 million pilgrims during the Hajj and around 6 million for the Umrah, and Best Western is delighted to be able to cater to these visitors with a modern, upscale accommodation choice. We are confident that the BEST WESTERN PLUS Bakkah Awan Hotel will be extremely popular with all visitors to Makkah,” Mr. de Souza added.

The opening of the BEST WESTERN PLUS Bakkah Awan Hotel marks the latest phase in the brand’s rapid expansion in the Middle East. Last year Best Western launched its first hotels in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Jordan, and this year the company debuted in Kuwait. By the end of 2015, Best Western plans to be operating at least 3,600 hotel rooms across 22 properties in eight Middle Eastern countries including an additional 1200 room BEST WESTERN PREMIER in Makkah.

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ABOUT BEST WESTERN INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Best Western International, Inc., headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz., is a privately held hotel brand made up of more than 4,000* BEST WESTERN®, BEST WESTERN PLUS® and BEST WESTERN PREMIER® hotels in more than 100* countries and territories worldwide. Now celebrating 67 years of hospitality, Best Western welcomes hundreds of thousands of guests nightly. Best Western provides its hoteliers with global operational, sales, marketing and promotional support, and online and mobile booking capabilities. More than 20 million travelers are members of the brand’s award-winning loyalty program Best Western Rewards®, one of the few programs in which members earn points that never expire and can be redeemed at any Best Western hotel worldwide. The brand’s partnerships with AAA/CAA, race car driver Michael Waltrip, and Harley-Davidson® provide travelers with exciting ways to interact with the brand. In 2012, Best Western won a record number of awards, including AAA’s Hotel Partner of the Year, CAA’s Partner of the Year, TravelClick’s eMarketer of the Year and Compuware’s Best of the Web Gold awards.

*Numbers are approximate and can fluctuate

Laura Cherry
(602) 957-5668
BWH Hotels