The Saudi holy city of Mecca is proving to be the exception to a Middle East property downturn, as more and more pilgrims flock to Islam’s holiest city and fuel a hotel construction boom.
The more than 2.5 million pilgrims who flock to Mecca for the annual Haj pilgrimage, a duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it, are witnessing a transformation of the city’s skyline with luxury hotels, high-rise residential blocks and cranes now overlooking the Grand Mosque.
“Mecca has now come of age,” said Shuja Zaidi, vice president of projects and general manager for Mecca Hilton & Towers in Saudi Arabia.
A forest of high-rise buildings just next to the Grand Mosque is emerging, built by Saudi developer Jabal Omar and costing more than $5.5 billion, where Hilton and others will open 26 new hotels and add 13,000 more rooms.

SUNGAI AKAR CAMP, Friday 20 May 2011 - The signing of MoA between Gurkha Reserve Unit and Insurance Islam Taib was held at GRU Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess in Sungai Akar.

Signing on behalf of the Gurkha Reserve Unit was Lieutenant Colonel Haji Zainal Ariffin bin DP Haji Ahmad, Commandant of GRU and Awang Haji Yusop bin Haji Mahmud, Acting Director of Finance and Acquisition, Ministry of Defence while Insurance Islam TAIB was represented by Awang Yusof bin Haji Abdul Rahman, Member of the Board of Directors, Insurance Islam TAIB and Awang Haji Osman bin Haji Md Jair, Managing Director of Insurance Islam TAIB.