The Governor of Asir Lays the Cornerstone for the «Westin Abha» Project, Which Will Feature 330 Hotel Rooms, Villas, and Residential Units

His Royal Highness Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Asir Region and Chairman of the Asir Region Development Authority, laid the cornerstone yesterday for the “The Westin Abha,” which is being built on an area exceeding 153,000 square meters, as part of a series of high-quality tourism projects aimed at strengthening the region’s tourism and hospitality sector.
The project includes 330 hotel units, 52 villas and chalets, and 78 residential units, along with spaces featuring gardens, restaurants, shops, and a promenade, as well as facilities for events and community services. Saleh bin Othman Al-Ghamdi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Manarat Al-Dhiyafa Real Estate Company, explained in a speech delivered on behalf of the investors and partners that the "Westin Abha" project represents a significant addition to the tourism and hospitality sector in the Asir region, and reflects the region’s abundance of promising investment opportunities. He noted that the laying of the project’s cornerstone marks the start of the implementation phase, leading to the achievement of its economic and developmental goals.
He explained that the project aims to provide more than 1,000 direct, indirect, seasonal, and training job opportunities for the region’s young men and women, in addition to contributing to the development of national talent and empowering them to work in the tourism and hospitality sectors.

Following this, His Highness and the attendees viewed a presentation highlighting the project site, its components, and the phases of its implementation, as well as its hotel, residential, commercial, and recreational facilities. A workshop was then held, during which participants reviewed the established framework for selecting and supporting investment and development projects in the Asir region, as well as the mechanisms for setting priorities and directing investments in line with development needs. This approach enhances coordination among relevant entities, improves the efficiency of planning and decision-making, and contributes to enabling projects with a sustainable developmental impact in the region.

Following that, a cooperation agreement was signed with King Khalid University, aimed at training and qualifying more than 250 male and female students in the fields of media, architecture, engineering, tourism, and hospitality, and to equip them with the skills and experience necessary to work on the project upon its completion, thereby contributing to the development of national talent and preparing them for the career opportunities offered by the project.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Deputy Governor of the Asir Region, Mohammed bin Sultan bin Jrees, on behalf of His Highness the Governor of the Asir Region, honored the project’s sponsors and partners in recognition of their contributions to its success.