Mohamed Arkobi (standing), Vice President and Managing Director of Fairmont Raffles Hotels International – Makkah, presents ‘World's Leading Landmark Hotel' 2011 Award to Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal. RIYADH – Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), chaired by Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, announced in a press statement Saturday that Makkah Clock Royal Tower was awarded the "World's Leading Landmark Hotel" 2011 Award during a ceremony held at Katara Cultural Village, Doha during the announcement of the winners of the World Travel Awards 2011. Some 213,000 travel professionals, including travel agencies, tour and tourism organizations from 160 countries cast their votes. KHC holds a 35 percent stake in Fairmont Raffles Holdings International (FRHI) that manages the Makkah Clock Royal Tower. Moreover, Alwaleed received Mohamed Arkobi, Vice President and Managing Director of Fairmont Raffles Hotels International - Makkah. Arkobi presented the award to Alwaleed in recognition of his contribution and investments in the hotel sector in the Arab world. Alwaleed said: "This is another important achievement for Kingdom Holding Company. Our Saudi real estate and hotel projects are solid anchors for Kingdom Holding's profitability." In June 2011, Raffles Makkah Palace was awarded the "Middle East's Leading Luxury Hotel" 2011 Award at the World Travel Awards. Also in May 2011, Alwaleed was awarded the best influential figure in tourism in the Middle East in 2011, as part of the World Travel Award. Furthermore, in February 2011, Alwaleed attended the signing of Business Gate's agreement for Fairmont to manage a new 287-room luxury hotel and 4,000 square meter convention center in Riyadh, scheduled to open late 2012. The project is the Fairmont's second in Saudi Arabia, as the first is the Makkah Clock Royal Tower, a Fairmont Hotel.
