The Fairmont hotel will house a nursery to look after the children of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, Abdulaziz Almosa told Arab News.

The first phase will be launched next year, with the hotel having the capacity to look after 150 children.

Almosa added: “The second phase will be launched around the middle of 2024 when capacity will increase to between 300 to 500 children.”

He said the initiative was needed as it would allow pilgrims to take part in Hajj and Umrah secure in the knowledge that their children were being looked after.

He added it would also give children an insight into the holy city of Makkah and Islamic rituals at a young age, providing their religious foundation.

The children would be taken care of and entertained, but would also be educated about the rituals their parents were performing.  

Almosa said high-tech bracelets would allow parents to locate their offspring, and cameras would monitor the child care facilities.

The CEO said that the current average length of stay at the hotel for international visitors was five days, but that the establishment was working to increase that period.

He added it was doing that by “improving the quality of stay, creating religious entertainment venues, improving food and beverage venues, and increasing opportunities for pilgrims to take part in trips and cultural experiences.”

Salem Al-Shahrani, the managing director of the hotel and three other establishments in the King Abdulaziz Endowment, said that Fairmont Makkah will soon be opening two new food outlets as part of the drive to improve the quality of stay for pilgrims.

He said an outlet serving Asian cuisine is due to open by the end of the year, and a sushi restaurant during the first quarter of 2023.

Almosa added: “Our efforts and ambition are part of a larger and noble vision: Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

“One of the vision’s objectives is to enable the largest number of Muslims possible to visit Makkah and to conduct their Umrah and Hajj seamlessly, smoothly, and safely.”