Construction work on the first phase of the SR26-billion ($7 billion) Thakher Makkah, one of the largest projects in Makkah, is almost complete, according to Thakher Development Company, the master developer of the project.

Spanning an area of 320,000 sq m on a site located 1 km from the Grand Mosque (Haram), the project will, upon completion, include about 100 land plots for the development for hotels and residential, commercial, and service-related facilities.

The residential and hotel apartment units will be available in various categories, and will be also available for ownership, said the developer.

Thakher Makkah is set to host a number of international hotels including the Radisson Hotel, the Park Inn by Radisson, and the Novotel Hotel, and will boast the world's largest number of hotel rooms, claimed Thakher Development Company.

The Thakher Makkah project aims to provide exceptional opportunities for visitors and investors, including pilgrims, Umrah performers and general visitors to Makkah, it stated.

“Thakher Makkah project contributes to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Vision 2030, which aims to host 30 million Umrah performers and six million pilgrims by 2030,” said Engineer Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Aboudi, CEO of Thakher Development Company.

A shopping centre within the project will contain 124 outlets of international and local brands, and offer various options for shoppers, including an entertainment centre for children, cafes and restaurants offering different international cuisines. The project, which provides up to 10,000 car parking lots, will contain a mosque that accommodates 5,000 worshippers.

The development’s infrastructure facilities will include a road network, tunnels, pavements, landscaping, as well as shopping areas, restaurants, and cafes.

“We are committed to developing the infrastructure and masterplan according to the specified timeline for both, and soon we will be sharing more details and figures about the work progress and the project’s many economic and non-economic advantages,” Al-Aboudi added.

The second phase is expected to be delivered in 2024.