Oyo signs tech deal with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah
Indian hotel chain Oyo Hotels has partnered with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, where the operator will provide access to its technology that will allow the ministry to deliver a better hospitality experience to pilgrims.
The MoU was signed in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten, honorable minister of Hajj and Umrah, and Ritesh Agarwal, founder and group CEO, Oyo Hotels and Homes.
Oyo’s signature OS technology suite is an operating system that will assist the Ministry in managing inventory, procurement, as well as provide express check-ins and check-outs in the accommodations
under its purview.
The OS also offers apps for housekeeping and audits while introducing solutions for multiple accommodation management aspects like expense management, staff training and engagement along with performance management for the hotel staff.
Krypton is Oyo’s mobile audit app that enables the audit of properties.
Under the MoU, Oyo will work with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in enhancing, implementing and auditing the standards for affordable and quality accommodations in existing buildings in the holy city of Makkah, through the use of technology and proprietary applications. In the process, Oyo’s technology suite group aims to create more than 3,000 local employment opportunities and upgrade more than 15,000 rooms.
Agarwal said in a statement: “By leveraging our hotel operating competencies in support of vision 2030 and harnessing Oyo’s world-class OS and Krypton systems towards upgrading living spaces for pilgrims, we want to be a key partner to the Ministry in helping welcome 30 million umrah and hajj pilgrims to the Kingdom and assuring a comfortable and peaceful stay as they journey to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.”
Governor of the General Investment Authority (SAGIA), HE Ibrahim bin Abdul Rahman Al-Omar added: “It is also noteworthy that Oyo is one of the first Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia- and a SoftBank Vision Fund-backed company to start operations successfully in Saudi Arabia, with the support of HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Public Investment Fund and Saudi Arabia’s General Investment Authority (SAGIA). The company obtained its foreign investment license from SAGIA a few months ago and plans to invest $50 million in Saudi Arabia.”
