Leading US hotelier Hilton Worldwide has announced that it will double the number of staff in its operations in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), including 10,000 new employees in Saudi Arabia, in adherence to its expansion strategy.

In March this year, the world renowned hotelier revealed that it has 41 properties in its active pipeline for the MEA region,  and plans to “almost double” the size of its workforce and portfolio in the next three to four years.

Gareth Fox, VP human resources, MEA, told Hotelier Middle East that the group currently employs around 16,500 staff in the region, but will double that number due to “significant growth”.

Global hotel clientele research company, STR Global said the company’s expansion programme makes up 11.5 percent of the entire MEA hotel pipeline with 15,000 rooms under development.

According to an Arabianbusiness report, the US hotelier signed a record 20 properties in the last 12 months including six hotels in the Jabal Omar Development in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Hilton Worldwide also expects to bring two new brands to the UAE with the openings of the luxury brands Conrad Dubai and Waldorf Astoria in Ras Al Khaimah.

Hilton Worldwide is leading hospitality company owned by  the private equity firm Blackstone Group. As of July 2011 Hilton brands encompass 3,750 hotels with over 600,000 rooms in 84 countries.

The company intends to launch in four new markets including  Uganda, Doha, Lebanon, Sharjah  and Egypt –  where it will extend its presence  by opening its 19th hotel in the country.