As executive vice president and chief integrated hospitality officer, Simon Khayat blends world-class culinary standards with authentic Saudi culture to shape the Kingdom’s next chapter of hospitality excellence.
His approach combines precision, creativity, and operational mastery to deliver seamless experiences from fine dining and institutional catering to mega-events and transport hospitality, ensuring every guest encounter across Saudi Arabia is elevated, consistent, and thoughtfully designed.
What does ‘integrated hospitality’ mean for the Saudi market?
Integrated hospitality in Saudi Arabia means creating end-to-end guest experiences where catering, facilities, and service operations work together under one unified vision. It’s about consistency, responsiveness, and quality across diverse environments including healthcare, industrial sectors, railway services, and the Kingdom’s major events. The goal is to build sustainable, technology-driven models that enhance guest satisfaction, operational efficiency, and service delivery across all segments of the growing Saudi market.
How do you plan to elevate the Kingdom’s hospitality standards?
Drawing on extensive international experience, I aim to blend global service excellence with local authenticity, ensuring every offering feels culturally relevant, yet world-class. My focus is on precision in operations, innovation in culinary concepts, and empowering teams to deliver consistently exceptional service. By strengthening local capabilities, advancing culinary creativity, and embedding sustainability, we can set new benchmarks for Saudi Arabia’s integrated hospitality ecosystem.
Where do you see the biggest opportunities for growth?
Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector is entering a period of extraordinary expansion. The most promising opportunities lie within healthcare hospitality, mega-projects, religious tourism (Hajj and Umrah), large-scale sporting and entertainment events, and facility management integration.
Initiatives such as Riyadh Season, Formula One, Rally Dakar, the Red Sea projects, and Vision 2030 are reshaping expectations and setting new standards. The future of growth lies in localizing expertise, driving digital transformation, and embedding ESG-focused practices that align with the Kingdom’s sustainability and tourism ambitions.
How will technology and innovation shape the future?
Technology will serve as the foundation for efficiency, quality, and guest engagement. From smart kitchen management systems and predictive analytics in catering to AI-driven demand forecasting and integrated service dashboards, digitization will transform operations. The focus is on automation, data-driven decision-making, and sustainability, enabling faster response times, reduced waste, and more personalized guest experiences across all hospitality touchpoints.
What emerging trends will define Saudi Arabia’s hospitality future?
The Saudi market is evolving toward health-conscious, technology-enabled, and sustainable experiences. Key trends include:
• Digitized service delivery
• Locally sourced and sustainable supply chains
• ESG accountability and transparency
• Blending global culinary excellence with Saudi heritage and flavors
With large-scale events, healthcare hospitality, and institutional services expanding rapidly, the industry is shifting from traditional service models to holistic, experience-driven solutions that reflect the Kingdom’s vision of becoming a global hospitality powerhouse.
