Lulwa Al-Hazzaa

Saudi Arabia's first female hotelier who pioneered women's entrepreneurship in a male-dominated industry through her Al-Bustan Hotels chain

Lulwa Al-Hazzaa (b. 1958) revolutionized Saudi Arabia's hospitality industry by founding Al-Bustan Hotels in 1983, becoming the first woman to own and operate a hotel chain in the kingdom. Her ventures initially faced significant cultural resistance, but Al-Hazzaa's innovative approach included creating women-only facilities and family-friendly environments that aligned with Saudi social norms while advancing gender equality.

Al-Hazzaa's career began in hotel management at the Ritz-Carlton in Jeddah, where she noticed the lack of hospitality options catering to conservative Saudi families. Her first property, Al-Bustan Hotel in Jeddah, quickly became a landmark by offering spacious family suites and prayer rooms. By 2000, her chain expanded to 12 hotels across Saudi Arabia, employing over 1,500 staff with dedicated women's training programs. The Al-Bustan network now includes resorts in Mecca and Medina, supporting Hajj pilgrimages through specialized services.

Her advocacy for women's economic participation led to the creation of the Lulwa Al-Hazzaa Foundation, which provides scholarships and internships for young Saudi women. Al-Hazzaa's entrepreneurial model inspired the Saudi Vision 2030 initiative's focus on women's economic empowerment. Despite early opposition, she became a board member of the Saudi Hotel Investment Company (SHIC), breaking gender barriers in corporate governance. Her story is documented in Women in Saudi Business: Pioneers and Pathfinders (2018) and featured in Bloomberg's Women in Business series.