From the project site in Makkah, PT APM Group's journey moves on to the diplomatic table. In Jeddah, APM's leadership sat down with the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia (KJRI) for a formal roundtable discussion.
APM came with its full line-up: Commissioner Priyo Iswanto, CEO Muhammad Azhari and Managing Director Razaq Azwi. Across the table, KJRI Jeddah was led by the Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Jeddah, Sugiri Suparwan. He was accompanied by Didik Zulhaji, Coordinator of the Economic Function at KJRI Jeddah, and Muhammad Ilham Effendy, Technical Staff for Hajj and Umrah Affairs at KJRI Jeddah, who also serves as Deputy Chair III of the Saudi Arabia Hajj Organizing Committee (PPIH).
The meeting raised one big question: how can Indonesia make the most of the door that is now open in Saudi Arabia?
Main Agenda: APM's First Step in the Holy Land
The main agenda of the meeting was APM's own concrete step. APM Group has established a company in Saudi Arabia to open a new line of business: room allotment and hotel management in the area around the Masjid al-Haram.
The first project is ready. Just about 100 metres from the Masjid al-Haram, the APM hotel can accommodate up to around 280 pilgrims at a time, during the Hajj season as well as year-round for Umrah pilgrims. The building is already standing and ready to operate; it is not a plan on paper.
Location is its greatest advantage. The Hajj Village in Thakher is roughly 2.5 kilometres away and still requires a shuttle. From the APM hotel, pilgrims can simply walk about 100 metres to the Masjid al-Haram, the convenience every pilgrim looks for most. Because Umrah takes place all year, the hotel is not only filled during the Hajj season but also continues to serve the flow of Umrah pilgrims from Indonesia.
Both sides also discussed the progress of Danantara's projects in Makkah. Novotel Makkah Thakher City was handed over on 11 August 2026, followed by a 4.4-hectare plot of land on 18 October 2026, and 13 new towers are targeted for completion in 2029. The two projects complement each other: Danantara builds large-scale capacity, while APM meets the need for a nearby location.
A Wide-Open Door
Consul General Sugiri Suparwan placed the meeting in a bigger picture.
“Saudi Vision 2030 runs in step with Indonesia's Golden 2045 vision. Today, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is opening its doors as wide as possible for Indonesian investors to enter and grow in Saudi Arabia.”
That message is in line with what is already visible on the ground. For the first time, Saudi Arabia has allowed a foreign government to own assets in Makkah, and Indonesia is the first. For businesses, the signal is clear: what is needed now is not permission, but the courage to step forward.
A Golden Moment for APM
For APM Group, the meeting in Jeddah underscored the role it wants to play: becoming a bridge between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.
That bridge is built on several mutually reinforcing lines of business:
- • Allotment hotel: securing rooms in Makkah for Indonesian Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, earlier and more efficiently.
- • Logistic: connecting the supply chain for pilgrims' needs and trade between the two countries.
- • Trading: opening a route for Indonesian products into the Saudi market, and vice versa.
The market is already there, and the door is now open. APM Group is ready to take a big step to align this cross-border cooperation.
From Makkah to Jeddah, One Direction
APM's journey in Saudi Arabia shows two sides of the same story. In Makkah, Indonesia is beginning to own assets in the Holy Land. In Jeddah, the government is opening the way for the private sector to join in.
APM Group stands between the two, with one goal: to ensure this momentum does not stop at being a news item, but becomes real benefit for Indonesian pilgrims and businesses.