Saudi Arabia has taken on a huge project that should have travelers excited for many years to come. A new ‘smart city’ projected to be 33 times bigger than New York City is being constructed on barren land in the Arabian desert. With high hopes of challenging the status quo, the city, backed by a…
Hotel Review: Habitas, Alula, Saudi Arabia
Habitas is an extraordinary collection of 96 luxury villas located in a canyon in the Saudi Arabian desert. It took me, a city dweller hailing from London 4,272 miles away from Saudi Araba, a while to acclimatise to the otherworldly terrain of the Habitas resort and its Beduin-like vibe – ephemeral even. I had arrived…
Saudi Arabia ranks first among Arab nations for inbound visitors
Saudi Arabia registered more international arrivals than any other Arab nation during the first nine months of 2022, as government officials target 100 million annual visitors by the end of this decade. Owing to these unprecedented numbers, the Kingdom’s burgeoning tourism sector will represent a key focus at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023, which will…
Saudi Arabia increases Nintendo stake to 6%
Saudi Arabia’s PIF already had a 5.01% stake in the platform holder, which was announced in May 2022 “for investment purposes,” and now stands at 6.07% precisely. That’s according to Reuters, based on a report from the country’s Public Investment Fund that was filed today with Japanese regulators. Last year, Saudi Arabia bought a $1 billion stake in Embracer…
Saudi Arabia unveils masterplan for King Salman International Airport
The airport is expected to become one of the largest in the world featuring six parallel runways. Saudi Arabia has revealed a masterplan for King Salman International Airport (DWD), which is expected to position Riyadh as a global logistics hub, as well as stimulate transport, trade, and tourism. Covering nearly 57km² of area, the airport is expected…
IHG debuts Vignette Collection in ME with a signing in Saudi Arabia
The new hotel is in line with IHG’s commitment to add over 10,000 rooms to its portfolio in the country within the next 2-3 years. IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced the signing of a management agreement with the Owners of Carlton Al Moaibed Hotel in Al Khobar, that was founded by the late ‘Abdulrahman Al Moaibed…
Going To The World Cup? Here’s Why You Should Stop In Saudi Arabia
It’s less than a month away until the FIFA World Cup takes place in Qatar – the first Arab state to host the World Cup in history. Qatar’s winning bid is an opportunity to represent the Arab World and shine a spotlight on this diverse country and its neighbors. With more than 100,000 Americans expected to attend this year’s…
Global aviation shows interest in new air routes to Saudi Arabia
The 2022 edition of the Routes World forum, which was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center from 16 to 18 October 2022, saw major interest from global airlines and aviation players in establishing new air routes and strengthening existing air travel partnerships with Saudi Arabia. The Saudi delegation included an inaugural participation by the…
WTTC announces speakers for its 22nd Global Summit in Saudi Arabia next month
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) unveils its first round of confirmed speakers for its upcoming Global Summit to be hosted by Saudi Arabia, which includes leaders from some of the world’s largest Travel & Tourism businesses, Saudi officials, and tourism ministers from around the world. Taking place at the magnificent King Abdul Aziz…
Saudi Arabia to host WTTC Global Summit from 28 Nov-1 Dec.
The 22nd World Travel and Tourism (WTTC) Global Summit to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 28 November to 1 December 2022. This event, held in Riyadh, will see industry leaders meeting with key government representatives with the goal of driving support for the travel and tourism sector’s ongoing recovery, moving it to a safer,…
