Tourism First Neom flights set to boost Saudi tourism push The new city of the future’s Neom Bay Airport will launch Saudi Airlines flights to Dubai and London Neom, arguably Saudi Arabia’s most ambitious development project, has announced a partnership with the country’s national carrier to drive tourism to the $500 billion city of the future. The deal with Saudi Airlines, known as Saudia, will […] May 23, 2022
Tourism Kuwait aircraft firm Alafco explores sale over losses Kuwait state-funded aircraft leasing firm Alafco is exploring a sale and has held talks with private equity firms and other aircraft lessors, sources said. Alafco, whose shareholders include the Kuwaiti government, has a fleet of 77 wide- and narrow-body Airbus and Boeing aircraft operated by airlines and another 68 on order. Alafco and major shareholder […] May 23, 2022
EXCLUSIVE Tourism Cruise Saudi CEO reveals big ambitions for kingdom’s tourism Riyadh wants tourism to be 10 percent of its GDP by 2030 – in part by becoming a hub for cruise travel. Cruise Saudi boss Lars Clasen tells AGBI how he aims to attract 1 million visitors a year May 23, 2022
Analysis Tourism Dubai’s Global Village: an incubator for startups Dubai’s Global Village has been running for over two decades and it had a record-breaking 7.8 million visitors for its most recent season that ended on May 7, but organisers are keen to emphasise that the attraction is more than just theme park rides, food and retail from around the world. They claim Global Village […] May 23, 2022
Business of Sport The cost of being champions: Manchester City’s $2bn investment Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City won its fourth English Premier League title in five years yesterday, netting £44 million ($54.4 million) for finishing top. That figure pales into insignificance against the estimated $2 billion total investment made by Abu Dhabi royal Sheikh Mansour following his takeover of the club in 2008. But the business acumen that […] May 23, 2022
Business of Sport Could the Gulf become an Olympics contender? The Middle East is hosting top sporting events from the FIFA World Cup to Formula 1. Now it could have its sights on the ultimate prize May 20, 2022
Tourism Saudi teams with Indian travel portal to boost tourism The Saudi Tourism Authority has signed an agreement with EaseMyTrip, India’s second-largest online travel platform for air ticket bookings, as part of its goal to exceed 70 million visitors to the kingdom by the end of 2022. As part of the deal, EaseMyTrip will raise awareness about Saudi Arabia as a tourist destination in India […] May 20, 2022
Retail Middle East breathes in smoking hot tobacco sales The Middle East tobacco industry has seen strong growth in recent months, helped by duty free sales as the travel sector reopens following the pandemic. British tobacco firm Imperial Brands, which manages brands such as Davidoff, JPS and West cigarettes, reported this week that while its global revenue was down 1.3 percent to £15.362 billion […] May 19, 2022
Business of Sport Qatar, Turkey won’t replace cancelled Russian Grand Prix Formula One’s 2022 season will be reduced to 22 races after the sport said on Wednesday it would not be replacing the cancelled Russian Grand Prix on Sept. 25 despite interest from other countries. Formula One had scheduled a record 23 rounds this year but the race in Sochi was called off in February and […] May 19, 2022
Business of Sport Golfer Dustin Johnson ‘excited to see’ Saudi-backed rival tour next month Dustin Johnson’s loyalty is currently with the PGA Tour but the twice major winner said on Wednesday that he is excited to see what the upstart LIV World Golf Invitational Series could do for the sport. For the moment the Saudi-backed venture has proven only disruptive as it attempts to poach players from the established […] May 19, 2022
Business of Sport Jack Nicklaus rejects $100m to be face of Saudi-backed golf tour American golf legend Jack Nicklaus turned down $100 million to become the face of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series, which debuts in London next month and is tipped as a controversial new rival to the PGA Tour, it was reported this week. “I was offered something in excess of $100 million by the Saudis,” […] May 18, 2022
Saudi Arabia Vision 2030 Qiddiya: A sports and arts revolution Marketed as the kingdom’s capital of entertainment, sports and the arts, Qiddiya is beginning to take shape 45 minutes’ drive south-west of Riyadh. First announced in 2017 as part of Vision 2030, Qiddiya has a dual economic and social purpose – to contribute to the advancement of Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification and to open up […] May 18, 2022
Business of Sport Japan edges ahead of Saudi and Qatar to host Asian Cup The Japan Football Association (JFA) has been informally approached about the possibility of replacing China as hosts of next year’s Asian Cup, Chairman Kozo Tashima told Nikkan Sports. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced last Saturday that China had pulled out of hosting the 24-team continental championship, citing the COVID-19 situation in the country. “We […] May 18, 2022
Tourism ‘Flying taxi airports’ to get the green light in UAE The UAE is expected to issue draft regulations on so-called vertiports – micro-scale airports that can support the expected growth of vertical take-off and landing aircraft (VTOLs) – in the first quarter of 2023. Mohammed Faisal al Dossari, senior director, Air Navigation and Aerodromes Department, UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said the regulations would […] May 18, 2022
Analysis Business of Sport Qatar may tackle Asian Cup as replacement host for China The 2023 Asian Cup could be shifting west to the Gulf, where new infrastructure has made the region a magnet for international tournaments, after China withdrew as host. China had planned to hold the Asian Cup across 10 cities in June-July next year, but has dropped the 24-team tournament because of “exceptional circumstances caused by […] May 17, 2022
Retail Turkish retailer in talks to take over Reebok’s Russian stores FLO Magazacilik could buy the US firm's 100-plus outlets in Russia, but chairman Mehmet Ziylan denied reports that the deal is already done May 16, 2022
Aviation First commercial flight takes off from Yemen Yemen’s national airline operated its first commercial flight in years from the capital Sanaa today, raising hopes for renewal of a United Nations-brokered truce in the seven-year-old conflict that has pitted a Saudi-led coalition against the Iran-aligned Houthis and put Middle East security in peril. Water canons sprayed Sanaa airport’s runway as an airplane of […] May 16, 2022
Aviation Emirates should be allowed to fly to Berlin, says German exec The bilateral air service agreement between Germany and the United Arab Emirates should be expanded to allow Dubai’s Emirates airline to operate direct flights to more cities, including the capital Berlin, a senior official from the Middle East office of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) told AGBI. Under the existing air services agreement between […] May 16, 2022
Tourism Emirates airline cuts annual loss to $1.1bn as travel rebounds Dubai’s Emirates airline today posted an annual loss of $1.1 billion, a sharp improvement on the $5.5 billion loss in the previous year, as demand for international travel was boosted by governments easing pandemic-related curbs. The airline, which only operates international services, reported a 91 percent jump in revenue to $16.1 billion for the year […] May 13, 2022
Business of Sport Newcastle United strip to be Saudi Arabia green Newcastle United’s away kit for next season will be green and white, to reflect the club’s new owners from Saudi Arabia. Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi’s sovereign wealth fund, bought an 80 percent stake in the football club for £305 million last October. And to attract more supporters from the region the players will wear […] May 13, 2022
Analysis Banking & Finance New deal gives India and UAE plenty to smile about As the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between India and the United Arab Emirates comes into force, AGBI looks at a highly lucrative co-regional relationship Of the many alliances that have sprouted out of the Middle East, the one between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) stands out – seemingly weathering all global political and […] May 12, 2022
Tourism Passengers hit two-year high at Dubai International airport Dubai’s main airport today reported its busiest quarter in two years as the rebound in international travel gains pace, with its chief executive predicting Dubai International could see pre-coronavirus figures by the end of 2024. The Gulf hub, one of the world’s leading gateways for international travel, handled 13.6 million passengers in the January-March period, […] May 12, 2022
