Tourism Saudi Arabia among biggest gainers in tourism rebound The Middle East is the best-performing global tourism region as the world undergoes a tourism rebound after the Covid-19 pandemic, and Saudi Arabia the second best-performing country, according to the UN’s tourism body. The United Nations World Tourism Organization said tourism in terms of traveller numbers had rebounded globally to 84 percent of levels before […] October 4, 2023
Opinion Giga-projects Paradise found: Conserving and leveraging Saudi’s natural bounty How the world’s most ambitious sustainable hospitality project is being brought to life September 11, 2023
Energy Solar power scaled up at Amaala giga-project Saudi developer Red Sea Global has signed a 25-year concession agreement with France’s EDF and UAE’s Masdar to service its Amaala giga-project on the northwestern coast of the kingdom. The off-grid renewable energy system will have the capacity to generate up to 410,000 MWh per annum, enough to power 10,000 households, the companies said in […] September 11, 2023
Banking & Finance Saudi banks face slowdown as giga-projects take toll Saudi banks are witnessing a slowdown, impacting liquidity, net profits and share price across the sector, as the pressure of funding the kingdom’s giga-projects takes its toll, analysts say. Growth in net profit at the top ten banks slowed to 0.3 percent in the second quarter and the Saudi index of bank stocks fell 18.8 […] September 8, 2023
Renewable Energy UK company strikes Mideast deal for hydrogen generators UK hydrogen fuel cell company AFC Energy has signed an agreement with a leading Saudi marketer to sell its hydrogen generators in the Middle East and Central Asia. The deal gives Saudi Arabia’s The Machinery Group (Tamgo) exclusive rights to market AFC Energy’s alternative to diesel-powered generators in 16 countries including Saudi Arabia, United Arab […] September 5, 2023
Agriculture Red Sea Global farm co-op builds on Saudi food plans Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Global has set up a farm cooperative to supply its resorts, amid wider plans to boost farming and food security. The Red Sea Farm Cooperative, also known as Tamala, aims to build on Saudi Arabia’s record agricultural production levels that were achieved last year. Farmers will be able to sell their […] September 1, 2023
Logistics Saudi Arabia to build 59 logistics centres by 2030 Saudi Arabia will have 59 logistics centres by 2030, as the kingdom aims to transform itself into a global logistics hub. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveiled the masterplan for the centres as part of ongoing initiatives under the national transport and logistics strategy. The 59 centres will have a total area of more than […] August 28, 2023
Tech Dubai tech company buys Virgin Mobile Latin America A Dubai technology investment company has bought Virgin Mobile Latin America, a mobile virtual network operator with operations in Mexico and Colombia. The acquisition by Beyond One follows its buyout in February of Virgin Mobile Middle East and Africa, which serves Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman and Kuwait. A mobile virtual network operator is a provider […] August 23, 2023
Infrastructure Saudi seeks Chinese funding for infrastructure projects Saudi Arabia is in talks with Chinese banks for potential investment in and development of infrastructure projects. The talks were held between Saudi housing minister Majid Al Hogail and several heads of Chinese banks in Beijing, state-run SPA news agency reported. The minister discussed investment opportunities across a number of Saudi cities with officials from […] August 16, 2023
Construction Red Sea project gets world’s first zero-carbon 5G network Mega-developer Red Sea Global and Saudi-listed telco Zain KSA have launched the world’s first zero-carbon 5G network at the Six Senses Southern Dunes resort in The Red Sea project. The 5G network is powered by 100 percent renewable energy from over 760,000 solar panels that Red Sea has built to power the entire 28,000 sq […] August 15, 2023
Analysis Sustainability Middle East economies feel the heat from climate change Iraq’s Tigris and Euphrates rivers famously gave birth to some of the world’s first civilisations thousands of years ago. Now, climate change advocates warn that drought means they are now too weak to sustain agriculture and feed the communities who depend on them. At a press conference in Baghdad on Wednesday, United Nations human rights […] August 11, 2023
Tourism Saudi mountain resort Desert Rock edges closer Construction work on Desert Rock, a Saudi mountain resort being built into the rockface, is more than half complete, developer Red Sea Global has confirmed. Launched in 2021, the resort is located in the wadi vistas in the west of the kingdom. Designed by Oppenheim Architecture in the US, guests will enter Desert Rock through […] August 3, 2023
Tourism Saudi giga-project Red Sea to open first hotels this year The first three hotels at Saudi Arabia’s multi-billion dollar Red Sea destination are on track to open later this year, its developer announced on Wednesday. Red Sea Global (RSG), the company behind tourism destinations Amaala and The Red Sea, also said the first domestic flights are set to take off from its international airport before […] August 2, 2023
Analysis Lifestyle Hollywood strikes a blow to Mena film industry When it came to creating the epic sunset scenes for the upcoming Dune movie sequel, director Denis Villeneuve chose the sand dunes of Jordan and Abu Dhabi to stand in for the futuristic desert planet of Arrakis. Local fans sitting down to watch the movie this November should relish the occasion, as it may be […] July 31, 2023
Tourism Sustainable tourism the new priority for Middle East Sustainable tourism was once viewed as a marginal segment of the Middle East’s offering – an eco-lodge in Jordanian desert, or a Bedouin trail in the Sinai. Times are changing. The Gulf’s marketing chiefs are rolling out ambitious projects that are designed to lure the eco-conscious traveller. Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Global project airport will […] July 17, 2023
Tourism Reimagined kingdom: Saudi Arabia’s tourism challenge Not so long ago, the extent of tourism in Saudi Arabia amounted to pilgrims and business travellers. Other visitors were largely discouraged. Attracting them is now a priority, in a reimagined kingdom where hotels, leisure venues and cultural assets stand to generate income and jobs. Saudi Arabia now has ambitious goals in tourism: it wants […] July 14, 2023
Energy PIF and Engie to collaborate on green hydrogen French utilities firm Engie and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund have signed an initial agreement to develop green hydrogen projects in the kingdom, building on Gulf ambitions to become a world leader in the fast-growing renewable energy segment. Under the memorandum of understanding signed this week, Engie and PIF will explore opportunities to jointly develop […] July 13, 2023
Renewable Energy Red Sea ready to power hotels on renewable energy Saudi developer Red Sea Global has completed the installation of 750,000 solar panels and five solar stations to supply renewable energy for the first phase of the Red Sea mega-project. The first phase will house 16 hotels, retail, and entertainment venues, state-run Saudi Press Agency reported. Red Sea Global CEO John Pagano said that the […] July 9, 2023
Food & Drink Saudi catering firm signs $2.4bn deal with Red Sea Global Saudi Airlines Catering Company (SACC) has signed two contracts worth SAR9 billion ($2.4 billion) with Red Sea Global, the developer of Red Sea and Amaala mega projects. The first contract, valued at SAR6.3 billion, is to design, build, operate and transfer a central production unit for catering and facilities management to service RSG hotels, resorts […] July 4, 2023
Development Saudi special economic zone plot sold for $98m The master developer of King Abdullah Economic City has announced a land sale worth SAR367 million ($98 million) as Saudi Arabia presses on with plans to create further economic zones in the kingdom. Emaar The Economic City, which is listed on Tadawul, said in a filing to the Saudi stock exchange that it has sold […] July 3, 2023
Opinion Aviation Riyadh Air tantalises Paris with promise of ‘Saudi hospitality’ As a 'no legacy' airline, there is room to try a different approach – and that could mean in-flight alcohol June 23, 2023
Exclusive Aviation Saudi flight bookings above pre-Covid levels International flight bookings to Saudi Arabia this summer are up 8 percent compared with the same time in 2019, indicating a post-pandemic recovery as the kingdom develops its tourism industry. As of May 23, flight bookings to Saudi Arabia in June, July and August were mainly driven by arrivals from Egypt. They were up 204 […] June 12, 2023
