Tag Archives: Saudi tourism

SAUDIA Group and the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Culture signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on promoting the nation’s distinctive culture throughout the world while enriching the cultural experience of the Kingdom’s guests. This agreement is in line with the Group’s commitment to achieving the goals of Vision 2030 to promote the Kingdom’s cultural sector by creating exceptional cultural experiences that touch the senses of guests on board being the first gateway for the traveler to Saudi. This partnership reflects SAUDIA Group’s efforts to create exceptional cultural experiences to more than 60,000 passengers daily. The role of the group is not limited to only creating these cultural experiences, but it also extends through its sponsorship and support for cultural events and festivals such as the first edition of The Red Sea International Film Festival, Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, and the support it has extended to the Ministry of Culture in celebrating the ‘Year of Arabic Calligraphy’ by adorning two of its aircraft with a special livery marking the initiative. And its support to the ‘Year of Saudi Coffee’ initiative. For 77 years, SAUDIA has strived to bring elements of Saudi culture to the destinations it serves. With the establishment of the Kingdom’s Ministry of Culture in 2018, coupled with SAUDIA’s significant network expansion, Saudi Arabia is primed to impart its fascinating customs to a wider audience. This is in line with Vision 2030 which looks to celebrate the nation’s rich and unique dialect, culture, tradition, heritage, and culinary identity as shaped by the diversity of its people.   His Excellency Eng. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of SAUDIA, said on the occasion of the MoU signing: “We firmly believe …

Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has taken a significant step forward by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with leading global payment services provider UnionPay International. The agreement will support the development and strengthening of Saudi’s positioning as a tourism destination for UnionPay cardholders from China and around the world as Saudi drives forward its ambition to welcome even more Chinese visitors to the authentic home of Arabia. The MoU aims to enhance Saudi’s comparative advantage in attracting Chinese travellers to the country with STA and UnionPay International promoting Saudi as a UnionPay-friendly destination for the global Chinese community. UnionPay already has extensive partnerships with banks in Saudi, including Al Rajhi, SNB, Al Inma, Riyad, and are actively expanding with the acceptance rate of UnionPay cards in Saudi expected to increase to more than 70% by the end of 2022. Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Member of the Board at Saudi Tourism Authority, said, “Today’s announcement is another significant step in our journey to position Saudi as a leading global tourism destination for the Chinese traveller. As Saudi accelerates its China-readiness program across the different visitor touchpoints, this exceptional partnership will ensure Saudi is top-of mind for Chinese travellers and UnionPay cardholders wanting to explore and experience the authentic home of Arabia.” James Yang, Head of UnionPay International Middle East, said, “This signing is an important part of UnionPay’s internationalization strategy, and we hope that through continuous and in-depth cooperation, we can drive the development of tourism in Saudi. Together with Saudi Tourism Authority, we are creating opportunities for growth and creating greater convenience for our Chinese and global UnionPay cardholders.” UnionPay has accelerated its regional business in recent years, to better …

The Saudi Ministry of Tourism and Saudi Toursim Authority has announced the creation of  NFT (non-fungible token) souvenirs, in a move that reflects the Kingdom’s advancement in digital tourism. His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minster of Tourism of Saudi Arabia BoD Chairman of the Saudi Tourism Authority presented the personalized digital mementos in a first of its kind initiative to the heads of delegations participating in the 116th session of the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Jeddah, as a token of appreciation for their visit to the Kingdom.​ ​Through NFTs, creators can tokenize real-world objects such as art, music, audio recordings, and an endless list of collectibles. With their ownership stored on the blockchain, this innovative technology allows some of the world’s most exciting new artworks to have a unique digital existence. The Ministry’s groundbreaking souvenirs blend the physical world and the metaverse, which is an immersive virtual reality world with a simulated digital environment that uses augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), blockchain, as well as digital media elements for social interactions. On the sidelines of the event, a virtual reality art show was held where an artist painted a collection of stunning 3D landscapes inspired by Saudi landmarks that exist within the virtual world. These paintings were then converted into NFTs and gifted to the guests along with a ledger wallet that provides an address on the blockchain to access their exclusively owned artworks. His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, said the NFT souvenirs embody the leadership’s vision for the future of the Kingdom. “As technology advances, it is important that we remain at the forefront of …

Courtyard by Marriott Riyadh Northern Ring Road recently welcomed Tour Operators from East Europe as part of the Saudi Tourism Authority’s first familiarization trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In an aim to establish further business ventures and attract international travelers, the familiarization trip allowed participants from ten tourism agencies from across Eastern Europe. Participants experienced Riyadh’s rich culture and hospitality firsthand while discovering the city’s diverse landscape and unique offerings. The two-day itinerary included an in-depth personal hotel tour and sight inspection of the facilities and amenities by Courtyard by Marriott Riyadh Northern Ring Road’s General Manager, Mahmood Omar, and Director of Sales, Bashar Naji, followed by a trip to the city’s top attractions. Commenting on the visit, Mr. Mahmoud Omar said: “We were honored to have been the first hotel to welcome the Eastern European Tour Operators to Riyadh, allowing guests to receive their first experience of the city in the comfort of our hotel.” He continues: “This is a fantastic opportunity as the hotel is ideally positioned in the city, providing guests with ease in access to the city’s top attractions and shopping malls. We look forward to welcoming international guests in the future with the support of the Tourism agencies. The hotel is ready to create strong roots in the hearts of those across the globe.”