Jazeera Airways joined the Egypt Civil Aviation Authority announce the launch of direct flights from Kuwait International Airport to Sphinx International Airport. Jazeera is flying from Kuwait to Sphinx and back four times a week. The Sphinx airport which serves the city of Giza, is located close to the Great Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza. Other tourist destinations, including the upcoming Grand Egyptian Museum and world class shopping centers will also be easily accessible from the airport. This helps put Giza on the map not only as a historic city, but also a shopping destination. The airport is an hour away from downtown Cairo and close to the Greater Cairo districts of 6 October and Sheikh Zayed, as well as the governorates of Fayoum and Beni Suef. All of this makes it ideally situated for tourists flying in from Kuwait and vice versa. The press conference was also attended by Pilot Amr El Sharkawy, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, Pilot Ahmed Mansour, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Egyptian Airports Company, Dr. Nayef Al Tayyar, First Secretary, Embassy of Kuwait, Omar Islam Shalaby, President of Imperial Travel Center and Rohit Ramachandran, Chief Executive Officer, Jazeera Airways. Speaking at the press conference El Sharkawy said: “This comes within the framework of the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s plan to develop and revitalize air and tourism traffic to and from Egyptian Airports and attract the attention of many International Airlines to continue exploring new destinations.” This is the seventh destination Jazeera Airways will fly to in Egypt including Alexandria, Assiut, Cairo, Luxor, Suhag and Sharm El Sheikh. With direct flights from Kuwait and network connections from other destinations in …

Qatar Airways landed its inaugural flight to the Turkish city of Trabzon. The non-stop service is operating with the Airbus A320 aircraft three times weekly on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The new route expands Qatar Airways’ footprint in Türkiye and strengthens its global network of more than 160 destinations. Trabzon is Qatar Airways’ seventh destination in Türkiye, with the airline also operating to Adana, Ankara, Antalya, Bodrum, Istanbul, and Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen. Located in the Northeast of Turkey, Trabzon is celebrated for its rich history, cultural offerings, and beautiful Black Sea coastline. The city boasts an array of natural and historic wonders, including the Sumela Monastery, Uzungol Lake, and the stunning Trabzon Hagia Sophia Museum. Onboard QR319, the flight was celebrated by the attendance of the Ambassador of The Republic of Türkiye in Qatar, His Excellency Dr. Mustafa Goksu. Special celebrations took place in Premium and Economy Cabins, where passengers were welcomed with special Turkish desserts, and experienced a bespoke menu in addition to being presented with unique giveaways that embrace the Turkish culture. The aircraft was welcomed with a water cannon salute upon landing, where a short airport ceremony took place which was attended by the Governor of Trabzon, Mr. İsmail Ustaoğlu. Passengers were handed red roses and Turkish baklava and enjoyed a dance performance by a traditional folk group. With this new route, Qatar Airways passengers will have the opportunity to explore Trabzon’s diverse offerings with ease and convenience. From sports activities, to hiking mountains and family getaways, Trabzon presents something unique to all travellers. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “Trabzon is an exciting and important new route for Qatar Airways, …

SAUDIA launched its first flight from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh to Nice Côte d’Azur International Airport in Nice, France. This marks SAUDIA’s second destination in France as part of its phased implementation strategy aimed at expanding its international network. It is also the newest Summer seasonal destination SAUDIA introduced this year. Baakdah emphasized the significance of strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries through the introduction of SAUDIA’s flights to Nice Airport and connecting the existing flights to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. This was part of the plan announced at the beginning of this year to expand the airline’s existing flight network. As part of the plan, SAUDIA aims to increase the number of destinations and expand the aircraft fleet to achieve operational goals. Additionally, SAUDIA has been focusing on developing its digital service ecosystem to enhance the guest experience. The inaugural SAUDIA flight, SV129, departed from King Khalid International Airport to the city of Nice, in the presence of Mr. Mohammad Baakdah, the Vice President of Ground Operations at SAUDIA, and Mr. Mohammed Alshammari, the Chief Operations Officer at Riyadh Airports Company, along with several operations and management officials. To commemorate the flight’s launch, a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place at the airport at AlFursan International Lounge.

The Haramain High-Speed Railway (HHR) is one of the top 10 fastest electric-rail trains worldwide, running at 300 Km/h and playing a key role in the development and expansion of Saudi Arabia’s railway network.  The HHR links the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, to meet the growing demand of domestic and foreign pilgrims, and helps relieve congestion on the roads between Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah. In 2018, the HHR was inaugurated under the aegis of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as the largest train project in the Middle East.  On a 449-km-long track and a 3.75-km sub-track to King Abdulaziz International Airport, the train is a safe means of transportation for Hajj and Umrah performers, and for travelers to the two holy cities and Jeddah.  The HHR covers the distance between Makkah and Madinah in a record time of two hours and twenty minutes, making it one of the world’s six fastest trains. The HHR has five stations; three are terminal stations — Makkah Railway Station in Ar Rusayfah District, Madinah Railway Station, and King Abdulaziz International Airport station in Jeddah. The two others are intermediate stations: Jeddah Railway station in Al-Sulimaniyah District and King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) station. HHR’s King Abdulaziz International Airport station is the world’s largest train station at an airport, covering over 105,000 square meters across multiple floors and connected to six platforms for easy movement.  The station helps reduce traffic congestion on the roads leading to King Abdulaziz International Airport by providing direct transportation to the other stations without the need for exiting the airport to use other means of transportation.  The HHR operates 35 …

The UNWTO Women in Tech Startup Competition: Middle East, calls for women entrepreneurs from all over the world and based in the Arab region willing to grow their tech startup in the tourism industry, and provide sustainable solutions to the sector. Startups must be led, owned or managed by women in the Middle East, residing in any of the following countries: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen. Be an Idea Stage, Early Stage or Series A startups with a minimum viable product or idea that is ready to be developed and funded. Have a full-time team, a tested pilot and business plan. Be scalable with potential for international growth. According to the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), women make up most of the tourist workforce in major parts of the world. UNWTO is always committed to gender equality, as mandated in Sustainable Development Goal 5, referring to women empowerment by supporting women’s rights and improving their participation in the business realm. UNWTO’s global report on tourism found that more than 54% of people employed in the tourism are women, while in the Arab world, women represent 8% of the regional tourist workforce. UNWTO is continuously seizing opportunities to highlight the role of women in the tourism sector, and particularly Arab women. Technology has become a driven tool for all travelers and tourism businesses. In the Arab region, 34% of tech focused startups were founded by women, and 57% of science technology, engineering, and math (STEM) graduates are women. UNWTO is committed to support Arab entrepreneurs, boosting their tourism business careers. Hence, the industry is always searching for businesswomen with …

For the first time, the Spanish Tourism Office in the Middle East together with the Tourism Board of Andalusia came together to organize Middle East Meet in Andalusia with Lufthansa Airlines as the official airline partner. Andalusia Tourism has emerged as a captivating destination with a rich cultural heritage and breathtaking landscapes. Located in southern Spain, Andalusia offers a unique blend of history, art, and natural beauty that has attracted travelers from all over the world, including the Middle East market. From the vibrant city life of Seville and Malaga to the tranquil beaches of the Costa del Sol, Andalusia provides a variety of experiences that appeal to different travel interests. Additionally, the region’s cuisine, characterized by flavorful dishes such as paella and tapas, can also entice Middle Eastern visitors seeking culinary delights Andalusia’s accessibility and excellent transportation infrastructure have made it easier for Middle Eastern tourists to explore the region. The presence of direct flights and convenient connections from major Middle Eastern cities has contributed to the increasing number of visitors from the region. Lufthansa Group airlines have a strong network into Spain, with 17 cities .with the Premium Economy a very popular segment for family travel, 2 PC Free baggage allowance in both directions & with extremely competitive fares , it is a great option for those looking into flying into any of the 17 Spanish cities in their network. The event was conducted in 2 parts in Cordoba & Marbella , from June 11-15th , 2023 at the Eurostars Palace Hotel & El Fuerte Marbella hotel respectively. 15 buyers from across GCC – KSA, Qatar, Kuwait , Oman , UAE met with the representatives of local tourist …

As part of an ongoing effort to deepen ties between China and Arab partners, Riyadh and Beijing are stepping up efforts to improve air connectivity between these fast-developing economies. At the recently held Arab-China Business Conference in Riyadh, attendees from China and the Arab world explored new avenues for collaboration to unlock the potential of shared business between these exciting markets, particularly also in air connectivity. Celebrating its 10th year, the conference brought together leading government officials, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and investors. Establishing stronger air links to foster tourism growth and unlock new opportunities was a hot-button topic at the event, with ACP’s booth forming part of the Ministry of Tourism’s efforts to draw attraction to the high-potential travel and tourism industries in the Kingdom. “In line with Vision 2030 and the ambitions of the National Tourism Strategy, ACP is bridging the stakeholder ecosystem to establish Saudi Arabia as a leading global tourism destination. Chinese visitors will, indeed, play a key role in achieving this ambition,” said Ali Rajab CEO of ACP. He added, “By ensuring that our customer service and operational readiness meet the high standards that Chinese visitors expect, ACP is creating a seamless travel experience between China and the Kingdom. For these travelers, like all others to Saudi Arabia, we prioritize cultural understanding and the highest levels of quality assurance.” Saudi Arabia’s travel and tourism leaders, including stakeholders such as ACP, are actively working to turn the Kingdom into a sought-after air connectivity destination. In the past year, the Kingdom saw 23 new routes connected to Saudi Arabia from three continents, resulting in an expansion of seat capacity by 700,000. Likewise, several partnerships have been established with government …

Speaking on Saudi Tourism Authority’s ever-strengthening collaboration with China, Fahd Hamidaddin, Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board, Saudi Tourism Authority said, “Saudi is the world’s biggest investor in tourism, committing $550bn to new destinations by 2030. This investment along with the leadership, the commitment and the total orchestration in government and business around the sector has paid out dividends.” He further reiterated about digitalisation, “We are the second fastest-growing destination in the world, and if you take out Qatar during the World Cup, we are the fastest-growing destination in the world. When Saudi first started tourism, we started with an E-Visa that got recognized as the best digital platform – that was the founding cornerstone of what we’re building in this sector. We’re taking everything through digital. Accessibility, connectivity and creating a seamless journey are paved through digital.”

At the 10th Arab-China Business Conference in Riyadh, Fahd Hamidaddin, Saudi Tourism Authority CEO shared that the collaborative events to reinforce the strong bonds between China and Saudi, has unveiled untapped opportunities, propelling business growth. “We have multiple visa offerings for Chinese travelers, all offered online. Today we have a 50,000-seat capacity direct from Guangzhou, we are also expecting to operate from Beijing in August – another direct route – and SAUDIA has signed a digital transformation agreement with Accenture. Accenture is expecting to offer an additional 32 digital services on their system and today we have 26 agreements in place with online Chinese travel agencies. However, when you reach the destination, you want authenticity. That’s why we say digitize the expected and humanize the unexpected. While we are digitizing the services that provide seamless experiences and journeys, we need to remain true to Arabia, uniquely Saudi and authentically local in every destination visitors go to in Saudi.”  

Massar Solutions (Massar) based in the United Arab Emirates, opened its first office in Saudi Arabia. This strategic move marks a significant milestone in Massar’s ongoing expansion across the Middle East, as it aims to become the largest vehicle leasing and mobility group in the region. With its deep expertise in mobility solutions, Massar Solutions has established itself as a trusted partner for businesses and individuals seeking reliable and efficient automotive services. The decision to expand into Riyadh aligns perfectly with Massar’s vision of providing comprehensive vehicle leasing, rental, passenger transport, logistics, and automotive technologies to corporate, government, and consumer markets throughout the Middle East. Massar is thrilled to reveal that it has already secured its first strategic customer account for vehicle leasing in Saudi Arabia, partnering with a large well-known entity. This collaboration demonstrates the diverse range of industries that can benefit from Massar’s flexible and tailored mobility solutions. Richard Sikkel, CEO of Massar Solutions, expressed his enthusiasm for the company’s expansion strategy, saying, “We are extremely proud to establish our presence in Riyadh, a city known for its vibrant business environment and dynamic market. This step solidifies Massar’s commitment to providing cutting-edge mobility services to the Middle Eastern region. By leveraging our significant market experience, we are poised to introduce leading solutions that will revolutionize the way individuals and businesses approach mobility in the Kingdom.” Mr. Eric van Vliet, Managing Director of Saudi Arabia, commented, “The opening of our office in Saudi Arabia represents a significant milestone for Massar Solutions in the Middle East. We are excited to bring our extensive range of mobility solutions to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and we look forward to partnering with …