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The inaugural B2B edition of Saudi Travel Mart with TravTalkME as media partner kicked off in Riyadh yesterday with over 135 companies from 20 countries. It will provide a platform for key exhibitors from Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world to showcase their many offerings within a period of three days from 25th to 27th February 2024. Opening the event Naif A. Alrajhi – Vice Chairman of Board of Directors Riyadh Chamber of Commerce shared, “Today is an important event to have this first ever B2B event in Saudi Arabia, having 135 companies from 20 countries which shows the importance of being in Saudi  Arabia and this is very good for later stages as Saudi Arabia aims to achieve a high number of tourists from across the globe. Saudi Arabia has a lot of opportunities with thew commitment of the government as they have set a target with the vision 2030 aimed at attracting the highest number of  tourists by 2030 and with all the foreign investments happening in the Kingdom this will give rise to the tourism sector in the Kingdom.” Mohammed Al Harbi, Chief Executive Officer Saudi Travel Mart in his opening remarks shared, “we consider the Saudi Travel Market to be one of the important exhibitions through which we intend to place the Kingdom on the list of major tourist destinations in the coming years. As the first B2B exhibition in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, we aim to attract the largest international companies to the Kingdom and make it the first and best choice for everyone.”  

Nestled along the pristine shores of the Red Sea, the vibrant and cosmopolitan city of Jeddah is set to welcome football enthusiasts from across the globe, as it gears up to host the iconic FIFA Club World Cup presented by Visit Saudi from 12 – 22 December 2023. The historic announcement comes ahead of the competition draw, which took place today the 5th of September – a pivotal event that will chart the potential paths to glory for participating teams, Al Ahly, Al-Ittihad, Auckland City, Manchester City, Leon, and Urawa Red Diamonds, as well as the CONMEBOL winners, which will be known on 4 November 2023. With Saudi team Al-Hilal reaching the semi-final of the FIFA Club World Cup in 2022, Saudi-based team, Al-Ittihad will be looking to repeat and build on the success of their countrymen as they welcome the 7-team tournament to Jeddah. As the most played and followed sport in the country, football holds a special place in the heart of Saudis, with levels of participation that continue to surge across all age groups. The country is also home to some of the most passionate football supporters on the planet, fuelled by the success of the men’s football team in Asia and a club fanbase infrastructure that rivals some of the largest leagues in the world. Over the past few years, Saudi has made historic strides in broadening female access and participation in football, establishing female football clubs, and promoting initiatives and incentives aimed at increasing female attendance at domestic and international football games. Additionally, Saudi Arabia has become a major global sports hub, with Jeddah at its heart, boasting a diverse cultural calendar, that includes events …

Qatar Tourism (QT) represented the State of Qatar in the 16th edition of the Tehran International Tourism Exhibition (TITE) 2023. As the first participation, QT’s booth included trade partners Qatar Airways, as well as The Torch Doha, Travel Designer WLL, Rixos Gulf Hotel Doha, and Banana Island Doha Resort. The tourism exhibition, which concluded at the Tehran International Permanent Fairground, presented the ideal opportunity for Qatar to highlight the latest developments in its tourism industry and showcase its newest tourism and hospitality offerings. In addition, it provided a platform for Qatar to network with prominent travel operators, agencies, and airlines in Iran, to increase business-to-business and business-to-consumer awareness on Qatar and provide an update on the destination’s offering. Chief Operating Officer of Qatar Tourism, Berthold Trenkel, said: “Iran is one of 15 target markets identified by Qatar Tourism as a primary source for visitors looking to relax, rejuvenate and take in Qatar’s vibrant culture. Participating in TITE allows us to share with sellers in Iran the information they need to expand and promote tourism opportunities to Qatar for their local, resident population. Initiatives such as these are important to help Qatar Tourism achieve its 2030 strategy, which aims to increase the number of visitors to Qatar by threefold, increase spending by 3 to 4 times, and grow the GDP contribution of the tourism sector to 12% by 2030.” Visitors to the Qatar pavilion (Hall 41 – Booth 18) were invited to learn about Qatar’s unique culture, beautiful outdoor spaces, and warm hospitality, all while exploring some of the newest attractions and favourable travel regulations that are set to boost the visitor experience.

SAUDIA, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, has announced the launch of “Your Ticket Your Visa”. The first-of-its-kind service provides guests with even easier access to the Kingdom through a digital integration system that links transit visas with flight tickets. “Your Ticket Your Visa” service is introduced in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the Pilgrims Service Program, and the Saudi Tourism Authority. The new service, which covers all international airports in the Kingdom, will allow guests to stay in the Kingdom for up to 96 hours, during which they can travel around the Kingdom and perform Umrah. The digital integration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs facilitates the issuing of the transit visa and links it to the flight ticket within three minutes. Captain Ibrahim Koshy, CEO of SAUDIA, said: “The launch of this innovative and seamless Stopover Visa is the first of its kind in the aviation industry and a significant milestone in our digital transformation program. It is a testament to SAUDIA’s commitment to supporting the Kingdom’s strategic goal of reaching 100 million visits by 2030 and we are confident it will positively impact the growing number of transit passengers while enhancing our position as a hub that connects East and West. The new service will also encourage passengers to perform Umrah, visit key destinations and attend events and Saudi seasons.” The launch of the new service comes in line with SAUDIA’s commitment to promote King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and strengthen its role in the region by configuring SAUDIA’s flights coming from the east and departing to the west, facilitating travel procedures by …