Tag Archives: Saudi Tourism Authority

WTM London and its Global Travel Partner the Saudi Tourism Authority both hailed the economic and cultural importance of the sector as the event opened its doors on 5 November. Speaking at the WTM Global Welcome, Jonathan Heastie, WTM Portfolio Director, said: “The halls are packed already for what is the biggest WTM London to date. More than 4,000 exhibitors have joined us this year; there are delegates here from 184 countries around the world. “It is a remarkable turnout and I think it’s going to be a remarkable World Travel Market gathering. This time last year, £2.2 billion worth of travel deals were done in these halls, This year, you will hear from more than 200 world-class speakers in 70 enlightening sessions.” Fahd Hamidaddin, Chief Executive and Board member for Saudi Tourism Authority, said: “Tourism powers economies more than anything. The jobs we create are the jobs for the young, the entrepreneurs, for the remote, for the pop-and-mom shops and for the new rising talents. When we travel, we go with our best intentions. Our minds are the most open.” Many sessions at today’s show were devoted to the DEAI conference track. Speaking in one of the panels, LoAnn Halden VP of communications for IGLTA (International LGBTQ+ Travel Association) urged travel companies not to merely pay lip service to diversity for Pride or Black History Month but to address longer term social inclusion. She recommended having ‘internal allies’ who understand under-represented groups. Jane Cunningham, director of European engagement for Destinations International noted that good diversity and inclusion was “not only [welcoming] for visitors but very much serving the citizens who live in that destination.” Commenting on stereotyping in advertising, …

In a move to increase domestic tourism SAUDIA has launched special promotional offer in partnership with the Saudi Tourism Authority. This offer covers round-trip flights in guest class, with prices ranging from SAR 224 to SAR 400. This initiative builds on Saudia’s commitment to providing competitive prices to its guests throughout the year. Guests can book their tickets through Saudia’s digital channels, including the website and smartphone application. The offer is valid for bookings made between July 1 and July 4, 2024, for the travel period of July 10 to August 10, 2024. In the coming years, Saudia has ambitious plans to double its network that consists of 144 aircraft connecting 26 domestic destinations. Additionally, the national flag carrier offers distinguished air services that enhance the travel experience for guests, including warm Saudi hospitality and a variety of in-flight entertainment options on multilingual screens, catering to diverse guests’ preferences.

Riyadh Air and Saudi Tourism Authority (STA), have signed a significant memorandum of understanding (MoU) at Dubai’s Arabian Travel Market, that will enhance the travel experience for passengers to and from Saudi Arabia. Riyadh Air aims to fly to over 100 countries by 2030, and through this partnership, both entities will collaborate on various initiatives to enhance the level of service for tourists. STA CEO Fhad Hamidaddin said: “Increasing Saudi’s connectivity with the world is a key pillar of our tourism strategy and will ensure we sustain our rapid growth and meet our new ambitious target of 150 million visits by 2030. This exciting new partnership with Riyadh Air will support our goals and ensure more visitors can travel to experience the cool mountains, pristine waters and dynamic cities that make Saudi a great year-round destination.” “We are currently connected to over 180 destinations and are aiming to triple annual passenger traffic to 330 million by 2030 and this new agreement will help turbocharge these efforts.” Commenting on the partnership, Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas added: “This is another momentous day in the history of Riyadh Air. Working alongside the STA to elevate the travel experience for our guests and those coming to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia signifies what we’re all about. We are elevating standards across the board in aviation to previously unseen levels. We have a shared commitment to travel and tourism in the Kingdom along with our forward-thinking approach to innovation, sustainability, and the satisfaction of our guests.”

Saudi Tourism Authority announced its two year partnership with RX Global – following a formal signing after WTM London – which will see STA become the first-ever ‘Global Travel Partner’ of the World Travel Market (WTM) tradeshow events. The two-year partnership, which is scheduled to run from November 2023 – September 2025 and is designed to cover the global remit of the WTM brand (including  WTM London, WTM Africa, WTM Latin America and Arabian Travel Market), was announced on 8th November 2023, at the closing day of World Travel Market London. The agreement to partner was reached on the Saudi stand between the STA and RX Global on the final day at this year’s WTM, where the STA has led the largest-ever Saudi tourism delegation, with over 75 stakeholders in attendance – a 48% increase from last year. The STA stand this year brings to life the diverse and dynamic offering of what visitors can experience in the authentic home of Arabia, and the scale of progress of the most ambitious transformation in the world. The STA level of attendance and participation truly demonstrates the significance of WTM 2023 in charting the future of the global tourism sector’s growth. Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Member of the Board at Saudi Tourism Authority said: “Saudi is the world’s fastest-growing tourism destination, outperforming every expectation and setting the pace globally. Thanks to Saudi’s tourism leadership, each year our presence at WTM London continues to grow, and we are welcoming more visitors than ever, well on track to reach our targets for 2030. “This partnership will highlight Saudi’s progress at WTM London and inspire more visits to Saudi through a series of engaging promotional …

Hilton announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) towards exploring cooperation opportunities between the two entities and developing creative content, with the aim of attracting visitors from key markets across the Middle East and Africa to the Kingdom. Signing this MoU comes as part of the STA’s ongoing commitment and efforts to forge strong partnerships with key players in Saudi Arabia’s tourism ecosystem, working closely with these partners to promote destinations in the Kingdom and provide inspiring tourism experiences. This most recent partnership also highlights Hilton’s presence and growth in Saudi Arabia, where it currently operates 16 hotels – with another 51 in the pipeline and plans to grow its portfolio to more 75 hotels in the coming years. “We are very excited to sign this agreement, which comes in alignment with Hilton’s longstanding relationship with the Saudi Tourism Authority over the years and is a reiteration of our commitment towards the tourism sector in the Kingdom,” Ajami said. “Through this partnership, we aim to attract travellers from the Middle East and Africa who are looking to explore the Kingdom’s diverse tourism offerings while staying with a global hospitality brand they know and trust.” “This Memorandum of Understanding with global hospitality leader, Hilton, aligns with our strategy to partner with key international brands and corporations that are working in alignment with our vision, attracting new segments of regional tourists and helping us achieve our 2030 objectives,” said Abdulkarim Al-Darwish, CEO of the Middle East and African Markets, STA. Hilton’s portfolio in the Kingdom includes iconic properties such as the Waldorf Astoria Jeddah – Qasr al Sharq, Conrad Makkah, Jeddah Hilton and Hilton …

Akbar Travels announced its collaboration with Saudi Tourism Authority recently, which will unlock many new experiences in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Speaking with tourism breaking news, Ashiya Nazar Director GCC Akbar Travels shared, “Akbar Travels is delighted to announce a game-changing marketing collaboration with the Saudi Tourism Authority. Together, we are set to unlock extraordinary travel experiences, showcasing the wonders of Saudi Arabia to the world. Get ready to embark on a journey like no other and discover the captivating charm of Saudi Arabia!”  

Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) and leading Indian online travel agency Travel Boutique Online (TBO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop destination knowledge of Saudi through new, innovative programs on the TBO Academy platform, reaching 90,000 agents globally and targeting 25,000 visitors by 2022. “Saudi is driving a new model of tourism for the twenty-first century,” said Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority. “This year’s ATM demonstrated the recognition by major global travel industry players of the tremendous opportunities our dynamic and growing tourism industry offers.” More than 20 Saudi partners converged at the Saudi exhibitor stand, which witnessed over 890 meetings and a flurry of deals between the country’s leading travel companies and international tourism partners, showcasing the fast-expanding offering of one of the world’s newest leisure travel destinations. “Partnerships with the world’s major tourism players are transforming Saudi’s great ambition as a leisure tourism destination into reality, so we were thrilled to see so much positive movement at ATM. We thank ATM’s organizers for the opportunity to showcase Saudi’s iconic places, profound experiences and unparalleled hospitality to the region and the world,” said Fahd Hamidaddin. The activity at the show mirrored the impressive growth of Saudi’s tourism ecosystem. The number of local DMCs has expanded from 17 in the summer of 2019 to 72 today. MSC Cruises will launch two Red Sea itineraries in the fall with Saudi home ports, and major hotel brands including Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide and Accor Group will join IHG in expanding their footprint in Saudi.