Duty-free shop opens at Saudi's Qassim airport
The opening of the duty-free shop will provide an exceptional shopping experience for international travelers passing through the Qassim airport.
The market will showcase a wide range of high-quality products from renowned international and local brands, offering travelers the opportunity to shop at competitive prices lower than those in the local market.
Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz International Airport is one of the vital airports serving the region. It has witnessed significant development since its establishment in 1964. It serves both domestic and international flights and currently has a capacity of more than 1,250,000 passengers annually. The airport is located on the western side of Buraidah, the administrative capital of the Qassim region.
In 2012, a royal decree was issued naming Qassim airport after Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz.
The airport was one of Saudi Arabia's regional airports before being upgraded to international status in 2017. Approximately 13 airlines currently operate international and domestic flights from the airport. This move aims to enhance the Kingdom's domestic airports and facilitate travel between different regions.
In the January 2023 performance report for Saudi Arabia's international and domestic airports, the Qassim airport ranked first in the fourth category of international airports with fewer than two million passengers annually, with a 100% compliance rate, outperforming competing airports in the combined average wait times for departure and arrival of flights.
© Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
an hour ago
- Zawya
Saudi trading in US stocks hits record $51.54bln in Q2 2025
RIYADH — Saudi investors' trading activity in U.S. equities surged to an all-time high in the second quarter of 2025, with transactions through licensed financial institutions reaching SR193.4 billion ($51.6 billion), according to data released by the Capital Market Authority (CMA). The figure represents a 230 percent increase from the same period in 2024, when trading totaled SR58.6 billion. On a quarterly basis, it rose 18 percent, or SR29 billion, compared to SR164.3 billion in the first quarter of this year. The CMA noted that while the report captures trading values by licensed Saudi brokers in global markets, it does not include data on the number of Saudi-owned portfolios abroad, nor trades executed directly through foreign intermediaries. The data showed that trading in U.S. markets accounted for 98.6 percent of the SR196.2 billion in total Saudi trading across international markets during the quarter. By comparison, Saudi trading in Gulf equities reached SR2.2 billion, an 88 percent year-on-year increase. Other markets saw limited activity, with Arab markets accounting for SR289 million, European SR157 million, Asian SR78 million, and other markets SR95 million. The CMA's historical data indicates a consistent upward trajectory in Saudi interest in U.S. equities since 2022, with a sharp acceleration beginning in 2024. © Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
an hour ago
- Zawya
Saudi Arabia to launch voluntary pension and savings scheme for foreign workers
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia is preparing to announce a new voluntary pension and savings program that will be open to both Saudi and foreign workers, according to the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) latest Article IV consultation report, cited by Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper. The program is designed to boost household savings and is expected to help curb the outflow of workers' remittances abroad. The Public Pension and Savings Program is anticipated to be unveiled soon. Foreign remittances from Saudi Arabia rose 14 percent last year to SR144.2 billion ($38.4 billion). Over the past decade (2015–2024), they totaled SR1.43 trillion. As of the first quarter of 2025, Saudi Arabia had 12.8 million subscribers in the social insurance system, 77 percent of whom — nearly 10 million — were expatriates. The IMF report noted that recently implemented pension reforms, approved in July 2024, are expected to strengthen long-term financial sustainability. These reforms included raising the retirement age, extending contribution periods, increasing contribution rates, and restricting pension benefits. While the changes are unlikely to generate immediate fiscal savings since the system is currently balanced, the IMF stressed the need to fully assess and disclose the medium-term impact. The upcoming voluntary pension and savings program, open to both Saudis and expatriates, was described as a welcome step that could significantly enhance household savings and reduce external remittances. The IMF also highlighted the size of GOSI's assets, which amount to 32 percent of Saudi Arabia's GDP, underscoring the importance of improving transparency through stronger financial disclosures and clearer allocation rules. © Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
an hour ago
- Zawya
GASTAT: Over 15mln pilgrims perform Umrah in Q1 2025
RIYADH — The total number of pilgrims who performed Umrah during the first quarter of 2025 crossed 15 million. According to the statistical bulletin released on Thursday by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), these include more than six million foreign pilgrims and over eight million domestic pilgrims. Saudis constitute 24 percent of the total pilgrims, reaching 15,222,497, who performed Umrah during this period. Among these pilgrims males represented 60.5 percent while women accounted for 39.5 percent. The GASTAT bulletin showed that Umrah pilgrims arriving from abroad reached 6,523,630, an increase of 10.7 percent compared with the first quarter of 2024. Of the foreign pilgrims, 82.2 percent arrived by air. The number of domestic pilgrims stood at 8,698,867, of whom non-Saudis made up 58 percent. The bulletin showed that January 2025 recorded the highest number of Umrah pilgrims from abroad, reaching 36.5 percent of the total, while March saw the lowest. The number of domestic pilgrims peaked in March at 80.9 percent, with January being the lowest. The figures showed that the total number of visitors to Madinah reached 6,452,696 during the first quarter of 2025, including 4,412,689 visitors from abroad. The GASTAT releases statistical figures with regard to the number of pilgrims coming from within the Kingdom and outside to perform Umrah and visit the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah on a quarterly basis since 2024. The figures are mainly based on field surveys and administrative data from the Pilgrim Experience Program and the Ministry of Tourism, in addition to approved statistical sources. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced on July 31 that more than 1.2 million pilgrims had entered Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah from 109 countries around the world during the two-week period since the start of the new Umrah Season on June 11 until July 25. The ministry explained at the time that the recent period witnessed a 30 percent increase in the number of pilgrims entering the country with an Umrah visa, compared to the same period last year, and a 27 percent increase in the number of Umrah visas issued. In addition, more than 4,200 contracts were signed between Umrah companies and external agents, enhancing the operational readiness of the system to receive pilgrims. The launching of the Nusuk Umrah service by Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on Wednesday will be a further boost in the arrival of foreign pilgrims. This service will enable foreign pilgrims to directly apply for an Umrah visa and book services online without intermediaries. © Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
