Latest news with #Milky
Skift
11 hours ago
- Business
- Skift
Hajj Kicks Off as Hotel Developers Target Religious Tourism Boom
Religious tourism is Saudi Arabia's largest international travel segment. Expect more investment from developers, investors, and the government. The Hajj pilgrimage begins Wednesday, June 4, kicking off one of the most critical weeks for Saudi Arabia's tourism sector. In just five days, nearly 2 million pilgrims are expected to head to Makkah. Last year, the kingdom recorded 29.7 million international visitors, according to the latest Vision 2030 progress report. Of those, 16.9 million arrived for Umrah — performed year-round — while 1.61 million completed Hajj, a pilgrimage bound to specific days on the Islamic calendar. By the end of the decade, Saudi Arabia hopes to bring in 30 million religious tourists annually. That's driving multibillion-dollar developments across the holy cities. Megaprojects in Makkah and Madinah Central to the kingdom's ambitions is the Rua Al Madinah project, launched in August 2022 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The development spans 1.5 million square meters east of the Prophet's Mosque. According to government projections, Rua Al Madinah will add more than 47,000 hotel rooms by 2030 and expand capacity to host 149,000 people. Makkah is undergoing its own transformation through the Masar project, a 1.2-square-kilometer corridor centered on King Abdulaziz Road. The mixed-use development is expected to cost $26.7 billion and include 24,000 hotel rooms by 2030, per Arab News. Makkah remains the focal point of both pilgrimages. Hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for Muslims who are physically and financially able. Madinah, while not required for Hajj or Umrah, holds profound historical and spiritual significance and saw 13 million visits in 2023, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Hotel Developers Double Down on the Holy Cities With demand climbing, hotel chains are ramping up supply. Radisson Hotel Group plans two more openings in Makkah and Madinah this year. 'Religious travel remains one of the safest and most resilient investment bets in the kingdom,' said Radisson's regional development VP, Elie Milky. 'You may have 20 or 30 hotels in The Red Sea or Neom. But the bread and butter of Saudi tourism is Riyadh, Jeddah and the Eastern Province as commercial hubs, and the holy cities and secondary cities.' Milky said Radisson re-entered the Madinah market three months ago. 'Our strongest markets in the past year have been Riyadh and Madinah in terms of development deals,' he said. Despite the boom, religious tourism remains seasonal, especially in Makkah, where hotel rates swing dramatically. A room at the Park Inn by Radisson can cost just $32 a night outside of Hajj season, but more than $500 during the pilgrimage. 'There is more fluctuation in Makkah and Madinah, more seasonality,' Milky said. 'But we believe seasonality is less in Madinah than in Makkah. Makkah has more work to be done to reduce seasonality, but I'm a big fan of Madinah — it's easier to make it less seasonal.' One lever to pull? Longer stays. 'I believe in the overflow of religious tourism into parts of the economy,' Milky said. 'You want to avoid travelers going to Makkah or Madinah for three days, then leaving. You want them to spend time in Jeddah. You want them to spend a week in a place.' That extended stay, he argued, could open the door to more spending across the kingdom, especially in secondary cities. 'The focus on religious tourism should continue, but it should blend with the cultural offerings of the kingdom,' Milky added. 'You can call it 'Umrah Plus' [or] a cultural tour. Something to extend the length of stay, extend the average spend. Religious tourism should not be done in isolation.' Demand Is Already There At the Future Hospitality Summit in Riyadh last month, Amin Ismail, managing director at investment firm Certares, echoed that sentiment. 'We see religious travel as the 'low-hanging fruit' for the Kingdom's tourism sector; the demand is natural and already present,' he said. 'Last year, visitor numbers were likely in the low teens of millions, and Vision 2030 aims for over 30 million. This anticipated demand is evident in the construction around the holy sites.' Ismail also highlighted the potential of combining religious trips with other travel purposes. 'A key component is also the potential to package religious visits with other experiences,' he said. 'For example, someone attending a MICE event might extend their trip for Umrah or visit other destinations. The tourist numbers are strong and poised for growth as capacity increases.' Related
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
‘I have oily skin and I swear by this £16 gel moisturiser in the warmer months'
If your skin gets oily or shiny in the heat, this £16 gel moisturiser could be a game-changer as it hydrates the skin without clogging or greasiness I have pretty oily skin, and with the muggy, hot weather we've been having the past couple of days, my skin has been bordering on sweaty-looking rather than dewy and radiant (which is what I'm usually going for). That means it's time to get out the moisturiser I swear by when the temperature rises. The moisturiser in question is Facetheory's Supergel Oil-Free Moisturiser, priced at an affordable £16 for 50ml. Designed specifically for combination and blemish-prone skin, its jelly texture is oil-free, meaning it hydrates without clogging pores or leaving behind that dreaded shine Packed full of ingredients that help keep oil at bay and prevent acne from occurring, it's ideal under makeup or worn solo, especially during hot, humid days when your skin needs lightweight hydration and extra skincare benefits. I love layering under a milky toner like Beauty of Joseon's Glow Replenishing Rice Milk or BYOMA's Hydrating Milky Toner when I want that extra hydration. The ingredients that make Facehtheory's moisturiser so great include salicylic acid, which acts as a chemical exfoliant that clears out clogged pores, helps control excess oil production and reduces possible inflammation. A lifesaver in the muggy English heat that can lead to sweaty breakouts. The next star ingredient is niacinamide, which can help improve the skin's barrier function, regulate oil production, and generally improve the skin's health. Lastly, the formula features hyaluronic acid, which helps deliver a burst of moisture your skin really needs, even in the summertime, without the heaviness of thick cream or butter. The result is smooth, healthy skin that feels fresh and looks matte all day with no stickiness or greasiness in sight. And it's a product that swiftly became my everyday go-to in the summertime. My only criticism of this product is its packaging. The foil squeeze tube can be hard to get product out of when you get towards the end, which can result in a loss of moisturiser. However, I can live with the ever-so-slightly annoying packaging, considering the moisturiser works so well on my oily skin.
New York Times
7 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Inside the Arms Race to Create a Better Lactose Intolerance Pill
When Derrick Barreiro dines out, he has to make a quick cost-benefit analysis. Vegan dishes are a safe bet, but sometimes Mr. Barreiro, who is lactose intolerant, takes the risk and eats something that contains milk or cheese. In those cases, he opens his wallet, rips open a packet of Lactaid tablets and pops them into his mouth. 'People know I leave a trail of Lactaid wrappers wherever I go,' said Mr. Barreiro, a creative director in Brooklyn. 'They're like my bread crumbs.' Even so, the supplements don't always work. 'It can still be a gamble even if I take a few before eating.' Mr. Barreiro is exactly the type of person being targeted by a new class of supplements containing lactase — the enzyme that helps the body digest lactose, a sugar in dairy products — each promising higher efficacy, more convenient packaging, healthier ingredients or some combination of the three. In 2023, Khai Pham left his job at an orthodontics start-up to create Milky, a supplement that contains about 20 percent more lactase than a Lactaid Fast Act tablet but is half as thick and can easily fit into a wallet. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
NDTV
27-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
"Macron Got Man-Handled": Internet Trolls French President Over Viral Video
New Delhi: A video of French President Emmanuel Macron's wife, Brigitte, allegedly shoving his face away has become the latest content for meme creators. While President Macron has downplayed the video by calling it a "joke", internet users got to work and started sharing memes and slow-motion videos of the alleged 'slap. ' In a viral video, President Macron prepares to deboard the plane. He stands in the vestibule, adjoining the boarding gate, speaking with his wife, Brigitte, who was still inside the cabin as security officials opened the gate. We see two arms emerging from the doorway and shoving his face aside. Startled, President Macron maintains his calm as he realises that the boarding gate has opened and there is media outside. He looks at the camera, smiles and raises his right arm to wave. He then walks inside the cabin and later, the couple disembark the aircraft together. The video, shot by an Associated Press journalist, soon went viral. The French presidency initially dismissed the video and later titled it a joke. Speaking to reporters in Hanoi, President Macron said, "We were just joking, as we often do." An X (Twitter) user shared the slow-motion video of the incident and asked the President if he is feeling awkward. The slap in slow motion as seen around the world 🌎 - are you feeling awkward @EmmanuelMacron 🤔 — Erica 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@EricaRN4USA) May 27, 2025 Another person took a dig at the President's reaction and shared his 'inner thoughts' that is to smile at the camera. Macron's inner thoughts-"That's a camera there. Oh F. Smile." — Ken Herzberg (@HerzbergKen) May 27, 2025 Another joked about the transition from 'French kiss to French slap.' From French kiss to French slap 😁😁 #Macron — Ammara 🌬️ (@anonconformist_) May 26, 2025 'Macron got MAN handled,' wrote an X user. Macron got MAN handled ….🤣🤣🤣🤣 — SuzieQ (@suziequeue2020) May 27, 2025 Some even shared AI-generated images of a physical fight between President Macron and the First Lady Brigitte. Memes da bofetada em Macron explodem. — George Henrique (@george1BR2) May 26, 2025 A social media user hilariously compared the couple to just another couple around the corner. 'Husbands and wives are the same, around the Milky way,' they wrote. Husbands and wives are the same, around the Milky way. — जमदग्निपुर(जौनपुर) वाले 🚩🇮🇳⚔️®️ (@vikrantsinh1857) May 26, 2025 Others offered to help the President and said, 'Blink twice if you need help.' Macron, blink twice if you need help. — End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) May 26, 2025 A user said the President needs 'peacekeeper' at home. Macron need peacekeepers at his own home. — Sentletse 🇿🇦🇷🇺🇵🇸🇱🇧 (@Sentletse) May 26, 2025 President Macron is on a week-long official visit to Southeast Asia, with Vietnam being his first stop. He will also be visiting Indonesia and Singapore later this week.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Couple Booked a Quiet Airbnb Getaway. What They Found Inside Was Not in the Listing (Exclusive)
A couple booked an Airbnb and unexpectedly found themselves dog-sitting a pitbull named Xanthe The dog followed a 'spiritually aligned' care routine involving sound baths and chakra-balancing meals The host's eccentricity and the dog's charm turned the strange weekend into a viral sensationA peaceful getaway can bring unexpected surprises, but few are as memorable as the one that greeted a recent Airbnb guest. When Milky, who prefers to go by his nickname, arrived at his rental, he was met not by a welcome basket or a handwritten note, but by a pitbull named Xanthe — who was not mentioned in the listing. 'It was a bit of a shock! At first I thought we entered the wrong house or that the dog had been left behind,' Milky tells PEOPLE. He and his partner had traveled to the area to scout wedding venues, but dog sitting was not on their itinerary. The story, first shared in a viral TikTok, captivated viewers with its blend of confusion and comedy. In the video, Milky can be heard asking, 'Whose dog is this?' as Xanthe greets him in the living room. In a follow-up TikTok clip, Milky explained how he reached out to the property's host for clarification. 'I sent a message to the owner, just asking what's going on,' he recalls. The message read: 'Hi, I'm a bit confused, we are staying at your Airbnb and there's a dog here? We didn't realize there would be a pet around and it's not mentioned on the listing. Just checking this is in fact your dog? Or have we stumbled upon an abandoned dog?' The response he received was as unexpected as Xanthe's presence. 'Hey. Oh yep, that's my girl Xanthe! Sorry if that wasn't clear in the listing… She's basically the guardian of space, deeply in tune with its energy. But don't worry, she's super chill and just here to vibe,' the host replied. Milky says it quickly became clear that Xanthe was not just any dog, but a central figure in the home. 'I think the more time we spent in the house and looked around it was evident. A room dedicated to the dog with a sign on the door saying 'the paw palace', it was all very strange. I kept thinking, did I miss the memo???' The host's instructions for Xanthe's care soon went viral in their own right, thanks to their spiritual flair. 'The whole care ritual itself was pretty bonkers. Referring to Xanthe being outside as a 'spiritual pilgrimage' was next level,' Milky says. Among the guidelines: Xanthe only eats a 'spiritually aligned diet,' drinks filtered water to avoid 'disrupting her chakra balance,' and requires a daily two-hour sound bath featuring 'ancient dog chants.' Milky didn't adhere to the rules immediately, but eventually, he gave in. 'I did end up giving her filtered water and her spiritually aligned diet. I didn't want to disturb her flow or diet. Though at times it felt like I was an unpaid dog sitter,' he admits. Despite the initial surprise and the unconventional pet care routine, Milky says the experience took a positive turn. 'Apart from having to look after the dog's chakras, it ended up being a pleasant surprise," he notes. "She was very loving, licked a lot. So it was overbearing at times, but we embraced her. She even came and looked at some wedding venues with us.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The viral saga has made Milky more cautious when it comes to booking future accommodations. 'Airbnb was nice enough to give us credit for the hassle. But next time I think we'll just stick to hotels,' he says. A representative for Airbnb did not yet respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. As for whether he'd stay at the same property again, Milky isn't so sure. 'I was looking for the listing to share with some friends recently, and it appears after the incident, the property is no longer listed!' 'If I had known, I don't think I would've booked the place,' he adds. 'It was cute in the end, but did add extra stress for what was meant to be a romantic weekend.' Read the original article on People
