Latest news with #NationalTourismStrategy
Leaders
2 days ago
- Business
- Leaders
ARDARA Launches First-Ever Lifestyle Community at AlWadi Destination
Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Aseer Region and Chairman of ARDARA, officially announced the launch of ARDARA's first modern lifestyle community at AlWadi. The announcement took place during the second Aseer Investment Forum, held at King Khalid University in Abha, and included new details about this landmark destination. ARDARA, fully owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), is leading the development. This milestone project highlights ARDARA's mission to create integrated residential and tourism destinations that elevate the Aseer Region's profile within the national development framework. It reflects the company's strong commitment to sustainable urban planning and enhancing quality of life. The initial phase of the project includes a diverse range of offerings: A five-star hotel with approximately 180 rooms A four-star hotel featuring around 245 rooms 40 luxury branded apartments and 42 luxury branded villas 62 premium apartments 4,500 square meters of high-end retail space Public amenities such as walking and cycling paths, and environmentally friendly mobility solutions In pursuit of world-class hospitality standards, ARDARA has signed a letter of intent with Hilton to operate a Waldorf Astoria hotel within the development. Further expanding its vision, ARDARA signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Sumou Holding to develop future phases of AlWadi. These will include mixed-use urban communities that integrate residential, hospitality, and entertainment elements—aligned with the National Tourism Strategy and grounded in principles of sustainability and smart urban development. The potential value of this partnership stands at SAR 1 billion. ARDARA, SEDCO ARDARA also entered a strategic MoU with SEDCO Capital to manage an investment fund worth SAR 1 billion for the development of an urban project in Abha. Additionally, the initiative aims to blend residential, hospitality, and entertainment components to drive economic and tourism growth in the Aseer Region. Furthermore, ARDARA signed an MoU with Southern Province Cement Company to promote sustainable urban development practices. The agreement covers the supply of eco-friendly 'green cement,' joint greening and community initiatives, and technical knowledge sharing—contributing to both environmental sustainability and construction excellence across the region. 'The launch of our first lifestyle community in AlWadi represents a unique investment opportunity in Aseer,' said Naif bin Saleh Al-Hamdan, Managing Director of ARDARA. 'It offers exclusive waterfront properties and a vibrant community that honors Saudi heritage while embracing modern living. Finally, the strategic partnerships we announced today underscore our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and investment value—fully aligned with the Public Investment Fund's initiatives and Saudi Vision 2030.' Related Topics: IARDA Licenses 40 Tour Guides Culture Ministry Launches Saudi-Chinese Cultural Year 2025 Riyadh Art Completes Installation of Davide Rivalta Sculptures 'The Neighbors of the Moon': an Ideal Tourist Destination in Jizan Short link : Post Views: 21
Tourism Breaking News
3 days ago
- Business
- Tourism Breaking News
Diriyah backs Saudi drive to attract 5 million Chinese tourists, debuts at ITB China 2025
Post Views: 35 In an exclusive interview with TravTalk Middle East, Naif Hassan Awlia, Tourism and Engagement Director of Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, shared insights into the destination's debut at ITB China. Representing Diriyah for the first time at the event, Awlia emphasized the strategic importance of China as a key source market, aligning with Saudi Arabia's broader tourism vision. 'As part of Diriyah's tourism ecosystem, we closely follow the National Tourism Strategy,' Awlia explained. 'China is a priority market for us. With the Kingdom targeting 150 million visitors annually by 2030, 5 million of those are expected to come from China—and we intend to play a significant role in achieving that goal.' He highlighted the purpose of their participation at ITB China: to connect with leading travel trade partners, including platforms such as Alibaba and and tailor their offerings to resonate with Chinese travellers. 'We're here not only to tell our story but to understand and align with the narrative that appeals to the Chinese market,' he concluded.
Tourism Breaking News
09-05-2025
- Business
- Tourism Breaking News
Makarem launches its new identity strengthening its positioning as the leading brand in Spiritual hospitality
Post Views: 35 Taiba Investments launched the new identity of its home-grown hospitality brand, Makarem. It unveils its new identity under the theme 'Journey to the Origins', with a forward-looking vision that aligns with the evolving expectations of pilgrims and visitors to Makkah and Madinah. Makarem's new identity reflects its commitment to providing an integrated hospitality experience that enhances the spiritual journey of pilgrims and Umrah performers, with a focus on authenticity, innovation, and human touch, in alignment with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the economy, promote religious and cultural tourism, and build a vibrant society. Makarem has defined a comprehensive strategic framework for launching its new identity, including strengthening its presence, expanding investment partnerships, and participating in major events inside and outside the Kingdom. The Makarem service experience will be highlighted by emphasising its quality service, attention to detail, and close connection to Islamic values and local heritage. The Kingdom aims to accommodate more than 150 million tourists annually by 2030, making the launch of Makarem's new identity at this time a strategic step that opens up broad horizons for growth and expansion. The launch of Makarem's new identity is part of Taiba Investment's growth and expansion strategy, which aims to contribute to achieving the goals of the National Tourism Strategy, which targets welcoming more than 150 million tourists annually by 2030. Sultan bin Badr Al Otaibi, CEO of Taiba Investment, said: 'The new identity goes beyond the visual aspect to encompass a comprehensive operational philosophy that includes developing the culture of hospitality, innovative services, and raising quality standards, in addition to utilising the latest hospitality technologies such as AI to uplift our guests' experience'. Launching the new identity marks a new phase in Makarem's journey, centred around the message of 'Journey to the Origins', which reflects authentic Saudi values while adapting to modern trends in the hospitality market, both locally and globally. Leveraging its deep-rooted legacy in hospitality operations since 1983, Makarem has played a pivotal role in delivering a uniquely Saudi hospitality experience. 'We will strengthen Makarem's position as the leading Saudi brand in Makkah and Madinah, ensuring it remains the first choice for pilgrims and Umrah performers, by offering a spiritual hospitality experience inspired by authenticity and embracing the future,' Al Otaibi added. The launch of the new identity will include a series of events and activities in Makkah and Madinah, followed by regional and international events, to consolidate the brand's new image as the leader in spiritual hospitality and expand its customer base locally and internationally. With its new identity, Makarem affirms its commitment to leading the Kingdom's spiritual hospitality landscape and offering a Saudi hotel experience that combines authenticity and innovation. It is more than just a brand; it is a comprehensive vision aimed at providing comfort and reassurance to pilgrims and visitors from the moment of arrival until departure.
Trade Arabia
08-05-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
Saudi hospitality to outpace global growth, spurring investment: JLL
Saudi Arabia's hospitality sector is expected to experience significant growth due to Vision 2030 and strategic tourism infrastructure investments, according to JLL's latest report. The MENA region has shown resilience, maintaining a 3% CAGR from 2019-2024. The region's projected 4% CAGR from 2024 to 2028 is significantly outperforming the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Major development projects in Saudi Arabia are largely driving this growth. With approximately 160,000 quality hotel rooms in operation and an additional 106,000 in the pipeline, Saudi Arabia is expected to account for 58% of the total hotel supply in the MENA region by 2028. The Kingdom's progress in transforming its tourism industry, driven by Vision 2030 and strategic infrastructure investments, has resulted in substantial growth in the sector. The National Tourism Strategy, launched in 2016, has already exceeded its initial goals, with tourism contributing 11.5% to the GDP in 2023. Since 2019, the MENA region has experienced the most substantial Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) growth globally (+28%), outpacing Europe (+25%), the Americas (+18%), and Asia Pacific (-12%). Saudi Arabia's RevPAR has increased 9% annually since 2019, driving interest primarily from regional investors to date. Notably, international visitation growth is outpacing domestic at 14.4% to 13.7% since the launch of the tourist visa in 2019, with key cities like Riyadh and Madinah even outperforming established global tourism destinations. Saud Al Sulaimani, Country Head of JLL KSA, said: 'Saudi Arabia's commitment to developing its tourism sector, coupled with its strategic investments and ambitious vision, is setting the country up to be a global leader in the hospitality industry. It has seen unprecedented hotel supply growth with Revenue Per Available Room in its major cities competing and often outperforming established hub and tourism centric cities across the world. However, this report looks to show that this is just one segment of market opportunity available to global investors. The report highlights that Saudi Arabia's emerging destinations, for example, Taif and Al Ahsa, represent a new frontier for hospitality investment, offering a unique opportunity for first movers in these underserved markets. These promising cities, rich in cultural heritage and untapped potential, attract 23% of overall visitor numbers, translating to approximately 20 million visitors annually. However, quality supply in these cities remains limited, accounting for only 25-30% of the total, creating a significant gap for investors to capitalise on."
Arab News
24-04-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia's tourism workforce hits 966k amid sector growth push
RIYADH: Employment in Saudi Arabia's tourism sector climbed 4 percent year on year in the final quarter of 2024 as the Kingdom accelerated its efforts to expand the industry. According to new data from the General Authority for Statistics, the workforce included 242,073 Saudi nationals, making up 25 percent, and 724,458 foreign workers, or 75 percent. This aligns with Saudi Arabia's National Tourism Strategy, which aims to create 1.6 million jobs by 2030, and attract 150 million visitors annually while increasing tourism's contribution to 10 percent of gross domestic product. The figures come in the same week as it was announced that from April 2026 41 tourism roles, including hotel managers, travel agency directors, and tour guides, will be reserved for Saudi nationals under government plans to boost local employment and reduce reliance on foreign labor. In its latest report, GASTAT stated that the total number of employees in the sector reached 966,531 during the last three months of 2024, adding: 'The number of male employees in tourism activities reached 837,972, with a participation rate of 86.7 percent, while the number of female employees in tourism activities reached 128,559, with a participation rate of 13.3 percent of the total employees in tourism activities during Q4 of 2024.' The highest employment levels were reported in Riyadh and Makkah regions, which together accounted for nearly two-thirds of the total workforce in tourism-related activities. Riyadh alone employed 320,617, while Makkah followed with 268,954. The capital also had the highest share of Saudi nationals in the sector at 95,825, or 29.9 percent of its local tourism workforce. Saudi Arabia's hospitality footprint continued to grow, with the number of licensed establishments rising to 4,425 by the end of 2024, including 2,163 hotels and 2,262 serviced apartments and other accommodations. The data showed hotel occupancy remained relatively stable at 56 percent, compared to 60.2 percent a year earlier, despite the rapid expansion in licensed capacity. Serviced apartments, meanwhile, saw a modest increase, rising to 55.9 percent from 55.4 percent the previous year. The average daily hotel room rate remained competitive at SR440 ($117.31) in the fourth quarter of 2024, slightly easing from SR449 a year earlier. Meanwhile, serviced apartment rates saw strong growth, rising 25.1 percent to SR220 — pointing to increasing demand and limited supply in that segment. The data also highlighted the average length of stay for hotel guests, which remained steady at approximately 3.6 nights in the fourth quarter of 2024 — the same as in the corresponding period of 2023. In contrast, the average stay in serviced apartments and other hospitality facilities was around 2.1 nights, marking a 12.1 percent decline compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
