LONDON: Abu Dhabi has launched a campaign to attract more high-spending Saudis to the UAE capital.
Tourism chiefs have set up camp at the Ghuwaifat border crossing to alert arriving Saudi tourists of promotions available to them over the summer.
From Aug. 15 they will find food trucks, children’s activities, drinks and information to help promote the emirate’s attractions and hotels.
“The GCC, and especially the Saudi market, has continuously been one of our key targets, providing encouraging prospects as well as a natural convergence of culture, language, customs and tradition between our communities,” said Saif Saeed Ghobash, the director general of TCA Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi is offering special deals and tailored to travelers from the region throughout the year, with discounts, free entrance to theme parks as well as other offers, TCA said in a statement.
The UAE capital recorded a 30 percent increase in the number of hotel guest arrivals in June compared to a year earlier – helped by an Eid influx of holidaymakers.
The emirate welcomed more than 2.25 million guests to its 165 hotels and hotel apartments in the first half according to TCA data.
That represents a 7 percent increase over the same period last year.
Abu Dhabi’s regional tourism push come as Middle East airlines try to revive slowing passenger growth.
Middle Eastern carriers posted a 2.5 percent increase in traffic in June, representing a slowdown from the already subdued 3.7 percent growth for May, according to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The aviation body said a global slowdown in demand was most visible in the Middle East.
Abu Dhabi to tempt Saudi tourists with free theme park tickets
Abu Dhabi to tempt Saudi tourists with free theme park tickets
New Murabba seeks contractors for Mukaab Towers fit-outs: MEED
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s New Murabba Development Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, has issued a request for information to gauge the market for modular and offsite fit-out solutions for its flagship Mukaab development, MEED reported on Wednesday.
The RFI was released on Jan. 26, with submissions due by Feb. 11. NMDC has also scheduled a market engagement meeting during the first week of February to discuss potential solutions with prospective contractors.
Sources close to the project told MEED that NMDC is “seeking experienced suppliers and contractors to advise on the feasibility, constraints, and execution strategy for using non-load-bearing modular systems for the four corner towers framing the Mukaab structure.” The feedback gathered from these discussions will be incorporated into later design and procurement decisions.
The four towers — two residential (North and South) and two mixed-use (East and West) — are integral to the Mukaab’s architectural layout. Each tower is expected to rise approximately 375 meters and span over 80 stories. Key modular elements under consideration include bathroom pods, kitchen pods, dressing room modules, panelized steel partition systems, and other offsite-manufactured fit-out solutions.
Early works on the Mukaab were completed last year, with NMDC preparing to award the estimated $1 billion contract for the main raft works. This was highlighted in a presentation by NMDC’s chief project delivery officer on Sept. 9, 2025, during the Future Projects Forum in Riyadh.
Earlier this month, US-based Parsons Corp. was awarded a contract by NMDC to provide design and construction technical support. Parsons will act as the lead design consultant for infrastructure, delivering services covering public buildings, infrastructure, landscaping, and the public realm at New Murabba. The firm will also support the development of the project’s downtown experience, which spans 14 million sq. meters of residential, workplace, and entertainment space.
The Parsons contract follows NMDC’s October 2025 agreements with three other US-based engineering firms for design work across the development. New York-headquartered Kohn Pedersen Fox was appointed to lead early design for the first residential community, while Aecom and Jacobs were selected as lead design consultants for the Mukaab district.
In August 2025, NMDC signed a memorandum of understanding with Falcons Creative Group, another US-based firm, to develop the creative vision and immersive experiences for the Mukaab project. Meanwhile, Beijing-based China Harbour Engineering Co. completed the excavation works for the Mukaab, and UAE-headquartered HSSG Foundation Contracting executed the foundation works.
