LONDON: Singapore, Dubai and Macau will push London from third to sixth place in the world’s 100 most popular city destinations for global and regional airlines by 2025, Euromonitor said on Tuesday.
Singapore will replace London with 30 million trips in eight years' time, said the report. Hong Kong will remain in front with Bangkok second, Macau fourth and Dubai moving up from sixth to fifth with 26.7 million trips, ahead of London with an anticipated 25.8 million trips. Hong Kong currently boasts 25.6 million trips but by 2025 will increase that number to more than 44 million trips.
The report said that in 2017 Dubai is still by far the largest destination in the MEA region, but Saudi Arabia has three cities in the top ranking.
The Hajj is a major draw for arrivals to the country, but the Kingdom is looking to expand its appeal.
The Post-Umrah Programme, noted the report, is an initiative that allows pilgrims to convert their Umrah visas into tourist visas, allowing them to extend their stays. “Better dispersion should also come with the first high-speed train between Makkah and Medina, set to launch in 2018,” it said.
Singapore, Dubai and Macau to oust London as third most popular city destination
Singapore, Dubai and Macau to oust London as third most popular city destination
Education spending surges 251% as students return from autumn break: SAMA
RIYADH: Education spending in Saudi Arabia surged 251.3 percent in the week ending Dec. 6, reflecting the sharp uptick in purchases as students returned from the autumn break.
According to the latest data from the Saudi Central Bank, expenditure in the sector reached SR218.73 million ($58.2 million), with the number of transactions increasing by 61 percent to 233,000.
Despite this surge, overall point-of-sale spending fell 4.3 percent to SR14.45 billion, while the number of transactions dipped 1.7 percent to 236.18 million week on week.
The week saw mixed changes between the sectors. Spending on freight transport, postal and courier services saw the second-biggest uptick at 33.3 percent to SR60.93 million, followed by medical services, which saw an 8.1 percent increase to SR505.35 million.
Expenditure on apparel and clothing saw a decrease of 16.3 percent, followed by a 2 percent reduction in spending on telecommunication.
Jewelry outlays witnessed an 8.1 percent decline to reach SR325.90 million. Data revealed decreases across many other sectors, led by hotels, which saw the largest dip at 24.5 percent to reach SR335.98 million.
Spending on car rentals in the Kingdom fell by 12.6 percent, while airlines saw a 3.7 percent increase to SR46.28 million.
Expenditure on food and beverages saw a 1.7 percent increase to SR2.35 billion, claiming the largest share of the POS. Restaurants and cafes retained the second position despite a 12.6 percent dip to SR1.66 billion.
Saudi Arabia’s key urban centers mirrored the national decline. Riyadh, which accounted for the largest share of total POS spending, saw a 3.9 percent dip to SR4.89 billion, down from SR5.08 billion the previous week.
The number of transactions in the capital settled at 74.16 million, down 1.4 percent week on week.
In Jeddah, transaction values decreased by 5.9 percent to SR1.91 billion, while Dammam reported a 0.8 percent surge to SR713.71 million.
POS data, tracked weekly by SAMA, provides an indicator of consumer spending trends and the ongoing growth of digital payments in Saudi Arabia.
The data also highlights the expanding reach of POS infrastructure, extending beyond major retail hubs to smaller cities and service sectors, supporting broader digital inclusion initiatives.
The growth of digital payment technologies aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objectives, promoting electronic transactions and contributing to the nation’s broader digital economy.
