Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia), the Kingdom’s national carrier, welcomed guests, members of the media and travel partners on the opening day of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) show in Dubai.
Saudi Arabian Airlines Director General Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser welcomed special guest Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, deputy ruler of Dubai, and other dignitaries, during the official opening of the 25th edition of the ATM.
The four-day exhibition ran from April 22-25 at the Dubai International Convention Center.
The airline officially revealed its new exhibition stand at the travel show, complete with Saudia aircraft seats on display, including the “First Suite,” business class and economy class seats.
New amenity kits for first and business class were also revealed, and are being showcased this week at ATM.
Saudia also promoted recently announced new destinations, Izmir, Malaga and Russia, which will all commence in June of this year. The airline’s holiday division — Saudia Holidays — has special packages on offer for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, including match tickets to watch any games scheduled.
The new hub and home of Saudia — Jeddah’s new King Abdul Aziz International Airport, set to open next month, could be experienced through a digital interactive display, designed exclusively for the airline’s exhibition stand at ATM.
Saudia currently flies to 89 destinations across four continents with a fleet of 147 aircraft.
Currently in its 73rd year of operations, the airline is a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO).
Saudia carried 30 million passengers in 2016, and was named the 2017 World’s Most Improved Airline by Skytrax, an independent global aviation industry monitor.
The airline has 11 codeshare partners including: Garuda Indonesia, China Southern Airlines, Air France, Royal Air Maroc, Alitalia, Korean Airlines, KLM, Middle East Airlines, Aeroflot, Air Europa and Oman Air.
Saudi Arabian Airlines unveils new services
Saudi Arabian Airlines unveils new services
25,000 attend Social Development Bank’s DeveGO25 forum
The Social Development Bank concluded the second edition of the Entrepreneurship and Modern Business Practices Forum — DeveGo 2025 — announcing the achievement of high-impact outcomes that further reinforced the forum’s position as the largest national platform in the region dedicated to entrepreneurship, innovation, and freelance work in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
The forum witnessed broad participation from local and international experts, investors, entrepreneurs, and representatives of local, regional, and international institutions.
Over three days at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center, the forum drew 25,000 participants and visitors, who benefited from over 45 specialized workshops and over 2500 advisory sessions delivered by more than 70 consultants and experts.
The sessions covered key areas including entrepreneurial planning, business models, venture capital, digital platforms, freelancing, and emerging technologies.
The forum also featured 20 panel discussions with leading local and international speakers, addressing major global trends in entrepreneurship, including the future of artificial intelligence, the creative economy, digital transformation, and venture investment.
The forum saw the launch of the Saudi Empretec Fellowship, in the presence of Rebeca Grynspan, secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development.
The partners in success within the Social Responsibility Portfolio supporting entrepreneurs were honored.
It also saw the honoring of 13 winners of the Handicrafts Competition, representing various regions of the Kingdom, the announcement of winners of the Salam Award for Promising Projects, and the recognition of leading entrepreneurial projects fund under the Enterprises Track.
In addition, the NEXT UP Challenge concluded on the third day of the forum with 20 startups presenting their projects to more than 500 investors, enhancing opportunities for networking and partnership building.
As part of efforts to strengthen the support ecosystem, the forum witnessed the signing of 51 agreements, along with the launch of a suite of new financing products. These included the Capital Expansion Product with a ceiling of up to SR10 million, the Payroll Product with a ceiling of SR2 million, and the Rental Product with a ceiling of SR1.5 million, aimed at supporting enterprises in asset development and covering operational costs.
This reflects the bank’s direction toward offering more specialized financing tools that respond effectively to market needs.
The forum concluded by reaffirming its role as a unifying national platform for entrepreneurship, where accompanying activities and events provided direct engagement opportunities between entrepreneurs, investors, and experts.
The forum also highlighted success stories and practical experiences that reflect the scale of entrepreneurial momentum in the Kingdom and the growing role of the Social Development Bank in supporting a national economy driven by innovation and knowledge.
