Abdul Latif Jameel Motors’ move supports women driving

Updated 14 May 2018
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Abdul Latif Jameel Motors’ move supports women driving

Abdul Latif Jameel Motors has unveiled an initiative to support women’s driving schools across Saudi Arabia.

The company will provide 500 specially adapted vehicles ahead of the launch of women’s driving later this year. The driving schools, approved by the General Directorate of Traffic, will open in the coming weeks.

Abdul Latif Jameel Motors will also provide maintenance, spare parts and technical support to all vehicles as part of the partnership.

The partnership, called Together from the Start, was announced at an event in Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh.

The program was attended by Maj. Gen. Mohammed Al-Bassami from the General Directorate of Traffic; Hassan Jameel, deputy president and vice chairman of Abdul Latif Jameel; and Nobuhiko Murakami, CEO, East Asia, Oceania and Middle East Region for Toyota Motor Corporation.

Hassan Jameel said: “Allowing women to drive is a significant milestone for Saudi Arabia and our society as a whole, and we are delighted to be playing a part in the process. Women driving will ultimately give them more mobility in every sense — logistically, socially and economically. At the same time, it will have a positive impact on the country’s development in the long run, which is a key pillar of Saudi Vision 2030.” 

According to official figures, more than 20,000 women enrolled for driving schools in the first week of applications, with the number expected to rise exponentially in the coming months. As part of a broader agreement with the universities, Bab Rizq Jameel, Community Jameel’s job-creation initiative, will also be offering courses on women’s empowerment, small business development in the arts and culture space, as well as road safety initiatives.

The partnership aims to support the government’s drive to get more women into the workforce, contributing to the country’s economic development and diversification. Under Saudi Vision 2030, the government aims to increase women’s participation into the workforce from 22 percent to 30 percent.


Tourism Minister opens Radisson Hotel Madinah

Updated 24 February 2026
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Tourism Minister opens Radisson Hotel Madinah

Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Board of the Tourism Development Fund Ahmed Al-Khateeb recently inaugurated the Radisson Hotel Madinah. The hotel has been enabled by the TDF, a Saudi government fund dedicated to supporting and developing the Saudi tourism sector. The opening of the new property falls within ongoing efforts to enhance the hospitality infrastructure in Madinah and increase its readiness to receive visitors, thereby improving the quality of tourism services in line with the objectives of the National Tourism Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030.
The minister stated that the opening of Radisson Hotel Madinah reflects TDF’s commitment to high-quality and diversified projects that meet visitors’ needs. He said: “Saudi Arabia continues to advance the development of the hospitality sector across different regions to ensure the provision of exceptional accommodation experiences that enhance the visitor journey and support the sustainable growth of tourism, particularly in cities of religious and historical significance such as Madinah.”
TDF CEO Qusai Al-Fakhri said that the fund continues to perform its role as the national enabler of the tourism sector by supporting projects that generate tangible economic and developmental impact. He explained that the hotel’s opening represents a model of TDF’s role in diversified tourism investments and support for the private sector’s hotel projects, which increase accommodation capacity, create job opportunities, and enhance quality of life in Madinah.
The four-star Radisson Hotel Madinah spans an area exceeding 2,300 square meters and comprises 165 rooms. It is located next to Quba Mosque, 12 minutes by car from the Prophet’s Mosque, and 20 minutes from Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport, making it a convenient choice for city visitors and pilgrims. The hotel includes a restaurant serving guests and visitors, dedicated meeting and event spaces, and sports facilities. 
The hotel contributes to stimulating the local economic activity and supporting the tourism and hospitality ecosystem, enhancing Madinah’s readiness to receive increasing numbers of visitors and pilgrims in the coming years.
This project is part of the TDF’s portfolio of tourism projects in various regions of the Kingdom. The TDF has contributed to more than 130 tourism projects in Madinah, with total contributions exceeding SR1.5 billion ($400 million) and accommodation capacity surpassing 2,100 hotel rooms, reaffirming its role in advancing tourism investment, sustainable development objectives, and the tourism sector’s contribution to the national economy, in line with the National Tourism Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030.