Saudi Arabia will welcome a million cruise ship passengers by 2028, Cruise Saudi MD claims

Fawaz Farooqui, Managing Director, Cruise Saudi
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Updated 28 October 2021
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Saudi Arabia will welcome a million cruise ship passengers by 2028, Cruise Saudi MD claims

A million cruise ship passengers will visit Saudi Arabia by 2028 according to ambitious plans set out by the managing director of the country’s Cruise Saudi company.

Fawaz Farooqui set out the goal during a session at the Future Investment Initiative Forum in Riyadh, as he also claimed 50,000 direct and indirect jobs will be created by the industry by 2035.

He also pledged that five cruise ports will operate in Saudi Arabia by 2025.

Farooqui’s comments came just days after Cruise Saudi became a member of the World Travel & Tourism Council as the Kingdom continues its drive to diversify its economy away from oil as per the Vision 2030 agenda.


Closing Bell: Saudi equity markets end year in green at 10,491 

Updated 31 December 2025
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Closing Bell: Saudi equity markets end year in green at 10,491 

RIYADH: Saudi equities ended Wednesday’s session higher, with the Tadawul All Share Index rising 109.18 points, or 1.05 percent, to close at 10,490.69, supported by broad-based buying across the main market.  

Gains were mirrored in the blue-chip MT30 index, which added 9.31 points, or 0.68 percent, to finish at 1,387.31. The Nomu Parallel Market also advanced, climbing 255.5 points, or 1.11 percent, to close at 23,296.29.   

Market breadth was firmly positive, with 249 gainers versus just 12 losers on the main market, with SR3.2 billion ($854.2 million) in trade value.  

Among the top gainers, United Cooperative Assurance Co. surged 9.73 percent to close at SR3.72, while Saudi Industrial Export Co. rose 9.18 percent to SR2.26.  

Al Gassim Investment Holding Co. advanced 8.25 percent to SR16.40, and Abdullah Saad Mohammed Abo Moati for Bookstores Co. gained 7.73 percent to end at SR46.  

Gulf General Cooperative Insurance Co. also posted strong gains, closing up 7.67 percent at SR3.93.  

On the downside, Naseej International Trading Co. led the declines, falling 5.87 percent to SR35.30.   

SEDCO Capital REIT Fund edged down 1.03 percent to SR6.70, while Saudi Tadawul Group Holding Co. slipped 0.78 percent to SR140.30.   

Banque Saudi Fransi declined 0.77 percent to SR16.82, and Saudi Co. for Hardware closed 0.76 percent lower at SR25.96.  

On the corporate front, Catrion Catering Holding Co. said it signed a sale and purchase agreement to acquire a 55 percent stake in Al Khaleejah Catering Co., with an option to buy an additional 15 percent within three years.  

The transaction values the acquisition at up to SR 40.86 million, comprising an initial cash payment of SR315.21 million and performance-based earn-out payments of up to SR125.65 million, subject to the achievement of specified financial targets.   

The acquisition will be financed through internal funding sources and Shariah-compliant banking facilities and is expected to support Catrion’s expansion strategy in the aviation and catering services sector, with a positive financial impact anticipated by the end of the second quarter of 2026.  

Catrion Catering Holding Co. closed Wednesday’s session at SR80.35, up SR3.35, representing a 4.35 percent gain  

Purity for Information Technology Co. announced the signing of a contract with the Social Development Bank to provide managed cloud system services.   

The contract is valued at SR6.92 million, including VAT, and will run for a duration of 36 months.   

Under the agreement, Purity will deliver managed cloud services aimed at enhancing system reliability, service availability, and overall operational continuity.   

The financial impact of the contract is expected to be reflected in the company’s financial results for the 2025–2026 fiscal year.  

Purity for Information Technology Co. ended the session at SR20.99, rising SR0.54, or 2.64 percent.