Saudi Arabia sets new tourism record

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Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb highlighted the significant advances made by both the Kingdom and its tourism industry. (SPA)
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Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb highlighted the significant advances made by both the Kingdom and its tourism industry. (SPA)
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Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb highlighted the significant advances made by both the Kingdom and its tourism industry. (SPA)
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Updated 18 July 2024
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Saudi Arabia sets new tourism record

  • Record 60 million tourists spent a total of SR143 billion in the first half of 2024
  • Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb: Our country is blessed with a multiplicity of tourist destinations and climate diversity

ABHA: A record 60 million tourists to Saudi Arabia during the first half of 2024 spent a total of SR143 billion ($38.1 billion), Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb has announced.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, the minister highlighted the significant advances made by both the Kingdom and its tourism industry which have resulted in such a notable achievement.

“Our country is blessed with a multiplicity of tourist destinations and climate diversity, (as well as) the moderate weather that the Aseer region enjoys during the summer season and low temperatures compared to most cities in the world,” he said.

Al-Khateeb added that visitors could enjoy diverse attractions, from historic villages to farms rich in local products, along with delicious cuisine telling stories of the past.

The third Aseer Season — which will run until Sept. 1 — is ready to make its mark on the region, with renowned locations set to provide rich cultural experiences for visitors.

Known as the cultural hub of Saudi Arabia, Aseer boasts a range of attractions in Abha such as Rijal Alma and Shada Palace Museum. A key landmark is Soudah Peaks, a sustainable luxury mountain destination standing 3,015 meters above sea level — the highest point in the Kingdom.

Al-Khateeb said the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 had strengthened the tourism sector through the launch of the National Tourism Strategy in 2019 and a tourist visa. He also spoke about the launch of the Bachelor of International Hospitality Management program, a partnership between the Ministry of Tourism, King Khalid University, and Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

“Our goal is to develop tourism capabilities and expand international specialized technical colleges and strategic partnership institutes in the field of tourism and hospitality,” he said.

Al-Khateeb said 10,000 training opportunities both inside and outside the Kingdom would be allocated to those working in the Aseer region’s tourism sector.

The National Tourism Strategy aims to reach over 150 million local and international tourists by 2030. In 2023, it reached 109 million.

Al-Khateeb added: “The Tourism Development Fund plays an important role in providing financing, allocating SR7.4 billion to enable over 100 tourism projects around the Kingdom with a value exceeding SR35 billion.”


Patrick Maisonnave, France’s new ambassador to Saudi Arabia

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Patrick Maisonnave, France’s new ambassador to Saudi Arabia

  • Paris’s former envoy to Greece presented his credentials to Saudi Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs Abdulmajeed Al-Smari on Sept. 1

PARIS: Patrick Maisonnave took up his post as the new French ambassador to Saudi Arabia last week.

Paris’s former envoy to Greece presented his credentials to Saudi Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs Abdulmajeed Al-Smari on Sept. 1.

Born in September 1963, Maisonnave is a graduate of the prestigious National School of Administration. Prior to his posting to Riyadh he held a number of prominent diplomatic positions, as French ambassador to Israel from 2013 to 2016, then envoy for counter-terrorism at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs until 2019.

Then from 2019 to 2023, he was France’s ambassador in Athens.

In his new role, Maisonnave will hope to coordinate French and Saudi efforts in a regional context weakened by Israel’s war in Gaza, which will enter its second year in October. Maisonnave will bring his considerable experience, as a former ambassador in Tel Aviv, to his new role in Riyadh.

He will also seek to strengthen economic cooperation and contribute to the pursuit of cultural partnerships between France and Saudi Arabia, notably within the framework of the major development of the AlUla archaeological site, which has been entrusted to France. 

Maisonnave’s wife, Nadia Al-Sartawi, also works as a diplomat. In Athens she held the position of cultural attache at the French Embassy, where she made a major contribution to the promotion of French culture and language.

Al-Sartawi is the daughter of a leading member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, Issam Al-Sartawi, who was engaged in dialogue with Israel in the years prior to the signing of the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords.


Saudi-Egyptian cooperation continues to maintain stability in the region, FM says

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan gives a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty.
Updated 29 sec ago
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Saudi-Egyptian cooperation continues to maintain stability in the region, FM says

  • “We anticipate the launch of the Saudi-Egyptian Coordination Council in the coming days,” Prince Faisal said
  • He said the Kingdom appreciated Egyptian efforts to bring humanitarian aid into Gaza and that the continued obstruction of aid by Israel is a war crime

RIYADH: Saudi-Egyptian cooperation continues to maintain stability in the region and the world, the Kingdom’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Tuesday.
Speaking during a press conference in Cairo, Prince Faisal said a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty on Tuesday confirmed the Kingdom’s sincere desire to deepen its bonds with Egypt.
“We anticipate the launch of the Saudi-Egyptian Coordination Council in the coming days,” Prince Faisal added according to Al-Ekhbariya.
He said the Kingdom appreciated Egyptian efforts to bring humanitarian aid into Gaza and that the continued obstruction of aid by Israel is a war crime.
“The delay in reaching a ceasefire in Gaza is repeated evidence of the failure of the international security system,” Prince Faisal said.
“We are not asking for the impossible… We are only asking for the implementation of international law,” the Kingdom’s foreign minister added.
Speaking about the war in Sudan, Prince Faisal said that it had “gone on for too long and we must double our efforts.”
During a meeting with Abdelatty, Prince Faisal discussed intensifying work on regional and international issues of common interest, most notably the crisis in the Gaza Strip.


Saudi Arabia reaffirms commitment to coral reef protection at Red Sea forum

Updated 8 min 30 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia reaffirms commitment to coral reef protection at Red Sea forum

  • Forum coincides with the 38th International Coral Reef Initiative meeting
  • SHAMS CEO Khaled Asfahani said that the Kingdom has the capability to drive initiatives that bolster the protection of the Red Sea

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has reiterated its firm dedication to protecting coral reefs and marine environments at the Red Sea Coral Reef Forum, held by the General Organization for Conservation of Coral Reefs and Turtles in the Red Sea, known as SHAMS, in Jeddah from Sept. 9 to 13.

The Kingdom’s position is consistent with sustainable development objectives and is bound to solidify its global leadership in environmental conservation and natural resource preservation, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The forum coincides with the 38th International Coral Reef Initiative meeting, which gathers a diverse group of experts, environmental scientists, decision-makers, university students, and marine environment enthusiasts.

SHAMS CEO Khaled Asfahani said that the forum is part of ongoing efforts to preserve marine environments, address the problems Red Sea coral reefs face, and discuss effective protection strategies.

He added that the forum also focuses on the need to develop joint projects to ensure environmental sustainability, promote the blue economy, and increase awareness about the importance of preserving marine environments to protect coral reefs in the Red Sea and beyond.

Asfahani said that the Kingdom has the capability to drive initiatives that bolster the protection of the Red Sea, making it a global example in marine environment conservation due to visionary leadership focused on environmental protection.

“SHAMS is dedicated to safeguarding the marine environment in the Kingdom, but its ambitions extend beyond borders,” said Asfahani.

He urged increased cooperation to protect marine ecosystems, both in the Red Sea and worldwide, with the aim of protecting natural heritage.

Asfahani stressed that the Red Sea holds vast potential and is a model of biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods for millions of people.


Saudi Cabinet reviews efforts by Muslim, Arab countries toward establishing Palestinian state

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chairs the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. (SPA)
Updated 30 min 38 sec ago
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Saudi Cabinet reviews efforts by Muslim, Arab countries toward establishing Palestinian state

RIYADH: The Saudi Cabinet reviewed efforts by Muslim and Arab countries to support the establishment of a Palestinian state, Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

It also reviewed efforts to restore the Palestinians’ legitimate rights and and halt Israeli violations of international and humanitarian laws.

The Cabinet also praised the efforts of the Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan Group to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people, expand the delivery of humanitarian aid, and work toward a ceasefire agreement.

The group is made up of countries mediating between the warring parties in Sudan and include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, and the US.

At talks held in August in Switzerland, ALPS said it had secured promises to let aid flow through the Adre border crossing from Chad into the Darfur region and along the Dabbah Road from Port Sudan on the Red Sea.

Between August 20 and 30, 59 aid trucks carrying medical, food, nutrition, emergency shelter and essential household items crossed from Chad to Darfur via the Adre border crossing point, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has said.

The Cabinet also welcomed Saudi Arabia’s successful bid to host the UN World Data Forum 2026 in Riyadh, granted in recognition of the Kingdom’s achievements in the statistical sector and its track record in hosting successful international events.


Saudi embassy in Damascus reopens after 12-year closure

Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Damascus reopened on Monday with a ceremony to mark the occasion. (@ksaembsy)
Updated 56 min 57 sec ago
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Saudi embassy in Damascus reopens after 12-year closure

  • Al-Haris said the embassy and its staff were keen to exert all efforts to strengthen relations between Saudi Arabia and Syria

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Damascus reopened on Monday with a ceremony to mark the occasion.

The celebration was attended by a number of Syrian government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and a group of dignitaries and intellectuals, the embassy said.

Acting Charge d’Affaires Abdullah Al-Haris stated in a speech on Monday that “this day is an important moment in the history of relations” between the Kingdom and Syria.

Al-Haris added that the embassy and its staff were keen to exert all efforts to strengthen relations between the two countries.

Saudi Arabia shut its embassy in Syria and withdrew all its staff in March 2012, a year after the Syrian civil war started in 2011.