Tag Archives: Jeddah

At a time when the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s National Transformation Plan is well underway to reduce the nation’s public-sector dependence by 2030, a delegation from Sharjah visited two major cities of the Kingdom — Jeddah and Mecca recently to explore prospects for new partnerships in non-oil sectors, which will drive regional growth. The Sharjah FDI office (Invest in Sharjah) led the delegation, taking them on a ‘Sharjah Roadshow in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’ through the two cities, and facilitated various networking meetings with leading Saudi businessmen, government representatives and industry experts. Through the two-day roadshow, Saudi Arabian players took a closer look at Sharjah’s rapidly diversifying and investor-friendly economy in major non-oil sectors including tourism, hospitality, real estate, trade, media, health, education, renewable energy and SMEs. They explored ways in which they can leverage these opportunities to promote and strengthen KSA’s private sector. The delegation comprised HE Aref Ali Al Tabour Al Nuaimi, Consul General of the UAE, Jeddah; HE Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, Executive Chairman, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq); Sheikh Saud bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Deputy Head — Industrial Investment, Sharjah Economic Development Department and Mohammed Juma Al Musharrkh, CEO, Invest in Sharjah. The delegation also included Ibrahim Al Hashimi, Director — Government Relations, Sharjah Media City (Shams); Samer Bukamel, Vice President — Sales, ARADA and a number of officials and representatives from government and private bodies in Sharjah. Al Sarkal highlighted the strong bilateral relations the UAE and KSA share, especially in economic sectors. The UAE is the Kingdom’s biggest trade partner in the Gulf and greater Arab region. In 2017, the value of trade between the two countries was approximately $23 billion. He …

Etihad Airways has unveiled its series of activities to celebrate the leadership and people of Saudi Arabia on the 88th National Day of the Kingdom. To mark the occasion on September 23, the airline’s flagship Year of Zayed-branded A380 will be deployed on EY311 and EY312, between Abu Dhabi and Jeddah. Ahmed Al Qubaisi, Senior Vice President Government & International Affairs said, “In recognition of the special bond between two countries and the increasing importance of the Saudi market to the airline, we are delighted to host this exciting programme. Over the coming months, Etihad will continue to strengthen this relationship and announce new partnerships with key Saudi Arabian organisations that will add greater value to our guests.” Etihad recently announced sponsorship of Riyadh-based Al Nassr FC, and players from the football club have recorded a special video which will be broadcast on the National Day. The airline commissioned Emirati poet, Ahmed Al Zarounei, to write a unique prose to symbolise the friendship and bond between the two countries. The 380-word Arabic poem, inspired by the A380, was transcribed on digital screens at Abu Dhabi International Airport. The gesture was captured on film and will be broadcast across Etihad’s social media channels. Guests travelling between Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia will receive themed chocolates and greeting cards on the National Day. All guests visiting Etihad’s lounge in Abu Dhabi will be treated to a selection of Saudi Arabian themed cuisine. The airline is also offering special fares from Saudi Arabia during the National Day celebration period.

Emirates will be operating 24 extra flights to Jeddah during the busy Umrah season, adding more than 10,000 additional seats between Dubai and Jeddah from June 12-24. The additional flights will be serviced by the Boeing 777-300ER. Emirates’ additional flights will help accommodate more convenient travel through Dubai during the Umrah season, which starts in Ramadan and concludes in July. These services will run in parallel with Emirates’ regularly scheduled services to Jeddah, which includes three daily flights. The additional services can be accessed by travellers holding a valid Umrah visa. Adil Al Ghaith, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations for Gulf, Middle East and Iran said, “Performing Umrah during the month of Ramadan is a significant experience for Muslims and Emirates is helping to make the journey more seamless through convenient connections for the thousands of pilgrims looking to travel during this time. We thank the Saudi Arabian government and authorities for their support to introduce these extra frequencies during Umrah season.” Onboard, Emirates’ award-winning ice system features special religious programming as well as popular regional entertainment options including new drama series. The airline’s diverse content available on board with up to 3,500 channels of entertainment includes 238 Arabic channels featuring movies, TV, music and audio. This year, top destinations where Emirates is expecting Umrah travellers to come from are Pakistan, North Africa, the United States, the UK and South Africa.

The Elaf Group recently opened Elaf Galleria, a five-star hotel in Jeddah. The soft opening of the hotel is part of the Group’s strategic expansion plans aimed at further solidifying its presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Elaf Galleria has 364 rooms spread across seven floors on two separate wings enclosed by a vaulted glass and metal roof. The property also features banquet and events facilities, an Executive Lounge and other recreational facilities including a health club and spa. Restaurants providing fine dining inside the hotel include The Kitchen, El-Vaquero, The Birdcage, Milano and Aqua. Ziyad Bin Mahfouz, CEO, Elaf Group said, “The opening of Hotel Galleria by Elaf in Jeddah is in line with ongoing efforts to strengthen our leading presence in the KSA and the rest of the GCC. We remain committed to our goal of supporting Saudi Vision 2030’s objective of reinforcing the national economy with non-oil revenue sources by providing the highest quality of hospitality services to our guests.”

flyadeal is set to add Abha to its growing network route, starting February 1. Abha will be the airline’s fifth destination from Jeddah and third from Riyadh, after having launched flights to Dammam, Qassim and Jazan in its first three months of commencing operations. The new destination is made possible with the arrival of the fifth brand new A320 aircraft, Al-Kawkab (The Star). The airline will connect Abha to both Jeddah and Riyadh, with two daily flights between the cities, offering convenient schedules in both morning and evening. His Excellency Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, Chairman, flyadeal, said, “With the opening of the Abha route, we connect travellers point to point within the Kingdom with a new low fare service, and in the months ahead, we look forward to even further expansion both domestically and internationally.” Abha, a mountainous region with year-round pleasant weather, is a popular holiday destination. By connecting the heart of the Asir Province with the Kingdom’s two largest cities, flyadeal’s new routes will allow customers to explore the national heritage and wonderful scenery in Abha.  

Saudi Arabia’s new low-fare airline flyadeal has received a welcome market response since the start of services, with load factors reaching more than 82 per cent. flyadeal currently operates on three routes from Jeddah to Riyadh, Dammam and Qassim. Having commenced operations on September 23, Jeddah-Riyadh was the first city pair, beginning as a double-daily service, quickly growing to five-times-daily. Dammam and Qassim began this month, with Jeddah-Dammam increasing to double daily later this month. flyadeal currently has a fleet of three aircraft, with an additional five to be delivered. All are brand new A320 aircraft in a single-class configuration of 186 seats. Con Korfiatis, CEO, flyadeal, said, “flyadeal has received a very warm welcome from our passengers so far and we are grateful for their support. We look forward to continue serving our loyal guests as we move into the next phase of expansion in the coming months.”

TIME Hotels unveiled its first resort at WTM London with the launch of TIME Beach Villas Resort in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Opening its doors in December 2017, the resort will comprise 61 units with detailed Arabic architecture encompassing a full reflection of authentic Gulf design. Mohamed Awadalla, CEO, TIME Hotels, said, “This resort has been built with both corporate and leisure visitors in mind. It is perfect for long staying corporate guests as well as short stay family getaways. We, at TIME Hotels, have an in-depth understanding of these market segments, how to add value and drive in business.” Located close to the beach and at a 20 minutes’ drive from Jeddah International Airport and city centre, the midrange resort will offer fitness and leisure facilities, high-speed WiFi, LED televisions in all rooms along with concierge and business services.

Deer Jet has granted charter management of the world’s first and only VVIP outfitted Boeing 787, the ‘Dream Jet’ to UAS International Trip Support.  The Dream Jet will be based at the strategic hub of Dubai and UAS will be promoting the aircraft to its Middle Eastern, African and European customer base of UHNWI, and Royal and Presidential entourages. Another 787 Dream Jet display took place at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport from October 3-4, where potential customers were invited for private tours of the aircraft. Appealing to the world’s most discerning business and leisure travellers, the jet offers 7-star services along with advanced technology. Capable of flying non-stop over 16,000 kilometres for 18.5 hours straight, the aircraft is both efficient and luxurious. Along with the main lounge, dining area and guest cabin, it also has a master bedroom, dressing area and washroom.

Emirates will be operating 45 additional flights to Jeddah and 12 additional flights to Medina from August 17 until September 11 to help serve 2 million pilgrims expected to travel to the Holy City of Mecca during Hajj this year. These services will run in parallel with Emirates’ regularly scheduled services to Jeddah. The airline will also be operating its A380 to Medina which will also support the increased demand during this period. The additional services are available to travellers holding a valid Hajj visa. This year, top inbound destinations Emirates is expecting Hajj pilgrims to come from are Yangon, Manchester, Mauritius, Jakarta, Karachi, Lagos and Nairobi. Adil Al Ghaith, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East and Iran, Emirates, said, “With a sizeable increase in demand for air travel during this period, Emirates is helping to make the journey more seamless for the scores of pilgrims making their way to the Holy City of Mecca. Whether it’s in the air or on the ground, Emirates aims to provide all its customers with the best experience in line with their faith, particularly at this significant time and important journey.” On the ground, Emirates has appointed a dedicated group of airport staff to seamlessly facilitate the passenger ground experience for Hajj. In addition, dedicated check-in counters have been set up for Hajj passengers in Dubai. In the air, several initiatives have been planned in keeping with the values and traditions that pilgrims uphold when travelling for Hajj. Extra provisions will be made to accommodate Hajj traveller needs such as performing ablutions, advising passengers about Al Miqat and Ihram (the phase when pilgrims enter a state of sanctity) and other arrangements …

Spectrums Residence, the new 69-unit residence is located on Prince Sultan Road in the Al Salamah district, near shopping malls, schools, entertainment parks and hospitals, making it the perfect location for family living. Close to amenities that support business services, this is also an ideal location for business travelers looking for flexible pricing options. The Ascott Limited (Ascott) is expanding its presence in Jeddah with the opening of Spectrums Residence. It will be the fourth property, a local that complements the Ascott Sari, Ascott Tahlia and Citadines Al Salamah Jeddah. “We are honoured to have the opportunity to manage Spectrums Residence, which complements our existing properties in Jeddah. With a fourth property in the city, Ascott has strengthened its position as the leading international serviced residence operator in Jeddah” says Vincent Miccolis, Ascott’s Country General Manager, Middle East & Turkey. Residents can choose from a range of furnished two-bedroom apartments, each of which has separate living, dining, kitchen and work areas. The property features 24-hour reception, housekeeping services, breakfast room, gymnasium, children’s playroom, prayer rooms and smoking lounge. The property also offers meeting and events facilities as well as complimentary parking on-site and easy access to the property.