Arabia – The News Desk

Holiday Inn Jeddah Corniche opens in Saudi Arabia – Business Traveller

12Dec

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Holiday Inn Jeddah Corniche opens in Saudi Arabia – Business Traveller

IHG Hotels and Resorts has announced the opening of Holiday Inn Jeddah Corniche in Saudi Arabia. Part of IHG Hotels & Resorts ‘Essentials Collection’, Holiday Inn Jeddah Corniche is a new-build beachfront property. It is located a 20-minute drive from King Abdulaziz International airport and is just a short walk from the Jeddah Flagpole. The property will soon operate a ‘Rent a Car’ facility to provide guests with airport pick-up and drop-off services. It houses 148 rooms and suites spanning six floors. The room categories comprise 102 King Leisure rooms, 35 Queen rooms, 11 Twin rooms, and 10 sea-facing suites. F&B options at Holiday Inn Jeddah Corniche include three dining destinations: Roshan, an all-day dining restaurant; Moood Café, a coffee shop in the lobby; and Ya Mal Café...

NEOM unveils Epicon destination project in Saudi Arabia – Business Traveller

17Nov

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NEOM unveils Epicon destination project in Saudi Arabia – Business Traveller

NEOM in Saudi Arabia has announced Epicon, its latest luxury coastal tourism destination which includes a residential component too. Located on the Gulf of Aqaba, Epicon features two towers, one 225m tall and the other 275m. The towers will house an ultra-premium 41-key hotel and luxury residences that includes 14 suites and apartments. A short distance from the hotel is the Epicon resort, which will have 120 rooms and 45 residential beach villas. Epicon will also build a beach club, spa for bespoke wellness treatments, restaurants, gym, library, workspaces, pools and lounges. NEOM introduces new sustainable tourism destination of Leyja Epicon follows weeks after NOEM introduced another tourism destination called Leyja which extends from the Gulf of Aqaba coast in the west inland toward...

Air Arabia to introduce new route from Abu Dhabi to Lar in Iran – Business Traveller

29Aug

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Air Arabia to introduce new route from Abu Dhabi to Lar in Iran – Business Traveller

Low-cost carrier Air Arabia Abu Dhabi has announced the launch of a new route from the capital of the UAE to the city of Lar in Iran. The new direct flights will connect Abu Dhabi International airport to Larestan International airport with a frequency of three weekly flights, starting from September 14, 2023. The route will be operated using the airline’s single-aisle A320 aircraft every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Air Arabia Abu Dhabi operates a fleet of 10 Airbus A320 aircraft. Flight 3L 536 will depart from Abu Dhabi at 10.10am and land in Lar at 10.45am. Flight 3L 537 will then take off from Lar at 11.25 and land back in Abu Dhabi at 1.10pm. With the launch of this new route, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi will fly to 33 destinations from the UAE including Tashkent, Cairo, Tbilisi, Mumbai, ...

11Aug

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IHG’s ultra-luxury Regent brand to debut in Saudi Arabia – Business Traveller

IHG Hotels and Resorts has unveiled plans to open its first Middle Eastern Regent Hotel in Saudi Arabia. Set to open by mid-2024 along the waterfront in Jeddah, Regent Jeddah will offer views of the Corniche and Jeddah’s Formula 1 racetrack. It will feature close to 182 rooms facing the Red Sea. The ultra-luxury hotel will be housed in a 29-storey structure. Additionally, it will also feature five penthouses. Its luxury amenities will include a 1,500 sqm spa by Raison d’Etre, also known for their work with Six Senses Spa, a 200 sqm health club as well as indoor and outdoor pools. F&B options will include three concept eateries and a lounge. Apart from Saudi Arabia, IHG’s Regent brand is located in locations including Bali, Santa Monica and Hong Kong. The iconic Carlton Cannes, A Rege...

Saudi Arabia expands visitor e-visa facility to eight additional countries – Business Traveller

9Aug

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Saudi Arabia expands visitor e-visa facility to eight additional countries – Business Traveller

Saudi Arabia has announced that it will grant visitor e-visa to travellers from eight newly-eligible countries: Albania, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, South Africa, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, for leisure, business and religious (Umrah only) travel. Nationals of these countries can apply for a visitor visa ahead of their journey via the official e-visa portal. The visitor e-visa is valid for an entire year, grants multiple entries, and permits a stay of up to 90 days, reported Saudi Press Agency. Since launching the e-visa programme in 2019, the kingdom has welcomed 93.5 million visits in 2022, a 93 per cent increase compared to 2021, resulting in a tourism spend of SAR185bn ($49bn). This tourism growth is due to expanding visa initiatives, which now include 57 nations and tw...

What It’s Like to be a Female Tour Guide in Saudi Arabia

7Jul

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What It’s Like to be a Female Tour Guide in Saudi Arabia

Fatimah Al Zimam likes to walk around in black leggings and casual tops, and she wears her curly hair loose and uncovered. She owns a silver GMC pickup truck, which she loves to take on solo drives across the Saudi desert. And she is passionate about her work: As a tour guide, she has introduced her country to visitors from the United States, France, Britain, Italy, China and beyond.Ms. Al Zimam, 34, is a Saudi woman and she works for herself. She represents a profound transformation that’s underway in her home country, which has long been known as a deeply conservative place. Saudi Arabia’s opening to nonreligious tourists in 2019 is a major part of the ongoing shift, as are several important gains that women have been granted over the past half decade, though some restrictions remain.Bu...